Sprecher - Abbey Triple

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Abbey Triple Belgian Style Ale
Sprecher Brewing Company
701 West Glendale Avenue
Glendale, WI USA
Est. 1985
www.sprecherbrewery.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 8.4 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review
Slightly hazy, mostly orange color.
Floral, citrus hops nose along with more citrus fruit and bready tones. A bit of clove and banana esters also at play.
White, two finger frothy head. Tight bubbles that dissipate slowly and leave a draped lacing on the glass.
Taste starts a bit thin, but then fruits and citrus come out. Clove and spice pronounced as it warms in the glass.
Moderate carbonation.
Medium bodied. Interesting balances of flavor and easy to drink.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Is it a bad thing when you don't remember how beer ends up in your possession? Well, it is very curious because I'm the only one that places them in the fridge. Early onset Alzheimer's, no doubt!

Pulling and prodding through the stock of beer in the mortuary cooler, I noticed this one. "Hmmmm...", I pondered how it got there. Nevertheless, a Belgian style ale that just shows up in the fridge is like finding twenty dollars in the pocket of your old blue jeans. "It's time to spend this one...", I thought out loud.

It was good - indeed, very good. Is it the very best Belgian style I've had? No. But it has all the elements of becoming a great one. Everything is there. The banana and clove, the beautiful orange/amber tones with an ample white frothy head. Bready, yeasty smells and taste. Yup, it's all in there.

I enjoyed it, the same way I would have enjoyed spending that twenty bucks, especially considering there was no buyer's remorse with this beer. Whereas the twenty was mine to begin with, I really can't recall how the Sprecher ended up in the fridge. So, that made it a double, (or Tripel), bonus! Ha-HA!

It was tasty, though it took some persistence on my part to wait out the proper temp. Once that was achieved, the flavors did shine through. Interesting to note that this is made in Wisconsin. So I am happy to find yet another American brewer producing Belgian Style ales.

Stone Cold Fact: Sprecher Brewery also makes sodas, as do several other micro breweries. Nice to know.

U S A ! - U S A ! - U S A !

Karl Strauss - Boardwalk Black Rye

Dead Soldier 

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Boardwalk Black Rye
Karl Strauss 
5985 Santa Fe Street
San Diego, CA USA
Est. 1989
www.karlstrauss.com


Brain Damage Quotient = 8.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 22.0


Postmortem Brew Review
Dark black color on the pour.
Carmel and rye nose; nicely malty. Flashes of hop aromas.
Short stout head with strings of lace.
Smooth flavors of caramel, toffee and rye.
Soft carbonation. Nicely drinkable at 8%ABV.
Medium bodied, full flavored. Rich and complex.


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
I held on to this one from the 2011 Beer Bloggers Conference, waiting for just the right moment to pop the cap. Karl Strauss Brewing turns 23 this month of February and they teamed up with Untappd to create an anniversary badge commemorating the event. Timing is everything, so this 8% caramely hopped bomber's time had come.

I had not forgotten how great tasting this was, while at last August's BBC11. I was able to sample much of this black beauty during the event. After aging for a few months in the crypt cooler, all the nicely complex flavors of rye, caramel and west coast hops melded together for a wonderfully flavorful way to top off a Friday night. Glad to have squirreled this bottle away for such an auspicious event...happy anniversary Karl Strauss! I patiently wait for the day that Karl Strauss broadens their distribution reach. For now, I will look for their finely crafted ales whenever I get the chance to visit SoCal.

As for you poor souls in the same predicament as myself - - - seek this one out whenever you get the chance!

Russian River - Pliny The Elder

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Pliny The Elder
Russian River Brewing Company
725 4th Street
Santa Rosa, CA USA
Est. 2003 (vague)
www.russianriverbrewing.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 8.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 16.9

Postmortem Brew Review
Mostly golden, with slight orange tint in color.
Pine then fruity/citrus hops; powerful aroma.
Off-white, two finger frothy head. Dissipates slowly. Leaves a thin but sticky draped lace all the way down the glass.
Great pungent hops taste that start piney and then become mostly citrus in taste as it clings to the tongue.
Moderate carbonation. 
Medium bodied. Complex hops from pine to citrus all well balanced. Extremely easy to drink despite the 8% ABV.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Yes, the mighty Pliny the Elder. And oooooh yes, I was bad, and had traded for it. Worth every snarky comment I may receive for the sacrifice, but to be sure, it was well packaged for shipment. Even the Reaper's patience was tested as the 08/18/11 dated bottle was not consumed until it's eighth week. Some may dismiss me and claim it as sacrilegious and others may ostracize me for not opening 20 seconds after it had been capped. Bullshit. This ale is brilliant.

It was as good as billed even though it went through the trials of shipping and 2 months time. And we well enjoyed it. Harrumph. Now, don't get me wrong...I fully understand the dozens of warnings on the label to the contrary that (over)state it is meant for early consumption. To be sure, this is not an ale to sit on over time. But my friend, why would you want to? They'll make more next year and you can enjoy it's harvest seasonality again. Once perchance upon your lips is not enough. No reason to doubt the raves of thousands of hopheads on this beauty.

More importantly than the ale itself, I encourage you to read their website and learn more about Russian River Brewing. Their roots are from wine, (champagne more specifically), in Sonoma County. You can learn how dedication to task and stick-to-it-tiveness ruled the day of this brewery's emergence. It is quite a story of cooperation and partner building. One of the most enjoyable brewery history/stories out there, bar none.

Nimbus - Old Monkeyshine

Dead Monkey

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Old Monkeyshine

Nimbus Brewing Company LLC

3850 E. 44th

Tucson, AZ USA

Est. 1996

www.nimbusbeer.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 8.2 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0


Postmortem Brew Review

Deep brown color with some ruby tones.

Malty smell up front to dry hops. Sweet and sour notes throughout.

Two finger off-white head that leaves some strings of lacing.
Raisins and a nutty, dry flavor balance the malts, while the hops bring it in balance.

Moderate amount of carbonation.

Full flavor, medium bodied.


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Malty sweetness will pull you in over and over, masking the over eight percent ABV. If you've tried English Strong Ales before, there will be no surprises here, except pleasant ones. The rich malted roastiness envelops your tongue in a nicely sweet coat. Dashes of hops bittering round out the sweetness.


Well done, well done indeed.

Cocoa Beach - 888 India Pale Ale

Dead Men Don't Tell No Tales

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
888 India Pale Ale
Cocoa Beach Brewing Company
150 N. Atlantic Avenue
Cocoa Beach, FL USA
Est. 20??


www.cocoabeachbrewingcompany.com


Brain Damage Quotient = 8.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 22.0


Postmortem Brew Review
Translucent yet clear amber color.
Muted citrus hops and just a hint of sweet malt.
Off-white head. Spotted and stringed lacing. Covers to a cap.
Minimal amount of carbonation.
Hops heat comes on with each and every sip.
Malt sweetness is muted but does a good job of balancing the whole mix.
Medium body, medium mouth feel. Great hops stickiness in finish.


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Today, September 19th, is National Talk Like A Pirate Day. Lookin' around the mortuary fridge for a beer to review, I was becomin' dismayed at the prospect of reviewin' somethin' with an "Arrrgh" (the letter R) in it. This just won't do. After all, I am the poster child for every Jolly Roger ever flown. That would be a cop out of magnanimous proportions! Besides that matey, what would Cap'n Slappy and Ol' Chumbucket think?


I took out me spyglass and spotted the booty in the back of the cold chest...888 India Pale Ale from Cocoa Beach Brewing! Bloody good luck, then. We were in business for a dead reckoning with this treasure of an ale. I plucked it out with me bony paw, arrrgh, and brought it out for a closer examination. Cool lookin' pirate flag sportin' the triple eight skulls? Check! A pirate chest on the sand filled with said pieces of eight? Check! Arrrrrrgh, this was gunna be an easy plunder. All the makin's of Davy Jones secret treasure, right there in me hand! Though it rivals its Pacific coast IPA brethren, it's an Atlantic coast IPA treasure, make no bones about that.


Ye should get yerself some of this grog, mateys. It's me favorite imbibement from all their treasures. Worth crossing the equator and prime meridian for, in search of it's holy nectar. At 8.0% ABV, this concoction will keep the saltiest of dogs satisfied and their scurvy at bay. Pieces of eight, harrrrgh! Fifteen men on a dead man's chest, yo ho ho and a bottle of.......keep yer' rum.


I'll take my share in trade of this stuff, ya' best be belivin' it!

Avery - Eighteen 2011

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Eighteen 2011 Dry Hopped Rye Saison
Avery Brewing
5763 Arapahoe Ave.
Boulder, Colorado USA
Est. 1993
www.averybrewing.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 8.12 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 22.0 (4 oz. sample) 

Postmortem Brew Review
Amber to orange in color.
Roasted malt and spice nose. Wet grassy aromas and orange peel/zest.
Fairly long lasting near-white head.
Some spotty lace on glass.
Malt taste, some chocolate hits. Has a dry, rye finish.
Light mouth feel. Subtle complexities throughout. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
I was treated to a sample of this recently. It is interestingly complex. Lots going on, since it is a Saison by nature and then it has rye and hops additions. The eight percent alcohol is barely noticeable and makes for a fairly easy to approach, higher alcohol brew. If you get a chance, give it a try.

I am now looking to dig up more of this anniversary ale in my local stores.

Pyramid - Outburst Imperial IPA

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Outburst Imperial IPA (Seasonal)

Pyramid Brewing Company
91 S Royal Brougham Way

Seattle, WA USA

Est. 1984(Hart Brewing) 1996(Pyramid)

www.pyramidbrew.com


Brain Damage Quotient = 8.5 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0


Postmortem Brew Review

Rich, resonant orange/copper color.

Powerful pine hops nose with malts that can be slowly picked out.

Two finger firm firm off-white head that leaves great draped lacing. Settles to a cap long into the glass.
Firm hops traction after starting with a rich malt and caramel taste. 
Finishes on the hoppy side. Very slightly warming tones.

Pin prickly amount of carbonation zip.

Full flavor, full bodied. No noticeable alcohol notes, save for the warmth.


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Opening this one, before it is past prime as it's been chillin' in the examining room cooler for a few months. It is a spring seasonal, and already the brewers are sending out the fall stuff. Not to be dissuaded, I removed the skull cap during the dissection. You cannot believe the amount of hop notes that arose from that 3/4 inch opening at the top of the bottle. I hadn't even poured it and the hops aromas were leaping out, sprung like the hounds on a hunt. Oh, ho, ho! This is going to be a treat!

Though seasonal, this would be a great year round entry to their regular lineup. The 8.5% ABV made this Imperial IPA hold up well through the summer in the back of the fridge. Nothing could deter the fine flavors of this twelve ounce beauty. Now, I have examined their brews by the ounce at The Great American Beer Festival in the past, but a whole twelve ounces of this beer is, (dare I say), heaven on earth!

Did I just say heaven on earth?!? Muahahaahahaaaa!

Blue Moon - Vintage Blonde Ale 2011

Dead Soldier

Lisa Zimmer - 12th & Blake

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Vintage Blonde Ale 2011
Blue Moon Brewing Company
Coors Brewing Company
13th and Ford Street
Golden, CO USA
Est.1995
www.bluemoonbrewingcompany.com


Brain Damage Quotient =8.5 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review
Slightly cloudy, unfiltered golden/orange amber color.
Grapes, yeast and coriander aroma.
Wheat and dry spice taste, tastes similar to a chardonnay.
One finger, white fluffy head that leaves decent lacing.
Light body with full flavor.


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Round #3
This blog post was done live at the 2nd Annual Beer Blogger's Conference, held in Portland, Oregon. 95 bloggers were in attendance, from over one thousand 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 brewers, each bringing an exemplary brew to blog. Great craft beers, 12 blogging tables and 60 minutes were allotted in a fun, free-for-all session.

Karl Strauss - Boardwalk Black Rye

Dead Soldier 

Ryan Ross - Karl Strauss Brewing

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Boardwalk Black Rye
Karl Strauss 
5985 Santa Fe Street
San Diego, CA USA
Est. 1989
www.karlstrauss.com


Brain Damage Quotient = 8.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 (3 oz. sample)


Postmortem Brew Review
Dark black color on the pour.
Carmel and rye nose; nicely malty. Flashes of hop aromas.
Short stout head with strings of lace.
Smooth flavors of caramel, toffee and rye.
Soft carbonation. Nicely drinkable at 8%ABV.
Medium bodied, full flavored.


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Round #2
This blog post was done live at the 2nd Annual Beer Blogger's Conference, held in Portland, Oregon. 95 bloggers were in attendance, from over one thousand 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 brewers, each bringing an exemplary brew to blog. Great craft beers, 12 blogging tables and 60 minutes were allotted in a fun, free-for-all session.

Achouffe - McChouffe Brown Ale

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

McChouffe Brown Ale

Brasserie D'Achouffe

Rue du Village 32

6666 Achouffe, Belgium

Est.late 1970's

(2006 as part of Duvel-Moortgat)

www.achouffe.be

Brain Damage Quotient = 8.0 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 25.4

Postmortem Brew Review

Hazy, dark brown color.

Notes of Belgian yeast, dark breads and fruits. Some alcohol noticeable.

One finger, tan head. Disappears quickly leaving little lacing.

Tastes slightly spicy, peppery. Dark fruits; sticky raisin tastes predominate.

Soft carbonation.
Light to medium bodied. Nice flavor complexity.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

Brasserie D'Achouffe is a Belgian brewer that has been around for several decades. Recently they came under the arm of Duvel-Moortgat, a fine purveyor of Belgian ales. This brown ale (Scottish ale/Abbey ale) is made with spring water from the Ardennes region, long known for their refreshing and restorative powers. English Golding and Saaz hops are combined with pilsener malts and top fermenting Belgian yeast to produce this hand crafted ale. The final touch is double fermentation (bottle fermenting) that features a soft, natural carbonation.

Their gnomes embellish the bottles of all the ales produced from the Brasserie giving its branding a cute and impish playfulness. I was inspired to try this brown ale after not being able to help but notice the decoratively painted bottle. I was hooked on the taste. Since it is a large bottle with a large amount of ABV, you will make many friends with this one!

Don't think you like Belgians? Try McChouffe and see the difference hand crafting and fine ingredients make.

You can catch up with me later, frolicking with the gnomes...

Maredsous - Brune 8

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Maredsous Brune (Bruin) 8

Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat

Abbaye-Abdij

Breendonkdorp 58
Breendonk-Puurs, 2870 Belgium

Est. 1871
www.maredsousbieres.be

Brain Damage Quotient = 8.0 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 11.2 

Postmortem Brew Review

Dark brown pour.
Malty sweetness and dark fruits on the nose.

Light brown head that produces one and a half fingers of head. Sticks around a while.

Draped lacing on glass.

Roasted malts and caramel with some dark frutiness. Tastes consistent with the aromas.

Lightly carbonated. Thin drinking quality with dry malt aftertaste.

Medium bodied. Alcohol is nicely masked.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

Maredsous is brewed under the Duvel Moortgat family of beers. The tradition of monastic brewing goes back to the 6th century, where St. Benedict encouraged monks to contribute to the local communities and their brewing processes were used. Because of disease and other epidemics, the practice of boiling water had become common and was used in the production of their beer. Yes, the Reaper was on hand during those difficult plague ridden times. Ah those were the days. But I digress...don't hate the player...after all, they learned to survive on beer making practices. So there you have it. The Reaper was the impetus behind beer's ability to flourish. Winning!

At that time, these beers were likely to be low in alcohol as a result and reserved for fasting monks that often made their entire diet on these brews. More enjoyably for us now, they are available in higher ABV percentages.

Be sure to also visit the Abbaye's webpage for Maredsous. Beautiful ale with a beautiful website, as a bonus. As if we need a bonus beyond the beer.

Schneider & Brooklyner - Hopfen Weisse

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Hopfen Weisse

Schneider & Sohn GmbH

8938 Krum Ave.Kelheim, Bavaria, Germany
Est. 1872

www.schneider-weisse.de 

Brain Damage Quotient = 8.2 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 16.9 

Postmortem Brew Review

Murky golden yellow color; a little bit turbid in appearance.

Spice, banana, citrus fruit and bread on the nose.

Some good lacing at first from the near-white head.

Bready upfront with clove like spice and some citrus in taste. Hops finish is pronounced.

Moderate carbonation. 

Light to medium bodied. Alcohol is only slightly detectable, if at all.
Complex for a hefe.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

This is the Schneider version or a brew that is the result of a friendship between Brooklyn's Garrett Oliver and Schneider's Hans-Peter Drexler. The two brewers had admired each other's differences in styles; Garrett's hoppier side and Hans-Peter's soft & smoother style. This concept brought them together to produce a hoppy style wheat beer. This was a perfect collaborative symbiosis for the two brewers as well as the two styles. The resulting weissbock beer is dry-hopped using Hallertauer and Saphir hops. (Note: The body is a bit disturbed as it appears to be left unfiltered. Best to gently roll the bottle to incorporated any sediment residue.)

Who knew this could exist in a weiss? Certainly Garrett and Hans-Peter did. The ending result is a smooth and soft wheat beer that has a strongly pronounced amount of hops. Unusual for a wheat, but wonderful to behold.

Oh yeah, beware the generous 8.2% ABV in the equally generous 16.9 ounce bottle. This ain't your standard summer refresher hefeweizen. But, do enjoy, nonetheless. Their website called it "Hoppy Fireworks!"

I'd love to find some of the stateside Brooklyn equivalent.

Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat - Duvel Belgian Golden Ale

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Duvel Belgian Golden Ale
Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat
Melle, Belgium
Est. 1654
www.duvel.be

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

Postmortem Brew Review
Deep golden color.
Clove with peppery smell. Bread and fruits, like apple and lemon.
Two finger near tan colored head that dissipates rapidly. Spotty lacing.
Apple and grain taste with a tart finish, not unlike that of champagne.
Abundant carbonation.
Light to medium bodied mouth feel. A bit boozy.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Well done, well done, well done. Here's to a beer that can be drunk on any occasion. Great for an everyday try or at special celebrations. Its a beer that is comfortable to enjoy at a fine restaurant or even, dare I say, after mowing the lawn. You might want to cut the lawn first, becasue it's not advisable to operate dangerous machinery in the presence of 8.5% ABV.


So relax. What ever you are doing is worth doing with a Duvel. Once you try one, you'll know for yourself, just what I'm talking about.

Lagunitas - Hop Stoopid

Dead Soldier 

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Hop Stoopid

Lagunitas Brewing Company

1280 North McDowell Boulevard
Petaluma, CA USA
Est. 1993
www.lagunitas.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 8.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 22.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Rich gold color.
Smell of hops and more hops with some malt sweetness on the nose.
Nicely near white head, one finger high, covers to wisp.
Fair amount of lacing on the glass.
Smooth hops, not nearly as punchy as the nose, but nicely warming.
Has a great malt backbone.
Medium bodied mouth feel. Alcohol is nicely masked. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Thought I was getting a hops "bomb" for the taste, but surprisingly for 102 IBU's, it is pretty mellow. And that is welcome.  The malty backbone absorbs some of the hops shock on the tongue and makes far a pleasant ride down the Imperial IPA highway. Me like-y! ! ! A lot.

Go and find yourself a bomber of this Stoopid stuff while it lasts on your store shelves. It's not what you think it is, but then it's so much more.

Blue Moon - Grand Cru

Dead Soldier 

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Grand Cru
Blue Moon Brewing Company 
Coors Brewing Company
13th and Ford Street
Golden, CO USA
Est.1995
www.bluemoonbrewingcompany.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 8.2 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 22.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Hazy golden color.
Bread, yeast, orange and spice on the nose for aromas.
White head that has a frothy and chunky appearance; sticks around for a while.
Fair amount of lacing down the side of the glass.
Light fruit and coriander spice taste..
Light bodied, refreshing taste. Alcohol barely noticeable. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Trying not to discount the taste of a macro craft beer, (is that an oxymoron?), this was good as any introduction into Belgian White style you'll come across. Is it the be-all-end-all of Belgian Whites? No, you can do far better elsewhere, especially if you look to the country of Belgium to begin with, during your search.

It is, however, a nice effort by a macro brewer (Molson/Coors) and serves those whose tastes have expanded beyond mass produced pilsener lagers that have been foisted upon the American scene for the past 30 to 40 years. Found it in the Super Duper Market near your town, did you? Then take it home and give it a try. You will do yourself a favor to try this mass produced Grand Cru, but this, I will tell you...there are a lot better Grand Cru's to explore once you have satisfied your curiosity.

Keep looking friends.

Terrapin - Big Hoppy Monster Imperial Red Ale

Dead Reptile

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Big Hoppy Monster Imperial Red Ale
Terrapin Beer Company
265 Newton Bridge Road
Athens, GA USA
Est. 2002
www.terrapinbeer.com
 
Brain Damage Quotient = 8.3% ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Dark amber color that pours with a thick viscosity.
Sweet malty, brown sugar and stunning hops on the nose.
Slight off-white to tan colored two finger head.
Stringy traces of head cling to the glass.
Starts with big hops up front and switches to a rich malt backbone on the finish.
Viscous mouth feel.
Good amount of carbonation.
Medium bodied. Paradoxically, interestingly complex, yet simple. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Pungent hops and sweet malts are at play in this seasonal release.  The label warns, "WATCH OUT! THIS MONSTER BITES!" Although it falls into the style classification of an American Amber or traditional Red Ale, the label backs up the warning by declaring it in a style of its own, an Imperial Red Ale.

Now when you attach the word Imperial to a beer, you ust know that the brewers have gone into the lab to make something bigger thatn what is usually expected. Usually it falls into a darker or murkier body and you can be sure that big malts and big hops will be used in the lab.

Overall, I liked it. I found it had a surprising Jekyll and Hyde component as the flavors switched up from hoppy to malty. Very unique.

Watch out this snapping turtle doesn't bite you!

Flying Dog - Raging Bitch Belgian Style India Pale Ale

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Raging Bitch Belgian Style India Pale Ale
Flying Dog Brewery
Frederick, MD USA
Est. 1983
www.flyingdogales.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 8.3 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Golden amber color.
Minimal thin head that disappears quickly.
Slight malt smell, but more hops in the nose.
Belgian yeast detected, citrus peel taste, slight pepper/coriander.
Great draped lacing on the glass.
Nicely carbonated.
Medium body. Aggressively hopped without being bitter.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Sometimes our beer experience has to suffer the slings and arrows of those that don't necessarily enjoy well crafted beers. I'm referring to those types that just want to "make the scene" and hang with their "homeys". They try hard to pretend to like beer so they can be with the cool kids.

Ever there was such a time this past week. A louder-than-loud woman was sitting in the outdoors section, literally within ear-shot of me. Yammering on and on, enjoying a yellow fizzy export from Central America. On and on...droning away about this and that. Cleaning out everyone's eardrums, as each obnoxious cackle of laughter amped up, and up.

As I attempt to shut out the din while typing my tasting notes, a friendly and soothing voice of one of the servers asks, "...and what would you like next?"  Thankful for the respite from the annoyance, I slide my sunglasses down.  Noticing my empty glass beyond my computer screen, I say, "Hmm. Let's see what luck picks for me." I open the beer menu, flip to a random page and stab at it with my bony index finger.  Just like playing a game of pin the tail on the donkey, I land on...wouldn't you know it?  Raging Bitch.

Peering over the top of my sunglasses, I cast the server a toothy grin.  "I'll have this one, please...",  I say to her while rolling my eyes in the direction of the background drone. My beer-tendress looks at the page to see the selection I've landed upon. She giggles for a moment, then remarks, "That's an excellent choice!"  Before I could poke my sunglasses back in place, she returns in a flash with the bottle. To my surprise, the shrew across the way had taken her foghorn voice and disappeared into the day, along with her entourage.

By the way. In case you think I forgot about the beer...it was EXCELLENT. Serendipity, baby!

St. Bernardus - Tripel

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

St. Bernardus Tripel
Brouwerij St. Bernard NV
Trappisenweg, Watou, Belgium
Est.1985

www.sintbernardus.be

Brain Damage Quotient = 8.0 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 11.2  

Postmortem Brew Review
Hazy yellow orange in color with golden hues.
Pleasing citrus and yeast aroma.
Creamy and frothy white head that simmers fairly quickly.
Bread and crisp apples in the taste.
Just a bit of carbonation; very mild.
Delicious, pleasantly refreshing with no alcohol finish.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
There's that happy monk on the label again! He's happy cause he's holding another smashing beer from the St. Bernardus lineup. A very nice, very deliciously refreshing Tripel. You won't find any flaws with this one.

These fellas know how to treat their beer. The back label has the correct serving temperature as well as an expiration date that is a few years down the road, due to the high ABV. Hats off to the monks for this indulgence.

Cigar City - Jose Marti India Porter

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Jose Marti India Porter
Cigar City Brewing Company
3924 West Spruce Street
Tampa, FL USA
Est.2008
www.cigarcitybeer.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 8.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review
Rich, solid dark brown color.
Hops and sweet malt on the nose. Coffee and chocolate notes mixed in the aroma.
Tan colored, one finger head that hangs around a while.
Coated spotty lacing.
Malt and chocolate in the taste. Bitter coffee roast flavor produces a dry finish.
Soft carbonation.
Medium bodied mouth feel. Hoppy characteristics throughout.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Jose Marti; a poet, essayist, journalist, revolutionary philosopher, translator, publisher, professor and political theorist. Almost forgot...he also was a national hero in Cuba. The man had a lot going on.

After initially looking high and low for this porter, (surprising, as I only live an hour's drive from the brewery), I was able to 'stash' some away. It was a pleasure to behold and enjoy. A great porter with bold roasted flavors, hinting at chocolate in the background as well.  There was a distinct drying qualtiy in the finish, not unlike tobacco, but maybe that's just my palate.  I liked it.

Besides being a member of the Dead Poet's Society, the dude has a serious mustache. ..muahaha...you just gotta' love that mustache.  And with great mustache, comes great responsibility. Looks like he was up to the task.

Salud, Jose!

He'Brew Rejewvenator

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
He'Brew Rejewvenator - Year of the Grape 2010
Shmaltz Brewing
New York, USA
Est. 1996 (5757 Hebrew Metonic Cycle)
www.shmaltzbrewing.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 8.2 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 22.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Deep brown and murky.
Mostly concord grape juice smell; slight sweetness.
Very little head or lacing.
Fruit flavors like plum or raisin in the background.
Concord grape juice flavors and a bit of maltiness for the taste.
Easy carbonation.
Medium in body and light in mouthfeel. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Concord grapes and beer. Who'd a thunk it? He'Brew, that's who. Celebrating the "Sacred Species No.3" of this brew, they have embraced their Jewish and biblical roots to create a beer from their traditional drink.  What they've come up with a crazy but interesting concoction. It does make for a easy to drink beer and it has some interesting flavor components. Celebrate life and try some.

Jeremy Cowan calls it "shtick ", but the beer business is a serious business. Glad to see you can still have some fun with it. L'Chaim!