#285: Ithaca Beer Co. » Excelsior! Anniversary Seventeen

Excelsior! Anniversary Seventeen (Wheat Double IPA w/ Brettanomyces) | ABV: 8.8% 
Fittingly, as my pre-Big Day In routine included a stop to Ithaca's Taproom, my celebratory beer of choice, following the 13 hour day, is the latest chapter in Ithaca Beer's praiseworthy Excelsior! series, Seventeen - hybrid between a Wheat ale and an India Pale Ale, bottle conditioned with Brettanomyces.

The awaited Seventeen kicks off with a highly purfumed, floral hop nose with notes of lilac & orchid along side soft, pink peppercorn aromas. It's a spicy, warming, and impressive IPA.

Flavors of white & pink peppercorn and soft chili spices real you in, followed by complimentary, smooth blood orange notes. Like a winter warmer of an IPA. Further through, distinct characteristics of orange & lemon zest peak through, backed by the brightness of the young Brett, which itself yields earthier tones late in the glass. It's complex all the way through, finishing elegantly dry.

A delightful, inspired brew that should get nice & funky with time.

#284: Ithaca Beer Co. » Sour Pi (Sour Ale)

(apologies for the blurry pic... t'was a busy night!)

Sour Pi (Sour Ale) ABV: 3.8%
Stopping in for soup & brew at Ithaca Beer's Taproom on the even of Big Day In (a day fest run by the not-for-profit I head up), I'm caught up enough to relax for a moment before jumping onto the next errand. I'd heard about Sour Pi, Ithaca's most astringent brew yet, clocking in at an apt 3.14 (get it?) pH. It's a kettle sour, fueled by Lactobacillus.

My 13oz glass is filled with a golden, glowing brew crowned with fluffy, fizzy, fading white head. Introducing itself with an intriguingly astringent note, wonderfully tart flavors follow, while retaining a surprisingly wet mouthfeel and a pleasant, crisp bite on the finish. Notes of lemon, mineral water all refreshing and damn tasty. I skipped the syrup, opting for the full acidic experience.

I'd initially planned on just the one brew, but realizing it'd been a mouth & a half since I'd visited, the always friendly and wonderful staff served up another 8 brews... (see next post!)

#279: Perennial Artisan Ales » Aria & Saison De Lis

After a lovely wedding of one of my earliest Ithaca friends and few hours destroying my fear of rollercoasters at Darien Lake, my partner and I made our way to the fantastic Blue Monk in Buffalo. This, my second time at the Belgian-inspired gastropub, I had far more time and flexibility than the first while I was on tour.

When I'd checked out their online menu, which has been updated just two days prior, there were a few Jacks Abby that were must-haves, but alas they were gone. However, I immediately shed my woes at the site of a variety of  Perennial Artisan Ales on the list.

Perennial Artisan Ales » Aria (Belgian-Style Ale w. Brettanomyces Bruxellensis)
ABV: 7.20% | IBU: 20 | Rating: 8.7

My first foray into Perennial kicks in with a fragrant nose of white stone fruits emitting from a hazy, honey-colored body, topped with thick, lacy head.

A sweet, soft flip of funk starts of the gentle palate experience. Lightly carbonated with primarily clean mouthfeel that's just every so slightly augmented with a rustic dryness. Warming flavors of green tea with honey and lemon threaded with mild notes of peach make for a delicate palate pleaser.

This brew is crafted with Brettanomyces Bruxellensis, providing soft, earthy and funk notes that give Aria a twist of complexity, but don't yield much sourness or dips into the extreme. A solid first experience from Perennial Artisan Ales.

Perennial Artisan Ales » Saison De Lis (Saison brewed with Chamomile Flowers)
ABV: 5.0% |  Rating: 9.1/10

It's rare that a non-Brett beer will beat a Brett beer as follow up with my palate, but here's that case. This Saison/Farmhouse brewed with Chamomile Flowers is a downright winner.

De Lis' hazy golen body and plentiful, lacy head reals you in, quickly followed by aromatic citrus and floral notes backed by firm yeasty, bready notes.

On to the palate, this is one tasty beer, bursting with flavor. It's mildly tart and plentifully floral, with soft notes of banana bread colliding with boozy esters, despite the low ABV.

Further through the glass, vegetal notes start to creap through the refreshingly crisp tartness & bitterness along with a hint of rosemary and chamomile. A unique, recommended brew.

#276: Crooked Stave » St. Bretta (Winter)

Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project » St. Bretta Citrus Wildbeer (Winter)
ABV: 6.8% | Rating: 9.5/10

After a successful week of recording, wrapping up the initial legwork of booking for Big Day In and a four evening fest around the Ithaca International Film Fest, I was in the mood for something special. Shortly after grabbing  and uncapping this winter edition of St. Bretta from the beer fridge, it was immediately apparent I'd made the proper selection.

This 100% Brettanomyces wild bursts out of the gate with a fruity, funky nose. Ripe, fresh berries slam with orange, must, and that unmistakable Brett aroma. There's even a hint of green apple.

After several enticing whiffs, my palate is struck by incredible, piercing flavors of tart grape and kumquat. This winter edition is incredibly sparking and bright for a dark beer.

Robust sour cherry and big green apple notes rise further through along with shy notes of lemom and a lively, dry finish. A hands-down, goddamn great beer and a must find for another round.

#202: Off Color Brewing » Troublesome (Gose) & Scurry (Dark Honey Ale)

Former respective Goose Island (Bourbon County, Sisters Belgians) and Two Brothers brewers, John Laffler and Dave Bleitner left their respective organizations, to combine their lauded talents into a joint, independent venture.

Off Color Brewing (Chicago, IL), already gathering acclaim for their first two bottled beers below, is the result of that partnership.

Troublesome (Gose) ABV: 4.5% | IBU: 10 | 9.3/10
This brew is a blend of two beers, a plain old wheat beer and overly acidic & funky beer fermented solely with lactobacillus, finished with coriander and salt towards the end of fermentation.

In person, it starts of a transparant, pale yellow with minimal cap of white head that is plenty lacy. Bringing Troublesome to my nose, heavenly, wild aromas bloom - yeasty, juciy notes of white wine, lemon, and citrus.

The flavor is incredible and refreshing. Soft carbonation and perfect restraint of coriander matched with a deft hand of faint sweetness and delicate tartness. A gifted brew. Recommended.

Scurry (Dark Honey Ale) ABV: 5.3% | IBU: 18 | 9/10
Brewed with honey and molasses, Scurry pours out a dark, opaque brown with a touch of ruby and almost no head. Strong coffee nose is prevalent with soft notes of wood and honey and packed with molasses aromas.

It's dark and roasted on the palate, but not too heavy. Smooth and perfectly carbonated. Mild, sweet, but not sticky. Roasty, toasty, with just a flicker of earthy notes. Solid.

#170: Victory Brewing Co. » Helios (Belgian-style Farmhouse Ale)

Victory's funky farmhouse...

The Brewery: Victory Brewing Co. (Downington, PA)
The Brew: Helios (Belgian-style Farmhouse Ale)
Availability: Bottles & Draft
ABV: 7.5%%
Rating: 9.0/10
Location: Home
Found: Fingerlakes Beverage Center

The Story? I must have passed by this beer several dozen times. Why? I haven't the slightest. Maybe the old green/yellow/brown label just didn't strike me the right way. Victory has my trust with long-standing staples such as Golden Monkey and Storm King, plus their impeccable draft-only offerings, so again, I have no idea why this never made it to my beer basket.

Last week, I was having a few close friends over, whom I hadn't seen in months, for movies. While shopping for some session brews to share and on my way out, I saw Helios staring back at me from the cold case, rebranded and for just $4.99. I figured if nothing else, it'd be a nice way to ease into the session beers, unknowing the pleasant surprise I was in for.

The Beer? Nice and funky right out of the gate! Golden, pale yellow color with fluffy white head presentation with a complex, Belgian-style nose, prominent in wheat and yeast.

Helios is brewed up with Brettanomyces and a blend of specialty yeasts from the Victory vault, yielding a bustling, wide flavor palate of mild barnyard, basement must, soft red apple, wet hay, grass, smooth citrus, peppercorn, and lemon peel. Way too drinkable at surprising 7.5%, this year-round bomber may have just be come one of my new go-tos.

For a beer I wasn't even planning on blogging, this peaked my interest with it's lovely, smooth, and drinkable funkiness on first sip. Kudos to Victory on the new, eye-catching label too.

#104: The Lost Abbey » Saint's Devotion (Belgian Blonde Ale w/ Brett)

For the love of Brettanomyces...

The Brewery: The Lost Abbey (San Marcos, CA)
The Brew: Saint's Devotion (Belgian Blonde Ale w/ Brett)
Availability: 12.7 mL
ABV: 6.66%
Rating: 8.8/10
Location: Home
Found: Benny's (Chicago)

The Story? I'll jump at any chance to pick up one of The Lost Abbey's Belgian-inspired creations. This one in particular was one from my haul out in Chicago while on tour.

Saint's Devotion is one of the Abbey's small bottle seasonal offerings, specifically a Brett-finished version of their Devotion Ale. Let's dig in.

The Beer? This one is vigorously carbonated! After struggling with the uncaged cork for a second, I found some recompense in a satisfying "pop" and enticing, funky aromas. Voluminous head plumes in the glass even with a patient, soft pour. After sitting for a moment, the carbonation continues to bubble up from the bottom of the glass, while the head stays leggy for some time.

The striking, golden body is quite translucent for a wild yeast beer. That ever-staying head has a tart, dry taste to it with a nose of muted sour notes, crisp yeast, mild orange and a hint of must.

Finally getting around to tasting this beauty, its light at first, then tightening up with a distinct dryness and mild funk. Brettanomyces is up front with cellar must, slight mushroom, and tangy dry sour flavors, but there's a delicate hop balance, providing some citrus and bitter notes, along with elements of straw and grass.

As with most beers from Lost Abbey, Saint's Devotion is a delicate, enjoyable beer. The hoppy blonde is excellent support for the wild and sometimes temperamental Brett.

#094: De Struise Brouwers » Weltmerz (Sour/Wild Ale)

Back downstairs for a low-gravity sour...

The Brewery: De Struise Brouwers (Belgium)
The Brew:  Weltmerz (Sour/Wild Ale)
Availability: Bottles, draft (limited)
ABV: 3.0%
Rating: 9/10
Location: The Avenue Pub (New Orleans, LA)

The Story? Keep on keepin' on at The Avenue Pub...

The Beer? Served up in a stem glass with a healthy dose of fizzy white head atop a hazy golden color brew. With a deep breath, my nose is met with sweet juicy sour smells matched with creamy citrus.

Flavors of kumquat, lime, and green able augment the nice, bright sour flavor that jumps right out of the gate while tropical fruit notes start to blossom further through the glass. Throughout, this sour is tart and minerally with a dry finish.

Overall, very fruity and just plain awesome.

#038: The Bruery - Hottenroth (Berliner Weisse)

Summer continues with this classic German style...

The Brewery: The Bruery (Placentia, CA)
The Brew: Hottenroth (Berliner Weisse)
Availability: Draft and bottles (Spring & Summer)
ABV: 3.1%
Rating: 9/10 // IBUs: 2
Location: Home

The Story? After catching a hilarious movie and a beautiful walk around Myers Point on Cayuga Lake, my partner and our friend Kendra popped back to the house for some tasty home-made burritos. Afterward they began work on customizing some old t-shirts. "A good time to review this Hottenroth" I thought to myself...

Hottenroth itself is named after Fred & Sarah Hottenroth, Bruery founded Patrick Rue's grandparents. The low gravity seasonal is brewed with lactobacillus yeast and a hint of Brettanomyces and, unlike many of the other American Berliner Weisse releases, no sweetener is added, sticking to the traditional German tartness.

The Beer? Fluffy, quickly fading head with a champagne-esq nose. The sparkling grape and apple notes on the nose are very inviting.

Much less effervescent than the Festina Peche reviewed earlier this summer. Nice, firm tartness with a bit of wheat. Very clean mouthfeel. Apple, pear, and lemon tastes throughout. A bit acidic with mild dryness.

Not as tart up front as initially expected, considering this one is unsweetened, though that mid-level tartness begins to build, continuing through the bottle. On the second pour, sour grape and lime tastes appear in the head, with more funk in the nose and a wheaty must taste hangs in the background. Solid.

Most interesting, was my friend Kendra (not a beer fan, but a big Kombucha fan and also know to partake in the occasional glass of cider, wine, or champagne) thoroughly enjoyed a small glass of the brew.

Overall, a solid, enjoyable homage of a classic. Likely will become one of my top go-tos for a quality, low-gravity beer with a lot of character. Highly recommended for your friends who "don't like beer".

#035: Lagunitas - Little Sumpin' Wild (Belgian IPA) #IPAday

Put a lil somthin' wild in ya...

The Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Co. (Petaluma, CA)
The Brew: Little Sumpin' Wild (Belgian IPA)
Availability: 6-packs (seasonal)
ABV: 8.8% | 72.5 IBUs
Rating: 8.5/10
Location: Home

The Story? I've made it through all of Lagunitas year-round offerings (they were one of the first west-coast breweries I latched onto in the early days) and most of their seasonals, though despite my love of wilds, I found myself realizing I'd never tried Little Sumpin' Wild.

My partner and I were in need of a serious relaxing hang-out night in and I was on the look for sixer of something robust and unique to split.

The Beer? Fluffy, off-white head and medium hop nose. Creamy, full mouthfeel. Very well-balanced blend of the Westmalle yeasts, robust malt, and that Lagunitas hop bite. The warming, creaminess of this beer is the real highlight. The perfectly strong, but not over-powering, Belgo-American ale.

#015: New Belgium Lips of Faith Series: Peach Porch Lounger

The final Baltimore Beer stop...

The Brewery: New Belgium
The Brew: Lips of Faith: Peach Porch Lounger
Availability: Draft and bottles (limited)
ABV: 9.4%
Rating: 8.5/10
Location: Leinenkugel's Beer Garden (Baltimore)

The Story? New Belgium is another brewery that unfortunately does not grace us here in NYS. Their ever-growing "Lips of Faith" series of sours taunts me with every news post. Well, that's why we travel, right? To get beer we can get here. This being our final night in Baltimore, I was very pleased to stumble upon this as an option for my pallet.

My first foray into the series is on of their latest - the Peach Porch Lounger. A result of a musical collaboration with G-Love of G-Love and the Special Sauce.

The Beer? This brew is brewed with peach juice, molasses, hominy grits, lemon peel, pale and biscuit malts, and some Brettanomyces and I cannot wait to put it in my mouth.

Fruity, sour nose. Minimal head. Pleasant, juicy peach flavor, but not sweet. Subtle funk and sour notes throughout. I noticed late in that it's listed at 9.4%, which is absurd. Tasted like a 4% or so. Great job hiding that. This is a very unique and accessible beer. Deep and complex, but goes down without thinking. A must try for any sour fan or those curious to enter. The brett effect is quite mild, so calling it a "sour" might be extensive, but the notes are there. The peach balances it all out wonderfully.

High-gravity summer sour saison? Better believe it and better give it a try.

#014: Stillwater Artisanal Ales - Debauched, Debutante, Jaded, & Hardly Barreto

Baltimore Beer stop #2...

Sunday we stopped in for brunch before preparing our bodies for Sleep, Converge, Margrudergrind, and more at Maryland Deathfest. With another long day ahead, good food and good beer were again in order.

The Story? Gypsy brewer Brian Strumke has been traveling the globe for the last 3 years, brewing conceptual beers at various breweries, similar to how Mikkeller and Evil Twin operate  Most of their ales fall somewhere on the saison/farmhouse/Belgian spectrum, but with innovative and creative experiments with herbs, wild yeasts, and a variety of aging techniques and barrels. The result is an ever-growing resume of complex, world-class creations with an expert hand for balance and nuance.

Since Brian doesn't have a physical brewery and Maryland laws restrict many aspects of being able to sell beer at breweries, the beautifully named Of Love & Regret is the home of many draught and rare bottles from Stillwater to be consumed on premise (some for take-away as well). A wonderful interior and fabulous staff with gourmet selections for foodies and beer lovers alike.

Debauched (Brunello): Scandinavian Farmhouse Ale | 6.7% ABV
I jumped right in while waiting for my Roast Ribeye French Dip (which was as amazing as it sounds), with a 375 mL bottle of Stillwater's Debauched - a Scandinavian Farmhouse ale brewed with whole Juniper bushes, aged for months in Spanish Brunello barrels, then re-fermented with multiple strains of Brettanomyces. I couldn't pass this one up and glad I didn't...

Huge sour nose of funk and tart right off the bat. Nice fluffy head. Low carbonation. Cool and smooth. Not over powering and a great, high-quality sour to start with.

Wet up front with a sneaky dry finish. Several sips in, the tart blurs into funk. Incredibly complex without being overwhelming, like a low-carbonation Champagne. Hints of lemon throughout with a big wet mouthfeel that is easy down.

Towards the end of the bottle we're met with a string of earthy funk flavors and a long musty finish. Beautiful.

Débutante: Farmhouse Ale | 6.4% ABV
My first draught of brunch. I ordered this in part as my partner's twin sisters were having a débutante-themed 16th birthday party the following day, which we'd be missing because of the trip. The other reason is it sounded wonderful and I am going to make my way through everything this man brews at some point.

To start, there's a light air of honey on the nose. Dry, prickly carbonation on the tongue. Very delicately spiced and incredibly well-balanced taste. Subtle is the name of the game with this one.  Almost bitter. Mild funk and fruit rind with honey comb - not honey sweet. Tart wheat finish.

Jaded: Wheat Saison | 9% ABV
Brewed in collaboration with Urbain Coutteau of De Struise Brouwers, this chestnut colored wheat saison is finished with rose hips, violets and jasmine.

An herbal wake-up beer! Much more in-your-face than my previous two glasses. Bright for a second, then it darkens up with some big malts. The jasmine, violet, and rose hips are superbly blended and balanced. Floral coating of the tongue with a dry finish. Complex pepper and nutty elements throughout. For an experienced pallet.

Hardly Barreto: Farmhouse Ale with Brett. | (unknown ABV)
This one was a special surprise. Brewed for Max's Taphouse owner Casey Hart's wedding, this brew is the aforementioned Débutante plus Brettanomyces. Twist my arm.

Immediate tangy brett on the nose. Bright taste and lively carbonation. Light mouthfeel with a mild funk. A pleasantly light sour for a special occasion. Not released to the public.


Overall a top-notch experience. Knowledgeable, approachable staff. Quick service. Robust tap selection of Stillwater and other local brews and similarly minded imports. One of the best gastropubs I've been to and will undoubtedly be visiting again.

Wishlist!: Sierra Nevada & Boulevard Brewing - Terra Incognito (Sour/Wild Ale)

Heavily hopped brown ale with 45% aged in old wine foudres and 30% in whiskey barrels. If that weren't enough, the real kicker is after blending, it's bottled with Brettanomyces. YUM.

The 2013 batch (coming soon) will be distributed by Boulevard Brewing, so unfortunately, I may have to wait until 2014 when that version goes out through Sierra Nevada's distro. If any one within Boulevard's distro region wants to trade... let's chat.

Thanks to the wonderful Beer Street Journal for putting this beauty on my radar.

#002: Ithaca Beer - Excelsior! White Gold (Rustic Pale Wheat Ale)

Fresh batched just released!

The Brewery: Ithaca Beer, Co. (Ithaca, NY)
The Brew: Excelsior! White Gold (Rustic Pale Wheat Ale)
Availability: Draft and bottles
ABV: 8.0
Rating: 8.5/10
Location: Ithaca Beer Taproom, Ithaca, NY

The Story? A long running part of Ithaca's Excelsior! series, White Gold is fermented with Belgian, English and Wild yeasts which makes it one of the brewery's best beers for aging.

The Beer? I've had several batches of White Gold, but this is the youngest I've tasted it so far. Too new to have evolved into the complex, juicy citrus of the last batch - which was one of my favorite beers of 2012.

Instead, the brew boasts it's more rustic features with a healthy amount of yeast up front, subtle tang on the finish (foreshadowing what that wild yeast is up to), and wonderful unfiltered mouthfeel of a quality craft wheat. Opaque color and voluminous head as is par for the course.

I'm looking forward to how this batch ages and evolves. When mature, it's always one of my top rated beers.

Nickname: The King of Wheats