The Beer Tent

3 bears go into a bar.....

http://travel.usatoday.com/destinat...drink-100-beers-leave-cabin-in-ruins/822112/1

 

I had two so-so brews this past weekend.

First is Sundog Amber Ale from New Holland Brewery. It was a boring Amber, nothing really noteworthy. It was more of a session brew (meaning its something you have a longer drinking session without getting too intoxicated or overwhelmed by the flavors of the brew) and that isn't really my thing.

Second is Cerise (sp?) from Founders. This was interesting and I think my wife would like it. Its interesting in that I think its actually a malt liquor with cherry flavoring. It was very effervescent and sweet, but the flavor was shallow. When I call it shallow, I mean that it didn't last on your tongue very long. It just faded away too quickly. It was a 6.5% beverage.

Overall, both were just so-so. I'm not sure I would buy either again, but I'd drink one if someone handed it to me.

 

I am in the mood for a Deshutes Brewery Chocolate Porter.....mmmm mmm good
have to try to pick some up this weekend

 

IPA story:

http://eatocracy.cnn.com/2012/09/14/ipa-beer/?hpt=hp_c2

 

ya need to try a "Mother Earth" brew.... made not far from my AO...

 

Now, I know I am going to get flack, but after you buy it and try it, you'll love me again..
Apple pie moonshine
http://www.cocktailgogo.com/post/th-applepie.jpg

It's at Sams and I highly recommend you go get a jar, or 12.
So freakin good!!!!!

 

Frankfurterbrau...

... and Rocky Mountain bear Whizz

 

It's "Seasonal Beer" time!! With the exception of lambics, fall and winter are my favorite beer months.

Tonight, it was Bell's Octoberfest. I will be on the lookout for some pumpkin beerz soon.

 

I haven't posted in a while, but that doesn't mean I haven't been sampling excellent brews.

I find myself steering towards two primary MI breweries right now. Founders and Acadia Brewing. Both are known for big complex beers.

Founders recently released this year's Backwoods Bastard which they characterize as a bourbon barrel aged scotch ale wee heavy. It weighs in at 10.2%, I can't remember the IBU's. In my opinion, Founders is the top brewery in America for barrel aging big brews. No other brewery gets the depth of flavor or aroma out of their barrels. In fact, I kind of shake my head when I see a "barrel aged Imperial IPA". Sure, the big hoppers need to mellow out a little bit, but aging in a barrel? Nope. Founders understands that its your malt bombs that are best left in the old oakers. This brew was so tasty that I actually tried to make a "Poor-man's Bastard", which many folks will simply say is a boilermakers, minus the shot glass. I poured a Founder porter into a shaped flute (glass) and added a half shot of Dewars. (Forgive me, but I don't keep bourbon in the house.) It carried some aroma into the glass and little nip in the taste, but it wasn't close. I'm going to try this with some other spirits and see where I can take it. A sixer of the porter is $11. A four pack of the BackWoods Bastard is $16, if you can even find it.

Another excellent brew that I've imbibed in recently was from Acadia. Its another scotch ale called Lochdown. I can't remember the specs on it, but I do remember the mellow balance and perfect amount of "dark fruit". IIRC, it also had a nice head on it, which isn't always the case with the malty scotch ales.

I can't remember if I've meantioned Acadia's Big Dick's Old Ale, but that was a winner, as well as Dark Horse's Scotty Karate. BD's was in the $12 range for a four pack from 2008 and I got lucky to find an oldish (2010?) Scotty for $9 which was a steal! I recently got a sixer of Scotty for $12, but its this year's production.

I don't normal report bad brews here, since I don't really run across them all that often. However, I have to put the word out, avoid Dark Horse's Perkulator doppelbock. I don't how to say this other than, it tasted like and ashtray. They totally mangled the toasting of the barley and I think they basically put burnt coffee into the carboys. I took three sips, hoping it would warm up to me, but I actually poured it out. It was that bad.

So folks, its malt season, what else are you tasting?

 

Ditto. I tried one once, never again. Its funny, I like spices in big summer wheats, especially coriander, citrus peel, and peppercorns. The pumpkin spice mix is sacred though.

 

I'm sure there is a mention of this well known russian stout out here, but I have to bring it back up. Old Rasputin Russian Stout. Oh my, so good. Its a 9%'er and has such a great balance. I think I've mentioned it before, but when some brewers try to really make a "statement" brew they get too crazy with the malt profile while trying to acheive a high ABV. To my taste buds, this often leads to too much highly roasted malts and an ashtray taste.

Not on this one, bucko! The funny thing is, when I try to recall my impressions of the brew, I have a hard time. It was so well balanced that it was full of flavor, but blended so well that it was just .... right. As soon as one was down, I was sad it was over and I wanted another. Two 9% bottles in short succession, while still making dinner, makes a man smile.

Another one I recently tasted was kind of an odd one. It was called "Before and After" and it was a Lithuanian DoppelBock. It kicked in a 10% IIRC. I'll admit, I bought because it was a $3 bomber with a good amount of abv. I'm guessing the branding was for the American market since everything was written in english. True to the style it was a mouthful of German malts. So sweet. Overal it was just okay though. I'd definitely take another if someone offered it, but I doubt I'd buy it again unless the plan was to set it in the cellar for a year or two as a an experiment.

That's all I've got for now. Cheers!

 

Goose Island in Chicago is a decent enough brewery. I've mainly had their brown and wheat ales in the past. However, they have a high gravity series and yesterday I had a chance to try out the Pere Jacques Belgian Ale. The deep and lasting malt flavor that I have always identified with strong Belgians can sometimes linger too long on my palate. It ends up overpowering the entire brew for me at times. Its not that I don't like the flavor, but too much of a good thing is still too much, ya know?

This take was a little different and I was very pleased by it. It had the same Belgian introduction in aroma and the front of the tongue, but I was pleased that it didn't last TOO long. It wasn't a thin flavor or fleeting, but it didn't stay too long.

As I understand it, this brew is a little tough to come by. It comes in a blue 4-pack with simple script lettering that makes it look more like a wine label than beer. It ran $13 for the pack.

I would certainly buy it again.

 

Salzburg... cool.

You'll be going right to the salad bar.