Ok… been way too long since I posted.  Been busy but that isn’t a good excuse, so will just take my lumps and move on.

In the business of the season and in the spirit of holiday chear, I can’t help but think of Southern Tier’s Crème Brûlée Imperial Milk Stout as a bit of a cold weather, comfort beer.  It just sounds sweet and tasty a bit like a fine dessert after a long summer of heat and fun.  So it was that Mr. Dave, Mrs. Heather, and I popped this one open to enjoy what promised to be liquid dessert… and I have to say it isn’t far off!   WARNING – this is not a session beer… it packs way to much oomph to be anything but a treat, but that shouldn’t hold you back.  Southern Tier has created something rich and full of sweet vanilla and suger and bottled it up nicely for all of us to enjoy.  At 10% ABV it is a belly warmer, as well.  In the end, this really nice, really strong, really vanilla-y brew hit the spot.  We especially liked it paired with a little bit of cheese, which mellowed it out just a tad.  Nice form!

JBB6 Rating: Will Buy Again

Dulle Teve… never heard of it, but Mr. Dave thought it would be good and so he picked it up the other day… comes from De Dolle Brouwers in Belgium.

I am as fond of a solid Tripel as the next guy and wow… this one hits you hard.  First whiff is super strong Belgian… you get the yeast, the malts… in your face big time.  The great thing about this beer is that whiff carries right on through to the taste, the finish, and on ’till morning.  It has a bit of a smooth, nutty flavor/texture to it that was pleasing.  The finish had citrus undertones.  10% ABV…

Overall, Mr. Dave gives it a Will Buy Again, but I run this blog and I give it a little bit more of a standard rating as nothing really stands out.

JBB6 Rating: Middle of the Road

 Stone’s Kona Coffee, Macadamia, Coconut Porter is an interesting brew, folks.  Don’t be intimidated by the cost… 12 ounce will run you nearly $8, but it is worth it for the unique way in which there are very distinct flavors at each stage of the tasting experience. 

1. Nose is coffee… clear, distinct, roasted
2. Body is nutty smooth… macadamia kicks in and makes it taste like butta’
3. Finish is where you catch the coconut… just a hint, not over the top, but you know it is there

It was really cool to have such clear and present experiences… worth it just for that.  If you can find it, you should try it.

Stone’s own words on the bottle, where they thank a bunch of folks… just providing the ones that interest me:

Truly a collaborative beer, I want to thank everyone who went above and beyond to help:

• Our Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens overnight team for toasting 1000 lbs of coconut to a perfect golden brown.  You all rock!
• Our Stone Brew Crew, especially Tom, Kevin, Chris, and Sean, for all the last minute ingredient preparations (grinding, bagging, and placement in whirlpool) – 700 lbs. of coconut, macadamia nuts, and coffee, wow!

JBB6 Rating: Will Buy Again

[And more continued...]

If it gives you any idication of when I bought this beer, Trade Route Brewing Co. was still under the name of Laughing Buddha… so, yeah… been a little while.   In fact, I don’t even know if they make this under the Trade Route name since it isn’t on the site… interesting…

Tasted just the other day… was in a porter kind of mood and this one had been eyeing me for a while.  So here it is… sits at 7.0% ABV… pours dark but not black with a nice head.  Very light on the aroma… as we head into the body, you sense high carbonation, a light roasted chocolate flavor and no vanilla… at all.    Finish is slightly bitter.  Overall couldn’t tastye the vanilla, had some normal porter roastedness and chocolate undertones, but really nothing I would write home about… or… blog home about… but I am doing it anyhow…

JBB6 Rating: Middle of the Road

Usually a huge fan of Anderson Valley, Deep Enders Dark Porter ends up in the ‘meh’ category.  Dark dark amber color, big ol’ head and foamy, the aroma really doesn’t come through and that leads to similarly mild taste.  I usually expect some dark roastedness, chocolate, coffee, etc. but there really wasn’t any discernable flavor at all.  Not much more to add… pretty middle of the road, as the rating system says.

JBB6 Rating: Middle of the Road

Close your eyes, think about a good, solid IPA… the golden amber color, the hoppy, floral nose, the bitter hop body balanced with moderate malt flavor, the moderately complex finish with hints of citrus… Now open your eyes… you couldn’t read any of that since your eyes were closed, but if you could, you would have a mental drink of this fine brew.  Part of the Brewmaster Reserve, Grandsun of Spot was part of the summer “sun” series at the brewery and was a might tasty brew for the style.

JBB6 Rating: Will Buy Again

I have a thing for stuff aged in oak barrels… in fact, I haven’t met anything aged in oak that I haven’t really liked, I don’t think… instant winner, then?  Prett much!

Southern Tier Oak Aged Unearthly IPA is a solid IPA offering from our prolific brewers at Southern Tier.  Nice little head, sweet and mild nose, hoppy yet mellow body, and complex and interesting finish.  Couldn’t taste the ABV but pretty sure I felt it in the morning.

From the web site:

At the Southern Tier Brewing Company, vigorously hopped beer is our standard and inspiration. We continue a commitment to innovation with an aggressive offering. Oak Aged Unearthly is a manifestation of the brewer’s craft; skillfully balancing art and the forces of nature to produce a divine liquid. Delicately pour a taste of this oak aged brew into a fluted glass. Smell the enchanting aromas of the hops waft forward as your first sip divulges this beer’s fervent soul. To underestimate Oak Aged Unearthly is to trifle with the mysteries of the universe, so please consume wisely.consider it an immoral act to blacken an ale. We suggest they don’t rely on conventional standards. Allow the darkness to consume you. Cheers!
9.5% abv • 15.7ºL • Imperial India Pale Ale • 22 oz

JBB6 Rating: Will Buy Again

Redhook Treblehook Barley Wine – Coming off a fine unboxing and not being able to hold off for the 1 to 3 years recommended, I cracked this bad boy open with The Belly looking on. 

Tasting: dark brown copper pour with very slight head.  Aroma is sweet and malty with background smells of hops.  The body leads with a hit of the ABV and malt and with nice hop influences presenting itself more on the front stage.  It leads through to a short, compact and dry finish.  Overall The Belly and I agree… this is a solid Barley Win with some really nice work in the throughout.  I will be picking up a bottle to cellar as soon as I see it…

JBB6 Rating: Will Buy Again

Christmas has come early, yet again to JustBeer headquarters.  This time, Beer Santa has delivered the latest in the Redhook Limited Release Series, Redhook Treblehook.  Consistent with their new packaging and labeling Treblehook comes with a red ribbon, some fancy packing foam, and an outstanding new glass that should help the brew open up and be the best it can be. 

More to come on the tasting… and here it is.  Enjoy! 

Redhook Treblehook Barley Wine

Previous Oh Happy Day posts:

• Oh Happy Day #1 – Pipeline Porter
• Oh Happy Day #2 – Fish Tale Organic Ales
• Oh Happy Day #3 – Bell’s Brewery
• Oh Happy Day #4 – Widmer Brothers Brrr
• Oh Happy Day #5 – Redhook Double Black Stout
• Oh Happy Day #6 – Widmer Brothers Drifter Pale Ale
• Oh Happy Day #7 – Redhook Tripel Belgian-style Ale
• Oh Happy Day #8 – Widmer Brothers Cherry Oak Doppelbock

Official press release:

Redhook Ale Brewery Releases Small Batch of Treblehook Barley Wine

Two-Time GABF Medal-Winning Beer is the Latest Offering in Redhook’s Limited Release Series

WOODINVILLE, Wash. – Oct. 5, 2009 – Redhook Ale Brewery’s award-winning Treblehook Barley Wine is now available in 22 oz. bottles for a short time as part of the brewery’s Limited Release Series. This hand-crafted, labor-intensive ale was first introduced in 2007 and won a gold medal at the 2008 Great American Beer Festival (GABF) and a silver medal at the 2009 festival.

Boasting big aromatic malts, Redhook Treblehook pours a dark gold with a velvety mouthfeel and a slightly bitter finish. Brewed in the style of a traditional American barley wine with a 10.1% ABV and 57 IBUs, Treblehook sets itself apart by playing up the hops to add depth and complexity. Dry-hopped vigorously throughout the six-month process, Treblehook’s strength comes from its ability to have a strong hop flavor while still allowing the malt characteristics to shine through.

“We wanted Treblehook to have all the classic barley wine characteristics,” said Doug MacNair, brewmaster for Redhook Ale Brewery. “We spent time getting the subtleties right, balancing the malts with a strong hop backbone to create Redhook’s take on the style.” 

While ready to drink now, MacNair encourages beer collectors to age it for one to three years to evolve and enhance the flavors.

“Barley wine is one of a few styles where it’s possible to have both exceptional flavor and long-term stability. We weren’t willing to compromise either with Treblehook,” said MacNair. “The multitude of malts and many strains of hops we used with Treblehook will change the beer as it ages, mellowing and blending year over year. I love that I can drink this now, or have an entirely different experience after I open a bottle from my cellar in a few years.”

Redhook Treblehook Barley Wine will be on shelves in 22 oz. bottles (SRP $7.99) at specialty food stores and beer markets in limited locations across the country from early October until supplies run out.

Redhook’s Limited Release Series beers are brewed by hand in small batches and are only available for a short time. The series allows Redhook’s expert brewers to experiment, take risks and produce distinct, creative and award-winning varieties. Redhook will introduce another limited release in the spring of next year.

About Redhook Ale Brewery
Redhook Ale Brewery has been at the forefront of domestic craft brewing since the company’s formation in 1981. Redhook brews eight styles of craft beer, including: Long Hammer IPA, Redhook ESB, Slim Chance Light Ale, Blackhook Porter, and seasonal offerings Copperhook Spring Ale, Sunrye Summer Ale, Late Harvest Autumn Ale and Winterhook Winter Ale. Redhook beer is brewed in its breweries: one in the Seattle suburb of Woodinville, Wash., and the other in Portsmouth, N.H. Redhook’s specialty beers are available in both draught and bottles and are distributed nationally through a network of wholesale distributors.  For more information, visit www.redhook.com.

Getting back to some old standbyes… Alaskan IPA comes to us from what I would regard as a solid brewery… these guys up on the high country know how to make their beer… guessing there isn’t much else to do, though, so they have that advantage.

Overall this isn’t a bad offering from the brewery.  Not one of their standouts, but not bad.  For the genre, it is a bit flat… low carbonation and very mellow.  Hops are in there for sure, but again on the mellow side… their site says it is dry hopped, but I can’t notice it really.  The finish is short and dry.  As the tasting continues, it does tend to grow on you. 

This may actually be a pretty decent session IPA because of how mellow it is.  Overall, not bad but not one that will be on my IPA list in the future given choice.

JBB6 Rating: Middle of the Road