366th - Rahr Bourbon Barrel Aged Winter Warmer ....

This is it - I have done it.  The 366th beer of the year.  I have sampled beers from 71 different breweries; 9 of which were from Texas.  There are still a lot of beers I haven't tried including several already in my fridge.  Keep going?  Not at the one-a-day pace.  But I think I will continue to sample different beers and put my notes here.  Maybe a couple of beers a week?  Just no set pace.  This has been an enjoyable experience, but now I want to relax and 'just' drink a few beers.  Cheers!

I thought it fitting for my New Year's Eve beer to be from Texas, as well as local.  So tonight I am having a Bourbon Barrel Aged Winter Warmer, Dark Winter Ale, from Rahr & Sons Brewing Company.  1 pint, 6 ounce bottle.  It is listed in different places from 8-8.5% ABV.  The regular Winter Warmer is 8.5%

This beer poured with a small, tan colored head.  Beer color is a very dark reddish brown; when held up to the light, a very small amount of light shines through.  There is still a lot of chocolate to the aroma, but there is a little booziness underneath from the bourbon.  A little vanilla.  The taste again has the chocolate and roasted malt, but this time is smoother, and the bitterness is replaced with obvious notes of bourbon.  The aftertaste primarily leaves you with some of the bourbon.  Somewhat warming, but very soothingly so.  Overall, very tasty and hard to imagine a better beer to ring in the New Year.

Rahr & Sons Brewing Company

Fort Worth, Texas

www.rahrbrewing.com

Southern Star Pine Belt Pale Ale ....

And yet another Texas brewery:  Southern Star Brewing Company.  I am trying Pine Belt Pale Ale in a 16 ounce can.  Their web site shows 6.3% ABV and 45 IBUs.

 This beer poured with a thin, light beige head.  Beer color is a light, orange-ish amber.  There is a small amount of sediment in the glass.  The aroma is sweet, with some citrus, fruit and caramel.  The taste has a little more bite than the aroma, with some citrus and pine.  But there is a definite sweet malt and fruit quality that comes in towards the finish.  Slightly vegetal.  The aftertaste leaves you with some nice pine/resin.    

Southern Star Brewing Company

Conroe, Texas

www.southernstarbrewery.com

Real Ale Black Quadrupel ....

Today I will have a Brewers' Cut Black Quadrupel from Real Ale Brewing Company.  Twelve ounce bottle. The web site shows 10.8% ABV and 33 IBUs.

This beer poured with a thin, dark tan head.  Beer color is a very dark brown; when the glass is held up to the light, a very small amount of light can be seen around the edges.  The aroma has a lot of dark fruit, a little banana, brown sugar and a note of the higher alcohol.  The taste has the dark fruits, a little roasted malt, yeast, brown sugar, candied fruits and an even stronger note of the high alcohol.  The aftertaste leaves you with a little roasted malt and alcohol.  

Real Ale Brewing Company

Blanco, Texas

www.realalebrewing.com

Coney Island Albino Python ....

My Friday night beer is a Coney Island Albino Python, White Lager Brewed with Spices, from Shmaltz Brewing Company. 1 pint, 6 ounce bottle.  Their web site shows 6% ABV.

This beer poured with a small, white head.  Beer color is a pale to medium yellow.  It is slightly hazy, with a small amount of very fine sediment.  The aroma is mild, with yeast, wheat, lemon, fruit and spice.  The taste is more of the same, but with a little more oomph than the aroma.  It is fairly dry.  Somewhat effervescent.  Mild aftertaste of some spice and 'lager'.  Overall, this is a refreshing milder beer with some nice things going on in the flavor department.

Shmaltz Brewing Company

Saratoga Spings, New York

www.shmaltzbrewing.com

No Label Black Wit-O ....

Tonight's beer is Black Wit-O, Dark Wheat Ale, from No Label Brewing Company.  The twelve ounce bottle shows 10 IBUs.  The web site lists ABV at 7%.

This beer poured with a thin, tan colored head.  Beer color is a dark blackish brown.  No light shows through the glass when held up to the light.  For the aroma I am getting roasted malt, cocoa and a little spice.  The taste is more of the same, with roasted malt and cocoa.  Not really getting any wheat qualities in there.  Flavor is a little thin towards the finish.  Creamy mouth feel.  Very little aftertaste.  Not bad, just a little mild.

No Label Brewing Company

Katy, Texas

www.nolabelbrew.com

Indian Wells Lobotomy Bock ....

Today I will try a Lobotomy Bock Lager from Indian Wells Brewing Company.  Twelve ounce bottle.  Internet searches show 10.5-10.8% ABV.

Lobotomy Bock poured with a thin, chocolate brown head.  Beer color is a blackish brown, with no light showing through the glass when held up to the light.  The aroma has dark fruit, molasses and a hint of the higher alcohol.  The taste has a little chocolate, some malt, a slight metallic note.  You don't taste the higher alcohol.  A little thin on body.  Very little aftertaste.  Overall, this one is a little thin on the body and flavor for my tastes.

Indian Wells Brewing Company

Inyokern, California

www.mojavered.com

No Label Pale Horse Ale ....

Today's beer is Pale Horse Ale from No Label Brewing Company.  The bottle shows 36 IBUs.  5.8% ABV is listed on the web site.

This beer poured with a thin, beige head.  Beer color is an orange-ish amber.  The beer is very cloudy, with a lot of fine sediment.  The aroma is more fruit and floral, than citrus.  Some bread as well.  In the taste, I do get a bit of citrus rind or pine that gives it a little bitterness behind caramel, bready malt, fruit and floral.  The aftertaste is mild, with just a little bitterness.  

No Label Brewing Company

Katy, Texas

www.nolabelbrew.com

Sixpoint Resin ....

Tonight's beer is Resin from Sixpoint Brewery.  The twelve ounce can shows 9.1% ABV and 103 IBUs.

Resin poured with a a small, bone colored head.  Beer color is a mostly golden yellow.  In the aroma I am getting more citrus (orange, grapefruit) than pine.  The taste - there's the 'resin'; a strong, dry resinous pine note in the background all the way through the sip.  Its not overpowering, but it is always present.  There is also sweet malt, citrus and an almost floral quality.  There is a hint of the alcohol, but not much considering the 9.1%.  Not a lot of aftertaste, just some bitter and a little sweet.  Overall a tasty, interesting beer that hits my taste for hops.  

Sixpoint Brewery

Brooklyn, New York

www.sixpoint.com

Green Flash Double Stout ....

Today's beer is Double Stout Black Ale from Green Flash Brewing Company.  8.8% ABV is listed on the twelve ounce bottle.  The web site shows 45 IBUs.

Double Stout poured with a medium, rich chocolaty brown head.  Beer color is a dark blackish brown.  No light shines through the glass when held up to the light.  The aroma is chocolate, roasted malt and a little dark fruit.  The taste has even more roasted malt, almost smoky, with cocoa and vanilla.  Bittersweet chocolate.  Creamy, and leaves some of that cocoa-like coating on your mouth that many of the stouts do.  The aftertaste leaves you with a little smoke and bitter.  

Green Flash Brewing Company

San Diego, California

www.greenflashbrew.com

He'brew Hop Manna IPA ....

Today I am trying a He'brew Hop Manna IPA from Shmaltz Brewing Company.  The 1 pint, 6 ounce bottle shows 6.8% ABV and 65 IBUs.

This beer poured with a thick, creamy beige colored head.  Beer color is yellow with a definite orange tint to it.  The aroma is milder pine, citrus and sweet malt; somewhat floral.  The taste is more of the same; pine, citrus (primarily orange), sweetness.  The finish is somewhat bitter and dry.  The aftertaste leaves you with some of the bitterness and pine.  Overall, I would say this is a very hoppy IPA, but not one where the hops are extremely 'in your face'.

Shmaltz Brewing Company

Saratoga Spings, New York

www.shmaltzbrewing.com

Deep Ellum IPA ....

Tonight's beer is the IPA from Deep Ellum Brewing Company.  Twelve ounce bottle.  Looking at different sites on the Internet, they show 7% ABV and 70 IBUs.

This IPA poured with a small, very light beige head.  Beer color is a cloudy, golden yellow.  There is some fine sediment in the glass.  The aroma is primarily citrus - seems like oranges and grapefruit.  With the taste, the hops come rushing in with citrus, pine and a mouth drying bitterness.  Lemon really seems to stand out.  There is some sweet malt under there, but the hops dominate.  The aftertaste leaves you with a medium resinous bitterness.  A very hoppy IPA - I like!      

Deep Ellum Brewing Company

Dallas, Texas

www.deepellumbrewing.com

Widmer Brrrbon '12 ....

Today's beer is a Barrel Aged Brrrbon '12 from Widmer Brothers Brewing.  I had this winter seasonal on tap at Double Dave's Pizzaworks.  The info on their web site shows 9.5% ABV and 40 IBUs for the '11 version.

This beer had a small, off white head.  Beer color was a dark copper.  The aroma was caramel, spice, vanilla and a hint of the hops.  The taste was more of the same, starting off with caramel, spices, and notes from the barrel aging.  Then towards the end of the sip, you get a lot from the hops with bitterness, citrus rind and pine.  Warming.  The aftertaste leaves some bitterness.

Widmer Brothers Brewing

Portland, Oregon

www.widmerbrothers.com

Brooklyn Monster Ale ....

Today I am trying a Monster Ale, Barleywine Style, from Brooklyn Brewery.  The twelve ounce bottle shows 10.1% ABV.  The web site lists IBUs at 47.

Monster Ale poured with a small head that was beige, almost a tan.  Beer color is a bright, lighter copper.  The aroma has caramel, brown sugar, dark fruit, and a sharp note from the higher alcohol.  The taste starts off with lots of caramel and brown sugar, a little dark fruit, then some hop bitterness towards the end.  Boozy finish.  Warming.  This is an enjoyable beer, but probably not for someone who doesn't like a heavy, boozy brew.  

 

Brooklyn Brewery

Brooklyn, New York

www.brooklynbrewery.com

Oskar Blues G'Knight ....

Tonight's beer is G'Knight Imperial Red from Oskar Blues Brewery.  8.7% ABV is listed on the twelve ounce can.  The web site shows 60 IBUs.

G'Knight poured with a thin, beige head.  Beer color is a hazy, orange-ish amber.  The aroma is sweet, with candied & dark fruits, brown sugar and a little pine in the background.  Pine bitterness comes out a lot more in the taste.  Sweetness, but not as much as the aroma.  Dark fruit, malt.  A spicy, alcohol bite.  Slightly dry on the finish.  Leaves you with a complex, medium strength aftertaste - dry, spicy, bitter and sweet.  This is a 'lot of beer', and not one you would really expect to find in a can!      
 

Oskar Blues Brewery

Longmont, Colorado

www.oskarblues.com

No Label Ridgeback Ale ....

Today I am trying my first beer from another Texas brewery: No Label Brewing Company.  The beer is their Ridgeback Ale.  24 IBUs are listed on the twelve ounce bottle.  Their web site shows 6.1% ABV.

This beer poured with a medium, beige colored head.  Beer color is a darker amber/copper, and there is a good amount of fine sediment in the glass.  The aroma is earthy, somewhat sweet with caramel and toffee notes.  The taste starts off with bready malt, caramel and some sweetness.  Then there are some hops at the end that give it a mild bitterness.  Somewhat dry finish.  The aftertaste leaves you with a little bitter.  Creamy mouth feel.

No Label Brewing Company

Katy, Texas

www.nolabelbrew.com

Boulevard Nommo Dubbel ....

Tonight I will have a Nommo Dubbel.  It is a fall seasonal brewed with molasses and spices, from Boulevard Brewing Company's Smokestack Series.  The 1 pint, 9.4 ounce bottle shows 8.1% ABV.  The web site lists IBUs at 25.  

Nommo Dubbel poured with a medium, tan colored head.  The beer color is a reddish darker copper, not quite a mahogany.  The aroma is fairly mild, but there is yeast, fruit and spices.  The taste is spicy, warming, with some bready yeast and a little fruit.  Almost a slight hoppy bitterness towards the end.  Very effervescent mouth feel.  Aftertaste is mild with some spice, bitter and yeast.  This is a nice balanced beer, with no single note overpowering the others.  I seem to consistently enjoy the Smokestack Series from Boulevard. 

Boulevard Brewing Company

Kansas City, Missouri

www.boulevard.com

BJ's Hopstorm IPA ....

I decided to make my beer for today a Hopstorm IPA, served at BJ's Brewhouse/Restaurant.  The beer was on tap.  Their web site shows 6.5% ABV.

The beer had a small, bone colored head.  Beer color was a golden yellow.  The aroma was primarily citrus and fruit, fairly sweet with not a lot of bitterness.  The taste was citrus, citrus rind and pine, with a fair amount of bitterness.  There was not as much sweetness and fruit to the taste as there was in the aroma.  Dry finish.  Leaves you with some bitterness and a touch of fruit.  I enjoyed this beer with lunch, and the hops and bitterness were good for me, but I think it could use a little more complexity.

BJ's Brewhouse

www.bjsbrewhouse.com

Stone Levitation Ale ....

Tonight's beer is a Levitation Ale from Stone Brewing Company.  4.4% ABV is listed on the twelve ounce bottle.  The Stone web site shows 45 IBUs.

This beer poured with a medium to thick, beige colored head.  Beer color is amber or a lighter copper, and there is a good amount of various sized sediment floating in the glass.  The aroma has citrus and pine, as well as some caramel sweetness.  The taste is very hop-centric.  A lot of grapefruit and pine.  Almost astringently bitter - not overwhelmingly to me, but some would probably think so.  Almost a little spice/pepper to it.  Dry finish.  Leaves the mouth dry and with some bitterness.  Good carbonation, but the mouth feel still seems a little thin.  Overall, an interesting beer that is not extremely 'strong', but still heavy on the hops and bitter.

Stone Brewing Company

Escondido, California

www.stonebrew.com

Left Coast The Wedge ....

Tonight I will try The Wedge, Black India Pale Ale, from Left Coast Brewing Company.  It is a winter seasonal.  The 1 pint, 6 ounce bottle shows 7.1% ABV.

This beer poured with a small, dark tan colored head.  Beer color is a dark blackish brown.  No noticeable light shines through the glass when held up to the light, but it is not as dark as some stouts.  The aroma is sweet, with toasted malt and some hops in the background.  Maybe a little chocolate.  The taste is very smoky, with some chocolate and coffee.  But it is not as 'heavy' as a lot of stouts or porters.  There is some sweetness, like an imperial IPA, and hints of hops in the background to represent the IPA in the mix.  There is also a mild bitterness, but not sharp like a lot of IPAs.  The aftertaste leaves you with some of the bitterness.  This is a nice beer - kind of reminds me of a mix between a porter and an IPA.  Really good for when you want something not as heavy as a lot of darker beers.

Left Coast Brewing Company

San Clemente, California

www.leftcoastbrewing.com

Wasatch Winterfest ....

Today's beer is a Wasatch Winterfest Seasonal Ale.  7.1% ABV is listed on the twelve ounce bottle.

Winterfest poured with a medium, light tan colored head.  Beer color is a reddish brown, lighter than mahogany.  The aroma is sweet, with stewed fruit or dark fruit, caramel, hops and a little citrus.  The taste has some of the fruit and caramel sweetness, but the hops come in quickly and are a lot more prominent than they were in the aroma.  You get a little lingering bitterness from the hops, which balances out the sweetness.  Leaves some bitterness and fruit for the aftertaste.  Nice creamy mouth feel.  I enjoyed the flavors on this one, particularly the transition from sweet to bitter.  

 

Wasatch Beers

Park City, Utah

www.wasatchbeers.com

Sierra Nevada Narwhal ....

Today I will try a 2012 Narwhal Imperial Stout from Sierra Nevada Brewing Company.  10.2% ABV is listed on the twelve ounce bottle.  The web site shows 60 IBUs.

Narwhal poured with a thin, rich brown head.  Beer color is a very dark, blackish brown.  No light shows through the glass when held up to the light.  The aroma has malt, brown sugar and a definite boozy quality.  The taste is smoky and boozy.  There is some bitterness, but it is hidden some by the alcohol.  The aftertaste leaves you with a little sweet, bitter and smoke.  I don't get as much cocoa as I normally do in a stout - this one whacks you with the smoky malt and alcohol.  But I like it.  

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company

Chico, California

www.sierranevada.com

Avery Old Jubilation Ale ....

Tonight's beer is an Old Jubilation Ale from Avery Brewing Company.  It is a Limited Release in September.    8.3% ABV is listed on the twelve ounce bottle.  The web site shows 45 IBUs.

This beer poured with a small, beige colored head.  The beer color is mahogany.  There is some sediment in the glass.  The aroma is malt, spice, brown sugar.  Not getting much hops in the aroma.  In the taste there is toasted malt, caramel and spice.  Then some hops come in with bitterness, followed by some warmth from the higher alcohol.  The aftertaste leaves you with a little of the bitterness and toasted malt.  A smooth winter style beer with a nice hop bite.

Avery Brewing Company

Boulder, Colorado

www.averybrewing.com

Leinenkugel's Snowdrift Vanilla Porter ....

Today's sampling will be a Snowdrift Vanilla Porter from Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company.  It is a seasonal made with real vanilla.  6% ABV is listed on the twelve ounce bottle.

This beer poured with a small, tan colored head.  Beer color is a very dark reddish brown.  A small amount of light shows through the glass when held up to the light.  The aroma is somewhat sweet with roasted malt, vanilla and brown sugar.  The taste is roasted malt, chocolate, vanilla, coffee.  There is a coffee-like bitterness on the finish.  The aftertaste leaves you with the coffee bitterness, cocoa and vanilla.  A little thin on the mouth feel.

Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company

Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

www.leinie.com

Leinenkugel Big Eddy Baltic Porter ....

Tonight's beer is a Big Eddy Baltic Porter from Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company.  8.5% ABV is listed on the 12 ounce bottle.

This beer poured with a small, yellowish tan colored head.  Beer color is a dark ruby brown.  The aroma is sweet, with a lot of stewed fruits, maybe some brown sugar.  The taste has a good amount of molasses, with stewed fruit.  The higher alcohol does not really stand out.  There is a somewhat cloying sweetness to the aftertaste.  Nice beer.

Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company

Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin

www.leinie.com

Left Hand Fade to Black Vol. 4 ....

Today's beer is a Fade to Black Ale Volume 4, Rocky Mountain Black Ale, from Left Hand Brewing Company.  Twelve ounce bottle.  Their web site shows 6.5% ABV and 64 IBUs.

This beer poured with a medium, rich chocolatey brown head.  Beer color is a very dark blackish brown - no light shines through when the glass is held up to the light.  At first sniff, the aroma had a mild hoppy note of citrus and pine, but when I got my nose down in the glass I got mostly malt - roasted, chocolate and coffee.  The taste is similar with a hoppy, bitter note then a good amount of roasted malt.  Then a somewhat dry bitter note is there for the finish.  I don't think the hops ever go away, they just fade behind the malt in the middle of the sip. A little bitter and smoke for the aftertaste.  Very nice!

Left Hand Brewing Company

Longmont, Colorado

www.lefthandbrewing.com

Rogue Yellow Snow IPA ....

Tonight's brew is a Yellow Snow IPA from Rogue Ales.  The 1 pint, 6 ounce bottle shows 70 IBUs.  Searching the Internet finds 6.2-6.5% ABV.

This beer poured with a thick head that was on the creamy side of bone colored.  Beer color is a golden yellow, and is hazy from some very fine sediment.  The aroma is primarily citrus and pine.  Taste has a bready malt, with citrus and a good amount of pine.  A persistent bitterness, but not overly sharp.  Not much sweetness.  Creamy mouth feel.  Leaves you with a dry bitterness.  Not overly complex, but a nice malty, hoppy IPA.

Rogue Ales

Newport, Oregon

www.rogue.com