Friday, August 29, 2014

#10: Pride (Amager Bryghus)

Name: Pride (from The Sinner Series)
Brewery: Amager Bryghus
Style: Imperial Stout, 10%


I've been ogling the bottles in Amager's Sinner Series for a while, and I will probably end up blogging all of them. They are named after the seven deadly sins, and their labels are all pretty cool.
Copenhagen Pride is going on right now, so I figured this one would be a good one to start with, even though the beer is about a different kind of pride. *wink*
I had it just below room temperature, and it was very good. The only thing that would raise my opinion of it would be an extra taste in there to set it apart from others in my memory. It's the poster boy for imperial stouts, though. Very good.

Label: 3.5/5
Beer: 4/5

Sunday, August 24, 2014

#9: DIPA (Electric Nurse)

Name: DIPA
Brewery: Electric Nurse
Style: Double India Pale Ale, 8%


At first when I saw this beer, I thought Electric Nurse was the name of the beer, but it turned out to be the brewery. ( -10 points to the beer, +10 points to the brewery) I thought a double IPA named Electric Nurse, with those mischievous-looking label ladies, was sure to be a hoppy, crisp, awesome drinking experience.
The smell made me "mmmm". The taste was good, although not the freshest. It's a solid double IPA, but nothing really stands out about it. I'll definitely drink it again and again if it's made available, but I won't seek it out.

Label: 3/5
Beer: 3.5/5


Monday, August 18, 2014

#8: Neapolitan Milk Stout (Saugatuck Brewing Company)

Name: Neapolitan Milk Stout
Brewery: Saugatuck Brewing Company
Style: Milk Stout, 6%


I saw this bottle at Ølbutikken and I loved its cute retro style. It made me want to listen to oldies and have a milkshake. I at least had to get some Neapolitan ice cream to enjoy with it.
At first, this stout smells a bit burnt, so I was a little worried. But when I tried it, I was pleasantly surprised with the taste. The Neapolitan flavors—chocolate, vanilla, and strawberry—are all delicately there. Also, just like I'd hoped, having the ice cream with it enhanced the experience. Since it is less heavy than my usual stouts, eating more than a couple bites of ice cream before a sip of beer does make the beer get a bit lost in my mouth, but I discovered that having two sips of beer for each bite of ice cream was just about perfect. If I get another bottle, I'm totally making a beer float with it.

Label: 3.5/5
Beer: 4/5





Saturday, August 16, 2014

#7: Abraxas - Barrel Aged (Perennial Artisan Ales)

Name: Abraxas (Aged in rye barrels.)
Brewery: Perennial Artisan Ales
Style: American Imperial Stout, 11.2%


Evocative of ancient Mayan or Incan design, this label makes me expect a complex, spicy, chocolatey brew. I want liquid hedonism—that sinfully decadent taste and mouthfeel that rewards you just for being alive.
This has that potential. I think if I had tried it after it had aged more, that may have made it better. It was still really good—definitely complex and spicy. The cacao nibs and vanilla didn't come through enough for me though. If it was just a touch sweeter and thicker, it would have been perfect.

Label: 4/5
Beer: 4/5


#6: Nielsbohrium (Cigar City Brewing)

Name: Nielsbohrium
Brewery: Cigar City Brewing
Style: American Imperial Stout, 10%


Ooo, science. When I heard that this beer existed, I wanted it no matter what the label looked like and no matter what kind of beer it was. I'm a sucker for science. When I went to Mikkeller & Friends to pick up this bad boy, I was very happy with the label. It stirred my inner steampunk and I couldn't wait to pop the bottle open at Niels Bohr's grave and toast to him and science. When the time finally came, the taste did not disappoint! It was perfectly balanced, had a great mouthfeel, and a divine nose. And you know how that beer became so amazing? SCIENCE.

Label: 5/5
Beer: 5/5


#5: It's Alive! - Lychee (Mikkeller)

Name: It's Alive! (Brewed with lychee and aged in white wine barrels.)
Brewery: Mikkeller
Style: Sour Ale, 8%


A poster at Mikkeller & Friends caught my eye. Is this someone drowning in pink champagne? What? It wasn't until I went up to it that I saw that it was actually a poster size version of a beer label. Then I saw the word "lychee" and I was sold. I had to have this beer. They had it in the bottle shop, and it was this cute little ladylike bottle, looking very much like champagne.
I was a little disappointed with it, but only because I was expecting it to be absolutely heavenly. I wanted a lot more lychee; I only picked up on it (and the white wine with it) for a fleeting moment before the aftertaste set in. It was a good beer, but it could be so much better.

Label: 4/5
Beer: 3.5/5


#4: Voodoo Doughnut - Pretzel Raspberry & Chocolate Ale (Rogue Ales)

Name: Voodoo Doughnut - Pretzel Raspberry & Chocolate Ale
Brewery: Rogue Ales
Style: American Brown Ale, 5.4%


This is a collaboration between Rogue and Voodoo Doughnuts, an awesome groundbreaking doughnut shop in Portland, OR. They've done three beers together, and they're all in these bright pink bottles (because Voodoo doughnuts come in pink boxes) with the Voodoo doll doughnut on them. It certainly catches the eye, whether you're familiar with the doughnut chain or not.
I'd heard mixed reviews of the first Voodoo beer (maple bacon), so I didn't have my hopes too high for this one, but the description sounded good. By itself, the beer is kinda boring. Not bad, but not the deliciousness I would hope for with the taste combination of pretzel and chocolate and raspberries. However, pair this beer with a donut and it really brings out the flavors! Maybe it was a work of mad brilliance after all.

Label: 3.5/5
Beer: 3.5/5


#3: Cat Porter (Bryggeriet Refsvindinge)

Name: Cat Porter
Brewery: Bryggeriet Refsvindinge
Style: Porter, 7.4%


OH MY GOD I LOVE CATS. So yes, if I see a beer with a cat on the label, chances are I'm gonna try it.
This was a lot smokier than I usually want in a porter, but it was a good beer. I think I'd just really have to be in the mood for it to fully appreciate it.

Label: 3.5/5
Beer: 3.5/5


#2: Motherland (Hopworks Urban Brewery)

Name: Motherland
Brewery: Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB)
Style: Russian Imperial Stout, 9.6%


What was I just saying about liking things that look like stereotypical Commie Russia propaganda?
I had high hopes for this one because I loved the label, and I love stouts, and I knew I could usually trust HUB to make a good beer. This one, however, was nothing special. I wouldn't quite say it was as boring as a communist's closet, but I wasn't impressed. It's a stout that doesn't stand out. It'll do the trick if you're craving a strong dark brew and this is the best one available, but this would never be the one I crave specifically.

Label: 4/5
Beer: 3.5/5


Friday, August 15, 2014

#1: Rise-Up Red (Hopworks Urban Brewery)


Name: Rise-Up Red

Brewery: Hopworks Urban Brewery (HUB)
Style: American Red Ale, 5.8%



I have an affinity for things with a stereotypical Commie Russia propaganda style. I've bought comic books, novels, breath mints, soda, and home decor (among other things) just because they had that kind of design. Beer is no exception.
Rise-Up Red is one of my favorite red ales. It goes down easy but still has a lot of flavor. It's full-bodied and hoppy and a tiny bit earthy.

Label: 4/5
Beer: 4/5