Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout from Terrapin Brewing

As I write this, I'm sipping on a seasonal beer from Terrapin Brewing in Athens GA called Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout. I'm drinking it during the wron season, since this is their Winter seasonal, but Florida doesn't have much in the way of seasons anyway. We know it's winter when we have to wear our slippers to get the newspaper in the morning. The four seasons are generally called "Warm, hot, hotter, and hottest". But I digress.

Terrapin's Coffee stout is actually made with coffee, unlike some others that derive their 'coffee' flavor from highly roasted malt. The coffee probably inhibited the head, since there is almost none. The stout poured the color of used motor oil. The coffee flavor is quite prominent, and there's a touch of sweetness as well. Mouthfeel is nice and smooth from the oatmeal. Alcohol is 8.1%, but you wouldn't guess it from the flavor. It does sneak up on you though.

It's interesting to be drinking this because a few years ago I made a coffee Imperial stout as one of my early homebrews, and it was very similar to this. The alcohol level was a little less and the texture wasn't as creamy, but the coffee was just as prominent and flavorful. This is a good beer - check it out.

Saranac ESB Extra Special Bitter Ale

Tonight I grabbed a Saranac from the fridge - their ESB - which was part of their 12 Beers of Winter assortment. I recently found out that Whole Foods has their 12 Beers of Summer in stock now, so I'm 2 seasons behind! So many beers, so little time... I think this might have sat in the fridge a little too long, because it displayed some of the same flavor characteristics as the Alligator Drool I reviewed a few days ago. It definitely had a sour character to it, which I wasn't expecting. Not as bad as the "Drool", but there none the less. It poured a little darker than I expected from an ESB, and had very little head. The nose had some hints of caramel, which was good, and was also present in the flavor. I hope I got a bad bottle, because it definitely had potential, if it weren't for the sourness.

Unibroue Ephemere Apple Ale

Unibroue, a brewery based in Chambly, Quebec, Canada brews a plethora of Belgian inspired beers, each of which is unique in its own way. Today's beer is Ephemere Apple, a light summer brew, made with apple juice, coriander, and Curacao (a type of orange). At 5.5% alcohol by volume, it's a tad stronger than the "normal" summer beer, but lighter than many of Unibroue's other offerings. It poured the color of apple juice, with a long-lasting but small white head. The beer is quite effervescent, which makes it nicely thirst-quenching. The apple juice is quite obvious, and makes the beer taste almost like a cross between a witbier and a cider. Hops are very subdued, but the coriander and orange peel give it a Belgian Wit character. Unibroue has also brewed peach, strawberry, cranberry and raspberry versions of this ale. This came in a 4-pack from World Market called the Unibroue Taster Pack. Also included in the pack was a bottle of Chambly Noire, Blanche de Chambly, and Raftman. I'm looking forward to checking them all out.

Mad River Steelhead Double IPA

I'm a sucker for colorful labels, so this one caught my eye. Since it was also a Double IPA, I figured I couldn't lose. As far as Double IPA's go, this one is relatively mild. It's from Mad River Brewing in Blue Lake, CA, and I've sampled a number of their beers over the past couple of years. The beer poured a cloudy amber color, and had plenty of yeast sediment in the bottom of the bottle. It's definitely maltier and higher alcohol than a standard IPA. The sweetness of the malt was offset by citrusy, piney hops. The finish was decidedly bitter with an alcohol kick. This was very enjoyable.

Tommyknocker Imperial Nut Brown Ale

It seems that "Imperial" is becoming the buzzword of the craft beer industry these days. I posted about an Imperial ESB a short time ago, and now I have an Imperial Nut Brown Ale from Tommyknocker Brewery in Idaho Springs, CO. This is a high octane version of their Maple Brown Ale, which I reviewed in an earlier post. This beer poured a deep brown with no discernible head. Mouthfeel is medium, and the first sip is emphasized by the higher alcohol level - 9%. This is a sweet malty beer, with a woody character from the maple. It has a lingering alcohol finish. I enjoy these Imperial ales, as I tend to brew higher alcohol beers that push the limits as well.

Lost Coast Winterbraun Ale

While perusing the beer aisle at Whole Foods, I discovered this bottle of Lost Coast Brewery's Winterbraun Ale. I like brown ales, and I like winter beers, so it was a natural. It poured a deep brownish red with a small beige head. The aroma was toffee, and chocolate. This brown is richer, spicier, and more chocolaty than their Downtown Brown, which I also enjoyed. It finishes with a nice lingering bitterness. This was an excellent selection! Once again, Lost Coast has made a great beer.

Stoudt's Oktoberfest

Stoudt's Brewing Co. is based in Adamstown, PA, and I've sampled a number of their different creations. I've always been very impressed with their beers, but the Oktoberfest I tried today is not up to their usual standards. I'm going to give them the benefit of the doubt, because I know they make excellent beer. Something must have happened to this bottle during its lifetime. It smelled and tasted a bit metallic and skunky. Maybe it sat on the store shelf too long before I bought it. Whatever the reason, I know it's not exemplary of Stoudt's usual high quality.

Open house at Lagniappe Brewing Co.

A new brewery has opened up in Minneola, FL, and last weekend I spent some time sampling their brews. The brewery is named Lagniappe Brewing and I enjoyed my afternoon there. Lagniappe is pronounced lan-yap and the general meaning is to "giva a little something extra". Since the open house offered free beer, they are certainly living up to their name already. My wife and I had an opportunity to speak with Brad, the owner and brewmeister - a very personable fellow who deserves a lot of credit for jumping into a new business at a time like this. I wish him all the success in the world.

We were able to sample 3 different beers - Minnehaha Golden Ale, Afterglow IPA, and Locomotive Breath Porter. Minnehaha Golden Ale (named for a local lake) is a very mild, very smooth and easy to drink ale. It would be a great thirst-quencher during the warmer months, which lasts most of the year here in Florida. Afterglow IPA uses a Polish hop variety similar to the Czech Saaz. It's not an over-the-top IPA, and was very enjoyable. The Locomotive Breath Porter was my favorite - chocolaty and roasty.

The brewery is in a good location, not far off the main drag in Minneola, and the owners have done a great job making it attractive and welcoming. The fact that it's only about 3 miles from my home doesn't hurt either. I took some pictures with a cell-phone while inside, but my blue-tooth adaptor doesn't like me, so...

Check out their web-site at www.lagniappebrewing.com. Good luck to Lagniappe Brewing! I'm looking forward to trying out some of their future beers!

Homebrewed American Pale Ale - 1st Sampling

Tonight I popped the lid on my first bottle of my latest homebrew - an American Pale Ale. I usually have problems brewing lighter color beers, so I'm very proud of this one. The recipe is created as a combination of several different recipes I looked at on-line. I tweaked them a bit so I could call it my own. It poured a pale amber with a big fluffy head that lasted longer than I expected. This is a hoppier version of an APA, similar to Sierra Nevada's brew.

Here's the recipe for 2-1/2 gallons:

3.3lbs Briess Pilsen Light LME
2 oz 30L Crystal Malt
4 Oz Caravienne Malt
1/2 Oz Columbus Hops - 60 minutes
1/4 Oz Amarillo Hops - 15 Minutes
1-1/4 Oz Cascade Hops - 5 Minutes
Fermentis Safale US-05 Yeast

I heated up the grains in a gallon of water until it reached 165 degrees, then pulled them out. I then added the Columbus hops when the wort started to boil. After 45 minutes, I added the Amarillo hops, and the LME. When there were 5 minutes left, I threw in the Cascades. After cooling the wort in an icebath, I poured it into the fermenter and topped it off to 2.5 gallons before pitching the yeast.

I left the wort to ferment for two weeks, bottled it with priming sugar, and carbonated for 2 weeks. I threw a couple in the fridge yesterday, so I could sample today. Yummy, hoppy goodness!

Heavy Seas Winter Storm, from Clipper City

This is my second beer from Clipper City Brewing in Baltimore. Billed as an Imperial ESB, it's a new beer style for me. I love the labels on these Heavy Seas beers - after all, who can resist a pirate-themed beer, complete with a parrot? This is a bottle-conditioned brew, so there was a bit of yeast on the bottom, that kinda clouded it up a little. It was a nice ruby color with an itty-bitty head. This is a malty ale! It reminds me of a double bock - gobs of malt sweetness. Alcohol was at 7.5%, about what I would expect of an "Imperial" anything. It's a perfect cold weather beer - rich, sweet, and warming. After all, it's a "Category 5 Ale".

Ridgeway Brewing's Bad Elf Winter's Ale

From the label:

'Tis a heavy hand what adds the hops to this festive golden ale. Truth be told, there's near to three pounds of fresh hops goes in every barrel of this treasured brew. And it's conditioned ready for winter sipping from your best flagon.'

This is a pretty good description of this ale. It's filled with earthy English hop flavor. This is one of the best English ales I have tasted. Lots of malt sweetness and plenty of hop flavor and aroma. It poured a lovely golden color with a nice lacy head. It's a bit stronger than a traditional English ale, at 6% abv. This is part of a series of "Elf" beers from Ridgeway, and is the mildest of the group. It is accompanied by Very Bad Elf at 7.5%, Seriously Bad Elf at 9.0%, Criminally Bad Elf at 10.5%, and the appropriately named Insanely Bad Elf at 11.2%. I will definitely be working my way up the series! Oh yeah, there's a 4.5% version of this beer, but I don't see any sense in going backwards.

Okocim Mocne

Mocne is a uniquely Polish beer, essentially a Polish Strong Lager. Okocim's Mocne weighs in at 7% abv so it fits the description of strong pretty well. My Polish heritage attracted me to this beer when I saw it in the liquor store. It poured a medium golden color with a fluffy white creamy head, which left a nice lacy coating on the glass. The beer has a fuller body than most lagers. The nose is flowery and buttery, with a hint of the alcohol to come. The beer is sweeter than most lagers, probably due to the higher malt content, and again, the alcohol shows itself in the taste. It has a lingering floral hop character. My first sip was a bit underwhelming, but the beer improved as I worked my way down the glass. Okocim also makes a wonderful Baltic Porter, so check that one out too.

St. Feuillien Cuvee de Noel

St. Feuillien is an Abbey brewery established back in 1125 AD. I'm not sure what it is about Monks and brewing, but they definitely go together well. Tonight I tasted their Cuvee de Noel, which was part of a 3 beer assortment which also netted me the nice glass you see in the photo. There's something special about drinking a beer from a glass that was designed for it. Being a Christmas or holiday beer, this beer has a fuller body than many Belgian ales, and a vinous quality. Alcohol is at 9.0% abv, so it's a nice sipping beer, although it went well with my pork roast too. It tastes of dark fruit and has the traditional Belgian yeast character as well. St. Feuillien also makes a very nice Tripel, which was also in the assortment, and a Bruin rounded out the trio. I'm looking forward to trying the Bruin next.

Homebrewed Spiced Holiday Stout

Each year, I brew a holiday beer for the winter, and I'm always looking to surpass the previous year's brew. For this winter, I formulated a Spiced Imperial Stout, using traditional holiday spices such as cinnamon, nutmeg, coriander, allspice and vanilla. I also added a secret weapon - 4 ounces of Jim Beam Bourbon. This is definitely an over-the-top sipping beer that's great for a nightcap. I used twice as much malt as I usually use, and beefed it up some more with 1/2 lb of Muscavado dark brown sugar. Muscavado is the richest, darkest brown sugar available. The beer pours inky-black, with ruby highlights and no head. The flavor is full of molasses, licorice, and dark sweet fruit. It is most certainly not a beer to be had with dinner. It's dessert all by itself. Alcohol level is probably around 12%, so it's very warming. I think this is my finest holiday beer yet. It's exactly what I was working toward.

He'Brew - The Chosen Beer - Genesis Ale

Tonight I tasted another He'Brew beer from Shmaltz Brewing. This beer is their "Genesis Ale" and is described as a Light Brown Ale. It's a pretty accurate description, as it poured a deep amber with a light colored head. It's kind of a cross between a brown ale and a pale or amber ale. It's a little maltier than a traditional APA, and hoppier than a brown. It's actually similar to the Saranac I had last night. There was one thing that troubled me about this beer. It had a sour metallic flavor that was subtle, but a little distracting. I have to say that I have liked the other beers from Shmaltz better than this one.

Saranac India Style Brown Ale

Tonight's beer is from Saranac's "12 Beers of Winter", which I picked up this past weekend. It's a brand new brew for F.X. Matt - India Style Brown Ale. I was looking forward to this cross between a brown ale and an IPA. It poured a medium brown color with a small cream-colored head. The head didn't last long, but did leave a nice lacing on the glass. Unfortunately, the brew was not as inspiring as I had hoped. It lacked the sweetness of a brown ale, and wasn't nearly as hoppy as I was anticipating. Admittedly, I am a hop-head, so it's impossible to put too much hop character in a beer. I think the folks at Saranac were a bit too cautious on this beer. I would have liked to see them emphasize the sweet nutty character of a brown ale, as well as the overt hoppiness of the IPA. I'm just going to have to brew my own version of this beer, once I have a fermenter free again.

Sprecher Black Bavarian

Sprecher Brewing is based in Glendale, WI and I recently sampled their Black Bavarian lager. It's an American brewer's take on a Schwarzbier, which is one of my favorite styles. This is a fine example of the style. I couldn't help but compare it to Kulmbacher's Schwarze, which i believe epitomizes the style. Sprecher's version is much more chocolaty in flavor, and a bit more roasty as well. Schwarzbier is a lager style of beer, as compared to Porter, which is an ale. This is the third Sprecher beer I have tasted, and I'm still impressed. I also like their 16 oz bottles!

Great Divide Brewing - Saint Bridget's Porter

Today I tried my first beer from Great Divide Brewing In Denver, CO - Saint Bridget's Porter. Saint Bridget is a patron Saint of Ireland, and the story goes that she turned her bathwater to beer in order to provide it to lepers and clerics. The story doesn't say that the beer was a Porter. At any rate, Saint Bridget's Porter is in the Robust style, full of coffee and chocolate goodness. It poured a deep brown - not quite black - with a half-inch tan head. Mouthfeel was decidedly creamy and rich. This was a great introduction to Great Divide's family of beers. I'll be investigating others in the future!

Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale 2008

What better beer for New Years Day than a Celebration Ale from Sierra Nevada. I've tried numerous Sierra Nevada brews over the years, and they've never let me down. During the past holiday week, I picked up a six-pack of this ale while visiting some family members who don't have a dedicated beer/wine/mead fridge. Sierra Nevada brews this ale every year and it's won numerous awards. It's basically an IPA with a little more horsepower. It poured a clear copper color with an inch-tall head. The head diminished to about 1/4 of its original size, but lasted to the bottom of the glass, leaving plenty of frosty lacing. The first sip lets you know it's an IPA, with plenty of grapefruity "C' hops - Chinooks, Centennials, and Cascades. The 6.8 % alcohol level became apparent as I got closer to the bottom. The big hop presence was neatly offset by plenty of malt sweetness. Sierra Nevada is a talented brewery - Fritz Maytag knew what he was doing when he bought it way back when.

Bischoff Falkensteiner Ur-Weisse

A short time ago I reviewed Bischoff's Falkensteiner Ur-Schwarze, and found it somewhat lacking. Tonight I tried another bottle of Bischoff - this time it's their Ur-Weisse. It poured a pale golden color with a big white head. The head was more impressive than the one on the Schwarze. The nose on this variety was closer to what I would expect from a wheat beer - some citrus notes, and some banana too. The flavor also had evidence of bananas and clove from the Bavarian hefeweizen yeast. This bottle was more true to the style than the Schwarze was. It still wasn't up to par when compared to my favorite - Weihenstephan, but it was better. It was refreshing and enjoyable with my chicken.