Dubuisson - Scaldis Amber Ale

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Scaldis Amber Ale
Brasserie Dubuisson
Chaussée de Mons 32, 7904
Pipaix, Belgium
Est. 1769
www.br-dubuisson.com
and
www.belgianexperts.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 12.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 25.4

Postmortem Brew Review
Golden amber color.
Nutty, sweet malt aromas to the nose with hints of Belgian yeast.
Big head that leaves clingy lacing and stays to the end of glass.
Sweet malt taste that is not overly sticky or syrupy.
Clean hop finish that does not interfere with the malts.
Soft carbonation. Warming effect from the alcohol.
Full mouth feel; full flavored. Best served slightly chilled above room temperature. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy 
If beer brings people together then we must assume that good beer brings good people together.  This 75th anniversary edition of Scaldis Amber Ale was gifted to me by Wendy Littlefield, at the 2010 Beer Bloggers Conference held in Boulder, Colorado. Wendy, along with her husband are co-founders of Vanberg & DeWulf, importers of some of the finest Belgian beer available. They are not newbies to the beer world. Vanberg & DeWulf bill themselves as "The Experts in Belgian Beer Since 1982." That is a long track record with a great history. And as I discovered, they also founded, built and subsequently sold Brewery Ommegang in Cooperstown, NY. Wendy won a home brewing competition for none other than Three Philosophers. If you follow this line of provenance, you can see how impressed I was with making her acquaintance.

As for the Scaldis, according to the Dubuisson's website:

The trademark BUSH has only been registered in a few European countries as in the forties, nobody at the Brewery Dubuisson had imagined this BUSH beer would be sold worldwide. Afterwards, the Brewery Dubuisson has not been allowed to register the BUSH name in several countries. As a result, our BUSH beer is exported in all other countries under the name of SCALDIS.

My bottle of Scaldis was returned safely home to the crypt in FL and kept for our Thanksgiving Day celebration held with my wife and family. This brew had a special air about it from the distinguished orange and white painted label to the cork and cage stopper. The label informs the holder that this ale is bottle fermented/conditioned (refermentee as displayed.)  Billed as "The strongest beer brewed in Belgium", at 12% ABV, Scaldis is 100% naturally fermented. They use a 65 year old yeast strain that is exclusive to Dubuisson brewery, along with some tried and true science to create this wonderful ale. It made a delicious accompaniment to the end of our Thanksgiving Day feast and paired well with the sumptuous desserts.

Back to the opening statement that beer brings people together...As it turns out, my eldest daughter's boyfriend "popped" the question over the holiday weekend and they are now engaged to be married! Who knew that "popping" the cork would bring such luck?

From my chance meeting with Wendy to the celebration of holiday and family, I now know that if the old adage is applied to the fullest, we can confidently state that "great beer brings great people together!"

The Bruery - Autumn Maple Belgian Style Brown Ale

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Autumn Maple Belgian Style Brown Ale

The Bruery

715 Dunn Way

Placentia, CA USA

Est. 2008

www.thebruery.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 10.5 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review

Rusty deep amber to clear brown color.

Malt sweetness with slight dry nuttiness in aroma.

One finger off-white head that quickly vanishes.

Sweet caramel malt taste with lingering finish.

Minimal amount of carbonation.

Light to medium bodied. A bit boozy on the finish.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

Autumn Maple is a Belgian-Style Brown Ale that weighs in at a hefty 10.5% ABV. The bottle label exclaims, "We don't need pumpkins in our beer!" And it's true, they don't. Most people do not realize that pumpkin, in and of itself, does not have much taste. It is the spices that make the flavor.

This beer is packed with flavor. Maple is pronounced, but you'll find a variety of sugary caramel things like sweet yams, cinnamon, brown sugar and more, hinting in the background.  There's almost too much going on in the bottle. Sweetness abounds, but happily with no cloying taste.  We made it the 'meal' beer with our turkey day spread. It was starchy enough to stand on its own with the varieties of food on the table.  Autumn Maple was well received by all in attendance.

Autumn Maple is practically a meal in itself. Its creamy texture and warming alcohol went down with ease...almost too easy!

Magic Hat - Hex Ourtoberfest

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Magic Hat - Hex Ourtoberfest
Magic Hat Brewing Company
5 Bartlett Bay Road
Burlington, VT USA
Est. 1994
www.magichat.net

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.4 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Rusty deep amber color.
Malt sweetness with slight dry nuttiness in aroma.
One finger off-white head that quickly vanishes.
Sweet caramel malt taste with lingering finish.
Minimal amount of carbonation.
Light to medium bodied.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
I guess that Oktoberfest is still hanging out in the fridge. I found this one on a routine check and decided to drink and review before the onslaught of Christmas beer arrives.

"Ourtoberfest" is a little touch on the sweet side for a Marzen, which is why it is actually classified as an American Amber or Red style ale. Nonetheless, a curious refresher that you can use to introduce your friends to a trade up from their yellow lager beers. A very likeable drinker.

Inside the cap says, "Just say 9" What does that mean? I dunno, but it's fun to say.

Brouwerij Huyghe - DELIRIUM tremens

Pink Elephant

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
DELIRIUM tremens
Brouwerij Huyghe
Melle, Belgium
Est. 1654
www.delirium.be

Brain Damage Quotient = 8.5 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 11.2

Postmortem Brew Review
Almost clear, pleasant light golden color.
Yeasty smells, lemon, other fruit and spice like coriander.
Two finger frothy white head. Spotty lacing and tightly packed bubbles on head.
Sweet taste; dry finish with peppery, lemony twang.
Medium carbonation.
Light to medium bodied mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
The white, speckled bottle with rich blue foil neck wrapper, grabs your attention. The happy little pink elephants, dancing gators and balancing serpents keep you entertained as this delightfully deceptive ale draws you in. Of course it's Huyghe since 1654.

Soft bubbles much like those found in champagne, tickle your nose as the 8.5% ABV works its magic. Blissfully pleasant to drink.  It only gets better as it warms in the glass.  Fruity flavors, spice and other components are released to you tongue and nose.

Not too many of these...otherwise you will see 1:1 scale pink elephants.

Sierra Nevada - Tumbler 2010 Autumn Brown Ale

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Tumbler 2010 Autumn Brown Ale
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Chico, CA USA
Est. 1980
www.sierranevada.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.5 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review
Root beer brown color.
Roasty malt aromas with nutty dry aromas.
Two finger frothy tan head that coats the glass.
Great head and lace retention completely down the side of glass.
Sweet malty taste; dry easy finish with taste of toasted nuts.
Medium carbonation.
Medium bodied mouth feel. Very smooth. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Today is the 30th anniversary of Ken Grossman's little beer project, a.k.a. Sierra Nevada. Congrats to him and the staff for doing their part in helping the craft beer revolution along.

I'm going to keep it simple here as I usually do with my Sierra Nevada posts....here is a great measuring stick for all brown ales.  Smooth, tight and dry with a bit of nuttiness and touch of sweetness. Another outstanding beer from Sierra Nevada.

Keep up the good work Ken and thanks for all the great ales! Keep 'em coming! Happy 30th anniversary!

Paulaner - Oktoberfest Marzen

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Paulaner Oktoberfest Marzen
Paulaner Brewing
Munich, Germany
Est. 1634
www.paulaner.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.8 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Deep golden color.
Dry grainy malt backbone and hops smell.
Off-white head that sticks around to the end of the glass.
Stringy lacing.
Light to medium body.  Easy to drink. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
One last bastion of Oktoberfest hanging out in my cooler. This one is the real deal from Germany, however, I felt it lacked a little bit of character. It was a bit more malty than I would care for in a fest beer, but still a well made brew just the same.

Paulaner has been making beer for a long time, so who am I to judge. I prefer some  of the other German Marzen's to this, but wouldn't turn it down just the same.

BrewDog - The End Of History

Totally Stuffed Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
The End Of History
BrewDog Ltd.
Unit 1, Kessock Workshops
Fraserburgh  Scotland 
Est. 2007
www.brewdog.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 55.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 (container) / 0.5 (sample)

Postmortem Brew Review
Near clear amber/orange color.
Strong, overpowering presence of alcohol and not much more on the nose.
Aroma can be noticed from a distance.
No head.
Some legs of lacing on the glass.
No carbonation detectable.
Taste is harsh and grainy like full on grain alcohol.  Stinging hops finish.
Lots of alcohol burn, straight down the throat.
Tough to determine body from sample but strong flavored to say the least. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy 
Oh yes I did.......oh yes I did! Muahahaaahaaa!

Pushing the boundaries is what it's all about with BrewDog James and the gang in Scotland. No one, repeat, no one at all can call them dispassionate. This is their latest attempt to top German brewer Schorschbrau in the quest for the world's strongest beer. It's freakin' 55% for crying out loud!

Once again, I'll let the brewer's speak for themselves: 

This 55% beer should be drank in small servings whilst exuding an endearing pseudo vigilance and reverence for Mr Stoat. This is to be enjoyed with a weather eye on the horizon for inflatable alcohol industry Nazis, judgemental washed up neo-prohibitionists or any grandiloquent, ostentatious foxes.

 The End of History: The name derives from the famous work of philosopher Francis Fukuyama, this is to beer what democracy is to history. Fukuyama defined history as the evolution of the political system and traced this through the ages until we got the Western Democratic paradigm. For Fukuyama this was the end point of man’s political evolution and consequently the end of history. The beer is the last high abv beer we are going to brew, the end point of our research into how far the can push the boundaries of extreme brewing, the end of beer.

Whew! If you are taking this too seriously, I think you are missing the point.  The only serious things here are the extremes to which BrewDog takes their dedication to pushing the envelope on beer.  And boy, has it ever been pushed.  Just look at the err, uhmm, well, I guess it 'aint exactly a label. It's a taxiderm-ied squirrel! Holy s#IT !!!

Mr. Stoat takes time out
of his busy schedule to
pose with me at BBC2010

I was truly lucky just to be in the presence of Mr. Stoat at the 2010 Beer Blogger's Conference held in Boulder, CO.  The guys at BeerTapTV were chosen to receive the bottle-wrapped-in-a-squirrel, as the one and only media bottle! I was luckier still that Erik and Romey from BeerTapTV allowed me a sip. After I watched the panelists take a sip, I had a feeling there would be some left over to taste. I watched them wrinkle their noses, smack their lips and stroke their throats as the potent liquid did its thing on them.

The beer was seriously strong, I got about a half ounce sip and my lips and tongue tingled like I just had the hottest Buffalo Wings, ever!  They stayed that way for about 30 to 45 minutes.  The alcohol burn was laser-like as it snaked its way down my throat. Grainy and super strong. If you aren't paying attention, it is 110 proof. That's stronger than most shots of whiskey, or tequila, friend.

The only thing this squirrel is missing, are some nuts...and you will need a big pair of them to drink much more of this!

Mr. Stoat with Romey, Erik and Ashley

Disclaimer: No humans were harmed during the drinking enjoyment of this beer.

BrewDog - Sink the Bismarck!

Sunken Sailor

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Sink the Bismarck!
BrewDog Ltd.
Unit 1, Kessock Workshops
Fraserburgh  Scotland 
Est. 2007
www.brewdog.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 41.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 (container) / 1.5 (sample)

Postmortem Brew Review
Cloudy amber/orange color.
Fruity sweet with heavy malt smell and some slightly acrid scents.
Absolutely no head.
Slightly detectable "legs" of lacing on the glass.
Tiny amount of carbonation.
Taste is deep smoky like the that of burning rubber.  Lots of biting hops throughout.
Warms the back of the mouth and throat; quite a bit of alcohol sting.
Tastes intensified as it warmed to room temperature.
Heavy malted body, complex flavors. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy 
Let's let the brewers speak for themselves: 

Sink the Bismarck! is beer, amplified. With the volume turned full up, it is important you that you be careful with this beer and show it the same amount of skeptical, tentative respect you would show an international chess superstar, clown or gypsy. Sink the Bismarck is a quadruple IPA that contains four times the hops, four times the bitterness and frozen four times to create at a staggering 41% ABV. This is IPA amplified, the most evocative style of the craft beer resistance with the volume cranked off the scale. Kettle hopped, dry hopped then freeze hopped for a deep fruit, resinous and spicy aroma. A full out attack on your taste-buds ensues as the incredibly smooth liquid delivers a crescendo of malt, sweet honey, hop oils and a torpedo of hop bitterness which lasts and lasts.

I got a burnt rubber like taste, not entirely detestable, but certainly not a drink to be quaffed in any kind of quantity.  BrewDog duked it out with Schorschbrau in the strongest beer "arms race" for ABV supremacy.  This was BrewDog's second salvo fired at the "sausage-muncher's" attempt to dethrone them for the crown.

Sink the Bismarck! is one heck of an alcoholic concoction, but certainly it seems aimed at grabbing some headlines, and $$$ rather than a serious, drinkable beer.  That aside, it is still fun to watch these two brewers from the sidelines.  Even more fun, is the chance to get a taste of this rare, and extreme example of brewing. And taste, I did, since it won't likely pass this way again.

Thanks to the fellow who brought it with them to this year's Beer Blogger's Conference, else I might not had a chance to sample it, at all. 

Just like the real battle ship, it was very tough to sink, indeed!

Deschutes Brewery - Hop Trip

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Hop Trip
Deschutes Brewery 
901 SW Simpson Avenue
Bend, OR USA
Est. 1988
www.deschutesbrewery.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.5 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Amber color; clear.
100% crystal hops and citrus orange-like aroma.
One to two finger head with super sticky lacing as it drapes on the glass.
Tastes of malt and hops, interesting because malts are masked by hops on the nose.
Modest carbonation.
Semi dry finish in the taste.
Medium bodied. Fresh taste and easy to drink. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This blog post was done live at the first ever Beer Blogger's Conference, held in Boulder Colorado. 108 bloggers were in attendance, from over five hundred identified blogs. Luminaries of the craft beer world also attended to serve as presenters and keynote speakers for the event. A "speed round" of blogging was held by 12 brewers, each bringing an exemplary brew to blog. 12 beers, 12 blogging tables and 60 minutes were allotted in a fun, free-for-all session. 

Round #12

Stacey Denbow

Stacey Denbow explained all about this wonderfully interesting hopped brew. He stated that this "fresh hop" Pale Ale is about the celebration of the hop harvest in the fall. Deschutes picks the hops fresh and trucks them to the brewery so they can be added to the brew right away. It takes about 680 pounds of Crystal hops from a farm outside Salem, Oregon.  The hops are added to each 120 barrel batch in addition to some dry kilned whole flower hops. Crazy stuff from their Bond Street Series, but with all those hops, it's even crazier that it attains a mere 38 IBU's ! No mistake, it has all the full fresh hop taste enveloping your taste buds with none of the over hopped burnout. Refreshingly delicious!

Some of the more interesting highlights that Stacey shared with us:

• Hops are added immediately after arrival to the brewery (the boil is started as the trucks leave the hop yards!)
• Produced once a year in 22oz bottles.
• Hop Trip is meant to be consumed immediately, to keep the hop fresh flavor alive.
• Our tasting bottle was only 10 days old !

Odell Mountain Standard - 2010 Double Black IPA

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Mountain Standard - 2010 Double Black IPA
Odell Brewing Company
800 East Lincoln Avenue
Fort Collins, CO USA
Est. 1989
www.odellbrewing.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 9.5 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Dark brown to black in color.
68 IBU's of hops and beautifully roasted malts greet your nose.
Silky soft head clings to the glass leaving draped lacing.
Big malt and hops taste that finishes softly, smoothly.
Soft carbonation.
Full flavored, full bodied. No alcohol after taste. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This blog post was done live at the first ever Beer Blogger's Conference, held in Boulder Colorado. 108 bloggers were in attendance, from over five hundred identified blogs. Luminaries of the craft beer world also attended to serve as presenters and keynote speakers for the event. A "speed round" of blogging was held by 12 brewers, each bringing an exemplary brew to blog. 12 beers, 12 blogging tables and 60 minutes were allotted in a fun, free-for-all session. 

Round #11

Odell Brewer Joe Mohrfeld & me

If you have been keeping score at home with my posts, it will come as no surprise that I am a self proclaimed fan-boy of Odell. They have an outstanding lineup of basic beer from a wheat through the pale and India pale ales and porters. Then they have their Single Serve releases and the now famously sought after Woodcut series.

Speaking of the special releases, I had the 2009 Mountain Standard Single Serve earlier this year and truly enjoyed it. But when Odell brewer Joe Mohrfeld came by our table with the 2010 Mountain Standard, my heart skipped a beat.

This corked and caged beer was being released today at 4:30 (Mountain Standard Time, of course!). We were getting to sample it only an hour before the release. This is a luxurious Double Black IPA that has a silky soft head.  Smooth, not boozy with a rich easy-to-drink texture that envelops your tongue and taste buds on the way down. Pure enjoyment, dark and satisfying to the bottom of the glass. 

Joe was a great ambassador of Odell.  He took time to explain how the 11 brewers collaborate on the brewing process for the releases. I'm sure the other 10 brewers share his passion, else their beer could not achieve such great quality and taste. Now, if we can just get that distribution a little closer to my home base...looks like many more trips to Colorado are in store for me.

Heaven on earth is the only way to describe the taste. Okay, maybe I'm gushing, but you will not be disappointed in the least. Now, I have to find a way to get some of this 2010 Single Serve before it's all gone.

Great Divide - Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout
Great Divide Brewing Company
2201 Arapahoe Street
Denver, CO USA
Est. 1994
www.greatdivide.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 9.5 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Black in color.
Smell of roast malt, vanilla and oak mingle on the nose.
Thick, rocky caramel colored head.
Lace clings tightly to the side of the glass with each sip.
Roasty malt taste with vanilla, and large hits of hops flavor.
Full bodied and full complex flavors. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This blog post was done live at the first ever Beer Blogger's Conference, held in Boulder Colorado. 108 bloggers were in attendance, from over five hundred identified blogs. Luminaries of the craft beer world also attended to serve as presenters and keynote speakers for the event. A "speed round" of blogging was held by 12 brewers, each bringing an exemplary brew to blog. 12 beers, 12 blogging tables and 60 minutes were allotted in a fun, free-for-all session. 

Round #10

Bryan Baltzell of Great Divide

Bryan Baltzell was the Yeti 'wrangler' from Great Divide, for this round. Oak Aged Yeti, no less. This is a sumptuous Russian Imperial Stout that left an impressive rocky head with some nice lacing on the glass.

Bryan passed a couple of bottles around the table for review while explaining the difference that oak aging makes on this brew, compared to the standard Yeti. I have never tasted either and was looking forward to trying it. After pouring, sniffing, holding it up to light, and swirling the beer, I raised the glass to my lips in great anticipation. Boo-yah!

According to Great Divide, this is a more sophisticated version of the Yeti.  Kinda' sounds like an oxymoron; a sophisticated Yeti?!!? Now I have a picture of Peter Boyle from Young Frankenstein stuck in my head.

Frankenstein in a tuxedo? You bet! It's "Super-DOOPER!"

Rogue Chocolate Stout

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Chocolate Stout
Rogue Ales
2320 OSU Drive
Newport, OR USA
Est.1988
www.rogue.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 22.0 (3 oz. sample)

Postmortem Brew Review
Deep, dark brown in color.
Chocolate and malt smell with nearly no scent of hops.
Luxurious creamy caramel color head that lasts and lasts.
Luscious clinging of foam from top to bottom of glass.
Full bodied, malt, oat & chocolate flavor.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This blog post was done live at the first ever Beer Blogger's Conference, held in Boulder Colorado. 108 bloggers were in attendance, from over five hundred identified blogs. Luminaries of the craft beer world also attended to serve as presenters and keynote speakers for the event. A "speed round" of blogging was held by 12 brewers, each bringing an exemplary brew to blog. 12 beers, 12 blogging tables and 60 minutes were allotted in a fun, free-for-all session. 

Round #9

Sebbie Buhler

It was pure joy when I saw Sebbie Buhler approach the table with a bottle of Rogue Chocolate Stout. One of my favorites, Chocolate Stout is a crowd pleaser.  I have reviewed this one before, so you can read my thought on it here.

Sebbie spoke with enthusiasm as she passed the bottle to the bloggers at our table. For those of you that do not know, she is the woman depicted on the painted bottle label. Even her t-shirt let you know that she too, enjoys this brew. It is simply yummy.

Try some for yourself, and see if you agree.

Widmer Brothers - Brothers Reserve Barrel Aged Brrrbon Fall 2010

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Brothers Reserve Barrel Aged Brrrbon Fall 2010
Widmer Brothers
929 N. Russell
Portland, OR USA
Est. 1984
www.widmer.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 9.4 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 22.0 (3 oz. sample)

Postmortem Brew Review
Dark amber brown color.
Caramel notes along with a distinct presence of bourbon smells.
Small head with creamy bubble layer that dissipates slowly.
Soft oak and bourbon tastes mingle to sweetness with a dry finish.
Slight alcohol warmth in finish.
Smooth carbonation, smooth drinking. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This blog post was done live at the first ever Beer Blogger's Conference, held in Boulder Colorado. 108 bloggers were in attendance, from over five hundred identified blogs. Luminaries of the craft beer world also attended to serve as presenters and keynote speakers for the event. A "speed round" of blogging was held by 12 brewers, each bringing an exemplary brew to blog. 12 beers, 12 blogging tables and 60 minutes were allotted in a fun, free-for-all session. 

Round #8

Rob Widmer

Brothers Rob and Kurt founded their brewery in 1984.  This was a time in microbrewing's infancy. They have tended to their craft quite nicely creating one unique tasting beer after another.  This is one of the first of their bigger beers I have been able to sample.  I found its bourbon flavor made for a great taste experience.

Rob was our presenter today.  He explained to us the barrel aging process.  Rob stated that over one quarter of the barrels came from Maker's Mark and many of the rest from Jim Beam. The flavors of the bourbon and the oak really shine in the taste of this beer.  It's like a hand crafted boilermaker.

Enjoy this while it lasts. Once one of their specialty series is gone, it's gone! So don't miss out.

Karl Strauss - Full Suit Belgian Style Brown Ale

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Full Suit Belgian Style Brown Ale
Karl Strauss 
5985 Santa Fe Street
San Diego, CA USA
Est. 1989
www.karlstrauss.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.3 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 (3 oz. sample)

Postmortem Brew Review
Copper brown in color.
Soft yeast strain smells along with a bit of spice sweetness.
A bit of nuttiness and roasted malt, as well.
Short head with strings of lace.
Smooth flavors of spice and sugars and yeast.
Soft carbonation. Dry, warming finish.
Gentle and easy to drink. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This blog post was done live at the first ever Beer Blogger's Conference, held in Boulder Colorado. 108 bloggers were in attendance, from over five hundred identified blogs. Luminaries of the craft beer world also attended to serve as presenters and keynote speakers for the event. A "speed round" of blogging was held by 12 brewers, each bringing an exemplary brew to blog. 12 beers, 12 blogging tables and 60 minutes were allotted in a fun, free-for-all session. 

Round #7

Karl Strauss was a leader in the early years of beer making in the United States. They have a nice homage page on the website explaining his tenure at Pabst from 1939 through 1983. That's an incredible span of 6 decades at Pabst!

Not content to sit on his laurels, he joined his cousin to form a new brewery in 1986. He remained here for 20 years until his passing in 2006. Passion! That's what the beer business is all about.

Full Suit is a Winter Seasonal Belgian Brown Ale that is hearty and smooth. It drinks very easily at a modest 6.3 ABV and will satisfy most palates that prefer brown ales done in the Belgian style.

Karl was a multi-award winning brewer, with a zest for the industry. It appears that his namesake is in good hands.

AC Golden Brewing - Colorado Native Lager

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Colorado Native Lager
AC Golden Brewing
12th and Ford Streets
Golden, CO USA
Est. 2008
www.acgolden.com
and
www.coloradonativelager.com
Brain Damage Quotient = 5.5 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 (3 oz. sample)

Postmortem Brew Review
Amber color with orange hues.
Fresh hop aroma with grapefruit like citrus. Bread-like malt.
Slight off-white head that is one finger high and lasts.
Good amount of streaked lacing.
Tastes like it smells, hops and malts intermingle nicely.
Fair amount of smooth carbonation.
Medium to light bodied.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This blog post was done live at the first ever Beer Blogger's Conference, held in Boulder Colorado. 108 bloggers were in attendance, from over five hundred identified blogs. Luminaries of the craft beer world also attended to serve as presenters and keynote speakers for the event. A "speed round" of blogging was held by 12 brewers, each bringing an exemplary brew to blog. 12 beers, 12 blogging tables and 60 minutes were allotted in a fun, free-for-all session. 

Round #6

A little "skunk works" from the MillerCoors company, AC Golden has become a bit of a proving ground for creating new brands within the MillerCoors family. Don't be put off by that prospect. When you are a large corporation you can provide resources for doing something different.  That's just what's going on here.  AC Golden is allowed the latitude to go outside the box of standard yellow lager and experiment.

Jeff Cornell

Head Brewer, Jeff Cornell was serving us information about the brewery's operation, along with the beer.  This is a far better than average lager style from a brewery using some tried and true mash tanks from Germany. Look at their website to see the craft equipment.  It is impressive. Lagers are some of the hardest to get right and too many folks are dismissive toward the style.  But when they are done right, they can satisfy your thirst for flavor. And this is a very tidy lager.

It is only available in the state of Colorado, so try some the next time you are there and see for yourself. I'm sure you will be impressed with the big effort from this small brewery. It's a win for MillerCoors, a win for craft beer and a win for the consumer.

Great Lakes Brewing - Edmund Fitzgerald Porter

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Edmund Fitzgerald Porter
Great Lakes Brewing
2516 Market Avenue
Cleveland, Ohio USA
Est. 1988
www.greatlakesbrewing.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.8 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 (3 oz. sample)

Postmortem Brew Review
Almost completely black in color.
Smell of roasted barley and coffee.
Off white head, about one finger high, covers to wisp.
Strings and spots of lacing down the side of the glass.
Bittersweet chocolate/coffee taste; malts are very present.
Medium bodied mouth feel. Extremely easy drinker. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This blog post was done live at the first ever Beer Blogger's Conference, held in Boulder Colorado. 108 bloggers were in attendance, from over five hundred identified blogs. Luminaries of the craft beer world also attended to serve as presenters and keynote speakers for the event. A "speed round" of blogging was held by 12 brewers, each bringing an exemplary brew to blog. 12 beers, 12 blogging tables and 60 minutes were allotted in a fun, free-for-all session. 

Round #5

Me with Kami & Lauren from GLBC

If I could have a nickel for every time I said, "Craft beer brings the nicest people together", I would be a rich man. As luck would have it, I am blessed with many great friendships; lots of them over sharing a good beer.  Here is no exception. Riding in on the shuttle from DIA to BBC10, I had the great fortune to meet two lovely representatives from Great Lakes Brewing.  Lauren and Kami were also headed to Boulder for the conference. We struck up a lively discussion about craft beer and their company from Cleveland.

At the 'lightning round' they brought along this porter, the Edmund Fitzgerald. Memorializing the iron-ore ship that sank during a storm on Lake Superior in 1975, this porter pays tribute to those that perished with the ship. Many of them on board were Clevelanders. They had explained during the ride to the hotel about this porter and spoke with great pride and passion about it. That's the thing about craft beer...people really get excited because it is good and they want to share that experience with others.

Sampling the beer, I noted how well balanced the malts were, leaving a creamy smooth texture on the tongue.  It played with the chocolate and coffee tones providing a bitter sweet finish. Perhaps it shows as a most fitting tribute to those hands that were lost on that evening, so long ago.

We do not get this porter in my part of the US, but I will make a point to seek it out when visiting Ohio. Very tasty and it makes a great sessionable choice.

Dogfish Head - World Wide Stout

Dead Soldier 

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

World Wide Stout 
Dogfish Head - World Wide Stout
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
6 Cannery Village Center
Milton, DE USA
Est. 1995
www.dogfish.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 18.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 (3 oz. sample)

Postmortem Brew Review
Dark syrupy black color.
Roasty, malty, chocolate, slight vanilla, and wine hits on the nose.
Creamy, one finger head. Caramel color that covers to a ring around the glass.
Syrupy textured and complex tastes of the aromas along with raisin/coffee finish.
Fairly thick bodied.
Not overly sweet. Not overly alcohol warming. Nice balance of the two.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This blog post was done live at the first ever Beer Blogger's Conference, held in Boulder Colorado. 108 bloggers were in attendance, from over five hundred identified blogs. Luminaries of the craft beer world also attended to serve as presenters and keynote speakers for the event. A "speed round" of blogging was held by 12 brewers, each bringing an exemplary brew to blog. 12 beers, 12 blogging tables and 60 minutes were allotted in a fun, free-for-all session. 

Round #4

Me & son w/Sam Calagione at GABF

Next up, our gracious server is......Mariah Calagione, wife of Sam Calagione, from Dogfish Head.  Their company slogan is "off-centered stuff for off-centered people".  I have had the fortune to meet both of them on separate occasions this year.  Truth be told, they are actually some of the most down-to-earth people you're ever likely to meet.  Sam was gracious to pause from his busy schedule, and have a photo snapped with my son and I at the Great American Beer Festival.  He even took the time to ask our names and where we were from. Genuinely, a nice guy.

Mariah stopped by our table with some of the World Wide Stout and a plate of nonpareils chocolates to pair with the beer. She gave an excellent review of the beer and stated how it started as a 23% but they backed it off to 18%. Maybe they should call it Wide Eyed Stout! But I digress...

Mariah Calagione w/stout & nonpareils

This is an amazing beer. Any super high ABV will usually have notes of booziness to it.  It was hardly detectable. It was almost too easy to drink. Hmmm, I could get into trouble with a couple of these!

"Fine brews from fine folks" would work equally well as a slogan for them. Thank you Mariah & Sam!

New Planet Tread Lightly Ale

Dead Soldier 

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Tread Lightly Ale
New Planet Brewery
3980 Broadway
Ste. 103 – PMB 116
Boulder, CO USA
Est. 2008
www.newplanetbeer.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 (3 oz. sample)

Postmortem Brew Review
Light amber color.
Smell of malt and citrus, slight orange peel.
Off white head, about one finger high, covers to wisp.
Minimal lacing down the side of the glass.
Gluten free.
Light bodied mouth feel. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This blog post was done live at the first ever Beer Blogger's Conference, held in Boulder Colorado. 108 bloggers were in attendance, from over five hundred identified blogs. Luminaries of the craft beer world also attended to serve as presenters and keynote speakers for the event. A "speed round" of blogging was held by 12 brewers, each bringing an exemplary brew to blog. 12 beers, 12 blogging tables and 60 minutes were allotted in a fun, free-for-all session. 

Round #3 

I have never tried brussels sprouts.While you might think those taste bad, they really have gotten a bad rap. After all, have you ever tried them?  Are you going on the opinion of someone else, or perhaps you just heard about them as the butt end of a joke?

I have never tried a gluten free beer before, and though I'm not making comparisons to the aforementioned veggie, I had to see what the fuss is about......

There isn't anything to fuss about. This is a reasonable beer created for those who have intolerance to gluten in their diet. It is very much a beer. It is not a big beer (flavor, ABV, extra additions of hops or malts), but it is a great beer for our friends that cannot consume conventional gluten beer.  The name "Tread Lightly" suggests it will be easier on their digestive systems.

The aromas were fine, the taste was fine and it was pretty easy to drink. For those with Celiac disease, beers such as these can be a blessing. Cheers to New Planet for helping others to enjoy craft beer.

Breckenridge Christmas Ale

Dead Soldier 

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Breckenridge Christmas Ale
Breckenridge Brewery
471 Kalamath Street
Denver, CO USA
Est. 1989
www.breckbrew.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 7.4 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 (3 oz. sample)

Postmortem Brew Review
Copper/Amber color.
Smell of malt and nutty sweetness on the nose.
Tan head, about one finger high, covers to wisp.
Fair amount of lacing down the side of the glass.
Alcohol masked very well.
Light to medium bodied mouth feel. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This blog post was done live at the first ever Beer Blogger's Conference, held in Boulder Colorado. 108 bloggers were in attendance, from over five hundred identified blogs. Luminaries of the craft beer world also attended to serve as presenters and keynote speakers for the event. A "speed round" of blogging was held by 12 brewers, each bringing an exemplary brew to blog. 12 beers, 12 blogging tables and 60 minutes were allotted in a fun, free-for-all session. 

Round #2

Todd Thibault of
Breckenridge
Brewery

One of the coolest things about the BBC10 was meeting some of the brewery reps/owners.  Todd Thibault, Sales & Marketing Director was "in da' houze' for the next round.  Earlier in the day, a Twitter tweet had gone out to #BBC10 asking to choose between 471 Small Batch or their Christmas Ale.  I was the first responder followed by many other RT for the Christmas Ale. Todd was up to this!  How cool to give the guests of BBC10 a preference!

Turns out that it was a great choice. Nice to get to taste a naturally zingy Winter Warmer style ale.  Todd gave us as much of the specs as possible in his 2 minutes of the 'lightning round', stating that the spicy flavor did not come at the expense of unnatural flavor additions. The fact is, at 7.4% ABV, you'll get the warmth and the flavor is very yummy, what with the Two Row Pale, Caramel, Chocolate and Black malt additions.

Skip the egg nog this year and bag some of this.  "Bottled Joy To The World" is their slogan. Indeed.

New Belgium - 2010 La Folie Sour Brown Ale

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

2010 La Folie Sour Brown Ale
New Belgium Brewing
500 Linden Street
Fort Collins, CO USA
Est. 1991
www.newbelgium.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 22.0 (3 oz. sample)

Postmortem Brew Review
Caramel brown color.
French oak barrel aged; formerly used for wine.
Leaves distinct wine aromas; oak figgy and wine.
Minimal tan head.
Spotted lacing on the glass.
Sour taste that doesn't get too harsh.
Bits of plum and fruit in flavor.
Moderate carbonation.
Full taste. Medium bodied. Easy to drink for a sour.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy 
This blog post was done live at the first ever Beer Blogger's Conference, held in Boulder Colorado. 108 bloggers were in attendance, from over five hundred identified blogs. Luminaries of the craft beer world also attended to serve as presenters and keynote speakers for the event. A "speed round" of blogging was held by 12 brewers, each bringing an exemplary brew to blog. 12 beers, 12 blogging tables and 60 minutes were allotted in a fun, free-for-all session. 


Round #1

Justin Patti

First up is New Belgium's La Folie Sour Brown Ale from their Lips of Faith series. Now mind you, 'sours' are an acquired taste and certainly not my favorite style, but this one was rather good. I guess that the sours I've tasted were a little too over the top.  La Folie doesn't overpower with too much fruitiness, nor does it have the pucker power of others.  It is sour, but just enough to make you want to come back for another taste.  Quite interesting, indeed.

All in all, it changed my perception of what sour ales can be; not by knocking out my taste buds, but by tantalizing them.  Love to dig some of this up in Florida someday, but til then I will learn to try more sours. I didn't expect that!

Stone Lukcy 13asartd

Dead but Lukcy 13asartd

Lukcy 13asartd

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Stone Lukcy 13asartd

Stone Brewing Company

North San Diego County

Escondido, CA USA 
Est. 1996

www.stonebrew.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 8.5 % ABV 
Fluid Oz. = 22.0

Postmortem Brew ReviewCopper/amber color.
Hoppy nose with small amounts of malt coming through.
One finger tan head that has minimal lacing on the glass.
Minimal carbonation.
Full hoppy taste up front with rich roasted malt caramel taste.
Served at room temperature.
Full flavor, medium body.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Wow! Grge Kcoh in the houose at the 2010 Beer Blgoggers Conferererence! And he broought us a littel soemthing very spceial. Lukcy 13asartd. That's rihtt, not a typoo, see the btottle in the photo.  We are a bnunch of Lukcy 13asartd's to get soeme of this.

We aren't supposed to be talking about it yet*, but....who can keep a secret. This is very delicious, not just saying that 'cause it's complimentary. The 8.5% alcohol is barely noticeable, except for the warmth. Silky smooth finish that promotes the malt character, after the hops have just ripped your nose.

Get some..uh, that is, when it's released........soon. Muahahahah. Finally, I am worthy!

*Review done live, as it was poured for our sampling, from the 2010 Beer Blogger's Conference. This beer will be released soon.

Left Hand - 400 Pound Monkey

Dead Monkey

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Left Hand - 400 Pound Monkey
Left Hand Brewing Company
1265 Boston Avenue
Longmont, CO USA
Est. 1994
www.lefthandbrewing.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.7 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Translucent soft golden color.
Light hops aroma. Notes of apple? Something astringent in flavor.
Off-white, two finger head that covers to a wisp.
Draped lacing down the side of the glass.
Soft hops taste with a very dry hop finish.
Light carbonation with tightly packed champagne like bubbles.
Light to medium bodied mouth feel; pleasantly warming aftertaste. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Ringo Starr's/Beatles "With a Little Help From My Friends" is now resonating in the speakers and my head.

This election night, I decided to put out an instant vote between three beers, using Twitter. This was the winner. As usual in the election process, there were runoffs, tie votes, attempts to bribe the elector-at-charge et al. Also as in real life, it came down to the flip of a coin to decide the 'left handed' victory.  And a 400 Pound Monkey beat a Loose Cannon and some Turtle with a Gamma Ray, into office. Go figure- - -it's art imitating life, or is it the other way around?

This is a pleasant English style IPA, but unlike American IPA's, it hasn't got enough punch of hops to knock out a hanging chad. But a tip of the hat to the British style...at 6.7 ABV, it does have some alcohol warmth. A little drying on the tongue and a bit acidic. Feeling the buzz right now...hard race fought....election won....must be the champagne like bubbles in the head! Where are the balloons, confetti and streamers?

Many thanks to my constituents for getting out to vote:
@AGirlandHerBeer
@EmpireVanessa
@AlanCShaw
@BeerCruiser
@MrBikerBrew
@htcdesign

@MugOfStArnold will need an absentee ballot next time!  That was fun. We'll have to try putting it to a vote more often. Thanks guys!