Kev's Beers of the Week - The Bruery!

I recently took a trip to Southern California for a wedding and flew out a day early to visit The Bruery down in Placentia (near Anaheim).  Here are my notes on the beers I had:

The Bruery A Stein's Throw

Kev Rating: B+
Style: American Strong Ale
ABV: 8.50%
IBUs: ?

Availability: Part of the Provisions Series
Had: On Tap at The Bruery
Region: Placentia, CA

Malty, maple sweetness, a bit acidic.  Nose was super sweet and had mild hops throughout.
 

The Bruery Humulus Lager

Kev Rating: B
Style: Imperial Pilsner
ABV: 7.20%
IBUs: 70

Availability: Year Round
Had: On Tap at The Bruery
Region: Placentia, CA

Dank, hoppy nose, strong lager malts and then a really nice lingering piney hop.

The Bruery Loakal Red

Kev Rating: C+
Style: American Red / Amber Ale
ABV: 6.90%
IBUs: 35

Availability: Year Round
Had: On Tap at The Bruery
Region: Placentia, CA

Earthy, nice balance of malt and hops - smooth red.

The Bruery Old Richland

Flight of great beer!

Kev Rating: B
Style: American Barleywine
ABV: 9.00%
IBUs: 80

Availability: Part of the Provisions Series
Had: On Tap at The Bruery
Region: Placentia, CA

Big boozey nose, a bit tinny, sweet malts into a nice citrus hop.

The Bruery Smoking Wood Rye Barrel Aged with Espresso

Kev Rating: A-
Style: Smoked Rye Ale
ABV: 10.00%
IBUs: ?

Availability: Special limited brew
Had: On Tap at The Bruery
Region: Placentia, CA

Big chocolate, licorice, smokey nose.  Rye malts again with heavy smokey malt. Strong rye barrel presence...reminded me of Georgia Moonshine Whiskey. 

The Bruery Sour Rugbrod

Sour Rugbrod

Kev Rating: B
Style: Sour Rye
ABV: 8.70%
IBUs: ?

Availability: Special limited brew
Had: On Tap at The Bruery
Region: Placentia, CA

Dark cherry, funk, nice underlying rye malt presence.  One of the better Sours I've had (yet).

Kev's Beer of the Week - Stone IPA

Kev's Beer of the Week ending 7/27/12

 

Stone IPA

Kev Rating: A
Style: American IPA
ABV: 6.90%
IBUs: 77

Availability: Year round
Had: Most recently purchased from Gordon's in Waltham
Region: Escondido, CA

One of my favorite year-round IPAs is from Stone Brewing Company.  There are a few go-to beers I rely on when going to a friend's place or when I'm really just not into the selection of untried craft beer, Stone IPA is one of them.  George turned me on to Stone Pale and Stone IPA a while back and I can't thank him enough.  

This IPA pours a crisp orange/amber color with a nice foamy head - beautiful.  Taking a whiff off the top you can get big notes of citrus hops and a bit of earthiness.  First sip is always a bit of a shock, bitter and clean from all the aggressive hops.  Then it mellows (or your palate simply defends itself) into a fantastic full bodied IPA - more citrus, pineapple, and pine touched so slightly by some malt just for a bit of balance...so good.

I highly recommend this IPA for any IPA lover out there, it WILL become part of your normal rotation!

Kev's Beer of the Week - MO Pale Ale

Kev's Beer of the Week ending 7/6/12

 

Maine Beer Company Mo (Madeline & Oliver) Pale Ale

Kev Rating: A-
Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 6.00%
IBUs: ?

Availability: Rotating in small batches
Had: Most recently purchased at Gordon's in Watertown
Region: Portland, ME

If you've been following along, and I know you have, you'll know that I have enjoyed the small batches of beer being produced by the Maine Beer Company (Lunch IPA, Zoe, Mean Old Tom, Peeper, and MO).  MO is an American Pale Ale named after head brewer Daniel's twins (Madeline & Oliver). 

After I opened it up, it was a beautiful orange/red hazy color with a full white head.  The nose was full of citrusy goodness.  The first sip was way more hoppy than I had anticipated...but still balanced.  Most Pale Ales are more balanced with the malt & hops, but this one definitely leans in the hops favor.  The malt is there and provides balance, but the citrus is strong with pineapple and fruit.  The finish was incredibly dry & crisp - a great way to end this fantastic beer.

If you have a chance to pick up a MO, I highly recommend doing so.  I've sent one out to California to my friend Morgan (MO) and brought one recently to a BBQ.  They're still hard to come by, but hopefully the more we all support the Maine Beer Co, the more batches they'll be able to make!

 

Kev's Beer of the Week - Perpetual IPA

Kev's Beer of the Week ending 6/22/12

 

Troegs Brewing Perpetual IPA

Kev Rating: A
Style: Imperial Pale Ale
ABV: 7.5%
IBUs: 85

Availability:  Now part of their year round lineup - moved from 22oz to 6packs!
Had: Purchased 6pack at Gordon's in Watertown
Region: Hershey, PA

I've been a fan of Troegs beers for a few years now.  They have some good offerings and some spectacular offerings.  Perpetual and Nugget Nectar are their two most sought after brews.  While I love both, Perpetual is the beer of the week this week. 

I first had Perpetual as a 22oz bomber and loved it.  While it flew off the shelves I was lucky enough to have it a few times.  Well, it seems everyone loved it because Troegs added Perpetual IPA to their year-round lineup!  This is great news for IPA fans.  

Perpetual starts off nice and earthy and opens up into really smooth grapefruit and citrus notes.  This IPA is crisp, clean, and goes down super smooth (careful it's almost 8%).  It finishes with a bit of caramel malt and a touch of bitterness.  

I struggle to only have one of these at a time as they're just so damn tasty.  A perfect example of an IPA that leans to the grapefruit/citrus side vs. the piney, resiny side.  I highly recommend Perpetual and am so excited it's now in 6 packs!!!

Kev's Beer of the Week - Uncle Jacob's Stout

Kev's Beer of the Week ending 6/15/12

Avery Brewing Uncle Jacob's Stout

Kev Rating: A+
Style: Imperial Stout aged in Bourbon Barrels
ABV: 17.42%
IBUs: ?

Availability:  Limited, 2nd in their Annual Barrel Series (the 1st was Rumpkin)
Had: Nick found me a bottle @ Marty's in West Newton
Region: Boulder, CO

I'll take the description from the Avery website to give you an idea of why they brewed this one.  "Jacob Spears, our 6th Great Grand Uncle, is credited as the first distiller to label his whiskey “Bourbon.” He built his distillery in Bourbon County Kentucky in 1790 – 203 years before we began brewing.  While obviously a bit too late to produce Uncle Jacob’s wash, we’ve instead created something far more complex.  In his honor, we present this robust, silky smooth, full-bodied and altogether extremely American rendition of an Imperial Stout aged for 6 months in the very finest Bourbon barrels.  This explains a lot about our penchant for big brews!  It’s in our blood!"

This barrel aged stout is not for the weak of heart.  If you don't like stouts and specifically, barrel aged stouts, then you will probably not appreciate this one as much as you should.  I love barrel aged stouts, especially when they're done this well.  I would put this stout in the top of my barrel aged stouts, along with KBS, Black Tuesday, BCBS series, Black Xantus, Parabola, & Black Ops.

Big whiff of bourbon on the nose, beautiful dark thick pour with a small caramel colored thin head.  I let it open up a bit before taking my first sip (about 10 minutes) and then was greeted with a decadent, robust malt with chocolate and coffee.  It was sweet enough from the bourbon to bring the typical vanilla notes, but wasn't overrun by the barrel aging (at least for me).  

I hope to someday find this again, as I'd like to have two more - one to drink/share and one to age!  My buddy Nick found this for me and I really hope to find it again.  I highly recommend this one for anyone that can get their hands on it.  I'm already sad it's gone & that I don't have any more.

Kev's Beer of the Week - The Crisp

Kev's Beer of the Week ending 6/9/12

 

Sixpoint The Crisp

Kev Rating: A-
Style: German Pilsener
ABV: 5.40%
IBUs: 42

Availability:  Year round offering
Had: part of a mix 4-pack of Sixpoint Cans purchased at Crossroads Beer & Wine in Burlington, MA
Region: Brooklyn, NY

I've been trying a bunch of the Sixpoint Brewery beers over the last month or so.  It all started with Resin and has continued from there.  Resin, a Double IPA, had been my favorite from their lineup until I had The Crisp.  I don't typically love Pilseners, but this one...was really good.

 

First sip was creamy and smooth.  I went, huh, this isn't "The Crisp", it's "The Cream", but then it jumped into a floral, hoppy, bready, and CRISP finish -- I was sold.  I will definitely be purchasing this one again, and at 5.40% I see myself bringing a 4 pack to a BBQ here and there this summer!

 

Even if you're like me and don't typically love Pilseners, this one is a must try for all beer lovers!  Cheers 

Kev's Beer of the Week - Rye on Rye

Kev's Beer of the Week ending 6/2/12

Boulevard Rye-on-Rye

Kev Rating: A
Style: Rye Beer
ABV: 11.00%
IBUs: 47

Availability: Limited Release, part of their Smokestack Series
Had: 750ml bottle, purchased at Glendale Liquors in Waltham
Region: Kansas City, MO

Boulevard Brewing started showing up on shelves in Massachusetts pretty recently (less than a year).  I've had the pleasure of trying a lot of the beers they send our way and have always been satisfied.  One of their best offerings to date has been the Rye-on-Rye.  

This Rye Ale was aged on Oak Rye Whiskey Casks to really enhance the flavor profile.  I'll be honest, I'm not a big Whiskey drinker in general and am not too familiar with many Rye Whiskey's.  However, I'm always a big fan of a barrel aged beer; when done nicely.  

The Rye-on-Rye poured a beautiful dark color with a big foamy off-white head.  I let it settle for a bit and was rewarded with a delicious first sip - oak, woody earthiness, spicy rye malt.  As it warmed up a bit, the Rye Whiskey came through nicely and was definitely not overpowering.  I thought it was nicely balanced with the sweet vanilla from the oak and the spiciness from the rye malts...YUM!

I enjoyed this one a lot and look forward to snagging another bottle before they're all gone; yes they're still on shelves at most Craft Beer stores. 

Kev's Beer of the Week - Hog Heaven

Kev's Beer of the Week ending 5/18/12

Avery Hog Heaven Barley Wine

Kev Rating: A
Style: American Barleywine
ABV: 9.20%
IBUs: 104

Availability:  Year Round - I've seen it at a number of local craft beer stores
Had: Picked up a 22oz bottle at Berman's in Lexington
Region: Boulder, CO

I've been enjoying Avery Brewing Co's beers for a few years now and have (stupidly) passed up the Hog Heaven Barley Wine more than a few times.  I mentioned this to my brother George recently and he said I really should pick it up...it's worth it.  So, as a good younger brother should, I listened.  

For work related reasons I was over in Lexington and decided to stop by one of my hidden gem liquor stores on the way home.  After perusing the shelves for a while, I settled upon the Avery Hog Heaven Barley Wine...one of their Holy Trinity of Ales series (along with The Reverend and Salvation).  

The pour was a gorgeous amber color with a nice rich white 1/2 inch head.  The smell was outstanding - caramel, malt, fruit, spice.  I couldn't wait to take a sip.  After the first sip, I was sold.  It was an avalanche of malt, sweet caramel, dark fruit, some nice citrus hops, and into a nice earthy finish.  I've seen reviews of this beer go from moderate to pretty high...for me it was a home run.  I really really enjoyed this barleywine and can't wait to have it again.  Cheers!

Kev's Beer of the Week - Hoponius Union

Kev's Beer of the Week ending 5/11/12

Jack's Abby Hoponius Union

Kev Rating: A-
Style: India Pale Lager (like an IPA, but a Lager)
ABV: 6.70%
IBUs: 65

Availability:  A new brewery, but will be available year round
Had: part of a mix 6-pack I built at Craft Beer Cellar in Belmont
Region: Framingham, MA

As most of you know, I love to support local breweries.  Well, a few months back I heard of Jack's Abby out of Framingham, MA.  I had the chance to try one on tap at the British Beer Company out in Framingham.  I remember liking the Red Tape Lager, but not being wowed by it.  Well, over the last few months their beers have been showing up a lot at a few of my craft beer spots.  So far I've tried a few and have been really pleasantly surprised.  

The first thing you have to know about Jack's Abby I'll borrow from their website, "Jack’s Abby Brewing's goal is to create truly remarkable beer that combines the strict standards of traditional German brewing with the innovative approach of American craft brewers. Jack's Abby Brewing specializes in lagers. We think expanding craft brewing to include lagers is long overdue. Lagers, which are more difficult and take longer than ales to brew, yield rich flavors and smooth, crisp taste. All Jack's Abby lagers are unfiltered and preservative-free."

LAGERS - I can't remember the last time I actually sought out a Lager.  Well, that time is now.  The Hoponius Union is similar to an IPA as it's an India Pale Lager.  It was full of citrus and pine hops on the nose, more citrus on the first taste...maybe some grapefruit.  Then as it opened up, I could taste the nice bready malt and full bodied smoothness of a Lager.  It lost that hop-bite that you'd typically get from an IPA.  

I highly suggest seeking out Hoponius Union if you're into IPA's, you'll be surprised how close, yet different they are!  

Kev's Beer of the Week - Fred

Kev's Beer of the Week ending 5/4/12

Hair of the Dog Fred

Kev Rating: A+
Style: American Strong Ale
ABV: 10.00%
IBUs: 65

Availability:  East Coast - impossible/West Coast - not sure how easily available but brewed year round
Had: Bex brought me a bottle from a California trip; yes I gave her a wish list
Region: Portland, OR

Quick note from the Brewery as to the name, "Fred was created to honor beer writer and historian Fred Eckhardt. This golden strong ale incorporates ten hop varieties from five different countries. Through the use of aromatic and rye malt, the beer achieves a unique balance of flavor. We hope that Fred will inspire you to share your knowledge with others as Fred has with us." 

I didn't know what to expect with this one as it's always been highly rated on BeerAdvocate, but I'd never had anything from the Hair of the Dog Brewing Co.  I was amazed at how deliciously complex this beer was.  When I poured it out, it had a beautiful white head that smelled of hoppy citrus.  When I tasted it, it was a great mix of rye, citrus, & caramel with just the right bit of prickly carbonation.  As it opened up, it just got better and better.  The only downside with this one was that I only had one bottle and cannot easily obtain more.  

If you're on the West Coast and can pick this up, you should.  It is very complex and doesn't exactly fit any beer style precisely, thus the "Strong Ale" moniker.   I HIGHLY Recommend this one!

Kev's Beer of the Week - Plead the 5th

Kev's Beer of the Week ending 4/13/12

Dark Horse Plead the 5th Imperial Stout

Kev Rating: A-
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
ABV: 12.00%
IBUs: ?

Availability:  February, very limited
Had: 4-pack, the lovely ladies at Craft Beer Cellar reserved a 4pack for me!
Region: Marshall, MI

I've been on the lookout for this beer for the last few years.  This year was the first time I've been successful in acquiring any.  I opened one up the other night and it was a real treat.  The nose had some chocolatey notes with roasted malt - nothing too overpowering.  The first sip was a real delight - bitter chocolate with some sweet molasses coming through.  As it warmed, it opened up a bit (12% abv) and turned into a really special stout...even had some dark fruit type flavors on the finish.  Again, I'm super happy that I finally had this one and look forward to the bottle stashed away in the beer fridge to see how it ages.  I think it will really open up with a bit of aging on it!  If you're lucky enough to find this one, I highly recommend it for the stout enthusiasts. 

Kev's Beer of the Week - Old Rasputin

Kev's Beer of the Week ending 3/30/12

North Coast Brewing Old Rasputin

Kev Rating: A
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
ABV: 9.00%
IBUs: 75

Availability:  Year round, most decent Craft Beer stores have it at some point during the year
Had: 4-pack, purchased MANY times, last done so at The Spirited Gourmet in Belmont
Region: Fort Bragg, CA

I have been lucky enough to have this beer many times over the years.  It is one of the best readily available stouts out there today.  Anytime I'm craving a stout and don't have a particular whale I'm hunting, I pick up a 4pack of the Old Rasputin.  It is an intense robust imperial stout in every way.  From start - big roasted malt and chocolate, to finish - bitter chocolate and woody hops coming through - it is a consistent winner.  If you like stouts or are trying to like stouts (it takes time for some people), give this one a shot.  I've never met someone that simply went "eh" after trying it.  I highly recommend the Old Rasputin.  

Also, they release a Barrel Aged version of the Rasputin each year.  I've been lucky enough to have the last two versions - XII & XIV - both aged in Bourbon Barrels.  If you do find one of these rare barrel aged versions, I recommend picking one up to share with a friend, you wont be disappointed.

Kev's Beer of the Week - Double Crooked Tree IPA

Kev's Beer of the Week ending 3/23/12

Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree IPA

Kev Rating: A
Style: Double/Imperial IPA
ABV: 13.60% (not for the faint of heart or amateurs)
IBUs: 98

Availability:  February, but limited.  I have seen it at a few of the more serious Craft Beer stores in the area
Had: 4-pack, purchased from Glendale Liquor's in Waltham, MA
Region: Marshall, MI

Ok, so I guess I've not only been on an IPA kick lately, but a Double/Imperial IPA kick!  Last week I showcased the Sierra Nevada Hoptimum.  This week, we take it up a notch with the Double Crooked Tree IPA.  While the Hoptimum was a screaming hopfest, the Double Crooked Tree IPA is a well balanced hoppy & malty beer.  The nose was full of citrus and piney hops.  The first sip was actually way more smooth than I expected, more caramel then big ole hops.  Don't worry though, the hops are there - just masterfully balanced.  The finish is very satisfying - clean & crisp!  Tread VERY LIGHTLY with this one, it is far from a session beer at 13.6%, but it did cap off the night for me very nicely.  I highly recommend seeking out a 4-pack or single (if allowed) of this beer as it's quite the example of a GREAT Double/Imperial IPA.

Kev's Beer of the Week - Hoptimum

Kev's Beer of the Week ending 3/16/12

Sierra Nevada Hoptimum

Kev Rating: A-
Style: Double/Imperial IPA
ABV: 10.40% (sneaky high)
IBUs: 100

Availability:  Rotating, but difficult to get your hands on them on the East Coast.  They are at select Craft beer stores right now.
Had: 4-pack, purchased from Gordon's in Waltham, MA
Region: Chico, CA

This is an INTENSE hop experience.  I see why they sell it in 4-packs!  What surprised me most about this one is that the nose was pretty calm.  The other night I was enjoying the Alesmith IPA and Bex from across the couch was like, "WHOA - that's hoppy!".  This one I had her sniff to be sure I wasn't losing my sense of smell, and she had no such reaction.  HOWEVER, upon first sip I was greeted or smacked or frying panned to the head with major hop overdose.  This is NOT for the faint of heart.  However, after the few waves of hops (piney, resiny, sticky, floral, & citrus) the assault is complete.  This is a great example of Sierra Nevada not being afraid to roll the dice, this beer is not for everyone...but damn did I like it!  Cheers!

Kev's Beer of the Week - Kate The Great 2012

I started my blog with a post about the 2010 batch of Kate the Great (http://brewforall.blogspot.com/2011/12/introduction.html), but I couldn't pick another beer as my beer of the week for this week.  It would be an injustice to one of the best beers on the planet - Kate The Great.  So, without further ado, my beer of the week for this week is:

 

Kev's Beer of the Week ending 3/9/12

Portsmouth Brewery Kate The Great Russian Imperial Stout 2012

Kev Rating: A+
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
ABV: 10.00% (est)
IBUs: ?

Availability:  One day a year, only at the Portsmouth Brewery.  3/5/12 was the day this year.
Had: This is my 2nd Kate the Great day (2010 & 2012) and 3rd time having it
Region: Portsmouth, NH

This year, I brought Nick to experience the day that is Kate the Great day at the Portsmouth Brewery.  I picked him up at 9:30am on Monday, 3/5.  First stop was Dunkin' for some coffee & breakfast sandwiches.  We then jumped on the Pike and headed to 95 North.  We hit a bottleneck around the exit for Route 2 (lane closures) and then had smooth sailing all the way up to NH Exit 7.  We pulled into the best parking garage in Portsmouth ($0.75/hour) and made our way up to the top floor - yup, they were packed!  Then the moment of truth, how bad will the line really be?  Well, I already knew the answer as an awesome blogger set up a beer cam to watch the lines and it was about 200 people deep BEFORE I even left my house at 9am.  

 

Check out his recap in pictures & clips of Kate the Great day here - http://seacoastbeveragelab.com/kate-great-day-2012-live-blog/.

We exit the garage & turn the corner, BOOM, the line is from the front doors, down an alley, and to the end of the block.  We happily got in line at about 11:15am, and oh yeah it was about 30 degrees and very windy.  Fast forward until about 3:15pm (after many bathroom breaks and shot breaks (for Nick)) and we're about 8 people (large group of 7 in front of us) from getting into the Brewery.  Then the magic words, "we have a booth for 2".  Nick and I wipe off the chill from the cold & wind and eagerly follow the still bubbly hostess.  We sit down, take off our monster winter jackets and within moments have two beautiful glasses of Kate The Great staring us down.  -->

<-- After cheering each others glasses, we take our first sips.  While I have had this one before, Nick hadn't and is a fellow beer geek.  I was probably staring a bit too much to see his reaction, but what can I say, I love seeing appreciation for good things!  KtG  is strong in roasted malt, thick espresso/coffee notes, a bit of chocolate, and I think manna from Heaven. Nick was happy, I was happy, all was good in the world at that moment.  After some lunch and 2 more glasses each we called it a day around 5:45pm. 

Last stop before heading to the car was over to the Retail Shop to purchase my 4 bottles of Kate and pick up a new Kate The Great T-shirt - yes, I do actually wear my 2010 one. --> 

 

The only thing better than having 3 glasses on tap was the knowledge that I still have 4 bottles of this heavenly nectar to enjoy at a later date!!!!  That is a wonderful feeling.  Now comes the hard part...do I drink 'em all myself (if you know me, that's not gonna happen - I'm a giver), do I share a few, age one, two, etc.. All will work out in the end, because - I have four glorious bottles of the best beer on the planet!

Til' next year - who's coming?!

Kev's Beer of the Week - Troegs Nugget Nectar

Kev's Beer of the Week ending 3/2/12

Troegs Nugget Nectar

Kev Rating: A
Style: Imperial Amber
ABV: 7.50%
IBUs: 93ish ("ish" courtesy of Troegs)

Availability:  February (yearly) - 6-packs.  EXTREMELY popular beer; therefore gone SUPER fast - people buy it by the case...for reals.
Had: Many times, most recently purchased from Gordon's in Waltham, MA
Region: Hershey, PA

Couldn't have said it better myself, so I'm going to use the description from Troegs, "Squeeze those hops for all they’re worth and prepare to pucker up: Nugget Nectar Ale, will take hopheads to nirvana with a heady collection of Nugget, Warrior and Tomahawk hops. Nugget Nectar intensifies the malt and hop flavors to create an explosive hop experience."

My 2 cents - big piny hops up front and then the star is grapefruit throughout, a delicious very hyped beer - it meets the hype.

Les Trois Mousquetaires Porter Baltique

In an earlier post I reviewed my favorite Baltic Porter, Olfabrikken.  Recently, I've read that Olfabrikken may be out of business, which is horrible to hear.  Any bottles I see of it out there I'm going to try to pick up and save as there just may not be any made...ever.  The good news is that while this style of beer doesn't have as much depth as an IPA or even a Double IPA, it does have some solid contenders.  

This is my top 5 Baltic Porters:

1. Les Trois Mousquetaires Porter Baltique

2. Olfabrikken Porter

3. Carlsberg Sverige D. Carnegie & Co Stark Porter

4. Oy Sinebrychoff Porter

5. Smuttynose Baltic Porter

5a. Surly Smoke (had only a sample size at a tasting)

My new number 1 is one I just discovered recently, Les Trois Mousquetaires Porter Baltique from Canada.  Bottles of Les Trois Mousquetaires have been appearing in local stores and I always thought I should try one of their beers.  However, none really caught my attention until I saw this Baltic Porter at Craft Beer Cellar in Belmont. 

The bottle is dark & menacing, the cork literally took all my might to get it out, and the pour was beautiful.  The nose was pretty faint, but I could definitely smell some roasted malts.  I was not expecting much when I bought this beer, but the first sip was a complete surprise of yummy goodness.  After my first sip, I let it sit for a little bit to warm up & open up.  After that I could taste notes of cherry, chocolate, roasted malt, and even some molasses/sugary notes.  Each sip was a bit different, as I got some citrus and dark fruit, and some good moments of heat from the alcohol.  

Absolutely amazing Baltic Porter.  I highly recommend this for anyone that enjoys a very complex beer.  I hope to have it again VERY soon.

Kev Rating: A+
Style: Baltic Porter
ABV: 10.00%

IBUs: ?
Availability: Just discovered this one @ Craft Beer Cellar.  Did see another at Ball Square Fine Wines in Somerville
Had: 750ml Bottle into Snifter
Region: Brossard, Quebec, Canada

Kev's Beer of the week - Firestone Union Jack

Kev's Beer of the Week ending 2/24/12

Firestone Walker Union Jack

Kev Rating: A
Style: American IPA
ABV: 7.50%
IBUs: 75 (estimated)

Availability:  6-packs
Had: Many times, most recently purchased from Gordon's in Waltham, MA
Region: Paso Robles, CA

Pine & floral notes hit the nose, nice big hops (west coast style) with citrus and something tropical, then the hops start to subside (probably due to the dry hop process) into a crisp, clean finish.  A must try for everyone and a 'shame on you' if you're an IPA fan and haven't tried it yet.

Founders Stout showdown - Imperial & Breakfast

Each week my small immediate family gets together for dinner.  These days it's on Tuesday night and will often end up as a mini-tasting night with me and my brother George.  We both love beer and love finding things the other has not tried.  Honestly, it's one of my highlights each week...no matter how crazy work is, how many chores need to get done at home, or how tired I am I know that George and I will at least share one beer one of us hasn't had.  Yup, brotherly beer-geekery at it's best! 

Anyway, this past Tuesday I brought over two of my favorite Founders Stouts.  The Imperial Stout and the Breakfast Stout...sorry I don't have any KBS or CBS left.  I was shocked to find out that George never really had the Imperial Stout, so I accepted this challenge. Also, as I had a few in the beer fridge, this was the perfect chance to share the joy of this beer.  To make it even better, I brought one of my Breakfast Stouts so we could compare the differences.

First up, the Imperial Stout.  It pours a pitch black with a nice thin caramel head.  Put your nose to this and you'll immediately recognize this as a big bad ass Imperial Stout.  Robust roasted malt and then some bits of chocolate & coffee come through as well.  First sip and you get that malt, that yummy perfectly roasted malt!  The hops are strong, but so well balanced that it's just enough to give you a little prickly bitterness.  As you continue slowly drinking this one up, it has a bit of chocolate sweetness to it, but then it fades quickly as the malt just takes over - enjoy the ride.  This stout was one of the first stouts that made me fall in love with stouts. 

Next is the highly sought after Breakfast Stout.  The biggest difference here is immediately noticed when smelling it.  The Breakfast Stout is much stronger with whiffs of coffee and chocolate and then the malts as a quick kick at the end.  The pour is just as pitch black, but has a thinner head on it that dissipates quickly.  The taste is pure heaven (for me anyway).  If you don't like roasted coffee (that's a whole 'nother problem) then this will not be for you...at least off the first sip.  It's like having an espresso dropped in a stout - yeah, amazing!  As it warms it gets even better, some oatmeal comes through (hello breakfast), a nice semi-sweet chocolate, and a hint of vanilla.  This is probably my favorite non-barrel aged stout and is as close to perfection as any stout I've had (including Kate the Great).

Quick note, neither the Imperial Stout or Breakfast Stout are the base for KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout aged on bourbon barrels).  KBS is it's own unique stout and then aged (as learned a while back from Founders' website).

If you want a non-barrel aged straight up kick-you-in-the-face Imperial Stout, the Imperial Stout will be your best friend.  If you want your stout to smell heavenly with coffee, chocolate, & malt, then you can't go wrong with the Breakfast Stout.  These two are two of my favorite beers on the planet.  If you see them and you even remotely like stouts, GET THEM!  And yes, I have had the Breakfast Stout with breakfast!

Imperial Stout

Kev Rating: A
Style: Russian Imperial Stout
ABV: 10.50%
IBUs: 90

Availability: January, four packs are hard to find
Had: Many times, all 12oz bottles
Region: Grand Rapids, MI

Breakfast Stout

Kev Rating: A+
Style: Imperial/Double Stout
ABV: 8.30%

IBUs: 60

Availability: September through January, select four packs are hard to find
Had: Many times, all 12oz bottles
Region: Grand Rapids, MI