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.

Lump of Coal Dark Holiday Stout

Ridgeway Brewing Company

Lump of Coal Dark Holiday Stout

(Specs) 8.0 ABV

Colour: dark dark brown

Aroma: roasted hops

Head: light tan

Initial Taste: bitter, rich, slightly hoppy

Mouthfeel: medium body

Aftertaste: bitter, spicy aftertaste

Note: as the beer sat, the sharper flavours mellowed noticeably

Dortmunder Gold

Great Lakes Brewery
Dortmunder Gold

One of the great things about living in the Midwest, and specifically Ohio is the craft beer scene and at the top of that list is Great Lakes Brewery. That is not to say that everything they make is the bee's knees but they generally keep to a high standard. The other great thing is that they are everwhere, even a shitty dive with only corporate "Lite" beers, will often have a tap, which makes trying to get a decent beer, no matter where you are, a much easier task.



Colour: Golden
Head: White, almost creamy head

Inital Taste: Slightly hoppy
Mouthfeel: Incredibly smooth, medium body
Aftertaste: Slight spice aftertaste

Verdict: This is one of my favourite beers from Great Lakes. It isn't knock your socks off amazing, but I find that whenever I want a beer, this usually kits the spot, no matter the occasion. If you see if on draft or bottled and you haven't had, I highly recommend checking it out.

Delirium Noël

Brouwerij Huyghe
Delirium Noël

It seems like ever since I first went to Bruxelles (Brussels, BE) and had Delirium Cafe's signature beer, Delirium Tremens on tap, it has exploded onto the world beer scene. Almost as long I have been seeing it's Christmas-themed relative, Delirium Noël, but I have always made excuses for not buying it, but as summer time looms and I will be swamped in citrus-ey summer seasonals (my least favourite of all seasonal trends), I finally took the plunge and got a bottle.

(Specs) ABV 10%


Colour: Dark amber
Aroma: Fruity, Sweet fermented hops
Head: Creamy, very foamy

Inital Taste: Sweet hops, almost fruity
Mouthfeel: Incredibly smooth
Aftertaste: Slightly overbearing, fruit aftertaste

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.

Chocolate Stout

Rogue Brewery
Chocolate Stout

After eyeing this beer for a few months, as I often do with most issues by Rogue, I finally broke down and bought it.

(Specs) ABV 9.6%


Colour: Black
Aroma: Roasted hops, oak

Head: Light brown, slight head

Inital Taste: Slightly sweet of taste of hops, hint of bitter chocolate and coffee
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied beer
Aftertaste: Slightly sour

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.