#069: New Belgium Brewing » Lips of Faith: La Folie (Flanders Oud Bruin)

A gift of mouth******* tartness...

The Brewery: New Belgium Brewing (Ft. Collins, CO)
The Brew: Lips of Faith: La Folie (Flanders Oud Bruin)
Availability: Draft and bottles
ABV: 6.0%
Rating: 9.7/10
Location: Home

The Story? After a six-year hiatus, one of my favorite bands, Melt Banana put up their latest release for streaming last night. With a night in, I had a rare opportunity to just have a sit and listen to the new album straight through. I needed a brew wild enough to keep up with the sonic chaos and knew just the thing...

I picked this one up in Baltimore, after regretting to do so when I was in Chicago.  La Folie is New Belgium's original wood-conditioned beer, fermented in French Oak barrels between one and three years before being bottled and is the brainchild of Peter Bouckaert - formerly of Rodenbach. With inspiration from their fabled sour red ale, La Folie emulates the spontaneous fermentation beers of Peter's beloved Flanders.

The Beer? La Folie is presents itself in an ominously opaque shade of dark brown with a touch of ruby, topped with a touch of laceless head, and accompanied by a potent nose of big, tart black fruits - cherry, black currant, and grape - and green apple.

This is a full-force Flanders, packing an astringently sour punch to the face. Incredibly tart, but with a quenching mouthfeel and finish. Big, juicy sour with no funk, earth, or barnyard involved. There's a distinct red wine and acetic nature to it as well. Perfectly complimenting, mid-level carbonation.

The whole way through, it's huge green apple sour flavors, in the direction of sour candies and soda, with elements of cherry and raspberry and subtle oak in the background. One of those flavors that I want to keep tasting and tasting.

Overall, a must-have for any sour fan. I'd put this up there with Oude Gueuze Tilquin à L'Ancienne as one of my favorites and a perfect dark, sour brown counterpart to that master brew.

#068: Stillwater Artisanal Ales » Classique (Saison)

Baltimore's gypsy brewer's first can...

The Brewery: Stillwater Artisanal Ales (Baltimore, MD)
The Brew: Classique (Saison)
Availability: Cans
ABV: 4.5%
Rating: 8.5/10
Location: Home

The Story? After visiting Of Love and Regret back in May, I'll try pretty much anything from Stillwater. This particular Saturday night, my partner and I just finished up seeing Laurie Anderson live for the second time (wow, just wow). With the event finished before 10PM, we basically had the whole night ahead of us. When we got to the car, it dawned on me our favorite candy store was still open for another five minutes. Beer time.

In a more session mood, we grabbed a 12-pack of Founders All Day IPA cans and a six-pack of Stillwater's first can offering, Classique, brewed at Two Roads Brewing Company.

The Beer? Lively head fills the glass and blooms a light, fruity nose. The head itself has a sweetness to it atop the hazy pale yellow brew.

My palate picks out a dry, bitterness to Classique, seemingly due to the rice, hinting and reminiscing to some dry sake I've partaken in. Ultra clean mouthfeel and minimal finish. Crisp malts, mild hops, along with hushed yeast and subtle kumquat backed by a prickly carbonation.

This one seemed a bit straight forward for Stillwater after two rounds poured into a glass. I came back around to this one a few nights later and decided to keep it in the can - and glad I did.

Out of the can there's a much more profound tartness, hint of funk, and zetsty green apple notes all which weren't there the first time around. Very interesting.

If you're looking for a creative, quenching, mildly tart session ale, drink this one out of the can!

#067: Rogue Ales » Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout

A dark favorite...

The Brewery: Rogue Ales (Newport, OR)
The Brew: Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout
Availability: Draft & Bottles (22oz. Bombers)
ABV: 6.1% // IBU: 69
Rating: 9/10
Location: The Westy, Ithaca, NY

The Story? Simple story on this one. Round two time down at The Westy with my partner, a friend who just moved from Syracuse and two friends who recently turned 21. One of the recent twenty-oners and I went up to pick our next potion. I remembered how he's not much of a hop head and enjoyed the Rogue Dirtoir I got him for his birthday.  "Two Rogue Shakespeare's please!"

The Beer? Dark, roasted black gold goodness. Filled with swirling, robust flavors of coffee and mocha with a smooth mouthfeel. Low carbonation, but just enough to keep it smooth until the mildly dry finish. Malts, oats, barley, yeasts, and hops. This one's been around forever and if you're a quality dark beer lover and haven't had this one yet, better hop on that. Cheers!

#066: Jack's Abby Brewing » Copper Legend (Oktoberfest)

Jack's Abby makes it's way to CNY...

The Brewery: Jack's Abby (Farmington, MA)
The Brew: Copper Legend (Oktoberfest)
Availability: Bottles/Draft
ABV: 5.7% | IBUs: 22
Rating: 7.5/10
Location: The Westy

The Story? I heard through the grapevine that my favorite local spot had procured a keg of my new favorite DIPA, Gandhi Bot this week and immediately marked a time to swing by on my calendar. In that same breath, I also found they'd obtained kegs from a brewery which was new to me - Jack's Abby, out of Massachusetts.

"What's so special about Jack's Abby?" you may ask. Lagers. Their entire line adheres to the German lagering tradition. Intriguing to say the least, as their family of beers include coffee, pumpkin, and smoked offerings, plus their flagship, Hoponius Union borrows heavily from west-coast hopping style (it also lives up to the hype... post on that one coming soon). We start today with Jack's "Copper Legend" Oktoberfest.

The Beer? The appearance is classic Oktoberfest - transparent copper body and fluffed white head. The nose is minerally with autumn spice notes and the faintest hint of banana.

Into my mouth pours a silky, refreshing brew. Nutmeg is preseant, but not overpowering followed by a semisweetness of the Munich malts alongside toasted biscuit and gentile caramel. Mild hops compliment the crispness and wetness while a mid-high level of carbonation keeps the taste of the ABV in check.

Overall a very authentic offering. A good socializing beer. Looking forward to the next Jack's post on how they're breaking flavor mold of what it means to brew a lager...

#065: Mikkeller » Invasion Farmhouse IPA

Gypsy brew masters invade Brett heaven...

The Brewery: Mikkeller (Denmark) brewer / Anchorage Brewing Company
The Brew: Invasion Farmhouse IPA
Availability: 750 mL
ABV: 8.0
Rating: 9.4/10
Location: Home

The Story? My mind nearly melted when I heard one of my favorite brewers would be brewing at one of my favorite breweries. Mikkeller's bold adventures with IPAs plus Anchorage Breweries' Brettanomyces expertise. This is either going to be a train wreck or a mind-bender.

The Beer? The eyes spy a finger of fluffy white head and a hazy, unfiltered body - reminiscent of a wheat. Drawing the glad in, there's a brilliantly bright citrus nose, filled with hot hop heat and that unmistakable mild funk of the Brett.

I can't wait... first sip and my palate is already bursting with various sour and funk spectrum notes and a firm taste of musty grapefruit married with mild hop heat. Initially, the brew is wet up front and moderately juicy. The grapefruit and other sour and bitter citrus nose are all fruit, not rind or pith-like. The inaugural glass finishes minerally with distinct, but subtle notes of pine needles.

As I continue through, the complexity of this one really takes off. It's a train to full-blown funk land. Earthy, farmyard elements dance with perfume, maybe lilac; but all is kept in excellent balance through the bold hop fruit and flavors flavors. This one is always on the verge of running off, but kept on course wonderfully. Unrestrained, but focused delivery.

Easy recommendation for any Brett enthusiast and any fan of similarly minded brews from Anchorage, Evil Twin, and Stillwater.

#064: The Lost Abbey » Inferno Ale (Belgian Strong Pale Ale)

A deceptive brew for The Fallen...

The Brewery: The Lost Abbey (San Marcos, CA)
The Brew: Inferno Ale (Belgian Strong Pale Ale)
Availability: 750 and 350 mL
ABV: 9.0
Rating: 9.2/10
Location: Home

The Story?  I was first introduced to The Lost Abbey from a friend who used to reside in Philadelphia. With no distribution to NYS, they weren't on my radar, but would soon turn into one of my favorite U.S. breweries. Shortly after that initial conversation, we were in Philly for the best DIY in-home tasting I've ever been a part of and my palate was introduced to The Lost Abbey through their Red Poppy Flanders which remains one of my favorite beers. The next morning I enjoyed a tulip of Gift of the Magi while down at the marvelous Local 44.

I was hooked. And bummed, knowing it would be difficult to obtain the rest of their offerings without distribution. But, with a productive beer haul from Chicago and an online order, I was able to stock the cellar with a few of these tasty brews.


The Beer? The presentation, pour, head, and nose on this promptly proclaim pure beer bliss. No gimmics, additives, or collaborations needed here. A gentle pour yields a quickly rising, bubbly, lacy head which is sweet, spiced, and bright to the taste. Carbonation is easily seen in the transparent brew, akin to a quality low-gravity pilsner or pale.

The nose is quite transparent. Delicately deceptive with understated notes of crisp bread and lemon. Indulging my palate, Inferno is graceful and well-balanced. Light mouthfeel, complimented with plentiful carbonation and prevalent yeast flavors. Mellow hop bitterness is present, held up by the Belgian spices, which also strengthen mild hop heat notes.

The true trick of this beer is how delightfully and deceptively low-gravity it appears, when beneath the mask, Inferno weighs in around 9.0% ABV.  Towards the very end of the bottle an alluring, bitter booze begins to appear which alludes to it's true nature.

Overall, an excellent American take on the Belgian tradition. Strong, elegant, and disparages the trend to overwhelm the palate.

#063: Green Flash » Grand Cru (Belgian Strong Dark Ale)

GF's mysterious dark ale...

The Brewery: Green Flash Brewing Co. (San Diego, CA)
The Brew: Grand Cru (Belgian Strong Dark Ale)
Availability: 12 oz. & 650 mL Bottles
ABV:  9.1%
Rating: 8.5/10
Location: Home

The Story? As part of my aforementioned goal of working through Green Flash's entire bottled offerings on this blog, I found myself with a bit of free time for a drink and a science documentary before performing. A smooth, high gravity brew from Green Flash ought to do the trick.

The Beer? This Grand Cru starts off with an intriguing, dark, rich nose with hints of citrus and chocolate. Fluffy head with lots of late and staying power caps the chocolate colored brew.

Delectably smooth, with a light body. Refreshing, dark ale, intertwined with roasted malts, citrus, fresh plums, and other juicy fruit. Classy, clean taste and mouthfeel complimented by cordial interactions of yeasts, spice, rich malts, and hop complexity. A twist of the 9.1% heat begins to creep in at the end with mild raisin noses.

Overall, a unique and elegant Belgian style that is complex and accessible.  Recommended to share with friends. I think everyone is going to experience this one in their own way.

#062: 21st Amendment Brewery » Marooned on Hog Island (English Stout brewed w/ oyster shells)

...

The Brewery: 21st Amendment Brewery (San Francisco, CA)
The Brew: Marooned on Hog Island (English Stout brewed w/ oyster shells)
Availability: Cans & draft (limited)
ABV: 7.9%
Rating: 8/10
Location: Home

The Story? I'm not going to lie. I've been emphatically terrified of oyster stouts. The opportunity to sample Porterhouse Brewing's rendition and Flying Dog's Pearl Necklace (lol) on several occasions, but I just haven't been able to take that plunge.

Origins of the oyster stout stem back to the 1800s where patrons enjoyed toasty, roasted, dark stouts and slippery shelled flesh as a meal - and enjoyed how they curiously complimented each other. The details are hazy, but somewhere between those initial days and early 1900s, the line of progression from food pairing, oyster shells in the boil, to that final experimental step of adding the meat itself.

This artisan can from 21st Amendment is a collaboration with Hog Island Oyster Company and homage to that transitional step of adding shells to the barley and hop boil. Bottoms up!

The Beer? The nose has that nice, dark English aroma with a pinch of chocolate. Cola colored body topped with an off-white head. The beer hits my tongue with a familiar, medium-bodied stout feel that is mildly wet up front and slips into a drier finish. The immediate flavor is everything you'd expect from a quality stout - roasted malts, hints of chocolate, and relatively quenching, but bulky enough to keep the lager-boys at bay.

However, a few sips in and delicate flavors dance in the background. There's a chalkiness that emerges on the finish apace with an understated saltiness. Essence of soy sauce comes to mind while additional mineral and mocha characteristics gently glide past.

These nuances are firmly kept behind an opaque veil of the stout itself. When it comes to experimental beers, Marooned on Hog Island is on the far subtle end of that spectrum. Sophisticated, implied flavors poised for the fastidious imbiber.

#061: Middle Ages Brewing » Mayan Apocalypse (American Strong Ale)

For the end of days...

The Brewery: Middle Ages Brewing (Syracuse, NY)
The Brew: Mayan Apocalypse (American Strong Ale)
Availability: Draft & cask only (very limited)
ABV: 8.9%
Rating: 9.3/10
Location: J. Ryan's Pub (Syracuse)

The Story? After the palate wrecking hops of Evil Twin's Molotov Cocktail, I was in the mood to hop to the other side of the spectrum. I've always been pleased with Middle Ages' cask offerings at J. Ryan's so I figured for $4 I really couldn't go wrong...

The Beer? A fine, smooth pour of perfectly low-carbonated hazy goodness topped with a creamy crown of head. Even as the glass heads to my mouth I catch a whiff of sweet alcohol.

A plethora of sweet malty goodness, heavy creamy mouthfeel, bold raisin and booze blooms across my palate. A real hop-killer right here and great follow up. Overall, it's quite potent and in a blind test I'd put this in the same barrel as some of my go-to, quality old ales. This works exceptionally well on cask too. Perfectly old, strong, and modern all at the same time. Probably the best deal I've had on a pint in months.

There's very little information on this one, so feel free to comment if you have more details on malts, hops, and process.

I'm glad luck was in the wind, so I could participate in this final cask of Mayan Apocalypse,  which was originally released on December 21st, 2012. Relatively pleases we're all still here too (well... most of us, haha).  Cheers!

#060: Evil Twin Brewing » Molotov Cocktail (Imperial IPA)

Hop bomb and total annihilation of the senses...

The Brewery: Evil Twin Brewing (Denmark)

The Brew: Molotov Cocktail (Imperial IPA)

Availability: Draft and bottles 

ABV: 13.0%, IBU: (100+?)

Rating: 8/10

Location: J. Ryan's Pub (Syracuse)

The Story? It was that time of year again for my day-job's bi-annual meetings, but this time around, the whole week was moved to Syracuse. I like a change of pace, sign me up. Oh, and the first full night we're going to Dinosaur BBQ afterwords? Say no more.

After a day's worth of learning, reconnecting, and powerpoints; I unreluctantly devoured some of my favorite slabs of charred flesh, washed down with an Empire Brewing Amber and Syracuse Pale Ale from Middle Ages. Good food, drink, company, and conversation.

On the way to Dinosaur BBQ, I'd realized that my (so far) favorite pub in Syracuse, J. Ryan's Pub was only an 8 minute walk from DBBQ. I can swing that. I bet I could persuade a few others to enjoy one more round. On the walk back to the hotel from DBBQ, I realize we're going to pass within one block of JR's 69 glorious taps. Now it's just a sign. A few willing compatriots and I bolt in and begin to take in their encyclopedia of offerings when my eyes see two irresistible words - EVIL TWIN. 

For anyone unfamiliar, Evil Twin is based out of Denmark and is one of the largest gypsy brewing companies in the world. 

The Beer? I take a long sip and prepare myself for a mouthful of huge hop juice... "I've made a huge mistake."  Kidding, but in all seriousness, this is the hop equivalent of a hot-sauce drinking contest. Molotov Cocktail is an ultra, brutal IPA and the extreme of hop-head-only territory.

Dry, intense grapefruit and citrus rind dominate alongside piney resin, caramel and fleeting wisps of biscuit. This Evil Twin caries a heavy and full mouthfeel, giving way to a sweetness that almost peeks though, due in part to the high ABV, but is rather quickly slapped back into place by the immense hops.  

Curiously, this pure bitter nectar without a lot of hop heat. Instead, we have a slow sipping, palate wrecker of a brew with hints of tropic and citrus, buried in pine and pith which leaves a dessert velvet tongue in it's wake. 

While this one is obviously brewed to show the extremes of hop potential, there are some subtle complexities just out of reach. I'd be quite interested if Evil Twin ever oaked or barrel aged this one. A few additional subtlties could really fill this one out. It's a estimate to craft beer severity, but seems to lie just south of it's full potential.

Must-try for devoted hop disciples...

#059: The Bruery » White Oak (Wheatwine/Strong Ale)

A wheat not for the faint of heart...

The Brewery: The Bruery (Placentia, CA)
The Brew: White Oak (Wheatwine/Strong Ale)
Availability: Draft and bottles (Spring & Summer)
ABV: 11.5%, IBU: 20
Rating: 8.9/10
Location: Home

The Story? Straight to the point on this one - White Oak is an exercise in balance.  50% wheatwine aged in Bourbon barrels (The Bruery call it "White Oak Sap"), and 50% Mischief (Golden Strong Ale). If that blend doesn't peak your interest, you're in the wrong place.

The Beer? Mild bourbon and sourdough on the nose. Fluffy head with adequate lace that doesn't fade too fast atop a hazy, caramel colored brew. Down the hatch, it's a robust concoction with a slippery mouthfeel. The taste is quite tart and full of bourbon. An explosion of flavors, really. Deep, complex combinations continuously realign and vie for the tongue's attention, supported by a lighter body than one might expect. Unusual, intriguing, and impressive.

The booze and bourbon are at the immediate forefront followed by elements of coconut and vanilla and nods to mild spices and caramel. Further through the bottle, a strong presence of thick pineapple juice arises in the nose alongside tastes of pineapple, apricot, toffee, and candied sugar. Strong, unabashed, but not overwhelming, though also not recommended for the impatient drinker.

Overall, White Oak is a bold blend of Belgian and American styles and tenancies. Moderately sweet, but held in check by the gravity. A weighty, sipping wheat ale for the adventurous enthusiast.

Quicky!:New England's 668 The Neighbor of the Beast & Ommegang Scythe & Sickle

An evening off among fiends and home made food along with New England Brewing Co.'s 668 Neighbor Of The Beast and Ommegang's Scythe & Sickle. Two vastly different Belgian style American brews the former is strong, golden ale with some very unique elements. The latter, a variation on a harvest ale featuring rye, oats, wheat, and barley for a subtly complex, drinkable fall offereing. 

#058: Stone Brewing » Enjoy By 09.13.13 (Double IPA - draft & bottle)

Next batch of fresh hop power hits the streets...

(Good beer pics vs. Dark places to drink: Round 168)

The Brewery: Stone Brewing Co. (Escondido, CA)
The Brew:  Enjoy By 09.13.13 (Double IPA)
Availability:  Draft, 22 oz botttles
ABV: 9.4%
Rating: 9.5/10 (draft) // 8/10 (bottle)
Location: Ithaca Ale House / Home

The Story? Stone has always been one for intense taste and innovation and in this humble blogger's opinion, their "Enjoy By" follows in that tradition. From a lesser company, it could be a gimmick - "oh, you need to buy this now and drink it now." But, it's the truth. Once an IPA is ready, it's far better to drink now. Leave your Imperial Stouts and Barleywines in the basement, but put your IPAs in your gut now. 

I was able to enjoy a glass of their 04.01.13 and was impressed. I heard some mixed reviews about the draft vs. bottle versions, so this time around, I bought both. 

The Beer? 
Draft: Incredibly fragrant with a pungent hop nose. Not that you'd expect anything less from Stone. It's a hop-dream bouquet of sweet flowers, orange, lemon, and tropical fruits. Golden color with a white, lacy head. 

The taste - bold, grassy, hot hop flavor, though not as extreme as the nose might infer. Full, robust mouthfeel with tons of sticky, piney hops packed in, ending in a long, steady hop finish. I'm intrigued to know of any food parings recommendations for this. The finish was so hardy, I had to take water between beer and food in order to taste my meal!

The freshness is the king here - wildly aromatic nose, smooth mouthfeel with a bit of hop oil, and that bold, everlasting finish. A west-coast style, hop-head must have.

Bottle: Out of the bottle, the nose isn't quite as pungent compared to the draft version. There's a strong grapefruit presence on this less-dank nose.

Wow! The taste vastly differs on this one. Starkly crisp, with an immense amount of grapefruit and citrus rind. Sharp flavors and a lighter body and mouthfeel, which finishes far quicker and cleaner. Still bitter, but without the lingering dryness.

It's still a tasty brew, but a complexly different beast. The bottle version of 09.13.13 doesn't nearly have that DIPA dank, stickiness to it that the draft version held. Instead, we're met with a very pithy, crisp, sharp, but still unique IPA.

Give both a try for yourself, but this blogger would suggest jumping for the draft if you get the chance. 

#057: Uinta Brewing Co » Hop Notch IPA

Uinta have been killing it...

The Brewery: Uinta Brewing Co. (Salt Lake City, UT)
The Brew:  Hop Notch IPA
Availability:  Bottles, cans, draft, etc
ABV: 7.3% //
Rating: 9/10
Location: The Westy

The Story? So far I've tried Uinta's Dubhe Imperial Black IPA, Punk'n, and our feature today, Hop Notch IPA. I've had this one on several occasions, but regardless of which brew it's been, so far Uinta have been nothing but quality. Robust and full-flavored? Sure, but it's more than that. There's a high level consistency and quality threaded in each beer. Never an off or out-of-place flavor. Every detail seems to have been put there purposefully.

With the Monday holiday, my partner and I had a pretty eventful Sunday night planned. I found myself with a spare 45 minutes and decided to quench my craving and cool down with this solid IPA.

The Beer? Fluffy, ivory head with some staying power. Fresh hop citrus and mild tropical fruit notes are present. All the great makings of a quenching, robust IPA - great mouthfeel, perfect carbonation (not too prickly) and just a bit creamy. A little sticky and oily with a mildly bitter finish. The hops have a bit of chili hotness to them too.

Overall a versatile IPA. Drinkable enough for hot months, while still having enough weight behind it for winter. Very into what these folks are doing out there in Utah...

#056: Ithaca Beer Co. » Billiner Weisse (Berliner Weisse)

Last day of August calls for another Berliner Weisse...

The Brewery: Ithaca Beer Company (Ithaca, NY)
The Brew: Billiner Weisse (Berliner Weisse)
Availability: Draft Only (5-Barrel Series)
ABV: 6.0%
Rating: 8.5/10
Location: Ithaca Beer Taproom

The Story? The very day after the wonderful night of Ithaca Beer's Multihead and Voodoo Hoodoo, IB released their latest from their 5-Barrel Series - a Berliner Weisse with two optional syrups. Having just been in and a busy weekend ahead, I wasn't sure when I'd make it town to the brewery next.

Low and behold, my cousin and his immediate family would be passing through on Saturday and they were looking for a place for lunch and good beers - and kid-friendly. Kid-friendly and quality beer don't always go hand-in-hand, but I know one place they do... to the Taproom!

The Beer? Sharp, tart, and wheaty nose - all of which are directly reflections of the flavor. Immensely tart, acetic, and minerally with touches of white fruit flavors. Grainy mouthfeel. Dry and leaves the tongue with a velvety feeling. Wet up front, followed by palate wrecking tartness. None of this is criticism!

Traditionally, Berliner Weisses were too much for tourists and syrups were introduced to blend with the beer to cut the intensity. Ithaca's Billiner Weisse is touted as an "American-style", Berliner Weisse boasting a 6.0% ABV - more than twice some traditional versions - but has kept the highly acetic nature of those early beers.

Typically, I avoid decline to add syrups to my Berliner Weisse as I'm a big fan of how dry and sour some can be. That said, the raspberry and black current syrup options provided with Billiner Weisse were quite complimentary. The raspberry cut the sharpness and made the finish more refreshing. The black currant really took the cake for me, providing a less-sugar-sweet lambic taste, while keeping the velvety dry finish and complimenting the mineral, sour, and tart aspects of the initial tasting.

Overall, a solid offering. I take a lot of pride in our local breweries and it's great to see a nice homage to such a classic style right here in town. The increased ABV was effective without compromising the delicate boldness of the style.

#055: New England Brewing » Gandhi-Bot (Double IPA)

Nectar from our robot overlords...

The Brewery: New England Brewing (Woodbridge, CT)
The Brew:  Gandhi-Bot (Double IPA)
Availability: 12 oz cans, draft
ABV: 8.8% // IBUs: 85
Rating: 10/10
Location: Ithaca Coffee Co.

The Story? Last time I was in Coffee Co. for the delicious Femme Fatale Brett, their beer guru James mentioned brews from New England Brewing would be arriving soon. I'd seen cans of their 668 Neighbor of the Beast (awesome name...) around, which obviously stuck out, but I kept forgetting to research the company further. Once again, it slipped my mind.

Thursday hit and I was on a mission to pick up a coffee-stout as a gift for a friend. Head down, I caught a glimpse of Fingerlakes Beverage Center's draft board and through to myself, "there's that New England company again, I have to check that out". The next day, Friday I see someone post to The Westy about getting New England's Gandhi-Bot on tap. "Gandhi-Bot... I definitely remember seeing that somewhere, must log this to memory."

After work, I'm still on the coffee-stout gift mission and head to Coffee Co. No luck, but they have one can of Gandhi-Bot left. Noted, but not yet worth it. If I'm getting this I want more than a can. Another time.

I'm about to leave when I spot three of my co-workers who invite me over for a round. They convince me to stay and I begin to digest the draft board... "What are you having?" spouts off one of my co-workers as my eyes widen... "Gandhi-Bot", I reply.

The Beer? Dank, densely aromatic, and fruity nose - lots of citrus and tropical fruits going on here. Even on first sip, I'm calling this one IPA perfection. Incredibly full-flavored and the full spectrum of hop power.

This one goes down like a glass of smooth hop nectar. Booming with citrus peel, grapefruit, orange, passion fruit, malt sweetness, and a bit of biscuit; all poured out in a perfectly, hazy golden liquid with a rim of white head.

Highest recommendation. I just picked up some cans this week as well, so we'll see if there's any difference from the draft. Glad the world put a flashing neon sign up for me to finally try this one. One of my new favorites.

Quickies!: Stone Imperial Stout, Ommegang Gnomegang, Lindemans Framboise

Quick pics and words from the weekend...

Stone Russian Imperial Stout: Superbly full of flavor. Sweet, dark, and creamy.  A robust, dark malt-lovers dream. Looking forward to doing a full review of this one down the line. On tap at Ithaca Coffee Co.

Gnomegang from Ommegang: this translucent gold beauty is finely carbonated and full of spice. A quality, fruity-yeasty Belgian-style from CNY. High marks. 

In my opinion, Lindemans' lambics are a must-try for anyone who enjoys a good alcoholic beverage. Sure, there are other pricier, funkier, more complex or extreme lambics out there, but for a no-second-thoughts drink that's this sweet & sour tasty, I'm always pleased with what they do. Their Pêche is probably my favorite, followed by the Cassis. This Framboise was an easy choice for something a bit different down at Felicia's Atomic Lounge.

#054: Clown Shoes Beer » Lubrication (American Black Ale)

A dark one from Clown Shoes...

The Brewery: Clown Shoes Beer (Ipswich, MA)
The Brew:  Lubrication (American Black Ale)
Availability: 22 oz.
ABV: 6.0%
Rating: 8/10
Location: Home

The Story? Revisiting Clown Shoes bottled series has been on my goal for 2013. I haven't had much from them since before logging my beer tasting, they're easily available in the area, and everything I've had from them in the past has been spot-on, if memory serves. This particular bottle was a gift from a good friend (hence the ribbon).

The Beer? Deep, black color with a fluffy, light-tan head. Hefty chocolate and boozy nose for just 6%. Interesting.

The taste is bright and very chocolaty. Nice roasted flavor with medium body and perky carbonation followed by a mildly lingering finish. Well balanced west-coast hops peak through, but the dark, clean malt flavor is the star here.

Overall a dark, but refreshing beer. Aptly named.