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

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

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

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

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

#260: 21st Amendment Brewery » Monk's Blood (Belgian Strong Ale)

21st Amendment Brewery » Monk's Blood (Belgian Strong Ale)
ABV: 8.3% | IBUs: 34 | Rating: 9.2

Time to talk about a couple 21st Amendment seasonals. This brewery consistently issues some of the best artwork in the industry - boxes & cans alike. Monk's Blood is no exception, with a detailed yarn of the founders as rebellious monks. Humorous and worth a read, but the beer itself is no joke (ouch...).

The real story finds Nico Freccia and Shaun O’Sullivan traveling to Belgium, inspired by monks hardy, fasting beers, resulting in a stellar brew packed with candi sugar, cinnamon, vanilla bean, and figs all aged in oak.

This hefty brew rolls out with a big, fruity Belgian noise. Notes of fig are present, but they're not particularly sticky. Earthy aromas sneak in as well beside sweet hay, dried fruit - especially cherries, and a hint of vanilla; all augmenting a lively brown body of beer with fluffy brown head perched on top.

Past the eyes and nose, this one is a real treat for the palate. Lively carbonation and a medium-light body leads this one easy down at first, followed by a wave of spices, oak, and sweet vanilla flavors.

Dynamic, complex, and aromatic in it's flavors, this strong Belgian-style has wispy flips of sweet candied sugar and fig harboring deeper tones of earth, mild booze, and wonderful blooming esters.

Overall, Monk's Blood is a damn good beer and fully recommended.

#214: Founders Brewing » KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout)

The legend...

The Brewery: Founders Brewing Co. (Grand Rapids, MI)
The Brew: KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout)
Availability: Draft and bottles (Seasonal, Limited)
ABV: 11.2% | 70 IBUs
Rating: 9.5/10
Location: Home
Found: Fingerlakes Beverage Center

Founder's KBS has become legend to say the least, even garnering RateBeer's "Best Beer in America", It's brewed with a massive amount of coffee and chocolates, then cave-aged in oak bourbon barrels for an entire year. As with many sought-after, highly limited brews, living in a small city sometimes means missing out, which so far has been the case for me with KBS. That said, FLBC delivered once again.

KBS pours up with a voluminous mocha head that's bubbly and a bit fizzy, but with plenty of lace atop an opaque brown-black body. A strikingly bitter nose of coffee, cocoa powder, and oak gets things rolling.

Fantastic, flavors careen through mildly bitter, dry, to a sweet easing finish. Big bold flavors of roasted coffee, baking chocolate, along with charred notes blur into dark chocolate, chili and booze spice, and all wrap up with a smooth, sweet chocolate finale.

Incredibly and original with an insanely deft balance of bold flavors and augmentations - the chocolate, oak, coffee, nor bourbon ever get too powerful on their own. Highly recommended, obviously.

#185: Dogfish Head Brewery » Red & White (Witbier)

Beer, wine, and barrels...

The Brewery: Dogfish Head (Milton, DE)
The Brew: Red & White (Witbier)
Availability: Bottles & Draft (limited)
ABV:  10.0% | IBUs: 35
Rating: 8.9/10
Location: Home
Found: Fingerlakes Beverage Center

The Story? After rehearsal, gearing up to open for Kayo Dot on Friday, it was time to relax with some games and beer. I've picked up a handful of Dogfish Head brews earlier in the month (Black & Blue, Piercing Pils) and next up is their Red & White hybrid - a witbier brewed with the usual coriander and orange peel, but also with Pinot Noir juice; a fraction aged in Pino barrels and the other on oak stages. Sign me up.

The Beer? Red & White pours out with a fluffy crown of white head, with some serious staying power, a top a hazy copper body. It's already fragrant across the game table just from the pour. Aromas of Oak, citrus, and hops pull me further.

This one is super smooth with just enough oak for rich depth and complexity, while still retaining an inviting drinkability. These's a distinct sweetness - like a gentle, soft barleywine. It's just boozy enough, but light on it's feet.

The coriander and orange provide an excellent compliment to the firm malt backbone, packed with delightful rum-raisin flavors. The whole experience is rounded over with the smooth depth of the Pinot, providing subtle, dark fruit notes.

Overall, a solid offering I'll easily return to.

#159: Founders Brewing Co. Sweet Repute (Barrel-Aged Wheatwine)

Sweet bliss...

The Brewery: Founders Brewing Co.(Grand Rapids, MI)
The Brew: Sweet Repute (Barrel-Aged Wheatwine)
Availability: Draft and bottles (limited)
ABV: 12.6%
Rating: 9.5/10
Location: Tug Hill (Cabin)
Found: Fingerlakes Beverage Center

The Story? I stopped down to Fingerlakes Beverage Center to pick up something special for our anniversary trek up to the Tug Hill Plateau. I didn't have anything particular in mind, but figured this time of year there's always something limited, outrageous, and boozy to be found. And boy, did I find it.

I always try to grab a bottle of Founders Backstage series whenever it arrives. I missed the Mango Magnifico release, so when I saw their latest, Sweet Repute, staring back, their was no hesitation. This sweet beast is one-hundred percent barrel aged in maple syrup bourbon barrels and bourbon barrels over the course of sixteen months, then blended using carefully calculated ratios for the delivered brew. Wowzah.

The Beer? Sweet Repute opens with a big nose of honey and bourbon. Subtler notes of maple and oak are present as well after a more focus whiff. There's a touch of white head atop it's hazy gold body. Enough talk... time to drink.

This is booze-candy. Straight up. This isn't even beer - angel-tears nectar maybe? Strong flavors of caramel, candy sugar, vanilla, cream soda, toffee and a hefty dose of butterscotch make for a delicious start right out of the gate. It's boozy, as the 12.6% would infer, but with a medium body and gradual mouthcoat. Excellent.

Further through, roasted toffee notes emerge in the finish and the maple and bourbon flavors build, giving it more of a bite. This is no shy beer and more full bodied than more wheatwines I've encountered. There's even a bit of spruce and herbal notes on the front end of the second glass.

Overall, a truly expert crafted beer. It won't be for everyone, but for those it's for, it's luscious euphoria. A sweet/strong benchmark.

#092: Stone Brewing Co. » BELGO Anise Imperial Russian Stout (2011)

Vintage Stone IRS with anise? YES.

The Brewery: Stone Brewing Co. (Escondido, CA)
The Brew:  BELGO Anise Imperial Russian Stout (2011)
Availability:  Draft, 22 oz bottles (limited, brewed once)
ABV: 10.5%
Rating: 9.6/10
Location: The Avenue Pub

The Story?  When I perused The Avenue Pub's draft list online a week or so before heading south, they had the 2013 and prior two years of Stone's lauded Imperial Russian Stout's series on draft. I figured with three on tap, my chances were moderate that by the time I got down there, there'd be at least one left. To my surprise, the most vintage or the bunch was still hanging around.

Any of Stone's Imperial Russian series usually strike my fancy - aging well and full of robust splendor at any age. But this - fermented with a Belgian yeast strain, with star anise, and oak chips - is some next level business. I missed this release when it came out, so for the second and final brew of the evening, this was an easy order.

The Beer? I'm almost too excited to not rush drinking this one. Focus. I see a bit of nice, lacy head with some staying power, which made it's way with me up to the balcony atop jet black vintage ale. The nose is peculiar as expected and enticing. Coco, black liquorice, and slightly soured.

Into my mouth and - WOW! This is probably my favorite of the IRS series and one of the more unique offerings from Stone that I've had yet. The mouthfeel is big and creamy, though suprisingly drinkable thanks to the Belgian yeast and carbonation.

The taste is a sublime, robust amalgamation of deep chocolate, liquorice, mint, oak, and even a nod to the bourbon stouts, though it is not bourbon aged. The ABV slides itself gracefully through the door, but without really caring what it knocks over in the way through.

The star anise provides a cooling, medicinal nature too this dark, viscous monster and with age it's found a bit of funk notes deeper in the tasting.

I can easily call this a beautifully unique dark star of a brew, but there's no doubt this is going to be a polarizing beer. Anise is one of those flavors that some palates will just hate and while there's nothing wrong with that, Stone has expertly executed the addition of a somewhat volatile ingredient for the palate in the most mutually-beneficial way for the herb and the beer.

#052: Ithaca Beer Co. Multihead (Wild Hop Pale Ale) and Hoodoo Voodoo (Imperial Stout - cask & draft)

More unique creations from Ithaca Beer's 5-Barrel and Cask series...

The Brewery: Ithaca Beer Company (Ithaca, NY)
The Brew: Multihead (Wild Hop Pale Ale)
Availability: Draft Only (5-Barrel Series)
ABV: 5.9%
Rating: 8/10
Location: Ithaca Beer Taproom

The Story? Humulus Lupulus Neomexicanus is a newly discovered, wild hop from New Mexico, which is the star of Ithaca Beer's Multihead - one of their latest in their on-going 5-barrel series.  The beer gets its name from this hop's unusual tendency to develop two hop cones per varietal, unlike the usual one-per for all other varieties. I'm impressed by Ithaca Beer's level of adventure on this one as the hop is still so new it isn't yet widely available through usual mass distribution channels. The brewers had to keep ordering until they had enough to brew and experiment with. That's dedication!

The Beer? Light in color and mouthfeel as you'd expect from a primarily single-hopped pale ale. Right off the bat I can tell this isn't going to be your typical pale. Most notably, it's sweet. Mild fruits immediately come to mind like white peach and white nectarine. There's a touch of Magnum hops up front to provide some bitter counterpoint to the sweetness, but otherwise this new dual-hop is front and center.

The sweetness isn't sugary or thick, in fact it's quite refreshing, but on the dryer side. It's subtlety sweet with fresh and noteworthy hop spice and pine flavors from the use of whole cones, plus a filtered wheat presence. A very unique beer that I wouldn't have pegged it as a pale ale at first. Recommended for those with a broad pallet looking for a fresh flavor in the session realm. I have high hopes that Ithaca Beer will use this as a drawing board for future releases with this uniquely wild hop.

The Brewery: Ithaca Beer Company (Ithaca, NY)
The Brew: Hoodoo Voodoo Cask (Imperial Stout, Aged on Oak)
Availability: Cask Only (very limited)
ABV: 11%
Rating: 9.1/10
Location: Ithaca Beer Taproom

The Story? Wednesday is Cask Night and this beer is the reason I pushed to finish up rehearsal and bombed down to the taproom. Sometimes the casks kick before 8PM, but to my elation, there was still plenty of this go around.

Hoodoo Voodoo is Ithaca Beer's new Imperial Stout, another recent addition to their limited 5-Barrel series. Ithaca Beer doesn't have any dark beers in their year-round offerings and only a few seasonally, so I always jump at the chance to taste one - their 14th Anniversary Dark Ale and Gorges Smoked Porter are world-class. This cask version has been aged on oak and wields a higher ABV.

The Beer? It starts off with a strong, dark, woody nose that is quite earthy. Going into my mouth, I already agree cask is the perfect delivery for this brew. A bit boozy up front, notable roasted marshmallow flavors, with a mildly dry finish. A distinct roasted coffee flavor hangs out even after the initial finish dies out. The cask temperature and carbonation mellows the bite of the ABV, instead allowing it to be the support for the rest of the dark, roasted, warming flavors. This would be absolutely superb on a winters day. Woody, earthy, dry, booze, roasted goodness.

I decided to aerate this one in my mouth like you would a wine, which immediately pulled the booze and some dark red fruits to the forefront giving it subtle Cab Sauv-esq notes. Very tasty and another hit for IB's limited series.

The Brewery: Ithaca Beer Company (Ithaca, NY)
The Brew: Hoodoo Voodoo (Imperial Stout)
Availability: Draft Only (5-Barrel Series)
ABV: 9.8%
Rating: 9.0/10
Location: Ithaca Beer Taproom

The Story? It took me three questions to indeed verify that I wasn't crazy and that they had on not only a cask version of Hoodoo Voodoo, but a regular draft version as well. No oak age on this one and a slightly lower ABV, bust still no joke at 9.8%. Three ultra limited beers in one night... I'm in heaven.

The Beer? Cappuccino colored head a top deep, dark brown brew. Medium body.

The taste is much different than the cask version. A prominent nuttiness dominates the flavor with a semi-sweet, English-style feel. Pleasant mouthfeel, reminiscent of a Guiness (in that way only though). Not as earthy and lacking the marshmallow aspects of the cask version, but instead has more malt & chocolate characteristics. Still has some wine-esq qualities on the finish as they booze builds further through the glass.

A great example on how a beer differs based on finish and delivery. An easy choice to try again.

___

Overall a great night of beer. Ithaca Beer Co. has really caught their stride with these one-offs and experiments. I'm eagerly await the next batch...

#039: Ithaca Beer Co. - Cascazilla (Red Ale aged on bourbon soaked oak)

Cask night at Ithaca Beer Taproom!

The Brewery: Ithaca Beer Company (Ithaca, NY)
The Brew: Cascazilla (Red Ale aged on bourbon soaked oak)
Availability: Cask only (limited)
ABV: 7.3%
Rating: 8.5/10
Location: Ithaca Beer Taproom

The Story? On Monday, I received a note that a friend I hadn't seen in two years was going to be celebrating her birthday with a small crew at Ithaca Beer Taproom on Wednesday. Short notice... but, to hit IB on cask night? Twist my arm.

As with any short-run series and experimentation, Ithaca Beer's cask & 5-barrel series have had some real winners (see Black Mamba) and some less-memorable attempts, but they're always worth keeping up on. This weeks' phrase "Cascazilla aged on bourbon soaked oak" immediately caught my attention.

The Beer? For starters, we've got a fresh hop nose. It's dialed back from Cascazilla's usual ferocity, but as is to be expected from the cask and the oak. Now for the taste - nice smooth hops and very drinkable. Bourbon and oak we're an excellent experiment for one of my staple Ithaca brews.

A bit sweet at first, but then Cascazilla's dryness kicks in with noticeably (in perspective) more carbonation than in some of the other cask offerings, though nowhere near usual draft levels. The bourbon is mellow and eludes to vanilla extract, dancing around in the background.

This one really retains the hop beauty of Cascazilla in a subtler frame with mellowing of oak and semi-sweetening effects of the bourbon complexity.