Our Tastes-- Juniper Pale Ale

Stayin' Rogue we're trying Juniper Pale Ale. Again attempting to hone our SRM abillity we put this one at about 8 with a medium straw. Aroma is yeasty and astringent. Taste is unfortunately the same. Overall, on okay beer but I've had better from Rogue so far. Malts used are Northwest Harrington, Crystal, Triumph, Maier Munich & C-15 and hops of Styrian Golding & Amarillo. 13 Plato and 34 IBUs make this one a beer I'd drink but not order if given another choice.

Brew Batch #40 Warrior IPA

Pretty much the same recipe without adding extra fermentables then pitching 2oz of Warrior hops at the end of the boil. OG 1.060 + 0.00@ 63F. The most amazing part of tonight is the use of my new immersion chiller that the in-laws wanted me to have. It took hot wort at 196F to 96F in 10 minutes!! Then simply add some cool water and pitch the yeast. I could tell the difference this time in a good hard cold break. Hopefully this will start making some serious changes in my aromas and overall taste profiles. We also used the new beer thief to get a sample for the hydrometer. I don't know what I'm going to do with all of the ice packs and my stainless steel ladle now:(

Tasting of "The Original" 42-A

It pours a more 14 SRM according to our Beer Appreciation kits almost the same aroma, only difference is this one was brewed on 1/18/06. When trying the Fuggle aspect the beers seems to have a more pronounced bitterness and slightly better aroma than the newer counterpart. I'll just have to make it again, I guess it shows there's nothing like the original.

Tasting of the Wedding IPA

Due to unforeseen issues with tasting on it's intended date, we (The Enabler and I) are trying 42-A*, an Imperial IPA that pours a deep ruby brown (18 SRMs) with a slightly off tan yellowish head. It has a surprisingly malty aroma with hints of vanilla, but heavy on the bread side. We're tyring it with the Beer Tasting and Hop Appreciation Kit to suss out the hop profile. With regard to the Fuggle hops, they are there but slight, on the Goldings, they seem to be nonexistent due to the yeast or heavy malt overtones. One thing we noticed is the absence of the warming 8.7% alcohol. There seems to be an acidic taste to it and the only difference between the original and this recipe is the addition of Kent Goldings instead of Fuggle at the end. Alas we tried but drink yours now lest it get squirrelier (?)

Our Tastes-- SeaHorse Pale Ale

Still "Going Rogue" I slap the ole labia (that's Latin for lips) around some SeaHorse Pale Ale. A variance apparently on the Juniper Ale (Yellow Snow) recipe without the juniper berries. A somewhat limited aquarium series. Pouring a golden particulate with enormous overflowing white head about an inch thick. Lacing is better than fishnet stockings. Bit of a bready slightly hoppy note on the nose with a full hoppy mouth bitterness. As I let it sit longer the bitterness is heavier. Good smooth caramel notes then the hitting hop notes. Made with Northwest Harrington, Crystal, Triumph, Maier Munich and C-15 malts?, hopped with Stryian Golding and Amarillo hops. 13 Plato, 45 IBUS.

Our Tastes-- Capt. Sig's Deadliest Ale

A special "Our Tastes" edition, my 1st beer taster from my under construction man room. In a very sad yet pleasing way tonight I'll try a beer that Junk sent me not too long ago, Rogue's Capt. Sig's Deadliest Ale. (Note apparently there has been a name and label change, now known as Northwestern Ale on the website) Two days ago we lost Capt. Phil Harris of Deadliest Catch fame and to start my new series of Going Rogue tasters, I thought this beer was the best start. It pours a wonderful almost Alaskan King Crab red with amber hues and a frothy off-white head. It has a nice fruity slight pine nose to it. One thing I've noticed is that Rogue beers are measured in Plato which I need to brush up on. There is a slight malt at the end of the whiff. Man, the taste is extreme for a pale ale. There is a very distinct hop taste that I'm sure comes from the Horizon (also Amarillo and Cascade) used because I have never tasted this before. Pale 2-row, Munich, Carastan and Chocolate malts are also used along with the standard PacMan yeast. Dedicated to Sig, Edgar and Norman on the bottle, I've got to have this one for Phil for all of the years that he has entertained me with his wicked wit (and "smoking like a choo-choo"). Capt. Harris had a stroke in January that he was recovering from and passed suddenly. Each bottle of this beer has a portion of it's proceeds donated to the Fisherman's Fund. Discovery Channel was filming the 6th season with the Opilio season when Phil suffered a stroke on 1/29 and Derek Ray was flown in as relief skipper. I've only honored a few on this blog and this man deserves it. Catch the replay on the Opilio season this Saturday Feb. 20th:

The Bees' Knees Mead© 2010

I whipped this year's batch up on 2/4/10 and tried to pitch my Lavlin 1118, but it seems that a year is just too long to try and hold onto a yeast culture without proper recultivating. So I just got some new in and it started everything going in about 8hrs. I was about a month behind on brewing this year's batch and it's about 10 days behind on starting, so this one will finish late this year. I'm already thinking about leaving half plain and half of it on some cherries or blueberries. OG 1.121+ 0.00@ 60F, which is close to 2009.

1000 miles!!

Today I have officially run 1000miles in 3years! This puts me about 15.94 mi to Beech Grove, KY, just south of Owensboro. I've been part of The Berkley Running Study for years and just recently they apparently got a fed grant to host a virtual running website to help you track your miles. I have tried to attain 365miles per year but with a few illnesses and some walking pneumonia for 32 days last year, I have missed my goal every year. Ah yes, 2010 is all mine though.

Our Tastes-- Squall IPA

Last of the DFH beers I have to try until I come across others. Squall IPA pours a cloudy dark straw with ample white head. On first whiff the pungency of this IPA is incredible, The Enabler thinks I need a Claritin for my potential hop nose before I even sip. I find my jaw tightening and my salivary glands beginning to pour before I even put me (that's Irish speak) lips to the rim of the glass. Squall rolls around the mouth basin with a cold well blended full flavor. Made with "Palisade, Amarillo, Simcoe, Cascade, CTZ, and Willamette hops" (CTZ= Columbus, Tomahawk and Zeus), this beer reminds me of something Linus would make in one of Yazoo's Hop Projects with this beer being the Triple Lindy of that. I thought I had a hoppy beer at the 1st Annual Magic City Brewfest out of his Pleasure Chest but this one takes the proverbial hopcake. There's no real discernible malt profile other than I know they had to use it to make this beer, other than that each moment, nose to gut, is filled with some sort of soft floral pine cone laden citrusy pungent high alpha acid 9%abv chest warming titillation. Buy one for friends, hide the others for yourself. I guess we can thank goodness it's not a white squall.

Brew Batch #38 American Brown Ale

American Brown Ale to kegerator!! I am liking this kegging stuff now. It's a great way to at least cut storage in half. You can age a beer in a case of bottles and keg the rest. I "splashed the swill" as I like to call and with no carbonation this beer is quaffable by anyone's standards. I like it better than my usual NBA because it seems to have just a bit more hop aggression possible due to the Liberty. FG 1.006 +0.00 @63F 6.3%abv.