Category Archives: 4 – Good (buy)

Firestone Walker Stickee Monkee

Brewery: Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 12.5%
Style: Belgian Quadrupel
Other Notes: 26 IBUs. Malts – 2 Row, Munich, Carmel, Torrified Wheat, Belgian Candi Sugar, Brown Sugar and Roast Barley. Hops – Styrian Golding

Brewer Description: (from 2017 vintage box) Since founding our brewery in 1996, we have specialized in the rare art of fermenting beer in oak barrels. In the Fall of 2006, we embarked on a program to barrel age a series of vintage strong ales that would later be used as components of a blended beer. That blend would become our first Anniversary Ale, “10”. After the release of “10”, we released limited amounts of the component beers on draft only. Many of these beers gained a cult following that craft beer fans raved about and begged for us to put in bottle. Stickee Monkee was one of these beers. We present the 2017 vintage of Stickee Monkee, a barrel-aged Quad. It has been said that the only constant is change and the same is true for barrel-aged beers. Cut from a similar recipe, this barrel-aged Quad evolves and shows a different face each year; a result of time spent aging in the barrel. Turbinado brown sugar from Mexico adds wonderful flavors that are reminiscent of Belgian candi sugar. It has a full body and lush texture with barrel expression all over; toasted oak, coconut, leather and rich cigar tobacco. This Central Coast Quad is a one-of-a-kind sipping beer build to last and will reward careful aging for years to come.

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

Intro: A 12 fl. oz. bottle, 2017 vintage. Poured into a Chimay goblet glass.
Appearance: A cloudy murky dark brown colour with a thin beige head that dissipated quickly, but left some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Sweet dark malt, toffee, caramel, dark fruit, plum, prunes, raisin, bourbon, oak, vanilla, and a splash of coconut.
Taste: Moderately sweet, caramel, toffee, dark fruit, raisin, dates, prunes, brown sugar, oak, vanilla, coconut, with hints of bourbon, booze and cocoa on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: At times it felt a little on the sweet side, but the aroma and flavours are complex and enjoyable, and as a sipper, it was good.

Lervig Perler For Svin

Brewery: Lervig Aktiebryggeri
Country: Norway
ABV: 6.3%
Style: New England / Hazy IPA
Other Notes: Hops – Azacca, Mosaic and Simcoe

Brewer Description: (from can) A holy offering of Azacca, Mosaic and Simcoe hops give this IPA a forbidden fruit juiciness. Enjoy our pearls!

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

Intro: A 330ml can, with a best before date of 1st May 2020. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A hazy golden colour with a two finger white head that had great retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Very citrusy, grapefruit juice, citrus rind and zest, with a splash of mango and pineapple.
Taste: Lightly sweet, tropical mango, calamansi, citrus zest and rind, hints of pine, and a balanced light bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Enjoyable juicy tropical and citrus flavours with a good balance between sweet and bitter.

Stigbergets Trouble Sleep

Brewery: Stigbergets Bryggeri
Country: Sweden
ABV: 12%
Style: American Imperial Stout

Brewer Description: (from can in Swedish) Bryggt med kaffe från Per Nordby.

(translated to English) Brewed with coffee from Per Nordby.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.18
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 330ml can, with a best before date of 7th November 2020. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a thin brown head that dissipated fairly quickly but left some lacing.
Aroma: Light roast, coffee, chocolate, cocoa, and vanilla, with hints of toffee, caramel and dark fruit.
Taste: Roasty, dark chocolate, coffee, with hints of vanilla and a nice lasting bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Rich, medium to full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Enjoyable sipper with nice coffee and dark chocolate notes.

Omnipollo Meret

Brewery: Omnipollo
Country: Sweden
ABV: 3.5%
Style: Sour Ale
Other Notes: Brewed by Omnipollo at De Proef Brouwerij (Belgium)

Brewer Description: (from can) Double blackberry smoothie sour.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.16
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 330ml can, with a best before date of 6th August 2020. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A slightly hazy reddish purple colour with a two finger pinkish head that dissipated fairly quickly while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Sweet, tart, vanilla, blackberry, milky, creamy.
Taste: Sweet, lightly tart, blackberry, vanilla, cream, mixed berries.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Any kind of berries and vanilla mixed together just works for me. Enjoyable and easy to drink.

Garage Project Super Fresh Vol.2

Brewery: Garage Project
Country: New Zealand
ABV: 10%
Style: New England / Hazy Triple IPA
Other Notes: Malts – US Ale and Wheat Malt. Hops – Mosaic Cryo, Mosaic, El Dorado and Galaxy. Yeast – Wyeast 1318 London III

Brewer Description: (from can) It’s time to get super fresh. More hazy goodness, more malt mouthfeel, and more hops bursting with juicy tropical fruit, citrus and pine. All this packed into a guaranteed brewery fresh 440ml can. It’s so fresh it’s super fresh. Get your booties on the dance floor.

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

Intro: A 440ml can, with a best before date of 19th August 2020. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A hazy murky dark orange colour with a two finger white head that had excellent retention and left lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Fruity, tropical mango, citrus pith and rind, orange, sweet mandarin, and a touch of pine.
Taste: Very citrus fruit forward, lightly bitter, orange zest and pith, sweet mandarin, with hints of mango.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: I’m usually not a big fan of Triple IPAs, but this was very enjoyable with a good balance between bitter and sweet on top of nice fruitiness and well hidden ABV.