Lobotomy Bock, Indian Wells Brewing Co., Inyokern, CA

It is no wonder that after tasting 20-some-odd breweries in the month of January, I am starting to see double.  I picked up this 6 pack of Indian Wells, Lobotomy Bock from my near by Whole Foods before heading to Lon's house for a chili and corn bread dinner last night.  I picked out this beer for a couple reasons; first there are only so many 6 packs offered at my grocery store bottled by breweries that I have yet to try in 2011.  I am starting to find myself faced with the option of finding new grocery stores to shop in - no problemo, or starting to buy more single bottles of import beers that are above $10 bucks.  I hate to reveal that I am a cheap skate, but this could prove to be a problemo.  The second reason I chose this beer was due to its name.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lobotomy 

Here is a Dopplebock description as written by: BeerAdvocate.com
Description:
Bocks-are relatively strong German lagers. Doppelbocks--as the name might suggest--are typically even stronger and contain enough malty goodness that they’ve been considered a meal in a glass for centuries. Generally they have a very full-bodied flavor and are darker than their little Bock brothers and sisters and a higher level of alcohol too. They range in color from dark amber to nearly black, and dark versions often have slight chocolate or roasted characters.

Well done Indian Wells Brewing Co, I look forward to trying more of your tasty brews coming out of the California desert.

-KB

Trader Joe's Vintage Ale 2010

This is brewed by Unibroue in Quebec, which is a highly regarded brewer of Belgian-Style Ales. I don't think I've ever tried a Belgian Dark Strong Ale before, so here's what I thought.  The aroma was similar to the clove-type aroma that I get from a Belgian Wit.  Must be the yeast.  The flavor was really sweet and had a kind of strange flavor to it which was similar to cola. In the finish, there was almost a buttery smooth feeling on my tongue, kind of like an oil or something like that. Based on one tasting of Belgian Dark Strong, I'd have to say I need to give it another try or three before I say I like it.
-Taster Be

P.S. Glad to see we're getting some more contributors.  Thanks!

Old Rasputin

A beer that could cure anyone's bad mood. The chocolate and coffee flavors that emanate from this pitch black ale are like a fine dessert that you just can't get enough of.  Then you stand up and realize that the ABV is a little higher than normal and understand why North Coast packages these as four packs. I feel kinda silly calling a new #1 mere days after my old top choice, but I think I like this best of all.  I also think I'm honing in on my preferred style. Delicious.
-Taster Be

Bell's Two Hearted

This is another IPA, but in this taster's opinion, it's one of the better ones.  I tried this for the first time in the fall last year and really enjoyed its flavor.  The bitterness is smoother than some other IPAs and the hop flavor is less grapefruit citrusy than most examples.  Two hearted ale does this and still has a very strong hop presence and aroma.  It's a single hop ale, using strictly Centennial, so trying this against something like Sweetwater IPA which uses only Simcoe, would be a good way to see how different varietals can taste.  Delicious.
-Taster Be

Red Hook Brewing Co., Woodenville, WA

I started watching a docu-video last night called BEER WARS and it was pretty fixated on the 3 major US breweries that hold some 78% of the beer market.  Anheuser-Busch holds around 50% of the market including this lovely jewel, Red Hook, ESB.  There were 48 breweries in the US the year I was born, 1978.  Today there are over 1,400.  Anyone want to open a brew-pub?
-KB

Peak Organic Brewing Co., ME

I really like this beer, it is very similar in taste to the Fish Tale Organic beers coming out of Tacoma, WA.
-KB

Deschutes Brewery, Bend OR

Well, I know I have already logged a Deschutes beer but I could't resist putting this image up.  I don't want the readers to think that I am slacking and not drinking beer.  I am getting a little tired of all the HOP Titles of brews, Hoptopia, Hop-Stupid, Hop-Henge, Hop-On-The-Band-Wagon.
-KB

Bridge Port, Brewing Co. Portland, OR

Cafe Negro, Porter.  Coffee Infused.  Is it dark? Yes.  Do you taste the coffee?  Yes.  Would a buy a six pack? mmmmm no.
-KB

Stone Cat ESB, Mercury Brewing Company, Ipswich, MA

So I am sitting by the fire on Christmas morning enjoying the last of the presents, when my beautiful and loving wife (Deb, btw) says "I've got one more gift for you.  I think you're going to like it."  My first thought was "gee, I hope this is appropriate for gifting with my parents in the room."  My second thought was "gee, I sure hope it's brewing equipment."  Well my friends, she did one better.  A 3 month subscription to the Beer of the Month Club (BOMC)!  That's right, 3 full months of kid-on-Christmas-morning-like joy.   You can imagine both my unbridled excitement  and my complete bewilderment.  Now that's a wife!!  So today, as I am in the drudgery of the fifth hour of sitting in front of my computer, I get a call.  "Guuueeesss  wwhhhhaaatttt?"  "What?" I say, dreading a mid-day visit to the veterinary office or perhaps the dreaded we're out of milk call.  "We got a delivery today.  UPS.  I'm putting them in the fridge now."  As you can imagine, the rest of the day was pretty much a wash.  OK, on to the beer...

So the first beer in the pack was a Stone Cat ESB from Mercury Brewing Company in Ipswich, Massachusetts.  The flyer says its from "historic" Ipswich.  If Ipswich is "historic", I have no idea what for, and I have never heard of it.  Maybe its near Salem, where they burned "witches".  Hey- that's a neat idea, maybe someone could start a brewery in Salem and call it "Holy Inferno Brewery".  They could brew in "cauldrons", and their first product could be "Torquemada's IPA (Inquisition Pale Ale)".   Anyhow, on to the beer...

ESB is one of my favorite styles (if you read my posts more than twice, you will quickly find that I have A LOT of favorites).  I really think "Bitter" is a misnomer with this type of ale, as I find them to be fairly warm and pleasant.  This one is an excellent example of the style.  Super malty nose- not quite smoky, but you sure can smell the roasted malts.  It looks unfiltered, but I don't see much yeast.  Maybe it's just sediment kicked up by shipping from "historic" Ipswich.  The hops are really an afterthought (as I think they should be with the style), but you can taste a bit of tanginess.  I would guess English hops- not too spicy and perfect with a big roasty, malty body.  (Just like the English to be milquetoast with their hops).  The taste is excellent, with a fair amount of caramel and lots of toasty bread.  The aftertaste is what really sets this one apart- not bitter at all, warming, and a slight alcohol twinge.

All in all, a lovely brew.  On first taste, I like it better than Red Hook ESB, and to me Red Hook makes the best ESB out there (caveat- there aren't many).  If this is the start of the BOMC, I can't wait to see what they send next.  I'll review the other ones in this set later on this week.

-ty

Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale

It's not a typo- it's really "Indian" and not " India. I've watched a few episodes of Brewmasters and really wasn't sure what to expect from this beer. From the name and label, I expected a hybrid of a brown ale with an IPA, but I was wrong.  The roasty and chocolaty flavors in this beer really stand out in an incredibly complex but not overpowering way. Hops are present but subtle and there is also a slight taste of alcohol which goes along perfectly with the other flavors.  If you can buy this beer, try it- it's very complex and has all kinds of things going on which allow you to savor each sip. My favorite of all my 2011 tastings by a good bit. Delicious.
-Taster Be

Terrapin Hopsecutioner

This beer falls at the upper end of the IPA range in terms of hops and alcohol content.  The flavor is an explosion of hop flavors and aroma ranging from the classic citrus grapefruity flavors to the pine, and grass. Whatever you like about hops, you can probably taste it in this beer.  I think it finishes a little sweeter than some of the other hoppy beers I've had as well, which to me balances out the bitterness from the hops well. The best thing about this beer is that it's a Georgia local, and I don't get to say that too often. Delicious.
-Taster Be

Kona Brewing Co. Fire Rock Pale Ale

The last "Hawaiian" beer I tried was pulled from the owners closet at the condo and was obviously affected by the months of aging in extreme temperatures. I liked this pale ale though. This is a good example of an American pale ale. There is definitely a hop presence in the bitterness, flavor, and aroma, but it's not completely overpowering and is well balanced by the malt backbone in this beer.  I wondered how something Hawaiian was showing up in my grocery store, but I found out it's also brewed on the east coast.  Delicious.
-Taster Be

Bass Pale Ale

I used to drink quite a bit of this, and it's still a decent beer.  I'd say that you have to let it warm up a little bit in order to get the full flavor of the malt and the fruitiness associated with non-American pale ales.  If you're looking for something with a lot of hop flavor and aroma though, you're better off choosing an American version. This one is a classic though, and given the right context, it can be delicious.
-Taster Be

Shiner Bock

The local grocery has mix your own six packs and I picked this up last week along with a few other selections.  I don't know if I've ever tried bock beer before, but if they all taste like this, then I guess I wasn't missing too much.  The pour was promising, with some color in the product, but unfortunately there wasn't a lot of flavor and overall was thin tasting.  Oh well, this should pair well with my upcoming Budweiser post.
-Taster Be

Red Chair NWPA

So this is perfect, I come home and Leah has pleasantly surprised me with one of my favorite brews from the 2010 Fremont Oktoberfest, Deschutes Red Chair NWPA.  Then, as I devour this delicious nectar of the Gods, I get an email about a blog which discusses the very drink I am consuming at this moment!  Is this serendipity?  The Red Chair NWPA is a little far from the river of IPA from which I frequently quench my thirst, but nonetheless worthy of this blog. This wonderful mix of malty brew with a light citrus hops kick is the perfect beer for any season, and any occasion.  Hopefully, you will all be as lucky as we were to find the debut of this great seasonal brew near you.  Enjoy!

- BJ

21st Amendment Brewery

I thought that this would be an appropriate beer for the first post by a female ;).  Northern California is blessed with a lot of great breweries.  This is a San Francisco brewery I was introduced to last year.  It's located between Kent's work and the Giant's baseball stadium and it always seems busy.  21st Amendment is a bit unusual because they bottle in cans.  The back of the can states "Craft beer in a can?  Why not? Cans keep beer fresher, they're better for the environment and they're easier to take with you."  I'm sold.

This brew - BREW FREE! OR DIE. IPA  - is pretty good.  It isn't necessarily the best IPA I've had (and I love IPAs - but this one's a little. . . sour?), but it's pretty good.  I'd get it again.
 -RBaer

Powder Hound Winter Ale, Big Sky Brewing Co., Missoula, MT

I am a dog guy so I pretty much chose this brew based on the label.  The color of the beer was a little lighter than I would have expected, but it was full of hoppy flavor and a crisp finish that would pair awesomely with an evening after snow-boarding.

Winter Braun, Lost Coast Brewing CO., Mendocino, CA

This beer is awesome, it knocked me out two nights in a row.  Watch out.

A proud moment in 2011. Beck (I heart beer) Baer, Corte Madera, CA

Stockyard Oatmeal Stout, Josesphs Brau Brewing Co., San Jose, CA

Dark Irish Stout with a roasty taste and a smooth finish.  5.2% alc by vol.

Trumber Brewery, Salzburg, Austria + Berkeley CA, USA

This is a refreshing pils that is a bit over carbonated with a dry finish.  I receive 4 cases a month for free through my business, so I gotta say, I love this beer.

St. Pauli Girl Special Dark

Color: Dark Brown with a light brown head.
Flavor: Light hop aroma, the caramel malt flavor really comes out in this beer with a very light roastiness in the finish. I haven't had a lot of dunkels, but this beer seemed like a good example of the style.  I'm a fan.
-Taster Be

Pilsner Urquell

Okay, I usually don't go for lagers, but I thought that "50 breweries" might actually be a good time to broaden my sense of what a great beer is.  This one is supposed to be the original pilsener with a recipe da, so it should be the measuring stick, right?
Color: Golden with white head.
Flavor: Floral hops with some of that "skunky" flavor that people associate with green bottle beers.  I'm not sure if the beer is slightly lightstruck or if that's a character of the saaz hops.  Either way, it's not a flavor that bothers me.  The malt here is sweet and light and biscuity followed by a small amount of bitterness at the end.  This is a very flavorful beer and I can see why people like it. Delicious.
-Taster Be

Magic Hat #9

Color: A clear dark yellowish color with a white head.  The reason it looks orange in the picture is because the label on the bottle is orange.
Flavor: I went into this expecting a pale ale, and the flavor in this beer was definitely not what I thought it would be.  It reminds me of a Kolsch I had last fall- more on the light refreshing side of beer than a barrage of citrus hop flavor. The aroma is floral hops, like you'd get from a pilsener, then the taste starts with a bright fruity flavor, very much like apricot.  Then it rounds out to caramel and there's a slight bitterness at the finish that reminds me of bread crust. The transition between all the flavors is a fun little journey.
-Taster Be

Hoegaarden Witbier

Color: Yellow, like lemonade with a touch of sweet tea in it.  Lots of carbonation for a white, merengue-like head. Wheat beers aren't usually filtered, and if you swirl your bottle to get all the yeasties as well, you shouldn't be able to see through this one.
Flavor: Lots of the people I know don't like beers made with wheat. I love them though, and this is one of my favorite styles- especially when drinking on a hot evening during summertime in the South. This beer has kind of a spicy, clove punch to it with a very smooth finish. There is practically no hop bitterness either. I'm not sure if it's due to the color, the coriander spicing, the wheat, or the yeast, but the flavor to me has something that always makes me think of bright, warm sunshine- completely refreshing and leaves you wanting more. I could drink a lot of this.  Delicious.
-Taster Be

Abita Turbo Dog

Gotta find out where the name came from for this beer.
Color: Very dark brown, almost black with a creamy, light brown head.
Taste: While I was drinking this I was also brewing a beer in the kitchen and adding some pungent hops, so this taste profile may be off.  At first I got a really strange black olive-like taste that I sometimes associate with Guinness Draught.  Then when I tasted again after eating some food, the chocolate and roasted flavors came through very nicely. This beer paired well with pizza for me. Easy drinking with great roasted flavor. Delicious.
-Taster Be

New Belgium Ranger IPA

Although I'm not a huge fan of Fat Tire, I thought I'd give this one a shot- especially if I'm going to make it to 50 by the end of the year.
Color: Amber- lighter than a lot of IPA's even though it doesn't really come through on this picture.  Head is a very light off-white.  This beer is crazy clear.
Taste: The hops in this one are very grassy.  Reminds me of mowing the lawn in the summer.  Has a sweetness that goes along with the hop flavor that I can't quite pin down.  Maybe it's just the hop varietal.  Not my favorite IPA, but I'd definitely drink some more of these.
-Taster Be

Russian River Brewing Co. Santa Rosa, California, United States

Firestone Walker Brewing Co. Paso Robles, California 93446

Guinness

Enjoying a Guinness Draft on a lazy Sunday afternoon at Fort Baker, Travis Air Force Yacht Club, Sausalito, CA http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Guinness

Deschutes Brewery

Jubelale from Deschutes Brewery, Bend, OR   One of my favorite winter beers.

Sierra Nevada Porter

Color: Very Dark Brown with rusty tones, light brown head.
Flavor: I was actually surprised not to get any hop flavor up front in this beer, as I taste it in the SN stout.  This had pleasant caramel/toffee flavors, with maybe a hint of raisin or dried fig. The flavor I get in the finish is like slightly burnt caramel corn. Bitterness is very balanced with the malt on this one. Delicious.
-Taster Be

Sweetwater IPA

Color: Light amber with a milky white head
Flavor: If you want to know what simcoe hops taste and smell like, this is a good IPA to try out, as it´s rumored to be an all-simcoe IPA.  The hop flavor and aroma immediately jump out.  I get pine-like flavor and aroma, and for some reason I´m also reminded of Dole pineapple juice.  The bitterness of this IPA is not as harsh as many others, and the finish, though bitter, is rather smooth. Delicious.
-Taster Be

Guinness Extra Stout

Color: Almost black with a slight red tint when held up to the light.  Head is very light brown.
Mouthfeel: Thick, but not syrup-like.
Flavor: Dark fruits- maybe plums, or cherries, possibly dried, then later, there´s a burnt sugar/molasses flavor followed by a slight roasty bitterness. Finishes pretty dry, but overall a sweet tasting beer. I ate it with pizza and the food brought out the roasty flavors and diminished the fruit. Delicious.
-taster Be

Wells & Young's Ltd, United Kingdom (England)

Alaskan Brewing Co, Juneau, Alaska

 

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Corona, produced by Cerveceria Modelo at a number of breweries in Mexico

Mendocino Brewing Co.

Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Lost Coast Brewery.

Anchor Brweing Co., San Francisco, CA

Stone Brewing Co,. San Diego, CA

Anderson Valley Brweing Co., Boonville, CA

Allagash Brewing Co.