Tripel Karmeliet

Brewed By: Brouwerij Bosteels in Buggenhout, Belgium

Purchased: 33cl/330ml/11.2oz bottle bought at Binny's in IL; 2011

Style/ABV: Belgian Tripel, 8.4%

 

Tonight I am diving into one of the highest rated Tripels available in the world. In fact, Tripel Karmeliet is the number one rated Tripel on Ratebeer and the fourth best Tripel on BeerAdvocate. This is an epic beer, in every sense of the word.

Tripel Karmeliet is brewed by Brouwerij Bosteels, or "Bosteels Brewery." You can read about their beer and find out about the brewery on their website HERE. Their website is flash heavy and features annoying looping music, so be warned. The brewery was established by Evarist Bosteels in 1791, and has been family run by the Bosteels for over 200 years and seven generations.

The brewery website has a very cool section called A Passion For Brewing where they talk about their brewing process, and the way they pick and choose their ingredients. The website states that "water, beautiful plump summer barley, hops and yeast are the most important basic ingredients in brewing beer."

There is a lot of time and attention to detail put into the beer that Bosteels brews, and these nuances are not missed with the Tripel Karmeliet. The Karmeliet is brewed with 3 grains, and is based on an authentic recipe from 1679 from the Carmelite monastery. The 3 grains used are wheat, oats, and barley. The website states that the beer has hints of vanilla and citrus on the nose, and tastes light and fresh from the wheat, creamy from the oats, and slightly spicy and citrus-like. I am beyond excited to try this beer, so let's dive in.

Tripel Karmeliet

The Tripel Karmeliet glass may very well be my favorite beer glass. It is an epic beer glass with a thick stem, wonderful lilies on the base of the glass, and the Tripel Karmeliet logo on the side of the glass. The glass has a huge bowl that narrows towards the top. This is a huge glass. The bowl is as large as the Duvel glass, only on a stem. This is a glass that will hold beers with big heads. And the thing about the Karmeliet glass...you need it for this epic beer.

Forget Duvel. Forget Guinness. The Karmeliet takes the cake as far as beers with huge heads are concerned. I got 7 or 8 fingers of HUGE, fluffy, white head from this beer. This beer is fucking gorgeous, maybe the best looking beer I have ever poured. In low light this beer has a pale orange/yellow/straw color. When held to bright light this beer is clearly a pale/yellow/golden, hazy, straw color. This beer is super carbonated and very effervescent; as a Tripel SHOULD be. There is already great lacing on my glass, and my guess is the head will in fact hang around. 

The aroma on this beer is clutch. This beer smells amazing, and it accomplishes the wonderful aromas without the outrageous malts like the Chimay White. I'm smelling creamy oats, wheat, and grainy malts. This is very creamy and smooth on the nose. I'm also picking up huge aromas of citrus; herbal orange and lemon tea, fresh lemon, lemon grass, sharp orange, lemon wheat, and hints of apricots and honey. I'm picking up hints of sugar, pepper, and alcohol. The booziness is subdued, and fits the 8.4% ABV. It isn't assaulting your nostrils like the Maredsous 10. There are also waves of candied oranges and lemons. This smells fresh, clean, refined, and subtle. This invites you to take a drink. I'm excited!

Wow. Yummy. This tastes absolutely fantastic. You're greeted with a huge creamy head (which is hanging around quite nicely), and then met with creamy oats. This is cut by oranges, lemons, pepper, grain, and a whirlwind of delicious malts and hops. The finish is wheat, candied oranges and candied lemons, and a tingle of alcohol dancing on the back palate. I'm tasting oats, grain, wheat, candied lemon and oranges, hints of white sugar, apricots, and pleasant booziness that meshes with the grains on the back end.

This is refined, mature, clean, fresh, and delicious. The palate depth is wonderful, this is wildly complex, and it drinks very well. The alcohol is subtle like it should be for the style. This is medium-light bodied, well-carbonated, and drinks like an effervescent Belgian Strong Ale should. The front is creamy oats, creamy head, hints of lemon and orange; the middle rolls into pepper and spice, more fruits, grain and wheat, candied oranges and candied lemons, white sugar; the back end is grain, wheat, candied fruits, alcohol. The finish is slightly dry with tingling alcohol. This has so much depth and dimension, I love it. 

Rating: Divine Brew 

Score: 98%

 

There is nothing wrong with this brew. Nothing. If you see this beer, buy it. If you like Tripels, buy this beer. If you want to store a classy Belgian Strong Ale in your cellar, grab this Tripel. It is effervescent, bubbly, dry, and would give any glass of champagne a run for its money. 

This is love. This is a beer epiphany. This is the best Tripel I've had to date...barring some minor subtleties. For example, the Chimay White is a wonderful, raunchy, malty bomb. The La Fin Du Monde from Unibroue is a very yeasty beer with wonderful flavors from the yeasts. The Tripel Karmeliet relies on a wonderful balance of grains and malts, and is just plain brilliant. These are all top-tier Tripels, each with a slightly different approach to the style.

With that said...cheers. If you love beer, you owe it to yourself to try the Tripel Karmeliet.

Trader Joe's Vintage Ale 2011

Brewed By: Unibroue (Sapporo) in Chambly, Canada 
Purchased: 1 pint 9.4oz bomber bought at Trader Joe's in IL; 2011
Style/ABV: Belgian Dark Strong Ale, 9.0%

What is Trader Joe's? Trader Joe's started out as a small chain of convenience stores back in 1958. Back in 1958 the chain was known as "Pronto Market." The first store named after founder Joe Coulombe opened in 1967. Trader Joe's is known for its organic and gourmet foods, and they sell lots of food straight from the manufacturer at lower prices than other retailers. That's the textbook definition...Trader Joe's is a grassroots style store that sells a lot of fresh, organic, and hippy products. It's a cute little store, and it has gained a lot of popularity over the past couple of years. 

Trader Joe's has a recent reputation for selling beer and wine. They are probably most famous for their 2-buck chuck. Their 2 dollar bottles of wine have stirred the shit pot in the wine community...but that is neither here nor there. Trader Joe's also sells craft beer, and they also sell Trader Joe's branded beer. As far as I can tell, Trader Joe's does not actually make any beer. Instead they contract their beer out to other companies such as Firestone Walker Brewing Co., Unibroue (Sapporo), and the Gordon Biersch Brewing Company. 

So why would anyone buy Trader Joe's beer? The answer is price. Trader Joe's beer is reasonably priced, just like their 2-buck chuck. You can often pick up a six pack for 6 or 7 dollars. Add in the fact that Trader Joe's beer is brewed by some very good craft breweries, and you see the selling point. Tonight's beer only cost 5 dollars for a 750ml bomber; that is a hell of a deal. Especially considering that tonight's beer is brewed by the fine folks at Unibroue. Tonight's beer is a remarkable bargain, and even more so when you consider Unibroue's track record of brewing kick ass beer. 

Before I review the 2011 Vintage Ale, let me introduce Unibroue. According to Unibroue's History Page, Unibroue was founded in 1990 by André Dion and Serge Racine. In 1993, Unibroue moved to their brewery location in Chambly, Quebec. In 2004 Unibroue was purchased by Sleeman Brewery, and in 2006 Sleeman was purchased by the Japanese company, Sapporo. Unibroue is now owned by Sapporo, and their beer is available globally. Unibroue are one of Canada's most famous breweries, and they are known for their awesome Belgian beers. They are also known for making Trader Joe's Vintage Ales, which date back to 2005.

The pour yields about 3-fingers worth of tan head. The head looks like bread, and has the same color as wheat bread. This is an effervescent beer, and the head is made up of very small and finely packed bubbles. In low light this beer looks dark brown or black, but this is clearly a purple/dark red beer in light. The beer is too dark to see through, but I am going to guess it is hazy and carbonated. There was some nice smoke when I opened the bottle, and the clinging head leaves some lacing.

Trader Joe's Vintage Ale 2011

The aroma on this is very Belgian, and it is obvious that Belgian yeast was used in this beer. The bottle states that this beer was brewed with noble hops, roasted malts, and spices. I'm smelling banana, white sugar, vanilla, and clove from the yeasts. Really, this nose is huge on the banana and white sugar. I'm pulling out a touch of pepper, maybe cinnamon or nutmeg, and a hint of bread. I'm looking for the dark fruits, and at best I pick up hints of raisin, cherries, or caramel. But overall, the nose is dominated by perfume-like clove, banana, vanilla, and white sugar.  

The taste is an interesting mesh of spices like nutmeg, cinnamon, and pepper, dancing with the Belgian yeasts. The Belgian yeasts yield that banana and white sugar I was smelling in the nose. I'm picking up some cherries, and lots of herbal flavors from a slight and pleasant astringency. This is finishing boozy and warm, and dry and slightly tart. There is good carbonation, but for the 9% ABV the mouthfeel is kind of thin. 

Rating: Average
Score: 60%

The mouthfeel on this is carbonated and full, but lacks any depth or roundness. Palate depth is non-existent. This has moderate complexity. Drinkability is high, but this is surprisingly boozy and warming without the complexity or depth you expect from a big ass 9% ABV Belgian warmer. The front of the palate is tingly carbonation, spices and bananas; this rolls into hints of malt and more spices; this rolls into lingering sugar and yeasts, and finishes dry and slightly tart. You definitely feel some booze in the finish. 

I'm kind of disappointed with this, but I'm kind of not. Five bucks for 750ml is a steal. This isn't a bad beer by any stretch either. My first issue with this beer is that it is still a bit vicious and unrefined. I have two more bottles of this that I am going to throw in the cellar for a year, so I will revisit this down the stretch to see how it changes. Right now the spices and yeasts dominate, with a big boozy finish. Maybe aging will bring out the malts and calm the alcohol down. My second issue is the lack of dark fruits. I picked up hints of cherries and raisins, but I mostly extracted huge bananas and sugars from the yeasts. On the other hand, I did get some nice cinnamon and nutmeg.

Overall, this is not a bad beer. Especially at five bucks a bottle. This would pair well with a nice winter meal, and this should lay down nicely. I look forward to revisiting the 2011 in the future. For five bucks, what do you have to lose?

Stone 11.11.11 Vertical Epic Ale

Brewed By: Stone Brewing Co. in Escondido, California

Purchased: Single, big-ass, bomber (1 Pint, 6oz) from Binny's in Illinois; 2011

Style/ABV: Belgian Strong Ale, 9.4% 

I've already mentioned Stone Brewing when I reviewed their 15th Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black IPA. Stone Brewing are one of the more prominent breweries in the American craft brewing scene. They were founded in 1996 in San Marcos, California, and moved to Escondido, California where they recently expanded their operations. Stone was founded by Steve Wagner and Greg Koch. Koch has a reputation among the craft beer community for voicing his opinion, not putting up with shit, and standing behind his beer. 

If there ever was a guy who projects his personality onto his beer, it would probably be Koch. I don't know anything about Koch personally, but I feel like I know him well just by reading about and drinking his beer. That's a good thing, right? 

Anyway...today's beer is part of Stone's Vertical Epic Ale series. The Vertical Epic Ale series has been running since 2002. Each beer is released annually, in sequence. So in 2002 the 2.2.02 Ale was released; in 2003 the 3.3.03; etc.. The intention of the series is to drink all beers in sequence when the final beer is released. That requires you to cellar the beers of course, and to have been a savvy beer geek for the past 10 years. This is my first Vertical Epic Ale, so savvy beer geek I am not. The especially savvy beer geeks will be selling the complete collection on Ebay for an exorbitant price when the final beer in the series comes out. That is financial foresight. 

Anaheim Chillies

Tonight's beer is a Belgian Strong Ale; at least according to Ratebeer and BeerAdvocate. Stone's website says the beer is brewed with Warrior, Target, Perle and Pacific Jade hops. The Target hops are intense, the Warrior hops are used for bittering and aromatics. The Perle hops are slightly spicy and fruity, so I will look out for those notes. And the Pacific Jade hops are bold with pepper and citrus notes. According to the Stone Brewing blog, this beer uses Belgian yeast. They suggest banana aromatics and flavors. The beer uses a number of malts common in Belgian Ales, including Pale and Crystal. And finally, the beer is brewed with cinnamon. Stone's blog suggests the beer will have notes of toffee, toast, fruity esters, and spices. Honestly, this beer kind of sounds like a Belgian IPA, right? 

There is one final ingredient I have not mentioned. Tonight's beer is brewed with Anaheim Chilies from New Mexico’s legendary Hatch Valley. Yes, this is a Belgian Strong Ale with yeasts that impart banana and fruity notes, toffee and toasted malts, spicy and citrus-like hops, cinnamon, and mother fucking chilies. I'm excited! Let's pop this bitch and say cheers to the end of time. 

First off, props to Stone for the kick ass bottle artwork. This is a "Vertical Epic Ale" so the words are placed vertically on the bottle. The artwork screams Mayan apocalypse, with the sun on the bottle made up of 11s. The bottle cap says "All-time Top Brewery on Planet Earth," which is a quote from BeerAdvocate magazine. Imagine finding a bottle of this in a post-apocalyptic setting. 

As for the beer itself, it pours a wonderful dark brown color in low light, with a one-finger, brown/greenish/yellowish head. In bright light this is clearly a reddish beer with hints of brown and orange. The head is bubbly with very small bubbles, and I can stir up a head by swirling the beer in the snifter. The beer appears to be filtered, and has moderate carbonation. There are some alcohol legs, and there appears to be some lacing. 

I've had a couple of Belgian IPAs. The New Belgium Belgo, and the Lagunitas A Little Sumpin’ Wild Ale. This smells a lot like a Belgian IPA. I'm smelling a ton of bananas and Belgian yeasts up front. I'm picking up on some spice - black pepper, and cinnamon. And I'm definitely smelling some chillies in the mix. When I swirl the glass I get hit with banana again. When the beer settles I pick up that chilli note - I'm reminded of ballpark nachos with jalapenos, and preparing jalapenos for cooking. I'm also picking up a hint of citrus, and maybe a touch of very subdued malt. There's also some booze on the nose, but hey, at 9.4% that's not unexpected.

Stone 11.11.11 Vertical Epic Ale

Holy chillies, batman! Wow! I'm picking up a lot of chillies in this, especially cutting through the middle and back. I'm immediately reminded of that salty, earthy, and spicy note you get with ballpark nachos. I eat a ton of spicy foods, and I love spicy peppers. This really has a nice flavor that would go well with something Mexican or spicy. I'm also tasting some cinnamon, black pepper, citrus bite from the hops that lingers in the back, bananas, and a touch of malt support in the form of maybe toffee or toast? 

This is a very strange brew. The back end is hugely warming, dry, and spicy. The mouthfeel is medium-full, with moderate carbonation. This is not as effervescent as a typical Belgian Strong Ale, and still reminds me quite a bit of a Belgian IPA. There are hints of citrus and black pepper, but the chillies cuts through this beer in a truly unique way. Despite the uniqueness from the chillies, this beer seems to be only moderately complex with moderate palate depth. On the front end I'm getting bananas and spices like cinnamon and black pepper; this rolls into bananas, Anaheim Chillies, orange citrus, and touches of malt support; the back end is all Anaheim Chillies, lingering malt, lingering cinnamon and pepper, and alcohol warming. 

Rating: Above-Average

Score: 78%

This is a very interesting beer. The Anaheim Chillies really impart a salty and spicy note that is very unique. This beer has big, bold flavors, and reminds me of a Belgian IPA with a spicy twist. There is nice lacing on my snifter, and a wonderful cauldron effect atop the beer. 

All-in-all I am pretty pleased with this beer. I would definitely pair this beer with something spicy or Mexican. Hell, you could drink this beer with some Taco Bell or ballpark nachos. But this is also a classy and refined beer. I never figured that bananas of all things could play well with chillies. I do think this beer is a bit chilli-forward. So consider that a warning in advance if you have an aversion to chilli peppers. If you are into exotic craft beers, you definitely should pick this one up while you can still grab it. Cheers.

Two Brothers Northwind Imperial Stout

Brewed By: Two Brothers Brewing Company in Warrenville, Illinois

Purchased: 6-Pack from Friar Tucks in Illinois; 2011

Style/ABV: Russian Imperial Stout, 9.1%

It's been a while since I've talked about the Two Brothers Brewing Company. Two Brothers are based out of Warrenville, Illinois, a town not far from Chicago. Two brothers was founded in 1996 by brother Jason and Jim Ebel. Their brewery and Tap House Restaurant are both located in Warrenville. Their distribution and production seems to be increasing with each year, and along with their beer you can buy home brewing equipment and supplies at the Tap House Restaurant. 

Doesn't this scream Black Metal?

I love Two Brothers, but I'm still a firm believer they need to transport their website from 1992 to 2011. Today's beer, Northwind Stout, is a Winter Seasonal release from the Two Brothers. The website states that this beer has firm roasty maltiness balanced with lots of hops. The beer clocks in at an impressive 9.1% ABV, and packs an okay 45 IBUs. The BJCP clocks most Ruskie Stouts at 50-90 IBUs. 

I have a random tangent that I need to quickly discuss, and I'm sure this will come up again. Russian Imperial Stouts have always remind me of Black Metal. Both styles are extreme and attract a geek audience. It's really no surprise at all that Jester King Craft Brewing would come up with their Black Metal Imperial Stout. The Northwind bottle art reminds me of Immortal and Enslaved. And nothing says winter like some Black Metal. Anyway, I'm going to crank Enslaved's album Below the Lights while I review this beer. And yes, I realize Enslaved is more Viking/Folk metal than pure Black Metal.

Two Brothers Northwind Imperial Stout

Popping the top off the bottle yielded about 5 seconds worth of smoke. I was also greeted with some rising carbonation, but it never overflowed the bottle. The beer pours with a thick, coffee-colored head. I got about 5-fingers worth of head, and the head has a ton of finely packed bubbles. The beer is dark black or brown in low light, but held to bright light you can see that it is probably dark brown or ruby red in color. Head retention is excellent, so I'm guessing the beer is well carbonated. There are alcohol legs, and spotty lacing is already on my glass.

I'm getting a lot of roasted malts on the nose. I'm smelling roasted malts; burnt molasses or burnt marshmallow; hints of campfire. There is some dark or burnt chocolate. I'm picking up hints of meatiness with the roasted malts; bacon and ham. I'm also picking up this meaty, dense note - it reminds me of thick steak or heavy portobello mushrooms. There is a hint of the looming 9.1% ABV on the nose as well, and I'm also smelling a smooth, creamy, or lactose type note.

This is very creamy, smooth, and roasty. There is a lot of roasted malt, with hints of wood and campfire. I swear I am tasting a very silky smooth lactose note, with hints of silky chocolate. The back end is woody and dry, with lots of roast. There are hints of sweetness, and some pulls towards caramel or a dark fruit. There are also pulls towards coffee, but nothing definitive.

The mouthfeel on this is smooth as hell, and creamy. This drinks medium-light for a 9.1% Russian Imperial Stout. I want to say this beer is overly carbonated...but I'm not sure that is the issue. The beer almost tastes oxidized. This has okay palate depth for a Russian Imperial Stout, but I wouldn't call it overly complex. The front end is roast, hints of coffee and sweet dark fruits; the middle is more roast and burnt chocolate; and the back end is roast, wood, campfire, burnt molasses, and dryness. The finish is dry and woody, and I like it. And the 9.1% ABV absolutely disappears which is an incredible feat.

Rating: Average
Score: 56% 

This is very drinkable, but a touch roast-forward. There are a lot of delicious roasted malts in this, and a great woody and dry finish. But that drives the experience. I'm also slightly perplexed by the carbonated or oxidized mouthfeel.

Here is what I really like about this beer: the price and availability. The fact that it is smooth as hell and that the 9.1% ABV is non-existent. I'm also digging the cool bottle artwork.

This might be worth checking out if Two Brothers is in your area. This is not a bad Russian Imperial Stout, just a slightly flawed if not less-than-memorable one. I wouldn't pay a ton of money to ship this beer across the country. 

New Holland Cabin Fever

Brewed By: New Holland Brewing Company in Holland, Michigan

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 6-pack purchased at Friar Tucks in IL; 2011

Style/ABV: American Brown Ale, 6.0% 

 

I've already reviewed a few beers from New Holland Brewing, and I introduced the brewery in the process. You can read my ramble about Dragon's Milk or check out my review of Ichabod where I introduced the brewery. Real quick though: New Holland was founded in 1996 in Holland, Michigan. They distribute their beers more towards the Midwest, and they distill whiskey, rum and gin in addition to the beer they brew. They have a pretty cool website, and you can find out more HERE.

"I'll take one Cabin Fever, please"

Today's beer is dubbed "Cabin Fever." According to the New Holland Cabin Fever page, the beer is a Brown Ale that is roasty, hearty, and features rye, roast, raisin, and sweet caramel notes. They state that the beer has a dry finish and goes well with roasts, stews, caramelized onions, and snowfall. Clocking in at 6.0% ABV, this is on the upper fringe of what you would expect from an American Brown Ale. This is a winter seasonal for New Holland, but is not described as being a winter warmer or a Christmas/Winter Spiced Beer; this looks like a Brown Ale that happens to make an appearance during the winter months. 

I do like the name though. The term "cabin fever" has a number of cool implications behind it. The term cabin fever refers to the claustrophobic reaction that happens when someone is trapped in a small space for a long period of time. People suffering from cabin fever experience restlessness, paranoia, distrust, frustration, and a whole bunch of crazy Jack Nicholson-Shining shit. There is also a wonderful B-horror film entitled Cabin Fever about a bunch of college kids...in a cabin in the woods; it's like The Thing meets Evil Dead. Regardless of how you like to slice up your women and children, Cabin Fever is a pretty cool name. 

This pours solid. There's about 3-fingers worth of tan/khaki/root beer float looking head. The head is thick and creamy and would make Guinness blush. The beer looks dark brown or black in lower light, but when held to a bright light the beer is definitely brown-red or ruby red. The beer looks to be filtered, is somewhat transparent, and has moderate carbonation. There is good head retention through the duration, with a nice centimeter coating hanging around. I'm also getting touches of lacing.

New Holland Cabin Fever

I love it when I smell a "trademark" brewery ingredient. For example: Samuel Adams uses the same yeasts in many of their beers. You can smell a beer and isolate the Sam Adam's yeast pretty easily; it has a distinct aroma and taste. The first time I smelled Cabin Fever, I thought of the quite memorable Dragon's Milk that I reviewed earlier in the year. I'm definitely picking up on the New Holland yeast, and my guess is Dragon's Milk and Cabin Fever use similar yeasts.

I'm picking up a touch of a wood or oak smell; but that might just be me remembering the Dragon's Milk so vividly. There is a ton of roasted malt, and all the usual suspects that you get with it; nudges towards bacon and meat, and the works. I smell oatmeal, rye, sweet caramel, roast, and a touch of alcohol. No raisins on the nose for me, but plenty of big malty goodness.

 

The taste is smooth, sweet, roasty, and finishes with that lingering roasted note that flirts with smokey or meaty. I taste sweet malts; caramel, raisin. I'm picking up some roasted nuts, burnt toast scrapping, rye and rye bread, and an astringent woody note that is quite complementing to the dry back end. There is definitely a touch of smokey on the back end.

 

This is medium-full and has a smooth front and a slightly woody, smokey, and dry finish. This has great depth and complexity for a Brown Ale. The front end is smooth, malty, and full of sweet caramel and hints of raisin. The middle rolls into roasted nuts, burnt toast, rye, and rye bread. The back end is woody, smokey, full of roasted malts, and slightly drying. The roasted malts really drive through the middle and back of the palate and work well with this beer. Moderate carbonation also helps to support the beer.

Rating: Above-Average

Score: 88%

 

This is a tremendous Brown Ale with a wonderful roasty complexion and a nice balance of sweet flavors. This would go well with a hearty winter meal, or with a bowl of nuts and a football game. I would definitely drink this beer by the fire if I was stuck and stranded inside a cabin. And I might even smash the bottle on a nearby table and use the pointy edge as a shiv, because this beer bottle seems to have that solid construction. And an extra shiv always comes in handy if you're experiencing cabin fever...

Goose Island Demolition Ale

Brewed By: Goose Island Beer Company (owned by AB InBev) in Chicago, Illinois

Purchased: 1 Pint, 6oz (650mL) bomber from Binny's in IL; 2011

Style/ABV: Belgian Blonde Ale, 7.2%

Goose Island - former pride of Chicago craft brewing

I realize that I never properly introduced Goose Island. But there is so much to talk about regarding today's beer, and I don't want to spend too much time on history. Especially since I am jaded knowing that Goose Island is now owned by A-B InBev. The Wikipedia breakdown works for me: the brewery began as a brewpub on Clybourn which opened on May 1988. The actual brewery itself opened on 1995, and is located on the Southwest side of Chicago. The second brewpub, located in Wrigleyville by the Chicago Cubs, was opened in 1999. On March 28, 2011, Goose Island sold 58% of the brewery to Anheuser-Busch. The remaining 42% of the brewery is also supposed to be acquired by A-B in the future.

Today's beer is called "Demolotion" and is currently retired. Goose Island has a number of retired beers, including their Bourbon County Vanilla, Bourbon County Rare, Nut Brown Ale, and their Oatmeal Stout. The Nut Brown Ale and Oatmeal Stout were fan-fucking-tastic, and I am sad to see them go.

Aside from the very popular 312 Urban Wheat Ale that Goose Island is most known for, they brew a number of classic, vintage, vintage reserve, and extreme ales. The classic ales include typical seasonal offerings. The vintage and vintage reserve ales are Belgian and French Style Ales. And the extreme ales are huge Imperial Stouts and Barleywines.

Today's beer, Demolition, would be in the Vintage Ales if not for being retired. I feel like it is kind of pointless to review a retired beer - after all, this beer won't be on shelves in the future. But at the same time, I think there is some cool stuff we can educate ourselves on in the process. Specifically, I want to unravel some style semantics, and I want to see how a stale beer holds up. YES: I am reviewing this beer well past its expiration date. According to my bottle, this beer was bottled on 2/6/2011. Even more depressing is that there are no clear indications that this is bottle-conditioned. Although, I get the impression from all the yeast and sediment inside the bottle that it might be. The bottle clearly states: "Will remain fresh 180 days from the bottled on date." Well fuck me; according to my math, it's been around 304 days since bottling. That means this beer is 120 days overdue. I'm worried - I'm not gonna lie. But then again, people age beers like Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale for 10 years. This beer uses Saaz and Chinook hops and has Belgian Yeast, so my hope is that it remained funky and drinkable despite being overdue.

So already we are throwing credibility out the window and pissing in the wind with this review. But we can still talk about style semantics and have some fun drinking beer in the process. Ratebeer has dubbed this beer a Belgian Ale and BeerAdvocate is calling it a Belgian Pale Ale. I've complained about these ambiguous style guidelines before. Goose Island has dubbed Demolition a Belgian and French Style Ale.

The BJCP has a Belgian and French Style Ale category, and within that section is the Belgian Pale Ale category. Belgian Pale Ales have an IBU between 20-30, an ABV between 4.8-5.5%, and use Pilsner or Pale Malts, Vienna and Munich malts for color, body and complexity, and Noble hops like Styrian Goldings and East Kent Goldings.

The BJCP also has a Belgian Blond Ale category. These beers have IBUs between 15-30, ABVs between 6-7.5%, and use Belgian Pils malts, aromatic malts, sugar, Belgian yeast strains, and noble hops. They also have an often noticeable orange or lemon flavor.

The Demolition uses Saaz and Chinook hops; I believe the Saaz are a classical noble hop, and the Chinook is more of an American hop that is often used in Pale Ales, and IPAs. Demolition also uses Pilsen malts, clocks in at 40 IBUs, and packs 7.2% ABV. It sounds slightly more bitter than both the Belgian Pale Ale and the Belgian Blond Ale. It also clocks in at a much higher ABV than a Belgian Pale Ale. Perhaps it doesn't play nicely with either style guideline...I guess we will find out, hopefully.

Again. This bottle is well overdue. I'll obviously note any noticeable defects, and comment accordingly. But it really doesn't matter because this beer is retired. So this review is strictly for the LULz and the education.

The "Cauldron Effect" that I'm always babbling about...

The beer yielded some good smoke when I popped the top. There was also some carbonation peaking out, so I poured it quickly. The bottle says pour it into a snifter; and who am I to argue? This is a hazy, straw-colored beer with hints of straw, yellow, and orange depending on the light. I got one-finger of a very white colored head that dissolved into a wonderful cauldron effect fairly quickly. The head has semi-thin bubbles that reminded me very much of the head on a Saison. This beer is super carbonated and effervescent, and it also has A TON of sediment floating around in it. My guess is that this is in fact bottle-conditioned. But why would the beer clearly warn you to drink it in 180 days? Just about every other Goose Island beer that isn't from their classic line advises that you can cellar it up to 5 years. Very strange.

The aroma here is hops, Belgian yeast, and candied notes and spices. The hops do smell a bit faded - and hey - my guess is a lot of the flavor in this beer comes from the Saaz and Chinook hops. Beers that you can age often get their flavor from yeasts and malts. Still, I'm getting sweet grapefruit on the nose, lemon and lemongrass, catty Belgian funk, a touch of orange, a touch of candied citrus/candied lemon/candied orange, and hints of pepper. Overall, not a bad nose at all. 

My initial impression upon first taste is that this beer is flat. This beer is catty, stale, and has not held up well. The hops are not resonating, and it is pretty clear that time has taken a tole on this beer. I'm a little concerned, though. The beer poured with a head, smelled great, and still has taste and flavor. Is my own bias and expectations tainting my opinion? Or can I trust myself to describe the beer accurately. 

I'm tasting a lot of peppery and spicy citrus; hints of grapefruit, orange, lemon, and lemon grass sprinkled with that peppery note. There are actually hints of pine as well. I'm also picking up some grain and biscuit, and a slight sour or astringent quality. The bone dry finish and the peppery citrus remind me a bit of a Saison. 

Goose Island Demolition Ale

There's not a lot of complexity with this bottle, and the mouthfeel is flat. This is carbonated and thin, with that peppery and bone dry finish typical of a Saison. The alcohol is absolutely non-existent, save for some warming on the deep back end. The front is peppery carbonation, citrus, and pine. You get peppery and pine in the middle, which roll into a dry backbone that has hints of grain and biscuit. 

Rating: N/A

Score: N/A

A long time ago I stated that I would never rate a beer with obvious defects. I'm not even going to guesstimate a rating, because there really is no point. The fact is, this doesn't taste bad and there are still good notes that sing. But there is also a catty, flat, and faded quality to this beer that is highly suspect. 

On the plus side, I feel like this beer is in fact a very ambiguous Belgian and French Ale. I'm reminded quite a bit of a Saison, which is a strong, fruity, and spicy beer. I really do not believe this beer fits into the Belgian Pale Ale category, and the assertive hops make me wonder if it would qualify as a Belgian Blond Ale either.

I'm sad that I didn't drink this beer when it was fresh. Actually, not really. To be honest, Demolition appeared to be a genuine flop. This beer was always lining the shelves of the liquor store, and it never seemed to achieve popular status. Goose Island has a large number of really good Belgian-style brews, and I feel like this one just got lost in the crowd. Proof that less is more, Goose Island still offers a legit Saison (their Sofie) and a number of other Belgian Ales.

So there you have it. My first review of a likely defected beer, a whole lotta info on Goose Island and their beer, and some food for thought on the style semantics of the Demolition Ale. Until the next review, cheers.

Adriaen Brouwer Dark Gold

Brewed By: Brouwerij Roman in Oudenaarde, Belgium
Purchased: 1 pint 9.4oz bomber bought at Binny's in IL; 2011
Style/ABV: Belgian Dark Strong Ale, 8.5%

Captain Hook? No...Adriaen Brouwer.

Here's a funny story. I was looking for a Trappist glass a few months ago, so I was shopping around. I found that branded Trappist glasses are not sold in common stores, but they are occassionally sold in liquor stores like Binny's. While shopping at Binny's one day, I found an Adriaen Brouwer glass for 2 bucks. I figured this was not a bad looking glass, so I picked it up. I was hoping I would find the beer that goes with the glass; but I was unable to located the beer in the store. Fast forward to a couple months later. I was at Binny's again, and I stumbled upon an Adriaen Brouwer bomber. For a bomber, the stuff is not cheap...but I felt like I had an obligation to try the beer since I've been using the glass. And that's why I'm drinking this beer today.

According to Wikipedia, Adriaen Brouwer was a Felmish painter. Seriously though, Brouwer's parents are pretentious jerks. "Adriaen Brouwer" is a pretentious name and has too many extra vowels jammed into it. Why couldn't we go with "Adrian Brower" or "Adrien Brouer." Now every time I spell this mother fucker's name I have to run through the whole damn alphabet.

Adriaen Brouwer was a fan of drinking, and spent most of his time at the alehouses of Flanders and Holland. His artwork displays themes of debauchery, drunkenness, and folishness; he used these themes to explore human emotions, fear and the senses, and expressions and responses to pain. His work was popular, but Brouwer was in financial trouble most of his life. He died at age 32 in Antwerp. Despite having such a frustrating name to spell out, Brouwer seemed like a tragic figure who liked to go to the pub and paint stuff. So it seems approrpriate to name a beer after him.

The Adriaen Brouwer beer is brewed by Brouwerij Roman (Brewery Roman). The Roman Brewery is one of Belgian's oldest breweries, and is family owned. According to the history page on the Brouwerij Roman website, the brewery was founded back in 1545. The brewery is located in Mater, east of the city Oudenaarde. The brewery has a long history of brewing: before World War II the brewery began brewing Roman Oudenaards, which would eventually become the Adriaen Brouwer beer in 2003. Five years after the Adriaen Brouwer became a popular and well-selling beer, the brewery launched the beer I will be reviewing tonight, the Adriaen Brouwer Dark Gold.

The Adriaen Brouwer Dark Gold has won a number of awards, and is described on the website as being a brown, slow-drinking beer, with a sweet aftertaste and caramel notes. The beer has a touch of hops, and burned and roasted malts. I'm excited to review this beer, as this is probably my first taste of a "lesser known" Belgian beer. Maybe Petrus counted...I don't know. Anyway, onwards with the review.

Adriaen Brouwer Dark Gold

This is lovely looking beer. Upon popping the bottle I was greeted with quite a bit of smoke; this fairly typical of the big 750mL bombers, but I still enjoy the smoke when I get it. The beer poured with a finger of off-white, tan/purple head. The head is made up of finely packed, effervescent bubbles - very typical of the Dark Strong Ale style - and the head has dissolved into a sexy cualdron effect. This beer looks purple or dark brown under low light. Under bright light, this beer has a dark golden color, almost like a golden raisin color. There is good lacing and good carbonation. Overall, the beer's appearance lives up to its "Dark Gold" reputation.

There are big sweet malts, lively yeasts, and dark sweet fruits on the nose of this beer. There's definitely some raisins, grapes, and maybe plums. I'm picking up a light grain note, and some Pale or Pils malts. There's a vinous, grape-wine note; some perfume phenols; and definitely a hint of peppery spice. 

The taste on this is really intriguing, complex, and interesting. I'm taste huge dark bready notes; we are talking about dark rye bread or bread with a darkened crust. There are dark fruits like grapes, figs, and plums; but there is also a touch of sweet fruit on the back end including pears or apples. I taste sweet honey, sweet caramel, cherries, raisins, and some earthiness from either the yeast or hops. 

This is stupid-drinkable for 8.5% ABV, and has a very full and well-carbonated body which supports the large flavors created by the malts and yeasts. You get carbonation on the front; followed by grainy malts and alcohol. The middle of the palate is an explosion of dark fruits and trailing hops. The back end is honey, overripe dark fruits, lingering alcohol, alcohol warmness, and a drying finish that beckons another sip. This is big, has moderate to high complexity, and tastes delicious. 

Rating: Above-Average

Score: 88%

This is an impressionable beer from a less-than-known brewery out of Belgium. This has big bold flavors, and I'm really digging the dark bready notes I'm pulling off the malts. This is complex and has a nice complexity as it moves from front to back. I'm picking up spice phenols in the taste, hints of hops, and wonderful malt complexion. This beer would make a great companion with a heavy meat or some cheese, and is an excellent take on the Strong Ale style of beer. 

Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock

Brewed By: Boston Beer Company in Boston, Massachusetts
Purchased: Single bottle (12oz) from Sam Adam's Winter Classics mix-pack purchased in Chicago, IL; 2011
Style/ABV: Dunkler Bock, 5.8%

Tonight I am finishing off the last review for the Sam Adam's Winter Classics mix pack. That makes me a little sad, because I love winter beer and I love Sam Adams. So far I've really enjoyed the Holiday Porter and the Old Fezziwig. The Winter Lager is good but average; since a lot of restaurants keep the Sam Adam's seasonal on tap, I would get it out to eat. And we already know that I love Boston Lager, although I'm not a huge fan of it being included in the Winter Classics mix. 

So that leaves the Chocolate Bock. Last year I had the Chocolate Bock with the Winter Classics pack, and I enjoyed it. But things have changed in a year. I've drank a lot of beer, and I feel like I have a slightly more mature palate. 

According to the Sam Adam's profile on their Chocolate Bock, their Chocolate Bock is smooth, rich, dark, robust, and is brewed with cocoa nibs from Ecuador, roasted malts, and Noble hops. The beer is brewed using Noble Tettnang Tettnanger and Spalt Spalter hops, as well as a number of darker, caramel and roasted malts. The beer is then aged on a bed of the cocoa nibs to impart the beer with big chocolate profiles. According to Sam Adams, they also add vanilla to the beer. 

Bock = Billy Goat

There is a lot going on in this beer, and it is a big beer. Clocking in at 237 calories per 12oz bottle, and packing 11 IBUs, this beer is 5.8% ABV and was first brewed in 2003. You can pick this beer up between November and January; I've only seen it in the Winter Classics mix pack. 

Before we dive in, let's just quickly touch on the fact that this is a Bock. I already touched on Doppelbocks, which are strong, malty lagers. In general terms, a Bock is a strong German lager. There are four styles of Bock as laid out by the BJCP. Maibock/Helles Bock, which is a pale, strong, malty lager beer; Traditional Bock, which is a dark, strong, malty lager; Doppelbock, which is a very strong, rich lager; and Eisbock, which is the strongest and most extreme of the Bocks.  

Now, I don't see "Chocolate Bock" represented by the BJCP, so obviously this is a specialty beer or a beer that fits within one of the above categories. BeerAdvocate has lazily dumped the Chocolate Bock into their catch-all "Bock" category. And RateBeer has me genuinely confused, because they dumped the Chocolate Bock into their "Dunkler Bock" category. A Dunkler Bock, according to Ratebeer, is a dark Bock with a deep copper to dark brown color. They suggest it is medium to full-bodied, with lots of malt sweetness, nutty, and toasted flavors. I was intrigued by the categorization, since it is not recognized by the BJCP. I did some research, and according to the German Beer Institute:

"There are several traditional types of Bockbier, each with its typical color and strength, which seems to vary almost in rhythm with the season. With the arrival of frost and the shortening of days in early December, the soul needs something more nourishing then a blond lager, especially after a frigid day of shopping for Christmas presents. Weihnachtsstarkbier (Christmas Bockbier), which is popular in the south of Germany, is often a darker version of the regular Bock. Sometimes it is also called a Dunkles or Dunkler Bock. In addition to the rich malty finish, these rewarding Yuletide brews have a slightly chocolatey taste from the addition of some roasted malts." 

And that, right there, is my beer epiphany for the night! So now I know what a Dunkler Bock is, and now you do too. So onwards with the review! 

Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock

The Chocolate Bock comes in a pimped out Sam Adam's bottle. This beer does not come with the typical Sam Adam's blue cap, and features a fancy label that looks a bit fancier than your standard Sam Adam's affair. The beer pours with a nice one-finger, tan/brown head. The head is very, very silky. As the head dissolves into a great cauldron effect, I can swirl up a nice silky coating in my snifter with ease. There's good lacing, and maybe even some alcohol legs. This beer looks black in low light, but in reality there is a lot of red escaping this beer in bright light. I would guess this is a dark, ruby-red colored beer. This beer is filtered, and you can see into the beer enough to notice the carbonation, which there is quite a bit of. 

The aroma on this one is Sam Adam's Lager yeast, which definitely has a distinct smell. I'm picking up dark roasty malts; pulls toward coffee, smoke, and meat. There are hints of velvety chocolate and vanilla on the nose as well. As the beer opens up a bit, I'm also pulling a sweet note out of the smell; sweet caramel or sweet mollases. 

The taste is velvety, smooth, and super chocolatey. I'm tasting roast on the front end, and lots of dark malts. There is some grain in the mix, and lots of lingering cocoa. There is a slightly fruity note dancing on my tongue: very sweet raisin or very sweet plum; maybe grape? This is very carbonated, but sort of thin. The thinness imparts an almost watered down chocolate flavor; like not mixing enough cocoa powder into water. Lingering grain, thin, very sweet; I'm not really getting vanilla? Some hints of roast on the back end cannot round out the thin sweetness.

Rating: Average
Score: 55% 

Carbonated...thin...waves of chocolate, roasted malts, and hints of dark fruit. The medium-light and thin mouthfeel cannot sustain the big flavors in this beer. This is not at all complex either. The front is: carbonation, chocolate, and roast; the middle is roast, sweetness, dark fruit on the tongue; the back end is lingering roast, grain, and really sweet cocoa.

Let me say: WOW. I'm a little surprised, because I remember enjoying this beer a little bit more last year. I feel like I need to re-review this down the road just to make sure I'm not crazy. But I don't think I am.

This is an okay beer. There is definitely chocolate in it, and it definitely is about the malts. But the thin mouthfeel, thin carbonation, and sweetness work against the big roast flavors and the big chocolate build.

All-in-all, this is kind of average...but it works in the Sam Adams Winter Classics mix pack. I would definitely serve this beer with dessert, or with a really raunchy cheese burger, or something with a thick and heavy barbeque sauce. Worth checking out, and okay addition to the Winter Classics, but not a life-changer by any means.

Review Format: the Experiment is Over

If you read this blog (I'm sorry) you probably have noticed that I have been messing with my review format. I've set up the past couple of reviews with clearly outlined sections for "easy reading." Easy reading is nice, and it actually makes for easy writing when I just dump my thoughts into organized sections. I'm concerned though, because easy writing lends itself to lazy writing.

This is a beer review blog, but this is "Not Another" beer review blog. When I created this blog, I created it for a number of reasons: storing my beer reviews, educating myself about the beers that I do review, and sharing my love for beer with anyone who feels compelled to listen to me ramble.

Because I want to take the time to introduce the brewery and the style of beer for the beers that I review, I went with an editorial-style approach to my reviews. This gave me the option to spend time talking about the beer, complaining about things, and then eventually telling you how I feel about the beer itself.

When I break my beer reviews down into clearly defined sections, I feel like I lose some of the freedom to talk about the beer. I feel like I lose some of the "stuff" that originally defined my blog in the first place. I want to talk about the beer; I want to tell you about the brewery; I want to bitch and moan, because beer culture has its fair share of retardisms. Look at Shitty Beer Tuesday, for example. I'm very amused by Shitty Beer Tuesday, and I look forward to a future of drinking more malt beverages that are more closely related to urine than actual beer. My point is: I'm not going to shove Shitty Beer Tuesday into a nicely packaged format for easy digesting. That seems hypocritical to the spirit of Shitty Beer Tuesday, and to this blog.

There's more fluidity and freedom when I write a review editorial style. That means that I will alienate some readers. That means that you will actually have to read through the entire review to extract content. It won't be "easy reading" like the past few reviews that have had clearly outlined sections. But I need to remain true to myself, and the original spirit of this blog.

So what is the format going to look like from now on?

There will be a TITLE. So you know what beer I'm drinking

Brewed By: [And I'll tell you who brews it,] in [and where it is brewed.]
Purchased: [I'll tell you what type of container it in] from [and where I bought it so you can stalk me.]
Style/ABV: [And I'll tell you the style, and how drunk it will get you.]

Then I will do an introduction of the brewery, the beer, and the beer style.

I'll review the beer of course...and give it a rating.

And then there will be a conclusion.

This isn't just a beer review blog. This is a place for me to vent about things that are silly in the industry, to learn about beer, to learn about the cool people who brew beer, and to think out loud. So, the experiment is over. You are not going to see any more beer reviews that look like the past few I have done. The plus side? There will be more Shitty Beer Tuesday. I'm looking your way Corona...you better watch out!

Samuel Adams Holiday Porter

Brewed By: Boston Beer Company in Boston, Massachusetts
Purchased: Single bottle (12oz) from Sam Adam's Winter Classics mix-pack purchased in Chicago, IL; 2011
Style/ABV: Porter, 5.8%

 

Appearance: I worked out 3-fingers of head on this Porter. I could probably extend that to 4 with a bigger glass. Fuck I'm pretentious. Anyway...this beer looks dark brown or black in low light. In bright light this is definitely a reddish-brown beer that is clear, very filtered, and moderately to lightly carbonated. The head is tan or off-white. The head is thick and creamy and is leaving nice lacing. Being a Porter, I expect some head to hang around for the duration.

Samuel Adams Holiday Porter

Aroma: There is some caramel, some roast, and some light smoke on the nose. I'm also getting a subtle coffee and chocolate aroma. There is a touch of molasses on the nose as well, with maybe a really faint pull towards a dark fruit.

 

Taste: Creamy, smooth, fairly dense: this blossoms into a nice and subtle smokey and chocolate finish. I'm really happy with the roasty/smokey finish, because many Sam Adams beers tend to air on the lighter/watery side. I'm tasting pulls towards coffee, molasses and burnt sugar, a hint of caramel, toffee, bread, and even a twang of nuttiness. There is a light touch of grassy-herbal or earthiness, maybe from the hops. The finish is smokey and slightly bitter; nice.

 

Body/Mouthfeel/Complexity: This is full-bodied and pretty dense; almost slightly sticky. The carbonation helps cut through the density, and the dry finish cleans things up nicely. For a 5.8% ABV Porter, this has a good body. This is drinkable, and has moderate complexity. The front is smooth carbonation, sweet malts; the hops really blossom in the middle, even with some hints of fruity citrus; the back end is smokey with some touches of chocolate or coffee. A very nice progression from front to back and good support from the body.

 

Rating: Above-Average

Score: 83%

 

Comments: I'm not sure what makes Sam Adam's Holiday Porter different from any other typical Porter, except that they slap the word "Holiday" in front of it. The beer has 40 IBUs, and uses East Kent Goldings, Fuggles, and Spalt Spalter Noble Hops. The East Kent Goldings hops are used for dry hopping as well, to impart the beer with additional "English hop" aromas. The beer uses a number of malts, including Flaked Oats for additional smoothness. Clocking in 5.8% ABV and packing 212 calories per bottle, this sounds like a typical Robust Porter.

 

Conclusion: Well...this was a surprise. For Sam Adams, this is stellar stuff. This is a dense, bold, and genuine Porter. I still don't get why this is a Holiday Porter? Is it because it is heavy? Is it because most American beer drinkers don't cross paths with Porters, so a "heavy" beer makes sense in the winter season?

 

Porters, Stouts, and Brown Ales all have tangoed in the past. So there is rich history and similarities there. But when I think winter - cold, long, windy, snowy, winter - I think about big boozy Stouts and spiced Christmas beers.

 

At any rate, I don't get it, but I'll go along with it. The Holiday Porter is thick and sticky, and it would be an appropriate companion on a winter night. I mean, I could drink this during the autumn or summer, but it wouldn't be my first choice. It's a good addition to the Winter Classics mix pack, and a wonderful entry from Sam Adams. It is easily one of the best beers from the Winter Classics mix pack.