Category Archives: 3 – Indifferent (might buy, probably drink)

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Nøgne Ø x Central Cervecera x La Chingoneria, Norway, Stout - Russian Imperial

Nøgne Ø x Central Cervecera x La Chingoneria M.O.L.E.

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Brewery: Nøgne Ø x Central Cervecera x La Chingoneria
Country: Norway
ABV: 9%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Other Notes: 63 IBUs

Brewer Description: (from bottle) MOLE… so simple… so powerful… so delicious! With good friends around the world anything can be done. Alberto and Ernesto from Central Cervecera and Isaac from La Chingoneria came all the way from Mexico City to Grimstad. Together we put the tasty MOLE in an imperial stout. That’s how you make a good beer!

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.75
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.5

Intro: A 500ml bottle from batch #1362, bottled on 4th February 2015, and with a best before date of 4th February 2020. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark dark brown to black in colour with a reddish hue and a thin to negligent dark tanned head that dissipated quickly while leaving some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Roasty, nutty, chocolate, coffee, licorice, with hints of dark fruit and char.
Taste: Light roast, chocolate milk, licorice and touches of dark fruit.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Not as roasty and body was lighter than I’d prefer, maybe too “chocolate milk” like.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), 8 Wired Brewing Co., Beer Reviews, New Zealand, Smoked Beer

8 Wired Barrel Aged Smoked Imperial Porter

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Brewery: 8 Wired Brewing Co.
Country: New Zealand
ABV: 11%
Style: Smoked Beer
Other Notes: 2011 vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle) A Manuka smoked Imperial Porter, refermented with farmhouse yeast & aged in American oak barrels for 18 months.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.85
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 1 pint 0.9 fl. oz. bottle, 2011 vintage. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark dark brown to black in colour with a half finger brown head that stuck around for a bit while leaving some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Roasty, dark fruit, prunes, raisin, smoke. Maybe just call it smoked prunes.
Taste: Roasty, moderately sour, prunes, raisin, smoked dark fruit, oak, chocolate, cocoa.
Mouthfeel: Full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Interesting flavours which perhaps could be described just as ‘sour smoked prunes’. I’m unsure if this is past its prime, but if there was just a little more roast malt, chocolate, cocoa to balance the sour part, it would’ve been even better.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Fremont Brewing Company, USA, Winter Warmer

Fremont B-Bomb Coconut

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Brewery: Fremont Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 14%
Style: Winter Warmer
Other Notes: Malts – 2-Row Pale, Crystal-120, Munich, Roast Barley, Carafa-2 and Chocolate. Hops – Columbus, Willamette and US Golding. Adjunct – Coconut. Limited 2018 release.

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Coconut Edition B-Bomb: Imperial Winter Ale with Coconut aged in Bourbon Barrels.

This year’s release of B-Bomb is aged in 8-12-year-old American Oak bourbon barrels and is a blend of 9, 12, and 24-month old barrel-aged Winter Ale. This special edition adds toasted coconut to complement the bourbon, oak, cacao, leather, toffee, and dark coffee notes achieved from its extended barrel aging and barrel blending. Each barrel contributes a different note, and combining each barrel to create a coherent tone is a distinct art and true pleasure. Please do enjoy this unique barrel-aged ale today but know that Coconut Edition B-Bomb will age gracefully for years to come. Don’t Be Afraid To Be Abominable.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.74
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 22 fl. oz. bomber, 2018 release. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark dark brown in colour with a thin brown head that dissipated quickly, but left some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malts, coconut, chocolate, vanilla and molasses with hints of oak and bourbon.
Taste: Roasty, moderate sweetness, bourbon, chocolate, coconut, vanilla, oak, a touch of booze and hints of molasses.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Nice sipper, but it got too sweet as it became warmer. I easily preferred Coffee Cinnamon B-Bomb which I thought was near perfect, over this version.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, FiftyFifty Brewing Company, Stout - Imperial, USA

FiftyFifty Imperial Eclipse Stout Evan Williams

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Brewery: FiftyFifty Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 11%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: 2016 vintage, Black wax – Evan Williams

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Evan Williams bottle run no.1 2016. Stout brewed with honey, aged in oak barrels.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.88
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 22 fl. oz. waxed bomber, 2016 vintage. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark dark brown to black in colour with a one and a half finger tanned head that had decent retention and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Roasty, chocolate, toffee, coffee, bourbon, vanilla with a hint of licorice.
Taste: Moderately sweet, bourbon, fruit cake, raisin, fig, light roast, chocolate, molasses, honey, licorice.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Not enough roastiness as it was overpowered by the sweetness and bourbon. Body was also lighter than I prefer my Imperial Stouts to be.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Flanders Oud Bruin, USA, Westbrook Brewing Co.

Westbrook Bourbon Barrel-Aged Oud Bruin

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Brewery: Westbrook Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 8%
Style: Belgian Flanders Oud Bruin
Other Notes: Barrel Room Reserve Series

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Sour brown ale aged 2 years in bourbon barrels.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.78
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 22 fl. oz. bomber, bottled on 21st October 2015. Poured into a Holy Mountain tulip glass.
Appearance: Deep dark brown in colour with a one and a half finger tanned head that had decent retention but eventually settled to a thin layer while leaving only sparse to no lacing.
Aroma: Tart, vinous, dark malty, caramel, toffee, oak, vanilla, blackcurrant, mixed berries and cherry.
Taste: Sour, tart, blackcurrant, cherry, mixed berries, light bourbon, toffee, oak, and vanilla.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with soft carbonation, although maybe slightly too acidic.
Overall: Interesting nice flavours, although maybe slightly too acidic for me. Aroma was also too toffee, oak and vanilla strong which overpowered the tart fruitiness that I prefer.