Some Winter Beers

Beer log: February 3, 2009

I got a few beers from a friend from merry old England. I always find that the English have an excellent sophistication. I sit here watching the Tudors and I do find wonder in their formality and exquisite manners. Anyway…

Ridgeway Santa’s Butt
Gotta love the name of this British ale. Clear and ruby brown with a tan head when I poured it vigorously. Smells of chocolate and caramel. Tastes a little chocolate, just a little sweet and plain. It has a thinner body and kinda boring. Low 3 Star.

Back to the New World
Fordham Doppelbock
Dark brown and clear. Tan strong head. It smells kind of English muffiny and alcoholy. Nice rich sweet flavor. Low carbonation and hops. Almost like light syrup. Nice high alcohol. High 3 Star.


Beer Log: February 19, 2009

A few more winter seasonals
Heavy Seas Winter Bock (Hang Ten)
I think the 10 is for the alcohol content. Now we’re getting somewhere! Got to love Clipper City, they have more brands than some microbreweries have beer.
Deep amber color. Very fruity with a chocolate nose. Almost lambicky (if that’s such a word), but not as sour. It has some body to it. I’m gettinig some great malt and nuttiness in the second slug. 4 Stars overall.

Today (April 27, 2009) I still have some Winter beers to go through. Bocks trump Winter warmers in my book, but Bock traditionally are a spring beer. I still haven’t ranked my best winter seasonals. I may have to break it up into Christmas Beer, Winter Beers, and Winter Warmers. Just to be fair.

Dogfish Head Raisson D’extra
The Fish are just belting out all kinds of creative styles of beer, and my wife will stop at nothing until we’ve had them all. Now they have another Raisson out there, an extra one. Strong fruity and rasin nose (go figure). It’s like grape juice, but not like wine. Cloudy with a UT burnt orange, weak tan head. Big fruit/malt flavor with alcohol finish. Lots of plumness going on. A little high on the carbonation, like it’s bottle conditioned. Tastes similar to the first raisson. Forgot to write in a ratinig.

Yes, I'm Still Sampling Christmas Beer

I mean come on! It is already MARCH for crying out loud. Screw Oktoberfest, I think every ragtag brewery on the planet has about 4 Christmas beers. The bocks are coming out and I still have two more beers of the season in my kegerator. Let's just get to it then

Beer Log: Right now

State: Watching boxing, relaxing

Finally getting through the four Christmas beers a friend sent from England. This one...

Criminally Bad Elf

In my wine goblet it has a clear copper appearance with a kinda weak white head. The nose is very fruity and plumy, like alcohol. I just swirled it, then put in on the ground, and 30 seconds later the smell still lingers in the air. Nice. It's Boss time. Very nice sweet flavor, not just caramel malt. English Barleywine that is very smooth yet a touch higher in the carbonation. You got to love these little stories on these. There is a noticeable alcohol (10% ABV) in the mouthfeel. Medium body but very velvety. Not bad at all. Not the best BV or Christmas beer, but my favorite of Ridgeway Brewers. Just love those titles. I would say that if we cellared this for a few months or even a couple years, it would do well. We'll let it warm up a touch as our fridge is set at 43F right now. Still good for me as it warms. 3 stars.