Beers #218-242: October & November

More of the 2013 backlog ...

#218/365: Allagash Black:
From bottle. Rich roasted malt aroma with licorice and coffee, bitter chocolate. Some Belgian-like esters and a hint of lactose. Dark brown-black clear with thin tan head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts with carbonic bite, rich roasted barley and licorice. Mild bitter chocolate and coffee with bitter-sweet finish. Fizzy carbonic after with nutty sweetness.  Foreign Stout  68/100

#219/365: Stone 17th Anniversary Götterdämmerung IPA:
On tap at Twisted Jimmy’s. Big hoppy spicy aroma with a little bit of sweetness, biscuit, peach, and candy corn. Hazy amber orange with creamy lacing white head. Medium heavy body with medium carbonation. Starts medium dry with orange and peach fruity character. Malty sweet with light fruity hops. Bitter finish but not harsh. Alcohol warming with lingering bitter after.  Imperial/Double IPA  72/100

#220/365: Efes Dark:
From bottle, courtesy of John C. Rich malty double decoction aroma, like Doppelbock and mash. Coppery-ruby brown clear with thin light tan head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Starts malty with mash and Twizzlers. Nutty with some paper. Sweet malty after and light sweetish tang. Watery finish.  Dunkel/Tmavý  58/100

#221/365: Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale:
From bottle, courtesy of John C. Nice sweet brown sugar, fruity hops - quite aromatic. Coppery amber clear with foamy lacing off-white head. Medium heavy body with medium carbonation and alcoholic warming. Starts malty and sweet with brown sugar, hop resin, grapefruit. Sweet finish and syrupy after.  American Strong Ale  78/100

#222/365: BrewDog/Mikkeller I Hardcore You:
From bottle. Sweet with brown sugar, syrupy with lots of fragrant herbal hops. A little muted in the nose with perhaps a little oxidation. Dark amber hazy with thin off-white lacing head. Medium-heavy body with medium carbonation. Sweet start, thick and sugary with good bitterness throughout. Finish is sweet with candied orange, and peach notes. Robust bitter character at the finish with sweet lingering after. Imperial/Double IPA  78/100

#223/365: 21st Amendment Marooned on Hog Island:
From can. Roasted barley, licorice and coffee. Mild smoke and bitter chocolate. Boozy. Dark brown-black clear with cocoa lacing head. Medium-heavy body with medium carbonation and alcoholic warming. Starts and stays sweet with chocolate and licorice. Lots of roasted barley and chocolate malt. Lactose sweetness and medium hop bitter finish. Alcohol sweetness and warming.  Foreign Stout  82/100

#224/365: Anderson Valley Heelch O'Hops:
On tap at Brunzies. Really fruity and sweet, rose, peach, orange and pineapple and some resin. Medium golden amber clear with pillowy-foamy white lacing head. Medium body with medium carbonation and light warming. Starts moderately sweet with lots of sugary-juicy hop flavor, fruity notes and bitter undertones. Medium bitter finish with sweet after and dry bitterness. Nice IPA.  Imperial/Double IPA  82/100

#225/365: Southern Tier Warlock:
From bottle. Roasted malt with rich sweet pumpkin pie spices. Mild nutty notes, chocolate. Dark brown-black clear with thin tan head. Medium heavy body with medium carbonation and light warming. Starts sweet with lots of pumpkin flavor, chocolate and molasses with nutty character. Bitter roasted malt and hop bitterness at the finish. Dry bitter sweet after with pumpkin pie spices lingering. A stouty version of Pumking, basically.   Imperial Stout  80/100

#226/365: R.J. Rockers Son of a Peach Wheat Ale:
From bottle. Nice sweet and musky peach nose. Ripe and fruity, mostly peach aroma with a little bit of hops. Cloudy amber with some floaties, topped with off-white lacing head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts moderately sweet and fruity with lots of peach flavor. Dries out quickly for watery wheat ale flavor, ending with bitter astringent finish and mild fruity after.  Fruit Beer  62/100

#227/365: Heavy Seas Mutiny Fleet The Greater Pumpkin:
On tap at Twisted Jimmys. Really nice bourbon aroma, oaky with vanilla and lots of pumpkin spices. Deep amber hazy with thin off-white lacing head. Medium watery body with heavy carbonation. Starts sweet with bourbon, vanilla, pumpkin pie spices. Smooth oaky notes with warming and bourbon finish. Nice pumpkin beer.  Spice/Herb/Vegetable  78/100

#228/365: Heather Ales Alba Scots Pine Ale:
From bottle, courtesy of Frank. Sweet Twizzlers aroma, caramel and cherry wood. No hop aroma. Dull brownish amber hazy with thin off-white head. Medium watery body with medium-low carbonation. Starts and stays sweet with lots of Twizzlers and cherry. If there is spruce, I can’t discern it from other flavors and the sweetness. Light astringent cherry wood finish with nutty bitterness. Sweet after.  Traditional Ale  48/100

#229/365: Otto's Tequila Barrel-Aged Double D IPA:
On tap at Otto’s. Nice spicy oak aroma with a hint of tequila, grassy with vanilla. Hoppy, hoppy, hoppy nose, but smooth. Medium body with medium carbonation. Dark amber with lacing white head. Nice tequila taste, but not overbearing. Oaky, spicy, vanilla and floral hops. Nice hoppy presence throughout like normal Double D. Mild alcohol warming. Nice smooth finish and after.  Imperial/Double IPA  84/100

#230/365: Shipyard Double Old Thumper Ale:
From bottle, courtesy of John C. Mild hoppy note, sweet malt and light alcohol, raisins and biscuit. Dark amber hazy with off-white foamy lacing head. Medium-heavy body with medium carbonation. Pretty bitter throughout with biscuit and caramel notes. Bitter finish. Not bad but not one I’d seek out on a regular basis.  Barley Wine  66/100

#231/365: Church Brew Ichabod's Revenge:
On tap at Twisted Jimmy’s as Pumpkin Stout. Nice pumpkin pie aroma, sweet with some beany hops and dough. Dark black opaque with thin off-white head. Medium bodied with medium-high carbonation. Starts moderately dry and roasty with good pumpkin pie spice. Mild hop bitterness and thin sugary notes with light nutty spicy bitter finish. Smooth after.   Stout  68/100

#232/365: North Country Mothers Milk Stout:
On tap at North Country. Nice mild chocolate nose with sweet lactose and a hint of smoke. Nutty, coffee with molasses. Dark black opaque with thin lacing head. Medium creamy body with light carbonation. Starts moderately sweet with sweet malt chocolate and some nutty coffee. A little hop and nutty bitterness to it, too. Finish is semi-sweet with mild sugary tang. Smooth after with coffee and cream.  Sweet Stout  70/100

#233/365: North Country Dark Ages Ale:
On tap at North Country. Roasted grain and light burnt nose, a bit of molasses and chocolate. Dark ruby black clear with thin head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Starts moderately sweet with roasted and toasted malts. Chocolate and molasses. Quite a good bit of smoky acidic tang of black malt. Bitter hop and barley finish with lingering bitter after.  Schwarzbier  66/100

#234/365: Victory DirtWolf:
On tap at Twisted Jimmy’s. Really juicy hops, floral and fruity, piney and orange. Dark golden clear with light haze, topped with white foamy lacing head. Medium heavy with medium carbonation. Starts moderately sweet. Lots of hops flavors here, piney, Concord grapes, oranges. Big bitter finish and after.  Imperial/Double IPA 82/100

#235/365: Tröegs Scratch 99:
On tap at Twisted Jimmy’s. Strong spicy aroma, coriander and bitter orange peel. Wheaty malt tang. Pale golden cloudy with thin white lacing head. Medium-light watery body with medium-high carbonation. Starts with wheaty tang and light acidity. Coriander with bitter orange peel, very herbal and floral. Fruity tart finish with lemon notes and watery astringency. A dim wit.  Belgian White (Witbier) 50/100

#236/365: Tröegs Scratch 116:
On tap at Twisted Jimmy’s. Great floral-herbal piney hop aroma. Kinda dank and funky, too, with sulfury notes. Mild sweet aroma on top of that. Medium-dark amber hazy with thin off-white lacing head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Starts with nice orange and tropical fruit undertones. Big fresh hop flavor, with citrus, pineapple, and mild caramel. Finishes with bitterness and light sweet after.  India Pale Ale  78/100

#237/365: Victory Winter Cheers:
On tap at Brunzies. Aroma of talc, wintergreen, and coriander. Reminds me of Army foot powder. Meaty with some sulfur notes, some citrus. Hazy golden amber with thin white head. Medium-light with heavy carbonation. Starts moderately sweet with light carbonic gaseousness. Coriander, mild sulfur, and sweet citrus notes. OK wheat ale, a little watery at the end.  Wheat Ale  58/100

#238/365: Erie Brewing Johnny Rails Pumpkin Ale:
On tap at Brunzies. Nice nose of pumpkin pie spices, sweet and spicy. Medium amber clear with thin white head. Medium bodied with medium carbonation. Pumpkin pie spices, medium to heavy sweetness with light nutty and hoppy bitterness. Smooth finish and after, well balanced.  Spice/Herb/Vegetable  78/100

#239/365: Smuttynose Gravitation:
From 2013 bomber. Caramel, mild neutral fruity character with some cherry wood. Vaporous with alcohol and heavy duty esters. Raisins, plums, brandy. Beautiful lustrous deep amber-mahoghany clear with thin off-white lacing head. Medium-heavy body with medium carbonation. Alcohol warming. Starts pretty sweet but not cloying. Caramel, biscuit, cherry and cherry wood. Medium sugary tart notes, light tart tang and medium hop bitter finish. Warming sweet-bitter after.  Abt/Quadrupel  74/100

#240/365: New Glarus Unplugged Old English Porter:
From bottle, probably 4+ years old. Nose is tart and mild funk, with a distinct metallic note at first which died out. Oaky with cherry aroma, like a chocolatey Flemish brown ale. Medium-dark brown clear with thin light tan lacing head. Medium watery body with medium to soft carbonation. Starts with soft acidic tang, much like Flemish brown sour, acetic with chocolate malty notes. Caramel and biscuit, too. No hop bitterness. Finish is chocolate with oak and wine-like tartness and fruity acidity. Smooth Tootsie Roll after.  Porter  80/100

#241/365: Goose Island Bourbon County Barleywine:
From bottle at the Knick. Rich aroma, vinuous. Plum, raisin, oak, vanilla, molasses, soy sauce. Sweet and vapory. Nice nose. Dark brown-black clear with no head. Heavy oily body with medium carbonation and alcohol warming. Starts and stays sweet, big malty flavors with raisin, tobacco, plum brandy, oak and vanilla. Bourbon notes. Lingering sweet character and light bitter after with lingering sweetness.  Barley Wine  82/100

#242/365: Straub 1872 Lager:
On tap at The Knick. Mild beany noble hop aroma with a little corn sweetness and carbonic gaseousness. Rich amber clear with thin white head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Mild amber lager with mellow sweetness and moderately assertive bitterness, hint of nutty astringency. Finish is medium bitter with fairly clean after. Muted malty-corn sweet notes. Kinda like a richer Yuengling lager.  Pilsener  54/100

 Up next ... the rest of the 2013 backlog.

Brunzies - A Recent Addition to Indiana's Beer Scene

Last summer, I wrote up a blurb about beer places in Indiana. Last Fall, we got a new player in town: Brunzies.

Brunzies is located next to Subs & Suds, on the corner of 5th and Philadelphia Sts. Though it has a 5th St. entrance, it is closed during winter to avoid freezing everyone at the bar, so enter via Subs & Suds.  Chris Bruns is responsible for Brunzies (his family also runs Subs & Suds and Benjamin's next door).  They're open from 4p-2a daily, and 3p-2a on Fridays.  (not much web presence yet, so no links).

The food menu is a one-pager, simple yet easy to find something of interest. Subs, apps, pizzas, and salads. Good quality and value.  The beer selection is terrific - 20 taps, most of which are dedicated to craft, and a nice bottle selection in addition to a full bar.  The taps are glycol chilled and have short lines; a lot of the craft beers (many are hard to find elsewhere in the area or are one-offs) only comes in quarter kegs, so the turnaround is good and the beer is fresh.  Half-off draughts during 9-11 happy hour.

Brunzies is a little hard to peg ... it's not quite a sports bar, though there are big screens throughout playing games; it's not quite a townie bar or college bar or yuppie ha, though you'll find both demographics present; and it's not a gastropub, though the food is solid and the beers are eclectic.  We've been several times for Friday dinner - by 6pm, there are no seats left in the place (at the bar, tables, or booths).  Patrons range from families with small kids to octogenarians and everything in between

Beers #204-217: A Fall Trip to D.C.

In early October, my wife had a conference to attend in Washington, D.C.  Since my schedule allowed, I was more than happy to drive down with her and enjoy some sites (and beer!).  Unfortunately, this was during the government shutdown, and so I didn't really get to see any monuments or museums.  I did get some work done, enjoyed some walks during the unseasonably warm (80+ degrees) weather, and even did a little geocaching.  On one of my random walks, I happen to "run into" the Prez & VP out for a lunch run. Quite a spectacle.

D.C. has a lot of great beer places! One of our favorite places to eat and drink is Pizzeria Paradiso in Dupont Circle, where we had dinner our first night in town.

#204/365: 3 Stars Pandemic Breakfast Porter:
On cask. Rich malty chocolate notes, sweet alcohol vapor, and espresso. Smooth nose, lots of coffee notes. Dark black opaque with cream tan lacing head. Medium body with cask carbonation. Starts rich and sweet with tons of coffee and espresso, chocolate, smooth and sweet. Nutty sweet coffee finish with very little bitterness. Alcohol warming. Delicious porter.  Imperial/Strong Porter  86/100

#205/365: J.W. Lees Harvest Ale (Calvados):
2012 vintage, on tap. Apple cider tartness with alcohol vapors and fruity esters, light sour Bretty funk and some oaky quality. Medium amber hazy with no head. Heavy body with medium carbonation and alcohol warming. Starts medium sweet with tart apple funk notes and hint of apple brandy, macerated apples. Sweet rich fruity finish with sweet lingering apple after. Nice. Barley Wine  82/100

#206/365: Hofstettner Hochzeitsbier von 1810:
On tap. Pilsner malt sweetness. Beany noble hops. Brewed tea, sweet nutty character. Coppery amber clear with wispy frothy off-white head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Starts moderately sweet with pilsner malts, brewed tea, and a neutral fruity character that had notes of Hawaiian Punch. Light nutty bitter finish and smooth after, with light carbonic after bite.  Zwickel/Keller/Landbier  76/100

The next day for lunch, I went to RedRocks and enjoyed a few beers with pizza.

#207/365: DC Brau The Corruption:
On tap. Mild sitcky sweet nose, with floral-spicy hop character, semi-fresh. Dark coppery amber clear with light haze, topped with thin off-white creamy lacing head. Medium-heavy body with medium carbonation and carbonic bite. Starts somewhat sweet but big dryness simultaneously comes after as a big hit of hop bitterness descends on the tongue. Hoppy and spicy with lots of resin, big bitter finish and dry bitter after.  India Pale Ale  70/100

#208/365: 3 Stars The Urban Farmhouse:
On tap. Mild green peppercorn fruity-spicy aroma, light yeast and wheat. Semi-sweet pilsner malt notes, floral. Golden amber hazy with thin lacing off-white head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts with pilsner malt sweetness, nice hoppy bitter character and light peppercorn spicy-sweetness. Lemon peel and citrus, with sweet-to-dry finish. Nice after and a pretty good saison.  Saison  80/100

The day after that, I stopped in to Kramerbooks & Afterwords Cafe for a pint.

#209/365: Evolution Craft Lot No. 3 IPA:
On tap. Fresh piney and spicy hops nose, very aromatic. Dark amber-orange clear with thin off-white lacing head. Medium body with medium-light carbonation. Caramel and amber malt biscuity notes. Big hop flavor with resin and carbonic bite. Finish is relatively mild in bitterness. Smooth nutty-biscuit after with floral hop leftovers.  India Pale Ale  78/100

And on Saturday for lunch, I went to my favorite D.C. bar - Churchkey - with 555 beers available: 500 bottles, 50 taps, and 5 casks.  AND, in addition to great food, the beers are available in short pours, making it very easy to sample a bunch of stuff without getting too goofy.  If you only get to go to one place in D.C. to drink, make it this place!

#210/365: Westbrook/Evil Twin/CBX Justin Blåbær:
On tap. Sour acetic-sulfur nose to start, like the vinegar you soak Easter eggs in before coloring. Tart with a little funk and fruit. Cloudy amber with odd milky-blue tint. No head. Medium-light body with medium carbonation. Starts and stays tarts with lots of blueberry and acidic flavors. Tarts finish that leaves a pleasant mild blueberry aftertaste - like BooBerry cereal. Funky.  Berliner Weisse  74/100

#211/365: Kelso Fuku:
On tap. Wonderful smoked malt aroma, a little acrid and meaty. Hazy medium amber with frothy white lacing head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts moderately sweet with big smoky flavors. Mild wheat and light hop notes. Bitter sweet smoky finish with nice smoky after. A little watery.  Grodziskie/Gose/Lichtenhainer  76/100

#212/365: Mahrs Bräu Roter Baron:
On tap. Sweet malt aroma, predominantly of Twizzlers. No hops. Light cherry. Coppery amber clear with foamy off-white lacing head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Starts a bit sweet with cherry wood sweetness and astringency. Medium bitter finish, half from hops and half from astringent grain notes. Dull nutty after. Not a very good Alt.  Altbier  52/100

#213/365: Konrad Eso Polotmavý Ležák 11°:
On tap. Sweet malty nose with apple must, raisin, and marsala wine. Coppery amber clear with frothy wispy off-white head. Medium heavy watery body with medium carbonation. Starts sweet with marsala and raisins, light caramel and brown sugar. Dries out pretty quick with noble hop bitterness - moderately bitter finish. Light bitter and sweet marsala after.  Polotmavý  68/100

#214/365: Koutský 12° Kvasnicový Světlý Ležák: 
On tap. Mild hops notes in the nose, subtle and floral with a little bit of sulfur. Hazy golden amber with pillowy white lacing head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts with big malt notes and hop bitterness. Nice beany notes with carbonic bit and lagering hop floral notes. Dry bitter finish and lingering bitter after. Tasty.  Czech Pilsner (Světlý)  80/100

#215/365: Lervig Brewers Reserve Konrad's Stout:
On tap. Rich licorice nose, malty sweet with chocolate and molasses. Dark black opaque with thin light tan head. Medium-heavy body with mild carbonation. Starts and stays sweet with tons of molasses and licorice. Sweet espresso, notes of bitter chocolate. Finish is sweet and rich with sweet lingering after. Very nice stout if you like licorice.  Imperial Stout  84/100

#216/365: Sierra Nevada Narwhal Imperial Stout:
On tap. Sweet rich malty nose, with chocolate, molasses, and coffee. Nutty sweet with some lactose. Dark black opaque with tan lacing head. Medium-heavy body with medium carbonation. Starts sweet and rich, malty with molasses, chocolate, and coffee. Nice roasted bitterness with hop bitter finish. Alcohol warming, with bitter rich lingering sweet after.  Imperial Stout  84/100

 On the way back home, we stopped for dinner at Marzoni's.

#217/365: Marzoni's 10th Anniversary Ale:
On tap. Sweet tripel-like aroma. Wheat, bubblegum esters, and some honey. Fruity and fragrant. Hazy golden amber with thin white head. Medium-heavy body with medium-high carbonation. Starts sweet with wheat, honey, bubblegum, and light spice. Nice dry bitter hop finish, but leaves strong sweet tripel-like after. Nice.  Belgian Strong Ale  82/100

Up next ... October backlog

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.

And the total is ...

Well, my little experiment for averaging 1 beer a day for 2013 did not quite pan out.  I finished the year with 277 new beers, well short of 365, but I certainly enjoyed trying to reach that goal :)

Beers #172-193 from July & August

Lots of catching up to do ... with (as of today) 77 beers in the back-log.  Still short of 365 beers for 2013. And even though I plan to put some more dents in that, I don't think I'll be trying 100+ beers before Dec. 31.

Towards the end of July, John C. and I made a day trip to Pittsburgh to meet face-to-face with some local brewers about the upcoming Oktoberfest. We met with Andrew Maxwell (Rivertowne) and Brendan Benson (East End), and then the GM at Church Brew.  We also stopped in at The Beermuda Triangle and House of 1000 Beers for some samples.

#172/365: Church Brew Lichtenhainer:
Sampled on tap at Church. Very mild maltiness, smokey notes with very light hops. Pale straw clear with light haze, topped with thin head. Medium-light body with medium carbonation. Starts wheat with nice sweet flavor. Medium smokey notes throughout, just enough to be tasty and not overpowering. Sweet clean finish with no bitter after.  Grodziskie/Gose/Lichtenhainer  66/100

 #173/365: Church Brew St. Agricola Ale:
Sampled on tap at Church. Mild spicy sweet nose. Malt and some molasses. Herbal note like lemongrass and/or ginger. Dark brown amber clear with thin head. Medium bodied with medium carbonation. Starts somewhat sweet with herbal/lemongrass citrusy notes and light bitterness. Medium nutty/hoppy bitter finish. Kinda tastes like Sen-Sen (breath freshener) and licorice. Sweet-smooth finish with light nutty sweet after.  Spice/Herb/Vegetable  68/100

#174/365: Church Brew Kenya Coffee Pale Ale:
Sampled on tap at Church. Very mild coffee aroma with neutral fruit sweetness. No discernible hop aroma. Pale golden clear with white lacing head. Medium bodied with medium-light carbonation. Starts with pale malt sweetness and light coffee. Interesting to have this flavor in a light-colored beer for a change. Finish is coffee and nutty sweet, with good hoppy bitter punch.  American Pale Ale  60/100

#175/365: Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Oatmeal Stout:
On tap at Beermuda. Roasted malt, molasses, light chocolate, coffee, and smoke. Sweet nose. Dark black opaque with foamy tan lacing head. Medium-heavy body with medium carbonation. Starts sweet and malty with lots of molasses, chocolate, and coffee. Light bitter finish with sweet lingering after.  Imperial Stout  78/100

#176/365: Bullfrog Blackberry Juju:
On tap at House of 1000. Mild bitter berry nose, semisweet with some muskiness. Light golden amber clear with light haze. Medium bodied with medium carbonation. Starts sweet with mild pale malt and wheat, nice berry flavor and a bit of bitterness. Smooth sweet fruity after. Fruit Beer  72/100

#177/365: Bullfrog Op Tight:
On tap at House of 1000. Wet canvas and hoppy nose, lactic acid and coffee. Smells like the seat of a deuce-and-a-half with coffee spilled on it. Dark black opaque, light tan creamy head. Medium-heavy body and smooth nitro carbonation. Very sweet, rich, malty stout with soy. Sweet nutty finish and sweet after.  Sweet Stout  68/100

 #178/365: Central Waters Illumination Double IPA:  Sampled on tap at House of 1000. Apricot, pineapple, resin and fruit punch. Great hop nose. Golden amber clear with pillowy white lacing head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Sweet with tons of pale malt, orange, pineapple, and apricot esters. Residual sweetness. Big bitter finish with muted bitter after, leaving you with tons of flavor. Nice IIPA.  Imperial/Double IPA  82/100

One evening at Benjamin's, I found ...

#179/365: Stoudts Four Play IPA Batch #2:
Sweet caramel nose with light hop floral notes. Bit of dusty grain and hint of oxidation. Coppery amber clear with thin white lacing head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Starts with light caramel and biscuit. Good hop bitter presence with medium bitter finish and light bitter after. Nutty sweetness.  India Pale Ale  64/100

Dana, Aidan, and I took a trip to IKEA and Pittsburgh one weekend, and I got the following on tap during the required Sharp Edge Creekhouse lunch stop.

#180/365: Southern Tier Plum Noir:
Very light nose of coffee, chocolate, and a bit of plum and raisin. Bit of sweet molasses. Dark black/brown opaque with thin off-white lacing head. Medium-heavy body with medium carbonation. Starts sweet, rich, and malty with lots of chocolate, molasses, and a bit of fruity plum/raisin notes. Light bitter finish with smooth sweet nutty bitter after. Mild warming.  Imperial/Strong Porter  74/100

#181/365: Three Heads Country Shwheat Imperial Wheat: 
Light wheat and orange zest, raw malt, and some carbonic gaseousness. Neutral fruity character. Medium golden amber clear topped with white lacing head. Medium-light bodies with medium carbonation. Wheat notes, mild sweetness. Oxidation or perhaps beer line character? Mild to medium bitter finish with dry astringent bitter after.  Wheat Ale  54/100

At home ...

#182/365: East End Köst's Kölsch: 
From growler. Nice pilsner malt sweetness in the nose, with mild neutral fruity character and a bit of spicy noble hops. Medium golden clear with thin white foamy lacing head. Medium watery body with high carbonation. Starts sweet with pilsner malt and neutral fruity notes. Clean. Nice medium hop flavor and nice bitterness. Finish is light and sweet with crispy bitterness. Smooth clean after.  Kölsch  72/100

 #183/365: Cortland Firehouse Pale Ale:
Mild malt sweetness, with some biscuit and caramel. Lots of carbonic gaseousness and frothy bitters, with some neutral fruity hop character. Beautiful deep amber clear with creamy-foamy white lacing head. Medium watery body with medium carbonation. Starts with muted sweetness and some neutral fruity character, a little orange. Some caramel. Mild hop flavor with light carbonic acidity. Bitterness is closer to astringent but not too detracting. Has a homebrew-y taste to it, but I’m not sure why. Finish is smooth with light sweet after.  American Pale Ale  66/100

On August 8, I drove down to Pittsburgh to meet up with some fellow Ratebeer members for a tasting, hosted by Justin (one of the brewers at Church).  Nice afternoon ...

#184/365: Westbrook Weisse Weisse Baby:
From bottle, at Dog Days Tasting. Mild tart nose, light lactic, wheat, and cranberries. Pale straw hazy with white thin head. Light body with medium carbonation. Starts tart with cranberry and wheat, lactic sourness. Refreshing with sour finish and smooth tart after.  Berliner Weisse  76/100

 #185/365: Tired Hands Mr. Alien:
From growler. Very mild nose, a bit of pale malt but not much funk or tartness. Pale straw with haze, thin white lacing head. Watery body with medium-mild carbonation. Starts mild with light tartness and some funky quality. A bit water, wheat and mild at the finish. Light and refreshing.  Berliner Weisse  64/100

 #186/365: Trinity TPS Report Ale:
From bottle at Dog Days Tasting. Ginger, orange Tic-Tacs and Tang. Fruity, tart with some Brett. Pale golden with light haze and thin head. Medium body and carbonation. Starts tart and fruity with tangerine and orange, Brett and chalky yeast. Reminds me of a traditional lambic. Smooth tart after with light chalkiness.  Sour/Wild Ale  80/100

 #187/365: Tired Hands Lil' (Ol') Lady:
From growler at Dog Days Tasting. Funky Bretty nose with light malt sweetness and some wheat. Medium golden hazy, with white foamy lacing head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Starts moderately tart with wheat, light funk and good bitterness throughout. Orange zest and nice hoppy finish with tart after.  Saison  74/100

 #188/365: Tired Hands Singel Hop Saison, Pacifica:
From growler at Dog Days Tasting. Subtle fruity and floral hop aroma - ethereal and heady. Mild sweetness. Pale golden yellow clear with thin white lacing head. Medium-light body with medium carbonation. Nice hop flavor, mild sweet notes with light bitter finish and after.  Saison  76/100

 #189/365: Trinity Damn, It Feels Good to be A Gangsta!:
From bottle at Dog Days Tasting. Smells like drying latex paint. Dull coppery amber clear with no head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Starts and stays tart with roasted barley and mild hop bitterness. Tart acidic finish with light nutty character and tart after.  Sour/Wild Ale  58/100

 #190/365: Santa Fe Sangre de Frambuesa:
Very mild sweet raspberry juice, musky with light alcohol. This is aged, but has held up well. Coppery amber hazy with off-white lacing head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation and alcoholic warming. Big raspberry flavor, aged but good. Alcohol. Medium sweet raspberry jam with mild funk. Mellow overall with warming. Fruity musky finish with nice raspberry after.  Fruit Beer  82/100

 #191/365: Funky Buddha Last Snow Porter:
Smells like Almond Joy with a hint of coffee. Dark black opaque with foamy-creamy lacing tan head. Medium-heavy body with medium-light carbonation. Starts moderately sweet with caramel, coconut, almond, coffee, and chocolate. Tastes like a coffee-Almond Joy mix. Finish is a little dry and watery with a lot of carbonic tartness in the after.  Porter  82/100

 #192/365: Full Sail Imperial Stout:
From 2010 bottle at Dog Days Tasting. Mild alcohol, coffee, chocolate, and tart light soy. Dark black opaque with foamy-creamy light tan head. Medium-heavy body with medium-light carbonation. Starts rich and sweet with chocolate and coffee, mild alcohol, and soy. Carbonic acidity. Light bitter finish with some bitter tang. Nutty sweet after with chalky coffee bitterness. Imperial Stout  80/100

#193/365: Stone Bourbon Barrel Old Guardian Barley Wine:
From bottle at Dog Days Tasting. Alcohol, nutty and oaky. Sweet and malty with light hop character. Smooth nose with some licorice. Dark coppery amber clear with thin lacing off-white head. Medium-heavy body with medium carbonation. Sweet with raisin, alcohol, bourbon and oak, and vanilla. Still hot with lots of warming. Heavy viscous sweet finish.  Barley Wine  78/100 

More catching up to do ... September and prepping for Oktoberfest

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

Indiana (PA) Beer Scene - Summer 2013

Many years ago, I wrote a blurb about the beer scene here in Indiana (PA). A lot has changed since then (for the better, I might add), so here's a recap of what our little town has to offer. Below is a list of good beer places in town. Caveat: my definition of 'good' is in regard to selections other than macro-brewed pale lagers (e.g., Bud/Miller/Coors, Corona, Heineken, Labatt, etc.) and their lite/light counterparts.

Bars & Restaurants (in no particular order)
Local places that offer up some craft beers on tap or in bottle.

• Ironwood Gril [1830 Oakland Ave.] Has quite a large tap system in place with a few regional micros (Troegs, Penn) and more national brands such as Sam Adams, Leinenkugel's, etc.  The downstairs has coolers with decent six-pack selections and bombers of Stone, Voodoo, and a few imports. One thing I don't care for is that smoking is permitted in the tap room. CORRECTION - Smoking is no longer permitted. And I've visited on a couple of different occasions where the tap lines needed a good cleaning (this hopefully is no longer an issue either).
•  The Coney [642 Philadelphia St.] Offers a few good crafts on tap, which rotate with some frequency. You'll always find a Penn seasonal brew, too. Troegs, Dogfish Head, Leinie's, and Sam Adams are just about always present. For about a year, they carried Marzoni's Avalanche IPA, but that apparently fell out of favor. Monthly bottle selections are offered, ranging from Victory to Bell's to Stone. Recently, they've offered a few large bottles, such as Arrogant Bastard and the 0.5-L Franziskaner (a bit overpriced, however). The food is solid and they still offer my favorite Buffalo wings.
• Benjamin's [458 Philadelphia St.] Terrific enclosed indoor/outdoor patio & bar, with about 18 beers on tap - many are one-offs and they rotate frequently. The current local hangout of the young professional to middle agers, usually always packed.  I've had a lot of good beer here recently, including Bell's Hopslam, Anderson Valley Hop Ottin', Troegs Nugget Nectar, East End Big Hop, Harpoon Chocolate Stout, Southern Tier Pumking, and many others. Chris does a great job of bringing in good stuff on a regular basis.
• Coventry Inn [11 N 6th St.] One of the neater places in town. It opened in the mid-to-late 90's as an English pub, then closed for a while, then reopened in the mid-2000's.  It is only open for dinner (4:30-11:00p) on Thursdays, Fridays, and Saturdays.  Great decor - really feel like you're not in Indiana! Small but very good menu offerings, live music on Fridays/Saturdays, and they often hold special events here. The most attractive point to the Coventry is their Happy Hour specials - from 4:30-6:00 on Thur/Fri, you get half-off select appetizers and mixed drinks/beer.  Now, their beer selection is very small and not very interesting, but the food and service is always good. Not a place for a quick in-and-out bite to eat, however.
• Twisted Jimmy's [29 N 7th St.] This place is adjacent to Steel City Samiches, and is owned/operated by the same family.  For the time being, the menus are the same, though I've been told that Jimmy's plans to have a more sophisticated upscale menu (small plates, burgers, etc.) to get away from the traditional bar food that is so prevalent in this town.  They opened in Fall 2012, and once the N 7th Streetscape is finished, they'll be working more with their patio next to the pedestrian area outside. The recently installed a glycol-chilled 20-tap system, with more than half the offerings dedicated to good craft beer. And from 10-12pm, beers are half price ... about $3 for a glass of Dragon's Milk??? I'm in!  Also, I'm told to look for a sister location in the Shadyside neighborhood of Pittsburgh.
• H.B. Culpeppers [653 Philadelphia St.] Kind of a standard college town bar, catering to more young professionals and college students. I don't go here that often, save for the occasional happy hour gathering with some IUP colleagues on Friday evening.  Menu is OK and the beer selection has improved. The really good beers are actually upstairs in a renovated bar area (about 5-6 years ago) that's really attractive. Unfortunately, it is also very smoky. I'm not crazy about trying to enjoy a good beer through a cloud of second hand tobacco smoke.  The other annoying part to this is that sometimes they'll have something on tap that I want upstairs, but the wait staff downstairs won't go and get it - meaning I have to either a) settle for mediocre offerings downstairs, or b) go up and get it myself.
• Grub's Sports Bar [566 Philadelphia St.]  With an al fresco dining area, tons of large-screen TVs, and the tagline "Cheap Drinks and Lousy Food" ... what's not to like?  Adjacent to Wolfie's, this place opened a few years back and is very popular.  Occasionally, they'll have a decent craft beer on tap, but mostly they cater to the college sports bar crowd with light beers and pale fizzy lagers. The food is straightforward, good, and cheap.

Distributors & Stores (in no particular order)
Local places that offer up some craft beer by case, six-pack, or singles.

• Holiday Beverages [471 Water St.] Good selection of craft beer in cases with weekly craft beer tastings.
• Duquesne Beer Distributor [1215 Maple St.] Large selection of craft beer in cases, decent prices.
• Martins [1570 Oakland Ave.] Martins started selling beer about two years ago.  Their selection is decent and slightly cheaper for mix-your-own six packs. However, their selection is not as good (my opinion) as Giant Eagle.  They other annoying thing about buying beer here is that - unlike Giant Eagle - you cannot carry your purchase out of the cafe area while you complete your shopping.  So, you either have to buy your beer after you've shopped or you have to make a trip back to your car. Annoying!
• Giant Eagle [475 Ben Franklin Rd. South] The 'new' Giant Eagle opened up a few years back, after the old one downtown was closed and demolished for the new Giant Eagle Express. Very nice beer selection of six-packs, bombers, and mix-your-own.  Prices are a little higher than Martins, but the selection is better.  For me, this store holds the distinction of carrying my absolute favorite beer: Orval (and a few other Trappist beers).  Seasonal offerings abound, and I can always find a beer or two that I've not had yet.  Also, despite having to purchase your beer separately, you can put it in your cart and continue shopping (unlike Martins). Or, you can have a few beers in the cafe with food from the hot bar or salad bar.
• Giant Eagle Express [435 S 7th St.]  Opened last year at the site of the 'old' Giant Eagle, with beer at the cafe in six packs, mixed singles, and bombers.  Again, a better selection that Martins but more expensive. Handy for lunch, too, since you can get subs/sandwiches/salad bar/sushi to eat with your beer in the cafe - and there is outdoor seating and free wireless.

Homebrew Supplies

• Montgomery Underground Winery [11032 US 422, Shelocta] The winery has a retail store on 422 near Elderton that also serves as a homebrew supply store.  They carry all of the basic (and some specialized) equipment, ingredients, and kits. And if they don't have it, they'll make every attempt to order it for you.  Many of the club members get their stuff here, and the owners (Tom & Della) are regular attendees (and great brewers!).
• The Homebrew & Hobby Shop [540 Franklin St., Clymer] Just opened a few months ago. I've not yet been, nor do I know anything about it.

Beers #123-135: Pints for Pets

So this has turned out to be the "summer that wasn't", in terms of feeling like it's actually summer. Yeah, we've had some warm weather and all, but between home projects and research at work, I don't feel like I've had much downtime (including updating this blog!).  But I shall attempt to get caught up in the coming few weeks before the Fall semester starts in 3 weeks.

#123/365: Sixpoint 3Beans:
From can. Chocolate malted nose, sweet with brown sugar and molasses. Tootsie Roll. Dark black opaque with foamy-rocky light tan lacing head. Medium chewy body with medium-light carbonation. Carbonic tang and light alcoholic warming. Starts sweet and malty with lots of chocolate, some coffee, and a barley wine-like sweet malt flavor. Coffee and light vanilla. Finish is sweet with a good hit of astringent bitterness. Fairly smooth after with lingering bitter.  Imperial/Strong Porter  80/100

#124/365: Leinenkugel's Canoe Paddler:
On tap at Twisted Jimmy’s. Very mild aroma - a bit of beany hops and mild pale malt sweetness. Light golden blond clear with thin white head. Light body with medium-high carbonation. Starts with light carbonic acidity, mild pale malt sweetness ,and light beany hop flavor. Mild flavors overall, with some carbonic bite to it. Some honey and dusky grain. Watery finish, clean after. Nothing really wrong with it, but not a good kölsch example.  Kolsch  42/100

On May 18, several fellow homebrew club members & beer lovers rented the Coney van to travel to the Altoona Curve ballpark for the annual Pints for Pets beer festival.  I have gone every year since this started - except for last year because IUP's graduation conflicted.  Well, this year, graduation also conflicted, but I decided to go drink beer instead (sorry grads, but no regrets here!).  We attended the 1-4pm session, followed by dinner (and more beer) at the Knickerbocker.

#125/365: Old Forge Hopsmith India Pale Ale:
Nice beany hop aroma, crisp noble hop note. Pale golden clear with white lacing head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts dry with crisp hop profile and mild pale malt sweetness. Finishes bitter but nice smooth after. Crisp and refreshing.  Premium Lager  72/100

#126/365: Rock Bottom (Pittsburgh) Surely You Zest:
Nice spicy nose with lime, lemongrass, and herbal notes. Spicy hops and aromatic. Pale golden clear with thin white head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Starts zesty and citric with lime and lemongrass. Nice sweetness to it. Finish is herbal and bitter with a tang of citrus.  Wheat Ale  66/100

#127/365: Victory Swing Session Saison:
Light hoppy aroma, spicy with notes of citrus, sulfur, and fruity esters. Yeasty. Nice saison aroma profile. Pale straw clear with thin head. Medium body with vigorous carbonation. Starts with wheat and pilsener malt notes, light sulfur, citrus and herbs. Tasty saison that’s not too overwhelming. Not quite crisp but enjoyable. Done well for the style, with mild chalky bitter after.  Saison  74/100

#128/365: Riepstine's Timbertown Scotch:
Buckwheat honey and sweet tang, light oak. Sweet and musky, very nice aroma. Medium brown amber clear with light haze. Thin white head. medium body and carbonation. Starts sweet with molasses and buckwheat honey, rich malt. nice oak flavor on this one. Finish sweet and smooth - a nice Scottish ale.  Scottish Ale  80/100

#129/365: Uinta Dubhe Imperial Black IPA:
Rich roast, rubbery, light chocolate and coffee, lots of hops. Dark brown clear with thin tan head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Roasted notes, chocolate and coffee. Big hop flavor with molasses. Finish is medium bitter but not harsh.  Black IPA  78/100

#130/365: Voodoo Delicate Like A Flower:
Light hop nose, subtle. Hazy amber with thin white lacing head. Medium body with heavy carbonation. Starts medium sweet with light pale malt and wheat character. Subtle but delicious hop flavors and an underlying herbal quality. Smooth finish with light floral orange blossom.  Belgian Ale  74/100

#131/365: Blue Canoe Cream of Hop Soup:
Wonderful hop nose, floral and aromatic, grassy. Pale golden amber hazy with thin white head. Medium body and medium carbonation. Starts medium sweet with tons of hop character. Beany, rubbery, grassy, and resinous. Delicious stuff. A nice IPA with smooth bitter finish and after.  India Pale Ale  84/100

#132/365: Straub Maibock:
Double decoction German bock aroma. Sweet and malty with light herbal hops. Medium amber golden clear with thin white head. Medium body with light carbonation. Starts and stays sweet with rich malt flavor. Nice hop finish, and sweet lingering after. Very nice!  Heller Bock  74/100

#133/365: Thirsty Dog Citra Dog:
Really nice hoppy aroma on this. Grassy and resinous. Light golden clear with white lacing head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Nice hop flavor throughout, medium sweetness and light carbonic tang. Nice IPA, finishes smooth and well balanced with lingering hop bitterness.  India Pale Ale  78/100

#134/365: Elysian Idiot Sauvin IPA:
Hoppy nose with notes of pear and apricot. Sweet notes. Medium amber, hazy with thin white lacing head. Medium body with medium-light carbonation. Starts sweet with fruity esters. Fairly bitter finish with sweet eatery after. Very nice IPA with big hop profile but not a harsh bitterness in the finish or after.  India Pale Ale  76/100

All in all, a good festival (as usual) and they once again raised a lot of money for the Central PA Humane Society.  I can't remember the rest of May, really, other than getting ready for our vacation.  I did have one new beer before that ...

#135/365: Maine Beer Mean Old Tom:
Nice rich malty aroma, smoke, charred coffee, light vanilla. A bit of tang and earth, lactose. Dark black opaque with thin cocoa-brown lacing head. Medium bodied with medium carbonation. Starts dry with lots of roasted character, mild coffee and char. Some light carbonic acidity with medium bitterness. Finish is light sweet with medium bitterness. Can just taste the vanilla here but it’s subtle. Charred bittersweet after.  Stout  80/100

Coming up ... a beach trip.