Beer Review: Enjoy By 9.21.12 IPA

Reviewing the Enjoy By 9.21.12 IPA from Stone Brewing Company. This beer was only distributed by Stone to Chicago, New Jersey and Southern California.
Score: 92

The bottle I obtained was distributed to the store the same day I picked it up and enjoyed it (08/24/12). Served in a snifter glass.

Appearance: Clean and transparent honey yellow-orange color with one finger of soapy off-white head that settles to a thin film atop the glass. Awesome lacing and retention. 4.5/5

Smell: Pinesol, tangerine, grapefruit and a hint of earthy hops overlaying a "sourdough bread" aroma backbone. As the beer warms and opens up, more tropical citrus comes through. 4.25

Taste: Sweet and hoppy juicy tropical citrus throughout with a "drying" sourdough bread flavor on the midpalate. Nice grassy hops with a touch of resinousness. The flavors here just work for whatever reason; never expected to enjoy such a bready IPA! 4.25/5

Mouthfeel: Heavier side of light bodied, medium carbonation. Juicy mouthfeel. Bitter finish. 4/5

Overall: An excellent IPA; in fact, this is one of Stone's better beers. I would absolutely drink this one again (especially at the price point) if only it both a) did not immediately fly off the shelves in Chicago, and b) was not a "one-off" IPA.

Recommendation: Stone's Ruination IPA and their Ruination Tenth Anniversary IPA that came out earlier this summer were both better, but this is a really excellent IPA in it's own right as well. Fans of savory citrus-loaded IPA should thoroughly enjoy this brew.

Pairings:

Cost: $6.99 for a 22 oz (bomber) bottle.

Beer Review: Stone 16th Anniversary IPA

Reviewing the 16th Anniversary IPA from Stone Brewing Company out of Escondido, California.
Score: 85

Bottle is from the 08/13/12 release. Served in a snifter glass and enjoyed on 08/24/12.

Appearance: Pours a clean orange-amber color with one finger of off-white, tannish head that settles to a thick ring around the glass. Nice lacing, but mediocre retention. 4/5

Smell: Lemon, candied caramel malt, and earthy hops. Some herbal spice, sage and a little Dole's pineapple juice too. 3.5/5

Taste: Strong, earthy caramel malt backbone with a herbaceous hop overlay. A little rye towards the finish. Finish/aftertaste is a dirty earthy lemon and caramel flavor. 3.5/5

Mouthfeel: Medium-light bodied, medium carbonation. Oily mouthfeel. Bitter and malty. 4/5

Overall: A very disappointing IPA. I like lemon in my IPA (Zeelander from Toppling Goliath is outstanding), but the combination of earthy caramel and herbaceous spices did not bode well with my palate. Nothing undrinkable, but nothing worth celebrating a 16th anniversary with either.

Recommendation: Stick with a fresh bottle of Stone's Ruination IPA. It is still one of the best (and cheapest) IPA on the market.

Pairings:

Cost: $6.99 for a 22 oz (bomber) bottle.

Re-Review: Galactic Double Daisy Cutter (Can)

Reviewing the latest batch of Galactic Double Daisy Cutter from Half Acre Brewing Company out of Chicago. Half Acre decided to can this batch. If you recall, I had previous reviewed a nearly six-month old bottle of Galactic Double Daisy Cutter that had held up surprisingly well. Now, with a fresh can in hand, it is time to do this beer some justice with a fresh review.
Score: 96

Can is from the Chicago Craft Beer Week release on the last week of May 2012, served in a snifter glass and enjoyed while fresh on 06/06/12.

Appearance: Pours a hazy/murky yellow-orange color with three fingers of foamy/seafoam cream colored head that slowly recedes to a thin film atop the beer. Slightly below average lacing, but really good retention. 4.5/5

Smell: Sharp and fresh orange citrus zest, sweet grapefruit, lemon, and pineapple juice. Ample doses of fresh pine, dew-laden grass and even a little resinous sap. A fresh, powerful, bold and inviting IPA aroma. 4.75/5

Taste: Sweet grapefruit and orange upfront with a mild sweet-and-sour lemonade flavored backbone. Prickly fresh pine on the center of the tongue. Lingering tropical sweet citrus flavor that is just a touch tart and giving the bitterness of the beer an invigorating pop. Can't get enough grapefruit flavor on the palate here. The balance between the hop bitterness and the citrus sweetness is really nice, and it makes the beer incredibly drinkable and refreshing. Yum! 4.5/5

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, medium carbonation. Juicy mouthfeel. Bitter, sweet and just a touch tart. The mouthfeel is spot on for an (imperial) IPA of this type. 5/5

Overall: Half Acre makes a lot of really excellent hoppy beers that rival the likes of Alpine, Three Floyds, Hill Farmstead and Lawson's, but I am firmly convinced that either this or Shewolf (a Three Floyd's collaboration IPA) is Half Acre's best brew.

Recommendation: Seek this out if you can find it fresh. It is a world class imperial IPA. I think it is on par with the likes of Arctic Panzer Wolf and Ghandi Bot.

Pairings: Grilled chicken.

Cost: $18 for a four pack of cans.

Beer Review: Fou' Foune

Reviewing the infamous Fou' Foune from Brasserie Cantillon out of Belgium.
Score: 98

Bottled 08/18/11. Served in a Kentucky bourbon ale snifter and enjoyed on 06/20/12.

Appearance: Pours an opaque pale honey color. Good lacing and retention. Pours a thick fizzy white ring around the glass. 4/5

Smell: Lots of sweet apricot mixed with pear, tangerine and sweet citrus. Nice lemon backbone to the nose, a little sweet vinegar too. No real funk in the nose, which is how I like my sours, though there is a touch of "plastic." The sweet citrus becomes a little more vibrant as the beer warms and opens up. 4.75/5

Taste: Tons of tart apricot and peach and lemon zest. A little pear flavor to boot with the tart citrus. There is just a hint of funk on the midpalate, leaving me to wonder what additional complexities this beer develops with age. I am still learning to appreciate sours and learning how to pin down their complexities, so I am sitting here wishing I knew how to better describe this beer drinking experience to no avail. Suffice it to say that I am greatly enjoying this brew. 5/5

Mouthfeel: Light-plus mouthfeel, light-plus carbonation. Tartly sweet and mildly dry on the palate, but no huge pucker effect here -- certainly less than the Classic Gueuze from Cantillon. 5/5

Overall: One of the best non-IPA/non-stout beers that I have ever had the pleasure to enjoy. If this beer was cheaper and more readily available, I would likely have a case-plus of this stuff in my cellar. Cantillon is slowly turning me on to the world of lambics, gueuzes, and other "sours."

Recommendation: Seek this world class lambic out; it will not disappoint.

Pairings: Lemon poppy seed muffins.

Cost: $35 for a 750 ml bottle (bar prices).

Beer Review: Imperial Biscotti Break

Reviewing the Imperial Biscotti Break from Evil Twin Brewing out of Denmark.
Score: 93

10 oz tap pour served in a chalice glass at the Local Option and enjoyed on 06/20/12.

Appearance: Black coffee color with thin bubbly tan layer of head that settles into a bubbly ring around the glass. Poor lacing, above average cling/lacing. 4/5

Smell: Smooth raisiny bourbon, sweet chocolate, brown sugar. Almond bread, vanilla, and muffins. Dark fruit and roasted malt. 4.5/5

Taste: Malty brown sugar and boozy bourbon upfront. Bakers chocolate towards the finish. Sweet bourbon, almond, vanilla and dry fig/prune throughout. Tastes less sweet than it smells, not that the nose is all that sweet. Less chocolate flavor than the nose led on too. Residual coffee aftertaste. I am surprised by how little coffee flavor this beer has given its namesake. 4.25/5

Mouthfeel: Medium-full bodied, low carbonation. Syrupy mouthfeel. Bitter/bittersweet, mildly acidic. 4.5/5

Overall: An excellent beer with some well deserved hype. Hopefully this won't just be a one-off for Evil Twin because this stuff was delicious.

Recommendation: Seek a bottle of this out if you get the chance, though it has already come-and-gone through the retail circuit.

Pairings: Fried plantains.

Cost: $10 for a 10 oz snifter pour.

Beer Review: Mariage Parfait (2004)

Reviewing the Mariage Parfait from Brouwerij Boon out of Belgium.
Score: 91

2004 vintage bottle served in a Kentucky bourbon ale snifter and enjoyed on 06/15/12.

Appearance: Some floaties, but not bad. A bit of hazy golden straw color with a thin fog of head atop at pour that settles to a ring around the glass. Average lacing, decent retention. 3.5/5

Smell: Huge notes of sharp lemon zest. Slight medicinal funk, but that funkiness is well incorporated into the lemon aroma. Sweet and sour vinegar. Sharp, tart aroma. A little apple in the nose too. 4.5/5

Taste: Nice tart sweet vinegar and lemon sting on the tongue upfront with mild earthy funkiness and a little fruitiness on the back of the tongue. Funkier taste than the nose, but not very funky. Very clean on the palate except for a light linger on the back of the tongue. Some sour apple flavor too. As the beer layers, the beer seemingly becomes more tart, and the funkiness seems constrained to the aftertaste. The flavors become more consistent throughout and smooth as the beer layers. 4/5

Mouthfeel: Light bodied, minimal carbonation with a "funk kick" on the tongue. Lemonade-like mouthfeel. Tart and drying on the gums, but never overly dry on the rest of the palate. 4/5

Overall: The nose is quite awesome, but the taste is a little too funky for my preference and less stand out than the aroma.

Recommendation: Sour heads should give this one a whirl; probably not the best beer for the casual beer drinker.

Pairings: Key lime pie.

Cost: $14.99 for a 750 ml bottle.

Beer Review: Batch 31 Barrel Aged Imperial Stout With Coffee

Reviewing the Batch 31 Barrel Aged Imperial Stout With Coffee from 8 Wired Brewing Company out of New Zealand. Imported by the Shelton Brothers.
Score: 92

According to the label, this beer was brewed 01/31/11, barreled 03/31/11, bottled 10/31/11 and best before 12/31/18. Served in a Duck Rabbit snifter and enjoyed on 08/12/12.

Appearance: Pours a pitch black color with a thin dark tan ring around the glass. Good lacing and average retention. 4/5

Smell: Sweet boozy raisin, burnt brown sugar, sweet chocolate, toffee, and a touch of cherry and molasses. A hint of roast upfront and light booziness too. The flavor components are nice, but they are not well incorporated. 3.5/5

Taste: This one tastes much better than it smells. Tons of oak flavor upfront followed by cocoa and cherry. A touch of roasted coffee too. Dark chocolate and bitter hot cocoa flavor on the midpalate. A little brown sugar flavor. The dark chocolate sticks through the finish and lingers. Real nice bittersweet flavor balance here, though the sweetness starts to outweigh the bitterness as the beer warms. Unlike the nose, the beer is not boozy in flavor. Incredible drinkable; you would never guess this is 11.0% ABV from the taste. 4.25/5

Mouthfeel: Full bodied, low carbonation. Syrupy mouthfeel. Bittersweet, leaning slightly sweet. 4.5/5

Overall: Too many beers smell better than they taste, but this one gets it right by tasting better than it smells. Batch 31 is a bit pricey for what it is, but I would buy another bottle to try again with a little age on it. Nice job New Zealand!

Recommendation: Drink this one slightly chilled; seek it out if you can.

Pairings: Ribeye.

Cost: $15.99 for a 500 ml bottle.