OMFG - Beer Review Series - Maredsous 8

Lovely shade of mahogany but jet black held against the counter top. The head, crafted by the Duvel family, stands tall with a light brown retention that remains for the duration of the session.

The nose of the beer is super spiced and boozy that tickles the senses. Dubbels are “rich malty beers with some spicy / phenolic and mild alcoholic characteristics. Not as much fruitiness as the Belgian Strong Dark Ale but some dark fruit aromas and flavors may be present. Mild hop bitterness with no lingering hop flavors. It may show traits of a steely caramel flavor from the use of crystal malt or dark candy sugar. Look for a medium to full body with an expressive carbonation.(per BA)” The nose is rounded out by some burnt malts and toasted caramel.

This is a top 10 beer in my opinion and easily accessible in the Atlanta area year round, but since there is a 2 inch thick sheet of ice over the ground I don’t think you’ll be picking this up anytime soon unless you prepared properly. With that being said: taste is bitter chocolate nibs and coca followed by dark malt and toffee, perfect for the cold weather. The back end has boozy warmth that heats you to the core. Really enjoyable.

The brewery must have used a high-quality yeast strain that graduated near the top of its class in terms of clove and cinnamon spiciness. The final pour, especially, adds a spiced woodiness that is some kind of appealing. Dark fruit (figs soaking in chocolate liqueur and light molasses) is present as well.

The mouthfeel is full and creamy with very little carbonation as per the style.

The Maredsous 8 is an amazing beer. If you are a beer nerd or aspiring beer nerd please please please pick up a bottle @ your local OCBS (Old Crabapple Bottle Shop.) It will not disappoint, and could introduce you to a new world of Belgian beers.


Cheers!


Ryan

Sierra Nevada Hoptimum

Time to ring in the New Year with some epic brew. Sierra Nevada posted to thier Twitter account that Hoptimum was being shipped out today. Hoptimum is going to be an IPA made with whole cone imperial hops. Sounds delicious and we can't wait to get our hands on some!

~Mark

OMFG - Beer Review Series - 12 Beers Of Christmas!

12 Beers of Christmas

Going to the package store in the colder months is like walking in a old ale heaven. Brewers use the holiday season as a reason to trot out specialty ales and slap Christmas- and winter-themed labels on the bottles. Many of these beers fall into the “winter warmer’’ category — heavier on malt than hops, perhaps brewed with cinnamon, nutmeg, and other spices. But many fall into other categories that could be enjoyed any time of year. There are too many holiday beers to try in the short time they’re available. To get you started, here are 12 beers you must try.

Anchor Steam – Our Festive Ale:

It changes every year and 2010 is one of the best in my opinion.

ABV: 5.50%

Price: $11 per 6-pack

Profile: Complex combination of toasty malt flavor along with fruits and spices, all coming out in that order. Well balanced without the hops making too big an impression.

Samuel Adams - Old Fezziwig Ale

Available in the 12 pack and a quality beer for craft and non-craft drinkers alike.

ABV: 5.90%

Price: $14 per 12-pack

Profile: Roasted caramel malts and fruity esters, mostly raisin. Spiciness - cinnamon and ginger. A little booze to warm at the finish.

Bell's - Christmas Ale

A Scottish style ale very drinkable and complex at the same time: May be hard to find in the Atlanta area

ABV: 5.40%

Price: $11 per 6-pack

Profile: pears and apples, some citrus hop bite, caramel malt, then fades into a  bready malt with a bit of alcohol warmth.

Southern Tier - Old Man (Winter Ale)

A Old Ale: Per www.southerntierbrewing.com “complex amalgam of hops and barley that will put the feeling back in your toes and lift your spirits above the snow”

ABV: 7.2%

Price: $8 per 6-pack

Profile: almost a lager type characteristic. Very drinkable with pine, hops, cracker malt, spicy yeast and of course booze.

Mikkellar - Santa's Little Helper 2010

Another beer that changes year to year, this Belgian dark strong ale will not disappoint.

ABV: 9.10%

Price $11 per 750ml

Profile: Spiced with bitter and sweet orange peels and nutmeg. Easy to drink and boozy to boot.

Mikkellar - Fra Til (From To)

One of my personal favorite beers for Christmas a Baltic porter that delivers with booze.

ABV: 8.00%

Price $11 per 750ml

Profile: Big roasted espresso notes, followed by dark chocolate, herbal notes, gingerbread, and bittersweet dark fruits.

The Bruery – 3 French hens

Part of the 12 years of beers from The Bruery this is the 3^rd installment and delivers on the promise of great beer. If you can still find it in Atlanta it will be a Christmas miracle.

ABV: 10%

Price $12 per 750ml

Profile: spiced fruit, cherries and plums, and raisins. Wine like taste, light spice profile, finished by French oak and vanilla. Great after dinner beer.

Weyerbacher Winter Ale

A winter warmer with malts and vanilla forward really one trick pony but very easy to drink.

ABV: 5.6%

Price: $12 per 6-pack

Profile: Classified as a winter warmer, this is really more of an English old ale. Aroma is smoky and full of molasses. Medium body.

Avery - Old Jubilation Ale

Easilly hidden alcohol for 8%. This beer goes down smooth and will please a crowd.

ABV: 8 %

Price: $12 per 6-pack

Profile: Pours dark brown using five different malts in the brewing process, hazelnuts and butterscotch on both the nose and taste followed closely by a nice mild citrus flavor.

Hoppin’ Frog - Frosted Frog Christmas

This is a dessert beer that delivers in smell and flavor. You like gingerbread and cream? This will be your best friend.

ABV: 8.6 %

Price: $9  per 22oz bomber

Profile:  Cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg - liquid gingerbread. This beer is a dessert.

St. Bernardus - Christmas Ale

No Christmas celebration is complete without a St. Bernardus under the tree. It’s a perfect beer for a perfect celebration.

ABV: 10%

Price: $12  per 22oz bomber

Profile: figs, dried fruit, Belgian yeast and sticky spicy finish

Sierra Nevada – Celebration Ale

An American IPA for the holiday season. So crisp and drinkable anytime.

ABV: 6.8%

Price $9 per 6-Pack

Profile: Hoppy and bitter IPA with grapefruit and pine followed by orange citrus and caramelly malts.

Cheers!

Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Bell's Java Stout

Hey Oh! I am back everyone. Thank you for waiting patiently for the next brew review; I’ve got a lot cookin’ in the kitchen for the future and it’s worth the wait. Trust me, or don’t and see for yourself. Just to keep things interesting I am going to do the standard old review for today then sometime next week I should have a video review of Terrapin’s MooHoo with another review of a TBD brew with my buddy Chris. It’s going to be a tag team effort and should have additional special guests in the future if you like the review. Please comment below and let me know what you want to see and how I can make this a better experience.

With that being said lets pop some tops! I picked up the Bells Java Stout a few weeks back and am really excited to give it a whirl. I love beer as you all know, but what I really love is coffee stouts. This one is right up my alley. Per the website www.bellsbeer.com “Java Stout uses a custom blend of coffee beans, roasted locally for us by Water Street Coffee Joint, to generate its intense flavor.” I can attest this is a powerful brew that pours a bold black color with a mocha head that quickly dissipates to lace the glass with a fine ring.

The smell is of rich coffee and dark smoky malt very bold and sharp. Every time I took a sip I had to smell also, the aroma was amazing and intoxicating. Fabulous to say the least.

First sip hits the tongue with chocolate notes followed by smoky malts and coffee. It really is a one trick pony in taste but has an outstanding nose.

Mouthfeel is medum like a double brewed cup of coffee really creamy and full with medium carbonation. Very drinkable for 7.5% abv and not too boozy.  

Cheers!

~Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Heavy Seas Greater Pumpkin Ale

Happy post Halloween beer nerds! I am going to keep this one short and simple since many of us are well hung on this lovely Tuesday in November.  I sampled the Heavy Seas Greater Pumpkin ale over the weekend. Why? Because I have an affinity to try anything seasonal and anything bourbon aged. This happens to hit both check boxes. xx If you want the background on pumpkin beers check my previous review here - http://itsomfg.blogspot.com/2010/10/omfg-beer-review-series-southern-tier.html and the “why bourbon” review here - http://itsomfg.blogspot.com/2010/09/omfg-beer-review-series-founders_28.html .

This beer pours a misty orange with literally no head. (This could be the result of low hops or lack of thickness in the beer to promote head retention.) The Greater Pumpkin has just a slight swirl of white bubbles drifting across the top of the glass: Very interesting.

The nose has some balanced notes of bourbon, cinnamon, nutmeg, clove, coriander, allspice and squash. It smells like pumpkin pie…if you poured 8 ounces of aged whiskey on your pumpkin pie.   

First sip uncovered much less bourbon than the nose. Primary flavor is heavy cracker malt mixed with pie spices from the nose.  It reminds me of the Marzen style, which I enjoy quite a bit. It has some nice warmth from the 9% abv and the bourbon rears its head on the swallow.

Mouthfeel is thinner than I would like, but the carbonation is huge. This is consistent with the lack of head retention on the pour. I expect more with the barrel aged beers in this category.

End result: Super drinkable beer…”what was the ABV again,” this is the question I found myself asking as I pop open the second bomber. It grew on me as I consumed the 3^rd glass. I really found it to be interesting and something I would share with friends in the Fall. I highly recommend picking one up for the experience. Thank you Heavy Seas for the hookup, and for the opportunity to sample this one-off brew.

Cheers! 

Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Can Beers

Can beers are here to stay. I tried a few over the past month and my reviews are below but here is a quick history of the can, how it works, why its kick ass and why you should not fear the CAN! Yes, craft breweries have been canning beer since 2001 when Cask Brewing Systems developed a new system for small breweries. Oskar Blues was the first to use it. There has been a surge in craft cans in recent years though, and in 2010, they have gained a significant amount of attention, even from mainstream media outlets.

• Cans actually lock in the flavor of beer better than even dark glass bottles. No light penetrates the cans and the seal is tighter than a bottle cap. Thus, your beer tastes fresher longer. 
• Cans are more environmentally friendly. They are easier to recycle and require less packaging. 
•  Cans are cheaper for the brewery and distributor to ship. Cans don't break. 
• Cans are easier and more convenient to bring along on outdoor activities such as camping, disc golf, hiking, a day at the beach and any other activity that affords you the luxury of enjoying good beer! 
• Cans get cold pretty damn quick and take up less space in your fridge!

How its done the craft way: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=g-kkmanEYRQ

I was fortunate enough to try the Tokyo Black Porter this weekend and was really impressed. The beer pours super dark and opaque. It has a one finger tan head that quickly recedes to a brown ring around the glass.  (looks a lot like Coca-Cola) Nose is straight up coffee and dark malts.

First sip was chocolate, really full body with a smoky aftertaste. Once the beer warms the coffee is more prominent and some vanilla starts to peak through.

Mouthfeel is medium and carbonation is light. It makes this beer really easy to drink despite the bold flavors.

GUBNA was the second can beer I tried this weekend. People either love this or hate it. I fall on the side of …unsure? I think it’s a great beer but I am not completely sold.

Pour Light diluted copper with a medium amount of chill haze, or more likely a haze from excessive hop additions. A thin white head forms along the sides of the glass, though not across the top of the entire beer. Alcohol presence aids in good lacing down the sides.

Smell hits you right in the face. Lots of odors going on here, most notably the floral hop notes and pine resin. Also whiffs of wheat grass and barley. This is very earthy and rural-smelling. Be ready for this one or it will end your palette. It runs full force with a mack truck of hops to smash your grill with flavors rich and sweet. Once your teeth are demolished the flavor train will then go on to compress the sides of your tongue with the bitter citrus of righteousness. If you think the assault is over it is a mere reprieve until the final thrust to back of your mouth. 

You thought swallowing would end the attack? You were wrong. The aftertaste of dry, crisp justice pervades every square inch of the inside of your mouth while the 10% ABV volatizes it way up your unsuspecting sinuses into your nasal cavity. Eventually you'll be gasping for air just to end the ecstasy, unless you're a masochist for pleasure and decide to venture another sip. I thought it was a nonsessionable IIPA but fun to drink none the less. 

Cheers!

Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Sierra Nevada Estate Homegrown Ale

As promised, the second half of the hop harvest review is the Sierra Nevada Estate Homegrown Ale. It is a pale ale with a 6.70% abv and clocks in around a sporty 10 American Dollars at many of the local stores. The presentation is one of the fanciest beers I have ever seen. The label is thick card stock with water marks throughout. Sierra Nevada did us a favor and dipped each bottle in wax to ensure longevity and reduce oxidation; additionally, waxed bottles just looks really bad ass!

 Sierra Nevada planted a hop field near their brewery in Northern California in late 2004. Following the success of the hop field, in 2008 Sierra Nevada used the left over 26 acres for barley. End result: SN Estate Homegrown Ale! This is one of the few if any completely organic ales grown at the brewery.   

Enough chit chat, lets crack this bad boy open. It pours a fluffy 4 finger head that looks like a cloud over the dark amber colored beer. The beer has excellent clarity and you can tell much care was used in crafting this brew.

The first smell uncovers fresh pine, big grapefruit, pineapple, citrus and mouth watering hops. The Estate drips with fragrance and for the third fresh hopped beer in a weekend this has the most complex nose.

The first sip uncovers some light bitterness but not offensive. The second gulp uncovers flavors of Light malts, honey and caramel. The flavors don’t end there. The nose predicted the following flavors perfectly to balance this pale ale: citrus, grapefruit, earthy hops, apple and topped off with light spice.

The mouthfeel was slightly thin for me but the carbonation was crisp to balance it out. Drinkability is superb. I would highly recommend checking this out if you have the opportunity. This beer is quality and an organic treat.

Cheers! 

Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Fall Fresh Hop Harvest Ales

Yeee-Hawww, It’s hop harvest time Beer Nerds! Getty- up, get out and snatch up some of the fresh hop ales that hit the Atlanta market last week. My sources say the following beers are available now: Terrapin – So Fresh So Green Green, Founders – Hop Harvest, Sierra Nevada – Southern Hemisphere Harvest, Estate Homegrown Ale, Southern Tier - Harvest, Great Divide - Fresh Hop Pale Ale and Weyerbacher - Harvest Ale. I was fortunate enough to come across 3 of the heavy hitters from the bunch. 

Wet Hopping beer simply stated means: the use of fresh hops that a have recently been picked. Generally, when brewers get hops they come in a few forms: pellet, plug or whole. Pellets look like rabbit food and are easy to use because of the small size. Brewers can add incremental amounts to get exact results. They are processed and tend to be less fragrant. Plugs look like pellets but are the size of bratwurst. For home brewers they are difficult to break up but act like whole leaf hops in flavor and fragrance.  Whole hops are the real deal. These hops are dried and have the best flavor and aroma.  Hops are harvested once a year in the Pacific Northwest between August and September. Since hops decompose quickly, these flowering cones are typically kiln-dried and consigned to storage. However, some of the just-plucked hops are rushed to breweries, where they become fall's fleeting pleasure: fresh-hopped beer.

 I sometimes forget that hops are an agricultural product and the freaking things grow in the dirt; much like a hamburger was once a cow. Fresh hop beers (American Pale Ales) have a more balanced, less acidic and overall smooth flavor. This is what a fresh beer should taste like; so, bust out your straw hat and overalls we are about to explore the wonderful world of fresh harvest (wet hopped) ales!

First up is the Founders Hop Harvest: Pours Golden clear with a thin white head that quickly dies to form a thin mist across the glass. The aroma is of juicy fresh grapefruit, tropical pineapple and pine needle. It reminds me of a balanced IPA but doesn’t have the harsh bitterness on the nose.

On first sip I get grapefruit, pineapple and cracker bread malts. Taste is very light and balanced but complex at the same time.  As this beer warms it begins to uncover some fresh herbs, candy hops and some pine. Very mellow. On swallow, the hops seem to linger with light bitterness. The mouthfeel is sticky and lightly carbonated. Pleasant. This is a must try due to its complexity. I challenge you to find a Pale Ale that can stand next to this beer.

Next up! So Fresh So Green Green from Terrapin. I was really impressed by this beer! Terrapin posted this picture of the hops on facebook a few months ago. Very exciting stuff! 

The beer pours with a billowy light white head and amber in color. Smell was muddy earthy hops with some floral and grapefruit. I venture to guess they use Amarillo hops which tend to have a pine and spicy flavor. First sip uncovers a light bread malt, caramel, honey, toffee and grapefruit. It has an uncharacteristic umami or savory earthy flavor. Nothing I have ever tasted before in a beer. I am really impressed by the fullness of the flavor matched with the hops. 

This beer seems one note and not very complex; however, the fresh hops are showcased and the simplicity of the beer makes it amazing to enjoy on these colder Georgia nights. It highlights the fresh harvest hops and everything else takes a backseat. I spoke with many Beer Advocates over the last week and they disagree with my terrapin review because they feel it lacks complexity. I think simplicity makes this beer outstanding. PB & J is uncomplicated, but it can taste great. It doesn't need to be gourmet to be first-rate. There is a pleasant bitterness on the swallow with creamy body and carbonation in the mouthfeel. Lacing all over the glass makes me think they used 2 row malts with some complex sugars.

These two beers are impressive. Both are very drinkable and exemplary examples of wet hopped American Pale Ales. I highly recommend them both.  I still have the third beer to review (Sierra Nevada – Estate: which will be up middle of next week.) Keep an eye out for the following reviews (in simplistic form) Duck Rabbit 2009 Barleywine, Left Hand Milk on nitro tap and Founders Porter. Follow me and OMFG on twitter @ SquirrelStash (my cellar’s name) for up to minute news about where to find these beers in the Atlanta market.  

Cheers!

Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - The Epic Stout Tasting

The results are back from the stout tasting. We sampled 5 stouts over the weekend and based on the verbal approvals I received from the folks trying these amazing beers I would rank them as follows:

6. Mikkeller Black Hole – Good solid beer but lacks the complexity of the other offerings. 

· Jet black and no head formation to speak of. Smelled of coffee (coffee grounds, even), vanilla, dried fruit, red licorice and alcohol. Slight smokiness. 

Tasted pretty much as it smelled, and I found Black Hole far too sweet to be drinkable. In an attempt to trick myself into enjoying it I tried to put it into context with similarly sweet drinks like port or dessert wines but without the acidity it didn't hold up. The lactic, dairy-creamer attributes were off-putting as well. Mouthfeel was thick and oily with very little carbonation. 

5. Barrel Aged B.O.R.I.S the destroyer – I was a big fan of the balance with this beer. It could easily take the number 4 spot, but due to the fast DFH Bitches brew was more drinkable I bumped it down. 

· Whiskey is apparent from the moment it touches the tongue and is prevalent throughout the tasting. There are distinctive notes of toffee and molasses, and these elements, coupled with the lack of detectable hops, help to make this marginally sweeter than normal BORIS. At the same time, the bourbon aging works to mitigate the sugary side.

4. Dogfish Head Bitches brew – Sweet, different, good. Still does not compare to the other offerings
· The taste has smooth chocolate and caramel backed up with lesser notes of coffee. the honey shines through the darker flavors with a sweet floral aspect. the licorice/rootbeer follows up with an herbal note, that i can't quite put my finger on, and the smoke sneaking in at the back and aftertaste. the finish is nice and long.

3. Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast – Very well rounded, heavy handed on the coffee but very drinkable.
· Roasty aroma with coffee and chocolate. Flavor has loads of espresso, roasted malts, and chocolate. Medium-heavy bodied, and a good bitter finish.

2. Mikkeller Wine barrel aged black hole – Impressive, complex, boozy, amazingness.
· Poured a dark black in color w/ a bubbly one finger head that left heavy lacing on the glass. Appearance was awesome! Nose was of roasted malts, dark fruits, and wine in your face. Taste was of chocolate roasted notes, a touch of coffee and vanilla, with a finish of bitter hop bite and vinous cabernet/merlot wine. Mouthfeel was medium bodied w/ nice amounts of carbonation

1. Old Rasputin Barrel aged XI – Very drinkable, well rounded great beer (consumed the fastest by all)
· Pours jet black with a tan head - The aroma translates to the taste. Upfront I pick up a mellow bourbon flavor. Not overpowering in anyway. Just enough to let you know it's there. Immediately following oak touches the palate accompanied by a coconut explosion. When combined with the vanilla attributes it almost gives off a marshmallow-like flavor. Heavenly. Finishes extremely smooth and delicate. Full mouthfeel and nice viscosity. Overall the best IMO of the ones we tasted.

Cheers!
Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Bear Republic - Racer 5

Rare beer Friday, or rareish beer Friday! I was able to get my hands on some Racer 5 from Bear Republic this weekend and gave it a shot. Before I get started with the review a few housekeeping notes. I will be reviewing a Coffee porter as requested this weekend, and I will type up my notes from Heavy Seas Greater Pumpkin ale. Look for both reviews next week. I will also submit the results of the stout tasting with some highlights and low lights as well as where to pick up these brews if you are interested in trying them yourself.

Racer 5 is an American style IPA that is not distributed in the state (yet.) Savannah Distribution is working on getting the Bear Republic line up and fingers crossed should have it sometime this year.

The beer pours with a huge white foamy head and crystal clear golden color; very similar to a standard pilsner. The retention in the glass is amazing with some nice lacing throughout when rocked gently. The nose is very floral with pine, grapefruit, orange and grassy hops to balance.

The first taste was very bitter but quickly mellowed out with some pleasant carbonation and full velvety mouthfeel. Taste is very comparable to nose. Racer 5 has tons of citrus flavors running together with some grassy hops and light bread/cracker malts to round it out. As this beer warms the bitterness tends to diminish and it becomes a very easy to glug IPA. The 5 has a sticky dry smack begging your mouth for another pull.

This beer has a fairly lofty abv of 7% for being just a standard IPA it drinks very full bodied. Very solid flagship IPA for Bear Republic, and I can’t wait to get some more of this stuff. If you get an opportunity to taste this bad boy at Porter Beer bar or the Brick Store in Decatur I suggest you jump. Very solid drinkable IPA.

Cheers!   

Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Southern Tier Pumking

It’s starting to feel like fall again! You know what that means? You have to rake leaves for your elderly neighbor? No! Kick that neighbor to the curb; your local craft beer store has PUMPKIN beer. Now, normally I am not a fan of the pumpkin beers, but I decided to take the highest rated one on www.beeradvocate.com and give it a try.

Pumpkin beers have an interesting flavor profile. They tend to be on the sweeter side, and are very thick on the mouthfeel. Making a P-beer is very tedious for the brewer because they have to break the pumpkin down and roast it to force out the flavors. Some opt. out and go for a pre-pureed pumpkin, but this method, IMHO, does little for flavor. Typically the malts are mild and many baking spices are added to create depth of flavor.

Southern Tier has the Pumking. This is the mac daddy of all P-beers on the market. It pours a deep jack-o-lantern orange, with a ghostly white head. (See how I did that?) The nose is … Holy $h!t… grandma’s pumpkin pie! Amazing, like I have never smelled from a beer. It literally smells like warm pumpkin pie. Ground ginger, nutmeg, cloves, cinnamon, and allspice with some crusty bread malt lingering in the background.

Taste is just like smell. I am amazed it actually works. It’s very sugary and sweet; definitely an after dinner/desert beer. I, beyond doubt, taste the spices combined with non starchy pumpkin flavor followed by sweet crust and ginger snaps. There is hop present; otherwise you would be fooled into thinking this isn’t even a beer. The mouthfeel is creamy and almost reminds me of lactose or whip cream on pie.

Pumking is very easy to drink. I polished the whole bomber with no issue. ABV is 9%, and it’s not apparent at all until after. (I hate to admit, this beer went down so fast I was a little crooked.)  I am going to keep some of this on hand for Thanksgiving; It would be the perfect after dinner drink. End result is a very impressive, unique and excellent beer! ALL HAIL PUMKING!

Cheers!  

Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Founders Backwoods Bastard

Founders Backwoods Bastard: a Scotch Ale in Bourbon barrels! I saved this bad boy for an entire year and popped it open with one of my boys. I remember it fondly and at the time I didn’t take notes but traditionally, Scotch Ales pour a deep copper. ‘Compared to Scottish Ales, they'll be sweeter and fuller-bodied, and of course higher in alcohol, with a much more pronounced malty caramel and roasted malt flavor.’

This bad boy falls into the “extreme” beer category.  Per www.beeradvocate.com

What are we talking about? 

- Beers made with no hops but plenty of heather and lavender. 

- Beers aged in Jack Daniels oak barrels with an alcohol by volume of 20 percent or more. 

- Traditional beer styles, but with double, triple or more hops or malt. 

- Beers brewed with chocolate, peanut butter or espresso beans. 

- Strong Porters brewed with Chinese candied ginger. 

- Ales brewed with oysters or seaweed. 

- Sharp tasting beers inoculated with various wild bacteria and yeast strains.

Much of what I drink falls into this category but bourbon aged is its own animal in my opinion. I will get right into the tasting. The beer pours a dirty dark black with red highlights when held to the light. You cannot see through this bad boy.  The head is thick but quickly retreats to a thin tan mist across the glass. 

Smell is wood/oak and bourbon!  Really, it’s one note; not much complexity in smell but not overpowering. Why wait and smell when you can gulp it down. At 10.5 ABV it’s smooth and thick with some bold carbonation. Fear not friends: Backwoods Bastard is still amazing after 10 months.  It has some wild bourbon flavor followed by silky vanilla. Then flavors of caramel/toffee become more pronounced. Lastly coconut, yes, this is what I taste! Coconut rounds out the profile and seems to mellow out the alcohol burn.

What can I say? Backwoods should be available in November and its outstanding! I beg you to go out and experience this beer. It is a one off amazing beer that needs to be taken in small doses.  It is a one off amazing beer that needs to be taken in large doses.

Cheers! 

Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Sweetwater Crank Tank Rye'd Ale

Recently, many breweries are producing beers for a cause; Crank Tank is Sweetwaters’ newest brew to benefit Camp Twin Lakes.  “Camp Twin Lakes is a network of camps providing life-changing camp experiences to thousands of children with serious illnesses, disabilities and challenges.” This camp specializes in creating a positive atmosphere for children with disabilities to be surrounded by others young folks in similar situations.  The camp has expertise in ‘customized programs that teach campers to overcome obstacles and grow in their confidence and capabilities.’

To benefit Camp Twin Lakes Sweetwater created the Crank Tank. This brew is a variation of the Dank Tank series: rarely released randomness and each offering will most likely never be seen again. This incarnation, a Rye ale, has a low 45 IBU and a final gravity of 6.2%, very light for the imperial extreme brews. Reading the label, this Rye ale appears super drinkable and a perfect summer/fall/spring beer.  “We cranked up a fermentation tank for this knobby Rye'd Ale geared up with 25% rye malt and dry hopped to the spokes with Mt. Hood and Centennial Hops."

Rye beers were first brewed around the time Columbus discovered America.  After a couple of poor Rye harvest seasons a rule was proposed that limited Rye malts only for bread only. We know this as Reinheitsgebot – the beer purity law. This German and Bavarian law states that beer could only be made from water, barley and hops; the penalty for making impure beer was also set in the Reinheitsgebot: a brewer using other ingredients for his beer could have questionable barrels confiscated with no compensation. Thus, Rye beers disappeared for nearly 500 years only to resurface again in 1988. Many brewers outside of Germany abided by the law meant to prevent inferior methods of preserving beer that had been used before the introduction of hops. It’s a damn shame Marty McFly didn’t even get a change to try a Rye beer. Basically, many of us, including myself, are unfamiliar with Rye beers and should experience a good example of the suds sooner vs. later.

I chilled the duce duce to about 45 °F, and slowly poured 12 ounces into my Perfect Pint glass. The head was lathered up white; it stood tall in my bell shaped vessel for quite some time. The color is a beautiful pastel copper with a nice chill haze. The smell is fragrant with some spice, lemon, citrus notes. I also picked up some faint sourness from Rye malts. It almost resembles a full body wheat beer but the sourness leans me to think saison or farmhouse ale.

Taste is über smooth upon first sip I picked up some buttery dry mild flavors, similar to chardonnay. As it warmed the bitterness began to rear his beautiful head. I can only assume the sullenness is derived from Columbus hops. The beer is grassy like summertime on the baseball field after a morning rain. The Crank rounds out with nice spice zest.  I am going to take an uneducated stab at naming them: Bay and Coriander? The swallow is sour, sweet, tart and dry… very pleasant. 

The body of the Crank Tank is nice and thick, and medium bold on the carbonation. I was really impressed at how balanced and drinkable this beer is. I would have it again and again; I hope they plan to make Crank Tank Rye'd reoccurring seasonal ale.  I would definitely session with this beer. It is in my top 20 of all time. It is widely available throughout the Atlanta area so keep an eye out.

Cheers! 

Ryan

OMFG - Beer Review Series - Oxymoron

“Sometime around midnight in a city nobody can agree on, the idea for Left Hand and Terrapin to brew a collaboration beer was born.” Oxymoron is the third installment of this collaboration; living in Atlanta, we get to be among the first to try this small giant. It is available now, almost exclusively, at your favorite craft beer store.

Three German Malts, 6 German hops and lager yeast… I don’t know what to think. It’s a wild ride into crazy town with Iron Sheik at the wheel. It’s an India Pale Lager!?!?! This beer is a cardinal sin; on paper it reads like an Oktoberfest but injects an oxymoron of hops. This element of pine and bitterness is not characteristic of the lager style.

The fast basic on lagers are as follows: Before refrigeration, it was basically impossible to brew this style in the summer because of bacterial infections; therefore, brewing began in fall and ended in spring. March was prime time to create this style. “These brews were kept in cold storage over the spring and summer months, or brewed at a higher gravity, so they’d keep. Märzenbier is full-bodied, rich, toasty, typically dark copper in color with a medium to high alcohol content.” Lagers must maintain a temperature of 60 degrees Fahrenheit, and they are then chilled to lower temperatures to produce a smoother beer than warmer temperatures styles. The IPA style, a derivative of the pale ale with lighter colored malts created in the late 1700’s, English brewers added hops to create a more stable beer to withstand the journey to India in the early 1800’s. Hops acted as a natural preservative, and brewers also reduced the amount of fermentable sugars which yielded lower gravity beer. The end result was very drinkable ale that contained a lesser amount of micro-organisms that might spoil the beer on the long journey. Thus, we can see the yin and yang of the Oxymoron.

Finally back to the brew, it pours golden orange with some reddish hue. A tranquil fiesta of white foam laces the glass. The look of this India Pale Lager is amazing, and the pour on this batch is super thick. I was terribly pleased with what I saw, and couldn’t wait to have my first sip.

The smell produced some uncommonly common fragrance. I know it’s a lager but it has pine, citrus, hops, earthy and grass notes.

First sip is creamy…Holy hell it was creamy. The front flavors consist of light bready malt, crackers and light herbs. I was ready to put on my lederhosen and open a jar of sauerkraut. A barrage of friendly fire from the hops broke through this troubled paradise to uncover pine, citrus, apple and honey. The swallow is that of an IPA, very dry and bitter.

My tentative conclusion is a very drinkable beer despite some of the powerful hops. I was totally partial to the hop additions that are uncharacteristic of the style, but in Georgia, we see 80 degree days through October so the hop additions were a perfect fit. This beer seems like a perfectly normal fusion of styles. I highly recommend it for anyone enjoying some of our “mild temperature” days, but don’t want to give up your bitter IPA.

Cheers!

Ryan

Atlanta Beer Week!

Atlanta Beer Week is coming soon. This is like music to my ears. As OMFG's unofficial official Beer Connoisseur, I am super duper excited. What is Atlanta Beer Week? Well, from what I have read so far, it seems to be nothing less than a celebration of Craft Beer.

Rumor has it that there will be a secret cask tapping of Terrapin's Depth Charge on May 20th at Midnight, although its location has yet to be confirmed!
***** LOCATION REVEALED! LEONS FULL SERVICE!!*********

I've also read that Sweetwater has a schedule of special casks that will be tapped all week over at the brewery!

 Get Heady Atlanta! Here is the Sweetwater schedule:

May 19th - Dirty South: Dark version of IPA with centennial hops

May 20th - Chocolate Quad: BSP with Chocolate

May 21st - Old Faithful: IPA dry hopped with centennial hops

May 22nd - Go Hop or Go Home: IPA dry hopped with columbus hops and a hop secret

Here are the websites that I got all the info for beer week from:

http://twitter.com/atlantabeerweek

Website for Atlanta Beer Week (w/ calendar of events)

http://atlantabeermaster.com/?cat=205

~MarK~