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For The Love Of Beer (10 unread)

Alpine Nelson - Golden Rye IPA

Posted: March 4th, 2010, 8:54pm CET by Don Thompson

Alpine Beer Company's Nelson is a Golden Rye IPA that's brewed with Nelson Sauvin hops from New Zealand. This is a unique hop that isn't very prominent in American micro brews. An added twist comes from the addition of rye in the malt bill. It comes in at 7% ABV. I cracked a fresh bottle and this is what I thought:

Bomber pours into my glass a deep orange/yellow with a two finger creamy, bubbling white head and superb clarity. Aromas start with a distinct tropical, pungent, fruity hop explosion. Grapefruit melds in with a nice spicy rye character. There is somewhat of a vinous, white wine character lurking within as well. Quite the lovely aroma.

First sip brings a plethora of fruity, resinous, pungent hops upfront with bold mango and grapefruit flavors. Spicy rye mixes in beautifully. Flows down with a good kick of bitterness that's well placed. Lingering fruity hops on the palate. Delicious!

Mouthfeel is crisp and smooth with perfect carbonation. This one is exceedingly easy to drink and just amazingly enjoyable. A top notch IPA and I love the addition of rye and the Nelson Sauvin hops. Seek it out if you have the ability!

Overall this earns a rating of Amazing.

One of the tastiest IPA's I've sampled!

Again, feel free to swing on over to www.alpinebrewing.com and check out their full line of great brews!
Alpine Duet IPA

Posted: March 3rd, 2010, 8:42pm CET by Don Thompson

Alpine Beer Company is located in Alpine, CA and opened up shop in 2002. They have now expanded once already and opened a pub in their building as well. They have produced some awesome brews, including a nice list of amazing IPA's such as Pure Hoppiness, Nelson and the Duet I am drinking now. They have also brewed a lambic and a kriek along with other treats like barrel aged barleywines. Here are my thought on the Duet. A 7%ABV IPA that was brewed with Simcoe and Amarillo hops.

Fresh bomber pours into my glass a wonderful peach color with amazing clarity and a half inch of creamy white head that leaves some spotty lacing. Enticing. Aroma is all hops! Tropical fruit, grapefruit, green hop resins, floral accents and a bit of spiciness. Really shows off the Simcoe and Amarillo. Mellow caramel sweetness in the background.

First sip brings all hops upfront. Citric, tropical, herbaceous with green leafy resins. A bit floral with a mellow underlying sweetness from crisp light malts. Flows down with a bitter kick and lingering hops on the finish.

Mouthfeel is smooth with fast moving carbonation making this brew immensely drinkable. This is just a damn good IPA that I would be buying many bombers of if it was available locally. If you have access to this consider yourself lucky!

Overall I would give this a rating of Great. Super drinkable stuff!

Check out more from Alpine Beer Company by surfing over to [www.alpinebrewing.com]
Coast Brewing HopArt IPA

Posted: February 25th, 2010, 9:30pm CET by Don Thompson

Oh yeah, I still have a beer blog don't I?? Apologies for the lack of posting, the chaos of daily life has gotten to me recently. Well, I am back and this time with a bomber of IPA from Coast Brewing in North Charleston, South Carolina.

Pours into my glass a super hazed dark orange with a half inch of creamy bone white head on top that leaves spotty lacing on the glass. Aromas are a mix of pine, grass and citrus upfront with herbal accents. Slightly spicy with a caramel and mild grainy kick.

First sip brings a mix of pine and citrus fruits upfront with spicy herbal hop oils. Slightly grassy it is met by a solid creamy malt featuring caramel and a light toast. Flows down and finishes with a solid bitter kick but is well balanced overall. A tasty IPA.

Mouthfeel is creamy and smooth with a great body that goes down easy. Overall, a tasty IPA that brings the hops but doesn't go overboard. Glad I had a chance to try it!!

Overall, I gave this a rating of Enjoyable. Tasty IPA!

Check out more from Coast Brewing over at [coastbrewing.com]
Jolly Pumpkin - Bière De Mars - Grand Reserve

Posted: January 3rd, 2010, 8:45pm CET by Don Thompson

Jolly Pumpkin is a fitting brewery to have the honor of being my first new blog post in 2010. Located in Dexter, Michigan they have been one of my favorite breweries since they started. They focus on using open fermentation, oak barrel aging and feature all bottle conditioned beers. They have recently expanded with a cafe and brewpub in Ann Arbor as well as a location in Traverse City as well. Please visit them and check out their great brews!! I had been hanging onto this bottle in my cellar for awhile and finally decided to crack it as my last brew of the holiday weekend:

Oak Aged - 14 Months. No date on the bottle but I will guess it's from 2006 based on other reviews I have seen.

Pours into my glass a deep, vibrant garnet with a hint of purple and a half inch of bubbly off white foam that sticks to the side of the glass. Aromas kick off with a nice mix of dark dried fruits alongside a ribbon of caramel and light toasted grain. A clean, slightly acidic funky, farmhouse aroma is there with a woody, oak backbone. Leather, lemon zest and a kiss of vanilla.

First sip brings smooth crisp malts laced with a myriad of fruit flavors, grape, strawberry, lemon zest and more. Dry woody oak digs in along with a nice funky tartness as well. Leather, caramel and an afterthought of vanilla on the way down. Finishes with lingering fruit, funk and wood. Extremely tasty and well balanced overall. A joy to drink.

Mouthfeel is smooth, arid and easy to drink with steady carbonation. This is an incredibly drinkable elixir and I wouldn't mind a 750ml bottle of this right now. Really glad to have had the chance to sample this one. Keep it up JP!!

Overall this one receives a rating of Amazing. Each sip leaves me wanting more.

Check out more from Jolly Pumpkin by surfing on over to www.jollypumpkin.com
Ballast Point Sculpin India Pale Ale

Posted: December 18th, 2009, 9:21pm CET by Don Thompson

This is a somewhat new west coast IPA that burst on the scene with lots of hype, that after reading my below review, you will see is well deserved. Ballast Point already had a good following for their regular lineup as well as their awesome double IPA, Double Dorado. The Sculpin is an easy to drink hop bomb that has a great hop bill with big, lush flavors. I was very happy to find this on the shelves on a trip to Peoria, IL and here are my thoughts:

My second bomber of this pours a crystalline golden orange with a billowing three finger head of creamy white foam on top. Plenty of active carbonation. Stellar! Aromas start out with huge citric and tropical fruit hops and tons of resins. Green and a touch floral as well. Mild crystal and light toasted caramel malt backbone. Hop profile is just great here and draws you in with every inhalation.

First sip brings is just beautiful...mild toasted malt upfront with some caramel sweetness that's quickly bowled over by a boatload of citric, vibrant tropical hop goodness. A touch floral with tons of bitter, resinous hop flavor. Smooth on the finish with lingering fruity hops. Immensely tasty.

Mouthfeel is on the light side with good carbonation and a bit of crispness. This is the epitome of easy drinking for an IPA and super smooth and tasty. A bomber disappears like nothing and leaves me wishing I had more. Just a killer IPA that deserves the praises it has received.

Overall this one gets a rating of Amazing.

Super IPA goodness that's hard to put down.

Check out Ballast Point on the internet and see their whole line of brews at www.ballastpoint.com
De Struise Brouwers - Cuvee Delphine

Posted: November 30th, 2009, 7:24pm CET by Don Thompson

This is quite a rare beer that I was able to get my hands on via a trade and finally decided to crack open and try. This is batch "0" of the tasty Black Albert from De Struise that has been aged in a Four Roses bourbon barrel for over a year. This one is not exported to the US, so if you want it you will have to find an online shop that ships to the US or get one in a trade!

25cl bottle. Pours into my glass dark as night black with a two finger head of creamy tan foam. Lots of chocolate on the nose with wood and some subtle, mellow bourbon accents. There is a quiet and unassuming balance here. Lots of tannins with a touch of caramel as well.

First sip brings smooth dark malts augmented by a big wash of chocolate flavors. Woody tannins meet with a creamy caramel accents. Smooth bourbon weaves in and brings a touch of sweetness and vanilla. The smoothness of the Four Roses barrel really shines through here. Deceptively smooth and mellow.

Mouthfeel is surprisingly on the lighter side with mellow carbonation. Akin to the Black Albert this is a tricky beer as it's powerful but not heavy like a normal bourbon aged stout. This one will creep up on you with a left hook and leave you on the mat. Happy to be able to share this bottle with autumnaldave as it packs quite a punch. Cheers to De Struise for this one.

Overall this one gets a rating of Great.

Check out more from De Struise Brouwers by surfing over to [www.struisebrouwers.be]
Three Floyds Apocalypse Cow

Posted: November 24th, 2009, 8:52pm CET by Don Thompson

Another new beer to try from one of my favorite semi-local breweries, Three Floyds in Munster, IN. They are always brewing up some crazy new beers along with the always popular Dark Lord and it's barrel and vanilla barrel aged variations. They are big on using hops and normally using tons and tons of them. This double IPA is no exception. The twist here though is that lactose milk sugar has been added to this big 10% double IPA. I cracked my bottle and enjoyed:

Finally found this one up in Milwaukee of all places. Never saw it around IL! Pours into my glass a brilliant deep hazy orange with a solid inch of creamy bubbling white head that leaves sticky lacing everywhere! Aromas kick off with a melange of citrus, floral and pine sap hops. A sugary sweet undertone featuring caramel and wisps of cotton candy as well. The bold hops make you envision a field of fresh green cones sparkling in the sun. Tropical accents. Hoptastic!!

First sip brings smooth, crisp malts upfront with notes of caramel that quickly give in to a wall of oily, bitter hop power. Citric and floral flavors battle it out along with herbal pine accents. Pithy earthy green bitterness attacks the palate. Flows down smooth and slightly creamy from the lactose. Hops linger on in the finish.

Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy with good carbonation. I enjoy what the lactose does for the body here and I'll enjoy the rest of this bomber this afternoon! Overall, it's another bold and flavor packed double IPA from Three Floyds. Glad I got to try this one and I would say it rivals Dreadnaught. Will look forward to when they bottle it again!

Overall I gave this beer a rating of Amazing. Just a superb brew.

Check out more from Three Floyds by surfing over to www.3floyds.com
Saint Arnold Divine Reserve #5

Posted: November 16th, 2009, 9:33pm CET by Don Thompson

Saint Arnold Brewing Company is located in Houston, TX and has consistently produced good quality microbrews. When they began their Divine Reserve line of small batch, one off recipes in limited quantities they lit up the craft beer geek radar. There have been 8 of these produced so far. In order of style they are barleywine, abbey american quadrupel, double IPA, wee heavy, russian imperial stout, american barleywine, weizenbock and scotch ale. The version I am sampling is #5 and happens to be the highly rated russian imperial stout. My thoughts are as follows:

Pours into my chalice a viscous, inky black with a creamy dark tan head on top. Black as night and enticing so far! Aromas kick off with deep roasted malts and an upfront licorice. Chocolate swirls around with a touch of dark fruit as well. Caramel sweetness as well. Rich and inviting.

First sip brings velvety smooth dark malts across the palate with a mix of bold licorice and chocolate flavors. Slightly vinous dark fruits melding with a caramel sweetness. Mellow coffee and molasses with a bit of dark bread. Super smooth and tasty. Just a hint of alcohol on the finish.

Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy with a solid medium body. This one is not overly heavy like some imperial stouts can be. Overall, a great depth of flavor and undeniably drinkable. This one is holding up quite nicely and I wish I had a few more. Many thanks to dmeadows for the unexpected opportunity.

Overall this beer earns a rating of Great and I was happy to have been able to sample it!

Check out more from Saint Arnold at their website: www.saintarnold.com
Captain Lawrence Little Linda's Liquid

Posted: November 11th, 2009, 9:55pm CET by Don Thompson

Captain Lawrence Brewing Co. is located in Pleasentville, NY. A relatively new microbrewery they have been putting out some very good beers, including a line of barrel aged smoked porters that are each aged in a different barrel (rum, bourbon, wine, apple brandy, etc.) Their Cuvee De Castleton is an amazing sour and I was exited to try this small batch sour. This starts out as a golden ale that is then barrel aged with wild yeasts and added NY cherries. I cracked my only bottle and here are my thoughts:

Super thick red wax on the bottle. Clear golden pour with a touch of pink and a small bubbly head. Funky upfront with light cherry and wet oak scents as well. A bit acidic with some vinegar and honey accents.

First sip birngs funky, cheesy flavors upfront with an underlying tart cherry that's rather mellow. A touch of honey midway through along with mineral water. Lemon zest and puckering tartness on the way down. Odd brew here, flavors seem off.

Mouthfeel is light and arid with solid carbonation. Overall, flavor is just a bit weird and seems infected in not a good way. Shared this one at that was more than enough. Glad to have had the opportunity but this didn't do it for me.

Overall, I gave this sour ale a rating of Average.

Check out more from Captain Lawrence by surfing on over to www.captainlawrencebrewing.com
Cantillon 50 Degrees North-4 Degrees East

Posted: October 25th, 2009, 8:45pm CET by Don Thompson

This beer is named after the geographical location of the Cantillon brewery in the central of Brussels, Belgium. Cantillon is arguably the best traditional lambic brewer operating in the world today. Their history, tradition and brewing techniques all work in unison. This particular beer was aged in used cognac barrels from France that Cantillon acquired in 2005. The lambic sat in the barrels for 2 years. I was very excited to try this.....

Been waiting to crack this one. Bottled in 2007, probably the youngest Cantillon I've had. Cork pops and pours into my glass a brilliant sunshine yellow with a hint of orange and a small bubbly white head. Bubbles rise up. Aromas of sun dried grains bathed in a farmhouse funk. Light mixed fruit, lemon juice and oak barrel scents alongside a nice hit of cognac. A touch of acidity. It all comes together brilliantly with an elegance unlike many other lambics.

First sip brings a bright mix of sweet and tart flavors with some fruit and lemon zest. Brett and cheesy barnyard funk take hold alongside woody tannins. Flows down with a mellow kiss of cognac and a lightly puckering sourness on the finish. Dry overall with a great mix of fruit flavors and light vinegar acidity. Well balanced and utterly delicious.

Mouthfeel is light and smooth with great carbonation. It goes down smooth and being that it is not overly puckering or acidic makes it refreshing and easy to drink. I think the cognac sweetness really rounds it out nicely. Overall, I wish I had a case of this beer as it is worth every penny. The lambic masters at Cantillon have done it again.

Overall this earns a rating of Amazing from me. Top notch stuff!

Check out the whole world of Cantillon beers and tradition by surfing over to [www.cantillon.be]