Tag Archives: ba

Stone Arrogant Bastard’s Midnight Brunch

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

Brewer Description: (from bottle) An unrestrained, coffee-fueled feast. Evening’s trying to forget the crushing mediocrity of one’s life are typically the main driver to late-night breakfast plates at unforgivingly overlit diners stacked with industrialized, frozen-dumped-in-a-fryer “food.” An interlude between sophomoric late-night antics, questionable decisions and inevitable morning regret. That’s not how I play it. For those who know how to grab life by the horns*, however, this bottle pairs even better with accomplishment, life lived out loud, and well-timed moves that often appear as luck to those not paying attention. A specifically designed midnight brunch feast with like-minded folks who not only have their wits about them but actually have wits, and an artfully prepared feast sets the more appropriate stage for this beer. The bottle is worth a special occasion. Create yours to accompany it.

Aged in Kentucky Bourbon Barrels & Northeast Ohio Maple Syrup Barrels.

*Touch mine, though, and I’ll provide you with the deepest possible understanding of the word “regret.”

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

Intro: A 500ml corked and caged bottle, 2016 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 thin orangey beige head that dissipated fairly quickly while leaving some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Coffee roast, oak, caramel, toffee, vanilla, bourbon, light booze, with hints of maple syrup.
Taste: Sweet malts, caramel, toffee, maple, bourbon, vanilla, oak, with bitter coffee notes on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Full bodied with soft carbonation.
Overall: It doesn’t seem like coffee was added, but the appearance of it in the aroma and flavours was great as it balanced the sweetness quite a bit. At times it felt overly sweet from the maple, but the complexity was there and it was still a good sipper.

Mikkeller Spontan Nelson

Brewery: Mikkeller ApS
Country: Denmark
ABV: 7.3%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: Brewed by Mikkeller at De Proef Brouwerij, Belgium

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Blended Wild Ale aged in oak barrels.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.83
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 750ml bottle with a best before date of 17th March 2026. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A cloudy amber orange colour with an almost three finger off white head that had decent retention while leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Funky, brett, white wine, grapes, oak, green apple and a touch herbal.
Taste: Light sour, funky, brett, oak, lemon peel, light bitterness, with hints of wine, grapes and apple peel.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: This was interesting. I preferred the aroma more than the taste though, as there was some bitter notes that weren’t my favourite. Still worth a try.

Mikkeller Nelson Sauvin Brut Dry Hopped!

Brewery: Mikkeller ApS
Country: Denmark
ABV: 9%
Style: Bière de Champagne / Bière Brut
Other Notes: Brewed by Mikkeller at De Proef Brouwerij, Belgium

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Dry hopped Belgian Wild Ale aged in chardonnay barrels.

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

Intro: A 750ml foiled, corked and caged bottle with a best before date of 7th March 2022. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A cloudy amber copper colour with a big three finger off white slightly orangey head that had decent retention and left lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Brett, funk, grape, white wine, oak, with some floral and herbal notes.
Taste: What you’d expect from the aroma with brett, funky, grape, white wine, oak, apple peel, lemon rind and floral notes. Some sweet, some sour and some bitter.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light bodied with moderate to soft carbonation.
Overall: Alcohol was well hidden but I was hoping for more carbonation. Aromas and flavour was good though and well worth trying.

Oud Beersel Oude Geuze Vieille Barrel Selection Foeder 21

Brewery: Brouwerij Oud Beersel
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6.5%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Gueuze)
Other Notes: 2019 vintage. Bottled 20 years before best before date

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Foeder 21, originally used for the production of sweet white wine, has been in Oud Beersel’s cellar since 2011. This Oude Geuze is a blend of 4 year old Lambic from Foeder 21, and younger Lambic pulled from similar barrels.

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

Intro: A 375ml corked and caged bottle with a best before date of 15th February 2039. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen gueuze glass.
Appearance: A very lightly hazy golden colour with a two finger white head that dissipated quickly and left only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Funky, barnyard, mouldy, funk, wet wood, musty, green apple skin and sharp lemon zest.
Taste: Lightly sour, funky, barnyard, musty, oak, lightly vinous, white grapes, and lemon juice.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: This was good, a little more musty and funky than I prefer, but still very drinkable with good balance of citrus and vinous notes.

Oud Beersel Oude Geuze Vieille Vandervelden 137 Years

Brewery: Brouwerij Oud Beersel
Country: Belgium
ABV: 6.5%
Style: Belgian Lambic (Gueuze)
Other Notes: Aged 3 years in oak barrels. Bottled 20 years before best before date

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Oud Beersel Brewery was founded in 1882 by the Vandervelden family. Vandervelden 137 Oude Geuze was crafted in honor of our founder, and is an exclusive blend of 3 year old Lambic primarily aged in foeders previously used for the maturation of Brunello di Montalcino, the revered Italian red wine.

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

Intro: A 375ml corked and caged bottle with a best before date of 15th February 2039. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen gueuze glass.
Appearance: A mostly clear golden colour with a two finger white head that dissipated quickly and left only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Funky, wet wood, musty, oak, green apple skin, white grapes, lime peel, and citrus zest.
Taste: Light funk, oak, musty, lightly sour, vinous, white grape, white wine, grass, hay, lime.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: I preferred Vandervelden 135 over this 137. This was still good and balanced though, and it is vinous, but I feel like I’m getting more white wine than red wine despite the barrel. Maybe some age on this would improve it even more.