Wednesday, August 24, 2011

Cigar City Brewing - Jai Alai

It is only through a cruel trick of nature that I lived in Tampa, FL for two years and never found the time to visit Cigar City Brewing.  I somehow found the opportunity to visit Yuengling, but never Cigar City.  Don't ask.  Thankfully, my good drinkin' buddy Keith still resides down there and will send me the bottles that I cannot necessarily find around the rural midwest. This is one of those bottles.  I have had (and loved) the Cigar City stouts and other dark beers, but not really delved into their IPAs before.  That said, I have been looking forward to this for a while now.  Let's pour!

Pictue is my own.  Bottle image art used without permission for educational purposes only.
Aroma 11/12
This is a more citrusy version of an IPA, but still very attractive.  The first notes are honey and distinct grapefruit, but slowly show more lemon citrus as well.  Eventually the malt show up in the background as a light, sweet bready smell; almost that of enriched bread.  Even that is short lasting and the beer eventually settles into a crisp, clean citrus.  It smells like it will be a most quenching beer.


Appearance 3/3
A generous head appears like a cloudy, but remains smooth and avoids becoming lumpy.  The color is almost as attractive as the aroma.  A bright pumpkin orange, but with plenty of complimentary hues of copper, gold, ocher, and some that border on shades of red.

Picture is my own, but it appears darker than IRL in this photo.
Flavor 15/20
Crisp citrus is the first flavor to come aboard, but the malts are not far behind with their ladles full of caramel.  In an inverse from the aroma, there is barely any sweet bread flavor, but lots of caramel.  It also includes a slight citrus sweet.  The backbone is a larger picture of the same, plenty of malt sweetness that occasionally hints at raw sugar origins, combined with a lesser citrus, and... well, that's about it.  When held in the mouth it also yields a faint spice and even fainter bitter, but the malt in this IPA seems to dominate.  The finish is sweet, then clean, and only leaves a light-to-moderate bitter bite.  The aftertaste is faint at best is really only present as a slight bitter left on the sides of the tongue.

Mouthfeel 3/5
When I was more than halfway through the beer and finally read on the label that it had 7.5% ABV, I was pretty surprised.  Nowhere in this beer does that alcohol become apparent.  The body is medium to compliment some of the more refreshing characteristics of this beer, but it feels heavier with the extreme loss of carbonation at just past the halfway point.


Overall Impression 6/10
Excellent aroma and appearance.  Flavor is sweet for the style and many IPA drinkers, let alone hopheads, could be disappointed.  A nice entry into the style; like a Merlot that is not very dry, you have to start somewhere.  Perfectly camouflaged warmth earned points, but the syrupy characteristic given from the lackluster carbonation is not a selling point.  Looks like I will have to drink the next one more quickly.

Total 38/50
The scoring started high, but faltered a bit when the flavor turned out to be fairly basic and pretty malt-heavy for an IPA.  While far from a bad beer, I would feel more comfortable recommending this to someone that wants to get in to IPAs and not someone that currently loves them.  However, not every IPA has to be a complete ball busting, enamel melting, tongue stabber.  Some might care for this less aggressive offering.  I scored it lower not for its lack of zeal, but for a flavor that wasn't really complex and seemed to malt-laden for an IPA.

In this beer's defense, I am not exactly sure when it was bottled.  There are numbers on the bottle that read 04.0711.  While I've only held onto this bottle for less than a month, if it was bottled over 4 months ago, I can definitely say that the hop profile would be degraded and that the beer deserves a second chance.  That sounds like as good an excuse as any, right?

Tuesday, August 23, 2011

Avery - DuganA

Avery has definitely laid down some pretty highly regarded IPAs.  Maharaja is generally accepted as an IPA that goes above and beyond to satisfy its drinkers and I'm hoping that Dugana follows in that trend.  It is listed as DIPA, though it never says that anywhere on the bottle; instead choosing to be labeled as a simple "India Pale Ale."

I actually tried to find what "duganA" means.  Was it a person?  A rank of nobility?  A god?  A saint (any of which the label seems to imply)?  I even searched it backwards (hoping the awkward capitalization was a clue), but I was grossly unsuccessful in my search.  If someone out there happens to know, I'd be more than grateful if you put it in the comments.  That mystery aside, let's get to the mystery in this bottle.  Let's pour!

Picture is my own.  Bottle image art used without permission for educational purposes only.

Aroma 10/12
This is a solid representation of an IPA.  It starts out with resinous dark pine and plenty of spice before showing its sweeter malt side of sweet Hawaiian bread and hints of the alcohol within it.  As it warms it fades in between a brighter pine and the one to which we were initially introduced.  Very fundamental in an encouraging way.

Appearance 3/3
Bright gold, high clarity, and a generous, sticky, ivory-colored head make this beer look just about as refreshing as an IPA can. There is plenty of lacing to silence any detractors who might think otherwise.

Picture is my own.
Flavor  17/20
This beer slides from light milk caramel into dark toffee and piney, herbal hops.  Based on color alone, I did not see the dark toffee flavors coming.  The flavors reside there for the majority of the backbone, but do allow some brown sugar and grapefruit notes to shine through alongside plenty of resin and bitter flavors.  In fact, if held in the mouth this becomes solely a medley of bitter and alcohol tingles on the tongue.  Hop heads will be pleased.  The finish allows for a bit of the malt, but is no surprise that it mostly is a continuation of the bitter, resin, and a slight prick of pepper spice.  The aftertaste (and 8.5% ABV) leave the mouth somewhat dry and with a great deal of bitter on the sides of the tongue.

Mouthfeel 3/5
The medium body still contributes to the impression of a "refreshing beer" that this brew has given off since the beginning.  However, it receives no assistance from the carbonation.  Halfway through the bomber this carbonation is all but absent, and leaves the beer feeling thick.  The peppery hops try to lend a false carbonation by pricking the tongue, but their efforts are also in vain.  The warmth is not intrusive and even goes to compliment the hops on several occasions.  Any creaminess felt is likely a symptom of the lack of carbonation.

Overall Impression 8/10
Hop heavy and bitter, but not completely forsaking of hop flavors and a attractive aroma.  This offering is not nearly as balanced as many quality IPAs on the market, but that might be exactly what you are looking for.

Total 41/50
This offering is not nearly as sweet as the Maharaja.  That said, it can also be inferred that it also makes almost no attempt to achieve balance the way Maharaja does.  While I personally prefer the Maharaja's style, a lot of hop heads (and friends on the west coast) will probably prefer this brew and its unapologetic hoppiness.  While this style usually is not my cup of tea, I could not give it lower than an 8 in the "Overall Impression" category and, frankly, that is a pretty subjective category.  It is remarkably well-made (minus my issue with the carbonation) and is a good example of what it claims to be.  While it is scored behind its counterpart (41 compared to 45) its score still ranks it as "Excellent," and has nothing of which to be ashamed.  Kudos to you Avery!  I knew you wouldn't let us down.

Partial nudity and beer?  Sounds like a good weekend.

Thursday, August 18, 2011

Founders - Devil Dancer

I have been debating picking this up for a while now.  I even went as far as to ask around the blogosphere for opinions.  I finally decided I could resist no longer, although the $20.99 price tag on a four-pack did make me reconsider more than once.  I was also a little hesitant because it was bottled almost two months ago and I seem to have a nasty habit of sampling IPAs past their fresh, hoppy best.  I'm not sure if 2 months is too long, but I'm not going to let it get any worse.  Let's pour!

Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission  for educational purposes only.
Aroma 12/12
I can't recall if I have ever smelled such a complex hop profile.  As soon as the bottle is opened the aroma rushes out.  Once poured, it starts very grassy and not without some musty/funky notes.  It slowly shows more fruit sweetness, but it is not the citrus we so often associate with hops.  This is more like white grapes or apples and very nice.  A spice note then joins the fray and combines with the grassy smell to make something that smells almost like marijuana.  Maybe even like wet, decomposing leaves in the fall.  Warmth becomes gradually more apparent without interfering and last to the party are the pine needles.  This is outstanding!

Appearance 3/3
While the generous head does not remain for a gratuitous amount of time, it does its job and then remains as a disc on the surface.  The color is phenomenal!  A radiating orange glow of pumpkin and rust and not without its redder highlights.  Blood orange anyone?  Gorgeous.

Picture is my own.
Flavor 20/20
A thick, creamy, caramel-laden malt is the first to greet you.  And it has an firm-ass handshake!  Wow!  The transitions into the backbone with brown sugar-like sweetness and a faint dark fruit.  How do they get this much malt into one bottle?  The IBU's are listed at 112, but with all this malt it almost seems balanced.  In the same way a symphony would if you played it through rock concert speakers.  The pine, fruit, and resin are strong and present at the sides of the tongue, but tend to fade a bit when it is held in the mouth.  Again... big, huge, truckloads of caramel and brown sugar.  Not in an overly sweet way, but in a MONSTER beer way.  The finish is instantly resinous and bitter, but once the beer has run over the back of the tongue it fades back into a balance with the malt but with bitter peppery lingerings.  The aftertaste is an ink-like bitter and lots of the pepper.  All sweetness has left, but the beer does not leave the mouth dry.  I just noticed that in that whole flavor profile that not once was the 12% ABV mentioned.  Talk about well camouflaged!

Mouthfeel 5/5
To say that this is a big beer, feels like an understatement.  It is insanely full-bodied, thick, and makes you want to scrape the extra flavor off of the sides of your tongue with your teeth.  The carbonation becomes very low toward the end of the bottle, but oddly enough, the peppery hops tend to give it that little extra prickly sensation even if it is in a false way.  Big flavors need big bodies and this beer delivers.  And amazingly, does so without becoming syrupy.

Overall Impression 10/10
Wow. Wow. and wow again.  This is a ginormous, gargantuan, goliathan, humongous, colossal beer.  Bitter beer lovers need look no further, though hop heads may be disappointed with the large amounts of balancing malts.  The ridiculously complex nose and intense, large flavors had me going and the technical prowess puts it over the top.  This is, without a doubt, a superior beer.

Total 50/50
This score makes this beer only the second ever that has received a perfect rating!  Boy, does it deserve it.  I may never hesitate to buy ridiculously expensive beer ever again!  The risk was definitely worth the reward in this case.  Craft beer lovers, I am speaking to you now.  Do whatever it takes to find this beer.  Lie, cheat, steal, swindle, barter, ransom, heckle, trespass, jaywalk, blackmail... it doesn't matter.  It will all be worth it in the end before you go to prison.  The flavor is immense (I'm not sure if I made that clear earlier), the aroma is probably a felony in 13 states, and I'm not sure, but I think my palate just got into a bar fight with Bas Rutten. 

The fact that I had gone 70+ reviews and never found a perfect score, but then find two within two weeks of each other is awesome to me.  It just goes to show that you never know where you're going to find you're next favorite beer and I'm SO glad I have 3 of these left.  Here's the best part: IPAs aren't even my favorite style of beer.  This beer is just that damn good.  I wish I could shout "Cheers!" loud enough so that the boys in Michigan could hear me.  Kudos Founders!  I'll definitely be looking for this one again.

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

Oskar Blues - Old Chub

I have a lot of respect for Oskar Blues, but very little opportunity to drink them in my small, midwestern market. Yes, I know they're only 2 states away, but apparently that is all it takes.  Needless to say, when I get the chance to finally down these twelve ounces of nectar it's a pretty good day.  Looks like today is going to be one of those "pretty good days."  Let's pour!

I own nothing.  These graphics are Oskar Blues'.
Aroma 11/12
Wow.  There is lots of bitter cocoa, caramel malt, and tons of their friends along for the ride.  The roasted notes in the malt are not lost despite their strong flavors.  A spiciness is present, as is a light alcohol warmth, and an almost smoky/sour note as if some rye or peat had been involved.  Dark fruits are faint, but still present.


Appearance 2/3
A small head that did not bother to stick around were the two worst attributes of the entire beer.  In its defense, it pours a very handsome espresso black with ruby highlights at the edges.

Picture is my own.
Flavor 19/20
This is a massing of wonderfully blended flavors.  Despite an initially pale flavor, almost that of heavy cream, it glides beautifully into its backbone of cocoa nibs, dark fruit (dates/prunes), lesser molasses tones, a little of the smoke from the aroma (that increases dramatically as the beer warms), and a wonderful encompassing backdrop of alcohol warmth that never comes close to overcoming this blend of tastes.  The finish is still heavy with dark fruit, but shows a spicy pepper note in addition to the rye tang, and more alcohol than in the main structure of the beer. The aftertaste is a little bitter, barely smokey, and surprisingly clean considering the dark, sweet flavors that are present everywhere else.

Mouthfeel 3/5
The style does not require a lot of carbonation, but when it is this little the mouthfeel risks becoming syrupy and this beer is no exception.  It has a medium-full body that suits these heavy flavors nicely.


Overall Impression 9/10
The flavors in this are phenomenal and surpass the aroma in its ability to impress; not always an easy task.  The only weak parts of the entire experience are the lack of head & retention (far from a deal breaker) and the lack of carbonation in the mouthfeel itself.  It is supposed to be low, but it is almost completely absent and I'm not even finished with the 12 oz can.  It's a good thing that the rest of this beer more than carries those two lesser categories.

Total 44/50
When it comes down to it, my gripes are pretty insignificant to the amazing flavor and aroma that this beer offers.  Frankly, wouldn't we all rather have a beer that smells and tastes great than worry about the carbonation in the mouthfeel?  Exactly.  The combination of dark fruit, cocoa, smokey rye/peat, and a well-hidden 8.0% ABV is one you do not want to miss.  I bought some of this for a friend on his birthday earlier this year and now two thoughts come to mind.  One, I'm glad it turned out to be a good birthday gift.  Two, I should have gotten more for myself.  Cheers again to the folks at Oskar Blues.  Damn fine work, folks.

I love the juxtaposition of tulip and can.  Truly, tis beauty and the beast.

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Samuel Adams - Latitude Series (Part II)

Well, judging from the popularity of the first part of this two part series there are a fair number of you waiting to hear about the last three varieties of hops involved in making Samuel Adams' Latitude 48 Deconstructed Series.  I'll just get right down to brass tacks, then.  Let's pour!

The fourth hop: SIMCOE 


Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational purposes only.

Aroma 11/12
This is so nice I wish brewers would make an IPA out of this hop alone.  Brewers: please consider that a challenge.  The aroma was abundant the second I opened the bottle, not even waiting for the pour.  It is almost champagne-like with a wood/nut aroma in close contention.  There is a light pine and grass note in the background that seems to be an afterthought, but as the beer warms it blends superbly with the champagne and citrus smells.

Appearance 3/3
Color is the same reddish-copper as the others, but the head is (forgive me) "head" and shoulders above the rest.  It is thick, frothy, stiff, becomes lumpy, and leaves an almost solid lace on my glass.  Excellent!

Picture is my own.
Flavor 19/20
An immediate bitter splash is the bold introduction for this brew and dives immediately into its backbone.  On the tongue this beer has just as much molasses as the color would have us believe, but with some woody tones, and a sharp, sour citrus note that shines through it all.  After being held in the mouth a bit, a sugar sweetness also develops.  The finish is a fantastic IPA bitter finish.  It is exactly what one should expect from an IPA.  It builds off the prior sour flavors and really uses them to beautifully transition into a resinous bitter.  The fade from one to the other is very tasty and very cool.  The aftertaste is surprisingly clean, given the bitter finish, and also leaves the mouth dry.

Mouthfeel 5/5
Did you notice I didn't start the flavor section "Again with the distracting carbonation," like all the others in this series?  That's because it didn't have it.  I'm not sure how.  I stored them the same way, opened them the same way, handled them the same way, etc.  Its mouthfeel is definitely different and I shall describe it as a certain well-copyrighted Disney character: "Practically perfect in every way."

Overall Impression 9/10
I am very impressed with this offering.  Excellent, unique aroma, superior appearance, distinct flavor transitions, and a perfect stylistic mouthfeel are definitely ingredients for this beer's success.  What else can I say?  Wow.

Total 47/50
Yeah, I'm surprised by the score too, but I stand by it.  This is an amazing hop!  After re-reading all the flavor sensations it gave me (molasses, sharp citrus, the crazy fade to bitter/pine), I thought to myself, "How can anyone not like beer?"  This is a fun beer to drink a glass of and since you receive two, almost worth the price of the 12 pack itself.  Seriously.  I haven't even had the last beer of the bunch yet, but unless it tastes like unicorn tears and plays the theme from the ORIGINAL Transformers Movie (1986!) when it opens I think that is a safe claim to make.


The fifth variety: ZEUS


Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational purposes only.

Aroma 9/12
Starting with rich molasses-laden malt, this beer quickly gets to work showing its hop profile as it warms.  It starts with a faint grassy aroma, but gradually transitions into a rich pine log sent.


Appearance 3/3
Head retention average, lacing is just as superb as the Simcoe hop.  Color is similar to prior varieties.


Picture is my own
Flavor 15/20
Again with the carbonation.  This beer starts out with a creamy malt, but switches almost immediately to a pepper and bitter resin.  Those two flavors grab hold and never really let go.  OK, there is a slight, dark, caramel undertone, but it is very faint in contrast to the other larger, more abrasive flavors and is not as large of a contributor to the overall flavor profile.  The caramel seems to grow stronger as the beer warms, either that or I am becoming more accustomed to the bitter hops as I go.  Either way, it's providing more balance even if it is a secondary flavor.  The pine notes also increase with warmth.  The finish has a sharp bitter that earns this the title "Bitterst of the Series," and also shows off more of the pine flavor.  The aftertaste is ink-like in its bitterness and nothing more.

Mouthfeel 4/5
The early, crazy carbonation deducts points, but the head earns some.  Also, this beer seems to fill the mouth more than any of the other varieties, despite its similar body.  It foams up in an interesting way.


Overall Impression 6/10
Not bad, but not thrilling either.  Simpler aroma and flavor than the others, though.  Definitely the bitterest hop of the varieties.  I see its potential in conjunction with other hops, but it offers little on its own.

Total 37/50
I partially believe that this score is based on having all of the essentials of an American IPA, but none of the finer things.  Sure, it's bitter, tastes like pine, has some malt, etc.  However, it misses out on some of the characteristics that truly set apart an excellent IPA like citrus, floral, complexity.  As the score would indicate, this does not make it a bad beer, but there are definitely better our there.


The last is the combination of all 5: Latitude 48


Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational purposes only.

 Aroma 9/12
Again starting of with caramel and molasses malts, but slowly evolving into a grass/funk aroma.  This is short lived and evolves again into a more citrusy version (light orange, canteloupe) with an overshadowed pine note.  The final evolution stays (thankfully) and smells very crisp and light.


Appearance 3/3
A repeat of the prior two beer's über-lacing.

Picture is my own.
Flavor 16/20
Creamy up front and peppery (not the first time we've seen that combination), it moves quickly to a lightly grassy/pronounced pine backbone with plenty of malt sweetness and a touch of citrus.  This is a very nice combination of a lot of things that are all going on at once.  The finish provides more pepper and bitter, but follows it with a brief, creamy, sweet wave that never overcomes the two despite is distinct appearance.  The malt is also more present in the finish that one would expect in an IPA, but not necessarily a terrible thing.  The aftertaste allows a fading, sharp bitter to take hold, but it must be truly waited out before it makes its appearance.  As the beer warms it takes on a very nice blend of malt and citrus hop.

Mouthfeel 4/5


Overall Impression 7/10
A caramelly version of the style, but a solid one nonetheless.  Extremely high technical prowess in the brewing process is evident in every aspect of this beer.  A bit more of the citrus to keep things more refreshing perhaps would have been appreciated.  This seems dark, especially for a summer seasonal.

Total 39/50
Obviously more complex than some of the other varieties, but that doesn't necessarily allow the best of each hop to show.  There are characteristics of each present and it's really fun to pick each one out after drinking the whole series.  Perhaps, its biggest fault is to not focus on one or two defining characteristics and instead going for all the the characteristics inherent in five different varieties of hops.  Who is to say which is better, the single flower or the bouquet?

A picture of the top of the variety pack.  Very cool.

And that's the game!! It has been a lot of fun going through the different varieties of hops and really isolating flavors, but eventually there had to be winners and there had to be losers.  Here is the final roundup.

Simcoe: 47/50
Ahtanum: 39/50
Latitude 48: 39/50
Hallertau: 38/50
Zeus: 37/50
East Kent Goldings: 27/50

Hopefully, this helps some of you homebrewers as well!  I know it will certainly aid me as I continue to try new and amazing beers and try to really pick individual flavors out of the beer.  Once again, cheers to Samuel Adams for a great idea that caters to homebrewers and the craft beer community!!

Tuesday, August 9, 2011

Samuel Adams - Latitude Series (part 1)



No, my friends, the title did not lie to you.  Today's review will be for the whole Latitude 48 series from Samuel Adams.  OK, so it's not really a series, but for those of you unfamiliar with Samuel Adams Latitude 48, here's the scoop.  Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA is made with 5 different types of hops.  This summer, Samuel Adams was selling a "Latitude 48 IPA Deconstructed" 12 pack.  In this twelve pack the individual types of hops are given their own pair of bottles. 2 bottles of the "blend" and 2 bottles each of the 5 different types of hops used: Zeus, Goldings, Ahtanum, Simcoe, and Hallertau.  Whether or not you dig Samuel Adams or think they're "too big," this is a really cool idea and completely caters to the craft beer community.  There is no other place I would be able to easily sample this many single hop beers and compare/contrast them so quickly.  Plus, this is a great tool for developing your palate and being able to single out flavors in future beers!

Two final notes before I pour.  I will evaluate the first beer (Ahtanum Hops) with my customary 5 categories: aroma, appearance, flavor, mouthfeel, and overall impression.  However, since I assume many of the characteristics to be extremely similar (mouthfeel, appearance) I will not be reevaluating those for every single hop variation unless one of those differs from the others.  Wouldn't it be safe to assume the appearance and mouthfeel would be similar?  Well, we all know what happens when one assumes.

The second thought is that I may be drinking these beers a bit too late.  As is common knowledge in the craft beer community, time breeds passive hop flavors.  This was proven to me recently in my Hop Juice Black that had lost its bite since its purchase only 2 months ago.  Needless to say, that episode definitely increased the urgency with which I wanted to sample this variety pack.  I only hope I didn't wait too long again and spoil what could have been an otherwise excellent exbeerience.

Let's pour!

First up, the Ahtanum Hop:

Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational uses only.



Aroma 9/12
As the head arranges itself, a strong aroma of molasses comes forward and then melds into hops as the head settles.  The hop aroma is more complex than I would have assumed for a single hop!  A grapefruit citrus is first (and bold), but eventually settles into a wonderful blend of citrus, floral, and light hints of grass.  Quite nice and a challenge to those who wish to naysay against Samuel Adams.

Appearance 3/3
This brew is becoming more and more impressive.  It pours a fiery, brilliant copper and a lasting cream-colored cap.  Little lacing and high clarity are also of note, but do not capture the attention like the prior mentioned characteristics.

Picture is my own.
Flavor 17/20
An initial assault of prickly carbonation makes it difficult to pick out flavors.  The beer does start out with the molasses from the aroma and some crystal malts.  The sweetness is brief and takes a back seat to our featured hop.  The hop flavor is almost nothing like the aroma.  The sweet, nuanced blend of the aroma is gone, and instead we are given a strong pepper and resin mix.  The pepper is primary to the resin, but both do allow an underlying sweetness that is more akin to caramel than molasses.  The backbone also features a slightly-higher-than average hop bitter.  A nice touch to see in the middle, when many lesser IPAs wait until the suds wash over the back of the tongue to relay their bitter notes.  The finish here is almost a lighter bitter than the backbone (odd!), but after a few moments a second wave of bitter comes and is a neat surprise when you thought it was all said and done.  Aftertaste is light, but bitter and lightly resinous.

Mouthfeel 3/5
As you saw earlier, I couldn't even wait until the appropriate section to note this beer's initially inappropriate amount of prickly carbonation.  It falls dramatically (and thankfully) throughout the bottle and eventually compliments the beer quite nicely and maximizes refreshment.  Speaking of refreshment, this is a bit heavier than I would have anticipated by being just barely over what I could consider a "medium body," but it is partly caused by the dramatic fall in carbonation.  It seems a narrow window in which to drink this beer, being either too carbonated or almost too flat.

Overall Impression 8/10
A surprising offering from Samuel Adams considering the amount of "poo-pooing" that is often aimed their way.  This beer proves that they are not too big to make good beer.  A wonderful, though far from strong aroma, superb appearance, and a substantial flavor all make this beer worth buying.  It is also a strong argument to seriously consider their next seasonal variety.

Total 39/50
Good for you Samuel Adams!  This beer alone should shut some mouths about you being "too big," and I haven't even gotten to the rest of the variety pack yet.  This is pretty impressive.  I'll admit, I too don't exactly dive into the cooler to snag a Sammy Light, but I would for this.  This is hoppy, tasty, and well made.

Next up: the East Kent Goldings

Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational uses only.






Aroma 4/12
The initial aromas are not attractive at all.  This is funky.  It's a battle to tell if it smells more like boiled vegetables or the well water from your grandmother's tap.  Thankfully, that fades away eventually though not completely.  Eventually a very sweet malt smell arises from it that seems to include some honey.  Crystal malt is again present as is a light, fleeting "tea" aroma.  I neglected to mention the tea aroma in the first review since I thought it was just a brief misstep on my part.  It was not, as it was present in this beer as well.  Virtually no hops present in the aroma, unless they are responsible for the earlier funkiness.  Not a good sign in an IPA.

Appearance 2/3
Head is not nearly as generous (1 finger), but it does leave better lacing.  Clarity is also higher.

Picture is my own.
Flavor 13/20
Again with the distracting carbonation.  I had to let it warm a bit.  There are lots of pale malts of front that charge headlong into a backbone of light pepper, lighter floral, a faint sour citrus, and hints of smoked meat.  Notes of the funk show through, but they are largely kept in the shadows.  The smoked meat becomes a lot stronger in the finish and joins a bitter than is intense, but not particularly abundant.  The aftertaste is a bit smoky and more the bitter from the finish.

Mouthfeel 4/5
Still ridiculously prickly in the beginning, but more creamy overall.  It also seems to hold its carbonation toward the end of the bottle a bit better than the prior bottle.

Overall Impression 4/10
Unusual flavors presented in a mild way.  Tea aroma, peppery backbone, and smoky lingerings are an unusual combination to say the least.  However, this is not to say that it could not be done in an enjoyable combination.  This simply doesn't seem to be said combination.

Total 27/50
I can see this hop's place and unfortunately it is not by itself nor surrounded by crystal and caramel malts.  This could really add to a rauchbier or a other beers requiring a smoky/peppery styling and a concentrated bitter finish.  Looking back, I could probably name several beers that have utilized this hop that I thought were a bit unusual.  The hop has potential, but its setting is dramatically holding it back.


Third will be the Hallertau Mittelfrueh


Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational uses only.



Aroma 10/12
Starting out strong with rich, bready malts this beer quickly transitions into caramelized orange rind and other sweet citrus tones.  This is quite nice.

Appearance 3/3
A bit more orange than its counterparts, with a good amount of lacing from only a finger-sized head.  Its clarity matches that of the Goldings hop.

Picture is my own.


Flavor 15/20
Again with the carbonation.  This is a bit more of a crisp opening than the last two with their heavy crystal malts.  It also doesn't provide the sweetness, leaving a bit of a flavorless entry into the backbone.  The primary flavors in said backbone are a rush of spicy and bitter, but calmed by a second wave of biscuity malt, a caramel, and a citrus backdrop.  In an unusual twist, it almost becomes salty while sitting in the mouth.  The finish is creamy and bitter with the aftertaste bringing out a bit of pine plus some some concentrated bitter notes, even if the bitter notes' abundance (again) is somewhat lesser.  A quicker sip refocuses on the  main themes of orange, caramel, and bitter flavors.

Mouthfeel 4/5
Initial carbonation aside, everything is par for the course and similar to the other varieties.

Overall Impression 6/10
An average offering.  It tastes like an overly bitter amber ale.  Granted, this ale has more orange and not just the straight amber malts (an nice twist), but an citrusy sweet (yet not tart/sour) amber ale nonetheless.

Total 38/50
OK, so I'm a little embarassed to say that I just discovered that the descriptions of the hops are on the backs of the individual labels.  However, I'm glad I trusted my palate because the flavors that are stated to be in this beer are not detectable at all.  The label claims flavors of lemony citrus (I'll allow that) and resinous pine.  There was no pine to be found in this bottle.  Granted, that could be confirming my fear that I didn't drink these IPAs soon enough, but I stand by my taste buds.  Whether I read it or not, the song remains the same: caramel, citrus, bitter.   In that order.


In closing, I find that I should deviate from my plan to review all six Latitude 48 varieties in one sitting. I feel that 3 of them at 6% ABV each on an empty stomach, is not only getting me a little bit tipsy (not a bad thing), but effecting my writing and ability to clearly convey what I am experiencing.  That said, this will be Part 1, with part 2 to follow in the near future.  As it stands currently..


Ahtanum: 39/50
Hallertau: 38/50
East Kent Goldings: 27/50

To be continued...

Friday, August 5, 2011

New Glarus - Golden Ale

Today, friends, is a bit of special bottle that I have been holding onto for a little while now.  However, as I have been offered employment today (for the first time in 8 months) it is a chance to celebrate and to crack open one of the finer things in life.

Unfortunately, this is a one shot deal.  This beer was never released by New Glarus.  It was part of their Research & Development and I happened to pick up a bottle when visiting the brewery (which is GORGEOUS, by the way).  This bottle looks nothing like any of their regular bottles, but has a great look to it with faux handwriting on the bottle and their watermarked logo on a label designed to look like antiquated paper.


The bottle reads as such:

Style: Golden Ale
Brewed: 03-23-09
Bottled: 06-18-2009
IBUs: 38

Batch: 160 BBL
OG: 15° P
ABV: 7%

Brew Master's notes:
Bold floral bouquet sweeps forward encouraged by Maris Otter Malt. Ale & Brettanomyces promote complex Brett characters - dry finish. Alive and still fermenting this bottle will continue to build carbonation. Pour w/ care.


Aroma 12/12
Sweet honey and flowers.  Flowers, flowers, and more flowers.  Literally like sticking your face in a bouquet full of Stargazer Lillies.  Nay, a greenhouse full of Stargazer Lillies.  The biscuit and straw malt flavors are present, but hard to find behind such an overwhelming force.  A slight warmth is felt, but not detected in the aroma.  This is amazing.

Appearance 3/3
This beer seems illuminated from the inside.  The colors of raw honey and ripe peach make it a golden delight.  The orange-tinted head is very generous, with large, soapy bubbles, but does not last as long as I would like.  In fact, you can watch the head dissipate before your eyes, before settling as a single finger's worth.

Picture is my own.
Flavor 20/20
First sips give you a tiny citrus bite on the tongue before turning their attentions elsewhere.  The "elsewhere" is flowers that fade in and out, barely a hint of barnyard must, suggestions of a Belgian yeast (spicy and  barely banana sweet), and a light bitter that hides in the background waiting to be paid attention.  A wine-drinker's slurp renews the honey sweetness.  The finish is quite spicy given the otherwise sweet character of this beer.  Lots of pepper, clove, and hop bitter really bring all the sweet floral esters back down to earth.  The aftertaste is a similar blend of bitter and flowers, though eventually only the bitter remains (und die Blume abgefallen...) and leaves the mouth fairly dry.  What an ale!

Mouthfeel 5/5
The light, crisp, tiny effervescence in this beer is the perfect blend of being bubbly enough to keep this beer refreshing and compliment its light flavors, but small enough to help enhance its creamy body.  It is abundant to the end, of this medium-bodied brew.  Despite its light malts, 7% ABV, and medium body, any alcohol warmth was undetectable.

Overall Impression 10/10
This beer is perfect.  It's true to style, laden with flavor, excellently crafted, highly drinkable, has perfectly camouflaged alcohol, and immensely refreshing.  I cannot make one honest suggestion for improvement to this beer.

Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational uses only.
Total 50/50
Well, it finally happened.  To date, I have never given a beer a perfect score, but it had to come sometime.  I cannot imagine a more worthy beer.  The highly floral taste, the use of Belgian yeast, seamless hop bitter for balance, appropriately prickly carbonation, and high(er) ABV all make this beer supremely quaffable.  I have never had a light style beer with this much flavor. Pilsners, Helles, most lagers, etc... all fall away to this beer.  I just cannot get over the blend of floral sweetness, musty Belgian yeast, and light hop bitter.  Perfection!

I have had high expectations for New Glarus beer in the past and as most high expectations do, they often leave one disappointed.  Through no fault of New Glarus, other than their excellent reputation and my past experiences with said reputation, I have built them up quite a bit in my mind.  This beer left no disappointment.  It destroyed my expectations and left me wanting more.  Much more.  The only bad thing I can say about this beer is that I'll probably never have it again.  Great white buffalo.  Great white buffalo. Great white buffalo.

***If anyone has this to trade, I will make it worth your while.***


For anyone that doesn't understand the "Great White Buffalo" reference, please watch the below video.

Thursday, August 4, 2011

Hop Juice vs Hop Juice Black

Happy IPA Day everybody!  To appropriately celebrate this noble holiday you would expect me to review an IPA, right?  Well, to really do things right, I'll be reviewing two IPAs today whilst comparing and contrasting.  Making matters even better is the fact that the Hop Juice Black is a pretty exclusive bottle.  It was only available during Two Brothers Hop Juice Festival, which they held at the brewery earlier this year.  It has been a while since I've sampled these two side-by-side and I'm excited to see how they compare.  Let's pour!

Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational uses only.
First:  Hop Juice:

How amazing does that look?
Aroma 11/12
When first poured, citrus is easily the most dominating of the hops' aromas, but also features notes of grass, pine, and wood. After sitting for a moment the piney resin takes its rightful place at center stage, but still allowing other players to show themselves.  It's a trifecta of hoppy goodness: pine, citrus, grass.  In that order.  It all blends together superbly, and even lets a little roasted grain peek out its head.

Appearance 3/3
A glass full of copper glints and a hue of glowing dark-pumpin-orange make this beer insanely attractive.  Even the head appears to be some sort of pumpin pastel color!  The head seemed to come out of nowhere.  I was about to be disappointed with its quantity, when it rapidly appeared and rushed to the top of my tulip glass.  The head is large, fluffy, lasting, and leaves sticky lace all over my glass.  For an DIPA, this is as good as it gets.  You may quote me.

Picture is my own.
Flavor 19/20
There is so much going on here, I feel like I could write pages.  Initial flavors are sweet with citrus and raw sugar.  They are just a flash though before fading into the backbone of a strong caramel tone, deliciously roasted malt, and... surprisingly few hop flavors.  They are present (especially the pine), as is their bitter calling card, but they are definitely not a focus point.  Some hop sweetness is even shown as is pear-like or like a muted apple flavor.  The finish is (of course) a strong bitter, but it is very well balanced with the caramel, rum,  and what seems to be a near butterscotch quality.  Aftertaste is peppery bitterness.

Mouthfeel 4/5
Medium-full body with very little carbonation even halfway through the bomber bottle.  Any alcohol warmth in this 9.9% ABV brew is camouflaged extremely well by the abrasive hop characters.

Overall Impression 9/10
This bottle was purchased at the brewery in mid-June, but I fear some of the hops' aggressive nature may have quieted in that period (less than two months).  The malts were far and away the feature flavors of the beer's backbone even if the hops made their mark felt everywhere else.  Lots of good bitter to satisfy the hop heads and plenty of other things going on to keep them on their toes.  The aroma changes constantly as the beer warms!  If you buy a bottle be sure to keep checking back with it.

Total 45/50
A great way to celebrate IPA Day!  The aroma is to die for in any of its many variations, the color and head are beyond expectation, and the flavor is surprisingly sweet for a beer of this namesake.  What else can I say?    If you love hops, you'll love this beer.  Go buy it!


and now for.... HOP JUICE BLACK!

Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational uses only.
Aroma 7/12
Much lower ranking than its brother.  It is very faint in comparison, heck, it is very faint overall.  What aroma is there is pine and charred malt.  It is a beer that has a aggressive character, yet seems to be speaking in a whisper.  I hope I did not let this sit too long and deteriorate the hop character.  The warmth becomes dramatically more noticeable as the beer warms, as does the pine/citrus blend.

Appearance 3/3
The beer is all but completely opaque as it does allow a few ruby facets to shine through its dark complexion. The head is a light khaki that, not to be outdone by his brother, also leaves tremendous lacing.  Though it is not as cloudy, Hop Juice Black's head is much more dense and wet looking.  Even in presentation, these two beers are neck and neck.  Hop Juice Black pulled the exact same "Appearing Head" trick that Hop Juice did.  It is a very neat effect.



Flavor 17/20
This is quite mellow overall and a lot more mellow than I recall from the festival.  It starts with molasses plus the darkest of caramel, and soon turns into the burnt malt from the aroma and hints of its high ABV.  The hop notes, with the exception of the pine and pepper, are extremely light, confirming my fears of letting it sit too long.  The hop notes included are pepper, pine resin, and the faintest of citrus sweetness (not sour).  The finish is bitter like coffee with lots of alcohol heat felt on the sides of the tongue as it makes its exit.  Plenty of bitter in this bad boy.  Not only do the hops do an excellent job of providing a nice, sharp bitter, but the burnt malt too adds something to the bitter profile.  The aftertaste is simply bitter.  No malt, no hop subtleties.  Just bitter, leaving the mouth salivating.

Mouthfeel 5/5
A nice, big body to support these bold flavors, even in their muted form.  The warmth adds a  prickle to the mouth that could be misconstrued as carbonation, though the carbonation is not prickly, even if it is abundant toward the end of the bomber.  A light creaminess goes hand in hand with the bold flavors to make this beer a true sipper.


Overall Impression 7/10
"Caramel, burnt coffee, and a touch of pine" sums up this beer rather nicely.  The alcohol warmth is not distracting to the flavor, but is prickly hot on the sides of the tongue during the finish.  This sampling is not as biting as I recall during the festival and I feel I may have done this beer a disservice by holding onto it and trying to hold on to it for a special occasion.


Total 39/50
This score still places it in the 'Excellent' category, but perhaps by no fault of its own.  This beer was much more aggressive the first time I tasted it from the tap at the brewery  (basically, as fresh as it gets).  In fact, on that hot, hot summer day I strongly questioned the wisdom of having several glasses of Hop Juice Black; not only for its high ABV (official numbers are hotly debated), but because of its bitter, sticky, piney, full bodied nature.




Results


                                             Hop Juice                                               Hop Juice Black
Aroma                                      11/12                                                                7/12
Appearance                               3/3                                                                  3/3
Flavor                                      18/20                                                              17/20
Mouthfeel                                 4/5                                                                  5/5
Overall Impression                  9/10                                                               7/10


Total                                      45/50                                                               39/50


Verdict
I hereby declare Hop Juice the winner by a country mile.  The less dark profile really allows the hops to strut their stuff in a variety of ways.  It also allows for a lot more nuance and complexity, especially when that complexity involves the sweetnesses that are in Hop Juice.  I love dark beers as much as the next guy, but flavor is still king.


Great look for this brew!

The best I could capture the screen printing on this bottle.

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Dogfish Head - Theobroma

The title of this column could have went one of two ways: the way I chose, simply the name of the beer I will be reviewing, or the way I felt.  In that case, this column should be entitled, "I Am Extremely Jealous and May Never Forgive Them As Long As I Live."  Initially, that may sound a little harsh, but trust me you will empathize by the end of this post.

OK, so perhaps I kid a little about never forgiving.  To give a little backstory, there is a bar where I used to live in Tampa, FL called World of Beer.  I have posted about it before, but if you have not checked it out already, here is their website.  Believe me when I say that you want one to be franchised in your area.  Ridiculous selection of bottles and taps, great rewards programs, fantastic bartenders, nice look... you get the idea.  It's pretty much my bar utopia-shangri-la-nirvana-cloud-9.  Tonight is their "Dogfish Head Night."  Yes, it's just as good as it sounds.  I think I'll let the pictures do the talking.

This is the tap menu.  Are you kidding me?!


Caution: Extended viewing of this picture will cause physical arousal.


For those of you not familiar with what is going on in the last photo (like myself) that is the much talked-about "Randal the Enamel Animal."  This is what DFH invented (no, seriously) to infuse their beer with other flavors.  Put hops in Randal and run DFH 60 Minute through it and now its hoppier (or shows different hop profiles).  You get the idea.  What does World of Beer have whipped up for Randal tonight?  I quote them and say, "Theobroma running through a Chocolate and strawberry infusion and chili peppers Randal!"  I think I would not sound out of line to say that I would give a small appendage to attend this event.  15 taps, Randals, bottles of 120 Min., and a "mystery keg."  What else could you want?  OK, ok... one more pic.


That is a lot of DFH and their ABVs.
However, all this amazingness condensed into one spot does not help my wanting to be there.  That said, the closest I am going to get is by cracking open my own bottle (or two) and having my own DFH night.  Besides, I started and ended last month with DFH reviews and it was really well received.  If it aint broke, don't fix it.  Let's pour!

Picture is my own.  Bottle art image used without permission for educational uses only.
Aroma 11/12
As the head settles, the smell of bready malt is very clear.  Later, comes notes of honey, light warmth, the sweet spice of ancho chilis, and a distinct citrus note which shows up fashionably late.  There is virtually no cocoa apparent in the early aroma, despite its virtual double listing (cocoa nibs & cocoa powder) on the label.   Thankfully, when the beers warms a bit the ancho/honey collaboration becomes readily apparent and is quite the knockout combination.  Either aroma profile is amazing and I found it difficult to tear my nose away from the glass.  It begs to be sampled.

Appearance 2/3
It pours the color of Aztec gold with bright orange and peach highlites.  It is gorgeous in the glass.  The head is small and remains as a collar through most of the tasting.  Though, this is understandable with the chili oils involved.  I must confess a bit of shock as to how light this beer is with all the talk of its cocoa ingredients.  I poured it and exclaimed, "What?!"

Picture is my own.
Flavor 18/20
The first taste is surprisingly sweet, as a sweet cream would be, but transitions rapidly into a hullabaloo of its other ingredients.  The backbone has other flavors constantly bouncing around into one another.  These are coming in waves, but appearing and disappearing quickly.  It is a bit quirky, but very enjoyable.  Honey is first, or maybe it just seems that way from the beginning sweetness, but it quickly is takes a backseat to the earthy notes from the chilies and annatto (which I am told is akin to nutmeg).  The ancho flavor and spice shows up at about the same time and is probably my favorite part of this brew.  The ancho, true to form, lends little to no heat, but a great flavor.  As the beer warms, the cocoa sweetness is allowed to peek out to compliment the honey which is, after holding the beer in the mouth, one of the dominant flavors of the beer.  The finish continues the profile without showing anything new: sweet, a little ancho flavor, and a bit earthy though it does show more of a light bitter.  The aftertaste is a warm tinge of alcohol (in a non-distracting way), and a bitter that I can only assume comes from the cocoa nibs.  Quite nice.

Mouthfeel 4/5
Biggest concern is that halfway through the glass the carbonation is all but gone.  Definitely a full-bodied beer which compliments nicely the large flavors it is carrying.  As mentioned before, the warmth of this 9.0% ABV beer is detectable, but not in any sort of way that is distracting from the beer.  In fact, it somehow compliments the flavor/spice of the anchos.  I cannot say I've seen that done in a beer of this style.  It is as if the alcohol is allowed to provide the warmth that the chilies do not.  The result is a similar sensation, but without the lingering, oily heat one often experiences with hot peppers.  Very interesting.

Overall Impression 8/10
I'm sure that cocoa played a large part in the brewing process and history behind this ale.  However, it does not play much of a part in its final product.  If the rest of the resultant beer were not so fantastic, there would be much lower scores involved.  While this beer does not deliver on its cocoa marketing, it does deliver on ancho chilies, honey, earthy goodness, and a high level of technical quality.

Total 43/50
Early on, I would have said the cocoa was imagined, but as the beer warmed it was allowed to show itself ever so slightly.  However, from the color to the aroma to the flavor, this beer seemed to peter out its promise of cocoa.  Fortunately, it matters little.  This beer is fantastic!  I am a little biased to ancho chilies as I use them in my own, personal "Sweet & Sassy Chili," but the flavor and earthiness they lend here brings a smile to my face.  It is that unique and delicious.  How many brewers could successfully add anchos to a beer and still stand tall?  Well, seemingly more and more all the time, but Dogfish Head did it and they did it well!  Those chilies combined with the sweet honey and the light bitter background truly are the trifecta of flavors that make up this beer and I am not complaining.  No single flavor is too loud, the warmth is just right to compensate for the peppers, and the brewing caliber is bar none.  Kudos again to Dogfish Head!  They're breaking molds every day.  

Some say this beer doesn't live up to its hype, but what other beer gets as much hype as the Ancient Ales series besides a select few (Dark Lord, Pliny, KBS, etc)?  Heck those other beers don't have (or didn't have) TV shows!  I would say that DFH captivates the public attention so well, that we in the craft beer world maybe expect the moon whenever we drink it, and that is hard to live up to.  However, if you were to drink this beer without all the hype and TV shows and magazine articles, I bet it would still be a premier beer in the craft brew world and not nit-picked the way it is currently.  Try to put the publicity aside and really taste this beer for what it is; whether that be to its detriment or benefit.

Cheeky.