Red Seal Ale

Thanks to Louis Live for bringing over a six pack of this last Friday for our weekly beer tasting. I thought I reviewed it, but it was only recorded in my paper journal. Anyway I tasted this Monday afternoon after running (actually bicycling) errands. I was reading this article while tasting the beer: Buy Less on Christmass, ask it's everything I stand for...

Appearance: Coppered orange with a bright glowing hue. Carbonation is strong as it helps support a well sustained frothy pillowed head. Lacing speckles the glass in a wet fashion while a soapy ring gradually forms around the inner perimeter of the glass. Relatively clear, but not totally optimal.
Aroma: Malted and clean with a hop juice bite at the end. A bit like fresh cut grass with a resined scent. Smells more similar to a lager than an ale, few esters and phenols make me wonder..
Taste: Totally clean tasting as what was gathered from the aroma. Slight bready and biscuit malt bill of which is overbalanced by a potent hop dose of pine and faint notes of orange zest. Generally this beer reminds me of Anchor's Liberty ale, but with a little more crispness at the end. Bittered and dry finish, yet not overwhelming whatsoever.
Mouthfeel: Bubbly and light yet fulfilling and textured. The carbonation spikes the tongue, inducing a refreshing wave to caress over the tongue. Extremely crisp, clean and drinkable
Overall Impression: Could possibly be a steam beer, or a perfect epitome of a red ale. Light malt base with a crisp, almost neutral hop background to retaliate on the palate and refresh the mouth. Gateway beer? No. The bitterness may be too much. But perhaps one for those pilsner fans that enjoy their hops.


88/100

Old Stock Ale 2011

Tasted Saturday evening after a productive day searching the QC for winter running gear. Enjoyed with steamed brussel sprouts and cauliflower from the garden. I got this beer from the Iowa City Brewfest from the North Coast Booth.

Appearance: Darkened rustic brown with a muddied hue. The head is strong initially consisting of a fragile bubbled character. It dissipated into a soft white film. Carbonation is highly apparent, in the form of fast rising micro-bubbles. Lacing is oily and wet.
Aroma: Rich scent of dates and plums with a huge estery barleywine-like complex about it. As the beer warms up the caramel graininess
Taste: The foretaste is unexpectedly smooth and sweet, without any noticeable astringency's. Dark fruit juice sweetness primarily making up the first half, reminiscent of dates, plums and even grape juice. However the second half is a complete different animal...As a extraordinary alcoholic flavor permeates the taste buds, almost to knock you on your feet, but still enough to let you keep your balance. Neither part of the beer is over accentuated, yet both halves boast rich flavors. The immediate afterbreath finally tastes of caramel and biscuit malt.  The aftertaste is short lived but pleasant. The warming alcohol becomes more present to the taste, the longer one drinks.
Mouthfeel: Silky smooth texture with a light carbonated finish. The bubbles are just present enough to pure the mouth of the alcohol while not leaving the beer impressionably flat. Very sticky on the lips. Big rich mouth cloying body.
Overall Impression: Actually I thought this beer would have been too high octane for me initially, but rather it was quite enjoyable. The sweetness is characterized by a dark roasted fruit and ester profile, while a subtle grain bill emerges as the beer warms. Balanced and clean to the finish. Alcohol is hardly an issue, if enjoyed properly. Not something to really order on a night at the bars, more of a sipper in winter, or one to put away.


89/100

Old No. 38 Stout

Tasted Friday afternoon after harsh two days of studying and taking tests. Tried taking a nap, no luck, so I figured a stout would be nice.

Appearance: More fluid pour. Strong bubbly tan head that starts 3 fingers and dissipates down to two. Maintains some nice peak-age. Dark brown/black in color with visible carbonation on the side. Entire filmed lacing on the edges of the glass
Aroma: Coffee and roasted malt takes he fore smell immediately. Less of a sweetness and more of a basic grainy roasted/burnt smell.
Taste: Dark roasted malt and chocolate with a finishing Golding hop bitterness accompanied with some mild grain husk and burnt flavors. Deep into the beers subtle sweetness, one can pick out a mild blueberry like tartness. More prominently this resembles over baked cookies. Something tastes synthetic about this beer. Earthiness is another dominant feature to this beer.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with a semi-creamy texture, more watery than most stouts. No spike to the tongue but still a decent amount of carbonation.
Overall Impression: The synthetic flavor may be attributed to how long I've had this stout, about 2-3 months, but the coldness by the wall surely couldn't have much of an influence. I liked this stout a couple months ago for its dry roasted profile, but I guess it didn't develop too well in the bottle. Perhaps a re-try would be in order.


75/100

Brother Thelonious Belgian Style Abbey Ale

Thank goes to Justen Parris for buying me this one last Thursday night at Ribco.

Appearance: Rich dark red color with a touch of amber as it is held up to the light. There is minimal head, that started large but immediately dissipated. The darkness of this beer made transparency minimal, but some clarity remains. The consistency of this beer looks to be very thick and full bodied.
Aroma: Amazingly potent in estery profile with robust notes of cherries and distinguishable chocolate malt. Specifically it is the rich grain roasted malt that takes a foundational status among the layers of flavor.
Taste: There is sweet dried fruit to taste reminiscent of mellow grapes without the tartness. There is a flavor in here that reminds me of an Organic Australian Wine I picked up in Hunter Valley that maintained a chocolate grape-ness to it. I also find plum fruit and cane sugar that makes for a drying taste in the back of the throat. The roasted malt gives an impression of molasses that mingles well into the sweetness. Finally the Chocolate and cherries mentioned in the aroma is consistent throughout, especially in the midtaste.
Mouthfeel:  Alcohol makes for a drying sensation in the aftertaste, almost port like in character. Full bodied and moderate to high carbonation. Sticky finish that merges with a dry mouth. Warming fruit diacetyl characteristics.
Overall Impression: A fantastic sipper. This is a beer that could certainly get me into understanding and appreciating the Belgian side of beer. One of the best Belgians I've had.


89/100

Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

My First order at the Coalfire Pizza place on Damen Ave. with Jen while meeting Aubrey and Monte for some of the best pizza I've had since Australia. Tasted a Delicious blonde along side

Appearance: Bottle to pint glass. Deep charcoal black in color with a strong sustained head throughout the drink of which was rich tan/brown. Uniformed lacing on the sides. 

Aroma: Fulfills a complementary licorice smell that is reinforced by its taste. Strong caramel and perhaps chicory/woodiness notes to it as well. This beer has burnt toast aroma to it followed up by a bittered cocoa.

Taste: There is a back-of-the-throat bitterness that is upheld by the "hotness" of the alcohol. Both licorice and tobacco sweetness are emphasized. By the end I found there to be a sweetly sustained chocolate flavor complemented by the apparent toasted biscuity overtones. Black patent malt and caramel 120-L for sure!
Mouthfeel: Silk-like and milky. This beer is definitely a mouthfull. There was a balance to the minimal carbonation that helped both taste and feel of this beer. Extremely smooth and creamy
Overall Impression: There was nothing really "off" about this beer but to me, I thought the alcohol was a little overwhelming. Definitely a session or a prolonged enjoyment beer. Yet I still couldn't get over the barrel/woody hotness at the end. I still need to learn to respect the aged...

83/100