The Drunken Polack

Out with the old, in with the new is what this is all about.  As I mentioned before, I have way to much friggin beer in my house.  I don’t have a drinking problem.  I have a buying problem.  So this weekend I picked 9 random beers to try and write some mini reviews.  I only got through 5.  This didn’t turn out to be such a big purge as I was hoping, it barely put a damn dent in my beer fridge.  So maybe I’ll have part two of this next weekend , followed by part three the weekend after =)

Caldera IPA from Caldera Brewing Company
More and more companies are going to cans these days.  Pretty cool if you ask me.  It doesn’t seem to really effect the taste at all.  I picked this one up a few weeks ago from my local beer place.   This IPA poured a orange color with a huge fluffy head.  Great retention and lacing throughout.  If you’re looking for a hop monster, don’t look here.  It’s more of a malt monster.  You’ll get a biscuit, burnt like malt taste followed by citrus and piney hops.  The malt leaves a little bit of a rough feeling on your tongue.  This brew is also very bitter from start to finish and leaves a very bitter aftertaste.  Overall I really liked this IPA.  It got better and better as I drank it.  It’s very crisp and easy to drink.  Would buy again

Found: Grape and Gourmet, Virginia Beach, VA
Price: 2 dollars a can
Website: http://www.calderabrewing.com/
What the company says: You can read about what they say here http://www.calderabrewing.com/Page.asp?NavID=4
ABV%: 6.10%
Other beers to try from this brewery: First beer I’ve had from this brewery
Other beers to try within the same style: Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA, Bells Two Hearted Ale
Rating: B

Black Chocolate Stout from Brooklyn Brewery
In the craft beer world this is one of the more well known stouts.  I just don’t get why I waited to damn long to give this brew a try.  It’s a gem.  It’s fantastic.  It’s something that will enter the fridge again.  This fantastic brew pours as black as night.  Small head formed and quickly disappeared.  The smell and taste of this beer is world class.  Roasted malt, bitter chocolate, and a tad bit of alcohol.  With a name like Black Chocolate Stout you would expect this beer to be full of chocolate.  But it really isn’t it’s mixed in there perfectly with everything else.  This beer is smooth as silk, a little bitter from the chocolate, and you get a nice warming feel from the alcohol.  Just awesome.  You won’t believe this baby is 10.60 ABV%.  Just classic.

Found: Total Wine, Chesapeake, VA
Price: 2 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.brooklynbrewery.com/
What the company says: You can read about what they say here http://www.brooklynbrewery.com/beer/?id=BLACKCHOCOLATESTOUT
ABV%: 10.60%
Other beers to try from this brewery: Brooklyn Brewery Black Ops Stout, Brooklyn Brewery Local 2
Other beers to try within the same style: Brooklyn Brewery Black Ops Stout, Deschutes The Abyss
Rating: A

Bison Organic IPA from Bison Brewing
This would my first beer from this brewery as well as the first beer I’ve ever had with the word organic on it.  This might be a good starter beer to get people started on IPAs.  I say that because everything in this beer is small and won’t shock the system.  Imagine giving a Pliny the Elder or 90 Minute IPA to anyone who has never tried a craft beer before.  I know I probably would of hated it back in the day.  Of course I know better now =)  This beer pours a light hazy amber color.  Small head but great lacing.  The aroma has some light toasted caramel malt, light amount of citrus hops, and piney hops.  More of the same really for the taste.   Nothing to write home about.  Not horrible but definitely not fantastic either.

Found: Total Wine, Chesapeake, VA
Price: 2 dollars a bottle
Website: http://bisonbrew.com/
What the company says: For our 6-pack IPA, we went for drinkability when crafting our recipe, one that you could actually have a couple of beers and still taste your food.  We blending 4 hops varieties together into 4  kettle additions and finish with a blended dry hops.  IPAs like this are a bit hazy from all the tannins, but you will enjoy it.  The balanced malt profile finishes dry as the aroma of hops linger on your palate.
ABV%: 6.80%
Other beers to try from this brewery: First beer I’ve ever had from this brewery
Other beers to try within the same style: First organic IPA I’ve ever had.

Rating: C

Dominion Millennium Ale from Old Dominion Brewing
From the day when I bought this beer to the second before I popped it open I had no idea what this beer was.  On the front of the bottle, all it says is that this is a beer brewed with honey and spices.  Honestly I was ready for something that was just ok.  Boy was I wrong here!  When I poured this brew and took my first smell, I said “Oh wait, this is a barleywine!”  Sure enough the story of this brew laid on the back of the bottle the whole time.  It was a pleasant surprise.  Not only was this a barleywine but according to BA , the people out there love this brew giving it a score of A-.  If you’re looking for a over hopped barleywine do not look here.  If you are looking for a well balanced and delicious barleywine, well step right up.  In my opinion the honey that is added is the highlight here.  It adds a very nice sweetness to this beer.  It’s a joy to drink.  The beer is full of sweet caramel malts, honey, citrus, and alcohol.  Not overally hopped.  Perfect in my opinion.  A great combination.  If I’m trading with anyone in the future and they are looking for a beer they can’t usually get around them this beer will probably enter the box.

Found: Total Wine, Chesapeake, VA
Price: 2 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.olddominion.com/
What the company says: Nothing on their site about this beer
ABV%: 11.40%
Other beers to try from this brewery: First brew I’ve ever had from this brewery
Other beers to try within the same style: Alesmith Old Numbskull, Flying Dog Horn Dog
Rating: A-

Finger Lakes Apricot Wheat from Ithaca Beer Company
I got this beer a while ago when I went to visit my buddy Jeff at Penn State.  This stuff was everywhere I went but the funny thing is, as much as I saw this beer, I saw nothing else from Ithaca (except for Cascazilla in a 6 pack store) This beer gets a bad wrap on BA.   But you know what, this beer does what it’s supposed to.  It’s a refreshing Apricot Wheat beer that sits under 5% ABV and I think it does it well.  Smell has more apricots than the taste does.  The taste gives off a smaller apricot presence with an even smaller wheat presence.  Overall though it’s pretty refreshing and has a good amount of carbonation that leaves a little bit of a rough feeling on the palette.   On a hot summer day this might be one of those perfect beers to have 6 of.   

Found: State College, PA
Price: 2 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.ithacabeer.com/
What the company says: Our easy drinking wheat beer is light in color and body … perfect for those looking for a lighter taste. The combination of wheat and barley give our Apricot Wheat a different malt character than any of our other ales. The hint of apricot gives this beer a fruity finish, making it a fun beer to drink.
ABV%: 4.90%
Other beers to try from this brewery: Ithaca Cascazilla
Other beers to try within the same style: Dogfish Head Aprihop, Unibroue Éphémère
Rating: B-