Chad'z Beer Reviews.com

Delirium Nocturnum | Chad'z Beer Reviews

2012-02-22T07:59:00.002-05:00

It's almost March and I just realized I havent reviewed a Beligan beer yet this year! This bottle was actually given to me by http://youtube.com/jjrudy41 (he had an extra one laying around). I've always heard good things about the "Delirium" line but I've only had their Christmas beer, which was okay. Jay said this is one of his favorite Belgians, which is saying a lot, actually. So would I feel the same afterwards? (thanks for the beer, Jay!)

3.9

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20

Chad9976 (621) - Albany, New York, USA - FEB 19, 2012

When you think of Belgian beers you tend to think of very big, complex beers that require a lot of attention while you’re drinking them. Why can’t there be something a little smaller, more direct and drinkable? There is and Delirium Nocturnum by the Huyghe Browerij is just such a beer. It’s sweet like a soda but not cloying, complex but not overwhelming and you can drink it by the gulp instead of the swig.

I poured a 330ml bottle into a Trappist glass.

Appearance: Dark opaque complexion - seemingly brown, but actually a deep blood or brick red upon close inspection. Forms a small, dirty yellow, soapy head which laces and retains better than most Belgians of the style.

Smell: Strong vinous aroma of red grape, some sour notes and spicy alcohol.

Taste: When a Belgian beer is "sweet" it tends to be a rich, confectionary sweetness - like carbonated molasses. And while Delirium Nocturnum is indeed sweet, it’s more like a sugar-free soda with all-natural fruit flavors. It’s a one-two punch of authentic fruit flavors plus additional sweetness. Imagine plum, red apple and red grapes dipped in caramel with perhaps a hint of chocolate. Then subtract all the sugar and that’s what you get here.

What’s really interesting about this beer is that despite all the sweet flavor components to the palate, it’s not a rich, cloying beer at all. It’s actually quite refreshing while it’s in the mouth, with just a little bit of bitterness, in conjunction with the fine effervescence, to scrub the palate clean. The alcohol adds just a bit of warmth and a subtle, vanilla rum-like spice, to give the beer just the slightest edge.

Drinkability: The first thing I noticed about Delirium Nocturnum before the flavor was the carbonation vibrating across my tongue. Unlike most other strong dark Belgian ales of the general style this didn’t hurt, but was more of a massage, cleaning process. The mouthfeel is actually quite thin for a beer that weighs in at 8.5% ABV. It goes down fairly smooth for the most part, although it didn’t start to get stuck in the throat until the end. A great beer to have for dessert without the overwhelming qualities you get in bigger beers of the style.

Alpine Exponential Hoppiness | Chad'z Beer Reviews

2012-02-20T07:59:00.002-05:00

This another one of those beers I've heard a lot of great things about from people whose opinions I really respect (Ryan, Peter, Chris). But like so many beers that THE must-have beer of the moment, Alpine Exponential Hoppiness is of course quite rare and only available at the brewery. Thankfully http://youtube.com/StumpyJoeJr is within a short [?] driving distance away and agree to pick me up a bottle in our recent beer trade. So will this live up to the hype? Only one way to find out....

4.5

AROMA 9/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 18/20

Chad9976 (620) - Albany, New York, USA - FEB 18, 2012

The "Triple IPA" may not be classified as a real style just yet, but when you’ve drank as many beers as I have you start to notice variations even within specific niche styles. Usually beers of that style are just carbonated bitter syrup, but Alpine Exponential Hoppiness is quite unique in that it’s extremely drinkable, tasty, and even refreshing for a beer considering how much of a monster beer it is.

I received a 22oz bottle in a trade with a friend in San Diego (thanks, Ryan!). I split it with a friend. I poured my half into a tulip glass.

Appearance: Typical west coast glowing orange marmalade hue; very cloudy body with only little carbonation visible. Forms a good sized, eggshell colored, creamy froth head which laces and retains very well.

Smell: Like a bag of pure tropical fruit juice concentrate. Plenty of tropical fruit, but dominated by grapefruit and hop flowers. An underlying candy aroma of Sweet Tarts and a touch of honey.

Taste: When a beer smells like liquid fruit candy it tends to taste the same. That’s the thing about hops - they smell so juicy that sometimes we forget hops are for bittering. As soon as Alpine Exponential Hoppiness hit my tongue the first flavor I got was intense hoppy bitterness. It’s slightly dry, but it’s quickly refreshed by the delicious, authentic fruitiness of the palate. A wave of sweet, sticky, almost syrup-like flavors of mango, guava and grapefruit saturate the palate.

The finish reverts back to the bitterness with a distinct resin-like flavor and aftertaste. It’s also somewhat gummy and a tad astringent (like burnt gum?). A light honey taste also appears alongside the tropical and citrus fruit flavors of the main palate. The only problem is it’s a tad too sweet, bordering on becoming cloying, although the strong hop presence helps to balance that out. I’m not sure of the IBU rating of this beer but would estimate it’s well over 100. So you get a lot of bitterness and a lot of sweetness simultaneously. This is one of those big IPAs that walks that fine line between intensely flavored and overly-flavored.

Drinkability: The mouthfeel is noticeably thick and a little less carbonated than I’d prefer since it hits the tongue with a thud instead of a crisp crackle. It’s soft, comfortable, and even borderline creamy which enables it to go down extremely smooth. At 11% ABV you’d think there would be a lot of heat and burn, but the booze is nowhere to be found. I didn’t even start to feel buzzed until about 20 minutes after drinking my pint. Alpine Exponential Hoppiness is a pretty versatile beer as you can truly enjoy it on its own or match it with a variety of food pairings.

Lagunitas Sucks Holiday Ale | Chad'z Beer Reviews

2012-02-17T08:30:00.000-05:00

Obviously Christmas is long gone, but that doesn't mean I can't review a beer that was released last holiday season. When this beer first came out I didn't pay it much attention, but then I started receiving a lot of comments and messages that it was a MUST TRY. I eventually got around to it after Christmas while at The Ruck. It was amazing and I immediately called every beer store in the area to see if there was any left. Of course there wasn't. Then Ryan said he could get this beer and since we were trading I asked him to please throw in a bottle of this and sure enough he did. Thanks Ryan! Now, will this beer be just as good a few months later?

4.7

AROMA 10/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 5/5 OVERALL 18/20

Chad9976 (618) - Albany, New York, USA - FEB 16, 2012

I appreciate breweries with a sense of humor, whether subtle or obvious and in the case of Lagunitas Sucks Holiday Ale it’s clear they were going for irony of Orwellian proportions. It most definitely does not suck, in fact it’s close to absolute perfection. A beer with amazing, delicious taste, smooth drinkability and is very versatile. The only thing that sucks about this beer is that it’s not a year-round offering.

I poured a 12oz bottle into a tulip glass.

Appearance: Bright orange color with only slight haze; some carbonation bubbles visible. Forms a large, bright white, frothy head which retains and laces beautifully.

Smell: Magnificent bouquet of fleshy tropical fruits (i.e. mango, papaya, guava, passion fruit); noticeable sweet candy-like aroma too plus organic flowers. Extremely inviting.

Taste: Sometimes you know a beer is great when you drink it quickly because you enjoy it so much. I drank Lagunitas Sucks Holiday Ale in about five minutes because it was so delectable. The palate matches the nose perfectly: a strong, delightful and delicious palate of tropical fruit, candy sweetness and prominent hop bitterness that doesn’t overwhelm. It’s akin to tropical fruit juice mixed with hops and Spree candy.

The palate begins with a sharp, somewhat dry hop bitterness. Then the fruit flavors of grapefruit, passion fruit, guava, et al come rushing in. It’s a wonderful combination of hop bitterness and hop-derived fruitiness. I’m guessing this beer was made with Citra and Amarillo hops. I get a strong orange character which imparts some tartness, but not acidity. There’s noticeable sweetness too, like fruit-flavored sucker candy and it finishes with just a bit of resin or pine on the back end. The hops linger on the tongue and are rather dry, but so do the fruit flavors. A very pleasant sensation all around.

Drinkability: This is a beer that rides that fine line between single and double IPA in terms of robustness and complexity of palate. The hops are the star of the show, as it is quite bitter, but its bitterness reading seems a little low at 63.21 IBUs. The ABV, however, seems a bit high at 7.85%. It doesn’t have the bulk or density of a beer that strong and there’s no alcohol presence whatsoever. The delicious taste is made even better by the fact the beer feels so comfortable in the mouth and goes down so smoothly. A full-bodied palate for sure, yet it doesn’t feel thick or sticky. Lagunitas Sucks Holiday Ale is versatile, too, as it would be ideal for spicy food pairings, but its tasty enough to enjoy as a dessert. When’s the last time you could say that about an IPA?!

Beer Vlogger: What People Think I do/What I actually do

2012-02-16T22:13:00.001-05:00

Pretty self explanatory. Click on the picture for full size image.

Sixpoint Diesel | Chad'z Beer Reviews

2012-02-15T08:32:00.000-05:00

Another Sixpoint already? You'd think I like this brewery or something ;) Anyway, this is one of their newer releases and it seems to be marketed as "not quite a Black IPA, but not quite a stout." I also change up the shooting location for this review. I may use this setting more often. Let me know what you think.

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20

Chad9976 (617) - Albany, New York, USA - FEB 12, 2012

The "Black IPA" is a fairly new, and somewhat controversial style to the American craft beer scene. But then along comes Sixpoint Diesel - a beer that doesn’t really fit the mold of the Black IPA style, but seems too overtly hoppy to be considered a traditional stout - so what the heck it is? Who cares? It’s beers like this that show how arbitrary styles are and how anal-retentive beer nerds can be about slapping a label onto something. It’s a very hoppy dark beer that’s tasty and easy to drink - that’s good enough for me.

I poured a 16oz can into a tulip glass.

Appearance: Pitch black body - completely opaque. Forms a gorgeous dark tan, creamy head which laces and retains extremely well.

Smell: For such a dark beer the aroma is surprisingly light and flowery. Definite floral bouquet with light citrus and even fainter chocolate notes.

Taste: I can see why people would consider this a Black IPA because as soon as it hits the tongue all you taste is hops. It’s much more hoppy per se than it is bitter. Floral hops with noticeable citrusy tartness are the first flavors to appear. It then changes course to a more traditional form of bitterness found in stouts with prominent dark chocolate notes. This then gives way to a sweeter, less intense taste of milk chocolate. Finally, the aftertaste produces an interesting combination of slight notes of rum, raisin, and sticky sappy pine resin.

The can indicates a bitterness level of 69 IBUs and that’s a very accurate description as Sixpoint Diesel is by far one of the most hoppy and bitter "stouts" I’ve ever encountered. The hops never fade away and actually seem to build up in the aftertaste the more I drink. It’s an interesting combination of piney, almost astringent character and the semi-sweet bitterness of baker’s chocolate. The only thing that’s missing from this beer is the roasted malt stout drinkers would expect. Still, it’s a tasty beer and an interesting one at that.

Drinkability: Weighing in at 6.3% ABV, Sixpoint Diesel is not all that big of a beer, but it definitely has the sheer energy and body of a stronger beer. Plenty of hop presence in the mouth during and after each swig but without a trace of alcohol. The mouthfeel is a very comfortable, velvety texture that’s tepid but not thin. I drank this with a bit of a sore throat and it was actually quite soothing! A beer probably best paired with a hearty meal instead of dessert.

Great Lakes Blackout Stout | Chad'z Beer Reviews

2012-02-13T08:21:00.000-05:00

Temperatures have dropped around here lately which means it's the ideal time for an imperial stout, and I just happened to have one that was sent to me in a trade with http://youtube.com/SnobbyBeer I have had several of Great Lakes beers and have found them all to be very good across the board. It's been a while since I had a plain ol' imperial stout (nothing flavored), so I was hoping this would remind how good that style can be.

4.2

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20

Chad9976 (617) - Albany, New York, USA - FEB 11, 2012

When it comes to stouts, there’s so many different sub-styles, especially flavored style (i.e. coffee, chocolate, milk, etc.). Sometimes it’s nice to enjoy a plain ol’ imperial stout, and Great Lakes Blackout Stout is what I mean. It’s a robust, complex, and delectable beer that reminds you how tasty a strong stout can be without added flavor.

I received a 12oz bottle in a trade (thanks, Max!). I poured it into a tulip glass.

Appearance: Absolutely pitch black body with no other colors visible at all. Forms a small, dark tan, frothy head which dissipates mostly, but not completely and leaves some lacing (regenerates easily with a good swirl).

Smell: Strong nose of black licorice, vanilla, and a hint of whiskey or wood.

Taste: There’s two very distinct, but quite enjoyable halves to the palate of Great Lakes Blackout Stout. It begins with a sweet side - black cherry, rum-soaked raisin, vanilla and a cola-like taste are all quite prominent. In fact, for a moment there it reminds me of a short-lived Dr. Pepper flavor. Through the middle the tastes becomes more dry - the alcohol making itself known. It’s similar to whiskey, but without any smokiness or of rum without the spice. Like black licorice-flavored vodka I suppose.

The second half is a warming sensation as the alcohol dominates the profile. It’s not distracting from the initial flavors, in fact, it complements and transitions to the bitter finish very well. Deeply roasted malts, burnt coffee beans and dark chocolate appear for a fairly brief instance right as the beer finishes. The aftertaste is a very nice combination of sticky vanilla extract, cough syrup and bitter dark chocolate. Very delectable indeed, but borders on cloying.

Drinkability: Great Lakes Blackout Stout weighs in at 9% ABV, which is right on the cusp between "a little big" and "proceed with caution." Its alcoholic characteristics are no secret so there’s definitely a lot of sheer energy to the mouthfeel. Although the aftertaste is sticky, the liquid itself is not quite that thick. Full-bodied for sure, but with a moist, smooth, velvety texture. There’s noticeable heat here, even for experienced drinkers. I’d recommend starting with a cold bottle and sipping it over an hour. The complexity and intense mouthfeel really justify each other.

Roebling Imperial Robust Porter (Rivertown Brewing) | Chad'z Beer Reviews

2012-02-10T17:36:00.000-05:00

You might remember that I did a beer trade with Max Spang of http://youtube.com/SnobbyBeer around Christmas, and I reviewed one of the beers from that trade right away. But I've just been sitting on the other bottles he sent me for about a month and a half! I thought I was way overdue in reviewing them, so I had Craig of http://drinkdrank1.blogspot.com help me review this imperial flavored porter. From the description alone it sounded like a beer we both would love - but did we? Watch and find out!

3.6

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20

Chad9976 (615) - Albany, New York, USA - FEB 4, 2012

There are some beers whose descriptions make you drool before you’ve even taken a swig. The problem is, not everything lives up to its own hyperbole and Roebling Imperial Robust Porter is a perfect example. This beer has everything I tend to love in a strong dark sweet beer, but just not delivered in the way I’d prefer, or what would be best for the average drink (I think). It’s a flawed masterpiece to an almost extreme level.

I received a 12oz bottle in a trade with "Snobby Beer Reviews" (thanks, Max!). I split it with a friend and poured it into a beer festival tasting glass.

Appearance: Cola-like look of a thin, black, extremely carbonated and thin beverage. Produces a very small, khaki-colored head which quickly evaporates and leaves no lacing.

Smell: Much like the appearance - soda plus a lot of coffee and vanilla flavoring. There’s little roasty or toasty malt scents, but strong scent of iced coffee with a lot of sugar and cream.

Taste: Roebling Imperial Robust Porter looked and smelled a lot like a soft drink and it’s not surprising it tasted a lot like one, too. Immediate sugary sweetness of a vanilla-flavored cola. Although the label indicates it’s made with real vanilla beans and raw cane sugar, it does seem quite reminiscent of a Coke or Pepsi product that didn’t catch on. That’s not to say it’s bad, just a non-authentic.

The second half comes with a strong coffee flavor, or more accurately - iced coffee. It tastes like coffee with all the cream and sugar and without much bitterness. There is a very delayed aftertaste of vanilla ice cream or some kind of dessert or pastry-like flavor. And yet, despite all these sweet flavors, this is not a rich, sticky, cloying beer. It certainly maintains its porter roots by not being a roasted malt-centric palate. While the sweet flavors are appetizing, they do seem a tad artificial and there’s a lack of balance to the palate overall. The kind of beer you’d have for dessert on a weeknight, not something gourmet or special like a Southern Tier Blackwater stout.

Drinkability: The first thing I noticed about Roebling Imperial Robust Porter wasn’t the flavor per se, but the thin, cold, fizzy mouthfeel. It’s like taking a swig directly from a freshly-popped can of Pepsi. It’s a thin mouthfeel with extremely fine carbonation which actually does the brew a disservice as it acts as a palate cleanser. Those who find stouts, especially imperial stouts, too thick and sticky would likely enjoy this presentation. It’s apparently 7.8% ABV, but doesn’t have the weight or body of something that big (it seems more like a ~5% brew). I think the flavors of this beer put in the body of a much bigger (or even smaller) brew would make for something really excellent. As it is, it’s good but a little disappointing because it seems like it should be great.

Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Charlie, Fred and Ken's Bock | Chad'z Beer Reviews

2012-02-08T08:37:00.001-05:00

Fellow Albany beer blogger Craig of "Drink Drank" is back after about a month to help me review a beer that's been in my fridge for quite a while now. You might remember Sierra Nevada releasing four special beers for their 30th anniversary back in 2010. A lot of those bottles are still in circulation and my beer store had them marked at half off trying to move them, so I thought I'd give this imperial helles bock a try and have Craig help me kill this bottle.

Craig's blog
http://drinkdrank1.blogspot.com

3.8

AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20

Chad9976 (615) - Albany, New York, USA - FEB 4, 2012
You don’t tend to associate lagers with 750ml caged and corked bottles, much less two-year-old vintages, but that’s exactly how I experienced Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Charlie, Fred and Ken’s Bock. I tend to be a fan of imperial lagers and "Helles Bocks" such as this, but never experienced a bottle-conditioned vintage before. So maybe this isn’t an entirely fair or accurate review, but since there are still plenty of bottles in circulation this review reflects what you might expect if you buy a bottle today.

I split a 750ml bottle with a friend. We each poured it into lager glasses.

Appearance: Bright orange color bordering on dark gold. Slight hazy at first, but becomes extremely cloudy toward the bottom of the bottle. Fine carbonation bubbles are easily visible and they never stop bubbling. Forms a large, white, foamy head which lingers throughout the life of the beer but doesn’t lace the glass that much.

Smell: Sweeter and stronger-smelling than your average lager, but still has a distinct lager aroma to it. Hints of honey and light flowers with very slight candy or powdered drink sweetness.

Taste: The bottle doesn’t indicate what hops, malts and other ingredients went into the beer, but it is by far the sweetest lager I’ve ever had. Massive honey flavor throughout the palate, but especially on the second half. The head is so big and foamy it’s impossible to take a swig without getting some bubbly, dry, biscuity/almost peppery spice flavor at the beginning of each swig. It’s by not means Belgian-tasting, but there’s definitely some Belgian-like qualities to it (which is both strange and impressive considering this is an American lager).

The second half is akin to something I’d expect in a strong blonde ale - pure honey and caramel, with some butterscotch and other light confectionary flavors (including gold lollipop, which I don’t really like). I can tell this beer was brewed with a lot of traditional West Coast hops as there seem to be residual, almost watery flavors of lemon and orange, but with a drier, less flavorful bitterness. Drinking half of this bottle was satisfying and tasty, but the sweetness becomes cloying after not too long. An impressive and interesting experience, but nothing amazing.

Drinkability: Weighing in at 8.3% ABV, it’s not surprising Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Charlie, Fred and Ken’s Bock is a thicker, heavier beer all around. Full-bodied throughout with consistent flavor. Even after two years the bottle is still quite effervescent and bubbly. It’s almost a self-cleaning palate due to the fizziness, although the malty sweetness is strong enough to last. While some carbonation does get stuck in the throat, this is not a beer that’s difficult to get down - it’s just not something you drink more than a swig at a time.

Three Heads The Kind IPA | Chad'z Beer Reviews

2012-02-06T08:28:00.000-05:00

I recently did a beer trade with Ryan http://youtube.com/stumpyjoejr and sent him a bottle of Rochester, NY-based Three Heads' "The Kind IPA." This was the first beer I had at the 2011 TAP NY Beer Fest, but I havent had it since, so I thought I would Skype review it with Ryan to see how it appealled to homers for East and West Coast style IPAs (as this beer's label indicates it has elements of both).

3.8

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20

Chad9976 (615) - Albany, New York, USA - JAN 30, 2012

I like beers that define labels or styles (although that makes for a more difficult review to write). Three Heads The Kind IPA is a strong India Pale Ale that’s definitely not a double or imperial, and while it has components of both east and west coast IPAs (i.e. pine and citrus, respectively) it wouldn’t be accurate to call it a beer of those styles. It is, however, a flavorful, very drinkable IPA and that’s what matters.

I poured a 22oz bottle into a tulip glass.

Appearance: Dark gold to orange color; extremely hazy with visible sediment speckles suspended in the body of the beer. Forms a good sized, white, frothy head which laces and retains very well.

Smell: Strong orange notes with an earthy, almost herbal, undertone with a hint of pine needles.

Taste: The bottle describes Three Heads The Kind IPA as "...like taking a walk through a pine forest and ending up at a citrus farm." I think it’s actually the opposite as the beer begins with strong dry bitterness, followed by a crisp citrusy flavor (orange mostly), and finishing with rustic, tree bark-like quality with some pine flavor. The beer is 76 IBUs and it certainly shows as the hops are quite relentless here from beginning to end. There is a brief reprieve through the middle of the palate with a moment of orange juice-like refreshing taste and sensation, but then it’s back to the bitterness. As it warms, a slight malty caramel sweetness begins to emerge towards the end of the palate and helps to take the end off and make for a tasty flavor.

Drinkability: At 6.8% ABV, Three Heads The Kind IPA is just a regular IPA, but has the bitterness level of something stronger. The mouthfeel is perfectly medium and noticeably crisp and goes down very smooth. It’s even refreshing at certain moments, but not a beer I would consider refreshing per se. A great beer to have with a meal or by itself, but nothing really amazing as far as taste factor.

Sixpoint Righteous Ale | Chad'z Beer Reviews

2012-02-04T10:12:00.000-05:00

This is something of a first. I shot back-to-back reviews (literally) with Simon and Mel better known as Mr. and Mrs. Real Ale Guide. AND we reviewed Sixpoint beers in each episode! But the Righteous Ale is a bit of an usual beer in terms of style as it's not quite a rye IPA, but close enough for me. I like IPAs of all sorts, but would Mel? Watch and find out.

4.3

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20

Chad9976 (613) - Albany, New York, USA - FEB 3, 2012

Sixpoint is known for making beers that are hard to classify and Righteous Ale is no exception. Billed as a rye beer with a lot of hops, it’s probably best described as a Rye IPA. But that isn’t even completely accurate since most beers of the sort tend to be very dry, overly bitter, and lightly malty. This beer is juicy, sweet, and resiny from tons of hops, but with a distinct rye bite.

I poured a 16oz can into a nonic pint glass.

Appearance: Hazy brown proper with a slight shade of maroon. Forms a large, white, creamy head which laces and retains wonderfully.

Smell: Very resiny hops with hints of citrus syrup and a pleasant astringency of what beer nerds refer to as "cat piss" (Simcoe hops tend to impart this scent, but I’m not sure what hops are in this beer). There’s also a distinct rye presence, although light - like rye bread from across the room.

Taste: The palate begins somewhat mild biscuity malt dryness. It quickly transitions to a maltier taste of rye bread with hints of caramel, but still manages to throw in a little spicy bite. It’s quite earthy-tasting, almost like licking raw tea leaves or the bark of a pine tree (while that may not sound like a good thing, in the case of Righteous Ale it definitely is).

The second half turns on a dime into a sweet nectar or syrup-like taste, which then gives way to a delightfully astringent resin bitterness. There’s a brief, but noticeable taste of citrus, pine sap, and sharp dry bitterness like a salted pretzel. All these flavors are distinct, but meld together perfectly. The bitterness and overall hop presence perhaps outshines the rye component of the palate, but the rye’s light spicy flavor really helps to balance out this beer and make it rather unique. It’s tasty for sure, but not quite mind-blowing (impressive though).

Drinkability: Some beers are energetic because of their effervescence, but Sixpoint Righteous Ale is energetic because of its palate. A high amount of flavor happening here: a complex, but well balanced palate of rye spice, hop bitterness and malty sweetness. It crackles across the tongue, but goes down smooth. And as bitter as it seems, it never dries me out or wears down my palate. I’m actually quite impressed they got so much flavor into a 6.3% ABV body. It drinks like something heavier, though, as I could feel it immediately. But it would be the kind of beer I’d drink two in row of because it’s so good.

Coney Island Craft Lagers mix pack | Chad'z Beer Reviews

2012-02-02T10:00:00.001-05:00

I bought this mix pack on a whim. I was at Westmere Beverage looking for a new mix pack to try because it was football day and my family was coming over. I wanted something we could all enjoy, so I thought this was a safe bet. It was quite expensive at $24, though! (after tax and deposit). Was it worth it? Watch and find out.

CONEY ISLAND LAGER:

3.7

AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20

Chad9976 (613) - Albany, New York, USA - FEB 4, 2012

I poured a 12oz bottle into a lager glass.

Appearance: Dark copper to brown proper. Mostly hazy but some transparency to it. Forms a small, off white soapy head which doesn’t last very long or lace much.

Smell: Plenty of malts for a lager. Very similar to a marzen with hints of confectionary sweetness, but a noticeable lager aroma overall.

Taste: It’s rare that you can smell malts in a lager (aside from a doppelbock), so you can imagine how much that will come through in the taste. And indeed Coney Island Lager is quite malty. The bottle indicates it uses 8 different malts and 6 types of hops. They certainly work well together, creating for a slightly toasty, biscuity malt taste with accompanying bitterness. A light caramel flavor is present as well, mostly on the finish, and provides a good balance to the standard "beer" taste found here.

Drinkability: You could mistake Coney Island Lager for an ale due to the taste, but the actual drinkability is classic lager style. The fizziness makes the mouthfeel quite lively all the way through with a slight carbonation burn if drank too fast. The mouthfeel is thick than your average lager in conjunction with a perfectly medium bodied palate, but mostly clean in the aftertaste (although I would not describe this beer as being refreshing). The 5.5% ABV weight seems to fit that frame perfectly: more "pep" than your average lager, but nothing even approaching the stronger or imperial territories.

CONEY ISLAND SWORD SWALLOWER

3.9

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20

Chad9976 (613) - Albany, New York, USA - FEB 1, 2012

The Coney Island Sword Swallower claims to be an "IPA Style" lager but if I were drinking this blind I might confuse it for a rye IPA. Unlike other beers in this line, this brew doesn’t taste, feel or drink like the lager it actually is. It’s very hoppy and extremely bitter all around with a sweet caramel flavor and rye spice.

I poured a 12oz bottle into a lager glass.

Appearance: Dark gold color with plenty of carbonation visible, although the body is quite hazy. Forms a good size white, frothy head which laces and retains rather well.

Smell: Light rye spice with equally light floral notes. No generic lager smell detectable.

Taste: Immediate strong bitterness engulfs the mouth with a dry, almost "sandy" texture and prickly sensation. Through the middle comes a slightly earthy, rustic combination of rye spice and pine needles. It’s the ending that’s so impressive as the palate transitions to something much sweeter with prominent notes of caramel and yellow lollipop. The aftertaste comes full circle to the initial dry bitterness with a pronounced rye flavor and bite.

Coney Island Sword Swallower is made with eight different hops and four malts, yet it doesn’t seem to be that complex of a beer as it’s pretty much only two genuine flavors (rye and caramel) with strong bitterness throughout. And while it may be a repetitive palate, it’s consistently enjoyable, mostly due to the strong bitterness that wakes your mouth up.

Drinkability: While indeed bitter and full of energy from the first to last drop, Coney Island Sword Swallower is remarkably drinkable. Though technically an imperial pilsner, it drinks more like an average ale (an average IPA at least). Crisp in the mouth, but never fizzy and it goes down smooth. Definitely too dry and bitter to be refreshing, though, and the hops definitely linger on the tongue. One of the few beers that can be so overtly bitter without any cloying quality. At 7.2% ABV it’s hefty for a lager, but about average for an IPA wannabe. Drink one with a spicy meal and another afterwards as a palate cleanser.

CONEY ISLAND ALBINO PYTHON

3.1

AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20

Chad9976 (613) - Albany, New York, USA - JAN 29, 2012

I’ve often said that just because something is novel doesn’t necessarily make it good. The entire Coney Island brand of unusual lager recipes is certainly novel, but not everything is a success. The Albino Python being a good example, as it’s intended to be the lager equivalent of a witbier. But the brewers went way overboard with ginger and the net result is a ginger-tasting lager with little else to show for it.

I poured a 12oz bottle into a lager glass.

Appearance: Dark gold/maize-colored body. Mostly clear with a slight cloudiness and plenty of visible carbonation. Forms a small, white, soapy head that does not retain or lace well at all.

Smell: Mostly ginger with a spicy, wildflower aroma. Also a noticeable chemical-like scent of cleaning products, plus a prominent lager smell, too.

Taste: Everyone has some flavors they cannot enjoy no matter how many times they’ve tried them. For me, ginger is that flavor and it’s pretty much the only thing I can taste in Coney Island Albino Python. It begins with a strong ginger spice - so strong it’s akin to a mouthfeel of cinnamon or even curry. There seems to be a mild sweetness of honey or maybe even chamomile to balance it out, but the ginger is just too strong and too distracting to ignore if you’re not a fan of this taste. There’s a light spicy hop bitterness through the middle, but the palate ends where it began with dry ginger spice. This isn’t refreshing and there’s no complexity to the palate at all. Plus you can still tell that it’s a lager at the core which makes it seem like a beer just trying to mask its true identity. While not a disgusting taste, this just isn’t what I want in a witbier.

Drinkability: Coney Island Albino Python is so spicy at first that it actually stings the tongue on the first swig or two. Once you get used to it the ginger flavor becomes more tolerable, but still makes you (well, me) wince on the finish. The mouthfeel is somewhat thin and surprisingly tepid and watery for a stronger lager. It doesn’t seem to match its 6% ABV weight - which also seems to do the beer a disservice

CONEY ISLAND MERMAID PILSNER

3.6

AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20

Chad9976 (613) - Albany, New York, USA - JAN 31, 2012

Adding rye to a hoppy beer, like a pale ale or an IPA, is a good idea because it imparts a nice spicy bite. But in a lager? That’s the concept behind Coney Island Mermaid Pilsner. The rye doesn’t make it a wholly unique-tasting beer, but it’s enough to give it more flavor than your average lager.

I poured a 12oz bottle into a pilsner glass.

Appearance: Pure gold color; almost crystal clear but a slight haze to it; plenty of visible carbonation. Forms a large, bright white, foamy head which retains and laces about average.

Smell: Familiar lager aroma with a hint of rye and some lemon rind, otherwise not very aromatic.

Taste: Take a macro lager and subtract the adjuncts and replace them with some rye and that’s what you get with Coney Island Mermaid Pilsner. More clean-tasting than anything else, it’s mildly bitter but with noticeable dry malt presence. The rye appears in the middle of the palate creating for a hint of spice and again in the aftertaste, along with the six other malts to give a biscuity/bready-like taste to the palate.

The label brags that it uses four different hops and is dry hopped, but it’s still not what I would consider a hoppy or even bitter lager. There’s enough hops in the beer to notice, but anyone expecting strong citrusy or piney notes should opt for the Sword Swallower instead. There’s some lemonpeel and a hint of flowers to taste, but otherwise it’s mild.

Drinkability: At 5.5% ABV, Coney Island Mermaid Pilsner is actually pretty big for even a pale American pilsner. Though the carbonation is clear, it’s not overwhelming - making for a light, crisp mouthfeel. It’s not what I would consider a refreshing beer per se, especially considering the aftertaste is slightly dry with a bit of a chalky sensation. Still, it’s a nice to find a craft lager that drinks like a lager without any gimmicks.

Sixpoint The Crisp | Chad'z Beer Reviews

2012-01-31T08:05:00.000-05:00

Mr. Real Ale Guide himself - Simon - joins me for our first-ever Skype collaboration review of a lager. But it's a craft lager made right here in New York State by the Sixpoint brewery in Brooklyn. Simon doesn't tend to be a fan of lagers, but would this American take on the style surprise him?

3.8

AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20

Chad9976 (609) - Albany, New York, USA - JAN 29, 2012

It’s very rare a craft brewery makes a lager that is remotely standard. Imperial pilsners and malty lagers tend to be the rage these days - but why not a fizzy yellow lager that doesn’t taste like corn or rice? I suppose that was the idea Sixpoint had with their German-style lager "The Crisp." A to-the-point name for a to-the-point beer. It’s pale lager for sure, but tastes nothing like those made by the macro breweries.

I poured a 16oz can into a lager glass.

Appearance: Standard lager appearance of clear gold with plenty of fine carbonation visible. Forms a large, frothy, off-white head which retains and laces very well.

Smell: As soon as I pull the tab on the can I smell the lager aroma emanating from this beer. It’s nothing foul, though, just standard and identifiable. But a closer inspection reveals a more complex, refined nose: lemonpeel and a spicy hop variety give the beer a clean, fresh, flowery scent.

Taste: You don’t tend to associate lagers with being bitter, but the first thing I noticed about The Crisp was just how much hop presence it has. There’s a dry, spicy bitterness that begins the palate. This gives way to a more standard lager taste, but without any astringent adjunct flavors. Instead of rice or corn, there’s a noticeable presence of lemon pith and a variety of light peppery spice. Perhaps this is Saaz hops (I couldn’t find an official description of the recipe anywhere). It’s an interesting, almost conflicting combination of clean lager and spicerack bite. There’s a touch of citrus flavor, which is subtle to be sure, but strong enough to notice and enjoy.

Drinkability: Not surprisingly, this beer is aptly named since it is indeed crisp with a 1-2 punch of fine carbonation and a touch of spice. However, it is not highly gassy, so it goes down smooth without any CO2 caught in the throat. It finishes mostly clean, but leaves a pleasant, faint aftertaste of lemon and dry hoppiness. The 5.4% ABV seems perfect, as it definitely has a little more weight and chutzpah than your average macro lager, but it won’t overwhelm you after one pint. The Crisp is refreshing on a hot day or with the right situational pairing, but still a fun and easy beer to drink on its own.

Left Hand Twin Sisters Double IPA | Chad'z Beer Reviews

2012-01-27T22:43:00.000-05:00

I haven't had an IPA (let alone a beer) from Colorado in a long time. That's kind of funny because Colorado has a huge craft beer scene and beers from that state definitely have their own collective taste and appeal (not quite west coast, not quite east coast). My brother gave me this bottle for Christmas and since it's a hoppy beer I thought I should drink it before it gets any older.

3.8

AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20

Chad9976 (606) - Albany, New York, USA - JAN 27, 2012

I haven’t had that many IPAs from Colorado, but something I’ve noticed about the ones I’ve had is they tend to be very malty for the style. Not sure what it is about that state, but they seem to like their IPAs thick, sticky, syrupy, and sweet as opposed to crisp, citrusy, and refreshing. Left Hand Twin Sisters Double IPA is probably the epitome of the double strength version of the style from the land of the Rockies, and it’s certainly one to get behind.

I poured a 22oz bomber into a tulip glass.

Appearance: Extremely hazy (opaque, actually) bright shade of orange. No carbonation visible but it does form a good sized eggshell colored frothy head which retains and laces very well.

Smell: Overtly malty for a beer of the style with strong confectionary notes of caramel and toffee. There’s plenty of pine aromas, too and a subtle fruit juice concentrate scent in the background.

Taste: Tasting the malty side of a double IPA first is not something I’m used to, even with almost 800 beers under my belt, but that’s the case with Left Hand Twin Sisters Double IPA. It starts out with a strong bitter, but delivered in the form of a thicker, softer, almost syrup-like body. Sweet, confectionary flavors of caramel and butterscotch begin the palate. There’s plenty of pine sap flavor to be found as well, and it helps with the transition to the very bitter second half.

The later part of the palate emphasizes the wide variety of hops used in brewing this beer. There’s a sweet fruit flavor akin to pure fruit juice concentrate instead of the usual fruit pith or peel itself. There’s even a chocolate-like taste of dry bitterness. Overall, I prefer my IPAs less malty than this, but this is a nice change of pace.

Drinkability: Weighing in at 9.6% ABV and 77 IBUs, Left Hand Twin Sisters Double IPA definitely is a big beer on paper. The thick, almost chewy mouthfeel certainly backs up that sentiment too. The body is soft and fairly tepid - it’s not crisp, and it’s entirely too sweet to be refreshing. The hops linger, but the sweetness does, too, creating for that strange, but pleasant hop syrup sensation. The alcohol is blended extremely well with the brew as there’s no alcohol warmth or other distracting presence.

Ommegang Three Philosophers (2009 vintage) | Chad'z Beer Reviews

2012-01-25T08:25:00.000-05:00

Look who's back! After about 10 months, Henry finally returns as a guest reviewer on the show and to a pretty special beer, too. "Three Phils" is one of Ommegang's best and most famous beers and often lauded as one of the best Belgian-style beers brewed in America. I've been cellaring this beer for well over a year now and thought this was as good an occasion as any to break it out.

4.3

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 9/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20

Chad9976 (605) - Albany, New York, USA - JAN 24, 2012

I split a 750ml corked and caged bottle dated 17 November 2009 with a friend. We each poured it into tulip glasses.

Appearance: Beautiful dark cherry/maroon body with light brick red highlights. Completely opaque, but some fine carbonation bubbles are visible at the edges of the glass. Forms a thick, dark khaki frothy head which retains and laces very well for a beer of the style.

Smell: Plenty of dark fruit, massive maltiness, vanilla, and a slight woody character too. A prominent sour cherry aroma provides the backbone for these fragrances. It’s almost like having a fruit basket under your nose.

Taste: To describe Ommegang Three Philosophers as having a complex palate is something of an understatement. This is a beer whose palate not only is diverse in flavor, it’s constantly changing (an example of inconsistency being an attribute for sure). It begins with a strong sweetness of confectionary flavors, most notably caramel and butterscotch. There’s a slightly bitter, earthy rustic flavor or two as well - akin to Cracker Jack Popcorn if it were toasted (or even burnt). The beer finishes with a kiss of tart cherry. There’s definitely some sourness to it, but in that tasty candy kind of way. It lingers on the tongue, too.

Initially, the alcohol is completely separate from the palate and is a little distracting. It’s slightly dry, but also somewhat sweet and woody like a bourbon. As the beer warms the genuine palate of fruity maltiness and the alcohol blend together for a more homogenized palate. It’s very delectable to be sure, and perhaps if it had been as consistent throughout this would be a perfect beer. A "flawed masterpiece" might be a great way to sum it all up, actually.

Drinkability: "Smooth" is not usually a word I would use to describe a Belgian quadruple, but it’s definitely apropos for Ommegang Three Philosophers. While it is certainly robust and does have some spiciness to the palate, it drinks much easier than any other beer of the style I’ve ever had. In fact, while it’s in the mouth there’s a refreshing quality to it - amazing! It goes down very smooth and the aftertaste is a pleasant tartness that isn’t cloying at all. The body is quite big at 9.8% ABV, but it just doesn’t feel that heavy on the system. There’s no alcohol burn, just a gentle dry warmth that quickly melds with the genuine palate. A great beer to have for dessert.

Samuel Adams The Vixen Chocolate Chili Bock | Chad'z Beer Reviews

2012-01-23T08:35:00.000-05:00

This is a beer I didn't have much interest in, but felt I should review it after I saw Jay's (http://youtube.com/jjrudy41 ) review of this in which he hated it. Jay and I don't always have the same tastes in beer, but when I see an extremely negative review of a beer you wouldn't expect to be bad, it makes me want to try it as much as a glowing review would. So was it just Jay or does this beer really suck? Watch and find out.

3.5

AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20

Chad9976 (604) - Albany, New York, USA - JAN 19, 2012

Seems like every brewery wants hipster credibility now, including Samuel Adams who have recently released a small batch series of "experimental" brews. I wasn’t particularly interested in them, but absolutely had to try The Vixen Chocolate Chile Bock after a friend of mine loathed it. Even without knowing anything about this beer, the name and label description certainly make it sound interesting. But uniqueness does not necessarily make for a great beer, and in this case it’s merely an okay one.

I poured a 22oz bottle into the official Samuel Adams Boston Lager glass.

Appearance: Stout-like appearance of opaque black body with red edges; a dark frothy head which retains and laces very well.

Smell: Mostly a typical lager aroma with the faintest hint of candy bar chocolate. Even more subtle dark fruit scents and perhaps some fusel-like notes, too.

Taste: The label clearly describes the beer as a "Chocolate Chile" beer. I went into this thinking something in the ballpark of a stout, but in actuality it’s more of a black lager minus the roasty flavor. It begins with a mild lager-like taste. Through the middle is a noticeable, slightly dry bitterness with an extremely subtle taste of low-grade dark chocolate. There is, however, some sweetness in the form of caramel or butterscotch. There is a slight aftertaste of spice, but most likely it’s the cinnamon and not the peppers.

So in one aspect, this beer fails to meet the expectations its label hyperbole prepares you for. It’s neither chocolaty nor peppery. On the other hand it’s not a horrible beer, or even a mediocre one - rather, just an okay one. There’s really nothing off-putting about the palate and the caramel sweetness is nice.

Drinkability: One thing I will give Samuel Adams The Vixen Chocolate Chile Bock credit for is being so easily drinkable. It weighs in at 8.5% ABV, but at no point can you smell or taste alcohol per se. It seems quite heavy in the mouth, and goes down very smooth with a mostly clean aftertaste and a slight hint of cinnamon warmth. The mouthfeel is thick, soft, and fairly tepid. I could see this beer going very well with a peppercorn steak, but it doesn’t really seem worth the $6 price tag.

Craig Gravina's WWII Era British Beers | Chad'z Homebrew Reviews #23

2012-01-20T17:44:00.000-05:00

My friend Craig Gravina (who was just on the show a few weeks ago as a guest reviewer), brewed three beers attempting to re-create beers available during World War II era Britain. Craig is a WWII buff and a lover of English ales (and, I assume, real ale too). He provided very detailed descriptions below. I'd challenge all the all-star homebrewers out there to try these recipes themselves or try a "re-creation" homebrew experiment like he did!

Craig on the web:
http://drinkdrank1.blogspot.com/
https://www.facebook.com/pages/Drinkdrank/221545327930375?ref=ts
http://twitter.com/drinkdrank1

THE WAR SERIES - Hurricane 39 Mild Ale / Spitfire 40 Best Bitter / Mosquito 41 Burton Ale

First off, a couple of things to know about he beers in general. They were all done "in the style..." of the most popular British beers from the WWII era—Mild, Bitter and Burton. They're not based on actual recipes from any specific brewery, but put together from looking through brewing records of a number of breweries of the time. When I was designing the beers I was trying to think like a brewer of the time, using what would have been available—almost as if I were an operating WWII-era brewer. I corrected Albany's water to that of London in the 1940s and you'll probably notice that the beers is a bit under carbonated. That was intentional, I'm going for that cask/real ale quality. Along with that, don't drink these beers cold. Take them out of the fridge and let them warm up for a bit before you drink them. The beers are all named for the year that they were inspired by and British fighter planes of WWII, too. So, here goes!

Hurricane 39 Mild Ale
During the 1920s and 30s British brewers began adding American malt to their grist, because it's increased nitrogen content. During most of 1939, British cargo ships passed unimpeded across the Atlantic Ocean. However, with the onset of hostilities in the fall of 1939, British shipping lines were cut-off from their American and European allies. While the availability of new American malt began to slow, British brewers did still have stores of American malt that would have been used into late 1939 and early 1940. Hurricane 39 is named for the pugnacious Hawker Hurricane
MALT: British mild malt, American six-row malt, British dark crystal malt, Invert sugar No. 2
HOPS: Fuggle
YEAST: Wyeast London Ale III (1318)
OG: 1.035 / IBUs: 19 / BUGU: .44 / ABV: 3.6%

Spitfire 40 Best Bitter
By 1940, food rationing and restrictions were in full effect, throughout Britain—and breweries were no exception. British beer makers began to augment their beers with alternative grains like un-malted flaked barley and oats. Spitfire 40s hazy appearance is a result of its use of flaked barley. Sugar was also at a premium, with huge quantities of it going toward the war effort. Brewers began using malt extract to supplement the limited use of common brewing sugars. While nearly all modern Bitters rely heavily on the caramel tones of crystal malt, many British brewers didn't begin using it in their Bitter grists until late in the war, or in some case after the war had ended. Spitfire 40 is named after the venerable Supermarine Spitfire.
MALT: British two-row malt, Amber malt, Light malt extract, Flaked barley
HOPS: Bramling Cross, East Kent Goldings (dry hop)
YEAST: Wyeast London Ale (1028)
OG: 1.044 / IBUs: 26 / BUGU: .61 / ABV: 4.3%

Mosquito 41 Burton Ale
Strong, dark and bittersweet—Burton Ale had been one of Britain's premium beers, for over a hundred years. Because of it's success in the marketplace, British brewers had to figure out a way to create Burtons with the same characteristics as pre-war versions—using limited resources. Grain adjuncts, dark brewing sugars and coloring agents began making their way into the day-to-day operations of many breweries. While, American malt was almost completely unavailable, It was not uncommon for brewers to use yearling or two-year old dried hops, so stores of older American hops were still available. Mosquito 41 is named for the classic British fighter/bomber—the de Havilland Mosquito.
MALT: British two-row malt, Mild malt, Flaked barley, Invert sugar No. 3, British dark crystal malt, Caramel coloring
HOPS: Cluster, Bramling Cross, East Kent Goldings (dry hop)
YEAST: Wyeast British Ale (1335)
OG: 1.051 / IBUs: 34 / BUGU: .75 / ABV: 5%

Kiwi Monster Double IPA | Chad'z Homebrew Reviews #22

2012-01-18T21:17:00.000-05:00

My first ever homebrew from Europe! This beer was hand-delievered to me by Peter "The Master of Hoppets" http://youtube.com/TheMasterOfHoppets It was also brewed by his friend Jakob "The Lord of Malts." Apparently they wanted to make a New Zealand-insprired double IPA. Although there's plenty of American west coast influence to be found in this beer, too.

Peter's description:
Its a DIPA on 9,6% ABV only brewed with New Zealand hops, the malts used is American Two Row Pale, Marris Otter. The hops used are Pacific Gem (for bittering), Nelson Sauvin (a small amount for bittering), Rakau and Motueka. It was also brewed with oats and honey.

Imasofat Drowning Bee IPA | Chad'z Homebrew Reviews #21

2012-01-16T20:18:00.002-05:00

It's been a long time since I reviewed one of the Imasofat's homebrews (about a year, I think). This is an IPA Gary brewed in late August. I don't have the exact stats and recipe or anything, but I know it used about four different hop varietys and plenty of LME. This review is the first of an "All Homebrew Review Week".

Check out the Imasofat's channel at http://youtube.com/Imasofat

Three Floyds Amon Amarth Ragnarok | Chad'z Beer Reviews

2012-01-12T22:23:00.000-05:00

There's so much awesomeness to this review I don't even know how to begin describing it! So Peter, "The Master of Hoppets" http://youtube.com/TheMasterofHoppets was flying from Denmark to New Mexico and had a short layover at JFK Airport in New York City. Since I live in Albany I drove down to meet up with him and shoot a review of this beer in the only place we could: my car! Yes, it's quite illegal I'm sure - you going to rat me out to the cops?

Peter and I had been planning this meetup for over a months and I deliberately saved this beer to review with him since it features Swedish metal band Amon Amarth in collobration with Three Floyds - one of my favorite breweries (plus the bottle was sent to me by Rob Walker!).

Would the beer be as epic and awesome as this beer review setting? Watch and find out.

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20

Chad9976 (603) - Albany, New York, USA - JAN 12, 2012

There seems to be a growing trend in the craft beer lately of brewers collaborating with non-brewers for a special one-off release. Frankly, I find these to be a little gimmicky because if the beer doesn’t work they can always blame it on the fact it was an experimental brew. I had high hopes for Three Floyds Amon Amarth Ragnarok because it’s one of the best craft brewers in America collaborating with one of the biggest names in the heavy metal music scene. What they came up with is an "imperial porter," which is certainly unique, and a very tasty, enjoyable beer, but nothing earth-shattering.

I received a 22oz bottle from a friend in Chicago. I split it with a friend. We each poured it into plastic tumblers (watch the video review to find out why).

Appearance: Typical porter or stout complexion of near jet black color with slight ruby red edges. Forms a large, dark khaki, frothy head which laces and retains extremely well.

Smell: Very true to the porter style with sweeter notes of chocolate, cocoa nibs, and raisins (chocolate-covered raisins, actually). Subtle, but noticeable, smell of coconut hide and general earthiness.

Taste: In the world of brewing, a strong porter is technically a stout, but there’s a distinct difference in taste, especially in the case of Three Floyds Amon Amarth Ragnarok. This beer has all the sweeter flavor notes you’d find in a porter: slight milky/dairy flavor; milk chocolate, dark cherry and raisin, plus some earthy roughage on the back end to provide for some bitterness.

As it warms it grows even more complex imparting a slight smoky taste, a hint of coffee bitterness and a slight sourness or tang. You might chalk this up to the alcohol accentuating these components often found in the palate of more traditional, pub-style porters. It’s not a flaw, per se, but an absence of these flavors would make this a great beer instead of just a very good one.

Drinkability: While this beer is rather hefty at 8.2% ABV, it would be difficult to detect this if you didn’t know that. There’s no alcohol presence whatsoever and the beer just doesn’t feel all that heavy. It’s super smooth with a lovely, but light, chocolate and raisin aftertaste. And while sweet, it’s never cloying. Its drinkability is a great reason to love it.

Goose Island Demolition | Chad'z Beer Reviews

2012-01-09T20:55:00.002-05:00

Craig joins me for a back-to-back review. This time we review Goose Island's "Demolition" which is described as a "Belgian-style Golden Ale". My brother gave this to me for Christmas. I was a little concerned, though, as the bottle was dated July of 2010 and it says it's best within 6 months of the date. Would it hold up?
Remember to check out Craig's blog at http://drinkdrank1.blogspot.com

3.8

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20

Chad9976 (602) - Albany, New York, USA - JAN 7, 2012

I tend to roll my eyes at American beers described as a "Belgian-style golden ale" since that’s such an umbrella term and few beers using that term are any good. My brother gave me a bottle of Goose Island Demolition that was bottled in July of 2010 for Christmas of 2011, and I didn’t have high hopes for it since it’s not bottle-conditioned. But as I’ve said many times, one of the best things about being a beer reviewer is when a beer catches you by surprise and that was certainly the case here. It’s a slightly fruity, somewhat refreshing, Belgian-ish beer that’s still American at the core.

I split a 22oz bomber with a friend. We each poured it into tulip glasses.

Appearance: Dark maize yellow, almost completely opaque. Forms a small, white, foamy head which dissipates completely and leaves no lacing on the glass.

Smell: Authentic Belgian aroma of banana peel, coriander and an assortment of other light spices. Slight hop flowers, too.

Taste: As soon as the beer hit my tongue it was immediately lit up with zesty spice and traditional Belgian energy. It’s similar to what you might get in a Trappist tripel, but without any alcohol presence or heavy density. Orangepeel, coriander, banana, clove, and a mélange of light spices are all individually distinguishable, but also combine for a delectable palate overall. The orange taste is probably the most prominent - similar to the tangelo flavor notes that Amarillo and the "C" hops tend to impart. But here it’s just the fruit flavor without the bitterness, tartness, or acidity.

For a moment it’s a little refreshing, especially during the first half. Then the spices appear en masse and dry the palate out (but not completely). Confectionary tastes of caramel and butterscotch are subtle, but noticeable. The aftertaste is remarkably clean considering how much spice is in the palate. It’s an enjoyable for sure, but not quite wonderfully delicious.

Drinkability: The best way to describe the palate and the mouthfeel is "zesty." Plenty of spicy energy, taste, and residual dryness - but nothing extreme. Not as highly carbonated as many actual Belgian strong pale ales like this tend to be, which makes it quite smooth and easy to drink in bigger swigs. At 7.2% ABV and in 22oz bottle it’s very easy to drink it all yourself without feeling overwhelmed. Probably something I’d prefer in warmer weather, but it works well as an after-dinner brew year-round.

Craig Gravina of "Drink Drank" | Interview With A Craft Beer Enthusiast

2012-01-08T10:58:00.000-05:00

Craig Gravina is a fellow beer blogger and craft beer enthusiast from the Albany area. He writes a great beer blog at http://drinkdrank1.blogspot.com I actually met Craig through the comments section on Zak Avery's blog! Craig and I have been communicating via Facebook and email for months, but never had a chance to meet in person until recently. We shot two beer reviews and afterwards shot this episode of "Interview With A Craft Beer Enthusiast."

Here's the questions:
0:52 How would you describe your blog?
2:15 What's your history with beer?
3:27 Are you BJCP or Cicerone certified?
4:39 What was your craft beer epiphany?
7:06 What's your criteria for how you rate beer?
9:00 Are you an appreciator of all styles of beer?
9:38 Are there any styles you have a preference for?
9:57 How do you spread the gospel of craft beer?
10:30 Who is your blog aimed at?
11:19 What would you recommend as a transition beer for lager drinkers?

Ithaca Alphalpha | Chad'z Beer Reviews

2012-01-07T12:14:00.000-05:00

If you remember all the way back to 8 weeks ago, you know I visited the Ithaca brewery and bought this bottle of the funnily-named "Alphalpha" while there. It claims to be a "Double Honey Bitter" - huh? I knew I needed help reviewing this beer so I brought in Craig Gravina - a fellow Albany craft beer enthusiast who writes an awesome beer blog at http://drinkdrank1.blogspot.com This was his first-ever video beer review and he was a natural at it.

3.9

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 15/20

Chad9976 (601) - Albany, New York, USA - JAN 7, 2012

Ithaca Alphalpha is a beer I’ve only seen at the brewery, so I bought a bottle when I visited around Thanksgiving of 2011. The employees described it as a "double India Pale Ale with lots of honey in it," which definitely sounded appealing. The bottle describes it as a "Double Honey Bitter" - a hyperbolic statement to be sure as the beer drinks more like a regular East Coast style double IPA with subtle honey notes. This might be due to the fact the bottle was well over a month old by the time I drank it, or perhaps the honey was used more as a fermentable than a flavoring ingredient. Ultimately it’s a fine DIPA, but perhaps a little oversold.

I split a 750ml bottle with a friend. We each poured it into tulip glasses.

Appearance: Honey-colored dark yellow with slight orange shade; cloudy but transparent. Forms a large, white, frothy head which laces and retains quite well.

Smell: Big grapefruit aroma due to the Cascade hops. Significant pine needles and some sap fragrance as well.

Taste: Very prominent hop bitterness hits the tongue hard and never lets up. Much like a Stone Ruination or other West Coast DIPAs of the sort, it’s a strong, tart, almost acidic level of bitterness like pure grapefruit juice. The second half does impart some maltiness to balance it out. Slightly sweet, slightly confectionary notes of butterscotch, honey and caramel do indeed make noticeable (albeit brief) appearances. The finish returns to the initial palate of dry bitterness and the aftertaste follows suit.

While I do appreciate and enjoy the grapefruit flavor and unapologetic bitterness, I wish there had been more genuine fruit flavor. There’s definite pine in the second half plus slight candy notes, but it’s still a tad unbalanced (perhaps due to the age of the bottle?). I could see this beer working wonderfully as something to have with a hearty dinner.

Drinkability: Although Ithaca Alphalpha is an overtly bitter beer, it’s surprisingly easy to drink. The mouthfeel has a mostly soft, slightly creamy texture to it. The beer is a perfect level of carbonation which enables it to go down smooth. I wouldn’t call it refreshing, though, but I doubt it’s meant to be. Not something I’d recommend for beginners, but hop heads will definitely be able to enjoy it.

"Pugnacious Porter" by Max Spang | Chad'z Homebrew Reviews #20

2012-01-05T18:47:00.000-05:00

I recently did a beer trade with Max Spang of http://youtube.com/SnobbyBeer He really seemed proud of this blueberry porter - an all-grain brew made with homegrown blueberries. I wanted Shaun to help me review this since he's a homebrewer too and I'd be interested to hear his take on it.

Max's description and information:
"The recipe was my first all grain batch. I tweaked a recipe of an Edmund Fitzgerald clone that I was going to add blueberries to, but it was almost a failure. I got horrible efficiency and the beer was really, really thin. The samples I took tasted like ashy coffee, and it only fermented to about 3.5% ABV. I was on the verge of dumping it, it just wasn't working out. However, I decided to say screw it and added about 2-3 pounds of Blueberries (more on that later). After a week or so, I tasted it again - Lo and behold, the beer was smoothing out and was very pleasant. It didn't quite taste like blueberries, so I added more (I think another pound or so, I don't have my notes handy). The ABV bumped up to right around 4.5%, and the beer is very dry and a little over carbonated. It's easy drinking and semi refreshing, and the blueberries give it a slight tartness and a slight purple hue to the beer. It's by no means a great beer, but it is definitely decent IMO - especially considering it was almost a failure."

Size: 5.0 gal
Efficiency: 75.0%
Attenuation: 75.0%
Calories: 183.73 kcal per 12.0 fl oz

Original Gravity: 1.055 (1.048 - 1.065)
Terminal Gravity: 1.014 (1.012 - 1.016)
Color: 25.07 (22.0 - 35.0)
Alcohol: 5.43% (4.8% - 6.5%)
Bitterness: 35.4 (25.0 - 50.0)

Ingredients:
9.0 lb Pale Ale Malt
0.75 lb Caramel Malt 50L
0.5 lb Chocolate Malt
0.5 lb Roasted Barley
1.0 oz Northern Brewer (8.0%) - added during boil, boiled 30.0 min
0.5 oz Fuggle (4.8%) - added during boil, boiled 30.0 min
.5 oz Cascade (5.5%) - added during boil, boiled 30.0 min
0.5 oz Cascade (5.5%) - added during boil, boiled 0.0 min
1.0 ea WYeast 1028 London Ale

Three Floyds Arctic Panzer Wolf | Chad'z Beer Reviews

2012-01-03T20:54:00.000-05:00

Even though Shaun was just here two episodes ago, we shot that almost three weeks ago! Isn't time relative! LOL! Anyway, this is one of the last beers sent to me in a trade with Rob Walker and the THIRD Three Floyds imperial India Pale Ale I'll have tried (the other two being Dreadnaught and Apocalypse Cow). I wasn't sure what to expect from this beer, although I assumed it'd be awesome considering who makes it.

AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20

Chad9976 (600) - Albany, New York, USA - JAN 3, 2012

I split a 22oz bottle with a friend. We each poured our half into tulip glasses.

Appearance: Honey color with plenty of hop haze, but carbonation still visible. Forms a good size, eggshell colored frothy head which laces and retains well.

Smell: Light fruits such as white grape and apricot with some orange notes as well, but not a citrusy beer per se.

Taste: As soon as Arctic Panzer Wolf hits the tongue I get the sensation of massive bitterness. It’s definitely a hoppy bitter taste with the sharp, tartness of citric acid. Through the middle appears a slight fruit cocktail flavor of apricot, orange, and white grape. It’s not quite as syrupy or nectary as many of the strong IPAs from the west coast, but does have many of the similar fruit notes. There’s a dank resin-like flavor on the second half and finish which reiterates the initial bitterness, but in a very different way.

It’s a very delectable palate to be sure, but I can’t help but feel more could’ve been done. A little more energy to the fruit flavors and/or a little less sheer dry bitterness would’ve made it a bit more balanced and enjoyable.

Mouthfeel: Noticeable energy with plenty of carbonation and hop bite on the tongue during and after the swig. Noticeable dry aftertaste.

Drinkability: Three Floyds are known for making big beers with a lot of flavor, but I’ve yet to encounter one that’s a sipper. Arctic Panzer Wolf is quite strong all around at 9% ABV, yet there’s no alcohol presence in the palate and goes down very smooth. It is quite dense, though, as it’s the kind of beer that would be challenging to drink more than one serving at a time (the lingering hop dryness doesn’t help much either). A great beer to have with a meal or on its own.

Steadfast Sorghum Pale Ale | Chad'z Beer Reviews

2012-01-02T11:04:00.000-05:00

This is an unofficial review of a prototype/sample first batch of the up-and-coming Steadfast Sorghum Pale Ale. The label is an unofficial label, not yet approved by the TTB.

3.5

AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 14/20

Chad9976 (599) - Albany, New York, USA - JAN 2, 2012

The Steadfast Beer Company was started by a friend of mine as a way to fill a hole in the craft beer market: the gluten-free, sorghum-based beers for people allergic to gluten (which is in all barley and wheat). There are few offerings available on the mass market, and the ones that are there are usually disliked by mainstream beer drinkers and celiacs alike. Why not brew a gluten-free beer with actual taste? That’s the idea behind Steadfast Beer Company, and their initial offering - Sorghum Pale Ale - is definitely the most robust and complex sorghum beer I’ve ever had. But as a beer in general, it’s only okay.

I poured a 22oz bomber into a tulip glass.

Appearance: Beautiful crystal-clear dark amber/copper hue. Little carbonation visible but forms a good size white foamy head which retains and laces fairly well.

Smell: Light perfumey hop flowers and citrus notes. There’s a noticeable "sorghum funk," but it’s easily overlooked.

Taste: The palate begins with sharp, dry bitterness. Through the middle come the hops with a more refined, slightly juicy flavor of citrus, and a piney resiny taste at the end. As it starts to finish there’s a confectionary sweetness of toffee and caramel, and the aftertaste has a rustic peanut shell flavor.

So why do I only rate this a 6 out of 10? Because this beer has that solvent-like taste I’ve encountered in every other sorghum beer. It’s similar to the fumes you can actually taste from paint or indoor swimming pool. It’s not nearly as strong as some of big name brands, but it’s still there. After a few swigs I’m able to build up a tolerance to it, but it still distracts from the rest of the palate. Fortunately, Steadfast’s attributes outweigh this flaw.

Mouthfeel: Medium body and thickness and slightly crisp. Strong dry aftertaste of sorghum and nuttiness.

Drinkability: Weighing in at 6.8% ABV, Steadfast Sorghum Pale Ale is pretty hefty for a pale ale, but has the raw drinkability of the style. Aside from the astringent taste, the palate is quite drinker-friendly and the smooth finish makes it easy chug down. It’s a beer I can drink a single serving at a time, and paired with a meal it would probably work much better.