Kent Falls Brewing Co. - "Coffeemaker" pale ale

OK, here's an unusual beer I had a while back - a coffee pale ale from Kent Falls Brewing Co. Brewed with wheat and Kent Falls house Brettanomyces yeast, this 5.60% ABV beer also includes a dry-hopped Ethiopian Yirgacheffe coffee from Sacred Grounds coffee shop in Sherman, CT.

According to Kent Falls' website, the idea is to focus on the flavors of hops independent of bitterness. Naturally, most beer drinkers associate more hops with a more bitter profile; this of course isn't always true and Kent Falls has sought to highlight this. This is batch #5, with the previous four batches made with coffee from Irving Farm Coffee Roasters in Millerton, NY.

It pours a hazy, dull yellow - unusual for a coffee beer. Interestingly, it's very dry, presenting some some juicy flavors, but mostly crisp - like pear and green apple. It even has some notes that remind me of a very crisp saison. I'm also detecting a bit of funk, which is of course that Brett yeast coming through. Overall a light and crisp pale ale, and refreshing. Only one pressing question:

Where's the coffee? 

I don't detect a single note of coffee throughout the entire thing. I gave some to my brother and mother - same story. I understand that the point is not for the beer to present typical hop flavors, but I would have liked at least a little hint of the winey, earthy flavors present in Ethiopian coffee. But no such luck. I think in terms of depth of flavor, this is on-par with the "Lade Øl", the other Kent Falls beer I tried a few years ago. Light, soft, and generally timid. I appreciate the craft, and these kind of soft beers can be good but personally I'll need a little more flavor to really capture my attention. If you like your saisons on the dry side and don't mind not having any coffee in them, then give this a go. If you're looking for something with stronger flavor, perhaps look elsewhere.

Brouwerij de Halve Maan - 2018 "Straffe Hendrik Xmas Blend" quadrupel

After many hours toiling away at D'Vines this holiday season, it's time to kick back with an 11.00% ABV oak-aged quad from Brouwerij de Halve Maan. This brewery, which means "Half Moon Brewery" in Flemish, makes the famous Straffe Hendrik family of beers. You may recognize the green label and an old guy moon face on the traditional Belgian bottle. Well, today's beer is their seasonal variant - the 2018 Christmas Blend. Merry Christmas!

Pours a deep reddish brown in the glass and generates a minor Flemish aroma - a bit like lactobacillus nose (like vinegar). Sounds good to me!

OK, I like this a lot. To me, it seems like a blend of three separate styles of beer - an oak-aged strong ale, a caramel sugar-infused Belgian quad, and a sour Flemish ale. Each of these three styles contributes in some way to the beer:

1. There's a serious undertone of oak paired with a syrupy texture reminiscent of a barleywine or "old ale." The oak aging really comes through in flavor, and it likewise imparts a certain texture and heaviness...as you can see, it has low carbonation and practically no head. Just like an old ale might. 
2. The sugars in the beer taste like caramel and brown sugar, so definite Belgian there. Not a lot of Belgian spice, but a tad. The caramel flavor really does it here. 
3. Finally, there's hints of that lactobacillus sourness that will be familiar to fans of the Flemish sour style. But - unlike some Flemish sours which really lay on the vinegar-like sourness, this beer has just a hint of that. Mostly on the finish. 

What's most particular is how evident all three "components" are. The spice and sugar marry well with the heavy, oaky texture of the barleywine and the Flemish sour adds a nice touch. Combined, these three things make an excellent winter ale, one definitely worth the $14 for a 750mL. Pick this up while it lasts!

Goose Island - "Bourbon County" wheatwine

It's that time of year again, and Goose Island's vaunted "Bourbon County" line of beers has hit the shelves! This is the brainchild of Goose Island master brewer Greg Hall; according to the brewery website, a chance encounter with the late Booker Noe, distiller at Jim Beam, gave birth to the Bourbon County stout - the world's first beer aged in bourbon barrels. Fast forward twenty years, and the beer has gained a cult following and has spawned several variants, including today's.

This variant is a 15.40% ABV wheatwine, and the first non-stout in the BCS series. But what is a wheatwine? It's a style of strong beer made from wheat malt, not grapes as the name might suggest. It's similar to barleywine in terms of strength, and although I've never had a barrel-aged wheatwine before, I imagine the style might lend itself to barrel aging quite well. Let's give it a shot.

Ok, big boozy aroma right out of the glass, with big notes of caramel. Nice, nice. Lovely color, too. Generates practically no head and has no fizz.

Wow! It tastes just like bourbon on ice. Slightly watered - hence the on ice part - but this beer REALLY picked up those bourbon barrel flavors. Vanillins from the wood impart flavors of oak, caramel, and toffee, and are the dominant flavors by far. There flavor is smooth yet full, although I'm not really picking up much of the bready sweetness that is typical to the wheatwine style. I like that this beer is medium-bodied, too - it's not syrupy or thick.

This is definitely a beer meant for bourbon hounds. It costs roughly $15 for a 22oz bottle, so not super cheap but not overpriced either. The other variants, including a midnight orange stout, retail for about $23, so keep that in mind. But if you're a fan of bourbon and want to try a very boozy bourbon beer, look no further.

Siren Craft Brew - 2014 "Odyssey 001" imperial stout

I was at Churchkey recently for a work event and decided to dip into the rarer Reserve menu for a fancy drink (don't worry, on my own tab.) Aside from their normal (vast) array of beers on draft, they also have an extensive bottle list including some rare and vintage beers. Today's is one such beer; I was looking for an aged stout to kick off the night right and it was a choice between this and Founders Kentucky Breakfast stout, 2017 edition. I opted for this since I'd never had it nor anything by the brewery.

This beer is called "Odyssey" (or "Odyssey 001", as listed on the menu) and is a respectable 12.40% ABV imperial stout made by Siren Craft Brew in Berkshire, England. It's aged in three kinds of barrels - Banyuls (a French fortified dessert wine), brandy, and bourbon. I've had all three of these spirits before, and all can be sweet - particularly Banyuls. So maybe this will be sweet?

It's actually not sweet. It's very, very soft. I'm detecting some chocolate flavors straightaway, and as the beer develops, I can taste some undercurrents of espresso bean and deep, rounded wood flavors - only possible with years of aging. Very milky mouthfeel, almost like it's on nitro. Very neat. It's surprisingly medium-bodied, has a super clean finish, and lacks any oiliness whatsoever. It's almost too soft for me, and at $30 a glass, I'd like to see the flavors a bit more lively for something this expensive. I wonder what this costs new; would be neat to grab a few bottles maybe in the $10 range and then sit them down for a few years, given what I know now about how it ages!

Black Slate - 2009 "Porrera" Priorat red blend [Spain]

It's time to dive deep into the furthest reaches of my long-term wine storage to find some bottles that need drinkin'. Today's is one such example; I reckon I got this from Charles Fine Wine in 2010 or 2011, at the height of my "investment wine" phase. At that time, I'd say I probably bought two fancy bottles, per month, to store and drink later. A good portion of retail wines aren't usually meant to be aged past two or three years (some tannin-heavy wines could have a maximum shelf life of about ten years) so it's no surprise that I've already had the chance to drink most of the ones I purchased.

Except for this one! This is the oldest one in my cellar - a vintage 2009 red blend from Black Slate, a winery located in the county of Priorat in the Tarragona province of the autonomous region of Cataluna in Spain. Located just to the south of Barcelona, this small yet robust winemaking region has a DOQ, a parallel to France's AOC, America's AVA, and Italy's DOC. Awarded in 2003, Priorat DOQ is only the second in all of Spain after Rioja - Denominaciono d'Origen Qualificada in the Catalan language.

This wine is a three-way blend of Garnatxa Negra (black Grenache), Carinyena (Carignane), and Cabernet Sauvignon, grown in a rocky soil called "Llicorella". This relatively acidic soil is made from broken-up slate, hence the name of wine, and it's known to impart mineral and earth notes to the wine. So once these grapes were harvested, they spent a 30 day maceration in tank and concrete vessels, then aged for a year in French and Hungarian Oak barrels.

Regarding the age - given previous I fear this is another entry in the "James left this in his cellar too long" category, but when I bought this back in 2011, Charles indicated it was good through 2018. He's the expert, so I'll give it as shot.

Wowzers, look at that color. The bricking - or the color change from red to brown at the wine ages - is really quite evident here.

OK, wow. The time spent in the bottle has definitely made its mark, with most of the fruit having dropped out. It's soft but very silky, with some elements of minerals and leather, but lacks any juice or jam whatsoever. A touch savory, it's actually a bit like port - my brother Dan says it's like a "dessert pinot" - slightly sweet and mostly dry. But unlike the Burgundy we had with Thanksgiving, this wine has lost its sweetness due to aging, not due to a particular style.

There was discussion at the table about this being too soft; I think the softness is fine, and frankly, it was a good time to try it. I would say that this wine has reached its peak of aging, and that any longer might have negatively affected the flavor. Alcohol acts as a preservative, so there's no danger in this wine going bad - the only issue is how the flavors might age.

Anyways, I'm pleased with a result. Most of the wines you see in the store, and most of the ones I have in my cellar, can't be aged this long, so it was cool to try something old (and not disgusting!)

Domaine de la Bressande - 2016 Premier Cru pinot noir [France]

For our Turkey Day dinner, we served a fine red Burgundy from Domaine de la Bressande, the home appellation of acclaimed winemaker Antonin Rodet. Grown in the French village of Mercurey, this wine is a Premier Cru - a French winemaking term used to describe wines (or broadly, a vineyard) of a high caliber. In Burgundy, specifically, this is the second-highest classification, with Grand Cru being the highest. So we're in for a treat. This wine is 100% pinot noir, aged for 8 months in an 80/20 split of old and new oak barrels.

The most striking quality of this wine is its texture - quite smooth and very savory, with a touch of salt, especially on the finish. Very silky throughout with a medium-to-soft body with no sweetness. Finish is not particularly lingering. Pretty ruby color as well. 

Quite a perfect pairing for the usual Thanksgiving fixings. I like this because it's not overly strong, therefore the herbal savory flavors of various meal components come through and aren't overpowered by the wine. This is available at Total Wine for something like $26, so generally at the higher end of what I'd suggest for wines, but for a holiday dinner, a really nice choice. 

Stone Brewing Co. - 2015 "Crime" ale

Being home in Connecticut for the Thanksgiving holiday is always fun, but when it comes to this blog, it means access to my cellar of beer and wine. Back when I lived here full-time (and in the intervening years, when I'd visit) I'd grab various fancy beers and wines and store them for the future. It's easy not to drink them when you're hundreds of miles away! Today's is one such special cellar beer, mellowing in the basement since 2015t. It's called "Crime", and is a 9.60% ABV ale made with a laundry list of peppers.

A product of Stone Brewing Co., this is another entry in their "Arrogant" line of beers. I've reviewed a few iterations of this series before, namely the "Depth-Charged Double Bastard" and "Double Bastard in the Rye". Today's is a pepper-infused variant of the "Lukcy Basartd" ale (which itself is a blend of "Arrogant Bastard", "Double Bastard", and "Oaked Arrogant Bastard"), the rather-extensive list of peppers I was able to find:

• Red & Yellow 7 Pot
• Red & Yellow 7 Pot Douglah
• 7 Pot Jonah
• Red Scorpion
• Black Naga
• Green & Red Jalapenos
• Red & Peach Moruga Scorpions (these are particularly strong)
• Chocolate Douglah
• Ghost
• Giant White Habanero
• Habanero
• Caribbean Red Hot
• Fatali
• Peach Ghost Scorpion 

Crimony, that's a lot of peppers. According to Stone's website, this is quite a strong beer, with quotes like "The heat is disturbing!"and "Be careful!" There's even a video of patrons trying the "Crime" and recoiling in horror as the flavor hits their tongue. Well, blah blah blah, everyone has their own spice levels and I love ghost peppers, so bring it on. I laugh in the face of danger.

Now - full disclosure - this has been sitting downstairs in my mother's basement for a few years.  I do not have a fresh reference bottle, and the flavors will have mellowed out over time, so I'm not really trying this as the brewers intended - however, it does say "ages well" on the bottle, so it certainly has not gone bad.

Opens with a light pop, pours medium to dark amber with not much aroma.

Whooo-eee, OK, there's a lot to unpack here. Almost instantly, this beer presents a slightly-sweet ale flavor, a bit like a barleywine (without the consistency.) Not very syrupy but has that thick woodiness. Immediately thereafter, though, the peppers come in a massive wave, and despite the aging, it's still quite lively and sharp. The peppers are oily and slightly sweet, kind of like the chili oil you get at a dim sum restaurant. Very nicely done. The hops aren't particularly present, and there's some element of char and a hint of sweetness - that's the bourbon barrels coming through. The peppers really hang on, though, and last throughout the aftertaste. Remarkably clean taste afterward, too.

Overall this is an excellent blend and very well balanced. As noted, there are numerous flavors in there - oaky sweetness, bourbon barrel char, hot peppers, and brown ale maltiness - but I find they're all blended expertly. One flavor does not particularly bulldoze any other flavors, and despite the strong character of the peppers, I can still detect other ingredients and flavor nuances. That's the mark of a great beer. Should I have had this fresh? Yes. But I also should have bought one to age, too. This is still damn good and well worth trying. I believe this was $19 for a 500mL bottle, so not super cheap, but worth it in my opinion. Happy Thanksgiving!

Ardent Brewing - "Sweet Potato & Sage" saison

Here is an interesting creation from Richmond, VA-based Ardent Craft Ales - a 6.40% ABV saison made with sweet potatoes and sage. All we need is the turkey breast and some gravy!

I've had both sweet potato and sage as ingredients in beer, but never together. The Bruery's "Autumn Maple" which I love, is made with yams, and last year at the Craft Brewer's Conference I ran into a sage saison by Crooked Stave Artisan Beer Project. Both were delicious in their own ways, so I am excited to see both flavors combined.

Aroma is slightly sour, some oak. Low lacing when poured.

Hmm, OK, this is good. A bit lighter and sweeter than I was expecting, but earthy, malty, with an herbal twist. It has a similar sweet potato flavor as the "Autumn Maple", but but an interesting herbal twist to it. At 28 IBUs, it's not bitter and has a pretty subtle hop profile. The sage is not as strong as the sage beer I had from Colorado, but it's still present and noticeable. These herbal notes are coupled with Belgian spices, as well, which makes a nice blend. I should also say that the texture is off-dry...it's not particularly dry (as say a witbier might be) but has a slight crispness, especially on the finish, which I think complements the flavors as well.

If you're a fan of slightly sweet, somewhat dry, very mellow ales with no aggressive bitterness or spice, this is for you. This isn't as soft as, say, an ESB, but still pretty easy-drinking. Cost-wise, it was 10.99 for four 12oz bottles, so pretty reasonable and worth trying for sure.

Abita Brewing Co. - "Pecan Ale"

Today's beer is a seasonal release from Abita Brewing Company, based out of Abita Springs in St. Tammany Parish, Louisiana. I haven't had too much from Abita; four or five years ago I tried their most popular offering, "Purple Haze", which I didn't particularly like. But, you can't judge a brewery by just one beer, so I'm willing to give the folks from the Pelican State another chance.

The "Pecan Ale" is a 5.20% ABV ale made with Louisiana pecans. Pecans are my favorite nut, and pecan pie is my favorite (thanks to Becka L.'s awesome recipe!) and since I don't think I've heard of another ale made with pecans, this is going to be fun to try. The malts used are Pale, Munich, Biscuit, and Caramel, and the hop bill is 100% Willamette hops - a strain known for an herbal and floral taste. Sounds tasty!

Pours a nice light amber color in the glass, very pretty. It generated a little bit of fizzy foam, so I hard-poured it, which means I poured directly into the beer and not along the rim. Doing so made the head puff up a little bit, but still not much. I'm detecting a mild aroma of maple and malt.

Hmm, it's rather thin, unfortunately. As an ale, it's pretty standard, with some malty caramel notes and a mild amount of nut flavors. Kinda like a basic brown ale. It's hard to really pick out the pecan flavors, per se, but there is some nutty flavors present, almost like a nut shells, rather than the "meat" of the nut. The flavor dies away quickly and leaves little aftertaste.

Welp, I'm sorry to say I am not impressed. This beer would be good as a session ale, but it did not live up to my expectations. Although I wasn't expecting it to be anything woody and boozy, I was hoping there would be a more pronounced pecan taste, maybe with more sweetness. But - a good diversion from pumpkin beer, as the season permits, and it's light drinking, so not a bad purchase for $10.99 for 6.

Oliver Brewing Co. - "Noise to Signal Ratio" IPA

Here's a snapshot of a beer I had a while back which is definitely worth mentioning. I traded one of my Rogue Ales "Fresh Roast" malt beers to my former colleague Martin for a can of Oliver Brewing Co.'s "Noise to Signal Ratio", which is a 6.00% ABV kettle-soured IPA, aged for 7 months in mead casks. It's finished with Amarillo and Citra dry hops, Citra of course being my favorite.

So yeah, mead casks. I've actually been meaning to talk about mead; what once was a staple only of Renaissance fairs has now become mainstream and available at numerous beer stores both in the bottle and by the can. Mead is essentially just fermented honey, although craft meads are popping up with fancy ingredients like blueberry, basil, pumpkin, ginger, and lemon. Mead is an acquired taste, and I'm curious to see how the mead cask affects this beer; I'm assuming some of the sourness will be imparted. Let's find out.

It pours a light gold, and generates a thin, white head. There's a ton of little bubbles, and has no "legs" or lacing.

The nose is sour, for sure - wood sour, but not in a boozy way. Like a light, closer-to-a-gose kind of way.

If I was doing a blind taste test, I'd think this is a cider. It has a crispness, like a cider, and a sourness that's quite pronounced. The hops aren't terribly bright, and there's no bready "beer flavors". As the beer develops, and I swish around the sediment, some surprisingly-sweet notes begin to present themselves and continue through the finish. There's really not any bitterness at all.

So overall very interesting, and definitely not what I was expecting. I was figuring on this being perhaps a hazy IPA with some additional sweetness imparted by the barrels, but as it turns out this is more like a cider. The slightly-astringent texture and light body is definitely mead-like, as well. Since this isn't that bitter, I feel it would be an excellent choice for someone who may not be into bitter IPAs. At $14.99 for four, it's a bit expensive. Also - notice that under the name of the beer, there's a little "Volume No. 1". I wonder if this will be an ongoing thing, kinda like Firestone Walker's "Luponic Distortion" series. We'll find out, I guess!

Harpoon Brewery - "Dunkin' Coffee Porter"

Here come those blustery temperatures! I'm a big fan of coffee-flavored or coffee-infused beer, so naturally this is my favorite season. I'm not the only one, either - we've received numerous kinds of coffee beverages into the shop, many of which I've seen or had before. But not this one!

That's right - with its familiar neon lettering and white background, this is a beer inspired by Dunkin' Donuts. Now, I don't have any particular brand loyalty to Dunkin', but as a true son of New England, I have try this beer. It's a 6.00% ABV coffee porter by Harpoon Brewery, clocking in at 28 IBUs. So rather light on both the alcohol and the bitterness. Let's see how coffee-y it is...some of the coffee beers I've had are rather light on flavor, so here's hoping for something different.

Interesting -  there's really not a lot of head, even when hard-poured (pouring the beer directly down, instead of along the side of the glass.) Settles to a milkshake like cap on top, thin yet dense.

Hmm, it's quite soft actually, with some creaminess and a touch of savory, rauchbier-like smoke in the middle - very interesting and very enjoyable. There's also a touch of powdered cocoa - or is it ground coffee? - as the flavors develops on the palate. It presents a long, but thin, finish of hot dark roast - a bit burnt, a bit bitter and strong, reminiscent of a blustery winter's day and a Styrofoam cup. I'm detecting some oily, cheap coffee flavors on the aftertaste.

OK, so this IS different from other coffee beers I've had. I think the biggest takeaway for this is that it's definitely on the roasted / oily end of the spectrum and not really that sweet. I'm fine with that. I would prefer a coffee beer that's less sweet and has more of those deep, dark roast flavors...to me it tastes more like coffee. In terms of texture, this sort of the inverse of Flying Dog's "Kujo", which is also very good for different reasons. If you're a fan of oily, dark roast coffee and want a beer to match, then grab this - it's well worth the $10.99 for six.

Right Proper Brewing Co. - "Baron Corvo" biere de garde

I'm trying to get back in the habit of doing shorter posts, more often, so here's a snapshot of a beer I had the other day. This is Right Proper Brewing's "Baron Corvo", a 7.00% biere de garde, a strong pale ale traditionally brewed in the Nord-Pas-de-Calais region of France. According to All About Beer magazine, this style has its origins in medieval, rural Europe as a source of nutrients and nourishment for peasants toiling in the fields. Today's example is made in DC, of course. We still toil, just in different kinds of fields.

Lots of fizzy bubbles in the glass, and the beer projects an apple-cider aroma. Flavor is moderately strong, actually less than I expected. It has a decent Belgian ale flavor with that lactic tinge of a Flemish sour which I enjoy. That sourness isn't super prevalent, though, just a bit. Mostly it presents as a moderately-spiced Belgian ale with a touch of vinegar. Overall a tasty, but light, fall offering. Good intro to this style and very approachable. It cost $7.49 at Whole Foods for a 500mL bottle, so pretty much a good target.

Field Recordings - 2015 "FICTION" red blend [Paso Robles, CA]

I grabbed this California red wine at D'Vines one day after my shift; I've seen it on our wine wall for some time, and I admit that in this case, marketing has done its job. The label is quite attractive and modern; it stands out in a sea of traditional plain labels. I took a look, liked what I saw, and decided to give it a try.

This wine is made by Field Recordings, the brainchild of winemaker Andrew Jones. According to his website, Jones is a vinetender who's worked in many vineyards throughout the California coast; he is constantly on the lookout for small, underappreciated vineyards and fruit. From some of the vineyards he's worked, he's been able to reserve some of the fruit grown to make his own wine. These small lots are all single-origin and released under the Field Recordings label.

There are three secondary labels, as well, under the Field Recordings umbrella, including a canned wine (Alloy Wine Works), a label that focuses on Pinot Noir and Chardonnay from so-called "extreme coastal conditions" (Wonderwall), and two multi-vineyard blends (FICTION.) Today's wine is the red version of FICTION. It's a mixmaster blend of:

• 48% Zinfandel
• 15% Syrah
• 14% Mourvedre
• 8% Graciano (a new one for me)
• 8% Cabernet Sauvignon
• 4% Touriga Nacional (also new)
• 3% Carignan

OK, so, I can appreciate a good red blend just as much as the next guy, but having seven different grapes in this wine seems a bit excessive. I imagine it would be tough for anyone to pick out the individual characteristics of each grape. Such small percentages, as well, make me question the decision; for example, the Carignan makeup of this blend is 3%, which in terms of a 750mL bottle, is only 1.5 tablespoons. That's not a lot of flavor to add to a wine and I'd wager most people wouldn't tell the difference if it was omitted. This is not the only wine that does this....another example is Boekenhoutskloof's "The Wolf Trap", which is a blend of Syrah, Mourvedre, and...1% Viognier. I mean, come on. 1%? That's only 1.5 teaspoons in an entire bottle. Crazy.

I had some extra time on my hands, so I was planning on trying this wine and pairing with my homemade truffle and bacon mac n' cheese.

I precooked the bacon, and used the bacon fat for the roux. As all that was going on, I poured out the wine using my new Vintorio aerator. The wine world is divided on the use of aerators; I think it's fine and helps the wine breathe. Some feel it's a gimmick, but hey, if it agitates the wine more than a simple pour, it's got to have some effect, right?

It projects a very pleasing aroma; a little grape, a little fruit, a little spice. Nothing particularly unbalanced.

Initially, I'm tasting some unripe grapes flavors and a burst of tannins on the front end, which dies away quickly and leads to a very soft, slightly sweet flavors. The wine develops into cassis, with a bit of leather paired with some alcohol esters, and a touch of allspice. It goes out like a lamb, though, finishing soft and silky, with lots of cherry juice flavors. The aftertaste is a bit dry with a slight metallic tinge.

Overall, super nice and a very approachable red, and would pair well with numerous dishes. I liked the softness on the finish the most, it was just dry enough to cut through the rich and creamy mac 'n cheese. The berry flavors and a bit of spice makes it an approachable, middle-of-the-road wine that's done quite nicely. 

The winery's website bills this as a "wine for every occasion" and I'd say that's partially true. The blend is solid and although I couldn't necessarily pick out each individual grape variant, I did enjoy each of the flavors in harmony. The $21.99 price tag prevents from being a true diamond in the rough, though, but it's well worth a try. Field Recordings has a few other offerings, including a hoppy wine (!) which I will eventually track down and try.