Stone Brewing Co. - Stochasticity Project Quadrotriticale quadrupel

If anyone is a fan of Star Trek: The Original Series, the name of this beer may be familiar to you. This beer, however, is not a "Russian inwention" as quipped by Walter Koenig's Chekov in the classic episode Trouble with Tribbles. It's a special one-off creation by the brewmasters at Escondido, CA-based Stone Brewing Co. Triticale is a real thing - it's a genetically-engineered hybrid of wheat and rye (and gets its name from a portmanteau of the Latin designations for each respective grain.)

This beer is part of Stone's "Stochasticity Project", which according to the back of the bottle, is a special line of beers "...where exotic notions, ingredients, and ideas coalesce at an interesting and often unexpected endpoint." Well, needless to say, I'm a huge fan of beers that mix it up and provide new and interesting flavors. I also am a Star Trek fan, so the name definitely caught my eye!

I actually have had this twice - once last week when work colleagues (and friends) Dave and Catherine came over for dinner. We all liked it so much that I had to go out and get a second. My buddies at D'Vines in Columbia Heights carry it. As for the cost, it's pretty standard as far as craft beers go - it cost me $10.50 for a 22oz bomber.

But let's cut to the chase: the beer has a caramelly-brown eye to it, smooth pouring with a fast-dissipating head.

When held to the light, it's a bright reddish-brown.

The nose is yeasty and sweet, with a slight tinge of sour alcohol flavors. Something I'd definitely expect for a quadrupel (and one at 9.3% ABV, at that!)

It tastes great - it's smooth, very polished, with hints of sourness and spices that go very well together. I'm noticing some sugary tastes along with a definite taste of raisin. Like many Belgian quads, it's very sweet and yeasty, but this beer is curiously smooth. The finish is warm and soft, and the aftertaste is one of sugary yeast that's totally pleasant. 

I must say, I'm really enjoying this beer. It's polished and tasty, with the underlying strength that I'd expect from a Belgian-style quadrupel. I had no problem drinking the whole thing in one sitting, despite it being almost one-tenth pure alcohol. The alcohol is masked very well and provides for an amazingly drinkable beer. I also appreciate the special Belgian sugar they use in this beer - called "Dark Candi." Totally delicious and smooth!

Overall, it's a delicious and drinkable beer that I wouldn't hesitate to drink again. Seek this out if you can - you won't be disappointed!

Southern Tier Brewing Co. - "Farmer's Tan" seasonal session IPA

Had some of this a while back and figured I should post about it. Southern Tier makes great stuff but I don't see it all too often. Had never tried this variant...I don't recall seeing too many Southern Tier six-packs in the store (they usually come in 22oz bombers.) Good thing I grabbed this, too - turns out it was their last six-pack. It pays to take a chance!

It's a 4.6% ABV session India Pale Ale (according to them, one of their lightest beers.) Like a lot of the stuff they make, it's a blend of select malts and hops. It's also bottle conditioned, which means the brewers stick some yeast and some sugar (not a lot, mind you) into the bottle before packaging. This allows a bit of fermentation to happen in transit and on the shelf. Many beers, especially craft beers, do this. It makes the beer fresher, longer, and helps it age a little bit in the bottle.

The pour is nice and fast, with a clear-ish yellow color and a big foamy head. Lots of bubbles here, lots of spice. It was pretty thin, but still had some good flavor. It makes for a good session ale (as advertised) and would grab it again if I saw it.

Flying Dog Brewery - Dead Rise summer ale

Summer is upon us, and we beer drinkers are inundated with a wide variety of summer seasonals. Flying Dog, made not too far from DC in Fredrick, MD, has just one such seasonal but with a unique twist. Today's sampling is a 5.6% summer ale made with Old Bay seasoning - a staple of Maryland crab bakes. The beer was made to celebrate the 75th anniversary of the Old Bay seasoning, and also in partnership with True Blue, a new crabmeat labeling initiative to help support Maryland's seafood industry.

I first ran into Old Bay in college, when good friend Jonathan Roberts (a proud Baltimore native) explained to me that such seasoning was, on fries, as close to Jehovah as one could come on this mortal coil. And he doesn't seem to be the only one who enjoys it. It's sold in almost every store, sometimes even on the tables at restaurants, and even U.S. Senator Barbara Mikulski (D-MD) has an Old Bay crabcake recipe on her official Senate website.

So a few weekends ago, I bring Rex (my growler jug) into D'Vines for a discounted fill up of DC Brau's "El Jefe Speaks" (oh yeah!) Well, apparently, they had just run out. I was pretty bummed. The guy tried to offer me a a kombucha IPA (nope) but I wasn't having it. I scanned their list of available growler pours and came across Flying Dog's Dead Rise, on fill. I didn't know much about it, and my experience with Flying Dog up to this point wasn't really anything to write home about. I ended up heading home empty-handed...but my curiosity was piqued. Fast forward a few days, I was doing my grocery shopping in Harris Teeter and saw a display featuring this beer. I had room in the basket (and the fridge) so - in the name of science - I gave it a shot.

As you can see, the beer pours a light yellow, almost translucent, and has a nice light amber color in the glass. This is pretty much par for the course for a summer ale. Apparently, this beer is brewed from a Belgian pale base. 

There wasn't too much of a nose on this beer, which is too bad. But that's made up for when you dive it. This beer is delicious. Sure, it's got that expected levity that comes with a summer ale, but there's a definite, recognizable taste of Old Bay in there, which works very well with the beer. The taste is straightforward and full, with lingering tastes of spices and wheat on the way down. The aftertaste is pleasant and spicy.

And as summer ales go, this is quickly becoming one of my favorite. The spice flavors are totally welcome in a beer like this and makes is a unique and fun beer to drink. It's not overwhelming and strikes just the right balance of wheat, spices, and alcohol content to make it a session ale I wouldn't mind drinking all day. And so I went back to D'Vines to grab some more on draft. Here's Rex the Growler getting a 64oz fill of Dead Rise:

In conclusion, you should try this beer if you can. It's well worth the $10 or whatever you spend on a six-pack (or $11 for a draft fill) and is perfect for a day out on the lawn or patio, or just hanging out inside after a rainstorm. I'm definitely going to buy it until they run out of stock. It's simply a delicious, locally-made session ale that wins where it counts. Plus, you know that when you buy it, you're helping to support local crab fisheries in Maryland. Don't miss out!

Les Portes de Bordeaux - 2012 Bordeaux Supérieur (France)

Today's review is another basic, cheap table wine that I've come to love. Trader Joe's carries it. It's a 2012 French wine from the Bordeaux region of France, which gives it its name. 

The eye is bright, ruby red. It's really a beautiful color on wine and makes me think of ripe strawberries. The nose is one of dark fruit with a tangy sweet smell to it, which I really like. 

It tastes as I expected it to - fruity, with some nice tart tastes and solid earthy flavors. It's not caustic at all, and doesn't have the sort of bite I'd expect from a cheap-o table wine I got at TJ's.

I ended up serving it with some saag paneer curry over basmati rice with black beans, mushrooms, and pan-fried onions.

But the best part about this - it's $5.99.

It's a simple, basic red table wine that I'd be pleased to drink every day. The price is right and the taste is right for my favorite appellation, and thus I'm sure I'll be coming back to this time and time again. It's a great wine to have on hand at all times, bring to a friend's, or enjoy on vacation. Enjoy!

Tabacleria Victor Sinclair - Series 55 Maduro churchill

When someone asks me "dude, what have YOU been smoking?" I'm not offended. You might see me smoking a Davidoff, or perhaps a Fonseca Habana, something from Drew Estate, or perhaps an Avo XO (in my opinion, one of the finest cigars in the world.) But sometimes, I just want an everyday smoke. And I usually look no further than a Victor Sinclair cigar. Tabacleria Victor Sinclair makes a LOT of varieties of cigars, in all shapes and sizes and flavors, and they're affordable enough to smoke every day. To boot, they're also super tasty and are well-made. Today's review is one of my favorites: a five-country blend of maduro tobaccos aged 5 years, hence the "Series 55" label.

The maduro leaf is what gives this cigar its sweet, mineral taste. And I really enjoy that kind of taste on a hot, broiling day in the park. 

It lights up nicely, with a smooth draw. The leaves are springy and moist, and the cigar isn't tightly rolled.

The cigar throws a mottled grey smoke. The taste of the tobacco is sweet, as expected, with just a hint of earth and leafy tastes.

The wrapper held on until pinkie length, where it started to unravel and burn off. After a few more puffs, the cigar began to dry up and taste rough; so I had to put it out. I could have probably relit it and kept it going; but it's better to discard a cigar and possibly waste the last few good puffs than to overdo it. 

Honestly, I'd smoke this every day. And it's a good cigar for the beginner, too, since it's sweet and pleasant and also pretty cheap. I think these might be around $3 each. A cigar like this just shows that tobacco doesn't have to cost an arm and a leg to be good. I really love these cigars for everyday smokes; and I'll definitely seek them out in the future. They often come bundled together with other variants of the 55 Series; those are all worth trying as well. 

Stone Brewing Company - Enjoy By 7.4.14 double IPA

Today's beer is an aptly-named double IPA by my go-to brewers of delicious and strong potables, Stone Brewing Co. As you may recall, I enjoy a lot of what Stone produces and have reviewed them often in the past. Today's beer is a double IPA called "Enjoy By 7/4/14." It's a hefty 9.4% ABV that my friend and colleague Dave Slavick brought to me when I had a picnic a few weeks back. I stuck it in the fridge with the intent of drinking it on July 4th - obviously the day to do it.

It's made with a hodgepodge of malts and hops, and is made - according to the bottle - specifically NOT to last. It's meant to be had immediately, with no cellaring.

So, there are quite a few ways that brewers can make their beers last longer. Like anything, beer has an expiration date. So brewers can use a number of techniques at their disposal to make beers last longer - oxygen fixing caps, increased alcohol content, and preservatives all can make a beer last longer. Apparently, the guys at Stone decided not to include any such things in this beer. It's meant to be had immediately - by today, in fact. And since the big storm down south pushed some cooler air up here, the patio was a perfect place to enjoy this beer.

It's got a pretty deep orange color, pretty much par for the course in terms of an IPA. There's really no carbonation to speak of, and no head either.

I let it sit for a few minutes to see if it would open up. The nose is one of hops and a bit of citrus - again, pretty typical for a summer IPA.

I like the bright-but-hazy color that this beer has when held to the light.

Interestingly, the taste of the beer isn't what I was expecting. There's not a lot of bitterness or hoppiness at all - mostly the flavors are surprisingly sweet with a little bit of tartness on the finish. I detect a little bit of orange rind taste, not unwelcome. It's a rather polished and straightforward double IPA, but without some of the usually-accompanying bitterness or unwanted side-effects. 

According to the bottle, this beer is "devastatingly fresh." I don't know about that - but I do know that beer tastes fresh and has full, bright flavors. It's not thick or overwhelmingly strong, but has just the right flavors for a summer beer out on the patio. 

If you find this beer, in the store, grab it and give it a shot. It's not offensive at all, and certainly has enough alcohol and flavor to make it a hit at parties. But jump on it quick! As noted, it's not meant to age. Happy Fourth of July, everyone, and enjoy whatever you're drinking today!

Beer Flash: Southern Tier Brewing Co's Creme Brulee stout

Here's what I've been drinking casually: Southern Tier's Blackwater Series stout, the Creme Brulee. It's pretty delicious - doesn't taste quite like creme brulee, but has some chocolate notes and some interesting vanilla bean notes. It's the last part that really piqued my curiosity. Definitely seek out this beer if you're looking for something different, more like a dessert beer crossed with a milkshake than a traditional beer.