Petrol Station Anniversary Party: Divine Reserve 10

So it turns that one of the best beer bars in Houston celebrated it's fifth anniversary. To celebrate, Petrol Station set up a tap list of all high gravity rare beers, including some special ones that are not even for sale. I must say it was a very special event. I had to beat it out of there at about 8PM unfortunately, but it was fantastic. It's one of those things where you wish there was a hotel next door to the place. One sec.


Beer Log: Right now
State: Rather thirsty from my run this morning still

Celis Pale Bock
Copped this one over the weekend at Spec's Downtown. Clear amber color (looks like rum in my Old New Orleans Rum glass) with a lasting white head. Just sad on the taste. Pretty bitter and sour. No real malt in there. It's almost like the beer is infected. Well, I'm pouring this one out. I'll let you guess the rating.

So at Petrol I sat with a few other Houston area beer bloggers/tweeters and we had a great time. Great beer, good beer talk as well. Not to mention some cigars outside. Anyway let's start the show with a few reviews. The wife and I basically ordered a bunch of the beer in half pints as everything was VERY HIGH ABV.

Beer Log: November 13, 2010
State: Fired up for the big event, eating a Rancor burger and drinking a Dogfish Head 90 Minute as a palate cleanser.

Founders IPA
Amber with a white head. Great balanced hop and malt aroma. Taste is nice and very drinkable. I get a lot of grass and wood for the hops. I actually find this very refreshing as a very hop forward beer. I could tell many were not too thrilled with this one, but hey, I like it. I've been backing off my love of the balanced IPA for a hop forward pale ale or even something like an extra pale ale. 4 Stars. Hold up...

Beer Log: Right Now
State: Still thirsty as hell but now I have this sour Celis bock taste in my mouth

The Duke of Winship by Middle Ages
Got this from one of the boys maybe a year ago. Great malty and somewhat lemony nose on top of the huge head. And the head is on top of a cloudy deep brown color. The first thing that strikes me is the high carbonation on the mouthfeel. The beer has a nice light porter quality (roast, malt). I get some cinnamon as well in there. The beer finishes very dry with a light light bitterness. The body is thin as per style. Otherwise I'm getting a touch of metallic and water in there which takes it down to a low 3 stars.

So back to the Petrol

Dragon's Milk by New Holland
I've heard so much about this beer. Especially in places like The Brewing Network. Deep brown color with bourbon/plastic nose. Very strong malt almost imperial like. Lightly hopped with an excellent kind of chocolate and cream flavor throughout the experience. High 4 Stars.

Southern Star Abiding Dude
I learned that this beer was made with of course Southern Star and Ben's coffee beans (owner of Petrol Station). How cool is that? Brown and cloudy, smells strongly of maple syrup and oak and coffee. The taste is of strong bitter coffee (not usually my thing). This one got a little watery on the back of the palate. But very good for it's purpose and seem to get stronger as it warmed up. 3 Stars.

Hop Mouth by Arcadia
I don't even know how these dudes even GOT this beer here. The rub about Texas beer laws is that you cannot sell beer in a bar that is not available to the public, unless of course the beer only comes on draft. So when you are out at a great beer bar, you can basically assume that whatever you are drinking you can run to the Specs Downtown or on Jones Road and pick it up. But these beers I have not seen anywhere. Moving on. Hop Mouth has an amber color and creamy white head. Cascadey nose. Very creamy and smooth, like an English pale ale with American hops. High 3 Stars.

Divine Reserve 10 by Saint Arnold
AT LONG LAST!!!!!!!!! I was in San Francisco when this beer came out and if not for the man @Davewantbeer, I would not have this beer with me at all. But I have three bottles in my beer fridge, and I figured what the hell, I'm drinking this one everywhere I can get it. Dark amber color with excellent malt and sugar sweetness. Smooth and very delicious with the strong caramel and malt flavors. Low hops and very very clean. And I did not find it too cloying. I gotta give it to them again. 5 Stars. Absolutely divine. And that comes after a sh1t-ton of other beers.

Real Ale Mysterium Velum
This one is from our good friends at Real Ale. I understand this is the great Devil's backbone (one of my favorite Tripels) aged in Merlot barrels. Now if they managed to age this in Pinot Noir barrels I probably would still be at the bar drinking it. I get this beer and the first thoughts I get are "oh hell yeah". Great banana, clover with light character that yes cut through the DR10 English Barleywine. I can see the wine flavor in there with a pinch of sourness that I first attribute to Chardonnay. As it warms and I get the palate cleansed, I can see the Merlot. Dry finish, soft character with a little tannins going on. 4 Stars.

Southern Tier Creme Brulee
Very nice nose. This beer is like a stout with Creme brulee. I get the cream, the vanilla, and the burnt sugar thing. I don't know how in the hell they pulled that off but the flavor comes out very well, especially in the aftertaste. Very creative. 4 Stars.

Stone 10.10.10
Ah the Vertical Epic beer that never made it to Texas due to some mixup in the labelling. It's a tripel (going so out of order) and it has a great tripel nose and great tripel taste. Similar to the stuff I've had from Ommegang and Allagash. You all know the tripel characteristics by now, so when I tell you these guys have nailed it better than any Belgian Tripel I've had from Belgium, you know it's is the bomb. I actually have a bottle we brought back from San Francisco, so on 12.12.12 I'll be cracking open at least one bottle. 5 Stars.

The Southern Tier Boys Never Dissappoint

Reddish orange in color with an orangish creamy head. Sweet caramel malt and piney hops on the nose. Oh I needed that. We're talking a strong caramel and raisiny malt just slightly overbalanced on the malt, but the hops make an appearance in the back of the palette. It's more of a barley wine than an Imperial IPA, but who the hell buys barley wine. 4 Stars for the Southern Tier Unearthly IPA.

So it turns out my birthday is this Saturday, my 30th birthday. And I must getting simpler as I get older. All my other birthdays I tried to invite everyone I've ever known for a cookout, beer, and maybe some UFC. Now I may still do all that, but Don Taylor is perfectly happy smoking cigars and drinking high quality beer with some of the boys at Downing Street at night with 18 holes of golf that morning. Otherwise, I'm just going to renovate my wardrobe a JA Bank and leave it alone. Must be old age.

As an added bonus to my birthday week, I made it to the AHA Rally at St. Arnold's Newery just north of downtown Houston last Sunday. Oh so sweet. This place was very spacious, with a drinking room that was lightly but tastefully decked out in brick and cream walls. Has the space to be a killer beer hall. The kettles provided the perfect backdrop. Brock Wagner himself did a one room tour. I bought a couple SA glasses which I used to drink the Spring Bock. I walked around waiting for someone to start speaking. But there was no agenda at all. I just chatted it up with the Foam Ranger boys and the Defalco's guys, as well as some other beer enthusiasts. And you could drink all the beer you wanted until 3PM. Now THAT'S A DAMN POLITICAL RALLY. You pay your money to join, then you drink beer as much beer as you can stomach until they kick you out. If the Tea Parties had this one, I would be right up there with Sarah Palin.

Had to cancel my trip to Toronto (sad face) as the job is more important and my projects come to a head right when I would be on my 5th pint at Volo. So I sent the email today to back out. (crying face). To make things better, I've resolved to drink Imperial IPA for the rest of this week, as I have a LOT of it and the wife doesn't like it. So that's a bomber a night all to myself. Should be fun. Thursday night we'll hit the Saucer and probably Downing Street. If I can get box seats to the rodeo, I'll check that out on Friday night. Saturday and Sunday I'll just visit some friends and relax.

Beering in Buffalo: Part 2

Ok. Texas and Louisiana have to step it up in the Beer "restaurant" department. The next day I had some time to myself and zipped over near Buffalo State to grab some food and some brews. Ratebeer had my back once again as I found my way to Coles.

Coles is a great restaurant and cool little street near the university. Lots of bars and hangout spots up and down the line. I sat outdoors as it was like 73 deg F outside and just gawked at the menu. First off, there looked like a great line up of food, but the BEER LIST. DAMN!!! I haven't seen a beer list at a restaurant this awesome EVER!!!

I'm talking about 12 beers imperial level beers on tap, 33 on tap in all, and a whole bevy of super rare Belgian beers by the bottle. Not to mention that had plenty of food made with Kobe Beef. Just excellent. Just hit me with the flight.

Beer Log: July 13, 2009
State: Excited

Southern Tier Cole's 75th Anniversary Imperial IPA
This brew was brewed especially for Cole's anniversary. You know you have a great relationship with a brewery when they do that for you, AND IT'S ON TAP. Strong malt/alcohol nose. Copper with lacy white head. Excellent crispness for an IIPA. Strong caramel malt and very balanced hops. Imperial IPA that's not barleywine-ish. High 4 Stars.

Boulder Flashback Anniversary
Dark copper color with a tan head. Bready malty nose. The taste is like a buttery cinnamon muffin. Lots of butter, malt and hops flavor. Dammit I should have tried this one first. Quick finish with low carbonation and medium body. The butter goes away with time. This is just plain unfair after the Southern Tier. No rating.

Ellicottville St. Jacobs
Got to love the fact I crossed the river for which this brewery was named. Strong cinna-of-choco nose on a low headed black beer. Lots of dark caramel and chocolate flavor. Smoooooth body. Low carbonation with a full body. Lowly hopped with a great bread finish. 4 Star.

Southern Tier Choklut
Back to what is probably not my 3rd most favorite brewery. Milk chocolate nose. Dark brown color with long lasting creamy tan head. Lots of sweet chocolate, like a candy bar. Full full full body with smooth low carbonation. Like chocolate syrup was added. The beer has decent malt backbone to keep it up. The wife would love it. 3 Star.

Mikkeller Jackie Brown
The Denmarkians hit us with a brown ale color. Citrus grassy hop nose. Good strong grass hop flavor. The malt can't quite balance it. Bitter aftertaste comes and goes. But you know what, it works out GREAT with that chocolate finish. 4 Star.

Fantastic experience overall, and the Kobe beef cheeseburger was excellent. (I ate a lot of cheeseburgers on this trip). Run don't walk. Get to Coles immediately if you are in the Buffalo or Western New York area. I'm telling you now, you won't regret it. Especially with so much Southern Tier (who even have a Pumpkin Imperial beer), you must check it out. Get the Kobe Beef and have at it. Next up on the trip, Ontario.