Filed under: Pilsener (flute or footed pilsener), Victory | Tags: beautiful, bologna, Bread, bubblegum, cabbage, cereal, cherry, deep, doughy, floral, ginger, golden, great, leathery, moldy, nice lacing, no head, nuts, oats, pilsner, pork, raisin, resinous, rich, simple, smoke, smoky, thick, Toast, very herbaceous, yellow
Victory Prima Pils
ABV: 5%
IBU: ?
Calories: 150
Volume: 12 fl oz
Glass: Tulip
Purchased at: Joe Canal’s
Price per fl oz: $8 / 72 fl oz = $0.11 per fl oz
Consumed on/at: home on March 18th, 2008
sensory first impression: No head but a beautiful yellow golden beer. A pilsner, to be sure – pale, clear, and plain, visually. Aroma is smoky. Aroma is deep and rich. Aroma is hints of pork and cabbage. Taste is delicious, rich and hinting of other flavors. I taste bologna. I taste bread. I taste lettuce. I taste toast. It’s wonderfully balanced, a superlative taste but so very simple and unidimensional. Lacing is nice, but head is minimal. Warm with light alcohol. A great simple beer.
Aroma/Olfactory:
Malt flavor is: bread, cereal, nuts, toast, oats.
Hop flavor is: resinous, floral, very herbaceous
Yeast flavor is: doughy, thick, moldy, leathery, deep.
Other flavors include: bubblegum, lightly cherry, ginger, raisin, smoke
Visuals/Appearance:
Color is: pale, golden, amber, light, thin, white.
Liquid is: clear, immaculate
Head and lace are: minimal, white
Taste/Flavor:
Maltiness or Sweetness level is: medium to heavy
Hoppiness or Bitterness level is: light to medium
Sour level is: none
Palate/Tactile:
Body or Mouthfeel is: medium
Texture is: creamy, thick, silky
Carbonation is: lively
Finish is: long and wonderfully balanced.
Overall experience: Visually this is not a stimulating beer, but so rewarding in other ways. It’s delicious in terms of taste, though not overwhelming in any way. It’s feel is enveloping, smooth, and mellow. Its aroma is enticing, but not overwhelming. It’s a wonderful beer, and easily my favorite pilsner.
Filed under: Jim Dundee, Porter (English pint, stem glass) | Tags: a touch of smoke, alcohol, chocolate, coffee, corn, dark, doughy, enjoyable, good, herbaceous, moldy, nuts, nutty, okay, raisin, resinous, roast, tan, translucent, very dry
J.W. Dundee’s Porter
ABV: 6.5%
IBU: ?
Calories: 170
Volume: 12 oz
Glass: tulip
Purchased at: Joe Canal’s as a part of a sampler
Price per fl oz: $11 / 144 fl oz = $.07 per fl oz
Consumed on/at: home on March 18th, 2008
sensory first impression: My first ever porter, I’m sure, and not likely the best exemplar. It’s thick enough to be dark, but still translucent. Very chocolaty, quite nutty, and not at all unenjoyable, but not nearly to the degree of Rogue or Brooklyn’s stouts. Okay lace – tan head, but not frothy or deep. Good aroma. Okay color – a bit alcoholic.
Aroma/Olfactory:
Malt flavor is: chocolate, coffee, nuts, and roast.
Hop flavor is: resinous, and herbaceous
Yeast flavor is: doughy, moldy, and very dry
Other flavors include: alcohol, corn, raisin, a touch of smoke
Visuals/Appearance:
Color is: dark reddish brown, thick but not inpenetrable
Liquid is: dark and translucent at 90%
Head and lace are: thin, tan
Taste/Flavor:
Maltiness or Sweetness level is: medium to heavy
Hoppiness or Bitterness level is: light
Sour level is: very light
Palate/Tactile:
Body or Mouthfeel is: medium to full
Texture is: creamy, thick, papery
Carbonation is: flat
Finish is: long and not bad at all.
Overall experience: A fairly dark beer with a nice nutty chocolaty taste. For the price, it’s fantastic, but for the type, it’s lacking. Spending $ on a 12 pack sampler, vs a 6 pack of chocolate stouts at 10% is like to result in different outcomes. This is likely the best of the sampler though.
Filed under: Cantillon, Lambic (flute, tumbler) | Tags: beautiful, bitter, cherry, Cinnamon, clove, crisp, dates, delicious, dry, excellent, floral, lemon, luscious, nearly opaque, nice, oak, orange, overwhelming, pith, plum, quiet, raisin, rind, rose, ruby, sharp, sour, strong
Purchased at: OakTree BuyRite, South Plainfield, NJ (Thanks, Jason and Matt)
Price: $22.99
Size: 25.4 fl oz
ABV: 5 %
IBU: n/a
Estimated Calories: 300 C
RateBeer Rating: 99
Aural: cork opening, but uneventful, beautiful, continuous carbonation, quiet, luscious pour
Aroma 10 out of 10
Intensity: strong
Balance: sharp
Impression: nice
Malt Aroma: sour
Hops Aroma: wholly floral, rose, cinnamon, clove,
Other Aroma: orange, cherry, lemon
Notes: You have to be able to enjoy sour to get into a cherry behemoth like this. While it’s not my favorite style, I genuinely appreciate it when it’s done well. It’s done perfectly.
Appearance 5 out of 5
Color: ruby
Clarity: nearly opaque
Head Retention: poor
Lace: poor
Notes: Very much like a sparkling wine, with great visual effects.
Flavor 10 out of 10
Intensity: strong
Balance: bitter
Impression: nice
Malt Flavor: sour
Hops Flavor: rose, lemon, rind
Other: cherry, plum, dates, raisin
Notes: An absolutely overwhelming sourness and bitterness. Done with finesse and great care.
Palate 5 out of 5
Mouthfeel
Sensation: drying
Body: full
Carbonation: heavy
Finish
Length: long
Intensity: strong
Balance: bitter
Notes: A dark, oaky, bitter finish and a very dry bite. delicious.
General Impression: 19 out of 20
Craftmanship: excellent
Freshness: fresh
Personal Taste: liked very much.
Notes: As I said, while this is not my go to style (luckily, since I couldn’t afford it) I definitely appreciate when it’s done well, and this is very well crafted. It demands to be sipped.
Filed under: Barleywine Style Ale (snifter), Green Flash | Tags: barley, bold, brown sugar, dark, dark roast, deep, delicious, excellent, fantastic, favorite, flint, grapefruit, great price, maple syrup, praiseworthy, pumpernickel, raisin, raisins, red pepper flake, rich, Toffee, tropical flowers, walnut, well done, wonderful
Glass: snifter
Purchased at: Joe Canal’s Lawrenceville, NJ
Price: $4.79
Size: 22 fl oz
ABV: 10%
IBU: n/a
Estimated Calories: 400C
RateBeer Rating: 93
Aural: quiet opening, gentle carbonation, uneventful pour
Aroma 10 out of 10
Intensity: strong
Balance: sweet and sharp
Impression: very nice
Malt Aroma: raisin prunes
Hops Aroma: rose spicy grapefruit
Other Aroma: grapes, sour, cherry
Notes: An amazing aroma. Incapacitating.
Appearance 5 out of 5
Color: dark ruby
Clarity: brilliant
Head Retention: average
Lace: poor
Notes: A menacing appearance – deep beautiful ruby color with brilliant clarity under an off white yellow head.
Flavor 10 out of 10
Intensity: strong
Balance: bitter
Impression: very nice
Malt Flavor: barley, pumpernickel, brown sugar, walnut, toffee, dark roast
Hops Flavor: flint, tropical flowers, red pepper flake, grapefruit
Other: maple syrup, raisins
Notes: wonderful, deep, rich, bold, dark, raisin, delicious, favorite
Palate 5 out of 5
Mouthfeel
Sensation: drying warming
Body: full
Carbonation: average
Finish
Length: long
Intensity: strong
Balance: bitter
Notes: bitter, long finish, strong, alcohol
General Impression: 20 out of 20
Craftmanship: excellent
Freshness: fresh
Personal Taste: loved
Notes: well done, great price, praiseworthy, fantastic
Filed under: Belgian Strong Ale (trappist, tulip, tumbler), Mikkeller | Tags: barley, brown sugar, bubblegum, chocolate, cilantro, Cinnamon, cinnamon toast, coffee, deep, dessert, melon, mocha, nice, opaque, oregano, raisin, rich, roast, rum, rye, sharp, strong, sweet, truffles
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Purchased at: Joe Canal’s, Lawrenceville, NJ
Price: $12.19
Size: 25.4 fl oz
ABV: 11%
IBU: n/a
Estimated Calories:450 C
RateBeer Rating: 98
Aural: pop opening, low carbonation, quiet pour
Aroma 10 out of 10
Intensity: strong
Balance: sweet and sharp
Impression: nice
Malt Aroma: brown sugar cinnamon toast truffles chocolate roast coffee
Hops Aroma: oregano cinnamon cilantro
Other Aroma: bubblegum
Notes: An enticing aroma.
Appearance 4 out of 5
Color:deep brown black
Clarity: opaque
Head Retention: poor
Lace: poor
Notes: despite the issues with head retention, the body is very deep and rich.
Flavor 9 out of 10
Intensity: strong
Balance: sweet
Impression: nice
Malt Flavor: barley rye bread brown caramel chocolate mocha coffee
Hops Flavor: rum raisin orange
Other: melon
Notes: Like dessert. A wonderful flavor much more focused on malt flavors than hop flavors, but a great taste.
Palate 5 out of 5
Mouthfeel
Sensation: creamy slick drying warming
Body: full
Carbonation: average
Finish
Length: long
Intensity: strong
Balance: bitter
Notes: finish has strong warming effect – nice hidden abv.
General Impression: 18 out of 20
Craftmanship: excellent
Freshness: fresh
Personal Taste: loved
Notes: Very malty, high ABV, but well hidden. Dark chocolate and coffee flavors. Not as fruity as I’d expect, but still a wonderful ale. Thanks, Mikkeller!
Filed under: 0lfabrikken, Porter (English pint, stem glass) | Tags: best ever, bitter, burning, chocolate, citrus, coffee, dark, delicious, earth, favorite, incredible, nuts, opaque, quiet, raisin, resin, roast, sharp, spicy, strong, sweet, tar, wondeful finish
Purchased at: Canal’s discount Liquor Mart, Burlington, NJ
Price: $8.07
Size: 22.3fl oz
ABV: 7.5 %
IBU: n/a
Estimated Calories: 400 C
RateBeer Rating:100
Aural: quiet opening, quiet carbonation, uneventful pour
Aroma 10 out of 10
Intensity: amazingly strong
Balance: sweet
Impression: delicious
Malt Aroma: chocolate roast coffee
Hops Aroma: earth tar resin
Other Aroma: prunes
Notes: Amazingly deep and burning aroma – one of the best ever.
Appearance 5 out of 5
Color: black
Clarity: fully opaque
Head Retention: persistent
Lace: little
Notes: An amazing deeply present appearance.
Flavor 10 out of 10
Intensity: strong
Balance: bitter
Impression: incredible
Malt Flavor: caramel toffee chocolate roast coffee
Hops Flavor: earth resin citrus
Other: cocoa, chocolate liquor, hops, bitterness.
Notes: This is easily one of my favorite beer flavors of all time.
Palate 5 out of 5
Mouthfeel
Sensation: sharp drying warming
Body: full
Carbonation: average
Finish
Length: long
Intensity: strong
Balance: bitter
Notes: the coffee, raisin, and other dark notes are very present in the wonderful finish.
General Impression: 20 out of 20
Craftmanship: excellent
Freshness: fresh
Personal Taste: loved
Notes: The dark notes are most enticing. Absolutely one of my favorite beers.
Filed under: brown ale [bruin] (mug), Dogfish Head | Tags: beautiful, burnt, caramel, chocolate, dark, granola, grass, hoppy, immaculate, nuts, raisin, roasted, ruby, soy sauce, sulfur, Syrupy
Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale
ABV: 7.2%
Calories: estimated at 175 C
Volume: 12 fl oz
Glass: 6 oz goblet
Purchased at: Princeton Community Liquors
Price per fl oz: $1.60 / 12 fl oz = $0.13 per fl oz
Consumed at: Home
sensory first impression: Beautiful deep dark ruby color. Nice hoppy flavor with caramel malt overtones. Beautiful lacing with a present, but thin dark tan head. Not quite a robust stout, but stands on its own as a beautiful brown ale. A delicious example of the type.
Aroma/Olfactory: 9 out of 10
Malt flavor is: caramel, syrupy, dark crusty bread, granola, coffee, nuts, roasted
Hop flavor is: dry grass, orange slices
Yeast flavor is: dust, chocolate, granules, dry
Other flavors include: alcohol, dark, burnt, water chestnuts, raisin, sulfur, soy sauce, walnut
Visuals/Appearance: 5 out of 5
Color is: dark, red, brown, ruby
Liquid is: clear, dark, immaculate
Head and lace are: minimal, brown, lace stands up
Taste/Flavor: 9 out of 10
Maltiness or Sweetness level is: light
Hoppiness or Bitterness level is: light
Sour level is: light
Palate/Tactile: 5 out of 5
Body or Mouthfeel is: medium
Texture is: creamy, slick
Carbonation is: soft
Finish is: astringent, bitter, warm, long
Overall experience: 18 out of 20. A very nice experience. I liked the color, the aroma, the flavor, and the effects. I did not like the small short lived head.
BeerCritic 