Brooklyn - Black Ops 2010

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
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."

Terrapin - Big Daddy Vlady's Russian Imperial Stout

Dead Reptile

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Big Daddy Vlady's Russian Imperial Stout
Side Project Volume 13
Terrapin Beer Company
265 Newton Bridge Road
Athens, GA USA
Est. 2002
www.terrapinbeer.com
 
Brain Damage Quotient = 10.25% ABV
Fluid Oz. = 22.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Dark as the night and pours with a thick viscosity.
Roasted malts, chocolate and a bit boozy on the nose.
Minimal one finger, tan colored head.
Strings of lacing stick to the glass.
Starts with sweet chocolate taste. Finishes with roasted malt flavors and slight twinge of alcohol.
Minimal carbonation.
Not too complex, but full bodied with a viscous mouth feel. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
From its gold foil neck label to the sinister looking comrade on the label, right down to the giant imperial hops marquee, you get the feeling this is going to have a lot going on in the bottle.  Thick, viscous and a creamy smooth taste melted on the tongue. Big Daddy Vlady's was a fairly good rendition of a Russian Imperial Stout.

We served this up in small snifters, though the bottle recommends shot glasses are also appropriate. No squabble there as the 10.25% ABV starts right in on you. This is great to imbibe on a winter's evening, preferably at home. And be sure to share, after all there's 22 oz. in that bomber. That's just what we did.

Remember, to commune with your friends, comrade!

Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Samuel Smith's Imperial Stout
The Old Brewery at Tadcaster
Yorkshire, England
Est. 1758
www.samuelsmithsbrewery.co.uk


Brain Damage Quotient = 7.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 


Postmortem Brew Review
Dark brown color; solid.
Roasted grains of malt in the full and pungent aroma.
Bubbly tan/caramel head that lasts to the bottom of glass.
Huge three fingered head even upon slow pour.
Roasted malt taste, coffee-like, that gives way to some sweeter flavors of caramel hints of chocolate.
Abundant amount of carbonation.
Full bodied mouth feel. Smooth, creamy and delicious 


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Do these guys know how to make beer! Thus far, every ale sampled by Samuel Smith has been a treat. I am impressed by the balance of ingredients. They adhere to the style formats well, and do not attempt to go far over the top. Just solid and enjoyable ales.


This Imperial Stout was no exception. The roasty grains of malt come right up to border line of a burnt, or espresso taste. Those stinging notes are not a displeasure, as they are subdued under richer malt sweetness in the backbone. The head rises immediately while pouring and it's all you can do to reign it in the glass.


Fun to pour and fun to drink. It's like getting a show with your beer!

Great Divide - Oak Aged Yeti Imperial Stout

Dead Soldier 

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!"

North Coast - Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout
North Coast Brewing Company
455 North Main Street
Fort Bragg, CA USA
Est. 1988
www.northcoastbrewing.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 9.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Jet black color but with ruby tones on pour.
Sweet, roasted malt and hint of chocolate smell.
Two finger caramel-tan head that leaves abundant lacing.
Head is tight and lasts about half the glass then thinly covers.
Deep roasted malt/chocolate/coffee tasting with fig/raisin taste that warms.
Light amount of carbonation.
A full bodied ale that will satisfy.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Here is a fantastic Russian Imperial stout that will satisfy the discriminating ale drinker.  Old Rasputin is rich and full bodied with a lot of complex flavors going on, in the glass.  It is chewy and thick in body.  The complex flavors keep you guessing what you will taste next.

An absolutely fine beverage that will please with ease, for those of you that like stout. The 9% alcohol is masked until the end when it releases a warming and drying factor in the back of your throat. Now it leads me to wonder what Rasputin is doing, gesturing with his hand...is it a salutation? A blessing? Or is he telling you the bed is upstairs when you are done with that one in your hand?!?