Mission 3: Double Imperial = Double Taste

If you're new to the blog, please check out our scoring system under the Beer Missions tab to better understand how we are rating beers.

Okay, so this mission is going to start with an admission: I don't like reviewing beer that I don't enjoy. Don't get me wrong, I love trying all kinds of beer but I always feel bad about scoring brews low because I know that a brewer somewhere worked up a recipe and I hate trashing someone's invention. And if I'm being totally honest, I have to admit that I don't feel inspired to write about beers that I don't like. Obviously this creates an unrealistic cross-section of my tasting experience. It probably appears that I love every beer I try when the reality is that I run across many brews that don't suit my tastes.

Well, this mission didn't give me any room to hide, so I'll shoot straight.

(1) Southern Tier - Unearthly
Watery with a marmalade flavor that isn't over the top. An interesting brew that I won't avoid but probably won't go out of my way for either.
Score: 5 out 10

(2) Flying Dog - Double Dog
Oddly, the scent reminds me of a Belgian pale ale. Strong orange taste with a strong bitter alcohol finish. I won't say that this beer is bad, but it did not suit my tastes at all.
Score: 1 out 10

(3) Founders - Double Trouble
Awesome citrus hop scent, big citrus and pine front and a nice dry finish. Now, this I enjoyed!
Score: 9 out 10

(4) Mojo Risin - Boulder Beer
Small orange taste with a huge bitter finish. I like the little brother much, much better.
Score: 4 out 10

(5) Rouge - XS Imperial Pale Ale
I almost added this brew to my list of favorites. This brew reminded me distantly of an English IPA without as much "earthiness", which I really enjoyed.
Score: 8 out 10

So in the end, I did find a couple real winners. XS is good enough that I will seek it out and Double Trouble had to be listed as one of my favorites.

My new list looks like this:

(1) Bell's - Hopslam
(2) Three Floyds - Dreadnaught
(3) Oskar Blues - Gordon
(4) Three Floyds - Apocalypse Cow
(5) Founders - Double Trouble
(6) Victory Brewing - Hop Wallop

The separation between 1 - 3 is minuscule enough that it's difficult to say that I really have a favorite.

Thanks Charles, this was great mission! Lots of fun and very tasty!

Eis Igian,
Randall

Mission No. 3: Preview

I'm already geared up for Mission Number Three, great idea Charles! I have 5 never before tried (by me) IPA'S in my fridge, chilled and ready to go.

I thought that before I got going on this mission, I'd post my current top five IPA's:

1. Bell's - Hopslam
2. Three Floyds - Dreadnaught
3. Three Floyds - Apocalypse Cow
4. Oskar Blues - Gordon 
5. Victory Brewing - Hop Wallop

After compiling this list, it led me to feel that I didn't really like being limited to a "Sweet 16" list on Our Preferences. What about numbers 17, 18 and 19? What about the fact that I like my favorite stout for entirely different reasons than I like my favorite IPA? How do I even compare KBS to Hopslam to Rochfort 8? In light of this, I abandoned the "Sweet 16" and made a categoric list. I don't intend to have a 100 beers on my favorites list... but then again, why not? If we get to that point, we could always create a preferences / profile page for each of us.

But now back to the mission. With today being a great football day, I'll begin my journey into Mission Number Three by trying at least two "new" IPA's. I can't wait!

Eis  Igian,
Randall

Mission No. 3 - Double IPAs

Wow, this is a crazy one for me.  I definitely didn't see myself enjoying IPA's, let alone their double goodness older kin the Double (or Imperial) IPA.  I love the more rich flavor (and usually alcohol percentage) in the Doubles so it is part of my new challenge.  Being that we all like IPAs now (except Laura I think), the challenge will be to try at least 5 new Double or Imperial IPAs that you have never had before and then give a final tally of your top 3 favorites even if those favorites didn't move before the Mission.  The hope is that we will be forced to travel to the undiscovered country and find some new tracks of land worthy to return to in the future...find new great beer!

Although the challenge is not very original or thought provoking, I honestly just want us all to find some amazing new Double IPAs.  Maybe I'm just selfish.  Or maybe I'm thinking of all of us since we like IPAs!!

So far the Double IPAs I've loved are (in order):
1) Gordon - Oskar Blues
2) Dreadnaught - Three Floyds
3) Hercules Double IPA - Great Divide Brewing Company
4) 471 Small Patch Double Hopped IPA

Strangely enough, Colorado has 3 of my favorite 4 so far.

Very excited to find a few more great ones to throw on the list!  Cheers and let's see what great new Double IPAs you can find for me...I mean we can all find for each other!!

"broma theon"
"food of the gods"

-charles

Coming Soon

Coming soon: our first group review!

Oskar Blues: Gubna

I have another top 3 beer!  This beer is amazing with a capital A!  It is strange that it took this long for me to enjoy an IPA, but when you taste this IPA you are brought into an amazing world of goodness whether you want to go or not.  

Brewer: Oskar Blues Brewery
Brew: Gubna
Style: Imperial IPA
Alcohol: 10%
Source: 12 oz can
Glass: St. Arnold's Tumbler
Temp: Pulled from freezer (trying to cool quicker)...40 deg?
Appearance: Light Amber
Aroma: citrus
Taste: The most balanced citrus flavor I've had in an IPA yet, so robust with other flavors, just can't name them, but it was absolutely amazing.
Drinkability: Very smooth, amazingly easy to drink and this is saying a lot for me with 10% alcohol, which is freakishly hidden. The beer was chilled a little too much so there was almost no head and the bubbles were very slow to rise.  Can't wait to try another one...pulled from the fridge this time.

This beer gets a 10 of 10!

"Broma theon"

-charles

Dark Horse

Brew Details and Conditions:
Brewer: Dark Horse Brewing Company
Brew: Plead The 5th Imperial Stout
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
Alcohol: 12%
Source: 12 oz bottle
Glass: New Belgium Goblet
Temp: 50 deg
Appearance: Thin chocolaty brown head, jet black ale.
Aroma: Molasses, chocolate, coffee, slight booziness
Taste: Creamy chocolate and coffee with no noticeable roasted malt.
Drinkability: Very smooth, very easy to drink and deceptively alcoholic. While the bubbles make a cool pattern atop the brew, I only notice slight carbonation..
Notes:

I give this very drinkable stout 8.5 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Mission Two: A Festival Of Belgian Ales

Okay, the completion of this Beer Mission is coming quite a bit later than I had planned, but I have finally sat down to complete it. I thought a bit about the best way to put my thoughts to "paper" and have decided to do sort of a head-to-head comparison.

Brewer	Trappistes Rochefort	Trappistes Rochefort	Trappistes Rochefort	St Bernardus
Brew	6	8	10	12
Style	Belgian Strong Dark Ale	Belgian Strong Dark Ale	Belgian Quad	Belgian Quad
Alcohol	7.5% (Not noticeable)	9.2% (Hidden pretty well)	11.3% (Warm alcohol feel with each sip)	10.5% (Hidden very well)
Source	11.2oz Bottle	11.2oz Bottle	11.2oz Bottle	25.4oz Bottle
Glass	Orval Goblet	Westmalle Goblet	Westmalle Goblet	Large Wine Glass
Temp	50 deg	50 deg	50 deg	50 deg
Appearance	Cloudy light brown with a frothy tan head	Cloudy dark brown with a frothy tan head	Cloudy dark ruby red with a frothy tan head	Cloudy plum color with a gushing foamy white head.
Aroma	Some caramel and a little bit of sour fruit	Strong estery yeast with big notes of plum	Sweetest aroma of the four with notes of cherry and grape	Clove, anise, estery yeast, dark fruit and light notes of apple
Taste	Dry, mildly sweet with some apple and a small spice finish	Rich and sweet with warm fruit tones and a smooth fruity finish	Strong sweet grape, w/some "breadiness" and a light bitter finish	Sweet, smooth with some hints of anise and a sweet finish
Mouthfeel	Watery with medium carbonation	Slightly thicker than water with light carbonation	Syrupy with almost no carbonation	Watery with medium carbonation
Drinkability	I could drink more than one bottle.	One whole bottle is about my limit.	I could drink half a bottle.	Very, very drinkable. I could (and did) drink an entire 750ml bottle.
Notes	Lacks the rich and hearty attributes that I associate with the style	In my opinion, this is the  quintessential Belgian Strong Dark	Rochefort 10 is very well thought of, but just doesn't suit my tastes and borders on too sweet for the style	I absolutely love the craftsmanship of this ale.
Score	6 of 10	10 of 10	6 of 10	10 of 10

If you're new to these styles, let me make a note about drinkability. These are big, hearty ales that fill your belly and satisfy the taste buds. While technically they are all beer, they have about as much in common with a session beer as a Great Pyrenees does with a Chihuahua. These ales drink more like a glass of rich wine than a glass of Budweiser.

In closing, all four of these brews are good examples of fine Belgian ales and all four are well respected. While I can enjoy them all, St Bernardus 12 and Rochefort 8 are especially magnificent ales that leave little room for improvement. St Bernardus 12 was influential enough that I had to change my Sweet 16 and give it nearly top honors.

Mike, this was a great Mission, one that I throughly enjoyed!

Eis Igian,
Randall

Video

I just posted a new video from Modern Marvels on beer. The original video got pulled off of YouTube, so I posted a link to it on the video page.

Gulden Draak

Brew Details and Conditions:
Brewer: Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V.
Brew: Gulden Draak
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Alcohol: 10.5%
Source: 11.02 oz bottle
Glass: New Belgium Goblet
Temp: 50
Appearance: Small tan head atop a a deep ruby brown ale.
Aroma: Sweet grape, plum and that awesome scent of estery Belgian yeast.
Taste: Sweet malt blended unbelievably well with grape and a light alcohol finish.
Drinkability: The mild carbonation and smooth body make this brew go down a little too easy.
Notes: This one was just as good at room temperature as it was cold.

I give this AMAZING brew a 9.5 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Coming Soon... Micro Reviews

When I first started posting reviews, I tried to write detailed accounts that highlighted as much of the experience as I could capture. More recently I have been trying to shorten my reviews a bit, mostly for the sake of saving time.

Even then, I still put a fair amount of thought into what I have to say and how I want to say it. Due to the cost in time I have found that I'm not typically writing reviews for beer that I wouldn't rate at least a 6 and even worse, I sometimes push interesting beer to the back of my fridge because I don't want to "waste" drinking it without reviewing it.

Some of the "alternative" review formats that Charles and Laura have been using got me to thinking that I'd like to try some shorter reviews. I am going to try a "Micro Review" style where I just hit the high points and give a quick summary. Or maybe even just the high points or just the summary.

I'll still write detailed reviews for the Beer Missions and I'm sure plenty of brews will inspire careful illustration, but I'm looking forward to trying my hand at a more expedient format.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Mission No. 2...success

Wow, I am really beginning to enjoy beer.  My picks for the challenge were all amazing and I kind of knew that going in. I chose the Westmalle Dubbel, Westmalle Tripel, and Allagash Four Ale to sample the differences in flavor between a dubbel, tripel and a quad.

The Dubbel is just the perfect loyal reliable contender that I knew it would it be as it amazes you both in the initial taste and after effect.   The first time I tried it I was tasting beers every other night by just drinking half of the bottle; I did not stop by just drinking half the bottle with the dubbel.  

The tripel doesn't settle as nicely as the dubbel, but its flavor is a home run.  It has a lot of carbonation, a little bit clearer appearance, and a little more of a kick.

And finally the Quad had the most amazing flavor out the three delivering a taste I had never had before, but now absolutely desire to have again.  With its warm 10% alcohol rating it manages to not overwhelm you while transferring a healthy dose of delicious amber successfully to its new resting place....my belly.  Grabbing the Allagash at $16 a bottle (priced at $20) I was a little nervous not knowing if it would live up to the price; I was pleasantly rewarded for my purchase.

If other quads are as rich in flavor and balanced in alcohol punch I think I might have a new favorite.  In short, the quad won the contest in fullness and flavor and desirability.  Since I didn't take the minute to write the review when I had tasted these amazing contenders I won't finish with the normal bullet point statistics.  All you have to know is that Allagash is truly an amazing beer along with the greatness that is Westmalle and is now on my sweet 16 hall of fame.

Success was indeed reached through this new mission as I found a new friend...Allagash.

Broma Theon

-Charles

PBR Gets the Blue Ribbon

Brewer/Brew: Pabst Brewing Company / Pabst Blue Ribbon

Style: American Adjunct Lager

Source: Straight out of the can and into an English half-pint

My opinion of this brew...

Well, I gave PBR the winning spot for the 1st Beer Mission! Granted, I tried only a handful of the many American Adjunct Lagers that are out there, but nonetheless, Pabst Blue Ribbon was my favorite. As I took my first sip, I tasted a little hint of lemon (just a smidgen). The flavor is neither sweet nor bitter and doesn't offend my taste buds at all. As the beer leaves my tongue, I taste a slight wheat aftertaste (something pleasant in my book). Mmmmm, it's just plain enjoyable and cost me less than $1 at the local liquor store. What more could I ask for??! Each mouthful leaves me wanting another one. Interestingly, the taste isn't really striking, but rather it's mild & has just enough flavor to be memorable. I truly like this beer and would certainly pay for another one. Congrats PBR and thanks for being less than a dollar!

My rating: 7 out of 10

I Found My Mojo!

Brew Details and Conditions:
Brewer: Boulder Beer
Brew: Mojo India Pale Ale
Style: American IPA
Source: On tap @ Scotty's Brewhouse
Glass: Standard Pint Glass
Temp: Unknown

Appearance: My glass showed up with cloudy light golden brew adorned with a small white head.
Scent: Bringing this ale to my nose revealed floral and citrus aromas followed by light notes of bittering hops. Somewhere in the background, I think I smell hints of mango. This is a very nice smelling brew!
Taste: Mojo is a pretty complex tasting beer. The taste begins with an abundance of citrus flavors: I can taste mango, grapefruit and even a little peach. As the taste transitions into the aftertaste, there is a dry, crisp grapefruit finish and unless my tastes deceive me, a touch of wheat.
Drinkability: This is a very watery ale with virtually unnoticeable carbonation. Mojo is a very "sessionable" IPA.
Notes: I didn't let my glass quite reach room temperature, but I did detect that warmth brought out a little booziness in the taste which was surprising as Mojo only tips the scales at 6.8%. Overall, I really enjoyed this brew. It is tasty, light and has a great aroma.

I give this brew an 8 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Dark vs Dark

This will not be extensive as I'm crazy busy tonight, but I thought I'd share non-the-less. I thought I would try Beck's Dark vs Shiner Bohemian Black Lager. Hands down the Shiner won the contest. I would not have guessed the local Shiner, TX brewery would outperform the German giant Becks, but that's probably because they are different beers. Shiner Black Lager is a Schwarzbier and the Beck's is a Munich Dunkel Lager. Next time I'll try the beers in their categories. I admit that I was just shooting for a dark vs dark and am glad I found the Shiner as I was very impressed. Without a formal review I would rate it an 8.

Here is a link to different Dunkels, sounds funny making that word plural.

Here is a link to different Schwarzbier beers.

broma theon,

-charles

A Belgian of a different sorts

While many of the Belgians that I've enjoyed are time honored styles, the Belgian IPA is a relative newcomer. As the name indicates, this is a Belgian take on the IPA.

Brew Details and Conditions:
Brewer: Picobrouwerij Alvinne / Den Bierzolder
Brew: Alvinne Extra Restyled
Style: Belgian IPA
Source: 11.2 oz Bottle
Glass: Large Wine Glass
Temp: 45 deg.

Appearance: The hazy golden colored ale poured with a very small head that didn't last long.
Scent: The scent of this one is an odd combination of aromas. I pick up on estery notes, followed by light yeast and finally slightly citrus hops. It smells like a Belgian Pale Ale... and a little like an IPA.
Taste: The initial taste is lightly citrus and little bit sour, once again quite like a Belgian Pale Ale. There is a small bitter aftertaste that must be the hops desperately trying to announce themselves.
Drinkability: The body of this brew is watery and lightly carbonated. A medium amount of taste + a medium alcohol content + a light body = a very drinkable ale.
Notes: This is only my second experience with a Belgian IPA, so I am not yet well versed with the style. While this brew is much more Belgian Pale Ale than IPA, I believe that is par for the style. Mostly this beer makes me think of a Belgian Pale Ale, only a little bit more sour and bitter. Overall, it's an enjoyable brew and something interesting enough to buy.

I give this brew a 6 out of 10.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Mission #2: Tackling the Tandem Trappist Task...

Since everyone seems to be in the mood to drink trappist brews lately, I figured it was time to deploy the beer brigade on a mission that I have been kicking around for awhile. Originally, I had planned to embark on this mission alone, but then I came to my senses and realized the extreme personal danger of being overwhelmed by those crafty trappists and their high gravity beers. Yes, troops... we are in this together, and you will want backup on this mission.

The Mission
This mission is basically an opportunity to further develop a palate while sampling some of the finest trappist beverages that are widely available. Brasserie de Rochefort makes the Trappistes Rochefort 6 (Belgian Strong Dark Ale), the Trappistes Rochefort 8 (another Belgian Strong Dark Ale), and the Trappistes Rochefort 10 (Quadrupel). The mission is simply to try these three beers and pick out the differences between them. The sweet malt backbone, apparent use of spices instead of hops, the dark fruit esters, and the differing alcohol content of each of these beers are all important characteristics that may help to distinguish differences and further develop your palate.

Mission Parameters
1) I do not think it is necessary to review each of these beers for this mission, but you can if you wish. A summary post of your adventures with the Rocheforts should give everyone a good idea of what these beers are all about.
2) Try to address the following questions during this beer mission: Did you like these beers? What did they taste like? What are the differences between them?
Optional parameter - If you wish, you can also try the St. Bernardus Abt 12 (Quadrupel) by the Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV and compare it to the Rochefort 10. How are these two beers different and which one (if you have a preference) did you prefer?

This beer mission is meant to be enjoyable without having to think too much. In my opinion, these are all great beers that will enhance your life with their unique characters. Have fun with this mission and enjoy the beer!

Orval Trappist Ale

With the words 'trappist' and 'Belgium' on the bottle I was sold immediately.  The initial taste is not the splendor that Westmalle is, but the more you drink it the better the aftertaste intermingles with the taste buds and provides a pleasant surprise.

Brew Details: Orval brewed byBrasserie D' Orval, Belgium
Serving Conditions: Served directly from the uncalibrated fridge into my 'Duvel' tulip glass.
Appearance: A very foggy amber, reminiscent of a hefeweizen.
Scent: Smells amazing, reminds me of other trappist ales.
Taste: Smooth, but a touch more bitter than I expected.
Mouthfeel: Lots of carbonation with a great warm aftertaste.
Drinkability: I could have another one, but I wouldn't choose it purposely.

It gets a 7.5, because the more you drink it, the better it tastes due to the amazing aftertaste.  The Belgium's generally do not disappoint and this is a great beer, just not in comparison to the Westmalle Trappist Ale.

-charles

Maudite by Unibroue

Yet another bottle of beer with an appearance of the nether regions of hell inviting you to take a drink.  This one however scored much higher with me than the last 'bastard'.  The writing on the beer really does define the taste quite well:

"La Maudite (damned), referemented on yeast base in the bottle, goes down uncommonly smooth.  One taste of this excellent malt beverage will instill in you the highest respect and appreciation for its warm mellowing effect."

I highly agree, see the comments I wrote before I read the label below:

• Brew Details: Maudite brewed by Unibroue
• Serving Conditions: Served directly from the uncalibrated fridge into my 'Duvel' tulip glass.
• Appearance: A foggy amber
• Scent: yeast, very similar to a good hefeweizen (Franziskaner being my favorite so far)
• Taste: Smooth and rich with a deep warming flavor well balanced with the alcohol content (not overpowering).
• Mouthfeel: Lots of carbonation with a subtle and inviting aftertaste.
• Drinkability: Definitely ready for another one, just not tonight.  This could be the beer for the evening and I would not be disappointed.

This is my highest tested ranking so far, I'm giving this one a 9.  I guess it just reminds me of my favorite hefeweizen too much, but with more boldness.  So far both drinks I have had by Unibroue are amazing; the other drink being La Fin du Monde.  Unibroue has now made my list of favorite breweries, I will be looking for more of their beverages very soon.

Next stop, Orval Trappist Ale...

broma theon

"food of the gods"

-Charles

A Belgian Beauty... don't tell my wife!

My wife loves the Belgian ales, so I hope she's not too disappointed that I opened this one without her...

Brew Details and Conditions:
Brewer: Trappist Achel
Brew: 8° Brune
Style: Belgian Dubbel
Source: 11.2 oz Bottle
Glass: Large Wine Glass
Temp: 50 deg.

Appearance: True to form, the Trappist ale poured with an enormous head that lingered for an eternity. The color is a deep, murky amber.
Scent: Right off the bat, I notice that estery Belgian yeast. The aroma is warm and inviting with notes of plum and grape. In many ways it is more reminiscent of a glass of wine than a glass of beer.
Taste: I have waited very impatiently for the head to dissipate, but its still lingering. I guess I'm just going to have to dive in. The taste is very much like the scent: smooth, sweet and fruity. I can taste the grape quite well and note some more wine-like characteristics. In my experience that is quite common with many of the Trappist ales. There is a barely noticeable slightly bitter aftertaste that lasts for only a moment.
Drinkability: The mouthfeel is smooth and watery with small, punishing bubbles of carbonation. This ale is very, very drinkable which is good and bad. The satisfaction to the senses is good, but the 8% alcohol and the price tag could prove quite bad.
Notes: Time was no challenge to the head of this beer. Even when my glass was almost empty, a 1/4-inch head boldly persisted. The lacing was almost ridiculous as it lined almost half my glass. Warmth brought little change in the flavor. This beer tasted just as good at room temperature as it did at 50 degrees.

This is my favorite Dubbel so far. Awesome taste, inviting aroma, beautifully hidden alcohol, what more could I ask for?

For now, I give Achel 8° Brune a 9 out of 10. This may change as I try other Dubbels. I really wonder if there is a better example of the style, for my tastes anyway.

Eis Igian,
Randall

Arrogant Bastard Ale

After initially thinking I was picking up 'Dirty Bastard', I instead
found another bastard to take home.
Their bottle is quite hilarious as they seem to poke a little fun at
breweries spending millions of dollars in advertising convincing
everyone that they are small breweries. Here is an excerpt from the
bottom of the bottle:

"Questions or comments? If you don't like this beer, keep it to
yourself ---- we don't want to hear from any sniveling
yellow-beer-drinkin' wimps, 'cause this beer wasn't made for you."

• Brew Details: Arrogant Bastard Ale by the Stone Brewing Co. in Escondido, San Diego County, CA
• Serving Conditions: Served directly from Specs into my 'Duvel' tulip glass once I got home.
• Appearance: Amber, almost ruby
• Scent: Very strong citrus, grape fruit
• Taste: Bitter, literally like a grape fruit. I love grape fruit so I do enjoy this beer.
• Mouthfeel: bah..still don't like this weird term. Perfect consistency with a good balance of carbonation.
• Drinkability: I am ready for a different beer once finish a glass, it doesn't hold my palet very well as it has a strong bitter aftertaste.

I personally give it a 6.5 out of 10, but that doesn't mean this is a
bad beer, it just doesn't fit my taste right now. If I was a huge IPA
fan I would probably enjoy this more as it tastes similar in citris to
some IPAs I've had. It really is an amazing beer, just not my current
flavor of choice.
-Charles