239. Bell's 30th Anniversary Ale

"Brewed to celebrate 30 years of inspired brewing, this big, bold stout honors all that has gotten us to this point - hard work, authenticity, and our commitment to quality.  Whether you choose to celebrate now or later, here's to the next 30 years."

This was the other beer that I had while watching UNC beat down NC State early and never look back.

Beer was poured into a stemmed snifter glass.  Almost jet black liquid with motor oil consistency coming out of the bottle, leaving a half finger of mocha colored head.  The aromas are quite evident, full of chocolate, roasted malt, coffee, and licorice.  Boozy on the nose too.  It's 11% ABV, so it's packing quite a punch.

There are tastes of chocolate, cocoa powder, bitter coffee, molasses, some dark fruit, and toasted wood.  While the nose is boozy the booze in the taste is masked very well.This brew is full bodied, with little carbonation.  Slightly chewy with the mouthfeel. 

It has been a while since I've enjoyed one of these big, bold imperial stouts and I remembered why I'm so fond of them.  While I'm partial to the style, this one was hitting all the right notes for me.  That said, while it is complex, I did prefer the likes of a BCBS over this one.  Still, you really can't go wrong with this one, and for the price, it's definitely a better value.

Grade: A-

Price Paid: $3.49 (12 oz bottle)

238. The Duck-Rabbit Marzen

Cracked open this bad boy while watching my beloved NC State Wolfpack in a rivalry game against UNC.  Needless to say, I wasn't terribly interested in drinking after the 1st quarter.  But I'm not one to let a good beer to waste.

Beer was poured into a stemmed snifter glass.  One finger of dirty-white colored head.  Ended up getting moderate to long retention with this one, leaving splotches of lacing along the sides.  There are aromas of caramel, biscuit, maybe a faint whiff of apples.  

This doesn't taste quite like a marzen, although it hits many of the same notes.  It starts out with the caramel sweetness and the finish is more hoppy and bitter than I recall from other beers of this style.  The apple taste is also more pronounced at the end.  Medium bodied with medium carbonation.

Imagine a marzen that's a little more extreme on the front and back end and I think this is what you would get.  To me, if I was served this at Oktoberfest or something, it would be a pretty good beer but I don't know how sessionable it would be for me.  That said, if I was comparing this not against this style but as a beer that I would drink, it's pretty good.

Grade: B-

Price Paid: $1.79 (12 oz bottle)

  

Haul for 11/9

I had the chance to head to Whole Foods after my baby girl's visit to the doctor.  I didn't mean to get any beer, but I figured I'd splurge and grab at least one treat since I happened on be on vacation and everything.  Here's the quick haul:

• Wicked Weed Canvas Series Fille de Ferme - I had noticed this particular brew a week or two earlier but didn't want to pull the trigger and buy another beer.  This time, since I limited the purchase to this and this only, it was easier to justify.  The beer's description got my attention, with the only negative that the beer was refrigerated so I needed to consume quickly.  That said, a review is coming soon.  Price paid: $8.99

237. Elysian The Great Pumpkin

"Imperial Pumpkin Ale.  Ale brewed with pumpkin and pumpkin seeds and fermented with spices."

I had some family over at the house on Halloween night to just hang out, have a good time, and take my almost 5 month old daughter to her very first door-to-door trick-or-treat experience.  I stuck around to pass out candy.  When it was all over and everyone could just chill, it was time to crack open a beer and enjoy it.  Considering that it was Halloween, I thought it would be nice to get my hands on a pumpkin beer.

The beer was poured into a shaped pint.  It had a hazy amber shape to it.  I could see traces of sediment in the glass.  Maybe one finger of off-white colored head.  Average retention, left traces of lacing but not much else.  Very sweet on the nose with aromas of pumpkin, nutmeg, clove, cinnamon, honey,  

Sweet tasting, but not as sweet as some other pumpkin beers I've had.  Not cloying.  Full of pumpkin flavor, along with tastes of cinnamon, nutmeg, honey, ginger, and even a little bit of cola.  Light to medium bodied with average carbonation.  I expected this one to be more lightly carbonated.  

Maybe it was too late in the night or something, but this one just wasn't connecting with me.  Maybe I just wasn't in the mood for something that tasted like liquid pumpkin pie.  I forced myself to drink it down, but I ultimately found it to be unsatisfying.  I know this was an older bottle, so maybe I made the mistake of letting it sit too long.  That said, while I likely won't buy myself another bottle (primarily because of price), if I get a chance for a second smaller tasting, I'll give it another go.

Grade: C-

Price Paid: $10.99 (22 oz bomber)

Haul for 10/29 Part 2

I wasn't done after Great Grapes.  After a quick trip to Wake Med, I found myself near the Triangle Wine Company store and decided to drop in.  Like the sucker I am, I can't just browse and found myself with more goodies.  Here's my last haul for at least a couple of weeks:

• Wicked Weed Tropicmost Passionfruit Gose - I actually bought this one based on interest alone and hoped that the price would be okay.  Fortunately, trying this one wasn't going to break the bank.  I didn't think it would since it's a gose.  Fortunately, I was right.  Price paid: $4.99
• Founders Backwoods Bastard - I really considered only buying one of these but sprung for the 4-pack.  The description on the bottle made me feel like there would be multiple instances where this beer will hit the spot.  Price paid: $12.99
• Innis & Gunn Highland Ale - It came in a nice box, talked about being aged in a barrel, and the price was very right.  I don't get many beers from across the pond, so that's another bonus. Price paid: $5.99
• Victory Moving Parts IPA - Normally I wouldn't get this, but it was on sale for cheap, probably because it's an older beer and needs to go.  I'm willing to take this bad boy off their hands. Price paid: $2.99
• Rogue Mom's Hefeweizen - Just like the Victory IPA, this was also on sale.  I don't have a lot of Hefeweizens in stock, so I figured this would at least add to the variety.  Price paid: $3.99
• Founders Harvest Ale - I guess this is a fresh hop offering from Founders.  Since the store only allowed 2 per person, I figured it was in high demand and worth getting.  Price paid: $2.99
• Wicked Weed Xibalba - Pumpkin + Chocolate + Chiles.  Sign me up!  Price paid: $7.77

Haul for 10/29 Part 1

I went to Cary for an eye appointment.  Turned out that I showed up a day early.  Have to head back tomorrow!  Nevertheless, I found myself in the area and decided to drop by Great Grapes to check out the selection.  It had been a while since I've been in there.  Their wares weren't all that bad and I even walked out with a case of wine, but I did grab at least one beer before I checked out.  Here's the haul:

• Wicked Weed Silencio - Let me just put the description of the beer down.  It sells itself.  "Bourbon barrel-aged black sour ale with coffee and vanilla."  A lot going on, but I'm definitely interested in giving it a try.  Price paid: $15.49

Haul for 10/9

This haul was from almost three weeks ago, but I wanted to make sure I had it listed here in the system.  I needed to hit up the tailor to get my suit fixed up for a wedding the following week.  I was a groomsman in the wedding and needed to look my best.  While I ended up not utilizing the tailor due to time constraints, I did take the time to drop by the nearby 42 Craft Beverage to look around.  Of course, I can't look around without buying something, so I did not leave empty handed.  Here's the haul:

• Stillwater Mono - I've had some interest in this brewery but found their beers to be a little on the pricey side.  This seemed reasonable so I figured I'd give it a go.  Price paid: $2.99
• Bell's 30th Anniversary - I find most brews from Bells to be very good and since it was an Anniversary beer, I had high expectations to be pleasantly surprised.  For the price, it seemed like a good buy to me.  Price paid: $3.49
• Eviltwin Ashtray Heart - Like Stillwater, I've seen a lot of beers from Eviltwin that seem to be very popular from other beer enthusiasts.  I didn't want to pay the steep price for a larger bottle, so this seemed like an even middle ground.  Price paid: $4.49
• Stone Enjoy By - I've had Stone Enjoy By before, but wanted to try it again since it is a pretty good beer.  Plus, they're in 12 oz sizes now, so I don't feel compelled to force myself to consume an entire bomber.  Price paid: $3.09
• Wicked Weed La Bonte - Seems like this was the grand prize in the haul, as it seemed to come from a different series from Wicked Weed.  I've been getting a lot of beers from Wicked Weed lately.  I hope I don't come across a disappointing beer, considering I'm putting a lot of focus on this one brewery.  Price paid: $11.99

236. Highland Clawhammer Oktoberfest Lager

"Clawhammer Oktoberfest is a lightly colored, but toasty, rich and full bodied Marzen styled lager brewed with traditional German malt and the finest noble hops.  A spicy hop finish and aroma balance out the abundance of malt flavor.  Clawhammer means pure high-country enjoyment!"

Today's brew was chosen as a pairing for some sweet and sour chicken over a bed of white rice.  Maybe not the most ideal pairing, but it worked for me!

The beer was poured into a DFH shaped pint.  It has a hazy orange color to it.  1 finger of cream colored head.  Average retention, leaves a ring of splotched lacing around the glass.  Not much to distinguish from the aroma except for caramel and biscuit.  

The taste is what I would expect from this type of beer.  Heavy with the malts, a caramel-like sweetness, and a touch of pepper and bitter hops on the end.  Light bodied, average carbonation.  Not an overly strong beer, very sessionable.  

The beer is a solid representation of the style, although the style itself is simplistic in nature and isn't trying to do too many things.  That said, it did not wow me and I while I wouldn't mind having it again, I also would be more willing to try the same style from other brewers and see how they fare.

Grade: C+

Price Paid: $1.99 (12 oz bottle)

235. Wicked Weed Terra Locale Briars & Brett

"Patience for the painstaking is a rarity.  It takes a.... let's say, special person to devote hours to work rooted in the meticulous.  The farmer who reaches through the thickest brambles knows that the briars will take his blood in exchange for blackberries.  The bartender who carefully measures spirit, tincture, and bitter into tins will start all over again if balance is not struck.  The brewer who barrels young brett beer will wait, with calculated anticipation, the months it takes to reach its fullest, perfect wildness.  Patience takes practice, and painstaking work means braving briars, perfecting tins, and bracing against time for brett.  It takes a...let's say, rare person."

"Briars & Brett is a farmhouse ale inspired by the Pre-Prohibition Gin Fizz cocktail.  Brewed with Riverbend Malt, 200 pounds of local summer blackberries and our proprietary Brett blend, this spirited ale was finished with lemon zest and fresh basil.  It was then laid to rest in local Cardinal Gin Barrels for 3 months."

Last night, my intent was to consume both the Reunion Ale '12 and the Briars & Brett.  I failed to meet my goal and settled to have Briars & Brett tonight after dinner while watching Clemson dispatch Notre Dame.  I'm not a fan of either team, but it was the best thing on tv.  

The beer was poured into a slender, stemmed pilsner glass.  It has a nice burnt orange color.  Very heady, could easily get three fingers of off-white colored head.  First pour resulted in an overflow.  Low retention, sounds effervescent.  A couple splotches of lace left over with a small spot of film on top.  Aromas of clove, funk, berry.  The funk is strong in this one.

The ale tastes of blackberry, gin, juniper, hay, lemon peel, It's tangy and tart, a sour note lingering in the aftertaste.  Average body with high carbonation.  8.3% ABV, and it'll sneak up on you.

I keep asking myself if I liked this beer or not.  I think I did.  I know it's a different style, one that I'm not overly familiar with.  Still, I consumed the bottle and didn't find anything too offensive about it.  That said, it also wasn't very memorable.  I came, I saw, I drank, I conquered.  I forgot.  The concept was great, with brett and blackberries and gin from a local producer.  I think that ultimately it was a bit too different and too rough for my taste-buds.

Grade: C

Price Paid: $9.99 (500 mL bottle)

234. Shmaltz Brewing Reunion Ale '12

"Teaming up with Terrapin Beer Co. for the second time, Shmaltz Brewing returns as a production partner for Reunion '12.  We brew Reunion each year in memory of our dear friend and partner in this venture - Virginia MacLean.  Virginia lost her battle with Multiple Myeloma in 2007.  It was her wish that we continue to raise funds and awareness on behalf of The Institute for Myeloma & Bone Cancer Research (www.imbcr.org)

This year's beer is a dark ale brewed with cocoa nibs, vanilla and cinnamon.  It was inspired by a fantastic dessert that we used to share with Virginia at our favorite restaurant.  This brown ale leads with a sweet and subtle cinnamon aroma  Complex malt overtones quickly give way to a chocolate and vanilla mix of satisfying bliss.  

Many thanks to all who have supported this project and have helped us honor Virginia's memory.

Cheers - Pete & Alan"

With the cooler weather and infinitely gray clouds and rain in my neck of the woods, I felt the need to get my hands on a darker beer.  Since this was a beer from 2012, I felt it was time to cycle through this bad boy and get it out of my collection.  I opted to have this for dinner and dessert, pairing it with a flatbread pizza.  No, it wasn't a match made in heaven, but I did my best to make the best of it.

This was poured into a stemmed snifter glass.  It had a nice cocoa color and provided 2 fingers of frothy, tan colored head.  It had average retention, leaving splotches of lacing on the glass and a thin film layer on top.  I could pick up aromas of roasted malts, cinnamon, cocoa, milk chocolate, and a hint of vanilla.

This beer was not what I expected.  I could taste milk chocolate, coffee, vanilla.  The cinnamon must have faded with time.  That was the good part.  The not so good part?  It had this tart bite to it.  Not bitter, just a little sour.  The beer was light to medium bodied with average carbonation, clocking in at 7.9% ABV.

First thing I ask myself is if I let this thing sit too long.  It was probably meant to be consumed within a year or two, tops, and here I was at year 3.  It wasn't overly sour or off-putting to the point that this became a drain-pour.  Call me stubborn, but I didn't have much of a problem drinking and finishing.  Still, I do have a Reunion 13 and I'll probably consume it within the next couple weeks and see if I get a better result.  That said, if you still have some of this stuff, go ahead and consume now!

Grade: C-

Price Paid: $8.50 (22 oz bomber)

Haul for 9/19

Even though I hit up the Lowes Foods the day before, it seems my hauling wasn't done yet.  After spending a good chunk of the day out at the flea market at the state fairgrounds, it was pretty easy to just slide over to Cary and do a little bit of shopping.  In this case, while the wife was at Home Goods and Ross, I slid over to the Total Wine to check out the inventory and maybe do some shopping while I was there.  That said, I didn't leave empty handed.  Here's the haul:

• Flying Fish Exit 3 - The 15% ABV on the label really got my attention.  The associated price for that boozy a beer added to my curiosity.  The fact that it is some kind of braggart, which is a beer concept I've never heard of before, sealed the deal.  Price paid: $7.99
• 21st Amendment Hop Crisis - This seemed to be a seasonal or special release beer and I wanted to give it a try.  Price paid: $3.79
• Ballast Point Victory At Sea - At my usual bottle shop haunts, this beer was sold out.  Since I could find it here, I figured I'd pick it up.  Price paid: $3.49
• Victory Festbier - Marzens and pumpkin beers are in season and I knew I wanted to pick up a few of these seasonal beers.  In making my "pick-6", I didn't want every beer to be super expensive.  This was right up my alley.  Price paid: $2.29
• Harpoon Pumpkin Cider - I've had some very good pumpkin ciders before and wanted to see how this one might stack up, particularly against Ace.  Price paid: $1.99
• Saranac High Peaks Clouded Dream - Like Hop Crisis, this seemed like a seasonal or special release and wanted to snag it.  And so I did.  Price paid: $2.99
• Mystery Jack Thorne London Porter - I enjoy me some Mystery Brewing and I'm glad that they got into the bottle and can game.  This particular can stood out so I decided to give it a go.  Probably isn't a six impossible things, but if it's anywhere near as tasty, I'll be satisfied.  Price paid: $3.49

Haul for 9/18

My local Lowes Foods was advertising a Beer Den Tap Takeover from Raleigh Brewing.  Looking ahead at some of the beers they were offering, I already had it made up in my mind to get a certain one that seemed to not be part of their regular rotation.  Ended up bringing along an empty 32 oz growler and came away happy.  Here's the haul:

• Raleigh Brewing Marooned Old Ale - This is an old ale that has been aged in some rum barrels.  The most unique brews that were offered during the takeover and easily my #1 target.  Pretty excited to get this one, I just have to make sure that I consume it in the next few weeks..!  Price paid: $10.99

Haul for 9/8

I happened to peruse the new arrivals at Tasty Beverage and saw a few beverages that I wanted to check out.  Made my way over there and got a little somethin' somethin' to take back.  Here's the haul:

• Wicked Weed Pearfigt - This was one of the beers that I was targeting.  Seemed pretty interesting, I wanted to give it a try.  Price paid: $4.49
• Foothills IPA of the month September - I know I will not have had the chance to try every single IPA of the month this year, but I think I'll have been able to knock out at least half of them.  I'll still try to make the effort to get what I can.  Price paid: $6.99
• Steel String Chombers Four - I'm guessing that this is an anniversary beer of some sorts?  Not quite sure.  That said, it was labeled as a sour ale with lemon, and I thought I'd give it a go based on the description alone. Price paid: $5.99
• Wicked Weed Freak of Nature - I thought about skipping this one, but then noticed how it was heavily recommended by the employees.  Opted to go ahead and grab it.  Price paid: $4.99
• Wicked Weed Medora - Seems like I've been accumulating a lot of Wicked Weed products, huh?  At first I thought I may have already owned this beer, but came to find out that I didn't.  Good news for me.  Another sour that I'll sit on for a while.  Price paid: $13.99

233. Sonoma Crowbar Habanero Lime

"The Crowbar Commandments:  #1: Sweet ciders are meh.  #2: The apple shall not be confined to cold weather months. #3: Friends don't let friends pronounce habanero with a tilde." 

I decided to consume this cider to go with a dinner of roasted pork loin and a vegetable salad.  

The beer was poured into a pilsner glass.  It has a yellow-gold color with a bunch of sediment within.  Not sure if it is pieces of habanero or something else.  Of course, no head or lacing to go with a cider.  Aromas of lime, apple, and maybe the slightest bit of pepper.  

The taste is of lime, dry apples, and habanero, exactly as advertised.  I didn't expect the habanero to be so pronounced in the beer.  I've had pepper beers before but the pepper was just a complement and virtually non-existent from a heat standpoint.  I actually had to drink this periodically because the spice in my mouth would bring the heat.  The cider is light bodied, a little on the slick side, and has low carbonation.

I wasn't big with the lime and apple combination.  This is more of a gimmicky cider than one that I would recommend for regular consumption.  Interesting to try, but not worth drinking the whole thing.

Grade: D+

Price Paid: $2.99 (12 oz can)

232. Devil's Backbone Stringduster Ale

This is the other beer from my fantasy football draft.  Apparently the description behind this beer is that it is a combination of barley, wheat, and corn.  

It poured a hazy golden color with orange highlights into a stemless snifter glass.  One finger of off-white head.  Low retention.  Seems like a lot of the Devil's Backbone line has low retention head.  No lacing on the glass.  I get aromas of apple, honey, caramel, toast, and grassy notes.  

Tastes of toffee, caramel, apple, grass, and a touch of bitter hops.  Light bodied, with light carbonation, coupled with the < 5% ABV makes this a very sessionable beer.  

My expectations for an APA is something that's pretty hop forward and not too dissimilar from an IPA.  In the case of this beer, I didn't find a lot of discerning qualities that would be related to an IPA.  It's a pleasant surprise.  To that point, I think it tastes more like an English APA as that particular style tends to be more muted with the hoppy flavor.  Still, I'm not going to complain as it made for a very good beer that's easy to drink.  I could easily have this again.

Grade: B

Price Paid: $6.99 (32 oz growler)

231. Devil's Backbone Vienna Lager

I bought this beer for my buddies that were attending a fantasy football draft.  Of course I was going to sample some of the goods that I purchased!  The contents were emptied into a stemless snifter.  It's got a dark amber color, one finger of off-white head with low retention and low amounts of lacing.  I can pick up aromas of toast, malt, and brown sugar.

I can taste toasted malt, sourdough, and caramel.  Very simplistic in nature, but not beer styles need to be complex.  Medium bodied with medium carbonation.  Smooth drinkability.  

It's a very clean tasting beer, inoffensive to the taste buds.  If someone wanted to get introduced to the world of craft beer, I think this would be one of those beers that would be helpful for the transition.  Very good beer.

Grade: B+

Price Paid: $1.66 (12 oz bottle)

Haul for 8/22

For this particular haul, I was looking to score some beer for a fantasy football draft party that I was hosting.  I headed down to Lowes Foods with the idea of procuring a 12 pk of Red Oak.  It was to my utter disappointment that they don't carry Red Oak there.  At least, not right now.

So in a previous post, I mentioned the goodness that is the Beer Den within Lowes Foods.  They had a tap takeover on Saturday featuring Devil's Backbone out of Virginia.  I was on the hunt for simple beer.  I know my buddies and they're not about IPAs and stouts.  I'd have to focus on lagers and other types that are not as adventurous on the taste buds.  So what did I end up getting?  Here's the haul:

• Devil's Backbone Vienna Lager - I wanted to primarily get my hands on bottles since they're easier to work with.  The only type of beer featuring Devil's Backbone and bottles were the Vienna Lager.  Yeah, I could have gotten some other type of beer, but I was feeling generous to support the brewery since they did the takeover.  Price paid: $9.99
• Devil's Backbone Stringduster - I felt compelled to pick up something on tap.  While there were plenty of solid selections (I almost sprung for the Not Your Father's Root Beer), it was Devil's Backbone that was doing the tap takeover.  I was going to go with the Golf Leaf Lager, but of the folks working in the Beer Den told me to try the Stringduster as a sample.  Even though it's an APA, it was very mild and wasn't too hoppy for my friends.  I found myself a winner.  Price paid: $6.99.

230. Unknown Brewing Escorpion En Fuego

""La Jordana del Escorpion en Fuego hacia la casa del Chupacabra muerto" translates to "The path of the fiery scorpion through the house of the dead Chupacabra".  Aged on tequila oak staves, brewed with agave nectar, serrano peppers & ninety nine scorpions."

Alright, so my birthday came a few days ago.  Turned the big 31.  I can hardly believe that it's been legal for me to drink for 10 years now.  I feel like I have a lot of catching up to do..!  Anyway, since it was my birthday, I wanted to drink one of my more special (rough translation: one of my pricier) beers.  I remembered that I had this one and the bottle said to "drink fresh", which I failed to do.  Better now than later.  

The beer was poured into a pilsner glass.  It has a burnt orange color to it with a finger of beige head.  Don't know if it is particulates or some of the head that floated to the top but it has a cloudiness about it.  Solid retention.  Didn't leave much lacing around the glass.  Aromas of sweet malt, agave, oak, plums, and candy corn.  

The taste is pretty interesting.  It reminds me a little bit of a dubbel.  Very sweet on the front end.  More tastes of the sweet malt, oak, dark fruit, and a very small trace of tequila.  Has a peppery finish that lingers a little bit.  Slight amount of bitterness.  Can't taste the scorpion, but I'd have no idea what the scorpion is supposed to bring to the table anyway.  If I could taste scorpion, I might not like this beer as much.  Full bodied with mild carbonation, it also leaves a slight boozy feeling to it.  It comes in at 10.1%.  

This is a very courageous attempt to be different.  Certainly it will stand out amongst other beers for being brewed with scorpions.  It is certainly a selling point and will pique the curiosity of many.  It did mine.  That said, the beer you get is pretty good.  It isn't fantastic, doesn't leave me wanting more, but it is interesting.  I probably wouldn't buy this beer again, but I'm glad to say that I was able to try this one!

Grade: C+

Price Paid: $16.00 (22 oz bomber)

229. Anchor Steam Beer

"Anchor Steam brand beer derives its unusual name from the 19th century when "steam" seems to have been a nickname for beer brewed on the West Coast of America under primitive conditions and without ice.  The word "Steam" may have referred to the pressure of natural carbonation developing in the beers.  Today the brewing methods of those days are a mystery, and for many decades Anchor alone has used the quaint name "steam" for its unique beer."

My wife needed a particular shaped bottle for table decorations and the only bottle that had the shape she wanted came from Anchor.  When I brought the six-pack home, I was expected to consume one quickly so she could use the bottle for an upcoming dinner party.  Since then, I've had another 2 or 3 of this goodness and am finally getting around to reviewing it.

Contents were emptied into a pilsner glass.  It has nice amber color with dark orange highlights. Two fingers of a light tan colored head.  Light retention, leaving a decent amount of lacing on the glass along with a thin cap of head.  Aromas of biscuit, caramel, and other sweet malts.

When I first tasted this beer, it reminded me of a cross between an amber lager and an ESB.  There's a lot of different things going on.  There's the familiar taste of caramel malts, but it also has a metallic component to it to go with a sour component.  Imagine an amber lager mixed with sea salt.  It has a slight bitter finish that'll linger for a bit.  Lightly carbonated and light bodied, it has a sessionable feel to it, providing that the different components doesn't lead to palate overload.

Surprisingly complex for something labeled as a "California Common", its uniqueness is something that I can definitely appreciate.  I'd be very interested in trying other representations of the style.  I'd definitely buy and enjoy again.

Grade: B+

Price Paid: $1.66 (12 oz bottle)

228. Motorworks V-Twin Vienna Style Lager

The last of the 4 beers I sampled while on my Florida trip.  Like the Anderson Valley gose, I picked this up at the Locale Market and brought it back to my hotel room to enjoy.  

Like the other beers, I drank straight out of the can.  Aromas of caramel, toast, and grass.  

I found this beer to be hoppier than I expected for a lager.  It had some initial caramel sweetness to it, but it also had a bitter taste that liked to linger for a while.  It reminded me of some of the amber ales I've had in recent memory.  Along with the caramel and the grassy notes, I could also taste sourdough and lemon peel.  Light bodied with light carbonation.

Overall, I'm not entirely convinced that this is representative of the style.  Granted, I've only had one other beer that was in this style, but this felt so much more like an amber ale to me.  I wasn't big on the lingering bitterness.  While I don't mind bitter, I don't like it where it is not expected and I didn't expect it here.  I'll likely try other beers from this brewery, but I likely won't venture to sample this one again.

Grade: C

Price Paid: $2.99 (12 oz can) 

Haul for 8/15/15

I know I've missed some hauls in between, but I wanted to make sure I got my most current hauls out of the way.  This is the last one, from today!  I headed over to Lowes Foods to do some grocery shopping.  

They just had a facelift and the new store is really cool.  Very customized for NC.  Checkout counters use street names and signs that are local to the area.  It has a very vibrant feel that I really appreciate.  One of the new changes in the store is The Beer Den.  They now have beers on tap and you can get growlers from them.  

When I visited, they had 8 beers on tap, ranging from Mother Earth, Bells, Alesmith, Natty Greene's, New Holland.  Sounds like they plan to rotate weekly and they showed some taps of other beers that were either recently sold or are coming soon.  Seems like they're doing quite well as they've gone through quite the number of kegs.  And they're even having tap takeovers from nearby breweries.  I signed up to be part of the mailing list so I can stay on the up and up.

They'll offer samples and you can bring your own growler.  However, they have a system that works best with their growlers that's set up in such a way that it will keep your beer good for a month as long as you don't open it.

It's not often that I get a growler, but I had a coupon to get a discount on the bottle and they had 32 oz sizes, which I prefer since I can usually finish that off before it goes bad.  I ended up getting the growler and left a happy camper!  Here's the haul:

• Bell's Two Hearted Ale - Okay, so I had the chance to try a beer that was different, but I went to something I've had before.  What's the deal?  I'm more adventurous when I'm dealing with 12 oz or 22 oz samples.  Not so much when I get larger sizes.  Price paid: $7.99 (w/ price of growler, after discount)  

Haul for 8/14/15

So this is more indicative of my usual hauls, which are not nearly as commonplace as they used to be.  Between being on a diet, having a kid, and toying more with liquor and mixed drinks, beer hasn't been as big a priority.  Nevertheless, I have a birthday coming up and thought I'd treat myself to some goodies at the beer store.  I had targeted getting maybe one or two unique beers but walked out with a lot more.  For this haul, I made the jaunt to Tasty Beverage.  Here's the haul:

• Ballast Point Pumpkin Down - Pumpkin beers are popping up everywhere and that just means that we're quickly approaching fall season!  It's exciting.  That said, I'm starting to become a really big fan of Ballast Point and wanted to go ahead and get my hands on this one, as I've never seen them release it in these parts before.  Price paid: $2.78
• Argus Ginger Perry - I do like my ciders and I was intrigued by this stubby brown bottle with its simplistic look.  Apparently this stuff comes from Texas.  I look forward to seeing how this compares with other ciders I've enjoyed.  Price paid: $3.49
• Argus Ciderkin - They had two different types from Argus and I wanted to get one of both.  Price paid: $3.49
• Sonoma Reserve Series Dry Zider - It looked like a seasonal or limited release and I've had their regular offerings and enjoyed it, so I just had to get it.  Apparently they took the cider and aged it in barrels that held zinfandel.  Sounds like an interesting concept to me. Price paid: $13.99
• Ballast Point Dead Ringer - If you don't see a whole bunch of pumpkin beer around to signal fall's coming, then oktoberfest style beers will also fit the bill!  Fall is coming, fall is coming! Price paid: $2.78
• The Unknown 1.5 - Apparently this was supposed to be an anniversary beer but it wasn't ready so they had to wait.  Glad they waited to get the taste they wanted instead of trying to meet a date.  It's a red rye that's aged and soured.  Sounds very interesting.  Had to give it a try!  Price paid: $16.99
• Bells Consecrator Doppelbock - I like Bells and Founders and at this point I'm used to seeing their year-round stuff and not so much their seasonals.  This might be a year-round, but I don't recognize it as well as the others and I know I haven't tried it, so I figured to go ahead and pick it up.  Price paid: $3.71
• Wicked Weed Black Angel - I wanted to get my hands on some sour beers and let them cellar and sit for a while (like a lot of my other beers, whether intentional or not).  This seemed like a good one to start. Price paid: $14.95
• Wicked Weed Terra Locale Hortiglory - At this point, I can start to recognize certain types of beer from Wicked Weed that I consider to be common versus those that don't come up as often.  I haven't seen this one before and thought I'd hoard it and give it a shot sometime later. Price paid: $9.95
• Wicked Weed Canvas Series Bombadile - Like Hortiglory, this one was new to me.  Reading the label, I saw that it was aged with yeast and strawberries and that seemed like a pretty neat combination.  Hopefully I'll be rewarded with a great tasting brew!  Price paid: $9.95  

Haul for 8/9/15

This was a haul from last week, but it was also a very short haul.  My wife wanted a specific type of beer bottle to use as a modified candle holder.  She was designing a table for dinner and we were expecting family to come over.  My baby girl (yeah, so in the long days since I last posted, I had a kid!) just had a baby dedication and we were coming back to celebrate.  

We had 2 bottles that she needed, but she needed a third.  Fortunately (or maybe unfortunately), I could look at the bottle shape and know exactly what beer I consumed.  Turned out to be a beer from Anchor.  I knew they sold the brand at the store, so I headed over to my local Lowes Foods to grab a single.  Unfortunately, they didn't have a single, but they did have a six-pack!  I came back a hero.  Here's the haul:

• Anchor Steam Beer - This was the bottle my wife needed, but unfortunately this was the only type that they had.  Not that I'm complaining but I would have totally jumped on a variety pack.  Oh well!  Price paid: $9.99 (6-pack)

227. Anderson Valley The Kimmie, The Yink and the Holy Gose Ale

"The refreshing tartness in this divine, bright golden-colored ale gives way to earthy undertones and hints of citrus followed by a slight sea salt-like dryness and tangy, effervescent finish."

This was the 3rd of 4 beers that I got to enjoy while on my Florida trip.  I ended up getting this beer from Locale Market in downtown St Pete.  Awesome place by the way, I could just live there.  Anyway, back to the beer.  This is one of the few beers that I've had that's characterized as a gose.  They always seem to sell out where I live, which is why of the reasons I was quick to snatch it up when I saw it in the store.  Or maybe people are enamored with the name of the beer.  I dunno.

Like the others, this was consumed straight from the can so I couldn't judge the pour characteristics.  In the aroma, I detect meyer lemon, some grassy notes, cracker, and coriander.  

I wonder how close a gose is to a sour, because they share some of the same qualities.  I would guess that a gose is a hybrid of a sour and a wheat beer.  I taste lemonheads, salt, wheat, and some kind of funky taste that reminds me of a saison.  Might be just a combination of flavors that are giving me that idea.  It might make you pucker a bit.  It'll definitely leave you to drink more, and the sharp flavors mellow a bit after you get through the initial shock.  Light bodied with light carbonation.

When it comes to goses and sours, I'm still trying to get a feel for what I like and what I don't like.  I did like this beer enough to finish all of it, but it sometimes feels like such a departure from what I expect from beer that I don't know what to make of it.  That said, I did find it to be pretty tasty and I appreciate the fact that it has a low ABV, which makes this stuff very sessionable.  I could see it get mixed into some lemonade without a hitch.  I'd love to sample goses side by side.  For now, I'll give this one a decent grade and look forward to trying more of the style.

Grade: B-

Price Paid: $2.99 (12 oz can)

226. Two Henrys 7 Mile Bridge English IPA

"In 1905, Flagler embarked on what many called impossible and his biggest folly, a ridiculously difficult to build railroad line from Miami to Key West.  After 7 years, millions of dollars, many terrible hurricanes, and deaths of dozens of unsuspecting laborers, Flagler prevailed and his 7 Mile bridge still stands today.  This beer is audacious like Flagler.  We brew this IPA with six different hops giving it a complex robust herbal and citric hop flavor.  Strong Simcoe hop nose, Medium bodied with a reddish amber color."

2 reviews in two days!  Feels like I'm on a bit of a roll.  Hopefully I can keep up with the momentum.  I had the opportunity to sample this brew while on my Florida trip.  I was able to get this brew from the same place I got the Jai Alai.  Must've been in an IPA type of mood, or maybe the Florida weather put me in that type of mood.

I drank straight from the can, so I didn't get to judge the pour and the look of the contents.  I do like the can design a lot better than the Jai Alai.  I could pick up aromas of pine, pummelo, and some caramel sweetness.  

I find English IPAs to be milder than the American counterparts and this was the case here.  Tastes of brown sugar and baked bread are not overpowered by citrus and resin flavors.  Still has that lingering bitter kick that's expected from an IPA.  Lightly carbonated, medium bodied.  

I found this to be more enjoyable than the Jai Alai.  I don't know if I have a discerning preference between American IPAs and English IPAs yet, but hopefully I start to get there.  I wasn't amazed by this beer, but it was definitely satisfying.

Grade: B

Price Paid: $1.99 (12 oz can)

225. Cigar City Jai Alai

"Jai Alai, the "merry game," is a game native to the Basque region of Spain.  Tampa was once home to this high speed game, but sadly all that remains here is this India Pale Ale that we brewed in tribute to the merry game.  Pair Jai Alai India Pale Ale with Empanadas, Deviled Crabs and other spicy dishes."

Man, how many of these do I have sitting in draft status?  I know I've been AWOL for a while.  Wanted to make a better effort to get these out there, preferably in a reasonable amount of time.  

Anyway, I had the opportunity to go to Florida for work and met up with my wife's cousin and her husband.  After dinner, they took me by a beer store they frequent and I had the chance to pick up a few cans of beer that I can't find in NC.  I always heard good things about Cigar City and Jai Alai, so I picked up a can and brought it back to my hotel to enjoy it.

Since I didn't have a glass to use, I drank it straight from the can.  Didn't get the chance to see how well it poured.  I could detect some tropical aromas with papaya and orange, but the dominating aroma was pine.  

Since I had read other reviews about this beer, I was expecting this pop of tropical, fruity goodness.  Nope.  I tasted a beer that was more akin to a Sierra Nevada Torpedo.  It had that bitter IPA bite, with the pine notes coming through.  There was a bit of a malt backbone to it, but that was it.  Pretty one-note, not overly complex.  The other flavors didn't come through for me.  It was medium bodied with medium carbonation.

Maybe I got a bad can or an older can.  Granted, based on the feedback I got from the owners, they tend to cycle through these pretty quickly.  It was just underwhelming and I'd be hard-pressed to try another, not when there are better options out there.

Grade: C+

Price Paid: $2.99 (12 oz can)

Haul for 4/14

I'm obviously behind on the times and keep telling myself that I'll update a whole bunch of things that I haven't done in a while.  Easier said than done.  Anyway, I tend to keep track of my receipts and purchases to maintain a budget and ran across some older receipts and thought I'd post about some of my purchases in the last couple of months.  Anyway, here goes, this was from a quick beer run to Tasty Beverage:

• Highland 20th Anniversary Weizenbock - I believe this is the last of the special releases that Highland put out in honor of their 20th anniversary.  I can't remember if I purchased them all or just 3 out of the 4.  Either way, I picked this up in my effort to be a completionist.  $8.99
• Ballast Point Habanero Sculpin (x2) - I think Ballast Point Sculpin is awesome.  I've had the luxury of trying the Ballast Point Grapefruit Sculpin.  I've also enjoyed pepper beers although I've never seemed to get the heat index to do anything for me.  I've read the reviews on these and just had to buy some.  $3.71
• Ommegang Hop House - It's been a while since I grabbed something from Ommegang.  I'm not interested in their Game of Thrones series.  I also needed to fill out a small 4-pack.  $2.78
• Foothills IPA of the month - March - It's April, this beer was discounted since it's older, I knew I would drink it pretty soon.  $5.94
• Foothills IPA of the month - April - I also snagged the April one as it was available.  Unfortunately, no discount for this one. $6.99
• Crispin Venus Reigns - Haven't had a unique cider from Crispin in a while, word on the street is that they had issues with distribution in my area to some of my favored haunts and that they'll hopefully get back into the swing of things soon. $7.99
• Lonerider Tombstone Reserve - A Lonerider brew I haven't had the pleasure of drinking yet.  Easy decision to fill out that small 4-pack. $5.99

224. Moylan's White Christmas Spiced Winter Lager

"It's the most wonderful time of the year, with the kids jingle-belling and everyone yelling "brew us new beers!".  And so we did.  In celebration of the season, Moylan's presents our White Christmas Spiced Winter Lager.  Malty and smooth with a light tart and zesty finish, this year's Lager contains holiday spices, Curacao, Mace, Cinnamon, Coriander and White Pepper.  This Holiday Lager will warm you and your sweetie inside and out.  Share the love and make it a White Christmas.  You'll get a kick out of it.  Happy Holidays, and Slainte'!"

I'm not sure if I explained how I got my hands on this one.  Went into Total Wine, found it steeply discounted, decided to pick it up.  Since it was steeply discounted, I figured it had to do with the fact that this had Christmas on the label and we were in February.  I cracked it open a couple of days later.  The beer was poured into a pilsner glass.  It had a pale yellow color (not like the picture I used).  I got about three fingers of white head that had medium retention and little lacing on the sides of the glass.  I get aromas of baked bread, orange peel, peppercorn, clove, cinnamon.  

The combination of aromas do not play well in the taste.  The base seems rather uninspiring, but likely consistent with what I'd expect from a lager.  There's a light hop presence that goes with the orange, pepper, and Christmas spices.  I'm finding the flavors to clash instead of harmonize.  It's light bodied, a little watery, with moderate carbonation.  At 6.0% ABV, it's not difficult to hide the alcohol.

Overall, the beer lacks balance and something else to tie all the flavors together.  I'm not sure if the beer gets worse as it ages and needs to be consumed fresh.  Even at a steep discounted price, I think I'd pass on trying this one again.  I barely finished drinking the entire bottle.

Grade: C-

Price Paid: $2.99 (22 oz bomber)

223. Doc's Draft Pumpkin Hard Apple Cider

"I would rather sit on a pumpkin and have it all to myself, than be crowded on a velvet cushion." Henry David Thoreau

A unique, hand-crafted pumpkin hard cider.

Made from pressed NY state apples and fresh pumpkins, fermented with champagne yeast and alic acid to excite the action.

I'm catching up on some older entries and decided to go with a cider as my next entry.  I've had some Doc's ciders before and wasn't terribly fond for it, but I've warmed up a bit to them since then.  I love Ace's pumpkin cider, so I was hopeful that this would be more of the same goodness, just in a bigger bottle.  The contents were poured into a pilsner glass.  It has a clear, yellow color to it with a quick dissipating head.  I picked up aromas of pumpkin, apple, ginger, cinnamon.  Doesn't smell too sweet.

This beer has some tart and tang to it.  Not too sweet.  The spices are most prominent with the ginger and cinnamon.  Pumpkin comes next, although the apple comes through towards the end.  As the base, it's masked pretty well by the other flavors.  Light bodied, a little slick.  Moderate carbonation.  

If I compared this to Ace, this doesn't match up.  It's a little more lacking in flavor, a little more watery.  Still, a solid effort from Doc's and depending on the price point, I'd pick it up again.

Grade: C+

Price Paid: $2.00 (22 oz bomber)

Haul for 2/23

After my wife's monthly pregnancy checkup, we stopped nearby at Whole Foods to look around and get a couple of things (Whole Foods = Whole Paycheck).  I didn't realize that there was a Triangle Wine Company store that was right next door.  They advertised craft beer along with the wine and I just had to venture in and see what their selection looked like.  It wasn't too shabby, and I found myself unable to leave without picking up a thing or two.  Here's the haul:

• Smuttynose Frankenlager - This was offered as a special for a steep discount, and I figured it wouldn't hurt to give it a try.  Price paid: $2.99
• Coronado 18th Anniversary - Never had any beers from Coronado before, just thought I'd try something different on a whim.  Hoping for good things..!  Price paid: $6.99

222. Shipyard Pumpkinhead

Drinking this while watching NC State vs. Miami in ACC college basketball play.  First time trying a Shipyard (http://www.shipyard.com) product. Poured into a tulip glass.  Half a finger of white head.  Little to no retention, similar to a cider or soda. No discernible lacing on the glass.  Copper color with rose colored highlights.  I can smell more pumpkin pie spice such as cinnamon and clove than I do actual pumpkin.  Any semblance of pumpkin is hard to pick up.  

The taste provides malt sweetness, some spice notes, and that's about it.  It's quite watery, lacking flavor, little body, with high carbonation.  There is a bitter finish, but not in the way that I think it's the hops.

Overall, this is a pretty bad beer.  I'm contemplating giving it the drain pour, but I think I'll hold onto it.  It's more cider than beer, maybe they should try to market this as one.  Yeah..I'm not drinking this ever again.

Grade: D

Price Paid: $1.67 (12 oz bottle)

221. Fullsteam Fearrington Fall Heirloom Apple Rye IPA

"Rustic, tangy, bitter, sweet.  The true flavors of fall in the South.  Because the world has enough pumpkin beers.

Pressed heirloom apples - Foggy Ridge, Dugspur, VA

Wrens Abruzzi Rye - Harvested by Carter Farms, Eagle Springs, NC and malted by Riverbend Malt House, Asheville, NC

Jarrylo and Cascade hops

7% ABV, 58 IBU"

Decided to have a beer  to go with my dinner (jambalaya) while watching the NFL playoffs (Arizona Cardinals vs. Carolina Panthers).  Fullsteam looks to be embracing locally sourced products to go with their beer.  Definitely helps with their marketing, although I haven't had a beer from them that has wowed me yet.

This beer was poured into a Guinness pint.  It has a clear caramel color with two fingers of beige colored head with a sea foam consistency.  Moderate retention that leaves sheets of lacing around the glass.  I detect aromas of apple, grass, tangerine, pine.  

The aroma of apples is not nearly as apparent in the taste.  It's less than subtle, almost a little hard to discern.  I can taste more pine and a slight spicy note from the rye.  Very silky smooth mouthfeel.  Lightly carbonated and surprisingly full bodied.  Finish is is bitter as expected, although it's tamer and more reminiscent of an APA than an IPA.  Bitter finish.  

The combination is ambitious, certainly intriguing, but I think it fails to really deliver.  I know my curiosity was piqued, which led me to purchase the beer.  It's tasty, different, but otherwise forgettable.  

Grade: C-

Price Paid: $6.49 (22 oz bomber)

220. Woodchuck Hopsation Hop Forward Cider

"We start with our original small batch hard cider and infuse cascade hops to impart their sensational pine and citrus aromas.  The smooth apple character of our signature hard cider balances perfectly against the bitterness of the hops.  Some may just call it a hopsational cider."

After having several stretches of beer or liquor drinks, I had the hankering for a cider and grabbed the first one I could find and put it into the fridge.  Lo and behold, Woodchuck's Hopsation is what I ended up grabbing.  The beer was poured into a pilsner glass.  It has a pale, straw color with green highlights depending on the lighting.  Pretty interesting, actually.  Interesting aroma of sour apple, lemon, lime, and a touch of pine.  It certainly left me wondering what I might be in for.

The first thing I notice is the sweetness, as in, the lack thereof when compared to other Woodchuck ciders.  Less cloying, more refreshing.  Also, I can taste some of the hop influence, but it's very subtle.  I've had the green apple cider before and I can say that I like the complexity of this beer more than the green apple variant.  Some grassy notes also extend on the palate.  Light bodied, but medium carbonation.  

I know when I first got into hard ciders, my primary experience was with Woodchuck.  My taste has changed with the times and I'm sure I wouldn't rate those ciders nearly as favorably as I had in the past.  That said, I feel like this is one of the better offerings I've had from Woodchuck and is different from many of the others I've had, aside from the barrel aged variants.  If you find this one, give it a try.

Grade: B+

Price Paid: $1.79 (12 oz bottle)