21st Amendment - Brew Free! or Die IPA

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Brew Free! or Die IPA
21st Amendment Brewery
563 2nd Street
San Francisco, CA USA
Brewed at:
Cold Spring, MN USA
Est. 1995
www.21st-amendment.com


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


Postmortem Brew Review
Beautiful deep amber color.
Piney and citrusy hops and caramel malts in aroma.
Near-white, two finger head. Nice draped lacing, good head retention.
Hops are off the charts. Malts play in the background with resiny hops taste.
Moderate amount of carbonation.
Medium bodied. Enveloping hops-play on tongue.


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
No less than six kinds of hops (70 IBU's) and two malts make up the structure of this tongue tantilizing IPA. Found in a supermarket on my trip to Portland, OR, a six-pack of the stuff was snatched up, without question. It was the only representation of 21st Amendment's offerings at this store, but a nice find indeed. And the light weight cans made it a no-brainer for packing in my travelling cooler to bring home and share. The Reaper loves the sentiment "Brew Free! or Die" on this whimsical and free spirited container. Honest Abe is bustin' out of Mt. Rushmore much to the delight of Teddy Roosevelt and concern of George Washington. Thomas Jefferson, a brewer in his own right, appears unfazed by all this calamity. Presumably, Mr. Lincoln is going to go get a sixer of these IPA's for the boys.

Everyone that's tried some has remarked how tasty it is. I still have a few tucked away, but fear they won't last long in the mortuary fridge. And when they are gone, well, we'll continue to search out more. Very nicely done west coast style American IPA.


Get some if you can.

Muahhaahaahaa!

Oxfordshire - Pride of Oxford English Ale

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Pride of Oxford English Ale
Oxfordshire Ales
Unit 12
Pear Tree Industrial Estate
Marsh Gibbon, Bicester
Oxfordshire England
Est. 1995
www.oxfordshireales.com


Brain Damage Quotient = 4.2% ABV
Fluid Oz. = 16.9


Postmortem Brew Review
Slightly cloudy gold/orange color.
Mostly smells of malts with some hop aromas.
Near-white, two finger head. Fair amount of streaked lacing and head retention.
Malt and hops are balanced and not overpowering. Slight watery finish.
Active amount of carbonation.
Light and crisp bodied. Easily approachable and flavorful session ale.


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
A new find in the area, Oxfordshire Ales did impress. It was not the most outstanding beer ever reaped by yours truly, but it reminded me how 'small beers', (those low in ABV), can have depth of flavor. This one held my interest from start to finish. Nothing about it was over-the-top. Simply stated, it was a fine everyday ale that is approachable by even those that prefer yellow lagers. Luckily for me there is another in the bottom of the chiller.

See what you've been missing, whether you're a seasoned beer drinker or if you are in search of something bolder than your current brand of macro.

Deschutes - Black Butte Porter

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Black Butte Porter
Deschutes Brewery
901 SW Simpson Avenue
Bend, OR USA
Est. 1988
www.deschutesbrewery.com 


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


Postmortem Brew Review
Dark black with reddish hues on the edges.
Roasted malts and roasted coffee in aroma.
Deep tan, two finger head. Draped lacing with good head retention.
Coffee and malt taste, though just a bit restrained.
Moderate amount of carbonation.
Medium to full bodied. Rich, creamy, smooth and refreshing.


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Black Butte has been hanging out in the mortuary fridge for a while. Lucky me, I recently had some of this on Tap out in Portland and took some tasting notes. While the draught version is a bit tastier and fresher, my notes were fairly similar. The only thing lacking in my bottle version was a bit more punch of malt and coffee flavors that were found in the tap pint I tried. Other than that, no complaints.

I noted the bottle neck label mention that this porter uses the Kraeusening process in which the brewer adds freshly fermenting wort to beer that is ready to bottle. This aids the fermentation process, right in the bottle up until the point it is opened to be consumed.

This is a solid porter and is so smooth and creamy. It finishes with a nice clean pop and makes you come back for another sip, over and over.

Green Flash - Hop Head Red Ale

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Hop Head Red Ale

Green Flash Brewing Company

6550 Mira Mesa Boulevard

San Diego, CA USA

Est. ????

www.greenflashbrew.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.4 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review

Deep amber red color tone.

Pleasant caramel malts aromas mingle with resiny pine hop scents along with fruity citrus hop notes.
Two finger near tan colored, rocky head.

Head leaves spiderwebs of lace and covers to a cap right to the bottom of the glass.
Delicious sticky Amarillo hops that are balanced by creamy caramel malt sweetness.

Nice light carbonation.

Medium flavor, medium bodied.


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Oh, my God....OH MY GOD! This is one delicious smelling, delicious tasting Red Ale!

Where do I go from here? Back to the fridge to look for more, but alas...it was the only one of these I brought back from the west coast. Arrrrrrggggghhhhhhh!!! So sad! Marvelous little Red that packs a punch of malt and hop taste. Tremendous balance and interplay of the malts and (dry hopped) Amarillo hops.

This is a multi-award winning beer that includes these medals:

• Great American Beer Festival 
  2009 Bronze–American Red Ale
  2007 Silver–American Red Ale
• World Beer Cup 
  2008 Gold–American Red Ale
• San Diego County Fair 
  2011 Gold - American Red Ale

The good elf Lupulin performs a 45 IBU tango for two with Madame Malt, and uses your tongue for their dance floor! Sinfully delicious...must get more....

Avery - Eighteen 2011

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Eighteen 2011 Dry Hopped Rye Saison
Avery Brewing
5763 Arapahoe Ave.
Boulder, Colorado USA
Est. 1993
www.averybrewing.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 8.12 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 22.0 (4 oz. sample) 

Postmortem Brew Review
Amber to orange in color.
Roasted malt and spice nose. Wet grassy aromas and orange peel/zest.
Fairly long lasting near-white head.
Some spotty lace on glass.
Malt taste, some chocolate hits. Has a dry, rye finish.
Light mouth feel. Subtle complexities throughout. 

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
I was treated to a sample of this recently. It is interestingly complex. Lots going on, since it is a Saison by nature and then it has rye and hops additions. The eight percent alcohol is barely noticeable and makes for a fairly easy to approach, higher alcohol brew. If you get a chance, give it a try.

I am now looking to dig up more of this anniversary ale in my local stores.

SanTan Brewing - Epicenter Amber Ale

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Epicenter Amber Ale

SanTan Brewing Company

8 South San Marcos Place

Chandler, AZ USA

Est. 2007

www.santanbrewing.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 5.5 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review

Dark amber color with deep orange tones.

Malted sweetness and gentle hops on nose. Caramel, some honey (?) and wet grain aromas.

Two finger bone colored head that leaves rings of lacing.
Tastes candy caramel sweet at first but mellows as the hops kick in. Stronger in malt taste than hops.

Not overly carbonated.

Medium flavor, medium bodied.


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Within the past 24 hours, two earthquakes have struck in the US. Colorado had a 5.7 magnitude around midnight Mountain Time. And just within the last couple of hours, it was reported that Washington D.C. was rocked by a 5.9 magnitude quake. Ladders shook, chandeliers swayed and even beer bottles were heard to topple in fridges throughout the region. (Okay, I made that last part up.)


It might be a good time to check the status of my chiller out back, to inspect for any damages. Mmmmm, let's see. I'm thirsty. Why yes...that one there! It was a natural - - - Epicenter. Muahahahaa, I always go for the quick pun. Epicenter was fine choice during a crisis such as this. I found the brew to be leaning much stronger on the malt side, but not as "unbalanced" as the name might imply. A great choice for a "Code Red" emergency. Though it's brewed out west, the irony prevails that I should have it on hand for such an auspicious occasion, here in the east.


All things considered, it's going to take an act of God to shake up our nation's capital, figuratively and literally. If that doesn't do it, the other part of the one-two punch is coming. Hurricane Irene is slowly sweeping up the east coast and poised at D.C. One of The Reaper's better projects.

Hang onto you beer my minions...

Pyramid - Outburst Imperial IPA

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Outburst Imperial IPA (Seasonal)

Pyramid Brewing Company
91 S Royal Brougham Way

Seattle, WA USA

Est. 1984(Hart Brewing) 1996(Pyramid)

www.pyramidbrew.com


Brain Damage Quotient = 8.5 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0


Postmortem Brew Review

Rich, resonant orange/copper color.

Powerful pine hops nose with malts that can be slowly picked out.

Two finger firm firm off-white head that leaves great draped lacing. Settles to a cap long into the glass.
Firm hops traction after starting with a rich malt and caramel taste. 
Finishes on the hoppy side. Very slightly warming tones.

Pin prickly amount of carbonation zip.

Full flavor, full bodied. No noticeable alcohol notes, save for the warmth.


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Opening this one, before it is past prime as it's been chillin' in the examining room cooler for a few months. It is a spring seasonal, and already the brewers are sending out the fall stuff. Not to be dissuaded, I removed the skull cap during the dissection. You cannot believe the amount of hop notes that arose from that 3/4 inch opening at the top of the bottle. I hadn't even poured it and the hops aromas were leaping out, sprung like the hounds on a hunt. Oh, ho, ho! This is going to be a treat!

Though seasonal, this would be a great year round entry to their regular lineup. The 8.5% ABV made this Imperial IPA hold up well through the summer in the back of the fridge. Nothing could deter the fine flavors of this twelve ounce beauty. Now, I have examined their brews by the ounce at The Great American Beer Festival in the past, but a whole twelve ounces of this beer is, (dare I say), heaven on earth!

Did I just say heaven on earth?!? Muahahaahahaaaa!

Nimbus - Dirty Guera Blonde Ale

Dead Monkey

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Dirty Guera Blonde Ale

Nimbus Brewing Company LLC

3850 E. 44th

Tucson, AZ USA

Est. 1996

www.nimbusbeer.com

Brain Damage Quotient = 4.0 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review

Clear, bright golden/yellow color.

Pleasant floral hops nose with subdued fruity esters and hint of honey.

Two finger firm crisp white head that leaves great spiderweb lacing.
Tastes lightly fruity without being overly sweet. Very balanced malts and hops. Touch of honey.

Just the right amount of carbonation zip.

Full flavor, light bodied. Tasty yeast report at end.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
The website says 3.5% ABV but the bottle label claims 4%. Which one is correct? Doesn't matter. This beer is very flavorful and lively. It won't weigh you down but neither will is leave you short on taste. How do those clever monkeys do it? The key may be in their slogan, "It's a natural selection." Strictly speaking, Darwin probably missed a few of these fellows.

This is my first of a handful of different Nimbus beers, from the mortuary fridge. Wish this one was sold around these parts. It would be a regular thirst quencher for our hot and humid days. A truly fine and balanced blonde.

Hey, who's that monkey in the mirror? Check out the label.

Breakside - Gin-Barrel Double Wit

Dead Soldier 

Ben Edmunds - Breakside Brewery

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Gin-Barrel Double Wit
Breakside Brewery
820 NE Dekum Street
Portland, OR USA
Est. ????
www.breaksidebrews.com


Brain Damage Quotient = 6.8 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 (3 oz. sample)


Postmortem Brew Review
Cloudy straw/wheat color.
Smell of lemon zest, fruit esters, wheat and wood.
Tightly bubbled near white head.
Spicy coriander and lemony zest predominate. Gin and wood notes present.
Nice lacing down the side of the glass.
Good amount of carbonation.
Light bodied. Flavorful with a clean mouth feel.


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Round #8
This blog post was done live at the 2nd Annual Beer Blogger's Conference, held in Portland, Oregon. 95 bloggers were in attendance, from over one thousand 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 brewers, each bringing an exemplary brew to blog. Great craft beers, 12 blogging tables and 60 minutes were allotted in a fun, free-for-all session. 

Oakshire - Overcast Oatmeal Espresso Stout

Dead Soldier 

Matt Van Wyk - Oakshire Brewing

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Overcast Espresso Stout
Oakshire Brewing
1055 Madera Street
Eugene, OR USA
Est. 1988
www.oakbrew.com/


Brain Damage Quotient = 5.8 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 (3 oz. sample)


Postmortem Brew Review
Rich, black coffee color.
Smell of espresso coffee and roasted malts.
Firm tan colored head, about one finger high.
Good lacing down the side of the glass.
Coffee and cocoa notes dominate this oatmeal stout.
Medium to large bodied. Full, rich flavored mouth feel.


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Round #7
This blog post was done live at the 2nd Annual Beer Blogger's Conference, held in Portland, Oregon. 95 bloggers were in attendance, from over one thousand 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 brewers, each bringing an exemplary brew to blog. Great craft beers, 12 blogging tables and 60 minutes were allotted in a fun, free-for-all session. 

Deschutes - Jubelale

Dead Soldier 

Veronica Vega - Deschutes

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Jubelale
Deschutes Brewery
901 SW Simpson Avenue
Bend, OR USA
Est. 1988
www.deschutesbrewery.com


Brain Damage Quotient = 6.7 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 (3 oz. sample)


Postmortem Brew Review
Rich, deep red color.
Smell of citrus and pine hops on the nose. Good amount of caramel malt present. Some spiciness also present.
Choppy tan colored head, about one finger high.
Great lacing down the side of the glass.
Caramel toasted malt with hops in balance. Bready and earthy tastes.
Medium bodied. Full flavored mouth feel.


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Round #6
This blog post was done live at the 2nd Annual Beer Blogger's Conference, held in Portland, Oregon. 95 bloggers were in attendance, from over one thousand 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 brewers, each bringing an exemplary brew to blog. Great craft beers, 12 blogging tables and 60 minutes were allotted in a fun, free-for-all session. 

Ninkasi - Total Domination IPA

Dead Soldier 

Jamie "Darth" Floyd
& his minion - Ninkasi Brewing

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Total Domination IPA
Ninkasi Brewing Company
272 Van Buren Street
Eugene, OR USA
Est. 2006
www.ninkasibrewing.com


Brain Damage Quotient = 6.7 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 (3 oz. sample)


Postmortem Brew Review
Hazy orange/yellow color.
Smell of rich malts and citrus/spicy hops on the nose.
Sturdy off-white head, about one finger high.
Great lacing down the side of the glass.
Medium bodied. Full flavored mouth feel. 


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Round #5
This blog post was done live at the 2nd Annual Beer Blogger's Conference, held in Portland, Oregon. 95 bloggers were in attendance, from over one thousand 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 brewers, each bringing an exemplary brew to blog. Great craft beers, 12 blogging tables and 60 minutes were allotted in a fun, free-for-all session. 

New Planet - Off Grid Pale Ale

Dead Soldier 

Danielle Quatrochi - New Planet

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Off Grid Pale Ale
New Planet Brewery
3980 Broadway
Ste. 103 – PMB 116
Boulder, CO USA
Est. 2008
www.newplanetbeer.com


Brain Damage Quotient = 5.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 (3 oz. sample)


Postmortem Brew Review
Deep amber color.
Smell of citrus and spicy hops on the nose.
Off white head, about one finger high, covers to wisp.
Minimal lacing down the side of the glass.
Gluten free. Light bodied mouth feel.


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Round #4
This blog post was done live at the 2nd Annual Beer Blogger's Conference, held in Portland, Oregon. 95 bloggers were in attendance, from over one thousand 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 brewers, each bringing an exemplary brew to blog. Great craft beers, 12 blogging tables and 60 minutes were allotted in a fun, free-for-all session. 

Blue Moon - Vintage Blonde Ale 2011

Dead Soldier

Lisa Zimmer - 12th & Blake

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer
Vintage Blonde Ale 2011
Blue Moon Brewing Company
Coors Brewing Company
13th and Ford Street
Golden, CO USA
Est.1995
www.bluemoonbrewingcompany.com


Brain Damage Quotient =8.5 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0

Postmortem Brew Review
Slightly cloudy, unfiltered golden/orange amber color.
Grapes, yeast and coriander aroma.
Wheat and dry spice taste, tastes similar to a chardonnay.
One finger, white fluffy head that leaves decent lacing.
Light body with full flavor.


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Round #3
This blog post was done live at the 2nd Annual Beer Blogger's Conference, held in Portland, Oregon. 95 bloggers were in attendance, from over one thousand 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 brewers, each bringing an exemplary brew to blog. Great craft beers, 12 blogging tables and 60 minutes were allotted in a fun, free-for-all session.

Karl Strauss - Boardwalk Black Rye

Dead Soldier 

Ryan Ross - Karl Strauss Brewing

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Boardwalk Black Rye
Karl Strauss 
5985 Santa Fe Street
San Diego, CA USA
Est. 1989
www.karlstrauss.com


Brain Damage Quotient = 8.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 (3 oz. sample)


Postmortem Brew Review
Dark black color on the pour.
Carmel and rye nose; nicely malty. Flashes of hop aromas.
Short stout head with strings of lace.
Smooth flavors of caramel, toffee and rye.
Soft carbonation. Nicely drinkable at 8%ABV.
Medium bodied, full flavored.


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Round #2
This blog post was done live at the 2nd Annual Beer Blogger's Conference, held in Portland, Oregon. 95 bloggers were in attendance, from over one thousand 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 brewers, each bringing an exemplary brew to blog. Great craft beers, 12 blogging tables and 60 minutes were allotted in a fun, free-for-all session.

Widmer Brothers - Prickly Pear Braggot

Dead Soldier 

Brothers Rob & Kurt Widmer

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Prickly Pear Braggot 2010
Widmer Brothers
929 N. Russell
Portland, OR USA
Est. 1984
www.widmer.com


Brain Damage Quotient = 10.0 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 22.0 (3 oz. sample)


Postmortem Brew Review
Honey in color.
Caramel notes along with a citrus and honey aroma.
Small head with creamy bubble layer that dissipates slowly.
Slightly sweet and viscous not unlike wine.
Slight alcohol warmth in finish.
Smooth carbonation, smooth drinking.


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Round #1
This blog post was done live at the 2nd Annual Beer Blogger's Conference, held in Portland, Oregon. 95 bloggers were in attendance, from over one thousand 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 brewers, each bringing an exemplary brew to blog. Great craft beers, 12 blogging tables and 60 minutes were allotted in a fun, free-for-all session.

Hopworks Urban Brewery - Galactic Imperial Red Ale

Dead Soldier

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

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.

Lagunitas - Censored Rich Copper Ale

Dead Soldier 

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Censored Rich Copper Ale

Lagunitas Brewing Company

1280 North McDowell Boulevard
Petaluma, CA USA
Est. 1993

www.lagunitas.com 

Brain Damage Quotient = 6.75 % ABV

Fluid Oz. = 12.0 

Postmortem Brew Review

Clear amber with copper tones.
Smells bready with caramel malt sweetness on the nose.
Nice, fluffy, off-white head, one finger high.
Good amount of ringed lacing on the glass.

Slightly less than average amount of carbonation.
Sweet malt flavor with just a bit of hops bitter finish.

Medium bodied mouth feel.

Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Got to love the website when it reveals the ingrediatns as malt, hops, yeast and water. Really? What have I been drinking all this time? What? What?!? Whatever! Hey, I didn't start it...

"The original name of this original ale was originally derived from an origin so heinous that we cannot reveal its aboriginal oregeny. sorry. Actually, it's an easy drinking malty Copper Ale that goes easy on the hops. Whatever."

That's from their website, speaking about Censored. We will conclude with the fact that it is good. Gooood. Goooooooood. That is all...I f#ck!n' dig it.

Samuel Smith's - Organic Lager

Dead Soldier

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


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


Postmortem Brew Review
Clear gold color.
Toasted bread, yeast malt and grassy hops aroma.
White fluffy head. Two fingers high and leaves spotty lacing.
Toasted malt sweetness with same grassy hops taste noted in aromas.
Above average carbonation.
Light bodied mouth feel. Very easy to drink.


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
Another very nice beer from Samuel Smith's stable and listed organic, to boot. The Reaper always says, "good things come from the earth." The way it drinks and tastes, you could almost mistake it for a pale ale.  This beer is decent as far as lager's go and it's worth a try.

Dig some up.

Great Divide - Rumble Oak Aged IPA

Dead Soldier 

Where to Dig Up More About This Beer

Rumble Oak Aged India Pale Ale
Great Divide Brewing Company
2201 Arapahoe Street
Denver, CO USA
Est. 1994
www.greatdivide.com


Brain Damage Quotient = 7.1 % ABV
Fluid Oz. = 12.0 


Postmortem Brew Review
Hazy orange/honey color.
Smell of citrus hops. Nice oak aroma imparts from glass.
Firm but short lasting, off-white head.
Lace clings tightly to the side of the glass with each sip.
Oak taste and hops flavor pretty much dominate the muted malt tones and a vanilla finish.
Medium bodied and modestly complex flavors. 


Grim Reaper's Eulogy
What can't Great Divide do with an India Pale Ale? It is easier to say that they can do pretty much anything. If you are an India Pale Ale fan, strap it on, because Rumble is one not to miss.


This one is a fairly sessionable IPA at a tad over 7%, unlike its big brother Hercules at 10% (yet to be obducted by yours truly.) And it's safe to say that Rumble is unlike its other sibling, Titan, a similar in ABV ale, but does not have Rumble's vanilla nor oak conditioning. Then there's the 17th Anniversary that combines more, more, more of everything as a DIPA, but that is not Rumble either. Oh yeah, there's also Belgica, Rumble's European cousin, a Belgian style IPA.


So where does this Oak Aged India Pale Ale fit in? Rumble tucks neatly in the middle of the pack, yet stands on its own. A fairly easy drinking, modest ABV India Pale Ale with an oaky and vanilla character that hits the taste buds like, well - like WHAM!


A very interesting and unusual India Pale Ale that satisfies and surprises.