Beer Review: Illumination Double IPA

Reviewing the Illumination Double IPA from Central Waters Brewing Company.
Score: 86

Bottled February/March 2012 (can't tell; the tick mark is dead center between the two months). Served in a Half Acre tulip glass and enjoyed on 03/03/12.

Appearance: Pours an orange color that falls between opaque and translucent with a slight brownish hue. Held up to light, an orange center is surrounded by a layer of yellow-orange glow. Three-plus fingers of foamy off-white head at pour gradually settles into a foggy cap and clump of head floating in the center. Average lacing, average retention. 3.5/5

Smell: Fresh orange and grapefruit citrus. Orange peel, lemon zest, pine and fresh grass clippings. Some pineapple juice, some oily resin. There's a bit of red bell pepper in the aroma too. 4/5

Taste: Where's did all the citrus from the aroma go? There's really not a whole lot of any flavor going on here. Just an intensely earthy, slightly grassy, hoppy bitterness and bitter orange peel flavor throughout. There's some mellow grain malt too. This beer is decently refreshing and loaded with plenty of bitter, earthy hops, but there's no real midpalate flavor at all. Dare I say this is the Daisy Cutter of imperial IPA's? A little bit of juicy orange citrus comes out halfway through the glass. Lingering bitter finish. 3.5/5

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a low amount of carbonation that really lets the bitterness of the beer sit heavy on the palate. Oily mouthfeel with a huge cotton-mouthing effect. Dry, bitter finish. 4/5

Overall: A hop heavy imperial IPA without too much flavor. Smells great, but virtually all of the citrus aroma is totally absent from the flavor. Would not buy this one again.

Recommendation: Hop haters beware! At $11.99 per four pack, I cannot, in good conscience, recommend this beer. Certainly worth trying once if you can find a fresh $3.99 single bottle, but this is not one that needs to be consumed by any stretch of the imagination.

Pairings: Creamy pepper jack cheese.

Cost: $11.99 for a four pack.

Beer Review: Bramble Rye Bourbon County Brand Stout (fresh)

Reviewing the Bramble Rye Bourbon County Brand Stout from Goose Island Brewing Company.
Score: 97

Bottled 12/10/11. Served in a Dogfish Head snifter and enjoyed on 03/02/12. Re-reviewed 04/20/13.

Appearance: Pours a deep brown color with a faint reddish hue. A super thin layer of creamy chocolate brown head at pour is just enough to cap off the top of the beer, and quickly settles into a ring around the glass. Virtually no lacing. 4/5

Smell: Vanilla, maple, milk chocolate, fig, smooth bourbon, sweet red grape and alcohol esters. Sweet and jammy raspberries and blackberries in the nose. The berry elements adds a nice complement to the sweet barrel notes of regular Bourbon County Brand Stout. The aroma is a little boozier than the 2011 Bourbon County Brand Stout. 4.75/5

Taste: A nice blend of sweet, juicy raspberry/blackberry jam mixed with milk chocolate upfront and throughout. The berry flavors are sweet and jammy, and just a touch tart. This beer hits the right contrast balance between the rich, thick and bitterness of the chocolate and the juicy, sweet and acidic flavors of the raspberries/blackberries -- this tastes like an excellently crafted chocolate cake dessert with berry filling. Maple, brown sugar, booze and vanilla on the midpalate rounds out the flavor profile. A very light amount of dry prune/fig on the midpalate too. This is a very sweet beer and a sipper, and it's a little hotter than the 2011 vintage of the regular Bourbon County, but it's still pretty darn tasty. 4.75/5

Mouthfeel: Full bodied, light carbonation. Syrupy mouthfeel. Dry and sweet finish. 4.75/5

Overall: Although this beer was the weakest of the Bourbon County Brand Stout variants out of the gate, the jammy berry element has release developed nicely over time and put this one on par, quality wise, with the coffee variant. The berry adds a nice twist to the bourbon-molasses of the standard brew. My big regret with this beer is that I gave up on it too soon and traded too many away without giving them the proper chance to develop in the bottle into something special. This is not a mistake I will repeat with the Cherry Rye Bourbon County Brand Stout variant.

Recommendation: Seek this beer out!

Pairings: Dark chocolate cake.

Cost: $15.99 for a 22 oz (bomber) bottle.

Beer Review: Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout

Reviewing the Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout from The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery out of North Carolina. I have been wanting to try some of their brews for a long time. In particular, I am still seeking a bottle of their Duck-Rabbit Rabbit Duck Russian Imperial Stout.
Score: 82

This beer was recently received as an extra in a trade. The "enjoy by" tab is notched for February 2012. Served in a Dogfish Head snifter and enjoyed on 03/02/12.

Appearance: Pours a jet black color. Totally opaque save for a super thin brown highlight atop the glass. Three full fingers of foamy mocha head at pour gradually settles into a third of a finger of creamy "whipped cream-like" mocha head. Average lacing, above average retention. 4/5

Smell: Chocolate malt, pear roasted barley, toasted oats, creamy oatmeal, used coffee filter, and a little bit of whole milk. Smells primarily like a dark Munich lager mixed with creamy oatmeal stout characteristics. Very grain-forward; too much so for a stout. 3/5

Taste: Super creamy milk chocolate throughout, which decreases in relative presence as the beer warms and layers. Bitter grain, a touch of spice, and barley malt upfront and on the midpalate. A subtle bitterness lingers throughout the whole beer. Roasted chocolate malt and a hint of oat towards the back half. The barley grain and roasted chocolate malt flavors seem to grow as the beer layers. Tastes better than it smells, but this beer is still nothing special on the palate. Milk stouts tend to be a weaker style of beer in my experience. This is not a bad brew for the style, however. Certainly a huge upgrade over the Left Hand Milk Stout. 3.5/5

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, low-plus carbonation. Creamy mouthfeel. Dry, slightly bitter finish. 3.5/5

Overall: A solid beer for the style that is certainly well brewed with a certain mass-appeal quality with respect to its flavors, but Duck-Rabbit Milk Stout is nothing stand out overall. I would drink this again if offered a bottle, but I would not buy it again on my own initiative unless it was the best available beer at the bar.

Recommendation: Fans of lighter stouts, Guinness and milk stouts generally should seek this beer out. Worth trying if given the opportunity, but definitely not worth seeking out.

Pairings: Reuben sandwich on rye bread.

Cost: $8.99 for a six pack.

In Chicago? Eat At Kuma's Corner!

It costs upwards of $13 for a hamburger and fries. Their kitchen is the size of my bedroom, and the entire restaurant is not much bigger than my apartment. On the weekends, you are almost guaranteed to wait 2-3 hours for a table. They do not take reservations, and in the summer, you can't even order their food to go. And if you're a vegan...fugetaboutit!

And yet, they are the home of the absolute best hamburger that I have ever eaten in my entire life. Their food is simply that good. Kuma's is easily my favorite restaurant in Chicago.

Kuma's is a metal-theme restaurant/bar, and their food is "heavy metal inspired" -- from the Iron Maiden burger to the Neurosis to even the Mac N' Cheese (which is second only to the Brickhouse BBQ in Madison in terms of Mac N' Cheesiness). Each of their uniquely crafted burgers features a host of interesting flavor combinations. Their barbeque sauce is delicious, their ketchup is home made, and their relish should be put on every burger. My personal favorite dish is the Neurosis burger. The portions are huge and every burger is served as it should be -- on a pretzel bun. I can never finish my entire meal in one sitting and always have left overs.

You can also feel incredibly comfortable ordering your meat medium rare at Kuma's and be confident that they will cook it just right. You do not have to worry about getting undercooked meat when you order your food -- that warning is fluff at Kuma's. The restaurant is so popular, the line to get a table is so long, and the food is just so good because so much love and care and attention is cooked into each burger. Each burger is a handcrafted masterpiece. I've even waited an hour in line at Lollapalooza -- where I shell out $90 a day to listen to nine hours of non-stop music -- just to get a burger because they are so tasty. No matter how long the line, no matter how big the hype, I promise that you won't be disappointed (unless you're a vegan).

Oh, and the beer? Kuma's always features solid every day brews like Gumball Head and a few rotating taps. Those rotating taps tend to feature outstanding brews like Surly Darkness, Zombie Dust, Surly Furious, and Greenbush Anger. They even periodically have excellent beers like KBS in bottle for only $7 if you know to ask for them. So even though you'll inevitably have to wait to eat, at least you'll be doing it with a great brew in hand.

Like I said, the restaurant is a bit pricey, but it is WELL worth what you'll spend. The beer prices are run of the mill for Chicago, and the food is sized large enough that you'll have enough for a small meal tomorrow.

Oh, and did I mention they always play super schlocky movies on the TV? Like Godzilla versus some robot thing. Classic.

The secret to enjoying Kuma's without waiting is to either order carry out during the winter or to go for a SUPER early dinner.

PROST!

Beer Review: Double Crooked Tree IPA (2011, 1 year old)

Reviewing the Double Crooked Tree IPA from Dark Horse Brewing Company.
Score: 91

February 2011 vintage bottle served in a Surly Darkness snifter and enjoyed on 03/01/12.

Appearance: Pours a dark, super hazy and pulpy brownish-orange color with a moderately yellow hue. Held up to light, the center is a densely opaque, dark orange/brown color that fades into a layer of yellow highlight atop the glass. Two fingers of thick, foamy cream-colored head at pour slowly recedes into thin, creamy layer that gradually grows thinner over time. Average lacing, above average retention. 4/5

Smell: Grapefruit, lemon zest, apple/apple juice, pineapple, orange juice, mango and sweet apricot. Very citrus-forward. The hops are super subdued. Light amount of pine. This brew has a very pleasant, almost purely tropical, aroma. 4/5

Taste: Very balanced and smooth flavor. Neither too malty or too hoppy. Tastes more like a hoppy barleywine (like a Bigfoot or Behemoth) than a DIPA to be honest. Lots of citrus juice upfront, blended with a bitter barley malt and a slightly piney hoppiness. Grapefruit, lemon, and orange juice. Finishes with a "heavy" and lingering bitterness on the palate. As it layers, more bitter barley flavor grows on the midpalate. Super drinkable, save for the bitterness, with absolutely no booziness present. Was absolutely stunned when I learned that this was a 13.6% ABV beer. Super solid beer with a secretly strong booziness that slowly creeps up on you. 4/5

Mouthfeel: Medium-full bodied with low carbonation -- especially for an IPA. The light carbonation really accentuates the heavier DIPA body and bitter characteristics of this brew. Oily mouthfeel. Dry, bitter finish. 4/5

Overall: The bottles claims that this beer "ages well," and that is no like. Tastes more like a "hoppy barleywine" than a traditional DIPA, but delicious either wat. I need to grab another bottle. This beer is super drinkable and deceptively smooth. Prost!

Recommendation: Unless you hate bitter beers, or if you hate Behemoth and Bigfoot, seek this brew out.

Pairings: Blueberry/strawberry pancakes.

Cost: $3.99 for a 12 oz bottle.

Beer Review: Dream Weaver Wheat Beer

Reviewing the Dream Weaver Wheat Beer from Tröegs Brewing Company. Somehow, this is my first review of a hefeweizen beer. Hefeweizens were my favorite style when I first got into craft beer.
Score: 82

Bottled 10/22/11, batch #111010. Served in a 312 weizen glass and enjoyed on 03/01/12.

Appearance: Pours that classically hazy yellow hefe color with a slightly orange twist. On the more more extreme opaque side of translucent. Lemonade-ish color atop the glass when held up to light. Three fingers of foamy white head at pour settle into a thin layer. Average lacing for a hefeweizen, below average retention. Effervescent appearance. 3/5

Smell: Classic hefeweizen aroma. Bananas, clove, wheat, coriander and phenolic Belgian yeast. Pears, a little apple juice and light barley malt. Juicy Macintosh apple too. Pretty run of the mill for a hefeweizen. 3.5/5

Taste: Lots of banana and pear throughout. Coriander, some bready yeast, and wheat. Orange juice on the midpalate too. Some black pepper and ripe apple. Very juicy and savory. A very faint apple tartness as the beer layers. Very true to the style, though it tastes more like a Belgian wheat beer than a traditional German hefeweizen. Super refreshing and drinkable. I could mow the lawn while drinking this brew. More apple juice as this beer layers on the palate. 3.5/5

Mouthfeel: Medium-light bodied, medium carbonation. Juicy mouthfeel. Savory, malty finish, though there is a little bit of a drying effect. 3.5/5

Overall: Light and refreshing. A very solid American-made wheat beer. Nothing stand out, nothing especially worth seeking out, but a certainly a prototypical summer beer. There are plenty of better wheat beers out there, ranging from the more "innovative" wheat beers like Gumball Head to the more traditional like Weihenstephaner, but this one won't offend.

Recommendation: Not worth seeking out, but certainly a good starter craft beer from casual beer drinkers. If you need to rehydrate, buy one.

Pairings: Tangy barbeque and harvest chicken salad.

Cost: $8.99 for a six pack.

Beer Review: Bourbon Barrel Aged Below Decks

Reviewing the Bourbon Barrel Aged Below Decks from the Mutiny Fleet series of Heavy Seas Beer.
Score: 90

2011 vintage bottle served in a Surly Darkness snifter and enjoyed on 02/29/12.

Appearance: Pours a rich, dark mahogany color -- cognac-like, albeit in a darker tint, in appearance. Pours one finger of creamy cream colored head at pour that settles into a thin ring around the glass. Appearance falls between translucent and opaque. There is a dark brown center surrounded by thick globs of reddish brown highlights when held up to light. Minimal lacing, minimal retention. 3.5/5

Smell: First impression is caramel, vanilla and booze. More wafts reveal brown sugar, dark fruit, barley, plum and "birthday cake." There is also an aroma of sweet red grape that is not in the least tart or acidic. Also detecting what can only be describes as the smell of a "leather belt." 4/5

Taste: This brew is very bourbon barrel-forward on the palate, and the taste is pretty much dominated by three flavors: bourbon soaked raisins/fig, vanilla and sweet red grape that is neither tart nor acidic. There's also a distinct "whiskey-like malt" flavor and boozy caramel. Some brown sugar too. Huge bourbon soaked raisin backbone. This one is super malty, but it's not very "grainy" in flavor -- which is great. The 10% ABV definitely shines through and renders this one is a sipper, but it is far from the type of beer that burns on the way down or makes you cringe. To the contrary, it is quite the pleasant brew to sip and the kind of beer that should be enjoyed as it warms. 4/5

Mouthfeel: Medium-full bodied with low/minimal carbonation. There is just enough carbonation to make some of the alcohol flavor prickle the tongue and make the "whiskey malt" flavors shine through. This brew has a syrupy mouthfeel and seems to have a chloraseptic lozenge "rigid numbing effect" on the throat. Finsh is a little dry and sweet -- even a little sticky at points. 4/5

Overall: Like the Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Barleywine, this is a super solid barrel aged barleywine at a very reasonable cost. For under $10 a bottle, I would certainly seek this one out again.

Recommendation: The flavors of this beer might be a little aggressive for the casual beer drinker, but beer geeks and those who like whiskey/bourbon should give this one a whirl.

Pairings: Lamb.

Cost: $7.99