Category Archives: My Rating (out of 5)

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Hong Kong, Moonzen Brewery x Against The Grain Brewery, Stout - Imperial

Moonzen x Against The Grain King Yama’s Underworld Stout

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Brewery: Moonzen Brewery x Against The Grain Brewery
Country: Hong Kong
ABV: 11.5%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Brewed with Sichuan peppercorns and Bourbon barrel wood chips

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Dark and Smoke drove too fast, crashed their car and didn’t last. Underworld King Yama reigns, bargains should they live again. Dark and Smoke must brew a stout, tasty enough to let them out! Chopped ATG Kentucky bourbon barrels, burning incense sticks, smoked Cherrywood malt and cracked Sichuan peppercorns create an “under” of this world combination so decadent that Dark & Smoke may never want to leave Yama’s Underworld anymore!

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.03
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 650ml bomber with no clear bottled on or best before date. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark dark brown to black in colour with a huge three finger dark tanned head that had great retention while leaving only sparse spotty lacing.
Aroma: Roasted malts, chocolate, cocoa, oak and floral perfume-y with hints of smoke and Sichuan peppercorn.
Taste: Quite similar to the aroma with roasted malts, chocolate, wood and that distinct floral perfume-y characteristic. There is an interesting light spiciness that appears at the back of the throat at the end.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate to light carbonation.
Overall: This was interesting with its floral and perfume-y character that really stands out, and a surprise positive for me as I don’t normally enjoy floral beers. I actually think that with the aroma, this floralness comes from the Sichuan peppercorns, but unfortunately with the taste, the light tingly spiciness in the background does not appear distinctly as Sichuan peppercorn like it does so well in certain batches of King Yama Sichuan Porter, but nonetheless, still probably better than not having it there. Mainly though, body was too light and there was probably a bit too much carbonation for me, but other than that, with everything else, this is worth a try.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Cigar City Brewing, Stout - Milk / Sweet, USA

Cigar City Café Con Leche

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Brewery: Cigar City Brewing
Country: USA
ABV: 6%
Style: Milk / Sweet Stout
Other Notes: 28 IBUs. Sweet Stout with coffee & cacao nibs

Brewer Description: (from bottle) This beer is made with bold, strong coffee beans to emulate the most characterful Cuban espresso and lactose, a milk sugar that adds sweetness, body and flavors reminiscent of scalded milk. We’ve also added cacao nibs to further enhance its satisfying chocolate quality. Despite its assertive flavors and full body, our Sweet Stout is deceptively low in alcohol, making it the perfect accompaniment to a late-morning plate of eggs, bacon and tostadas.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.23
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 22 fl. oz. bomber, bottled on 10th November 2017. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: Dark dark brown in colour with a two finger brown head that had good retention and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Coffee, chocolate, cacao, roasted malts with hints of vanilla and cream.
Taste: Chocolate, coffee, cacao, cream and vanilla with a light herbal element on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium to full bodied with low carbonation.
Overall: A very nice and easy drinking Sweet Stout that is creamy, smooth and has great coffee flavours.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Browar Artezan, Poland, Stout - Russian Imperial

Artezan Samiec Alfa 2016

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Brewery: Browar Artezan
Country: Poland
ABV: 11.5%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Imperialny Stout leżakowane w beczkach po bourbonie (which translated from Polish means) Imperial Stout aged in boubon casks

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.46
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.4

Intro: A 500ml bottle, 2016 vintage. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark dark brown in colour with no head and very sparse lacing.
Aroma: Chocolate, cocoa, molasses, dark fruit, bourbon and oak.
Taste: Chocolate, very roasty malts and coffee, toffee, sweet whiskey, oak barrel, with light smoke and coconut.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, silky, velvety smooth. Full bodied with low carbonation.
Overall: A very enjoyable Russian Imperial Stout that was extremely smooth and tastes great. Very well made!

4 - Good (buy), Amager Bryghus x 18th Street Brewery, Beer Reviews, Denmark, Porter

Amager x 18th Street Lawrence Of Arabica

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Brewery: Amager Bryghus x 18th Street Brewery
Country: Denmark
ABV: 7%
Style: American Porter
Other Notes: Malts – Pilsner, Roasted Barley, Caraaroma, Chocolate, Flaked Wheat, Wheat and Rye Crystal. Hops – Tomahawk and Citra

Brewer Description: (from bottle) One day we received an email from the Mikkeller HQ saying that they had an American gentleman coming to Copenhagen. The name of this gentleman was Mr. Drew Fox who not only happened to have his own brewery close to Chicago back home, but who also would love to come visit Amager Bryghus to brew a beer. That kind of proposal is simply impossible to turn down, so we found an open slot in our brewing schedule. For quite some time we had been curious about brewing a beer that had both coffee and orange zest, and since Drew has brewed several excellent coffee beers at his 18th Street Brewery we sat down to create Lawrence of Arabica, a Coffee Orange Porter. A mild and easygoing Porter, with an orange twist. We don’t hesitate to call Drew one of the kindest and friendliest dudes in the craft beer world, and we are honored to have made this beer with him.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.96
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 500ml bottle, batch no. 1095 with a best before date of July 2018. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: Dark dark brown in colour with a one finger mocha head that dissipates quickly and leaves only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Coffee, chocolate and dark roasted malts with only subtle hints of orange peel.
Taste: Strong bitter coffee, milk chocolate, roasted malts and a light herbal element with only hints of candied orange peel in the background.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with low carbonation.
Overall: Nice and easy drinking Porter with good strong coffee flavours. The orange was perhaps a little light such that I probably would have missed it if it wasn’t written on the label. Still pretty good though.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Modern Times Beer, Old Ale, USA

Modern Times Devils’ Teeth

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Brewery: Modern Times Beer
Country: USA
ABV: 10%
Style: English Old Ale
Other Notes: Special Release. 60 IBUs. Imperial Stout with coffee added. Malts – Barley, Oats, Munich, Chocolate, Midnight Wheat, Black Barley, Aromatic Roast Barley, Flaked Barley and Biscuit Malt. Coffee – 75% Ethiopian Hambela and 25% Sumatra Mandheling

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Devil’s Teeth is a hybrid of an Old Ale and an Imperial Stout, two English beer styles designed to withstand long voyages and dark winters. It brings rich maltiness & robust roastiness in a thick, tongue-coating, aggressively flavorful package. To this chewy mix of old world beasts, we brought a massive dose of our house roasted Black House Blend coffee, a complimentary mix of blueberry-forward Ethiopian and chocolate-forward Sumatran coffee.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.05
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 22 fl. oz. bomber with no clear bottled on or best before date. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark brown in colour with a nice one fingered tanned head that had decent retention and eventually settled to a ring around the glass while leaving only sparse spotty lacing.
Aroma: Sweet dessert like, chocolate, brown sugar, dark fruit, molasses and coffee.
Taste: Lightly bitter coffee bean, sweet chocolate, roasty coffee, nearly burnt caramel with hints of dark fruit.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium bodied with low to moderate carbonation and light booze.
Overall: A self described hybrid Old Ale and Imperial Stout. At first I thought, definitely Imperial Stout, but the more I drank and as it warmed, it grew into an enjoyable Old Ale with its nice chocolate, caramel and dark fruit.