Texans Win with Leinart... Bitch Please

Beer Log: Right now

State: Eating baked salmon seasoned with Rock Salt, Rice and Broccoli. Watching Hell on Wheels.

Brewdog Bitch Please

The dawgs are at it again. And here we go... Deep brown color with a thin tan head in my Old New Orleans rum snifter. Nose has a huge caramel malt, pepper, alcohol, and something like sherry and smoke. Taste is heavily weight toward burnt wood or likely oak. I get some malt and alcohol in there but this is a wow beer on the flavor, typical of the Brewdogs. The more I sip it the more I get that charred oak with maybe something like whiskey. Either way there is plenty of strong sherry and sweet caramel. High octane beer all around, but a great sipping beer. If I could smoke indoors, I'd a cigar with it. Low 4 stars.

Oh, and you had to know this was coming...

Finally Sink the Penguin Beering: Culinary School?

So I'm sitting here just putting the kiddo to bed while the wife is sleeping off all the Tactical Nuclear Penguin and Sink the Bismark beer, and I get tweeted by one of my brothas in beer that my blog made the 50 best beer blogs on Guide to Culinary School. As much as I am a foodie (big fan of Fine Mexican Dining and Mediterranean kabobs), I'm not much of a cooking kind of guy. Maybe one day after the wife leaves me for one of those muscle framed brothas that play in the NFL I'll put some effort into cooking. Anyway, big thanks to GCS for the shout out on their website. I'm probably going to cry.

I guess I should fire up a recent beer adventure. So tonight the wife and I have meetings that start at 6:30AM (gotta get that oil), so what better way to spend an evening repairing the ol' marriage than a trip to Pub Hub for some Avery Rumpkin and two of the strongest beers EVER brewed.

Beer Log: Just about 2 hours ago
State: kinda hungry, still pissed the Texans blew it AGAIN, eating a BBQ chicken pizza

After a long day at the office, the wife and I met at our favorite Katy area beer bar, also known as the ONLY Katy area beer bar. Unfortunately the first couple of weeks after they opened, the B4-U-Eat folks were clowning these guys. Seems to have subsided. First up I grab the Scrimshaw Pils which is sweeter than I remember it last, and then onward to the Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye. Turns out that they are tapping the Avery Rumpkin tonight, so why not. They were supposed to tap it at 8PM, but here it is 6:08 and the guys said they tapped it earlier b/c they just had to taste it. So they had no problem getting us a couple goblets.

Avery Rumpkin
As much as I talk about Avery, do I need to put the link. This puppy was in your standard red wine goblet and served probably a touch too cold. But DAMNED if this thing did not taste and smell just like the Old New Orleans Rum Cajun Spice , which I also love. Nice high concentration on cinnamon, molasses, caramel, and joy. Enough hops to balance it out. I know some of the beerfolk would not dig that the rum came on this strong, but I like it.

Brewdog Sink the Bismark. So me and the Brewdogs have not been getting along, like ever. I think they use entirely too much black patent and peat in their beers, which is a flavor I just can't get with. But when your local suburban beer bar says that for $18 a shot you to can have the strongest beer EVER brewed (cost like 70 British Pounds for a 12 ouncer), why not. 41% abv. Great Ceaser's ghost!!! Mondo moldy bread and alcohol nose. Amber color. Great super malt, massive hops, and big burning alcs. Good night. Tastes like beer, just stronger than anything I've had in my life. WOW. 5 stars for the eisbier.

I love a great strong beer that is further distilled by freezing it, draining off all the thicker alcholic brew, shooting the remaining ice in your veins, and bottling the beer. Just a great old school technique. Though I'm used to it only being with bocks. Brewdog did good this time.

Damned if Pub Hub did not also have the Tactical Nuclear Penguin as well.
Tactical: malty peat and band aid nose. Has a strong scotch thing going on. Lots of peat, bitter, and whatnot. That one is a lot rougher. Like hickory bbq sauce. 3 stars

So there you have it. My first 5 star beer for Brewdog, just in time for the running of the Beerbrotha beer of year. Should be a great holiday season for all. Alright, I'm going to work. No more travel the rest of year save maybe a quick trip to Louisiana. Otherwise, next up is a Vegas baby early next year. Holla.

Beering at the Saucer: Finally

Well I fell well short of getting to 200 beers at the Saucer this summer. Here it is October and I haven't been back here in a couple months. Oh well, I can certainly make up for lost time...

Beer Log: Today, right now
State: On the laptop sitting outside in perfect weather at the Flying Saucer. Putting together some documentation to get a raise and/or a promotion.

Real Ale Oktoberfest
The fellas in Blanco, TX are hitting us with a seasonal, and I think this is the first Oktoberfest they've done since I've been in the beer world. This beer looks and smells VERY authentic oktoberfest. Toast/malt nose coming off strong from the thin head. Not to mention a perfectly clear amber color. My first beer in over a week and this thing tastes almost alt-like or American Amber like. Lots of toasty malt and I want to say American citrus hops as opposed to the funky noble hops. This thing is tasting like manna from heaven right now. I love the slightly medium body, mouthfilling, moderate carbonation. I think I'm experiencing a little absorption right now. My system has cleaned out and now I'm getting some beer in my system. 4 Stars baby.

Dogfish Head Aprihop
Had this in the spring but it's on fire sale baby! Nose is rather hoppy/malty, almost imperial like as only Dogfish Head can. Great mix of apricot and a strong american IPA. Got to love the mashups. The apricot is strong enought to power through but not so strong that it overtakes the beer itself. High 3 Stars.

Well they were out of the 512 Two beer, but now I have my heart set on an Double IPA. DIPA baby. And here we go with some Brewdog.

Brewdog Hardcore IPA
Damn man, Brewdog. It's here. Damn, it actually smells like a beer and not the lit end of a cigar. The nose is actually rather fruity, kinda sweet cherries and apples, of all things. Maybe some pineapple. I get a nice citrus hop as well. This beer tastes pretty choppy, in that I don't get much up front, but hops come on strong a little bit after it gets in your mouth. The beer is full and wet, but leaves my mouth dry and a touch chalky. I like my beers to be more crisp these days. Harsh stuff but gets a little more drinkable as you move along. Give me 3 Stars for the chalk. I prefer the poofier and cleaner DIPAs of Avery and Dogfish.

BeerBrotha Sports Review: USA vs England

State: Chilling out awaiting UFC 115
Beer Log: right now

One time for my new favorite goalie, the guy from England. And one time for the US team basically getting run up and down the field like a rented mule, yet still walking away with a tie.

Brewdog Punk IPA
Had this for a few minutes in the old cabinet. Chilled it down and now we sample.
Pours clear and smells like Colt 45. I used to drink a little of that when I was hanging out with my wife's family in Charleston, SC. Has a heavy "beer" smell to it. Lots of bitter vegetables. Like brussel sprouts. Big heavy white head with great retention. The taste is almost like a malt liquor, just a LOT of hops. Very low malt to balance it out. I'm almost making that "bitter beer face" the old commercials used to have. Damn that beer is HARSH! I guess you are a punk if you make a funny face while drinking this beer. I know the Brewdawgs are some good workers, but damned if they didn't just make a light ale and hop the crap out of it. I think this would be a great beer to introduce craft beer to a swill drinker. After we give them this bomb, we hit them with something like a Belgian dubbel or a Doppelbock. They'll love that second beer so much they'll be craft beer drinkers for life.

Earlier I've been trying some Twisted Pine beer which has recently landed in the Houston area. We first had it at BRC, this fantastic gastropub in the Heights. Talk about some great mussels and the best damn fries I think I've ever had. Reviews for both on the way.

For now after the end of a hard week and working on the Investment Club this morning and losing two of my founding members, we should be good for a night of beer drinking, swilling, and some UFCing.

Back on the Block

Finally I'm back in the game. Had to lay off the booze for a while to get some surgery. Now I'm almost healed up though I look like Kano from Mortal Kombat. "Hey baby, did you miss me? Do you remember this knife, it's when I cut your partner, ear to ear". Man that movie ruled. Anyway, the wife and I are sitting here about to put the child to sleep. All while I was laid up looking like the Phantom of the Opera, the wife was busy buying new beer at specs. We've got an extremely grassy, acidic, and apple like Imperial IPA from Widmer. Also there are plenty of bombers and whatnot. But let's give Brewdog another shot.

Beer Log: Right now
State: Down to one eye, relaxing, eating some angel food cake

Brewdog Isle of Arran
No I'm not stupid enough to eat a palate busting food like angel food cake before trying the beer. I'm pouring this beer in my Old New Orleans Rum goblet. It pours thinner and faster than I thought, but no head at all. I've seen water bubble up more than this. Nose is complex with raisin, apple, cherry, and something like a bitter cigar smoke lingering. Not much choco or coffee like so many stouts. The taste is surprising uncomplex, just a thin woody beer, a pinch of coffee, and moderate amounts of piney hops. The second sip gets me a touch of that wood and the beer is a little puckering, sour like in feel. The body is thin, but just kinda basic. Let's see if anything changes with some warmth and a foiling AFC. It's just kinda hoppy and smokey now, black patent is what the wife thinks, and I'm inclined to agree. Maybe I was just in the mood for something stouter. Low 2 Stars.

Not sure what to think about the Brewdogs. I think they overdo it on the smoke for the beers I've had so far, and every beer I've had of there's so far is best described as what I dreaded craft beer would taste like when I was a Miller Lite guy. Not a good feeling. Kickass names though. Anyway, we've got some 5 AM and I very well may order some bottles of their super high gravity beers to put in our cellar and to sample for myself. Regardless, it's good to be back on the block.

The Beer Arms Race

Oh it's TIME baby. Our good friend Ronnie Crocker over at Beer, TX blog put out a great article about how so many brewers are upping the ante on alcohol.

Looks like they are going to be using Sam Adams Utopias for breakfast beer soon. Brew Dog is hitting them hard with Sink the Bismark and Tactical Nuclear Penguin. The good thing is that these beers are now 30% plus in ABV, and if it's still beer I'd probably still knock it back like nothing, and consequently show up to work still drunk 4 days later. I am HIGHLY considering slapping down the 42 Pounds (nearly 85 dollars) for a 330 ml bottle of Penguin. The kicker is, it's still Brew Dog. If it was Alesmith, I could be convinced.

Looks like brothas are not quite boil distilling but freeze distilling their beer.

It's a tradition a few hundred years with the oil eisbock (ice bock method). You freeze the beer, scrape off the ice, and bamm you got some serious high octane beer. Imagine if you do it three or four times.

You know what I say, more power to 'em. I say be as creative as can be. Up the octane all you can, just don't brag so much about it that they change the tax structure. Also, I'm thinking that the pendulum will swing and some brewers are going to make some very very good 3% ABV beer. We need some session beer that just killer as well. I enjoy beer, and a lot of times I just want a nice beer with my food, but I don't want to visit a hospital after a couple 12 ouncers. I mean come on man. Let's get these brothas some low alcohol beer that's in the 4 star range. I know you'll think of something.

Bashah, not the kind you smoke either

Sitting here drinking down some Sierra Nevada Bashah, watching some Winter Olympic coverage. The wife and I just took in a matinee of The Wolfman. Not a bad movie. A little slow at times, and very dark. The violence was pretty realistic. Del Toro looked out of place in this movie, maybe I'm just used to his characters in Sin City and Snatch.

Beer Log: Right now
State: Chilling out...

Sierra Nevada Glissade
Drinking this one out of my 2005 North Carolina NCAA Championship mug. Orangish clear with a fizzy but strong head. Nose has that lager-veggie smell, with a nice sugar sweetness to it. Beer has a nice breadiness to it, a low but noticeable hops, and a decent light maltiness. Tastes very noble-hop like for a Sierra Nevada. The beer is just very soft and poofy, and a lot better than the first time I had it. Low 3 Stars.

Now let's go back in time to last night...

Beer Log: Yesterday
State: Eating pizza and wings

Hole in the Rock (MDII, Minhas)
The wife found this one in one of those gift 6 packs. I believe these beers are supposed to be with some old recipes. Amber clear with lager and caramel nose. On the taste, there's not much going on besides smoothness. There is a slight malt with the pizza. Low 2 Stars.

Bashah
The collabo with Stone and Brew Dog. We had this in the house for months and I haven't tried it b/c the last time I had a Brew Dog beer it tasted like I was tasting a cigarette on the wrong side. Oh it's real. I poured this beer in my Old New Orleans rum glass. Not much head. Slight porter roast nose with a pitch black color. They billed this beer as a Dark Belgian Double IPA. And damned if they didn't hit all three flavors. It's a party of roast, smoke, coffee, infused with sourness and citrus, followed with a strong cascade hops in the aftertaste and finish. As it warms, the hops just overpower whatever was belgian about this beer and much of the dark part, and it devolved into a dark strong double IPA. High 3 Stars. Not that it's not bad, but they put it all in there. Oh it's real.

Great stuff overall. And in honor this and the many of other great collaborations in beer, here's one of my favorite collabos.

Review: Brew Dog Storm

Another Beer Brotha review:

"God, this is rough!"
Tastes like burnt cigarette.

Smells like malt and then burnt cigarette smell and taste, then ashes. And a pork smell.

This is what I thought malt liquor tasted like before I knew what it tasted like. "Tastes like a 40 and up ghetto hip hop club in north Florida."

They tried too hard and they blew it.

1 star.