Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale Bourbon Barrel Aged

Thursday, 15 December 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Stone Brewing Co. (Arrogant Consortia)
Country: USA
ABV: 8.1%
Style: American Strong Ale
Other Notes: Aged in Kentucky Bourbon Barrels

Brewer Description: (from bottle) I didn’t give you permission to pick me up, let alone drink me. Being groped as you mutter to yourself taxes my patience. While I am a master of social complexities and articulate thought, clearly you are not. I embody the pinnacle of intellectual artistic fulfilment, while you bring the baggage of preconceived notions, which only distract. Yet, I’ll give you one chance: Aspire to free your mind. Use a crowbar if you must. Approach me with openness, unsullied by your irrelevant “life experience,” or leave me alone. No, you don’t have to put up with this. Go tweet your precious insights about me. Thrill yourself by imagining your three or 30,000 followers hanging on your every word. OMG, they’re waiting to read the thought you just had. Now close your mouth and either set me down or do your worst. What’s that? You’re going to drink a fizzy yellow beer out of spite? Self-flagellate all you like, tiger. Proclaim your unworthiness to whoever will listen.

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.42
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.2

Intro: A 12 fl oz bottle with a bottled on date of 26th July 2016. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: A clear dark copper amber colour with a one finger tanned head that had decent retention and left nice spotty lacing.
Aroma: Amazing aromas of coconut, pineapple, toffee sweetness, vanilla and wood with only subtle bourbon notes.
Taste: Vanilla, woody, coconut and caramel sweetness with a hint of pine and light bourbon notes.
Mouthfeel: Almost creamy, medium bodied with mild carbonation.
Overall: Despite the stunning aromas, this did not quite work for me as I felt the taste was quite muddled. I actually preferred the regular Arrogant Bastard Ale a lot more than this Bourbon Barrel Aged version.

2 - Maybe (likely wouldn't buy, might drink), American Amber / Red Ale, Baird Brewing Company, Beer Reviews, Japan

Baird Red Rose Amber Ale

Thursday, 15 December 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Baird Brewing Company
Country: Japan
ABV: 6%
Style: American Amber Ale

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Richly fruity & malty, yet crisp & dry.

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.22
My ratebeer.com rating: 3

Intro: A 330ml bottle, packaged on 24th May 2016, to be enjoyed within 12 months. Poured into a Mikkeller pint glass.
Appearance: A clear copper amber colour with a one finger off white head that had pretty good retention and eventually settled to a nice thin layer while leaving nice lacing.
Aroma: Malty, caramel, tea leaves and maybe a touch of honey. But it’s all really quite light.
Taste: Sweet biscuit malt with touches of caramel, wood, breadiness and lemon here and there.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Mouthfeel was great with nice crispness and tingly carbonation, but the aromas were too light and I really had to search for them. Taste was normal and drinkable. Not bad, but not quite my type of beer.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Lambic - Fruit, OWA Brewery SPRL

OWA Sakura Lambic

Wednesday, 14 December 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: OWA Brewery SPRL
Country: Belgium
ABV: 5.5%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Fruit)
Other Notes: Brewed at Brouwerij De Troch

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Sakura is cherry blossoms in Japanese. The lambic which is matured in wooden barrel, and after matured with leaves of cherry blossom. Not added perfume, pigment, even yeast. Lambic brewed in Belgium by special wild yeast, and sakura is the Japanese national flower. Sakura lambic is the first marriage of Belgian proper beer and Japanese representative flower.

(from website) A perfect beer to enjoy before a meal. Sakura means cherry leaves in Japanese. The leaves are steeped in salt for several months producing a highly perfumed aroma. In Japan, Sakura are also enjoyed as special sweets during spring time.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.09
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 375ml corked, capped and paper wrapped bottle, 2015 vintage, with a best before end date of January 2018. Poured into a Cantillon ballon glass.
Appearance: A clear golden orange colour with a one finger white head that slowly settled to a thin layer with sparse lacing.
Aroma: Sweet fruity cherry, almond, apple and cinnamon. Also some wood with a light funk in the background.
Taste: No idea what cherry blossom is supposed to taste like but this is lightly sour with cherry, apple, wood, citrusy orange and a hint of cinnamon.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with high to moderate carbonation.
Overall: Taste could be more sour, but its still nice. I definitely preferred this Sakura Lambic much more than its Yuzu counterpart. I’m also surprised that there is not more floral element in either the aroma or taste though considering that cherry blossom is used.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Denmark, Fruit Beer, Mikkeller ApS

Mikkeller Chill Pils Yuzu

Monday, 12 December 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Mikkeller ApS
Country: Denmark
ABV: 4.7%
Style: Fruit Beer
Other Notes: Brewed and bottled by Mikkeller at De Proef Brouwerij

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Pilsner-style beer brewed with yuzu.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.77
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 330ml bottle with a best before date of 7th April 2017. Poured into a Mikkeller pint glass.
Appearance: A slightly hazy golden orange colour with a two finger foamy white head that had good retention and nice curtain lacing.
Aroma: Juicy mango, orange and mandarin with only a touch of yuzu.
Taste: Yuzu finally comes out in the taste along with mandarin, orange and a hint of bready toasty malt.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: It’s pretty simple, but still very easy to drink, and even better on a hot summer day.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Lambic - Fruit, OWA Brewery SPRL

OWA Yuzu Lambic

Saturday, 10 December 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: OWA Brewery SPRL
Country: Belgium
ABV: 5.5%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Fruit)
Other Notes: Brewed at Brouwerij De Troch. Yuzu is from Wakayama Japan

Brewer Description: (from website) A very good choice for those who are not keen on a typical beer taste. Very easy to drink and very refreshing. Yuzu is a Japanese lemon. During brewing, only the peel is used to steep inside the Lambic.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.49
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.3

Intro: A 375ml corked, capped and paper wrapped bottle, 2015 vintage, with a best before end date of January 2020. Poured into a Cantillon ballon glass.
Appearance: It poured a clear golden copper colour with no head and no lacing.
Aroma: Funk, wood and mineral with lots of citrus orange, sour yuzu and lemon.
Taste: Tart and very sour yuzu plus lemon peel, with a hint of wood and vinegar.
Mouthfeel: Acidic, light to medium bodied with light to no carbonation.
Overall: It started out kind of rough for me, but definitely got better the more I drank it and tasted better than its aroma. Its worth a try if you enjoy sour and/or lambic beer. Love the artwork though!

words of another dreamy traveller