Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale (2012)

So, last night was pretty low-key. I was feeling pretty crappy, so I decided to stay home and catch up on Netflix. Today, I bottled some of my beer and ended up having a flat tire, which was really annoying. I’m going to end up having Katie come with me to drop off the car tonight and take hers tomorrow. Anyways, so this was the beer last night. I’m surprised that I haven’t gotten to it yet. It was one of those that I’ve walked past about a million and a half times. Let’s get pouring.

ABV: 9.6%

Style: American Barleywine

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Our award-winning barleywine boasts a dense, fruity bouquet, an intense flavor palate and a deep reddish-brown color. Its big maltiness is superbly balanced by a wonderfully bittersweet hoppiness.”

Random: I haven’t used my Dogfish Head glass in forever. I keep forgetting that I have it. I really do like this glass.

This brew poured with a huge three finger sienna colored head. It dissipated slowly and left a decent amount of lacing on the glass. The body was a dark mahogany color and clear with lots of active carbonation visible throughout. The nose was incredibly pungent with some hop notes, booze and biscuity caramel malt. I let this bad boy warm for about fifteen minutes before drinking. The taste was seriously hoppy with unexpected amounts of grapefruit and sticky pine. The malt seems as if it was going to start to make an appearance and is quickly overtaken by hops. The hops were borderline spicy, which was very interesting for the style. The body was sticky, but on the lighter side of the style with moderate levels of carbonation. The finish was long with some booze warming on the end. This was definitely and interesting barleywine. It was definitely solid and enjoyable, although I’ve had better. I’d definitely have this one again.

Untappd Rating: 4.0/5.0

Breckenridge SummerBright Ale

I’ve finally got the blog a little bit updated. This is actually the last one that I have to update, which is nice. This is a brew that Katie picked up for me. I haven’t been floored by beers from this brewery, but I absolutely love their ad campaign (specifically targeted against macro breweries). I’ve never had any of their offerings in a can, so I’m curious to see how their summer seasonal is.

ABV: 4.5%

Style: American Pale Wheat Ale

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Breck Brew’s SummerBright is the result. The craftsman’s touch combines white wheat, two row pale and munich malt with the pacific northwest’s most intriguing hops to create a bright, clean ale ideal for picnicking, evenings on the screen porch and enjoying the whims of the summer breeze.”

Random: I’ve watched about 5 episodes of Gangland today. I forgot how much I love this show.

This brew poured with a thick, two finger white head that dissipated slowly and left limited lacing. The body was a cloudy yellow color with light carbonation visible throughout. The nose was light lemon and some wheat. It was very mild, even for the style. The taste was lemon with some mandarin orange and wheat. It had a lot of flavors that were reminiscent of summer, but they came off artificial. The body was on the thicker side of the style with light carbonation. It finished quickly without any special flavors. It was definitely a drinkable brew, but fell short for me on a bunch of different levels. It was only ok for me.

Untappd Rating: 3.0/5.0

Schlafly Biere De Garde

The week is almost over and I’ve really been lax in updating. I haven’t really done anything all that exciting this week, basically just working like crazy and such. Well, that and celebrating Kate’s birthday. I’m really hoping to bottle my beer this weekend and maybe brew another one. I have to get supplies for the batch after this. I was thinking a blood orange wheat beer or an IPA. So, this beer comes courtesy of Kate. She picked it up during one of her stops at Spirits Unlimited.

ABV: 7.5%

Style: Biere De Garde

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Our Bière de Garde is a traditional French farmhouse ale, with burnt-orange coloring. Four different types of malt create a toffee sweetness, while French Strisselspalt hops add a subtle spice flavor. The beer is fermented with a distinct French farmhouse ale strain, and is then bottle-conditioned with extra sugar and yeast for at least two weeks. Bière de Garde translates to ‘beer which has been kept or stored.’ This traditional, artisan farmhouse ale from Northern France was brewed in early spring and stored in cold cellars for consumption in warmer months. While related to its spicier, tarter Belgian cousin Saison, Bière de Garde is a richer, sweeter beer.”

Random: I’ve only had a few brews from them, but remember liking them.

This one poured with a thick, two finger high, off white head. It dissipated slowly and left limited lacing on the glass. The body was a light and hazy orange color with heavy carbonation visible throughout. The nose was orange, yeast and maybe even some wheat. I could tell that this was going to be a light and crisp brew, which I love during the summer. The taste was pretty yeast forward with some light citrus, specifically orange and lemon with some wheat thrown in at the end for good measure. At the end of the sip, I kept getting this metallic taste which was just general unpleasant. The body was on the thicker side with heavy carbonation. I was surprised that the body was so thick, especially for the style. The finish was lengthy and again, yeast dominant. This was a decent beer and went down without a problem, but I’ve had better examples of the style.

Untappd Rating: 4.0/5.0

Mikkeller It’s Alright!

Yesterday was a pretty busy day for me. Work is always crazy on a Monday and I had to head to the mall to get some extra stuff for Katie’s birthday. We’re now officially 4 years apart (well, only for less than a month, but I have to bust her on it). I grabbed a few gifts and headed home for a little bit to kill time. I wanted to be there at midnight, when it was officially her birthday. She was also working until 2330, so I had a decent amount of time to kill. A beer review was definitely in order. I picked this one up because I tend to really enjoy Mikkeller beers and as I’ve progressed in my beer journey, I like how they push the envelope. The funny thing about this one is that the label lists it as an “Belgian Wild Ale,” but BA lists it as a “Belgian Pale Ale.” Hmm, I really don’t know what to expect so, let’s get pouring.

ABV: 4.5%

Style: Belgian Pale Ale

Trivia: This is considered the “little brother” of It’s Alive!

Random: The new season of “Intervention,” is on and it looks to be the biggest trainwreck season ever.

This one poured with a huge, three finger white head that was pretty thick. It dissipated rather slowly, yet left no lacing on the glass. The body was a clear, straw yellow color with light visible carbonation. The nose was some funk and maybe wheat, but generally rather light. The taste was funk, grain and a bit of dryness. I also got a hint of golden fruit, albeit I had to search high and low for it. Where is the flavor on this one? No, seriously, where? It was like almost-flat seltzer with brett and grain. There wasn’t any Belgian yeast, no real fruit to it and funk that was just put in for the fun of it. I have no idea what this beer was trying to do, at all. The body was light and medium carbonation was present. The finish was long with funk. This was possibly one of the most boring beers I’ve had from a reputable brewery like Mikkeller. This beer wasn’t “Alright!” it was straight out “meh.” I’d avoid this one, unless your hobbies include watching paint dry and racing snails.

Untappd Rating: 3.0/5.0

Carton Carton of Milk

Here’s the second brew that I had at Twin Light. I’ve had a sample or two of this before, both when I went to the brewery and at a beer festival. I don’t remember being floored by it, but I was also having a lot of different beers on both occasions. Maybe as a stand-alone, I’ll like it a little more?

ABV: 4%

Style: Milk/Sweet Stout

Trivia: According to wikipedia.com, “The history of the carton goes as far back as 1879 in a Brooklyn, New York factory operated by Robert Gair. A die-ruled, cut, and scored paperboard into a single impression of a folded carton. By 1896, the National Biscuit Company was the first to use cartons to package crackers. The next development of folded paper used to construct cartons are mentioned by Dr. Winslow of Seattle, Washington in 1908 who claimed that paper milk containers were commercially sold in San Francisco and Los Angeles as early as 1906. The inventor of this carton was G.W. Maxwell. However, it was in 1915 that John Van Wormer of Toledo, Ohio was granted the first patent for the first ‘paper bottle,’ which was the first folded blank box for holding milk. He called it the ‘Pure-Pak.’ The milk carton was original in the sense that it could be folded, glued, filled with milk, and sealed at a dairy farm.”

Random: I have to say, the name is pretty witty. Maybe they’ll start packing them in those disposable “carton” growlers that I saw on a few beer articles about a year or so back.

This one poured with a half a finger of dark, tan head that dissipated slowly and left a lot of lacing on the glass. The body was a dark brown color with no visible carbonation due to the darkness. I got lots of “stout-y” scents on the nose: roasted malts, coffee, maybe a little bit of chocolate. You know what I didn’t get? Lactose, milk…or any other sort of milk derivative (I guess I should be happy I didn’t get cheese or something). “Okay, well, maybe I’ll get lactose or milk on the flavor,” I thought to myself. Nope. It was heavy on the roasted malts with a bit of coffee. I didn’t get the chocolate note that I picked up in the nose either. I also didn’t get lactose or sweetness. It really tasted like a nice American stout to me, which isn’t a bad thing. But, it’s not what they advertised. If you’re going to call this beer “carton of milk,” I shouldn’t have to search for the lactose. I talked to Mark (the owner of Twin Light) and he agreed that maybe they just wanted to call it “carton of milk,” but he couldn’t find any lactose either. The body was medium thickness with high carbonation and no booze to speak of. The finish was quick and toasty. This was an alright beer for me, but not a great example of style and just okay flavors. I wouldn’t rush back to have it again.

Untappd Rating: 3.5/5.0

Brasserie Dubuisson Peche Mel

I love Twin Light Tap House. I’ve said it before, and I will say it again. If you haven’t been there, go immediately. Anyways, Katie and I ended up there (as usual) and I was having issues with choosing a beer. This time, it wasn’t because there were all these ones I hadn’t reviewed. It was, yet again, because I had reviewed all of them but two (on tap). I had never heard of this beer, but it was described to me as a peach lambic that wasn’t a fruit bomb. Okay, twist my arm…

ABV: 8.5%

Style: Fruit/Vegetable Beer

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Created many years ago by students as a cocktail, the Pêche Mel’Bush was originally a mix of equal parts BUSH Amber and peach gueuze. Brewed since 2009 by the Brasserie Dubuisson with the same rigour as the other Bush beers, made to an original recipe based on natural peach extracts, the Pêche Mel’Bush has what it takes to satisfy everyone who likes fruit-flavoured beers with character. The natural flavourings and extracts of the fruit complement the original bitterness of the Bush Amber to create a rounded and perfectly balanced beer.”

Random: I think that I need to start collecting more glasses from different breweries. I really don’t have all that many.

This beer poured into the glass with a sexy, one finger white head. It dissipated quickly and left no lacing on the glass (not as sexy). The body was a clear, dark orange color with huge amounts of seltzer-y carbonation on it. Then, I got to the nose. Wow. Absolutely amazeballs. It was teeming with fresh peach. Katie also got the same beer and was amazed at how good it smelled. The taste, if at all possible, was even better than the nose. It was peach and apricot up front, and then some woody dryness at the end. I didn’t expect this at all. When I hear “lambic,” I think lots of fruit and borderline syrupy sweet. This was incredibly drinkable with lots of different flavor notes. The body was medium thickness with high amounts of carbonation. The booze was insanely and dangerously hidden. The finish was long with lots of fresh peach. This beer just floored me (and Katie, who also loved it). This was a definite A+ beer for me. I would have this again in a second.

Untappd Rating: 5.0/5.0

Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar

How have I not reviewed this beer before? Let me explain. When I first got into beer, way before I even started blogging, I loved this beer. This was the beer that I would bring if I was going to a barbecue or would just have for a special occasion at home. I don’t know why I was so into it, but I think it was probably one of the first beers that I’d ever had that gave me some flavors that I never expected in a beer. I’m a little curious to see if my opinion of this brew has changed.

ABV: 6.2%

Style: American Brown Ale

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “A nutty twist to a traditional European Brown Ale. Dark brown in color with a hazelnut aroma, a rich nutty flavor and a smooth malty finish.”

Random: I wasn’t even aware that this came in 12 ounce bottles. I always got the 22 ounce bombers.

This one poured with a two finger, white head that dissipated slowly on a dark and cloudy sienna body. Moderate carbonation was seen throughout the body. The nose was straight out nutty with hazelnut and almond. Some notes of caramel malt were also apparent. The taste was also very nutty. It was a deep hazelnut that followed with serious malt and some creaminess to it as well. After a few sips, I liked it, but it was pretty one-dimensional. The body was a medium thickness with moderate carbonation. I didn’t get any booze on the flavor. The finish was pretty lengthy and nutty. I still really enjoyed the beer, but it didn’t floor me like when I used to drink it. With that being said, I’d still grab one when I saw it. Definitely worth a try.

Untappd Rating: 4.0/5.0

Kane Single Fin

As usual, I’m backed up with reviews. I had all sorts of plans to review a few brews on Sunday and get everything all typed up. But, there was a Harry Potter marathon and I didn’t sleep well at all Saturday and had to work Sunday morning. I think I fell asleep at 8ish. This brew is one that I had on Thursday. I had a half day at work and Katie and I went to Nip-n-Tuck in Long Branch while Liz was at daycare. When I looked at the board of what was on tap, this was the only beer that I hadn’t reviewed out of ten taps. I’m starting to think that this is going to be an ongoing problem…

ABV: 5%

Style: Belgian Pale Ale

Trivia: According to wikipedia.com, “The single fin setup is the original fin setup. Single fin setups are common on long boards. They are usually long and wider than other fins, which make the board controllable with only the one fin.”

Random: After this one, I had a DFH 90 minute on tap, which I haven’t had in forever. It was quite enjoyable.

This brew poured with a half a finger of thick, white head that dissipated very quickly, but left lots of pretty lacing on the glass. The body was a clear, dark yellow color with moderate carbonation. The nose was really nice with notes of Belgian yeast, golden fruits and some wheat and a hint of hops at the end. The taste was almost exactly the same as the nose. The golden fruits (specifically apricot) came out first, followed quickly by the yeast. The latter part of the sip was a bit of grainy brightness and a touch of bitterness at the end. I gave Katie a sip, thinking that maybe she’d like it. I was wrong. She made a face and handed me back the brew. The body was thicker than expected and carbonation was just right. The finish was relatively rapid with a touch of bitterness. This was an easy drinking and very flavorful beer that hit the spot on a hot day. I would definitely have this one again.

Untappd Rating: 4.0/5.0

Flying Fish Belgian Style Dubbel

I finally went for a beer run and stocked the beer fridge. My beer store is having a 10% discount if you do a mix-a-six or more, so that was a pleasant surprise. I picked up a bunch of random stuff. I’ve been trying to follow a theme, but this time it was pretty much just whatever I grabbed. This beer is one that I’ve had before I ever started the blog. I remember liking it, but at that point I don’t think I’d ever had a true dubbel. Let’s see how this one goes.

ABV: 7%

Style: Dubbel

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Winner of the silver medal at the 2008 Great American Beer Festival, this Belgian-style Abbey Dubbel is an exceptionally complex beer with many interwoven flavors. This classic-style Abbey beer features an immense head with a fruity nose and a generous body. Malty in the middle, the beer features a clean, almondy dry finish and a slight alcohol warmth. More like a wine than a beer—it has a lot of the qualities of a fine Burgundy.”

Random: I love my Rogue goblets. I think I have to start using them more. It makes me feel regal, or something like that.

This brew poured with a one finger off-white head into my exceptionally sexy, aforementioned Rogue goblet. It dissipated relatively quickly and left no lacing on the glass. The body was a clear, deep chestnut color with light visible carbonation throughout. The nose was pretty light for the style. I got some caramel, bread, toffee and booze. The taste was a bit more flavorful than the nose. I got the typical malt backbone with nutmeg, brown sugar, cinnamon, dried banana and booze. The booze was way too dominant for my liking in the brew and honestly, very unexpected. The body was also very light for the style with seltzer-like carbonation. The finish was very quick for the style with some of the bread and spice apparent in the taste. I could see where they were trying to go with this beer, but it just misses the mark for me. It was really surprising to read that this had medaled at GABF and that Michael Jackson spoke so highly of it. It was just “meh” for me. It was definitely drinkable and I wouldn’t refuse one if it was given to me, but I’ve had many more better examples of the style.

Untappd Rating: 3.0/5.0

Wells Banana Bread Beer

Katie was nice enough to pick up a few new beers for me at the store. She picked up this one and some other English one that I’ve never seen. She really does have an affinity for British beers, for what reason, I have no idea. Anyways, I’ve had this beer years ago, before I even had the blog. So, back to the brew. The one problem that I generally see with any “flavored” beers is that they end up being artificial tasting. For me, I’m especially sensitive to banana. I love bananas, but I always hated banana laffy taffy as a kid because it didn’t taste anything like a banana, or at least the bananas that I’ve ever had. So, I’m interested to see if I enjoy this beer.

ABV: 5.2%

Style: Fruit/Vegetable Beer

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “This unique brew combines all the traditional qualities and style of a Charles Wells beer with the subtle flavour of banana. Wells Banana Bread Beer is a popular beer in the Wells and Young’s range of ales. The beer has achieved a number of accolades including winner of “Beer of the Festival” award at CAMRA’s London Drinker Festival in March 2002. Available as a draught seasonal cask beer, Wells Banana Bread Beer can be found on the bar and, in its popular bottle format, in all leading supermarkets.”

Random: I have one beer left in my fridge at home and I think I’m going to end up cellaring it for a little bit. I think I’m making a beer run soon.

This one poured with a two finger, off white head that dissipated quickly and left no lacing on the glass. The body was a clear mahogany color with moderate carbonation visible. As soon as I poured it, Katie wanted to smell it. She said that it smelled just like banana bread. Or maybe she just said yum? Either way, she took a sip after that. She voiced her approval by taking the couple of ounces still left in the bottle and drinking it while I did my review. Hmm…this was odd. Katie doesn’t generally like beer, so this must be fruity or something. Once I got my glass back, I stuck my nose in and she was right. The nose was straight out banana bread and not an artificial smell either. I was hoping that the taste would be as good as the nose. After the first sip, I was sold. This does, in fact, taste exactly like banana bread with a little hint of hop on the end. I really couldn’t pick up any other notes on it because I was so focused on the banana bread aspect of it. The body was light to medium thickness with high carbonation. It had a long finish with, yes, you guessed it, banana bread. Although I really enjoyed this brew, I couldn’t see pounding them all night. It was a bit gimmicky, but it really did deliver. It is definitely worth a try if you haven’t had it before, or if you have a fiancee who really likes banana bread.

Untappd Rating: 4.0/5.0