This is a look at the Tart Ten from Victory Brewing out of Pennsylvania. This sour ale beer is based in part on that of the Belgian dubbel style. For me, the beer poured a nice reddish amber color and capped out well with a nice two finger foamy head. There is no hiding the tartness on this 10% ABV ale, but what is well hidden was the taste of the alcohol making this a dangerous one that may sneak up on you. Check out my video review here to see more of my thoughts on this brew.
Brewery Notes:
Belgium’s vast history of brewing and beer styles has inspired us at Victory for decades. Settling in on the comfort a dubbel ale provides, we sparked that style up a bit with brettanomyces fermentation. The result is rich in flavor but light in body—sharp in impression but smooth in finish. You’ll Taste Victory as Tart Ten takes your palate on a new journey!
Composition
Malt: Pilsner, Vienna, Munich, Cara 350, Cara 150, Acidulated
Hops: Saaz
ABV: 10.0%
Flavor
This bold, copper-hued, brettanomyces-infused beer entices with a delicious tart flavor combined with its slight malt character and stellar carbonation.
It's always nice to receive a surprise. Who doesn't like getting one? I think just about everyone does. So when my my buddy Eric decided to drop me out a little beer as a surprise in the box, I was appreciative and ready to get this baby open. Check out my video here to see what it may be. Yes, indeed.
I decided to attend our recent Beer, Bourbon and Bacon Festival today and following, what is better than a beer run on the way home? So that’s what I decided to do, and here you can check out my video to see what I happened to acquire during the run which ended up yielding some good deals. This is why I keep more than one store in my rotation, because having a variety brings together various opportunities especially when each store may offer something differently. The specialty of this store is that it does well with offering some closeout deals and beers at near wholesale prices. Check out the video below to see what I mean.
The Cherry Almond Ale from New Belgium Brewing is I guess what one could call a fruit ale in how it may be described for a style. The beer provides a great appearance with its reddish brown color and nice tannish and foamy head. Drinking this brought up images and tastes associated with chocolate covered cherries. This definitely played out as a malt forward beer and of course that is no surprise considering the IBU on this ale is only 16. And at an ABV of 5.8% the beer doesn’t play out too heavy, although its sweetness could become a factor for some. Check out my video below to see more of my thoughts on this limited availability ale.
Brewer Notes:
With a vibrant splash of cherry, and gentle chocolate aromas, our Cherry Almond Ale delicately balances malty sweetness with a refreshingly bitter finish. Find it only in Folly Packs in early 2017.
TASTING NOTES
VISUAL: Bright ruby/mahogany color with a light off-white foam.
AROMA: Coffee, roasted malt and chocolate initially with some caramel, cherries, cola and nuts, slight smoke.
FLAVOR: Sweet throughout with very subtle sour middle and a mild lingering bitterness.
MOUTHFEEL: Starts lightly coating, finishes astringent.
BODY: Medium body.
BEER FACTS
ABV: 5.8
IBU: 16
YEAST: Ale
HOPS: Nugget, Cascade
MALTS: Pale, Munich, C-120, Victory, Black Prinz
The Lag or Lagunator Lager is a California Common from Lagunitas Brewing that provides a nice amount of maltiness with a little bit of bite from the hops used. I decided to pick up this bottle as my curiosity was aroused, especially as it is also related to being a bock. Check out my video located below to see my full insights on this beer.
Brewer Notes:
It’s a dry-hopped California Common with a massive malt character, rounded out by a bitter balance from some experimental hops from the Yakima Valley; this beer will leave you saying ‘I’ll be bock!’
I always enjoy a good Imperial IPA and Hog Heaven from Avery Brewing Company was one that I happened to find on a local beer run and was looking forward to trying. Pouring a nice reddish color as an Imperial Red IPA the beer did provide a nice appearance. But what really surprised me was that with the high IBU noted on Untappd as 104, the beer played smoother than expected. Side note, Avery should really provide this detail on their website so it can be easily seen. But back to the beer, the flavor and taste was very decent and there is a great balance between the malts and the hops. This applied to a good finish definitely makes it worth a try, and was part of the reason why I scored this one on Untappd as 4 out of 5. Check out my YouTube video to see more of my thoughts on this fine brew.
Brewer Notes:
This dangerously drinkable garnet beauty is a hop lover’s delight. The intense dry-hop nose and the alcohol content are perfectly balanced for a caramel malt backbone. This is a serious beer for serious beer aficionados. Oink!
AVAILABILITY: Year-round: 4-pack, 22-ounce and draft
IBU/ABV: 104 (Untappd)/9.2%
HOPS: Columbus
MALTS: 2-Row and C-80
YEAST: London Ale
SUGGESTED PAIRINGS: BBQ Nachos - Hog's hops cut the fattiness of the cheese, and its maltiness is a beautiful complement to the smoked meats.
via Instagram http://ift.tt/2t6MHQU Day off...don't mind if I do. @madtreebrewing and their #entropictheory! #beer #craftbeer #beerme #beerporn #beernerd #beergeek #instabeer #beerstagram #beerlover #beersnob
via Instagram http://ift.tt/2tY3l9N Down at #braxtonlabs part of @braxtonbrewco enjoying a little #cucumber #witbier and how refreshing it is! #beer #craftbeer #rodjbeerventures #beerme #instabeer #beerstagram #beersofinstagram #beergeek #beernerd #beerporn
Blank Slate Brewing Company is yet just one more brewery that we have here tucked away in the Cincinnati area, and this is a look at their Fork In The Road India Amber Ale. The beer itself comes in at an ABV of 6.85% and a nice IBU of 65. So as you can imagine, the hoppiness is present with this one. Pouring a nice red amber color, this beer provides a nice appearance from the body to its foamy head. Aroma and taste both come together with this beer and the balance between the malts and hops play out nicely. Check out my review here to see my full thoughts on the beer, and what led me to provide a personal Untappd rating of 4 out of 5.
Brewer Notes:
India Amber Ale. The first beer in Blank Slate’s “Traveling IPA” series. This beer sits squarely at the fork in the road where darker malts and brighter hops meet. Munich and CaraRed malts give it an amber color and bigger malt presence than a standard IPA. Generous amounts of Citra and Centennial hops remind you that it’s still an “India” style beer nonetheless.
AVAILABILITY: Year-round: 6-pack and draft
IBU/ABV: 65/6.8%
HOPS: Citra, Centennial
MALTS: 2-Row, Munich and CaraRed
Recently, I had the chance to check out the Voodoo Ranger IPA from New Belgium Brewing Company. This offering is just one more of the offerings under their Voodoo series. The beer itself has an ABV of 7% along with an IBU of 50, making it pretty much what should be expected from this style. The beer itself was highlighted by a nice appearance, aroma, taste and overall quality about it. I was able to easily receive a nice bittering quality with the beer and did like the semi-dry feel on the finish. Comprised also of a nice medium body, this beer was pretty solid overall. Check out the video to see my full thoughts on why I rated this one as a 4 on Untappd, firmly making it very good in my opinion.
Brewer Notes:
Bursting with tropical aromas and juicy fruit flavors from Mosaic and Amarillo hops, this golden IPA is perfectly bitter with a refreshing, sublime finish.
TASTING NOTES
VISUAL: Light golden, bright with a little particulate, medium-thin white foam.
AROMA: Pine and citrus in the fore, the citrus comprised of orange and grapefruit. Tropical fruit with lesser grassy and floral geraniol. Faint toasted bread malt note.
FLAVOR: Lightly sweet at first with a stronger, building and perfect bitterness.
MOUTHFEEL: Coating and warming with a clean finish.
BODY: Medium body.
BEER FACTS
ABV: 7%
IBU: 50
YEAST: Ale
HOPS: Nugget, Cascade, Simcoe, Chinook, Mosaic, Amarillo
MALTS: Pale, Black
The Hopsecutioner is an American IPA offering from Terrapin Beer Company out of Athens, Georgia. This 7.3% ABV and 72 IBU American IPA pours a nice golden orange amber color with a decent foamy head. Highlighted by six hops, there is no missing of the aroma nor taste as this one is enjoyed. What I did like about this beer was that they did well with the balance between the hops and malts and were able to keep down any overkill of the taste that is plaguing some IPA s on the market. You will feel the bitterness on this one, but that is expected. I mean it is an IPA. As far as my full details on this one then check out my video below and see my overall conclusion to this one. For me, this one sat at 3.5 out of 5 on my Untappd scale which placed it between good and very good.
Brewer Notes:
About the Beer: Light copper in color, this IPA has an aroma. of fresh pine and citrus. A strong malt backbone provides balance to an assertive hop bitterness.
Pair with: Blue Cheese or Sharp Cheddar. Pair with a classic burger, or play up the citrus in the beer with a glazed orange duck dish.
