Category Archives: Style

2 - Maybe (likely wouldn't buy, might drink), Beer Reviews, BrewDog, Rye Beer, Scotland

Brewdog Albino Squid Assassin

Tuesday, 17 May 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: BrewDog
Country: Scotland
ABV: 7.4%
Style: Rye Beer
Other Notes: Red Rye IPA

Brewer Description: (from Brewdog webshop) This tentacled terminator packs a punch – ten punches to be precise. Each hop addition adds to the intense layers of depth in this red rye IPA. Toasty caramel & cinder toffee from crystal malts, cacao richness from intensely roasted malt and the spiciness of rye. Zesty pithiness from citra and the robust resin of chinook. This small batch exclusive brew is up-front intensity matched with twisted complexity.

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.11
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.1

Intro: A 330ml can with a best before date of 16th December 2016 and poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass.
Appearance: It poured a very nice clear dark amber colour with a two finger beige head that had good retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Nice tropical aromas of mango and pineapple with a hint of caramel, spice and alcohol.
Taste: Some light but sweet mango mixed in with toasty bread graininess and a long lasting piney grapefruit pith bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with light carbonation.
Overall: This was only ok for me. Looks and smells great but I thought that the taste was a bit light (cancelled each other out) with too much grain and pith and not enough fruit.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Birra del Borgo, Fruit Beer, Italy

Birra del Borgo Prunus

Monday, 16 May 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Birra del Borgo
Country: Italy
ABV: 5.8%
Style: Fruit Beer
Other Notes: 21 IBUs

Brewer Description: (from website) Prunus (from the cherry’s bothanical name, Prunus Avium or Cerasus according to variety) is made adding to our spelt beer Duchessa about 20% of fresh cherries with their stones. Differently from the typical Belgian kriek, it is not too sour as it keeps some of the Duchessa’s smoothness. Yet it’s not sugary indeed, thanks to the well balanced bitter aftertaste.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.92
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 330ml bottle with a best before date of September 2017 and poured into a Duvel tulip glass.
Appearance: It poured a hazy orange golden colour with a thin white head that doesn’t stick around and only leaves some light lacing.
Aroma: Tart, sour, cherry, apple vinegar and light funkiness.
Taste: Like the aroma, taste is tart, sour cherry, sour apple and lemon.
Mouthfeel: Dry, crisp, light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Nice and easy to drink, but I preferred Rubus slightly more.

4 - Good (buy), American Imperial Pilsner, Beer Reviews, Birra del Borgo x Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Italy

Birra del Borgo x Dogfish Head My Antonia

Sunday, 15 May 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Birra del Borgo x Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Country: Italy
ABV: 7.5%
Style: American Imperial Pilsner
Other Notes: 76 IBUs. Continually-hopped Imperial Pils

Brewer Description: (from website) 10-28-2008 was a great day for me… Sam Calagione from Dogfish Head Brewery, one of the most well-known American brewers, came to Borgorose to create and brew a special beer in collaboration with us. We chose a style: a Pilsner. But obviously not a regular one… we designed a something stronger, around 7% ABV and of course it had to be hoppy! We choose the malt: Pilsner and Cara-Pils. Easy! Sam chooses two hops, Simcoe and Warrior, I choose the third one: Saaz. Traditional and new ingredients together. We start the mash, then we lauter and start the boil, the crowning moment. Before the boil started Sam mixed the hops creating a wonderfully perfumed potion. Once the mix was ready we started hopping. A fistful of hops was added every minute for 60 minutes… The result? An intriguing beer, extremely perfumed, where floral and resiny notes mix together. The mouth feel is explosive but balanced at the same time. The honey notes form the malts and the peppery ones from the hops mix in a very elegant and precise finish. I can’t stop drinking it, it’s my new favorite…

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.79
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 330ml bottle with a best before date of October 2016 and poured into a Mikkeller pint glass.
Appearance: It poured a hazy golden orange colour with a two finger slightly off white head that had great retention and left thick sticky lacing.
Aroma: Citrus lemon and orange, some pineapple and a hint of grass and herbs.
Taste: Sweet honey, lemon and orange with a hint of grapefruit and herbal bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with light carbonation.
Overall: This was a great and refreshing Pilsner. Aromas were a bit weak but it looks and tastes good.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), American IPA, Beer Reviews, Omnipollo, Sweden

Omnipollo Ras Soft Citra IPA

Saturday, 14 May 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Omnipollo
Country: Sweden
ABV: 6%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: Brewed by Omnipollo at De Proef Brouwerij (Belgium)

Brewer Description: (from website) Omnipollo Ras Soft Citra IPA. No one is more soft spoken and has softer hair than big boss at Omnipollos hatt – Rasmus Herbertsson.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.93
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 330m bottle with a best before date of 2nd November 2016 and poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass.
Appearance: It poured a slightly hazy golden straw yellow colour with a one finger white head with decent retention and leaves nice lacing.
Aroma: Citra tropical with mango, peach and apricot with a hint of lychee. Every now and then I’m also getting some citrus fruits.
Taste: Like the aroma, tropical fruit is there but not as strong. There was also a hint of lemon and biscuit malt in the background.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Great aromas and very nice and easy to drink. Would have preferred if the tropical taste was stronger though, considering the nose.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, IPA - Black, Surly Brewing Company x Three Floyds Brewing Co. x Real Ale Brewing Company, USA

Surly x Three Floyds x Real Ale Blakkr

Saturday, 14 May 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Surly Brewing Company x Three Floyds Brewing Co. x Real Ale Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 9.99%
Style: American Black IPA
Other Notes: Collaboration beer. Surly version.

Brewer Description: (from can) This double black as night IPA is too massive for just one brewery’s efforts. BLAKKR took the trinity of Real Ale Brewing Co., Surly Brewing Co. & Three Floyds Brewing Co. to actualize this crushing ale. Cheers.

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

Intro: A 1 pint can canned on 26th January 2016 and poured into an oversized wine glass.
Appearance: It poured a dark dark brown colour with an orange hue and a slightly less than one finger tanned head that dissipated fairly quickly but left nice lacing.
Aroma: A mix of piney and citrus orange hops and roasty dark chocolate.
Taste: Starts sweet-ish citrusy orange followed by caramel malt, light roast coffee and chocolate plus a hint of char before ending with a lasting pine and juicy citrus light bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate to low carbonation.
Overall: A nicely balanced Black IPA that hides it’s high ABV well.

words of another dreamy traveller