2.25 - It'll Be a Longshot...

Monday night.. got some crap going on..  BEER!

Beer solves all!

2.22 - Recovery Friday

So, since the last post, the week got even longer, even more exhausting.  I've been working so much, I think I've worked myself sick.  So time to have a night in, kick back with a beer (or many) and enjoy the evening.

Night Shift Brewing - Somer Weisse
a 5.9% ABV Berliner Weisse-style brewed with lemongrass and ginger root.  Freshly bottled just over 5 weeks ago and local.. I've heard good things and been around the guys a lot, just never had the beer!  I haven't had many examples of the style, but I'm getting more into the sours and, c'mon y'all, I live in Somerville now!  This is a no-brainer.  A straw yellow pour, this has as much head as a glass of milk.  It fizzes like no one's business when popped and poured, but it disappears immediately.  It's straight-up sour on the nose.  There's hints of the lemon and an earthy ginger.. but just full on sour.   It's incredibly effervescent and refreshing, but it's that Warhead-esque, hit-you-in-your-jowls sour tart taste.   Grassy hops, sharp lemon peel and faint ginger.  It's tough to pick up on any malt because of the tartness.  The end is sweet.. very very sweet, and still sour.  It's a tough style to pull off, and it was done very well, but a bit one-dimensional.

- - 7 Hops!

I will now move on to a "series" of beers I had long-forgotten that I had.  I say series because they're really the same beer, same recipe, brewed by 3 different brewers at their respective breweries, separately.. released separately.

Saison du BUFF - brewed as a 'collaboration' with Victory, Stone and Dogfish Head breweries.  BUFF stands for Brewers United for Freedom of Flavor.  It apparently was an idea the 3 founders/brewers have had for years, but originally was never able to take flight.  Then they decided to revisit the idea and brew a unique beer together, but separate.  The 3 developed a recipe, with one unique ingredient contributed by each brewery ( I knew at one point what each brewery contributed - they were homegrown herbs - but that information has been lost to countless beers ), and each brewery made the same exact beer - supposedly.  a crazy cool idea for a collaboration brew!  So I've been holding onto these, unwittingly, for almost THREE YEARS!!  The DFH was released in March 2010, Victory in April and Stone in May.   HOLY HELL!  So all being 6.8% ABV herbed Saisons, it will be really cool to see if and how they differ!

As you can see, they already differ in appearance, the Victory is the lightest, then the Stone, then DFH.  I swear I didn't plan the picture that way!  Also, the Stone had the craziest head (apparently it did even when fresh) with the Victory having almost no head.  The Victory also has the most distinct Saison nose with the other two having more herbs in the nose and the DFH having notes of vanilla and oak, surprisingly.  In terms of taste, the Stone was the most 'herby' with the parsley taking over - think heavily herbed Italian dishes. The DFH wasn't far behind either.   After 2+ years, the booze (although only 6.8%) is definitely coming through in all 3.  Only labeled as Saisons, these are holding up amazingly well.  None actually have that barnyard funk or tartness that many Saisons do, nor are as citrusy.  Nonetheless, these are very cool beers and surprisingly have held up for so long!  I remember having one a few months after they were released and it's very similar to how it tastes now.  Dogfish Head wins, in my book.  Just the right balance of herbs.

- - 8 Hops for all!

2.20 - Notch Night

Crazy long week already.. but it's only Wednesday night and it's late.  So I don't wanna go apeshit..

Notch - Valley Malt BSA

a 4.4% ABV session Farmhouse Ale.  The BSA stands for Brewer Sponsored Agriculture.  Started by Valley Malt in western MA, the BSA encourages farmers to grow malts for local brewers.  Bottled and released in September, the malt for this was harvested in July, on my birthday actually!  That means this is sort of a tribute to me, I gotta try it!  A hazy golden orange pour, the head is fluffy and off-centered.  A very traditional Farmhouse nose - hay, straw, grassy hops and a funk mixed in.  There's citrusy oranges with some fresh herbs thrown in.  It seems a bit off, not in full balance.  It's definitely light and crisp, but with a somewhat fuller mouthfeel.  Oranges, tangerines, banana and a honey-like bready malt dominate the taste with some off-flavor funk.  This style should have the funk, but this is a bit weird.  Only been a few months, but this may not have a great shelf-life.  It's grassy, herby, touches of spice and some yeast.  I still can't place how this seems off, but it just does.  I liked the BSA Harvest from last year a bit better, also think I had it a bit more fresh as well.  Not bad.. maybe just a bad bottle or too old.

- - 5 Hops

2.17 - Pre Holiday Beer Party

umm.. President's Day off work?  YES PLEASE!  I've been run ragged at work the past few weeks and I was caught off-guard a few days ago when someone reminded me that we had Monday (Prezzies Day) off!  Mental freedom!!  So what do I do?  Why, I drink like crazy Sunday night, clearly!

2.14 - My Own Personal Valentine's

So it's Valentine's Day - and once again I'm single by the true definition of the word.  At least it's better than last year when I was hurling up everything I had eaten for the previous 4 days.  I'm at least healthy and on my feet this go-round.  So how do I celebrate?  By drinking beer alone and coming up with my own holiday beer-tail, of course!!

2.8 - NEMO

Well.. New England, we found Nemo!  or rather, Nemo found us!!  If you don't know what I'm talking about, please just get off this planet.

We. Got. Pummeled.

So, almost everyone drank.  And what do you drink in a big, bad storm?  Why, a big, bad beer of course!  (I could only muscle down so much before I ran off to frolic in the snow with some other wicked cool beer people that live just down the street from me)  But here are the monsters I enjoyed.

2.5 - Cinder Bock'n It

Kinda chilly night.. something to warm ya up?  (yes.. I know, it's February.  MOST nights will be chilly..)  BUT I didn't want that heavy, that dark, that big..   a blend of styles you say??

Samuel Adams - Cinder Bock (Rauch Bock)
a 9.45% ABV 25 IBU smoked Bock. How's that for a blend of styles!  Pop the cap on this and you're hit with a meaty, smoky aroma (think almonds here).  There's a full nose of thick caramel sweetness that can barely hold back the smoke and alcohol.  It's both light and fleety on the tongue and thick and rich at the same time.  The smoke and sweetness carry over perfectly from the nose and the body jumps from crisp to syrupy in the same sip.    Peaty and meaty like smoked brisket, it's almost too much at times.  The sweeter, rich malts and heavy booze bite try to tame this, but come close to failing.  Beyond the subtle floral notes and smooth (hidden) malts, there's not much that lends itself to being a Bock.  A bit more balance and this could be pretty darn good!

- - 7 Hops!

2.2 - Mini Beer Party

So.. sometimes you just have too much beer and need to invite friends over to help, right?  Am I the only one with this problem? Hmm.. well yeah, sometimes my stash gets too much for me.  And I have to suck up my pride and admit I need help.  Help drinking it!  So I did just that!

The friend I happened to invite over happens to be from Minnesota and I just so happened to have acquired some beers in a trade that are Minnesota-only and supposedly damned good!  So I felt it was my beer geek duty to share at least one!

2.1 - Stout Fridays

It doesn't flow.. so what.  I'm not waiting until Saturday or Sunday to drink these, I've waited long enough already.  You can deal.