EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT: 2011 Honeygo Craft Beer Festival

If you enjoy real craft beer, good food, live music, and a fun social atmosphere then the Honeygo Craft Beer Festival is definitely for you.  I have been friends with the gang at Honeygo Wine & Spirits for a few years now and they are a great bunch.  Honeygo is a very beer-centric store and each year they hold a craft beer fest which has gotten bigger each time.  This year promises to be the best yet and will be held outdoors beneath a party tent because it continues to outgrow its venues.

Currently there are 17 breweries scheduled to attend and each are bringing whatever they want for your unlimited sampling pleasure, nearly all of which is going to be on tap.  Just remember to be responsible, it only takes one jerk to ruin everyones good time.  All the food you can eat will be provided by Liberatore's which is an upscale Italian restaurant known for their very good food.  The event will be held rain or shine at the Honeygo Village Center located at 5004 Honeygo Center Drive, Perry Hall, Maryland 21128 on Sunday, October 09, 2011 from 1:00 pm to 4:00 pm. Tickets are $30 in advance, designated driver tickets are $10 which covers all your food and soft drinks.  Proceeds from this event benefit the Saint Stephens School.

I realize that many of you who follow my site or the other websites and publications I write for are not from my area, but if you are in Maryland or the surrounding area I highly recommend you come.  I attend many of these types of events and I can say without hesitation that this is one of the best.  I look forward to it all year, it's always a great time.  For more information you can contact them at 410-529-5500 / www.honeygowines.com.  I hope to see you there, CHEERS!

BEER REVIEW: Samuel Smith's - Imperial Stout

Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout is a Russian Imperial Stout with an eye-catching, old style label reminiscent of its Victorian roots.  It is 7% ABV but other than that, they really don't tell you much else about it.  I first had it at a tasting event some time ago and enjoyed it very much but haven't gotten around to reviewing it until now.

It pours with an opaque, dark black color with the slightest ruby hints at the edges that could only be revealed by direct, bright light.  It developed a tall, light-brown head that was creamy and fluffy.  The initial aroma was very light and only of sweet malt which I thought was a bit odd.  That is when I realized that it had been chilled to standard refrigerator temperature which is well below its recommended serving temperature of approximately 60 degrees.  After allowing it to warm a bit, the aroma evolved into one you could really stick you nose into.  It was deep and complex but all its notes were subtle and required hunting, which is part of the fun for me.  The malty sweetness remained but I also detected slight notes of vanilla and chocolate.  The first sip doesn't disappoint either.  The mouthfeel starts with a moderate tingle on the front of the tongue which subsides quickly, developing into a thick, creamy feel all over the mouth.  The taste is initially slightly sweet which instantly gives way to the hops and alcohol, which blend excellently.  The flavor has complexity, but like the aroma, the notes are subtle and you have to work for them.  I detected bitter chocolate, hops, some roast, and smoke.  It finishes dry  with slight black coffee notes and lingers a little.

Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout is an excellent beer.  It is right in line with the expected characteristics of this style while maintaining great balance throughout.  I recommend you use a sniff and sip technique while drinking and enjoy it slowly to get the most out of it.  It has the qualities to be enjoyed alone or with food.  It even has the legs to stand with a full-bodied, maduro cigar.

BEER REVIEW: Brasserie de Cazeau - Tournay Black

Tournay Black is a bottle conditioned, Belgian stout brewed by Brasserie de Cazeau which is a farm-brewery located in the south of Belgium.  It was originally brewed as a winter ale under the name Tournay de Noel, but later became a year-round release.  They didn't provide much specific detail about how it was brewed except to say that it is made with water, malts, candi-sugar, hops, and yeast.  It is 7.6% ABV with a recommended drinking temperature of +/- 50 degrees.  The brewer states that the tasting notes are of, "roasted malts, coffee, bitter chocolate, earth, and cigar ash."  Well, I am a prodigious cigar smoker and I can't say that I would want to consume the ash.


Tournay Black poured with a very dark brown color and produced a tall, tan head which was pretty thick and lasted for a bit, but once it laid down, it totally disappeared; although it did leave fair lace behind at the top of the glass but not so much as it progressed.  The nose was sweet and malty with what may have been subtle caramel notes.  The mouthfeel was initially very crisp, especially on the tongue, perhaps due to the carbonation and alcohol content, but got a little creamier as the beer warmed.  I don't mean as each sip warmed in the mouth, I mean as the beer itself warmed as it sat so perhaps you should follow the brewers recommendations because I think mine was a little more chilled.  The taste had a pleasant, mild bitterness with perhaps very subtle notes of bakers chocolate and a lasting finish, but overall, not much complexity.  Additionally, shortly after finishing it a residual astringent / chalky taste and mouthfeel developed which persisted for a little while.


This was a decent stout in general and I did enjoy drinking it.  I wouldn't put it near the top of my list though and probably wouldn't buy it again, but that's my opinion.  There is some suspicion however, that mine may have been past it's "best by" date, but this isn't confirmed.

BEER REVIEW: Atwater Block Brewery - Vanilla Java Porter

Atwater Block Brewery’s – Vanilla Java Porter is described as a “robust porter… sure to please” made with chocolate and coffee malts; U.S. Golding hops; vanilla and coffee adjuncts; and weighs in at 6% ABV.  Vanilla and coffee flavors in beer may sound a bit unusual to some, but I like both and they could go well in a porter if well made, so I figured I would give it a try.

Vanilla Java Porter poured with an attractive dark-brown color which when held to a light, revealed a slight ruby tint and a near opaqueness.  It developed a light-tan head, which laid down quickly and left practically no lace behind.  It had a sweet, malty nose with chocolate notes and slight hints of coffee and vanilla.  The first sip revealed a crispness on the front of the tongue with a creamy mouth-feel on the top of the tongue and roof of the mouth.  As it drank, a strange taste developed that I really couldn’t put a finger on but seemed almost “tangy”.  It was also thin and watery and not at all like a porter.

In my opinion (for what its worth) Atwater’s – Vanilla Java Porter did not live up to its own claims or my hopes.  “Robust”, no way; porter, not quite; I just can’t recommend this one.  The first time I tried it was at a tasting event and I thought it was OK and worth reviewing; however, there were 97 beers at this event and I was pretty far along at the time…

BEER REVIEW: Rogue Ales - Chocolate Stout

Rogue Ales – Chocolate Stout is an American Stout style made with Northwest Harrington and Klages, Crystral 135-165, Beeston Chocolate, rolled oats, and barley malts; Cascade hops; imported Dutch bitter-sweet chocolate adjuncts; Rogue’s Pacman yeast, and “free-range coastal water” (as opposed to the domesticated variety I guess…).  It is 15 degrees Plato (a measure of the dissolved solids in beer), 69 IBU, 77 AA (Apparent Attenuation), and 135 degrees Lovibond (a measure of color mostly replaced by the Standard Reference Method {SRM}).

Rogue – Chocolate Stout poured with an opaque, ebony color that revealed ruby notes when held to a light.  It had a chocolate-brown, creamy, slightly sweet head with a deep, semi-sweet to bitter-sweet chocolate nose.  It had a crisp feeling on the tongue and the back of the throat that accompanied a crisp flavor of bitter-sweet chocolate and left a bitter / residual alcohol finish. 

This was a good beer but not exactly what I was expecting.  By no means a statement about the quality of this beer of course, just that my taste leans more toward a sweeter and chocolaty flavor in this style.  Remember, taste is highly subjective!

BEER REVIEW: Clipper City - The Great Pumpkin Imperial Pumpkin Ale

The latest Fall seasonal from Clipper City’s Mutiny Fleet is The Great Pumpkin – Imperial Pumpkin Ale.  Clipper City didn’t really provide much information about how it was brewed, except to say that it is made with, “hops and secret spices”, three kinds of malts, and 3 ounces of spice per barrel.  It is 8.5% ABV, 25 IBU, and like the rest of the Mutiny Fleet, is distributed in 22 ounce bombers.

The Great Pumpkin poured with a translucent, cloudy, amber to light-orangey color with lots of adjuncts floating throughout the liquid column and an apparently moderate carbonation.  It developed an off-white, creamy / fluffy head that was mildly sweet and laid down rather quickly but left behind decent lace.  The aroma was of sweet pumpkin and spice, which became more reminiscent of pumpkin pie as it warmed.  The first sip revealed a light crispness on the front of the tongue, which progressed to a creamier mouth-feel throughout. 

As I continued to drink, it seemed to present what were perhaps estery taste characteristics and developed what I thought was an astringent quality.  I never detected much in the way of pumpkin flavors and it left a bitterish, astringent finish that lingered for longer than I liked.  Since the IBU is relatively low, this could be contributed to the 8.5% ABV (since I also detected the edge of a buzz) but I think more likely it was some other, or combination of, factor/s.  At any rate, Clipper City’s – The Great Pumpkin Imperial Pumpkin Ale didn’t quite live up to my expectations.  I was hoping it would fall in line with some of this year’s other fall and pumpkin seasonals which overall, have been pretty good.  While it was in no way a, “spit out” beer, to my taste it really didn’t make the grade.  I didn’t mind drinking it but don’t think I will buy it again.

BEER REVIEW: Dogfish Head - Punkin Ale

Another entry in the Fall seasonal category is Dogfish Head's - Punkin Ale. This beer was first introduced at the Punkin Chunkin contest in 1994 as a homebrew by Dogfish's owner before he even founded the brewery. Since then, it has been released each year around September as a seasonal and, according to Dogfish, is usually gone by Thanksgiving. It is a brown ale brewed with real pumpkin meat, brown sugar, cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. They didn't list any information about the malts or hops, but did say it is 7% ABV and 28 IBU.

Punkin Ale pours clear with a nice amber color, creamy off-white head, and leaves good lace behind. It has a crisp, malty nose which was very pleasant with no overpowering pumpkin aroma. The first sip revealed a crisp mouth-feel all around which became creamier as the beer warmed. The flavor is full-bodied with some complexity and presents hints of spice around mid-tongue with a pumpkin and cinnamon follow through. The balance of this beer is excellent and the pumpkin flavor is subtle throughout.

I must say I have been pleased with this season's pumpkin ales in general, although I have tried some that weren't that good. Of all the ones I have tried though, Dogfish Head's Punkin Ale is right up near the top. Don't let the 7% ABV or the fact it is a pumpkin fool you, this beer is extremely drinkable and I absolutely recommend it.

BEER REVIEW - NEW RELEASE: Troegs - Java Head Stout

Troegs Brewery states their new Java Head Stout, just released in September, is based on their original Oatmeal Stout, but in addition to oats, this one includes a blend of roasted espresso and Kenyan coffee beans. Well, I like beer and I like coffee, so I figured I would give it a try, besides it has a pretty cool label. Java Head Stout is made with pilsner, crystal, chocolate, and roast malts; cluster, chinook, and cascade hops; and unfiltered ale yeast. It is 7.5% ABV, 60 IBUs, and is sold as a 22 ounce “bomber.” Troegs further states that before fermentation, it is passed through whole-leaf hops and coffee beans in a process they claim is like French pressing, which gives it a coffee nose and subtle coffee flavor.

As it poured, it cascaded nicely like some good stouts do and presented a very nice, dark black color which light didn’t penetrate. It developed a very tall head, which was tan in color and long lasting, left behind lots of persistent lace that frankly, never went away, and gave off a sweet, citrusy aroma. This struck me as perhaps a little odd because stouts are supposed to have a roasty, malt aroma. The sweetness could however have been attributed to the malt and Troeg’s did say there should be some citrus notes in this beer but I didn’t detect any roasted aroma at all. As I drank, it revealed a pleasant crispness and a little bit of hoppy bitterness, but primarily a citrus-dominated flavor. One of the main flavor characteristics when judging a stout is its roastyness so again, I thought this was a little odd but hoped that maybe its flavor profile would continue to develop. Troegs states that there should be notes of cocoa, citrus, and java, but as I continued to work my way to the bottom, the flavor remained consistent and I never detected any cocoa or java, strange for a beer with java in its name.

While the stout style does cover a bit of a wide range, it is defined by certain commonalities. Some of the more important of these are the aforementioned roasty aroma and flavor, as well as a certain balance, none of which I thought were present here. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying this was a bad beer; if you like the characteristics I mentioned here then you should try it yourself and you be the judge. I’m just saying that for a beer titled Java Head Stout, I think they missed the mark. Too bad, I was looking forward to it because their Dead Reckoning Porter is very good. At least it had that cool label.

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT: Baltimore Beer Week

It is officially Baltimore Beer Week! It runs for ten days from 08 through 18 October and includes over 300 separate events. There will be beer dinners at local pubs and restaurants, appearances by brewers, and tastings at numerous locations. There is just far too much going on for me to list it here. Just go to the web site and there are lists of events with the locations for each which are spread all over the area so something may be convenient to you. Come out and support this event if you can and have a great time doing it.

Baltimore Beer Week

www.baltimorebeerweek.com

EVENT ANNOUNCEMENT: Honeygo Harvest Fest Beer Gala

Honeygo Wine & Spirits (one of my favorite liquor stores) is holding a beer tasting on Monday, 12 October 2009. You are invited to come and try some Fall and other seasonal beers, as well as a few new beers being offered. Their first event was very good and I had a great time at it and they promise that this one will be even bigger and better. Tickets are only $15.00 each and allow you to sample any of the styles being offered.

Honeygo Harvest Fest Beer Gala

Monday, October 12 2009

19:00 - 21:00 hours

Honeygo Wine & Spirits

5004 Honeygo Center Drive

Perry Hall, Maryland 21128

410.529.5500

BEER REVIEW: Clipper City - Prosit Imperial Octoberfest Lager

The next in Clipper City's Mutiny Fleet is their Prosit - Imperial Octoberfest Lager. They describe it as being a "malt focused Marzen style" and call it the "burly big brother" to their Marz-Hon. Yes it is a play on words and you sort of have to be from around here to get it so you can contact me if you are that curious about it.

Prosit is made with three kinds of hops and five kinds of malts, including Vienna and Munich, and is 9% ABV / 20 IBU. It poured with a pretty amber color, a nice malty aroma, and not much of a head. The first taste revealed a sweet malty flavor to go along with the aroma, and surprisingly a nice hoppy bite in contrast. It had a creamy overall mouthfeel complimented by a pleasant tingle around the tongue. As it drank it began to reveal the slightest citrus flavor and didn't leave much lace behind.

This was a good, flavorful beer with nice balance. It was consistent with the Marzen style but had a nice twist of its own added by the folks at Clipper City. I recommend it but you better move fast because the Mutiny Fleet is a limited release.

BEER REVIEW: Southern Tier Brewing Company - Imperial Pumking Pumpkin Ale

Well, Fall is closing fast so I figured I would venture into the new seasonal brews, starting with a pumpkin ale. This is a rather uniquely American style descended from out forefathers. Early Americans used to make various types of beers brewed with different things that were available to them. Several craft breweries continue to make their own versions today but the trick is to find one where the pumpkin and / or spice doesn't overwhelm the beer.

The one that I'm starting with is Southern Tier Brewing Company's - Imperial Pumking Pumpkin Ale. It is brewed with 2-row pale malt, caramel malt, pureed pumpkin, magnum kettle hops and sterling aroma hops. They recommend you enjoy it chilled to 40 degrees F and served in a goblet.

It poured with a beautiful golden-copper color with a minimal but creamy head which laid down quickly. It had a very pleasant pumpkin pie aroma, which while obvious, was not overpowering or sickly-sweet. It had a nice, spicy (not pumpkin) flavor and gave a pleasant tingle on the tongue with a borderline tingly-creamy mouth-feel on the cheeks. The flavor was good throughout and the strength was such that it gave me more than a mild euphoric feeling which was closer to pleasant buzz.

I definitely enjoyed this beer. It is certainly worth trying if you are one of those people who are interested in trying something different, but cringe a little when you hear pumpkin and beer in the same sentence. Its not what you might think, but don't wait too long, its a seasonal.

BEER REVIEW: Coastal Brewing Company - Defender's Choice

I was in my local favorite liquor store the other day looking for the latest craft beer to review when a six-pack carton caught my eye. It had a red, white, and blue stripe across it and the name Defender's Of Freedom Choice on the side. I had never heard of it before and there wasn't really any information about the beer itself on either the carton or the bottle; however, it did say that it was dedicated to our brave and heroic service men and women, and that a portion of the sales would be donated to the Fisher House, a private / public partnership that supports our military personnel in need (fisherhouse.org). Being a patriotic American and a veteran, naturally I had to give it a try, at least for the purpose of the charity.

Defender's Choice is made by Coastal Brewing Company of Dover, Delaware which I understand is owned by the partnership of Fordham Brewing Co. and Anheuser - Busch. Well as you know, I am NOT a fan of the mega-brewers but many people are so fair is fair. I really can't tell you anything about the malt, hops, or other additives it is made with, or what the ABV is because as I said, there wasn't any information on the packaging and there wasn't a web-site either.

The pour revealed pleasant, malty notes and a yellow-golden color which was slightly opaque. It didn't have much of a head and didn't leave very much lace behind either. The taste was also a little malty and it had a crisp mouth-feel that was refreshing with a nice finish. All-in-all, this beer was consistent with a lot of the mainstream American-style lagers but was a little more flavorful than the Buds and Coors. Not a bad warm-weather beer.

BEER REVIEW: Clipper City - Heavy Seas, The Big DIPA

Clipper City Brewing Company, right here in my home town of Baltimore, is releasing a Special Edition Series to their Heavy Seas line called the Mutiny Fleet, in 22 ounce bombers. The recipes, and even the label art, for the Mutiny Fleet are being created by the CC brewers themselves. I have looked at all the labels on the CCBC web site and must admit that the Pirate designs called to me.

The first release is The Big DIPA, which is a Double India Pale Ale style (hence the name Big DIPA). DIPAs are normally characterized by being a bit stronger than traditional IPAs (normally between 7% and 14% ABV) and heavier on the malt and hops. If you have ever had any of the Barleywine styles, DIPAs are often compared to them and sometimes even called American Barleywines.

The Big DIPA is a high gravity, bottle conditioned ale, made with five kinds of hops and 3 kinds of malts, and is hopped 3 times during the brewing process. It is 75.5 IBU and 10.6% ABV which will leave you with a peasant buzz if you haven't eaten first. Clipper City describes it as having an "earthy hop aroma", but I thought it had a strong grapefruit aroma. It had a nice golden-brown color, creamy head, and left nice lace as it went down. In my opinion, the flavor was totally dominated by grapefruit notes, which comes from the type and amount of hops used. While more dominant hops notes are customary with IPAs and DIPAs, at least to my pallet, this one was a bit overwhelming and could have used a tad more balance. How many times have you heard me say it though, "Taste Is Subjective!" It wasn't an unpleasant beer by any means, just not to my specific taste. My beautiful wife tends to think many of the beers that I really like are unpleasant to her taste.

The Mutiny Fleet - Special Edition Series is only going to be brewed in small batches for a limited time, so get your hands on some and try it yourselves. If you happen to be from Maryland (or "Merlin" as some of us say), buy some and SUPPORT YOUR LOCAL CRAFT BREWERY!

BEER REVIEW: Mikeller - Beer Geek Brunch

I was initially hesitant to try MIKELLER's - Beer Geek Brunch Oatmeal Stout based on the claim it is made with civet coffee seeds. For those who may not be familiar, and I'm not kidding about this, some of the most expensive coffees in the world are those made from seeds recovered from the feces, thats right - feces, of certain animals (i.e. the louac and in this case, the civet) which consume only the most ripe coffee cherries and then naturally, excrete the seeds. Supposedly, the coffee beans undergo special refinements while in the animal's digestive tract and, I can only assume, someone then has the undesirable job of following the little critters around until they are finished with them. My wife and I joking call this "monkey s_ _ _" coffee and choose not to drink it because it seems to me to be only a trendy / snobby sort of thing.

At any rate, when reviewing something for the benefit of others you must keep an open mind so I tried it; besides, the 10.9 % ABV had to kill anything the civet left behind... right? When I opened the bottle I detected immediate notes of black coffee, hops, and perhaps bitter chocolate. The pour revealed a beautiful black color and a chocolate-brown head with the consistency of whipped cream. Some ran down the side of the glass and when it re-condensed on the counter it actually stuck a little bit when I wiped it up, demonstrating its viscosity. Once the head finally laid down I was able to take my first sip which revealed the same flavors that had been detected in its aroma. As I drank it down it left substantial lace that was more like a set of curtains. Kidding aside, this was a good beer and I recommend it to anyone who enjoys the qualities of a good stout.

BEER REVIEW: Avery - Collaboration Not Litigation Ale

Collaboration Not Litigation, by Avery Brewing of Boulder, Colorado, is a Belgian style ale supposedly the product of combining the best qualities two different brews from two different breweries. It has a cloudy, relatively dark, golden-brown color consistent with an unfiltered ale, a sweet, malty nose, and good lace. I thought it had a traditional Belgian style ale flavor with a nice, slightly bitter follow through. Not bad but I'm not a big fan of some of the Belgian ales so give it a try for yourself.

BEER REVIEW: Rouge - Shakespeare Stout

Shakespeare Stout, by Rogue Ales of Newport, Oregon, is a tasty stout for those who enjoy a moderately bitter brew. Its beautiful ebony color is topped off by a creamy tan head that leaves heavy lace. It has a sweet, malty nose and a very crisp start followed immediately by a moderately bitter hoppiness. It also has a hoppy finish with notes of baker's chocolate. It has a crisp mouth-feel on the tongue and a slight creaminess on the cheeks. A good beer overall.

Ingredients: Northwest Harrington & Klages, Crystal 135-165 & Beeston Chocolate Malts, Cascade Hops, Rolled Oats & Roasted Barley, Free Range Coastal Water (as opposed to the domestic farm-raised water... get over the hippy crap guys), and Top Fermenting Pacman Yeast

BEER REVIEW: Dogfish Head - World-Wide Stout

Wow, clear the decks for action with this one. It is very strong, very complex, and dare I say - unique. Aside from being 18% ABV / 70 IBU (that's right I said 18% ABV so be prepared for a buzz), it is brewed with a very large amount of barley. Credit goes to Dogfish Head for continually pushing the limits. They originally released this one in 1999 but I first had it at a tasting event in 2009. It is very complex in aroma and taste with a very distinct roasted character, so much so that while this may sound funny to some, my first perception of its aroma was that it reminded me of smoked bacon.

Be advised, this beer is not for the faint of heart or casual connoisseur, the flavor is bold and there is a lot going on in there. Some people even find it a little difficult to finish a whole bottle, even though it is only a 12 ounce size. Dogfish describes it as being like a Port and recommends enjoying it from a snifter; I wouldn't really compare it to Port though as they tend to be on the sweeter side and that is not how I would describe this brew. Due to the high ABV you are going to pay a relatively high price per bottle but if you consider yourself a real connoisseur of the dark side, or just want to try something really different, give it a go.

BEER REVIEW: Mikkeller's - Black Hole Stout

I tried a new imperial stout today (new to me anyway), Black hole Stout brewed with coffee by the Danish brewery Mikkeller. It was very dark with a chocolaty-brown head and a very nice, sweet, malty nose. It had a very dominant bitter-chocolate taste that carried on throughout. After a few sips though, I did detect notes of black coffee. Eventually the bitterness might border on the overwhelming for some but if you are into craft beers, especially the dark side like me, its definitely worth trying. It is 13.1% ABV according to the label but I read a review that claimed it is actually 14%, but what's .9%??? The alcohol content was not at all overbearing though and I enjoyed this beer.

Cheers

BEER REVIEW: Avery Brewing Co. -The Czar Imperial Stout

For those of you who really enjoy an imperial stout, this is a great one. I recently had the opportunity to try THE CZAR Imperial Stout from the Avery Brewing Company. Right away you can see the pitch-black color which develops into a nice, thick brown head. Even when held up to a light, this brew could not be seen through. It has a very pleasant and complex nose with several different notes, some obvious, others you have to hunt for. I spent several minutes just enjoying the aroma. The central aroma that I detected was what I think is sweet molasses. The first sip did not disappoint, the flavor was complex and pleasant. Be advised, this a strong one, expect to feel a slight euphoria after drinking this one