Cotleigh - Barn Owl Premium Ale

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Barn Owl Premium Ale

Cotleigh Brewery 
Wiveliscombe, Somerset, England 

Est. 1979

www.cotleighbrewery.com
www.hawkandowl.org

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.5 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 16.9

Postmortem Brew Review

Cloudy and amber (near copper) color. Hazy particle suspension.
Muddled applesauce aroma. No malts or hops presence.
Very little carbonation.
Off-white head; dissipates very fast. Leaves skim cover.
Tastes of malts and apples. Difficult to define.
Light to medium mouth feel; slight watery and bitter finish. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Birds of prey are featured in the Cotleigh series of handcrafted ales. Although, like the real birds of prey, this one escapes me, too.  I couldn't quite put my finger on what the background was up to. "Applesauce" is what I kept coming back to, in the smell and in the taste, and to the eye. Not unusually difficult to drink at all. But...you see...well there I am again.  At a complete loss in my description of what I'm smelling, seeing and tasting.

Not a lot of head, nor carbonation. Not a lot of malt, not a lot of hops. Color is, well, muddled applesauce with a touch of cinnamon tint. So there you have it. Or do you? Let me know what you thought of this one.

Interesting note that the brew is part of a "Birds of Prey" series.  This brewer supports the protection of these elegant and awesome birds. Kudos to Cotleigh for that, my friends!

Flying Dog - Raging Bitch Belgian Style India Pale Ale

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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

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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.

Gordon Biersch - Marzen

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Gordon Biersch Marzen

Gordon Biersch Brewing Company
357 E. Taylor Street
San Jose, CA USA
Est. 1988
www.gordonbiersch.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.8 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Copper to amber color.
Malty sweet with whiffs of hops.
Caramel tan head that has little lacing.
Minimal carbonation.

Malty taste with slight hops finish.
Light to medium bodied.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
I really enjoyed Gordon Biersch's Fest Bier, which also happens to be in the Marzen/Octoberfest style. The trouble is, this one is a straight up Marzen, and it failed to deliver. It was a bit harsh and more bitter than expected for the style.  Could have been mishandled. Could be that it's about 6 months past Octoberfest deliveries. Hmmm. Will have to try another time this year.

So what's a guy to do when Marzens are one of his all-time favorite styles?  Nothing to do except go dig up one that will please. Sorry, not this time.

Left Hand - Oxymoron

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

Terrapin Beer Company
265 Newton Bridge Road
Athens, GA USA
Est. 2002
www.terrapinbeer.com
 
Brain Damage Quotient = 7.2 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 22.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Amber golden color.
Hops, some malt sweetness and yeast on the nose.
Nice foaming two finger off-white head that drapes lace on the glass.
Malty backbone with hops bite and noticed yeast after taste.
Moderate amount of carbonation.
Medium bodied. Very drinkable at 7.2%.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
The Midnight Project Brew III from 2010, Oxymoron is aptly named due to its clash of beer styles. On one hand, a hopped India Pale Ale and on the other a Lager Pilsener. Crazy as it sounds, it makes for one nicely hopped lager beer where the lager yeast and the hops varieties share the stage.

Not too complex, Oxymoron is a very drinkable beer, approachable by lager heads and hop heads alike. The hops come into play on the nose while the lager yeast component is more pronounced in the late taste of the brew. In all, a different kind of beer experience, but hey, I like it.

This is a one-off brew, done in collaboration with Terrapin and showcases how brewers will take an out-of-the-box approach when daring to do something really different. Enjoy it if you can still find it, or wait for the IV to drop in the future.

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.

Orlando Brewing - European Pilz

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European Pilz
Orlando Brewing
1301 Atlanta Avenue
Orlando, FL USA
Est. 2002 
www.orlandobrewing.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.15 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Golden yellow color.
Fresh smelling Centennial and Saaz hops aromas. Malt grain notes.
White, two finger head with ringed lacing. Good retention.
Gentle but pronounced hops taste with balanced grain malt flavor. Dry finish.
Active carbonation that tingles the tongue. 
Light bodied flavor.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Orlando Brewing takes great pride in all their beers. It shows in their freshness and attention to details. It's no secret they use organic ingredients in all their beers and ales. It certainly makes them stand apart from the pack.

European Pilz was one such beer that was sampled at the brewery this past fall.  As a member of a group of beer bloggers, we were invited to come and learn more about the brewery. At first, I was tempted to pass over a pilsener lager in favor of some of their ales. But once the Pilz appeared during our sampling round, I was taken aback. Peering over my glasses, and then through them for a closer look, I noticed the clarity of the color. The aromas spoke more of the Centennial and Saaz notes than the malts, and they reeled me in for another sniff. The taste was clean, dry and hopped in a unique delicious way beyond any past comparison.

I discovered what fresh organic ingredients can do for a beer. This beer satisfied all my senses, turning upside down my thoughts about American pilseners. It's really done in a style all its own. So at the end of the tour, I made sure to secure a purchase of some in their tasting room.

Change you notion of pilseners and try one for yourself.

Brouwerij Huyghe - DELIRIUM Noel

Pink Elephant

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
DELIRIUM Noel
Brouwerij Huyghe
Melle, Belgium
Est. 1654
www.delirium.be

Brain Damage Quotient = 10.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 25.4

Postmortem Brew Review
Reddish brown body color.
Spices, rich dark fruit smells. Slight alcohol presence.
Two finger near tan colored head that dissipates rapidly. Spotty lacing.
Sugary sweet malts, with figgy taste. Light spice notes that give a tart finish.
Medium carbonation.
Light to medium bodied mouth feel. A bit boozy.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Pink elephants, indeed! I asked Mrs. Reaper if she would indulge the Noel with me on this chilly January's afternoon. She had a 6 oz portion, I had the rest and a 'rest' as I retired to the crypt's parlor for a snooze. For heaven's sake, please don't have this whole thing and expect to go anywhere, but sleep, afterwords.

Never fear - the elephants won't trample you as sleep overcomes your mind and body. Instead, you will find it just the trick for lazing on a Sunday afternoon. Sweet dreams, Joyeaux Noel!

Dogfish Head - My Antonia

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My Antonia Lager 
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
6 Cannery Village Center
Milton, DE USA
Est. 1995
www.dogfish.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 7.5 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 25.4

Postmortem Brew Review
Pale, cloudy golden color.
Sweet surprising pear nose followed by copious hops aromas.
Tightly bubbled, one finger crisp white head with spotted lacing.
Tart and zesty fruit taste. Moderate amount of hops. Drying finish.
Medium carbonation.
Easy to drink, even at 7.5% ABV. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy 
Dogfish Head. You think that name -  you say that name - and you remember their logo label says, "Craft Brewed Ales". Coming from a self professed group of individuals known also for their motto, " Off-centered stuff for off-centered people", we find that as a bunch of radical thinkers, they can surprise themselves with even more radical thoughts. Case in point, this beer is a lager, not an ale. Make that a craft brewed Imperial pilsener lager.

The beer is continuously hopped, blending Noble hops from Germany with West Coast hops from the United States. The German Noble would likely be one of these: Hallertau, Tettnanger, Spalt, or Saaz. And the USA West Coast hops are more in line with those, that make up the major hops bomb beers, from breweries left of the Mississippi River.

The name, My Antonia, comes from an early 20th century novel by Willa Cather. She was a pioneering woman novelist during a time considered to be "a man's world." It was also a time when the old world European settlers were still moving west.  We can draw a parallel as to where the hops were chosen; some from Europe and some from the western United States. Drawing from time periods past and present; the writer and the story, the brewer and the beer, are all worth looking into.

To enjoy the pioneer spirit of writing and brewing, grab the book and the beer.  Then curl up with the pair in your own special reading space, when you have the chance.

Cigar City - Jose Marti India Porter

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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!

Vergina Premium Lager

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Vergina Premium Lager
Macedonian Thrace Brewery
Komotini, Greece
Est. 1998
www.verginabeer.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 11.2

Postmortem Brew Review
Bright yellow, clear color.
Dry grainy smell with fresh hops aromas.
White, two finger head with nice lacing. 
Grainy malt with a slight hops bite. Some grassy flavors.
Nicely carbonated. 
Light bodied flavor. Refreshing and crisp.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Okay, get your mind outta' the gutter. This post is going to be short and sweet. I mean it.  No sophomoric jokes or bathroom humor. Yes, the beer has got a rather unique name. But by no means should we poke fun at - - - arghhh, I mean, make silly remarks about it.

I had just showed up at my favorite watering hole...there I go again...and they asked if I would like something new. So I said yes to an ice cold Vergina. And unlike other lagers, it does get more flavorful as it warms up.....oh no I didn't just say that! Okay, but if you can't score a Vergina at your local bar, just keep trying. You're probably trying too hard anyway.

I also found on the internet that they have Vergina Red. I wonder if it is only brewed monthly? And, there's a Vergina Weiss; a bit more wheat and yeast. Alright, now that's out of my system...

Vergina. Sometimes you just want one.

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!

Orlando Brewing - Olde Pelican English Style Pale Ale

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Olde Pelican English Style Pale Ale
Orlando Brewing
1301 Atlanta Avenue
Orlando, FL USA
Est. 2002 
www.orlandobrewing.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.82 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Copper color with slight haze.
Malt presence; sweet and caramelized scent.
Off white, two finger head with ringed lacing. 
Soft, sweet malts in the taste with a slight hops bite. Dry finish.
Soft carbonation. 
Medium bodied flavor.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
I had the good fortune to visit Orlando Brewing this past October as part of a Florida Beer Bloggers group invite. You can read more about that visit at my other blog, Firkin Around. While there, we were treated to a grand assortment of their brews.  This one in particular stood out for me. I enjoyed its English style malting and was surprised to see a slightly more than mild twang of hops at the end of the sip.  It left a nice, dry finish with each sip that I found very enjoyable. Overall, it's just a really well put together ale. This bottle came from one of the sample-mixed six packs, that I grabbed from the fridge in their tasting room, before we left for the day.

Orlando Brewing is Florida's first and only USDA Organic brewery. That means the barley malts are unadulterated by any pesticides or animal based fertilizers. This leaves a beer with no proteins in the final product. All you get are Mother nature's carbohydrates. Nature and beer at its best!

I put a tweet out on Twitter today asking readers to choose between a couple of beers to review for the evening. This one, won the poll. Perhaps it's the beer's exclusivity that caused others to want to see it reviewed.  We Floridians are fortunate to have such a brewery in our home state. It's a stone's throw from the downtown area and worth the visit, should you find yourself in the Orlando area.

Wychwood - Scarecrow Golden Pale Ale

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Scarecrow Golden Pale Ale
Wychwood Brewery
Whitney, Ofordshire, England
Est. 1990
www.wychwood.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.7 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 16.9

Postmortem Brew Review
Golden copper color with slight haze.
Biscuit and grassy smells with touch of hops and some fruit.
Off white, two finger head with ringed lacing, but it disappears quickly. 
Grainy and yeasty taste with a slight hops bite. Tastes envelop tongue.
Very lightly carbonated. 
Light bodied flavor.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Scarecrow is an organic golden pale ale from the chaps across the pond. Not scary enough for the old Reaper, but pleasant enough to have a proper pint in the bottle. The clean and refreshing taste signifies the mark of a true organic brew, and it really shines in the taste of this ale.

From their label, "Scarecrow Organic Ale is brewed using organically grown Plumage Archer barley malt & Target hops to create a refreshing tasting beer of exceptional flavour & character. Ingredients grown to organic standards prohibits the use of synthetic pesticides & fertilizers."  

That means only good things from the ground, my faithful! Nothing scary like insecticides, that can kill you, er, uh shall we say, prematurely? Muahaha. But you're gonna' have to do better than a scarecrow to frighten me. Musahahaha!

Dixie - Blackened Voodoo Lager

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Blackened Voodoo Lager
Dixie Brewing Company
2401 Tulane Avenue
New Orleans, LA USA
Est. 1907
www.dixiebeer.com 
Brewed by:
Joseph Huber Brewing Company
Monroe, WI

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

Postmortem Brew Review
Dark amber brown color.
Two finger off-white head that leaves little lacing.
Sweet malt and slight chocolate smells.
Fresh tasting, malty and just a slight watery presence.
Good amount of carbonation.
Light bodied; crisp and easy to drink.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
I rather enjoyed Dixie's straight up lager this summer. It was a go-to favorite. This all malt brew is pretty fantastic as well. Done in the Munich Dunkel Lager style, the neck lable stated that it uses "old-world brewing methods".

Those methods might include some brewing friendships as well. Dixie suffered at the hands of Hurricane Katrina. With a little help from their friends at Joseph Huber Brewing in Wisconsin, they were able to make this beer. Meanwhile, the operations to restore the Louisiana operations continue as the century old Dixie continues to turn out beer for the masses.

A little voodoo and some good friends can go a long way.

Brouwerij Bosteels - Tripel Karmeliet

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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.

Great Divide - Yeti Imperial Stout

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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!

Cigar City - Oatmeal Raisin Cookie Brown Ale

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Maduro Brown Ale
Cigar City Brewing Company
3924 West Spruce Street
Tampa, FL USA
Est.2008
www.cigarcitybeer.com

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

Postmortem Brew Review
Rich brown color.
Malt, cinnamon, vanilla, fig and a bready oat smell meet your nose.
Tan colored, minimal head that sticks around to a cover.
Medium lacing on the glass, leaving spotty foam.
Malty sweet, tastes of vanilla, cinnamon and brown sugar with oat and raisin.
Nice amount of carbonation.
Light to medium bodied mouth feel. Really tastes like oatmeal raisin cookies.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy 
I went to Cigar City just before the New Year to meet Gerard Walen (roadtripsforbeer.com) along with Erik Boles (BeerTapTV.com) and his wife Carmen. They brewery was busy that day, doing brisk business at their tasting room.  Other customers were stopping by just to have their growlers filled from the taps. Some of the selections on tap included Cream Ale Batch 69, Maduro Brown, and of course, Jai Alai IPA.  No Oatmeal Raisin Cookie on tap this excursion, so I got a 4 pack of bottles to take home instead. Good call, 'cause Mrs. Reaper is also a fan.

If you have never had these types of pie or cookie flavor based beers before, then you are in for a huge surprise. Prepare to have your mind blown. Crazy kinda' good! The name says it all. If you are a fan of oatmeal raisin cookies, you will think this is a "smoothie" version without the milk. Wait a minute. I just had a thought.  What if they made this into a milk stout instead? Then you could have milk and cookies all in one!

Muahahaahaaaahaaaa!    Joey.....Wayne - - - call me!

Sapporo Premium Beer

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Sapporo Premium Beer
Sapporo Brewing Company
20-1, Ebisu 4-chrome, Shibuya-ku
Tokyo-to Tokyo-shi, Japan
Est.1876
www.sapporobeer.jp 

Brewed by:
Sapporo Brewing Company
(Formerly Sleeman Breweries)
551 Clair Road West
Guelph, Ontario Canada
www.sapporobeer.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.0% ABV
Fluid Oz. = 22.0 

Postmortem Brew Review
Fairly clear and yellow color.
Grain sweetness and hops.
Tall, tightly bubbled white head with good lace.
Malt taste and hops finish.
Copious carbonation.
Light body. Clean finish. Refreshing and drinkable.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy 
Here's a first.  This request came in from a reader and fan of Ales From The Crypt. He had sent me a link of a commercial advertisement for this product. The beer, while a fairly straightforward and bland lager, is elevated above other adjunct style beers, in my opinion.  While not tremendous, I found the body extremely refreshing and the taste was more than palatable.

The Sapporo commercial, on the other hand, is like a movie trailer for the next most awesome CGI style fantasy film. Mere words cannot describe it, except to say that it will take you on a 100+ year history of the science, art and magic that has become the Sapporo brewing dynasty. It is breathtaking, beautiful, engaging and weaves a tale of the exacting standards that German-trained brewer, Seibei Nakagawa used to create this beer at Sapporo; the oldest of breweries in Japan.

I was equally impressed by the 22 ounce can.  It has a fluted shaped body with barrel ribs all around. These ribs add a stiff reinforcement to the aluminum can.  You will find it difficult to crush or even tweak in you hand. Seriously, if they had made the Zero's and Zeke's outta this stuff, who knows what might have happened during WWII.  Even the bottom of the can is highly polished. So much so that you can see your reflection in the gleaming metal!

A lot has to be said about good packaging and creative advertising. In summary, the ad may have worked to make me buy one can for review, but I tell you that I wouldn't mind having more of this style lager.

詳細してください (Shōsai shite kudasai)

Samuel Adams & Weinhenstephan - Infinium 2010

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Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Infinium 2010
Samuel Adams
Boston Beer Company
Boston, MA USA
Est.1985
www.samueladams.com

Weihenstephan 
Bavarian Staats-Brauerei
Weihenstephan, Freising Germany
Est. 1040

www.weihenstephaner.de

Brain Damage Quotient = 10.3 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 25.4

Postmortem Brew Review
Hazy golden yellow color.
Sweet maltiness. Banana notes.
Big, tightly bubbled white head that sticks around.
Bubbly, effervescent foam leaves behind little lacing.
Starts sweet in taste with malt and banana flavors. Finishes tart, tight and dry like champagne.
Big carbonation.
Light and dry mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
This is the year to replace your champagne or other fine sparkling wine with a beer. 2009 was the year of the beer.  For 2010, beer has become a suitable accompaniment for the holiday festivities. Infinium is the collaborative effort of two galactic and stellar breweries. The young meeting the old.  The master Jedi Weihenstephan and the young knight Samuel Adams.

Weihenstephan: I cannot teach him. The boy has no patience.
Reinheitsgebot: He will learn patience.
Weihenstephan: Hmm, eh, much anger in him, like his father. 
Reinheitsgebot: Was I any different when you taught me? 
Weihenstephan: He is not ready.
Sam Adams: Yoda!?! I am ready...Ben, I can be a Jedi! Ben, tell him I'm ready...
Weihenstephan: Ready are you? What knows ready? For 800 years have I trained Jedi. My own counsel will I keep on who is to be trained! The Jedi must have the most deepest commitment, hmm, the most serious mind. This one, a long time have I watched. All his life has he looked away, to the future, to the horizon. Never his mind on where he was. Hmm! What he was doing! Hm..adventure! Eh, excitement. Heh, A Jedi craves not these things. You are reckless.
Reinheitsgebot: So was I, if you remember. 
Weihenstephan: He is too old. Rest! Too old to begin the training!
Sam Adams: But I've learned so much. 
Weihenstephan: (sigh) Will he finish what he begins?
Sam Adams: I won't fail you. I'm not afraid.
Weihenstephan: Wuuuh...you will be...you will be! 

And it seems that the young apprentice of 25 years can learn a thing or two from the master of 1000 years. As we also know, the young Jedi did prove his worth in helping to topple the evil empire. It's no secret, Darth Vader is a Bud Light(saber) kinda' guy.

If you are in the market to try a bubbly brut beer, look no further. The foil neck wrapper has a 2010 printed on it, making me think that there will likely be several sequels.

Ska - True Blonde Ale

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
True Blonde Ale 
Ska Brewing Co.
225 Girard Street
Durango, CO USA
Est. 1995
www.skabrewing.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.3 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review
Hazed pale yellow color.
Malt grain affronts your sense of smell up front with little hops present.
Quickly foaming two finger slight white head fizzes out in about ten seconds.
No lacing present.
Dray malted grain taste. Crisp and a bit of fruit noticed. Mild hops.
Active amount of carbonation.
Light to medium bodied mouth feel. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
So far, the Ska bunch have made me a fan. The Steel Toe Stout, the Pin Stripe Red and the Buster Nut Brown were all fab. This one was a bit of a clinker for me. Not really a fan of blondes, (the ale types that is), and it didn't really register with my taste buds. I suppose it is okay for the style, but I was underwhelmed.

What does make this beer fun is that Ska includes more of the comic book style branding on the bottle, a-la the Buster Nut Brown label. Here we find a rather 'amply endowed' blond. A young lass, roaring off on her scooter to who-knows-where, (the Ska brewery, perhaps?) Her pony-tail is flying in the breeze and she's giving you the prom queen wave and a smile, all decked out in her checkered flag mini-skirt and snug fitting sweater.

The good news for me is Ska has other offerings, and happily I am headed back west soon. I will be scouring the bottle shops in search for more of their skull banging nectars.