Our theme for this month's beer club was an excellent one: since many in the group were taking trips somewhere or other during the last month, we tasted beers that aren't distributed to the great state of Georgia. We had folks go elsewhere in the deep south, to the midwest, to the gulf coast, and to the western deserts to procure the best beers you can't find around here. Starting off with 12 people and fluctuating between 11 and twelve throughout the night, we had more beers than we could even get through. So let's start the reviews...
1. Lazy Magnolia Southern Pecan Brown Ale
From Mississippi, this beer found its way to our living room table thanks to Chad and Ariel's trip to the gulf coast. It was "deep copper" in color with a "lively head," and tasted "quite sweet", like "nutty caramel," and had minimal hops. While one taster raved, "if you could have one beer with a pecan pie, this would be it," another one said "all I can smell right now is this chocolate cake."
Rating: 8 out of 12 (83%; a 68% on RateBeer)
2. Anderson Valley Hop Ottin' IPA
Anderson valley is a Boonville, CA brewery, acquired by Brennan on a trip to Arizona. While it was "definitely hoppy" and "pretty bitter," it was "not floral or citrusy hops," more like "grass," "sweat" or even "old gym socks." Finish was "sour - blech." One member thought it was "pretty good, just a straightforward IPA," while another said it was "a nice try... almost." An observant participant noted that the copy on the label "describes what they wished this tasted like." I think it said something about touching Rupesh all over, to which Sam offered a warning.
Rating: -7 out of 12 (21%; a 94% on Ratebeer)
3. Two Brothers Bonfire Dunkle Weiss
Christa picked up this Two Brothers (Warrenville, IL) limited-run special dark, smoky version of their Wheat beer on her trek through Indiana. We came up with a near-thesaurus of Asian terms to describe this "sesame oil" and "heavy on the soy sauce" brew: "stir fry," "Asian salad dressing," "General Tso," and "sweet-and-sour", just to name a few. While for one taster it was "soy sauce in a good way," for another it "burned the tongue", and the majority of us thought the dark and smoky wheat was just "one note." And that note was like a d-flat or something.
Rating: -5 out of 12 (29%; a 73% on Ratebeer)
4. Ska Brewery Modus Hoperandi IPA
This beer, brewed in Durango, was the one lugged down to the Colorado river last week. It had a "perfect floral bouquet," "poured thick and darker than your usual IPA," and its presentation in the can was "impressive." One taster even thought it "gives Dale's a run for best beer-in-a-can." It had a "grapefruit", "pine" and "flower" initial taste, followed by "tea", "leafy", "woodsy" and "caramel" flavors, and a "bitter" finish that "went pine again." As one taster put it: "I'd do that all day." Vargo said, "it's well named, just like Gwenyth Paltrow's kids."
Rating: 9 out of 11 (91%; a 90% on Ratebeer)
5. Innis & Gunn Oak Aged Beer
Vargo procured this Scottish Ale, as it was featured as one of SleepingBrewty's only raves from her trip to England. In honor of Katie and Ben, we poured out a little bit of this "thin", "carmel" colored ale out onto the street. It "smells garlicky," but "tastes very different," giving out a "roasty" and "slightly sour" but still "surprisingly sweet" "toffee" flavor. Many could "taste the oak" and the "butter-like" finish. One commenter said it was a dead-ringer for "huckleberry-covered espresso beans" that she had once enjoyed. In all, "it's way better than Boddington's". Vargo said, "I would give this as a gift, because I am trying to give really good gifts, just like Gwyneth."
Rating: 6 out of 11 (77%; a 62% on Ratebeer)
6. Boulevard Double-Wide IPA
Rupesh acquired this Kansas City IPA during his trip to St Louis. This "golden" and "smooth" IPA "smells delicious" even before tasting, with "lots of fruits" and "flowers" on the tongue, finishing with "apricot" and then "lots of bitterness". The "big carbonation" made it "tickle" one taster's mouth. One guest called this brew "my kind of juice." Some thought it "smells hoppier than it tastes", and that the hoppiness was "definitely not the west-coast style," even "subdued". It "tastes boozy," and "you can really notice the alcohol." Perhaps it should be called a double IPA at 9%? Or am I just not getting the "double-wide" pun?
Rating: 8 out of 11 (86%; 97% on Ratebeer)
7. Otter Creek Copper Ale
Matt picked up this Middlebury, VT ale, as he has visited the brewery himself. Aside from Vargo's mainly color-based adjectives like "coppery," "penny-like," "brown metal tubing," etc, we felt it was "straightforward," "uncomplex," perhaps "salty" on the finish and "weak-finishing" otherwise. Yet again, the adjective "sweaty" arose, to some agreement. At first I thought they were talking about me, but that was just my subconscious at work.
Rating: -1 out of 12 (45%; a 45% on Ratebeer)
8. Southern Tier Un*Earthly Imperial IPA
From Lakewood, NY, Southern Tier is a huge and respected craft brewer...that isn't allowed in Georgia. Unless, of course, it stows away in my luggage. Many of the tasters thought it had a "good bouquet" and "intriguing but unusual" flavors on the front end, like "toasty maple" and "butterscotch," but that gave way to "grapefruit" and "fig" drizzled with "honey" and a "ripe bing cherry" finish (sounds like a good recipe). It "didn't taste boozy" but at 11% alcohol that means "they hid it well." There was some disagreement over the name: why unearthly? And what's with the asterisk?
Rating: 10 out of 11 (95%; a 98% on Ratebeer)
9. Olfabrikken Porter
Hailing from Roskilde, Denmark, the Olfabrikken was offered by Matt. While it "poured like motor oil" and had a "sticky" feel in the mouth, this "smoky," "chocolaty," "licorice"/"Pernod", "tobacco" and "molasses cookie" brew "went down smooth." One taster noted that it "went really well with the cake," which I really have to agree with. It's "dark for a porter, maybe should be called a stout," and for some the "menthol" taste was off-putting. Vargo said, "it seems really down-to-earth, just like Gwyneth."
Rating: 7 out of 10 (85%; a 100% on Ratebeer - literally the #1 porter on the site)
10. Ska Brewery Decadent Imperial IPA
Another Durango brew, this one in a bottle, had "nice label art." It poured "almost red," and had a "less appealing smell than their IPA," though it did "have a bit of citrus." The taste was "orange", "leaves" and "somewhat sweet pine." It "wasn't much like other Imperial IPAs" in that it was "not a hop explosion," "too malty" and "not enough going on." While the "initial taste was on," it "went downhill" and "faded away too fast," leaving some "wanting more." The pun (is this like a tradition in beer names, or what?) is that the brewery is a decade-old. Ha, ha, ha...um, not really.
Rating: 7 out of 11 (82%; Ratebeer 74%)
11. Abita Abbey Ale
Another entry from Chad and Ariel's trip to the Big Easy, this Belgian style ale "even smells boozy", much like the city of its origin. It "definitely has that Belgian tang," and "has a good toasty, nutty flavor" along with "smoked cloves" and "yeasty, bready" tastes, but "is missing fruit" except for a "slight prune taste." There's "no orange, which would be nice," but one taster said "that doesn't matter for me, I like the alcohol." Another noted that "we're not a big belgian crowd" (though this author is, for sure).
Rating: 2 out of 9 (61%; a 69% on Ratebeer)
12. O'Fallon's Smoked Porter
Rupesh brought this one back from St. Louis, though it is another KC brew. It "pours dark," and hits hard with an aggressive "beef jerky" aroma. Another commenter said it reminded him eerily of "the smell of a fleece at 2A.M. after a bonfire." It tasted of "meat and smoked gouda," much like a rauchbier served at the Brick Store not long ago. As one person put it: "I keep smelling it, and that makes me not want to put it in my mouth." Another entry: "burnt straw." Sense a theme? I think the smoke was a bit thick, but I'm "a sucker for anything tasting like smoke," along with Matt, perhaps because we're "both pyromaniacs."
Rating: 0 out of 9 (50%, a 85% on Ratebeer)
13. Schlafly Reserve Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout
Another from Rupesh's trip to St. Louis, this brew is a St. Louis native. It pours "like midnight" and smells like "brownies," making everybody hold their cups to their noses. The bourbon barrel made the taste "round," "sweet," and "with a distinctly bourbon finish," ending with "boozy chocolate" aftertaste. Others noted "brown sugar," "vanilla coffee," and "cinnamon." A hit all around. One commenter: "good thing I wore my depends, because this just made me crap my pants." Vargo's one comment: "not rich."
Rating: 9 out of 10 (95%; a 97% on Ratebeer)
14. Three Floyds/Mikkeller Oatgoop Oat Wine
A collaboration between the Danish Mikkeller and Munster, IN's own Three Floyds, this "Oatwine" is a play on the barleywine style. Pours orange, thick, viscous. Smells "fruity," tastes "grapefruity" and "surprisingly hoppy." Vargo "still smells garlic." Lots of calls for a refill; we run out all too fast.
Rating: 10 out of 11 (95%; a 97% on Ratebeer)
Post-tasting:
Deschutes Hop Henge Experimental IPA: Great example of west-coast IPA, fruity, pine, floral, hoppy goodness. All-around hit.
New Holland Night Tripper Imperial Stout: Charcoal, licorice, coffee, not as much chocolate. Not as good as Schlafly's but still way up there for Impy Stout.
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