2 - Maybe (likely wouldn't buy, might drink), Beer Reviews, BrewDog, Euro Pale Lager, Scotland

Brewdog Kingpin

Tuesday, 14 June 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: BrewDog
Country: Scotland
ABV: 4.7%
Style: Euro Pale Lager

Brewer Description: (from bottle) For years people have been suffering the maddening delusion that lager tasted of nothing. Well, we’ve got some 500 year old news for you – it tastes and then some. Kingpin is on a crusade to put lager back on top. It is lager reborn, a taste sensation for the 21st century. The crowning glory of the Pilsner dream. Brewed with 100% malt and a juggernaut of hops, this cold-conditioned King lies recumbent for a full five weeks. Expect the first wave of robust, full-bodied malt character to hit, then spicy citrus notes charge across the palate and an assertive bitter finish win the day. Kingpin, centuries in the making, moments in the glass. Lager is dead, long live the King.

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 2.68
My ratebeer.com rating: 2.5

Intro: A 330ml bottle with a best before date of 14th May 2017 and poured into a Mikkeller pint glass.
Appearance: It poured a clear golden colour with a one finger white head that settled to an extremely thin cap and leaves some decent lacing.
Aroma: Grain, grass, some corn and a hint of lemon.
Taste: Bready, grain, corn sweetness and grass.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Ahhh, no, I don’t get it. This was not a 21st century lager for me. Lager is not dead, Jack’s Abby makes great 21st century lager. And there are other great lagers around; this was just not one of them…

2 - Maybe (likely wouldn't buy, might drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij Girardin, Lambic - Faro

Girardin Faro 1882

Tuesday, 14 June 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Brouwerij Girardin
Country: Belgium
ABV: 5%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Faro)

Brewer Description: Could not find much information. Not even a website for Girardin…

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3
My ratebeer.com rating: 2.8

Intro: A 375ml bottle with the numbers 2016 and 09 on different locations on the cork. Haven’t been able to find a consensus on what this means exactly. Poured into a Lindemans flute glass.
Appearance: It poured a clear copper brown colour with a thin tanned head that kind of sticks around and leaves some nice lacing.
Aroma: Had a hard time trying to describe this, but I would say fruity plum, prunes and apple, light tartness, butterscotch and brown sugar.
Taste: Candi sugar, plum and apples. Sweet and lightly tart.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with light carbonation.
Overall: This was an ok Faro. I’m actually in two minds as to whether I really I enjoyed this though. After going through the whole bottle, I’m on the fence.

2 - Maybe (likely wouldn't buy, might drink), American Double IPA, Ballast Point Brewing Company, Beer Reviews, USA

Ballast Point Watermelon Dorado

Monday, 13 June 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Ballast Point Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 10%
Style: American Double IPA
Other Notes: 90 IBUs

Brewer Description: (from website) Our Watermelon Dorado Double IPA is not one to back down from big flavors. Mash, kettle, and dry hopping blend to create a huge hop profile that is balanced with a blast of watermelon. The result is a refreshing brew that is all summer and no seeds.

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 2.89
My ratebeer.com rating: 2.8

Intro: A 12 fl oz bottle with a Julian bottled on date of 16053, meaning it was bottled on 22nd February 2016. Poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass.
Appearance: It poured a clear golden orange colour with a huge four finger off white head with good retention and left lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Strong watermelon with a hint of orange peel and sweet biscuit caramel malt.
Taste: A little weird like the flavours don’t mix together. There’s candied watermelon, cucumber (which I guess could be mistaken for the watermelon skin and white parts), some bitter grapefruit and fruit jello like sweetness. And none of it really came together unfortunately.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: I don’t know. I think this beer may be in the you either like it or don’t like it category. There isn’t really a middle ground. And in my case, it just wasn’t for me. It actually smells nice, but the tastes were just muddled and did not fit together for me.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Farmhouse Saison, Goose Island Beer Co., USA

Goose Island Sofie

Monday, 13 June 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Goose Island Beer Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 6.5%
Style: Belgian Saison
Other Notes: 20 IBUs. Malts – 2 Row, Pilsen and Wheat. Hops – Amarillo

Brewer Description: (from bottle) 80% Belgian style ale blended with 20% Belgian style ale aged in wine barrels with orange peel.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.41
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.3

Intro: A 12 fl oz bottle bottled on 16th December 2015 and poured into a Cantillon ballon glass.
Appearance: It poured a slightly cloudy champagne golden colour with a one finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly but left some sparse lacing.
Aroma: Strong orange peel, juicy orange, lemon and white grape. Light funkiness with a hint of mango.
Taste: Juicy mix of orange and lemon with a hint of mango. Light tartness, some peppery spice notes and a hint of bread on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate to high spritzy carbonation.
Overall: A great solid saison with nice juicy citrus notes. Very refreshing on a hot day.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Green Flash Brewing Co., Porter - Baltic, USA

Green Flash Cosmic Ristretto

Saturday, 11 June 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Green Flash Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 8.2%
Style: Baltic Porter
Other Notes: 45 IBUs. Brewed with espresso

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Intergalactic infusion. Live long and drink Cosmic Ristretto. This highly revered brew will go down in history as one of the first graduates of our Genius Lab program into our front line. Marvel at its rich black appearance with bruleed edges and mocha-colored beer foam. Savor its smooth, espresso flavor and breathe in its chocolate, coffee, and sweet malt aromas. Don’t fight its gravitational pull. This bold, complex, java-centric Baltic Porter with espresso is irresistible. Houston, we have a problem, my glass is empty.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.06
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 22 fl oz bottle with a best by date of 10th August 2016 and poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: It poured a clear dark brown colour with a reddish hue and a one finger beige head that dissipated fairly quickly to a thin ring of lacing.
Aroma: Dark fruits especially grape, bubblegum and roasty espresso with a hint of chocolate and vanilla.
Taste: Lots of coffee and espresso with a light char. Hint of dark fruit sweetness, mostly grape, plum and prunes as well as a hint of bittersweet chocolate and vanilla.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: A solid Baltic Porter with nice coffee and espresso notes.

words of another dreamy traveller

Monthly Archives: June 2016