Welcome to Cosmo's Beer Blog!

We’re a small group of friends and family scattered across the country who’ve all developed a thirst for craft and import beer. We decided that a blog would be a great venue for us to share our hobby. Here we will review beer, compare notes and challenge each other with "Beer Missions".

So welcome to our little world of discovering great tasting beer!

Wednesday, August 31, 2011

Perkulator

Perkulator by Dark Horse Brewing
Style / abv: Dopplebock / 7.5%
Source / Temp: 12oz bottle / 50 deg
Glass: Beer Mug

Appearance: Murky brown with some red tones. It poured with a medium sized, thick bubbly brown head.

Aroma: HUGE coffee aroma with a little vanilla.

Taste: Sour coffee with a little bit of roasted malt and slight dry bitter finish.

Drinkability: With a body that is just a little bit thicker than water, you'd think that it would drink very easily. It doesn't.

Notes: The warmer it gets, the more sour it smells and tastes. I definitely think it's worth trying but the aroma is much better than the taste.

 I give Perkulator 5 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Friday, August 19, 2011

Founders... Again!

Okay, I have definitely been on a big Founders kick lately. I think this will be the last one I review for a while... until I get my hands on a bottle of Canadian Breakfast Stout that is!

Breakfast Stout by Founders
Style / abv: Imperial Stout / 8.3%
Source / Temp: 12oz bottle / 55 deg
Glass: Wine Glass

Appearance: Dark brown, verging on black. Poured with virtually no head, just a small ring of brown bubbles.

Aroma: Fresh coffee, maple and dark chocolate. I'm not sure I pick up on the Kona, but the Sumatra is evident.

Taste: Rich dark chocolate blended with robust coffee and roasted malt. Interestingly, I think the Kona is more evident in the taste. I can't taste the hops but they bite my tongue at the finish.

Drinkability: This beer has creamy, thick mouthfeel making for a good sipping beer.

Notes:
Breakfast Stout is one of my very favorite stouts. I look forward to it when it comes out each season and I buy enough to last a while.

I give Breakfast Stout a 9 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Blushing Monk

Blushing Monk by Founders
Style / abv: Fruit-Vegetable Beer / 9.2%
Source / Temp: 750ml bottle / 50 deg
Glass: Small Snifter

Appearance: Dark red brew with a fizzy amber head.

Aroma: An explosion of raspberry with some tart yeast and sour grape candy.

Taste: This beer tastes like fresh raspberries with a little grape and no discernible hops. It is very sweet and very tart with the 9.2% alcohol hidden so well that I couldn't tell it was alcoholic.

Drinkability: Slighty thicker than water with tight caronation. I can't imagine drinking this or any fruit / vegetable beer all the time, but I really enjoyed this brew.

Notes:
While Blushing Monk isn't very complex, it is the oppitome of fresh. I am so glad that Founder's is now bottling some of their specialty brews and I look forward to having this again next year!

I give Blushing Monk a 7 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

An Old Favorite

Imperial Stout by Founders
Style / abv: Russian Imperial Stout / 10.5%
Source / Temp: 12oz bottle / 50 deg
Glass: Wine Glass

Appearance: Black with a small chocolate brown head

Aroma: Chocolate liquore with a little bit bit of maple and roasted malt

Taste: Much like the aroma, it tastes like a dark chocolate liquore with and a nice roasted malt finish. The bite from the 90 ibu's does a good job balancing the sweetness.

Drinkability: Smooth creamy body with light carbonation. I can definitely finish off a bottle, but it would be the rare day that I'd drink two.

Notes:
Imperial Stout by Founders has long been been one of my favorite Russian Imperial Stouts. This is a very nicely crafted ale that is somehow both simple and intense.

I give Imperial Stout 8.5 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Wednesday, August 17, 2011

The Devil's Got My Tongue!

Devil Dancer by Founders
Style / abv: Tripel IPA / 12%
Source / Temp: 12oz bottle / 50 deg
Glass: Snifter

Appearance: This brew pours a translucent dark gold with a reddish cast. It almost looks like a glass of honey topped with a white foamy head.

Aroma: Pine, sour citrus and marmalade

Taste: Pine and burnt marmalade followed by alcohol and a big bitter aftertaste that fades quickly. The aftertaste reminds me of bay leaves.

Drinkability: A little creamy with a slight grittiness... though the grit just may be my tastebuds retreating from the bitterness... While I typically enjoy Imperial IPA's, this beer is just a bit too harsh for me. After one glass, I'm ready to move on to something else.

Notes:
I posted this same basic review on Beeradvocate, but I will be a little more frank here: I think that Founder's is a great brewery but I haven't loved any of their IPA's. I'm not saying their IPA's are bad, because plenty of people enjoy them. I am saying that they do not suit my tastes... at least not so far.

I give Devil Dancer 5.5 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Monday, August 15, 2011

Sanctification

Sanctification by Russian River Brewing
Style / abv: American Wild Ale / 6.75%
Source / Temp: 375ml bottle / 50 deg
Glass: Small Snifter

Thanks to Mike for sharing this intersting and complex ale!

Appearance: Light yellow with a very thin white bubly head.

Aroma: This beer has a distinct sour "earthy" smell with lemmon grass and pepper.

Taste: I taste star fruit, lime, and freezer burned ice in this sour ale. Long after the sour aftertaste has faded, there is a slight spiciness. It's almost like an earthy, dry Sour Patch Kid.

Drinkability: Thin and watery with tight carbonation. This is a pretty sour beer and I find that the sourness goes a long way, so I can't imagine drinking more than a glass or two.

Notes:
This is a very interesting ale. While this isn't something that I'd drink on a regular basis, that really has more to do with the tartness of the style than the quality of the brew. Still, this ale has really made me very interested in trying more sours and American Wild Ales. It is exciting to embark on a journey into a "new" style!

I give Sanctification 8.5 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Sunday, August 14, 2011

Moloko

Moloko by Three Floyds
Style / abv: Milk Stout / 8%
Source / Temp: 750ml bottle / 55 deg
Glass: Small Snifter

Appearance: Coal black with a thin tan head.

Aroma: Strong coffee and espresso scent with lots of caramel and roasted malt.

Taste: Chocolate milk and espresso with a roasty and light citrus finish. This brew makes me think of a Caramel Macchiato from Starbucks with more espresso and a hint of orange.

Drinkability: Rich, medium to thick body with very little carbonation.

Notes:
While I typically enjoy milk stouts, I especially enjoy Moloko. The roasted malt and slight hop finish balance this ale into a very drinkable milk stout.

I give Moloko a 9 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

AIPA

American IPA by Schlafly
Style / abv: American IPA / 7.2%
Source / Temp: 12oz bottle / 50 deg
Glass: Small Snifter

Appearance: Cloudy, dark golden with an orange hue.

Aroma: Very nice sour citrus tones with lemon and orange peel.

Taste: Loads of citrus flavors with a strong dry grapefruit taste. I pick up a light alcohol flavor with some yeast esters in the middle and a medium hop bite in the finish.

Drinkability: Medium creamy body, with light carbonation.

Notes:
To me, this is the perfect single IPA. While having enough aroma and taste to keep me interested, it is simple to enough to remain very very drinkable.

Standing by my "perfect" comment, I give AIPA a 10 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Thursday, August 11, 2011

Parabola

Parabola by Firestone Walker
Style / abv:  Russian Imperial Stout / 13%
Source / Temp:  650ml bottle / 50 deg
Glass:  Medium Snifter

Appearance: Deep, dark brown brew with a thin dark brown head.

Aroma: Sweet bourbon infused with molasses and a slight scent of alcohol.

Taste: Dark chocolate, mild bourbon, some milk chocolate and a surprisingly strong hop bite at the end.

Drinkability: Thick and creamy, this is a sipping beer at it's best. The alcohol is hidden very well.

Notes:
While this isn't my favorite barrel aged stout, this is a very special brew. It makes me think of a milder and slightly less flavorful version of Rare Bourbon County. I will definitely be making the trip to Chicago to pick some up when they release it again next year.

I give Parabola a 9 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Wednesday, August 10, 2011

The Elder


Brew Details and Conditions:
Brewer: Russian River
Brew: Pliny The Elder
Style: American Double IPA
Alcohol: 8%
Source: 1 Pint Bottle
Glass: Medium Snifter
Temp: 50 deg
Appearance: Golden yellow
Aroma: Sour citrus fruit, lime and something sweet... maybe honey. As the Pliny warmed, I noted an scent of what I would describe as alcoholic melon.
Taste: Refreshing and surprisingly complex taste for such a low-intensity Double IPA. Right along with the scent, I taste sour and tropical fruit with some slight tones of honey and melon. Warmth seems to shed a lot taste resulting in what almost seems like a different beer all together.
Drinkability: Smooth watery body with fairly tight carbonation. Very drinkable for a double, but then again... for my tastes (and in my opinion), this beer really doesn't seem like a double IPA. The alcohol content and mouthfeel are more comparable to an IPA than a double.
Notes:
I had very high expectations for this beer. It is so well regarded that I couldn't help but expect this beer to blow my mind. I got two bottles and when I had the first, I was a bit let down. Knowing that I had high expectations, I waited until the second bottle to do my review. While Pliny is definitely better than average, I am just not super impressed with it. Its good enough that if it were easily available I would get it on occasion but its nothing that I'd drink with regularity.

I give this nice rendition of an IPA/ Double IPA  8.5 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall