#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.

#173: Southern Tier Brewing Co. » 2XMAS (Spiced Beer)

Some holiday items are welcome to hang around past Xmas...

The Brewery: Southern Tier Brewing Co. (Lakewood, NY)
The Brew: 2XMAS (Spiced Beer)
Availability: 6-pack, draft (Seasonal)
ABV: 8.0%
Rating: 8.5/10
Location: Home

The Story? Considering we're in the single digits this week, here in Upstate NY anything warming is welcomed, Xmas-themed or otherwise. This regional late fall/winter staple is on my radar every year and I was more than obliged to discuss it when a bottle was sent my way.

The Beer? 2XMAS starts strong out of the gate with a big, wet nose of clove, cinnamon, and nutmeg. It's appearance is surprisingly transparent (a wonderful red-amber hue) for a spice-packed brew with minimal, fizzy, cream color head that quickly dissipates with no lace.

The taste is full of smooth spice. Malty, but not too sweet. Flavors of clove, all spice, and cola are all present throughout, coupled by soft hops in the finish, which ends with soft spice and hop heat. There's a pleasant mouthcoat that is never overbearing or tiresome - not quite velvety, but it slowly lingers.

Overall, a solid, expertly well-balanced holiday offering from one of the most consistent breweries in Western NY.

#165: Southern Tier Brewing Co. » Krampus (Imperial Helles Lager)

A lil seasonal evil for the naughty ones...

The Brewery: Southern Tier Brewing Co. (Lakewood, NY)
The Brew: Krampus (Imperial Helles Lager)
Availability: Bottles, Draft (limited)
ABV: 9.0%
Rating: 9/10
Location: Home
Found: Fingerlakes Beverage Center

The Story? After hauling out the last of the furniture from half our first floor for some refinishing, I pulled out this bottle of Krampus to join me a few hours of serenity in our big empty room. Of course, this was after I found my car battery completely dead and jogged to go pick this up. But for now, serenity, while I wait for the Autoworks guy to show up. It's been an interesting year.

The Beer? The off-white head that kicks this one off is thick and lacy with plenty of staying power atop the crystal-clear amber body. The nose is full of sweet grapefruit and other citrus notes and sugary malts.

Two of the characteristics I love the most is how utterly smooth and impeccably well-balanced Krampus is. Roasted malts, caramel, and smooth citrus flavors all working in harmony backed by a slight earthiness and touch of hop heat and spice. All wrapped up with that refreshing lager drinkability. I often forget this one kicks at 9%.

Overall, a regional seasonal I always look forward to. Accessible and original, which is a feat in itself.

#145: Southern Tier Brewing Co. » Old Man (Winter Ale)

When Old Man Winter comes a knockin'...

The Brewery: Southern Tier Brewing Co. (Lakewood, NY)
The Brew: Old Man (Winter Ale)
Availability: 6-pack, draft (Seasonal)
ABV: 7.0%
Rating: 8.5/10
Location: Home

The Story? It's Sunday, 21° outside and 48° inside. The boiler is in round two of replacement parts for the day, having been down since Friday night. After keeping myself warm, feverishly cleaning up the house in preparation for Thanksgiving guests (after earlier being showered with safety glass from a display shower door, but that's a completely different story), I figured it was time for a drink, cartoons, and a blanket.

I reached for a bottle of Old Man, Southern Tier's winter ale, which seemed terribly appropriate. I vaguely remember drinking this almost exclusively for a week or so around this time last year and have some fond memories of those festitives. It's one of my go-to winter warmers when I want a robust, drinkable seasonal, that packs a bit of a buzz and doesn't remind me of licking a holiday tree or potpourri.

The Beer? Old Man pours out a deep, amber with a finger of head, leaving a nice ring of lace. The nose is full of citrus and spices and the body goes down wet, with a mildly boozy finish. There's lots of toasted malts packed in this out with just the right touch of hop bitterness.

I like how full bodied this one is, while still being so drinkable. It starts with a creamy mouthfeel -while still refreshing - full of tangerine hop notes and caramel sweetness, all dried in the finish with herbal notes and that warming, ester finish I'm pursuing tonight.

Overall, this seasonal has great balance for a winter seasonal, firmly walking alongside Southern Tier's quality, hop-centric offerings, but packed with malts and winter spices that never gets too velvety or overspiced.

#120: Southern Tier Brewing Co. » 2X Stout (Milk Stout)

A return to my first Milk Stout...

The Brewery: Southern Tier Brewing Co. (Lakewood, NY)
The Brew: 2X Stout (Milk Stout)
Availability: 6-pack, draft (Year-Round)
ABV: 7.5%
Rating: 8.9/10
Location: Home

The Story? As previously admitted, I was predominately an IPA/Pale lover and it took me some time to come over to the dark site. If memory serves (which is somewhat of a stretch), Southern Tier's 2X Stout was my first milk stout. As we head towards the cooler months, these warming, dark favorites come to mind. 

This particular stout is brewed with ale yeast, two varieties of hops, three varieties of malts and lactose sugars. Also, if you find this on Nitro draft, do yourself a favor and check that out. 

The Beer? This 2X pours out with light brown fluffy head and jet black, opaque body. No light getting through this black gold. The nose if full of creamy, roasted malts and a touch of smoke.

2X goes down incredibly smooth with a full, creamy mouthfeel and low carbonation. Deep, roasted flavors dance with notes of toffee and scorched coffee, with a distinct sweetness threaded through.

A solid, year-round, anytime Milk Stout.

#102: Southern Tier Brewing Co. » 2XRye (Double Rye IPA)

Pleasant surprise was waited for me at The Westy...

The Brewery: Southern Tier Brewing Co. (Lakewood, NY)
The Brew: 2XRye (Double Rye IPA)
Availability: 6-pack, draft (Seasonal)
ABV: 8.1%
Rating: 8.5/10
Location: The Westy

The Story? I had to make a quick stop at The Westy on the way home on Friday and figured a pint after quite the long week would be good. I figured one of their new taps of Jack's Abbey or Bacchus would be just the thing, but to my surprise they still had Southern Tier's latest seasonal, 2XRYE on tap. Beer joy!

The Beer? Glistening, completely transparent copper with a touch of off-white head on top. The nose is sweet and mildy fruity - tropical, even plums maybe?

The taste is complex - there's an initial sweetness, which gives way to big, bitter hops and rye. That all then subsides into crisp, biscuit and roasted malt flavors. A pretty excellent way to kick off the weekend, I must say.

There's a touch of booze behind that bitterness, which slowly creeps in the room along with a touch of spice further through the glass. Subtle for a double at 8% for sure though.

In my opinion, the finish really takes the cake on this one those. For a double rye, I was expecting something relatively extreme, but instead we have a well-balanced, complex seasonal that's great for the fall season. Southern Tier does it again.

#053: Southern Tier Beer Co. » Plum Noir (Imperial Porter w/ Italian Plums)

Inaugural release of STB's new warm-weather Blackwater Series beer...

The Brewery: Southern Tier Brewing Co. (Lakewood, NY)
The Brew: Plum Noir (Imperial Porter with Italian Plum)
Availability: 22 oz. (Spring/Summer)
ABV: 8.0%
Rating: 8/10
Location: Home

The Story? Back in the spring, Southern Tier announced there'd be changes and additions to their lauded Blackwater Series. While morning the loss of their Mokah and Jah-va brews heading to retirement, it is exciting to see the series get a face-lift and add some new, innovative offerings. The first is Plum Noir. The second, called Warlock, is an Imperial Stout with Pumpkin slated for September.

My partner picked up this particular bottle in a stash for a tasting, but we never tapped into it and thus made for an excellent start for an unexpected night in (new babies are reasonable cause for canceling dinner plans).

The Beer? Rich, wet, fruity plum nose. Black color with a minimal off-white head. Refreshingly wet up front with subtle tastes of plum skin. The Chinook hops counter with a pleasantly dry and hoppy finish. A complex, but not overbearing beer.

There's a smooth, roasted earthiness present throughout along with a malt (not fruit) sweetness and a hint of tang in the middle. For a 22 oz. boasting 5 malts and plums, it's all a bit understated.

Overall, a unique take on a drinkable, summer porter. I have to say I was expected a bit more from this beer. The rest of the Blackwater series have been more on the intense side of things, so I was expecting a bit more "wow", so that's worth noting going into it. A solid first release though. I'm interested to see where this one goes.

#051: Southern Tier Brewing Co. - Iniquity (Imperial Black Ale)

The anti-hero of IPAs...

The Brewery: Southern Tier Brewing Co. (Lakewood, NY)
The Brew: Iniquity (Imperial Black Ale)
Availability: 22 oz., 12 oz (Superpack only) & draft (year-round)
ABV: 9.0% // IBUs: 50
Rating: 10/10
Location: Home

The Story?  If memory serves, Iniquity was my gateway to dark beers. Southern Tier's Unearthly and Gemini (RIP) were heavy favorites of mine at the time and the promise of another girthy brew from STB, this one touted as the "antithesis of Unearthly", was too much to keep my curiosity at bay.

Launched not too far back in 2009, Southern Tier describes Iniquity as "contrary to what one would expect from an IPA. A dark, malty ale with a huge hop profile seeping forward" and an "unapologetic black ale". Indeed.

The Beer? Big, dark nose with nods to the booze to come. Dark, dark brown color, but not quite black, topped with a small amount of off-white head.

The taste? There's nothing quite like this one. It's like some dark, dank IPA / Barleywine hybrid with scorched, earthy coffee on the finish. It's quite wet and boozy up font, but changes character nicely through to a dry finish. Medium-heavy body with balanced contribution of piney, sticky hops.

Steadied by a sweet, malty backbone and threaded with thick, herbal characteristics and hop spice, while hints of citrus, coffee, and burnt toast sneak in the back door; Iniquity is a dark-beer-lover's IPA - the anti-IPA if you will - and highly recommended for any adventurous beer enthusiast.

Quicky!: Southern Tier Sonnet (aka 215)

Originally known as "215", Sonnet is Southern Tier's Beer-Week contribution to Philadelphia. A subtle, wheaty saison with subtle sweet, floral, and lemongrass notes and Sonnet hops. An understated, but creative session ale. Draft only.

Thanks to Tony for this belated-birthday brew down at The Westy!

#044: Southern Tier Brewing Co. - Pumking (Imperial Pumpkin Ale)

The return of the King...

The Brewery: Southern Tier Brewing Co. (Lakewood, NY)
The Brew: Pumking (Imperial Pumpkin Ale)
Availability: 22 oz. bottle & draft (seasonal)
ABV: 8.6%
Rating: 9/10
Location: Home

The Story? Southern Tier's Pumking always generates quite a bit of fanfair around this time of year, being only one of a handful of bottled pumpkin ales to carry the title of "Imperial". If you live anywhere close to the northeast, you've likely already heard of this one, so let's jump right in.

The Beer? Even with a firm pour, the head isn't particularly prominent and quickly fades. We're left with just the glowing, translucent copper liquid with a fine ring of head.

In the process of bringing the glass to my nose, this one is radiating straight-up nutmeg. Strong pumpkin pie aroma. Malty, sweet taste with lots of cinnamon. A strong departure from Ithaca's Country Pumpkin mild nature and Captain Lawrence's dry, all-spice and clove earthiness discussed earlier this week.

Lightly carbonated with a very long pumpkin pie finish. Almost too long. But, the carbonation keeps it light on its feet and the beer overall packs a great deal of flavor. Creamy notes of caramel begin to move in around the strong cinnamon, nutmeg, and sweet pumpkin flavors. The 8.6% never really peaks through the plethora of spices. Big body and creamy, but never heavy or thick.

Pumking has become legend among fall seasonal lovers and is a must try for anyone looking for the extreme end of the Pumpkin Ale spectrum. So far, out of the three pumpkin ales reviewed so far this fall, I'll personally be picking up the Captain Lawrence on a more frequent basis, but for a fall gathering or tasting, Pumpkin is an easy choice to make a big impact with a crowd.

#033: The Owl House (Three Heads, Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck, Southern Tier, Ballast Point, Stone)

First night of tour...

Location: The Owl House (Rochester)

The Story? For the first night on the road with Mouth To Mouth To Mouth (after a tremendous kick-off in Ithaca the night before) I met up with my parents for a pre-show meal at one of my favorite restaurants in Rochester - The Owl House. One of my favorite semi-recent Rochester memories is when a group of friends and I spent about 5 hours in the upstairs, brunch to dinner, just hanging out, running through their entire tapline, and pretty much owning the place.

With a quick scan of their latest draught offerings, I realized I'd only had two of the thirteen brews on the list. Luckily, I found out that you can make a custom flight, though picking five our of 11 was still a tough call, but I was very please with the results...

The Beer?

Three Heads Brewing: Country Shwheat (Imperial Wheat Ale) | 7.6% ABV | 46 IBUs
Pretty sure this is my first Imperial Wheat. Not a many beers in this style on regular rotation. I've always enjoyed 3HB and this was no different.

Refreshingly hoppy. Prickly carbonation with a nice citrus throughout. Great flight starter.

Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V.: Bacchus (Flanders Oud Bruin) | 4.5% ABV
Wonderful cherry tartness and very smooth. Beautiful, root beer/mahogany color. Subtle, delectably sweet finish. A quality Flanders.

Ballast Point: Victory At Sea (Imperial Porter) | 10.0% ABV
Wow!! Huge amount chocolate up front with a dry finish. Big, staying head. Tons of vanilla. Roasted coffee notes too. Wet up front with a lingering finish. Sweet and dry at the same time. An excellent, thick mouthfull meal of a beer. Picking this one up in bottles soon. We'll deserving of Beer Advocat Bros 100 rating.

Southern Tier: Inner Loop (Saison) | 5.0% ABV
Mmm... very interesting. Brewed exclusively for Rochester brew week and listed as a "Maple Saison" - this peaked my interest. Wet and a little tart. The maple is very mild. Mellow sweet and mild hop finish. Great session, summer, festival beer aimed at a broad audience. I ended up grabbing one of these at Bug Jar post-performance too.

Stone Brewing Co.: RuinTen (Double IPA) | 10.8% ABV
This one has been on the wishlist for a while...

BIG, balanced hops. Citrus and lemon way up front. Very nice malt too. A bit of floral hints peaking through the piney nature of this brew. Further through it gets boozy and drier.

I've since had this in bottles since and have to say it is a bit different, so be sure and try both if you get the chance!
__

Overall, another wonderful Owl House experience. The Ballast Point Victory at Sea and Stone RuinTen took the best of the batch easily (both are really next-level beers to be honest), but a quality run that I would easily choose again.

#018: An Evening at Bandwagon (Compass, Too Kind, Sixty-One, 400LB Monkey, Rye of the Tiger, High Step)

We found out a good friend was still in town a few days after his band Del Paxton performed at Ithaca Festival, which prompted the notion that a catch-up hangout was needed, along with some quality beer. To Bandwagon..!

Figuring we'd be chatting for a while, I started things off with their aptly named "First Class" flight which boasted 2013 releases including Too Kind from Three Heads Brewing, Compass from Southern Tier,  Great Lakes' Rye of the Tiger, Dogfish Head Sixtey-One, plus Left Hand Brewing's staple 400LB Monkey.

Southern Tier - Compass: Bottle Conditioned Sparkling Ale w/ Rose Hips | 9% ABV
A wish-list beer. Deliciously delicate. Rose hips are very subtle. Dry, floral citrus ale with a touch of bitter.

I'm absolutely giving this one another try. It's brand new release for Southern Tier's bomber sized-bottles, which always peak my interest and usually my pallet as well. This one isn't as urgent, pull-you-in as I was expecting, thought I'm sure this one will climb in my ranks soon. I love that Southern Tier is getting into the bottle condition side of things. LIVE is fantastic. Curious to see what this will progress after it has a little time to mature.

Three Heads Brewing - Too Kind: Double IPA | 8.5% ABV | 87 IBU
3HB's first release of 2013. Based of the consistent experiences I've had with The Kind, the fact that this is a good beer is no surprise.

Nice floral flavor with hints of spice and a bitter, dry finish. Earthy with some rind-fruit tastes. If you've never had a 3HB, show some Rochester love and give 'em a try.
(Update: Turns very fruity drinking again after tasting the Rye and Sixty-One below!)

Left Hand Brewing - 400LB Monkey: English Style India Pale Ale | 6.8%
The "English" in this IPA should be emphasized. Far sweeter than expected, but pleasant and refreshing. A bit metallic and earthy - no American uber-hopping here. Wet up front with a butter-esq, dry finish. Almost a note of cheese on the nose.

Great Lakes Brewing - Rye of the Tiger: Rye IPA | 7.5% ABV | 92 IBU
My second time on dating this one. First on tap. My favorite brew from Great Lakes at the moment and it's their 25th anniversary beer.

Hoppy, bitter, and nicely spiced. Rye is very prominent. A bold, dry, bitter offering that is tops for the price.


Dogfish Head - Sixty-One (61): American IPA brewed w/ Syrah Grape Must | 6.5% ABV
Beautiful, ruby color. Big fluffy, lacy head. Fruity and hoppy and very drinkable with a pleasant mouthfeel. A very juicy IPA that is a wonderful blend of bitter and sweet. Faint hints of the Syrah's dry pepper and there in the background, but the whole thing is smoother than I was expecting, based on Dogfish's hop pallets and the Syrah. Another one off the wishlist.

Bandwagon Beer - High Step: Weizenbock | 9% ABV
While debating whether to finish the night with a after-flight pint, I was made aware that Bandwagon's Weizenbock is their brewer's favorite and won "2012 Best Craft Beer in NYS" from TAP New York Craft Beer & Fine Food Festival. Thank you for making my decision very easy.

Total opaque goodness. A big, boozy, matly beer. Looks like unfiltered apple cider and is simply amazing. Subtle inits of banana with very little carbonation. Hell of a beer to end on and one I'll be heading back for seconds for sure. Have a look...

Way to close out the night with the best beer of the batch, Bandwagon!