Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence

My loyal readers (ok basically me) know that Im not a big fan of Belgian beers... But I decided to give this "Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence" a shot on the recommendations of many very well respected beer snobs... Mainly Bubby, JH and the crew from SIDT.

The bottle is a classic Belgian style large bomber with cork and safety wire... There is a slight pop with removal of the cork that leads some anticipation into the process. Upon the initial pour, the "onyx black" stout pours fills my snifter with a great presence and nice dark brown head that stands tall and proud. I am able to pick up a very slight but dense dark chocolate aroma mixed with a large malt backbone. Upon initial taste I don't feel any of the 7% ABV, nor do I taste ANY chocolate!! Uh Oh... I recheck the bottle... yes it is indeed called "Chocolate Indulgence Stout" but there is no initial chocolate flavor. As the beer begins to warm I do pick up a very, and I mean very (in all honesty it might be all mental) slight actual dark chocolate flavor. Now, I DO taste a TON of chocolate malt... in fact this is a very malty beer... with only a slight bitterness added from the perle hops. this is a very nice malty beer... Again with my lack of knowledge of "true Belgian" beer styles I would say that this being characterized as a "stout" would be a stretch... I would lean more twords a dubbel than a stout.

So overall a very nice malty Belgian that unfortunately falls short of the "chocolate" moniker. If you are looking for real chocolate flavor may I suggest this stout...

In review... Very balanced malt flavor, with little chocolate flavor or aroma... So it gets a rating of...

"Decent representation of the style"

A giant among IPA?

As I was paroling the shelves in the basement to find a beer to settle down and finish the holiday weekend with, I couldn't help but wonder what was hiding behind that Waxed Red Bottle Cap!
The Skeleton holding a hop bush in it's mouth gives me a pretty fair idea, but all the same, I do love imperial IPA!
Ska Brewing out of Durango Colorado is close enough to be considered a "Local Brew" for me, and I think that this Decadence Imperial IPA will fit the bill for the evening. With some of the other beers that come from Colorado, I've got high hopes. We don't make no junk!
The bottle opens with a citrus note, and a nice hiss. The bottle is just a tad larger than my "Big Beer" glass, at 22 oz. This leaves me room to make a nice aggressive pour and still have a swig from the bottle.
The Citrus nose has given way to a solid hop aroma, but not over powering, and not nearly what I'd expected judging by the label (I feel an old cliche here. There is a nice creamy head that is NOT what I expected from an IPA....It is an IMPERIAL IPA however, and the head is much appreciated. There is no over powering hop nose as has become trendy, it's just a solid aroma and a solidly bitter hop character with a perfectly balanced, almost creamy malt background. You would never guess by the flavor that this is a 10% ABV beer! It is as nice as a big IPA gets, and is totally not overbearing. This would be lost in the realms of Ruination, or Pliny the Elder, but is a nicely balanced, very drinkable Imperial IPA, and will be on my "TO BUY AGAIN" list!

Red Hook Double Black Stout

When I first started to get into good beers I was visiting a buddy out in Seattle... I came across Double Black Stout from Red Hook ... Awesome!!! Amazing!!! I came back home to Illinois or Michigan (where the hell I lived at the time) And was able to find it.... Scott was happy...

Then a few months passed and poof.... its gone... never to return... (they stopped making it in 2000)

Scott was unhappy...

Scott was unhappy for many years...

So on a recent visit to my local beer shop I stumbled upon it again...

Once again... Scott is happy...



It pours jet black with a nice warm tan head... good strong lacing... awesome roasted coffee aroma with a hint of alcohol... Warm roasty flavors... with a nice, not over powering nor "subtle hint" of coffee... No alcohol finish... but as it warms up you can catch just a hint of booze... Its very very roasty... that really is the best way to describe it.

Over all great stout... Its in limited release so if you find it... grab one or 12... Exceptional!!!

7.0% ABV

Flying Dog Double Dog Double Pale Ale

Part of the Flying Dog Canis Major series, Double Dog Double Pale Ale pours a yellow redish honey color with a puffy white head. The head thins down relatively quickly and a nice sharp hop aroma really comes out.


12 Seconds of Double Dog pour goodness. on 12seconds.tv

As I imbibe the thin head sticks quite nicely to the glass. Not overly carbonated the beer has an excellent mouth feel and thick quality to it. The 11.5% ABV is masked nicely by the 85 IBU of the hops along with the malt. I cannot taste the alcohol but definitely feel a pleasurable mild warming in the belly. This is a nicely bitter beer and at the end of the taste the interaction of the strong hops presence melds very well with a malty sweetness making the Double Dog Double Pale Ale a very well balanced beer.



If you haven't tasted the Double Dog I highly recommend giving it a try. Look for the Ralph Steadman artwork of an acid trippy dog in tighty whiteys lunging at two glasses of beer.



For a good Black and Tan, I suggest the Double Dog with the Gonzo Imperial Porter (another of my favorites - review coming soon).



Cheers!

Autumn Maple

I first tried this beer at the 2008 GABF… Going on a few recommendations to seek out The Bruery and give them a shot. Ill be the first one to admit that Im not a fan of most Belgian beers… Although I do LOVE sour beers… But anyway, I found these guys at the GABF and was blown away by all of their beers … Their Orchard White and Black Orchard were awesome… but hands down my favorite beer from them was their Autumn Maple… (one of my favorite beers in the whole place along with Coffee Bender from Surly Brewing

From their site:
Autumn Maple: Brewed with 17 lbs. of yams per barrel (in other words, a lot of yams!), this autumn seasonal is a different take on the “pumpkin” beer style. Brewed with cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, vanilla, molasses, and maple syrup, and fermented with our traditional Belgian yeast strain, this bold and spicy beer is perfect on a cold autumn evening.

ABV: 10%, IBU: 25, SRM: 15, Release: Fall

The beer poured with little to no head… right away in the aroma you could pick up the yams… and yes, you could tell that is was NOT pumpkin… as the beer continued to warm up you could taste more and more of the spices I was able to pick up the molasses, vanilla, and nutmeg the most… It was not heavy like a stout… more like a light porter or strong ale… At 10% it was quite warming although I never felt like the alcohol EVER overpowered any flavor… This would of been a great beer to share… but lucky for me there were no other beer fans close… so more for me!!!

So if you’re even in So. Cal go check out The Bruery… This beer definitely gets an “Exceptional” rating…

Sam Adams Chocolate Bock

I am not a huge fan of ole Sam Adams. I do appreciate their beers when I am traveling since they more available. There is one exception though. It is called Chocolate Bock. I had the pleasure today to drink this beer on draft with my beloved. She loves it too. Chocolate dominates the flavor since they actually put chocolate in it. I crave dark lagers usually during Oktoberfest but this hoppy ale guy will always reach for this Sam Adams. It is a treat. The price was nice too at $5.75 a pint.

Cuvee Series One (Oak Aged Series)

The term Cuvee is taken from cuve, meaning vat or tank. The term can also be applied to wine or champagne to refer to a batch that is blended or pressed a certain way. With that little educational tidbit out of the way I give you my review of Southern Tier’s Cuvee Series One (Oak Aged Ale).

Southern Tier Brewing is located out of Lakewood, NY and offers some great beers in several styles that some would label as non-traditional, this one is no different.
This beer pours a copper color with not much head retention and little aroma to speak of, with the oak aroma being the most relevant. There is also a slight buttery to almost vanilla smell to this offering.

The taste is a buttery, sweet flavor with a hint of bourbon and vanilla.

For an 11% American Strong Ale this beer is smooth. Although a bit pricey ($17 a bottle in the Pittsburgh area) I would recommend this beer for at least a one-time tasting.