Castle Brewery Van Honsebrouck: Kasteel Rouge

First things first, this beer is described as a "Belgian Ale with Cherries and Cherry Juice Added." Some fruit beers are good while some are not that great, but I will never exclude a beer from a write-up because I'm not a huge fan of the style. I felt like a little something different, much like the music I am currently listening to, so I bought this to try. I mean, come on, I have the matching glassware. That in itself is enough to give this beer a shot.

Upon pouring it, I can smell the cherries and it was actually quite over-the-top on the cherry aromas. There is almost no head, and the beer pours a deep, clean red. The red didn't come out in the photo because of the background novels, but believe me, this is a deep read. As I stated before, strong cherry aromas with some sweet maltiness to it. It almost reminds me of the smell of dark cherry soda. I cannot stand artificial cherry flavors because I feel they make everything taste like medicine. Either way, there isn't anything too special in terms of appearance or aromas, so let's get to tasting.

Tastes just as it smells. Carbonated cherry juice. The aftertaste is slightly bitter, but I cannot taste alcohol in this beer at all. I am also getting a slight sour aftertaste as well. But there is something pretty exciting about this fruit beer. Are you ready for the big surprise? This thing is 8% ABV. 8%! It is quite surprising to me considering there is no alcohol flavor present in this at all. For this being a fruit beer and scaling in at 8%, it's a very well-made fruit beer. Belgium, you have done it again. Yet another satisfying beer, regardless of whether it is a fruit beer or not. Ladies, I suggest you try this one. You'll love it. Fellas, I suggest you try this one too. Sometimes, it's nice to change things up a bit, even for the die-hard hophead.

Great Divide Brewing Company: 17th Anniversary Wood Aged Double IPA

Now, if the name alone doesn't make you want to try this beer, then I think you are probably reading the wrong blog. Obviously I'm kidding since I'm not in the market of alienation, but this brew just sounds like something that is right up my alley. Immediately I am reminded of Dogfish Head's Burton Baton which is very similar in terms of immediate descriptions. When I heard this brew was being released, I kept my eyes peeled for weeks. This is mainly due to the fact that I knew I would purchase it without a second thought, and that leads us to today. After sharing a few brews with some old and new friends at the Fullerton Farmer's Market Beer Gardens, I decided to come home and crack this monster open. Yes, I am assuming it is a monster because an Oak-Aged  DIPA is no American Light Lager. At 10.0% ABV, I'm ready to get this taste going.

The beer pours a honey-amber with somewhat of a blood orange translucence to it. The head is a light khaki and dissipates rather quickly. The only thing left is about a centimeter of head at the top of the brew. The aromas are interesting to say the least. I get the wood almost immediately with a mixture of sweet malts, bitter hops, and even some caramel and vanilla. I would have pulled the wood out of this (stop it) even if I didn't already know it was aged in it. It's quite apparent to my nose. Anyways, onto the beer!

Now, I'm going to admit that I hardly chilled this beer at all. This is mostly because I feel these sorts of beers are so much better with only a slight chill, but more towards room temperature. The beer is pretty strong on the alcohol front once it immediately hits the tongue. However, upon swirling, the alcohol takes a back seat to complex wood flavors mixed with some nice malts. I do, also, get vanilla on the tongue. Upon swallowing, it's definitely better on the back end. The mixture of wood and malt blends with a bitter hoppy finish to create a definitely well-balanced beer. Every sip of this beer is a pleasure, especially to someone that has taken a break from craft beers for a number of purposes. The sweetness seems to be the only thing that stays with you in terms of lingering flavor characteristics. This one is definitely worth a buy. Try it. Let me know what you think. I might buy another one and see how it tastes in a year, but then again I might not. This is definitely a sipper, though. Do not purchase this and expect to just put it down like a normal IPA. This is the type of beer that is meant to be savored and shared. Hence, this blog. I'm sharing it with you, albeit through text. Now go get one.

Double Old Thumper Ale

So, it has once again been quite some time since I've blogged a new beer. This is mainly due to the fact that I have been trying to cut back on my beer consumption. Yet, I have had this brew in my refrigerator for quite some time and I'm tired of it staring me in the face every time the door opens. Plus, I have missed beer too much to keep ignoring this intriguing ale. I've always been a fan of the original Old Thumper Ale, so once I saw the double, it was a definite purchase. At 11.2% ABV, it promises to be a monster whether it is good or not.

It pours a nice amber with a glowing red translucence when held up to the light. A nice malty aroma presents itself with some alcohol on the nose as well. Knowing that the original Old Thumper is a nice British ale, I expect some creaminess on the tongue at some point. There is about a half an inch of khaki head and I'm very eager to taste this beer.

Whoa. Alcohol galore. I really don't know how else to describe it other than slight sweet malt character with a whole bunch of alcohol. The aftertaste is actually quite pleasant, so I'm going to let this guy warm up a bit and see if some of the overpowering alcohol flavor falls off.

Overall, this is not a complex beer at all. Would I buy it again? Probably not. I think that Shipyard should stick to brewing and bottling the regular Old Thumper on a grander scale and free the room in their tanks held up with this brew. While I was really excited to see a "double" of a beer that I've always enjoyed, this is physical proof that making a double is not always the best idea for certain beers. While cold, it's just not very enjoyable. As it warms, some of the alcohol falls off,  but not too much. British Bitters, I get it. However, the alcohol character just really clashes with the flavors of this brew. I'm curious as to whether this beer would age well? I'm not going to try it, so if anyone else tries it, let me know.

Uerige: DoppelSticke

I seriously bought this beer because of the sweet bottle. I mean, considering everything on the label is in German, I was clueless as to what it was except for it being an Alt-Bier. So, I purchased it and brought it home. I was not going to do a write-up on it, but then the aromas hit me. The aromas coming off of this guy are huge. Sweet malts, toffee, brown sugar, even some sort of barrel. To be honest, it smells a lot like the Lost Abbey Angel Share that I had aged in Brandy barrels. That's the closest I can come to comparing the way this brew smells. It's amazing. Upon further analysis, the label says this: "Bottled on 06.04." Knowing that months and years are reversed (from the way we do it here in the United States) in Europe, I'm assuming this beer was bottled in April 2006. So, pretty much 5 years ago this thing has been sitting and aging. Amazing news considering I spent $6.00 on it.

The beer pours a murky brown, as expected. There was little head that quickly disappeared to leave nice lacing around the inside of my glass. If I had known that I would be reviewing this guy, I wouldn't have used this style glass. Either way, it does not matter to me as I am dying to try it.

Immediately I get alcohol on the tongue with lots of carmelized malt characters (toffee, caramel, brown sugar) like in the aromas and a slightly bitter finish. The finish actually has some dark espresso bitterness to it. Honestly, it smells a lot better than it tastes. Yet, it is still a great tasting beer. It is an extremely easy-drinking beer, especially for something that started out at 8.5% ABV. I can guarantee that it is higher in ABV in 2011 for the alcohol is not hidden at all. You can definitely taste it, but this is a great beer for the beer lover who is searching for something different. Will I buy it again? Probably. Do I recommend it? Absolutely. Go get yourself a DoppelSticke and throw on some Wizo while you enjoy it, schweinhund!

Stone Brewing Co: Old Guardian BELGO Barley Wine Style Ale

I know what you are all thinking: "Why does this guy review so many Stone brews?" Honestly, there's a simple answer to that question. Here in Southern California, Stone is quite popular, even to those that are not crazy about craft beers. I brought a bottle of Lukcy Basatrd to work and my manager said something like, "I've had some of those 'Bastard' beers before." Whenever Stone comes out with something new, it's exciting. There was a lot of controversy around this beer as well. Stone has been brewing their Old Guardian (OG) and their Imperial Russian Stout (IRS) for years upon years, and they wanted to shake things up this decade. This OG is made with Belgian yeast, which quite honestly has already changed the aroma as I cracked the bottle open. Stone decided to make these two staple, seasonal brews, into something different on the odd years (2011, 2013, etc). People like me were excited, while others were outraged that they wouldn't be able to get the yearly release of the traditional OG or IRS. So, because of this, Stone has decided to make both. What do I have to say to these people? I appreciate your passion for certain brews, but if you are passionate about craft beer, you most likely know a number of liquor stores that have great selections. In turn, they will most likely have last year's OG or IRS (already aged a year!). With that being said, I want to get to the beer considering this is the second review of the day.

I cannot remember the last year I had the OG out of a bottle from that specific year. Right now my favorite liquor store still has the 2007 OG for a decent price, so I have been purchasing those. I have some 08s, 09s, and 10s in my "cellar," which will most likely come out soon to make room. Anyways, the beer pours a nice, deep amber gold with about an inch of khaki head and minimal lacing. Malty aromas with powerful fruit characteristics. Apple, pear, and banana aromas mixed with caramel maltiness. Needless to say, I'm pretty enthralled with the complexities already present in this brew.

Now it is time to be honest with the flavors in this guy. It's huge and packs a punch for sure. Immediately I get the caramel malt flavors and even some of the fruity notes, but then suddenly these flavors clash with an excess of bitterness, dryness, and even slightly sour notes. The finish is all alcohol. At 12%, I was hoping this wouldn't be the case. I must also remember that I am used to having OGs aged a year or two already, so a fresh OG may very well have the strong alcohol on the finish. I might buy this year's traditional OG just to see. Either way, this is a young beer that for sure needs a year or two under its belt to mature into the brew I am hoping it will be. I'll put my other bottle that I purchased away in place for one of the older OGs. My recommendation goes as follows: Buy two, try one, and set the other aside for next spring.

Green Flash/Pizza Port Carlsbad/Stone: Highway 78 Scotch Ale

Yesterday was quite a big day for Stone. Coming off of their Winter Storm week-long festival, they followed it up with the release of two new brews. The first is an "Odd-Year" Release of their Old Guardian Barley Wine. The second is a scotch ale, the first in their line of collaborative efforts in 2011. I knew heading to the Walnut Liquorette would guarantee acquisition of both brews. I was correct.

Now, as I sit here watching the Tottenham v. AC Milan Champions League clash with a 0-0 scoreline at halftime, I have decided to go ahead and get to tasting at least one of these beers. Considering I have to head to work tonight, I chose the smaller of the two (in reference to fluid ounces). This collaboration scotch ale is 8.8% ABV, so by no means do I expect this beer to be small in any way, shape, or form. Scotch ales, historically, spend a long time boiling which results in the wort caramelizing. They tend to be sweet, roasty, malty, full-bodied, and decently high in ABV.

I chose to use the Double Bastard glass for this beer, mainly because it seems to fit it better than a goblet or pint glass would. The beer pours a dark mahogany with red translucence. When held up to the light, it's a beautiful amber-red. There is little to no head on this ale, and lacing along the glass is non-existent. In terms of aromas, I get lots of sweet maltiness, candied notes, caramel, and even some smokiness. Flavor profile is pretty stereotypical for a scotch ale. It kicks off with lots of sweet maltiness like in its aromas (toffee, caramel, even some raisin in it), but as I swirl it around the flavor profile changes to a subtly dry finish. I love when I have something that comes out of Escondido that isn't heavy on the hoppy bitterness. Don't get me wrong, I love that flavor profile in a beer, but I suppose what I'm saying is that I'm glad I don't have to describe this as a "hoppy scotch ale." Perhaps the 15th Anniversary? I'm joking, obviously. Whenever you get three excellent breweries together, the end result will always benefit the craft beer drinker.

I digress, this is a nice, sweet, malty brew perfect for a day like today. When it is overcast in Southern California, it is more likely than not still in the high 60s or 70s (ºF). Why not relax in this confusing weather by having something malty, sweet, but also very balanced and mellow? I would recommend everybody getting their hands on a couple of these. Drink one now, put one away and drink it next year. I'm eager to see how this beer would change with age, and for only $3.49, why not grab a couple extra?  Well done, Green Flash/Pizza Port/Stone. You guys made, yet again, a helluva brew.

Mikkeller: 1000 IBU

The stage was indeed set. I had some money in my wallet, I was going to Hollingsheads for lunch, and I was not going to browse the bottled beers. This is pretty much standard as I walk into that establishment just so that I can save money here and there. I'm excited to get a nice, homemade sandwich and a brew to go along with it. I get a glass of Lagunitas Brown Shugga and sit down at a table to await my sandwich. All goes as planned. My card gets called, I pay for my beverage and lunch, and sit down and begin eating. As I'm talking to my buddy about the state of WWE and how I feel they could improve in their creative department, I spot a green-wrapped beer with, printed across the front: "1000 IBU." My eyes widen and intrigue gets the best of me. I excuse myself, go grab it, and bring it back to my seat at the table. I have had many beers by Mikkeller, but I haven't even heard about this one. Their Beer Geek Breakfast was absolutely amazing (and I did, indeed, have it for breakfast one day). Their Beer Geek Brunch was next on my list for them, but this got the best of me. I had to buy this. At $15.99, it was quite steep, but I live life on the edge and I knew this beer would be worth it. I haven't had a bad beer from Mikkeller, so I knew this one wouldn't fail me...

Transport yourself to now. As I sit here and contemplate how this beer is going to taste, I am struck by something that has caught my attention a couple of times in the past. This beer is brewed by Mikkeller, a brewery in Belgium. Belgium, obviously, is historically quite the beer mecca. This beer is an "American Style Imperial India Pale Ale." To have breweries from distinguished locations around the world brewing an "American-style" anything is a true testament to how far we have indeed come in terms of beer. No longer are we scoffed at, mostly by ourselves, by our basic America light lagers. We are truly making a name for ourselves in the world of beer, and I couldn't be happier about it.

IBUs are, simply, International Bitterness Units. The number attributed relates to flavor and bitterness of the beer through the hops used during the brewing process. In traditional American light lagers (Bud/Miller/Coors) the IBUs are somewhere around 5-10. There you have it. The big 3, in each of their beers, have .01% of the IBUs that this beer possesses. Traditional IPAs fluctuate in terms of IBUs, but they are usually around 30-40 for a basic IPA. Obviously, Double IPAs are higher. Even stouts are up around 50 or so, but the bitterness is usually leveled-out by the roasted malts. These are just basic, traditional numbers. Obviously, different beers have different IBUs, but now you must also see how astonishing a beer with 1000 IBUs is! This is just another interesting fact about beer that is quite often overlooked. Next time you see the Miller commercial that claims the beer is, "Triple-Hops Brewed," ask yourself what that really means. Anyways, let's get to the beer.

The beer pours a murky amber with a good amount of sediment. I did not pour this brew too quickly, for I believe it is just a case of sediment evenly distributed throughout the brew. There is absolutely nothing we can do about this one. I got almost no head on pouring the beer, but I can tell that it is off-white and doesn't last long. While it is a murky amber color, when held up to light the outsides have a ruby redness to them. That color is quite fitting, considering the citrus coming off the nose of this beer is astounding. Lots of grapefruit, orange zest, and sweet fruit aromas flood the nostrils immediately. I can also smell pine on the nose as well. Overall, I cannot wait to try it.

WOW. The beginning of the taste is sweet in flavor, but as the beer hits different parts of the tongue, it changes completely. The middle of my initial taste metaphorically socked me in the face with hops, pine, and extreme dryness. The aftertaste is so incredibly dry, bitter, and quite strong on the alcohol front. Yet, I really want another sip of this delicious brew. While the malt characteristics are short-lived (I can taste the malts in the beginning/middle and slightly in the aftertaste), I think Mikkeller accomplished what they attempted to do here with an American Style IPA. Quite honestly, this seems more like a DIPA or possibly even a TIPA. As I progressively drink more, however, the complexity takes a back seat and bitter hoppiness becomes the only thing you taste. I would, most definitely, call this a palate buster. There goes my palate for the rest of the night, but it is way worth it. I expected this beer to be bitter to the point that I would have to share it with someone else just to finish the bottle. I was wrong, obviously. For a beer that has 1000 IBUs and ranks in at 9.6% ABV, it is relatively easy-drinking. Would I give this beer to someone new to the craft beer world? Absolutely not. On the other hand, hopheads rejoice. This beer may put somewhat of a dent in your pocketbook, but it is well worth it for the experience. 1000 IBUs people! Go get one.