GRM beer tasting

aussiesmg said: Where do you get that in Ohio Evan?

I have found it in any of the beer stores and grocery stores around Columbus. One grocery store here in Ashland carries it as well.

EvanB wrote:

aussiesmg said: Where do you get that in Ohio Evan?

I have found it in any of the beer stores and grocery stores around Columbus. One grocery store here in Ashland carries it as well.

The Meijer down the street from us has that fro time to time.

OMBGB (Oh my berkeleying god bad). I literally took two sips and had to dump the whole thing it was so sickeningly sweet. Literally, I thought I was going to be sick to my stomach. Word to the wise: the words 'creme brulee' and 'stout beer' should never be used in conjunction...
And now, on to something a little more manly:
So me, being the glutton for punishment that I am, decided to try washing it down with another beer from the same company, Southern Tier. The Imperial Iniquity Black Ale is quite good. Still a little sweet for my taste after the creme brulee fiasco but at least this tastes more like a normal beer. Most of the sweetness comes from a bit too much malt - according to http://www.stbcbeer.com/year-round-imperials/iniquity-beer-page/ they use two different types of malt in the brewing process. Definitely not enough hops to counteract the sweetness so I wouldn't consider it a 'standard' black ipa, if there is such a thing yet. Overall good, smooth, not enough hops and a little too sweet. At 9% alcohol it might be more of a finishing beer.

Saranac Pumpkin Ale - was a Bogo at Consumers Beverages. Pretty good. It's pumpkin spiced and low on the IBUs I'd say

Not my pic

I also have a growler (teeheehee) of Great Lakes Christmas Ale for the 25th. Apparently an award winning seasonal beer from Great Lakes. They're my favourite brewery, but I'm no Encyclopedia Brown of hooch. Their Conways Irish Ale and Holy Moses are heaven, so I have high hopes for this too.

Also not my pic

chknhwk wrote: OMBGB (Oh my berkeleying god bad). I literally took two sips and had to dump the whole thing it was so sickeningly sweet. Literally, I thought I was going to be sick to my stomach. Word to the wise: the words 'creme brulee' and 'stout beer' should never be used in conjunction... And now, on to something a little more manly: So me, being the glutton for punishment that I am, decided to try washing it down with another beer from the same company, Southern Tier. The Imperial Iniquity Black Ale is quite good. Still a little sweet for my taste after the creme brulee fiasco but at least this tastes more like a normal beer. Most of the sweetness comes from a bit too much malt - according to http://www.stbcbeer.com/year-round-imperials/iniquity-beer-page/ they use two different types of malt in the brewing process. Definitely not enough hops to counteract the sweetness so I wouldn't consider it a 'standard' black ipa, if there is such a thing yet. Overall good, smooth, not enough hops and a little too sweet. At 9% alcohol it might be more of a finishing beer.

Creme Brulee is a divider, not a uniter. I berkeleying love it. 10% booze is enough to balance the sweetness for me, but I can certainly understand that the over the top butterscotch flavor is too much for some. I think the beauty is in the complexity after you get past that first big hit. Sorry it was a pour for you. That always hurts!

I picked up a four of 21st amendment "Marooned on hog island" oyster stout on the way home. Shoulda gone for the Founders impy stout instead. It's not bad but not great.

Lucked out and found 3 fours of Big Eddy LEFTOVER FROM 2011 at an out of the way spot. It has aged really really well. Hands down my #1 bang for buck stout. Insanely complex and fruity.

chknhwk wrote: Most of the sweetness comes from a bit too much malt - according to http://www.stbcbeer.com/year-round-imperials/iniquity-beer-page/ they use two different types of malt in the brewing process. Definitely not enough hops to counteract the sweetness so I wouldn't consider it a 'standard' black ipa, if there is such a thing yet.

Malt does not inherently provide sweetness. Malt provides sugar. Healthy yeast will turn all the simple sugars into alcohols. The mashing procedures (the hot steeping of the malt) determines what kinds of sugars (simple or complex) the malt starch is converted to. Not enough time at the right temperatures will lead to not having enough fermentable simple sugars. This is almost certainly the source of extra sweetness.

Two malts is actually... not many. Most craft beers will use more malt types than that. You will probably find two types of malt in the average Pilsner style.

I would expect a proper dark beer to use several types of dark malt (at least three). This might be too few malts to lead to a lack of sufficient caramel or roasted flavors to balance the sweetness.

It is also possibly a fermentation issue. Not all yeast strains will be happy at 9% abv. The one they were using may have crapped out before all the sugars were fermented.

My latest go-to after work is North Coast Old No.38 Stout.

It is a great, hearty, flavorful, sessionable dry stout. It's sort of like Guinness with flavor, or maybe Old Rasputin Light. It has all the nice roasty flavor and a healthy bitterness to balance it out, but is only 5.4%abv., so you can knock back several.

Of course... it also helps that I'm getting them as fresh as possible and on nitrogenated tap at the taphouse, which really makes it extra-awesome.

In reply to Beer Baron: Thank you for the clarification!

I once again had some Magic Hat "Heart of Darkness" stout.

It's as good as I remember it being. Even with over refrigeration (my fault), it still tastes good. I've got three bottles left that I didn't put into the fridge, I'm going to put them in the mud room tomorrow (gets about 55F in there) and try again.

Brett_Murphy wrote: I once again had some Magic Hat "Heart of Darkness" stout. It's as good as I remember it being. Even with over refrigeration (my fault), it still tastes good. I've got three bottles left that I didn't put into the fridge, I'm going to put them in the mud room tomorrow (gets about 55F in there) and try again.

I was going to do a review on those, that's a fantastic beer. I love all Magic Hat pretty much.

Beer Baron wrote: Also... Bourbon Barrel Aged Old Rasputin XV has been bottled and shipped to distributors. Look for it in stores in time for the holidays. That's right. Russian. Imperial. Bourbon. Stout.

Old Rasputin is drop dead my favorite beer "in the world". Barrel aging that makes me feel all tingly.

If I can get some I will buy a few 4 packs.

In reply to wearymicrobe:

500ml champaigne bottles only and retailing at about $20.

2XIPA brewed by Southern Tier Brewing Company.

When I look for beer, I try to look for dry hopped beer or something with a distinguishable taste. Thats why I grabbed this beer without thinking about it.

2XIPA is brewed on a bed of multiple types off hops giving it a hoppy and distinguishable taste. Its does not contain the kick that many dry hopped beers have, but it is good none-the-less. If you enjoy the beers I do, you will enjoy 2XIPA.

Beer Baron wrote: In reply to wearymicrobe: 500ml champaigne bottles only and retailing at about $20.

...and worth twice the price IMO. World class. I need to try it and KBS back to back.

My favorite of the 6 breweries within a 1.5 mile radius of my house released my favorite seasonal this week.

This stuff is the whole reason I converted from 1/2 barrel to two corny kegs/taps in my kegerator. I can keep a pale ale and a rotational seasonal.

This Black IPA is delicious. A lot of hop whollop but a lot of roasty malty base to balance it out.....and I have five gallons all to myself.

In reply to ditchdigger:

Feel free to send some my way.

poopshovel wrote:

Beer Baron wrote: In reply to wearymicrobe: 500ml champaigne bottles only and retailing at about $20.

...and worth twice the price IMO. World class. I need to try it and KBS back to back.

...and I got 5 bottles of it for free. Gave two away as gifts. Had one at Christmas, need to enjoy the other two in the near future.

It is world class, and quite excellent. Oddly enough, a lot of the bite Rasputin normally has is gone. It is nowhere near as bitter. However it is warming, richer, and more complex. I loved the heck out of it. It was great to just smell.

Poured a bit for the fiancee and her mother, and they both really liked it too. The fiancee does not like Rasputin (too bitter) and her mom doesn't like dark heavy beers. They both loved it and poured themselves a second helping.

I liked it better strait from the barrels though. I believe because it was flat. Although there isn't much carbonation, I think it tastes best with almost none.

Any of you guys us the app Tappd? Lets you rate beers and keep track of what you've had.

On another note I had this the other night:

It was good, but not as good as their Be Hoppy IPA, which I would rate as world class.

It is world class, and quite excellent. Oddly enough, a lot of the bite Rasputin normally has is gone. It is nowhere near as bitter. However it is warming, richer, and more complex. I loved the heck out of it. It was great to just smell.

Agreed. The booze (and/or aging) mellows out the bitterness, and gets rid of the dry, thin mouthfeel of the standard raspy.

I had a case of 2012 KBS. Shared with friends and hand 3 four packs for myself. Had planned on keeping one four and ebaying the other 2 $$$$. Alas, I could not resist the sirens' call. They were all gone in a month. Couldn't even stand to age one.

I currently have a fridge that contains 2 Moosehead Lagers (cheap Canadian stuff that is always on sale), 12 Stella's, and most importantly, 6 Tyskie's.

I love Polish beer. Tyskie is not quite as good as Zywiec, IMHO, but still damn tasty. Gonna be a good weekend

Anybody got other suggestions along the lines of a Zyweic or Tyskie that is available here? It'll be hard to upset Zywiec as it is pretty affordable at Costco.

mtn wrote: Anybody got other suggestions along the lines of a Zyweic or Tyskie that is available here? It'll be hard to upset Zywiec as it is pretty affordable at Costco.

Hmm... Maybe Okocim. I think you can find that sometimes.

I do think Zywiek remains a favorite of mine within that general group. I like their porter.

Beer Baron wrote:

mtn wrote: Anybody got other suggestions along the lines of a Zyweic or Tyskie that is available here? It'll be hard to upset Zywiec as it is pretty affordable at Costco.

Hmm... Maybe Okocim. I think you can find that sometimes. I do think Zywiek remains a favorite of mine within that general group. I like their porter.

I'd like to try Okocim. Dad bought some Okocim glasses at an estate sale that are pretty cool. Never seen it though.

I had the Zywiec Porter once, I liked it a lot. As is, I stick to the lagers. I've experienced enough to beer to realize that I really am mostly only after a lager. About as unadventerous as you can get, but I'm happy with it.

mtn wrote: I had the Zywiec Porter once, I liked it a lot. As is, I stick to the lagers. I've experienced enough to beer to realize that I really am mostly only after a lager. About as unadventerous as you can get, but I'm happy with it.

Zywiek Porter is actually a lager. It's also 9.5%. It is just not a light pilsner or helles type lager.

I can not offer too much else in the way of good lager suggestions along those lines. My tastes do not run towards light lagers. For light beers, I much prefer buying domestic craft beers over imported ones.

Hmm... Maybe check out some Ayinger beers. Ayinger Jahrhundert is really quite tasty. It's smooth and crisp, but has a bit of spice and fruit to the flavor.

If you can find Weltenburger Klosterbier Anno 1050, that is a really nice beer. Totally smooth and drinkable with solid character. One of my favorites while in Germany. I got pissed when the pub friends and I watched soccer at ran out of it on draft.

Beer Baron wrote:

mtn wrote: I had the Zywiec Porter once, I liked it a lot. As is, I stick to the lagers. I've experienced enough to beer to realize that I really am mostly only after a lager. About as unadventerous as you can get, but I'm happy with it.

Zywiek Porter is actually a lager. It's also 9.5%. It is just not a light pilsner or helles type lager. I can not offer too much else in the way of good lager suggestions along those lines. My tastes do not run towards light lagers. For light beers, I much prefer buying domestic craft beers over imported ones. Hmm... Maybe check out some Ayinger beers. Ayinger Jahrhundert is really quite tasty. It's smooth and crisp, but has a bit of spice and fruit to the flavor. If you can find Weltenburger Klosterbier Anno 1050, that is a really nice beer. Totally smooth and drinkable with solid character. One of my favorites while in Germany. I got pissed when the pub friends and I watched soccer at ran out of it on draft.

Yeah, I guess I should have been more specific--A pilsner (or pilsner-ish) or Euro pale lager. Actually, as far as domestic Craft beers, I found one out of Chicago that I love--Krankshaft Kolsch by Metropolitan Brewing company.

I'll have to look out for the Ayinger and Weltenburger. I feel like I've seen the Ayinger before.

In reply to mtn:

Ayinger is not uncommon.

Kolsch is a great style. My favorite for light beers. Despite being light ans German it is actually an ale.

For good domestic pils style beers I have to highly recommend Scrimshaw. Very good stuff and pays my wages.