#301: Bandwagon Beer » Barrel-Aged Red Ale

Bandwagon Beer » Barrel-Aged Red Ale | ABV: 6.7%
After an energizing rehearsal with my band Mouth To Mouth To Mouth, a crew of us decided to head on down to Bandwagon Brewpub for fry night, where there just so happened to be a brand new brew on tap.

Another creation from head brewer Stephen Bareford, this Red Ale is aged four months in 6 Mile Creek Vineyard red wine barrels. As with BWB's recent run of aged beers, this was another enjoyable brew.

This barrel-aged red starts off with a tart nose of red grapes and cranberry with a deep earthiness and a faint hint of cocoa. It's lively and puckering, stacked with dense wine characteristics. Flavors of tart berries, specifically with a touch of cranberry, and faint, soft pepper notes. It's refreshing yet dry and a touch acidic. A fruity, fun, and complex beer.

#291: Sierra Nevada /Boulevard Brewing Co. » Terra Incognita (Strong Ale)

Sierra Nevada /Boulevard Brewing Co. » Terra Incognita (Strong Ale) | ABV: 9.8%
Beginning life as a hoppy, imperial brown ale, it's a blend of 55% wine-barrel aged, 32% bourbon barrel aged, and 13% fresh ale. Initially collaboratively brewed for a Brewers Association food event, Sierra Nevada has kept it a yearly tradition to release this big brew.

The nose is subtler than anticipated, with expected wine and bourbon notes, but soft, paired with aromas of cocoa and an herbal coolness to it. It pours up a deep, dark, opaque brown with thick head.

On to the palate, it's wonderfully smooth and offers a touch of sweetness. Red wine tannin peak through flavors of butterscotch and vanilla, finishing dry with a mild, mouthcoat. There's a soft bitterness of the bourbon & wine, quietly vying for attention and a boozy heat in the breath and chest of the finish. Far in, there's a dry tartness that develops with wonderful notes of black current.

A great brew that offers unique complexity due to the combination of beer style and blended aging.

#264: Bandwagon Brewery » Sour Blonde

Bandwagon Brewery » Sour Blonde (Aged - Wine Barrels, 4 Months)
ABV: 6.0% | Rating: 9.0

It's been... a while since I've posted about Bandwagon. Over the last year or so, I've personally found many of their draft offerings - their own and others - inconsistent, young, or even occasionally disappointing. I hate to hate on local, so I keep my blog mouth shut from time time to time. Their beers that are on, are really dead on, so I always keep a hopeful, open palate.

It was time for some post-birthday shenanigans with some very close friends who recently turned 21 and were up for exploring a bit of what downtown Ithaca had to offer for beer.

I snagged a flight of top notch brews from Cortland, Dogfish, Troegs, and the only flight that included this sour as I will always try a sour, from any brewer. I was glad I did this time around especially...

This fantastic sour kicks off with an earthy funk of Brett and backed up with firm, supportive malts. The funk really gets in there, in the nose, taste and exhale.

Notes of white peach, sour white grapes, and wet hay make for a killer tartness amongst heavy easters and a chalky dry finish. Way in the back there's even notes of sour dark cherries and red wine notes.

Once again, when Bandwagon is on, they are really on. A sour worth seeking out.

#244: Victory Brewing Co. » White Monkey (Barrel-Aged Tripel)

(bright days sometimes = grainy pics!)

Victory Brewing Co. »  White Monkey (Tripel aged in Oak White Wine Barrles)
ABV: 9.5% | Rating: 8.8/10

This barrel-aged version of Golden Monkey has been on my wish-again list since catching it at a tasting in 2012.

It starts off with a sweet nose that's elegant and soft, fueled by savory spices and sweet coconut. Lively carbonation rushes onto the palate with flavors of smooth stone fruits like white peach and apricot, threaded with distinct notes of vanilla and a breath of oak. There's even a touch of hot, mineral notes that peak through later on.

Overall, a great variation on a popular favorite and a great value from a barrel-aged brew for the price.

#241: Goose Island Beer Co. » Madame Rose 2012 (Flanders Oud Bruin)

Madame Rose 2012 (Flanders Oud Bruin) ABV: 7.1% | Rating: 9.3/10

At the end of June, I received a call from the IRS that was truly cause for celebration - Ithaca Underground, the organization I've been building for the last 6 years, had finally received 501(c)3 not-for-profit status. However, since it was just a verbal at the time, I needed to keep my lid shut for just a few more days, so it was time for some in-house celebration.

This Madame Rose is one of the first I picked up for aging while I was out in Buffalo a couple years back, so this seemed like the perfect choice to crack into and toast to. It's a Brown Ale, aged in French oak Cabernet Sauvignon barrels with Michigan cherries and Brettanomyces. I'm so ready...

Madame Rose  kicks off with a beautiful, velvety nose of tart cherries, oak, and red wine. There's a few slightly funky aromas of sour red grape and ripe red fruits peaking through with a sliver of brown sugar.

The body is a wonderful, ruby-brown with a quickly fading off-white head.

The taste is incredible and quite reminiscent of red wine, including a velvety dry finish. It's elegant, well-carbonated and full of tart fruits like dark cherries, with a hint of mild red apples. There's a touch of sweetness and the start of each sip with is a nice detail. The carbonation level is ideal to release the beautiful oak and red wine notes.

Overall, a wonderful effort. It's not the sourest, fruitiest Flanders out there, instead Madame Rose delivers a lively, lavish beer experience with a healthy dose of wild complexity.

#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.

#154: Ithaca Beer Co. Cold Front (aged in wine barrels), South Hill Saison, Regionale

The Brewery: Ithaca Beer Company (Ithaca, NY)
Availability: Draft Only (5-Barrel Series)
Location: Ithaca Beer Taproom

The Story? My father was stopping through Ithaca on his way back from the Adirondacks and we scheduled to meet up for lunch. I'd missed the last several cask night offerings, but figured there would likely be at least a new 5-barrel series offering hanging around. Correct, though understated.

Cold Front (Belgian-style aged in red wine barrels) | ABV: 7.2% | Rating 8.8/10
I enjoy Cold Front. It's definitely one of Ithaca's stand-out 12 oz. offerings and the prospect of that robust beer in wine barrels warranted a trip on its own.

I order a half pint, which arrives as a deep, dark amber color with a touch of ruby, topped by a ring of lacy head and delivers a sweet, malty nose.

The flavor is quite earthy, commiserating with light red fruit notes and a mild tartness amidst a dense, chewy mouthfeel and body. The wine influence is notable in the nose and finish mostly. There's a slight roasted bitterness in there as well - bittersweet in fact. Notes of alcohol, coffee, dry coco begin to arise. All made quite drinkable with a smooth, soft carbonation. This rendition is enjoyable. Wet, Cold Front start and drying, red wine finish. Well done.

South Hill Saison (Farmhouse) | ABV: 6.4% | Rating: 8/10
This saison kicks off a hazy yellow, also with a ring of head. The nose is relatively transparent, mild with notes of yeast and mild citrus. A few sips though and South Hill is mildly dry, on the minerally side of things with soft carbonation. Smooth, with orange and yeast flavors peaking through. A relatively straight forward, mild Farmhouse style. Tasty and a good meal beer.

Regionale (Local-sourced Ale) | ABV: 5/7% | Rating: 8/10
This brew is brewed using all New York State grown ingredients, including lemon balm from their own Ithaca Beer garden. The aptly named Regionale serves up with a fluffy, fading head with no lace atop a clear, pale orange-amber body.

The taste is quite dry, with lots of orange presence, a touch of lemon. It's slightly sharp and minerally, but still quite pleasant. Nice one-off for those looking for a light body beer with bright character.

#076: Deschutes Brewery » The Dissident 2012 (Flanders Oud Bruin)

Praise the beer gods...

(it gets dark outside at night...)

The Brewery: Deschutes Brewery
The Brew: The Dissident 2012 (Flanders Oud Bruin)
Availability: Draft (limited)
ABV: 11.4% | IBUs: 18
Rating: 10/10
Location: The Reservoir (Waterbury, VT)

The Story? After our meal and drinks with our friend Lidia down at Prohibition Pig, we decided to enjoy the beautiful night (the whole trip was clear skies and warm weather) by taking a walk around the neighborhood. We passed by The Reservoir and I recalled someone mentioning the place in one of our earlier beer stops. I recommended we check it out for our final stop before heading out of Waterbury.

Amidst a bustling Saturday night crowd and staff, the gastropub offered great ambiance and a charming environment - the wall of VT license plates was a great touch - with a bottle case that rivals the high-end beer selection of some beverage centers. I was grateful they had a draft beer menu, as the bar was quite crowded at the moment. I was politely given a spot at the bar white deciding, by a couple waiting for their order when my eyes spotted it - The Bruery's Mischief. An easy choice for the last round, but I was soon informed the keg kicked just moments before we arrived... not my luck again. I figured something decent would be going on in it's place, so I asked. Deschutes Brewery's 2012 sour brown ale known as The Dissident.

The Dissident has only been release three times (2008 and 2010 previously) and is Deschutes only wild yeast beer, brewed with Brettanomyces and aged partly in Pinot and Cabernet barrels. This marvelous brew won "The America’s Best Oud Bruin" at the 2013 World Beer Awards. I couldn't believe my luck that this had just been tapped. I ordered my glass of this lauded nectar and we headed out to the deck.

The Beer? Pure sour beer bliss. Deep brown color with hind of ruby in the evening light with a tuft of leggy white head. The taste is beautifully tart and incredibly smooth.

Juicy, sour red fruit flavors dance with mild funk and earth notes augmented by a rich, velvety mouthfeel. Wet and dry at the same time. Aging this sour brown in Pinot and Cabernet is genius. The red-wine influence provides some tannin notes in the nose and taste, while rolling off some of the high level of sweetness typically found in a Flanders.

Distinct sour cherry notes are present deeper through the glass, while the oak notes providing further influence along with a touch of vanilla. All of these complexities bring out the best in each other, equating to a highly drinkable, elegant beer weighing in over 11%.

Highly recommended for any beer enthusiast.