Pipeworks The Money (CA$H 4 Golden Ale aged in Elijah Craig 12 year old Bourbon Barrels)

Brewed By: Pipeworks Brewing in Chicago, IL  

Purchased: 22oz bottle (Batch #473/474) bought at West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, IL; 2015 (bottled 08.??.2014)

Style/ABV: Belgian Golden Strong Ale, 13.0%
Reported IBUs: ?

It's not Pipeworks Thursday™ but who gives a shit. Way back when I reviewed that CA$H Money, and the Elijah Craig 12 Year is delicious. So how about "Our "Ca$h 4 Golden Ale" aged in Elijah Craig 12 year old Bourbon Barrels." Oh yes please. 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.

Pipeworks The Money

This pours into a golden/honey-colored body, kicking up a finger of restrained, white head. This looks like a Belgian Ale that has been through the bourbon ringer. It is slightly hazy but still really well-carbed. Even Snoop was like dayummm. BJCP - bongs, jello, cash, paninis. 

Let's not pretend Allagash and the Bruery haven't done this already, but this mashes pineapples and white saffron and wheat-apples and grapes (you know, that Strong Ale base) with oak, vanilla, a pound of white sugar, bourbon spice, cinnamon, and some light barrel. It has that Belgian nose, and smells like any Tripel or what-have-you crammed into a barrel. 

Oh dayum, son. This is straight up fantastic, bringing tons of bourbon flavor to the fold with big vanilla, maple syrup, cinnamon/brown sugar, and then tons of apples, saffron, grapes, tannic and grainy gooseberries, overripe bananas, juicy stone fruits, and appreciable pineapple. This lays on some nice bitterness, and while this is super sweet it feels mature. This is going to be an inherently sweet beer, as are White Oak and any other similar offering. 

This is sneaky like a Golden Strong/Tripel, and you don't taste any of the 13%. The only suggestion of alcohol comes from the saccharine assault and bourbon character. This is full-bodied, big, boozy, and has good duration for the style. Palate depth is good, complexity is middle-of-the-road (but pretty good for this style). This beer is my jam. This style is my jam. You get an explosion of tropical fruits, saffron, apples, and grapes up front; that rolls into more pineapple, apple, saffron, bourbon, some spice; the back end drops a little alcohol, oak, barrel, and finishes nicely for something as big and sweet as this. I like this a lot. 

Rating: Above-Average (4.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this beer. I'm so proud of Pipeworks, growing up to be on the same level as breweries like Allagash or The Bruery. Okay, I'm not not 100% serious. That would be the overstatement of the year if I was. Shoving any beer into an Elijah Craig 12 Year barrel is like using Citra hops or a drone strike. It's cheating. Anyway, this is good stuff and my only regret is it doesn't have the production of something like a White Oak. I wouldn't go food crazy with this beer...sip on it, enjoy.

Random Thought: I really wish I knew anything about bourbon and/or whiskey but I don't. I also don't have the money or cache to hunt down elusive bourbon whales. Thus, my thoughts on bourbon are shit just like this blog. If you are reading this, have all my apologies. 

Goose Island Class of ’88 Belgian Style Ale

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

Purchased: 765ml bottle bought at Binny's in IL; 2014 (bottled 01/13/2014)

Style/ABV: Belgian Strong Ale, 11.2% 

Reported IBUs: 7

It's hard to believe I was just a wee little baby in 1988, sucking on dem titties and crapping my pants. I missed out on hairy bushes, bright pink lights, and cocaine. Wait, on second thought, I'm okay with that. About Goose Island:

Goose Island is a Chicago-based brewery that began as a brewpub on Clybourn, which opened on May 1988. The actual brewery opened on 1995, and is located on the Southwest side of Chicago. The second brewpub, located in Wrigleyville by the Chicago Cubs, was opened in 1999. On March 28, 2011, Goose Island sold 58% of the brewery to Anheuser-Busch. The remaining 42% of the brewery is supposed to be acquired by A-B InBev in the future, and there has been much discussion about the brewery's takeover. On November 16th, founder and CEO, John Hall, announced he would be leaving Goose Island. On January 1st, 2013, Anheuser-Busch "veteran" Andy Goeler will take over Goose Island. Additionally, around the same time as John Hall's departure, resident barrel-program leader John Laffler also announced his departure from Goose Island. There have been many changes regarding Goose Island...so we will see what the future has in store for Goose Island. 

The Class of ’88 Belgian Style Ale was brewed in collaboration with Deschutes Brewery to celebrate both brewery's "silver" or 25th anniversary. Goose Island opted to brew this beer using whole flower Mt Hood hops, which were introduced in 1988. They then transferred this beer to Muscat casks and aged it on Michigan Riesling Grape juice and Oregon Pinot Noir grape must. It's kind of wine-like, like the Dogfish Head Noble Rot. The Goose Island Class of '88 features a Best Pilsner malt base, and punches in at 11.2% ABV and 7 IBUs.

Goose Island Class of ’88 

The beer pours into a slightly hazy, apple-juice amber/orange body, kicking up a finger of rapidly dissolving white head. The head crackled and fizzed away like soda, leaving a ring of white carbonation on the edges of my glass, and tons of alcohol legs. Bright light confirms the apple juice color of the beer's body, and some tiny carbonation bubbles are rising upwards with moderate authority.

The aroma is pretty subtle, with apples, grape juice, oak, and some peppery Belgian spice. If I really dig into the aroma I get some candi sugar and orange, lemon, candy malts, and some nondescript floral aromas. Kind of meh.

Wow...this just...sucks. Totally flat with dull Muscat and stale Riesling, obnoxious waves of glaring Belgian candy sugar and sappy candy oranges, and just...meh. There's hardly any barrel or oak, and there's little wine complexity. The finish is equally as flaccid and sad. For an 11.2% Belgian Strong aged in wine barrels with grape juice, I was expecting big things.

When the best part about a beer is the boozy warming, you know (1) you're an alcoholic, and (2) the beer sucks. This isn't quit the abortion that the Blue Moon Grand Cru was, but it's about on par with the novelty that Kwak is. I'm kind of offended that Goose Island would even bottle this, let alone in their fancy 765ml format and at an asking price of $20 a bottle. Fuck no. Maybe this needs some time to age in the bottle? I think there's some Brett in here? I dunno. Complexity is at an all time low, especially for a Belgian Strong aged in wine barrels with grape juice. Palate depth is okay I guess, and the 11.2% is hiding like minorities at the state fair. Up front: flat candy citrus, grape drank, sugary grape/orange, orange candy, weird chemical; mid palate rolls into more grape drank and apple juice, stale sugar, stale white wine, the "L" car that the homeless person peed in; back end is lingering sweetness and booze. Grapes, wine complexity, and barrels be damned. There's none of that here. Any Brett funk is in the alpha stages. I guess when Greg Hall isn't pissing and cumming on things, magic doesn't happen.

Rating: Below-Average (2.0/5.0 Untappd)

This is a Light Below-Average beer. Just...disappointing as my first three kids. Seriously, hit the fucking softball, it's on a tee for cripes crates. This beer is disappointing from the onset: no pop when you open it, no aroma when you sniff it from the bottle, and a pour that would only make the thirstiest homeless person happy. On the plus side, this beer isn't as bad as it could be...I mean they could have mixed the 312 with some grape juice and slapped a shiny label on it and stuck it in their trademark 765ml bottle. About that, do I really have fucks to give about the extra 15ml? No, I don't. I'm not even going to recommend food pairings in good faith here, because I honestly wouldn't waste 20 dollars on this. If you do blow your load on this expensive beer, age it for a few years because yeahhhh. BOOOOO.

Random Thought: Hey, it happens. At least Kwak comes with a cool glass that you can use as a butt plug or to butt chug. 

St. Feuillien Grand Cru

Brewed By: Brasserie St. Feuillien / Friart in Le Roeulx, Belgium

Purchased: 11.2oz bottle (bottled on 17/01/14) from a 4-pack gift set bought at Binny's in IL; 2014
Style/ABV: Grand Cru/Belgian Golden Strong Ale, 9.5%

Reported IBUs: ?

I feel pretty good about my Super Bowl pick, and specifically my pick that the Seahawks and the Seahawks' defense would probably trounce the Broncos, but I really didn't expect the ridiculous blowout and bed crapping that we got. Oh well. About St. Feuillien:

St. Feuillien is is an Abbey-stye brewery based out of Le Roeulx, Belgium, founded in 1873. The brewery's history goes back to the 7th century, when an Irish monk by the name Feuillien came to Belgium to preach the Gospel. Unfortunately...while traveling through Le Roeulx, Feuillien was martyred and beheaded. In memory of Feuillien, his disciples built a chapel in 1125, which became the Abbey of Prémontrés, later known as the Abbaye St-Feuillien du Roeulx. The Abbey prospered until the French Revolution. St. Feuillien makes use of natural ingredients, centuries-old brewing methods, and (I believe) all their beers are bottle conditioned. You can read more about them HERE. 

The St. Feuillien Grand Cru is a "specialty beer" brewed with noble hops and nondescript ingredients. Punching in at 9.5%...this is a big beer. So yeah, hooray for descriptions. Let's get this into a glass. 

St. Feuillien Grand Cru

The Grand Cru pours into a luscious, Belgian-esque, Golden Strong Ale body. We're talking about a hazy pineapple-orange body, and two fingers of soapy, thin, rapidly dissolving white head. In brighter light the body is an orange-yellow, Mimosa color. There is some carbonation rising upwards, along with some peppery yeast sediment floating around. The head settles into a nice cauldron effect, and glossy alcohol legs coat the glass.

I'm really digging the aroma here. I'm getting a lot of perfume phenol and esters, floral aromas, some wheat/Pils malts, orange and lemon and citrus zest, some stone fruits, apples and pears, some grassy and floral Noble hop bitterness, a touch of zesty alcohol, and some mild barnyard/farm characteristic.  

This is boozy and fantastic, with expansive wheat that is creamy and luscious, hints of banana, bubblegum, white sugar, and clove, and tons of floral Noble hop pop. I'm getting citrus: pineapple, orange, lemon, and some other elusive stone fruits. There's some nice Belgian funk with hay and barnyard in the mix, and hints of zesty and medicinal booze. There's also some grain, bread, toast, and nuttiness in the mix. Quite complex, boozy, and big.

This is a medium-full bodied beer thanks to all the carbonation. But it's still creamy and dense, and wheat-fueled. The 9.5% booze is hidden and subtle, like you'd expect in a Belgian Strong Ale or Tripel or Quad. But you still do get some booze. Palate depth is great, and complexity is pretty good for the style. I find this beer to be drinkable. I also find this beer to be pretty funky, with lots of Belgian funk and hay. It's also very balanced and easy-going, with lots of hop character, malt character, citrus fruits, and some subtle bready/nutty notes. Up front: wheat, clove, phenol spice, pepper, peppery booze, and citrus; that rolls into more citrus, some bitter Noble hops, floral notes, some hay and grass, Belgian funk; the back end picks up on the booze, with some toast/nutty/grain, and the finish is dry with lingering Noble hop goodness. Really nice and refined.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. Somewhere in that B+ to A- range...it's very much what I would expect from a boozy Tripel or Belgian Strong Ale, without doing anything that is really blowing my mind. Nevertheless, this is a well-crafted beer. The booze is warming, and this is a beer I would pair with meats and cheeses, grilled meats, rustic dishes, and a meal at home. It's the perfect Winter Pale Ale. Boozy and big, but still bright and fresh. Good stuff, would bang again.

Random Thought: I hate it when I break my beer glasses. There is no feeling worse than the sinking feeling when you chip a beer glass. Fuck.

North Coast Grand Cru

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

Purchased: 500ml bottle purchased at Binny's in IL; 2013

Style/ABV: Strong Ale, 12.9%

Reported IBUs: ???

At 12.9%, tonight's beer is the Winter warmer I have been craving. It's also a beer I picked up a few months back that has been chilling in my fridge. It's high time we drink this thing. 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 North Coast Grand Cru was originally brewed as the North Coast Twentieth Anniversary Ale to commemorate the brewery's 20th anniversary. The bottle is nondescript, not even hinting at the vintage (I think this is a 2013 or 2011????). It says: "Ale brewed with agave nectar and aged in bourbon barrels." This beer features pilsner malts, and is fermented with Belgian yeast. 

North Coast Grand Cru

Whoa...I was not expecting this beer to pour out into a golden-orange/honey/amber color. The beer also produces two fingers of white head that is super soapy and thin, and quickly fades off into a white ring around the glass. Bright light confirms the radiant golden-orange body, and you can see streams of tiny carbonation rising upwards with intensity. There's some glossy legs and tight lacing as well.

The aroma on this beer is raw and boozy. It reminds me of the Two Brothers 16th Anniversary Ale and the Allagash Curieux. I'm getting coconut (shredded, toasted, bourbon, and coconut rum), vanilla, bourbon, wood and wood tannin, orange, pineapple, mango, agave, and Belgian candi sugar. I'm also getting a ton of Quad-like aromas. If you've had a really intense American Belgian Quadruple (like THIS or THIS), you'll know what I'm talking about. I'm getting Quad-like cherries, overripe stone fruits, plums, and huge bananas soaked in alcohol. You know...this beer kind of reminds me of the Sam Adams Imperial White.

The taste: interesting...this is very fruity, with tons of apples, wheat, and then HUGE bourbon and vanilla and coconut expanding on the back. I'm reminded of the aged bottles of the Schneider Weisse Tap 6 Unser Aventinus, only with bourbon and more booze. I'm getting a lot of wheat, apples, banana, cherry, Quad-like stone fruits and overripe fruits, some pineapple and tropical fruits, coconut and coconut milk, and then BAM, big blasts of vanilla, bourbon, bourbon-coconut, and some barrel. It's really a tale of two beers here, with the thinner and fruity beer up front, and the giant 12.9% bourbon-barrel aged Belgian Ale in the back. There's a sherry/raisin/oxidized thing up front as well, and some nondescript spiciness from the Belgian yeast. Really nice spice and oak.

I'm seeing a lot of dodgy reviews for this beer, and why? I dunno, I'm finding this to be a fun beer to review. This probably isn't a fun beer to drink at the bar, but this is some complex shit. This is the type of beer I daydream about when I am at work. This is a beer you want to mull over in your snifter. You know? Super complex. The palate depth and duration are good too. And this medium-bodied beer has good carbonation, and hides the 12.9% very well. Although...you do pick up some booze on the back. Let's walk through the progression of this beer one more time. Up front is huge wheat, apples, pears, cherry, Quad-like fruits, stone fruits, overripe fruits, banana, sherry/oxidized/raisin, and spicy Belgian esters; mid palate hits you up with some coconut, pineapple, tropical fruits, coconut rum, coconut milk; then the beer just fucks your face with HUGE vanilla, bourbon, coconut, light wood tannin, and dynamite barrel character. The finish is boozy and dry. I really like this.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Above-Average on this. Wow...this has to be one of the most underrated, misunderstood beers you can find. Look at these reviews on Ratebeer and Beeradvocate shit-panning this. It's possible that there is some bottle variation...it's also possible that this beer benefits from age. I'm not drinking a fresh bottle, but I don't know how old it is. Also, drink this beer warm. The bottle says to drink around 50F, and I agree. Food pairings: unless you plan to pair this beer with pineapple upside-down cake or coconut cake, don't pair it with anything. This beer deserves to be mulled over for an hour in your snifter. 

Random Thought: Are the low ratings all that surprising? This is a weird, sugary beer, with no particular style guidelines. It's good though. It's subtle and complex...unlike the Two Brothers 16th Anniversary Ale. 

Pipeworks Pineapple Bling

Brewed By: Pipeworks Brewing in Chicago, IL  

Purchased: 750ml bottle (Batch #200) bought at Binny's in IL; 2013 (bottled 9.9.13)

Style/ABV: Belgian Golden Strong Ale, 10.5%
Reported IBUs: ?

For this weeks Unofficial Pipeworks Thursday™, we are rolling all gangsta. Tonight's beer is a riff on the CA$H 4 Golden Ale, with the addition of...pineapples and lime juice! We'll see how that works out. 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 always wondered, and maybe some famous rapper who stumbles upon this shitty blog can help me out...do you pour the champagne on the titties before or after you skeet on them? I feel like you would pour the champagne on before, right? Because afterwards, it just gets messy. But then again, maybe champagne has awesome skeet-removing properties. Either way...the back of the bottle reads:

"AU! Pawn yo chains, grillz, and candy coated helicopters, but hold onto your Pineapple Bling, 'cus it's always in Belgian style. This ain't a fool's golden ale, but a glittering brew sportin a pilsner malt base booted up with rye, german and northwest hops. The yeast is the number one stunna, struttin tropical fruit notes and a tart dry finish complimented by pineapple and lime juices. This ale is worth it's weight in gold..en ale."

Pipeworks Pineapple Bling

The beer pours into a really sexy, golden-yellow body with a finger of hazy, white head. The body is hazy and well-carbonated, and the head settles into a sea foam coating. In bright light, the beer is pretty much yellow. This beer may be the purest representation of yellow I've seen in a beer. There's a ton of carbonation in this, with tiny streams of bubbles rising upwards. Head retention is solid, and there is some lacing and legs.

I'm getting vanilla, clove, and juicy citrus on the nose. I'm also getting big cakey notes, and sugary vanilla cake sweetness. In addition to the vanilla and cakey sweetness, you get A TON of coconut on the nose. Vanilla coconut cake, eat your heart out. 

This tastes much like the CA$H 4 Golden Ale, only a bit less dense...I'm picking up on some pineapple/lime juice, but it's very subtle. Otherwise, the beer brings lots of dense malt sweetness to the forefront, with cakey density and clove juxtaposed with citrus/pineapple/lime, and lots of coconut and vanilla. This is still lighter and more refreshing this time around, which is probably courtesy of the juice....but maybe the recipe was tweaked too.

Despite the cakey sweetness and malt density, this beer is a bit more grounded than the CA$H 4 Golden Ale. This beer is on the higher end of medium-full bodied, but it has good drinkability (especially at 10.5%) thanks to tons of carbonation, and lots of citrus juice. Speaking of citrus juice, as I work through this, I'm picking up more and more of the lime/pineapple juice. Palate depth is outstanding, but the complexity is low. Up front is Pilsner malt, cakey density, vanilla, clove, coconut; that rolls into big clove, coconut cake, and citrus/lime/pineapple juice; the back end is trailing pineapple juice and lime, with a dry, Pilsner-esque finish. 

Rating: Above-Average (3.5/5.0 Untappd)

I'll go a Light Above-Average here. This is a big improvement over the CA$H 4 Golden Ale, and this beer is very drinkable. The big coconut/vanilla works perfectly with the pineapple/lime, and this beer has a real summer and tropical vibe. I would pair this beer with a Hawaiian style burger or chicken sandwich, or some tacos. You could also stack this up with some strong cheese, meats, and your usual Belgian Ale food pairings. Solid stuff, and a big improvement over the base beer.

Random Thought: I'm ready for the weekend, and hopefully some football redemption. 

Pipeworks CA$H 4 Golden Ale

Brewed By: Pipeworks Brewing in Chicago, IL  

Purchased: 750ml bottle (Batch #132) bought at Binny's in IL; 2013  (bottled 5/8/2013)

Style/ABV: Belgian Golden Strong Ale, 10.0% 
Reported IBUs: ?

Heyyyy, it's Unofficial Pipeworks Thursday™. That means good times ahead, I hope. Actually, I am confidently optimistic tonight, as the Denver Mannings beat the defending Super Bowl champs. The real question is why is John Fox even coaching? We all know what's actually going on. If you're a Denver fan you have a lot to look forward to...just hope they don't botch basic coaching decisions in the Playoffs like they did last year. Anyway, 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.

Finally Pipeworks brews a beer that understands me. At first I thought this beer was a clever play on the shitty Cash4Gold commercials that plagued Midwest radio and late night TV for the past few years, but this beer is clearly gangsta like Snoop Lion. I wish I wasn't pimping so hard, but sometimes slapping bitches is more important than drinking beer. Imagine where I'd be if I could catch a break. The back of the bottle isn't quite as gangsta as Snoop, but some egregious grammar errors do boost street credit: 

Gangsta

"Pipeworks is bringing the bling with Cash 4 Golden Ale. This Belgian inspired ale aint frontin, with it's Pilsner malt base and hint of rye. Czech Saaz, German Tettnanger, and a blend of Pacific Northwest hops are stuntin. But the number one stunna here is the Belgian yeast, stepping with notes of pineapple, tropical fruit and a dry tart finish. We think this beer is the shiznit. Real talk!"

Let me get my gat glass. This is probably my favorite style of beer, and I'm happy to report that this beer is true to the style in appearance. The beer pours into a super hazy, lemon-yellow/straw color, and kicks up tons of fluffy, wispy  white head. The head is thick and sustaining, and in bright light you can see streams of carbonation violently erupting upwards. This beer would make Duvel blush. The beer looks much the same in bright light, with a hazy straw/yellow body, a rocky white head, nice lacing, and some yeast suspended in the body. 

Pipeworks CA$H 4 Golden Ale

The aroma features tons of tropical fruits, with big pineapple, peach, some mango and papaya, and hints of coconut. You get mad tropical vibes off this, and this smells like something that would go well with Summer. I'm getting some lemon zest on the nose as well, along with a hint of peppery spice. There's a touch of white cake/bread/biscuit/Pils malt in the mix as well. Big peaches.

Hmmm...so curb your expectations, because this isn't Duvel. At 10.0%, this beer REALLY dials up the malts, and there's big hop/Pils bitterness to round things out. This is dense and sticky even, but I'm not finding it difficult to drink. Still, I wonder if the intention was to make something a bit more attenuated? We'll never know. HAVING SAID ALL THAT, this is pretty good. You get bready malts up front: I'm getting white cake, vanilla, vanilla wafer  and creamy bananas. There's some peppery spice in the mix, with some pepper/rye. And there is some nice fruitiness that shows up as you get pineapple, lemon zest bitterness, and tropical fruits. I'm getting egg whites and sugar on the finish, Pils malt dryness, and some hop bitterness. There's also a dash of booze in this.

For a Belgian Golden Strong, this is dense and full-bodied in terms of mouthfeel. There is creamy, supportive carbonation, but I would still describe this beer as "cakey with a slightly bitter and dry finish." Palate depth is good, complexity is alright. At 10.0% you get a bit of booze, but this rides the line between being drinkable and being a total fucking nightmare. You get bready, Pils-driven malt sweetness up front, with cake, bananas, and creamy vanilla; that rolls into tropical fruits, spice, some clove, more Pils malt, and some bitter dryness; the back end is lingering bitter dryness, dry Pils malt, and some heat. This is a heavy-handed beer, but it just gets by without being obnoxious.

Rating: Average (3.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Average on this. This beer isn't really true to the Golden Strong Ale style, but it never claimed to be. Regardless, this is a heavy-handed beer that is drinkable and enjoyable, but rides the line between being a cloying mess. If they took this up one more notch it wouldn't work. But what you have here right now is a dense, cakey beer, with some good malt complexity and nice supporting hops. This has cakey, tropical fruit vibes...and would pair well with a mango or papaya sauce, coconut, coconut curry, wings, Caribbean jerk, or anything with a spicy, tropical twist. This one is worth checking out if you are a Pipeworks fan, but this is low-priority stuff as far as Belgian Golden Strong Ales are concerned. 

Random Thought: I am so excited for Sunday. I will be watching 12 hours of football, and it will be awesome. There will be beer. 

Big Sky Kriek Ale

Brewed By: Big Sky Brewing Company in Missoula, Montana

Purchased: 750ml bottle from Binny's in IL; 2013 purchase, 2010 Vintage (0864 of 3600)

Style/ABV: "Kriek" / Fruit Beer, 10.0%

Reported IBUs: 15

Every now and then you take one for the team....tonight's beer was in the clearance section of Biiieennie's. 2010 Vintage, green bottle and all. So I rolled the dice without reading any reviews. Let me back up for two seconds before I dive into this beer. About Big Sky:

Big Sky Brewing is the largest brewery in Montana, and distributes beer to 23 states. They produce 33,000 barrels annually, and have been around since 1995. The brewery was founded by Neal Leathers, Bjorn Nabozney, and  Brad Robinson. As with most of these origin stories, Brad and Neal were homebrewers. In the early 90s they worked at a Sportsmen's Surplus and High Country Sports, and they met Bjorn. Unimpressed by the local beer, Brad and Neal began to explore beer more widely, and became interested in opening their own brewery. With Bjorn's business chops, the trio brewed their first batch of beer in mid-June of 1995. The company was a draft-only brewery for its first five and a half years, until January 2003 when they moved to a larger brewing location. To read more about the brewery, check out their history page HERE.

Now...I do like Big Sky. Their Moose Drool is a very nice beer, and is probably due for an updated review. But tonight's beer is a hot, confused mess from the get-go. Billed as a Kriek, the bottle states that this beer starts as a Belgian Style Golden Ale, is then aged with organic cherries from the Orchard at Flathead Lake, and is then aged with more cherries for 3-months-plus in French oak wine barrels. It's unclear if this is even has wild yeast, and the 10% ABV is crazy stacked. The base beer is a Belgian Strong Ale...but this does use Pale and Malted Wheat malts, and Hallertau Tradition hops. The reviews haven't been so great, but I'm approaching this like a fruit beer. Here's to hoping this is just a bad Kriek and not a bad beer.

The cork came off with a satisfying, "POP!" It was followed by a chimney of smoke, and all I could think was, "I'm glad I opened this over a sink." Yeah...this one gushed, so I rushed to pour it into my glass. The rushed pour probably exaggerated the head, as I kicked up 2 to 3 fingers at first, but it RAPIDLY dissolved with audible, violent fizzing. The whole beer is fizzling away, in the bottle and in the glass. In lower light, the body is a swampy brown/red/purple, with a red/brown-tinted head. When held to a bright light, the body is a murky/swampy orange, with lots of carbonation streaming upwards. There is a ring of head hanging around the top, and of course there are legs on this. The amount of carbonation still streaming upwards is crazy....I'm surprised this beer didn't go rogue and blow up like a grenade. Dem champagne bottles.

All you need to know about this beer is revealed by the aroma. This smells much more like Dogfish Head's Fort than it does a Kriek. I'm sorry, but advertising IS part of presentation and that does matter. Sprite-like carbonation is dancing off the surface of this, tingling my nose. It's like touching your nose to an old CRT-TV, or feeling a light mist. I'm getting nice fruit: cherries, raspberry, cherry skins, light honey, malt sweetness, and a touch of pleasant/mild wood. There's even a hint of oak on the nose. The nose smells fine...

Big Sky Kriek Ale

...the taste is definitely sub-par. My initial thought is, "oh hey, this is slightly oxidized." Why? How? What? I guess it has been 2 or 3 years, and this beer wasn't stored in ideal conditions by any means. You get astringent Windex up front, with some cough syrup cherry on the back. Between those two horrors is a beer that has potential. I'm getting nice raspberry, cherry, raspberry puree, some tea/herbal character, and hints of faded wood. It's wine-like at times, in fact. But those nice features fade into failure and broken dreams. You're reminded of those nights when your Russian babysitter would drink bottles of cough syrup, pace around the house cursing in Russian, and then spray you with Windex. 

For a hand grenade, the carbonation doesn't really follow through. Yes, this is tingly and spritzy like a Belgian Ale, but it's kind of dull. The mouthfeel is medium-full, with unfortunate stickiness, unpleasant astringency, and yeah. The 10.0% ABV isn't the roadblock, it's the beer. Ergo, complexity and palate depth are both between "meh" and "who cares." You get sweet malts, Windex, and cherry astringency up front; this follows with reasonable cherry/raspberry puree...and then fades to cough syrup dreams (without the fun dreams you get if you drink lots of cough syrup). 

Rating: Below-Average (2.0/5.0 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Strong Below-Average here. I'm not a big fan of drain pours, but fuck me. Life is short, man. This is 10.0%!!!! And it's not that shitty of a night. If I wanted to get wasted, sure, this would be okay...but so would malt liquor. I'm not even going to recommend food pairings. Don't buy this beer! Even if you see it discounted for $Free-ninety-five. Don't do it! Go buy up a sixer of Moose Drool instead, because that beer is...the tits. 

Random Thought: This is a Fruit Beer. A Fruit Beer. A beer made with fruit, aged in barrels. #LEAVEBELGIANALONE

5 Rabbit Huitzi Midwinter Ale

Brewed By: 5 Rabbit Cerveceria in Bedford Park, IL  

Purchased: 750ml bottle bought at Walgreens in Chicago, IL; 2013 

Style/ABV: Belgian Strong Golden Ale, 8.7%

Reported IBUs: 22

Another night, another local brew...

5 Rabbit brewery is an Illinois-based craft brewery launched in 2011. The brewery has a unique perspective, focusing on Latin-themed craft beer. The company is lead by CEO Andrés Araya, Creative Director Randy Mosher, and brewmaster (and former Goose Island employee) John J. Hall. Despite some fighting within the company, it seems like 5 Rabbit is moving forward. 

Tonight's beer, the Huitzi Midwinter Ale, is a big ol' Belgian Ale with a Latin twist. If you roll over to the Huitzi page, you can read what is on the side of the bottle:

"Huitzi is a winter beer that doesn´t wallow in the dark cold days of this season. Like it’s namesake, the Aztec hummingbird god Huitzilopoctli who smashed the winter to allow the sun to return, Huitzi looks forward to the brighter promise of spring. We think of it as a winter cooler."

This Belgian Strong Ale is brewed with hibiscus flowers, ginger, thai palm sugar, and local Chicago honey. Clocking in at 8.7%, this beer has a Pilsner and Vienna malt base, uses Glacier hops, and features chamomile in addition to the Hibiscus and ginger. This one is available between January and April.

5 Rabbit Huitzi Midwinter Ale

The pour yields a cloudy, reddish-orange beer, with a centimeter of brownish head that quickly crackles away. Swirling this doesn't even kick up head, but there are some alcohol legs. In bright light, the beer is a juicy orange color, and looks to be both unfiltered and quite swampy. There's definitely carbonation present, so hopefully this isn't flaccid in the mouth (phrasing).

The aroma is really nice...with vibrant and sweet mango, tropical fruits, and bright citrus. It reminds me of the Sam Adams' Summer Ale and the Sam Adams' Verloren. You definitely pick up some berry and flowery aromas on the nose, and there's some underlying Belgian Strong Ale: clove, wheat, Pilsner malt, white sugar/vanilla/honey. Maybe a dash of ginger spice. 

Straight up, the carbonation leaves a lot to be desired, especially for the style. But otherwise...wow. This is intriguing, with clean ginger, fruity-citrus grain, big tea-like floral character, lots of hints at chamomile and Hibiscus, hints of clove and pepper, and a really nice dry finish that leaves big citrus-grain on your palate. The Belgian base -- surprisingly not a big character here. I'm also getting a ton of lingering berry/orange jam (the natural stuff, not the fake, sugary, Smucker's shit) on my palate.

This is slick and juicy, with a medium-light to medium-full mouthfeel. There's not enough carbonation, and the beer drags a bit because of it. On the other hand, the beer has a nice dry finish, and it leaves a ton of lingering fruit on your palate. Palate depth, great; complexity, okay. Up front is a brush with carbonation, Hibiscus, tea-like berries, big clean ginger, and grainy citrus; the middle rolls into some more citrus, maybe a dash of floral hops, some chamomile/tea; the back end is lingering grain citrus, and the finish is dry. You get residual, jammy fruits left in your mouth. Spectacular money shot.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5 Untappd)

I'm a big fan of the style, but this is a Light Above-Average. Nice stuff, 5 Rabbit. The jammy finish is dynamite. My only gripe is where is the carbonation? This does a really good job taking the Belgian base and turning it into something unique. This almost veers into Belgian White territory, with hints of apples and grape...but yeah. You could definitely pair this with a fruit salad, fruity desserts, ceviche, or lighter Mexican foods. This is intriguing and delicious...I hope they make it again next year.

Random Thought: You know it's a good weekend when you get two Hawks games in a row. I can't complain. Tomorrow...I may bust out the Rodenbach. 

Two Brothers 16th Anniversary Ale

Brewed By: Two Brothers Brewing Company in Warrenville, Illinois

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

Style/ABV: Belgian-style Ale, Allegedly 16.0%
Reported IBUs: 34

In celebration of their 16th year anniversary, Two Brothers released a special beer as they are wont to do. I believe this one was priced at around 6 or 7 bucks, making this 22oz bomber of sweet, boozy, Belgian Ale an appealing offer. Obviously I grabbed a bottle. And here we are. 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.  

This is a ridiculous beer, clocking in at an alleged 16%. I say alleged, because word on the street is that this is actually around 12%, but the bottle labels were printed prior to the beer being finished. The back of the bottle reads:

"On March 16th of 1997 Jim and Jason spent 18 hours brewing the first 15 barrel batch of Two Brothers Brewing Company's beer, with a smile on their face the whole time. This labor of love continues today as the company celebrates its golden birthday. Our 16th Anniversary Ale is a larger than life Belgian style Golden Ale. This golden color beer is full bodied with a malty start and a spicy hop balance that is complimented with subtle clove-like characters. To our labor of love...Cheers."

Let's just assume this is pushing 12%, and clocking in at 34 IBUs. No matter how you look at this, this is a big beer. This is entering extreme beer territory, especially for a Belgian. So let's glass 'er up and see if this is going to be a sweet 16 with a BMW, or just another Honda. 

Two Brothers 16th Anniversary Ale

This one pours a golden straw color, with two fingers of white, foamy head. The head is surprisingly enduring, and it's pretty creamy/foamy, with lots of lacing. I'm kicking up head as I swirl this as well. In bright light this beer is a transparent straw/yellow color. The head is white, and still holding up...there's a nice stream of carbonation in the center of the glass. Swirling this one in the glass reveals some pretty glossy alcohol legs.

The aroma on this is really spicy, with funky clove, giant pepper, pink peppercorns, medicinal phenols, rotting fruit, and underlying booze. There's some banana, vanilla, clove, white sugar/candi sugar, and Wheat Wine-esque notes on the nose as well. It's like a Quad clashing with a wheat beer, or something. There is unmistakable candy sweetness on the nose, which I'm thinking is the booze. I should add that I'm maybe pulling apricots off the nose as well. The nose on this is intriguing...here's to hoping that so is the taste!

Hmmm...my initial impression upon my first two sips is that this is more hoppy than I was expecting, and has a much denser mouthfeel than I was expecting. Also, this one isn't as attenuated/dry as I was expecting. In a lot of ways, this reminds me of the Dogfish Head Fort and the Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA. I'm getting some wheat, bread, murky hop flavors, spicy phenols, tons of candy sugar coating, faded citrus, and a ton of smoothness. The booze is hidden well in this, with no heat or alcohol in the taste. You do get it in your belly/throat. There's also a bit of peach in the taste, weeeerrrrddd.

I don't care if this is 12% or 16%, that's a huge ABV to dial a beer up to. Right now...to be perfectly honest...I'm wishing this had a bit more going on with the flavors. The flavors aren't bringing much complexity, despite the great palate depth and drinkability for a high-ABV beer. I am impressed with how drinkable this is, and how well it hides the alcohol. But that doesn't make a great beer. Maybe bourbon-barrel aging this would have imparted some much needed flavor? Mouthfeel is medium-full to full, but super smooth, with nice carbonation pulling things along. Up front you get sweet malts, bread and wheat, candy sugar, booze, hints of rotting fruits, light banana; this rolls into more of the same, with some spicy phenols, pepper, and clove; the back end is lingering spice, boozy smoothness...fade to a boozy finish.

Rating: Average (3/5 Untappd)

This one gets a Light Average from me. I love big, boozy beers. I really do. Get me drunk. Get me drunk on a Tuesday night and I'll be even happier. But dialing up the ABV is like getting out a hammer. Sometimes hammering the shit out of something isn't the answer. Here is a beer flirting with a Belgian Ale, a Wheat Wine, and maybe even an Americanized Strong Ale-type beer...unfortunately, a lot of the subtleties are just that: subtleties. It's possible this one will improve with some age, but I bet it would be even better aged in oak. It has moments where it reminds me of a good Quad, so I don't hate it or anything like that. I'm going to pair the second half of this bomber with some quesadillas...the huge ABV could probably stand up to spicy foods, strong cheeses, wings, and maybe even hot sauce. For 6 or 7 bucks this is at least worth checking out, especially if you're a Two Brothers fan. Worth buying, probably not worth trading for. #YOLO

Random Thought: One thing that always made me wonder was the line, "Til death do us part." I always thought this was a pretty cryptic line. Forever together...until death. I suppose at a certain point in marriage you might start counting your outs. I'm kidding! Have another drink. 

La Trappe Isid’or

Brewed By: De Koningshoeven (Bavaria - Netherlands) in Berkel-Enschot, Netherlands   

Purchased: 11.2 oz bottle from a 4-pack set bought at Binny's in IL; 2012 

Style/ABV: Belgian Strong Golden Ale, 7.5%

It's been a while since I've had an Abbey ale, and even longer since I've had a Trappist Ale. There are only seven Trappist breweries in the world, and six of them reside in Belgium. The seventh brewery is in the Netherlands, and happens to be La Trappe (Koningshoeven). 

La Trappe has a lonnnng history. The B.V.M. Koningshoeven Abbey was founded in 1880 by the abbot Dominicus Lacaes of the Trappist monastery Sainte-Marie-du-Mont on the Mont Des Cats. At the time, there was anti-church legislation in France, and the monasteries were being threatened. The monks of the Mont des Cats were prepared to leave the country, and Sebastianus Wyart was sent to find a place to stay if they had to leave. Wyart found "the Koningshoeven" or the Royal Farms, near Tilburg, in the village of Berkel-Enschot, in the Netherlands. While the French government never cracked down, the monks still moved to Koningshoeven. In 1884, the leading abbot, Nivardus Schweykart, decided to start a small brewery to sustain the monastery. After World War I, production of beer at the brewery increased rapidly. In 1968, the brewery expanded into a mid-sized brewery, and in 1985 the brewery started exporting beer. In 1991, La Trappe Quadrupel is produced for the very first time. With that said, you should check out the official history page on the website, or even skim through the Wikipedia article on the brewery.

Tonight's beer, the Isid'or, was brewed to commemorate the 125th anniversary of the brewery, and is named after friar Isidorus Laaber, the first brewing master at La Trappe. This beer is described as being a lightly sweet, amber beer, with a hint of caramel. At 7.5% ABV, this falls around Belgian Golden Strong Ale territory. But we will see when we get this into a glass.

La Trappe Isid’or

The beer pours somewhere between a golden color and a plum color. In low light, the beer takes on a darker red/orange/amber color, and pours with 3 fingers of thick, slightly amber-tinted, head. Head retention is great, with a centimeter of head just hanging around. When held to bright light, the body of this beer takes on a juicy, orange color. This beer is bottle conditioned, and unfiltered, making it impossible to see through. What you can see, however, is quite a bit of carbonation. My guess is this will be quite effervescent, as is typical with the style. It's not the sexiest beer in the world, but then, many Trappist beers aren't. Many bottle conditioned beers aren't either. I digress.

The aroma on this is yeast and fruity, with giant yeast esters flying off the glass. I smell big clove, apples, pears, berries, straw, bananas, spicy yeast (big clove on this, maybe a hint of cinnamon), and even some hints of darker fruits. This flirts with a raisin/cherry aroma. The nose is very sweet, sugary, and you get some of that candied/perfume as well, and there's a hint of toffee. 

This is lovely stuff, and this is incredibly smooth. The taste is velvety smooth, with big perfume sugars, apples, pears, spicy clove, and a kick of pils malt. You get that slight sour/astringent pils malt note on the finish, and then it cleans up with lingering fruit esters. For a 7.5% ABV beer, this masks the alcohol incredibly well, with just a hint of heat popping up front-to-mid palate, reminiscent of a hot Tripel. I taste clove, apples, pears, subtle hints of grapes, spicy yeast, white sugar, candied fruitiness, hints of banana, toffee.

This is incredibly smooth, with just a hint of a powdery and oily in the mouthfeel. The alcohol pretty much vanishes, and at 7.5% this drinks like a light Pilsner. This is a medium to medium-full bodied beer, has good palate depth, but has relatively low complexity. If we are calling this a Belgian Golden Strong Ale, then this has a lot of competition. Overall, though, not bad. Up front is some creamy head, apples, pears, fruits; this rolls into some spice, toffee, more fruits; the back end is lingering spice, fruits. Alcohol warming in my tummy, but nothing detectable in the beer.

Rating: Average 

This is really good, but it's really good standard stuff. So, I'm feeling a Strong Average on this. It's a very refined beer, and something I would purchase in bulk if I was looking for a Belgian Golden Strong. My only concern is the price, and I'm pretty sure this beer is not cheap. Otherwise, this is tasty, despite not being overly complex. I would pair this beer with a myriad of cheeses, pizza, a burger with blue cheese, or even something like con queso dip and football. It's good enough that it is worth checking out, but I wouldn't exchange my kidney for this beer.

Random Thought: Belgian beer is my true love. This is the stuff that really got me interested in craft beer, and I look forward to warming up during the cold winter with some Quads and Dubbels. 

Jolly Pumpkin Oro de Calabaza

Brewed By: Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales in Dexter, Michigan 

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

Style/ABV: Belgian Strong Ale, 8.0%

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

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

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

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

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

Jolly Pumpkin Oro de Calabaza

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

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

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

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

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

Rating: Divine Brew

Score: 92%

 

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

 

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