Sunday, August 31, 2008

Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA


Eureka! We have found it! After years of dreaming about trying this "Holy Grail for Hopheads," the Brewski Brothers located the mythical Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA. Formerly the strongest beer ever made (currently #2 behind Sam Adams Utopia), this is certainly something worth trying in your lifetime just for the experience and novelty.

It pours a cloudy, foggy orange color with no head retention. At a whopping 21% alcohol, this barely qualifies as beer. Call it a hop liquor. It has more in common with sherry or port. The nose is of prunes, raisins, overripe apples, alcohol and a dash of citrus fruit. The palate is sweet. Really sweet. Loads of caramel, port, plum, grape and sweet malt. Then the hops hit, followed by a warming alcohol sensation on the mile-long finish. The 120 Min IPA wasn't as hoppy as I would have liked, which is interesting since Dogfish dry-hops this beer every day for an entire month. It is unfathomable to me that this brew has 120 IBUs (International Bitterness Units) because the hoppiness is masked by the alcohol and the sweetness.

Well, I must admit...I was slightly disappointed because it wasn't exactly what I expected. I found it too sweet and unbalanced, which is totally understandable when you get into the rarified air of 15%+ alcohol. It comes with the territory. The 120 Minute IPA was definitely unique and an interesting experience, but I doubt I will be trying it again. The novelty has worn off. Now I know what it tastes like...This Brewski Brother shall continue the relentless search for the true Holy Grail for Hopheads. For this brew is a false idol, but it should still be celebrated for what it is and not be bemoaned for what it is not.

Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye

So it's been a while, eh? August has been a busy month, but here are finally some new reviews...

We'll start off with a delicious offering from Bear Republic out of California. Hop Rod Rye is an imperial IPA brewed with 18% rye malt. The beer poured a deep copper red, with a huge head that did not want to disappear. The aroma is incredible giving off grapefruity hops and malt. The flavor is very well balanced with an initial malty sweetness then followed by a long bitter, hoppy finish.

The rye character in this beer did not seem to be too noticeable to me. The flavor the rye malt gives intermingles with the hops to create a homogeneous hoppy rye flavor. The rye is there, but I would have liked to have gotten more from it... but overall this was a great beer.

Tuesday, August 19, 2008

COMING SOON: Ivan Drago Russian Imperial Stout


It's almost here. We can almost smell it. We can almost taste it.

This beer must break you. And, it will...

Wednesday, August 6, 2008

Barley's Centennial India Pale Ale


With two locations in Columbus, Barley's is a central Ohio staple. After the Brewski Brothers went to Barley's Smokehouse in late July, I was pleased to return home with a growler of their Centennial India Pale Ale.

As you can see, the CIPA pours a hazy straw color and has a glacier-thick head on it. A dash of spruce and grapefruit on the nose. The mouthfeel was rather thin and light, almost undercarbonated due to its softness. A dash orangey and a bit of light malt sweetness. Not as much hop presence as I would have liked, but it is an easy session beer. Perfect for burgers off the grill.

Generally, I love IPAs. I didn't quite love this one. Definitely likeable though. It was kind of watery and lacked carbonation. The flavor was nice, but I just wanted more of it. Smooth and refreshing, the Centennial India Pale Ale is as inviting as your mother's sofa. Barley's, we love you. Especially your barleywine. We think you could do better on this one and hop it up a bit. Don't fear flavor. Hopheads agree.

Dogfish Head Immort Ale REDUX

I know this was first reviewed by Charlie, I had to put in my own two cents on this particular beer...

As one of the first beers brewed by Dogfish Head, Immort Ale has withstood the test of time. Immort Ale has seen the Monica Lewinsky scandal, the dot.com boom and bust, $1.10/gallon gas, $4/gallon gas and Anheuser-Busch sell out by going all Dutch on us. Damn you, Imbev. Anyway, Immort Ale is immortal. It's just too good to die. Not absolutely loving Immort Ale is immoral. Okay, on to the review.

It pours as red as beachfront sunset. What do Kurt Cobain and Immort Ale have in common? Both lost their heads too soon. Yep, this brew is essentially headless, which is understandable at a whopping 11% alcohol. Brewed with peat-smoked barley, vanilla, juniper berries and maple syrup, the nose is an explosion of aromas. Notes of oak, caramel and Mrs. Butterworth (or Log Cabin, if you will.) The palate is initial smokiness, followed with maple and bourbon and finishes with vanilla spice, root beer, apple cider and alcohol. Delicious. There is no bitterness and the various flavors popped all over my tongue for a minute or two after each sip.

Essentially a smoked barleywine, Immort Ale is a treat anytime of year. Proclaimed as "vast in character," this American strong ale is a complex, easy-drinking crowd pleaser. Yet again, Dogfish Head remains the most adventurous microbrewery in the United States. Bully for Sam Calagione and the boys!

Saturday, August 2, 2008

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Märzen

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen. What the hell is that? Well, a marzen is an Oktoberfest beer. Brewed in March in Germany during the last cold part of the season (March) and then left to lager during the summer, this beer is finished off in October during... You guessed it, Oktoberfest. So what makes this beer different. Simply put, smoke. Wow, what an experience. I had stared at this beer in the cooler for over 6 months. Should I get it? Should I not get it? Could smoking a beer really even add all that much to the beer? I asked other people what they thought... I didn't like what I heard. Well, what can I say. A night of boredom and an adventurous soul led to this beer being bought and sampled.

Upon first sip I'm hit with an absolutely outrageous flavor. Did I just drink liquid bacon??? It sure as hell tasted like it. After taking a minute to let it sink in I had some more, and the depth of the beer was starting to be realized. The color of the beer is a dark red/amber with a thick, stable head. The aroma gives off some tar, but is more reminiscent of smoked ham. The flavor is absolutely dominated by smoke. The maltiness is surely there, but smoke rules all. There is a slight saltiness to this as well as tar and a surprisingly dry finish.

I would probably never buy this beer again, but the experience was absolutely worth it. This beer is a world classic for the style. The impression it made on me is like nothing I've ever had and is certainly something I will never forget. While that first impression of liquid bacon is what sticks with me, I'm very glad I had it. If you're not adventurous enough to try this beer, then give the weizen version a try. The body of the beer is much lighter, and I had it while eating buffalo wings and enjoyed it very much. If nothing else, sample this beer for the experience.