Wander - Googly Eyes

I feel like I'm about to have a "Dark Helmet moment." Explaining how I came into this beer is going to sound a bit like "I am your father's brother's nephew's cousin's former roommate." A coworker and friend, who also likes craft beer, is also a graphic designer. He of course has other friends who like craft beer and a few who brew it. One of those friends has started Wander Brewery and needed my coworker to design a can for him. As part of the payment, my friend received some of said beers he helped to package, and shared a can with me to celebrate his success.

That turned out much longer than Dark Helmet. Maybe one of the powers of the Schwartz is brevity.  In any case, this pint can labels as a Double IPA and hails from Bellingham, WA. Can I expect one of the West Coast hop bombs or one of the trendy new cloudy East Coast concoctions? One way to find out.  Let's pour!

Aroma 9/12

First to the nose is pineapple, but grapefruit and pine resin are also abundant. I'm going to give this another sniff after it's had a chance to warm up a bit... OK, some caramel malts are finally starting to poke through, which is to be expected. Grapefruit is now the primary aroma. Smells like a DIPA, but isn't particularly earth shattering.

Appearance 3/3

Appropriate for this time of year, the beer pours a bright, pumpkin-y shade of orange into the glass with copper glints abundant. The beer is surprisingly clear - not a trace of cloudiness here to hint at some sort of East Coast styling (not even with a swirl of the can to stir up the dregs). Pillars of bubbles stream to the surface like a champagne, giving at least a consistent half finger of foam even after the beer has sat temporarily. That ivory-colored head starts out looking thick like whipped heavy cream, but eventually leaves big gaps where large bubbles have escaped. Nice lacing too.

Flavor 19/20

After smelling those caramel malts, I expected a sweeter introduction to Googly Eyes. Instead, it was rather neutral or cream-like, which does allow one to pay attention to the body and mouthfeel rather quickly. A quick touch of light caramel, almost honey-like, sweetness and then the hop profile kicks into full gear and it's off to the races. My notes list the following flavors and I almost couldn't jot them down fast enough: weed, earth, spiciness, pepper, woody, resin. This is definitely not the citrus cocktail that most folks fawn after, but that certainly doesn't make it any less complex nor any less of a feat to bring out all those flavors. How many hop varieties are in this anyway? The longer you hold it in the mouth, the more you will discover. The finish is more of the spice and pepper, plus a tiny bit of the 8.5% ABV. Well, if you've held it in your mouth.  Quicker swigs allow that crazy hop profile to blend a little more with less-than-intense sweetness. Aftertaste is that grapefruit bitter and tingle on the tongue, plus that undeniable earthiness.

Mouthfeel 5/5

Big and solid, without being syrupy or heavy.  Perfect level of carbonation that gets an assist from the peppery hops that are prickly on the tongue. Alcohol warmth is basically hidden. I'm pretty sure I could drink this faster than I should.

Overall Impression  9/10

That hop profile is impressive!  Lots going on there. Appearance is appropriate, mouthfeel is great, drinkability is dangerously high. The aroma seemed to be the beer largest shortcoming. Of course, I am just recovering from a cold, but as I can breathe through both nostrils, I hope this isn't too large of a handicap. I would definitely buy a 4-pack of this,or feel comfortable giving it to a hop head friend.

Total  45/50

Definite "bonus points" for hop complexity. I said it before, this bitter, earthy mix isn't everybody's cup of tea, but that shouldn't detract from the variety of flavors presented.. Hop heads will love it anyway. The sweetness is a bit "watered down" for as big a style as a DIPA should be, then again a larger malt sweetness may have hidden some of the hop complexity. Though with the aggressive flavors in these hops, I find that unlikely. That and the basic aroma are all that are holding this beer back in any fashion. In my mind, the complexity is the significantly more difficult characteristic to produce 

The Alchemist - Heady Topper

Out of the blue, an old college buddy named Wilder texts me.  This is the transcript.

Wilder:  Hey question for you.  You still doing that beer review?

Sud:  I still have it, but I haven't written on it for quite some time.  Though I know I will when I try some on my bucket list that I want to remember.

Wilder:  Is Heady Topper on that list?

Sud:  I would say so.

Sud:  Consider my curiosity piqued.

Wilder: My dad just came back from VT and brought 7 cans with him.  I asked if he'd be part with 1 to another beer nerd who named their first kid the same name as my brother.  He said sure.

Sud:  You keep this shit up and I'm gonna name the next one Wilder.

At that point, in the true spirit of craft beer altruism, he also tried to tell me he wanted nothing in return and offered to transport the beer to me!  Thrilled enough with the prospect of finally being able to try Heady, I gave him a Prairie Artisan Ales "Christmas Bomb" and went to pick the beer up myself.  However, this did not diminish my appreciation one bit.  Heady is obtainable in the Midwest but typically one must be willing to part with some pretty primo barely pops in order to do so.  That said, this opportunity is being relished for the gem it is.  Let's pour!

***Note:  Both of my prized tasting glasses from Port City Brewing have met rather unfortunate ends; neither at my hands.  Also, my typical "beer reviewing space" is in the process of being remodeled.  Those two things in mind, there has been a rather unceremonious change in glassware and location, both of which are temporary.***

Aroma 12/12

Strong pine followed by aromas  of its cannabaceae relative and some distant mustiness.  All of this is sitting atop a large supporting cast of sweet malts that are difficult to discern through the wash of citrus nectar.  If there's something that The Alchemist is missing here, I can't think of it.  Color me impressed.  As the beer begins to warm the pine is replaced very distinctly by the tropical fruits and the slight sting of resin.

Appearance: 3/3

A pleasant bright and hazy ochre with accents that, appropriately for this time of year, remind one of a ripe cantaloupe.  Head is thin, nearly as white as the paper on which I'm taking my notes, and thin - taking very little time to settle as a barely a film on the beer's surface.  Translucent.

Flavor 20/20

Initial flavors were hard to isolate because this beer jumps right into the body.  Very reminiscent of grapefruit, with a mixture of bitter and citrus sweetness dancing together as able partners.  At first, the main body offers mostly bitter flavors, but once the mouth has conditioned to that a wonderful array of flavors takes over: resin, honey, and grapefruit.  I'm going to take a minute to make an analogy about the grapefruit in this beer.  It's like Jelly Bellys to regular jelly beans.  Jelly Bellys are amazing, right?  Why?  Because they taste exactly like what they say they will.  Pear?  Buttered popcorn (my favorite)?  Mango?  Jelly Belly nails it every time.  Heady Topper is like tasting a grapefruit flavored Jelly Belly.  Sure, using a standardized vocabulary you state that many beers offer grapefruit flavors.  That's like comparing a red jelly bean to Jelly Belly's cherry flavor.  Jelly Bell actually tastes like the real thing.  So does Heady Topper.  It tastes like honest-to-goodness grapefruit.  No analogy.  No kinda-sorta-almost.  Grapefruit is in there.  And the strange thing is, I don't enjoy eating that actual fruit, but I dig this beer.  

Anyway, like I was saying: resin, honey, grapefruit.  But as it warms, much like in the aroma, those tropical fruit flavors are becoming more pronounced and getting ready to party.  The aftertaste at first was musty, but again, after the mouth becomes conditioned, things change.  It went from musty to almost the complete opposite end of the scale by showing off its sweet tropical hoppy flavors.  Finish is a bready sweetness with a true, but never overwhelming, bitter earthiness that lasts and lasts and gives the beer's final impression.  Maybe even a little peppery?  Yes, definitely peppery, but only after the 8% ABV has subtly and finally revealed itself ever so briefly.  This is not a palate wrecker by any means, but more of a showcase of what hops are capable of in skilled and nurturing hands.

Mouthfeel 5/5

Just wow.  Bigger beers should take note.  There is plenty of sensation of carbonation on the tongue, but never in danger of becoming prickly nor effervescent nor heavy and sluggish.  It's perfect.  Furthermore, it helps cover up the medium-heavy body of this DIPA and makes it ridiculously drinkable.  Even the alcohol warmth is all but invisible until well after the swallow.  Well done at every possible turn.

Overall Impression 10/10

Confession: Heady Topper didn't instantly "wow" me.  It was not some beer that kicks your palate's face and then demands its lunch money.  There was no wide-eyed epiphany, pillar of light, or chorus of angels.  This beer's approach was much more cerebral.  It shows you one facet, then quickly changes to show yet another.  Before half the beer is gone, you've tasted 8 or 9 very different flavors, and smelled nearly as many aromas.  This is a technical masterpiece of hops.  Admittedly, it seems unfair to label something as "technical" when it abounds with such pleasing aesthetic qualities, but with such complexity I find anything else less plausible.

Total 50/50

Much like cooking, the brewing of beer is as much science as it is art.  People like Alton Brown have shown us the science behind delicious recipes and combinations, and others can combine ingredients without any training except experience in a way that bends chemistry to their will while simultaneously ignoring it.  Which does Heady Topper do?  I'm tempted to say the former.  The mastery of hops in this beer is so complete that I find it hard to believe that anything but careful study and tedious practice could be its foundation.  Regardless of its origins, the beer has clearly earned its reputation.  I am typically skeptical of such widely-acclaimed brews, but the endless complexity, drinkability, and perfect mouthfeel have easily won me over and earned a perfect score.  I have never had a more complex beer that changes more in the glass than Heady Topper.

Speaking of complexity, Heady is a beer I would love to do a vertical of week by week.  I feel that its complexity warrants it and new flavors would come and go as the beer ages and changes.  To anybody who has that access and opportunity, a toast to you.  Don't let that opportunity slip by.

Thanks Wilder!

Russian River - Pliny the Elder

I knew this day would come.  Tolstoy once wrote, "The two strongest warriors are patience and time."  I have been as patient as a statued saint and have watched years pass before this day would come.  Today, I get to sample one of those most revered, sought after, and highly touted beers in America - Pliny the Elder.  While our friends on the West Coast don't have as much trouble as the rest of us acquiring this elixir, it remains a "whale" to the population at large.  Well, today call me Captain Ahab because this is one whale I intend to slay.

However, as excited as I am to finally taste Pliny in all its glory, I am also somewhat apprehensive.  I mean, Pliny is every definition of a whale.  It has limited production, acclaimed flavor, is highly sought, and is far from being distributed on a national scale (as far as I know).  I've heard about ol' Pliny since the early days of my craft beer drinking experience.  Can it possibly measure up to the hype?  Can all the searches and all the trades that happen around the country be worth it?  I'd be lying if I said my heart didn't feel the suspense a little bit.  Time to go whaling.  Let's pour!

Aroma 11/12

A snifter is not required to draw the strong and complex hop aromas from this pint.  Straight from the bottle is a rush of pine, grapefruit, and sweet, sweet malts fighting a dissonant resin.  No tropical fruits are detectable as in many of the more recent contenders vying for "King of the IIPAs," but a more traditional IIPA aroma is not a hindrance in the least.  Warming slightly, the sweet malts come more into play and their sweetness mingles in harmony with the citrusy cloud of hops.

Appearance 3/3

For how "big" the beer smells, its 8.0% ABV, and its reputation, I was quite surprised to see how light in color Pliny was.  Bright as a sunny day and nearly as golden, Pliny's high clarity added to its brilliance in the glass.  An ivory colored head fades to pure white head as the beer seeps down and through.  It enjoys a moderate retention, but rests mostly as a ring on the beer's surface.

Crappy picture measuring EBC.

Flavor 20/20

Do I have to stop smelling it?  All right.  The big moment.  Here we go.  Things start out much less sweet than I had anticipated based on the aroma.  First notes are grassy, peppery, earth, and already the hop bitter is present in a nicely understated role.  Other sips yielded similar earthy notes, but the beer comes alive when you take a big ol' mouthful.  My timidity in the effort to savor the beer would have ruined it, had I drank the whole glass in the same fashion.  A healthy swig brings those sugary, honey-rich malts out to play as a fine balancing ingredient to the bitter hop flavors.  These larger gulps also let the sweetness of grapefruit and malt become factors much earlier (and likely as my tongue further acclimates to the hops).  Good heavens, for a hop heavy style, the balance is spectacular and easily one of this beer's strengths.  Lots of woody hop flavor in the backbone with plenty of sweet grapefruit and classic IPA malts.  The finish, of course, emphasizes the bitter as the beer washes over those rearmost "bitter" taste buds, but despite this biological disadvantage, the sweetness from both hops and malts remains remarkably persistent.  There's even a freshness there that I can't quite explain.  The aftertaste is resinous, pleasantly sticky, and finally betrays a slight warmth on the exhale.

Mouthfeel 5/5

Tremendous in every aspect.  The brew is wonderfully smooth, with a perfect carbonation that makes it presence known, yet refuses to interfere.  A quick swish in the mouth turns things even more creamy.  It has a hearty body that carries the flavor well without being cumbersome or sluggish, and as mentioned in the "flavor" section, the ABV is all but hidden for nearly the entire experience.

The whale stands alone.

Overall Impression 9/10

Well, I don't know how anything could measure up to the reputation this beer has.  However, if I were to be ranking a beer of any other name, its superior qualities would still stand out.  Not only is this beer to style, but it does so in excellent fashion.  Beautiful aroma, well balanced, and a perfect mouthfeel make it easy to see why people clamor over it.  So why the score only of 9 in this category?  I just didn't get as excited about it as I do some other beers.  It's an outstanding beer, no question.  I just didn't fall in love.

Total 48/50

While far from a bad score, the 48 points may be a bit lower than most folks would rank it given the hubbub surrounding this brew.  Technically superior and certainly savory, I enjoyed my first bottle of Pliny quite a great deal.  That said, after sipping I did not pull it away from my lips and in wide-eyed enthusiasm exclaim, "Wow!"  There are beers that will do that do me, many of which are stouts, that absolutely floor me with their strength, flavor, creativity, and complexity.  Pliny, impressive as it is, did not earn that high honor.  It's still an honor roll, 'A' student, just not A+, valedictorian student that also attends space camp.  I love the balance, I love the mouthfeel, and I very much look forward to the next opportunity I get to taste this elusive treat from Russian River.

Note:  For those wondering, this particular bottle was bottled on 11.21.2014 and consumed on 1.03.2015.  That's 52 days for you counting at home.  Not its absolute, most fresh, but still within the guidelines for IPA freshness.

Goose Island - Pere Jacques (aged 5 years)

Not many people are forgetful or patient enough to age a bottle of beer for five years.  Luckily, I happen to be a little of both, no matter what my wife tells you about the whole patience thing and the new/exciting expletives I invent during video game play.  On the label of Goose Island's high(er) end beers, it is claimed to develop in the bottle for up to five years.  The bottle of Pere Jacques that I will be reviewing today has been aged for 62 months to the day, past the date it was bottled.  I have not experimented with a beer like this before so I am excited to see how it will end.  If well, that means the other aging beers in my cellar have a chance.  If not, I may have wasted a whole lot of beer money.  To say I'm a little anxious is to understate the matter.  Let's pour!

Aroma 10/12

The label says "Belgian style ale," but it is clearly leaning more toward the tripel in aroma.  Lots of fruit present here.  Mushy, over ripe apples are present along with notes of real apple cider, though without the spice.  Bright raisins are not far behind and if I were more familiar with my dark fruits, I'm sure I could tell you if it were more fig vs something else, but all I can say at this point is that it stops short of prunes while definitely hinting at them.  Absent from the "Belgian style" is any sort of Belgian yeast notes and any spice.  I don't necessarily expect the former in a dubbel/tripel/quad, but I certainly expect a little of the latter.

Appearance 3/3

Easy points here.  It's a dusty copper shade when poured in small amounts, but larger amounts lend bright red and magenta highlights to the brew and make it pleasing to the eye.  The head on this 5-year old beer was still (surprisingly) present in a half finger's worth of tan foam that faded with a slight crackle.

Flavor 18/20

This beer takes its time to make an impression on the palate, fading straight away into its backbone of flavors and giving no introduction.  The easily found primary flavors are the dark fruits from the aroma, but without the bite or subdued acidity that the apples might have brought.  The cider character of the apples is still present and plays very well with the other fruits.  There is a notable booziness that hid itself in the aroma, but comes across as very outgoing in the flavor.  Holding the brew in the mouth allows the initial sweetness of the fruits to die down a bit and the slightly bitter, "browned apple" flavor to step forward in addition to a previously undetectable spiciness.  A welcome addition to any Belgian ale!  It pricks the tongue a bit, gives more interest to the bitter, and keeps things true to style.  A swallow quickly brings more of the bitter as well hints of a vinous, purple grape.  Ultimately, the bitter and the sugars of the dark fruits combine to give a lasting final impression of the beer.  The aftertaste is more notable for its mouthfeel than its flavors, becoming somewhat sticky in the mouth and the alcohol drying on the tongue.  Though it the acidity of the apples does reprise itself after a lengthy pause.

Mouthfeel 4/5

The body is good for the style and the spiciness does eventually show up if you hold it in your mouth long enough.  The alcohol is just right in this beer - enough to let you know it's there, but not so much that it even comes close to taking over a flavor, even a minor one.  Carbonation is adequately active, though made to seem less by the medium-heavy body is has to move through.  The spiciness is a nice addition to the finish and, with the carbonation, is another way the beer's creaminess is perceptibly diminished without effecting the body.

Overall Impression 8/10

Even for an "old" bottle, this beer is unsurprisingly tasty.  Lots of dark fruits, true to its style, and a robust version of a Belgian without trying to be too huge.  I would be more than pleased if someone purchase this beer for me in a pub.  Goose Island prints right on the label, "Develops in the bottle for up to 5 years," and by George, they're not lying.

Total  43/50

If one were to use the "grading scale" found in schools, this score would register a solid "B," but if you were to ask me personally I'd say an easy "B+."  Bottled on May Day 2009, this beer has had to wait a long time for its heyday, and it delivers with a true to style, tasty, dark fruit laden, palate-warming treat.  Furthermore, this bottle has been impeccably kept, remaining either in standard refrigerators or a special beer fridge (50 degrees Farenheit) for its entire existence.  Talk about a princess.  Such excellent storage conditions in mind, had there been any "off-putting" flavors, the beer would have no one to blame save itself.  However, with its excellence proven, it now stands to claim all the glory.  Solid work, Goose Island.  I'll be trying this experiment again.

New Belgium - Coconut Curry Hefeweizen

Is it just me or when you see a beer with "Coconut Curry" in the title, you just have to take it home?  I have to know what it's like!  I have to try it.  I also enjoy that I'm supporting creative brewers, but my motives are far from altruistic.  I want what others call "weird beers."  If it weren't for weird beers how would we know that we like beers with coffee or syrup or chili peppers or smoke or weasel poop?  Without creative brewing we'd all be drinking fermented honey or fruit juice or something.  So let's keep this progression going because if beer as we know it is this good, who knows what a few experiments might turn up over the next several hundred years!  It's our solemn duty (*wink*) as craft beer drinkers.  All right, </speech>, but seriously... rare ingredients are good things.  This beer seems to have them and the Lips of Faith series by New Belgium has turned out some pretty damn good brews.  How can I lose, right?  Let's pour!

This picture is not blurry.  My camera was drunk.

Aroma 10/12

This is a not a bruiser in the aroma department, but I will give it kudos for performing the seemingly impossible task of incorporating all of the ingredients of its namesake into the aroma.  At first this comes across the nose as a sweet-smelling hefe: gum-like Belgian yeasts and a a spicy clove note.  Then you start to realize that part of the sweetness is in part thanks to the coconut.  The coconut does not come across aggressively or über-sweet like some of the candies based on the same, but instead like the creamy, almost neutral sweetness of coconut flesh.  In the back is the curry that steadily grows stronger as the beer warms.  At first the spice is simply detectable as an overall spiciness, maybe an extra boistrous strain of Belgian yeast providing more-than-usual pepper notes or an especially zesty clove, however the curry slowly becomes more distinct to eventually take a seat as one of the predominant aromas.  We are left with a Belgian yeast sweetness, made to seem sweeter by a well-hidden coconut, and loads of spice.  Neither one overpowers, but both are strong.

Appearance 2/3

Despite not mishandling this beer, I was disappointed to see white floaties traveling around my glass like annoying insects that I could not shoo away.  Having not yet taken a drink, I'm unsure if they are pieces of coconut, sediment from the hefe, or some combination of both.  The beer is cloudy as the style should be and pours a dusty golden hue.  Its head is ivory in color and constructed of many tiny, distinct bubbles that are steadily replaced by line of their brethren rising from the bottom.

Flavor 19/20

There is no easing your way into this beer.  From the moment it hits your lips, it is upon you and greeting you as zealously as a long lost aunt during an surprise Christmas visit  Things begin as a very spiced version of a hefe, but quickly the curry takes over the flavor.  This is a bit scary since a curry flavored beer has been requested by approximately 1 person ever who was then promptly flogged - not a exactly a popular option.  With a little bit of patience and close attention to what is being tasted, the spiciness (almost bitter for a moment) combines with a wash of coconut sweetness and the flavor turns wholly into that of a delicious Indian meal.  The sweetness of the hefe was almost completely drowned out by the spices but is reborn in the coconut and the transition is surprisingly easy - huge kudos to the folks at new Belgium for spotting these complementary flavors in seemingly opposite corners.  Fascinating!  The finish, much like the food, leaves plenty of spice on the tongue and is perhaps partially aided by a lively carbonation.  This lingering spice not only muddies the remaining hefe sweetness into an earthier, darker version of itself, but also leaves the tongue tingling in a few distinct places.  The aftertaste is surprisingly non-existant or perhaps just seems that way after such unmistakable flavors.

Mouthfeel 4/5

The carbonation started out as extremely active, but halfway through the bottle mellowed to that of a frisky american lager.  It has a medium-heavy body which actually gains a nice smoothness as the carbonation shrinks.  There's no real warmth to speak of no matter what the curry tells you.

Overall Impression 9/10

This is an impressive brew.  Not only did they use such exotic and unconventional ingredients as coconut and curry, but they also missed all the pitfalls that can happen when utilizing such potent ingredients.  The hefe behind these large ingredients is quite good and not some sub-par version hiding behind flavors.  New Belgium found a sweet and lightly spiced beer and paired it with a sweet and spicy food.  This combination may be out of left field, but works together like the field of dreams.

Total 44/50

To say I'm surprised by how well this beer works would be an understatement.  I buy a lot of unusual sounding beers.  The constant experimentation and pushing of boundaries is something I find exciting in both food and drink and the ingredient list on this beer certainly satisfies that.  Not only do I find these things exciting, but new ingredients also pique my curiosity.  The beer has a good hefe base to it, which is only detectable in brief splashes.  After that, it's "The Coconut & Curry Show," and the beer excellently replicates the taste of those succulent Indian dishes.  If you like that, you're bound to like this beer.  If not, it still may have something to offer.  The spice and sweet, fruit-like qualities of a hefe pair surprisingly well with the same qualities of the Indian food.  Granted, the curry/coconut takes the spice and fruit levels and cranks them up to  a level beyond what we beer drinkers would call "imperial."  The coconut/curry is an exaggerated version of the style's calling card flavors, but the similarities are undeniable; I can see why they made it.  I like this beer.  Tasty, unique, well done, pronounced, an excellent pairing of style and new ingredients, and it's exactly what it claims to be on the label.  My only question is, if I order this in a bar, do I receive some naan instead of pretzels?

Jolly Pumpkin - Calabaza Blanca

It's two days before "All Hallow's Eve" and what better brand of beer is there to review than Jolly Pumpkin out of Dexter, Michigan.  Not only does their name make them an obvious choice, but their often eerie bottle art and unusual flavors make them a brewer that stretches comfort zones and pushes the boundaries for many a burgeoning craft beer drinker.  Today's review will be for their "Calabaza Blanca" (translated:  "White Pumpkin"), an artisan white ale allegedly "brewed in Belgium's biere blanche tradition," according to the label.  Jolly Pumpkin tends to focus on open fermentation and barrel aging, so one comes to expect a bit of sour goodness when cracking any of their bottles.  This particular bottle is from batch 853 and was bottled on 7-28-2011.  Let's pour!

Aroma 11/12

My first whif from the bottle elicited a "Wow, that's funky!"  However, things settled much more pleasantly in the glass.  Overall, it is a very floral brew with a distinct sour note behind it.  The sour in the aroma evokes more sour green apples than it does the pungent orange peel used in its brewing, but that is not an unwelcome development.  A very earthy coriander complements things nicely... or is that a coriander that blends well with an earthy hop variety?  No matter, it all adds up to a classic gueuze type aroma.  Ooh, and the orange blossom floral qualities open up even more as the beer warms.  This is not a light aroma!  It's got some oomph behind it.

Appearance 3/3

Everything on the mark for the style.  A bright, high clarity, sunshine yellow gleams in the glass and is capped by a noisy white head that fizzes quickly to a ring around the surface.  OK, so normally one expects some haze in a witbier, but with how long this bottle has been again all that sediment on the bottom is going nowhere.  The clarity and color seem awfully summery for this time of year, but I won't hold that against it.

Flavor 17/20

Wow!  The sour invades your personal space like an exuberant uncle at a family reunion.  The blast of intense lemony lactic flavor dulls when held in the mouth, as does the angrily aggressive carbonation, and one is left with the earthy, slightly bitter fragments of the sour-splosion that just occurred.  Unfortunately, little else takes place.  The bitter could just as well be from lemon peel as it could orange and any coriander spiciness is wanting at best.  The finish, of course, tends to emphasize the bitter a tad more than in the backbone of the beer, but that's about the only change.  It is of course ridiculously dry, but that is aided gradually by the sour left in the mouth that inspires a helpful dose of saliva.  Very tasty and not light on flavor, but extremely simple aside from the sour and earthy bitter.

Mouthfeel 4/5

The body in this beer is nearly nonexistent.  I mean almost water, people.  That is fixed a bit once the zealous carbonation has quickly died, but even then the beer can be called very light at best.  Normally, a carbonation level this high would interfere tremendously with the texture of the beer, but with a beer this light it really can't do much damage.  Any further negative effects of such high carbonation, even for a bottle conditioned beer, are lessened by the simple fact that the bubbles are so damned tiny.  I have no idea how they did it, but they did.  A mouthfeel like this and the accompanying low ABV of 4.8% lead me to think of this beer as more of a simple gueuze or a musty berliner weisse than any sort of white ale or witbier.

Overall Impression 7/10

This is well made, robust in both aroma and flavor, and definitely something for someone getting into sour beers to try.  Its body, sour flavor, and high carbonation all keep it a refreshing beer, while the low ABV and light body mean you could probably drink quite a few if the flavor wasn't so intense.  In fact, this brew is probably meant to be drank in quantity or popped like champagne, but its simplicity doesn't quite fit the bill as something to sit down and savor.

Total 42/50

This is a tasty beer.  Or rather a tasty sour champagne that is barely less dry than real champagne - and with less alcohol.  This is a refreshing change of pace from big IPAs and some of the pumpkin/yam beers of the season, but probably not enough to keep me coming back.  Ultimately though, it IS something that I would buy to show to my friends how different and unusual beers can be.  It also may be something that a drinker heavily into lambics could branch out to try.  Good work Jolly Pumpkin.  You've made a refreshing beer that doesn't skimp on the intensity of its flavor, but now I'd like to request some complexity.

Stone - Enjoy By 9.13.13

Stone's "Enjoy By" is a double IPA that they have released to alleviate a single problem: deteriorating hop quality.  As we all know some beers are able to be aged if kept properly and that aging can alter the flavor of the beer.  This can often yield some pleasing results and sometimes can do more harm than good.  Hoppy beers and those with high alcohol content are often good candidates for aging as both of those qualities were originally popularized thanks to their powers of preservation.  However, while hops may act as a preservative, the qualities that we all love that hops imbue to beer tend to fade rapidly as the hopped beer ages.  In rare instances, this can work out, but more often than not it is less desirable and a far cry from the original intent of the brewer.

The deterioration has implications in aging, but also on the shelves.  How do you know if your IPA or other hop dependent beers are fresh?  How do you know you're getting the best tasting, least decayed, brewer-intended flavors?  Stone provides an answer to this problem with their "Enjoy By" series.  Other brewers simply use "brewed on" dates on their bottles or cans, but Stone is definitely putting their dates front and center in an attempt to promise drinkers a fresh, tasty, hoppy experience.  If you were buying a hoppy beer, wouldn't one of the factors to consider be the freshness of the brew?  Stone hopes so.  Time to see what they're offering.  Though with an IPA from Stone, a consistent maker of hop heavy styles, one can generally count on high quality.  I wanted to drink one as close to the date as possible to have it at its "worst" and see how it holds up.  Let's pour!

Aroma 12/12

It's got almost every hoppy aroma that I can think of short of wood, pepper, and herb.  First sniffs are beautiful and sweet, full of pineapple, pine, sweet sticky caramel malts, and grape fruit.  As the drink warms more grassy and musty notes arrive and they grow more noticeable to tame the amazing initial aroma.  It only grows to a moderate intensity, blending with the sweetness for balance, but not covering or overtaking it.

Appearance 3/3

When first poured, the beer is capped with a peach pastel colored head that slowly fades to ivory shades as the beer trapped within is drawn to its brothers below.  That beer pours a golden orange shade that is screaming for fall to arrive.  It is a slightly hazed beer in an earthy tangerine hue.  The colored head won me over.

Flavor 17/20

Not what I was expecting.  Given the nose of this beer, I anticipated a nice sweet introduction full of those sugary caramel malts and a grove's worth of citrus.  In the words of the venerable Judge Smails, "You'll get nothing and like it!"  The malts at the beginning were neutral at best or completely destroyed by the mothership of hop bitterness that just landed on my tongue.  OK, so maybe it's not the mothership, but it's enough to destroy any other flavors and it looks like it's headed for the White House.  Maybe a splash of citrus survives this resin onslaught, but little else.  I wrote down earlier that I could find a semblance of the caramel, but I may have been drinking at the time.  All there is now is a distant citrus, plentiful black pepper, and lots of bitter of the back of my tongue.  Oddly, the finish shows some malt!  The beer's body clearly indicates that Stone didn't skimp on adding malt, but you're hard pressed to find much of it in the flavor.  The finish instantly ends the black pepper flavors and continues the bitter.  This doesn't even give the illusion of balance, even if the caramel and alcohol heat do become slightly more present as the beer warms.

Mouthfeel 5/5

Body is great for a DIPA, big without being a chore to drink.  Peppery tingles remain on the tongue for some time after swallowing and carbonation is spot on perfect for a beer of this size - it permits for texture while largely staying out of the picture.  This beer is 9.4% ABV and is camouflaged but can be detected in a few of the exhales when you take a break between sips.

Overall Impression 6/10

One dimensional beers just don't win me over.  Now, I will say that I have had other Stone "Enjoy By" dates both on draught and in bottles and I recall enjoying those more than I did this.  The aroma was incredible, the mouthfeel was spot on for a DIPA, the ABV well hidden, and the appearance was solid.  The flavor was the only thing that I felt was not on par for Stone's normally superior performance in the realm of Americanized IPAs.

Total 43/50

Of course my first thought is, "Did I let it get to close to the 'enjoy by' date?  Should I have drank it earlier?"  Maybe.  However, if Stone says it's good for another 2 days, then they'd know better that I would.  Besides, isn't that what this whole beer is about: making sure the beer is fresh and providing a date with which you shoul expect a lower quality?  In their defense, I suppose I drank it toward the tail end of its optimum freshness, but I also suppose that I still expected excellence inside of that date.  Granted, excellence was not far off.  In fact, in every category where flavor was not a factor this beer received perfect marks!  However, the hop bitterness seized control like an ambitious despot and cruelly subjugated its inferiors.  Do the hops play nicer in fresher batches?  Undoubtedly.  However, this beer just goes to show exactly what it sets out to: fresher is better.  If this is it close to its worst, you know it's worth picking up earlier from that date.  For those that like bitter beer, you could  even pick this up after the date on its bottle, otherwise don't expect a lot beyond the bitter of an otherwise fantastic DIPA.

New Glarus - Strawberry Rhubarb

"The reports of my death are greatly exaggerated."

Even if it means I no longer get to dress like I'm 
from 1979.  Yes, that's my real hair and mustache.

Beer geeks!  Hello!  I've missed you all!  Between taking on some new responsibilities at work and being involved in some local community theater, I've barely had 30 minutes at home on any given day that wasn't spend shoveling food down my throat or preparing to enter/exit my bed.  Unfortunately, this is not nearly enough time to write the craft beer reviews that I like.  Fortunately, my obligation to the theater is ended and I now have my life back!  Actually, it was a great time, but I'm very glad to have some time again to write about and review amazing craft beer.

As good fortune would have it, my father MOTHER, who lives close to the Wisconsin state line, was gracious enough to pick up some of New Glarus' Strawberry Rhubarb for me.  You may consider me excited.  Rhubarb in the spring and early summer is a childhood treat that I recall quite fondly.  Whether it was in a rhubarb crisp, rhubarb pie a la mode, or just raw dipped in sugar from the bottom of a Dixie cup, rhubarb is a tart, sweet treat that absolutely sings summer.  Mixing it with strawberries, as if often done in pies, is also awesome, though since I can find strawberries much more easily than rhubarb, I tend to be a bit of a "rhubarb purist" and try to find it featured by itself.  I'm also excited because, duh, it's New Glarus and they make some of the best fruit beers that you will find.  Even when their normal fruit crops were low in supply thanks to an drought-inducing and uncooperative Mother Nature, NG produced their Serendipity and made splendid results with what they had available.  One of my favorite "fruits" AND one of my favorite brewers?  I'm ready to get this party started.  Let's pour!

I love how even the red ink and the green top emulate both
of the fruits that comprise this excellent beer.

Aroma 11/12

When this was first opened I could smell candy in the air.  Sweet, sugary goodness enveloped me.  I was wondering if it would smell any different when the nose was close, but it would end up not varying too greatly from what was first detected.  This beer smells very sugared.  Like the best Jelly Belly ever.  Do you want that in a beer?  Your call.  I'm a little wary of it right now.  I like fruit, but I'm not here to drink the equivilant of Kool-Aid that I used to make as a kid with an extra two cups of sugar.  I'm not too worried because this is new Glarus, but usually their aromas are the strongest part of their beer and while this is far from bad, all the sweetness makes me nervous.  The aromas of each fruit are detectable and with the rhubarb the sugar goodness ends up working pretty well.  It's easy to remember those sugar-carrying Dixie cups we had as kids.  There is an attempt at a balancing agent, though I won't go as far as to use the term "bittering agent."  The sensation is more akin to that of a black tea.  As this warms, it shows a hints of mustiness and reminds me of real, fresh strawberry juice from my juicing days.  I suppose that gives some additional credence to it being more "authentic," but it smells so unbelievably sweet!  However when it comes to New Glarus, it is easy to give them the benefit of the doubt regarding authenticity.

Appearance 2/3
This looks pretty much like cider straight from the apple orchard after you've stirred up all the sediment in it.  For the most part, it's simply brown and cloudy, but New Glarus is full of tricks.  Hold it up to the light and you'll quickly see a glinting ruby with all but trace amounts of the brown leaving the glass completely.  Didn't see that coming!  The head is moderate in size, cream in color, dissipates rather quickly, but stays as a creamy covering on the surface.

Flavor 20/20
When you have a beer that contains such sweet ingredients as this, it's expected that when it first hits the tip of your tongue, you'll be hit with a very forward sweet flavor.  Expectation met.  Though in a brief rearranging of the expected order, the tart of the rhubarb comes forward first followed by the sugary wash of strawberry juice.  I suppose I would've expected the sweet sensation first given the placement of those particular taste buds on the tip of the tongue.  The tart makes room for the nectar-like strawberries with getting out entirely out of the way.  This two combine in the way they do in a well-made pie before turning to New Glarus' staple fruit beer finisher.  By that, I don't mean how the beer finishes, it just seems that if you hold a New Glarus fruit beer in your mouth they will all (Belgium Red, Raspberry Tart, Serendipity) resort to this darker, slightly more bitter flavor.  I wish I could describe it better.  I suppose it's like biting a bit too close to the core of an apple.  Still lots of the apple flavor that you expect, but just a hint of something bitter as well.  Only the sensation in the Strawberry Rhubarb isn't bitter, it's just... I don't know.  I just don't know what to accurately compare it to.  Perhaps the faint "tea" note from the aroma?  Do they age this in oak the way they do their Wisconsin Belgian Red?  Is it just the same malt base?  Are they again using aged Hallertau hops?  What is it?!?  I have a feeling that only Dan or Deb Carey can scratch this itch of curiosity, but if any of you awesome craft beer people out there know, PLEASE comment below!  The actual finish is a lingering tartness (no surprise there), that much like the beer when in the mouth, gives way to the "mystery flavor" in the aftertaste while the mouth is left with an unexpected dryness considering how sweet and tart the beer is.

Mouthfeel 5/5
As always, when it comes to New Glarus fruit beers, the mouthfeel is more than you expect.  They never miss a chance to dive out of the way of "average."  This brew successfully avoids the over bubbly and thin qualities that a lot of lesser lambics tend to find.  The beer, while ample in carbonation, provides it with microscopic bubbles.  This keeps the beer feeling lively in the mouth, but without the prickle of over-carbonation (or the burps).  It also lets the beer feel more substantial by allowing the drinker to feel more of the actual liquid than the bubbles, contributing to a heavier and silkier mouthfeel.

Overall Impression 10/10
It's a New Glarus fruit beer, what did you expect, a sub-par effort?  Other than an aroma that I basically couldn't convince my brain wasn't some crazy, new, amazing, Skittle flavor and a somewhat murky appearance, this beer earns top marks all around.  Strong aroma, well-blended and captured flavors, and a great mouthfeel all make this yet another fruit beer to find from New Glarus.  If you haven't had a New Glarus fruit beer, there's no excuse.  Make a friend in Wisconsin, trade them something amazing from your area, and get it.  If you want to drink world class beers, you can't miss them.

Total 48/50
I try hard to reserve high scores for beers that really "wow" me.  But how can you be wowed when you expect greatness?  It's like the honor roll student that brings home another report card full of straight A's.  "Great job honey.  Throw it on the pile with the rest of 'em."  But you know what?  It's still an A.  It's still another testament to continued excellence.  Some might say that this beer doesn't differ much from the other New Glarus fruit beers; that they just did it with a different fruit.  I say, "If it ain't broke, don't fix it."  Dummies.  More for me.

Keep making the good stuff NG, and I'll keep puttin 'em away.  Cheers!

Ska - Vernal Minthe

Some people simply don't drink stout in the summertime.  I may understand that reasoning after running a race, having done yardwork, or otherwise spending all day in the sun, but I fail to see the problem with a delicious stout simply because of a little heat wave.  A heat wave that has been mercilessly bashing the Midwest and East Coast with a fury of an axe-wielding Viking berserker.  Besides, Ska's Vernal Minthe even has the word "vernal" in the title meaning "1. of, relating to, or occurring in the spring. 2. fresh or new like the spring."  So they clearly don't want me to fall into the trap of only drinking beer styles during certain seasons, right?  Guys?

Oh, who cares when you drink a particular style!  I like stouts.  A lot.  I might knock over my own mother to get one (sorry, mom).  In case you couldn't guess today's review is for Ska's minty experiment in the stout world.  I'll tell you, they must be doing something right because I essentially have to battle my wife in a no-holds-barred, Jackie-Chan-meets-Jason Bourne-style battle, just for one of these cans every time I bring them in the house.  Let's pour!

Some good pulp-like can art.

Aroma 10/12

Ever open a package of Girl Scouts' Thin Mints cookies?  Of course you have.  They're legalized crack.  Because you have opened one of those silver-wrapped, cylindrical diet wreckers, you can also imagine what this beer smells like.  Roasted malt is present first, but is quickly overwhelmed by the peppermint and spearmint.  The result is a cooling, menthol minty-ness that also manages to incorporate some darker cocoa aromas.  The mint cooling is the primary aroma, but it shows a healthy promise for the beer beneath it.

Appearance 2/3

It looks like a stout should, but I withheld a point for the lackluster head.  It was a nice tan color, but couldn't even raise a finger's worth of foam and died a death as inglorious as its birth.  This beer is all but black, with some dark coffee browns along the edge when held to light.

Flavor 18/20

The early combination of dark chocolate/cocoa notes and the bright mint, make the Thin Mints comparison an easy one to make.  Thankfully, that is not all the beer offers.  As it sits in the mouth the mint remains, but the cocoa tones begin to becomes a sweeter more molasses-like note.  It's sweet, but dark in a way that is appropriate to the beer's composition.  Lots of neutral malts also begin to appear, which of course offer little in the way of flavor, but in this case do help the beer transition to the finish.  Put the beer on the tip of your tongue to get a tingly, sweet sensation.  The finish is also a mint reprise, but with little else to combat the mint it becomes as fresh and refreshing.  Any lingering flavors are fairly light, but the omnipresent mint tingle along with some dark, almost charred, malts, and a bit of a peppery bitterness all come together in a pleasant echo of the beer you just enjoyed.

Mouthfeel 4/5

Ah.  So this is where they tried to make it a "seasonal stout."  The mouthfeel is not what one typically comes to expect from a stout.  The body is a solid "medium," but the carbonation is aggressive and prickly.  Maybe this is in concert with the menthol-like cooling of the mint somehow?  Is it just an illusion?  Eventually that carbonation dies a bit and the beer is smooth down the throat with a little bit of sticky cling.

Overall Impression 9/10

Not an "all the time" beer, but it certainly did what it set out to do.  It's not often that some of these "flavor experiments" turn out for the best, but this is one that has succeeded.  The aroma is spot on, the appearance is black and... well, that's about it, the flavor is distinct and harmonious, and the mouthfeel is pretty darn close to style.  It's a nice experiment that I'm bound to drink again one day and until then will undoubtedly use this beer in conversations of unusual beers.

Total 44/50

Not a bad score in my book, though this stout undoubtedly will have its detractors.  It's a distinct, unique flavor and that simply won't appeal to every single craft beer drinker out there.  Does it taste like a thin mint cookie?  Yes.  Has my wife discovered that it pairs insanely well with a mint chocolate chip ice cream sandwich.  Within moments of tasting it.  Can you drink this in any season?  Of course.  I've never had a stout with mint in it before, but after drinking this I wouldn't be afraid to try others' forays into the combination.  I claim this as a successful experiment by Ska!  They tried something different, did what they said they would regarding a new flavor, and it turned out pretty darn well.

Bad news:  having been released in the spring, if you can't find it in your area, you may have to wait until next year.

Good news:  There's still a lot of this out there and it shouldn't take a secret treasure map to find it.  I suggest you do.  It's always fun to try something new.

Perhaps my wife's new favorite food pairing.

Deschutes - Hop Henge Experimental IPA

This is a beer I know nothing about before tasting it.  While that might not make for very interesting reading or back story, it should provide for a very honest and unbiased review.  We just started getting Deschutes in the area within the last four months or so and I am definitely OK with that.  I don't buy sixers that often and since the selection of Deschutes we have thus far is primarily six packs I have not been picking up a whole lot of it.  I've also had all the current varieties thus far and choose to focus on new experiences.  However, when I saw this bomber which was both new and from Deschutes I had to snag it.  Besides, try and tell me that the label art doesn't look promising.  Hops are spilling forth from bags from bags!  It's a veritable monument to hops, right?  Let's pour!

Bottle gives no brewed date, but reads "Best by 08/27/13"

Aroma 11/12

A promising beginning shows plenty of citrus aromas with pineapple and grapefruit leading the way.  Floral notes are not too far behind, but resin seems distant at this point.  The caramel sweetness is present and doing its best to mingle with the hops, but its definitely second fiddle.  After the beer warms it opens up beautifully.  A rich honey note steps in to dance with the hops, which remain strong, and the piney resin begins to kick things up a notch.

Appearance 3/3

This bright beer's transparency really helps showcase the honey and pumpkin hues.  The head was particularly pleasing in texture, size, and retention.  A creamy color to match the wet, creamy looking texture as bubbles breached the surface everywhere they could.

Flavor 18/20

I had to wait until my taste buds acclimate before I could truly get a handle on everything that was going on in this bottle.  There are a pair of large flavors at work and its hard to hear anything else of the din of those two oafs.  Largely the huge caramel malts are fighting the hop pine flavors tooth and nail, but behind that are some solid flavors as well.  In fact, the caramel flavors are apparently in a tag team with some biscuity malts that take over because the sweetness seems to die away rather quickly.  The beginning shows us brief splashes of the aroma's citrus before it is almost immediately washed away by the two larger flavors.  Those two gorillas give make for a backbone thick with caramel sugars, pine, resin, and... no that's about it.  Hopheads should love the finish particularly as it gives the tingle of  hop acids, alcohol warmth, and spicy black pepper before it begrudgingly sticks and slides down your throat.  The aftertaste is what one should expect in a strong IPA with plenty of bitter resin, a persistent pepper, and a slight drying effect despite the plentiful malts.  Not the biggest IPA I've ever had, but definitely enough to satisfy those seeking their daily ration of humulus lupulus.

Mouthfeel 4/5

My first note on this was "thick."  It was accurate.  All the malts required to balance the "henge's-worth" of hops result in a big body beer that stumbles and bumbles its way across your taste buds.  The carbonation is spot on and leaves most of the tingly sensations to the resin, peppery hops, and a warmth that seems to only make an appearance in the finish and aftertaste; an interesting trick in a 10.9% ABV brew.

What a great sight!

Overall Impression 8/10

The amounts of flavor in this beer are certainly to be reckoned with.  I also appreciate the body and the fact that the beer somehow maintains a perfect level of carbonation regardless of how warm it gets in the glass.  The transition of flavor from sweet (brief citrus & caramel) to bitter (biscuit, resin, pine, grapefruit's bitter) is also an interesting characteristic to which one should pay attention.

Total 44/50

I'm trying really hard not to be fickle or hypocritical.  On one hand, I often criticize beers for not "bringing the thunder" when it comes to flavor.  This beer certainly does bring with it some substantial flavor, but brings it with all the nuance and tact of a bowling ball.  It's just... asserts itself with flavor.   Again, flavor is good!  I'll never fault a beer for having flavor, I just want to taste more than just the splatting of ingredients on my tongue.  Sure, I tasted several different flavors, I just  really had to search for them behind the giants in the way.  The imagery of a paintball being fired on the tongue refuses to leave me.  Not because this beer was so over-the-top intense, but because it basically all came at once until you get to the finish.  SMACK!  Where was the chance for flavors to develop on the tongue?  I don't know.  The more I type the more I sound to myself like a whiny idiot.  Maybe this is what happens when an amateur tries to put into words the subjective notion of flavor.

TL;DR:  Good beer.  Lots of flavor.  Expect a car wreck of hops in your mouth, but not a wide spectrum of flavor.

21st Amendment - Allies Win the War

OK, OK, so I missed VE Day (May 8th), D-Day (June 6th), Memorial Day, and I don't feel like waiting until VJ Day (Aug 15th) to review this beer.  Heck, I've waited long enough!  The original release date of the collaboration between Ninkasi and 21A was back in November of 2011.  The can, on par for 21A, has some great art on it that mimics the famous photo of FDR, Churchill, & Stalin at the Yalta Conference.  The history nerd in me must note that the Yalta Conference occurred in February of 1945, about 3 months before the Allies did "Win the War."  Tiny details aside, I'm ready to taste and heed the immortal words of Gen Dwight D. Eisenhower when he said, "You are about to embark upon a great crusade, toward which we have striven these many months."  OK, so maybe that's not what he had in mind.  Let's pour!

Aroma 10/12

When they say that this is an ale brewed with dates, brother they ain't kiddin'!  Dark fruit aromas abound with dates and raisins practically burping up and out of the can.  This pairs nicely with a dark molasses sweetness and makes for a very rich bouquet of malts.  The dark fruit aromas lend themselves very well to an almost vinous/boozy aroma.  Oh, and all that is when the beer is still cold.  Warming adds toffee notes to the molasses and a woody/earthy hop note.  I must say I'm surprised to have any hop aromas at all after the can has sat for as long as it has.

Appearance 3/3

A tan head the color of aged parchment caps provides a modestly sized cap for the dimly lit beer that idley loafs in my glass.  Sitting there it shows shades of maroon and stained cherry wood.  Lifted to the light the beer tosses aside the "wood" and puts an exclamation point on the "cherries!"  Vibrant reds and glowing magentas fill almost the entire glass, save for a iced-tea colored tinge at the very surface.

Flavor 17/20

I kept taking sips and waiting for the beginning of the beer to show me something, but alas, it never really does outside of some neutral, body-giving malts.  Small sips show a lot more of the neutral malts and, of course, plenty of the added dates.  Larger mouthfuls reveal a much more complicated beer of dark roasts, dates, a very nicely balancing bitter, an undercurrent of dry, biscuity malt, and a subdued molasses.  The bitter seems to seek out the rearmost sides of the tongue and make sure they not left out.  The finish is a bit boozy and offers and additional bitter punch to the omnipresent dark fruits as they descend.  The spicy hops immediately become present in the mouth after the beer has gone.  Lots of black pepper and dry tongue tingling goodness!

Mouthfeel 5/5

All the neutral malts start things with out a medium-full body, but eventually morph into heavy, creamy texture.  As it sits heavier in the mouth, things begin to turn peppery and tingle the tongue.  That's three unique mouthfeels during the course of one beer and I approve.  The 8.5% ABV is barely noted in the finish due to the prominent spicy hops, but does still make its presence known.  You'd think a beer involving added dark fruits would not end dry nor bitter!  A pleasant and contrasting surprise.

Overall Impression 8/10

I certainly did not expect where this beer was going based on my early sniffs!  Things were dates, raisins, vinous, and malty, leading me to believe I'd be receiving a very dark, sweet beer.  This was not to be the case.  The hops really stepped things up to not only give this beer balance throughout its backbone, but by also taking the beer in a completely different direction and ending it in a spicy, dry, bitter fashion.

Total 43/50

This beer turns the tides like the Battle of Stalingrad (I had to fit in a WWII reference somewhere)!  Starts out with dark fruits, but finishes with a bitter, spicy note that repels the initial invaders.  I like it.  It has definitely turned into a sipper thanks to the closing flavors and a body that is pleasant to roll around the mouth.  I haven't found any sources indicating that this beer has been brewed since 2011, but it would be a darn shame if this was the only time this was brewed.  Who knows?  Maybe they can make the recipe a bit more robust and release one helluva barleywine!  Much like VE Day, they might just earn their own ticker tape parade.

Goose Island - 25th Anniversary Ale

It seems a very good friend of ours is celebrating a rather special occasion.  That's right friends, while I might be late to the party there was no way that I was going to miss offering a hearty and well-deserved "Congratulations!" to Goose Island on their silver anniversary!  Twenty-five big years of holding down the craft beer scene in Chicago.  It wasn't always easy, but their persistence, dedication to quality, and determination to spread the craft beer gospel has paid off in spades.  Before I get this review started, if you haven't seen it already be sure to check out the interview with Goose Island Founder, John Hall.  It was conducted by cool guy and all around beer badass Nik from Chicago Beer Geeks.  Talk about an insane privilege!  All right, now let's see what GI has whipped for us for this festive event.  Let's pour!

Aroma 10/12

The first sniffs of the chilled brew are almost akin to a good German lager.  European hops are prominent with their earthiness and a delicate, fresh citrus that blends with it.  A faint but unmistakable pine note enters later as the beer warms.  The malts are barely roasted and bready with only trace amounts of caramel.  Not a powerhouse of an aroma, but they don't all have to be, do they?

Appearance 3/3

This beer absolutely sets the glass on fire with its bright reddish-coppers and orange hues.  Super high clarity and capped with a nicely contrasting ivory colored foam.  No movement from bubbles inside, but the head remains as a surface covering for some time and shows no sign of stopping.  Hold this one at arms length and look into it as you move it toward and away from a light source.  You won't be disappointed.

Flavor 17/20

A malt-driven beginning showcases some dry, crackery, and crystal malts.  Things get only a drizzle of caramel before a bitter fades in slowly as does a tart tinge.  The main backbone is a caramel/crystal malt combination with some spicy hops thrown in the mix.  Thankfully, the caramel's round, mellow sweetness increases as the beer warms in the glass.  The delicate hop citrus notes from the aroma have been made even less of a presence, but are still detectable.  Well, balanced but with an emphasis on the bitter as the style demands.  The finish actually allows the caramel to finish its say before washing it clean with a light, resinous bitter that makes the sides of the tongue tingle ever so slightly.  Aftertaste is more of the resin clinging to whatever it can.

Mouthfeel 5/5

I like this.  It's a moderate-full mouthfeel that helps you to ration out the beer and take your time.  Its lighter flavors would have you drink it more quickly and fall victim to the invisible 6.4% ABV.  In fact, the body is the only clue that you're getting anything other than a standard strength ale.  The carbonation is initially fairly aggressive, but slides deceptively into the hops' spiciness as it sits in the mouth.  It's a neat trick.  Somehow despite that nearly prickly carbonation, the beer swallows with a smooth and creamy finish.  There's a lot of neat stuff going on here if you're willing to pay attention to a characteristic that often goes unheralded.

Overall Impression 7/10

I suppose the beer does the style well: the English hops are well used in the "bittering only" capacity, the color is gorgeous and appropriate, it enjoys a caramel sweetness, and exhibits a sturdier body than expected while remaining quite drinkable (as most English styles demand).  For a reasonably priced sixer this beats out a lot of options that are available.

Total 42/50

This is not a bad beer.  It's not a knockout either.  Maybe Goose Island is brewing this as a tribute to one of their earlier beers and I don't know about it?  Note:  Upon further investigation, it is.  Click here.  I'd definitely purchase this over a lot of other beers available.  I might even use it to win over the adventurous few who are thinking of taking the leap into bitter beers, but aren't ready for stronger IPAs or American-style brews just yet.  I suppose that experiencing year after year of big ol' anniversary beers from any number of brewers I was expecting something a little more "special" from Goose Island on their 25th.  In hindsight, I appreciate the tip of the hat they are giving to their roots, and if I want something bigger I'll turn to a bottle of Big John or Bourbon County.  Also, since I haven't said it yet on the blog... big, huge, massive kudos to Goose Island for proving all the pessimists wrong and still brewing amazing beer after they were bought by AB-InBev.  If that purchase had any effects, they were all positive.  Goose Island's capabilities are expanded exponentially and AB-InBev has the ability to endlessly mimic a recipe, giving GI a consistent product even as their production happily ramps up to new levels.  I won't claim complete amnesty and say I wasn't concerned at all, but Goose Island has proved us all wrong and I've never been so glad to eat a bit of crow... er, goose.

Rogue - Voodoo Doughnut

For those that don't know, besides being recognized for a plethora of breweries and an un-funny show starring Fred Armisen (I tried to get into it! I really did.), Portland is also known for a local doughnut shop called Voodoo Doughnuts.  If you click on that link, you'll be taken to their homepage and if it doesn't immediately start you both salivating and contracting diabetes then your screen resolution is set too low.  One of the artisan doughnuts that they make is called the Bacon Maple Bar.  It's a raised yeast doughnut (those are the kind that aren't like cake), with maple frosting and bacon placed lovingly on top.  It's the breakfast of champions.

SHUT UP AND TAKE MY MONEY!!!

For those that like syrup on their breakfast meats and naming the cavities in your teeth, this is a match made in heaven.  I have a friend in Portland who fights himself daily to not go into Voodoo Doughnuts to sample their unending deliciousness.  However, this beer has generally received less than positive reviews.  I've heard that it tastes like everything from the "elephant ear" chew toys for dogs to "wet campfire" to "silly and surprisingly charming."  Well, it's time find out for myself and hopefully accurately clarify for any other curious craft beer drinkers not fortunate enough to find a bottle to taste for themselves.  Whether the outcome is positive or negative, I would like to point out the collaboration between two local landmark businesses and how cool that is.  I feel that the camaraderie and collaboration are integral parts of the craft brew scene and that we all benefit from them in the long run.  OK, putting the soapbox away... Let's pour!

It'll definitely capture your attention on the shelf.

Aroma 11/12

With the promise of maple-slathered meats lying within, I couldn't help but steal a sniff directly from the bottle.  It immediately earned the response of, "Oh, shut up."  Not because it was that amazing, but because it smelled exactly like what it is supposed to smell like.  In other words, a lot of maple and brown sugar.  I quickly poured into the glass to see if a it remained the same and by and large it did.  In the glass, it initially provides a well-blended balance between maple and smoke.  Later on this smokiness would reveal itself to be more of the mesquite variety and not like that of peat.  It rather smells like a McGriddle, but with more smokiness and likely less heartburn, which I attribute directly to the "Pepto pink" hue of the bottle.  A faint sharpness (a distant, faded citrus?) of unknown origin shows itself from time to time and it could be simply the association in my mind, but there is a saltiness to be detected as well.  Beer promises maple bacon doughnut.  Beer delivers maple bacon doughnut.

Appearance 3/3

It pours a clear, bright copper with pale golden highlights.  The head is a good size that starts out a pastel orange shade, but fades to a light almond color.  It falls gently and crackles slowly like autumn fire.

Flavor 15/20

Despite the promise of sweet flavors rolling over the tip of the tongue, the first flavors are instead more crisp and like whole grain wheat.  Right behind that is load of roast and smoke flavors and then... wait... where the hell is the maple?!  One now easily tastes a slight sourness (that distant, faded citrus again) that was only barely present in the aroma and a lot of the neutral, crystal malts (at least that's what I assume the C15 and C75 stand for in the ingredient list).  This has all the makings of a decent brown ale with the smoke/roast notes, but they too quickly turn to that neutral, faint citrus sweetness.  The swallow is barely bitter at all and finishes with little discernible flavor whatsoever.  Even the aftertaste is a whisp of the smoke, but mostly those crystal malts.  They're still there.

Note:  Don't let this beer get anywhere near room temperature!  It turns into a, smokey, salty, chore of a mess.

Mouthfeel 4/5

As a brown ale, this is not bad at all.  It is mouth-wateringly carbonated with bubbles that are never prickly, but instead very gentle and lightly foaming.  It provides more a very nice and refreshing mouth sensation that complements the crisp initial flavors of the beer quite nicely and helps them stand out.  It holds the smoke flavor adequately, but the light body of the beer seems painfully inadequate to hold what should be some pretty sweet flavors (especially considering the lack of hops).  Yes, I know that Rogue seldom issues a bruiser outside of their XS series, and in my mind are more known for issuing nuanced beers instead of powerhouses.  However, I doubt that Voodoo Doughnuts is issuing pastries that are light on flavor and if amazing food is what you're aiming for, you better damn well hit it.  Light, refreshing, well carbonated.  Great for a brown ale, but it serves poorly for the task at hand.

Overall Impression 6/10

What promise was shown with this beer!  The aroma is as intoxicating and rousing as a good breakfast.  The maple abounded and the bacon playfully floated past like tiny delicious magic carpets.  I felt like Homer Simpson in the Land of Chocolate.  Unfortunately, also like Homer Simpson I woke up to a rather disappointing reality.

Where the hell did all the maple syrup go?  Everything was so promising and then all I get is a smoked brown ale with a very nice mouthfeel.  Granted, things have turned out worse, but with how amazing the aroma smelled it was quite a fall back to earth.  This lack of maple and the light body are my only two qualms with this brew.

Total 39/50

This is not a very flattering score.  I do not agree with the folks who say that this beer is terrible or too smokey.  Of course, this bottle is quite a bit older and the beer may be an entirely different animal straight from the tap.  For those that find this beer too smokey, have a glass of Ardbeg's Galileo scotch; then you will  know "too smokey."  I am simply disappointed not to find more maple sweetness in the beer!  If I were drinking this as a straight brown ale, I might have enjoyed it more; especially around the fall season when bonfires are rife and smokey porters & rauchbiers are in full swing.  As it stands it's a tasty brown ale (until it warms), a bit heavy on the crystal malts, with an excellent mouthfeel for that particular style.  But doughnuts are sweet and I want sweet.

I hope that this review was helpful without all the hyperbole found in a lot of comparisons for this beer.  I read a lot of reviews for this beer before I found it and still had no idea of what it might taste like.  The reviews were all over the map.  My two sentence synopsis?  Beer promises maple bacon doughnut.  Beer misses maple bacon doughnut.