Hanssens Oudbeitje

Brewed By: Hanssens Artisanaal in Dworp, Belgium  

Purchased: 375ml/12.7 bottle bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 2014 

Style/ABV: Fruit Lambic (Strawberry), 6.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

Tonight's beer was a random shelf grab from West Lakeview, which is something I occasionally do. West Lakeview has a large selection of European/Belgian beers, and this one seemed interesting enough. Who doesn't love a nice strawberry Lambic/Wild Ale. About Hanssens Artisanaal:

Hanssens Artisanaal is a brewery based out of Dworp, Belgium. The brewery started back in 1896, when Bartholome Hanssens bought an old dairy farm, and started the "Saint Anthony" brewery, brewing brown table beer using water from the stream behind the brewery/farm. During World War II, the brewery was compromised. Following the war, Bartholome shifted focus to brewing lambic beer. In 1929, Theo Hanssens took over the brewery; and in 1931 he turned the space into a house where he designed bottle drying racks and other features which are still in use today. Theo was succceeded by his son Jean in 1974. On January 1st, 1998, Hanssens Artisan BVBA was founded by Sidy Hanssens. In addition to brewing a Gueuze and Kriek, the Hanssens introduced the "Old Beitje," or strawberry lambic, to the lineup in 1999. For more info, you can check out the blurb on the brewery here.

Hanssens Oudbeitje

As noted, the Oudbeitje is a Fruit Lambic brewed with the addition of strawberries. The cork on this one came out without so much as a "pop." Nothing. The beer also poured flat, giving way to a copper-orange body in low light that really rides the line between juice and beer. It's clear this is unfiltered and bottle conditioned. I was ready to accept the lack of carbonation, especially since the aroma here is amazing, but as the beer sits in the glass streams of carbonation are appearing, and sure enough, a small ring of white head appeared for several seconds. I can still see carbonation bubbling away as I hold this murky libation to a bright light...hopefully signs of good times in my mouth(feels).

The aroma here is blissful...it reminds me a bit of the Goose Island Gillian, with jammy strawberries, wet rain lactic funk, biscuits topped with honey, far-reaching sourness, and gentle oak/barrel character hanging out in the back. The aroma is clearly strawberries, though. Make no mistake about it. When you smell this beer, you will think to yourself: "strawberries." I could call this one from a million miles away in a blind tasting. The strawberry note goes from jammy berries, to the actual fruit (thanks to the lactic funk), to more sugary-sweet with some syrupy notes.

This is under-carbed in the bottle, but who really cares with the range of blissful flavors provided here. I'm getting big oak character, tons of Brett funk, cola, lactic funk that still sits largely in that wet rain area, and lots of jammy strawberry and fruits. The strawberry that was overt and even sweet in the aroma takes a back seat to all the funk, hints of oak, and gripping sourness. This really has some nice Brett funk and lactic funk, and when the sour notes do show up your'e left with some jammy berries, peach, and softer notes (white grape, maybe?). Really intriguing...

...because I'm not getting much red cider vinegar in here, or picked notes. This manages to dial up a ton of funk and sour character, along with good oak and barrel, without getting into the Flanders Red levels of aggressive sourness. And that's a good thing. I'm getting no alcohol here. The mouthfeel here is somewhat oily and low-carbed, but probably medium-light overall thanks to the tartness and sour notes cutting through the thick of it. Palate depth is just okay, but I think this is wildly complex and intriguing. Like...the aroma itself still suggests these overt strawberry notes. Up front it's all about the jammy berries, oak, barrel, wet rain lactic funk; the mids do roll into some more strawberry notes, with some peach; the back end drops a massive lactic-sour bomb, with gripping sourness on the back end tugging at your throat and jawline. There's Brett funk, oak, sourness, and jammy berries for days.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. This is a really intriguing and unique beer...I can't say I've had anything quite like this. This still kind of reminds me of Goose Island's Gillian, but it's hard to say. I'm amazed at just how sour this beer is...and all the nuances. The oak, the Brett funk, the wet rain lactic character, the jammy berries...it's a lot going on. Food pairings here might include fruit salads, scallops, fish, or anything that benefits from big tartness. Me personally, I would just sip on this one.

Random Thought: Strawberries are my favorite thing ever, I wish more people would utilize them.

Three Floyds Space Station Middle Finger

Brewed By: Three Floyds Brewing Company in Munster, Indiana 
Purchased: 22oz bottle purchased at Whole Foods in Chicago, IL; 2014
Style/ABV: American Pale Ale, 6.0%
Reported IBUs: 50

The real "Space Station Middle Finger"

What's the story with this beer? I love the psychedelic bottle art and the kick-ass name, but why "space station middle finger?" All I can think of are the bosses from Starfox. 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 Space Station Middle Finger is an American Pale Ale punching in at 6.0% and 50 IBUs. The bottle reads: "From the dawn of time, humans have looked to the sky for answers. Space Station Middle Finger replies to all from its eternal orbit. Behold and enjoy Space Station Middle Finger, a bright golden American Pale Ale."

Three Floyds Space Station Middle Finger

This one pours into a hazy, murky, amber/copper body, kicking up three fingers of hop-fueled head. Bright light reveals the beer's hazy yellow/orange body; the head is clearly tinted with golden and orange hues. There's nice lacing here, and this looks to be appropriately carbonated. Hooray.

The aroma here is massively juicy, with Three Floyds' distinct and characteristic hop punch. There is punchy citrus on the nose, almost veering into guava and resin, with faint citrus and nutmeg spice, and a mild cracker and bread backbone. I'm getting faint lemon and garlic as well.

Reviewing Pale Ales is like reviewing water (not because they are watery, but because everyone know what water tastes like). But Three Floyds has managed to exceed expectations, again, much like how they do with Zombie Dust. This is much less hoppy than Zombie Dust, and much less sweet. This beer leans on bready and cracker malts, with dank and earthy citrus hops. The hops suggest citrus rind, resin, and there's some earthy garlic/onion notes in here as well. 

This beer is fairly substantial for the style...I want to say it's light-bodied, but it kind of approaches that medium-light mouthfeel. At 6.0% this is no slouch, but it's not going to knock you on your ass. It's clean, refreshing, carbonated...all the stuff you want from a Pale Ale. Palate depth is on point for the style, and complexity is okay as well. I mean...this is fairly straightforward: big citrus hops up front; a bready and earthy middle with some onion, resin, rind, and funky hops; the back end drifts into a malty backbone with some grassy hops lingering around. It's a competent beer but it's not the epiphany that Zombie Dust is.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Above-Average on this. Three Floyds knows how to make a hoppy beer, but this beer feels very much like "business as usual." There is nothing wrong with that per se, but yeah. It's no Zombie Dust...or Arctic Panzer Wolf...or Dreadnaught. I would order this again on tap, however. And the raw, earthy, resiny, citrus rind/garlic/onion notes in this beer seem like they would pair wonderfully with chicken dishes, egg burritos, salsa, and anything that goes well with garlic/onions. I love onions...but they fucking hate me.

Random Thought: So if you haven't noticed, I'm a bit of a glassware whore. I have hundreds of beer glasses...too many. But I love my beer glasses, and I think having glassware on hand adds to the beer drinking experience. It's my thing. Anyway, if you notice a lack of unique glassware in my upcoming reviews, it is because I am in the process of moving. At the moment, all my beer glasses are safely packed away in bubblewrap in tupperware bins ready to be moved. I'm hoping to remove my beer glasses from their tupperware coffins come August or September. Until then...I'll be sticking to one or two beer glasses. Believe you me, I am just as sad as you are.

Two Brothers Fathom

Brewed By: Two Brothers Brewing Company in Warrenville, Illinois

Purchased: 375ml/12.7oz bottle (corked & caged) bought at Andersonville Wine & Spirits in Chicago, IL; 2014 (2014 vintage)

Style/ABV: American Wild Ale, 6.5%
Reported IBUs: 50.3

After the super disappointing Tangent, I promised sweet, sweet (and much needed) redemption. Well redemption is here, craft crazies. About Two Brothers:

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. If you get the chance, swing by and check out their Roundhouse. It's an awesome joint, and needs all the love it can get. For more information, check out their about page/website.

Like the Tangent, the Fathom is part of Two Brothers "Project Opus." The Fathom is a golden-color sour ale that has been aged in oak foudres for two years. Punching in at 6.5% and 50.3 IBUs, this bottle comes corked and caged, and would be impressive from the onset if not for the extremely disappointing Tangent that preceded it. I promise nothing but good things, so let's glass this one up. 

Two Brothers Fathom

The Fathom has a simple and sexy bottle. The cork was wedged in tightly, but came out without much of a pop. I do have concerns about aging these Two Brothers sours, but c'est la vie. This one pours into a hazy, light amber/copper color in lower light. The beer produces a finger or two of sizzling, crackling, off-white head. Surprisingly, there's some sea foam head retention. In bright light, this beer takes on a golden-amber/bronze appearance. There's A LOT of active carbonation, which is great to see. And the head retention is still impressive.

Much like the Tangent, this has a banging aroma. Right away I'm getting a lot of oak, woody barrel, lactic funk, and HUGE lemon character. The lemon character veers into the land of apple cider vinegar, tart apples, vinegar, pickled foods, and aggressive sourness. This doesn't even play around, with just the lightest hints of candy sweetness. I'm getting glimpses of Black Cherry Warheads, but this has aggressive sourness on the aroma. The wood and oak really comes out though, and I like that a lot.

And...unlike the Tangent...this actually tastes good. This actually tastes substantial, and sour. This is kind of what you should expect when you crack into a Flanders Red-type beer. Now, this still isn't at the punishing levels of sourness...this is kind of in that Duchesse De Bourgogne range. I'm getting really nice oak and woody tartness, lots of lactic character, some lemon, big apple cider vinegar, pickled vegetables, and some bready sweetness towards the back end. The bready sweetness hints at biscuit and honey, and then takes a turn towards super dry as the oaky wood and tart sour character dries your mouth out. There's some interesting fruit character in this beer, coming from the interplay between the malts and the lactic notes. I'm getting hints of tart peaches, citrus, and mild berry character. This is actually fairly complex, and has good depth.

The real question is: what the hell happened with the Tangent? Why is that beer so bad? It's a very underwhelming beer. Thankfully, there's sweet redemption. The Fathom is really enjoyable. This is my second bottle of this beer, and I am smitten. This has a medium-full mouthfeel, with plenty of carbonation, acidity, and lactic funk. Palate depth is phenomenal; really, divine stuff. This one lingers on your palate for quite a while, and goes from sweet to sour to malty sweet to dry. Two things hold this back from being world-class: the slightly subdued sourness, and the moderate complexity for the style. I think this one has room to mature in the bottle...I'd like to get my hands on a few more bottles of this to age. I'm not sure if this is pasteurized though...the pour was fairly clean with no dregs. Up front: a wave of malty sweetness, followed by immense lactic funk, lemon tartness, red cider vinegar, oaky wood, and barrel; the mids roll into buttery lactic character, big oak, more barrel, suggestive fruits (peach, berries, etc.); the back end hits some nice malty notes with bread and honey, and then the beer finishes dry with barrel in your face. Super nice stuff. 

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average here. This is a fantastic sour/wild ale. You'd never expect this after drinking the Tangent. What's even more exciting is that the rest of the Two Brothers sours seem to be on point...their Hoodwink and Askew are both great. I'm gonna track another bottle of this down to age, and see if this continues to funk up in the bottle. Food pairings here include sweet cheeses, fruit salads, fruit slaw, fatty/oily foods, poutine, and mussels in white wine sauce.

Random Thought: I think the Askew is even better than the Fathom...I had it on tap and I'm pretty impressed. If Two Brothers continues to release sour beers on the regular, they are going to reassert themselves as one of Illinois' most important breweries. Illinois has a lot of beer these days, but is really lacking in terms of sour/wild ales. 

Une Année Quad

Brewed By: Une Année Brewery in Chicago, Illinois  

Purchased: 750ml (1 Pint 9.4 FL OZ) bottle bought at Sheridan 'L' Longue in Chicago, IL; 2014 (Batch 14 - 12.11.13)

Style/ABV: Quadrupel/Belgian Dark Strong Ale, 11.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

More Midwest shelf turds. About Une Année:

Une Année is a brewery based out of Chicago, Illinois located near the intersection of Grand and Ashland in the Kinzie Industrial Corridor (three blocks from the Goose Island Fulton St. production brewery). The brewery was founded in early 2012 by Jerry Nelson, who is "an Architect, Marine, Siebel Institute Graduate, and Chicago native who started homebrewing in 1995 while stationed in California." Currently, Jerry is the head brewer along with Dustin Zimmerman, who also attended the Siebel Institute, and previously brewed at Hamburger Mary’s Andersonville and worked at Nøgne Ø. The name "Une Année" means "one year" in French, and was chosen to reinforce the two main ideas behind the brewery: a focus on Belgian and French style beer, and an emphasis on seasonal beers. For more info, check out the brewery's website.

Tonight's beer, the Une Année Quad, is described as, "The richest of all Belgian ales, the Quadrupel is not for the faint of heart." This beer punches in at a formidable 11.0% ABV, and is described as having notes of plum, dried cherry, fig esters, and mild phenolic spice.

Une Année Quad

This is a twilight adventure, pouring into a straight up purple body in low light, kicking up two fingers of foamy, Belgian, moon-colored head. The glass I chose further accentuates this twilight Quad. In bright light the beer takes on deep orange and reddish tones. All you Quad/Dubbel drinkers know that the purple in low light is proportional to the orange-red in bright light. DAE math. This is hazy with numerous streams of carbonation bubbling away, and the head retention is Donkey Kong. I don't even know what that means, beer nerds! A finger won't die though. And there's lacing behind that. It's a looker. 

The aroma here is unfamiliar territory for me, which is always exciting. But then I'm also a master of that Quadrupel ass. You like some familiarity...I'm getting big Twizzlers on the aroma, perfume, perfume candy notes, powdery dusting, creamy banana esters, cherries, dark fruits, and some hints of chocolate and cocoa. There's an almost leather-like quality to this aroma, and the beer hangs between an aroma that reminds me a bit of the Rochefort 10 and the Mission Street 2012 Anniversary Ale (when aged). There's a little fruitcake and cinnamon spice on the aroma as well...maybe nutmeg, and certainly some hints of clove and big perfume.

The taste instantly reminds me of the Rochefort 10, with substantial mouthfeels and feels in general. This is a big beer, with layers of malt that bounce between leather, dusty cocoa, fruit cake, and Belgian pastries. Around the malts are substantial spices, with cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove, and there's some peppery alcohol as well. The alcohol here doesn't hide, and I'm getting big cherries, figs, and overripe fruit. There's some overripe brown banana in here, and some nice dark fruits. The whole thing is leathery and dusty as fuck, with some serious rawness that I'll attribute to the yeast. Is this brewed with the Rochefort yeast? The leathery-dusty thing really points in the direction of fruitcake and cocoa, which is fantastic. 

This is full-bodied, big, and fantastic. The mouthfeel is dusty and rustic, but has enough carbonation to move things along. Palate depth here is very good, and this is a complex beer. I should note that this is not very boozy for 11.0%. Up front is a big blast of fruit cake, rustic spice, perfume, clove, and dark fruits; the mids roll into big cherry, figs, overripe banana, peppery alcohol, and booze soaked fruits; the back end has some bitterness, with lingering leathery goodness, and some dusty cocoa-leather. This is impressive, with a pastry/fruitcake quality that screams dessert. 

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average here. This beer is no slouch...and I think it has some potential to be even better. I'm kind of on the fence between a 4.0 and a 4.5, but given the heavy hitters that dominate this style, I feel comfortable with my score. Having said all that...this is a super rustic, super raw, cocoa-leather bomb. Fantastic stuff here, with layers of flavor and tons of goodness to go around. This beer would be perfect in the colder months, and should pair well with stews, turkey, ham, duck, strong cheese, meats, grilled meats, and things like that. I'll be on the lookout for the next batch of this.

Random Thought: I think I need to drink more Une Année beer.

Hair of the Dog Adam

Brewed By: Hair of the Dog Brewing Company in Portland, Oregon

Purchased: 12oz bottle generously gifted to me in Chicago, IL; 2014 (Batch #91)

Style/ABV: Dortmunder Adambier / Old Ale, 10.0%

Reported IBUs: 50

I don't know what it is, but this Spring/Summer I have been on a heavy beer streak and I ain't even mad. About Hair of the Dog Brewing Company:

Hair of the Dog Brewing Company is a brewery based out of Portland, Oregon. The brewery was founded in November of 1993 by Alan Sprints. Sprints, like many brewery founders, began as a home brewer through the Oregon Brew Crew. In 1991, after an inspirational trip to Belgium, Springs turned the hobby into a profession. The brewery is family owned and operated, and was one of the first breweries in America to specialize in high-alcohol and barrel-aged beers. 

Today's beer, "Adam," was generously gifted to me by an Adam. Small world. This bottle conditioned, "hearty old world ale," is described: "Adam is made with Northwest hops, Organic Pilsner malt and a variety of specialty grains. The flavors in this beer have been compared to chocolate, smoke, leather and figs. Brewed in loving memory of Adam Kerchival 11-30-69 | 01-26-05 Brewer and friend." 

If you check out Hair of the Dog's website, Adam is categorized as a recreation of historic beerstyle. This historic beer was originally brewed in Dortmunder, Germany, and is described as a dessert beer. The not-mentioned beer style is an "Adambier" or Dortmunder Altbier[?]. Ron Pattinson has a write-up on his blog about the style, noting that the traditional Dortmunder Adambier was a "strong, sourish, top-fermenting beer...9.4% ABV." The Adambier was heavily hopped, unlike other sour beers like Gose and Berliner Weisse, and acquired its sourness through a long secondary fermentation. HomeBrewTalk has a wiki on the style: they note that Adambeir was a strong, dark, sour beer, aged in wood for long periods. Unlike sour Belgian beers, the Adambier was very hoppy. Having noted all that...

Hair of the Dog Adam

Pouring this one out must have been a relief for the bottle..this one gushed out carbonation. Bottle conditioned beers do strange things. Aside from the mountain of cola-brown head that this beer produces, I'm getting a nice cola-brown body. It looks very much the part of an Old Ale...kind of raw and dark....there's some lingering head sticking around, and lots of lacing. It's not exactly a looker, but most beers in this genre aren't.

The aroma here is kind of like heaven in a glass. Wow. There's a rustic, leathery element, lots of dark fruits (cherries, figs, prunes), dark caramel, strawberries, wood, chocolate, mild soy sauce, and tons of pleasant sweetness. The aroma here is rich and pleasant...just fantastic. 

Mmm...this is blissful, if not a little young even. I'm getting a lot of nice hoppy character on the back, but up front this rides that sweet malt train with lightly smokey leather, dark fruits, prunes, figs, dates, sweet caramel, and big sugars. I'm getting woody aspects, mild soy, light licorice, and impressive burnt sugars, wood, and hops on the finish. It kind of reminds me of a Scotch Ale meets Belgian Dubbel meets Old Ale. 

This is full-bodied stuff, but the booze is surprisingly well integrated into the beer, even at this point in time. I'm not getting much of the 10%. Palate depth here is good, and complexity is not far behind. All things considered, I think this is probably Above-Average right now, but this is hoppy and malty in all the right ways. I bet this holds up nicely down the stretch. Up front: dark fruits, leather, molasses, hints of smoke, chocolate, and leather; the mids roll into more dark fruits, you get some burgeoning hops, licorice; the back end layers on the hops and finishes with nice, lingering malts. Complex, big, and likely going to age well (although I have some concerns with the carbonation issues).

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. This is a huge, complex, Old Ale type beer...good stuff all around, and would pair well with a cigar, some creme brulee, or in a snifter on its own. I'd love to be in Hair of the Dog's distribution net, because this seems like a fun beer to pick up regularly and lay down. I feel like this is a strong candidate for the cellar...such is life out here in the Midwest. 

Random Thought: Is it Sunday night already? Fuuuuccckkk.

Unibroue Grande Réserve 17

Brewed By: Unibroue (Sapporo) in Chambly, Canada  

Purchased: 750ml (1 pint, 9.4 fl oz) bottle bought at Binny's in IL; 2014 (Vintage 2013)

Style/ABV: Belgian Dark Strong Ale, 10.0%

Reported IBUs: 35

I debated between tonight's beer and the bottle of Two Brothers Fathom that I have sitting in my fridge. I really want to give Two Brothers a crack at redemption, and the Fathom is exactly that. But I'm kind of in a Belgian mood...and oak...mmm, mmmm, mmmm. About Unibroue: 

Unibroue is a brewery out of Chambly that specializes in Belgian beers. The brewery was founded in 1990 by André Dion and Serge Racine. The duo invested in the failing brewery, La Brasserie Massawippi, and became majority shareholders. In 1991, they finalized the takeover of La Brasserie Massawippi, and completely merged with their company, Unibroue, in 1992. Dion became the President and CEO, and Racine becamse the board of directors. In 1992, the brewery released their first beer, Blanche de Chambly, and decided to specialize in Belgian brews. In 1993, the brewery moved to their cutting-edge microbrewery in Chambly, Quebec, and by 1994 the brewery was exporting beer to the U.S. and Europe. In 1991, Brewmaster Paul Arnott joined the company; trained in traditional, monastic Belgian brewing, he helped release new beers including the Éphémère series of beers. 

In 2004, the Sleeman Brewery purchased Unibroue, and in 2006, Japan's oldest commercial brewer, Sapporo International, purchased Sleeman. Since then, Unibroue has been regarded as a global treasure, as they export their beer everywhere. They produce some of the best, high-quality beer in the world. These guys are one of my favorite breweries, and it's always a treat to drink their beer.

The Unibroue Grande Réserve 17 is some classy shit, even by Unibroue standards. This beer was first brewed in 2007 to celebrate the brewery's 17th anniversary. Due to the beer's popularity, the brewery decided to make this an annual release in limited quantities. This French Oak aged strong ale is described as having big malty notes, with mocha and cocoa accents, oak on the finish, and some nice spice and vanilla undertones. 

The bottle is as descriptive at the website. The front says "Aged with French Oak / Bottle Refermented Ale / Dark Ale on Lees / Ale Brewed with Spices, Aged with French Oak, and with Natural Flavors added." The back of my bottle says: "Best before 02-28-2018."

Unibroue Grande Réserve 17

The 17 pours out into a raisin-purple color in low light, kicking up three-plus fingers of fluffy head. This beer is exceptionally Belgian in appearance, from the bottle to the beer. Bright light kills vampires and betrays this beer, revealing a swampy, orange-brown body with golden tones on the edges. It's very much like your typical Belgian Dark Strong/Abbey Dubbel -- mysterious in low light, and ugly under the spotlight. You could float a bottle cap in the foam that is sustaining forever on the beer, and there are nice broad strokes of lacing. There's a lot of carbonation going up in here, and that's without any nucleation points in my glass. Hooray for Belgian beer.

I went with an over-sized snifter/tulip for this one, only because of the oak. To me, oak ~ snifter. I was never good at math though. WOW. The aroma here is overwhelmingly phenolic, with huge earthy leather, leathery cocoa, and leathery chocolate. The powdery cocoa you get on the nose flirts with an almost Fantôme-esque aroma that I have come to describe as "smokers jacket." I've also heard old bike seat, but who the hell sniffs old bike seats (ironically enough, I have one about 3 feet away from me...hmmm). Beneath the cocoa and spicy phenols are some seriously deep dark fruits. I'm getting stone fruits, cherries, plums, and figs...the spice on the aroma is somewhere in the realm of cinnamon or nutmeg. Try as I might -- and I'm being totally honest here -- I'm not getting any oak on the aroma. That's okay though, this smells really impressive otherwise. WHAT I AM getting on the aroma, especially when I pull my nose away from the beer a bit and just smell it casually, is some really nice vanilla and vanilla/caramel sugars. Is nice.

Before I rattle off boring descriptions about how great this tastes, I just want to tip my fedora to Unibroue. Even though this is a big beer at 10%, it really fills its body in a substantial way. This is a BIG beer. I'm reminded of the always fantastic Rochefort 10, which has a milkshake mouthfeel (seriously...Steak and Shake doesn't have anything on Rochefort). This isn't quite the experience that the Rocherfort 10 is...but not many beers are. I'm getting a lot of stone fruits and spices in here, with cinnamon, nutmeg, cocoa, big candied dark fruits, aggressive and peppery phenols, and big pastry notes. This veers into the land of fruitcake and angel wings/chruściki/faworki. Damn, that's some personal nostalgia. My grandma and grandpa used to serve those angle wing pastries whenever I would visit, and they were my favorite. There are nice layers of oak and vanilla in this beer as well, with some hints of cocoa. This is just...fantastically layered stuff. As I continue to sip on this, I'm pulling out some Quad-like notes of cherry, banana, and other overripe fruits. This is seriously fantastic. 

When I review beer, I get a little selfish. Especially when I'm drinking a bomber or a big 750ml bottle. I like to allocate half the bottle for my review notes, and the other half to pair with food. I'm enjoying this beer so much I'm going through the whole damn bottle as I type this out. This is just an impressive display of brewing, and really captures the essence of what I'm looking for in a big Belgian Ale. This is rustic, raw, phenolic, fruity, funky, sweet (there's some big candy sugar notes), and there's even some hop bitterness for good measure. The Dark Strong Ale is one of my favorite styles of beer, and this is nicely executed. As noted earlier, this is full-bodied and big, but still quite drinkable thanks to lots of carbonation. You get a little booze in the finish, and some big warming as you drink this, but the alcohol is integrated into the beer nicely. This is seductive. Palate depth and duration are off the charts, with each sip lasting up to a minute with lingering flavors just hanging out. And this is very complex...notes range from cocoa to dark fruits to vanilla to leather to pastries. Up front: dark fruits, stone fruits, cinnamon, nutmeg; the mids roll into more phenolic spice, with some leather and dusty cocoa, Belgian funk, bitter hops; the back end has growing bitter hops, with vanilla, complex sugars, caramel, pastries, fruit cake, and an endless tunnel of flavor...man this just goes on forever...you eventually reach some boozy warming, and the beer kisses you with spiced cake and spiced rum. This almost has that Winter Warmer vibe, and I promise you this is better than any Christmas pastry at your Thanksgiving/Christmas dinner.

Rating: Divine Brew (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

This is world class...but it's not top class. I'll toss this a Light Divine Brew, with the disclaimer that you need to check this out if you are a fan of Quads, Dark Strongs, or Belgian Ales. There's so much good stuff going on here...and this really highlights all the good things that Unibroue does. Like...this beer is Unibroue at their best. And that's high praise for a brewery cranking out top-notch gems like La Fin Du Monde and the Trois Pistoles. You could argue that this is a little fruity/phenolic one-dimensional, but that's a dick move. Like I said earlier, not every beer can be Rochefort 10. What pushes this beer over the edge for me is that rustic cocoa/leather thing, and the subtle pastry notes. This is a beer to pair with food: cold cuts, strong cheeses, European pastries, turkey, ham, Christmas/Thanksgiving dinner, etc. It's almost a shame that I popped this today, but at $10 a bottle you really should not pass this up.

Random Thought: So yeah, today was hot and humid like Florida. I think it hit 90 outside, with 94% humidity. And then it thunder-stormed. It's thundering outside right now. Tonight's beer is not a good pairing for this hot weather, but I think I will pick up a second bottle for this upcoming winter. And again, I promise that I will get to the Two Brothers Fathom. But there really is no pressure...the Fathom is a fantastic beer.

Two Brothers Tangent

Brewed By: Two Brothers Brewing Company in Warrenville, Illinois

Purchased: 375ml bottle (corked & caged) bought at Sheridan 'L' Longue in Chicago, IL; 2014 (2013 vintage)

Style/ABV: American Wild Ale, 5.5%
Reported IBUs: 10

Two Brothers have been doing interesting things with barrels for a while now, and recently they have been cranking out some pretty good sour and wild ales. The Tangent has not been well received, and I'm curious to see how it stacks up. Fear not though, even if this beer sucks I have a bottle of Fathom in the shoot...and that one is delicious. About Two Brothers:

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. If you get the chance, swing by and check out their Roundhouse. It's an awesome joint, and needs all the love it can get. For more information, check out their about page/website.

The Tangent is part of Two Brothers "Project Opus." The Project Opus is a collection of aged, sour beers. Tangent is described as a "Dark Sour Ale" that is light and sweet, but not over the top. The bottle reads, "foudre aged dark sour ale with brett." 

Two Brothers Tangent

This one pours into a cola-colored body that is swampy and ugly, like Mickey Rourke circa today. I had some serious concerns pouring this one too. First, I worried that this would be a gusher; then I worried that this was not carbed as the cork slid right out with no pop. Thankfully, the Brett and whatever else is growing in the bottle have done their job. Did I mention this is an ugly, swampy beer? Even the head reluctantly gives you a finger of cola-tinged "meh." Shining a bright light through this beer betrays it a bit, as you see the beer's true color. This looks like a Belgian Dubbel, with those rich reddish/orange tones. This has active carbonation too. 

On the aroma: Brett funk, gentle barrel character, oak, and big lactic character. I'm getting a lot of lemon here, some nice red cider vinegar, sour cherry candies, Warheads, green apples, and some malty cola backing. There's kind of a cherry cola thing lurking beneath and around the lactic sourness and musty Brett funk. 

Ah...while the aroma is spot on in terms of what I'm looking for in a wild ale/flanders red, this one kind of falls way short in the taste. It just isn't funky and lactic enough, with flat malt backings. I'm getting sweet malts here, with cherry, mild barnyard, and absolutely no substantial lactic character or Brett funk in the taste. Damn...this beer is a clinic in disappointment. What went wrong here? This kind of reminds me of the Petrus Oud Bruin, only not as oxidized and cardboard-y. There are flashes of tingly apple cider vinegar in here, but mostly you get wort juice. There's mild apple, berry character, and flashes of that lactic-lemon-funk....but it's all dialed back to one or two, or hidden between the lines. I guess this is like malty, brown sugar seltzer water, with hints of apple cider vinegar. Bad. 

They can't all be winners. I commend Two Brothers for making this beer, and for having the balls to experiment with this style. This is basically a malty Flanders Red, without any of the lactic overkill or Brett funk. It's too bad...look, this is a poorly executed beer. And I'd be mad about it but Two Brothers has followed this beer up with some really good sours, including their Fathom. The Tangent flatlines with a malty, medium-bodied mouthfeel. Seltzer water carbonation keeps this drinkable, but the palate depth and complexity are so off you really have no reason to go through the motions. You get brown sugar malts and hints of apple cider vinegar up front, with more apple cider vinegar and subtle lactic hints in the mids, and then it fades into malty nothingness. It's just...not good.

Rating: Below-Average (2.0/5.0 Untappd)

This is a Strong Below-Average. It's entirely possible that this will improve in the bottle over the next few years, but I kind of doubt it. Save your money and skip this beer, buy the Fathom instead. I can't recommend this beer in good faith, so I can't recommend any food pairings. I mean...sours go well with chocolates and mussels and fruity desserts, but yeah.

Random Thought: I know this review is harsh but I seriously appreciate that Two Brothers continued to experiment with sours after this beer. Their Fathom, Hoodwink, and Askew are all really really good. You gotta start somewhere, and I feel like this beer was a foundation beer to try out the oak barrels and mess with some wild yeast. Live and learn, as they say...

Une Année Tripel

Brewed By: Une Année Brewery in Chicago, Illinois  

Purchased: 750ml (1 Pint 9.4 FL OZ) bottle bought at Binny's in IL; 2014 (Batch 9 - 10.23.13)

Style/ABV: Belgian Tripel, 8.7%

Reported IBUs: ?

Local Chicago Abbey Ales? Yes please. About Une Année:

Une Année is a brewery based out of Chicago, Illinois located near the intersection of Grand and Ashland in the Kinzie Industrial Corridor (three blocks from the Goose Island Fulton St. production brewery). The brewery was founded in early 2012 by Jerry Nelson, who is "an Architect, Marine, Siebel Institute Graduate, and Chicago native who started homebrewing in 1995 while stationed in California." Currently, Jerry is the head brewer along with Dustin Zimmerman, who also attended the Siebel Institute, and previously brewed at Hamburger Mary’s Andersonville and worked at Nøgne Ø. The name "Une Année" means "one year" in French, and was chosen to reinforce the two main ideas behind the brewery: a focus on Belgian and French style beer, and an emphasis on seasonal beers. For more info, check out the brewery's website.

Tonight's beer, the Une Année Tripel, has the disclaimer: "The Tripel is often considered the most approachable of Belgian ales." I don't know if that is true, but this subtle and boozy Strong Ale punches in at 8.7% and is described as having notes of big fruits, moderate spice, and hints of American hops poking through.

Une Année Tripel

This one pours into a swampy, dark orange/gold body, kicking up a finger of reluctant, off-white head. The head quickly settles into some cauldron bubbles for that nice cauldron effect, with sea foam head on the outer edges of the glass. When held to a bright light, this beer is a vibrant and juicy, hazy orange color. Looking through the beer from the top unlocks those sunset/sunrise tones, and it's kind of a beautiful thing to behold. The head is white with orange streaks, leaving clingy residuals and epic sheets of iceberg lacing. Honestly...it's a good looking Tripel and that's all she wrote.

Apparently Belgium doesn't have a gosh darn thing on Chicago, as this smells inviting with giant citrus splashes, orange, sliced orange, perfume phenols, clove and bubblegum funk, wheat, and boozy perfume. This smells legit like an Abbey Ale, and not at all on the fruity/raisin end of the wheat stick like some imports end up. I'm still not sure if that's an issue of freshness or what, but I know what I like in my Tripels and I'm getting that here.

I'm a little bit less impressed on the taste...but there's a clean elegance to this beer, and plenty of fruity notes in the realm of orange, orange candy, fruity wheat, apples/pear, apple slaw salad, perfume spice. This has a good amount of Belgian funk, with wheat and bubblegum showing up, and some kisses of clove. But the main feature here seems to be the citrus and the hop bitterness. This is definitely in the moderate to higher end of the hoppy Tripel spectrum, but I like it. I'm getting welcomed bitterness that adds a peppery and spicy accent to the alcohol. It kind of reminds me of the Maredsous 10 Tripel, which has some nice spicy booze. As does the New Belgium "Trippel."

At any rate...this is still seductive and hides the booze well. You don't get much of the 8.7%, which is why this style rocks. Give it to your kids/wife. I'm just kidding. Don't listen to me. This is medium-bodied, with good carbonation. It has some creaminess, and the wheat malts help add body. The bitterness from the hops plays off the bubblegum from the wheat, and you get a nice citrus-bubblegum thing that gets bitter like spent gum. I'm enjoying myself here. Palate depth is on point but the complexity lags a big. I mean...this is above-average stuff, but there's a lot of good Tripels out there. Up front: citrus, citrus candy, sweet citrus, perfume phenols, perfume citrus; the mids roll into more citrus, with the addition of some Belgian funk, clove, bubblegum, growing wheat, and hop bitterness; the back end imparts some nice bitterness, and rounds out with lingering orange and citrus. Boozy, peppery, phenolic spice then follows. This is...surprisingly good. This could be a local contender and something I would pick up on the regular. 

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. This is one of my favorite styles of beer, and I'm happy to report that they pretty much nailed it. Success! There's not much else to say here...except that I would totally pick this up again, especially at around $10 a bottle. This is a beer to pair with strong cheeses, grilled meats, grilled lamb, and for me tonight...chili. I actually wouldn't recommend pairing this with chili, but you know, I eat what I have on hand. 

Random Thought: I shaved my beard! All of it! AHHHH. I have good reason though...it's getting hot out. I think I'm gonna roll with the stubble look, only I'll probably look like a hobo instead of Ryan Gosling.

SKA Vernal Minthe Stout

Brewed By: SKA Brewing in Durango, Colorado

Purchased: 12oz can from a 6-pack bought at Binny's in IL; 2014

Style/ABV: Spice/Herb/Vegetable, 5.8%
Reported IBUs: 15

I haven't had a SKA beer in a while, and I have been meaning to try this one since it was announced. About SKA:

SKA Brewing are all about the ska, from the design of their website to the Toasters' songs playing in the background on the homepage. They even released a special beer, the Toasters 30th Anniversary IPA, to celebrate the band. The website is pretty bitchin'...and while I usually get annoyed by websites that have music playing in the background, the site is playing music by the Toasters. The freaking Toasters, yo. It's such a feel-good nostalgia trip it is hard to hate. Flipping through the cool comic animations on SKA Brewing's website will give you a lot of cool brewery information. The brewery was founded in 1995 by Bill Graham and Dave Thibodeau in Durango, Colorado. In the 2008, the brewery moved to its current location at Bodo Industrial Park. The brewery has become famous for their use of cans, most notably for their Modus Hoperandi and Euphoria Pale Ale. For more information, check out their website!

The Vernal Minthe Stout is a sweet stout brewed with real peppermint, spearmint, cocoa nibs, and vanilla beans. 

SKA Vernal Minthe Stout

This one pours into a relatively black body, minus the viscosity of a thicker beer, and kicks up two fingers of impressively dark head. The head is flirting with mocha, and definitely sits in the realm of coffee and ice cream. This looks more cola-esque in bright light, with some red and brown tones escaping the edges of the glass.

The aroma here is dusty cocoa, Brown Ale nuttiness, caramel malts and big vanilla bean sweetness, and lots of mint. I'm getting spearmint, peppermint, and mint chocolate candies. It's an impressive and inviting aroma fo sho.

There is little to nothing in terms of body here, and you'd probably expect that with a beer punching in at 5.8%. This is somewhat watery and acidic up front, but then the beer drops into deep mint character, with big spearmint and peppermint colliding with big cocoa notes. It tastes like a mint chocolate candy. There's a little sweetness character, but it's nondescript and not really a straight vanilla note.

[edit: I fell asleep writing this review, so it's a new day and I have a newly refreshed palate.]

On my first sip today, I'm getting big mint chocolate. There's huge Andes Thin Mints in this beer...it's very minty. I actually think this tastes sweeter than the Pipeworks Mint Abduction. I'm getting some hints of mint chocolate chip Ice Cream, and lots of watery spearmint and spent chewing gum. It's pretty enjoyable, especially at the lower ABV.

For whatever reason (maybe a spent palate), I'm enjoying this much more now than I did a day ago. This is still a lighter Stout, in the realm of Firestone Walker's Reserve Porter or Dogfish Head's Chicory Stout. Still...this is medium-light bodied with good cling and a full-ride as far as palate depth goes. The mint and chocolate give this beer duration, while the mint and carbonation cut through the mouthfeel. The 5.8% isn't even close to being excessive and you get no alcohol here. This is moderately complex, all things considered. Up front: sweet spearmint, mint, chocolate, light vanilla, thin mints; the mids roll into big spearmint, watery mint and spent mint gum; the back end grows into big cocoa mint, with Andes Thin Mints and a great mint finish. This is sweet, like mint chocolate chip and Thin Mints.

Rating: Above-Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Above-Average...this is on par with the Mint Truffle Abduction -- but better -- but also different. It's better in that it is sweeter and it hits home that Andes Thin Mints/mint chocolate chip ice cream note. It also is different in that this is a lighter, subtle beer. This is a beer that you can easily miss, like many of SKA's beers. It's subtle and well-made but it's not assaulting your face with over-the-top flavors and sugary booze. That said, I still think you can pair this beer with ice cream, chocolate desserts, chocolate cake, or something savory and salty like white truffle french fries. Good stuff. 

Random Thought: Congrats to the Spurs for dominating the Heat three games in a row, and playing some of the best looking team basketball I have ever seen.

Horny Goat Watermelon Wheat

Brewery: Horny Hideaway (aka Horny Goat Brewing Company) in Milwaukee, Wisconsin
Contract Brewed By: Stevens Point Brewery in Stevens Point, Wisconsin

Purchased: 12oz CAN from a six-pack bought at Binny's in IL; 2014 

Style/ABV: American Wheat Ale/Fruit Beer/Adjunct Nightmare, 5.6%
Reported IBUs: 17

I'm not a beer apologist, so there's no apology needed to justify my purchase of this beer. I like watermelon, even the fake stuff, and I like wheat. Horny Goat doesn't seem to be my thing though. Their website isn't offensive, subversive, or clever. They seem to be a frat brewery, which is okay I guess. And they're in Milwaukee. It also looks like their beer is contract brewed by the Stevens Point Brewery. I dunno. About Horny Goat Brewing:  

Horny Goat Brewing and the Horny Hideaway are a brewery/restaurant founded in May of 2008. The beers are developed in their brew pub in Milwaukee, Wisconsin by their brew master, Dave Reese. They have a small-batch, 10 barrel brewing system, which seems pretty legit. They also appear to contract brew some of their beer through Stevens Point. For more information, check out their Facebook page or website. 

The Watermelon Wheat is an abomination, no doubt. This summer brew is the result of adding "100% natural watermelon juice during fermentation so that all the sugar contributed is fermented off into alcohol, increasing the alcohol content while keeping the body light." DAE beer science? The backbone here is wheat malts, with "a touch of Vienna malt for complexity." This one also uses German hops. The can says: "Beer brewed with watermelon juice." My can also says: "Brewed by Horny Goat Brewing Company, La Crosee, WI & Stevens Point, WI" -- in case there was any mystery about the Stevens Point involvement. 

Horny Goat Watermelon Wheat: why? 

This one pours into a relatively clear orange/gold body, kicking up a finger of white head. The head is foamy and doesn't look like it is fueled by wheat. There is a lot of carbonation in here, in the form of numerous streams of tiny bubbles rising upwards. This is clean and unsuspecting, even in bright lights. You might find this in Instagram photos for frat boy date rapes, and DMB concerts, but in the can not the glass. 

The aroma here is big barley and grain. This smells like a brew house/brewery, with that distinct malted barley smell. It smells good, but I'm not getting much watermelon or wheat here. Along with the malted barley, I'm getting some wheat malts and some apple fruitiness on the aroma. It doesn't really smell like a wheat ale, let alone a watermelon wheat ale...but it smells pretty fucking amazing if you like the smell of a brewery (and I do). 

Hmmm...this tastes very much how it smells. I'm not getting any watermelon, just a lot of malted grain, barley, and wheat. There's a twinge of fake watermelon in here, but yeah. I wonder if this is a screwed up can or if there is batch variation. That's no problem though, since I have several more cans. Let's grab one...so, the second can that I am drinking is also overtly grainy. I'm getting a lot of grain in here, a lot of wheat, and some hints of apple/grape/melon and watermelon candy on the back. 

I'm on my third can here, which is a testament to my alcoholism, for sure. It's also a testament to this beer's drinkability. For some reason I felt compelled to turn on Dave Matthews and the Blues Traveler, and now I'm wearing an Aeropostle shirt. I don't even know how that happened. Does anyone else want to get rapey? I guess 5.6% is substantial enough to get you pretty buzzed, definitely more than your typical Pale Lager. This beer isn't very complex, but the light-bodied mouthfeel is pretty crushable and refreshing. Palate depth is alright. You know...I thought I was going to get a lot of fake watermelon Jolly Rancher vibes from this beer, but I'm mostly getting a lot of wheat and malt. There's some mild fruit juice, with apples and grapes and watermelon...but this is a clean malt exposition through and through. Up front: fruity apples, grapes, melon, and lots of sweet wheat malts; the mids roll into juicy malts, grain, wheat, hints of watermelon; the back end is where you get hints of watermelon Jolly Ranchers, but just hints...mostly grain...it's like a fruity brewery aroma in your glass or a homebrew. 

Rating: Light Average (2.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Average on this. I thought for sure I was going to be talking shit about how this tastes like fake Jolly Ranchers and 14-year-old girl's perfume. This smells and tastes like dat genuine brewery smell™. There is some subtle melon/watermelon juice in here, and it plays off the fruitiness in a way that isn't bad. Overall though, I don't think I would buy this again. They have a Pineapple Hefeweizen that I might try...maybe.

Random Thought: Happy Father's Day to all the dads out there. Hopefully you got that morning BJ and then some quiet time to drink a beer, smoke a cigar, play some golf, or whatever it is that you fancy doing on Father's Day.

Bell's Two Hearted Ale

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

Purchased: 16oz CAN from a 4-pack bought at Binny's in IL; 2014 

Style/ABV: American IPA, 7.0%

Reported IBUs: ?

DAE like drinking dat classic Midwest IPA in the can. 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. For more info, check out their website. 

At this point, everyone knows that the Bell's Two Hearted Ale is amazing. But whatever. Says the can: "An American India Pale Ale with intense hop aroma and malt balance. Well suited for adventurous trips anywhere." This unfiltered IPA punches in at 7.0%, and is hopped exclusively with Centennial hops from the Pacific Northwest. 

Bell's Two Hearted Ale (shill's glassware)

Being unfiltered and all, this one pours into a hazy/cloudy dark-orange body, and kicks up a couple of fingers of dense, fluffy, hop-fueled head. In brighter light, this takes on a hazy orange color, and the head retains mad caramel tones. Tiny dots of peppery carbonation are elevating up in this club, and there's lacing like spider-man crime scenes. I don't even know. It's an IPA.

The aroma here is an explosion of vibrant spiced orange, crushed citrus, grapefruit and orange rind, piney resin, and the smell of forest. There is resinous and dank punch to these hops, and this doesn't hide the orange and grapefruit spice.

It seems like these days everyone is making either a Pale Ale or an Imperial Pale Ale. This one rides the thin line between the two, with giant hops turning out blissful citrus spice. There's huge waves of orange and grapefruit rind, with big peppery (white pepper and even a little black pepper) orange, peppery fruit salad, hints of watermelon and peach and mango, resinous pine, and gentle dankness on the back. This is appropriately bitter, never going beyond the call of duty. It's refreshing and clean and frankly -- pretty fucking good.

This is medium-bodied with just a hint of caramel malts and bready malt backbone, but the big thing here are those delicious hops. The 7.0% is completely undetectable and within some reason. I probably would limit my session to two or three of these cans. Palate depth here is blissfully perfect for the style, but the complexity is somewhat limited. This IPA is a hammer...and sometimes you just want to hit nails. Up front: big citrus with peppery spice, citrus rind, pine; the mids roll into pine, rind, peppery spice, some hints of the earthy mango and black pepper watermelon; the back end gets increasingly piney and bitter with some hemp, and then the caramel/bready malts rear their ugly mug. 

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

This is a Strong Above-Average. Not much to say here. This is up there with the great India Pale Ales...this is something to stock in your fridge and keep on hand when you want a good IPA. The can travels well so now you can go mobile with this beer. Sweet.

Random Thought: Reviewing classics...why.