Tag Archives: Alkeelholic

ReDANKulous – Founders Brewing Company – Grand Rapids, MI

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DSC_0017Brew: ReDANKulous

Brewery: Founders Brewing Company

Style: Imperial IPA

Pours a burnt orange umber, beckons with a strong nose of hops. The fresh hops in ReDANKulous bring forth bitterness and incredible flavors of citrus, tropical fruit, as well as a pleasant spiciness. Flavors of caramel, toffee, and malt surround a body of hops and stone fruit contributing to a well tempered savory sweet flavor. The fruit body includes notes of citrus in the form of grapefruit, blood orange and tangerine (& others) and notes of stone fruit and dark fruit like mango, cherries and plums. Flavors of peppers, guava, and apricot are also detectable. The expertly crafted hop blend (Chinook, Mosaic and Simcoe) delivers a truly “dank” taste and a delicious resiny mouth feel.  You will find your own draw in the myriad of contributors, the complexity is like a welcoming abyss of flavors, grab a ReDANKulous and fall down the rabbit hole.

Seller Description: reDANKulous Imperial Red IPA is a no frills, bold 9.5% ABV India Pale Ale. It pours a pleasing burnt amber with some sweetness due to the Caramalt and roasted barley used in the malt bill. But hops are the true headliner in this elaborate sensory experience. The spicy, piney, tropical complexities of Chinook, Mosaic and Simcoe hops hit you right away with their dank aroma—and they stick around. Take a sip to have your palate simultaneously walloped and caressed in all the right places. Combined, the hops take the beer to 90 IBUs. It’s not just ridiculous. It’s reDANKulous.

Henney’s Dry Cider – Herefordshire (Worcester), England

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IMG_3762Brew:  Henney’s Frome Valley Herefordshire Dry Cider

Brewery: Henney’s Cider

Style: Cider ABV 6%

Henney’s Dry Cider pours a crisp, striking shade of gold.  The nose beckons with the scent of apples and apple rind that makes the mouth water.  The taste is dry and pure, the apples are extremely flavorful and savory.  There is a pleasant tartness accompanying mild tannins, mild acidity, and a perfect level of carbonation. Background notes of honey are palatable as well as a hit of oak.  This is truly a cider that pleases the palate.  As I mentioned in my previous post, there is a cider revolution happening.  Interesting ciders that don’t rely on artificial sweetness are coming within reach and the brewers offering these interesting libations are becoming increasingly creative.  Henney’s is a great example of a perfect go-to expertly crafted dry cider that comes to us from Herefordshire (Worcester), England. The apples (locally grown English cider apples) contribute to a mind-numbingly refreshing flavor that has interesting depth.  If you haven’t, start drinking cider and accept no artificial overly sugared garbage.  If you’re looking for a place to start… or continue, reach for a Henney’s.

Seller Description: Sparkling. Henneys Dry Cider is our best selling cider. Smooth, light and refreshing.  Sweet, appley aroma. Palate has a delicious bittersweet apple character with some spicy bite and a bit of a tannic grip. Very fruity and quite pure, with a nice savoury twist.

The Crowbar – Sonoma Cider – Headlsburg, CA

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Brew:  The Crowbar – Habanero Lime

Brewery:  Sonoma Cider

Style:  Cider ABV 6%

Sonoma’s Crowbar pours a hazy golden copper color with visible fruit sediment.  There is lime on the nose as well as mouth watering habanero and apples.  The taste is surprisingly unsweet but refreshing nonetheless, filled with pleasing apple (Fuji and Granny Smith blend), lime, coriander flavors and a spicy habanero backbone.  There is a bite from the habaneros and a tartness that seems to emanate from notes of lime and sea salt  There is a warmth and smokiness from the peppers that balances the refreshing nature of the tasting experience.  All the ingredients are organic and the freshness of each contributing flavor is powerfully evident.

There is a cider revolution happening.  Instead of a sugary alternative for people who don’t enjoy beer, cider is beginning to receive its due recognition.  Cider brewers that truly embrace the depth and flavor of an expertly crafted cider are popping up left and right.  Incredible ciders that have existed for years but been unobtainable to the average consumer are coming within reach.  We are also in an era of creativity and experimentation that is breeding unexpected palate pleasing flavor combinations.  These factors are exactly what has prompted me to recommend Sonoma’s Crowbar.  The Crowbar contains a mind-blowing 2g of sugar and teaches us that the best ciders don’t hide their ingredients behind artificial sweetness. Open up your mind to good cider, and if you please, start with a Crowbar.

update: 12-19-16 – The new 2016 release of Crowbar is interesting, a great dry cider with notes of habenero and lime similar to this predecessor but not quite as good. We will see what next year has in store.

Seller Description: The Crowbar combines dry cider with the heat of organic habanero peppers and the tartness of fresh lime, creating a refreshing trio of flavors that pairs perfectly with summer staples like Mexican food and BBQ

Pirate Noir – Prairie Artisan Ales – Tulsa, OK

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IMG_3686Brew:  Pirate Noir

Brewery:  Prairie Artisan Ales

Style:  Imperial Stout ABV 12%

Pirate Noir pours a golden chocolaty brown, the nose imparts malt and rum.  Despite the high ABV, it is incredibly smooth and the taste of alcohol is not overpowering.  Notes of rum, vanilla, and cane sugar create a pleasant sweetness that is pleasing to the senses and subtle.  This brew is a luxurious experience and the woodiness and sweetness that comes from the Jamaican rum barrels is the pièce de résistance.  Undertones of coconut, toasted oak, dark chocolate, dark fruit, and candied nuts are also detectable and in the right mood you will find a flavor of your own. Prairie is a brewery that has been turning heads lately, their “artisan” ales are just that: painstakingly constructed conceptions of creativity that elevate flavors and the beers that encompass them. Well done gentlemen.

Seller Description: Pirate Noir is our Jamaican rum barrel aged imperial oatmeal stout. This beer takes our already delicious Prairie Noir and adds intense notes of vanilla, coconut, and rum to the beer.

Delirium Tremens – Brouwerij Huyghe – Belgium

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Brew:  Delirium Tremens

Brewery:  Brouwerij Huyghe

Style:  Belgian Strong Pale Ale ABV: 8.5%

Pours a clear deep golden yellow with a hint of orange, head is white and laces on the edge of the glass.  The nose is light but enticing with hints of Belgian yeast, spice, and citrus.  The taste is an extremely well tempered Belgian yeastiness surrounded by notes of banana, apple, peach, orange, and pepper. It is truly a pleasure to drink and has a sliky body with velvety lush texture. The taste is complex but extremely well-rounded and pleasing to the senses, it’s not hard to visualize sipping this beer in a Belgian “sound of music” style meadow during spring. Delerium Tremens is the classic of all classics as far as traditional Belgian beers go. This libation truly will remind you of the first great sip of beer you ever had.

Seller Description: Pale blond, the fine and regular effervesce ensures a fine and stable head. Slightly malty, a nice touch of alcohol, spicy. Feels like the sound shot of alcohol is igniting the mouth. In reality the tongue and palate are warmed. The taste is characterized by its roundness. The aftertaste is strong, long-lasting and dry bitter.

Here Gose Nothin’ – Destihl Brewery – Bloomington, IL

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Brew:  Here Gose Nothin’ : Wild Sour Series (Can)

Brewery:  Destihl Brewery

Style:  Gose  ABV 5%

Here Gose Nothin’ pours a golden orange darker than the typical gose.  The nose is fruity and floral with citrus notes and provocative hints of lactobacillus that make the mouth water before the first sip.  The taste is tart, refreshing, and dominated by citrus flavors of lemon and lime.  The tart sourness and sweetness is balanced by the perfect level of saltiness and spices.  Like Here Gose Nothin’, Many sour beers undergo a “wild” fermentation process meaning the yeast that forms the acidity comes from the local environment.  This natural process creates an acidity and a flavor that is unique to each brew and each batch. This beer undoubtedly has its own unique character and also possesses a refreshing drinkability.  Here Gose Nothin’ is a ‘wildly’ successful take on a gose and it is truly a triumph in the world of Sour Beer.  Looking forward to the rest of the Wild Sour Series…

Seller Description:  Our Leipzig-Style Gose undergoes a spontaneous fermentation, similar to Belgian-style Gueuze/Lambic beers, and exhibits a complexity of acidic flavor and aroma contributed by wild yeast lactic fermentation. Lemon, lime and other citrus-like qualities are present in aroma and on the palate, which is balanced by the spicy character of added coriander and a mineral-mouthfeel from added sea salt.

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Divergent – Rivertown Brewing Company – Cincinnati, OH

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Brew:  Divergent (On draft)

Brewery:  Rivertown Brewing Company

Style:  Berliner Weissbier ABV 3.8%

The nose is fruity with the scent of apple, lemon and a light yeastiness.  A sip immerses the drinker in flavors of apple, pear, citrus, very light hoppiness and malt, and that signature almost vinegary lactobacillus tartness.  These tastes become more apparent as the beer warms, the fruit flavors themselves are very tart and reminiscent of fruit rind. Light in carbonation this Berliner has extremely refreshing qualities that yield to a crisp tartness making the mouth water and the lips pucker. This beer is ‘Divergent’ from the traditional clear, concise, and straightforward Berliner Weiss style because it possesses full bodied fruit flavors and a sour funk that is anything but ordinary. The Berliner Weissbier style in general tends to have lower ABV but delivers on taste and a unique experience.  Divergent is true to the style in this sense and takes the refreshing qualities of a Berliner further with its flavors and depth. For a tart, flavorful, throught-provoking experience reach for a Divergent.

Seller Description: Flappers have always been a symbol of change and rebellion, harkening to a time where challenging the norm was all the rage. This beer embraces and celebrates that vibrant, relentless spirit. Representing the rebirth of a brewery and the reclamation of a dream, this beer is a completely contradictory experience where the wort is soured, the hops are minimized and the beer is filtered to be brilliant. Crisp, delicate, cutting edge, complex and tart, pouring a bright citrine with a nose of gently soured rind fruit, this beer is exactly what is needed when looking for a little something…Divergent.

Grapefruit Sculpin IPA – Ballast Point Brewing Company – San Diego, CA

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IMG_2730Brew:  Grapefruit Sculpin IPA

Brewer:  Ballast Point Brewing Company

Style:  American IPA  ABV 7%

Ballast Point’s Grapefruit Sculpin IPA pours an golden amber with an off-white head. The aroma is packed with grapefruit and a bouquet of tropical floral fragrance. The taste is also ruled by grapefruit and the hops are much less pronounced than in the traditional brew. The grapefruit is mouthwatering but, instead of being tart outright, it is sweet like a pomelo or a very ripe grapefruit. Sweet malty flavors and notes of caramel mingle in the background and contribute to the burst of grapefruit and tropical fruit. For lovers of the traditional Sculpin IPA this is a treat and an exploration in a new direction. Expertly infusing grapefruit flavors without too much sweetness was the perfect way to complement the original.  Because Grapefruit Sculpin was made with such care and attention to taste, beer drinkers everywhere are praising it instead of raising an eyebrow to a beer that couldn’t possibly measure up to its namesake.  Ballast Point has done it again and I am sure we haven’t seen the last experimentation with the legendary Sculpin IPA.

Seller Description:  Our award-winning IPA, with a citrus twist.  Our Grapefruit Sculpin is the latest take on our signature IPA. Some may say there are few ways to improve Sculpin’s unique flavor, but the tart freshness of grapefruit perfectly complements our IPA’s citrusy hop character. Grapefruit’s a winter fruit, but this easy-drinking ale tastes like summer.

Bite Hard – Boonville Cider House – Boonville, CA

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Brew:  Bite Hard

Brewer:  Boonville Cider House

Style:  Cider  ABV 6.9%

Bite Hard pours a beautiful shadowy gold with a nose of crisp fermented apple.  This cider is made with heirloom organic apples from California and fermented to a healthy 6.9% ABV.  The taste of apple accompanies the bite during the first sip and lingers on the palate after the finish.  The apple flavor is so deep and rich that it makes the mouth water and drips with authenticity.  There are also refreshingly natural notes of citrus and lemon that add to the complexity of the taste. The tart and dry up front bite is accompanied by an unexpected and welcome lack of sweetness.  This is a connoisseurs cider, one that does not need to hide behind sugar and artificial flavoring to please.  One of the most satisfying elements of Bite Hard is the utter originality of the taste.  Boonville cider house has cultivated a respectable persona with Bite Hard, this is a cider that will undoubtedly stand the test of time.

Seller Description:  Bite Hard Apple Cider is a crisp, semi dry cider, slow fermented from heirloom apples in an English tradition. Made from tannic and full bodied fruit, this cider carries its distinctive BITE with a clean and unique apple finish and citrus notes. We take the time to seek out and preserve the best that Autumn has to offer.

JDubs Brewing Company – UP TOP IPA – Sarasota, FL

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Brew:  UP TOP! IPA

Brewer:  JDub’s Brewing Company

Style:  American IPA  ABV 6.5%

UP TOP IPA pours an auburn orange with a white head.  The nose is piney with a floral quality and citrus undertones.  The taste is a testament to Jai Alai IPA but with character all its own.  The hops are present but not overpowering, there are notes of caramel, malt, and a melange of citrus.  This is one solid IPA, and a welcome addition to what South Florida has to offer.  JDubs has made Sarasota proud, if you have a chance visit the brewery have an UP TOP, play some cornhole, and be sure to sample their latest libation.  UP TOP has drinkability but doesn’t sacrifice flavor, body, or originality to achieve it. (ABV 6.5%)

Seller Description: A sessionable India Pale Ale that doesn’t slap you in the face with bitterness.  Negatron – this one inspires to find your closest pals or the person next to you at the bar and give ’em a big ol “UP TOP!”