Review: Rodenbach Grand Cru

Ever since I found out that Michael Jackson's (no, not the one that liked to diddle little boys) favorite beer was Rodenbach Grand Cru I have been trying to get my hands on it. I realize that it's supposed to be widely available, but WV has terrible import distribution. Sorry WV distributors, I don't care about your newly distributed Heineken and Stella cans. In my desperation, I ended up ordering some Rodenbach online.

This beer is a Flanders red ale and comes in at  6% ABV. If you're not familiar with this style, it originated from West Flanders in Belgium. These beers are known for their fruity, sour, and tart flavors. They are also typically aged in oak barrels and blended with old and young beers.

Rodenbach Grand Cru

Presentation: 750ml bottle poured into a tulip. I have never seen a cork this tiny. It was almost too easy to pull off, which makes me think that oxidation would be an issue.

Appearance: It pours a very dark red color that is almost cola-like. There was a two finger tan head that slowly dwindled with little lacing sticking to the glass. Nothing really out of the ordinary here.

Aroma: This isn't all that complex, but there is a noticeable funk (think wet hay) that is present after a fresh pour, but fades into the background as the head dissipates. There is also quite a bit of tartness and vinegar. The vinegar is actually fairly strong too. I would have liked a bit more complexity, but this still has a decent aroma.

Taste: Oh yeah, this is sour. Sour cherries hit you immediately with each sip. As it sits on your tongue a great bouquet makes its appearance. After the sourness you get a great cornucopia of caramel, vanilla, lemon, raspberry, and vinegar. There is a faint amount of oak too. The sourness just sticks to your tongue and is still present long after each sip.

Mouthfeel: Thin body with tons of carbonation. This is so easy to drink. Pretty on par for the style.

Overall: Frankly, I feel like an idiot for waiting this long to try it. How on earth is this only around $10?! I will definitely revisit this one. I'd like to see how this ages too.

4.5/5
-Aroma is too weak.

Jeff

Review: Jolly Pumpkin Oro de Calabaza and Jolly Pumpkin La Roja

Everybody's two favorite things from Michigan: The Spanish language, Belgian ales, and pumpkins! Well, I guess that's certainly true for Jolly Pumpkin fans. What do pumpkins and Spanish have to do with Michigan other than the fact that Jolly Pumpkin operates there? Well, I'm not quite sure. It didn't make much more sense to my Mexican friend either, which is probably why he opted for a bottle of Sofie instead of anything from Jolly Pumpkin while we were at Jungle Jim's in Cincy.

Commercial description:

Oro de Calabaza - Brewed in the Franco-Belgian tradition of strong golden ales.  Spicy and peppery with a gentle hop bouquet and the beguiling influence of wild yeast. 8% ABV

La Roja – An artisan amber ale brewed in the Flanders tradition.  Deep amber with earthy caramel, spice, and sour fruit notes developed through natural barrel aging.  Unfiltered, unpasteurized and blended from barrels ranging in age from two to ten months. 7.2% ABV

Oro de Calabaza

Presentation. 750 ml bottle poured into a tulip. Batch 934 bottle on 2/28/2012. This one is a gusher! I had to immediately pour this before foam exploded everywhere. 

Appearance: Yellow/orange color with a 1 inch head. There was absolutely no lacing left behind. 

Aroma: The aroma on this is spectacular. The funkiness of the Brett is balanced well with citrus. There's definitely a band-aid/barnyard funk from the Brett with tart apple, cherry, and lemon. There's also a bit of damp oak to tie everything together. 

Taste: The taste pretty much mirrors everything in the aroma and adds even more. Up front there's a bit of funk from the Brett with some nice tart apple with lemon and grape. As the beer sits on the tongue you begin to notice the oak with a bit of mustiness, grass, and spice. There's also a very slight medicinal quality to it. Only as it warms do you notice any alcohol warmth. 

Mouthfeel: Thin body with quite a bit of carbonation. Really crisp and dry. 

Overall: Jolly Pumpkin has the biere de garde down. I hope to track down Biere de Mars to compare with this beer. I really do not understand why this beer is not more highly regarded than what it already is. It is dangerously easy to drink at 8% too. How many biere de gardes have been oak aged? The mild tartness just sets this over the top. Personally, this seems like a steal at $12.

5/5

La Roja

Presentation: 750ml bottle poured into a tulip. Blend 8 and bottled on 4/12/2012 

Appearance: The first pour yielded a nice dark amber/orange color with an off white head. The second pour was a much darker amber, which is probably due to the yeast that settled. There was only a minimal amount of lacing too. 

Aroma: Oh yeah, this has some funk. The Brett definitely imparts an aroma of old wet blanket and leather. Under the funk is a bit of spice, oak, caramel, and sourness. The funk and the oak really makes this come together. 

Taste: This is definitely close to a Flanders Oud Bruin. Of course, being an American brewery, they have to create their own unique take of it. This has a bit of tart cherry, lemon, vinegar, Brett funk with a slight phenolic quality. Personally, this seems a bit more sour than most in the Flanders tradition. I usually love oak aged beers, but I'm unsure about its part in this beer. All things considered, this is pretty smooth and easy drinking for a tart/sour beer. At first, I didn't really enjoy the taste, but it really opens up as it warms. It's definitely apparent that there is a bit more of a lactic quality when it warms. The alcohol only becomes slightly noticeable too. 

Mouthfeel: Thin body and only slightly carbonated, which is definitely in line with the Flanders tradition.

Overall: This is damn good, but this pales in comparison to other beers in the Flanders tradition. The aroma is incredible, but the oak in the taste is a bit of a distraction. Now don't get me wrong through. The taste is great, but the oak is a slightly ruins it. I can't help but wonder what this would turn into with some age as the oak fades.

4.5/5

-The bouquet didn't completely come together in the taste.

Review: Three Floyds Black Sun Stout

Let us all have a moment of silence for my last Three Floyds beer. I can't believe it's already gone. Actually, I can. I can't keep my hands off hyped beers. I have IPAs that are close to falling off due to age and here I am opening a stout that could last longer. First world beer problems I suppose. Anyway, Black Sun is an Irish dry stout and comes in at 6.5% ABV. This alcohol level was certainly a nice change of pace.

Commercial description: "6.5% ABV, 50 IBUs - Black Sun has a nose of coffee, roasted malts and piney hops. This medium bodied stout has a broad depth of maltiness and a clean dry finish."

Three Floyds Black Sun Stout

Presentation: 22oz bomber poured into a pint glass.

 

Appearance: It pours pitch black with a half inch head. The lacing was very spotty and vein-like. 

Aroma: This is certainly interesting for an Irish dry stout. There is strong presence of hops and pine with chocolate, coffee, malt, and dark fruit. The dark fruit and pine definitely makes this an interesting take on this style. 

Taste: This is oddly similar to a black IPA. It doesn't quite have the bitterness, but the hop flavor is there. This is very hop forward for an Irish dry stout. Upfront there is tons of pine with coffee, chocolate, and roasted malt. The pine flavor slowly fades as the coffee begins to compliment notes of caramel/toffee and a bit of dark fruit. I have to admit that I didn't think too much of this while drinking my first glass of this. The pine just didn't work for me at all. However, as this warmed up and the flavors really began to show and I could see what FFF is attempting. 

Mouthfeel: Honestly, this is too thin. The bottle states that it's medium body, but it's a shade below that. The carbonation is spot on for the style. There's just enough to bite the tongue. 

Overall: Initially, I was pretty disappointed with this due to the pine. However, I began to fall for it as it warmed. I still knock it for the mouthfeel, which kind of ruins it for me.

4/5

-Lack of body

-Jeff

Review: Laughing Dog Sneaky Pete Imperial IPA and Alpha Dog Imperial IPA

Time to finally dip into the Laughing Dog beers that finally arrived here in WV. Both brews received an 86 on Beer Advocate, which grants them the label of "good". Sneaky Pete weighs in at a whopping 10% ABV and 89 IBUs and Alpha Dog comes in at 8% ABV and 127 IBUs.

Commercial Descriptions:

"Sneaky Pete is a blend of five hop types: Simcoe, Glacier, Centennial, Vanguard and Hallertuaer, with Simcoe playing the dominate role at 30%. In addition, three separate malts were used: Honey Malt, Rye Malt, and Munich Malt. The brew has a copious aroma of white grapefruit, citrus overtones, a complex rich middle and long flavors in the finish; a real beauty. Finished with wild clover honey."

Alpha Dog: "A True Hop Bomb Brewed plenty of Columbus and Mt Hood Hops for a Piney hop character. Premium Pale, Honey and Munich Malt make this beer a little less malty but packing plenty of hop punch."

Laughing Dog Sneaky Pete Imperial IPA

Presentation: 12 oz bottle poured into a tulip.

Appearance: It has a very dark amber color with a small off white head. There was only a minimal amount of lacing. 

Aroma: Very fragrant pine, peach, and citrus notes. The citrus comprised mostly of grapefruit and orange aromas. There was also a noticeable amount of caramel malt in the background too. 

Taste: Orange and hop bitterness up front that slowly segues into pine and caramel malt. This is fairly bitter, but there is a pretty significant malt backbone to it too. It provides quite a bit of residual sweetness and bread-like character. This is definitely a sipper too. The spiciness of the alcohol is pretty apparent and it's incredibly warming. You can feel the alcohol burn slowly trickle down your chest after each sip. 

Mouthfeel: Boy this is much heavier than expected. It sure is thick for an IPA. There's a low amount of carbonation too, which doesn't help the texture much. 

Overall: This would be a spectacular IIPA if it wasn't for the extreme warming of the alcohol and the heavy body. It's as if Laughing Dog wants you to take a challenge with this beer. However, all things considered, this is a pretty enjoyable brew. The aroma is great and the taste is pretty solid. 

4/5

-Too much alcohol presence

-Heavy body

Laughing Dog Alpha Dog Imperial IPA

 Presentation: 22 oz bomber poured into a tulip.

Appearance: Light orange/yellow color with a big fluffy white head. The lacing on this is ridiculous. There's a beautiful film that sticks to the glass after each sip. 

Aroma: Plenty of pine and grassy notes upfront with a nice amount of grapefruit, orange, and sweet malt. This isn't incredibly complex, but it's good nonetheless.

Taste: Hops, pine, and bitterness up front. The hops and pine certainly hit you hard, but not quite as much as one would think from a beer at 127 IBUs. As it sits on your tongue you begin to notice the citrus (grapefruit and orange) and sweet malt. I looked at previous reviews of this beer and the biggest criticism that many had was that the malt backbone was too big on this. Honestly, it's not that big. It's really only noticeable with the sweetness and it compliments a faint honey note too. At 8.5% ABV the alcohol isn't that present. There's only a slightly warming character and it brings a minor spice character. This could have been a bit more complex, but it's pretty good as is. 

Mouthfeel: Medium body with a good amount of carbonation. This also finishes pretty dry. 

Overall: Not as sloppy as other reviews have hinted at. Yes, this is a pretty sweet IIPA, but it helps counteract the bitterness. Actually, this is a really enjoyable beer because of the sweetness. Personally, the biggest issue with huge IPAs is that they focus far too much on residual bitterness. It makes a beer one long droning note. This beer is not that. It has both bitterness and sweetness. Additionally, the appearance and lacing is great and the alcohol is well hidden. Other than more hop character, what else is there to be wanted in an imperial IPA?

4.5/5

-Could benefit from more hop presence and complexity

-Jeff

Review: Three Floyds Dreadnaught IPA

Before I even start, I want to thank my good friend Rachel for picking this up for me! I owe you big time! Considering how much I loved Blackheart, my expectations for Dreadnaught were sky high. It is one of the most highly regarded Three Floyds beers and ranks 39th on Beer Advocate's top beers in the world. Considering I don't trade beer, I think it's safe to say that being able to drink this here in West Virginia is a great privilege. Well, let's see if this beer lives up to the hype.

Commercial description: "9.5% ABV 99 IBUs - A hophead’s dream beer. This Imperial India Pale Ale has an opening salvo of mango, peach and citrus hop aromas that sit atop a pronounced caramel malt backbone. Although Dreadnaught is a strong and intensely hoppy ale, its complex flavor is both smooth and memorable."

 Three Floyds Dreadnaught IPA

Presentation: 22 oz bomber poured into a tulip. Once again, Three Floyds makes some great labels.

Appearance: It has an orange/yellow color with a 1" head that lingers for a few minutes. Sadly, this didn't stick to the glass much. 

Aroma: Oh my god is this insanely good. Pine, resin, citrus (grapefruit, lemon. I also notice a bit of pear and honey. Sugary/caramel sweetness from the malt. This is damn near perfect for an imperial IPA.

Taste: There is a ridiculous amount of citrus and hop bitterness up front. Grapefruit, mango, and lemon work magnificently with the pine/resinous taste of the hops. Boy does the pine stick on your tongue though. It's there long after each sip. This isn't as bitter as one would expected from a beer at 99 IBUs, but it certainly packs a punch. The bitterness is cut down from the caramel and malt. I usually hate IPAs with a malt backbone, but this works flawlessly. I read previous reviews where the alcohol was hidden. I'm pretty sure that these people have stunned taste buds. The alcohol is there and it's not hiding at all. It brings both spiciness and warmth. However, it doesn't really distract you from the rest of the bouquet.

Mouthfeel: Medium to heavy body with just enough carbonation to make it bite the tongue. There's also a slight creamy characteristic too, oddly enough. 

Overall: Is this worth the hype? Well, I'm not quite sure, but this is damn good. This is definitely one of the better IIPAs I've ever had.Three Floyds definitely knows what they're doing here.

5/5

-Jeff

Review: Corsendonk Christmas Ale

What better time is there to drink a Christmas beer than in the sweltering heat of July? It's just so hard not to feel festive during the summer. It's about that time where you'd cut off an arm (does it really matter if it's your own arm or from somebody else?) for just one sub-90 degree day. Well, a few days ago I opened my fridge to grab a beer and relax for the evening and there sat Corsendonk Christmas Ale. What better way to ignore the heat than to pretend it's Christmas? I cracked it open and soon realized this is a bittersweet moment; I deserve a high five for picking up this wonderful beer, but a swift kick in the ass for opening a 8.5% ABV beer on a 100 degree day.

Christmas Ale is one of Corsendonk's staples. It is their highest rated beer on Beer Advocate with an overall score of 92. It's a Belgian strong dark ale, which is by far one of my favorite styles of beer so I had pretty high expectations before opening it up. The label on this beer is atrocious by the way. It looks as if they hired a 7 year old to create it. If I had a child of my own and they brought it home from art class, I'd be embarrassed to hang it on my fridge. Thankfully, the beer more than makes up for their label blunder.

Corsendonk Christmas Ale

Presentation: 2011 vintage 250ml bottle poured into an Orval chalice. 

 

Appearance:It's a very dark amber/purple color with a billowy tan head. The lacing freckled the glass. 

Aroma: Tons of dark fruit (plum, dates, raisin, etc). There's complimentary brown sugar, yeast, and malt. This is simply great. This is what you look for in a Belgian strong dark ale. 

Taste: Alright, this is ridiculously good. The dark fruit explodes up front and the brown sugar sweetness is a great compliment. The brown sugar definitely carries throughout the entire taste, while the dark fruit kind of drops off. There's mild hop bitterness and only a slight warming quality from the alcohol. The alcohol is extremely well hidden for a beer at 8.5%. There's also a slight medicinal quality to it, but it's hardly a distraction. 

Mouthfeel: It has a medium to heavy body with tons of carbonation. There is definitely a creamy quality to it and the carbonation bites the tongue. 

Overall: This isn't quite up there with Allagash Odyssey or Gulden Draak, but damn is this a good beer. The dark fruit and brown sugar pop and the alcohol is well hidden. I simply cannot find anything to fault this beer for. This seems like a steal at only $4 a bottle.

-Jeff

Review: Green Flash West Coast IPA and Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA

Time to catch up on some beers that I reviewed last week. I've been meaning to throw these up here, but more beer drinking got in the way. Woe is me, right? In this particular review I'm gonna tackle Green Flash's West Coast IPA and Weyerbacher's Double Simcoe IPA. I decided to pair these because both utilize Simcoe hops. However, Green Flash uses a Simcoe, Columbus, Centennial, and Cascade hop blend, while Weyerbacher only used simcoe hops. West Coast IPA comes in at 7.3% ABV and 95 IBUs and Double Simcoe IPA with 9.0% ABV and an incredible 153 IBUs.

Green Flash West Coast IPA

Presentation: 12 oz. bottle poured into a Stone pint glass.

 

Appearance: Light orange color with a huge off white head that very slowly dissipated. Some very nice chunky lacing stuck to the glass after each drink. 

Aroma: Sugary floral aroma with pine from the Cascade and Centennial hops. There's also plenty of orange, lemon, and grapefruit, which are distinctive of Simcoe hops. The Columbus hops provide a blast of resinous aroma. This bouquet is simply spectacular and everything one could want in the aroma of an IPA. 

Taste: Tons of piny hops with some citrus (lemon, orange, and grapefruit) to compliment the bitterness. The pine is the star here though. This is as unbalanced as an IPA can get and it's great. This is a pine bomb with enough citrus to make it actually work. The bitterness smacks you in the face at the first sip and just keeps going. 

Mouthfeel: Medium to thin body with moderate prickly carbonation. It's fairly crisp and finishes pretty dry.

Overall: This is just great. By far one of my favorite IPAs. The West Coast has the IPA game down. I usually dislike unbalanced IPAs, but Green Flash manages to make it work. There is just enough citrus to keep things interesting and prevent it from becoming one long hop note, which plagues so many IPAs (I'm looking at you, White Rajah).

5/5

Weyerbacher Double Simcoe IPA

Presentation: 12oz. bottle poured into a tulip.

 

Appearance: It has a rust color with a fluffy tan head that very slowly dissipates. The rust appearance is definitely a little out of the ordinary for an imperial IPA. There was also some very nice lacing left behind. 

Aroma: The simcoe hops in this are great. The best way to describe this is a juicy pine. There's pine, resin, dark fruit, orange, grapefruit, spice, and a bit of malt. There is so much more to this than I expected from one hop. The juiciness that the simcoe hops impart is spectacular. 

T: Wow, this is not nearly as bitter as I expected it to be. This is more like 53 IBUs, than 153. It has a best buy date of October 2012 so I guess it's just the intended character of this beer. Nonetheless, there is quite a bit of pine and sweet citrus (orange, grapefruit, lemon), which is obviously from the simcoe hops. There's also a prominent malt backbone with a bit of toffee/caramel. I can't quite tell if the caramel was intended or this beer was beginning to become oxidized. It's also pretty warming at 9%, but the alcohol is actually hidden pretty well for such a strong beer. 

Mouthfeel: Medium body with quite a bit of prickly carbonation. This is pretty crisp, but there's a sticky, syrupy feeling to it too somehow. It's not the most pleasant mouthfeel for a beer.

Overall: This was pretty good, but this is not nearly bitter enough for me. I don't know that I've had an imperial IPA with this much of a malt presence. I loved the aroma and the juicy/citrus flavor, but the lack of bitterness and syrupy texture is an issue for me. This is definitely proof that IBUs can be misleading.

4/5

-Lacked bitterness

-Mouthfeel was less than desirable.

-Jeff

West Virginia adds Laughing Dog!

The day is finally here! We have another brewery that has a fetish with dogs! Wait a second... Lemme try that again. After months and months of speculation as to when Laughing Dog would make its way here, we finally have something concrete! I strolled into Bottle and Wedge (Huntington, WV) today on a whim and there sat on the shelves three different varieties (Alpha Dog Imperial IPA, Sneaky Pete Imperial IPA, and DogZilla Black IPA). I'll allow for a moment of celebration for IPA fans.

Laughing Dog hails all the way from Ponderay, Idaho. No, Idaho isn't exactly a hotbed for craft beer and Laughing Dog isn't all that well known. However, they do have a reputation for putting out decent imperial style beers. My personal opinion on them is still up in the air though. I haven't tried any of what I picked up today and I'm still holding onto The Dogfather for some unknown reason. I really have to stop buying IPAs so I can catch up on my other brews... Nonetheless, I'll probably dig into a couple of these tonight and throw up a review in the next day or so.






As a side note, I haven't heard any real news on any other breweries making their way here. I recently contacted both Avery and Green Flash. I never heard back from Green Flash, but Avery stated that they are looking to expand, but only after they finish the construction of their new brewery. They said the earliest that WV would have an opportunity to carry their brews would be October of next year. Who the hell knows what is going on with Bell's and Troegs. Ommegang don't know how to pick up a phone or respond to e-mails and I'm convinced that both Capitol Beverage and Shelton Brothers are conspiring to kill the craft beer industry. Neither will answer e-mails and news broke not too long ago that Shelton Brothers is cutting back their Cantillon distribution. Let's make hard to find beer even more scarce! I've been thinking about all of this recently and the more I think about it, the more I believe that WV needs a dedicated craft beer distributor. However, that just makes too much damn sense for that to even work here. Okay, rant over. I'm gonna try and catch up on posting some reviews later today. I have reviews on everything from Three Floyds Dreadnaught IPA to a mini vertical of Goose Island Pere Jacques.

- Jeff

Stone 10.10.10 Vertical Epic Ale

Time to venture into Stone's Vertical series with 10.10.10. I'm sure you're thinking, "Why the hell is somebody just now reviewing this beer and without a true vertical?" You know, that's a great question. Why did I buy this? I picked this up at Jungle Jim's just outside of Cincy during a huge shopping spree and I'm pretty sure I temporarily lost my mind in all of my madness. I swear that I'm the world's worst impulse shopper when it comes to beer.

This is supposedly quite a bit different from the rest in the series because of the addition of chamomile flowers, triticale, and Belgian amber candi sugar. How different is it? Well, I'm not quite sure because I don't have any experience with the rest of the Verticals. I'll just take Stone's word for it. "Fermented with the legendary Ardennes strain of Belgian yeast, 10.10.10 is a Belgian Strong Pale Ale brewed with pale malt and triticale (a cross of wheat and rye), hopped with German Perle hops, and steeped with chamomile during the whirlpool stage. In secondary fermentation, we added a juice blend of Muscat, Gewurztraminer, and Sauvignon Blanc grape varieties." It comes in a 22oz bottle and has an ABV of 9.5%.

Stone 10.10.10 Vertical Epic Ale

Presentation: 22oz bomber poured into a tulip.

Appearance: It has a light orange color with a one inch head that quickly dissipated. There was also absolutely no lacing.

Aroma: I immediately noticed citrus and Belgian yeast, which had a phenolic quality with a minor band-aid aroma. There's lemon, orange, and grape with some nice clove and spice to complete the bouquet.

Taste: The taste of this was completely unexpected. The white grapes are definitely the biggest player here. Up front there is tons of white grape with a bit of lemon and yeast. As the beer sits on your tongue the spiciness of the alcohol comes out. Overall, this definitely has a white wine quality to it.

Mouthfeel: It has a medium body with only moderate carbonation, which is likely due to this being a two year old brew. There is also a minor syrupy quality to it too.

Overall: This was certainly surprising. I enjoyed this much more than most people seem to have. Past reviews have basically described this beer as underwhelming, but I thought Stone nailed the style. The only problem I see with this brew is the mouthfeel. The syrupy feel was definitely a distraction. However, the Belgian yeast and the incorporation of white grapes was wonderful.

4.5/5

-Jeff

Bear Republic Red Rocket Ale

Okay, I realize that breweries love to play with words when naming their beers, but come on Bear Republic. Red Rocket Ale? I can only imagine what was going through their heads. "Well, everybody else has their catchy red and amber ale names. What can we come up with? I know! How about Boner Brew! Wait... Let's fine tune this. Let's go with Red Rocket Ale!" Awesome. Now I can't drink this beer without conjuring thoughts of dog boners. Thank you very much, Bear Republic. Anyway, this brew comes in at 6.8% ABV and the label describes it as a "bastardized Scottish style red ale packed with distinctive flavors and an aggressive hop character rivaled by none. This unfiltered, bottle-conditioned, amber colored ale, breaks all stye molds." Well, let's see what Bear Republic's Boner Brew is all about.

Bear Republic Red Rocket Ale

Presentation: 12 oz bottle aggressively poured into a pint glass. Bear Republic desperately needs to work on their labels. They almost rival Weyerbacher for some of the worst.

Appearance: Amber color with a one finger tan head. This beer is oddly still. There are hardly any bubbles rushing up from the bottom of the glass and there are some very fine particles suspended. Your guess is as good as mine as to what these particles are. A very thin film of web-like lacing was left behind on the glass.

Aroma: Quite a bit of pine and floral character with malt, caramel, and a tinge of alcohol. Even at 6.8% the alcohol aroma slightly burns the nose. I really wish the caramel malt was toned down so the floral character could come out, but I suppose that's how the cookie crumbles with a red ale.

Taste: This is hoppy up front with a nice caramel malt backbone. As the beer sits on the tongue dark fruits begin to appear. I can't really put my finger on all of the dark fruit, but I notice fig and plum. Toward the end, alcohol spiciness begins to present itself and the hop bitterness runs to the forefront. The residual bitterness in this beer is pretty high. The bitterness also carries some floral character, which makes for a very nice finish. According to my dad, this is one of those brews that is like "chewing on pine bark."

Mouthfeel: Medium body with tons of carbonation. I was surprised by the carbonation due to the fact that very few bubbles appeared after the pour. This is a very crisp and easy drinking beer. This is too easy to drink at almost 7% ABV.

Overall: I am convinced that West Coast breweries can do no wrong with ambers and reds (well, aside from Anderson Valley's Boont). The dark fruit in this sets it apart for me. It's not on the level of Nugget Nectar, but this is damn good. Now only if Bear Republic would change the name!

4.5/5


- Jeff

Review: Three Floyds Blackheart

I've finally done it! I've tracked down some Three Floyds! Being from such a beer deprived state like West Virginia, this made my week. I traveled roughly 30 minutes into Ashland, Kentucky to Ashland Beverage Center, which was rumored to have Three Floyds. It turns out that they had four different bottles to choose from (Blackheart, Black Sun Stout, Rabid Rabbit, and Gorch Fock). They weren't exactly the bottles I hoped to see, but I couldn't pass up an opportunity to try Three Floyds. Because they were so expensive (none were cheaper than $10) I only picked up Blackheart and Black Sun Stout. After waiting only a day since I purchased them I cracked open Blackheart. My expectations for this were pretty high considering the constant praise that Three Floyds gets. I was a bit worried because this is supposedly a hoppy take on an English style IPA. I don't know why, but I've been having problems recently with beers venturing too far outside of their intended style (Dogfish Saison du Buff, Pepe Nero, etc). Nonetheless, this beer clocks in at 78 IBU and 8.5% ABV, which is pretty damn strong for an English style IPA.

Three Floyds Blackheart

Presentation: 220z bomber poured into a pint glass. The label artwork on this is just incredible.

Appearance: Yellow/orange color with a two finger off white head. Not much lacing and a little lighter than expected. The lacing was basically just a thin film that lined the glass at random. 

Aroma: This is just simply wonderful. I would have never expected this from an English IPA. There is plenty of grape, lemon, and citrus with bready malt. I also noticed a bit of spice and alcohol that stung that nose. I don't know how, but it smells like a hopped up English IPA, yet retaining that distinct malt presence. I was afraid that the aroma would focus too much on the hops, but this was very nicely done.

Taste: Wow, this is unlike any English style IPA I've ever had. Up front there is a huge smack of hops and then immediately some sweet malt and caramel come into play. As it sits on your tongue you slowly begin to notice a more complex bouquet with the bread/malt from the aroma, spice, lemon, and oak. As it warmed the flavors really started to show and the alcohol brings some warmth. I would definitely recommend drinking this at or around a cellar temperature. 

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation. There's only a slight prickle on the tongue and this isn't exactly the most drinkable IPA.

Overall: This is spectacular. Knowing that this was going to be a hoppy English style IPA I was worried about this being another beer that was venturing too far outside of the normal style. However, Blackheart is world class. It's hoppy, yet retaining that distinct English style. I don't know of a single English style IPA that can keep up with this. If this wasn't so expensive (I think I paid around $12), I would be picking this up all the time.

5/5

-Jeff

Review: Green Flash Hop Head Red - Red IPA

Time to review yet another West Coast beer. I was really craving something hoppy so I opted for Green Flash's Hop Head Red - Red IPA. I have absolutely no idea if this is anything like the previously brewed Hop Head Red Ale. If I were to guess, these are two completely different brews due to the fact that they are categorized under different styles on Beer Advocate. Sadly, I have never had Hop Head Red Ale so I can't make comparisons or definite conclusions about their similarity. However, I do hope this is hoppy. Green Flash has never let me down in that department.

Green Flash Hop Head Red - Red IPA

Presentation: 12 oz bottle poured into a pint glass.The label states that it has been dry hopped with Amarillo hops.

Appearance: Amber color with two finger tan head. Very little lacing was left behind by the end of the glass.

Aroma: I immediately notice pine that is then followed by sweet malt and brown sugar with a little floral character. The malt sweetness is definitely the most prominent note, which is slightly disappointing. A West Coast IPA with a malt backbone? Then again, I can't really compare all of their hoppy beers to Palate Wrecker and West Coast IPA. 

Taste: A tad of bitterness and pine up front that fails to carry throughout the entire taste. It then segues into malt, brown sugar, and grapefruit. There's definitely a malt backbone in this, which made my heart sink. This is good, but it didn't exactly meet my expectations of an IPA. 

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation 

Overall: This just isn't complex or hoppy enough for an IPA and only slightly resembles a red ale. I really feel like this beer is going through an identity crisis. It has the characteristic malt backbone and sweetness of a red ale, but it also reminds you of an IPA due to the dry hopping. I also believe it could have been improved by using Cascade hops instead of Amarillo. All things considered, it is a decent beer, but I doubt I will be revisiting it.

4/5

-Jeff

Review: The Bruery-Mischief

The Bruery is one of the most popular and rapidly growing breweries right now. After only opening in 2008 they have already created a great reputation for themselves. Until recently, I haven't even been able to track down any of their brews. When I saw Mischief sitting on the shelf I had to pounce on it. Although it isn't one of their rare or hard to find beers, my anticipation for this is sky high. It's a Belgian strong pale ale that weighs in at 8.5% ABV. The label describes it as a "golden and hoppy" beer. I can't say that I've ever had a hoppy Belgian pale so I'm excited to see what this is like.

The Bruery-Mischief

I'm not sure why, but the label is really hard to see, but just trust me that it's a bottle of Mischief.

Presentation: 750ml bottle into a tulip. Being an 8.5% brew I didn't really want to drink the entire bottle so I shared part of it with the girlfriend. There's no way she could pass on an offer to share a hoppy beer.

Appearance: It has a hazy straw color. An incredibly delicate poured yielded an enormous white head.

The head retention and lacing is simply ridiculous with this. The head retention beats any beer that I've ever seen or had. There was a bulbous lump that stuck around for quite some time.

Aroma: Grassy hops, spice, coriander, lemon, yeast, and herbal elements. It's not a dominating or complex aroma, but it is certainly pleasant. The hop character in this definitely makes for an interesting take on

this Belgian style.

Taste: This is wonderful. The entire bouquet of the aroma comes through the tongue flawlessly. The way the herbal and citrus elements work together is great and the yeast character is perfect. Add the bit of hop bitterness that it has and you've got one damn good beer. Even at 8.5%, the alcohol is very well hidden.

Mouthfeel: Somewhere between light and medium body with tons of carbonation that bite the tongue. Finishes very dry.

Overall: This beats the high expectations that I had for this beer. This is by far one of the best American takes on a Belgian strong pale ale. I was somewhat worried about the hoppiness of this beer, but there was only a minimal amount. It really complimented the rest of the bouquet. I will certainly be revisiting this beer.

5/5

- Jeff

Review: Oud Beersel Oude Gueuze Vieille and Founders Red's Rye

Yes, I know. Yet another review of a sour. I've just been on an extreme sour kick lately. However, I am running out of sours in my beer stash so this might be the last one you see for awhile. I do have a bottle of Cantillon Gueuze 100% Lambic I plan on opening around August or September. I also have a bottle of Rodenbach Grand Cru and a couple Jolly Pumpkin sours (La Roja and Oro de Calabaza) that I'll be holding on too for awhile. So as I run out of sours and the temperature outside rises you can expect a variety of reviews from lighter styles (everything from pale wheat ales to IPAs). Having said that, that brings us to the second half of this review with Founders' Red's Rye PA. The West Coast usually dominates hoppy ryes so we'll since if Founders can hold their own.

Oud Beersel Gueuze Vielle

As far as Belgian sours and gueuzes go, this isn't exactly everybody's first option. This beer is priced right around better gueuzes like Girardin's Black Label so the obvious choice is to pass on it. However, because I have never tried it I couldn't help but pick it up. Well, let's see how it holds up against its Belgian counterparts.

Presentation: 2011 vintage 12.7 oz bottle poured into a tulip.

Appearance: Hazy golden color with a huge white head and no lacing.

Aroma: A big sour sour presence with a bit of funk and vinegar. As far as the sourness goes, it seems to be focused on tart green apple and lemon. There's also the characteristic Belgian yeast aroma with a little oak and floral character, which was surprising.

Taste: Sour up front, but pretty tame as far as gueuzes go. It's sour, but hardly puckering. I also pick up the tart apple and lemon from the nose. I could even pick up the lemon after licking my lips from each sip. It's also not as dry as most gueuzes. It's actually slightly juicy/fruity in the finish, which was confusing.

Mouthfeel: Thin body with tons of carbonation. Pretty much what you would expect from this style.

Overall: This is good, but not great. It could be a bit more sour and it's not all that complex. I still can't complain much because it's under $10 a bottle, but I will take Girardin Black Label over this any day.

4/5

Founders Red's Rye PA

As far as Founders go, I certainly have the schema of dark beer, although I have had a number of their lighter styles. Their stouts, porters, and old ales (Curmudgeon's Better Half is damn good by the way) just seem to stick out more in my mind. However, I will rarely pass up the opportunity to try a hoppy beer that I've never had. Well, let's see how Red's Rye PA compares to its West Coast competition.

Presentation: 12oz bottle into a pint glass.

Appearance: Amber color with a one inch head. There is a constant stream of bubble rushing to the top of the glass, which is indicative of the high carbonation in this beer. There was only a modest amount of spotty lacing.

Aroma: Tons of hop and rye with a bit of fruity/citrus notes. I notice orange and maybe a bit of grapefruit. Not much complexity going on here.

Taste: Just like the aroma, there is tons of hop bitterness. It's hard to believe that this beer is only 70 IBUs. It seems a bit more bitter than that. Other than that, there is a juicy (orange) quality to it and just enough rye to tie everything together. I really expected the rye to be more present.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with quite a bit of carbonation.

Overall: This is certainly one of the better rye beers that I've had, but there are many more that are better. I realize that this is from Founders and that the expectations are high, but I don't know that I will be coming back to this. There are better offerings from the west coast that are just as affordable. I'll take Bear Republic and Sierra Nevada over this any day. I don't want to give the impression that this is bad though. This is a damn fine beer. I was really close to giving this a 4, but it seemed to open up a bit more as it warmed so I feel confident enough to give it a 4.5.

4.5/5

- Jeff

Review: Great Divide Titan IPA and Goose Island Pepe Nero

Great Divide Titan IPA

Presentation: 12 oz bottle poured into a Bridge Brew Works pint glass.

Appearance: It has an orange color with a two finger off white head that left great lacing. The lacing on this was definitely better than most IPAs.

Aroma: This has a wonderful hoppy aroma. Tons of pine/resin, orange, grapefruit, and some sugary sweetness.

Taste: Pretty balanced for an IPA. It's bitter, but not overly so. There are hops up front immediately that last through the entire taste. It slowly progresses through malt, pine, and citrus. The citrus is much harder to discern in the taste than the nose. It's also slightly floral with a hint of sweetness, which I feel like tones down the hops a bit. It keeps the hops from just being one constant note.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with a high amount of carbonation. Standard IPA mouthfeel with this one.

Overall: Other than Yeti, this is my only other Great Divide beer and I would say they definitely hit the nail on the head with this one. This is one solid IPA.

4.5/5

Goose Island Pepe Nero

I picked this up last weekend due to the fact that I love saisons. Little did I know that this wasn't a traditional take.

Presentation: 2011 vintage 12 oz. bottle poured into a tulip.

Appearance: Okay, this doesn't look promising. This thing is pitch black and has a fluffy tan head. This is supposed to be a saison? I can't even get light to permeate it.

Aroma: Alright, this is just downright confusing. There's spice, banana, yeast, and... chocolate? What on earth is chocolate doing in a saison? I sure hope GI knows where their doing here and the taste pulls through.

Taste: A swing and a miss. This is just a mess. It's somehow clean and dry, yet there's roasted malt and chocolate. I just can't figure this out. It gets more confusing with the spice element along with hints of chocolate and dark fruit. It's as if this beer can't find its identity. One moment I can totally see this as a saison and the next moment I feel like this could be a porter or strong dark ale.

Mouthfeel: Thin body with tons of carbonation. At least this resembles a saison.

Overall: I just don't get this beer at all. I feel like all of these breweries that are experimenting with saisons (ie. Saison du Buff) are completely missing the mark. Thankfully, this is nowhere near the abomination that Dogfish Head's Saison du Buff is, but I seriously doubt I will be revisiting this.

3.5/5

- Jeff

Review: Sierra Nevada/Russian River Brux

Review: Sierra Nevada/Russian River Brux

Alright, here it is! I was just too excited to try this to wait any longer.

Presentation: Boy, was there pressure under the cork of this. It was pretty difficult to take off, but when I managed to pull it out a huge pop exploded out of the bottle. As pictured, this was poured into a tulip.

Appearance: A nice golden color with a huge head that dissipates fairly quick. There was absolutely no lacing left behind.

Aroma: The aroma is great. There is a wonderful bouquet of a little funk, vinegar, apple, pear, spice, lemon and only a tiny bit of Brett. The citrus and fruit elements are definitely the major players in the aroma.

Taste: Okay, I really hate to say this, but the taste is somewhat underwhelming. Don't get me wrong though. This tastes pretty damn good, but it's just not up to snuff for a wild ale. This is more akin to a saison right now and certainly needs more age. I'm glad I tried this fresh, but it's just not there yet. Having said that, the taste basically mirrors the aroma, but certain parts of the bouquet are muted. I pick up the pear, apple, a bit of lemon and spice. There is only a slight tartness and the Brett is certainly much more hidden in the taste. I feel like it's only noticeable if you're looking for it though. It also becomes pretty warming as it reaches room temperature.

Mouthfeel: It's not quite thin, but it's not medium bodied either. There is tons of carbonation that bites the tongue. A pretty crisp beer.

Overall: This beer needs age. This can't be stressed enough. The tartness isn't there at all and the Brett needs time to develop. I'm gonna wait another year on the other bottle and see where it goes. As a fan of sours, this kind of let me down. Thankfully, I love saisons, which this seems to resemble more so I suppose I give it a 4 out of 5 with all things considered.

- Jeff

Bell's, Brux, and Laughing Dog: Craft beer is looking up this summer

Well, it looks like craft beer received a little push here recently in WV. It appears that Atomic Distributing is negotiating with Bell's. Yes, the same Bell's that puts out Hopslam and Expedition Stout. This is surprising considering I contacted Bell's last January and they told me that they had absolutely no plans of increasing distribution any time soon. However, it is possible that things can change in six month. Having said that, you might want to hold your breath and take this with a grain of salt. Atomic is predominantly an InBev distributor. The rumor is that Bell's is hesitant because they feel that they would be an after thought with the focus on Budweiser products. There have also been rumors of Bell's being bought out by InBev too. I suppose we'll just have to keep our finger's crossed.

In other news, Idaho's Laughing Dog should be here anytime. I'm kind of kicking myself for splurging on The Dogfather (Russian imperial stout) a few months ago, but I suppose that's how the cookie crumbles. It'll be refreshing to see Alpha Dog (IIPA) and Sneaky Pete (IIPA) on the shelves. I really hope some of the bars here in Huntington pick them up, but that's probably just wishful thinking. Sadly, there still isn't any word on Caldera, North Coast, Troegs, and Ommegang. If I were to guess, we'll be seeing Caldera and North Coast before the others due to the fact that Caldera has been in the works for awhile and North Coast has just recently gone through label approval. I have absolutely no idea what is happening with Troegs and I haven't heard anything new from Ommegang since I talked to them a few months ago when they let me know that they were aiming to get here by the end of the year.

Sierra Nevada/Russian River Brux and Sierra Nevada Ovila Belgian-Style Golden

 And here is Brux, everybody! Somehow, both Brux and Ovila Golden have made their way to WV. I just spoke with somebody on Beer Advocate and they haven't seen either one of these yet in CA so how they've made it here already is beyond me. Nonetheless, I rushed down to Bottle and Wedge here in Huntington earlier today to pick them up. I initially went in to just purchase Brux, but I couldn't help but pick up Ovila too.

Anybody who is up to date on new beer releases and collaborations knows that Russian River and Sierra Nevada have been collaborating for the past two years on a wild ale. Just earlier this month they had a tasting party in Philly for the final product; Brux. They made the announcement that Sierra Nevada would be working with the distributors on carrying this beer, which means this would be widely available. However, it was unknown how available it would be. Well, WV only received 6 entire cases, if that tells you anything. Although the state did get a little slighted, I can't help but be pleased that it is somehow here before anywhere else.

According to label, Brux is "a dry and complex Belgian-style ale refermented in the bottle with Brettanomyces bruxellensis." I'm somewhat worried about the kind of reception this beer is going to get here due to the Brett. Other than Orval, there aren't many beers here with a focus on Brett. Fellow West Virginians, prepare yourself for that characteristic band-aid aroma and flavor that Brett yeast imparts. The back of the label states, "Refermented in the bottle with Brettanomyces bruxellensis, Brux will change and develop over time. Copper-colored, dry, and complex, with slightly tart notes of green grass, pear, spice, and lemon-this ale will progress in the bottle for many years." It also comes in at 1 pint 9.4oz and 8.3% ABV. Just like with most wild ales, I usually try to purchase more than one in order to try it both fresh and aged. I currently have one bottle chilling in the fridge to be opened tonight so expect a review in the near future.

Concerning Ovila Golden, it is the newest addition to the Ovila collaboration series between Sierra Nevada and the Abbey of New Clairvaux. It is a Belgian pale strong ale that weighs in at 8.5% ABV. The back label describes this beer as a "brilliant golden...with notes of summery apple and pear and peppery spice from the use of a traditional Belgian yeast strain." If you noticed in the picture, there is also a sticker wrapped around the cork and cage that warns that the contents are under high pressure and to open with care. I certainly haven't seen this on any of Sierra Nevada's beers. Anyway, other than Ovila Saison, I've been pretty pleased with the series and definitely looking forward to opening this one pretty soon.

- Jeff

Stone IPA/Girardin Gueuze 1882 (Black Label)

I was able to pick up both of this during a weekend trip with a friend to attend Jungle Jim's Beerfest just outside of Cincinnati. I somehow have never had Stone IPA, which prompted me to pick it up. As soon as I saw Girardin Black Label for under $10 I made a mad dash to snatch it off the shelf. I also made sure to pick up some other gems that aren't available here in WV (Jolly Pumpkin La Roja, The Bruery Mischief, Weyebacher Double Simcoe IPA, and other various sours and Belgians). I really regret not picking up Barrel Aged Boris for only $14, but I really don't need another RIS to collect dust. Anyway, you can expect reviews on some of these brews in the near future.

Stone IPA

Presentation: 12oz bottle poured into Stone IPA pint glass. I had just purchased a 4 pack of Stone pint glass so I jumped at the opportunity to use one.

Appearance: Light orange color with a 1" head and minimal lacing. This looks like the prototypical IPA.

Aroma: Tons of hops and pine up front with lime, lemon, and maybe a bit of grapefruit, which makes for a really juicy/fruity aroma. The bouquet is just wonderful.

Taste: Hops up front followed closely by malt. This is just so close to beingbalanced, but the hops are a bit more prevalent. There's an appearance of grapefruit and a bit of lemon/citrus-like notes. I also notice a tad bit of caramel so this might have been slightly oxidized, but it doesn't really detract from the bouquet. I scanned other tasting notes on this beer and none mentioned caramel so I'm glad I opened this when I did so it didn't get worse.

Mouthfeel: The body is somewhere between medium and light. There is tons of carbonation, which makes it really crisp and pretty easy to drink.

Overall: This is wonderful. This is what an IPA should be like. I really wish I had purchased more than just a single. I may be the minority in this opinion, but I think I might like this a bit more than Ruination.

2011 Girardin Gueuze 1882 (Black Label)

Presentation: 37.5cl bottle poured into a tulip. 

Appearance: Hazy orange with two finger off white head. I know that there isn't a head pictured, but I was a little slow in getting to my phone to take a picture. Anyway, there was very little lacing was left behind by the time I finished the glass.

Aroma: Tons of funk and sourness. There's also vinegar with a bit of straw. I basically only detect general citrus aroma and can't really pinpoint anything. Overall, this seems pretty standard for a gueuze.

Taste: Good lord this is sour! Tons of lemon-lime sourness that is pretty puckering. I'm pretty new to the sour game, but this puckering quality is just great. I also pick up some floral notes and a bit of oak to a lesser extent. This is simply wonderful. I could drink this everyday for the rest of my life.

Mouthfeel: Thin, yet a little creamy with tons of carbonation. This is pretty much par for the course with a gueuze.

Overall: This is one damn good gueuze. It instantly became one of my favorites upon my first sip. Now only if this was available in WV... I pray for the day that WV gets a gueuze that isn't Cuvee Rene. Anyway, I will certainly buy this beer again. I really wish I would have purchased another to age.

-Jeff

Yeah, I Know What You're Thinking

You don't even have to say it. "Not another craft beer blog..." Trust me, I am just as sick as you about everybody and their dog having a craft beer blog. However, I am hoping to possibly create more interest in craft beer here in West Virginia. This state is by far the least craft beer friendly. West Virginia ranks dead last in the amount of breweries distributed here. Even states like Utah with much more strict liquor laws get better distribution. I don't know if it's the fault of distributors here, the lack of consumers, or the lack of interest in craft beer, but I hope to bring more awareness to these issues and craft beer in general with this blog.
I'm hoping to write something every few days about what is going on here in the state with craft beer. This could be anything from limited released beers being offered at certain stores and restaurants to news breweries being approved by ABCA. I also plan on writing plenty of reviews for beers. Because my craft beer obsession is so ridiculous you can expect at least one review a day.
With all things considered, I really hope to generate some great discussion. If there's enough interest, I might look into creating a message board.
-Jeff