Tag Archives: must buy

5 - Excellent (must buy), American Double IPA, Beer Reviews, Cloudwater Brew Co., England

Cloudwater NW DIPA Citra

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Brewery: Cloudwater Brew Co.
Country: England
ABV: 9%
Style: American Double IPA
Other Notes: Special Edition (drink fresh). Malts – Golden Promise, Oats, Dextrose Monohydrate. Yeast – JW Lees. Hops – Citra, Simcoe, Huell Melon, Mosaic and Pilgrim Alpha CO2 Extract

Brewer Description: (from can) Introducing our new DIPA style which showcases yeast from one of Manchester’s oldest family brewers and fresh 2016 harvest hops. Citra takes the lead backed up by Simcoe, with JW Lees 4792nd generation yeast.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.62
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.5

Intro: A 440ml can, canned on 27th April 2017 and with a best before date of end of June 2017. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A cloudy, mango juice dark orange colour with a thin white head and sparse lacing.
Aroma: Tropical mango and papaya followed by citrusy orange and orange rind with a hint of grapefruit and pineapple.
Taste: Juicy mango, pineapple and orange with light bitterness, dankness and a lingering tingly spice on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: A very nice DIPA from Cloudwater that is both juicy and intense.

5 - Excellent (must buy), Beer Reviews, Belgium, Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V., Flanders Red Ale

Rodenbach Caractère Rouge

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Brewery: Brouwerij Rodenbach N.V.
Country: Belgium
ABV: 7%
Style: Flanders Red Ale
Other Notes: Aged on oak casks

Brewer Description: (from tag) The exclusive Rodenbach Caractère Rouge, with an alcohol content of 7%, is the result of a 6-month maceration with fresh fruit (sour cherries, raspberries and cranberries) of a beer which matured in oak casks for 2 years. After its maceration, the beer is re-fermented in the bottle. Rodenbach Caractère Rouge is vinous with a ver complex, fruity nose of raspberry and cherry combined with notes of wood and caramel. The undertone consists of an aroma of violets, leather and a hint of tobacco. Flavourwise this fruit beer has a rather sour taste, but of an exceptionally pure nature. Its light, residual sugars balance out the triangle of sour, sweet and dry flavours. This dryness mainly stems from the cranberries, which lend the beer an exceptionally long and pure aftertaste.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.77
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.6

Intro: A 750ml corked and caged bottle with a best before date of 19th May 2017. Poured into a Cantillon ballon glass.
Appearance: A dark ruby red colour with a half finger off white head that dissipated quickly and left some sparse lacing.
Aroma: Berry fruit forward, lightly sweet with raspberry, cherry and cranberry. Finish is lightly tart with earthy oakiness.
Taste: Great balance of tart, lightly sour and lightly sweet, with raspberry, cherry and cranberry followed by some nice light oak woodiness.
Mouthfeel: Dry-ish, medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: This is just really good. Nicely balanced, smooth and very fruity. I could drink this all day. Even though this particular bottle was nearing its best before date, it felt as if it would still be good to drink over the next few years.

5 - Excellent (must buy), Beer Reviews, Omnipollo x Buxton Brewery, Stout - Imperial, Sweden

Omnipollo x Buxton Yellow Belly

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Brewery: Omnipollo x Buxton Brewery
Country: Sweden
ABV: 11%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Imperial Stout brewed with aromas of peanut and biscuit. Brewed by Omnipollo & Buxton Brewery at Buxton Brewery

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Yellow Belly – a person who is without courage, fortitude , or nerve; a coward. To us, one of the most cowardly deeds is to act anonymously, hiding behind a group. A signifying trait of institutionalised racism. This beer is brewed to celebrate all things new, open minded and progressive. A peanut butter biscuit stout with no biscuits, butter or nuts. Taste, enjoy and don’t be prejudice. Henok Fentie, Karl Grandin, Denis Johnstone, Jake Oulsnam, Geoff Quinn & Colin Stronge.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.79
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.7

Intro: A 330ml bottle with a best before date of 11th August 2021. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Extremely dark brown to black in colour with a very thin brown head that disappears quickly while leaving very sparse lacing.
Aroma: Reese’s Peanut Butter Cups, peanuts, wafer biscuit, caramel and toffee.
Taste: Peanut butter, milk chocolate and biscuit sweetness followed by some nice lightly bitter coffee and dark chocolate with hints of peanut here and there.
Mouthfeel: Full bodied, low carbonation with slight alcohol warming.
Overall: Really good wonderful aromas and taste. Even at 11% ABV, it was very easy to drink and definitely a must buy beer for me.

5 - Excellent (must buy), AleSmith Brewing Company, Beer Reviews, Stout - Imperial, USA

AleSmith Speedway Stout

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Brewery: AleSmith Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 12%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Imperial Stout with Coffee

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Speedway Stout’s ominous, pitch-black appearance has become a hallmark of this modern-day classic. Chocolate and roasted malts dominate the flavor, supported by notes of dark fruit, toffee, and caramel. A healthy dose of locally-roasted coffee from Ryan Bros. Coffee, Inc. added to each batch brings out the beer’s dark chocolate flavors and enhances its drinkability. Despite its intensity, Speedway Stout’s fine carbonation and creamy mouthfeel make it very smooth and surprisingly easy to drink. This beer ages very well and will continue to mature for many years to come.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.54
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.4

Intro: A 750ml foiled bottle with no clear bottled on or best before date. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a just over one finger tanned head that had good retention and left great lacing.
Aroma: Roasty malts, dark chocolate, coffee, caramel with hints of vanilla and dark fruit.
Taste: Follows the aroma with roasted malts, dark chocolate, caramel, toffee, vanilla, coffee and dark fruits.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, velvety and smooth. Full bodied with light carbonation and light warming alcohol booze.
Overall: A very nice classic Imperial Stout. Very easy to drink with its nice coffee and chocolate flavours.

5 - Excellent (must buy), American IPA, Beer Reviews, Stigbergets Bryggeri, Sweden

Stigbergets Amazing Haze

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Brewery: Stigbergets Bryggeri
Country: Sweden
ABV: 6.5%
Style: American IPA

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Double dry hopped Mosaic IPA.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.65
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.4

Intro: A 330ml bottle, batch 583, with a best before date of 17th July 2017. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A hazy darkish orange colour with a just over one finger white head with great retention and nice lacing.
Aroma: Strong tropical and citrus fruits. Mango, pineapple, apricot, grapefruit and orange rind.
Taste: Blast of mango and pineapple sweetness balanced with grapefruit and orange rind bitterness, for some bittersweet goodness. A dry and long bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Dry, medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: In my opinion, although not quite as good as GBG Beer Week 2016, this was another home run by Stigbergets. It’s got the stunning aromas, and the wonderful juicy tropical and citrus flavours that I enjoy, on top of the nice lasting bitterness. Brilliant stuff.