BBB Reviews & What's On Tap? posts will return soon!

[working through a few things this month...]

What's On Tap? (Ithaca: 4/7/2015)

Lots of new & seasonal brews on tap this week from Hopshire, Ithaca Beer, Bandwagon, and more!

Ithaca Beer Taproom this Wednesday hosts is the return of Cayuga Cruiser - Ithaca's Berliner Weisse style summer brew - along side a cask of Cruiser aged on raspberry puree on Wednesday (whoa!).

• Beersebub (Helles)
• SaScotch (Nitro Scotch Ale) 
• 'Nother Day IPA
• Daydreamer 
• Imperial Saison 
• 17!

Northstar: 

• 21st Amendment Bitter American 
• Catskills Freaktractor Wild Ale
• Dogfish Head Raison D'Extra
• Founders KBS 
• Founders Black Rye
• Ithaca Beer Java Power
• Ithaca Superstout
• Ommegang Hop House
• Ommegang La Chouffe
• Southern Tier Sonnet
• Southern Tier Tier De Garde
• Troges Nugget Nectar 2013

Bandwagon Brew Pub: 

• Hidden Rabbit Hefeweizen
• Ezra Red Ale
• Pucker Up
• Svante's Legislative Session IPA
• No Kettle No Cry (Massively dry-hopped ale)
• Humble  (American Wheat)
• High Step Weizenbock
• Pirate Eye IPA
• Sully's Irish Stout
• Tuesday Night Circus (3xIPA)
• Pucker Up (Sour Rye)
• Doc Rocker Porter
• Doc Blocker Smoked Porter (Coming soon...)
• Slime IPA (Coming soon...)
• Catskills Freaktractor Wild Ale
• Three Heads Brewing The Kind
• Smuttynose Findest Kind IPA
• Break & Skiff 1911
• Bell's Oberon
• Cortland Brewery Black Widow Russian Imperial Stout

Ithaca Coffee Company:
Triphammer:

• Upstate Honey Porter
• Ommegang Glimmer Glass
• Sam Adams Rebel IPA
• Dogfish Head Chateau Jiahu
• Ritterguts Gose
• Ithaca Java Power
• Green Flash Soul Style IPA
• Rogue Dead Guy Ale
• Rogue Brutal IPA
• 3 Heads Double Skunk
• Angry Orchard Crisp Apple
• Rogue Irish Style Lager

Gateway:

• Cortland Black Widow Stout
• 3 Heads Buffalo Soul Jah
• Wagner Valley Coffee Porter
• Shiner FM966
• Wagner Valley Sled Dog
• Sackets Harbor War of 1812 Ale
• Wagner Valley Maple Porter
• Harpoon UFO Gingerland
• Wagner Valley Hop Tropic
• Ithaca Beer Excelsior! 17

Hopshire Farm & Brewery 

• Beehave
• Brambles (Raspberry Wheat Ale)
• Shire Ale
• Sympathy (Belgian strong golden)
• Near Varna 
• Hop Onyx 
• Hopscene Gesture (new Double IPA)

Ithaca Ale House

• Abandon Brewing Black Currant Amber
• Dogfish Head Raison D'Extra
• Galaxy NY Attitude (Belgian Pale)
• Harpoon UFO White
• Beak & Skiff Cidery - Hopped Cider
• Stella Artois
• Ithaca Daydreamer
• Leinenkugel Summer Shandy
• Wachusetts Blueberry Ale
• Alpine Beer Company Duet IPA
• Bell's Two Hearted
• Cortland Beer Industrial IPA
• Saranac Prism
• Stone Enjoy By 4.20.15 IPA
• Founders KBS
• Guinness
• Stone Arrogant Bastard
• Southern Tier Goat Boy
• Ithaca White Gold
• Schneider Porter Weisse

Finger Lakes Beverage Center

• Great Lakes Christmas
• Anderson Valley Blood Orange Gose
• Saranac Tramonay Rouge
• Abandon Porter
• Horseheads Orion Belgian IPA
• Cortland Industrial IPA
• Ithaca Red Rye IPA
• Southern Tier 2Xmas
• Smuttynose/Stone Clusters Last Stand IPA (new!)
• Sam Adams Helles Bock
• Angry Orchard Crisp Hard Cider
• W E Salle Birch Beer Soda

#317: Ithaca Beer Co. » Beersebub (Helles), Imperial Saison, SaScotch (Nitro Scotch Ale)

BBB is back after a week off, starting up a prosperous new day job. A surprise birthday party for a friend I haven't seen in far too long was a good spark to get back in the review game at Ithaca Beer, where the were offering up four new 5 BBL offerings ('Nother Day session IPA not reviewed).

Beersebub (Helles sytle) | ABV: 5.5%
A great start to the meal after waiting to order until seated. An easy drinking, dry, bittersweet brew with a brief, clean finish. Nice session weight to start things off.

Imperial Saison | ABV: 8.7%
This one peaked my interest as soon as I walked in - Grains of Paradise, ginger, & orange peal in a weighty Saison? Yes, please. It's smoothly spiced, backed by soft carbonation, and faint threads of earthiness. Wonderfully blooming white fruit esters follow with well-balanced notes of ginger, rind, and pith peak through. There's a mildly sharp creaminess to it too.

SaScotch (Nitro Scotch Ale) | ABV: 8.3%
Here's another highly enjoyable, limited brew from IB's new Manhattan Project. An excellent choice for Nitro, this scotch ale is deftly smooth with soft, nutty undertones threaded with mild butterscotch, caramel, and a faint hint of rye.

What's On Tap? (Ithaca: 3/25/2015)

What's on Tap in Ithaca? Tons of new seasonals with a few rarities...

Ithaca Beer Taproom just launched their 5BBL Imperial Saison, brewed with Grains of Paradise, ginger and orange peel, clocking in at 8.7%.  This week on cask it's Flower Power dry hopped with Galaxy.

Northstar: 

• Anderson Valley The Kimmie The Yink (Gose)
• Bacchus Red Rye
• Bacchus Oatmeal Stout
• Beak & Skiff Cidery - Hopped Cider
• Brasserie D'Achouffe - Mc Chouffe
• Founders KBS 2014 (2015 on deck)
• Founders Black Rye
• Ithaca Beer Java Power
• Ithaca Superstout
• Ommegang Rare Vos
• Ommegang Game of Thrones Valar
• Troegs Nugget Nectar

Bandwagon Brew Pub: 

• NYS Traditional Pilsner
• Humble  (American Wheat)
• High Step Weizenbock
• Pirate Eye IPA
• Sully's Irish Stout
• Parallaxium (Golden Session)
• Tuesday Night Circus (3xIPA)
• Pucker Up (Sour Rye)
• Doc Rocker Porter
• Robust Brown Ale
• Three Heads Brewing The Kind
• Oskar Blues G'Night
• Cortland Brewery Black Widow Russian Imperial Stout

Ithaca Coffee Company:
Triphammer:

• Upstate Honey Porter
• Ommegang Glimmer Glass
• Sam Adams Rebel IPA
• Dogfish Head Chateau Jiahu
• Ritterguts Gose
• Ithaca Java Power
• Green Flash Soul Style IPA
• Rogue Dead Guy Ale
• Rogue Brutal IPA
• 3 Heads Double Skunk
• Angry Orchard Crisp Apple
• Rogue Irish Style Lager

Gateway:

• Cortland Black Widow Stout
• 3 Heads The Kind
• Wagner Valley Coffee Porter
• Shiner White Wing
• Troegs Cultivator
• Troegs Nugget Nectar
• Harpoon UFO Gingerland
• Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter
• Ithaca Beer Creeker

Ithaca Ale House

• Abandon Brewing Black Currant Amber
• Great Lakes Conways Irish Ale
• Smithwick's Irish Red Ale
• Dogfish Head Raison D'Extra
• Harpoon UFO White
• Beak & Skiff Cidery - Hopped Cider
• Stella Artois
• Ithaca Daydreamer
• Saranac Tramonay Rouge
• Wachusetts Blueberry Ale
• Alpine Beer Company Duet IPA
• Bell's Hopslam
• Bell's Two Hearted
• Southern Tier Right O' Way IPA
• Goose Island Ten Hills Pale
• Ithaca Super Stout
• Guinness
• Stone Arrogant Bastard
• Southern Tier Goat Boy
• Ithaca White Gold

Hopshire Farm & Brewery 

• Beehave
• Brambles (Raspberry Wheat Ale)
• Fiddlers Grain (Irish Red)
• Shire Ale
• Sympathy (Belgian strong golden)
• Near Varna 
• Hop Onyx 

The Westy

• Crispin
• Troegs Hop Back
• Allagash White
• Bells Two Hearted
• Ithaca Flower Power
• Brooklyn Lager
• Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
• Three Heads The Kind
• Lagunitas Pils
• Keuka Hoppy Lager
• Bacchus Floras Fate
• (on deck: Great Lakes Chillwave, Upstate XPA, Victory Prima Pils, & more)

Finger Lakes Beverage Center

• Great Lakes Christmas
• Anderson Valley Blood Orange Gose
• Saranac Tramonay Rouge
• Abandon Porter
• Horseheads Orion Belgian IPA
• Cortland Industrial IPA
• Ithaca Red Rye IPA
• Southern Tier 2Xmas
• Smuttynose/Stone Clusters Last Stand IPA (new!)
• Sam Adams Helles Bock
• Angry Orchard Crisp Hard Cider
• W E Salle Birch Beer Soda

What's On Tap? (Ithaca: 3/19/2015)

Let's have a look at What's on Tap? in Ithaca this week!

Ithaca Beer Taproom offer up Beerzebub, Helles beer. It's a golden pale lager on the slightly maltier side with a mild hoppy essence.

• 17!
• Collaboratus (w/ Abandon Brewing)
• Dorian grain
• Cask: Grapefruited Flower Power

Bandwagon Brew Pub: 

• Parallaxium (Golden Session)
• Belgian Brown
• Ezra Red Ale
• Rauchbier
• Slime IPA
• Doc Rocker Porter
• Sesch Ale (Kolsch)
• Azedo (Sour Mash Ale)
• Tuesday Night Circus (3xIPA)
• Robust Brown Ale
• Belgian Brown
• British Envasion
• TB3 (American Pale)
• Stone Enjoy By 
• Three Heads Brewing The Kind
• Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout
• Smuttynose Brewing - Durty Mudd
• Oskar Blues - G'Knight (Imperial Red)
• Dogfish Head - Aprihop 
• 1911 Cider

Ithaca Coffee Company:
Triphammer:

• Upstate Honey Porter
• Ommegang Glimmer Glass
• Wagner Valley Hop Tropic
• Ballast Point Victory at Sea
• Ritterguts Gose
• Ithaca Java Power
• Ballast Point Sculpin
• Rogue Dead Guy Ale
• Rogue Brutal IPA
• 3 Heads Rochestafarian
• Hopshire Near Varna
• Rogue Irish Style Lager

Gateway:

• Cortland Black Widow Stout
• 3 Heads The Kind
• Wagner Valley Coffee Porter
• Shiner White Wing
• Troegs Cultivator
• Troegs Nugget Nectar
• Harpoon UFO Gingerland
• Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter
• Ithaca Beer Creeker

Ithaca Ale House

• Abandon Brewing Black Currant Amber
• Great Lakes Conways Irish Ale
• Smithwick's Irish Red Ale
• Dogfish Head Raison D'Extra
• Harpoon UFO White
• Stella Artois
• Saranac Tramonay Rouge
• Wachusetts Blueberry Ale
• Bell's Hopslam
• Bell's Two Hearted
• Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter
• Upstate IPA
• Harp Lager
• Pilsner Urquell
• Goose Island Ten Hills Pale
• Horseheads Chocolate Porter
• Ithaca Super Stout
• Guinness
• Ithaca Super Stout 
• Stone Arrogant Bastard
• Ithaca White Gold

Hopshire Farm & Brewery 

• Beehave
• Fiddlers Grain (Irish red)
• Shire Ale
• Barley Stone (Irish stout)
• Shire Ale
• Sympathy (Belgian strong golden)
• Near Varna 
• Hop Onyx 

Finger Lakes Beverage Center

• Great Lakes Christmas 
• Southern Tier 2Xmas
• Smuttynose/Stone Clusters Last Stand IPA (new!)
• Lake Placid Black Tie Porter
• Saranac Clouded Dream
• Horseheads Black IPA
• Sam Adams Helles Bock
• Upstate XPA IPA
• Angry Orchard Crisp Hard Cider
• W E Salle Birch Beer Soda 

The Westy

• Troegs Hop Back
• Uinta Baba 
• Ithaca Green Trail
• Six Point Cream Ale
• Lagunitas Pils
• Bells Kalamazoo
• Bells Two Hearted
• Firestone Walker Union Jack IPA
• Original Sin Cider
• PBR
• Bacchus Floras Fate
• Allagash White

(If you would like your bar or brewery featured in these weekly posts, contact bubbablogs (at) gmail.com)

What's On Tap? (Ithaca: March 11th, 2015)

Let's have a look at What's on Tap? in Ithaca this week!

Ithaca Beer Taproom launch their 100th 5BBL brew, 'Dorian Grain' an Irish Red in honor of the Irish author, Oscar Wilde in addition to...

• Collaboratus (Amber Saison : Abandon Brewing)
• Green Trail dry hopped w/ experimental hop 07270 (Thurs Cask Night)
• Anniversary 17! -  (Wheat, DIPA w Brettanomyces)
• Daydreamer -  (Kolsch)
• Cranbretty - (100% Brett. fruit beer)
• Embrr (Rye Porter)

Bandwagon Brew Pub: 

• Parallaxium (Golden Session)
• Belgian Brown
• Ezra Red Ale
• Rauchbier
• Pirate Eye IPA
• Sully Irish Stout
• Sesch Ale (Kolsch)
• Azedo (Sour Mash Ale)
• Tuesday Night Circus (3xIPA)
• Robust Brown Ale
• Too Haves, Hole Porter
• British Envasion
• Doc Rocker Porter
• Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout
• Smuttynose Brewing - Durty Mudd
• Oskar Blues - G'Knight (Imperial Red)
• Dogfish Head - Aprihop 
• 1911 Cider

Ithaca Coffee Company:
Triphammer:

• 21st Amendment Back in Black
• Shiner FM966 Farmhouse Ale
• Hopshire The Barley Stone
• Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout
• Stone Matt's Burning Rosids
• Ithaca Excelsior! 17
• Hopshire Sympathy
• Stone Enjoy By 3.14.15
• Saranac Chocolate Orange Porter
• Southern Tier Bier De Garde
• Hopshire Near Varna
• Hopshire Hop Onyx

Gateway:

• City Steam Naughty Nurse
• Ithaca Java Power
• Shiner White Wing
• Ithaca Daydreamer
• Ithaca SuperStout
• North Coast Brother Thelonious
• Southern Tier 2XPRESSO
• Southern Tier Nitro IPA
• Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter
• Southern Tier  Goat Boy Weizen Bock

Northstar: 

• Anderson Valley The Kimmie The Yink (Gose)
• Bell's Hopslam
• Boulder Beer Dragon Hosen (Imperial Marzen)
• Brasserie Kronenbourg - Kronenboug (Euro Pale Ale)
• Catskill Ball Lightning (Pilsner)
• Dogfish Head BEER Thousand (Imperial Lager)
• Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
• Ommegang Glimmerglass (Saison/Farmhouse)
• Ithaca Superstout
• Abandon Brewing Farmhouse IPA
• Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter
• South Hill Cider

Ithaca Ale House

• Founders Black Rye
• Smithwick's Irish Red Ale
• Harpoon UFO White
• Stella Artois
• Ommegang Glimmerglass
• Saranac Tramonay Rouge
• Wachusetts Blueberry Ale
• Bell's Hopslam
• Bell's Two Hearted
• Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter
• Stone Enjoy By 3.14.15
• Upstate IPA
• Pilsner Urquell
• Goose Island Ten Hills Pale
• Bacchus Oatmeal Stout
• Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
• Ithaca Super Stout
• Guinness
• Ithaca Super Stout 
• Stone Arrogant Bastard
• Ithaca White Gold

Hopshire Farm & Brewery 

• Beehave
• Fiddlers Grain (Irish red)
• Shire Ale
• Barley Stone (Irish stout)
• Shire Ale
• Sympathy (Belgian strong golden)
• Near Varna 
• Hop Onyx 

Finger Lakes Beverage Center

• Great Lakes Christmas 
• Southern Tier 2Xmas
• Smuttynose/Stone Clusters Last Stand IPA (new!)
• Lake Placid Black Tie Porter
• Saranac Clouded Dream
• Horseheads Black IPA
• Sam Adams Helles Bock
• Upstate XPA IPA
• Angry Orchard Crisp Hard Cider
• W E Salle Birch Beer Soda 

The Westy

• Lagunitas IPA
• Troegs Hop Back
• Uinta Baba 
• Ithaca Green Trail
• Six Point Cream Ale
• Lagunitas Pils
• Bells Kalamazoo

(If you would like your bar or brewery featured in these weekly posts, contact bubbablogs (at) gmail.com)

#318: The Lost Abbey » Red Poppy Ale 2012 (Flanders Red Ale)

The Lost Abbey » Red Poppy Ale 2012 (Flanders Red Ale) | ABV: 5.5%

I finally found the right evening to crack into this wonderful sour from The Lost Abbey -- the brew that truly launched my feverish interest in sour and wild beers.

Red Poppy starts life at Pizza Port's Dawn Patrol Dark session Brown Ale. After fermentation and during barrel transfer, it's blended with Port Brewing's Amigo Lager. Cherries are added and put through a second fermentation, than aged six months.

The result is a vibrant nose, blooming with bright sour cherry flavor and subtler notes of grape and apple, supported by a transparent nuttiness and soft, earthy funk.

Red Poppy hits the palate with a chewy, decedent, and full-bodied mouthfeel that remains elegant, never dipping into weighted tubbiness. It's puckering, with an expert balance of sour cherry and chocolate.

Further through, a venerable cornucopia of flavors peak through at every turn - lemon pith, grape skin, mineral characteristics, all with a touch of funk, rummy finish, and an afterglow that is sweeter than most sours.

Absolutely a superb beer.

#317: Great Divide Brewing Co. » Barrel Aged Hibernation Ale 2014 (Old Ale)

Great Divide Brewing Co. » Barrel Aged Hibernation Ale 2014 (Old Ale) | ABV: 10.5%

This barrel-aged version of Great Divide's Hibernation Old Ale kicks off with a plethora of chocolate and cocoa aromas, backed with a touch of raisin and rye.

It's curiously juicy on the palate. Wet, dark fruit tartness permeate deep flavors of chocolate and raspberries. This barrel-aged brew is far lighter on it's feet than expected for 10.5% and is quite drinkable, even a touch quenching. Not a stupendous beer, but highly enjoyable, especially for the price.

#316: Bell's Beer » Mercury - The Winged Messenger (Belgian Single)

Bell's Beer » Mercury - The Winged Messenger (Belgian Single) | ABV: 4.8%

Bell's planetary series has been an adventure so far, and we're not even half-way through - from the deftly delicious Mars DIPA to the polarizingly alien Venus... we now find ourselves at Mercury - The Winged Messenger, a subtle 4.8% Belgian Single.

Mercury curiously emits gose-like nose with firm lemon zest, initially leading me to believe there may be some sour tartness heading for the tongue, but instead, my palate met with a lively carbonated, mellow brew.

Subtle savory spice puts the punctuation on an otherwise, clean and clear bear. Light and airy, with a touch of breadiness and delicate, subtle esters.

A good beer, but mild and just a little underwhelming for the price, compared to the usual value of Bell's seasonal and the rest of the planetary adventure thus far.

#315: Goose Island » Bourbon County Stout 2014 (Barrel-Aged Stout)

Goose Island » Bourbon County Stout 2014 (Barrel-Aged Stout) | ABV: 14.2%

Truth be told, there are a handful of hype beers that I legitimately get caught up in. To hell with the AB-InBev ownership... this is a damn good beer. In addition to picking up a four-pack that's slowly dwindling, I was also able to procure a snifter on-tap down at Northstar Bar, a growing favorite spot.

Planting my face firmly in my Delirium snifter, a welcoming paradise of huge coconut, chocolate, and bourbon aromas dance with threads of vanilla and mild coffee beans.

This is honestly my happiness in a glass. It's silky, sticky, and hot with strong notes of burnt sugar and toffee, all wrapped up in smooth whiskey and milk chocolate. This 2014 edition interestingly boasts stronger crème brûlée characteristics than years prior, in this humble enthusiast's opinion.

It's winter 2015 and I'm still in love with Bourbon County Stout.

What's On Tap? (Ithaca: March 4th, 2015)

What's on Tap in Ithaca? Lots of new beers from around the U.S. and right here at home, including some one-off collabs and cask variations.

Ithaca Beer Taproom is brewing staff and Abandon Brewing's staff will be present in the taproom to Wednesday, March 4th 5-9PM about local NYS brewing, the collab beer, and craft beer in general, including their now collaborative offering...

• Collaboratus (Amber Saison : Abandon Brewing)
• Flower Power cask dry-hopped with Bravo (Thurs Cask Night)
• Superstout (Nitro Coffe Stout)
• Anniversary 17! -  (Wheat, DIPA w Brettanomyces)
• Red Hot Rosie (Chili Beer)
• Daydreamer -  (Kolsch)
• Cranbretty - (100% Brett. fruit beer)
• Embrr (Rye Porter)

Bandwagon Brew Pub have launched their new Belgian Brown Ale (8.1% ABV) & Doc Rocker Porter (7.4% ABV) with a new IPA, new sour, new Belgian beers and more in the works for next week.

Ithaca Coffee Company:
Triphammer:

• 21st Amendment Back in Black
• Anderson Valley Blood Orange
• Hopshire The Barley Stone
• Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout
• Stone Matt's Burning Rosids
• Ithaca Excelsior! 17
• Bacchus Cyclhops IPA
• Stone Enjoy By 3.14.15
• Saranac Chocolate Orange Porter
• Southern Tier Where The Helles Summer
• Hopshire Near Varna
• Bellwether Original Hard Cider

Gateway:

• City Steam Naughty Nurse
• Ithaca Java Power
• Shiner White Wing
• Ithaca Daydreamer
• Ithaca SuperStout
• North Coast Brother Thelonious
• Southern Tier 2XPRESSO
• Southern Tier Nitro IPA
• Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter
• Southern Tier  Goat Boy Weizen Bock

Northstar: 

• Anderson Valley The Kimmie The Yink (Gose)
• Bell's Hopslam
• Boulder Beer Dragon Hosen (Imperial Marzen)
• Brasserie Kronenbourg - Kronenboug (Euro Pale Ale)
• Catskill Ball Lightning (Pilsner)
• Dogfish Head BEER Thousand (Imperial Lager)
• Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
• Ommegang Glimmerglass (Saison/Farmhouse)
• Ithaca Superstout
• Abandon Brewing Farmhouse IPA
• Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter
• South Hill Cider

Ithaca Ale House

• Founders Black Rye
• Harpoon UFO White
• Stella Artois
• Ommegang Glimmerglass
• Saranac Tramonay Rouge
• Wachusetts Blueberry Ale
• Bell's Hopslam
• Bell's Two Hearted
• Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter
• Stone Enjoy By 3.14.15
• Upstate IPA
• Pilsner Urquell
• Goose Island Ten Hills Pale
• Horseheads Rye P.A.
• Bacchus Oatmeal Stout
• Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
• Ithaca Super Stout
• Guinness
• Ithaca Super Stout 
• Stone Arrogant Bastard
• Ithaca White Gold

Hopshire Farm & Brewery will tap a cask of Shire Ale aged with cocoa nibs and espresso beans on Friday. Music and grilled sandwiches will be available during the event. Wednesday 3/4 5-7PM Hopshire will have a tasting at Ithaca Coffee Company on Triphammer.

• Beehave
• Fiddlers Grain (Irish red)
• Shire Ale
• Barley Stone (Irish stout)
• Shire Ale
• Sympathy (Belgian strong golden)
• Near Varna 
• Hop Onyx 

Finger Lakes Beverage Center

• Great Lakes Christmas 
• Southern Tier 2Xmas
• Smuttynose/Stone Clusters Last Stand IPA (new!)
• Lake Placid Black Tie Porter
• Saranac Clouded Dream
• Abandon Belgian
• Horseheads Black IPA
• Sam Adams Imperial Stout
• Wagner Valley Hop Tropic IPA
• Upstate XPA IPA
• Angry Orchard Crisp Hard Cider
• W E Salle Birch Beer Soda 

The Westy

• Lagunitas IPA
• Troegs Hop Back
• Uinta Baba 
• Ithaca Green Trail
• Six Point Cream Ale
• Lagunitas Pils (coming soon)

(If you would like your bar or brewery featured in these weekly posts, contact bubbablogs (at) gmail.com)

#314: Bell's Beer » Hopslam 2015 (DIPA)

(the westy: good for beer; bad for photo lighting)

Bell's Beer » Hopslam 2015 (DIPA) | ABV: 10% | IBUs: 70

Bell's venerable Double India Pale Ale, Hopslam, gleefully permeated far further into Ithaca's beer depths this winter, hitting taps at several locations around town. I grabbed two sixers from Fingerlakes Beverage as last year (Bell's inaugural year distributing to NYS), but needed to experience this lauded brew fresh of the tap.

Hopslam serves up with a deep, translucent amber body, topped with two fingers of fluffy, bright white head. As with bottle pours, it's deeply aromatic, packed with a plethora of citrus rind from Simcoe dry-hopping.

Onto the palate, it's silky hop-heaven. Hot spice of rye and white pepper are deftly balanced with a touch of honey dipped sweetness, making this brew remarkably drinkable. Rich toffee and tropical fruit flavors swirl between citrus rind and pith notes, making this full-bodied brew a growing flavor experience.

Hands down one of my favorite beers, Hopslam was fantastic as always, this draft version boasting a bit sharper bitterness than bottles, making for a slower sipping tasting.

#313: Sixpoint Brewery » HiRes (3xIPA)

Sixpoint Brewery » HiRes (3xIPA) | ABV: 10.5% | IBUs: 115

Having missed the inaugural batch of Hi-Res last year, I grabbed a 4-pack back in January in a restock of the beer fridge, for what's been a bitterly cold winter. In between bouts of sub-zero temperatures, my partner and I have been cozy indoors with regular respites full of wonderful beers.

This massively hopped skinny can from Sixpoint barrels out of the gate with huge aromas of pithy grapefruit and rind, coupled with weighty pine and tropical fruit notes.

Hi-Res packs a tight, bitter punch, that eases off in the initial finish. Sticky pine and hop resin flavors make way for a touch of heat, swiftly moving on to a sweet finish of the liquid, followed by a long, dry, hop-heat remnants on the tongue.

This deep amber brew is rich and packed with non-grapefruit citrus flavors. Under-ripe mango and Gin-like juniper and other herbal characteristics glimmer through the dense hop-cone bitterness and throat heat.

Overall, an enjoyable big-hop brew.

#312: Anchorage Brewing » Whiteout Wit (Witbier)

Anchorage Brewing » Whiteout Wit (Witbier) | ABV: 6.5%

It's next to impossible for me to pass on buying a bottle of Anchorage Brewing beer. In Vermont, I bought one of each release in stock. On my first Let'sPour transaction, I grabbed two of everything. But, back in December in Philly, I painfully passed on picking up a bottle of Whiteout Wit, instead opting for Black Butte XXVI, Boulevard Bourbon Barrel Quad, and a slew of other non-NYS distributing release, while attempting to stay in budget for the weekend amongst PA's towering craft beer bottle prices.

Amazing enough, upon the return home, there's Whiteout Wit staring back at me at Fingerlakes Beverage. Transaction complete.

Never ones for a simple recipe, this Anchorage witbier is brewed with lemon peel, black peppercorns and coriander, then fermented and aged in French Oak Foudres with wit yeast and Brettanomyces. It's is elegantly paced, with a definitively bright champagne-like nose, threaded with lemon zest, mild Brett funk, and subtle pepper spice aromas.

Onto the palate, it's quite clean, again presenting champagne-like qualities. Dry and zesty flavors dance with minerally and light lemon notes, with a subtly growing funky, tarter underbelly.

Overall, Whiteout Wit a great introduction to Anchorage's line of wild beers and entirely enjoyable. It's not their most adventurous offering, but is a worthwhile clean, light-yet-complex winter offering, just don't overpay.

#311: Southern Tier Brewing » 2xPRESSO (Milk Stout)

Southern Tier Brewing » 2xPRESSO (Double Milk Stout w/ Coffee Beans & Lemon Peels) 
ABV: 7.5% | IBUs: 55

Southern Tier always manage to crank out robust, accessible craft beer at an entirely reasonable price. Their latest seasonal, 2xPRESSO quickly became one of my go-to seasonal favorites this winter.

2xPRESSO is Southern Tiers' 2XStout, brewed with espresso beans & lemon peels. It kicks off with a highly aromatic nose of milk and espresso, with a touch of lemon and clove. Onto the palate it's deep, rich, and creamy with a flicker of bright citrus, finishing dry, packed with roasted malts and pith.

Rich chocolate and coffee flavors swirl with a hint of rye and pepper, adding a hot, brightness to this deep and wonderfully complex brew.

What's On Tap? (Ithaca: Feb 26th, 2015)

After a week out of state, we're back with What' On Tap? in Ithaca.

Ithaca Beer Taproom is hosting a local cider appreciation event this week. Thursday, Feb 26th from 5-9PM they'll have ciders from Bellwether (Liberty Spy), 1911 (Original Cider ran through a Randall and a purely hopped cider), and a cask of hopped cider from South Hill Cidery.

• Java Power (Coffee IPA)
• Milkstache (Nitro Milk Stout)
• Superstout (Nitro Coffe Stout)
• Anniversary 17! -  (Wheat, DIPA w Brettanomyces)
• Erryday IPA (session IPA)
• Golden Secret -  (Golden Belgian Strong)
• Cranbretty - (100% Brett. fruit beer)
• Embrr (Rye Porter)

Bandwagon Brew Pub 

• NYS Traditional Pilsner
• Cry Dunkel (Bavarian Wheat)
• I P EH? (American IPA)
• Rauchbier
• Sully Irish Stout
• Sesch Ale (Kolsch)
• TB-2 Pale Ale
• Azedo (Sour Mash Pale)
• British Invasion
• Tuesday Night Circus (3xIPA)
• Too Have's Hole (Brown Porter)
• 1911 Cider
• Ommegang Hop House
• Abandon Golden Strong
• Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout
• Catskill Brewing Floodwatch IPA
• Catskill Brewing Ball Lightning Pilsner
• Smuttynose Brewing Durty Mudd Season
• Bell's Special Double Cream Stout

Ithaca Coffee Company:
Triphammer:

• 21st Amendment Back in Black
• He'Brew Funky Jewbelation
• Saranac Prism White Ale
• Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout
• Stone Matt's Burning Rosids
• Ithaca Excelsior! 17
• Bacchus Cyclhops IPA
• 21st Amendment Blah Blah Blah
• Saranac Chocolate Orange Porter
• Southern Tier Where The Helles Summer
• City Stream Innocence IPA
• Bellwether Original Hard Cider

Gateway:

• City Steam Naughty Nurse
• Ithaca Java Power
• Shiner White Wing
• Ithaca Daydreamer
• Ithaca SuperStout
• North Coast Brother Thelonious
• Ithaca Rustic Harvest
• Southern Tier Nitro IPA
• Ithaca Excelsior! White Gold
• Southern Tier Where The Helles Summer

Northstar: 

• Anderson Valley The Kimmie The Yink (Gose)
• Bell's Best Brown
• Boulder Beer Dragon Hosen (Imperial Marzen)
• Brasserie Kronenbourg - Kronenboug (Euro Pale Ale)
• Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
• Ithaca Embrr
• Dogfish Head 60 Minute
• Dogfish Head Theobroma (Ancient Ale)

Ithaca Ale House

• Founders Black Rye
• Troegs Nugget Nectar 
• Harpoon UFO White
• Stella Artois
• Saranac Tramonay Rouge
• Wachusetts Blueberry Ale
• Bell's Hopslam
• Bell's Two Hearted
• Sierra Nevada Hop Hunter
• Pilsner Urquell
• Goose Island Ten Hills Pale
• Horseheads Rye P.A.
• Bacchus Oatmeal Stout
• Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
• Ithaca Embrr
• Guinness
• Ithaca Super Stout 
• Stone Arrogant Bastard
• Stone Double Bastard
• Ithaca White Gold

Hopshire Farm & Brewery: 

• Beehave
• Fiddlers Grain (Irish red)
• Barley Stone (Irish stout)
• Shire Ale
• Sympathy (Belgian strong golden)
• Near Varna 
• Hop Onyx 

Finger Lakes Beverage Center

• Great Lakes Christmas 
• Southern Tier 2Xmas
• Jacks Abby Kiwi Rising
• Lake Placid Black Tie Porter
• Saranac Clouded Dream
• Abandon Belgian
• Horseheads Black IPA
• Sam Adams Imperial Stout
• Wagner Valley Hop Tropic IPA
• Upstate XPA IPA
• Angry Orchard Crisp Hard Cider
• W E Salle Birch Beer Soda 

(If you would like your bar or brewery featured in these weekly posts, contact bubbablogs (at) gmail.com)

What's On Tap? (Ithaca: Feb 12th, 2015)

Thanks for joining us for this week's "What's On Tap?".

Ithaca Beer Taproom have pared up with Gimme Coffee for two marvels - Java Power & Super Stout. The former is a coffee IPA that uses lightly roasted Tanzanian coffee beans from Gimme! and the later is a coffee oatmeal stout that uses Sumatra beans, also from Gimme!

This week's cask is Flower Power dry hopped with experimental hop 04190.

Bandwagon Brew Pub will launch Azedo - a 4.6% sour mash pale ale,, dry-hopped with Cascade & CTZ; TB2 - a 6.0% American Pale, and their 3.8% Sesch kolsch-fermented session ale - all brewed with NYS malt.

• Hidden Rabbit Hefeweizen
• Ezra Red Ale
• Cellar Dweller (West Coast IPA)
• Robust Brown Ale
• Sully Irish Stout
• NYS Traditional Pilsner
• Winter Brown Lager
• Thank Hank Porter
• Sauer Weisse
• Chai-Chili Porter
• 600 Waves Session IPA
• Wine Barreled Red Ale
• Udder Delight Milk Stout
• Shiny Penny Copper Lager
• Russian Imperial Stout
• Catskill Brewing Floodwatch IPA
• Catskill Brewing Ball Lightning Pilsner
• Ninkasi Believer Imperial Red

Ithaca Coffee Company:
Triphammer:

• Anderson Valley Spring Hornin'
• North Coast Brother Thelonious
• Anderson Valley Blood Orange Gose
• Great Lakes Nosferatu
• Southern Tier Tripel Cafe
• Ithaca Flower Power
• Ithaca Embrr
• Anderson Valley Hop Ottin' IPA
• City Steam Naughty Nurse
• Bell's Smitten Golden Rye
• 3 Heads Buffalo Soul Jah
• 1911 Hard Cider

Gateway:

• City Steam Innocence IPA
• Southern Tier Helles Lager
• Abandon Session Saison
• Abandon Spiced Dubbel
• Ommegang Hop House
• Ommegang Spiced Saison
• Ithaca Green Trail
• Ommegang Gnomegang
• Ithaca Embrr
• Bellweather Original Hard Cider

Northstar: 

• Anderson Valley The Kimmie The Yink (Gose)
• Bacchus Cyclhops IPA
• Bacchus Oatmeal Stout
• Bandwagon Chai-Chili Porter
• 1911 Hard Cider
• Bell's Best Brown
• Boulder Beer Dragon Hosen (Imperial Marzen)
• Brasserie Kronenbourg - Kronenboug (Euro Pale Ale)
• Goose Island Bourbon County Stout
• Ithaca Embrr
• North Coast Old Rasputin
• Bandwagon Sauer Weisse
• 3 Heads Buffalo Soul Jah

Ithaca Ale House

• Sierra Nevada Nooner Pils 
• Ithaca Super Stout (New)
• St. Laurence Maple Porter
• Dogfish Head Raison D'Extra (18%)
• Harpoon UFO White
• Southern Tier - Tier De Garde
• Harpoon Winter Warmer
• Sam Adams Boston Lager
• Stella Artois
• Wachusetts Blueberry Ale
• Bell's Two Hearted
• Pilsner Urquell
• Horseheads Rye P.A.
• Bacchus Oatmeal Stout
• Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
• Guinness
• Ithaca Embrr
• Stone Arrogant Bastard
• Stone Double Bastard
• Ithaca White Gold

The Westy have their Beer + Coffee event in collaboration with Ithaca Beer & Gimme! Coffee this Friday, Feb 13th and will have Java Power on cask plus a line of Superstout.

• Bell's Hopslam (Nugget Nectar on deck)
• Southern Tier Live
• Ithaca Daydreamer
• Ithaca Embrrr 
• Victory Hop Devil 
• Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout (for now..)
• Allagash White
• Lagunita Pils
• Bell's Two Hearted
• Yuengling
• Stella

Hopshire Farm & Brewery: 

• Beehave
• Fiddlers Grain (Irish red)
• 'round yon Virgil
• Barley Stone (Irish stout)
• Shire Ale
• Sympathy (Belgian strong golden)
• Near Varna 
• Hop Onyx 

Finger Lakes Beverage Center

• Great Lakes Christmas 
• Southern Tier 2Xmas
• Jacks Abby Kiwi Rising
• Lake Placid Black Tie Porter
• Saranac Clouded Dream
• Abandon Belgian
• Horseheads Black IPA
• Sam Adams Imperial Stout
• Elysain Space Dust
• Angry Orchard Crisp Hard Cider
• W E Salle Birch Beer Soda 

(If you would like your bar or brewery featured in these weekly posts, contact bubbablogs (at) gmail.com)

#309: Allagash » Curieux (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Tripel)

Allagash » Curieux (Bourbon Barrel-Aged Tripel) | ABV: 11/0% 
I picked a bottle of Curieux up after enjoying a draft glass at Northstar earlier in the winter, its understated and deceptively drinkable character would be enjoyable on a blustery night in.

A blend of Allagash's Tripel Ale aged in Jim Beam barrels and fresh Tripel Ale, Curieux enters with aromas of soft peach & apricot and faint, sweet bourbon.

Lively carbonation and smooth, rummy flavors cross the palate without the expected ethanol, boozy notes. Firm notes of apricot, caramel, coconut and a touch of earthiness follow. Further through, there's a touch more raisin on the palate, but never dipping into the sticky realm. On the final glass, apricot skin aromas are much more defined.

Overall, another subtly potent ale from those fine folks from Maine, prompting enjoyable evenings and good conversation.

#310: Deschutes Brewery » Black Butte XXVI (Imperial Porter)

Deschutes Brewery » Black Butte XXVI (Bourbon Barrel Imperial Porter) | ABV: 10.2%
One of my favorite parts about winter is the occasional night in with my partner accompanied with big dark brews. We'd picked this beauty up on our anniversary trip to Philadelphia back in December - no Deschutes Brewery distro to upstate NY, but there's always hoping.

This 26th Anniversary beer is Deschutes' Imperial Porter, 50% aged in bourbon barrels for 6 months and dry spiced with cocoa nibs, pomegranate, molasses and Oregon cranberries.

Black Butte XXVI kicks off with deep, aromatics notes of pomegranate threaded with raspberry truffle, cherry chocolate, and molasses.

Onto the palate, it's exceptionally dark and juicy with a far lighter mouthfeel than expected. Its boozy without being sharp and backed by a delightful sweetness that's just a touch sticky on the lips. The initial finish wraps up with dark chocolate, tart pomegranate and cranberry.Further through there's a growing dryness and inferred flavors of vanilla bean.

To be honest, Deschutes Brewery Black Butte XXVI is phenomenal. A deftly well-balanced and unique blend of boozy dark beer with just the right amount of tartness that somehow all remains light on it's feet. It's not cheap, but well worth the cost.

#308: The Bruery » Sour In The Rye (Wild Ale)

The Bruery » Sour In The Rye (Wild Ale) | ABV: 7.8% | IBUs: 5
If memory serves, this brew has been waiting patiently since my trek to Chicago for a one-off show. Sometimes I can't help holding off on something I'm going to love.

Sour In The Rye is brewed with a substantial amount of rye malt and barrel-aged for over a year. Strong aromas of ripe red apples and concord grapes emit from the deep, transparent amber body and quickly fading white head.

The flavor is a spark to the senses. It's impressively astringent and hot with firm pepper, clove, and herbal character. Bright, sour, and tart flavors follow with kumquat at the forefront with a hint of starfruit and a touch of grapefruit rind. Kombucha and red wine characteristics build as the aforementioned flavors stack and feedback on one another, finishing with a drying, velvety mouthfeel.

Sour In The Rye is an assertive, deftly sour American Wild Ale with plenty of body and a touch of heat. Looking forward to hunting for more of this fine, unabashed brew.

#307: Almanac Beer Co. » Golden Gate Gose

Almanac Beer Co. » Golden Gate Gose | ABV: 5.0% 
I figured I'd start the weekend off right with a stop into Ithaca Coffee Co. as they had a several lines of Three Heads Brewing. I quickly and delightedly changed my mind once seeing 'Almanac Golden Gate Gose' scrawled on the chalkboard. Almanac recently arrived in our area and while I was able to secure a bottle of Farmer's Reserve Blackberry earlier in the week, this is my first round with Almanac on draft.

Golden Gate's nose is fairly transparent, with mild mineral and apricot notes. A fizzy inch of white head quickly fades atop a hazy, light-amber body.

Onto the palate, it's smooth & tart and far silker than many of the recent American goses. Soft coriander and a touch of salt start things off, blooming into champagne-like notes threaded with distinct apricot flavors and a hint of nectarine and lemon zest. It's bright, prickly, and tart, yet rich & full bodied. Golden Gate is a solid Gose for the colder months - a cozy Gose if you will.

What's On Tap? (Ithaca: Feb 5th, 2015)

This week on What's On Tap?, Northstar House joins our growing listing!

Ithaca Beer Taproom just released a new 6.9% IPA called Citrusen Kane, packed with every variety of citrus hop they had in the house. An as yet unreleased cask ale will join Citrusen Kane amongst seasonal Daydreamer, their year-round offerings, and likely a few recent releases from their 5BBL series.

Bandwagon Brew Pub:

• Hidden Rabbit Hefeweizen
• Ezra Red Ale
• Cellar Dweller (West Coast IPA)
• Robust Brown Ale
• Sully Irish Stout
• NYS Traditional Pilsner
• Winter Brown Lager
• Thank Hank Porter
• Sauer Weisse
• Chai-Chili Porter
• 600 Waves Session IPA
• Wine Barreled Red Ale
• Udder Delight Milk Stout
• Shiny Penny Copper Lager
• Russian Imperial Stout
• Catskill Brewing Floodwatch IPA
• Catskill Brewing Ball Lightning Pilsner
• Ninkasi Believer Imperial Red

Ithaca Coffee Company:
Triphammer:

• 3 Heads Too Kind IPA
• North Coast Brother Thelonious
• Ommegang Spiced Saison
• Founders Backwoods Bastard
• Ithaca Rustic Harvest
• Ithaca Flower Power
• Ithaca Embrr
• 3 Heads The Kind IPA
• 3 Heads Tre' Kind IPA
• 3 Heads Buffalo Soul Jah
• 1911 Hard Cider

Gateway:

• Saranac Legacy IPA
• Southern Tier Helles Lager
• City Steam Innocence IPA
• Abandon Spiced Dubbel
• Horseheads IPA
• Abandon Farmhouse IPA
• Ithaca Green Trail
• Ommegang Gnomegang
• Ithaca Embrr
• Bellweather Original Hard Cider

Northstar: 

• Anderson Valley The Kimmie The Yink (Gose)
• Bacchus Oatmeal Stout
• Bandwagon Sauer Weisse
• Bandwagon Chai-Chili Porter
• Bandwagon Wine Barreled Red Ale
• 1911 Hard Cider
• Bacchus Cyclhops IPA
• Brasserie Kronenbourg - Kronenboug (Euro Pale Ale)
• Ithaca Embrr
• North Coast Old Rasputin
• Boulder Beer Dragon Hosen (Imperial Marzen)

Ithaca Ale House

• Sierra Nevada Nooner Pils (Just tapped 2/4/204)
• Saranac Long John Lager
• Dogfish Head Raison D'Extra (18%)
• Harpoon UFO White
• Southern Tier - Tier De Garde
• 21st Amendment Fireside Chat
• Harpoon Winter Warmer
• Sam Adams Boston Lager
• Stella Artois
• Wachusetts Blueberry Ale
• Bell's Two Hearted
• Stone Enjoy By 02.14.15 IPA
• Pilsner Urquell
• Horseheads Rye P.A.
• Bacchus Oatmeal Stout
• Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
• Guinness
• Ithaca Embrr
• Stone Arrogant Bastard
• Stone Double Bastard
• Ithaca White Gold

The Westy

• **Update: Bell's Hopslam**
• Bacchus Floras Fate Pale Ale
• Ithaca Daydreamer
• Ithaca Embrrr 
• Victory Hop Devil 
• Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
• Allagash White
• Southern Tier Live 
• Bell's Two Hearted, Bell's
• Yuengling
• Stella
• Jever 

Hopshire Farm & Brewery taps a cask of Fiddlers Grain aged with Cascade hops from Lyke Road Farms in Trumansburg plus has the following on tap this week:

• Beehave
• Fiddlers Grain (Irish red)
• 'round yon Virgil
• Barley Stone (Irish stout)
• Shire Ale
• Sympathy (Belgian strong golden)
• Near Varna 
• Hop Onyx 

Finger Lakes Beverage Center

• Great Lakes Christmas 
• Southern Tier 2Xmas
• Jacks Abby Kiwi Rising
• Lake Placid Black Tie Porter
• Saranac Clouded Dream
• Abandon Belgian
• Horseheads Black IPA
• Evil Twin Biscotti Break
• Elysain Space Dust
• Angry Orchard Crisp Hard Cider
• W E Salle Root Beer Soda 

(If you would like your bar or brewery featured in these weekly posts, contact bubbablogs (at) gmail.com)

#306: Ithaca Beer Co. » Nut Brown on Ash & Golden Secret (Golden Strong Ale)

Saturday was eventful, starting off with Trevor Pinch's lecture on his book "In The Moog", running errands, with the prospect of Whiskey Tango Sideshow in the evening. I had a short phone interview to give regarding an upcoming event and figured why not have some refreshments along the way.

Ithaca Beer Co. » Nut Brown on Ash (Cask) | ABV: 5.4%
A pleasant variation on one of Ithaca's year-round staples. The cask & ash bring out the deep roasted notes and mild earthiness of Nut Brown, with just a touch of sweetness. A more full-bodied reminder of my time in England seeking out every "real ale" along our travels.

Ithaca Beer Co. » Golden Secret (Golden Strong Ale) | ABV: 9.2%
Good conversation can be a distraction when reading information, thus I absolutely missed the weighty 9.2% on this Golden Strong Ale and wouldn't have even notice it I hadn't caught it halfway through out of the corner of my eye.

Fruity & dynamic, Golden Secret is brewed with a brand new German hop - Mandarina Bavaria. Brewed Belgian-style, there's a tasteful savory spice to it, satisfying sweetness, with a flip of dry heat in the finish and velvety mouthcoat. If this one is Belgian-style enough to be considered for their Box of Belgians, it would get my vote.

#305: Bandwagon Beer » Tuesday Night Circus (Triple IPA)

Tuesday Night Circus (Triple IPA) | ABV: 13% 
Starting the "What's on Tap?" weekly news posts has gotten a bit dangerous, now that I generally know what's on at all my favorite spots. As soon as I got wind of this hop monster, I knew I'd kick myself if I missed out.

As expected, it's a hop bomb in the nose. Piney and resinous, packed with aromatic notes of passion fruit and blood orange.

It's unexpectedly smooth up front, which deviously turns bitingly bitter with an unabashed booze heat. A hot and earthy brew with strong notes of citrus rind, rye whiskey, and soft caramel.

Timid tasters shouldn't leave just yet, though. Tuesday Night Circus has plenty of bite out of the gate, but it hits it's stride several sips in, becoming deviously drinkable. But, that could just be the 13% talking.

#304: The Bruery » Atomic Kangarue (Wild Ale)

The Bruery » Collaboration Series: Atomic Kangarue (American Wild Ale) 
ABV: 9.5% | IBUs: 32
This Smog City Brewing collaboration is a Belgian-style golden ale at it's core,  brewed with Semillon and Viognier grapes plus three types of hops, fermented with Brettanomyces Trois as well as The Bruery's house yeast strain, then blended with a sour blonde ale and finally dry-hopped with Amarillo hops. That's a lengthy list to label and in less deft hands than The Bruery, this could be a trainwreck. Instead, it's a blissful and exotic trip for the palate.

A lightly spiced nose starts things off, followed by mildly tart aromas of white grape and a hint of kumquat.

Onto the palate, it's lively carbonated and quite unique. Definitive star fruit flavor is backed by underripe mango and young white peach finish, with a touch of booze heat in the finish. Further through, the Viognier grapes peak through to my delight, as they're one of my favorite varieties for wine. A slow, lingering, tart finish of white wine and white stone fruits elegantly teases until the next sip.

Atomic Kangarue an exotic and extremely palatable brew. It's never over bearing, despite a paragraph of ingredients. The incredible minds at The Bruery have done it once again.

#300: Mikkeller » Forêt de Tronçais (Barleywine)

Mikkeller »  Forêt de Tronçais (Barleywine) | ABV: 19.3%
301...302...303...300..? You caught it. We are jumping around with our post numbers just for a moment, as I wanted a truly epic beer for review post #300, and boy is this it.

This Forêt series of six Mikkeller beers is based around a high gravity wort, fermented with champagne yeast, and aged in three different varieties of French oak barrels. Each barrel variation has a light and medium toasted variation. Fair warning, this on the far end of what can be called beer. Instead it's booze heaven.

A pungent, complex nose amply introduces Forêt de Tronçais, pluming with toffee, dates, crème brûlée, rum, cane sugar, and maple syrup.

Onto the palate, it's quite sweet and expectantly malt forward. Deep, rich flavors of fig jam, rum, sweet breads, and an inference of a very distinct pastry that I just cannot put my finger on. Further through, notes of overripe grapes & grape skin arise with threads of faint clove and cinnamon, both without the spice mouthcoat though.

Overall, a huge sipper of a brew that's highly recommended for those with an adventurous palate. Here's hoping to compare the other five varieties.

What's On Tap? (Ithaca: Jan 29th, 2015)

What's on Tap in the Ithaca area? Heavyweights from Bandwagon and Dogfish Head, new session IPAs and a whole lot more!

Ithaca Beer Taproom has aged Nut Brown on Ash for this Thursday's cask night with a Lucifer Falls, a Golden Strong Ale as their latest addition to their 5-Barrel series.

Bandwagon Brew Pub is still rocking their Tuesday Night Circus 13% 3xIPA and several other seasonals, with Cry Dunkel (4% Bavarian Style Wheat) and Too Have's Hole (5.3% Brown Porter) on deck...

Ithaca Coffee Company's latest Triphammer offerings include Stone Enjoy By 2.14.15, Ommegang Spiced Saison, 1911 Raspberry Hard Cider, and other notables from last week like North Coast Brother Thelonious, Horseheads Newton Brown Ale, Vanberg & Dewulf Lava, Ithaca Rustic Harvest & Flower Power, and more.

ICC's Gateway location is new features are Ommegang Tripel Perfection & Saranac Legacy IPA, plus Bacchus Oatmeal Stout, Flores Fate Pale, & Cyclhops IPA; 21st Amendment Bitter American, City Steam Naughty Nurse, & Green Flash Road Warrior.

Ithaca Ale House now has Stone's Enjoy By 2.14.15 and still serving up impressive offerings like Dogfishhead's 18% Raison D'Extra, Stone's Double Bastard & Southern Tier - Tier De Garde with plenty of quatlity IPAs, Winter Warmers, Lagers, and Stouts.

The Westy now have Bacchus Floras Fate Pale Ale, Ithaca Daydreamer, and Victory Hop Devil alongside Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, Allagash White, Southern Tier Live & IPA, Abandon Nut Brown, Bell's Two Hearted, Bell's, plus year-rounds from Yuengling, Stella, and Jever, and Ithaca Embrrr is on deck after Edmond Fitzgerald.

Hopshire Farm & Brewery launches their second Irish beer of the season with The Barley Stone, a 4.5% dry Irish Stout, complimenting their Fiddlers Grain Irish Red and other seasonal & year-round offerings.

Finger Lakes Beverage Center has Elysian Space Dust IPA, Horseheads Black Horse Ale, Southern Tier Pumpking & 2XMAS, Jack's Abby Kiwi Rising, Abandon Belgian Golden, Evil Twin Imperial Biscotti Break, Sam Adams Chocolate Bock, and Saranac Cloudy Dream.

(If you would like your bar or brewery featured in these weekly posts, contact bubbablogs (at) gmail.com)

What's On Tap? (Ithaca: Jan 21st, 2015)

What's on Tap in the Ithaca area? Heavyweights from Bandwagon and Dogfish Head, new session IPAs and a whole lot more!

Ithaca Beer Taproom's big news is still their new 7.0% Kölsch seasonal, Daydreamer.

Daydreamer will also be on cask, dry-hopped with Nelson Sauvin while the latest 5BBL offering is a Session IPA clocking in at just 4.1%.

Bandwagon Brew Pub will debut two new brews this week, a 4.5% session IPA called 600 Waves plus Tuesday Night Circus, a massive new triple IPA weighing in at 13%.

Ithaca Coffee Company's latest Triphammer offerings include Goose Island Ten Hills IPA & Urban Wheat, North Coast Brother Thelonious, Ommegang Gnomegang, Horseheads Newton Brown Ale, Vanberg & Dewulf Lava, Ithaca Rustic Harvest & Flower Power, 21st Amendment Live Free or Die IPA, Anderson Valley Fall Hornin, Saranac Tramony Rouge, Woodchuck Hopsation.

ICC's Gateway location is new features are Bacchus Oatmeal Stout, Flores Fate Pale, & Cyclhops IPA; Anderson Valley Blood Orange Gose with Ithaca Dark Vine, 21st Amendment Bitter American, City Steam  Innocense IPA, Green Flash Road Warrior holding it down.

Ithaca Ale House is impressively serving up Dogfishhead's 18% Raison D'Extra and Stone's Double Bastard alongside Southern Tier - Tier De Garde, Bacchus Oatmeal Stout, and Sam Adams Boston Lager and still rocking Ommegang Spiced Saison, Horseheads Rye P.A., 21st Amendment Fireside Chat, Bell's Two Hearted, Southern Tier Live, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, Ithaca Embrrr & White Gold, Stone Arrogant Bastard, Harpoon UFO, Stella, Wachusetts Blueberry, Pilsner Urquell, Guinness

The Westy are holding steady with Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, Allagash White, Southern Tier Live & IPA, Abandon Nut Brown, Bell's Two Hearted, Bell's Edmond Fitzgerald, plus year-rounds from Yuengling, Stella, and Jever.

FInger Lakes Beverage Center just tapped Elysian Space Dust IPA and Horseheads Black Horse Ale and hanging tight with Southern Tier Pumpking & 2XMAS, Jack's Abby Kiwi Rising, Abandon Belgian Golden, Evil Twin Imperial Biscotti Break, Sierra Nevada / Allagash Myron's Walk, Sam Adams Chocolate Bock, and Saranac Cloudy Dream,

Hopshire Farm & Brewery hangs up Boggled until next fall and returns their Belgian golden, Sympathy to the line-up. Fiddler's Grain, Shire Ale, 'Virgil, Near Varna, Hop Onyx round out the tapline along with Beehave, which will be one of the featured beers in a pairing at Coltivare, part of the Winter Village Bluegrass Festival.

(If you would like your bar or brewery featured in these weekly posts, contact bubbablogs (at) gmail.com)

#303: Hopshire Farm & Brewery » Figgy Puddin' (Cask Brown Ale)

Figgy Puddin' (Cask Brown Ale) | ABV: 6.2%
Between the day-job and a Friday evening meeting, I scampered over Hopshire Brewing for a taste of their limited cask offering, Figgy Pudding. This brew is a variation of Round Yon Virgil (an enjoyable spiced brown ale in it's own right), cask conditioned with dates, figs and vanilla beans, which all sounded like a warming pause to a blustery and busy evening.

Figgy Puddin' introduces itself with a deep nose of red fruits with notes of sticky figs, plum, and mild red table wine peak through as well. The aromas are bright and juicy with a dab of sour cherry.

It's smooth, with a low level of carbonation. Layering notes of clove are well received against flavors of overripe red fruits and a touch of bourbon. Firm flavors of fig, cassis dance alongside smooth vanilla and punctuating vanilla extract notes rise quickly after the first few sips.

As for mouthfeel,it's not too sticky for a sweeter beer. It's wet, with a subtle spice mouthcoat that ends with a relatively clean finish for a fruit & spice brew.

Further through, a touch of sour cherry peaks through, which is a pleasant complexity balanced against the sweet fruits. All-in-all, a solid, warming brew.

#302: Ithaca Beer Co. » Daydreamer, Milkstache, Red Hot Rosie, Za Vas!, Cascazilla on Cherrywood

After a couple weeks of a nasty cold, my senses were back and it was time for beer tasting. Ithaca Beer were on a release rampage in 2014, racking in notable new releases, some hotly limited and others expanding their seasonal line. 2015 looks to be no different with the advent of Daydreamer, I-Beer's latest seasonal offering.

Daydreamer (Kölsch) | ABV: 7.0% 
Weighing in at a hefty 7%, this kölsch serves up with a bright, mineral nose, with aroma of firm, bitter euro-style hops, all threaded with sweet pineapple. The palate is washed in soft carbonation and full body, punctuated with smooth, mellow tropical fruit flavors. A zesty, drying finish caps it all off with a touch of spruce.

Milkstache (Nitro Milk Stout) | ABV: 5.2%
One of Ithaca Beer's few nitro offerings, this stout is brewed with lactose and serves up jet black with thick, creamy, off-white head. Sheer aromas of chocolate and vanilla ice cream rise up from darkness. It's especially creamy, but light on the mouthfeel, never getting too weighty or coating. A silky-soft, subtle stout with firm earthy, roasted, and cocoa powder flavors.

Red Hot Rosie (Chili Porter) | ABV: 5.8%
Now for something not-so-subtle. Brewed in honor of a departing employee, Red Hot Rosie is a porter packed with Morita Chile chipotle peppers. Unabashedly starting out with sharp chili aromas, Rosie keeps the balance with plenty of smoke and a touch of vegetable pepper notes. Onto the palate, this beer is HOT, stacked with sinus clearing action. It's full bodied porter base keeps in from spinning out of control, providing an earthy, smoky base with a touch of chocolate. The heat on this one though, definitely makes it a sipper, pairing well with the carrot/ginger soup I was savoring.

Za Vas! (Russian Imperial Stout) | ABV: 8.8%
I've run across some fairly massive Russian Imperials of late. Ithaca Beer's spin reels in the soaring ABV of recent takes on the style. Literally meaning, "To You!" is a cheers to the senses with an inviting nose of rich chocolaty aromas, backed by faint milk and earthy notes with a touch of bourbon. It's brighter than expected and lively carbonated. Flavors of chocolate, ripe plum, apple skin all swirl across the palate. A solid stout, hiding it's 8.8% well, with a perceived girth just over session.

Cascazilla aged on Cherrywood (Cask Red Ale) | ABV: 7.0%
I am skeptical and very picky when it comes to hoppy cask beers. For my palate, I've often found softening hop-forward styles on cask or nitro can loose some of the best aspects of the style.

That said, casking and aging one of Ithaca's flagship beers, Cascazilla on cherrywood was an excellent choice, it's silky, grassy nose easing my apprehension at first whiff, seemingly stacked with notably fresh hops. It's unexpectedly bright for a cask ale, but still deftly smooth with soft notes of pine, white pepper, and subtle red wine character, complimenting the dry, velvety mouthfeel and finish. I have to say, this is my favorite Cascazilla cask variation thus far.

#301: Bandwagon Beer » Barrel-Aged Red Ale

Bandwagon Beer » Barrel-Aged Red Ale | ABV: 6.7%
After an energizing rehearsal with my band Mouth To Mouth To Mouth, a crew of us decided to head on down to Bandwagon Brewpub for fry night, where there just so happened to be a brand new brew on tap.

Another creation from head brewer Stephen Bareford, this Red Ale is aged four months in 6 Mile Creek Vineyard red wine barrels. As with BWB's recent run of aged beers, this was another enjoyable brew.

This barrel-aged red starts off with a tart nose of red grapes and cranberry with a deep earthiness and a faint hint of cocoa. It's lively and puckering, stacked with dense wine characteristics. Flavors of tart berries, specifically with a touch of cranberry, and faint, soft pepper notes. It's refreshing yet dry and a touch acidic. A fruity, fun, and complex beer.

What's On Tap? (Ithaca: Jan 15th, 2015)

Thanks for joining us once again to find out what's on tap in Ithaca, NY!

Ithaca Beer Taproom kicks off their latest 6-Pack seasonal, Daydreamer, a full bodied Kölsch clocking in at 7.0% ABV. Draft & bottles should be widely available within the week.

As of Thursday, Cascazilla aged on Cherry Wood (cask) and 5 Barrel series offerings Red Hot Rosie (Chili Porter), Za Vas! (Russian Imperial Stout), & Milkstache were still on as well.

Bandwagon Brew Pub just debuted a new 6.7%  Barrel- Aged Red Ale, aged for 4 months in 6 Mile Creek red wine barrels. (Review coming soon!)

BWB Shiny Penny Coppy Lager (w. candi sugar & orange peel), Russian Imperial Stout, Udder Delight Milk Stout, Chai-Chili Porter, Sauer Weisse, Thank Hank Porter, Winter Brown Lager, CTZ IPA, NYS Trad Pils and other year-rounds are all on tap as well, plus offerings from Catskill Brewery, Ninkasi, Abandon, and Beak & Skiff.

Ithaca Coffee Company's latest Triphammer offerings include Ithaca Creeker, Ommegang Biere D'Hougoumont, City Steam Naughty Nurse, Brooklyn BLAST!, Anderson Valley Fall Hornin, Saranac Tramony Rouge, and Woodchuck Hopsation with Galaxy's The Void, Founders Big Luscious, Dogfish Festina Peche and Saison Du Buff,  and Wagner Valley Hop Tropic still in rotation.

ICC's Gateway location is now featuring Ithaca Dark Vine, 21st Amendment Bitter American, City Steam Naughty Nurse & Innocense IPA, Green Flash Road Warrior, Ommegang Art of Darkness, Saranac Caramel Porter, and Great Lakes Nosferatu.

Ithaca Ale House now features Ballast Point's Grapefruit Sculpin IPA, Ommegang Spiced Saison, Horseheads Rye P.A., and Southern Tier Live alongside Abandon Saison, 21st Amendment Fireside Chat, He’Brew Hanukkah, Chanukah: Pass the Beer, Bell's Two Hearted, Southern Tier Live, Victory Moving Parts 02, Green Flash West Coast IPA, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, Ithaca Embrrr & White Gold, Stone Arrogant Bastard, Harpoon UFO, Stella, Wachusetts Blueberry, Pilsner Urquell, Guinness

Founders All Day IPA is back at The Westy with Southern Tier 2XOne, Abandon Nut Brown, Horseheads Brickyard Red, Bell's Two Hearted, plus year-rounds from Yuengling, Stella, Jever, and Great Lakes. Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout is on deck after 2XOne.

FInger Lakes Beverage Center has Southern Tier Pumpking & 2XMAS, Jack's Abby Kiwi Rising, Abandon Belgian Golden, Evil Twin Imperial Biscotti Break, Sierra Nevada / Allagash Myron's Walk, 21st Amendment Blah Blah Blah, Sierra Nevada Celebration, Sam Adams Chocolate Bock, and Saranac Cloudy Dream,

Hopshire Farm & Brewery bring back two of their most popular seasonals, Fiddlers Grain, Irish Red and Sympathy, Belgian Strong Golden are back at and on Friday, they're releasing Figgy Puddin - cask of 'round yon Virgil holiday ale with figs, dates and vanilla beans (wow!).

(If you would like your bar or brewery featured in these weekly posts, contact bubbablogs (at) gmail.com)

#299: Terrapin Beer Co » Wake 'N' Bake (Coffee Oatmeal Stout)

Terrapin Beer Co » Wake 'N' Bake (Coffee Oatmeal Stout) | ABV: 9.4%
This 10th edition of W-n-B pours up a viscous jet black with minimal head, breathing out a firm cold brew coffee nose. This big, bold brew coats the palate with deep roasted coffee flavors with a touch of syrup notes, faint red fruits and smoke. Packed with amazing character that's thick and warming enough it could be medicinal, Wake 'N' Bake is a noteworthy brew and one of the best coffee stouts around.

#298: Terrapin Beer Co » Liquid Bliss (Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter)

Terrapin Beer Co » Liquid Bliss (Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter) | ABV: 6.0% 
My partner & I pulled a few bottles of Terrapin from our Philly trip, including this Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter known as Liquid Bliss, originally released in 2012 as Side Project Volume 18 and now a year-round release.

An intriguing PB&J nose starts things off, full of bready, sweet, and nutty notes emitting from the jet black body topped with lacy, mocha head. Onto the palate, Liquid Bliss is just that, deftly smooth with dominating peanut butter notes, backed by rich roasted malts. Firm chocolate flavors arise further in with faint jammy notes and a moderately dry finish. An easy winner and a future go-to the next time we're in Terrapin territory.

#297: Elysian Brewing Co » Space Dust IPA

Elysian Brewing Co » Space Dust IPA | ABV: 7.2% | IBUs: 62
Originally part of Elysian's Manic IPA seasonal series, Space Dust reached Year-Round status in 2014 and went to six-packs.

Space Dust boasts "pure starglow energy", brewed with Chinook and dry-hopped with Citra and Amarillo. Grapefruit and grass aromas kick off this hop-centric brew with minerally/slate notes. Bitter, pith notes dominate throughout among tropical fruit notes with a long, finish with a touch of heat.

Altogether, Space Dust rides the IPA wave of strong, aromatic, bitter brews.

#296: Hopshire Farm & Brewery » Frisky Imp (Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout) & Boggled (Cranberry Saison)

Hopshire Farm & Brewery » Frisky Imp (Barrel-Aged Imperial Stout) ABV: 9.5% | IBUs: 55
Twas the eve before Xmas Eve and my partner, her sister and I decided to take a break from holiday stressers and head up the hill to Hopshire for one of their latest creations - an Imperial Stout brewed with all NYS hops and aged in local McKenzie Rye Whiskey barrels from Finger Lakes Distilling, aptly named Frisky Imp.

Upon arrival, Diane immediately served the three of us up tastings of the aphotic brew, emitting cozy whiskey aromas with a brief note of sweet candy. Onto the palate, it's instantly satisfying. The body is silky with a drying finish. Smooth whiskey flavors and heat are held in balance with lively carbonation. As big as this brew is at 9.5%, it's a touch juicy and jammy with notes of cherry, threaded with soft coffee and smooth spice that gradually achieving a dry, earthy finish.

Frisky Imp is surprisingly refreshing and drinkable, an Imperial Stout that's easy on the palate, never becoming too sticky or sharp.


Hopshire Farm & Brewery » Boggled (Cranberry Saison) | ABV: 8.0% | IBUs: 9
Following Frisky Imp, Diane served us up a round of Boggled, a Belgian-style Saison, packed with fresh Cranberries and a dash of orange peel.

Boggled kicks off with a pleasant, sweet & tart nose with a touch of yeast. It's a smooth marriage of tangy cranberry and sweet orange with a hint of vanilla. It's a zesty, fruity brew with a dry, earthy finish that's delightfully light on its feet for 8% and though it's a fruit beer, it doesn't venture into juicy or syrupy territory. Clocking in an just 9 IBUs, Boggled is a solid seasonal for those who avoid bitter in their beer.

What's On Tap? (Ithaca: Jan 7th, 2015)

Welcome to the first installment of 'What's On Tap?' where BBB will be relaying highlights of what's on tap in Ithaca, NY. Soon enough we'll expand out to notable offerings across Upstate NY, but let's taking things one step at a time, shall we?

Ithaca Beer Taproom is debuting their latest in 5-Barrel series, a Milk Stout, aptly called Milkstash! Thursday is cask night, featuring Creeker, aged on maple wood.

Ithaca Coffee Company will feature a Brooklyn Beer tasting on Wednesday at Triphammer, including Brooklyn Blast! and Black Chocolate on draft.

Other notable offerings include (@ Triphammer) Galaxy's The Void, Stone Matt's Burning Rosids, Founders Big Luscious, Dogfish Festina Peche and Saison Du Buff, Wagner Valley Hop Tropic, Ithaca Rustic Havest.

(@Gateway) Ithaca Embrrr & Seventeen, Founders Dirty Bastard, Rogue 7 Hop IPA, Great Lakes Nosferatu, 21st Amendment Blah Blah Blah and more.

Bandwagon Brew Pub will debut a new West Coast IPA and a Copper Lager brewed with candi sugar and bitter orange peel. Both clock in at 7.0% with monikers tba later this week.

Ithaca Ale House boasts Empire Cream Ale, Abandon Saison, 21st Amendment Fireside Chat, He’Brew Hanukkah, Chanukah: Pass the Beer, Bell's Two Hearted, Victory Moving Parts 02, Wagner Valley Hop Tropic, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, Ithaca Embrrr, and more including regular offerings Ithaca White Gold, Arrogant Bastard and others.

Hopshire Farms & Brewery has Abbey Normale (Dark Belgian Ale) is back on the lines.

The Westy have been holding steady with Southern Tier 2XOne, Founders Pale, Abandon Nut Brown, Horseheads Brickyard Red, Bell's Two Hearted, plus year-rounds from Yuengling, Stella, Jever, and Great Lakes.

FInger Lakes Beverage Center has Southern Tier Pumpking & 2XMAS, Jack's Abby Kiwi Rising, Abandon Belgian Golden, Evil Twin Imperial Biscotti Break, Sierra Nevada / Allagash Myron's Walk, 21st Amendment Blah Blah Blah, plus others from Sierra Nevada, Sam Adams, and Saranac ready for growler fills.

Thanks for joining this first week of 'What's On Tap?' in Ithaca, NY. Check in next week as we grow the list!