Wilderness Survival Lesson: Stone Ruination double IPA with Amarillo hops, cask conditioned.

Whoa, probably freaked Walker out with this. Since it's cask conditioned there's almost no carbonation. Cask conditioning with Amarillo hops make this much different from the OG Ruination. This beer is crazy time and there's some characteristic that tastes like food, but I can't figure out what. This is really going to annoy me, not IDing the food taste properly. With Nick G, Beth and Aaron B at the Daily Pint, a great place for beer. This will probably be a long night.

This bear is Bear Grylls. Raw, specially trained (in casks) and double dank. Party.

Abita Andygator Helles Doppelbock

That beer title is a mouthful. Isn't Andygator something you'd name a stuffed animal? Or a character in TOY STORY? I can just imagine the goofy Dinosaur screaming, "AHHHH! It's the AAAAndy Gator!!!" and then turning around and running straight into a wall. Anywho, here it is.

As I type this up Sunday, I'm watching Star Wars IV (the first one). And I forgot about all those weird creatures and extra CGI Lucas put in on the new DVD's. It's the same movie but because I've seen the original so many times, the additions make watching some scenes a completely different experience. It's fine, it's just not what I expected.

This beer says it's a Doppelbock but if you look at the picture it, it poured much lighter than expected. And the taste was a beast unto itself. It's unique. Not to say I enjoyed it, but it's unique. The taste I couldn't place for some time because I wasn't expecting it, but David made an excellent point and nailed it. The Andygator is crisp with a dry finish. But it's also starchy. I think it's safe to say that this isn't like your typical Doppelbock. The taste is close to a cereal or even a rice based beer. It's very much like drinking a bowl of Kicks Cereal (which are for kids, so I wouldn't dare). The Andygator's odd name alludes to its flavor but to Abita's credit they made a unique beer. ARMAGEDDON rating.

Remember, the Sand People are easily startled but they'll soon be back, and in greater numbers.

Put some Abita Andygator in my Chex mix

About to walk out the door at 8:45 and Walker calls me back to grab today's beer. A helles dopplebock, this is much more on the dopplebock track that I enjoy. The Weihenstephaner Doppler from Wednesday was way too dark for my liking. That being said, there's still a pretty unique nuttiness to the big fat sweet middle of this beer. My glass smells a lot like cereal. It's almost a yeasty taste, can't quite ID it. It's kinda like drinking a beer made out of corn chex. If this wasn't so strong, it might be a good light summer beer.

This beer is River Phoenix brought back from the dead. Distinctively blond, but not a blond. Difficult to pin down, from a "granola" background but fighting to be defined by a distinct liberal character.

Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest - Sierra with more Hopst

Delicious and good-lookin'. Sierra Nevada has produced another delight.

Marina del Rey balcony was a fitting place for this taste, aye?

You know those commercials advertising cookies or desert and they announce at the end, "Now with real fudge!" I hope you don't recognize that tagline because I just made it up and that makes you an easily persuaded person, but there are similar commercials and I think you know what I mean. 

Now, imagine if you took a Sierra Nevada ale and injected it with a subtle citrus and hops flavoring while maintaining a well-balanced beer. Wallah, you have the Southern Hemisphere Harvest. My endorsement is if you like regular ol' Sierra Nevada, try this big guy before summer ends! THE ROCK rating.

Sierra Nevada Sourhern Hemisphere Harvest wants to play some basketball

Heyo, this is good. Take regular Sierra Nevada and make its standard hoptacularness just a little more hoptacular. Thank you New Zealand for sharing your hops.

This beer is Charlie Murphy. Resembles his more broadly successful brother, works in Limited Release, more potent and distinct, not as ubiquitously popular. "CHALLENGE HIM!"

Weihenstephaner Korbinian - Yes, That Famous Neurologist

To my surprise, I am continuing the unprecedented run of German brewed beers named for obscure German figures with the Weihenstephaner Korbinian. Korbinian Brodman (1868-1918) was a German neurologist who became famous for his definition of the cerebral cortex into 52 distinct regions from their cytoarchitectonic (histological) characteristics.

Remember the PSA: "The More You Know...Knowledge Is Power!" Not always true. This is proof. By reading the above you either A). Forgot it immediately, or B). Actually learned a completely useless fact therein allowing an important thought to evaporate into the ether. I find it interesting that German born Frederick J. Miller, Adolphus Busch and Adolph Herman Joseph Coors forwent naming culturally significant biers that are only cool if you're a librarian or teacher in order to name mass-produced and universally accepted beer after themselves. It's very...'American.'

Now here's a picture proving that someone shouldn't quit their day job to become a professional blackberry photographer.

Michael J. Fox took this blurry pic

We drank the Korbinian at Sara P's house, where she made a traditional Jewish New Year meal that delightfully acquiesced my hunger. The bier has a sour malt smell and the taste is an avalanche of malts followed by nut and coffee. Accordingly, I'm generally not a big fan of really dark biers, but if you like dark bier you might enjoy. For me, it's an ARMAGEDDON rating.

שָׁלוֹם Weihenstephaner Korbinian

Happy Jewish New Year! Drinking another Wiehenstephaner at Sarah P's for a Rosh Hashana party. Bagels, honey and apples, lox, veggie plate, the works (I guess? It's my first time).
The Weihensteph is pretty dark for what I would consider a good doppelbock. It's not very heavy in either the sweet spicy or malty caramel chocolate direction, pretty balanced and easy going. I prefer the Aventus.
This beer is Woody Allen because he's Jewish and only some of his movies are good (Aventus). Some of them are kinda dark and kinda suck.

"Our lives are in your hands and you've got... Schneider & Sohn Aventinus?!"

Apparently this Germany's Original Wheat-Doppelbock. Looks like a dank homemade apple juice, medium brown and nearly opaque. The wheat gives it a sweet, yeasty flavor and the doppel gives it a good full malty side. A little heavier than I'd like, but the medium crispness and and subtle high alcohol make it refreshing.

This beer is Michael Crichton. Known for some hits, I'm sure many are thrilled by his work. But fully capable of creting a dud and getting involved too deeply in the commercial side of things.

Schneider & Sohns Aventinus - Warrior or Annalist?

I was hoping this beer was named after the B.A.M.F. Aventinus, the son of demigod Hercules and Rhea, (who is the Titaness daughter of Uranus (god of the sky) and Gaia (goddess of Earth)), but is instead underwhelmingly named after this peculiar Nome charming rasputin, Johanness Aventinus who wrote the Annals of Bavaria, a history of early Germany:

The background research proved to be anticlimactic and not the route I would taken but then again I'm not familiar with this gentleman's annals. But what I was introduced to yesterday was this Wheat Doppelbock scrumpet.

In the background lies the demigod which the Aventinus should be renamed for. Then again, I don't own Hasselhoff's autobiography, "Don't Hassel the Hoff." Probably a crime in its own right.

Aventinus pours a dark red/brown color and sniff sniffs of apples. I taste cinnamon and spices along with fruits, specifically apricots? That question mark isn't user error. I don't quite remember what apricots look or taste like, but for some reason but I'm fairly certain that the taste exists in this bier. I dunno, maybe I'm way off and Aventinus instead tastes like snozberries.

The best way to describe this is as a 'hefe juice,' which 8.2% alcohol is what children drink for breakfast in Germany (citation needed). I feel this breakfast companion for the little ones is pretty unique and worthy of a TRANSFORMERS rating.

Schneider and Sohns Wiesen Edel-Weisse

It's hard to follow up wheat biers like Weihenstephaner Vitus and Fraziskaner Hefe-Weisse but out of the biers tasted since last Tuesday, the Wisen Edel-Weisse is runner up.

Hefeweizen was made for a beautiful Labor Day

This fella poured beautifully and sniffered of bananas and bread. It also tasted doughy and slightly sweet. There was a full bodied and subtly balanced mix of spices, hops and malts. In good spirits and sad to see my brother Warren D leave for NYC, this feller receives a weak THE ROCK rating.

Cubs win! Goose Island Summertime w/truffle fries

Cubs 5, Astros 4. Headed over to a Wrigleyville spot with Lindsey, for a beer. Ended up grabbing this good light tasting beer with a balance of medium hops and medium sweet, pale malt. Had a Bud Light in Wrigley so this was a good alternative. Lando got the Goose Island Matilda, a hef. It was also pretty good. We had to get some food in order to sit outside. Truffle oil fries, booyah.

The Summertime can be Harry Caray, for no other reason than to honor the guy for being really, really good - better than the beer. CUBS WIN!

"Dancing has been postponed until tomorrow" or until I get another Dorlmunder Gold

"Dancing has been postponed until tomorrow" at Danny's. Grabbed another beer from Great Lakes Brewing, this time the Dorlmunder Gold. Without knowing if it actually is or not, I'd guess this is a form of an amber. Brighter malt flavor and a slightly nutty finish, but there's still a bunch of hops in there, pretty interesting combination. There's nothing offensive about this, it's relatively light and the solid character makes it easy to enjoy after every sip.

I'll call this one Lucille Ball. A bit confusing, but ultimately enjoyable.

Also, I really like Danny's.

Hopf Weisser Bock

The style is a Weizenbock, which is technically a Dunkel Weizen with a higher alcohol level. However, it's reddish in color and is much lighter than the Franziskaner Dunkel Weisse I had yesterday afternoon. A citrus aroma is followed by a full bodied hefe, but I thought it lacked in a taste palate. Now, as far as brothers go, Warren D liked how it finished.

Don Draper isn't that impressed. Get out and give me 20 ideas for a post. NOW

It's perfectly amiable, like a neighbor who walks his dog every morning by your house. He waves, but you don't know him. You wave back but don't attend his bbq. He's friendly but innocuous. TRANSFORMERS rating

Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse Dunkel Joins Delicious Ribs and Queso con Chorizo in My Belly

I'm stoked for so many reasons I can't even tell you.

Ha! Really? This is my blog, of course I'm going to blabber about it. My taller little brother Warren was in town this weekend from New York. Saturday we went to the beach and I returned to make ribs for the first time. Usually cooking is David's department, but he's away in Chicago so I stepped to be the Emeril. BAM! While the ribs were slow roasting for two hours, Warren helped me make chile con queso with chorizo, which Melissa B, Brad G, Jessica W, Warren D, Nic R, and AJ came, saw, and obliterated. And when the ribbies were finished, I was ready with excellent beer.

Fact: Fat Friars Love Pork Ribs. Go Figure

The Franziskaner Dunkel Hefe-Weisse is the moodier, darker brother of the beer I drank Thursday but retains the hefe-weisse's sweetness (btw in German hefe = yeast, weisse = wheat). The dark caramel malts and spices mix together nicely. As far as pairing goes, the pork ribs were already sweet from the Goode & Co. bbq sauce and a more complimentary beer choice would've been a dark ale without the hefe-weisse sweetness, like a Bock. But whatever, I love sweets and the bier was great. The ribs were freaking great. Who's got two thumbs and makes awesome ribs? THIS GUY.

This fella was a well balanced bier and the combination proved a nice change of pace from the normal hefe's and dark beers I've imbibed lately. THE ROCK rating.

Great Lakes Brewing Lake Erie Monster Double IPA

Continuing my Chicago vacation with Lindsey A at Northside Bar. Lake Erie Monster seemed to be a smart pick because I was trying to make a local choice. Started with a Raging Bitch earlier today, so the bar was set high.

It just isn't very distinctive. It's definitely a double IPA and it's pretty clean, but the carbonation is low and there wasn't much about this that was stand-out awesome. It lacked the full-bodied sweetness that really good Imperials have. I will be moving on to something else local.

This beer is Al Boreland (Richard Karn) of "Tool Time" fame. You can't name a beer Lake Erie Monster without it being a little endearing. But ultimately this is never going to be a big hit.

Hofbrau Original, a hundred feet from home.

In Chicago with Lindsey and upon arriving at her place, discovered there was a Hofbrau bar about 100 feet from her plce and she didn't know. Decided to take advantage of this immediately. Started with a .5L of the Oktoberfest, but I'll pretend like that didn't happen. Then shared a liter of original Hofbrau with LaLa.

Lindsey after 3 sips. "It's very smooth. It has taste. It had good head. I like it. It has a hoppy aftertaste but not so strong that it makes me feel like I can't breathe on anyone else."

Hofbrau is so simple and delicious. There's just nothing wrong with it. The Bavarian hops and clean crispness are the highlights.

Lindsey suggested that this beer is should be the Hoff, but come on, yeah right. Ok, fine. Hofbrau can be David Hasselhoff, but not for all the reasons that make Hasselhoof a big embarrassment. For other reasons, like...

Weihenstephaner Festbier, LABOR DAY begins

In honor of uber efficient Germans and lazy drunk Americans, over Labor Day I am continuing the German beer theme which began Tuesday at Library Ale House. I picked up a wheelbarrow's worth of German bier at Beverage Warehouse, thanks to my half-day Friday and enjoyed the fruits of my labor (or lack thereof) catching up on Rescue Me. It's melodramatic at times but Leary is the shit.

Texas Longhorns are #5 baby!

Weihenstephaner is the same brewery from Tuesday's post and this is their Marzen, or festival beer (like Oktoberfest). Marzen means 'March' and usually applies to a beer brewed in the late spring to use up the last of the previous fall's hops and malt before brewing ceased for the summer. Efficient, right? It's been around a while, since the 1860's (interestingly Oktoberfest started in 1810). The beer is a lager and has nice gold coloring. The idea of a Marzen is to be all about the malt, but balance the bier out with hops. Z malts were there but the hops didn't check in. It has good drinkability though and I could be persuaded to drinks 3 steins of this before lunch in late September/early October in Munich. 3 steins = 9 beers and would be apocalyptic for me; accordingly, ARMAGEDDON. 

Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse, golden goodness

David was at the Hofbrau Haus in Chicago and inspired me to acquire a bier from z fatherland (Deustcheland). Willkommen Franziskaner Hefe-Weisse! (and that friends, is the sad extent of my German).

A Fat Franciscan - A Sign of Greatness

The aroma is a delightfully strong citrus and orange with a little banana. This fellow is a hefeweizen, but not your watered down Blue Moon stuff.  Full bodied and fairly sweet, like a grandfather or the old chubby friar on the label - which the website actually animates to rub his belly like a happy fat kid. Good for him. This beer is rich and well balanced. Women who only drink Hefe's will enjoy it, but won't be able to have more than a couple.

This is a quality beer. There's nothing more to say, just look at the monk on the label and know you're in good hands. Drink this, it's THE ROCK.

Green Flash Brewing Grand Cru Steals Fire from the Gods

Green Flash Brewery I'm becoming impressed with. It's one of those very small breweries that I can't help but admire because they are Promethean. Their Double IPA is wild. Le Freak combines an Imperial IPA with a Belgian Tripel and tastes fantastic. They brew types which are out of the box and in doing so have won me over. I love a beer that's especially unique. Wednesday we tasted Grand Cru.

So um, where can I steal a Green Flash glass from?

It pours dark with limited head and has a rich chocolate and nutty aroma. It's a dark ale but made with Belgian and American yeasts, so it's sweet but less like caramel and more like ice cream. There is a strong presence of malt and the beer finishes quickly thanks to it's 9.1% alcohol content. It's fairly balanced and not too filling.

This is an HB Toss Pass (any NCAA football gamers out there?). You are sucked into this beer's standard dark ale aroma and appearance but as the HB (halfback) swings around the end he doesn't keep running. Oh damn. He falls back and heaves the ball downfield. The safety has bit on the running action and scrambles to recover but it's too late. Boom shaka laka, it's sweet and finishes quickly.

Grand Cru, you're a solid trick play and I plan on drinking you at THE ROCK.

Green Flash (AHahhhhh!) Grand Cru

I have never seen the "green flash" following a sunset, but I suppose it exists. I have also not seen "Flash" the superhero, though that stands to reason. This beer isn't as extraordinary as either of these things, but neither of them can get you sloshed, so maybe the Grand Cru isn't so bad after all.

I didn't expect the intensity of the darker malts in this, but they do well to balance the alcohol. There's a good deal of chocolate and a secondary coffee bean aftertaste, though neither are overwhelming. It's kind of like a strong brown. Carbonation is regular enough, though I prefer Grand Crus with a bit more similarity to Golden Strongs. I may find a reason to drink this again, maybe at the Green Flash Brewery near SD sometime soon?

This beer is Elizabeth Whatley. Loves chocolate, coffee, an occasional spot of alcohol and at certain times can definitely be regarded as Grand Cru. She's of mixed domestic and foreign origin, and for some people, entirely unpleasant in large doses.