Boulevard and Seirra Nevada TERRA INCOGNITA

Boulevard and Seirra Nevada TERRA INCOGNITA - Ale Aged in Whiskey Barrels (2013)

Brewed and Bottled by Boulevard Brewing Company in Kansas City, Missouri. USA.

Collaboration Brew (Limited Release).

25.4 fl. oz. / $13.95 USD / 8.5% ABV

About: "Situated at opposite ends of the California Trail, pioneering breweries Sierra Nevada and Boulevard have once again embarked upon a journey into the unknown. It was in 2012 that we first convened to craft a beer for SAVOR attendees. And it’s that collaborative effort, aptly named Terra Incognita (Unknown Land), which brought us together to relive our collective adventure in 2013 - and this time we will release it out into the world.

Earlier this year, Sierra Nevada Head Brewer Steve Dresler and Boulevard Brewmaster Steven Pauwels met in Kansas City to create a blend of three components: Terra Incognita aged in Templeton Rye barrels / Terra Incognita aged in a 2,000-gallon foudre / Fresh Terra Incognita dry-hopped with East Kent Golding. The end result is a, fittingly, earthy beer, celebrating the unique terroir of our two locations. The blend incorporates (roughly) 45% foudre-aged, 30% Templeton-aged, and 25% fresh dry-hopped beer - all aimed at showcasing some predominant oak characteristics with a subtle hint of earthy hops. Then just prior to bottling we added a dose of the wild yeast Brettanomyces, and allowed the beer to age for over three months."

Thoughts: Wrestled with that damn cork and pried that sucker clean out. Tipped my glass and started pouring slowly at first, and even slower as the head got thicker and thicker. For a barrel aged beer this thing sure has a thick, fat head that isn't showing any signs of dying down anytime soon! Color looks to be a dark chocolate brown with some shades of burgundy. There's absolutely no seeing through this one at all.

The smell on this bastard is fan-fuckin'-tastic I tells ya! Kinda like an evil root beer a little bit. I'm trying to lean in and get more of a scent through this two inch thick foamy head on top that's not dissolving. *Ten minutes later* Well, the heads still there so let's see what we've got here: man it's a weird one. There's a little bit of chocolate, but it's not chocolaty, a little rye, some wheat, straw, cherries, oak, a thick layer of easy going malts and a touch of hops. It smells sweet, spicy and just a little bit sour all at the same time.

First gulp and I'm hit with that wild sour yeast that just rips my shit apart. I have a feeling that this beer may be infected... with awesomeness that is!!1 Haha, I keed. A loaf of super peppery rye bread slaps me upside the face, while a soft touch of coffee beans and stale root beer flows through. Doesn't taste all that much like whiskey straight up, but the aftertaste of whiskey is there with a little bit of a burnt rubber, spice and a lot of rye. After that initial shock, the sour stuff really dies down but the funk remains. It's a little dirty, grassy, spicy, malty, sweet and sour, and tastes a little of hay and watered down vinegar. There's also notes of raw figs and brown sugar. Still not getting much of that whiskey, if only remnants of a cheaper Captain Morgan knock off, but it did impart a small bit of overall flavor into the beer. Mainly though it's raw figs and peppered rye bread everywhere. Not that that's a bad thing I guess.

Mouth feel is super light, airy and really carbonated. It almost disintegrates once inside the mouth. Pretty frothy too. TONS of bubbles.

This beer is decent, though it feels as if they may have played it safe. There's nothing overly offensive here, and at the same time it's not all that great. The rising sweetness in each gulp seems as if it's hiding something else. Overall it's really malty and flavorful, just not extreme in any way. Last bit of aftertaste after sipping the end of my first warm glass is a bit of nuttiness and cigarette smoke. It's good but just like many of the others, a one time bottle for me. Not that I wouldn't mind seeing the next batch made though... and man would I love to go back home again! 

Cambridge Brewing 2012 Pumpkin Beer Festival

Freaks, Geeks and Weirdos - and not to mention some Totally Hot Babes - all united yesterday for a fun filled elbow to elbow beer-breath-a-thon in Cambridge, Mass, known as LineFest! Uhhh, I mean PumpkinFest. Well, it was LineFest for anyone who got there after 2:30 PM, as the small venue was jam f'n packed with thirsty hipsters and pumpkin-lovin' nerdlings alike! Everybody was in the pumpkin pool. A couple of times I even stood in line for a few minutes, only to realize that it wasn't even a line. What in the fuck is that? Just a bunch of people standing around near a line that's so bombarded by other lines that it's nothing short of a rabid zombie horde. There were lines everywhere man. People were getting felt up... warm, wet breath hit the back of necks... boobs were grazed... crotches were pressed upon unsuspecting

And did I mention totally hot babes? Well, there were some pretty hot babes there. One girl looked like Mary Jane's slightly thicker sister. She was wearing a hello kitty shirt and was by far the hottest chick at the place (I fell instantly in lust)... she was Gourd-gous! And there were quite a few ladies there in ultra-tight leather and pleather and spandex outfits as Bayonetta, Black Widow and Baroness. OK, they were all Black Widow. Or trying to be. Whatever. The point is they were hot, and babes too. There was also a guy in a low budget homemade old-school Captain America outfit that really looked the part, so well done on him. Oh, and the girl in the red cloak that works there was really jacking my lantern. If you know what I

Also, I don't know if there were really so many hipsters there, or if they were just dressed up that way for the costume party? Hey, is everyone utilizing Belgian Yeast in their beer now? I thought my tongue was playing tricks on me, but apparently not. I rinsed out my cup each time before getting my next beers, but I could still taste that Belgian Yeast! I thought I didn't clean the cup well enough, but in fact it was because nearly every beer I drank at the place has it in it. What gives? Anyways, I got there at 12:30, a half hour before the doors opened, and ended up being in the middle of a huge ass line down and around the block. The last half of my stay at the establishment, people weren't being allowed to enter until someone else left. So that sucks for them... I guess? But I read that you gotta go either early or late to these things so, yeah. Since I like to get my drinking out of the way early

Onto the hot babes beers:

1. The Bruery Autumn Maple - Belgian Style Brown Ale (2012)

Brewed by The Bruery, in Placentia, CA. USA.

4 fl. oz. / 1 Ticket / 10% ABV

About: "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."

Thoughts: Autumn Maple. Alright. Oh, The Bruery. Sweet. This looks to be a  good beer to start with. Autumn Maple poured a thick and cloudy burnt orange color with a small white bubbly head.

It's a light smelling ale, toasty, very lightly spiced.... I'm getting loads of Belgian Yeast. There's a little bit of cinnamon lingering about, and a real subtle blend of spices. For a 10%, I expected more of a scent on this one, not one so mild.

It's very tasty. There's a harsh booze sting on the first sip, and I guess that's where that strength was. I'm really trying to get that maple syrup here, it's what I want to taste. Feel is about a medium  and it's a bit fizzy. There's a sticky quality to this beer, and I guess that's the maple syrup coming into play, but it's not really all too evident in the taste itself. I guess I should expect that by now though. However, the beer is very pleasant tasting, and has a classic type taste for the Autumn season. Gotta love those yams! And it's strong, which is always a plus.

2. Hill Farmstead Autumn Saison - Belgian Farmhouse Ale  (2012?)
Brewed by Hill Farmstead Brewery, in Greensboro, VT. USA.

4 fl. oz. / 1 Ticket / 5.5% ABV

About: "Shaun Hill's 1'st Pumpkin Beer, brewed in collaboration with Jackie O's Brewing Co. and Grassroots Brewing after years of goading from Will Myers. A simple malt bill provides an orange hue. Ben's Pumpkins from Snug Valley Farm provided the requisite squash. The goal: A complex Belgian style pumpkin ale with little to no spicing."

Thoughts: This beer is a very light orange color, especially light compared to the rest actually, but it's still a pretty orange. Kinda murky too. The head was tiny and not condensed at all.

There's a lot of malt in the scent, and it's very straightforward. An underlying Belgian yeast comes up from the back, but overall everything here seems pretty light.

The taste is pretty damn sour. It's very mushy tasting. It gets slightly peppery once that yeast kicks in, and once all the flavors mingle together the beer gets more of a fruity tone about it. Still pretty sour though.

Mouth is light and that sour tone brings on the puckering.

3. Stewart's Brewing Mischief Night - Pumpkin Ale (2012)

Brewed by Stewart's Brewing Company, in Bear, DE. USA.

4 fl. oz. / 1 Ticket / 5.5% ABV

About:  "Many innocent pumpkins met a gruesome fate so that you sadistic people could have your annual spiced treat. We hope you're happy! Straight from the mind of the ‘Beer Admiral’ himself. Head Brewer Rick Hoffman presents a ‘traditional’ spiced pumpkin ale. Rick added over 10 lbs of pumpkin per barrel. Brewed with a touch of Maize for softness, and to fit the harvest spirit. Spiced with a custom blend of whole botanicals including Cinnamon, Ginger, Allspice, Cloves and Nutmeg."

Thoughts: Mischief Night. What a cool name huh? This one poured a reddish-orange with a minimal haze to it. One of the filtered offering of the venue perhaps. The head was pretty frothy, yet faded quickly.

This beer smells really sweet. Kind of like spiced apples, or strawberry syrup! Really cool.

The taste is unique. It's rich and malty, but with a weird kind of tang to it. Not bad at all. It's sweet, spicy and has a a mild sourness to it that creeps up on you.

It's pretty frothy. I'm sure the corn brings it back from being a total malt bomb, but the more you sip this one the sweeter it gets. Is that cloying sweetness? It's a very interesting brew, that's for sure.

4. Elysian Headless Horsey - Pumpkin Brett Beer (2011/2012?)

Brewed by Elysian Brewing Company, in Seattle, WA. USA.

8 fl. oz. / 4 Tickets / 6.7% ABV / SPECIAL TAPPING: 2 PM!

About: "100% Brettanomyces-fermented Pumpkin Ale brewed with Pale and Wheat malts and unmalted wheat. With some time to age, it has become more of an elegant thoroughbred than drayhorse. The inspiration for this beer? They thought of the name first, and knew they had to brew it." What the hell kind of description is that?

Thoughts: Headless Horsey poured a super cloudy auburn orange hue with no head whatsoever, which was weird.

And speaking of weird, this one smells weird as shit too! It's very tart, kinda like pineapple juice. Pineapple juice... and funk. Yeah. Not incredibly pleasant.

The taste is a sour pineapple hit to the mouth. Whew! This is a strange ass beer, man. I'm not really diggin' it all too much. And by the looks of things, the people that just got this brew before me aren't really into it either. There's a lot of strange WTF faces around and some not too flattering banter on this one.

This is the funkiest one so far. Like watered down juice with a double extra tart thrown in, and a touch of funk.

5. Cambridge Brewing Valley Ghoul - Scotch Ale with Pumpkin and Heather Flowers (2011)

4 fl. oz. / 2 Tickets / 8.5% ABV

About: "2011 Strong Scotch Ale with Pumpkins and local barley. Our Valley Girl series of local-ingredient-beers gets ghoulish with barley grown and malted in MA from our Valley Malt BSA. Super rich malt character presides over Pumpkin, Brown Sugar, Molasses, and Heather Flowers in the finish. Subtle, like a swift kick in the kilt. Adding pumpkins was a seasonal no-brainer, and a last-minute addition of heather flowers contributes subtle, delicate floral notes to this robust, malty beer. Enjoy, and Happy Halloween!"

Thoughts: Valley Ghoul poured a dark and gloomy raspberry red / orangy brown color and was very hazy. The head was small due to the pour but lasted a long while.

This smells Awesome! Wait, what the hell... bubblegum just came rushing in. Oh, and loads of booze! It's flowery, and well, just an insane mix of things going on. This is like a Bride of Frankenbeer.

The taste is hard caramel, molasses, and literally tons of brown sugar. This is some serious malt. It's intense. Very sweet, a little peppery, and then those Heather Flowers come in again and it's bubblegum booze.

There's a bit too much bubblegum for my liking, but I did enjoy the hell out of this one while it lasted. And I'm sure there's a market for a beer like this. A weird market.

6. Cambridge Brewing Kraftwerk - Belgian Tripel brewed with Pumpkins and Aged in White Wine Barrels (2011)

4 fl. oz. / 2 Tickets / 9.75% ABV

About: "Kraftwerk is brewed in the style of a Belgian strong ale known as Tripel, but to it we have added hundreds of pounds of pumpkin, along with a very subtle addition of assorted autumnal spices. After a very warm fermentation with our house Belgian ale yeast, Kraftwerk was sent to the CBC Barrel Cellar to age for several months in Sauvignon Blanc barrels where the beer transmogrified into a striking beverage like no other. The result is a classic version of a traditional Tripel, with subtle pumpkin flavors, and notes of oak and a white wine-like finish. The combination of esters from fermentation, barrel aging, and lingering wine character has created a beer with crazy fruitiness, a super dry and sparkling body, and a grape/stone fruit/tropical finish. Simply unlike any pumpkin beer you've ever had."

Thoughts: Werk poured a lighter yellowy orange color with a fluffed white top. The beer is of course quite hazy.

Scent is on the lighter side of things, but really interesting and inviting. It's fruity, and you get a big presence of that white wine. It's pretty cool. Smells a bit like fruit cocktail after a while. Nice.

This tastes excellent! You really get that mix of the oak and white wine straight away. There's a lot of ripe pear, mild squash, and a ton of fruitiness. The spices have all but been lost in the mix, and you wouldn't immediately think of this as a "pumpkin beer", but that flavor is still inherent to the beer. Only muted. Overall though this is a really interesting beer, it has some intriguing layers of taste and it's just "delightful".

7. Cambridge Brewing Fire and Brimstone - Cask-conditioned Ale with Chipotle Peppers and Cacao Nibs (2012)

4 fl. oz. / 2 Tickets / 6.66% ABV

About: "S.A.T.D cask-conditioned with Ancho, Chipotle, and Habanero Peppers, plus Cinnamon Sticks, Cacao Nibs, and Dried Pumpkin Flakes. Rich, chocolaty, smokey and maybe a little hot. You have no one but yourself to blame!"

Thoughts: Yeah, I suppose after that I may as well hit up the beer with the Habaneros in it. Why the hell not wreck the palate after that whimsical brew above.

This beer is dark. It smells harsh. There's tons of chilies in this. A smile, comes to my face.

That's hot. Not only is this beer just spicy as all hell on the first gulp, but it's got a creeper quality about it too, because halfway through that burn is just rushing in and doesn't let up. There's a nice mingling of flavors going on here. The chocolate really takes a backseat to the peppery flavor and the smoke, and for that I am thankful.

Fire and Brimstone is super tasty, has a slight tartness to it, is rich, malty and brings the heat. Did I taste the dried pumpkin flakes? Nah... but whatever.

8. Elysian The Gourdfather - Pumpkin Barleywine (2012)

4 fl. oz. / 2 Tickets / 11.2% ABV

About: "The Gourdfather is a Pumpkin Barleywine you can’t refuse, mellowing with age but still reminding you who’s boss. A veritable pushcart of malt bill brings Pale, Munich, Cara-hell, Cara-vienne, C-15 Crystal and Pumpkin Seeds up against a rival neighborhood armed with Magnum hops. Keep your friends close and your enemies closer."

Thoughts: Gourdfather poured an auburn red, honey like color with a foamy white head atop.

This smells like red wine. Ah, memories. There's a super strong barley flow to this one, but at the same time the hops and seeds give off this weird otherworldly type scent to it. It smells slightly acidic and maybe a little bitter. It's pretty cool.

The taste is unexpectedly more sweet than I had expected. It was a bit of a shock. There's not much of that red wine vibe in the taste, but rather a booming slam from those malts. It's slightly tart, there's a heavy dose of dark fruit, plums especially, and a lot of sweetness. After a while some caramel notes start to come out and it gets a little twang from that fruitiness and the hops.

Despite being so heavy and rich, this is some easy drinking.

9. Iron Hill Ichabod - Imperial Pumpkin Ale (2012)

Brewed by Iron Hill Brewery, in West Chester, PA. USA.

4 fl. oz. / 2 Tickets / 9.5% ABV

About: "This extra strong spicy Belgian Pumpkin Ale is truly a beer from the farm. It is unfiltered with a beautiful burnt orange color. Ichabod’s nose is filled with flavors of the harvest including Clove, Allspice, Cinnamon, and Nutmeg. The palette is sweet with hints of Roasted Pumpkin, and Caramel. There is a warming finish that is both fruity and aromatic. Over 6 pounds of pumpkin per barrel were added right to the mash. Drink enough and you’ll lose your head too!"

Thoughts: This beer poured a semi-dark auburn haze that's blood orange in color. The head was extremely minimal.

I'm picking up scents of light bubblegum (again!?), toasty malt, a little bit of booze. The spices are light, and aside from that roasted tone to it, it seems pretty mild.

Well, it tastes a bit rubbery. It's malty and the spices are indeed light. Not really too interesting of a beer. It's kind of got this burnt embers mixed with old He-Man toys going on. I've tasted beers with similar problems, and this one isn't too offensive in that area, but it's there. This beer is very boozy, but it's also pretty meh.

Mouth on this one is slightly drying, but I have been ingesting good dose of cinnamon throughout the day. Not to mention that oak. But the drying is just starting to hit after this one particularly so take that into consideration.

10. Stewart's Brewing Gourdzilla - Pumpkin Ale (2012)

8 fl. oz. / 4 Tickets / 8.666% ABV / SPECIAL TAPPING: 4 PM!

About: "This Monstrous Pumpkin Ale is brewed with Radioactive Pumpkins grown at a secret location in the South Pacific, and fermented with Genetically Modified yeast. Gourdzilla is sure to please even the most finicky pumpkin zombies, and still have time to lay waste to Tokyo in its spare time."

Thoughts: Radioactive Pumpkins huh?

Gourdzilla poured a honey gold with orange tones, and featured a frothy light beige head on top. This one's got the biggest head out of all the beers so far. Huh. Must be that "Genetically Modified Yeast"!

The smell starts off with a "traditional" Imperial Pumpkin Ale style scent, which is promising since none of the other beers so far have had this. Spices are present, but a little light, and I can actually smell the water in this one. It's nice.

The taste is very peppery up front. This one isn't too sweet, not too bitter, and while the taste is rich and savory, it feels a little light. There's no kick to this beer, and that's a bit unfortunate. It's the closest thing to tasting pumpkin out of this lineup though, and it's still pretty good.

I guess everything in some way will always be compared to Pumking. If this one had a longer linger to it and a spicier kick, it could very well compete.

11. Cambridge Brewing Grey Ghost - Belgain-Style Double White Ale with Grey Ghost Pumpkins (2012)

12 fl. oz. / 3 Tickets / 6.75% ABV

About: "300 pounds of Grey Ghost heirloom pumpkins from Sylvan Nursery flavor this strong version of a traditional Belgian White Ale, along with Orange Peel, Coriander, and Grains of Paradise. Freshly chopped and shredded, the pumpkin is added to a mash of Pilsner and wheat malt, raw wheat, and flaked oats and fermented with our house Belgian yeast."

Thoughts: Ghost poured a light gold, yellowy orange color. It's slightly hazy and the white head left a ring around the top of the brew for a long while.

The scent is sweet and tart, and of course that Belgian yeast is making an appearance. There's some mild zest and a gentle flow of spice to this one.

The taste, just like the last beer and many other pumpkin beers, is peppery at first. This one has got a heavy taste to it though from that mash. It's also very fruity on the tongue... that orange peel really brings some nice citrusy tones to the brew, and there's almost like a lemon lime thing going on. The wheat and grey ghost pumpkins really blend well and I think adding coriander was a nice choice.

It's slightly watery, and goes down smooth. 

To me, most of these beers are more of an experiment in brewing rather than what's normally classified as a "Pumpkin Ale". These are like "Ale with Pumpkin in it" instead. Of course, I didn't try anything that I have already tasted before when I went to this event. They had Pumking, DFH Punkin, Weyerbacher Imperial Pumkin, Heavy Seas and a slew of others. I forgot to try Wormtown's offerings, but I'm not going to cry over it. What I really wanted to try was the Ultra-Rare Allagash Ghoulschip (a Barrel Aged Sour Pumpkin Ale brewed on Halloween night 2008 and aged in oak!), but they were tapping that at 8 PM and I wasn't going to stay that long. They tapped the Avery Rumpkin about forty-five minutes after I left as well, but I just drank that a few days ago.

I had a real mellow time at this extremely festive event. The overly large Pumpkin Ravioli was a really sweet and good tasting dish, though I should have saved some cash and ate a Sausage with Pumpkin Mustard outside. And it would have been a lot more comfortable it I wasn't rushed off of my table, but they've got time limits set up so I don't really give a fuck. Plus it was hot in there. It was just the hovering that bugged me. I also would have liked the Pint Glass to have the pumpkin design from their previous logo above. It looks a lot more sinister with that jagged mouth. Will I ever go to another one of these? Probably. Will I do reviews? Not sure. I would of loved to have drank tons of Pumking on tap and chased it with Rumpkin, but hey, I like trying the new shit. Maybe next time. Hopefully there will be more Totally Hot Babes for me to

Mixing Brews #4

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale (2012) "VS" Cape Anne's Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout (2012)

WHAT'S GOIN' ON: DFH Punkin Ale has a lot of hardcore fans, it's a fact. Personally, I think they (Dogfish Head) make a lot of other beers that are far superior to this seasonal. I still enjoy a few bottles whenever it comes around, but it's by no means a holy grail of pumpkin ales. I've tried Fisherman's Imperial Pumpkin Stout last year and it was a pretty cool experience. How their "regular" version of this brew holds up, I do not know... and I probably won't know, since I'm mixing it with the Punkin for my first try. Oh well. Both of these brews clock in at a respectable 7% ABV, and are regulars this time of year for languishing on the singles shelf. So why the hell not?

HOW IT WENT DOWN: I couldn't stop smelling that Punkin once I popped the cap off the bottle. It's wondrous. I stood there with my nose in the bottle for about a minute straight. The Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout smells pretty good too... you definitely get that pumpkin, but there's a half and half with a coffee scent.

These two beers have quite a similar density as the stout just creeped right in and blended with the brown ale. The final result is a pretty deep brown, but while dark in tone, it's still a really clear beer mix. A lot clearer than I thought it would be actually. Head was minimal, though I poured carefully and had a few issues.

Well, that coffee comes through first, dominating the scent. It pretty much drowns out the spices from the other beer, and in itself for a while. There's a pumpkin mash in the background, and the spices have all but been subdued. It smells a little bit like Dr. Pepper now. Weird.

Taste is very smokey. Minimal bite. There's a gentle bitterness, and a toasty, roasted note throughout the whole thing. It's not terribly exciting. The smokiness from the cloves and that roasted coffee are really battling it out here, and neither one is winning. It's a stalemate. And speaking of stale, well, quite frankly this all tastes a bit like day old coffee with a shot of cough syrup in it. It's mildly spicy, but that shit fades instantly!

Mouth is a bit thin, and slightly frothy. It's also flat feeling too, which is weird since both bottles pretty much exploded when I opened them up. Must have let out all the carbonation. Huh.

This one is going to get a great big MEH! from me. I'm not the biggest fan of coffee flavored stouts to begin with, especially the weaker versions, and also brown ales aren't really my thing. So perhaps I'm getting the worst of both worlds here. It just tastes rather bland. Heavy clove, stale coffee, extremely mild cinnamon and a touch of sour pumpkin flesh. Consider this Experiment, failed. At least the DFH Punkin smelled really good.

Dogfish Head Raison D'Extra

Dogfish Head Raison D'Extra - Ale brewed with raisins (2007)

Limited Release (On Hiatus Brew)

12 fl. oz. / $8.69 USD / 18.5% ABV

About: "A bigger, bolder version of our Raison D'Etre. This is a bulbous, brown ale brewed with a bunch of malt, brown sugar and raisins."

Thoughts: D'Extra poured out an seriously thick and cloudy purple-ish brown color that left my glass in a muddy water type state. The surprisingly light head came to a sliver upon the early pour and then faded just as fast as I could snap a few shots.

First hit on the nose and unholy shit is this stuff strong! Raisins, molasses, brown sugar, caramel, and of course... the BOOZE! I think I caught a buzz of that first whiff. Almost like a cinnamon way in the background but not really... maybe cloves.

Very fucking bready with a fierce hitting mild brown sugary spice. Booze warms immediately, and puts a total haze into the throat. It's overly sweet and incredibly indulgent, yet that brown sugar slowly grips it and pulls it back into a gentler softness that rides out smoothly. In-credible.

This beer is pretty thick feeling and very syrupy. You gotta swallow this beer twice just to get it all down.

It's a good thing these are only sold in one packs, though at the same time, that's also quite irritating. Give it a big bottle for that price at least. It left me craving more. I wonder when DFH is going to brew more of this one. I'm unsure if this 2007 bottle is from the last batch they brewed, but it could quite possibly be as people all over the net have been drinking these lately and the trail ends there.

Alchemist, Ninkasi and Stone More Brown Than Black IPA

Alchemist, Ninkasi and Stone More Brown Than Black IPA (2011)

Collaboration Brew (Bottled by Stone Brewing Co., in Escondido, CA. USA)
Limited Release (Brewed Once)

12 fl. oz. / $3.59 USD / 7.4% ABV

About: "Stone Brewing Co. is proud to announce its fifth and final 2011 collaboration beer. Proceeds from the sale of this beer will be donated to the Waterbury Good Neighbor Fund, dedicated to rebuilding Waterbury, Vermont – hometown of The Alchemist Pub and Brewery. Malts: Maris Otter Pale, Light Munich, Carafa III Special Dark, and CaraHelles / Hops: Super Galena hop extract for bittering, Nelson Sauvin and Delta for flavor,  dry-hopped with a blend of Citra and Galaxy."

Thoughts: Popped the cap with a loud fizzy hiss and a ton of smoke poured out. The creamy light tan head was massive at first and it took a while to get all of the beer into this glass. Color of the pour was sort of a dark raspberry brown that settled into a slightly darker version of itself. TONS of sediment drift in dark space.

This smells very boisterous. There's a strong citrus hoppiness, and it's slightly piney as well. The scent is strong, cold and absolutely delightful.

The taste is exactly like the smell. There's a little bit of more of a roasted chocolate-like malt overlay on the hops, especially as it warms. It's all a little bit tangy, with a slightly sour after effect. There's a bit of musk. Aside from that it's not really overwhelming in any way, nor is it tame. It's an interesting mix between a brown ale and black IPA, but taste-wise I'm going to have to say that it's about average for a night's brew. A great collaboration and representation of the style, nonetheless.

The feel is a little bit frothy, but everything flows smoothly and is crisp.

Many brown ales and just a few black IPA's have been tough for me to get into so just take my rating of average with a grain of salt. It could very well be slightly above average compared to a lot of other similar beers. I'm still looking at two other collabs they've done that are on the shelf now. I'm not thrilled this time around... but I'm not disappointed either.

Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Ale

Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Ale (2012)

Limited Release (Brewed Once)

25.4 fl. oz. / $13.39 USD / ?% ABV (BA says 5.6% which seems accurate)

About: "A Collision of Crazies! Rogue Ales has collided with Voodoo Doughnut to create Bacon Maple Ale! This unique artisan creation contains a baker’s dozen number of ingredients including bacon and maple syrup from one of Voodoo’s signature doughnuts. Malts: Briess Cherrywood Smoked Malt, Weyermann Beechwood Smoked Malt, House-Smoked Hickory Malt, Great Western 2-Row, Munich, C15 and C75. Hops: Perle and Sterling. Yeast and Water: Pacman Yeast and Free Range Coastal Water. Specialty: Applewood-Smoked Bacon, Pure Maple Flavoring."

Thoughts: Voodoo Doughnut poured a grainy burnt amber / slightly orange color with a massive bubbly white head atop.

Oh wow! This smells just like maple syrup. It's insane. It's really hard to get anything else aside from this syrup as it smells just disgustingly strong. The applewood bacon follows in the background, but it's not the smell of cooked bacon really, but instead the smell of it right when you cut open a package.

The taste is absolutely nothing like the smell at all. It's very, very malty with a ton of smokey wood flavor. It's a little doughy too. Mainly though, what I'm getting is heavy smoke, wood and some rather unexciting malt flows. The maple and bacon make way for a decent aftertaste that's long lasting and isn't bad at all... but that smoke-bomb really clouds up the mouth. The warmer it get and the more you drink it, the more bitter it becomes. Agonizingly bitter even, for something that smells so sweet.

Mouth feel is extremely thin. It's weird after smelling such heavy syrup that it was become a light and fluffy watery affair.

The bacon is hidden pretty well, but once you taste the beer and then smell and taste it again at the same time you get a hint of it. It's in the background, just lingering around. I've never had a maple bacon doughnut from Voodoo, but I did see them featured in a show on the travel channel and the place looks interesting to say the least. Personally, I don't eat doughnuts. I've never been a pastry guy. When I was a kid I hated cake and never wanted it at my birthdays (in fact, I destroyed quite a few of them)... I always liked ice cream way more! To me, doughnuts are just bland as fuck. And this beer tastes pretty damn bland too. It's a shame too. When I first smelt this I was so excited, but those scents are nearly nowhere to be found in the taste and the beer just comes off as pretty boring.

Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron

Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron (2011)

Year Round (Standard Release)

12 fl. oz. (x3) / $11.97 USD / 12.0% ABV

About: "An unfiltered, unfettered, unprecedented brown ale aged in handmade wooden brewing vessels. The caramel and vanilla complexity unique to this beer comes from the exotic Paraguayan Palo Santo wood from which these tanks were crafted. Palo Santo means "holy tree," and its wood has been used in South American wine-making communities. At 10,000 gallons, our Palo tank is the largest wooden brewing vessel built in America since before Prohibition (and we have two same-sized oak tanks right next to it). Food Pairing Recommendations: Steak, chorizzo sausage, cajun cuisine, farmhouse cheddar / Glassware Recommendation: Pint / Wine Comparable: Oak-aged cabernet."

Thoughts: Poured black as night with a two-inch sparkling tan head.

Wow. This smells awesome! And really good too. Unique. The scent that this Paraguayan Palo Santo wood gives this brew is quite simply remarkable. Light caramel and vanilla. This reminds me of the California beaches at night, sitting around a toasty bonfire drinking beers. This smells of the air those nights. I wish the beer I was drinking back then smelled like this too.

I got a variety of malty tastes before that high alcohol flooded in. Cherries, dark fruits, roasted caramel covered Smores, that Palo Santo Wood, then a light blasting haze of blinding alcohol fume. I love it. This is what I want in a beer. A great smokey, woody taste that's sweet and savory, with a high tint of powerful liquor that blends in at just the right amount. Three beautiful stages of agonizing bliss.

Foamy, tingling, with a little bit of a sting.

This beer is Fantastic. Absolutely Fantastic! I don't usually sip beer all too much, but there's no way in hell this beer can be gulped or chugged. It's just so rich and flavorful. Not to mention it's got a kick that'll knock you on your ass if you even try. I drank this one only moderately cold and let it warm as I sipped it. Perhaps I'll try one of the last from my three pack at room temperature just to see what happens (and I think I'll stick on in the closet for a year - it I can wait that long). Though a lot heavier than the others I've ever tried, this is by far the best Brown Ale I've ever had. Aftertaste is almost like I just ate rib-eye steak with red wine.

Goose Island Christmas Ale

Goose Island Christmas Ale - An American Brown Ale (2011)

Brewed and bottled by Goose Island Beer Company, Chicago, IL. USA.

Winter Seasonal (Limited Release)

12 fl. oz. / $3.50 USD / 6.2% ABV

About: "Specialty Belgian malts create a deep garnet color and a truly rich old European flavor in our classic Christmas Ale. And the generous amount of crystal hops adds that extra spicy aroma to your pint, perfect for a wintry night. Our Christmas Ale brings good tidings and joy to each Holiday Season. A two-time Gold Medal Winner in the World Beer Championships. Hops: Crystal, Changes year to year / Malt: Pale, Munich, Caramel"

Thoughts: This is my first Goose Island beer. Poured a super dark raspberry that's thick and hazy with a slightly yellowish eggshell head that was puffy and long lasting.

Not getting much of a scent at all. Very minimal caramel and brown sugar. It's slightly malty, and I'm not getting any hops.

Hmm. Am I drinking this too early? The back states that it "develops in the bottle up to five years". It's pretty cold, but I'm not getting anything. It's a little bitter, a little chocolaty with a hint of prune juice. All of this is very hard to taste, mind you. Not getting any spices, just a little bit of pine tree (is that the Christmas flavor?).

I'm feeling bitter citrusy hop taste on the very back of my tongue, and not much else. It's a little bit drying.

Yeah, I don't know what it is with me and Brown Ales, but I just can't seem to get into them. This one reminds me of Sierra Nevada's Tumbler. There's nothing wrong with the brew at all... it's a good quality and enjoyable ...it's just not evoking any particular responses in my brain. For $3.50 for a twelve ounce... it's way too expensive for what it is.

It's got a seasonal flair about it, but doesn't remind me of Christmas one little bit. Allover it's fairly weak. Too bad because the beer itself looks beautiful, and not to mention that the label is very nicely done.

Anthony1138's Pumpkin Brown Ale

Anthony1138's Pumpkin Brown Ale (2011)
Homebrewed and Bottled by Anthony1138 over at Eat the deaD!
Home Brewed.
12 fl. oz. / $N/A USD / 4.9% ABV

About: Movie fiend. Beer fiend. Fiend in general? General Fiend... All salute! Generally Fiendish in nature... but all around a cool 80's kid who knows what's worthwhile in life. What can I say about a guy as laid-back cool as Anthony, from the blog Eat-the-deaD? I can say that we've got a lot in common. We were both born in the same era. We both love pumpkin beer and Italian horror films (particularly the one's of Fulci and Argento, and of course Burial Ground[who doesn't love that flick?]... oh, and Jean Rollin too!). We're both necrophiliacs who love jello shots out of the ombligos of sticky stiff girls. And we're both completely in of our fuckin' minds!

Thoughts: Poured a dark, dark brown with a small fizzy off-white head that dissipated quickly.

Smells really good. Very natural and nothing off about it. It also seems pretty mellow. Cloves, nutmeg and cinnamon are all in harmony here. Nothing overpowering the other in terms of scent. Smells a little malty as well. Getting some allspice once it warms up, little bit of a Chinese five spices thing going on.

Well the taste is certainly more powerful than the smell. It seems to change flavors as you drink it. Along with the heavy clove and nutmeg, I'm getting a little black licorice and a faint taste of coffee. There's a slight smokey flavor and just a drop of sour mash in there. Cinnamon takes a back seat to the malt and very light hops.

Mouth feel is about a full medium with very minimal carbonation. It's a little filmy, like silk, and not as grainy as I usually like. It's a little watery, but it doesn't feel like water. I can't recall the carbonation, and that's the hardest thing I've had to think about with this one.

This is a brew along the lines of Post Road's Pumpkin, or a lighter version of Dogfish Head's Punkin. It's not a sweet brew at all, but it is spicy. Bitterness is pretty light and well evened out. It's a very good spiced beer, that isn't subtle at all. For me, it could use another pound of earthy pumpkin... and I wonder what it would have tasted like if Belgian Candi Sugar was incorporated. I say go all out next time and go Pumpkin Pie flavor all the way.

I'm not really good with Brown Ales. Don't know why, but out of the few that I've been trying lately, I've not had the best of experiences. For this one though, I'd like to thank Eat-the-deaD for giving me my very first taste of a home brewed beer. Hop-fully, someday, I'll be at your level!

Anthony1138's Pumpkin Nut Brown Ale 2 (2012)
Home Brewed.
12 fl. oz. / $N/A (Gift) / 4.9% ABV

About: "The pumpkin is the same basic recipe as last year, but it's all grain this time. I cut down the chocolate malt and used more pumpkin. Also, I used a different yeast that's better suited for nut browns. It's from Yorkshire, some say it's Sam Smith's strain or close to it. I personally like this year's better, but would like to try dialing in the spices better next time around."

Second Thoughts: Poured a dense, foggy dark brown with a one finger bubbly light-tan head that popped away after about a minute. Looking at the top of the beer I notice a lot of small bubbles popping once they reach the surface.

The scent is definitely amped up from the last time. Tons of allspice in the initial smell when that cap popped off. Massive amounts. Chinese five spice blend comes through in a flood, nutmeg and cloves, a lot of licorice on the back of it. It starts to smell like a mischievous root beer after a few minutes of leaning in and out.

The frosty dark malt base slowly floods in and it's pretty heavy. Way in the background there's a prickly fruity note and something like a creamy sugar. A lot of tickling hazy spices roam around the tongue before slowly fading away and leaving a blast of black licorice, allspice and nutmeg. Ginger is hiding out in the background, as is the attributes from those hops that hit just right at the last second. This isn't a sweet beer at all, but there's a hint of it here. Not sour at all, but fairly bitter all around. It's very earthy, raw, a little grassy, with a heavy touch of smoke and what seems as if there would be a dry haze but it's not drying at all. A little bit of roastyness in the aftertaste.

Mouth feel is carbonated and puffy at first, and then afterwards leaves a silky like film all over the inside of your mouth and teeth.

A real big shoutout to Anthony, wherever he is. The dude is amazing and truthfully nobody has ever done something this cool, sending me beers these two times like this. I appreciate your work my fiend. Thank you.

Sierra Nevada Tumbler

Sierra Nevada Tumbler - Autumn Brown Ale (2011)

Autumn Seasonal (Limited Release)

12 fl. oz. /  $1.69 USD/ 5.5% ABV

About: "Sierra Nevada uses malt within days of roasting at the peak of its flavor to give Tumbler a gracefully smooth malt character. Two-row pale, crystal 40, chocolate and smoked malts give it a malty complexity. Challenger hops in the boil add balancing bitterness, while more Challengers and some Goldings give just enough hop flavor in the finish to balance all that malt."

Thoughts: Poured a dark hazy cherry red, medium brown with a light brown bubbly head and a little bit of frothiness.

Hmm. Well, it does smell like autumn, fallen leaves actually. I'm getting very light malt characteristics. Kinda chalky, but everything seems so faint.

The taste is a little more like it. It's not as good as their Pale Ale, and if it were like that brew it would be a lighter version. There's a hint of the recipe in there, but this one is more nutty and toasty. Gets a little bit sour towards the end. It's not really caramel or toffee and not coffee even... brown sugar perhaps, but very little of it. It's smokey and mild.

Seems medium but it's rather thin and very drinkable. There's not much of a tingle from anything factoring in.

It's all very mild. All of it. The smell, the taste, the feel. Until now I haven't met a Sierra Nevada that I've been particularly displeased with. It's not a horrible beer by any means, but it's not up to par with their other brews that I've gotten used to. Hopefully they'll be reworking this next year, or the year after to give it more of a lasting impression. In the end, for me, it's a bit too "gracefully smooth".