Beer Log: December 1-14, 2012

Dec. 1: Tonight’s Beer: New Belgium and Brewery Vivant’s: Biere de Garde(Collaboration with Brewery Vivant from Michigan; Part of the Lips of Faith Series): Oh, the excitement of collaborations! I have never heard of Brewery Vivant, so this one is very exciting for me. It also is brewed with orange peel, and I find that I like that ingredient very much, but few breweries use it, and even fewer use it well. My favorite is still the Moylan’s Congrats Orange and Black from 2011. But, alas, it has not returned. Perhaps in 2013. OK, kind of inappropriate to dwell on another beer while discussing a current beer. So, this one is bright yellow-gold in color with a minimal head and light carbonation. The flavor has a nice crisp citrus taste riding the sweet, yet subtly earthy maltiness. The hops are at a minimum and the mild bitterness and citrus character in the hops support the citrus character of the beer. The bright citrus flavor reminds me somewhat of Bridgeport’s Haymaker. The orange flavor is very subtle and hits right at the end of the sip in the interlude before the aftertaste. Very tasty offering and with a very sneaky 9% ABV with no alcohol flavor. Only 18 IBU.

 

Dec. 4: Tonight’s Beer: Rogue’s: Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Ale: OK, this is easily the strangest beer I have ever purchased or seen. It came in a pink bottle with the Voodoo Doughnuts logo on it. It is a nice medium amber color with a minimal head. The scent is very maple. Often with maple beers there is very little in the way of an actual maple flavor. Not so here! It screams maple! And it also has the smoky bacon flavor as well. If you have ever had a Voodoo Doughnuts maple bacon doughnut, this is very much like drinking a cold carbonated version of it. It does taste like a doughnut. It is oddly compelling. I don’t think I could drink it every day, but as an unusual break, I’m enjoying it very much.

Dec. 11: Tonight’s Beer: Stone’s: Enjoy By: 12.21.12 IPA: This is a new special release from Stone. They are bucking the trend toward beers that can be kept and cellared and instead are pushing the idea that some beers are meant to be consumed soon after production in order to enjoy the full complexity of the hops. This is not an easy beer to secure. The Whole Foods reportedly sold out in 2 hours. Fortunately for me, my buddy Garrett was able to track some down at a specialty liquor store, otherwise I would never have gotten a bottle. The beer is a light honey gold color with a very minimal head. The scent is wonderfully inviting – piney an sweet and floral – so alluring! While taking the first sip, the aroma is impossible to evade and the taste hits simultaneously with the scent. Very few beers have the ability to hit multiple senses at once – this one does. It is crazy smooth as well. While the hops are very robust, they are not overwhelmingly bitter. Instead, they envelop the palate and caress and entice. While the piney-floral flavors are the most dominant, there also is a pleasant citrus undertone that provides a fruity balance. The hops are center stage and the malts, while providing the sweet structure, definitely take a back seat. The original batch of Enjoy By was produced back in August and was meant to be consumed by some time in September. This one is to be consumed by 12/21/12. This is a bit of a joke since the mythology of the Mayan calendar had the end of the world on the following day (or at least that 12/22/12 is the end of an era and the beginning of a new one). As a result, I suspect that this may be the most popular release. I’m hoping that Stone will continue with this line and distribute more widely and consistently. 9.4% ABV (but it doesn’t taste like it). Consumed with 10 days to spare!

Dec. 13: Tonight’s Beer: Speakeasy’s: Prohibition Ale: This is a classic amber – nice and ruby-hued. The head is lacey and the carbonation is moderate. There is a slight metallic scent amid the sweet hoppy aroma. The malts are sweet, but with a slightly toasted flavor. Good strong bitterness of the earthy variety with a slight citrus influence. But, there is also a slight metallic taste. Overall, tasty amber. 6.1% ABV.

Tonight’s Second Beer: Speakeasy’s: IPA: Crisp golden color with a slight orange hue and a nice thick lacey head. It has a pleasantly sweet floral aroma. It has nice earthy bitterness with a mild citrus flavor. Good solid IPA. 6.5% ABV.

Dec. 14: Tonight’s Beer: New Belgium’s: Ranger IPA: This is one of the standard releases from New Belgium. It boast Simcoe, Chinook and Cascade hops. It is a pale honey-gold color with a foamy head. The aroma is floral with a hint of pine. It is hard to describe the hoppiness – it is almost savory and bitter rather than sweet or citrus or floral. Something in it calls out for accompanying a really good chicken pot pie. Or maybe I’m just hungry for chicken pot pie. In any event, this beer seems like it would pair nicely with it. It is a very good IPA, but it’s a hard style to be a stand out with. 70 IBU. 6.5% ABV