Category Archives: Style

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.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Cigar City Brewing, Stout - Russian Imperial, USA

Cigar City Marshal Zhukov’s Vanilla Hazelnut

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Brewery: Cigar City Brewing
Country: USA
ABV: 11.2%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Stout with vanilla and hazelnuts added

Brewer Description: (from bottle) This Russian Imperial Stout is dedicated to Georgy Zhukov, arguably one of the finest generals of World War II. Huge in body with strong flavors of espresso, chocolate and molasses, this unique iteration of Zhukov’s adds roasted hazelnuts and vanilla to impart even more complexity and depth of flavor to this massive, jet-black stout. In the immortal words of Marshal Zhukov himself, “Есть вещи в России, которые не являются, как они кажутся.”

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.01
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 22 fl. oz. bomber with no bottled on or best before date. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark brown in colour with a thin brown head that dissipated quickly and left only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Roasty, chocolate, molasses, licorice, dark fruit, raisin, plum and a touch of vanilla.
Taste: Roasty, dark fruit, plum, prunes, raisin, chocolate, coffee, molasses, licorice and hints of vanilla.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: The base of roastiness, chocolate and dark fruit is good, but I’m not getting much of the adjuncts. The vanilla come through lightly with just hints of it here and there. While the hazelnut, I’m just not really getting at all. It’s a good sipping Russian Imperial Stout though.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Cascade Brewing, USA, Wild Ale

Cascade Cranberry

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Brewery: Cascade Brewing
Country: USA
ABV: 6.6%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: Northwest sour ale. Ale aged in oak barrels with cranberries and spices. 2016 project

Brewer Description: (from bottle) This Northwest sour ale is a blend of wheat ales aged for up to 14 months in oak barrels with cranberries, orange peel and cinnamon.

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

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, 2016 project. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A slightly hazy copper orange colour with a big more than three finger off white head that had good retention and left lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Funky, oak, vanilla, cranberries, orange, cinnamon, leather and spices.
Taste: Sour, tart, berries, orange, cinnamon, oak, herbal and spices.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Nice complexity, good funk, and one of the better Cascade beers I’ve tried.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Cascade Brewing, USA, Wild Ale

Cascade Kriek

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Brewery: Cascade Brewing
Country: USA
ABV: 7.1%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: Northwest sour ale. Ale aged in oak barrels with cherries. 2015 project

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Kriek is a blend of sour red ales aged in oak wine barrels for up to 17 months with cherries.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.14
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, 2015 project. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy deep amber red colour with a one finger beige head that dissipated quickly but settled to a thin layer while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Tart, cherries, oak, maybe some mixed berries.
Taste: Sour, tart, cherries, oak and a hint of spices.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Nice cherry flavours, slightly acidic, but not overly so.

2 - Maybe (likely wouldn't buy, might drink), Beer Reviews, Cascade Brewing, USA, Wild Ale

Cascade Strawberry

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Brewery: Cascade Brewing
Country: USA
ABV: 7.1%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: Northwest Sour Ale. Ale aged in oak barrels with strawberries and vanilla beans. 2015 project

Brewer Description: (from bottle) This NW sour ale is a blend of wheat and blond ales aged in oak barrels for up to 14 months with strawberries and vanilla beans.

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.23
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.1

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle, 2015 project. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy orange pinkish colour with a big two finger white head that dissipated quickly while leaving only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Tart, strawberry, jammy, oak, light funk.
Taste: Sour, tart, strawberry, viney herbal notes, vinegar, oak, and maybe a splash of vanilla with light funk on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with strong prickly carbonation and acidic harshness.
Overall: Strawberry aroma come through nicely, but taste was quite vinegary and acidic which made it harsh and overpowers a lot of the fruit there might have been.