Pipeworks Harbinger of Doom

Brewed By: Pipeworks Brewing in Chicago, IL  

Purchased: 22oz bottle (Batch #483/484) bought at Binny's in IL; 2014 (bottled 08.15.2014)

Style/ABV: Belgian-Style Witbier, 8.5%
Reported IBUs: ?

It's Sunday night, and it is hot and humid out...so how about a "Belgian Style Wit Beer with Elderberries added." About Pipeworks:

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

The bottle of this fruity Witbier reads:

"We believe this beer is a "window" - a beer marked by long periods of strange sightings, monster reports, and alien abductions of unusual persons. In each curious sip you will find sings of tart elderberry, lemon, and Hallertauer Tradition hops. The unclassifiable result is perplexingly refreshing as well as herbaceous and jammy. Allow this beer to guide you through the mist and into another dimension. While this is the Harbinger of Doom, the only thing that is "doomed" is normality. But don't believe us, the truth is out there...in your glass."

Pipeworks Harbinger of Doom

This pours into a super hazy, orange-amber body, kicking up a finger of thick, wispy, wheat-fueled head. There is a lot of carbonation here in the form of small carbonation bubbles, and head retention is fantastic as you'd expect.

On the aroma: lots of clove, vanilla, and some banana funk...this veers into straight up Hefeweizen territory, in some regards. The wheat malts in here are strong and assertive, with vibrant wheat and wheat malts, banana, banana bread, banana caramel/toffee, and light lemon and orange floral fruitiness. I would never guess there are berries in here, but this smells clean and inviting otherwise. I also might peg this as a Hefe.

I am getting some refreshing berry notes in the taste...which is a nice contrast from the nose. The taste is still dominated by that creamy wheat body, with assertive clove, vanilla, banana, Belgian funk, and heavy wheat. But through the clouds of this typical [of Pipeworks] heavy-handed Witbier is some jammy notes of berries, blueberry/blackberry compote, and jammy breakfast syrup. It all rounds out with some hints of lemon and citrus, and then bitter and floral hops. You do taste the hops, and they provide a nice counterpoint to the otherwise heavy wheat malts.

This is still typical of Pipeworks' Belgian offerings...a tad too heavy-handed, and lacking some of my preferred finesse with the style. Still, this buries the 8.5% ABV, and is delicious. The mouthfeel is expansive with great palate depth, and this has solid complexity. This is medium-full-bodied. Up front: berries, clove, bubblegum, vanilla, bananas; the mids roll into wheat and perfume funk, with some berry compote and light lemon/citrus; the back end drops into those hops with lingering wheat. It finishes nicely. All-in-all pretty damn tasty.

Rating: Above-Average (4.0/5.0 Untappd)

This is a Strong Above-Average. I'd actually say this is an improvement in some regards to previous wheat beer offerings from Pipeworks. I do like this a lot, and I would not hesitate to pick this up at around 8 or 9 bucks a bottle. IMO, this is worth it. Food pairings here: white fish, fruit salads, and warm weather. Tonight is the perfect night for this beer.

Random Thought: Is this a Belgian Wit though? It's not as characteristically spicy as I'd expect...

Samuel Adams Juniper IPA

Brewed By: Boston Beer Company in Boston, Massachusetts 
Purchased: 12oz bottle from the 2013 Sam Adams Winter Classics variety pack bought at Binny's in IL; 2013
Style/ABV: India Pale Ale, 5.8%

Reported IBUs: 50

I'm not going to lie, I snagged this year's Winter Classics variety pack just to try the Cherry Chocolate Bock. I'll review that tomorrow. About Sam Adams:

The Boston Brewing Company/Sam Adams is, of course, the brain child of Jim Koch (and Harry M. Rubin and Lorenzo Lamadrid). Founded in 1984, Jim Koch got the ball rolling after college when he decided to resurrect and brew his favorite family recipe. That recipe belonged to his great-great grandfather, Louis Koch, and dates back to the 1870s (where it was brewed in a St. Louis brewery). That infamous family brew is the Sam Adams Boston Lager, of course. You can read more about the history of the Boston Brewing Company HERE, or check out their website HERE.  

The Sam Adams Juniper IPA is a Winter Seasonal release, and part of the 2013 Winter Classics variety pack. This IPA is brewed with American hops (Columbus and Ahtanum), and finished with juniper berries. With a base malt of two-row pale malt and honey malt, this IPA punches in at 5.8% ABV and 50 IBUs. 

Samuel Adams Juniper IPA

The beer pours a transparent, amber/orange color, and kicks up one to two fingers of foamy, soapy, off-white head. The head is sustaining very well, and leaving a lot of residiual lacing as it drops off. Bright light confirms much of the same. This is a radiant, amber/orange beer, with a amber-tinted head. There's some nice carbonation in this, with mid-sized bubbles rising upwards.

As you might expect with the juniper, there's a lot of wood, pine, evergreen, and floral spice on the aroma. I'm also getting some pine, iced tea/tea, Christmas tree, wet leaves, and a little grapefruit rind. There's some biscuit and sweet malt backing the hop/juniper aroma as well.

This is pretty solid. Sam Adams isn't an iconic IPA producer, but this strikes a nice balance between citrus/pine and grains of paradise, with some herbal and woody pine, evergreen, and juniper-Christmas-spice. There's also a nice malty wash of bread, honey, and biscuit. The finish is bitter and woody, with some fruity hops that trail, and then a kiss of malt. It's actually really well crafted.

I'm finding this incredibly easy-going at 5.8%. Drinkability is high. The palate depth is good, but as I drink this I'm finding the assertive malt to be a bit muddling. The bed of bread, honey, and grain that backs this beer overtakes the hops and juniper, which results in a slightly off-balance beer if you preference hops. For reference: up front is a lot of pine, fruity hops, and bread/honey; that rolls into some pine, iced tea, herbal hops, and more grain/bread; the back end is trailing bread grain, with a woody, dry finish. 

Rating: Above-Average (3.5/5 Untappd)

I'm feeling a Light Light Light Above-Average on this beer. I do think this is a good IPA, and the addition of the juniper adds a little fruity twist and some woody notes on the finish. The balance on this beer seems a bit malt-forward, but I could be biased by all the overkill American IPAs I've come to associate with the style. Given how light and refreshing this is, you can pair this with pretty much anything that isn't too spicy or aggressive. A leafy burger and this beer sounds pretty nice right about now. Most importantly, this beer does remind me of the Christmas/Winter season. And to that, cheers.

Random Thought: It snowed this week, and I couldn't be happier.