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.