Beers #194-203: Local Tastings from September(ish)

In mid-August, we met some friends for dinner at The Knickerbocker in Altoona.

#194/365: Flying Dog Pearl Necklace Oyster Stout:
Nice roasted malt aroma, bitter with some chocolate and coffee. Dark black opaque with creamy light tan head. On nitro, smooth and creamy. Hints of coffee, smoke, and chocolate, with light carbonic tang at the finish with smooth nutty bitter after.  Dry Stout  72/100

 In early September, we were in Pittsburgh and had lunch at Burgatory.

#195/365: Full Pint Chinookie (Wet Hop) IPA:
Great fresh hop aroma, piney, herbal, and spicy. Medium golden amber clear with thin white head. Medium bodied with medium carbonation. Sweet with oranges and tons of hop flavor, sticky and bitter. Bitter finish and after. Nice fresh-hop IPA.  India Pale Ale  82/100

Some miscellaneous tastings throughout September:

#196/365: Flying Dog Dogtoberfest:
On tap at Twisted Jimmy’s. Mild malt aroma with some caramel and biscuit. No discernible hop character. Coppery amber clear with light haze and very little head. Medium-light body with medium-high carbonation. Starts moderately sweet, a little dull, with mild biscuit and caramel. Carbonic bite, a little watery but clean. Mild nutty bittersweet finish and smooth nutty after.  Oktoberfest/Märzen  54/100 

#197/365: Straffe Hendrik Brugs Tripelbier 9°:
From bottle, courtesy of Dave S. Neutral fruity character with biscuit and caramel, light hop notes and some oxidation - butterscotch. Warm coppery amber, cloudy with creamy off-white lacing head. Medium-heavy body with high carbonation. Starts sweet with neutral fruity character with biscuit and caramel. Pleasing hoppy bitter finish with lingering sweet-bitter after.   Abbey Tripel  80/100

 #198/365: Porterhouse Wrasslers XXXX Stout:
From bottle, courtesy of John C. Mild roasted nutty nose, chocolate, coffee, and light bitter hops. Some vanilla and caramel. Dark black opaque with thin tan head. Medium bodied with medium-high carbonation. Starts pretty dry with roasted-burnt malt, and hop bitterness. Light coffee and chocolate, some vanilla sweetness. Finish is fairly smooth with carbonic bit and bitter hop after.  Dry Stout  70/100

#199/365: Guinness Red Harvest Stout:
From draught can. Mild biscuit, woody with nitro gaseousness and light hops. Bit of neutral fruity character. Dark coppery amber brown clear with creamy off-white to coppery tinted lacing head. Medium-light body with nitro smoothness. Moderately sweet start with neutral fruity character, cherry wood, and very little bitterness. Finish is smooth with light sweet nutty notes and clean after. Very easy drinking and reminds me of Caffrey’s.  Dry Stout  74/100

#200/365: Penn Pumpkin Roll Ale:
On tap at Twisted Jimmy’s. Sweet vanilla and pumpkin spices in the nose, bready with some caramel. Medium coppery amber clear with light haze, topped with thin off-white head. Nutmeg and eggnog. Medium watery body with medium-high carbonation. Starts sweet with pumpkin, vanilla, and biscuit. Sweet throughout but not cloying. Some nutmeg and eggnog tastes. Finishes sweet with spice and pumpking and very light bitterness.  Spice/Herb/Vegetable  68/100

#201/365: East End Moktoberfest Altbier:
From growler. Sweet nutty-biscuit aroma. Grainy and dusty with mild hop notes. Neutral light fruity character. Deep coppery amber clear with thin off-white lacing head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts moderately sweet with biscuit, caramel, and nutty bitter notes. Lots of hop bitterness. Smooth nutty-sweet finish, lasting bitter character. Smooth after - nice Alt.  Altbier  74/100

#202/365: Old Forge Overbite IPA:
From can, courtesy of John C. Nice hoppy floral aroma, sweet malt character and light tang. Notes of orange. Medium amber orange clear with thin white lacing head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts sweet and syrupy with fruity notes, oranges, and sticky sweet and resinous hops. Alcohol warming with sweet finish. Nice IPA with hoppy sweet after.  India Pale Ale  82/100

#203/365: East End Pourganic Farmhouse Ale:
From growler. Wonderful jasmine fragrance, yeasty with some bubblegum and spice. Sweet. Medium golden clear with foamy white lacing head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Starts sweet with pilsner malt, jasmine, biscuit, honey, and wheat. Nice estery balance with mild bitterness. Bit of chalky bitter finish with floral notes. Sweet spicy after. A really nice saison.  Saison  82/100

Next up in the backlog ... a trip to D.C.