OMFG - Beer Review Series - Maredsous 8

Lovely shade of mahogany but jet black held against the counter top. The head, crafted by the Duvel family, stands tall with a light brown retention that remains for the duration of the session.

The nose of the beer is super spiced and boozy that tickles the senses. Dubbels are “rich malty beers with some spicy / phenolic and mild alcoholic characteristics. Not as much fruitiness as the Belgian Strong Dark Ale but some dark fruit aromas and flavors may be present. Mild hop bitterness with no lingering hop flavors. It may show traits of a steely caramel flavor from the use of crystal malt or dark candy sugar. Look for a medium to full body with an expressive carbonation.(per BA)” The nose is rounded out by some burnt malts and toasted caramel.

This is a top 10 beer in my opinion and easily accessible in the Atlanta area year round, but since there is a 2 inch thick sheet of ice over the ground I don’t think you’ll be picking this up anytime soon unless you prepared properly. With that being said: taste is bitter chocolate nibs and coca followed by dark malt and toffee, perfect for the cold weather. The back end has boozy warmth that heats you to the core. Really enjoyable.

The brewery must have used a high-quality yeast strain that graduated near the top of its class in terms of clove and cinnamon spiciness. The final pour, especially, adds a spiced woodiness that is some kind of appealing. Dark fruit (figs soaking in chocolate liqueur and light molasses) is present as well.

The mouthfeel is full and creamy with very little carbonation as per the style.

The Maredsous 8 is an amazing beer. If you are a beer nerd or aspiring beer nerd please please please pick up a bottle @ your local OCBS (Old Crabapple Bottle Shop.) It will not disappoint, and could introduce you to a new world of Belgian beers.


Cheers!


Ryan

OMFG - New Years / Brew Years - Beer Reviews

Hello everyone today is a great day. I woke up to the smell of roasted coffee and chocolate malts from the late night homebrew; the birds were chirping my wife commented on how “disgusting” the house smells. It is a great day. I finally recovered from the debauchery and fun we had on new years and wanted to post some of my reviews.

First off let me say thank you to everyone that stopped by on New Years Eve. I had a blast and a half. The night started in the cellar. I let one of my craft suds buddies take full control of the wheel and drive us on a craft beer journey. Here is where it all started.

I started with the Shorts Brewing Huma-Lupa Licious. From the website “Named after the hop flower Humulus Lupulus, this India Pale Ale style beer has enormous amounts of hop bitterness, flavor and aroma. With a very complex malt bill, flavors seem to meld with the hops to balance this ale and provide a ridiculous urge to sample more. 

76 I.B.U.'s 

16.8 deg. Plato 

7.0% A.B.V.

I thought it was a very kind start to the evening. It was beautiful and golden in color with a thin white head that dissolves quickly.

The aroma is big juicy Grapefruit and citrus cascading down to piney hops and cracker malts.

The first sip uncovers many of the flavors on the nose with a powerful bitterness bite. The hops spike the palette and slosh over the tongue creating a nice prickle burn effect as they go down.

Mouthfeel was slightly thin for me and carbonation was high.

Drinkability is good. I polished it off in about 8 minutes. It wasn’t my favorite but it wasn’t the worst IPA I have ever drank. One day we will have distribution from Shorts in Atlanta, but until then I will use my underground method of gathering their amazing suds.

My craft suds bud Brad picked the second beer – Founders Backwoods Bastard. OUT – F-ing –STADNING. If I could end the review that way I would. This beer is world class and it’s a damn shame it doesn’t get the credit it deserves.

It pours dark with a reddish tinge. Has a beautiful billowy ivory head that remains for quite some time.

Smell is of bourbon barrels vanilla and coconut. Some roasted dark malts, caramel & toffee. Everything that is tasty. It has great balance for being such a big beer.

Sip. Bourbon up front followed by the caramel and malts of this beautiful Scotch Ale. Perfect balance

Thick creamy mouthfeel and light tingly carbonation makes this slow sipper perfect.

You couldn’t ask for a better beer. Definitely in my top 5 only one word to describe it: perfection in a glass.

Check out the rest of the night @ http://craftsuds.blogspot.com/2011/01/new-years-reviews.html

Cheers!

Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - 12 Beers Of Christmas!

12 Beers of Christmas

Going to the package store in the colder months is like walking in a old ale heaven. Brewers use the holiday season as a reason to trot out specialty ales and slap Christmas- and winter-themed labels on the bottles. Many of these beers fall into the “winter warmer’’ category — heavier on malt than hops, perhaps brewed with cinnamon, nutmeg, and other spices. But many fall into other categories that could be enjoyed any time of year. There are too many holiday beers to try in the short time they’re available. To get you started, here are 12 beers you must try.

Anchor Steam – Our Festive Ale:

It changes every year and 2010 is one of the best in my opinion.

ABV: 5.50%

Price: $11 per 6-pack

Profile: Complex combination of toasty malt flavor along with fruits and spices, all coming out in that order. Well balanced without the hops making too big an impression.

Samuel Adams - Old Fezziwig Ale

Available in the 12 pack and a quality beer for craft and non-craft drinkers alike.

ABV: 5.90%

Price: $14 per 12-pack

Profile: Roasted caramel malts and fruity esters, mostly raisin. Spiciness - cinnamon and ginger. A little booze to warm at the finish.

Bell's - Christmas Ale

A Scottish style ale very drinkable and complex at the same time: May be hard to find in the Atlanta area

ABV: 5.40%

Price: $11 per 6-pack

Profile: pears and apples, some citrus hop bite, caramel malt, then fades into a  bready malt with a bit of alcohol warmth.

Southern Tier - Old Man (Winter Ale)

A Old Ale: Per www.southerntierbrewing.com “complex amalgam of hops and barley that will put the feeling back in your toes and lift your spirits above the snow”

ABV: 7.2%

Price: $8 per 6-pack

Profile: almost a lager type characteristic. Very drinkable with pine, hops, cracker malt, spicy yeast and of course booze.

Mikkellar - Santa's Little Helper 2010

Another beer that changes year to year, this Belgian dark strong ale will not disappoint.

ABV: 9.10%

Price $11 per 750ml

Profile: Spiced with bitter and sweet orange peels and nutmeg. Easy to drink and boozy to boot.

Mikkellar - Fra Til (From To)

One of my personal favorite beers for Christmas a Baltic porter that delivers with booze.

ABV: 8.00%

Price $11 per 750ml

Profile: Big roasted espresso notes, followed by dark chocolate, herbal notes, gingerbread, and bittersweet dark fruits.

The Bruery – 3 French hens

Part of the 12 years of beers from The Bruery this is the 3^rd installment and delivers on the promise of great beer. If you can still find it in Atlanta it will be a Christmas miracle.

ABV: 10%

Price $12 per 750ml

Profile: spiced fruit, cherries and plums, and raisins. Wine like taste, light spice profile, finished by French oak and vanilla. Great after dinner beer.

Weyerbacher Winter Ale

A winter warmer with malts and vanilla forward really one trick pony but very easy to drink.

ABV: 5.6%

Price: $12 per 6-pack

Profile: Classified as a winter warmer, this is really more of an English old ale. Aroma is smoky and full of molasses. Medium body.

Avery - Old Jubilation Ale

Easilly hidden alcohol for 8%. This beer goes down smooth and will please a crowd.

ABV: 8 %

Price: $12 per 6-pack

Profile: Pours dark brown using five different malts in the brewing process, hazelnuts and butterscotch on both the nose and taste followed closely by a nice mild citrus flavor.

Hoppin’ Frog - Frosted Frog Christmas

This is a dessert beer that delivers in smell and flavor. You like gingerbread and cream? This will be your best friend.

ABV: 8.6 %

Price: $9  per 22oz bomber

Profile:  Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg - liquid gingerbread. This beer is a dessert.

St. Bernardus - Christmas Ale

No Christmas celebration is complete without a St. Bernardus under the tree. It’s a perfect beer for a perfect celebration.

ABV: 10%

Price: $12  per 22oz bomber

Profile: figs, dried fruit, Belgian yeast and sticky spicy finish

Sierra Nevada – Celebration Ale

An American IPA for the holiday season. So crisp and drinkable anytime.

ABV: 6.8%

Price $9 per 6-Pack

Profile: Hoppy and bitter IPA with grapefruit and pine followed by orange citrus and caramelly malts.

Cheers!

Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Bell's Java Stout

Hey Oh! I am back everyone. Thank you for waiting patiently for the next brew review; I’ve got a lot cookin’ in the kitchen for the future and it’s worth the wait. Trust me, or don’t and see for yourself. Just to keep things interesting I am going to do the standard old review for today then sometime next week I should have a video review of Terrapin’s MooHoo with another review of a TBD brew with my buddy Chris. It’s going to be a tag team effort and should have additional special guests in the future if you like the review. Please comment below and let me know what you want to see and how I can make this a better experience.

With that being said lets pop some tops! I picked up the Bells Java Stout a few weeks back and am really excited to give it a whirl. I love beer as you all know, but what I really love is coffee stouts. This one is right up my alley. Per the website www.bellsbeer.com “Java Stout uses a custom blend of coffee beans, roasted locally for us by Water Street Coffee Joint, to generate its intense flavor.” I can attest this is a powerful brew that pours a bold black color with a mocha head that quickly dissipates to lace the glass with a fine ring.

The smell is of rich coffee and dark smoky malt very bold and sharp. Every time I took a sip I had to smell also, the aroma was amazing and intoxicating. Fabulous to say the least.

First sip hits the tongue with chocolate notes followed by smoky malts and coffee. It really is a one trick pony in taste but has an outstanding nose.

Mouthfeel is medum like a double brewed cup of coffee really creamy and full with medium carbonation. Very drinkable for 7.5% abv and not too boozy.  

Cheers!

~Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Heavy Seas Greater Pumpkin Ale

Happy post Halloween beer nerds! I am going to keep this one short and simple since many of us are well hung on this lovely Tuesday in November.  I sampled the Heavy Seas Greater Pumpkin ale over the weekend. Why? Because I have an affinity to try anything seasonal and anything bourbon aged. This happens to hit both check boxes. xx If you want the background on pumpkin beers check my previous review here - http://itsomfg.blogspot.com/2010/10/omfg-beer-review-series-southern-tier.html and the “why bourbon” review here - http://itsomfg.blogspot.com/2010/09/omfg-beer-review-series-founders_28.html .

This beer pours a misty orange with literally no head. (This could be the result of low hops or lack of thickness in the beer to promote head retention.) The Greater Pumpkin has just a slight swirl of white bubbles drifting across the top of the glass: Very interesting.

The nose has some balanced notes of bourbon, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, coriander, allspice and squash. It smells like pumpkin pie…if you poured 8 ounces of aged whiskey on your pumpkin pie.   

First sip uncovered much less bourbon than the nose. Primary flavor is heavy cracker malt mixed with pie spices from the nose.  It reminds me of the Marzen style, which I enjoy quite a bit. It has some nice warmth from the 9% abv and the bourbon rears its head on the swallow.

Mouthfeel is thinner than I would like, but the carbonation is huge. This is consistent with the lack of head retention on the pour. I expect more with the barrel aged beers in this category.

End result: Super drinkable beer…”what was the ABV again,” this is the question I found myself asking as I pop open the second bomber. It grew on me as I consumed the 3^rd glass. I really found it to be interesting and something I would share with friends in the Fall. I highly recommend picking one up for the experience. Thank you Heavy Seas for the hookup, and for the opportunity to sample this one-off brew.

Cheers! 

Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Can Beers

Can beers are here to stay. I tried a few over the past month and my reviews are below but here is a quick history of the can, how it works, why its kick ass and why you should not fear the CAN! Yes, craft breweries have been canning beer since 2001 when Cask Brewing Systems developed a new system for small breweries. Oskar Blues was the first to use it. There has been a surge in craft cans in recent years though, and in 2010, they have gained a significant amount of attention, even from mainstream media outlets.

• Cans actually lock in the flavor of beer better than even dark glass bottles. No light penetrates the cans and the seal is tighter than a bottle cap. Thus, your beer tastes fresher longer. 
• Cans are more environmentally friendly. They are easier to recycle and require less packaging. 
•  Cans are cheaper for the brewery and distributor to ship. Cans don't break. 
• Cans are easier and more convenient to bring along on outdoor activities such as camping, disc golf, hiking, a day at the beach and any other activity that affords you the luxury of enjoying good beer! 
• Cans get cold pretty damn quick and take up less space in your fridge!

How its done the craft way: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-kkmanEYRQ

I was fortunate enough to try the Tokyo Black Porter this weekend and was really impressed. The beer pours super dark and opaque. It has a one finger tan head that quickly recedes to a brown ring around the glass.  (looks a lot like Coca-Cola) Nose is straight up coffee and dark malts.

First sip was chocolate, really full body with a smoky aftertaste. Once the beer warms the coffee is more prominent and some vanilla starts to peak through.

Mouthfeel is medium and carbonation is light. It makes this beer really easy to drink despite the bold flavors.

GUBNA was the second can beer I tried this weekend. People either love this or hate it. I fall on the side of …unsure? I think it’s a great beer but I am not completely sold.

Pour Light diluted copper with a medium amount of chill haze, or more likely a haze from excessive hop additions. A thin white head forms along the sides of the glass, though not across the top of the entire beer. Alcohol presence aids in good lacing down the sides.

Smell hits you right in the face. Lots of odors going on here, most notably the floral hop notes and pine resin. Also whiffs of wheat grass and barley. This is very earthy and rural-smelling. Be ready for this one or it will end your palette. It runs full force with a mack truck of hops to smash your grill with flavors rich and sweet. Once your teeth are demolished the flavor train will then go on to compress the sides of your tongue with the bitter citrus of righteousness. If you think the assault is over it is a mere reprieve until the final thrust to back of your mouth. 

You thought swallowing would end the attack? You were wrong. The aftertaste of dry, crisp justice pervades every square inch of the inside of your mouth while the 10% ABV volatizes it way up your unsuspecting sinuses into your nasal cavity. Eventually you'll be gasping for air just to end the ecstasy, unless you're a masochist for pleasure and decide to venture another sip. I thought it was a nonsessionable IIPA but fun to drink none the less. 

Cheers!

Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Sierra Nevada Estate Homegrown Ale

As promised, the second half of the hop harvest review is the Sierra Nevada Estate Homegrown Ale. It is a pale ale with a 6.70% abv and clocks in around a sporty 10 American Dollars at many of the local stores. The presentation is one of the fanciest beers I have ever seen. The label is thick card stock with water marks throughout. Sierra Nevada did us a favor and dipped each bottle in wax to ensure longevity and reduce oxidation; additionally, waxed bottles just looks really bad ass!

 Sierra Nevada planted a hop field near their brewery in Northern California in late 2004. Following the success of the hop field, in 2008 Sierra Nevada used the left over 26 acres for barley. End result: SN Estate Homegrown Ale! This is one of the few if any completely organic ales grown at the brewery.   

Enough chit chat, lets crack this bad boy open. It pours a fluffy 4 finger head that looks like a cloud over the dark amber colored beer. The beer has excellent clarity and you can tell much care was used in crafting this brew.

The first smell uncovers fresh pine, big grapefruit, pineapple, citrus and mouth watering hops. The Estate drips with fragrance and for the third fresh hopped beer in a weekend this has the most complex nose.

The first sip uncovers some light bitterness but not offensive. The second gulp uncovers flavors of Light malts, honey and caramel. The flavors don’t end there. The nose predicted the following flavors perfectly to balance this pale ale: citrus, grapefruit, earthy hops, apple and topped off with light spice.

The mouthfeel was slightly thin for me but the carbonation was crisp to balance it out. Drinkability is superb. I would highly recommend checking this out if you have the opportunity. This beer is quality and an organic treat.

Cheers! 

Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Fall Fresh Hop Harvest Ales

Yeee-Hawww, It’s hop harvest time Beer Nerds! Getty- up, get out and snatch up some of the fresh hop ales that hit the Atlanta market last week. My sources say the following beers are available now: Terrapin – So Fresh So Green Green, Founders – Hop Harvest, Sierra Nevada – Southern Hemisphere Harvest, Estate Homegrown Ale, Southern Tier - Harvest, Great Divide - Fresh Hop Pale Ale and Weyerbacher - Harvest Ale. I was fortunate enough to come across 3 of the heavy hitters from the bunch. 

Wet Hopping beer simply stated means: the use of fresh hops that a have recently been picked. Generally, when brewers get hops they come in a few forms: pellet, plug or whole. Pellets look like rabbit food and are easy to use because of the small size. Brewers can add incremental amounts to get exact results. They are processed and tend to be less fragrant. Plugs look like pellets but are the size of bratwurst. For home brewers they are difficult to break up but act like whole leaf hops in flavor and fragrance.  Whole hops are the real deal. These hops are dried and have the best flavor and aroma.  Hops are harvested once a year in the Pacific Northwest between August and September. Since hops decompose quickly, these flowering cones are typically kiln-dried and consigned to storage. However, some of the just-plucked hops are rushed to breweries, where they become fall's fleeting pleasure: fresh-hopped beer.

 I sometimes forget that hops are an agricultural product and the freaking things grow in the dirt; much like a hamburger was once a cow. Fresh hop beers (American Pale Ales) have a more balanced, less acidic and overall smooth flavor. This is what a fresh beer should taste like; so, bust out your straw hat and overalls we are about to explore the wonderful world of fresh harvest (wet hopped) ales!

First up is the Founders Hop Harvest: Pours Golden clear with a thin white head that quickly dies to form a thin mist across the glass. The aroma is of juicy fresh grapefruit, tropical pineapple and pine needle. It reminds me of a balanced IPA but doesn’t have the harsh bitterness on the nose.

On first sip I get grapefruit, pineapple and cracker bread malts. Taste is very light and balanced but complex at the same time.  As this beer warms it begins to uncover some fresh herbs, candy hops and some pine. Very mellow. On swallow, the hops seem to linger with light bitterness. The mouthfeel is sticky and lightly carbonated. Pleasant. This is a must try due to its complexity. I challenge you to find a Pale Ale that can stand next to this beer.

Next up! So Fresh So Green Green from Terrapin. I was really impressed by this beer! Terrapin posted this picture of the hops on facebook a few months ago. Very exciting stuff! 

The beer pours with a billowy light white head and amber in color. Smell was muddy earthy hops with some floral and grapefruit. I venture to guess they use Amarillo hops which tend to have a pine and spicy flavor. First sip uncovers a light bread malt, caramel, honey, toffee and grapefruit. It has an uncharacteristic umami or savory earthy flavor. Nothing I have ever tasted before in a beer. I am really impressed by the fullness of the flavor matched with the hops. 

This beer seems one note and not very complex; however, the fresh hops are showcased and the simplicity of the beer makes it amazing to enjoy on these colder Georgia nights. It highlights the fresh harvest hops and everything else takes a backseat. I spoke with many Beer Advocates over the last week and they disagree with my terrapin review because they feel it lacks complexity. I think simplicity makes this beer outstanding. PB & J is uncomplicated, but it can taste great. It doesn't need to be gourmet to be first-rate. There is a pleasant bitterness on the swallow with creamy body and carbonation in the mouthfeel. Lacing all over the glass makes me think they used 2 row malts with some complex sugars.

These two beers are impressive. Both are very drinkable and exemplary examples of wet hopped American Pale Ales. I highly recommend them both.  I still have the third beer to review (Sierra Nevada – Estate: which will be up middle of next week.) Keep an eye out for the following reviews (in simplistic form) Duck Rabbit 2009 Barleywine, Left Hand Milk on nitro tap and Founders Porter. Follow me and OMFG on twitter @ SquirrelStash (my cellar’s name) for up to minute news about where to find these beers in the Atlanta market.  

Cheers!

Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - The Epic Stout Tasting

The results are back from the stout tasting. We sampled 5 stouts over the weekend and based on the verbal approvals I received from the folks trying these amazing beers I would rank them as follows:

6. Mikkeller Black Hole – Good solid beer but lacks the complexity of the other offerings. 

· Jet black and no head formation to speak of. Smelled of coffee (coffee grounds, even), vanilla, dried fruit, red licorice and alcohol. Slight smokiness. 

Tasted pretty much as it smelled, and I found Black Hole far too sweet to be drinkable. In an attempt to trick myself into enjoying it I tried to put it into context with similarly sweet drinks like port or dessert wines but without the acidity it didn't hold up. The lactic, dairy-creamer attributes were off-putting as well. Mouthfeel was thick and oily with very little carbonation. 

5. Barrel Aged B.O.R.I.S the destroyer – I was a big fan of the balance with this beer. It could easily take the number 4 spot, but due to the fast DFH Bitches brew was more drinkable I bumped it down. 

· Whiskey is apparent from the moment it touches the tongue and is prevalent throughout the tasting. There are distinctive notes of toffee and molasses, and these elements, coupled with the lack of detectable hops, help to make this marginally sweeter than normal BORIS. At the same time, the bourbon aging works to mitigate the sugary side.

4. Dogfish Head Bitches brew – Sweet, different, good. Still does not compare to the other offerings
· The taste has smooth chocolate and caramel backed up with lesser notes of coffee. the honey shines through the darker flavors with a sweet floral aspect. the licorice/rootbeer follows up with an herbal note, that i can't quite put my finger on, and the smoke sneaking in at the back and aftertaste. the finish is nice and long.

3. Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast – Very well rounded, heavy handed on the coffee but very drinkable.
· Roasty aroma with coffee and chocolate. Flavor has loads of espresso, roasted malts, and chocolate. Medium-heavy bodied, and a good bitter finish.

2. Mikkeller Wine barrel aged black hole – Impressive, complex, boozy, amazingness.
· Poured a dark black in color w/ a bubbly one finger head that left heavy lacing on the glass. Appearance was awesome! Nose was of roasted malts, dark fruits, and wine in your face. Taste was of chocolate roasted notes, a touch of coffee and vanilla, with a finish of bitter hop bite and vinous cabernet/merlot wine. Mouthfeel was medium bodied w/ nice amounts of carbonation

1. Old Rasputin Barrel aged XI – Very drinkable, well rounded great beer (consumed the fastest by all)
· Pours jet black with a tan head - The aroma translates to the taste. Upfront I pick up a mellow bourbon flavor. Not overpowering in anyway. Just enough to let you know it's there. Immediately following oak touches the palate accompanied by a coconut explosion. When combined with the vanilla attributes it almost gives off a marshmallow-like flavor. Heavenly. Finishes extremely smooth and delicate. Full mouthfeel and nice viscosity. Overall the best IMO of the ones we tasted.

Cheers!
Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Bear Republic - Racer 5

Rare beer Friday, or rareish beer Friday! I was able to get my hands on some Racer 5 from Bear Republic this weekend and gave it a shot. Before I get started with the review a few housekeeping notes. I will be reviewing a Coffee porter as requested this weekend, and I will type up my notes from Heavy Seas Greater Pumpkin ale. Look for both reviews next week. I will also submit the results of the stout tasting with some highlights and low lights as well as where to pick up these brews if you are interested in trying them yourself.

Racer 5 is an American style IPA that is not distributed in the state (yet.) Savannah Distribution is working on getting the Bear Republic line up and fingers crossed should have it sometime this year.

The beer pours with a huge white foamy head and crystal clear golden color; very similar to a standard pilsner. The retention in the glass is amazing with some nice lacing throughout when rocked gently. The nose is very floral with pine, grapefruit, orange and grassy hops to balance.

The first taste was very bitter but quickly mellowed out with some pleasant carbonation and full velvety mouthfeel. Taste is very comparable to nose. Racer 5 has tons of citrus flavors running together with some grassy hops and light bread/cracker malts to round it out. As this beer warms the bitterness tends to diminish and it becomes a very easy to glug IPA. The 5 has a sticky dry smack begging your mouth for another pull.

This beer has a fairly lofty abv of 7% for being just a standard IPA it drinks very full bodied. Very solid flagship IPA for Bear Republic, and I can’t wait to get some more of this stuff. If you get an opportunity to taste this bad boy at Porter Beer bar or the Brick Store in Decatur I suggest you jump. Very solid drinkable IPA.

Cheers!   

Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Southern Tier Pumking

It’s starting to feel like fall again! You know what that means? You have to rake leaves for your elderly neighbor? No! Kick that neighbor to the curb; your local craft beer store has PUMPKIN beer. Now, normally I am not a fan of the pumpkin beers, but I decided to take the highest rated one on www.beeradvocate.com and give it a try.

Pumpkin beers have an interesting flavor profile. They tend to be on the sweeter side, and are very thick on the mouthfeel. Making a P-beer is very tedious for the brewer because they have to break the pumpkin down and roast it to force out the flavors. Some opt. out and go for a pre-pureed pumpkin, but this method, IMHO, does little for flavor. Typically the malts are mild and many baking spices are added to create depth of flavor.

Southern Tier has the Pumking. This is the mac daddy of all P-beers on the market. It pours a deep jack-o-lantern orange, with a ghostly white head. (See how I did that?) The nose is … Holy $h!t… grandma’s pumpkin pie! Amazing, like I have never smelled from a beer. It literally smells like warm pumpkin pie. Ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and allspice with some crusty bread malt lingering in the background.

Taste is just like smell. I am amazed it actually works. It’s very sugary and sweet; definitely an after dinner/desert beer. I, beyond doubt, taste the spices combined with non starchy pumpkin flavor followed by sweet crust and ginger snaps. There is hop present; otherwise you would be fooled into thinking this isn’t even a beer. The mouthfeel is creamy and almost reminds me of lactose or whip cream on pie.

Pumking is very easy to drink. I polished the whole bomber with no issue. ABV is 9%, and it’s not apparent at all until after. (I hate to admit, this beer went down so fast I was a little crooked.)  I am going to keep some of this on hand for Thanksgiving; It would be the perfect after dinner drink. End result is a very impressive, unique and excellent beer! ALL HAIL PUMKING!

Cheers!  

Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Founders Backwoods Bastard

Founders Backwoods Bastard: a Scotch Ale in Bourbon barrels! I saved this bad boy for an entire year and popped it open with one of my boys. I remember it fondly and at the time I didn’t take notes but traditionally, Scotch Ales pour a deep copper. ‘Compared to Scottish Ales, they'll be sweeter and fuller-bodied, and of course higher in alcohol, with a much more pronounced malty caramel and roasted malt flavor.’

This bad boy falls into the “extreme” beer category.  Per www.beeradvocate.com

What are we talking about? 

- Beers made with no hops but plenty of heather and lavender. 

- Beers aged in Jack Daniels oak barrels with an alcohol by volume of 20 percent or more. 

- Traditional beer styles, but with double, triple or more hops or malt. 

- Beers brewed with chocolate, peanut butter or espresso beans. 

- Strong Porters brewed with Chinese candied ginger. 

- Ales brewed with oysters or seaweed. 

- Sharp tasting beers inoculated with various wild bacteria and yeast strains.

Much of what I drink falls into this category but bourbon aged is its own animal in my opinion. I will get right into the tasting. The beer pours a dirty dark black with red highlights when held to the light. You cannot see through this bad boy.  The head is thick but quickly retreats to a thin tan mist across the glass. 

Smell is wood/oak and bourbon!  Really, it’s one note; not much complexity in smell but not overpowering. Why wait and smell when you can gulp it down. At 10.5 ABV it’s smooth and thick with some bold carbonation. Fear not friends: Backwoods Bastard is still amazing after 10 months.  It has some wild bourbon flavor followed by silky vanilla. Then flavors of caramel/toffee become more pronounced. Lastly coconut, yes, this is what I taste! Coconut rounds out the profile and seems to mellow out the alcohol burn.

What can I say? Backwoods should be available in November and its outstanding! I beg you to go out and experience this beer. It is a one off amazing beer that needs to be taken in small doses.  It is a one off amazing beer that needs to be taken in large doses.

Cheers! 

Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Sweetwater Crank Tank Rye'd Ale

Recently, many breweries are producing beers for a cause; Crank Tank is Sweetwaters’ newest brew to benefit Camp Twin Lakes.  “Camp Twin Lakes is a network of camps providing life-changing camp experiences to thousands of children with serious illnesses, disabilities and challenges.” This camp specializes in creating a positive atmosphere for children with disabilities to be surrounded by others young folks in similar situations.  The camp has expertise in ‘customized programs that teach campers to overcome obstacles and grow in their confidence and capabilities.’

To benefit Camp Twin Lakes Sweetwater created the Crank Tank. This brew is a variation of the Dank Tank series: rarely released randomness and each offering will most likely never be seen again. This incarnation, a Rye ale, has a low 45 IBU and a final gravity of 6.2%, very light for the imperial extreme brews. Reading the label, this Rye ale appears super drinkable and a perfect summer/fall/spring beer.  “We cranked up a fermentation tank for this knobby Rye'd Ale geared up with 25% rye malt and dry hopped to the spokes with Mt. Hood and Centennial Hops."

Rye beers were first brewed around the time Columbus discovered America.  After a couple of poor Rye harvest seasons a rule was proposed that limited Rye malts only for bread only. We know this as Reinheitsgebot – the beer purity law. This German and Bavarian law states that beer could only be made from water, barley and hops; the penalty for making impure beer was also set in the Reinheitsgebot: a brewer using other ingredients for his beer could have questionable barrels confiscated with no compensation. Thus, Rye beers disappeared for nearly 500 years only to resurface again in 1988. Many brewers outside of Germany abided by the law meant to prevent inferior methods of preserving beer that had been used before the introduction of hops. It’s a damn shame Marty McFly didn’t even get a change to try a Rye beer. Basically, many of us, including myself, are unfamiliar with Rye beers and should experience a good example of the suds sooner vs. later.

I chilled the duce duce to about 45 °F, and slowly poured 12 ounces into my Perfect Pint glass. The head was lathered up white; it stood tall in my bell shaped vessel for quite some time. The color is a beautiful pastel copper with a nice chill haze. The smell is fragrant with some spice, lemon, citrus notes. I also picked up some faint sourness from Rye malts. It almost resembles a full body wheat beer but the sourness leans me to think saison or farmhouse ale.

Taste is über smooth upon first sip I picked up some buttery dry mild flavors, similar to chardonnay. As it warmed the bitterness began to rear his beautiful head. I can only assume the sullenness is derived from Columbus hops. The beer is grassy like summertime on the baseball field after a morning rain. The Crank rounds out with nice spice zest.  I am going to take an uneducated stab at naming them: Bay and Coriander? The swallow is sour, sweet, tart and dry… very pleasant. 

The body of the Crank Tank is nice and thick, and medium bold on the carbonation. I was really impressed at how balanced and drinkable this beer is. I would have it again and again; I hope they plan to make Crank Tank Rye'd reoccurring seasonal ale.  I would definitely session with this beer. It is in my top 20 of all time. It is widely available throughout the Atlanta area so keep an eye out.

Cheers! 

Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Founders Nemesis 2010

Once again, the Founders Nemesis came to Atlanta and is gone. If you are not on the up and up with your beer nerdness you may have missed the boat with this beer. Founders crafts a special, once a year, brew called the Nemesis, and it’s a one-off super limited if you don’t get it its gone kind of thing.

Last year was the first Nemesis, and it was an amazing Bourbon aged wheatwine that clocked in at throat burning 12% ABV. Everyone, with whom I shared this beer, loved it. It was sweet, smooth, maple, sticky, boozy, woody, sipping brew amazingness. I loved it so much one was cellared for a future tasting or just a perfect fall day with my family and friends. 

This year is another story. This year, Founders produced what seemed to be an even more limited brew of a completely different style as promised. It is a “Black” Barleywine, i.e. one of the booziest beers available. The “Black” is an American twist on the English Barleywine that highlights fruity, sweet and sometimes bittersweet, but always alcoholic characteristics. With the American version brewers add hops to balance and mask some of the overwhelming attributes of the style. 

The 2010 Nemesis is a superhero’s worst nightmare. This brew inflicts retribution or vengeance on the palette. At first glance the Nemesis is black and dense; when I held it to the light I noticed a dark reddish hue on the edge of my glass revealing the Nemesis’s true color. The head is a thick foam; russet in color that retreats quickly to the outer edges of the glass and dissipates, lacing the goblet with a round ring. 

I took a big whiff of this Juggernaut. Then, plotted my next move like Dr. Doom. Another mighty sniff revealed a perfume of hops, chocolate, floral, pineapple and booze. The nose was so amazing I knew this brew would surely offer frenzy of flavors in the first sip. 

Grabbing the goblet, with nearly Magneto like powers, I thrust the glass high into the air. The first sip was smooth; very similar to the nose but with subtle pine and citrus to compliment the malt and chocolate notes. Then the enormous hop bitterness was like venom to my mouth. It delightfully burned and spiked my tongue with a tingle of orange, citrus and pine followed closely by the onslaught of burn from the alcohol. 

Mouth feel is medium with a sticky back end, woody and acidic on the swallow. This 100 IBU 12% ABV brew does not disappoint but in large doses, like any super villain, could decimate all. I did finish all 12 ounces but realize afterwards that an 8 ounce pour would be plenty for this slow sipper. After finishing one glass I couldn’t help but think: this beer will age beautifully. 

The Nemesis is going to be hard to find in the city if at all. Your best bet to catch up with this elusive foe is to check out the Ratebeer app for iphone or android and make some calls to ensure you are not going out of your way to find empty shelves. Currently, I find the following stores did have this beer: Greens, HopCity, Bullocks, Jax and Tower. Additional work will be needed to verify that they still have it in stock. Next review is a reader’s choice. I want to do a bourbon barrel aged beer and I will let you decide. Submit your choice in the comments below and I will review the one with the largest votes in the upcoming week. These are the choices from my cellar: Founders - Backwoods Bastard 09, Founders - Kentucky Breakfast Stout 09, Founders - Nemesis 09, Allagash - Curieux, and Rogue - John John Dead guy ale in whiskey barrels.

Guest Contributor: Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Stone Imperial Russian Stout + Cellar Tips!

The next installment of the Stone series is the Imperial Russian Stout. I was drawn to this beer for several reasons. One: I am a stout freak; I love em want em drink em bathe with em and when I saw Stone’s Russian Imperial Stout I had to try it. Secondly, it had instructions on the bottle to cellar this product. Cellar beer? Is that possible? Yes. Yes it is and this is how you do it.

A few years ago, if you asked me to try a beer that was over a year old I would tell you to water your plants with it. At that time I was partially correct; the average beer (Bud, Coors, Miller etc..) has a shelf life of 3-6 months at most then it hits the wall like Lisa Rinna. What we commonly refer to as “skunked” brew. Now, in Georgia, we have access to many alternative styles like vintage beers, barleywines, imperial stouts, Belgian strong ales, lambics, old ales and we’re talking about high alcohol beers above 7%. These high gravity beers beg for maturation and strict storage so on. Yes, age is good.

Wanna start a cellar? It’s easy. Self control is crucial; repress the demons deep inside to drink that magical beer sitting there all beautiful in the cellar as it whispers the siren song “drink me.” Next, buy 2 of each beer you want to cellar. Benchmark the flavors so when the beer ages you can have a basis for comparison. At this point, you can get really nerdy and take tasting notes, so when you try the beer again you remember the experience the first time around. I recommend keeping the beer in an upright position. Many beers in the cellaring category have corks; over a period of time corks can harbor nasty bacteria that can decimate your precious vintage brew.

Location to store is important. The temperature needs to be between 50-55 degrees F for most beers. Anything above that temperature can accelerate the aging process anything below can make the beer cloudy. In Georgia, it is near impossible to regulate a basement at 50-55 degrees; therefore, I recommend a second fridge. Yes, make yourself a man/lady-cave and get a second fridge! Keep the brew for at least a year and pop it open. Sometimes, you experience something amazing and sometimes you experience a sweet and syrupy epic failure. It’s all in how tightly you control the process and luck. Don’t forget to invite your friends over to experience the splendor of your vintage brew(s). Sorry for the beer lesson, let me get back to the Russian Imperial Stout review.

Often, I look for beers that have so much flavor it’s like a punch in the throat, but in a good way. In the case of Stone’s Imperial Russian Stout you better like a beer that wears combat boots with spikes and kicks you right in the ass. This beer pours black like a studded leather belt and is topped off with perfect mocha foam. I had to stop at this point and break out my hairspray and give myself a Fonzie pompadour because this beer looks smooth.
A beer of this complexity requires several whiffs pausing briefly to truly value the depth of bouquet. Mere comparisons to coffee or chocolate will not suffice. It would be like comparing the aroma of fresh cave-aged Gouda to Kraft singles. I was able to pick up the aroma of bitter dark chocolate, mulberry, and enough booze to tickle your sinus.

Upon first sip the mouthfeel is that of a thin smoothie with nice viscosity and full body. This is exactly what I expect from an Imperial Russian Stout. It’s like Christmas in August; some roasted malt, Warrior hops, almond, fig and Coffee. Wow coffee! Upon swallow I get that alcohol burn, the kind of burn you want from a stout. The beer is slightly bitter and boy is it roasted stout goodness. This is the perfect late fall or winter beer, but easily drinkable anytime.
This beer looks smooth and tastes smooth, but fellas be careful: the Stone Imperial Russian Stout is so good it might just kick you to the curb and make off with your girlfriend.

Cheers!

Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Stone Brewing - Arrogant Bastard Ale

Stone Brewing of California began distribution to Atlanta in November of 2008; I am finally getting around to trying their beers so… SHAME ON ME. This review is the first of six stone beers that I will taste over the next few weeks along with what is new in Atlanta so, stay tuned!

Stone is highly regarded in the beer community as an amazing grassroots brewery and has a wide variety of craft beers styles to choose from. I recently came across a press release from Stone that reads: “Stone Brewing Co. is extremely excited to announce that due to growing success and international demand, the company is officially considering opening a brewery in Europe.” http://www.stonebrew.com/news/091222apr/index.html

This is exciting news for American Craft brewers; we are the laughing stock of Europe when it comes to beer because of our huge “macro swill” breweries the produce beer that looks and tastes like cat piss. Don’t get me wrong, I like cat piss every once and a while; nevertheless, if you request a Miller/Bud/Coors in Europe you will be instantly labeled as a D-bag. Hopefully, Stone can open a brewery in the mother country and dominate the locals with some tasty suds. This is a quote from Greg Koch @ Stone “We look forward to joining in the fight in Europe by doing our part to add to the growing trend towards unique, flavorful artisanal beers, as opposed to the mass-blandification efforts characterized by megabrand sameness!” Amen brother!! Dominate away!

I recently tasted the Arrogant Bastard by Stone. The label reads: "This is an aggressive beer. You probably won't like it. It is quite doubtful that you have the taste or sophistication to be able to appreciate an ale of this quality and depth. We would suggest that you stick to safer and more familiar territory - maybe something with a multi-million dollar ad campaign aimed at convincing you it's made in a little brewery, or one that implies that their tasteless fizzy yellow beer will give you more sex appeal. Perhaps you think multi-million dollar ad campaigns make a beer taste better. Perhaps you're mouthing your words as you read this.” Do I need to continue? I love this beer before I even pop the top.

Arrogant Bastard Ale is an American Strong ale with an ABV of 7.2%. I poured the dark mahogany brew with a beautiful one inch cappuccino colored head into my Sam Adams Perfect Pint glass. I did not detect much on the nose. Maybe a very faint pine and grapefruit due to the Chinook hops used. These hops are mainly a bittering flavor and not much for fragrance.

The ABUSE: Upon first taste I get some malty caramel, raison and fig notes. Beautiful mouth feel: This brew is of medium body and smooth creaminess followed by an abusive carbonation, hop and bitterness ass kicking on the swallow. Did this beer just punch me in the face? I feel like I’ve been verbally abused at my kid’s piano recital by some punk ass teenager, or even crop dusted in an elevator for not talking to the person to my left. Just plain rude! As the beer warms it becomes more complex and the notes of caramel swirl; the other flavors play nicely and the beer begins to make more logical sense. It’s a love hate relationship. A relationship I want to be a part of.

This beer is named perfectly; I highly recommend it for the complexity it embodies. If you look at other American Strong Ales you may not find names of beers that you recognize. The American Strong Ale is an alcohol heavy version of the Pale ale. As we all know, Anchor Steam - Liberty, Terrapin - Rye, Oscar Blue - Dales Pale Ale, and Sam Adams dominate the craft scene with offerings from this category. Let me tell you, Arrogant Bastard stomps a mud hole in all of these beers. Take this as a warning! You may not be ready to drink something this complex and aggressive but your palette will thank you when it’s all over.

Cheers!

Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Terrapin Hopzilla

This week Terrapin of Athens Georgia has released their newest side project 12 – Hopzilla. Many of us have tried beers from Terp, but this is a MUST try. Like all of the other side projects, Hopzilla comes packaged in a deuce-deuce bomber and should be poured into some glassware, or just keep it gangster and rock it in a paper bag. Either way, I suggest a wine glass or brandy snifter for the following reasons:            

•       As soon as the beer hits the glass, its color, aroma and taste is altered. You can see what is going on, and your anticipation is tweaked. Hidden nuances, become more pronounced, colors shimmer, and the enjoyment of the beer simply becomes a better, more complete, experience. To me, it’s like top chef: when the plates look so nice on TV you KNOW that food is going to taste amazing. 
•        Head is good! The shape of the glassware (snifter or wine glass) has a curvature and allows the foam to collect perfectly at the top of the glass and acts as a net for parts of the brew that tend to escape during the pour… aromas, such as hop oils , fruity esters, spices or other additions. The brewers have designed these “high end” beers to retain this flavor so enjoy it. You are cheating yourself if you don’t.

Ok, so I’m not going to lecture anymore, I swear! I picked this bottle up at my local craft brew bottle shop: Olde Crabapple Bottle Shop for 6 bucks. Yes, the price is sporty but this brew is 10.80% alcohol by volume; our hometown favorite, PBR, is 4.74% ABV. You would need to drink nearly 5 PBRs to match the alcohol in a 22oz Hopzilla. Fasten your seatbelts folks these suds are not for the faint of heart. 

This beer pours a light golden color with slight copper hues that highlight around the edges. One finger white head leaves nice thick ring around the glass to hold in flavor.

Smells like a hop bomb-- let's see how close they came: A light malt sweetness leads the way, but as it crosses my tongue the hops jump out and attack. The suds give way to a huge spike of lemon, pineapple and citrus notes to stomp the palette into submission. Flavor is as hoppy as a bullfrog on angel dust, and is what I expect from a double IPA. Nice bitterness. It mingles with the other flavors and shows a little warmth after the finish.

The lemony buttery bitterness lingers on the finish. This is a solid DIPA- it hits all the right notes. Terrapin has developed a very respectable beer here.

Cheers!

Ryan

Ear to the street: Terrapin’s next side project (13) will be called, “So Fresh and So Green, Green,” to pay homage to our boys Outkast. The release party will be around October-November for this brew. It’s a pipe dream but we may even see a pre-release cask at the third annual Atlanta Hotoberfest. http://www.hotoberfest.net/