St. Bernardus Abt 12

St. Bernardus Abt 12 (2013)
Year Round Brew.

11.2 fl. oz. / $5.99 USD / 10% ABV

About: "Shortly after the Second World War, the Trappist Monastery St.Sixtus in Westvleteren was looking for somebody to commercialize their beer because they did not want to do that themselves anymore. They gave a license to the cheese factory, and Brewery St.Bernard was founded. The brew master from Westvleteren, Mathieu Szafranski (from Polish origin) became a partner in the brewery and brought along the recipes, the know-how and the St.Sixtus yeast strain. We started selling the Trappist beers under the brand names Trappist Westvleteren, St.Sixtus or even later Sixtus. During a period of 46 years we brewed and commercialized the beers while the monks continued to brew for themselves and for sales to 3 pubs in the neighborhood, amongst which In De Vrede, just next to the monastery. In 1992 the license came to an end and since then we are brewing the same beers, with the same recipes, but under a different brand name: St.Bernardus."

Thoughts: Abt 12 poured a chestnut brown, raspberry color with a huge beige head full of tiny bubbles. As I hold the beer up to the light I see an absolute ton of sediment flake floating like asteroids all throughout space. The head hasn't diminished in about two minutes so far and I don't think it ever will. 

The scent on this one is beautiful. There's intense plum like dark fruits, a sugary sweetness, peppery spices, a little bit of clove, and it smells a little like a rum cake. Just like the other St. Bernardus beers, that gorgeous yeast profile just flows forever through it. To sum up the smell on this one in a single word it would be candy. Swirl the glass and it erupts upward into the nostrils, delivering a minor sting of what's to come.

First sip and it's so rich, incredibly flavorful, and damn smooth. The alcohol immediately warms the insides, but is hidden extremely well inside the mouth. It tastes sweet like brown sugar and leaves a cold tickling haze like a clove cigarette. Tons of spice ravages the tongue and inner cheeks, and a swift kick at the end spirals through the bloodstream drilling into the brain. Man, this stuff is sweet. Those European hops are doing one hell of a job trying to hold it back too. Fruit like flavors bounce all over the place, showing up in random spots kinda like fireworks going off. There's caramel apple, fresh sliced pear covered in cinnamon and black pepper, grape must, ripped open raw fig, and even some nearly spoiled banana. While the sweetness here hits a high peak, spiking high above the spice and bitter departments at one point, all three of those things are blended superbly here.

Mouth feel is soft and fuzzy, and leaves a thick coating on the teeth. After a while the mixture of the alcohol strength, peppery yeast and grassy hops give way to a drying sensation and a grainy yet enjoyable aftertaste. Abt 12 has no doubt earned its spot in the back of my fridge.

Lagunitas SUCKS and A Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale

Lagunitas SUCKS - Brown Sugga' Substitute Ale (2013)

Winter Seasonal (Dec/Jan)

6 Pack (72 fl. oz.) / $10.99 USD / 7.85% ABV

About: "AKA Holiday Ale. This beer was originally brewed in 2011 as a Brown Shugga’ substitute, due to construction-induced capacity issues in our facility. However, we liked it so much it had to make a return trip. Net contents: Ounces and ounces of Malt, Hops, Yeast and water."

Thoughts: SUCKS poured a golden light orange with quite a bit of yellow in there. The head was huge to build but eventually popped down to a sliver that coated the top of the brew evenly. Lots of lacing as is usual with Lagunitas stuff. The beer is clear and clean looking.

This is by far one of the best smelling beers I've ever had the pleasure of holding up to my nose for an hour. It smells like tropical fruit juice candy!!! Absolutely amazing, and the scent is huge too. Nothing is hiding here. It's smells strong, and fresh, and just fucking glorious. Grapefruit and pineapple sexin' it up and oozing that love juice all over the damn place. The dank on it is so sweet that it's sticky and man, if this beer came in a smokable version... you know what I'm sayin'. ;)

Very nice balance on the taste. It's got a smooth as all hell light-malt base that's sweet and soothing while the hops bleed all over the tongue and engulf the mouth with their resiny presence. This beer is a complete blast of flavor from the moment it hits your lips and it just lasts forever, fading out ridiculously slow and never completely. Which is a great thing too, because you won't want this beer to end. It's got a peppered spiciness to it, it's bready, has the perfect amount of sweetness complimented by what could be overwhelming hop strength... but the hop strength is perfect. Just at the edge of being too much, the bitterness falls back at the exact right time and it's just beautiful. It's hazy, dank, and blissful to drink. This has to be one of the best beers I've ever had (good thing I got six and there's more at the stores), and I don't usually come out and say it but I'm giving SUCKS a near perfect beer score.

SUCKS is seriously drinkable, just as it is enjoyable to sip or take small gulps with. I could easily drink about twelve of these and it would be pure ecstasy. It's hard to think of a more accessible near-8% ABV brew from Cali that's easily obtainable and worthwhile. The question I'm asking myself right now is this: If SUCKS is so damn good, and it's a substitute ale for Brown Shugga', then how fucking good is that beer!? I've yet to drink it, so somebody let me know. NOTE: I think I read the other day that this beer has just gone full time. Congrats, SUCKS. Being a substitute sucks, and being a replacement ain't the greatest thing either, but getting a year round release without usurping another brew? That's some popularity.

Lagunitas A Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale (2013)

Brewed and Bottled by Lagunitas Brewing Company, in Petaluma, CA. USA.

(Un)limited Release (Year Round).

12 fl. oz. (x6) / $10.99 USD / 7.5% ABV

About: "Brewed with 50% Wheat Malt and all the "C" hops. This special ale is something fairly new under the sun. It's got a lot of wheat, it's rich with hops, it finishes dry. We've watched with some amusement as the internet beer rating sites argue over how to classify it. You ever notice how everything has to be today's version of yesterday's whatever. Well, whatever. Sometimes we wonder what the world would be like if everything was perceived for what it is, and now what it reminds you of. The sun would rise everyday as if for the first time, you'd wake as if newly born, you'd see your lover next to you anew, the air would smell like flowers, work would be like the first day back in school, a beer would make your eyes roll back in your head in ecstasy... well, maybe not. Made with: Hops, malt, Hops, Hops, Yearst, Hops, Water, and Hops."

Thoughts: A little Sumpin' Sumpin' huh? Jason Voorhees would not approve! Drank the first four of these while watching Friday the 13'th Part 3 in 3-D with those shitty blue and red glasses that came with the DVD. Talk about a headache. It was pretty shoddy business, but at the beer made it a little better. Too bad I didn't find "an eyeball!!!1" in my beer though. 

Little Slutty Slutty poured a very light yellow with a soft shade of orange in there. Kinda like honey actually, with a one and a half finger white bubbly head and tons of carbonation. The beer is crystal (lake) clear.

Nice, crisp aroma. Getting pears in heavy syrup, and a lot of wheat in the background. The beer has a sweet almost cider-like undercurrent to it, but in the forefront and dominating the scent is just sweet, tropical hops. Pineapple, mango, soft apples, and a hint of zest and peels.

Strong flavor here. Tons of hops up front. A dry sweetness implodes, and an extremely gentle bitterness expands throughout the mouth. Pucker up and suck in some air and you'll get a slap of heavier bitter cold and yes, some noticeable alcohol strength. Hops and zest set off a tingling effect on the tongue, it's a little bit stinging, bubbly and bittersweet. But it's a really sweet bittersweet, like butterscotch candy, only an alcoholic version of it. There's a lot of lemony zest all over the back end of this one too. As it warms the flavors intensify and it gets really crisp, tart and sweet, but never rough or too strong.

Mouth feel, well, it kind of numbs the tongue which is weird. It's got a gentle watery texture but the heavy carbonation makes it tough to swallow. This is a solid brew, and probably the best Wheat Beer that I've ever had. For a Pale Ale it sure is hop forward and glorious. I don't like it as much as their "Sucks" brew, but I could still drown in this one. I'd like to try the variations they have on this one, particularly the Wild Ale version, as I'd probably like that one a bit more.

Firestone Walker 15th Anniversray Ale

Firestone Walker 15th Anniversary Ale - A Blend of Barrel Aged Beers (2011)

Limited Release (Brewed Once)

22 fl. oz. / $24.99 USD / 12.5% ABV

About: "As a finished beer, XV is alive with amazing complexity and yet it is quite possibly the most integrated and seamless blend yet.

Looking at a blend of 8 beers on paper at first looks chaotic and potentially disjointed; however, a closer look reveals and interesting theme: 76% Barley Wine style beers, 19% Stout and 5% Imperial IPA. XV introduces our new blonde barley wine "Helldorado" with flavors of lavender honey liqueur. The well established "DDBA" delivers its signature American toasted oak, English caramel toffee and light leather nuances. 2010 vintage "Sticky Monkey" folds in brown sugar, maple, cinnamon, ginger and ripe figs. "Parabola" brings the familiar flavors of roasted dark coco, and chocolate covered cherries. "Velvet Merkin" carries silky milk chocolate, toasted coconut and creamy textures. "Good Foot" and "Bravo" add assertive barley wine warmth and lush barrel derived vanilla bean notes.  The game changer this year is the addition of "Double Jack" to the blend.  At just 5% its massive dry hop character brings citrus zest, tangerine and mango aromas making this a completely new beer.

The beer is unfiltered and unfined, so there will be a small amount of sediment in the bottom of the bottle.   XV is best enjoyed poured carefully into a half-filled brandy snifter or wine glass. Allow it to warm to 55F to fully enjoy the pleasing and complex aromas. As the beer sits and breathes in the glass, a richer, orange zested, chocolate dusted, vanilla custard character is reveled, so take your time. If you wait to open your bottle later, store it in a cool dark place. I suspect that this beer will age well and change favorably for years to come. It was an absolute pleasure in the making and I truly hope you enjoy our Sixth oak-aged blend!  Our journey continues and it’s just as fun and exciting now as it was back in 1996.

18% Helldorado (11.7% ABV) Blonde Barley Wine. (Buckwheat Honey and 100% El Dorado Hops)

17% Sticky Monkey (12.5% ABV) English Barley Wine. (Mexican Turbinado Brown Sugar)

17% Bravo (13.5% ABV) Imperial Brown Ale. (100% US Grown Fuggles Hops)

13% Double Double Barrel Ale (11.5% ABV) Double Strength English Pale Ale. (Double Version of Flagship)

11% Good Foot (14.3 ABV) American Barley Wine. (Copious amounts of American Grown Hops)

10% Velvet Merkin (8.6% ABV) Traditional Oatmeal Stout. (100% US Grown Fuggles Hops)

9% Parabola (13% ABV) Russian Imperial Oatmeal Stout. (Simcoe, Brao, Styrian Golding and East Kent Golding)

5% Double Jack (9.5% ABV) Double India Pale Ale. (Triple dry-hopped DIPA)"

Thoughts: I've never had a beer that came with a certificate before! Wow... cool shit.

XV poured a dark cherry color with a slightly brownish shade once it filled the glass. The head was minimal and very tan, and understandably faded quickly.

This beer smells absolutely beautiful. God damn... boozy dark fruits and dark chocolate predominate. It is wondrous. This is one fierce smelling barleywine man, I'll tell ya, and the really cool thing is with this blend that they've done this beer has a really awesome stout characteristic that comes in halfway through and a big hop profile at the end. Up front though it's really malty, heavy and dense smelling. In a word: Powerful.

First gulp and I am fucking blown away! You don't really get a ton of oak in the scent at first, but right off the tongue there's a massive sweet and delectable booze blow followed by a smooth woody finish. Second gulp now, this is pure insanity. The spice and flavor rolls around vertically in the mouth, constantly pounding down on the tongue like raindrops of ecstasy. It tingles, it's sticky, it's got a little bit of a harshness to it but it's not overly harsh and it falls back reasonably. It's slightly smoky. Tons of dark fruit, plum, raisins everywhere, figs, freshly fallen leaves, vanilla, Belgian chocolate, cinnamon, pepper... hints of cherry, cut grass, celery salt, mild coffee, red wine and hidden floral notes after it's swallowed. Oak is everywhere and leaves the mouth feeling as is there should be a few splinters in there after a short bit of drinking. This is some crazy shit!

The mouth feel is full, takes a while before it gets foamy, stinging, tickling and coats evenly leaving a massive amount of the gorgeous taste to linger for long periods between sips and gulps. Starts to get drying after a while, though not aggressively so. Nice feeling all around.

After warming for an hour this one gets really mellow. Slightly puckering effect with heavy booze, and yet, the booze isn't grossly overactive, but rather just explosive at first and fades so quick due that barrel aging that it's simply blissful. The price of this one hurt me at first, so much to the fact that I left it in the fridge for a few months. Tonight was the night, and unholy hell, what a fantastic night it has become! If you ever see this on the shelf, buy it!

In an act of courtesy, I offered a drink to my lady:

Me: "Hey, come over here and tell me what this smells like."

Her: "Uhg! I don't know but it's disgusting."

Well played.

Avery The Beast Grand Cru Ale

Avery The Beast - Grand Cru Ale - Batch 7 (2009)
Brewed and Bottled by Avery Brewing Co., in Boulder, CO. USA.

Yearly Extremely-Limited Release (August)

12 fl. oz. / $9.49 USD / 15.07% ABV

About: "The Beast is a seducer – accommodating, complicated, powerful, dark and created to last the ages. With a deep burgundy color and aromas of honey, nutmeg, mandarin orange and pineapple, this massive and challenging brew has flavors akin to a beautiful Carribean rum. Dates, plums, raisins and molasses are dominant in a rich vinous texture. Cellarable for 10+ years. The Beast is the first installment of “The Demons of Ale” series.

Hop Variety: Bravo, Magnum, Bullion, Sterling, Hersbrucker, Tettnang / Malt Variety: Two-row barley, Honey malt, Dark Aromatic, Pale wheat, Roasted wheat, Special B / Sugars: Dates, Molasses, Dark Belgian Candy Sugar, Colorado Honey, Raisins, Turbinado / Food pairing: Pineapple upside down cake pairs nicely with the sweet, rum-like flavors found in our Beast Grand Cru."

Thoughts: Avery's Beast poured redder than the devil's dick! An extremely murky burgundy, caramel toned, with a very light tan cream colored head of froth. The thickest lacing I've ever seen on a beer is going nowhere.

Fire and maniacal laughter. The smell of this thing is dangerously sweet and heavily intoxicating. Picked up dark fruits immediately: plums, raisins, dates. Then mainly caramel, sugar and booze... afterwards some honey and a shitload of molasses. And smores too.

This is some sinister shit right here! Hell fuckin' yeah. Indeed a fire is ignited in the belly upon consumption. Sugary sweet graham crackers fill the mouth, then a stinging booze tickles the throat just before the swallow and afterwards a blistering attack of dark fruits explode in every direction before a gentle tingle of burnt sugar and honey slowly ride out. It's got a rum taste, wine like finish, little bit of smoke from the fire being extinguished, lingering tropical fruity notes in the aftertaste while breathing in.

Mouthfeel is extremely smooth, and tingly.

I knew nothing about this beer before I picked it up, the only thing I knew is that it had been calling out to me from up on that shelf behind the counter, where the few bottles aren't in direct visibility. The last few weeks that I've been picking up swill, I can't help but look up and over there at it while I pay for my shit. This is my first beer from Avery Brewing, and after I looked on their website now I see that they're also the providers of this pumpkin beer Rumkin that's I've been hearing so much about. I. WANT. IT!

Sierra Nevada HoptimuM

Sierra Nevada HoptimuM - Whole-Cone Imperial IPA (2012)

Limited Selections.

12 fl. oz. (x4) / $10.56 USD / 10.4% ABV

About: "A group of hop-heads and publicans challenged our Beer Camp brewers to push the extremes of whole-cone hop brewing. The result is this: a 100 IBU, whole-cone hurricane of flavor. Simply put - HoptimuM: the biggest whole-cone IPA we have ever produced. Aggressively hopped, dry-hopped, AND torpedoed with our exclusive new hop varieties for ultra-intense flavors and aromas.

Bittering Hops: German Magnum / Aroma Hops: Simcoe and New Proprietary Variety / Dry Hops: Simcoe and New Proprietary Variety / Torpedo Hops: Citra and Chinook / Yeast: Ale / Malts: Two-row Pale, Golden Promise, Munich and Wheat."

Thoughts: HoptimuM poured out a vibrant pumpkin shade of orange with an incredibly white bubbly head that puffed up topped it off beautifully. The beer is nearly transparent, but an abundant amount of hop flakes are drifting through space here. It's really cool looking.

The scent, as always when it comes to Sierra Nevada, is their trademark classic quality craft-work. This one smells very similar to their Torpedo actually, only a slight bit amplified. It's incredibly fresh and rich. It doesn't climb up the nostrils furiously like Southern Tier's Gemini (gotta love it), but rather slowly fills the senses like being locked in a plate glass room filling with a sweet poisonous gas.

This brew has an incredible peppery hop spice to it. It starts out really sweet and maintains that malty sweetness throughout, and though it's got an immense bitterness that gradually intensifies after each swallow, both of these aspects contribute to what just may be the most superior beer ever created. Why debate it? After warming for a short bit, the blending of all components on display here are presented flawlessly. It's caramel candied hops with a smokey citrus finish. This may not be the absolutely best Imperial IPA I've ever had, but this is a top 10 beer material and there's no fucking doubt about it.

The mouth isn't all too heavy, but it's just a little sticky and that flavor coats well.

This beer is incredibly easy to drink. You can tell that there's a strength to it, but it's not outright an exclusively hop driven experience. The balance that it has achieved is actually quite remarkable, and the booze is well hidden. Don't worry, you can still taste and feel the booze, and it makes for a more exciting aspect to the brew overall, but it is a lurker. After buying a four pack and a three pack I went out and found another three pack and snatched it up with a few more bottles of Bigfoot. I'm sure in the next few days another four pack will be my possession. I am, addicted to this shit.

Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA

Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA - The Imperial India Pale Ale (2012)

Occasional Rarity (Limited)

12 fl. oz. / $9.99 USD / 15-20% ABV

About: "Too extreme to be called beer? 120 Minute IPA is brewed to a colossal 45-degree plato, boiled for a full two hours while being continuously hopped with high-alpha American hops, then dry-hopped daily in the fermenter for a month and aged for another month on whole-leaf hops! Clocking in at 15-20% ABV and 120 IBUs, 120 Minute is by far the biggest IPA ever brewed! It's easy to see why we call this beer THE HOLY GRAIL for hopheads! We brew 120 Minute IPA a few times a year, but it goes fast. If you find some grab a few bottles -- some to enjoy and some to age."

Thoughts: 120 Minute poured very hazy orange color with an off-white sliver of a head that faded rather quickly. As I hold the beer up to the light, I notice that this beer is grainy as The Gates of Hell. 

I don't think I've ever smelt anything this good... well, besides my fingers on the way home from my first date. The scent is complete and total sweetness, with an apparent and strong warning of alcohol fumes coming up from behind. It smells dangerous. Dangerously good that is!

Hot damn, this is some strong shit. Not only does it immediately warm, and leave a sting of agonizingly blissful poison, but it's just beautiful and sweet. I don't think I've ever had anything this strong that tasted this good. I think I'm in lust again. It tastes of incredibly beyond-sweet caramel at first, and just as those hops start to come through the looming shadow of booze darkens the palate before all the flavors at once mingle together. It gets very peppery.

The mouth feel is like........... Rock Candy!

To me, 120 Minute tastes like a barleywine (I see what you did there!), and I like that. I like that a fucking lot, actually. It's not uber hoppy as I had expected. Sierra Nevada's Bigfoot is a hell of a lot hoppier than this. In fact, the strong alcohol holds precedence over the other flavors while cold with its buzzing, cloudy haze. As it warms and you've been into it a bit, the alcohol blast dies down a it makes it even more of a wondrous experience. This beer is blended superbly, and those hops get a real time to shine and come through at the end of it all. They're still not over the top hop strong, but it doesn't matter as nothing fucks this beer up. Would I buy another bottle of this? Hell yeah I would.

Sierra Nevada Torpedo

Sierra Nevada Torpedo - Extra IPA (2011)

Year Round (Standard Release)

12 fl. oz. / $1.69 USD / 7.2% ABV

About: "Around here, we take hops pretty seriously, which is why we weren’t satisfied with the standard method of dry hopping for our first year-round IPA. We spent years tinkering, tasting, and tweaking ways to get the biggest and best hop flavors and aromas into our beer. Our persistence has paid off. Our obsession with harnessing huge hop flavor led to the development of what we call the hop torpedo, a revolutionary method of dry-hopping designed, built, and debuted here at the brewery. Our torpedo is a sleek, stainless-steel piece of hardware that delivers more pure hop aroma than any method of dry-hopping we’ve ever seen. Like all our beers, Torpedo Extra IPA uses only the best whole-cone hops possible making this delicious ale worth the wait. Malts: 2-Row Pale and Crystal / Bittering Hops: Magnum / Finishing Hops: Magnum and Crystal / Dry Hops: Magnum, Crystal and Citra."

Thoughts: Poured a bit of a light gold yellow that formed into a hazy, grainy, near-transparent auburn golden orange with a tad of red and a lighter orange off-white foamy head. There are several hundred suspended bits of hops in there, almost unnoticeable throughout the beer and a few carbonation bubbles rising up.

A classic Sierra Nevada scent. Beautiful hops that open nasal passages and create inner orgasmic mind flows. Grassy hops, earthy hops, sweet and semi-bittersweet hops. There's also some hops in there too.

Does Sierra Nevada ever disappoint? 'Fraid not, don't think so! Starts off really strong, but gets so smooth just afterwards. Bitter, but as it smooths out it gets even a little sweet. Solid hop bomb with a sweet finishing touch thanks to the minor malts here. Citrusy, piney and grassy while maintaining a fair balance and gentle fallback.

Very bubbly, a little bit thick and frothy yet goes down super smooth. Very pleasing on the tongue.

A very accessible strong IPA that exemplifies the beautiful all around taste that Sierra Nevada produces on a regular basis. These guys know... they just know, what tastes good. This brew is a heavy hitter, but with a softer side. Pleasing to all the senses, and fine, fine quality.

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.

Wachusett's LARRY Imperial IPA

Wachusett's LARRY Imperial IPA - The Publick House Series (2011)

Brewed and Bottled by Wachusett Brewing Company, in Westminster, MA. USA.
Rotating? (Limited Release)
22 fl. oz. / $5.59 USD / 7.5% ABV

About: "A Drinkable Imperial. We teamed up with our friends at the Publick House to create this 7.5% ABV, 85 IBU India Pale Ale, so you can enjoy it with yours. Amarillo, Chinook, Simcoe, Magnum, Centennial hops, American Two Row, Crystal and Munich Malts."

Thoughs: Poured a bright orange, with a bit of a yellow amber hue in the light. Huge white puffy head that must have stolen all the carbonation away. There's only a few bubbles in there halfway up, and rising every few seconds.

The smell is serious hops! Little piney, little floral, little grassy and all very sweet smelling. Like mandarin oranges. By definition, this is what an Imperial IPA should smell like. It's absolutely gorgeous! I'm ashamed to have held off so long. As I re-read this I notice it's taken me about seven minutes before I actually tasted it. It just smells so good.

These must be my favorite hops. All of them. Right here. Little bits of burnt buscuit malt fade in, followed by a mild spice on the tongue that later turns to a grassy after tone. Citrus hops bounce around the tongue upon breathing in. The spice gets a little stronger as it warms, but it's fast attacking and doesn't linger. Little bitter, little sweet, little girl I want to eat. The alcohol content, though not incredibly high, is super hidden too... just like the bodies in my basement.

It's quite a bit thick and creamy. Tastes so good that it just flows down. This brew doesn't retreat on you, either. It's sticking around. Is that what they call "syrupy"?

I can't really find any downside to this brew. It smells good, it tastes good, it feels good. Their site addresses this brew as a "drinkable imperial". Well, it's definitely that, and also a drinkable IPA as well. Very drinkable actually. Just smelling and tasting this reminds me of when I was a kid... ya know? Don't get me wrong, I wasn't drinking this out of my baby bottle or mum's tit (I don't think!?). No, I think about how when I was younger and I would smell a beer like this and hold back. I did not know then what I know now. Hey, give me some credit though, I was only five at the time. 

"Larry", you are one exceptional brew!

Hoppin' Frog Frosted Frog Christmas Ale

Hoppin' Frog Frosted Frog Christmas Ale (2011)

Winter Warmer (Seasonal)

22 fl. oz. / $8.89 USD / 8.6% ABV

About: "The essence of Christmas is captured in this very bottle you are holding. Perfectly blended spices compliment Frosted Frog’s rich malt flavors, creating the ultimate Christmas experience. Celebrate the holidays as you savor this very special seasonal offering."

Thoughts: Poured a super hazy mahogany with a light caramel head.

Fuck yeah! This is what I'm talking about. Smells just like fresh baked cinnamon rolls! And it's strong too. Man... after the previous Christmas brew disappointments, just the smell of this one alone beats the others straight out. I love it. Bread, sugar cookies, and pumpkin pie!

Malty with a hefty dose of cinnamon, nutmeg and a little bit of ginger. This tastes fuckin' excellent! There's a truckload worth of holiday spice in this, sweet brown sugar, a beautiful tinge of alcohol that circles around towards the end. It's got a great balance with the spice and malts, and it gets straight to the point. There's no subtle tones hiding around in this one for the connoisseurs... it's a straight up frosted mug blast over the dome of pure, unadulterated flavor! If you love pumpkin beers, you will no doubt love this! This beer kicks the ass of all other so-called Holiday brews. All Hail!

Medium thickness that you just want to savor and enjoy. Goes down relatively smoothly, but leaves a bit of a tickle on the tongue. Not that I mind it though, it's making me giddy.

Damn, I wish I could try their Barrel Aged version of this (though apparently it was only brewed once). I think this one tops their Double Pumpkin brew, which I too loved. Aftertaste is bready, malty and mild. The overwhelmingly awesome spice doesn't linger around once it's gone (cinnamon has this effect which can be distracting), instead, it lays low and blends in making it a very, very enjoyable feeling. Nothing is ever going to top this brew as a Christmas seasonal. Nothing!

Sierra Nevada Celebration Fresh Hop Ale

Sierra Nevada Celebration Fresh Hop Ale (2011)
Winter Seasonal (Limited Release)
12 fl. oz. / $1.69 USD / 6.8% ABV

About: "The long, cold nights of winter are a little brighter with Celebration Ale. Wonderfully robust and rich, Celebration Ale is dry-hopped for a lively, intense aroma. Brewed especially for the holidays, it is perfect for a festive gathering or for a quiet evening at home. Bittering hops: Chinook / Finishing and dry hops: Cascade and Centennial / Malts: Two-row Pale and English Caramel / Yeast: Top-fermenting Ale Yeast. Awards: Gold Medal Winner at: United States Beer Tasting Championship (IPA: 1994), Silver Medal Winner at: California State Fair (IPA: 1999), Great American Beer Festival (IPA: 2002)"

Thoughts: Poured a very clear golden amber orange with a fluffy, snowy head that lasted a little longer than some of their other brews.

Grapefruit citrus, like Ruby Red. Hops are popping all around. Little bit of pine. Man, this really takes me back. I remember the first time I bought a six pack of this, I don't know if it was 2003 or sometime around there, but I've never forgot how much I loved this brew. Back then I had never really had such a beer to this extreme.

Major hops hit at all corners of the mouth and back of the tongue, it's spicy and tingling, with a low level of malt that tries to sneak in and calm things down. Better luck next time malt! Oh malt, I'm just playin' with ya. Don't cry! The super subtle malt really does back it up nice... kinda like how Robin backs up Batman, that is!

There's a long bittersweet that sticks around at the end. It's very warming in the belly too.

If you're a hop head, you've probably already tried this. And if you haven't, this strong and easily found brew (later in the year) will either make you one, or totally break you down into buying another case of Amstel Light. Myself, I just finished a single 12 oz bottle off (gotta save up for the pricy stuff - doin' reviews here) and man do I feel good! This is my all time favorite Sierra Nevada brew.

Note: This is the start of my short but not-so-necessarily sweet Christmas Brew Review for 2011, to be summed up at an unknown later date and perhaps even discussed. This beer has always reminded me, not necessarily of Christmas, but of December, Snow and Festive times. I've always loved snowfall. Sometimes when I look around town in the later months and see everything covered with the stuff, my brain just automatically goes to that Celebration label. Then I think about how much fun I had the first night I drank that entire six pack alone in the dark...ness. Good fucking times man!

Innis and Gunn Rum Cask Oak Aged Beer

Innis and Gunn Rum Cask Oak Aged Beer (2011)
Brewed and Bottled by Innis and Gunn Brewing Co., in Edinburgh, Scotland. UK.
Year Round (Standard Release)
25.4  fl. oz /  $7.99 USD  / 7.4% ABV

Note: I first heard of Innis and Gunn beer from watching Simon of "Real Ale Guide" (Review Here), a reviewer on youtube whom I subscribe to. He's a lively young chap from the UK and he's got a Wife as cute as can be. (Gotta admit too, Ive been watching her channel a little more than his lately). His enthusiasm for their special Canada Day 2011 brew got me desperately wanting to try anything of theirs. Unfortunately, I couldn't find anything in all the stores which I traveled... until Now! Just as I was getting ready to have the hooch dealer order me a few bottles, there they were on the shelf. Let's see if it lives up to the heavy expectation.

About The Brew: "Malts: Golden Promise and Crystal / Hops: Phoenix. "We are delighted to present this unique limited bottling of Innis and Gunn finished in oak barrels which previously contained navy rum. Maturation in special oak barrels imparts Navy rums with the sweet, spicy character for which they are renowned. Every single drop spent half of that time in American oak barrels before being refilled into selected navy rum barrels to finish the lengthy maturation. Once the beer had absorbed the unique character the barrels were emptied, the beer blended and then maturation continued for a further 47 days until all of the flavors had married together and mellowed."

Thoughts: Pours a dark auburn red with a 3/4 inch chestnut head that fades in about thirty seconds. Carbonation bubbles rise slowly.

 

Wow... that smells strong. Roasted caramel, very nutty, somewhat fruity. I'm getting a lot of that oak overall.

Maybe I haven't gotten around much, but this tastes like nothing I've ever had before. The oak from those rum barrels, not to mention the rum itself from inside that oak, mixes in here and damn does it ever come off sweet. There's mellow spices at the end of each gulp. Vanilla, toffee, caramelized fruit... this is a beautifully complex brew with different flavors bouncing all over the place and all of them taste wonderful. It's like one of those fruit and nut breads, or pies, only liquified. This is honestly one of the best beers I ever drank. 

Medium bodied, spicy on the tongue, goes down rather smoothly.

 

This is truly, a treasure to behold. Definitely a perfect score on this one. As it warms you get a lot more of that oak in the scent. As if you're drinking it straight out of the barrel. It kinda makes me wish they'd make their own brand of toothpicks out of one of them. I'd be sucking on one of those all day long. There's even the slightest hint at the end of chocolatey coffee beans. Overall it's a damn fine beer with a decent alcohol content that just tastes stunning. I can't wait to try their newer Cask blends which are coming out next year, and hopefully I'll get around to tasting more of their other brews that I've missed.

21'st Ammendment Brewery's Monk's Blood

21st Amendment Brewery's MONK'S BLOOD (2011)
Brewed and Bottled by the 21st Amendment Brewery, in San Fransisco, California. USA.
Winter Seasonal (Limited Release)
12 fl. oz / $2.95 USD / 8.3% ABV

The Beer: "Hops: Magnum, Centennial / Malts: Belgian pilsner, two-row pale, caramunich, caravienne, aromatic, special b, flaked oats, flaked wheat / Other ingredients: Belgian candi sugar, cinnamon, vanilla bean, dried black mission figs, aged in oak."

My Thoughts: Poured a dark, hazy reddish-brown with a half-inch tan head and some sediment floating throughout the brew that later settled to the bottom.

This stuff smells completely awesome. Everything mentioned is there: Cinnamon, sugar, vanilla, oak, dried figs. All of it. It smells so sweet. The spicy tones fill and tickle the inner nostrils.

Wow. This beer may just be climbing amongst the ranks of my, as of now uncompiled, top ten list. I don't know if it's the Belgian Candi Sugar or what, but Wachusett's Imperial Pumpkin had that in the mix and ended up being the best pumpkin ale that I've ever had. The bite on this ale is minimal, despite it being so strong. Cinnamon and Vanilla roll around a raisin and dark fruit flavor. Thankfully it taste's nothing like sour grapes or wine. Instead it just tastes damn good. It's robust in all of the right ways, in all of the right areas, and minimal where it matters like peppery or tangy. The strong alcohol, which does show itself randomly, sneaks in like a fog and fades away soon after.

It's got me licking my lips for more. It's a little bubbly, very minor fizzing and smooth... just like drinking blood. Fucking crazy! Just as I wrote that last line, Dracula by Iced Earth came on my playlist, into my earphones and tickling my brain. If this ale were transitioned into musical form, it would be this song! They compliment each other wonderfully.

It's woody afterwards when you breath in the air which rounds it out quite nicely. Seriously, this is one of the best tasting beers I've ever had. Don't be skeptical as I was at first (it's in a can with sediment after all), buy the four pack of this when you see it. It comes in a lovely box as well, which I as of yet do now own as I only purchased a single. Soon, though.

Narragansett FEST Lager

Narragansett FEST Lager (2011)

Autumn Seasonal (Limited Release)

Craft-Brewed and Bottled by Narragansett Beer Co., in Providence, RI. USA.

16 fl. oz. / $1.60 USD / 5.5% ABV

Info: "Winner of the silver medal in the 2010 World Beer Championship. Winner of the gold medal in the Oktoberfest category at the 15th annual Great International Beer and Cider Competition in Providence, RI 2011."

Look: FEST poured a light auburn orange with a small bubbly head that lasted a minute.

Scent: Smells like sweet malt, minor vanilla bean, with a wholesome citrus overtone to the whole brew.

Taste: Roasty. Toasty. Yeasty. Kinda sweet. Little bit spicy on the tongue after swallowed, and followed by a very slight bitterness. Sweet bubbling tingles around the tongue and when I lick my lips it's even sweeter. Damn good tasting... the bitterness is so very light, with that sweet coming through at just the perfect amount. This absolutely slaughters the competition taste wise. It's euphoric!

Feel: A heavy medium with an above average drinkability. Goes down pretty smooth.

Feelings: Probably the best $1.60 I ever spent in my life. This is one of those few beers that I just let sit in my mouth for long periods of time, and felt good. Much like I did with my second bottle of Pumking during the Halloween snowstorm / three-and-a-half day power outage. For this one I can't really imagine any room for improvement. It's near perfect, the best Oktoberfest I've ever had without a doubt. If it were stronger it most likely wouldn't taste the same, so that's the only downside to improvement that I can think of here. FEST is one of the best beers that I've had this year. I'd say that FEST is a FEAST... in itself.

 Update: The guys over at Narragansett gave thanks to my positive review on their twitter feed and blog. Much appreciated. Here's a screen cap: 

Wachusett Imperial Pumpkin Ale

Wachusett Imperial Pumpkin Ale (2011)
Autumn Seasonal (Limited Release)
Brewed and Bottled by Wachusett Brewing Company in Westminster, MA. USA.
22  fl. oz /  $5.99 USD
8.0% ABV

About: "Wachusett Imperial Pumpkin is an ale brewed with pumpkin puree and accented with Belgian Candi Sugar, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Ginger. It contains a generous amount of Two Row Barley blended with Caramel Malt and then fermented with Northwest Yeast, creating a unique profile as unique as every pumpkin in the patch."

Thoughts: I really like the look of this label. I know it seems pretty plain only being text, and there's not even the standard picture of a pumpkin on it, but it's huge and has warm, inviting colors.

Orange hued. Poured a one inch thick off-white head that very slowly died down to a half inch head that remained for several minutes, never fading away until I started drinking. Amazing! There are tons of carbonation bubbles in this. Non-stop and they're all over the place. The most I've seen from all the pumpkin ales so far.

 

Surprisingly mild. No overwhelmingly ridiculous amounts of spice... it sure smells of pumpkin patch. As it warms I'm getting a little more brown sugar in there.

Whoa! Starts off with that mild spice, earthy tones, then it hits you with a zinger. Pucker up buttercup because that 8.0% kicks in. After a few sips and a couple gulps I'm getting used to it and it's holding up well. All of the flavors slowly roll around the high alcohol. Vanilla and sugar representation is well done, nutmeg and cloves both get their time to shine. I'm not really getting too much cinnamon or allspice, which I'm very happy about because I feel those two spices have been severely overdone and ruin some of these ales. This tastes Damn good.

It's smooth and mild, aside from that initial case of fish lips. It's not sticky, and my mouth isn't dry. 

 

Nice aftertaste. Little bit of a sweet kick, everything seems in balance and it's not leaning towards any extreme. The alcohol, the spice, and the pumpkin never overshadow one another. I'd say for the low price of this 22 oz bomber, combined with the high alcohol content and how good it tastes, this is a must try for pumpkin fans. This one is most surely headed towards the top of my list.

Southern Tier Imperial Pumking Ale

This is technically my second time trying this ale (since I had a small swig at a tasting about a week back), but is my first buy and real drinking of the product. Oh, and welcome to my first ever beer review.

Southern Tier Imperial pumking Ale (2011)
Brewed and Bottled by Southern Tier Brewing Company in Lakewood, NY, USA.
Autumn Seasonal (Yearly Release).
22 fl. oz  / $7.99 USD / 8.6% ABV (I hear that it used to be 9% in previous batches from years before.)

About: "Bewitched and brewed with pagan spirit! Pumking is an ode to Púca, a creature of Celtic folklore, who is both feared and respected by those who believe in it. Púca is said to waylay travelers throughout the night, tossing them on its back, and providing them the ride of their lives, from which they return forever changed. Brewed in the spirit of All Hallows Eve, a time of the year when spirits can make contact with the physical world and when magic is most potent. Pour Pumking into a goblet and allow it’s alluring spirit to overflow. As spicy aromas present themselves, let it’s deep copper color entrance you as your journey into this mystical brew has just begun. As the first drops touch your tongue a magical spell will bewitch your taste buds making it difficult to escape the Pumking. Malts: 2-row Pale, Caramel / Kettle Hops: Magnum / Aroma Hops: Sterling / Pureed Pumpkin."

Thoughts: Look at that evil motherfucker. This bottle is impossible not to see when you're walking through the shops. Love the little orange bats that are flying off to the right of the label. This bomber is truly fit for the king.

It's gotta orange rusty color that's somewhat translucent (heard that it was grainy like you'd want to chew it but it's not even hazy at all), a 1/4 inch finger head and the bubbles are very small. There doesn't look to be all that much carbonation, which I didn't expect. The head dissipated in no time flat.

This ale smells great! That's probably the best thing going for it, not that I'm knocking the taste, but I'd say that the aroma is a major attraction and focal point of this one. There's a strong pumpkin pie, gingerbread/graham crackers and cloves scent. I'm not really getting much of the cinnamon, but there's a little vanilla. I read one review saying this ale has a scent reminiscent of spicy creamed corn. When I read that I went back to the empty bottle for another smell, and yes, there it was. The aromas here completely engulf the senses. I could breathe this one in for days.

Nutmeg, Pumpkin Pie (surprise), Cloves, Brown Sugar. The faint hop aroma ain't that faint once you taste it. It's a strong ale and you can tell, but it's not too overpowering after the second and third gulp. The spices are strong and the taste is quite sweet, yet it's got a not-too-harsh kick to it. After drinking a bit over half of the bottle, the taste and smell seemed (and this was almost unnoticeable) vinegar-like.

Because of the light carbonation this was really easy to drink. It was however mouth coating and the slightest bit astringent, leaving me puckering like a kissing fish for a while.

Bittersweet, Metallic aftertaste is quite good with a long lingering finish. The flavors all seem to stand out, yet in the end it's pretty balanced. I like this ale, but probably wouldn't buy it on a regular (limited) basis  due to the price. One thing is for sure: The bottle has a very cool design. It really stands out what with that Evil Pumpkin(g) on the label. I think I'll be keeping it for a while.

NOTE: I'm not giving this ale a rating yet, since I'll be trying about a dozen or more pumpkin related drinks this month and at the end of all of it I'll be grading them on a curve. Cheers you crazy fothermuckers!