Category Archives: Style

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgian Quadrupel, Firestone Walker Brewing Co., USA

Firestone Walker Stickee Monkee

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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.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), American Pale Wheat Ale, Beer Reviews, Carbon Brews, Hong Kong

Carbon Brews Zesty Feelings

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Brewery: Carbon Brews
Country: Hong Kong
ABV: 4.9%
Style: American Pale Wheat Ale
Other Notes: 15 IBUs. Malts – Pilsner, Wheat, Oats and Carapils. Hops – Citra and Cryo loral. Yeast – Chico. Fruit – Grapefruit and Lemon Zest. Experience – Fruity, citrus, smashable

Brewer Description: (from can) Citrus wheat.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.2
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.1

Intro: A 330ml can, with a best before date of 5th September 2020. Poured into a Spiegelau wheat glass.
Appearance: A hazy straw blonde colour with an uncontrollable more than five finger white head that had fairly good retention, while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Citrusy, lemon zest, lemon rind, and a floral character.
Taste: Light citrusy lemon zest, lemon rind, bready malt, wheat, and a splash of lime.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Very light and crushable, but didn’t leave any sort of impression on me.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Lervig Aktiebryggeri, Norway, Stout - Milk / Sweet

Lervig Saskatoon Cheesecake Stout

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Brewery: Lervig Aktiebryggeri
Country: Norway
ABV: 12%
Style: Milk / Sweet Stout

Brewer Description: (from can) Imperial Stout with Saskatoon berry & cheesecake.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.87
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 330ml can, with a best before date of 25th September 2024. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark brown in colour with a thin brown head that dissipated quickly and left only sparse spotty lacing.
Aroma: Sweet, blueberry, mixed berries, vanilla, cream cheese, chessecake, with hints of chocolate.
Taste: Moderate sweetness, light roast, chocolate, mixed berries, vanilla, with hints of caramel.
Mouthfeel: Slightly boozy, full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: On the borderline of being too sweet for me. Nice cheesecake and berriness in the aroma, but unfortunately I felt that the cheesecake didn’t translate into the taste, and it was mostly just sweet berries and booze.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, IPA - New England / Hazy, Lervig Aktiebryggeri, Norway

Lervig Perler For Svin

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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.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Against The Grain Brewery, Barleywine - English, Beer Reviews, USA

Against The Grain London Balling

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Brewery: Against The Grain Brewery
Country: USA
ABV: 12.5%
Style: English Barleywine

Brewer Description: (from can) Balls Deep! Big, ballsym barmy and barrel aged. London balling is not typical. It’s a skirmish of flavor. The barrel imparts oak and vanilla, mixed with the caramel sweetness from a malt bill with brick, that’ll knock your bloody bollocks around. Hey bloke?… fancy that, and you’ll be gobsmacked.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.72
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.5

Intro: A 1 pint can, with no clear canned on or best before date. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: A rusty orange brown colour with some floating sediment and a thin beige head that dissipated fairly quickly, but left some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Sweet malt, caramel, toffee, oak, vanilla, and grapefruit hard candy.
Taste: Sweet, sweet malt, caramel, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, dried dark fruit, raisin, dates, brown sugar, slightly bitter and a touch boozy.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Not my favourite English Barleywine as sweet and boozy doesn’t really work for me. It’s ok to sip, but a whole 1 pint can, took me a good while to finish.