Leinenkugel Big Eddy Imperial IPA

Part of Leinie's "Big Eddy" series of exception beers, the Imperial IPA is the latest offering (although I saw mention of a Baltic Porter on their website that has not been offered in Lincoln yet). Pours a deep ripe apricot hue with a teeny-weeny head with a strong whiskey-like aroma and taste. Floral hops are balanced by pineapple, orange and even a little butterscotch. A little bit of pine and grapefruit, but not as much as one might expect from an "imperial" (or double) IPA. As it warmed up a bit I detected some honey and brown sugar. Overall a superior brew.

Your Black Heart Russian Imperial Stout

Russian Imperial Stouts...I've been a sucker for them ever since I was introduced to Old Rasputin; I hadn't spotted this brewery before: O'Dempsey's - from Savannah Georgia - a former home brewer who "went pro" in 2009. Black Heart poured into a tulip glass an impenetrable black - so black that I held it up to a lamp and couldn't see the 100 watt light bulb through it. Pretty hoppy at 90 IBU's, but plenty of sweet malty flavor as well. Even at 8% ABV not much heat from the alcohol - to me that's a good thing; sometimes with the high ABV beers the alcohol content detracts from the taste. And taste there is aplenty - raisins and figs, as well as coffee and dark chocolate. Very thick and hearty. Excellent nightcap to herald the first snow of the year; hail to the gods of snow and beer!

Wasatch Winterfest Ale

From 2010: I'd not heard of the Utah Beer Cooperative before, but I'm glad that I did. Pretty strong, and not just from the 7% ABV. Lots of piney hops flavor, caramel brown color, tall tan head. Very creamy. Not a lot of "extra" flavor, just good ol' American brewing ingenuity!

New notes: I had forgotten that Winterfest was the first Wasatch beer that I had tried, or at least reviewed. Still pretty damn good! This time I'm detecting some orange peel and maybe a little nutmeg and a trace of cinnamon. Wasatch has shaped up to be one of the most solid breweries that I have sampled over the years. Looking forward to many, many more! 

Weyerbacher Winter Ale

I've reviewed Weyerbacher's Winter Ale before, but it's so good I thought it deserved another shot. It pours a deep chestnut color with a subdued tan head. It's full-bodied but not heavy, porter-like in its taste, but not as thick and creamy. The chocolate malt adds a sweet candy bar quality to it. There are some toffee and nutmeg notes to the mix as well. As the glass becomes less than half full I'm picking up some hop bitterness as well. Not nearly as outstanding as most of Weyerbacher's other brews, but a head above the crowd nonetheless. And here's a tidbit from Weyerbacher's web site:

 Although winter ales predate history, they are believed to have their origin in the pagan celebrations of winter solstice. Later, when monasteries produced the local brew, winter ales were made each year to commemorate the birth of Christ. Back then, winter ales were brewed full-bodied as a source of nutrition for the upcoming winter months. Today, winter ales are typified by their seasonality, their rich, malty flavors and by their deep, dark coloration.  

I'm not sure where they get their information, but it sounds like good mythology to me!

Wasatch Ghost Rider White IPA

Another brewery that just never seems to get it wrong, Wasatch Brewing Company out of Utah. Ghost Rider, an aptly named White IPA, which basically means a Belgian-IPA fusion. Pours a lemonade hued yellow with a tall white head. Powerful citrus flavor, especially lemon, with grapefruit undertones. Kind of spicy, with aggressive, yet not at all annoying, hoppiness. At 6%, a bit strong for a session beer, but a nice all year 'round brew. Yum...

Widmer Brothers Milk Stout

A little light for a stout, and not as sweet as I'd expected from a milk stout, but overall a good sippin' beer. Low carbonation, smooth mouthfeel, subtle taste of chocolate and some coffee as well. Hoppier than I expected too. If I had tried this without reading the label I would have called it a Baltic Porter. Still, all and all a good cold beer for a cold winter night.

Schell's 2012 Snowstorm: Biere de Noel

Each year Schell's puts out a completely different beer for their winter Snowstorm offering. I'm not exactly sure what a "Biere de Noel" is, but it tastes like a Belgian Dubbel, with that sweet Belgian taste and the smooth texture. There are a lot of flavors and aromas mixed in: a hint of pepper, along with dark fruits such as fig, raisin and even some cranberry. Kind of a whiskey aftertaste - not very hoppy with minimal carbonation. One of the better Snowstorms over the last few years.

Budweiser Project 12 Batch 91406

An amber lager from Los Angeles. The third of the three Project 12 beers. Pours an orange/copper with a small white head. Noticeable hops balanced by malty sweetness. Some caramel and some orange peel. Like the others, serviceable but nothing to write home about.

Budweiser Project 12 Batch 63118

This offering is from the St. Louis brewery and is a golden Pilsner. Very crisp and clean with hints of pear and apple with some smooth yet distinct hoppiness. Similar in taste to the regular Budweiser, but a cut above. Another sessionable beer, but like the first one that I tried, fairly unremarkable.

Budweiser Project 12 Batch 23185

Anheuser-Busch challenged the brew-masters at each of their 12 breweries to come up with unique recipes, six of which were selected for inclusion in sampler packs. Batch 23185 (the zip code of Williamsburg Virginia  where it originated) is a light amber lager aged on bourbon staves and spiced with vanilla beans. It reminds me a little of Michelob Winter's Cask Ale, back before every stab at a craft type beer was under the Michelob label and not the Shock Top. Overall it's not a bad beer, if unremarkable. The bourbon and oak comes through subtly, as does the vanilla. Might make a decent session beer, but not enough of a personality to hold its own.

Sam Adams Chocolate Bock

 Chocolate Bock was offered as a special edition brew a few years ago. When I looked it up I saw references to it back in 2005. I recall seeing a large (24 oz?) bottle of it at The Still about 2 years ago, but it was gone by the time I decided it was worth the $10+ price tag. Well they've brought it back as part of the Winter Classics variety pack. Now Bocks are generally considered a Spring beer, but chocolate, well, what better to evoke the food-centric aspects of the Winter holidays? The chocolate in Sam Adams Chocolate Bock like in many flavored beers, mostly overwhelms the underlying distinctiveness of the beer

style, so it's not immediately evident that you're drinking a bock. But if you can get past that fact, this is a delicious and fun beer to have at your Christmas party or with dessert after Thanksgiving dinner.

It pours a dark brown with a thick 2-finger tan head that never really goes away. Of course chocolate predominates, but dark chocolate seems to come through. Not as thick as I imagined it would be, but very good and am looking forward to having a few more!

Lagunitas Hop Stoopid Double IPA

Another "donation"  from the Lagunitas Brewery via Master Mark , clocking in a 102 IBU's...yes, you read that correctly one hundred and two IBU's. Despite the higher bitterness quotient, I don't feel overwhelmed by bitterness. Maybe the 8% ABV is numbing my taste buds! I took a sniff before taking a sip and got a heavy grapefruit aroma. It poured a clear amber with a towering white head and the grapefruit carried over to the taste. Some pine there as well, but not really heavy... surprisingly smooth for an IPA, especially a double or imperial IPA. Move on from sipping to quaffing and...whoa...is that pineapple? I unreservedly recommend this to the hop fans out there.

Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Wild Ale

I have heard about this beer for over a year now; I was sad when it was not available at the Okto-Beer-Fest and began to think that it was but a myth! But the legend became reality today when my favorite craft beer rep brought me a bottle of Little Sumpin' Wild and Hop Stoopid. The label says that it's a Belgian IPA - I've really been impressed overall with this style over the last year and this one leads the pack. I poured it into a Sam Adams perfect pint glass, yielding a two finger white head with a fairly clear honey gold hue. Lots of subtle flavors and aromas wafting about: pineapple, peach, nectarine, berries...mmmm. About halfway down I'm picking up some spices - coriander and some orange peel. Well worth the wait.

Sam Adams Holiday Porter

This is one of my favoraites in the Winter Classics 12 pack. Beautiful dark brown head that slowly dissipates, dark brown color that barely allows light to get through, with some red highlights. Surprisingly, there is strong hoppiness to the flavor, offset by a subdued cocoa taste in the malt side. Great winter brew...great label too!

Brother Thelonius Belgian Abbey Ale

First I want to clear up that Brother Thelonius - Thelonius Monk -  is not a religious figure, but a jazz musician, nay a jazz great. A genius on the keys (I'm listening to his 'Round Midnight right now) Brother Thelonius comes to us from the good folks at North Coast Brewing, makers of Old Rasputin, Scrimshaw and other beers of renown. It's a dark abbey ale, pours a dark ruby red, no head worth mentioning, with the alcohol heat that you might expect from a barleywine. there are hints of spice, maybe a little clove a a pinch of cinnamon. raisins, prunes and even some apricot all show up as I work my way down to the bottom of the glass. Not a beer for the faint of heart. Have one 'round midnight

Boulevard's Long Strange Trippel

An unfiltered Belgian Trippel, picked up as part of a mixed four-pack a few weeks ago. Pours a golden apricot hue with a dainty white foam of a head. Lots of sweet citrus with hints of fruit punch underlying the Belgian years esters balanced by a hop bite that is deceptively smooth. Some suggestions of clove, nutmeg and honey. A bit o' pear and apple on the back end. Very nice, very smooth...not to be wasted on neophytes.

Lindeman's Cassis Lambic

Below is last year's review of Lindeman's Kriek, a black cherry-infused lambic. This year I believe that I have found the perfect beer pairing for Thanksgiving turkey and stuffing" Lindeman's Cassis (Black Currant) Lambic. Of course, if they ever came out with a cranberry lambic, my quest would be complete! Served it as one of the beverage choices at the family Thanksgiving dinner and sent an extra bottle home with my son John. Complements the rest of the meal to a tee. 


Following is last year's Kriek review:


Since I couldn't get any Sam Adams Cranberry Lambic this year, I thought I'd go with a well-known brewer of lambics, Lindeman's. To start off with, a lambic is a style of beer that relies on spontaneous fermentation:

Lambic is a very distinctive type of beer brewed only in the Pajottenland region of Belgium (southwest of Brussels) and in Brussels itself at theCantillon Brewery and museum. Lambic is now mainly consumed after refermentation, resulting in derived beers such as Geuze or Kriek.^[1]

Unlike conventional ales and lagers, which are fermented by carefully cultivated strains of brewer's yeasts, lambic beer is instead produced by spontaneous fermentation: it is exposed to the wild yeasts and bacteria that are said to be native to the Senne valley, in which Brussels lies. It is this unusual process which gives the beer its distinctive flavour: dry, vinous, and cidery, with a slightly sour aftertaste.

I find that the lambic style is a great substitute for wine or champagne. Lindeman's is highly carbonated, pours with a tall fluffy head and due to the infusion of black cherries (kriek means cherry in Flemish - or possibly Dutch) it is very sweet. I drank it out of a tall glass exactly like the one pictured. Not for everyone, but perfect with turkey and stuffing. 

Great Divide Brewing Company - Hibernation Ale

Review from November 15 last year, with some additions in italics below:

I reviewed this beer last November, but didn't have much to say, so I thought I'd give it another shot. Hibernation poured a dark ruby red, with a skimpy tan head. There's a lot going on here: dark chocolate, black cherry, figs, raisins, caramel, all mixed together in a big hoppy basket. On the back side there's a little apple and maple syrup. A refined taste like good wine.

This year the dark fruits seem more prominent, with some brown sugar tying it all together. More alcohol heat from the 8.7% ABV. And it does have a wine character to it, or a smooth whiskey feel. Perfect for those cold nights, not a thing I can say against it - go out and buy some...now!

Lucky Bucket's Snowsuit Spiced Abbey Ale

Spiced Abbey ales seem to be de rigueur for winter seasonals and it's not difficult to see why. The sweetness that Belgian yeast brings to the profile as well as the holiday feel of the various spices like clove, nutmeg and cinnamon make this style perfect for those cold Nebraska nights. Now don't get me wrong, LaVista-based Lucky Bucket beers (with the exception of Certified Evil) don't really overwhelm and cause you to get all Keanu Reeves...whoa...duuuude...but they are all, including Snowsuit, good solid beers that will have you buying a six-pack of (with or without a dangling participle).

Widmer Bothers BRRR Winter Seasonal Ale

I reviewed this last year, and it was more like an IPA or a strong pale ale, this year's version is still pretty hoppy, but with some interesting notes. Lots of sweet caramel and a hint of maple perhaps. The color as it pours is a dark copper, with an off-white head. The hops lend a grapefruitiness to the mix, with a bit of orange as well. Strong, but smooth. Thumbs up.

Goose Island 2012 Christmas Ale

Like last year, Goose Island's 2012 Christmas Ale is an American Brown Ale. Pours a hazy brown with a fast disappearing tan head, sweet malts march out in front, reminiscent of a lower ABV (7.3%) barleywine in some respects. I'm catching some brown sugar, maple along with some black cherry balancing the citrus and pine from the hops. Lighter than I expected, a perfect complement to a Christmas Eve celebration.

Here's the 2011 review for comparison: http://ill-gottenbooty.blogspot.com/2011/12/goose-island-christmas-ale-2011.html

Powder Hound Winter Ale

Another offering from my friends at Big Sky Brewing of Missoula Montana. Pours orange-amber with a three-finger head that stands up after five minutes. The texture is similar to a porter, thick and creamy, but even with eyes closed, the citrus from the hops belies the porter connection. No spices that I can detect; did they just take a regular amber ale and slap a "winter ale" label on it? Who can say. Not a bad option for the porter-phobic among us.

Moos Joos Oatmeal Milk Stout

Found a new one! Yay! Moos Joos, brewed by Brau Brothers out of Lucan Minnesota (http://braubeer.com/) this Oatmeal Milk Stout pours a deep, deep, brown, almost black with a head that never did appear, even though I poured straight down the middle. Waves of milk chocolate and coffee, leavened with caramel and toffee. Sweet, as you'd expect from a milk stout with the backbone of a typical oatmeal stout. More carbonated than your usual stout. About halfway through, dark fruits - figs, raisins and plums start to appear as if by magic...visions of sugar plums dancin' in your head! Enjoy one...or two...happy winter!

Snow Day Winter Ale by New Belgium

First off, much darker than I expected, holding it up to the light I absolutely cannot see through it. Despite the color, it's not at all heavy and has a distinct hop bite. The first flavor that peaks out at us is caramel, and then the telltale taste of wheat (I looked it up, it is a wheat beer). I kept waiting for some spices, but apparently there aren't any. I'd classify Snow Day more as an IPA than a winter warmer, but that 6.2% ABV does keep one warm!

A few additions to last year: not sure if it's the same recipe, but I'm getting some coffee & chocolate this time a round and a little bit less hoppiness. All in all, a fine winter ale. 

Pyramid Snow Cap Winter Warmer

Pours a deep mahogany with a generous but quickly dissipating head. Despite the dark color, it's not a porter, and has the lighter feel that is typical of the winter beers. Pretty hefty hop bite, but nicely balanced by the chocolate and caramel malts. there are some spices - maybe nutmeg and cinnamon in there, but very subtle, not at all clamoring for attention. Good representation of the style.

Sam Adams White Christmas

Cracked into the Sam Adams Winter Classics variety 12 pack tonight (actually technically I didn't buy the 12 pack, but got this cute little guy as part of a mixed seasonal six pack) - White Christmas is the newbie in the mix and it's a winner. This might be a good one for some of my loved ones who are leery of dark beers. It poured the color of ripe pineapple with the aroma and taste of orange peel very prominent, with cinnamon, nutmeg and some cloves hovering in the background. It's an unfiltered wheat, so some of the typical 'wheatiness' is evident, along with a weizbier's bubblegum and banana notes. While there are many, many seasonals that it is my duty to sample these next three months, I will definitely be purchasing some more of these.

Sierra Nevada Narwhal Imperial Stout

Sierra Nevada knows how to brew black ales. I stuck a spoon in it and couldn't see the spoon! No head other than a token layer of mocha foam, and zero carbonation. Aroma and taste of dark chocolate and dark roasted coffee. A lot creamier than I expected, and sweet - not at all dry or bitter. No alcohol heat from the 10+% ABV, but a whiskey-like kick after the first third is consumed. A little bit o' smokiness and some figs on the back end. Without a doubt a great beer for the dark months ahead.

Sierra Nevada Oatmeal Stout (Beer Camp #45)

The color of a black hole; no light can escape, with dark brown 1/2 finger head on it. Lots of stuff going on: espresso coffee, chocolate, hazel nuts, with the oatmeal lending a heavy, creamy consistency to it - like drinking a liquid fudge brownie. Great for after dinner or with some heavy deserts like New York style cheese cake or triple chocolate brownies. No discernible heat despite the 9+% ABV. Great for those cold Nebraska winter nights.

Sierra Nevada Imperial Red (Beer Camp #65)

Imperial Red - kind of a cross between a double IPA and an Irish Red. Pours the color of an old penny with a three-finger tan head. Lots of citrus and pine in the hop profile with an infusion of sweet maltiness. Peach and tangerine make appearances and (perhaps because I read it on the label first...a no-no!) cantaloupe! Some brown sugar on the back of the tongue. This is a complex yet very drinkable beer. The 8% ABV adds a little heat, but not overmuch. So far this has been the best of the bunch. I would recommend to anyone. A fine Fall beer to enjoy on a cool October night.

Sierra Nevada Floral IPA (Beer Camp #53)

Pours the color of honey, with a fast-receding fluffy white head. Typical IPA hop profile - piney/grapefuity, with a little something extra (must be the "floral"). I can almost detect some rose in the flavor/aroma mix in there with everything else. Very dry. Nothing really wrong with it, but it's not pushing any buttons with me.

I waited a day and then had a second one. Here's some free advice - don't drink a beer right after brushing your teeth! Had one with some smoked pineapple brats and onion with BBQ sauce and Floral IPA was just right. Enough of a zing and a zip to keep up with the Devil's Spit and enough sweetness from the floral notes to make it interesting. Yeah...always go back for seconds!

Sierra Nevada Imperial Pilsner (Beer Camp #43)

Beer camp! What an idea! Sierra Nevada collects some of the best of their beer camp creations for a variety 12 pack each year; this is the first year that I've seen it available in Lincoln. My first selection was the Imperial Pilsner. I had expected a higher ABV with the appellation "Imperial", but it clocks in at 5.6%. Pours a slightly cloudy golden hue, with a medium white head. Good representation of the Pilsner style - not too hoppy, light, crisp and refreshing. Although I said not too hoppy, but the hops are still there - a little bit piney with some lemon notes. A smidgen of spiciness and some tart sweetness at the back of the tongue. Interesting concept, interesting beer.

Ska Brewing Seasonal Autumnal Molé Stout

With the Mayan calendar running out of pages we're starting to see Mayan or end-of-the-world themed  beers. So even though it's not yet officially stout season on the Ill-Gotten Booty Beer Calendar I thought I should give this ugly-canned brew a try. To start off, it's dark, I mean really, really, really dark! Pretty tall head that disappeared almost immediately.   Lots of chocolate, but balanced well by the peppers - and "balanced" is the key word, nothings beating you over the head; everything blends together in a pleasing manner.

Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest

After trying so many beers, sometimes it's difficult to find a new one (at least one that doesn't cost $30 for a half liter!) but I spotted this bottle of Hacker-Pschorr Oktoberfest in a seasonal display the other day. The color is a medium amber, very clear with a minimal tan head that recedes leaving some lacing. First sip revealed a little of the distinctive...well, let's just call it skunkiness...that you often find with German and Dutch beers. That aspect faded after a while and what was left was a malty brew with bready notes that was light and refreshing. As it went down I noted some maple on the back of the tongue, but otherwise pretty straightforward.

He'Brew Bittersweet Lenny Rye I.P.A.

Named in honor of trailblazing comedian Lenny Bruce, this spectacular beverage is an Indian Pale Ale made with rye malts and aged in rye whiskey barrels. Poured the color of a slightly worn copper penny, with the head taking up the whole glass and retreating gradually like a slow-motion reverse waterfall. Super-sweet caramel juxtaposed with the heat of the 10% ABV assaults the nostrils and taste buds right off the bat.  Balancing a toastiness from the rye malts is an assertive citrussy-pine from the hops. Apricots, prunes and black cherries make an appearance later on. Like so many special edition crafts, this isn't your everyday-Husker-tailgate-party beer, but a brew to be savored and sipped to take in every nuance. Truly "The Chosen Beer".

Summit Oktoberfest

Medium-dark amber color, two-finger head. Sweet taste in the first few sips, some toasty maltiness as it went down. Maybe a little pumpernickel. Nothing out of the ordinary, but representative of the style, easily a 7.5 out of ten.

That was last year's review. I believe that they've tweaked the recipe since then. When I first tasted it tonight I thought: "Wow, that's the best Oktoberfest that I've had this season!" It seems to be more hoppy than last year, with some caramel as well. Good stuff; Summit is definitely inching onto the Can't-go-wrong-with list

Weyerbacher Seventeen

Every year Weyerbacher releases a special brew to celebrate their anniversary...and obviously this is the seventeenth! Every year it's different and it's a surprise that I look forward to. This year we get a Saison brewed with spices. It poured a deep ripe apricot color with all manner of tastes and aromas swirling around: apples, peaches, pears, orange peel, and even a little pepper. 10.5% ABV, but not overwhelming, sweetly smooth. Looking for more on the backside, I'm getting a little over-ripe banana soaked in whiskey. Heavy, thick mouthfeel, nice end-of-the-day beverage.

Sága IPA

Another gift from one of my favorite craft beer reps, Sága is named after the Norse Goddess Sága who was (Summit says) the drinking companion of Odin. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/S%C3%A1ga_and_S%C3%B6kkvabekkr ) Okey-Dokey; whatever the reason for the name (and what better name for an ale than that of a goddess?) this is a fine IPA. It pours a peach color with a white head that you could walk across without sinking. Grapefruit and pine tickle the tongue right off the bat...but wait - there's more~! Tropical fruits, including pineapple and mango cavort across the taste buds and excite the senses as the hop bitterness gives Sága a kick and a half. Recommended for newly minted IPA fans like John Joyce.

Velvet Rooster from Tallgrass

Another goofy-looking can with a tasty beer inside! Billed as a Belgian Trippel - you can detect the smooth taste of the Belgian yeast, but it's almost like a cross between a Belgian and a pale ale. I mean, you can feel the extra alcohol (8.5%) - but there's not the extra taste that one might expect from a Trippel. Okay, despite all my caveats, this is a pretty good beer. Even if it does come in a foo-foo can.

8-Bit Pale Ale

According to the Tallgrass website, 8-Bit is "hop rocketed" - extra hops are infused at the end of the brewing cycle. You definitely get smacked in the mouth by the hops - Australian Galaxy hops according to their press release - but there is some more going on than just hops. 8-Bit's appearance is middle-of-the-road average, and orange-to-golden hue with a medium white head that recedes quickly to leave lacing all over the glass. Kind of heavy, despite the light coloring. There are some notes of citrus fruits and mangoes. The malt side is kind of biscuity, with a dryness that you might expect from a pale ale. Overall a pretty solid offering. Make sure it's ice cold - I found the taste more appealing in the lower temps.

Empyrean Ales' Aries Märzen Oktoberfest

Replacing the Fallfest Ale of previous years, this year's fall seasonal from Empyrean is a true Oktoberfest; in other words it's a lager, cold fermented and stored cold from March until now. In fact, that's what Märzen means: "March". Traditionally brewed and stored in March and sprung upon an unsuspecting world from August to October. Pouring a beautiful deep copper color, with a frothy caramel hued head, there's some complexity happenin' here. Definitely some hoppiness at the back of the tongue, with some breadiness and a toasted malt aftertaste. Spicier than the Sam Adams, but a fine example of the style. Who who wouldn't want a beer that has a flaming ram's skull on the label.

Boulevard 80-Acre Hoppy Wheat Beer

Had a couple of these down at O'Rourke's this afternoon and was impressed to say the least. 80-Acre poured a hazy pale yellow, with a tall white head. Immediately a flurry of aromas tickled my nostrils: mango, apricot, pear, green apple and the obligatory pine. Much sweeter than I expected, but balanced by the sting of the hops. Citrussy as I approached the bottom of the glass. If you like hops, if you like wheats, heck if you like beer, grab yourself a six-pack today!

Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale

Light orange in color, minimal head, smells and tastes like pumpkin pie and nutmeg. Some cinnamon as well. Good choice for a Halloween party, but not so much of an everyday beer.

Sam Adams Thirteenth Hour Belgian Stout Aged in Oak Barrels

The Barrel Room series ( 3/4 of it anyway) finally made it to Nebraska! Cracked open the first one for the August Joyce Family Dinner was Thirteenth Hour, a Belgian Stout. It poured a deep, dark brown, with a tall frothy tan head, and surprisingly heavily carbonated. Not nearly as thick and creamy as one might expect from a stout, but with a complex taste nonetheless. All kinds of fun secondary flavors fighting for attention from chocolate and coffee to licorice and black cherries. Figs, plums and raisins make an appearance as it warms up. Definitely a special occasion sippin' ale.

Sam Adams Barrel Room Series

Coming soon to IGB Beer Reviews!

http://www.samueladams.com/beers/thirteenth-hour/

http://www.samueladams.com/beers/new-world/

1800 Big Log Wheat from Blue Blood Brewing

Donated by the new kid on the block, Brian from Blue Blood Brewing, because he knows I'll tell people about it! Brewed especially for "The Lodge" at Wilderness Ridge (where I just officiated at a wedding) Pours a hazy golden apricot hue with a tall, tall snowy white head. Lots of depth in this summery brew. Tangy hints of orange and lemon peel and a little nutmeggy spice sneaking in the back door. Most importantly, a full-on wheat taste reminiscent of a fine hefeweizen.

Tommyknocker Small Patch Pumpkin Harvest Ale

Pours a dark brown, kind of like a porter in hue, rich brown head. The pumpkin taste is somewhat subdued, but tasty. Up there with the Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin.  Chocolate malts give the ale some character and some subtle molasses rounds it all out.

Sam Adams Harvest Pumpkin Ale

Looks good: nice head, mahogany brown color, spicy aroma. Tastes pretty good too, although like with all flavored brews, the pumpkin kind of overwhelms the "real" flavor of the malt & hops. In addition to the pumpkin it tastes like they threw some nutmeg and cinnamon in there too. Pretty drinkable, a fun beer for the upcoming Autumn season

Sam Adams Dunkelweizen

Another offering from the Harvest Collection, Dunkelweizen is definitely a Fall beer. A huge head when pouring, copper colored with a caramel tinted head. Initially a hoppy taste, with a hint of banana in the aftertaste, maybe a tad bit of cloves. Good balance between maltiness and hoppiness. (I believe that I may have made up two words there.) The clove taste gets stronger the more you drink, the banana less evident.