Beer Reviews

[catscratch]

I just found a store that stocks lots and lots of microbrews, including nearly everything from Stone brewery, and nearly everything from Founders.

Take note: beer heaven starts on 3/3/2009.

On this week's menu are: Founders Breakfast Stout (I'll see if they have Kentucky Breakfast, they should), Founders Imperial Stout, Stone Russian Imperial Stout (!!!), and Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale.

I predict the next few months to be full of amazing beery goodness.

Currently making my way through Founders Breakfast Stout, and man, is it good... but more on it later.

[catscratch]

Well, I had a chance to visit beer mecca, so to speak. Stone Brewery, not too far outside of San Diego.

Oh man. If you're in the area, google directions and visit it. It's worth it. Very good food that's simple, made from local ingredients, and really well prepared, amazing selection of microbrews on tap, and a very cool and thoroughly modern facility. Best brewery I've been to by miles, though admittedly I'm still new to the whole beer scene.

Oh yeah, I also had a chance to visit the Mastering Lab in Ojai, meet Doug Sax and hear one of the best systems in the world. Yeah, it was better than any headphones I've ever heard, but you know what... the O2 is remarkably close. Especially when it comes to tonality. So, I think I'm on the right track in my system at least.

Now, back to beer.

[The Monkey]

What were some of the dishes on the menu?

[NightWoundsTime]

we made the craziest black and tan's a few nights ago, I would not recommend this unless it is going to be the only beer you drink for the night

I have a bottle of each that I'm going to sit on for a year and then try this.

I'm finding that I keep gravitating to medium to high ABV stouts as my favorites. Brooklyn Black Chocolate, DFH Chicory, Bell's Expedition, and Mikkeller Black are all on top of my list. Haven't actually tried the Worldwide yet, I guess I should pick up a bottle. Still have love for IPA's and Belgians but I love the extreme drinkability of a good thick stout.

[The Monkey]

I'm feeling the same way re stouts. Unfortunately, the Whole Foods near me has a decent beer selection overall, but not a good stout selection. I really want to try the Mikkeller. I haven't been able to find it. The Brooklyn Black Ops remains at the top of my list.

[catscratch]

Stouts are my favorite non-Belgian style, especially Russian Imperial Stouts. I really love Stone Russian Imperial, Founders Russian Imperial, Founders Breakfast Stout, and Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout though it's rare as balls and seriously hard to find.

Brooklyn's Black Chocolate Stout was the very first craft beer I've ever had, and man did it ever impress the hell out of me.

I don't like very overhopped, dry stouts though, like Rogue Russian Imperial. Too bitter and one-dimensional in its flavor. And I love good IPAs, so you can imagine just how bitter this was...

If you can find any of the Founders stouts, do give them a try. Founders brewery specializes in stouts and is one of the top breweries in North America IMO.

[grawk]

WWS is a kick to the teeth. It's awesome, but don't drink one if you've had anything else to drink that day.

[Old Pa]

Last night I quaffed one of New Belgium Brewry's seasonals (along with lamb and shrimp kabobs, gyros, saffron rice and belly dancing; it was a cultural kind of evening ):

The ale was reasonably good but unremarkable (to a lover of dark, nasty strong brews ), but I did appreciate the dedication:

MIGHTY ARROW Pale Ale provides lots of pleasurable sniffs from Amarillo and Cascade hops with a fetching honey malt base. This is our brewed tribute to Arrow, Kim's Aussie/Border Collie mix who ran (literally) New Belgium for 12 years. When she wasn't patrolling the brewery grounds, she was famous for her office visits: She never met a tummy rub she didn't like. Atta girl Arrow.

[NightWoundsTime]

Xingu. Black beer made in Brazil. It was recommended to me as being better than Kostritzer in the schwarzbier style. I loves me some Kostritzer and it's one of my main cheapish beers.

So Xingu is decent for the style. Much sweeter than its' German cousin, so that takes some points down in ultimate drinkability but still not bad. Any schwarzbier or black beer just begs to be paired with a simple old PB&J (raspberry preserves for me), and this one works perfectly.

Route Des Epices from Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel. It's a rye beer brewed with peppercorns, and it's alright by me. The spice did build but never really overpowered a nicely balanced slightly thick beer. I chugged the last fifth or so and got a slight burn off it. This Canadian brewery is reliable for making strange beers that taste better than they sound. Their Ros

Edited April 14, 2009 by NightWoundsTime

[grawk]

I dunno matt, I think you're getting mishandled weyerbachers. They're pretty good. In my top 5 american breweries.

[NightWoundsTime]

Different strokes I guess. You've had the Merry Monks or Quad and enjoyed?

[grawk]

both, yup.

[catscratch]

weyerbacher makes some great beer, in my opinion. their raspberry imperial stout is just tremendous (or at least it was 5 years ago, the last time i had it).

Nice, I have nearly all of their beers at my local, I will check them out.

[NightWoundsTime]

Ft Collins Barrel Licked Bock. Go find it if you can. Had it on tap at Mellow Mushroom and ran straight to the store to pick up a few bombers. Excellent beyond description so get it if you can.

Fort Collins Barrel Licked Bock arrives April 1 | Beernews.org

[jimmyjames8]

Had no idea so many Mellow Mushroom franchises. Your post nudged me to google it. Good pizza and beer but here in Raleighwood they are not known for beer selection. Flying Saucer is the beer hall here. About 100 on tap. Lots of stouts and other darks out now for some reason. I would think it about time for summer wheat beers. Any reccos on a good Oatmeal Stout with southern distribution?

[grawk]

It's time to start brewing summer wheats, but any decent local brewery won't start selling them for a while yet, I'd think.

Loggerhead in greensboro used to make a good unfiltered oatmeal stout, but I'd be surprised if they still exist.

Sammy Smiths is the gold standard for oatmeals tho, and definitely is available in NC.

[manaox2]

Had no idea so many Mellow Mushroom franchises. Your post nudged me to google it. Good pizza and beer but here in Raleighwood they are not known for beer selection. Flying Saucer is the beer hall here. About 100 on tap. Lots of stouts and other darks out now for some reason. I would think it about time for summer wheat beers. Any reccos on a good Oatmeal Stout with southern distribution?

If your in Raleigh, you should consider trying Lonerider's Shotgun Betty Hefeweizen next time you go to the Saucer. It's light and made in Raleigh too. I enjoyed it recently at Porter's beer night and am looking forward to getting another chance at it.

[jimmyjames8]

If your in Raleigh, you should consider trying Lonerider's Shotgun Betty Hefeweizen next time you go to the Saucer. It's light and made in Raleigh too. I enjoyed it recently at Porter's beer night and am looking forward to getting another chance at it.

Had a Lonerider something or other at the Pit not too long ago and was very good. Had a Lone Wolf something or other down in Wilmington at Easter that was tasty. Just heard about a new brewery in Fuquay area, Aviator. He has a red out but have not tried it. Went to Boylan Bridge Brewery couple weeks ago and they had a stout and a scotch ale but didn't try them. Michael Deans has $2 pints on Wednesday nights of Fayetteville's Mash house brewery beers. 5 flavors always on tap. Their IPA is VERY GOOD.

[Dusty Chalk]

the new (or, at least new to me) Dogfish Head Aprihop is pretty tasty. if you like Magic Hat #9 (which i do) imagine that beer, but with less apricot, and just a whole lot more of, well, everything else. big beer, but smooth and refreshing and easily quaffed.

Stop it, you're making it sound real appealing. And I don't usually like fruit in beers.

[grawk]

yup, that's the first description that has me interested in trying it. Next time I'm in the office, I'll swing by the brewpub for one.

[Dusty Chalk]

I might have to go up there this weekend.

[NightWoundsTime]

Had no idea so many Mellow Mushroom franchises. Your post nudged me to google it. Good pizza and beer but here in Raleighwood they are not known for beer selection.

MM's a weird chain because the beer selection is entirely up to the owner/manager's preference. I was in Tallahassee a few weeks ago and after stopping into their Mushroom decided that their distributors must just have jack shit for beer up there. Later on I walked into two different bars with pretty awesome selection.

[jinp6301]

Magic Hat Circus Boy

A very sharp tasting hefeweizen. Theres a sharp bitterness at the beginning that levels off to a more normal hefeweizen taste. I'm not sure if I like it, but it was very different from most of the hefeweizens that I've tried so far

Edited April 26, 2009 by jinp6301

[NightWoundsTime]

Yeah the Circus Boy wasn't very good the one time I tried it. Haven't had any other Magic Hat beers since Bonnaroo in '06 but they were damned tasty. There was one limited release type thing that they had a keg of, called Chaotic Chemistry and I hit it at least 20 times over the weekend. I see that's a regular brew for them now, it was advertised as a one-off at the festival. I need to get my hands on some eventually but it's not distributed here yet.

[tyrion]

MM's a weird chain because the beer selection is entirely up to the owner/manager's preference. I was in Tallahassee a few weeks ago and after stopping into their Mushroom decided that their distributors must just have jack shit for beer up there. Later on I walked into two different bars with pretty awesome selection.

The Mellow Mushroom in Delray Beach has a great beer selection, at least by South Florida standards.