Bellegems Bruin

Ok, think "how now brown cow" meets "sour patch kids" and the cow eats the candy and births this beer.. Ok, what I mean to say is that Bellegems Bruin is a Brown sour, yum!

The rich, translucent mahogany color threw me off a little when it came to taste. But as I have learned, you can't judge a beer by it's color. It has a really airy/light mouth feel with just the perfect amount of subtle carbonation.

The flavors and the olfactory sensations are practically one in the same. There is a slightly funky/sour element at the start, complimentary to the fruity notes, including: currant, fig, plum, cranberry, blackberry, and dark cherry (giving this beer a nice sweet/tart balance). There is also some subtle vinegar and nutty maltiness going on with a hint of cocoa.

9.4/10

Mikkeller & Brewdog - I Harcore You

Two breweries that never disappoint in quality came together to make a premium pour. Mikkeller's I Beat You and Brewdog's Hardcore IPA got together, added more dry hops into the magic, and out popped I Hardcore you, a 9.5% Imperial India Pale Ale.

The slightly cloudy deep amber body compliments the large tannish head. Strikingly heavy on the nose are notes of pine (duh, from all of the dry hopping), citrus and a light honey sweetness. The flavors open from the nose into grapefruit, orange marmalade, pine needles, warm caramel, rich toffee, sticky honey, and even some tropical fruit sweetness (think mango and pineapple). All of these think flavors give this beer a creamy, carbonated, even somewhat sticky mouth feel.

P.S. The attitude/emotion of the label art is reminiscent of the feel this beer gives. Relationships.. who needs them, when I can get my hands on this beer (don't tell my boyfriend I said this). haha. OR, what better way to spend time sharing in something wonderful with your significant other, eh?

9.8/10 - high for me considering the hoppiness of it!

Midnight Sun T.R.E.A.T.

The name is self explanatory - treat treat treat - what a delight! This eye candy pours a deep brownish orange. The mouth feel is light and bubbly, unexpected for a porter, but quite pleasant all the same. (An Imperial Chocolate pumpkin Porter to be exact).

The heavier notes on this beer, both in scent and taste are pumpkin and dark, creamy cocoa. There are strong flavors of holiday spice as well, including cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg, and cloves. T.R.E.A.T. is reminiscent of a spicy pumpkin pie with a dark chocolate swirl.

Would pair well with holiday spice flavors, whether savory or sweet.

10/10 - keep in mind that some of my personal favorite flavors are pumpkin and chocolate

9.2/10 (non-biased)

Mikkeller Geek Breakfast

Hey honey, what do you want for breakfast?

I don't know dear, how about some geek?!

Oooohhh, my favorite! Especially with a side of breakfast burrito.

Mikkeller Geek Breakfast - a dark, creamy, slippery smooth stout with some smoky qualities. It smells of freshly roasted espresso beans and tastes even better. There is a undertone of malty, bitter hops, sort of like black coffee. Other flavors coming to the plate (or glass in this case) are cocoa, molasses and dark caramel.

I know this beer sounds intense, but the flavors are all well balanced and not overwhelming. Instead, they are quite mild, comparable to any breakfast food in relation to bolder dinner food flavors. Pair it with a rich, dark chocolate cake or chili.

8.2/10

Jolly Pumpkin La Parcela no. 1 Pumpkin Ale

The pumpkin brewery finally releases a pumpkin beer and it doesn't really taste like pumpkin?! Strange. However, I would say it is still one of Jolly Pumpkin's best. As a sour/pumpkin beer, this is selling to a niche beer drinking audience, though it need not. The sourness is super subtle and the pumpkin flavors are virtually absent. To be fair, it does have a sour barnyard type smell and some Autumn spice notes in both taste and smell.

One thing that keeps bringing me back to Jolly Pumpkin is that I would have no idea all of their beers are sours if I had never been told - their funk is subtle and unique (in a good way, even for a sour lover). It is the the pumpkin pie without the pumpkin, or the apple crisp minus the apple. It is tart and citrusy. It is caramely and malty. To be plain, it is a damn good beer. And, the artwork on the bottle is quite attractive!

8.7/10

Rouge Santa's Reserve

If Santa met with the bunny rabbit of Easter, this beer may be the result. Not only does it have the flavors of Christmas, but it is super hoppy (hence the ribbity rabbity meeting, yes?) - a double red IPA I believe. Aside from the intense piney hoppy flavor, there is rich notes of butter, toffee and scotch as well as warm notes of powdery cocoa, nutmeg and vanilla.

Santa meets the Easter bunny, meets nut brittle, meets winter spice, meets cacao. Fin.

7/10

Descutes Jubelale 2010

Christmas in a cup has finally come. Think baked apple stuffed with caramelized brown sugar, spices, vanilla extract, and oats. This dark, malty concoction is simply clean and delicious.

8.8/10

3 French Hens by The Bruery

"..3 French Hens, 2 Turtle Doves, and A Partridge in a Pear Tree"

Tis' the season for drinking specialty/holiday beers and The Bruery definitely has a tasty treat this year. Aged in Frech oak barrels (to fit the theme of the name of the beer, duh). this beer has the look of Christmas through its deep burgundy hue. The richness in color does not set this beer up for failure on taste, instead, notes of dark chocolate covered cherries invade my palette, along with cherry spice cider. It is also reminiscent of caramel, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and crisp pear. It has a nice whiskey/oaky scent that makes me want to be relaxing by a fire on a cold snowy night. Too bad I live in southern California - at least I can have the beer, right?!

Be sure to get it before it is gone. My goal is to save some for next year, but beer is known to be gone within a week if it hits my home shelves. Wish me luck! Cheers.

9.8/10

Allagash Interlude

Sour beer for the win! I ordered this lovely concoction at Haven Gastropub in Orange, CA, thinking it was just a strong Belgian ale. My immediate reaction was that it smelled like a sour - sort of cidery with notes of medium bodied red wine. Turns out it is a lambic (sour). I guess I can trust my olifactory senses.

There is an element of sweetness such as guava or some other tropical fruit I cannot put my finger on. The hint of sweetness compliments the frontal bitterness of the beer, comparable to ruby red grapefruit. It also possesses a tart apple quality, like a dry granny smith and reiner cherries. There is a pleasant acidity to the beer, and it is well carbonated (naturally because of the yeast). It is not too sour, in fact, the scent gave it away more than anything. 

A wonderful introductory sour! Pair it with stronger flavors, such as bold cheeses or possibly BBQ tempeh (or ribs, etc. if you eat meat) and rosemary mashed potatoes.

10/10

St Bernardus Abt 12

The king of beers! This one easily made it to my favorites list within my first sip. I purchased a Belgian Beer flight at the Bruery Provisions room in Orange, CA, and needless to say I left with 2 bottles of this stuff. What a delight!

The deep reddish brown color compliments the nice creamy head and overall taste of the beer. It is sweet and spicy with well developed, complex flavors; however, the look and smell  are the greatest indicators that this beer is a quadrupel with a 10.5% abv. The rich taste includes strong notes of clove, yeast and maltiness at the front. Caramelized brown sugar/rich molasses and subtle chocolate flavors begin to stand out as the flavor develops on your pallet, yet they are not overbearing. The dark fruit flavors of cherries, plums and figs in accordance with softer fruit flavors of crisp apple and pear are ever present and lighten the richness of the beer, giving it that highly pleasant sippable quality.

Abt 12 is perfectly balanced and best enjoyed alone or with a mild cheese and cracker plate.

10/10

EDIT: This beer is even better on tap!!! If you EVER get the opportunity! It is creamier and chocolatier! You cannot go wrong! This may just be my favorite beer.. ever! (so far anyway)

Widmer Brothers (Brothers Reserve) Prickly Pear Braggot

You know the feeling of wanting to be a kid again, free from responsibility?! That is how I feel about this beer - it is something I will never have again, but I do remember all of the lovely qualities about it. This ale brewed with honey and prickly pear juice was a part of the widmer brothers' reserve, with a limited release. The smell is sweet and malty. Although there is a honey sweetness to the taste, it is not syrupy like honey AND the prickly pear notes help to calm the honey. At the finish, the beer had stronger flavorful notes of crisp cactus and fresh prickly pear. For such a drinkable beer, I would never have guessed it sits at a whopping 10% abv. It would pair nicely with bold, slightly spicy flavors like mexican food.

I eagerly await what the borthers have in store next. Will it live up to the braggot?! There is only one way to find out..

8.5/10

Little Sumpin' Wild Ale and Brown Shugga' by Lagunitas

Wild and Warm?!

Lagunitas Little Sumpin' WILD Ale is delightful for those who like Belgian's and are trying to enjoy more hoppy beers, like me. It's light, it's crisp, and there is no lingering bitterness even though there are strong hoppy flavors - what a great idea for a beer. It is also well carbonated and clean. Perfect for the rapidly approaching winter season - I want sip this by a cozy, small fire watching flicks like Elf or A Christmas Story. Even hop heads love this one! Would pair perfectly with stronger flavors, like island soyaki stir fry - soy, teriyaki, pineapple juice, fresh pineapple, marinated and baked tofu, green bell pepper, red onion, and some fresh cilantro as a garnish! It would also go well with soy-ginger crusted salmon. If you are not a pescetarian, as I am sure most are not, try the stir fry with chicken instead. Or pair with some sort of hearty, tomato based stew maybe?!

7.6/10

Also by Lagunitas Brewing Company, Brown Shugga' brings richness and warmth to the palette, making it a nice contrast to WILD Ale. Lagunitas sure loves their hops; yet, they know how to create hoppy beer that will please everyone. Brown Shugga' reminds me of that carmelized, crunchy sugar shell on top of a creme brulee. This particular dark, malty, rich and roasty concoction was a beautiful mistake according to the brewery. They were trying to make an Olde GnarlyWine Ale, but dumped tons of brown sugar into the batch after the initial tasting because it was not what they had hoped for. Who knew such wonderful results would ensue?! This would pair well with any roasted squash - acorn, butternut, spaghetti, or even pumpkin. You want something buttery with this one to balance out the extreme sweetness. Or, if you are in the mood for dessert, an apple or pear and blueberry crisp with a oat, butter, and brown sugar crumble on top would satisfy the sweet tooth in you and make for a nice complement to the beer.

7.4/10

As Lagunitas always says, think globally, drink locally!

Tokyo by Brewdog

Move Over Liquor, Have We Got the Beer for You!

WHOA! (pause) Just thinking about Tokyo by BrewDog gives me the this roller coaster drop sensation. The sight of it alone is intimidating; however, once your nose invades, the olfactory sensation is enough to knock you off of your feet! This is not your ordinary beer, nor your ordinary stout even. Because it is loaded with flavor (in order of appearance): dark chocolate/cacao, malt, roasted grains, subtle jasmine and subtle cranberry, Tokyo succeeds in overwhelming the taste buds. At a whopping 18.2% abv, Tokyo is your stay in, relax, and get happy fast sort of beer. WARNING! The heaviness will creep up on you - I drank it while watching the foreign film, Todo Sobre Mi Madre, and started passing out 30 minutes into it. I would suggest something lighter in context, but that's just me.

8.7/10

Make sure to pair with something mild in flavor, though complimentary as well, like chocolate mousse or a beet, arugula and goat cheese salad. Be careful with this one, and enjoy!

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale

Big Orange Bright Things, My Favorite

Pumpkin is one of those things that is more delicious and exciting that other foods because it is only available for a limited time each year. Who knew my favorite squash could make for the perfect beer?! Whether in beer, in cookies, or just roasted with some butter and spices, pumpkin is a true delight- yum!

9/10

Dongfish Head's Punkin Ale is sure to please pumpkin lovers in addition to non-pumpkin enthusiasts. Although the pumpkin flavor is not overbearing, this malty, brown sugary, caramely brown ale truly reflects the flavors of Autumn. It's a dark beer in color, but it is not heavy, AND it is well carbonated. At a 7.0% abv, this beer is quite drinkable. I paired it lovely with homemade butternut squash soup. The spiciness of the soup complemented the subtle sweet tones of the beer. It would also pair nicely with ginger - maybe some stir fry with carrots, ginger, brussel sprouts, tempeh, and green onion as a garnish. What a great way to enjoy pumpkin! Be sure to pick up this novelty beer before it is gone (well, until next year that is).

Deschutes Black Butte Porter

Calling all dark chocolate lovers, Deschutes Brewery has the beer for you - Black Butte Porter! The rich, creamy chocolate overtones compliment the light frontal bitterness and roasted walnut finish. Despite the intensity of flavors, this beer is very drinkable. It would pair well with a hearty veggie burger, like a hemp seed and nut patty on a toasted multi-grain bun. Also, it would make for a delightful beer float for those with a sweet-tooth, like me.

7.4/10

New Belgium Hoptober

I must preface by saying that I am not wild about IPA's or hoppy beers, BUT they are growing on me and I feel Hoptober by New Belgium is a good segway. Bitter right at the front, crisp and creamy in the center, and a lingering dry, sweetness at the finish.  Hoptober would pair well with warm flavors of the fall, such as butternut squash soup. Made up of five hops (centennial, cascade, sterling, glacier, willamette) and four malts (pale, rye, oats, wheat), this beer's flavor profile has variety and character. New Belgium continues to surprise craft beer drinker's with not only drinkable, but "legit beer."

6.9/10