Brooklyn - Black Ops 2010

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Brooklyn Black Ops 2010
Brooklyn Brewery
#1 Brewers Row
79 North 11th Street
Brooklyn , NY USA
Est. 1988
www.brooklynbrewery.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 11.3 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 25.4

Postmortem Brew Review
Deep black color on pour.
Nose of roasted malts, leather, bourbon and oak. Deep, rich aromas pleasantly light up the nostrils.
Mocha colored, three fingered, tight bubbled head; not unlike champagne.
Great legs of lacing up and down the glass. Head will reappear easily if swirled in glass.
Tastes of bourbon, leather similar to the smell. Also noted rich (dark) fruits and dry chocolate flavors.
Soft carbonation.
Full flavored, complex tastes. Slight boozy alcohol, but not a distraction. Each sip brings you back for more.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Weddings are special times, and as such they call for special attention to details. From choosing the bride's wedding gown to the coat and tie for the groom, to the flower arrangements, the music selections, the dinner menu and the cake, no detail is too unimportant or overlooked. Similarly, weddings are also steeped in traditions ranging from the exchange of vows, the (in)famous "Here Comes the Bride" march to the "something old, something new, something borrowed and something blue" poem-come-rule.

Several months ago I was able to score a late season hit with a 2010 bottle of Brooklyn's Black Ops. It was squirreled away in the recesses of the beer fridge to be saved for a very special occasion. My oldest daughter was wed this past Friday and as mentioned in the first paragraph, every detail had been meticulously selected by the bride and the groom for this auspicious event. One of the details was, as father of the bride, to deliver a speech and toast to the newlyweds. A champagne toast? From her father, a beer nerd? I think not. It doesn't take long to figure out where this is going.

I couldn't have thought of a better choice. The bottle came in its own lustrous black and silver "tuxedo" label, elegantly wrapped around an equally impressive cork and caged champagne bottle. A Russian Imperial Stout with champagne yeast as a component proved to be a worthy opponent to any fine bottle of champagne. The couple were not only surprised by the gesture, but enjoyed - make that - savored it to the final drop.

Thank you Garret Oliver for making their day so very special, by creating such a fine ale.

My toast to the newlyweds:

"Here's to today, here's to tomorrow and all your tomorrows. May they be filled with health, happiness and love."

Southampton Publick House - Biere de Mars

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Biere de Mars
Southampton Publick House
40 Bowden Square
Southampton, NY USA
Est. 1996
www.southamptonbrewery.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.5% ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Hazy orange/golden color.
Smells caramel and a bit nutty with faint hop notes and a hint of wheat.
Off-white two fingered head, covers to wisp.
Some lacing down the side of the glass.
Tastes of caramel malt with dried apple and grape with sour citrus component.
Medium carbonation.
Light bodied mouth feel and enjoyable to drink.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Is this beer from outer space? It has "Mars" on the front! No, it's not. That is the Latin word for the month of March, when it was traditionally brewed.

Biere de Mars is a French Farmhouse style ale that is fermented cool, like a lager beer. It also contains both wheat and barley. An interesting ale that will refresh the palate. Equally interesting to note is that The Publick House has been opened since the 1800's. Located in eastern Long Island, New York, it has seen it's share of historic notables between then and now. No slouch of a brewery either; Southampton has won several awards in the beer industry, including The Great American Beer Festival and World Beer Cup.

Ommegang - BPA

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BPA (Belgian-style Pale Ale)

Brewery Ommegang

656 County Highway 33

Cooperstown, NY USA 

Est. 1997

www.omegang.com  

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.2 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 25.4

Postmortem Brew Review

Translucent apricot golden color.

Citrus fruit, dry yeast and caramel malt made up the aromas.

One finger, fluffy white head. Foam leaves nice spotted lacing.

Deliciously fruity but crisp and dry with a nice dry hopped finishing taste.
Balanced carbonation.

Light to medium mouth feel. Nicely complex flavors.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

The bottle label claims "Limited Edition", however after researching their website I find it listed under their 'Year-Round Brews'. I purchased this bottle while on vacation at a natural foods store that carried an incredible beer selection. The bottle gives perfect advise for storing, serving and pouring to avoid the yeast sediment. Details such as these are what make the drinking experience produce the most enjoyable outcome possible. Also interesting to note, its a little bit European and a bit American, borrowing ingredients from both regions and combining for a spectacular Belgian-style Pale Ale.


Dry hopping and warm cellaring at the brewery are listed on the bottle's label. This shows the dedication to craft that goes into Ommegang's products. As we allowed our bottle to warm slightly from the fridge, and then again in our glasses, the aromas of the dry hops and Belgian yeasts treated our noses. Citrus and tropical fruit notes wafted up as we took a sip. This is a very nice sipping Belgian Pale Ale. And it was sweet to have found it on the shelves that day. A pure pleasure to share with a loved one on these warm summer days.

Dundee - India Pale Ale

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India Pale Ale

Dundee Brewing Company/Genesee Brewing Company

445 St. Paul Street

Rochester, NY USA

Est. 1994

www.dundeebeer.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.3 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review

Dark golden color with copper hues.
Citrus/grapefruit hops notes with a biscuit malt aroma.
Off white 2 finger head that leaves a cap.
Good amount of lacing on the glass.

Nice balance malt and hops taste up front, but not as much hops on the finish.

Active carbonation.

Medium bodied mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Dundee's slogan "The Best Beer You Never Had" is curious. I guess you could say that I never had it before now. But where does that slogan leave me now? It was a good beer to have. Hmmmm. Hafta' look up their marketing ploy on that phrase, sometime. It took a little sleuthing to uncover their founding date. Seems that Dundee started marketing a lager in 1994 at the former High Falls Brewing plant in Rochester. This was all done under the Genesee name, part of the North American Breweries Group. Nice to see a seasoned veteran of brewing helping to reinvent themselves. From a handful of beers, they have grown the list to around a dozen that include seasonal beers.

Chinook and Willamette hops combine with Caramel 60 and Crystal 77 malts to produce this balanced IPA. At 60 IBU's this India Pale Ale  is on target to produce the hops sting you might expect. I found that the hops appear to be there up front, but seemed a bit missing in action on the finish. In all, it is still a fine IPA and I would easily consider this again.

Brooklyn - East India Pale Ale

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East India Pale Ale

Brooklyn Brewery

#1 Brewers Row

79 North 11th Street

Brooklyn , NY USA

Est. 1988

www.brooklynbrewery.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.9 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review

Deep amber gold color.

Carmel malt and some floral hops brightness in aroma.
Off white foaming head goes to about one finger high.

Great streaked lacing up and down the glass.

Malty  and grassy taste mixed with a slight hint of citrus; very tasty.

Light carbonation.
Light to medium bodied mouth feel. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

Brooklyn does their IPA in the English style which is flavorful, but as the British say, "...not my cup of tea." I have grown accustomed to the American versions and the different hop varieties they bring to bear in flavor. I found the beer to be drier and lighter than most tried. Just my personal taste interjection and by no means a knock on the brewer. Let's face it, I couldn't brew anything near half as good as this at home with my paltry experience. But let's say for an English Style, it is close to the mark of what the Brits find in their IPA's.

While this is certainly a noble beverage, I will take a pass as IPA's go in my taste book.

Brooklyn - Summer Ale

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Summer Ale

Brooklyn Brewery

#1 Brewers Row

79 North 11th Street

Brooklyn , NY USA

Est. 1988

www.brooklynbrewery.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.0 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review

Pale golden straw color.

Grassy, piney and citrus lemony in aroma.
Off white foaming head is about one and a half fingers high.

Minimal lacing on the glass.

Bready malts,soft hops and lemon zest taste on the palate.

Active amount of carbonation.
Light and airy mouth feel. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy

According to Brooklyn, this English "dinner" ale is a common form of summer ale served there.  reading on, they were also know as "luncheon ales" or "family ales". Wow! I think they left out breakfast! Yet it is light and flavorful as it picks up the lemon citrus that blends so well with the hops. The malts give the whole thing stability. There you have it; summer in a can for lunch or dinner. And for the whole family, to boot.

The Pre-Prohibition Style wording on the packaging throws me for a loop. If this is an English style, then who's prohibition? If it is the US prohibition, then did we ever produce such a soft and balanced summer style ale as this? Confused? Don't worry. Crack one open and see what's inside.

Walgreens - Big Flats 1901

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Big Flats 1901
Brewmaster's Choice (Walgreens)

Rochester, NY USA
Est. 2011
www.walgreens.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.5 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Clear pale yellow, nearly void of any color.
Grainy, grainy malt with barely noticeable hops aromas.
Two finger fluffy foaming head that leaves a cover. Dissipates fairly quickly.
Grain taste that leaves a cloying malt taste. Slight hops flavor present.
Extremely low amount of carbonation.  Bubbles can be counted. 
Ultra light bodied.

So clear, you can see through it.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy 
The things I do for blogging beer.  Okay, whatever! I could have guessed what this was going to be like before the tab was popped on the can.  The reaper loves the quick and the dead, but even this thing scares me! Walgreens is looking to pile on to the success in the beer explosion with an alternative (non)-working man's beer. It's supposed to fill the, I-can't-afford-beer-in-this-economy void. And at $2.99 a six pack, (a mere 50 cents a can), one might say that, capitalism is still alive and kicking in the U S of A.

There is a sickly sweetness to the grainy malt flavor. It leaves a haunting taste on the back of the tongue, (ever lick a piece of aluminum foil?) The body is so clear that you can actually read the receipt through my Spiegelau glass. Was going to make a snarky comment about having to rinse it out, but there's so little substance, it's not necessary!

Printed on the can, "Genuine Beer."  Really? "It's the water that makes it." Seriously? "Brewed from only the choicest hops." Hmmm...  Then there's the name.  Big Flats.  Huh!  There's so little carbonation.  I get the "flats" part, but there's nothing BIG about it. 

Anybody seen my Mr. Beer kit? ! ?  Never thought MGD 64 or Bud 55 would look so good - - -I'd say it's a great beer to drink when you're not drinking beer.

And now back to our regularly scheduled blog posts.

Southern Tier - India Pale Ale

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India Pale Ale
Southern Tier Brewing Company
2072 Stoneman Circle
Lakewood, NY USA
Est. 2002
www.southerntierbrewing.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 7.3 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew ReviewAmber/golden color.
Sweet, citrus hops smell with some malt tones.
Two finger, off-white rocky head that disappears slowly.
Some good draped, sticky lacing down the side of the glass.
Tastes similar to the aromas; a bit on the watery side.
Moderate carbonation.
Light to medium body with watery finish. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
A good IPA that sports 4 malt and 4 hop varieties on the label, Southern Tier IPA just left me lacking for more. It looked and smelled great, but I was left wanting in the taste department. Might be because I'me prone to having IPA's on the stinging side.  Hops foundation aside, the ever so slight watery finish did not appeal to me.

I would definitely have one again and could see this fitting in as a terrific session IPA as it won't zap your taste buds off of your tongue. One other plus, the 7.3% ABV is not detectable in the taste.

He'Brew Rejewvenator

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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!

Shmaltz - Coney Island Freaktoberfest

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Coney Island Freaktoberfest
Shmaltz Brewing
New York, USA
Est. 1996 (5757 Hebrew Metonic Cycle)
www.shmaltzbrewing.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.66 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 22.0

Postmortem Brew Review
Bloody, bright red color.
Main smell of malts; caramel right up front with a bit of hops.
Ruby red body with a funky pink head.  Leaves slight amount of lacing.
Syrupy sweet malt and hoppy taste. Leaning more on the malt side.
Medium bodied mouth feel. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
There are beers for every season and this autumnal season is no exception to the rule. Generally speaking, fall brings us two traditional staples of seasonal. The first is a Marzen/Oktoberfest style which are characterized by being easy to drink, for the festival it's named after. It has a little more kick than your average lager, but still easy to drink.

The second style falls into the fruit/vegetable category.  Yes sir, that would be the pumpkin beer. I refer to pumpkin beers as the Grateful Dead of beer.  You either love 'em or hate 'em. Take it or leave it. Just don't smash them.

The conundrum is that Shmaltz has made a little devil of a witches brew and invented their own niche among the fall selections. Oh, I'm talking about Freaktoberfest. Devilishly good at 6.66% ABV, this one has been salting away in the mortuary cooler for just the right occasion. That's no coincidence on the ABV. Nor the fact that it has 6 different malt and 6 different hop varieties packed inside, according to the label. Not to mention the bloody red color! They planned it all to be that way. Wicked, just wicked!

So while some beer may have a season, how many can say that they 'own the day'? Huh? Hmmm? Muahaahaahaahaaa! Buaaahahahaaahaaa! Muahaha! This is no Oktoberfest nor is it a pumpkin. 

Freaktoberfest - - - get your bony hands on some and enjoy it while you can, my friends! A trick for your eyes and a treat for your taste buds. Now...I'm off to scare the kiddies!

Southern Tier - Raspberry Wheat

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Raspberry Wheat
Southern Tier Brewing Company
2072 Stoneman Circle
Lakewood, NY USA
Est. 2002
www.southerntierbrewing.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.5 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review
Slight golden color.
Sweet, tart raspberry smells and not much else.
One finger, white soapy head disappears fairly quickly.
Some lacing retained down glass.
Tastes similar to the aromas; a bit of grainy taste.
Minimal carbonation.
Slight amount of a watery aftertaste.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Not a fan of fruity beers, but we gave it a go.  Mrs. Reaper enjoyed it way more than I did. Blame it on the day, but I felt the tastes were a bit off.  Surprisingly, I have enjoyed quite a few of Southern Tier's offerings, but this one escaped me.

Note to self, keep the wifey happy!

As for me.......meh. I'll take a pass.

Saranac Octoberfest

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Saranac Octoberfest
F.X. Matt Brewing Company
811 Edward St, Brewhouse Square
Utica, NY USA
Est. 1888
www.saranac.com

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

Postmortem Brew Review
Copper amber color.
Malt and dry spice on nose with hint of hops.
Off white, almost tan, two finger head with irregular bubbles.
Malt and hops are balanced but not too pronounced.
Average carbonation.
Light to medium body. Gets better as it warms.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy 
Today marked the beginning of the Autumnal Equinox. The official beginning of fall. Football, raking leaves, pumpkin and spice in the air - - - and all that...

Yesterday marked the 200th anniversary of Oktoberfest.  177 have been held in that 200 year span in Germany, the country of origin. Well, I say, " HIP HIP HOORAY! BRING ON OCTOBERFEST!"

Marzens are my favorite style because they are flavorful, easy to drink, light in ABV and they throw the biggest effin' party for beer around the world, just to celebrate this style.  They go well with footbal in the backyard, lawn chores or that get-it-in while you can last days at the beach.  When done right, they are enjoyable with great food of any style or straight out of the carton on their own.

Saranac makes one that is pretty close to the high water mark, even for an American made Octoberfest. Saranac's Octoberfest is made with a generations old recipe right from the motherland, so it should be good. And it is.  So good, in fact, they truly have "Limited Release" on the label.  That's important as some brewers make this style all year long. In days of yore, these beers were crafted in March (Marzen) and lagered all summer awaiting the fall celebration.

So remember, there may only be 92 days until Christmas, but it's the most wonderful time for a beer!

Brooklyn Sorachi Ace

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Brooklyn Sorachi Ace
Brooklyn Brewery
#1 Brewers Row
79 North 11th Street
Brooklyn , NY USA
Est. 1988
www.brooklynbrewery.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 7.6 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 25.4

Postmortem Brew Review
Clear, dull pale gold color.
Fruity, lemongrass and Belgian yeast funk in aroma.
White foaming head goes to about two fingers high.
Great legs of lacing up and down the glass.
Taste similar to the smell with a twinge of pepper finish.
Bouncy carbonation.
Full flavored but light to drink for the ABV content.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Sorachi Ace is a hop derived from and developed in Japan. It is best noted for its lemon fragrance, thus making it extremely suitable for farmhouse style saison ales.  Sessionable, but watch out for the 7.6% alcohol content.  There is no booziness or alcohol taste as it borders on 8%.  I can easily see getting carried away espscially with the bomber sized bottle.

So find a friend to share with, or at least one that will offer to drive you home safely. On second thought, just get a couple of these, a few friends and sit around the pool in lounge chairs, then everyone has fun and no one needs to get behind the wheel.  That way, you are the Ace and not the Joker.

Brooklyn Lager

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Brooklyn Lager
Brooklyn Brewery
#1 Brewers Row
79 North 11th Street
Brooklyn , NY USA
Est. 1988
www.brooklynbrewery.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.2 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Clear, amber gold color.
Carmel malt and some floral hops brightness in aroma.
Off white foaming head goes to about one finger high.
Great streaked lacing up and down the glass.
Malty taste mixed with a slight hint of citrus; very tasty.
Light carbonation.
Light to medium bodied mouth feel. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Good basic, solid lager.  Better than the majority of most other lagers. It will not treat you like the typical 'yellow' beer. After all, what would you expect from any beer out of the Brooklyn stable?

If you are not sure that lagers are for you, or even if you know that you dislike lager beers, give this one a try.  Its Vienna lager style might just win you over and make you love lagers again.

Brooklyn - Local 2

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Brooklyn Local 2
Brooklyn Brewery
#1 Brewers Row
79 North 11th Street
Brooklyn , NY USA
Est. 1988
www.brooklynbrewery.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 9.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 25.4

Postmortem Brew Review
Deep brown color with a ruby red tinge.
Belgian yeast and fig/prune aromas.
Tan colored foaming head goes to about one finger high.
Great rings of lacing up and down the glass.
Honey in the taste along with the Belgian yeast. A bit dry at the end of the sip.
Good amount of carbonation without going overboard.
Slight note of alcohol but mellow finish.
Medium to full bodied mouth feel. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Another great Brooklyn brew, the sibling to Local 1.  Unlike its brethren, Local 2 is a darker, maltier ale.  Notably Belgian in style and notably high in ABV.

We definitely took note as three of us shared this magnificent ale and all found the alcohol by the bottom of our glass.

Pick 1 or 2 and you'll have a winner of an ale.

Brooklyn - Summer Ale

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Brooklyn Summer Ale
Brooklyn Brewery
#1 Brewers Row
79 North 11th Street
Brooklyn , NY USA
Est. 1988
www.brooklynbrewery.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Light airy golden color, similar to pilseners.
Dry aroma of  malted barley; hops bitterness present in nose.
White, one fingered head that was quite fizzy.
Spots of lacing down the glass.
Malt flavors with some lemony taste along with some crisp hops bitterness.
Good amount of active carbonation.
Light bodied mouth feel; so easy to drink. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Brooklyn has redefined the term English Pale Ale to come up with an English Light Dinner Ale, or Luncheon Ale. Or Summer ale! Bother!  What ever you call it, get some of this for the summertime pool and beach outings.  Its light airyness makes it very very easy to session and its flavor will bring you back for more.

We had a big move over the Memorial Day holiday and this easy to drink brew went down easy and was refreshing.

So get a move-on and go try it now!

Southern Tier - Phin & Matt's Extraordinary Ale

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Southern Tier - Phin & Matt's Extraordinary Ale
Southern Tier Brewing Company
2072 Stoneman Circle
Lakewood, NY USA
Est. 2002
www.southerntierbrewing.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.4 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0 (On Tap) 

Postmortem Brew Review
Amber to orange color.
Pale malt and citrus hops in fair balance.
Light off white head disappears quickly.
Good lacing down glass.
Tastes similar to the aromas; hops and malt in balance.
Minimal carbonation.
Little bit of a watery aftertaste.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Being an IPA fan, there is not ususally much to a pale ale that will conjure up the tastes of the hops my palate desires.  But this refreshing little gem was right in the zone.  I found that it was easy enough to session while giving a straight up approach to what a pale ale should be.  I left my preconceived notions of IPA's out of it after the second sip.

See what a good example of an American Pale Ale can be with Southern Tier. Make that an extraordinary example.

Ommegang Abbey Ale

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Ommegang Abbey Ale
Brewery Ommegang
656 County Highway 33

Cooperstown, NY USA 
Est. 1997
www.omegang.com  

Brain Damage Quotient = 8.5 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review

Deep ruby color with cloudiness.
Sweet esters of plum and banana and clove aromas.
Two fingered caramel head that lasts . Frothy head. Great lacing.

Complex fruit, yeast, with sweet taste of malt and brown sugars.
A bit more malty than yeasty.
Medium bodied with full flavor.  Alcohol bite is slightly detectable.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Another hit from Cooperstown.  Ommegang Abbey Ale reaffirms my joy over Belgian style ales.  This Dubbel is more like a home run.  I know, another droll pun...

Though they are thousands of miles from the Trappist Monks of Belgium, their ales are crafted in the same careful traditions.  We can dispense with the rumor that only good Belgian style beer comes from Belgium.  This one can hold its own in that arena.  Just quash that idea the next time it comes up in discussion.  Ommegang is one serious brewer, making some seriously good ale.

Brooklyn - Local 1

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

Brain Damage Quotient = 9.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 25.4

Postmortem Brew Review
Cloudy golden yellow pour.
Fruity like banana and peach with honey aromas prevail.
Rich soapy head about two and a half fingers high.
Super delicate lace spotting up and down the glass.
The head bubbles are small and tightly packed like champagne.
Carbonation is medium.  Little presence of alcohol.
Medium bodied mouth feel; complex fruit, yeast and spice tartness. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
As with all of Brooklyn's beers thus far, The Reaper has been particularly impressed by the mad skills of their brewmaster, Garrett Oliver.  The man makes some amazing beer.

There are meticulous details like the logo imprint on the bottle cork and the wire basket.  The bottle is worthy of a fine champagne, even better that it contains this brew.  Its heavy, thick walls and have raised lettering displaying the Brooklyn logo and name.  The 'punt' in the bottom gives you a great place to grab with the thumb when swirling out the last bit of nectar from this Belgian Strong Pale Ale.  German hops, raw cane sugars and a fantastic yeast strain are in the brew.  Top it off with the fact that it's refermented in the bottle, and you get an out of the body experience to savor.

I shared this delectable embalming fluid at a local haunt with a few of my ghoulish friends.  Sinfully deliciousl...muahhahaahaaahaahaaaa!

UPDATE: 9/17/2010 - Lucky me! Garrett graciously posed for a snapshot while pouring some of Brooklyn's finest at the 2010 Great American Beer Festival.

Saranac Pale Ale

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Saranac Pale Ale
F.X. Matt Brewing Company
811 Edward St, Brewhouse Square
Utica, NY USA
Est. 1888
www.saranac.com

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

Postmortem Brew Review
Copper amber color.
Bready, fruity overtones on the nose.
Sweet hops aromas.
Off white good forming head with modest lacing.
Average carbonation.
Surprisingly a bit heavy flavor. Dry and wheaty tasting.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy 
Pale Ales abound and some stand out more than others.  This one unfortunately does not.  It is worthy of a session, and is enjoyable enough, just not particularly amazing.  One thing that does stand out though is half the hops are East Kent Golden hops.  That puts it in the English Pale Ale category instead of American.

It's good enough for a try.  I know Matt's/Saranac makes other fine brews. We will review more later.