The Drunken Polack

Boulevard Brewing Saison-Brett - Happy Super Bowl day people.  I hope you all are drinking some fantastic beer with friends.  Here is part two of my snowed in beer drinking journey.  I didn’t mess around with busting out the good stuff.  First up is Saison-Brett from Boulevard Brewing and their Smokestack Series.  They make a regular version of this beer without the Brettanomyces.  I still haven’t tried that one but when I got trading I made sure this version was one of the first beers I traded for.  Who doesn’t like some funk thrown into their beer?  You can’t tell me you don’t!

Saison-Brett pours a huge huge head.  Everytime i poured a new glass of this stuff all I got mostly was head.  Huge foamy, bubble filled head like the one you see in the glass.  Lacing everywhere.  The color is a very hazy light orange color.  The aroma on this Saison is really really nice and inviting.  A tiny of bit of funk.  Not overwhelming like some other beers dosed with Brett.  Actually everything in the smell was light.  Small amount of lemon peel and spice.  Nice background of yeast and an slight earthy aroma.  Really nice.

Now what I didn’t pick up with the smell was a nice fruity presense.  It’s here in the taste though.  Lemon, citrus, and mango.  The tartness and funk are there but like in the smell it’s very smell.  It just adds to the taste and doesn’t try to take over.  I actually wish it was would of had a little bit more of a role in the taste.  Yeasty with a pale malt background.  The taste is nice but it’s also very light.

The mouthfeel is nicely carbonated.  Light to medium bodied.  Crisp with a dry finish.

While this is an excellent beer, I wish it would of had a little bit more of a punch when it comes to the flavor.  Good but not great.

Found: Beer Trade
Price: Not to sure on this one.
Website: http://www.blvdbeer.com/
What the company says: Nothing about their Brett version of this beer on their site.
ABV%: 8.50%
Other beers to try from this brewery: Boulevard Brewing Imperial Stout, Bouelvard Brewing Seeyoulator
Other beers to try within the same style: The Bruery Saison Rue, Ommegang Hennepin
Rating: B+

Founders Imperial Stout - It really looks like Founders has an endless supply of beer.  It’s like I go into my local beer place every week and there is another Founders beer sitting on the shelves.  OK maybe not every week but you get the picture.  This time around it’s their Winter seasonal release, their Imperial Stout.  I heard awesome things about this beer so I picked up a few.  One to drink now and a few to cellar.  Can’t try to try one a year from now since I loved it fresh.

Founder’s Imperial Stout pours pitch black.  Pours thick like motor oil.  A small tan head is poured and pretty much disappears to nothing except lacing around the glass.  At first the smell of this brew will not blow you away.  When I first poured it I had to sit there to pick some stuff up but as it warms the flavor pops more and more.  Chocolate, roasted malt, molasses, and a smokey aroma.  As it warms it becomes almost like a mocha.  It makes you want to dive right in.  For being 10.50% there is no sign of alcohol in the nose.  Very nicely done.

For the taste the roasted malt comes in first with a nice bit chocolate coming in next.  To me it tasted like chocolate malt ball.  The alcohol makes a little bit more of an appearance then it did in the aroma.  It won’t smack you in the face though.  Coffee is also there and adds a little bit of a bitter taste.  The beer ends with some molasses and dark fruits.  The taste isn’t big like a lot of imperial stouts out there.  But it’s nice and rich.  Really wanted another one after I was done with the bottle I had.

The mouthfeel on this brew is really a one of the stars of the show.  It’s full bodied, smooth, and it coats the mouth nicely.  Really well done.  If you see this brew pick it up.

Found: Grape and Gourmet, Virginia Beach, VA
Price: Around 3 dollars a bottle
Website: http://foundersbrewing.com
What the company says: Brewed with ten varieties of malted barley, this stout is smooth as silk yet complex and rich in body. Serve this guy at cellar temperature. Put another log on the fire and sit back and enjoy the friendship of this ultimate winter warmer.
ABV%: 10.50%
Other beers to try from this brewery: Founders Breakfast Stout, Founders Porter
Other beers to try within the same style: Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast, Southern Tier Mokah
Rating: A-

Avery Brabant -Brabant is the first in the line of Barrel Aged beers from Avery.  I believe they are on their third in the line.  These beers are very limited and hard to find for the most part.  They are made once and are gone forever.

Brabant is a American Wild Ale.  Wild Ales are starting to become very big in the craft beer industry.  Some say it’s the new IPA in terms of popularity.  I don’t see it getting there just yet but you do see a lot of breweries starting to make Wild Ales.  Some of the best come from Russian River and The Lost Abbey.

Brabants color looks like a cola.  It’s dark brown.  Two finger head is poured.  The head is full of craters and had good retention.  The smell is big and complex.  First up is a vinegar aroma you pick up in a lot of Flanders Red Ales.  Fighting for the top spot is a leather aroma and wood.  There is also a good amount of a barnyard funk and sourness that stings the nostrils.  A very nice and big aroma.

Up front in the taste is definitely the leather type of taste mixed in with the wood.  As it fades away the other tastes come in.  Sour cherries, funk, and a very tannic taste.  Definitely one of the most complex and unique flavors I’ve had from any beer.  Mouthfeel is medium bodied and nicely carbonated.  Sourness sticks on your tongue and the smokiness from the barrels lingers in your mouth.

Loved trying this beer.  I’ll make sure to report on how my other bottle ends up  a year from now.

Found: Grape and Gourmet, Virginia Beach, VA
Price: Around 10 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.averybrewing.com/
What the company says: Beer Style: Barrel-Aged Wild Ale, not brewed to any known style
Malt Variety: Two-row barley, dehusked carafa, honey malt, carafa 3, chocolate malt
OG: 1.074   ABV: 8.7%   IBUs: 25
Barrels: Red Zinfandel barrels from Norman Vineyards in Paso Robles, CA.
Color: Dark brown with ruby corners
Availability: One and done.  694 cases produced. Bottled February 10th, 2009.  Grab it if you can find it!
ABV%: 8.70%
Other beers to try from this brewery: Avery Karma, Avery Hog Heaven
Other beers to try within the same style: Russian River Temptation, Ommegang Ommegeddon
Rating: A-

Clipper City Heavy Seas The Great Pumpkin – I’ve been kind of hard on Clipper City.  I’ve tried some of their stuff and well I really couldn’t get into any of it.  But what do you know,  a Pumpkin Ale shows some hope!!  One of my favorite beers of all time happens to be from the same style, Southern Tier Pumking, but for reason this years version isn’t to good.  So it’s nice to find another good Pumpkin Ale to fall back on and this is right up my alley.

The Great Pumpkin pours a fiery orangish red color.  Small head and minimal lacing.  Right off the bat I know I’m going to love this beer.  The smell just reminds me of fall and a nice pumpkin pie.  What I liked about it is that yes there’s a good aroma of pumpkin in there but there’s also a great balance of spices to along with it.  Cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar come together to make a hell of a aroma.  The spices definitely take front stage on the taste but aren’t overpowering.  Just like in the smell it’s a great mixture.  It has a great rich, spicy, and sweet taste to it.  The 8.5% abv is masked really well.  I didn’t get any kind of alcohol taste.  The mouthfeel is thick, smooth, and creamy.  My favorite brew from these guys and I could easily see myself going back to this brew in the future.

Found: Grape and Gourmet, Virginia Beach, VA
Price: Around 5 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.ccbeer.com/
What the company says: The Great Pumpkin is our best experiment ever. The secret is in the 3 ounces of spice per barrel for this fall brew. We add the pumpkin during the mash at precisely the right time to create just the perfect balance of malt, hops, pumpkin and spice.  The crew at the brewery voted on their favorite recipe to bring you the best & biggest pumpkin beer you’ll ever have!
ABV%: 8.50%
Other beers to try from this brewery: Heavy Seas Prosit!, Heavy Seas Yule Tide
Other beers to try within the same style: Dogfish Head Punkin Ale, Williamsburg Alewerks Pumpkin Ale
Rating: B+

Avery Mephistopheles Stout – This is a beer I’ve been holding on for a while.  It’s a doozy at 16% abv.  I’ve been holding on to it hoping the alcohol taste would die down a bit.  I’ve heard people say it was pretty damn strong.  Now I love and I mean love big beers.  Especially huge stouts but this beer was just a little bit to much.  Not because it knocked me on my ass but because all of the great ingredients are stuck behind the alcohol.  There’s some really good stuff hidden behind the alcohol but how many years would it take for the beer to mellow and show it’s good stuff.

Mephistopheles pours black.  Pitch black.  It’s thick.  Huge crater filled head.  Great retention and lacing.  As soon as you pour this baby your nose is blasted with alcohol.  It’s hot.  In the aroma you can still pick up some other stuff.  Like raisins, roasted malt, molasses, chocolate, and a shot of hops but it’s in the taste where everything for me just fell apart.  The alcohol was just to big.  It covered everything else.  Sometimes I would pick up the other ingredients.  Mainly the roasted malt and chocolate but then they would get covered up again by the alcohol.  This beer is the perfect beer to have if you are stuck outside in 10 below weather.  It’s sure to warm your body.  The mouthfeel is thick and creamy.

If you buy this beer, buy two.  Try one now.  Maybe you’ll like how it is but I’m also guaranteeing you’ll get blasted by the alcohol but also put the other one away for the next 50 years.  Maybe it will mellow out by then =)

Found: Grape and Gourmet, Virginia Beach, VA
Price: Around 8 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.averybrewing.com/
What the company says: Mephistopheles is the crafty shape shifter, the second fallen angel. Amazingly complex, coal black, velvety and liqueurish, this demon has a bouquet of vine-ripened grapes, anise and chocolate covered cherries with flavors of rum-soaked caramelized dark fruits and a double espresso finish. IBU’s 107.
Mephistopheles is the final installment of “The Demons of Ale” series.
ABV%: 16.00%
Other beers to try from this brewery: Avery DuganA IPA, Avery Ellie’s Brown Ale
Other beers to try within the same style: Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast, Southern Tier Mokah
Rating: B

Terrapin Maggie’s Farmhouse Ale – Here’s another one of Spike’s Side Projects.  Beers that are only supposed to see the light of day once and then quickly disappear forever.  That doesn’t always happen though as some of his one off beers come back and get into their regular line of beers.  Gamma Ray I’m looking at you.  This time around he chose a Saison/Farmhouse Ale.  Overall I liked this brew but it’s definitely not one of the better saisons I’ve had.

Maggie’s pours a clear bubble filled light amber color. Medium sized frothy head.  Ton of lacing.  The smell is yeasty and bready.  Spicy with a hint of grassy and herbal hops.  Finish that off with a nice sweet aroma of fruit.  I was really hoping for more of a funky smell but what I got was more of a fresh clean smell.  Not bad but just not what I was hoping for.  The taste is also very clean and crisp.  Light amount of fruit, especially orange. Small amount of tartness. A shot of yeast and wheat.  It ends with the grassy hop flavor.  The mouthfeel is medium bodied and crisp.  Goes down really easy.  Overall a decent saison like I said above but I’m glad they didn’t turn this into one of their regular lineup brews.

Found: Grape and Gourmet, Virginia Beach, VA
Price: Around 8 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.terrapinbeer.com/
What the company says: Welcome to the next version of Terrapin’s Side Project series of beers. Volume #7 “Maggie’s Farmhouse Ale.” Brewing this style of beer was as exciting as it was challenging because of it’s high fermentation temp. (90 F) and its finicky yeast strain. You’ll get all the aroma and flavors you’d expect from a farmhouse ale out of Maggie’s. The nose is a combination of grassy and spicy yeasty notes with an underlying bready earthiness character. The flavor is slightly sweet up front with a tartness in the middle followed with a white pepper/tart finish. Maggie’s offers the beer lover an old world style that is very pleasing to drink by itself or paired with fine foods. Cheers! Spike
ABV%: 6.00%
Other beers to try from this brewery: Terrapin Gamma Ray, Terrapin Monk’s Revenge
Other beers to try within the same style: Goose Island Sofie, Ommegang Hennepin
Rating: B+

Avery Sixteen – First off sorry for the crappy pictures I pulled off for these two reviews.  God I’m horrible at picking lighting. Now to the review. Sixteen years.  Congrats Avery that is just amazing.  I don’t even remember what I was doing 16 years ago.  Wow I was 14 years old when this brewery first opened their doors.  Damn I feel old.  For their 16th Anniversary they made Saison/Farmhouse Ale.  Overall I really like this beer even though it’s only sitting at the grade of B on Beer Advocate.

This one pours clear golden color with a decent size frothy head.  Not a lot of lacing.  The smell on this one is nice and sweet.  Mixture of peaches, honey, and banana.  Along with that there is a spicy kick to go along with the belgian type yeast.

The taste up front is a little musty.  In the front also sits the Belgian yeast and spice.  Middle of the taste comes a little bit of a grassy hop note.  And last but not least enters a fruity ending.  I got mostly bananas with a little bit of peach.  The mouthfeel was actually quite nice.  A little bit on the thicker and heavier side then I was expecting.  Very smooth and goes down easy.

I wouldn’t put this beer in their regular lineup but I don’t mind having it as a one off beer.  I liked this beer better then their last anniversary beer.

 Found: Grape and Gourmet, Virginia Beach, VA
Price: Around 7 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.averybrewing.com/
What the company says: “Finally, we’re SIXTEEN! Dad, can we have the keys? No really, we’ll totally take care of her–keep her clean–fill up her tanks–show her off to our friends and let ‘em see what we can really do. Really? Thanks, dude! Promise to make you proud. Now to go find Jasmin, Peches and Miel! Well, we got her started and decided to add a few things to the tank. SIXTEEN is a harmonious combination of jasmine, peaches and honey fermented with an unmistakable Belgian yeast strain, all weaving a marvelously spicy and fruity, massively estery and dry, saison ale.”
ABV%: 7.69%
Other beers to try from this brewery: Avery The Kaiser, Avery Maharaja
Other beers to try within the same style: The Lost Abbey Carnevale Ale, Victory V-Saison
Rating: B+

Terrapin/Left Hand Midnight Project Brew Two 2009 Depth Charge Espresso Milk Stout – What we have here is a collaboration beer between Terrapin Brewing and Left Hand Brewing.  It’s classified as Milk/Sweet Stout but if I had to make my own catagory for it, it would be called “Wow Wow there is a lot of coffee in this stout stout” Easily the biggest coffee smell I have ever gotten out of a beer.  Yes it’s kind of a one dimensional brew.  There isn’t much more to this beer then a huge and I mean huge taste and smell of Espresso.  Not only is this beer full of coffee but it really gives off the impression of fresh ground coffee.  Like you just ripped open a bag of coffee at Starbucks.  I was really amazed how much coffee they were able to get in this beer.

The brew pours black.  Black as you’re going to get.  Nice silky head forms.  Good retention.  As soon as I started to pour this baby, the aroma of coffee just rushes out and hits the nostrils.  Like I said up above it’s just fresh, big, and rich.  Mixed in there is a little bit of chocolate sweetness.   If you like the smell of coffee like I do, you can easily just sit there and smell this beer for hours.

The taste is not as strong in coffee as the smell was.  But it’s still damn strong.  But not overwhelming.  The chocolate is more noticeable in the taste.  It’s a lovely combination.  I’ve read reviews that say it’s like chocolate covered espresso beans.  I’d say that’s 100% accurate.  Just tasty.  The mouthfeel is something that threw me off a little bit.  I was ready for the beer to be a little more thick and heavy but it wasn’t at all.  It was more on the lighter side.  But it didn’t matter.  The taste and smell of this beer make up for everything.

This beer is very well done.  It’s limited and was only brewed once.  It might not see the light of day again so if you see this beer pick it up.  I know I am.  I believe this is a stout that should be drank as fresh as possible.  Heck replace it with your morning coffee =)

Found: Grape and Gourmet, Virginia Beach, VA
Price: Around 7 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.terrapinbeer.com/ ,
What the company says: The second in the Midnight Project series. Left hand brewer, Ro, joined Spike at the Terrapin Brewery in Athens to cook up this espresso milk stout in July 2009.

Be wary of the calm before the storm. This creamy, deeply delicious milk stout will seduce you into submission while the explosion of hand roasted gourmet espresso will blow you into next week. We Shall Drink in the breweries. We Shall Drink in the pubs. We Shall Drink in the comfort of our homes. We Shall Never Surrender.
ABV%: 7.00%
Other beers to try from this brewery: Terrapin Big Hoppy Monster, Left Hand Widdershins
Other beers to try within the same style: Bell’s Special Double Cream Stout, Samuel Adams Cream Stout
Rating: A-

Let me just first say that this review (and any other review after)might of never happen  See the girlfriend and I got into a little heated argument this morning and right in the middle of it she says “You know you aren’t good at reviewing beers”  She knows how to hit me where it hurts.  I guess the comment where I stated “That I know all” really pissed her off.  I thought about throwing in the towel……..

Ale to the Chief has been out for a little bit now but it seems to sell out really quick around me.  So last time I was up in Maryland I spotted the last bottle on the shelf at State Line Liquors.  Now it ends up that it’s available around me again.  Sigh.  All I can say is that thank god it’s available local again.  The reason I say thank god it’s near me again is because this beer is fantastic. First off I had no idea this was a Double IPA.   It’s a DIPA that tastes a little different than the rest.  It has a slight twist.  A slight twist of apricot, apples, and peaches.

The beer pours a deep orange color with a medium sized head that like magic disappears very quickly.  Chief has lacing throughout.  The aroma this beer gives off is well how can I put it, beautiful maybe.  Only other IPA that has a better aroma to me is Pliny the Elder.  Basically you take a piney, floral smell full of grapefruit and mix it together with the other fruits like the apricot, apple, etc and you get what smells like candy.  It’s hard to describe but just believe me when I say it’s pretty damn amazing.

Taste is just as good.  Beer starts of with the piney hops flavor and grapefruit.  In the middle it picks up the other fruits and in the end a bit of a biscuit, burnt malt flavor comes in along with a slight bitter and dry finish.  It’s awesome and it’s limited.  Brewed once to never been seen again.  They need to add this to their regular lineup.  It’s just fantastic.  But what would I know.  I don’t know anything about beer!
 

Found: State Line Liquor, Elkton, Maryland
Price: 8 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.averybrewing.com/
What the company says Couldn’t find any info about this beer on their site.
ABV%: 8.75%
Other beers to try from this brewery: Avery The Reverend, Avery Hog Heaven
Other beers to try within the same style: Russian River Pliny the Elder, Bells Hopslam
Rating: A-

Found: State Line Liquors (Thanks for making the trip Jeff!)
Price: Around 6 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.averybrewing.com
What the company says: 15 years of brewing! You know whats been the best part lately? Tons of experimentation! For the past couple of years, we’ve been working with several strains of brettanomyces (wild yeast). We found one and deemed it the best for it’s tart flavor and funky, fruity aroma. Adding black mission figs for a subtle jammy aspect, hibiscus flowers for an herbal bouquet and hazy sunset hue, and white pepper for a bit of spicy twang, we’ve created FIFTEEN– a unique drinking experience inspired by the wild farmhouse ales of Belgium. Though immensely complex today, more flavors will emerge with time, so throw a few bottles in your cellar for future celebrations.
Thanks to everyone who has made our 15-year ride possible. Peace to all and follow your dreams!

What I say: I love finding brewed once beers.  Meaning they are brewed once and never to be seen again.  There is Avery Fifteen and like it says above this beer was brewed for their 15th Anniversary.  Congrats Avery.  You make some fantastic beers.  Some fantastic big beers at that.  This one really isn’t any different.  Well it is actually different.  Haven’t had anything like it yet.

Recently I had a beer from He’brew where I had a real issue with finishing the second glass. Something in the taste turned me off a bit. That doesn’t happen to often. Well it happen again. With this brew.

The Look: Pours an almost clear golden color with little to no head at all. 

What the nose thought: Wow there is a lot going on with this smell.  A ton of different spices, fruits, flowery, and just plain funky.  The figs might be the biggest smell though. 

And the tastebuds?: After the funky smell I was excited and scared to give this brew it’s first taste.  What I got was something I really couldn’t get into.  Like the smell it has a ton going on.  Spiciness, fruity (mainly the figs), and the herbal and flowery taste.  A little tart.  Made me think of taking medicine.  I really just couldn’t get into this one.  But I could see others loving this beer.

The feel: Light and easy to drink but a little dry.

Would you drink more?: No.  I’m glad this isn’t a full time beer from them.  I’m glad they can do these kind of beers once.  It was a treat to try because you never know what you’re going to get.

Ending notes: Avery truly makes some great big beers.  This just isn’t one of them.

Rating: C-

Found: State Line Liquors (Thanks for making the trip Jeff!)
Price: Around 5 dollars a glass
Website: http://www.averybrewing.com
What the company says: Salvation. The name of two intricate Belgian-style ales, created by us – Vinnie Cilurzo of Russian River Brewing and Adam Avery of Avery Brewing. After becoming friends a few years ago, we realized that we both had a Salvation in our line-ups. Was it going to be a problem? Should one of us relinquish the rights? “Hell no!” we said. In fact, it was quickly decided that we should blend the brews to catch the best qualities of each and create an even more complex libation. In April 2004, in top-secret meeting at Russian River Brewing (well actually it was packed in the pub, and many were looking over our shoulders wondering what the hell was going on), we came up with the perfect blend of the two Salvations. Natalie, Vinnie’s much more significant other, exclaimed, “We should call this Collaboration, not Litigation Ale!” “Perfect!” we shouted. We celebrated deep into the night, (or is it morning?). Fast forward to February 2008, and we completed our second blending of these two fine ales. Batch 2 will become available to the public February 12th.

All profits from this joint venture will fund a return educational trip to Belgium with our bros Tomme (Port Brewing), Sam (Dogfish Head Brewing) and Rob (Allagash Brewing). This pilgrimage will enable us to learn even more about traditional brewing techniques to combine with our already strange and unique styles here in America.

What I say: So if you read above this beer is actually two beers put into one.  I’ve never had Salvation from either company but I know I’m going to have to try them some day. 

Recently I had a beer from He’brew where I had a real issue with finishing the second glass.  Something in the taste turned me off a bit.  That doesn’t happen to often.  Well it happen again.  With this brew. 

The Look: Dark copper color with a nice fluffy head that laces the glass. 

What the nose thought:  Very sweet malt, bananas, cloves, caramel with a bit of floral hops and molasses.

And the tastebuds?: Now my biggest issue with the He’Brew beer was the huge amount of figs used.  I felt the same way with this beer but instead of the figs I believe the issue was the molasses.  The first glass of this was fantastic.  I thought it was a very complex, different, and tasty beer.  But when I got to the second glass something just turned me off.  The taste is complex with caramel, cloves, banana, the nice hop taste and of course the molasses. 

The feel: Full bodied and highly drinkable.

Would you drink more?: Yes but only one glass at a time.

Ending notes: I can’t wait to try more stuff from Avery.  Overall this is not a bad beer.  It’s a cool concept and I wish more breweries would give it a try.

Rating: C+

Found: Grape and Gourmet
Price: Around 6 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.averybrewing.com
What the company says: This dangerously drinkable garnet beauty is a hop lover’s delight. The intense dry-hop nose and the rich malt body are perfectly balanced for a caramel candy-like finish. This is a serious beer for serious beer afficianados and it only gets better with age. Cellarable for 3 years.

What I say: Avery beers have been a big winner with me.  While I’ve only had two of their brews, those two are some of my favorite.  This isn’t any different.  A fantastic Barleywine.  Read on. 

The Look: Dark amber color with a nice amount of head.  Head laces the glass. 

What the nose thought: Awesome smell.  A good amount of hops up front.  Citrus notes.  Apricot, raisins and plums with caramel rounding out the smell.  One of the better smelling Barleywine smells I’ve experienced.

And the tastebuds?: A nice sweet taste.  Up front hops will hit you but after that the fruits set in.  Apricot, raisins, plums.  Caramel rounds out the taste.  Just a huge, complex, candy like taste.  Alcohol taste is there but hides nicely. Awesome.

The feel: Heavy but smooth.  This one will kick your ass.

Would you drink more?:Yes.  Easily.  Fantastic Barleywine

Ending notes: Avery does it again and wow I can’t believe I find myself enjoying Barleywines like I am. 

Rating: A

Found: Liquor store down in Kennesaw, Georgia
Price: 6 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.averybrewing.com
What the company says: The Reverend, was created in tribute to the life of Sales Mgr. Tom Boogaard’s grandfather, an ordained Episcopal Reverend. Tom was inspired by the life of his grandfather and wanted to create a tribute beer that contained his sterling traits. True to both our “small brewery, BIG BEERS” philosophy and to the spirit and character of the departed Reverend, this beer is assertive, and pure of heart, a heart of candy sugar. It contains as many authentic imported Belgian specialty malts as the brewers could cram into our mash tun, and lots of Belgian dark candy sugar stirred into the brew kettle. A divinely complex and beautifully layered beer with hints of dark cherries, currants, and molasses, complimented by an underlying spiciness and a finish that is Sinfully smooth!Cellarable for 4 years.

What I say: Dear Avery Brewing.  Please bring me the gift of all your beers to the Virginia Beach area.  Love Dave. 

Ok so if I had to write a note to them that would be it.  While down in Georgia I picked this up with their Imperial IPA.  I gave the IIPA a huge score and this my friends is right behind it.  Now if this review sounds kind of incomplete well I’m sorry.  While down in Georgia it was my brothers birthday.  The two Avery beers were the last two beers of the night and they totally just finished me off.  All I pretty much remember saying to my brother was “Stop drinking that shitty Coors Light and join the Reverend and I!”  Needless to say he didn’t listen but oh well.  Ok now on to the review.  This beer is fanastic.  It pours a nice amber color with a huge amount of head.  The smell was just full of sweetness.  Smells like candy with some fruit thrown in.   Taste is also full of sweet malt.  Then you get hit with the fruit and lastly before you know it the alcohol kicks in and you notice this is a 10% abv beer.  I’m not a quadrupel professional but I really enjoyed this beer.  If anyone can recommend some others to me that would be fantastic.  But if you see this beer pick it up and send it to me. Oops meant to say enjoy it =)

Rating: A

Found: Liquor store down in Kennesaw, Georgia
Price: 6 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.averybrewing.com
What the company says: Maharaja is derived from the sanskrit words mahat, – “great” and rajan – “king”. Much like its namesake, this imperial IPA is regal, intense and mighty. With hops and malts as his servants, he rules both with a heavy hand. The Maharaja flaunts his authority over a deranged amount of hops: tangy, vibrant and pungent along with an insane amount of malted barley – fashioning a dark amber hue and exquisite malt essence.

This newest Avery Dictator completes the “Dictator Series” joining the likes of The Kaiser & The Czar. Be aware that The Maharaja is a limited release only available for the summer. Welcome to his kingdom!

What I say: Well holy cow this beer knocked my socks off in more way then one.  For one it’s pretty high in alcohol but whats more important is that this is one of the best IPAs I’ve ever had the pleasure of tasting.  This beer pours a very nice burnt orange color with a huge amount of head.  The smell is strong of hops.  Very strong.  Also there is a very nice amount of citrus and grapefruit.  The taste is just awesome.  The beer is just smooth.  Goes down so nice.  Surprising since the beer is so strong in taste.  It’s just fantastic.  You’ll taste a bit of alcohol in here but the fantastic hoppy taste will put you past that.  Just a pleasure.  Avery please bring this stuff to VA.

Rating: A+