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!

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.

Surly - Wet

Well, this is one of those beers that I never thought I was going to be able to try. It sells quick, it doesn’t distribute outside the brewer's home state, and while I have plenty of family in Minnesota, I don’t have a go to trading partner up there. So when my wife brought back some Boston-based Wachusett beer for some friends that used to live there, imagine my surprise when they responded in kind with this little gem! Thanks Jim & Anne!  In fact, I only received this beer last night, but so much of its reputation is based on freshness that I wanted to drink it and review it as soon as possible.

For those not familiar with Surly’s Wet, it boasts on its can that the hops are picked on Day1, shipped on Day 2, and used on Day 4 so that the hops never have a chance to dry out.  Different hop varieties are used so the brew may vary a bit, but rest assured that will this much attention being paid to freshness (or "Ultra-Fresh" as the can states) you are all but guaranteed a big resiny treat.  The beer that I am reviewing today was canned on 10/1/2012.

Please excuse both my recent posting infrequency as I have just moved into my first house. There are features of said house that will definitely warrant their own post in the coming months. This also means that I haven’t yet set up a great spot to take pictures of these amazing beers, so bear with me.  Let's pour!

Aroma 12/12
Things begin with some very pleasant pine and orange rind notes. Rising up just behind those are mangos, pineapples, and some resin lingering in the background. However, once the beer begins to warm the resin takes on more of a primary role with the rind and gives a very “bitter orange” vibe to the overall character. Along with this resin comes some pretty strong grassy notes and since I happen to love that particular hop trait, it is most welcome. For those of you keeping track, yes I’ve only talked about the hop aromas thus far. The malts are in there, but are very far back and only open up once the beer has warmed. I’m thankful they show up as it gives the beer a more substantial, intense aroma and their sweetness helps to emphasize the sweet hop aromas like the pineapple. 

Appearance 3/3
This beer pours lighter than I expected, but still looks like a million damn dollars. It shines like a orange sapphire (yes, there are orange sapphires, smarty pants) and enjoys much of the same brilliance and clarity. Its robust eggshell colored head is maintained by a constantly ascending carbonation. The head forms slowly but builds tall and fluffy, before settling a bit and taking on more of a whipped cream texture. If any photographers out there are looking to create stock images of beer and what it should look like, this is it. Wow! Also worth mentioning, I’ve written the review up until this point with beer in my glass and the head is still present! I’ve never seen retention like this. Top marks and extra sparkle magic unicorn rainbow brownie bonus points to Surly for this! 

Flavor 19/20
First impressions are everything and this beer’s impression is bitter. I’m anxious to see what happens once my taste buds acclimate a bit more to the bitterness. Interestingly enough, the bitter in the first sips can be sensed in accented waves, each punctuating its own beginning. My initial notes read as, “woody, resin, long lasting bitter” and I’m pretty sure a part of my tongue went numb. Thankfully it recovered, finally acclimated, and then other flavors begin to emerge. Most notably are a muted pineapple and a sweet malt that I am having trouble placing. It’s sweet and lighter and almost sugary, which makes me think honey but the flavor isn’t correct for honey. This malt flavor is more fruitlike and definitely not the typical caramel malts used in making heavy duty West Coast IPAs. A quick wine taster’s slurp gives me little additional information, only a splash pineapple, a hint of the warmth, some nice pepper spice, and shot of pure resin. The finish is (obviously) not as intensely bitter as when I started this glass, but it still unapologetically offers its own take. Immediately after swallowing is a mellow sweetness, detectable only after one’s tongue has been adequately prepared for the resin, and then an intense aspirin-like bitter that fades in to tie up any loose ends. In hindsight, the sweet malts that confused me earlier are probably caramel malts that taste sweeter with melding with pineapple from the hops. It’s a great combination!

Mouthfeel 5/5
A big bodied beer to hold some big flavors. It rolls around in the mouth like mercury, but the hops’ spicy pepper note give a prickly sensation on the tongue and keeps it from becoming sluggish. The carbonation that was so present in the glass and contributing to the head is still ascending in subsequent pours, but this diminishes its presence in the mouth. The result is a beer that feels exceptionally smooth and silky thanks to an unobtrusive carbonation that dies quickly once inside the mouth. The warmth that became present during a slurp really never had much more presence than that. 

Overall Impression 9/10 
This beer is impressive, but definitely has the potential to be more-so if drank closer to its birth date.  I feel that the main consequence is that the fruits in the aroma do not come out as well in the flavor, resulting in a less complex beer than it was created to be. At 2 ½ months of age, this beer still has plenty going for it. It’s head and appearance were fantastic, its aroma was excellent, and it’s tasty as all get out. Right now it stands as a strong West Coast IPA, but at a younger age it could truly stand out from the pack. The only question is how to do that. How can you possibly get this beer with any less hop deterioration than Surly has tried to do?

Total 48/50

The answer to the question in the previous sentence is, “you don’t.” Surly has made more than an earnest effort to get a beer into its customers’ waiting hands that is as fresh as they can possibly make it and can it. Any further action lies in the hands of distributors, retailers, and how quickly craft beer drinkers can snatch it off the shelves. I dig this beer as a whole, with only minor nit-picky issues here and there. If Surly had the same distribution abilities as Oskar Blues, this beer would compete nationally with Deviant Dales. Hop heads should of course seek it out as fresh as possible, but if you’re not accustomed to how relentless hops can be, you may wanna sit this one out. This beer is a stern reminder than Minnesota is not just a state of quiet, polite, church-going folk. It’s also a state filled with potential hockey defensemen ready to administer a hockey stick enema if you stand in their crease too long. So noted, Surly. So noted.

Stone - 16th Anniversary IPA

In the interest of drinking beers before their hop profile has deteriorated, I have decided to crack open my bottle of Stone's 16th Anniversary IPA.  This beer promises to be a doozey with Stone stating right on the bottle that they're brewing this one with lemon verbena & lemon oil.  Now I had a pretty good idea of what lemon oil was, but I had not heard of lemon verbena, so if you need to look it up like I did, then click here.  Whether you know or you don't, new ingredients get me excited and I'm always ready to try one out.  So let's pour!

Aroma 12/12

Starting off, things were pretty impressive.  Excellent lemon and pineapple notes from the hops as well as a lesser herbal quality and a dash of pepper.  The warmth arrived calmly and easily, while the malts provided a dark bread (almost earthy) & roasted qualities.  Very nice all around!  I then sat down to do some typing and the like and came back to it after it had warmed and let me say this... LET THIS BEER WARM!  I know that it's fairly common knowledge in the craft beer universe that beers open up as they warm, but rarely can I recall a beer that so aptly provides such an example to that lesson.  This beer became infinitely richer and nearly succulent with hoppy goodness.  This is what world class IPAs should smell like!  The original flavors intensified greatly, but also brought in a great resin aroma, a surprising floral essence(!), some reminders of the hops' Cannabaceae relatives, gooey caramel malts, and upped the booziness just a little bit.  Fantastic!

Appearance 3/3

This is a beautiful beer.  It pours a color that nearly matches the shade on the bottle and is bright and clear as a crisp fall day.  When I poured it, the head overcame the top of the glass, but was so sticky that it continued to ascend in the shape it left the glass.  Almost like a Play-Dough Fun Factory, but for head.  I'm very impressed.

Flavor 19/20

As difficult as it was to stop sniffing this beer, my mouth wouldn't stop watering and I finally gave in and tasted it.  I was given a smooth salutation from some silky caramel malts, but before long the other flavors begin to slide their way in as well:  pepper, resin, very subdued apple/mango notes, and an undying caramel.  An unusual citrus is present as well presumably from the lemon verbana and/or lemon oil used in the brewing process.  It's definitely a more candied, sugary lemon flavor, but its appearance is not unwelcome.  In fact, this particular type of sweetness goes remarkably well with the caramel sweetness from the malts.  What a fan-freakin'-tastic balance of an intense sweetness and a big, strong bitter.  If held long enough in the mouth the sugary lemon can be easily detected on the tip of the tongue, but eventually transforms into a peppery, resin-laden concoction.  This type of complexity is SO satisfying.  The last two flavors in the mouth (pepper and resin) are a Stone's ridiculously talented way of foreshadowing the finish before it actually happens.  The finish removes 90% of the sweetness that was experienced in the backbone of the beer and instead gives the drinker a bitter, very peppery, resin-dripping, bitter affair that quickly leaves a moderate dryness.  The aftertaste is largely remnants of the bitter, but eventually the entire mouth is salivating for the next gulp.

Mouthfeel 5/5

This beer is a little more than medium-bodied, but made to feel like much more thanks to the buried carbonation and the ridiculous amounts of smoothness that provides.  It is insanely silk relative to its body.  The gads of peppery spice give the illusion of carbonation but make no mistake, any carbonation involved in this bad boy is far beneath the surface.  Warmth is used appropriately and also contributes to the big beer feel of this brew.

Overall Impression 10/10

What's not to like about this?  The balance of sweetness and bitter is fantastic, the mouthfeel is to die for yet avoids being a chore to drink, complexity abounds, and my mouth and nose are left extremely happy.  Some folks could argue that their DIPA has been made too sweet.  I understand that.  Some folks want their IPAs and DIPAs a little more one-sided than others.  For me, this really hit the spot with big flavors on both sides just slugging it out.

Total 49/50

I'm not sure why this beer is rated as low as it is by so many people.  Maybe there are more hopheads out there, who don't like any stupid malts sweetening up their beers, than I had originally assumed.  For me, I dig it.  Not only that, but I didn't find out until much later how much rye Stone used in brewing this beer.  That makes perfect sense!  The pepper spiciness and the earthy bitter now come clearly into focus.  Though admittedly, the bitter was easy to confuse as hops due to... well, the abundance of hops.  This is the second Stone beer in a row that I review that has received a 49/50.  The first was their 10th Aniversary Ruination and while this beer is much less intense than the 10th Anniv Ruination, it should not be overlooked.  ESPECIALLY because of its $7.99 price tag.  This beer is a steal and I can't believe I can still find it on shelves.  Do yourself a favor and take advantage of its wide and plentiful distribution.  You shan't be disappointed.  Good on ya Stone for another variation of the IPA style!!  Happy anniversary and many, MANY more.

Stone - Ruination 10th Anniversary

As if Stone's regular version of Ruination wasn't aggressive enough, for their tenth anniversary of the brew they really upped the ante.  The ABV jumps from 7.7% to 10.8% and they used TWICE an much hops in the brewing process (5 lbs/bbl).  That number doesn't even include the pound each of Citra and Centennial used in the drop hopping!  This brings it up to a sadomasochistic 110 IBUs and undoubtedly intoxicating aroma.  I figured this would be a good choice to review today as it should have no issues blasting through to my allergy laden sinuses.  I also selected this brew as Stone is not the only one celebrating an anniversary.  This week was my third wedding anniversary and like Stone's, it will be bitter (just kidding, wife).  My wife may have left town to go to Boston to see her sister and I will be giving her crap about that for the next 50 years even though she is well aware how flexible I am with dates typically reserved for celebration.  All joking aside, I'm very excited to be cracking open this beer (and to be married to such a patient woman).  Let's pour!

Aroma 12/12

On a day where my sinuses seem bent on revolution and forming their own sovereign state, this beer speaks as sweetly to them as any ambassador.  Immediately detectable are pineapple, lemon zest, grapefruit, and pine.  Traveling behind those, in an appropriately viscous manner, is a slow-moving, dank resin and a gooey caramel/toffee combination.  Awesome.  Awesome.  Awesome.  As the beer warms, mandarin oranges show up for the anniversary celebration as well as a hint of alcohol warmth.

Appearance 3/3

What an appropriate color for the newly-arrived fall months.  A cloudy glowing gourd shade of orange fills the glass and exhibits a wonderfully-sized cream colored head.  There's a fair bit of lacing, even if it seems that the weight of the beer would prefer to pull it right back into the glass.

Flavor 20/20

Whoa!  Where to start with this?!  After a gentle wash of caramel sweetness on the tip of the tongue and a playful citrus preview, this beer becomes more bitter than a custody battle.  Over septuplets.  This beer while not defining unbalanced, definitely spoils the hops and lets them get away with murder.  The bitter taste in the backbone of this beer is unlike anything I've ever drank.  It simply permeates everything.  I can't say that the beer is unbalanced, since there are other malt elements at work here.  However, the hops put their own tint on everything as if they were imitating Picasso's Blue Period.  What's especially neat is that the other flavors DO remain detectable, but they are now a "bitter" version of themselves.  Bitter caramel.  Bitter oranges.  Bitter pineapple.  You name the flavor and this beer has transmutated it into something completely different.  The finish is rather like a Wile. E Coyote cartoon, where it experiences an unusual hovering of sweetness before falling promptly into a unrelenting bitter (minus the tiny umbrellas and exclamatory signs).  I should also mention that the bitter involved in all phases of this beer is akin to chewing on an ibuprofen tablet, though much more muted.  It is sharp and commands attention.  The aftertaste is equally unrelenting and the sticky nature of this beer allows it to linger longer than in-laws during the holidays.  I mean, the bitter just goes on.  And on.  It dries the mouth insanely well and one's common sense is challenged when taking another sip, knowing that it was the beer that caused the problem in the first place!

Mouthfeel 5/5

This beer will absolutely coat every surface your mouth like fresh stucco.  You can't get rid of it!  This thick and sticky brew traps the bitter flavors in on your tongue and holds it hostage.  The carbonation is wisely left in the shadows for this brew.  It can be confused with alcohol heat and hop spice in initial sips, but ultimately it serves to add to a silky quality.

Overall Impression 9/10

I am only halfway through this brew and am already aware that this is going to be a battle.  It is just such  a strong brew!  The aroma is powerful, the taste is Herculean, and the body is titanic.  That said, this beer accepts no excuses, but I find myself wishing it were a bit more forgiving.  There are some really beautiful flavors present in this beer, but they are shoved violently into the lockers as the hop bitter and alcohol make their way down the high school hallway of your palate.  I certainly cannot fault this beer for not being flavorful enough.  This beer is intense and only for those experienced in the ways of hops and craft beer.

Overall Impression 49/50

For what it is, this beer earns an appropriately high score.  You want DIPA?  You got DIPA.  In fact, this supersedes DIPA and you could probably give it some new, confusing nomenclature (DIPA+, TRIPA?).  However, when it comes down to it there are other factors at play in this beer and they definitely deserve their time in the spotlight.  Yes, DIPAs and IIPAs need to be somewhat abrasive.  After all, isn't that why we buy them?  While the answer should be yes, this beer makes that decision almost punitive.  This brew is certainly a sipper and is sure to please even the most staunch of hop heads.  It's good for what it is, but I could use a intermission from all its unabashedness.  This beer is a monster and I hate to say it, but it kicked my ass.  Consider my palate ruined, Stone.  You've done your job well.

Sources:

http://www.stonebrew.com/ruintenth/

Surly - Abrasive Ale

Well gang, it's time for another DIPA review before they lose that great hop characteristic!  This is a beer I've heard a lot about and definitely had to pick up a 4 pack of 16 oz cans.  Allow me quote the can (propaCANda?) before continuing.

My beer run.  Not pictured on top of the BEERamid: Surly Furious

"Sure we're abrasive.  We were abrasive long before we were Surly.  If you visit the brewery you can still see remnants of the industrial manufacturing factory Omar's parents ran for 35 years within those same 4 walls.  Bandsaw blades, grinding wheels, and sanding discs came long before ales and lagers.  Bu let's be honest, this is a lot more fun.  Pale in color, this over-hopped, under-brewed Double IPA has almost twice the amount of hops & malt crammed in the can."


Four thoughts.
1.  That's the only time I wish to use the phrase "crammed in the can."
2.  Does anybody know if this beer is exclusively available in MN?  I have heard rumors of such things, but also seen a number of people with access.  Help clear me up on this, won't you?  Please comment.
3.  This beer was canned on 01/09/2012, so I should still be getting a pretty good representation of this beer as it was when it was fresh.
4.  I'm glad Surly mentioned their industrial roots in the propaCANda.  It goes a long way to explaining the angle grinder depicted on this can.

Let's pour!

Aroma 12/12
Starts strong and sweet with distinct honey, pine, and musty straw notes.  This eventually melds into a splendid citrus bouquet, which itself then blends into an orange and caramel candy.  If you let this beer warm a little, you'll soon find that the caramel strengthens with every minute and becomes a rich, sticky caramel note that you'd swear you could suck from between your teeth.  It even holds its own against the plethora of hops!

Appearance 3/3
A perfect head that initially appears wet and solid, eventually takes on a more lumpy, traditional look and then remains as a disc in my tulip glass.  The color is quite nice and the heavy malt presence allows to take on a variety of shades.  Copper, gold, dark honey, bronze, and rust all make up this virtual fireplace of bright red/orange hues.

Flavor 19/20
This beer certainly comes in waves at your tongue and each newly introduced ingredient seems to fight the one before it for your tastebuds' affections.  It's like a tasty game of King of the Hill!  At first, the beer offers a light wash of caramel with a brighter citrus mixed in with it.  Next the caramel becomes dominant, but only as long as it takes me to count to two!  It is interupted by a sudden splash of bitter before taking the reins again and being gradually overcome by a bright hoppy citrus and a lighter bitter.  The citrus is quite a surprise!  It is quite lemony and instantly demands your attention at the tip of the tongue.  When holding in the mouth a "caramelized sugar" version of the malt can appear from time to time.  Quick "wine tasters' slurps" quickly bring forward the warmth, citrus, & caramel.  The finish is initially gentler than the backbone, as it continues with the bright citrus notes, but eventually it too becomes bitter and with a detectable alcohol warmth that more than once elicited an "Oh, HELL yeah." from this reviewer.  The aftertaste is a bitter made somewhat tangy by the abundance of citrus, and very dry.

Mouthfeel 4/5
The biggest problem here is that the carbonation is all but gone toward the end of the pint.  Granted, I could be drinking it a little more quickly, but I'm writing a review and other beers have dealt with this problem so why can't this one (especially at its price of around $16 for the 4 pack).  The malts make it smooth and full-bodied, and it seems like the beer is sliding around the mouth.  It foams up ever so slightly and leaves a prickle of warmth on the tongue after swallowing (a neat sensation).  The warmth is certainly detectable at times, but is never distracting nor unpleasant.

Overall Impression 10/10
This is a DIPA that offers more than just shouting "HOPSHOPSHOPSHOPS!" at the drinker.  It has a great smooth body, a caramel that is balancing for the most part, and a bright citrus in unexpected places.  While I wish the caramel had been as strong in the flavor as it was in the aroma, it is a wish that is more a fancy than a demand.  Thankfully, the intelligent use of hops allowed for sweeter citrus flavors to come out and not make this beer a bitter bombshell.  Granted, the hops only showed one real flavor (lemon zest goodness), but the prowess used when utilizing them truly made the difference.

Total 48/50
With a name like Abrasive, I was very afraid that this renowned beer would turn out to be a one trick pony.  And while I love pony rides as much as the next bearded 30-year old beer blogger, I'd rather have a beer with complexity of flavor or brewed very, very well.  Luckily, in Surly's Abrasive Ale we have both.  Far from subtle, this beer smashes the drinker time and time again with flavor like waves upon rocks.  Also like waves, the flavors come and go in the mouth; first citrus, then bitter, then sweet, then bitter/CITRUS, and then begins to settle down a bit.  The best part of this beer is, and if you read nothing else about this review, then read this: this flavor pattern happened time and time again.  It's truly remarkable!  Most beers have flavors that can be detected at different times or during different swallows.  Abrasive Ale gave the same consistent waves time and time again (which, by the way, makes reviewing MUCH easier).  It really is a neat sensation to pick up on and try to follow along with.

Kudos to the boys at Surly.  I finally found you (after 6+ hours of driving) and I'm glad I did.  I picked up one of every kind of beer that this particular liquor store had, so be on the lookout for more Surly reviews in the future.  Cheers!

New Glarus - Blacktop

Confession time.  I have a lot of New Glarus beer in my beer fridge.  In fact, a lot of them are just a single bottle that I have been holding off drinking just so I can review it.  Some of them are varieties that I have had before and could drink without worrying, "Have I review this yet?"  Today, I begin to remedy this delightful problem by reviewing New Glarus beers ad nauseum until I can finally figure out what I can drink out of my beer fridge with a clear conscience.

The bad news:  Not much brewer variety in the coming reviews.
The good news:  I have some awesome varieties that I have been dying to try!

So buckle up, dear reader.  We're about to take a journey through the state of Wisconsin!  Let's pour!

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

Aroma 10/12
Fresh, piney hops are very forward in the nose and even seem a bit herbal at times.  The dark roast is wonderful and speaks of molasses.  A muted citrus is present in the background, and is distant and sharp when it is allowed to faintly speak.


Appearance 3/3
A very nice dark mahogany color with scarlet trimmings.  The tan head is comprised of small, soapy bubbles that crackle as they descent the glass and leave a sticky lace anywhere they touch.  While far from the "jet black" that is claimed on the bottle, it still has nothing of which to be ashamed.  Even while not being dark enough to be called truly black, it is quite handsome in its failing.

Picture is my own.

Flavor 17/20
If this beer were a musical dynamic, it would sforzando crescendo.  It starts off with quite a shock of coffee-ish malt (despite no hint of it in the aroma) and resin.  This is some wonderfully roasted, dark chocolate malt.  It calms down unusually quickly in the backbone and features a musty hop, resin, a brief pine cameo, the faintest of burnt sugars, and a background barely-bright citrus note.  A quick slurp brings the hops to the forefront with bold pine and resin flavors on top of a nearly blackened roast malt.  Unfortunately, this is where our crescendo ends, but the finish of the beer is far from disappointing.  This beer's finish is not the tongue puncher that seems to be the norm for BIPAs and instead shows dark toffee, resin, pine, citrus, and a dull, muted citrus waaay in the background.  The aftertaste is cleaner than most BIPAs, but leaves the after taste of a robust, hopped brown ale on the tongue while leaving the mouth fairly dry.  As the beer warms the dark chocolate really steps forward in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel 5/5
This beer fills the mouth pleasantly and has some unusual characteristics to boot.  For a beer of this style, let alone for a beer this dark, the carbonation is pretty high.  It pricks the tongue a bit even past the half-way mark.  This beer is also ridiculously sticky.  They don't call it Black Top without cause!  It is evident everywhere from the lacing to the sensation in the mouth.  Perhaps they kept a high carbonation to counter the sticky and keep the beer from becoming to syrupy (some might say viscous!).  It did allow the beer to be fairly large, but without becoming burdensome to drink.

Overall Impression 9/10
While not the biggest, baddest, BIPA on the block this is definitely one you can pick up six of to drink on your own, even if it isn't all six in one sitting.  The flavor mimics the aroma almost to a 'T', and is more interested in complexity and range of flavor than a large wallop to your tastebuds.  The mouthfeel also breaks with the BIPA mold and happily forges its own, less heavy way.

Total 44/50
Is another superb offering from New Glarus really a surprise?  This score places it at the top of the "Excellent" category and it has earned every bit.  It has great flavor without weighing down the beer, a unique mouthfeel, and traditional BIPA flavors while adding complexity.  It's not the huge beer that some BIPA fans will be looking for, but that is far from saying it is even a moderate offering.  On a note not related to characteristics of the beer, it is nice to see a BIPA that is not in a bomber bottle.  This is a BIPA that I can enjoy all week long, not only because it doesn't insist on being a gargantuan beer, but because there are six of them!  The bitter notes and strong hop presence  show why this style won't be going anywhere soon.  Kudos again to Dan & Deb on a great beer that I will be buying again.

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.