Rogue: Voodoo Doughnut Pretzel, Raspberry & Chocolate Ale

So, Rogue has done a few collaborations with Voodoo Doughnut, and I have tried all three. The most recent one, which I will be reviewing for you today, is Pretzel, Raspberry and Chocolate Ale.

Real men drink beer out of pink bottles

To start, the bottle is awesome. If you ask my girlfriend or check out my last post, you will probably think that the bottle is the only reason I bought it. You would mostly be right. I collect the cool bottles from beers I have tried and use them to decorate the top of my kitchen cabinets. The painted pink bottles with candy, pigs, Baron Samedi and voodoo dolls are just too much for me to pass up. I have tried the other two Rogue/Voodoo Doughnut Ales (Bacon Maple Ale and Chocolate, Peanut Butter and Banana Ale) and have not liked either of them. I also haven't been very impressed with anything else I have tried from them, except their barleywine (Old Crustacean). I really like that stuff!

This one was still not entirely impressive, but it was actually much better than I expected. Perhaps my expectations were set low enough that anything could have made me say so, but I think this one almost grabbed me. It just isn't quite right, though.

The color is a dark brown that looks almost black, unless you hold it up to the light. It looks like a porter; almost a stout. The head was fizzy and did not last very long.

The aroma definitely had some chocolate and raspberry to it. The fruit smell was almost candy-like and, when combined with the hint of chocolate, actually made me think of a tootsie roll pop. I really didn't smell any pretzel, which was a tad disappointing. I find that one of the most alluring aspects of anything pretzel related is the smell.


The body is light to medium and rather pleasing.

The first sip gave me about what I expected based on the aroma. There was some chocolate and raspberry to it, the raspberry still being a bit candy-like. It has a definite undertone of porter to it, though, and I actually do get a hint of pretzel. Not much, but it is there. The finish, however, has a lot of that candy-like flavor that I am not fond of. I don't want to scare anyone off who might like that flavor, though, so I will make the closest comparison to it that I can think of; Sam Adam's Cherry Wheat. In my opinion, it has the same candy-like flavor. I happen to know a lot of people who enjoy the cherry wheat, so, if you are one of those folks, maybe you should think about giving this one a try.

Overall, I actually don't mind this beer. This is pretty high praise coming from me, considering how I felt about the last two Rogue/Voodoo Doughnut ales. I am ashamed to say it, but I dumped a good portion of those bottles. I honestly just didn't find it drinkable. I will finish this one off. I would even be tempted to give this one another whirl down the road to see if my tastes change. It is definitely worth checking out for it's unique and novel blend of flavors and I think that the parallels it harbors with Sam Adams Cherry Wheat mean there are a lot of folks out there who might really enjoy it.

The Holy Grail!

Seriously...I found it. Quest over!

So, what I am talking about? Well, let me tell you a story.

I went into my friendly local beer, wine and liquor store to check for the newest Voodoo Donut iteration from Rogue. I have tried both of the others and hated them. I do, however, decorate the tops of my kitchen cabinets with cool bottles. I just can't resist those crazy, pink, Baron Samedi havin' bottles. Who knows, maybe pretzel, raspberry, chocolate ale is good. yeaahhhhhh.....

Anyway, as I am walking down the beer aisle, I spot this big box on the end of the shelf. I go to take a look and, behold, Black Sheep Brewery has put out a gift box which includes 2 bottles of Black Knight's Reserve and....get ready for it....this is the awesomeness....

So, I walked in looking to spend maybe 10 buckaroos and I walked out 37 buckaroos poorer, but with 5...I mean 3 (see what I did, there?)... bottles of beer and the cup of Christ, or, at least, Gilliam's version of it. The third bottle of beer was a tasty looking oyster stout, by the way.

So, all of you silly kanigits, stop grovelling and make your way down to your local beer store to fetch this magnificent boon. Be ready to face many challenges on your journey. Have your three answers ready, bring a shrubbery (or two), bring a trusty friend equipped with two coconut halves and gallop to glory. You could also just send a swallow...or perhaps two swallows...but should they be European or African?

Ok...I'm done! RUN AWAAAAAYYYYY!!!!

Ok...now, I'm done!

Beers Across America: Wisconsin

Wisconsin. America's Dairyland. Home of the "cheesehead." Second in the nation in butter production, and second up in the BAA series.

The Review - Leinenkugel's Hoppin Helles: Founded by Jacob Leinenkugel back in 1867, the company's affectionately shortened "Leinies" are truly beloved by its Wisconsin locals. In 2007, they introduced their Summer Shandy, a combination of lager and lemonade. Due to its wild popularity, they have since rolled out an Orange Shandy as well as a Lemon Berry Shandy. Today, I'll be reviewing another brand new addition to their line, Hoppin' Helles.

Appearance - The pour came with a surprisingly resilient head that stuck around for a few minutes. Lacing was weak and scattered. The hue was a substantial dandelion yellow, which was nice to see from a fairly mass-produced brew.
Smell - There was not much of interest to the nose. I mostly got the standard American light lager smell, with just a hint of hops.
Taste - I was greeted with a sweet hit on the tip of the tongue right out of the gate, followed by a bit of malt. But again, there was more 'light lager' influence than I was hoping for.
Mouthfeel - The bitterness of the advertised 'five American hops' is present, but not as much so as I would like. The mouthfeel, while not thin, was light, and generally unremarkable. With several sips under my belt, my instinct was to temper expectations by comparing this beer favorably to the likes of a Coors Light, but that obviously isn't fair to the review, nor the beer. It stands on its own, but pales in comparison to some other heavyweights in the Helles style.
Overall - A forgettable beer that goes down easily in the stands at a Packers game, but should probably be passed by in favor of better options. 5.5 out of 10.

Titletown Brewing

My Experience: Having visited Green Bay a few months ago, I had the opportunity to enjoy a few local specialties. Titletown Brewery, located in Green Bay, WI, has an impressive 11 offerings on tap. I was lucky enough to catch at least a sip of each one of them. My top 3 favorites were Green 19 IPA (affectionately named after Packers quarterback, Aaron Rodgers' pre-snap bellow), Railyard Alt (an Altbier-style that combines elements of ale and lager) and '400' Honey Ale (an easy drinker, and a rare lighter beer that I enjoy). Also worth noting, many others around me enjoyed the quirky Berliner Weisse. With such a marked sour profile that the bartenders make sure you know what you're in for, it can be served with your choice of homemade woodruff or raspberry syrup, but their brewmaster recommends drinking it as is. On our visit to Kroll's West, I had a Kroll's Special Ale (brewed by the aforementioned Leinenkugel Brewing) which I found palatable, but not particularly exciting. Carly had a bottle of New Glarus Brewing Spotted Cow, which was very good. Spotted Cow would have been the review subject if only they shipped anywhere outside of Wisconsin.

Hot Spot: Tucked away in the small town of Superior, you'll find Thirsty Pagan Brewing. Housed in a converted creamery building (what else would you expect in America's Dairyland?), the brewery affords the owners, Susan and Steve Knauss, an opportunity to combine their two passions. Says Steve, "We recognize our potential in focusing on just two things, pizza and beer. Do those two things correctly, and the world will come to us." The pub features a wall-sized mural of Miller Brewing's "Girl in the Moon," salvaged from an old local dive bar. Combined with vintage neon signs and hardwood booths, the space offers an easy-going, authentic Midwest experience.

Goodness. Sign me up.

Thirsty Pagan features nine beers at any given time including their five all-season offerings, three seasonals, and one hand pump. As you'd expect, they're gearing up for the Fall season with both an Octoberfest ale and an Octoberfest pizza. I would be keen to try the Burntwood Black, utilizing seven different varieties of barley. I would be keener still to try the hand pump variation - Coffee Vanilla Burntwood Black. Combine that with 'The Jordan,' a bacon cheeseburger-style pan pizza with authentic Wisconsin cheese, and you would have a very satisfied Brian.

Curio: Alcohol has long been part of Wisconsin's culture, and the raw data certainly backs that up. Wisconsin ranks number one in America in percentage of drinkers in the population and most taverns per capita. The state is also home of the only alcohol-related professional sports team name, the Milwaukee Brewers. From the 1940's, when the team was still in the minor leagues, and for the first seven years of the team's major league play, the Brewers' logo was Beer Barrel Man. Appropriately, he had a beer barrel for a torso, and a tap for his nose. In 1973, Bernie Brewer became the team's mascot, celebrating a home run by descending down a slide into a giant foamy mug of beer up until 2001. When the team moved to Miller Field (naming rights paid by Milwaukee's long-standing beer behemoth, Miller Brewing), many fans started a petition to bring back the tradition. In 2007, the club made headlines, by choosing not to follow other MLB teams' lead in banning beer from the team clubhouse. This year, Leinenkugel Brewing developed "Bernie's Barrelman Ale," a nod to the two Brewers mascots, and sold exclusively at Miller Field. If only it didn't cost $7.50 for a 20 ounce pour...

Next Up: Once again, my summer travels lead the way for BAA. A recent trip to Cape Cod means Massachusetts will be our next visit.

Flying Dog Tour - Good Beer, No Shit!

        One of my 2013 Christmas presents from my lovely girlfriend was a reservation to go tour the Flying Dog Brewery in Frederick, MD. I have been to the brewery before, for an outdoor event, but had never actually been inside or taken the tour. It is something I had wanted to do for quite some time, but you have to make reservations pretty far in advance because it fills up pretty fast. I was already a big fan of their beers and, after the tour, I am now also a big fan of their story, philosophy, facility and people.

This is me, before the tour. Obviously excited!

        The first hint that this was going to be a really great tour was the glass. I walked in and glanced around the gift shop, which was full of awesome merchandise, and noticed some small tasting glasses on a shelf with lots of other glassware. I knew that the tour included a glass and I assumed it would be one of these. As we signed in, however, the woman who took our information and admission handed us all a full sized goblet. The tour costs $5.00 and includes the glass and 5 tasting tokens. The glass is $5.00, if you buy it by itself. Basically, you pay for a sweet goblet and they give you a free tour and 5 tastings. The people could have been rude, and the tour horrible, and I still would have been happy. They had me at the door. The rest of the experience continued the trend started by the glass, though. 

        The gift shop occupies the same large space as the tasting room, so, as we waited for the tour to begin, I wandered over and checked out the spot where we would inevitably end the tour; the tasting room. I read over the chalk board and was immediately excited by one thing in particular. The tasting room had a nitro version of their newly released cinnamon porter. I could not wait! The tasting room itself was pretty simple. There was a long bar with quite a few tap handles, a bar which ran around the outside edge of the room with stools and some tables off to one side. There was a lot of standing room as well.

Some art from the hallway. This piece is on the label of "Dogtoberfest".

        After waiting for a while, we watched the tour group before ours emerge from the hall off to the side of the tasting room. Then, our group was called and the next stage of our journey began. We entered a hallway which was covered in paintings reminiscent of the artwork on Flying Dog's labels and packages; many were actually reproductions of the labels and packages. The paintings told the story of the idea, founding and life of the brewery. I won't go into all of the details. I highly recommend that you check out the website and/or go experience the tour for yourself! Our tour guide walked us through the interesting history and, after telling us the story of how the ACLU defended them in a case to maintain their right to sell products with the word "shit" and pictures of "a doggy vagina and tits" on the labels, he explained that the brewery had fought hard to be vulgar and that this was the point in the tour where they ask if "anyone has any fucking questions!" He also told us that any time he said "good beer" (the first part of the brewery's motto), we were to respond with "NO SHIT!" (the second part) as loud as we could. Awesome!

You have to look them in the eye. It proves you are the alpha.

        Our first stop, after the history lesson in the hall, was the "hot side." It was actually cold in there that day but that is because they were not running production due to construction to increase capacity in the fermentation rooms. All of the usual things were discussed: ingredients, yeast, etc. There were, however, a couple of points which made this tour unique. First, we got to taste the wort. I thought this was pretty neat and I had never had this happen before on any of the tours I have been on. Usually, we get to taste "green" beer (this is not literally green, but is simply beer that is not yet finished aging) but, on this tour, we started with the wort and actually got to taste a little bit at each stage:

-Wort (the product of the initial brew and boil, before yeast is introduced and fermentation takes place)
-"Green" beer - pretty much any time between the end of the primary fermentation and when you would usually consider the beer ready to drink.
-Beer! - we got to taste the beer straight out of the bright tanks. The beer is filtered into the bright tanks and force carbonated to achieve the final fizzy goodness. We got to taste the beer straight from the bright tanks. This is, literally, the freshest beer possible.

The other unique aspect was that we got to taste a little bit of acid malt. This is malted barley that has been sprayed with lactic acid. The acid gives it a sour kick on the end which was very reminiscent of a sour patch kid or one of those sour gummy worms!

        Our next stop was the fermentation room. From this point forward there really isn't anything else about the facility that is particularly noteworthy. It was your normal, industrial looking place. There were large tanks, lot's of equipment and plenty of boxes and bottles. The tour was still great, though. Our tour guide was witty, funny and friendly.

     
        After the rest of the facility tour, we moved on to the stage of the tour that we all come for. It doesn't matter if you are in the Wonka Chocolate Factory of brewing (this would be The F.X. Matt Brewery, in my opinion - not particularly because of Saranac - because the building is like an awesome looking, quirky maze of beer making), we all know we came for the tasting!

TOO. MANY. CHOICES.

        I actually was slightly disappointed when we first walked back into the tasting room. When we entered, I had read the chalk board and gotten quite excited about the nitro cinnamon porter but it was erased by the time we came back out. *le sigh* There were plenty of other great beers to try, though, and they still had the normal, carbonated version of the cinnamon porter. So, once I got over that, it was still amazing. I have not had a brew from these folks that I didn't like (excluding a bad batch of "In Heat Wheat" which tasted like straight banana and the time I got "Snake Dog IPA" before my pallet was ready for lots of hops). I would, however, like to highlight two brews that I had on the tour:

-El Dorado Imperial IPA - (from the label) - "El Dorado. The Golden One. The ultimate prize legions spend their lives seeking. With overwhelming citrus aroma, sharp hop bitterness, and a crisp, dry finish, this is the end of your journey." It lives up to the label. Try it! Seriously! It is delicious. This is a single hop IPA that is bright and citrusy. It is entirely unique, and I will be coming back to it regularly. Be careful, though, it is 10%, but certainly does not taste like it is.
-Brewhouse Rarities Cinnamon Porter (ale brewed with cinnamon) - (from the lable) - "Disconnected from the world below, the entire brewery team congregates atop a historic overlook each year to develop beers that shatter the confines of traditional styles. The only criteria lies in a few simple words from the Good Doctor: 'Too weird to live, too rare to die,' - Hunter S. Thompson" Hunter S. Thompson took part in the idea behind, and founding of, this brewery and his portrait was among those in the entry hallway where we had our history lesson. This beer is delicious. It tastes slightly of cinnamon but you probably wouldn't know it was a cinnamon porter unless I told you or you read the label. It tastes like camp fire to me...in a good way. This beer is smoky and delicious, with just the right amount of body. I want this to be a regular fall/winter staple of their production line.

Hunter S. in the hallway.

     
        Overall, this was a great tour. It was probably my favorite tour that I have been on and I highly recommend it. Be aware, though, that you do need to plan in advance...far in advance. You will probably need to book your spot 3 months prior to the day. So, if you are not from around the Frederick, MD area, you really need to line this one up. It is well worth it, though, and I plan to book this tour again in the future. I would pay much more just for the tasting but they give you an entertaining tour with a guide who really cares about the company and the product, a SWEEEEET glass and 5 tastings of GREAT beers; many of which will only be available on the tour...EVER. Flying Dog Brewery...drink it, go there, it's awesome. As the brewery family says, "Good beer, no shit!"

OctoberQuest II - Week IV

The final week (plus three) of my Fall seasonal journey for 2013 ran the full gamut. I suffered through the worst seasonal I've had, this year or last, but also enjoyed two of my favorites. Overall, I was very pleased with my second installment of the 'Quest, and having checked up on some 'Top 10 Fall Seasonals' lists, I'm confident I'll have no trouble finding another strong batch of entries to tackle for 2014. But before any more talk of 2014, on to this year's final recaps!

Tuesday, October 22, 2013
Cisco Brewers Pumple Drumkin
The back story for this beer involves "a pumple named drumkin" (note to self: good band name), but that's where the fun ends. There's a horrific sour, metallic taste overwhelming the entire proceedings. And there's really nothing else going on. I'd almost think this was just a badly skunked beer, but Carly had a similar experience, as well as most everyone on BeerAdvocate. This is...bad.
1 out of 5 pumpkins

Wednesday, October 23, 2013
DuClaw Brewing Co. Mad Bishop
After 6 Virginia/DC area beers for OctoberQuest I, Mad Bishop is only the second for this year, and the first since Oct 3. Very little head to this Märzen, which went away almost instantly. Tastes pretty standard for the style, medium body. There's a little alcohol heat early, but it dissipates, leaving a mellow, smooth mouthfeel. Overall, pretty good, but nothing particularly worth writing home about.
3 out of 5 pumpkins.

Thursday, October 24, 2013
Long Trail Brewing Co. Pumpkin Ale
I had a weird hunch that this beer would be somewhat nondescript, and unfortunately I was mostly correct. It's a pretty standard, if unspectacular, pumpkin offering. The only thing worth noting is its weird little progression of tastes. Starts off sweet, turns slightly sour, and finishes with a burnt flavor in the aftertaste that lingers. Not exactly a taste you want to walk away with.
2.5 out of 5 pumpkins

Friday, October 25, 2013
Anchor Brewing BigLeaf Maple Autumn Red
Finally, a different seasonal style! This red ale poured very thick, with a cream colored head that stayed for quite a while, plenty of lacing all the way down the glass, and had a somewhat subtle ruby red hue. The substantial medium-full body is welcome change of pace from the month's other offerings thus far. The dry finish took a while to get used to, but halfway through I hardly noticed it. Points off for the supposed seasonal addition of maple syrup - if it's there, it's undetectable, rendering this just a good standard red ale.
3 out of 5 pumpkins

Saturday, October 26, 2013
Dukes Tailgate III - Teepee Edition!
Lakefront Brewery Pumpkin Lager
This is the second pumpkin lager that I've very much enjoyed. Much like Terrapin's pumpkin lager, the mix of spices and pumpkin hold up well to the smooth, yet robust lager body. The sweetness doesn't cede to any off-putting dry or sour aftertastes. Two points make a line, so I'll definitely have to see if there are any other pumpkin lagers around to verify if that's truly my sweet spot.
4 out of 5 pumpkins

Sunday, October 28, 2013
Thomas Hooker Octoberfest Lager
As I'm hitting the home stretch, this is a welcome solid offering. Two things set this Octoberfest apart from your normal equivalent. The medium-full body does have a bit more heft to it, but certainly not to its detriment. The other difference is the hop blend; the taste (and aftertaste for that matter) has a noticeably spicy hop kick, but again, it works with the mellow malt rather than against it. Definitely add this to your list of seasonals to give a shot.
3.5 out of 5 pumpkins

Monday, October 28, 2013
New Belgium Brewing Pumpkick
This was another of the 3-4 I was really looking forward to this season. Despite my affinity for the vast majority of New Belgium's offerings, this is the second straight year in which their seasonal has been a head scratcher for me. The unique factor for this pumpkin ale is the use of pumpkin *juice*, cranberry juice, and lemongrass. I don't know if its the pumpkin juice as opposed to straight up pumpkin that's responsible, but this is a very thin-bodied pumpkin ale, bordering on watery. I'm sure some will like the light style, but for me it tastes very one-dimensional. Maybe if there was a little more heft to it, the cranberry would work better, but as it is, it feels like the individual ingredients are fighting each other. This one's disappointingly not for me.
2 out of 5 pumpkins

Tuesday, October 29, 2013
Hacker-Pschorr Original Oktoberfest
I'm once again in the position of trying not feel like an ass for arguing the merits of a beer from a brewery that was established in 1417. Very clean and smooth, obviously this is a wonderful Oktoberfest (coincidentally one of six allowed to be served at THE Oktoberfest in Munich). That being said, it's a unique flavor profile that doesn't quite appeal to my sensibilities. There's a nutty sweetness to it that I can only assume goes really well with a good grilled brat. Not quite as much on its own though. German Oktoberfests are clearly on a completely different plane in the Fall seasonal universe, but of them, this is not my favorite.
3 out of 5 pumpkins

Wednesday, October 30, 2013
Redhook Out Of Your Gourd Pumpkin Porter
Ah, my only porter for the season. I like that this is a nuanced brew. I get a big bold hit of coffee straight away, but then come the pumpkin and spices creeping in behind it. There's a faint bitter char aftertaste, but not overwhelming, and one that certainly makes sense for the style. Oddly, this is yet another example of a beer brewed with maple syrup that is somewhat evident in the nose, but nowhere in the taste. Small quibble aside, I'm glad I had this at the end of the month, because it definitely works as a late Fall/early Winter in-front-of-the-fireplace kind of beer.
3.5 out of 5 pumpkins

Thursday, October 31, 2013
Schlafly Pumpkin Ale
Well I saved the one I was most excited about for last, and it did not disappoint. As advertised, this beer absolutely does taste like pumpkin pie, but for my money, the body is the best part. It's medium-full, markedly robust, and makes it feel like you have a forkful of pumpkin pie in your mouth. The whopping 8.0% ABV is incredibly well hidden beneath the thick, complex, satisfying body. Right at the end, I almost thought I was going to catch that annoying sour aftertaste, but it settled in, and mellowed right short of it. I'm thoroughly impressed, and quite pleased that this was my lone six-pack purchase for the month.
4 out of 5 pumpkins

OctoberQuest II - Week III

Week three seems like forever ago, but another seven Fall seasonal beers made their way from their bottles to my lips. Things started a bit ho-hum, but finished with a bang. And as I've seemed to discover, there's been a 50/50 split between great beers with great reputations and great beers that I knew very little about prior to discovering how delicious they were. On to the recap!

Tuesday, October 15, 2013
Gordon Biersch Edition!
Gordon Biersch FestBier
According to their description, Festbier was created as a "modern day Oktoberfest" with a lighter body and a more robust, hoppy flavor than a Märzen. Well, half of that is about right, as FestBier just tastes by and large like Märzen light. I don't really catch the "hoppy flavor." Maybe my prejudice against light lagers is coming through. Maybe my affinity for GB's Märzen (which would be a 4 out of 5 if it were a seasonal...hell I'd give their Märzen BBQ Sauce a 4 out of 5) is coloring my judgement. Whatever the case may be, this just doesn't really do much for me.
2.5 out of 5 pumpkins

Wednesday, October 16, 2013
Thomas Creek Pumpkin Ale
As you can see, you start off with a pretty stout head with some decent lacing as you get down the glass. Right on the label, this one says "Brewed with spices and natural flavor," which happens to be telling, because it's a little short on pumpkin. That being said, this one certainly improves with each sip. Smooth on taste with a medium body. Small alcohol bite, but not shocking with its 7.3% ABV. Overall, pretty decent drinker.
3 out of 5 pumpkins

Thursday, October 17, 2013
Abita Brewing Co. Fall Fest
This is sadly another large-scale brewery release that just plain falls flat. The body is far too light to call itself 'Märzen-style," and I'd go as far as to say it tastes watered down. It simply sits there as a plain old beer. There's also a bit of a cleaning solution aftertaste to it, so that's not real great either.
2 out of 5 pumpkins

Friday, October 18, 2013
Southampton Pumpkin Ale
Off the bat, there's a good solid pumpkin spice aroma to this brew. There's a slight twist to this pumpkin ale, though, and that's the inclusion of vanilla extract. Whether it's the power of suggestion or not, I can definitely tell it's there, and it makes for a unique flavor profile. The vanilla mellows out the body nicely and almost creates a pie crust taste. I'm a bit conflicted, though, as the vanilla masks the spice flavor. The body is a touch thin, but the smoothness of the vanilla helps combat that. There's a lot going on, and while I appreciate the complexity, it's not quite all in harmony.
3 out of 5 pumpkins

Saturday, October 19, 2013
Cricket Hill Brewing Co. Fall Festivus Ale
What struck me immediately about this one is how hazy it poured. I certainly would have assumed it was an unfiltered beer, but from what little info I could find from Cricket Hill, not so. But down to the taste - this brew is very hoppy. A piney hoppiness hits right out of the gate, lingers through the mouthfeel, and in the aftertaste. As beers go, this would be a pretty good pale ale with a little extra body, but a Fall Fest beer this is not.
2 out of 5 pumpkins

Sunday, October 20, 2013
Souther Tier Pumking
So Pumking was one of the two or three this season I've been kind of holding back and looking forward to because of its superior reputation. To wit, it's easily one of the most unique pumpkin ales I've ever had, and I'm glad it comes in the 22 oz bottle so that I had ample time to digest (no pun intended) everything that's going on here. With minimal head and deep golden hue, the nose is drawn to a very distinct oat scent with a hint of spice. The taste is surprisingly sweet, though immediately supported by more of the oats and spices I was smelling. The pumpkin comes very late, in the back of the tongue, almost when you're ready to ask where it is. The mouthfeel is *remarkably* smooth and a little creamy with medium body. Impressively, there's basically no alcohol bite whatsoever on this 8.6% ABV Imperial. Brass tacks: while it's sweet enough that I'd relegate it to almost exclusively for dessert, this is a unique, complex, satisfying brew. Go get one.
4 out of 5 pumpkins

Monday, October 21, 2013
Flying Fish Brewing Co. OktoberFish
Oh, so that's what Gordon Biersch was going for. OktoberFish is a Festbier (what most American breweries describe as a lighter, more drinkable Märzen, though it appears to be, in point of fact, synonymous with Märzen in Germany) that really hits its stride well. The medium-light malty body is well matched by the complementing hops. One of the only Oktoberfests I've had where I'm actively thinking about hops. The kicker: the hops are tettnanger and/or hallertauer, right? Nope! Horizon and Crystal from right here in the US of A. Never would have guessed. This almost rivals Victory's Festbier. Almost.
4 out of 5 pumpkins

OctoberQuest II - Week II

I'm a little late getting this post up, but another week's worth of Fall seasonals is in the books. A fantastic pumpkin ale was the early highlight of this week, without a doubt. There weren't many standouts otherwise, but one's bound to run into patches like this when one is in search of the ultimate Fall seasonal. To the reviews!

Tuesday, October 8, 2013
Terrapin Pumpkinfest
This is an outstanding pumpkin offering, plain and simple. The blend and balance of the pumpkin and spice is excellent. The spice taste is excellent. The sweetness is just right, while still maintaining the substantively malty body of a lager. There's no cloying or sour aftertaste. The only peculiarity came with dinner - I thought for sure the beer would only improve with barbequed pulled pork, macaroni and cheese and cornbread, but this was oddly not the case. If anything the flavors were more muted. That being said, highest marks I've given to a pumpkin beer.
4.5 out of 5 pumpkins

Wednesday, October 9, 2013
Otter Creek Oktoberfest
I've been pretty ho-hum about the few Otter Creek beers I've had. Unfortunately, this is no exception. The rich golden hue is nice, and the mix of sweet malt and German hops is pretty good, but it's mired by a metallic aftertaste. Simply put, I've had much worse, but I've had much better.
2.5 out of 5 pumpkins

Thursday, October 10, 2013
River Horse Brewing Co Hipp-O-Lantern Imperial Pumpkin Ale
I knew coming into this beer that I would have to be in 'Imperial Mode,' but this *still* put me on my heels. The alcohol bite is very harsh despite a fairly standard (for an imperial) 8.1% ABV. I catch just a hint of pumpkin at the very first split second, and a reasonably creamy body on the mouthfeel, but the alcohol heat just overwhelms. First imperial pumpkin I haven't particularly cared for.
2 out of 5 pumpkins

Friday, October 11, 2013
Blue Point Brewing Co Oktoberfest
Fresh off a ho-hum Oktoberfest, this is....a ho-hum Oktoberfest. Nice head, but the color is surprisingly light for the style. The mouthfeel is way short on taste, and there's a funky aftertaste that I can't even place. Overall, a wholly nondescript entry. Can't win 'em all.
2 out of 5 pumpkins

Saturday, October 12, 2013
Dukes Tailgate Edition II!
Samuel Adams Harvest Pumpkin Ale
The pumpkin and spices were certainly front and center in this brew, but somehow it left me feeling like it was trying a little too hard. There was a little sweet aftertaste that was a little off-putting as well. Good but just not quite right. Hard to describe...
3 out of 5 pumpkins

Sunday, October 13, 2013
Left Hand Brewing Oktoberfest
Another solid Märzen. I've had a few from Left Hand that I've enjoyed (the Milk Stout is deeelicious), and this adds well to the collection. Good amber color, solid bready body. It's a touch sweet for me, but a very minor complaint. I'd certainly drink another. Not that it earns any points, but the bottle art is pretty sweet as well.
3.5 out of 5 pumpkins

Monday, October 14, 2013
Lancaster Brewing Co Baked Pumpkin Ale
This was a delightful little surprise. With such a deliberate title and label, I thought for sure that the beer would be trying way too hard on the pumpkin pie angle to actually work. Lo and behold, the taste is spot on! The spice mix is right on the money, and that 'liquid pumpkin pie' taste is executed wonderfully. That being said, my minor complaint would be that its virtues end right about there. Despite the darker-than-normal hue, there's not much of a body in the mouthfeel; all you get is that pumpkin pie taste. Don't get me wrong - I do like this beer - but I feel like I have to drink a Guinness afterwards to compensate. Also worth noting - this is a very deceptive 7.7% ABV. Almost into Imperial territory, you could get in big trouble without knowing it!
3.5 out of 5 pumpkins

Come and Get Them

It pays to have awesome friends.  My good buddy's boyfriend called us up this week and asked us if we wanted to join them on a jaunt out to Warrenton, VA, to visit a winery and help them use an Amazon Local deal they'd purchased. Into day seven of the government shutdown and eager to see the light of day, I gladly accepted.

Sunday saw us making the great hour-long trek from DC to the wilds of Virginia. Our destination was Molon Lave Vineyards. "Molon lave" is a historic ancient Greek phrase that dates back to the year 480 B.C. at the Battle of Thermopylae. (You may remember this battle from the awesome abs-and-sandals picture 300) During said battle, the opposing army's leader encouraged King Leonidas to surrender and give up his weapons. Leonidas' response? "Molon lave," or "come and get them." Yeah, so that's pretty hardcore. With a name like that, how could you go wrong?

Now for some history - Molon Lave is owned and operated by the Papadopoulos family, of whom patriarch Louis is head winemaker. Louis' experience with winemaking began in 1961, in the Kifissia suburb of Athens, Greece. Surrounded by the centuries-old vineyards, he made his first barrels of traditional red and white Greek wines. He cultivated his first small vineyard on his forty-acre farm in Corinth, alongside lemon, orange, and apricot groves. In 1984, the family relocated to Northern Virginia and opened Mediterranean Cellars in 2003. Molon Lave opened in 2009, though the vines were planted in 2003. Louis' son, Louizos, is the owner of Molon Lave, and many family members work at the vineyard as well.

Upon entering the grounds of Molon Lave, you drive through some of the active vines growing alongside of the driveway. Though Brian and I have been to many wineries, we've never seen actual grapes growing on the vine! These grapes were a deep purple and looked as th
ough they were going to plop off at any minute. Members of the staff assured us that final harvest would be occurring in the next few weekends. (I'll admit that I very naughtily stole a grape off said vines to sample and was instantly punished. There are a lot of seeds in raw grapes, as it turns out. But what I could eat was pretty good!)

The first part of the deal entitled us to an olive oil sampling. I've never seen such a thing before in our travels, so this was a treat. The olive oils for sample did not come from the winery itself, but from Laconiko Olive Oil. Laconiko olive oil is grown and pressed on an olive estate located off the sandy beaches of the Southern Peloponnese, outside of Sparta, Greece. It is then shipped stateside and has a somewhat limited distribution. (Fun fact: this is another family operation! The four Pierrakos siblings all live in Gainesville, Virginia, not too far down the road from Molon Lave.) We were able to try five flavors of oil along with the basic extra virgin olive oil - garlic, basil, lemon, rosemary and blood orange. Spoiler alert: I walked away with a bottle of the lemon, which I've been assured tastes delicious on salads and as a marinade. The oils were all super delicious and nothing like we have here. Which makes sense, because the United States (as we were told) does not have any labeling requirements on what can be called "extra virgin olive oil" unlike the rest of the world.

The second part of the deal was a winery tour. A daughter of the vineyard was our tour guide, and she was exceptionally knowledgeable and entertaining. We viewed the small and large barrel rooms, which held these beautiful 300-year-old tables from a monastery in Greece. They were so heavy that forklifts were needed to bring them into the winery itself! We were then allowed to view the cellar where the wine is actually made. Molon Lave is one of three wineries on the East Coast that makes kosher wines, so there are stringent rules and regulations they must follow when making those varieties. After that we were shown the bottling, labeling and corking stations- all of which are run by hand by members of the family. The last stop on the tour was the press pad, where the grapes are processed before moving into the vats.

After the tour we participated in a wine tasting. We were able to taste six wines, and the seasonal sangria. We started with the 2012 and 2013 chardonnays, which were just okay to me. Truth be told, I am not much of a white wine fan. The tasting then moved to the 2012 merlot, the 2011 cabernet sauvignon, and the 2010 cabernet franc. Of the three, the franc was my favorite. I love dry reds, and this really spoke to me. We finished with the 2012 autumn nectar, which is pretty much exactly what it sounds like- a thick, fruity wine that was very, very sweet. I was not a fan, but again, I'm just not that fond of white wines. We were then treated to a glass of the sangria, which I believe was orange or mango juice with blueberries, ginger ale and one of the chardonnays. A very sippable beverage- I definitely could see drinking a few of these then suddenly standing and finding that there was a problem with the ground not standing still.

As part of the deal my friends were able to get two picnic baskets, which were filled with summer sausage, cheese, crackers and tasty cookies. We gladly picked up a bottle of the cabernet franc and headed up to the pavillion on the property to kick back and relax. With a beautiful view of the lake and the vines, this was truly an enjoyable way to end the afternoon. Though I didn't think any of the wines were truly outstanding, I definitely believe this is a worthwhile stop on any wine tour of the area.

OctoberQuest II - Week I

What a great start to this year's OctoberQuest! There was no shortage of highs and lows, as I've already had ratings ranging from 1.5 to 4 out of a possible 5. Without further ado, on to the reviews:

Tuesday, October 1, 2013
Shiner Oktoberfest
Just like last year, we start out the month with a Marzen. Much like several other Shiner offerings, this one is a nice easy drinker. As much credit as I give for drinkability, I have to take some points right back though - I feel a Marzen should inherently have a little more body than this one provides. Still, reasonably enjoyable.
3 out of 5 pumpkins

Wednesday, October 2, 2013
Captain Lawrence Brewing Co. Pumpkin Ale
This is more of a pumpkin amber ale, as you can immediately tell from the color. The funny thing about this brew is that you get a good solid waft of pumpkin, and the initial taste of pumpkin and spice, but after a split second it gets buried by the amber-style malt. Pumpkin ales are truly a fickle beast. I'd drink this again, but it's not *quite* where I want it to be.
3 out of 5 pumpkins

Thursday, October 3, 2013
Legend Brewing Co. Oktoberfest
What a pleasant pour! Rich dark amber color and a nice thick head. It has a smooth, malty mouthfeel with some lingering sweetness, but not cloyingly so. A fairly simple and to-the-point beer that's well executed overall.
3.5 out of 5 pumpkins

Friday, October 4, 2013
Harpoon UFO Pumpkin
Sometimes good beers come from unexpected places. I wouldn't expect a fairly unique and delicious offering from a major brewery like Harpoon, but here we are. Right off the bat, this beer had an immense head (as you can see) that lasted well into drinking - it still had a half inch at the midway point. Also, I can't recall having had an unfiltered pumpkin ale before, so the hazy brown amber coloring was somewhat different. The mouthfeel was a sweet, liquid pumpkin pie-type flavor that went down *very* smoothly. Some might call such a pumpkin pie-y flavor profile a little hacky for a beer, but I very much enjoyed it. Just when I thought my review was over, at the bottom of the glass was a little present - little flecks of pumpkin and spice, another byproduct of the unfiltered beer. Going to be hard to beat this one!
4 out of 5 pumpkins

Saturday, October 5, 2014
Dukes Tailgate Edition!
Narragansett Fest
"Hi neighbor! Have a 'Gansett!" I couldn't resist getting the Fall seasonal for what amounts to New England's version of Pabst Blue Ribbon. And for a crappy beer's Fall seasonal, it wasn't terrible! Fairly substantial body, fairly smooth. Actually tasted pretty decent with the bacon we cooked up on the grill. But let's be real here...
2 out of 5 pumpkins

Sunday, October 6, 2013
Arcadia Jaw-Jacker
What a weird beer. Right on the label is a pretty nifty illustration of a blood thirsty pumpkin. So what's this beer brewed with? Cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg. No pumpkin?! It tastes pretty much exactly as you'd expect - a pumpkin ale without pumpkin. If I had never had a pumpkin ale before, I guess this might be an interesting enough beer, but it just tastes empty and the spices almost make it taste a little soapy. Weird weird direction to take.
1.5 out of 5 pumpkins

Monday, October 7, 2013
Paulaner Oktoberfest-Märzen
The folks at Paulaner have been brewing since 1634, so they might know a thing or two. Each sip seems to get breadier and maltier than the last. That's actually a good thing, as I initially felt like this beer had a little sweet, alcoholic note not to my liking. It seems like it just grew on me halfway down the mug. I could put a few of these down.
3.5 out of 5 pumpkins

Trap Rock Brewery - Tiny Beers Galore!

As previously mentioned, I've been remiss in my duties by not having found my way over to Trap Rock Brewery in Berkeley Heights, NJ, mere minutes from my hometown. Carly and I, along with my parents, had a lovely dinner there last week. More importantly, we enjoyed all nine of their beer offerings during our visit.

The first thing we noticed as we walked into the restaurant was the overwhelming scent of active mash. As homebrewers ourselves, Carly and I shared a knowing smile as we looked over to their seven-barrel lauter tuns. I mentioned in passing that I was a bit surprised that such an acquired smell permeated the restaurant, to which my dad quickly responded, "Not a smell that I have acquired!"

As Trap Rock only offers a six-glass beer tasting flight, Carly and I had to order two flights to run the whole gamut of their nine beers. With no help from my non-beer-drinking parents, we had quite the task ahead of us. Sometimes, you just have to buckle down and get it done.

As an appetizer, we ordered a fairly unique and satisfying dish - House BBQ Pulled Pork Mac 'n Cheese. The mildness of the four cheese blend really came together nicely with the barbecued pork. For my main course, I had the Vermont Cheddar Burger. Though my 'medium' burger came out closer towards medium-well, I enjoyed it all the same. And, the fries were quite delicious. But I digress - on to the beer!

I'll go straight down the list as provided by Trap Rock (although I must say, I couldn't really find rhyme or reason to their sequencing):

Ghost Pony Helles Lager - An award winner in the 2001 Great American Beer Festival...and that's about all I have to say in the positive realm. Maybe my palette's just not refined enough for the nuances of light lager, but they all kind of taste the same to me. A craft brewed light lager hits almost exactly the same notes as Natural Light as far I can tell. If it's a harkening to the hop-forward Helles style, you could've fooled me. So yeah. Not a fan. 1.5 out of 5.

Schroeder Weiss - This is a Bavarian style wheat beer that uses spelt grain instead of wheat malt. I found it to be quite interesting as it tasted more like a cider than anything else. Since the cider taste still had a little body behind it from the wheat style, I was more than happy to take care of both glasses as this was one of our three 'repeats' from the two combined flights. 3 out of 5.

JP Pilsner - Described as having "a bready malt flavor," this one fell short for both Carly and I. It tasted a bit like a homebrew that just didn't hit the mark. The flavor profile was short on just about everything, and tasted generally watered down. 2 out of 5.

Octoberfest - Both of us were more than eager to jump past the light styles, and this certainly helped. The Marzen style is a favorite of mine, especially for the season, and this one held its own. It suffered slightly from the watered-down issue like the JP Pilsner, but was much improved when paired with food. 3 out of 5.

Hang Ten IPA - Five different hops go into this offering, and it was a solid IPA overall. Again, improved with food, specifically the french fries, which seemed to complement and accentuate the bitterness of the hops. 3.5 out of 5.

Baltic Porter - Trap Rock mentions "dark malts smoothed out by the use of lager yeast." Not only was this absolutely correct, but this was my favorite standalone beer overall. Strong, ambitious malty and roasted flavors didn't get in their own way for a nice smooth finish. I nursed this one as it paired wonderfully with my burger. 4 out of 5.

August Der Weiss - Having recently experienced the Berliner Weiss style for the first time in Green Bay, WI (a Midwest specialty), our preconceived notions of "Get your pucker face ready, because this is going to be sour," were pleasantly off-base. The sourness was definitely there but was far more nuanced than we expected, which made for an engaging little brew. After feeling like we had stumbled out of the gate on the first number of beers, Trap Rock was beginning to hit its stride. 3 out of 5.

Jack o' Lager - Fall spices, check. Maple syrup, not typical, but check. Sweet potatoes instead of pumpkin? Now that's different. Interestingly, the sweet potato aroma was absolutely recognizable but it tasted just like a pumpkin ale. The real magic came when I was still picking through my delicious BBQ Pork Mac 'n Cheese, and I took a swig of this immediately after. The spices came skyrocketing forward, perfectly complementing the smoke of the pork and the cream of the macaroni and cheese. Totally changed the entire experience. On its own, 3 out of 5. With the BBQ Pork Mac 'n Cheese, best taste of the night, 4.5 out of 5.

Despiratado IPA - 7% ABV, and hard to pronounce after 11 tiny beers. Using Citra in both the boil and the dry-hopping process, it had a lovely hop aroma and citrus bite to the taste. This was Carly's favorite beer of the night and I certainly won't fault her for that as I quite enjoyed this hearty IPA as well. 4 out of 5.

Overall, I came out fairly impressed with the depth and quality of Trap Rock Brewery's offerings. Had I enjoyed a single flight of the last six on the list, I would have been wowed. I'll certainly head back for a return trip in the Spring, when there should be several new seasonal offerings to review.