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: IPA (shaker, tulip), Rogue | Tags: amber, bitter, classic, clean, craft, crisp, deep, delicious, fresh, fun, golden, grapefruit, grassy, great, hazy, hoppy, hops, impressive, inventive, lasting, lingers, long lasting, Malty, mellow, nice, phenomenal, pine, resin, sour, special treat, strong, sweet, tingles, unique, well balanced, white head
Rogue Yellow Snow IPA 5L mini keg
Style and Glass: IPA; tulip
ABV, Volume & Calories: 6.2% in 5 liters estimated at 1,000,000 C
Purchased at: Bensalem Beer and Soda for $34.59
Aroma: mellow, sour, grassy. Hops come through nicely.
Visuals: The 5L can is impressive, unique, and a great way to draw beer. Fun, inventive packaging for craft brew. A bit hazy, golden to amber in color, with a long lasting white head that thins but does not disappear. Lace is phenomenal.
Taste: Very well balanced, with a malty, sweet start and a bitter hoppy finish. All the classic flavors you’d expect: pine, grapefruit, and resin. Dark malty finish is delicious. Flavor is deep, strong, and lasting.
Palate: Fresh, clean, and crisp, but lingers nicely on the front and back of the tongue. Tingles throughout the mouth.
Overall: A special treat from a great brewer. As close to the tap as I’ll have at home. I’d love to have it again, but I doubt I’ll ever see it again, after I slowly enjoy these 14 glasses. Delicious.
Filed under: Imperial/Double IPA (snifter, tulip), Southern Tier | Tags: aromatic, beautiful label, bitter hops, brilliant, citrus, clear, delicious, drying, fresh, golden, high quality, high texture, nice, persistent, pine, slowly dissipating lace, strong, strong finish, sweet malt, well balanced, well crafted, white head
ABV, Volume & Calories: 8% in 22 fl oz. estimated at 360 C
Purchased at: Circle Liquors, Pennington, NJ for $5.99
Aroma: fresh, nice, aromatic, pine, citrus. 10 out of 10.
Visuals: beautiful label, golden, brilliant, clear, persistent, white head, slowly dissipating lace. 5 out of 5.
Taste: well balanced, sweet malt, bitter hops, strong, well crafted. 10 out of 10.
Palate: high quality, high texture, strong finish, drying, delicious. 5 out of 5.
Overall: A beautifully executed imperial IPA. Everything it should be. I’ll have it again. It’s an exemplar. Of average value. Beautifully crafted, and I expected nothing less of Southern Tier. 20 out of 20
Filed under: Hacker-Pschorr, Oktoberfest [marzen] (lager glass) | Tags: badly crafted, brilliant, copper, dull, flowery, fully dissipates, low quality, no hops, quick finish, scratchy, thin light lace, weak, wheaty, white head
ABV, Volume & Calories: 5.8 % in 12 fl oz. estimated at 160 C
Purchased at:Canal’s Lawrenceville, NJ for $1.33 as part of an oktoberfest sampler pre fix six
Aroma: dull, flowery. 7 out of 10.
Visuals: copper, brilliant, white head, fully dissipates, thin light lace. 3 out of 5.
Taste: wheaty, no hops, weak, badly crafted. 4 out of 10.
Palate: low quality, scratchy, quick finish. 2 out of 5.
Overall: Not very good. I will not have it again. Shameful. 12 out of 20.
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: Abbey Tripel (trappist), Browerij Het Anker | Tags: banana, beautiful, biting, chemical, dark, drying, fruit, golden, hazy, inviting, long finish, nice lacing, sandy, some bitterness, sunrise, sweet, thin, white head, woody
ABV, Volume & Calories: 9% in 11.2 fl oz. estimated at 200 C
Purchased at: Canal’s Lawrenceville, NJ for $3.50 ($13.99 Belgian sampler)
Aroma: inviting, banana, fruit, sweet. 9 out of 10.
Visuals: gusher, hazy, golden, beautiful, sunrise, thin, white head, nice lacing. 5 out of 5.
Taste: banana, some bitterness, dark, chemical. 8 out of 10.
Palate: biting, drying, sandy, woody, long finish. 4 out of 5.
Overall: Unique. Seems commercial for a Belgian offering, but not bad. It’s good, but I wouldn’t travel for it. okay craft. 17 out of 20.
Filed under: Belgian Strong Ale (trappist, tulip, tumbler), Stone | Tags: brilliant, clear, fruity overtones, golden, inviting, medium bitter finish, medium craft, mostly hops, short lived, smooth, some fruit, some hops, sticky, very little lace, wet, white head
ABV, Volume & Calories: 8.6% in 16.9 fl oz. estimated at 372 C
Purchased at: Circle Liquors Super Saver, Pennington, NJ for $6.99
Aroma: inviting, fruity overtones, some hops. 8 out of 10.
Visuals: brilliant, clear, golden, white head, short lived, very little lace. 4 out of 5.
Taste: some fruit, mostly hops, smooth, medium craft. 8 out of 10.
Palate: wet, sticky, medium bitter finish. 4 out of 5.
Overall: Reminds me of a lighter version of Brooklyn’s Hopfen Weisse or Chouffe’s Belgian IPA mix. I’d have it again, but I wouldn’t wait until 2012 for it. A well crafted beer, but not a favorite. I like the style quite a bit. 17 out of 20.
Filed under: Great Divide, IPA (shaker, tulip) | Tags: balanced, bitter, bitterness, burning, classic IPA, clear, coating, copper, crisp, drying, enticing, flour, grapefruit, intricate lace, long finish, nice, nicely crafted, sandy, spicy, strong finish, very persistent, white head
ABV, Volume & Calories: 6.8% in 12 fl oz. estimated at 170C
Purchased at: OakTree Buy Rite, South Plainsfield, NJ for $2.49
Aroma: nice, enticing, spicy, grapefruit, burning. 8 out of 10.
Visuals: clear, copper, white head, very persistent, intricate lace. 5 out of 5.
Taste: flour, grapefruit, classic IPA, balanced, bitterness, nicely crafted. 9 out of 10.
Palate: drying, bitter, crisp, coating, long finish, strong finish, sandy. 4 out of 5.
Overall: Reminds me of many other IPAs, but a high quality example with an exemplar in the visual area. I’d have it again in a minute. It seems like a regular go-to pick. Very well crafted. 18 out of 20.
