Orval Trappist Ale Review

As promised here is the review of the Orval Trappist Ale.

First of all, I’ll apologize for the major foul of not pouring this Belgian into the traditional goblet. Unfortunately that is one piece of glassware I do not own and I am working on rectifying that. But anyway onward and upward.

Appearance: The beer was a cloudy amber, almost rust color. It poured a generous, rocky head.

Aroma: The initial aroma was very yeasty, with some spicy notes and a hint of sourness that is typical in a lambic.

Taste: The taste was very good. It was very crisp and dry on the palate. It had a creamy mouthfeel with some sweeter malt notes and some additional sweet notes from the candied sugar the monks use to brew the beer.

Overall: This beer is a very good example of a Belgian Ale. It has a lot of complexity that makes it very interesting drink. It seems like at every sip you can find some new nuances that are fantastic. If you are looking for a nice Belgian to try, this is definitely worth picking up. It is true to style and it is also still brewed by monks. So go out and grab a bottle.

Keep ‘em tippin’

Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout

So last week L Bird was running out to Wegmans to do some shopping. On her way out she made the mistake of asking me “Do you want anything?” to which I replied “Yeah, of course I do! Grab me a beer to review”. After some discussion back and forth she agreed and was on her way.

Now in the back of my head this whole thing of her picking out a beer was a crapshoot. She doesn’t spend the time looking at the selections, or who made what, etc, she just kind of grabs something blindly and brings it back. Well, I’m happy to say that her selection was a great one.

So let’s go on with the review:

Appearance: It is very black and you can’t see through it even when you hold it up to the light. It pours nicely producing a light tan rocky head.

Aroma: I initially get a lot of coffee notes, but its not the typical coffee aroma. Its more like a burnt, or dark roast coffee almost to an expresso type of aroma. But that finally gives way to some slight flowery notes from the hops.

Taste: I was pleasantly surprised with the initial taste.It was sweet tasting with some bready like qualities. I was expecting to taste some bitterness and chocolate right up front, but was happy with the sweeter notes. The sweetness then gives way to more coffee flavors and then ends with a bitterness reminiscent of dark chocolate. The mouthfeel of the whole beer was awesome, the oatmeal provides the stout with a creamy, silky mouthfeel.

Overall: This is a great example of an Oatmeal Stout from a great brewery. I would recommend this beer to anyone who appreciates dark beer. It is definitely worth the money and worth picking up a bottle or two. So run out and grab a couple and enjoy.

Keep ‘em Tippin’

I'm running behind....

Just a heads up, I have two beer reviews that I have been sitting on. Like always life has been crazy and I haven't had time to post the reviews. It always seems like I can find the time to drink the beer lol, but never any time to write it up. I plan on putting up at least one if not both of the reviews tonight, so check back. I'll give you a sneak peak, the two beers are:

1. Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout
2. Orval Trappist Ale


Keep 'em tippin'!

A Great Idea…

Around me there are not a lot of stores that sell a lot of craft beer, and the ones that do have a selection of craft beer tend to sell them in 6 packs. So to try anything you have to at least buy a 6 pack, if you don’t like it then you’re stuck. You either have to choke it down because you paid for it or stash it in the bottom of the fridge until you have someone over that you can pass it off on. My motto is “There is no such thing as bad beer, only better beer!” so I end up drinking them slowly over time. I myself prefer to make mix ‘n match 6-pack/12 packs, but to do that I have to drive at least 40 miles to Beers of The World. That trip is  way too much of a hassle to make routinely unless it is for a special occasion. So I try to find 6 packs that I have a good feeling that I’ll like and I leave anything that I would like to try but seems too unusual at the store.

In the past year, Wegmans has made a big push into the craft market and now has a rather impressive craft beer section. So yesterday as I was strolling through the craft section I was completely stoked to stumble across this:

Its an awesome idea and I’m glad they are doing it. You can “Craft Your Own Pack” for $9.99. Now from their selection of single bottle this may be a little steep, but I figure I’m also paying an extra buck or two for the convenience of selecting my own beers. So now the next time I go out for a beer review selection, I’ll be able to take a few more chances on beers I normally wouldn’t buy.

Awesome job Wegman’s!! Way to keep the craft movement going!

Ol’ Naps Maibock

I know I haven’t posted in a while, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t been brewing. Yep, Ol’ Naps has been brewing up something special. I have been quietly brewing up a nice Maibock. Traditionally Bocks are spring beers that are brewed in the dead of winter and lagered for a few months to to be cracked open for a spring festival. It is a German style and the name Bock actually means goat, so that’s why when March rolls around you’ll see a ton of Bocks being offered and 99% have a goat on the label.

I love these beers. I love that they are brewed to be a celebration of the coming of spring. I have had traditional Bocks, Dopplebocks (double bocks)  and triple bocks, but I have never had a Maibock. It is the same as a traditional bock, but much lighter in color but with the same big, full flavors.

This Maibock has been fermenting for two weeks and was ready for transferring to a glass carboy to be cellared for two months to be ready for the end of March. I took a short video of what the beer looks like and how I transfer below. I apologize ahead of time for the poor video quality.

So take a look and let me know if you have any comments or questions. I am always more than happy to talk beer with anyone.

Prost & Keep  ‘em tippin’

Lagunitas: Little Sumpin’ Wild Ale Review

I was walking through Wegmans a couple of days ago and of course I was cruising the craft beer section. I have been wanting to find something to review that was a little different. Lucky for me I stumbled upon Lagunitas’ Little Sumpin’ Wild Ale. I instantly loved the label artwork, anytime I run across a good vintage pin up I’m sold. So I quickly scooped up a bottle and rushed home to try it.

So here we go:

Very nice label, at least I think so.

It poured a beautiful golden color with red highlights. The head was a thick bed of tiny bubbles that stayed throughout the beer. As I let it sit, it still had some effervescence bubbling from the bottom.

From the name and the description on the bottle, I was expecting something really different. There was a whole little story on the bottle about them using the “Westmalle Yeast Strain”, so I was expecting to smell some interesting esters from the yeast. Instead,I smelled a whole lot of hops. Ok I thought,it is just really hopped up. So then I took a taste, and I tasted a typical IPA. I was very disappointed, I thought I had found something new, something exciting and all I got was a disguised IPA.

Don’t get me wrong, it was a very good IPA. It had a ton of of hop aroma and enough bitterness to carry it. So if IPAs are your thing,it is definitely worth picking up and drinking. I just feel like I was duped. Well, they obviously pay their marketing department well, because they sucked me right in with a beautiful label and a great story. If they had labeled it as an IPA,I would have passed right over it. I don’t mind IPAs but they are definitely not my beer.

So there you have it,it is a good beer, but definitely unexpected. So until my next trip to Wegmans, keep ‘em tippin’!

Man, sometimes you just need a beer…

I know I haven’t posted in awhile and believe me it hasn’t been due to the lack of drinking beer, its just been a crazy couple of weeks since New Year’s. I won’t bore you with all the details of the leaks and repairs that have been done. It just has been super hectic and one thing after another.

So right now I am finally catching up on some downtime. A Bird is in bed and hopefully falling asleep soon, L Bird is on the treadmill in the bedroom and I am sitting here with a great, icy cold homebrewed porter contemplating life. I know I normally post about new beers and their reviews or the good times the Goof Troop has, but tonight I wanted to take a time out and talk about one of beer’s other great features: Stress Reliever.

It seems like I can have an awful day, week or month for that matter, but the minute I get some down time and a cold beer in my hand everything seems better. There is just something about sitting quietly with a beer and letting your worries roll away as you enjoy the malt and hops of that beer in your hand. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m not saying that you should try to drink your problems away and drown your sorrows. That type of drinking just leads to more problems. What I mean is that beer has always been associated with my quiet time, I enjoy pouring a nice beer and sitting down on the deck in the summer or by the fire in the winter and just letting my thoughts wander. Its just sitting back, tasting and appreciating what you have in your hands and being grateful for the simple things in life. A warm dry place to sit, a cold beer and nothing but your thoughts. Hell, maybe its not the beer that helps with the stress, maybe it’s just the quiet time to sit and contemplate life. What the hell am I saying, that quiet time is good, but the beer makes it great lol.

Well, it’s definitely been a rough patch for a bit, so I’m going to put down the laptop, return to my porter and just enjoy my silent moments for awhile.

Wabi Sabi – Look it up