Old Richland by The Bruery

Provisions Series: Old Richland. American-style Barley Wine. The Bruery. Placentia, California.

Winter 2010/11.

My review on RateBeer:

3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
AHTOH (46) - San Diego, California, USA - FEB 25, 2011
UPDATED: FEB 28, 2011

750 mL bottle. Provisions Series release: January 2010. Poured into Bruery tulip.

APPEARANCE: Pours light caramel brown with ruby amber hue. Large khaki head has long duration. Head settles unevenly and leaves a bit of lacing.

AROMA: Huge caramel candy aroma that is outstanding. Hop aroma, particularly piney hops, is quite pronounced. Faint herbal hops. Some Fall-time dry, crunchy leaves. Subtle earthy mud scent. Faint vegetable aroma is only detrimental characteristic.

TASTE: Hops, particularly piney hops, is most prominent. Malt backbone, though largely hidden behind hop flavor and bitterness, seems toffee-like. Bit of a roasted barely (ie, stout-like) taste seems evident throughout. This apparent roasted barely adds an additional layer of bitterness. Subtle notes of dried tobacco leaves. Faint hint of herbal hops. Finish is quite bitter with plenty resinous character; though, overall, palatable rather than excessively bitter.

MOUTH FEEL: Smooth and velvety, yet with lively carbonation and a slight bite on the finish. Touch of alcohol warmth.

OVERALL: Pine and caramel are most prominent, especially on the nose. Taste is more hop-forward with the caramel malt in the background. Knew this would be hoppy; however, generally prefer barley wines with slightly milder bitterness.

Winter Ale by Telegraph

Winter Ale. Spice/Herb/Vegetable. Telegraph Brewing Co. Santa Barbara, California.

Winter 2010/11.

My review on RateBeer:

3.2 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
AHTOH (45) - San Diego, USA - FEB 23, 2011

750 mL bottle. Bottled on 10/30/09. Drank 2/22/11. Poured into Duvel tulip.

APPEARANCE: Pours a very dark brown color that is opaque. When held to light, is deep caramel brown with slight hues of ruby, as well as pink and amber. Thick tan head is 2-3 fingers and has long duration. Head eventually settles in a pillowy fashion.

AROMA: Sour – like an oud bruin – is the most prominent aroma. Chocolate (like powdered light milk chocolate) and caramel. Subtle notes of spices – allspice and nutmeg appear most discernible. Faint hint of chili on nose.

TASTE: Tart and acidic – similar to an oud bruin. Front of palate is acidic. Mid palate is some light malt sweetness with notes of chocolate and light caramel. Spices on mid palate as well. Back of palate has a nice amount of chocolate come through (behind the tart/acidic character). Finish has pleasant touch of heat from the chili – discernible, though hardly overbearing.

MOUTH FEEL: Lighter body than expected. Somewhat crisp. Lively carbonation.

OVERALL: Oud Bruin (Flanders brown [a sour]) with Mexican hot chocolate notes. Given its classification as Spice/Herb/Vegetable instead of a stout (eg, Ommegang Chocolate Indulgence is grouped as a stout), was unsure what to expect. Hardly expected something this tart. At first thought it was infected. Still unsure if Telegraph was going for a sour with this. Wanted to like this, though must admit: better in theory than in practice. Aroma much more pleasant than taste. Although oud bruin has its time and place, this would have been much better if it had a different style as a base. Furthermore, it seems the sour character mixed with notes of Mexican hot chocolate hardly work well together.

Collaboration Not Litigation by Avery

Collaboration Not Litigation. Batch 4 (February 2010) - 8.91% ABV. Blend of 2 Belgian strong ales - both named Salvation - 1 by Russian River and 1 by Avery. Brewed at Avery. Boulder, Colorado.

Winter 2010/2011.

My review on RateBeer:

3.2 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
AHTOH (44) - San Diego, USA - FEB 21, 2011

Bomber. Batch #4. Bottled in February 2010. Drank February 20, 2011. Poured into Duvel tulip.

APPEARANCE: Pours a deep burnt orange with a slight ruby hue. Nice head is about 2 fingers, light tan/khaki colored, and has medium duration. Head settles, leaving some lacing as well as layer of foam film and bubbles on surface.

AROMA: Belgian yeast, currants, spices, cereal. Some clove-honey malt backbone. Some sour grape. Faint hint of smokiness as well as lactic character. Cereal in the aroma combined with the subtle hint of smoke imparts a scent that is like lightly roasted cereal. Aroma has some similarities to a higher abv equivalent of Bavarian hefe - with its notes of clove and banana.

TASTE: Front of palate has a sour character to it; though something about it is less pleasant than other sours (and I do enjoy sours). Faint hint of sour dark berries on front of palate. Mid palate is Belgian yeast as well as spice. Back of palate is cereal and slight cardboard taste. Some spice on back of palate as well. Finish is very Bavarian-hefe-like with notes of clove and banana. Some faint bitterness on finish as well.

MOUTH FEEL: Much more syrupy than expected for the style. Above average carbonation.

OVERALL: Has some similarities to a Bavarian hefe; in addition to a handful of other aroma/flavor notes, being higher in abv, and having a slight lactic character. Wanted to like it because I have enjoyed plenty of Belgian-style/sour beer from Russian River, however, it is lacking. Cereal becomes increasingly discernable in the taste as it warms up. Most prominent characteristics: cereal, syrup, and sour.

Double Jack by Firestone Walker

Double Jack. Imperial/Double IPA. Firestone Walker. Paso Robles, California.

Winter 2010/2011.

My review on RateBeer:

3.7 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
AHTOH (43) - San Diego, USA - FEB 19, 2011

650 mL bottle. Bottle dated 12/15/10. Drank 2/18/11. Poured into Duvel tulip.

APPEARANCE: Pours orange gold. Quite translucent/filtered. Off-white, cream colored head is about 2 fingers, has lengthy duration, and fair amount of lacing.

AROMA: Citrus, floral, cantaloupe, pine. Very clean, balanced, robust, and delightful. Faint hint of resinous hops and wet hay on nose as well.

TASTE: More hop-forward (ie, less balanced) than aroma. Pine, citrus, resinous hops. Some floral/honey-like malt sweetness. Finish is more flavor-hop focused than excessively bitter. Bitterness and its duration are on the lighter side for the style - which I prefer. Subtle graininess on finish as well.

MOUTH FEEL: Medium bodied. Some minimal amount of syrupiness.

OVERALL: A solid imperial/double IPA. Aroma is particularly impressive. However, little in the way of extremely unique characteristics. Appearance could have been slightly better if the beer was less filtered.

Gordon by Oskar Blues

Gordon. Imperial/Double IPA//Imperial/Double Red Ale. Oskar Blues. Lyons, Colorado.

Winter 2010/2011.

My review on RateBeer:

3.4 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 15/20
AHTOH (42) - San Diego, California, USA - FEB 19, 2011

12 ounce can. Canned on 9/30/10. Drank 2/17/11. Poured into Duvel tulip.

APPEARANCE: Pours deep burnt orange with a slight ruby hue. Cream/light khaki colored head is 1 finger and has medium duration. Once head settles, thin layer of cream colored film is left on surface.

AROMA: Piney hops and plentiful caramel malt. Some earthy character. Faint skunk and cereal notes. Hint of alcohol and green raisin.

TASTE: Hops and caramel malt nicely balanced; with hop bitterness a bit more pronounced. Front of palate is toffee; plentiful amount of it makes it seem almost syrupy. Citrus and grassy hops on front of palate as well. Piney and slight grainy taste on mid palate. Back of palate and finish is bitterness. Bitter finish is a bit lengthy.

MOUTH FEEL: Medium bodied. Slight prickly feeling on finish.

OVERALL: Aroma has nice balance between hops and caramel malt. More bitter (and with a longer bitter finish) than I prefer. Straight-forward; rather than complex. A bit syrupy.

Maredsous 10 Tripel by Duvel Moortgat

Maredsous 10 Tripel. Duvel Moortgat. Breendonk-Puurs, Belgium.

Winter 2010/2011.

My review on RateBeer:

2.9 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 4/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 12/20
AHTOH (41) - San Diego, USA - FEB 16, 2011

33 cL bottle poured into Maredsous chalice. Drank 2/15/11. Best before: 02/2013.

APPEARANCE: Pours a very beautiful deep orange gold with a hint of burnt orange hue to it. Off-white cream colored head is about 2 fingers with some chunky foam rising above the rim. Head duration is medium length. Most of head eventually settles, though leaves nice amount of foam on surface – much more than simply a thin layer of film like some other Belgian ales. Plentiful Belgian lace. Champagne-like effervescence – with carbonation trails all throughout the beer, instead of just at center or around the edge of the glass like most ales.

AROMA: Belgian yeast, some spice, and vinous aroma – much more vinous/sour grape scent than most Belgian triples. Faint hop scent hidden behind other aromas, though difficult to determine more specific hop characteristics. Extremely faint grape bubblegum. Some alcohol on nose as well.

TASTE: Belgian yeast and spice on front of palate. Subtle citrus and floral notes on front of palate as well. Mid palate is some vegetable and subtle grainy caramel malt. Back of palate and finish is alcohol.

MOUTH FEEL: Highly carbonated. Quite dry. Drinks like champagne.

OVERALL: Alcohol dominates over body. Difficult to drink. Far from quaffable. Others may enjoy, though, personally doubt will buy this beer again. Too champagne-like.

Faro by Lindemans

Faro. Lambic - Faro. Brouwerij Lindemans. St Pieters Leeuw-Vlezenbeek, Belgium.

Winter 2010/11.

My review on RateBeer:

3.3 AROMA 5/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
AHTOH (41) - San Diego, USA - FEB 16, 2011

355 mL bottle poured into Duvel tulip.

APPEARANCE: Pours deep orange amber. White head is about 1 finger with medium duration. When head settles, it leaves nice layer of film on surface.

AROMA: Lambic, molasses, tart fruit, grain, hay. Faint hint of chalk on nose as well.

TASTE: Brown sugar throughout. Front of palate is brown sugar, molasses, some candy-like apple. Mid palate is abundance of tart taste. In particular, notes of tart green apple and tart cherry. Back of palate is tart with faint grainy dryness. Finish is complex interplay of sweet, somewhat dry, and tart; with most emphasis on the tart character.

MOUTH FEEL: Lively carbonation. Crisp. Semi-dry. Highly quaffable.

OVERALL: My first faro. Interesting. Complex interplay of sweet and tart. Starts sweet and progresses towards tart. Better suited as a session ale sipped during the daytime, ideally at a cafe. Molasses notes would allow this faro to pair well with bacon (i.e., during brunch, etc.). Another reason this beer would be suitable for brunch is that it could substitute for a mimosa during the meal because of its slightly acidic yet sweet nature. In fact, if I were to exaggerate, would say this faro is like a mimosa with a little maple syrup mixed throughout - though in a very delightful way.

Duvel Tripel Hop by Duvel Moortgat

Duvel Tripel Hop. Belgian Triple. Duvel Moortgat. Breendonk-Puurs, Belgium.

Winter 2010/11.

My review on RateBeer:

3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
AHTOH (39) - San Diego, California, USA - FEB 14, 2011

750 mL bottle. Brewed May 18, 2010. Opened February 11, 2011. Poured into Duvel tulip.

APPEARANCE: Massive white head: 4+ fingers, rocky foam above the rim, long duration. Head eventually settles in an extremely uneven fashion; with the chunks of foam taking on various shapes and sizes. Abundance of Belgian lace that sticks to glass as if stuck on with glue. Body pours pale straw yellow; almost like a pilsner. Lighter color body than most triples. Carbonation trail is extremely rapid, thick, and rises predominately from bottom of center of glass.

AROMA: Belgian yeast is predominant; this characteristic is like a combination of sweet aroma and a slightly vinegary scent – it is very pleasant. Plenty of noble hops. Floral sweet malt that is perfume-like. Some cereal-like grain. Subtle earthiness that is pleasant.

TASTE: Front of palate is grassy hops, some citrus hops, and Belgian yeast. Slight sweet and tangy taste on front of palate as well. Mid palate is slightly dry grain, cereal, and wet hay. Back of palate is malt sweetness and more Belgian yeast. Finish is characterized by some light bitterness and some alcohol warmth.

MOUTH FEEL: Extremely crisp; appears much more crisp than regular Duvel. Plenty of carbonation. Some alcohol warmth.

OVERALL: Clean, crisp, and smooth. Delightful taste and aroma. Drinks like a stronger and more hopped Duvel Green than a stronger and more hopped regular Duvel. As outstanding as it is, I can see why many people find regular Duvel slightly more preferable, especially given the price point. Although mouth feel is clean and smooth, the degree of alcohol warmth hinders the overall palate from being even better. Alcohol warmth could have been masked better by a slightly more robust body.

Dernière Volonté by Dieu du Ciel

Dernière Volonté (French for "Last Will"). Abbey-style Blond. Dieu du Ciel. Montreal, Canada.

Winter 2010/11.

My review on RateBeer:

3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
AHTOH (38) - San Diego, California, USA - FEB 11, 2011

11.5 ounce bottle poured into Duvel tulip.

APPEARANCE: Pours deep gold; more orange hued gold than yellow. Sediment is sparsely scattered throughout and is black and dust-like. Massive off-white head is rocky with long duration. Head eventually settles in uneven fashion. Plethora of Belgian lace. Dense, chunky, and thick head is like a huge slab of butter slowly melting on a warm pan.

AROMA: Belgian yeast, floral honey-like sweetness, light spice, subtle green apple, and a faint hop scent hidden behind the other aromas. Aroma also has a subtle sour-ish basement funk character, which was unexpected.

TASTE: Front of palate is floral honey malt with slightly vinous/sour character. Belgian yeast and pleasant amount of spice on mid palate. Back of palate is green apple. Finish has some hop bitterness.

MOUTH FEEL: Medium body. Lively carbonation. Semi-dry. Faint tangy character is present on the finish.

OVERALL: Quite pleasant. Seemed to really get a discernable amount of green apple in aroma and taste. Subtle vinous barnyard taste; with similar notes on the nose as well, though to a lesser degree. Almost saison-like; or perhaps like a combination of a higher ABV saison, a wit, and a small portion of lambic.

Route des Épices by Dieu du Ciel

Route des Épices (French for "Spice Route"). Rye beer brewed with peppercorns. Dieu du Ciel. Montreal, Canada.

Winter 2010/11.

My review on RateBeer:

3 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 2/5 OVERALL 14/20
AHTOH (37) - San Diego, California, USA - FEB 10, 2011

11.5 ounce bottle. Poured into Duvel tulip.

APPEARANCE: Pours dark amber tone of caramel brown. Sediment suspended sparsely throughout looks like black dust. Very slightly off-white head is about 1 finger high with average duration length. Once head settles, thin layer of foam covers most of the surface with some clusters of bubbles in the center as well. Minimal lace.

AROMA: Burnt caramel (ie, crème brulee), prune juice, rum-soaked cherries, very noticeable peppercorn spice. Some soy sauce. Faint piney hop aroma. The subtle grainy scent smells of rye bread. Although complex, the medley of aromas lack a degree of compatibility with each other.

TASTE: Front of palate is citrus and peppercorn. Mid palate is slightly toasted grain, and is somewhat cardboard like. Mid palate also has faint vinous character. Back of palate has abundant pepper spice, as well as faint hint of bitter chocolate. Peppercorn spice finish has extremely long duration.

MOUTH FEEL: Light body (lighter than expected). Drinks like a somewhat watered-down stout.

OVERALL: Interesting and unique. However, aromas hardly mesh well together. After first sip, palate is dominated by peppercorn spice that lingers, making it difficult to taste some of subtleties going forward. Although I enjoy spicy foods and spice character in beer, the pepper seemed excessive.

Blue Dot (Winter 2011 release) by Hair of the Dog

Blue Dot (Winter 2011 release). Double IPA. Hair of the Dog. Portland, Oregon.

Winter 2010/11.

My review on RateBeer:

3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
AHTOH (36) - San Diego, USA - FEB 3, 2011

22 ounce bottle. Winter 2011 release (drank about 1 week after it first arrived at Olive Tree Market). Poured into Duvel tulip.

APPEARANCE: Pours gold; more straw yellow shade of gold than orange gold. Very hazy. Head is just slightly off-white and about 1 finger high. Head duration is relatively short. Once head settles, only a bit of bubbles and thin foam are left atop the ale.

AROMA: Aroma is beautifully balanced between hops and malt. Hops only slightly more prominent than malt. Plethora of citrus hops. Some grassy hops. Delightful candy-like floral/honey malt sweetness with a faint hint of spice (ie, cinnamon) (hint of spice presumably from the rye malt) – malt aroma is almost like a snickerdoodle cookie. Hint of tangy dried lemon peel. Touch of dry grainy scent.

TASTE: Taste is much more hoppy than aroma. Lots of flavor hops; more flavor hops than bittering hops (a positive attribute in my opinion). Grassy hops seem prominent, with a healthy dose of resinous hops as well. Front of palate seems to have a citrusy hop character that appears more orange flavored, which when combined with the subtle malt sweetness, has a faint orange creamsicle-like taste. Mid palate is grassy hops. Back of palate is graininess. Finish is bitter, dry, and slightly tangy – quite a complex combination in the finish. Judging by the aroma, expected bit more balance between hops and malt on palate.

MOUTH FEEL: Lively carbonation. Slightly tangy. Semi-dry finish. Medium body.

OVERALL: Phenomenal aroma. Definitely makes me want to seek out and try more craft beers that use rye as a decent portion of the grain bill; perhaps even a Rye IPA for comparison. Taste is mostly hops. Hoped for a bit more balance on the palate. Finish was pleasantly bitter without being overbearingly so.

Captain Sig's Northwestern Ale by Rogue

Captain Sig's Northwestern Ale. India Red Ale. Rogue. Newport, Oregon.

Winter 2010/11.

My review on RateBeer:

3.2 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
AHTOH (35) - San Diego, California, USA - FEB 2, 2011

Bomber. Poured into Duvel tulip.

APPEARANCE: Pours a ruby-ish, burnt orange hue of amber. Hazy. Big, frothy 2+ finger head that is off-white/light tan. Head duration is quite lengthy and leaves nice lacing.

AROMA: Caramel malt sweetness seems more prominent than the hops. Hops are citrus and pine. A bit of a cardboard aroma. More than expected bready scent – like fresh oven-baked bread. Faint hint of tart red seeded fruit (ie, pomegranate or cherry concentrate), as well as light smoke. Overall, aroma is very grainy rather than hoppy or even malty sweet. Expected a bit stronger hop presence in the aroma.

TASTE: Resinous hops and grainy bread throughout palate. Unfortunately, seems like hardly much more than that. Strong bitterness appears to mask any potential subtle notes. Some citrus and pine on front of palate. Mid palate is grain. Back of palate is heavy resinous hops.

MOUTH FEEL: Medium bodied. Lively carbonation, crisp. Bitter finish has long duration.

OVERALL: Expected more balance and complexity. Resinous hop bitterness without balance.

Festive holiday red and green meal with Imperial Red Ale

Festive holiday red and green meal with Imperial Red Ale.

Organic grass fed, grain finished sirloin steak. Spiced with red chili pepper powder and ground organic green peppercorn.

Served with red and green vegetable medley of pan-fried organic red potatoes, caramelized organic red onion, and sautéed red and organic green peppers.

Meat and medley toped with organic parsley.

With a side of toasted organic baby asparagus and organic tomato.

Beer pairing: YuleSmith (Winter). Imperial Red Ale. AleSmith. San Diego, CA.

Selected this beer because thought IPA would pair well with hearty steak and the sharp hops would help balance the robustness of the meat. Furthermore, to balance out any potential excessive hoppiness of a pure IPA, selected an Imperial Red Ale (which in terms of this particular beer is like a hybrid red IPA [ie, delicately balanced hoppiness with caramel maltyness]). The hoppiness of this beer paired well with the steak, with the red aspect of the ale making the beer much darker than a typically golden color IPA and the pairing even better. The caramel malt flavor also went fantastically with the caramelized organic red onion flavor notes in the vegetable medley.

The red and green colors on the logo of the beer bottle provided inspiration for the red and green theme, despite my agnosticism.

Happy holidays.

12/18/10.

Red quinoa, red bean medley, and red veggies with Imperial Red ale

Red quinoa, red bean medley, and red veggies (vegan). Served with Imperial Red ale.

Organic red quinoa cooked with sauteed red bell pepper and caramelized organic red onions.

Red bean medley (organic red chili beans, organic red kidney beans, and organic red lentils) cooked with diced organic Roma tomatoes, caramelized organic red onions, sauteed red bell peppers, organic ground peppercorns, and chili pepper powder.

Beans finish boiled with Imperial Red ale at an attempt for an additional layer of complexity.

Beer pairing: Lucky 13. Imperial Red Ale (which they call "Mondo Large Red Ale"). Lagunitas Brewing Company. Petaluma, CA.

Logic behind beer pairing: Truthfully, hardly any gastronomical reasoning behind this selection. Just that I've been on a bit of an Imperial Red kick lately. Also, just felt like having a vegan meal at the time.

11/26/10.

Green eggs and ham & Green Flash Le Freak

Green eggs and ham & Green Flash Le Freak.

Organic eggs and rosemary ham covered in home made pesto (organic basil, pine nuts, garlic, Parmigiano-Reggiano, olive oil, sea salt, and ground pepper corn - all pulsed together).

Rosemary ham cooked in Green Flash Le Freak beer and dash of olive oil.

Logic:
In Michael Jackson's "Great Beers of Belgium" he states the following in his chapter on "Abbey Beers:"
“In its short season, asparagus is celebrated in beer gardens, inns and restaurants across Europe, from Antwerp to Zurich. It is often served with ham and sometimes scrambled eggs, but only in Belgium can you be sure of the perfect beer: a spicy, herbal, hoppy, Tripel.”
As the above plate of greens (ie, asparagus), eggs, and ham seemed a bit simplistic, I thought I'd give it an American touch and instead create a green eggs and ham dish (Dr. Seuss reference).
However, since I would now pair the beer with pesto (ie, instead of asparagus) in the dish, I thought it appropriate to substitute an Abbey/Abbey-style tripel (or any other tripel) for a Belgian Tripel-Imperial IPA hybrid - or in short, Belgian IPA. Thought this best so the IPA characteristics of the Belgian IPA could balance the sharpness of the pesto in addition to the Belgian tripel aspect balancing the robustness of the ham (with the latter being recommended by Michael Jackson).

11/23/10.

Brussels sprouts & Blanche De Bruxelles wit

Brussels sprouts & Blanche De Bruxelles.

Browned fresh Brussels sprouts, caramelized shallots, and steamed carrots sauteed together in olive oil then seasoned with ground organic green peppercorns and dusted with grated Parmigiano-Reggiano cheese.

Beer pairing: Blanche de Bruxelles. Belgian White (Witbier). Brasserie Lefebvre. Rebecq-Quenast, Belgium.

Paired sauteed veggies with witbier because both are rather light. This specific Belgian wit chosen because has "Brussels" in the name like the Brussels sprouts.

11/17/10.

Potato pancakes and Pomme lambic

Potato pancakes (also know as deruny [Ukrainian: деруни] or latke [in Jewish cuisine]). Made with organic potatoes, organic onion, conventional garlic, organic unbleached flour, and a splash of Pomme. Served with freshly pureed organic applesauce blended with a bit of Pomme.

Beer pairing: Pomme (lambic ale matured with apples). Brouwerij Lindemans. St Pieters Leeuw-Vlezenbeek, Belgium.

Pomme served in beer-specific glass.

8/7/10.

Melted chocolate covered fruit kebab with Lindemans Framboise

Melted chocolate covered fruit kebab. Raspberry and blackberry skewers & strawberry and blueberry skewers with each covered in Lindt white and milk chocolate.

Beer pairing: Framboise (lambic ale matured with raspberries). Brouwerij Lindemans. St Pieters Leeuw-Vlezenbeek, Belgium.

Framboise served in beer specific glass.

7/25/10.

Japanese izakaya fare (skewers) with Japanese lager Echigo Koshihikari.

Japanese izakaya fare. Skewers. Octopus tentacles, chicken hearts, chicken gizzards, organic tofu, quail eggs, and vegetables (shiitake mushrooms, scallions, and cherry tomatoes). Side of seaweed salad and local, organic lemon (Poway, CA) slices.

Beer Pairing: Japanese izakaya fare paired with fine Japanese lager,
Echigo Koshihikari. Pale Lager. Echigo Beer Company. Nishikanbara-gun, Niigata-ken, Japan.

7/16/10.

Moules frites a la biere with La Chouffe

Moules frites a la biere.

Mussels steamed in La Chouffe Belgian golden tripel ale and cooked with chopped shallot, chopped onion, crushed garlic, dried whole chili pepper, fresh thyme, fresh parsley, and olive oil. Fries topped with sea salt and ground peppercorn.

Beer pairing: La Chouffe (Belgian golden tripel)

Mussels from Carlsbad Aqua Farm.

All organic vegetables.

6/5/10.

Duck breast, soba noodles, and soba ale

Pan-fried duck breast with soba (ie, buckwheat) noodles topped with cabbage, scallions, and roasted seaweed. Sauce made from fresh squeezed organic valencia oranges, Morimoto Soba Ale, soy sauce, and fresh ginger.

Beer pairing: Morimoto Soba Ale. Beer brewed with soba. Rouge Brewery. Newport, Oregon.

Soba ale is a natural compliment to soba noodle dishes.

5/29/10.

Poutine and Maudite Belgian-style dark strong ale

Poutine - a staple food in Quebec. Large cut fries from organic russet potatoes. Topped with crumbles of p'tit basque cheese (creamy sheep cheese from the Basque region of France [traditionally used cheese curds were unavailable in San Diego at the time - and p'tit basque was the best alternative]). Topped with gravy made with organic brown gravy mix, organic ground green peppercorn, Maudite beer instead of water, and a touch of vegetable oil).

Beer pairing: Maudite. Belgian Strong Dark Ale. Unibroue. Quebec, Canada. Paired with an ale from Quebec to compliment this traditional Quebecois dish. Dark strong ale used to compliment the brown gravy.

5/28/10.

Black and white sesame crusted seared ahi, wasabi mashed potatoes, and Hitachino Nest White Ale

Black and white sesame crusted seared ahi tuna steak. Wasabi and freshly diced ginger mashed potatoes topped with scallions. Wasabi and soy sauce dip.

Beer pairing: Hitachino Nest White Ale (Japan).

3/12/10.

Peaches and creme French toast with Péche Lambic

Peaches and creme French toast. French toast made with French baguette using Péche Lambic (Belgian sour ale matured with peaches), cinnamon, and organic free-range eggs in the batter. Topped with freshly diced peaches and puree cooked in Péche Lambic. Also topped with whip cream and powdered sugar.

Beer pairing: Péche Lambic.

3/6/10.

Salmon, vegetables, and Berliner Weisse

Wild Alaskan salmon with reduction of jus (made from Hottenroth Berliner Weisse and lemon) as well as dusting of organic ground peppercorn. Served with vegetables including: baby spinach, Persian cucumbers, baby beets, black olives, jalapeno stuffed green olives, avocado, fried shiitake mushrooms, artichoke hearts, crumbled hormone-free Gouda cheese, and lemon.

Beer pairing: Hottenroth Berliner Weisse (from the The Bruery - Orange County, CA) - same as used in preparation of jus.

2/28/10.

Pork chop, purple potatoes, and Kriek

Organic pork chop with reduction of jus made from Kriek (Belgian Lambic ale matured with cherries) and whole pitted organic cherries. Organic purple potato scallops baked with fresh cilantro, Szechuan seasoning, sea salt, and olive oil. Fried shiitake mushrooms.

Beer pairing: Kriek (Belgium) - same as that used for jus to top pork chop.

2/27/10.

Crepes, caviar, and Russian lager

Crepes (step-mom and I made) stuffed and topped with caviar, smoked fish. "Breakfast of (Ukrainian) champions."

Beer pairing: Magnat by Obolon (Ukrainian).

2/27/10.

Carbonnade à la flamande braised in Belgian Oud Bruin

Belgian Cuisine a la Biere: Carbonnade à la flamande (beef [in this case filet mignon] braised in Belgian brown sour ale [in this case Petrus Oud Bruin], caramelized onions, and spices for 3+ hours. Carbonnade à la flamande served atop Belgian red endives. Served with sweet potato mash and baked asparagus.

Beer pairing: same beer as was used for braising - Petrus Oud Bruin (Belgium).

2/15/10.

Oyster Stout by Iwate Kura Beer

Iwate Kura Oyster Stout. Sekinoichi Shuzo (Iwate Kura Beer). Ichinoseki-Shi, Iwate Prefecture, Japan.

Winter 2010/11.

My review on RateBeer:

3.1 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 5/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 14/20
AHTOH (34) - San Diego, USA - FEB 1, 2011

330 mL bottle poured into Duvel tulip.

APPEARANCE: Pours pitch black. Completely opaque. Beige head is a solid 1-1.5 finger high. Head diminishes quickly, leaving thin beige film covering most of surface of ale. A minimal amount of foam bubbles remain atop the beer for quite some time.

AROMA: Coffee, roasted malts, faint chocolate malt, hint of soy sauce, subtle earthiness, and extremely faint oyster shell/salty ocean aroma (though would probably be very difficult to pick out any oyster-esque aroma if have zero knowledge of this being an oyster stout before hand).

TASTE: Roasted barely on front of palate. Faint hint of hop bitterness apparent on front of palate as well. Subtle roasted nuts (eg, chestnut) as well as some saltiness on mid palate. Faint hint of pepper on back of palate. More saltiness on back of palate, along with some dark grains. Subtle amount of salt seems to limit perceived malt sweetness. Faint alcohol noticeable on finish.

MOUTH FEEL: A bit more prickly than most stouts. Dry finish.

OVERALL: My first oyster stout. Interesting. Roasty, salty, and slightly nutty. Palate is a bit bland, with very little oyster related taste, though there is definitely a discernible saltiness to the beer. Perhaps would taste much better paired with oysters – would recommend avoiding by itself. Very basic.

Pinotlambicus by The Bruery

Pinotlambicus. Sour (Lambic fermented with pinot noir juice). The Bruery. Placentia, Orange County, California.

Winter 2010/11.

My review on RateBeer:

3.9 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 17/20
AHTOH (34) - San Diego, USA - FEB 1, 2011

750 mL bottle. Poured into Bruery tulip.

APPEARANCE: Pours bright, deep gold. Color seems to have a faint hint of burnt orange/blood orange hue. Emits plenty of light, though has a bit of hazy character. Some bubbles make a brief presence as beer poured into glass, however, these bubbles disappear very quickly leaving zero trace of any foam.

AROMA: Vinous, lemon, strawberry, raspberry, mild floral vanilla sweetness evident when smelled a littler further away, subtle sour white grape juice scent, and faint hay-like funk. Unable to pick out much oak aroma.

TASTE: Huge sour lemon citrus on front palate. Subtle grape (almost like a faint version of a grape candy [eg, purple grape Jolly Rancher) on mid palate. Barely noticeable alcohol warmth on back of palate; which is largely masked by sourness. Back of palate also seems to have an extremely faint Welch’s grape juice taste in the background. Finish is more sour, little bit of funk, and a hint of straw-like grainy dryness. Upon carefully focused inspection, there does seem to be an extremely faint bit of smokiness on back of palate/finish (presumably from the char of the oak barrel).

MOUTH FEEL: Mild. Low carbonation. Alcohol well masked by sourness. Refreshing. Pleasant semi-dry finish.

OVERALL: Excellent sour. Wonderfully complex aroma. Grape is fairly identifiable in taste. Highly quaffable and thirst quenching – almost too easy to drink for the ABV. Would make excellent aperitif.

Doggie Claws (2010) by Hair of the Dog

Doggie Claws (2010). Barley Wine. Hair of the Dog. Portland, Oregon.

Winter 2010/11.

My review on RateBeer:

4 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 17/20
AHTOH (32) - San Diego, USA - JAN 28, 2011

12 ounce bottle. 2010 vintage. Poured into Duvel tulip. Side note: Heard this vintage was extremely carbonated.

APPEARANCE: Foam started to rise out of the bottle once the cap was removed. Massive beige, cream-colored head is thick and frothy. Head has extremely long duration, which eventually begins to settle slowly and unevenly – in a rocky manner. Effervescence everywhere – unlike some common ales that may have a steady stream of carbonation rising, generally, from the center – you can see the carbonation trails on the sides of the glass about every half centimeter. For the thickness of the beer, effervescence is quite rapid; although it does seem as though the carbonation is battling the viscosity in its quest to the top. Actually the carbonation trails appear to be rising at several different speeds. The massive amount of carbonation rising to the top seems to suspend quite a bit of sediment all throughout the beer; slowing down the fall of the sediment towards the bottom. General color of the beer is deep caramel. Ridiculous amount of sediment at the bottom of the glass. Most of the huge sediment beginning to settle at the bottom is a pale yellow/mustard color and looks like butternut squash flavored baby food. The amount of sediment seems equal to about a quarter of a small jar of baby food. While I would generally consider this much sediment somewhat detrimental to the overall appearance, the appearance of this beer is one of the most complex I have ever seen.

AROMA: Strong hops and caramel aromas, which are very well-balanced. Grass and citrus hops, as well as some subtle pine and earthy notes. Malt is huge amounts of toffee and caramel. Faint note of candy (eg, salt water taffy). Some dough, though largely covered by malt sweetness.

TASTE: Citrus (more orange than lemon) hops with hint of grass on front palate. Honey sweetness mid palate. Caramel and faint dark bread/graininess on back of palate. Alcohol warmth on finish is medium length. Finish is complex interplay of heavy caramel malt sweetness, alcohol warmth, and hop bitterness.

MOUTH FEEL: Lively carbonation helps reduce some of the perceived viscosity, making it seem less viscous than it appears.

OVERALL: A monster of an ale, especially in appearance. Complex aroma and taste. Viscous. Excellent after dinner slow-slipping ale/digestif.

Ruth by Hair of the Dog

Ruth. Pale Ale. Hair of the Dog. Portland, Oregon.

Winter 2010/11.

My review on RateBeer:

3.6 AROMA 7/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
AHTOH (31) - San Diego, USA - JAN 26, 2011

12 ounce bottle poured into Duvel tulip.

APPEARANCE: Pours very light straw yellow. Translucent. White head of about 1 finger is initially somewhat frothy. However, head settles fairly quickly; leaving some thin film of foam atop surface.

AROMA: Grapefruit hops appear most prominent on nose. Some grassy aroma. Faint pine and earthy notes. Subtle malt sweetness. Although largely hidden, there appears a faint scent of dry grainy biscuit as well.

TASTE: Citrus hops on front of palate. Faint honey sweetness on front palate as well. Some grassy hops on mid palate. Light graininess back of palate. Pleasant dose of bitterness on finish with medium length.

MOUTH FEEL: Extremely quaffable. Semi-dry finish.

OVERALL: A solid session ale. Wonderful aroma and taste for the style/ABV.

Three Philosophers by Ommegang

Three Philosophers. Belgian-style quadruple. Ommegang. Cooperstown, New York.

Winter 2010/11.

My review on RateBeer:

3.5 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 2/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
AHTOH (30) - San Diego, California, USA - JAN 23, 2011

12 ounce bottle (2010 vintage [packaged on 3/21/10, best by 3/21/15]). Poured into Ommegang chalice.

APPEARANCE: Pours dark caramel tone of mahogany/brown. Off-white head settles rapidly, leaving only trace amounts of thin foam film atop portions of surface. Plenty of sediment all throughout, which is dark straw color and about the size of salt grains. Inexistent lacing. Effervescence appears slow; perhaps slowed down by the viscosity and sediment.

AROMA: Heavy caramel malt sweetness, some soy sauce, subtle dried tart cherry, faint hint of kriek. Complex aroma, though the soy sauce like scent was detrimental to overall aroma. Subtle alcohol on nose.

TASTE: Thankfully zero soy sauce in the taste; unlike aroma. Huge caramel malt on the palate, especially concentrated on front of palate. Faint graininess on mid palate, though largely masked by alcohol. Unfortunately, some of the subtleties of the cherry/kriek, which seem to appear most prominently on back of palate, are masked by the slight alcohol warmth on the back of palate/finish. All factors combined, this beer is like a ‘caramel-covered cherry dipped in brandy’ of the beer world.

MOUTH FEEL: Full bodied. Velvety smooth. Somewhat viscous. Mild carbonation. Some alcohol warmth. Dry finish. Almost like a fine port.

OVERALL: Wonderfully complex Belgian-style quad. Only negative aspect is the subtle soy sauce in the aroma. Excellent dessert beer for slow-slipping; would pair terrifically with cheese or chocolate. Definitely let this one warm up a bit. Thankfully the sediment is hardly noticeable on taste/mouth feel (ie, because from appearance it seemed this would be a “chewy” beer). Best served on rare occasion, rather than frequently.

Foret by Brasserie Dupont

Foret (called Moinette Biologique in Belgium). Saison (organic). Brasserie Dupont. Tourpes-Leuze, Belgium.

Winter 2010/11.

My review on RateBeer:

3.7 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 5/5 TASTE 7/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
AHTOH (29) - San Diego, USA - JAN 19, 2011

33 cL bottle poured into Duvel tulip.

APPEARANCE: Pours straw yellow. Hazy. Some dark brown peppery sediment sparsely throughout. Huge rocky white head with long retention. Head settles unevenly, leaving more large rocky foam at center then rest of surface. Plentiful Belgian lace.

AROMA: Most forward aromas are vinous, sour, citrus, and lemon. More subtle aromatic notes include Belgian yeast, hints of pepper, and malty sweetness with a faint grainy scent. Nose has hint of vinegary characteristic, which I found to be detrimental to overall aroma.

TASTE: Vinous and pleasantly subtle acidic nature throughout. Lemon and citrus on front of palate. Belgian yeast, mild honey, and pepper on mid palate. Belgian yeast, subtle graininess, and a hint of earthy notes on back of palate. Faint chalkiness on finish.

MOUTH FEEL: Crisp and mildly tart, with dry finish.

OVERALL: Great thirst-quenching saison. Alcohol nicely masked by the complex interplay of the Belgian yeast, citrus, and peppery spice. Aroma a little too vinegary. Recall original Saison Dupont tasting better.

Chatoe Rogue Dirtoir Black Lager by Rogue

Chatoe Rogue Dirtoir Black Lager. Schwarzbier. Rogue. Newport, OR.

Winter 2010/11.

My review on RateBeer:

3.8 AROMA 6/10 APPEARANCE 4/5 TASTE 8/10 PALATE 4/5 OVERALL 16/20
AHTOH (28) - San Diego, USA - JAN 18, 2011

Bomber. Poured into Duvel tulip.

APPEARANCE: Pours pitch black. Opaque. Dark tan, creamy coffee colored head is about 2-3 fingers, frothy, and with lengthy retention. A bit of lacing is left for some time as head begins to settle.

AROMA: Huge roast aroma. Plenty of coffee. Some earthiness. Faint hops aroma, which seems herbal.

TASTE: Earthy/dirt characteristics much more evident in taste than aroma. The earthy/dirt taste is quite pleasant. Some light citrusy hops without much hop bitterness on front of palate; behind roast and coffee. Roasted malts mid palate. Back of palate and finish is characterized by dirt and some roasted malt sweetness.

MOUTH FEEL: Velvety, yet crisp – an outstanding combination.

OVERALL: A remarkably smooth and quaffable black lager that is true to its name in the sense that a pleasant earthy/dirt/terroir taste is evident.

Jolly Rodger (2010) by Drakes

Jolly Rodger (2010). Imperial Red. Drakes Brewing Co. San Leandro, CA.

Winter 2010/11.

My review on RateBeer:

3.6 AROMA 8/10 APPEARANCE 3/5 TASTE 6/10 PALATE 3/5 OVERALL 16/20
AHTOH (27) - San Diego, USA - JAN 14, 2011

Bomber. Poured into Duvel tulip.

APPEARANCE: Pours deep burnt orange. Hazy. Off-white head is about 1 finger; somewhat short duration. Head settles leaving small to mid foam clusters. Minimal short–lived lacing.

AROMA: Citrus hops, citrus fruit (especially tangerine), some coffee, lots of toffee, subtle chocolate. Faint bread aroma as it warms up.

TASTE: Citrus and grassy hops throughout. Faint chocolate and coffee. Citrus hop on front palate. Hints of floral sweetness on mid palate. Subtle resinous hop and faint bread taste on back of palate.

MOUTH FEEL: Medium body. Medium carbonation, though initially observed noticeably rapid effervescence. Pleasantly bitter finish (ie, vs. excessively bitter) with medium length.

OVERALL: Aroma subtly like an orange mocha of the imperial red style. Interesting that the resinous hop bitterness seems supplemented with a faint coffee/dark chocolate-like bitterness – believe this is the first time I have tasted/noticed this in an Imperial Red.