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.

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 #116-122: An Afternoon in the Burgh

To celebrate the end of classes for yet another academic year, I dropped the boy off at my parents and headed to Pittsburgh for a few hours of alone time (sort of).  Drove down through Butler to check out the locations for two new upcoming brewpubs in town (Butler Brew Works and Reclamation Brewing Co.) - a block away from each other!  That's going to be interesting in such a small town, but it works in other places, so I can only hope it'll work out for both of these places in the coming years.

Picked up my brother and headed to Piper's Pub for lunch. Tried their chips & curry appetizer (spicy but not overwhelming) and got my favorite dinner - lamb & smoked chestnut shepherds pie.  With that I enjoyed a couple of draughts of specialty beers crafted for PCBW.

116/365: Penn Fakin' The Funk:
Light woody tart nose and not much else. Coppery amber clear with lacing head. Medium body with medium-light carbonation. Watery tart with mild woody notes and medium acidity. Dry nutty finish with dry after.  Sour Red/Brown  56/100

117/365: Full Pint None More Black IPA:
Roasty and hoppy, like a toasted Band-Aid. Sweet and a bit smoky. Light hoppy notes. Dark black opaque with thin tan lacing head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Carbonic tang with roasted coffee and chocolate. Light Band-Aid and big big hop bitterness. Finishes roasted and bitter with big last hop bitterness. Lingering dark chocolate sweetness in the after.  Black IPA  68/100

After dropping my brother off at his place, I ran some errands and did some shopping before heading over to New Kensington to the House of 1000 Beers.  I love this place, and the $3 6-oz pours allows one to try a bunch of stuff without getting overwhelmed.  (Here is their current tap list)

118/365: Draai Laag Goedenacht:
Light sweet tripel aroma, yeast and esters, mild bubblegum and honey. Light golden clear with thin white lacing head. Medium body with light-medium carbonation. Starts and stays sweet with light bubblegum, yeasty notes, and a hint of honey-sugar tang. Notes of cherry wood in the finish, with sweet after. Mild warming. Nice ale, fruity.  Belgian Ale  72/100

119/365: Voodoo Redneck Riviera Red:
Fresh grassy-spicy hop aroma, wonderfully aromatic. Just a hint of caramel sweetness. Deep coppery amber clear with some haze, topped with large foamy off-white head. Medium body with medium-soft carbonation. Starts rich with lots of caramel, big fresh bitter spicy hop character and light grainy notes. Finish is bitter and smooth with lingering bitter chalky after.  American Strong Ale  80/100

120/365: Half Acre Daisy Cutter:
Fresh citrusy hops, bursting with aroma. Light grassy notes, really pops. Orange blossom and ozone. Pale golden clear with pillowy white lacing head. Medium-light body with medium carbonation - smooth. Starts dry with tons of hop flavor. Bright, citrus, pine resin, and ozone. Dry finish with tons of hop flavor but not much bitterness. Nice dry APA.  American Pale Ale  84/100

121/365: Harpoon Leviathan Czernobog:
Smoky with coffee, soy sauce, molasses, and chocolate. Light alcohol sweetness. Mild vanilla. Dark black opaque with thin cocoa head. Medium chewy body with medium carbonation. Starts rich and malty with chocolate and molasses, coffee, and a bit of smoke. Mild alcohol warming. Big chocolate-molasses finish with nutty sweet and bitter after.  Imperial Stout  84/100

122/365: Clown Shoes Blaecorn Unidragon:
Chocolate, roast coffee, and vanilla. Mild hop nose. Dark black opaque with thin lacing head. Thick body with medium carbonation. Sweet, rich, and malty. Smoky with molasses, coffee, and vanilla. Nice warming. Big sweet malty after with a bit of lingering bitterness.  Imperial Stout  84/100

Beers #110-115

Got a few new samples over the past week or so.

110/365: Church Brew D'Pomme Rye Saison:
From growler, courtesy of John C. Mild fruity character, bit of apple juice and light tart quality. Yeasty esters and a bit of banana and bubblegum. Medium golden amber clear with no head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Starts with neutral fruity character. Honey and mild apple cider vinegar tang. Yeasty bubblegum finish with orange tang and lasting juicy character.  Saison  66/100

111/365: Penn Overlook IPA:
From bottle at Nap’s. Skunky hop aroma. Sulfury, vegetal, eggy, and a bit of noble hops. Medium amber clear with foamy white lacing head. Medium-light body with medium carbonation. Starts dry with lots of hop bitterness. Mild malt sweetness with some vegetal notes. Big bitter dry finish with lasting harsh bitter in the after.  India Pale Ale  44/100

112/365: East End Pennsyl-tucky Uncommon:
From growler. Tart nose, roasted barley and smoky, with light chocolate and some spicy character. Dark brown hazy-clear with thin brown head. Medium bodied with medium-high carbonation. Starts tart with cherries and sour mash. Kind of like a brown sour but more acidic, less sweet. Nice tart finish with roasted smooth finish and after.  Traditional Ale  74/100 

113/365: Helltown Rapture:
On tap at Burgatory. Fresh hoppy grassy nose with neutral fruit sweetness. Dark amber clear with thin white lacing head. Medium body with medium-heavy carbonation. Starts fairly dry with huge hop flavor and bitterness. Big bitter finish with alcohol warming and a bit of neutral fruity character. Big bitter after.  India Pale Ale   74/100

114/365: New Holland Black Tulip Trippel Ale:
On tap at the Knick. Light bubblegum and yeast. Bit of fruity ester with mild alcohol vapor. Medium golden pale clear with thin white head. Medium-heavy body with medium carbonation and alcohol warming. Starts sweet with honey, bubblegum esters, light chalky yeast and alcohol notes. Big sweet finish with light smooth after.  Abbey Tripel  72/100

115/365: Lancaster Black Boar IPA:
On tap at the Knick. Rich malty and chocolate nose, with light coffee grounds and light hops. Dark black clear with thin off-white lacing head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Dry roast black patent malt, dusty with carbonic tang. Dry bitter finish and after. Tasty black IPA.  Black IPA  76/100

Hoping to get somewhere tomorrow for a few pints in celebration of the end of Spring semester, and next weekend (May 18), I'm excited to be going to the Pints for Pets festival in Altoona!

Beers #89-109: The Sour & The Funky

I was able to get to one event in celebration of Pittsburgh Craft Beer Week 2013 - The Sour & The Funky tasting at House of 1000 Beers in New Kensington (Sat Apr 27).  In light of my poor performance in April, I was eager to enjoy as many sour and funky beers as possible.  I arrived shortly before 1pm to check in. The tasting was run festival-style, with participants given a wrist band and tasting glass for ~2-3 oz. pours from taps and bottles.  It was very laid back, and the majority of my conversations were with Dan, a fellow RateBeer member from Pittsburgh.

Here goes ...

89/365: Bullfrog Jong Bruin:
Nice Flemish sour brown and oaky aroma. No hops. Tart and funky. Dark brown clear with no head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Tart sour brown ale with oak and funky notes, not quite cheesy. Wonderfully acidic and fruity, with smooth tart aftertaste and a bit of lingering sweetness.  Sour Red/Brown  78/100

90/365: Draai Laag La Pienture:
Estery with alcohol and isopropanol notes. Fruity and vapory. Dark brown hazy with foamy-creamy off-white lacing head. Medium body with medium smooth carbonation. Starts a bit sweet with nice oaky notes. Cherries and alcohol, finishing with cherry and oak. Smooth after. Nice tart fruit beer.  Lambic-Fruit  80/100

91/365: Bullfrog Pomme Par Jour:
Mandarin oranges, pears, and a light funk note. Apple must, yeasty. Light golden clear with thin white head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts sweet with apple notes, light chalky notes, and hop bitterness. A hint of Calvados. Finishes musty and bitter.  Fruit Beer  64/100

92/365: Allagash Interlude:
Light Brett nose but not overpowering. Bit of oak and hint of tartness. Hazy amber golden with thin head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Starts medium sweet with underlying funky-Brett and tart side. Oaky notes with neutral fruit, with light bitter finish. Ends with some carbonic tang and underlying bitter funky quality.  Belgian Strong Ale  76/100

93/365: Bullfrog Aggro Wheat:
Fresh fantastic hop nose with hint of spice to it. Underlying sweetness, grassy. Pale straw with light hazy and very thin head. Medium body with heavy carbonation. Starts with mild wheat and a ton of hops, not funky. Light overall, with a medium bitter finish and chalky after. More of a hoppy ale than sour or wild.  Sour Ale/Wild Ale  80/100

94/365: Petrus Aged Red:
Smells like cherry Sucrets - dark cherry and woody notes. Dark blood-red clear with thin light-pink head. Medium-thick body with medium carbonation with some fizz. Starts sweet with cherries and brown sugar sweetness. Underlying bitterness and tannic quality at the finish. A little too sweet for my tastes.  Sour Red/Brown  68/100

95/365: Anchorage Whiteout Wit Bier:
Smooth yeasty Brett notes, sweet. Subtle nose by very nice. Cloudy straw-white with thin white head. Medium body with light carbonation. Starts yeasty and Bretty with sweetness and a hint of light funk or tartness. Tasty and smooth.  Belgian White (Witbier)  76/100

96/365: 1809 Berliner Style Weisse:
Watery funky nose with apricot and pear nectar notes, light Brett funk. pale straw clear with foamy white lacing head. Medium-light body with medium carbonation. Medium tart beer with light sour-funk. Notes of pear and apricots. Tart but not as sour as other Berliner Weisses I’ve tried. Light, refreshing, and overall, a little watery.  Berliner Weisse  60/100

97/365: Cisco Island Reserve Pedaler Blueblerry Bleer:
Mild funky notes with predominant notes of blueberries, fresh and musty aromas. Light tang and medicinal funk. Dark blue-reddish hazy with thin pink lacing head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Starts and stays tart with lots of berry flavor. Musty and bitter with blueberry sour finish, light chalky acidic after. A bit of BandAid in the after, but not bad.  Fruit Beer  68/100

98/365: BRUX Domesticated Wild Ale:
Pretty mild nose, light Brett and neutral fruity funk and some honey. Cloudy golden amber with white lacing head. Medium-heavy body with medium carbonation. Starts and stays sweet with mild Brett and light honey, caramel. Not much funk to this one. Perhaps needs to age a bit? Belgian Strong Ale  62/100b

99/365: Jolly Pumpkin Madrugada Obscura:
Sour Coco Wheat! Funky and chocolatey nose with hints of coffee and molasses. Muddy coffee-brown with thin cocoa-colored lacing head. Medium body with silky carbonation. Tart stout with tons of cocoa powder and wonderfully tart finish. Smooth.  Stout  74/100

100/365: Uinta Crooked Line Birthday Suit - 20th Anniversary:
Nose of sour milk and lavender. Tart and smooth. Dark brown clear (like root beer) with thin head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Like Hawaiian Punch and apricots, sour and tasty and easy drinking. Almost like a fruit juice with carbonic tang. Smooth tart after.  Sour Ale/Wild Ale  78/100

101/365: Oude Gueuze Tilquin a l'Ancienne:
Sour, Bretty, horse blanket and leather. Funky, sour, and sublime. Hazy golden amber with thin white head. Medium watery body with medium-high carbonation. Starts sour, sour, sour. Brett, acidity, and funky leather. Dry, tasty gueuze that I could drink all day. Funky, sour, tasty, and refreshing. Sublime.  Lambic-Gueuze  86/100

102/365: Green Flash Rayon Vert:
Nose of BandAid and Brett, carbonic tang. Hazy golden amber with foamy white lacing head. Medium body with heavy carbonation. Starts medium sweet and dry with tons of Brett and light BandAid. Pale malt and carbonic acidity. Really carbed up, surprised these aren’t bottle bombs. Smooth tangy finish with light Brett, dry after.  Belgian Ale  74/100

103/365: Russian River Sanctification:
Mild tart nose with good Brett notes, yeasty and aromatic. Pale golden hazy with thin white lacing head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts and stays sour with tons of Brett and sour-funky notes. Carbonic acidity, with sour and Bretty finish. Nice one.  Sour Ale/Wild Ale  80/100

104/365: Goose Island Madame Rose:
Tart fruit and cherry, vanilla and oak. Nice aroma. Dark brow-amber clear with thin lacing head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Nice cherry sour and Bretty funk. Smooth and tart. Oaky with vanilla and light chocolate. Delicious.  Sour Ale/Wild Ale  82/100

105/365: The Bruery Rueuze:
Funky and Bretty and sour. Nice wheaty funk. Very traditional profile. Cloudy golden pale with no head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Tons of Brett and funk, with acid reflux sourness. Delicious and reminiscent of traditional versions. Nice sour gueuze that I would drink a lot of.  Lambic-Gueuze  82/100

106/365: Rodenbach Vintage (2010):
The aroma of Grand Cru, oaky and sour with soy and vinegar. Dark reddish-brown hazy with thin off-white head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Sweet, oaky, tart, and sugary. A bit of cherry, light oxidation. Beany sweet finish with light soy tang.  Sour Red/Brown  72/100

107/365: Goose Island Matilda:
Nice funky nose, sweet with a bit of vapor and light woody notes. Mild Brett. Medium golden clear with light haze, topped with big fluffy head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Starts light sweet with caramel, honey, and a bit of funk. Yeasty with alcohol vapor and honey. Light sweet funky after.  Belgian Ale  72/100

108/365: Telegraph Reserve Wheat: 
Medium wheaty nose with a bit of sour character. Cloudy pale with thin head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Mild sour Brett notes but overall a bit watery. A decent level of sourness but not assertive. Wheat-lemon after.  Berliner Weisse  58/100

109/365: Voodoo (HTP) Hail to Pitt IPA:
Wonderful fresh hoppy nose, floral and bright. Mild sweetness. Pale dull golden clear with thin lacing head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Huge hoppy profile throughout and mild sweet character. Big hop flavors from start to finish. Big hoppy finish with bitter lasting after.  India Pale Ale  66/100

Whew!  All in all, a really nice tasting. Well run and laid back with a lot of great samples to try.  I'm still behind in my tastings, but a little closer now to being caught up.  I look forward to getting back on track, and in particular, I am excited to get back to this year's Pints For Pets Brewfest in Altoona on May 18.

Beers #82-88: A Slow Month

"April is the cruellest month", if one is to believe Mr. Eliot, and for my beer drinking it certainly has been. April is the month in academics where everyone tries to cram in every last thing they can before the summer break. As a result, I've been drinking a lot more coffee than anything else, and my 'beer a day' challenge has suffered a serious setback because of this.  Today is the 119th day of the year and I am behind!  Below are a few brews I had between the last week of March and last week.

82/365: 21st Amendment Lower De Boom:
Sweet and sticky toffee and caramel aroma with a lot of neutral fruit and mild hops. There is a metallic note here, too, like copper or iron. Dark coppery amber clear with hardly any head. Heavy body with medium carbonation and alcoholic warming. Starts sweet with alcohol, hotness, caramel, toffee, and brown sugar. Plenty of bitter hop finish with neutral fruity character. Warming nutty bitter-hoppy finish. Lingering sweetness in the after but not cloying. A little rough around the edges.  Barley Wine  66/100

83/365: Coors Batch 19:
Nose is be any with noble hops and skunky notes - no sweetness. Dark orange-amber clear with foamy off-white lacing head. Medium watery body with medium-high carbonation. Starts with light malt sweetness, light carbonic acidity and a dry hoppy bitterness. Fairly mellow throughout with decent hop finish - slightly nutty and sweet, with carbonic fizz-bite. Dry light sweet after with some be any hop flavor.  Premium Lager  48/100

84/365: Third Shift Amber Lager:
(This is another MillerCoors beer - pretty much a maltier version of Batch 19). Nose is be any with noble hops and skunky notes - no sweetness. Dark orange-amber clear with foamy off-white lacing head. Medium watery body with medium-high carbonation. Starts with medium malt sweetness, light carbonic acidity and a dry hoppy bitterness. Fairly mellow throughout with decent hop finish - slightly nutty and sweet, with carbonic fizz-bite. Dry light sweet after with some medium hop flavor.  Amber Lager/Vienna  46/100

85/365: Samuel Adams New Albion Ale:
Sweet with beany alcohol-light vegetal nose and a bit of hop-fruity character. Dull muted nose. Dull golden clear with thin white head. Medium body with medium-dull carbonation. Sweet and neutral fruit character. Light to medium chalky bitterness with vegetal-metallic notes. Reminds me of a European strong lager, actually.  American Pale Ale  58/100

86/365: Marzoni's Biere de Marz:
Mild sweet pale malt aroma with light bit of sulfur and a tad yeasty. Honey and lemon peels. Cloudy medium amber with thin frothy head. Medium body with medium-light carbonation. Starts and stays sweet, with coriander, bubblegum, orange peel and yeast. Light chalky bitter finish with mildl grain notes. Nice smooth finish. Very easy drinking beer.  Belgian Ale  74/100

87/365: 21st Amendment Sneak Attack Saison:
Floral and fragrant, spicy with cardamon and allspice notes. Orange and orange peel with a little vanilla. Medium golden clear with thin white lacing head. Medium body with heavy carbonation. Starts sweet and spicy with cardamon and bitter orange peel. Bitter spice and hop finish with carbonic tang. Lasting bitterness with orange zest sweetness.  Saison  66/100

88/365: Heather Ales Fraoch (Bottle):
Mild herbal-floral notes, a bit of lemongrass and some sweetness. Medium golden amber clear with thin white head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Sweet with pale malts, herbal notes and a light bitterness. Overall, a mild ale with decent sweet herbal quality.  Traditional Ale  54/100

Next up ... trying to catch up at The Sour & The Funky!

Beers #78-81: San Francisco Day #3

We decided to have breakfast at The Grove again, since it was both enjoyable and convenient. Today we decided that we would take a ferry over to Tiburon, have lunch, and then grab a bus up to Muir Woods to see some Redwoods.

We grabbed a streetcar near the hotel in order to get to Pier 39.  As luck would have it, it took over 30 minutes to get there. We arrived at 11:45 to take the 11:40 ferry (last one until afternoon) ... and found that they had some issues and were still docked!  Waited about 15 minutes and took off for a boat ride over to Sausalido, passing Alcatraz Island.  From there, we rode to Tiburon.  Quaint little town with shops and restaurants, not as touristy as Sausalido.  However, we found out too late that the buses that run up to Muir don't start until May ... no way to get there from here, as it were.

Since we couldn't get a boat back to town for a couple of hours, we had a lazy lunch at Sam's Anchor Cafe, sitting on the dock and enjoying the sunshine (while also keeping an eye out for greedy gulls). They boasted about their New England clam chowder. It was OK but nothing special.

78/365: Firestone Walker Velvet Merlin:
Light chocolate, coffee, licorice, and burnt-roasted malts. Mild hop character and a little tang. Dark brown-black with thin tan head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Starts dry with roasted malt and light burnt character. Carbonic and sugar tang with mealy-meaty soy finish. Nutty mild sweet after.  Stout  64/100

After lunch, we walked around town, then sat by the docks and waited for the ferry.  The ferry ride back first went to Angel Island, then Sausalido, then finally back to the city.  By this time it was pretty cloudy, so I caught a nap inside the boat.

Since the redwoods didn't pan out, we decided to take a GPS-guided tour through the city on a little go-cart ... you look really cheesy driving around with the helmet, etc., but it was really a lot of fun. Found in San Diego, Barcelona, Madrid, and Lisbon, the GoCar allows you to putter along the streets while a GPS-tour guide gives you the low down about the sites you're passing.  We took a two-hour tour and drove up to the Golden Gate Bridge, through the Presidio and various neighborhoods, and down Lombard Street before returning to the shop. It was a little chilly and a few of the hills were almost too much for the little thing, but we had a great time - I'd highly recommend it!

Not wanting to wait for the bus again, we splurged on a cab back to the hotel to get changed.

For our last dinner in town, we went to the Abbot's Cellar in the Mission. Same folks who run the Monk's Kettle have this place, though the Cellar is a bit more upscale. It was a Monday night, so even though we'd made reservations, we didn't really need them.  Small but quality food menu, including a four-course tasting menu paired with beers. Beer menu was eclectic, not huge, but of very high quality.  It was nice that they allowed bottle pours from 750 mL bottles, but a lot of them were overpriced considering the sample size.  Over dinner, I enjoyed:

79/365: Firestone Walker Pivo Pils:
Really aromatic nose, malt and grains, jasmine, soap, and tea. Fruity-herbal hoppy notes. Golden clear with roomy lacing white head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts with terrific herbal hops and beany mash. Pilsner malt sweetness, but finishes dry with great grassy hop bitterness. Tasty beer. Very drinkable with lasting bitter after.  Pilsener  84/100

80/365: Heretic Shallow Grave Porter:
Roasted toasted coffee, licorice, chocolate, and lactose. Really nice sweet and salty porter aromas. Dark black-brown opaque with lacing tan head. Medium-heavy body with medium carbonation and some warmness. Starts sweet and rich with chocolate, coffee, lactose, and molasses. Chocolate malted milk, sweet finish with nutty sweet bitter after. Nice porter.  Porter  84/100

81/365: Freigeist Abraxxxas:
Nice smoky nose, a bit of tart with a hint of lactic. Airy, fruity, oranges. Cloudy pale amber with thin white lacing head. Medium watery body with medium carbonation. Starts with a little orange sweetness. Nice smoky flavor throughout - more like a lichtenheiner than traditional Berliner, could be tarter, but nice.  Berliner Weisse  76/100

We grabbed a taxi back to the hotel, packed, and got ready to get up at 3:30 for our 6:00 flight home. All in all, a great trip - not really that relaxing compared to sitting on a beach but enjoyable.

Beers #73-77: San Francisco Day #2

On Sunday, we slept in.  After getting ready, we walked a few blocks over to have a late breakfast at Blue Bottle Coffee.  Apparently a popular place, as there was a 20-minute wait to order.  The coffee was good, don't get me wrong, but I didn't see anything substantially better in it than we can get right here at home at The Commonplace.  From here, we strolled over to Market to get a bus and headed up Haight on our way to Golden Gate Park.  Of course, I can't ride up Haight without stopping at Toronado for a few short pours!

73/365: Moonlight Bombay by Boat IPA:
Nice hoppy aroma. Fresh and grassy, caramel, and toasted malt. Pale golden amber clear with thin rocky-foamy white lacing head. Medium body with cask carbonation. Starts medium dry with some caramel and roasted malty character. Tons of hop flavor and bitterness from start to finish, though not completely overpowering. Nice cask IPA.  India Pale Ale  78/100

74/365: Dupont La Bière de Beloeil:
Aroma is rich and malt with a lot of dark fruit notes, vinous with plum and Concord grape juice. Candy-like. Dark golden amber clear with thin lacing head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts malty and slightly sweet. Dark fruit sweetness with mild orange notes and grape juice. Finish is light bitter with good sweet notes and nutty bitterness. Tasty.  Bière de Garde  82/100

75/365: The Bruery Sour in the Rye:
Light tart-lactic nose with oak, light spicy character, and a hint of sweetness. Hazy lustrous orange-amber with thin white head. Medium body with heavy carbonation. Tarts and lactic with chardonnay, mild spicy notes and touch of vanilla. Great sour ale with woody funky finish and lasting tart after.  Sour Ale/Wild Ale  84/100

76/365: Moonlight Death and Taxes:
Great chocolate malt, roasted barley, light smoke - sweet and nutty. Dark black opaque with thin creamy lacing tan head. Medium body with high carbonation and a bit of fizz. Starts rich, malty with roasted barley, light smoke, and chocolate. Ground coffee notes with light carbonic tang. Nutty sweet finish with some light smoky after.  American Dark Lager  82/100

We got back on the bus and went up to Golden Gate Park. After a pit stop at Whole Foods, we entered the park and walked for about an hour, then exited on the northern side to catch another bus to the beach.  We walked along the beach for a bit, enjoying the sun and views.  Our plan was to do some hiking along the Coastal Trail, but we decided to have a light lunch before the hike.  Up the hill from the beach was the Cliff House, a nice (a bit pricy) restaurant on a cliff overlooking the Pacific.  In addition to a Deschutes Black Butte Porter, I had

77/365: Pyramid Hefeweizen:
Very mild aroma with the faintest hint of clove and esters. Not a very strong nose. Looks nice, with cloudy golden amber body topped with a thin white head. Medium-light watery body with medium carbonation. Starts a little sweet with mild fruity esters and a bit of clove and wheat. Mainly kinda bland, watery - but not off. Orange is probably the biggest flavor component. Refreshing but not really much towards the style.  Wheat Ale  48/100

After lunch, we walked up the hill and got on the Coastal Trail, which leads up around the bend to provide spectacular views of the Golden Gate Bridge and the coastline.  A bit windy, but a nice hike for a few miles.  We ended up in a residential neighborhood and walked down to China Beach, then grabbed a bus and headed back to our hotel.

We got warmed up, took a break, then decided what to do about dinner.  After tossing around options, we decided we were hungry for Chinese again.  We took the bus to Chinatown and ate next door to House of Nanking at a place called Chef Jia's.  Great food and less expensive than House of Nanking - can't figure out why they don't gather the crowds like their neighbor!

After all the walking, we grabbed a bus back to the hotel and called it a night.

Up next ... San Francisco Day 3

Beers #68-72: San Francisco Day #1

On Saturday, March 16, my wife and I caught a 6am flight from Pittsburgh to San Francisco for a three-day vacation.  The flight out is direct, but coming back you have to fly through Chicago (O'Hare) ... no idea why ... guess not enough people want to fly from San Fran to Pittsburgh?

Anyway, we enjoyed three days of sightseeing, walking, and enjoying a lot of great food and beer.  If you've never been, San Francisco is a GREAT beer city.  Tons of local breweries/brewpubs, and of course, access to a lot of West Coast products that never seem to quite make it back to Pennsylvania.

We arrived around 8:30 and caught the BART train to downtown.  After dropping of our luggage, we grabbed breakfast at The Grove.  Had a terrific steak & eggs dish similar to huevos rancheros with copious amounts of coffee.  From there, we walked up Market Street and watched the crowds gather for the St. Patrick's Day parade.  I bought some three-day travel passes while Dana held a place in line to catch the cable car over to Fisherman's Wharf.

We walked around some of the piers (not 39, however) and just sat by the ocean for a bit and enjoyed a sunny, albeit windy, late morning.  Great views of the Golden Gate Bridge, Alcatraz, and downtown.  From there, we walked over to Chinatown and had lunch at House of Nanking, home to award-winning chef Peter Fang.  He waited on us, and suggested a tasting menu.  Kinda pricy for lunch, but a cool experience. And like many of the places we seemed to end up in SF, it was cash only.

We walked through the city, back to our hotel on Market and 4th, checked in and took a break.  Dana decided to have a nap, so I walked on over to City Beer, a superb beer bar and bottle shop on Folsom St.  In addition to a Russian River Salvation, I tried:

68/365: Local Option Dampf Loc - Neue Welt Hefe Gerste:
Mild grain and mash sweet notes, dusty and mealy. Very light hop character in the nose. Dark golden amber clear with medium haze, topped with thin off-white creamy lacing head. Medium watery body with medium carbonation. Starts nutty and sweet, with light mash flavors, alcohol, and some mild astringent woody parts. Easy drinking, fairly well balanced with smooth nutty-sweet finish and after.  Traditional Ale  70/100

69/365: Ölvisholt Lava:
(My first beer from Iceland) Nice rich smoky nose, with coffee, chocolate, juniper smoke and molasses. Alcohol sweetness. Dark black opaque with thin tan creamy head. Medium-heavy body with high carbonation. Light warming. Carbonic tang and fizzy. Starts medium sweet. Rich with licorice, juniper smoke, chocolate and molasses. Carbonic acidity, alcohol sweetness and good bitter finish. Smooth sweet finish with light smoky after.  Smoked  80/100 

After getting back to the hotel and hanging out for a bit, we decided to catch a bus and head out past Chinatown for dinner at La Trappe Cafe, a nice Belgian-themed gastropub with a nice beer selection.  Over curried mussels and frites, I tried:

70/365: Engelszell Gregorius Trappistenbier:
Very mild nose, plum and roasted malt. Sweet with a subtle richness. A hint of fruity red wine. Dark coppery amber clear with thin off-white lacing head. Medium-heavy body with medium carbonation. Light warming. Starts sweet, alcoholic. Plum, rich malt, sugary - leans towards a Chimay Bleu but not overly complex compared to other quads. Sweet after with light alcohol warming and fruity after.  Abt/Quadrupel  76/100

71/365: New Belgium Lips of Faith - Heavenly Feijoa Tripel:
Big fruity nose, kinda funky and tart, cheesy. Not bad. Dark golden clear with thin foamy-rocky white head. Medium body and carbonation. Starts fruity and tart with some apples and sour peach. A little funky and cheesy, with crisp fruity-tart finish and after. Not bad.  Abbey Tripel  72/100 

72/365: Baladin Wayan Sour Edition:
Sour nose with chardonnay and oak. Light acetic acid, fruity, light, and enjoyable. Golden dark clear with no head. Medium-light watery body with light carbonation. Starts mild, kinda sour with oak and chardonnay. A bit of sweetness in the finish and mild acetic character. Overall, a bit watery and not worth the price.  Sour Ale/Wild Ale  66/100

After dinner, we walked back to the hotel and called it a night.

Next ... San Francisco Day 2

Beers #60-67: Nice Beer Weekend

One of the March bottle offerings at The Coney is a Vienna from Hop City Brewing in Canada ..

60/365: Hop City Barking Squirrel Lager:
Very mild caramel aroma with a bit of toasted malt and light hop essence. A hint of coffee. Deep amber clear with thin head. Medium body with medium-mild carbonation. Starts medium sweet with caramel and biscuit. Carbonic bite and quite a bit of bitterness in the finish. Nutty sweet and astringent bitter after.  Vienna  48/100

On Saturday, March 9, we had lunch at The Knick in Altoona. As usual, they had several new ones for me to try:

61/365: Flying Dog Chipotle Dark Ale:
Mild chocolate nose, roasted and slightly burnt malt. A hint of earthy-fruity-smoky chipotle with no discernible hop presence. Dark rusty red-brown opaque with creamy light tan lacing head. Medium watery body with vigorous carbonation. Nice dry porter to start, with light carbonic bite, a hint of heat. Earthy and fruity pepper character. Chocolate and roasted malt, light hop bitterness with smooth peppery bitter after.   Stout  70/100

62/365: Goose Island Sofie:
Herbal, peppery, citrus rind, sweet with honey and orange blossom. Oak and chardonnay. Tart fruity character. Golden clear with light, light haze and very thin white head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts medium sweet with grapefruit, coriander, light chardonnay, and herbal notes. A bit of yeasty funky note but not outrageous. Nice tart finish with fruity chardonnay after; mild chalky bitterness component.  Saison  76/100 

63/365: Innis & Gunn Winter Treacle Porter Oak Aged Ale:
Nose is a mix of Twizzlers, oak, Flemish brown ale, caramel and treacle, marshmallow, and vanilla. Terrific aromas. Dark coppery caramel-brown clear, with creamy off-white lacing head. Medium-heavy body with medium-high carbonation. Starts sweet with lots of treacle, oak, caramel. Smooth and well rounded with very little bitterness at the finish. Has a nice oak-sweet after. Not as dark as I’m used to for a porter, but really nice.  Baltic Porter  80/100

64/365: Widmer Brothers Reserve Raspberry Russian Imperial Stout:
Chocolate covered raspberry truffles with light carbonic tang, light melon, coffee, and toffee. Dark black opaque with creamy light tan lacing head. Medium chewy body with medium carbonation and light alcohol warming. Starts sweet with tons of roasted malt, light coffee, a hint of smoke, some raspberries, and a nice finish of nutty bitterness at the end.  Imperial Stout  82/100

That evening, we met a high school/college friend of Dana's and her husband for dinner at Amici's in Ebensburg. Really nice place to eat - great food and a very nice, though small, tap selection.  Over a great dinner, I enjoyed:

65/365: Southern Tier Eurotrash Pilz:
Clean, if not crisp, light noble hop aroma on top of sweet corn-grain malt notes. Like a mild German pils or Bohemian pils. Medium amber clear with foamy-frothy white lacing head. Medium watery body with medium to heavy carbonation. Starts medium dry with nice pilsener malt sweetness, good noble hop character, and a touch of sulfur. Overall, clean and refreshing, with light to medium bitter finish and smooth after.  Pilsener  68/100

66/365: Great Lakes Alchemy Hour Double IPA:
Sweet nose with lots of brown sugar and caramel. Big hoppy nose, funky and herbal with grapefruit and pine. Dark amber clear with foamy off-white lacing head. Medium to heavy watery mouthfeel, with medium carbonation. Starts pretty sweet, but not cloying, before you get smacked with a good dose of bitterness. The two don’t quite meld together as well as they could, but it’s still a nice IIPA.  Imperial/Double IPA  84/100

67/365: Southern Tier Choklat:
On tap at Amici’s (in one of the largest snifter portions I’ve ever had). Dark chocolate, light caramel, some licorice, coffee and sour smoke. Sweet with light carbonic tang, oak and vanilla. Not too boozy. Dark back opaque with cocoa-tan, slightly lacing head. Medium to heavy water body, not quite chewy, with medium carbonation and nice alcohol worming. Starts and stays pretty sweet, with chocolate, coffee, licorice and molasses. Mild oak, light hop bitterness, nutty character, and just a bit of carbonic tang. Finish is smooth, sweet, and lasting.  Imperial Stout  90/100

Up next ... Spring Break in San Francisco! 

Beers #41-59: Tired Hands Tasting and Catching Up in My Backlog

It's day 66 of 2013 and I'm a little behind in my goal - 59 new beers to date.  This post will catch me up on my backlog of beer notes, including an awesome tasting of Tired Hands beers.

We were invited to a Chinese New Year's Party (Feb. 9) in town, and the husband of the host couple is a really good homebrewer and beer aficionado. In short, there's always something good to drink at the party.  This year was no exception, but for me there was only one new beer:

41/365: Samuel Adams Dark Depths:

Nice fresh and floral-grassy hops with light chocolate, coffee, and roasted bitterness. Dark brown-black with medium sized light tan lacing head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts medium malty and sweet with chocolate, toasted barley, and soy sauce. Big floral-piney bitter hops and lasting bitterness. Smooth nutty bitter finish and after.  Black IPA  78/100

 The next couple of beers were ones I had in the basement, one from a sampler pack brought to me by my father-in-law, and the other part of a '24 Beers of Xmas' mixed case I bought from a fellow homebrewer.

42/365: Rickard's Dark:

Dull dusty grain, a bit of oxidized caramel and no discernible hops. Coppery dark brown clear with creamy-foamy lacing tan head. Medium-light body with medium-light carbonation. Starts medium sweet with brown sugar, caramel, and light grain dust. Mild astringency with nutty bitter finish and some lingering sweetness. Chalky after.   Porter  48/100

43/365: Uinta Hop Notch IPA:

Very nice nose - spicy-floral hops, oily and resinous. Mild caramel and malt sweetness. Orange peels. Deep orange-amber clear with creamy off-white, huge lacing head. Medium body with medium-light carbonation. Starts fairly dry. Big hop flavor from start to finish. Bursts of resin, orange peel, and apricot. Light nutty caramel malt notes. Big bitter finish with lasting bitter after.  India Pale Ale (IPA)  80/100

 I visited Marzoni's Brick Oven & Brewing in Duncansville for lunch one Saturday in February, and in addition to a few old favorites, I tried Bill's new Red Ale brewed with El Dorado hops.

44/365: Marzoni's Red Ale (El Dorado):

Spicy hop nose, a bit pungent and resinous. Some toasted malt and light caramel. Deep coppery brown clear with thin off-white head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Starts lightly sweet with toasted grain, caramel, and brown sugar. Big herbal-spicy hop notes, light carbonic acidity. Big bitter finish, spicy and piney with lingering bitter after. Amber Ale  72/100

One of our homebrew club alumni, Jon Defibaugh, left Indiana a few years back to pursue a career in brewing.  He brewed his first beer with my equipment in my kitchen, and went crazy from there by cranking out terrific stuff at his house.  He moved to Philly, and started by working with Tom Baker at Earth Bread + Brewery.  Last year, he moved over to Ardmore and has been head brewer for Jean Broillet at Tired Hands. Well, towards the end of February, Jon came back to Indiana for a visit a brought a bunch of goodies - cheese, bread, and beer, beer, and beer.  A few of us got together and had an amazing evening.

45/365: Tired Hands HandFarm:

Great yeasty funky nose - Brett, light lactic notes. Awesome bouquet with a hint of lime zest. Light yellow-amber clear with light head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts and stays dry throughout, with citric-lactic acidity. Tons of Brett and yeasty bitterness. Big hop bitter finish with grapefruit. Great saison with a little bit of oak, too.  Saison  84/100

46/365: Tired Hands Guillemot Nebula:

Bourbon, red wine, fruity acidity, light funk, mild lime and peach, vanilla. A beautiful marriage of aromas. Dark brown-black clear with thin lacing head. Heavy body with medium carbonation. Starts tart with red wine, vanilla, oak, and bourbon. Wonderfully tart and complex but not cloying or overpowering - well rounded.  Saison  90/100

47/365: Tired Hands Guillemot Prunus:

Great nose with tons of cherry. Fruity, woody, and tart, with light funky notes, vanilla and oak. Coppery brown clear with thin tan lacing head. Medium body with medium carbonation. Starts tart with cherries, oak, vanilla, and citrus. Nice tart funk, with some chocolate and soy sauce. Light bitter chocolate finish with lasting, mildly astringent tart after.  Saison  86/100 

48/365: Tired Hands Singel Hop Saison, Amarillo:

Great hop aroma, fruity with onion and light pale malt sweetness. Pale golden yellow clear with thin white head. Medium-light body with medium carbonation. Starts medium dry, peppery with fresh hops. Grassy, herbal, clean. Medium acidity at the finish with great hop flavor. Light bitter after.  Saison  82/100

49/365: Tired Hands LiddleFiddle:

Funky-nasty hop aroma (nasty in a good way) that is just fantastic. The nose gives me the munchies. Mild sweetness and tons of pine, funk, and ozone. Pale golden clear with light haze, topped with thin foamy head. Medium body and carbonation. Nice dry saison with tons of fresh hop character. Big bitter finish and funky after. Delicious.  Saison  86/100

50/365: Tired Hands Entropic:

Bretty, hoppy, and meaty. Light lactic and mild sweetness. Hazy pale with thin white head. Medium-light body with medium carbonation. Medium bitter start. Lots of Brett in this one. Light funk and big bitter notes but not harsh. Astringent finish with mild bitter after.  Sour Ale/Wild Ale  80/100 

 51/365: Tired Hands Ego Disillusionment:

Aroma is a mix of apples, sauerkraut, and milk with tea. Chardonnay and carbonic brightness. Hazy-cloudy pale straw with thin rocky head. Light body with medium carbonation. Tart, funky, sour and lactic. Kiwi chardonnay and apple cider flavors. Just a nice, tart weisse. Bright.  Berliner Weisse  80/100

52/365: Tired Hands MotherAnimal:

Smells of roasted barley and spent coffee grounds. Caramel and sweet with light alcohol and broth. Coppery brown with thin creamy lacing head. Medium-heavy body with high carbonation. Alcohol warming. Vanilla, coffee, toffee, and caramel. Sweet and thick with light alcoholic coffee. Big sweet after. Not cloying, but a little too sweet.  Barley Wine  76/100  

The day after this awesome tasting, I had lunch with a colleague at Benjamin's here in town. They have a pretty good tap selection now, and I went with a new IIPA from Victory.

53/365: Victory Ranch (Centennial):

Nice grassy-fruity fresh hop nose. Apricot, grapefruit, sugary syrup and light caramel. Medium golden amber clear with thin foamy off-white lacing head. Medium body with medium-high carbonation. Starts medium sweet with caramel and brown sugar, neutral fruity character but also with notes of apricot and tons of hop flavor. Big bitter finish and lasting bitter after. The higher gravity was not apparent.  Imperial/Double IPA  78/100

Every year, in February, to celebrate both Dana's and my birthrdays, we usually go to Pittsburgh for a Friday overnight, with a dinner at Casbah, followed by touring around Pittsburgh on Saturday. Casbah is part of the Big Burrito restaurant group, and for your birthday they'll send you a $30 coupon to use the week before until the week after your birthday. Unfortunately, our birthdays don't quite overlap, so we never get to use both of them. (oh, and you can't use it on Saturdays)  On Saturday, we had lunch at Mad Mex (another Big Burrito restaurant), which always has good stuff on tap.  I enjoyed two draughts for lunch:

54/365: Helltown Idle Hands:

Great fresh hop aroma, sweet and grassy with apricot and pear. Some pine and herb notes, too. Hazy medium amber with thin white lacing head. Medium body with medium to heavy carbonation. Starts nice and sweet with apricot and pear notes. Light brown sugar and caramel, too. Sweet bitter finish with nice lasting bitter after that’s not too harsh.  Imperial/Double IPA  82/100

55/365: Great Divide Espresso Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout:

Sweet espresso nose with vanilla, oak, chocolate, light molasses, and a hint of smoke. Dark black opaque with dark brown lacing foamy head. Medium heavy body with heavy carbonation, fizzy and alcoholic warming. Light chewy. Starts sweet and roast with burnt malty caramel, smoke, oak, vanilla, and chocolate. Rich, malty, and hot. Big warming. Big bitter chocolate finish with roasted burnt malt tang. Oak and smoke after, with lingering sweetness and carbonic tang.  Imperial Stout   80/100

And finally, to catch up on the rest of my new beer notes to date, I had the following in my cellar at home (except the St. Stefanus, which Dave and I shared courtesy of Tim at the Coney).

56/365: Rickard's Blonde:

Pale lager aroma, beany with some noble hops and a light corn or vegetal aroma. Mild oxidation. Orange amber clear with thin off-white lacing head. Medium light body with medium carbonation. Starts a bit dry with some caramel sweetness, mild papery notes, and little hop presence. Finish is smooth with light sweet after.  Pilsener  50/100

57/365: St. Stefanus Blonde:

Light Belgian wheat ale nose, mild esters and yeasty notes. Some honey and orange blossom sweetness. Golden clear with creamy-pillowy white lacing head. Medium to light bodied with medium to heavy carbonation. Kind of weak in flavor but medium sweet with light fruity esters and mild carbonic bite. Yeasty chalky finish with medium sweetness and very little bitterness. Mild after.  Belgian Ale  64/100

58/365: Rickard's White:

Nice fruity aroma with apricot nectar, orange peel, and coriander. Kind of sweet with mild floral notes. Cloudy medium amber with thin white head. Medium to light watery body with heavy carbonation. Starts with fruity and floral notes, orange peel and coriander. Pale malt and wheat sweetness with light dry finish. No discernible hop flavors. After is a little chalky but pleasant.  Belgian White (Witbier)   58/100  

59/365: Fat Head's Bumbleberry Honey Blueberry Ale:

Mix of real and fake saccharin blueberry aromas, fruity and a bit earthy. Sweet with no discernible hop character. Light honey. Medium golden amber clear with huge creamy-pillowy lacing off-white head. Medium bodied with medium to heavy carbonation. Starts somewhat dry despite the sweetness of the aroma. Notes of blueberry, honey with a berry-skin bitterness in the finish along with some hop bitterness. Light sweet albeit watery after.  Fruit Beer  56/100

Whew!  Finally caught up.  Next up ... ??