4 - Good (buy), Avery Brewing Company, Beer Reviews, Stout - Imperial, USA

Avery Tweak

Wednesday, 28 December 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Avery Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 17.5%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Batch No.2. Stout with Coffee added, aged in Bourbon Barrels

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Our very own Parker, of the cartoon and cat loving variety, created this cult classic character back in our 17th season. Appearing in several episodes under another stage name that was deemed inappropriate, our executive producers and editors decided that a name change and further character development – a 4-month hiatus in bourbon barrels – were necessary to satisfy our most ardent and demanding viewers.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.34
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 12 fl oz bottle, Batch #2, bottled on 25th January 2016. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: A dark brown to black colour with a one finger mocha head that had decent retention and left sparse spotty lacing.
Aroma: Very nice cocoa, chocolate fudge, espresso coffee, vanilla, raisin, cherry and bourbon.
Taste: Sweet plum, prunes, raisin, bittersweet chocolate, vanilla, molasses, coffee and strong but not overpowering bourbon.
Mouthfeel: A little bit thin at medium to full bodied, with low carbonation. Definitely some boozy heat, but its not overdone.
Overall: A very nice Coffee BA Imperial Stout that’s not overly sweet and has great aromas and taste. At 17.5% ABV, you get the boozy heat, but it’s still a very nice sipper.

1 - Poor (never again), American IPA, Beer Reviews, England, The Wild Beer Co.

Wild Beer Evolver IPA

Saturday, 24 December 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: The Wild Beer Co.
Country: England
ABV: 5.8%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: Hops + Brettanomyces + Hops

Brewer Description: (from bottle) We believe exceptional brewing stems from imagination and passion, it’s not just a process. By embracing our love of wild yeast strains and not being confined by rules, tradition or ingredients, we can add a Wild 5th ingredient or process to our beers. We want to give you a truly memorable drinking experience, altering your perceptions and thrilling your taste buds. Drink Wildly Different.
The exploration of yeast strains and the different results we can achieve are beautifully exemplified in Evolver, a pale ale with a difference. 100% fermented with brettanomyces, a naturally occurring wild yeast. For the first 3 months the beer tastes the same as a fresh pale ale, then the differing flavour compounds start to shine through and after 6 months the brett really takes hold.
The brettanomyces yeast is particularly good at keeping hop flavours fresh for far longer than traditional brewing yeasts. The Evolver takes on a more complex character over time as the yeast and the hops combine to produce a new and exciting beer that will continue to evolve as the yeast slowly matures the beer.
This is a beer that can be drink fresh, as a normal pale ale should be, or left to evolve and mature into a unique and unusual beer.

My rating: 1
My beeradvocate.com rating: 2.91
My ratebeer.com rating: 2.7

Intro: A 330ml bottle with a best before date of 26th June 2017. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A hazy golden orange with a two finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly but leaves nice lacing.
Aroma: Generally quite light, but what I do get is light funk and brett with some tropical peach and mango and maybe a touch of orange.
Taste: Funky, brett, light pepper spice, moderate bitterness, some lemon and hints of peach.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Nope, I didn’t get this one. Aroma while too light, was nice, but everything else just didn’t really go with each other and just seemed out of sync.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Denmark, German Berliner Weisse, Warpigs Brewpub

Warpigs Varg Taß

Friday, 23 December 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Warpigs Brewpub
Country: Denmark
ABV: 3.6%
Style: German Berliner Weisse

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Dry hopped Berliner Weisse.

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

Intro: A 750ml bottle with a best before date of 7th July 2017. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A hazy golden yellow colour with a big three finger white head that had dissipated fairly quickly but left nice lacing.
Aroma: Tangy and lightly tart citrus and tropical fruit aromas. Lemon zest, lychee, peach, apricot and red berries.
Taste: Sour and tart lemon juice, cranberry and sour berries.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, dry, light bodied with high carbonation.
Overall: Wonderfully refreshing and great to drink.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij Hof Ten Dormaal, Euro Sour Ale

Hof Ten Dormaal Zure Van Tildonk 2014

Thursday, 22 December 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Brouwerij Hof Ten Dormaal
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6%
Style: Euro Sour Ale

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Zure Van Tildonk is an original Belgian Sour Ale from the farm brewery Hof Ten Dormaal. With this beer, we strived to create a special, spontaneously-fermented beer via traditional methods using ambient yeast from our farm in Tildonk. Each batch of Zure Van Tildonk is carefully aged in our cellars at the Engelburcht Monastery for several months prior to release.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.14
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 12.7 fl oz bottle with a best before date of July 2017. Poured into a Cantillon ballon glass.
Appearance: A slightly hazy golden colour with a just over one finger white head with decent retention and great lacing.
Aroma: Sour, funky and bretty with some nice fruity lemon, apricot and a hint of vinegar.
Taste: Sour, tart and lemony. Light oak and sweetness on the finish with a touch of berries.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, light bodied with high carbonation.
Overall: It’s nice and refreshing.

5 - Excellent (must buy), Beer Reviews, Belgian Tripel, Belgium, Brouwerij Bosteels

Tripel Karmeliet

Thursday, 22 December 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Brouwerij Bosteels
Country: Belgium
ABV: 8.4%
Style: Belgian Tripel

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Blond, robust, smooth and fruity 3 grain beer, with final fermentation in the bottle. Brewed with pride and patience after Carmelite tradition with wheat, oat and barley. 100% natural beer.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.63
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.6

Intro: A 330ml bottle with a best before date of 12th March 2017. Poured into a Chimay goblet.
Appearance: A wonderful clear golden colour with a two finger foamy white head that had pretty good retention, nice curtain lacing that eventually settles to a thin foamy cap.
Aroma: Wheaty, banana, clove and peach with light citrus and vanilla.
Taste: Zesty lemon sweetness, sour peach gummy candy, yeast, lightly bready and spicy with a hint of honey, banana and clove.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium bodied with moderate to high carbonation with some obvious booziness every now and then.
Overall: Wow, this has to easily be one of my favourite Tripels and I can’t believe it’s taken me this long to try it. It would be almost perfect if the booziness was toned down a bit. Having said that, it’s still a great beer and easily a must buy beer for me.

words of another dreamy traveller

Monthly Archives: December 2016