New Belgium Brut IPA

For a New Year's blog a champagne-like beer seemed appropriate, so I decided to take a look at New Belgium's Brut IPA. The Brut IPA puts a fun champagne-like spin on the style. It's wonderfully effervescent, super dry, light on hop bitterness and very refreshing. After some deliberation while beer shopping, I decided to purchase New Belgium's Brut IPA for this blog. As a fan of New Belgium, I was particularly excited to see their take on the style.

As I started pouring Brut IPA, I found myself enjoying the sight of a light golden, clear IPA. I am by no means tired of hazy NE-IPAs but this was a nice change of pace. The aroma is tropical, citrusy(zesty lemon, grapefruit & orange), and a touch white wine-like, with herbal tea notes. The first bubbly sip was enjoyable with grapefruit, lemon, white grape, pineapple, grass and herbal tea. The hops are a dialed back a bit as expected with the style but what is there is really nice. The finish is where things took a turn for me. While a dry finish it is what you should expect from the style, in New Belgium's Brut IPA's case it is extremely dry & astringent, to the point I felt I needed a tall glass of water once I finished it.

New Belgium's take on a Brut IPA is not all bad but one bottle goes a very long way. As I mentioned earlier, I really enjoyed the hop flavor. There was a nice touch of grain in there as well, it just all fell apart in the finish. This is a beer I would love to revisit down the line to see if the recipe gets tweaked slightly. The potential for something great is there. In its current state, it would work for a toast at midnight on New Year's if options are limited. As a session beer, I advise you to look elsewhere.

As far as the style of Brut IPA goes, I am excited to see how big this style gets. Brut IPAs are growing in popularity by the day with more and more breweries attempting them. I look forward to trying and writing about many more.

Overall rating: 2.5/5


Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

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Happy New Year!

El Segundo Steve Austin's Broken Skull IPA

There are few beers I have looked forward to trying more than El Segundo Brewing Company's Steve Austin's Broken Skull IPA. The idea of a beer designed by the Beer Swilling Texas Rattle Snake Stone Cold Steve Austin was something I just had to try. The fact that it was not distributed in New York is the only reason I had yet to get my hands on a bottle. With the holidays here I found myself looking for a unique wrestling gift for a friend, and a bottle of Broken Skull IPA seemed like the perfect gift. Since I was going to order one, I thought I might as well get a second one to try to find out if this West Coast IPA was everything I hoped it would be.

As I poured Broken Skull IPA into my glass, I was immediately greeted by its wonderfully bold hop aroma. Loads of sticky pine resin, along with zesty grapefruit, pineapple, tangerine and an herbal spiciness seemed to jump out of the glass. I could not wait to take my first "swig of beer" and when I did I was immediately rewarded by the bold flavors of citrus and pine. Grapefruit and tangerine in particular shine, along with a touch of tropical fruit. The citrus and fruit notes provide a nice contrast to the pine & grass, which I have to admit is more subdued than I expected, but it is just the right amount for this beer. The doughy malt backbone is light but that is all that is needed here. Then a really nice touch of herbal spiciness from the Chinook hops comes in just before the crisp, clean finish.

As I worked my way through the 22 oz. bomber, I found myself stunned(see what I did there?) by how easy Broken Skull IPA was to drink. At 6.7% ABV, it is not exactly an ideal session beer but that is exactly what it drinks like. If this was available in New York, it would be a staple in my refrigerator because it is a well-made brew that is accessible to a craft beer novice as well as the more experienced craft beer enthusiast. I guess what I am trying to say is, if someone offers you a chance to try Steve Austin's Broken Skull IPA, give them an OH HELL YEAH!


Overall rating: 4.25/5


Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

To discuss this blog or all things beer like my Facebook page

Look for me on Instagram & Untappd and Twitter @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews check out: http://www.acraftylook.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Ommegang Game of Thrones: King In The North

I have only purchased a few beers in Ommegang's Game of Thrones series. The main reason for this is that I felt underwhelmed by the early entries in the series outside of Fire & Blood and decided that maybe they were a bit too gimmicky for my taste. The 2018 Game of Thrones Royal Reserve Collection had a few offerings that piqued my interest, but nothing that got me to walk out of the store with a bottle-- that was until I saw the final entry in the series.

King in the North is a barrel aged imperial stout and in early December that seems to be the only style I want to drink and blog about. I apologize for this but every time a season begins to change, I find myself looking for beer that I feel defines the season. Huge imperial stouts fit that bill and if they are aged in a barrel, even better.

King in the North is aged in a bourbon barrel, but immediately on the nose I noticed the barrel aging was not as bold as I normally like. Instead, there is the aroma of a really nice imperial stout. There is a lot of roast, dark chocolate, a touch of coffee, smoke, a hint of dark fruit and oak tannins. I was looking for more of a vanilla or bourbon note but unfortunately there was not much there.

When I took my first sip of King in the North, I was hit with a huge amount of roast, bittersweet dark chocolate, molasses, plum, dark cherry, smoke, and brown sugar with a boozy, earthy, fruity, peppery, woody finish. There is a lot to like here, the flavors line up nicely for what I would expect from a great Belgian-style imperial stout. I just wanted the barrel to shine a bit more. There were hints of vanilla, but the oak was the strongest note from the barrel. My other criticism is that King in the North is a touch thin. For a beer brewed for Jon Snow, I wanted it to have just little bit more body. Nevertheless, I enjoyed King in the North, it is a solid beer that is priced very reasonably and its bottle presentation is excellent. It also pairs nicely with the season 8 teaser trailer.

Overall rating: 3.5/5


Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

To discuss this blog or all things beer like my Facebook page

Look for me on Instagram & Untappd and Twitter @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews check out: http://www.acraftylook.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Why I Love Bourbon County Black Friday

Black Friday is my favorite day of the year. Why I feel that way has nothing to do with great deals on electronics, clothing or other household items. It has everything to do with the release of Goose Island Bourbon County Brand Stout.

The release of BCBS always seems to bring out a polarizing reaction amongst beer enthusiasts. The reason for that is undoubtedly the fact that they are owned by AB InBev. To some, it does not matter and they will wait in line to purchase a beer they adore. For others, it is a day to make a statement that they avoid Ab InBev and all of their products. From the latter, one thing I found amusing was a viral image on Facebook of people marking themselves safe from AB InBev like they were marking themselves safe from a catastrophic event in their area. I do not fault anyone who avoids purchasing Goose Island BCBS because of the entity that owns them, in fact I respect it.

As someone who loves BCBS, I have to admit, it bums me out that I am supporting AB InBev. Especially because I spend the entire year avoiding most of their products and love supporting Independent Craft Beer. However, to me, this one particular day is about more than just the beer for sale. It is about getting together with family and friends and the beer serves as a reason to do so. It has become a yearly tradition for us and each year I cherish it more and more.

Our yearly tradition usually starts with me picking up my friend(s), with one of us usually running late, and heading to our first stop around 8 AM. We pick up our bottles, and then head off to the next stop as soon as we cash out. Usually around the second stop the need for coffee comes into play for everyone else in the car. I normally run on excitement throughout the morning but it turns out my friends and wife do not. We look for the nearest coffee shop, which was Tim Horton's this year, and I am fairly certain the coffee we got that morning has yet to cool down. My dad will then call and join in the fun. Years ago, my dad thought the concept of chasing this beer was ridiculous, but the infectious nature of traveling from place to place to get something that could sell out at any moment became a thrill for him. Also, he realized it was an easy way to Christmas shop for his son. My dad also enjoys the mid-morning break of stopping for breakfast at one of our favorite diners. Then after breakfast the second part of the hunt begins, and that is finding the beer on draft. Once we find it, we  share a few laughs over a pour, reminiscing about the morning and laying out a better plan for the following year. The most ridiculous part of the day then begins-- my friend Paul and I go shopping for matching shirts(this year's dancing bears X-Mas sweaters were exquisite) before heading home for a mid-afternoon nap. We then get together for a late dinner and catch up with other family & friends over a BCBS and a lot of laughs. The night normally goes late and our Saturday mornings tend to start a little bit slower.

This whole thing might sound ridiculous to you but it is something I look forward to every year. As I get older I realize that some traditions matter and this is one of them. Life pulls us in many different directions throughout the year. I love that there is one day on the calendar that we all just drop everything and enjoy some beer. Black Friday for us is that day and I hope the tradition never ends. 

To discuss this blog or all things beer like my Facebook page

Look for me on Instagram & Untappd and Twitter @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews check out: http://www.acraftylook.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Dogfish Head 75 Minute IPA

I first came across Dogfish Head's 75 Minute IPA as part of their bomber series. At the time, I thought it was a bit too pricey and I left it on the shelf. I still wanted to try it but admittedly I forgot all about it. There is always a surplus of great beer on the shelf and if I pass on one, there is always something else to try. I admit however, I was thrilled to see 75 Minute IPA get a fall release. I am on a huge maple syrup beer kick and I really wanted to see how the beer in between two classics(60 Minute & 90 Minute) stacked up.

Like Wood Aged Bitches Brew earlier this year, 75 Minute IPA is now packaged in 6-packs and its per-ounce price has dropped substantially. The aroma of this copper-colored ipa was familar(grapefruit, orange peel, earthy pine, caramel, toasted bread) for a Dogfish Head IPA but offered something new, a subtle maple sweetness. When I took my first sip, those familiar notes shined and I knew I was drinking a Dogfish IPA. The normally bitter finish is where you can find the addition of maple syrup. It adds a nice touch of sweetness and complexity. As always, I wanted the maple syrup to be a touch bolder but I will admit what is here works just fine. This may not be a beer I want to drink year-round, but it works nicely as a nice compliment to crisp Fall weather.

Dogfish Head rarely misses when it comes to IPAs. I really enjoyed 75 Minute IPA. I will need more time to figure out where it stands on my list when it comes to 60 & 90 minute, but I think the answer for me, funny enough, will be somewhere in the middle.

Overall rating: 3.75/5

Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

To discuss this blog or all things beer like my Facebook page

Look for me on Instagram & Untappd and Twitter @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews check out: http://www.acraftylook.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Firestone Walker Dark & Stormy

The Firestone Walker Proprietor's Series needs no introduction. This series is so outstanding that even my least favorite beer in the series is still excellent. The only reason I would spend any time writing about it is if they did something different enough with it that I legitimately was not sure what to expect. With Dark & Stormy, Firestone Walker did just that. Dark & Stormy is a rum barrel aged blend that is 80% Helldorado and 20% Velvet Merkin, with freshly zested ginger and lime. 

When I first heard about Dark & Stormy, I was not as excited as I usually am about a new release in the series. I had no issue with the blend or the rum barrels, only the addition of ginger & lime. They felt like unnecessary adjuncts to an amazing series, but if any brewery could pull it off it was Firestone Walker.

The aroma of Dark & Stormy is very rum-forward. There is a nice honey sweetness as well, along with ginger, lime, a hint of chocolate, vanilla, coconut, caramel and spice. I grew optimistic from the aroma and that was rewarded when I took my first sip. Rum dominates initially before the ginger & lime are showcased. The creaminess of vanilla from the barrel finds its way in, along with the familiar graham cracker from Helldorado and a touch of chocolate from the Velvet Merkin. I wanted more of the Velvet Merkin to come through but I found myself enjoying Dark & Stormy for what it was. A fun, yet different addition to an illustrious series. However, I would not recommend this to any one who does not like rum. Rum is the dominant note here and I could see that being off-putting to some. 

Dark & Stormy is another great addition to the Proprietor's Series. I will admit it rates on the low end for me as far as the series goes, but I still think it is excellent.

Overall rating: 4/5

Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

To discuss this blog or all things beer like my Facebook page

Look for me on Instagram & Untappd and Twitter @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews check out: http://www.acraftylook.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Clown Shoes La Bestia Furiosa

Cooler temperatures have arrived and my craving for rich imperial stouts is at an all time high. Over the past week I have enjoyed a few, including this year's Sierra Nevada Narwhal. That beer is always particularly amazing and at its price point I can't recommend it enough. This blog however, is not about Narwhal. It is about Clown Shoes' La Bestia Furiosa, so let's get to it.

Aged in both rum and bourbon barrels with chiles and spices, this Mexican-Style Imperial Stout was impossible not to purchase. I have enjoyed many of Clown Shoes' barrel aged offerings in the past and expected this particular one to be no different. I typically love Mexican-Style stouts as well, and that alone made this an automatic purchase. Basically, this beer checked a lot of boxes. I just hoped it was as good as I wanted it to be.

La Bestia Furiosa's aroma is full of rich, decadent chocolate. This translates to what dominates the flavor as well but we will circle back to that. The nose also had a nice touch of cinnamon, nutmeg, peppers, bourbon, vanilla and a touch of rum. There was a lot in the aroma of La Bestia Furiosa to like.  Everything I mentioned in the aroma is in the taste but the chocolate I mentioned earlier makes this one of the sweetest beers I have had in awhile. I admit, it has been a long time since I had Clown Shoes' Chocolate Sombrero which is the base beer for La Bestia Furiosa, but I do not remember it being this painfully sweet.

I arrogantly thought I could tackle the 22 oz. Bomber by myself, but I was completely overwhelmed by the La Bestia Furiosa's sweetness. The more this beer warmed, the sweeter it got. The rum and vanilla in particular come through more as it warms, further enhancing the cloying sweetness. While I could continue to complain about this beer being too sweet, I think you get the point.

One thing this beer barely delivers on is the heat. When there are 3 different peppers in a beer with a dragon and a volcano on the label there is a realistic expectation that the beer is going to be spicy. In La Bestia Furiosa's case, the spice is there but it is subdued. I have complained about this before but if the heat was dialed up just a little more, I think it would have made the sweetness bearable for me. Unfortunately, it just did not happen.

While I was not a huge fan of this beer, I could definitely see a fan of dessert beer enjoying it. If rich, absurdly sweet beers are right up your alley then you will love this beer. It is not my thing but it does deliver what it promises--a Mexican Hot Chocolate-style stout with dual barrel treatment. It just wasn't for me.

Overall rating: 2.25/5


Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

To discuss this blog or all things beer like my Facebook page

Look for me on Instagram & Untappd and Twitter @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews check out: http://www.acraftylook.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!