The Drunken Polack

Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock- Sam Adams makes a lot of decent beer.  Nothing that will really blow your socks off but all pretty decent.  I’m on a mission to find a Sam Adams beer that I really love.  Closest thing I’ve come to that is their Longshot Double IPA, which of course isn’t even their recipe.  So the search must go on.  I thought I might of found it when I found their Chocolate Bock a little while ago.  I mean come on.  Look at that slick silver logo on the bottle and heck they even list this beer in their extreme series.  Well this beer is not even close to being extreme and my search must go on for a beer that really knocks my socks off.  Can I put this one back on the shelf?  Anyone wanna trade me a Utopias please.

Their Chocolate Bock pours a very dark brown color with a smooth frothy head.  Head lingers and leaves a good amount of lacing throughout the glass.  So I knew I was going to be disappointed from the beginning on this beer.  When I went to take a whiff of this beer I really didn’t get anything at all.  I had to take a few more whiffs before I smelled the faint smell of cocoa and roasted malt.  It’s barely even noticeable.  I haven’t had a beer like this in a while.  One where I got nothing from the smell.

I’ll give the beer this much.  It’s easy drinking.  We’ll it helps that it only sits at 5.5% abv, which is totally fine.  But it’s easy drinking because like with the smell, there really isn’t much taste at all.  Slight sweetness from the cocoa nibs.  Slight amount of roasted malt.  Not much more.  I shared this beer with a few of my friends and they even thought there wasn’t much taste at all.  The beer does have one redeeming quality.  The mouth feel is creamy and silky.  Goes down nice.  Otherwise this one had nothing else going for it.  Maybe I had a dud?  Who knows.  It gets decent ratings on BA.  But it was a total miss for me.  Now on to a far superior beer

Found: State Line Liquor, Elkton, Maryland
Price: Around 10 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.samueladams.com
What the company says: Samuel Adams® partnered Felchlin, a renowned Swiss chocolatier, to develop a unique innovation, Samuel Adams® Chocolate Bock. We started with a complex selection of carefully roasted malts combined with hand-selected Noble hops from Bavaria, the world’s oldest growing area. After using a centuries old brewing process, called Krausening, we slowly aged the beer on a bed of rare dark cocoa nibs from Felchlin®, a renowned Swiss chocolatier. Known for their quality these wild cocoa nibs, harvested from the rainforest of Northern Bolivia, impart complex aromas and flavors of chocolate, honey and vanilla in the beer. The resulting beer, Samuel Adams® Chocolate Bock, has a big, malty character that is combined with the subtle sweetness of chocolate, giving this brew a complex full-body taste with a velvety finish.

Tettnang-Tettnanger and Spalt hops were hand-selected from the world’s oldest growing area and combined with a complex selection of malts including two-row Pale, Munich and Caramel to create a rich and satisfying brew. This dark beer has a big, malty character that is combined with the subtle sweetness of chocolate. Samuel Adams® Chocolate Bock was aged on a bed of cocoa nibs to create its unique layers of flavor. As the beer matured, the fruity, tart, earthy and chocolate aromas were released into the liquid to give the brew a complex, full -bodied taste with a velvety finish. A hint of vanilla was added to meld the symphony of flavors together.
ABV%: 5.50%
Other beers to try from this brewery: Samuel Adams Summer Ale, Samuel Adams Imperial Stout
Other beers to try within the same style: First time I’ve had a beer like this

Rating: C

Russian River Temptation – I definitely saved the best for last on this post.  Temptation is hands down one of the more unique beers I’ve ever had.  It’s also one of the best beers I’ve ever had.  Russian River sure knows how to make a Wild Ale.  Consecration was my first dealing with their barrel series and that was awesome.  Temptation trumps that beer in my opinion.  The funky fruity aroma and taste this beer gives off is just fantastic.  OK on to the review.

Temptation pours a cloudy golden straw color.  A nice sized fluffy white head is poured but quickly disappears.  The smell on this beer is funky.  Hello Brett.  It’s nice to see you again.  Smells include grapes, apples, lemon, citrus, and oak.  Right from the get go you can tell this is a nice tart beer.  It just attacks your nose.

Tartness attacks your taste buds as you take the first sip.  Then a nice sweet fruity taste comes in.  The apples are really evident in the taste.  Grapes also make a nice showing.  Oak sits in the background. The beer is tart, dry, and acidic.  It’s not mouth puckering tart.  It’s perfect.  It’s amazing.  This is a beer I could drink everyday.  Mouth feel is light and dry.  Nice amount of carbonation through.  Just so crisp.

Yes it’s one of the best beers I’ve ever had period.  Wish I could easily get more of this stuff.  I would easily pay the money for it again and again.

Found: South Bay Drugs, Imperial Beach, California
Price: This bottle runs about 20 dollars
Website: http://www.russianriverbrewing.com/
What the company says: “Aged in French oak wine barrels for twelve months with distinct characteristics of fruit and subtle oak” sounds more like a description of wine than beer. However, Temptation is indeed beer. Temptation is a Blonde Ale aged in French oak chardonnay barrels with Brettanomyces. Flavors of wine and oak absorb into the brew throughout its aging. Temptation is re-fermented in the bottle to create its carbonation–a process commonly used to make fine champagne and sparkling wine. Spent yeast forms a thin layer of sediment to remain in the bottle.
ABV%: 7.25%
Other beers to try from this brewery: Russian River Pliny the Elder, Russian River Damnation
Other beers to try within the same style: Ommegang Ommegeddon, Avery Fifteen

First off I came home today to something I just totally forgot about.  It’s been a long time since I’ve received a shipment from The Lost Abbey Patron Sinners membership.  What arrived today is two world class beers.  The Angels Share and Cuvee De Tomme.  I really can’t wait to uncork these babies.  I’ll be holding a few back to age.  Especially the Angels Share.

Sometimes I either get really lazy with reviews and they just pile up or sometimes I just drink so much beer at once that I lag behind on reviews.  I think this time around it’s a little bit of both.  When that happens I usually decide to do what I’m doing now.  Fix it all at once.  So here are 5 really quick reviews of beers I’ve had in the past couple of weeks.  I’m going down to Atlanta for the rest of the week.  Hopefully I come back with some new beer reviews from down South!

Samuel Adams Traditonal Bock (Longshot 2008) – Up first is the second beer from last years Longshot competition.  Last week I reviewed what I thought was the best out of the three, the Imperial IPA.  Sadly the other two aren’t as good as the IPA.  I would call the Bock the runner up of the box.  It is a tasty brew don’t get me wrong, I just don’t think it’s the same level of quality as the IPA.  What it is though is a easy drinker and a good session beer.  The smell and taste consist of bready and toasty malt, dark fruits, and chocolate.  It has a sweet taste to go with everything else.  Mouthfeel is a little thick but very smooth.  Goes down very easy.  Leaves a sticky feeling on your lips.  I would be very proud to brew this beer.

Found: Total Wine, Norfolk, VA
Price: Part of the Longshot box.  Box came to about 10 dollars.
Website: http://www.samueladams.com
What the company says: Nothing on the site about this one.
ABV%: 6.80%
Other beers to try from this brewery: Sam Adams Blueberry Wit, Sam Adams Boston Lager
Other beers to try within the same style: Never really had a beer in this style.
Rating: B

Samuel Adams Cranberry Wit (Longshot 2008) – Last of the Longshot winners for 2008 is the Cranberry Wit.  Now don’t take this the wrong way.  Obviously this person can brew.  It’s a decent beer.  But out of all the people who sent in homebrews was this really one of the best?  Easily my least favorite of the three.  It just didn’t do much for me at all.  Ok enough ranting.  The cranberry is there but it’s barely noticeable at all.  It’s OK that it doesn’t smack you in the face but I was really wishing for just a tad bit more.  Everything in this beer seems small.  Small amount of wheat and pale malt.  I also picked up a little bit of orange zest and spices.  I think the spice flavor was the biggest flavor in the beer but even that wasn’t big at all and was almost unnoticeable.  Combine everything and it makes for a dull tasting beer, at least to me of course.  I just drank my two bottles and said to myself that’s it?  The beer is creamy and crisp.  The mouthfeel is nice, I’ll give it that.  Combine the mouthfeel and the low abv and you have a really easy drinker.  I just wish it had more going on.

Found: Total Wine, Norfolk, VA
Price: Part of the Longshot box. Box came to about 10 dollars.
Website: http://www.samueladams.com
What the company says: Nothing on the site about this one.
ABV%: 6.80%
Other beers to try from this brewery: Sam Adams Chocolate Bock, Sam Adams Winter Lager
Other beers to try within the same style: The Lost Abbey Witch’s Wit, Victory Whirlwind Wit
Rating: C

Founders Dirty Bastard – I forgot to take a picture of the actual beer.  Yeah I know I’m horrible.  So you get a picture of an empty bottle.  Founders has just landed in my area.  Around 6-8 beers can be found on shelves in Virginia Beach (Founders ahem can you please bring us some Kentucky Breakfast Stout).  One of the first ones I tried was their Scotch Ale, Dirty Bastard.  I’m not a professional on this style of beer, I haven’t tasted many kinds but I think I’m at the point now in my beer tasting career (Hah I know I sound stupid) to know what is a quality beer and believe me this is one.  It’s delicious.  Smokey, toasty and caramel malt.  Dark fruit such as prunes.  I also got a hint of toffee and brown sugar.  What we have here is a nice rich beer and takes all it’s tastes and combines them into something special.  Watch the 8.30 abv.  You won’t notice it one bit.

Found: Grape and Gourmet, Virginia Beach, VA
Price: Around 3 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.foundersbrewing.com/
What the company says: So good it’s almost wrong. Dark ruby in color and brewed with seven varieties of imported malts. Complex in finish with hints of smoke and peat, paired with a malty richness and a right hook of hop power to give it the bad attitude that a beer named Dirty Bastard has to live up to. Ain’t for the wee lads’.
ABV%: 8.30%
Other beers to try from this brewery: Founders Breakfast Stout, Founders Double Trouble
Other beers to try within the same style: Smuttynose Scotch Ale
Rating: A-

The Bruery Saison De Lente – Before I go on ranting about how fantastic this beer is (because it really is friggin good) I just want to thank Nat for including this beer with the great growler of Alpine Nelson.  I hope he enjoys all the beers he got from me.  Now on to the review!!  The Bruery is still a young brewery but they are quickly becoming one of my favorite breweries.  The few brews I’ve had from them have just been fantastic.  De Lente pours a clean, light, glowing orange.  A nicely sized heads forms from the pour.  Fluffy and full of craters.  Great retention and lacing.  The smell is full of a funky/musty aroma.  It’s the brett coming through nicely.  There’s also a nice amount of lemon peel and spices.  Pepper and cloves.  The taste is just wonderful.  It’s fairly light and just great for a summer day.  The taste is full of the funky smell you get when you first pour this brew.  What’s also there is the lemon, citrus, Belgian yeast, bready malt, and a nice dose of spice at the end.  Just a tasty beer.  The mouthfeel adds to the greatness of this beer.  It’s a tad bit dry but crisp and light.  At just below 7% a few bottles of this stuff can be enjoyed at one sitting.  Great for those hot Californa days.

Found: Beer Trade
Price: I believe this beer runs between 10 and 12 dollars
Website: http://www.thebruery.com
What the company says: Our Spring Saison is light blonde in color with a fresh hoppiness and a wild and rustic Brettanomyces character. Lighter in color and alcohol than our Saison Rue, yet equally complex in its own way. Perfect for warmer weather and Spring celebrations.
ABV%: 6.80%
Other beers to try from this brewery: The Bruery Partridge in a Pear Tree
Other beers to try within the same style: Fantôme Brise-BonBons, Victory V-Saison
Rating: A

Harpoon Rauchfetzen – I was really excited to spot this beer when I stopped in a store by the Dogfish Head Brewpub.  I picked  up this brew along with the Glacier Hop.  Both are from the 100 Barrel Series.  This series is brewed once.  Once it’s gone, it’s gone!!  Sadly this beer really did nothing for me.  So I really won’t miss it much =)  It’s not a horrible beer at all but I left wanting more.  This beer is a Rauchbier.  What I thought I would get was a ton of smokey goodness.  Like the feeling that you’re sitting next to a campfire.  Instead of getting a nice big smokey smell and taste what we have here is a muted one.  Mixed in with the small smokey smell and taste is bready malt,  a shot of grassy hops, and a dry herbal bitterness like they mention in the description of the beer.  Mouthfeel is medium bodied, smooth, and had a nice amount of carbonation.  If you’re looking for a real Rauchbier don’t look here.  If you want to try it’s easy drinking little brother than give this one a try.  Heck give it a try anyway since it was only brewed once.

Found: Somewhere in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware
Price: Around 7 dollars a bottle
Website: http://www.harpoonbrewery.com/
What the company says: Harpoon Rauchfetzen is the 25th offering from our 100 Barrel Series. We used beechwood smoked malt from Bamberg, Germany to craft this copper-colored ale that evokes Rauchfetzen, a poetic German word meaning “wisp of smoke.” While many smoked beers are heavy on the pallet, this beer allows the character of the smoked malt to play off the herbal bitterness of Hallertau hops and the fresh, bread-like quality of Munich and Pilsner malts. Enjoy this beer with a variety of cheeses and sausages.
ABV%: 6.30%
Other beers to try from this brewery: Flying Dog Dog Schwarz
Other beers to try within the same style: Harpoon Baltic Porter, Harpoon IPA
Rating: B

Found: Everywhere in my area
Price: $7 dollars for a 6 pack
Website: http://www.samadams.com
What the company says: The first thing one notices in a Samuel Adams® Winter Lager is its color: the deep brown of winter. Then comes the magical aroma which promises something special on the tongue. The warm aroma of cinnamon and ginger which blends with the roasty sweetness of the malted barley and hint of citrus from the orange peel. And after that first sip the promise is fulfilled. On the palate Samuel Adams® Winter Lager is rich and full bodied, robust and warming, a wonderful way to enjoy the cold evenings that come with this season.

What I say: This was my first real seasonal beer back in the day.  I was a beer rookie (well I still am) and had no idea that breweries released beer different times of the year. I then discovered Sam’s Summer Ale and Octoberfest later down the line.  Ok back to the review.  This is still one of my favorite seasonal beers out there.  It’s a treat when it comes around.  Especially since it’s real easy to drink.  This beer pours a nice amber color with little head.  You can smell a sweet malty smell with some citrus thrown in.  As with the smell, the taste is a nice sweet taste.  Not to hoppy.  Not to malty.  Just right.  You’ll taste a bit of caramel , citrus, and a tad bit of cinnamon.  Just good stuff on a winter day.  You can easily drink a ton of this stuff and not get sick of it.  A winner from Samuel Adams. 

Rating: B+