Bottled my brew yesterday. When siphoning I got to taste it. Actually pretty good!
Well, as good as a flat as hell room temperature unaged beer could, I suppose. Really spicy on the jalapeno front, which is pretty cool. Only made for 6 or so bottles worth though. Time to wait another two weeks for the bubbles!
I was able to get a 2015 bottle of Deschutes The Abyss and a 4 pack of Serra Nevada Bigfoot Ale that I'm cellaring, sadly I have to wait a year or 2 to drink it. They are both limited beers that have a small windows every year to obtain especially The Abyss it's took me 3 year to get a bottle.
Well it's not beer but I'm partway through a case of ACE Joker Hard Cider and it's easily the best hard cider I've ever had, actually dry instead of a sugar bomb and only 3g of carbs so I feel pretty good about drinking it instead of beer.
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"Virtue, Jacques, is an excellent thing. Both good people and wicked people speak highly of it..."
Just had a Vanilla Porter by Breckenridge Brewery. Not too shabby. Rich, and while sweet, it was very well balanced. Wouldn't mind picking up another.
Edit #2: And today I had Lefthand's Milk Stout (Nitro). Lighter than the Vanilla Porter, but was sweeter overall. Went from Chocolaty sweet, then to a more roasted coffee, and finally back too a sweet, slightly boozy finish. Probably should have had it after dinner instead of with lunch, but it is what it is.
Edit #3: More beer, yay! I partook in a Brooklyn Brewery's Dry Irish Stout: It had a very light smell, heavy on the hops, but that's about it. I looked good in the pour, dark brown, and had a good tan head. It's taste was much like the smell, light, and pretty hoppy. All the flavor was on the back end, and it was very carbonated. If it hadn't been for the heavy carbonation it would have had a very poor mouth feel, but in the end, it wasn't a bad beer. I think there are better options, but I wouldn't turn one down if given one.
Edit #4/The Editing: Had a Fort Collins Chocolate Stout tonight for desert, and man was it good. Poured deep brown, letting very little light through. I didn't get much of a head on the pour, but had great lacing, which was weird. Had a very hoppy smell, but had hints of the chocolate to be had. The stout was a bit thin for my liking, but had great coffee and dark chocolate flavors, finishing off with a bit of hoppy bitterness. Really enjoyed that one.
Edit #5: (Brad Pitt didn't win the Oscar): Great Lakes Brewery Stout (Edmund Fitzgerald). Pour, again a nice dark brown, but this time I managed to get a very think, tan head, with excellent lacing. Either I have a terrible nose of beer, or all the beers I've had thus far have been super light on the nose. I got some coffee notes, with hints of caramel Had a great taste, nice and bitter the whole way though, but not overly so. I got coffee, malt, a bit of coco, and it finished with some very nice hops. Mouthfeel was nice, medium thickness, and not a lot of carbonation. It had a bit too much alcohol to really be a session beer, but I could drink a few of these.
At this point I think it's necessary to say that each edit has had a day or two between them. this post is beginning to make me look like an alcoholic! My new favorite game is to find the super markets that have the "make your own 6 pack deals". Pretty fun.
Edit #5: (Brad Pitt didn't win the Oscar): Great Lakes Brewery Stout (Edmund Fitzgerald).
My favorite porter. I should have a bottle tonight.
Had J.W. Lees Harvest Ale, aged in Lagavulin whisky casks. It's quite tasty. Lees Harvest is a barleywine I really like, and the Lagavulin casks get that nice smoky flavor from the Lagavulin. I don't usually like beers aged in the barrels of other spirits because they generally impart a sweetness, and barleywine is generally plenty sweet already. But this one's a winner. Recommended to those who like smoky whisky.
so Dragon's Milk from New Holland brewing finally made its way to CA and... damn it's good. Expensive but good. Tastes just like you would expect good bourbon and heavier stout mixed together would.
If only it wasn't so expensive so I could drink it regularly...
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"Virtue, Jacques, is an excellent thing. Both good people and wicked people speak highly of it..."
I'm in a pretty good place beer-wise at the moment. A beer shop has opened in my town, run by someone who would've either an inkeeper or a master brewer in any self-respecting fantasy setting. A slight beer belly, balding, watery eyes and the most beer-related knowledge I've ever seen. I can walk into his shop, tell him I need a beer to go with [dish X], or that I'm in the mood for a good dubbel, and he'll instantly point me at three plus options.
Also: he had Westvleteren.
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We have laboured long to build a heaven, only to find it populated with horrors.
Weihenstephan Brewery from Germany has released a limited edition unfiltered lager called Weihenstephaner 1516 to commemorate the 500-year anniversary of the German purity law.
Had more than a few beers last night, here's the ones I remember.
Had a Sideswipe Elegant Hoodlum Smoked Stout, and the only thing I didn't like was the long name. A really great stout, thick, and had a great balance between bitter and sweet notes. I would recommend this beer all night and day. Had two or three of them.
Had a North High Milk Stout, which was sub par. It was a bit thin, and it's bitterness was too sharp and one dimensional. If someone gave me one I wouldn't turn it down, but I'm not seeking it out or buying it for myself.
Grabbed a DeClaw "Sweet Baby Jesus". The name is what gets you, and the description is a Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter. I've had a few people tell me they really liked the beer, saying it was like a Reese's Peanut-butter Cup. Instead it tasted like a run of the mill porter with some peanuts shoved into it. The chocolate was barely there, and when you did get it, it tasted more like Nesquik than real chocolate. I would really steer clear of this one unless you just want to experiment with it and say you had a Sweet Baby Jesus.
Finally had a Strongbow Cider, and I was impressed. I'm usually not a fan of hard ciders like Angry Orchard, but this has got to be the best I've had as far as ciders go. Give 'er a shot it your in the mood.
A bit off topic, but what bars do you guys frequent, or would recommend?
Finally had a Strongbow Cider, and I was impressed. I'm usually not a fan of hard ciders like Angry Orchard, but this has got to be the best I've had as far as ciders go. Give 'er a shot it your in the mood.
Angry Orchard (at least the few I've tried) is basically just sugary fruit + a bit of alcohol, it's a bit unfair to judge hard cider by it. Don't listen to the people and awards that say it's the best hard cider. I've had a lot of Ace's Joker hard cider recently and it's fantastic stuff, dry to the point that it reminds me somewhat of drier white wines. Good change from overly-saccharine hard ciders like AO.
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"Virtue, Jacques, is an excellent thing. Both good people and wicked people speak highly of it..."
A bit off topic, but what bars do you guys frequent, or would recommend?
Local bars?
Man, you'll get some randos.
I like dives. Especially when you're competing with college bars -- though sometimes they're indistinguishable. Other than that, I try and get to breweries.
My local favorites include places like:
The Old Corner, The Saloon, Otto's Brewery, Zeno's, Elk Creek, Brown's Hill Tavern... the list goes on.
Anywhere there's good company and cold beer, I'm down.
A bit off topic, but what bars do you guys frequent, or would recommend?
Local bars?
Man, you'll get some randos.
I like dives. Especially when you're competing with college bars -- though sometimes they're indistinguishable. Other than that, I try and get to breweries.
My local favorites include places like:
The Old Corner, The Saloon, Otto's Brewery, Zeno's, Elk Creek, Brown's Hill Tavern... the list goes on.
Anywhere there's good company and cold beer, I'm down.
Yeah, me a and friend are planing a large bar crawl. Recently hit 16bit in Columbus. Beer and Battletoads makes for a great night.
Finally had a Murphys at a local dive bar, and I have to say, I don't get the hype. It felt a tad thinner than Guinness, more sharply bittered, and its overall flavor was a bit lacking, with the barest hint of chocolate on the back end. I've stop drinking Guinness for the most part, as I can find better craft brews, so I am not likely to ever have another Murphys.
I also had Great Lake's Alberta Clipper, which is supposed to be a dark chocolate Raspberry porter. The flavors are all there, but the beer is just too sweet in the middle for my liking. If they could tone down the sweetness it would be one of my favorites. As is, it's a desert brew, best had with some nice rich french vanilla ice cream.
In an effort to start branching out from porters and stouts, I've recently picked up a smattering of randos to try. First on the list Troegs Brewing's Troegenator. Now this is a good beer. Ruby in color, and smells of rich fruits, with just a hint of it's 8% rating hiding in the nose. The taste is what got me hooked. A rich, sweet beer, you start off with the the same fruits you originally smelled. This transitions nicely into a liquid bread like flavor, with hints of chocolate and coffee mixed in there for good measure. The finish is somewhat dry, that complements a rich mouthful, and the flavors really coat the tongue. I'd never had a doublebock style beer, but the whole "meal in a bottle" description was spot on, and very enjoyable.
I think went back to my comfort zone with a Bell's Java Java, with... interesting results. The pour is think, and the look is that of used motor oil. So good so far. The smell is malt forward, you get hints of chocolate and caramel, but mainly it's coffee. The taste is a master piece, but strange. It's legitimately tastes just like cold, black, coffee. At first you get the initial coffee flavors any stout or porter drinker is accustomed too. But then the balance and the flavors of the malts and the bitterness from the hopps is pure black coffee. It really reminds of of a high quality Colombian coffee with no sugar or cream. Mouth feel is that of a typical stout, thick, but not nearly as chewy as some of the breed. I actually think the beer would be better off with a lighter mouth feel, as unless you are in love with cold coffee, the thickness combined with the taste makes for a somewhat hard beer to drink. Not to be a "homer" but if you are looking for this sort of beer, and find yourself in the Columbus Ohio area, do yourself a favor and try Brew Bothers Coffee Porter. It has a much better balance, while still offering a coffee forward beer.
Next on the list. Stone's Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale.
I like that my first post on Salvation after awhile is on the Beer Thread.
Anyways, got a weird one for you but trust me it's cool. Took my fiancé to a wine tasting in Newport, RI last week. Had some great wines--Newport has always had a great wine tradition. Although, one was very interesting. It's called Rhody Coyote and it's Newport Vineyard's first non-wine product. It's basically hard cider using all local Rhode Island orchards for their apples. However, in the fermentation process they use champagne yeast. The result is a hard cider that looks like and has the mouthfeel of champagne but with a great crisp apple kick. I wouldn't compare it to something like Angry Orchard or Red's, it's much more refined and lighter. I don't know if it's available outside of Rhode Island or nearby Massachusetts, but if you're into ciders it's a really different animal. Props to them too bottling it in a growler jug too.
As for real beers, I've been on a Ballast Point kick for a while. A friend of my got me turned on to Barmy, which is a golden ale with honey and apricot notes. It's quite heavy with the alcohol too, something like 12% APV. It's a nice refreshing finish though, and the alcohol doesn't have that upfront assaulting taste like some high APV brews I've had have. I also recommend their Wahoo. It's a weit beir so it's nice and light, and a great beer for those late summer nights too.
what bugs me is i can't find any other beers claiming to be a "dark english ale" other beers claim to be "english ale" but I have yet to truely put my finger on what flavors make up the english ale catagory in and of itself. from their it would easier to understand what makes a "dark english ale" stand apart.
knowing all of that or not, hobgoblin is one of my favorite fall beers!
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My current local favorite:
Little Creatures Pale Ale
Strong on the hops the way I like it.
Modern: R Skred -- WBG Melira Co -- URW Nahiri Control
Legacy: R Mono Red Burn -- UWB Stoneblade
Commander: R Krenko, Mob Boss -- WUBRG Scion of the Ur-Dragon -- WUBRG Maze’s End
Other: R No Rares Red (Standard) -- URC Izzet Tron (Pauper)
Well, as good as a flat as hell room temperature unaged beer could, I suppose. Really spicy on the jalapeno front, which is pretty cool. Only made for 6 or so bottles worth though. Time to wait another two weeks for the bubbles!
Better than most IPAs.
Edit #2: And today I had Lefthand's Milk Stout (Nitro). Lighter than the Vanilla Porter, but was sweeter overall. Went from Chocolaty sweet, then to a more roasted coffee, and finally back too a sweet, slightly boozy finish. Probably should have had it after dinner instead of with lunch, but it is what it is.
Edit #3: More beer, yay! I partook in a Brooklyn Brewery's Dry Irish Stout: It had a very light smell, heavy on the hops, but that's about it. I looked good in the pour, dark brown, and had a good tan head. It's taste was much like the smell, light, and pretty hoppy. All the flavor was on the back end, and it was very carbonated. If it hadn't been for the heavy carbonation it would have had a very poor mouth feel, but in the end, it wasn't a bad beer. I think there are better options, but I wouldn't turn one down if given one.
Edit #4/The Editing: Had a Fort Collins Chocolate Stout tonight for desert, and man was it good. Poured deep brown, letting very little light through. I didn't get much of a head on the pour, but had great lacing, which was weird. Had a very hoppy smell, but had hints of the chocolate to be had. The stout was a bit thin for my liking, but had great coffee and dark chocolate flavors, finishing off with a bit of hoppy bitterness. Really enjoyed that one.
Edit #5: (Brad Pitt didn't win the Oscar): Great Lakes Brewery Stout (Edmund Fitzgerald). Pour, again a nice dark brown, but this time I managed to get a very think, tan head, with excellent lacing. Either I have a terrible nose of beer, or all the beers I've had thus far have been super light on the nose. I got some coffee notes, with hints of caramel Had a great taste, nice and bitter the whole way though, but not overly so. I got coffee, malt, a bit of coco, and it finished with some very nice hops. Mouthfeel was nice, medium thickness, and not a lot of carbonation. It had a bit too much alcohol to really be a session beer, but I could drink a few of these.
At this point I think it's necessary to say that each edit has had a day or two between them. this post is beginning to make me look like an alcoholic! My new favorite game is to find the super markets that have the "make your own 6 pack deals". Pretty fun.
Cheeri0sXWU
Reid Duke's Level One
Who's the Beatdown
Alt+0198=Æ
Modern: Mono-Red Control, Lantern Control, Eldrazi Taxes, Skred Infect
Pauper: Affinity
EDH: Gaddock Teeg Kithkin Tribal, Meren
Legacy: 8 Rack, Omnitell (Both in progress)
Had J.W. Lees Harvest Ale, aged in Lagavulin whisky casks. It's quite tasty. Lees Harvest is a barleywine I really like, and the Lagavulin casks get that nice smoky flavor from the Lagavulin. I don't usually like beers aged in the barrels of other spirits because they generally impart a sweetness, and barleywine is generally plenty sweet already. But this one's a winner. Recommended to those who like smoky whisky.
Cheeri0sXWU
Reid Duke's Level One
Who's the Beatdown
Alt+0198=Æ
If only it wasn't so expensive so I could drink it regularly...
Also: he had Westvleteren.
So I bought a case of it.
I am very happy with this purchase.
Had a Sideswipe Elegant Hoodlum Smoked Stout, and the only thing I didn't like was the long name. A really great stout, thick, and had a great balance between bitter and sweet notes. I would recommend this beer all night and day. Had two or three of them.
Had a North High Milk Stout, which was sub par. It was a bit thin, and it's bitterness was too sharp and one dimensional. If someone gave me one I wouldn't turn it down, but I'm not seeking it out or buying it for myself.
Grabbed a DeClaw "Sweet Baby Jesus". The name is what gets you, and the description is a Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter. I've had a few people tell me they really liked the beer, saying it was like a Reese's Peanut-butter Cup. Instead it tasted like a run of the mill porter with some peanuts shoved into it. The chocolate was barely there, and when you did get it, it tasted more like Nesquik than real chocolate. I would really steer clear of this one unless you just want to experiment with it and say you had a Sweet Baby Jesus.
Finally had a Strongbow Cider, and I was impressed. I'm usually not a fan of hard ciders like Angry Orchard, but this has got to be the best I've had as far as ciders go. Give 'er a shot it your in the mood.
A bit off topic, but what bars do you guys frequent, or would recommend?
Cheeri0sXWU
Reid Duke's Level One
Who's the Beatdown
Alt+0198=Æ
Local bars?
Man, you'll get some randos.
I like dives. Especially when you're competing with college bars -- though sometimes they're indistinguishable. Other than that, I try and get to breweries.
My local favorites include places like:
The Old Corner, The Saloon, Otto's Brewery, Zeno's, Elk Creek, Brown's Hill Tavern... the list goes on.
Anywhere there's good company and cold beer, I'm down.
Yeah, me a and friend are planing a large bar crawl. Recently hit 16bit in Columbus. Beer and Battletoads makes for a great night.
Cheeri0sXWU
Reid Duke's Level One
Who's the Beatdown
Alt+0198=Æ
Dank yo.
Sort of tastes like they brewed it in a wooden barrel. Catches you off guard at first.
Modern: R Skred -- WBG Melira Co -- URW Nahiri Control
Legacy: R Mono Red Burn -- UWB Stoneblade
Commander: R Krenko, Mob Boss -- WUBRG Scion of the Ur-Dragon -- WUBRG Maze’s End
Other: R No Rares Red (Standard) -- URC Izzet Tron (Pauper)
I also had Great Lake's Alberta Clipper, which is supposed to be a dark chocolate Raspberry porter. The flavors are all there, but the beer is just too sweet in the middle for my liking. If they could tone down the sweetness it would be one of my favorites. As is, it's a desert brew, best had with some nice rich french vanilla ice cream.
Cheeri0sXWU
Reid Duke's Level One
Who's the Beatdown
Alt+0198=Æ
I've known of their beers for a while but I've been enjoying it a lot the past month or so
I think went back to my comfort zone with a Bell's Java Java, with... interesting results. The pour is think, and the look is that of used motor oil. So good so far. The smell is malt forward, you get hints of chocolate and caramel, but mainly it's coffee. The taste is a master piece, but strange. It's legitimately tastes just like cold, black, coffee. At first you get the initial coffee flavors any stout or porter drinker is accustomed too. But then the balance and the flavors of the malts and the bitterness from the hopps is pure black coffee. It really reminds of of a high quality Colombian coffee with no sugar or cream. Mouth feel is that of a typical stout, thick, but not nearly as chewy as some of the breed. I actually think the beer would be better off with a lighter mouth feel, as unless you are in love with cold coffee, the thickness combined with the taste makes for a somewhat hard beer to drink. Not to be a "homer" but if you are looking for this sort of beer, and find yourself in the Columbus Ohio area, do yourself a favor and try Brew Bothers Coffee Porter. It has a much better balance, while still offering a coffee forward beer.
Next on the list. Stone's Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale.
Cheeri0sXWU
Reid Duke's Level One
Who's the Beatdown
Alt+0198=Æ
Anyways, got a weird one for you but trust me it's cool. Took my fiancé to a wine tasting in Newport, RI last week. Had some great wines--Newport has always had a great wine tradition. Although, one was very interesting. It's called Rhody Coyote and it's Newport Vineyard's first non-wine product. It's basically hard cider using all local Rhode Island orchards for their apples. However, in the fermentation process they use champagne yeast. The result is a hard cider that looks like and has the mouthfeel of champagne but with a great crisp apple kick. I wouldn't compare it to something like Angry Orchard or Red's, it's much more refined and lighter. I don't know if it's available outside of Rhode Island or nearby Massachusetts, but if you're into ciders it's a really different animal. Props to them too bottling it in a growler jug too.
As for real beers, I've been on a Ballast Point kick for a while. A friend of my got me turned on to Barmy, which is a golden ale with honey and apricot notes. It's quite heavy with the alcohol too, something like 12% APV. It's a nice refreshing finish though, and the alcohol doesn't have that upfront assaulting taste like some high APV brews I've had have. I also recommend their Wahoo. It's a weit beir so it's nice and light, and a great beer for those late summer nights too.
"There are no two words in the English language more harmful than 'good job'." -Terrance Fletcher, Whiplash (2014)
Hobgoblin "Dark English Ale"
https://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/160/236/
what bugs me is i can't find any other beers claiming to be a "dark english ale" other beers claim to be "english ale" but I have yet to truely put my finger on what flavors make up the english ale catagory in and of itself. from their it would easier to understand what makes a "dark english ale" stand apart.
knowing all of that or not, hobgoblin is one of my favorite fall beers!