Two Brothers Cane and Ebel

Brewed By: Two Brothers Brewing Company in Warrenville, Illinois

Purchased: 6-Pack from Jewel-Osco in Illinois; 2012

Style/ABV: Rye Beer, 7.0%

Tonight I'm reviewing one of my favorite beers, and one of Two Brothers' best beers. I've already reviewed a number of Two Brothers beers, including their Domain DuPage, Atom Smasher, and their Northwind Imperial Stout. 

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. 

Today's beer, Cane and Ebel, is a Rye Beer. Rye Beers are, as far as I can tell, an American twist on the hoppy ale. The main ingredient that defines a Rye Beer is the rye grains used as a malt. These are hoppy beers that approach IPA-like bitterness to help support the rye flavors. I bitched up a rant when I reviewed the Founders Red's Rye P.A., and I'm still unhappy that Ratebeer has pegged this beer as an American Strong Ale. BeerAdvocate got this one right. 

This isn't just a Rye Beer. The Cane and Ebel is brewed with Thai Palm Sugar, Rye, and a buttload of hops. The beer is brewed with Summit hops and is dry-hopped with Simcoe hops. So you already get the sense that this is a beer with big IPA-like flavors. The beer clocks in at 7.0% ABV and packs 68 IBUs. This is a year round release, and is definitely worth picking up. Time for the review.

Two Brothers Cane and Ebel

This is really a lovely looking beer. In low light this beer is dark orange/brown/amber. In bright light this beer still retains a lovely dark brown/orange color. This beer pours with 3-fingers worth of super creamy, super thick, orange/eggshell/off-white head. Head retention is great. There is a good amount of carbonation visible in this murky beer. There is also epic lacing being left on my glass as I work my way down.

The aroma on this beer is absolutely phenomenal. You get hit with huge hops and rye right up front. Big bready rye, rye-bread, and rye grain. I'm also pulling out huge pungent orange, orange-citrus, and suggestive grapefruit. There are huge sugary esters that impart big fruits as well: tropical fruits, floral notes. This is a great example of a big, aromatic, American beer.

There are a lot of big flavors in here: pungent orange, orange candy, hints of tropical fruits,  rye, rye bread, beach/suana, wood, earthy notes, and hints of tobacco of woody vanilla. The rye and sugar notes balance out the bitterness, but this is definitely a bitter and pungent beer. 

The mouthfeel on this is smooth and bitter, but very balanced and supported by the carbonation - I would call this medium-light to medium-medium. This is a sticky sweet beer, despite the clean mouthfeel. I would not give this to someone new to beer; there are lots of sugars in here. The front of the palate is a sharp hop and rye blast - orange, rye bread, malts and sugars; this rolls into a hoppy and sticky middle with hints of beach and wood and earth; the back is sticky and dry with lingering wood and tobacco. This has moderate complexity, but really good palate depth. This is not watery, and the flavors are evenly supported despite the carbonation.

Rating: Divine Brew 

Score: 94%

This is just an awesome beer. One of my absolute favorites, and one of my go-to beers. Maybe it is a regional thing. If this beer was harder to get, I might not covet it as much. But for me, this beer is always on shelves since Two Brothers are - literally - in my backyard. 

But there is a lot of stuff to dig about this beer. The rye malts leave a really nice impression. The Thai Palm Sugar imparts a really nice balance to the beer, and leaves some awesome sugary notes that manifest as fruit and wood. This is a big, fresh beer, with big bold flavors. In my book, this is an IPA with rye malts. And I happen to really dig the rye malts. If you fancy rye flavors, definitely consider picking this beer up. 

Arcadia Hopmouth Double IPA

Brewed By: Arcadia Brewing Company in Battle Creek, Michigan

Purchased: Single 12oz bottle purchased by my lovely girlfriend, from Chicago, IL; 2012

Style/ABV: Imperial/Double IPA, 8.1%

It's been about a year since I've last dabbled with Arcadia Brewing. Tonight's beer is courtesy of my lovely girlfriend, who picked me up a 4-pack. And it is a good thing too, because I really enjoy the beer I'm about to review. Let me rewind a bit.

Arcadia is a brewery that hails out of Battle Creek, Michigan. The brewery was founded in 1996 as a microbrewery specializing in British-style ales. The brewery produces beer in small batches using brewing techniques that originated in England. The beer is brewed with authentic British equipment, uses malted barley from England, and uses hops from the Pacific Northwest of the United States.

This is most definitely a British-influenced brewery. When I last had an Arcadia beer, it was their Arcadia India Pale Ale. The beer didn't feature the over-the-top hop notes you get with many American IPAs. And, in fact, BeerAdvocate has wisely put the Arcadia IPA into the "English IPA" category as per the BJCP.

And tonight's beer, the Hopmouth Double IPA, is a very surprising beer for reasons I will touch on in the review. According to the Arcadia website, this is the first beer from their Brew Crew Big Beer Series. They describe the beer as having an amber hue and a huge white head, with rich, toasty flavors, and sweet caramel notes. They also suggest citrus, pine, and resin notes. Most importantly, they describe this beer as balanced and drinkable with traits "rarely found in this style." Clocking in at 8.1% ABV and packing 76 IBUs, let's dive in.

Arcadia Hopmouth Double IPA

The pour reveals a copper-amber beer. In dark light, this beer is dark brown; in bright light this beer is amber-orange with hints of brown. I was able to get two, very nice fingers of egg-shell colored head. The head is pretty thick and bubbly, and it is leaving lacing on my glass as it dissolves. Actually, for an 8.1% ABV beer, this beer pours with a really nice head. I see a decent amount of carbonation in the murky beer. All-in-all, this is a very nice looking beer. 

There's a lot of really big, fresh, and delicious aromas coming off this beer. I'm picking up huge toffee, brandy-cake, caramel, and sweet notes. This is totally surprising compared to say...a West Coast IPA. I'm also pulling out a lot of big, super fresh, earthy and hebral hops. I smell mint, pine, grapefruit, resin, hints of alcohol, hints of tobacco and wood. Just a huge, fresh, and malty aroma.

This is a hugely surprising beer. You get hit with creamy head, and a caramel malt and hop infusion. The hops ride into the middle, and then on the back end you pick up this roasted note. And then a hint of a buttery note, not dissimilar to what you might get in an Irish Red Ale. This is bitter, but I'm not puckering my lips. This is hoppy, but my palate is not being imploded. This is balanced as hell, and yet there are still huge hop flavors. I'm picking up grapefruit, mint, earthy notes, pine, maybe a twang of funky fruit. What I really like is how fresh these hops are! This isn't a West Coast IPA with huge danky, hemp-like hops. This beer reminds me of a forest in Middle Earth.

The mouthfeel on this is medium-full, with a creamy as hell head, and a super smooth and drinkable body supported by good carbonation. This beer is balanced! Especially for a Double IPA. You never feel or get overwhelmed by the hops or bitterness. And this drinks much less than the 8.1% ABV would lead you on. The front palate is hops, toffee, caramel, and smooth carbonation. You also get some good bitterness and some resin; the resin rolls into the middle, and you get really fresh hops supported by big malts; the back palate is where the hops roll off and you get your first hit of roasted malts. The back, back palate is a buttery aftertaste that lingers. Slightly dry, and slightly bitter on the finish.  

Rating: Divine Brew

Score: 94%

 

I am really intrigued by this brew. Let me throw in a funny back story. When I had this beer the other day, I also had a bottle of Sierra Nevada's Ruthless Rye. I let my girlfriend try both beers. I let my girlfriend try the Ruthless Rye first (a Rye Ale...or IPA brewed with Rye Malts if you will). She wasn't a big fan of the Ruthless Rye due to its bitter qualities. I warned her that the Arcadia Hopmouth is a Double IPA, so it likely would be more hoppy and bitter. She described the Hopmouth as "the exact opposite" of the Ruthless Rye. She said it tasted less bitter and less hoppy. And maybe it is.

 

It's refreshing to see such a balanced Double IPA that still maintains all the important flavors you expect with the style. This is still a bitter beer. This beer still has resiny notes. This beer still kind of makes you pucker. But this beer is fresh, refreshing, and has big toffee, caramel, and roasted malt notes. This is like the anti-West Coast Double IPA. I like it a lot.

 

I foresee myself drinking this beer in the future, frequently actually. In order to enjoy this beer...you need to let your guard down. This isn't a West Coast hop bomb. This is a balanced, mature, Double IPA with big fresh flavors. This is good stuff. Maybe this is a sessionable Double IPA? Maybe this is like the middle ground between an IPA and a Double IPA: a "IPA and a half." Fuck, I don't know. I think this beer deserves more props than that. This beer is really an accomplishment in my book: a huge beer with huge flavors that doesn't depend on hop-rape to convey big flavors. That makes this beer beyond worthy. Check it out.

Goose Island Fleur

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 Ale, 7.0%

In light of the recent news that Goose Island is retiring their Nightstalker, Big John, Demolition, King Henry, and Fleur, it seems appropriate to crack open a bottle of the Goose Island Fleur. I'm not sure what to make of the news that Goose Island is axing many of it's extreme and interesting beers. Rumor on the street is that Goose Island plans to increase production on their Bourbon County line...so maybe this isn't terrible news. 

Goose Island is a Chicago-based brewery that began as a brewpub on Clybourn, which opened on May 1988. The actual brewery 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 supposed to be acquired by A-B InBev in the future, and there has been much discussion about the brewery's takeover.

The Fleur is a Belgian Pale Ale blended with hibiscus and kombucha tea. Kombucha is a really interesting ingredient to put in a beer. According to Wikipedia, it is an effervescent tea-based beverage that is made using yeast and bacteria which forms the kombucha culture. The kombucha culture is created by mixing acetic acid bacteria with one or more yeasts. What is really interesting to me is that common yeasts used include Brettanomyces bruxellensis. Small world, right? Kombucha is described as having sparkling apple cider and champagne flavors. Hibiscus is a flower, of course, and has floral and sour notes that can be sweetened up when you add sugar to it. Along with the hibiscus and kombucha tea, the Fleur uses Super Styrian, Stryian Golding, and Saaz hops. The beer clocks in at 7.0% ABV, and packs 32 IBUs. Goose Island's website describes the beer as having aromas of strawberries and hibiscus flowers, and berries in the taste. This brew sounds very interesting, and I'm excited to try it.  

It's probably worth noting that the Goose Island website and Ratebeer peg this beer at 5.2% ABV. My bottle clearly states 7.0% ABV. This is a beer that is bottle conditioned, and can "develop in the bottle for up to 5 years." My bottle was born on 2/26/11, making this almost one year old.

Goose Island Fleur

This is an interesting looking beer, for sure. In low light this beer has a golden/bronze/yellow-orange color. I was able to get about one finger of white head made up of thin bubbles. The head dissolved pretty quickly, but it is leaving behind a pretty nice cauldron effect. The cauldron effect looks like a Saison or a Brett beer with that kind of "wild" or "infected" look. When held to bright light this beer is yellow-orange, hazy, and effervescent with a steady stream of tiny rising bubbles. There is some lacing from the head tugging on my glass.

The aroma on this is floral, fruity, hoppy, and earthy with hints of toffee or biscuit. Straight up I do get huge floral notes in the form of hibiscus. There are pulls towards strawberry and berry, and maybe lemon. But I'm really pulling out a huge tea note from this. I'm pulling out that slightly bitter, slightly medicinal, slightly earthy note you get from tea leaves, a tea bag, or freshly steeped tea. This beer smells like a Belgian Ale that has had tea bags soaking in it. There is also hints of Belgian funk and that back drop of 2-Row malt which is imparting a wheat or grain note.

The taste on this is very subtle, mellow, earthy, medicinal, and tea-like. I'm really getting malt presence on the back end, with lots of subtle tea flavors in the front and middle. I taste hibiscus, flowers, thin and pungent lemon, hints of apple and pear. You get some very clean berry notes; almost tea-like berry notes. Maybe some hints of faded blueberry or strawberry; hints of rhubarb. The back palate leaves hints of malt in the form of wheat or grain. I get touches of toffee and biscuit. There is definitely some hop jive in here; very earthy, medicinal like accents from the hops.

This beer is mellow as hell. Very fine carbonation dances on your tongue, and the mouthfeel is light-full or medium-light. The finish is soothing and not really dry. I'm still getting a nice storm of carbonation from the center of my glass, and there is nice lacing as well. I would say the palate depth on this is medium, and this beer has moderate complexity. You get really nice flavors on the front of the palate - hibiscus, berry, tea, fruit; the middle continues the tea notes; the back starts off with tea and turns into a malty finish with that wheat/grain note.

Rating: Above-Average

Score: 77%

 

I haven't really had any tea beers before. The Belgian Ale seems like a good platform to use to build a tea beer. I really like the soothing, mellow notes I'm pulling off this beer. The hibiscus is subdued and subtle. This is a very refreshing and fresh beer. I would say this is the perfect Spring beer. I would love to see this beer in April or May, and I think this beer would pair wonderfully with Asian cuisine or with a peppery or fruity dish.  

Alas, Goose Island is axing this beer. I guess if I had to pick between this or the Bourbon County Stout, I would take the Bourbon County Stout. Still, this was interesting and enjoyable. If you see any bottles of the Fleur on the shelves, you should pick them up while you still can. Remember, you can throw this in the cellar for 5 years.

Ommegang Hennepin

Brewed By: Brewery Ommegang (Moortgat) in Cooperstown, New York

Purchased: Ye Olde Bomber (25.4oz) from an Ommegang sampler bought at Binny's in Chicago, IL; 2011

Style/ABV: Saison, 7.7%

Tonight I'm rounding out and wrapping up the Ommegang sampler I purchased. I already reviewed the Ommegang Gnomegang and the Ommegang Three Philosophers, so tonight we rap things up with the Ommegang Hennepin.

Ommegang was founded in October of 1997, in Cooperstown, New York. The Ommegang Brewery is set up on a traditional, Belgian-style farmhouse, and brews a number of acclaimed beers. The brewery is known for its unique takes on traditional Belgian-Style beers. Brewery Ommegang was sold to Duvel Moortgat in 2003. Ommegang Ales are made both in Belgium and in Cooperstown, New York.

If you check out the Hennepin page on the brewery's website, you can find some cool info on this beer. Hennepin is an American-made, year-round Saison. It is described as a "rich golden ale" with spicy gingersnap and citrus hops. Clocking in at 7.7% ABV, I'm not entirely sure what to expect. So far all of Ommegang's beers have deviated from the style norms a little bit. I'm sure good things await. The Saison style is a French-Belgian style of beer that historically was brewed at the end of winter to last through summer. The beer is known for its refreshing and effervescent qualities, with lots of fruit, peppery spices, hops, and dryness. The style can be tart, sour and acidic. Let's dive in.

You can learn a lot about a beer's appearance before you even open the bottle. There was quite a bit of sediment cemented to the bottom of this bottle that I was able to loosen up and get in the beer by swirling the bottle around. Of course...that means there is a really good chance the beer is going to explode when I open it. I can also see that this beer is hazy just from looking through the bottle by shining a light on it. This is clearly bottle conditioned, is probably pretty funky, and has a lot of sediment in it.

Ommegang Hennepin

As with last night's beer: warning. You may want to open this over a sink. Actually, any beer that is Bottle Conditioned, Belgian, has a cork, or has had a while to warm up, is a GOOD candidate to open over the sink.

Wooo! I'm happy to report no violent explosion. The cork popped off with a pretty loud pop, and a ton of smoke was released. This beer pours with 4-fingers of super white, foamy head. This is a soapy foam that is kind of thin and not thick in consistency like a root beer float. In low light this beer takes on a hazy golden/straw color. In bright light this is still a hazy beer, but it is clearly yellow/gold/straw with a TON of small rising bubbles. Effervescent, murky, good lacing, and respectable head sustainability.

The aroma on the Hennepin is earthy, Belgian-funk, slighty spicy, and fruity. I'm pulling out banana, clove, tart and acidic lemon candy and orange candy, grain, pepper, pretty potent alcohol that is kind of spiked with honey, an earthy note, horse blanket, and hints of sugar.

The mouthfeel is actually very full and fruity, with hints of juice. The back end is dry and leave lingering spice and alcohol burn. On the front I'm getting grain, some honey, some lemon and earthy notes take over. There is definitely a medicinal and earthy quality to this beer, and I'm actually pulling out some toffee flavors in the middle. The back is unmitstakebly grainy with some alcohol kick. You also pick up some clove in the back end. I'm getting some flirts with pepper. The back end is really warming, slightly acidic, and dry. I honestly do not know what to make of this beer.

I break my beers down in terms of front, middle, and back palate. I tend to enjoy changes of flavor you get across each range of palate. This beer seems very complex, but it also does not change as much as I was expecting across each palate range. Let's start with some other things first. This is a medium-full beer, but this has a full body for the style and has huge palate depth. This is drinkable, crisp, and refreshing, and the 7.7% ABV is only noticeable on the back palate. As I said before, this has high complexity. On the front of my palate I'm pulling out some bananas, Belgian funk, horse blanket, and honey; this rolls into a middle that has some clove, toffee(wtf?), earthy notes, and hints of pepper; the back is fading toffee, emerging grain, clove, and then dryness. You get warming alcohol bite in your belly. I'm also pulling some pineapple and bubble gum from this, which comes and goes.

Rating: Above-Average

Score: 79%

 

I don't know where to go with this beer. I like it a lot, and I'm digging the subtle complexity...but the grain reminds me a lot of a Tripel. The Belgian yeast in this beer reminds me of a Strong Ale. There isn't nearly as much pepper as I was expecting....and the palate changes are very, very subtle.

 

Maybe this is a sleeper beer that I need to camp on and revisit. Right now, it is probably my least favorite offering from the Ommegang sampler. However, the Ommegang sampler is some world class shit. So when I say this is my least favorite beer from the sampler, I mean it is a good beer surrounded by amazing beers. I do love the funk and the dryness. And the complexity this beer has is intriguing. I will revisit this down the road for sure, and maybe even try aging a bottle. Is this worth checking out? Yes.

Jolly Pumpkin Oro de Calabaza

Brewed By: Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales in Dexter, Michigan 

Purchased: 750mL bomber bought at in Lakeview Liquors in IL; 2011

Style/ABV: Belgian Strong Ale, 8.0%

Today we take a trip to Dexter, Michigan, the most interesting named city in the United States. I'm serious: Dexter is an amazing TV Show, and having a city called Dexter is just...cool. Jolly Pumpkin actually has three enterprises: a restaurant, brewery, and distillery located in Traverse City; a cafe and brewery in Ann Arbor; and a factor for their Artisan Ales in Dexter.

The brewery itself was founded by brewmaster Ron Jefferies. Ron began brewing professionally in 1995, and quickly became known as a respected brewer among the Michigan craft beer scene. In 2004, Ron opened Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales. Jolly Pumpkin is known for brewing beer that is aged in wine barrels containing brettanomyces. Brettanomyces is a naturally occurring yeast that is typically unwanted in beer because it imparts a "sour, leathery, barnyard, horse funk" profile. When used properly, beers made with brettanomyces can have desirable flavors. These flavors are often found in Lambics and Geuzes, and more recently in American Wild Ales.

And indeed, today's beer is a Brett-based Belgian Style Ale aged in large oak casks and bottle conditioned. If you check out the Jolly Pumpkin beer page you'll see that the Oro de Calabaza is brewed in the "Franco-Belgian tradition of strong golden ales." The website states that this beer features gentle hops, spices and pepper, and wild yeast. "Oro de Calabaza" literally translates to "Golden Pumpkin," so you should expect a golden, funky, effervescent take on the Belgian Strong Ale style.

In fact, in terms of styling, the BJCP still has not caught up to the American Wild Ale craze. Ratebeer has categorized this beer as a Belgian Strong Ale, which is completely accurate. BeerAdvocate has dumped this into the Bière de Garde category which I do not agree with; especially since BeerAdvocate recognizes and uses the American Wild Ale category. American Wild Ales are American-pioneered beers that feature the use of wild yeasts like Brettanomyces. The fact that this beer is barrel-aged and features Brettanomyces also hints at flairs of a Flanders or Lambic/Geuze. So this is an ambiguous and ambitious American twist on beer. Let's dive in and see what this is all about.

A WARNING to anyone opening a Jolly Pumpkin beer. These things are gushers. I often take precautions with Belgian beers when I open them, but I open all my Jolly Pumpkin beers over the sink. You should probably do the same.

Jolly Pumpkin Oro de Calabaza

And indeed, when I opened the beer I was hit with an explosion. Actually, this time wasn't as bad as last time. Last time I opened the beer it literally exploded all over my counter. This time I greeted the rising carbonation with my glass and I didn't lose any beer. But I only poured half of the beer, and there are 4-fingers worth of carbonation sitting inside the bottle. That's a lot of pressure.

The pour yields a dark orange beer in low light. I was able to get 2-fingers worth of super creamy white head on this beer. When held in bright light this is clearly a murky orange-yellow beer that looks like juice. There is sediment floating around, and you can see a storm of carbonation. This is super carbonated. The head is actually very white in bright light, and is already leaving lacing. The head does not look like a typical Belgian Strong Ale: it has that funky, "infected" look you get from wild yeasts. Like one step more funky than a Saison. It is a gorgeous looking beer...just watch out for that carbonation.

One last cool tangent is the fact that Jolly Pumpkin clearly labels all their bottles with a born-on date and a batch number. My bottle is Batch 656 brewed on 2-1-2011. That makes this beer nearly one year old. Brett beers tend to develop increasing Brett notes as they age. I did have a fresh bottle of this beer and it was quite good. I'm guessing this one will be slightly more funky.

You get blasted with Brett-funk when you open the beer, and blasted again when you pour it. Make no mistake, this is a Brett-infused beer aged in wood. I'm smelling huge Brett notes: sour, leather, horse hair. I'm also picking up really thick wood notes: wet wood, wood floor, and oak. There are definitely some acidic fruits in here: lemon, apple, pear, currants, and some vinegary type note.

The taste is really awesome. It is a creamy, sour, carbonated, acidic, Brett-kick. I'm also picking up sourdough, lemons, currants, vinegar, huge oak and wood notes, apples and pear, and a really sour and tart finish that is dry. There is also a lot of Brett funk: leather, horse hair and horse blanket, and that patent "band-aid" note you get. Some other interesting tasting notes I'm getting are peaches, and canned fruits. I'm also getting a touch of sweet tropical pineapple - I'm guessing that is a play off the oak/wood.

Rating: Divine Brew

Score: 92%

 

You know, I really love this beer now that I've had a chance to age it and see how it holds up down the road. This is a super drinkable, medium-light, soft, highly carbonated and slightly creamy brew. The palate depth is wonderful and this has medium complexity. You get Brett, sour, and fruit notes up front; this rounds into sour notes and vinegar and sour dough; this rounds into a dry and tart back end. This reminds me a bit of Orval, and is a fun play on the Belgian Strong Ale style.

 

I foresee myself buying this beer again. What's great about this beer is that you can lay it down or drink it fresh. It actually held up very well. The only difference a year has made is slightly less hop kick, and a lot more Brett funk. The Brett also tastes more "rounded" now. This is just a really good beer though, and it pairs wonderfully with pizza and heavy cheesy foods. The acid really cuts through the cheese. I love this beer...and look forward to trying more Jolly Pumpkin beers in the future.

Goose Island Pepe Nero

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: Dark Saison/Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale, 6.0%

Tonight I am cracking open one of Goose Island's Vintage Ales, the Pepe Nero. 

Goose Island is a Chicago-based brewery that began as a brewpub on Clybourn, which opened on May 1988. The actual brewery 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 supposed to be acquired by A-B InBev in the future, and there has been much discussion about the brewery's takeover. 

Pepe Nero is a Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale according to Goose Island. BeerAdvocate and Ratebeer both have this pegged as a Saison; and a Saison is a Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale brewed during the winter months meant for consumption throughout the summer. Goose Island describes this beer as having an aroma of roasted chestnuts, and a taste of roasty sweetness, earthy notes, and black pepper. This beer clocks in at a 6.0% ABV, packs 30 IBUs, and is brewed with Pilgrim and Saaz hops. Rye is also used in the malts. Traditional Saisons are typically refreshing, fruity, peppery, and dry. This beer is clearly a "darker" beer, so it deviates from the traditional Saison in a few ways. This beer also uses Pilsner malts which are typical of the Saison style, and the Saaz Hops that are used are a Noble Hop variety; Noble Hops often show up in Saisons. The Pilgrim hop variety appears to be a bit more potent, so I will be on the lookout for those 30 IBUs when I taste the beer. And speaking of tasting...let's dig in shall we?

Goose Island Pepe Nero

The beer pours with 4-fingers worth of thick, foamy, tan/root beer float/brown head. The head is very thick and bubbly. This is definitely a brownish or reddish beer; both in low light and in bright light. Goose Island's website says it is "mahogany." That's a hell of a lot more refined than what I can come up with, so let's roll with that. This is a murky beer, although I can see a storm of carbonation rising from the very bottom of the glass. I'm guessing this will be carbonated and effervescent.

In terms of aroma: very earthy, herbal, and Belgian. I'm picking up hints of Belgian funk, vanilla, banana, and clove. There are also hints of malts: chocolate for sure. I'm also picking up some Saison notes: that kind of barnyard, grassy aroma. When I swirl the beer in my glass I can also pick up hints of grain, rye, and pepper.

Now this is an interesting tasting beer. You get some sharp acidity and fruitiness, but the back end is huge roasted malts, hints of chocolate, pepper, and dry smoke. This dries with a smokey and peppery finish that reminds me of dried meats. On the front end I'm tasting some sweet malts as well; berries, earthiness. You know that kind of orange-citrus-coffee note you sometimes get in really roasted coffee? You get a shock of that on the front of your tongue. A very earthy note. Maybe a hint of lemon or grass.

This beer is really complex and has moderate to high palate depth. It is crisp and drinkable, but finishes nice and roasty and dry. I would say this is medium-light on the palate, carbonated, and drinkable. The front of the palate is sharp, acidic, fruity, tangy; this rolls into a mellower middle with some hints of roast, maybe a touch of that Belgian funk; the back end is all roast with huge smoke, hints of chocolate, and a dry finish.

Rating: Above-Average 
Score: 86% 

I may have to revisit this one. I feel like this is a really impressive, interesting, and tasty beer. Perhaps it is a touch thin or watery, but I really think what I am tasting is the beer's dryness. The bottle I am drinking today is almost one years old. This is one of Goose Island's bottle conditioned beers that can be cellared for 5 years, so no problems there. 

But seriously...the way this beer unfolds is really cool. You get that Saison kick up front, followed by some Belgian notes, followed by this really dark malt profile that just kicks your palate's ass. Very cool stuff. This is worth checking out, especially considering how available this beer is (it is a year round offering). I will be drinking this again. 

St. Bernardus Abt 12

Brewed By: St. Bernard Brouwerij in Watou, Belgium 

Purchased: Single 11.2oz bottle bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL ; 2011

Style/ABV: Quadrupel, 10.5%

St. Bernadus is a brewery based out of Watou, Belgium. The brewery has a rich history that began at the Catsberg Abbey. The Catsberg Abbey moved from Northern France to Watou, Belgium due to anti-clericism in France at the time. Once in Belgium, the Catsberg Abbey became known as the "Refuge Notre Dame de St. Bernard." The Abbey funded itself by producing and selling cheese.

In 1934, France dropped its anti-clerical policies, and the Abbey community moved back to France, leaving behind an empty factory. Evarist Deconinck took over the factory, and commercialized and developed his own cheese. He built a new factory for the cheese at the Trappistenweg in Watou, and the original building was transformed into a private facility.

After the end of World War II, the Trappist Monastery St. Sixtus stopped commercializing their beer; they decided to only brew their beer for their own consumption, for sales at the gates of the Monastary, and for a handful of taverns associated with the monastery. However, they agreed to lease out their beers for 30 years to Evarist Deconick who could commercialize and sell the beer. A new brewery was thrown up next to the cheese factory, and Deconinck began brewing Sixtus beers with the help of the Masterbrewer of Westvleteren.

In 1992 the 30-year agreement between St. Sixtus and Deconinck came to an end. Due to changes in the law, Deconinck would be unable to continue brewing beer branded Sixtus. However, he could continue to use the same recipe and brew the beer under a different name. Hence, the beers brewed at Trappistenweg in Watou are now branded "St. Bernardus," because authentic Trappist beers MUST be brewed inside the walls of a Trappist Monastery. And that is that folks.

Tonight's beer, the St. Bernardus Abt 12, is a dark, smooth, and fruity beer. In fact, this beer is Belgian Quadrupel, and one of the most recognized Quadrupels available.  

St. Bernardus Abt 12

The pour reveals a dark beer. In low light you could mistake this beer as being dark brown or dark purple. In bright light this is actually a reddish beer. The beer has a decent amount of rising carbonation, and there is some yeast sediment floating around. This is unfiltered, and the middle is hazy and dark. I was able to coax out about 2-fingers of tan, root beer colored head. There is dynamite lacing on this, and head retention is solid for such a high-ABV beer.

The aroma on this is big malts, spicy phenols like pepper and clove, sweet malts, candied dark fruits, slight powder or dust, hints of red wine, big grapes, and big cherry and sour cherry. There is a touch of booze and ripe fruits on the nose as well, with some pulls towards lighter fruits. 

The taste is huge! And full-bodied. You pick up huge clove, big fat malts that are sweet and sugary; hints of caramel or brown sugar. There is a grape/wine/cherry component that kicks in during the middle. And you get huge, dank, overripe fruits on the back end with huge booziness. This is also very smooth. I'm picking up some pepper, brown sugar, candied dark fruits, yeasty notes, and some big boozy cake notes.

Damn. This is a huge beer. This is somehow surprisingly drinkable and balanced for a beer with a huge mouthfeel. This has huge palate depth, and huge complexity. This drinks super smooth, finishes a touch dry, and is really boozy and warming on the back end. I should add that head retention is stupendous and there is a ton of lacing on my glass. The front of the palate is giant clove, malts, and sugars; this gives way to that juicy dark fruit middle; the back end is giant overripe fruits, lingering candy notes, boozy cake; this finishes boozy and dry. 

Rating: Divine Brew

Score: 97%

 

I love Belgian beer, and I have had the privilege of trying a number of Belgian brews over the past few months. This is just an absolutely phenomenal beer. This beer has the big flavors you would expect from a Chimay beer, but it has that balance and refined quality you get in something like a Corsendonk. This is really a well-made beer with amazing drinkability, huge complexity, and big bold flavors. And it warms you up pretty nicely at 10.5%. 

 

It is nice when I have nothing to complain about. I can recommend the beer - and believe me, I recommend this beer - and move on. So until next time, cheers. 

Shitty Beer Tuesday #7: Dos Equis XX Special Lager

Brewed By: FEMSA - Cervecería Cuauhtémoc-Moctezuma (Heineken) in Monterrey, Nuevo León, Mexico

Purchased: Single 12oz bottle from a 6-pack bought at Binny's in IL; 2012

Style/ABV: Standard American Lager, 4.45%

 

Nothing says shitty beer like Dos Equis. That is "Two Xs" for you folks who did not take Spanish. Tres Equis is for when you want to go to the strip club. For advanced Spanish, you can practice ordering a Dos Equis at the Tres Equis.

According to Wikipedia, today's beer is owned by the brewery Cuauhtémoc-Moctezuma, and the brewery is Heineken International's bitch. That makes this beer part of the Big Three Axis of Evil. The Cuauhtémoc brewery actually seems to have humble roots, so take a trip to Wikipedia to read about the brewery's history. I usually go into history, but as with many things involving Mexico and history, there is a whole lot of stuff going. The key points is that the brewery was founded in 1890 as an independent brewery. It went through quite a bit of turmoil, and part of it was sold to John Labatt Ltd. of Canada in 1994. On January 11, 2010, the brewery fell into the hands of Heineken.  

Unfortunately, I haven't done a Shitty Beer Tuesday in a while. I'm feeling a bit rusty, so I have asked a special guest to help me review this shitty beer. Ladies and gentleman, allow me to introduce: The Most Interesting Man In The World. 

The Most Interesting Man In The World: I do not introduce myself, I am introduced by others.

 

Jon: ...

 

The Most Interesting Man In The World: Regarding self pleasure: I never need an extra hand.

 

Jon:  Umm, can you tell us about today's beer?

 

The Most Interesting Man In The World: The operator dials "zero" for me.

 

Jon: If I understand you correctly, you don't always drink beer? 

 

The Most Interesting Man In The World

The Most Interesting Man In The World: Yes. I also drink Tequila and Coffee. I don't always drink beer, but when I do, I prefer Dos Equis. Why do you think my blood smells like cologne? Alcohol runs through my veins! I piss cologne-smelling excellence.

 

Jon: You mean...blood?

 

The Most Interesting Man In The World: Yes....

 

Jon: Uh...huh. Okay. So Dos Equis, this is what? A 4.45% ABV Standard American Lager? Can we pop a bottle of this stuff and see what it looks like?

 

The Most Interesting Man In The World: Every time I open a bottle of beer, dolphins appear!

 

Jon: I can't tell if that is a good thing or a tragedy. Those poor dolphins. Anyway, would you care to describe this beer?

 

The Most Interesting Man In The World: What is there to describe? This beer pours a clear golden color. It is watery, golden, and transparent. You could spy on a changing woman through this beer. There are a ton of rising bubbles; big fat bubbles. And there was one-finger of super white head. But the head dissolved pretty quickly. 

 

More importantly, every time I fart an angel gets its wings.

 

Jon: Ladies and gentleman!...the most interesting man in the world. I'm surprised a man as intriguing as yourself loves such a typical looking Standard American Lager.

 

The Most Interesting Man In The World: Didn't you hear? My legend precedes me like lightning precedes thunder. Who needs beer!

 

Jon: I have to ask. How many women have you bedded?

 

The Most Interesting Man In The World: Should I count the escorts?

 

Jon: There were escorts?

 

The Most Interesting Man In The World: There were....

 

Jon: Okay! Moving on...how does this beer smell?

 

The Most Interesting Man In The World: Like aluminum, sweet caramel malts, hints of grain, and maybe a faded touch of grape or apple.

 

Jon: I would agree with that. 

 

The Most Interesting Man In The World: And it tastes about the same. Sweet caramel, grain, aluminum, and hints of apple and apple juice. I also added my own "special brand to the beer."

 

Jon: Is your "special brand" that nasty skunk/sulfur note I am picking up on?

 

The Most Interesting Man In The World: Yes! You must drink this beer cold. Once, I punched a polar bear.

 

Jon: You punched a polar bear?

 

The Most Interesting Man In The World: Yes. And then I taught the Eskimos how to play Poker.

 

Jon: I would love to play poker with...

 

Dos Equis XX Special Lager

The Most Interesting Man In The World: You are not worthy.

 

Jon: Oh....well....can you tell me how the beer holds up in terms of mouthfeel, complexity, and drinkability?

 

The Most Interesting Man In The World: Yes. This is a light, overly-carbonated, super drinkable macro lager. This is refreshing, and has okay palate depth. This is not complex. There is a slightly sulfur or skunk note in the back that really disrupts this beer's drinkability. Kind of like Budweiser. You get carbonation, grain, and aluminum on the front; the middle is hints of apple, grain and water; the back end is lingering grain and aluminum, and that cloying and sweet sulfur note.

 

Jon: So can we agree that this beer is better than Budweiser, but not by much?

 

The Most Interesting Man In The World: I made the Ecuadorian Army agree.

 

Jon: Okay...well, here is my idea for a score:

 

Rating: Average

Score: 54%  

 

Jon: Do you have any other interesting tidbits to share before we go?

 

The Most Interesting Man In The World: I can speak French in Russian! And I don't always take a dump at the airport, but when I do...I use the handicapped stall! 

 

Jon: Okay! Okay! I think that is a little too much information. I think it is time to say goodbye. Until next time...The Most Interesting Man In The World.

  

The Most Interesting Man In The World: I don't always say goodbye, but when I do make sure to steal your shoes before I leave.

 

And...that is it folks. Until the next Shitty Beer Tuesday. I'm sure we will see The Most Interesting Man In The World again...  

Lost & Found Abbey Ale

Brewed By: Port Brewing/The Lost Abbey in San Marcos, California 

Purchased: Single holy bomber (25.4oz) bought at Binny's in IL; 2011 

Style/ABV: Belgian Dubbel, 8.0%

Tonight we are taking a trip out to San Marcos, California, to try a beer from The Lost Abbey. The Lost Abbey is part of the Port Brewing Company, and is located in Stone Brewing's old brewery location. The Port Brewing Company/Lost Abbey emerged from Pizza Port in 2006, and now operates independently. There is a lengthy history page on The Lost Abbey's website. The main story goes: back in the day, Vince Marsaglia (owner and co-founder of Pizza Port) was interested in brewing American-made Abbey style beer. In 1997, Vince joined forces with brewer Tomme Arther who worked to brew some awesome Belgian beer at Pizza Port. In 2005, when Stone Brewing moved from their San Marcos location, Vince, Tomme, Vince's sister Gina, and Jim Comstock founded the Port Brewing Company. Port Brewing opened in May of 2006, and the rest is history.

Lost & Found is an Abbey Style Belgian Dubbel. There is a ton of good info on the Lost & Found info page. The bottle that I have in front of me says 8.0% ABV, despite the website stating 7.5%. This beer uses Two Row, Wheat, Medium and Dark English Crystal, Special B, and Chocolate Malts. There are two hops - German Magnum and German Tettnang - and Belgian Yeast (duh!!!). What makes this beer especially interesting is that it uses "Chef Vince's" specially crafted Raisin Puree. I'm expecting to get huge dark fruits in this beer, dark malts, and big bold raisins.

Lost & Found Abbey Ale

The pour reveals a dark Belgian-looking beer. This is a beer that is clearly purple-brown in lower light. I imagine the less light you have, the darker this beer will look. When held to bright light, this is a hazy, cloudy, carbonated beer that has hues of purple and red/orange/brown. This is a lovely looking beer. My pour yielded about one finger of tan, purple-tinted head. There is great head retention with a nice thin layer of Belgian bubbles chilling on top. There is some lacing as well.

The aroma on this beer is out of this world. I was expecting to get assaulted with huge malts - and I am - but there is also quite a bit of dark fruit goodness going on. I'm picking up on huge raisin, grapes, plums, and hints of wine. There is also a boozy alcohol note playing off the raisins, giving off a boozy raisin aroma. There is some Belgian yeast as well, which is fruity and Belgiany. And there are hints of toasted malts and lots of sweet malts. Sweet malts, fruity, and boozy.

This is a deviation from the typical Belgian Dubbel...and I love it! I'm tasting some leather in here, some wood, as well as some pulls towards a finishing smoke note, and there is some nuttiness in here. I'm really getting that raisin puree - lots of raisin, grapes, and plums. Then there is an earthy raisin note, which finishes with hints of that earthy or herbal smoke. Then there are lingering raisins on the finish, emphasized with a boozy raisin finish. I'm picking up hints of toast as well. The front is loaded with Belgian yeasts, and there are pleasant hints of spice. 

Mouthfeel deviates from the typical style as well. This is slightly tangy or zesty with assertive carbonation that pops on the tip of your tongue. The middle is woody and earthy, and remains supported by the carbonation. This is medium in terms of mouthfeel, with moderate to high palate depth, and a ton of complexity. This drinks very well for a 8.0% ABV beer. The finish is lingering raisins, booze, and some woody/smoke/earth dryness. You get a blast of carbonation, Belgian yeasts and spice, raisins and grapes on the front; followed by some woody, earthy, toasted malts, leather; followed by that raisin back. Lovely stuff.  

Rating: Above-Average

Score: 88% 

I love the Belgian Dubbel style...this beer is a nice detour from the "typical" Belgian Dubbels. There are a lot of fully developed and really good flavors going on in this beer. The best part? A bomber of this stuff is like 7 or 8 bucks compared to a Chimay Red bomber that will run you 9 or 10 dollars. This is a really interesting, innovative, developed, and flavorful beer. This is a worthy beer and you should check it out.

Ommegang Three Philosophers

Brewed By: Brewery Ommegang (Moortgat) in Cooperstown, New York

Purchased: Ye Olde Bomber (25.4oz) from an Ommegang sampler bought at Binny's in Chicago, IL; 2011

Style/ABV: Quadrupel, 9.8%

 

Tonight I'm going to crack open another Ommegang brew. I already took a stab at their Ommegang Gnomegang, and I am looking forward to trying their Belgian Quad.

Ommegang was founded in October of 1997, in Cooperstown, New York. The Ommegang Brewery is set up on a traditional, Belgian-style farmhouse, and brews a number of acclaimed beers. The brewery is known for its unique takes on traditional Belgian-Style beers. Brewery Ommegang was sold to Duvel Moortgat in 2003. Ommegang Ales are made both in Belgium and in Cooperstown, New York.

Three Philosophers is a blended beer. If you check out the Three Philosopher's page on the brewery website, you can find some basic info. The Three Philosophers is a blended beer, combining a rich malty ale and a cherry Lambic. The brewery states that the beer has notes of dark chocolate and cherry cordials. The beer is brewed with cherries, roasted malts, and dark chocolate. This should be a strong, malty beer with big Belgian Kriek notes. Let's dive in and see what this beer is all about.

Ommegang Three Philosophers

When I popped the bottle I was greeted with a lot of smoke, but I'm happy to report this didn't explode. The pour reveals 4-fingers of foamy, bubbly, effervescent, tan/plum-brown head. The body of the beer looks purple or brown in low light. When held to bright light, this is actually an orange or reddish beer. The head looks to be orange or red in bright light as well. There is a lot of sediment floating around in the beer, and quite a bit of rising carbonation.

Right away I'm smelling some funky hay blanket, Belgian malts and yeast, sourness, tartness, and hints of cherry. I'm smelling a hint of red wine vinegar. There are a lot of dark fruits on the nose: berries, grape juice, and plums. There is some alcohol on the nose as well. There is a hint of that solventy-Quad-overripe fruit note: rotting bananas and boozy cherry.

Woah. On my first two sips I'm getting blasted with a huge middle of heavy dark chocolate and dark fruits. This has a huge mouthfeel and huge palate depth. I'm tasting overripe bananas, cherry, wood, dark chocolate, plums, overripe dark grapes, Belgian malts, and hints of doughy Belgian yeast. There is a touch of vinegar or acid cutting through all the Belgian and chocolate notes which really balances out the huge Belgian flavors. There's also some nutty and boozy notes in here. Very complex, and huge.

This is a huge beer. Like a good Quad, the mouthfeel is full. The palate depth is huge and the complexity is high. This has a boozy, woody, and fruity back end with hints of lingering acid from the Kriek. This is smooth and drinkable thanks to good effervescence. The front of the palate is carbonation, overripe bananas and cherries; the middle is giant Belgian malts, dark chocolate, big plums and overripe grapes; the back end is Belgian yeasts, cherry, wood. The finish is boozy and fruity, dry and woody, and acidic. 

Rating: Divine Brew

Score: 93%

This is just a fun beer. There is a huge chocolate and dark fruit presence that really makes this enjoyable to drink. There are also huge cherry and fruit notes, along with some good acid from the cherry Lambic, to help balance out the huge Belgian malts. This is incredibly smooth, but also incredibly boozy. I've only had half the bottle, and I already feel the stopping power of 9.8%. This is an interesting, and highly creative beer. Definitely worth checking out. 

Dogfish Head Chicory Stout

Brewed By: Dogfish Head Brewery in Milton, Delaware

Purchased: Single 12oz bottle from a 4-pack from Binny's in Illinois; 2011

Style/ABV: American Stout, 5.2%

I've already introduced Dogfish Head when I reviewed their 90 Minute IPA. However, I always enjoy giving the brewery props and an introduction before I decimate their beer, so I've been toying with the idea of just copypasta-ing the brewery info in each post. Like this:

Dogfish Head is a craft brewery based out of Milton, Delaware. The brewery was founded by Sam Calagione back in 1995.The brewery began as a brewpub (the first in Delaware) called Dogfish Head Brewings & Eats and was originally located in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. The initial brewing setup included three kegs and propane burners. They brewed 12-gallon batches of beer three times a day, five days a week. In 1996 the brewery began bottling their beer, and by 1999 they had distribution to around a dozen different states. In 2002 the company outgrew their Rehoboth location, and moved to Milton, Delaware. More info can be found HERE.

Chicory Stout is one of Dogfish Head's oldest beers dating back to their brewpub in 1995. The beer is brewed with roasted chicory, organic Mexican coffee, St. John's Wort, and licorice root. The beer is also brewed witth Cascade and Fuggle hops; pale, roasted, and oatmeal grains for the malts. This is a winter seasonal released in November and December, and clocks in at 5.2% ABV and 21 IBUs.

In case you don't know what chicory is, you can check out this cool article. Coffee and chicory were combined by the French during their Civil War to supplement short supplies of coffee. The chicory added additional flavor to the coffee, and softened the bitter edge and added a chocolate-like quality. According to Wikipedia's article on coffee substitutes, ground roasted chicory root was used widely during the American Civil War, and is especially popular in New Orleans. Wikipedia also states that chicory is a woody and bitter plant.

As far as I can tell today's beer is by all means an American Stout. Because it uses Mexican coffee and chicory, the jerks at the BJCP dumped it into the Spice/Herb/Vegetable category. Ratebeer has this pegged as a Stout, and BeerAdvocate agrees with my American Stout labeling. I also tagged this as a Breakfast Stout, because coffee: fuck yeah. I would like to see the Breakfast Stout movement acknowledged by beer judges, even if this isn't really trying to be a Breakfast Stout.

Dogfish Head Chicory Stout

This is a dark, dark beer. The beer pours with 3 to 4 fingers of dark brown/coffee-colored head. The head is thick and bubbly, and looks just like a Stout should. The head is already clinging to my glass, and appears to have good sustainability. The beer is dark black in color when in low light. When you hold the beer up to a bright light, it is still very dark. I would call this beer black or dark, dark brown. I cannot see through the beer, so I can't tell you about carbonation.

The aroma on this beer is very "smooth." Just by smelling the beer you can tell this will drink very smooth. I'm smelling hints of roast, subtle coffee notes; spent coffee filter, fresh from the can. I'm picking up some chocolate, and a definite woody note. Besides the roast, wood, and chocolate...there are very soft pulls towards a vanilla or meat note.

The taste is creamy, smooth, and soft. It is important to keep in mind that this is a 5.2% ABV Stout. This isn't an Imperial or Double Stout. There is some light carbonation on the front. I'm picking up some bitter coffee, wood, smoke, meat, and a hint of spice - maybe pepper? There is also a bright, slightly acidic fruity note. Like a sweet or lighter dark fruit.

This is smooth and mellow, with a light to medium mouthfeel. There is some tingly carbonation on the front of your tongue, which may or may not help the beer's cause. In fact, this is a touch watery (or drinkable, if you're a glass half full kinda person). All is forgiven when you consider this is a 5.2% ABV beer. This has low palate depth, but moderate complexity. The front is coffee, wood, and acidic fruity unknown; the middle is more coffee and mellow chicory; the back end is light bitterness, and the finish is coffee. A touch dry.  

Rating: Average

Score: 71%

 

This is a solid session Stout, and represents its flavors pretty well for the 5.2% ABV. However, a 4-pack of this stuff is like 10 bucks. That means that this wouldn't be my preferential Stout...

 

Seriously though. I dig the coffee, and the chicory seems to add a slightly acidic, fruity, and mellow vibe to the beer. There are good flavors in this beer, which is smooth and tasty, if not a tad thin and a touch watery. This is worth checking out, at least once.