tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-31774200677504214532024-02-02T05:43:27.487-08:00Ill-Gotten Booty Beer ReviewsA Blog Devoted to the Enjoyment of BeerTom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.comBlogger1022125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-76371680897615572812023-02-18T19:24:00.001-08:002023-02-18T19:24:10.189-08:00Guinness Zero<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHB0c2wFcbQnlq22_muWtjzOEoK60xGmxquHqEs1LlnM5kjppYos0tGdPpxq7rRIQZb0jaU7xQUnXSwe5uGRuqZeAPdyS1c_T80DqkhWVqufOV3aUGvNXnuv-83gDT6X9rrxO39fXhx68ynqmyeGtn2LQq9e7lGfwx7FtQYPoMQ9320j_R8YXAl3JO/s1147/guinness-0-0.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="765" data-original-width="1147" height="213" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhHB0c2wFcbQnlq22_muWtjzOEoK60xGmxquHqEs1LlnM5kjppYos0tGdPpxq7rRIQZb0jaU7xQUnXSwe5uGRuqZeAPdyS1c_T80DqkhWVqufOV3aUGvNXnuv-83gDT6X9rrxO39fXhx68ynqmyeGtn2LQq9e7lGfwx7FtQYPoMQ9320j_R8YXAl3JO/s320/guinness-0-0.jpg" width="320" /></a></div>Yesterday marked five months sober for me. I've gone that long without drinking alcohol before, but always with the intention of starting up again, which is not now the case. In honor of this milestone, I'll be opening up the Ill-Gotten Booty Beer Reviews shop, dusty off the shelves and cleaning the cobwebs and reviewing NAs.<p></p><p>My first will be Guinness Zero. </p><p>Guinness has never been my favorite stout. I thought that American craft brewers had done a great job with various sub-styles of stouts: milk stouts, porters, Imperials, Baltics, sweet stouts. But when I went NA shopping the other day, Guinness was the only NA stout available. It's a little thinner than I'd want a stout to be, but Guinness from a can was never as heaty as draft Guinness anyway. It pours a deep, dark, almost black. The tan head starts off about three fingers. It's sweeter than I expected, with subdued notes of caramel and toffee, with more evident suggestions of coffee and dark chocolate. If it weren't for the fact that I'm not getting any kind of buzz I wouldn't know it was non-alcoholic. <br /> </p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-34015896708261768622022-05-15T12:10:00.002-07:002022-05-15T12:10:31.364-07:00Odell Mountain Standard IPA<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBbzGLKGJzikgNsvEhT5NUqVzhp6FQQE8FPsYfybRp0r_LILUgIr0YqejZbc_HdKej4dT5Ooijn9g3HghfA0J_CuElyoi2ArM_aMjvkv-JObpGstwNMGusRke4nMDZ5ObqAXULH44yGVIdge2U9cBGroVU9YB4KgfuYm6b_UsaA0_HD5qhX3ye74X-/s720/Odell%20Mtn%20Standard.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiBbzGLKGJzikgNsvEhT5NUqVzhp6FQQE8FPsYfybRp0r_LILUgIr0YqejZbc_HdKej4dT5Ooijn9g3HghfA0J_CuElyoi2ArM_aMjvkv-JObpGstwNMGusRke4nMDZ5ObqAXULH44yGVIdge2U9cBGroVU9YB4KgfuYm6b_UsaA0_HD5qhX3ye74X-/s320/Odell%20Mtn%20Standard.png" width="320" /></a></div>Mountain Style IPA? I tried to look it up and apparently it's something Odell, a Colorado brewery, made up. Anyway, <i>Mountain Standard IPA</i> pours a hazy lemonade-y hue, with a fluffy, two-finger bright white head. According to their website, their goal was to produce favor notes without adding an adjuncts or fruit. They say they achieve this by "triple hopping", which is when you add different types of hops during different stages of the brewing process. At 39 IBUs, it's not especially bitter, but there is evidence of different hop varieties, piney, grapefruit-y; tropical fruits; citrus, caramel and some breadiness. A little bit or orange peel and lemon zest too. Well balanced. An easy 9 on the IGB IPA scale. <br /> <p></p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-22063412474814481772022-05-06T17:18:00.005-07:002022-05-06T17:18:56.770-07:00Odell Sippin' Pretty Fruited Sour<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRSNtiAfg0lLnfntBwh4oHP6y7rRXJdSI3JT4z83Q2nsXxxCyG3PQ2XL4C9y2FNkCKtoiE5YGO80ptLOhKYgPZJ0GUF5XrErBZEBJfSSJfdqVHm45Mg9NJoPCAugk8mshS02vxz1tZv0Vz4IQP_YD09CO9n5_geh9aY33khJXilyIPYTmKR1TSjU-/s720/Odell%20Sippin-Pretty-Hero.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgIRSNtiAfg0lLnfntBwh4oHP6y7rRXJdSI3JT4z83Q2nsXxxCyG3PQ2XL4C9y2FNkCKtoiE5YGO80ptLOhKYgPZJ0GUF5XrErBZEBJfSSJfdqVHm45Mg9NJoPCAugk8mshS02vxz1tZv0Vz4IQP_YD09CO9n5_geh9aY33khJXilyIPYTmKR1TSjU-/s320/Odell%20Sippin-Pretty-Hero.png" width="320" /></a></div>When I used to frequent Yia-Yia's a few years ago I would receive a warning whenever I ordered a sour beer: "That's a <u style="font-style: italic;">sour</u>, you know!" I always knew.<p></p><p>Whenever I'm asked what my favorite beer styles are I can never narrow it down. Some styles I favor in the Winter months - winter warmers, stouts and porters, quads and bourbon barrel-aged ales of all descriptions; in the Spring I pick up some bocks and IPAs; in the Autumn I start looking for Oktoberfests and pumpkin ales; Summer is for Kölsches, Altbiers, shandies and sours. </p><p>There are various styles of sours, some mildly tangy while others are super sour. The traditional method of brewing sour beers involved months-long processes, including the use of "wild" yeast; kettle brewing is a speeded up method, ostensibly to meet the demand, presumably without the use of wild yeast. <u style="font-style: italic;">Sippin' Pretty</u> is a kettle brewed sour with açaí, guava and elderberry added for extra flavor. It pours a grapefruit pink with a pale pink head. All of the advertised flavors are there. Two of them anyway - I really don't know what elderberry tastes like! The tartness level is around a 4 on a scale of 10. Not much else to say, other than they claim to include Himalayan sea salt (although I don't believe that the Himalayas are near he sea), but I really can't detect any saltiness. (Note - the <i>Gose</i> style of sours contains sea salt). All in all, a refreshing brew, but there <u style="font-style: italic;">are</u> better sours out there,</p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-2982161308781715692022-04-29T17:51:00.001-07:002022-04-29T17:51:01.989-07:00Odell Wolf Picker Experimental IPA<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs1Uq_kWQa1IjbA2yIkatSRMiEla74HN7aOMFQ-2VJbpQ6uUCeCNakrlOjIF9kTvGZyqjjhG15E-ejLzcvAT_Bvy1_SyFZlokvcwJ4fbl2F8mbLWBwrM-hLqtBmmh862liHO3Q9RcZRqFlLCp997phNCwKXoSHlCBQGFMZGOaVyXl4p2UB6hycAy7U/s720/Odell%20Wolf-Picker-Hero.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="720" data-original-width="720" height="253" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgs1Uq_kWQa1IjbA2yIkatSRMiEla74HN7aOMFQ-2VJbpQ6uUCeCNakrlOjIF9kTvGZyqjjhG15E-ejLzcvAT_Bvy1_SyFZlokvcwJ4fbl2F8mbLWBwrM-hLqtBmmh862liHO3Q9RcZRqFlLCp997phNCwKXoSHlCBQGFMZGOaVyXl4p2UB6hycAy7U/w253-h253/Odell%20Wolf-Picker-Hero.png" width="253" /></a></div>The name <i>Wolf Picker</i> comes from a harvesting rig, not from somebody who picked at wolves, or a judge in a wolf beauty contest, or someone who does wolf tattoos. Apparently every year the <i>Wolf Picker</i> features a different strain of hops. <p></p><p><i>Wolf Picker IPA</i> pours a slightly hazy golden hue, with a towering four-finger head. Although the IBU count is a conservative 41, it tastes like it should be higher. Interesting mixture of grapefruit and pine notes. Other than those two, there are hints of lemon grass, coriander, and some floral & tropical fruit notes, all very subdued. This is what you want - nothing overwhelming anything else, no added fruit flavors - everything that you taste coming from the hops and the malt. I'd seriously recommend if you like to be able to taste your IPAs and not be drowned in bitterness. <br /> </p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-55099821093797166322022-04-28T16:40:00.002-07:002022-04-28T16:40:47.819-07:00Odell 90 Shilling Amber Ale<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje0jl7s-ax0_w29vC8OE9wc5orJG15FtEzXdGoXhLGkLJ9QfBx9wR_4hKhXiAGHwK5LMj6OYvzmf1wZNnzauNEUbdyjp7DHuJZpAiYlcgpD6aj24HSzkLtzUi_Tzw-z09eX1dhx9IO_x1zZzL-A3NQ2S8_BiaYYstoFo0FID5QBtTjyMDF3uOReQOP/s800/Odell90%20Shilling.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="800" data-original-width="800" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEje0jl7s-ax0_w29vC8OE9wc5orJG15FtEzXdGoXhLGkLJ9QfBx9wR_4hKhXiAGHwK5LMj6OYvzmf1wZNnzauNEUbdyjp7DHuJZpAiYlcgpD6aj24HSzkLtzUi_Tzw-z09eX1dhx9IO_x1zZzL-A3NQ2S8_BiaYYstoFo0FID5QBtTjyMDF3uOReQOP/s320/Odell90%20Shilling.png" width="320" /></a></div><br /> I picked up an Odell's variety 12 pack today, it looks like I may have had, once upon a time, three of the four, but I'm going to review them again since it's been over 10 years. <p></p><p><i>90 Shilling</i> is an amber ale. Amber ales are kind of the middle-of-the-road work horses of the ale world, nothing fancy, no crazy flavorings or over-the-moon hoppiness. <i>90 Shilling</i> pours a clear copper hue, with a thin beige head that dissipates pretty quickly. The ABV is 5.3%, which means it's not going to kill you, with 32 IBUs, which means you'll still have enamel on your teeth after a can or two. At one time Odell's called it a Scottish Ale, but in my view, amber ale describes it better, as Scottish Ales tend to be heavier with a smoky quality that this beer lacks. </p><p>Caramel and pumpernickel bread are the prevailing flavors, yet they don't overwhelm. I think I'm detecting teeny bit of coriander and honey as well. Pretty decent ale, especially if you like to keep it simple. </p><p><br /></p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-42821284367103929892022-01-28T19:14:00.002-08:002022-01-28T19:14:52.296-08:00Brewdog Double Punk Imperial IPA<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh91hFVoUUHP-mByjYTAuGd_BUOXY-SlkJPHmvp3wMHrCebNtyUcCKQf69hIEssZ-AhcGteCc0YQGOzAMULrOSMeiFlrNg3yv8dKmajNNt7tw4bYiPDKcRC1sB7qKQSIm6TVoDQ29dDlsTojCg54czZEeWcfVxpgEsdlwSuGBG8r05bdJRWggW98lrH=s540" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="540" data-original-width="540" height="267" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh91hFVoUUHP-mByjYTAuGd_BUOXY-SlkJPHmvp3wMHrCebNtyUcCKQf69hIEssZ-AhcGteCc0YQGOzAMULrOSMeiFlrNg3yv8dKmajNNt7tw4bYiPDKcRC1sB7qKQSIm6TVoDQ29dDlsTojCg54czZEeWcfVxpgEsdlwSuGBG8r05bdJRWggW98lrH=w267-h267" width="267" /></a></div>I'm almost through the Brewdog Winter Variety 12 pack - it's now time for an Imperial IPA! <i>Double Punk</i> clocks in at 8.5% ABV, which, in my book, makes it just an IPA, not an Imperial - but since there's no actual rules about what brewers can call their beers, we'll just live with it. Brewdog doesn't list their IBUs, so I don't know where this falls on the hoppiness scale, but it <u style="font-style: italic;">tastes</u> really hoppy. There's a strong pine taste to the hops, along with some hints of grapefruit and lemon. I'm also getting a bit of breadiness, and some light caramel as well. I neglected to mention that it pours a ripe pineapple hue, with a bright white two-finger head! <br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><br /></div><br /> <p></p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-75882872258952800112022-01-22T16:53:00.003-08:002022-01-22T16:53:23.918-08:00Brew Dog Jet Black Heart Vanilla Oatmeal Milk Stout<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdf1K0F7Jyi2sE6gHbd4dbzPiiQ0kpwDvOjDfjqMZboZz_u_gnNCJH2af-aYFk9sj2o6jMJE4r-lDcbxyq-LUUsXPT7SKpKdF4xNRh1vsW0N8rADRaD7JkiaiSMmGo_OSRcm8qzzM8INNX4d2ToqS-1pqd8dG9sC6_klVvp8j1YYauwRHTK7stwqFD=s1200" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjdf1K0F7Jyi2sE6gHbd4dbzPiiQ0kpwDvOjDfjqMZboZz_u_gnNCJH2af-aYFk9sj2o6jMJE4r-lDcbxyq-LUUsXPT7SKpKdF4xNRh1vsW0N8rADRaD7JkiaiSMmGo_OSRcm8qzzM8INNX4d2ToqS-1pqd8dG9sC6_klVvp8j1YYauwRHTK7stwqFD=s320" width="256" /></a></div> Ill-Gotten Booty has been on a little break from beer since New Year's Eve Eve's overindulgence at the Shithook show, but he's back with yet another from the Brewdog Winter variety 12-pack. An earlier beer in the <i>Jet Black Heart </i>series, the espresso version, was reviewed about six weeks ago. <i>Jet Black Heart </i><u style="font-weight: bold;">Vanilla</u> <i>Oatmeal Milk Stout</i> is just as good as its sibling. It poured out of the can like a chocolate milkshake, the reverse waterfall effect gradually receding to a jet-black (naturally) brew with a frothy tan two-finger head. The consistency is like liquid velvet. Of course there's vanilla, but not overwhelming at all. The overall impression is that of chocolate milk, with some mild coffee notes. Minor notes of dark fruit, brown sugar and caramel are along for the ride. The IGB score? 9.0 on the milk stout scale!<br /><p></p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-1087560787993685402021-12-19T12:06:00.002-08:002021-12-19T12:06:22.703-08:00Brewdog Elvis Juice Grapefruit Infused IPA<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJFce6Z16GwZWIQP94QAl9vIhMOIHyteKUPKuV6r6NMJnVVyvXwr5uUxfE-BlQGve-S7AHDvFhSgpK0xM5hLDbw5n-q2xR-fufxgvKdCCDdl8b8VMRirSUkzlOdDQER8QgpVXp2qXy5zuSw2jWEk4GwHPo5WDRzaXU0_kknDTeWiL8DHTueui0CiXl=s560" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="560" data-original-width="448" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjJFce6Z16GwZWIQP94QAl9vIhMOIHyteKUPKuV6r6NMJnVVyvXwr5uUxfE-BlQGve-S7AHDvFhSgpK0xM5hLDbw5n-q2xR-fufxgvKdCCDdl8b8VMRirSUkzlOdDQER8QgpVXp2qXy5zuSw2jWEk4GwHPo5WDRzaXU0_kknDTeWiL8DHTueui0CiXl=s320" width="256" /></a></div>No disrespect to the Brewdog brewmasters, but there's not a lot of variety in this variety pack. The way I envision a variety is different <i>styles</i> of beer, not just seven IPAs with different fruit flavors added.<p></p><p>Sorry, all that I can say about this beer is:</p><p>"Same as the other IPAs I reviewed, this time with grapefruit and no cranberry"</p><p><br /> </p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-31564193208451395872021-12-18T18:08:00.000-08:002021-12-18T18:08:05.558-08:00Brewdog Double Cake<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-dz_HMcxpuz7ppvtUMxswBkhK92UsSDQ-J35nbdcOSESLEGRlmBcmdWa0Pd1WJTS1ZsfIF8kCg6wveVLDIxn-wwwq8cwB7OkjGnorwZ4JNL9f3E_ez9DFcYiDxuqoVOyo4aPMEXQ9CAPw9gzyvQ7Qk8jMq67NS0hZA4tNdVDrdzfAzbNdCHSS0xUP=s300" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="300" data-original-width="240" height="300" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEh-dz_HMcxpuz7ppvtUMxswBkhK92UsSDQ-J35nbdcOSESLEGRlmBcmdWa0Pd1WJTS1ZsfIF8kCg6wveVLDIxn-wwwq8cwB7OkjGnorwZ4JNL9f3E_ez9DFcYiDxuqoVOyo4aPMEXQ9CAPw9gzyvQ7Qk8jMq67NS0hZA4tNdVDrdzfAzbNdCHSS0xUP" width="240" /></a></div>Ill-Gotten Booty has mixed feelings about adding flavorings to beers. On one hand, the right combination of malts and hops can unleash a myriad of flavor profiles without adding anything; on the other hand, some flavors add to certain styles resulting in a total that is greater than the sum of its parts. Stouts and porters are often enhanced by the addition of chocolate, vanilla or coffee. <i>Double Cake</i> has added marshmallow and chocolate to their very fine stout and it's a winner! <i>Double Cake </i>pours a midnight back with some scarlet highlights, with a reverse waterfall resolving itself into a three-finger khaki head. The chocolate and marshmallow flavors are there, but rather than distracting from the stoutness of the stout, they, as the man said "kicked it up a notch". In addition to the added flavors, the stout boasts notes of vanilla and coffee, with the marshmallow imparting a smooth creaminess. 8/10 on the IGB stout scale. <br /> <p></p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-34706764517225140212021-12-17T19:51:00.003-08:002021-12-17T19:51:35.789-08:00Brewdog Hellcat India Pale Lager (Collaboration with Iron Maiden's Bruce Dickinson)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjakuUHWGXqreKKsHUA0Hm6cz-gvzvJGHLCCssiCpSALKSU3E_d5KNMDaXkRDvCXzxQXH0UOrtYWTR8YsgjXcl1qhOgAV_B9PYkXOczYoQk4kcjC0FEVDFHuTlv823WhDkOVMWpkDvQ4BcxlLhlpBF8w62f1veAGklmSPsMDGMdvwRkz6T1lcmllI_A=s1200" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjakuUHWGXqreKKsHUA0Hm6cz-gvzvJGHLCCssiCpSALKSU3E_d5KNMDaXkRDvCXzxQXH0UOrtYWTR8YsgjXcl1qhOgAV_B9PYkXOczYoQk4kcjC0FEVDFHuTlv823WhDkOVMWpkDvQ4BcxlLhlpBF8w62f1veAGklmSPsMDGMdvwRkz6T1lcmllI_A=s320" width="256" /></a></div><br /> Previously unbeknownst to me Iron Maiden vocalist Bruce Dickinson is a beer aficionado who has partners with numerous craft breweries to produce the "Trooper" family of beers. (Photo below).<p></p><p><i>Hellcat</i> is styled an India Pale Lager (IPL), which I can only assume, is an attempt to cash in on the popularity of IPAs while brewing a lager. The reading I did on the IPL style indicates that it's pretty new, so there are no real guidelines as to what makes an IPL. They're apparently brewed using lager yeast, which is typically cold/bottom fermenting, so I'm not sure how they tease the esters out of the malt that normally come out with the higher temp top fermenting yeasts. Research for another day I guess. Mainly what they're going for is a marriage of the crisp, cleanness of a lager with the hoppiness of an IPA. I didn't think <i>Hellcat</i> was especially hoppy (Brewdog doesn't list the IBUs of their beers), but it did have some complexity not normally found in lagers. It reminded me of a <i>helles</i> style, with some floral and strawberry notes. Maybe a hint of pineapple. Somewhat unexpected - I would need another to really appreciate it, but the 12 pack only had one<br /></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDth6W5vuvWo6tsTpMz2rTHD7Sj27cgxClfti-fOZ-VKo29EZzdC5_-UBk2nPMOqy0CRK_03FbvRd1sCic9VnzcYLVouR5KmkgC_cryBIQflPyc6a_xjZ_GXmk78zd4TzP1k7OVe9o1r_VytTlJ6bZ-o6DUkayHFl8T1Xrj23qpTRNf8MGo2bFWm95=s1820" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="689" data-original-width="1820" height="121" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEiDth6W5vuvWo6tsTpMz2rTHD7Sj27cgxClfti-fOZ-VKo29EZzdC5_-UBk2nPMOqy0CRK_03FbvRd1sCic9VnzcYLVouR5KmkgC_cryBIQflPyc6a_xjZ_GXmk78zd4TzP1k7OVe9o1r_VytTlJ6bZ-o6DUkayHFl8T1Xrj23qpTRNf8MGo2bFWm95=s320" width="320" /></a></div><br /> <p></p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-57403779668738245752021-12-12T12:21:00.001-08:002021-12-12T12:21:53.649-08:00Brewdog Light Speed Hazy IPA<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1jV67fQVzkGFPEYFdN2eh2WhXRiRpHMON4g2Z8-B9clIRANeEXUgJMMcJgna7vSaF7cFjW_U1qL_TRRTMRida9BkD2qm_DXIAxg6eK6Tc7U0ScijWpw7vpSD5qCi2oiyS0tNloyfpJWUOBaIsHATO1uA6k4QeoIukCSptgcX-WKXFxoXSdm2JLIPC=s1200" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEi1jV67fQVzkGFPEYFdN2eh2WhXRiRpHMON4g2Z8-B9clIRANeEXUgJMMcJgna7vSaF7cFjW_U1qL_TRRTMRida9BkD2qm_DXIAxg6eK6Tc7U0ScijWpw7vpSD5qCi2oiyS0tNloyfpJWUOBaIsHATO1uA6k4QeoIukCSptgcX-WKXFxoXSdm2JLIPC=s320" width="256" /></a></div>There's not too many craft or micro breweries that brew light beer, but here we are. <i>Light Speed</i> pours a brilliant lemon yellow with a snow white, two-finger head. At 4.0% ABV, it sessionable for sure, but like many of Brewdog's beers, I can't find the IBUs anywhere. I'm detecting <i>some</i> grapefruity hoppiness, but I think despite them calling it an IPA, it's more like a pale ale. I've often commented how "IPA" being so popular among craft beer geeks and hipster types, just about everything gets labelled an IPA, whether or not it warrants the appellation. There are no flavors added, but the hops impart notes of grapefruit, mango, pineapple, and most prominently, lemon(ade). Pretty decent. <br /> <p></p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-91810307463669291652021-12-11T18:46:00.005-08:002021-12-11T18:46:24.052-08:00Brewdog Santa Paws Cranberry & Grapefruit IPA<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYJfbiegNBTtlXzVER5tYL4S0zOz0JKUAWgit6Cv9uOrJj6xTm02b5SICdH0OxL7OmzLt3M6A-ybQ_ultq2Q_cgdXilB0MA-RnDVCRV32JkZGlIxROPFvU7-UH3TEXMhoIwPoeelSxA2T-cKLaNShKoRIRvJnY4qHJaZiRCB2zs0pNWMePgMMkrPKG=s1080" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYJfbiegNBTtlXzVER5tYL4S0zOz0JKUAWgit6Cv9uOrJj6xTm02b5SICdH0OxL7OmzLt3M6A-ybQ_ultq2Q_cgdXilB0MA-RnDVCRV32JkZGlIxROPFvU7-UH3TEXMhoIwPoeelSxA2T-cKLaNShKoRIRvJnY4qHJaZiRCB2zs0pNWMePgMMkrPKG=s320" width="320" /></a></div>Number 4 of 12 in the Brewdog Holiday Variety Pack. Unless most variety 12 packs that offer at most 6 different beers, Brewdog includes 12 different beers in their holiday selection. Tonight's special will be <i>Santa Paws</i>, a IPA made with grapefruit and cranberry. Not everything in this 12 pack could be classified specifically as "holiday", "Christmas" or "Winter", but in my opinion, <i>Santa Paws</i> fits the description. <i>Santa Paws</i> pours a hazy ripe apricot hue, with a two-finger white head, its 6.5% ABV puts it in the range for an American IPA, but I couldn't find any reference to the IBUs, although if I had to guess, I would put it in the 45-55 range. It's hoppy enough, but the fruit flavoring hides the bitterness somewhat. The cranberry gives it that holiday feel, balanced perfectly by the citrus bite of the grapefruit. Not earth-shaking, but a solid representative of the IPA style. <br /> <p></p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-41720074878513872132021-12-10T19:00:00.000-08:002021-12-10T19:00:07.774-08:00Brewdog Hoppy Christmas IPA<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYknLx7BvZJq25ChC7G64TxTgv6ULpZAWji0xz9qUvBaN-aivjjneLOSuse85Mdem-SNrpWT0ve4Fbk6xO3_nN4abn36SwRXzMjAYBTvtSckvEP0syVouY9Lgw7OMkdFDKBmzsAkeBZ6V3xyG1Ra6ikFvPcuRcNwFn4IOhLGdh_O2qAiI4EBPCoNOa=s1200" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1200" data-original-width="960" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/a/AVvXsEjYknLx7BvZJq25ChC7G64TxTgv6ULpZAWji0xz9qUvBaN-aivjjneLOSuse85Mdem-SNrpWT0ve4Fbk6xO3_nN4abn36SwRXzMjAYBTvtSckvEP0syVouY9Lgw7OMkdFDKBmzsAkeBZ6V3xyG1Ra6ikFvPcuRcNwFn4IOhLGdh_O2qAiI4EBPCoNOa=s320" width="256" /></a></div>This creators of this variety pack have proved to be hops enthusiasts! Tonight's selection is <i>Hoppy Christmas</i>, a "Christmas IPA". Now when I see a beer billed as a "Christmas" or a "Winter" ale, I expect there to be some kind of flavoring, usually spices of some description, but <i>Hoppy Christmas </i>is nothing of the sort, it's just a very, very hoppy India Pale Ale. And by very, very, hoppy, I mean 66 IBUs. It's also got an ABV of 6%. Now, don't think that the lack of added spices is a knock on this excellent brew, just that it's not what I expected - I suppose hops look a <i>little</i> like tiny Christmas trees, so I guess that's the connection...other than the holiday-themed label. Despite the absence of anything the <i>Reinheitsgebot</i> would disapprove of, there's a lot of complexity and shades of various flavors brought out by the malt and the hops. Pineapple, pine, apricot, lemon, grapefruit, tangerine, and orange peel. Even though the hoppiness is a robust 66 IBUs, it's not astringent or overpowering. Overall a pretty decent IPA, albeit without anything remotely Christmassy about it. <br /> <p></p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-17472524634126450292021-12-03T17:42:00.003-08:002021-12-05T07:46:42.017-08:00Brewdog Jet Black Heart Espresso Oatmeal Milk Stout <p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: justify;"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzC9HJWqkC6XlepO5lawkCHAhK2zJ8zQyErSSFhOsT5IAWx_Gv6ZFRFUVzY9daufQtgBtOifOLsgMZoOCWTiLE9krcvybI9YQwgXoERXJ0eR-aLwX5NsjZ0RkMQKxq8PSLMvRArYnaByU/s400/jet+black.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="400" data-original-width="352" height="237" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzC9HJWqkC6XlepO5lawkCHAhK2zJ8zQyErSSFhOsT5IAWx_Gv6ZFRFUVzY9daufQtgBtOifOLsgMZoOCWTiLE9krcvybI9YQwgXoERXJ0eR-aLwX5NsjZ0RkMQKxq8PSLMvRArYnaByU/w209-h237/jet+black.jpg" width="209" /></a></div><br />Beer #3 in the winter seasonal pack from Brewdog, tonight's offering is called <i>Jet Black Heart - Espresso; </i>it's a nitro oatmeal milk stout. It poured, just as the name implies, jet black, with what I call the reverse waterfall effect with the head taking up the whole glass, swirling around as it ebbs to a creamy, tan, two-finger head. The consistency is like chocolate milk, and there's a definite suggestion of chocolate milk in the mélange of flavors. Of course, again as the name indicates, there's a whiff of strong coffee. Not as obvious is the presence of notes of dark fruits: figs, dates, black cherries; and some brown sugar. This is without a doubt in the top tier of milk stouts - IGB gives it a 9.25 on the Stout Scale. </div><br /><br /></div><br /> <p></p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-28883275396490467582021-11-27T18:11:00.004-08:002021-11-27T18:11:38.366-08:00Brewdog Hazy Jane New England Style IPA<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwEu4gEk5bPcwWPRX54M73G4qejucsCZ7240dU7yTyIB-U4zsLQsS7BDeA9LeFbLF0I9ro7L6lG_T_tbDjv97dvG0hCPC8-3xbRJOHGlgZL_vIlKQUQGvQGfDnCfKpRj8RSEoRFxW2xxA/s251/hazy+jane+plain.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="251" data-original-width="201" height="251" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiwEu4gEk5bPcwWPRX54M73G4qejucsCZ7240dU7yTyIB-U4zsLQsS7BDeA9LeFbLF0I9ro7L6lG_T_tbDjv97dvG0hCPC8-3xbRJOHGlgZL_vIlKQUQGvQGfDnCfKpRj8RSEoRFxW2xxA/s0/hazy+jane+plain.jpg" width="201" /></a></div>For the second of twelve, I thought I go for the IPA <u style="font-style: italic;">without</u> the added fruit flavoring. I probably should have started off with this one, before sampling the mango or peach, just to get a good baseline, but time travel just is too energy intensive. <p></p><p>As advertised, <i>Hazy Jane</i> pours extremely...well...hazy. I dipped a toy hockey stick in it and could barely see it through all the cloudiness. It pours an apricot hue, with a fuzzy white three-finger head. Without the distraction of the added fruit flavor, the complexity comes through. Pineapple, apricot, citrus, tangerine. The hop character is piney, but not very bitter. It's also brewed with oats and wheat, although the ratio of those two grains to the total isn't specified, but oats tend to give a beer a creamier, heavier character. I wasn't overly impressed with the mango version, but my opinion of the underlying ale just went up after sampling this one. There's a Hazy Jane Peach to still try, but I'd gave the basic Hazy Jane an 8 on the IGB IPA scale. <br /> </p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-6684466829756334472021-11-27T13:20:00.003-08:002021-12-03T17:59:58.430-08:00Brewdog Hazy Jane Mango New England Style IPA<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkmnpJ1OODZuoA24s8V6Tgdh20KikrrhSOJHRQiWqPJUA1qyPS18juYzsU4Mj_AwGnarziC0TKlEa_JUtAVjxuYlz58winOSyExXpYG8nQT-OBL6bRp1sZIPGSZZx363RyQRADATJXSiM/s1080/brewdog+12+pack.png" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1080" data-original-width="1080" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhkmnpJ1OODZuoA24s8V6Tgdh20KikrrhSOJHRQiWqPJUA1qyPS18juYzsU4Mj_AwGnarziC0TKlEa_JUtAVjxuYlz58winOSyExXpYG8nQT-OBL6bRp1sZIPGSZZx363RyQRADATJXSiM/w232-h232/brewdog+12+pack.png" width="232" /></a></div><i>Hazy Jane Mango IPA</i> from Brewdog is the first from the holiday 12-pack. It's billed as a New England style India Pale Ale - I had to look up what that meant: in contrast to the West Coast IPA, which is dry, <u style="font-style: italic;">very</u> hoppy/bitter, with dank piney notes, a New England IPA is purposely cloudy or hazy, has a creaminess not found in its West Coast cousin, and has a hop profile that is less bitter and leans more to a tropical profile, rather than citrus-y or piney. The base beer, <i><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCBB3YHD8mitBfOecj0nXOM-aANIqhfo1pVmz8kiC2oDegBgQqPwGA7s_tT-KTncTbFhU42gLRFMTaQVsdNThVWfbyGXbPDiVgetxkWlcwxi4Xfo9w8EVaiyjYvk3Mbg7CHCMQzItVFZI/s605/hazy+jane+mango.jpg" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="605" data-original-width="443" height="124" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhCBB3YHD8mitBfOecj0nXOM-aANIqhfo1pVmz8kiC2oDegBgQqPwGA7s_tT-KTncTbFhU42gLRFMTaQVsdNThVWfbyGXbPDiVgetxkWlcwxi4Xfo9w8EVaiyjYvk3Mbg7CHCMQzItVFZI/w91-h124/hazy+jane+mango.jpg" width="91" /></a></div>Hazy Jane IPA</i> fits the bill, with little overt bitterness and hints of pineapple, mango, peach and lime. The mango version, naturally brings mango to the head of the line. When I first poured this ale, I immediately caught a whiff of the tropical fruit notes from the hops, as well as the mango itself. It's not a bolt from the blue, but this beer is a pretty solid IPA which should appeal, not only to the IPA novice, but to the pale ale veteran who doesn't see the point in a hop level that removes the enamel from your teeth and the paint from your car. <br /><br /> <p></p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-56189693916014910422021-11-26T17:50:00.004-08:002021-11-26T17:50:44.696-08:00Zipline Calavera Stout<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5pvbde4nvfjlxHajkffBxaOBL3NXbht2ZYbwuNWP2u7aTZ6larhp6DTBuePawlEPzyfmXIntM9A9Jz0cGeRSNwKam_QmMez5WVpHfnVmNLn5Uxit7v2bzLBfcMkm1o0YmACovny-jgbg/s250/calavera.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="250" data-original-width="250" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj5pvbde4nvfjlxHajkffBxaOBL3NXbht2ZYbwuNWP2u7aTZ6larhp6DTBuePawlEPzyfmXIntM9A9Jz0cGeRSNwKam_QmMez5WVpHfnVmNLn5Uxit7v2bzLBfcMkm1o0YmACovny-jgbg/s0/calavera.jpg" width="250" /></a></div>There's not going to be a lot in this review; <i>Calavera</i> uses the previously reviewed <i>The Stout</i> as the base beer, but has added cinnamon, vanilla, cocoa and a reduction drawn from various Mexican chiles. I'm not detecting the cinnamon, but the vanilla & cocoa are definitely evident, but the chiles are coming on strong. Pretty unique brew. The 13.8% ABV makes it a slow sipper. <br /> <p></p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-63606370662782834152021-11-19T17:38:00.003-08:002021-11-19T17:38:39.104-08:00Zipline Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout (THE Stout)<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9uurNNx2nxTUBc9xhMrkaUgz3vY64JtQHs_wB8whNYTNqSlsTd_i9BnXTeQit85Q1chv0DrwJZGBtV30HNZDM5GOunsMFYNT6cx_PlN_D5ykmBVSmrc3sfeqpOLtBZmKBfXHOPYvmqiU/s600/Zipline+Bourbon+barrel+Aged+Stout.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="600" height="249" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj9uurNNx2nxTUBc9xhMrkaUgz3vY64JtQHs_wB8whNYTNqSlsTd_i9BnXTeQit85Q1chv0DrwJZGBtV30HNZDM5GOunsMFYNT6cx_PlN_D5ykmBVSmrc3sfeqpOLtBZmKBfXHOPYvmqiU/w249-h249/Zipline+Bourbon+barrel+Aged+Stout.png" width="249" /></a></div>Russian Imperial Stout aged in bourbon barrels. What could be better? Nothing's better on a cold Nebraska evening than a Nebraska-brewed black beauty. THE Stout pours midnight black...I swear it looked like an oil well had snuck into the brewery. The head is negligible, hah! who needs it anyway? The ABV is a respectable 13.8%, which imparts a comfortable alcohol heat, releasing the bourbon flavor as well. It's smooth and creamy, and very complex. Chocolate, black cherry, figs, molasses, a teeny hint of oak, and vanilla all compete for attention...but they're gentlemen about it, not brawlers. 9.5/10 on the IGB stout scale. <br /> <p></p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-37143681618120147442021-09-05T06:20:00.001-07:002021-09-05T06:20:15.149-07:00Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale & Great Pumpkin Imperial Pumpkin Ale<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYBnoriwaKrctUtWVyBVY2z6tWZxg-jeb0i3bPgnhJNzQjQQfgPHUZ0YgHdwhmwSQKFxj80wBIcGIoghKpSDfQYoZfx_rldUntbG44kdtCamC6A82lZNOjBF3P5lelnOAl053h6camhe8/s686/Elysian+Great+Pumpkin.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="490" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYBnoriwaKrctUtWVyBVY2z6tWZxg-jeb0i3bPgnhJNzQjQQfgPHUZ0YgHdwhmwSQKFxj80wBIcGIoghKpSDfQYoZfx_rldUntbG44kdtCamC6A82lZNOjBF3P5lelnOAl053h6camhe8/w185-h259/Elysian+Great+Pumpkin.png" width="185" /></a></div>Seldom do I combine multiple beers in one review, but there's a very good reason for this: other than both Elysian <i>Night Owl Pumpkin Ale </i>and <i>Great Pumpkin <u>Imperial</u> Pumpkin Ale</i> having slightly different ABVs, they are essentially the same beer. <i>Night Owl's</i> ABV is 6.7%, while <i>Great Pumpkin's</i> is a measly 8.4%. Each of these pumpkin ales is pretty good, even an excellent sample of the seasonal style, but I'd expect an <i>imperial</i> anything to have a higher alcohol and/or hop content. Now this is the odd thing: on Elysian's website the notes for <i>Great Pumpkin</i> indicate that it has 0 IBUs...<i style="font-weight: bold;">no hops!</i> I don't know if you can even <i>call it</i> beer if there aren't any hops. If this is true, there is no detectable difference between <i>Night Owl</i>, at 18 IBUs (very mild hop bitterness) and <i>Great Pumpkin</i> at an alleged <i style="font-weight: bold;">no</i> IBUs. <p></p><p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieM8rzBBsBzq252se9U5pAdoZD7SLzahT7awxJs5sIYVXvCI1cuhtFvyG2kayL3PyaTZNIO3m872OQegTINlZ3LSfXlSepG97ADjQx05X2ew1_GocHawf8lurZo2gxw4q052Ksmh20qoU/s686/Elysian+Night+Owl+Pumpkin+A%253Be.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="490" height="229" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEieM8rzBBsBzq252se9U5pAdoZD7SLzahT7awxJs5sIYVXvCI1cuhtFvyG2kayL3PyaTZNIO3m872OQegTINlZ3LSfXlSepG97ADjQx05X2ew1_GocHawf8lurZo2gxw4q052Ksmh20qoU/w164-h229/Elysian+Night+Owl+Pumpkin+A%253Be.png" width="164" /></a></div>These pumpkin ales pour a distinctive hue - just like a pumpkin pie, with a scanty tan head. The spices are a perfect blend of cinnamon (which holds a prominent place in the spice pantheon), allspice, nutmeg and ginger. Both versions have a smooth consistency, and even the lower ABV version has a whiskey-like quality to it. Very smooth. I'd recommend either of these beers for anyone's Autumn beer drinking!<br /><br /> <p></p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-63139698199432522302021-09-03T21:56:00.004-07:002021-09-03T21:56:48.029-07:00Elysian Puncuccino Coffee Pumpkin Ale<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrBiA8aVzUj3_4D1nqRnaz_DJ4cCUIrS3RD7g1ef78b7I0X1UPAkRb0DaDTK5XOXIyZaisT2p2Kds5BjA5_ZQm43FX-hc2pJl7QvEdoD1xvsgHrxWX5rdaKeCHznQsJtpA0ctpqBl2HlE/s686/Elysian+Pumkin+Coffee+Ale.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="686" data-original-width="490" height="259" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgrBiA8aVzUj3_4D1nqRnaz_DJ4cCUIrS3RD7g1ef78b7I0X1UPAkRb0DaDTK5XOXIyZaisT2p2Kds5BjA5_ZQm43FX-hc2pJl7QvEdoD1xvsgHrxWX5rdaKeCHznQsJtpA0ctpqBl2HlE/w185-h259/Elysian+Pumkin+Coffee+Ale.png" width="185" /></a></div>The second of four, <i>Puncuccino</i> is a pumpkin ale with added coffee flavoring. I was a it suspicious of this one - I wasn't sure of the two favors would go together - I like some pumpkin creamer in my coffee, but I hadn't considered how they would complement the beer. I'm not sure what the base beer was, it poured a dark, almost black, brown, suggesting a stout or a porter, but the consistency wasn't as creamy as one would expect from a stout. Maybe the base is a dunkel. Anyway, I was pleasantly surprised at how the coffee and the pumpkin pie spice complemented the taste of the beer. The spices (allspice, nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger) are all pretty strong, but the coffee notes are quite subdued, yet you know that they're there. Kind of a fun ale to kick off the Autumn beer season. <br /> <p></p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-83511769729180455462021-09-03T21:48:00.001-07:002021-09-03T21:48:18.681-07:00Elysian Dark O' The Moon Pumpkin Stout<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJppw0hcaBQmGRMnTMM10r6o1ubylQQIBHcy1EknhQtku9TBICcj1ht_tB3zKHJIGNrquylVDPjfvOW1tMXOEEr-K1LDrp-9l1vAq2xasn-vmxHw4-njPHMdZKIb69OF8IuNMbT62C9Tk/s490/Elysian+Pumkin+Stout.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="490" data-original-width="490" height="232" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhJppw0hcaBQmGRMnTMM10r6o1ubylQQIBHcy1EknhQtku9TBICcj1ht_tB3zKHJIGNrquylVDPjfvOW1tMXOEEr-K1LDrp-9l1vAq2xasn-vmxHw4-njPHMdZKIb69OF8IuNMbT62C9Tk/w232-h232/Elysian+Pumkin+Stout.png" width="232" /></a></div>One of the things that I love about the autumn season is pumpkin spice flavored...everything. And of course, there's the stouts and porters that go down so well during the cooler evenings. Tonight I picked up a 12-pack of Elysian pumpkin beers and tried out two of them. The first is <i>Dark O' The Moon, </i>a pumpkin stout. <p></p><p>Before I even start commenting on the pumpkin-ness, I have to say that the flavoring aside, this is a really good stout. Thick and creamy, with a smooth layer of chocolatey goodness. Not too hoppy. When it comes to the spices, they're all there: nutmeg, cinnamon, ginger, cloves, and maybe a hint of vanilla and caramel. The spice and the underlying stoutness balance perfectly; the strong stout base needed (and received) strong spices to make it all come together. </p><p>Highly recommended for fans of pumpkin stouts or porters. <br /> </p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-605867373077327132021-07-02T18:27:00.001-07:002021-07-02T18:27:23.859-07:00Kinkaider "Prison Mike" Strawberry Rhubarb Sour<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMXPMymx6DVuZOlo4ytH2S8l9RwTwHqcrFJQQYzLAFFynsyBpGfKxQNeAPKG65usqiAJarJ_PBvq84022GjKZomItwwOXUYbCnCBGfnRt-FoeBPPKLgUUj323sRcQs1fRmkfYfCIRgkVg/s258/Prison+Mike.png" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="258" data-original-width="196" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiMXPMymx6DVuZOlo4ytH2S8l9RwTwHqcrFJQQYzLAFFynsyBpGfKxQNeAPKG65usqiAJarJ_PBvq84022GjKZomItwwOXUYbCnCBGfnRt-FoeBPPKLgUUj323sRcQs1fRmkfYfCIRgkVg/s0/Prison+Mike.png" /></a></div><br /> After over a month alcohol-free due to a dietary restriction <u style="font-style: italic;">and</u> with a few days of vacation left, I was more than ready for a nice craft beer from Jake's. And it's definitely the season for sours. I was befuddled by the name on the tap, but after Googling the image, I remember the episode of "The Office" where Michael Scott plays the part of "Prison Mike". <p></p><p><i>Prison Mike</i> is just what you want in a flavored sour. ABV is 5.9%, a nice kick, but not too much trouble. IBUs = 17, so not much in the hoppiness category. The tartness is is about a 6 on a scale of 10, you know it's a sour, but you're not puckering up! Strawberry rhubarb is one of my favorite dessert flavors, I love it in pie, and Noosa makes a great yogurt in that flavor. And it made a great addition to a solid sour on a hot afternoon. </p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-31904710871228107322021-05-14T18:05:00.000-07:002021-05-14T18:05:04.183-07:00Backswing Oatmeal Stout<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtIvbSbYgrMUZVuqW9-7OiUbZDsJHGMQWoIRPX9GSuEtqLeHI8yCCJ9b025AoFBZtlBVd_MJH-BgBoiPOK8kntEUr_7nZ3wWaX-C2rxXdyqDytbC7iv6qY8vMZ85NVGQnL6Dhy84JfdY0/s480/backswing+oatmeal+stout.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="480" data-original-width="320" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtIvbSbYgrMUZVuqW9-7OiUbZDsJHGMQWoIRPX9GSuEtqLeHI8yCCJ9b025AoFBZtlBVd_MJH-BgBoiPOK8kntEUr_7nZ3wWaX-C2rxXdyqDytbC7iv6qY8vMZ85NVGQnL6Dhy84JfdY0/s320/backswing+oatmeal+stout.jpeg" /></a></div>Number Five in the <i>Backswing</i> series. This one is a beer that I often drink only in the colder months, but I needed one more to fill out a mixed six-pack, so here we are. <p></p><p>There are a lot of different types of stouts: cream stout, milk stout, imperial Russian stout, hybrid styles, it's almost infinite! An oatmeal stout uses...you guessed it...oats as one of its grains. The result is a thicker, creamer brew. The misunderstanding among "dark beer" neophytes is that stouts are necessarily heavier, as well as higher in alcohol content. For the old school stouts such as Guinness, this isn't the case, although for sub-styles like Imperial Russian Stout this would be true. A Guinness has about the same consistency as any other mass-produced beer and the ABV is usually at 5% or less. </p><p><i>Backswing's </i>version of this style pours a deep chocolatey brown, with a three-finger beige head that slowly recedes to a thin lacing. As one would expect from a stout, there's a mélange of flavors that include milk chocolate, café au lait, brown sugar, molasses and vanilla. The ABV is 5.5%, so it's definitely sessionable. 25 IBUs give it a moderate hoppiness, but nothing distracting. Something that I did not expect was the mild smokiness. I'm of the opinion that you definitely c<i>an</i> overdue the smokiness, and some <i>rauchbiers</i> are frankly undrinkable, but the smokiness level adds an air of mystery. Thumbs up. </p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-71256899612413845642021-05-08T18:30:00.002-07:002021-05-08T18:30:35.854-07:00Backswing Brown<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheurDZtk1eKWMimRSTDr8EIj1c7yaDtohrc1d15VdE9XCq_O6Tbi9ViR-GCXJ6GfVpBiJyninmCKeyzplHZu9h3gxJs3-qLh2Vrfvq8LUon6ngPlbIR1nIq7DnkyUQatcWuor4Ek7rFCA/s600/backswing+brown.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEheurDZtk1eKWMimRSTDr8EIj1c7yaDtohrc1d15VdE9XCq_O6Tbi9ViR-GCXJ6GfVpBiJyninmCKeyzplHZu9h3gxJs3-qLh2Vrfvq8LUon6ngPlbIR1nIq7DnkyUQatcWuor4Ek7rFCA/s320/backswing+brown.jpeg" /></a></div>I'm glad to see that most of Backswing's beers don't have cutesy name and just called by their style, so this isn't something like <i>Back Nine Brown</i>, or <i>Fuzzy Puppy Brown</i>, but merely "brown". The term "brown ale" can be used for a variety of styles, but usually refers to an ale with moderate bitterness, and brewed with dark malts. <i>Backswing Brown</i> pours a chocolate brown hue with a huge tan head (tall, quickly dissipating heads seem to be a feature of Backswing beers). Brown ales tend to be looked down upon by beer snobs in favor of IAs, quads and more exotic and forgotten styles. But brown ales (despite the unassuming name) are often quite complex. <i>Backswing Brown</i>, is moderately hoppy, at 30 IBUs, but with the bitterness hiding in the background. At 6.5% ABV, it's on the outside edge of sessionable, but still low enough for more than one. Chocolate is the main flavor, with a little bit of almond and hazelnut for good measure. A decent brew for a cool, rainy, Spring night. <br /> <p></p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-3177420067750421453.post-38265699700049356542021-05-03T15:17:00.003-07:002021-05-03T15:17:26.222-07:00Backswing Backspin Apple Wheat Ale<p></p><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskwHmB9I1UepwFWTlTY39Z6E6jIzYFbuJBYLIiXABaN_Z3cDCzQsaJefrQj6e7NORCLWtMS1y_Xa0Fi4_GomOtblC0Ys_RpRox-hLW8GBCjIJJF9KJ4Da8xGkSrlpWuTw2xGtT9woYSc/s600/backswing+backspin.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="600" data-original-width="400" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiskwHmB9I1UepwFWTlTY39Z6E6jIzYFbuJBYLIiXABaN_Z3cDCzQsaJefrQj6e7NORCLWtMS1y_Xa0Fi4_GomOtblC0Ys_RpRox-hLW8GBCjIJJF9KJ4Da8xGkSrlpWuTw2xGtT9woYSc/s320/backswing+backspin.jpeg" /></a></div>We're on Day Three of the Backswing Brewery themed reviews. Today's brew is <i>Backspin</i>, an Apple Wheat ale. At 9.8 IBUs, it's almost as if it was brewed without any hops (it's also the first time I've seen IBUs expressed fractionally) - there's so much apple dominating the taste, I'd have guessed that it was a hard cider. If you're a fan of ciders, you might enjoy <i>Backspin</i>; me, I don't seek them out. It pours a clear medium golden hue, with a scanty white head. Other than the obvious apple, there are hints of pear, white grape and lemon, but you have to really concentrate to taste anything other than apple. Did I mention that apple predominates? Yes, I did. <br /> <p></p>Tom Joycehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01268415435335185055noreply@blogger.com0