Sierra Nevada Hoptimum

I am spoiled . My taste has become completely jaded and biased. Sierra Nevada's Hoptimum should be one of my favorite beers. It isn't.

So maybe this year's batch was a bit off, but after the likes of my recent experiences with 21A Hop Crisis, Hopslam, Double Trouble, Harpoon Leviathan (IPA), Deviant Dale's, Sculpin, etc, etc. Hoptimum just didn't cut it. I truly feel terrible even typing that, especially because I keep various flavors of SN beers sitting around the house (they know how to do hoppy), but also because I was expecting to have my mind blown. Lesson learned...don't ever get your hopes up. That said, Hoptimum still rates significantly higher than average for me...its just that it doesn't work next to the above-mentioned beers.

Anyway, Hoptimum is SN's whole cone hop DIPA. It is just over 10% ABV, but drinks on the mild side. While this is a good thing, the brew is lacking somewhere. It is obviously up against some really stiff competition (other impy IPAs and my palate). Upon opening, the aroma is lacking. There isn't the punch that I was expecting. it pours nicely, though and has the right carbonation - not a ridiculous head. The taste is as underwhelming as the aroma (for a DIPA)...its good, but it isn't incredible. At the rate that these 4-packs flew off the shelves, I was expecting more...maybe people in Atlanta suck. Scratch that. People in Atlanta do suck. Hoptimum is a great IPA, but it is just a good DIPA...

ohtheguilt Ba score = 4.0 out of 5.0 

Bear Republic Racer 5

Thanks to Ryan (from NC) for bringing this down for me...I have had to pass up Racer 5 several times, in several states due to luggage issues, but now have finally checked it off my list...glad I did!

Bear Republic is another CA brewery that isn't distributed in GA...and like so many others, I really wish they were. I know I say it all the time, but I would session Racer 5 like its nobody's business...it is just that easy to drink (and I am typing this with an open SN Torpedo sitting next to me. I love this beer, but Racer 5 puts it to shame). Anyway Racer 5 is still a bit hop forward, but like most of the higher end IPAs, there is a sweetness that eases the bitter hoppiness. It creates a great balance and makes this a hell of an easy drinker...the Mrs. really liked it too...and that says a lot for a west coast IPA. We get the standard citrus and pine hop aromas and flavors here...but it is the sweet malt finish that makes it go down so easy. Overall a perfect drinker and it went down so well while enjoying the evening (earlier this week) on the back deck. If you are in a state that has 6-packs, I am envious of you...

ohtheguilt Ba score = 4.5 out of 5.0

Oh-The-Liver

Welcome to Spilled Beer's very first bender...err...uhh..I mean very first large scale tasting.
It all started several months ago when the "crew" decided that attendance at Brickstore Pub's HMOG was going to be mandatory. By the time March 23rd rolled around almost everything had fallen apart (beer shipments, keg deliveries, waning enthusiasm, etc.), including attendance at HMOG...however, that didn't stop us from drinking mind blowing beers for two straight days. Although I am not going to bother with Ba scores, keep in mind that the majority of the beers in this post were scored at 4.5, 4.75, or 5.0...

Despite the lost beer shipment from Joel's brother, Ryan, we started strong with a few beers "imported" from New York by Tim...Troegs Nugget Nectar and Maine Brewing Peeper. These were a strong start to the evening (note that I was not in attendance for the Speedway Stout, and didn't partake in the Allagash in the photo).

Next on the itinerary was dinner and drinks at Local Three..the trip netted two new drinks...Red Hare Rabbit's Reserve #2 Imperial Red and also a few gulps of Black Maple Hill Black Label Bourbon. Both were delicious, as was dinner.

On to bigger and better...we ended up back at Joel's and started light with an Ithica White gold...not bad, but not my gig..we followed that with the most expensive beer of the weekend...Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Rare (Stout)..an absolutely incredible beer. I won't say that it was a bit hot, but it was a little bit hot..either way, still delicious.

 After the rare, came the coffee variation. I preferred this to the rare, but was certainly in the minority on that decision..my Ba score for the coffee variation was a 5.0...not much else to say, other than the "coffee" was incredible.

After the coffee, we kept the stout theme rolling by breaking into Joel's stash of Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout...another variation. This time Founders used its Breakfast Stout as a base and age the brew in bourbon barrels...again, another heavy-hitter, and another high Ba score:

 And after that everything changed. Ryan procured 2 bottles of Trappist Westvleteren 12 for the weekend...this is arguably the best beer in the world, and I felt honored to be a part of tasting this incredible brew. My understanding is that the Westy 12 is still brewed by monks in Europe and is not yet available for retail purchase in the US. I don't care how Ryan got this (hell, I don't even want to know), but damn...talk about ridiculous...this beer was nothing like any beer I have ever had. It was best described as "grape forward"...not like a wine, but like an aperitif meets a beer...maybe. I just don't know how to describe it, other than nearly perfect. You can bet your ass that if I am ever back in Belgium, I will be shipping this back to the US in bulk.

 Hard to follow the Westy with anything, but in light of the fact that Ryan's FiftyFifty (50/50) Eclipse Brandy Barrel was stolen/lost in shipping, I donated my recently purchased bottle #3885 2011 Eclipse Elijah Craig 18-year (note the white wax) to the pot. It probably could have stood the test of time in the cellar for a bit, but in light of the situation, it was best drunk. In my Mind this Eclipse variation was the smoothest, easiest drinking barrel aged beer I have had to date..another high Ba score...

I think we sessioned some Hopslam somewhere in here and Jart and Dave F. joined the group..but that is of no concern. We had two more beers before watching Nirvana at the Paramount...and passing out.

Founders Crumudgeon's Better Half was next up. Unfortunately, Better Half was the worst beer of the night...that says a ton. The beer is highly rated on Ba and was very hard to come by...while it was a great beer, it just didn't rival the other beers of the evening...taken out of this context, Better half would have likely been incredible...as stated, it was an unfortunate night for Founders...that said, my bottle will cellar for a year, and will likely be delicious...

 Last on the list was Stillwater Folklore (thanks, again, to Tim)...unfortunately, I have no recollection of this one other than the picture that I took of the bottle...so that is all you get, a picture...i am sure it was delicious, based on my "live" Ba score, though...

Maybe tomorrow I will post the beers from 3/24...

Rogue XS Imperial Stout 2011

Sorry guys/gals, no picture of this...it was too difficult to take a picture of a dark ceramic bottle in artificial light. (Yes, I seriously typed that after drinking an 11% bomber). So....

Rogues XS Imperial Stout...it comes in a fancy ceramic bottle with a plug-thing...it costs about 12 bucks...no light can pass through it. There is nothing else I can ask for for coolness and value. The beer pours with very little carbonation, and (in case you missed it above) pitch black. This is one of the best cups of coffee I have had in recent memory (excluding the obvious previous posts, of course). Very roasty finish, bitter overall (black coffee and baker's chocolate), and no taste of booze whatsoever. I'd say this doesn;t really need age to be a good beer. Its very simple and is extremely drinkable (especially for the hardcore coffee drinker)....and it only gets better as it warms. While I am a fan here, I would not recommend this to the faint of heart..

ohtheguilt Ba score = 4.0 out of 5.0 

Beer Tourism - Orange County, CA (Part 2)

Sorry it has taken so long to get this up, but I had a busy weekend and work has been absolutely terrible. On the plus side, I haven't had anything baller to drink since these...oh wait...a couple Russian River beers on Friday...oh well...

Hair of The Dog is based out of Oregon and is not distributed in GA...obviously I sampled these while in CA last week...figured I would go ahead and wind my trip down with two of the biggest beers I could find. I picked these up at The Bruery Provisions over in Orange. A quick note about the store: pretty cool place, lots of random brews and plenty of Bruery stuff (duh)...also, the cheeses and meats they had at the deli counter looked/smelled delicious...wish I was traveling with Mrs. ohtheguilt andhad some time to try a bite...anyway...

Adam is considered an Old Ale...and it is strong. This thing pours incredibly dark and smells of booze and dark fruit. The taste is similar: dark fruit...smoky/roasted malts...it leaves almost a coating in your mouth. The beer is much better as it warms, but overall, it is a real sipper. The 10% ABV is fairly obvious...maybe some age would do wonders for this...despite the fact that it is already very good.

ohtheguilt Ba score = 4.25 out of 5.0


Fred is quite a bit different than Adam. In comparison, Fred is much lighter, in both color and body. Fred is billed as an American Strong Ale and is much sweeter and easier to drink. There is more of a hop characteristic to Fred...citrus is noticeable, but it is not anywhere close to being bitter. The other predominate flavor here is honey...and i think that this is what adds to the "creaminess" of the beer. At any rate, this was a good one...again, at 10% ABV, it is another sipper, but it goes down much easier than Adam. It gets the same score from me as Adam, but for different reasons...

ohtheguilt Ba score = 4.25 out of 5.0

Beer Tourism - Orange County California

Man, work sucks, but sometimes you just have to make the best of it. Crappy trip this week to SoCal for a PITA site..might as well hook it up with some good beer.

Work issues aside, I started off my two-night trip in style by hitting up Hi-Time Wine Cellars in Costa Mesa. As this was my first experience in a beer store in California, I was a bit overwhelmed. The good news is that we get most of the Stone beers in GA, so those are immediately off my radar...or are they? The only Stone beers that I have not been able to find in GA are the 2011 collaborations...I have had 3 or 4 at this point (thanks to work travel), so I picked up some TBA to round off the series (i think i am missing only one other). On to bigger and better...after a brief conversation with one of the employees, I was led to the shop's FiftyFifty stash, and scored a Elijah Craig 18-year Eclipse...pretty pleased with this purchase, despite the sticker shock. Next up, I grabbed a Deschutes Stoic and a Ballast Point Sculpin (the later of which is for hotel consumption). 

Then I did some work...work, work, work...and then lunch:

My second stop was about 40 miles east of Costa Mesa...Riverside, CA. I hit up a nice little shop called La Bodega...talk about exceptional selection. These guys had Euros like I have never seen before...all sorts of off the wall stuff....and tons of glassware, to boot. Again, service was outstanding, and I received many recommendations for local brews. I ended up walking out with an AleSmith Decadence, a Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch Weasel Cognac (again, major sticker shock) and a Heretic Evil Cousin.

Again, more work stuff happened here...a BUNCH of work stuff, really...

My final stop for the evening, prior to retiring to the hotel, was for dinner. My choices were relatively limited, seeing as I was (am) staying in Garden Grove, less than a mile from Disneyland (pictures of the nightly fireworks didn't really turn out well when taken from a cell phone), but again thanks to Ba, I hit up the OC Brewhouse at the Orange County Hyatt..apparently their gig is to serve local brews on draft. I had some decent fish tacos and sampled some fair Ballast Point brews: Yellow Tail (pale ale, Ba score 3.75) and Calico (amber ale, Ba score 4.0). While not off the charts, these beers are certainly worthy of a good session if they were local to GA.

Once back I decided to hit up my sessionable purchases...first up was Heretic Evil Cousin...an Imperial IPA (gratuitous balcony shot).

 This is Heretic's west coast-style IPA...in brevity, it smells sweet, but is bitter as hell. This is normally not an issue for me, but, damn. At 7 bucks its worth a try, but Evil Cousin is far from sessionable. My understanding is that this is a relatively new brewery, and I think they are on the right track, but this beer didn't cut it for me. My Ba score was a 3.5...maybe another shot at it could prove different, but for now, this is where I am...

I finished off the evening with the Ballast Point Sculpin that I picked up at Hi-Time.

This is easily one of the best IPAs that I have had...perfectly balanced, nicely sessionable..overall, a complete success. Sweet on the aroma, hop forward, but not bitter...its just that damn easy...I wish this was available in 6s and in Georgia...it would make my day/week/month/year...ohtheguilt Ba score 4.75 out of 5.0.

More to come...

Beer Tourism - Memphis, Tennessee

I had the pleasure to take a brief work trip to Memphis last week. Luckily, my old buddy Nate was available for some Memphis fun. Because of Tennessee's shitty beer distribution/laws, I kept it pretty local/macro...nothing exotic, but very good times...

We started out the afternoon on Nate's front porch with with a very easy drinker: Ghost River Golden Ale. Ghost River revived an old brewery in Memphis and began brewing their own beers just a few years ago. Generally speaking they distribute kegs to local restaurants, but Golden Ale is their first bottled beer. This is a very familiar formula...nice, easy drinking lager. Nothing out of this world, but as far as supporting the local guy, this is by far your best bet.

After we finished up the golden we moved on to Southland Park ..seriously. Dog racing at 4 in the afternoon on a Wednesday in West Memphis, AK...you cannot ask for much more! Nate and I split a bucket of Coors Light/Miller Lite (no pic required here, but keep in mind that the Coors bottles had that blue line on them to tel me that they were "very cold"). As a side note, people get up-tight about dog racing...don't. Those dogs eat better meat than I do. Just make your bets and hope that Santa's Little Helper gets to go home with Homer and Bart at the end of the night..anyway, 26 bucks later (yeh...the one-dollar Quiniela..it was hours of fun) we rolled back to Nate's for a brief meet-and-greet with his little one and then on to Young Avenue Deli.

Young Avenue Deli is known for a couple things...incredible shows, a big beer list, and home made french fries. There wasn't a show that night (Nate was lucky enough to have seen some awesome bands in a very intimate setting there in the past), but the fries were ridiculously good. The beer list was definitely big (especially for TN), but since I was trying to play it local and light (still had to drive across town), I stuck with the Memphis boys again, and ordered a few draught Ghost River Glacial Pale Ales (no pic for these). Again, the Memphis locals follow a known pattern to make a very sessionable, yet slightly hoppy brew (more flavorful than the Golden Ale mentioned above). Again, nothing mind-blowing here, but another easy drinker...this time with a bit more of a hop kick. If I lived in Memphis (and had a kegerator) I would likely keep this around the house.

That about covers the Memphis trip..wish I had an extra day to go bottle shopping/perusing, but I was in a bit of a rush (thanks, work). Oh well..

One other note: I cannot believe that I didn't die on the flight home...terrible thunderstorms for more than half the flight...ugh. I fly (pretty much) weekly, and have done so for the past 5-6 years...this flight home was number two on my top ten worst flight list...

SKA Decadent Imperial IPA

I decided to pour another big IPA...

SKA's Decadent Imperial IPA comes in a waxed bottle (very cool looking...in a cheesy SKA sort of way), suggesting that you would want to cellar it..however, seeing as it is an IPA, freshness is critical (in my mind, at least). So, no sense in letting this sit around and get crappy...
Decadent threw me a curve though...it isn't a huge hop forward, west coast style IPA...there is a strong bitterness there, but it takes a back seat, as is diluted by the malty sweetness. I'm getting an odd, almost metallic, aftertaste from this...but I am trying n=to not let it sway my opinion. That said, I was expecting more complexity too...it just isn't there. Neither is the booze. Ba reviews describe this as easy drinking, and I tend to agree; however, that is not what I am necessarily looking for in an imperial IPA...I like my hop aroma and my bitterness. This is, by no means, a bad beer, but I just doesn't live up to my (unjustifiably high) imperial IPA standards..

ohtheguilt Ba score = 3.5 out of 5.0

Deschutes Hop Henge Experimental IPA

Big thanks to Ryan and his sister, Ashley, for getting some west coast beers to Georgia for me...this is only the first of many from this awesome package.

Deschutes Hop Henge Experimental IPA is not quite what an IPA; however, it definitely is "experimental." At 8.5% ABV it is considered imperial, but there isn't the slightest hint of booze. Hop Henge is very mild for a west coast IPA, and while on the citrus side of the spectrum, there is a syrupy sweetness (think tropical fruit - pineapple, etc.) that destroys the hop bitterness. The balance here is incredible and rivals some of the best balanced hoppy beers on the market (its not Pliny, though so don't get too excited). All praise aside, this just isn't my gig. Mrs. ohtheguilt just had a big sip and thoroughly enjoyed it (she had similar fruit and sweetness thoughts), but it doesn't have the hop bitterness that I love so much. That said, the execution of this beer is near perfect...Deschutes is a pretty bad-ass brewery.

ohtheguilt Ba score = 4.5 out of 5.0

Big Eddy Wee Heavy

Sorry for the lack of updates, but work sucks...in light of the shit that is work I am starting big this evening: 9.5% Scotch Ale...

2012 is the first year that Leinenkugel has brewed the Wee Heavy as part of their Big Eddy series and from what I have just tasted, this was a good idea. Wee Heavy is precisely what I expected it to be...and more. The beer pours with minimal carbonation and is a brilliant amber color. You can smell the sweetness right away..loads of caramel and toffee, with hints of vanilla. Compared to other wee heavies that I have had this is much more like an American barleywine. The brew is really drinkable and will certainly satisfy your sweet-tooth. As usual, I have nothing more to say about this beer...just think Sweetwater 15 or Bristol Old No. 23...and that is all you need to know.
Overall, a choice selection and well worth the price if you are digging the malty goodness.

ohtheguilt Ba score 4.25 out of 5.0 

(note that the new Ba scoring system includes quarters)

AleSmith Wee Heavy and CCB Big Sound (Bourbon Barrel)

We got together with some friends on Saturday night for a nice dinner and a few beers. I made an impromptu decision to break out two very different scotch ales to have a nice little tasting.

First up was AleSmith's Wee Heavy (picked this up on a recent trip to Ohio). This beer is a drinker..late 2011 vintage, but I have to wonder what it would be like after a year, since it is so mellow right now. At any rate this is the "lightest" scotch ale that I have had...carbonation was decent, hints of vanilla and caramel...not boozy at all (considering 10.5% ABV), nice malty finish...over all a nice smooth example of the style. 4.0 out of 5.0

 After a segue, Cigar City's Big Sound (bourbon barrel-aged) was up next. I have to get a big thanks to my father-in-law in here for this one. He picked this up while at CCB over Thanksgiving, and during his conversations with the CCB guys, he happened to score this bottle that the brewmaster had waxed and stashed away. Thanks, Peter!

Anyway, there was some concern about the late 2011 bottles of this beer being infected and gushing, so we took the proper precautionary measure and opened this up outside...carefully...on video. It didn't pop.

First thing that hits you is bourbon...lots of it...didn't even have to pour it before the aroma hit...its big. Pours nearly pitch black (kind of strange for a scotch ale) and drinks like syrup. Flavors range from dark fruit to caramel, but consistently tastes like bourbon. It is an okay drinker, but the huge hit of bourbon really kills it for me. Should have let this cellar for a while...probably should have been opened this time next year. Oh well, it was still delicious. 40 out of 5.0. 

Oskar Blues Deviant Dale's IPA

"Sippin' on a tall boy"
Nice beer for Tornadopocalypse 2012...bring it!

Yet another fine IPA. Bordering on "imperial" Deviant comes in at 8% ABV, and is much more drinkable than the "regular" Dale's...come to think of it, this should be the "regular" Dale's...Oskar Blues did a nice job on this one..smooth citrus up front and an easy bitterness...nice balance overall. And. And...wait for it...freakin' tall boys! I have no idea what the head is like or how this beer pour,s because tonight is tornadopocalypse and the only way to properly celebrate such an event is to drink beer out of a can...and not just any can...a 16oz. can!

There is nothing more to say about Deviant...its hoppy, its bitter and its absolutely drinkable...if i had a pick-axe handy (and if I didn't want to savor this), I'd shotgun the remaining three...

ohtheguilt Ba score = 4.5 out of 5.0

BFM Cuvee Alex Le Rogue

This has been a really good beer week for me...another favorite brewer for this one: BFM. Cuvee Alex Le Rogue is labeled as a Jurassian imperial stout brewed with black pepper, vanilla and tea. My bottle is labeled "Batch 2008," and as usual, I really have no idea if this is from 2008 or not...oh well...whatever, it is pretty decent. As with most good stouts, there is very little carbonation here. But that is basically where the similarities  end. There is a dark fruity aroma (maybe some cherries, even apple) and a slightly sour/bitter initial flavor that melds with tea as it lingers. The vanilla on the label is not noticeable, but there is distinctly black pepper on the finish. Other than the color and lack of carbonation, I don't really see this as being an imperial stout...it is definitely an imperial something, but not a stout. The more this thing warms, the more sour apple (both taste and smell) I am getting from it...really strange. This is a good/interesting beer, but it just isn't an imperial stout, and really wasn't anything like what I was expecting. I guess this makes sense coming from BFM, but I'm not sure how I feel about that, so I am going to skip scoring this one on Ba for now.