Stone 15th Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black IPA
December 25, 2011
The Brü Revü – Stone 15th Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black IPA
The 15th Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black IPA is a fantastic beer from Stone Brewery. It started off with the signature Stone hop aroma with a bit of sweet chocolate as it pours a deep black with a significant tan head. I let the beer warm to allow all of the flavors to come through and I was glad I did, because wow. This was a big complex beer with plenty of the hoppy IPA and a load of chocolatey malty sweetness. The excellent hop profile is up front followed by the roasted malt and a taste of semi-sweet chocolate that hides its high alcohol content well. This was a phenomenal beer, complex and well balanced that Stone should think about brewing on a regular basis. You should definitely grab one before they are gone for good.
Stone 15th Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black IPA
Stone 15th Anniversary Escondidian Imperial Black IPA
December 20, 2011
The Brü Revü – Avery Old Jubilation Ale
Old Jubilation Ale is a Holiday beer from Avery which is another fantastic craft brewery. This beer leans more on the malty side and says it has no spices, which is a big plus for me. Most of these holiday beers are so heavily spiced I can’t get through even one, so I usually avoid them. The Old Jubilation was definitely big on the malt both in the sweet aroma and the initial caramel, dark chocolate taste. It was a nice big beer with a hint of booze that will easily keep you warm during these cold winter days. This is definitely a beer to look forward to each Holiday season.
Avery Old Jubilation Ale
Avery Old Jubilation Ale
December 15, 2011
The Brü Revü – Lagunitas Sucks Holiday Ale
I am usually not a big fan of all the Holiday Beers, but I couldn't pass up the Lagunitas Sucks Holiday Ale. This beer was big grapefruit hops from the moment I opened the bottle. It had a very strong aroma and the initial taste was all grapefruit. This is what I have come to expect from Lagunitas and I am never disappointed. As the Holiday Ale warmed I could taste a nice malty backbone that helped balance out the strong hops. The beer leaves a good lingering bitterness on the palate and the flavor kept me coming back for more. This was another great beer from Lagunitas which is quickly becoming one of my favorite breweries.
Somehow I lost the photos I took, so you get the below from Lagunitas and why they created the Lagunitas Sucks instead of brewing their usual Brown Shugga.
December 9, 2011
Beer Bums Meeting – Christmas Party 2011!
The Beer Bums annual Christmas party that featured quite the marathon of excellent beer after excellent beer. It was a good time getting together where we could bring something bigger and better than our usual monthly meeting. See the below list of the fantastic beers we sampled. Unfortunately I had to leave just as they were opening the St. Bernardus Christmas Ale, damn! I know the rest of the Bums took good care of it.
New Belgium Lips of Faith Prickly Passion Saison A good start, a tart saison.
Alesmith Wee Heavy Wow, this one was fantastic. This is what a Scotch Ale should be.
Sierra Nevada Ovila Saison A great Saison. First time I have had an Ovila from Sierra Nevada, I need to try more.
Jester King Black Metal Stout Another amazing beer. Lots of coffee, chocolate, malt, etc very good
Ranger Creek Mesquite Smoked Porter I remember liking this one, but I can’t remember the details…
Gouden Carolus Cuvee Van De Keizer Blauw/Blue Whoa, this was great!
Malheur 12 I remember not liking this one as much, but my palate may have been worn out by the stouts and porters. I need to try this one again.
Ranger Creek La Bestia Aimable Great, first time to try this one and was really impressed.
Widmer Brothers Reserve Lemongrass Wheat OK, by this one I had a few in me. Tasted like a citronella candle, I was mosquito proof!
Full Sail Sanctuary Belgian Style Dubbel Really good. Probably should try it again by itself.
December 8, 2011
The Brü Revü – Left Coast Asylum Belgian-Style Tripel Ale
Left Coast Beers are now available in Texas, at least in Austin. I was lucky enough to go to Oggi’s Pizza while in San Diego and sample a few of their beers, The Black Magic Stout and an IPA, both of which were fantastic. When I saw the Left Coast beers at the store I had to pick one up, and of course I landed on the Asylum Tripel. This was a great Tripel that kicked everything off with the signature Belgian yeast aroma and substantial off-white head. The Asylum was a big impressive Tripel with hints of sweet candi sugar, malt, and even a bit of vanilla. It was a bit on the sweet side, but I was really enjoying this one and it went down fast and smooth. It’s great to see another great craft brewery available in Texas!
December 5, 2011
Pint Glass Nights - December
Misc. pint glass nights around Austin for December. Buy the beer, keep the glass.
Gingerman – Mondays, at 6 PM
Dec. 05 Old Rasputin
Dec. 12 Victory Yakima Glory
Dec. 19 TBD
Dec. 26 Anchor Christmas
Draft Pick – Tuesdays, at 6:30 PM
The Tavern – Tuesdays
Zax Pints and Plates – Wednesdays, at 6 PM
Dec. 07 New Belgium Snow Day
Dec. 14 Hops & Grain Alt-eration
Dec. 21 (512) Brewing Cask Night
Dec. 28 Miscellaneous Glasses
Flying Saucer - Wednesdays, at 7 PM
Dec. 07 Victory Golden Monkey
Dec. 14 Ranger Creek 1 year Anniversary
Dec. 21 Flying Saucer X-Mas Glass
Dec. 28 Houblon Chouffe
Draught House – Wednesdays
December 1, 2011
The Brü Revü – New Belgium Abbey
I have always enjoyed the New Belgium beers and the Abbey (along with the Trippel) is my favorite of their regular line-up. It pours a deep transparent amber with a decent creamy head and a generous amount of carbonation. The aroma hits you instantly with the sweet Belgian yeast that follows through to the taste. There are also hints of banana, caramel, and fruity malt in the smooth full bodied mouthfeel. There is definitely a lot going on in this complex and well balanced beer especially for a regular offering from a brewer. If you haven't tried New Belgium this is a great place to start and a beer I highly recommend.
