Mikkeller/Three Floyds Boogoop

Another less than stellar day at the office yields a more than stellar beer..

Boogoop is the fourth collaboration between two of my favorite breweries, Mikkeller and Three Floyds. Although I have not had the pleasure of trying the previous goops, I can almost certainly say that none of the beers I have had from either of these breweries has has fallen short of expectations. So...Boogoop is labeled as a Buckwheat Ale/Wheatwine, but I am not certain what to think of it. It pours like a Belgian (thick, sticky, foamy head), smells like an imperial IPA (big hops) and drinks like no other beer I have had. It is definitely a bit hot, as the booze comes on pretty strong, but you don't notice it at first. The initial flavor is hoppy and is followed a subtle Belgian yeasty flavor (think earthy...peaty), and then the booze (10.4% ABV) hits...almost like a light tingling, or medicinal feel. Either way, this brew is different. I am glad I have an extra bottle to cellar (thanks -again- Joel), as I will be extremely interested in what happens to this stuff after a year or so. If you can find this (Green's on Buford had several bottles last week) and a re feeling adventurous, go ahead and pick up a bottle or two...it probably isn't for the faint of heart, but worst case scenario, bring it to my house and I will split it with you...

ohtheguilt Ba score 4.5 out of 5.0

Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch Weasel

Its been a couple days, since I have posted so I figured I would attempt to out-do all of my previous posts by blogging about weasels shitting . No really...its only Tuesday and this is where my week is headed...

Mikkeller's Beer Geek Brunch Weasel is my favorite stout (and in my all time top 5 beers). This is likely the fourth or fifth bottle that I have had, and considering I have never seen it on a shelf in GA, that says a ton about my ambition (or maybe it says a ton about Whitey and Joel - who have each picked up bottles of this for me in the Carolinas...either way). So my understanding of the story here is that Mikkeller made a base beer (Beer Geek Breakfast - a delicious imperial stout) and decided to make several variations on it (Beer Hop Breakfast - the hoppy version, Raunch Geek Breakfast - the version with bacon, etc.)...Weasel is one of the variation and happens to include some rare Asian coffee beans somewhere along the brewing cycle.

Now, these "magical" beans, if you will, are supposedly the most expensive coffee beans in the world (according to wikisomething, about $600/pound) and are referred to as Kopi Luwak or civet coffee. This reference is to the Asian Palm Civet (a fox- or weasel-like animal) who roams around Indonesia, Vietnam, the Philippines, etc. and eats coffee berries. The civet digests the "meat" of the berries and the "bean" is left in the civet's stomach/digestive tract to be worked over by various acids and enzymes...eventually, the civet shits...pardon me, defecates out the beans. Poor people then collect the beans, clean and dry them, and then profit. Apparently the beans make a smooth and rich coffee that isn't as bitter as coffee made with beans that don't come out of a weasel's ass. And here, I would have assumed just the opposite...anyway...the beer is brewed with these beans...and it is DELICIOUS!

Weasel pours dark and thick with just the tiniest bit of carbonation. The beer can be had cool-ish or at room temp, but as it warms it only gets better. I like to chill it for just a bit, pour less than half and let the rest warm up while I sip on the first pour. The flavors are exactly what should be expected from a good imperial stout, but with the extra coffee kick and a ton of sweetness on the finish. The booze isn't heavily pronounced, but its there...as is to be expected from an almost 11% beer. I'm not sure how else to describe this to you...maybe its worth it to find a bottle, drink it, and then tell me what you think...

ohtheguilt Ba score = 5.0 out of 5.0 

The Alchesmist/Ninkasi/Stone More Brown than Black IPA

Finally got back out on the bike today thanks to Joel (and his threats)...not much of a ride, but cheap Terrapin Hopsecutioner was flowing at the trail thank to the Southeastern Bike Expo. Anyway, I braved the "low" temps and wind, and decided to reward myself when I got home...

More Black Than Brown IPA is one of Stone's 2011 collaboration beers...this time with The Alchemist and Ninkasi. As usual, this isn't available in GA (picked it up in Ohio this week), but is incredibly delicious. Despite the color and hop-forwardness, this is actually a very light drinking beer (even Mrs. ohtheguilt liked it). However, caramel (and maybe chocolate) are present behind all the citrus hops...its really an incredible combination, and it makes this brew extremely drinkable. This was the fourth of the 2011 collaboration that I have had and is easily the best (San Diego County Session Ale with Ballast Point and Kelsey McNair was a solid second). I really don't have anything left to say about it...

ohtheguilt Ba score = 4.5 out of 5.0

Birra Del Borgo / Dogfish Head My Antonia

Coming home from Cleveland (temps in the 30s and really windy) to temperatures in the upper 70s just begs for a nice, crisp beverage...to be had on the back deck...

My Antonia (well, this version) is a collaboration between Birra Del Borgo (of Italy) and our favorite Delaware brewer, DFH. I wouldn't normally pick up a 12-dollar imperial pilsner, but after success with Mikkeller's Draft Bear, and on a recommendation from Bill, I bought this one...man, am I glad I did. Another perfect outdoor, nice-evening brew. Obviously My Antonia is on the lighter side, but don't be fooled by the "pilsner" designation...this is no macro-style pils...floral and citrus hops come on upfront with a mild bitterness. The finish is a crispy malt...overall very mild and very drinkable. The alcohol is pretty subtle as well...just a really well-rounded and finely crafted beer from these guys. Unfortunately I have never had DFH's "solo" My Antonia as I would have really liked to compare the two...especially back to back. Oh well. Anyway, give My Antonia a shot on a nice evening...hell, maybe even the guys that are only into macros would like it..afterall, it is a pilsner...

ohtheguilt Ba score = 4.0 out of 5.0

AleSmith X

Yep..another San Diego beer in Cleveland...this makes perfect sense..

An overly excited beer store clerk, really wanted me to try this...it was kind of strange, but whatever. His shop looked like a beer-geek Mecca, but apparently had no customers...4 cases of HopSlam were sitting out in the open collecting dust, and several bottles of 2 to 3 year old micros (seriously, I bought a Goose Island Fleur that was bottled in early 2010) were literally coated with dust. After talking about SweetWater 420, this guy was so excited for me to buy a $6 bomber that he gave me an Urthel glass, just so I wouldn't have to drink it out of the bottle in a hotel...freakin' random, but I wasn't going to argue, as he had WAY too much glassware stock. Anyway, about the beer...

AleSmith X is labeled as an extra pale ale. The beer is basically a pale, but lighter. One of the Ba reviews described it as an "epic session beer" and i cannot agree more. Very simple, lightly hopped with subtle citrus and tea flavors. This may actually be the easiest drinking (but best tasting) beer I have ever had...for the price, though, it just isn't worth it. Bummer. It is a fun one...would be perfect in a kegerator...oh well...again..

ohtheguilt Ba score = 4.0 out of 5.0

Green Flash West Coast IPA

So I had to go to Cleveland, OH to get beer from San Diego, CA...makes perfect sense. Also, I think San Diego is German for "whale's vagina"...we can agree to disagree...

I have been trying to get my hands on Green Flash's West Coast IPA for a little while now, so my stop at a grocery store (highly rated on Ba) in Brecksville, OH was fruitful...yielding a 4-pack of hoppy goodness. I have no idea how old this beer is, but it does taste fresh. The beer is very hoppy...citrus up front and on the finish. It appears to have some sedimentation, but since I am in a hotel, I'm drinking from the bottle...either way, not a big deal. West Coast IPA is exactly what it says it is, a west coast IPA...think of Lagunitas IPA or maybe Sierra Nevada Torpedo and that is what you have: a balanced easy drinker with a low-ish ABV. It is on the bitter side, so you probably don't want to feed it to the macro crowd. My understanding is that Gren Flash is now distributing in most states that surround GA (go figure), so I imagine (or I hope) that we will be next on the list. Oh, and the bottles are really cool (but difficult to photograph).

 If this was more reasonably priced, sold in anything other than 4-packs, and available in Georgia, it would be the normal session beer...unfortunately, it is none of these things...yet.

ohtheguilt Ba score = 4.0 out of 5.0

One quick note: I bought a couple of AleSmith brews to take home, and will be dropping by Great Lakes Brewing and Southland Beverage tomorrow for a bit more Ohio beer tourism...stay tuned...

Saturday Night Beer-Geeks...again

My buddies, Whitey and Bill swung by last night to partake in a little tasting...that turned big. Both Whitey and Bill are real beer guys, so we had to break out some pretty baller brews. Both of the boys showed up with a nice selection and after a quick bottle-waxing session we got to work on the big stuff...

I'm not going to pretend that I really remember the nuances of each of these guys, and considering that we had to break up the monotony of incredible beer with a few smaller (volume) beers and..uh...well, vodka tonics....so, yeh...lost the nuances..

So, the short and long is that you know what these are and that they were all damn good...here is a brief run down:

North Coast Old Rasputin XIV Anniversary (barrel aged)- WOW...huge beer, boozy, delicious...
SweetWater 15 - really nice barleywine from the local guys - incredible bang for the buck
Three Floyds Behemoth - another barleywine, but super hopped...again, delicious
Pisgah Vortex II - badass imperial stout from North Carolina 
Nøgne Ø Underlig Jul (Peculiar Yule) - an incredibly spiced x-mas beer

Overall, a really nice selection of big flavor beers (my Ba scores were either 4.0 or 4.5 for each of these), all had while catching up with some good friends... 

Heavy Seas Below Decks 2011

Catching up on my Friday evening...

Despite being a fan of all things bitter I've been getting on a barleywine kick recently and decided to crack open a Heavy Seas Below Decks 2011 (sorry, no picture) last night. I am very glad I did. Below Decks is an incredible value for what it is...a nice strong, sweet barelywine bomber for  6 bucks...incredible! The sugar and caramel are very obvious in the aroma and in the taste...its almost a level of sweetness that rivals a can of soda...but, well...this was aged in bourbon barrels, so it certainly isn't soda. The booze is also upfront on this one, but is really tamed by the big sweetness. This thing is huge, and delicious. It isn't the best barleywine I have had, but for the money, its absolutely awesome. Seriously, if you like barleywine, give this one a shot...and if you have never had barelywine,  try this one soon.

ohtheguilt Ba score 4.0 out of 5.0

New Belgium Lips of Faith Series Cocao Mole

Tonight's selection is New Belgium's Lips of Faith Series Cocoa Mole (the "e"  should have one of those fancy Spanish things over it, but I don't know how to do that via a blog post). Anyway, Joel and I split a bomber of this tonight, and I am still not sure what to think of it. Described as a Chile beer at 9% ABV, this thing is all over the place. Seems like NB used a brown as a base and added a metric shit-ton of spices and bunch of peppers. The aroma is overpowering cinnamon, but the taste is all chocolate and pepper (mainly on the finish). I am super-sensitive to peppers/spicy stuff (hot spicy, that is) and haven't had any issues with other pepper beers (specifically Founders BA Spite Guaillo and Left Hand FTB Pepper Porter) but this one was almost like a slow burn well after the finish. Kind of strange...but I am still feeling it a bit an hour later. Oh well...not a huge issue and not a deal breaker. Unfortunately, though, there are other Chile beers that destroy this one (see above), so I can't say that I was incredibly impressed. Cocoa Mole was a decent beer, and I would recommend it to anybody who wants to try something really out of the ordinary...that said, if you can some how manage to get to Founders and they happen to have the BA Spite on draft, get that instead....but good-freakin-luck...just buy the Cocoa Mole...

ohtheguilt Ba score 3.5 out of 5.0

Boulevard Smokestack Series Dark Truth Stout

Shitty day at work = big beer at home...

Boulevard's Dark Truth Stout is one of the easiest drinking stouts I have had. Great roasted malt and chocolate flavors, with just a tiny bit of bitterness. The carbonation was close to perfect, as it poured a respectable tan head. Ba reviews (as usual) were across the boards, but predominantly mentioned too much booziness for a 9.7%...I completely disagree. The booze was there, but certainly was not too powerful. Overall, a great drinker and likely my favorite of all the Smokestack Series beers that I have tried. If this was available in Georgia, I'd buy another 4-pack.

ohtheguilt Ba score = 4.0 out of 5.0

Side note: I just got a call from a co-worker, and she is bringing back a supply of Three Floyds Behemoth for me, from a trip to KY. This just made my day...thanks, Caroline!

HaandBryggeriet Barrel Aged Porter

Its cold outside...so cold that I decided to take the Norwegian route this evening...

 HaandBryrgeriet Barrel Aged porter is just that...except it was aged in Akevitt barrels. I have never had Akevitt, but my understanding is that Norwegians drink it to "keep warm"...in other words, it should be strong stuff. When I opened this thing up, it was silent. Not a good sign. However, I was immediately hit with the aroma of (what I believe to be) Akevitt...strong spicy booze (think of cheap cologne).  The good news is that despite the lack of carbonation and the incredibly strong Akevitt aroma, this beer is drinks very smoothly. It is definitely a porter and drinks as such...dark and sticky, but with a pleasant sweetness. Now, keep in mind that the Akevitt is still there...its just not overpowering, but the flavor is obvious, and it mellows with warmth. But beware: you have to get past the smell of it. It seriously smells like a creepy Russian gangster. Picture this: a dirty 2nd gen. Range Rover, blaring techno at an obscene volume...it pulls up and a Russian gangster hops out. Slicked back hair. Gold chain. Chest hair poking out of his silk button-down...now imagine taking a whiff of him. Cheap cologne and sweat...that's what this beer smells like. That said, if you are looking for a strange dark beer, this is it...if you are just looking to drink something that is damn good, then move right along...

ohtheguilt Ba score 3.5 out of 5.0

Hoppin' Frog Hop Dam (Triple IPA)

Tonight I samples yet another beer from the long list of "clever" hop-related-name beers...see also: Hoppyum, Hopsecutioner, Hop Devil, Hop Slap, Alphaphylactic Hop (seriously), Hop Zombie, Hop Burn...and on and on and on (seriously, serach for it)...

Hoppin' Frog's Hop Dam is...well...it is pretty hoppy. Labeled as a Triple IPA (not to be confused with Miller Lite's "triple hopped" marketing), its no shock that it rings in at 10% ABV...and probably really is "triple hopped." This is a pretty bitter brew, not the most bitter that I've had, but certainly has some bite (Hoppin' Frog's website lists the IBU as "HIGH"...it has got to be over 100...lots of citrus and pine hoppiness, but only a marginal malt backing. The brew pours an almost orange hue and is packed with sediment (almost a half-inch at the bottom of my bomber)...not exactly a selling point for me, but still drinkable (and gets even more drinkable as it warms).  I wasn't floored by Hop Dam, just as I haven't been floored with most of the other "clever" names (Hopslam completely excluded), but the beer is exactly what it claims to be...a supper hoppy imperial IPA...good enough for a Monday night.

ohtheguilt Ba score = 3.5 out of 5.0

Cigar City at The Porter

Last night Mrs. ohtheguilt and I hit up The Porter with another couple (Joel and his wifey) to sample the recently tapped Cigar City Brewing kegs (and a cask). If you haven't been to The Porter, go there...the beer selection is incredible, and the food is pretty decent too.

Anyway, we decided that we should go ahead and sample some of the CCB brews that we can't normally pick up in our area. We started off with the Jai Alai cask ale. Jai Alai is CCB's year-round IPA, and is quite a good brew in general. The cask version was (obviously) a bit different than the bottles we have had. The cask pours very hazy and is certainly less "hop-forward" than the bottles...almost a muted, lighter flavor. The brew is still hoppy, but has mellowed in the cask...not bad.

Next up was Warmer Winter Winter Warmer. This brew is touted as an English-style barleywine. Again, we were not let down. WWWW was extremely sweet with hints or raisins, figs and (probably) other dark fruits. As a warmer, it wasn't as spiced as most, and as a barleywine, it wasn't as boozy as most...overall, a pretty balanced and fun brew. Glad I have one in the cellar...

Our third taste was Improv (an Oatmeal Rye Brown Ale)...Joel ordered this one, so I really just had a brief taste...not enough to form a truly informed opinion, but certainly enough for a description. Improv poured really dark with lots of oatmeal and roasty/almost burnt aroma. The taste is a bit lighter than expected and sweeter, as well. Sounds like it opened up a bit more upon warming...I'd like to try this again.

For our finale, Joel and I split a 750 of CCB's Humidor Series IPA...

Needless to say, the Humidor Series beers are all aged on cedar...this one is actually a version of Jai Alai, but (obviously) aged on cedar. The cedar aroma is very obvious, but the hoppiness is still noticeable, but has been mellowed by the cedar, making the beer very smooth and drinkable. Unfortunately, this one isn't exactly available in Atlanta...or at least not off the shelf. However, it was certainly a nice twist on a very good base beer. Go try to find this...

Overall a nice evening with good friends and some pretty damn good beers. Now I'm really excited to crack open my CCB cellar stash (a great X-mas gift from my father-in-law)...

Dogfish Head Noble Rot

If you like white wines, tonight's beer is for you.

Dogfish Head's noble Rot is (apparently) an experiment with grape must that has yielded a "beer" that is perfectly appropriate for the non-discriminating wine drinker. Think of a pinot grigio...now think about a bit more tart on the front end and a bit more sweetness on the finish...you just thought of Noble Rot. The brew is slightly darker than champagne, and nearly as clear...the aroma is very similar to saison, but grape/wine overtones are obvious. At 9.0% ABV, Noble Rot isn't quite as strong as a pinot grigio, but for some reason, it is easier to drink (not that pinot grigio is difficult to drink)...maybe its the sweet finish or maybe its just the plain and simple fact that it was brewed by DFH...

As usual, DHF is on the leasing edge of brewing, and while this is obviously a finely crafted beer, it just isn't my gig. If Mrs. ohtheguilt was home right now, I guarantee she would easily handle the rest of this bottle.

ohtheguilt Ba score 3.0 out of 5.0

A note about scores

I just glanced over my previous posts with regard to my Ba "had" scores and realized that I should probably clarify why my scoring seems so high. It is not that I haven't ever had beers that I didn't like, rather, it mainly relates to the fact that, at this point, I am fairly selective of the beers that I drink. I have had plenty of beers that don't even hit the "average" score on Ba, but since I have started posting here, my purchases have been geared toward styles and breweries that I enjoy drinking. While there will always be some deviation (both ways - note the Brewdog review below, comparatively), please understand that I will not go out of my way to buy beers that I believe I will not enjoy (most macros, clear bottles, lambics, etc). That said, I am open to suggestions...i.e. prove me wrong! Feel free to comment or email me with suggestions (or, hopefully, offerings) to taste. I only have one "follower" (thanks, EE) right now, but would love to hear/see some feedback, and, barring any distribution issues, would like to hear about anything I am missing out on. Maybe we will even get to see a bit of variation in my scores...thanks for reading...

Lagunitas Imperial Red Ale

I have never actually sought out a red...well, maybe...Oskar Blues G'Knight is certainly the best "red" i have ever had...anyway, Lagunitas rarely lets me down...

Lagunitas Imperial Red Ale is a rotating selection from the boys out in Petaluma, CA and, like most of their brews, is readily available in GA when in season. If I remember correctly, I passed this up last year, but when I was at the store today, I realized that we needed something a bit more sessionable in the house (I've been ignoring the Haandbryggeriet Akevitt barrel-aged porter in the fridge for nearly a month now). As with most of the Lagunitas brews, the Impy Red is retardedly hoppy...certainly on the citrus side. Huge grapefruit aromas and flavors are less than subtle...however...at ~52 IBUs (nice malty sweetness), the bitterness doesn't blow you away. This is really closer to a strong IPA than to a red...which is not a problem for me. As usual, Lagunitas hasn't let me down...a hoppy, drinkable beer that is over 7% and under $10 for a sixer...

ohtheguilt Ba score = 4.0 out of 5.0

Brewdog Storm

Against all my better judgement, I picked up a bottle of Brewdog's Storm. The beer is billed as an Islay Whiskey cask aged IPA. I grabbed this bottle at Liquor Barn in Louisville (nothing against them) back in December, and I DID check the "best before" date. Knowing full well that an IPA bottled in 2008 was a horrible idea, I spent 5 bucks on it anyway. So this bottle has been in my fridge since early January and I decided I'd go ahead and crack it open...again, fully expecting to be disappointed. I was. Drain pour. It literally took one sip, and dumped it. Keep in mind that drain pours in this household are rare (one 11.2 oz. gusher of Spike and Jerome's BA Barleywine, one bomber of Stone Belgo Anise, and one growler - yeh, I said growler - of some unknown Chocolate City Brewery beer that I received as a gift), but the Storm was just heinous. Hell, I didn't even take a picture of the bottle...

Anyway, aside from being two years old (please keep in mind that age does work well for some beers), I knew we were going to have an issue when it took three tries to pop the cap off the bottle. Upon pouring, I was struck by a foul vinegar odor...thinking that the dog farted, I reprimanded him and then, completely oblivious, took a huge whiff of the pour...ouch. It wasn't the dog. Not only was this thing completely flat (again, this is fine for other beers), but it smelled rancid...not to be confused with sour...anyway, one sip yielded no flavor to speak of...imagine a bottle of white wine sitting, in the sun for a week...just nothing. Oh well...win some, lose some...Lagunitas to the rescue! (see above)

ohtheguilt Ba score = 2.0 out of 5.0

Mikkeller Hop Burn (High)

Last night, work got in the way of my drinking and blogging...I vowed not to let this happen again tonight...so, time for a nice, fresh DIPA (excuse the fuzzy photo)...

Mikkeller Hop Burn (High) just showed up on the shelves this past week and (despite coming from Europe), it seems extremely fresh. The crack of the cap let out a nice pop and hiss, but the brew exhibits minimal carbonation (as do a fair number of double/imperial IPAs). According to the forums, there isn't much info out there on this beer, so the specifics are hazy..that said, it was obviously brewed at D Proef (Belgium) and is 10% ABV. Hop Burn pours pretty clear for a Mikkeller beer, and has the standard strong citrus aromas of many other Mikkellers; however, the overall drinkability of Hop Burn is greatly improved over some of Mikkeller's other double/imperial IPA  offerings. The bitterness is likely still going to be too much for a non-hophead, but there is a malty backbone in here that helps smooth out the boozy finish with a bit of sweetness. Don't be fooled by hearing the word "sweetness" though..this is certainly not the all-around easy-drinker that Hop Slam is...but it comes fairly close, especially if double/imperial IPAs are your gig..

ohtheguilt Ba score 4.0 out of 5.0

Saturday Night Beer-Geeks

Since it was a nasty, rainy Saturday night, I decided we would stay in, catch up on some new eps of Drinking Made Easy, do an early screening of some Super Bowl commercials and sample a few nice beers. First up was Goose Island's Vintage Series Pepe Nero...

Pepe was bottled on 2/25/11 and was yet another from the stash built during my December trip to Louisville Beer Store. This poured very dark with a thick, creamy head...good amount of carbonation. This was most certainly a Belgian...very sweet and many fruity notes (raisin, banana), but subtly spicy with a slight coffee and cocoa flavors that linger. Lots of reviews described Pepe's aroma as that of a saison; however, this was not our experience at all...the aroma was more of a fruity sweetness mixed with cocoa. There was a complete lack of bitterness and the beer drank very smoothly...
Of the Vintage Series beers I have tried, this one isn't at the top of the list; nor, is it at the bottom...a very well-rounded beer produced by a good brewery...

otheguilt Ba score = 4.0 out of 5.0

The we moved on to some others...

Brasserie Des Franches-Montagnes (BFM) is pretty out there as far as using unique ingredients and brewing different stuff...this is not a bad thing. We started by splitting the Cuvee du 7eme (pronounced: Q-V Du Set-E-M)..this recipe was from BFM's 7th anniversary in 2006. I have no idea if the bottle is really that old as there was no bottle date. Initial smell was that of a sour..not a huge hit, but certainly noticeable....
7eme was actually mild for a sour...probably because if it truly is as old as it might have been, it had likely transformed in the bottle over all that time. Basically zero carbonation and a ton of sediment...still not sure what to think about this one, and I have been pondering it for several hours. The style is listed as biere de garde, but other reviews are all over the place...I guess the best I can say is that 7eme is a sour with fruity and boozy notes. No Ba score for this one, as I don't want to skew the stats without trying it again.

Cuvee du 8eme (Q-V Du Wheat-E-M) was up next. like the above, the recipe was from BFM's 8th anniversary in 2007...this bottle was actually labeled as "2007," so I assume that it was actually bottled then. Huge departure from 7eme...8eme was incredible! Described as a Belgian Strong Pale, the 8eme seems to have held up much better than the 7eme. The beer poured with light carbonation and almost completely translucent amber color...appears very refined, and taste is very complex. Sour/bitterness with fruity flavor upfront and hints of cocoa on the finish...these two tend to balance each other out very well and make this into a delicious easy drinker.

ohtheguilt Ba score = 4.5 out of 5.0

Boulevard Brewing - Smokestack Series The Sixth Glass

Yet another brewery that doesn't have distribution in Georgia. Luckily my trip to AL a few weeks ago netted a few different brews from Boulevard's Smokestack Series...The Sixth Glass (Quadrupel Ale) was my choice from the stash today.

The Bros from Ba gave The Sixth Glass a 100...i.e. a perfect score. And although, I trust them, I could not reciprocate. So...this certainly is a quad... a lot of malt and a ton of fruit...unfiltered and very sweet. This thing is dangerously easy to drink at 10.5% ABV, but the alcohol isn't necessarily hidden; it is just nicely "masked" by the sweetness and smoothness of the beer. I've never really gone out of my way to purchase a Belgian-style beer before, and while this is a really good example of an "American" quad, i still don't think I am convinced. The Sixth Glass is very well made and extremely drinkable, but it just isn't my style. That said, the Smokestack Series appears to be very finely crafted by Boulevard...the beers that i have had (Double-Wide, Saison-Brett, and now The Sixth Glass) have all hit their marks (whether they are my style or not). I will continue to pick these up as I find them...

ohtheguilt Ba score 4.0 out of 5.0

SweetWater Dank Tank 420IPA

What better way to celebrate a Friday (yes, I know I am posting this on Saturday) than with SweetWater Dank Tank series beer...

There's nothing better than getting really fresh hoppy beer, and despite the fact that there was no bottled date, 420IPA was just released this week, and since the brewery is right down the road from me, I have no doubt that this was bottled very recently. SweetWater has done an incredible job with their Dank Tank series in recent times, and the 420IPA is no exception. Keeping in mind that 420 has been our around the house session beer for a few years now, I have always wished it was a hoppier beer. So basically, SweetWater read my mind on this one. Ample hops and bold citrus flavors (think of SweetWater's IPA) abound, but the beer has a somewhat boozy finish (considering it's basically an 8.5% imperial IPA, this only makes sense), especially when icy cold. As the beer warms you get more initial citrus and a more malty finish with less booze...should be expected from a good imperial IPA. I am rarely disappointed by my local guys, but I am holding off on my Ba score until I have the other bottle that is waiting in queue...I expect to update this post with a score within the next 48 hours. Anyway, go ahead and pick up one of these the next time you are at the store...for $5.99, it's a pretty good value...

The Lost Abbey Red Barn Ale

Its such a nice evening that I decided that instead of hitting the trails, I'd take a quick break from working, pour myself a nice farmhouse, plop my ass down on the deck, and watch the dog run around the backyard like a complete maniac...this is what he does when it isn't raining. I digress...

...so, I chose The Lost Abbey's Red Barn Ale. Its a pretty standard farmhouse/saison - grainy with obvious fruit notes and spices (think lemon, banana, clove, coriander, etc.). The brew also exhibits just a hint of initial bitterness, but certainly mellows and lingers with all the earthy, yeasty flavors expected from a saison. Its almost easy to get carried away with Red Barn (especially when sitting outside on a nice evening), but at just over 6% ABV, you won't get into too much trouble. If it wasn't nearly 70 degrees in Atlanta today, I would have probably saved this for a few months, but with the right weather and a crisp saison at my fingertips, well...what can I say?

ohtheguilt Ba score 4.0 out of 5.0

Upland Brewing Teddy Bear Kisses

What a name...you probably can't tell from my picture, but there is a creepy looking teddy bear, slightly illuminated by a distant open door, near the bottom right of the label...add in the font from The Godfather and you have a really interesting label. Anyway...Upland is another brewery (out of Indiana) that isn't distributed in Georgia, so this is another one from the huge stash that I picked up at Louisville Beer Store in December.

Luckily this brew from Upland doesn't taste creepy. This Russian Imperial Stout (aged over cocoa nibs) checks in at just over 10% ABV. As expected, it pours pitch black but has nearly perfect carbonation for a stout (or at least what I like in a stout)...that is to say, not out of control and not completely still. Although Teddy Bear Kisses (i just like typing that) has all the things i look for in an RIS (bold roasted malt flavor, coffee and chocolate notes, and the right amount of carbonation) it misses somewhere. I'm not sure if it is the lingering booziness on the finish, or the feeling that the "roast" is more "burnt"...but, it is what it is. Teddy Bear Kisses is so close to being great that its a damn shame.

ohtheguilt Ba score = 3.5 out of 5.0

Three Floyds Alpha Klaus

While in Louisville over X-mas i made a (not so quick) run down to The Louisville Beer Store to specifically purchase as many different beers from Three Floyds as I could...this was one of the five that I was able to pick up and, as of last night, it was the last one remaining in my stash.

The brew is billed as a "Christmas Porter," but was certainly light on the standard x-mas spices...of course, this is not a problem for me. Poured pitch black with little carbonation and had almost a "thin" taste to it (well, at least if felt thin compared with other similarly styled beers). It was on the hoppy side for a porter (should be expected from 3F), which, again, was not a problem for me. If it wasn't for the initial coffee taste and the sweetness on the finish, I would consider this a black ale...or potentially a black IPA...it's difficult to say, but the beer was good in a complex way and ease-of-drinking way, but certainly lacked too much to really be considered a porter in the "traditional sense"...whatever that means. Serious, whatever. Classification doesn't really matter because I liked it.

I will continue to try to track down more 3F beers, so if you are in KY, IL (Chicago-land people, I am looking at you) or IN go buy some Three Floyds brews...and while you are at it, send some down to me!

ohtheguilt Ba score = 4.0 out of 5.0

Side note: Louisville Beer Store was pretty freakin' awesome. The selection rivals all the shops in Atlanta and most of the stores I have visited in other states. For what it's worth, I spent a ton of green there on x-mas eve (they even threw some freebie glassware and an extra bottle in the box for me), and plan to go back again next x-mas eve to do the same thing. Check these guys out if you are in the area.