583. New Holland Incorrigible

New Holland’s Incorrigible is described as a “white sour ale” on the label, and is part of their Cellar Series. While I’m not sure what a “white sour ale” is—my best guess is that New Holland is taking their cue from the current white IPA craze and trying to create their own niche—I am something of a sucker for sour beers, so what the hell. Plus, it has been a while since we’ve tried anything from New Holland, although this is our seventh beer from our windmill and tulip loving friends to the north. Previous victims of our rapacious thirst include Hopivore, Beerhive Tripel, El Mole Ocho, Dragon’s Milk, Golden Cap Saison, and Envious.

Incorrigible pours a crystal clear and brilliant straw; there is a thin white head that quickly disappears, although the tiny clear bubbles continue to run up the sides of the glass. The nose initially starts earthy and musty, but gives way to bright acidity with some doughy malt as it opens; I get the gummy Lactobacillus of a good Berliner Weisse mixed with the acidic sharpness bite of a young lambic, and a touch of earthiness from both. As the beer warms, you also get hints of oak and an almost chardonnay-like wine butteriness. Flavors start with candy malt and a slight sour tang; the middle has some clean acidity that is bright, crisp, and almost cider-like. There is a bit of wheat gumminess and bread dough hiding in the middle as well; the finish is clean and dry with hints of bread crust and cracker malt mixed with acidity that is just short of citric and has some pleasant game-y hints. The beer starts soft on the palate in the front; the acidic bite in the middle gives the body some brightness that carries into the finish, and the carbonation cleanses and clears the palate, allowing the clean acidity to wash over the tongue, lingering briefly before disappearing. A delicate yet complex beer that is enjoyable as it is subtle. The carbonation does disappear a bit too quickly, but you’d hardly know it via the tart flavors that keep the beer bright on the tongue. The nose on this beer is particularly impressive; it kept changing as it opened, offering new layers to sort through and enjoy. Well done, New Holland.

From the bottle: “Incorrigible celebrates the beauty of mischief. Wild yeasts, and bacteria run free in our sour-aging cellar, the house of funk, creating vibrant sour and acidic character in this delicate, yet complex wheat beer. The refreshingly tart session beer will tease your palate with a subtle, layered nuance.”

ABV: > 4.0%

(12/27/2013)

575. 50 West Sour Wagon Cherry

Week two of the cyclo-cross season finds us in Cincinnati for Gun Club 2013. Can you say muddy? I can. Damn, that was muddy. Anyway, after attempting to remove as much mud as possible from everything that even thought about being outside the car, we headed for 50 West. I’d been their once before, but Elli never had, so it fit with the theme of biking and new beer. And even if it didn’t fit, well, we went there.

Sour Wagon Cherry came served in a goblet; it was a murky chocolate with a thin white head with little retention, although both elements fit with the style. In the nose, there was lactic tartness followed by cherry and Belgian candy sweetness; as it warmed, more acetic acid emerges, as does subtle oak and vanilla. Flavors open with candy coupled with hints of brown sugar; the lactic tang is in the front (with acetic in the back) at this point, shifting towards the acetic as the beer hits mid-palate. There is also oak with a light tannic bite, flashes of vanilla, and fruit, primarily cherry, but also fig, raisin, and grape. The acetic vinegar flavors push earlier into the profile as the beer warms. In the finish, there are lingering cherry and stone fruit flavors mixed with candy sweetness, more fruit than candy, and some acetic acid as it warms. The bright lactic tang helps balance the beer on the palate, and makes up for the minimal carbonation, and there is a rounded, slightly chewy mouthfeel that finishes clean via the tartness. As it warms, there is an aged/vinous character that appears, as does a touch of alcohol warmth. Sour Wagon Cherry gave my cheeks a rosy warm slight flush via the sourness; it is a well made beer, but it still tastes a bit young and hasn’t fully come together. The delicate oak character is a pleasant surprise, and the overall beer is more acetic than lactic. Still, a good starting place for a sour beer, one I’m sure that will continue to improve.

From the 50 West website: “Flander’s Brown Ale that was soured in oak wine barrels for almost a year with an organic cherry puree.”

ABV: 7.0%
IBU: 15

(10/6/2013)

529. Great Divide 15th-18th Anniversary Wood Aged DIPA

Obviously, we’ve been sitting on these for a while—just a touch over three years, to be precise. But it is small verticals of beers like these that make cellaring an enjoyable and fruitful endeavor. As those of you who are avid readers know, we’re partial to Great Divide, although that partiality may have waned a bit. Nonetheless, this collection of beers was an excellent addition to the Great Divide beers we’ve experienced in the past: Grand Cru, Yeti ’08-’10, Smoked Baltic Porter, 16th Anniversary Wood Aged DIPA, Hercules DIPA, Wild Raspberry Ale, Hibernation, Samurai Rice, Hoss, Espresso Oak Aged Yeti, Fresh Hop, Double Wit, 15th Anniversary DIPA, and Denver Pale Ale. Dag. We’re getting up there.

Described on all four of the bottles as “quintessential” and “commemorative,” 15th-18th Anniversary Wood Aged DIPAs all pour a similar shade of tan and caramel—except for the bottle of 16th, which was notably lighter colored. Clarity also varied; all were pretty good, but 18th was stunningly clear, while the rest had different levels of slight hazing. All were squarely in the Great Divide family of beers, with a depth of malt flavor and body that supported the other components of the beer. I’m pretty certain I’ve said this in the past, but it bears repeating: the malt character of these strikes me as more British than American. And since we’ve tried some of these before (a while ago, admittedly), I’m going to focus mainly on the differences in flavor and mouthfeel—the color run down above pretty much sums it up.

15th Anniversary, bottled on June 29, 2009: Surprisingly, this one still had a fair amount of hop character to it—we could taste the pine and evergreen, although the bitterness was more hidden by the body. There was also a fair amount of oak still present, albeit it balanced by the chewy malt character—one of my notes calls it “chewy wood.” Some slight oxidized sherry and paper flavors were present as the beer warmed, but in a complementary manner. The vanilla flavors balanced well with the body, and the mouthfeel was creamy, rounded, and smooth. There was some lingering tannic bite still in the finish, along with a touch of warmth, although it was at this point low and very even and smooth. Age had served this beer well; the hop flavor, though, was something of a surprise here.

16th Anniversary, bottled on June 25, 2010: The lighter color corresponded with a different malt character—there was more butterscotch and caramel, although the beer had a chewy mouthfeel like the rest of them. There was less alcohol warmth than the rest—this one was by far the smoothest and cleanest of the group. The tannic oak character and bite was there in the finish, but it also dried the tongue and palate. There were less oxidized sherry notes, and less oak as a whole, apart from the tannic presence in the finish. I’d call this beer better and more approachable than the 15th—it is more even, cleaner, and has more depth and subtlety.

17th Anniversary, bottled on March 29, 2011: The oak flavor tasted younger, sharper, and more aggressive in this beer—the tannic bite was still a bit much. There was not much in the way of vanilla from the oak, which was somewhat surprising. You could also smell the creamy bitterness in the nose, and taste it more clearly in the body of the beer. As well, the alcohol heat was more pronounced than the last two, which is not surprising, given the age, but the contrast between this and 16th, which had less alcohol presence than 15th, made the effect more pronounced. With warmth, the evergreen hop flavors emerged more explicitly, pushing the previously noted bitter flavors. Besides the chewy malt, the creamy, rounded mouthfeel stood out in this beer in relation to the other components. With warmth, there was better balance achieved between malt chewiness and alcohol flavor—this one came on at the end.

18th Anniversary, bottled on March 21, 2012: The chewy malt character of this version featured rich caramel flavors. As well, the oak tasted even younger and greener than in 17th; there was a touch of vanilla—which was missing in 17th—and tannic bite and tang. The alcohol was hotter and younger tasting, and there was more warmth on the tongue than any of the previous beers. As the beer warmed, pine and evergreen hop flavors became much more apparent, the last portion of the bottle, which had some yeast dregs, further accentuated the hop flavors.

Several of the distinctions drawn above were mainly apparent from trying the beers next to one another—I’m certain the oak character of 17th and 18th wouldn’t have seemed as aggressive if they weren’t being directly compared to the smoothness (or absence) of the other two. And the same goes for alcohol warmth and flavor—the smoothness of 15th and the even smoother 16th made the distinctions that much more evident in comparison. As well, the malt flavor and character in all four continued to round and get chewier as the beers warmed, although not always with the exact same results, and evergreen and pine hop flavor also emerged with warmth. I’m still not sure which of the four I liked the best, although I do know that 18th needs more time. The cleanness and smoothness of 16th was its strength, but I liked the slightly bolder oak and hop flavors of 15th, and as noted above, once 17th warmed up, it became a completely different—and much better—beer. I’m not sure it completely turned the corner in comparison, but choosing between 15th and 16th would require favoring one distinct set of characteristics over another—they are, I think it safe to say, that different of beers at this point. I’m pretty sure the vast majority of those sampling would give the nod to 16th—I know Elli does—but I’m going to take the higher (and by that I mean lamer) road and abstain from choosing.

From the bottle: “Based on our award-winning beer, Denver Pale Ale, this copper-hued treat is a celebration of everything Great Divide does best. Plenty of malty sweetness provides a backdrop for earthy, floral English and American hops, while French and American oak round off the edges and provide a touch of vanilla. Thanks to everyone who’s supported us for the last 15-18 years—here’s to 15-18 more!"

ABV: 10.0%

P.S. Oh, and Jeffrey, when it comes to beer, I’m hard pour.

(8/9/2012)

528. Ommegang Biere d’Hougoumont

Ah, Ommegang, how we’ve missed you. We drank this while watching eleven hours of the Olympics on fast forward. How else are we supposed to fit it all in? We’ll add this to the list, which includes Tripel Perfection, Zuur, Three Philosophers, Hennepin, Bière de Mars, and Witte. Bring on more.

Described as a biere de garde aged on maple and oak wood staves, Biere d’Hougoumont pours a brilliantly clear amber and has a white head that is small, tight, and fine with excellent staying power. The nose opens with a distinct cellar must and cork character (yes, I’m going with that; that phrase came to my head while smelling the beer, and it seemed appropriate, so I’m sticking with it) followed by candy malt; as the beer opens up, the candy sweetness comes to the forefront and the must disappears. There are also hints of caramel and perfume from the yeast esters. Flavors start with a dry biscuit and cracker malt, giving way to caramel and pleasant spicy yeast phenols accompanied with just a touch of hop bitterness. The finish is sweet, creamy, and dry at first; a touch of alcohol flavor and warmth emerge as the beer rounds in body. Bright carbonation blends well with the dry, slightly creamy but chewy mouthfeel; as noted above, there is some alcohol, but nothing harsh or sharp. This is a well-balanced beer as a whole, although it does become less even as it warms—the youth of the beer starts to come out with some time spent in the glass. Surprisingly, there is not much discernible in regards to the wood presence in the beer. As it stands, it is currently a good beer for not having any real distinct character—there are no flaws, but nothing really stands out. And I would agree with the language on the bottle indicating this beer is a good candidate for aging, as a couple of years should give this beer depth and complexity, making it splendid.

From the bottle: “Hougoumont is brewed with French ale yeast, eight malts, French Strisselspalt hops, and aged on wood. A traditional biere de garde style, this malty French-styled farmhouse ale is brewed to be aged. The name honors the Hougoumont farmstead at the pivotal center of the Waterloo Battlefield. Napoleon repeatedly failed to take the farmstead, then lost the battle, and ‘met his Waterloo.’”

ABV: 7.3%

And sorry, I forgot to take a picture. Really, you’re better off that way.

(8/5/2012)

527. North Coast Old Stock Ale 2009 Cellar Reserve

“This tastes like everything Samichlaus wishes it tasted like.”

Jeffrey McElfresh

Hot damn. This beer is easily one of the best beers I’ve had in the last couple of years. Sorry all you other fancy beers, but you just got served. Old Stock Ale Cellar Reserve 2009 is North Coast’s regular Old Stock Ale aged in bourbon barrels. And the results are, well, stupendous. North Coast is no stranger to us in these here parts, although it has been a while; our final tabulations indicate that we’ve tried several selections, including Old Stock Ale 2004, Brother Thelonius, Old No. 38 Stout, Red Seal Ale, Cru d’Or Organic Belgian Style Ale and Old Rasputin XII. Prost to Fort Bragg!

Old Stock Ale 2009 Cellar Reserve pours a crystal clear maple syrup brown with orange and red highlights jumping out all over the place. While there was not much in the way of a head on the beer, I pretty much didn’t think about it or care because the aromas streaming out of this beer were phenomenal: brown sugar, molasses, caramel, maple syrup, bright oak, vanilla, bourbon, and hard butterscotch candy. In fact, I smelled and smelled and smelled this beer. Beguiling, alluring, and intoxicating. And no, I’m not talking because of the alcohol, although there were very evident legs on the glass with each swirl. Once I got around to drinking it, the front was a mix of brown sugar and maple syrup with lesser amounts of buttered toast. The vanilla and bourbon really came through in the middle, as did the bright oak flavor, although everything was restrained and in control. The finish offered honey and a tannic bite from the oak; there was a touch of alcohol and bourbon and some lingering warmth that was pleasant and reassuring. The gentle carbonation allowed the chewy & rich malt body to shine; it came with a touch of creaminess that helped round the beer on the palate. In fact, everything was even about this beer—it was complex and delightful with plenty of malt character, it featured a well-balanced use of bourbon and oak, and it was smooth and surprisingly easy-drinking for 13.16% ABV. There was nothing overpowering, and all facets of the beer were in harmony. It was like the warm blanket you wrap around yourself when sitting by the fire on a brisk winter evening, the one that relaxes you and makes everything perfect. In other words, it was super awesome. And it easily could easily handle a couple more years of aging—everything was still bright and fresh and clean. Although I’m not sure I can imagine it being better than it was: that would just blow my mind.

From the bottle: “Old Stock Cellar Reserve is a small batch, limited release that has been aged in oak bourbon barrels. The aging process gives this world-class beer an added layer of complexity. A memorable drink that should be enjoyed as a completely unique offering.”

ABV: 13.16%

(7/30/2012)

505. Fremont Brewing Bourbon Abominable 2011

Today’s goals were modest: check out a couple of things in Seattle, go shopping at REI, and then head to Fremont to tour the Fremont Brewery. After all, breweries in Seattle are like Simpsons reruns: ubiquitous and yet silently informing our national consciousness. (Note: I spent 20 minutes trying to come up with an appropriate simile involving Dayton, but I failed miserably. My only consolation: Elli couldn’t come up with one either. Jeffrey and Kevin, the ball is in your court.) Which means that we need to choose carefully. Fremont Brewing is at the top of the list—after I tried the Harvest Ale, they jumped to the front of the line. Damn, that beer was good. Plus, they decided to tap a keg of their Bourbon Abominable Winter Ale today, which is the regular Abominable Winter Ale aged in bourbon barrels. Thank you, beer gods, for always making me feel like a rock star.

Fremont Brewing’s tasting room is located on the edge of the brewery—our table looked down a row of the fermenters. While I chose the Bourbon Abominable (try saying that 10 times fast, by the way), Elli went with Interurban IPA, which was super-fresh and yummy—the hop aroma itself was worth the price of admission, and the rest of the beer followed suit. Bourbon Abominable, or B-Bomb, pours a rich, deep chocolate with a long lasting tan head. The nose is bourbon and chocolate mixed with burnt sugar, vanilla, and a touch of oak. The front features flavors of caramel, burnt sugar, toffee, and vanilla, while the middle exudes creamy bourbon and chocolate. The mouthfeel here is also slightly slick, like you would find in an oatmeal stout, and the finish features a touch of roasted malt with chocolate and coffee, followed by vanilla and oak. The carbonation is light, while the mouthfeel is chewy yet slick—the medium-heavy mouthfeel is simultaneously rounded and smooth while also rich, even, and creamy. There is some alcohol warmth and flavor, but this is still a young beer. The key element to describe this beer is balance—while it is a big beer, it is far smoother and more evenly balanced than many other similar bourbon barrel-aged beers. Part of this might be via the winter ale body, but I think it also has something to do with production—there is bourbon flavor, but only as it complements the beer. A damn fine beer that will only get better.

From the Fremont website: “Lovingly referred to by Fremonters as the B-BOMB, this bourbon barrel-aged edition of our winter ale has a warming spicy aroma and rich carmelly notes of bourbon, wood and vanilla added to dark roasty chocolatey malt flavors and subtle hopping.”

ABV: 9.5%
Malts: Pale, Crystal, Munich, Roast Barley, Chocolate & Carafa
Hops: Centennial, Willamette & Goldings

I also tried the Universal Pale Ale Shandy cask—this beer featured their normal UPA, but had a bag of ginger and lemon zest in the cask. The nose was lemon and lightly hoppy, while the front was a mix of lemon citrus and ginger bite, leading into a gentle bitterness that rolls into the finish—flavors were fresh, clean, and sharp. While there was a slightly astringent note that lingered on the tongue, the beer as a whole was pleasant. The one criticism would be that this beer might not be best served as a cask—it would be better with some brighter, spritzier carbonation. But I was told that this was day 2 on the cask before I got it, so I was given due diligence.

Oh, and I do feel compelled to observe: B-Bomb is just more proof that West Coast breweries invented and perfected the Winter Ale. So suck it.

(12/30/2011)

419. Jolly Pumpkin La Parcela No. 1 Pumpkin Ale

Those of you who know me know that I’m not much of a fan of the pumpkin beer—something about an overabundance of spices and/or a mouth full of potpourri just doesn’t sit well with me. However, if someone is gonna pull it off right, it’s gonna be Ron Jeffries. So when I saw this beer sitting on the shelf, it was already in hand before that voice in the back of my head said “Wait, that’s a pumpkin beer.” But before I had a chance to say something, some other voice responded “Yeah, but it’s a Jolly Pumpkin pumpkin beer, fool. That’s money in the bank.” That’s right—bring on the funky pumpkin. This is our sixth Jolly Pumpkin beer; we’ve had Oro de Calabaza, Baudelaire IO Saison, Bière de Mars, E.S.Bam, and La Roja.

La Parcela pours a hazy toffee-colored tan with an abundant and mousse-y eggshell head. The nose has a hint of the spices referred to on the label—I get nutmeg, cinnamon, all-spice, and possibly cardamom—but there is also a light funky barnyard backdrop that, coupled with a touch of citric brightness, blends well with spice aromas. Flavors start sweet but dry, with a slight emphasis on the spice in the front before the funky flavors come to the forefront, mixing well with the low levels of citric tartness. The lively, bright, and effervescent carbonation helps blend spice and funk, leaving lingering nutmeg and barnyard flavors in the finish along with some citric tang and light mineral touches. La Parcela has a medium to light body, and, as noted, bright, popping carbonation, while the mouthfeel is spicy dry funkiness. This is easily the best pumpkin beer I’ve ever had; the combination of sour funkiness and light spicing works amazingly well, and the balance is phenomenal. I wonder if the funky characteristics would continue to develop over time—I may have to buy a second bottle to sit back and find out.

From the bottle: “OK, so the joke was Jolly Pumpkin doesn’t brew a pumpkin beer. Well, now we do. Just this one. Packed with real pumpkins, hints of spice, and a gentle kiss of cacao to liven the soul. An everyday easy way to fill your squashy quotient. Guess now folks will have to find something else to joke about...”

ABV: 5.9%
Batch 611
Bottled: 8-18-2010

Funk-y Pump-kin!

Clap! Clap! Clapclapclap!

Funk-y Pump-kin!

Clap! Clap! Clapclapclap!

(10/14/2010)

411. Three Floyds Blackheart English Style IPA

While we’ve already tried this beer once before, the new label art (well, and the fact that we found some more of it) means that we figured the beer was good for another entry. While we’ll not be so bold to just cut and paste the old notes in again, the two beers do share some similarities, although this one has a bit fresher hop flavor across the beer profile. One thing that hasn’t changed—while we’ve got a new label here, there is still a fair amount of the creepy vibe in the label art. As with all things Three Floyds, however, the beer is a delicious treat. Hooray for Three Floyds. Oh, and we’ve previously tried Dark Lord 2010, Rabbid Rabbit, BrooDoo Harvest Ale, Brian Boru, Gumballhead Wheat, Robert the Bruce, Dreadnaught, Black Sun Stout and Blackheart IPA. Since we’ve hit up Blackheart before, we’ll call this one 9 ½.

Blackheart pours slightly cloudy and is the color of bread crust with a thin ivory head that hangs around and laces the glass decently. The nose is bready with a good dose of spicy resin hop aroma; flavors start dry with bread and biscuit maltiness coupled with some early hop flavors—like with the nose, spicy and resiny—that bleed into the middle, along with a decent amount of bitterness. The resiny and spicy hop flavor runs through the middle and into the end; there is a return of bread crust malt flavor in the finish, but also a good amount of bitterness that lingers on the palate. With the bitterness, there are light oak and acorn flavors that mix with the hops. Blackheart has a creamy but drying mouthfeel with a chewy medium body; there is a bit of alcohol warmth at the finish, particularly as the beer warms, although it is partially masked by the lingering hop bitterness. The carbonation is medium, but does contribute, along with the hops, to some of the dryness in the mouthfeel. This version of Blackheart is quite similar to the last; the main differences are more hop flavor across the profile, and less directly apparent oak flavor, which are probably connected, with the hop flavor covering some of the oak components. Nonetheless, Blackheart is still delicious and enjoyable.

From the label: “This beer is Three Floyds’ U.K. IPA brewed with all English ingredients and aged on toasted oak. An artistic collaboration with our friends Tim Lehi & Jeff Rassier at Blackheart Tattoo in San Francisco. Check it!”

ABV: 8.0%
IBU: 70

(9/8/2010)

381. Great Divide 16th Anniversary Wood Aged DIPA

And just like that, we’re rolling through the latest versions of anniversary beers we drank last year. Thank you, time, for continuing to march on and make me feel old. Having made a rather solid run at Great Divide last year (we ran through ten different beers last year, including Hercules DIPA, Wild Raspberry Ale, Hibernation, Samurai Rice, Hoss, Oak Aged Yeti, Fresh Hop, Double Wit, 15th Anniversary DIPA, and Denver Pale Ale, making this beer number eleven), we’re been reduced to the likes of anniversary beers. I guess we could plumb the depths of all of the various Yetis, but we haven’t been quite reduced to that yet. Big yet.

16th Anniversary DIPA is a soft, orange caramel that is clear but lightly hazy; the nose is caramel, toffee, & butter—this has all of the opening hallmarks of a British-style beer. Flavors pick up where the nose left off—the front is caramel and toffee sweetness coupled with dry biscuit malt and a healthy helping of buttery-ness. The middle is creamy with a slight bitterness—and I do mean super slight—that does increase with warmth, but is still very mild on the palate, and there are no readily discernable hop flavors to be found. The finish is rather dry, which is helped out by the oak and acorn flavors that emerge to close out the beer. 16th Anniversary DIPA has a soft, chewy, creamy, buttery mouthfeel, although there is some dryness via the oak—cut the doughy-ness out of a mouthful of bread dough made with acorns, and there you go—with a medium to heavy body. There is no boozy or alcohol flavors, but it could use more hop flavor and bitterness to better fit the IPA part of the DIPA. While this beer is very English, the lack of a hop presence leaves this beer bordering on being an English barley wine. The big toffee and creamy butter across the profile is a bit off-putting; it is good, but not stellar. And it certainly ain’t no 15th Anniversary Wood Aged DIPA. Maybe it will get better with age, but as it currently stands, color me disappointed.

From the Great Divide website: “This copper-hued treat is a celebration of everything Great Divide does best. Plenty of malty sweetness provides a backdrop for earthy, floral English and American hops, while French and American oak round off the edges and provide a touch of vanilla. Thanks to everyone who’s supported us for the last 16 years - here’s to 16 more!”

ABV: 10.0%

(7/16/2010)

379. Jackie O’s Bourbon Barrel Smoked & Portered

This beer marks the second growler from Jackie O’s that I brought back from my Athens Beer Week hijinx. Beer judging is all well and good, but everyone likes treats brought back from my travels abroad. And why else wander the world if not to sample and sup upon the fine wares of other regions? I certainly enjoy that component of my travels, I’ll tell you. As to the other beers we’ve had from Jackie O’s, here’s the list from an earlier post.

BB Smoked & Portered pours a deep chocolate brown with a light tan head; the nose is oaky, smoky, and creamy, with chocolate, coffee, and some dark fruit, including raisin, after the first rush of oak and smoke. Flavors start with chocolate and smoke with a bit of acorn; the middle is coffee and a bit more smoke, followed by light bourbon and oak flavors. The finish is creamy and rather clean with a return of the acorn and oak; there is a bit of lingering alcohol flavor on the palate, but nothing distracting. BB S & P has a medium to heavy body with a chewy and creamy mouthfeel; the carbonation is minimal but lightly present on the palate—combined oaky and tannic bite that dries out the palate, the beer finishes rather dry. In fact, it smells far sweeter than it tastes, but it has a very mellow and nuanced body. There are also some roasted flavors in the middle that work well in rounding and building the complexity of the flavor profile. Overall, this beer is a study in balance and complexity—it certainly doesn’t taste or drink like a 9.0% ABV beer, even though there is a bit of alcohol flavor. BB S & P is smooth, easy drinking, and delicious. We wish we could get a couple of bottles of this to sit back on and see how they aged. While the smoke would probably drop out, some of the other flavors might get richer with age. We’ve also been wondering what their regular porter tastes like—after all, if it is the base for this beer, then it’s got to be good. We’re already looking forward to our next trip to Athens, and another chance to visit Jackie O’s for some great beer.

From the Jackie O’s website on June 9, 2010: “The BB (Bourbon Barrel) aged Smoked and Portered was kegged last week after close to 5 months of aging. The barrel mellowed out nicely. The smoke is still the initial characteristic that jumps out. Underneath lies some great oak and subtle bourbon notes. The body is fairly light for a porter but still carries some weight.”

(7/14/2010)

364. Russian River Consecration

con·se·cra·tion, n. 1. the act of dedication to the service & worship of a deity. 2. the act of giving the sacremental character to Eucharistic elements of bread and wine.

One last beer from Russian River, or at least for a while, as not only are we swinging towards home, but this pretty much depletes the Russian River back stock we had built up. This marks beer number four from Russian River—Temptation, Pliny the Elder and Blind Pig round our drinking pleasure. Plus, they love definitions, which means we love them—who doesn’t love paying attention to language?

Described on the label as an “ale aged in oak barrels with currants added,” Consecration pours a reddish brown color—not quite bright enough to be garnet, but not dark enough to be burnt sienna—with a light ivory head that quickly disappears. The nose has a good amount of vinegar sourness—we think that is acetic acid—and smaller amounts of fruitiness, which is probably the currants, although there is also something of a grape-ish Bazooka Joe aroma that emerges from the background. Flavors start with bright citric bite followed by some vinegar sourness; the middle has small amounts of fruitiness before moving into a mineral-y finish that is chalky, dry, and tart. The small amounts of fruitiness in the middle give the appearance of sweetness in the middle, even though this is about as bone dry as Temptation. The chalky, dry finish is also more pronounced here than it was with Temptation, although they both have the same light body. Consecration has a bright, puckering, and tart mouthfeel—the dryness and high attenuation, coupled with the mineral and chalky component of the finish leave a tangy and tart residual sensation on the palate after the beer is gone, along with a fair amount of dryness. The carbonation is medium; mixed with the light body, the bite is tingly and bright. An enjoyable beer; like with the Temptation, there is some flushed cheek perspiration, and plenty of mouth-puckering goodness. I like this better than Temptation, although Elli finds Temptation more enjoyable than Consecration. I’m not sure what that means other than to say that this beer is a yummy treat.

Look at those red highlights!

From the bottle: “When we made the Toronado’s 2oth Anniversary Ale, we had no idea that it would turn out to be one of our favorite barrel aged beers we would ever make. With that said, we have always wanted to make a dark barrel aged beer using 100% Cabernet Sauvignon barrels, bu, we never were inspired. That is, until we blended five different beers to make the Toronado beer, the tobacco character from the dark malts blended nicely with the fruit character that developed in blending. So, with Consecration we set out to make a barrel beer using all Cabernet Sauvignon barrels. Now, we are not saying this is a replicaof the T-rooms anniversary beer, after all, a beer like that can never be duplicated, and, there was no fruit added to that beer as there is with this one. All we are saying is that it gave us great inspiration to brew Consecration. Consecration is refermented in the bottle to create its carbonation—a process commonly used to make fine Champagne and sparkling wine. Spent yeast forms a thin layer of sediment in the bottle, adding yet another layer of complexity and flavors. Pour slowly as to allow the natural yeast sediment to remain in the bottle.”

ABV: 10.0%
Batch: 002X3

Brewed: 6/18/2008

Bottled: 4/1/2009

(6/29/10)

363. The Lost Abbey Angel’s Share 2010

Already another from the Lost Abbey—see what a little trip to California can do four our drinking options? This makes el numero four from San Marcos, CA, including Serpent Stout 2009, Carnevale Ale and Avant Garde Ale. So so good.

Beer and World Cup? Hell yes!

Angel’s Share pours a luscious toffee with a very minimal ivory head—swirling the glass vigorously creates a covering over about half of the surface which then quickly reduces to an arabesque. As well, the swirling does leave some legs on the glass. The nose is a creamy caramel and toffee malt mixed with French oak and some sherry and fruitiness to round things out—the nose is quite luscious, complex, and balanced, and was enjoyable to pick apart. Angel’s Share starts with toffee and some creamy butteriness before moving into oak and vanilla flavors mixed with sherry and dark aged fruit alcohol flavors. The finish is tannic and sweet with a bit of an alcohol tang, creating a drying effect on the palate that brings the alcohol taste to the forefront. With a medium-heavy body and a rich, chewy mouthfeel that is slightly sticky, Angel’s Share also has a fair share of dryness in it from the oak tannins. The carbonation is pretty much a non-factor in this beer; both the oak and alcohol do more to shape and round the beer. An interesting beer, one that hints at a richness and complexity that it currently doesn’t have—it could use more aging to allow the oakiness to lessen and the malt flavors to deepen and develop. Currently, the nose is more impressive than the flavor profile both in complexity and nuance—picking the nose apart was more interesting than the body, although we enjoyed both. If you’ve got a bottle of this, sock it away for at least a year before you bust it out.

From the bottle: “Way down in Kentucky and across the pond in Scotland, distillers age their Whiskey for many years in oak barrels. Over time, some Whiskey is lost to evaporation. They refer to this loss as ‘The Angel’s Share.’ Each time a barrel is filed [sic], a measure of this liquid seeps into the oak, and is lost forever. Our Angel’s Share is a barrel aged burgundy colored ale infused with copious amounts of caramel malt to emphasize the vanilla and oak flavors found in freshly emptied bourbon barrels. Each batch spends no less than 9 months aging in the oak. As with all of our beers, this beer is brewed for sinners and saints alike. So be an angel and share it with a friend or two.”

From the Lost Abbey website: “The Angel’s Share Story: It’s warehouse #5 built in 1886 that gets the most attention. The other four weren’t built so well and succumbed over the years. On the outside, to most #5 is a rather unremarkable white washed building. That is until they pass through the weathered doors and are easily consumed. Here in the hallowed halls it just oozes history. Inside this three story building, they find row after row of whiskey slumbering away the days until the distiller calls their name and they are called into action. It’s a weathered building with a timeline of over one hundred and twenty years of continuous service. Looking around, there is a warm orange glow from all the wood inside. On both sides of the room for as far as your eyes can see, there are wood racks with carvings, nicks and dings. It smells sweet in here. Could that be the Whiskey breathing? Perhaps it’s the angels doing their work? Or is there just something sweet about 200 year old wood that intoxicates your sense of smell. Imagine the history that belongs to the wood in this ‘shed.’ It comes from seeds that were planted when the idea for the Revolutionary War was just fermenting. And it’s still here, every single day telling the story of this distillery. This warehouse has seen it all. It survived the harsh winter of 1913. There was the Tornado in 1956 and who can forget the flood of 1973? But, it’s still here. Still working, living and breathing whiskey as great grandpa designed it to do. Sure, there are more cobwebs and spiders than there used to be? It’s an old building after all. One of the family members proclaimed it to be a grand old warehouse of monumental importance, so now it’s on the National Registry of Historic Buildings. Yet, the premise has always been the same. We need a place to age those spirits. And #5 has always been there. Ask the family members to describe #5 and they all tell you the same thing.‘The Angel’s get more than their fair share from #5 but we don’t care. To us, there is nothing finer than the whiskey that comes from old #5. We wish they drank less. But then again, we really don’t need an excuse to drink more?’”

ABV: 12.5%

(6/28/10)

359. Russian River Temptation

temp-ta-tion, n. 1. something that seduces or has the quality to seduce. 2. the desire to have or do something that you know you should avoid.

Our third beer from Russian River, and since this one starts with a definition, you know it has to be good. Plus, unlike the last two beers (Pliny the Elder and Blind Pig), which emphatically warned us on the label to not age the beers, this one is in a different category. Go oak-aged wild beers!

Pouring a brilliant straw, Temptation has a bright, tart, and minerally nose with possibly some light fruitiness—something like a light yellow raisin—and a light white head that quickly disappears. The front is dry and tart, moving into a lightly sour profile in the middle with a bunch of vitamin C tablet tartness—the tartness actually put a wisp of perspiration across my cheeks. There is also just a bit of brettanomyces funk hidden in the tartness of the middle. The finish is dry, minerally—almost a bit chalky— and rather clean. Temptation has light body with a puckering and dry mouthfeel across the profile; the carbonation is bright and effervescent on the tongue. Coupled with the oak and citric tartness, the puckering factor on this beer is off the charts—see my previous note about my flushed cheeks. As well, this beer has a high level of attenuation—there is not much in the body in the way of anything fermentable. At the same time, this beer is damn good; the dryness is well balanced, and the sour tartness makes it refreshing and crisp. While this is not the funkiest or sourest beer we’ve come across, the strength is in the subtlety and smoothness—there is not a hint of alcohol, and the brightness of the beer makes it very, very quaffable. If it weren’t so damn expensive and hard to procure, this would be an excellent beer to introduce people to the possibilities of barrel-aged wild ales; as is it is still something to hang onto for that special occasion.

From the bottle: “Is it beer, or is it wine? ‘Aged in French oak wine barrels with distinct characteristics of fruit and subtle oak’ sounds more like a description of wine than beer. Actually, Temptation is a blonde ale, after the primary fermentation it is aged in used French oak chardonnay barrels. Flavors of wine and oak absorb into the brew throughout the barrel aging. During this time, secondary fermentation occurs using a yeast strain disliked by most brewers and winemakers called Brettanomyces. The addition of ‘Brett’ gives Temptation intriguing characteristics and a pleasant sourness. Temptation is refermented in this bottle to create carbonation – a process commonly used to make fine champagne and sparkling wine. Spent yeast forms a thin layer of sediment in the bottle, adding yet another layer of complexity and flavor. Pour slowly as to allow the natural yeast sediment to remain in the bottle.”

ABV: 7.25%
OG: 1.062

IBU: 27

Batch: 004X3

Brewed: 5/25/2008

Bottled: 6/2/2009
Primary Yeast: Abbey Ale

Conditioning Yeast: Rockpile & Brett Wyeast 3789 Blend

(6/24/10)