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.
Showing posts with label Elysian. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Elysian. Show all posts
Tuesday, April 17, 2012
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
Wednesday, October 12, 2011
Pumpkin Season
Hey, so I've been busy with moving and not having internet at home... that tends to make posting hard.
Anyways, it's pumpkin season. Fall is pretty awesome, winter beers come up soon after fall seasonals and rein in an era of amazing dark beer that lasts until spring. My favorite fall seasonal has to be Red Ales, it is just so much fuller than an amber or something Hoptober (New Belgium; that is a pretty tasty ale though). Not to mention that beautiful dark ruby that it pours. One of the best reds that I've had is Elysian's Men's Room (which seems to be available year round), on the cheaper side of things is Pyramid's Juggernaut (only in the fall).
Anyways, I've been really wanting to try some pumpkin ale, but it's pretty scarce in Spokane for some reason. I've seen a couple that I can pick up so it should be ok.
To subsitute I had a pretty sweet beer. New Belgium's 1554, a "enlightened" black ale. Interestingly enough this uses a lager yeast, proof that good beer doesn't have to be an ale only. It weighs in at a nice 5.6% ABV with a silky, but not thick consistency. Not much aroma to it, but the taste is full of a nice malty, but not an in-your-face roasted flavor you'll get in porters or stouts; follow this up tons of chocolate flavor and you have 1554. Oh, did I mention that I had it with a slice of pumpkin pie? The spicier the pie, the better.
I guess that wasn't really a short post. Here's the site for more info on 1554
Anyways, it's pumpkin season. Fall is pretty awesome, winter beers come up soon after fall seasonals and rein in an era of amazing dark beer that lasts until spring. My favorite fall seasonal has to be Red Ales, it is just so much fuller than an amber or something Hoptober (New Belgium; that is a pretty tasty ale though). Not to mention that beautiful dark ruby that it pours. One of the best reds that I've had is Elysian's Men's Room (which seems to be available year round), on the cheaper side of things is Pyramid's Juggernaut (only in the fall).
Anyways, I've been really wanting to try some pumpkin ale, but it's pretty scarce in Spokane for some reason. I've seen a couple that I can pick up so it should be ok.
To subsitute I had a pretty sweet beer. New Belgium's 1554, a "enlightened" black ale. Interestingly enough this uses a lager yeast, proof that good beer doesn't have to be an ale only. It weighs in at a nice 5.6% ABV with a silky, but not thick consistency. Not much aroma to it, but the taste is full of a nice malty, but not an in-your-face roasted flavor you'll get in porters or stouts; follow this up tons of chocolate flavor and you have 1554. Oh, did I mention that I had it with a slice of pumpkin pie? The spicier the pie, the better.
I guess that wasn't really a short post. Here's the site for more info on 1554
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