Grimm Cassiopeia

When Val and I were in Hawaii, I loved looking at the stars because you could see so many more of them because of the lack of light pollution. I still like looking at the stars here, it’s just not quite as nice.

ABV: 10%

Style: Baltic Porter

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Cassiopeia is an imperial porter brewed for the onset of winter. Black as the night sky, our imperial porter is brewed from a blend of premium dark malts chosen for their complex caramel/chocolately/fruity qualities. Cool-fermented with a clean Scotch ale yeast that emphasizes malty richness and earthy, mossy aromatics — think of Cassiopeia as a Baltic Porter fermented like a Wee Heavy. This velvety, warming ale is surprisingly well attenuated, light on the palate and digestible. Cassiopeia is best served in a tulip glass or snifter at 45-55* F. It will age well, developing pleasant sherry notes in the bottle with extended cellaring. It pairs perfectly with chocolate, roasted and smoked meats, blue cheeses, and cold winter nights.”

Random: This beer has candi sugar added to it.

The beer poured with a one finger, light brown head. It dissipated at a moderate pace and left some lacing on the glass. The body was black in color with no visible carbonation. The nose was filled with dark chocolate, espresso and some smoke as well. The taste had a bit more complexity than the nose. I picked up the same dark chocolate, espresso and smoke, but a caramel sweetness came through next. It paired nicely with the vanilla and leather notes. The body was thick and chewy with light carbonation. The finish was lengthy and sticky with chocolate and espresso. I cellared this beer for awhile, so I don’t recall the price, but I always pick up beers from Grimm, no matter how expensive they are. I thought this was another outstanding beer from Grimm. Since this is a Winter seasonal, you’ll have to wait another six months to get it, but it’s worth the wait.

Untappd Rating: 4.0/5.0

Grimm Castling

Today’s selection is a saison from one of my favorite gypsy brewers. We don’t get distribution in Jersey, so when I got this as a gift, I was quite excited. Let’s crack this one open.

ABV: 5.5%

Style: Saison/Farmhouse Ale

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Not everyone will ‘get’ this beer but this is for the real 1’s. Brewed by step-mashing 100% german pilsner malt, adding loads of noble Hallertau and Tettnang hops, and fermenting with a funky, expressive farmhouse yeast. So crisp, so bitter, so refreshing.”

Random: Val was watching “The Challenge” on MTV. That’s a show I never got into.

The brew poured with a huge and fluffy pure white head. It took a very long time to dissipate, but left a lot of lacing on the glass, along with a small crown. The body was cloudy and lemon juice colored with moderate carbonation. The nose had a lot of yeast up from with some farmhouse funk. Grass clippings and white grape skins came through next. The taste started with significant funk and the grass clippings that were apparent in the nose. The pilsner malt came through next. White grape juice and flower petals were next. It had a light body with a lot of carbonation. The finish was quick with a perfume-like floral note and pilsner malt. Since the bomber was a gift, I have no idea how much it cost. But, this beer was an easy drinker and I could see it pairing well with almost any cuisine.

Untappd Rating: 4.0/5.0

Grimm Field Rotation

Since Val and I go to New York less than we used to, I don’t get Grimm beers as much. I did receive one for a Christmas gift, which was very exciting. Let’s give this one a shot.

ABV: 4.5%

Style: Berliner Weissbier

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Created in collaboration with the team at Blue Hill, this refreshing Berliner Weisse is brewed as an ode to crop rotation. The historical tradition of rotating crops creates nutrient-rich growing conditions that produce the most flavorful grains and vegetables. Clover is a cover crop that nourishes the soil; oats and rye improve soil structure and suppress weeds; barley rids the field of fungus and pests. The ingredients in this beer both contribute to and result from the health of the whole farm. Brewed with malt grown in New York.”

Random: I like the label on this one a lot.

The beer poured with a gigantic, three finger, pure white head. It took forever to dissipated and left a large amount of lacing on the glass. The body was lemon yellow and super hazy. It had a decent amount of carbonation visible too. The nose had lemon, white vinegar and citrus pith. It had an oat note as well that was definitely unique. The taste was quite tart and took a minute to adjust to. It had lemon juice and lemon drop candies. There weren’t any oats in the taste, which I was disappointed by. It had a lemon cough drop note as well. The body was thin with high carbonation. It had a long finish with lemon juice. The bomber set me back $10.99 ($.50 per ounce). I thought this beer was alright, but it was a bit too one-note for me.

Untappd Rating: 3.5/5.0

Grimm Maple Bourbon Double Negative

Today’s selection is a beer that I was very excited to try, so let’s get to it.

ABV: 11%

Style: American Double/Imperial Stout

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “To make Maple Bourbon Barrel Double Negative, we added ultra dark maple syrup to the base recipe of our reigning GABF champion imperial stout. Then we aged it in Heaven Hill bourbon barrels. The result is a decadently roasty, balanced stout with a tasteful dollop of rich maple (not too sweet!) and pronounced whiskey barrel notes of toffee, vanilla, and booze. Best served at cellar temperature or even up to room temperature.”

Random: The cats are not enjoying “Into The Woods.” They don’t like all of the loud sounds.

This beer poured with a half a finger of tan head that dissipated quickly and left no lacing. The body was black with no visible carbonation due to the color. The nose had a lot of maple syrup and brown sugar that quickly transitioned into booze and then bourbon. I didn’t pick up a lot of smoke or roasted malt. The taste was more subtle than the ABV would imply. It had a lot of sweetness from the maple syrup and brown sugar and then moved into ash and smoke. There was a mild coffee note with roast and finished with some booze warming at the end. The body was on the thicker side with light carbonation. It had a lengthy finish with ash and brown sugar. I tossed this beer in the fridge for awhile to give it some age, so I don’t recall how much I paid for it, but I know it was expensive. This beer was excellent and I would highly recommend it.

Untappd Rating: 4.5/5.0

Grimm Cherry Oak Shapeshifter

This was the beer that I popped open last night when I got in from the rain. I wanted something with a bit more body than what I’ve been having lately and I’ve been excited to crack this open ever since I picked it up. It was also the last bottle on the shelf.

ABV: 8.3%

Style: Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Cherry Oak Shapeshifter pours a deep mahogany with ruby highlights and a luscious cream-colored head. This beer has been aging for six months on tart Montmorency cherries in second use brand barrels. Aromas of caramel, hazelnuts and a hint of brand waft from the glass, to be followed by decadent flavors of tart cherry, vanilla and marzipan.”

Random: New York is putting out some insanely good beers lately.

This beer poured with a half a finger of off white head. It dissipated slowly and left some lacing on the glass. The body was a hazy, reddish-brown with light carbonation visible. The nose was fragrant with peat and cherry. The taste had a lot of oak and then sweetness from the cherry as well. There was not as much peat as I would have liked, but it was present. There was also some vanilla and hazelnuts too. I didn’t pick up the marzipan, which would have been a welcome addition to the brew. The body was on the medium side with light carbonation. I didn’t pick up any booze. The finish was lengthy with cherry and oak. This bomber was $16.69 at Half Time ($.76 per ounce), which is a bit on the expensive side. As seems to be the norm with this brewery, I loved this beer and would definitely have it again.

Untappd Rating: 4.0/5.0

Grimm Double Negative

Today has just been an insane day. My opener broke down this morning, so I got ready in record time and got up here. I am beyond tired at this point. I thought it would be a nice and easy Saturday and I was completely and totally wrong. It seems like it’s that kind of day in every department here. Anyways, let’s see how this beer was.

ABV: 10%

Style: American Double/Imperial Stout

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Double Negative pours jet black with burnt orange highlights. A long lasting tan head leaves abundant lacing. Aromas bursting from the glass include coffee, bitter chocolate, caramel, black currant and blueberry. Creamy and viscous on the palate, the flavor initially follows the nose. A pop of smooth bitterness comes after, and then a lingering, roasty finish.”

Random: We put the cat in the snow again yesterday in his owl costume. He was not a fan.

This beer poured with a two finger, thick, light tan head that dissipated slowly and left lots of lacing on the glass. The body was black and I could not see any carbonation as a result. The nose was pungent with roasted malts, bitter dark chocolate and black currants. The taste was really good. It had a lot of dark chocolate ice cream with espresso. There wasn’t any smoke, but the currant notes were present as well. It definitely didn’t drink like 10% ABV. It had a thick and chewy body with light carbonation. The finish was lengthy with dark chocolate and espresso. This beer was just awesome, and for $11.49 a bomber ($.52 per ounce), it’s not a bad deal. I would definitely have this one again.

Untappd Rating: 4.5/5.0

Grimm Bees With A Buzz

When the other half I went up north for Christmas, of course we made a stop at Half Time in Mamaroneck. Since we’re going to be moving, I’m attempting not to buy any more beer until we move. So, let’s see how this one was.

ABV: 8%

Style: Tripel

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “BEES WITH A BUZZ is the brandy barrel aged version of Bees in the Trappe, our bière de miel brewed with clover honey and a trappist ale yeast. The delicate honey and yeast flavors of stone fruit and spice that characterized the original version of Bees in the Trappe are now overlaid with notes of vanilla, sherry, distilled white wine, and a distinct nuttiness. The elegant subtleties of brandy and oak create a richness that develops further with each taste. This beer is perfect for cool autumn nights, harvest moons, and falling leaves.”

Random: The cat brought a plastic bag into his scratchy box for some reason.

This beer poured with a two finger, white head that dissipated rather quickly. It didn’t leave much lacing on the glass. The body was a hazy, dark orange color with lots of carbonation. The nose was pungent with brandy, oak, vanilla and clove. It smelled very inviting. The taste was good. There was definitely honey present along with oak. I didn’t pick up much brandy, but there was also vanilla. The spice was dialed down in the taste, but was present along with bready yeast. The alcohol was not detectable. The one thing I didn’t like about the beer was that the body was a little too thin and the carbonation was very high, which detracted from the taste. The finish was long and sweet with honey and vanilla. Despite the fact that the beer was too thin, the flavors were spot on and I really enjoyed it. For $13.99 a bomber, this broke down to $.64 an ounce, which was a bit expensive, but I thought it was quite tasty. Grab a bomber if you see one.

Untappd Rating: 4.5/5.0

Grimm Orgone Accumulator

Happy football Sunday! While I watch the Broncos-Jets game, I’ll be posting some reviews of beers that I had in the last week. This was one that I picked up at Half Time Beverage. Let’s see how it was.

ABV: 6%

Style: Saison/Farmhouse Ale

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Hazy and pale golden, there is a backdrop of orange character, slightly bitter and tangy, that follows with each sip. We brewed this farmhouse ale with 240 lbs. of organic valencia oranges, which we zested and juiced ourselves by hand! To further accentuate the fruit character of this saison, we fermented it with a blend of our two favorite farmhouse ale yeasts, which add notes of lemon, tart peach, and black pepper. Subtle, easy drinking, and refreshing, enjoy this with friends during these final days of summer.”

Random: I think the Jets are going to get spanked by the Broncos.

This beer poured with a two finger, pure white that dissipated slowly and left light lacing on my Duvel glass. There was an eighth of an inch of white crown that hung around on top of the cloudy yellow body. It had moderate visible carbonation. The nose was that of a typical saison with yeast, lemon pith and navel oranges. The taste was impressive. It started with some lemon pith and yeast and quickly went into fresh and crisp navel orange flesh and rind. The pepper hit at the end of the sip. The body was on the medium side of the style with generous carbonation. I had read that draft versions of this were undercarbonated, but definitely not the bottled version. The finish was long with pepper and yeast. For $11.49, this bomber was definitely on the expensive side as it translates into $.52 per ounce. Despite this, it was one of the most impressive saisons that I’ve had in recent memory and would make a really good warm weather beer. Next time you’re in New York, definitely pick up a bottle because they don’t distribute to NJ.

Untappd Rating: 4.0/5.0

Grimm Action/Adventure

This was the brew that I had at Whole Foods. I’ve never had anything from this brewery, so I was really excited to try this one. Let’s see how it was.

ABV: 5%

Style: Gose

Trivia: According to the brewery website, “Action/Adventure is our lichtenhainer, a near extinct German-style smoked sour ale. As intimidating as that may sound, this wheaty, hazy-golden beer is actually a quenching, lightly tart summertime treat with a bit of smoke in the background — Grimm’s idea of a lawnmower beer! We picture you unwinding with a glass at a backyard cookout on a hot August night. Recommended for fans of Gose, Berliner Weisse, and Grätzer. Action/Adventure is brewed with cherrywood-smoked malt to balance the lactic tartness. We made use of wild lactobacillus that naturally occurs on grain to sour our wort overnight. In the pictures below, you can see the bags of crushed grain on their way into the kettle.”

Random: I was never a big fan of Grimm’s fairy tales.

This beer poured with half a finger of white head that was very quick to dissipate and left no lacing on the glass. The body was a cloudy orange with heavy carbonation visible, despite the cloudiness. The nose was tart with orange with a hint of smoke and some wood as well. The taste was really interesting. It started with some tartness and then transitioned into some smoke wood and then a hint yeast. Despite the really strong flavors, the body was really light with high carbonation. It had a long finish with smoke and yeast. This was definitely one of the more interesting beers that I’ve had in a long time and would definitely have it again.

Untappd Rating: 4.0/5.0