CS Booze Club.

[Dilorenzo]

Did I ever talk about Java Head here? *search search* I don't think so...

Well, tried this Troegs Java Head Stout during the summer. Well, I tried to. I left them in the ice bucket, they were all gone, and I was said. I mean, come on, beer and coffee, I basically run on these things anyway.

So, I finally got around to going back to the Liquor store and picking up some more. All I have to say is, good lord is this stuff strong. Not so much in alcohol content (though it is 7.5%, so there's that), I mean in flavor.

The stuff tastes thick, like a good stout should, but tends to hang around for quite some time after you've taken your last sip. It also lets the bold, strong flavor build up over time if you have yourself more than one bottle. If you don't like the flavor of coffee, stout, or thickness (I swear it was a flavor of its own), give this one a miss.

Personally? Loved it. I'd but more tonight when I swing buy again, but I think it's still backed up on my pallet from last weekend.

[Jester]

Doing a lousy job of chili preparation (so far none), but am doing a great job at procrastination today, so shall continue in the same. Besides, I have to work up my shopping list for the trip to the grocery store to get all the necessary products, so I figured I'd have a drink while I did so.

Today, we have Hornsby's Amber Draft Hard Cider. I am not normally much of a cider guy, but I have had good experiences with Hornsby's in the past, though sadly I can't seem to find what was always my favorite product of theirs, the Dark & Dry cider. Pity.

In any case, I figured I'd give this Hornsby's a go, and see what I thought. It pours and looks pretty much like fizzy apple juice....it being a hard cider, this is not altogether unexpected. The nose, however, is. It is more subtle than many ciders, and while there is definitely an apple aroma, there is also a hint of spices, such as cinnamon and nutmeg; the kind of spices you might expect to find in an apple pie.

The first sip....was a first several. I could not put this stuff down. Not as sweet as most ciders, nor as bland as many. Tastes appley, but not overly so, and is nicely balanced, with a refreshing crispness. In my mind, it is the apple counterpart to Woodchuck's Pear Cider, which is high praise indeed. It has a pleasantly sweet finish as well.

Overall, I must say I had some initial trepidation about returning to the Hornsby's family, what with my favorite product of theirs being MIA. But overall, the Amber Draft is very tasty, and I give it high marks: a solid 7. (Remember, I am not a huge cider guy, so if you like ciders, raise the score, and if you don't, ignore this entire review.)

Okay, off to make my chili shopping list now! (But I swear I will smack the first person that suggests I use hard cider in my chili in place of beer. Seriously smack them.)

[Dave1982]

I finally managed to get my hands on a bottle of Brinley Gold vanilla rum. Not one liquor store in my area had it, and the one place that accepted a special order never came through on it.

I ended up going to Boston to get it. I didn't realize it from looking at the map, but it turns out the store that has it (and at least three other Brinley Gold varieties) is right down the street from my grandmother's house. Had I know that, I'd have been able to get there far more easily than the back roads route that Google Maps had me take. But I've never looked at where my grandmother's house is on the map; I just know how to get there. I took the "normal" way back from that area which was far easier than how I got in.

It is quite good. Thanks for the suggestion Jester.

Next time I'm at my grandmother's house I might swing by there and pick up one of their other flavors.

[Jester]

Just out of curiousity, Dave, how are you drinking it? I normally drink it neat, but it is a rum you can mix, and I found this last holiday season it goes amazingly well with eggnog.

[sms001]

Thanks for the write-up J-man, quite helpful.

While I'll squeeze one in now and then, my wife loves cider. Our local back in Chicago had Woodpecker on tap and she would come close to matching me with them on a good day. Sadly, we haven't seen it in bottles up here in the North Woods, although a fairly decent "irish" pub does have it on tap. So we've been looking. Closest we've really come so far is Hornsby's Crisp Apple. Not as dry as the WP, but good. She really doesn't care for any of the Woodchuck products, but I am definitely passing along:

counterpart to Woodchuck's pear Cider, which is high praise indeed.

I like a cool crisp pear myself, and have enjoyed a homemade pear cider or two, so I'll keep my eyes peeled.

As far as

Overall, I must say I had some initial trepidation about returning to the Hornsby's family, what with my favorite product of theirs being MIA...

their website says "HORNSBY'S HARD CIDER has two delicious, easy to enjoy..." (emp. added) so they may have scratched it.

[Jester]

Yes, they must have scratched it, since I saw both offerings at the store, and neither one was Dark & Dry. Pity.

As for pear cider, my two favorites to date are Woodchuck (as noted) and Fox Barrel, which is out of California. Both quite excellent.

I had high, high hopes for Crispin cider, and while it is very popular with many people, I personally was not overly impressed myself. I believe I have it in my notes, and will be posting said notes soon.

[KiaKat]

Crispin didn't impress me. May as well have been sparkling apple juice.

Farnum Hill is pretty good, their Extra Dry is definitely the best of the lineup.

There's a cider out of Brooklyn that I had high hopes for, but it disappointed. Too sweet. Surprising, given that it's a NYC product - usually those tend to cater to the dry-and-crisp fans.

[Jester]

Crispin didn't impress me. May as well have been sparkling apple juice.

An apt description.

And now for a quick review of an old standby of mine, Pacifico.

Pacifico is a Mexican beer in the same style of Corona and most other Mexican beers. I myself don't drink it with a lime (I don't drink ANY Mexican beers with limes, Corona included--for that matter, I never put fruit in my beer, whatever the style!), so if you do, understand this.

I like Corona, but I LOVE Pacifico. To me it is richer, crisper, bolder, and just better. It won't blow the minds of any craft beer drinkers, to be sure, but it is a great beer for a hot day, with a meal, or just for whatever reason. (Like most Mexican beers, it is great with spicy food.) I buy it by the 12 pack, and often DRINK it by the twelve pack.

Scoring is tough, because it is NOT a great beer, but I enjoy it. Assuming Corona is a 4 (slightly below average but drinkable), I would give Pacifico a 5.5. For me it scores higher, but compared to so many of the craft beers I have reviewed, honestly, it can't be given a higher score. But as an every day session beer, it's not too shabby.

If you like Corona, give Pacifico a try. Of all the Corona-style Mexican beers (Tecate, Dos Equis, Bohemia, Modelo Especial), it is my absolute favorite.

*(Modelo Especial is not to be confused with Negra Modelo, which, while made by the same brewer, is a totally different style--dark Mexican beer--and far superior, having won international awards, the only Mexican beer I'm aware of that has done so. And I do not include Negra Modelo in my list of "Corona-style Mexican beers" since it is a completely different style of Mexican beer.)

[Jester]

Too long since I've posted in here. I have some notes from some beers that I've tried around the island, but I will get to them in the near future. Tonight, however, I am trying a beer that I had never heard of, but when I saw it at the Beer Monger's, I had to have it, even though it's organic, and generally speaking, organic beers have never been all that impressive to me. From Fuller's in England we have their Honey Dew, an ale brewed with honey. Which is why the reason an organic beer caught my eye. I have a weakness for honey, and have had some great honey beers, and am always looking for more. And if I like this, it will be cool, since it comes in a larger than normal bottle, at 16.9 oz.

In appearance, it is light yellow in color, but not the same light yellow as you find with typical American (or even imported) swills. There is a hint of honeyness in the color, and this bodes well to me.

The nose is very subtle, but it seems to be an even balance between smooth ale and rich honey. So far, I have only been given hints of what might be, and have no idea if I am getting foreshadowing of greatness or false promises from a pretender, or somewhere in between. Well then, let's have at it, shall we?

Very nice. Not great, but definitely more towards the contender end of the spectrum than the pretender end. A bit lighter than I prefer my honey beers, but the honey is definitely there, with a discriminating hand. Definitely not overly sweet, as some honey brews can be. I would call this Honey Beer Light, and not as an insult, but as a compliment. I imagine that the brewer took his time coming to this formula, and while it is not as honeyed as *I* would like it, I get the feeling that this IS what they were going after.

In the end, it is a lovely honey ale (and surprisingly tasty for an organic, which as I've said, I have not had the best experiences with), and worthy of a look. Would I seek it out? Will its name roll off my tongue when people ask about honey beers? Well, no. But it is nothing like any other beer I've had, and that I will remember. A very good, if not great, entry into the honey beer category. Well done, Fuller's. A well-deserved 7.

Now, if you'll excuse me, I shall enjoy some quality time with the rest of this pint plus. Keep drinking, my friends.

[Jester]

Holy crap. No one's posted in here for a solid month? Shameful!

Of course, I am just as guilty as anyone, as I've taken notes on many beers (and at least one wine), but have not bothered transcribing them into here. But, since I plan on reviewing many beers (and perhaps other things) during my trip to Phoenix, I need to clear out some room on my phone's notepad, where I take these notes. (Yes, I still have a Dumb Phone. Don't judge me.)

And away we go!

337 Cabernet Sauvignon: Lovely, the place had it perfectly chilled for red (not cold, but not room temp, either). This wine is rich, luscious, and sweet, with just the right amount of acidity. This is a memorable wine very much worth drinking. A solid 8.

Hoegaarden Belgian Wheat: I know I've tried this before, but I don't remember it. Hazy light golden in color. Nose is pleasantly wheaty. Aaaaahh....THIS is wheat beer. Wheaty, smooth, goes down easy, tasty, very yummy. One of the better non-hefeweizen wheats. 7.5.

White Crane Bitter Ale (Rogue Brewing): Reddish amber in color and invitingly hazy. Subtle, summery, slightly sweet nose. Wonderful, tasty, smooth and sweet, inviting, like a favorite blanket. This beer rolls over your tongue playfully. It has somewhat of a small hoppy Belgian beer taste to it, but in a good way, as it rounds out nicely. In short, deeeelicious. 8. (I know I had this beer before I reviewed it in these notes, and I've reviewed it previously in this forum, I apologize.)

Bell's Special Double Cream Stout: Had it once before, and went back to the same place specifically for another go-round with this beer. Very dark brown with a creamy head. It has a subtle earthy nose with malty coffee undertones, and just a hint of cocoa. Creamy, malty, smooth as obsidion with just the right malt bite. I've never been to Michigan, where they brew this, but damn they are doing something right up in Kalamazoo! This is a very special beer, and I am certain they serve it in Beer Heaven. 9.

Casa Beer: A Moroccan lager, light golden amber in color, with a white frothy head. Very subtle nose, bordering on nonexistent, though there may be a slight hint of honey or heather hiding in there. The taste is surprisingly good. Very smooth, slightly sweet, almost creamy. Very good lager. Highly recommended. 7.5.

Bell's Kalamazoo Stout: I had this on draft, and it pours obsidion black. (This and the above Bell's were reviewed days if not weeks apart...the same adjective is coincidence.) Subtle yet malty nose. Rich creamy mocha taste. Far better than the bottle version I've had, perhaps because it seems creamier. At least, I think it does. Good creamy malty taste, with the mocha flavor rather forward, and a slight bitterness on the aftertaste. 7.5.

Efes Pilsner: This is a beer from Turkey. I'd never had a Turkish beer, so naturally I had to try it. It has a typical light yellow color for a pilsner, with an equally typically pilsneresque nose. It does, however, taste a bit sweeter than most pilsners. Though not mindblowing, it is tasty, light, and refreshing. However, the aftertaste is a very unpleasant bitter, and that brings the final score down to a 5.

Sol: I've heard about this beer, but had never had it, and since 2 different people told me it was great, I had to try it...which is why I came to my least favorite Mexican restaurant in Key West to try it. I'm not getting the food (which I have often described as "revolting"), but since they are the only place that has this beer in single bottles rather than six-packs, figured I'd give it a whirl. It pours pale yellow, maybe a shade darker than Corona. The nose is subtle, but noticeably NOT skunky, perhaps even a little sweet. Taste is very impressive: clean, crisp, smooth, with a slight sweetness to it. Is it better than Pacifico? No, not to me, but I can see what people see in this beer. Great beer for a hot day or to enjoy with spicy food. Too bad the food they serve in this place is so fucking repulsive. Beer score: 7. Score for the cute bartender who served it to me and couldn't stop singing its praises: 8. Score for the food, which I did not touch this time around, and probably never will again: -12.

Tocobago Red Ale (Cigar City Brewing): Dark red amber with a hoppy nose that is not unpleasant. Very tasty, somewhat hoppy, but pleasantly so, like an amber should be. 7.5.

Breckenridge Regal Double Pilsner: What's a "double" pilsner? Hell if I know. The bartender was as clueless as I was on this point. A minor point, really. More importantly, this appears as a light golden amber color, with character. The nose is subtle, earthy, and heathery, with a hint of hops. I repeat, this is a pilsner with character....and I am not normally overly fond of pilsners! It's rich, not at all wimpy as so many pilsners are, and actually has some body to it. Whatever a double pislner is, this one is very tasty. 7.

Mack in Black Imperial Black Ale (Holy Mackerel Brewing): This beer lives up to its name on first appearance, being black hole sun black, with a tan creamy head. The nose is malty as HELL! Wow! I've had this before, but it's been awhile. It's malty, with a hint of coffee, and an awesome taste. Rich, with a hint of chocolate, maybe even...mocha? Perhaps. Awesome rich smooth malty ale. Get it. And I mean NOW! 8.5.

Red Fox Amber Ale (Rogue Brewing): Reddish amber in color, though leaning more towards the red end of the spectrum, actually. Smells like a wonderful bitey amber. It's tasty. Not as much bite as I would expect from an amber, but still decent. Not a whole lot of character, but definitely drinkable. 6.5.

Koshihikar Eshigo Rice Lager: Tried this Japanese beer at the brand new noodle bar in town that has absolutely taken off like a shot. Like a pilsner, it's light yellow in color, and has a subtle, slightly sweet nose. It's somewhat light in taste, but not obnoxiously so, and it does have a decent body. This beer is excellent for Japanese or spicy cuisine, and I imagine it would work well with barbecue as well. 7.

Alimony Ale (Buffalo Bill's Brewery): It looks kind of amberish in color, but I tried this in a rather dark bar, and I don't think they would have appreciated me breaking out the mag light to check it more thoroughly. It smells hoppy, and is a pale ale, though not an IPA, which made me think I might be in trouble here. My first impression was that it fucking rocked. It was tasty and flavorful, and hoppy without killing you. I liked this, thought it was a wonderful beer, and scored it a 7.5.....and as I got further into the beer, it seemed to get hoppier, and less pleasant, and I had to downgrade it to "not great late" and score it a final 6.

Newcastle Founders Ale: This pale ale is deep amber in color, and has a fresh beer nose. (There really is no other way to describe the nose.) Delicious, wonderful ale, worthy of the Newcastle name. However, it's body is a bit weak, but overall, it's a good beer, with a good combination of flavor and drinkability. The complete lack of body killed it in the end, bringing the score of what could be a true classic down to a pedestrian 6.5 score.

Coedo Berniaka: Back at the noodle bar, my server highly recommended this Japanese red beer made with (ready for this?) sweet potatoes. My first sweet potato beer! (Hell, the only sweet potato beer I've ever even HEARD of!) Dark red in color, with a very subtle reddish nose. Very sweet. The sweet potato flavor is there, and pleasant, but overall the beer is a bit cloying. I've had far better red beers. Nice novelty, but not the best beer. Not horrible, certainly, but definitely not worthy of an encore. 4.5. (NOTE: My palate may be somewhat influenced, perhaps even compromised, by the spicy Japanese food I'm eating with this beer. That being said, I did have a different beer both before this beer and the spicy food, and after this beer but with the end of the dinner, and both times that other beer tasted just fine to me.)

Coedo Shiro: Same noodle bar, same night. This was the beer I had both before and after the Berniaka. It is a Japanese wheat beer, which sounds like a contradiction in terms to me. Wheat beers are, after all, the dominion of the Germans and Belgians, right? Hey, I'll try anything once! Shiro pours light yellow and hazy, and has an amazing honey nose. WOW! Freakin' awesome on first taste! Lighter than most hefeweizens, but with a lovely honey forward flavor without being cloying or overly sweet. This beer is utterly brilliant. Not only is it one of the best wheats I've ever had (alert the Germans and Belgians!), it is BY FAR the best Japanese beer I've ever had. Do not dismiss this beer simply because it's Japanese. This rocks. Look for Coedo...they're doing impressive things. 8.5.

Doggie Claws Barley Style Wine (Hair of the Dog Brewery): For those not in the know, I should tell you that barley wine and barley style wine are, in fact, beer. I could go into a whole long explanation of what, exactly, barley wine is, but I have been typing plenty already, and frankly, that's for another time. This particular barley wine seems dark reddish in color, but once again, I find myself in a rather dark bar. The nose is nice and smooth and lightly hoppy. In taste, this is very "Belgian," and more so than I generally care for. Clearly not my cup of tea....er, uh, barley wine. Too sweet, too cloying, too Belgian. In the end, I didn't even finish it, as it was too sweet even for my sweet tooth. A lowly 3 for me, though others might like it more.

Collaboration Not Litigation Ale (Avery Brewing): Amber ruby red in color. Subtle but sweet and hoppy nose. Oh my. Wonderful. I'm sure I've had this before. Weird combination of smooth and hoppy. Gets cloying over time. In the end, while it gives a great first impression, this is simply a good beer, not a great one. 6.

On a final note, Accounting Drone and her boyfriend (husband? Shit, don't remember!) stopped through Key West on their road trip, bringing me some lovely Western beers I can't get here in Florida, as well as giving me a chance to try a lovely rum with them. We had a lovely sushi dinner, then stopped at my bar so I could give them a taste of one of my favorite rums (Dos Maderas P.X. 5+5, from Spain), which they seemed to thoroughly enjoy, then we went over to my friend Popcorn's bar to do the sampling of the rum they had brought, as Popcorn, like me, is a rum guy.

The rum in question was Bacardi Reserva Limitada. Not your standard Bacardi at all. I should say here that, generally speaking, Bacardi products don't impress me, with the exception of some of their flavored rums (Razz and Peach Red come to mind), and Bacardi 8 is not too bad to sip on. Reserva Limitada is NOT your grandfather's Bacardi. This stuff is a true sipping rum, very smooth, with a slight fire to it, and an undertone of, perhaps, brown sugar? Vanilla? Hard to say a week after the fact. I THOUGHT I took notes on it in my phone, but can't find them anywhere, so I am going completely from memory. In the end, I found the Reserva Limitada to be a truly impressive sipping rum, probably ranking in my Top 20, and definitely rivaling some really good rums out there, such as Zafra, Vizcaya, and Mount Gay 1703. Hard to score something a week later, but if I was pushed into it, I would have to give it a solid 8. Maybe even 8.5.

[Jester]

And now tonight's offeri--

"Jester, what are you doing? You just posted eight thousand beer reviews, man. Talk about overload!"

True. But those were from the last few weeks. This one is from tonight. Just had it with dinner a little while ago.

"Well, hell, okay I guess. But try to pace them a bit better in the future, okay?"

Will do.

Where was I? Oh, yes. Tonight's beer. Tucher Dunkles-Hefe Weizen. A dunkel/hefeweizen blend. I may or may not have reviewed this one in here before, not sure, but if I did, I am pretty sure it was on tap at a local Irish pub, or perhaps a different dunkel/hefe. I really need to complete my Beer Review Database so I KNOW when I've reviewed something already.

In any case...in color this is a deep rich brown. The nose is subtle yet rich, with hints of brown sugar and dark fruit. Smooth and tasty going down, and very drinkable, this is a nice combination of the good qualities of both dunkels and hefeweizens. It's a well-balanced, smooth, lovely beer. Hell, it's the epitome of smooth. A sneaky 8 on my 1o scale. And that's no April Fool's.

[pitmonkey]

Here is a new one for me, Cocoa Mole' from New Belgium. This thing has heat! There is the peppers in this as well as cinnamon. The heat is a enough that your lips tingle but not burn. It tastes like Mexican chocolate with a kick.

[Jester]

But...what IS it? Beer? Liquor? What? I is one confuzzled drinker....

[Jester]

Just landed in Phoenix yesterday, and am already at Four Peaks Brewery for the second time. Neets picked me up at the airport yesterday evening and we came straight here for dinner...and after some general running around on my own, I had some free time before Neets and Golf Boy and I go out to a sushi dinner followed by a wine tasting, so I figured, why not?

Tried some beers last night, but first, the beer I am having today, which I HAVE had before, but can't remember what I thought about it.

Four Peaks' Hefeweizen (5.0% ABV...I love when bars post the ABVs of their beers!) is the appropriate hazy golden yellow that a hefe should be. The nose is prominent on the banana, which is a great sign. Interesting. Very banana-y, but in a good way. Not so much clove as many hefes. Very drinkable hefe, very wheaty and delicious. I would drink this often. And I'm enjoying it with a nice light bite of spicy nachos. (Half order....server's secret....) 7.5

Now, let's check out the notes from last night's foray here.

D-Dub Robust Porter (6.2% ABV) is a special beer they are doing, not on the menu. They often do seasonal or monthly beers, apparently. Dark brown bordering on black in appearance, with a very subtle malty nose. The taste is smooth and malty with a hint of hop bite, which is a bit unusual for a porter. It works here, though. There are also some undertones of cocoa in the flavor. A solid 7.

Hopsquatch Barleywine (12% ABV) is served in a 10 ounce snifter (it IS 12%, after all!), and is dark brown with ruby red highlights. It has a sweet, hoppy, and fresh nose. It is very barleywine-ish, and is sweet, somewhat cloying even. Our server loves it, but it is not my personal favorite; but then, I don't drink a lot of barleywines. I scored it a 6, but barleywine fans might enjoy it more.

Now, Four Peaks' signature flagship beer is Kiltlifter, a Scottish-style ale that weights in at 6.0% ABV. I have been drinking it for years, even had a special delivery of two cases made to my house by a CS roadtripper who was passing through Phoenix on their way to Key West (Thank you, Accounting Drone!), I drink it whenever I come to the desert....but I don't think I've ever actually reviewed it here. Which is a damn shame, because it is a wonderful beer. In appearance, it's brown with ruby red highlights and a hint of gold, and a solid head. While malt is the dominant aroma on the nose, the nose is very subtle. Ah, but the taste...what of the taste? A well-balanced and somewhat malty ale, it is, quite simply delicious. Well, of course it is. After all, how many beers do you get special delivered from 2600 miles away? And while it is a taste of home, it's more than that, as there are several beers that are a taste of home for me. Kiltlifter is, quite simply, awesome. Is it the best beer I've ever had? No. Is it among them? Possibly. Is it among the best beers I've ever had that I would happily drink every day? Unquestionably. Beers that you might know that would be similar are Killian's Red, Yuengling Lager, or Oskar Blues' Old Chub. But it is far better than any of them. It is, honestly, what beer is and should be about. Rich without going overboard, tasty without hitting you over the head with its flavor, and drinkable without being flavorless pisswater. If you are a beer lover and you find yourself in Arizona, find yourself a Kiltlifter. It's available all over the state. However, if you can find your way to the Brewery on 8th Street in Tempe to try a pint (or several), you won't be disappointed. Great atmosphere, always busy (for a reason), and really awesome food. Four Peaks is as wonderful a place as Kiltlifter is a beer.

My final score for Kiltlifter, judging just on flavor and putting my personal prejudices aside, would be an 8.5. Yes, you can find better. But you can--and will--find much, much worse. And most of the beers that are better are not ones you would have all the time. As an everyday beer, Kiltlifter is among the all time greats.

To paraphrase a quote I've heard about other things, if you're lucky enough to have a Kiltlifter, you're lucky enough.

[Irving Patrick Freleigh]

The other night, out drinkin' with friends, I had a Wisconsin Amber from Capital brewery.

Quite good. Better than the Miller Lite I had as a warm-up.

Yeah, I'm the guy normally going for the microbrews while everybody else is sipping their Coors Lights.