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