Sierra Nevada XXX Jack & Ken’s Ale (Black Barleywine - 30th Anniversary)

Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Location: Chico, CA
Style: Barleywine
Brewery Website
Rating: A

Today’s tasting is a Black Barleywine from Sierra Nevada that was brewed for their 30th anniversary. The Black Barleywine pours up an opaque ruby-black with a thick, dark-tan head. The nose is malty with notes of caramel and sherry.

On the palate there is a nice bitter malty/chocolate kick. Wine notes are present, along with sherry and caramel. There is an herbal/grassy hops note, but it is just an undertone to the malt. Hops bitterness starts at a moderate level and builds from there. The beer is pretty dry for a barleywine. The 30th Anniversary Black Barleywine is medium-bodied, and while it seems a bit light for a barleywine, it is full enough for this beer. The finish has cocoa and espresso notes paired with grassy and herbal hops.

The Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Black Barleywine is a unique take on the barleywine style. Much like a Black IPA, the roasted malt adds a unique layer of complexity that works well with the barleywine style. The cocoa and coffee notes add a nice spin on the typical barleywine style. If you can still find this in your area, it is well worth hunting down and stashing in your cellar.

Ommegang BPA (Belgian-style Pale Ale)

Brewery: Brewery Ommegang
Location: Cooperstown, NY
Style: Belgian Pale Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: B+

Today’s beer tasting is Ommegang’s BPA (Belgian Pale Ale). The Belgian Pale Ale pours up a deep gold in color with a slight haze. The head is huge, white, clumpy foam. The nose detects the telltale grapefruit of Cascade hops, along with some banana and typical Belgian yeast notes.

The palate initially finds a citrus hops note that then moves towards flavors of Belgian yeast (i.e., banana and clove). There is a light bread/pasta dough malt note as well. The bitterness is fairly mild when compared to the typical West-Coast American pale ale. There is some residual sweetness here as well. The Ommegang Belgian Pale Ale is medium-bodied and nicely carbonated. The finish sees hops bitterness paired with pasta dough malt and sweet yeasty esters.

The Ommegang Belgian Pale Ale is a well-executed cross between Belgian and American Pale Ale. The Belgian yeast really combines nicely with the citrusy west-coast hops here. This is a great beer to seek out if you’re looking for something a bit different to try. It also pairs fantastically with aged cheese. I paired this with a 3-year old gouda and the combination was fantastic.

Dogfish Head Squall IPA

Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Location: Milton, DE
Style: IPA
Brewery Website
Rating: A

Today we’re tasting the Squall IPA from Dogfish Head. The Squall IPA pours up a golden amber in color with little head to speak of. The nose finds a big fresh hops note of grapefruit and citrus. There is also a faint malty bread note.

Up front there are grassy and citrus hops on the palate. Bitterness starts out at a moderate level and slowly builds. Piny and spicy hops notes come in a bit later. There is also a faint residual sweetness to fill things out a bit. The Squall IPA has a medium-heavy body that feels pretty full. The finish sees some sweetness with citrus and piny hops notes and a moderate bitter hops kick.

Dogfish Head has never let me down with an IPA, and they continue their run with their Squall IPA. This is an excellent, balanced Imperial IPA. There is a great amount of flavor complexity to the hops, which is to be expected since the beer is dry-hopped with about a half-dozen different hops varieties. If DFH ever brews this again, snap some up as soon as you see it.

Widmer Brothers Pitch Black IPA

Brewery: Widmer Brothers Brewing Company
Location: Portland, OR
Style: Black IPA
Brewery Website
Rating: A+

Today we’re reviewing the Widmer Brothers Pitch Black IPA. The Pitch Black IPA pours up a deep brown, bordering on black, color with a light tan, frothy head. The nose picks up lots of citrusy, west-coast hops. Grapefruit and some apricot are most notable. There are also some very faint roasted aromas.

On the palate the fruity hops lead off with lemonade and apricot notes. These notes fade slowly into roasted malt notes of dark wheat toast. Bitter hops then build back in with some espresso. There is also a faint residual sweetness as well. With a medium-heavy body, the Pitch Black IPA is on the fuller side, but it is still plenty drinkable. The finish sees fruity hops dancing back-and-forth with some lightly sweetened coffee.

In continuing with the “I haven’t tasted a Black IPA I didn’t like” theme, the Pitch Black IPA is just incredible. There is a fantastic flavor complexity here. The flavors are literally dancing back and forth between malt and hops. This beer is very well-balanced between malt and hops, and all the flavors really meld well together in the Pitch Black IPA. There is also a nice hint of residual sweetness here that really makes all the other flavors “pop”. Widmer Bros have nailed it with their Black IPA, this is just a fantastic beer.

Harviestoun Old Engine Oil Black Ale

Brewery: Harviestoun Brewery
Location: Alva, Scotland
Style: Porter
Brewery Website
Rating: A

Today's tasting is Old Engine Oil from Harviestoun Brewery in Scotland. This porter pours up an opaque black color with a brown head the color of hot cocoa. The nose finds roasted and toasted malt notes, cocoa and a hint of herbal hops.

While there are no smoked malts used in this beer, my palate is first left with the impression of a fine Islay scotch, finding peat malt, iodine and bacon notes. The dark roasted malt flavor has a big cocoa note. There are herbal and spicy hop notes with a moderate kick, but not enough to overtake the malt. There is also a hint of juiciness that zips by. Old Engine Oil has a medium-heavy body, but is still quaffable for a porter. The finish finds more roasted malt notes with a hint of hops, along with some Scotch notes in the background.

The Harviestoun Old Engine Oil is a very drinkable porter with some complex roasted malt flavors. My palate finds some notes that remind me of an Islay scotch. Plus there are some great roasted chocolate notes here as well. All of this is well-balanced by some nice herbal hops. This is one of the best British porters out there and is well worth seeking out.

Otter Creek Winter Red Ale

Brewery: Otter Creek Brewing
Location: Middlebury, VT
Style: Amber
Brewery Website
Rating: B

I'm a little late in getting this review posted, but our tasting for today is the Otter Creek Winter Red Ale. The Winter Red pours up a deep amber-chestnut in color with a short, off-white head. The nose finds citrus and herbal hops notes, fresh-baked bread and some malt syrup.

The palate finds a flavor progression that starts with fruity hops, moves to a sharp steely/mineral note and ends up at an oily, bitter hops bite with some pine resin. There is a dry, toasted malt note in the background with a hint of residual sweetness. The Otter Creek Winter Red has a medium-heavy body (a bit heavier than your typical amber) with some resiny astringency. The finish sees the strong mineral bite clinging on with hints of pine, pretzel and malt syrup.

The Otter Creek Winter Red Ale drinks like an amped-up version of their flagship Copper Ale, but it seems a bit out of balance to me. The hops here is all bite with not as much flavor as I would have liked, and the mineral note here is overpowering. The malt ends up being drowned out under all of this. I understand what Otter Creek is trying to do here by having a big amber for their winter seasonal, I just would have liked to see more balance.

Theakston Old Peculier

Brewery: T & R Theakston Ltd.
Location: Yorkshire, England
Style: Old Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: A+

Today we're finally reviewing a beer that I've been trying to track down since I started this blog, Theakston's Old Peculier. This is one of my all-time favorite beers, but it has been a bit harder to track down in my area as of late. Old Peculier pours up a deep ruby color with some chestnut-brown tones and a short, tan head. The nose detects rich maltiness with faint notes of caramel, sweetness and roasted malt. There is also a hint of hops with floral, herbal and spicy notes.

The palate first picks up roasted malt notes of dark pretzels. There is a fleeting malt syrup/molasses note that vanishes rather quickly. There is a touch of herbal hops here, but just enough to fill out the malt. A touch of mineral water is notable as well. A hint of juiciness in the middle rounds out the flavor nicely and keeps things from being too dry. The Old Peculier has a medium-heavy body. It is rich and full without being overly heavy. The mouthfeel also has a light fizz of carbonation and a touch of juiciness. The finish finds bready malt notes with spicy and herbal hops way in the background.

Theakston's Old Peculier is a true classic. This is an amazingly complex and flavorful beer, that is still fairly easy to drink. It is quite malt-forward, but with enough hops to balance things out. At 5.7% ABV, Old Peculier drinks like a scaled-down English barleywine. Which is a good thing, because it is really hard to stop at just one of these. If you're a beer lover and haven't had a chance to experience Old Peculier, then add this to your bucket list.

Chatoe Rogue Good Chit Pilsner

Brewery: Rogue Ales
Location: Newport, OR
Style: Pilsner
Brewery Website
Rating: B+

Today's tasting is the Chatoe Rogue Good Chit Pilsner. This is a beer produced with Rogue's own locally grown malt and hops. The Good Chit Pilsner is lemon yellow in color with some straw gold highlights and pours up with a big, white foamy head. The nose finds doughy lager malt notes with some herbal hops aromas.

The overall impression on the palate is crisp malt with a resiny hops kick and some faint sweetness. Herbal hops notes remain after the initial maltiness settles down. Hops notes of spice and pine sit in the background as well. The malt has notes of pasta dough with a hint of malt syrup. The Good Chit Pilsner is medium-bodied and is rather heavy for a typical Pils. It is really bordering on Imperial Pils in style. The finish is crisp with spicy and herbal hops notes and some lingering malt syrup.

Rogue has done a nice job producing beer with their own homegrown ingredients. The Good Chit Pilsner is a flavorful pils with nice hops notes. It is a bit too sweet and heavy to be quaffable as a lawnmower beer, but it is still damn tasty and well worth seeking out.

Lagunitas Censored Copper Ale

Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Company
Location: Petaluma, CA
Style: Amber
Brewery Website
Rating: A

Up for review today is the Censored Copper Ale from Lagunitas. The Censored Copper Ale pours up a deep amber color with hints of ruby and quite a bit of fizzy bubbles. The head is clumpy, off-white foam. The nose detects some saltiness along with hints of caramel and some fruity/piny hops.

The palate finds crisp maltiness well-balanced with resinous piny hops. The malt notes are wheat toast along with some caramel. There is a hint of sweetness that fills out the flavor and mouthfeel nicely. The Censored Copper Ale has a rich, medium body with some crisp carbonation.the finish has lingering bitter hops highlighted by toast and caramel.

The Lagunitas Censored Copper Ale is a well balanced amber with a solid hop bite in balance with a nice maltiness. The crisp carbonation balances out a relatively full mouthfeel for an amber that makes this beer rich without being too heavy. This is a great beer for fans of hoppy ambers. Highly recommended.

Aventinus Wheat Doppelbock

Brewery: Weisses Bräuhaus G. Schneider & Sohn GmbH
Location: Kelheim, Germany
Style: Doppelbock
Brewery Website
Rating: B

Today we are reviewing the Aventinus Wheat Doppelbock from Germany's Schneider brewery. The Aventinus pours up a hazy walnut brown with lots of bubbles rising in the glass. The head is a clumpy, light tan foam. The nose finds lots of yeasty ester notes with banana and green apple being predominant. There ate also aromas of malt syrup as well as some vinous notes.

The palate leads off with some dark rye bread notes. There is a dry champagne flavor as well. Plenty of yeasty notes are here, but the fruitiness is a bit more subdued on the palate than on the nose. There is a fleeting juicy wine note. Sweetness is pretty low by doppelbock standards. The Aventinus is medium-bodied and feels a bit light for a doppelbock. The finish sees the malt flavors ring out with supporting notes of yeast.

The Aventinus is a decent doppelbock but to my palate I don't see anything that stands out to any great extent. The yeast notes are nice, but I would definitely like to see some richer maltiness here.

Reissdorf Kölsch

Brewery: Brauerei Heinrich Reissdorf
Location: Köln, Germany
Style: Kölsch
Brewery Website
Rating: A

With spring at our doorstep, I generally start to reach for Pilsners as my go-to springtime beer. This year I am broadening my reach a bit and bringing some Kölsch to my springtime mix. Much like good craft and European pilsners, these light ales from Cologne serve as excellent reminders that not all crisp, light beers are intended to be bland and flavorless.

The Reissdorf Kolsch (umlaut rule in effect) pours up a clear golden-straw color with a big, foamy white head. The nose is easily tricked into thinking that this ale is a lager, as all the telltale pilsner notes are here. There is the classic German lager malt aroma, something I often relate to pasta dough, as well as a hint of floral and herbal hops.

On the palate there us a smooth, slight juiciness up front that moves quickly to dry, doughy malt notes. There are some mild herbal noble hops notes. There is a touch of yeasty fruit here as well. The Reissdorf Kolsch has a medium-light body. It is crisp and refreshing without being overcarbonated. The finish is fairly quick. Clean malt notes fade with some undertones of herbal hops.

To me, the Reissdorf Kolsch stands for everything that everything the typical American commercial lager should be. There is a fuller mouthfeel and much less aggressive carbonation than typical Bud/Miller/Coors fare, but this beer is still very crisp and refreshing with loads of flavor. The Reissdorf Kolsch is sold in a brown bottle, and has none of the skunky “off” flavors as many of its more widely available “Eurolager” brethren possess. If you have ever tasted a mass-market American lager and said “something’s missing”, well this beer has everything that is missing.

The Reissdorf Kolsch is a textbook example of the Kolsch style. It is very similar in flavor and color to a Pilsner. The main differences are that the hoppiness is much more restrained and the ale yeast used provides a touch of fruitiness. I recommend this beer highly to everyone, as there is something here for Bud/Miller/Coors fans, Heineken/Amstel fans and for the craft beer crowd as well.

Left Hand Brewing Company Black Jack Porter

Brewery: Left Hand Brewing Company
Location: Longmont, CO
Style: Porter
Brewery Website
Rating: B

Today’s tasting is the Black Jack Porter from Left Hand Brewing. The Black Jack Porter is a deep mahogany brown color (bordering on ebony). If takes a firm pour to get a modest-sized, fine-bubbled head that is a nut-brown color. The nose detects roasted notes, some caramel and faint chocolate aromas.

The palate finds roasted malt notes up front. The Black Jack Porter is quite dry. There is some moderate hops bitterness, but without much hops flavor to speak of. There is a bit of a mineral water note. Some bitterness from the roasted malt is here as well. I also detect something akin to grilled or roasted corn. There are also some highlights of brut champagne as well as some aged cheddar/gouda. The Black Jack Porter is medium-bodied with a touch of astringency and some fine, prickly carbonation. The finish has dry, toasted malt notes with some mineral and bitter notes (the latter similar to unsweetened chocolate).

The Black Jack Porter has some very nice complexity. I did find it to be a bit too dry for my tastes. I would also like to see a bit more hoppiness for balance. All-in-all, this is a decent porter. It is not particularly suited to my tastes, but it is still worth checking out if you are a fan of dry porters.

Dogfish Head Olde School 2010 Vintage

Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Location: Milton, DE
Style: Barleywine
Brewery Website
Rating: A-

For today's tasting I reached into the cellar to have my first crack at Dogfish Head's 2010 release of their Olde School barleywine. The beer poured up a deep amber with gold highlights and a very short, off-white head. The nose at first reminded me a bit of a highland scotch whisky. There are sweet malt notes, some banana esters as well as some winy notes.

The palate finds rich maltiness. There are fruity notes along with a quick squirt of citrus acidity. Some apricot notes are here from the hops as well. The yeast lends notes of banana and circus peanut. Malt contributions include bagel and pretzel notes. The Olde School has a full body. There is still some nice carbonation left after over a year in the bottle. Alcohol is potent and warming, although quite smooth. The finish sees fruity notes, malt syrup and rich doughy malt notes continuing to ride out.

Dogfish Head has another great beer on their hands with the Olde School. This is a really nice barleywine. There are some nice yeast notes, just enough residual sugar without being cloying and a nice combination of juiciness and fruitiness that compliment each other well. There is also a nice scotch note on the nose that I love. the best thing is that this beer will continue to age well for at least 3-5 more years, if not longer. My only issue is how long to wait before i crack into the next one.

Krakus Classic 70% Dark Chocolate

Manufacturer: Krakus
Cocoa Content: 70% 
Rating: C-

During a recent trip to my local Polish deli my eye spied some dark chocolate bars for sale. When I saw a couple with the actual cocoa percentage listed on the label I snapped them up for tasting. The chocolate I am tasting today is a 70% dark chocolate from Krakus. Unfortunately, I really don't have much more detail than that.

The bar itself is very dark, almost black, with undertones of a deep plum/merlot purple. The nose finds fudge and the dreaded coconut. At first taste there is a rich, fudgy chocolate note. There is a hint of anise at first, but then it builds and becomes quite distracting over time. There is also a note of burnt pretzel as well. There is very little acidity or roasted notes to speak of. The Krakus Classic 70% has a very coarse mouthfeel. The finish is dominated by lingering, bitter anise.

Well, you can't win them all. I will frequently take a chance on unfamiliar or store brand dark chocolates, because you will frequently find a tasty, value-priced chocolate that is fairly easy to find. (See Trader Joe's for example) Unfortunately, the Krakus is a big strikeout. The dominating anise flavor tells me that this chocolate bar spent quite a bit of time in storage near some black licorice or something of that sort. But even without the poor storage, the chocolate itself was pretty flat in flavor and poorly constructed. Pass on this one.

Founders Centennial IPA

Brewery: Founders Brewing Company
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Style: IPA
Brewery Website
Rating: B+

Todays tasting is the Centennial IPA from Michigan's Founders Brewing Company. A quick internet search shows extremely high marks at sites like BeerAdvocate and RateBeer for the Centennial IPA, so needless to say I was quite excited to have a taste. The beer pours up a hazy, dark gold color with a hint of amber. The head is golden-tan, and relatively short. The nose finds both floral and citrus hops notes, along with faint hints of caramel and malt syrup.

On the palate there is an initial bitter bite followed by a quick rush of hoppy aromatics. As these floral and citrus notes fade, a light, pretzely malt note starts to peek through with bitter pine and resinous hops riding on top. The Centennial IPA is medium-bodied with resinous astringency and some carbonated fizz. The finish sees a tongue-coating hops bitterness riding through.

I found the Founders IPA to have a nice bitter kick with some interesting hops complexity. Unfortunately, I found that the flavoring hops faded too fast. I do have some questions about the freshness of the bottle I tasted. I would love to give it a taste at peak freshness as hops flavor and aroma fade pretty quickly over time. As it is, the Founders Centennial IPA is fairly standard fare as American IPA's go, but I appreciate that the hops component goes a little beyond the typical Cascade overload I see in so many American IPA's.

Ballast Point Sculpin IPA

Brewery: Ballast Point brewing Companu
Location: San Diego, CA
Style: IPA
Brewery Website
Rating: A+

For today's tasting I am finally getting to review a beer that I have been trying to track down for a very long time, the Ballast Point Sculpin IPA. The Sculpin has been the top-rated IPA on BeerAdvocate for a long while now, and I was finally able to track down a bomber at one of the many stores I frequent. The Sculpin pours up a deep-gold color with a hint of amber, with a sticky, off-white, large-bubbled head. The nose is just loaded with fruit. There are citrus notes of grapefruit and lemonade, along with notes of peaches and apricot. This is truly one of the most amazing beers I have ever smelled.

The first sip of the Sculpin is like taking a swig of grapefruit juice. The initial impression is juicy fruitiness with a bit of an acid bite. There is a wealth of hoppy fruitiness here. There is a tart orange juice note, along with hints of stone fruit and berries. A hint of sweetness provides some balance and fills out the fruit flavor nicely. There is only a moderate level of bitterness here for such a highly hopped IPA, which fades to reveal pretzel and pasta dough malt notes tucked in the background. The Ballast Point Sculpin is medium-bodies with a bit of fizzy carbonation. The finish sees lingering tart citrus notes fading to an herbal/bitter hop finish.

The Ballast Point Sculpin IPA is by far the fruitiest IPA I've ever tasted. There is a nice tartness here that only serves to accentuate the fruit even more. In addition, there is just a hint of residual sweetness that fills out the fruitiness. It's easy to see how the Sculpin IPA has garnered such acclaim, as this is truly a one-of-a-kind beer. The juicy hops fruitiness may be an acquired taste for some, but there is no denying that this is truly a special beer that belongs on every beer lover's bucket list.

Weihenstephaner Korbinian Doppelbock

Brewery: Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan
Location: Freising, Germany
Style: Doppelbock
Brewery Website
Rating: B+

Today we are tasting the Korbinian doppelbock from Weihenstephan. The beer pours up a dark cola/mahogany in color with a hint of ruby. The head is frothy and dark tan in color. The nose finds wine, fresh baked whole wheat bread, a faint banana note, herbal hops and a hint of dark chocolate.

The Korbinian is off-dry with a fleeting malt syrup sweet note that disappears quickly. The malt has a dark rye bread character. There is a touch of acidity. Hops are just barely perceptible. There is a notable mineral water/metallic note. The Korbinian is medium-heavy bodied with a touch of astringency. The finish is a long fade on the bready malt note.

The Korbinian is a solidly crafted doppelbock, especially if you are a fan of the low-hops, "liquid bread" interpretation. This is a fairly dry doppel; the residual sweetness many doppels seem to have is not here. My only complaint is the metallic note seems a bit out of place. But that's a small quarrel, as the Korbinian is a very nice beer.

Red Hook Treblehook 2009

Brewery: Red Hook Ale Brewery
Location: Portsmouth, NH & Woodinville, WA
Style: Barleywine
Brewery Website
Rating: A

Today's tasting is the 2009 vintage Treblehook from Red Hook Brewery. The bottle I tasted was bottled on 9/5/2009. The beer pours up amber in color with a slight haze and a few sediment particles. The nose finds malt syrup along with bread, raisins and caramel.

On the palate there is a smooth, rich malt syrup flavor. There are notes of caramel, raisins and rye toast. The hops have citrus and piny notes along with some spice. The Treblehook is full-bodied with a slight syrupy mouthfeel and some residual creamy carbonation. The finish is fairly long and well balanced between malt and citrusy hops.

I tasted the Treblehook at just about the 2 year mark post-bottling and the aging has served it well. The beer is very smooth at this point. Flavor is well balanced between malt and hops. Although it may be a touch too sweet, signs point to it continuing to age well. I'm looking forward to checking back on this vintage in another year or so.

FYI - I have recently spotted some bottles still floating around from this bottling date in my area, so keep your eyes open. It's nice to snag a barleywine that already has enough age in the bottle where it is starting to hit its prime.

Patric Madagascar 75% Dark Chocolate

Manufacturer: Patric Chocolate
Cocoa Content: 75%
Location: Madagascar
Manufacturer Website
Rating: A+

Up for review today is Patric's Madagascar 75% dark chocolate bar. The bar is deep mahogany in color with merlot/plum colored highlights. The nose detects red wine, currants and oak.

On the palate there are earthy cocoa notes and brownie batter fudge. There is a bit of a black coffee bite of bitterness. Then the classic Madagascar citrus notes start to roll in with orange juice and lemon being most notable. There are also fruity notes of ripe berries and pomegranate. This chocolate has a snappy acidity punctuated by frequent squirts of citrus. There is a hint of oak here as well. Chewing the Patric Madagascar brings forward some fleeting earth notes followed by a wave of berries and citrus. The chocolate has a mouth-coating melt and a smooth, faintly astringent mouthfeel. The finish has rich, fudgy cocoa with citrus and pomegranate/berry juiciness.

The Patric Madagascar is one of my all-time favorite Madagascan chocolates. It has the telltale citrus notes typical to the region paired with some nice juicy berry notes. But what really sets it apart is how these flavors are paired with a rich, fudgy counterpoint. This bar hits the mark for being both savorable and snackable, which is a rare find in the extra dark chocolate realm. Highly recommended.

Samuel Adams Perfect Pint Glass

Today we are branching out into glassware with a review of the Samuel Adams Perfect Pint glass. I put my recent acquisition to the test with a side-by-side comparison to my 22oz weizen glass that is my standard brew tasting vessel. The beer I used for testing was the Duvel Golden Ale that we recently reviewed. Right off the bat, I did notice a longer, stronger stream of fine bubbles rising from the etched nucleation site on the bottom of the glass. Compared to my weizen glass the Perfect Pint did a better job of retaining aroma over time. Head retention is very good with the Sam Adams glass as well.

One complaint I do have is that the 16 ounce glass seems a bit small to hold a full 12 ounce bottle of beer, especially if you give a firm pour to generate a nice foamy head. I would definitely recommend the 22 ounce version if you commonly drink pint or half-liter sized beers. All in all, I am very happy with the Sam Adams glass and I will be using it for the majority of my beer tastings in the future.

Duvel Belgian Golden Ale

Brewery:  Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat
Location: Breendonk-Puurs, Belgium
Style: Pale Ale
Brewery Website
Rating: A

Today we are tasting Duvel's flagship brew, their Belgian Golden Ale. The beer pours a clear straw-gold color with a huge head of clumpy white foam. The nose has malty notes reminiscent of a European lager along with some herbal hops and a hint of yeasty esters.

On the palate there is initial bit of tartness that fades through some herbal and grassy notes and then settles into sweet wheaty malt with some pasta dough flavor. Herbal and winy notes are present and combine to give a brief impression of fume blanc. There is a touch of sweet banana esters as well. The Duvel is medium-bodied and crisp. The finish has lingering sweet malt notes paired with herbal notes that fade in and out.

The Duvel Golden Ale is one of the most widely known Belgian beers. It is highly regarded, and with good reason. This is a well-balanced beer. The Duvel is a malt-forward ale, but has a perfect blend of yeast and hops notes to support the malt and add a wealth of complexity. This beer is a true classic.

Johnnie Walker Double Black Label

Distillery: Johnnie Walker
Location: Kilmarnock, Scotland
Proof: 80
Distiller website
Rating: A-

Today we follow up our last review of the Johnnie Walker Black Label with their new release, the Double Black Label. The Double Black pours up a deep honey-amber color and looks identical to the Black Label in color when placed side-by-side. The nose has the same peat, oak and vanilla from the Black Label along with a big helping of wood smoke.

On the palate the Double Black Label has peat smoke up front along with some black pepper spiciness. There are notes of vanilla, oak and iodine as well, but they are further in the background than the Black Label. There is also a hint of oaked red wine here as well. The mouthfeel is tannicly astringent just like the Black Label. On the finish, the Double Black Label has vanilla sweetness paired with pit barbecue smoke.

I wasn't sure what to expect from the Double Black Label, but what I found was remarkably close to the original Black Label. The vanilla and smoke notes were bigger on the double black and the iodine and sweetness (particularly on the finish) were a little toned down. There is a nice black pepper spiciness in the Double Black as well. I think I was expecting something drastically bigger or different with the Double Black Label, but what I found instead was just a bit of a modification to the original. While the Double Black Label is not a "rush out and buy this now" kind of release, it is still an excellent whisky on its own merit.

Johnnie Walker Black Label

Distillery: Johnnie Walker
Location: Kilmarnock, Scotland
Age: 12 years
Proof: 80
Distiller website
Rating: A-

We're doing some scotch reviews this week to test out some recent acquisitions of mine, namely the Glencairn whisky tasting glass and Johnnie Walker's Double Black Label. We're going to start off today with the original Black Label to have a comparison for its "double" brother. Johnnie Walker Black Label pours up a deep honey-amber in color. The nose detects peat, smoke, oak and some seaweed.

On the palate, peat is the dominant flavor. Smokiness and oak play the lead support roles. Some iodine notes (similar to bacon or seaweed) are here along with hints of vanilla, unsweetened chocolate and cherries. Johnnie Walker Black Label has a slightly astringent, tannic mouthfeel. The finish is slightly sweet, with oak and fading peat. The sweet note is the last to fade in the end.

Johnnie Walker Black Label has long been my go-to blended scotch. It has the classic Islay peat and iodine flavor I love (largely owing to the Lagavulin used in the blend) without being overpowering. This is one of my all-time favorite pairings for a sweet, chocolaty dessert.

Saranac India-Style Copper Ale

Brewery: The Matt Brewing Company
Location: Utica, NY
Style: IPA
Brewery Website
Rating: A

The folks over at Saranac apparently had a hard time choosing, so they split the difference when naming today's beer - their India Style Copper Ale. The beer pours up (you guessed it) a deep copper color, with a foamy tan head. The nose is pleasantly complex with notes of citrus hops, malt syrup and some yeast ester notes that take on a bit of a cherry aroma.

The palate first picks up some breakfast cereal off-dry malt notes. Hops lead with citrus and apricot. Pine resin comes in a bit later along with some black pepper spice notes. The hops bite builds over time. The same cherry note of yeasty fruit that was on the nose makes an appearance on the palate as well. A fleeting hint of sweetness supports the fruit notes well. The Saranac India Style Copper Ale is medium-bodied with some hoppy oiliness. The finish has off-dry malt with a long hops bite, which is paired with fruity notes from both the yeast and hops.

Saranac has a big winner on their hands with the India Style Copper Ale. This ale has some nice complexity and is well-balanced. There is enough of a malt backbone here to withstand the IPA-style hoppiness, and a nice shot of yeasty fruit esters really fits in quite well for such a hoppy beer. This is a unique take on the copper ale style and is well worth seeking out.

Taza 70% Cacao Puro Chocolate Mexicano

Manufacturer: Taza
Cocoa Content: 70%
Location: Dominican Republic
Manufacturer Website
Rating: B

Today's chocolate tasting is something a little different. We have Taza 70% Chocolate Mexicano "puck" on the tasting block today. This is a disc of stone-ground Dominican dark chocolate. The chocolate is a deep reddish-brown in color. It has a firm, slightly crumbly snap to it with lots of small crystals visible along the snap line. The nose has cocoa with notes of plum and black currant.

The palate leads off with a liqueur note. It then moves to s fruity acidity with hints of plum, nectarine and some citrus. There is a fudgy undertone of brownie batter, Chewing the Tazo 70% disc brings forward notes of marshmallow and sour cherries. The texture is very course with a gritty texture and lots of crunchy crystals. The finish has stone fruit that fades to toffee, caramel and finally a bitter espresso note that takes some time to fade in.

As far as snacking chocolate goes, the Taza Chocolate Mexicano disc is a totally different experience from a textural standpoint. It is very coarse and almost crunchy with the smount of crystals present. The flavor is really nice, with a bright fruitiness and a nice cocoa richness. While I don't think I will be snacking on this again, I really can't wait to try this in a hot chocolate.

E. Guittard Nocturne 91% Dark Chocolate

Manufacturer: Guittard Chocolate Company
Cocoa Content: 91%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: B+

Today's tasting is Guittard's Extra Dark chocolate bar, their 91% cacao Nocturne. The Nocturne is deep brown in color, bordering on ebony, with merlot undertones. The nose is predominantly cocoa with hints of vanilla and mint.

On the palate there is an initial kick of bitter coffee grounds with some green notes. The acidity starts to roll in and brings some juiciness with notes of blackberries, currants and some apricot as well. Sweet spice notes of cinnamon and mint are here, along with some cedar. There are also notes of toasted oats and nutty notes of chestnuts and macadamia. Chewing the Nocturne brings forward a strong chocolate note along with raspberry, blueberry and mint. The melt is excellent and uniformly smooth. there is some astringency on the mouthfeel as well. The finish is quite long with a nutty, coffee ground note.

E. Guittard has done a nice job with their extra dark Nocturne. While the balance leans strongly toward the bitter/coffee ground flavors that often come with the territory at this high of a cocoa percentage, there is a nice supporting note of mint along with some hints of fruit to help round things out a little. The Nocturne is worth seeking out if you like dark chocolate in the 90%-plus range.

Dark horse Sapient Trip Ale

Brewery: Dark Horse Brewing Co.
Location: Marshall, MI
Style: Tripel
Brewery Website
Rating: B

Today we are tasting the Dark Horse Serpent Trip Ale. The beer pours up a hazy, deep gold color with lots of sediment and a short white head. The nose has lots of yeasty ester notes of banana and circus peanuts along with sweet spice notes of cinnamon and cardamom.

The palate leads off with wheaty malt notes, followed by a squirt of acidity. There are more yeast ester notes, but not as potent as the nose hinted at. The hops has a notable bite with citrus notes, but it really plays a support role here. The Serpent Trip Ale has a light-to-moderate bodied mouthfeel. The alcohol pairs with a fine fizz to leave a bit of a tingling sensation on the tongue. The finish finds a lingering hops bite with yeast and some light malt notes.

The Dark Horse Serpent Trip Ale is a nice tripel, although it is a bit on the light side. This drinks like an amped-up weissbier with an interesting hops character. Belgian Tripel and weissbier fans would do well to check this one out.

Dogfish Head Hellhound on my Ale

Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Location: Milton, DE
Style: IPA
Brewery Website
Rating: B+

Up for review today is Dogfish Head's tribute to late guitarist and bluesman Robert Johnson. Hellhound on my Ale is heavily-hopped IPA with additions of dried lemon. It pours up a clear, golden amber with a faint haze and a foamy, off-white head. The nose is loaded with citrus hops, with notes of both grapefruit and lemonade.

The palate is slammed right off the bat with a big bite of resiny hops up front, which move to some piny and herbal hops notes. Citrus undertones then start to shine through. There is a big bitter bite here like very sharp cheese. Hints of oak and woody spice are tucked in the background as well. The Hellhound on my Ale has a medium-heavy body with mouthcoating resin and astringency. The finish has long, lingering piny hops notes along with hop resin and tannic herbal notes akin to a very strong black tea.

The Hellhound on my Ale hits 100 IBU's, making this beer about as bitter as they come. This is a real treat for the big hopheads out there. The only downside is that any potential complexity is completely inundated under massive hoppiness. Nonetheless, this beer is yet another fantastic showing from Dogfish Head and is well worth a try if you like your beer to bite back.

Trader Joe's 72% Cacao Swiss Dark Chocolate

Manufacturer:Trader Joe's
Cocoa Content:72%
Manufacturer Website
Rating: B+

Today's tasting is one of Trader Joe's store-brand dark chocolate bars. This bar is labeled as their 72% cacao Swiss dark chocolate. The bar is deep ebony in color with a slight waxy sheen to it. The nose has notes of vanilla and cocoa liquor.

The palate leads off with a rich, fudgy brownie batter note. This is followed up by some lightly toasted peanuts. Acidity is on the lighter side with hints or citrus along with a cherry note. There is also some almond nutty notes and a hint of bitter espresso. Chewing the chocolate reveals cherries, peanut butter and a hint of marshmallow and caramel. The mouthfeel is fairly smooth and slightly thick with a bit of a cooling sensation. The finish has peanut butter and caramel notes with some marshmallow and fudge.

While it may be nothing out of the ordinary, the Trader Joe's Swiss 72% dark chocolate bar is very snackable. There is a straightforward fudge and nut flavor profile that makes this chocolate easy to enjoy. This is a good choice for a budget chocolate bar that is relatively easy to find.

Samuel Adams 2010 Longshot Blackened Hops

Brewery: The Boston Beer Company
Location: Boston, MA
Style: Black IPA
Brewery Website
Rating: A

Today's tasting is a Black IPA from Samuel Adams. I know I'm posting this a bit late, as this is one of the 2010 winners of their yearly Longshot homebrew competition, but homebrewer Rodney Kibzey's creation is well worth discussion. The beer is a deep chestnut color, bordering on opaque black. The head is huge and foamy, and pours up tan-brown in color. The nose is led by fresh-squeezed citrus hops paired with a touch of roast coffee.

The initial impression on the palate is that of a juicy, citrus-hopped pale ale. This then fades to a smoky bbq flavor. There are notes here of iodine, maple and hickory. The flavor combination really reminds me of real pit barbecue. The hops here are mostly on the aromatic side with citrus and fruity notes, but there is a bit of a mild bitter kick, especially as it pairs up with espresso notes from the roast malt. The Blackened Hops has a medium-full body. The finish is smoky, roasted malt with some lingering espresso and piny hops.

I have yet to meet a Black IPA I didn't love, and the Sam Adams Blackened Hops is no exception. The flavor here is very distinct. The combo of fruity hops paired with smoky, roasted malt makes this a killer pairing for barbecue. This is well with seeking out if you can still find some.

Julian Hard Cider

Brewery: Julian Hard Cider
Location: Julian, CA
Style: Hard Cider
Brewery Website
Rating: B

Today we're breaking out of the beer box a bit and reviewing our first hard cider. Julian pours a very light straw in color, bordering on colorless and clear. The nose has a Riesling-like wininess, along with notes of banana and apple.

On the palate, Julian Hard Cider is slightly tart, with a quick zing of lemony tartness that quickly fades. There are sweet ester notes of bananas and circus peanuts as well as some sweet apples. Julian is light-bodied with big-bubbled soda fizz carbonation and a touch of juiciness. The finish is clean and crisp with lingering dry apples and yeasty esters.

Julian Hard Cider is clean and crisp, although the flavor is on the soft side. There are some nice yeasty ester notes that add an interesting layer of complexity here. This is a decent brew, but in the end I found myself looking for a little more.

Cadbury Royal Dark Chocolate

Manufacturer: The Hershey Company 
Location: Hershey, PA
Manufacturer Website
Rating: C-

Today's dark chocolate review is the Cadbury Royal Dark chocolate bar. The Royal Dark bar is reddish mahogany in color. the nose finds cocoa and a big coconut note.

On the palate there is a note reminiscent of sweetened breakfast cereal. Notes of coconut and cocoa are notable as well. The Royal Dark is rather sweet, bordering on overly sweet, and this sweetness seems to drown out the other flavors of the chocolate. Buried way in the background there is a faint note of walnuts/hazelnuts. Chewing the Royal Dark brings some fleeting earthy and nutty notes before the overly sweet coconut floods back in. The mouthfeel has a slight sugar-crystal grit to it. The finish finds coconut and sweetened corn flakes.

Hershey's pretty much misses the mark with the Cadbury Royal Dark bar. The chocolate is overly sweet and is dominated by a powerful coconut flavor that masks just about all the other flavors in this chocolate. This pretty much seems par for the course when it comes to mass-market dark chocolate (I'm looking at you, Godiva), but it doesn't have to be that way. Hershey's is currently producing some excellent dark chocolates under their Artisan Confection lines (such as the Scharffen Berger Ben Tre). It would be fantastic if they could bring some of that high quality production to their mass-market brands.

Otter Creek Irish Red Ale

Brewery: Otter Creek Brewing
Location: Middlebury, VT
Style: Amber
Brewery Website
Rating: B

Today's tasting is Otter Creek's new winter seasonal, the Winter Red Ale. Thw Winter Red is a deep chestnut-amber in color with a short, off-white head. The nose finds citrus and herbal hops notes. There are also aromas of fresh-baked bread and malt syrup.

On the palate there is a quick taste of fruity hops which moves into a sharp steely/mineral note that is paired with an oily, bitter hops bite that has a touch of pine. A dry, toasted malt note sits in the background. A touch of residual sweetness is hinted at as well. The Winter Red Ale has a medium-heavy body that is a bit heavier than the typical amber. There is also a significant astringent oiliness. The finish sees the strong mineral bite clinging on with undertones of pine, pretzel and malt syrup.

Otter Creek seems like they're going for an amped up version of their flagship beer, their Copper Ale, with the Winter Red. While it does hit the mark on most accounts, the execution seems to be a bit out of balance for my tastes. The hops seems like it's all bite without much in the way of aromatics on the palate, and this ends up drowning out the malt. I also found the mineral note (likely from the resinous hops) to be a bit overpowering. Overall, the Otter Creek Winter Red Ale is worth a try if you're looking for a heavier beer for the winter that is more hops-forward, but personally I'd love to see more aroma hops and malt in the final mix.

Ommegang Three Philosophers Quadrupel 2010 Vintage

Brewery: Brewery Ommegang
Location:Cooperstown, NY
Style: Quadrupel
Brewery Website
Rating: B+

Today's tasting is the 2010 edition of Ommegang's Three Philosophers. The Three Philosophers is a blend of a Belgian-style Quad and a Belgian-style Kriek (aka, cherry lambic). The Three Philosophers pours up a deep, hazy amber-mahogany in color. The light-tan head is thick and creamy. The nose has cereal malt, fruity hops, sweet yeast esters (banana and circus peanut) as well as a hint of sweet cherry.

On the palate there is an initial acidity that is followed up by a dry malt/graininess. There are herbal and piny hops notes present in the background. Alcohol is noticeable along with mineral water and oaky/woody notes. Tart cherries from the lambic are here as well. The Three Philosophers is medium-bodied, with an initial juiciness that develops into a bit of astringency. The finish has lingering alcohol with dry grain and the faintest hint of cherry.

The Ommegang Three Philosophers is a well-constructed blend. It is complex and balanced. I did find that some of the flavors seem to clash a bit, but I bet a year or so in the cellar will round that out nicely. The cherry here makes this a fantastic pair for the Patric Rio Caribe Superior 70% dark chocolate. All-in-all, the Three Philosophers is a very good beer that promises to become great after a year or two of aging.

Left Hand Brewing Company 400 Pound Monkey

Brewery: Left Hand Brewing Company
Location: Longmont, CO
Style: IPA
Brewery Website
Rating: A

Today we get the monkey off our back and into our glass. A 400 pound monkey to be exact. Left Hand Brewing's English-style IPA pours up a deep gold color with a very short white head. The nose has a whiff of "Eurolager" along with some spice and fruity hops.

On the palate the grainy malt hits at the same time as the hops.  The hops here have a great spiciness to them along with a touch of pine and some herbal notes as well. In addition, there is a solid bitter bite from the hops. The malt has pretzel and pasta dough components to its side of the flavor profile. There are also some woody notes and a touch of alcohol. A hint of sweetness presents as a malt syrup/honeyed flavor. The 400 Pound Monkey is medium bodied with some mouth-coating astringency. The finish has lingering grains and some faint oakiness, but the dominant note is spice and piny hops.

Left Hand Brewery has a real winner on their hands with their 400 lb Monkey. This is a refreshing change from the typical west coast Cascade-fest IPA. There is a nice bit of malt here, but the hops really take the center stage. I really love the unique spice and pine hop character this beer. I can't recommend this enough to IPA fans who are looking for a bit of a break from the same old thing.

TCHO Nutty 65%

Manufacturer:TCHO
Cocoa Content:65%
Location: Ecuador
Manufacturer Website
Rating: A-

Today's chocolate tasting is the "Nutty" dark chocolate bar from TCHO. This is a 65% cacao dark chocolate of Ecuadorean origin. Please note that there are no nuts in the bar, it is simply named after the prominent nutty flavor this chocolate possesses. The bar is dark, bordering on ebony, with a hint of red. The nose is chocolatey with nutty and herbal notes.

The initial flavor impression of the TCHO Nutty is cocoa. Nutty notes and espresso then make an appearance, and the nuts steadily become more prominent. Acidity fades in bringing some cherries to the party. Biscuit notes, as well as fudgy chocolate/brownie batter notes are here as well. Chewing the chocolate brings forward notes of vanilla, cinnamon, berries and almonds. The Nutty has a smooth, creamy and somewhat thick melt. The finish is rich, fudgy chocolate with espresso and a hint of nuts.

The TCHO Nutty has a great chocolate flavor. There are nice notes of espresso, nuts and berries. While not overly complex, the TCHO Nutty is both flavorful and balanced. This is probably one of the easier bars to find of those we typically review on this site and it is well worth picking up.

Victory Yakima Glory Ale

Brewer: Victory Brewing Company
Location: Downingtown, PA
Style: Black IPA
Brewer Website
Rating: A

​Victory has thrown their hat in the ring on the Black IPA front with their Yakima Glory Ale. While not officially billed as a Black IPA on the bottle it definitely fits the style. The Yakima Glory pours up a deep amber-brown in color. It is a bit lighter than most black IPAs but that does allow a nice ruddy amber undertone peek through. The head is tan, clumpy foam. The nose is led by the aromas of citrus hops paired with caramel and chocolate.

​The palate is hit by bitter hops with some citrus notes, including a nice pineapple note. This moves into bitter roast malt notes of espresso and dark chocolate. The tongue is quickly coated with bitter notes of black coffee and hop resin. The Yakima Glory Ale is medium-bodied and not as astringent as the level of bitterness would lead you to expect. The finish has long-lingering hop with espresso undertones.

​Victory's take on the Black IPA is excellent, as I have come to expect. The focus here is definitely on the synergy between hoppy bitterness and the bitter coffee and chocolate notes coming from the roast malt. The citrus notes of West Coast hops paired with caramel and chocolate malt undertones play nice support roles. While I do with that the volume was turned up a bit on the malt side, this is really a minor quibble as the Yakima Glory ale is near-perfect.

Uerige Sticke

Brewery: Uerige Obergärige Hausbrauerei
Location: Düsseldorf, Germany
Style: Alt
Brewery Website
Rating: A

Today's tasting is the Uerige Sticke. We had high praise for its bigger brother, the Uerige Doppelsticke. How does the Sticke fare in comparison? The Uerige Sticke is deep mahogany in color with a short white head. The nose has raising, caramel and notes of dark wheat toast.

On the palate, the Sticke is juicy with some acidity. There is a note of red liquorice. The back end holds a big note of toasted grain. Raisins, nuttiness and a sweetness are here as well. the Sticke is medium-bodied and juicy. The finish has notes of banana and raisins along with plenty of dark wheat toast.

While not necessarily as big and bold as its big brother the Doppelsticke, Uerige's Sticke is still a fantastic beer on its own merit. I love the flavor profile. I also find that is quite easy drinking for a beer that has such a wealth of complex, big flavors. I did find that the Sticke was a bit undercarbonated. I can't help but wonder if the choice of a flip-top cap plays any role in that. Despite that minor quarrel, the Sticke is a fantastic beer that I highly recommend.