I just jjizzed everywhere.

Goose Island rotates like crazy. They usually have at least one good stout on tap, sometimes 2+. They do some creative stuff at the brewpub that is not released anywhere else by them. I think they usually have 20+ beers on tap, and seem to hit just about everybody's tastes (sours, drinkable beers, hoppy, dark, fruit, barrel, etc.). They'll always have Goose IPA, an english IPA that is very good.

Revolution has one stout now (I think 6 house beers), it's still in that growler in my fridge. I'll probably drink it tonight and tomorrow, I'll post in here once I do. Didn't love their IPA.

Check Piece's website, in my experience their stout and IPA were both solid. I think they are most known for a dark wheat beer (contest wise), but it was out the time I meant to try it or I don't remember it.

If Moloko is on tap at three floyd's, you're committing a crime not visiting when you're here. Call them and ask when you get here, you won't regret it (or their other beers and food). Wookie preferred Double Crooked Tree (dark horse), but I really love Dreadnaught by FFF as far as DIPAs go. Alpha King is a great pale too. Everything FFF does leaves an artisan taste of hops in your mouth.

Tonight I'm reviewing a pair of barleywines for you guys.


First up is the 2010 version of Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Barleywine. The label says it was bottled in February and the cashier told me they just got it in yesterday (lucky me huh?). It pours a fairly translucent deep copper color with a two finger off-white head. The head disappears quickly and leaves very little lacing. The smell contains cherry, bready and malty notes. The mouthfeel is very creamy, almost like milk. The taste is pretty complex. I can taste cherry, citrus, malt and whiskey flavors. There is a strong alcohol whiskey finish that warms you right up. This is definetally a beer for sipping and at 11.5% ABV you should probably sip it anyways.




Next up is the 2010 version of Sierra Nevada's Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale. This looks almost exactly like the Central Waters barleywine, although it is a little browner. The head is way bigger and a shade lighter than the Central Waters beer and doesn't disappear as quickly, but when it does it leaves a sheet of sticky lacing up and down the glass. The smell is very hoppy with only a slight hint of malts. The taste it more of the same, citrus hops all the way. The mouthfeel is a bit thiner than the Central Waters. This is much much more drinkable than the Central Waters beer. It comes in at 9.6% ABV and the alcohol is pretty well masked.



The winner of this battle is defiantly the Sierra Nevada. I just don't enjoy the alcohol taste and burn in the finish of the Central Waters brew. I should have been expecting this as it is a bourbon barrel aged beer and it does come in at 11.5% alcohol. On the other hand the Sierra Nevada masks its 9.6% alcohol quite well. And I do enjoy the hoppy simplicity of the Sierra Nevada much more than the bourbon flavor of the Central Waters. That's not to say the Central Waters is a bad beer. If you are a bourbon lover I would recommend the Central Waters beer. But I am a hophead and therefore the Sierra Nevada is the clear choice for me.

I have a few reviews i could do, if your particularly interested in one beer let me know and i will do that one first.

Rogue - Dead Guy Ale

Southern Tier - Iniquity (Black IPA)

Eggenberg - Urbock (Austrian Bock)

Anchor - Old Foghorn

Anchor - Porter

The two Anchors and the Southern Tier Iniquity interest me.

Once again, thanks for all of the great info!

Has anyone tried Rogue's John John Ale yet? I have it sitting in my fridge and was wondering if anyone gave it a shot yet. I might put up a review after I try it. For those that dont know, its Rogue Dead Guy Ale aged in whiskey barrels. I picked it up because they only bottled it this year and it sounds interesting.

I had a 2007 Dogfish Head Immort Ale last night. The same tasting notes are present compared to the current release but the texture is much softer and creamier. The aroma seems fuller also. 18 hours later I can still recall the smell just by thinking about it.

This was the oldest beer that I had remaining in my collection. 07 was the first year that I started storing beers and it is quite a challenge for me to not drink them. I would love to hear other stories of experiences with aging beers.

I payed $8 in NY for a rogue dead guy ale 22oz Bomber, lets just say ill never pay more then $5 for it. But the oak barrell aging can really add a whole nother dimension to the beer, and i think the john john ale is an american strong ale, whereas the regular dead guy ale is a bock.

Anchor - Porter

First off let me start the review by saying this is one of the best porters I have had the privilege of drinking. I happen to be on a malt kick so the list is pretty large.

12 ounce bottle with freshness date marked clearly on back, looks like most of the anchor bottles with the word porter on the bottom half. I was expecting great things from Americas first craft brewery and this porter dates back to 1974. Poured into a pint glass maybe 1/2 inch of head that retained itself fairly well.

Appearance: Almost pitch black, just a tiny bit of light gets through when i give it the ol transparency test. We can call it dark brown to black.

Smell - Dark black malts, A hint of coffee in the background as well as some darker fruits peeking out as well, the beer was served cold so i had to let it warm up a touch to let me aromas really start to come out, one of the best smelling porters ive had the honor to try. Also a hint of sticky molasses and other dark syrups.

Taste: Oh...my...God! This porter is just everything you could ever want in a porter. minimal carbonation, there is noticeably a lot going on in the beer but not enough that your left scratching your head when you sip it. the malt really takes front center, right behind it is a dark fruit taste as well as figs and a hint of chocolate as well. As you drink more of you can start to taste and smell the roasted malts coming through more assertively now. Like i said mostly malty, but there is a nice hop profile in the back round just enough to make it a full circle brew.

Cliffnotes: One of the best US porters i have had the privilege to drink, the drink-ability is off the chart as well as the flavor and aroma. Highly recommended to anybody who likes a good dark porter.

Anyone ever tour any of our colorado microbreweries out here?

New Belgium, Fortcollins brewery, Odell's in Fort collins, CO...then there are tons of others throughout the state.

Personally so far I've been most impressed with Avery Brewery out of Boulder, CO. These guys are a smaller but more hardcore and hardworking brewing company specializing in dryhopping the hell out of about anything. Iff you didnt know, dry hopping is the process of adding extra whole hops into the final step of the brewing process to bring out an extra hoppy flavor.

These guys even practice doing this in their stout, which is super amazing by the way. The specialize in stouts, porter's and pale ale/IPA's. Amazingly they even offer this one beer that is 17.o% alcohol vol.!!!! I tried a sip of it and at tops it tasted like maybe a 9 or so percent, which says a lot about how good it tastes for that high a content beer.

I'd recommend any of their beers for those of you out there who have yet to try them-just start off by trying whatever type is normally your favorite and of course if you're ever near Boulder, go checkout their brewery they do a really cool and informative tour that revealed something obvious I never though of: All/most beers, even those big ones brewed by big names like Miller Lite are triple hopped, doesnt make them special for doing it hahaha.

Let me know if anyone has tried an Avery, you wont be disappointed.

I know it's not from Avery, but I had Boulder Brewery's Mojo IPA a couple nights ago and rather enjoyed it. But maybe that is because I absolutely love amarillo hops.

I sell Rogue Dead Guy for $7 a pint every day w/no problem.

related: Southern Tier Phineas & Matt Extraordinary Ale is ****ing great.
Avery White Rascal - quite possibly the best US Witbier going.

And if you "love amarillo hops," try Brooklyn-Schneider Hopfenweiss.

I tried Harpoon IPA and UFO last night. Disappointed in both. Did I get some bad bottles?

What will you guys be sessioning tonight if anything? I'm looking to pick up a nice low alcohol stout, any recommendations? I live in the Midwest FWIW.

I have only tried the Harpoon IPA. It was decent but was not exceptional. It is a bit frustrating that with the limited space available to craft beers in my area, all of the retailers dedicate some shelf space to Harpoon.

Sierra Nevada Stout, and Rogue's Chocolate Stout are my two fav's for low abv stout's that are readily available (usually).


My first impression with the IPA was boring. Then it got to, I dont even wanna finish it. Maybe the UFO is my fault, I'm not really into Hefe's. But if I do want one I go to my local bar that has Franziskaner on tap, and a Hofbrauhaus is only about 40 minutes away. Spoiled?

^ picked up a 4-pack of Young's Double Chocolate Stout (nitro cans). Always an excellent choice imo.

Up on deck:
Port Brewing/The Lost Abbey "Lost & Found"... The Bruery "Saison De Lente" .... PB/TLA "Judgment Day"

I hated this one.

The finish just left this nasty taste on my toungue. Guess, I'm just not a vanilla guy. *shrug*

Looking forward to ToTheFelt's reviews!

Had the following three for the first time last weekend with dinner in this order;

Victory Old Horizontal Barleywine (draft)
Ommegang Hennepin (draft)
Stone Oaked Double Bastard (bottle)

I have found barleywines to be hit or miss but this Victory edition was easily the best that I had all winter. Unlike many overly sweet examples of the style this had a nice balance of hops, sweetness and a very silky texture.

This was my first ever Ommegang of any kind and I definitely look forward to trying more after this one. I don't know if I have ever drank a beer that had such a light mouthfeel yet was extremely flavorful. Timing allowed me to enjoy this with steamed mussels and they really complemented each other.

The Stone Oaked Double Bastard was for dessert. This beer explodes on the tastebuds. Vanilla, oak, caramel and enough hops to stand up to the sweetness were boldly present. It was almost like they were fighting each other for dominance only to end up in a draw.

I would definitely drink all three again if given the chance.

+1

There is a bar around where I live that has it on tap, and Sam Adams Cherry Wheat on tap. And they'll mix the two together, so good.

better w/Lindeman's Framboise, imo.

I picked these up yesterday:


(Left to Right)

1. Gouden Carlous Cuvee Van de Kaizer Rouge - this stuff is just ****ing excellent! one of the best Belgian Strong Golden Ales I've ever had in my life.
   
2. De Prouef Flemish Primitive - Belgian Ale made with wild airborne yeast unique to that little area of the world. I've never had it before, but personally, I'm not nuts about this style. They're usually too sour for me; I think it's an "Emperor's New Clothes" thing.
   
3. Etienne Dupont Cidre Bouche - quite possibly the finest breakfast drink ever. it's like if champagne was made with apples instead of grapes.
   
4. Cigar City Humidor Aged IPA - this local brew won Gold at the GABF in the "wood/barrel aged" category last summer. it's definitely the best CC beer I've tasted.
   
5. Victory XII* - rich, ruby red "Belgian-Inspired" ale from PA. I had it once and really liked it a lot. The number "12" has significance for me this weekend too, so it was the proverbial no-brainer.
   
6. Corsendonk Pale Ale - This old standby is golder and stronger than what I want out of a Belgian Pale Ale (I prefer DeKonnink or Palm) but is still a treat. Think of it as a step above "blonde" but below "tripel." also, at $8.99 for a 750ml, it was a steal.

That is saying something. I used to travel to Tampa regularly and found almost every Cigar City offering to be excellent.
Isn't XXII the Roman numeral representation of 22?

yeah, I'm ******ed. it really is "Victory XII" - just a typo, not a tragic misread to spoil my weekend.