Firestone Walker Easy Jack. Summer Session IPA. Paso Robles, CA. 4.5% ABV.


Served chilled in a pint glass. Pours a cloudy gold color with a two inch white head. There is very little aroma, with only a slight hint of citrus. Though there is medium carbonation, this feels like a light beer. Taste is pretty bitter, with lemon and hops poking through. This beer finishes dry, and leaves a slight, bitter aftertaste.


Overall this is an incredibly drinkable summer beer from Firestone Walker. This would definitely be something that I would buy again for a summers day by the pool. Firestone is quickly climbing up the list of my favorite breweries. They truly have a brew for any occasion, season or mood. I cannot wait to see what they come out with next. Additionally thank you to Kevin for picking me up a bottle of the 2014 Parabola and 2014 Stickee Monkee. Been on my want list for some time!


87/100

Alesmith Speedway Stout. Imperial Stout. San Diego, California. 12% ABV.

I have had this one twice in the past month. The first one was from a bomber, the second served on draught at Upright Brew House. They were both very similar, though the draught tasted fresher and richer.

Each time served chilled in a snifter/goblet. Pours pitch black with a two finger tan foam head. Smells are of coffee and dark chocolate. The carbonation is medium to light, though it is a full bodied stout. Once again, coffee and chocolate attack the palate, and leaves a heavily coffee aftertaste. Though it contains so many bitter ingredients, there are some sweet hints in there as well.

Speedway Stout ranks highly among my favorite stouts, probably only behind Bourbon County Coffee (I may put this ahead of the regular Bourbon County Brand Stout). It is rich, flavorful, and a pleasant drinking experience. I would highly recommend picking up a bomber to share with friends.

99/100

Founders Devil Dancer. American Triple IPA. Grand Rapids, Michigan. 112 IBU. 12% ABV.

Served chilled in a snifter. Pours a reddish brown color with very little head. The aroma is a little boozy, with hints of citrus. The taste attacks the tongue up front, and destroys the palate on the way down. This is the highest IBU beer I have ever had, and it leaves a very dry finish.

Overall a pretty intense beer from Founders. I personally love their brewery, and am a huge fan of the triple IPA style. This is one of those beers that seeks to push the limits, and brew something unique and difficult. The alcohol content of this one is actually higher than Palate Wrecker, Hoptimum and Ruination. However, the alcohol smell and taste was not overwhelming, which allowed me to focus on the bitterness and other flavors.

While I would not drink this one regularly, I appreciate what they did here, and can see why it was given high marks. Good luck finding one of these-even though it was just released a week ago many places are sold out. It is one of those releases that many places limit people to 1 or 2 bottles per person. Nonetheless, it's a good one to experience.

85/100

Harviestoun Old Engine Oil Black Ale. Harviestoun Brewery. Hillfoots Village, Alva, Scotland. Black Ale. 6% ABV.

Pours a very dark black with a two finger tan foam head. Smells of chocolate and nuts. Carbonation is on the lighter side and the beer is relatively light bodied. Tastes of coffee, chocolate, almonds and nuts. The aftertaste is very roasty and chocolatey.

I love this beer from Harviestoun. Definitely my favorite Scottish beer over Bellhaven and Innis and Gunn. There is a reason this one receives a 100/100 from the Bros on BA. Can't imagine how great this would taste fresh over there. If you are lucky enough to find this at your local beer store, be sure to snatch this up. Otherwise, ask me to bring one back from NYC!

95/100

Flying Dog Brewhouse Rarities Mint Chocolate Stout. Flying Dog Brewery. Frederick, Maryland. American Stout. 5.7% ABV

I picked up this bottle about a month ago and stored it in my inventory box. About 2 weeks ago, I finally decided to transfer it from the beer box to the fridge, with the full intention of drinking it within a day or two. However, every time I stared at the beer in the fridge, I just could not bring myself to drink it. I have historically enjoyed Flying Dog, and am a huge fan of stouts. Something about this one kept pushing me away. I thought it would be a fake tasting beer, with too much chocolate and a weird mint aftertaste. My reservations proved to be somewhat correct.

Pour cold into a snifter. Pours a dark black color with a one and a half finger tan foam head that disappears after the first sip. Smell is heavily on the mint side-I read one piece about this beer where someone compared it to Junior Mints: spot on. I could not really detect any coffee or chocolate. The carbonation is medium to light, and mint is an overpowering flavor. Again, I have tried to detect chocolate, coffee, and almonds, but have not been able to. The middle of the taste is actually pretty watery tasting, but the finish is heavily on fake mint. 

Overall, not a fan of this one. My reservations about a fake mint taste proved to be correct. I was disappointed that I could not taste any chocolate or coffee. The one plus is that it was on the relatively inexpensive side ($2/ bottle). Will not be buying again and would not recommend. However, Flying Dog is still a great brewery in my book (see Raging Bitch, Kujo and Gonzo), so I will continue to try their new items in hopes of finding something good.

50/100

Goose Island The Ogden. Belgian style Tripel. Chicago, IL  Bottled March 24, 2014. 9% ABV



Served chilled in a brandy snifter. Pours a copper color with an amber hue. For a Belgian style Tripel it is relatively clear, and there is just a hint of cloudiness. The smells are tropical, and I can detect hints of banana and citrus peel. The carbonation and body are medium, with a smooth taste. There is a quick rush of hops early on but the majority of the taste has a malty and yeasty taste to it.  The aftertaste is heavy on the banana. Overall an excellent beer and a great American version of a Belgian style Tripel. 

As my regular readers know, Goose Island is a favorite brewery of mine, and Trappist Ales are a favorite style. Though this is not technically a Trappist beer, it is in the style of a Chimay or Westmalle. If I had not seen the bottle, I could have easily confused this for a Trappist Ale. Once again, Goose Island has shown how well rounded they are when it comes to styles of beer. Bravo!



88/100

Jack's Abby Coffee Framinghammer. Framingham, MA. Baltic Porter. 10% ABV.

I was lucky enough to get my hands on the Coffee Framinghammer from Jack's Abby. This was another variation of their famous Framinghammer, a Baltic Porter. Many of my readers will remember my first post when I reviewed the Bourbon Barrel Aged Framinghammer, giving it very high marks. Well, this one beat the first.

Served chilled in a brandy snifter. Pours a pitch black color with a 2.5 finger tan foam head. The aroma is heavy on coffee and chocolate, as is the taste. The carbonation is relatively light, but the body is on the medium side. The aftertaste is dominated by coffee. I need to know what blend they use so I can brew a cup every morning myself.

This was an absolutely delicious beer that closely resembles Goose Island's Bourbon County Coffee Stout. The only difference is the absence of bourbon, which brings the ABV down. It is very drinkable for a 10% ABV beer, and I would rate this one extremely high, and urge everyone to buy this if you can find it.

97/100

Great Divide Rumble. Oak aged IPA. Denver, Colorado. 7.1% ABV



Served chilled in a pint glass. Pours a very clear, amber color with a thick and frothy two finger foam head. The smell is oaky, bready and malty. The taste is the same as the smell, with an earthy component and a hint of citrus. The taste is the best part of the experience. The carbonation is medium-low and the beer is surprisingly light feeling for a 7.1% ABV. The beer almost tastes watery at the beginning but you get the flavors after a second or two. However, the aftertaste is not my favorite. I cannot really describe the taste, but the best thing I can say is that I want to drink another sip to get rid of the aftertaste.



Overall, this is a decent beer that got a few parts right but not the whole picture. If you're looking for a good oak aged beer, try Stone's Oak Aged Arrogant Bastard instead. I probably won't buy this one again, but I still will be on the lookout for more Great Divide products.



80/100

I plan on writing another several part series dedicated to my favorite craft beer watering holes and stores. Today's post will focus on my current residence: NYC.

NYC has a plethora of bars, restaurants and craft beer stores. Even the local bodegas and corner stores carry a few bottles of high end ales and lagers. But how do I choose where to buy, and specifically, where are the best places to go and how can I keep track of it all?

Stores:

City Swiggers: 320 E 86 St, NY NY 10128 (Between 1st and 2nd Avenues) http://cityswiggers.com

City Swiggers carries approximately 1400 beers at any one time, and has upwards of 700 different varieties on the shelves at all times. They have a large local selection, and also have several shelves of imports.  The place can be a bit pricy, but their selection is one of the best I have seen in NYC. Additionally, they have a bar with 10 rotating taps, and offer flights, pints and growlers. Definitely a place to come check out, try a few beers, and make a mixed six-pack.

Pioneer Grocery Store: 

There are several Pioneer grocery stores in the city, but the one located on 74th and Columbus has the best beer selection of them all. They carry approximately 500 different beers all sold by the individual bottle. Living near it has allowed me to try many different varieties, all without lugging them too far home! The pricing is a bit lower than City Swiggers on the whole.

Noble Grains: 313 E 95th Street  (between 1st and 2nd Avenues)  http://www.noblegrainsnyc.com


Noble Grains is a hole in the wall up on the east 90's. They carry an impressive bottle selection, and also serve growlers. They are a bit on the pricy side, but the selection makes it worth it. 

Key Foods:

Another grocery store that makes my list is Key Foods. These are all over Manhattan, but some of them (UES) has an excellent and extensive selection. I was able to purchase a case of Hopslam before it was released anywhere else in NYC. 

Fourth Ave Beer: 246 11th Street, Brooklyn (4th Avenue)

This store is located in Brooklyn down off of the F train stop at 9th Street. The selection is probably the most impressive I have seen in the city. However, the prices are the most astronomical. Things that I would pay $4 a bottle for in Manhattan can go for $7 or $8 here, making me typically avoid it. However, if there is something really rare or hard to find, it is a good last resort. 

Triboro/Euromart/Astoria Beer Wine & Cheese:

These three are grocery stores in Astoria, that all carry excellent selection. They tend to get Dogfish 120, KBS, Bourbon County Coffee and more great ones.


Bars:

Upright Brew House: 547 Hudson St, New York, NY 10014 (Perry)


Upright is hands down my favorite craft beer bar in NYC. The staff is phenomenal and incredibly knowledgeable. Rob, Jay, Allie, and Yasmine know a ton about beer, and take care of you very well. Their selection of craft beers is impressive, as they consistently get Stone, Founders, Maine, Cigar City, and many local beers on tap. The food is tremendous too, and the place doubles as a high-end coffee shop in the morning. Check this out, and tell them Scott sent you!

Rattle N Hum/Beer Authority:

Rattle N Hum and Beer Authority are two sister bars located in Manhattan. Beer Authority is right next to Port Authority Bus Terminal, and Rattle N Hum is located on 14 E 33rd Street (Between 5th and Madison). Both of their selections are excellent, as they host many tap-takeovers. I was able to try KBS at Founder's NYC launch party, as well Goose Island Bourbon County Barleywine on tap. 

Others

Unfortunately I cannot ramble on forever. However, some other places to check out are:

Alewife: Long Island City
Draught 55: Midtown East
Taproom No. 307: Gramercy
Gramercy Tavern: Gramercy (This also containts aged/cellared beers on the menu!)
Amsterdam Ale House: Upper West Side
The Ginger Man: Midtown (this place has an unbelievably large tap selection)
Stout: Midtown West near Madison Square Garden
Blind Tiger: West Village (They are known for having an extensive sours list)

I realize there are so many more, but this is the beautiful thing about craft beer bars: they are popping up everywhere everyday!

Cheers!

Scott

Stone Enjoy By 07-04-14. Bottled on 05-30-14. Stone Brewing Company Escondido, California. American Double IPA. 9.4% ABV.

Served chilled in a snifter. This beer pours a beautiful amber/copper color. It pours very clear with a one finger, creamy and foamy head. The aroma is floral and citrusy, and contains hints of peach, orange, pineapple, onion, and pine. The taste if extremely fresh, and has a nice, hoppy component to it. Again, the grapefruit and pineapple lead the way, though there is some bitterness as well. Medium carbonation and body. The aftertaste is sweet and resiny, leaving you wanting more.

 Overall the near perfect beer. Stone has been famous for putting out this periodic brew. Recently, they have released batches on 05-16-14, 04-20-14, 02-14-14 and 12-13-13. They are trending for around 10 releases per year, and deliver this fresh beer to all 50 states. The beer is unfiltered and unpasteurized, and that "Enjoy By XX-XX-XX" is actually the projected date of expiration. If you are lucky enough to get your hands on a bottle, buy it and drink it right away! The other great thing about this beer is that Stone representatives will come to the stores in which bottles did not sell and buy them back. They are so confident in their product that it will sell, and have made a commitment to producing high quality, fresh beer.

I will buy this every time it comes out. The definition of fresh and delicious. 


99/100