Recent beers

21st Amendment Hop Crisis is a complex Imperial IPA. The web site says, "We made the biggest, hoppiest IPA we could imagine and aged it on oak for good measure." It is one of the better barrel-aged IPA's I remember. The aging muted the hops but give a wonderful complexity to the beer. 5 glasses.

The Bruery Hottenroth is a pleasant Berliner weiss. Slightly tart and acidic with a touch of lemon, it is easy drinking and light.Still three glasses.

Trappistes Rochefort 8 is a fantastic example of Strong Belgian Dark Ale. The last bottle I pulled from my "cellar" had been aging for about 5 years and it was yummy. Easily 6 glasses and I am thinking about 7. It is complex, flavorful, and easy drinking.

Bell's Third Coast Old Ale is another beer that is improving with age. The last bottle I pulled from my cellar was about 5 years old. It had evolved into a caramel, butterscotch brew that resembled an English Barleywine. It continues to earn 6 glasses. 

Lindemans Gueuze Cuvée René

0803: Nice, apple cider w/ lemon and vinegar. Good value for gueuze. 6 glasses

1304: More sour and less tart. A slight rancid metallic taste. Downgraded to 5 glasses and thought about 4 glasses.

Russian River Supplication

Brown Ale aged in used Pinot Noir barrels from local Sonoma County wineries. It is aged for about 12 months with sour cherries, brettanomyces, lactobacillus, and pediococcus added to each barrel. Flavors from the cherries, Pinot Noir and oak balance each other nicely with a little funk from the brett (URL).

Good but not great. A little like wine added to a beer. Tart and compex. 6 glasses.

Hardywood Baltic Porter with Bacon and Maple

Oh no! Hardywood missed on this one. Massive and dense but not what I want to drink. 1 glass.

Bell's Special Double Cream Stout

Had a bottle at Happy Hour at Cafe Catura. The grilled shrimp tacos were boffo. The beer was not. It does not hit my sweet spot. A review from April 2008 gave the beer 2 glasses and said, "OK. A little cream, a little chocolate, and a little smokey bite but a little thin. Better @ room temp. May rate a 3." The beer is crafted well and I am moving the rating to 3.

NPR on Big Beer

This story on NPR talks about the dominance of ABInBev and MolsonCoors and ABInBev's attempt to acquire Modelo.

Beer and Civilization

This note in the New York Times claims that beer played a vital role in creating the type of civilization we enjoy today.

Beer Quotes

http://beeradvocate.com/community/threads/favorite-beer-quote-of-all-time.72843/

If the Four Horsemen Arrive, Offer Beer

http://www.peakprosperity.com/podcast/80011/john-michael-greer

Caledonian Newcastle Winter IPA

I paired my Pho Sate w Newcastle Winter IPA tonight. It is easy to drink and pleasant. As advertised it is an English IPA, with mild hops.

I am giving the beer a rating of 3 glasses.

Edit. I just finished the six pack. The more I drank, the less I liked. Downgraded to 2 glasses and thought about 1.

Smuttynose Winter Ale

I succumbed to a stack of Smuttynose Winter Ale on a visit w Lisa to Kroger's today and bought a 6-pack. I thought it was a wittier. I tired one tonight because I thought it would be a a nice aperiti. Well, surprise!  The ale is actually a winter warmer reminiscent of a Belgian style dubbel. Beeradvocate classifies it as a dubbel. I think that I will group it w winter warmers. The brewer states that the beer contains no spices.

The beer reminds me of Great Divide Hibernation Ale and Anchor Old Jubilation.  It is nice and malty with some caramel and spicy sweetness. Pleasant and Christmassy.

I give it 4 glasses. Upon further examination I may move the score to 5.

Business Week

Here is a good article on the effects on the beer industry of the InBev's acquisition of Anheuser-Busch to form AB InBev. The article does a nice job describing some of the real or potential tradeoffs between cost efficiencies and quality.

Three recent wonderful experiences

I have tasted three wonderful beers recently: North Coast Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout, Bell's Third Coast Old Ale, and Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barley Wine Style Ale.

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. Previous review.

Beer Advocate classifies Third Coast Old Ale is an American Barleywine. Bell's bottled this 6-pack on 4 Dec 2008, making it about 4 years old. The taste was all brown sugar and malt. I want to buy and age more. Yummy. It continues to earn its 6-glass rating. Previous review.

Tonight I took a 2010 vintage Bigfoot out of my cellar. Malt and hops and wonderful. Still 7 glasses. Previous review.

J. W. Lees Harvest Ale Matured in Calvados Casks

The beer continues to earn 7 glasses.Sweet, thick with a dash on apple brandy melded to a fantastic English barley wine. The brewer brewed this bottle in 2005 and I purchased it in April 2008 from West Park Wine and Beer. I am sad that West Park closed.

I paired the beer with pecan pie for a late night treat.

Previous Review.

New Reviews yet to be Posted

Weyerbacher Riserva - 5 glasses
Bruery Three French Hens - 5 glasses
Troeg's Mad Elf - 2 glasses (an upgrade)
Sierra Nevada Hoptimum - 5 glasses
Clipper City Heavy Seas Loose Canon - 4 glasses (a downgrade)
Steenberge Piraat - 4 glasses
Ommegang BPA - 3 glasses
BFM Brasserie Des Franches-Montagnes Abbaye De Saint Bon-Chien - 7 glasses
Steenberge Bruegel - 3 glasses
Steenberge Bornem Triple - 4 glasses
Hanssens Lambic Experimental Cassis - 3 glasses
Highlands Black Mocha Stout - 4 glasses
Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Sumpin' - 5 glasses
Steenberge Bornem Double - 4 glasses
Ballast Point Sculpin IPA - 5 glasses
Highlands Oatmeal Porter - 4 glasses
Steenberge Augustiin - 3 glasses
Alesmith Old Numskull - 5 glasses
Avery Joe's - 4 glasses
Move Chimnay to 6
Move Sculpin to 6
I have fallen behind

Beers sorted by Brewer

21st Amendmend: Hop Crisis
Alchemist Heady Topper
Alesmith (Speedway Stout
Allagash: Dubbel, Triple Reserve, White
Anderson Valley Winter Solstice
Anheuser-Busch Budweiser
Avery: Anniversary Ale - Sixeen, Maharaja, Old Jubulation
Ayinger Oktober Fest-Märzen
Bass Pale Ale
Bavik Petrus Aged Pale Ale
Bear Republic Racer 5
Belhaven Twisted Thistle IPA
Bell's: Batch 9000, Expedition Stout, Oarsman, Oberon, Octoberfest, Sparkling Ale, Special Double Cream Stout, Third Coast Old Ale, Two Hearted Ale
BFM Brasserie Des Franches-Montagnes: Square root 225, Bon Chien
Bitburger Premium Pils
Bockor Cuvee des Jacobins Rouge
Blue and Gray Elwood Thompson Fresh Farmhouse Ale
Bluegrass Jefferson's Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout
Blue Mountain: Artisanal Ale, Big D.I.P.A, Full Nelson, Rockfish Wheat
Boon Mariage Parfait
Bostells Karmeliet
Boulevard: 80 Acre, Saison - Brett 
Brasserie Dieu du Ciel Peche Mortel
Brooklyn: Black Chocolate Stout, Monster Ale, Oktoberfest
Bruery: Hottenroth Berliner Weisse, Saison Rue, White Oak
Caledonian Newcastle Winter IPA
Cantillon: Gueuze, Rose de Gambrinus, St. Lamvinus, Vigneronne
Center of the Universe Pocahoptas
Chimay: Grand Reserve (Blue), Tripel
Clipper City Heavy Seas Loose Canon
d'Achouffe: La Chouffe, N'Ice Chouffe
de Dolle: Ara Bier, Dulle Teve, Oerbier, Oerbier Reserva, Stille Nacht
De Proef: Les Deux Brasseurs, Pinhead
Dogfish Head: 60 Minute IPA, 90 Minute IPA, 120 Minute IPA, World Wide Stout
Drie Fonteine Oude Geuze
Duck-Rabbit Porter
Dupont: Avec Les Bons Voeux, Saison
Duvel Duvel
Fantôme Saison
Firestone Walker: Double Jack, Floreffe Prima Melior
Flying Dog: Gonzo, Dog In Heat Wheat, Raging Bitch, Snake Dog IPA, Whiskey-Barrel Aged Gonzo
Founders: Breakfast Stout, Imperial Stout, Kentucky Breakfast Stout, Porter, Red's Rye PA
Fullers Vintage Ale
Girardin Gueuze 1882 Black Label
Goose Island: 312 Urban Wheat Ale, Stockyard Oatmeal Stout
Great Divide: Hibernation Ale, Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout, Titan IPA, Yeti Imperial Stout
Green Flash Imperial IPA
Guinness Foreign Extra Stout
Hardywood: Bourbon Cru, Baltic Porter with Bacon and Maple, 
Hanssens: Oude Gueuze, Oude Kriek
Hoegaarden Original White Ale
Huyghe Delirium NocturumA
Koningshoeven Tripel
Lagunitas: Brown Sugga' (cask), Cappuccino Stout, IPA, Undercover Investigator Shut-Down Ale
Leffe Blonde
Left Hand Polestar Pilsner
Legend: Brown Ale, Golden Ale, Octoberfest
Lindemans Framboise, Gueuze Cuvée René
J. W. Lees: Harvest Ale, Harvest Ale aged in Calvados casks
Magic Hat Vinyl
Modelo Negra Modelo
New Belgium Mothership Wit
New Holland Golden Cap
North Coast: ACME California IPA, Blue Star Wheat Ale, Old #38 Stout, Old Rasputin, Red Seal Ale
Old Dominion Millennium
Old Dominion Oak Barrel Stout
Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale
Oskar Blues Gordon
Oskar Blues TEN FIDY
Ommegang Abbey Ale
Ommegang Biere de Mars
Ommegang Hennepin
Ommegang Ommegeddon
Ommegang Rare Vos
Ommegang Three Philosophers
Ommegang Tripel Perfection
Orval Orval
Oud Beersel Kriek
Oud Beersel Oude Geuze Vieille
Pabst Blue Ribbon
Paulaner Hefe-Weissbier Naturtrub
Paulaner Salvator
Peroni Nastro Azzurro
Pilsner Urquell
Port Old Viscosity
Rogue Chocolate Stout
Rogue Shakespeare Stout
Russian River: Santification, Supplicaton
Russian River Temptation
*Samuel Adams* (Boston Lager, Noble Pils, Octoberfest)
Samuel Smith: Oatmeal Stout, Pure Brewed Lager
Schneider: Aventinus, Aventinus Weizen Eisbock, Weisse
Sierra Nevada - Bigfoot / Celebration / ESB / Kellerweis / Northern Hemisphere Harvest Ale / Pale Ale / Southern Hemisphere Harvest Ale, Stout / Summerfest / Torpedo Extra IPA /
Sinebrychoff: Porter
Smisje: Calva Reserva
Smuttynose: Baltic Porter, "Finest Kind" IPA, Robust Porter
Smuttynose Winter Ale
Southampton: Biere de Garde, Saison Deluxe
Southern Tier - 2 x IPA / IPA / Unearthly /
St. Bernardus: Abt 12, Prior 8, Tripel, Witbier
St. George: IPA, Summer Ale
Starr Hill: Dark Starr Stout, (The) Gift, Jumo Lager, (The) Love, Northern Lights
Steenberge: Gulden Draak, Maerfant Damse
Stone: 13th Anniversary, Arrogant Bastard, Double Bastard, Imperial Russian Stout, Levitation Ale, Old Ruffian, Ruination
Stoudts: Scarlette Lady
Strangeways Phantasmic East Coast IPA
Strubbe: Ichtegem's Grand Cru
Terrapin: Sunray Wheat Ale
Thirsty Dog: Old Leghumper, Siberian Night
Three Floyds: Gumballhead, Pride and Joy
*Trader Joe's* (2009 Vintage Ale, 2010 Vintage Ale, Bavarian Style Hefeweizen, Joseph Brau Dunkelweizen, Joseph Brau Oktoberfest)
Trappistes Rochefort: 6, 8, 10
Tröegs: Nugget Nectar
Tuppers: Keller Pils
Tyskie: Gronie
Unibroue: La Fin du Monde, Maudite, Trois Pistoles
Urthel: Hop-It, Saisonnière
Victory: Baltic Thunder, Old Horizontal, Prima Pils
Weihenstephaner: 1809, Hefeweissbier, Vitus
Westmalle: Tripel
Weyerbacher: Twelve
Widmer: Hefeweizen
Yuengling: Black and Tan, Traditional Lager

Stille Nacht

Brewer: de Dolle

Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Tasting notes: (1012) Bottled 2008, in my cellar for 1 yr 4 mn since 0908. Where is the sugar? Fruity with orange zest and funk. Downgraded from 7. A bad bottle? (0811) Marvelous mix of orange zest, spices, alcohol, candy sugar, and funk. Bottle in 2006. Upgraded from 5. Initially put down 6 but could not get the beer out of my mind. (0712) A 2006 bottle. Spicy sour oranges (tangerine?) w/ an alcohol blast. Not as sweet as I remembered. Downgraded from 6. (0610) A glass at Mekong. Sweet, spices, and alcohol. Reminded me of Samichlaus, but better. Click here for a previous review.

Previous ratings: 6, 5, 7 glasses

Rating: 5 glasses

Vintage Ale 2010

Brewer: Trader Joe's
Style: Strong Belgian Dark Ale
Tasting notes: (1012) Prunes, anise, and spice (cinnamon?). A disappointment. For $1 more, Ommegang Dubbel is the buy.
Comment: A contract brew w/ Unibrue.
Rating: 2 glasses

Tripel Perfection

Brewer: Ommegang

Style: Tripel

Tasting notes: (1012) Cloves, candi sugar, orange rind bite. Might need to age. Closer to 3 glasses than 5.

Rating: 4 glasses

Tripel Reserve

Brewer: Allagash

Style: Tripel

Tasting notes: (1012) A bottle @ LeMaire. Fruity, spicy, with a tiche of dry funk. Complex. Upgraded from 4 glasses and thought about 6. (1008) Fruity and nice w/ a touch of triple sour dryness. 0705: Dry, sour, grapefruit hops, with hints of lemon and citrus.. Downgraded from 5/8. ???: My first Belgian style ale and still one of my favorites. Fruity and nice. You spend half the bottle trying to identify the flavors and then the 9.0% ABV hits you.

Top 100: 29 December 2005

Previous ratings: 5, then 4 glasses

Rating: 5 glasses