Pre-SAVOR Day 1

Luck would have it, I get to go to SAVOR!
My first experience with this event was over 2 years ago while sitting in the living room of our senior house, cleverly called "The Dump." We were watching one of the first episodes of brewmasters on the Discovery Channel. It was the premier release of Dogfish Head's "Bitch's Brew" at the Savor event. I told myself I had to go someday.
Well that day is today.

A recap of yesterday:
I got to the Airport around 8:00am for a 9:55 take-off connection to Washington DC, whereupon I would have a 3 hour layover before another flight to NY which would get me in around 4:00.
At 9:15 the lady called me up to the podium and asked why I was hopping around so much? Why don't I just take a direct flight to Newark? Well, hell ya! I said. It left at 11:00 and we arrived at the Newark airport at 1:15.
Following trips on several units of transport, I checked in at the ACE Hotel (the rooms are very hip and cool) and hit the roads for some miles. Did a loop and a half around central park for nearly 11 miles. Got back to the hotel, showered, and met Fred in the lobby for a drink before taking off for the night's events.
Irony would have it,
We waited for a cab for a few minutes, and one drives up. And who gets out? Sam Calgione of DFH. He greeted Fred like old friends, and we shook hands.
This trip is going great so far.
We took our cab to a place called Spuytan Duyval, a beer bar in Brooklyn with an old apothecary atmosphere with old wooden saloon-like decour and jars of vegetables and fruit lining the backbar. Their tap-list was dominated by beers I could hardly pronounce...Aside for the New Holland Tap-takeover we were having.
We hung out there for a couple hours for Fred's debut book signing (an awesome book by the way: The Beervangelist's Guide to the Galaxy)
Ate some dinner from a local place called Fette Sau. I actually ate ribs... But trusted Greg on where they came from.
We left around 9:15 to head over to the Brewer's Pre-SAVOR-party at Brooklyn Brewing Co. Where faces like Charlie Papazian were in attendance. Had some great beer, and mingled with fellow industry folk. They had a couple food-trucks lined up outside (in the rain). I had a bunch of veggie pitas and their Greek feta fries.
Around 10:45 or so they gave last call and we downed our last beers and pitas and headed to a place called Barcade, a large bar with, you guessed it....a lot of arcade games. The taplist was pretty fantastic too. I ordered a Festina Peche (Berliner research), of which would be my last beer of the night. Water followed. By 1:00 I was ready to go. Fred and I and another fellow industry guy left to head back to Manhattan.


I brought my shitty camera, but only got a few photos before it just stopped working, I'll post what I have when I get the chance.

Cheers!

Ta Henket

 This beer was purchased 2 weekends ago from the Beer, Bait and Boat shop in Ludington, MI. Eamon and I went to the fest to pour for New Holland and came back with a plethora of bombers and unique brews. Found this single bottle on the shelf and agreed it was a crucial purchase. Tasted Monday evening during my late shift on the Brewhouse.

Appearance: A mild blonde color with a touch of amber to offset some of the lightness. Upon the pour, the high carbonation erupted in the glass, gaseously producing more foam than beer. As the foam settled, one could note the puffy white appearance of the head with a dry Styrofoam lacing. Carbonation persists throughout, while particles appear to settle at the base of the glass. The beer gets cloudier the closer to the bottom one gets.
Aroma: My first impression was a prominent must that remained present throughout. Easily a by-product of this isolated yeast used, but also perhaps something produced by age. Nevertheless, coriander and some citrus accompanies the scent, which is likewise paralleled by a faint biscuit malt sweetness.
Taste: The carbonated bubbles bind to the side of the tongue, making the fore taste difficult to decipher. However the complexity of the spice to come, easily accommodates for this flaw. The must was a bit more subdued in the flavor. Notes of honey and pepper, along with coriander and orange make fore a refreshing flavor. The malt sweetness is predominantly 2-row/pils with faint undertones of wheat and honey. Finishing is a spicy zest from both hops and spice to round into a remaining coriander aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Obviously, the carbonation was extremely high in this beer, easily drawing some of the flavor into more of a texture based experience. Light bodied and biting texture, reminiscent of a very fresh soday with the bubbles not really pairing will with the medium that holds them.
Overall Impression: Well, this beer DID sit on the shelf for a while, but why package such a beer in a sized bottle of this nature to not have it sit on the shelf for a while. This is the first beer that makes me think - If DFH is going to bridge the gap between wine and beer, while packaging in wine-like bottles, shouldn't their contents be able to withstand a good test of time.
Good, but I don't think the mustiness was intended, Egyptian yeast or not...

60 Minute IPA

Found this beer at Meijer way back when I first moved to Holland, Michigan. DFH 60 minute at $8 a six-pack! Sweet. However, I found this beer had already had its own shelf life, but nothing to the extent of being deleterious to the flavor/aroma. Instead, a new profile emerges, equally enticing, and perhaps even altered for the better. Tasted Saturday afternoon while waiting for Joel to pick me up for a camping trip near Gun Lake.
Snifter served.
6% ABV

Appearance: Glowing copper with a slight chill haze beginning to set about in the beer. The head is pristine white, but not to the extreme stature I would expect. Dissipation is mediocre, leaving a speckled wet lacing and in some spots a soapy accumulation of larger bubbles. Carbonation shows both quick and slow moving bubbles bellowing to the surface.
Aroma: The fresh hop character is still present, though beginning to fall off the bright citrus element that is common to a newer batch of this beer. The malt bill is honeyed with some hints of complimentary biscuit malt and brown sugar sweetness. To follow introduces the still very ample citrus and sweet orange/grapefruit zest scent. Because this beer is older, the malt has definitely taken a dominant part in this beers scent.

Taste: The start is quite sweet, portraying a cane sugar and honey sweetness element. The middle begins to introduce some of the bright citrus hop characteristics, though dumbed with age. Still, encouraging a unique mead-like flavor at the halfway point with a citrus twist. Finally, the second half permeates American hop character boasting grapefruit, notes of pine as well as orange peel and zest. Even some of the alcohol helps to vapor some of that citrus into an enticing palatability - similar to the juiciness of orange juice. The aftertaste is briefly honeyed and sweet, but with the ever prominent hop twist.
Mouthfeel: Perfectly balanced with a light to medium body and a fine carbonation that mildly fizzles across the tongue before bubbling down the throat, furthering a nice quench. Drying finish, but not overly so.
Overall Impression: I know what this beer tastes like normally, but figured it be an interesting review/description with an aged version of the beer. Typically, this beer is bright and bursting with tropical citrus and is almost too drinkable. However here, with age, the malt base takes over with a rich honeyed aspect. While the hops become subdued, they still boast a robust flavor profile that is entirely delicious.

Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA

Huge thanks to Mike at 8th St. Grille for gifting this beer to me a couple weeks ago. Sitting lonely in its case in the basement of the pub, alongside several of its brothers, this beer was itching to be tasted, and I was thinking the same. Long before starting this blog, this is the beer I've been most interested in trying. Back in college I made my way through the 60 minute, the 90 minute as well as several of the other varieties available on the Rock Island Hy-vee shelves. But legend had it there was also a 120 minute IPA!...Hopped continuously for a whole two hours. For all the requests I put out, I got back very little return (a few 90's, a Festina here, a Namaste there - all of which are great, but not what I was ultimately interested in). Then everyone around me somehow had opportunities to get it, and all I would hear was "You haven't had it yet!?" Nope. Until now. Tasted Wednesday evening on the porch with Andrew, who also brought over a KBS and a couple other rarities. Snifter served. Give it a go!

Appearance: Coppered orange with an unexpected haze to it. Vibrant and glowing. The pour was aggressive in an attempt to produce an adequate head. Nevertheless the result was anything but. No head formation and hardly a ring on the glass. The beer itself looked very still and un-eventful, except for the occasional bubble that remained from the pour. At each tilt of the glass however, bubbles cascade briefly down the sides. As the beer warmed, the chill haze faded and the beer became clear!
Aroma: Bright citrus and American hop. The expectation was to be grassy and bursting with pine.  The pine remained but more of a fruitiness came off. Still the aromatic maltiness, reminiscent of honey comes through, which is also a product in combination with the hops. The hops seem quite mellowed overall, with tones of sulfur and even a nice bouquet of rose petals.

Proof!

Taste: The forefront is sweetened and earthy and complimented by that faint honeyed spice. Resin pine develops by mid way, in conjunction with an ever prominent, but faint burn from the alcohol. Fusals develop as the beer warms, especially at the back of the throat. More of a burn in general, than anything un-pleasant. Rich and sweet with a lot less hop character than I would have hoped. But for being so big and alcoholic, there are a lot of factors that aid in "balancing" these elements against each other. Granted, if the hops were lessened, this beer would come off as too sweet and tend more to a malt beverage or anything but a beer. The bittering is mostly floral and pine based as it finishes on the palate. Faint citrus, but different than the other XX minute IPA's they produce. Alongside the growing warmth (as it sits, not the alcohol) the malt protrudes with a woody note about it.
Mouthfeel: The texture on the palate is quite thick with a syrupy characteristic about it but still remains smooth. The fine carbonation encourages a soft feel but with no loss to the honey like viscosity - and perfect for the style of big and bold. From the hops at the end they produce two things: a mild acidity that in a way, and oddly enough gives off a quenching aspect as does the dry finish. Still a lot of coating and cloy. Obviously, a burn finishes down the throat
Overall Impression: Well, there you have it. Certainly one of the biggest beers I've encountered. Was the experience all I expected? Pretty much. Was it how I would have hoped it would taste? Not really. I was expecting something with a bit more of a citrus bite to it. The nose was perfumy and scented of honey and alcohol, and the flavor was quite similar, though perhaps more on the malt side. I can definitely see this beer sitting well and developing a more woody/earthy character as the hops mellow down. I think this beer is one everyone should try, but I don't see myself really seeking it out for another year or two, unless the opportunity arises that I get to try it in a vertical or against an older vintage. Phew, it's a big one.

Festina Peche

First tasted (T1): October, 2010. Enjoyed Saturday prior to making all the dough that we'll be baking in the morning. Paired with a spaghetti squash.
T2: May 30, 2012 Tasted again while in Holland, now working at New Holland Brewing Co. Man, have the last two years brought a hell of a lot! Jen bought a 4 pack of this, while visiting, from our local beer store - Re Pete's Beer, and was kind enough to share a bottle. A lot of changes have happened to this one since I last had it. Enjoy the comparisons.
4.5% ABV

Appearance: T1: Pre-dreg, this beer is quite clear and light looking, Similar to the American lager. About one fingers worth of white creamy head. Strong visible carbonation. Post-dreg, this beer is cloudy and opaque with a tan hint. T2: Light golden yellow haze. No head and strong carbonation. No dreggs either?
Aroma: Light and crispy with a strong citrus note. Yeast is apparent at the nose, but primarily fruity and similar in profile to weiss. T2: still some fruit, but has developed a push towards more of a sour yeast scent than anything.
Taste: Very tart, with mild fructose sweetness. I’d categorize it in the area between stale orange juice, and warheads. There isn’t much else I’m able to pick out because the overwhelming sourness of this beer. It certainly isn’t an off flavor, just too much fruit zest and tartness. You can gradually arm up to it, but it is still far too overpowering. T2: less sweetness than before, and even a bit watery tasting in comparison to the tart bite in the finish. Mild tart astringency with hints of brett and lacto...

Midday taster

Mouthfeel: I think the carbonation contributes to the sour prickle on the tongue. Moderate body, and very drinkable if you can make it past the residual tart flavor. T2: Zippy, bubbly and refreshing. very light and sparkling, soft and foamy as it goes down the throat. Not much acidity.
Overall Impression: Not my type, but at least a good attempt. I’ve heard it is incredibly difficult to create a beer from peaches. Still this one has potential for quenching. It is relatively out of season, and because of its low bitterness and alcohol content I presume it doesn't age well, which may be the reason for the overtly sour taste.T2: I've noticed since the last time I tasted it that they really stuck to filtering out the yeast, as there was no accumulation at the bottom the second time around. 
Cheers!

Immort Ale

Found a couple of 4-packs of this at Butch's in Down Town Holland. Butch's provides a large selection of craft beers (National and foreign) alongside wines and (probably Mead's) ciders. They are the pinnacle of fine dining with compliments of a back-bar, boasting craft taps and Framboise. Jen and I bought a bottle of this to share on Tuesday morning as we made our way down the street browsing the local shops after a long exploratory memorial day weekend. 
11 % ABV

Appearance: Deep bronzed amber with a subtle off white head, of mediocre stature. Carbonation is prominent as tiny bubbles are inherently present in a dense population as they rise to the surface. Lacing is minimal and wet. Clarity is anything but brilliant and falls into a midline character of murky, but still allowing light to penetrate.
Aroma: A smoked meaty scent bellows from the surface of the beer. Hints of smoked barley, figs and wood emerge in conjunction with the foretaste. Definitely a jerky/meaty undertone follows throughout, while a spicy oak makes for a balancing character
Taste: The beginning is noticeably carameled with a marbled rye and a smoked cherry wood flavor that run persistent through the flavor experience. This beer reminds me of Charkoota Rye, but with a mellowed out smokiness and a comparable spicing for balance. Peat malt? Notes of maple are easy to distinguish, but meld into the overall whirlpool of flavors. Vanilla is a minor player, but one can pick out hints of it in the end of the beer. Smooth and delightfully floral. At the end as the beers warm, surely one can notice the fruity undertones emerge in a coexistence between figs an other dark roasted fruits (maybe raisins). I could certainly see this conglomerate of flavors pairing extremely well with aged cheddar! and even olives
Mouthfeel: Medium to heavier body with a finishing character of alcohol to warm the throat and chest. Flavor is fulfilling and anything but thin, while the carbonation helps to loosen the liquid but still provide a girth to amp up the texture. The finish is drying but not hot. For what hops are present, they reinforce a drying bite at the end alongside the alcohol to aid in preventing a overly thick beer.

      What we also have available in Michigan! 

Overall Impression: I was quite impressed at how drinkable this beer is. For aging in oat and the rich smoked malt that makes up a large portion of its flavor profile, this beer crowns a easily drinkable persona about it. without having the label there to give clues, the maple stands out alongside a brief fruit flavor and an overall oak element that formulates the base to this beer. Worthy of sipping, but not to share - you could easily finish a bottle solo...

Aprihop

I remember trying this almost 2-3 years ago when Rock Island Hy-vee got DFH beer. Then again a month ago when I was at Banger's & Lace in Chicago. I finally had the opportunity to sit down and really think my way through this beer while spending the afternoon on Tuesday at 8th Street Grille checking out their new selection!
7.0% ABV

Appearance: Darkened amber with a deep toasted hue. Clarity is optimal, disregarding the some of the inhibitory color. The head is an off white cream color. Very little carbonation, if any can be seen within the glass.
Aroma: Caramel malt and biscuit sweetness surround the surface of the beer. One whiff explains all. Fruity, somewhat woody with even a maple scent. Hops are fragrant and citrusy.
Taste: There is a nice balance of sweet and bitter throughout this beer. Up front one derives a malt base of caramel and toasted malt, while in no way over powering, but more supportive as a foundation to which the hops build from. Some acidity comes with the tart fruitiness from what I assume are the apricots, but peaches and plum are present as well. The hops are quite grapefruity with hints of pine and tropical citrus. A basic American IPA with a West coast hop character. Towards the end, some biscuit flavors emerge as well, adding to the desirable flavor and refreshing smooth taste. Finally the fruit presents itself one last time to turn in a fantastic aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and extremely crisp and drinkable. The carbonation doesn't just start and abruptly end, but it persists through the entire taste. Drying finish with some stickiness on the lips.
Overall Impression: This is an awesome beer. Fruity and bitter, but doesn't forget its roots in the malt sector. I really enjoyed the emergence of the malt in the second half, after one would expect it to be entirely overtaken by the hops. The fruit is present in the middle and parts of the second half, but isn't overwhelming either. If this is on tap, GET IT. it won't be a disappointment!

Tweason'ale

 Thanks to my sister Aubrey for saving a bottle of this for me! She has a gluten allergy and would do anything to find a GFB that has a tolerable and reminiscent of actual beer. I tasted it Monday evening in a snifter-like glass
6% ABV
       

Appearance: A clear copper color, but with a slight tint of pink. Initially the head was a bubbly white pillow set atop the fizzy liquid. Soon after however, dissipation resulted in a thick ring around the inner perimeter of the glass and some film across the surface. Carbonation looks to be strong and prevalent.
Aroma: The nose immediately perfumed the all too familiar scent of sorghum (I recently made an all sorghum batch of beer). The sorghum reminds me of a earthy sweetness of dried hay and musty wood. Some citrus arises near the end with notes of orange and berry.
Taste: A tart bite on the jaw upon first sip. A honeyed sweetness erupts in the foretaste. Some grape and vininess it present along side the familiar strawberry taste, which hold up well in a freshly maintained flavor. The sorghum doesn't really come through as readily as I expected, especially from its prominence in the aroma.Overall this beer presents a clean flavor with some subtle bitterness and citrus from the hops to round out a more champagne-like beverage
Mouthfeel: Carbonation bites with a bubbly, frothy texture. Light to medium in body with a soft, but still biting feel. The palate is sweetened from the start, but finishes in a delightfully crisp and refreshing dryness.
Overall Impression: Some beer ancestor exists in this one, but falls more to a sweeter, fruity side of a mead than anything else. Nevertheless I think this is one of the best Gluten free beers I've come across that DOESN'T use barley (Congrats to Two Brother's on their Golden Prairie Path Ale). I dig the berry tartness at the end, paralleled with the faint hop bite to round out a crisp finish

Life and Limb (2)

Thanks to Justen Parris for bringing a bottle of this over yesterday. I had sold him the last of my homebrew equipment, and in exchange he also gave me this bottle. Jen and I tasted it that night after a fried rice dish I concocted on the whim.
Snifter served.
10% ABV

Appearance: Dark brown with a thick textured pour. In the glass, the beer looked like dark maple syrup, a bit of a red hue. Head was dense and beige, and relatively quick to dissipate. A layer of foam resided after several minutes. Lacing is wet and speckled
Aroma: Just that, maple syrup, dark cane sugar and fruit. Perhaps figs, dates and plums. Rich aromatics, but nothing really jumps out or overpowers. Everything seems to meld well with each other. Toasted and even roasted malt at the end.
Taste: Immediately sweet, and according to the label, the beer IS MADE WITH SYRUP! Which definitely contributes a unique flavor. Huge malt base, and some alcohol round out the finish, which is paralleled by a subtle woodiness. I get a lot of toasted malt and even some toffee. This makes it relatively dry, but still ironically refreshing. Throughout, and examined in a specific perspective, this beer boasts a lot of the dark roasted fruit flavors that were present in the aroma. While the aftertaste maintains a wood flavor, the finish of the beer leaves almost a roasted/chocolate flavor of coffee, but with a sweetness to back it up.
Mouthfeel: The carbonation is slight, but enough to bubble up and fizz on the tongue to create a nicely refreshing zip at the end. The body is thick and velvety.
Overall Impression: A lot darker than expected, but the flavor was just what I could have imagined. The maple and Birch syrups add a fantastic flavor profile and unique woodiness. Plums and figs are complexly incorporated alongside the slight (and I mean well masked) burn from the alcohol and the mild fizz from the carbonation. Wood and chocolate/roastiness round out the end.

Fort

Thanks to David Misewicz for buying this for Jen and I for Thanksgiving. We saved it for after the new year to taste when her parents came back up to visit. Reviewed following a trip to Old Chicago. Served in the tasting flight I received for my birthday last year.
18% ABV
45 IBU

Appearance: Thick to the pour. Viscous, as if it gels in the glass.The color was a lot lighter to the look. Cloudy and pale copper color with a tint of red. Head is thick and frothy and extremely dense. Carbonation is high as there is a large accumulation of bubbles on the side of the glass. Wet short lived lacing.

Aroma: Somewhat of a lactic smell to it with a scent of even farmhouse. Raspberry tartness is prominent along side a grape and musty smell. There is a wheaty undertone, but hardly a noteable character under the raspberry tartness. Served cold initially, but as the beer warms up more of the berry tartness perfumes up from the glass.

Taste: Up front Lacto flavor with a mild mustiness as well. I was expecting more of a malt sweetness, and even from the berries. Estery. More of a neutral sugar content. Rose petals (phenylethyl acetate) is mix in amongst the contributive fruit esters. Wheat present, but probably more directed towards body and giving a protein induced cloudiness. Towards the end, the alcohol permeates through with a force. Drying, but without a solvent or fusal taste. The flavor overall develops an acetylaldehyde tone to it (green apples). The finish leaves a faint sourness on the palate, with some fire! Reminds me of a very subtle grain alcohol base. Minute amount of medicinal flavor, but nothing enough to deter.
Mouthfeel: Low carbonation, but enough to fizzle over the palate and help introduce a drying alcohol burn over the tongue. Finishes very dry and solventy feeling. Thicker body, but the attenuation of the beer seems to have lightened it up.
Overall Impression: Wow, I was surprised at the alcohol content of this beer, and for a whopping 18% it is well masked. I suspect that with the addition of raspberries, they carried with them a good dose of Lactic acid producing bacterial that provided the slight sour flavor at the end. I see this beer as a one time buy, but it is surely one to experience it if your pocket can handle it.
$17.99

Hellhound on my Ale

Thursday, August 11, the Bavarian Lodge in Lisle, IL hosted their 2nd Annual Dogfish Head Invasion, offering 16 rarities on draft. Thanks to Joe Wietlispach for letting Tim know about this event and then thanks to the Sir for informing me since Lisle is only 20-30 minutes from my house. Enjoyed the company of my parents as well as my dad's coworkers Jay and Serena who met up with us after work. Even had this contraption called "Randell the Enamel Animal" which filtered both 90 Min IPA and Burton's Baton through fresh Cascade and Willamete hops picked earlier that day. Really awesome event, rated 3 off-centered brews (including this one) so stay tuned for the others.

Appearance: Poured into a 5 oz tasting snifter, had a very frothy and bone white head. Dissipated to only large bubbles around the ring of the glass. Slightly hazy and of a light honey amber hue (the lighting was quite dim). There was no visible carbonation and each sip left spotted lacing on the side of the glass.
Aroma: Deep, fruity aroma strongly resembling grapefruit. There is a really heavy citrus character (lemon and grapefruit) thanks to the large amount centennial hops used. Slight smell of alcohol apparent in the finish. Overall, extremely aromatic and extremely hoppy!
Taste: Begins with a slight malt backbone, quickly overpowered and drowned out by a wave of fresh hops, both grassy and citrus flavored. Leaves a great hoppy aftertaste without feeling astringent and completely drying out the palate. Goes down really smooth and the alcohol is not overly apparent in each sip, a nice feat for a 10% ABV brew!
Mouthfeel: Light to medium mouthfeel, overall it went down relatively smooth. Carbonation brought forth a lot of the hop citrus flavors and although the carbonation didn't seem overwhelming, I felt like I had a lot more afterburps (grapefruit taste!) than usual.. Had a clean, dry finish.
Overall Impression: Brewed in honor of Mississippi Delta bluesman Robert Johnson's 100th birthday, Dogfish Head packed in 100 IBUs at 10.0% ABV using none other than 100% centennial hops at a rate of 100 kilos per 100 barrel brew-length (wow, what a mouthful!) to accomplish this feat. Yes, it did have that classic hop bite, yet I found Hellhound overall to be very well balanced and quite enjoyed my taster.

Raison D'Etre

Anything from Dogfish Head is worth a try, and as a delicious, powerful and creative beer, I was surprised to find I had never logged this one before. 

Great appreciation goes out to Logan Beausoleil's beer dedication for bringing this beer out to Rock Island over his brief spring break.  Logan helped for a full day at the brewery filtering the Farmer brown and cleaning the brew kettle.  

This Dogfish Head was tasted in a frozen pint glass after a satisfying dinner of organic fried rice with Jim Johansen's farm fresh eggs.

Appearance: Dark mahogany amber with a rusty tint.  Clarity is inhibited by the darker color, as only some slow rising carbonation bubbles are visible.  Fine off-white foamed head with some soapy bubbles emerges at a fingers worth but dissipates to a little more than a film.

Aroma: Sweet and herbal with a extremely rich fruitiness.  Malt backbone presents itself with esters resembling dark plum and grapes with a floral honey.

Taste: The flavor is predominantly sweet.  The earthiness of beets provides an addition to a caramel toasted malt foundation.  To complement this earthiness is a mild honey taste that helps expose more complexity in the form of dark fruits, as noted in the aroma.  The finishing bitterness is well melded into the beer in the form of mild Golding hops and fruit skin.  As the beer warms, the caramel malt emerges as a dominant factor - brown sugar and raisins permeating through the base.  The alcohol is hardly distinguishable on the finish, though it does leave a very subtle vinous flavor.  Some banana phenols can be tasted as mere vapors in the back of the throat.  The finish is definitely more spicy than bitter.
Mouthfeel: Lighter medium body with somewhat of a watery texture that doesn't take away from the flavor.   Carbonation is on the lower end, only bracing the sides of the tongue.
Overall Impression:  Raison D'Etre means "reason for existence" in French.  This beer boasts a huge malt bill with a vast complexity of fruits and various barley adjuncts.  A big brown ale with a little extra.  I was pretty impressed with this one.  Limited bitterness finishes the beer with a mild alcohol taste.  Raison d'etre?  Clairement!

Chataeu Jiahu

Tasted on Sunday night after constructing four vegetable pizzas from scratch. Complete with avocado, spinach, mushroom, onion, pico de gallo, and tomato. Thank's to Jeff Rice for getting me this for Christmas!

Appearance: Golden colored with a yellow orange tint. Honey looking? Some haze inhibits total clarity. Very turbid with carbonation bubbles. The beer has a strong white foamy head that is well sustained. Lacing it thick and somewhat wet. Dissipation ultimately results in a foam film head.
Aroma: Pungent and flowery. There is a farmhouse Belgium spice to this beer along with some mild spices and honey. After rain foresty smell. Some fermented mead/honey aroma that is somewhat vinous and acetic.
Taste: Very sweet and honey'd with some aspects of dried apricot. Quite mead like. There is a clove spicing mid-taste. The flavors are very intense with a crisp tartness similar to basic lagers, but it is more complexed with alternative things going on. Drying tannin rich finish and a mead like depth. There isn't much malt barley going on here. denser in flavor. The strange finish, estery and fruity. Some pilsner like sweetness is also accompanied by that lagered flavor. Both earthy with some saison-like character.
Mouthfeel: As you swallow, there is somewhat of a stickiness as the beer goes down. Heavier body contradicted from its appearance. Medium carbonation that really carries the beer. Feel is cloying between the tongue and cheek.
Overall Impression: Extremely sweet with a dwindling sticky sensation on the tongue. I like this beer, but it wasn't overwhelmingly spectacular. It gets me thinking, I highly doubt that any of the beverages back then tasted anything remotely similar. 9000 years ago it was probably a lot more watery and soured, and people used the spices to mask those soured sensations. 90 centuries later, in order to infiltrate the market, something big, sweet, and far out needed to be constructed in order to be palatable to the public. Interesting drink, certainly not to be expected to taste like beer. Just think of it as a sweet nectar of ambrosia...

Chicory Stout

Thanks to Joe Degnan for trading me this with whatever six pack I had purchased that night. Tasted with Joey Waldorf out of snifters. This was my second tasting of this beer, but I finally got an accurate rating.

Appearance: Black and color though some brown around the transparent edges. Accompanying, a creamy looking texture. Minimal head, though still maintaining a dark tanned ring that leaves a poor wet lacing.
Aroma: Deep mahogany chocolate smelling with a woodiness and smoked addition smell. Some charred malt and dark roasted malt. Some nuttiness as well as mild earthy flavors. A bit of spicing.
Taste: Starts nicely sweet but then finishes with a nicely burnt finish to carry on the aftertaste. Some mapled syrup to taste, as well as a roasted unmalted barley. The beer exhibits some vanilla spicing at the end accompanied by the noted finishing additions above. As the tasting continues, I also find some stale oak-like characters common to many stouts that try unique adjunct. If the hops are there, they blend extremely nicely with the bittersweet chocolate and coffee flavors thrusting a nice earth midtaste.
Mouthfeel: Smooth and ironically similar to the texture to the New Belgium 1554. On the lower carbonation side, but still has a good full body, though it could always be fuller. Still it is creamy and soft to the mouth.
Overall Impression: I've met a lot of people who weren't really a fan of this beer. I however think it is a great stout with a lot of complexity for those who seek it. The nutty undertones and the coffee chocolate flavors create a wonderful flavor sensation. Though it may be lighter than the heavy stouts, it boasts a reasonable 5.2% alcohol, which is difficult to get these days. With the recent barrel aged fad, people think stouts are supposed to all be imperial and strong. Not me, I like them this way.

Sah'tea

Tasted with David and Jennifer Misewicz following an excursion to Limestone Brewery Sunday night.  Drunk from the extra tasting glasses that complement my wooden tasting flight that I received for my birthday.

Appearance: Exhibiting a clouded blonde color with a straw yellow hue. Minimal head, if any only revealing a slight white foamed ring. Carbonation is high as it rapidly rises to the surface of the beer. There are suspended particles visible as well which may be leftover adjunct or conglomeration bundles of yeast. By the end, the sediment really is apparent in the beer, showing big clumps of coagulants.

Aroma: Very tea smelling with a mild honey and brown sugared aroma. The spices are mostly resembling cardamon and even nutmeg/ginger. Some pungent breadiness, but extremely light.

Taste: My initial thoughts were of a tart palatable taste reminiscent of concentrated apricots and other sour fruits. Immediately the flavor transitions to mellow toasted chai tea and maple. Honey and other sugar adjuncts contribute a mild sweetness. Some pine-ish flavors emerge at a pinprick of the finish. Some alcoholic taste also briefly appears which makes me (us) think of a delicate mead, but with carbonation. Spiced finish that resembles rye and coriander. This is almost exactly what my mead smells and tastes like, only without carbonation. Ginger and clove finish the beer off in both a highly apparent, but mellow taste.

Mouthfeel: Carbonation is at a high, especially in the foretaste, but nicely complements the texture. Medium body, but also an un-tacky finish. A little dryness. One would think that the aggregate sedimentation would add to the body, but it is relatively lighter than sensationally perceived.
Overall Impression: A very interesting, sweet beer that has a nice complementing sweetness at the finish. Jen says "Nummy." Some lemon emerges at the end with the complementation of tea and tart. A very interesting beer with a well balance of the chai tea, which could easily be made aggressive if overestimating the spicing. Generally I think this is a delicious beer for the sweet-a-holics, and a nice vacation from the common bitterness. We applaud Dogfish Head for the complexity of flavor, no need to start with easy introductions, go big, or go home. Definitely an introductory beer for a girl who wants the fluffy cranberry vodkas and slushy margaritas, but nevertheless maintains a delectable flavor of beer.

My Antonia Imperial Pilsner

Tasted Christmas morning (I know, don't judge) with family and grandparents throughout Christmas breakfast and present opening. Monte and I split it because it is one of the few Dogfish that he hasn't had. The label of this beer is absolutely gorgeous! Served cold in a wine glass.

Appearance: Poured golden straw. First glass was transparent, the final glass poured a glowing cloudiness, perhaps from chill haze or the yeast, I didn't look. Head retention is mediocre, as it sustains a sudsy white appearance. Sticky lacing.

Aroma: A lot fruitier than most pilsner lagers I've had. There is a brief apricot and pear aroma followed by a more mellow finishing pungent hoppiness. I also sense some complementary honey and citrus characters. Very aromatic and sweet smell. Some pine.

Taste: A nice fruit base with touches of honey and even biscuit. Throughout I taste a peppery pungent profile followed by somewhat of a citrus grass bitterness. The finish is crisp, but leaves a dry resinous taste on the palate. Starts very sweet, which is uncommon to most pilsners. and builds into a crisp refreshing climax. I presume a lot of the hops used were of citrus origin which gives it a pineapple-like finish. The zest isn't really like any orange or grapefruit but more so peppery and tropical. The flavors are reminiscent of a lighter style IPA, and perhaps this could even be considered a hybrid of the two. I even taste some mango interspersed throughout.

Mouthfeel: After allowing the beer to finally sit and mellow, the beer gives a subtle carbonated finish, leaving the palate dry but very refreshed. Body is medium but there is a leftover tackiness to the lips. Ironically, I would even say the feel is salty.
Overall Impression: An interesting beer, nevertheless the dry resin grassiness left on the palate is somewhat deterring. I do however really enjoy the complexity of fruit and hop interaction that acquaints this beer. I really like the combination between Pilsner and IPA giving, for the most part the best of both worlds. The body and hop citrus from an IPA and the pungent light crispness of a pilsner. Nice.

Dogfish Head Red & White

Tasted with Jen while brewing 20 gallons of Beer and five of Mead. More specifically a Bourbon Oak Vanilla bean Stout and a Red Wheat IPA. We tried this with Jen's new Cheese tasting set that she received for Christmas. Paired with Havarti and Aged Cheddar.

Appearance: A deep rubied amber with a large foamy white head that dissipated quickly. The beer is quite turbid with what seems to be a rather dispersed but frequent flocculent.  Some lacing appears on the side of the glass during the tasting.

Aroma: Sweet and tart with what is reminiscent of grapes and sour apples and other diacetyls and little malt aroma. Predominantly green, light grapes are the ones that make the greatest impression.
Taste: Quite fruity and tart. The beer still exhibits some tannin character at the end whether that is actually from the grape additions or the grain hull from the mash or boil. Otherwise there aren't any hops to really speak of. Mild citrus  takes an undertone with some equally complementing cloves and perhaps even vanilla (though that may just be from the beer brewing.
Mouthfeel: Smooth and delicate with a soft mouthfeel and a thick gelatinous body. The carbonation is small but is a contributing character of this "malt beverage"
Overall Impression:  In the beginning, the sweetness of the fruit and tart taste mask the high alcohol content of this malt beverage and in essence could make an individual drink it way too quickly.  Be careful.  This is 10% abv and should probably be shared with a close friend.  Preferably a session drink. 

Burton Baton Imperial India Pale Ale

Tasted this with Jen on Friday night following a busy day choked full of a parasitology exam, applications to breweries, as well as a Secret Santa party and a 3 mile tempo workout. It was great to buckle down to this one with some cheese and crackers. Oh, I picked this up from the Binny's in highland park.

Appearance: Large frothy off white head that is maintained several minutes after the pour. Color is a deep bronzed amber with a high turbidity. Small carbonation bubbles rise quickly on the side of the snifter. Lacing is thick and evenly distributed.
Aroma: Dark fruit take an immediate position upon the pour, followed by sweet caramel malt and sweet resins of chocolate and raisins. Roasted and toasted malt sweetness permeates the nose upon a delicate but pronounced finish. Touches of citrus as well as pine and wood and nuts.
Taste: Strong pronunciation of flavor. The malt sweetness is perfectly combined with the pine and citrus bitterness which acts evenly as a reply to the dark fruit/fig and raisin undertones. Like a lot of Dogfish Head, there is some grape characteristics, but nothing overly prominent. Malted toasted/biscuit flavors hold a definitive backbone by which all flavors work off of, especially the dark fruit esters. Upon first taste there is somewhat of a brown sugar/ candied sugar sweetness that no sooner graduates into a full fledged malt and fruit skin flavor. A brief nuttiness and biscuit flavor are interspersed between the mid and aftertaste. The warming sensation as the beer exits the mouth and continues down the  throat gives a good indication of the alcohol percentage, though this feeling is legitimately unapparent in the taste.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full body that is extremely smooth from the point it touches the lips on right into the finish. Carbonation evenly distributes the flavor by the midtaste, while finishing the beer dry while relatively free of an aftertaste. Texture is creamy but free of under attenuated tackiness.
Overall Impression: One of the greatest Dogfish Head beers that has touched my lips, let alone IPA's. I think the balance and complexity with this beer really helps distinguish it from all others. The flavors and aroma harmonize in a complete symphony of flavor undisturbed by nothing. I truly enjoy the fruitiness that permeates through to the end of the beer even to the very last sip. Dark fruit makes the most prominent appearance and stay. This my friends, is something special The best beer to try, so far. And tt might be approaching the perfect beer? We'll see.


Tim: 96/100
Jen (sick): In the 90's/100

Pangaea Ale

Enjoyed with Jen, following a run into East Moline with a couple Augies. We took the bus back to avoid the frigid wind and snowy conditions. Beer was served at a recommended cool condition in our new Merrill Lynch beer glasses courtesy of Mr. Tony Singh.

Appearance: Crystal clear amber with a white bubbly head. Carbonation sparkles as it gravitates to the surface. Lacing present.

Aroma: Caramel malt sweetness with a spicy hint to the nose. Some fruitiness common to a lot of the Dogfish Head line-up with some grapes and esters mixed in. Perhaps some pungent earthy smells and citrus.

Taste: Toasted caramel malt flavor is founded upon a distinct nuttiness followed by dark grain breadiness. The spicy ginger taste reminds me of a basic ginger ale with a bit of coriander and orange peel. The taste is quite dry. There is some corn starch-ness taste to the beer along with an alcohol. Cloves and yeast take an interspersed flavor throughout. Finally the clean sugar taste is characterized by a honey flavor but more crisp and fermented candied sugar.
Mouthfeel: Light and fizzy and very refreshing and crisp texture. Carbonation grazes the tongue in a manner to lightly expose a unique underlying flavor profile. Very drinkable.
Overall Impression: A really good ale to be paired with both dessert of a hardy thanksgiving/Christmas dinner I’d assume. I like the crispness, but also the wealth of flavor and complexity that goes into this beer. Kind of cool knowing the water comes from Antarctica…
Probably a good conversation starter given the background behind this (and most) Dogfish Head beer.

Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA

I had purchased a 4 pack of this from Hy-vee ages ago. Luckily RIBCO got to a keg of their beer, so we made it our all to get there in time to try it. Thanks to Neil (and John for night for #2) for entertaining us at the bar while we tried a pint of it. Did this following a trip to Blue Cat Brew Pub earlier this week to try their own Weiss Dobbel Bock.

Appearance: Clear, representing a lighter amber with a touch of brown/red. The head is minimal, induced by a medium visible carbonation, as the head dissipates.
Aroma: At the nose, this beer says caramel and biscuit sweetness, all grain. After several whiffs, a citrus hop character emerges which is unique to an IPA. Alcohol is apparent at the nose. I smell dark fruit as well as grapes in the aroma, leaving a tartness to mingle with the caramel malt. Hops take a back stage to this category.
Taste: Diacetyls reminiscent of raisin and grapes are my first impression aside from the strong bitter alcoholic finish. Nevertheless, the malt profile of this beer withstands the retaliatory reply from the piney tropical hops. I find that the initial sweetness is also contributed by a caramel malt flavor which overtakes, and is realized over the zesty/orange and grapefruit undertone from the hops.  As the two clash, they create a symposium of uniquely distinct flavor paralleled by few. The barley profile is heavy. Warming alcohol is a noticeable donation to the initial and progressed taste in this beer. Some grassiness to the palate leaving a resinous bitter aftertaste, that the alcohol only induces.
Mouthfeel: From the sweetness, it may be drawn that the attenuation of the yeast left more unfermented sugars than usual, which would explain the rich malt character in the taste and texture. This ultimately contributes to a heavier body and a tackier mouthfeel. Medium-high Carbonation helps loosen the body up but also melds well, exposing more of the hops in the finish.
Overall Impression: The harmony between the flavors and sensations of this beer are delicate, but pack a punch in the flavor. The malt sweetness dominates, but the hops easily reply in a slightly lesser manner. But its the alcohol that prevails (is this a battle or something!?) This is one of the best Dogfish Head beers I've had. I'll look to get the 60 and the 120 sometime soon.