One good De Struise deserves another (aka the day I tried Black Albert)

After a lovely afternoon of planning to commit malicious acts with electrified stringed instruments with an old friend, a fine meal at 23rd street brewery, and listening to my favorite band from junior high and high school cracked way up on the entertainment center, I am feeling indulgent.

That's right, folks: BLACK ALBERT!

I won't bore you with many details about the brewery (see the previous post) but I will provide some quick stats for those of you wanting to really geek out on this one.

Black Albert Stat Sheet:

• 100+ IBUS (not that it is particularly bitter, it just is needed to balance the malt)
• 160 EBC (Guinness is not dark beer, this is dark beer)
• 13% abv (that's right, it is in wine territory)

I am giddy.

The top pops off, and drops to the floor. A pause in music and the clack of WoW enthralled roommates keyboards ceases. A faint hiss issues forth, and the sound of light metal on linoleum can be heard.

Let it be noted that light does not pass through this liquid, it slowly crawls through, only to be trapped and die.. It is not the blackest beer I have ever seen, but its opacity, and visually apparent viscosity is unsurpassed. A slight ring of dark cocoa sticks to the sides of the glass, making sure you know that the sugar content in this one is enough to put you into a coma.

The nose is boozy, and thick with chocolate nibs, Belgian yeast esthers, dark fruit, roasted malt, vanilla, and even a woody cognac note. I am actually a bit surprised that there isn't a bit more going on in the nose. My bottle is at appropriate serving temp, so this must be it. Perhaps I am a bit stuffed up...

Oh. I get it now. There isn't a whole lot going, but what is going on is just so damn well done that it more than makes up for it. All the notes of the nose follow, blended seamlessly. This puts me in the mind of a half and half of GI Bourbon County Stout (sans the strong bourbon character) and Rochefort 10 blended. Deliciously roasty, and the 13% abv doesn't really come out at all, other than providing a nice warming sensation, which is welcome considering the current 19 degree temperature.

While this isn't quite what I had it built up to be in my mind, it truly is a treat. You do not run into such a pleasing hybridization/new style that often, and when it is executed well, the result is quite rewarding. This is a must try.

De Struise Pannepot Fisherman's Ale 2006

Here we go. This bottle is around 3 years old, and I could not be more excited about that fact.

De Struise Brouwers Breakdown:

• All beers brewed at the Deca brewery, in Woesten, Belgium. The brewery is only a few short kilometers from the Westvleteren Abbey and St. Bernadus. Great neighbors.
• Founded as a partnership between Urbain Cotteau, Carlo Grootaert, Phil Driessens and Peter Braem.
• Strong relationship with Ebenezer's Pub in Lowell, Maine. One of the breweries classics, Black Albert (dubbed a Royal Belgian Stout) was first brewed just for the pub.
• Dedicated to advancing the Belgian art, their beers cover the spectrum from nearly extinct Belgian styles to forward thinking, revolutionary ales.

Any who, I'm thirsty after writing that, so it is time to crack this bottle open.

Even as the bottle cap is hissing off, the aroma is already quite forward. This is going to be a treat. Pours into my New Belgium balloon a dark ruddy brown. Nearly opaque, with only glints of ruby showing though when held to the light. The head is modest, but long lasting, and whenever I go to take a sip, there are myriad sheets of lacing left along the curve of the glass. This is the type of beer that will end up being an incredibly nerdy wallpaper...

The nose is overwhelming. Dark, ripe fruits, apples, bread, sweet malts, dark candi sugar, and layer upon layer of spice leap out of the glass. I can smell the glass in the living room from the kitchen. If it would not make me a complete alcoholic, I would like to smell like this all the time.

The taste follows in kind, with a rich vein of molasses running down the center of palate. The fruits provide their own contrast, bringing dark and luscious flavors as well as crisp notes of apples. The complex yeast notes bring spice, as well as a soft bready character. I cannot place all of the spices in this, but their effect is magical. I just want to crawl into this glass and float around for a good long while.

You cannot make a beer in this style any better. I have nothing else to say, other than that I am thoroughly excited that there is a bottle of the 2007 in the fridge upstairs.

Troegs Scratch #15 - Oatmeal Stout

Woo, long hiatus. Insomnia of the most extreme order dictates that, hey, I should have a beer. This one has been hanging around in the cellar for about a month, and at 6% abv, it is not one that I plan on aging.

For a little background information-

• Oatmeal Stouts hail from the UK, but are now a commonly available style in the USA, with many fine imported and domestically brewed examples available.
• The addition of oats to the mash creates a creamy texture, as well as adding a subtle, well, oatmeal sweetness. Imagine pouring very dark, bittersweet hot chocolate and coffee into your morning oatmeal (that you almost burned), and then shaving some English hops over the top. Except not gross...
• Readily available examples of the style: Samuel Smiths Oatmeal Stout, Goose Island Oatmeal Stout, St. Ambroise Oatmeal Stout, Anderson Valley Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout.

This evenings (mornings) offering pours a rich brown, which is in fact several shades lighter than many other entries in the style. The head is foamy, with rather large bubbles making up the cap. Screw the tight Guinness head, this is pretty! There are flecks of lacing around my Left Hand chalice, but not much of note.

The nose is of the expected grain sweetness, with the roasted character bringing about notes of coffee. The hop character is present (as it will usually be, particularly in American examples) with an earthy character of freshly tilled flower beds. An ever so slight metallic tone sounds as well, but it is not unpleasant.

Jumping into the first sip, I am met with something that strikes me as almost sitting between a bigger brown ale and an oatmeal stout. The flavors are rich, but perhaps not as roasty as others are. Excellent malt character lends slightly burnt caramel, toffee, fresh toast. The oats lend a milky sweetness that transforms the coffee character of the nose into mocha. The hops gently settle on the mid palate, providing an earthy support for the rest of the flavors to build upon.

Quite an excellent beer. Nothing extreme or over the top here, but that is a welcome change of pace from my recent diet of imperial, sour, barrel aged, double hopped, triple fermented, demon possessed beers. This sticks around with a touch of burnt marshmallow on the finish, that trails away for quite awhile. The mouthfeel is medium bodied, and the carbonation stops just short of getting in the way.

Again, the characteristics of an American Brown ale present in this beer keep it from being perhaps the hallmark of the style that say Samuel Smiths is, it is a well made beer worth seeking out.

Kasteel Rouge

WOOOOO!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! This one is a bit of a celebration after winning the Deadwood Derby. I tried this at the Worldwide tasting a few months back, and it is now available on a regular basis.

This one pours a dark red/pink. The head is an off pink, with a thick, one inch head. The retention is decent, leaving a nice foam cap. However, there is little to no lacing.

The smell is cherry, cherry, cherry. Cherry juice, cherry flesh, cherry everything!! There is some sweetness present, but not as much as you might expect with that much fruit in the nose. This really doesn't smell like beer. I am definitely in the mood for this. Haha, I have a homemade chocolate chip cookie to pair with this.

CHERRIES!!!! The flavor is cherry after cherry. There is a pleasant balance struck here between tart qualities and the underlying sweetness. I really could see serving this in place of a sparkling wine as a celebratory drink. Great with sweets, and I could honestly see this working well with a main course as well. The alcohol is not present in the least, which is impressive at 8%. This one hits the spot.

The mouth feel is slightly viscous, and pleasantly tingly. This avoids the sweet trap that many beers of this style can fall into. 93/100. It might just be the timing, but this beer is wonderful

Rogue St. Rogue Red (Dry Hopped Edition)

Woo. The second go of the evening. This is my first American style beer from an American brewery in a while. I am honestly looking forward to a little less subtlety. Knowing Rogue, I will not be disappointed.

This pours a cloudy ruby-brown. Nice, every so slightly reddish head on this one. A moderate retention, and a bit of lacing, but nothing really to mention on that front.

The smell is leading with grapefruit notes from the hops. There is a good chunk of malt that follows. Some biscuit is going on, as well as a touch of darker caramel. I am looking forward to having a strong malt bill, particularly after the previous beer.

The taste is citric hops up front. Nice depth here, as the hops fall into the malt and start to mingle into the caramel and toffee notes. Some pine is also apparent. Delightful. If only I had a hearty cut of beef to go with this, life would be perfect. Quite the easy drinker, considering the full flavor.

The mouth feel is pleasantly full. While not the most complex beer in the world, this was full flavored and enjoyable. 88/100.

Urthel Hop-It

This is my first sampling of a modest, but high quality haul from my most recent trip to Lukas. Got to talking to one (the?) manager, and he showed off a bit, and brought out their last six pack of HopSlam and their last bottle of the new O'Fallon Whiskey Barrel (Pappy Van Winkle 23 Year) Aged Smoked Porter.

Immediately upon popping the top of this one, I'm getting grassy hops. There is something bitter in the nose that makes me think citrus seeds. Think accidentally biting down on a lemon seed from a glass of water with a lemon wedge. Biting. Very little malt coming through. I get the feeling there will only be enough malt present to cushion the presumably massive hop profile in this beer.

This is an absolutely beautiful beer. A hazy golden rod body with an ivory head that stretches about 2 fingers up. Impressive retention, and there is still a half finger of head by the end of this glass. Lacing is absolutely plastered to the walls of the glass, with impressive lacing trailing all the way to the finish.

I am honestly not a huge fan of this flavor. This is bitter, biting, citric (more lemon than the American grapefruit) and ever so slightly bready. This isn't as big as many hop-bombs, but the flavors here are all focused on the hops. I'm guessing pilsner malts, as they provide nothing but the slightest inkling of balance. No malt flavor. If these hops were my thing, I think I would be in heaven, but they aren't, so I'm not. I am impressed that there is no, and I repeat no, alcohol in the taste. For a beer that is 9.5% that is surprising. The finish on this is also incredibly dry. Perhaps I am too atuned to American DIPA's that have a bit of sweetness to them, but this dry hop bomb just isn't doing it for me.

Mouthfeel is perfect on this, slightly effervescent, and surprisingly light (relatively). Again, this is an incredibly well crafted beer, but the flavors that the brewer goes for here simply are not my favorite. This is a matter of observing art that is simply not to ones taste. 85/100, with the only major deduction being on the flavor, and that is only from personal preference. There are no defects here. I would highly recommend trying this, as if this style is your thing, this will be bliss in a bottle.

Avery and Russian River's Collaboration not Litigation Ale

Alright, I'm hesitant to dive into another Avery. The chance for a miss with their beers has been pretty high, at least by my tastes. However, the opportunity to try something from RR is enticing. We shall see.

The pour is a coppery caramel, with a fluffy off white/tan head. Decent retention, and some moderate lacing. Looks promising.

The nose is enticing. Scents of dark fleshed fruits (figs, etc.), candi sugar, cocoa, caramel, and toffee. There is a bit of yeasty breadiness going on as well, with some minimal hops hanging out in the dark corners of the nose. At the tail end there is a touch of something sour.

Taste follows with fruits, chocolate, caramel. The bready character comes out a bit more. The sourness comes out right before the finish, and adds an interesting balance. The finish is surprisingly bitter. This doesn't give much of a hop bitterness, but more just a straight bitter taste. Odd. What surprises me the most here is that the flavor is not particularly full. The tastes are all apparent, but all are somewhat light. This is not a particularly heavy beer. The alcohol content is completely hidden.

Mouthfeel is slightly sticky, but again, lighter than expected. Decent carbonation keeps the beer lively on the tongue.

Overall, not bad, in fact, and there is nothing negative going on here. However, nothing particularly grabs me. 87/100.

Bell's HopSlam!

Long time, no write. Life has been hectic, but filled with good beer. I wish I had eeked in some other reviews, but why not kick back in with a beer from one of my favorite American breweries. This one came to me by way of on Mr. Jon Whitaker. Thank you!

This pours about as I would expect, a rich caramel orange, with a small, but active white head. The head isn't that big, and fades quickly to a ring around the glass. This, however, remains through the consumption of the beer. There is some lacing that leaves a sticky, but patchy trail. This is a pretty double IPA. Haha, who'd have thought I'd be digging on DIPA's of all things. I feel like I can get into just about any style anymore, as long as it is well done. The world may yet make a hophead out of me.

This smells like someone applying a heat source to a hop field. Perhaps someone baking some hopped sugar cookies. There is plenty of sweetness in the nose, biscuit, if not cookie bring up the backbone of the malt. The hops are succulent, you can almost see the oil dripping off the cones if you close your eyes. Grapefruit, orange, and more citrus than I can succinctly describe.

DELICIOUS!!! I picture this as the juice of some divine citrus fruit. It is neither pure hop, nor citric, nor floral, but a lovely combination of all of these and more. The malt is sufficient to keep pace, but doesn't dominate. There is a savory quality here, despite the sweetness. This is balance. So many hop oriented beers lose track of what it is to be a beer. This does not.

The mouthfeel is soft, but oily. The hop oils here are readily apparent. A bit of effervescense is present, but not too much. This one just works.

Overal: Superb. 95/100. I wouldn't change a thing about this beer.

Rogue Imperial IPA

Alright. It took me months to get these, and my ship(ment) finally came in! This is the best packaging I have ever seen. The bottles are ceramic (!) with a bottle cap as well as a swing top latch. Killer Rogue label.

This one pours a slighty hazy straw yellow meets burnt orange. Beautiful fluffy head, creamy white, with a crest of tiny bubbles. It recedes pretty quickly. There is some lacing, though it is quite fine, almost a thin film that coats the entire surface of the glass.

The nose is hoppy, but not as big as I would have expected from an IIPA. Quite a bit of sweetness, with some citric character present. The hops are predominantly floral. The yeast comes through as well, with some biscuit-y bread notes.

Wow. This is not what I expected. The malt set up is stronger and fuller than any other DIPA I have had to date. This one is sweet, but not cloying, as so many others have been. The bread-y yeast from the nose carries well, and provides a full, soft base for the floral Saaz hops. There is some earthiness going on here as well. This is the most flavorful, deep, complex IIPA I have had to date.

The softness of the malt profile is carried over into mouthfeel. This is silky smooth, with more carbonation than the style usually dictates. Sublime.

Overall: 94/100. A stellar double. Love live the Rogue spirit!

Wild Blue Blueberry Lager

Sometimes you get spoiled, and need to bring yourself back down to earth. Today's offering is covertly brewed by a subsidiary of AB. This is not necessarily bad, and I have had products from them that I enjoy. I am hesitant to try this though, as it is advertised as an 8% blueberry lager.

It pours the color of a raspberry lambic, except that it is perfectly clear. Gross, thin, watery pink head. No retention, and no lacing, at all, of any kind. This looks like juice. I am getting a little scared.
Smells like cheap blueberry candy. If there were an off brand of Blueberry Jolly Rancher's, this would be it. Artificial sweeteners abound. Gross.

Taste is nasty. Dimatap meets melted Jolly Rancher, with a dose of Mickey's Malt liquor thrown in. I really can't say much more. This is absolutely terrible, and just keeps getting worse as it warms up. I am unhappy because of this beer.

Mouthfeel is thin, but syrupy. This horrid liquid just stays in the mouth. 30/100

Sinebrychoff Baltic Porter

Alright, time for an old classic. This was one of the first "obscure" (relative term) beers that I ever tried, and it was my gateway into strong porters, stouts, and the imperials of both styles. I believe this a 2004 (?). We will be getting in cases of the '97, '98, and '00 within the next month, and I am excited to do a vertical tasting as soon as the opportunity arises. Expect to see the results here first thing.

This pours a near black, with dark shades of chocolate-y brown peaking out. The head looks like it belongs on a cup of hot chocolate. The general aesthetic is quite enticing. The head retention is impressive considering this beer is several years old, and the retention is nice and sticky, leaving a pleasant cocoa lacing down the glass. I also really dig the bottle design on this, cool shape, with a very imposing looking logo. This beer isn't something to be toyed with.

Alright, on to the nose. There is a bit of sweetness of the bat, molasses, caramel, toffee. A touch of soy sauce comes through as well, but it is not prevalent in the fashion that it is in say, a Sam Adam's Triple Bock. Vanilla tones are present. Just a touch of malt powder and Hershey's syrup finish off the complex nose coming off of this one.

Flavor is bold, and malty. Chocolate, roasted malt, caramel, malted milk balls, mocha, and vanilla are all readily apparent. So many layers to deal with here. The hops are present just enough to keep this from being cloying, though the roasted malt character adds some much needed bitterness as well. Caramel and toffee win out in the end, leaving a bittersweet finish in the mouth that begs for another sip.

This one is surprisingly carbonated for its age. Quite smooth and coating on the palette. For being somewhat of a big beer, this isn't too filling, and definitely not just a night cap beer (though it is currently serving this purpose nicely). Right at the end of the sip, there is a slight, almost chalky cocoa sensation as it leaves the tongue. Superb.

As I said before, this is an all time favorite. Such excellent balance and complexity. 93/100.

Many to Come

I made another Lukas run on Saturday, so expect many, many reviews in the weeks to come. That is all.

Cheers!

Fort Collins Brewery's Double Chocolate Stout

Fort Collins, a brewery known predominantly for their lagers, has a good track record with their ales, but thus far hasn't put out one that has truly impressed me. That, however, has changed. This imperial take on their Chocolate Stout is delectable.

It pours a dark, almost opaque black/brown, giving rise to a sizable cocoa head. This head recedes quickly, leaving only some patchy coverage, and a thin ring around the glass. Moderate lacing is left behind as the glass is drained.

Incredibly enticing smell. Lots of darker milk chocolate, espresso, roasted malt, and just a touch of earthiness from the hops. There is some vanilla coming through here as well. I've got this one at just under 55 degrees, so I feel that the nose is at just the right spot. This beer puts off a lot of aroma, and it is all positive.

Taste is dominated by rich roasted malts and coffee notes. The chocolate comes through in the finish, providing pleasant balance. Not as bitter/roasted as it might have come across. It blessedly avoids the acrid flavors of something like Avery's Out of Bounds. The hops dry the finish just enough to keep you coming back for sip after sip. The tail on this is quite long, with the flavor staying on the palette for almost 60 seconds. Well done.

Mouthfeel is velvety, with a slightly oily finish. The chocolate puts a smooth note on the tail, and it is quite welcome.

Overall, my favorite beer from Fort Collins thus far. Final Score: 90/100

If you can't tell, I'm a little excited about this one. I've wanted to try New Belgium's La Folie for over year now. It has never before been available in the state of Kansas, and its availability in general is quite low. However, 15 cases of this beautiful beer made their way into Kansas this year. My store was allocated 6 bottles, and who knows if any of them will ever see the light of retail. This evenings hand numbered bottle is 12,922, bottles 11/07.

This one pours are murky brown/red, with a slightly pink caste to the foamy head. The head soon dissipates, leaving a thin ring around the glass, with some floating islands of tiny bubbles. Considering how long this beer has been aged, the initial carbonation is impressive, though it settles out after the initial head fades. The surface becomes quite still, and only a light crackling can be heard emanating from the glass. There is something quite becoming about the color of this beer. With the glass tilted and held up to the light it takes on hue that almost resembles a rosy cheek.

The nose is sour, funky, fruity, yeasty, acidic, vinegary, and absolutely amazing. First the funk hits, with sour notes of barnyard, horse blanket, and musty attics. This is quickly followed up by fresh bread and sour cherry/berry notes. My mouth has started watering at this point, so I'm just going to dive on in and leave the aroma at that.

Incredible. I honestly am considering leaving the rest of my review at that, as I feel I am not a strong enough writer to do justice to such a work of art. I'll do my best, but please understand that this is simply a beer to be tried, not read about.

Sour acidity rushes across the entire palate, followed by a wash of yeasty flavors. The fruit comes in quickly there after and provides a counter balancing sweetness that brings the taste to full fruition. Hops play little to no role here, but they are not missed in this instance. As the beer warms, more fruit comes out, and the depth of flavors in this beer increase dramatically. The finish is dry and again yeasty, almost with a hint of champagne. Every sip leaves me wanting not only another, if not another glass or bottle. This is art created in the medium of beer.

I really just want to focus on what is left in my glass, and not on typing this, so I shall leave my final rating. Overall: 98/100. This is thus far my favorite beer.

Bear Republic's Hop Rod Rye

Alright, upped the resolution on my phone's camera, so these pictures should be a little bit clearer. Had a great beer outing this evening at Joe Schmo's in downtown Lawrence. Sipped on Avery's Ellie's Brown (on tap) and a 750 of Boulevard's Long Strange Tripel. Very cool. Good burgers and fries. I am sad there is only one bocce court, but I've been invited down to play a game with just myself and the owner, so I think I'll be able to enjoy it...

Tonights selection comes to me from California via John Monaghan. I'm interested in this one, as I've had many homebrewed rye beers, but only one or two commercial interpretations.

This one pours a crystal clear burnt amber, with a foamy off white cappuccino head. The head drops quickly, but leaves impressive lacing all the way down the glass. I am left with a surprising amount of head clinging to the glass in thick sheets. I will mention the clarity again, as this one is truly impressive. It is like looking through deep red stained glass.

Smell is lots of hops with a good helping of rye. I'm guessing some West Coast varieties are involved here, nice and spicy with a good citrus rind backbone. The rye adds further depth to the spicy character. There some sweet malt coming through here, and I suspect that the malts here are a touch darker than one would associate with an IPA.

Taste is rich, deep, and spicy. The hops and rye come through in equal parts on the tongue. There is a deep bitter quality that is less acidic than it is cocoa powder oriented. The citrus still comes through, but the depth of the malt brings all the flavors forward as a unified front. Superbly balanced. I would be willing to bet this pushes 85+ IBU's, but it really doesn't seem that way. The malt sweetness has a depth you don't see in a lot of IPAs. There is real flavor here, as opposed to just sweetness to counteract the bitter hops. Sublime.

The mouthfeel on this is a bit thicker than your average IPA. I want to do a RyIPA now, just to see if I can match the full body on this one. Quite drinkable for 8% abv. This bomber was too tasty to put down and it made a hasty exit. I look forward to my next opportunity to sample a Bear Republic beer. Overall: 90/100

Boulder's Mojo Risin' DIPA or A Beer for a Stolen Amp

So I just got back from the Jazzhaus with the news that my bass amp wandered off the premise sometime about two weeks ago. In any case, I'm sure Ric will help me figure something out, but it is incredibly frustrating.

In any case, I'm going to have a beer. Something strongish sounds good, and Boulder's Mojo Risin' IPA fits the bill.

This one pours a fitting bright orange, with a great degree of clarity. The head is quite fine and pours about two fingers worth to begin. This calms quickly to a thin fine white cap. Patchy lacing coats the glass to the end, leaving a nice, sticky mess.

Smell is all Amarillo hops. Grapefruit prevails, with something a little harsher, more along the lines of raw, sticky fresh hops. The double dry hopping probably has something to do this. There is a touch of malt sweetness in the nose, but really this is a hop bomb through and through.

Taste is Amarillo. This pushes not even being grapefruit or citrus-y, just damn hoppy. There is an attempt at balance, but not a particularly good one. Still, the hop flavor is sound. This is by no means the hoppiest beer I've had, there just isn't much else to the taste. Good, but one dimensional.

This is an easy drinker, as it doesn't really challenge the palette. The alcohol content, at 10% is well hidden. All in all, not bad, but I'd like to see more depth from a DIPA. Overall: 85/100

Sick Again...

I have what I believe to be the influenza going around the KU campus. Suck. In any case, I'm refraining from all alcoholic intake at the moment, so as not to waste it on a dead palate. I shall return when I feel better.
Cheers-
AA

Sleepless

Now that it is 5:36 in the morning, and I can't sleep, I figured I would tag on a couple of beers that I'd tried recently but hadn't given the attention of a full review.

Sam Adams Irish Red Ale:
Really caramel malt oriented. A touch sweet for my taste, and there was something a little odd going on in the finish. Not bad, will probably develop some cult status, but nothing to write home about.

Avery New World Porter:
Oh Avery, you do so love your hops. First sip made me think IBA (India Black Ale). Lots of pine oriented hops. Some chocolate and coffee came through as well, but this felt like a hop showcase. Tasty, but not what I expect when I see the word "porter". I'll have to give this one another go, and give it a full review.

Also, thinking of going back to the goatee. Not sure yet.

Avery Mephistopheles Russian Imperial Stout 2008

These just arrived today. This is in the Avery Demon serious, and is the second strongest, pulling in at 16% ABV. The two previous entries that I've tried have been... challenging. Intense, flavorful, but not easy drinkers at all. This one promises to be no different.

This pours like motor oil. There is no splashing here, just a thick syrupy stream of brown-black liquid. A minimal cocoa head crops up, and fades away immediately into nothingness. No light passes through this beer. Lacing? Pffffff...

The nose is dark and sweet. Dark mixed berries, 90%+ cocoa, smoke, and some hot alcohol. Overwhelmingly rich.


The flavors all follow the nose in kind, with a distinct flavor of beef jerky. This is one of, if not the heartiest beer I have ever had. A resounding warming sensation hits after the first swallow. This is like drinking a melted chocolate pudding. Huge!

This is not the most drinkable beer, that is for sure. However, giving it considerations for being a 16% RIS, it is more palatable than expected.

86/100.

Jolly Pumpkin Oro De Calabaza

Alright, here is beer two of a four beer, four night tasting. Last nights Bam Noire was a great, and I have high hopes for this one. I haven't had a Biere de Garde before, and from what I hear, it is a style I will like. It translates literally as "Guarded Beer", with the intent that you can lay this one down for quite while, and the flavors will continue to grow for many years.

This pours a beautiful hazy golden orange. There is a big white head, which dissipates to a patchy white layer. This beer positively glows. There isn't a whole lot of lacing, but there is a touch of patchy film on the glass.

The smell here is amazing. Huge amounts of fruit: pears, apples, apricots. There is some funk, some bready malt, and lots of fruit oriented yeast as well. These smells escaped from from the bottle the moment the top was popped. It was intense and the scent filled the room.

The taste follows much in kind, with all of the fruits coming through again. The funk becomes a bit more prevalent in the flavor, with a pleasant drying sensation. The bready flavors come in as well. This has a distinct sourdough note to it. I can see this continuing to develop for quite some time to come. I haven't ever had anything quite like this, but this is yet another home run from Jolly Pumpkin.

The mouth feel is superb. The carbonation is relatively high, and I am wondering if that will fade a bit in time, giving it a smoother body on down the road. There is strong drying sensation from the acidity that the Brett gives off.

This was yet another incredible beer from the good folks at Jolly Pumpkin. I can't really say anything bad about this beer. I am going to pick one up tomorrow to cellar for a couple months, and yet another to cellar for years to come. 95/100!