The Beer of the Apocalypse from Elysian is the Peste: Chocolate & Chili ale.
Definitely my favorite so far. Flavors are bold, upfront with a slowly building and definitely spicy finish that lingers. Very weak head, likely due to the chili pepper; this is too bad, but it's the nature of the ale. Lots of chocolate flavor, not roasty like a stout though, nor as thick... I dunno, not much to say really. If you like spicy and you like chocolate with spicy then you cannot afford to miss this one.
We had some delicious nachos with the beer at Brews on Washington in downtown Spokane. So very impressed.
Sunday, April 22, 2012
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
The 3rd of the 12 beers of the Apocalypse
Normally, Nathan and I are better about getting on the 12 Beers of the Apocalypse but we were a bit late this month. Better late than never, right?
Nathan also wanted to talk about the Brother Thelonius Belgian Abbey Ale
First off, the beer of the apocalypse for March was the Fallout Green Cardamom Pale Ale. Nathan ordered this one and I snuck tastes off his glass (I was having the Boundary Bay Scotch Ale of course!) Straight off, the smell of the cardamom hit me. Nathan got the spice gist, but not specifically the cardamom.
Okay, onto the Brother Thelonius.
(Nathan)
This beer was amazing, I think I officially love Belgians. Pours nicely with a pretty large head, lots of aroma. Carmel and rich sweet flavor backed by some subtle fruit flavors. I will definitely have this again, because I love it.
Nathan also wanted to talk about the Brother Thelonius Belgian Abbey Ale
First off, the beer of the apocalypse for March was the Fallout Green Cardamom Pale Ale. Nathan ordered this one and I snuck tastes off his glass (I was having the Boundary Bay Scotch Ale of course!) Straight off, the smell of the cardamom hit me. Nathan got the spice gist, but not specifically the cardamom.
Okay, onto the Brother Thelonius.
(Nathan)
This beer was amazing, I think I officially love Belgians. Pours nicely with a pretty large head, lots of aroma. Carmel and rich sweet flavor backed by some subtle fruit flavors. I will definitely have this again, because I love it.
Friday, March 16, 2012
The Maharaja
Wow, so it's been a month since the last post.
Ok. So I have in front of me as I speak, The Maharaja. This is a limited time brew from Avery, part of their 'Dictator Series.'
This is an Imperial India Pale Ale; Original Gravity of 1.090, 102 IBUs, and 10.39% ABV.
It pours a nice rich mahogany color and a fragrant head. It certainly has a regal feel to it, it does not try to impress you with a huge explosion of flavor right off the bat, but rather gives a gradually building flavor that you must let yourself drift off into. This gives it a rather smooth finish, particularly for an Imperial IPA. The big hop flavors are there, but they are very balanced by a caramel malt flavor, a little sweet from the high amount of grain.
This has everything I like about Imperial IPAs, it's not about getting a massive pure hop flavor necessarily. Nor is it about getting as much alcohol in a glass as you can, it's more about a meticulously balanced, but distinctively very hoppy beer. This shows because despite the fact that you can't really fit
any more hop in there than this, it still maintains an amazing range of flavor; that really tells me how much care went into making this beer.
I highly recommend getting one before they are gone (which might have already happened).
http://www.averybrewing.com/our-ales/86
Ok. So I have in front of me as I speak, The Maharaja. This is a limited time brew from Avery, part of their 'Dictator Series.'
This is an Imperial India Pale Ale; Original Gravity of 1.090, 102 IBUs, and 10.39% ABV.
It pours a nice rich mahogany color and a fragrant head. It certainly has a regal feel to it, it does not try to impress you with a huge explosion of flavor right off the bat, but rather gives a gradually building flavor that you must let yourself drift off into. This gives it a rather smooth finish, particularly for an Imperial IPA. The big hop flavors are there, but they are very balanced by a caramel malt flavor, a little sweet from the high amount of grain.
This has everything I like about Imperial IPAs, it's not about getting a massive pure hop flavor necessarily. Nor is it about getting as much alcohol in a glass as you can, it's more about a meticulously balanced, but distinctively very hoppy beer. This shows because despite the fact that you can't really fit
any more hop in there than this, it still maintains an amazing range of flavor; that really tells me how much care went into making this beer.
I highly recommend getting one before they are gone (which might have already happened).
http://www.averybrewing.com/our-ales/86
Saturday, February 18, 2012
Experimental Beers: The Trip Series
So, every now and then (I assume yearly), Elysian and New Belgium Brewing make a collaborative beer called the 'Trip Series,' this is their eleventh and it is a Rosemary and Sage farmhouse ale. Though I really don't care for most New Belgium beers, I usually try some of their limited runs.
After some quick google searches (post drinking, I had this a few days ago), I come upon the wikipedia page for Saison (French for season, roughly pronounced "Say - Zahn")
From beer advocate's description:
Saisons are sturdy farmhouse ale that was traditionally brewed in the winter, to be consumed throughout the summer months.
After some quick google searches (post drinking, I had this a few days ago), I come upon the wikipedia page for Saison (French for season, roughly pronounced "Say - Zahn")
From beer advocate's description:
Saisons are sturdy farmhouse ale that was traditionally brewed in the winter, to be consumed throughout the summer months.
Wikipedia's Saison page
Anyways, it's classified generally as a Belgian, however the Belgian style really seems to only refer to the yeast that is typically used and the fact that it came from Belgium. When something is called a Belgian it really doesn't say a whole lot about it other than it tells you what it is not.
Okay, so if you've had a few Belgians you'll know what to expect, not highly hopped generally, lots of spice notes added to the beer. As for this particular brew, it hits off with a strong flavor (not surprising at 8.5%) that mellows out once you can taste the rosemary and sage, which are quite expertly blended to complement each other and also not take over the beer. Following the spice you get a sweet, mellow flavor backed by the yeast.
It was a great beer, well made. At a high ABV I didn't want more than one and I really have no strong feelings as to whether I get another one or not. The thing with experimental beers is that they are really fun to try and taste, but for just regular drinking they are either too funky to have or they are too demanding. The unique flavors require your attention in a way that an equally good beer might not necessarily have. In other words, it can be difficult to have a conversation that is not about the beer in front of you if you drink one of these. Which, depending on what you're doing is either good or bad.
They can be quite fun though, I recommend not looking up tasting notes before you try them because it ruins the fun (or the trip in this case). The other benefit to experimental beers is how much they can expand your tastes.
Cheers,
Nathan
Anyways, it's classified generally as a Belgian, however the Belgian style really seems to only refer to the yeast that is typically used and the fact that it came from Belgium. When something is called a Belgian it really doesn't say a whole lot about it other than it tells you what it is not.
Okay, so if you've had a few Belgians you'll know what to expect, not highly hopped generally, lots of spice notes added to the beer. As for this particular brew, it hits off with a strong flavor (not surprising at 8.5%) that mellows out once you can taste the rosemary and sage, which are quite expertly blended to complement each other and also not take over the beer. Following the spice you get a sweet, mellow flavor backed by the yeast.
It was a great beer, well made. At a high ABV I didn't want more than one and I really have no strong feelings as to whether I get another one or not. The thing with experimental beers is that they are really fun to try and taste, but for just regular drinking they are either too funky to have or they are too demanding. The unique flavors require your attention in a way that an equally good beer might not necessarily have. In other words, it can be difficult to have a conversation that is not about the beer in front of you if you drink one of these. Which, depending on what you're doing is either good or bad.
They can be quite fun though, I recommend not looking up tasting notes before you try them because it ruins the fun (or the trip in this case). The other benefit to experimental beers is how much they can expand your tastes.
Cheers,
Nathan
Sunday, February 5, 2012
Meat: It's what's for dinner
Sam here.
So I know we haven't posted in a wee bit but forgive me. I just finished January term which made me crazy and the thought of one more commitment drove me over the edge.
So, I know it's not quite on the drinking side, but that's okay. I wanted to share a marinade that I discovered and am improving. I got the bright idea the other day that I wanted to cook a meal other than making stupid little three ingredient soups.There's nothing wrong with three ingredient soups- they're easy to make and generally pretty healthy as well as a great fallback and cheap as all get out. NOT THE POINT. Anyway, we had people coming over and I wanted to get back the cooking prowess that I felt I once had. Since we had men on their way, STEAK IT WAS. (Actually, we had a couple of steaks we hadn't cooked yet because I was sick earlier but again, not the point)
I went to the store in search of ingredients. The recipe I found called for a dark beer and I wanted to find a good porter because the smoky flavor would compliment the meat. I picked up a 22 oz of Ninkasi's RenewAle Porter mostly because it was $3ish but also because I knew it was a good porter on tap. Ninkasi generally does really well with everything. Nathan really enjoys just about anything they put out. So, here's how you make it:
Tenderize steak. Really tenderize it.
In a container such as a bowl or a ziplock bag, mix 22- 24 oz of beer, a little brown sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Marinade steak for at least 1 hour. 2 wouldn't hurt.
Season steak with pepper and salt.
Broil for at least 10 min.
I ended up taking my steak out at 10 min because I was freaking out about it catching on fire (actually happened) but I probably could have left them in there for a couple more minutes as they were rather rare. You might try with a stout but I recommend the porter as the smoky flavor adds to the steaks flavor without masking it. I really enjoyed this and may use Black Butte by Deschutes or Dick's Lava Rock Porter next time. The latter has a very silky and smoky flavor that I loved and right out of the bottle! Also- try this on the grill if you get a chance!
So I know we haven't posted in a wee bit but forgive me. I just finished January term which made me crazy and the thought of one more commitment drove me over the edge.
So, I know it's not quite on the drinking side, but that's okay. I wanted to share a marinade that I discovered and am improving. I got the bright idea the other day that I wanted to cook a meal other than making stupid little three ingredient soups.There's nothing wrong with three ingredient soups- they're easy to make and generally pretty healthy as well as a great fallback and cheap as all get out. NOT THE POINT. Anyway, we had people coming over and I wanted to get back the cooking prowess that I felt I once had. Since we had men on their way, STEAK IT WAS. (Actually, we had a couple of steaks we hadn't cooked yet because I was sick earlier but again, not the point)
I went to the store in search of ingredients. The recipe I found called for a dark beer and I wanted to find a good porter because the smoky flavor would compliment the meat. I picked up a 22 oz of Ninkasi's RenewAle Porter mostly because it was $3ish but also because I knew it was a good porter on tap. Ninkasi generally does really well with everything. Nathan really enjoys just about anything they put out. So, here's how you make it:
Tenderize steak. Really tenderize it.
In a container such as a bowl or a ziplock bag, mix 22- 24 oz of beer, a little brown sugar and salt and pepper to taste. Marinade steak for at least 1 hour. 2 wouldn't hurt.
Season steak with pepper and salt.
Broil for at least 10 min.
I ended up taking my steak out at 10 min because I was freaking out about it catching on fire (actually happened) but I probably could have left them in there for a couple more minutes as they were rather rare. You might try with a stout but I recommend the porter as the smoky flavor adds to the steaks flavor without masking it. I really enjoyed this and may use Black Butte by Deschutes or Dick's Lava Rock Porter next time. The latter has a very silky and smoky flavor that I loved and right out of the bottle! Also- try this on the grill if you get a chance!
Wednesday, January 25, 2012
Winter Beers: Final
Wow, the holiday season sure has a way of making you very busy. I have a backlog of stuff I wanted to talk about, but I've just not really been on top of writing about it. Sort of feel like I have seen most of what I want to know about beer.
On the plus side I have more to talk about about things other than drinking beer and rating it. Like making it! So after a little thought I have decided that I should push to write things specifically about Northwestern beers if I am rating a beer. There are after all several rating sites and lots of blogs all over the place that cover this in depth. I think talking about breweries and beers of specifically the Northwest will be more productive (occasionally will talk about special releases from California and maybe Colorado or something similar).
Thought that I would at least finish up the Winter Beers:
in no particular order, I'd say the top 5 winter beers we've had this year are:
Deschutes Jubelale
This beer has a very warming feel to it; has a lot of the malty and carmel flavors similar to what you'd find in a Scotch Ale. I had it in bottle, on cask, and on tap. Cask was great, but they were all good. Nice dark ruby color and a little thicker feeling than I thought it would be.
This beer is so very perfect for what I want in a winter beer
Jubleale
Boundary Bay Cabin Fever
This has a very similar taste and profile to Jubelale, but it is much stronger feeling. Definitely a little bit of alcohol taste in there, this WILL warm you up. I prefer the Jubelale, but Sam prefers this one.
Boundary Bay's site
Alaskan Brewing Co. Winter
I had already discussed this one in an earlier post, but the reason I like this is the Spruce tips and the overall mellow factor this beer has.
Winter Ale
Hopworks Abominable
Another one I already mentioned; the label on this one is very cool though. Not to be confused with Fremont Brewery's Abominable, which I actually don't think I have tried. More on the aggressive side.
Hopworks
Three Skulls Poison
Just thought I'd throw this is there, it was totally a random event that led us to ordering this. I think they were out of Arrogant Bastard. Had it on tap at the Pillagers' Pub in Seattle (Greenwood) on New Years. It was pretty awesome, very strong in ABV, yet had a nice, not overpowering flavor.
Three Skulls
Ninkasi Sleigh'r
Yeah, okay this is actually number 6, it's an honorable mention I suppose... but I really liked this one. Definitely check it out, because it is very different.
List of all the other winter ales we tried:
Laughing Dog Coldnose - like I said, would not recommend
Red Hook Winter Hook - inot bad, but I liked the others more
New Belgium 2 Below - similar to Winter Hook
Elysian Bifröst - while I found it quite good, it's actually more like a winter IPA; so if you want a really hoppy winter beer then for sure grab this
Rogue Mogul Madness - this one is good, but I don't see why they charge so much for it. Not worth the extra cash in my opinion.
On the plus side I have more to talk about about things other than drinking beer and rating it. Like making it! So after a little thought I have decided that I should push to write things specifically about Northwestern beers if I am rating a beer. There are after all several rating sites and lots of blogs all over the place that cover this in depth. I think talking about breweries and beers of specifically the Northwest will be more productive (occasionally will talk about special releases from California and maybe Colorado or something similar).
Thought that I would at least finish up the Winter Beers:
in no particular order, I'd say the top 5 winter beers we've had this year are:
Deschutes Jubelale
This beer has a very warming feel to it; has a lot of the malty and carmel flavors similar to what you'd find in a Scotch Ale. I had it in bottle, on cask, and on tap. Cask was great, but they were all good. Nice dark ruby color and a little thicker feeling than I thought it would be.
This beer is so very perfect for what I want in a winter beer
Jubleale
Boundary Bay Cabin Fever
This has a very similar taste and profile to Jubelale, but it is much stronger feeling. Definitely a little bit of alcohol taste in there, this WILL warm you up. I prefer the Jubelale, but Sam prefers this one.
Boundary Bay's site
Alaskan Brewing Co. Winter
I had already discussed this one in an earlier post, but the reason I like this is the Spruce tips and the overall mellow factor this beer has.
Winter Ale
Hopworks Abominable
Another one I already mentioned; the label on this one is very cool though. Not to be confused with Fremont Brewery's Abominable, which I actually don't think I have tried. More on the aggressive side.
Hopworks
Three Skulls Poison
Just thought I'd throw this is there, it was totally a random event that led us to ordering this. I think they were out of Arrogant Bastard. Had it on tap at the Pillagers' Pub in Seattle (Greenwood) on New Years. It was pretty awesome, very strong in ABV, yet had a nice, not overpowering flavor.
Three Skulls
Ninkasi Sleigh'r
Yeah, okay this is actually number 6, it's an honorable mention I suppose... but I really liked this one. Definitely check it out, because it is very different.
List of all the other winter ales we tried:
Laughing Dog Coldnose - like I said, would not recommend
Red Hook Winter Hook - inot bad, but I liked the others more
New Belgium 2 Below - similar to Winter Hook
Elysian Bifröst - while I found it quite good, it's actually more like a winter IPA; so if you want a really hoppy winter beer then for sure grab this
Rogue Mogul Madness - this one is good, but I don't see why they charge so much for it. Not worth the extra cash in my opinion.
Sunday, December 18, 2011
Winter Beers: Part 2
Take 2. Sam had finals and I was sick so there has been a real lack of anything to say as of late.
First one: Ninkasi's SLEIGH'R - a Dark Double Alt Ale.
As an aside, an alt is an ale that is fermented at lager temperatures; my thinking on this is that because it is a winter ale then it would make perfect sense to brew it at a temperature that you would be able to do anywhere. As for the dark double part, it is a darker and maltier beer, the double part simply means it is a stronger version (perhaps by double the amount of grain as is the case for belgians).
So, the Sleighr:
I think it was a very nice take on the winter ale; very nice flavor upfront, however it has almost no aroma. Big malty flavor upfront with a very subdued aftertaste with a equal mix of winter spice and hops for a very balanced finish. I personally love the approach it takes.
Oh... well I guess that's it actually. Next week we'll tackle a few more, but we were undecided on them. Then figure out the winners.
First one: Ninkasi's SLEIGH'R - a Dark Double Alt Ale.
As an aside, an alt is an ale that is fermented at lager temperatures; my thinking on this is that because it is a winter ale then it would make perfect sense to brew it at a temperature that you would be able to do anywhere. As for the dark double part, it is a darker and maltier beer, the double part simply means it is a stronger version (perhaps by double the amount of grain as is the case for belgians).
So, the Sleighr:
I think it was a very nice take on the winter ale; very nice flavor upfront, however it has almost no aroma. Big malty flavor upfront with a very subdued aftertaste with a equal mix of winter spice and hops for a very balanced finish. I personally love the approach it takes.
Oh... well I guess that's it actually. Next week we'll tackle a few more, but we were undecided on them. Then figure out the winners.
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