#295: The Lost Abbey » Agave Maria Ale (Strong Ale)

The Lost Abbey » Agave Maria Ale (Tequila Barrel Aged Strong Ale) | ABV: 13.5%
Tequila barrel aged beers are a bit few and far between, especially ones on any seasonal cycle, like this Agave Marie Ale brewed with Agave nectar and aged in said Tequila barrels.

Out of the gate, it's an abrasive nose of heavy tequila, tons of oak and cranberry & wine like aromas.

The palate is spicy, astringent, with a touch of sour. As expected, its an utterly unique brew. Lively, prickly carbonation lifts bitter raw honey notes floating atop strong notes of sour black cherry, rubarb, brown sugar, and black pepper. There's a vanilla and smoke complexity threaded through the dark fruits further through. Cola & sarsaparilla flavors surface deep into the tasting as well.

Agave Maria is unlike any beer in recent memory. Unique, sipper, but highly enjoyable for the experienced and adventurous palate.

#294: Founders Brewing Co. » Big Lushious (Imperial Stout)

Founders Brewing Co. » Big Lushious (Imperial Stout) | ABV: 7.8%
Founders brings us Big Lushious for the winter edition of their Backstage Series - a stout brewed with chocolate & raspberries. On the eve of my almost-three-week break from my day job, I was anticipating the freedom of the following afternoon. Big Lushious seemed like a great beer to indulge with, while still retaining coherence in the morning.

This rich brew starts off with a decadent nose of succulent, chocolate covered raspberries and a hint of spice exuding from the dark, bubbly brown body and deep tan head.

Onto the palate, Big Lushious is silky and quite sweet. Big tart raspberry flavors rush through with a hint of cola, concluding with a wet finish. Further through, this beer becomes a sumptuous blend of port and raspberry truffles with subtle threads of cherry cola, red velvet cake, and chocolate syrup.

Big Lushious is a desert beer through and through and a lovely edition to sociable, warming ports & ice wines.

#293: Bell's Brewing » Venus: The Bringer of Peace (Blonde Ale)

Bell's Brewing » Venus (Blonde Ale w/ Honey, Apricot, Cardamom, & Vanilla) | ABV: 7.5%
Bell's second offering in their Planetary Series, Venus has been garnering some polarizing reviews. Somewhere in there there's a joke about what what humanity through the planet was like until we actually landed there, but it's a bit too early for that.

Curiously brewed with apricot, honey, over 60 lbs of hand cut vanilla beans and cardamom, it's a complex, adventurous, and atypical brew. At it's core, Peace Bringer is a Blonde Ale, but that's about as far as the thread of that style goes.

Unabashedly aromatic, Venus emits a big, sweet, nectar and juicy nose. Notes of elderberry, vanilla, stone fruit, and oranges swirl through the olfactory system.

Onto the palate, it's dry and puckering and far beyond just a beer at this point. Venus is dense and mildly astringent - tart, but not sour. Wielding a myriad of fruit (apricot nectar, blood orange, tangerine), herbal and spice flavors (the cardamom and vanilla gracefully dancing), this is a mouthful of a beer with a stacking mouthcoat.

Straight up, this is a fruit beer. A big bold fruit beer, akin to a younger sibling of Founders' Rübæus and Mango Magnifico. Not quite as refined as those brews, but highly enjoyable nonetheless.

A goddamn great beer aimed for those with a curious and adventurous palate. If you're looking for a strong ale or dimmur blonde, better look elsewhere, but for those looking to sip the fringe of craft brewing, grab this while you can.

#292: Anchorage Brewing / Jolly Pumpkin » Calabaza Boreal (Wild Ale)

Anchorage Brewing / Jolly Pumpkin » Calabaza Boreal (Wild Ale) | ABV: 7.0% | IBUs: 40
Anchorage has been delivering some of my favorite beers around, so I pick them up as often as I can when traveling. Oddly enough, it looks like they have landed distribution in Upstate NY, so while I picked this particular bottle up in California, it's available locally, for the moment.

Brewed with grapefruit peel & juice and peppercorns, Calabaza Boreal hits the ground running with a godlike nose of oak and lemon candy emitting from a perfectly hazy straw body crowed by a pure white head.

Prickly and juicy, pink grapefruit and lemon zest flavors are plentiful, backed by a full bodied notes of oak. The lively peppercorn spice never reaches overwhelming or "spice beer" levels. There's a touch of booze heat in the back, alongside understated earth & funk.

As with many Anchorage offerings, it's stunningly tart and drinkable with on-going complexity.

#291: Sierra Nevada /Boulevard Brewing Co. » Terra Incognita (Strong Ale)

Sierra Nevada /Boulevard Brewing Co. » Terra Incognita (Strong Ale) | ABV: 9.8%
Beginning life as a hoppy, imperial brown ale, it's a blend of 55% wine-barrel aged, 32% bourbon barrel aged, and 13% fresh ale. Initially collaboratively brewed for a Brewers Association food event, Sierra Nevada has kept it a yearly tradition to release this big brew.

The nose is subtler than anticipated, with expected wine and bourbon notes, but soft, paired with aromas of cocoa and an herbal coolness to it. It pours up a deep, dark, opaque brown with thick head.

On to the palate, it's wonderfully smooth and offers a touch of sweetness. Red wine tannin peak through flavors of butterscotch and vanilla, finishing dry with a mild, mouthcoat. There's a soft bitterness of the bourbon & wine, quietly vying for attention and a boozy heat in the breath and chest of the finish. Far in, there's a dry tartness that develops with wonderful notes of black current.

A great brew that offers unique complexity due to the combination of beer style and blended aging.

#290: Boulevard Brewing Company » Rye-On-Rye (Barrel Aged Rye)

Boulevard Brewing Company » Rye-On-Rye (Barrel Aged Rye) | ABV: 12% | IBUs: 47
I picked up this Boulevard while out in California back in October. My partner & I both love rye and barrel-aged brews, so I figured this this well-rated, limited release would be a bit of bliss in a bottle.

Rye-On-Rye is a blended beer, 67% of the ale aged in scorched Templeton Rye barrels.

Strong aromas of pepper, rye, and butterscotch start this one off. It's a hazy, deep amber with a plentiful, off-white head that has just a tinge of straw to it.

Big, bold flavors burst onto the scene, kept in control by a deftly smooth body. Firm notes of grape musk, smooth rye whiskey, vanilla bean, and natural cola, bringing to mind an old ale with herbal & rooty characteristics. The lively carbonation keeps it light on it's feet for such a big beer, making Rye-On-Rye a smooth, easy sipper and a damn good beer.

#289: Boulevard Brewing Company » Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale

Boulevard Brewing Company » Tank 7 Farmhouse Ale | ABV: 8.5% | IBUs: 38
My last two out of state trips have yielded good selections of Boulevard brews I'll have a post coming soon reviewing their Rye-On-Rye and Bourbon Barrel Quad, but first this 12 oz. single of Tank 7, a farmhouse and a year-round ale in their Smokestack series.

My partner & I each picked up mixed sixers of brews we can't get in NYS to hang with back at our hotel in Philly. I'd grabbed mostly session beers, expecting good brews, but was not expecting to get bowled over as I did by this bottle.

Tank 7 pours out a rustic, hazy pale straw with foamy white head, emitting a funky, farmhouse nose with faint tropical fruit notes. It's crisp, with a medium bodied mouthfeel. Wonderfully balanced notes of hay, soft pepper spice, and lemon are supported by lively carbonation which expertly masks the 8.5% ABV.

Boulevard nailed the farmhouse style on the head with this one. Delightfully complex if you want to get heady with it, but subtly drinkable enough to throw down in succession. If / when Boulevard arrives in Upstate NY, this may end up being my go-to brew.

#288: Firestone Walker » Double DBA 2013 (Imperial Special Bitter)

Firestone Walker » Double DBA 2013 (Imperial Special Bitter) | ABV: 12% | IBUs: 29
I picked this Double version of Firestone's flagship, DBA back in the fall of 2013. I'm a big fan of their Proprietor's Vintage Series series, as so far everything from that line has aged well for me and DDBA is no exception.

Double DBA starts off with huge, pluming aromas of candi sugar & booze. Notes of bourbon, caramel, and toffee bloom from the glass. There's a touch of spice in the way back as well. Appearance-wise, It's a deep amber color with a ring of white head.

Onto the palate, it's a playground of rich complexity. New flavors boundlessly surge in and out of the spotlight - a rush of whiskey, then pepper, hops, honey, even wild herbs gallops across the palate, finishing with a firm heat in the chest. Further through, soft sage notes start to appear. It's all wrapped up with a hardy, full mouthfeel that's slightly sticky, but still well carbonated.

This Double DBA, bottle aged for a year and a quarter, is a complex and bold ride from a big beer.

#287: Bandwagon Beer 5th Anniversary: Winter Brown, Chai Chili, Barleywine, Sourmash Pale

Sunday after Big Day In was our local Bandwagon Brewpub's 5th anniversary. I kicked off the afternoon with my partner and a close friend up from Baltimore, carefully selecting my favorite BWB, their Barreled Blond Ale (sour, red wine-barrel aged), then into the new anniversary beers.

(via BWB Facebook page)

Winter Brown Lager | ABV: 7.7%
I figured I'd start in somewhat easy, since it would be a long afternoon in the basement. Brewed with traditional British pale malt & chocolate rye, this winter pours up a hazy, light brown. There's herbal flavors threaded with rye spice and hints of cocoa powder. Lightly carbonated and refreshing with a mildly dry finish. Roasted & tasty for a solid start.

Chai-Chili Porter | ABV: 5.9%
I was going to wait on this one, given it's adventurous nature, but someone overheard our discussion of it, and a taste came my way. It's a deep red-brown with a chili & vegetable green pepper nose with a touch of brown sugar. Down the hatch, it's quite tasty with an unabashed amount of heat. Big cinnamon & chili notes kick your palate with a massive, mile long finish. The Chai provides a skeleton for this tornado of a beer to remain steady.

Bandwagon Barleywine | ABV: 9.2
BBB#1 was a Bandwagon Barleywine (different batch & brewer if I recall), so it was fun to see this pop up on the anniversary list. Surprisingly drinkable for a barleywine which has been aging for a year. It's a deep, opaque brown with a ton of fluffy, mocha head. Candi, soft hops, and fruitcake grace the nose followed up by beautiful flavor. It's heaven for a second, then dries with dried red fruits and a touch of heat. Light & not too sticky. A solid, enjoyable BWBBW.

Sourmash Pale Ale | ABV: 6.4%
I'd been eyeing this one the whole day. Head BWB brewer Stephen Bareford's sours are what have brought me back to regularly visiting the local substreet brewpub and Sourmash is right up there with the others.

A transparent straw body and soft, tropical aromas start the tasting. While wafting, I'm told this one has been aging 6 months since I first tried it. Tropical hop notes slam with soft sour lime and lemon. It's mildly astringent and exactly what I've been looking forward to. It aged beautifully and was a wonderful edition to the anniversary line-up.

I also snagged a glass of their Russian Imperial Stout, which was incredibly solid as well. Great job & happy anniversary to the whole BWB crew!

#286: Ithaca Beer Co. » Ahtanamus, Rustic Harvest, Java Power, Lucifer Falls, Embrrr, Dark Vine

(left to right!)

After sipping on Ithaca's most astringent brew yet, Sour Pi, it was time to dive into what else I'd been missing.

Ahtanumus (Single-Hop Pale Ale) | ABV: 6.8% 
Named for the hop itself, Ahtanumus opens the flight with a soft, highly floral nose - perfume-like with delicate grapefruit and subtle herbal notes. There's a bit more bite on the palate, with orange rind & zest in the finish. A versatile, easy drinking, and elegant, single-hop showcase.

Rustic Harvest (Red IPA) | ABV: 7.2%
I'm already familiar with Rustic before this extended flight as the newcomer in the 2014 edition of Box of Hops. Kicking off with an assertive nose of earth and spice, citrus and rye dance on the tongue with some light, boozy esters sprinkled in. There's the mildest hint of wild strawberry in there too.

Java Power (Coffee IPA) | ABV: 7.2% 
Coffee and hops? What is this world coming to? Beer bliss, actually. Java's light & roasted nose is well coupled with citrus hop notes. Smooth coffee bitterness elevates the malts & uniquely suqares the soft grapefruit hops flavors. Espresso notes are revealed further through. An innovative brew worth noting.

Seventeen (see full review)

Lucifer Falls (Belgian-style) | ABV: 8.9%
Big candi sugar nose reals me into this one. It's sweet, with a pale complexion. Interesting! Intriguing! Vanilla and faint medicinal aromas are followed by bold flavors & mouthfeel. Herbal mint, stern alcohol presence, honey, and bourbon flavors are out front, supported by a bit of heat on the way down. Banana & clove shine even further in. A new 5-barrel favorite for sure.

Embrrr (Rye Porter) | ABV: 6.6
I've been digging this one for most of this season, plus it was my go-to beer during Big Day In. It's huge coffee nose is threaded with a touch of rye spice. Mild star anise aromas are present as well. A great northeast fall/winter brew. This one kicks it on draft for sure. The bottles are great, but get it on draft where you can.

Dark Vine (Imperial Black IPA) | ABV: 9.5%
My definitive favorite from this year's Box of Hops as it's as big and malty as it is big and hoppy. Dark Vine is deep dark-brown gold in a glass. An alluring ester alcohol nose, backed by smooth citrus hops, swirling with dark malts and sweet candy aromas. Onto the palate, it's juicy, but dark, akin to a chocolate covered orange. A mild dryness finishes out the brew and brings a touch of spice. This one I definitely like better bottled, where it's a touch sweeter and malt forward, like a hoppy, sweet barleywine, though it is nice & lively on tap.

#285: Ithaca Beer Co. » Excelsior! Anniversary Seventeen

Excelsior! Anniversary Seventeen (Wheat Double IPA w/ Brettanomyces) | ABV: 8.8% 
Fittingly, as my pre-Big Day In routine included a stop to Ithaca's Taproom, my celebratory beer of choice, following the 13 hour day, is the latest chapter in Ithaca Beer's praiseworthy Excelsior! series, Seventeen - hybrid between a Wheat ale and an India Pale Ale, bottle conditioned with Brettanomyces.

The awaited Seventeen kicks off with a highly purfumed, floral hop nose with notes of lilac & orchid along side soft, pink peppercorn aromas. It's a spicy, warming, and impressive IPA.

Flavors of white & pink peppercorn and soft chili spices real you in, followed by complimentary, smooth blood orange notes. Like a winter warmer of an IPA. Further through, distinct characteristics of orange & lemon zest peak through, backed by the brightness of the young Brett, which itself yields earthier tones late in the glass. It's complex all the way through, finishing elegantly dry.

A delightful, inspired brew that should get nice & funky with time.

#284: Ithaca Beer Co. » Sour Pi (Sour Ale)

(apologies for the blurry pic... t'was a busy night!)

Sour Pi (Sour Ale) ABV: 3.8%
Stopping in for soup & brew at Ithaca Beer's Taproom on the even of Big Day In (a day fest run by the not-for-profit I head up), I'm caught up enough to relax for a moment before jumping onto the next errand. I'd heard about Sour Pi, Ithaca's most astringent brew yet, clocking in at an apt 3.14 (get it?) pH. It's a kettle sour, fueled by Lactobacillus.

My 13oz glass is filled with a golden, glowing brew crowned with fluffy, fizzy, fading white head. Introducing itself with an intriguingly astringent note, wonderfully tart flavors follow, while retaining a surprisingly wet mouthfeel and a pleasant, crisp bite on the finish. Notes of lemon, mineral water all refreshing and damn tasty. I skipped the syrup, opting for the full acidic experience.

I'd initially planned on just the one brew, but realizing it'd been a mouth & a half since I'd visited, the always friendly and wonderful staff served up another 8 brews... (see next post!)

#283: Yards » Frankford Hall, Cape Of Good Hope, Russian Imperial, Trubbel, General Washington's, Thomas Jefferson's, Poor Richard's, Love Stout, Cicada, Brawler, ESA, IPA, Grand Cru

My partner & I rolled into Philly at the start of December for our Anniversary, as usual, much centered around beer. I was laid out ill the first night, better by day two, and by day three, it was time for some serious beer exploration. We set aside an afternoon to spend at Yards and were glad we did, splitting three flights & a tulip.

(right to left...)

Frankford Hall (Session IPA) | ABV: 5.5%
A session IPA seemed like a fine place to start the afternoon. Frankford Hall serves up with a translucent straw body and a ring of while head. Grassy hop aromas introduce this drinkable IPA. Taste & body akin to an offspring from IPA and a Pils parents.

Cape Of Good Hope (West Coast IPA) | ABV: 9.3% | IBUs: 76
Stepping up a notch, this Imperial IPA entices with sweet mango aromas emitting from a hazy straw body. Bright, shimmering tropical notes pair well with the lively carbonation. Further flavors of lemon zest arise, gaining piney momentum with a touch of floral futher through. Refreshing and tightly bitter.

Russian Imperial Stout | 10.8% ABV
Boasting an alcohol volume over ten percent, this Russian style stands tall, deep, and dark with strong notes of molasses on the nose. It's robust & roasted, nutty and growing evermore bitter, never turning sweet or sticky. Food brings out the huge booze notes in this hardy stout.

Trubbel de Yards (Tripel Dubbel Ale) | ABV: 9.3% | IBUs: 66
The hazy, dark brown brew with off-white head, yields sweet, dark red fruit aromas. Smooth raisin & fresh plum flavors splash across the palate alongside rich, engaging overtones of caramel and chocolate in the far back. A notable brew.

(round two: Ales of the Revolution)

George Washington's Tavern Porter | ABV: 7.0% | IBUs: 34
Robust! Authentically brewed to Washington's own recipe, this strong porter bursts out of the gate with big notes of molasses and dried red fruits. Inferred winter spices are threaded through as well with mild, herbal and medical characteristics. A wonderful step back in time and away from the usual brew.

Thomas Jefferson's Tavern Ale (Strong Golden Ale) | ABV: 8.0% | IBUs: 28
Once again, historically authentic, Jefferson's is a standout, brewed with honey, flaked maize, rye malt. It's a wonderfully smooth golden ale, spiked with sharp rye notes peaking through sweet biscuit flavors and boozy esters.

Poor Richard's Tavern Spruce (Spice Ale, Indigenous Ale) | ABV: 5.0% | IBUs: 13
"Based on Franklin’s original recipe, which called for barley, molasses, and essence of spruce, our Tavern Spruce is as approachable and engaging as was the man himself." I've had good spruce beers and I've had bad spruce beers, but they're always worth picking up. This one absolutely lands in the former catagory.

Spicy notes abound, Poor Richard's calls on cinnamon & sarsaparilla, mild & sweet white fruit, faint honey flavors with pleasant honey and apricot on the nose. A unique, heavily spiced, and admirable brew.

Love Stout (Nitro Stout) | ABV: 6.9% | IBUs: 30
A growing seasonal favorite in the region, Love Stout, served on Nitro, was the first lackluster brew on the bill so far, in this blogger's humble opinion. A nutty, roasted nose is followed up by wonderfully smooth flavors of coco & nutty. Soft and straightforward. If you're a straight stout fan, this is you in a glass.

Cicada (Belgian IPA) | ABV: 8.5% | IBUs: 60
With an alluring, deep amber body and pink-white head, Cicada has a surprisingly transparent nose for an IPA. Countering the lack of a telling nose, suble notes of candi sugar, bubble gum, and hop citrus bloom on the palate. Bright flavors - hot hops, boozy esters, grapefruit, toffee all dance freely with a touch of caramel in the back. A solid limited brew.

(round 3: signature ales)

Brawler (English Mild) | ABV: 4.2 | IBUs: 12
Once of Yards' year-round flagships, Brawler is full English. A sharp, minerally nose is followed up by a crisp, refreshing session brew with plenty of character. Mildly bitter with firm malt support.

ESA (Extra Special Bitter) | ABV: 6.0% | IBUs: 16
ESA has assertive English styling, with a sweet nose of toffee and nutmeg, with a dance of spice & bitterness on the tongue.

IPA | ABV: 7.0% | IBUs: 62
Soft, tropical & passion fruit notes spring from the nose. Puckeringly bitter at first, this year-round IPA settles in nicely. A solid, east-coast IPA.

Grand Cru (Belgian Strong Ale) | ABV: 9.9% | IBUs: 50
We were able to swap out Yards' flagship Pale Ale (as we'd enjoyed a sixer over the days prior) for a sampling of their Grand Cru to see if we wanted to pick up a 750mL for home.

This brew was wonderful and a hell of a ride, starting with an intriguing pumpkin spice nose, with notable auromas of nutmeg, brown sugar, and yeast. Further whiffs reveal subtle sour cherry notes. On to the palate, it's impressive and heavenly. Hands down the best brew of the day and one of the best of the week.

Yards Grand Cru is elegant and silky smooth with just the right touch of lively, but soft Belgian-style carbonation. Coupled with firm, traditional Belgian spice & mouthfeel, flavors of white stone fruit flow amongs a touch of alcohol heat, all wrapped up in a big, velvety mouthcoat. A great end to the day.

Overall, Grand Cru, Jefferson, and Poor Richards were the winners in my mind, but every brew stood on it's own. High quality, consistency, with one foot in tradition and the other in modern creative craft brewing.

Coming soon...

Took a few trips in November... time to share the spoils with you all!