Rogue Santa's Private Reserve ....

Tonight I will have a Santa's Private Reserve from Rogue Ales.  It is an annual holiday offering.  Twelve ounce bottle.  The web site shows 65 IBUs.  Other web sites show 6% ABV.

This beer poured with a medium, fluffy, not quite tan head.  Beer color is a reddish dark amber.  Slightly cloudy.  The aroma has some sweet malt, fruit and a little citrus.  The taste starts with some sweeter malt and caramel, then the fruity hops come in, followed by some citrus rind and piney bitterness.  This seems to be almost an amber ale meets pale ale meets IPA.  The aftertaste leaves you with a good amount of the citrus rind bitterness.  Enjoyable, but then I like a good amount of bitterness.      

Rogue Ales

Newport, Oregon

www.rogue.com

Ommegang BPA ....

Today I am trying a Belgian-style Pale Ale from Brewery Ommegang.  6.2% ABV is listed on the twelve ounce bottle.  The web site shows 21 IBUs.

BPA poured with a very, very thick and fluffy bone colored head.  Beer color is an orange-ish honey.  It is very hazy, with a good amount of various sized sediment.  The aroma is yeasty, with some lemon and peppery spice.  The taste has yeast, wheat, lemon, grass and a little floral.  Mild to medium in the strength of flavor department.  Effervescent, somewhat foamy mouth feel.  Mild aftertaste of sour/yeast.

Brewery Ommegang

Cooperstown, New York

www.ommegang.com

Real Ale Signature Hop Pale Ale ....

Saturday night beer is a Brewers' Cut Signature Hop Pale Ale from Real Ale Brewing Company.  It is a limited edition.  Twelve ounce bottle.  The web site shows 5.1% ABV and 45 IBUs.

This beer poured with a thick, fluffy, off white head.  Beer color is a slightly hazy, golden yellow.  The aroma is fairly mild, with hops being the main note.  I am not getting a lot of citrus or pine, it's more grassy and herbaceous.  The taste is similar.  Grassy, herbaceous hops but there is a little citrus and pine.  There is some bitterness, but it is not overly sharp.  Some grainy malt to balance things out.  Somewhat foamy mouth feel, with a slightly dry finish.  The aftertaste leaves you with just a little bitter/sour.  Overall, an enjoyable, crisp and herbaceous pale ale.        

Real Ale Brewing Company

Blanco, Texas

www.realalebrewing.com

Magic Hat Heart of Darkness ....

Tonight I am trying a Heart of Darkness Stout from Magic Hat Brewing Company.  It is a winter seasonal, available October through January.  The twelve ounce bottle shows 5.7% ABV.  The web site lists IBUs at 30.

This beer poured with a small, very rich brown head.  Beer color is a very dark blackish brown.  No light shines through when the glass is held up to the light.  The aroma has cocoa, coffee, brown sugar and roasted malt.  The taste is heavy on the roasted malt - lots of char.  Cocoa and coffee as well.  Very mild bitterness, much like you get from coffee.  Mouth feel is somewhere between creamy and effervescent.  A little dry on the finish.  The aftertaste leaves you with a little roasted malt and some sweetness.  

   

Magic Hat Brewing Company

South Burlington, Vermont

www.magichat.net

Samuel Adams Winter Lager ....

Today's brew is a Samuel Adams Winter Lager from The Boston Beer Company.  It is brewed with spices, and is a seasonal, available November through January.  Twelve ounce bottle.  The web site shows 5.6% ABV and 22 IBUs.

This beer poured with a small, beige head.  Beer color is a dark copper, leaning towards brown or mahogany.  The aroma is fairly mild, and malty, with spices, caramel and brown sugar.  The taste is more of the same, although a little more pronounced than the aroma - medium in strength.  Earthy, spicy.  Just a hint of bitterness to keep things interesting.  Nice, medium mouth feel.  The aftertaste leaves you with some spices.  Although not a real standout, this is a nice flavorful beer.    

The Boston Beer Company

Boston, Massachusetts 

www.samueladams.com

Saint Arnold Christmas Ale ....

It's a little early for Christmas, but apparently not too early for Christmas Ales: today I will have a Christmas Ale from Saint Arnold Brewing Company.  It is a seasonal, available October through December.  Twelve ounce bottle.  Their web site shows 7% ABV and 35 IBUs.

This beer poured with a thin, light beige head.  Beer color is copper.  The aroma is sweet, with some fruit notes and caramel/brown sugar.  The taste is malty, with some spice.  The fruit doesn't stand out as much as it did in the aroma, but there is some dark fruit there.  Caramel.  Also an underlying bitterness and a slight higher alcohol bite.  The aftertaste is a bit metallic and grassy.  

Saint Arnold Brewing Company

Houston, Texas

www.saintarnold.com

Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout ....

Today's beer is Black Chocolate Stout from Brooklyn Brewery.  10% ABV is listed on the twelve ounce bottle.  Their web site shows 51 IBUs.

This beer poured with a small, rich chocolaty brown head.  Beer color is a blackish brown, with no light showing through the glass when held up to the light.  There is some sweetness to the aroma, with some cocoa, roasted malt and a definite booziness.  The taste follows the aroma closely - with the roasted malt and booziness standing out even more.  Some definite bitterness there, almost a bittersweet.  The mouth feel is thick and creamy.  The aftertaste leaves you with roasted malt, bitter and some booze.  

Brooklyn Brewery

Brooklyn, New York

www.brooklynbrewery.com