Hair of the Dog - Blue Dot Double India Pale Ale

Dead Soldier 

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Blue Dot DIPA
Hair of the Dog Brewing Company
61 SE Yamhill Street
Portland, OR USA
Est. 1993
http://www.hairofthedog.com/


Brain Damage Quotient = 7.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 22.0


Postmortem Brew Review
Dark orange/dark amber color, hazy and translucent on the pour.
Some sweet fruits like pineapple and apple along with hops aromas.
Minimal off-white head. Minimal lace.
Smooth flavors of floral hops and fruits.
Soft carbonation. Hops are biting at the end, but  are gone fast.
Medium bodied. A little thin on the finish, but a good drinker.


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Loyal. Pure. Faithful. Wet Nose. Traits that we are all familiar with and traits that this brewer ascribes to. If this sounds like "Man's Best Friend", then you aren't too far off point. But it's beers, not Bulldogs we're talking about. By the way, these traits are imprinted into the company logo.

A good and solid drinker from a small brewery in Portland. I enjoyed this beer equally as much as I enjoyed the terrific painted bottle. It seems notable to mention that I see a trend with small handcrafted breweries from the west. Many prefer to have custom artwork done and placed on the glass as opposed to paper labeling each bottle. I prefer the feel and texture of the painted label. Overall, the bottles stand out more noticeably.

It's a pretty good bet that you can "unleash" a "growler" of this stuff direct from the brewer.

Rogue Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Ale

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Voodoo Doughnut Bacon Maple Ale
Rogue Ales
2320 OSU Drive
Newport, OR USA
Est.1988
www.rogue.com
www.rogue.com/beers/voodoo-bacon-maple

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.6 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 25.4

Postmortem Brew Review
Clear amber color with a honey colored tinge.
Distinct smokiness, bacon and maple aromas that become pronounced, then intermingle. Leans toward smoked meat on nose.
Traces of smoked malt and woody undertones.
Near white head color head that fades to a skim coat and rings the glass.
Maple flavor takes more of the lead at first and the finish has smoky malt sweetness.
Modest carbonation tingles the tongue.
Medium bodied.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
It was the Voodoo Man that caught my attention, not the shockingly pink painted bottle. There he was, standing with a mug of suds in hand, holding (dare I say), squeezing the life out of that piglet in his ham-fisted paw. Pink maple leafs checkered the spaces in-between each little piggy. With his sullen black eyes, pork bone necklace and replete in top hat and coat, the Voodoo Man was egging The Reaper to buy the bottle. Then it struck me that I was at Whole Foods Market. Ah hah! Well, surely this little piggy went to market, so now we would both go wheee-wheee-wheee, all the way home!

Rogue gives a tip of the voodoo top hat to Tres & Cat Daddy over at Voodoo Doughnuts in Portland, OR. The ale is loosely translated from the Bacon Maple Bar that can be found in the doughnut shop.  I had the good fortune to visit this past summer and can tell you that their doughnut selection is mind boggling and nothing short of awesome. Visit them at one of their three locations, but expect a line. It's worth the wait! As Voodoo Doughnuts slogan says, "The magic is in the hole!!!" The same can be said of this bottle.

As for the beer, it is a nice tribute to the creative essence that oozes from the Portland scene. Both brewmaster and baker are trend setters and at the forefront of their respective industries. I consider both the beer and the doughnuts to be fun stuff and worth a try.

Go ahead...pig out!

Hopworks Urban Brewery - Galactic Imperial Red Ale

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Galactic Imperial Red Ale

Hopworks Urban Brewery

2944 SE Powell Boulevard

Portland, OR USA

Est. 2007

www.hopworksbeer.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 9.5 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 22.0

Postmortem Brew Review

Rich deep red/brown color; almost a bit dark for a red.

Caramel malt, pine hop and citrus floral hop on the nose.

Two finger near-white head that leaves great spiderweb lacing.
Tastes earthy with a caramel malt backbone.

At 100 IBU, the hops are not aggressive.
Modest amount of carbonation.

Full flavor, medium bodied. Balance of malt and hops.


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
We are on a bus, headed to hop fields south of Portland Oregon and this is one of the beers that is brought out as we sit in Friday night rush hour. I am gobsmacked by the old-school arcade images on the painted label. As if that isn't enough, it's a 100 IBU, 9.5% ABV Imperial Red that is organic, to boot. 5000 point bonus power-up for the folks over at HUB!

From all levels, this is a kick ass brew. High in hops and nicely masked alcohol, this Imp. Red quickly got my attention. The hops and alcohol are done so well and the beer so easily drinkable, it won't be "Game Over" for your senses. Turns out they really had me hooked by the label. I have shoveled a ton of quarters into those old arcade machines in my day. I took some notes and stashed the empty bottle, so I could return it to the crypt and write this review.

Get your game on, with this one.

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...

Stone - Double Bastard Ale (2010)

Dead Bastard

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Stone Double Bastard Ale (2010)

Stone Brewing Company

North San Diego County

Escondido, CA USA
Est. 1996

www.stonebrew.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 11.2 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 22.0

Postmortem Brew Review
Brilliant copper color.
Sweet malts, fruity citrus hop oil aromas.
Minimal off-white head with dots of lacing on the glass. Head disappears quickly.

Aggressively hopped flavors. Bready malts and a bit boozy on the back part of the sip.
Good amount of carbonation.
Complex flavored, full body. Oak flavors as it warms.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
"Ye Shall Know the Bastard, and the Bastard Shall Set You Free" written at the bottom of the bottle, as it is on the Bastard series, serves to warn you of what lies ahead. If you've had any of the others, the original Arrogant Bastard, the Oaked Bastard or the Lukcy 13asartd, you had better take notice that this time the warning should really be telling you something.

This over the top hopped, over the top ABV brew will really ring your bell. So take it slowly and settle in. You'll be arm wrestling this Double Bastard with both hands. The ABV of 11.2% is pronounced subtly but firmly as you work your way through each sip. The unclassified nature of the hops and the fact there are somewhere well north of 100 IBU's should also give you a heads up as to its potency.

The back label diatribe warning leads off with, "Double Bastard Ale is not to be wasted on the tentative or weak. Only the worthy are invited and then only at your own risk." So easy mate. Share with a worthy friend, or slowly and steadily at your own pace. You have been warned. Muaaa haha haaaa haaaa!

Breckenridge Extra ESB - 471 Small Batch

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Breckenridge Extra ESB- 471 Small Batch

Breckenridge Brewery
471 Kalamath Street
Denver, CO USA
Est. 1989

www.breckbrew.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 7.8 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review

Somewhere between a burnt amber and red color.
Some bitter hops, caramel and brown sugar notes from the toasted smelling malts.
Tan colored, one finger clinging head.
Good amount of lacing down the side of the glass.
Scotch flavor, hops and then malts present in that order when tasting.
Carbonation is surprisingly zippy.
Medium bodied mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Oh, the Small Batch! Strong beer with equally strong characteristics. The IPA was surprisingly high at over 9% ABV. This ESB is a bit more manageable though it still pushes nearly 8%. It hides that fact well, I might add.

With a Scothch style ale taste up front, tingling hops in the middle and malts on the finish, I found this to be a fairly easy drinker, regardless of the ABV. Sessionable? That depends. An uncommon Extra Special Bitter in a Scotch style ale.

St. Bernardus - Watou Tripel

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

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

http://www.sintbernardus.be/en/beers.html

Brain Damage Quotient = 7.5 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 25.4 


Postmortem Brew Review 
Hazy yellow orange in color with golden hues.
Lots of honey and yeast aromas up front.
Creamy and frothy white head that settles down to a cover.
Bread and grains with sweet fruit notes on the palate.
Just the right amount of bubbly carbonation.
Delicious, pleasantly refreshing.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
From the land where the monks are happy, and it's no surprise why. Watou is named after the "burg" it hails from, though the folks at St. Bernardus have other tripels in their arsenal. This one is as good as any (or even better) that you'll find from any of the Belgium brew houses.

Watou. Even the name is fun to say. As in Watou gonna' hav' mon? As for me, I'll have another Watou Tripel. Praise to the monks and pass the ale.

Abita - SOS (Save Our Shore)

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
SOS (Save Our Shore)
Abita Brewing Company, LLC
Abita Springs, LA USA
Est. 1986
www.abita.com
and
sos.abita.com

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

Postmortem Brew Review
Brilliant golden color.
Wheat; bready aroma. Bright finishing hops noticed.
Two-finger bright white head that leaves ringed lacing.
Dry, tart wheat taste. Citrus (like tangerine) touches. Slightly acerbic on finish.
Modest amount of carbonation.
Light mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
At the intersection of Mardi Gras and exaggerated gasoline prices, we find this wonderful Louisiana beer. A bright pilsener done with a twist; wheat instead of barley. An unusual 22 ounce pilsener weizen. Truly a Big Easy beer, if ever there was one.  As a side note, the finishing note of the beer and the the aftermath of the 2010 gulf oil spill, reveal a bitter finish. Poetic justice, Abita!

The idea for such a beer was created as a response to help with the community, suffering from the great oil spill from 2010 in the Gulf of Mexico, along the shores of Louisiana. For every bottle sold, Abita donates seventy five cents towards, "... the rescue and restoration of the environment, industry and individuals fighting to survive this disastrous oil spill."  Nice effort on their part. They have gone above and beyond by even creating a superb web page for all to view. You can help the cause by viewing it here at http://sos.abita.com/

Beautiful bottle, web page, beer and cause. Do visit them and see what you can do to help out.

Brouwerij Bosteels - Tripel Karmeliet

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Tripel Karmeliet
Brouwerij Bosteels
Kerkstraat 96
9255 Buggenhout, BelgiumEst. 1679 
www.bestbelgianspecialbeers.be

Brain Damage Quotient = 8.4 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 11.2 and 25.4

Postmortem Brew Review
Clear deep golden color that slowly turns to a haze.
Sweet fruit (apricot) and yeast smell. Slight coriander whiffs.
Bright white tightly bubbled head that quickly dissipates to cover.
Yeast globules slowly fall in the head/body suspension.
Clean fruit taste. Soft notes of yeast taste.
Minimal carbonation.
Medium body. Deliciously syrupy on the tongue.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This is a tripel to behold. Superior in color, texture, flavor and appearance to any that you have had before. I was completely caught off guard as to how delicious it was in taste.  The appearance is at first crystal clear in its yellow/golden color and then once settled, it actually turns just a bit hazy.

Globs of yeasty goodness descend through the crisp, tightly bubbled, white fizzy head.  They plunge through the golden body and turn from clear to translucent in color. It is like watching artwork form in the glass. The traditional Belgian yeast is present in the taste, but soft and muted. And I mean that in a good way. It adds, not subtracts, in the taste and enjoyment of this finely crafted ale.

Go get some of this soon and become enlightened. I was.

Dubuisson - Scaldis Amber Ale

Dead Soldier 

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!"

Rogue Chocolate Stout

Dead Soldier

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.

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.

Rogue Brutal Bitter

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Rogue Brutal Bitter
Rogue Ales
2320 OSU Drive
Newport, OR USA
Est.1988
www.rogue.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.2 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 22.0 

Postmortem Brew Review 
Cloudy almost murky orange color.
Grain, yeast and a bang of hops on the nose with some citrus smell.
Frothy off-white head with good retention.
Moderate carbonation.
Hoppy and bittering finish.
Medium bodied, hoppy flavor.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
"Hedonistic!"  Those aren't my words.  Believe it or not they are on the label of this over the top hop.  Self gratifying?  Indeed.  This bitter style has a mere 59 IBU's but tastes like more than that much.  It doesn't hit your palate until the third or fourth sip, but then it's there 'til the bottom of the glass.  And at 22 oz. for the bottle, that's a long time to endure.

I get it, though.  I like my hops too, but this one about did me in.  Oh, it was enjoyable, however be aware that it does live up to the name, "Brutal Bitter".  Every drop of it.

Are you up to the test?  Gird your loins and go for it.  After all, "...a person whose life is devoted to the pursuit of pleasure and self-gratification" is the very definition of 'hedonism'.  I'd say there's also an element of masochism involved here too.  You got a problem with that?

Stone Ruination IPA

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Stone Ruination IPA
Stone Brewing Company
North San Diego County
Escondido, CA USA
Est. 1996
www.stonebrew.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 7.7 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Golden, cloudy, hazy color. Syrup looking body.
Powerful hop pine/citrus smell.
Three fingered creamy near-white head.
Excellent spiderweb lace drapes the glass.
Tremendous hops taste with even more bitters in the finish
Full flavor, medium body with good carbonation.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
The name, 'Ruination' was brought about because of this ale's taste bud wrecking capabilities.  I will go one better by saying not only did it scorch away the fleshy part of the back of my tongue, but it must have tooth enamel stripping powers as well!  Just kidding.  But, I'm not kidding by the overwhelming hops taste.

There are three layers of hops immersion one must endure in this powerful IPA.  The first is the heady, hop scented nose which sends warning messages to your deepest levels of brain cortex.  Psyched out by that, the second is the instantaneous raw hops bitch-slap to the palate and taste buds.  The third includes the disregard for the back of your throat and upper esophageal passage as over 100 IBU's slide warmly into your gullet.

"A liquid poem to the glory of the hop."  These words belong to Stone.  Here is my non-mortal attempt at poetry.  Since it's close to Valentine's Day, let's begin with an old standard....ahem, ahem...

Roses are red,

But don't have 100+ IBU.

If you can handle the hops,

Then it's Ruination for you.

Oh, don't get me wrong!  I love the hops. Bring 'em on, full tilt.  And I especially love this ale.  But be warned that you might not.  But who am I to judge?  See for your self if you can stand this bold and bracing brew.

Rogue - Yellow Snow IPA

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Yellow Snow IPA
Rogue Ales
2320 OSU Drive
Newport, OR USA
Est.1988
www.rogue.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.2 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 22.0 

Postmortem Brew Review 
Cloudy yellow/orange color.
A bang of hops on the nose with some citrus smell.
Frothy off-white head with magnificent two fingered retention.
Moderate carbonation.
Creamy. Tart.  Hoppy and bittering finish.
Medium bodied, hearty flavor.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Drum roll........Beer review #200.  A landmark review calls for a landmark beer.  I pulled this out of the mortuary cooler for your perusal.

Let's begin by saying this name is wrong on so many levels. I'm getting flashback's from the old 70's Frank Zappa standard "Please Don't Eat The Yellow Snow".  Frank's Eskimo song mama reminds him to, "...watch out where the Huskies go..."  Frank, if you are listening from up there...mama was wrong!

Well as the saying goes, "...it has been colder than a witch's teat..." around these parts of Florida.  Some parts of the state have reported snow in the past few days.  Sooo, why not try this ale, I thought.  Now you are all chuckling to yourselves, "Cold! Did he say cold?  I mean, how cold can it get in Florida?"  LISTEN UP YOU DUNDERHEADS!  It has been in the low to mid 30's at night and barely reaching the upper 40's by day for the past week and a half!  If you don't think that's cold, why don't you plan your vacation for this week?  Don't forget your swim suit! Okay, I'm done chiding you. But, I digress...

This IPA would most likely warm me up, since it contains a hearty 70 IBU's.  That made it a good pick for tonight.  Also, according to the label, it pairs well with 'fire' and 'bulls heads' --- hey, that's the symbols they used.  Not my idea.  Anyway, tonight's sup was spicy meatball sandwiches, so the 'fire and bull' thing was also working in its favor.

The ale poured out a murky yellow-orange color (I know what you are thinking) and produced a jubilant, frothy head.  Being a bomber bottle, I drank some and then refilled the glass when done.  As the last remnants of the ale dripped out, into the three fingered, off-white snowbank of a head, it was stained with that yellow-orange liquid.  It soiled it...well...like yellow snow! Bwaahaahaaahaa muahaahaahaaa!  I like a brewer with a sense of humor.  And I like Rogue's Yellow Snow IPA.

You know? There is the Rogue fellow and his hound on the label; kinda looks like a Labrador retriever --- did he do it?!?

Lets end by saying this ale is SO RIGHT on so many levels!

New Holland - Dragon's Milk

Dead Dragon

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Dragon's Milk
New Holland Brewery
66 East 8th Street 
Holland, MI USA
Est. 1996 
www.newhollandbrew.com

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

Postmortem Brew Review
Dark chocolate black color.
Caramel malt and vanilla aromas and taste.
Brown sugars, fruits and figs in the flavor.
Tan head with minimal retention and lacing.
Minimal carbonation.
Complex taste; malty and rich. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
One of my minions, a "ghost writer", has come calling again. When I get around to some of this ale, I'll add my two cents. The following comments do not represent my personal views, so tough noogies if you don't like them:

Ghost Writer's Eulogy
I tried this at our Christmas Eve dinner and will say as a lover of Guinness, this has all the same rich flavors, but is smoother.  At 8.5 ABV it makes you do really stupid things!  (Ah, yes TK it surely does, because it is 10%, NOT 8.5 as you claim!  Ha! The Reaper corrects you!)

Imagine me trying to snowboard on my ten foot backyard hill in MN at an age of almost 60???  What was I thinking...or is that drinking?  Dragon's Milk is most enjoyable and I wish I had a photo of me 'd-r-a-g-o-n' my ass up the hill, wipe-out after wipe-out! 

---TK

Rogue - Santa's Private Reserve Ale

Jolly Dead Elf

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Santa's Private Reserve Ale
Rogue Ales
2320 OSU Drive
Newport, OR USA
Est.1988
www.rogue.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 22.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Brown color on pour with red tones.
Pine scent of hops with some malt in the aroma.
Tan/caramel  head with some retention.
Light carbonation with balanced malt and hops taste.
Medium  to heavy bodied, fairly complex flavors.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Not spiced at all as most winter and Christmas brews. The malt and hops play well together.  There is something else going on in the background that I can seem to identify.  But good to be sure.  A nice one for the holidays and a nicer one to share with some of your elves.  It does have a heaviness and I found it might be tough to session.  Well, thank goodness Christmas only comes once a year.

The malt/caramel/toffee taste comes out after a bright splash of hops when you first sip.  A bit unusual, but I liked it.  Also, this ale takes a different tack from most of the dryer and spiced beverages we find at Christmas time. It's still on the dry side, and a bit more malt sweetness would have worked  better for my tastes.

I must have been a good boy as Santa brought this early, this year.

Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale

Taps for a Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale
Stone Brewing Company
North San Diego County
Escondido, CA USA
Est. 1996
www.stonebrew.com
www.arrogantbastard.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 7.2 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 16.0 (On Tap) - 22.0 (Bomber Bottle) 

Postmortem Brew Review
Rusty orange/amber in color.
Hop oil aroma, pine and citrus scents.
Minimal off-white head with dots of lacing on the glass.
Aggressively hopped smell, taste and flavor.
Complex flavored, full body with active carbonation.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
"This is an aggressive beer.  You probably won't like it..." is the lead on Stone's Arrogant Bastard website banner.  That's brash confidence, bravado and machismo.  Call it a warning to the timid, or a throw down to the brave.  Their website even has the IBU's listed as "CLASSIFIED".  Basically, don't order this if you only want to peak your curiosity.

Listen up people!  It is so arrogant, they developed a separate website for this ale.  Their main website is not big enough for its flavor, hops or ego.  Get the point?

I, for one, am not challenged by hops.  I enjoy spicy food and hopped up beers and ales.  And as stated before, I am the Grim Reaper and do not fear gargoyles.  Good thing for that, because the warning is more than fair.  This beer makes an attempt to rip your taste buds off your tongue.  It comes remarkebly close to doing so, I might add.  But, Stone has another ale for that purpose; the to-be-feared Ruination.  But that review is for a later date when my mouth heals from the Arrogant Bastard.

It's not for everybody...and Stone make no bones about it.  Like the finer things in life, it is an acquired taste.  It will feel as if a 4th of July fireworks display has gone off in your mouth.  You have been warned!

Rogue - Chocolate Stout

Dead Soldier

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 

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
Hey! You got chocolate in my beer! No, you got beer in my chocolate!

If you like 'hot' chocolate, then you're sure to enjoy this 'cold' chocolate beverage. Every time you bring it up to your lips, you'll swear there's a chocolate bar in your glass. The rich and frothy head is like a mousse dessert on top of your beer.

Let's not forget to talk about the hops. Inside this cocoa madness is a whopping 69 IBU's of taste bud tingling fun. It's not masked, nor does it overpower. Instead it adds to the wonderful mix of ingredients; quite balanced I might add.

True confession...after every sip I couldn't help but exclaim out loud, "...man that's a great beer!" Bring out your inner Rogue and go get one. They melt in your mouth.

Rogue - Dead Guy Ale

Dead Guy

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Dead Guy Ale
Rogue Ales
2320 OSU Drive
Newport, OR USA
Est.1988
www.rogue.com 

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

Postmortem Brew Review
Yellow orange in color.
Caramel malt taste and aroma with floral scent of hops.
Off-white head with little retention.
Light carbonation with hoppy finish.
Light to medium bodied, hearty flavor.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Oh! A man after my own heart...and soul! Muahaahaahaaahaaaaaa! ! ! ! !

I knew right from the start this Maibock style ale was going to exceed my expectations. But first it had to meet its maker...me. I had a chance to get some a few months ago, but it was out of stock before I arrived. Dang! Then in Colorado on a beer hunting expedition, he was in my grasp once again, but fate had a bitter twist and other beer was bagged. Well he has not escaped me this time.

A delicious ale that is recommended with pork and or spicy foods; this is a true pleasure for anyone to sample. Highly recommend it. This is the second of Rogue's craft lay to rest in the crypt, and they are fast on their way to becoming a favorite.