This was another stand out offering from the Washington Winter Beer Festival. Boundary Bay always makes a good beer but I don't always end going for them just because of the sheer volume of selection in the area and I don't always have the wherewithal to remember what makes them stand out.
This Oak Aged Cabin Fever definitely stood out in this crowd with one word. Tequila. Not something I typically taste in a beer and it wasn't dominant but once I figured out what it was my wife and I both agreed it was in there somewhere.
The Oak Aged Cabin Fever has a strong sweet carmel nose as you'd expect from a winter ale. It settles in the middle of the tongue and then is balanced with peppery spicy hops that give it a more unique taste for holiday ale. Then the barrel flavors start to rise out slowly. You scratch your head trying to place it, Sambuca? Licorice? rubber tire swing? No...wait...TEQUILA! It's by no means dominant but it is in there and gives a pleasing and unique aftertaste that sets this apart from the crowd.
My sombrero off to you Boundary Bay! Now I'll always be able to remember what makes you unique.
Pros:
-Makes you want to dance on a bar to saxiphone music in white platform loafers.
-TEQUILA!!
cons:
-I may be imagining it as some of my other friends couldn't pick out the same flavor.
Sunday, December 6, 2009
Black Attack
"Yeah, I guess it's alright."
I have a friend who hates coffee, can't even stand the smell. I decided to put that supposed hate to the test. A couple of weeks ago I went over to Wrigleyville's famous Murphy's Bleachers Pub next to the park's bleachers entrance. They serve certain high ABV beers out of a kegerator, and, folks, it's the best. The beers come out temperate and rich.
This day, they had the venerable Brooklyn Brewery's Black Chocolate Stout on the kegerator tap. They poured it for me in a Brooklyn Brewery snifter (which somehow is now in my apartment - oh, weird) with a silver logo in front. It's a midnight black, akin to the coal of coffee grounds. The nose picks up coffee, deep mocha and roasted wood flavors, with a roundness showing the barrel aging effects. As for the taste, it's not short of heavenly. This is easily one of the twenty best beers I've ever tried. It offers more subtle coffee roast flavors, and dark chocolate malts. Further sips reveal more cocoa. This beer is sensational. At 10.6% it's definitely beyond session level.
Even my coffee-hating friend, when I dragged him over to try it, had to offer the understated compliment quoted above. He had three.
Holy Water, Drink or Pour Down the Sink: this is Holy Water. This is my sip at home and watch indie movies beer. Thanks for another great beer, Brooklyn! And extra thanks for making it a seasonal and not just a one-off.
I have a friend who hates coffee, can't even stand the smell. I decided to put that supposed hate to the test. A couple of weeks ago I went over to Wrigleyville's famous Murphy's Bleachers Pub next to the park's bleachers entrance. They serve certain high ABV beers out of a kegerator, and, folks, it's the best. The beers come out temperate and rich.
This day, they had the venerable Brooklyn Brewery's Black Chocolate Stout on the kegerator tap. They poured it for me in a Brooklyn Brewery snifter (which somehow is now in my apartment - oh, weird) with a silver logo in front. It's a midnight black, akin to the coal of coffee grounds. The nose picks up coffee, deep mocha and roasted wood flavors, with a roundness showing the barrel aging effects. As for the taste, it's not short of heavenly. This is easily one of the twenty best beers I've ever tried. It offers more subtle coffee roast flavors, and dark chocolate malts. Further sips reveal more cocoa. This beer is sensational. At 10.6% it's definitely beyond session level.
Even my coffee-hating friend, when I dragged him over to try it, had to offer the understated compliment quoted above. He had three.
Holy Water, Drink or Pour Down the Sink: this is Holy Water. This is my sip at home and watch indie movies beer. Thanks for another great beer, Brooklyn! And extra thanks for making it a seasonal and not just a one-off.
Saturday, December 5, 2009
Schooner Exact: Hoppy the Woodsman
I've been hunting around for this beer as I'm a fan of Schooner Exact's offerings and have been looking forward to their barrel aged beer.
It's amber and clean with a light ring of a head. It starts sweet. It has a malty nose. It has a bitter hop aftertaste that lingers clearly on the sides of the tongue. It's a complex mix but a little chunky. It's a solid beer but needs more aging to mellow and mix the flavors a bit more.
It's amber and clean with a light ring of a head. It starts sweet. It has a malty nose. It has a bitter hop aftertaste that lingers clearly on the sides of the tongue. It's a complex mix but a little chunky. It's a solid beer but needs more aging to mellow and mix the flavors a bit more.
Black Raven: Le Petit Mort kills the competition!
The femme fatal of the festival was definitely Black Raven's little death Le Petit Mort. This true gem was an amazing complex beer. It is a bourbon barrel aged holiday ale. I was able to speak to the brewer a bit about it. He added tons of interesting spices such as nettle and honey alongside the hops. Then aged it in bourbon barrels. It was definitely interesting to taste as it warmed up in my hand. it opened up as it got closer to room temperature. I definitely recommend drinking it at this temperature.
It has a spicey nose to it and a dark ruby/amber color. It starts with a malty sweetness and picks up a very smooth rasin taste from the barrel. the tannins from the barrel are very subtle and the bourbon is not as hot or overwhelming as it can be in many other barrel aged beers. clearly this beer was loved and cared for during the aging process. As it warmed up the hop and bourbon overtones settle in your throat more and linger on your palette. It's amazingly complex. Hats off to Black Raven for their imagination, excellent execution, care, and attention to detail.
Pros: amazingly complex enjoyable beer that is a joy to drink and savor.
Cons:I was able to only get 2ozs at a time.
-You'll want to drink it too fast to properly enjoy it.
It has a spicey nose to it and a dark ruby/amber color. It starts with a malty sweetness and picks up a very smooth rasin taste from the barrel. the tannins from the barrel are very subtle and the bourbon is not as hot or overwhelming as it can be in many other barrel aged beers. clearly this beer was loved and cared for during the aging process. As it warmed up the hop and bourbon overtones settle in your throat more and linger on your palette. It's amazingly complex. Hats off to Black Raven for their imagination, excellent execution, care, and attention to detail.
Pros: amazingly complex enjoyable beer that is a joy to drink and savor.
Cons:I was able to only get 2ozs at a time.
-You'll want to drink it too fast to properly enjoy it.
Winter Beerfest series: Ram Mocha Stout
Jen and I went to the Washington Winter Beer Festival today and had the opportunity to try some excellent offerings from some of Washington's finest. I'll post up my thoughts on a couple of the standouts we enjoyed.
The Ram brewing Mocha stout is a rare mocha stout that actually smells and tastes like mocha instead of coffee or chocolate syrup. It has a fine light head with light carbonation. It's has the signature black color and fine head that only comes from a stout. It has a distinctive mocha nose. Not just chocolate and not just coffee but a subtle combination that is hard to imitate or fake. The taste begins with a light mocha taste that is sweet but not sugary or syrupy. The malty stout character makes its way in next. The aftertaste has a light chocolaty flavor that lingers. It's an excellent example of a sweet stout that's not overly sweet or overly malty. Definitely a pleasure on a cold night.
The Ram brewing Mocha stout is a rare mocha stout that actually smells and tastes like mocha instead of coffee or chocolate syrup. It has a fine light head with light carbonation. It's has the signature black color and fine head that only comes from a stout. It has a distinctive mocha nose. Not just chocolate and not just coffee but a subtle combination that is hard to imitate or fake. The taste begins with a light mocha taste that is sweet but not sugary or syrupy. The malty stout character makes its way in next. The aftertaste has a light chocolaty flavor that lingers. It's an excellent example of a sweet stout that's not overly sweet or overly malty. Definitely a pleasure on a cold night.
Sunday, November 15, 2009
HOD Fred From the Wood is FTW
Well I definitely crossed over in to true beer geek territory this weekend. Yeah yeah as if the Three Flyods episode didn't convince you of that already. I was invited by my friends to join them at the Annual Hair of the Dog Dock Sale this weekend. It sounded like a great opportunity to check it out and gladly accepted. It's basically tailgating except for a brewery release. Great fun but definitely not great for your liver.
We showed up at 6:00am and were not the first people there. Keep in mind the sale started at 10:00am. More and more people arrived and a table of world class beer offering appeared. Everyone was free to join in and taste and share. It was a very communal euphoric experience. Sharing special beers with complete strangers that truly appreciate the generosity of each other. It's a commitment to get up that early and brave the elements but the experience is worth it.
Now on to the review: One of the rare selections I was able to purchase was the barrel aged, Fred From the Wood. This is dedicated to Beer Writer and Historian Fred Eckhardt. The description of the ingredients are that of a brown ale. The beer is aged for 6 months in new American oak barrels. This means two things: 1 it's going to be complex and interesting, 2 it will get better with age. The beer is clear with a dark amber color and a light head. It has a sweet malty nose with a little hint of hop spice in it. As you drink it, it has a strong ale taste, malty up front with the alcohol overtones. The new American oak is aggresive and it gives it a sharp oak tannin finish. Some additional aging in the bottle will mellow this beer out a bit and increase the complexity. I love the fact that Alan (the brewer) is getting barrels made just for his beer. He's not using whiskey or wine barrels to impart flavor, but using the barrels for the sake of setting up the reactions in the beer itself and helping it's flavor grow and mature.
Pros: its a special beer that will grow and develop into something worth enjoying with special friends. Or like minded beer geeks at 6:00am in a dark industrial park.
Cons: You have to show up at a dark industrial park in 30 degree weather at 6:00am to get a bottle. Or run in to a fellow beer geek who's happy to share with you.
Wednesday, October 7, 2009
MSBB IPA Series - Stone Cold IPAs
I'm back with another entry in the MSBB IPA series, celebrating our love for all things hops. The latest hop heavy brew that deserves a mention here is the Stone IPA.
I first came across Stone in Chicago even though they don't yet distribute to Illinois. Rumors flying everywhere have them coming to the bad beer city. About a year ago, a local pub here, the Hop Leaf, long known for sneaking in rogue brews, not to mention girls sending their drunken boyfriends home in cabs so they can keep drinking, snagged a keg of Stone's signature DIPA, the Ruination IPA, and poured for any willing hop craver. This coup perfectly coincided with my growing passion for hops, so the beer could not have arrived at a better time for me to enjoy it. Already several strong beers in to my evening, the Ruination greeted me in memorable fashion and I never forgot it's sharp, piney flavor and Pit Bull like hop bite. I was instantly a fan of Stone and couldn't wait to get more. Damn the distribution laws!
Fast forward to 2009, last weekend, my most recent Stone experience. I was in South Bend, Indiana, at a must-go Irish pub called the Fiddler's Hearth in downtown. Anticipating a day of tailgating and football, I started with a more traditional Murphy's Irish Stout (which was extremely good), priming the pump for some hops. Stone has distribution in Indiana and the Fiddler's was willing to oblige. Across the bar I saw the prettiest thing in the room: a large royal blue tap with the name "STONE" plastered upon it in big white block letters. This was Stone's standard IPA. Hook a brother up.
Asthetics are at least 40% of beer enjoyment, and the good beers almost always deliver on looks. The bartender poured my Stone into an English style 16-oz pint glass with the widened mouth on top. The beer proudly displayed a huge cumulus head with an overshooting top bubbling out of the glass. Huge forest and flower smells emitted from this hoppy bulge.
It tasted wonderful, quickly unfolding its flavor on my palate and leaving a long, lingering finish of hop juices and oils, cleansing my palate like a strip mining operation on a West Virginia hillside. Malts are shoved to the back but clearly smooth it out; the beer never comes across as brutal or harsh. The mouthfeel was consistent with my favorite types of beers: thin to moderate without being overly rich.
It's not as bold and devastating as it's big brother, the Ruination; but unlike it's sibling, the standard Stone IPA is a beer I'm always in the mood for and can session. At 7%, though, sessioning quickly victimizes sobriety.
If this bad boy ever comes available in Chicago, that's good news for my local bodega.
I first came across Stone in Chicago even though they don't yet distribute to Illinois. Rumors flying everywhere have them coming to the bad beer city. About a year ago, a local pub here, the Hop Leaf, long known for sneaking in rogue brews, not to mention girls sending their drunken boyfriends home in cabs so they can keep drinking, snagged a keg of Stone's signature DIPA, the Ruination IPA, and poured for any willing hop craver. This coup perfectly coincided with my growing passion for hops, so the beer could not have arrived at a better time for me to enjoy it. Already several strong beers in to my evening, the Ruination greeted me in memorable fashion and I never forgot it's sharp, piney flavor and Pit Bull like hop bite. I was instantly a fan of Stone and couldn't wait to get more. Damn the distribution laws!
Fast forward to 2009, last weekend, my most recent Stone experience. I was in South Bend, Indiana, at a must-go Irish pub called the Fiddler's Hearth in downtown. Anticipating a day of tailgating and football, I started with a more traditional Murphy's Irish Stout (which was extremely good), priming the pump for some hops. Stone has distribution in Indiana and the Fiddler's was willing to oblige. Across the bar I saw the prettiest thing in the room: a large royal blue tap with the name "STONE" plastered upon it in big white block letters. This was Stone's standard IPA. Hook a brother up.
Asthetics are at least 40% of beer enjoyment, and the good beers almost always deliver on looks. The bartender poured my Stone into an English style 16-oz pint glass with the widened mouth on top. The beer proudly displayed a huge cumulus head with an overshooting top bubbling out of the glass. Huge forest and flower smells emitted from this hoppy bulge.
It tasted wonderful, quickly unfolding its flavor on my palate and leaving a long, lingering finish of hop juices and oils, cleansing my palate like a strip mining operation on a West Virginia hillside. Malts are shoved to the back but clearly smooth it out; the beer never comes across as brutal or harsh. The mouthfeel was consistent with my favorite types of beers: thin to moderate without being overly rich.
It's not as bold and devastating as it's big brother, the Ruination; but unlike it's sibling, the standard Stone IPA is a beer I'm always in the mood for and can session. At 7%, though, sessioning quickly victimizes sobriety.
If this bad boy ever comes available in Chicago, that's good news for my local bodega.
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