What We've been drinking. The Good, the Bad and the Tasty.
We are always drinking too much beer, but its so tasty - we just want to try it all! Plus I read some articles that give you the blessing to drink more sours because they are good for you! Take that pro-biotic yogurt!
The Good
So C picked up the Trader Joe's Vintage Ale and decided it was not for him, but I will happily pick up that mantle and finish it. At 9ABV it is strong but has a smooth taste thats easy to drink. They describe it on their website as having "an amber-mahogany hue, abundant with coffee & cream colored foam. The ample aromas are of cocoa and malt, with added notes of lemon and ginger. A single sip leads to the true discovery -- mildly sweet and malty flavors, with a captivating suggestion of cocoa, citrus and spice." I find the malt quite nice! And at $4.99 a bottle - its worth a try just to see!
These next two were picks of C's that he thoroughly enjoyed. pFriem's Dark Style Ale is described as "bold, complex flavors of fig dipped in dark chocolate, ripe fruit and toffee in this immense Ale." And I think that's an accurate portrayal of its dark, heavy flavors. I don't think it's for me, but C was glowing.
C trying out the Mastne Cieszyńskie ale was mostly him questing to find another "go to" beverage when his taste buds needed a break from German lagers. He's been toying with Belgium and Polish Ales and was quite pleased with this one.
Lindemans Kriek Cuvee Rene breathed new faith into me about my budding relationship with lambic sour beers. Described as "deep cherry red clear body, tart taste with a moderate sourness and an authentic cherry skin presence." I was intrigued enough to try another lambic (Framboise at 2.5 ABV was just juice) and the Cuvee Rene had a bigger impact with 4 ABV. It was refreshing and tart, but not too strong in the sour department. I am coveting its more expensive sister, the Lindemans SpontanBasil 750ml, a unique collaboration with Mikkeller. ITs 6% ABV so its either going to delight or horrify my curious taste buds when I finally take the plunge and buy the $30 bottle.
I am always eager to try a new flavor of Paradox when I can and this one was "Sour ale brewed with cascara (coffee cherries) and aged in wine barrels." Coffee berries are one of those exotic super food berries that they sneak into expensive juices, so sure I was pumped to try the sour. I'd say the fruit flavor was nothing special to really be a selling point (maybe it has higher antioxidents then another sour, but there's no scientific research to support that speculation!) I also delight when a good sour ages in wine barrels because it justifies all the years I spent drinking wine and not knowing that I was just wishing for a sour beer.
The Bad
Ugh. UGGGGGHHHH. I just want to reiterate how bad I think this beer is. I say this right now because when I try to describe it to other beer drinkers, my description makes them go "Huh, sounds good." So don't be fooled by the idea that it is good, and buy a Rodenbach that it is probably right next to in the beer store you are at.
So it tasted like if you made a sour beer and blended it with a cherry Dr Pepper. NO STOP THINKING THAT IT SOUNDS YUMMY. Its just a sad excuse of a beer. Maybe like an off brand soda that fermented on itself a little. Don't be fooled by the 8.50% ABV - its too sickly sweet to drink enough to get a buzz.
We recently came into a wealth of Elysian beers, and its unfair for me
to call it "bad"they just tend to be too hoppy for me. The main offender being Space Dust! 8.2 ABV will hit you fast and hard, but the 70 IBU is way too bitter for me. My preferred beers seem to float about 20 IBU just for taste preference reference. We affectionately called it "hop juice" in our house. I was personally disappointed by the Hawaiian Sunburn. The flavor text they put out describe it "Elysian
Hawaiian Sunburn Berliner Weisse 12oz, "a pineapple, habanero, sour ale
that packs a little heat and a little sweet, backed by a tart,
refreshing finish." I was so excited to try Elysian's new sour despite the fact that its a Berliner Weisse (when will I learn?) and it just felt like there was a lack of commitment by the company to showcase any of the flavors advertised. The pineapple fruit flavor was so subtle, the habanero had no burn and the sour was lack luster. For the record, C likes it enough - but not me. At least when Paradox Beer Co - Skully Barrel No. 26 let me down due to lack of mango and chili flavors the sour was still a solid beer.
Again, the warning is that I don't actually believe this beer is "bad" its just not for me... I bought a few Gose beers because I wanted to figure out if I liked then and the unfortunate conclusion was that I do not. I skipped straight over the Off Color's Fierce Berliner Weisse because I dont' like Berliner Weisse Beer and got giddy over the Troublesome. They describe it as a "blend [of] two different beers to
make Troublesome. The first is a somewhat uninteresting wheat beer and
the second is an overly acidic & funky beer fermented solely with
lactobacillus. We blend the two beers together with coriander and salt
at the tail end of fermentation to create a mild, lemony tartness and a
fuller sensation of mouthfeel. And yes, it's hard to make." I thought that sounded really yummy and was hoping the funky lactobacillus beer totally overpowered the wheat blend and kicked me in the face. It was easy to drink, but not tasty enough to buy again.
Along the same lines of trying new types of sours I also picked up the pFriem Bretta. We've been really impressed with this brewery and happily trying everything we can get our hands on (as mentioned above!) I sadly am not a fan of the Bretta taste. The flavor text described it as "amazing aromas like pineapple, peach, flavors of orange zest and fennel and a tangy finish that will have you surrendering to another in no time." But I don't really care if the beer smells good; I want it to taste as amazing and complex as the descriptive notes suggest. It tasted like a cool, easy to drink beer but I sensed none of the fruit and herb notes suggested. I think I will stay away from Brettas in the future as well.
The Tasty
So for Valentines, me and C headed to Beer Junction for their celebration of chocolate beers. Although they all sounded too wild to commit a whole mug to, we tried a bunch of 4oz samples. I think at the end of the day - that was the best strategy because these beers were super bold, syrupy and sweet. What we drank:
Omnipollo Bourbon Aged Hypnopompa Imperial Stout 11%ABV "Bourbon BA Imperial Stout brewed with marshmallows and Tahitian vanilla beans." Since this beer is no longer in production, I feel lucky to have tried it. That being said, it was super dark and I felt lacked the notes of marshmallow and chocolate promised to us!
Southern Tier Creme Brulee Imperial Milk Stout 9.6% ABV I wrote next to it on my info card "taste like Kahlua mixed with beer" Haha.. I definitely think it was one of the thicker, sweeter concoctions we tried that day.
Telegraph Mexican Hot Chocolate Ale 6.5% ABV- I think this was the one taster that, as me and the boyfriend split, we stink eyed each other not to drink more then the others share. Most of these chocobrews left us saying "Oh man, that's strong - you can finish it if you like." But this beer was very tasty. I liked the spices. I think again this was a limted run brew, so I felt happy to try something special.
Dogfish Head Higher Math (with Chocolate and sour cherry juice) 17% ABV - Holy fuck this is a strong ass drink. It taste like a mixed drink you get at a bar and almost as difficult to force down. Its a conversation starter if nothing else. I'd drink it in a group with the intent to share, because I promise its hard to drink down alone.
Midnight Sun Modern Romance Spicy Chocolate Dark Ale 9.3% ABV so after the last sample, our taste buds thought it was ready to take on any challenge. This beer is the boss fight of beer. It is no joke SPICY. I actually really liked its flavor and surprising heat. It actually reminded be a lot of Bean Traders Habenero Dark Chocolate Latte in Durham NC. Check out the Modern Romances description of their sultry brew.
"In an exciting collaboration, Midnight Sun and Modern Dwellers Chocolate Lounge—a local artisan chocolatier—designed and brewed a very special dark ale that celebrates our strengths—and weaknesses: sensuous chocolate, warm spice, fiery chili, provocative character and amorous mood. Raw cacao powder and roasted cacao nibs add an earthy element. But every romance needs some spark. Modern Dwellers’ signature Mayan Spice blend provides sultry, lingering heat that seduces the sweetness of the malts."
We started the afternoon at Reuben's Brews were I got to try their Tart Cherry Weisse, Dry Hopped Sour (tasty!!), Randall Cucumber Gose (so refreshing!!!), Kumquat Gose (a friend ordered this and I had to march up and get one of my own!) and their Hoppy Rye. Then we headed to Stoup and I tried their Sour Stout (really compelling and interesting flavor, I'd try a small cup again) and their almost barley wine beer. It was really tasty although I originally stuck up my nose with the claim that I don't like barely wine. We then hit up Lucky Envelope and I really enjoyed the Helles Lager 5.0% ABV, 22 IBU, it was easy to drink and refreshing after all the sour and dark beers I'd downed earlier in the day. I also had a dry cider that while not my thing was pretty good.
The Good
These next two were picks of C's that he thoroughly enjoyed. pFriem's Dark Style Ale is described as "bold, complex flavors of fig dipped in dark chocolate, ripe fruit and toffee in this immense Ale." And I think that's an accurate portrayal of its dark, heavy flavors. I don't think it's for me, but C was glowing.
C trying out the Mastne Cieszyńskie ale was mostly him questing to find another "go to" beverage when his taste buds needed a break from German lagers. He's been toying with Belgium and Polish Ales and was quite pleased with this one.
Lindemans Kriek Cuvee Rene breathed new faith into me about my budding relationship with lambic sour beers. Described as "deep cherry red clear body, tart taste with a moderate sourness and an authentic cherry skin presence." I was intrigued enough to try another lambic (Framboise at 2.5 ABV was just juice) and the Cuvee Rene had a bigger impact with 4 ABV. It was refreshing and tart, but not too strong in the sour department. I am coveting its more expensive sister, the Lindemans SpontanBasil 750ml, a unique collaboration with Mikkeller. ITs 6% ABV so its either going to delight or horrify my curious taste buds when I finally take the plunge and buy the $30 bottle.
I am always eager to try a new flavor of Paradox when I can and this one was "Sour ale brewed with cascara (coffee cherries) and aged in wine barrels." Coffee berries are one of those exotic super food berries that they sneak into expensive juices, so sure I was pumped to try the sour. I'd say the fruit flavor was nothing special to really be a selling point (maybe it has higher antioxidents then another sour, but there's no scientific research to support that speculation!) I also delight when a good sour ages in wine barrels because it justifies all the years I spent drinking wine and not knowing that I was just wishing for a sour beer.
The Bad
Ugh. UGGGGGHHHH. I just want to reiterate how bad I think this beer is. I say this right now because when I try to describe it to other beer drinkers, my description makes them go "Huh, sounds good." So don't be fooled by the idea that it is good, and buy a Rodenbach that it is probably right next to in the beer store you are at.
So it tasted like if you made a sour beer and blended it with a cherry Dr Pepper. NO STOP THINKING THAT IT SOUNDS YUMMY. Its just a sad excuse of a beer. Maybe like an off brand soda that fermented on itself a little. Don't be fooled by the 8.50% ABV - its too sickly sweet to drink enough to get a buzz.
We recently came into a wealth of Elysian beers, and its unfair for me
to call it "bad"they just tend to be too hoppy for me. The main offender being Space Dust! 8.2 ABV will hit you fast and hard, but the 70 IBU is way too bitter for me. My preferred beers seem to float about 20 IBU just for taste preference reference. We affectionately called it "hop juice" in our house. I was personally disappointed by the Hawaiian Sunburn. The flavor text they put out describe it "Elysian
Hawaiian Sunburn Berliner Weisse 12oz, "a pineapple, habanero, sour ale
that packs a little heat and a little sweet, backed by a tart,
refreshing finish." I was so excited to try Elysian's new sour despite the fact that its a Berliner Weisse (when will I learn?) and it just felt like there was a lack of commitment by the company to showcase any of the flavors advertised. The pineapple fruit flavor was so subtle, the habanero had no burn and the sour was lack luster. For the record, C likes it enough - but not me. At least when Paradox Beer Co - Skully Barrel No. 26 let me down due to lack of mango and chili flavors the sour was still a solid beer.Along the same lines of trying new types of sours I also picked up the pFriem Bretta. We've been really impressed with this brewery and happily trying everything we can get our hands on (as mentioned above!) I sadly am not a fan of the Bretta taste. The flavor text described it as "amazing aromas like pineapple, peach, flavors of orange zest and fennel and a tangy finish that will have you surrendering to another in no time." But I don't really care if the beer smells good; I want it to taste as amazing and complex as the descriptive notes suggest. It tasted like a cool, easy to drink beer but I sensed none of the fruit and herb notes suggested. I think I will stay away from Brettas in the future as well.
The Tasty
Omnipollo Bourbon Aged Hypnopompa Imperial Stout 11%ABV "Bourbon BA Imperial Stout brewed with marshmallows and Tahitian vanilla beans." Since this beer is no longer in production, I feel lucky to have tried it. That being said, it was super dark and I felt lacked the notes of marshmallow and chocolate promised to us!
Southern Tier Creme Brulee Imperial Milk Stout 9.6% ABV I wrote next to it on my info card "taste like Kahlua mixed with beer" Haha.. I definitely think it was one of the thicker, sweeter concoctions we tried that day.
Telegraph Mexican Hot Chocolate Ale 6.5% ABV- I think this was the one taster that, as me and the boyfriend split, we stink eyed each other not to drink more then the others share. Most of these chocobrews left us saying "Oh man, that's strong - you can finish it if you like." But this beer was very tasty. I liked the spices. I think again this was a limted run brew, so I felt happy to try something special.
Dogfish Head Higher Math (with Chocolate and sour cherry juice) 17% ABV - Holy fuck this is a strong ass drink. It taste like a mixed drink you get at a bar and almost as difficult to force down. Its a conversation starter if nothing else. I'd drink it in a group with the intent to share, because I promise its hard to drink down alone.
Midnight Sun Modern Romance Spicy Chocolate Dark Ale 9.3% ABV so after the last sample, our taste buds thought it was ready to take on any challenge. This beer is the boss fight of beer. It is no joke SPICY. I actually really liked its flavor and surprising heat. It actually reminded be a lot of Bean Traders Habenero Dark Chocolate Latte in Durham NC. Check out the Modern Romances description of their sultry brew.
"In an exciting collaboration, Midnight Sun and Modern Dwellers Chocolate Lounge—a local artisan chocolatier—designed and brewed a very special dark ale that celebrates our strengths—and weaknesses: sensuous chocolate, warm spice, fiery chili, provocative character and amorous mood. Raw cacao powder and roasted cacao nibs add an earthy element. But every romance needs some spark. Modern Dwellers’ signature Mayan Spice blend provides sultry, lingering heat that seduces the sweetness of the malts."
Yesterday was a real treat too! It was the Washington Beer Open House and we hit up a bunch of breweries in the Ballard/Freemont area of Seattle to taste their best showings at some local breweries.
We started the afternoon at Reuben's Brews were I got to try their Tart Cherry Weisse, Dry Hopped Sour (tasty!!), Randall Cucumber Gose (so refreshing!!!), Kumquat Gose (a friend ordered this and I had to march up and get one of my own!) and their Hoppy Rye. Then we headed to Stoup and I tried their Sour Stout (really compelling and interesting flavor, I'd try a small cup again) and their almost barley wine beer. It was really tasty although I originally stuck up my nose with the claim that I don't like barely wine. We then hit up Lucky Envelope and I really enjoyed the Helles Lager 5.0% ABV, 22 IBU, it was easy to drink and refreshing after all the sour and dark beers I'd downed earlier in the day. I also had a dry cider that while not my thing was pretty good. 
Comments
Post a Comment