This Righteous is Divine

With all apologies to dear ol' So-Crates, and the paraphrasing of his quote...the saying fits this beer. The actual quote goes like this, "The souls of all men are Immortal, but the souls of the Righteous are Immortal and Divine." So with that said, and proper credit given, though I feel my English teachers of yore would prefer a bit more standardized notation, here we go.

Review #48

Righteous Ale  ABV: 6.3%
Sixpoint Brewery  Brooklyn , NY  16 oz can poured into my 'Texas' pint glass

A - This pours a ruddy, deep brown with a head full of big, bountiful bubbles that looks like its sticking around awhile. The head has an egg-nog complexion, and measures about one finger. The lacing is superb and trails each sip down the glass.

N - There is strong hit of nutty, peppery malt and rye at the forefront, some caramel hint in the middle, with faint, lingering citrus clinging on to the back end. That is about it, and also, about the only weak spot on this beer. There just isn't much to take in on the nose.

T - A bitter pucker gets this tasting going, mellowing quickly into a pool of smooth and creamy malted notes. Caramel and toffee give way to a bit of spice, pepper and almost a peatiness from the rye. Works very well together, and the transition is perfect. This isn't hop dominant, but the hops that are there are very earthy, and play a small supporting role.

M - A very full mouthfeel for a moderate ABV beer. The richness of the rye envelops the tongue, coats it and the thick head lands like a snowfall. In no way uninviting, but a bit of a surprise, given alcohol and general style.

O - This is a very good beer. I have only had two other from Sixpoint--The Bengali and Resin--and this is right in line with what I would expect based on those two offerings. Resin was ridiculous when I had that on tap in New York back in April, and I still have a couple cans of Bengali to get to here. In addition, while logging this beer on Untappd, people from the brewery were quick to respond and ask what I thought. I love companies that are using social media correctly. Connect with people, do some customer service, grow a product. Glad to see another company taking advantage of these tools. Well done, guys,

Cheers

Chris

P.S. The other companies I've found excelling in social media are Stone, Squatters, and Boulevard.

Missed the Mark

Well, it doesn't happen too often when you're buying familiar brands you know produce quality craftbeer, but nobody is perfect. I'm a fan of Avery, they generally churn out quality and their special releases are usually worth the purchase. This one...it left me flat

Review #47

Anniversary Nineteen   ABV: 8.23%
Avery Brewing Company    Boulder, CO  Belgian Tripel poured into tall pilsner

A - Very, very pale. Very translucent, hazy yellow with a thin off white cap. Little retention, and average lacing.

N - Big wheat, very grainy. An unbalanced run of aromas from the coriander and clove spices to the big hit of alcohol finishing with the standard Belgian yeast 'funk' that is expected. Some green fruit mixed in; apple and pear.

T - Its just not improving. There is nothing out of place here, style wise, its just not playing well together. All these different flavor profiles are fighting for attention, and the overall loser is me this time. Again, standard yeast notes, with the mix of spice and fruit. Maybe its that the fruit seems a bit off, or that the hops don't feel well absorbed, or that the flavors come at you in crashing waves as opposed to a nice complete wash. Just don't get it.

M - Very effervescent with lots of tight bubbles, sort of thin for the style, kind of watery.

O - This is in no way going to stop me from buying another Avery product. Adam Avery and his bunch put out lots of quality. This bottle or batch could have been contaminated, my palate could have just not meshed well with this particular beer. Many factors at play, all it takes is one. Here's to the next beer...always looking up!

Cheers,

Chris

A Stone's Throw...

Piggybacked this on the heels of the Black Perle, after the kids went to bed, while Lace and I watched a movie. This is a rotating available bottle; a blend of Arrogant Bastard, Oaked Arrogant Bastard, and Double Bastard. I haven't had one since 2010. So glad I have several to enjoy over the coming months

Review #46

Lukcy Basartd  ABV: 8.5%
Stone Brewing Company  Escondido, CA  22 oz poured into tall pilsner
(enjoyed while watching rom-com with the lovely Mrs. Butler)

A - A ruby-brown pour with a moderate head. Extremely awesome lacing, though less than average retention. A real looker.

N - Very complex nose, though certainly hop dominant. There is the oak from the blended Oaked Arrogant Bastard, some heat from the alcohol. Caramel and toffee malts bolster this brew, and then you're left with lingering, bitter hops.

T - The piney, bitter hops take hold first, and though the grip lessens, they maintain their grip throughout. There is a sweet, butterscotch note somewhere in the middle, fading into a vanilla. The wood is prevalent again, similar strength to the nose. There is some light fruit notes in there that come and go quite quickly, but leave their mark--peach and apricot most identifiable

M - Very dry finish with light carbonation. The warmer it gets, the more it smooths out.

O - Well, its no secret I am a Stone fan-boy. But, seriously, if you like great beer, you should be. Unless you  are anti hops I guess. Even then, there is something in Stone's stable for you. There is a reason I was so stoked to meet Mr Greg Koch this summer. I have my favorites among all the beers they do, and this is definitely one of them. Stone is, and has been a pioneer of West Coast IPAs and brewing; always pushing  a bit further, always willing to risk. One thing Greg said this summer still stick with me, "I'd rather fail trying to make a great craftbeer than succeed in making flavorless, yellow fizz." Amen, Mr Koch, amen.

Cheers,

Chris

Perle Diver

This was supposed to go out earlier today, but a certain clingy 4 year old had other plans. Such is life, cuddles were certainly more important anyhow.
This is a Leasea retrieval from a North Carolina trip. I have had a couple beers from this company in the past, namely when I was in Charleston, SC last year. They were okay, better than average, but nothing to write home about. This, however, this is completely different...

Review #45

Black Perle  ABV: 9.5%
RJ Rockers Brewing Company  Spartanburg, SC  22 oz bottle poured into Imperial Pint
(Enjoyed while finishing a rousing family game of Yahtzee)

A - This pours to a large tan head, atop a dark black body. As the head slowly disappears, it leaves huge chunks of lacing on the glass.

S - Mild, earthy hops dance around in a a heavily roast malt and chocolate dominant nose. A strong feeling of fresh tilled, wet earth over a cup of coffee. A light bready hint in there as well.

T - The roast malt and bittersweet chocolate notes come in waves, leaving behind those earthy, resinous hops, with just a touch of burnt sugar. The finish is long lasting, coating the tongue like chocolate milk. Very pleasant and well balanced.

M - Its a complex mouthfeel, with active, small carbonation bubbles, and dry but not acerbic, and a definite stout feel overall

O - I like this quite a lot. Easy drinking for a high ABV, complex beer. Lots of flavors, all playing nicely together. The black IPA/Cascadian IPA is a style I am liking more and more. Certainly more memorable than its cousins I've had previously. There is one more on the shelf, and it may last just long enough to make it to January or February's tasting events.

Cheers

Chris