Filed under: Barleywine Style Ale (snifter), Dominion | Tags: alcohol, bitter, brilliant, caramel, citrus, crisp, dry, fruit, grapefruit, orange, red, resin, ruby
Dominion Millennium BWSA
Style; glass: BWSA; snifter
12 fl oz x 10.5% ABV = 126 / 60 = 2.1 beers * 150 C = 315 calories (est.)
Purchased at: The Beer Outlet for $1.25
Filed under: Imperial Stout (snifter), Moylan's | Tags: alcohol, beautiful, bitter, black, chocolate, coffee, crisp, dark, delicious, hops, long finish, opaque, resin, roasted, strong, well balanced
Moylan's Ryan Sullivan's Imperial Stout
Style; glass: Imperial stout; snifter
22 fl oz x 10% ABV = 220 / 60 = 3.66 beers * 150 C = 549 calories (est.)
Purchased at: Canal’s Burlington, NJ for $6.99
A roasted malt taste explosion, supported with coffee, chocolate, grapes, sourness and a heap of bitterness. Delicious, with a beautiful opaque body and thick, long lasting tan head. Really great, as usual, from Moylan.
http://www.moylans.com/site/pages/brewery/beer.php
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Filed under: Avery, Belgian Strong Ale (trappist, tulip, tumbler), Russian River | Tags: alcohol, Alcohol by volume, banana, beautiful, Belgium, brilliant, cherry, citrus, crisp, delicious, fruit, grapefruit, resin, ruby, strong, well balanced
Troeg's Collaboration not Litigation Strong Belgian Ale
Style; glass: Belgian Strong, Trappist, Snifter
22 fl oz x 8.72% ABV = 191.84 / 60 = 3.19 beers * 150 C = 478.5 calories (est.)
Purchased at: Canal’s Lawrenceville, NJ for $8.99
Avery’s LNC is a Belgian IPA moshpit of flavors, with banana, peach, cloves, and hops all battling, and I’m the winner. It’s a beautiful mixture of flavors, an enjoyable layered voyage.
Update: The two brews were Avery’s Salvation and Russian River’s Salvation. I’ve had the RR, and it’s amazing, as this was. A great brew, a great opportunity for collaboration, and a great example of how mediation can transform potential conflict into real opportunity and creative achievement. Cheers.
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Filed under: Imperial Stout (snifter), Mikkeller | Tags: a new level of strength, alcohol, amazing, barnyard, blackness, cocoa, coffee, deep woods, ether, hay, highest quality, intricate lace, long dark finish, midnight, nicely balanced, oak, off the charts in malt and hops, solid, staying tan head, Superb, syrupy texture, thick, viscous, world class packaging
Mikkeller Black Stout
Style and Glass: Imperial Stout; Snifter
12.7 fl oz * 17.5% = 222.5 / 60 = 3.7 beers * 150 = 555 C est.
Purchased at: Canal’s Lawrenceville, NJ for $18.99
Neither of those (17.5 or 18.99 or 12.7 fl. oz. ) are typos.
Aroma: amazing, coffee, cocoa, hay, barnyard, oak, alcohol, ether.
Visuals: world class packaging, blackness, midnight, deep woods, solid, thick, viscous, staying tan head, intricate lace.
Taste: nicely balanced, off the charts in malt and hops, a new level of strength. Superb.
Palate: highest quality, syrupy texture, long dark finish.
Overall: The DFH 120 minute IPA of the world of imperial stouts. All others pale. It is without a doubt the best beer I have ever tasted in my life. I will go and clear the shelves of it, whatever the cost. It’s not only a favorite, it is my new superlative standard. Highest value for the highest craft. Mikkeller is only posing as a human.
A second tasting: I often say that this beer or that beer is ‘one of my favorites’ but this beer is, by far, my favorite brew. I forst had this in November of 2008, and wondered when I declared that it was my favorite how long it would hold the title. Many beers since have been very good, very complex, flavorful, and rewarding, but this one has all of that, plus personality, style, and an aroma, that is at once chocolatey, peppery, and full of booziness. The complex mixture in the flavor and texture includes maple syrup, alcohol, vodka, coffee, licorice, candy, dust, and chalk. The heft is intimidating, and the alcohol effects about halfway through makes you respect and quietly sip and contemplate it. This is an amazing brew, and would pair well with the most powerfully spicy or sweet dishes. It would overpower almost anything else, and for me, that’s right on. Play on, Mikkeller, you rock it hard.
Filed under: Abbey Tripel (trappist), Chouffe | Tags: alcohol, banana, beautiful, bitter, citrus, cloudy, delicious, fruit, golden, grapefruit, hazy, hoppy, layered, long finish, nicely balanced, resin, rich, well balanced, wheat
Pourn: Chouffe Houblon Dobbelen IPA Tripel
Volume: 25.4 fl oz * ABV: 9% = 220.5 / 60 = 3.67 beers * 150C = 550.5 C est.
RateBeer rating: 98
Style; Glass: Abbey Tripel; Trappist
Purchased at: Canal’s Lawrenceville, NJ
Price: $8.99
Aroma: fruity, musky, humid, wet. Nice mix. Faint aroma, but delicious.
Visuals: pale golden hazy, immense white long lasting head. Carbonation is a bit overactive, but calms down after some time.
Taste: delicious, rich, hoppy, layered, nicely balanced, slight burn of alcohol. Banana, cloves, pineapple, very hoppy.
Palate: back of tongue, top back, roof. finish is long, dark, deep, and fruity. This marriage of california style hops and Belgian style fruit is an instant classic for me.
Overall Impressions: Banana, cherry, lemon, orange, hops, bitterness. One of my all time favorites.
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Filed under: Imperial Stout (snifter), North Coast | Tags: alcohol, beautiful, black, caramel, chocolate, dark, hoppy, nice, roasted, stout, strong, thick
ABV: 9%
Calories: estimated at 200 C
Volume: 12 fl oz
Glass: 4 oz stem goblet
Purchased at: circle liquors, pennington
Price per fl oz: $3 / 12 fl oz = $0.25 per fl oz
Consumed at: Home
sensory first impression: Rich, deep, chocolaty, and nutty. Alcohol comes through, but still drinkable. Impressive darkness, tan head, and aroma. Hoppy finish and malty front end are wonderfully balanced. A great example of the style.
Aroma/Olfactory: 10 out of 10
Malt flavor is: dark caramel, maple syrupy, dark chocolate, bold coffee, almonds, cashews, almost burnt
Hop flavor is: resinous, florid, oregano
Yeast flavor is: rye, floury, feta cheese, dirt, dry
Other flavors include: alcohol, ginger, garlic, licorice, raisin, oak
Visuals/Appearance: 5 out of 5
Color is: black, without highlights except for a light blue tinge
Liquid is: absolutely dark
Head and lace are: nice, brown with sticky lacing
Taste/Flavor: 10 out of 10
Maltiness or Sweetness level is: medium
Hoppiness or Bitterness level is: medium to heavy
Sour level is: light
Palate/Tactile: 5 out of 5
Body or Mouthfeel is: full
Texture is: oily, creamy, sticky, papery
Carbonation is: soft, flat
Finish is: astringent, bitter, long
Overall experience: A great taste and visual experience. Murky and mysterious, but tastes deep and wonderful. 18 out of 20. I liked the flavor, color, and aroma. I did not like the high price, but I can’t say it wasn’t worth it.
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Filed under: Barleywine Style Ale (snifter), Sierra Nevada | Tags: alcohol, beautiful, bitter, brilliant, caramel, cherry, citrus, crisp, delicious, dry, grapefruit, hoppy, long finish, nice, orange, pine, resin, strong, sweet
Sierra Nevada Bigfoot BWSA 2009
Style; glass: BWSA; snifter
12 fl oz x 9.6% ABV = 115.2 / 60 = 1.92 beers * 150 C = 288 calories (est.)
Purchased at: Super Saver Pennington, NJ for $1.99
Aroma: Tea, cherries, alcohol, oak, hay, smoke, agitation brings out the hops
Visuals: well designed packaging, inviting, funny, and brand-strong, A deep pool of tea, orange to red, brilliant and clear, thin gray head, very nice lacing.
Taste: Overtly sweet and malty, some roasty flavors, high gravity, caramel, sharp crisp hoppy bitterness.
Palate: Starts heavy with sweetness, syrupy, quickly moves to tea and caramel, followed by slow descent to bitterness and hoppy overload.
Overall: Delicious and amazing. I have to grab it when I first see it each season. Great stuff. An absolute go-to fave. Value is amazing for the craft involved. Despite the macro overtones of what Sierra Nevada is doing, on their scale, you have to give them credit for delivering on flavor and quality on their brews — they do macro right.
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Filed under: Imperial Stout (snifter), Oskar Blues | Tags: alcohol, beautiful, bitter, black, caramel, chocolate, coffee, dark, deep, delicious, high quality, hoppy, long finish, mold, opaque, resin, rich, roasted, strong, sweet, thick
Oskar Blues Ten Fidy
Style; glass: Imperial Stout; snifter
12 fl oz x 9.6% ABV = 115.2 / 60 = 1.92 beers * 150 C = 288 calories (est.)
Purchased at: Super Saver Pennington, NJ for $2.99
Aroma: An amazing aroma of cocoa, sugar, chocolate, syrup, coffee, mold, and dust.
Visuals: Cans are beautful, rather unique for craft brew, and very welcome. It is darkness in a glass. It’s midnight. It eats light. It is black and fully opaque. The beautiful brown tan head is fluffy and lasting, and the lace struggles against the ABV, but is beautiful.
Taste: Like chocolate syrup, so very delicious. A chocolate milkshake. Over the top roasted malts and a bitter rich finish that is very much like espresso. Absolutely delicious.
Palate: Starts sweet and with a heavy gravity, middle is dark and roasted with a satisfying bitter finish. Great for a hop head like me, but soothes my imperial cravings as well.
Overall: An amazing, if expensive, brew. Worth every penny. Dark chocolate, espresso, and syrup, you just can’t beat it.
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Filed under: Imperial Stout (snifter), Schlafly | Tags: alcohol, bitter, black, caramel, cherry, chocolate, coffee, dark, delicious, dry, hoppy, resin, roasted, strong, sweet
Schlafly Oak Aged Imperial Stout 2007
Style and Glass: Imperial Stout; snifter
ABV, Volume & Calories: 10.5% in 25.4 fl oz. estimated at 400 C
Purchased at: Canal’s Hamilton, NJ for $11.99
Aroma: Mostly cocoa, fainter, but delicious. Attractive.
Visuals: Packaging is exquisite, royal. You should expect something very special, and if the BWSA from Schlafly is any indicator, I do. A black tar pit of a brew. Fully opaque, though the pour seemed thinner than this body proves. Thin tan head, almost fully dissipating, with some lace remaining.
Taste: Surprisingly light at first, but a quick flavor of oak, cherries, raisin, and alcohol hit after a second, followed by a longer hoppy burn. Very nice. Caramel, chocolate, and coffee show through. Licorice, taffy. A sweet treat. Needs some dark chocolate and pretzels to set it off.
Palate: Crisp, terricloth, and biting in the end. Hoppy dark finish. Oak is quiet on this comparative to the BWSA, but I don’t miss it. I only enjoy smokiness to a certain point, though there is some here, it is not overwhelming.
Overall: I liked it a lot. There are other less expensive, equally enjoyable imperial stouts, such as Oak Aged Yeti, or even just Yeti, but this was a very nice treat. Thanks, Schlafly.
