Saturday, August 27, 2011

Alpine Brewing - Pure Hoppiness

Double IPA, 8% ABV

I totally spaced and forgot to take a picture. So this one is lovingly "borrowed" from bonbeer, who from the looks of it has tasted a whole hell of a lot of beer.

Appearance: It's clear and golden honey-colored, with about two fingers of head, minimal lacing left behind.

Smell: The predominant smell is floral hops, including rose and lavender, with a skotch of honey. There is a bit of tropical fruit as well, but mostly it's hops hops hops.

Taste: This beer is very hop-forward and not too heavy on the malt, which you know by now is what I like. Hops are present throughout, but different characteristics become present throughout the body of the beer. The beginning to mid notes are fruity, like tangerine or apricot, and then it transitions to a spicy-piney hop character on the finish.

Mouthfeel: It's got a rather satisfying feel on the tongue. It's rich and thick, but both the carbonation and the spicy bitterness of the hops add levity.

Overall: This is definitely a hop-enthusiast's beer. It smells absolutely fantastic, and the taste is no b.s. -- it's hops all the way. I can't imagine anyone who loves IPAs and double IPAs who wouldn't like this beer. Despite the forwardness of the hops in Pure Hoppiness (apt name), it's not medicinal or soapy or astringent-like, as can happen. It's very clean, aromatic, and all-around a great example of the style. It's almost certainly too much for someone who isn't an IPA fan, but for those of us who are, this is a very drinkable and enjoyable DIPA.

5/5

Monday, August 22, 2011

Stone - 15th Anniversary "Escondidian" Imperial Black IPA

As the title says, this is an imperial "black" IPA -- a relatively new term (also sometimes known as "Cascadian Dark Ale" or "India Black Ale") -- to describe a beer with all of the hoppiness of a (double or Imperial) IPA except that it is black in color. Generally, a dark brown or black beer has that color because roasted malts were used in the process of brewing the beer, and those roasted malts have characteristic flavors that are more commonly ascribed to stouts and porters (the traditional "dark" beers.) So, the "black" IPA will have some of the roasted malt character of a dark beer, but those flavors are really supposed to be bit players in the overall taste, leaving the hops dominant. It's a bit of a trendy brewing trick with varied results.



Appearance: As the name suggests, this beer looks like a stout to the unsuspecting eye. It's a deep black in color, with about two fingers of mocha-colored head that leave thick, sticky lacing on the sides of the glass. It's completely opaque, and there is no visible carbonation in the glass.

Smell: The dominant smell is resiny, piny hops. There is a vague hint of a smoky chocolate from the roasted malt, and a less dominant residual hint of acidic fruit from the hops.

Taste: This is a big beer. Hops are predominant, as expected from an imperial IPA, but the roasted malt provides an intriguing and solid backbone to the punchy, piny hops. I've mentioned before that I'm not a huge fan of overmalting an imperial or double IPA to balance it, but roasting the malt is an interesting trick that allows for a strong malt profile without making the beer (to my palate) sickly sweet. I do get a bit of an alcohol bite as the hop characteristics transition to the malt, which is neither unpleasant nor unexpected in a beer as strong as this. One thing that was lost in this hybrid style, for me, are fruity subtleties that can usually be detected in a hop-forward beer. Though I was able to faintly smell some fruit on the nose, perhaps pineapple or grapefruit, the extra bold roasted malt overpowered a bit of the softer characteristics of the hop, leaving behind only the resiny bitterness.

Mouthfeel: The beer was medium bodied, and very appropriately carbonated given the huge taste. At the front of the sip, the carbonation lightens up the beer, contrasting nicely with the huge flavors. Further back in the mouth, the beer is creamy, which gives the contrasting flavors the opportunity to meld on the palate.

Overall: As you can see from the lengthy (or lengthier than usual) description, I found this to be a very unusual and exciting beer. I've only had the opportunity to try two other black IPAs ever, and I've found the three (including this) to be similar; however I think that, despite not doing a detailed profile of it at the time, there was a black IPA offered by Kern River brewing that is probably my favorite, based on memory alone.

If the internet is any indication, there is a bit of contention among beer geeks if this style really deserves to be called its own style. Some feel that there is no reason why there can't be such a thing as a hoppy porter or stout. Though I'm really only a (mediocre) taster and not a beer historian or label expert, it kind of seems to be that this argument is really just a reversal of the current name -- IPA with roasted malt vs. porter/stout with extra hops. If this ends up being a style that grows and isn't merely a trendy brewing idea that dies out within a few years, I don't see any reason why it shouldn't be considered its own style. After all, even within IPAs, there are "American-style" IPAs, "West Coast" IPAs, etc. You get the picture. And the way that styles are today, I wouldn't think that it would be appropriate to just call this an IPA or a porter/stout. It's truly a blend, and as such, deserves its own moniker.

But back to this particular beer. For the time being, I'm going to say I love this. It's easily the most acceptable way that I've had of allowing the malts to have a front-and-center performance in a beer that otherwise showcases hops. I love that the chocolate notes lent by the malt becomes bittersweet chocolate when the hops have had their say. And obviously, I just love hoppy beers in general. I'd love to see with time how this holds up -- if other examples of the style are going to eclipse this in my memory of favorites, or if this is going to remain at the top of the list. As of right now though, all I can say was that for me, this was truly different and great, even if it won't be drinkable for people who don't love hops (because let's face it -- Stone never shies away from hoppy-ass beers, and this is no exception.)

5/5

Friday, August 19, 2011

Port Brewing - Hop 15

DIPA, 10% ABV


Appearance: This beer has tons of visible carbonation, with about 2-3 fingers of head that leaves tons of sticky lacing on the glass. It is darkly honey colored.

Smell: It smells strongly of hops, with hints of orange blossom and a slight sweetness and breadiness.

Taste: There is a definite hop bite when the beer first hits the palate, and a vague floral element is present throughout the body of the beer. The finish is mostly dominated by a strong malty backbone.

Mouthfeel: This is a thick beer in the mouth, with an almost sticky presence on the tongue. It's lightened mostly by the extra carbonation, but the sweet finish definitely assists with the thick quality of it.

Overall:  I wasn't a huge fan of this double IPA, but it's more likely due to my personal IPA preferences than to the quality of the beer itself. I prefer my IPAs to not have such a strong malty character, because I feel like it can overwhelm some of the more subtle characteristics that the hop varietals bring forth. That's what happened here -- I got plenty of hop bite, followed by plenty of sweetness, but any fruit and/or floral characteristics were completely lost on me. Though overall the beer was well-balanced between bitter and sweet, it wasn't as subtle and complex as other DIPAs I've had that I like better.

3/5

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Firestone - Double Jack

Double IPA, 9.5% ABV


Appearance: Dark blonde, honey orange, deep brass. There is very little head, less than one finger, but it leaves a trace of lacing around the glass.

Smell: Heavenly! Aromatic citrus, pineapple and mango, and trace hops.

Taste: Fresh citrus, spicy pine throughout the body and on the finish, with a nice balance of bitter hops and sweet malt. A really clean, balanced beer. Very tasty. The tang/spiciness of the pine is a really unique element here that adds a lot to the standard DIPA formula.

Mouthfeel: Pretty light in the mouth, moderate carbonation and a thin but not weak consistency. Substantial, but not overbearing in the least.

Overall: I first had this on tap at Verdugo Bar and knew instantly I wanted to find it in bottles. I frequently have the experience of the beer just not being quite the same in the bottle as it is on the tap, but I have to say I wasn't disappointed here. Double Jack holds up very well in the bottle and reminded me perfectly of why I liked it so much the first time. I'll definitely seek this out in the future, and highly recommend it to other hop heads -- particularly those who like the sweetness in their IPAs to come from the fruit characteristics, not from overpowering malt.

5/5

Eagle Rock Brwery - Stimulus

Stimulus is a "Coffee Brown Ale," not a stout or porter that traditionally would have a strong coffee profile in it. I don't know the exact %ABV, but I'm sure it's less than 8%.


Appearance: The beer is a deep, burnt orange, nearly copper. It is cloudy, with a nice, thick head and minimal lacing.

Smell: The beer smells primarily of roasted coffee, but hints of cinnamon and hazelnut come through.

Taste: The coffee profile is definitely strong here. Hazelnut comes through as in the nose, and there are also slight hints of bread and brown sugar.

Mouthfeel: The beer is medium-bodied, with moderate carbonation. It's not viscous or thick at all, which makes sense as it's an ale, but it's an interesting sensation as usually the coffee taste is so strongly associated with thicker beers like stouts and porters. The powerful taste and aroma does lend the beer a richness, but it's not overpowering.

Overall: I think Eagle Rock has something really special with this beer. It's an interesting thought to begin with a nutty ale base and add the coffee adjunct to it. As a result, the beer is what some might consider a nearly perfect "breakfast" beer. It's caffeinated, so it will pick you up, but it's also got a rich bready nuttiness that fills you up and relaxes you. It's a special occasion when they have it on tap, so if there are any locals out there reading this (Hi!) definitely get it when you see it available at the brewery.

4/5

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

The Bruery - Saison de Lente

Saison / Farmhouse Ale, 6.5% ABV




Appearance: The beer is a light golden wheat color, with great head and retention. There is tons of lacing left on the glass after the pour. The first pour was very clear, as you can see in the photo.However, toward the bottom of the bottle where the yeast had settled, the later pours were very cloudy, even when trying not to pour the dense yeast layer from the bottle.

Smell: It smelled of sour fruit, particularly apple, with a bit of lavender, clove, and lemongrass.

Taste: I get nice, earthy grass and hops, more green apple -- particularly on the aftertaste --, and some mild dryness and funk on the finish, most likely contributed by the brettanomyces. There is definitely some spicy yeast character here; that and a bit of alcohol provide warmth.

Mouthfeel: The beer is fairly light-bodied with plenty of carbonation, and it has a dry, clean finish.

Overall: This is an extraordinarily drinkable beer. As it says on the bottle, this is perfect for spring/summer. I'd love to have some of this while laying outdoors in a picnic blanket amongst clovers and daisies. It was smooth, well-balanced, and eminently enjoyable. I'll definitely pick up some more of this next year.

5/5

Tuesday, August 2, 2011

Hermitage Brewery - Ale of the IMP

Double/Imperial IPA, 8% ABV




Appearance: Beer is clear amber, rich, with a nice thick head and great lacing.

Smell: Hops, hops, and more hops! Also, there's some nice tropical fruit and a hint of breadiness.

Taste: Wow! This is unusual. The dominant taste is smokey pine, and strong bitter hops. Fruit on the nose doesn't really come through in the taste at all; the flavors are all earth: grass, wood, hops. The lingering taste on the palate is something strange that I can't put a finger on at all, but it does seem a bit spoiled.

Mouthfeel: Aggressive. It feels dark and heavy due to the taste and mild-medium carbonation.

Overall: I can't say this is a very "drinkable" beer. It's very heavy-handed, even for a DIPA, which is expected to have bold flavors. The woodiness in this is just too strong and too dank. It's not balanced at all with any fruit sweetness, and the characteristic bitterness of a DIPA (unfortunately) only enhances the overwhelming "plantlike" flavors in the beer. As I finished it, the aftertaste was increasingly unpleasant. Truthfully, as I was drinking it, I was wondering if my bottle had spoiled, so I went to BeerAdvocate to see what other reviewers had said about the beer, and as it turned out, my experience was pretty typical. It has a C over at BA, which is technically passing,  but for me, I think it's a fail. I love IPAs too much to give this poorly balanced stinky wood-bomb a pass. It gets points for having flavor and not tasting like American macro-brewed pisswater, but that's about it.

1/5