Firestone Walker Double Jack IPA

Beer: Firestone Walker Double Jack IPA
Is This A Cool Name: I guess it's okay since they are inferring that it is twice the beer of their already stellar Union Jack IPA. Seriously, if you've never had a Union Jack, go out of your way to try one.
Style: An Imperial IPA, probably the most overdone beer category in the last three (or so) years. Every brewer and their mother does some over-alcohol'd, over-hopped IPA just for the sake of keeping up with the Joneses.
Alkyhol: 9.5%. Yep, that's about right.
Why I Bought This Beer: Much like the Firestone Walker 14th Anniversary Ale, I sought this beer out. I went to the special release event just to try it, since it's likely that I'll never see it again and because I freaking love over-the-top IPAs. Also, Firestone Walker is as consistent a brewery as there is in this great country, so I like to support people that consistently put out phenomenal beers.
Is This Beer Any Good: It really is. It's the first beer I've had in a long time that caused me to take a big whiff and immediately put it down because I was intimidated by the nose. This beer smelled like an orange grove and a pine forest got down. In terms of IPAs or Double IPAs, that is a very good thing. When I finally did come around to taking a sip, I was pleasantly shocked. Based on the nose I expected a boozy, resinous son of a bitch but actually got an extremely floral, citrusy, and malt-balanced Imperial IPA that was infinitely more drinkable than I would have wagered on. In this space I've always slotted Bell's phenomenal Hopslam as the cream of the barley crop, but the Double Jack definitely takes a run at that slot. If Firestone somehow makes the Double Jack available for more than a day, I'd be hard pressed not to call it my favorite double/imperial IPA (That I actually have access to. Pliny the Elder is a force to be reckoned with, but alas, we can't have nice things in Arizona.)
What Does This Beer Taste Like: I already used up my good analogy, but picture yourself running through a dense, alcoholic pine forest with your mouth open. It may hurt, but it's kind of intriguing. Once you are good and winded, you sit down and have a nice refreshing orange slice (a la youth soccer game timeouts), but it doesn't sting your open wounds (from the needles, running with your mouth open). I'd say this beer is kind of like that.
This Beer Would Pair Well With: Maybe an extremely sharp cheese. I don't really like extremely sharp cheese, so I can't say for sure, but I feel like that's a pretty good guess based on what I've read. Also, maybe a first date. I just think that would be funny for some reason. "Hey, we just met, let's drink extremely bitter boozy beer and see what happens!" You definitely get a second date drinking this stuff.
Sudoku Difficulty Rating: **** Not as difficult as it could be, but hard enough. If you find yourself eating offal, then you like this beer. Just my gut instinct. Haha, gut instinct.

Straight From The Source: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/2210/50697

Back, and for Good Reason.

I am going to see how long I last at writing about beer again...

The latest review:

Beer: Firestone Walker 14th Anniversary Ale

Is This A Cool Name: Um, no. Well, I guess it's impressive that Firestone has been churning out high-quality brew for 14+ years, but I wouldn't say that the name inspires or even evokes. And that is kind of a shame, because I like their branding/naming across the rest of the line.
Style: Technically, a barrel-aged American Strong Ale. Realistically, a style that has yet to be invented. I don't have the experience or vocabulary to invent it, unfortunately.
Consumption Method: 6oz draft pour out of a mini-goblet. The glass was actually one of the cooler drinking vessels that I've used, but I would have preferred something larger...just because the beer was so delicious.
Alkyhol: 12.5% (!) I guess I didn't need more than 6oz.
Why I Bought This Beer: Mostly, it was because I showed up at Papago specifically to drink it, and another Firestone limited release (see next post). Also, it is because - in my eyes - Firestone can do little wrong in the world of beer. Their motto is "Passion for the Pale", and despite the fact that it may sound like they really like gingers, the reality is that they make damn good pale ales. Since I am an apologist for anything with an abnormal amount of hops, they do right by me. So, I try to try anything they put out. Their 14th Anniversary was too good to pass up. Essentially, they blend five different already "special" beers into one amalgamated Super Beer that is truly one of the most unique alcoholic substances ever concocted.
Is This Beer Any Good: Damn skippy it's good! But you almost can't even call it a beer. It's somewhere between a Russian Imperial Stout and a bourbon, so it's far better sipped at room temperature than consumed like a typical beer. I felt like donning a monocole and a smoking jacket and taking this beer into my study...if I had all of those things. Actually, I'd build a study (complete with lots of mahogany and leather-bound books) and buy a smoking jacket, just to drink this beer regularly. The 14th Anniversary just makes you feel high-class.
What Does This Beer Taste Like: This may be hard to explain, but try to follow me: Take a Brach's Root Beer Barrel, suck on it for like 15 seconds and spit it out. Then, grab some Tahitian vanilla bean creme brulee and take a bite or two. Immediately drink a shot of espresso and smoke a Padron. Then, take a sip of Buffalo Trace and a big deep breath and you may have 90% of what this beer is about. It's THAT good.
This Beer Would Pair Well With: An evening with nothing to do and some fantastic company. Oh, and it would pair excellently with additional bottles of 14th Anniversary.
Sudoku Difficulty Rating: ***** The most complex beer I have ever tasted.

Straight From The Source: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/2210/63116

Lost Abbey Angel's Share

Beer: Lost Abbey Angel's Share

Is This A Cool Name: Yes. The "angel's share" of a barrel of aged spirits is said to be the amount that is lost to evaporation or absorption into the barrel. Plus there is a connotation of this beer being good enough for an angel, which is kind of cocky and I like to see if beers live up to those kinds of claims.
Style: Barrel-aged strong ale
Consumption Method: 6oz draft pour (sorta); goblet glass. The "sorta" is necessary as the beer was first poured into a measuring cup and then into my goblet. At $2/oz it sorta makes sense. The Bad Apple was not about to let a single drop of this beer go to waste. I can only imagine what their 5gal keg cost.
Alkyhol: 12.5% (!)
Why I Bought This Beer: I've read a lot about Angel's Share, mostly negative (carbonation issues in bottled versions, namely). This caused me to not really pay this beer any mind when I've seen bottles of it. Oh, and the bottles are typically in the $30 range. I'm not about to drop that kind of coin on a beer that could very well suck. I guess in reality any given beer could very well suck, but this one had a history of sucking. Anyway, I was persuaded by a friend who had consumed this very beer from the very tap that mine would come off of, and a cute bartender who swore this was one of the best beers she had ever tried. And she tries everything. So I paid the cost as I may never see it on draft again.
Is This Beer Any Good: Hell yes it was good. But my opinion of it was immediately tainted by a beer and a description that I had heard just a couple of weeks before (read on below)...
What Does This Beer Taste Like: Twix bars. Fucking Twix bars. Any bourbon barrel aged strong ale or stout now instantly triggers one flavor recognition in my brain: Twix bars. It's the carmel and chocolate notes, no doubt, but I can't get the description out of my head and it's ruining some great beers that would surely be more excellent if I were really able to taste them beyond a note of mediocre candy (maybe I just suck at drinking beer?). A couple of weeks ago I had the chance to enjoy a glass of Firestone Walker's Parabola, a barrel-aged imperial stout. Upon first sip, my tasting conspirator for the day blurts out "TWIX BARS!" and from then on that is all I can taste. No caramel, no oak, no tobacco, no fucking Pakistani tumeric- just Twix. From then on, any combination of vanilla/carmel/malt/oak has had me Chewing It Over.
This Beer Would Pair Well With: Anything but a Twix bar...maybe Heath? Ugh. I'm actually at a loss at what to pair this beer with, although I think that I'd like to drink it overlooking a river.
Sudoku Difficulty Rating: ***** This beer is hard.

Straight From The Source: http://www.lostabbey.com/lost-abbey-beers/non-denominational-ales/the-angels-share/

Beer Review - Odell IPA

Beer: Odell IPA

Style: Pretty evident based on the name that it's an IPA (India Pale Ale to the layperson). Single, straight-up, O.G. IPA if we must get technical.

Consumption Method: 12 oz. bottle; pint glass. I am of the school of thought that believes beer should be served (and tastes/smells better) out of proper glassware, but sometimes I just don't care to take a glass out of the cabinet to pour my beer into. I try not to do this with any rare or special beer (read: anything I paid more than $5/bottle for). Forthe sake of a proper review, I imbibed one IPA straight from the bottle and one from a proper "beer-clean" pint glass. Props to Odell for sourcing original glass bottles for their beers. The embossed hop cones just below the neck of their bottles is a classy touch. This attention to detail definitely carries over to their beer and asserts the brewery as one of my favorites.

Alkyhol: 7%. Seven percent alcohol by volume is incidentally my personal cut-off point for a session beer. This may seem ridiculous or paint me a raging alcoholic, but hear me out. The loose definition for a session beer is a low-alcohol beer that you can drink a shitload of in a sitting. Now "shitload" is a subjective term, and I don't have a high tolerance, so I tend to push the percentage higher for my session beers as I just don't drink as many ofthem. My shitload is less than your shitload.

Label Analysis: Odell produces some of my favorite labelsin the industry. Their corporate branding is off-the-charts good. Each beer shares a similar design element (I am not proficient in this area- forgive my lack of descriptors) and I'd call them classically classy. The sort of designs an early 1900's English pub would sport if the Adobe creative suite existed back then. Their graphic designer should get a raise. As far as the IPA label specifically- it depicts a small man taming a bucking elephant. I wish I was that small man. I probably don't need to say more, but I will say this: the label is apt visual description of this beer. A hop-forward 7% IPA could come across as a bucking elephant of a beer and Odell has managed to tame it nicely.

Why I Bought This Beer: Odell has earned a place in my pantheon of craft breweries where all beers they produce are automatically considered for purchase/consumption based on past performance. I visited the Odell facility in Fort Collins, CO a couple of years ago and am lucky enough to live in a state within the Odelldistribution network, so I have tried the majority of the beers they produce andhave a hard time finding faults (other than a small lack of differentiation between a couple of their pales- a post for another time). I've actually had this IPA many times before (I've just never reviewed it) and figured it was time to give it some shine.

Is This Beer Any Good: Yes, it's a fantastic example of an IPA. My third favorite beer in my very favorite category. It is almost perfectly balanced between hop flavor/aroma and malt caramel/toast flavors. Go buy it.

This Beer Would Pair Well With: A trip to the zoo (if they allowed drinking), spicy mustard.

This Beer In Haiku: English style beer / Tastes like Colorado pine / But I don't eat trees

Sudoku Difficulty Rating: *** (out of 5 asterisks) - Moderate. I rank this moderate because anybody who loves a bitter pale ale or who favors bitter foods will like this beer (I guarantee it!) but it's a difficult approach for anybody unfamiliar with the territory.

Straight From The Source: http://odellbrewing.com/beers/classic/ipa

Pun's Top 5!

So I apologize for the delay, but here is my much awaited (by the one or two people who regularly read this blog) top 5 beers...also a dynamic list.

1. Spaten Oktoberfest
2. Aventinus
3. New Glarus Belgian Red
4. Weihenstephaner Korbinian Dopplebock
5. Four Peaks Brewery RAJ IPA

It is not surprising that my top 5 is similar to Justin's, but there are a few differences...I could keep going as there are so many tasty beers out there. Going local, the papago orange blossom is good, but almost too sweet. Firestone Walker is putting out some good beers, the double barrel ale is awesome. I really want to check out the John Henry 3 lick spiker ale but have yet to find it...anyway that's my list and I'm sure I will have some additions and subtractions once Justin finally sends me some good brews from his area...Oh yeah and another honorable mention is the goose island matilda...I'm out.

"I think we brewed a f-ing wine cooler." (2South Brewing update)

Our first foray into the world of brewing is now being consumed by those of you closest to the source. 2South Brewing InagurALE (my name; probably not original) actually turned out drinkable. This is shocking as our early samples led us to believe the batch was tainted and would be completely undrinkable. In reality, we made a very decent (albeit generic) pale ale.

Our second attempt at brewing got a little more adventurous. We made a flitered wheat beer that we decided to spike with about five pounds of frozen organic raspberries during the fermentation process. As kids with severe A.D.D. are wont to do, we sampled this beer far before it was supposed to be ready. Our reaction? "I think we brewed a fucking wine cooler." It's not terrible, but the raspberries raped this beer of any wheat purity it could have had. No matter though- it SHOULD settle down in the coming weeks as it bottle ferments.

For any of you who are interested in sampling our wares, leave me a comment. Bottles will be sent to you, free of charge.

Next up: A vanilla bean-laced oatmeal stout. Yeah, we're going to bite off my new favorite beer cocktail.

Stay tuned...

Beer Tasting, Volume XI

Apologies for the hiatus, people. Spent too much time palling around with the hard-A lately, and, let's be honest- that's not good for anyone. Back to the beer...

Beer: Breckenridge Brewery's Oatmeal Stout and Breckenridge Brewery's Remarkable Vanilla Porter

Style: Oatmeal Stout and Porter

Consumption Method: Two 12 oz. bottles, split, and combined in a pint glass.

Alkyhol Content: 4.95% and 4.7%

Label: I wouldn't call any of Breckenridge designs "badass" but I like their branding and logo work. Their label designs really do have a "Denver" feel to them. I may be brainwashed, but I don't care.

Why Did I Buy This Beer and What the Hell Did I Do to It? Okay, so I've had each of these beers before. On their own they are both fantastic representatives of their respective styles. I prefer an oatmeal stout to be served on nitrogen, but the Breckenridge model is so creamy and low carbonated that if I were more intoxicated I may not notice. It's also not a very sweet stout, which I like, but find hard to drink more than a couple of. The Breckenridge Oatmeal Stout is one of the more bitter stouts I've had- a pronounced hop flavor (rare in a stout, in my opinion) and bitter black coffee aftertaste lend to this. I love the Vanilla Porter by itself- the real Madagascar vanilla beans impart an aroma and richness so intoxicating that I almost don't need to drink this beer to get drunk. I also love real vanilla flavoring because it's incredibly rich without being cloying. However, vanilla is such a dominant flavor and aroma that, to me, gets very tiring and very overwhelming very quickly. So much so that I couldn't distinguish anything about the porter part of the Vanilla Porter (I was actually okay with that- I'm not a big porter fan). In any case, I thought I could make each of these beers better simply by mating them. Now what happened when these beers made sweet vanilla-y love in my pint glass? Read on...

Is This Beer Any Good? My resulting beer cocktail was fucking awesome. Let me just take an opportunity and pat myself on the back for this one. The boisterous vanilla was cut nicely by the bitter hops and coffee producing something akin to an alcoholic vanilla latte. These beers are infinitely more drinkable together than they are apart. Sure, I lose some of the characteristics of the individual styles, but I think that porters and stouts are so similar (with their dark roasted malts, chocolatey notes, and smokiness) that I was able to get away with this one.I think I will start drinking this mixture in the morning.

This Beer Would Pair Well With: Breakfast, bitter chocolate, cherries, and girls.

More on Sierra Nevada: http://www.breckenridgebrewery.com

Conclusion: I'm honestly ready to put this beer alongside your Black and Tan, Black and Blue, Snakebite, and whatever the hell else all the cool kids drink. I just wish the stout was on nitro because it would stay separated from the porter. They are ALMOST the same color, so I'd love to see if it made a difference. Anyway, best beer cocktail I've ever made.