Left Hand - Wake Up Dead Imperial Stout

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Wake Up Dead Imperial Stout

Left Hand Brewing Company
1265 Boston Avenue
Longmont, CO USA
Est. 1994

www.lefthandbrewing.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 10.2 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 22.0 

Postmortem Brew Review

Dark mahogany color. Brown with reddish tones.
Mostly chocolate, roasted coffee. Faint whiffs of oak on the nose.
Thick, two finger tan head that lasts quite a while.

Thin string lacing down the side of the glass.
Roasted malts and dashes of vanilla in the taste. Some oak, but not much.

Lightly carbonated.
Light to medium bodied. Thin and slippery mouth feel. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Imperial Stouts are usually a bit on the dark side. Aggressive malting will make them pour with the color spectrum of used motor oil all the way to jet black. This stout was - - - not so much. It was a dark brown, at best. On the other hand, the alcohol will be noticeable. At 10.2% ABV, Wake Up Dead was on the boozy side, so good points for that. And it did give forth a luxurious frothy head. Another point added.

Some of the flavors that you would expect in an Imperial Stout were there; roasted malts, licorice and coffee. But overall, there were some flavors that I couldn't derive. Even the oak was a bit more of a suggestion than fact.  It did slowly work its way into the profile late, late, in the glass.

A good ale? Yes. An Imperial Stout? All things considered, I had high hopes for what should have been a slam dunk write-up, given my macabre nature and the name of the stout. But, my fellow pallbearers, we will have to bury this one for now. I will say that while it was enjoyable, it wasn't my expectation of an Imperial Stout.

Left Hand - 2009 Oak Aged Imperial Stout

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Left Hand - 2009 Oak Aged Imperial Stout
Left Hand Brewing Company
1265 Boston Avenue
Longmont, CO USA
Est. 1994
www.lefthandbrewing.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 10.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 22.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Solid black color.
Malt, deep fruits, chocolate/toffee and trace alcohol on the nose.
Creamy, foaming two finger tan head leaves spotted lace on the glass.
Malty, chocolate and rich fruits in the taste.
Modest amount of carbonation.
Full bodied. Complex flavors and mellow alcohol taste at end of sip.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This stout was a find. On a trip to Orlando, over one year ago, I noticed this bottle sitting on the floor in a corner of the bottle shop. There were other plain and ordinary beers around it; almost as if someone stashed it away with the intent of coming back for it at another time. Maybe they needed to get some money out of the ATM and didn't want anyone else to snag the last bottle in the store? Perhaps someone was going to buy it and found something else that caught their eye, so they jettisoned it at that point? No matter. It was mine, a-l-l mine, now!

This was one of the first beers I chose to put away with the intention of aging it for a year. Several others have followed since. And today was the day to de-cap-itate it and release the nectar held within. I took some time to look at other reviews prior to drinking this; something I almost never do. I don't like to know what is in it, or know what others experienced. Most times, I rarely even read the bottle label, lest the brewery notes influence my experience. But this time was different, having chosen to age the Left Hand Imperial Stout. Consider it 'research' necessary to see how the ingredients co-mingled in the bottle for nearly 18 months.

The bulk of the reviews I read from various blogs and beer gave it solid B to B+ ratings. As you loyal readers know, The Reaper no longer uses grading, (letters or numbers). You'll know from what I write if I like or dislike a beer, or even if I'm indifferent. Living within those parameters, I read beyond what might have given it off marks, in the areas of taste or complexity. Well, blah-de-dah, I'm not dragging it out any further. I found this extremely enjoyable.

This was super smooth and had a steady two finger head throughout the glass. Malty rich, with tones of oak shining through.  The bottle conditioning yielded modest carbonation and very herbal, earthy hop notes. Rich fruit flavors of raisin along with licorice notes were also detected. This was all served up nicely in my best tulip stem glass. It was a "wow" ale enjoyed on a cool winter's night. I think anyone would do well to age an ale such as this Imperial Stout. Give it a try if you can resist. Or better yet, buy two. Drink one early and take copious notes, then salt the other one away in a dark, cool spot for aging. You'll find the experiment fun and interesting, even rewarding.

As a closing note, I'm trying out something different on my blog today, by using dictation on my iPhone with an app called Dragon Dictation. Ironically, Left Hand Imperial Stout has a dragon on its label. Very cool when things come together like that!

Great Divide - Yeti Imperial Stout

Dead Soldier 

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

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
Super black onyx color.
Smell of rich roasted malt and toffee.
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
"Untamed". "Imposing". Though the print is tiny, these two words jump off the label. Yeti is not a brew for the timid...believe that fact.

Let's start with the malt. Rich and roasted. Toffee and caramel wafts off the nose. Sip it, and Yeti envelopes your tongue in a rolling river of rich malt. Then come the staggering 75 IBU's of hops. They will grip your taste buds and hang on for dear life as the malted backbone slides down your throat, searing every inch.

Now I have had the oak-aged version as well and prefer the additional flavor note, but let's take a moment to recall that original Yeti is a multi-award winning stout from the 2005, 2008 & 2009 Great American Beer Festival. All this knowledge will hopefully prepare you for your elusive encounter with a Yeti.

You drink Yeti - - - you will believe!

Sierra Nevada - Fritz & Ken's Ale 30th Anniversary

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Fritz & Ken's Ale 30th Anniversary
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Chico, CA USA
Est. 1980
www.sierranevada.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 9.2 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 25.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Inky blackness, the color of spent motor oil.
Sensual roast malt tones. Chocolate notes. Some oatiness.
Nicely foaming two finger head with good lacing on the glass.
Roasted malt and chocolate flavors.; interestingly complex.
Active amount of carbonation.
Nearly no alcohol taste for such a high ABV.
Rich, velvety and full bodied mouth feel. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Sensational occasions call for sensational ales. Christmas around the crypt this year was a bit extra special, so we pulled out this beauty to celebrate the day. As is often said, "...it is far better to give than receive." So sharing with close family was especially rewarding for me, and those that tasted were equally excited to receive.  Fritz Maytag and Ken Grossman really have something special to celebrate with, right here.  This is a one off, singular release to commemorate the 30th year of Sierra Nevada. Certainly, something of a sensation in terms of brewing craft beers for 30 years.

These two pioneers of the craft beer and ale movement would likely be on the "Mount Rushmore" of brewing, if there was ever such a national monument. Hmmm...something worth thinking about.  But now, on to the ale.  This is one helluva beautiful Imperial Stout. Impressive black color, not unlike that you may have seen while changing the engine oil on your car or truck. Rest assured, it tastes equally impressive as the color. Deceptively easy drinking at 9.2% ABV, I found it hard to resist pouring a bit more into my snifter after each sip. No boozy undertones or aftertaste - rather a delicious river of exquisite roast malt flavor and chocolaty backbone. Superior to any I have sampled previously. Okay, I really liked it!

At this writing, it is still available on shelves if you look real hard in you local stores. Worth the price since you'll likely not see it again. Merry Christmas and Happy Anniversary.

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!

BrewDog - Tactical Nuclear Penguin

Nuke'd Penguin

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Tactical Nuclear Penguin
BrewDog Ltd.
Unit 1, Kessock Workshops
Fraserburgh  Scotland 
Est. 2007
www.brewdog.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 32.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 (container) / 3.0 (sample) 

Postmortem Brew Review
Brown/black color.
Plum fruit aroma, heavy malt smell and some other undefinable scents.
Zero, zip, nada head.
Clear "legs" of lacing on the glass, similar to bourbon or scotch.
Absolutely no carbonation.
Taste of tobacco leaf, then malty, malty flavor.
Warmed the back of the mouth and throat.
Slight alcohol sting, less than anticipated.
Tastes intensified as it warmed to room temperature.
Heavy malted body, viscous mouth feel. Very complex flavors. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy 
This beer's label claims, "made with barley, hops, yeast, water".  Those are indeed the four sacred ingredients for beer.  However - Reinheitsgebot be damned!  Tactical Nuclear Penguin's (fun to say) unusual name implies that you are in for a full on 'red alert' experience of a lifetime. A label quote reveals that, "BrewDog's beers are the epitome of pure punk."  That says a lot about an in-your-face 32% ABV beer.  Want more proof of punk?  Look at that packaging it comes in.  A brown paper bag with a penguin head drawn in magic marker and a piece of butcher's twine.  That has got to be punk for some kind of a 'fancy-pants' decanter!

I would like to say up front that neither myself, nor my pal Dean, (the purveyor of this bottle of TNP), compared it to another equally famous, high ABV beer.  We viewed TNP for its own qualities, alone. Having said that, this beer does stand on its own merit even though we admitted that 'other high ABV beer' had perhaps been a bit more stately.  But the Penguin did not disappoint from a novel beer experience. If you want more of the experience yourself, visit the BrewDog website to see how it's made. The label notes, "No Penguins  were harmed in the making of this beer; some humans did get very, very cold though. It was worth it."

The brew: First off, it had a dark brown, bordering on black color to the body.  It was served chilled, as per BrewDog's recommendation.  It was served in small two to three ounce amounts; look, you're not gonna drink all 12 ounces of this no matter what you think. The aromas and taste and body are surreal as it goes for a standard beer, but then again, this ain't no light beer.  Earthy flavors and aromas emanate from the glass and get more complex and funkier (in a good way) as it warms up a bit.  At times there were tobacco or even cough syrup; think industrial strength cough syrup. It was all over the taste map and kept going as it warmed.

More label notes say, "This is an extremely strong beer, it should be enjoyed in small servings and with an air of aristocratic nonchalance. In exactly the same manner that you would enjoy a fine whisky, a Frank Zappa album or a visit from a friendly yet anxious ghost." Friendly, anxious ghost, huh? I don't think they mean Casper...I guess they're talking about me, The Reaper.  Ha-ha, muahahaahaaha! 

Not nuclear enough, you say?  The world's strongest beer ever has a "Best Before" date of January 18, 2021. I'd say that this thing can survive a nuclear fallout!

The label boasts, this is, "...beer for the dedicated." 

'Nuff said.

Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout 
Brooklyn Brewery
#1 Brewers Row
79 North 11th Street
Brooklyn , NY USA
Est. 1988
www.brooklynbrewery.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 10.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Deep black color from the pour.
Deep roasted malted barley; chocolate aroma.
Rich mocha colored foaming head goes to about one finger high.
Great rings and spots of lacing up and down the glass.
Dry chocolate coccoa flavors and some hops bitterness.
Full bodied mouth feel; creamy and silky. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Although high in ABV, this Russian Imperial Stout shows only chocolate richness. Okay, well maybe there's a slight warm alcohol zing, but oh so subtle.  Dry and bittering, like fine chocolate, the taste simply amazes.  Everything about it is exquisite, from the rich black liquid in the glass to the black and gold label.  I have also had the good fortune to enjoy this Chocolate Stout on tap.  Tasting notes from both were exactly the same, showing the quality in the production runs.

Perfect way to warm up the evening this time of year.  This bottle is from the 2009-2010 limited winter bottling.  Do yourself a favor and seek some of this out soon.  Else, it's, "...wait until next year...", like they say in Brooklyn!

Oskar Blues - Ten Fidy

Tin Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Ten Fidy
Oskar Blues Brewery LLC
1800 Pike Road
Longmont, CO USA
Est. 1997
www.oskarblues.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 9.4 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Solid black color.
Hop aroma, chocolate and roasted malts with other complex aromas.
One fingered creamy tan head, quickly dissipates.
Stringy lace on the glass.
Full flavor in taste; hop, malt and chocolate complex flavors.
Full bodied; smooth and silky.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Oh my.  Nearing the end of a fine evening at the new liquid location "World of Beer", host Brogan sought me out and offered some of the establishment's 'private stock', not yet on the available menu.  

This one almost escaped my grasp due to a 'bone headed' thought.  Getting ready to leave for the evening, I first refused the purchase.  That's when it occurred to me I had a designated driver to navigate.  What fortuitous luck!  I sheepishly returned to my host and apologized for acting the chump.

This imperial stout is so outrageous in so many ways, it simply shouldn't work.  I mean, nearly 10% ABV is a challenge...NO PROBLEM.  You don't pick that up in the taste.  How about the insane roasted malt AND chocolate, chocolate, chocolate flavors? PERFECT!  And for an encore, they add the CUH-raziest amount of hops.  IBU's 98...that cuh razy enough for you?  Sounds like it should be a train wreck. Ahhh, but it's more like the 20th Century Limited.  Simply the finest experience.  But leave the chugging to the train and savor the flavors of this fine imperial stout.

Outrageous? Yes! Worth every bit of it.  Oskar Blues...wooot, WHooooT!  That must be the Ten Fidy train. And to think I almost let it pass me by!