Monthly Archives: August 2017

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Farmhouse Saison, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., USA

Firestone Walker Lil’ Opal

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Brewery: Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 6.1%
Style: Belgian Saison

Brewer Description: (from website) Our first 2013 blend from masterblender Jim Crooks! Lil’ Opal is a cunning blend of two-year-old American oak and eight-month-old French oak saisons. Both go through a secondary fermentation and maturation in barrels. This traditional Belgian farmhouse saison has notes of citrus and tropical fruit, a smooth mouthfeel, and tangy crisp finish. Round this all out with a little earthy funk and we have one refreshingly complex offering.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.33
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: On tap at Firestone Walker The Propagator, Venice. A 3oz taster pour into a mini snifter.
Appearance: A mostly clear golden colour with a two finger white head that had good retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Tart, tangy, citrus orange, tropical peach and apricot.
Taste: Taste is similar to the aroma with tart, tangy, citrus and tropical fruit and a hint of funk.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Refreshing and crisp. Very easy to drink.

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4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Holy Mountain Brewing Company, USA, Wild Ale

Holy Mountain Phosphene

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Brewery: Holy Mountain Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 5.5%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: Batch 2, 2017. Ale aged in oak barrels on apricots

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Phosphene was fermented in oak barrels using one of our captured native wild cultures. It was then transferred into oak puncheons and aged on apricots for a number of months. Refermented in the bottle with brettanomyces.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.24
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 750ml bottle at Holy Mountain Brewing, Batch 2, 2017 vintage. Poured into a mini snifter.
Appearance: A cloudy golden orange colour with a thin white head that dissipates quickly and leaves sparse to no lacing.
Aroma: Apricot, peach, canned peach juice and light tartness.
Taste: Tart, sour peach and apricot, with hints of oak.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: A nice and refreshing tart sour ale with nice peach and apricot fruitiness.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Holy Mountain Brewing Company, USA, Wild Ale

Holy Mountain Corpse Reviver

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Brewery: Holy Mountain Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 5.4%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: Sour ale aged on meyer lemon zest

Brewer Description: (from menu) Corpse Reviver was fermented entirely in oak and then transferred into 3rd use bourbon barrels on top of a large amount of meyer lemon zest and juice, where it aged for 3 months, keg conditioned with brett.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.27
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: On tap at Holy Mountain Brewing, Seattle. A 9oz pour into a mini snifter.
Appearance: A clear golden colour with a half finger white head, while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Meyer lemon zest and citrus juice with subtle hints of bourbon, almost like a refreshing long island ice tea.
Taste: Lightly sour, lemon zest and juice.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate to low carbonation.
Overall: Very nice and refreshing. Would love a bottle to age a year or two.

4 - Good (buy), American Double IPA, Beer Reviews, Cloudburst Brewing, USA

Cloudburst Plays Well With Others

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Brewery: Cloudburst Brewing
Country: USA
ABV: 8.7%
Style: American Double IPA
Other Notes: 71 IBUs. “Sharing was caring”

Brewer Description: (from menu) Oh El Dorado. We love you for all that you are – soft and subdued, stonefruity, and herbaceous. A true role player, a supporting actor, a helping hop. Always a bridesmaid, never a bride. Well, this is your time to step up! We teamed you up with some all stars – Citra & Mosaic – plus a similarly complementary hop in Loral. But this DIPA is about YOU, El Dorado. Shine bright like a diamond!

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.02
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: On tap at Cloudburst Brewing, Seattle. A 16oz pour into a pint glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden orange colour, with a one finger white head that had pretty good retention, and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Melon, passion fruit and citrusy orange with maybe hints of mango.
Taste: Bitter, cantaloupe, melon, orange rind and orange juice.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Good aroma and taste. Well worth a try.

4 - Good (buy), American IPA, Beer Reviews, Cloudburst Brewing, USA

Cloudburst Whenever Wherever

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Brewery: Cloudburst Brewing
Country: USA
ABV: 7.2%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: 58 IBUs. IPA with Cashmere, Citra and El Dorado

Brewer Description: (from menu) Guess what Shakira’s 3 favourite hops are? Cashmere, Citra & El Dorado. She told us that, so we made a beer for her. Luckily their flavors are fruity and herbal, so you don’t confuse them with OJ. But haze will be there and bitterness will be near, and that’s the deal my dear. Honestly, there’s nothing left to fear, if you really feel the way we feel… about IPAs.

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

Intro: On tap at Cloudburst Brewing, Seattle. A 16oz pour into a pint glass.
Appearance: It was a hazy golden straw colour with a one finger white head that had decent retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Mango, peach flesh and citrusy mandarin.
Taste: Similar to the aroma with mango and peach plus orange pulp, but bitterness comes through with citrus rind and peel.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Nice and easy to drink but not as ‘juicy’ as other NE IPAs I’ve tried.