Beers #152-171: Miscellaneous Summer Tastings

Some more ratings from June & July at various locations ...

#152/365: BrewDog Original Dogma:
From bottle, courtesy of dpjuart. Rye, green peppercorns, floral with pineapple, lemongrass, allspice, and sassafras. Deep coppery amber clear with foamy off-white lacing head. Starts and stays spicy with herbal notes. Smooth and sweet with lasting herbal and bitter finish. Fairly clean after.  Spice/Herb/Vegetable  72/100

#153/365: Evil Twin Yang:
First beer tried in my new Spiegelau IPA glass. Sweet caramel and toffee, mild Twizzlers and brown sugar. Aromatic floral-fruity hops and tea with candied oranges. Hazy orange amber, dark with amber creamy lacing head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Alcohol warming. Starts and stays sweet with brown sugar and candi sugar, alcohol, and neutral fruity character. Floral hoppy character with oranges and apricots. Sweet finish with alcoholic warming. Medium bitter after with sugary tang.  Imperial/Double IPA  84/100

#154/365: Heather Ales Grozet:
From bottle, courtesy of Frank. Light earthy sewage notes. Wheaty with an astringent tang. Hazy-cloudy pale amber with thin white dissipating head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts medium dry and dull with wheat and a flat hop bitterness. Light bitter berry flavor. Sulfury-sewage aroma permeates the flavor, too. Astringent bitter after.  Traditional Ale  32/100

#155/365: Just Beer Horseneck Golden IPA:
On tap at Benjamin’s. Mild floral hop aroma with some butterscotch and biscuit. Medium amber hazy with thin off-white lacing head. Medium body and carbonation. Starts dry with lots of hop flavor, light carbonic acidity and medium biscuit sweetness. Big finishing hop flavor with lasting medium bitter after.  India Pale Ale  64/100

#156/365: Blue Point Rastafa Rye Ale:
On tap at the Knick. Really nice floral hoppy aroma, sweet with caramel and some brown sugar. Spicy rye grain notes. Hazy medium amber with thin off-white head. Medium body with heavy carbonation and carbonic fizz. Starts medium sweet with biscuit and toffee, light spicy character and decent floral hop flavor. Light sweet finish and smooth after.  Specialty Grain  58/100

#157/365:  Nøgne Ø Imperial Stout: From bottle, 4 or 5 years old. Smoky roasted aroma with toffee, vanilla, and a bit of oak. Dark black opaque with no head. Medium heavy body with medium carbonation and alcohol warming. Starts sweet with chocolate, vanilla, oak, and toffee. Big rich malt profile with medium dry bitter roast and some hop bitterness components. Finish is sweet with alcohol notes, roasted bitterness and coffee. Smooth sweet after.  Imperial Stout  84/100

#158/365: Fat Head's #1:
On tap at Mad Mex, Cranberry. Pleasant floral-sweet malt notes with honey, jasmine, and yeast. Mild bubblegum esters. Medium amber clear with light haze, topped with thin white head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Starts and stays sweet with lots of floral and fruity character, yeast, and bubblegum. Smooth sweet finish with no bitterness.  Saison  72/100

#159/365: Dark Horse Artic Dekoorc Eert:
On tap at Mad Mex, Cranberry. Wonderful hoppy apricot aroma. Fruity and fresh with light resin and light sweetness. Medium golden amber clear with thin head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Mild sweet starts with tons of hop flavor. Apricot and resin, big bitterness throughout. Finish is apricot and mild sweet with big bitter. Medium bitter after.  India Pale Ale   72/100

#160/365: Hill Farmstead What Is Enlightenment?:
From growler, courtesy of Peter & Yolanda. Beautiful hop aroma - piney, apricot, pineapple - sweet and luscious. Pale golden haze with thin white lacing head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts medium sweet with tons of hop flavors. Mild bitterness but intense flavor. A delicious APA and a real treat to try.  American Pale Ale  92/100

#161/365: Otto's Arthur's Imperial Red:
On tap at the brewery. Malt roasty character, nice sweet notes. Mild fruity character, nutty with medium hop aroma. Floral. Dark ruby-amber clear with thin off-white lacing head. Medium body with cask carbonation. Starts malty with roasted grain and lots of fruity notes. Floral hops, bitter throughout. Finish is smooth and nutty with tons of great hop flavor.  Amber Ale  78/100

#162/365: Goose Island Night Stalker:
On tap at Zeno’s. Sweet with licorice and molasses. Chocolate, coffee, cream, and smoke. Alcohol vapors. Dark black opaque with thin than head. Medium-heavy watery body with medium carbonation. Chewy. Starts and stays cloyingly sweet with soy, molasses, licorice, chocolate, and syrup. Big sweet finish and after with cloying sweet soy notes.   Imperial Stout  76/100

#163/365: Elk Creek Great Blue Heron Pale Ale:
On tap at Zeno’s. Rye, malted grain, spicy hop nose. Medium amber clear with some haze, topped with thin white head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts with spicy rye notes, dry grain, and pale malt sweetness. big hoppy presence but not harsh or overpowering. Nice pale ale.  American Pale Ale  72/100

#164/365: Church Brew Coconut Stout:
On tap at Benjamin’s. Light roasted malt with a bit of acrid smoke, lactose sweetness and a hint of coconut and chocolate. Dark black opaque with creamy light tan lacing head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Starts medium dry with roasted and lightly burnt malt. Coconut flavor with some coffee and chocolate, and a bit of carbonic acidity. Finish is sweet with coconut and vanilla and mild nutty bitterness. A little watery.  Sweet Stout  64/100

#165/365: Ommegang Fleur de Houblon:
On tap at Zeno’s. Nice floral-fruity nose, like a traditional saison. Honey and bubblegum and spice. Mild hops. Light golden clear with some haze, topped with thin head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts medium sweet with dry hop flavor, bubblegum, and wheat. Fairly dry finish with smooth sweet after.  Belgian Ale  80/100

#166/365: Old Forge Celestial Blond Ale:
On tap at The Knick. Mild sweet wheat aroma with some coriander and orange. Honey. Golden amber clear with light haze and thin white lacing head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts sweet with bubblegum, coriander, and honey. Some yeast and fruity esters. Finish is dry with a little honey and mild hop bitterness. Nice but a little too sweet for my taste.  Belgian Ale  66/100

#167/365: Straub IPL:
On tap at The Knick. Rich malty lager aroma, like a heller Bock with lots of fresh grassy hops. There is a note of oxidation here, however not detrimental. Medium-dark amber clear with thin off-white lacing head. Medium-heavy watery body with medium carbonation. Starts medium sweet with rich malt notes and a bit hop bitterness - like a hoppy Bockbier, basically. Some oxidation notes. Big bitter finish and nutty sweetness, with lingering bitter notes.  Premium Lager  58/100

#168/365: Southern Tier 2X Stout:
On tap at The Knick. Mild rich malty nose with lactose, coffee, and chocolate. Pleasant, but not assertive. Mild oak and vanilla. Dark black opaque with beautiful light tan creamy lacing head. Medium body with smooth nitro carbonation. Starts sweet with lactose, chocolate, toasted and slightly bitter malt, and a hint of coffee and smoke. Smooth and sweet with pleasant nutty sweet finish and clean after.  Sweet Stout  80/100

#169/365: Marzoni's Hoppy Wheat:
On tap at the brewery. Nice fresh hop aroma. Citrus, pine, grass, and a bit of wheat tang. Medium amber hazy with thin white lacing head. Medium-light body with medium carbonation. Starts with mild wheat and pale malt sweetness. Huge hop flavor throughout with mild bitter finish and after. More like an APA than a wheat. Refreshing and delicious.  Wheat Ale  82/100

#170/365: New Holland Imperial Hatter:
On tap at Twisted Jimmy’s. Nice hoppy aroma. Spicy and piney with mild sweet caramel and toffee. Deep coppery amber clear with thin head. Medium-heavy body with medium carbonation. Starts somewhat sweet, sugar and caramel. Big hoppy flavor with smooth after and a bit of warming.  Imperial/Double IPA  76/100

#171/365: Lancaster Boss Hog:
On tap at Benjamin’s. Mild hoppy nose, not what I’d expect from IIPA. Deep amber clear with thin head. Medium bodied with medium-high carbonation. Very mild beer for IIPA. Malt sweetness with butterscotch, caramel, and light hop bitterness. Very little bitterness anywhere, with sweet smooth after.  Imperial/Double IPA  60/100

Second Annual Downtown Indiana Oktoberfest

On Saturday, October 12, Downtown Indiana and Holiday Beverages are sponsoring the 2nd Annual Oktoberfest.  Regular session tickets are $35, and the VIP tickets are $60 (SOLD OUT).  For regular session, the event is from 3-6pm, where patrons will be given a 5 oz. commemorative glass for sampling of all the available beers.  Several food vendors will be on hand for separate purchase of sandwiches, kettle corn, funnel cakes, etc.  Live music will be provided, too.

For those who purchased VIP tix, there will be a 2-3pm session, where patrons will be able to sample beers not available during the normal session.  In addition, VIP ticket holders will be able to participate in the after party with festival volunteers and brewers at the Coventry Inn.

Participating brewers this year include: East End Brewing Co., North Country Brewing Co., Rivertowne Brewing Co., Church Brew Works, Marzoni's Brick Oven & Brewing, Penn Brewing Co., Yuengling, and Samuel Adams.  Each brewery will be providing at least two different beers to try (not including VIP selections).

Each patron will be able to vote for their favorite beer of the festival, and the top three beers will be made available at a local pub sponsor (one beer each to the Coney, Twisted Jimmy's, and the Coventry Inn).

The weather forecast looks promising - partly cloudy with high of 70 and no chance of rain!  All proceeds will benefit the Downtown Indiana initiatives.

Beers #136-151: A Week at the Beach

In June, we drove down to Hilton Head, SC for a week's vacation. We've been going on and off since '94, and the beer scene has definitely improved over the years. Up until a few years ago, I usually took stuff with me or ended up just drinking a few SC brews or national brands.  For several trips down, we'd stop in Asheville, NC for a night or two, and I'd grab a case of mixed beers from a couple of the great beers stores there, like Bruisin' Ales.

Luckily, there are now a few places on Hilton Head to find great beer selections, such as Growlers Craft Beer & Ales (link not included because it's recently been attacked with malware).  And, of course, HHI has had a brewpub for years. The food is good, but the beer has been hit and miss. One year we visited and they had ONE beer on tap. During this year's visit, they had five. Meh.  So during this trip, I tried several new beers ...

#136/365: Westbrook White Thai:
From can at Steamers. Coriander and spice, wheat and some clover. Medium golden hazy with thin white lacing head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts sweet and wheaty, light bubblegum and coriander, lemongrass and ginger. Finish is mild bitter with lingering spicy after.  Belgian White (Witbier)  70/100

#137/365: Dieu du Ciel Corne du Diable:
From bottle at Steamers. Really sweet nose, caramel. Big hops, fruity character. Malty and sweet. Deep dark amber, murky with thin off-white lacing head. Medium-heavy body with medium-high carbonation. Starts and stays sweet with tons of roasted grain, caramel and toffee. Mild bitter hop finish. Mainly toffee sweet with lingering nutty bitter after.  India Pale Ale  80/100

 #138/365: Evil Twin/Stillwater/Stone The Perfect Crime Black Smoked Saison:
From bottle. Light chocolate malt. Smoky notes and light acidity, hint of wheat. Dark brown clear with thin light tan lacing head. Medium body and medium carbonation. Starts medium sweet and roast, bitter chocolate, coffee, and smoke. Light carbonic tang. Light smoky flavor, not overbearing.  Saison  76/100

#139/365: BottleTree Belgian Blonde:
From bottle. Huge white head on pouring. Light mild sweetness, not quite corn or vegetal, but not favorable. Light fruity hop component and carbonic gaseousness. Clear golden with visible carbonation and hug white rocky-foamy lacing head. Medium body with vigorous carbonation. Starts sweet with pilsner malt, honey, and a hint of corn. Mild alcohol sweetness. Medium carbonic acidity with light bitter hop finish. Some bitter chalky after and lingering sweetness. Reminds me of certain European supermarket beers or a European strong lager in many ways. Belgian Ale   46/100 

 #140/365: Thomas Creek Appalachian Amber Ale:
From bottle. Nice roasted malt and caramel sweetness. Twizzlers. Has a nice dunker Bock nose. Dark amber-brown clear with thin off-white lacing head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Starts sweet with Twizzlers, caramel, roasted malt, and nutty character. Medium hop bitter finish with lingering sweet nutty after.  Amber Ale  68/100

#141/365: Thomas Creek Up the Creek Extreme IPA:
From bottle. Mild fruity-floral hops with a bit of resin. Caramel and Twizzlers. Dark coppery amber clear with thin light amber head. Medium body with heavy carbonation and alcohol warming. Starts and stays sweet, more like a barley wine than an IIPA. Malty, rich, with nice bittering. Smooth bitter finish, rich and malty. Sweet lingering after.  Imperial/Double IPA  72/100

#142/365: Highland Devil's Britches IPA:
From bottle. Mild hop nose with light orange aroma, a bit spicy with a little rye. Dark amber clear with frothy-foamy white lacing head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts a little malty with carbonic bite and lots of hop bitterness. A bit musky with dry nutty bitter after and light oxidation.  India Pale Ale  62/100

#143/365: BottleTree Imperial Red Ale:
From bottle. Chocolate, some Twizzlers, musty and grainy with light metallic nose. Roasted barley. Dark coppery amber clear with light amber lacing head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts a little sweet and bitter with caramel, roasted barley, and mild hops. Medium grainy and lingering bitter finish. Mild sweet nutty after and lingering bitterness.  American Strong Ale  56/100

#144/365: New South White Ale:
From can. Weak wheat-sulfur aroma. Bit of coriander and staleness. Clear dull golden with light haze and thin white head. Light body with medium carbonation. Starts dull and sweet with light wheat, some coriander and lemon. Finish is weak with no residual bitterness or sweetness. OK for a cold chug but not really a good wit.  Belgian White (Witbier)  30/100

#145/365: Lazy Magnolia Reb Ale:
From bottle, as Deep South Pale Ale. Decent hoppy aroma with a little skunk and caramel. Rich amber clear with off-white foamy lacing head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Starts dry with medium hop bitterness, grainy malt notes and an astringent oxidized bitter quality. Light bit of soap. Finish is medium bitter with lasting astringent bitter after.  American Pale Ale  48/100

#146/365: Westbrook Mexican Cake 1st Anniversary Imperial Stout:
On tap at The Lodge. Nice rich chocolate and coffee nose. Toffee, nutty, with some molasses, mild vanilla, and sugar. Dark black opaque with thin lacing brown head. Thick body with medium carbonation. Starts sweet, malty with lots of cocoa, coffee, molasses, and vanilla. Bitter finish with warming. Nice sweet lingering after with mild bitterness.  Imperial Stout  78/100

#147/365: River Dog IPA:
On tap at The Lodge. Really great hoppy nose. Fresh, fruity, floral and resinous. Mild malt sweetness. Medium amber clear with light foamy lacing head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Starts with juicy fresh hops and pale malt sweetness. Apricot and a little BandAid. A bit salty. Smooth finish with good hop flavor but no harsh residual bitterness. Nice IPA.  India Pale Ale  74/100

#148/365: R.J. Rockers Bald Eagle Brown:
From bottle. Musky grain, damp aroma. Raw, like a homebrew. A little funky with roasted barley. Carbonic gaseousness. Root beer brown clear with huge rocky-foamy tan lacing head. Medium body with vigorous carbonation (over carbed). Medium malt sweetness with caramel and biscuit. Big carbonic tang and fizzy burn. Neutral brown ale flavor with light tang in the finish and nutty smooth after.  Brown Ale  42/100

#149/365: Westbrook Second Anniversary Cap'n Skoon's Ballistic Stout:
From bomber. Really nice nose. Chocolate, vanilla, oak, smoke, coffee, Twizzlers, molasses. Dark black opaque with thin tan head. Oily body with medium carbonation and warming. Starts and stays sweet with roasted barley, coffee, vanilla, and oak. Alcohol. Big bitter finish with lots of roasted and toasted notes. Big sweet after with smoke and tang.  Baltic Porter  88/100

#150/365: R.J. Rockers Honey Amber Ale:
From bottle. So much CO2 that first sniff in the glass almost makes you asphyxiate. Carbonic gaseousness, neutral fruit and light musty grain. Orange amber clear with off-white lacing head. Medium body with heavy carbonation. Medium sweet start with raw grain, honey. Carbonic bite. Dull sweet finish with mild bitter character. Wet fur after, watery sweetness. Amber Ale  40/100

#151/365: Sweetwater LowRYEder:
From bottle. Medium fruity hop aroma and a little spicy rye character. Medium golden amber clear with mild haze, topped with rocky-foamy white lacing head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Solid IPA, mild malt sweetness with a light rye spicy note. Good fruity hop flavor with medium bitter finish and lingering bitter after.  Specialty Grain  74/100

 Up next ... Downtown Indiana Oktoberfest