Category Archives: Style

4 - Good (buy), American IPA, Beer Reviews, Cigar City Brewing, USA

Cigar City Jai Alai White Oak Aged

Wednesday, 23 December 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Cigar City Brewing
Country: USA
ABV: 7.5%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: 70 IBUs

Brewer Description: (from can) This is an American oak aged version of Jai Alai. The oak adds smoothing notes of vanilla and slight hints of dill to the aroma and flavour profile. The finish is elegantly dry due to the light tannin notes from oak aging and though still loaded with hop flavour, hop bitterness is more restrained.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.19
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 12 fl oz can with a canned on date of 17th November 2015 and poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass.
Appearance: It poured a clear golden orange colour with a two finger white head with lots of stringy lacing.
Aroma: Tropical mango, pineapple and peach with some citrus grapefruit followed by hints of vanilla and dill.
Taste: Strong vanilla and oak upfront with mango and peach supporting and hints of grapefruit.
Mouthfeel: Dry, medium bodied with light carbonation.
Overall: I have not tried the original base IPA yet as I haven’t been able to get my hands on any. However, although this is not the first barrel aged IPA that I’ve tried, I haven’t tasted any beer like this one before. The tropical fruit taste mixed with vanilla was interesting and a refreshing change.

1 - Poor (never again), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V., Flanders Oud Bruin

Bacchus Vlaams Oud Bruin

Wednesday, 23 December 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Brouwerij Van Honsebrouck N.V.
Country: Belgium
ABV: 4.5%
Style: Belgian Flanders Oud Bruin
Other Notes:

Brewer Description: (from wrapping) A typical Flemish beer with a pleasant wine-like taste and a rich past. This dark brown beer, which is matured in oak casks, has a slightly acid aftertaste.

My rating: 1
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.44
My ratebeer.com rating: 2.9

Intro: A 375ml wrapped bottle with a best before date of 25th November 2016 and poured into a Duvel tulip glass.
Appearance: It poured a clear dark brown colour with a less than one finger tanned head that dissipated quickly but leaves some nice stringy lacing.
Aroma: Mainly tart cherries with some grape, apple juice and vinegary elements.
Taste: Taste is similar to the aromas with tart cherry sourness and grape bubblegum sweetness with hints of apple juice and brown sugar.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied, with mid to high carbonation.
Overall: This was better than the Kriekenbier version that I tried before. However, unfortunately, according to the wrapping, it seems they add Stevia to the beer. I don’t use sugar substitute sweeteners in anything ever, and I don’t see why I need to start doing so in beers.

4 - Good (buy), Amager Bryghus, American IPA, Beer Reviews, Denmark

Amager Winter In Bangalore

Tuesday, 22 December 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Amager Bryghus
Country: Denmark
ABV: 6%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: Malts – Pilsner, Munich and Carapils. Hops – Herkules, Chinook, Amarillo and Cascade.

Brewer Description: (from bottle) [in Danish] Når vintermørket ubønhørligt sænker sig over det ganske land, og danskerne gemmer sig i tykke klæder og trækker de mentale rullegardiner ned, så er det helt legitimt at flygte lidt ind i drømme om bedre, varmere og lysere tider og steder. Vores Vinter IPA er en hyldest til netop sådan et sted, som året rundt kækt hygger sig med sine behagelige 25 grader – kun afbrudt af et par forrygende snebyger. Tror vi nok. Smag på navnet – Bangalore. Indiens spraglede og krydrede mystik nærmest strømmer op i næseborene – akkurat som den bedste indiske aromahumle vi har brugt i denne øl, dyrket netop i smukke Bangalores opland.
Vi har specialdesignet denne intenst delikate Vinter IPA til at passe til AL vinterens mad – lige fra æbleskiver, og stegte sild over gule ærter til den fedeste gås eller steg med brun sovs. Selv veganere og palæo-folket har vi testet den på – og hver og en brød de ud i lovsang. Det gør du også. Vi garanterer.

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

Intro: A 500ml bottle from Batch No. 949 with a best before date of January 2016. Poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass.
Appearance: It poured a cloudy golden straw yellow colour with a huge four finger fluffy white head that sticks around for a while and leaves nice spotty lacing.
Aroma: A mix of citrusy lemon and grapefruit plus a tropical element like passion fruit, pineapple and a hint of mango.
Taste: Starts slightly sweet with some light caramel malts followed quickly with a blast of bitter grapefruit. The finish is quite tropical with a lasting pineapple and mango flavours along with hints of honey.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, medium bodied with medium to high carbonation.
Overall: Overall a nice IPA that is easy to drink. The bitterness is moderate as the tropicalness really comes through here.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Brown Ale, Surly Brewing Company, USA

Surly Coffee Bender

Tuesday, 22 December 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Surly Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 5.1%
Style: American Brown Ale
Other Notes: 45 IBUs.

Brewer Description: (from can) Coffee Bender refreshes like an iced coffee, is aromatic as a bag of whole beans and satisfies like you favorite beer. Utilizing the latest technology, the Surly brew team has developed a cold extraction process that results in intense coffee aromatics and flavor – bringing together two of our favorite beverages. Your only dilemma will be whether to finish your day or start it with a Coffee Bender.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.36
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 16 fl oz can canned on 2nd July 2015 and poured into a Duvel tulip glass.
Appearance: It poured a clear dark brown colour much like a French pressed coffee. There was a one finger tanned head that dissipated quickly but leaves some nice stringy lacing.
Aroma: Like a fresh brewed cup of coffee from freshly grounded coffee beans with a hint of vanilla and brown sugar.
Taste: Roasted coffee, coffee grounds followed by some nuttyness with a hint of milk and vanilla.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, medium bodied with medium carbonation.
Overall: A very good brown ale with nice coffee flavours. Very easy to drink especially if you like coffee.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Clown Shoes Beer, Stout - Imperial, USA

Clown Shoes Chocolate Sombrero

Monday, 21 December 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Clown Shoes Beer
Country: USA
ABV: 9%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Brewed and bottled by Mercury Brewing Co., Ipswich, MA.

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Roasted dark malts plus extra chocolate malts plus ancho chilli plus cinnamon plus vanilla extract plus a chocolate loving, beer drinking, Clown Shoes wearing, multi limbed, gorgeous and glorious Mexican wrestler on the label. That’s the recipe for Chocolate Sombrero!

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.15
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 12 fl oz bottle bottled on 12th March 2015 and poured into a Spiegelau stout glass.
Appearance: It poured a deep dark brown colour with a one finger tanned head that dissipates quickly and leaves some stringy lacing.
Aroma: Strong chocolate aromas mixed in with a hint of vanilla and cinnamon.
Taste: Much like the aroma, chocolate is the main theme with a definite roasty element to it. There’s a hint of vanilla and the finish is chocolate ice cream. I don’t know what ancho chilli tastes like, but the spice in this one is very light and in the background.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with medium carbonation.
Overall: The first time I tried this, it was at a tasting and I didn’t like it too much, but now with a proper sit down, I enjoyed it. The aromas and taste was pleasant and you don’t get the 9% at all.

words of another dreamy traveller