Hopfen Weisse (Brooklyn Brewery)

I had to uncork this bottle as a follow up its German cousin the Schneider-Brooklyner Hopfen-Weisse. It can only get better considering this is basically the same beer, but brewed by Schneider's Hans Peter Drexler at the Brooklyn Brewery with American hops. What a great idea to collaborate on this type of project. I hope to see some other American and European breweries do something similar in the future.

Pours pale, cloudy dark orange. There is some yeast sediment floating around the glass as proof of the bottle conditioning. Never a bad thing. The head is big and fluffy and the carbonation levels seem to be spot on. Its not a beautiful looking beer but its not worth judging it just yet.

Smells nice and citrusy. The hops are definitely in the foreground while the spicy, clovey yeasty smells are in the background. There is some bitter orange that really hits the nose when I take another whiff of this one. Overall, its very intriguing. 

Wow, what a smooth drinking beer. The malt and hops are very well balance. There is some sweet citrus mingling the spicy yeast tastes. Its like biting into a juicy, hoppy orange. Well, that sounds a little strange but thats what I come up with. I have to say that I quite like this beer. Its very refreshing with quite a lot of flavor and that high ABV is pretty much undetectable.

Cheers to both Brooklyn and Schneider! 

BEER FACTS

Name: Brooklyner-Schneider Hopfen-Weisse

Style: Pale Weissbock

Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery

Location: Brooklyn, New York, USA

Container: 750 ml. corked bottle

Malts: Pale Wheat & Barley

Hops: Amarillo & Palisade

ABV: 8.5%

IBUs: ?

Hopfen Weisse (Brauerie G. Schneider & Sohn)

This a beer that combines the brewing prowess of two great beer countries. The old and the new. The big and bold with the practical and the genuine. The Schneider and Brooklyner version of the Hopfen-Weisse uses German hops and is brewed at the world famous and historic Schneider Weissbier Brewery in Kelheim. Below is a great description of this joint venture that I found on the importer's site: Schneider & Brooklyner Hopfen-Weisse is a collaboration between brewmasters Hans-Peter Drexler of the Schneider Weissbier Brewery and Garrett Oliver of The Brooklyn Brewery. Now, once again, together they bring you a small batch of their joint creation, a pale weissbock robustly dry-hopped with the Hallertauer Saphir variety grown in the fields near the Schneider brewery. Hoppy, zesty and supremely refreshing, Schneider & Brooklyner Hopfen-Weisse is a delicious blend of Bavarian craftsmanship and American ingenuity. Pours a glowing orange color that is cloudy with yeast and a big, fluffy head. The bubbles show a nice steady stream of carbonation. This beer looks amazing in a tall glass. I can't wait. At first the smell is spicy, clovey with some of that familiar banana smell that can be attributed to the yeast. The bitter and slightly citrusy hop aromas follow the strong spicy smells. This is quite a unique smelling brew.  That uniqueness continues with the first sip. That spicy, clovey taste is present but the nice floral and citrusy hoppiness quickly joins in. What a great blend of wheat, yeast and hops. I'm so used to hoppy beers like pale ales, IPAs and porters that this is a pleasant surprise. Its not super hoppy but the presence of the precious bittering flower is much more so in this beer than in any other wheat beer I've ever had. I can't wait to try the Brooklyner version of this one brewed with American hops.  One small thing that I do note about this beer is that it is pretty heavily carbonated compared to the other beers I've had from Schneider. I don't think that really takes away too much from this beer, but its definitely noticeable. Prosit! BEER FACTS Name: Schneider & Brooklyner Hopfen Weisse Style: Pale Weissbock Brewery: Brauerei G. Schneider & Sohn Location: Kelheim, Germany Container: 500 ml. bottle Malts: Pale Wheat & Barley Hops: Hallertauer Saphir ABV: 8.2% IBUs: 40

Péché Mortel (Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel)

I finally decided to indulge and pick up a bottle of this much talked about coffee stout from north of the border. This is also one of the few coffee stouts I've seen that is brewed with fair trade coffee. It gets incredible reviews online and as the style is one of my favorites it was hard to pass up (even at close to $6 a bottle). 

From the Dieu Du Ciel site:

Péché Mortel (French for "Mortal Sin") is an intensely black and dense beer with very pronounced roasted flavours. Fair trade coffee is infused during the brewing process, intensifying the bitterness of the beer and giving it a powerful coffee taste. Péché mortel is brewed to be savored; we invite you to drink it in moderation.

Pours an amazing jet black color with a beautiful coffee colored head. Another perfect replica of one hell of a giant shot of espresso. The head is thick and clings very tightly to the side of the glass. We are off to a great start...

Smells of fresh coffee grounds and sweet cream. There is also a mellow smoky vanilla smell that reminds me very much of the pipe tobacco my grandfather smoked. Dark chocolate bitterness also hits the nose.  Lots of strong inviting smells really draw you in!

Taste is fresh, strong, bitter Italian espresso followed by semi-sweet chocolate and rich cream. Amazingly smooth on the tongue and although the alcohol instantly warms you, it is in now way noticeable and in fact hides extremely well. All those great smells come out in the taste and provide for a very enjoyable and satisfying beer. 

Actually, that is an understatement. This beer is truly incredible. Péché Mortel is one of those rare beers that lives 

up to all the hype. Santé!

BEER FACTS

Name: Péché Mortel

Style: Imperial Coffee Stout

Brewery: Brasserie Dieu Du Ciel

Location: Montréal, Quebec, Canada

Container: 11.5 oz. bottle

Malts: ?

Hops: ?

ABV: 9.5%

IBUs: ?

Blue Fin Stout (Shipyard Brewing Co.)

The old Blue Fin label had a picture of the bluefin tuna, a fish that had a huge presence in the Gulf of Maine. The new label is a nice homage to the ships that were once built in Maine, or at least that is my take on it.

Pours a deep dark brown with a very big dark, coffee colored head. Lot of carbonation from the minute the cap is popped. 

Smells of rich roasty malt and light coffee notes. There is also the familiar Ringwood yeast smell as well. No real subtle smells, mostly dominated by the dark malts.

Taste is rich, roasted malt with some dark chocolate or mocha tastes. The carbonation is definitely very strong in the mouth, not sure if this bottle was just shaken up or something but the carbonation is much more than expected in a stout. I've had this on nitro out on Peaks Island a number of times and really enjoyed its smoothness. I think I prefer that quite a bit over the bottled version. 

BEER FACTS

Name: Blue Fin Stout

Style: Stout

Brewery: Shipyard Brewing Company

Location: Portland, Maine, USA

Container: 22 oz. bottle

Malts: ?

Hops: ?

ABV: 4.7%

IBUs: ?

Brewed in Maine

Farmhouse Ale (Smuttynose Brewing Co.)

Its bittersweet to see Smutty's Farmhouse Ale in the stores nowadays. That means that the Big A's days are numbered but it also means another delicious beer is now available! 

The label reads:

Our Farmhouse Ale is an homage to traditional European beers brewed quenching the thirst of farm workers or "Saisonares".

A unique Belgian Saison yeast is used to impart a mixture of spicy, fruity & earthy notes along with lip smacking palatability.

Pours a slightly cloudy, clean, crisp orange color. The head is stark white and about an inch of fluffy goodness. Lots of bubbles make this beer look alive and quite refreshing.

Smells spicy and funky just like it should. Lots of sweet apple smells also combine with the organic/earthy notes and even some hints of leather. This smell is exceptional.

Taste is more of that spice and funk that comes from the yeast strain. The sweet fruit tastes are also present with a nice dry finish. Its an excellent example of the style in my opinion. Actually, this is probably one of the best saisons that I've had. The Smutty Big Beer series is pretty much flawless so far this year. 

BEER FACTS

Name: Farmhouse Ale

Style: Saison/Farmhouse Ale

Brewery: Smuttynose Brewing Company

Location: Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA

Container: 22 oz. bottle

Malts: ?

Hops: ?

ABV: 7.5%

IBUs: ?

The Smuttynose BIG BEER Series is:

Baltic Porter - mid-January 
Imperial Stout - mid-February
Maibock - early April
Big A IPA - early May 
Farmhouse Ale - early June
Wheat Wine mid-August
Barley Wine - early October
S'muttonator Double Bock - mid-November

Big Bear Black Stout (Bear Republic Brewing Co.)

Talk about excitement! A Russian Imperial Stout from Bear Republic. This is the style that can really make it or break it for some breweries. Considering what Bear Republic has done with the Hop Rod Rye and the Racer 5 this is definitely in line to be an incredible beer.

Pours slightly viscous with a nice coffee colored head. Its amazing how smooth this beer pours. You can really see the just how thick and rich this beer is going to be based on how it fills the glass. 

Smells of sweet coffee, bitter chocolate with a toasted malt side as well. It definitely comes across as a roasty, slightly smoky strong stout. No complaints from the smells, overall it is rich and appealing.

Taste is oh so smooth. Its way too drinkable for being over 8%. The dryness is there in the finish but before that comes a lot of deep dark sweet malt tastes. The sweetness really draws you in and the strength is hardly noticeable. Excellent beer. 

BEER FACTS

Name: Big Bear Black Stout

Style: Russian Imperial Stout

Brewery: Bear Republic Brewing Company

Location: Healdsburg, California, USA

Container: 22 oz. bottle

Malts: Belgian & English roasted barley and Crystal malt

Hops: Chinook & Cascade

ABV: 8.1%

IBUs: 68

Schneider Weisse (Brauerei G. Schneider & Sohn)

Georg I. Schneider created the original Schneider Weisse recipe back in 1872. Little did he know that the beer he brewed would one day be the benchmark for the style. Fast forward 136 years later and Georg's great-great-great grandson Georg VI. Schneider is overseeing a brewery that still produces beer brewed with that original recipe along with an array of other wheat beers such as Aventinus and Edel-Weisse. 

Pours a beautiful, rich, dark peach color with a huge, thick fluffy head. Its probably darker than some would expect since a lot of the American hefeweizens tend to be lighter in color. As the remaining yeast drips into the head of this beer it plunges into the beer and leaves a milky trail. Looks very appealing. Smells of cloves, cinnamon and spice, yeast and a bit of apple and banana. Tastes of spice and cloves at first with a nice refreshing follow through. Its a very refreshing beer with some juicy fruit qualities that make it ridiculous drinkable on a warm day. Nothing too overpowering, just a great clean, crisp beer. Beers like this are part of the lore that is the German beer tradition. There's a reason why this beer is still being brewed after all these years, its high quality and delicious. BEER FACTS Name: The Original Schneider Weisse Hefe-Weizen Style: Hefeweizen Brewery: Brauerei G. Schneider & Sohn Location: Kelheim, Germany Container: 500 ml. bottle Malts: Wheat & Barley Hops: ? ABV: 5.4% IBUs: ?

Mongolian Dark Beer (XAP XOPYM)

The Mongolian mystery beer has been poured! Thanks to my friend Dan for hauling this little beauty back from a recent trip to Mongolia. He had it stuffed in a shoe and it survived unscathed. Now if only I could find some information about this beer! I know its a dark beer and I know its "the Mongolian premium beer" but the label tells me those things. Everything else remains a mystery for now.

Pours a dark auburn color that is clean and clear when held to up to the light. Based on the carbonation and the color I will go with this being a dark lager. Its also my guess that Mongolia is a lager drinking country. The head is about a finger in thickness and very rich. Not a bad looking beer.

Smells of dark malt, some apple or dark fruit along with a sweet buttery-ness. There is also some caramel notes and dark bread.

Tastes very much like dark German wheat bread! There are also some hints of sweet fruit. The taste is very refreshing as its definitely beer you can drink nice and cold and there is little to no aftertaste. A pretty basic dark lager but extremely easy to drink. Its the best Mongolian beer I've ever had!

BEER FACTS

Name: Xap Xopym Dark Beer

Style: Dark Lager

Brewery: XAP XOPYM

Location: Ulanbaatar, Mongolia

Container: 12 oz. bottle

Malts: ?

Hops: ?

ABV: 5.3%

IBUs: ?

Old Stock Ale (North Coast Brewing Co.)

This is one of those beers that you can put away and forget about for years if you have the patience. I don't have the patience right now, although I'll probably grab some of these at some point and put them in my cellar (a.k.a my closet). Everything North Coast puts out is solid so I will hold this one to those sort of high expectations.

Weighing in at 12.5% alcohol, the Old Stock Ale is a heavy looking beer as it comes out of the bottle. Once its made its way into the glass its a very rich dark auburn brown color with wisps of redness. Not much head on this one and the carbonation level is minimal as far as I can tell. Its a great looking beer.

Smell is very rich and sweet brown sugar and dark brown bread accompanied with dark stewed fruit. Some apple cider vinegar notes are present as well that lead to some red wine characteristics. This is another very complex beer as far as smell goes. So many strands to pull apart!

Taste is absolutely delicious from the first chewy sip. Very balanced. Sweet malt tastes combine with some toasted dark bread and some more bitter notes quite well before the alcohol dryness hits you at the end. The sweetness and the bitterness play off each other nicely and the warming from the alcohol is a nice little feature as well. You'll definitely want to give this beer a chance to warm up a bit so you can experience all the flavors it has to offer. You'd be crazy not to love a beer with such complexity and strength.

BEER FACTS

Name: Old Stock Ale (2008 Vintage)

Style: Old Ale

Brewery: North Coast Brewing Company

Location: Fort Bragg, California, USA

Container: 12 oz. bottle

Malts: Maris Otter

Hops: Fuggles & East Kent Goldings

ABV: 12.5%

IBUs: 36

Old Rusty's Red Rye Ale (Harpoon Brewery)

I finally was able to find a bottle of this stuff. Not only do I love beers brewed with rye but this one also has my name (well, nickname) in the name! When it comes to your name there are three things you can never pass up:

1 ~ If a pub bears your name you must go in for at LEAST one pint (read McCarthy's Bar for more on that)

2 ~ If you're ever at a racetrack and a horse/dog bears your name you MUST bet on it regardless of the odds

3 ~ If you ever see a beer that has your name on the label you must buy and drink that beer

Old Rusty (a.k.a. Russ Heisner) was Harpoon's first employee. He was the brewer responsible for Harpoon's first beer, Harpoon Ale. I'm not sure what Russ does now for a day job, its not brewing, but the good fellows at Harpoon invited him back as a guest brewer on the 23rd installment of their 100 Barrel Series.

The Old Rusty Red Rye pours a deep, clean amber color with hints of reddish orange. Carbonation looks spot on as the head is nice and foamy and thick. As the head slowly fades it leaves a nice lacing behing and a half finger of foam thats bubbly and looks like the underside of a pancake thats yet to be flipped.

Smells of sweet fruit and apples abound. Reminds me of a weizenbock at first. Malty sweetness and some yeasty qualities round out the smells.

Taste is definitely unique. Its sweet at first with a dry spiciness in the finish that I'll attribute to the rye. The juicy apple smells that were apparent at first are a lot less noticeable in the taste. That being said, there is some sweetness that is very well proportioned. Their is no major hop presence with this beer but thats not a surprise based on the IBUs. Overall, its a nicely balanced rye ale that is extremely drinkable. I'm a fan. Cheers Old Rusty!

BEER FACTS

Name: Old Rusty's Red Rye Ale (100 Barrel Series #23)

Style: Rye Beer/Red Ale

Brewery: Harpoon Brewery

Location: Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Container: 22 oz. bottle

Malts: ?

Hops: German Halletauer

ABV: 6.5%

IBUs: 38

Stone Smoked Porter (Stone Brewing Co.)