Pumpkin Ale

I picked up this beer in the late summer at my friend Hammer's 21st birthday party. I had ever had a pumpkin beer before but had seen them around during the fall so I thought I'd give it a try.

The Pumpkin Ale is from Saranac Breweries, in upstate NY, a brewery I unfortunately do not know that much about but like most craft brewers, that seem pretty awesome. A quick glance over their website and I noticed that sponsor a ton of different events every year and even have a blog. Reppin' the web!

Year: 2011

ABV: 5.4%

From: 12oz bottle (chilled), and poured

DRINKING NOTES:

FOAM: very thick white foam, small bubbles

COLOUR: matte brown (close to a dark amber)

SMELL: slight hint of roasted hops

TASTE:

(initial) slightly hoppy

(body) lighter bodied beer

(aftertaste) slight taste of cloves

Highway 78: Scotch Ale

Highway 78 Scotch Ale is a very interesting beer. I picked it up partially because I like the minimalist aesthetic of the bottle and partially because I was bullied into in by this overly knowledgeable east European man in the Beer Stone (not liquor store; it only sells beer).

Turns out though, that this is also an incredibly special beer. It is a collaboration between Stone Brewing Company (who made this), as well as Pizza Port Carlsbad, and Green Flash Brewing Company, two other California brewers. There is tons more information on the site linked above and so I suggest checking it out, but I just think that it is pretty awesome in a world of specialization and (in many ways) isolation; some brewers would get together and produce these one off beers just in the name of the craft. My hats off to them.

Year: 2010

ABV: 8.8%

From: 12oz bottle (chilled), and poured

DRINKING NOTES:

FOAM: light tan, didn't really rise, dissipated very quickly

COLOUR: deep caramel colour with a red tint

SMELL: dark, roasted smell (with hints of dark chocolate) but still hoppy

TASTE:

(initial) dark, rich flavour of roasted hops.

(body) full body, and the hops really grows blossoms but never is overpowering

(aftertaste) very little besides the initial flavour, which lingers

Double Bastard Ale

Double Bastard Ale is a from the line of "Bastard Ales" from Stone Brewing Company out of San Diego, CA. Regardless of how their beers taste (they could be absolute shite–they're not–but they could be) and I would still recommend purchasing a bottle or too because the bottles are hilarious to read. The first one I picked up (during last summer) was the Arrogant Bastard Ale and I couldn't stop showing people the bottle because it was too funny.

Unfortunately Though I remember quite enjoying the Arrogant Bastard Ale, The Double Bastard wasn't one of my favourites, so I probably wouldn't drink it again (too aromatic)—but I would definitely give it as a gift to a friend.

Year: 2010

ABV: 11.2%

From: 22oz bottle (chilled), and poured

DRINKING NOTES:

FOAM: very light tan colour almost creamy

COLOUR: deep red (like red oak) opaque, but you can still see the glint of light from the bottom of the glass

SMELL: slightly sweet scent of hops with a slight floral bouquet

TASTE:

(initial) floral notes mixed with the bitterness of the hops plant and a hints of chocolate

(body) it has a full body and the flavour really blossoms in the mouth

(aftertaste) the floral notes linger mixed with slight acidic bitterness that grows over time

Delerium Tremens

I first had this beer years ago during my senior year in High School when I went on a trip with a few of friends to Brussels. I was living in the Netherlands at the time, so it really wasn't that far out of the way (or that expensive) a proposition, especially since the entire point of the trip was going to be drinking copious amount of alcohol. Rather than bar hop around the town, we pretty much only drank at two bars, Delerium Cafe, and their sister store across the street Floris Bar (unfortunately the site is offline). This however, was not a problem as Delerium holds the Guinness world record for most available beers and Floris sells 30+ types of Absinthe.

Anyway, not really going to talk much about that night, besides the fact that I enjoyed myself and between the six of us, we tried over 30 different types of beer. One of those beers, was Delerium Tremens, one of the cafe's  own brews. At the time that tried it, I had not seen it anywhere before and it really was a "local" secret if you will, but in the interim, it has exploded and you can know find it everywhere. This change, is not unwarranted though.

This is one of my favourite beers and I recommend it to everyone, regardless of what type of beers you like to drink, (I haven't met a person who I've introduced it too, who hasn't liked it). It may be a bit pricey in your location, but regardless this is a beer to splurge. Highly recommended.

YEAR: 2011
ABV: 8.5%
POUR: from 33cl bottle into Guiness Glass

COLOUR: light golden (transparent), little bubbles continued rising through out the drink

HEAD: white, big bubbles, fairly large 1.5” (mostly dissipated quickly, ring around the edge never goes)

SMELL: sweet, fermented apple (cider)

TASTE:

(initial taste) fermented apple taste

medium body, not very fruity

(aftertaste) sweet, lesser version of the same flavour