Jester King B is for B

21 Nov. 2020

B is for B is a delightful saison. I call is a saison even though Beeradvocate calls it wild ale. Back in the day saison would have been mixed fermentation. This one is, too. Flavors include tart green apples and oakiness that reminds me of cheese. I enjoyed a bottle with Alex as we ate appetizers from Monica as a prelude to Emily's and Lisa's BD dinner. Yummy.

Rating = 6 glasses.

Stone Xocoveza

Brewer's Notes: This is a beloved stout. When first introduced as a limited special collaboration release with San Diego homebrewer Chris Banker (after his recipe won our annual homebrew competition) and Cerveceria Insurgente, it was an instant hit and fans began clamoring for its return. Seeing as how its amazing flavor profile is evocative of Mexican hot chocolate, featuring coffee, pasilla peppers, vanilla, cinnamon, nutmeg and a generous amount of chocolate, we concluded it was the perfect stout to re-release in celebration of the Holidays and the entire winter season. This is now a highly anticipated yearly tradition that we are pleased to present from us to you, and makes a perfect wintry gift from you to your friends, loved ones, or simply to yourself. Cheers!

22 Nov. 2020
I enjoyed a 10-oz. glass at Stone's tasting room after a bike ride. I sat outside and drank the beer with some Ronnie's barbecue. What a nice way to end a ride.

The brewer's notes are accurate. The beer is not heavy or think. nothing like motor oil like some big stouts. It is black. It combines many flavors but none overpower or are BIG. I get hints of coffee, chocolate, peppers, vanilla, and cinnamon. 8.1% abv is totally hidden. I would liken it to a toned down and subtle version of Gingerbread Stout. I like it a lot. It combines flavor and complexity with lightness not found in many stouts. I want to make a six-pack or two a holiday tradition.

Rating = 6 glasses.

St. George Pilsner

Nov. 2020
St. George Pillsner is a fine example of the style. It is easy to drink and has a nice flavor. I will update as I drink more.

Beeradvocate

Rating = 4 glasses.

Sierra Nevada Celebration

Brewer's Notes: Fresh Hop Ale; no spices.
We first brewed Celebration IPA in the winter of 1981. Each year, we use only the first fresh hops of the growing season to create this complex and robust ale. Layered pine and citrus hop aromas balance delicately against rich, malt sweetness to shape this bold wintertime classic.

10 Nov. 2020
I return to an classic Christmas ale. Back in the day, Celebration was in BeerAdvocate's top 100. Celebration's release tells me that Christmas is near. It is a robust IPA with a strong malt backbone and plenty of bite from NW hops. I still think that it is a titch too piney but cannot resist a 6-pack or two this year.

Beeradvocate. 

Rating = 4 glasses.

02 Dec. 2008

Tonight's year-old Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale was a welcome oasis of hops in a malty winter. Celebration Ale is a highly rated IPA. However, I tend to find it to be too piney. Drinking one at room temperature felt like drinking Pine Sol. I cellared a bottle last year to see if time would smooth out the hops would. It did and the piney taste was greatly diminished. I noticed a sweeter malt beginning than what I remembered and it was balanced by a nice hoppy finish. However, the hops did not have "zing" and a slight piney aftertaste persisted.

Celebration Ale is a seasonal release from Sierra Nevada. The brewer consistently makes good beer and sells it for good value. I recommend that new beer geeks sample the brewery's products to learn about good beer and beer styles. The brewery tends to put an American twist on styles by using bitter Northwest hops.

Huyghe Delirium Tremens

Brewer's Notes: Colour and sight: pale blond, the fine and regular effervesce ensures a fine and stable head.

Scent: Slightly malty, a nice touch of alcohol, spicy.
Flavour: Feels like the sound shot of alcohol is igniting the mouth. In reality the tongue and palate are warmed. The taste is characterized by its roundness. The aftertaste is strong, long-lasting and dry bitter.

November 2020

Delirium Tremens is a fine example of Belgian strong pale ale. It combines Belgian yeast and wheatiness with peppery spice and some clove. The alcohol is felt more than tasted. 

Beer Advocate

Rating = 5 glasses.

Sierra Nevada Hop Bullet

Brewer's Notes: Brewed with a double-barreled blast of Magnum hops and lupulin dust.

Hops are the name of the game with a Double IPA, but we knew we had to take it one step further. With Hop Bullet, we’re using a new technique, hitting the beer with a double-barreled blast of Magnum hops and lupulin dust—pure, concentrated hop flavor—directly into the tank to emphasize the intense pine and citrus flavors of classic West Coast hops.

BEGINNING GRAVITY: 17.6° plato
ENDING GRAVITY: 2.4° plato
BITTERNESS UNITS: 60
YEAST: Ale yeast
BITTERING HOPS: Magnum
FINISHING HOPS: Centennial, Cascade, Chinook, Magnum, Crystal
MALTS: Two-row Pale, Wheat, Dextrine, Chocolate, Acidulated

01 Nov. 2020

I enjoyed my second can last night. The beer impressed. Loads of hop bite without the heaviness and sweetness of many double IPAs AND still fairly balanced. I am increasing the rating.

Rating = 5 glasses.

28 Oct. 2020

Hop Bullet calls itself and double IPA and Beeradvocate agrees. I call it a really nice IPA.

Rating = 4 glasses, maybe more pending further investigation.

Unibrue Don de Dieu

 

Brewer's Notes: Don de Dieu (Gift of God) was the name of the ship that Samuel de Champlain sailed on his mission to “explore and discover the vast and perilous land of America” in the name of the King of France. His travels led to the founding of Quebec City in 1608.

Inspired by this great adventure, Unibroue created Don de Dieu—an abbey-style triple wheat beer refermented in the bottle. Soft and round, it has delicately nuanced fruity and hoppy notes.

01 Nov. 2020
I fear that my first review was too exuberant. More clove came through on the second bottle. The clove is true to the style but is I think it detracts from the taste. I am downgrading the rating.

Rating = 4 glasses.

28 Oct. 2020

The bottle claims to be a pale ale but Beeradvocate correctly calls it a Tripel and ranks it as the 8th best Tripel. 

Don de Dieu is a wonderful beer. It is wheaty, yeasty, and spicy with a titch of clove. Do I like it better than Allagash Tripel? I am keeping the rating a little lower pending further investigation. 

Rating = 5 glasses.