CS Booze Club.

[NecessaryCatharsis]

Greenday - I actually like Jack, (I just don't consider it scotch, more of a unique liquid unto itself) so take this with a grain of salt, but I really like Laphroaig, everything I've tried. It's spendy and definitely a treat for me.

The best scotch I've ever had was called Tobermory something, I don't remember what unfortunately. My brother bought it for me for his wedding, to drink at dinner and toasts so I wouldn't force myself to politely toast with champagne, which I hate. I've asked him since, he doesn't remember what it was called either.

[KiaKat]

Can anyone recommend me a good scotch? I'm looking for something on the smooth side. I like the taste, my stomach just doesn't always agree with my tastes. I haven't tried too many scotches/whiskeys. Just Jack (meh), Gentleman Jack (Which is surprisingly good considering a bottle of it is so cheap), Fireballs (meh) and a bottle of Glenlivet's Guardians Chapter which my wife and I were given for our wedding. That tasted amazing.

A few notes before I get into recs:

Jack Daniels isn't Scotch. It is Whiskey, but it falls into the bourbon (at least 51% corn, made in America), and Tennessee Whiskey (charcoal filtered). Scotch only applies to whisky made in Scotland, produced from malted barley, and aged in wood for a minimum of three years.

Considering you said you liked Glenlivet, I'd recommend you stick with Highland and Speyside distilleries like Benromach and Mortlach. For value, you can also look for blended malt whiskies like Monkey Shoulder and Pig's Nose. Macallan, Highland Park, and other well-known single malts are getting expensive, but you can find single cask bottlings produced by said distilleries and bottled by independents like Gordon & MacPhail, Classic Cask, etc. That can save a few bucks and give you the opportunity to try some killer whiskies.

[Victory Sabre]

Back home from the keys, so time for a beer.

Bimini Twist IPA -7.0% ABV & 82 IBU

Nice amber color with a frohy head. Nose is fairly standard for an IPA.

Taste : the hops dont hit you right away. It starts out fairly mellow, then the hops kick in. Not bad, and not a bad beer to bring home from Florida.

6.5 out of 10

Also, the snow that burried my car, in my parents driveway, didn't hit central MN. I love no snow.

[Victory Sabre]

Ok, one more

Tyranena Brewers Gone Wild Hop Whore IPA.

I wonder if it'll be like Girls Gone Wild, and I'll be shouting "SHOW YOUR HOPS!"

Nice dark amber color witha thick head. Nose isn't overly hoppy.

Taste : It's very similar to the last one where it starts smooth, and then the hops kick in. However, they kick in even more so. Nice. 7 out of 10

[Victory Sabre]

Well it's a Saturday, and I'm in Somerset Wisconsin. yeah, review time

Sensual Harassment from the Oliphant brewery. 11% ABV

It's a malt liquor.

Murky golden color. minimal head. no nose

taste: really smooth, and mellow drinking. not overly strong flavor. Very interesting beer

6.5 out of 10

[Victory Sabre]

After working my ass off selling stuff at an anime convention, it's time for a beer.

Lenny Leonardson Saison 6.3% ABV

Nice clear golden color. A frothy head is on it. it's got a sweet nose to it.

Taste: well, it is good. It has hints of fruit in it. not over the top fruity, but not bad at all. it is a nice beer for this warm indy spring day. 6 out of 10.

[Victory Sabre]

Next beer is

Underwater Blimp on nitro.aprox 6.5% ABV

It is very dark brown, with a very thick head. there is a nose, but had to describe.

Taste: nice flavor to it. It reminds me somewhat of a scotch ale, but different. This is a nice way to end my weekend.

7.5 out of 10

[Victory Sabre]

Teenaged Muten Roshi Gish, again from the Oliphant brewery

It is a double IPA. For those playing at home, you know my love of IPAs, and doubles.

Cloudy golden color, with a bit of head. The nose is heavenly hops.

Taste: there are a lot of hops in this beer, but, it isn't an extreme hoppy tasting beer. It is good. Very good. So glad I got a growler of it to take home with me.
8.5 out of 10

[wolfie]

Saw a commercial for a "beer" that (IMNSHO) is pure sacrelige - Guinness Blond Lager. Guinness is a dark (it's the "black" in a "black and tan") stout - a class of beer related to ale (top-fermented, and served at room temperature), while a lager is bottom-fermented and served cold. Has anyone actually tried this one?

[Victory Sabre]

Haven't gotten around to trying it yet, bt am curious as to how it tastes.

[Jester]

From 3 Daughters Brewing right here in Florida, I've got a can of Bimini Twist IPA (7.0% ABV). Yes, I said IPA. Hey, I like to check out the other side once in a while. Of course, with it listed at 82 IBUs, this may be a bit too hoppy for me.

The color is a lovely dark brick reddish brown. The nose is fairly smooth, with hints of both malt and hops, but nothing too extreme. But, how does it taste? Surprisingly well-balanced. Caramel maltiness balances out the noticeable but not deadly hoppiness. Frankly, I like this. Damn good beer. 7.0?

And for those paying attention, yes, this is a beer that Vic reviewed a few days ago. I actually didn't notice that (haven't been on here much) until I was going back through some posts to catch up on CSBC, and saw his review, after I had written my review above, and while I was (and still am) drinking the Bimini Twist. And yes, the hoppiness does seem to increase somewhat as you drink the beer, but it's not what I would call excessive. Hey, I'm still drinking it, after all!

Stupid stout by the Coronado Brewing 10% ABV

Jester's review of this review will be more in depth, but we come to the same conclusion.

8 out of 10

We did come to the same conclusion, as we drank the beer at the same bar. Same score even. But I don't know about my review being more in depth. When I am out and about, I tend to take simpler notes on my beers on my phone, whereas at home, I tend to expound more on the beer I'm reviewing. A combination of social conscience, ease of typing, and different focus.

In any case, my notes form my phone, verbatim: "Black color. Rich, malty, chocolatey nose. Rich, chocolatey, delicious. Amazing. Stupidly so, even. 8.0."

Couldn't do a review while drinking this beer because I was @ the Garden Of Eden....

For those of you scratching their heads at the above comment, there is a very good reason why Vic couldn't review the beer at the Garden of Eden. It is a clothing optional roof deck bar (I've mentioned it before), and due to its nature, privacy concerns of its patrons, and the prevalence of cell phone cameras, it does not allow any patrons to use their cell phones at all while there. If one must use their phone, they must step out, either on to the stairs, from which the main area of the bar (where patrons are allowed to take part in the optional nature of the establishment) is out of view, or to the bar one flight below.

Can anyone recommend me a good scotch?

I am by far no expert on scotch, and rarely drink it, but will offer what little experience I have. I recommend any of the Oban or Macallan line, as well as Ardbeg if you like smoky, and Johnnie Walker Blue Label, which is a blend I've described as "liquid silk. JWBL is, however, really, really expensive.

Weyerbacher imperial Pumpkin...

...not a Cigar City Good Gourd..

Nothing is a Good Gourd. Though to be fair, there is one pumpkin beer I've had that is in the same class as Good Gourd, and to me just a fraction less amazing, though I would not be surprised if some people rated it higher than Good Gourd: Pumpking by Southern Tier.

Stiegl Grapefruit Radler 2.5% ABV

Taste: pretty much like grapefrut juice...

Obviously people's palates vary, but I have to disagree here.

I hate grapefruit. Loathe it. Both the fruit and the juice. One of my least favorite food products on the planet. And yet, I find Stiegl Radler to be far more lemony than anything. Light, refreshing, and lemony. I got no grapefruit at all.

Jack Daniels isn't Scotch. It is Whiskey, but it falls into the bourbon (at least 51% corn, made in America), and Tennessee Whiskey (charcoal filtered).

Correction: Jack Daniels is a Tennessee Whiskey, but it is not a bourbon. You are correct that bourbons must be made from at least 51% corn, though I am not sure about the requirement of being made in America. Many people believe bourbon must be made in Kentucky, where most bourbon is, in fact, made, but this is a misconception, and one I suffered under for many years. But the reason Jack cannot be a bourbon is because of the charcoal filtering. This process adds an outside flavor to Jack, and one of the requirements for calling something a bourbon is that they don't add any outside flavors, i.e., flavors that come from beyond the distilling or aging process.

Saw a commercial for a "beer" that (IMNSHO) is pure sacrelige - Guinness Blond Lager. Guinness is a dark (it's the "black" in a "black and tan") stout - a class of beer related to ale (top-fermented, and served at room temperature), while a lager is bottom-fermented and served cold. Has anyone actually tried this one?

I have. I believe I reviewed it in here, as I know I took notes on it, and there are none in my phone.

Without searching throughout CS Booze Club, I do recall that I liked the Blonde more than their Black Lager. The latter was boring and nondescript, dull even, which is something a Guinness product should never be. The former is a flavorful blonde ale, which while good, is not going to send people running for the stores. It is much better than the Guinness Black Lager, but that is not a very high bar, to be honest.

And in as much as I refer to Guinness Stout as the nectar of the gods, I disagree that this is sacrilege. The Guinness company is trying to branch out into more styles, and I can't fault them for that. The Black Lager was a far bigger sacrilege, as it was boring as fuck. The Blonde was nice, though not up to the standards of their Stout, their Extra Foreign Stout, their Guinness 250 (a stout-style lager they produced in 2009 to celebrate their 250th birthday), or even Harp Lager, which is produced by them.

But if you think the Blonde is a sacrilege, that a non-dark Guinness is heresy, hold on to your seats, because Guinness has plans to do more beers in more styles....the Blonde was the first in a series they have in the works.

The Black sucked and the Blonde was good, though not more than that. Still, it's Guinness....I have high hopes for their next adventure!

[KiaKat]

Shoot. I forgot about the outside flavours regulation. That's absurd of me. :/

Double-checked, and bourbon does have a regional restriction. If it's distilled or aged outside the good ol' USA, cannot be labeled bourbon for the purposes of sale in America. So it's not a universal ban, but does make it easier for Americans to determine whether or not it's a "true" bourbon.

[wolfie]

Shoot. I forgot about the outside flavours regulation. That's absurd of me.

Same reason that, in Napoleonic-era Britain, you couldn't sell a lemon vodka - at that time, British law defined flavoured spirits as gin.

[Victory Sabre]

Too long since a review.

Lane 5 DIPA -9% ABV & 109 IBU

The menu also lists it at 1.079 OG & 10.4 SRM - I have no idea what those mean. I am sure Jester could help there.

Nice amber color. thick head that dissipates fairly fast. nice hoppy nose.

Taste: interesting. I would think that with an IBU of 109, but it is fairly smooth going down, with the hop bite kicking in after.it really doesn't taste much like an IPA, to be honest. if you're not an IPA fan, you might like this since I am, I's ok

6.0 out of 10.

[Victory Sabre]

Swamp Thing

You make my heart sing

you drank everything.


OK, enough singing, and on to the review od Swamp Thing Smoked Sscotish Ale from Oliphant Brewery. 7.3% ABV

Very dark amber colored. Minimal head. Not much nose.

Taste : hello. It has the standard scotch ale flavors, which I like, but ads inna smokiness, which I also like. Damn, this is amazing. Simply amazing.

It gets a very rare 9 out of 10 from me.