Random Monday Night

Not enough cash to go out, plus I'm exhausted..  so let's drink in!

Dogfish Head - Robert Johnson Hellhound on My Ale.  A tribute to old-school bluesman Robert Johnson, who would have been 100 last year and his 'Hellhound on My Trail' song.  For the 100th mark, they made a 10.0% ABV 100 IBU brew with 100% Centennial hops at 100 kilos/100 barrel.. to accentuate, they added lemon peel and flesh (also a tribute to Johnson's mentor - Blind Lemon Jefferson ) - thanks, Dogfish Head website!  Hugely fluffy head and a nice golden orange/yellow color..  the malts hit the nose first.. faint but sweet..  bright hoppy notes here - citrus, grapefruit.  Don't think the age coulda affected this.. only a few months old, but the taste is straight-up kick-you-in-your-nuggets booze!  Some malts here n there, caramel mainly, and twangs of hoppy bitterness in between the vodka-like bite...  When I could taste beer, it had that characteristic Dogfish note..  again, I doubt age could've played a role here.. but I've only read good reviews..  hmmmm?

NFL Draft + Miles Davis

So the lady is a massive football fan.. ashamed to admit far more than me!  Hell, she even destroyed her fantasy league this past fall..  I'm quite intimidated!  So I went over to watch the first round of the NFL Draft with her, brought her and the roomies some beer and enjoyed one myself!  

Been sittin on this gem for a while now.. Dogfish Head - Miles Davis Bitches Brew.  Brewed to commemorate the 40th anniversary of Miles Davis' landmark album Bitches Brew, a fusion of styles.. this beer reflects that as a 3-parts Imperial Stout meets 1-part honey beer with gesho root at 9.0%ABV and 38 IBUs..  Deep black/brown pour.. and sweet baby Jesus, I have never seen such a dark head! WOW!  Rich nose, roasted malts, sweet honey, iced coffee with the slightest hints of smoke, molasses and a graham maltiness.  Not quite as heavy of a taste as I'd expect and slightly typical for Dogfish Head.. it just has the signature taste that underlies all DfH brews, much like Sam Adams, Harpoon, Stone..  not a bad thing, but it just tastes like a Dogfish Head.  Huge stout tastes, very boozy.  Usual black coffee, dark chocolate, brown sugar notes.. some burnt..charred-type malts with hints of smoke..  but nice sweet notes.  Not quite the sweet level of a milk stout and far less body.  Gesho don't show up cause the gesho can be used in a similar fashion as hops.. perhaps that's how they brewed the honey beer portion of this..  However they did resulted in a very nice beer.. nothing outstandingly unique, but a different melding of styles to create a smoothly enjoyable brew!

Bottling and Drinking Homebrews

Time to bottle that delicious Maple Spruce Smoked Porter of mine.. and, once again it goes without saying, you gotta have homebrews when doing such a task!  (oh, and had a quick taste before some went into the bottles... let's just say DAMN!  Can't wait to see how this'll turn out.. I've got high hopes!)

4.21 - For the hell of it..

It's Saturday night..  had my craziness yesterday, so why not relax in, watch some TV and have a few for the hell of it!?

Time to finish off the first round of the Sam Adams Small Batch Series with - Tasman Red - a Red IPA at 6.75% ABV and 80 IBUs.  For this they utilized hops from Tasmania.  A nice rich ruby brown pour and another huge head.. this series loves those huge carbonated heads!  Citrusy and piney hop nose, hints of cherry..oranges..and a ton of malt.  Caramel and nutty tones here.  A fuller, maltier IPA than I'm used to..toasted nutty malts with some caramel and lighter toffee, but with a great hop bite to balance this out.  Tropical fruits then give way to a huge grapefruit, mango, citrus hop bite with bitterness just shy of too much that turns into more piney notes towards the finish.  Not much malty sweetness to the end, leaving a nice dry bitterness to linger.  A really nice IPA with a twist..

The final brew from the first round of the small batch series - Sam Adams - The Vixen.. an 8.5% ABV 20 IBU Chocolate Chili Bock.  They apparently used their standard Chocolate Bock as a base and brewed with Ancho and Chipotle chilies and cinnamon.  Deep mahogany red/brown pour and yep.. thick fluffy head.  Subdued nose here.. chocolate malts, molasses, hints of the cinnamon and chilies, undertones of thicker oats and dried dark fruits.  A smooth and creamy brew, the cocoa nibs compliment this mouthfeel very very nicely, sweet milk chocolate with hints of dark chocolate.  Sweeter notes of vanilla soon lead into that signature cinnamon note and the mildest of warming chili heat.  No real sign of hops here, and that's fine with me!  This hot little lady did just fine the way she was!  Maybe a touch more heat would've been nice (think Left Hand Chili Porter), but The Vixen rocked my socks!

4.16 - Bruins on a Monday

So when you're tryin to save a few bucks, and the B's are playing, might as well dig some more out of the stash, right?!

Brew Day - 4.15.12

So another brew day is upon us!  Perusing the kit selection at the brew store, Kendall and I came across a) a Maple Porter and b) a Smoked Porter..  so why not combine them!?  So we're gonna do the Smoked Porter, add pure maple syrup according to the Maple Porter AND we found some spruce extract..  soooo  Maple Spruce Smoked Porter it is! - Bunyan's Brunch -

BUT, like before, the only real way to brew is to drink some beers at the same time!

Bruins Game 1 - 4.12.12

So the B's are back, baby!!  Stanley Cup 2012 - here we come!!  In honor of such (besides growing a playoff beard) I thought I'd enjoy some brews from a Boston classic - Sam Adams!  (yeah, yeah I know, a majority of the beers are brewed out in Cincinnati - shut it)

4.8.2012 - Sunday Night...

So it's the end of a damned long weekend that came at the end of a damned long week.  Anyone else feel the same?  That I made it through is nothing shy of a pure MIRACLE.

See what I did there?!  Eh.. eh?  Clown Shoes - Miracle!  A brand new 5.5% ABV IPA from them that also benefits the new Minor Miracle fund.  Part of the Animal Rescue League of Boston, the Minor Miracle fund will help find homes for orphan dogs with donations from each case and keg sold!  So drink up, folks!  Not a powerful nose on this one, but hints of citrus, grapefruit and some pine hops with some sweet nutty malts.  Very crisp, the first thing to hit you is the citrus notes, followed by a subtle, yet strong, hop kick.  Mainly piney, touches of grapefruit and floral.  For a lower ABV IPA, the finish reminds me of a bigger, bold dIPA.. very chewy and bitter.. lingering.  A classic example of an IPA if there ever was one, straightforward, bitter, touch of malt.  Cheers to puppy homes!

Happy Beer Day & Happy Session Beer Day

WOOO, beer holiday(s)!   Today is the 79th anniversary of the repeal of Prohibition by the signing of the act that allowed 3.2% (and under) beer and wine to be brewed and sold in the US in 1933!   AND some folks in the craft industry started to push this year for an unofficial holiday for session beer.  By most standards, session beer is 5.0% ABV or under, some hold it to 4.5% and some even to the strict standard of 4.0%.  Easiest to just say under 5.0% ABV..  session beer gets its name because you can have a drinking session of these without really getting intoxicated.  Well, as long as you don't chug 'em!

Friday 4.6.12

Night to myself, so I'm lining up a few from the stash to crank through.  Got too many for my own good anyway!

4.5.2012 - Stony Brook Red

It's Thursday, let's drink!

Have been sitting on this guy for a while now.. bought the pack back in Summer '10..but they're higher ABV and oak aged so it'll last.  Stony Brook Red..  Sam Adams' interpretation of a Belgian and Flemish-style Wild Ale..  9.0% ABV and 10 IBUs.  If you don't know them, they have a proprietary in-house sour beer - Kosmic Mother Funk- of which they used some in brewing this.  Out of a badass 750 bottle with a crapload of dust, an earthy red pour with a minimal head.. the cherry-esque funk hits, hard!  Bits of oak underneath with some sweet wine notes and caramel.  Aaaaaaand, cue the tart! DAMN!  A heavy cherry-cranberry 1-2 suckerpunch to the jaw.. this is tart and sour as all hell!  Very well may have enhanced with age, but it so works.  Some oaky qualities along with some faint caramel malts..  Very drying on the finish like a nice red wine.  Maybe not as it was when first brewed, but this is a nice departure for Mr. Sammy Adams, if I do say so myself.

April Fool's Ain't Foolin' Me!

It might be April Fool's Day..but screw that noise!  I'm still drinking a beer!

A cool choice for the day though.. as Notch beers look big, taste big..but April Fool's!  They're session beers!!!  Pivo's are Czech-style black lager, this is Notch's 4.0% ABV take on one..  For such a light beer, this has one dark pour with a nice slightly brown head.  Roasted dark malts on the nose with a bit of yeast and some rich coffee notes.   Slightly sweet to the taste with roasted malts, cocoa and iced coffee prominent.  Very light in body but strong tastes mask this..  towards the end only the slightest bit of floral earthy hops pokes through.  A very mellow beer with great flavors, super crisp and bright but full and roasty..  Notch killed it on this one!