Thursday, December 15, 2011

Dark Wednesday, Hopsgiving

Hey, it's only been 11 days since my last post! I had to dedicate an entire post to this since I had so much to share. I went to Pennsylvania over Thanksgiving weekend to spend time with family, as per usual since I moved out of state. My mini-holiday-cation turned into an interesting five-day excursion filled with lots of interesting beer-drinking.

So I was planning on heading up to PA on the Tuesday night before Thanksgiving and my friend lives, literally, around the corner from Victory Brewing Co. in Downingtown. I texted him on Monday to see if he wanted to get dinner or something and the same day, my future brother-in-law (FBIL) texts me asks what I am doing on Wednesday. I tell him I am thinking of going to Victory. He then mentions something called "Dark Wednesday" and tells me to look it up. If it has to do with Victory, of course I am in. In case you hadn't heard, Victory had themselves a little limited-edition beer release on November 23. The beer is Dark Intrigue and I'll just let you read the label to see for yourself what it is:


Intrigued yet? Victory brewed this beer a few years back for the first time when they decided to age some of their Storm King Stout in bourbon barrels for a few months. It's back by popular demand now, but they stated that this is the last time they will ever brew this beer. The only way to guarantee yourself any of this was to go to the brewery for the release. So my FBIL, my wife, and I headed down there at 9 am on the 23rd for the 11:30 am release. They had food, coffee, and prizes that they were giving away (although we didn't win any). There were about 100 people there when we got there but by the time they opened the doors, that number had swelled to over 300. They started telling people that they could only guarantee the first 300 people, although it looked like everyone that wanted some got some.

My FBIL Steve (left) and me at Victory

We waited an additional hour in line just to get into the shop to buy the beer and we ended up getting a case and splitting it four ways. Luckily for us, one of our friends only wanted two bottles, so we ended up drinking one a couple nights later (more on that below). We then had lunch at the brewpub and were able to snag a couple Dark Intrigue tasters on tap. All I can say is, holy crap. I feel like you have to like bourbon to like this beer. When we had it on tap, there was a dominant bourbon character to it throughout. I am personally a fan of bourbon so I was a huge fan of this beer. I also got to try their Otto, which is a new and not very easy to find smoked Belgian Dubbel. It's super good and if you can find it, I highly recommend it. As I mentioned, we ended up drinking about bottle of the Dark Intrigue later that weekend. I hate to say that I was disappointed, but I kinda was. Something about the bottling process caused it to lose a lot of bourbon flavor and made it taste much more ordinary. Don't get me wrong, it's still a damn fine beer but I was expecting to taste that full bourbon body throughout. Instead, it tasted like there was something missing, a sentiment that my friend Alex also shared. However, I have three bottles aging so we'll see how the flavor changes after some time in the dark.

Anyway, my weekend wasn't finished yet. Wednesday night I ended up going out with some friends from home to a small bar in my small hometown of Boyertown, PA called Congo Hotel, or Union Jack's as some refer to it. I had heard of it before and of their nice beer selection but it was my first time there. That's when I saw it... a flyer advertising their Saturday event, the 2nd annual Hopsgiving. It was a special beer event they were holding with numerous rare or hard-to-find beer, including one of my holy grails, Russian River's Pliny the Elder. This beer is rarely found in the wild and is normally only on tap in Russian River's tap room. So of course I was in. The closest thing I can compare it to is Troeg's Nugget Nectar, which very well might be my favorite beer of all-time. It's very hoppy with fruity notes and a smooth, crisp finish. However, I only had one glass of it because another beer stole the show for me.

That beer was Ballast Point's Sculpin IPA. I had tried one of Ballast's beer, which for the life of me I can't remember now, but this was my first time trying the Sculpin. And it was absolutely outstanding. It is fresh and hoppy, with lots of fruity notes disguising the 70 IBUs. This was probably my favorite beer of the day. Anyway, they were offering two different flights and of course I had to try both of them. The first consisted of Golden Flash's West Coast IPA, Port's Mongo IIPA, Sculpin, Firestone Walker Double Jack, and Great Divide Fresh Hop Ale. My favorites here were the Sculpin and the Double Jack, but all these beers are solid. The Double Jack had notes of grapefruit and tangerine up front but a nice smooth finish for a beer that checks in at 9.5%. Honorary mention goes to the Mongo. It has similar characteristics to the Sculpin and Double Jack in that it's hoppy with fruity undertones.

The second flight consisted of Ithaca Flower Power, Port High Tide, Green Flash Imperial IPA, Coronado Idiot IPA, and Prism Felony Double IPA. Let me just say... the first flight was better. However, there were some good beers here, most notably the Flower Power. There is a definite flowery taste to it and has a smooth finish. It's very earthy. I told my cousin that it tastes like eating dirt if dirt tasted good. The High Tide was also decent, although not distinguishable. It was a solid IPA with a smooth hoppy character throughout. The Green Flash was very hoppy with sharp notes depicting Simcoe and possibly Cascade. The Prism was the consensus worst among most people at the bar and everyone was waiting for it to kick so that the bartender could tap the keg of Dogfish Burton Baton (it didn't happen). The Felony features 10 hop varieties, over 100 IBUs, 10% ABV, and it depicts what can go wrong when you try to do too much. I personally didn't think it was terrible, but my buddy Alex couldn't even finish his taster. I had a decision to make after that second flight. I had one beer left in me. Would I choose the Pliny, my holy grail, or the surprising Sculpin?

I went with the Sculpin, which should be high praise for it. I had the pleasure of having this in a bottle about a week later and, like the Dark Intrigue, was disappointed. All that tasty fruitiness from the hops disappeared when I had it out of the bottle and it was rendered as an almost generic west coast IPA. That's not to say that it was bad, but it certainly wasn't what I was expecting. Anyway, I headed to my in-laws' house afterward and my FBIL and I ended the night with a vertical tasting of Victory's Golden Monkey and Weyerbacher's Merry Monks. I have to say, this wasn't even a fair comparison. Despite both being classified as Belgian Abbey-style ales, the Golden Monkey simply can't hold a candle to some of the better Belgians on the market. Merry Monks won in a landslide. I also got the opportunity to try the limited release Ommegang Gnomegang, which is similar in style to the Merry Monks. I believe it is only sold in a three pack with Hennepin, Three Philosopher's and an Ommegang etched glass. It's worth it though because, let's face it, you were going to buy that Three Philosopher's anyway.

In addition, I also got to try a couple Dogfish beers I hadn't had before. I'll mention Chicory Stout first even though I've already had it. It's been a year-round beer at the brewpubs this year, but it's out in bottles for the winter and if you like coffee beers, go out and get some. You won't regret it. It's probably one of the best coffee beers I have had. Next up is their special release, Faithfull Ale, paying tribute to Pearl's Jam's 20th anniversary of their debut record "Ten". It's a fruit-forward Belgian-style beer with lots of currants. Compared to other Dogfish limited edition releases, this one was disappointing. There wasn't really a defining characteristic of it and I was left wanting a lot more. Speaking of limited edition releases, I was also able to snag a couple bottles of Dogfish's new batch of Bitches Brew. I've mentioned on here before. If you happen upon it, you should probably pick some up. My wife was also able to spot a few bottles of the collaboration that Dogfish did with The Bruery in support of the Japan relief efforts. The best I can describe it is a blonde with ingredients such as nori (Japanese edible seaweed), chili peppers, sesame seeds, and kumquats and fermented with sake yeast. Solid, but not spectacular. The final two I tried recently are two seasonals, Fort and Immort. The Fort is a high-gravity ale brewed with a ton of raspberries (literally, a ton). It checks in at a hefty 18% and is not recommended if you are planning on driving (I wasn't). I personally really enjoyed this beer but it is very heavy and fruity so it's not for everyone's taste. I decided to drink one and age one, so we'll see how that goes. Finally, Immort. It's classified as an American Strong Ale. At 11% it packs a punch. They use maple syrup from Sam's family's farm in Western Massachusetts, peat-smoked barley, juniper berries and vanilla. It is fermented with a blend of English and Belgian yeasts, then aged in giant oak barrels. For me, this beer is on par with my favorite Dogfish beer, Burton Baton. It is similar in flavor, but you get more of the oakiness (?) coming through in the Immort. I currently have two of these aging as well, so we'll see how the flavor evolves as it ages.

Finally, I have a homebrew that I bottled about two weeks ago. I attempted a clone recipe of Dogfish's Raison d'Etre. And I think I failed miserably. Sure, it's drinkable. I'm just not sure who would want to drink it over Raison. There are some characteristics of Raison in it, but there are also some off-flavors that come through and affect the finish. I have been having issues with off-flavors in my homebrews and I think it is related to the amount of yeast that I use. I am hitting my target gravities within an acceptable efficiency range, but I think my yeast amounts are throwing in off-flavors. I read a recent article in Zymurgy regarding this. They did a blind taste test of two of the same beers with different amounts of yeast (one had the recommended amount, the other, not enough). Both were on the target gravities and ABV, but almost all of the blind taste testers preferred the one that used the recommended amount of yeast. This was an extremely interesting article for me to read because this is the main problem I have been having with my beers. Time to break out Jamil's yeast calculator for my next batch. I think I am going to try my Nugget Nectar clone again since it's that time of year again. I want to get it down pat and do a vertical tasting to compare.

Anyway, that's all for now!

Sunday, December 4, 2011

Another Big Update

"Miles Davis' seminal Bitches Brew album was a game changer - a bold fusion of rock, funk, and jazz. To honor the 40th anniversary release, Dogfish Head has created a bold, dark, beer that's a fusion of three threads imperial stout and one thread honey beer with gesho root. Like the album, this beer will age with the best of 'em."

The above is the text of the label of Dogfish Head's rare Bitches Brew, a special super-limited edition beer released late last year coinciding with the debut of Sam Calagione's now-canceled show "Brewmasters". Well, guess what? It's back! Good luck finding it though. As of Wednesday, November 9 at 9:43 PM, the Falls Church Dogfish brewpub has it on tap, but I doubt you will find it anywhere else. I was lucky enough to snag two 750ml bottles of it at my local Total Wine when I was there last Saturday. Needless to say, one is joining my aging collection, but I am currently drinking one as I write this post. I was lucky enough to grab one of these last year when it came out at the Fairfax Dogfish brewpub, but revisiting this beer is great. It is basically an imperial stout at 9% alcohol and pouring a very dark brown. You can instantly taste bitter malts, most likely chocolate and perhaps some black patent. It's brewed with honey and gesho root, which is used in Africa as a substitute for hops. See, hops are unable to grow in Africa, so they substitute the gesho root for the hops (the beer still has hops, as it's required for any beer brewed in the US). There is honey in it, but it's very subtle, coming through only in the finish. It's a bold brew that has chocolate and coffee-like character with a smooth sweet finish. Very tasty.

But that's not all I found at the Total Wine. In fact, it was quite a successful trip. I was able to find another tasty, rare Dogfish beer, Hellhound On My Ale. This was another limited edition Sony collaboration that Dogfish did and was supposedly on it's way out, but apparently they brewed another batch. It's an IPA brewed with lemons and it's super tasty. I found another coveted IPA while at Total Wine, Stone's Double Bastard. This wasn't exactly what I was expecting. If you have tried any of Stone's big IPAs, you would know that most are super hoppy and some are almost undrinkable for some people. This was decidedly different. Yes, it was hoppy. But there was a very complex malt character to this beer that was unexpected. By the end of the 750ml, I was ready to stop drinking it, but I would definitely get it again. The hop character gave a tasty, citrusy flavor to the beer and it was highly enjoyable for any IPA lover.

But wait, there's more! I also found a new Bell's Beer called Hell Hath No Fury. I have always trusted Bell's since the first time I tried Two-Hearted Ale and they did not let me down. Hell is a brown ale and it has a very nice smoky character. It's not a beer for the faint of heart, but if you like brown ales, you will like this beer. Finally, I found a beer that I've been looking for for a while. Rogue's Double Chocolate Stout. I've tried a lot of chocolate beers, but this might be my favorite. Rogue's regular chocolate stout is tasty, but the best I've had might previously might have been Young's Double Chocolate Stout. As soon as I cracked this beer and gave it a whiff, I knew it would be fantastic. It's so thick it almost pours like a syrup and it basically tastes like a Hershey's Dark Chocolate bar. Imagine putting a dark chocolate bar in your mouth and just leaving it there. There is so much chocolate character in this beer. I paired with it a barbequed pork and rice dinner, but it would work well as an after-dinner beer as well. Fantastic beer and I would recommend it to anyone. Also, you can't miss it, as it comes in a bright red bottle.

I also was able to try the newest addition to Stone's Vertical Series, their 11.11.11 edition. It's brewed with cinnamon and California chilies. It's... interesting. You can definitely taste the chilies in the beer and it's not a flavor you would generally associate with beer. It's definitely a good, different beer to try, but it's not one I am likely to try for a second time. The pepper taste stays with you after you're finished and it's not entirely pleasant.

I have also tried two beers in Ommegang's new series, their Aphrodite and their Adoration. They are both Belgian ales and both brewed with winter spices. The Aprhodite is a fruit beer with pear and raspberry, with a funky Brett middle and a very dry finish. The carbonation is champagne-like. It's definitely one to try if you can find it. The Adoration is their winter beer. It's a winter warmer style, brewed with dark malts and complemented with fives spices: coriandor, cumin, mace, cardamom, and grains of paradise. It's one of the tastier winter warmers I've tasted this year. I also was able to taste another new Ommegang beer, their Gnomegang, which is coming packaged in a three-pack with Three Philosopher's and Hennepin with a souvenir glass. It's a Belgian Abbey-style ale and it compares to Golden Monkey in terms of style. It has hints of spice from the yeast that are understated enough to not make them harsh on your palate.

I had another winter warmer recently as well, the Delirium Noel. It was very similar to the Gnomegang. It was actually somewhere in between a Gnomegang and a Weyerbacher Merry Monks. Very tasty and a must for any Belgian-style beer lover. Finally, I tried a local beer from Starr Hill called Monticello Reserve Ale. It is based on Thomas Jefferson's recipe and is brewed with wheat and corn and lightly hopped. I personally thought it would be better than it turned out to be, but unfortunately it was just okay. There isn't much flavor to it and it lacks... something. I don't really know what that something is, but it's not a great beer despite Starr Hill's good portfolio of other beers.

As for my beers, I finished a Vanilla Robust Porter a couple months ago. It's super dark, almost black in color, and was finished with a vanilla tincture solution in secondary. I also added some vanilla extract prior to bottling to give it some more vanilla taste. It turned out great. It has a sweet vanilla flavor throughout the taste and finishes smooth, leaving hints of vanilla on the back of your tongue. At this point, it's almost all gone. I also have a batch of a Dogfish Head Raison d'Etre clone sitting in bottles carbonating. I tasted a bit while I was bottling and I was surprised by how much it tasted like the real thing. I can't wait to try this one.

That's all for now, but stay tuned for a post in the near future about my Thanksgiving holiday and an event I went to called Hopsgiving!