#226: New Belgium Brewing » Lips Of Faith: Paardebloem (Strong Ale)

Peach juice, dandelion greens, and grains of paradise, oh my...

The Brewery: New Belgium
The Brew: Lips Of Faith: Paardebloem (Strong Ale)
Availability: Draft and bottles (Limited, Brewed Once)
ABV: 9.0%
Rating: 9.2/10
Location: Home
Found: (New Orleans)

Since finally procuring a dedicated beer fridge, I've had a bit more visibility on what we still have hanging around. Paardebloem, from New Belgium's Lips of Faith series, is an ever-enticing brew, crafted with Peach Juice, Grains of Paradise, and Dandelion Greens, blended with just a touch of wood-aged beer.

Alluring aromas of fruit and yeast start the tasting off even before the pour is finished. Mild herbal notes are in there as well.

The big, juicy peach flavor is prefect for the first warm evening out back. Mild spice heat and prickly carbonation are excellent augmentors and the whole package wraps up in a lovely dry finish.

Further through, white-wine like flavors sneak in with more defined, though still light, pepper notes along with a hint of apple juice, pineapple, and that always enjoyable Belgian yeast character.

Overall, a wonderfully drinkable, experimental, Belgian-inspired brew.

#225: Westbrook Brewing Co. » One Claw (Rye Pale Ale)

One claw to rule them all...?

The Brewery: Westbrook Brewing Co. (Mount Pleasant, SC)
The Brew: One Claw (Rye Pale Ale)
Availability: Cans & Draft (Year-Round)
ABV: 5.5%
Rating: 8.6/10
Location: Home
Found: Fingerlakes Beverage Center

We've been steadily seeing more of Westbrook's offerings in the area since the initial launch of their IPA and White Thai cans in our region. Since my partner and I have been on a bit of a Rye kick, I grabbed a couple cans of their One Claw in addition to my six of Gose.

One Claw pours out with a voluminous, soapy white head, crowning a cloudy, pale yellow body. The nose is a beautiful bouquet of hops with strong aromas of grapefruit and citrus rind.

The taste is significantly mellower than the nose suggests unfortunately, but there is a gentile hop presence throughout that threads from the sip through the finish. It's nice and wet up front with a semi-dry finish.

Overall, a touch underwhelming for a rye after such a wonderful nose, but a drinkable, tasty beer either way.

#224 Arcadia Brewing Company » B-Craft Black IPA

A curiously dark ale...

The Brewery: Arcadia Brewing Company (Battle Creek, MI)
The Brew: B-Craft Black IPA
Availability: Bottles & Draft (Rotating)
ABV: 8.5% | IBUs: 85
Rating: 8.3/10
Location: Home
Found: Gift!

After my Gose afternoon, I made a pact with myself to spend more of this spring & summer outside. At the next chance, I snagged two out-of-distro-range brews a good friend of mine picked up while he was in Michigan.

First up is the oddly-monikered B-Craft Black from Arcadia Brewing. This Black DIPA foams up nicely with a fluffy off-white head atop a dark-chocolate brown body.

Bold, roasted notes kick off the flavor run. Dry spices tease the palate complimented by strong esters, herbal and medicinal notes and just a thought of star anise. The bitter hops and roasted coffee malt notes are really fighting for attention in this one, which creates interesting overtones, like those listed above.

Overall, an undoubtedly dark, strong ale that makes no attempt to hide it's ABV. Tasty if not a bit left of different.

#223: Great Divide » Hibernation Ale (Old Ale)

Hibernation on a day out of hibernation...

The Brewery: Great Divide (CO)
The Brew: Hibernation Ale (Old Ale)
Availability: Bottles & Draft (Seasonal)
ABV: 8.7%
Rating: 9.0/10
Location: Ithaca Coffee Co.

In mid-April, I was involved with a weekend emphasizing experimental music, starting with an event at Cornell, on through a "How-To" DIY electronics afternoon event, and closing with what would be our best Naked Noise event (drone improv for large ensemble) to date.

Once the DIY electronics event was underway, my partner & I needed to run a few errands and decided to pop into Ithaca Coffee Co. downtown for a refuel. Glad we did, as Hibernation is one of the few seasonals from Great Divide I haven't had the chance to enjoy just yet.

Hibernation starts out with a dark body, topped with fluffy ivory head. Hops, spice, and dark malt notes are all aptly present in the nose. The flavor is bitter with pleasant esters and firm alcohol bite in the finish. There's elements of bourbon, winter spice, hop spice and heat, and grapefruit pith all with thick mouthfeel.

Overall, a more biting, bitter Old Ale than many, but delicious non-the-less.

#222: Westbrook Brewing Co. » Gose

Sour & salt in the afternoon...

The Brewery: Westbrook Brewing Co. (Mount Pleasant, SC)
The Brew: Gose
Availability: Cans & Draft (Seasonal, Limited)
ABV: 4.0%
Rating: 9.2/10
Location: Home
Found: Fingerlakes Beverage Center

It was unexpectedly nice that first warm day of April a few weeks back and perfect for relaxing with a beer out back, the vegitation still brown and yellow, but the promise of lush green in a few more weeks is delightful.

I was lucky enough to snag two glasses of  Westbrook's wonderful Gose on draft earlier in the month, in a rare post-work minute to relax before evening events. I stopped into Fingerlakes Beverage and though I was lucky enough to pick up their final can of the stuff, only to be even more enthralled they still had a six-pack in the fridge.

This Gose pours up with a fizzy, white head over a hazy, unfiltered straw body. Mild salty and sour notes punctuate a yeasty nose.

The taste is wonderfully astringent. Biting tartness, a quenching aspect, and drying salt all vie for its defining characteristic. Strong lemon and wheat notes are present amidst a slight earthiness, as well backed by a light body and bone dry finish. Further through, notes of unripe white stone fruits are apparent.

Overall, a fantastic Gose, perfect for a warm, relaxing afternoon.

#221: Brewery Ommegang » Adoration Ale (Belgian Strong Ale)

Winter cherishing...

The Brewery: Brewery Ommegang (Cooperstown, NY)
The Brew:  Adoration Ale (Belgian Strong Ale)
Availability:  Bottles, draft (Seasonal, Limited)
ABV: 10.0%
Rating: 9.2/10
Location: Home
Found: Fingerlakes Beverage Center

Looks like this one got a write-up this winter, but never made it to the blog. I was on a single-bottle kick early in the winter, wanting to pack as much various flavors into our limited space as possible (now no longer an issue with the a dedicated beer fridge!).

While Ommegang has become a pinnacle of Upstate New York brewing, I can be a bit hot / cold with their releases. I either love them or am underwhelmed. I recalled enjoying Adoration from a case a group of friends picked up for me a few years back, but hadn't seen the limited ale in a while, so I snagged a bottle to see if my palate still concurred.

Adoration starts off with a malty, spiced nose with hints of juicy orange. A deep amber body topped with fizzy, off-white head adds to the dignified setting.

The taste is beautiful and elegant - not too carbonated, perfectly malty, backed by a wonderful blend of spices. Smooth orange and tangerine flavors are augmented amidst a plethora of spices - mace, coriander, grains of paridice. It's sweet, a little sticky, and fairly wet. I'd love to see how this one ages.

Overall, a fantastic winter alternative to the tired all-spiced ales, that is beautifully boozy and smooth.

#220: Evil Twin Brewing » Imperial Biscotti Break Natale - Pretty Please With A Cherry On Top (Imperial Porter)

The Sweetness...

The Brewery: Evil Twin Brewing (Denmark)
The Brew: Imperial Biscotti Break Natale - Pretty Please With A Cherry On Top (Porter)
Availability: Draft and 22 oz. bottles
ABV: 11.5%
Rating: 9.1/10
Location: Home
Found: (Gift!)

My partner was gifted this sweet beast by her sister and hubby (owners of The Enchanted Badger) back in March. After a somewhat bitter day, we figured this would be some sweet reprieve. While I haven't yet enjoyed the standard Imperial Biscotti Break, we did crack into an Imperial Doughnut Break early this year.

Visually, it's pretty standard imperial porter affair, but get within inches of the glass and your nose is met with amazing aromas - it's sweet and tart, with a definitive zing of cherry and soft roasted coffee. There's something else in there as well that I can't quite put my finger on.

My palate is quickly met with a creamy, sultry mouthfeel and mellow chocolate notes. Mild, juicy, and somewhat tart cherry flavors provide a bold taste experience. A tasty, desert inspired brew that's slightly silky, supported by lively, but not prickly, carbonation, and pleasant growing esters further through.

Overall, a wonderful beer from wonderful people - sweet sugars fall into smooth dark bitterness. Yum.

#219: Brouwerij Strubbe » Ichtegem's Grand Cru (Flanders)

A high-end, Belgian sour adventure...

The Brewery: Brouwerij Strubbe (Belgium)
The Brew:  Ichtegem's Grand Cru (Flanders)
Availability:  Bottles, draft
ABV: 6.5%
Rating: 9.2/10
Location: Tap & Mallet (Rochester)

After my cousin's birthday, with kids, we decided it was time for the adults to unwind and headed to Tap & Mallet for a few rounds. Round #1 was Shmaltz's He'Brew Jewbalation 17, which I completely through it had a write up for, but C'est la vie.

Recalling a few other recently wonderful Grand Cru experiences, I decided to b-line it to Strubbe's Ichtegem for the second round.

The brew starts off with an potent nose of earth, funky cherry, and vinegar. The flavor is tart, with an unusual and blanketing mouthcoat. Every note seems to counter the next from a dry mouthfeel, augmented by sweet notes of sugarcane to herbal and savory spices peaking through determinedly astringent sour fruit flavors.

Ichtegem continues into Belgian extremes with notes of vinaigrette, red wine, funky raspberry, overripe fruit, all laced with a mild acidity and bitterness. This is wild Belgian style in expert hands.

An overtly complex and challenging, yet rewarding brew. Adventurers, sign up here.

#218: Brooklyn Brewery » Hammarby Syndrome (Spiced Amber)

Brooklyn heads to Stockholm, pays homage to ancient Swedish beers...

The Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery (Brooklyn, NY)
The Brew:  Hammarby Syndrome (Spiced Amber)
Availability:  Bottles, draft (limited)
ABV: 8.0%
Rating: 8.8/10
Location: Victoire

On my way up to see my cousin for her birthday last month, I had a chance to stop into Rochester's Victoire on East Ave for a bite and a pint with my partner and one of my best friends in the area. After some serious decision difficulty between the Bison Meatloaf sandwich and the handmade Belgian Sausage (and happily moving forward with the former), I picked up a flight of 3 Belgian-style favorites, but made room for the oddly monikered Hammarby Syndrome, from Brooklyn's Brewmaster's Reserve series.

The beer was created in celebration of the Brooklyn's New Carnegie Brewery in Stockholm, Sweden and a nod to the local Football team (Stockholm Syndrome... Hammarby Syndrome... get it?). It's a unique Amber Strong Ale, brewed with spelt and spruce fonds - both paying homage to ancient Swedish brewing.

The beer itself is a deep, glowing amber, topped with a ring of white head and emitting pleasant aromas of fruit, especially strawberry. On to the palate, it's deep, dark fruit flavors with a mild earthiness and esters, backed by prickly carbonation. Notes of grain, sweet malt, and soft caramel are in there as well. More flavors of pecan, spice, and faint peach continue to swirl, but never dominate

Overall, it's elegant, rustic, and subtly intricate. Recommended for those with a delicate palate looking for complexity without shock value.

#217: Anderson Valley Brewing Co. » Gatlin Damnosus (Sour Barrel-Aged Barleywine)

An unforgiving brew of devilish tartness and bourbon decadence...

(I should wake up more before determining that pictures are in focus)

The Brewery: Anderson Valley Brewing Company (Boonville, CA)
The Brew: Gatlin Damnosus (Sour, Bourbon Barrel-Aged Barleywine)
Availability: Draft Only (Limited)
ABV: 8.8%%
Rating: 9.4/10
Location: Owl House (Rochester)

Over the weekend, I played in Hiroshima Vacation at Bug Jar as part of our final run shows. Rochester usually means Tap & Mallet or Owl House, and since this time brunch was in order after a lovely night over, the latter was up.

We arrived with a half hour before they could serve, so I was happy to have some extra time to peruse their always impressive draft line. However, this time around, an 8.8% sour, Bourbon-barrel aged barleywine was a no-brainer, even for first thing in the morning.

This beer was every bit as insane as I was hoping. Served up in an 8 oz. glass, Gatlin Damnosus is a hazy, grayish dark brown with a thick, creamy off-white head. Notes of sour grapes, sweet booze, and oak emanate from the glass.

Unabashed, irreverent flavors burst across my palate inducing a spine-tingling double-take. This is complexity and atradition at it's best. Exotic blends of sour cherry, ripe pear, toffee, butterscotch - all rich and decadent with woody, earthy undertones and a mild dryness. Further through there's apple skin, vanilla, and an ever-more pronounced rich bourbon flavors. It's honestly like 4 beers in one ally vying for attention.

Overall, for the adventurous enthusiast only.  An mildly astringent, booze fueled experience that I'd love to see in bottle form.

#216: Bell's Brewery » Third Coast Old Ale

For the love of American Barleywines...

The Brewery: Bell's Brewing (Kalamazoo, MI)
The Brew: Third Coast Old Ale
Availability: Draft & Bottles (Seasonal, Limited)
ABV: 10.2%
Rating: 9.5/10
Location: J Ryan's (Syracuse)

On Friday, some friends and I headed up to Syracuse to catch Lemuria, a trio from Buffalo whom I booked 4-5 years ago, but haven't been able to see since. Any Syracuse stop for me usually involves J Ryan's and their 69 taps. We decided to roll in before the show instead of after for some sandwiches, cross-cut fries, blaring jukebox tunes, and amazing beer. With draft offerings like KBS, Expedition Stout and other numerous Bell's offerings, it was a tough call until I saw Third Coast listed. I'm a sucker for any old ale / barelywine, especially on tap and furthermore if I haven't had it yet, as with this case.

Third Coast is highly aromatic and full of rich, complex flavor. Inviting dark fruit and sherry aromas start things off, furthering into deep, dry flavors. A plethora of enigmatic tastes are woven between ripe fig, esters, soft red apples, burnt caramel, raisin notes that is all quite dry for a barleywine. There's an intriguing sweetness that peaks through for just a moment in the middle of the sip.

Overall, an impressive sipper of an ale that can be aged for years to come. Highly recommended to anyone seeking a complex, palate exciter.

#215: Bacchus Brewing » Cyclhops (Single Hop-Ale)

Our first stop to a local staple...

The Brewery: Bacchus (Dryden, NY)

The Brew: Cyclhops (Single Hop-Ale)

Availability: Draft only (limited)

ABV: ? 

Rating: 8.7/10

Location: Bacchus Brewing

My partner and I found ourselves with an extra hour to kill after running some Saturday errands and figured we could make it out to Dryden before Bacchus closed up for the day. We're both well versed in Bacchus' offerings from the taps downtown, but getting it from the source is always just the best.

In addition to their familiar year-round beers coming of fresh and delicious, we were pleasantly surprised by a new brew, their single malt, single hop Cyclhops with Vienna malt and  Galaxy hops.

Served up, it's a hazy yellow pour with a touch of white head. The nose is dank, earthy, and wonderfully hoppy. Deep, full flavors of pine flow down the hatch, offer a refreshing, but nicely bitter experience with a mild dryness on the finish and a heavy mouthcoat. Not too much citrus, but plenty of rind and pine. Even with just a taste, there's a long finish on this one.  Easy cake-taker for our growler fill of the day! 

#214: Founders Brewing » KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout)

The legend...

The Brewery: Founders Brewing Co. (Grand Rapids, MI)
The Brew: KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout)
Availability: Draft and bottles (Seasonal, Limited)
ABV: 11.2% | 70 IBUs
Rating: 9.5/10
Location: Home
Found: Fingerlakes Beverage Center

Founder's KBS has become legend to say the least, even garnering RateBeer's "Best Beer in America", It's brewed with a massive amount of coffee and chocolates, then cave-aged in oak bourbon barrels for an entire year. As with many sought-after, highly limited brews, living in a small city sometimes means missing out, which so far has been the case for me with KBS. That said, FLBC delivered once again.

KBS pours up with a voluminous mocha head that's bubbly and a bit fizzy, but with plenty of lace atop an opaque brown-black body. A strikingly bitter nose of coffee, cocoa powder, and oak gets things rolling.

Fantastic, flavors careen through mildly bitter, dry, to a sweet easing finish. Big bold flavors of roasted coffee, baking chocolate, along with charred notes blur into dark chocolate, chili and booze spice, and all wrap up with a smooth, sweet chocolate finale.

Incredibly and original with an insanely deft balance of bold flavors and augmentations - the chocolate, oak, coffee, nor bourbon ever get too powerful on their own. Highly recommended, obviously.

Coming Soon...

Monday's "decent" haul. ;-)