Brewery: Founders Brewing Company Country: USA ABV: 8.3% Style: American Imperial Stout Other Notes: Double chocolate coffee oatmeal stout. 60 IBUs. Seasonal availability from October to December.
Brewer Description: (from website) The coffee lover’s consummate beer. Brewed with an abundance of flaked oats, bitter and imported chocolates, and two types of coffee, this stout has an intense fresh-roasted java nose topped with a frothy, cinnamon-colored head that goes forever.
My rating: 5 My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.75 My ratebeer.com rating: 4.6
Intro: A 355ml bottle with a best by date of 7th August 2015 and poured into a snifter glass. Appearance: It poured a deep dark brown to black colour with a very thin caramel head that disappears quickly. There is also some light spotty lacing. Aroma: Strong roast coffee aromas with bittersweet chocolate along with a little root beer, toffee and caramel. Taste: Amazing taste. First thought was that it tasted like biting into freshly roasted coffee beans… so good! It was then followed by bittersweet chocolate and hints of bitter hops. Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, silky smooth with light carbonation. Overall: This was really good and over the last few years my favourite non BA coffee based stout. Each year I buy at least a case of this just for myself to enjoy over the winter and over the course of the year until the next yearly batch is brewed. A must buy for me.
Brewery: Three Floyds Brewing Co. Country: USA ABV: 9% Style: Double IPA Other Notes: IBU 100
Brewer Description: (from website) In the seemingly endless cruelty, battle and strife of the Hyborian Age, a warrior has but two pleasures: decimating one’s enemies in battle, and a horn of Cimmerian Sabertooth Berzerker to slake the thirst of victory.
My rating: 3 My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.49 My ratebeer.com rating: 3.4
Intro: Excited to see this on tap at Mikkeller Bangkok. Appearance: Served in a pint glass a hazy copper orange colour with an off white one finger bubbly head. Aroma: Strong aromas of citrus grapefruit, lemon peel and pine with some caramel in the background. Taste: Much like the smell, the immediate taste is bitter hoppy grapefruit and caramel malts. There is some aftertaste of piney hops and spice. Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied, with good carbonation. Overall: Maybe my expectations were too high to begin with, but this was only ok for me. I enjoyed the grapefruit and pine hoppyness but perhaps a bit too much caramel malt sweetness.
Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company Country: USA ABV: 4.8% Style: Hefeweizen
Brewer Description: (from bottle) Kellerweis is one of the few American hefeweizens made using the traditional Bavarian style of open fermentation. This difficult and labor-intensive technique adds uncommon depth and flavour complexity. Our hazy-golden hefeweizen is deeply flavorful, refreshing, and perfect for a sunny day. To serve, pour two-thirds into a glass, swirl and pour the rest.
My rating: 4 My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.13 My ratebeer.com rating: 4
Intro: This 12oz bottle was bottled on 30th December 2014 and poured into a Duvel tulip glass. Appearance: The beer poured a very hazy straw gold colour with two finger white head that dissipated quickly leaving behind thin but nice lacing. Aroma: Earthy wheaty aromas with orange, banana and cloves poking through. Taste: Mainly ripe banana and bready wheaty malts with hints of citrus and a touch of hoppiness at the end. Mouthfeel: Light bodied, medium carbonation with a dry finish. Overall: This isn’t the best hefe that I’ve tried, but its up there and a good example of one. Its very easy to drink and I would definitely consider this during the hot summers.
Brewery: Three Floyds Brewing Co. Country: USA ABV: 6.2% Style: American Pale Ale Other Notes: 50 IBUs
Brewer Description: (from bottle) This intensely hopped and gushing undead pale ale will be ones only respite after the zombie apocalypse. Created with our marvellous friends in the comic industry. Art by Tim Seeley.
My rating: 5 My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.77 My ratebeer.com rating: 4.6
Intro: A friend brought back a six-pack to Hong Kong for me while this was still super fresh in February. Obviously there are times where I just like to sit back and enjoy a beer instead of always reviewing and as it is, two and a half months on, I’m down to my last bottle and so here’s the review. This 12oz bottle was bottled on 13 February 2015 and poured into a pint glass. Appearance: The beer poured a slightly hazy golden orange colour with a nice one and a half finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly leaving nice stringy lacing. Aroma: Intense aromas of tropical fruits especially pineapple and mango hit first, followed by some citrus grapefruit and a hint of bready malts finally ending with some hoppy pine. Taste: Much like the smell, there was tropical pineapple, citrus grapefruit, some bready buscuity malts and a very nice bitter finish. Mouthfeel: Very crisp, light and with medium carbonation. Overall: I had high expectations before trying it and it lived up to those expectations. It was a very easy APA to drink and this is a must buy if available for me. It was best when it was freshest. Now lets see about 3 Floyds distribution to Hong Kong… hmm, I guess distribution = friends!
Brewery: Grand Teton Brewing Co. Country: USA ABV: 6% Style: Brown Ale Other Notes: 60 IBUs
Brewer Description: (from website) Bitch Creek perfectly balances big malt sweetness and robust hop flavor for a full bodied, satisfying mahogany ale. Like the stream for which it is named, our Bitch Creek ESB is full of character… not for the timid.
My rating: 3 My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.85 My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8
Intro: A 12oz bottle that was bottled on 22 January 2015 and poured into a pint glass. Appearance: It poured a dark brownish red colour with a slightly less than one finger creamy brown head that dissipates in less than a minute leaving stringy lacing. Aroma: Sweet toasted bready malts, caramel and some dark fruits mainly plum and grape. Taste: Mainly sweet caramel mixed with some citrus hoppy flavours and a small amount of dark fruits. The aftertaste also gives a small blast of alcohol. Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with low to medium carbonation. Overall: It was quite a nice brown ale. Maybe a tad bit sweet, but I would probably consider buying this again if I craved for some brown ale. Having said that, this is quite honestly probably the only bottle that’s made it to Hong Kong.
words of another dreamy traveller 