The Drunken Polack

I’m really starting to call this brewery one of my favorites.  These guys put out some tasty brews and let’s face it they make Black Tuesday.  This time around they come up with something they call “Hoppy Belgian-Style Golden Strong Ale”  They nail that right on the head. 

From what I’ve heard this beer replaced Black Orchard as their 5th year round brew.  I think that was a good idea.  Black Orchard was probably their worst beer that I’ve had tried yet from their lineup.  It was kinda well, boring.  This beer definitely is not boring.

Mischief pours a hazy burnt orange.  Creamy two finger head with great lacing throughout.  As soon as you pour this brew the hops just hit the nose.  This is definitely on the high side when it comes to Belgian Pale Ales.  Wonderful aroma of citrus, floral hops, and slight pineapple.  In the description of the beer they also mention pears and melon.  I didn’t pick that up.  It also has a nice Belgian yeast background mixed in with candied sugar.  It’s really an amazing smell.  Very hop forward but nicely mixed in with everything else.

The taste is really nice but not as strong as the aroma.  The hops still take the number one spot though.  Full of citrus, grassy and floral hops.  They leave a nice bitter aftertaste.  I picked up more a bready malt taste that I didn’t pick up with the smell.  Mixed in their is a hint of the Belgian yeast and sweetness of candied sugar.  You’ll also notice a tad bit of alcohol from start to finish.  But the key here is the hoppiness.  It’s pretty big and bitter.  I’ve read in the past that The Bruery will never do an IPA.  Well this is as close as you’re going to get and I would take this taste over a ton of IPAs.

Mouthfeel is medium bodied, light carbonation, and has a kind of soapy finish to it.  Like it sticks on the walls of your mouth. 

Right now if I had to make a year round list of beers for me to drink, this would be on the list.  It’s a mixture of a lot of great flavors.  Even though it comes in at 8.50%, it’s easy to drink and a pleasure to drink.

Oh and if you notice lately I’ve given a lot of reviews the grade of “A”  Well lately I’ve been lucky to try a lot of great beers.  Don’t worry, the next few reviews will change that =)

Found: Grape and Gourmet, Virginia Beach, VA
Price: I believe it was around 10 dollars a bottle
Website: http://thebruery.com/
What the company says:Mischief is a Hoppy Belgian-Style Golden Strong Ale. This wickedly good golden ale is fiendishly dry-hopped with American hops to add a layer of complexity and mystery to its fruity, dry Belgian-style character. Citrus and resin diabolically combine with ripe melon, pear and slight peppery spice in a precariously effervescent mixture. Enjoy it, but you’ll want to keep an eye out.
ABV%: 8.50%
Other beers to try from this brewery: The Bruery Black Tuesday, The Bruery Saison Rue
Other beers to try within the same style: Russian River Damnation, Great Divide Hades Ale
Rating: A

Summer is over and wow did I drink a ton of great beers during my second favorite season (fall being my favorite)  Along the way some of those beers were just forgotten about or well I was to lazy to write about them.  So here’s some quick thoughts on some of those forgotten beers.

Stone Vertical Epic 07/07/07 Aged in Red Wine Barrels – When I visited Stone,  it was my goal to bring back some one off brews that I could enjoy in the hotel room.  I came back with two growlers.  One of them was the beer you see above.  I love their Vertical Epic line.  I enjoyed what the Red Wine barrels gave to this beer.  It added a bit of a sweet taste with a mixture of a smokey aroma.  Very nice to try something that you can’t buy in the stores

Rating: B+

Stone Old Guardian Aged in Red Wine Barrels -This beer was a little bit of a disappointment.  But it was still really nice to try.  The Red Wine gave the beer kind of an off taste.  I enjoyed the Vertical Epic just a tad bit more. Old Guardian is one of my favorite Barleywines ever.  I don’t think the Red Wine made it any better.

Rating: B

Alpine Exponential Hoppiness -This is one of the beers I came to San Diego to get.  The girlfriend and I took the 35 minute drive to Alpine on  one of our last days there.  I plan on posting some pics of the actual brewery soon but let me just say that it’s small.  Very very small.  If you blink, you miss it.  But size matters not as Yoda says.  In my opinion, Alpine makes the best bunch of IPAs on this Earth.  Duet, Nelson, Pure Hoppiness, Bad Boy, O’Briens and well this beer right here.  Let me have Alpine explain this beer because well, it’s right on.  It’s amazing and it belongs on the top 100 of Beer Advocates best beers in the world.

Very popular. A complex hopping method where each hop addition is double the previous amount. More hops in the hopback and then two dry-hop sessions. The second dry-hop session is with whole hops and oak chips. 1.093 OG 10.75%ABV

It’s a mixture of hoppy goodness with a beautiful smokey flavor.  It’s dangerous.  It’s so easy to drink.  I was just estatic to try this brew.

Rating: A+

Ballast Point Dorado Double IPA -Ballast Point makes a ton of beers but this is there only Double IPA and its a really good one.  A great mixture of floral, citrus, and piney hops.  Easy to drink and crisp.  These guys are just amazing.  The one – two punch of Sculpin and Dorado is one of the best out there.

Rating: A-

Ballast Point Victory at Sea -This is the second brew I tried at the brewery and wow it just blew me away.  Dorado was very good but this was just fantastic.  I wish I would of bought a bigger glass but I was already feeling a little buzzed and I had to drive around San Diego.  A place I really don’t know to well.  The mixture of coffee and vanilla in this porter is just spot on and the mouthfeel is amazing.  Easily my favorite porter.  See this somewhere, you make sure to buy a glass

Rating: A+

Stone Sawyer’s Triple – The reason this beer exists is a sad story.  You can read about it here http://blog.stonebrew.com/?p=149 But there is a happy ending.  100% of the sales of this beer go to fight ALD.  So if you are at the brewery, pick up this beer.  Not only are you helping a good cause but hey this is actually a pretty damn fine beer.  Taste is full of candied sugar, fruit, and honey.  A real treat.

Rating: A-

>

Starr Hill Northern Lights – What you see here might be the worst beer I had all summer.  I had it while I was at the Dave Matthews Band concert.  It was a bitter mess.  I would of thrown it away if it didn’t cost me 12 dollars for the plastic cup you see above.  Maybe I’ll have to try this beer again in bottle.  I see it all the time around my area.

Rating: D

Dogfish Head Goser the Gosarian -Yes this is definitely a Ghostbusters reference.  I had this brew at the Rehoboth DFH Brewpub.  It’s a brewpub exclusive and I don’t know if they will ever brew it again so I’m really glad I got to try it.  Hey look it’s even smiling at me! Gozer is classified as a Gose.  Beer Advocate says this about the style:

An old German beer style from Leipzig, Gose is an unfiltered wheat beer made with 50-60% malted wheat, which creates a cloudy yellow color and provides a refreshing crispness and twang. A Gose will have a low hop bitterness and a complementary dryness and spice from the use of ground coriander seeds and a sharpness from the addition of salt. Like Berliner Weisse beers, a Gose will sometimes be laced with various flavored and colored syrups. This is to balance out the addition of lactic acid that is added to the boil.

Somewhat recently, Gose has seen a mini-revival with a handful of breweries bringing back the style in the Leipziger area and pubs like Gosenschenke “Ohne Bedenken” serving traditionally brewed Gose.

The writeup was pretty much right on.  It defintely had a little sour twang to it.  Not much, just right for me.  Mix that in with a decent amount of coriander, wheat, and lemon and you have a nice small tart brew.

Rating: B+

Stone 10th Anniversary and Stone Smoked Porter with Vanilla Beans (sitting right behind the glass of 10th =) – One of my first nights in San Diego the girlfriend and I went out to visit Joey from South Bay Drugs.  We met him at a bar that was holding a Stone night.  Joey also brought in some Stone brews.  I got to try Juxtaposition for the first time but the highlight was trying Stone 10th Anniversary.  I missed the 10th anniversary beer because I really only got into craft beer with the 11th anniversary beer came out.  Stone 10th was classified an American Double/Imperial IPA when it first came out.  But after all the years of aging this beer is tasting more like a Barleywine these days and wow was it just fantastic.  Thanks Joey!  Also I got to try an tap only Stone beer.  Their Smoked Porter with Vanilla Beans.  Wow!!!  Smoked Porter is ok by itself but with the vanilla it’s just out of this world.

Stone 10th Anniversary Rating: A-
Stone Smoked Porter with Vanilla Beans Rating: A

This would be my first beer from New Belgium.  For a while now I’ve been looking forward to trying their beer.  Fat Tire in particular.  It’s pretty well known in the craft beer industry.  But I’ve also heard from a few people that it’s really nothing special.  Well that made me want to try it more honestly.  So one day my girlfiend came home with a surprise.  A bottle of Fat Tire.  It’s not distributed here in Virginia but it is just one state away, North Carolina.  She spotted it in a restaurant she was eating at.  So later that night I vowed to solve the mystery that is Fat Tire!  Ok so it really isn’t a mystery.  Sadly the people were right, the beer just isn’t that great.  But it’s not horrible either.  What it is, is a easy drinking brew.  First thing that came to my mind is that it’s a great beer to give to a person who wants to get into craft beers but isn’t quite ready to tackle those Imperial Stouts or Double IPAs.

Everything in this brew is small.  The smell starts off with bready, biscuit like aromas followed by slight smell of floral citrus hops.  Really nothing more.  The taste is more of the same.  Very small but enjoyable.  Toasted bready malt with clean citrus hops.  The mouthfeel is crisp and nicely carbonated.  A great session beer.  A beer you can really drink all night.

Found: Found in a restruant somewhere in North Carolina thanks to my girlfriend.
Price: No idea
Website: http://www.newbelgium.com
What the company says: Named in honor of our founder Jeff’s bike trip through Belgium, Fat Tire Amber Ale marks a turning point in the young electrical engineer’s home brewing. Belgian beers use a far broader palette of ingredients (fruits, spices, esoteric yeast strains) than German or English styles. Jeff found the Belgian approach freeing. Upon his return, Jeff created Fat Tire and Abbey Belgian Ale, (assuming Abbey would be his big gun). He and his wife, Kim traveled around sampling their homebrews to the public. Fat Tire’s appeal quickly became evident. People liked everything about it. Except the name. Fat Tire won fans is in its sense of balance: toasty, biscuit-like malt flavors coasting in equilibrium with hoppy freshness.
ABV%: 5.20%
Other beers to try from this brewery: First brew I’ve had from this brewery
Other beers to try within the same style: Troegs Nugget Nectar, Rogue Saint Rogue Red Ale
Rating: B-

For the second beer in this review we go to something a little more extreme.  De Proef Signature Les Deux Brasseurs Ale.  This is the second De Proef collabration beer I’ve had.  The first one with Tomme Arthur from The Lost Abbey was amazing. This one is brewed with Jason Perkins from Allagash.  This one matches the first collaboration beer and might be a tad bit better.  Amazing stuff.  The beer just pops with amazing taste and smell.

As soon as you pop the cork on this beer you’ll notice a little bit of a sourness to it.  Not overpowering.  This is followed by a good bit of funk.  This would once again be the Brett doing its thing.  But what really overtakes everything is the smell of green apples.  I’m sure there are other fruits in this brew but the apples really made the smell for it.  Put everything together and it’s just a lovely aroma.  The taste is even better.  What I didn’t pick up the smell was a nice woody, oak like smell but you do get that in the taste.  There is also a nice small amount of tartness to go along with the sour vinegar like taste.  The funk of the Brett also comes through nicely with the fantastic fruity taste.  Once again the apples come through most.  It’s a complex, fantastic taste.  What also makes it so good is the mouthfeel.  It’s smooth as silk and medium to full bodied.  This brew is limited as it was brewed once but it’s totally worth the 17 dollars I paid for it and would easily put down the money again to have it.

Found: Grape and Gourmet, Virginia Beach, VA
Price: 17 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.proefbrouwerij.com/
What the company says: Sorry folks, site is in a language I don’t understand.
ABV%: 8.50%
Other beers to try from this brewery: De Proef Reserve Signature Ale (w/ Tomme Aurthur), Allagash Odyssey
Other beers to try within the same style: Great Divide Hades Ale, Brooklyn Brewery Local 1
Rating: A+

I’ll get right to the point with this brew.  If it wasn’t for those three little beers called Darkness, Darklord, and The Abyss, this stout would be in my top three favorite stouts out there.  I thought it was that good.  It’s a big, hearty beer and I wanted more of when the bottle was empty.  At pour you get the smell of rich roasted malt, chocolate, vanilla, oak, and a good amount of hops.  Very nice smell.  The taste is just fantastic and gets even better as you let the beer warm up.  The taste just becomes deeper.  I noticed the hops in the smell but you’ll notice it even more in the taste.  It gives a nice bitter taste to get along with the chocolate, vanilla, coffee, and roasted malt.  The oaked taste comes through but is small.  The bitterness of the hops overtakes it a bit.  The beer is pitch black and pours a huge white head that leaves a ton of lacing.  The mouthfeel is smooth and sticky.  Medium bodied and goes down way to easy for a 10% abv beer.  Dangerous and tasty.

Found: Grape and Gourmet, Virginia Beach, VA
Price: $10 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.lefthandbrewing.com/
What the company says: Their site is in flash.  No copy and paste here folks!
ABV%: 10.00%
Other beers to try from this brewery: Left Hand Deep Cover Brown Ale, Left Hand Oak Aged Widdershins Barleywine
Other beers to try within the same style: Founders Breakfast Stout, Dogfish Head World Wide Stout
Rating: A

OK so here is part two of the end of the laziness. I can count two reasons for no reviews lately.  One is my conversion from being a PC user to a Mac user.  I did what I said I would never do and that is become one of those people who own a Mac.  Well yeah I’m one of those people now and well I love it.  It’s just taken me a little bit of time to get back into the swing of things and well I think I can get around on a Mac just fine.  Secondly I’ve been in a beer drinking rut lately.  I find myself at places or events that really serve some shitty run of the mill beer.  I’ve been stuck drinking that.  But luckily those days are over for now =)  So what we have here is two beers I really enjoyed drinking.  A quadrupel from Allagash and a Belgian Strong Pale Ale from De Proefbrouwerij out of Belgium. First up is the Quad from Allagash.  I bought this beer a while ago when I went up to Pennsylvania on holiday.  Like always I thought I would never see this beer again but sure enough when I got back home I found it a few miles from my house.  I have to learn patience.  That’s been one of my downfalls these 30 years I’ve been on this earth and I really don’t see that changing anytime soon.

Four Ale is called Four Ale because this beer is brewed with four malts, four hops, four sugars, and four Belgian yeast.  A lot of stuff going on in one brew.  I honestly had no idea this was a Quad until I popped the cork and took my first smell.  I love surprises, especially with beer.  At first smell you’ll get a earthly Belgian yeast smell with dark fruits.  Dates and raisins.  I also detected some candi sugar, caramel, and molasses.  The color on this brew is murky deep brown.  Very little head at all pours from the bottle.  Right off the bat when I noticed that this Quad isn’t as sweet as others I’ve had lately.  It was definitely  more toned down.  Definitely not a bad thing.  With some of the Quads I’ve had lately I felt like I could go into Diabetic shock.  This beer has a nice malty front end with a good amount of raisin, molasses, and caramel.  I also got a nice bit spice throughout. It has a nice earthy taste. Overall a very balanced and easy to drink Quad.  As for the mouthfeel it was a little dry, well carbonated, and crisp.  Medium bodied and just easy to drink.

I’ve enjoyed other Quads a bit more then this one but this is one that is pretty darn easy to drink and enjoy.  A winner from Allagash.  When do they ever make a bad beer?  Never!

Found: State Line Liqour, Elkton, Maryland
Price: 15 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.allagash.com
What the company says: Allagash Four is brewed with four malts, four hops, four sugars and four Belgian yeast strains. During the mashing process, we add Date Sugar to the mash tun. Later, during the boil, we add Light Candi, Dark Candi, and Light Golden Molasses. After primary fermentation with the first strain of yeast, we add more Candi Sugar, and referment the beer with a secondary strain of yeast… that process is then repeated with a third strain of yeast, and finally a fourth for bottle conditioning in the cellar. The Allagash Four Ale is presented in a strikingly decorated bottle, and is truly a unique beer!
ABV%: 10.00%
Other beers to try from this brewery: Allagash Tripel, Allagash 11th Anniversary Ale
Other beers to try within the same style: The Bruery Partridge in a Pear Tree, St. Bernardus Abt 12
Rating: B+

Beer two is a beer from De Proefbrouwerij out of Belgium. They brewed this beer with the help of Tomme from Port Brewing/Lost Abbey. Honestly I enjoyed this beer more then a lot of the beers I’ve had from Lost Abbey. This beer just hit the spot for me. It’s just lovely and I remember saying those exact words as I took my first sip. Lovely.

This Belgian Strong Pale Ale pours a cloudy amber color with a nice amount of fluffy white head.  The smell on this beer is just plain awesome.  Sour, sweet, peppery, hoppy, and earthy.  The hops aren’t overpowering.  Just right.  It brings a little bit of a funky smell from the brett along with the sourness.  But I think the fruity smell that it gives off is the key here.  Just makes it all come together and makes it a smell that you will want as your air freshener in your car.  Ok maybe I’m going a bit overboard =)

I said the fruitness in the smell was the key, but in the taste its definitely the key and it’s up front here.  A nice mixture of grape, apple, lemon, and melon.  The funk from the smell comes through in the taste and it’s wonderful. A bit of spiciness and sweet maltiness.  There’s a good amount of hops but don’t think bittering hops in a lot of IPAs.  Just think of everything being balanced.  Mouthfeel is light to medium bodied.  Nice soft carbonation.

It’s really hard to describe on this beer on paper.  It’s just mixture of ingredients that are out of this world and put together perfect.  I would easily buy a case of this stuff, go to my non craft beer friends and say here, this is what you are missing out on.

Price: South Bay Drugs, Imperial Beach, CA (Mail Order)
Website: http://www.proefbrouwerij.com/
What the company says: Couldn’t really navigate to anything on their site.
ABV%: 8.50%
Other beers to try from these breweries: This would be my first beer from this brewery
Other beers to try within the same style: North Coast Pranqster, Delirium Tremens, Brooklyn Brewery Local 1
Rating: A+

For this Great Divide review I hit up their Belgian Strong Pale Ale called Hades Ale.  If you know anything about Greek Mythology, Hades is actually the name of the Greek Underworld.  Why exactly Great Divide went with this as the name of the beer, I have no idea. 

Hades pours a golden straw like color.  There is a good amount of carbonation with a fluffy white head. 

The aroma on this one is quite inviting.  A good amount of sweetness and fruit.  Pears, apples, honey, spices, and yeast. 

With the taste, you’ll get some fruit just like the small.  A good amount of apple and pears.  The honey is also evident.  Now we must remember this is a Belgian type beer.  So the Belgian yeast and spices are also there.  The feel on this one is a little dry like a champagne.  Light bodied, well carbonated, and crisp.  I would easily give this beer another go.   

The Final Word

Found: State Line Liquor – Elkton, Maryland
Price: 6 dollars for a 22 oz bottle
Website: http://www.greatdivide.com
What the company says: Hades is a Belgian-style strong golden ale brewed with a rare Belgian yeast strain that gives the beer a distinctive spicy flavor and aroma. Noticeable hops and medium malt character make it an extremely well-balanced, crisp ale.Hades is a Belgian-style strong golden ale brewed with a rare Belgian yeast strain that gives the beer a distinctive spicy flavor and aroma. Noticeable hops and medium malt character make it an extremely well-balanced, crisp ale.
ABV%: 7.30
Other beers to try from this brewery: Hercules Double IPA, Yeti Imperial Stout
Other beers to try within the same style: Delirium Tremens, North Coast Brewing PranQster
Rating: B

Found: South Bay Drugs
Price: Around 6 dollars a bottle
Website: http://russianriverbrewing.com
What the company says: In the great beer producing country of Belgium, some brewers have made it a tradition to give their beers an unusual name. Sometimes the name is curious, now and then it is diabolical and other times it is just plain silly. Damnation is our brewmaster’s interpretation of a Belgian style Strong Golden Ale. It has extraordinary aromas of banana and pear with mouth filling flavors of sweet malt and earthy hops. The lingering finish is dry and slightly bitter but very, very smooth.

What I say: This will be my third and last brew from Russian River.  First one was Pliny, second Blind Pig (review coming) and this time up it’s their Damnation.  Damnation is a Belgian Strong Pale Ale.  I really like this kind of beer, after all I’ve reviewed Pranqster, Stone 07/07/07, 08/08/08 and really enjoyed them all.  I was excited to give this one a try since it’s rated pretty high on Beer Advocate.  On to the review!

The Look: Pours a pale straw color with a good medium sized head.  A good amount of carbonation.

What the nose thought: The smell on this one has a sweet malt aroma up front.  You also get a nice bit of fruit, citrus and banana.  In the end you get a bit of a grassy smell, Belgian yeast, and pepper. 

And the tastebuds?: The first couple of sips of this beer presented nothing.  I didn’t get any taste at all, it kind of disappointed me after the smell was a pleasant one.  But I let it cool down a bit, after a while the tastes started to built up for what would turn into a nice easy going Belgian.  It’s dry and crisp yet smooth.  The Belgian yeast shines through with a nice grassy hop flavor and spice.  The fruit hits you at the end with a good amount of banana and citrus.  It didn’t disappoint in the end. 

The feel: Like I said above this one is a little bit dry but that’s ok.  It’s also crisp and refreshing. 

Ending notes: This isn’t there best beer but it’s a nice addition to their lineup and I cannot wait to try their other stuff.

Rating: B-

Found: Total Wine
Price: Around 3 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.northcoastbrewing.com/
What the company says: Belgian Ales represent the height of the brewers’ art. Sophisticated brewing techniques, yeast blends and unique flavoring elements have elevated the beers of Belgium to the status enjoyed by wine in other countries.

PranQster follows in this tradition using a mixed culture of antique yeast strains that produce a floral nose, a full fruity flavor and a clean finish.

What I say: I’ve had two beers from North Coast, Old Rasputin which was just fantastic and Acme IPA which just totally missed.  This time around it’s their Belgian Ale, PranQster.  I’ve heard nothing but great things about it and it finally showed up around my area a couple of months ago. 

The Look: Beautiful hazy burnt orange color with as you can see, a huge huge head.  The head disappeared quickly though leaving just a small lacing sitting on top. 

What the nose thought: Yum this beer smells fantastic.  Nice yeasty front end with a slight hop kick in the back.  You also get a good amount of spice, banana, and citrus.

And the tastebuds?: This beer is just a pleasure to drink.  I really wanted another after I was done.  The bready, yeasty front end is a pleasure to drink with the fruit and spices thrown in.  In the taste I swore I got some apples, bananas, citrus, pineapple, and coriander.  Just a load of fantastic tastes all thrown into one beer and they all mix up nicely.

The feel: A little thick and heavy but smooth as silk going down.

Ending notes: So North Coast is 2 for 3 with me.  PranQster is excellent and a real joy to drink.  May I have another please?

Rating: A-

Found: Taphouse
Price: Around 12 dollars
Website: http://www.stonebrew.com
What the Company Says: You can read about the brew here

The Intro: So you all know the story on what this series is all about so I won’t bore you with all of that but basically your probably saying why the hell are you drinking this now?  Well the other day was the girlfriend and the Polacks 7th Anniversary.  So I found it only fitting that I give this one a try.  Don’t worry I have another sitting and waiting for 12/12/12.

The Look: As you can see from the picture you get a hazy dark orange color with very little head. 

What the Nose Thought: Fruity, spicy, and light.  Apples, ginger, banana, cloves, and cinnamon.  A lot of things going on with the smell but it all comes together for a light and sweet smell. 

And the Tastebuds?: As with the smell, you get a very light taste.  Everything comes together and is balanced, sweet, and spicy.  Up front is the ginger followed the fruits.  I could pick up bananas, apples, and a citrus taste.  It’s easy to drink but the more you drink it you pick up the alcohol in it.  It’s hidden well but  once and a while it pops its head out.  After a bottle of this I was feeling a little buzzed.  I believe this one will age well.

The Feel: This beer is very light and might be a little bit to watery but it doesn’t hurt the smell or taste. 

Would You Drink More?: Yeah but I’ll see you in 12/12/12

Ending Notes: Another good hybrid sort of beer from Stone and the Vertical Epic line.

Rating: B+

Found: Grape and Gourmet
Price: Around 8 dollars
Website: http://www.stonebrew.com
What the Company Says: You can read about the brew here

The Intro: Oh it’s that glorious time of the year again, the time when Stone releases their beer from the Vertical Epic line.  You see ever since 2002 they have been releasing brews on dates that have the same number, for instance, 02/02/02, 03/03/03, 04/04/04, etc.  You get the idea.  Every year it’s a different recipe.  The goal is to age these beers until 12/12/12.  Now as you can see, I broke the rules, for science!  Or just because my ass couldn’t wait to try it.  No worries my friends, I have a few more bottles and they will make it to 12/12/12.  Scouts honor! This years beer is a Strong Golden Belgian style ale highly hopped with American hops (Ahtanum, Amarillo and Simcoe).   Yes I stole that right from the site.  How is this going to hold up until 12/12/12, time will only tell, but for now let me give you my 2008 review!  Oh excitement ensues!

The Look: Do you like the Stone tulip glass?  I know you do!  OK sorry on with the review.  This one poured a light golden color with a medium sized fluffy white head.   Head laces the glass.

What the Nose Thought: This smell is complex but everything in there mixes in pretty much perfect.  Nothing is overpowering.  It’s lovely.  Coriander, cloves, tropical fruits, hops, and alcohol round out the fantastic smell.  Like I said it’s complex but just so damn lovely.

And the Tastebuds?: This tastes like a Belgian Ale I’ve had in the past (can’t remember the name) but then the hops kick in at the end and remind you that this is a Stone beer my friends.  It works some magic.  Up front are the fruits, cloves, and Belgian Yeast.  Then in the end the Simcoe, Ahtanum, and Amarillo hops kick in for a fantastic ending.  Truly a Belgian with an American twist. 

The Feel: Very nice feel, crisp, light, and refreshing.  Yum

Would You Drink More?: Easily but I will be waiting until 12/12/12 to try my next one.  I can promise that.

Ending Notes: I love this line, I really do and it’s going to be sad to see it end one day.  I have a 07/07/07 waiting to be drank next week for my Girlfriend and I’s 7th Anniversary.  Don’t worry I have another one of those waiting in the wings also.  12th Anniversary from Stone is getting reviewed next.  Keep an eye out.

Rating: A-

Found: Local Total Wine
Price: Around 4 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.delirium.be/
What the company says: On December 26^th 1989, the famous “Delirium Tremens” was born. The particular character and the unique taste of “Delirium Tremens” result from the use of three different kinds of yeast. Its very original packing, which resembles cologne ceramics, and the colourful label contribute to its success. The label depicts the different phases of the production of “Delirium Tremens” the “Pink Elephant” was up and ready to conquer the world. To celebrate the bicentennial of the French Revolution in 1989, the topical beer “La Guillotine” was launched.

What I say: I’ve been meaning to give this beer a try for a while now.  I’ve always seen it and said wow that’s a different bottle and hell there are pink elephants on it!  Then I read good things about it.  So this weekend I picked one up and gave it a try.

The Look: Poured a nice light orange color.  Good amount of fluffy head that laced the glass as you drank it. 

What the nose thought: The nose loved it.  A nice malty smell mixed in with some fantastic fruity smell.  Just awesome. 

And the tastebuds?: Wow.  Fruity.  Melon and citrus.  A little spicy with a good amount of alcohol thrown in.  I couldn’t tell everything but it didn’t matter to me.  Just a fantastic experience.

The feel: Good amount of carbonation.  You don’t taste the alcohol to much while you’re drinking it but when you swallow you get the warmth from it down your throat and you can actually feel it in your stomach a little.

Would you drink more?: Yes I’m going back this weekend and getting more.  Case closed.

Ending notes: I’ve seen somemore of their beer floating around the area.  That will easily be picked up by me this weekend.  Try this beer!

Rating: A+