1001 Beers

Beer No: 107
Page No: 247
Category: Amber

At first I thought I had made a mistake, because this bottle is part of the "Imperial Series" by Samuel Adams and the beer listed was just the Double Bock, but upon turning to the page in 1001 Beers, it's clear that this is the beer they intended to put in the book.  Which is kind of annoying because I didn't really enjoy this beer at all.  I thought the flavors were a bit medicinal and the "imperialization" of the beer just didn't really help out at all.  The taste was just acceptable with some smoked malts and some hints of coffee, but the heavy hops they tried to add just threw things out of whack.  That being said, it certainly didn't ruin my International Beer Day.

And in honor of International Beer Day, here's a wonderful song about Duvel, among my favorite beers as well.

My review, cross-posted at RateBeer.com:

Samuel Adams Imperial Double Bock by Boston Beer Company

Aroma: 6/10
Appearance: 3/5
Taste: 6/10
Palate: 2/5
Overall: 9/20

Rating: 2.6 / 5.0

Had from 12oz bottle. Pours dark brown with slight tan head and good lacing. Aroma is heavy smoked malts, some coffee, and alcohol. Taste is alcohol, lots of malts, and a nice hop bite at the finish. A bit disappointing, had expected something a bit more complex and less medicinal.

Beer No: 106
Page No: 420
Category: Blond

It's funny, back to back posts where I originally rated the beer 7-8 years ago, and then looking back today, I feel completely different about it.  I really enjoyed this Liberty Ale and it'll be my go-to in the future if I'm just looking for a quick six-pack to take to a party (previously I usually just picked up Sierra Nevada Pale).  I really enjoyed this American Pale Ale finding it to be incredibly complex, yet wonderfully balanced.  Easy to drink with tons of flavor, I just couldn't have been happier this morning.  As mentioned, this is the second beer in a row that I've taken another look at and a commenter yesterday picked up on the change and I agree with him how fun it is to sometimes look back at old ratings and see how our tastes have evolved.

I really like the fact that you came back and did a re-review. It's interesting from a beer drinkers' perspective to see how our tastes and moods change from one sitting to another over time. And from a readers' perspective it's interesting to see two different takes on a beer - especially if they're from the same person. Gives a more complete idea of the beer.

In beer news, the Craft Brewers Alliance bought Kona, rescuing them and allowing Kona to contiue to create great craft brews.  When I first read about the acquisition, I at first thought of Kraft, and found a brewery to be an odd choice, but then realized it's something completely different:

Under the agreement, Kona will become a wholly owned subsidiary of Craft Brewers, which also distributes the beers of Chicago's Goose Island Brewery. Craft Brewers was formed with the merger of Portland's Widmer Brothers Brewing and Woodinville, Wash.,-based Redhook Ale Brewery in 2008.

I'm glad Kona will be able to continue to produce the beers the way they want to and hopefully the Craft Brewers Alliance can provide distribution that will help them grow.

((And yes, this review is being back-posted to fill in some gaps in reviews.  So you'll notice the re-rate on August 4th and the article from August 3rd despite the article being "posted" on July 29th.))

My review, cross-posted at RateBeer.com:

Anchor Liberty Ale by Anchor Brewing Company

Aroma: 7/10
Appearance: 4/5
Taste: 8/10
Palate: 4/5
Overall: 15/20

Rating: 3.8 / 5.0

UPDATED: AUG 4, 2010 Wow, what a difference 7 years makes. Had from bottle, this beer is thoroughly refreshing. Pours golden yellow with a slight orange tint and tons of head. Beer actually foamed over on me when taking the cap off. Aroma is perfect balance of floral hops and muted malts. Flavor is wonderful. Quite possibly my new favorite easy-drinking beer. The perfect amount of hops complement the complex malts. Probably my new favorite in the APA category. Wonderfully smooth finish, a very well-rounded beer.

Had on tap at Callahan’s on February 19th, 2003
The beer was poured a golden yellow with a slight head that dissipated quickly. Aroma is slightly fruity, but weak. Taste is hoppy and bitter with an aftertaste that is slightly acidic. Not an outstanding taste - drinkable, but not tops on my list.
Original Rating: 4/3/6/4/12 2.9/5.0

Beer No: 103
Page No: 930
Category: Specialty

Yum, yum, yum.  This is the reason I'm heading up to Russian River in August.  Their beers are legendary here in California, and most likely across the United States.  Amongst those that know a good sour, they know Russian River.  You really have no idea how excited I am to be able to visit Russian River in early August.  I'll be there for a nice lunch at their restaurant, hope to take a quick tour of the brewery, and then hit the road to have dinner and a tour up at Sierra Nevada a bit further north.  I had planned to continue my trip by heading up to Portland, but with finances still being tight, I just can't justify the cost of added hotel nights, more gas, more beer bought (well, that's justifiable), and other expenses.  But checking Kayak, round trip flights up there are just $221, so I'll probably go at some point, find a nice downtown hotel, and not even worry about having a car.

As for this amazing Russian River brew, I rated it almost exactly the same as the awesome Consecration.  I think it really says something about this beer when it's the #2 sour ale on all of RateBeer.com.  Lost Abbey's Yellow Bus is #1 and I almost got some of it last Saturday, but instead went to the home brew competition results luncheon at the Orange County Fair to accept our award for our first place Sweet Stout ("our" being Arkh Brewing).  Hopefully I'll have the chance to try Yellow Bus soon as I can't live without knowing what the #1 sour beer tastes like.  Oh, by the way, Supplication is #3 on the site.  Lost Abbey / Pizza Port holds spots 4 through 7 and Russian River holds spot #8 with Temptation (one of the 1001 and coming in mid-August).  Pretty insane that the top 8 sour beers come from just two producers.  If only I could figure out a way to master this type of brew.

My review, cross-posted at RateBeer.com:

Russian River Supplication by Russian River Brewing

Aroma: 9/10
Appearance: 4/5
Taste: 9/10
Palate: 5/5
Overall: 17/20

Rating: 4.4 / 5.0

Batch 005X3 from Hi Time Wine Cellars. An amazing way to follow up last week’s Stone Sour Fest and an absolutely wonderful beer that I’ve had many times, but never rated. Pours with a reddish brown hue, fine carbonation, and slight tan head which dissipates quickly. Nose is mostly cherries, pinot, brett, lactic acid, and sour vinegar. Taste is perfectly balanced sourness with lots of cherries, plums, oak, wine, vinegar and citrus. Finishes perfectly with lingering fruits and oak. I just love this stuff.

Beer No: 102
Page No: 918
Category: Specialty

The last of my Stone Sour Fest reviews, this is the Lost Abbey Red Poppy.  It's easily one of my favorites (though their new Russ - strawberry sour - was pretty amazing as well), but the Cuvee de Tomme still ranks as my favorite Lost Abbey brew (I'll post both reviews below).  One day, when I'm rolling in cash, I'll join the Lost Abbey Sinners & Saints program, but for now, I'll be content with my Bruery Reserve Society membership.  Enough with Lost Abbey, on to the beers.  For the final listing, here are the beers from "C" East Side of Lawn - all on draft.  A * indicates I tried it - a º indicates I skipped it because I knew I had already tasted it at a previous festival.

• "C" East Side of Lawn
  • Lagunitas Pinot Noir Barreled Sonoma Farmhouse Saison Style Ale
  • The Lost Abbey Duck Duck Gooze *
  • The Lost Abbey Framboise de Amorosa *
  • The Lost Abbey Red Poppy Ale *
  • The Lost Abbey Russ *
  • The Lost Abbey Veritas Ale 07 *
  • Moylan's Barrel Aged Kilt Lifter with Brett
  • New Belgium La Folie
  • New Belgium Lips of Faith Eric's Ale º
  • New Belgium Lips of Faith Transatlantique Kriek º
  • New Belgium Love - Felix (dry hopped) *
  • New Belgium Love - Oscar (spiced) *
  • New Belgium Tart Lychee *
  • Ommegang Zuur *
  • Russian River Consecration º
  • Russian River Supplication º (tomorrow's beer)
  • Six Rivers Raspberry Lambic *
  • Triple Rock Sour Cherry Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels *
  • Dogfish Head Festina Peche º
  • Drake's FrakenBerry Sour
  • Drake's Kuato

I think this quote from Lost Abbey's director of brewing, Tomme Arthur pretty much sums up my feelings on all the sour ales (my personal favorite style of beer):

"Perhaps the single most defining beer moment for me came when I experienced my first Rodenbach Grand Cru.  It was a seminal moment, as I only then began to understand that beer could possess a range of flavors outside of bland and watery.  The beer was ruby with brown highlights.  It was at once sweet and sour, woody and dry.  This beer was an epiphany for me."

I think any craft beer drinker can agree with Tomme.  There's that moment when you discover that there's a whole world out there outside of the Corona, Bud Lite, and Miller High Life.  There's a world full of flavor, complexity, and range.  A beer can at once be "sweet and sour, woody and dry."  It doesn't have to taste like nothing and only serve the purpose of getting you drunk.  A good beer should be imbibed to experience a full range of flavors, and once experienced, there's no going back.

Thank you to all the visionaries out there.  Those at Stone, Lost Abbey, Cascade, Russian River, AleSmith, The Bruery, Bootlegger's, and countless others whom have made my life better through drink.  Keep up the good work, maybe one day I will work beside you.

My review, cross-posted at RateBeer.com:

Lost Abbey Red Poppy Ale by Port Brewing / Lost Abbey

Aroma: 8/10
Appearance: 4/5
Taste: 8/10
Palate: 4/5
Overall: 16/20

Rating: 4.0 / 5.0

Had on tap at Stone Sour Fest 2010. Easily one of my favorite Lost Abbey beers. The Red Poppy pours with a deep brownish-red color and slight tan head. Aroma of cherries, oak, lactic acid, vinegar, and citrus. Taste is equally complex with the cherries being the dominant flavor with the citrus and acids backing it up. Well balanced, finishes nicely, a true gem from Lost Abbey.

Pizza Port Cuvee de Tomme by Port Brewing / Lost Abbey

Aroma: 8/10
Appearance: 5/5
Taste: 9/10
Palate: 4/5
Overall: 16/20

Rating: 4.2 / 5.0

Had on draught at The 12 Hour Belgian Beer Party at Pizza Port Carlsbad on March 8, 2003  #34 on the program and #100 for me!!!

The beer has a very pleasing aroma - a slight wine smell laced with cherries. It's a bit tart, but wow, it's extremely flavorful. The beer has a beautiful appearance with no head and a clear, dark red hue. The beer is sweet, slightly acidic with a very complex, flavorful density. I had actually left the Beer Fest for dinner, but upon reviewing my program, saw I missed this highly recommended beer. I went back, bought another ticket and enjoyed this very fine beer. An absolutely wonderful beer.

Beer No: 99
Page No: 853
Category: Specialty

About 1% of the U.S. population is gluten-intolerant, so they are unable to imbite or ingest many of the common grains used to make beer.  Which is truly a shame.  Luckily, there's a few sorghum-based beers out there that are gluten-free and safe for them to drink.  Unfortunately, the flavors are really lacking and the sorghum provides an unusual flavor that really just doesn't go well with a drink I want to have in my hand while relaxing.  Since I've never had any other gluten-free beers before, it's tough to compare this one to others, but based on this one, I'll probably never sample another one unless I must.

My review, cross-posted at RateBeer.com:

Bard's The Original Sorghum Malt Beer brewed by Gordon Biersch Brewing Company under contract for Bard's Beer

Aroma: 4/10
Appearance: 3/5
Taste: 3/10
Palate: 2/5
Overall: 7/20

Rating: 1.9 / 5.0

12 oz. bottle. Pours a clear, light yellow with good carbonation and a slight head. Aroma is faint, mostly grass, bread. Flavor is...interesting. Nothing special, hints of faint hops, grassy, slight sweetness. Finish lingers a bit too long. Not something I’d ever try again, but for those that can’t tolerate gluten, perhaps this is the beer for you. Sorry you’re just missing out on a truly flavorful experience.

Beer No: 94
Page No: 120
Category: Amber

World Cup Day 16...what is there to say?  Today's beer comes from the United States, and just like that, the United States is out.  A very disappointing game in which they give up an early goal AGAIN, manage to tie it, have chances to win it, push it to extra time, and give up another early goal, and can't recover.   A sad day, but I've still got Germany in it, so it's not all bad quite yet.  In the early game Uruguay handled South Korea pretty well.  They gave up a goal (the first of the tournament), but scored two pretty easily, advancing to the round of 8 where they now face the afternoon's winner, Ghana.

Of course, I picked the United States to win (the homer pick) and couldn't have been more wrong, but in the early game, I predicted a 2-1 Uruguay win, so nice call there (though 2-1 is pretty easy to guess and could be called for most games - as that was the final score of the Ghana / U.S. game as well).

For today's beer, we have a new American classic, New Belgium's Fat Tire Amber Ale.  It's their flagship beer and, while a solid, consistent beer, it just isn't the best that New Belgium puts out and it's just a good, run-of-the-mill amber ale.  As noted in 1001 Beers though, in an interview with brewmaster Peter Bouckaert, he commented, "Luckily, we have Fat Tire, and that allows us to do all these other things."  So, I'm glad Fat Tire's around, because it allows them to produce amazing beers like La Folie, Love, and the amazing Lips of Faith Series (Eric's Ale, Dark Kriek, Transatlantique Kriek, Biere de Mars, and many others).

My review, cross-posted at RateBeer.com:

New Belgium Fat Tire Ale by New Belgium Brewing Company

Aroma: 6/10
Appearance: 3/5
Taste: 6/10
Palate: 3/5
Overall: 10/20

Rating: 2.8 / 5.0

Had from six-pack - 12 oz. bottle from BevMo. Pours amber in color, slight tan head. Aroma is malty with slight hop undertones. Taste is fairly weak for an amber, nicely balanced, but doesn’t show off any flavors well. Nice nutty flavors linger afterwords. A solid, consistent amber, but nothing out of the ordinary.

Beer No: 2/1001
Page No: 491
Category: Blond

I had hoped for something a bit more exotic for beer #2 of my 1001 beers, but when you see one lone Sierra Nevada Pale Ale sitting in the fridge, it has to be imbibed.  This poor bottle was the sole survivor of last night's festivities.  During that time, 5 of his brothers perished and 6 of his cousins, the Torpedo Extra IPA also gave their lives.  But he survived, showed true grit, and almost made it to the weekend, but it was not meant to be...

So while this lone bottle might not be the most exotic or rarest beer in the book, when I started reading about it, I was happy about my selection.  The author calls it "one of the most important beers in th[e] book."  First brewed in 1980, this pale clocks in at just 5.6% ABV, but the true genius of the beer is the ability to perfectly balance the hops and malts.  And the true beauty of the Sierra Nevada lies in the hops.  Randy Mosher continues, "Sierra Nevada's founder Ken Grossman wanted to make a beer that didn't reference English pale ales, and that had a pronounced hop aroma - there weren't that many in those days."  It goes on to recount how he formulated the original recipe and used a new strain of hops for the time, Cascade.  It's hard these days to imagine a beer world in which Cascade hops don't exist.  They're a staple that first appeared in the late 1970's and are used in most every American pale, IPA, or any hoppy beer.

1001 Beers goes on to talk about how it is still brewed to this day with whole hop cones rather than hop pellets, a tradition that I hold near and dear.  Though I have recently converted to hop pellets for recent home brews, I do believe that some of our best beers (Arkh Brew is a collaboration between myself and a friend) contained whole cone hops.  I just believe there's something more "pure" about using the cones instead of the ground cones that make up the pellets.  I hope one day to return to whole cone hops and, hopefully, create something as amazing as Ken Grossman's quintessential pale ale.

A final note: this post is labeled with (Bottle) at the end because, and this was news to me, there is a draft version of this pale ale that is available on tap only at Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.  It's a long, 8.5 hour drive away for me, but one of these days I'll make it out there.

My review, cross-posted at RateBeer.com:

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (Bottle) from Sierra Nevada Brewing Company

Aroma: 8/10
Appearance: 4/5
Flavor: 7/10
Palate: 3/5
Overall: 14/20

Rating: 3.6 / 5.0

Had from bottle. Pours golden-amber with a slight, quickly dissipating head. I might be a little too used to the Torpedo, so the hops are a bit too disguised within the malts in this finely balanced pale ale. Aroma of hops, citrus, and sugars. Flavors are a nice balance of hops and malts. I have to just remind myself that this is a pale ale, and not an IPA or an extra IPA. It’s supposed to be balanced, not too hoppy, and not too bitter. In that case, Sierra Nevada does a great job here.