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