I got to attend a tasting today of, among other things, the whiskeys made by the Cooley Distillery, the only independent distillery in Ireland. Cooley was started in 1987, and actually consists of two distillery locations; the original Cooley distillery in County Lough, and the Kilbeggan distillery in the middle of the country, the oldest distillery in the world, but which has only recently undergone renovation to bring it closer to modern standards and into production.
First up were the line of Finnegan's Whiskey. This is a line that is made for Total Wine and More; but they are distinctly different from their regular whiskeys, and not just re-packaged forms.
The basic Finnegan's is a blended whiskey, with about 20% malt, made from whiskeys 4 years old and older. It is quite light on the palate, with a touch of spice. The finish is a little hot, the only negative about it. Still, for a whiskey priced well under $20, this is quite good.
Finnegan's 8 Year Old Blended is much nicer. The additional age is evident in the color, and on the palate, it is much smoother, with a little less spice, and a pleasant finish. Nothing hot or rough here!
There are also two Finnegan's Single Malt Whiskeys, one with no age statement that is about 4 years old, and an 8 year old version. Both display a nice touch of sweetness on the nose, more so than with the blends, and a slight sweetness on the palate. Flavors of sweet toffee and clove dominate, with only the faintest touch of spice. As with the blends, the 8 year old version is noticeably smoother, although the difference is not quite as great, as both the regular and the 8 year are both free of any harsh or hot finish.
Greenore is a unique product; a Single Grain Irish Whiskey. The name is slightly confusing, as it is made from a blend of corn and malt; it's a "single" because the resulting whiskey is not blended. In the US, this is similar to what would be called a "Straight Whiskey".
The nose is very different from any other Irish whiskey, displaying notes of grass. Being made from corn, it's not surprising that this drinks somewhat similar to a Bourbon, but because it is aged in a used barrel, it is considerably less sweet than most Bourbons. I was not a fan of this drink, but it did seem to be popular among those who are not whiskey drinkers.
Kilbeggan is the name not only of a whiskey, but of the oldest whiskey distillery in the world. For the time being, this spirit is being made at the Cooley distillery until the old Kibeggan distillery is brought up to speed and its whiskeys have a chance to age. It is a blended whiskey, about 20% malt, but it is not as spicy as the Finnegan's. A nice whiskey, but a little light and ordinary. Probably great for mixing, or for making an Irish coffee.
The Tyrconnell. This is a very nice single malt, fairly rich, with a very fruity nose, much of which transfers to the palate. Perhaps a touch less smooth than the Finnegan's 8 year old single malt, but the additional fruitiness and complexity more than make up for it. This was my favorite whiskey of the tasting.
Connemara is another oddity; a peated single malt Irish whiskey. Generally, Irish whiskeys are made from malt that is dried in a closed kiln; unlike Scotch Whisky in which the malt (or at least some of it) is dried over a smoky peat fire, giving the malt a distinctive taste. Connemara uses malt that is dried and smoked in Scotland. This gives it a very smoky nose, although the smoke is a little more subdued on the palate. But because of the peat, the finish is by far the driest of any of the Irish whiskeys I've tasted.
Thursday, May 26, 2011
Sunday, May 22, 2011
Glen Turner 12 Year Old Single Malt Scotch Whisky
A few days ago, I was thrilled when a customer brought me a present. Then I was shocked to see that it was a bottle of Glen Turner Scotch, which I had never heard of. He explained that it was brand new, and not even sold in the US yet. Thank you very much!
The nose is fairly fruity, but also shows a good deal of peat. On the palate, quite smooth, just a little hint of spice (nutmeg?), a little less peat that might be expected from the nose, and a very pleasant amount of warmth on the finish. It's enough on the drier side to make a good apertif, but full enough in body to be equally good after a meal, with just the faintest bit of oiliness.
It doesn't have the complexity of some of my favorites, like Springbank or Old Pulteney, or even Highland Park, but I think that it's one that holds up well, and I think that it's nicer than many of the most common standbys.
Recommended, depending on the price. With current pricing trends, I'd have no problem spending $40 or even a little more on this one, but until it makes it into the US, figure that it's worth it to pay a little more than for something like The Maccallan or Glen Livet.
The nose is fairly fruity, but also shows a good deal of peat. On the palate, quite smooth, just a little hint of spice (nutmeg?), a little less peat that might be expected from the nose, and a very pleasant amount of warmth on the finish. It's enough on the drier side to make a good apertif, but full enough in body to be equally good after a meal, with just the faintest bit of oiliness.
It doesn't have the complexity of some of my favorites, like Springbank or Old Pulteney, or even Highland Park, but I think that it's one that holds up well, and I think that it's nicer than many of the most common standbys.
Recommended, depending on the price. With current pricing trends, I'd have no problem spending $40 or even a little more on this one, but until it makes it into the US, figure that it's worth it to pay a little more than for something like The Maccallan or Glen Livet.
Thursday, May 19, 2011
American Craft Beer Week - River Horse brewery in New Jersey
Day four of ACBW had a tasting of River Horse beers, from Lambertville, NJ (right on the river between NJ and PA). My basic thought is that the River Horse beers fit right in the middle of the spectrum, and were the most consistent of all the breweries tasted so far.
Summer Blonde is a very light, crisp beer. A little bit of wheat, but not enough to start coming across as a wheat beer. With just a hint of citrus, this would make a great refreshing beer, without giving up on the taste.
Tripel Horse. A "Belgian Style" Ale that actually tastes Belgian in style (my apologies to Douglas Adams fans for the language). Light on the malt flavor, with a slight tanginess from the hops and a nice bit of effervescence, this is a beer to contemplate, providing huge body, 10% abv, and a load of subtle flavors and aromas. While it's crisp enough to work well with food, I see no reason to detract from the pure enjoyment of it.
Lastly, Hop Hazard Pale Ale. This is not an IPA, but rather a true-to-style Pale Ale, with a hop level high enough to provide a nice clean finish, but not enough to overwhelm the malty flavor. Very refreshing, this would be a great beer to choose to go with a plate of Buffalo wings or other pub grub. On its own, I think it would be a good almost-session beer, or a great palate refresher between bigger beers. While I find Cascade hops often tiresome (the result of living out west, where every beer was full of Cascade), here they are restrained enough and balanced out by other flavors to simply give a very nice clean finish. While I'm generally more of a stout/porter drinker, I can easily seeing this become one of my preferred beer for when I'm looking for something lighter.
Summer Blonde is a very light, crisp beer. A little bit of wheat, but not enough to start coming across as a wheat beer. With just a hint of citrus, this would make a great refreshing beer, without giving up on the taste.
Tripel Horse. A "Belgian Style" Ale that actually tastes Belgian in style (my apologies to Douglas Adams fans for the language). Light on the malt flavor, with a slight tanginess from the hops and a nice bit of effervescence, this is a beer to contemplate, providing huge body, 10% abv, and a load of subtle flavors and aromas. While it's crisp enough to work well with food, I see no reason to detract from the pure enjoyment of it.
Lastly, Hop Hazard Pale Ale. This is not an IPA, but rather a true-to-style Pale Ale, with a hop level high enough to provide a nice clean finish, but not enough to overwhelm the malty flavor. Very refreshing, this would be a great beer to choose to go with a plate of Buffalo wings or other pub grub. On its own, I think it would be a good almost-session beer, or a great palate refresher between bigger beers. While I find Cascade hops often tiresome (the result of living out west, where every beer was full of Cascade), here they are restrained enough and balanced out by other flavors to simply give a very nice clean finish. While I'm generally more of a stout/porter drinker, I can easily seeing this become one of my preferred beer for when I'm looking for something lighter.
American Craft Beer Week - Cricket Hill brewery in New Jersey
Cricket Hill brewery has been around for about 10 years, and is located in Fairfield, NJ, about a half hour west of New York City. The tasting consisted of four beers, all of which are quite pleasant, and fit into the lighter end of the craft beer spectrum. As founder/owner/brewer Rick Reed explains it, "you can make a big beer that people can drink one or two of a night, or you can make a session beer that people can drink all evening. It's hard to send you kid to college on one or two beers a night."
And his beers qualify as "session beers". With alcohol levels in the 5% abv range, these beers are on the lighter side of American craft beers; but for those of us who weaned ourselves on imports in the days before decent American beers, it is a refreshing change. I could envision drinking quite a few of these beers in a night, and enjoying the entire evening.
First off was the New Jersey Summer Breakfast Ale. A light beer, with a high wheat content, and a lot of citrus flavor from the hops, this is quite refreshing. While I'm not a big fan of wheat beer, this could be a nice refresher.
Next was the East Coast Lager. Not my favorite; Reed describes this as a beer to bring the Coors Light drinker into the craft beer fold. While it is certainly a step up from the mass produced beers, it's a little light for my tastes, and I imagine that will be true for most people who have been drinking craft beers for some time. However, on a hot afternoon, I think this would hit the spot; and it would make a great choice for a party.
Now we get to the really good stuff; American Ale. Unlike most ales that are brewed by American craft brewers, this IPA is dominated by East Coast Golding hops, not American varieties like Cascade and Centenial. This results in a much softer beer that is never harsh, yet is refreshingly crisp. The small amount of Cascade hops used show through as just a slight and pleasant pineyness on the finish (in fact, it's subtle enough that I can't even be sure if it is indeed Cascade).
My favorite was the Hopnotic IPA. In this case, the hops are totally European hops. It has more in common with a Bass Ale or Newcastle Brown than with most American IPAs; a trait that I imagine would make it greatly more food friendly, and a better refresher when drank alone.
For the person new to craft beers, I highly recommend the Cricket Hill beers. And for those who have been drinking big beers for some time, give them a try and remind yourself that beers don't have to be over the top to be a delight to drink.
And his beers qualify as "session beers". With alcohol levels in the 5% abv range, these beers are on the lighter side of American craft beers; but for those of us who weaned ourselves on imports in the days before decent American beers, it is a refreshing change. I could envision drinking quite a few of these beers in a night, and enjoying the entire evening.
First off was the New Jersey Summer Breakfast Ale. A light beer, with a high wheat content, and a lot of citrus flavor from the hops, this is quite refreshing. While I'm not a big fan of wheat beer, this could be a nice refresher.
Next was the East Coast Lager. Not my favorite; Reed describes this as a beer to bring the Coors Light drinker into the craft beer fold. While it is certainly a step up from the mass produced beers, it's a little light for my tastes, and I imagine that will be true for most people who have been drinking craft beers for some time. However, on a hot afternoon, I think this would hit the spot; and it would make a great choice for a party.
Now we get to the really good stuff; American Ale. Unlike most ales that are brewed by American craft brewers, this IPA is dominated by East Coast Golding hops, not American varieties like Cascade and Centenial. This results in a much softer beer that is never harsh, yet is refreshingly crisp. The small amount of Cascade hops used show through as just a slight and pleasant pineyness on the finish (in fact, it's subtle enough that I can't even be sure if it is indeed Cascade).
My favorite was the Hopnotic IPA. In this case, the hops are totally European hops. It has more in common with a Bass Ale or Newcastle Brown than with most American IPAs; a trait that I imagine would make it greatly more food friendly, and a better refresher when drank alone.
For the person new to craft beers, I highly recommend the Cricket Hill beers. And for those who have been drinking big beers for some time, give them a try and remind yourself that beers don't have to be over the top to be a delight to drink.
Tuesday, May 17, 2011
American Craft Beer Week - Laughing Dog Brewery from Idaho
Laughing Dog is a brewery that's been around since 2005, although I believe it is just recently becoming available on the east coast. Based on the samples I tasted, I would say that they are a high quality producer in the typical Pacific Northwest Style of high alcohol and high hops.
The first two beers I tasted were Alphadog Imperial IPA and Devil Dog Imperial IPA. As would be expected by an American beer with "Imperial" in the name, these beers are huge over the top styled beers. With a whopping 127 IBUs, the Alphadog is a hop-lovers delight. Lots of Cascade and Centennial hops give it strong citrus with just a little piney taste, and a bitterness that can linger for minutes. But for me, it didn't seem to have much more going for it.
The Devil Dog, while higher in alcohol (10% abv, vs 8.7% abv for the Alphadog), has "only" 98 IBUs, but has much more malt, so comes across more balanced, although still very strong on the hops.
Both are very classic examples of strongly hopped American IPAs, and recommended for anyone who likes that style.
Next was the Sneaky Pete, also an IPA, but containing a very different mix of hops. While there was still a bit of citrus and a hint of pineyness, there was a much more pronounced fruitiness, which I believe comes from the Simcoe hops that are used. A little smoother than the first two beers, but still a true IPA. Refreshingly different.
Finally, the stouts; The Dogfather and The Dogfather Bourbon Barrel Aged. Both are very full bodied stouts; and quite dry. Lots of aromas and tastes of roasted coffee, dark chocolate, and a slight nutiness. The dryness is pronounced, but not overwhelming. The Bourbon Barrel version is a little smoother, and teases with just enough Bourbon flavor to give a hint of sweetness, without actually being any sweeter. What it does deliver is a fruitiness that is quite pleasant, sort of like tart cherries, that helps off-set some of the roastedness of the grains.
Given my fondness for stouts, it's not a surprise that these were my favorites, with the Bourbon Barrel version coming out slightly ahead. At 11% abv, these are not beers for the faint of heart (or palate), but for the stout lover, they are sensational.
I highly recommend trying the Laughing Dog beers that fit the styles that you enjoy. And maybe even some of the others; you may find that you like other styles more than you thought you did.
Next tasting is New Jersey's own Cricket Hill.
The first two beers I tasted were Alphadog Imperial IPA and Devil Dog Imperial IPA. As would be expected by an American beer with "Imperial" in the name, these beers are huge over the top styled beers. With a whopping 127 IBUs, the Alphadog is a hop-lovers delight. Lots of Cascade and Centennial hops give it strong citrus with just a little piney taste, and a bitterness that can linger for minutes. But for me, it didn't seem to have much more going for it.
The Devil Dog, while higher in alcohol (10% abv, vs 8.7% abv for the Alphadog), has "only" 98 IBUs, but has much more malt, so comes across more balanced, although still very strong on the hops.
Both are very classic examples of strongly hopped American IPAs, and recommended for anyone who likes that style.
Next was the Sneaky Pete, also an IPA, but containing a very different mix of hops. While there was still a bit of citrus and a hint of pineyness, there was a much more pronounced fruitiness, which I believe comes from the Simcoe hops that are used. A little smoother than the first two beers, but still a true IPA. Refreshingly different.
Finally, the stouts; The Dogfather and The Dogfather Bourbon Barrel Aged. Both are very full bodied stouts; and quite dry. Lots of aromas and tastes of roasted coffee, dark chocolate, and a slight nutiness. The dryness is pronounced, but not overwhelming. The Bourbon Barrel version is a little smoother, and teases with just enough Bourbon flavor to give a hint of sweetness, without actually being any sweeter. What it does deliver is a fruitiness that is quite pleasant, sort of like tart cherries, that helps off-set some of the roastedness of the grains.
Given my fondness for stouts, it's not a surprise that these were my favorites, with the Bourbon Barrel version coming out slightly ahead. At 11% abv, these are not beers for the faint of heart (or palate), but for the stout lover, they are sensational.
I highly recommend trying the Laughing Dog beers that fit the styles that you enjoy. And maybe even some of the others; you may find that you like other styles more than you thought you did.
Next tasting is New Jersey's own Cricket Hill.
Monday, May 16, 2011
American Craft Beer Week - Thomas Hooker beers from Connecticut
Today marks the first day of American Craft Beer Week, so in celebration, Total Wine in River Edge had the first of a series of tasting today, with Thomas Hooker beers, which are brewed in Connecticut.
Since this was a rather quick tasting for me, I won't go into great depth, but overall I was impressed.
I started with the Blonde Ale. As the rep from the brewery stated, this is a "craft beer on training wheels". If you are new to craft beers, or you're looking for a lighter beer that will work with a crowd but still give you more flavor than the mass-market beers, this is a good choice; but if you are an experienced craft beer drinker, you probably won't be impressed.
Next up was the Hop Meadow IPA. With a whopping 72 IBUs, this beer is a little bitter for my tastes, especially since the hopping is predominated by Cascade hops, with a bit of Centennial thrown in (at least, I think that's what it was). Very classic Pacific NW style of American IPA; that's just a style that I burned out on long ago. But if you're a hophead who likes a very hoppy beer, this is one you should check out, as it is quite well made, and a very good example of the style.
I then tried the Watermelon Ale. Rather sweet, and not being a watermelon lover, I didn't find it overly enjoyable. A little too far out there for even me.
Then we started hitting the good stuff. Beer #4 was the Liberator Doppelbock. This is one of the better American Doppelbocks that I've had, tasting a little more like the original German style (such as Spaten Optimator or Paulaner Salvator) than most of the American versions; but still showing some American uniqueness. Lots of malt, and a very balanced level of malt to keep it from being too sweet. This is a beer that I'll probably buy in the future.
Finally, the Imperial Porter. Checking in at just under 8% abv, this is no lightweight beer. And while it has 100+ IBUs, the rich malt tames them to the point of the beer tasting dry without being bitter. A very rich, filing, and quite dry porter (richer IMO than many beers that call themselves "Stout"), this is a must try for anyone liking the big dark roasted beers.
Next up for American Craft Beer Week will be Laughing Dog brewery from Idaho on 5/17, followed by Cricket Hill on the 18th and River Horse on the 19th (both from NJ). These tastings will be from 3-7 at the River Edge, NJ Total Wine and More. Then to finish off the week, Samual Adams on Sunday 5/22 from 12-3. Come out and try them so that we can compare notes.
Since this was a rather quick tasting for me, I won't go into great depth, but overall I was impressed.
I started with the Blonde Ale. As the rep from the brewery stated, this is a "craft beer on training wheels". If you are new to craft beers, or you're looking for a lighter beer that will work with a crowd but still give you more flavor than the mass-market beers, this is a good choice; but if you are an experienced craft beer drinker, you probably won't be impressed.
Next up was the Hop Meadow IPA. With a whopping 72 IBUs, this beer is a little bitter for my tastes, especially since the hopping is predominated by Cascade hops, with a bit of Centennial thrown in (at least, I think that's what it was). Very classic Pacific NW style of American IPA; that's just a style that I burned out on long ago. But if you're a hophead who likes a very hoppy beer, this is one you should check out, as it is quite well made, and a very good example of the style.
I then tried the Watermelon Ale. Rather sweet, and not being a watermelon lover, I didn't find it overly enjoyable. A little too far out there for even me.
Then we started hitting the good stuff. Beer #4 was the Liberator Doppelbock. This is one of the better American Doppelbocks that I've had, tasting a little more like the original German style (such as Spaten Optimator or Paulaner Salvator) than most of the American versions; but still showing some American uniqueness. Lots of malt, and a very balanced level of malt to keep it from being too sweet. This is a beer that I'll probably buy in the future.
Finally, the Imperial Porter. Checking in at just under 8% abv, this is no lightweight beer. And while it has 100+ IBUs, the rich malt tames them to the point of the beer tasting dry without being bitter. A very rich, filing, and quite dry porter (richer IMO than many beers that call themselves "Stout"), this is a must try for anyone liking the big dark roasted beers.
Next up for American Craft Beer Week will be Laughing Dog brewery from Idaho on 5/17, followed by Cricket Hill on the 18th and River Horse on the 19th (both from NJ). These tastings will be from 3-7 at the River Edge, NJ Total Wine and More. Then to finish off the week, Samual Adams on Sunday 5/22 from 12-3. Come out and try them so that we can compare notes.
Sunday, May 15, 2011
Blogger problems
Just want to mention that, due to problems with Blogger the last few days, I've had to re-edit some posts, which has changed the order in the posting. Please be sure to scroll down to read the new posts; the newest post other than this one is on Bolero Snort brewery.
And also, if you're reading here, please consider becoming a follower.
Thanks,
David
And also, if you're reading here, please consider becoming a follower.
Thanks,
David
Anakena Ona Malbec (Chile)
I've been a fan of malbec since long before it became trendy, so when I saw one from Chile instead of the usual Argentina, I was intrigued.
Unlike a typical Mendoza malbec, the Anakena Ona is quite dry, with moderately high acidity. Hints of leather even come through on the nose; on the palate, there are nice flavors of red fruits and a little bit of spice.
This is more of an old-world style wine, in that the balance is really leaning toward accompaining food, rather than drinking on its own. A little acidic by itself, I think that it would work fairly well with a nicely marbled steak; although I can't say that I would prefer it over an Argentine malbec for the same meal.
I gave it a score of 83. Recommended for those looking for a drier, less fruity version of malbec than is generally obtained from Argentina (even the Patagonia region). Not recommended for someone who is looking for a fruity wine to drink on its own or with a light snack.
Unlike a typical Mendoza malbec, the Anakena Ona is quite dry, with moderately high acidity. Hints of leather even come through on the nose; on the palate, there are nice flavors of red fruits and a little bit of spice.
This is more of an old-world style wine, in that the balance is really leaning toward accompaining food, rather than drinking on its own. A little acidic by itself, I think that it would work fairly well with a nicely marbled steak; although I can't say that I would prefer it over an Argentine malbec for the same meal.
I gave it a score of 83. Recommended for those looking for a drier, less fruity version of malbec than is generally obtained from Argentina (even the Patagonia region). Not recommended for someone who is looking for a fruity wine to drink on its own or with a light snack.
Shiner Bock Beer from Texas
For years, my friends from Texas have talked about Shiner Bock. And since I like a good Bock beer, I've always been intrigued, so when it finally became available in NJ, I had to give it a try.
On the nose, this beer exhibits exactly what you would expect from a traditional bock beer; lots of sweet maltiness, with only a hint of hops.
On the palate, the malt is nice, but lighter than I expected based on the nose. And while I'm not a fan of overly hopped beers, hops do have their place, and I felt that this beer could use a little more bitterness to offset the malt and give a cleaner finish.
And speaking of finish, while it wasn't particularly clean, it was surprisingly short, lasting for only 2-3 seconds.
I'm not quite sure what to think of this beer. It's too sweet and malty to be a refreshing "lawn mowing" beer, the type that quenches your thirst. And it's too light to be an interesting beer for serious drinking. It would possibly work as a food beer with something like Buffalo wings, where the slight sweetness would offset the spice, but I personally would prefer something a little richer like a Newcastle Brown.
This is probably a good beer for someone looking to move from generic mass produced beers into richer, more interesting craft beers, but for the experienced craft or import beer drinker, I think that it will be disappointing. Of course, if you're a real craft beer fan, you'll try it anyway; I just advise to start by buying a single, and not a six-pack.
On the nose, this beer exhibits exactly what you would expect from a traditional bock beer; lots of sweet maltiness, with only a hint of hops.
On the palate, the malt is nice, but lighter than I expected based on the nose. And while I'm not a fan of overly hopped beers, hops do have their place, and I felt that this beer could use a little more bitterness to offset the malt and give a cleaner finish.
And speaking of finish, while it wasn't particularly clean, it was surprisingly short, lasting for only 2-3 seconds.
I'm not quite sure what to think of this beer. It's too sweet and malty to be a refreshing "lawn mowing" beer, the type that quenches your thirst. And it's too light to be an interesting beer for serious drinking. It would possibly work as a food beer with something like Buffalo wings, where the slight sweetness would offset the spice, but I personally would prefer something a little richer like a Newcastle Brown.
This is probably a good beer for someone looking to move from generic mass produced beers into richer, more interesting craft beers, but for the experienced craft or import beer drinker, I think that it will be disappointing. Of course, if you're a real craft beer fan, you'll try it anyway; I just advise to start by buying a single, and not a six-pack.
Bolero Snort Brewery - Sneak preview of New Jersey's soon-to-be newest brewery
Bolero Snort is a brewery that is in the start-up phase, founded in Ridgefield Park NJ by Robert Olson, Jr. Plans are to start releasing beers possibly as soon as this fall, with full production coming on line sometime in 2012. I was lucky enough to get a few samples from some of the test batches that are being produced, recipes that will probably be tweaked a few more times before being commited to production. So while the reviews can't be relied on for future versions of these beers (assuming that they ever even make it to production!), I've gotten a good feel for the style that Robert is going for. And I have to say, I really like it! So on to the tasting notes...
BTW, I should add, the stout is really starting to grow on me. ;-)
Oak Aged Longhop – 6.6% abv
The Longhop is an IPA that is aged on oak staves that have been soaked in Grand Marnier. Judging from the brewing and bottling dates, I’m guessing it spent about a month on oak.
The first thing I noticed, after the powerful aroma, was the very substantial head; perhaps a little too much carbonation, and I had to wait several minutes for it to subside before I was able to enjoy the beer. A nice balance of malt and hops, while keeping a true IPA character. Lots of citrus flavor, I suspect a combination of hops and the Grand Marnier, with just a hint of pine resin from the hops, and the notes of oak are subtle enough to enhance rather than detract from the character of the beer.
Overall, while I’m not a fan of heavily hopped beers, I found this beer quite pleasant; although a fan of big IPAs may find this a little light on the hops.
Overall, while I’m not a fan of heavily hopped beers, I found this beer quite pleasant; although a fan of big IPAs may find this a little light on the hops.
Fall Pasture – 7.9% abv
This is a pumpkin beer, made with lots of real pumpkin rather than just the spices as some beers seem to be. I admit that I’d pretty much given up on pumpkin beers, as almost all of them seem to be exercises in excess, rather than showing the flavor of the pumpkin. This one however, reminds me of some of the first pumpkin beers I tasted, that actually taste like a pumpkin pie rather than like someone spilled a packet of spices into your glass. Nice light touch of sweetness, with just enough hoppiness to keep it from being cloying. There’s even a very slight hint of chocolate, that works surprisingly well. I have to hope that the next batch of this beer is little changed.
Oatmeal Bull-Aisin Saddles Stout 5.8% abv.
An “Oatmeal Craisin Cookie Stout”, brewed with “lots of oats…, spiced just right, and aged for a few weeks on organic cranberries and whole vanilla beans.” Sounds great; I can hardly wait.
Oddly, being a stout, this has the lightest head of the night, but it looks about right. Very intense nose; almost a burnt coffee smell, which I’m not sure if I like or not.
Oddly, being a stout, this has the lightest head of the night, but it looks about right. Very intense nose; almost a burnt coffee smell, which I’m not sure if I like or not.
On the palate, it’s quite dry. IMO, maybe a little too dry, as the oats and the fruit demand a little sweetness to compliment their flavor. I think there is promise with this recipe, but I think that, as is, the cranberries keep it from being a good dry stout, and the dryness keeps it from being a good fruit-flavored stout (although I’ll give credit for the cranberries being a subtle note of the flavor, rather than being the predominant taste).
My least favorite of the three beers I tried tonight, but it’s growing on me, and I’m sure I’ll finish it.
In conclusion, it seems as if Bolero Snort is going to be a good source of interesting unusual beers, as well as a standard or two, without feeling the need to go to such extremes as to make the beers drinkable only by taste-thrill seekers. I'm guessing that Robert is content with brewing beers that people can really enjoy, rather than brewing something just for the sake of bragging rights of "Most extreme (insert category) beer". As someone who has been burned out by beers with IBUs measured with triple digits, I really appreciate this approach.
For more info, check out their website:
or follow on Facebook or twitter.
And for a good interview with man of many hats Robert Olson, check out fellow curler and blogger Seth Mellin's site:
BTW, I should add, the stout is really starting to grow on me. ;-)
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