BrewDog Tokyo

So this is my first taste of something from BrewDog and I have to say that it will not be my last. This bottle is from batch #4 with a best-by date of 20-March-2024. At 18.2% ABV, I was expecting something very different than what I got. This is smooth... really surprisingly smooth. I'm not sure where the alcohol is hiding at. It's definitely there after a few sips. There... just at the base of the back of the tongue and then just under your upper lip. An almost imperceptible hint of alcohol warmth. Let's go back to the beginning of this experience.

Up front it smells of alcohol. Imagine the smell of a chocolaty bourbon with some hints of tart cherries. The taste is surprising. Roasted, dark fruits, smoky, and strong bourbon undertones but without the alcohol burn that I would expect from a high ABV. There is also a lack of sweetness as well as anything bitter. Very strange indeed from something so dark. The mouthfeel is on the light side of medium with a little creaminess. If you swirl it in your mouth, the warmth becomes more apparent. It is almost like using a strong mouthwash. You notice it at the base of your tongue, in your cheeks, and behind your lips but not at the back of your throat. There is nothing at all abrasive. I can't believe that this is almost 40 proof! I will be purchasing another bottle or two.

Not surprisingly, the community on both Ratebeer and Beeradvocate give this one decent marks. Not as high as I would have expected though. Ratebeer marks this at 9867. The style rating is surprisingly low for this. I guess that it really isn't a great version of an Imperial Stout though. Beeradvocate rates it as a B which is definitely low by my tastes.

So here I am at the end of the bottle. The alcohol is more present now then it was at the beginning. I still do not get the same warmth that others mention. After 11.2oz I notice that my throat definitely has a numbness going on but it snuck up on me. I would recommend this one to others. You should try it at least once.

Siberian Night

This one came from a co-worker (thanks Eric). All that I can say is "wow". This is a really good Imperial Stout - much better than I would have expected... especially since it is from Thirsty Dog. I am from near Pittsburgh so the thought of something from Ohio actually tasting good is a little disturbing to me. Oh well... I guess that it is time to give up that prejudice. I've been on a bit of a stout kick for a month or two now and this one fits in nicely.

Overall, this looks like any other stout. Dark, almost opaque, light tan head that settles down pretty quickly. The aroma is nice and dark - nothing outstanding though. A few hints of cherry, roasted coffee, some figs. Very subdued but in a good way. The first taste is surprising. Amazingly smooth, a little bitter, smoky, some chocolate, slightly sweet, sticky, mmmmmmm. The next time that I am in the mood for a stout, this is going to be near the top of my list. This is really good. One of the best Imperial Stouts that I've had by far.

The folk onRatebeer seem to agree giving this one a 10097.

Likewise, Beeradvocate gives it an A-. Everyone seems to agree that this is a particularly good brew from Thirsty Dog.

Cuvée Van De Keizer Rood

I haven't had anything else from Het Anker but I'm going to keep my eyes open for more after this one. The name translates to "Cuvée of the Emperor - Red". According to the fine scholarly article at Wikipedia Cuvée is a French wine term used that denotes particularly good casks or blends. After drinking a bottle, I would have to full-heartedly agree. The bottle that I found was from 2008 so it has aged a little. This particular blend is only brewed on February 24th so early March seemed like a good time to give it a try.

This pours like a good Belgian blonde - lively with a nice rich foamy head. The belgian yeasts have worked their usual charms here. The first glass immediate reminded me of a Duvel in both appearance and aroma. The aroma has a little more alcohol warmth though. The taste is something different. You could mistake the taste for something closer to a tripel. It is richer and thicker than it appears - slightly sticky, a little sweet, and spicy. The finish took me a while to identify. The finish isn't as dry as I expected and there is this strange warmth. By the end of the glass I recognized something that I hadn't tasted in years - whisky! There is definitely a hint of something that tastes a lot like a good whisky in the finish. This is one of the more enjoyable beers that I have had recently.

Ratebeer gives this one a 9689. I can agree with this. If you compare this to other Belgian Strong Ales, it breaks more than a few style rules.

Beeradvocate rates it a B+ which I feel is under-rated at best but that is what the beer drinking public has it pegged at ... at least 85 of them seem to agree.

Pretty Things - Baby Tree

I'm usually not a big fan of quads but this one really hit the spot. The owner of a local beer store suggested that my wife give it a try. She tends to like triples and quads a lot - one of her favorites being St. Bernardus Abt 12. I decided to split the bottle with her after a nice dinner of meatloaf. It has a nice taste of dark fruits, a little molasses, the slightest hint of spice, and a dry finish. The aroma is much the same as the taste - plums, raisins. It poured a dark brown with a nice beige head. Now that the glass is empty, I can see that there is no lacing to speak of. I wish that I had some more of this to try ... it is really a drinkable quad in my opinion. I usually find them too sweet and syrupy.
Ratebeer gives this one 9555
Beeradvocate rates it at a B+.
I would rate this a little higher than Beeradvocate has ... more in line with what Ratebeer ended up at. It is a really good beer. Not too sweet. Not too thick with just the right amount of fizz. I guess that it really isn't thick enough to match most of the other abbey quads though. Since the company that I work for is located in Massachusetts not too far from where this is brewed, I may have to stop by the next time that I am up there. I was a bit taken aback when I read about where this particular beer got its name from, but it's pretty cool when you think about it. If nothing else, the Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project is one of those unique little projects. It will be fun to watch.

Two for one

I didn't feel like writing anything last night, but I am going to try and make up for it tonight. Last night I had a Russian River Redemption for the first time. I have to say that (like the_photographer), I was completely underwhelmed by this one. I was expecting so much more... This one came from batch 8 and labelled as 5.15% ABV.
Ratebeer has this one pegged at 9799.
Beeradvocate seems to agree by giving it a A-.
Personally, I would give it an average rating at best. Maybe I was expecting something closer to a Golden Ale (e.g., Duvel) and got something considerably less rich. It's not that this is a bad beer, not by any stretch of the imagination, just not what I was expecting.
It poured a nice straw yellow into a tulip. It has a bubbly belgian head that quickly disappeared into a thin ring. Looked very promising. The taste was surprising floral up front, almost a hint of lavender or something. Followed up by a nice yeasty sour and a tart finish. The mouthfeel was surprisingly thin and watery.
This is probably a good rendition of a Belgian Single. I might have to find something to compare it to some day. I've had Duvel Green on tap at a bar in Manhattan Beach, CA a while back and it was considerably richer. Though Ratebeer seems to think both are "Belgian Ales", I think that a Single is a little different.

---

Tonight, I had a glass of Stone Old Guardian Belgo. Old Guardian Belgo is the Odd Beers for Odd Years release of their Old Guardian Barley Wine. This was pretty much what I have come to expect from Stone. Pretty good but a little on the bitter side for my palate.
Ratebeer rates this one at 9568.
BA gives it a B+.
That is pretty much what I would rate it at. It is a pretty good beer. If you like the a bitter and slightly sour beer, then this is probably right up your alley. It starts with the sweetness and a little spice that you would expect from a barley wine. The 12%ABV rears its head with some warmth. Then the malty bitter comes through strong finishing up with a little sticky sweetness. Very much a Stone beer - aggressive and memorable. I would consider buying another bottle of this. I still prefer the Oaked Arrogant Bastard though.

Unibroue Terrible

Tonights libation of choice is Unibroue Terrible. I actually started into a 750ml of this last night, but I didn't decide to start blogging about my alcoholism until tonight. So I will start us off with a bang. Terrible is not at all terrible despite its name ... no surprise there. The photo is one that I snagged from an enterprising chap on flickr that apparently has similar tastes and enough common sense to publish his photos with a Creative Commons license attached.

Now back to the beer. This is likely to become one of my favorites as long as I can continue to find it. I bought a single 750ml at the Beer Store in Southampton, PA. I didn't make note of the vintage but and I've already tossed the cork. The bottle has a best by date of 15-Apr-2014. Unibroue says that it can age to 5 years, so this is probably a 2009. BTW, if you want to visit the Beer Store, then look at this Google map before you do or you might end up here instead. If you are in the area, I highly recommend that you visit. The staff is great and the selection is one of the best that I have seen in PA.

Ratebeer rates this as a 9999. Beeradvocate gives it a A-.

As the pic shows, it is an amazingly black beer. It pours an opaque dark brown verging on oil black with a nice head. The head calms down pretty quickly. The taste is great - dark fruit up front, some nice spice notes following, finishing with a heavy malt and finally a nice alcohol warmth. Not as bitey as you might think given the 10.5% ABV, but it does finish with a nice warmth. Despite its darkness and opacity, the mouthfeel is surprisingly thin and not bubbly either. Interesting. This is a deceptive and very drinkable beer. I think that I might have another glass.