Brooklyn - Local 1

Tonights review is of a brew from yet another new brewery distributing to the Midwest.  However, this brewery is from the East!  New York to be precise.  Brooklyn Brewery has a long history behind their name.  In fact, you can read all about it in their book, Beer School: Bottling Success at the Brooklyn Brewery.  In short, the brewery was incepted in 1987 by a news correspondent and a banker.  Two years later, they were distributing their first brew, Brooklyn Lager.  Today, their lager is one of the top selling beers in New York and one of the top 40 breweries in the country.  I'm excited to be tasting their beer for the first time.  Of the brief research I've done so far, Brooklyn Brewery is a very reputable maker of fine craft beer.

The brew I was able to get my hands on is their Local 1.  I wasn't sure what to expect as the bottle only hints at the fact this is a Belgian inspired beer.  But hey, I'm a fan of Belgians (the beers, not the people, although Ive never met a Belgian person so Ill reserve judgement until then.  I'm sure they are nice and smell pretty) so I didn't feel like I was going out on a limb purchasing this fine looking bottle.  Digging around on the breweries website tells me this is a Belgian inspired Golden Strong Ale.

After letting the intense amount of foam settle I was able to discern the clear signs of a golden strong.  Pale straw in color, frothy white foam and an intense sweet malt and floral yeast.  From the looks, this is already a great example.  The flavor doesn't fall short either.  Sweet malt and fruity, almost tropical flavors from the yeast are abundant.  Hints of pineapple and mango mix in with a grainy, malty body.  An alcohol warmth comes through towards the end.  The finish is smooth and dry.

Overall A/6.0 - This is a great example of what a Belgian Golden Strong can be.  Brooklyn brewery went to great lengths to craft this treat.  Bottle conditioned with an extra spritz of yeast, thick bottle and sturdy cork are all signs of attention to detail.  The beer itself is great.  Brooklyn also releases a Local 2 which is a Belgian Strong Dark.  I'll be picking up another bottle of Local 1, along with Local 2 next time I'm out on the beer prowl.  

Odell - Myrcenary Double IPA

So today I found a new craft beer shop that is actually 100% devoted to craft beer.  These guys don't waste their space with the rice-water piss-beer....they only carry the good stuff, from around the world.  I walked around this shop for about 30 minutes in a sort of gleeful trance.  It's a miracle to have walked out without spending $100+ dollars.  But I did walk out with this little DIPA, brewed by Odell Brewery out in Fort Collins, CO.  Myrcenary is named for Myrcene, a component of the essential oils in a hop flower, according to Odell's website.  At 9.3%ABV, they aren't messing around....this is one of the big guns of their year-round line up.

The label on this 12oz bottle depicts a motorcycle with a side-car full of hops, making a get-away from the hop garden?  There's also a short description which I included, pictured below.  The second I cracked the cap off this bottle, Hello tropical bouquet!  Big citrus, grapefruits and mangos, and fresh orange pulp come to mind.  Super fresh, piney and slightly resiny.  The drink starts with a brief, sweet maltiness.  Then comes a wave of those citrus flavors, a little more bitter than the nose let on.  Orange rinds, some lemon peels, and then on the back side is an oily, piney residual flavor that carries the fruit overtones, quite a dance of different hop flavors!  The finish leaves that sticky feeling in the back of my throat, but after some contemplation I think I would describe it as creamy, with more of a dry finish.  The alcohol is completely disguised by this hop ballet.

Overall Rating:  (5.3 out of 6.0)  This was a hop-bomb with a lot of character - Odell's goal was to showcase myrcene, and they nailed it.  Tropical fruits were the star - big and juicy and perfectly tailored to the body and malt backbone.  Thank you Odell for making this a year-round brew!  Hop-heads, go find this beer.

Stone - Sublimely Self Righteous Ale

On my way home from my place of business this afternoon I felt the intense urge to pick up some new beer.  This urge could not go unsatiated.  Even though I have no lack of bottles to review in my fridge currently, I wanted something different.  For me, going to the beer store is akin to a kid entering a Toys R Us for the first time in his life.  Every time I go to one I always find something new and I get a silly, childish grin on my face while I carry as many bottles as I can in my hands up to the cash register.  I intentionally leave the shopping carts and baskets, if available, at the door... God help my bank account if that ever becomes a habit of mine.

One of the bottles I picked up is from Stone.  Yes, Dunz just reviewed one of their brews this weekend and I wanted to get in on this party.  I have heard good things about Stone and found an impressive line up of their bombers at the brew store.  I went with one I was unfamiliar with and knew little about.  From what I derived by reading the lengthy story on the back of the bottle it was bitter, dark and well received back when it was featured as Stone's 11th anniversary release.  Its always good to see a special release beer become part of a breweries normal line up.  Must mean they are doing something right.  And I must say, I love the art that is featured throughout Stone.  Medieval gargoyles and winged beasts litter Stones website and bottles.  Very cool.

A deep brown, almost black brew flows into my mug creating a frothy tan head.  The hops are instantly permeating the air and very vibrant.  The aroma is almost all citrusy hops with a hint of roast and brown sugar in the background.  Had this been a blind tasting, I would have a very hard time identifying this as anything other than a big IPA.  The flavors flow through from the aroma with an intense bitterness and hop presence.  Lots of tart citrus flavors like grapefruit and tangy orange.  Some burnt caramel and roast begin to show up as the brew warms.  Very smooth mouthfeel with moderate carbonation.  A slight alcoholic warmth comes into play as I finish off this silky treat.

Overall 5.2/6.0 - Delicious.  I can toss other descriptors out there but delicious sums up my thoughts on this brew quite thoroughly.  Black IPAs, a relatively new brew category, are quickly catching on with craft breweries across the country.  Its no surprise that some of the best are coming from the West.  I would love to have Stone package it in six pack form.  In fact, Ill take a six pack of 22 oz bottles.  Jumbo sixer.  Now there's an idea!

Anchor - Porter

Tonights review comes to us from the West coast.  Yes, another brew from those crazy brewers out West.  What do they know about beer, huh?!?  Well apparently a lot.  A majority of American craft breweries, especially those that focus on the hoppier side of brewing, have made a name for themselves on the West coast. Rogue, Stone, Deschutes, and tonights brewery, Anchor, all hail from one of those large states out west.

Anchor made a name for itself from its flagship brew, Anchor Steam.  It uses a unique hop called Northern Brewer as its primary hop addition.  This hop is known for its woody, rustic and slightly minty flavor and aroma. The California Common style of beer is directly based off of Anchor Steam which has paved the way for other craft breweries to explore the use of unique hops and ingredients with great success, and, at times, great failure.  The beer I'm enjoying tonight is another of Anchors famous line up, Anchor Porter.

Classified as a Robust Porter, this brew is a clear, dark ruby when held up to the light.  A thin layer of foam settles on the surface and sticks around throughout each drink.  My first impression is a strong dark fruit mixed with a subtle roast and hardly any hops.  This porter is packed full of flavor.  Bittersweet chocolate, subtle dark fruits, sweet roast and a slight hint of vanilla bring this expansive flavor profile together.  Subtle carbonation and a smooth, sweet but not cloying finish make this a very drinkable porter.

Overall 5.0/6.0 - I keep coming back to this porter as one that I can enjoy at any time.  Its big and flavorful enough that it will warm you during a cold winter night.  Yet also not too heavy that its enjoyability goes down on a cool summer evening.  If you can find it and you are a fan of delicious porters, pick up a sixer of Anchor Porter.  You wont be disappointed!

Stone - Ruination IPA

Stone Brewing is here!  It's taken them 15 years, but they've finally decided that Minnesota is worthy of their presence.  Hopefully this will be the first of many....Russian River, you better be taking notes.  Minnesota needs you also.

Stone is based in Escondido, CA, and was founded back in 1996.  They've been one of the fastest growing craft breweries in the US over the last decade, which probably feeds into their brewing arrogance.  Arrogance in the world of craft beer can be justified, even celebrated, if the beer tastes good enough.  That seems to be the case with Stone Brewing, although I've only tasted a sample of their Ruination IPA in Vegas, so for me the jury is still out.  Ruination is a year-round offering with 7.7%ABV and 100+ IBUs.  The featured hops are Columbus and Centennial.

The beer is clear, golden, and effervescent with a nice layer of pure white head.  The nose is full of tropical fruits - pineapple, mango, and some grapefruit.  Very resiny, with a just a hint of pine.  This beer smells a lot like Surly Wet fresh-hopped brew, which is a very, very good thing.  The flavor is, surprise surprise, full of hops!  Not nearly as bitter as I expected with all the talk of ruination and palate destruction.....the hops are full of flavor.  Grapefruit, some almost-ripe pineapple, and resiny pine oils.  The finish brings an oily, sticky feeling that hangs around for a while afterwards, also revealing a soft floral scent.  The body is medium, and the carbonation is spot on - perfect hop delivery system.

Overall Rating:  (5.3 out of 6.0)  Stone set some high expectations with all of their hop-talk around this beer, and in my opinion, they hit the bar that they set.  This is a hop-monster, but it's not overdone to the point where drinkability is affected.  In fact, just the opposite...this beer is scarily drinkable.  If you're a Minnesotan like me that's been excluded from the Stone distribution channel for all these years, go pick this one up, stat!

Goose Island - Night Stalker Imperial Stout

I've been watching for this Goose Island Night Stalker to appear on a shelf, and I finally found it yesterday!  It's been raved about by a couple of my beer-loving buddies, so I'm excited to have the opportunity to try it tonight.  This is a hop-heavy imperial stout from Goose Island that delivers 11.7%ABV, 60 IBUs, and is recommended to cellar for 5+ years.  Since my patience equals that of a 5 year old, that's just not going to happen.  Also, it is the same base beer as the Bourbon County Stout, except instead of aging it in bourbon barrels, they dry-hop it!

The label on this bottle is awesome - a rising (or setting) moon on a dark cloudy evening, with a dark background and faint lettering - it's a perfect way to set the tone for the brew.  Also, this beer was bottled on 3/6/2010, so it's had over a year to develop and mature.

The beer is going into my snifter glass, it's a black-hole color with a deep, dark tan head that recedes slowly.  The nose is the real deal - huge chocolate notes mixed with some fruity hop flowers, and hints of vanilla.  Alcohol also makes a big appearance in their - but I keep going back to the chocolate and the surprising amount of hops in the smell.  The first sip....first thing that comes to mind is, RICH!  Full of roasty chocolate, smooth vanilla and licorice.  Then we journey into a layer of bittering hops, which aren't nearly as prominent as the nose indicated.  Transition from there to an alcohol warmth that compliments the other flavors nicely, keeping them from overwhelming the palate.  From the middle to the finish, there is a sweet chewy caramel flavor, delicious.  The finish brings a brief reminder of the dry-hopping they did for this stout, again not as much as I expected, but definitely noticeable and pleasant.  The body is thick, sticky and syrupy, and the carbonation is appropriately low for the style.

Overall Rating:  (5.6 out of 6.0)  This is certainly among the top stouts I've ever tasted.  I'm not sure that I would agree with the claim that this is a 'hoppy imperial stout' - the hops are present but they don't play as prominent a role as I expected.  This could easily be due to the 1+ year of aging?   But that doesn't change the fact that this was a fantastic beer, a must-have for those of you that like big and bold stouts.  


**Side Note:  Let's hope Anheuser-Busch doesn't ruin the quality brand that Goose Island has built!  I'm going to hold my tongue here and give GI the benefit of the doubt, that they can hold true to quality and not fall prey to the cost-cutting ways of big-beer.  I won't call them sell-outs unless their beer starts to taste like crap.

Central Waters - Illumination Double IPA

Tonight I'm going to be drinking a brew from Central Waters Brewing Co. This brewery was founded back in '98, and is located in Amherst, Wisconsin.  They have a cool section on their website that includes some "Recipes of the Month", recipes for food that in some way incorporate (their) beer...worth a look if you're the culinary type.  This Illumination Ale is a seasonal brew, available only in March and April.  For some reason, they don't even list this brew in their 'Beer' section, which is a little odd.  You brew and distribute a beer, but you don't bother to add it as an offering on your own website.... either their web-manager is a lazy asshole, or this is a super-top-secret classified beer.  What's your money on?

The label on this bottle is a contrast print with a green hop flower in the middle - simple and well-done, looks good.  The label also indicates this is a 9%ABV DIPA.  The beer is a slightly cloudy dark golden color, with a sturdy half inch of white head that holds onto the lace.  The aroma is fumagous, with grapefruit taking primary role, along with some pine and lemon zest.  This beer smells awesome. 

The flavor begins bitter, with resiny pine starting things off.  Then comes some grapefruit and lemon peels.  After that, an herbal, earthy sweetness appears on top of a lightly breaded malt backbone.  That sweetness helps balance out the beer, and prevents the hop profile from getting overly bitter to the point of harshness.  The body is medium, texture oily, but the carbonation is high which helps lighten the load of oily resins in the back of my throat.  Alcohol is vaguely apparent, but remains a distant afterthought to the rest of the flavors. 

Overall Rating:  (5.0 out of 6.0)  This DIPA was bitter and destructive to the palate, but I loved it.  Central Waters put together a brew that full-filled my craving for big hops, without overdoing it.  I can't honestly say it was balanced....it wasn't.  But the hop profile was awesome.  Hopinistas, go find this beer.

Summit - Imperial Pumpkin Porter

Recently Dunz and I have started to share the word of our beer blog with our friends, colleagues and acquaintances who love beer.  We have received some great feedback and are looking forward to sharing more of our beer tasting experiences with everybody.  One of the comments we received was directed towards our lack of reviewing any Summit beers.  To me, Summit is a staple beer at any bar you go to in the metro area.  Their pale ale recently received a silver medal at the Great American Beer Festival.  Its one of those breweries that us here in MN just take for granted.  They brew great beer, are friendly people, and actively participate in the community and promote their new creations.  So tonight I will take the time to write our first review of a Summit beer.

Summit started their Unchained series about a year and a half ago with Batch #01 Kolsch.  This series is designed to give the brewers at Summit a chance to flaunt their creative side when it comes to brewing beer.  Since the release of their Kolsch style brew they have released four other styles; Scottish 90/-, India Style Rye Ale, Belgian Style Golden Ale, and tonights beer of choice the Imperial Pumpkin Porter.  This was released back in November but I have been keeping a bottle in my fridge to review for about three months now.  I dont know why I havent cracked this one open since then but I figured now was as good a time as any.

This beer pours... no wait... beers dont pour, I pour them.... let me rephrase that.  As I pour this beer into my Summit branded pint glass a light tan head forms atop a very deep black beer.  The aromas are immediately noticeable.  A little coffee, sweet caramel malt and some pumpkin spice combine to form the backbone of the aroma.  The flavor is nicely balanced between the spices and the porter itself.  A roasty, coffee, malty are the flavors you will notice first.  As this brew finishes you find those pumpkin spices sneaking up on you to remind you this isnt your typical porter.  The finish is slightly bitter from the hops and roasted malts with hardly any hint of alcohol present.

Overall 5.0/6.0 - This is my kind of pumpkin beer.  One that is not so overpowering with the spices and pumpkin that you cant even discern the underlying beer.  This one does a good job keeping the base porter prominent while bringing in a nice cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg (I'm shooting from the hip here since I'm assuming those are your standard pumpkin spices) flavor to finish off your overall experience.  Its unfortunate that this is a limited release.  I hope Summit brews this one again in the fall.

Avery - Ellie's Brown Ale

Today I'll be drinking Ellie's Brown Ale from Avery Brewing.  This is an American Brown Ale, known to be a good session brew at 5.5%ABV.  It's named after Avery's late chocolate lab that passed away in 2002.  The recommended food pairings for this brew are roasted, spicy meats and chipotle mole.

The label includes a picture of Ellie the chocolate lab.  Ellie kind of reminds me of my Doberman-Lab mix, Murphy.   Murphy is 'cute', but very very dumb (he acts sad when I say that, so I usually just call him 'special', that seems to please him).  He's regularly taunted by squirrels and crows, and although he thinks he's tough, he's not....and the Doberman coloring is just a big facade (picture below).   

This beer is a lot darker than I expected - it's a brown that wants to be black, but doesn't quite make it.  Some light gets through, just barely.  The pour leaves a nice inch of off-white head the leaves a decent amount of lacing behind.  The aroma, oddly enough, actually reminds me of a dog.  It's a musky, wet dog kind of smell right away.  There is a grainy, nutty aroma in there as well.  The taste starts with sweet, lightly burnt wheat bread.  Chewy, nutty, bready malts are followed by a nice, refreshingly light hop bitterness with a bit of pine that lightens those malts up a bit.  Nice smooth body with moderate carbonation.

Overall Rating:  (5.0 out of 6.0)  This brown ale really hit the spot tonight.  Despite my strange initial impression of the aroma, the beer was well balanced, nothing extreme....but I thought this was a nice example of the style. 


Murphy can't find his frisbee.



Great Divide - Espresso Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout

Tonights review brings us to a beer that I just recently reviewed in its original form.  Great Divide's Yeti Imperial Stout is a beer that I found to be a bit on the sweet side for my liking.  With the knowledge that Great Divide had different versions of this beer I knew it would be a great opportunity for me to compare their standard Yeti (no, not this kind of Yeti, thank you Google images!) to one infused with oak, espresso, or both.  I chose the both this time around since I enjoy my imperial stouts to be bolder and roastier than most.  I figured two additional ingredients were better than one...

To start, I poured this Yeti into my large mug.  I tried to pour it perfectly, right up to the top, and failed.  I quickly cleaned up my mess, said a prayer to the beer gods to ask for forgiveness, and went about my business. I could smell the aroma of the espresso right away, without even putting my nose near it.  A bold, dark chocolate and coffee aroma wafts out of my mug.  Its very inviting but not overbearing.  I can still smell a bit of the residual sweetness that comes along with the original Yeti.  I'm hoping this sweetness is more subdued in the flavor.

Wow... forget about sweetness.  Lets talk about espresso!  Thats the very first flavor you will notice as you take your initial sip.  A slightly bitter oakiness backfills in for support of the espresso while the original Yeti brew provides a base of dark chocolate and roasted malt.  The finish is very smooth... actually its extremely smooth.  Hardly a hint of alcohol warmth as it easily makes its way down your throat.  Medium to low carbonation accentuates the silky mouthfeel and allows the primary flavors of roasted espresso and dark chocolate to play their part.  Hints of vanilla start to show up as it warms.  The bitter nature of the espresso and roasted malts also starts to play a bigger role as I near the halfway point of the bottle.

Overall 5.2/6.0 - I definitely liked this one better than the original Yeti.  This beer was also bottled on Feb 12th, 2010 which I'm sure has helped mellow out these flavors.  I wouldn't want to try this straight off the line.  The year of age definitely did it good as opposed to the year of age on the original Yeti where it just further accentuated the sweetness.  You should definitely be a fan of espresso if you are going to enjoy this beer.  If you aren't then give the oak aged Yeti a try.  After this experience, I know Ill be grabbing a bottle.

Hoegaarden - Original White Ale in Homemade Chicken Pot Pie

Tonights review includes an interesting combination of food and brew.  The wife had a craving for pot pie this morning and that sounded delicious to me.  Over lunch I found a book on cooking with beer and noticed wheat beers generally went well with chicken.  Chicken pot pie baked with wheat beer?  Hell yes.  My wife being the culinary genius she is took the Hoegaarden Wit that I came home with and incorporated it beautifully into a homemade pot pie.

Sautéed chicken, shallots and garlic were cooked together until chicken was mostly done.  The chicken was removed and a bottle of Hoegaarden was added and reduced.  Green beans, coined carrots, peas and corn were then added along with a bit of flour for thickening.  The mixture was brought to a boil and simmered for 5 minutes until sufficiently reduced.  Cream of chicken and broth were then added to the veggie beer mixture and combined in the stoneware pot along with the original chicken.  A homemade crust was then placed over the pot and set in the oven until the crust was a nice and flaky golden brown.

The final product was amazing.  Our normal pot pie has always been thick and hearty.  This was no different but the pepper and citrus zest definitely made an appearance making it come alive.  It added an another layer of complexity that was very welcome.  Now, onto the actual beer!

This witbier pours very light and cloudy with a bright white head forming and quickly receding.  Like most white ales this one is full of different aromas.  Lemon rind, pepper, yeast and citrus all play a part here.  The flavor is malty sweet.  A high carbonation makes the flavors bounce around your mouth.  More citrus and subtle yeast and pepper notes reflect the aromas tones pretty closely.  A smooth finish with a mild bitterness finish this brew off.

Overall 5.2/6.0 - As far as witbiers are concerned this is a pretty solid example.  In fact, its the first example listed for the BJCP witbier style.  Nothing is overdone and the flavors are all blended nicely.  For somebody who typically drinks large, American craft beers this was a nice deviation from my standard line up.  I also think you could have used just about any wheat or witbier in the pot pie.  Although I would probably stay away from the sweeter wheats and stick to the more spicy ones.  The spice will compliment the food more than any fruity beer would.

Trappistes Rochefort 10

Tonight I will be drinking a real treat from Rochefort Brewery.  First, a little tidbit of interesting brewing history.

Rochefort (Brasserie de Rochefort) is a Belgian Trappist brewery located in the Abby of Notre-Dame de Saint-Remy.  This monastery has been brewing beer since 1595!  It's operated by 15 resident monks, who are extremely secretive of their brewing process, and brew a set amount of beer each year.  The proceeds generated from sales are used to support the monastery, and contributed to "other charitable causes", so they do not adjust their brewing rates based on demand from the market.  Rochefort brews three different beers:  Rochefort 6, Rochefort 8, and Rochefort 10.  Each increasing number represents a stronger, more alcoholic Belgian strong ale.  What does Trappist mean?  Trappists are monks that are part of the Order of the Strict Observance, which is a Roman Catholic religious order.  Authentic Trappist beers are brewed by monks in this order, following a specific process that's been in use for hundreds of years.  They are bottle conditioned, and contain residual sugars and yeast that you would typically find in home-brewed beer.  These beers are known to be some of the highest quality in the world.

The beer comes in a 11.2oz bottle with a simple label that includes the "Authentic Trappist Product" stamp on the front.  It also says "Abbey St-Remy  B-5580  Rochefort" on top of the label - this is probably the batch number?  I'm not able to find the bottled-on date, there are some numbers on there but nothing indicating an actual date.  Also worth mentioning is the 11.3%ABV - hot damn.

The beer pours a dark, deep brown, my friends here say they think it's jet-black.  The aroma is full of alcohol and dark fruits, mainly rainsins and plums.  Also some sweet fumes make their way through, must be figs.  The taste doesn't hit the palate as hard as I expected from the nose.  The flavors ease their way in, starting with plums and licorice.  Then comes a wave of sweetness in the form of figs and nutmeg.   Very rich and chewy.  There really isn't any bitterness present at all.  The finish is sticky, but isn't cloying....very smooth.  The alcohol is present only in warmth, doesn't contribute to the flavor but adds a comforting warmth to the beer, like sitting next to a warm fire. 

Overall Rating:  (5.5 out of 6.0)  No surprise here - this is an amazing beer.  The quality of the ingredients and the care taken in the brewing process are obvious.  Bottle conditioned to perfection.  Those monks know how to brew a good beer! 

Sierra Nevada - Bigfoot Barely Wine 2010

Tonight, my friends, is one of those nights where I wanted to drink something that I knew would be delicious.  Something that was full of flavor, hops, body, aroma, and all around fantasticness.  Sierra Nevada has rarely ever let me down with any of their beers.  So what better beer to pick than one that I have been aging for over a year... a 2010 Bigfoot barley wine.  We all know how much I <3 barley wines.  This was a clear choice.

Every year Sierra Nevada has been brewing this glorious concoction.  And every the recipe changes.  I have had the 2011 vintage this year and it is mighty hoppy.  I recall from the 2010's I had last year that they were much less so.  More of an English than an American barley wine.  I enjoyed 2010 much more.  I anticipate that since its had time to age the flavors have come together and mellow out over the year.  Lets see if that is indeed the case!

The pour is a deep, hazy brown-red color.  The yeast sediment is floating freely throughout the glass.  A solid off white crop of foam forms during the pour and recedes only a few minutes after.  The aroma is intense; full of candied fruits, brown sugar, toasted caramel and a bit of citrus from the hops.  My first sip is smooth like Kieth Stone.  Those fruity tones mixed together with a small amount of caramel and malt blend together with a surprising amount of hop bitterness towards the finish.  Over time, hops tend to drop out of the beer.  If you let a beer age longer than 3-5 years you can typically assume your bittering aspect of the hops to be nonexistent.  Over one year old and the bitter bite is still there.  A warming alcohol presence assists this brew on its way down your throat.  The carbonation is moderate and accentuates some of the subtleties this brew has to offer.

Overall 5.1/6.0 - This was a great beer to drink and has certainly aged well.  The flavors were not harsh, the hops played a bold but not powerful role, and the alcohol was mellow.  While delicious overall, I have definitely had better barley wines this winter.  I would never pass up on a Bigfoot and the 2010 vintage is no different.  If you have a bottle aging now is as good a time as any other to crack it open and enjoy a solid American brewed treat.

Two Brothers - Resistance IPA

Tonight I'll be taking a look at this IPA from Two Brothers Brewing.  Two Brothers is a small craft brewery in Warrenville, IL on the outskirts of Chicago that is 100% family owned.  Another warrior in the fight against the big brewing cronies that brew dirty yellow adjunct-water!  Resistance IPA falls under their "J Series" of beers which are aged in french oak foudres (basically large oak barrels).

The label design is simple, with a small foudre drawn on the front of the label and a short description on the label (pictured below).  Pours a clear honey-gold color with less than a half inch of head after a vigorous pour.  The nose is hefty and full of citrus tang, along with pine and lemongrass.  Also a hint of woody vanilla pushes it's way through the hop aromas.  The drink brings a wave of flavor that I honestly didn't expect after the aroma.  Instead of a big hop blast, the drink starts off with a fruity, juicy grapefruit coated with thin pine notes, overall I'm reminded of tropical drinks on the beach.  Then the flavor transitions to a cedar plank covered in sweet honey.  The finish is tart with sour fruits that are a bit different from the initial fruity hops, but very pleasant.  Mouthfeel is smooth and creamy, with a lower amount of carbonation that delivers the flavor perfectly.

Overall Rating:  (5.2 out of 6.0)  This was a fantastic, easy-drinking IPA with a nice twist courtesy of the french oak aging process.  If I had to describe this beer in one word, it would be 'Juicy'.  Unfortunately I think this is only distributed in the midwest, but get your hands on this brew if you can.

New Belgium 1554 Enlightened Black Ale

Last night our good friend Schmidt was in town, so we went out to the local Tavern for some mugs and pool.  Steve, Schmidt and I are all Iowa State alums, so it was oddly appropriate when we were challenged to a game of doubles by a couple Iowa alums.  Our rivalry can be fierce, but not to the point of hatred, and it's easy to bridge that competitive gap when beer is involved!  They ended up beating us two games out of three....disappointing, but we got a shot of tequila out of it, so it wasn't a total loss.

Today I'll be drinking New Belgium 1554, a beer that I first tried (and enjoyed) last summer.  This is an interesting brew - according to the website, it's based on an old recipe that originated in Belgium, but was lost in a flood in Fort Collins in 1997.  To re-discover this brew style, the head brewers headed out to Belgium and studied up on ancient manuscripts and such.  It'd be interesting to travel back in time to 1500 and hit the tavern for a mug.  Beer back then was probably skunky and chunky.  Although, that may not have been the case with some of the monastery breweries.  But I digress...

The label on this bottle is quiant - it depicts a small table with a glass of beer and a paper that is likely showing the old recipe New Belgium based this brew on.  Pouring this into my snifter, it pours a blackish brown hue and lets just a tiny hint of light throw.  The head is egg-white and laces a thin layer on top of the beer.  The aroma brings roasted coffee and light toffee, along with some sugared dark fruits.  The drink brings an assault of flavors - wow!  It's hard to pick out individual flavors at first, everything swirls like a hurricane.  The one pillar that stands out is the roasted chocolate malts.  Those are complimented by a nutty texture and rich dark chocolate, and a welcome hint of sour cherry in the finish (especially as the beer warms).  The texture is smooth, and surprisingly light-bodied. 

Overall Rating:  (5.2 out of 6.0)  This is one of my favorites from New Belgium - it's a beer that can be enjoyed any time of the year.  Loaded with roasty goodness, but not lead in your stomach.  Although it's lighter than a porter, it's still not a beer you can drink quickly.  1554 is a good sipper at a great price.

Harriet Brewing - West Side Belgian-Style IPA

Today Duns and I went on a journey to a new brewery, Harriet Brewing in Minneapolis.  Our buddy Mat sent us an article about the brewery earlier this week and told us to check it out.  I signed up for their email list and this morning I got an email saying they were selling growlers of their new flagship beer, a Belgian style IPA.  I was already intrigued by the style name since I've always been a fan of Belgian beers.  I was excited when Summit released their Belgian style golden ale so to hear another local brewery is not only brewing a Belgian ale but focusing their efforts on Belgian brewing, I was very excited.

We are going to write a full review of our visit to Harriet Brewing as a separate post since we felt it warranted more attention than just a single beer review.  So with this review, I am going to just stick to the beer itself.

The color is a cloudy bright orange.  A nice, eggshell foam holds sturdy as a small slug in the middle of my glass. The aroma is bold and complex.  The first thing you notice are those Belgian beer characteristics; bready, yeasty, fruity and fresh.  Intertwined into that are the hops from its IPA side.  Floral and citrusy are the initial aromas I am able to pick out.  Very inviting.  The flavor is just as complex.  The spiciness of the Belgian yeast is prominent and balanced with the citrus of the hops and sweetness of the malt.  The finish is mostly hops with a bit of sweetness.  Alcohol is hardly there.  We were told it comes in somewhere between 6.5-7% ABV.

Overall 5.5/6.0 - I was skeptical going into this.  Belgian beers are difficult to replicate since the yeast used provides a majority of the flavor.  However, Harriet Brewing nailed this beer on the hop-head.  All of the characteristics of a Belgian style are present and accentuated with a big pile of hops.  How can you complain about that?!  I am very happy Mat told me about this brewery.  They will be on my radar from here on out.

The artwork within the brewery is awesome!  Very bold and fresh, just like their beer.

Surly Abrasive Ale

Abrasive Ale classifies as a Double Oat IPA.  Didn't know that was a style?  Neither did I!  But Surly is always full of surprises.  At 8.8%, and 120 IBU's, this beer packs some serious punch.  It was originally called 16 Grit, which is a size of abrasive grit used at the old Abrasive factory that once stood at the location of the brewery. 

Pouring this beer into my snifter, the color is a glowing amber/orange with a thin egg-white layer of foam - completely clear, a very nice-looking brew.  The nose is what I've come to expect from Surly - fumes.  Sharp florals are dominant, some lemon-lime zest and citrus peels are also in there.  The taste of the beer starts off with mild citrusy bitterness from the hops, but that quickly gives way to a creamy maltiness full of toffee and nuts.  Nuts....haha.  Focus!  This beer is hoppy and juicy, with a firm malt backbone that holds it's ground.  Extremely drinkable, the carbonation is fairly strong, and the beer is smooth and light.  The 9% alcohol is almost entirely hidden. 

Overall Rating:  (5.2 out of 6.0):  Yet another brilliant brew from the geniuses over at Surly.  These guys are the real deal - they have been growing exponentially every year for the last 4 years, and this beer is yet another badge of honor for them.  Grab it while you can. 

Founders - Backwoods Bastard

Tonight I'm drinking Founders Backwoods Bastard.  I have had Founders beers in the past and have been satisfied with their product.  Their beers tend to embody the American craft beer movement.  Most are big, bold and unique, with todays brew being no exception.  Its a 10.6% ABV scotch ale and aged in oak bourbon barrels.  I generally like beers aged in oak.  The best examples I have previously found have all been stouts so this one should be a good change of pace.

After letting this warm up a bit the bourbon really wafts out of my glass.  A little smoke and vanilla add some complexity to the prominent bourbon smell.  The flavor is really nice and plays right into the aroma.  Bourbon, smoke, caramel, and dark fruit come together and finishes dry with an alcohol warmth at the end.  The mouthfeel is smooth and creamy.  The carbonation level is perfect... just enough there to accentuate the creaminess.

Overall 5.2/6.0 - I really liked this.  The bourbon is definitely prominent and the star player in this brew.  If you dont like bourbon this is not your kind of beer.  However, as a beer lover that also enjoys bourbon on occasion this is definitely a nice play on the strong scotch ale style.  The flavors blend together nicely.  It doesnt taste like somebody just dropped a shot of bourbon in this beer.  I think this comes in a four pack although Im not sure since this was another single bottle purchase.  Four pack or six pack aside, I wish I had more than just one on hand.  Pick it up and give it a shot!

Anchor - Old Foghorn

I think I just started feeling normal after a great night out last night.  My brother and I, along with my wife and his girlfriend had some delicious dinner at their place.  Afterwards we went out to go watch one of my wifes students play in their band at a local coffee shop.  Very talented kids and lots of fun to watch.  Afterwards we went out to a bar right next to my brothers place and had a few drinks and watched another band.  They were great.  They played a ton of current hits and it was a blast to watch them.  My drunk ass eventually got up to dance which could have probably been compared to a drunk monkey convulsing on the floor.  I was having fun.

Tonight I'm drinking Anchor Old Foghorn.  Its one of the recommended brews for the American barley wine style so I'm excited to give it a taste.  The aroma is very rich and malty with some caramel showing up in the mix.  The color is a deep amber and brilliantly clear.  A very small lace of foam clings to the side of the glass.  The first sip is silky smooth and a little slick.  Low carbonation really allows the flavors to shine through.  Sweet caramel, dark fruits and an alcohol warmth makes a presence in the finish.

Overall 5.0/6.0 - Nothing really stood out for me with this beer.  Its well crafted, easy to drink and a good representation of the style.  Id definitely drink it again but I wasn't completely blown away by it.  If you are in the mood for a good barley wine go ahead and pick this one up.

Moylan's Hopsickle Imperial IPA

Congratulations to the Packers and all you cheeseheads out there - Super Bowl Champs!  Rodgers has indeed proven to be a legitimate successor to Favre.  By the way, did anyone else think the half-time show was awful?  The song Fergie sang with Slash was like nails on a chalk-board.  But, the game was great and the Packers earned their throne.

You may have noticed that lately, I've been drinking and reviewing a lot of Imperial IPAs.  Well, it's true, and I can't really explain why that is.  The only explanation I can come up with is the fact that we are about 65% through an absolute shit-storm of a winter in MN, and my body is naturally craving the warmth, bite, and vitamins found in big IPAs.  So for those of you that hate IPAs, and hate me for reviewing them so much, I give you my most insincere apology. 

Tonight I am popping open this bottle of Moylan's Hopsickle Imperial IPA.  This beer comes in Moylan's signature pint bottle with a label that lists the awards the beer has won, along with a map that shows where the brewery is located.  The label states that this beer is 9.2%ABV, and that it is "Triple Hoppy".  Triple hoppy makes me triple happy.  The beer pours a clear dark orange with a hefty off-white head the sticks.  The aroma is....pungent, wafting, fumegous, potent!  Strong smells of ripe, fresh-cut oranges and smashed flowers, and lemon zest.  There's also a bit of sweet honey in the background.

The first sip doesn't disappoint - this beer is an absolute hop-bomb.  Oily resins and bitterness lead the assault.  The hop profile is a blend of fresh pine and cedar, along with fresh lemons and some flowers (imagine eating... the smell... of a fresh flower).  The malt backbone takes back seat - it's there, and provides a nice honey sweetness, but really hides in the shadows of the hops.  The finish is a paradox, dry and oily.  The body is medium and the carbonation is crisp.

Overall Rating:  (5.5 out of 6.0)  Now please keep in mind, these ratings are always subjective, so they have to be taken in context.  My taste buds crave the lupulins - the more bittering hops, the better.  So for me, this beer was bliss.  This is an IPA that actually comes close to my favorite - Surly Wet - a beer that sits close to my heart.  The only difference with this beer is the malt backbone - a little more muscle there, and this could take down Surly Wet as my favorite IPA.  Hop-lovers rejoice - this beer is phenomenal.