Here is my look at the Sweet Baby Java from DuClaw Brewing Company, a chocolate peanut butter porter that is infused with whole bean espresso. This limited release beer has an ABV of 6.2% as shown on the label (website shows 6.5%) and an IBU level of 53. Having experienced and liking Sweet Baby Jesus, I was definitely looking forward to trying this one and I wasn’t disappointed. The beer provided a good appearance as it was almost jet black in color with some mahogany red like tint in spots and it was capped with a nice head that was creamy or mocha like in color. Aroma just came out of the glass with ease providing notes of peanut butter, milk chocolate and espresso. It was like a peanut butter cup just dipped in coffee. As far a flavor and how it sat on my palate, it displayed a nice smooth and creamy texture. While it was a little thin, that was to be expected and took hardly anything away from the beer. The body felt to me to be a medium body and I was pleased with the mouthcoating and mouthfeel effects which were dually pleasing. Carbonation also sat well and the finish was pretty much a velvety feel as it went down. But it is a sweeter beer, so that is something to also be cautious of as it pertains to if I would want a few of these. But overall I found it to be pretty solid as my Untappd rating on this one was a 4 out of 5 for very good.
Brewer Notes:
Our single bestselling beer of all time, Sweet Baby Jesus! Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter, Hop Gunned with cold-steeped, whole bean espresso to infuse it’s iconic, lightly sweet chocolate and peanut butter flavor and aroma with warm notes of coffee… without any additional bitterness! One sip of Sweet Baby Java and you’ll wonder, “Where has this bean all my life?”
STYLE: Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter with Whole Bean Espresso
COLOR: Black
HOP VARIETY: Fuggle & Goldings
GRAINS: Pale, Chocolate, Crystal, Black, and Brown Malts; Roasted Barley, and Whole Bean Espresso.
See the story of Sweet Baby Java here: https://youtu.be/CSVzhuDZc6k
Another beer makes this another beerventure, and I have chosen another one from that great mitten state of Michigan. This is a look at the Porter from Bell’s Brewery. This year-round offering carries an ABV of 5.6% and an unconfirmed IBU of 27 as shown on Untappd. It poured a great dark color in appearance with a one finger or so cream colored head. The aromas easily came out of the glass and I was able to quickly detect the notes of roastiness from the malts. This also kicked over well into the taste making it an easily enjoyable beer. You can see my video for more of the details but for me it proved to be very good, earning a solid 4 out of 5 for my Untappd rating.
Brewer Notes:
Our award winning Porter bridges the gap between malty brown ales and heavily roasted stouts. Notes of chocolate, coffee and roasted barley are offset with just a slight hop bitterness. Enjoy any time of the year.
Alcohol By Volume: 5.60%
Original Gravity: 1.06
Shelf Life: 6 Months
NUTRITIONAL INFORMATION (PER 12 OZ. SERVING)
Calories: 183
Carbs: 17.9
FOOD PAIRINGS
Bell's Porter can be used like Best Brown, but you will also want to consider more earthy, mushroom-like flavors that lend to even richer dishes - ones that utilize cream. Stroganoff is one example. Also try this beer with BBQ, sausage, blackened fish, beef (grilled, roasted, broiled or stew), Cajun food or meatloaf.
The 2X Oak’d IPA from Southern Tier Brewing was a surprise find during a beer run. It is not even listed on their website. This beer comes in at 8.2% ABV and was created by taking their Double IPA and introducing maple syrup and toasted oak chips into the mix. The beer provided a nice appearance with notes of sweetness coming out of the class. The texture was not only syrupy but it had creaminess as well that made this beer just lay on my tongue and create some good sensations. The bitterness had actually been dialed down more than expected, but that oak flavor came through very well. This limited availability beer was a very nice one indeed and my Untappd rating here was a solid 4.25 out of 5. This one is truly worth a try if you like sweetness and roastiness in your beers.
Brewer notes: (As Received From Untappd)
Double IPA brewed with NY maple syrup and aged with French oak chips. LIMITED.
We took an 8.2% ABV, 55 IBU Double IPA & introduced maple syrup locally sourced near our brewery in Western New York & moderately toasted French oak chips. Roasted malts bring a deep amber hue that’s matched by drums of maple syrup, which are added to help boost fermentation & provide a clean, earthy component with a slight residual sweetness. Cascade, Centennial & Chinook hops coalesce to create a spicy, floral, citrus & piney aroma. Finally, the beer is aged on oak chips to round out its mouthfeel & provide amazing balance to each sip.
Flowering Citrus Ale is a collaboration between New Belgium and Belgium Brewer Brouwerij De Koninck as a part of the Lips of Faith Series. The beer carries a 7.4% ABV along with an IBU level of 30 making it more malt forward, although I was able to note citrus and piney notes on the back end. I would have liked to have received a stronger aroma than what was received, but the a good sniff did draw some of this out. The color of the beer poured a slightly hazy golden straw color that was topped by an off-white foamy head that did dissipate with some pace. That being said, the appearance was decent enough. As for the taste, the beer was well carbonated and did feature the citrus qualities to be expected. The surprise for me was more of the tartness that was in play which was well done and not overly tart by any means. The beer was not too heavy on the tongue and came across as a light to medium body one in my opinion. A pleasant enough beer, that for me earned an Untappd rating of 3 out of 5.
Brewer Notes:
Our second Lips of Faith four-pack collaboration is just around the corner, and we can’t wait to share this new beer with you. Called Flowering Citrus Ale and brewed with our pals at Belgium’s De Koninck, it is, perhaps, the most elegant beer we’ve brewed to date.
To celebrate our 25th anniversary, each Lips of Faith release this year is a collaboration with a Belgian brewery that holds a special place in the heart of New Belgium. So what’s the story with De Koninck? Here’s what New Belgium’s brewmaster Peter Bouckaert has to say:
“The brewery that brews De Koninck (old Flemish for “the king”), the inspiration for Fat Tire! We had to work with them for our 25th anniversary. Michel Moortgat (Managing Director of Duvel Moortgat) graciously accepted and Hedwig Neven (Duvel Brewmaster) and Dimitri Staelens (Quality Director of Duvel), longtime friends of mine, are the collaborating brewers.
From the get-go we established we wanted something different from our amber flagships, something aromatic, fresh and sour. Flowers came to mind for a beer to be brewed at New Belgium and at De Koninck for their summer seasonal 2016—the King offering flowers for our anniversary.
Through some decoctions, the flowers came in second place with rose petals and hibiscus adding to the complexity. First in aroma and flavor became the sourness: key limes with intense top notes of whole ground up lemons. From amber ale to royal flowery citrus is only a short distance, similar to the distance between Antwerp and Fort Collins.”
That’s right: Flowers and citrus (in case you hadn’t guess that by the name). We’ve got hibiscus for a cranberry-like floral flavor and rose petals for a gorgeous floral aroma. Then there’s key lime juice and whole pureed lemons to bring in that bright, biting acidity. It’s a tart beer without any of the usual micro-floral suspects. And it’s downright delicious.
Lager of the Lakes from Bell’s Brewery is a Pilsner style beer that comes in at an even 5% ABV. This Michigan beer provided a nice appearance with its hazy golden straw color and white foamy head, although the head did dissipate at a pretty quick rate. Carbonation was deceiving for the appearance whereas it didn’t look as lively although the taste did confirm that it was. Not over carbonated, but lively enough to let me know it was there as it sat on my palate, before the journey it would take down my gullet. Both aroma and taste were somewhat pleasant on this one, nothing to knock me back but enough for me to enjoy. As with a majority of lagers that I have sampled, yeasty on the aroma but not overly and unlike some of them, a nice pick up of the hops on the back end. These hops also transferred well into the taste which did have a nice pop of flavor as the beer provided a medium body experience. There was some thinness in the texture, but that was expected. Overall, I think it is a decent beer that will work well for many on a warm or hot day. My Untappd rating on Lager of The Lakes was a solid 3.25 out of 5.
Following in the tradition of Czech Pilsners by offering a combination of firm malt and herbal hop bitterness, Bell’s Lager Beer is as refreshing and crisp as a swim in the Great Lakes.
This is a quick minute look at the Apollo Hop which is a hop that many use for bittering, and is also a hop that stores well due to its durability and high alpha value. It is mainly used for Pale Ale style beers including Pale Ales, Extra pale Ales and IPAs. This is due to its range of Alpha Acids being from 15% to 19%, making it great for bittering beer. But done right and late in a boil it can also be used to add flavors as the aromas often noted are citrus, grapefruit, orange, pone, resin and cannabis. This is a nice versatile hop indeed for those that want that bite.
