#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.

#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.

#131: Public Works Ale » Knuckle-Buster IPA

What once was lost...

The Brewery: Public Works Ale (Baltimore, MD)
The Brew: Knuckle-Buster IPA
Availability: Draft, Bottle (year-round)
ABV: 7.0% | IBUs: 45
Rating: 9/10
Location: Home
Found: The Wine Source (Baltimore, MD) via LVL UP

The Story? Better late than never. Knuckle-Buster was a fantastic, shot-in-the-dark find when I was down in Baltimore back in May when this blog was just starting up and was to be review #016 or something to that effect.

Two bottles of this luscious IPA were tucked far in the back of the fridge the night of  my band's tour kick off show. In the afternoon when I returned from work, I noticed two, empty Public Works bottles on the counter... one of the bands crashing had cracked into them late the night before. Admittedly, I was pretty irate at the time, but in the end, why stress over things you can't do anything about.

I figured I'd be back in Baltimore... next year? @#$&!

Fast forward six months and I'd helped book our friends LVL UP for a show at Cornell University that took place last weekend. They just so happen to be driving up from (you guessed it) Baltimore the night before. I hit them up, asking if they'd be kind enough to pick me up a sixer and they graciously did just that. Cheers to those guys! Hooray beer!

The Beer? Knuckle-Buster pours out amber and ultra-transparent with a finger of white, fizzy head that fades into a slim ring of lace. I deeply inhale and savor the ample, citrus nose. I've been looking forward to this for some time.

My tongue is met by with an incredibly smooth mouthfeel and smooth bitter flavors which sweeten out into hints of coconut and crisp malts. There's a touch of orange back there in the finish as well. Notes of citrus pith and rind find their way into the initial sip between pine and subtle resin just long enough to appreciate, before it concludes sweet and smooth. Further in, a faint hop heat can be found tucked into that sublime finale.

It isn't as orange-citrus dominated in flavor as initially remember, but it's just as good.

This really is one of my favorite IPA finds of the spring. Knuckle-Buster is so crisp, clean, and drinkable, while still providing that American-IPA bitter punch. A well balanced, expertly crafted beer.

#034: Anchorage Brewing Co. - Galaxy (White IPA with Brett)

One of my favorite Brett beers...

The Brewery: Anchorage Brew Company
The Brew: Galaxy (White IPA bottled with Brett.)
Availability: Bottles
ABV: 7.0% | 50 IBUs
Rating: 9.5/10
Location: Home

The Story? Back in December, I was lucky enough to be invited to an annual beer tasting home party in Philadelphia through a friend. It was the best home tasting I'd been to by far and must have had $5,000+ in bottles, plus sever excellent home brews. Through many, many jovial conversations about and sharing of beers, I was introduced to Anchorage Brewing Co. - an brewery out of Anchorage, AK which bottles all of their beer with Brettanomyces. After their Galaxy White IPA and Lovebuzz Saison, I was hooked.

Only catch is that they don't distribute to NYS. Major bummer. So, several months of online watching and waiting I snagged two bottles the collection, waiting for the right opportunity to pop one open with friends...

But then, tragedy... one of the bottles exploded during the heat wave while I was on the road. Luckily, bottle #2 was well in tack and my partner and I decided better not wait to test the fates.

The Beer? Voluminous, lively white head which hangs around. Wonderful citrus nose with hints of spice. Cloudy, golden appearance.

On first sip, lively carbonation prickles the tongue. Very clean and dry with a nice bitter hop finish. Very elegant mouthfeel - top choice if you have champagne fan friends who are hesitant venturing into beer.

This beautiful White IPA is brewed with kumquat and peppercorns in addition to the Brett fermentation. The kumquat is very apparent in the bitterness. The Brett brings a dry, transparent nature - not so much on the juicy sour or funky or musty spectrum, but a thinned, rindy tartness. Delicate, but stands firm.

A few mouthfuls in, some more of the funky points of the Brett sneak in. The peppercorn is quite subtle and isn't as spicy as you may expect at first... but second glass in, the peppercorn spikes up and the kumquat becomes more present and robust. By dredge, some sweeter notes come into play.

One of my favorite Brett beers, though not quite as mind-blowing the second time around with all that anticipation, but I will buy this one again and again when I can get my hands on it again.