Filed under: Belgian Strong Ale (trappist, tulip, tumbler), Brooklyn | Tags: sweet, deep, delicious, ruby, citrus, banana, fruit, amazing, sour, long finish, dry, hazy, beautiful, nice, well balanced
brooklyn local 2 belgian strong ale
Style; glass:Belgian Strong; trappist
25.4 fl oz x 9% ABV = 228.6 / 60 = 3.81 beers * 150 C = 571.5 calories (est.)
Purchased at: Canal’s Lawrenceville, NJ for $ (have to check)
Aroma: cloves, banana, peach, fruit. A wonderful version of the style, aroma fills the room.
Visuals: Meticulous packaging, beautiful and royal, thinner translucent head, hazy ruby body, gossamer lacing.
Taste: Begins bubbly, sweet, and washy, middles to a fruity candy, finishes dark with some bitterness. Delicious.
Palate: Heavily carbonated, very fresh, middle dulls and flavors emerge, finish is long lasting, sweetness, roastiness converging.
Overall: As most of my purchases from Garrett O., this is a quality brew, worth the price, with exquisite care, packaging, and attention to detail. Superb.
Filed under: Imperial Stout (snifter), Brooklyn | Tags: hoppy, sweet, deep, dark, delicious, rich, alcohol, chocolate, coffee, bitter, caramel, strong, long finish, dry, roasted, beautiful, nice, black, well balanced
Brooklyn Black Ops Oak Aged Imperial Stout
Style and Glass: Imperial Stout; Snifter
ABV, Volume & Calories: 10.7% in 25.4 fl oz. estimated at 400C
Purchased at: Canal’s Lawrenceville, NJ for $23.00
Aroma: intense coffee and licorice aromas, alcohol is very present, inviting, enticing. Berries, grass, and wood. Oaking is evident. Roasted, burnt scents throughout. A bit acrid, and enjoyably so.
Visuals: Packaging is engaging, classic, and perfectly done. The body is absolute pitch in color, viscosity, and heft. As deep black and opaque as anything I’ve ever seen. Head is tan, starting thick and fluffy, then dissipating, but not fully. A thin head remains. Lacing is exquisite.
Taste: Crisp body gives way to sultry chocolates, coffee, and caramel. Luxurious. Surprisingly balanced for the style and treatment. I expected to be bowled over, but instead, I’m treated to a very drinkable (dangerously so) beer.
Palate: Perhaps the best part of this beer is the set of sensations in the mouth and throat. Starts with a bubbly crisp effervescence, followed by a mild transfer to smoothness that carries those roasted flavors, then a sweet cream milkiness, then a bit of chalk, followed by a three part finish consisting of sweetness, roastiness, and hoppy bitter burn.
Overall: This is a once in a lifetime beer, very well done, and I’m thrilled to have enjoyed it. I only wish I was celebrating something besides Saturday night, as this beer deserves a celebration.
Filed under: Anheuser Busch, Bells, Brooklyn, Current selections, Dogfish Head, Flying Dog, InBev, Sierra Nevada, Uinta, Victory, Weyerbacher | Tags: sixpacks
Before I clean out my collection of six pack carriers, I decided to take a few shots for those of you who might be keeping track. Enjoy!
Filed under: Brooklyn, Oktoberfest [marzen] (lager glass) | Tags: brilliant, copper color, deep, long lacing, mostly malt, not impressive, not watery, okay finish, rocky, slick, smooth, staying, weaker, well done, white head
ABV, Volume & Calories: 5.5 % in 12 fl oz. estimated at 150 C
Purchased at: Canal’s Lawrenceville, NJ for $1.33 as part of a pre-six-mix
Aroma: average – smells like your basic lager. 7 out of 10.
Visuals: deep, brilliant, copper color, white head, rocky, staying, long lacing. 5 out of 5.
Taste: not watery, but mostly malt, and smooth, well done, not impressive. 5 out of 10.
Palate: weaker, slick, okay finish. 3 out of 5.
Overall: Better than bud, but not great. I’d not go out of my way for it again. 15 out of 20.
Filed under: Brooklyn, Schneider & Sohn, Weizen Bock (mug, stein, weizen) | Tags: alcohol, apple, banana, bitter, crisp, delicious, dry, expensive, fruit, grapefruit, great finish, gusher, hops, peach, wheaty
RateBeer rating: 97
Calories: estimated at 400 C
Volume: 25.4 fl oz.
Glass: weizen
Purchased at: Oak Tree Buy Rite, South Plainfield, NJ (Thanks, Jay)
Price: $11.99
Consumed at: home
First Impression: The !@#$%^ thing is a gusher. Let me think about how much this cost as I clean it up off my keyboard. Aroma is almost purely hops and alcohol, with a fruit undertone. Visuals are a thick wheaty cloud with little to no head. Taste is absolutely delicious – hoppy, banana, apple, peach, and a great deep finish. Palate is a long bitter finish and a crisp, dry palate. Second Impression – I just wish the damn thing didn’t spray all over. I can’t stand gushers, especially when they are expensive, and it seems like they are always expensive.
Aroma: 9 out of 10
Visuals: 4 out of 5
Taste: 10 out of 10
Palate: 5 out of 5
Overall: 18 out of 20
Filed under: Brooklyn, brown ale [bruin] (mug) | Tags: alcohol, beautiful, brilliant, caramel, chocolate, crisp, deep, hoppy, nuts, red, resin, ruby
ABV: 5.4%
Calories: 150
Volume: 12 fl oz
Glass: tulip
Purchased at: Hopewell Valley Wines
Price per fl oz: $7.99 / 72 fl oz = $.11 per fl oz
Consumed at: home.
sensory first impression: A beautiful, carbonated, deep red ale, with a chocolate nutty aroma, thin tannish head, and dark red and orange highlights. What a beautiful beer. Nice hoppy bite and a malty backbone. Not as heavy as you expect, but not disappointing at all. Lace hangs nicely. A bit thin in weight, but texture and flavor are spot on.
Aroma/Olfactory:
Malt flavor is: caramel, chocolate, nuts, sawdust
Hop flavor is: resinous, floral, muddy.
Yeast flavor is: dusty, sharp cheese, crispy, dry.
Other flavors include: alcohol, garlic, ginger, raisin, sulfur, smoke, cherries
Visuals/Appearance:
Color is: deep red, brown, burnt brick, fiery, Darth Maul.
Liquid is: clear, sparkling, attractive.
Head and lace are: frothy, tan, lace hangs on and on.
Taste/Flavor:
Maltiness or Sweetness level is: medium
Hoppiness or Bitterness level is: medium
Sour level is: heavy
Palate/Tactile:
Body or Mouthfeel is: medium to full
Texture is: sticky, salty, sour
Carbonation is: lively
Finish is: medium astringent, middling
Overall experience: A very nice change of pace – I’d have this again, though it is not at the level of a fruity hefeweizen or a chocolate stout, it is a delicious and flavor driven ale.
Filed under: Brooklyn, Stout (English pint), Uncategorized | Tags: beautiful, brown, caramel, chocolate, cream, dark, deep, favorite, grassy, great finish, licorice, lovely, pine, rich, sandy, wet, wow
ABV: 10.6%
IBU:
Volume: 12 fl oz
Glass: tulip
Purchased at: Princeton Community Liquor
Consumed on: Wednesday, March 5th, 2008
sensory first impression: Beautiful to behold – rich deep wet sandy head. Head thins out quickly, but aroma is overwhelming. Utterly black – light does not penetrate. First taste is almost syrupy, but also rich in dark roasted malt flavor. You must sip this. Attention is on the back upper roof of the mouth. Back of the tongue. Very bitter and nicely so. Sweetness balances after a moment. A very tasty ride.
Aroma/Olfactory:
Malt is roasted, chocolate, cream and caramel. It reminds me of a chocolate lava cake with rich chocolate truffles. It’s wonderful.
Hops are slightly grassy, and very present – they fight for attention through the chocolate, syrup, and sweetness.
Yeast/Bacteria hints of pillows, pine, plastic, and sweaters. All clean.
Alcohol, wood, licorice, and butterscotch come and go. The alcohol is primary and sweeping in the flavor.
Visuals/Appearance:
black and vibrating. Scary.
Liquid is active and bubbly, especially for a stout.
Head/Lace is minimal, and a beautiful wet sandy brown.
Taste/Flavor:
Maltiness/Sweetness is rather heavy, but welcome.
Hoppiness/Bitterness is medium to heavy. Very nice.
Sour not at all.
Chocolate and hops. Lovely.
Palate/Tactile:
Body/Mouthfeel is full and heavy.
Texture is not thin, which would be a detractor for me, and is what I expect of stouts in general. Surprisingly creamy, and thick.
Carbonation is above average for a stout.
Finish is long and luxurious.
Overall second impression: Wow – I love this brewery. Brooklyn is so very available, and yet so affordable and special. This stout is another of my favorites, without the presumptuousness of Rogue. Though, I absolutely love Rogue.
Filed under: Barleywine Style Ale (snifter), Brooklyn | Tags: alcoholic, angry, burning, cherries, chocolate, dense, full, heavy, Malty, oily, powerful, raspberry, rich, ruby, Syrupy, thick, velvety, wine
Calories: estimated at 200 C
Volume: 12 fl oz
Glass: Snifter
Purchased at: Circle Liquors Super Saver, Pennington
Price per fl oz: $3 / 12 fl oz = $0.25 per fl oz
Consumed at: home
sensory first impression: Aroma is dense – a bit chocolatey, very malty. I’m swooning. An amber pour to a ruby red body with a tan off white head. Aroma of sweet wine is very nice. Wow – knocks you over the head with alcohol. Velvety and rich. A little too rich for me I think, but it’s a wonderfully full experience. Angry red color is foretelling.
Aroma/Olfactory: 8 out of 10
Malt flavor is: syrupy, cloying sweet, and burning. chocolate in aroma.
Hop flavor is: citrus, raspberry.
Yeast flavor is: metallic, dirt, sandy, dry
Other flavors include: cherries, alcohol, raspberry, medicine, raisin, sulfur, oak, barley
Visuals/Appearance: 4 out of 5
Color is: pale, amber, orange, red, fiery, ruby
Liquid is: slightly hazy, actively carbonated
Head and lace are: initial off white, tan goes to wispy nothingness.
Taste/Flavor: 10 out of 10
Maltiness or Sweetness level is: heavy, stretched.
Hoppiness or Bitterness level is: medium
Sour level is: heavy
Palate/Tactile: 5 out of 5
Body or Mouthfeel is: full!
Texture is: oily, thick, gravitas
Carbonation is: lively
Finish is: astringent, bitter, very long
Overall experience: 16 out of 20. I liked the utter power of it, the color, and the aroma. It was overwhelmingly sweet and alcoholic. It’s not for everyday, but it’s something very special. I’ll have it again when I’m eating something I need to balance the flavor of, like scotch bonnet peppers.
Filed under: Belgian Strong Ale (trappist, tulip, tumbler), Brooklyn | Tags: alcohol, apple, belgian, bottle conditioned, dry, foamy, hazy, hoppy, orange, pine, sour, spicy
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Calories: estimated at 400 C
Volume: 25.4 fl oz
Glass: Tulip
Purchased at: Glendale Liquors, Hamilton
Price: 7.99
Consumed at: Home
sensory first impression: Belgian overtones, with lager aromas. Head is nice, thick, but dissipates quickly. Head and lacing look enhanced – foamy, bright white. Body is deep amber with orange highlights. Nice immediate flavor. Orange, piney, with a spicy bite. Slightly hazy with an alcohol burn, but to be expected at 9%.
Aroma: 9 out of 10
banana, apple, kiwi, piney, long full mouth effects. sandy, crisp and dry. Could easily be mistaken for a deep champagne.
Visuals: 4 out of 5
Color is amber, and bright. Liquid is slightly hazy, but bottle conditioning is quite evident. Head and lace are white, thin, and disappointing.
Taste: 9 out of 10
fruity, dark, hoppy, and hot. Bitter with Sour overtones.
Palate: 5 out of 5
Body is very full, Mouthfeel is heavy and well rounded. Active everywhere on the palate – one of the most impressive beers I’ve had in this regard. Texture is sharp, dry and crisp. Carbonation is heavy. Finish is long, malty, dark, roasted, and deep.
Overall experience: 18 out of 20. I liked the flavor, darkness, roasted notes, celebratory style. A fantastic housewarming gift.
Filed under: Brooklyn, IPA (shaker, tulip) | Tags: autumn, exquisite, golden, hoppy, rain, rich, smoke, soy, varied
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IBU:
Volume: 12 fl oz
Glass: Tapered 16oz
Purchased at: Sherwood Liquors
Consumed on: Wednesday, February 27th, 2008
first impression: Thick head calms down quickly to a thin foamy cover. The color is rich and varied and has subtle golden variations within a deep red hue. The hops are very present, and the carbonation is very active. Lace hangs nicely to the glass. The color is very nice. Aroma is mindful of a clean, wet brick walk. Lingering attention is in the upper back roof of the mouth.
Aroma/Olfactory:
Malt is creamy, flexible, and exquisite. Just a hint of nuttiness.
Hops are grassy, citrusy, and very nice.
Yeast/Bacteria is of a brick or basement aroma, but not bad at all. Reminds one of autumn.
Raisins, soy and smoke, with impressions of a field after the rain.
Visuals/Appearance:
Color one of the most beautiful beers I know of despite a rather lame head.
Liquid is quite clear, and actively carbonated
Head is minimal but lace hangs if thinly for the duration, just slightly off white. The head is a downer, but minimal points off.
Taste/Flavor:
Lightly sweet, and ends with a rich, thorough bite.
Slightly sour by design, and bitter is its most welcome aspect.
Palate/Tactile:
Body/Mouthfeel is full and luxurious – like a real hot chocolate in texture, but not in flavor at all.
Texture is creamy with a finishing bite.
Carbonation is lively and plays off the color nicely.
Finish is thankfully long and bitter.
Overall, a very nice exemplar of an IPA – slightly sour, very bitter, biting, beautiful. Stands up to spicy foods, delicious on its own. Easily available, affordable and one of my favorite beers to enjoy.
