Mutiny & the Mollusk: Oyster Stout

Jen picked this up over a month ago on her way back from New Holland's Hatter Days from Three Floyd's Brewing Co. I waited it out until we both were present to try it. Finally tasted yesterday after a brief run and while relaxing on the porch.
Snifter Served

Appearance: The pour was a clear brown with a mahogany tint. Bubbles fruitfully rose as the beer was poured into the glass, and remained there with a dense foam soap consistency. Within the glass it appeared dark coffee brown but with that same appearance when it was poured, though in a darker shade.
Aroma: More of a roast is present alongside a grainy sweetness that is quite prominent throughout. Smoked wood is another noteable characteristic that is easily drawn. Finally, I can also pick out a faint fruity ester note that may be derived from a warmer fermentation As the beer warms, more chocolate and typical stout flavors emerge.
Taste: The initial flavor erupts with a minerally chalky flavor, that also contributes to the mouthfeel. Obviously, the calcium carbonate was striped from the shell addition in the boil, as well as the highly probable CaCO3 brewing salt additions. The sweet chocolate roast parallels this mineral complexity. Still, I find an acidity present in the finish which also helps round the beer out in a subtle grit dryness. Overall, all these flavors are encouranged and amplified by a sea-saltiness, similar to what salt does to a generally bland tasting dish of rice, or pasta. Alternative flavors tasted throughout may be described as smokey, woodsy, tannic, roast and chocolate.
Mouthfeel: A nice smooth texture with a chalky mouthfeel as the CaCO3 coats the teeth with a gritty feel. The body is medium from the carbonation loosening things up as the micro bubbles fizz over the palate and down the throat. Again the finish is dry and chalky.
Overall Impression: I'm extremely interested in the texture and flavor these types of beers provide. The rich salt and dark malt base enliven the tasting experience with both familiarity and the unusual.
Like this? Try Flying Dog's Pearl Necklace

Lord Admirel Nelson Special Bitter

I purchased this bottle from the brewery a couple weeks ago. I did so because it had the same name a the Lord Nelson brewery at The Rocks in Sydney, Australia in which I frequented while there. Anyways I got around to tasting it while making Curried Carrot/Sweetpotato Soup, and Hummus on a lazy Sunday afternoon.

Appearance: Brown amber with a soapy white head (big and small bubbles) that is well maintained. Lacing is slightly wet. Clarity is sub-optimal, yet enough to let light through and allow for the carbonation (though rare in appearance) to be visible.
Aroma: Rich cara malt backbone from the get go, but topped of with a pine and even tropical hop bitterness. Some fruity esters are present in the form of ripened plums and even cherries. Otherwise the citrus hops really perfume the nose with rich floral and deciduous scent.
Taste: Robust malt flavor of caramel, toffee and toasted barley. Some brown sugar notes, and even a nuttiness. The sweetness really clashes with the hop flavor, which I think Three Floyd's is renowned for doing. While the expectation falls around a malt forward beer, they dosed it with a hefty amount of hops (Amarillo/Simcoe?) to open the doors to another dimension of flavor. I can draw the citrus and tropical alpha acids with an accompanied pine and grapefruit complexity. Almost orange zest!
Mouthfeel: I figured from the level of malt sweetness in this beer, there would be a lot thicker body, however the hops really help balance with a cold bite bitterness to dry the palate while the carbonation works in a similar fashion. Smooth and well textured.
Overall Impression: Wow, I wasn't expecting this much from this beer, especially because they didn't even have it to try at the brewery...bombers only. But nevertheless the diversity of this beer is something matched by few. Way to go guys, keep pumping these new creations out!


Tim: 94/100
Jen: 91/100

Munsterfest

Picked this up a couple weeks ago while I was at the brewery with Jeff and Jen. The bomber sat in the cooler at GRB for 2 weeks and I didn't want to risk it over another weekend. So, Caley, Trevor and I opened it up on Thursday afternoon while we were running an acid cycle in the Hot Liquer Tank.

Appearance: Medium amber in color with a subtle haze to it, nevertheless it is quite clear. The head takes on a creamed color while remaining densely textured but has a bit of a watery look. Carbonation is consistent and very fine.
Aroma: Big toasted malt (and I'd even say some caramel) A bit of a leafy hop character along with some. Rich malt all around along with a mild honey overtone and a trace of neutral grass hops. Festive smelling with even some spicing.
Taste: The foretaste is extremely rich with malted flavors along with a subtle presence of yeasty undertones. Quite simplistic. The end, however is chocked full of Diacetyl revolving around a very buttery. Aftertaste still maintains that diacetyl, but leaves a biscuity malt presence on the tongue. As it warms, more of the malt becomes pronounced, along with a doughy element.
Mouthfeel: Smooth and creamy. Carbonation is  very subtle leaving a very inviting feel on the tongue. The finish is dry and resin textured on the tongue. Even a bit chalky feeling. Nevertheless it is relatively drinkable, but not very clean.
Overall Impression: I wish I could have given this a better review, because I know how fantastic can be, being that I had my first pint from the brewery itself. But the diacetyl was highly present and but I can see where it could be missed by the occasional craft beer drinker


On Tap: 92/100
Bottle: 83/100 (the one reviewed)

Zombie Dust

Great appreciation goes out to Mike Gillhouse for bringing yet another of one of Three Floyd's spectacular beers out to the QC for me to review. Tasted after a long day spent at the Opening of the Farmers Market, Planting some Seed Saver Corn and other plants, Lunch and sampling local breweries, as well as hitting a new PR in the 1500m in the CCIW Outdoor Track and Field Conference Championships with a 4:04.35. Tasted with an Organic Frittata with chard, onion, carrot and radish. Mmm!

Appearance:  Soapy tan head that is at least an inch thick after the pour.  Dissipates at a slow but steady rate, leaving thick lacing clinging to the side of the glass.  Golden amber hue and slightly hazy when held up to the light. 

Aroma:  Very strong hop presence in the nose of the aroma.  Imparts robust grassy and citrus scents and yet there is this faint smell of sweet red grapes, a wine-like contribution that develops after a few good whiffs.  Other fruity contributions to the aroma include ripe pineapple and grapefruit.  There is really no presence of malt, it is covered up by the hops. 

Taste:  Initially this beer has a very basic pale malt sweetness. By the time the midtaste develops, a burst of tropical flavors rushes over the palate. It is only from here on out that the flavor inflates to a complex proportion. I take in a tangerine undertone with some biscuit malt that parallels an earthy, but very citrus based hop profile. Similarly I get grapefruit, but it resides under a layer of vinous attenuation and alcohol with a prominent smokey complexity that resembles bacon/nitrates that I'd attribute to a Vienna malt? I also attribute some of these flavors to a overarching pine essence.
Mouthfeel:  Very light and prickly sort of carbonation that brings out a smooth, creamy and medium body.  Hops provide a drying finish while the citrus bitterness and the resins hangs around on your tongue during the aftertaste.
Overall Impression: Again, Three Floyd's has yet to disappoint. This beer has a strange character it but when the hops come through, they are complexly layered where, when given enough thought, can be picked out. Malt resides with the finishing hops, along with much of the residual sweetness. High drinkability, while exposing the raw ingredients of beer...Water and hops.

Available only at the brewery: $24 for growler + fill
Tim: 94/100
Jen: 93/100

Jinx Proof

Thanks to Michael Gillhouse for bringing this out a couple weekends ago. Gillhouse currently works for a steel company out on the border of Indiana, just 20 minutes from the brewery. He's been a fantastic contributor to the blog. This was tasted Tuesday evening following 12 x 400m workout and enjoyed with homemade pita chips and black bean hummus.

Appearance: Yellow golden color. Some glowing, but subtle haze encapsulates the beer, but leaves it still visually appealing. Head is minimal and dissipates quickly but leaves a protruding white foam from the sides of the glass. No activity is present within the glass.
Aroma: Spicy and pungently sweet. Honey and yeast is predominantly present. Floral and lemon citrus are highly contributing elements to the overall scent of the beer. Yeasy dominates above all.
Taste: The foretaste is lightly sweetened with a pilsner malt and perhaps some wheat. Midtaste reveals the beginning of what stages as an extremely floral flavor. Some earthiness emerges in finish along with lemon and a farmhouse astringency. A lemon tartness as well as bittering peel is noted in a vapored aftertaste, paralleled with a pepper corns undertone and still the remaining honey characteristic. Flowery and yeasty provide a persistent flavor throughout. Finishing is bitter citrus fruit, mostly lemon.
Mouthfeel: The body is light but the carbonation is quite high, providing a fizzy texture that bites the tongue and then dissipates into a foamy bittered finish leaving the mouth dry and yeasty.
Overall Impression: Very similar to something Dogfish Head would make (or visaversa). Very complex and surprisingly difficult to characterize! Spicy and yeasty, yet drinkable and very enjoyable!


88/100

Alpha Klaus Porter

Tasted following a frigid run through the Rock. Enjoyed with Provolone and Havarti cheese. Served in a snifter.

Appearance: Black with a creamy dense off white/brown head. Head retention is mediocre with some lacing. So dark it leaves little to transparency. Brown around the edges of the glass.
Aroma: Strong coffee and roasted flavor followed by a rich citrus and pine nose. Aroma exhibits caramel and a robust chocolate sweetness with a spicy finish.
Taste: Initially the flavor is quite surprising. I really enjoy the combination of sweet roasted malty with the sweetness of the hops that add a grapefruit zest flavor. The aftertaste is fantastic especially for a porter. There isn't really any harsh burnt, molasses, or tobacco flavors whatsoever. All the bitterness that resembles Pine and tropical fruit definitely comes from the C hops. Chocolate and vanilla develop mid glass along with biscuit and the rich caramel roasted sweetness continues to play its part as the foundation. Finally to finish of the flavor is some spicing that resembles the aftertaste of brown sugar but with some cinnamon as well.
Mouthfeel: Medium body with a moderate amount of carbonation. This beer is creamy and smooth to texture. No tackiness.
Overall Impression: A very interesting porter that exhibits a truly authentic hop profile almost reminiscent of a Black IPA, but with a roasted base malt. The integration of these flavors make for a very complex taste and aroma that I have little experience with.


87/100

GumballHead

Another of the beers I picked up from the brewery. I had first tried this at Fiddle Head in Chicago, a Bar with over 120 bottles of beer. I tasted it again at the Hopleaf as well as I believe Fountainhead. Tasted for description following a P90X yoga session. Poured in Pilsner glass.

Appearance: Yellow straw with an easily visible and aggressive looking carbonation. Initially some bubbles had attached themselves to the side of the glass. A one finger white head dissipated into a thick film, leaving behind a dense layer of foam upon the glass.

Aroma: Very sweet aroma with citrus fruit and apricots. What also accompanies this ale are light wheat and pilsen malt backbone that maintains a subtle hop citrus complexity. Finishing is a somewhat floral but still crisp hop aroma. Add a splash of peaches and tropical esters and this beer has it all.
Taste: I taste the finishing aromatic hops (Amarillo? or Chinook?). The malted wheat cultivates a citrus and bready/yeast flavor to make a uniform delicate balance between two poles (hop vs. sweet). Lemon and orange zest make up for a light crisp finish. Still some herbaceous grassiness to the finishing taste.
Mouthfeel: Thicker and medium bodied than expected. Not tacky. Carbonation still spikes the tongue but leaves the palate clean and refreshed.
Overall Impression: For its clarity, I wouldn't expect the yeast, but it still imparted some. This beer is amazingly crisp and refreshing while maintaining a highly drinkable status. A multi plexus of fruit runs throughout drawing a unique complexity to the flavor and aroma. If seen on tap or at a bar, get it, try it, and let me know what you think!


89/100

Arctic Panzer Wolf

I first tasted this at the Three Floyd's brew pub from a snifter, but having tried many things before it, my palate wasn't as sensitive (though it still boasted a wealthy flavor). But to get more of an accurate description, and a chance for Jen to try it, we had it at Finnegan's in down town Plainfield.

Appearance: Yellow straw color with a hazy hue. Upon the side of the glass there is a sticky sporadic lacing. No visible carbonation, and a thin filmed head.
Aroma: Very tropical and fruity with flowery notes. More specifically I can draw out notes of mango and pineapple. The end reveals some slight spicing, perhaps coriander, but that may be false, as the zest and bitterness can easily be a overwhelming contributor to the beer.
Taste: Grassy with a more than dominant resin tropical citrus taste that dries out the palate. Potential fruit flavors derived from the bitterness may include: Apricot, mango, grapefruit and pineapple with a tannin plant like orange pineapple juice. A perfect hop juice!
Mouthfeel: A Medium body, as well as medium mouthfeel with a light carbonation that reinforces a zesty tart flavor. A subtle spike to the tip of the tongue.
Overall Impression: An interesting beer that fully exhibits the potential hops can contribute to both taste and flavor. The sweet taste was more so a trick to the palate from the alpha acids, that dedicated themselves to the utmost complexity. I wouldn't say this beer is necessarily balanced, but it still maintains an overly delicious and refreshing taste. Alcohol may creep up on you with this one.


88/100

Poppaskull Ale

I had heard about this beer from the Three Floyd's homepage, and had asked about it too on their blog. Luckily I had the opportunity to try it with Jen at Finnegan's in downtown Plainfield over Thanksgiving break.


Appearance: Reveals a clear golden amber color with minimal head. Carbonation accumulates within, as well as along side the glass. The clarity is maximal
Aroma: Floral but dominantly sweet. The malt character exhibits strong caramel malt smells with some mingled  toffee. To parallel, are undertones of biscuit malt. The flavor also incorporates subtle hints of grainy wort which somewhat detract from the overall aroma. Some woody, oak notes contribute as well.
Taste: There is a strong boozy finish with a candied cane sugar sweetness. Caramel and pale make up the base malt, followed by toasted barley with intertwined nutty flavor. Flavors aside, there is a mixed boozy finish that ends quite dry. Gradually the fore and mid taste develop undertones of buttery, candied toffee. Belgian fruit esters from the yeast make a complementing sweetness.
Mouthfeel: Lighter body but tacky/cloying texture with a biting carbonation. Clean and crisp nevertheless, with an assimilated drying aftertaste.
Overall Impression: A decent beer, but nothing to hype-up about. I enjoyed the robustly sweet flavors but I think there may have been too much going on, or the focus was on the alcohol. Ultimately, it is certainly a beer to try, but nothing to drink at a higher frequency.

Broo Doo Harvest Ale

I first tried this at The Green Grocer, off Grand Ave, in Chicago. At the finish of a day walking the city visiting every brewery I could within the 15 mile walk. I tried this as a part of the bomber tasting event they had, having liked it so much I purchased a bottle of which was officially tasted earlier this week with several friends.

Appearance: Amber/straw in color with a strong clarity, though a haze permeates this ale either from hops or chill. Slight carbonation with mediocre, uniform lacing atop the glass.

Aroma: I smell hops of fruity citra origin. There is a pine undertone as well. Caramel grain sweetness denotes the mid-smell. Tropical sugary cane helps pronounce the wealthy pine aroma. Perhaps some mango?

Taste: The pine obviously takes a central theme along with a ever apparent pale malt and biscuit adjunct. Hop profile is extremely fruity and tropical like pineapple and grapefruit. I think that the brewery may have gotten these flavors more from the hops they used in the Arctic Panzer Wolf, which resembled an overshoot of luscious hops. The aftertaste is short lived with a grassy residue that maintains its presence. I find some apricot overtones as well as orange peel at the finish, graduating subtly into the aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Loose and light with a medium body and minimal carbonation. Extremely drinkable even with a slight hot finish. Resinous and oily to texture.
Overall Impression: The balance and complexity of this ale is incomparable to any I've had. The balance between the citrus and pine hopping held up by the caramel biscuit malt.


95/100

Brewery Review: Three Floyds Brewery - Munster, IN

This trip was made as a Birthday present from my Stepfather. Will Reno tagged along as well, we made it on a Sunday night in early November. The time it takes to get out there from the North shore is about an hour exactly, so there will probably be a couple more visits/updates to this post. I did end up purchasing 4 six packs of: Robert the Bruce, Pride and Joy, Alpha King and Gumball Head. These will be logged very soon.

Anyway, the list of fantastic beer I was able to try goes as follows (each was tasted as part of their sampler flight, or of the courtesy tastings from our waiter):

Note: Color may be influenced by the darkness of brewpub.

Robert the Bruce: Brown/Bronzed red with creamy head. Clear except for darkening color. Malty and rich caramel. Preposterously sweet and malty with toasted aromatics. Biscuit flavor transforms into a burnt finish. Slight roasted flavor.
87/100
Pride & Joy - Lighter clear amber color. Minimal Head. Aroma is grassy and herbaceous. Citrus hops make their appearance, and over stays. Very hoppy with minimal malt character. High carbonation.
89/100
Dreadnaught - Transparent gold. Dissipating head. Sweet orange zest aroma. Alcohol taste is matched by the 100 IBU’s this beer boasts. Grapefruit and delicately sweetened, complemented with pineapple and other tropical hop fruit flavors
94/100
Alpha King - Darker amber. Slight biscuit aroma with a paralleled dark fruit/hop smell. Sweet candied caramel sweetness with a fruity/tart profile added by the hops. Biscuit sweetness permeates by way of carbonation that bite the tongue .
93/100
Hell’s Black Intelligencer - Black to the name. Aroma is burnt and roasted reminiscent of coffee, but mostly chocolate. Smooth texture, while mouthfeel is creamy with a short lived, almost non-existent head. Potent mocha flavor.
82/100
Sand Pebbles - Darker copper with foamed ring. Clarity would still be an 8/10. Sweet malty aroma. Taste is typical and malty sweet. Finishes semi-sweet with a perfect balance between sweet and bitter.  A perfect go-to amber…with hops!
85/100
The Creeper - Black with limited foamed ring. Especially smooth with an ironic chocolate/caramel flavor. Complex but interesting. Otherwise, “No words [Can] describe this beer”
91/100
Arctic Panzer Wolf - (Snifter poured) Cloudy straw color with minimal ringed head. Aroma is choked full of pineapple orange juice (literally!) and other tropical fruitiness. Bitterness is so much it is near spicy to the palate. Sweet pale base malt with the hops making the beer the beer it is. Alcohol  goes almost unnoticed by the authoritarian bitterness (Sold in bombers….get one!)
92/100

The Brewery is located in the back of a warehouse/industrial district right off the highway. Similar to Two brothers in location, the thematic inside is far different. Reminiscent of an 80's persona, complete with even the 80's music, this dark lit brewpub maintains a relaxing atmosphere with early 90's and 80's references to the past, as well as commemorative references to other breweries like Dogfish Head and Flying Dog. There are colorful flags on the ceiling. I personally thought the brewpub reminded me of a tattoo parlor. The Food menu was minimal (but who was actually there for the food), but in all actuality, they do make one of the best pizza's I've had ( I got the veggie). Against the back wall they have a window that allows people to view their extensive warehouse and brewery. The waiter was great, I told him I was a blogger and he allowed me to try the rest of the beers on the menu (except Gumball Head because I had already tried it on several occasions). Overall the brewpub was an interesting, but oddly relaxing experience. Without the drive, I would surely be back every weekend. Three Floyds introduces beers often, and this is the place to go to give your input about what will be the next fantastic ale out on the shelves. Not everything is available on their website, but there are beers available at the pub that aren't on their site.
You can purchase any of the 4 six pack's that I did, along with BrooDoo, Dreadnaught, and Arctic Panzer.
Oh and by the way, the beer is absolutely phenomenal.
Check them out: http://www.3floyds.com/

Brewery Experience: 46/50

Alpha King Pale Ale

This was another of the six packs I purchased from the brewery. Apparently Three Floyd's beer is one of the highest demanded in the midwest (Well for sure Illinois). I've talked to Ryan at Ribco and he told me he has the most difficult times getting this beer and when he does, he has to charge a whole lot for it. Fortunately I don't live (too) far from the brewery in Munster, IN. so for my birthday I made it out there to check the scene and taste some beer. Enjoyed Prior to Augustana's first basketball game and to see Jen cheer lead.

Appearence: A rich ambered orange with a frothy off white one fingered creamed head that dissipates only minutes later. Clarity is on the higher end. Light speckled lacing on the side of the glass. Carbonation is near invisible.

Aroma: Quite floral with a citrus kick at the end. The bitterness already I know is going to be a predominant contributor to this beer. Malt sweetness is almost non-existent. Light splashes of grapefruit zest, immediately giving the impression of amarillo, simcoe or chinook hops.

Taste: Very fruitful to the lips. As I said earlier the malt takes a fair background position as the alpha acids do the talking. Nevertheless there is a subtle sweetness that is indeterminately coming from the hops but maintained from the light pale malt profile. The hops have a robust complexity reminiscent of tropical fruit, grapefruit, citrus and zest as well as floral undertones. The flavor is more lasting than others, while giving this beer not a grassy, but flavorful aftertaste that remains until the next sip. After burp is spectacular.

Mouthfeel: Rich and creamy for a pale ale. The beer presents a small carbonation that doesn't bite, but instead blossoms more flavors as the beer finishes on the palate. Light body but bold flavor.

Overall Impression: Not for the faint at heart. THIS IS A HOPPED BEER. Not a Dreadnought, but certainly flavorful. I'd call it more an Imperial IPA than anything, given the darkness and the absurd bitter flavor. Nevertheless it maintains a proper and formal bitterness that has an absurd complexity. Balance is off, but I certainly wasn't worried about it. Clean and extremely drinkable. I'll be buying this again next time I see it.

92/100

Robert the Bruce Scottish Ale

Tried in the evening after practice and having gone to Augie Acres to collect some salad greens. For some reason nothing is being done with them, so I figured (with Jaron Gaier's permission) I'd help myself to and untapped resource of salad greens. Enjoyed with Milton Dairy' Cheddar cheese and balsamic vinaigrette.

Appearance: Dark brown with little transparency. Dense tan head that laces nicely against the glass. Carbonation is difficult to see. Head diminishes rather quickly.
Aroma: Very malty and sweet with caramel and chocolate at the immediate nose. Nevertheless, there is a bit of grainy smell to it that is a little off bearing. Brown sugar emerges as another dominant characteristic. Toasted coffee beans are a contributor as well
Taste: Very sweet roasted malt profile initially that again acquires a somewhat grain husk bitterness. Chocolate and caramel play against themselves with an earthy musk to the beer. The finish is the tannin bitterness I mentioned above combined with a burnt licorice taste. Some tobacco begins to emerge halfway down into the glass.
Mouthfeel: Thick body and semi-cloying mouthfeel. Carbonation is low and perfect for this style type. The fizzed bubbles are prominent through to the end of the tongue, but not enough to bite or sting.
Overall Impression: I’m really not a fan of the over roasted/licorice/tobacco flavor of this beer. The chocolate and brown sugar in the beginning was great to start, but as those faded, the emerging characters didn’t follow what my ideal for a spectacular beer should be. The taster was great but bottled is either too much or just a different batch.

80/100