#236: Bottle Share: Dogfish Aprihop, Freigeist Pimock, Pinkus Münster Alt, Tripel Karmeliet, Valeir Divers

Friends, good beer, and a bit of Adventure Time and a Michael Jackson, wtf $30M music video - wait what? Let's focus on the beer...

Dogfish Head » Aprihop (Fruit Beer) ABV: 7.0% | Rating: 9/10
Great place to start. It's delightfully light, hoppy with a touch of apricots throughout, finished with a pleasant, lingering bitterness. Nice mid-level ABV for a fruit beer too.

Braustelle » Freigeist Pimock (Hefeweizen) ABV: 5.3% | Rating: 8.5/10
This Weizen serves up with a lacy white head over a deep, caramel color body - akin to apple cider. Pimock goes down incredibly smooth with noses of apple, wheat, and yeast with a mild Euro pilsner bitterness and faint lemon notes. Not particularly malty or hoppy, just damn tasty take on an old-school style.

Brauerei Pinkus Mueller » Organic Münster Alt (Altbier) ABV: 5.1 | Rating: 9.1/10
Floral flavors kick this one off, followed by a mineral notes and mild yeast. Tiny, prickly carbonation and transparent body keep this one quite clean tasting along with herbal hoppiness and mild malt sweetness. A solid, classic brew for a hot day that wraps up with a touch of lemon in a mildly dry finish. Recommended for those looking for a break from the bombast of American craft style without sacrificing quality and complexity.

Brouwerij Bosteels » Tripel Karmeliet (Tripel) ABV: 8.4% | Rating: 9.5/10
A wonderfully inviting, peppery-banana nose plumes out into delightfully robust flavors of white pepper, spicy esters, and tasty fruit notes of mango and other tropical varieties. A sturdy, 3-grain body of barley, wheat, oat keeps this one strong the whole way through. Incredibly well-balanced, elegant and generous on the impact.

Brouwerij Contreras » Valeir Divers (Belgian Strong) ABV: 8.5% | Rating: 8.9/10
Introducing itself with a fragrant Belgian notes with hints of pear, Valier bursts onto our palates with lively carbonation. A beautiful bouquet of yeasts and cardamon showcase the first stip, sealed in a wonderfully dry finish. Lasting fruity, spicy notes linger long after the final sip - a great finisher.

#191: Rooster Fish : Summer Sky (Hefeweizen)

I stopped into The Westy for a quick pint of Bigfoot (and in hopes for Jack's Abbey Mass Rising, but that'll tap tomorrow). 

So, it was a pleasant surprise to find a Rooster Fish tasting session in full bloom with their Summer Sky Hefe. 

Smooth, wheat & banana nose kicks it off with just a touch of sweetness. Hazy straw body with creamy, lacy head. 

Aptly named, it's a highly drinkable Hefe; mid-low level carbonation with notes of citrus and lots of banana up front followed by a toasty, mildly earthy finish. 

Overall, an enjoyable, drinkable Hefeweizen with plenty of fruit flavor and staying to tradition with the style. Glad to have this brewery back on my radar!

Rating: 8/10

#009: Victory Brewing Company (Flights & Visit)

Last weekend my partner and I finally crossed one of our long-time favorite breweries off out "must visit" list - Victory Brewing Co. in Downington, PA. 

Strong, hoppy beer was the first thing that pulled me into a beer lover and I've consumed far more of Victory's Hop Devil than I could really keep track of. Storm King was my gateway into stouts. I'm missing time from several gatherings thanks to one too many delicious Golden Monkeys. While I've worked through just about every beer which they bottle, the only non-bottle brew I've tried is their wonderful Ranch Double IPA. 

All that changed as Victory had well over a dozen draft-only selections, including several one-offs for the recent Craft Brewers Conference. Lets jump in...