North Coast Old Rasputin Imperial Stout

Old Rasputin is a wonderful Imperial Stout.

Beer Advocate

Brewer's notes: Brewed in the tradition of 18th Century English brewers who supplied the court of Russia’s Catherine the Great, Old Rasputin seems to develop a cult following wherever it goes. It’s a rich, intense brew with big complex flavors and a warming finish.

The Old Rasputin brand image is a drawing of Rasputin with a phrase in Russian encircling it — A sincere friend is not born instantly.

Tasting notes

2312: I revisited an old friend recently. The beer is BIG with loads of dark malt, chocolate, and a titch of soy. My bottle was fresh. It was bottled 30970913 = September, 13, 2023. The batch was 097. Perhaps it needs more time in the cellar.  

Rating = 5.5 glasses, a slight downgrade.

(1303) This is becoming my favorite stout. Had a bottle with dessert.  I purchased the bottle about 6 months ago. Nice and plenty of flavor but drinkable. A solid 6.

(1210) Old Rasputin is what the name says, a big Imperial Stout. Nice chocolate and smoke flavors with a touch of charcoal. Thick and smooth. I purchased this bottle in November 2011 in Mathews; it had aged at least 1 year. Yummy. I discovered that I left an inch or so in the glass overnight and drank what was left in the morning. Still good. I liked the beer so much that I went out this week and bought 3 new 4-packs. I moved its rating from 5 to 6 glasses and thought about 7.

??? Old Rasputin by North Coast is much better with some age on it than fresh. I enjoyed a bottle that was at least one year old that I bought three 4-packs from my local Total Wine store. I cracked open what I assume was a relatively fresh bottle last night. It was good but not the flavor experience I enjoyed with the older bottle. The flavors were harsher and not as complex. Judged in isolation, I would probably give it 4 or 5 stars.

(1111) Very nice. May rate 6 glasses.

(1103) Ditto as below.

(0911) Pleasant dark chocolate, a hint of coffee and hops. Flavorful, complex, and easy drinking.

0904: A bottle @ Joe's. A hint of sweet malt, followed by coffee, chocolate and charcoal. Complex and big. Upgraded from 3.

?? A fine stout. 

Liefmans Goudenband

Goudenband is a good example of a (Flanders) Oud Bruin.

Beer Advocate: Liefmans Goudenband is one of the most distinctive dark beers in the world. Originally called IJzerenband (Iron Band) – a reference to the iron bands around the beer barrels – the bottle gained its champagne cork when it was renamed Liefmans Goudenband (Gold Band). Made in open vats with beer of mixed fermentation, it is left to mature for four to 12 months in the cellar. Mature beer is then fortified with younger beer, so the fermentation process starts up again.

Liefmans Goudenband is a beer for storing, and just keeps improving over the years like a fine wine. Even after ten years, this dark red beer tastes as fresh as ever. You’ll immediately pick up on the wonderful aromas of caramel, apple, rhubarb, cherries and malt. On the taste buds you will find hints of apple and cherries, combined with woody notes, while the aftertaste hints at nuts and dried raisins. The mildly acidic taste make this beer a perfect match for blue cheese.

Brewer's notes: Liefmans Goudenband is one of the most unique beers in the world. To emphasize that personality, each bottle is closed with a champagne cork. As a red-brown beer with mixed fermentation, it takes 4 to 12 months to mature to reach speed. Then the beer is ready to be cracked, unless you prefer to wait a little longer. Even after ten years you will recognize Liefmans Goudenband by its fresh nose and slightly sour aromas of caramel, apple, rhubarb and cherry.

Tasting notes

2312: The second bottle in a 4-pack was much better than I remember from the first bottle. The notes from Beer Advocate describe the taste well - woody with hints of fruit and vinegar. I liked it well enough to think about buying more for the cellar.

Rating = 5 glasses. The rating may change with more experience and aging.

BFM Abbaye De Saint Bon-Chien

Abbaye De Saint Bon-Chien is a fantastic beer, one of my favorites. Beer Advocate classifies it as a Flanders Red Ale.

Beer Advocate

Brewer's notes: The Abbaye de Saint Bon-Chien is a strong sour ale of mixed fermentation, aged during a year in old wine oak barrels. The oak aging and the action of wild yeasts confer this beer’s astonishing wide range of aromas. Its outstanding komplexity, balance, roundness and long finish, are the fruit of the meticulous blend of selected barrels.
On the palate the blend reminds one of fruity red wines with a pronounced balsamic sourness.
The best way to enjoy a Bon-Chien is to serve it in an elegant wine glass at 16°C or 60.6°F paired with a duck breast or some panned foie gras for example.

Tasting notes
2312: I enjoyed a glass on draft at Can Can while dining with L and E. It continues to impress. It paired well with beef tartar and escargots. I have sampled the beer on draft and from the bottle several times since my last review but saw no reason to add new comments. "Sour with oak and smoke and tons of complexity" is accurate. I noticed more wine last night.

Rating = (still) 7 glasses

1308: Abbaye De Saint Bon-Chien is a fantastic beer. Sour with oak and smoke and tons of complexity.  Rating = 7 glasses.

J. W. Lee's Harvest Ale

Harvest Ale is a great example of an English barleywine

Brewer's notes: Our limited edition vintage barley wine is made but once a year. It's brewed with the first hops to be harvested, and then we add the very finest British malt. Each vintage brings different flavours, which then evolve as they age, so it's no wonder it's gained a cult following among ale enthusiasts. Pop the date in your calendar.

Beer Advocate

Tasting notes

2312: Had a 2013-bottle with gluten-free Oreo cake from Shyndiz. Emily and I shared the cake. It was not as good as anticipated - perhaps past its prime. I taste apples, toffee, and leather and then a burnt sourness.  Previous ratings were 4, 6, and then 7.

Rating = 6 glasses.

(1008) A 12-yr old bottle brewed in 1998. Sticky sweet burnt caramel, molasses, leather, apple butter, and prunes. Big, bold, complex, and smotth. Upgraded from 6 glasses. I though about the taste for days. 

(0808) A 1998 vintage. Massive taste and viscous consistency. Cream brulee, bananas foster, sugared prunes, raisins, a tiche of leather and slight alcohol burn. Upgraded from 4 glasses. 

(0612) A bottle dated 2000. Complex. Big malty taste up front, esp. when cold, fading to a sour hop bite. Good with peach flan. Sipped for 2+ hours. A better version of Third Coast Old Ale? 

Alchemist Focal Banger

Focal Banger is a good New England IPA.

Brewer's notes: Brewed with Mosaic and Citra hops. A firm mineral backbone supports the dank flavors and aromas we cram into this beer, and separates it from the pack.

BeerAdvocate: Focal Banger® is an American India Pale Ale. We have a real love for IPAs here at The Alchemist and we strive to offer you the best hop experience that we possibly can. The beer is brewed using Citra and Mosaic hops and our favorite British malts. Truly an abundance of malty goodness.

Freshness and control have always been my main concern when it comes to our beer. We are committed to providing you with an unfiltered and unpasteurized hop experience. Why do I recommend that you drink it from can? Quite simply, to ensure a delightful hop experience. The act of pouring it in a glass smells nice, but it releases the essential hop aromas that we have worked so hard to retain.

If you MUST pour it into a glass, you may find that some of the hop resins have settled to the bottom -- leave them in the can when pouring. This beer is perishable and at its best when it is young, fresh, and hazy. Keep it cold, but not ice cold. Drink this beer today, you could be dead tomorrow ... -- John Kimmich

Tasting notes

2311: A can from ML. I was taking a tour of Vermont beer ML brought back from a recent trip. The tasting occurred too long ago to give a thorough or accurate review. I remember liking Focal Banger better than Heady Topper and Vermont Strong. I liked the complexity of the beer. However, Vermont Strong is the beer that haunted me for days. I like bitter more than dry hopping. I want more of all three beers. I fear that my expressed preferences are not transitive.

Fiddlehead Second Fiddle

Second Fiddle is a nice New England Double IPA.

Brewer's Notes: 
Extensively dry-hopped, Second Fiddle is second in name only. Big, juicy and aromatic.

BeerAdvocate

Tasting notes
1211: A can from ML. Drank it so long ago that I cannot give it a full or accurate review. I remember thinking is was too "New England" and not bitter enough. The reviews on BeerAdvocate make me want to try it again.

Brasserie d'Achouffe La Chouffe

La Chouffe is a delightful Belgian Strong Pale Ale.

Brewer's notes: LA CHOUFFE starts off with some citrus notes, followed by a refreshing touch, pleasantly spiced to give it great brightness. This golden beer, with its light taste of hops, was the very first to come out of the Achouffe brewery’s vats 40 years ago. Since then, its unique flavours have won it several awards, and conquered the hearts of beer lovers the world over.

BeerAdvocate: The gnomes of Fairyland are particularly fond of this golden beer. LA CHOUFFE, with its slight hoppy taste, combining notes of fresh coriander and fruity tones, is the drink which gives them their zest for life. At least, that's what these imps say when they are thirsty. Their secret used to be jealously guarded from one generation to the next until the day they shared the recipe with humans to seal their friendship. Of all the legends from the wonderful region of the Belgian Ardennes, the tale of LA CHOUFFE is the one which most merits re-telling.

Tasting notes

2312: I noticed the Belgian yeast. Some clove and wheat was prominent. 

2308: The ale impresses. It is smoother and sweeter than Duvel. At $1 less per bottle than Duvel, it is a good value. I WILL buy more.

Rating: 5.5 glasses. 5.5 is a downgrade from 6 because I am trying to be a "tough" grader. The rating may increase with a second or third bottle. Perhaps Duvel is overrated?

1011: Wonderful - A little spice, a little funk, a little sweet fruit.

Lawson's Vermont Strong

Vermont Strong is a wonderful American Pale Ale

Brewer's notes: Vermont is a state we love. Vermont Strong is a benefit brew in support of the many friends and neighbors who have been affected by the catastrophic floods of Summer 2023. This project was created to support the Vermont Community Foundation and their efforts to help our brave little state respond, recover, and build back even stronger.

Make a donation to the Vermont Community Foundation

BeerAdvocate

2312: A can courtesy of ML. I really liked it. A clean hop bit with a pleasant malt backbone. 

Rating = 5 glasses. May change with more tastes.

Bitburger Premium Pils

Premium Pils is the one of the most popular beers in Germany. Bitburger's company slogan is, "Bitte ein Bit." 

Brewer's notes: Perfect hoppy pilsner enjoyment, unique in taste: Bitburger Premium Pils – the most tapped premium pilsner at German counters.

BeerAdvocate:  The perfected delight of pilsener with an accent of hops, combined with ease and elegance, and a crystal-clear, sunny straw-colour and long-lasting, fine head: brewed for almost two hundred years from the finest raw ingredients according to the German purity law, it's not for nothing that our Bitburger Premium Pils is the most popular draft beer in Germany. Its freshly-drawn flavour makes our Premium beer so well-loved.

Tasting Notes
2312: A nice easy drinking pilsner that pairs easily with food. Some grassy hops with enough bitterness to notice. A fresher beer would be better; the can is dated 2306, It may find a regular place in my refrigerator. I need a side-by-side comparison with Weihenstephaner and St. George. I miss Prima Pils. My reaction is much better than a review 13 years earlier.

Rating = 4 glasses. 

1006:: A minikeg. Eh? Unoffensive. Following a Paulener Weiss may have hurt the rating. May rate 2 glasses.

Rating: 1 glass

Alesmith Speedway Stout

Speedway Stout is a big coffee imperial stout.

BeerAdvocate

Brewer's notes: A HUGE Imperial Stout that weighs in at an impressive 12% ABV! As if that's not enough, we added pounds of coffee for a little extra kick.

Tasting notes 

2312: With a second can, I am downgrading the rating. I think that the coffee is a one-trick pony and I am not that into coffee. The beer is beautifully crafted but the flavor does not scratch my itch.

Rating = 5 glasses.

2311: Coffee bitterness adds a nice touch. I am leaving the rating @ 6 but may downgrade with a second can.

0902: A bottle aged in my cellar for 10 months. Chocolate and coffee and alcohol and cocoa (and cherry?). Complex, big, sippable and gulpable.

Rating = 6 glasses. Placed in top 10ish list initially and downgraded after a few days. I didn't dream about drinking this beer again.

Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA

120 Minute IPA is a big beer. I have read it described as a triple IPA. Dogfish Head reports that IBU = 120 and abv = 18%. Wow!

Brewer's notes: "Clocking in at 15-20% ABV, 120 Minute IPA is continually hopped with a copious amount of high-alpha American hops throughout the boil and whirlpool, and then dry-hopped with a boatload of hops. Unfiltered and abundantly hoppy, it's the Holy Grail for hopheads!"

BeerAdvocate: "Too extreme to be called beer? 120 Minute IPA is brewed to a colossal 45-degree plato, boiled for a full two hours while being continuously hopped with high-alpha American hops, then dry-hopped daily in the fermenter for a month and aged for another month on whole-leaf hops!"

Tasting Notes

2312: I drank the first of a six-pack dated 2017, making the beer 3.3-years old. I enjoyed it while Lisa and I enjoyed a fire and put up our new artificial Christmas tree. Perhaps 120 Minute IPA will become a Christmas tradition. The taste has mellowed some but still resembled a BIG and rough IPA. Lots of hops and plenty of malt for balance. I might not have picked 6 glasses for the rating but enjoyed it enough to leave the rating unchanged.

Rating = 6 glasses

2006: I drank a second bottle dated 1908 last night with a sweet dessert and the pairing was fantastic. 120 Minute bursts with hop flavor with big malt for balance (and alcohol) - much more a HUGE IPA than a barleywine. The bottle-date means that the beer is about 1-year old.

Rating = 6 glasses

2002: I drank the first of a six-pack bottle dated 1908. It tastes like a BIG English Barleywine. BeerAdvocate calls it an American Imperial IPA and says abv varies from 15-20% and IBU = 120. Bottle says abv = 18%. Bitter hops fight to emerge from a sweet raisin mash, followed by big alcohol blast. It is a 2+ hr. sipper. A 12 oz. bottle usually goes for $9 or $10 dollars. I just picked up two four-packs from Costco for $24.99 each. I plan to drink them over the next six years.

Rating = 6 glasses.