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: 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: 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: American Strong Ale (trappist), Captain Lawrence | Tags: alcohol, caramel, dark, deep, delicious, long finish, resin, roasted, smoke, spicy, strong, thick, white head
Captain Lawrence Nor'Easter Winter Warmer
Style and Glass: American Strong; Trappist, Snifter
ABV, Volume & Calories: 12 % in 25.4 fl oz. estimated at 400 C
Purchased at: Joe Canal’s Lawrenceville, NJ for $14.49
Aroma: Very much the impression of bourbon or whiskey. Alcohol, smoke, and fire await. Like a fireplace going in the neighborhood on a cold winter night.
Visuals: Very nice packaging, tasteful, inviting. Thin white head hangs on indefinitely, over a dark black oily body. Lacing is intricate and sticky.
Taste: Like cough syrup — it’ll cure what ails you. Thick, sugary, with a surprising control of the 12% ABV. Warms immediately. Woody, oaky, and smoky. More of a smoked german sausage than italian or polish spicyness. Like biting into a cupcake — very thick. Tasty! Cherry, chocolate, and caramel.
Palate: Warming throughout. Starts thick and dull, no crispness throughout, and not really looking for it. Middle is spongy and drying, and finishes long, smoky, and a little spicy.
Overall: Like other CL’s I’ve tried, this is very much about the smoke, and like others I’ve tried, CL seems to do it right — not like eating a sausage, but it would compliment it very well. Delicious, expertly balanced, and neither cloying nor overpowering, which is astounding considering the ABV.
Filed under: Allagash, Belgian White Ale [witbier] (tumbler, weizen), Current selections | Tags: banana, cloves, cool, deep, golden, grass, hay, hazy, peach, soft, thick, wheat
On tap at Hulmeville Inn, Hulmeville, PA, for $1.25 as part of a sampler flight. Deep, hazy gold, thick, white foamy head. Aroma is wheat, hay, grass, washy. Some banana, peach, and cloves. In the background. Softer, less warm than most Belgian styles. Lacing and legs are intense and sticky.
Filed under: Current selections | Tags: caramel, coffee, opaque, porter, roasted malt, tan head, thick
On tap at the Hulmeville Inn as part of a sampler flight for $1.25. 5% ABV. Opaque brown with a thick tan head. Coffee aroma is light but very present in the taste. Roasted malt wins out. Caramel middle and dark crisp finish. Short lived, crisp finish.
Filed under: Pilsener (flute or footed pilsener), Victory | Tags: beautiful, bologna, Bread, bubblegum, cabbage, cereal, cherry, deep, doughy, floral, ginger, golden, great, leathery, moldy, nice lacing, no head, nuts, oats, pilsner, pork, raisin, resinous, rich, simple, smoke, smoky, thick, Toast, very herbaceous, yellow
Victory Prima Pils
ABV: 5%
IBU: ?
Calories: 150
Volume: 12 fl oz
Glass: Tulip
Purchased at: Joe Canal’s
Price per fl oz: $8 / 72 fl oz = $0.11 per fl oz
Consumed on/at: home on March 18th, 2008
sensory first impression: No head but a beautiful yellow golden beer. A pilsner, to be sure – pale, clear, and plain, visually. Aroma is smoky. Aroma is deep and rich. Aroma is hints of pork and cabbage. Taste is delicious, rich and hinting of other flavors. I taste bologna. I taste bread. I taste lettuce. I taste toast. It’s wonderfully balanced, a superlative taste but so very simple and unidimensional. Lacing is nice, but head is minimal. Warm with light alcohol. A great simple beer.
Aroma/Olfactory:
Malt flavor is: bread, cereal, nuts, toast, oats.
Hop flavor is: resinous, floral, very herbaceous
Yeast flavor is: doughy, thick, moldy, leathery, deep.
Other flavors include: bubblegum, lightly cherry, ginger, raisin, smoke
Visuals/Appearance:
Color is: pale, golden, amber, light, thin, white.
Liquid is: clear, immaculate
Head and lace are: minimal, white
Taste/Flavor:
Maltiness or Sweetness level is: medium to heavy
Hoppiness or Bitterness level is: light to medium
Sour level is: none
Palate/Tactile:
Body or Mouthfeel is: medium
Texture is: creamy, thick, silky
Carbonation is: lively
Finish is: long and wonderfully balanced.
Overall experience: Visually this is not a stimulating beer, but so rewarding in other ways. It’s delicious in terms of taste, though not overwhelming in any way. It’s feel is enveloping, smooth, and mellow. Its aroma is enticing, but not overwhelming. It’s a wonderful beer, and easily my favorite pilsner.
Filed under: Barleywine Style Ale (snifter), Dogfish Head | Tags: autumn, average label, beautiful, bitter ending, delicious, feeling of high quality, good hoppy finish, good strength, intoxicating, leaves, like turkey gravy, long bitter finish, mississippi, mold, mostly malt up front, muddy, nice 4 pack, peach, raisins, rich, rose, sticky, sticky lace, sugary, Syrupy, thick, thin white head, unbalanced in both directions, woody, wow
Style and Glass: BWSA, Snifter
ABV, Volume & Calories: 15% in 12 fl oz. estimated at 300C
Purchased at: Trenton Road Take Out, Fairless Hills, PA for $3.73
Aroma: wow, rich, raisins, peach, rose, autumn, leaves, mold, intoxicating.
Visuals: average label, nice 4 pack, like turkey gravy , muddy, mississippi, thick, thin white head, beautiful, sticky lace.
Taste: mostly malt up front, good hoppy finish, unbalanced in both directions, delicious, sugary, syrupy, bitter ending, good strength.
Palate: feeling of high quality, sticky, woody, long bitter finish.
Overall: Exactly what I paid for — not exactly a 120 minute IPA, but more of a mix between the 120 Minute and a Raison d’ extra. I’d have it again, for sure. very nice, but not one of my favorites. Medium value for high craft.
Filed under: Belgian Ale (trappist, tulip, tumbler), Orval | Tags: bad craft., banana, disappointment, floral, hazy, hops, little lace, little malt, low quality, metallic, minimal design, no head, no hops, orange, smooth texture, thick, unbalanced, watery finish, weak strength
ABV, Volume & Calories:6.2 % in 11.2 fl oz. estimated at 160 C
Purchased at: Super Saver, Pennington, NJ
Aroma: floral, metallic, banana, hops. 8 out of 10.
Visuals: minimal design, orange, thick, hazy, no head, little lace. 4 out of 5.
Taste: unbalanced, metallic, little malt, no hops, weak strength, bad craft. 6 out of 10.
Palate: low quality, smooth texture, watery finish. 2 out of 5.
Overall: I’m very disappointed. Something’s wrong here — what am I missing about why everyone loves this? Not a repeat, not nearly a favorite, little value, low craft. 12 out of 20.
Filed under: Barleywine Style Ale (snifter), Rogue | Tags: alcohol, amazing, black, cherries, grapes, hefty malt, high quality, layered, long lasting off white head, medium craft, oak, opaque, persistent lace, rough finish, smoother texture, some hops, sourness, tannins, thick, very strong, way off balance, well designed, wine
ABV, Volume & Calories: 11.5% in 12 fl oz. estimated at 200C
Purchased at: Circle Liquors Super Saver, Pennington, NJ for $4.49
Aroma: amazing, tannins, oak, grapes, wine, alcohol, cherries, sourness. 10 out of 10.
Visuals: well designed, black, thick, opaque, long lasting off white head, persistent lace. 5 out of 5.
Taste: way off balance, hefty malt, some hops, layered, very strong, medium craft. 8 out of 10.
Palate: high quality, smoother texture, rough finish. 4 out of 5.
Overall: A mixed bag. Interesting, but very chemical, and lots of unmasked alcohol. Seems fruity, but also off. Nice to try, but not a repeat, not nearly a favorite, medium value, medium craft. 16 out of 20.
