The Brü Revü - Lagunitas Olde GnarlyWine

I knew Lagunitas made a Barleywine, but I haven’t seen it in Texas for a long time.  With my love for Lagunitas, when I saw the Olde GnarlyWine showing up in stores I had to pick one up.  The beer poured a deep amber brown to copper with a large tan head that left generous lacing.  I smelled the signature Lagunitas sweet malt aroma and citrus hops the moment I opened the bottle.  There were hints of booziness and more toasted caramel malts that came through in the aroma as it warmed.  The taste continued with the orange citrus notes and really solid malty sweetness that enhanced the citrus notes without any roasty or toasted malt bitterness. A hint of booze was to be expected with such a big beer but the hop bitterness was balanced beautifully with the sweet malt backbone to create a beast of a beer.  Maybe not as sophisticated as some Barleywines, but a solid and satisfying beer that disappeared quickly.  You can’t miss with a Lagunitas brew and the Olde GnarlyWine keeps the streak alive.  Big, bold, and excellent.

Lagunitas Olde GnarlyWine

Beer Bums Meeting – July 2015

Beach beers and suitably enough all canned beers.  Most were like refreshers which is what you need at the Beach although the Coconut Porter was very fitting.  The Karbach Staycation is growing on me.  A very well done sessionable beer.

Karbach Staycation

Infamous Hijack Cream Ale

Upslope Thai Style White IPA

Real Ale Gose

Maui Brewing Coconut Porter

Next Month, August – Lagers

The Brü Revü - Founders KBS

I was finally able to score one of the vaunted Founders Kentucky Breakfast Stout or KBS that is there legendary stout brewed with coffee and chocolate and then aged in oak bourbon barrels.  I was in an area of Austin that I don’t frequent and a I popped into a small HEB on a whim, and score! Thank you HEB! Onward with the review: The beer poured a deep dark brown with an unexpectedly large tan head.  The aroma of chocolate popped out of the glass immediately and was the dominate flavor on the nose along with some slight roasted malts and a bit of the bourbon notes emerged as it warmed.  The first taste was pure bliss.  Loads of chocolate and bits of coffee floated on the deep bourbon barrel flavors that all mingled and melded into beer manna.  It became slightly boozy as it warmed while hints of vanilla and molasses joined the gathering and made for a brew that easily met and exceeded its accolades.  This bourbon barrel aged masterpiece was exquisitely balanced so that the flavor melded into a perfect whole rather than one or two bold notes fighting for attention.  What a beer and what a pleasure to drink.

Founders KBS

The Brü Revü - Stone Brewing Points Unknown IPA

The Stone Points Unknown IPA collaboration with Ecliptic and Wicked Weed had my name written all over it.  Double IPA, check.  Barrel-Aged Belgian Style Tripel, check.  Two of my favorite styles a Double IPA and a Belgian Style Tripel all rolled into one bountiful beer.  The beer poured a deep golden amber with a huge fluffy head with great retention.  The aroma was more in the double IPA territory with citrus and tropical fruit hop tones like a fresh orange with some slight tinges of Belgian yeast and spices.  Not a dynamic aroma but still a nice citrusy IPA aroma.  The taste was where the Points Unknown really took off. There was a plethora of dank and citrus hop notes with a hint of pine that were intertwined with the Belgian tripel yeast and spice tones and a hint of barrel to round it all out.  There was a lot going on in this one.  As soon as one flavor exerted itself another came behind it and pushed itself to the forefront.  It was a dynamic and delightful drinking experience that never became overly bitter or overly boozy. There seemed to be a slight tannic finish as it warmed but in the end the Points Unknown IPA was a unique and exciting beer to drink.  Stone seems to never fail on these collaborations and this was another home run in my book.

Stone Brewing Points Unknown IPA

Pint Glass Nights - July 2015

Misc. pint glass nights around Austin for July.  Buy the beer, keep the glass.

Gingerman – Mondays, at 6 PM

July 06  Brasserie Lefebvre Blanche De Bruxelles

July 13 St. Feuilians Triple

July 20 Ommegang Hop House

July 27 Kasteel Cuvee de Chateau

Zax Pints and Plates – Wednesdays, at 6 PM

July 01  12 year anniversary and customer appreciation

July 08 Alaskan Brewing White Ale

July 15 Sierra Nevada Nooner Pilsner

July 22 Stone Brewing Cali Belgique

July 29 Firestone Walker Brewing

Flying Saucer  - Wednesdays, at 7 PM

July 01  Jester King Provenance

July 08 South Austin Saison

July 15 Victory Summer Can Glass

July 22 Maredsous Stone Chalice

July 29 Karbach Brett IPA

Draught House – Wednesdays

Check their twitter page for glass updates

Red's Porch – Thursdays, at 6 PM, Check their events page for glass updates

The Brü Revü - Victory Kirsch Gose

The Victory Kirsch Gose is only my second Gose after the Real Ale version and I am growing accustomed to this slightly sour and salty brew.  The Kirsch Gose takes the traditional gose style and adds tart cherries for a dash of sweetness.  The beer poured a gorgeous ruby pink hue with a slight white head that held an aroma of straight up sour and tart cherry notes.  The taste was tart from the get go with a big burst of sour cherry that immediately engulfs your palate with a nice tartness.  It’s on the back end where the sweet cherry notes kick in along with a slight salty hint. Even with the cherry sweetness the finish is fairly dry with the bready wheat briefly taking a peak.  A very refreshing and tantalizingly tart cherry brew that has a nice clean finish.  I can see myself drinking a lot of these sessionable brews this summer.

Victory Kirsch Gose