Lilja's HellHound Brown Ale

Tasted after Thanksgiving dinner which also followed a 20 mile run thhhrough Galena (under 2:10 (6:30 pace)) I was still in a caloric deficit and didn't want to stuff my face with food (though the organic Shepherds Pie was good!). So I loaded up a couple reviews as everyone was in a food coma and passing out. Purchased from the Wine and Cheese place at the South end of down town Galena.

Appearance: Mahogany brown with a rubied hue when held to the light. The head starts a strong white with an inch stature, but quickly dissipates into a thin film with larger speckled (eyes) bubbles throughout. Lacing is wet. Relatively clear aside for the color inhibition. Carbonation can still be observed.

Aroma: Faint grain and toasted malt is present against a semi sweetened almost acidic roasty undertone. Some minimal fruit elements appear too along with toffee and nuts.

Taste: Starts nutty, complemented by a rich toasted sweetness. Second to appear is a subtle acidity and alcohol, paralleled by a prominent roasted character near the end. I can pick out a faint bitterness at the finish that reminds me of tannins and grain husk/or lignan. What remains on the palate is the neutral bitterness that is extremely long lasting. Almost leaf/grass like. As it warms, the beer becomes more bittersweet, yet still maintaining a flavorful foretaste and a very drying, bittered finish.
Mouthfeel: Body is medium but still provides a robust texture, complemented by a frothy carbonation. Very smooth going down and invitingly refreshing. Crisp to the finish, prolonged aftertaste.
Overall Impression: Between the beginning and end, the beer maintains the same repertoire of flavor, yet still manages to restart every sip, making this beer a continuous enjoyment that draws one back. Alcohol is well masked. Quite the complex beer, and one of the few Nut Brown Ale's I've had recently (Ale Asylum's Madtown Nut Brown too!) that I find myself enjoying.


85/100

Badger Porter

Tasted Sunday following a clean-up of the basement and the chicken room. We usually put them outside in the garden to roam and get their "free-range" for the week before investing in an outdoor coop. They love it!
Picked this up from the Brewers dinner the night prior to the Great Taste of the Midwest.

Appearance: Definitely a lighter porter, and perhaps filtered as representative of its clarity. Its interesting to call it a Porter, as I'd pass it for more of a brown ale. Nevertheless I can still see my fingers on the other side of the glass. Toasted wood brown with a sub-par head only characterized by a thin ring. Micro carbonation rises from the center.
Aroma: Rich chocolate and toasted barley perfume up the nostrils. Robust nutty notes come through as a full aromatic sweetness. Even some dark roasted fruit present given a swirl. There is a touch of roastiness at the very end.
Taste: After a carbonated bite hits the tongue, a wealthy dose of chocolaty sweetness layers the palate. With undertones of toasted malt and vanilla, this "porter" packs a strong malt profile. The midtaste exposes some of the neutral hops, though still masked over the malt - but leaving an impression of dark roasted dry fruit, maybe of dates, but in conjunction with a bit of sassafras. Finish is more toasted with a dry woody resin feel.
Mouthfeel: High carbonation, that, depending on how you drink it, has a very fizzy bite on the fore tongue or back of the throat, the predominantly at the front. Body is medium with it's bubbly texture. A bit tacky on the lips given the huge malt base this beer has. Finally it finishes dry, but refreshing.
Overall Impression: I was pleasantly surprised at the upfront, in-your-face malt profile of this porter. It definitely resides on the sweeter side of dark beers, yet forgiving enough to not be overwhelming. I wouldn't say balanced, but still well crafted enough for one to happily throw back and savor.


85/100

Lilja's Sasquatch Stout

I had tasted this one all the way back in March 2010 and had done a write up in the hard copy of the journal, but never got around to transcribing it. Tasted in a snifter. I was pleasantly surprised by its quality.

Appearance: Poor filling for the bottle, where the beer only came up to the neck. Quality control on the bottling line should have caught that. Upon pour I noticed the stout had been filtered. Otherwise it was a brilliant brown. In the glass it is marked black with a tan soapy foam head that is quick to dissipate. Carbonation is difficult to see.
Aroma: Rich chocolate aroma that is followed by a lightly roasted coffee been scent. A little earth, but more so encapsulating a sweet coffee drink with cream and sugar. Extra malted caramel adds to the smell with a grainy backbone, nothing much else can be drawn out.
Taste: An inviting flavor of chocolate and roasted malt immediately catch my attention. What starts slightly sweet rises in a bittering complexity of nutty tannins and roasted coffee, then its more at the finish that you get the combined flavor in a swirl of chocolaty sweet goodness. Caramel compliments as well. Tastes like an entirely barley product. Leaves a bit of dry roasted/burntness in the back of the throat. Even some smokiness is revealed in the very finish.
Mouthfeel: Very smooth and creamy to the texture. Carbonation is light but extremely well integrated! No pinch, but more of a embracement of the tongue. Tacky on the lips but the body is on the high end with the carbonation further encouraging a soft feel. Cloying afterfeel.
Overall Impression: I'm actually very appeased and impressed with this stout! It has a very basic flavor, yet remains refreshing and sweet. Nutty, roasted and chocolaty. This is one of the best of stouts I've had!

$7.99/six pack

92/100

Wild Ride IPA

Tasted after a brief 11 miler on the treadmill. Not fun. This beer was purchased during my last day at Binny's for the break. I felt I needed to explore more local beers, and what's not more local than Wisconsin!

Appearance: Upon pour, it revealed an aggressive head, similar to one produced by a hefe in a pilsner glass. Standing 3 fingers tall of soapy foam, it took long for dissipation to set in. Finally after leaving puffs of lace on the glass I could finally enjoy. A nice pale amber with visible flocculents throughout, though still maintaining some element of visibility.
Aroma: Very floral and herbaceous, with a pine profile that embraces the nostrils. Some malt sweetness but this is more so masked by the overwhelming grassy leaf bitterness that induces a lot of complexity within the beer. Some tropical and dark fruit characters finish the nose.
Taste: Starts biscuity and sweet but then all of a sudden smashes the back of the mouth with an un-paralleled unflavored bitterness that is almost too much. It was like chomping on raw hops or eating whatever random plants in the back yard. Once one can get past the initial bitterness (which is difficult), you may find some earthy floral notes, as well as some herb spicing and even orange bittering orange peel. Even pine and vegetables, with a mild sweetness from the hops. Left behind is a sustained grass bittering flavor that coats the mouth. Finally, if you get past it all, you may find some lemon citrus.
Mouthfeel: More soft than I would have expected. The carbonation is high, but well integrated into the beer. Nevertheless the palate is left dry with a persisting resin about it.
Overall Impression: Well, definitely for the hop-head to try, but not for me. I found it overly un-balanced leaving the remaining complexity to the type of hops used, while the malt and adjuncts were negligible. I do however enjoy seeing debris in my beer, (though some may not) because I think of it as I'm getting more out of it than a fully pasteurized beer...which is totally true!


75/100

Oscar's Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

Evening tasting on a wet sloppy winter day. Enjoyed with some simple organic butter and rice.

Appearance: Large tan foamed head with soapy peaks and all. As it dissipates, it leaves behind a wet, speckled tan lacing, eventually resulting in a thin film atop the beer.
Aroma: Outstandingly sweet and reminiscent of chocolate. Sweet and toasted with a nutty undertone. Some smoke to the finish, but predominantly revolving around the cocoa.
Taste: A lot lesser than I would have expected from such a fragrant aroma. Still it starts chocolaty, with a mid taste bitterness. Some roasted malt to finish, but more so the hops administer their input. Initially, I would have said watery, but as it develops and warms, more of the flavors pronounce themselves. I taste the smokiness accompanied by roasted nuts and other grains.
Mouthfeel: Lighter body than what I would have thought the oats would have added. Nevertheless it has a medium carbonation and light mouthfeel.
Overall Impression: Something keeps telling me a better name would be chocolate porter. By the end, the wateriness still stuck, though a lot less as the beer warmed. It was certainly sweeter, but still had a finishing nut tannin character. Decent.


80/100