Browse Tag

beer

Beer czar

Otter Creek “Imperial Series” Russian Imperial Stout (Vermont) – Sweet and sticky. Burnt sugar, espresso bean oils, molasses, thick malt, etc. (4/09)

The Visitors

[label]Victory “V Twelve” Ale (Pennsylvania) – Incredibly dense and heavy, but not out of balance in its powerful, alcoholic style. Almost tropical, almost sweet…but then again, neither of those things. Just a big, boozy, bruiser that tastes like some sort of Québécois pastry, with bubbles. (4/09)

Jackie

Wolaver’s “Ben Gleason’s” White Ale (Vermont) – Bitter for no beneficial reason, more like an orange rind beer than a true white ale. The texture’s right, but the flavors are all wrong. Wolaver’s is usually a very solid label (more solid than the owner Otter Creek), so this result is a little surprising. (4/09)

Et tu

[glass]Ithaca Beer Company “Brute” Golden Sour Ale (New York) – In the style of an authentic lambic, but dialed back from the dizzying flaws-as-attributes intensity of, say, Cantillon. It’s certainly sour, and bretty, and rounded by barrel-conditioning, but it’s been gentled just enough to act as a fine transitional stage between commercial lambics and the angrier sort. Frankly, it’s outstanding, and I’d never peg it as domestic. But now, the greed: while this beer is very good as-is, I’d be interested to see them try a kreik. (4/09)

Mary Steenberge

[label]van Steenberge “Monk’s Café” Flemish Sour Ale (Belgium) – The sourness here is cherry-esque, and while it’s dominant it does not dominate. Fresh and appealing, yet with more than a little seriousness. (4/09)

van Steenberge “Gulden Draak” Ale (Belgium) – Frothy, spicy, and while it’s heady by feel, it lacks just a slight bit of substance. This is a quibble, though; the ale’s quite fine. (4/09)

van Steenberge “Bormem” Double Abbey Ale (Belgium) – This is a terrible beer. Just awful. (4/09)

van Steenberge “Bormem” Triple Abbey Ale (Belgium) – The only virtue of this over the Dubbel of the same name is that there’s more alcohol. Otherwise, it’s pretty much worthless. (4/09)

van Steenberge “Augustijn” Ale (Belgium) – Good, straightforward Belgian-ness (octane, sweet spiced stonefruit, etc.), but lacking additional complexity. (4/09)

van Steenberge “Piraat” Abbey Ale (Belgium) – There are some differences between this and the Augustijn, but they’re generally unimportant; the beer’s largely the same, though with an extra wallop of hoppiness that really doesn’t add or detract much. (4/09)

Mint

Long Trail “Brewmaster Series” Double IPA (Vermont) – I don’t normally like the hoppier styles of beer, and the one thing that bothers me about Long Trail’s regular ales is that they’re a bit strong with the hops. This one, however, works. It does because it finds that ideal point where the sweetness and aromatic excitement of the hops doesn’t simply burn with bitterness, but instead layers the ale with complexity. Impressive. (4/09)

The San always shines on TV

Otter Creek “World Tour” Japanese-style “Otter San” (Vermont) – Brewed with sake yeast. This is vile. It may be authentically something or other, but it tastes of all the worst qualities of cheap sake and homebrew wheat, combined in one sickly package. Ugh. (4/09)

Bernardus this day

[bottles & glass]St. Bernardus “Prior 8” Abbey Ale (Belgium) – Solid and classically-styled, with layers of spiced pastry and stone fruit, yet not too heavy. Just right, I’d say. (3/09)

St. Bernardus “Abt 12” Abbey Ale (Belgium) – Everything that the “Prior 8” has, turned up a notch or two on the dial, yet without sacrificing balance. Intense, yes, but while it’s heavily-flavored, it’s not heavy-without-purpose. Very, very good. (3/09)

Rock me

Les Brasseurs de Gayant “Amadeus” Bière Blanche (Flanders) – At first, the heavily-flavored (orange and coriander) sprightliness of this white ale is immensely appealing, with a detergent-like feel and a chalky texture. But it eventually starts to grate, lending not verve to what is otherwise a very light beer (even in this style), but a cloying artificiality. Good in quarter-portions, then. (3/09)

Hoe the line

[abbey]Koningshoeven Tripel Trappist Ale (Netherlands) – Caramel, metal, spice, and density, but they hollow as the beer persists. Just barely good. (3/09)

Koningshoeven Quadrupel Trappist Ale (Netherlands) – Dense and powerful, like drinking dark brownness with a Scotchy, peaty core. Very intense. I quite like it, but in small doses. (3/09)