#213: Sierra Nevada » Barrel Aged Bigfoot (Barleywine)

Bigfoot from Whiskey barrels...

The Brewery: Sierra Nevada (Chico, CA)
The Brew: Barrel Aged Bigfoot 2013 (Barleywine)
Availability: Draft and bottles (Limited)
ABV: 12.2%
Rating: 9.5/10
Location: The Westy

While I've enjoyed Barrel Aged Bigfoot from the bottle, this is the first time I've caught it on draft (rumor has it, Westy has an aged version hanging out as well...)

Bigfoot servies up with a fluffy, off-white head and opaque, cloudy brown body. The nose is full of sweet caramel, sugar, and golden raisin.

The flavor is smooth, but sharp and pure beer bliss. Beautiful oak notes, compliment soft boozy esters with a nice heat in the finish. There's a touch of raisin and plum on the front, drying out to some notes of lemon and grapefruit rind.

Overall, a wonderfully intense, yet highly drinkable, smooth brew that is a prime example of the true art of beer crafting.

#212: The Bronx Brewery » Belgian Pale Ale

Delicious, citrusy Belgian-style hybrid...

The Brewery: The Bronx Brewery (Bronx, NY)
The Brew: Belgian Pale Ale
Availability: Draft Only (Seasonal)
ABV: 6.7% | IBUs: 36
Rating: 9/10
Location: Felicia's Atomic Lounge

I stopped into Felicia's last week, meeting up for a few post-work drinks to celebrate my partner's sister's birthday. I figured since I'd keep it simple with a tallboy of something tasty, but when I saw that Bronx draft handle staring back at me, I immediately ordered up a pint.

Bronx Belgian serves up a hazy, pale yellow, topped with a fluffy, staying white head. The nose is invitingly bright and full of citrus. There's not much yeast in the nose and if I didn't know better, I'd likely just expect just a pale ale coming towards my palate.

Down the hatch, this is one damn tasty brew. Smooth, buttery, yeasty flavors that finish up slightly dry with firm esters. Lively carbonation is present, but isn't took prickly. There's a slight tartness and mineral notes in there as well alongside soft citrus flavors. Yum.

Overall, an excellent example of how to properly execute a Belgian-American hybrid.

#211: Florida Trip Pt. 2 » OBP Galaxy, Terrapin / BFM Barley Ryne, Terrapin Monk's Revenge, Great Divide Sour Puss, CCB Humidor, Terrapin Hopsecutioner

After a primarily awkward magic/comedy show and sub-par dinner, my friend Ryan and I decided it was prime time to bolt our of the tourist-trap regions of Orlando, and find ourselves in the midst of fine brews down at Gnarly Barley.

OBP » Galaxy IPA | ABV: 6.5% | 8/10
First up, is a Galaxy hop IPA from Orlando's Orange Blossom Pilsner. Intensely bright flavors of orange and grapefruit start things off with plenty of pith and rind. Light bodied and aridly dry. Good start!

Terrapin /  BFM » Jérôme & Spike's Collab. Ale: 2011 Barley Ryne | ABV: 10% | 9/10
Next is a collaboration between Georgia's Terrapin and the lauded Swiss brewmasters at BFM. This version of their Jérôme & Spike Collaboration Ale is an Barely Wine aged on American oak and bourbon.

As expected for an oaked Barelywine, it's an opaque, murky brown. Strong notes of oak and dark raisin flavors quickly set the palate on a delicious journey. Smooth, mid-level of carbonation keeps it lively and drinkable. It's backed by mild whiskey notes, dates and other dark fruits and finishing up with a slight tang and distinct orange sweetness. A wonderful, worthwhile collaboration.

Terrapin » Monk's Revenge (Imperial BIPA, Wine Barrel Aged) | ABV: 9.8% | 9.3/10
Another inviting glass of murky brown brew, Monk's Revenge isn't as dank as the BFM collab, but is an incredible blend of styles, marrying a Belgian Tripel and an American Double IPA, into this Imperial Belgian-style IPA - this version is even aged in wine barrels.

Wonderful deep oak and bright mineral, wine-like notes start things off followed by a smooth tartness and big, boozy esters. Flavors of raisin, raspberry, cherry are abound. An incredible beer packed with dynamic sour notes and even some inferred whiskey flavors. Wow!

Great Divide » Sour Puss (Flanders) | ABV: 7% | 8.5/10
Sour Puss is a Belgian-style Flanders Red ale from Colorado's Great Divide and looks to be a one-off.

It's a nice, juicy departure from the intense experience of the first three beers in the flight. Pleasant notes of sour cherry and raspberry that are wet with a mild tartness, finishing up with a mildly astringent finish. A solid American Flanders offering.

Cigar City » Smoked English Style Imperial Stout (Humidor Series) | ABV: 11% | 9/10
After the initial flight, there were still too many must-try beers to call it a night just yet. While I had a chance to pick up a variety of Cigar City cans and a couple bottles, this was the only CCB that I was able to snag on draft while in Orlando.

CCB's Smoked Imperial Stout goes down bone dry packed with dark bitterness. This intense and super tasty. Big flavors of smoke with a mild spiciness and event a split second of big, sweet maltiness in the middle. Superbly crafted, but not sure I could put back a whole pint of this. A sipper for sure.

Terrapin » Hopsecutioner (IPA w/ Randall) | ABV: 7% | 9.1/10
If getting my lips around Terrapin's six-hop Hopsecutioner wasn't enough, Gnarly Barley packs Columbus hops into one of Dogfish Head's Randall units.

It serves up a pale yellow with lots of white, fluffy head. The taste? Unlike anything else, dank and sweet, without being particularly bitter with earthy, woody depth to it and finishes up tastfully dry. To be totally honest, this brew tastes and reeks like weed. Gnarly you made weed-beer and I tip my hat to you. Hop Mecca right here.

#210: Florida Tip Pt. 1 » Terripin Rye, Sweetwater Happy Ending, Orlando Brewing Pale Ale

OK, this post is well overdue. Back in mid-February, just before the massive snow storms in the Northeast (which caused me to have to head home early), I had the opportunity to travel to Florida for work. As always, time for regional beer was made...

Terrapin Beer Company » Terrapin Rye Pale Ale | ABV: 5.3% | 8/10
After landing and getting to the hotel, it was beer time while waiting for the rest of our crew to arrive and figure out where we wanted to go for dinner.

This rye pours up a hazy caramel with minimal head. Smooth, light body with soft rye notes, coupled with mild citrus and lemon and a touch of esters on the finish. A bit weak for how I enjoy my ryes, but enjoyable nevertheless.

Sweetwater Brewing » Happy Ending Imperial Stout | ABV: 9.0% | IBU: 53 | 9/10
On the way back from a mostly enjoyable meal, I realized I was in 70º+ weather with access to an ourdoor pool, in Florida and no bathing suit. We caught a convenience store on the way back and I picked up a suit that I'm still quite content with. Being me, I figured the cold case was worth a look and amidst the American Adjunct Lagers whats a label touting a "dry-hopped Imperial stout" weighing in at 9% - I figured this monstrosity could got either way, but couldn't be passed up.

Out of the bottle, a thick, mocha head, with plenty of lacing, bubbles up from the jet black nectar below. A superbly citrus nose starts things off.

The flavor is semi-sweet. Bright orange flavors dominate with a solid malt depth of sugar and caramel notes. Fresh, citrusy, hop  bitterness and goodness couple far better than expected with dark malts and lively carbonation. Reminds me more of a quality Black IPA than traditional stout characteristics.

There's a mid-level hop spice and booze heat in there as well, with the stout roasted notes peaking through further in. Overall, a worthwhile venture and unique meld of styles.

Orlando Brewing Partners » Pale Ale | ABV: 6.25% | 8.5/10
I'd say OBP is the brewery I've head the most about, second to Cigar City. Their Pale pours out clear amber with a tuft of fluffy white head with a pleasant, soft hoppy nose.

The flavor is incredibly smooth and quite silky for a pale. Caramel malt notes and soft citrus strike a wonderful balance. A solid pale ale for sure.

#209: Owl House » 3 Heads Amalgamation, Spoetzl Shiner FM 966, Ace Perry Cider, B. Nektar Black Fang, Scaldis Peche Mel

Before meeting up with family for my Father's birthday, I got to sneak in bunch and drinks with one of my best friends up in Rochester at one of my favorite restaurants and beer spots - Owl House. Amazing food and drinks for those who haven't been.

Three Heads Bewing » Amalgamation (Brown Ale) ABV: 6.5% | 9/10
It takes a lot for me to get excited about a brown, as previously stated. Double browns will usually do it, but those are relatively rare. Make it a Brown from Rochester's 3HB, and I'm listening. They've been concocting tasty brews for several years now, and Amalgamation is no exception.

It's a roasted, full-bodied, BIG brown ale that can hang with any other modern style. Mild hop notes merge with a huge, complex malt palate. Nutty, with notes of caramel, toffee, and overall residing on the bitter side. Surprisingly tasty.

Ace Perry (Cider) ABV: 4% | 9.4/10
To be honest, I grabbed this because my other choice had just kicked and it was the only thing on the beer menu I hadn't already had (besides those listed here). Total fluke choice.

The result? Amazing. No seriously. A pear cider that I absolutely love. Smooth and sweet, but not at all sugary. Silky tropical notes with sweet pear. I have to find this. It won't be for everyone, but to me it's fucking amazing.

B. Nektar Meadery » Black Fang (Mead) ABV: 6% | 9.1/10
Crafted with honey, blackberry, clove and orange zest; B. Nektar delivers again with a sweet, mild, velvety, and tart mead that is simply delicious.

Scaldis Peche Mel (Fruit Beer) ABV: 8.5% | 8.7/10
Sweet and delicate with juicy peach notes backed by subtle, smooth Belgian beer that offers just the slightest dryness on the finish.

Spoetzl Brewery » Shiner FM 966 (Farmhouse Ale) ABV: 5.7% | 8.5/10
A highly citrus farmhouse. With a light mouthfeel and highly delicate flavor spectrum, this one is a bit too subtle for my palate. Good, but a bit underwhelming.

#208: Jack's Abby Brewing / Evil Twin » Jack's Evil Brew (Schwarzbier)

Black

The Brewery: Jack's Abby (Farmington, MA) / Evil Twin (Denmark)
The Brew: Jack's Evil Brew (Schwarzbier)
Availability: Bottles/Draft (Limited - Brewed Once)
ABV: 5.20%
Rating: 8.9/10
Location: Home
Found: Fingerlakes Beverage Center

If you've been following the blog at all, you'll know Jack's Abby is one of my latest go-to breweries for smashing innovation and tradition, without loosing general drinkability and enjoyment. Partner that up with one of my favorite European and nomatic brewers (Evil Twin) and I'm going to buy your beer immediately. I'm also a sucker for a good schwarzbier.

As per it's type, Jack's Evil Brew serves up jet black, with a thick finger of ivory head. A surprisingly herbal nose of cut grass starts things off, augmented with sweet, woody, earthy and nutty notes. Intriguing...

As hoped, it's packed with flavor - nutty, roasted notes meld with mild cocoa for a malt-forward experience and a prickly, dry finish. Subtle, but present earthiness, a touch of hops, caramel, chocolate, and even herbal, tea-like notes all peak though.

Overall, an awesome brew if not just a touch peculiar.

#207: Hopshire Farm & Brewery » Fiddler's Grain (Irish Red) & The Barley Stone (Stout)

Hopshire Farm & Brewery got their hands on some Irish yeast this new year and whipped up two new, session gravity brews - Fiddler's Grain, an Irish Red Ale brewed with malted barley and hops from New York and England and their The Barley Stone dry stout, packed with 40 lbs of unmalted, roasted barley.

Fiddler's Grain (Irish Red) ABV: 4.3% | IBU: 20
Toasted, semisweet aromas peak out in the nose, with soft notes of earth, chocolate, and caramel. Fiddler's is easy drinking with robust flavors. Rustic and malty with a long, roasted finish.

The Barley Stone (Dry Stout) ABV: 4.5% | IBU: 32
Packed with semi-dry flavors and smooth, chocolaty characteristics throughout.

#206: Jack's Abby Brewing » Smoke & Dagger (Nitro)

Jack rides the line between a schwarzbier and smoked porter...

The Brewery: Jack's Abby (Farmington, MA)
The Brew: Mass Rising (Double IPL)
Availability: Bottles/Draft (Year-Round)
ABV: 5.8%| IBUs: 24
Rating: 8.7/10
Found: Ithaca Coffee Company (Gateway Commons)

After a solid, eventful, and productive week, I figured I'd treat myself to a pint on the way home from the day job. I had my eye on Sierra Nevada's Ovila on draft, but alas, it kicked literally the glass before mine.

Jack's has never done me wrong, I'd I've heard great things about Smoke & Dagger and it was on Nitro, so figured like a good runner up.

Smoke & Dagger pours up almost jet black, just slightly more on the deep brown spectrum, topped with ivory head. Down the hatch, it's really wonderful. Silky smooth with a smoke and faintly spiced finish. It's toasty with a touch of what I want to say is cinnamon.

Bold notes of malt, chocolate, coffee and undeniable smoke continue to build on this meal of a beer. The flavors have some serious staying power but still remain refreshing and well balanced.

The Nitro is a nice touch for such a dark, silky lager. Jack's continues to innovate and revitalize lagers at the same time.

#205: Captain Lawrence Brewing Co. » Smoke From The Oak (Apple Brandy Imperial Version)

From the Captain's specialty collection...

The Brewery: Captain Lawrence Brewing Co. (Elmsford, NY)
The Brew: Smoke From The Oak (Apple Brandy Imperial Version)
Availability: Bottles & Draft (limited)
ABV: 12.0%
Rating: 9.4/10
Location: Ithaca Ale House

I wasn't expecting one of the best beers I've had all month to come from an impromptu stop into Ithaca Ale House for snacks and a round after hitting the local antique shops for a cool birthday gift.

There are several versions of Smoke From The Oak around, this version is an Imperial Porter, aged in Apple Brandy barrels. A potent sounding concoction that absolutely delivers.

Sweet, dark, smoke and apple on the nose with faint boozy notes kicks things off, followed by deliciously sweet flavors and a punch of sharp, fermented apple notes. Dark malts provide a tasty backbone to support the firm brandy and roasted caramel notes. It's not heavy or sticky, but is a bit chewy and definitely a sipper. Big and elegant, threaded with pleasant, bitter smoke.

Drinkable and complex and one heck of a find.

#204: Vintage » Dogfish Head 120 (2007), Dogfish Head Midas Touch (2007), Stone Old Guardian (2008), Ithaca Beer Old Habit (2013)

This weekend ended up being inadvertently full of delicious, aged beer. From Fingerlakes Beverage Center taping Stone Brewing's 2008 Old Guardian, to two of our close friends sharing two bottles from their 2007 visit to Dogfish Head, and one of two bottles of Ithaca's Old Habit released last May.

Dogfish Head » Midas Touch - 2007 (Hybrid) | ABV: 9.0% | IBU: 12 |
Now a year-round offering, this classic Ancient Series offering is brewed with barley, white Muscat grapes, honey and saffron. After 8 years, it mellowed considerably. A calm, wine-like nose followed by flavors heading into the honey-liquor spectrum. Smooth, distinct honey sweetness coupled with notes of apple juice and fruit cocktail. I'm definitely going to age one of these myself... wonderful for a cold night in.

Dogfish Head » 120 Minute IPA - 2007 (Imperial IPA) | ABV: 15-20% | IBU: 120 |
Next up from the share box is DFH's top tier from their lauded, 'Minute' IPA series (denoting the length of the boil time of the wort in which the hops are continuously added). Normally an IPA is the last thing you're going to cellar, but with a monstrous ABV and IBU ranking, this one needs some time.

This 2007 120 pours up murky, with a huge super-boozed nose. The hops have lost most of their bitterness, but the strong hop heat remains. This is a strong ale in all sense of the word. Beautifully chewy, there's firm notes of raisin, burnt caramel, with a sweet spice to it, in the direction of cinnamon candy. Wow!

Stone Brewing » Old Guardian - 2007 (Barleywine) | ABV:  11.26% |
On Friday, I went in for a session beer and came out with the opposite. Fingerlakes Beverage Center has a handful of Barelywines aging, so I'm always intrigued as to what they'll pull out next.

This '08 is smooth at first. It's still decently carbonated for being 6 years old. The flavors build on eachother wonderfully, with a soft, rising heat without being as boozy as expected. Strong, bright citrus and tropical flavors blending with candi sugars with a big nose full of raisin auromas, which surprisingly don't make their way into the flavor spectrum. I could see this aging even longer.

Ithaca Beer Co. » Old Habit - 2013 (Rye Beer) | ABV: 9.0%
The youngest of the batch, Old Habit is brewed with four different rye malts and fresh centennial and crystal hops, then partly fermented in Rye Whiskey barrels.

It's by far the most pungent of the group, with sharp flavors, mildly reminding me of an Indian spice soda I once procured. Thick, chewy mouthfeel and a dark, ruby brown; this brew is packed with whiskey, oak, vanilla, and acrid fruits and nuts. A solid sipper, I'm looking forward to where the last bottle of this goes in the next few years.

#203: Firestone Walker Brewing Co. » Parabola (Russian Imperial Stout) & §ucaba (Barleywine)

Two barrel aged brews, cellar aged for an additional year...

The Brewery: Firestone Walker Brewing Co. (Paso Robles, CA)
The Brew: Parabola (Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stout)
Availability: 22 oz bottle/very limited draft (Proprietor's Vintage Series)
ABV: 13%% | 82 IBUs
Rating: 9.8/10
Location: Home
Found: Fingerlakes Beverage Center

The Beer? 
Unboxed, unfoiled, and uncapped, Parabola serves up deep dark brow with almost no head.

The nose? Holy hell... you'll get drunk off the fumes on this one. Bold aromas of bourbon, vanilla, lots of milk, dark fruit and faint molasses set up an alluring beertopia.

On to the palate, it's heaven - dark, sweet, with a ton of booze heat, like some whiskey-malt nectar. The mouthfeel is silky, sticky with a substantial mouthcoat. Flavors of bourbon, coconut, raisin, and cane sugar swirl around throughout, with notes of toffee, coffee, and dark caramel rising.

An incredible, artful brew, and true "reserve" warranted territory.

_______________________________________________________________________

The Brewery: Firestone Walker Brewing Co. (Paso Robles, CA)
The Brew: §ucaba (Barrel Aged English-style Barleywine)
Availability: 22 oz bottle/very limited draft (Proprietor's Vintage Series)
ABV: 13%% | 42 IBUs
Rating: 9.9/10
Location: Home
Found: Fingerlakes Beverage Center

The Beer? 
I wanted to have these brews back to back nights, but work travel and a bit of a cold going around town, put this one off a few extra days of high anticipation.

Formerly known as Abacus, the oddly-monikered §ucaba pours out a murky, brown-ruby with a fast fading head. A huge, drunken nose, full of booze, raisin, vanilla, and candy sugar follows up.

The flavor is incredible - I'm marrying this beer. Dark and semi-sweet with a dry finish. Even being cellared for a year, there's still a touch of hops peaking through the hot alcohol punch. Faint citrus and tropical fruits are threaded through more prominent notes of plum, red apple & skin, and sarsaparilla. It's delightfully creamy and never silky or oily.

Another slam-dunk from FW's Proprietor's Vintage Series and a must try for Barleywine lovers.

#202: Off Color Brewing » Troublesome (Gose) & Scurry (Dark Honey Ale)

Former respective Goose Island (Bourbon County, Sisters Belgians) and Two Brothers brewers, John Laffler and Dave Bleitner left their respective organizations, to combine their lauded talents into a joint, independent venture.

Off Color Brewing (Chicago, IL), already gathering acclaim for their first two bottled beers below, is the result of that partnership.

Troublesome (Gose) ABV: 4.5% | IBU: 10 | 9.3/10
This brew is a blend of two beers, a plain old wheat beer and overly acidic & funky beer fermented solely with lactobacillus, finished with coriander and salt towards the end of fermentation.

In person, it starts of a transparant, pale yellow with minimal cap of white head that is plenty lacy. Bringing Troublesome to my nose, heavenly, wild aromas bloom - yeasty, juciy notes of white wine, lemon, and citrus.

The flavor is incredible and refreshing. Soft carbonation and perfect restraint of coriander matched with a deft hand of faint sweetness and delicate tartness. A gifted brew. Recommended.

Scurry (Dark Honey Ale) ABV: 5.3% | IBU: 18 | 9/10
Brewed with honey and molasses, Scurry pours out a dark, opaque brown with a touch of ruby and almost no head. Strong coffee nose is prevalent with soft notes of wood and honey and packed with molasses aromas.

It's dark and roasted on the palate, but not too heavy. Smooth and perfectly carbonated. Mild, sweet, but not sticky. Roasty, toasty, with just a flicker of earthy notes. Solid.