Hinterland Maple Bock

Brewed By: Hinterland Brewery, Restaurant & Lounge in Green Bay, Wisconsin
Purchased: 16oz bottle bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 2013
Style/ABV: Dunkler Bock, 6.8%

Reported IBUs: ?

Now we're drink beers from Green Bay...yuuppp. Actually, I have high hopes (and expectations) from my cheese heads up north. About Hinterland: 

Hinterland is a is a restaurant and brewery based out of Green Bay, Wisconsin. Founded in 1995 by owner Bill Tressler, more info can be found on their website or Facebook page.

The Maple Bock is a German-styled Lager brewed with maple syrup.

Hinterland Maple Bock

In lower light, the beer pours into a dark brown, near-black body, and kicks up two to three fingers of tan/khaki head. There's some hints of dark brown or ruby red on the edges of the glass, and lots of carbonation can be seen rising up in this. In bright light the beer takes on a really nice ruby red color, with a murky brown center. There's a lot of carbonation visible in this beer, and a finger of creamy brown head is sustaining nicely. It's a good looking beer.

The aroma here is, as you might expect, very sweet and easy-going. I'm getting a lot of caramel, toffee, big bread/toast sweetness, and big maple syrup. It's a sweet, inviting nose...but you almost wish it was a freezing Winter morning.

Given the super sweet aroma, you almost expect something like a dense Imperial Stout...but this drinks more like a Brown Ale, and even more like a clean Lager. The front end of this beer is loaded with maple sweetness, but the middle is cut with bready notes and light sweetness. The sweetness veers into that fruity/berry thing, with hints of tea/apples/berries. There's even some light hoppiness to round things out towards the back end...but you also get more maple syrup on the finish.

This is light, drinkable stuff. If this really is clocking in at 6.8%, it is hiding the alcohol very well. The mouthfeel is medium-light, with good palate depth/duration and surprising complexity. You get a lot of sweet malts and maple up front; that rolls into some toast/bread, hints of nuttiness, some fruity notes, and some hops; the back end features trailing hops, and more of that maple syrup goodness on the finish. The finish is malty and clean, but not drying. This one has surprising depth and complexity.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

This is a Decent Above-Average. I could see myself ordering this at the pub, and this would be a dynamite beer to pop open on a cold, Winter morning. I would love to pair this beer with some breakfast, namely pancakes or even an omelette. The clean finish and lighter flavors in this beer would also work well with turkey or a soup. You could also pair this beer with dessert. I paid 4 dollars for this beer...not a bad deal, and I'll be trying more from Hinterland if I can.

Random Thought: In two days hockey season starts, and now that baseball season is behind us we can focus on WHY Jay Cutler is throwing freebie interceptions when there is no need....

Dieu du Ciel Péché Mortel

Brewed By: Dieu du Ciel in Montreal, Canada (Brewed and bottled by Microbrasserie Dieu du Ciel, St-Jérôme, Québec)

Purchased: Single 11.5oz botle bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chciago, IL; 2013 

Style/ABV: Imperial Stout, 9.5%

Reported IBUs: ?

It's Sunday...ban Sunday, in fact. And the Bears lost. But at least we have tasty beer. About Dieu du Ciel: 

Dieu du Ciel is a brewery based out of Montreal, Canada, founded in 1998 by these guys. You can check them out on Facebook here, or at their website here. 

The Péché Mortel is an Imperial Coffee Stout, brewed using fair trade coffee. There's not much else info available, and the Dieu du Ciel website is ghetto and slow. Sometimes that's how it goes...

Dieu du Ciel Péché Mortel

The beer pours like most Imperial Stouts do: into a dark black body, kicking up one to two fingers of bready, dark tan/brown head. The head is sustaining nicely, and there is visible carbonation on the sides of the glass. There looks to be some lacing and legs too.

The aroma on this beer is very nice, with lots of meaty/smokey malts that is reminiscent of peated malts. There's a lot of caramel and sweet molasses on the nose, veering in the direction of Hershey's Chocolate Syrup and sweet cacao. There's also some subtle coffee on the nose, with instant coffee, coffee and creamer, and spent coffee grounds.

Wow...the taste goes in a less sweet direction than the nose, with tons of bitter coffee, earthy coffee, and ground coffee, and a firm malt base that includes some hints of smoke/smoked meats..hints of peated malt. I'm also getting a lot of hop bite in this, with some hints of pine and woody resin to compliment the earthy coffee. In the back of this is some hints of vanilla/creamer which compliments the coffee.

This is dense, slightly sticky, full-bodied stuff. Palate depth is great, with minimal soda-like carbonation often found in coffee beers. The complexity is primarily coffee-driven, with earthy bitter coffee atop some nice malts. It's not bad. This beer is very drinkable at 9.5%, but something you can sip on if you choose to. You get coffee and sweeter malts up front; that rolls into earthy coffee and hops; the back end trails off with coffee, creamer, and a dry and sticky finish. Nice.

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a very, very Light Divine Brew on this...this is another excellent coffee Stout, and I'm probably too generous with my scoring for beers in this style. But I looooveee these coffee beers. This is really enjoyable stuff, and would pair well with breakfast, an omelette, chocolate pancakes, dry chocolate cake, ice cream, or even a burger or grilled ribs. Really awesome stuff, and single bottles sell for around 5 bucks, which is a good steal. 

Random Thought: I've never contributed to BeerAdvocate, but with each new dramatic happening, I feel less inclined to participate. 

Pipeworks Poivre Vert

Brewed By: Pipeworks Brewing in Chicago, IL  

Purchased: 750ml bottle (Batch #202) bought at Binny's in IL; 2013 (bottled 9.13.13)

Style/ABV: Saison, 7.0%
Reported IBUs: ?

Hey-yo, it's another Unofficial Pipeworks Thursday™. Before we dive in, I thought it was worth noting that the White Sox dropped another game, and are just three games away from having 100 losses on the season. Let's see if they can suck for this final stretch. About Pipeworks:

Pipeworks has humble roots. The brewery was founded in Chicago in 2011 by Beejay Oslon and Gerrit Lewis. The duo were both homebrewers that met while while working at West Lakeview Liquors. In 2011, they began to raise money for their brewery using the online Internet site, Kickstarter. Olson and Lewis were both educated at De Struise Brewery in Oostvleteren, Belgium. With that knowledge, and the money from their kickstarter, Olson and Lewis created a unique brewery that is smaller in size, and intended to brew smaller batches of beer. The company's motto is "small batches, big beers." And indeed, since the brewery has been around, they've been releasing a lot of one-offs and small batch releases. The goal is to release a new beer every week. You can read more about the brewery at their website HERE.

The Poivre Vert (green pepper) is a Saison brewed with green peppercorns, celery seed, and cucumber. I'm kind of iffy on Pipeworks' Saisons, but let's see how this stacks up. The back of the bottle states (and yes...it says "eveing"):

"It isn't always easy being green, but it certainly can be delicious. Poivre Vert combines green peppercorns, celery seed, and cucumbers for a bright and refreshing saison. This saison combines spicey and cooling notes for a complex and refreshing ale perfect for food and warm eveing quaffing." 

Pipeworks Poivre Vert

The beer pours a hazy, golden/honey/yellow color, and kicks up one to two fingers of bright white head. The head is foamy and dense, and Saison-like, and the beer appears to be well-carbonated. In bright light, the beer is a golden/yellow color, and you can see lots of streams of carbonation rising upwards. This beer is lively and very effervescent. The head has settled into a nice ring of white foam around the edge of the glass.

The aroma on this beer is out of bounds. I'm getting HUGGEEEE cucumber, bright greens, salad, and just big, big cucumber. I'm also picking up some pepper and the green peppercorns, and some underlying fruity notes.

I'm just gonna say...I absolutely love this. This beer has some earthy Belgian character, hints of wheat and bread, and tons of cucumbers, green salad, and peppercorn notes. The cucumber, celery, and green peppercorns are well integrated into the beer, and the whole thing is surprisingly subtle and brilliant.

This beer is light to medium-light bodied, with great drinkability at 7.0%. The carbonation and mouthfeel is perfect, and palate depth is fantastic. I've had more complex Saisons, but this beer has a lot going on for such a simple list of ingredients. You get earthy Belgian yeast up front, with big cucumber, celery, and green peppercorns; that rolls into some bitterness, a little malt density via bread/wheat, and some more celery and peppercorns; the finish features lingering greens, salad, and some dryness. Really fucking nice!

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

This is a Strong Above-Average, flirting with a divine brew. I like this enough that I'll probably go see if I can track down another bottle or two. I haven't been sold on Pipeworks' Saisons, but this beer and their Saison du Soliel are promising beers that are going to sway me to the dark side. This beer is refreshing, and delivers where it promises. This beer would pair with cucumber dip, sandwiches with cucumber, any cucumber mayo/dip/sauce/aioli, or some grilled lamb with cucumber sauce. Actually, this beer makes me want to go out and buy some Gyros. If you can find this beer...grab a bottle and PAIR IT WITH FOOD. This beer + a Greek Gyro = wingasm. 

Random Thought: So I know "eveing" is a spelling error, but I think Pipeworks lucked into that one. I'm totally down with this new term. What will I be doing on a Thursday night? I'll be eveing it up, drinking beers, waiting for Friday. It's genius. 

The Bruery Autumn Maple

Brewed By: The Bruery in Placentia, California  

Purchased: 750ml bottle bought at Binny's in IL; 2013 

Style/ABV: Spice/Herb/Vegetable, 10.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

In keeping with the Fall and Autumn beers, I thought I would deviate from the pumpkin beers for a bit and try a beer brewed with another Fall staple, yams. But first, about The Bruery: 

The Bruery are based out of Placentia, California. As with many craft breweries, The Bruery began as a homebrewing adventure when Patrick Rue, his brother Chris, and his wife Rachel brewed their fast batch of beer. Patrick Rue continued to homebrew during his first year of law school, until he decided that he had a passion for brewing beer. The Bruery opened up in 2008, and since then, they have built a reputation around their experimental, and wild ales brewed with a Belgian flair. To read more, check out the Breuery's website.

The Autumn Maple is an Autumn seasonal brewed with 17 pounds of yams per barrel. In addition to the yams, this beer features cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, vanilla, molasses, and maple syrup, and is fermented out with a Belgian yeast strain. 

The Bruery Autumn Maple

The Autumn Maple pours into a dark, brownish/amber body, and kicks up two fingers of thick, bready, Belgian-esque head. The head is khaki/tan in low light, and an amber color in bright light. The beer is a deep, hazy orange color in bright light, with nice streams of peppery carbonation. Head retention is good, there is some lacing, and there are some alcohol legs. 

You get a lot of spices on the aroma...nutmeg, namely, along with some allspice, clove, and cinnamon. There's a mulled wine thing going on with the spices, and beneath all that is some Belgian funk and band-aid/vanilla/clove. There's a vinous quality to this beer, and I'm picking up on some vegetal tannins on the aroma...you definitely get some of the yams on the aroma. It's a strange, spicy aroma.

As this beer warms up...it really progresses. You get a lot of fruity bitterness and spices in the mix, but there's also a lot of sugars in this. I'm getting molasses, yams, allspice/nutmeg/cinnamon, clove, and some vanilla. There's some shades of fruit, grass/lemongrass, and Belgian funk in this as well. 

This isn't bad...but it's not blowing me away. This beer is full-bodied, but at 10% the alcohol is well hidden and drinkability is good thanks to the high levels of carbonation. Palate depth and complexity are both okay. You get some Belgian yeast funk, molasses, and nutmeg/cinnamon/allspice up front; that rolls into clove, more molasses, big yams, maple syrup, vanilla; and the back end lays on some trailing sweetness. Some fruity and bitter hops show up from time to time.

Rating: Average (3.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Average on this. I really want to love this beer, but I feel like it's kind of just doing the style justice. That's not a bad thing by any means, but this isn't blowing me away at the moment. I'm also hesitant to age a beer like this, because I feel like the big yam and spice character is going to drop off unfavorably. At around...what was it? Ten, maybe fifteen bucks a bottle, this is a tad bit pricey, but what can you do. I'd pair this beer with turkey, Thanksgiving dinner, sweet potatoes or yams, or a hearty beef and potato dish or stew. This is good stuff, and would taste good on a Fall/Autumn evening.

Random Thought: I'm really pulling for the 100 games lost for the White Sox, but they have some work to do if they are going to suck that much over the next few games. They are off to a good start after tonight's game, but we still have a few more to go. 100...come on, baby!!!

Avery The Beast Grand Cru Ale (2013)

Brewed By: Avery Brewing Company in Boulder, Colorado  

Purchased: Single 12oz bottle bought at Binny's in Illinois; 2013 

Style/ABV: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, 18.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

Ahhh...Avery. What to say about these guys. Avery is a brewery that was founded in September 1993 by homebrewer Adam Avery. You've heard this story before: homebrewer makes awesome beer, homebrewer jumps into the booming craft beer scene with great beer. Between 1993 and now, Avery has expanded numerous times, including bigger tanks in 1995 and in 1997. In 2000, the brewery replaced their brewhouse, and in 2002 more tanks were added, and 2004 marked the second year of Avery's barrel program. Since then, it's been all uphill with more expansion, canned beer, and continued success. To read more, check out Avery's website.

The Beast Grand Cru is part of Avery's The Demons of Ale series, and is one big beer. Dubbed a "Grand Cru," this beer features a grocery list of ingredients. The hop list includes Magnum, Galena, Saaz, Hallertau, Tettnang, and Hersbrucker hops. The malt bill is two-row malted barley, honey malt, and imported Belgian specialty grains (aromatic, pale wheat, roasted wheat, and Special B). In addition to all that, the beer also features Dates, Molasses, Dark Belgian Candy Sugar, Alfalfa Honey, Raisins, Turbinado sugar, and sweet, sweet Rocky Mountain water. This year's release punches in at an insane 18.0% and should age beautifully. 

Avery The Beast Grand Cru Ale (2013)

The beer pours a dark reddish color...talk about carnage in a glass...and kicks up two fingers of tan, Belgian-esque head. This beer is seriously carbonated, and head retention (about a pinky, at the moment) is good for a beer punching in at 18.0%. In bright light, the beer takes on a reddish-orange color, and the head is soaking up some amber tones. This beer is super effervescent at the moment, with tons of carbonation rising upwards in various streams.

The aroma on this reminds me of Dogfish Head's Fort and 120 Minute IPA. There's a ton of fruity, boozy complexity on the aroma. I'm pulling off berries, raspberry, raspberry puree, raisins, weird meat/leather, and tons of perfume candy sugar and turbinado sugar on this beer's nose. There's some rum-like qualities to the aroma, but I don't think this beer has aged to that point just yet. I'm not getting any solvent or fusel alcohol on this, but you know this beer is hot.

WOAH. Fuck me...this beer is huge. I'm drinking this hot with the intention to age a second bottle, but right now the first sip results in an explosion of spicy, boozy fullness...the beer just unravels in your mouth, and finishes with trailing booziness that would make any rum drinker blush. I'm getting some raspberry puree and berries up front, followed by tons of brown sugar, turbinado, and candy sugar. There's some boozy dark fruits in the mix, including plums and raisins, and then the beer veers into HARD Quad territory with overripe fruit booze. The finish is boozy, and then growing heat rises up your throat from your tummy. You get a lot of peppery spice in this from the booze, and some weird, peppery leather/butcher shop shows up from the alcohol heat. 

What we have here, right now, is a beer that's a wee bit one-dimensional. It's hard to say if the 18.0% is going to age into something with more complexity, but at the moment this is mostly hints of fruit, rum, candy sugar, and booze. Obviously, drinkability is low here. This full-bodied beast is a sipping beer through and through. Even if you age this, you're going to want to sip on this. The palate depth is outstanding, but this desperately needs some complexity. You get some berries and fruit puree up front; that rolls into huge sugars, candy sugar, brown sugar, and perfumey booze; the back end is more booze, rum-spice and rum-alcohol, hints of Quad-like dark fruits, and a boozy/warming finish.

Rating: Average (3.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Average on this. This beer reminds a bit of the Two Brothers 16th Anniversary Ale. It's like bringing a rocket launcher to a fist fight. Then again...this beer has the advertised rum character going on, and this is definitely a sipper. As a fresh beer, I would only recommend this to be sipped on over the course of a cold Winter evening. As a beer to age...well, age away. I'll echo Avery's thoughts and agree that this beer would pair well with a pineapple upside-down cake, or any other fruity dessert cake. This beer might also work grilled meats. This beer has a niche...but I dunno. I'll have to sleep on this.

Random Thought: I guess BrewDog and Jim Koch brewed a Scotch ale with lobster and crabs in it...and then they made it sour, by sitting nude in the mash. That's super cool. I like to get naked with my fellow, same-sex coworkers (NOT THAT THERE IS ANYTHING WRONG WITH THAT!!!) and make sour beer. Boop. 

Anchor BigLeaf Maple Autumn Red

Brewed By: Anchor Brewing Company in San Francisco, California  

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 6-pack bought at Binny's in Illinois; 2013

Style/ABV: American Amber/Red, 6.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

How can anyone say "no" to Autumn/Fall beers? Fall beers have to be the best seasonal releases, coinciding with the changing leaves, crisp cooler weather, and football. Mother fucking football. That's all you need to know. And if you don't like football...well, you suck, or it sucks to be you. But we also have baseball in October, which is the best baseball, and hockey and basketball just around the corner. So yeah, Fall. About Anchor:

Anchor Brewing Company is "America's first craft brewery." The brewery can be traced back to the 1849 California gold rush, where German brewer Gottlieb Brekle arrived in San Francisco with his family. In 1871 Gottlieb purchased a beer-and-billiards saloon, and turned it into a brewery. In 1896, Ernst F. Baruth and his son-in-law, Otto Schinkel Jr. bought the brewery and named it Anchor. In 1906, Baruth passed away, and a fire and earthquake destroyed the brewery. In 1907, Otto Schinkel Jr. was run over by a car. The brewery was maintained by Joseph Kraus, August Meyer, and Henry Tietjen. During the 1950s and 1960s, the brewery went through hard economic times, and Anchor was shut down twice. In 1965, Fritz Maytag purchased Anchor saving it from bankruptcy. In 1971, Fritz began bottling Anchor Steam beer; and by 1975, Anchor had four beers, their Porter, Liberty Ale, Old Foghorn, and Barleywine Ale, and their annual Christmas Ale. In 1979, Anchor moved to its current location, on Mariposa Street, where the brewery currently resides today. Since then, Anchor continues to brew beer (and distill spirits), and remains one of America's most traditional breweries. Definitely check out the company's history page, HERE.

The BigLeaf Maple Autumn Red is obviously a Fall/Autumn seasonal. This beer is brewed with maple syrup, and is inspired by the California maple tree. In addition to the maple, caramel malts, and pale malts, this beer is also brewed with three additions of Nelson Sauvin hops in the brew kettle, and a blend of Nelson Sauvin, Citra, and Cascade for dry hopping. Punching in at a pleasant 6.0%, this beer is available between August and October.

Anchor BigLeaf Maple Autumn Red

I'm obviously doing this wrong, but the beer pours into a nice amber body, and kicks up three-plus fingers of super fluffy, soapy, off-white head. The head is sticky and is sustaining nicely, and takes on some amber/tan tones. In bright light, this beer looks exactly how an Amber Ale should look. The beer is transparent and filtered(?), and there's lazy carbonation. Head retention is sexy, and sticky lacing is coating my glass. 

The Nelson Sauvin hopping is apparent on the aroma, along with the big Cascade. I'm getting a lot of pine, grapefruit rind, and wet leaves on the aroma. But what's surprising is the huge blast of bready, maple syrup on the aroma. I'm getting bready/biscuit honey, maple syrup, and cake on the nose. The pine and bready maple syrup thing on the nose is fantastic.

Wow...this is really fantastic for a seemingly simple style of beer. The beer is refreshing and crisp, with lots of pine, earthy floral, earthy bitter, rye, rye spice, and big crushed wet leaves, iced tea, and hints of citrus. The whole hop package is wrapped in a layer of bready maple syrup. Like, legit maple syrup. The whole beer takes on a rustic, earthy edge...and it reminds you of being outside on an Autumn day.

The Nelson Sauvin hops play nice here, never imparting any serious passionfruit or grape. At 6.0% this beer is dense enough, but drinkable and crisp at the same time. The mouthfeel is medium, and palate depth and complexity are both alright for the style. You get lots of pine, rye spice, hints of citrus, wet leaves, and tea up front; that rolls into more pine, rye spice, wet leaves, and hints of maple; the back end is a coating of maple syrup, bready goodness, and a nice finish that is dry and pleasantly earthy/floral. Autumn in a glass.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Above-Average on this. This is a really good, simple, Amber Ale. There's not much to this style of beer, but the addition of the Nelson Sauvin and Cascade impart some rye-like spice that adds a nice layer of complexity to this beer, and the addition of the maple syrup actually comes through in the taste. This beer is everything you want in an Autumn/Fall seasonal, and would be a great beer to sip on during a football game, or on a chilly October night while you watch some baseball. Ambers pair well with whatever, but I'd stick with food that doesn't have a ton of heat...anything starch + meat or bread + meat would work, and yeah. Good stuff.

Random Thought:  I'm so happy that Anchor continues to put their beer in 6-packs.

Three Floyds Behemoth Barleywine

Brewed By: Three Floyds Brewing Company in Munster, Indiana 
Purchased: 22oz bottle (650ml - ORANGE WAX) purchased at Evolution Wine and Spirits in Chicago, IL; 2013 
Style/ABV: American Barleywine, 10.5%
Reported IBUs: 80

I can't escape Barlyewines, even though they are far from being my favorite or even preferred style of beer. Tonight's beer is considered by many to be one of the absolute best American Barleywines, but we can only hope. About Three Floyds:

Today we go to Munster, Indiana, where Three Floyds has been brewing beer since 1996. The brewery was founded by brothers Nick and Simon, and their father Mike Floyd - hence, the name, Three Floyds. The first brewery was originally located in Hammond, Indiana. Eventually Three Floyds outgrew their original location, and moved to Munster, Indiana. After moving to Munster, and seeing an increased demand for their beer, Three Floyds began to bottle their beer. Since 2000, the brewery has continued to grow. And in 2005, the brewery opened its first brewpub. The brewery is probably most famous for their Dark Lord Stout. If you haven't heard of it, Google "Dark Lord Day." And then weep at the beer you probably will never be able to drink.

The Behemoth is a beast. The bottle states: "A huge, sweet Barley Wine with complex caramel malt notes, balanced by generous hopping and a high alcohol content. This fruity and malty beer is best enjoyed while keeping warm in the brutal winter months. 10.5% ABV." This beer is a January release, Winter seasonal.

I did strip the wax off this, because it is easier to open. And Three Floyds should get credit for their quality wax jobs. They always get nice coverage on their bottles, so you can peel the wax off with ease. Or relative ease....

Three Floyds Behemoth Barleywine

The beer pours into a murky, swampy, nondescript raisin/amber/swamp body, and kicks up two to three fingers of lightly tan head. As the head falls off, you are left with splotchy lacing and some glossy residuals. In bright light, the beer takes on a classic reddish-orange color, and you can see some streams of carbonation between the hazy body. There's some yeast suspended in the mix, and this beer is both unfiltered and conditioned. 

I'm jumping on this beer at a weird time...but what else is new with me and Barleywines. This beer is in transition between new and old, but right now I'm getting a lot of pine on the nose. I'm getting pleasant/mild pine, pine sap, light maple syrup and raisin/brown sugar, and lots of earthy hop notes. I'm getting iced tea, tea, and wet leaves. After nearly a year, there is still quite a bit of resinous hop punch on the aroma, with resinous tea and hints of earthy citrus. I have no idea how this will taste.

The taste actually follows through with the aroma pretty much to a tee...you get big, caramel/brown sugar-driven hops up front, and the hops are JUICY and DENSE. The hops feature notes of pine, pine sap, maple, maple syrup, big iced tea, wet leaves...there's some resinous hop punch in the middle, with some resinous pine, lemon, citrus, and more iced tea and wet leaves...there's also some nice booze in the mix, with some warming, and hints of brown sugar and raisins.

What makes this beer special is that at 10.5% ABV, this beer is never cloying or overly sweet. The hop punch is juicy and pleasantly resinous, and the malts are big and complex but restrained at the same time. For a Barleywine this is on the lighter side of things, but the beer is still full-bodied with sticky sweetness. It does drink well, especially for the ABV, and piney/resinous hops and good carbonation help move things along. Palate depth is good and so is complexity. I'm...impressed to say the least. Up front is malt-driven pine and iced tea hops; that rolls into resinous pine, iced tea, some brown sugar and more sugars; the back end is lingering hops, booze, raisins, brown sugar, malts, and some sticky dryness. I don't even anything near 80 IBUs in this.

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I suppose this is a Light Divine Brew, based on drinkability alone. So often Barleywines are cloyingly sweet, but this beer manage to pack a lot of flavor and alcohol into a nice, drinkable package. This is a hop-forward Barleywine, at least at the moment, but there are some underlying complex sugars and malts that will probably continue to improve with age. I'm about to pair this beer with a Monte Cristo type sandwich, but you could also pair this with a dry dessert cake, or a burger, or anything that works well with strong hops. Personally, I'd let this warm up and just sip on it.

Random Thought: I hate you, GRE. Seriously, go fuck yourself. 

Pipeworks Cherry Truffle Abduction

Brewed By: Pipeworks Brewing Company in Chicago, IL  

Purchased: 750ml bottle (Batch #204/205) bought at West Lakeview Liquors in IL; 2013 (bottled 9.??.13)

Style/ABV: Imperial Stout, 11.0%
Reported IBUs: ?

It's NOT Unofficial Pipeworks Thursday™...in fact, it's early Sunday. What am I even doing here? I should be watching football, but I had to take a break to pen some thoughts on this beer. About Pipeworks:

Pipeworks has humble roots. The brewery was founded in Chicago in 2011 by Beejay Oslon and Gerrit Lewis. The duo were both homebrewers that met while while working at West Lakeview Liquors. In 2011, they began to raise money for their brewery using the online Internet site, Kickstarter. Olson and Lewis were both educated at De Struise Brewery in Oostvleteren, Belgium. With that knowledge, and the money from their kickstarter, Olson and Lewis created a unique brewery that is smaller in size, and intended to brew smaller batches of beer. The company's motto is "small batches, big beers." And indeed, since the brewery has been around, they've been releasing a lot of one-offs and small batch releases. The goal is to release a new beer every week. You can read more about the brewery at their website HERE.

The back of the Cherry Truffle Abduction states:

"Humans, humans, humans... Your delicacy suites you like vanilla to a beastly beer. You wear your fragility with nature's grace, like cherries in the fall. Destined to be plucked, squeezed, and made vital in some cosmic concoction. Subit to our dark rich cherry Abduction. Submission is your natural state. It is in fact, what Drew us to you."

Pipeworks Cherry Truffle Abduction

This beer pours into a dark, black body, and kicks up two fingers of rich, dense, sustaining brown head. The head is sustaining nicely, with a pinky of thick foam hanging around. When you swirl the beer in the glass, sticky brown head coats the sides, along with some glossy alcohol legs. It's a nice looking beer.

The aroma on this beer is awesome. This beer has a lot more fruit on the nose than the Raspberry Truffle and Orange Truffle did. I'm getting rich and velvety chocolate, cacao, truffle, some roast/coffee, and boozy complexity...and BIG cherry, berries, fruit, and chocolate-dipped cherries. There are big chocolate-dipped cherries on this beer's nose, and it is fantastic.

I'm going at this a little cold right now, but fear not, I will sip on this until it warms. At the moment, I'm getting rich roast and chocolate, and TONS of fruity cherry. There's big cherry, berries, and acidic fruits. I'm also getting some coffee, and some boozy complexity. Let's see how this tastes in a few minutes.

As this warms up, not a whole lot changes...you get a lot more of the big, malt body, and you pick up a little more coffee and roast. At 11.0%, this is a big beer, but it's never cloying or obnoxious. The mouthfeel is full-bodied, and drags nicely, with good carbonation and some acidic berries and cherry fruit to move thing along. Palate depth is outstanding, especially for a Stout with cherries, and this has good complexity. I love fruity Stouts, but they can be hit and miss. This one hits, with rich malts, chocolate, coffee, and roast up front; that rolls into huge cherry, cherry-chocolate, coffee, berries, fruits; the finish is lingering cherry, coffee, and booze. 

Rating: Divine Brew (5.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Decent Divine Brew on this. This is better than the Orange Truffle Abduction, and probably works better than the Raspberry Truffle Abduction too. I don't know if this is better than the Coffee Break Abduction, but it's hard to top coffee and the Abduction stout base. This is good stuff...a good beer to sip on, or to pair with some dry chocolate cake, or ice cream. The beer finishes just slightly sticky-sweet, and yeah. For such a young brewery finding their niche, I can only imagine what Pipeworks will be doing in a few years. There are better cherry Stouts out there, but this is a fantastic local option for Chicago. Get on this.

Random Thought: The Lions won, but both the Vikings and Packers lost. Here's to hoping the NFC North goes 2-2 this week.

Pipeworks Australian Summer Ninja

Brewed By: Pipeworks Brewing in Chicago, IL  

Purchased: 22oz bottle (Batch #206/7/8) bought at Binny's in IL; 2013 (bottled 9.??.13)

Style/ABV: Imperial IPA, 9.5%
Reported IBUs: ?

It's Thursday, so you know the deal: Unofficial Pipeworks Thursday™. Or should I say, gud evenin' ya cunt, s'ummer is ere for a bit langer, ya cunt, so cheers 'n' salood, ya funny fuckin' cunt! About Pipeworks:

Pipeworks has humble roots. The brewery was founded in Chicago in 2011 by Beejay Oslon and Gerrit Lewis. The duo were both homebrewers that met while while working at West Lakeview Liquors. In 2011, they began to raise money for their brewery using the online Internet site, Kickstarter. Olson and Lewis were both educated at De Struise Brewery in Oostvleteren, Belgium. With that knowledge, and the money from their kickstarter, Olson and Lewis created a unique brewery that is smaller in size, and intended to brew smaller batches of beer. The company's motto is "small batches, big beers." And indeed, since the brewery has been around, they've been releasing a lot of one-offs and small batch releases. The goal is to release a new beer every week. You can read more about the brewery at their website HERE.

I'm glad to see that the Ninja vs. Unicorn series travels well. Tonight, we go to Australia (as if you haven't inferred that by now). The back of the bottle states:

"Summer is here and the Ninja is up for some sun in the Southern Hemisphere. Showcasing the new Australian Summer hop, this ninja is ready for a hopped up beach party in your mouth."

Pipeworks Australian Summer Ninja

The Summer hop is local to Australia, and is supposed to provide melon and apricot notes. The beer pours into a dark, reddish-orange body that is pretty hazy. I kicked up a finger or two of caramel/amber-tinted head, and the head is sustaining nicely (with some bubbles on the surface and a nice cauldron effect), and leaving some lacing as it falls off. The beer is a vibrant bright orange in bright light, and the head soaks up those orange tones. There's peppery carbonation dotting its way up to the beer's surface.

I do love me a fresh IPA, and this beer is fresh. The aroma crushes you with huge, juicy hops....I'm getting grass, melon, fruit salad, apricot, some peppery-floral, and some bready and biscuit malt backing. It kind of reminds me of Half Acre's Daisy Cutter. 

Thankfully, this dials up both the ABV and the malt bill. I have nothing against Half Acre's Daisy Cutter (their Double Daisy Cutter is a different story...), but that's a Pale Ale and this is an Imperial IPA. This beer punches you with juicy, malt-driven hops. You get tons of fruity grass, floral fruit sweetness, hints of pepper, and BIG melon, mango, and apricot. The beer stays on the juicy side of things, and trails off with a bitter and slightly peppery finish.

Pipeworks has this IPA thing down, and this is another winner. This beer is stupid drinkable, and you don't get any of that 9.5%. This is also perfectly carbonated, with a medium-full mouthfeel, a juicy body, and a slightly peppery and dry finish. This isn't just a Summer Ninja, it's a Summer Ninja. Palate depth and complexity are both above average: You get sweet malts, honey, and bread up front, followed by big grass, and melon; that rolls into some floral sweetness, apricots, mango, juicy hops; the finish shifts to bitter, with some peppery hop spice on the finish.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

This is easily a Strong Above-Average. This is good stuff, and makes me excited about all the hop varieties coming out of Australia. I like this Summer hop...pair the Summer hop with the big malt bill, and BAM! In defense of Imperial IPAs, it seems like sometimes overdoing it with the malts can be a detractor. Not here. Pair this beer with a fish burger or chicken sandwich, or with a tropical/fruit salsa. You could also pair this with Caribbean spices, or mildly spiced habanero. How about mango habanero wings? Yum. If you see this one, check it out.

Random Thought: Serious L-O-Ls at some of the reviews for this beer on BeerAdvocate. DAE love the hop blend used in this beer? My favorite was definitely the Centennial Ninja. Loved that hop blend. Actually...the latest batch of the Citra Ninja was pretty solid too. Anyway, for lulz, read reviews. 

North Coast Old Stock Ale (Ōtsuchi 2012)

Brewed By: North Coast Brewing Company in Fort Bragg, California

Purchased: 750ml bottle purchased at Binny's in IL; 2013 (March 2012 Vintage)

Style/ABV: Barleywine/Old Ale, 11.7%

Reported IBUs: 34

It's been a while since I've had anything from North Coast. Keeping with my big beer theme, I'm in the mood for a Barleywine. The weather is hot, humid, and rainy...and last night dipped down into the 40s, and tonight is in the 60s or 70s. Yay, Midwest! About North Coast:

The North Coast Brewing Company was founded in 1988 as a local brewpub in Fort Bragg, on California's Mendocino Coast. The brewery was founded by brewmaster Mark Ruedrich, president and brewmaster. Under his leadership, the brewery has won over 70 national and international awards, and has carved a definitive niche in American craft beer. For more information, check out their website here.

The 2012 edition of the Old Stock Ale was brewed as a special, commemorative release as part of the Otsuchi Recovery Fund. You can read the post on North Coast's website, but I'll repost the blurb here:

"2011 marks the 10th anniversary of the sister city relationship between Fort Bragg, California and Otsuchi, Japan.

When Ken Sasaki was a boy in Otsuchi, his father, a fisherman, was lost at sea. Ken-san would sit on the bluffs overlooking the ocean, ever in search of any sign of his father. When he became older, he wondered what was on the other side of the ocean-who lived over there and what they were like.

He drew a line across the Pacific from Otsuchi and found Fort Bragg on the exact same latitude. In 1997, he made contact and invited the mayor of Fort BRagg, Lindy Peters, for his first visit to Otsuchi.

Four years later, Lindy made his second trip to Otsuchi, and the following year, in September of 2002, the first student exchange of Fort Bragg students went to Otsuchi. In 2005, a Sister City Proclamation was solidifed by then Mayor Dave Turner and Mayor Yamazaki. 

When the recent tsunami struck northern Japan, Otsuchi was one of the hardest hit communities and this charming 800-year-old city was leveled with an unimaginable loss of life and property. 

CBS recently devoted a 60 Minutes episode to the Otsuchi disaster and interviewed Ken Sasaki, who made it clear how important the Fort Bragg sister city relationship has been in helping to give Otsuchi the encouragement to rebuild and to maintain their "Never give up" attitude. The people of Fort Bragg have sent over $250,00 to help, but more importantly, they sent their love. As a continuation of this support, North Coast Brewing makes a donation to the Otsuchi Recovery fund for every bottle of Otsuchi Old Stock Ale sold. 

Enjoy this bottle with friends and celebrate the recovery of Otsuchi."

The Old Stock Ale is brewed to be aged. Brewed with classic Maris Otter malt and Fuggles and East Kent Goldings hops, this beer seems to take an English twist on the Old Ale/Barleywine style. Let's see how she stacks up.

North Coast Old Stock Ale (Ōtsuchi 2012)

This beer pours into a hazy, reddish-brown body, and kicks up a few fingers of quickly fading caramel/golden-raisin head. When held to a bright light, the beer takes on a very nice deep orange color, reminiscent of a Barleywine or Old Ale. There's a nice coating of head with some sea foam or a cauldron effect. There's some lacing as well, and big alcohol legs. The beer looks to be hazy, but you can see some fat carbonation bubbles rising upwards in the glass.

I took this out of my fridge almost an hour ago, and I still think this beer can warm up to hit stride. I'm getting some really nice cakey, raisin bread, and raisins on the aroma. There's some berries on the aroma, with blunted citrus, and some layers of maple syrup and pine sap. There's also some nice complex sugars and molasses on the nose. It's a mellow nose...but I wouldn't expect anything more after nearly two years. 

I'm happy to report that this is drinking like a sipping beer...it's also drinking like a beer that has some age. Oxidation is already setting in, and the malts point in the direction of raisins and figs and dark fruits. There's a kiss of earthy hops in the mix, and you get some booze as well. I'm still getting some cakey notes, syrup, molasses, and other complex sugars...which is a nice layer of depth in addition to the raisins, cherries, and other dark fruits. This is slightly vinous, and Port-like...but at the same time, the booze points in the direction of whiskey or vodka. It's good.

At 11.7%, this beer is both boozy and low in terms of drinkability. And you know what, that's a good thing. This is a sipping beer...an Old Ale that can and will age...so enjoy it. Palate depth is good, and the beer is still well-carbonated. This one is being propped up with some tingly carbonation, and a touch of oxidation. The complexity is the only thing holding this back from being truly revolutionary, and that may just be the result of drinking the beer in transition. You get hit with cakey malts, complex sugars, and booze up front; that rolls into dark fruits, raisins, cherries, some earthy hops; the finish is more booze, sticky sweetness, syrup, and a slightly dry finish. 

Rating: Average (3.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Average on this, almost approaching Above-Average or a the middle between Average and Above-Average. This beer is pretty much what I expect from an Old Ale that has some age on it...it's good, if not a touch boozy..but it's not blowing me away. Having said that, this beer is aging well, and will likely continue to age well. I wouldn't pair this beer with food. Sip on this over the course of an evening, or as a dessert beer, or with a cigar. I snagged this beer on clearance for like 8 or 9 bucks, which was a good deal. Hash tag, #didntplantogetdrunkonwednesday

Random Thought: I'm too sleepy for this shit. 

Central Waters Brewhouse Coffee Stout

Brewed By: Central Waters Brewing Co. in Amherst, Wisconsin

Purchased: 22oz bomber bought at Binny's in IL; 2013 

Style/ABV: American Stout, ???

Reported IBUs: ?

My relationship with Central Waters is kind of up and down, but I was craving a big Imperial Stout tonight, and this should (hopefully) hit that spot. I guess this is an abusive relationship, but I can't quit you, Central Waters: 

Central Waters was founded in 1996 by two friends, Mike McElwain and Jerome Ebel. The two bought an old brick building in Junction City, Wisconsin. During the next two years, the two restored the building, and put in brewing equipment. A few months later, Paul Graham joined the brewery. After three years under the original ownership, the brewery was sold to brewer Paul Graham and home-brewer Clint Schultz. On the brewery's five-year anniversary, Central Waters purchased a new brew house because the old location was having issues with equipment and age. In 2006, Clint Schultz left the brewery. The brewery is currently owned and operated by Paul Graham and Anello Mollica. To read more about the brewery, check out their history page.

The Brewhouse Coffee Stout is pretty legit. Brewed with Emy J's coffee, this beer is part of Central Waters' Brewers Reserve Series of beers. There's no ABV listed on the bottle or the website, but BeerAdvocate lists this at 8.2%. I dunno how or where they got that number, so take it with a pinch of salt.

Central Waters Brewhouse Coffee Stout

This beer pours a dark black, opaque color, and kicks up one to two fingers of really nice, dark khaki/dark tank/brown head. The head is sustaining nicely with good duration, and is leaving some lacing. In bright light, the beer looks much of the same. This beer leaves epic sheets of lacing on the glass, and I'm really impressed with the foamy head that is hanging around. Carbonation is visible on the sides.

I should mention that I really like the bottle art on this. I'm a big fan of coffee Stouts, and this beer's aromatics are no slouch. The aroma wallops your nose with giant coffee. I'm getting huge coffee beans, ground coffee, lighter/sweeter coffee, and nice malty hints of chocolate and roast. There are some hints of espresso, earthy dirt, vanilla/creamer, and some earthy-truffle-chocolate as well.

Now that I taste this beer...and wow, what a Stout this is...I'm getting some hops on the aroma. There are quite a bit of hops in this beer. This beer's body is driven by tons of carbonation, and that soda-like coffee carbonation that is present in so many of the coffee Stouts. There's tons of espresso, rich roasted coffee, coffee beans, ground coffee, hints of vanilla and creamer, and hints of chocolate and roast present in the taste. You also get quite a bit of earthy hop bite. The hops are fairly resinous and astringent, providing some earthy and woody synergy to the big coffee notes. It's truly a fantastic use of hops, and up there with the Oskar Blues Ten FIDY. 

This beer is full-bodied and finishes with a little residual sticky/syrup. However, thanks to the soda-like carbonation and the coffee, the beer feels thin at times. This isn't the fault of Central Waters or this beer, it's just a thing with coffee Stouts. This is very drinkable, which may or may not mean anything since I don't know what the ABV is. Palate depth is really good, and the complexity is also outstanding. Also, the duration on this is really good...you get coffee, roast, and chocolate up front; that rolls into earthy coffee, dirt, and resinous hop punch; the resinous hops and coffee roll into sweeter coffee, vanilla, creamer, espresso; that fades into lingering coffee, roast, and some pleasant, warming booze. The finish is sticky and big. 

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a very, very Light Divine Brew on this...to be honest, this beer pisses me off. This is a REALLY GOOD BEER. Dear Central Waters, just fucking stop with Peruvian Morning. Okay? It's not worth the infections and heart break. Just make this beer more regularly. This is a dynamite coffee Stout, and at 6 or 7 bucks a bomber...what a deal. I mean, even Lagunitas is blushing at this beer's price. The addition of the hops to compliment the earthy coffee, plus the duration, plus the layers of coffee complexity make this is a serious winner. Pair this beer with a burger, or some ribs, or some ice cream...or just sip on it as a dessert beer. Nice.

Random Thought: It's Autumn and I feel like I already have enough of a stash to pack things in and just cut through what I have. We'll see how that goes, but it's hard to believe that Christmas and Winter beers are just around the corner....

Bell's Best Brown Ale

Brewed By: Bell's Brewery, Inc. in Kalamazoo, Michigan  

Purchased: 12oz bottle from a 6-pack bought at Meijer in Urbana, IL; 2013

Style/ABV: American Brown Ale, 5.8%

Reported IBUs: ?

Woo! Fall beer! About Bell's:

Bell's Brewery is one of the biggest names in craft beer. Once you get past the Sierra Nevada, New Belgium, and Stone phase, you start hearing about breweries like Bell's. Bell's began as a home-brewing supply shop, founded by Larry Bell, back in 1983. Bell's sold its first beer in September 1985. The brewery has humble roots like many of the first craft breweries, and the beer was originally brewed in a 15-gallon soup kettle. The beer was originally self-distributed, bottled, and delivered by hand during the company's first four years. In 1993, Bell's became the first brewery in Michigan to open an onsite pub. The brewery currently has two facilities, one in Kalamazoo, and one in Comstock Township, Michigan.

Reviewing Brown Ales is like giving tasting notes for condiments. Thankfully, Bell's upped their game for this...but still. The Best Brown Ale is described as a smooth, toasty brown ale. This beer supposedly has hints of caramel and cocoa, and some American hops show up to provide balance. And that's all she wrote...

Bells Best Brown Ale

In low light, the beer pours a reddish/orange color that is kind-of brown, but not really. The beer kicks up a finger of lightly tan/khaki head, and that gives way to some nice lacing and a cauldron effect. It must be the glass. In bright light the beer remains a deep orange, and the head soaks up some of the caramel colors. There's a nice ring of carbonation around my glass.

The aroma on this is surprisingly aligned with the description on Bells' website. You get a ton of toast, earthy nuttiness, and some big cocoa and caramel/syrup. The cocoa/syrupy chocolate note is very welcoming and mild. There's also a hint of earthy/floral hops way down in the mix.

As with the last beer, the taste follows through with the aroma very nicely...you get a lot of cocoa and chocolate syrup sweetness up front, with lots of toast. The middle section lays on some mild, earthy, and floral hops...and there's some toast and earthy nuttiness on the finish. 

This is standard stuff...light-bodied to medium-light in terms of mouthfeel, with okay palate depth and complexity for the style. At 5.8%, this is stupid drinkable, as it should be. You get some hop kisses and then big toast, hints of fruitiness, and cocoa up front; that rolls into huge cocoa and Hershey's syrup sweetness; that finishes with lingering toast and cocoa. It's restrained but tasty.

Rating: Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Average on this, almost approaching Above-Average thanks to the strong presence of cocoa and substantial malts. This is a nice Autumn Brown Ale...almost Bock-like in execution. It's very clean, and the toast and cocoa that you do get is balanced by mild and earthy/floral hops. You could pair this beer with lightly spiced anything, including burgers, vegetables, or whatever. This is basically a more malty Pale Ale. 

Random Thought: I went to a wedding this weekend...which was fun. However, their open bar selection was Bud, Miller, and Crispin. I ended up drinking more wine than usual, which is hardly a bad thing. DAE wine?