Monthly Archives: August 2020

4 - Good (buy), Against The Grain Brewery x Morada Cia Etílica, Beer Reviews, German Doppelbock, USA

Against The Grain x Morada Maple Bockin’ Pastries

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Brewery: Against The Grain Brewery x Morada Cia Etílica
Country: USA
ABV: 10%
Style: German Doppelbock
Other Notes: Stave It For Later Barrel Series

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Pastry style Dopplebock brewed with West Virginia maple syrup.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.25
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 750ml bottle with no bottled on or best before date. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: A dark brown almost black colour with a nice two finger tanned head that had decent retention, eventually settling to a ring around that glass, but left only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Sweet, chocolate fudge, roasty, coffee, toffee, oak, vanilla, brown sugar, and maple syrup.
Taste: Light to moderate sweetness, doughy, roasty, chocolate, coffee, oak, vanilla, maple syrup, bourbon, lightly boozy.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: A really enjoyable Dopplebock. Based on the description and the aroma, I half expected it to be too sweet, but actually the sweetness is balanced with good roasty notes, and flavours that work well together.

2 - Maybe (likely wouldn't buy, might drink), Against The Grain Brewery, Beer Reviews, USA, Wild Ale

Against The Grain Waking Up In Reno

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Brewery: Against The Grain Brewery
Country: USA
ABV: 8.5%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: All Funked Up Wild Series

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Wine barrel aged smoked salted Sour Brown Ale.

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.19
My ratebeer.com rating: 3

Intro: A 750ml bottle with no bottled on or best before date. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A slightly hazy amber orange brown colour with a thin beige head that dissipated fairly quickly while leaving some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Red grape, cherry, vinous, oak, herbal, caramel, toffee, nail polish, with light smoky notes.
Taste: Funky, lightly tart, red wine, vinous, oak, coconut, peppery, boozy, and only a hint of smoke.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: I think this was maybe a case of doing too much, as in the end it just seemed like a bit of a muddled and puzzling flavour profile. The wine barrel ageing was there front and centre which was fine. As far as smoked and salted goes, the smoke was barely there and I got maybe a whiff here and there, while the salt was nowhere to be found. I’m thinking that the smoke and salted part were there but rather than show up, it just affected the other flavours and just basically confused everything else. This just didn’t work for me.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij De Ranke, Wild Ale

De Ranke Back To Black

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Brewery: Brouwerij De Ranke
Country: Belgium
ABV: 9.5%
Style: Wild Ale
Other Notes: Aged on wood

Brewer Description: (from bottle) This beer has been designed as an old Export Porter. It has been brewed as undrinkable bitter and then aged in wood for 9 months. The result is a strong dark beer that has a perfect bitter/sour balance.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.75
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 750ml bottle with a best before date of 13th October 2021. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: A hazy rusty orange brown colour with a thin beige head that dissipated fairly quickly but left nice spotty lacing.
Aroma: Tart, plum, prunes, cherry, light funk, with only a hint of roast and chocolate.
Taste: Sour, tart, plum, prunes, raisin, orange, citrus peel, and oak.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: I was expecting an Imperial Porter so my first impression wasn’t great. But as a Wild or Sour Ale, this was interesting with its citrusy orange finish. The body didn’t seem like it’d support such a high ABV beer, but at the same time, it didn’t feel even close to being 9.5% ABV.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Denmark, Lambic - Fruit, Mikkeller ApS x Three Floyds Brewing Co.

Mikkeller x Three Floyds Blå Spøgelse

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Brewery: Mikkeller ApS x Three Floyds Brewing Co.
Country: Denmark
ABV: 7.7%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Fruit)
Other Notes: Brewed by Mikkeller at De Proef Brouwerij, Belgium

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Sour Ale brewed with blueberries and aged in oak barrels. Blueberry Bluebic.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.22
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 750ml bottle, with a best before date of sometime in 2026 (since the month was not legible). I suspect this bottle is a 2016 vintage. Poured into a Mikkeller stemmed tasting glass.
Appearance: A hazy reddish purple orange colour with a one finger pinkish head that had decent retention but left only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Tart, Spontan like funk, oak, blueberry skin, blueberries, Ribena, with notes of zingy lemon zest, pepper, and hay.
Taste: Sour, tart, funky, blueberry skin, blueberry, oak, plum, Ribena, lemon zest, with herbal, yoghurt and jammy notes.
Mouthfeel: Dry-ish, medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Enjoyable and easy to drink with nice berry notes. I’ve tried it a few times, and admittedly, despite a best before of 2026, I think it may have just past it’s prime.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Carbon Brews, Hong Kong, IPA - New England / Hazy Double

Carbon Brews Crazy Rich Lupulins

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Brewery: Carbon Brews
Country: Hong Kong
ABV: 8.2%
Style: New England / Hazy Double IPA
Other Notes: 23 IBUs. Malts – Pilsner, Wheat, Oats, Carahell and Vienna. Hops – Mosaic, Cascade, Citra, Galaxy and Simcoe. Yeast – London Ale III. Drink – Fresh. Experience – Smooth, juicy, mango, papaya

Brewer Description: (from can) Double Hazy IPA.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.11
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 330ml can, with a best before date of 8th January 2021, but should be less than a month in the can. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A hazy mango orange colour with a one finger white head that had good retention and nice lacing.
Aroma: Fruity, papaya, melon, mango, and orange juice.
Taste: Lightly bitter, juicy, orange juice, papaya, mango, and mandarin zest.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Nice, enjoyable and juicy, the citrusy orange juice flavour stands out among the fruits.