Stone - Arrogant Bastard

Tonight I'm drinking Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale.  This classifies as an American Strong Ale, with a hefty 7.2%ABV.  Stone has an awesome blurb on their website about this beer, and I'm going to quote it below, for your reading pleasure. 



Stone - rebel craft brewers with a devil mascot...arrogant bastards!

 "This is an aggressive ale. You probably won’t like it. It is quite doubtful that you have the taste or sophistication to be able to appreciate an ale of this quality and depth. We would suggest that you stick to safer and more familiar territory–maybe something with a multi-million dollar ad campaign aimed at convincing you it’s made in a little brewery, or one that implies that their tasteless fizzy yellow beverage will give you more sex appeal. Perhaps you think multi-million dollar ad campaigns make things taste better. Perhaps you’re mouthing your words as you read this. 

At Stone Brewing, we believe that pandering to the lowest common denominator represents the height of tyranny - a virtual form of keeping the consumer barefoot and stupid. Brought forth upon an unsuspecting public in 1997, Arrogant Bastard Ale openly challenged the tyrannical overlords who were brazenly attempting to keep Americans chained in the shackles of poor taste. As the progenitor of its style, Arrogant Bastard Ale has reveled in its unprecedented and uncompromising celebration of intensity. There have been many nods to Arrogant Bastard Ale…even outright attempts to copy it… but only one can ever embody the true nature of liquid Arrogance!"

The beer is a beautiful, dark reddish brown with a huge two+ inch fluffy head - really a nice looking beer, and with great retention.  The nose is a blend of aromatic, piney hops, toasty malts, and a alcohol-soaked plums.  The taste is pretty complex, there's a lot going on in this one.  Starts off with a big sweet maltyness, caramel and butterscotch primarily.  Things quickly divert from there into a big, bitter chunk of hop flavors that are spicy, oily and more pine cones.  Those pine flavors have been a recurring theme for Stone (and yes, that's a good thing).  The finish moves back into sweet territory, with more of caramel and a hint of roasted grains, everything ending dry.  The body on this beer is hard to judge, definitely on the heavier side, but the higher carbonation breaks it up and helps with the drinkability.

Overall Rating:  This is a big, complex, hoppy beer that legitimizes Stone Brewing's obnoxious arrogance.  They made a good beer, and they know it!  Those of you that like the barleywine style will love this beer.  Although this is technically an American Strong Ale, it drinks like a good barleywine. 


**Side Note:  As you may have noticed, I'm doing away with the number ratings.  From now on, I'm going to rate beers from 1 to Z and everywhere in between.   

Stone - IPA

Stone IPA was first released back in 1997.  The brewers at Stone are self-proclaimed hop-heads, so they bring big doses of Columbus, Chinook, and Centennial hops in this brew, with an emphasis on the dry-hopping.  6.9% ABV and 77 IBUs.

This beer comes in a 22oz bottle with their signature winged rebel demon-man on the front.  It's a clear light amber color with a full finger of white head that sticks to the glass nicely.  Great retention.  The nose is reminiscent of the Ruination I had last week, but a bit softer.  The thick tropical fruits are barely there, oranges and mangos....but this time there is more of a pungent, herbal honey sweetness present.

The taste starts off immediately with spicy hops.  Very spicy, very herbal, bitter, and piney.  Also some grassiness in there.  These hops really dominate the flavor.  In the background there is a creamy, honey-lined maltiness that never actually gets sweet, it knocks at the door politely while the hops destroy the hotel room.  Some fruitiness or tart would be a pleasant diversion from the spiciness, but, none to be found.  The mouthfeel is creamy and heavy for an IPA, but stays smooth despite the high carbonation level.

Overall Rating:  (4.3 out of 6.0)  I'm struggling to rate this beer.  I would classify it as a nice, big, hoppy IPA, but it's fairly one-sided with spices and pine cones dominating.  This beer was actually more destructive to my palate than their Ruination Imperial IPA!  A nice beer, but not as adventurous (or fruity) as Ruination.  

**Side Note:  Ruination obviously had a strong effect on me, and influenced this review.  If I were to pit these two side by side, I would pick Ruination every time.  However, this beer is great and another winning brew for the hop-heads out there.

Sierra Nevada - 30th Anniversary Imperial Helles Bock

Good evening beer lovers!  For some reason I am in delightfully chipper mood tonight.  No, its not because I'm all drugged up on antihistamines... damn allergies.  Its because the sun was shining after work, the temperature was in the 50s for one of the first times this spring, and I knew I had a delicious brew waiting for me to enjoy when I got home.  The only downside to the night so far was the Twins game getting rained out in New York.  I'm ok with that though since the Twins had an epic comeback win against them last night!  Woo hoo!!!

Tonights beer is one I have had on hand for close to six months now.  I couldnt tell you why its taken me this long to pop open.  Maybe its because it looks like a fancy bottle because it has a cork instead of a cap.  Or it could be because it was $10 for the bottle and I wanted to save it for a special occasion.  That sounds more accurate.  This beer is being reviewed in honor of spring finally making an appearance here in Minnesota!  Cheers to no more snow on the ground!

Sierra Nevada's Imperial Helles Bock, brewed in part by two of the countries most well known home brewers Charlie Papazian and Fred Eckhardt, is one of four beers produced in their 30th anniversary series.  The Helles style of beer, one we partially reviewed during our German beer tasting event back in December, was originally brewed to compete with the dominant German Pilsner style at the time.  Generally light with a sweet malt aroma and subdued hop profile, this style is bland on paper but brilliantly full flavored when brewed properly.  Sierra Nevada's version is an imperial style meaning its going to be bigger, more alcoholic and bolder than your standard Helles.  Who can complain with that?

The cork pops off with a thin, white smoke of carbonation flowing out the top of the neck.  As I pour this beer I can already smell the sweet malt aroma expected from the Helles style.  A cream colored head forms on top of a  brilliantly clear, straw colored brew.  A sweet toasted malt character is what I sense first followed by an unexpected crisp, aromatic hop profile.  Nicely balanced with neither overpowering the other.  The head has receded into a few small slugs floating in the middle of a thin lacing clinging to the circumference of my pint.  My first sip is more bitter than I excepted.  I get a lot of floral hops throughout my first few sips with the bready, slightly toasty malt profile showing up every so often.  The body is nice and full, more so than your typically Helles.  Moderate carbonation accentuates the bitterness and 8.3% ABV of this anniversary brew.  Very smooth finish with no lingering cloying sweetness or bitterness.

Overall 4.5/6.0 - While I cant say this was my favorite out of the four anniversary beers Sierra Nevada produced last year I can say this was a well brewed beer.  I wanted to give it a lower score because of the higher than expected hop profile in the flavor but I should have known that may be the case because A) its an imperial beer and B) I don't know very many home brewers, much less Sierra Nevada, who can restrain themselves from throwing a massive amount of hops into every beer they make!  The beer is delicious and I would certainly drink it again.  If you can find a bottle, definitely pick it up if you like your beers on the hoppier side.

Summit - Extra Pale Ale

Tonight I'll be going back to the basics with this EPA from Summit.  This was their "first-born child" - the beer that started it all, and their flagship since the brewery was founded in 1986.  This beer is well-known in the Twin Cities and across the upper midwest for it's flavor and drinkability.

Summit EPA is a 5.1%ABV brew hopped with a combination of Horizon, Fuggle, and Cascade.  The beer is an amber color with a bright white, fluffy layer of head.  The nose is a mild, slightly piney hop.  That is shoved aside by the sweet, buttered, honey bread malts.  This beer smells inviting.  The taste starts off with some hop bitterness, lemon zest and a hint of pine.  Then come those sweet biscuits, no honey in there, but definitely a sweet maltiness that is prominent midway through the drink.  The finish brings back a reminder of the hops, with a slight citrus bite that refreshes the palate.  The body is medium, with fairly high carbonation that gives it more of a dry, light mouthfeel.

Overall Rating:  (4.0 out of 6.0)   I've always enjoyed Summit's EPA, both in the bottle and on draft.  It's a light and flavorful pale ale that should be a staple in every Minnesotans' refridgerator, especially during the summer months. 

**Side Note:  As the beer warmed, I noticed a slight metallic, tinny flavor that wasn't too pleasant.  Serve cold, drink fast!

Bell's - Amber Ale

Today is my wifes birthday!  I wanted to make sure it was a great one so I went out of my way and did a few special things for her that I normally wouldn't do.  I ordered some flowers to arrive for her at our house in the middle of the day, a bouquet of calla lilies which are her favorite.  I also made a reservation at a new Italian place called Parma thats only a short jaunt down the highway from our house.  It was amazing.  Highly recommended.

There were, of course, a few gifts involved as well.  One was the movie Tangled.  We went to go see it in theaters and she loved it so I thought it was an appropriate gift since it was just released yesterday.  Plus the horse in the movie is friggen hilarious.  I also got her a necklace of a bejeweled robot.  It sounded cooler then what it actually turned out to be.  I thought it was going to be this nice, petite necklace that she could wear it around and flaunt her nerdy side.  What it ended up being was giant piece of bling.  Think massive rapper necklace except not $57,000.  She decided it would work better as a key chain... I guess thats better than returning it!

So happy birthday to my wife and thank you to her for letting me write a review on her birthday!

Tonights brew is Bell's Amber.  I picked this up in another pick-a-six pack just last week.  According to Bell's website this is their flagship beer which surprised me.  Everywhere I go, at least in downtown Minneapolis, I see Bells Two Hearted.  In this area I think thats their flagship beer.  Everybody here knows Bells by their Two Hearted, not their Amber.  Maybe after this review I will think differently.

As I poured this into my pint glass I notice a big ol' load of sediment flowing throughout the beer.  Its not entirely surprising since this has happened with other Bells bottles Ive had.  Once I let it settle, we were ready to roll.  Brilliantly clear with a light amber hue.  An egg-white colored head persists in a thin layer after settling.  A sweet malt and toasty aroma are the first flavors I smell.  Some hops are present in the background.  The flavor follows through nicely from where the aroma left off.  A crisp and sweet/bready maltiness is accentuated by the carbonation.  Slight bitterness creates a clean finish.  No alcohol present from the 5.8% ABV.

Overall 4.0/6.0 - A good example of an American Amber.  Its the last example listed within the BJCP style guidelines which says something.  But for me, I wasnt all that impressed.  This is probably one thats much better on tap.  The sediment was a bit of a drag and prevented me from enjoying the entire pint.  The flavors were nice and the overall brew was easy to drink.  Once it warmed the flavors were much bolder.  If its on tap grab a few for yourself and your buddies.  If you see it in a six pack, maybe you should continue searching for another Amber.

Mad River - Serious Madness Black Ale

Today's Black Ale comes from Mad River Brewing Company, based out in Blue Lake, CA.  This brewery has roots with Sierra Nevada - they actually purchased Sierra Nevada's original brewing equipment when Sierra Nevada expanded and moved to a larger production brewhouse.  Mad River has two brands - Steelhead Ales and Jamaica Brand.  I've had a couple of their Steelhead brews in the past - nothing that particularly stood out for me.  Serious Madness is a Black ale that holds 8.6%ABV and 74.7 IBUs.

This Black Ale caught my attention the other day with it's lightning bolt label design.  It comes in a short 12oz bottle with a screw-cap...kind of Busch league.  This beer is black with a red hue, and light is banned entirely.  A gentle pour leaves over an inch of tan head that receeds quickly, without any lace.  Aroma is toasted sourdough bread, and I know this will sound strange...but I smell kiwi in there.  An earthy hoppiness is also present.  The drink is very dry, acidic, with herbal hops coming to mind first.  Then comes a cooked dark fruit, can't pinpoint it exactly, baked raisins, maybe?  Smokey, roasted grains make a big statement in the middle, and then the finish is a juicy plum, with a bitterness that lingers.  The mouthfeel is smooth with a little grit to keep it real. 

Overall Rating:  (4.5 out of 6.0)  This beer is certainly a unique offering from Mad River....I enjoyed it.  Turned out to be a combination of Stout and Black IPA.  The 8% alcohol was non-existent....Caution!

Hook Norton - Hooky Gold

Tonights review is of another beer brewed by our beer loving bloaks over in England.  I decided I wanted to grab a few more English style beers to see if I could get a better taste for the nuances with the way the produce beer.  I felt my last review of Wychwood's Wychcraft accentuated the fact that I have a severe lack of diversification within my beer fridge.  So heres my attempt to branch out.

Hook Norton Brewery is located in Hook Norton, England.  It was started in 1849 which was apparently a busy year for England: The young Queen Victoria ruled - the 35th monarch since William the Conqueror - the country had endured Magna Carta, the Wars of the Roses, The Reformation, Oliver Cromwell's Parliamentarians, the Restoration of the Monarchy and was well into the Industrial Revolution.  There are your fun 1849 English facts for the day.  It also just so happened to be the year John Harris opened the doors to Hook Norton Brewery.  Today, over 150 years later, it is still only one of 32 independent family owned breweries in England.  While their website isnt all that helpful to gather more information on Hooky Gold, I think I was able to get a pretty good idea of what this beer is like on my own.

The appearance of this brew is slightly cloudy and straw colored.  The aroma is full of sweet malt and fruit.  Some subtle citrus and biscuit follows through as it warms.  A very bready and fruity flavor comes though in my first taste.  Nothing is overpowering here which is what I experience with Wychcraft.  All flavors come together nicely and play off of each other without any single flavor dominating the overall beer.  The finish is slightly bitter yet smooth.  A hint of buttery flavor is apparent as this beer warms.

Overall 4.8/6.0 - This was a very pleasant brew.  Lots of flavor and easy to drink.  It would be very refreshing on a hot summer day.  I liked this much better than Wychcraft because of its full flavor profile and crisp finish.  Id recommend this one if you are looking for a break from the bold brews typical of American breweries.


Side note... I just looked up bloak in Google to make sure I spelled it correctly and the first link is the urban dictionary definition.  Good lord thats horrible.  Look it up if you want... you wont be able to think about anything else for a long time.

New Holland - The Poet Oatmeal Stout

Today was a long day at work....last night returned home from a bachelor party trip to Las Vegas....so as you can imagine, it's a bit difficult to re-acclimate to normal human life.  That is a crazy town full of crazy people - definitely the best people-watching town out there.  I had a chance to try Stone Ruination IPA and Squatter's Hop Rising IPA, both phenomenal brews that aren't available in MN.  That was definitely a highlight of the trip for me ; ).

This Oatmeal Stout is brewed by New Holland Brewing, located in Holland, Michigan.  After fumbling my way through their clunky website, I was finally able to find a description of this brew.  I have to say, that website needs a serious overhaul - it's a disaster.  Anyway, The Poet is a year-round offering that comes in at 5.2%ABV.

The label depicts a crow in front of a full moon - cool design for an oatmeal stout.  I think the legend goes, that every time a crow caws, someone in the world has died.  I heard that in a movie...so it must be true.  This beer is nearly pitch black with a nice layer of sticky tan head - good retention.  The aroma is creamy coffee, burnt wood, and a hint of sweet chocolate.  The drink starts off with a crisp dark chocolate roasty flavor, along with some burnt wood and coffee grinds.  Very mild hop bitterness in the middle, and the finish is creamy and smooth.  The mouthfeel is a tad light for a stout, but nothing to complain about.

Overall Rating:  (4.2 out of 6.0)  This was an easy-drinking Oatmeal Stout.  The body was a little thin, but the flavors were nice and I didn't have any problem finishing this glass.  Nice winter session brew.

Dark Horse - Amber Ale

Today I'll be drinking Dark Horse Brewing's Amber Ale.  According to their website, this beer is the "red headed step child" of their beer portfolio.  Why?  Because apparently, it's a ninja.  This Amber Ale is brewed with a yeast that is "almost" a belgian yeast strain.....a ninja-belgian yeast strain.  I'm not exactly sure what they mean by that, but certainly sounds like a twist on the traditional Amber style.

As usual, the label on this bottle is completely disheveled and looks like it was applied by a 2 yr old.  I'm not sure why Dark Horse is incapable of putting a label on a bottle straight, and without rips and tears all over it.  They need to fire the labeler, and hire me!  I'll work for beer.

The beer is a nice reddish brown color, hazy with sediment visible.  Not much head is present, and the little bit of lace that isn't sticky.  The aroma is very, very... belgian-funky.  Fruity, sour, yeasty nose with some peaches, cherries, and maybe even mangos in there.  The taste starts off with that big belgian yeast flavor - pears, cherries, and cloves come to mind.  Then comes a spray of lime.  The middle/end of the drink brings some light caramel malts.  The body is medium, with a smooth mouthfeel and light carbonation.

Overall Rating:  (4.5 out of 6.0)  This was an interesting brew - there wasn't much there to remind me that this was an Amber Ale.  But that didn't matter....the mix of belgian yeast flavors and light caramel malt worked really well together and made for an interesting experience that I enjoyed.  This is an Amber Ale....with a TWIST!

21st Amendment - Back in Black IPA

Today I'll be drinking Back in Black IPA from 21st Amendment Brewery in San Francisco, CA.  21st Amendment is one of those craft breweries that packages their beer in cans, because it's the hip thing to do.  The claim is that cans don't let any light through, thereby eliminating any potential skunkery due to light exposure.  Surly, a local craft brewery here in the Twin Cities, also cans there beer, and I am admittedly a Surly fanboy, so I have nothing against craft beer in a can.  This particular brew is an American-hopped black IPA that comes in at 6.8%ABV.

The can design depicts a revolutionary-style, angry-looking dude with a candle torch (but no pitch-fork).  The beer is a heavy dark brown with a fluffy tan inch of head.  The nose is a pleasant combination of citrus, pine and tropical fruits.  This smells like an IPA, no roasty malts to be found.  The taste follows the aroma almost to a T - very hoppy up front with zesty oranges and a light and welcome pine note complimenting it.  The malt backbone is strange in this beer - it's there, but it doesn't seem to contribute any real flavor to the beer - it just holds up the hop-profile with a bit of sweetness.  The body is sticky and full, with a nice amount of carbonation.

Overall Rating:  (3.8 out of 6.0)  This was a drinkable Black IPA - better than 21st Amendment's Brew Free or Die IPA.  It had more character, and a more robust hop profile.  I wouldn't mind drinking this again.

Two Brothers - Cane and Ebel Red Rye Ale

Today I'll be taking a look at this Red Rye Ale from Two Brothers Brewing.  I tried their Resistance IPA recently, which was phenomenal, so hopefully their streak will continue with this brew.  This is a year-round beer brewed with Rye and Thai Palm Sugar.  What is Thai Palm Sugar, you ask?  WELL, according to the Wikipedia internet-brain, it is a blend of coconut palm sugar, white cane sugar, and malt sugar.  Should make for an interesting, sweet flavor addition in this brew.

The label designs from Two Brothers have been simple but professional - this label includes a drawing of a Thai farmer, presumably picking from sugar cane stalks.  The beer is a dirty, murky dark brown with a 1/4 finger egg-white creamy head.  Nose is spicy with rye and malt-forward with brown sugar making a big statement.  Also a little bit of wood, maybe oak, although I'm pretty sure this wasn't barrel-aged.  The drink is a lot hoppier than the nose let on - lemon zest and orange rinds up front.  Also a faint grassiness.  Then come the malts - raw almonds and spicey rye are primary here, along with a nice touch of sweetness that must come from that palm sugar.  The finish is dry and clean, with the spices hanging a bit in the aftertaste.  The 7% alcohol is well-hidden.

Overall Rating:  (4.8 out of 6.0)  Another solid brew from Two Brothers!  Those guys are building some great beers, and this is one of my favorites.  Smooth, creamy, and packed with interesting flavors.  Give it a try.

Lagunitas - The Hairy Eyeball Ale

This evening's brew comes to us from Lagunitas Brewery out in Petaluma, CA.  Steve and I have had a lot of great Lagunitas' brews over the last couple years, but for some reason, we've only written 1 Lagunitas review.  So tonight, we are going to DOUBLE that amount, and give this bottle of Hairy Eyeball a try.  Hairy Eyeball is a split personality American Strong Ale / Imperial Brown, and registers at a bold 9%ABV.

The beer pours a dark mahogany brown that only lets a couple rays of light through.  The nose is elusive, but after searching there is some candi sweetness, some sour dark fruits and a little cinnamon.  The first sip brings a punch of flavor that frankly caught me by surprise after being lulled by the soft aromas.  There is a strong mix of bittering hops and heavy, sweet caramel malts.  Also some banana nut bread, and some cinnamon raisins make an appearance in the middle.  Then, the alcohol budges in and bullies everyone out of the room.  The mouthfeel is very smooth and creamy, and carbonation is appropriately low. 

Overall Rating:  (4.5 out of 6.0)  This was a nice, barley-wine-esque brew from Lagunitas.  Full of flavor, and the alcohol prominence in the finish reminds you that this is a big beer.  I would certainly recommend this, especially if you like the barley-wines!

**Side Note - I'm having a hard time finishing this glass - the beer is heavy.....doesn't take away from the awesome flavor, but I think I'll finish this glass and go take a nap ; )

Left Hand - 400 Pound Monkey English IPA

This evening I am going with an English IPA from Left Hand Brewing Company in Longmont, CO.  Awesome name, and even better label design!  The label shows an 8 armed monkey (10 if you count the legs), with little army monkeys around him holding hops and barley.  This was bottled on 9/1/10.

The beer pours a clear light orange color with a thin layer of head that forms slowly and recedes quickly.  Faint grapefruits and toffee malts in the nose.  The flavor starts out with an interesting pine/lime combo - very hop forward to start but not overly bitter.  A burnt sweet banana bread, and biscuits, make up a malty backbone that reminds me of an ESB, it goes nicely with the initial hop flavors.  The finish is a 50/50 combo of the hop/malt flavors, keeping things simple and complementary.  The carbonation is just right, and the texture is creamy throughout.


Overall Rating:  (4.5 out of 6.0)  This beer was a simple showcase of the English IPA style.  No noticeable off-flavors, and it was an easy-drinker that went down smooth from start to finish.  If you like the style, give this Left Hand brew a try.

Great Divide - Belgica Belgian IPA

Tonight I'll be giving this Belgium IPA a run.  After recently having a growler of freshly brewed Harriet Brewing Belgian IPA that was absolutely amazing, the bar for this style is set extremely high.

The label design is simple and includes a pair of gargoyle-style lion creatures, along with the words "Singular" and "Ebulliant" (zestfully enthusiastic).  It also includes a stamp that states "Great minds think alike."

This beer pours a straw-golden color with a small amount of head that doesn't stick to the glass much.  The aroma instantly hits the belgian yeast notes, with some bitters and fresh pears.  There's also a hint of pilsen malts that come through.  The first drink....there is certainly a lot happening here.  The first thing I notice is the sweet n' sour belgian yeast.  Then some light malts come through, carrying a lemon-pepper note on their shoulders.  That light lemony tart flavor lingers all the way until the finish, which has a cleansing quality to it.  The beer is pretty creamy and the carbonation brings just enough to give the beer a crisp finish. 

Overall Rating:  (4.3 out of 6.0)  This beer doesn't have the hop characteristics of an American IPA at all, it's really more of a belgian pilsener in my opinion.  That said, it was a tasty, refreshing, drinkable beer that I would recommend, especially for all you belgian brew fans out there. 

Tough to read - may require magnifying glass

Victory - Old Horizontal Barleywine

This Victory Barleywine has been sitting in my fridge, smiling up at me for over a week now.  This is an 11% booze-bomb, so I'll be sipping this slowly on this cold MN monday evening.

The label shows a sleeping, horizontal moon wedge over a small cabin - there is a little description on the side of the label that helps explain it a little better (see picture below).  This beer pours a thick, viscous, hazy brown with some red hues against the light.  It leaves a thick two inch tan head after a relatively light pour.  The aroma throws waves of sweetness at me - sweet caramel, butter, candied dark fruits, and alcohol.

The flavor brings a heavy dose of sweet malts that hit with a blast.  It transitions smoothly into buttered bread and caramel candy, and at the same time a hop bitterness appears but only as a side-thought.  The finish is WARM with alcohol - very boozy but it doesn't hurt - it's complimentary and helps anchor the sweetness that dominates.  The dark fruits that appeared in the nose are also present in the finish, but not too pronounced.  This is a bottle-conditioned ale, and they nailed it - perfect amount of carbonation.  The mouthfeel is thick and syrupy, but the finish is pleasantly dry.

Overall Rating:  (4.6 out of 6.0)  Overall this was a nice barleywine.  At 11% and loaded with sweetness, it needs to be enjoyed slowly and I wouldn't recommend driving a motorized vehicle... post-Old Horizontal.  Pick this one up, and I recommend cellaring for a year or two - it will probably age well.

Rogue Double Chocolate Stout

Rogue Double Chocolate Stout.  Sounds delicious, eh?  This beer is brewed with real dutch bittersweet chocolate, along with some chocolate malts grown and fired at Rogue's own barley farm.  Hopped with Cascade and Rogue Micro Hops from Rogue's own hop bines.  Brew stats come in at 50 IBUs, 135 lovibond (super dark), and 8%ABV.


The beer pours a light-sucking black-brown color with a half inch of dark tan head.  The aroma starts with rich bitter chocolate, closely followed by roasted malts and iced coffee.  Also some smokiness in there.  The first drink is, holy F'ing chocolate!  Extreme dark, bitter chocolate.  Not chocolate roasted malts.....ACTUAL chocolate.  After that chocolate blast, some flavors start to come through that remind me this is actually a beer.  Burnt, roasted malts and a brief hop bitterness make themselves known, along with some crushed coffee beans.  The finish brings back a reminder of the chocolate with a thick grittiness, like the way your mouth feels after a big bite of chocolate syrup on ice cream.

Overall Rating:  (4.0 out of 6.0)  This glass of beer felt like a 25lb dumbbell in my hand.  It also drank heavy, with bittersweet chocolate obviously being the main player in the show.  While I was a little off-put at first by the extremity of the chocolate, this beer grew on me over time.  After acclimating to the chocolate, the rest of the flavors became more pronounced and it turned into a nicely balanced, roasty toasty chocolate stout.  If you're looking for a change of pace, and enjoy chocolate (and stouts), this is certainly worth a try!

Great Divide - Hoss Rye Lager

Great Divide is based in the craft-brewing mecca, Denver CO.  That town breeds brewing monsters, a category Great Divide definitely falls into.  Tonight I'll be delving into their Rye Lager.  According to the brewery's website, this brew is based on the Marzen lagers of Germany, and the goal is to bring rich, layered malts notes with dark fruits and spices in the background.

Pours a slightly hazy, red amber color with a half inch of off-white head.  The aroma is crisp, with vienna malts coming through and some semi-sweet sugar.  The taste starts off with caramel and toffee malts - a reminder that this is indeed a Marzen - very malty.  That is followed by a slight rye spiciness, which quickly gives way to dark sour cherries at the finish.  The mouthfeel is crisp throughout the drink, with a medium level of carbonation.

Overall Rating:  (4.7 out of 6.0)  This was a nice, refreshing lager with plenty of flavor.  The rye added an extra dimension to this brew and it worked really well.  Give this Hoss a try!

Goose Island - Pepe Nero

Tonights review is of a brand new beer developed by Goose Island called Pepe Nore.  It was brought to my attention as soon as I walked into Lees store.  I'm always up for trying something new and Goose Island generally makes some pretty tasty beers.  Especially their beers outside of their normal, year round line-up.  I absolutely loved their 2008 Bourbon County Stout after I had aged it for a few years.  So tasty!  Pepe Nore is a dark farmhouse ale brewed with peppercorn.  That is an ingredient I have yet to have the pleasure of tasting in a beer so Im looking forward to seeing how its integrated.

This "Black Saison style" pours a deep mahogany brown with a thin tan head.  The aroma is somewhat reminiscent of band aid adhesive.  Wafting the aromas further brings in notes of the saison/farmhouse style.  I think some dark fruits are trying to battle with the saison aromas and its not quite working for me.  It may also be some of the peppercorn coming through as well.  Overall a muted aroma not worth getting too fussy over.  On to the tasting!  Highly carbonated yet smooth texture.  The peppercorns come through prominently towards the end.  The initial flavors of light fruits, apple and pear come to mind.  Those fade quickly into a mildly sweet chocolaty spice.  It definitely reminds me of a peppercorn burger minus the burger.  The finish is dry and the peppercorn lingers after I swallow.  Little to no alcoholic presence.

Overall 4.3/6.0 - I dont think Im a big fan of the Black Sasion category just yet.  Maybe its the peppercorns but I dont find myself looking forward to each consecutive sip.  Its a well brewed beer.  I couldnt find any flaws.  Maybe the balance was a little undone.  I would have liked more characteristics from the saison style than was presented.  Certainly a unique brew and enjoyable if you like peppercorns.  If not, this may not be for you.

Bottled 1/7/11 - Batch 1158

Founders - Red's Rye PA

Red's Rye comes to us from Founders in Grand Rapids, MI.  This is a big red, brewed with Rye and a garden of Amarillo hops.  Rye tends to add a nice mild nutty/spicy malt character to beer.  Case in point was Schmaltz's Bittersweet Lenny's RIPA - that brew really showcased Rye in an IPA.  It will be a treat to see how the Rye plays in this Red. 

The label on this bottle gives the specs of 6.6%ABV and 70 IBU's.  The picture on the label depicts the mug of an old lady, possibly Red?  It's actually kind of disturbing....she looks like a crazy old grandma that could do some damage with a spatula...

This beer pours a hazy, cloudy deep amber-red color with half an inch of frothy head.  The aroma wafts out of this one - it was noticeable immediately after the pour.  Fumes of florals, grapefruit, spices, and a dry sweetness.  The taste doesn't dissapoint - very hoppy up front, and with more resiny pine in the hop profile than I expected from the nose.  The malt backbone is present but timid, hiding in the shadows, with a slightly sweet bread note.  The rye brings a dry texture, and adds an earthy, gritty bite to the finish.  Carbonation is fairly heavy but pleasant.

Overall Rating:  (4.9 out of 6.0)  This was a hoppy, juicy beer that really hit the spot.  The hops, sweet malts, and dry rye all came together to make a drinkable and delicious brew.  The alcohol is dangerously hidden - take precaution! 

Great Divide - Yeti

This evenings review is in regards to Great Divide's Yeti Imperial Stout.  I just picked up this bomber a few days ago when I was looking for a barley wine.  Great Divides Old Ruffian was the brew I was seeking but I noticed this delightful character cozied up right next to it.  I couldn't leave Yeti behind... it would have been without its beer partner.  And thats just not acceptable, damnet!

Yeti pours a viscous, thick used motor oil black.  When I reviewed Victory's Storm King a few days ago I said that was black... well this one just dethroned Storm King as the blackest in the bunch.  A sturdy dark brown head forms and refuses to dissipate back into the abyss from which it came.  The aromas, while mild, were easily detectable.  Chocolate, fresh coffee and a little roastiness pulls through to support the chocolate.  Sipping this...... I just killed a mosquito!  Wtf!  Its the middle of friggen February in Minnesota and I'm sitting here killing mosquitos???  This state is ridiculous.  Sorry, I had to get that out of my system.  Back to beer... sipping this provides the textured I would expect from an RIS.  Nice and thick, creamy and smooth with enough carbonation to keep it from cloying to your tongue.  The chocolate is the front runner in this brew with some roasty and coffee hints to support the chocolate, just like the aroma.  This one isn't too complex with this flavors either.  Although I do notice a slight metallic taste/sensation right as it hits my tongue.  However, this disappears almost as quickly as it arrived.  Pretty straight forward and easy to drink.

Overall 4.9/6.0 - While being an easily enjoyable example of a RIS I found the chocolaty character of the beer to be a little too prominent for my liking.  Great Divide did a wonderful job brewing this beer.  The alcohol was never a factor other than the warmth on the way down.  I did notice that this was bottled back on January 12th, 2010 meaning that its had a year to age before it reached my glass.  I almost think I would like this better if it were fresher.  Generally you want your big beers to age.  But, if you don't like a lot of chocolate in your beer, I would recommend drinking this one right away.  It may be a bit more balanced to the roasty side rather than the chocolaty side.