Beer Review: Stone Ripper 5.7% ABV

The Stone Ripper from Stone Brewing is an American Pale Ale that on the can is described as a San Diego Pale Ale. The ABV comes in at 5.7% and the IBU at a level of 40 making this beer a tasty little treat with a nice kick of bitterness. Check out my video here to see my thoughts on this Stone brewing addition.

Brewer Notes:

When it came to creating Ripper, we drew inspiration from the coastal surf cultures of SoCal and Oz. Sourcing classic Cascade from the Pacific Northwest and Australian Galaxy hops from…yes…Australia, we made a beer both lovers of frothy peaks and hoppy green buds will be stoked about. At the same time, we stayed true to our San Diego roots by pushing the hop boundaries of this style. While some might think it lingers on an edge far closer to an IPA, with all the dry-hop flavor and aroma, it’s actually right in line with the current-day interpretation of a West Coast pale. Ours just so happens to have an Aussie accent that’s cascading with a juicy amount of grapefruit and passion fruit hoppiness. So veg out or venture out. Either way, rip one open and taste this awesome golden nectar!

RELEASE DATE: November 7, 2016

STYLE: Pale Ale

ALC/VOL: 5.7%

AVAILABLE IN: 12oz Cans in Six-Packs & Draft

FLAVOR PROFILE: Floral, tropical, juicy

WHEN TO ENJOY: Drink fresh

IBUs: 40

FEATURED HOPS: Cascade & Australian Galaxy

Beer Review: Christian Moerlein Shiver Chai Porter 5.6% ABV

The Shiver Chai Spiced Porter from Christian Moerlein Brewing here in Cincinnati is definitely a different type of beer. The beer comes in at an ABV of 5.6% and IBU level of 15, so hoppiness is not a concern on this malt forward beer. Obviously, the use of chai brings a spice component to the beer which a somewhat uniqueness. A good thing about living in Cincinnati is the beer experimenting that takes place; check out my video here to see my thoughts on this beer.

Brewer Notes:

N/A from the website

Beer Review: Sixpoint The Crisp 5.4% ABV

From the Sixpoint Brewery out of Brooklyn, New York, comes the Crisp, a German Pilsner that comes in at an ABV of 5.4% and an IBU level of 44. Talk about a beer that brings a pleasant and refreshing mouthfeel, this one definitely delivers that and leaves well a….crisp feeling. Check out my video here to see my other thoughts on this beer.

Brewer Notes:

...When the Mad Scientists emerged from underground, the quest for a new formulation went from obsession to reality.
What do you get when you fuse old world craftsmanship with new, clean, & bold flavors from right raw materials? The Crisp. It's Mad Science.

• ABV - 5.4%
• IBU - 44
• SRM - 5.9

Beer Me: New Belgium Voodoo Ranger 8 Hop Pale Ale 5.5% ABV

The Voodoo Ranger 8 Hop Pale Ale is yet one more offering from New Belgium Brewing out of Fort Collins, Colorado. This American Pale Ale comes in with an ABV of 5.5% and as it says on the label, eight hops. The 35 IBU makes it nice for providing the hop flavor to be highlighted, while at the same time not become too bittering. This is definitely one for those that maybe looking to transition into hoppier beers. For more on this beer, check out my video to see my other thoughts.

Brewer Notes:

Brilliantly balanced for easy drinking, this pale ale is packed with citrus and tropical fruit flavors from eight different hop varieties.

TASTING NOTES

VISUAL: Bright golden color with white foam and moderate lacing.

AROMA: Mostly pine with citrus and tropical fruits (oranges, lemons, guava), stone fruit (plum and apricot), herbal hop notes and a slight caramel backbone.

FLAVOR: Balanced. Starts sweet and moves to mild bitterness with a very subtle sourness.

MOUTHFEEL: Clean with a very slight bitter linger.

BODY: Medium-light body.

BEER FACTS

ABV: 5.5%

IBU: 35

YEAST: Ale

HOPS: Nugget, Centennial, Cascade, Nelson Sauvin, Amarillo, Mosaic, Simcoe, Citra

MALTS: Pale, Caramel 80

Elysian Space Dust IPA 8.2% ABV - Away We Go

Space Dust IPA is an American IPA from Seattle based Elysian Brewing Company. It comes in at an ABV of 8.2% and an IBU level of 62. Pouring a nice golden color, this is one that I have wanted to try for a while and was finally able to get that chance. Check out my video here to see my thoughts.

Brewer Notes:

A Totally Nebular IPA

STYLE: India Pale Ale

BODY: Light to Medium

TASTING NOTES: The hopping is pure starglow energy, with Chinook to bitter and late and dry additions of Citra and Amarillo.

MALTS: Great Western premium two-row, c-15 and Dextra-pils

HOPS: Chinook, Citra and Amarillo

ABV: 8.2%

IBU: 73

AVAILABILITY: Year round — 1/2 Bbl kegs, Six packs, 22 oz bottles

Samuel Adams Rebel Juiced IPA 6.2% ABV - Hello Mango

The Samuel Adams Rebel Juiced IPA from Boston Beer Company is a mango influenced IPA through the use of mango juice, which is combines citrusy hops to create something of a juicier type IPA. The appearances itself is a very nice one on this beer, and the aroma and taste both end up being somewhat decent which for me was better this time around then when I had initially tasted it during a beer festival. Check out my video here to see and hear my other thoughts on this one.

Brewer Notes:

Swirling with ripe aromas of mango and tropical fruits, this IPA is jam-packed with juicy, citrusy hops and mango juice. It’s as if we took fresh hops and mangos and put them in a juicer.

STYLE - Tropical IPA

AVAILABILITY -Year Round - Draft, 6-pack bottles

HOP VARIETIES - Zeus, Mosaic, Mandarina

MALT VARIETIES - Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend

SPECIAL INGREDIENTS - Mango Juice

COLOR - Golden, slightly veiled, SRM: 6

ALC. BY VOL/WT - 6.2% ABV - 4.8% ABW

IBUs - 55

CALORIES - 210

Brooklyn Scorcher IPA 4.5% ABV - Call This A Session?

The Scorcher IPA from Brooklyn Brewery is described as a session IPA that comes in with an ABV of 4.5%. Piney and grapefruity in the aroma and taste along with its solid body and mouthfeel, it is easy to forget that this one is a session IPA. Find out more of my thoughts on this beer by checking out my video here.

Brewer’s Notes:

Brooklyn Scorcher IPA is a surprisingly sessionable IPA. A floral, piney aroma strikes first, followed by a burst of mouthwatering bitterness as the hops begin their attack. Suddenly, a hint of toasty malt and a clean, lively finish burst in to leave you thirsty for more. It’s ludicrously tasty, and at a reasonable 4.5%, it’s a beer you can come back to again and again. Try it with spicy foods, salads, grilled meats, cheddar, feta or just another Scorcher IPA.

Style: Session IPA

Malts: 2-row, Carafoam, Crisp

Hops: Amarillo, Simcoe, Cascade, Bravo

Yeast: Our House Ale Yeast

Alcohol by Volume: 4.5%

Original Gravity: 10.8° Plato

Food Pairings: Spicy foods, sandwiches, salads, grilled meats, fresh cheeses, cheddars, and goat cheeses.

Availability: Year-round; Sweden, UK, Norway, and Finland only

Format: 24/12oz (333.5ml) bottles (6pk)

Alltech Kentucky Honey Barrel Brown Ale 10% ABV

Lexington, Kentucky is home to Alltech Lexington Brewing & Distilling Company and this is a look at their Kentucky Honey Barrel Brown Ale. This 10% ABV Imperial Brown Ale is brewed with Kentucky honey and ginger and aged in oak bourbon barrels. Check out my review here to see what I think of this newly found brew.

Brewer Notes:

As every drop of the ale is aged in fresh bourbon barrels, the caramel and vanilla flavors of the barrel are imparted upon the beer and balance with the spiciness of the ginger. At 10 percent alcohol by volume (ABV), this malty, limited release seasonal makes for a flavorful sipping beer to enjoy during the holiday season.

What's In The Box? Craft Beer Variety Unboxing

Saturday afternoon, what to do? Well, what do you think? It’s time for a beer run and this time, I decided to go blind on what may be in the box. GreatBrewers.com has created variety craft beer boxes to showcase craft beers. Nowhere on the outside does the box tell you what’s inside, so I am truly playing what’s in the box. This should be interesting, check out my video here to see what I find.

Rivertown Ville De Rivere Geuze 6.2% ABV - Come Again?

Some days, I just think Cincinnati should be “Brewnati,” because we have so many different beer things happening that one cannot even keep up anymore. So here is the Ville De Rivere Geuze from our own Rivertown Brewery and Barrel House, 6.2% ABV and 8 IBU make up this 3 malt and 1 hop sour Geuze. Now if you are not familiar with the Geuze style, it is a type of Lambic that is done by blending a 1 year old Lambic with and a 2 to 3 year old Lambic, but with this brew it was a one and a three that was used and then allowed to mature in the bottle, but this was after it was already aged in oak wine barrels.

So knowing all of this, why would I not try this beer? Oak, like, wine barrels, like, Belgian style, like, sours, like…all I needed was a glass and then this review was off and going. Now, you can see the video to gather my thoughts on the beer, but the beer is definitely a pretty one from the pour and the aroma is on point for sure. But the taste did hit with more tart than I expected, which for me made it more like a tart bomb which was neither good nor bad but depending on your sour level and how much you like to pucker, it could be something to consider before trying this one. But as far as being a sour beer and of the Geuze style there was no mistaking that, it delivered, but I also think it over delivered on the tartness that was received which led to my Untappd score on this one being 3 out of 5.

Arrogant Lukcy Basartd Ale - Three Come Together As One

Arrogant Bastard Ale, Double Bastard Ale and Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale, three good quality ales that alone stand as decent beers. But what happens when you take some from each and put them together in one brew? Well my friends, at that point you are a Lucky Bastard or a Lukcy Basartd as described by Arrogant Brewing.

This Special Release Ale features a dry-hopped blend of the aforementioned beers and was first released in 2010 in celebration of the 13th anniversary of Arrogant Bastard Ale. At 8.5% ABV, this beer is not one to probably be taken lightly although I didn’t have too much trouble in finishing this 22 ounce gem. It drinks more like a light Barleywine and is one to easily slide into for an easy comfortable feel. If you find it then I think that it’s definitely worth checking it out, and watch my video here to see my additional thoughts. My Untappd score on this one: 4 out of 5.