Tag Archives: ba

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Stone Brewing Co., Stout - Russian Imperial, USA

Stone Mikhail

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Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 13.5%
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Other Notes: 43 IBUs. Small Batch Series. 2017 Series, Batch No.03. Stone Espresso Imperial Russian Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels. Brewed July 17, 2016, Stone Imperial Russian Stout is a thick, rich and sinful beer that’s heavy on the palate and massively aromatic with notes of anise, black currants, coffee and roastiness. Malts – Roasted Barley, Pale Malt, Amber Malt and Black Malt. Hops – Warrior. Adjunct – Ryan Brother’s Espresso Roast Coffee. Unfiltered and aged 14 months in American Oak Kentucky Bourbon Barrels

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Intense coffee characteristics abound from both the dark malts and the espresso, while rich caramel-like and vanilla notes from the bourbon barrel aging adds layers of complexity, a touch of sweetness and a vibrant dark fruit finish. Since this is an unusual take on our traditional imperial Russian stout, “Mikhail” pays homage to Mikhail Bulgakov, whose novel The Master and Margarita is considered the foremost of Soviet satires.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.39
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.3

Intro: A 500ml corked and caged bottle, 2017 Series, Batch No.03, bottled in October 2017. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: It was black in colour with a half finger brown head that dissipated quickly and left only sparse to no lacing.
Aroma: Light roast, milk chocolate, damp coffee grounds, espresso, oak and vanilla.
Taste: Moderate roastiness, milk chocolate, coffee, espresso, oak, bourbon, vanilla and a lightly herbal bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Really enjoyable drinking, as its rich and smooth with velvety chocolate, and nice barrel notes expressing bourbon and vanilla.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, BrewDog, Scotland, Stout - Imperial

BrewDog Dog F

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Brewery: BrewDog
Country: Scotland
ABV: 17.5%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: 10th Anniversary Imperial Stout

Brewer Description: (from bottle & box) Dog F is very special. Before you is our liquid anniversary marking 10 years of brewing. A Decade of Dog. To celebrate, we have done what we do best – brew an incredible beer and barrel-age it to the edge of existence. Dog F is a 17.5% imperial stout brewed with copious dark malts, pure cacao and coffee, balanced on a knife-edge of Habanero chili. Our hottest Dog to date also has layers of resonance from months spent in Cognac barrels. This beer will age with grace or be the centre of the party right now – it’s your call. Thank you for being part of our Decade of Dog. But you know we have a long way to go yet…

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.39
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.3

Intro: A 330ml boxed bottle, batch 170226, with a best before date of 1st April 2027. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark brown in colour with a thin beige head that dissipated quickly while leaving some sparse lacing.
Aroma: Light roast, cacao, dark chocolate, caramel, coffee, toffee, light boozy (maybe cognac), and a touch of herbal chili.
Taste: Chili spice, cognac booze, caramel, toffee, light roast, with touches of chocolate and hints of coffee.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, chili bite, full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: Smooth, chili spice forward. Cognac booze is there, but less than I expected considering this is 17.5% abv. The spiciness balanced the caramel and toffee sweetness. Although there was less roast and chocolate for an Imperial Stout, it wasn’t as boozy as I thought it would be, and the spiciness was prominent, but very good.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Bellwoods Brewery, Canada, Wild Ale

Bellwoods Farmageddon California Zinfandel Grapes

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Brewery: Bellwoods Brewery
Country: Canada
ABV: 8.5%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: 2019 vintage, Barrel aged Wild Ale with California Zinfandel Grapes

Brewer Description: (from website) Farmageddon is our wild farmhouse ale that we’ve been brewing, blending, and aging for almost as many years as we’ve been open. The blending process allows us to maintain a common thread across batches, the aging adds nuanced layers, while the brett and bacteria work hard to create small idiosyncrasies in each release. It’s a refined, effervescent, and delicious beer worthy of special occasions and idle weeknights.

We transferred the beer onto whole Zinfandel grapes from California, letting it age for just over a month before undergoing an extensive bottle conditioning period.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.12
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 500ml bottle, 2019 vintage. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy reddish purple colour with a big three finger pinkish white head that dissipated fairly quickly while leaving some sparse lacing.
Aroma: Light tartness, grape, cherry, lemon and hints of funk.
Taste: Sour, tart, funky, grape, vinous, oak, red wine barrels, cherry and a touch of lemon and pepperiness.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: Nice and enjoyable vinous notes with good fruit and barrel character.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Bellwoods Brewery, Canada, Wild Ale

Bellwoods Farmageddon Niagara Montmorency & Morello Cherries

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Brewery: Bellwoods Brewery
Country: Canada
ABV: 6.3%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: 2019 vintage, barrel aged wild ale with Niagara montmorency & morello cherries

Brewer Description: (from website) Farmageddon is our wild farmhouse ale that we’ve been brewing, blending, and aging for almost as many years as we’ve been open. The blending process allows us to maintain a common thread across batches, the aging adds nuanced layers, while the brett and bacteria work hard to create small idiosyncrasies in each release. It’s a refined, effervescent, and delicious beer worthy of special occasions and idle weeknights.

Our 2019 edition of Cherry Farmageddon is oak aged then conditioned on 2 types of sour cherry varietals — Montmorency and Morello — before being primed and bottle conditioned for maximum spritz factor.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.3
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 500ml bottle, 2019 vintage, poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy ruby red pinkish colour with a one finger pinkish head that dissipated fairly quickly and left only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Tart, light funk, cherries, mixed berries, oak, with hints of lemon and spices.
Taste: What you’d expect from the aroma, sour, tart, light funk, cherries, mixed berries, oak, lemon juice, with hints of spice and cinnamon.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate to high prickly carbonation.
Overall: Very nice and enjoyable with a good fruity cherry mix. Carbonation may have been slightly over prickly for my liking, but I would still keep drinking this.

4 - Good (buy), American Strong Ale, Beer Reviews, Stone Brewing Co. (Arrogant Consortia), USA

Stone Arrogant Southern Charred

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– aka Arrogant Double Bastard Ale – Whiskey Barrel (ratebeer)

Brewery: Stone Brewing Co. (Arrogant Consortia)
Country: USA
ABV: 12.7%
Style: American Strong Ale
Other Notes: Double Bastard Ale aged in Bourbon Barrels. Small Batch Series

Brewer Description: (from bottle) When Double Bastard Ale spends months sequestered in Kentucky bourbon barrels, a most unique reverse-transmogrification takes place. A once-burly behemoth emerges as a stunningly graceful beast, with its bold, bullish roots lingering just under the surface. This Southernized paragon of liquid glory exudes sophistication, exalted character and uncompromising independence courtesy of American oak. Only the worthiest of imbibers are invited to experience a fleeting yet unforgettable encounter with this rare breed. This is what awaits for those with the eye, heart and inner fortitude to step up to Southern Charred.

Cellar notes – This oak bomb bursts on the palate with a well-rounded mixture of deep caramel, molasses, hops and char plus hints of brown sugar, with bourbony influence amplifying the beer’s maltiness. These interwoven flavours crescendo in an intense, lingering finish, yet for such a high-gravity beer, it is one helluva smooth operator. Quiet. Confident. Arrogant.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.13
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 500ml corked and caged bottle, 2015 vintage. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Poured a cold haze rusty orange brown colour but eventually settled to a clear copper colour with a very thin orangey beige head that disappeared quickly while leaving some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Sweet malts, bourbon, caramel, toffee, oak, ginger, candied grapefruit, and some light piney notes.
Taste: Sweet malts, bourbon, caramel, toffee, oak, light bitterness, grapefruit peel, piney, resinous, citrus pith, and maybe hints of raisins.
Mouthfeel: Full bodied with soft to moderate carbonation.
Overall: I loved the aroma and there was a good balance in the flavours between sweet and bitter that make it such a good sipper.