New Belgium and Alpine - Lips of Faith Super IPA

Super IPA is a 9% DIPA collaboration between the folks at New Belgium and Alpine brewing company. This will be a great way for those who have never had an Alpine beer to try their take on hoppy goodness. And goodness is what this is. It has been available in the LA area for about a week and probably won't last too long; I assume it will be the same around the country. I expect that this won't be made again, since the Lips of Faith collaborations are usually one-offs, so grab this while you can!

Appearance: Bright, clear orange, with about 2-3 fingers of head (was initially much taller than can be seen in the photo) and leaves dense lacing on the sides of the glass.

Smell: WHOA. Such an intense nose, bursting with tropical fruit like mango and pineapple, a bit of dankness and a lot of pine, and more citrus from tangerine.

Taste: So big, fruity, and sweet, but not in a malt-forward way: the fruit flavors from the hops contribute sweetness, while the malt backbone plays a necessary supporting role, but doesn't offer any additional flavor. Also on the palate are slightly grassy notes. Overall, I feel like I can taste mango, orange zest, resin, and a bit of biscuit in addition to the slight grass. There is no burn from the alcohol or astringent flavor.

Mouthfeel: A little slick and oily, but otherwise medium bodied and a reasonably, but not incredibly, dry finish. Despite the slight oiliness, it's remarkably drinkable for such a boozy and hoppy beer.

Overall: I've been having a bunch of delicious, fresh IPAs this week. POOR ME, not. Anyway, this is such a good beer. I don't know how long it will keep before the hops start to fall off, but as of now it's been one of my favorite new IPAs of the season. It's kind of hard, just based on flavors and tasting notes, to differentiate between these beers -- hops will tend to contribute the same flavor categories, so it often comes down to overall complexity and balance. For me, the nose is also huge. It really contributes to my overall enjoyment if it smells as good as it tastes, which this beer does.

4.5/5

Port Brewing - Hop 15

I have reviewed this once before, but I wanted to revisit because of my strong suspicion that it was older and rather stale by the time I opened it. In the interest of doing a more fair review, I have selected a bottle that was bottled this month, released last week, and should therefore be pretty darn fresh.

Port says of Hop 15: "First brewed in 2002 to celebrate the 15th Anniversary of the Pizza Port in Solana Beach, Hop 15 was imagined and designed by Tomme Arthur and Jeff Bagby as a celebration of 15 years of “Good Beer Brings Good Cheer.”
Hop 15 has 15 different hop varieties added to the beer every 15 minutes. Over the years, Hop 15 has racked up numerous accolades. It has won two silver medals at the Great American Beer Festival. It also was named Alpha King in 2004 and 2008, and received a first place award at the Bistro Double IPA beer festival in Hayward, CA."

As I mentioned previously, this is labeled a DIPA at 9.7-10% ABV. It's a "seasonal" or rotating release according to their website, and it does tend to disappear from shelves fairly quickly (the stale bottle I had last time was my own fault, as I let it sit in the fridge too long. I have since learned my lesson and do not commit such crimes against IPAs any longer.) Port/Lost Abbey beers have scattered limited distribution around the US, so if you're lucky enough to see fresh Port IPAs on the shelves, they're generally great quality, relatively inexpensive, and overall worth a purchase. Now -- on to the (re-)review.

Appearance: What I wrote before applies: "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: Ah, now this is much better -- extremely dank and resinous, with notes of citrus (particularly pineapple.) Pine is most upfront of everything, though. Very different from the flowery/sweet smell and taste of the stale version.

Taste: Some citrus and tropical fruit, but still mostly dominated by sticky pine and grass. Having had a fresh version and a stale version, I now appreciate the malt backbone that was more predominant earlier, as it lends a balance to this beer that prevents the huge hop character from getting too sharp and medicinal.

Mouthfeel: Pretty big and thick, with moderate carbonation. It's pretty heavy overall. I like a slightly lighter or more dry mouthfeel, but it's not a dealbreaker.

Overall: I'm glad I came back to this, as this really is a great DIPA and my review did not do it justice before. It definitely falls into that typical West Coast style of bold hop flavors and (when fresh) a barely perceptible malt base. Next in the freshness quest is probably to try it on tap! So this gets bumped up a full point from last time.

4/5

Founders - Breakfast Stout

Breakfast Stout, according to Founders, is "The coffee lover’s consummate beer. Brewed with an abundance of flaked oats, bitter and imported chocolates, and Sumatra and Kona coffee, this stout has an intense fresh-roasted java nose topped with a frothy, cinnamon-colored head that goes forever."

It's 8.3% ABV and available during the fall and winter in the Founders distribution network, which includes most of the Midwest and East Coast. There are rumors and rumblings about Founders bringing some of their offerings out to California, and we have in the last year seen a few kegs make their way out here. There's still no concrete word about if we'll see regular distribution of either kegs or bottles, but we have our fingers crossed! My bottle today is a late 2011 bottling that I received in a trade.

Appearance: Dark opaque brown, practically black, with a mocha-colored thin head that recedes to a small layer of foam of the same color without leaving much lacing on the glass.

Smell: A huge wave of sharp, bitter coffee, particularly espresso. There is also a hint of smokiness, and overall the scent is strong and black and not very sweet at all.

Taste: More massive espresso flavor, but a bit of milk chocolate creaminess rounds out the palate. There is no burn from the alcohol, which is nice. Like the nose, the flavor is predominately that of fresh roasted coffee -- the roasted quality is so present -- but it is nice to get a little bit of sweetness in from the chocolate. That sweetness becomes a bit more obvious as the beer warms, which is a pleasant effect, and the flavor becomes reminiscent of a creamed coffee liqueur.

Mouthfeel: Thick and creamy, with soft carbonation. Very substantial.

Overall: A pretty delicious stout, particularly if you like them coffee-forward. I think I tend to prefer just a bit more sweetness, but this delivers 100% on what it claims to be, and I love drinking it when I get the chance.

4/5

Stone Brewing Co - Enjoy by 09.21.12 IPA

Stone says: "You have in your hands a devastatingly fresh double IPA. While freshness is a key component of many beers - especially big, citrusy, floral IPAs - we've taken it further, a lot further, in this IPA. You see, we specifically brewed it NOT to last. We've not only gone to extensive lengths to ensure that you're getting this beer in your hands within an extraordinarily short window, we made sure that the Enjoy By date isn't randomly etched in tiny text somewhere on the label, to be overlooked by all but the most attentive of retailers and consumers. Instead, we've sent a clear message with the name of the beer itself that there is no better time than right now to enjoy this IPA."

Like Stone said, this is a 9.4% DIPA, bottled 8/17/12, that absolutely must be had fresh. My understanding is that after 9/21/12, they're supposed to force all retailers to pull this from the market. The Stone blog says that initially, this batch will hit the Southern CA, New Jersey, and Chicago markets, but that they will continue to brew batches with the same 35 day freshness window and eventually get those out to cover more of their usual markets. Good stuff!

Appearance: Completely clear golden wheat colored, with a modest head and minimal lacing on the sides of the glass. Carbonation is visible and appears sparse.

Smell: Huge. Dank hoppiness, pine and tropical mango, lemon zest, and a touch of sweetness.

Taste: More great tropical fruit flavor, with citrus coming in as well to join the trifecta of wonderful hop flavor (resin, tropical fruit, citrus fruit.) It's definitely bitter, and a little peppery as well, with the tiniest hint of biscuit that remains on the tongue after swallowing.

Mouthfeel: Wow -- this is smooth, medium-bodied, and it finishes bone dry. Incredible. There is no heat from the alcohol, which is quite a feat, and despite a bit of initial oiliness the beer finishes perfectly clean. Very nice.

Overall: I'm really impressed with this. Between Enjoy By and Ruination 10, Stone has knocked it out of the park lately. Any hophead would love this. Critically, since I feel I should at least try, I do think that in their effort to give this a short shelf-life, they compromised a bit on the balance with the malt bill. As the beer warms, it loses some potency and the taste becomes thinner, as the hop aromatics become less obvious and there doesn't seem to be much of a foundation in malt to bolster it. That's a nitpick though, because it's still tasty, and the "problem" is easily avoided -- don't let the beer get warm. Anyway, if this reached your market, definitely grab a bottle, but don't wait to drink it!

4.5/5

The Alchemist - Heady Topper

On the back of the can, Alchemist writes: "Heady Topper is an American Double India Pale Ale. This beer is not intended to be the biggest or most bitter. It is meant to give you wave after wave of hoppy goodness on your palate. Tremendous amounts of American hops will creep up on you, and leave you with a dense hoppy finish in your mouth. 
So drinkable, it's scary.
Sometimes I wish I could crawl right into the can. Freshness and control have always been my main concern when it comes to our beer. We are committed to providing you with an unfiltered and unpasteurized hop experience."

Heady Topper is a 9% DIPA produced year-round in Vermont, and it's only really available in that state on a reliable basis. The Alchemist's "mission statement" is that they are currently committed to brewing this beer perfectly, so they don't make any other beer besides this one for the time being. If you're in Vermont state and/or can take trips to the brewery, this is a fairly easy get; for me in California, I rely on friends to try this brew. So again I say: thank you friends!

Appearance: You'll see I don't have a shot of the glass here. You may also notice that the can says "Drink from the can!" Brewer John Kimmich says on this point: “Why do I recommend that you drink it from the can? Quite simply, to ensure a delightful, hop experience. The act of pouring it in a glass smells nice, but it releases the essential hop aromas that we have worked so hard to retain. If you MUST pour it into a glass, you may find that some of the hop resins have settled to the bottom – leave them in the can when pouring.” So, I have left it in the can as requested.

Smell: Massive floral notes and tropical fruit aromas, including pineapple and mango. There is also great earthy pine and a hint of caramel malt sweetness.

Taste: So many different notes in this beer: pine, grass, pepper, citrus (grapefruit and lemon), mango. Hop bitterness is there, but it's balanced exceptionally well, so the hops contribute the aforementioned flavors rather than anything astringent. The alcohol is also masked very well.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with low-ish carbonation. The finish is a bit wet, but not sticky or oily. It reminds me of drinking juice, in a way.

Overall: This is an unquestionably stellar DIPA. The aroma is huge, which is such a nice thing -- a lot of times a beer will taste great, but the aroma will be simply average. Here, it contributes in a big way to the overall experience. I have zero complaints about this beer. It's wonderful, and I'm lucky to have people on the east coast to send it my way.

5/5

Founders Brewing Co - Frangelic Mountain Brown

Frangelic Mountain Brown is a limited (brewed-once) beer that was released into the Founders distribution network July 2012. Midwest and some East Coast folks got a shot of getting this in bottles; lil' ole me in California needed to rely on friends out that way to try it myself. Thank you, as always, friends across the country! Founders says: "We’re excited to share this beer with all of you. The use of hazelnut coffees in the brewing process gives Frangelic Mountain Brown distinct flavor and aromatics, with sweet and nutty notes beautifully balanced. We think you’ll enjoy it. We do." 

As the name suggests, this is a brown ale that checks in at 9% ABV. As the quote from Founders mentions, it was brewed with hazelnut coffee as a adjunct, so there is meant to be a strong flavor from that, melding (ideally!) with the nuttiness from the brown ale style.

Appearance: Clear dark brown, not opaque, with a small one-finger head that recedes down to invisibility and leaves essentially nothing on the sides of the glass.

Smell: Hazelnut is super dominant: nutty and sweet. There are coffee notes there, as well as faint traces of biscuit and milk chocolate.

Taste: It tastes exactly how you would expect it to, from the smell: huge hazelnut coffee sweetness dominates the palate, with more subtle notes of caramel, toffee, and light chocolate at the end.

Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied with a slight chewiness, that then finishes surprisingly dry. Excellent mouthfeel -- there is body and heft throughout that feels appropriate given the flavor profile, but then it doesn't linger and feel sticky and overwhelming. Nicely done.

Overall: For me, this wasn't the most complex beer. The hazelnut was super dominant and overpowered a lot of the more subtle notes I might have otherwise picked up from the brown ale style. All that said, it was pretty damn good, especially if you are a hazelnut fan -- think Nutella, Frangelico, etc. Particularly considering that great mouthfeel, this is still a beer that Founders can be very proud of. The beer fully commits to its style and namesake, which is a nice change from me often drinking a beer that claims to be brewed with something, and not actually being able to taste it that much. So overall, well done.

3.5/5

A quick note on my numerical scoring

My scores are not meant to be comparable to those on BeerAdvocate, or any other site that ranks beer. When I score, the following are taken into account:

• I am only judging this beer against other craft beers, so even my lower scored beers will almost certainly outclass macrobrews
• Style is given some consideration, i.e., how does this IPA stack up against other IPAs? I try to think this way because I obviously have styles that I prefer and would tend to rank higher overall. I don't review beers that I suspect I don't like simply because of the style. Before giving a final score, though, I still do think about the rank of the beer in general amongst all of the beers I enjoy, so style isn't everything. I wouldn't give a 5 to a beer just for being among the best of its style; I would have to enjoy it that much to warrant its 5. It is my blog after all, and at the end of the day I don't really want my scores to speak for anyone's taste other than my own.
• I don't grade on a curve, so while a score of 3 appears harsh on several other sites, it's not intended to be here. Beers that receive a 3 or 3.5 are still beers that I liked and would happily drink again. 

I hope that clears some things up.

Stone Brewing Co - Double Bastard Ale (2007)

Stone tends to write a lot about their beers, so instead of grabbing the blurb from their website this time I'll go back to describing it myself. How old-fashioned! Double Bastard is another American Strong Ale, ranging anywhere from 10%-11.5% ABV depending on the vintage. It's released seasonally in the winter, and since Stone's distribution is extremely widespread, it's pretty easy to come by. The bottle I'm tasting tonight was recently re-released at Stone -- on a weekly basis, they do "special" bottle releases or growler fills, and the 2007 Double Bastard was one such release. This was a nice grab, since I feel I can trust Stone to age their beers properly, not like sticking a box in some guy's hot garage or something. So, happy 5th birthday to this beer!

  

Appearance: Clear, dark copper-brown, with a modest head that recedes quickly to a paper-thin foam layer and leaves no lacing on the sides of the glass.

Smell: Raisin, brown sugar, chocolate, a touch of spice, and slight alcohol. There is even a slight piney character that appears to be residual from the hops, even after 5 years. Very cool, and very Stone, since they hop the crap out of their beers.

Taste: The taste is not quite as complex as the smell, but it's still warm, sweet, and tasty. More strong notes of brown sugar and dark fruit, and yes! There is still a bit of earthy, resiny bitterness there on the finish.

Mouthfeel: The body is very smooth, and the carbonation seems pretty upfront when I first take a sip. After a second, though, it dissipates and leaves the beer with a rich, thick, viscous quality that is definitely strong, but not in an off-putting way.

Overall: This beer holds up really nicely, and is in fact a very different beer from how it is fresh. After it's first released, it comes across like an imperial IPA, albeit one with a stronger malt profile. Now, though, the hops have obviously faded, but they still contribute some pine bitterness that makes this different from many other malt-forward strong ales. In general, whether aged or not, I've always thought Double Bastard is a great "bang for your buck" beer, and especially considering that it's not barrel-aged, it packs a considerable flavor punch.

3.5/5

Deschutes Brewery and Hair of the Dog - Collage (Conflux Series #1)

Deschutes website: "Deschutes Brewery and Hair of The Dog Brewing Company join forces to weave The Dissident and The Stoic and Fred and Adam into an artistic collage of cask-aging alchemy. Damn, beer is fun.
Barrel Aging: Rye Whiskey, Cognac, Sherry, Pinot Noir, Bourbon, new American Oak, and new Oregon Oak
Twelve-ounce bottles available in limited quantities starting May 15, 2012."

This is categorized as an "American Strong Ale" at 11.2% ABV. ASA is kind of a catch-all category for higher ABV beers that don't belong to a particular style, and that is definitely the case here, since this is a blend of 4 different beers of a few different styles. Deschutes' beers, The Dissident and The Stoic are a flanders brown and Belgian-style quad, respectively; Hair of the Dog's Adam is an old ale, and Fred is itself an ASA. I haven't had Fred, so I can't elaborate any further on what it is like. Nonetheless, the point is that all of these different beers have been blended together and aged to create Collage.

Appearance: Dark copper, fairly clear, with a somewhat reddish hue. Not much head, and no lacing or foam layer on top of the beer.

Smell: Strong scents of vanilla, sour cherry, and oak, with lesser hints of brown sugar, leather, and floral notes.

Taste: The Dissident seems pretty dominant at first, contributing major sour fruit notes. Then, though, many other flavors come into play, and the pinot noir barrels in particular lend the beer their characteristic tannin and oak flavors. I also taste maple and brown sugar, which contrast nicely with the upfront sour flavors. Honestly, this is a beer that is so complex that I am almost at a loss as to how to fully review it. There are so many flavors here, and those flavors mingle with each other so seamlessly that it's diffuclt for me to actually pick them all out individually. It's really unlike any beer I've ever had.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, very low in carbonation, with a moderately dry finish.

Overall: This is a very special, delicious beer that, again, if it weren't for the price (it's about $13 for a 12oz bottle) I'd want to grab tons of it. I highly recommend trying it if you see it, though, as it's unquestionably worth purchasing at least one bottle. The flavors are unique and expertly balanced and blended, and even with its higher ABV, it doesn't drink hot or heavy. Great beer.

5/5

Hill Farmstead Brewery - E.

E is "a funky version of Edward (american pale ale) - fermented with brettanomyces, dry hopped with galaxy, and aged on stainless for four months. Basically, we refer to it as a farmhouse pale ale - a cross between a saison and an american pale."

This beer is a 7% ABV limited release from Hill Farmstead that was available in bottles. Despite brett-fermented beers aging well, I still wanted to take the opportunity to try this somewhat fresh, as I only have one bottle and I want to try it how the brewers intended it to taste at release. I've mentioned before, but it's worth repeating, that Hill Farmstead's distribution is basically non-existent, and their bottles are brewery-only, as far as I know. California people like myself need friends to go to the brewery for them, so it's through that connection that I was able to acquire this bottle.

Appearance: Hazy dull orange, with a spectacular head that fills up the glass instantly, takes a long while to recede, and leaves dense lacing all around the sides of the glass. Head remains as a foam layer on top of the beer all throughout drinking.

Smell: Definite huge funky brett character in the nose! Sour apple, lemon, and honey, all topped off with a huge whiff of sweat and sourdough. There is a hint of bitterness from the hops, remnants of the pale ale base, but by this time that has mostly mellowed out and the fruit is predominantly mixed with barnyard.

Taste: More massive funk atop citrus and grassy earth character. The hops are more prevalent in the taste, but the brett has worked some absolute magic here as well. This is labeled "Rustic Farmhouse Ale" on the bottle, and that's exactly what this tastes like -- eating an orange or apple, laying in a bale of hay, covered with a horse blanket.

Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied, with that characteristic dry brett finish. Delicious.

Overall: A really excellent saison-ish beer from Hill Farmstead. I love every aspect of it; it's juicy and flavorful, with an inviting aroma, and a great, refreshing mouthfeel. I don't really know how often this is brewed and/or bottled, but I'd love another chance to get some of this one day!

5/5

Sierra Nevada and Russian River - BRUX

BRUX is, as Russian River says: "...our collaboration with Sierra Nevada Brewing Company! This 2 year, 2 brewery, 2 family project is about to hit the streets and hopefully make it to a bottle shop near you! Set for National Release in July (I bet you thought you would never hear me say something like that!), BRUX was brewed in Chico (at Sierra Nevada) and will go through their distribution channels, which will, of course, greatly increase your chances of getting a couple of bottles. BRUX is a "domesticated wild ale", or an ale fermented with Belgian yeast, finished by a secondary bottle fermentation with Brettanomyces bruxellensis. It's a little more than 8% alcohol, very dry, earthy, spicy, and tasty."

So that's that! Not much 'splaining left for me to do here, I don't think...

Appearance: The photo makes it look much more red than it actually is, which in person is a hazy medium amber color. The head pours to about 1.5 fingers worth in height and eventually recedes to nothing -- no lacing, no foam layer, nada.

Smell: Predominantly Belgian spice from the yeast, including clove and allspice, with a definite funky overtone from the Brett fermentation. It contributes a bit of leather and rubber tire (here, again, is where I laugh at the seemingly unflattering ways to describe Brett character despite it not being off-putting at all.) There is also a sharp note, like vinegar, or acidic fruit.

Taste: This falls in the tradition of the Brett-ed saisons, like those from The Bruery: Saison Rue and Saison de Lenthe. It's earthy and spicy, with notes of peppercorn, citrus zest, and clove, then the funk comes in with sourdough and sour apple. The funk is there, but it's not quite as strong on the palate as it was on the nose.

Mouthfeel: Light and airy, and then dry. There isn't much to describe, but I love it. It feels totally refreshing.

Overall: I'm drinking this very fresh, within the month of its release. Beers like this are usually pretty ageable, due to the character of the Belgian yeast, the alcohol content, and the fact that Brett-fermented beers change so much in character over time. I have another bottle that I want to hold onto for at least another year to see how that funk develops; at the moment it's fairly mild. I would say that this is definitely a solid, tasty beer, but the most outstanding aspect of it is actually the mouthfeel. If this were less expensive (prices have ranged between $14-19 from what I've seen) I'd be motivated to get more, but based on the way it's drinking right now, I don't think it's really worth it. Of course, I could try it again in a year and be kicking myself that I didn't get more, but that's the risk one takes, I suppose.

3.5/5