UPDATE: BTW, are you all impressed with my 30 pixel camera-phone? Anyway, great place. Right in the arena where the Heat-Hawks game is going on right now. VERY lively crowd.
Showing posts with label beer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label beer. Show all posts
Sunday, May 03, 2009
A fine sight on a warm Atlanta day
UPDATE: BTW, are you all impressed with my 30 pixel camera-phone? Anyway, great place. Right in the arena where the Heat-Hawks game is going on right now. VERY lively crowd.
Saturday, April 18, 2009
Beer Blogging - Flying Dog (TasteLive 4/19/09)
Kerberos Tripel - 12oz, 8.5%ABVThe Pour - Thin pour, very light head that faded quickly
The Color - A slightly hazy golden-orange body.
The Nose - Barnyard/straw, an orange/citrus aroma opens up the nose like a shot of smelling salts (and I mean that in a good way), clover. It screams Belgian.
The Taste - A touch of sweetness with a hint of caramel, balanced with an orange-peel bitterness. Does not hit you over the head with alcohol; a "sneaky" 8.5 if there ever was one. Very full mouthfeel, lingers on the palate for quite a long time. Getting some hints of banana now that the beer's opened up (and warmed up) a bit. Did I mention this lingers? My beer's been done for 5 minutes, and there's still a pleasant bitterness lingering on the back of my tongue. Now, when I posted that last thought at TTL, my friend Jeff's reply was "Yeah, lingers along the middle of my tongue all the way back." The only thing I could think to say to that was "LIKE MY COCK!" but I didn't want to tweet that publicly. So that was a special message directTweeted to him. Take that, Mr. "I can do 11 minus you divided by FUCK!"
The Verdict - B+.
Horn Dog Barley Wine - 12oz, 10.2%ABVThe Pour - Standard pour, building a nice tall head that lasts.
The Color - Deep orange amber.Very, very slight haze.
The Nose - Getting some barnyard/manure on this one. What the hell is up with my nose tonight? Also, coffee/mocha/chocolate, nutmeg, fig.
The Taste - Raisins, raisins, raisins. Very sweet, more than a little out of balance. Vanilla, molasses, chocolate/mocha. A hint of hops lingers nicely, but I can't get over the syrupy mouthfeel.
The Verdict - B-. Just too damned sweet. Which is strange, because I gave this an A- last time I beerblogged it, and it's been one of my favorite barleywines since I discovered it.
UPDATE: It was less cloying today, but still too sweet. A problem with the batch?
Double Dog Double Pale Ale - 12oz, 11.5%ABVThe Pour - Slightly thicker than average pour, nice long-lasting head.
The Color - Golden amber, medium haze, abundant floating sediment.
The Nose - Cigar box, hops, clove, pine forest. There's a lot going on here. Some tropical fruit too?
The Taste - Holy shit. This a hop monster. Bitter orange peel, corriander, and yes, pineapple. My nose isn't broken after all. Great beer.
The Verdict - A
UPDATE: Revisited this one, and nothing changes. I probably nursed this for 2 hours over yardwork and cooking, and it was good to the last drop. Tons of hops character, perfectly-balanced, and a totally sneaky ABV. I'll definitely keep this in the summer rotation. Wonderfully refreshing.
Gonzo Imperial Porter - 12oz, 9.2%ABVThe Pour - Standard thickness, HUGE head, which is to be expected at almost room temperature.
The Color - Brown/black, totally opaque.
The Nose - Caramel, smoke, honey.
The Taste - Everything a porter should be, but maybe a bit too sweet.
UPDATE: I was pretty hammered by the time this one came around, so I had another one today to give it a fair shake. The verdict is the same: too sweet. Everyone was raving about this last night, but I just don't see it. It's basic porter, and flawed at that.
The Verdict - C (downgrade from B- during the tasting)
An-ti-ci-paaaaa-tion
Sitting here with the Canis Major mixed pack of Flying Dog brews, waiting for 8pm to roll around so the latest TasteLive session can start.
One each of Double Dog Double Pale Ale, Horn Dog Barley Wine, Gonzo Imperial Porter, and Kerberos Tripel. Bill did the math on the bud points for me - tonight's tasting is 7.6 standard beers, not bad for a two-hour tasting session. Certainly less damage than the Dogfish tasting last month, which - if you drank all of them - was about 14 beers...
One each of Double Dog Double Pale Ale, Horn Dog Barley Wine, Gonzo Imperial Porter, and Kerberos Tripel. Bill did the math on the bud points for me - tonight's tasting is 7.6 standard beers, not bad for a two-hour tasting session. Certainly less damage than the Dogfish tasting last month, which - if you drank all of them - was about 14 beers...
Saturday, March 07, 2009
TwitterTasteLive - 3/7 - Dogfish Head
Dogfish Head Red & White, 25.6 OZ, 10% ABV, $10.99The Pour: Thin pour, cleverly disguising the alcohol content. Standard head.
The Color: Light copper color, plenty of sediment.
The Nose: Sweet, syrup or honey, orange and coriander (no surprise there).
The Taste: Quite complex, meaty mouthfeel, and yet light and refreshing. The orange and corriander come through nicely. The wine isn't as pronounced as you'd expect from the description on the label, but it's there.
The Verdict: A-. Unique, interesting, and a very well-executed experiment. I love these guys.
Bud Points: 4.23333
Sunday, January 18, 2009
Championship Beer Blogging
Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock, 25.4 OZ, 5.5% ABV, $14.99The Pour: Rich pour, nice tall head in my goblet. Settled relatively quickly.
The Color: Opaque, black/brown, upon first viewing. It was so think, I put a 1.5-million candlepower lantern behind the glass, and I could barely see it. The base tone is actually reddish and the clarity is perfect. No detectable haze whatsoever.
The Nose: Chocolate, malt. I know - shocker, right? Not much else.
The Taste: The first pour resulted in a disappointingly thin mouth-feel. The whole first glass kind of annoyed me. Fifteen bucks for this?! Then I got caught up in a couple things, and the second glass didn't get poured until about 45 minutes later. Much better. I've been savoring this for an hour and a half, and it keeps getting better. Just like last year with the Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence, the lesson is, don't let this get fridge-cold — I'd say no lower than 50 degrees and you'll be fine.
The Verdict: B. A good beer, but not spectacular. Certainly worth a shot, but it is pricey.
Bud Points: 2.33.
Next!
Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron, 12 OZ, 12% ABV, $3.50Yeah, yeah, I know, but holy crap this beer is good.
The Pour: Thick and meaty.
The Color: Black as tar, brown head, completely opaque even to that lantern I have.
The Nose: Cardamom, raisins, earth, wood, coffee, caramel, vanilla, and some fruit I can't quite put a name on. This may be the most complex beverage I have ever had.
The Taste: Sweet and tart, very full mouthfeel. All of the aromas carry over into the flavor, and more. Enough hops to provide balance, but sweetness is the dominant sensation. A brandy-like warmth (and alcohol-presence) accompanies each sip as the perfect carbonation tickles your tongue. This is, in all seriousness, an experience.
The Verdict: A+. This is a tough call, but I think I have to make this my new favorite beer, narrowly edging out Péché Mortel. I need to buy a lot of this and age it in the cellar. Meantime, they'd better get their asses in gear and arrange for the next shipment of the palo santo wood. They can never stop making this beer.
Bud Points: 2.40 (4.73 total).
Victory Storm King Imperial Stout, 12 OZ, 9.1% ABV, $2.25The Pour: Standard thickness in the pour, big head that almost overflowed.
The Color: Again, black as tar, brown head, and completely opaque to 1.5 million candlepower.
The Nose: I'm getting very little out of this. A little molasses, some coffee. Slight vanilla?
The Taste: I don't know, maybe my nose is shot already, but this packs a flavor that the nose just doesn't predict. The perfect balance of malt and bite from the carbonation and hops. Textbook stout of the Imperial variety.
The Verdict: A. Great beer, great value. Makes me want to knock the Sam Chocolate down to a C, just because of the strong disparity in buzz/buck value.
Bud Points: 1.82 (6.55 total).
Saturday, December 20, 2008
Linkdump
Bill has some excellent beers to talk about.
And a funny kid story.
Best journalism of 2008.
The 5th anniversary of KSK's matron saint. I want to kiss you.
Racism as concern-trolling.
The clean energy scam? (haven't read this yet, just printed it out for the "office")
You knew this was coming. After the Prop 8 fucks won that battle, they now want to invalidate 18,000 marriages that did happen. Fucking fuck. More. More.
A beautifully-written appeal to Obama, on the matter of Rick Warren.
A decent, though somewhat incomplete, article on the mortgage disaster.
And a funny kid story.
Best journalism of 2008.
The 5th anniversary of KSK's matron saint. I want to kiss you.
Racism as concern-trolling.
The clean energy scam? (haven't read this yet, just printed it out for the "office")
You knew this was coming. After the Prop 8 fucks won that battle, they now want to invalidate 18,000 marriages that did happen. Fucking fuck. More. More.
A beautifully-written appeal to Obama, on the matter of Rick Warren.
A decent, though somewhat incomplete, article on the mortgage disaster.
Friday, December 05, 2008
On tap
Got some boys coming up for the weekend, and the kegerator is full. Here's what we've got going on:
That's a whole 30 minutes of Photoshop/Illustrator right there, bitchez.
Trust me, the booze will be much better.
That's a whole 30 minutes of Photoshop/Illustrator right there, bitchez.
Trust me, the booze will be much better.
Friday, November 28, 2008
I like to pour it, pour it
Four-and-a-half years ago, Bill and I started homebrewing.
Three years ago, I was talking to my uncle about how I wanted to start kegging beer, but the supplies were so expensive. Soda kegs, a CO2 can, a regulator, etc.
Tony: What do you mean, soda kegs?
Angelos: You know, soda. The kegs soda syrup comes in, then you run them through the soda gun with water and CO2 and you have soda at the bar. (He's been in the food business most of his life).
Tony: That's what I thought you meant. Jesus Christ, I have 15 of those fucking things in my basement [of the restaurant he just bought], I keep calling Pepsi to fucking pick them up, but they don't want them anymore because they use the fucking bags now, so they're just fucking sitting there collecting dust.
Angelos: {jaw hits floor} I'll be down next weekend.
So yeah, I got 15 free kegs (retail: $40 used to $75 fully refurbished), and a CO2 canister. All I needed was a regulator and I was off and running. That wasn't cheap, but it was still a fraction of the overall initial cost of kegging.
The kegs were disgusting, all of them containing remnants of whatever syrup they carried. A lot of mold, a lot of sticky disgusting shitiness, but nothing some elbow grease and a few gallons of hot water and bleach didn't cure.
After a little googling, I found a good supply store online and ordered replacement parts (the difference between a used and a refurbished keg). Gaskets and poppets, primarily. While I was at it, I bought 3 taps and plenty of hose and tubing and hose clamps and lions and tigers and bears. I didn't have a fridge, mind you, but I could dream a little.
Where to find a fridge? For a couple years I'd browse Craigslist and local circulars looking for a cheap used fridge, but nothing appealing came up, and even the most basic cheap fridge was $400+ new. Because of this, I've been limited to kegging from October through March when the garage was cool-to-cold, and I would brew my keg beers based on the expected garage temperature.
Finally, in summer of '07, we redid the kitchen, including new appliances.
I have a fridge!!!!
Then we decide we're going to sell the house and move to an apartment. Fuck. We won't have room for a keg fridge in an apartment. Once again, I put the project off because I'd be better off selling the fridge used. Here it is, though, late November, and we got no action on the house, so we're committed to being here through the winter and trying again in the spring.
Damn it all, I said to myself a few weeks ago, I'm making a keg fridge. When I stop working 60-70 hours a week.
Today was the day. And here we go:
This thing will hold a CO2 canister and three kegs, and I can still get a couple of the door shelves and regular shelves in there for bottled beer.
I am a happy boy.
Three years ago, I was talking to my uncle about how I wanted to start kegging beer, but the supplies were so expensive. Soda kegs, a CO2 can, a regulator, etc.
Tony: What do you mean, soda kegs?
Angelos: You know, soda. The kegs soda syrup comes in, then you run them through the soda gun with water and CO2 and you have soda at the bar. (He's been in the food business most of his life).
Tony: That's what I thought you meant. Jesus Christ, I have 15 of those fucking things in my basement [of the restaurant he just bought], I keep calling Pepsi to fucking pick them up, but they don't want them anymore because they use the fucking bags now, so they're just fucking sitting there collecting dust.
Angelos: {jaw hits floor} I'll be down next weekend.
So yeah, I got 15 free kegs (retail: $40 used to $75 fully refurbished), and a CO2 canister. All I needed was a regulator and I was off and running. That wasn't cheap, but it was still a fraction of the overall initial cost of kegging.
The kegs were disgusting, all of them containing remnants of whatever syrup they carried. A lot of mold, a lot of sticky disgusting shitiness, but nothing some elbow grease and a few gallons of hot water and bleach didn't cure.
After a little googling, I found a good supply store online and ordered replacement parts (the difference between a used and a refurbished keg). Gaskets and poppets, primarily. While I was at it, I bought 3 taps and plenty of hose and tubing and hose clamps and lions and tigers and bears. I didn't have a fridge, mind you, but I could dream a little.
Where to find a fridge? For a couple years I'd browse Craigslist and local circulars looking for a cheap used fridge, but nothing appealing came up, and even the most basic cheap fridge was $400+ new. Because of this, I've been limited to kegging from October through March when the garage was cool-to-cold, and I would brew my keg beers based on the expected garage temperature.
Finally, in summer of '07, we redid the kitchen, including new appliances.
I have a fridge!!!!
Then we decide we're going to sell the house and move to an apartment. Fuck. We won't have room for a keg fridge in an apartment. Once again, I put the project off because I'd be better off selling the fridge used. Here it is, though, late November, and we got no action on the house, so we're committed to being here through the winter and trying again in the spring.
Damn it all, I said to myself a few weeks ago, I'm making a keg fridge. When I stop working 60-70 hours a week.
Today was the day. And here we go:
This thing will hold a CO2 canister and three kegs, and I can still get a couple of the door shelves and regular shelves in there for bottled beer.
I am a happy boy.
Sunday, October 26, 2008
Football Beer Blogging Part 1
My warehouse store had a variety case of Magic Hat beers that was different from the usual Magic Pack, so that was an obvious pick-up because it had two beers I haven't had before.
Let's go with "new-to-me" brew #1.
Magic Hat Jinx. "An Ale inspired by the doctrines of the medieval chemists."
The Pour: Standard beer pour, standard head, settled pretty quickly.
The Color: Dark copper.
The Nose: Hops, straw, barnyard, orange. Erica said strawberries, but I have no idea what she's talking about.
The Taste: Hops again, with a little burnt orange flavor and a nice lingering tartness down the throat. This reminds me of a beer I brewed about a year ago. I'll have to look that recipe up.
The Verdict: B+. A different ale, and that make it stand out.
And on to #2.
Magic Hat Lucky Kat. "An IPA"
The Pour: Standard beer pour, standard head, settled pretty quickly.
The Color: Orange-copper.
The Nose: Hops, orange. Erica says "bananas" this time. She's fired.
The Taste: Hoppy of course, by definition, but well-balanced. Long finish with a slightly bitter aftertaste, like orange-rind.
The Verdict: B-. Good IPA, but not memorable.
Let's go with "new-to-me" brew #1.
Magic Hat Jinx. "An Ale inspired by the doctrines of the medieval chemists."The Pour: Standard beer pour, standard head, settled pretty quickly.
The Color: Dark copper.
The Nose: Hops, straw, barnyard, orange. Erica said strawberries, but I have no idea what she's talking about.
The Taste: Hops again, with a little burnt orange flavor and a nice lingering tartness down the throat. This reminds me of a beer I brewed about a year ago. I'll have to look that recipe up.
The Verdict: B+. A different ale, and that make it stand out.
And on to #2.
Magic Hat Lucky Kat. "An IPA"The Pour: Standard beer pour, standard head, settled pretty quickly.
The Color: Orange-copper.
The Nose: Hops, orange. Erica says "bananas" this time. She's fired.
The Taste: Hoppy of course, by definition, but well-balanced. Long finish with a slightly bitter aftertaste, like orange-rind.
The Verdict: B-. Good IPA, but not memorable.
Monday, October 20, 2008
Homebrew update
Bill and I bottled our winter brews tonight, and other than the one-a-week testers, we plan on letting them sit until the holidays.
I brewed this, and Bill's recipe is here.
Mine fermented down to 1.024, so my ABV is about 9.5%. I was hoping for 1.020, but I'll live. Bill's started light at 1.061 and landed at 1.022, about 5.3% ABV.
They both tasted great, sans-carbonation of course, and with sugar remaining that the yeast will finish off in the bottle. The coffee in Bill's beer was right up front in today's tasting, so who knows where it will wind up after a couple months worth of bottle conditioning, but we sure as hell liked it today. Mine wound up a little more stouty than I planned, but then again, I didn't go in with a specific recipe in mind. Just a lot of sugar for a big, strong, malty brew. Tasted good, and will only improve with age.
Also, yesterday I put together a hard cider, which I hadn't done in a couple years. Five gallons of local cider, a couple pounds of sugar, and champagne yeast. After the first fermentation, I may add more sugar and yeast to boost the final ABV, but I also want to make it sweeter than last time. That one was dry as hell, because it fermented down to 1.004 or something; there was very little remaining sugar. The wife didn't like it at all, and a couple other people also thought it was too dry. I liked it just fine, but then again it was 11%, so a couple of those and WooHoo!!!! Thish ish GREAT! Anyway, I don't want a sugar bomb like a Woodchuck or anything, but a little residual sugar would be fine with me.
I brewed this, and Bill's recipe is here.
Mine fermented down to 1.024, so my ABV is about 9.5%. I was hoping for 1.020, but I'll live. Bill's started light at 1.061 and landed at 1.022, about 5.3% ABV.
They both tasted great, sans-carbonation of course, and with sugar remaining that the yeast will finish off in the bottle. The coffee in Bill's beer was right up front in today's tasting, so who knows where it will wind up after a couple months worth of bottle conditioning, but we sure as hell liked it today. Mine wound up a little more stouty than I planned, but then again, I didn't go in with a specific recipe in mind. Just a lot of sugar for a big, strong, malty brew. Tasted good, and will only improve with age.
Also, yesterday I put together a hard cider, which I hadn't done in a couple years. Five gallons of local cider, a couple pounds of sugar, and champagne yeast. After the first fermentation, I may add more sugar and yeast to boost the final ABV, but I also want to make it sweeter than last time. That one was dry as hell, because it fermented down to 1.004 or something; there was very little remaining sugar. The wife didn't like it at all, and a couple other people also thought it was too dry. I liked it just fine, but then again it was 11%, so a couple of those and WooHoo!!!! Thish ish GREAT! Anyway, I don't want a sugar bomb like a Woodchuck or anything, but a little residual sugar would be fine with me.
Tuesday, September 23, 2008
Homebrew Update / Beer Blogging
My homebrew was percolating full-bore this morning, only 9 hours after I had closed up the bucket. Now, 11 hours later it's starting to foam out the airlock. This is going to make a mess over the next couple days. I need some sort of super-tall bucket for these monster brews, with plenty of headroom for foam.
Bill's beer hasn't even started bubbling yet, but that's not unusual. He made a coffee stout with a pound of Starbuck espresso beans. That'll knock the snot out of the yeast for a little while. Should be fine by the morning.
And speaking of beer, here's a quick-shot beer-blog of what we drank:
OUSTANDING! Probably the pumpkiniest one I've every had, the aroma off the foam was pure pumpkin pie, and the flavor was perfectly balanced so that it didn't overpower. Job well done, Southern Tier.
Good. The ginger was almost too faint, which for me is saying something - I hate it when adjuncts are too overpowering (see any of Sam Adams' disgusting fruity concoctions). This was a very solid pils regardless, but I found myself looking for just a tad more ginger. That's why you buy the damned thing after all, isn't it?
OUTSTANDING!!! This was the winner of the evening. Never heard of these guys before, but they have a mighty impressive lineup of beers and two brewpubs in PA. I will definitely be getting another one of these to do a full-on review, but from the initial aroma down to the last sip, I was in love.
Bill's beer hasn't even started bubbling yet, but that's not unusual. He made a coffee stout with a pound of Starbuck espresso beans. That'll knock the snot out of the yeast for a little while. Should be fine by the morning.
And speaking of beer, here's a quick-shot beer-blog of what we drank:
OUSTANDING! Probably the pumpkiniest one I've every had, the aroma off the foam was pure pumpkin pie, and the flavor was perfectly balanced so that it didn't overpower. Job well done, Southern Tier.
Good. The ginger was almost too faint, which for me is saying something - I hate it when adjuncts are too overpowering (see any of Sam Adams' disgusting fruity concoctions). This was a very solid pils regardless, but I found myself looking for just a tad more ginger. That's why you buy the damned thing after all, isn't it?
OUTSTANDING!!! This was the winner of the evening. Never heard of these guys before, but they have a mighty impressive lineup of beers and two brewpubs in PA. I will definitely be getting another one of these to do a full-on review, but from the initial aroma down to the last sip, I was in love.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Holiday Beer!
Bill and I brewed our holiday beers tonight. They'll take a few weeks to ferment, and then we want them to sit and mellow in the bottles as long as possible, as opposed to drinking them right away. We figure we'll bottle in 3-4 weeks. His doesn't have the high sugar content mine has, but still, the longer in the secondary fermenter, the better.
The recipe...
Steeping grains:
8 oz Black Patent malt
8 oz Chocolate malt
16 oz English 2-row, 80L malt
16 oz Cara Red malt
Steep for 1/2 hour, in 3 gallons of water, for 30 minutes at 158°F.
Get that tea boiling, add 3 lbs Munton's Dark dry malt extract (DME), 6 lb Munton's Light DME, 1 lb amber rock candi sugar, and 1/2 oz Irish moss.
Get boiling again, add 2 oz Centennial 9.1% alpha hops, boil for an hour.
Shut boil down, add UK Challenger 7% alpha hops, let sit for a few minutes.
Top up to 5.5 gallons with cold water, continue cooling to 70°.
Take gravity measurement: 1.098. DAMMIT! I hate not breaking 1.1 on these big beers. Oh well.
Add Scottish Ale yeast. Aerate like crazy, close up the bucket.
If I can get this down to 1.020 final gravity, we're looking at a 10.3% ABV beer.
So, rack it down to the secondary fermenter this weekend, let it sit a couple more weeks, and target a bottling date of 10/13 or 10/20, depending on how the gravity number are going. One week in the bottle before we crack the first ones, for the carbonation and flavor test.
Maybe another one in early November. But this one needs shelf time.
The recipe...
Steeping grains:
8 oz Black Patent malt
8 oz Chocolate malt
16 oz English 2-row, 80L malt
16 oz Cara Red malt
Steep for 1/2 hour, in 3 gallons of water, for 30 minutes at 158°F.
Get that tea boiling, add 3 lbs Munton's Dark dry malt extract (DME), 6 lb Munton's Light DME, 1 lb amber rock candi sugar, and 1/2 oz Irish moss.
Get boiling again, add 2 oz Centennial 9.1% alpha hops, boil for an hour.
Shut boil down, add UK Challenger 7% alpha hops, let sit for a few minutes.
Top up to 5.5 gallons with cold water, continue cooling to 70°.
Take gravity measurement: 1.098. DAMMIT! I hate not breaking 1.1 on these big beers. Oh well.
Add Scottish Ale yeast. Aerate like crazy, close up the bucket.
If I can get this down to 1.020 final gravity, we're looking at a 10.3% ABV beer.
So, rack it down to the secondary fermenter this weekend, let it sit a couple more weeks, and target a bottling date of 10/13 or 10/20, depending on how the gravity number are going. One week in the bottle before we crack the first ones, for the carbonation and flavor test.
Maybe another one in early November. But this one needs shelf time.
Tuesday, December 11, 2007
Have another beer!
Gotta pay those player salaries somehow.
And really, how difficult are those lyrics? No amount of beer should make you forget those six simple words...
Sunday, December 02, 2007
Sunday beer boredom
So, Bill and I have been brewing for a few years now, and we've always used Warsteiner bottles, because that's one of my favorite winter beers (the Dunkel).
They're a pain in the ass to cap, and that leads to one or two duds per batch, but the last two times we used them we each had to pour out 12+ bad bottles. That's unacceptable.
I since switched to drinking beers using the more common bottle used by Sam Adams, Saranac, Dogfish, and pretty much every other craft brewer. At BJs yesterday, I was looking for a case of Sam Lager, but they only had the mixed Winter case.
Four each of Lager, Winter, Old Fezziwig, Holiday Porter, Cream Stout, and Cranberry Lambic. I didn't really want that, but there was nothing else that interested me, so I figure that would be an interesting beer-blogging experiment, if nothing else, especially on the heels of Toast's little experiment last week. Of course, that was a little unfair, pitting a rookie up against the Master, but still the key point was this: This is a perfect example of what can go wrong when American craft brewers recklessly expand their catalog...
Absofuckinglutely. Every time I see that ad where they ask people how many beers Sam Adams makes, and the answer is 27 or something, I just cringe. At least 20 of those are a waste of time.
So, in short order:
1) Sam Adams Lager - B. The perfect "standard beer." You know that if you walk into the divy-est of dives, with tap after tap of Coors, Coors Light, Michelob, MGD, Bud, Bud Light, you'll at least be able to get Sam in a bottle, if not on tap. And you can enjoy your evening.
2) Old Fezziwig - B-. Darker Sam Adams. A little maltier. OK.
3) Holiday Porter - D. Really? That was a porter?
4) Winter Lager - D. Watery, and a touch of cinnamon. Winter my ass.
5) Cranberry Lambic - F. Putrid fruit juice, with a hint of beer. Never, I repeat never, buy a "lambic" or otherwise fruit-adjuncted beer from an American mass-market brewer. No sense of taste, class, or moderation. Beer for chicks who don't like beer.
6) Cream Stout - B-. Not bad. Creamy and Stouty, as labeled. Just mediocre in its category, that's all.
UPDATE: Fridge, in his drunken-Giant-fan revelry, went and gave the Holiday Porter a 4.
Let me revisit this, in full-blown beer-blogging style:
Sam Adams Holiday Porter, 12 OZ, 5.8% ABV
The Pour: Standard pour, thick head, but very lightly colored for a porter.
The Color: Completely opaque. I held it up to the brightest light I have here in the cave, and see that the base color is reddish.
The Nose: A little burnt toast over malt. A touch of coffee?
The Taste: Again, the burnt toast, with a slightly creamy mouthfeel. A good amount of hop bite, seems out of balance with the style.
The Verdict: C. The second impression worked out a little better, but still, nothing to write home about. Beer. If you handed me one of these, I wouldn't complain. Not what I would want when thinking of a "holiday porter" though.
OK, maybe I was too flip the first time, but I'm still not seeing it.
That's OK, different strokes. But I'm glad I revisited it. And I'll make sure it's the first beer I drink tomorrow before the MNF game, just to see what else I can get out of it.
They're a pain in the ass to cap, and that leads to one or two duds per batch, but the last two times we used them we each had to pour out 12+ bad bottles. That's unacceptable.
I since switched to drinking beers using the more common bottle used by Sam Adams, Saranac, Dogfish, and pretty much every other craft brewer. At BJs yesterday, I was looking for a case of Sam Lager, but they only had the mixed Winter case.
Four each of Lager, Winter, Old Fezziwig, Holiday Porter, Cream Stout, and Cranberry Lambic. I didn't really want that, but there was nothing else that interested me, so I figure that would be an interesting beer-blogging experiment, if nothing else, especially on the heels of Toast's little experiment last week. Of course, that was a little unfair, pitting a rookie up against the Master, but still the key point was this: This is a perfect example of what can go wrong when American craft brewers recklessly expand their catalog...
Absofuckinglutely. Every time I see that ad where they ask people how many beers Sam Adams makes, and the answer is 27 or something, I just cringe. At least 20 of those are a waste of time.
So, in short order:
1) Sam Adams Lager - B. The perfect "standard beer." You know that if you walk into the divy-est of dives, with tap after tap of Coors, Coors Light, Michelob, MGD, Bud, Bud Light, you'll at least be able to get Sam in a bottle, if not on tap. And you can enjoy your evening.
2) Old Fezziwig - B-. Darker Sam Adams. A little maltier. OK.
3) Holiday Porter - D. Really? That was a porter?
4) Winter Lager - D. Watery, and a touch of cinnamon. Winter my ass.
5) Cranberry Lambic - F. Putrid fruit juice, with a hint of beer. Never, I repeat never, buy a "lambic" or otherwise fruit-adjuncted beer from an American mass-market brewer. No sense of taste, class, or moderation. Beer for chicks who don't like beer.
6) Cream Stout - B-. Not bad. Creamy and Stouty, as labeled. Just mediocre in its category, that's all.
UPDATE: Fridge, in his drunken-Giant-fan revelry, went and gave the Holiday Porter a 4.
Let me revisit this, in full-blown beer-blogging style:
Sam Adams Holiday Porter, 12 OZ, 5.8% ABVThe Pour: Standard pour, thick head, but very lightly colored for a porter.
The Color: Completely opaque. I held it up to the brightest light I have here in the cave, and see that the base color is reddish.
The Nose: A little burnt toast over malt. A touch of coffee?
The Taste: Again, the burnt toast, with a slightly creamy mouthfeel. A good amount of hop bite, seems out of balance with the style.
The Verdict: C. The second impression worked out a little better, but still, nothing to write home about. Beer. If you handed me one of these, I wouldn't complain. Not what I would want when thinking of a "holiday porter" though.
OK, maybe I was too flip the first time, but I'm still not seeing it.
That's OK, different strokes. But I'm glad I revisited it. And I'll make sure it's the first beer I drink tomorrow before the MNF game, just to see what else I can get out of it.
Sunday, November 25, 2007
Beer blogging
Another Sunday, another day of typesetting travel brochures in Japanese. The only solution is, of course, more cowbell. And lots of beer.
And off we go...
Corsendonk Christmas Ale, 12 OZ, 8.9% ABV, $3.50
The Pour: Low foam, but swirling in the brandy snifter stirs it up nicely for a minute or so.
The Color: Orange-amber, nice clarity.
The Nose: A nice nutty malt. I can tell this is going to be sweet.
The Taste: Smooth malt, sweet, just enough hops for balance, and a nice carbonation bite, almost champagne-like. Doesn't bowl me over in any special way. Cherry? I'm not sure. A little citrus to it; I don't know if that's floral notes from the yeast, or adjuncts in the brewing process. I'm also not getting any of the spice that "Chistmas ales" are usually overloaded with. Rate Beer does, I don't. For me, that's a good thing, because most people go overboard with the nutmeg and the clove.
The Verdict: B. A good beer, but not spectacular. Certainly worth a shot.
Bud Points: 1.78. (I'm feeling the glow already...)
Scaldis Noël, 25.4 OZ, 13% ABV, $15.99
The Pour: Nice thick head. Using the snifter again, btw.
The Color: Another perfect orange-amber, just what you'd expect from a Belgian heavy.
The Nose: Sweet malt, a little orange, alcohol.
The Taste: Orange, malt, alcohol. Yes Virginia, this is a strong beer. It's not off-putting, but obviously stronger than the Corsendonk, all else being equal. Though very very similar to Corsendonk, this feels a little better "put-together" for some reason.
The Verdict: B+. Another solid Belgian.
Bud Points: 5.5 (7.28) Um... this may not have been the best idea for a second beer. Will I even make it through the 4pm games? And through this brochure?
Avery "The Kaiser", 22 OZ, 9.4% ABV, $6.99
The Pour: Tall head, but large soap-bubble-like foam, dies quickly.
The Color: Copper. Copper. Copper. This is one of the most inviting-looking beers ever.
The Nose: Skunk. WTF? Try again. Skunk. Fuck. It says right on the bottle, 2007. Let's let this sit for a little while. OK, 10 minutes later, I get skanky pussy. Did this bitch just run a marathon? Wait some more... hey, I've got beer! Hops. Hops. Malt. And a touch of pussy. Is that a standard characteristic of the Imperial Oktoberfest?
The Taste: Something's wrong here. Well, I've had many a corked wine before, but never a bad beer. I sure hope they weren't trying for this. We'll give it 10 more minutes. Good time to pound some water and rehydrate. And... we're back. Nope. This is a bad, as in sick, beer. Sanitation much? Oh well. I'm getting my money back for this one.
The Verdict: ???
Avery Fourteen, 22 OZ, 9.5% ABV, $6.99
The Pour: Beautiful, thick head, with that top-to-bottom cascade of bubbles that I think is so pretty. A good sign. Can Avery redeem themselves?
The Color: Exactly as you see in the picture. And I'm even using an imperial pint glass! I rock.
The Nose: Smoke, burnt toast, caramel.
The Taste: A little more of that smoke, lots and lots of malt. Burnt caramel. Creamy mouthfeel at first, but it does thin out a little too quickly. More hops than you usually get from the maltbombs. Not at all out of balance, just more than usual. These are usually more about the sweet.
The Verdict: B-. This is the kind of beer I make when I'm not trying any specific recipe. Really. I think I've made this exact beer. "Oh, I don't know, three pounds of this, 6 pounds of that, 2 pounds of this..." Um, yeah. My regular homebrew is someone else's Fourteenth Anniversary Special. I'm not sure what to make of that. Of course, when I make this, it's about $1.40 for the same amount. So, when I make this for shits and giggles, it's damned good. When I have to pay $7 for it, it's just OK.
Bud Points: 3.48 (10.77)
Young's Winter Warmer, 17 OZ, 5.2% ABV, $3.49
The Pour: Watery, average head.
The Color: Copper-brown, high clarity. Beautiful.
The Nose: Malt, spice. I'm a little stuffy right now.
The Taste: Beer. Some nutty tones, but enough about me. A bitter afternote.
The Verdict: C. Eh. Beer. I'd rather have a plain old Sam Adams.
Bud Points: 1.47 (12.24)
OK, I swore I wouldn't do this tonight, but I finished my work earlier than I expected. And if I drink this one tomorrow, I'll probably space half the Steeler game.
Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA, 12 OZ, 20% ABV, $7.99
The Pour: Syrupy, standard head.
The Color: Orange. The bubbles are moving really slowly through this stuff.
The Nose: Citrus, hops, alcohol, spice. HUGE nose.
The Taste: Sweet and bitter, tart citrus, HOPS!
The Verdict: A+. This is certainly not for everyone. But holy motherfuck! As complex as any wine, more complex than all but maybe 5 beers I've ever had. Just ridiculous.
Bud Points: 4.0 (16.24)
And off we go...
Corsendonk Christmas Ale, 12 OZ, 8.9% ABV, $3.50The Pour: Low foam, but swirling in the brandy snifter stirs it up nicely for a minute or so.
The Color: Orange-amber, nice clarity.
The Nose: A nice nutty malt. I can tell this is going to be sweet.
The Taste: Smooth malt, sweet, just enough hops for balance, and a nice carbonation bite, almost champagne-like. Doesn't bowl me over in any special way. Cherry? I'm not sure. A little citrus to it; I don't know if that's floral notes from the yeast, or adjuncts in the brewing process. I'm also not getting any of the spice that "Chistmas ales" are usually overloaded with. Rate Beer does, I don't. For me, that's a good thing, because most people go overboard with the nutmeg and the clove.
The Verdict: B. A good beer, but not spectacular. Certainly worth a shot.
Bud Points: 1.78. (I'm feeling the glow already...)
Scaldis Noël, 25.4 OZ, 13% ABV, $15.99The Pour: Nice thick head. Using the snifter again, btw.
The Color: Another perfect orange-amber, just what you'd expect from a Belgian heavy.
The Nose: Sweet malt, a little orange, alcohol.
The Taste: Orange, malt, alcohol. Yes Virginia, this is a strong beer. It's not off-putting, but obviously stronger than the Corsendonk, all else being equal. Though very very similar to Corsendonk, this feels a little better "put-together" for some reason.
The Verdict: B+. Another solid Belgian.
Bud Points: 5.5 (7.28) Um... this may not have been the best idea for a second beer. Will I even make it through the 4pm games? And through this brochure?
Avery "The Kaiser", 22 OZ, 9.4% ABV, $6.99The Pour: Tall head, but large soap-bubble-like foam, dies quickly.
The Color: Copper. Copper. Copper. This is one of the most inviting-looking beers ever.
The Nose: Skunk. WTF? Try again. Skunk. Fuck. It says right on the bottle, 2007. Let's let this sit for a little while. OK, 10 minutes later, I get skanky pussy. Did this bitch just run a marathon? Wait some more... hey, I've got beer! Hops. Hops. Malt. And a touch of pussy. Is that a standard characteristic of the Imperial Oktoberfest?
The Taste: Something's wrong here. Well, I've had many a corked wine before, but never a bad beer. I sure hope they weren't trying for this. We'll give it 10 more minutes. Good time to pound some water and rehydrate. And... we're back. Nope. This is a bad, as in sick, beer. Sanitation much? Oh well. I'm getting my money back for this one.
The Verdict: ???
Avery Fourteen, 22 OZ, 9.5% ABV, $6.99The Pour: Beautiful, thick head, with that top-to-bottom cascade of bubbles that I think is so pretty. A good sign. Can Avery redeem themselves?
The Color: Exactly as you see in the picture. And I'm even using an imperial pint glass! I rock.
The Nose: Smoke, burnt toast, caramel.
The Taste: A little more of that smoke, lots and lots of malt. Burnt caramel. Creamy mouthfeel at first, but it does thin out a little too quickly. More hops than you usually get from the maltbombs. Not at all out of balance, just more than usual. These are usually more about the sweet.
The Verdict: B-. This is the kind of beer I make when I'm not trying any specific recipe. Really. I think I've made this exact beer. "Oh, I don't know, three pounds of this, 6 pounds of that, 2 pounds of this..." Um, yeah. My regular homebrew is someone else's Fourteenth Anniversary Special. I'm not sure what to make of that. Of course, when I make this, it's about $1.40 for the same amount. So, when I make this for shits and giggles, it's damned good. When I have to pay $7 for it, it's just OK.
Bud Points: 3.48 (10.77)
Young's Winter Warmer, 17 OZ, 5.2% ABV, $3.49The Pour: Watery, average head.
The Color: Copper-brown, high clarity. Beautiful.
The Nose: Malt, spice. I'm a little stuffy right now.
The Taste: Beer. Some nutty tones, but enough about me. A bitter afternote.
The Verdict: C. Eh. Beer. I'd rather have a plain old Sam Adams.
Bud Points: 1.47 (12.24)
OK, I swore I wouldn't do this tonight, but I finished my work earlier than I expected. And if I drink this one tomorrow, I'll probably space half the Steeler game.
Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA, 12 OZ, 20% ABV, $7.99The Pour: Syrupy, standard head.
The Color: Orange. The bubbles are moving really slowly through this stuff.
The Nose: Citrus, hops, alcohol, spice. HUGE nose.
The Taste: Sweet and bitter, tart citrus, HOPS!
The Verdict: A+. This is certainly not for everyone. But holy motherfuck! As complex as any wine, more complex than all but maybe 5 beers I've ever had. Just ridiculous.
Bud Points: 4.0 (16.24)
Monday, November 19, 2007
And picking up where we left off...
TCD is coming up tonight so we can bottle our seasonals.
I'll kick the night off with:
Dogfish Head World Wide Stout, 12 OZ, 18% ABV, $7.99
The Pour: Motor oil, very little head settling down to just a meniscus.
The Color: Just look at the picture. Speaking of which, I didn't get that kind of pour, and I wasn't babying it. Too cold maybe?
The Nose: Smoke, alcohol, port.
The Taste: Burnt caramel, a sweet brandy/port alcohol burn, low carbonation but just enough to stimulate the senses. Rich mouthfeel.
The Verdict: A-. A very strong beer. Not for everyone, but I love this shit. Three ounces in, and I can already feel it.
Bud Points: 3.60.
Next!!!
Bill brought up an Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence, which we drank at room temperature. All three of us (wife resampled also), agreed that it's very good, and very chocolaty. My upgrade to B/B- yesterday was justified. Still, for the price, it doesn't come close to Young's Double-Chocolate Stout.
I had half of this, so...
Bud Points: 1.48 (5.08)
Next!!!
Dogfish Head Pangaea, 25.6 OZ, 7% ABV (pussy), $8.99.
The Pour: Large, foamy head.
The Color: Whoa! A beer I can see through! There's a curveball for you. Golden-amber.
The Nose: Ginger ale. Unanimous.
The Taste: Given the strong ginger aroma, I was worried that this may be a little too strongly "adjuncted," to make up some bullshit word. But no, fine balance, slightly more than a hint of ginger (but not too much), and nice hops balance. Clean, slightly tart finish. Yes, there is a slight schweppervescence, but balance is the key here.
The Verdict: A-. An excellent one-off. There are no stylistic comparisons to make here, so it is what it is. And it is good.
Bud Points: 1.48 (6.56) again, I had only half.
Next!!!!
Weyerbacher Insanity, 22 OZ, 11.8% ABV, $6.99
The Pour: No head, just traces of foam. It's a little colder than recommended, but not fridge cold.
The Color: Very very very cloudy orange. Obviously a low-flocculating yeast, and no filtration. This is not necessarily a problem – I don't filter my home-brews – but strange to see in a commercial beer. Probably one out of twenty beers I buy are this cloudy.
The Nose: Brandy, horse manure, hay, barn. Wow. Now this is what you look for in a nose. As complex as the best wine, and way beyond 98% of beers you'll ever try. I'm giddy in anticipation... (Also, they recommend a brandy snifter for this one. So I used one. Now I know why.)
The Taste: Fucking wow. Brandy, earth, a wonderful balance of malt and hops. Fantastic. And the deeper I get into the bottle, the better it gets.
The Verdict: A. Just as Bill predicted, I liked this much better than the Blasphemy. Like I said yesterday, the Blasphemy wasn't bad, per se, but just a victim of its hop-crazy competition (ahem, Dogfish, Stone, etc.). On the other hand, Insanity is something I've never had before. If you're looking for your next generic six-pack for a football Sunday, this ain't for you. But if you're willing to experiment, I cannot recommend this enough.
Bud Points: 4.07 (10.63)
And, considering it's Monday night, we'll just leave the last two in the fridge for next Sunday.
I'll kick the night off with:
Dogfish Head World Wide Stout, 12 OZ, 18% ABV, $7.99The Pour: Motor oil, very little head settling down to just a meniscus.
The Color: Just look at the picture. Speaking of which, I didn't get that kind of pour, and I wasn't babying it. Too cold maybe?
The Nose: Smoke, alcohol, port.
The Taste: Burnt caramel, a sweet brandy/port alcohol burn, low carbonation but just enough to stimulate the senses. Rich mouthfeel.
The Verdict: A-. A very strong beer. Not for everyone, but I love this shit. Three ounces in, and I can already feel it.
Bud Points: 3.60.
Next!!!
Bill brought up an Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence, which we drank at room temperature. All three of us (wife resampled also), agreed that it's very good, and very chocolaty. My upgrade to B/B- yesterday was justified. Still, for the price, it doesn't come close to Young's Double-Chocolate Stout.
I had half of this, so...
Bud Points: 1.48 (5.08)
Next!!!
Dogfish Head Pangaea, 25.6 OZ, 7% ABV (pussy), $8.99.The Pour: Large, foamy head.
The Color: Whoa! A beer I can see through! There's a curveball for you. Golden-amber.
The Nose: Ginger ale. Unanimous.
The Taste: Given the strong ginger aroma, I was worried that this may be a little too strongly "adjuncted," to make up some bullshit word. But no, fine balance, slightly more than a hint of ginger (but not too much), and nice hops balance. Clean, slightly tart finish. Yes, there is a slight schweppervescence, but balance is the key here.
The Verdict: A-. An excellent one-off. There are no stylistic comparisons to make here, so it is what it is. And it is good.
Bud Points: 1.48 (6.56) again, I had only half.
Next!!!!
Weyerbacher Insanity, 22 OZ, 11.8% ABV, $6.99The Pour: No head, just traces of foam. It's a little colder than recommended, but not fridge cold.
The Color: Very very very cloudy orange. Obviously a low-flocculating yeast, and no filtration. This is not necessarily a problem – I don't filter my home-brews – but strange to see in a commercial beer. Probably one out of twenty beers I buy are this cloudy.
The Nose: Brandy, horse manure, hay, barn. Wow. Now this is what you look for in a nose. As complex as the best wine, and way beyond 98% of beers you'll ever try. I'm giddy in anticipation... (Also, they recommend a brandy snifter for this one. So I used one. Now I know why.)
The Taste: Fucking wow. Brandy, earth, a wonderful balance of malt and hops. Fantastic. And the deeper I get into the bottle, the better it gets.
The Verdict: A. Just as Bill predicted, I liked this much better than the Blasphemy. Like I said yesterday, the Blasphemy wasn't bad, per se, but just a victim of its hop-crazy competition (ahem, Dogfish, Stone, etc.). On the other hand, Insanity is something I've never had before. If you're looking for your next generic six-pack for a football Sunday, this ain't for you. But if you're willing to experiment, I cannot recommend this enough.
Bud Points: 4.07 (10.63)
And, considering it's Monday night, we'll just leave the last two in the fridge for next Sunday.
Sunday, November 18, 2007
Sunday Epic Beer-blogging
First up: Sierra Nevada "Bigfoot Ale" (Barleywine Style), 12 OZ, 9.6% ABV. $2.75.
The Pour: nice rich head at first, settling into a 1/4" head, leaving long legs of foam down the side of the glass. That's alcohol, baby! (This is still a little warm, because I'm impatient.) Good beer doesn't need to be cold though, so I'm not worried.
The Color: Rich, reddish brown, with a touch of gold. Perfect.
The Nose: I'm not getting too much, and my sinuses are fine today. Just the basic aroma of rich, sweet malt. Not that that's a problem, but I can usually detect other aromas. Hmm.
The Taste: Right there with style expectations. Heavy, creamy mouthfeel, the requisite sweetness balanced by the right amount of hops to keep it balanced. Very cockle-warmening. I felt a nice glow just seconds after the first sip. A touch of bitterness in the finish.
The Verdict: B. True to the style, no glaring flaws. I've had better, but a very solid effort from one of the larger "micro" breweries. (Note: I edited this down from B+.)
(Just for fun, I'm going to keep a running count of how many "standard" beers worth of alcohol I'm drinking today. All of today's beers are very strong, and many are larger than the standard 12 oz. The reference is Budweiser, at 5% and 12 ounces.)
Bud Points: 1.92.
Next!!
Flying Dog "Horn Dog Barleywine" 12 OZ, 10.5% ABV. $3.25.The Pour: Two-layered head, regular-sized bubbles topped by a 1/4-inch layer of pure cream. Settling slowly.
The Color: So dark it's opaque. Holding it up to the strong light I get some red highlights.
The Nose: Same. Rich, sweet malt, not much else. My nose just may be off today. Oh well.
The Taste: Wow. Even creamier than the Bigfoot. HUGE mouthfeel, warm and sweet and brandy-like, with just enough hop-bite to provide excellent balance. It just lingers and lingers, and warms the heart going down.
The Verdict: A-. True to the style, yet with a character of its own that makes it stand out.
Bud Points: 2.1 (running total 4.02)
Next!!!
Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence, 25.4 OZ, 7% ABV. $9.95.The Pour: Maple Syrup, with a head.
The Color: Maple syrup, with an orange undertone (according to Erica).
The Nose: Big surprise! A packet of dried hot chocolate powder, or maybe some unsweetened baking cocoa.
The Taste: We're drinking this a little too cold, so I will let it sit for a while, but the first glass has a nice thick stout mouthfeel with chocolate undertones. We were expecting overtones, based on the labeling. Like one of my perennial favorites, Young's Double-Chocolate Stout.
We interrupt this beer-blogging session to inform you that Erica has started doing a phenomenally sexy cheerleading routine right here in my basement, in her painting clothes. I was playing a stadium-rock type tune, that lends itself perfectly to such behavior. There may have to be an intermission soon....
The Verdict: C. I may have to update this when we let it get back to room temperature, but for now, we're kind of disappointed. This is one of the top breweries in the world, and I expect nothing but the best from them. So this would have to count as a miss.
(Update: Now a B/B-. The chocolate came out more as the beer warmed. This was my fault. Also, as I commented at Toast's place: I think it's our own expectations. Ommegang, Rare Vos, Three Phils, and Hennepin are four perfect beers. Just perfect. ... [I'm] just not used to anything from Brewery Ommegang being "normal."
I still rate this below Young's, but it's a fine beer.
Bud Points: 2.96 (6.98)
Next!!!!!!!
Weyerbacher Blashpemy, 22 OZ, 11.8% ABV. (label quote: "When they first suggested we age our QUAD in Oak Barrels, I said THAT'S BLASPHEMY!") $6.99.The Pour: Not much head, and it faded quickly.
The Color: Clear amber.
The Nose: Hello hops! And oak. Yup, just as labeled. Caramel.
The Taste: Hello hops! Very sweet, I guess as one would expect from the ABV. It is balanced but a large hop bite, being a quad and all. I'm getting some caramel also, but that's influenced by the nose.
The Verdict: B-. Tastes great, but nothing I haven't experienced before, from better mega-beers like Dogfish Head. A victim of its competition.
Bud Points: 4.33 (11.31)
Next!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Young's Old Nick Barleywine, 17 OZ, 7.2% ABV. $3.49.The Pour: Very thick head, slow to settle.
The Color: Brown-opaque.
The Nose: Malt. Ok, that's 3 out of 3 barley wines that didn't express themselves. Erica says caramel/malted milk-ball. I'm still getting nothing. OK, that's a caveat for all of today's reviews. My nose is useless today.
The Taste: Deep sweet malt, with a little burnt toast. Plenty of hops to achieve balance.
The Verdict: B. True to the style.
Bud Points: 2.04 (13.05)
Sunday Sunday Sunday!
Oh, what a glorious day. Got a lot of work done around the house yesterday, Erica and I went to a book signing/art show, I cooked up a MEAN venison beans and rice, and we knocked a ton of stuff off the DVR.
Today, a few more errands, a little more cleaning, and then, the football!
My Steelers are on the teevee today, because they're playing the J-E-T-S Suck Suck Suck!
Toast and I have a six-pack on the line for this game, as he is a Jets fan. And in a very cool coincidence, he and I are also going head-to-head in my fantasy football league too.
I bought an epic selection of beers for blogging, and if I haven't died from all of those, I'll throw in some wine-blogging too, as this year's Nouveaus are out.
Oh, the drinks we will drink and the trash we will talk.
Join us over at TwoGlasses for the Virtual Couch™, if you will, and yap away.
Today, a few more errands, a little more cleaning, and then, the football!
My Steelers are on the teevee today, because they're playing the J-E-T-S Suck Suck Suck!
Toast and I have a six-pack on the line for this game, as he is a Jets fan. And in a very cool coincidence, he and I are also going head-to-head in my fantasy football league too.
I bought an epic selection of beers for blogging, and if I haven't died from all of those, I'll throw in some wine-blogging too, as this year's Nouveaus are out.
Oh, the drinks we will drink and the trash we will talk.
Join us over at TwoGlasses for the Virtual Couch™, if you will, and yap away.
Sunday, November 11, 2007
Brew-blogging update
Saturday, I racked my beer (and TCD's of course) down into the secondary fermenters.
12 days is longer than I like to wait, but I've been really busy, and these are really strong beers, so they can take it.
His is a deep, deep brown, very aromatic and mighty tasty. I added two vanilla beans for him, cut into 1-inch chunks.
Mine is black as tar. Even in the racking tube, it was solid black, 0% opacity. Oh, baby. Also tasted great, with chocolate and some burnt undertones. We'll probably bottle next Monday, and let them sit until the holidays. They'll need it, for the flavors to really blend.
I forgot to test the densities, stupid me, but on flavor alone, these will definitely pass 9%, and probably 10% when all the sugar is gone. Rock on.
12 days is longer than I like to wait, but I've been really busy, and these are really strong beers, so they can take it.
His is a deep, deep brown, very aromatic and mighty tasty. I added two vanilla beans for him, cut into 1-inch chunks.
Mine is black as tar. Even in the racking tube, it was solid black, 0% opacity. Oh, baby. Also tasted great, with chocolate and some burnt undertones. We'll probably bottle next Monday, and let them sit until the holidays. They'll need it, for the flavors to really blend.
I forgot to test the densities, stupid me, but on flavor alone, these will definitely pass 9%, and probably 10% when all the sugar is gone. Rock on.
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Brew-blog
TCD and I made our holiday beers last night.
This one's going to be a beast.
First, I steeped 4 pounds of grain in 3.5 gallons of water for 30 minutes. Came up with a nice, dark, sweet wort base.
Brought that up to a boil, and added 9 lb of Munton's dark DME and 1 lb of dark rock candi. Once that came up to a boil again, I added 2 oz of Northern Brewer hops and 1/2 ounce of Irish Moss.
One hour of rolling boil there, and then added 2 oz of Kent Golding hops.
15 more minutes of boil, and off to the primary fermenter, along with the yeast (Wyeth Irish 1084).
Starting with a specific gravity of 1.104, or potential alcohol of 13.65%.
It was bubbling up a storm after 18 hours. We'll see where we are after I rack down to the secondary fermenter, but if I can get down to 1.024 or so, that'll be a nice 10.5% ABV beer, malty and cockle-warmening.
I can't wait.
This one's going to be a beast.
First, I steeped 4 pounds of grain in 3.5 gallons of water for 30 minutes. Came up with a nice, dark, sweet wort base.
Brought that up to a boil, and added 9 lb of Munton's dark DME and 1 lb of dark rock candi. Once that came up to a boil again, I added 2 oz of Northern Brewer hops and 1/2 ounce of Irish Moss.
One hour of rolling boil there, and then added 2 oz of Kent Golding hops.
15 more minutes of boil, and off to the primary fermenter, along with the yeast (Wyeth Irish 1084).
Starting with a specific gravity of 1.104, or potential alcohol of 13.65%.
It was bubbling up a storm after 18 hours. We'll see where we are after I rack down to the secondary fermenter, but if I can get down to 1.024 or so, that'll be a nice 10.5% ABV beer, malty and cockle-warmening.
I can't wait.
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