#198: Ithaca Beer Co. » The Keymaster, The Sesh, & Golden Road (5-Barrel Series)

After a game-filled day at the Enchanted Badger, it was time for good food and more new releases from Ithaca Beer's 5-Barrel Series.

The Keymaster (Saison) 5.9% ABV | Rating: 9/10
An inviting, fruity Belgian nose starts things off - banana, yeast, citrus, and an inference of coriander. The flavor is malty, but relatively crisp and refreshing with a smooth spice and earthiness throughout. There's a slight wild tart and funk tucked in the back as well. Wonderfully complex with a subtle touch of fresh berries dancing around the other more prominent flavors.

The Sesh (IPA) 3.5% ABV | Rating: 9.2/10
Instant hit. High recommendation for limited or seasonal bottling here. Sesh starts off with a pungent nose of bright hops, but goes down nice and easy while being beautifully packed with hops. A whirlwind of tropical and citrus flavors and mild mineral notes, balanced and backed by crisp malts and fleeting notes of honey. I'd put this up against any of the day-IPAs trending at the moment.

Golden Road (Amber) 7.5% ABV | Rating: 8.5
Roasted and dry, with a light body. Full flavored with well-balanced toasty winter spices. Drinkable, warming, and refreshing, and that 7.5% is utterly well-hidden. A solid winter warmer and a nice addition to the limited series.

#151: 21st Amendment Brewery » Fireside Chat (Winter Spiced Ale)

Winter by the Fireside...

The Brewery: 21st Amendment Brewery (San Francisco, CA)
The Brew: Fireside Chat (Winter Spiced Ale)
Availability: Cans & draft (seasonal)
ABV: 7.9% | IBUs: 45
Rating: 8/10
Location: Home
Found: Fingerlakes Beverage Center

The Story? Now that it's past Thanksgiving and we've had our first winter storm advisory, I feel I can begin posting about winter seasonals. 21st Amendment's Fireside Chat was one spiced ale that stood out last year for me, but I was only able to grab one can of it, to my dismay.

With sleet, freezing rain, and snow barring down, depending where you were in town, it sounded like a good time for a night in with beers to warm us.

The Beer? Fireside Chat pours out with a deep, dark walnut body and off-white head. A big nose of allspice, clove, and nutmeg follows.

This winter warmer isn't holding back anything. The boldness of the aroma and appearance introduction continues through unabashed velvety mouthfeel and strong flavors of cinnamon and clove, closing with an arid finish. It's a bit sticky as well with subtle notes of molasses, herbs, and faint esters on the elongated finish.

Overall, not as sublime as I remember from last year, but a recommended holiday beer for sure. A great second or third beer in that will still pack a punch.

#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.