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.
November 29, 2011
The Brü Revü – Avery White Rascal
Avery is a micro-brewery out of Colorado that makes several high quality beers, and their White Rascal Belgian White (or wheat beer) is another good one. Belgian wheat beers are not usually high on my list, but on this occasion the White Rascal really hit the spot. It poured a clear golden color with the distinct Belgian yeast aroma of bananas and bubble gum. For being a lighter looking beer the mouthfeel was quite full and chewy and the taste was full and complex. There were hints of clove, banana, and yeast with a bit of orange as well. There was a lot going on in this beer that I found really enjoyable and refreshing. While I don’t always want a Belgian wheat, when I do I will definitely look for the White Rascal.
November 22, 2011
The Brü Revü – Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale
The Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale is dedicated to the celebration of the brewery’s 20-day suspension in 2005 following a party at the brewery or something like that. Anyways, bad for them good for us! This is another strong beer from Lagunitas both in terms of alcohol and flavor. It pours a dark amber with good carbonation and a strong aroma of hops and toffee. The taste has the usual Lagunitas’ hops balanced with a good malt and caramel backbone. This is definitely a full-bodied beer with a strong complex flavor that I thoroughly enjoyed. Lagunitas continues to impress!
November 17, 2011
The Brü Revü – Stone IPA
I got a case of the Stone IPA from CostCo, and although they don’t store their beer cold, which is a big no no, I couldn’t pass it up. The Stone IPA is the definition of a West Coast IPA, and it’s all hops! The hops are fresh and citrusy with a slight malty sweetness. It poured a nice golden body with a creamy head. This is an easy drinking IPA which I will have no trouble taking down a case. While I don’t hold it up there with Alesmith’s or Ballast Point’s IPA, it’s a close second. I have a lot of respect for Stone as a brewery and their IPA lives up to their great reputation.
November 14, 2011
The Brü Revü – Lagunitas New Dogtown Pale Ale
The Lagunitas New Dogtown Pale Ale really impressed me. I don’t usually pick a Pale Ale, as I would prefer an IPA, but I found the Dogtown Pale Ale a creamy and smooth Pale Ale that I drank easily. It had an amber pour with a creamy head and good hop aroma. It had that signature Lagunitas hop flavor with a bit of toasted malt to keep it balanced. This is another excellent beer from Lagunitas and one I would definitely keep on hand.
November 10, 2011
The Brü Revü – Alesmith Yulesmith (Summer)
Yulesmith is another great Alesmith beer I brought back from San Diego. They make the Yulesmith twice a year, in the summer and the winter. The summer version is an Imperial IPA and it is fantastic! Yulesmith hits all the right IPA notes with a good strong hop aroma and flavor with a nice malt backbone and a hint of vanilla that gave it a slightly sweet finish. It was a well-balanced beer that was velvety smooth with a rich complex flavor. It was highly drinkable despite the high alcohol content and one that I wish I could get regularly, but unfortunately it’s not available in Texas. There is not much else to say about the Yulesmith other than it was amazing!
November 7, 2011
Beer Bums Meeting – November 2011 – Sam Adams Beers
An all Sam Adams Bums Meeting. One of the earliest and largest craft brewers and possibly the largest American owned beer company in the United States. This was a great group of beers and the Wee Heavy knocked my socks off!
Next Month, December – Beer Bums Christmas Party!
Next Month, December – Beer Bums Christmas Party!
November 4, 2011
The Brü Revü – Lagunitas Maximus
The Lagunitas Maximus is another beer from a recent Bums meeting featuring Lagunitas beers, and is their version of an Imperial/Double IPA. It poured a golden amber with a strong fruity hop aroma. The Maximus had a good grapefruit hopiness with a sweet malt backbone that helped round out the flavor. This is a really nice IIPA that is more on the citrusy hops side. I am having trouble finding a bad Lagunitas beer, and the Maximus may be my favorite so far.
November 2, 2011
Pint Glass Nights - November
Misc. pint glass nights around Austin for November. Buy the beer, keep the glass.
Gingerman – Mondays, at 6 PM
Nov. 7 Newcastle
Nov. 14 Big Sky Moosedrool
Nov. 21 Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Nov. 28 Sierra Nevada Celebration
Draft Pick – Tuesdays, at 6:30 PM
The Tavern – Tuesdays
Zax Pints and Plates – Wednesdays, at 6 PM
Nov. 2 Sierra Nevada Harvest Ale
Nov. 9 St. Feullien
Nov. 16 Real Ale Coffee Porter
Nov. 23 $3 Any American Craft Beer (No Glassware giveaway)
Nov. 30 Thirsty Planet
Flying Saucer - Wednesdays, at 7 PM
Nov. 2 Breckenridge Vanilla Porter
Nov. 9 Newcastle Brown Ale
Nov. 16 Brooklyn Winter
Nov. 23 Flying Saucer Turkey of the Year, featuring Dogfish Head Punkin’
Nov. 30 Orval
Draught House – Wednesdays
November 1, 2011
The Brü Revü – Oskar Blues Old Chub
Oskar Blues has several high quality craft brews in a can and the Old Chub is their version of a Scotch Ale. When I opened the can it seemed flat as there was none of that carbonated swoosh. It poured a deep dark mahogany almost like a Cola with little head that dissipated quickly. The aroma was of sweet malt and toffee and the taste continued the sweet malt with a hint of chocolate. It had a medium to full body and was very smooth, although slightly boozy. Not overly complex, but highly drinkable. I haven’t had a Scotch Ale in a long time and I thoroughly enjoyed the Old Chub, although it did get a little sweet to me at the end. If the Old Chub is any indication, Oskar Blues is definitely giving canned beer a good name.
October 27, 2011
The Brü Revü – Alesmith IPA
The Alesmith IPA is another San Diego beer I had smuggled back from our vacation that I was looking forward to trying. I have read a lot about the Alesmith brewery and how great all of their beers are, and their IPA lived up to all the hype. Alesmith’s IPA is bottle conditioned which poured a hazy golden copper with a great fruity aroma. What a great hoppy beer flavor without being too extreme. It has some malt in the background to give it a good balance and keeping it easy to drink. The Alesmith IPA gives the Ballast Point a run for its money as my favorite IPA period and I would consider them #1 and 1A. I hope it makes its way to Texas soon, as I need another one!
October 26, 2011
The Brü Revü – Rahr & Sons Oktoberfest
This is the second Rahr & Sons beer I have tried and now I am really impressed. The Gravel Road and now their Oktoberfest have been solid and consistent beers that are making me pay more attention to Rahr & Sons. Their Oktoberfest was part of our Bums Meeting and I remember it being a standout in that group, and it was even better when I returned to it. The Oktoberfest pours a dark amber with a nice tan head and all the trademark sweet malt aromas of the style. The taste is a good sweet maltiness with a slight hop and even a bit of Chocolate. For a darker beer it was light on the palate and very clean and drinkable. The Rahr & Sons Oktoberfest was an outstanding Texas Oktoberfest that I will eagerly await every fall.
October 25, 2011
Jester King Sues TABC over Beer and Consumer Freedom
I was going to post another beer review, but thought this was much more interesting. Jester King is suing the Texas Alcoholic Beverage Commission! See the full article here: Jester King Takes on "The Man".
They are suing for a variety of reasons: the ability to tell consumers where your beer is available, inaccurate beer labeling required by the state, the ability to sell beer directly to the public, and licensing of foreign breweries to sell beer in Texas. These are several issues that greatly restrict the growth of the craft beer industry in Texas as well as keeping some world class beers out of Texas completely. Most of these restrictions have been lifted for Texas wineries and the breweries and brew pubs are only looking for a fair shake.
If you are interested in this issue be sure to support and follow Open The Taps, a grassroots, non-profit consumer advocacy group representing craft beer enthusiasts in Texas. Their goal is to change laws and regulations surrounding the craft beer industry in our state.
October 21, 2011
The Brü Revü – De Struise Black Damnation IV – Coffee Club
The preface: My dad was lucky enough on a trip to Belgium to visit the De Struise brewery and get a private tour from the brewer himself as well as a few samples of their great beers. He brought me back a few of their beers and of course a “proper” glass.
Full Disclosure: this is not my photo as I have somehow lost my photos of this fantastic beer.
The Black Damnation series of beers was something my dad couldn’t stop telling me about how great they were. He brought me the Black Damnation IV – Coffee Club which is an Imperial Stout that has been aged for 6 months in old Rum barrels. I love rum so I was already sold, and this beer exceeded all my expectations. It poured a deep opaque black with a strong chocolate and coffee aroma. The taste was sublime. It had a very deep and smooth coffee and chocolate flavor with hints of vanilla almost like drinking chocolate syrup. I was in heaven! The very high alcohol was almost imperceptible as I savored every sip. The only downside is I may never get to try this one again as you cannot get it in Texas. Maybe it’s time for a trip to Belgium!
Full Disclosure: this is not my photo as I have somehow lost my photos of this fantastic beer.
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