Dogfish Head Burton Baton

GRADE: A

What can you say about Dogfish Head Brewery?  This legendary craft brewery has been around since 1995 producing genre-breaking, quality beer that has received critical acclaim across the country.  Led by the charismatic Sam Calagione, Dogfish Head, in my opinion, is the poster child of the craft beer movement.  Humble beginnings to craft beer rock stars, doing their way every step of the way.

As I was perusing my local beer shop a few weeks ago, I noticed a few 4-pack of this beer, Burton Baton.  According to the label, the beer is a blend of two "threads": an English-style old ale and an imperial IPA.  That blend is then placed in a large oak tank and sits for about a month.  Very intriguing!  And to add to that, the label boasts that it "ages with the best of them"!  I'm in!  I bought two 4-packs to see if was worthy of the hype.

Appearance: A hazy, amber/copper color with a lofty 2-3 finger head.  As you can see from the picture above, it looks pretty darn SEXY in that tulip! 

Smell: VERY hoppy, citrus notes.  Some sweetness (caramel? malt?) and a touch of oak.  I can definitely smell the alcohol as well (10% ABV) but it is not overwhelming.

Taste: The first thing I taste are the hops.  That classic IPA hop-forward flavor, piney and citrusy.  As is goes down, I catch some malty oaks flavors with a pleasantly bitter aftertaste that cuts the sweetness nicely.  As it warms, I get more oak and malt.  The flavors transition VERY nicely and no one flavor dominates the other.  Perhaps it's the blend of the two "threads" of beer?

Mouthfeel: The carbonation is perfect as most IPAs need a bit to give it some life.  It is also very creamy, perhaps as a result of the malt and oak.  As it warms and the carbonation dissipates a bit, it takes on more of a barleywine feel in that it makes you want to sip it more.  I found myself swishing it around my mouth more and more towards the end of my glass.

Overall: Great news!  Dogfish will now release this beer YEAR ROUND!!  If you find some, buy it IMMEDIATELY.  If you have room to store, cellar a 4-pack for next year.  This beer makes my wait for their Squall IPA more bearable.  A fantastic beer that I will be enjoying many times over the course of the next year. 

Uinta Dubhe Imperial Black IPA

GRADE: B

Another "beer of the month" selection from Amanti Vino that looked intriguing from the start.  Why?  I see "brewed with hemp seed" on the label!  I'm not one for gimmicks but even the most casual beer enthusiast would be curious to taste.  And what about the after effects?  Will they be "uplifting"?  Let's see...

According to Uinta, it's named after Utah's Centennial star that illuminates the front of the Big Dipper.  I think it's more subversive than that since Dubhe (pronounced "doobie") can hint at its hemp seed additive (for those who still don't get it, "doobie" is slang for a marijuana cigarette).  Anyway, Uinta puts out solid brews (I'm a huge fan of both their barleywines Cockeyed Cooper and Anniversary Barley Wine) and would be surprised is this was not decent.

Appearance: Even held to the brightest light, it's pitch black with a fluffy, tan 3 finger head. 

Smell: Piney hops with a faint malt aroma.  With warming, I pick up a bit of molasses.

Taste: Very malty with a dry hop finish.  A bitter hop after taste that is just right.  The label touts "toasted, chocolaty dark malts" but I'm not getting much chocolate.  If anything, I'm getting licorice.  Not bad, mind you, but a little misleading.

Mouthfeel: Not very carbonated and very smooth. 

Overall: It is a good beer.  Now, I must admit, I am not sure about this whole "black IPA" category.  I think it is an experimental style that muddles things up a bit.  I like stouts and IPAs but I am not sure if I want them mixed together.  However, I'm all for experimentation since that is the driving force of the craft beer movement.  Again, it is a good beer but I won't go out of my way to find it.



The Bruery 3 French Hens

GRADE: A

The Bruery is one of favorite American breweries right now.  Based in California, these guys are known for their highly creative beers that, according to their website, push the "limits of what 'beer' is".  The results are quality beers that are highly sought after.  I also like the fact that they put a lot of attention on the aesthetics of their product with classy labels on their 750ml bottles.  Case in point: I brought a bottle of their Mischief to backyard barbecue and EVERYONE wanted to have a sip just based on the look of the bottle (especially the ladies). 

3 French Hens is a seasonal brew that they do based on the "12 Days of Christmas".  This being their fourth year of existence, they have recently put out "4 Calling Birds" and I can't seem to get my hands on it.  I got this bottle from a friend last year and almost forgot I had it until I did a reorganization of my cellar and found it in the back corner.  I must say, it lived up to the hype:

Appearance: Dark chocolate with hints of ruby in the light.  My wife says "burnt sienna and caramel".  I say that sounds good!

Smell: What hits me first is yeasty figs and dates,  It's very appealing.  I'm did not pick up a lot of oak at first but noticed more as it warmed.  Slightly boozy but not overpowering.

Taste: Follows the nose.  Dark fruits and figs with a slight alcohol finish.  It's got a "sherry-like" quality and goes down a treat.  As it warms, I get a bit of caramel. 

Mouthfeel: Nicely carbonated.  Almost creamy but not too heavy.  The alcohol warms the mouth and doesn't burn.

Overall: I had this beer with family after our Thanksgiving dinner and it was a hit!  A perfect way to finish our meal.  It is a great sipper that took us from dinner to dessert without getting in the way.  I wish I could have gotten my hands on two but I'm VERY grateful to have had this one.  Now if I can get my hands on 4 Calling Birds...

Tripel Karmeliet 3 Grains

GRADE: A

I would be lying to you all if I told you that I have heard of this beer before.  I was lucky enough to receive this one as part of my "Beer of the Month" selection at Amanti Vino a couple of months ago.  Needless to say, if you have a local beer store next to you that offers such a club, PLEASE join!  It doesn't cost very much and you get to taste brews that you would not necessarily seek out on your own.  Now, about this little gem:

Appearance: Golden, hazy and transparent.  It looks delicious in a tulip (as you can see) and has a beautiful, three finger white and fluffy head.  A classic Belgian profile.

Smell:  I wrote in my notes "typical tripel" (and that is good!).  Citrus and pear with sweet, faint hops.  I also catch some spices and yeast and it all is in accord.  No one scent dominates.  The odor reminds me that I really do love Belgian beer!

Taste: I consider Chimay and Westmalle to be the kings of this style.  However, I consider this beer to be on the same level!  Fruity with some banana spices.  Sweet but not cloying.  Very carbonated and lively.  The 8.4% ABV is not noticeable and it took all of my willpower not to drink this down quickly. 

Mouthfeel: Again, very carbonated (as is expected with this style) and refreshing.  I wish I had another bottle.

Overall:  Definitely one of the best tripels I have ever had!  It is now on my radar and I will seek this out and buy a good amount if I find it.  I also wrote in my notes that it passes the "Wife Test".  My lovely wife, who does not really drink beer and prefers wine and cocktails, loved the taste of this beer.  She may have to find her own bottle next time...



Brasserie Des Rocs Triple Impériale

Grade: C

A couple of weeks ago, my town was one of many who lost power due to the snowstorm here in the Northeast.  Five plus inches of snow in October?  Unreal.  Fall is my favorite time of the year and I was feeling like we got cheated.  After spending the first evening with my family having breakfast for dinner and playing board games by candlelight, we realised that our power wasn't coming on for a while.  Lucky for us, we had friends and family who were not affected by storm and lived close by.

Why the long intro?  Well, because before we left the house for our first night (of two) at a friend's place in Summit, I decided to go to my cellar and pull something out that I had yet to try.  After rooting around for a few minutes, I decided on the Brasserie Des Rocs Triple Impériale that I've had down there for about 4 months. 

After a dinner, I got it out and shared it with my hosts.  It had great online reviews and we all were looking forward to a nice after dinner drink by the fireplace.  Unfortunately, we were all a bit dissatisfied.  Full disclosure: on the drive over, the bottle tipped over (unknowingly) and spent about 15 minutes on its side.  That may or may not have disturbed the sediment and impacted the taste. 

Appearance: Dark amber with a great deal of suspended sediment.  It was so carbonated that upon opening, the beer came spilling out.

Smell:  Fermented fruitcake (a group description), prunes, alcohol and rum.  As it warmed, I could detect spices and malt.

Taste: Probably the most disappointing aspect.  Sour prunes, yeast and dates.  A very medicinal aftertaste with only the taste of dates saving it from total disaster.  Even after warming, the sour flavors seem to dominate.

Mouthfeel: Very carbonated and medium-bodied.  The texture is probably the best thing about this beer and kept me sipping.  My hosts, however, were not as determined.

Overall:  One of my hosts kept mentioning that maybe it was a bad bottle and possibly skunked.  It wasn't until later on that I realized that the bottle was on its side on the ride over.  Perhaps a combination of both?  Either way, this was a beer that did not live up to expectations.  The sour, medicinal taste really turned me off.  Nonetheless, it didn't dissuade me from getting another bottle to test out our theory.  It will be a while before I try it again...

Brooklyn Brewery Event at Amanti Vino

Enjoying the evening with brewmaster Garrett Oliver

I can honestly say that I have never been to a book signing at a wine shop.  But, the more I thought about it, it makes complete sense!  Especially when the book is about BEER!  Needless to say, I had an amazing time last night at Amanti Vino in Montclair, NJ.  Major props to the craft beer manager Thad for putting this together.

Brooklyn Brewery brewmaster Garrett Oliver was there to promote his new book, The Oxford Companion To Beer, a mammoth 900-page encyclopedia of all things beer.  When I say all things, I REALLY mean all things (beer terminology, well-known brewers and breweries, styles of beer, etc.).  According to Oliver, it was 4 years in the making with collaboration of over 150 writers.  I have only just cracked the cover this evening and found myself lost in the information (but in a very good way).  After he signed my copy, I was able to get a few moments with the him to discuss a couple of things. 

It was (hate to sound corny) very inspiring talking to someone who not only has a vast knowledge but an incredible passion about beer.  As he talked about his career (going to film school, living in England and tasting his "first real beer"), I could see from his expression that he completely enjoys what he does.  My "million dollar" question for him had to do with what I have been experiencing at the craft beer tastings and events that I have been to recently.  I started with, "It seems like when I go to tastings and events that I seem to be the...", and he quickly jumped in with, "the only African-American there?"  This prompted at 10 minute mini-discussion about possible reasons why this is the case (class, possible fear of the unknown, the slow pace of cultural shifts).  The one thing that he said that stuck with me was, "No matter what happens, people will remember you!" 

Oliver did not come empty handed and brought along 3 beers for our tasting pleasure.  A very piny and aromatic IPA, a yet to be released "Companion Ale" and, my favorite, a experimental bottle from his own private stock called "Cuvée Elijah".  The "Cuvée" is a blend, based on their Black Ops recipe, aged in bourbon barrels.  Reminded me of Founders Backwoods Bastard (which was just released yesterday, FYI) with loads of bourbon in the nose and smooth finish.  I tried, in vain, to get Oliver to give me a bottle (a bit pushy, I know) as that would be an jewel in my cellar.

At the end of the night, my brother in-law felt like not only did we meet a great brewmaster in his prime but also a great collection of fellow beer aficionados.  Next up, a "Fade to Black" tasting hosted by my club, The Beer Council.  Stay tuned!

Roger

Founders Breakfast Stout (2011)

Grade: A+

My first review and I have to start off with a classic from one of my favorite breweries!  Founders holds a special place in my heart as their beers have really gotten me interested in drinking and collecting craft beer.  I've had this stout many, many times before and will (at some point) review last year's batch for a comparison.  Enough of the small talk, let's get down to it:

Appearance: pitch black with a good two finger mocha head.  Moderate lacing as you go on.  Lovely to look at!

Smell:  Smokey coffee and chocolate.  As it warms and with a bit of agitation, I pick up more chocolate (mocha?).  Faintly boozy.  Can't wait to sip...

Taste: Follows the nose.  Chocolate and coffee up front with a slightly bitter aftertaste.  Very smooth.  The finish is dry.  The lingering taste of chocolate and coffee is extremely pleasant and forces you to take small sips and savor.

Mouthfeel: Again, very smooth and silky.  The light carbonation adds to the smoothness.  It's a beer than you'll find yourself rolling around your mouth before swallowing as it coats the tongue nicely with that smokey chocolate flavor.

Overall:  Probably my in top five of all-time favorite beers.  It's a very balanced beer.  The flavors are very distinct and present but the overall effect is very subtle.  At 8.3% ABV, it goes down surprisingly well.  If you're lucky enough to find some, buy multiples and try to age a few.  Look forward to my review of last year's batch.  Enjoy!