ALERAISERS

The Beer Of the Week for the week of 7/21/2011 is:

Port Brewing Company’s MONGO IPA

A recent phone conversation with my brewing buddy Joe led to him telling me about all the wild and wonderful west coast beers he was rolling around in.  In that conversation he mentioned a fantastic IPA his fiance and he were digging these days–MONGO.  A light bulb went off–”HEY, I HAVE ONE OF THOSE!”  Yet another remnant of our trip to Spokane back in May(Thank you $90 luggage-overweight fee), this weeks beer of the week is a spicy not-so-little IPA–MONGO(No relation to the giant softy ridding on the cow in Blazing Saddles)!

Mongo pours a nice, crisp, and clear golden wheat color with milkshake thick, foamy, white head.  The aroma is piney, sappy, sweet–awesomely earthy and hoppy.  The taste is lightly malty up front, followed by a slow moving tsunami of piney hops, that finishes fantastically bitey, bitter, and dry.  Start to finish a nicely balanced beer.  Its medium to light bodied with light carbonation.  Im really liking this beer right now.  Its a hop-heads IPA–definitely on the bitter side compared to a lot of the big s IPAs these days.  An excellent summer sipper.

4.2/5.0

Purchased at Rosauers in Spokane, WA

The Beer Of the Week for the week of 7/7/2011 is:

Southern Tier’s Iniquity Imperial Black Ale

This weeks BOW takes us back to those Yanks we hate to love–Southern Tier Brewing Company.  If you haven’t caught on to Southern Tier, you are missing out!  These boys from “the big city” state know brewing…and they know the sweet spot lies in three beautiful words–Eye Pea Aye!

The iniquity imperial black ale pours a deep, dark reddish/black that can only be seen when the smallest traces of light that aren’t absorbed squeeze through.  On top of that swamp-water-esque color sits a tan colored foamy head.  The aroma is malty dominant–lots of dark fruit, and dark roasted chocolate malts.  There are hints of vanilla, and some earthy hoppy undertones.  The flavor is is dark coffee and pitted fruit sweet up front. That balances and then finishes a dry but fruity sweet.  There is light carbonation and a medium syrupy body.  This is a yummy beer.  Im really into the dark IPAs lately and this is an excellent example albeit on the malty side of an IPA.

4.0/5.0

Purchased at Green’s Beverage on Ponce de Leon in Decatur, GA

The Beer Of the Week for the week of 6/9/2011:

Avery Brewing Co.’s  The Maharaja

Move over LeBron.  Bringing its talents all the way to Wakefield Street via Spokane from Boulder, Colorado–The Maharaja, a real king.  Oh…and this one has game without being a jerk.  This weeks BOW is an Imperial IPA and another of our scores from our trip out west, and ohh is it mighty…yummy.

From their site:  ”Maharaja is derived from the sanskrit words mahat, – “great” and rajan – “king”. Much like its namesake, this imperial IPA is regal, intense and mighty. With hops and malts as his servants, he rules both with a heavy hand.”

The Maharaja pours a crystal clear amber; the color of granny’s sweet tea.  It has a couple fingers of nice creamy off-white head.  For an imperial IPA, a usually hop forward beer, this beer’s aroma is quite sweet like sticky caramel, but well balanced against the hoppy aroma of citrusy pink grapefruit .  The flavor is well balanced–fruity sweetness up front  that fades into a perfectly balanced caramel/citrus mash-up and finishes an IPA floral/citrus bitter.  It has light carbonation and smooth silky body.  This is a one of a kinda, fantastic summer beer.  WE’RE NOT WORTHY!

4.5/5.0

Purchased at Rosauers somewhere in Spokane, Wa

The Beer Of the Week for the week of 6/2/2011 is:

Ninkasi Brewing Company’s Spring Reign

On a recent trip to Spokane, WA( that’s Sp-OH-CAN for the non-natives) to see my little brother graduate from high school, Ms. HG and I took a trip to the local Rosauers in search of some new-to-us west coast beer.  $50 later we walked out with a basket full of beer we’d never tried and a covetous desire to live in the Pacific Northwest for a while–a least until we’ve tried all their beers.  In honor of Bug, the graduate, and his aspirations at the University of Oregon, this weeks BOW comes from non other then Eugene Oregon–the home of the Fighting Ducks and some of the ugliest football uniforms on the face of the planet.

From the bottle:  ”Spring forward with this refreshing seasonal ale.  Notes of toasted malt up front, finished with a bright and refreshing Northwest hop aroma, it’s a session beer that anyone can enjoy!”

Spring Reign pours a golden blonde with foamy white head.  The aroma is slightly floral with a refreshingly subtle malt underlay.  The taste is maltly, slightly sweet and floral–not overly sweet like an imperial beer, but simple and refreshing.  It also has a nice, clean bitter finish.  The body is light, and the carbonation is low.  This is an ultra refreshing summer beer–good flavor, nothing overpowering, and easy to drink on a hot summer day (not that they know what that is in Eugene, OR).

Purchased at Rosauers in Spokane, WA.

3.7/5.0

The Beer Of the Week for the week of 05/05/2011 is:

Left Hand Brewing’s Oxymoron

An Inda Pale Lager?  What the hell!? Right?  Its….ummm……OXYMORONIC!  If the artwork or the fact that this is a Terrapin/ Left Hand collaboration didn’t intrigue you then collision of Lager and IPA should.

From thier site: “Oxymoron is the third in a series of one-time releases between our two breweries. A combination of contradictions embodied in liquid form, Oxymoron is an American-style IPA brewed with three German malts, six German hop varities, and a lager yeast strain. Obnoxious yet reserved, elevated yet modest, it’s the embodiment of blending two brewing philosophies together in order to achieve singularity. Consider it an expression of cruel kindness.”

Oxymoron pours  a burnt orange color with slightly off-white head that laces and leaves.  The aroma is fruity and sweet(“…maybe strawberries?,” Mrs. HG says) with the slightest hint of floral hops.  The aroma is definitely more like a lager then and IPA.  The taste is malty and honey sweet, with a nice bitter finish, and a fresh fruit sweet sandwiched in between.  It is complex and nicely balanced.  It has a whispy body with light carbonation.   This is a pretty good summer beer.  It has tons of flavor and character but nothing is overpowering.

3.6/5.0

Purchased at Twenty-Nine Package on Lawrenceville Hwy in Lilburn, GA

On a personal note…I would like to raise a glass and toast the men and women of our armed forces, especially those SEALS the world is talking about these days.  Thank you for all you’ve done and do!

The Beer Of the Week for the week of 4/27/2011 is:

Dogfish Head’s Namaste

“The spirit in me respects the spirit in you.”

And the spirit in Dogfish Head’s Namaste respects the spirit in your summer.

This Belgian-style white pours golden wheat straw color with two good fingers of bright white head.  It is quite refreshing to smell: notes of green raisins,  cloves, fresh cut grass, and summer.  There are subtle citrus notes and some residual Belgian yeast.  The taste is clean and refreshing.  Hints of oranges and wheat are followed by Belgian yeast and finished off by a slightly orange peel bitter finish.  There is little sign of hops, and/or anything resembling dark malt, but it is excellently crisp and thirst quenching– A great summer beer.  Its light and wispy in body with light carbonation.  Brewed with lemon-grass, coriander, and orange, this is the perfect beer for those squelching hot Atlanta summer nights and would fit well in any festive summer celebration.

3.7/5.0

Purchased at Tower Package on Buford Hwy in Doraville

The Beer Of the Week for the week of 04/07/2011 is:

Brewdog’s Hardcore IPA

SPRING HAS SPRUNG!  How do I know?  My legs are covered in poison ivy, and my insatiable lust for IPAs overcomes me on the beer aisle.  Anyone who reads my BOWs knows of my weakness already, and many of you know its roots lie in DFH 90 Min IPA.  Until know DFH reigned supreme as my go to brewery and favorite purveyor of everything beer.  Im not saying thats changed, yet, but if there ever was a challenger for numero uno, it would be Brewdog and their Hardcore IPA.

From their site:

“This little bottle has a grandiloquent story to tell.

2,204 malted Maris Otter grains gave all they had to offer the world to provide the robustly delicate toffee malt canvas for the ensuing epic.

6 Hop Cones willingly sacrificed themselves in fiery cauldron that is our brew kettle to ensure your mouth is left feeling punished and puckering for more.

9,900,000,000 yeast cells frantically fermented their little hearts out as the sugars were magically turned into alcohol in the dark depths of our fermentation tanks.

This explicit ale has more hops and bitterness that any other beer brewed in the UK. This is an extreme beer rollercoaster for freaks, gypsies and international chess superstars.”

The Hardcore IPA pours an hazy, orange-ish color with a nice foamy, tan head thats decently thick and leaves good lacing.  The aroma is hop-dominant citrusy, fruity with undertones of dark fruit and a caramely, malty sweetness.  The taste, like all of the best Imperial IPAs, is surprisingly balanced.  After wafting the Hardcore IPA one might expect to be blown away by bitter, but upfront this beer is quite toffee, pitted-fruit sweet.  There are definitely notes of aromatic citrusy hops, but its not until the finish as the beer slides off the back of your tongue that your are introduced to that all too familiar, yet eagerly welcomed slap in the face bitter.  Its an amazing, lingering, “welcome to spring,” fresh bitter that leaves you wanting more.  There is a smooth and silky mouthfeel, and moderate to light carbonation.  BE WARNED…you will fall in love with this beer.  Its in contention for my new favorite beer.  Thank you Brewdog!!

5.0/5.0

Purchased at Tower Package on Buford Hwy in Doraville.

The Beer Of the Week for the week of 03/03/2011 is:

Dogfish Head’s My Antonia

Much like Jim Burden, I have an infatuation…one that keeps drawing me back.  Fortunately for me, my infatuation is one that my wife will allow, and so I dont have to wonder “what if”; Dogfish Head.  Time and time again, Im drawn back to their fun boundary-breaking brews, and time and time again I am rewarded.  My Antiona is a bit of a boundary breaker for Dogfish.  Its a journey outside their wheel hose of ale-centric brewing, down the road of “old world tradition” in a wolderfully “lagerific departure.”

My Antonia pours a crystal-clear golden wheat color, with bright white, foamy head that leaves its mark.  The beer smells great.  Refreshing, sweet, and hoppy–it has a honey sweet smell, with fresh fruit notes, and a citrusy, hoppy aroma that leaves you wanting more.  The taste is elegant, and simple; a crisp clean fruity upfront taste that fades beautifully into a dry, aromatically bitter, hoppy finish.  There is a crisp, creamy medium-bodied mouthfeel with perfectly light-ish carbonation.  Another job well done for Sam and the boys.  Thanks!

4.0/5.0

Purchased at Twenty-Nine Package on Lawrenceville, Hwy in Lilburn

The Beer Of the Week for the week of 02-10-2011 is:

The Stone Brewing Company’s Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale

I dont know about the rest of you guys, but I am a devout follower of Punxsutawney Phil, and according to PP Spring is on its way!  Along with Spring, my desire for pungent and bitter slowly staggers out of hibernation and the HOPS(the plant not the contributor) love train gets back on track.  Beers like this one(and the 90min I had last week) help to spur that movement on.

From their site: “We’re brewers whose substantial mettle and idiomatic approach to brewing allows us to consistently create works of art such as this justifiably self-righteous ale. Its bitterness hits our sweet spot. Its blackness lightens our hearts. Its liquid dichotomy pulls it all together in this sublimely sacrosanct ale. Yes, we damn well know our stuff here at Stone, and it would be irresponsible of us not to acknowledge how remarkable this heavenly creation of ours is. Thus the name we are compelled to give it — Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale — serves as a reminder of just how good we are, in both liquid and verbal form.”

The Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale beer pours pretty dark, a Coke-a-Cola black with a few good fingers of beige, foamy head.  The aroma is wonderful; strong floral, citrus notes upfront, but a surprising balance by burnt maltiness emerges and is followed up by the slightest hint of alcohol heat.  The taste goes pretty much the same way.  Strong aromatic, bitter hops dominate first sip, and that is met with a dark-roasted malt return volley that slowly gives way to a crisp bitter finish.  It is medium to full bodied with with medium to low carbonation.  This is an excellent dark but hoppy beer; in the vein of my favorite emerging style of beer, Cascadian Ales.  Do your self a favor and give this one a try…its good, just ask Stone.

4.2/5.0

Purchased at Twenty-Nine Package on Lawrenceville Hwy in Lilburn, GA

The Beer Of the Week for the week of 2/3/2011 is:

BrewDog’s Parodox Isle of Arran(Batch #016)

If you saw what Santa brought me, you’ll know that BrewDog has been on my radar for a while.  For the most part Id assumed we just didn’t get their beer here in the US outside of special order from the land of Kings and Queens, so you can only imagine the haste with which I grabbed this little guy up, placed him gently in my overflowing beer basket at Green’s,and subsequently scared the bejeezus out of my wife(thats another story).  This beer is the evil offspring of a “friends with benefits” relationship between Brewdog and The Arran Whisky distillery.  Brewdog made the stout, Arran loaned ‘em some primo whiskey barrels for maturation.  The result…YuhMe!

The beer pours near-black.  It has an awesome creamy, root beer float head, in both consistency and color, that leaves substantial lacing as it lives out its life.  The aroma is roasty, smoky, and complex.  There are hints of chocolate and molasses with subtleties of vanilla and whisky.  Upfront the taste is of chocolate and chocolate-roasted malts.  That transitions to a smoky, peaty, molassesy sweetness that finishes dry and charred.  The feel is not incredibly substantial, as you might expect from and imperial stout, and the carbonation is light to low.  Overall, Im excited to try my other two BrewDogs.  This is an excellent stout, and the whisky barrel aging adds that little extra that makes you want more….be careful though at 10% it’ll put you to bed.

4.2/5.0

Purchased at Green’s Beverage on Ponce de Leon in Decatur, Ga