Beer Reviews

pelican bay tsunami stout

ok, so last review was of a beer that is found primarily in the midwest and east coast. this one is probably not distributed much outside of the oregon / washington / northern california region. pour is black and has a thick ass head on it. it smells like a chocolate bar with hints of the roasted malts all through it. it tastes very good, its pretty easy to drink. its sort of like a mini imperial stout really. the style is a foreign stout (it is sweeter than most, with some huge coffee flavors). not sure how much the bottle costs, someone sent it to me for free. i would guess in the 5-7 dollar range for the 22oz bottle. abv is 7% (low for an imperial, high for a normal stout).

i had never heard of this beer until last night when i was drinking it. its really good stuff, but dont look for it in your local grocery store, you will need to go to a specialty stop in the pacific north west. very good indeed!
 
duck rabbit baltic porter

people in NC rejoice. this is a monster beer from the well known (in nc at least) duck rabbit micro brew on the coast of NC near the outer banks. since the law was changed (allowing beer over 6%), these guys have produced killer beers thus far - their imperial stout, scotch ale, and now finally their baltic porter.

this beer has gotten extremely high praise on ratebeer.com, and having sent more than 4 cases of it to people all over the country, i can testify that it was well liked. you may have some problems finding this outside of the specialty beer stores, but there may be a chance you can get it at a whole foods store.

live outside of nc? forget it . duck rabbit isnt distributed outside of the state (actually it may hit the eastern part of TN), but i have a friend in nashville, and he cannot get duck rabbit anything. so i know the distribtution is not that far.

the beer is black as coal and looks very similar to an imperial stout when it is poured. the smell is heavy on chocolate, coffee, and roasted malts. not much of a hop smell at all to this one really. taste is sweet and refreshing, and very rich and almost silky like. this is a baltic porter style which is very similar to a regular porter with the exception that baltic porters are generally higher in ABV and more full bodied than a regular porter.

cost is about 10.99 a six pack, 9% abv, and a very good beer that certainly shows that some brewers in NC have finally started to figure out whats going on. i have a case of this in my closet, and it should last for a while, but i try to buy some whenever i see it, because once its gone you will not get anymore of it for another year.
 
stone india pale ale

another offering from stone that is simply amazing and probably the best example of an india pale ale i can think of thus far. this should be a little easier to find on the shevles than the past 3 beers i have talked about. it is bold and balanced, very hoppy and malty. the smell is mostly hops, (grapefruit smells, grassy, etc). the taste is very similar, there must be a large dose of simcoe hops in this, not really sure. good stuff.

widely avalaible. 6.9% abv. 4 dollars a bomber, 10 dollars a six pack. worth it if you see it.
 
Damnation: Golden Ale(Russian River Brewing Company). I love the front label but have a major problem with the beer. I went to Cap N' Cork and picked this one up. It says it's "Refermanted in this bottle", which is an interesting concept. When held up to the light, I can deffinitly see the sediment floating. But when opened (in true chanpaign sytle) and tried....it contains too much sediment. It just tastes too dirty. Rounding out at 7.75% ABV, I'll definitly finish off the 9.4 FL. OZ of beer (the golden rule being "Thou shalt not waste thy beer"), but I suggest against some one else buying it. (woot! My first drunken...er....beer review!)
 
north by northwest guldenbiere (2005)

i shall refrain from commenting on johns russian river review until AFTER i talk about this one for a minute. :hell:

for starters, i am writing this one up almost specifically for chuck (and really anyone else in texas) because i believe this is distributed in a small area inside of texas, and i am pretty sure it is not made in mass quantities either. the bottle is labeless and the only thing that suggests that it is what it is is a little tag hanging from the neck. this is the 2005 version of it, and they make a 2006 but i am not sure if it is as good.

this is a golden belgian strong ale, very similar in mouthfeel and texture to duvel. very close to RUSSIAN RIVER DAMNATION as well.. 8% abv. pours with a big head that goes away quickly. this beer actually has some kaffir limes in the wort, so it gives it a little bit of a sour twang, but nothing like lambic beers. very smooth and lively when drinking. i have no idea what this costs, it was sent to me in a trade that i did via some guy in texas that lives near the pub.

as with all bottles where you can see garbage in the bottom of the bottle it is best to let it sit for a day or two before opening, but if you must wait, make sure you pour slow leaving the sediment in the bottom. some people dig the sediment, i do not, i think it takes away from the beer. the "empty" bottle beside me has maybe an ounce of beer left in it that i will not be drinking. good stuff, check if you can find it chuck, if you can it will be well worth your time.

as for the damnation comments - what kind of glass did you use to drink it john? did you pour it fast thus dumping the trash into your glass? was it very cold or cellar temp? russian river is one of the premire "belgian style" beer makers in the USA.. damnation was good at least to me, but the belgian styles can take some getting used to. try it again in another year and see what you think. this time though, make plans to buy one and let it sit for a few days :)

cheers!
 
North Coast's PranQster

I'm drinking this right now. :onfire:

North Coast makes some cool beers. A couple I especially dig are OLD STOCK and Old Rasputian Imperial Stout. I burned out on Belgian beers a couple years ago so for some reason I never tried the PranQster... until now.

This is an excellent example of an American version of a Belgian "Golden" style ale. I's got the "floral" aroma and taste notes of a Belgian ale but does not overdo it. An exceptionally smooth drinking beer.

7.6 abv

I like it!

http://www.northcoastbrewing.com/prank.htm
 
Victory's HOP WALLOP

Victory Brewing throws down the gauntlet in the race to produce the hoppiest beers in the world with HOP WALLOP.

I used to think that DogFish Head had produced the best super-hoppy beer with their excellent 60 Minute IPA but Hop Wallop has changed my thinking. You can almost feel the sticky hop resin when enjoying this hoppy-bitter and delicious treat. At 8.5% abv it also packs another kind of wallop!

Fans of Siera Nevada Pale Ale, Stone Arrogant bastard and of course DFH 60 Minute IPA should give this a try.

http://www.victorybeer.com/hop_wallop.html
 
southern tier unearthly ipa

this is a monster hop bomb of a beer, and like most beers that i write about, this one is only in certain states. brewed in upstate NY, i dont know if you can actually buy these much south of ohio. my bottle was actually sent to my by someone in canada.

pours out a brown color without much of a head at all. it has about 7 different hops in it and you can really tell based on the aroma. grapefruits, grass, just a nice fresh hop smell. the taste is huge and bitter - much better than the smell actually. sticky and very well hidden alcohol.

22 oz bottle - 11% abv. really good example of a double IPA. if you do not like bitter hop bomb beers, then steer clear of this one because it will only make you make faces of discontent. believe these run about 6-8 dollars a peice. really good stuff, should be distributed down into NC so i could buy it..
 
stone oaked arrogant bastard

so you have tried arrogant bastard... what would be better than adding something to it - say.. wood chips - and then repackaging it into 12oz bottles. yeah, well more is not always better. the beer is good, and drinkable, but it is no where near the complexity and richness of regular arrogant bastard. its interesting no less and it does have a touch of oak and vanilla notes, but for the most part it tastes like an arrogant bastard that is off in flavor. this one comes in 12oz bottles now, it used to be 3L bottles only. probably 1.50-2.00 per 12 oz, 6 packs should be between 8 and 10. if your state sells stone, you should be able to get this - but i wouldnt recommend buying more than a bottle or two. not bad but not great.

the whole time i sit here drinking on this glass, i am wondering: why mess with arrogant bastard? its good enough stuff already.
 
bells kalamazoo stout

bells kalamazoo stout: probably one of the best session stouts out there. you can absolutely pound this beer because it taste so good. has some nice roasted coffee flavors, a little bit of chocolate flavors, and a little touch of licorice. i am not a fan of that stuff, but its so subtle in this beer that it actually enhances the flavor. this is hands down one of my favorite beers out there, and since bells has made the move to NC, my fridge will no longer be without it. its a good deal too, 8.99-10.99 a six pack. 6.5% abv - so you can drink several of them and not worried about being comatose. very nice stuff. if youre in the area where bells is dristibuted, look them up.
 
mendocino winter ale 06-07

when these beers are released each year, they are usually great deals due to the low price and pretty high quality beer. the beer also varies year to year, so each year is a new experience. this years version is a 7% abv sweet oatmeal stout. it is dark and creamy and slightly sweet from the oats. plenty of roasted character to go along with this beer as well. one of the good highlights is this should be pretty easy for most everyone to find. price ranges from 5.99 - 7.99. very nice, sweet and creamy stuff. perhaps even refreshing at times. one of the winter releases that i always try to find.
 
bells oberon ale

yeah, you could say that i am a pretty big diehard fan of bells beers, and you would be correct. bells is one of my favorite brewers in the country, second only to allagash. oberon is their "summer" ale that is somehow released all year long. it is a wheat beer, very easy to drink, very refreshing, and very crisp. people that do not typically like to experiment with beer - see: bud addicts, coors fans, etc - will like this stuff. even my mom liked it, and she doesnt drink hardly any beer. it looks kind of orange in the glass, with plenty of citrus fruits and a little touch of hops in the nose. the taste is sweet and smooth and bubbly. you will drink the whole pint before you know it. not sure what the abv on this is (too lazy to look) but its under 6%. probably around 5.5 or 5. the lower abv and great taste make this a session beer to be reckoned with. priced about 9.99 a six pack.
 
bells hopslam

hopslam is just as you may figure, not a weak ass pussy beer designed for the people that IV coors light. it is bold, full of hops, and it is really exteremely bitter. it is, however, a wonderful concoction of flavors. the initial pour looks like a glass of orange juice. there is somewhat of a head on it, but its mostly just an orange cloudy beer. the smell is full of hops, grapefruits, pine, and some sugar sweetness. taste is a kick in the teeth, and you could probably strip paint with this beer. very smooth and easy to drink, but the level of hops in this make it a beer for people that like real beer, not the watered down stuff. if you arent afraid to try some new stuff, and dont mind a full flavored bold hoppy beer, seek it out. its great stuff.

9.5% abv. 15.99 / six pack. double IPA. avaliable in michigan / probably ohio. this one wasnt distributed too far. if you got friends up there, seek out the hopslam, the newest bells creation thus far.
 
Dave and I went to Cap N' Cork yesturday and fought over the last three bottles of Anderson Valley Brewing Companies' Brother David's Triple Ale (10% abv...this stuff is better than Spaten Optimator...). Needless to say, Dave won (and I'm still a little pissed about that). So I picked up V Twelve from Victory Brewing Company. Coming in a stunning 1 Pint bottle and ranking in at at 12% abv, this guy really does the trick!

It's a Belgian style beer and is very bubbly (a little too much carbination for my taste). No bitterness accumpanied by a nice hoppy and sweet taste. Not too sweet though. If it were not for the $8.99 price tag, I would be buying this much more often. That is, if they are out of Brother David's Triple Ale ;) .
 
Victory's STORM KING IMPERIAL STOUT

http://www.victorybeer.com/storm_king.html

COMPOSITION
Malts: Imported 2 row
Hops: American whole flowers
Alcohol by Volume: 9.1%

Oh man is this a dreamy stout! Slightly sweet with a depth of flavor that goes on and on. Just wonderful stuff if you like stouts.

I paid a little over 10 bucks a six pack and it's worth every penny.
 
Dogfish Head's BURTON BATON

10% abv

http://www.dogfish.com/brewings/Limited_Edition_Beers/Burton_Baton/22/index.htm

The Dogfish Head folks have taken a mix of their 90 Minute IPA and an English strong ale and aged it in Oak Barrels. This has a sweet, almost bourbon like flavor with notes of vanilla. It's an interesting twist on their already excellent 90 minute. Rich and delicious...almost too good for mortals. At 15 bucks for a 4 pack this mortal won't be drinking too much of it but it's a nice treat...something that would be great for toasting special occasions.
 
dogfish head 60 minute ipa

picked up a 6 pack of the 60 min this afternoon and i'm drinking one right now. pours a somewhat light amber color..small initial head that shrinks down but a tiny bit remains. the smell is great if you love the smell of a good ipa. the taste is a tad different though. a good hoppy bitterness to it..but theres a little more than the smell..i guess a slight maltyness to the taste. that malt flavor mellows out in the aftertaste.

personally i wish it tasted more like it smelled..but its still a pretty good, easy to drink ipa. the only draw back for me is the price. this stuff isn't cheap, so it will be some time till i get around to buying more. isn't that the worst part of micro brews? :onfire:

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sea dog riverdriver hazelnut porter

roasted hazelnut...the first two words that will come to your mind when you smell and taste this porter. in a blind smell test you might even be able to trick people into thinking its some coffee with hazelnut syrup in it. tastes a little malty too. not really much head at all and the beer is pretty dark. not black, but not amber. more to the black side of the scale between the two.

i think its pretty good. not my favorite porter, but definitely not one of my least favorites. the hazelnut is very front and center, so if you don't like hazelnut, i would avoid this beer like the plague. not to say its overpowering..but its the key flavor in this beer. not very heavy compared to some porters. easy to drink, not too expensive (not bud cheap though), and a pretty good porter. after having this, i'll be sure to try some of their other beers.

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duvel belgian golden ale

a delicious tasting belgian ale. smells a little sweet, and you can smell some yeast. (theres a bit at the bottom, so don't pour all of it out unless you really like yeast.) no matter how slow i've poured this beer into the nice duvel glass i got a month or two ago, there is just a ton of head to this beer. it diminishes for the most part..but a small amount remains till the end. 8.5% ABV which you can sort of taste..but i think overall the beer does a good job at not tasting too alcoholic. to me it smells a little more alcoholic than it tastes. i am not really a fan of a strong alcohol taste. tastes slightly sweet and yeasty like the smell though...not very heavy. i'm pretty sure this stuff is fairly easy to find around the country but i honestly don't know much about the beer selections around the country so don't quote me on it. definitely worth a try if you like belgian ales and haven't tried it already. not the cheapest either, which seems to be a trend with belgians..but its a nice treat every now and then. and now for a slightly out of focus picture.

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unibroue trois pistoles

have been waiting to try this one after someone up in canada kept telling me how good it was. its a belgian strong dark ale...clocking in at 9% ABV. pretty dark stuff, though the head is fairly light, almost creamy looking. very smooth...alcohol doesn't taste nearly as strong as it could, which to me is a good thing. it gets balanced out with all the other flavors going on. slightly yeasty...somewhat sweet. it tastes more subdued or balanced than it smells. still smells good, but i think i can notice the alcohol more that way. so far i've liked all the unibroue offerings i'm able to purchase here (maudite, blanche de chamble, la fin du monde, and now trois pistoles) i recommend them to anyone who likes belgian style ales.

great for sipping..as you won't want to finish it too fast. ;)

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