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.
