Our Tastes-- Weyerbacher Belgian Style Golden Ale

In much the Mitchell fashion in the 11th hour and last few minutes I taste, Merry Monks' (aka Belgian Style Golden Ale) by Weyerbacher. I have accumulated many of the Weyer styles of beer recently and all of them relatively high gravity. This one seems fitting as I close a Halloween at Merry's outpost. At first glance with this being a 9.3%abv liquid, I expected a flat head head but this one pour a relatively large white head and quickly dissipates to the usual. The aroma is bland and nondescript with a cloudy color (like wet straw, as I watch Man vs. Wild, for Bear Grylls everything is a simile). Truly a bottle conditioned beer this one has added sugar and yeast which explains the intriguing gook that has rested to one side. Taste explodes in your mouth with bananas and clove with this Trippel. Made with Pilsner malts and Belgian yeast strains my mouth is alive with multiple dimensions. Wow this one is really a great beer to start this line with.

Our Tastes-- Shiner Munich Style Helles Lager

Closing in on my goal of 31 beers in 31 days, I finally try Shiner's latest anniversary beer, Munich Style Helles Lager (aka. Shiner 99). These beers initially were thought to be simply tributes to Shiner's upcoming centennial year, the brewery I hope to visit next year, but really this is ingenious market research. When Shiner 97 (Bohemian Black Lager) came out it was an absolute smash; therefore, people begged for its return. Currently they offer what is supposed to be the same recipe (it isn't, trust me) as a regular in the line up in an all black package. They are simply testing out new niches for the sake of mass market research!! Brilliant! So begat Shiner 99, a clear light straw yeasty tasting bread beer with flat head that when I poured my mouth full I sat patiently and waited...and waited for a taste...of something...but there was nothing. Moral to this tasting is that if you want BMC taste, don't have it shipped from Texas. Made with wheat, barley and Munich malt, this one pays tribute to the Czech brewers that founded Spoetzl Brewery. To tell you how "bright" which is what helles means, this one is 6 SRM, yeah, only water may be clearer, 4.9%abv. Well maybe 100 will be something special.

Our Tastes-- Saranac Promegranate Wheat

Keeping the spooky taste buds rolling tonight I wane about Saranac's Pomegranate Wheat. This one has a cool brown bear on the front of it with mirrored sunglasses and juggling pomegranates. Pouring a golden straw and light white head this one is unique in its own right. The aroma is unnoticeable but the taste is light crisp an tart. Made with white wheat and 2-row then jacked around with Columbus (a hop I've noticed a lot of brewers going to). 4.7%abv and a year-rounder.

Our Tastes-- Terrapin Style IBA

Even though the 1st time I have had this beer before, specifically at the 2nd Annual Magic City Brewfest, I thought since this was the 11th hour and I needed to taste 4 more beers, that I would give Terrapin's latest India Brown Ale a good bloggin'. This beer since first tasting has been one of my absolute favorites. The complexity of this beer is phenomenal! Made with 7 malts (Pale Dark Munich, Victory, Special Roast, Crystal 60, Crystal 77, Chocolate) and 5 hops (Nugget, Chinook, Centennial, Willamette, Columbus (for Dry Hop). Now to the beer appeal itself, a deep reddish-brown with an extremely distinct well balanced hop and malt aroma. Lattice is amazing spider-like webbing (Halloween;) the mouthfeel is hop explosion from beginning to burn. Have some nice AL-worthy 6%abv bevvy.

Our Tastes-- Flying Dog Biere de Garde

Trying one of the new Flying Dog brews, Garde Dog, Biere De Garde is a real treat. Named like the French beer "beer for keeping", this one is a nice light treat. The light toasted aroma and color to match are amazing. Made with German Pilsner, Belgian Biscuit Malt, Rye Malt, Flaked Wheat, Malted White Wheat then smacked with US grown French hops, somehow that makes it ok? 5.5%abv will get you through the spring ans summer fo sho'.

Our Tastes-- Red Hook Long Hammer IPA

I picked this little surprise up at Sea Side as well and it has quickly become one of the best "sweet" IPAs I've ever had. I must have bought a case worth of Long Hammer of this stuff during my vacation down there! It pours a creamy white head and aggressive yet balanced aroma. The pale color (brass) is a bit confusing because I would have expected more of a red hue but nonetheless awesome. It has a great mouth feel that explodes with hop variety on the aftertaste. This is listed as the "Go To" IPA. Made with 2-row Klages (?), Munich and Crystal malts then hopped with Northern Brewer, Willamette and dry-hopped with Cascade. Characteristics: 6.51%abv, 186 kcal/bottle, OG 1.05773, best Red Hook I've ever had, oh and by the way all of them are ales, meaning they are great styles to start with when homebrewing.

Our Tastes-- Full Sail IPA

I found this little beauty on vacation down in Sea Side, FL. Full Sail IPA. It pours a wonderfully balanced white frothy head and sweet hoppy aroma. A medium brown color with awesome malt and what must be Cascade hops taste truly sets this one apart from the run-of-the-mill IPA. The lattice hangs well on this beer made by it's "massive brewforce of 47". 6%abv from the independently owned brewery in Hood River, OR.

Our Tastes-- The Raven Special Lager

Made by Baltimore-Washington Beer Works, this one is quite surprising! The Raven label says, "The Taste is Poetic", and I believe it is. For a lager the aroma is expected and the pour is a dark straw with some crazy jack in the bottom of the pint. The taste for lager is great!! Named in honor of Baltimore's own Edgar Allan Poe this beer is said to be appealing to both the lager and ale drinker, I'll admit it may be the best lager I've had to date. There's a slight sweetness to it that I can't quite place and I wish I had more than just one to drink, "Quoth the Raven, 'Nevermore'.

Our Tastes-- Abita Bock

Well, thinking this was going to be something special failed me. It's dark yellow, white headed, smells like a good beer, flattening probably due to the Abita Springs water and is labled "bock". Popular during "Mardi Gras" (where everyone loves to be drunk) available between Jan. and Mar. Made with British and caramel malts topped with Perle....yea...Perle. "Not worth showing your boobies for," says The Enabler.

Our Tastes-- Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold

Dortmunder Gold is a golden lager, with a yeasty bread dough aroma, diabetic urine straw too concentrated (don't understand, look it up) . Light flattening white head. During the mid-19th century 7 cities in Dortmunder began brewing beers in the same manner yielding this style. For me not an overbearing cry to have more, yet a respecite brew to have had. Lattice is nada and 5.8% rounds it out.

Our Tastes-- Great Lakes Burning River

Burning River is a pale ale named after the 1969 burning of the Cuyahoga River. A nice pale ale that smacks of a decent hoppy aroma and flat head. A cloudy straw color and balanced bitterness awaits the tongue. Oddly enough I didn't realize that Burton-Upon-Trent is why we have that pale color and hardness of water. 6%abv with Cascade.

Our Tastes-- Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald

Even though I have had this beer shipped to me while I was The Rocket City chapter of TnDC many times, we savor and finally blog the enjoyment of Edmund Fitzgerald, or affectionately known to me as "Eddie Fitz". This porter ranks right up there with LeftHand's Black Jack Porter and of course my own BP! Almost an opaque, with a fine dissipating brown head. The sweet malt aroma is balanced well with hops that I can't identify over the wonderful chocolate taste. The 5.8% bevvy is "named after the ship that frequently docked in Cleveland and sunk in Lake Superior on November 10, 1975 with many Northeast Ohioans on board." I had already been born so there is no relation.

Our Tastes-- Samuel Adams Hallertau Imperial Pilsner

KOKO, I taste (not for the 1st time) Samuel Adams Hallertau Imperial Pilsner. This amazing beer pours up a gargantuan frothy creamy micro-bubble thick head! Color is a perfectly preserved dark straw matched by a citrusy hop aroma rivaled by few. Even as the head slowly dissipates without drinking it leaves great lattice. The taste is an enormous hop explosion in the mouth. Every time I've had the beer it surprises me. "Imperial" beers were originally brewed in London in the 1800s for the Baltic trade. Increased in alcohol to survive delivery to the Russian court that the tsars enjoyed this term implied higher alcohol and hops only for travel. Used now to connotate the same yet distinguish it from its "regular" counterparts. Using 12lbs per barrel (32Cong) of Mittelfreuh, Two-row Harrington and Metcalfe, limited release, 300kcal and 8.8%abv. My opinion matters not at this point, find some and drink.

Our Tastes-- Old Dominion Oak Barrel Stout

Having this beer many times does not diminish it's value. A dark brown color with very sweet maltiness absolute vanilla bean aroma, with oak chips, man I have got to venture into this. I love this OD beer the best (even more than Millennium). Lattice is average at best. The head on this beer is a silky medium tan. Using smoked and peated malted paired with Willamette and Cascade hops, then dry-hopped with the before mentioned vanilla beans and oak chips gives this 5.2%abv bevvy a great depth and complexity.

Our Tastes-- Highland Brewing Company Black Mocha Stout

Carrying on the tradition immediately, I try Highland's Black Mocha Stout! Initially introed to this brew when I was at the intern meeting in Charlotte, NC., I trace my steps for the future generations. It pours an abysmal blindness of black with medium brown head heavy in color on the edges and a roasted coffee aroma of wake up and go. The mouthfeel, (..takes be back and makes me wonder.., Garth Brooks-Unanswered Prayers) a heavy fullness. A great way to celebrate the death and REBIRTH of tasting in my favorite Ensligh pinties, not to be confused with panties. I've talked with several homebrewers that call Highland AND Duck Rabbit as the dark beer makers of the microbrew century. This one makes me feel better about the many imbibes I've had in this glasse's twin, I can tell this will take much brew and time to pass in solace. So twas Superman. Chinook, Mt. Hood, 5.3%abv, calories per 12 oz. 216.81, carbs per 12 oz. 24.99gms nuff said..

Mourning the Loss

Of one of my 1st English pint glasses that I just kicked over next to the couch out here in the garage. I've had a set since, well I can't remember when. I'll miss you and so will your twin, I hope you bear offspring at World Market. He was empty and I have to wonder if there had been beer in him, would it have saved his life in the clash between Croc and concrete? Could beer have saved his life? Only MythBusters will know.

Our Tastes-- Backfin Pale Ale

Another of the legs from the DC trip, Backfin is regarded as "Maryland's premium pale ale"made by Clay Pipe Brewing Company. A standard pale ale head and aromas with amber/brown color. Made with 2-row malted barley, 20L and 60L Crystal malts balanced with American, English and Czech hops to yield a 5.5%abv nice brew. I personally just like the logo of the crab crawling through sea oats on a Sunday morning as though he had to much bevvy the Saturday night before on the beach too.

Our Tastes-- Magic Hat Autumn Mystery Beer 2007

The last in our line of Magic Hat brews is a retiree known as the Autumn Mystery Beer 2007. This one pours a cloudy mild brown color with decent lathery head. The aroma is that of sour maltiness giving way to a "phenolic" (sourness in the middle of the tongue with an initial bite on the sides). This one was a hard guess for us but we definitely knew the taste, just haven't had it much. It's a dubbel offered by Magic Hat yielding a 7.5%abv. I can go for the dark candy and mild hops. I like it.

Our Tastes-- Avery India Pale Ale

My next beer is a pitiful offering for what is labeled as Avery IPA. The cloudy dark urine color matches well with the overbearing yeasty aroma, can you say circa 1500 A.D. cod piece? The head is flat and at this point I'm just hoping to finish it. Characteristics include, hops of Simcoe, Columbus, Cascade & Centennial meshing with some Two-row barley, Munich 10L, caramel 120L, to yield a 6.3%abv gag. Next.

Our Tastes-- Odell Brewing Company 90 Shilling Ale

I ordered some brews from Arcticliquor.com, owner is Leif Erickson (no lie, not sure about the spelling) and Odell 90 Shilling Ale was recommended. Considered one of the Odell "Classic" beers, introduced as the flagship beer in 1989, it is a lightened Scottish Ale to the point of an amber that absolutely makes your mouth happy! The lattice is nice with a well balanced toast aroma, light brown at best in color but has become my first, only and best Odell beer that I have ever tried. A shilling was a coin used in Britain from 1549 to 1982 and only the highest quality beers were taxed 90 shillings. Man I love this beer so much, I've got to order it again. 5.3%abv, even the bottle is the shiznat with it's crossed hop cones?

Our Tastes-- Abita Jockamo IPA

Originally a Cajun saying loosely meaning "the fool we will not play today" or "don't mess with us". Jockamo is a great IPA made by Abita but the website tells nothing of how it is made. It pours a nice clear red/copper color and typical aroma with a little sweetness. The lattice-work is great to look at and the abv is 6.5%. This may be the best Abita beer I've had yet.

Our Tastes-- Left Hand Black Jack Porter

I've had Black Jack a couple of times before this blog and I wanted to leave it alone and come back to it because this may be my most favorite porter to date. Absolutely the best I have ever emptied into my gullet! It is a sweet malt bill and medium mouthfeel topped with light brown head and ever clinging lattice like no other. And some of the Left Hand stuff I'm not a big fan of. This medium brown English-style porter is mae with premium pale 2-row, chocolate, munich and crystal malts then bittered and aroma-ed with Magnum and US Goldings. 6.34abv%. Damn that .34% in this state!

Oktoberfest Cures

Since it's that time of year, thought it would be a good time to go over some cures for head pounding, some of these I just read in an article are tried and true. Drink light colored distillates (gin, rum, vodka), it actually works unless you destroy a quart of wine. Water every 2hrs, puts you ahead of the dehydration caused by inhibition of vasopressin, Gatorade seems to be better because the salt helps retain more fluid along with the other minerals it has. More Hair of the Dog when you awake simply outs off the inevitable. Exercise has help you sweat it out but remember you are already dehydrated so this simply helps take it off your mind while you run but you're getting a good workout. My personal favorite is a Super B complex vitamin and a little water or Gatorade before bed, this really helps since a "banana bag" at the hospital for drunks has pretty much this in it to help prevent or treat Wernicke's encephalopathy. Of course you can always try "The Bull's eye"..a raw egg in 12oz of OJ, the egg replaces nutrients with glucose and vitamins from the juice? Haven't tried it but it seems like the juice would sour into the shats and the egg could give you salmonella?

Random Brewing Tasters-- Breakfast Stout

Trying the batch that The Enabler and I tried to introduce Matt-Pie (pee-kaw) to brewing. An absolutely amazing medium brown head, possible due to over carbonation. Overall, a nice brew, may have needed to drop some more, bottled it at 1.020 which is about right for sweet stouts and IPAs, definitely a recipe I'd like to try again. I think the abv on this one was 4.4%? Probst!

Oddly Enough

Tonight we learned that according to Auburn University School of Veterinarian Medicine, which is also featured on AU main website, drug sniffing dogs have a 20x greater capability of smelling drugs, specifically marijuana than a human, the only way to hide it was in hamburger meat but only fools the handler NOT the AU dog, thanks to MANswers for that tidbit.

Our Tastes-- Magic Hat Roxy Rolles

Continuing with the sampler from tonight is Roxy Rolles. This is an amber hoppy ale that, for me, blew my mind. It truly has pale amber almost "Irish red" color. Made with Pale, Crystal and Caramunich malts and hopped with none other than Brewer's Gold and Simcoe. The taste is slight to apparent hop bitterness. Head was latticed rolling out a 5.1%abv. Possibly one of the best of the pack, but now we're into the Feast of Fools sampler.

Our Tastes-- Magic Hat Odd Notion Winter 07'

Keeping up with the sampler Odd Notion Winter 07', not sure what exactly this one was because they are already distributing ON08' which is a braggot and the website has already replaced it but it tastes like a warming winter ale, we especially like the nice "snow flakes" caused by the yeast/hop bed caused in brew. Had to do some digging to find out what this one was and it's a dark wheat ale, which regaled a "oohhh" from the crowd. 7.5%abv, with a fine sweet aroma. The label spins the mind of Ole Saint Nick heading out from the North Pole but for us it was the house of Sauromon, which was one of the Two Towers!

Our Tastes-- Magic Hat Number 9

Turn 3 will be represented by Number 9, a flavored not quite pale ale. This one pours a ghostly pale ale with a creamy head. The aroma is reminiscent of citrus and some type of berry. The flavor is about the same. ABV 4.6%. Cascade and Columbus hops. English yeast used and on the back of the label,what a surprise, "brewed with the essence of apricot", that accounts for the tartness in the taste and first-time aroma for me.

Our Tastes-- Magic Hat Jinx

Next to the tastebuds is an "ale inspired by the doctrines of medieval chemists", Jinx, a strong fall ale, is our next mouth slapper. Second in the Night of the Living Dead sampler, it pours a copper-brown, flat white head with elusive malty aroma that gives way to a medium mouthfeel of smoked peat. Made with pale, cara, crystal and smoked whiskey malts, bittered with Columbus, this one is a 6.9%abv (scissors, paper, rock, same hand yells jinx just like saying the same thing at the same time).

Our Tastes-- Magic Hat Circus Boy

A howling hefeweizen out of the Night of the Living Dead variety pack from Magic Hat, this was one of the samplers The Enabler legged back from D.C. "..a bump that goes bump in the night. Four fiendishly phantasmic formulas..", are contained withing this one. Circus Boy is a great hefe that pours with a heavy white head to flattening then easily aroused along with the aroma upon swirling. The color is perfection with cloudy straw. Aroma is sweet bananas and clove. A predictable beer, but nonetheless, a worthwhile oral venture. Made with malted wheat, pale malt and amarillo (same as Yazoo Pale Ale) this one's good. 4.4%abv. Hefeweizen yeast.

Brew Batch #26 REINKE'S REVENGE 2008

Yep, it's time for that special recipe again this year. I've changed to brew process and recipe just a bit this year in the hopes that if I enter next year's Sam Adams LongShot that maybe I can go a little further than I did this year. Oh yeah, I didn't blog that, more later for now let the brew begin:
>1703hrs-- Dropped the grain
>1811hrs-- 30min sit, this time we went to 130F for 10mins (rest), 140F for 15 mins (rest) now up to 155F with a standard 30mins (rest), I'm hoping this helps extraction efficiency, but I've lost my copy of The Complete Joy of Homebrewing.
>1855hrs-- Sparged, now raising to boil.
>2006-- About 20mins left from the final hop addition with an ice bath awaiting, before this a little Galena and Fuggles.
>2100hrs-- The brew is done, waiting for a cool down having some pizza, and tasters, OG to come.
>2318hrs-- Pitching yeast. Standby... Scottish Thames never smelled so good, OG 1.079+0.001 @69.4F
>Looks like another award winner done in hand with The Enabler
>10/9/08-- Damn thing was so active the stopper almost launched out of the fermenter like a rocket and the plastic top was bulged, had to use my racking tube as a blow off, and it's still WIDE open

Our Tastess-- Sierra Nevada 2008 ESB (Early Spring Bitter)

I've had several of the Sierra Nevada line and the ESB is a super reddish-copper brew, made with British-grown Maris Otter, Two-row Pale & Crystal, with a great mouthfeel and aroma of a strong pale ale using bittering hops of English Challenger and finishing hops of English Challenger and East Kent Goldings THEN dry hopping with English Challenger, U.S. Challenger, U.S. Goldings, & Crystal. 5.9%abv makes this an annual favorite already.

Our Tastes-- Dogfish Head Punkin Ale

I have really been waiting to get into some of the Dogfish Head beers and this one in particular since it is that time of year. Punkin Ale pours a great clear copper color with slight foam to a flattening head. An absolute perfect aroma of pumpkin and allspice this one has 7%abv is a real treat with wonderful warming effect. Thank goodness it comes in 4-packs because at 230kcal/bottle, this one could be a meal!!

Our Tastes-- Leinenkugel's Oktoberfest Lager

Rocking with the "Beer-A-Day" program, we continue with Leinie's Oktoberfest! I'm sure you see a pattern starting. As clear a copper with no bubble as you can find. The nose is flat I guess due to no head formation even after swirl, but then again none of the Leinie's really had any head. It's unremarkable yet drinkable? Brewed with Munich, Caramel and Pale malts and tightened up with Perle, Hallertau, Tettnang and Cluster hops. 5.1%abv, 170kcal/bottle and best served at 45F, I think we got the temp right.

Our Tastes-- Left Hand Oktoberfest Marzen Lager

First and foremost the aroma is intriguing. Color for Left Hand's Oktoberfest Marzen Lager is supposed to be clear copper but for us tonight it's more like tarnished penny, in other words cloudy copper at best. Still the smell is 50% of our taste, it's of fresh baking bread. Made with Munich and Pilsner malts topped with Magnum (15%? alpha) and Vanguard hops. A medium mouthfeel 6%abv.

Our Tastes-- Saranac Octoberfest

This month we will attempt to taste 31 beers in the 31 days of October to clear out some inventory. I know, what a problem. We may jump all over the place with the tasters or may even go through an entire line of beers from a company, but for now we lapse back to Saranac and their Octoberfest. The first characteristic that catches the eye is the absolute champagne-like clarity and orange hue. Next is the flattening head with uncooked bread dough aroma. Taste is bland, we can drink it, but the same goes for our own piss, if another option is available we may take it. Made with German pilsner and crystal malt, coupled with Saaz and Tettnang to yield a 5.4%abv bevvy.