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!

Tuesday, February 14, 2012

Mission #4: Glassware


Over the years, I have spent the money to accumulate a fairly decent collection of glassware. I have snifters of varying size, tulips, stangs, pint glasses, chalices, Pilsner glasses, Weizen glasses, mugs, flutes, and wine glasses.

Yet, there are plenty of beer drinkers that drink beer directly from the decanter of origin. Others consider the pint glass to be the do-it-all beer glass. Have I wasted money and cabinet space by amassing a large collection of glassware? Or is there benefit to be enjoyed in selecting specific glassware to match the various ales and lagers?

Mission Parameters

Select
Pick out one beer from each of the following categories:
1) Any Belgian style ale
2) A Russian Imperial Stout
3) An American Pale Ale, IPA, or Double IPA

Drink
1) Sample each beer from at least three different styles of glass, making sure to pick at least one glass from the Beeradvocate recommended glasses.
2) Sample each beer from the bottle or can.

Report
Don't write a beer review, but rather a glass review. Take notes and report back on the following:
1) What, if any, are the differences in taste?
2) What, if any, are the differences in aroma?
3) From which glass did you prefer each beer?

I'll be excited to see the results of this Mission. I'm either going to feel justified in my collection of glassware or I'm going to be able to clear some space in my kitchen cabinets.

Eis Igian!
Randall

Sunday, February 12, 2012

Schlafly Reserve - Imperial Stout

2010 Schlafly Reserve - Imperial Stout by Schlafly Brewing
Style / abv: Russian Imperial Stout / 10.5%
Source / Temp: Bottle / 55 deg
Glass: Medium Snifter

Appearance: Black ale with a very thin tan head.

Aroma: I pick up alcohol, cherry, and bourbon.

Taste: I'm very surprised that the alcohol smell doesn't translate to the taste. This brew has a big sweet malty flavor and finishes with dry dark chocolate. Somewhere in the distance is a slight bourbon flavor.

Drinkability: This is a smooth, fairly thin ale with very low carbonation, and a slight hop bite at the finish.

Notes:
The alcohol sneaks up on you because, though it lingers in the aroma, it is virtually undetectable in the taste. This is a very nice, high quality beer, yet I find myself a little disappointed. When I have a bourbon barrel aged stout, I prefer a bigger bourbon flavor. To be fair, I need to try this beer fresh since two years of aging in the bottle has undoubtedly blended and mellowed the brew.

I give 2010 Schlafly Reserve - Imperial Stout 7.5 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall