I seriously hate the little bottle.
Pours a fairly deep, loosely filtered reddish brown with a nice tan head. Big, bready smell.
Pretty good punch to it, about like an imperial pale should be, although it has a pretty harsh bitter aftertaste. I don't know, seems kind of meh overall, although that may be because it's a pretty bland style to take imperial. It should be closer to an IPA, but it just, isn't.
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Lake Superior Brewing Company's Sir Duluth Oatmeal Stout
I don't even remember where or when I got this. Which may not be a good sign, but we'll see.
Pours an opaque black that is amber to clear at the edges. Looks a little light in the body. Very small tan head that is pretty small for a stout, much less one with oatmeal. Nice smell to it though. Lots of tannins, like a porter, and some very subtle coffee, but mostly alcohol.
Smooth, like an oatmeal stout should be, but still a lot of alcohol. And that's weird, for a standard stout. It diminishes fairly quickly though, and gives way to a nice roasted coffee flavor.
Good beer that I bet is really good on tap. The alcohol bite bothers me, but I'm chalking it up tot he age of the beer, which is my fault. I need to drink more.
Pours an opaque black that is amber to clear at the edges. Looks a little light in the body. Very small tan head that is pretty small for a stout, much less one with oatmeal. Nice smell to it though. Lots of tannins, like a porter, and some very subtle coffee, but mostly alcohol.
Smooth, like an oatmeal stout should be, but still a lot of alcohol. And that's weird, for a standard stout. It diminishes fairly quickly though, and gives way to a nice roasted coffee flavor.
Good beer that I bet is really good on tap. The alcohol bite bothers me, but I'm chalking it up tot he age of the beer, which is my fault. I need to drink more.
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Dogfish head's Burton Baton
A blend of Old Ale and Imperial IPA? Where in the Hell did they decide to come up with that? I could have sworn I had this before, but maybe I swore off Dogfish before it became widely available in Texas. Didn't know it was an IPA, at least in part, or I might not have ignored it. Then again, who knows what it will actually be, based on their penchant for mislabeling styles.
Pours a loosely filtered deep reddish amber with a nice tan head. Sweet and floral, like a decent IPA should smell--I guess the Old Ale tones it down a bit from the Imperial IPA. The 10% ABV comes out in the smell the more it warms. And in the taste. Otherwise it has a decent feel to it, with plenty of malt that translates into the taste well. It has a fair amount of hops as well, but it's well-balanced and well thought out. Probably the best Dogfish beer I've had.
Pours a loosely filtered deep reddish amber with a nice tan head. Sweet and floral, like a decent IPA should smell--I guess the Old Ale tones it down a bit from the Imperial IPA. The 10% ABV comes out in the smell the more it warms. And in the taste. Otherwise it has a decent feel to it, with plenty of malt that translates into the taste well. It has a fair amount of hops as well, but it's well-balanced and well thought out. Probably the best Dogfish beer I've had.
Descheutes Brewery's The Abyss 2010 Reserve
Alright--brewer's licorice (is there such a thing?), black strap molasses, cherry bark and vanilla beans aged in oak barrels has all the hallmarks of trying too hard. But I've liked everything this brewery has ever done, so I'm keeping an open mind.
Pours an inky brownish black with a solid dark tan head. Smells deep and grainy, with oak.
Good body, although I expected bigger. Maybe it's all the hype. Very good beer though. The oak is there, but I like that only a third of it is aged in oak because it keeps it in check. The licorice is there, and the molasses in the aftertaste. 11% ABV? Not a hint of that. Very well hidden, which is something a lot more beers need to do. Says best after 11/15/11, so I'll have to go get some more and hold it for a while.
Pours an inky brownish black with a solid dark tan head. Smells deep and grainy, with oak.
Good body, although I expected bigger. Maybe it's all the hype. Very good beer though. The oak is there, but I like that only a third of it is aged in oak because it keeps it in check. The licorice is there, and the molasses in the aftertaste. 11% ABV? Not a hint of that. Very well hidden, which is something a lot more beers need to do. Says best after 11/15/11, so I'll have to go get some more and hold it for a while.
Magic Hat Brewing Company's Roxie Rollie's Autumn Seasonal
Pours a deep brown with a big tan head. Smells sort of spicy. There are some grassy hops in there, but more peppery than hoppy.
Says it's an amber. Weird, although in the light it is more like a deep amber than a brown. Nice amber taste to it though. The hops and spice trade places in the taste. Nice enough winter warmer.
Says it's an amber. Weird, although in the light it is more like a deep amber than a brown. Nice amber taste to it though. The hops and spice trade places in the taste. Nice enough winter warmer.
Snake River Brewing Company's Zonker Stout
I've had this beer for at least a year and a half, which has to be past its date. I'm betting it's big enough to age well though.
Pours an inky brownish black with a nice dark tan head. No sign of aging poorly there. Still smells pretty grainy and robust, too.
Feels a little light compared to the appearance and smell though. It still has plenty of taste, and it hasn't lost any zip because it still has a fair amount of carbonation for a stout, but it just tastes lighter than everything else would indicate. It's a good straight up stout, that looks like a much heavier beer.
Pours an inky brownish black with a nice dark tan head. No sign of aging poorly there. Still smells pretty grainy and robust, too.
Feels a little light compared to the appearance and smell though. It still has plenty of taste, and it hasn't lost any zip because it still has a fair amount of carbonation for a stout, but it just tastes lighter than everything else would indicate. It's a good straight up stout, that looks like a much heavier beer.
Descheuts 2010 Jubel Once A Decade Ale
Belgian Strong Ale? Quad? I was expecting an imperial stout or some such, but it pours too fast and is too light. Nice, rich brown with a huge tan head.
Very floral and slightly grassy. I'm putting it as a strong ale. None of the Belgian yeast tastes. Just Googled it and it says winter seasonal, but that's so broad that it could be anything. It's got some spice to it, so that's on type, but the 10% ABV makes it a bigger beer than your standard warmer. The alcohol is well hidden though, and is relatively light in the taste until it warms a bit. The body is a bit light for most strong ales, but the style is as broad as winter seasonal so that's where I'll keep it. Good beer. Wish it had a bit more malt, but all in all it's very good.
Very floral and slightly grassy. I'm putting it as a strong ale. None of the Belgian yeast tastes. Just Googled it and it says winter seasonal, but that's so broad that it could be anything. It's got some spice to it, so that's on type, but the 10% ABV makes it a bigger beer than your standard warmer. The alcohol is well hidden though, and is relatively light in the taste until it warms a bit. The body is a bit light for most strong ales, but the style is as broad as winter seasonal so that's where I'll keep it. Good beer. Wish it had a bit more malt, but all in all it's very good.
Rogue Brewing Company's Juniper Pale Ale
If you can't tell, I'm dumping a ton of beers I've kept notes on into the blog, so I can track what I've had better. Most Rogue beers would deserve a more detailed post, but unfortunately this one doesn't so I don't feel too bad including it in the dump.
Pours a cloudy yellow, with a fizzy almost white head.
It has a slightly malty sweet smell, with indistinct hops. Tastes about the same, and unfortunately there's not a whole lot to say about a middle of the road pale. Light body, just a tad too sweet.
Pours a cloudy yellow, with a fizzy almost white head.
It has a slightly malty sweet smell, with indistinct hops. Tastes about the same, and unfortunately there's not a whole lot to say about a middle of the road pale. Light body, just a tad too sweet.
Brew Dog Brewery's Toklo
Brew Dog Toklo? I think thtat's what the label says. I hate this brewery though. Stout with cranberries and jasmine? Dumb. 18.2% ABV? Even dumber.
Pours like a standard stout--not as opaque as an RIS. Nice head though. Can't smell much but alcohol. Amateurish. Slight roasted grain smell, but not much. Tastes awful. Like rubbing alcohol with some grain in it. Too bad too, because the aftertaste is pretty nice. Like it would have been a good beer if they hadn't used champagne yeast or whatever it was that got them such a high ABV. Idiots.
Pours like a standard stout--not as opaque as an RIS. Nice head though. Can't smell much but alcohol. Amateurish. Slight roasted grain smell, but not much. Tastes awful. Like rubbing alcohol with some grain in it. Too bad too, because the aftertaste is pretty nice. Like it would have been a good beer if they hadn't used champagne yeast or whatever it was that got them such a high ABV. Idiots.
Bell's Brewery's Java Stout
Pours a deep black, with a great deep brown head. Fair amount of roasted coffee and grain in the smell. I'm hoping it's as good as Founder's Breakfast Stout, and so far it's headed that way.
Pretty nice. Strong roasted grain in the taste, with a good coffee aftertaste. Smooth, almost like a milk stout, but not quite. Wish it had a bit more carbonation, but other than that this is a pretty fantastic beer. Almost got to Founder's, but that one is hard to beat.
Pretty nice. Strong roasted grain in the taste, with a good coffee aftertaste. Smooth, almost like a milk stout, but not quite. Wish it had a bit more carbonation, but other than that this is a pretty fantastic beer. Almost got to Founder's, but that one is hard to beat.
Bell's Brewery's Special Double Cream Stout
Pours a blackish brown, with a dark tan head. Roasted grain smell, but with the edge taken off of it.
You can definitely feel the lactose, but you can't really taste it. And I like that better than those that throw the sweetness at you with no improvement in the body (I'm looking at you, Left Hand). Very nice beer. It has the feel of a smooth imperial, with a laid back stout taste.
You can definitely feel the lactose, but you can't really taste it. And I like that better than those that throw the sweetness at you with no improvement in the body (I'm looking at you, Left Hand). Very nice beer. It has the feel of a smooth imperial, with a laid back stout taste.
Spoetzel Brewery's Shiner Old Time Alt
Pours a clear coppery brown with a nice tan head. Very malty smell, with a hint of the standard Shiner smell that most of their beers have. Still nice.
Nice punch to it. But, as I mentioned, it tastes like a shiner Bock version of an alt. Good beer and very drinkable, just comes across as a lighter version of their bock. Glad to see them trying so many different styles in recent years though.
Nice punch to it. But, as I mentioned, it tastes like a shiner Bock version of an alt. Good beer and very drinkable, just comes across as a lighter version of their bock. Glad to see them trying so many different styles in recent years though.
Tommyknocker Brewery's Imperial Nut Brown Ale
Imperial brown? I see a shark being jumped.
Pours a deep brown. Moderate head that disappears making it look more like a Coke than anything else. Smells, I don't know, like a wanna' be stout. Tastes about the same. More hops than a brown should have, even an imperial, whatever that means for a brown. Otherwise it tastes like a slightly nutty standard stout.
Meh. It's like a boring brown, but bigger.
Pours a deep brown. Moderate head that disappears making it look more like a Coke than anything else. Smells, I don't know, like a wanna' be stout. Tastes about the same. More hops than a brown should have, even an imperial, whatever that means for a brown. Otherwise it tastes like a slightly nutty standard stout.
Meh. It's like a boring brown, but bigger.
Millstream Brewing Company's Colony Oatmeal Stout
Stout.... lager?
Pours an opaque black with a fairly light tan head for a stout. Fairly light smell for a stout too. Not sure of that's the oatmeal, which always seems to give stouts a lighter and sweeter smell, or the fact that it's a lager.
Pretty nice. Probably one of the heaviest lagers I've felt, it's similar to a dopplebock in feel. But it's a stout in the taste. Pretty strong coffee flavor in this one, especially in the aftertaste, which is very nice.
Good take on the style, and a very good beer.
Pours an opaque black with a fairly light tan head for a stout. Fairly light smell for a stout too. Not sure of that's the oatmeal, which always seems to give stouts a lighter and sweeter smell, or the fact that it's a lager.
Pretty nice. Probably one of the heaviest lagers I've felt, it's similar to a dopplebock in feel. But it's a stout in the taste. Pretty strong coffee flavor in this one, especially in the aftertaste, which is very nice.
Good take on the style, and a very good beer.
August Schell Brewing Company's Schell's Stout
I've had several assorted stouts waiting in the beer cellar (which has now moved from the kitchen cabinets to the bedroom closet) for quite some time. I'm not sure why, but I've been keeping an eye on this one in particular.
Pours an opaque brownish black with a nice tan head despite a very slow pour.
Great, solid smell to it. Lots of roasted grain, but also something sweet. Almost like a milk stout. Maybe a Snicker bar. (I might be a little drunk already.)
Yeah, I would totally have called this a milk stout in a blind tasting. Very smooth and slightly sweet feel and taste. Plenty of roasted grain taste that every stout should have as well, but slightly silky like lactose does.
Nice beer. Fairly substantial for a standard stout.
Pours an opaque brownish black with a nice tan head despite a very slow pour.
Great, solid smell to it. Lots of roasted grain, but also something sweet. Almost like a milk stout. Maybe a Snicker bar. (I might be a little drunk already.)
Yeah, I would totally have called this a milk stout in a blind tasting. Very smooth and slightly sweet feel and taste. Plenty of roasted grain taste that every stout should have as well, but slightly silky like lactose does.
Nice beer. Fairly substantial for a standard stout.
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