Paradox Smokehead (Cask)

Brewdog
Paradox Smokehead

There are few things that I always seem to order when I am presented with a long list of beers, and they are 1) Cask Ales 2) Interesting Named Beers and 3) Beers with intensely visual descriptors of they flavour. When I returned back to Houston to visit my family and we headed out to the phenomenal Hay Merchant, this beer checked all of my tics.

Now, before I continue, It should be noted that I am not a whiskey drinker--I am working on it, but haven't gained the taste yet--and that definitely coloured my experience with the beer.

(Specs) ABV 10%


Colour: Dark Brown
Aroma: Smoky
Head: Off white cream

Inital Taste: no initial taste
Mouthfeel: medium body, intensely peaty
Aftertaste: very smoky aftertaste

Verdict: I couldn't finish this beer, because of the overwhelming taste of smoke and peat. I can imagine that if you like whiskey, and you like it chock full of smoke, this could be a beer you fall in love with, but if you don't I'd recommend you try something else.

Rocky River Brewing Company Tasting

Rocky River Brewing Company
Assorted Brews

For the past four years, while in college, I have been working for the "Student Union" as a live sound engineer. It was a pretty awesome gig (pun intended) and consisted of me spending a prodigious amount of time working with and thinking about sound equipment. Though mostly I did was human volume control at lectures at luncheons, I did mix variety of theatre productions, art installations, and live shows--every now and then, I even got to be the head engineer for nationally touring act.

Regardless, the reason why I am telling you this is because as a reward for my  (and my fellow graduating seniors) years of tireless service for too little pay, our boss took us out to lunch. And because he was a more than a little bit awesome, he took us to a small brewpub in Cleveland and bought us pitchers of everything on tap. Of course I had to try it all.

Cooper's Gold Kolsch
(Specs) IBU 27, ABV 5.0, OG 1.048

Colour: Amber
Aroma: Hoppy
Head: Thick, White

Inital Taste: Slightly hoppy, sweet, fruity taste
Mouthfeel: mild flavour, medium body
Aftertaste: a little sour


Punchin the Nuts Amber Ale
(Specs) IBU 20.8, ABV 5.3, OG 1.053

Colour:
Aroma: Very peanut-ty
Head:

Inital Taste: Slightly sweet
Mouthfeel: light body
Aftertaste: slightly peanuty

Blueberry Ale
(Specs) IBU 18, ABV 4.7, OG 1.041

Colour: Amber
Aroma: Hoppy
Head: Thick, White

Inital Taste: intense taste of blueberry
Mouthfeel: light body
Aftertaste: sweet blueberry

Flapjack Porter
(Specs) IBU 28, ABV 4.2, OG 1.056

Colour: Dark brown
Aroma: Coffee / caramel-ly
Head: White, almost creamy

Inital Taste: Notes of coffee, roasted hops
Mouthfeel: medium body
Aftertaste: mildly bitter

Unfortunately, I did not take notes on the other beers we had, the Rocky River  Boondock Walker Saison but if I remember correctly, it reminded me Belgian trappist beers, both sweet and hoppy.

Verdict: First of all, I have to give my compliments to the chef. Though the main reason I came was to drink a lot of free craft brews and get a free lunch in the process, the food really was top notch and even if the beers were so-so, I would definitely be coming back if I was in the area.

That said, the beers were very good. Though they really ranged from the pretty standard (Kolsch) to the pretty divisive (Blueberry, you just like it or you don't. period.) to the literally nuts (Punchin the Nuts), I would say that, regardless of my personal opinions on each, the base level of craftsmanship was pretty high. In addition, the range of options provided even though it had such a small brewing capacity was really commendable. In the end though, unsurprisingly, the Flapjack porter was my favourite. It wasn't super rich, but it wasn't watery either and was just what I wanted on summer day.

Hel & Verdoemenis

Brouwerij Van Molen:
Hel & Verdoemenis

I picked up this beer while late one night while I was wondering through the Castro in San Francisco on a tip from bartender who I had met a few hours before. Like the happenstance occurrence that caused me to be walked down the street, it was pure whimsy that I decided to head into the nearest little corner store I could find and pick up a beer or two for my night's adventures.

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Little did I know that I had just happened across one of the true hidden gems of the city, a tiny little place called Healthy Spirits, that is backed wall-to-wall, and floor to ceiling with beer and wine. And most surprising to me at least is that sheer number of beers I had never even seen of before, let alone heard of, and I have spent more than my fair share of time buying and hanging around beer selling establishments. Anyway, on to the beer...

(Specs) IBU 99.9, ABV 10.2%

Colour: Black
Aroma: Slightly alcoholic, dark and sweet fermented smell slightly hoppy
Head: Small bubbles, dark brown

Inital Taste: Bittersweet, slight coffee
Mouthfeel: Very full bodied, very dark (almost tasted similar to soy sauce)
Aftertaste: Spicy, bitter

Verdict: This was truly one of the most unique beers I have ever had, from the cellaring instructions, to the sealing wax, to the taste. However, there are some beers that you really have to be in the mood in order to drink them and I think I picked an off day. However, since I have only ever seen this bottle once, if I saw it again I would pick it up in a heartbeat.

Bow Bugger Amber Ale

On my last full day in Canada this year, I ended up heading to this great new craft beer hotspot in Calgary called Beer Revolution. With fantastic specials like $2 bavarian pretzels on Tuesdays, and $4 truffle fries on Wednesday as well as tapping a cask every Friday! In addition their food (though it is a bit pricey and pretty limited) it is really phenomenal and if I live in Calgary, I would definitely be here at least once a week.

I went on a Wednesday, so in addition to getting cheap truffle fries, their home brews were $1 off, and so I grabbed me a 12 oz pour of Beer Revolution Bow Bugger Amber Ale. As a beer, it wasn't anything fantastic but, since I knew that it was made less then 30ft away from me and because I was having such a great time, I would definitely drink it again.

Year: 2011

ABV: 5.4%

From: On Draft, and poured

DRINKING NOTES:

FOAM: creamy, beige head, medium size

COLOUR: dark amber, translucent

SMELL: hoppy

TASTE:

(initial) initally hoppy

(body) good body, hops mellows out into a sweet rich taste

(aftertaste) slightly bitter

Grizzly Paw sampler (9 beer reviews in one!)

Today I headed back from Kicking Horse in BC, back to Calgary in Alberta. Along the way, we stopped for Lunch at the Grizzly Paw, a great little brewery and restaurant that we have eaten at before on this route. Usually I just get a pint of one of the local brews, but since I was feeling especially adventurous (and I am very conscious of how far under my 52 beer review goal I am at this late stage in the game) I decided to go for the all-inclusive sampler and decided to review 'em all.

Given that these were all draft pours into 3oz glasses, in addition to my standard of skipping how the "foam" section, these reviews are going to pretty short and sweet, ending with a thumbs up, down or middling from me.

Powder Hound Pilsner

Colour: Pale yellow, transparent

Taste: Light Body, tastes like a traditional pilsner, aftertaste of corn

Verdict: thumbs down

NOTE: Some people like really watery light bodies beers, this is for you, not me.

Grumpy Bear Honey Wheat

Colour: Pale amber, transparent

Taste: Light Body, slightly sweet, slight taste of grains, slightly aftertaste of sour

Verdict: thumbs middling

Beaver Tail Raspberry Ale

Colour: Pale amber, cloudy

Taste: Light Body, bitter, RASPBERRY!, aftertaste of raspberry lingers

Verdict: thumbs down

NOTE: I dislike raspberry, if you do, you'll love this beer

Rutting Elk Red

Colour: Brown-deep red, transparent

Taste: Medium body, note very hoppy, a good standard red ale

Verdict: thumbs up

Big Head Nut Brown

Colour: Dark brown, transparent

Taste: Medium Body, sweet, but not cloying (slightly dry), slightly sour aftertaste

Verdict: thumbs down

Mooseknuckle Coffee Stout

Colour: Black-deep red,

Taste: Rich medium body, slightly chocolately, coffee with a strong espresso aftertaste

Verdict: thumbs up

Indra Island IPA

Colour: Dark amber, cloudy

Taste: Medium body, bitter, VERY hoppy, bitter aftertaste

Verdict: thumbs down

NOTE: If you like hops, like a lot, a whole lot, you will love this, other wise, you've been warned

Unity Brew

Colour: Light amber, transparent

Taste: Medium Body, hoppy, bitter, dry,

Verdict: thumbs middling

NOTE: Though I wasn't the biggest fan of this brew, others at my table really loved it. Also it is worth noting that the name for this beer came from the fact that it a collaboration from 9 craft brewers in Alberta. This is the third year this special seasonal is being produced, and its proceeds go towards funding a great charities, all reasons enough on their own for you to give it a try

Mocha Porter

Colour: Black-deep brown,

Taste: Full Body, rich, very chocolate-y, sweet coffee, slightly bitter aftertaste

Verdict: thumbs up

NOTE: This beer is definitely not for quaffing down. From anywhere in its vicinity you can smell its intense chocolate-yness. It is a desert beer, clear and simple, and definitely a treat if you can find it.

AfterDark

During winter, for the past few years, I have been wintering with my family in a small ski resort called Kicking Horse. Located in British Columbia in Canada, the powder skiing is phenomenal. The biggest problem is that the alcohol is super expense because of high taxes and then it has to trucked out to the middle of nowhere.

Even so, I did manage to score a couple of beers for relaxing in the evening, and this was one of them AfterDark, by the Nelson Brewing Company. What intrigued me about this beer was that is claimed to be Organic (something I later found out is a defining characteristic of all of Nelson's brews). My big complaint about this beer was that I was tricked by it's name and colour into thinking it was a stout or a lager, when it is actually just a brown ale. Free of that prejudice, it is a decent enough beer, and if you are an organophille, it is definitely worth checking out.

Year: 2011

ABV:5.0%

From: 12oz bottle (chilled), and poured into plastic cup

DRINKING NOTES:

FOAM: thin, light tan, dissipated very quickly

COLOUR: very dark, black, opaque

SMELL: very sweet, slightly hoppy smell; like the foam, the smell also dissipated very quickly

TASTE:

(initial) slightly oak-ey, sweet, chocolate-ly taste

(body) medium body

(aftertaste) very little

Bourbon Barrel Stout

At my university, there is one bar on campus. Even though, the can only sell beer, they have a pretty awesome selection (about 30-40 different bottles) and that is where this week's selection comes from.

It is a Bourbon Barrel Stout from the Clay Street Series by Bluegrass Brewery Company. Try as I might though, I cannot find anything about this beer on the internet, besides the fact it was aged in a barrel formerly used in the bourbon manufacturing process—something immediately evident upon opening the bottle.

Year: 2010

ABV: 8.6%

From: 12oz bottle (chilled), and poured into plastic cup

DRINKING NOTES:

FOAM: brown chocolately colour (very big foam) *pour very slowly it still foams

COLOUR: very dark brown, almost black

SMELL: very roasted, charred wood

TASTE:

(initial) roasted taste, leads into a hoppiness

(body) medium body, hints of coffee, charred taste of the barrel

(aftertaste) very hoppy, hint of bourbon, slightly sour

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