Suntory Rich Malt proves the concept of cheap party beer isn't Lost In Translation

For relaxing times, make it a Suntory time:

The coaster is from a bar David visited in Japan

Suntory not only makes whiskey, as depicted in the above clip, but also beer. Picked up by David from Japan at their version of an AM/PM and it pretty much calls for party times. Rich Malt is different than our cheap beer; it's heavy and creamy like a Coors with an edge like Natty Light. It's an international equivalent of a party beer. THE ISLAND rating.

In my research for the Bill Murray clip, I found an actual Suntory whiskey commercial with Sean Connery which is hilarious:

I promise that for every Japanese beer we drink, I will search high and low for an awkward commercial video with a well known actor. You're welcome readers. 

Saranac Caramel Porter sweetens my Sunday in D.C.

Christmas time is upon us! And squirrel's are way too friendly. This one almost made off with my phone.

It's super cold and I'm curled up watching Home Alone in Washington D.C. with Sarah E and drinking a brew given to me by her roommate Courtney!

Buzz, your girlfriend...BARF

Opens up with a toffee and nut smell. The flavor profile presents solid roasted malts. The real draw is a lack of bitterness thanks to the sweet syrupy caramel finish. However, kinda a double edged sword as I feel the sweetness hurts drinkability. This is a relaxing beer, not drink a six pack beer. It's a solid brew and stands out from other porters thanks to the sweetness. TRANSFORMERS rating.

Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale makes me a happy camper in Washington D.C.

 

 Out of LA for the weekend and excited to be in Washington D.C. visiting Sarah E!

I am surrounded by unfamiliar local brews but can't resist the awesomeness that is Dogfish Head. The Indian Brown Ale is something I've never seen available for purchase in LaLa land. It's a brown ale with caramelized brown sugar and two kinds of whole leaf hops.

I can't remember what show I was watching or who's mug and it's killing me, but that beer is gorgeous!

Excellent chocolate and nut aroma. It pours a really dark brown, closer to a porter. The brown ale body is changed substantially by the caramelized sugar, which takes the bite out. Whole leaf hops are a subtle touch to this unique take on brownie ale. It's a very drinkable beer and would go great with food or afternoon football game. I drank a bunch of it and wish it grew on trees in California. Lov'n it. THE ROCK rating.

Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere Harvest is a Wet Hopped Mouthful

I like this label, probably because I also enjoy history and like Buster Bluthe from Arrested Development, cartography (no, not really). Here's a rare early morning review for the Northern Hemisphere Harvest.

I just threw up in my mouth from all the ugliness

This brew is wet hopped (hops that are recently picked and are still moist, rather than standard dry hops), creating a brew where the hops play more of a central role in the flavor profile than a standard Sierra Nevada. The wet hops provide an earthy, spicy taste and add a very interesting bitterness that lingers, as if the hops are slowly disseminated, over the course of a tasting. Like most Sierra Nevada spirits, this seasonal deserves a sampling. Solid TRANSFORMERS rating.

Anchor Steam Xmas Ale helps me read good and do other stuff good as well

Nick G, David and I caught up on our various escapades over a few $2 Dos Equis at La Cabana (their Thursday night special which might become a regular stop) before heading over to the Library Alehouse (which is actually next to the Library for Dyslexic's, or Yrarbil rof s'Cixelsy as it's known to it's constituents).

Derek Zoolander would totally support this library

This is a dark and moody Christmas Ale from Anchor Steam, a malted with strong notes of dark fruits and licorice thoughtfully laced with peppermint candy. This is a beer purposed to keep you warm during the holidays, so it couldn't hurt to you to pick up a sixer and enjoy with the family. TRANSFORMERS rating.

Celebration Ale from Sierra Nevada generates mixed feelings

This tastes like Christmas Ale but much like my current construction project, still this falls flat (so far). However, I may be the last man standing on the 'hater' side of the line, because everyone else seems to like it.

Linus, staring contest you and me....Dammit, you always win!

More of a fan this year than when I had it last, but it still doesn't turn me warm and fuzzy. It tastes simply like a Sierra Nevada red ale. I dunno, based on everyone's favorable perceptions you should try this; however, my opinion still hasn't crossed over from the dark side. ARMAGEDDON rating.

Skyscraper Winter Warmer does nothing of the sort; also, meet LINUS

David returned from Japan today and had a little belated birthday gift waiting at the door from our Chicago friend. You may think it's a gag gift, but it's actually perfectly normal, albeit inspired, present if you know either of us.

meet Linus

How hilarious is this? It's a porcelain cookie jar! His helmet is a top that opens right above his eyes. I feel like I'm eating brains each time I open it. ZOMBIES! We decided to bestow the fellow with the wussiest name ever, LINUS. Herbert was a close personal second. Norman would've been third on my list if we hadn't hit a home run on the first pitch. I love naming shit.

Onto the Winter Warmer. Smells wonderful with an intense cinnamon, nutmeg and apple aroma. The taste doesn't correlate to the aroma though. The malts and spices are underwhelming. If you're looking for Christmas Ales, pick another. THE ISLAND rating.  

Hopf Spezial Weisse Wins Me Over

By putting the shelf in the picture and broadcasting it for all to see, I'm hoping to motivate myself towards finishing this woodcraft project tonight that I've been slowly building up...but alas, I hit a road block late-night and will finish Tuesday, so pictures then! It promises to be cool and a departure from my fairly straight forward book cases and tables.

So I've had the Weisser Bock, but this special hefe is a fall seasonal beer I found at Whole Foods and the difference maker is the addition of caramel malts, which gives the bier it's reddish hue (rather than the standard golden hefe color) as well as a nice clove aroma. There is a big, sweet doughy flavor that creates a strong presence on teh pallet but finishes clean. I enjoyed this more than the Weisser Bock and that was pretty good. It's on sale for under $5 and was quite delicious. TRANSFORMERS rating

Andre Johnson beat down can't top the Flensburger Gold Lager

Came home from a dominating Texans and Titans game in which the Texans won by 20. And for the fans personal amusement, star wideout Andre Johnson ripped off an agitating cornerback's helmet and delivered a couple of haymakers to his head before being subdued. A helmets-off fist fight in the NFL? Never happens. It was awesome. Check it out via my self-titled link: Andre Johnson Owns Scrub

My dad my or may not like to party, care to guess?

This is the third and final  Flensburger I bought (they're imported by a Houston distribution company). The Gold is a lager with an average body and hints of citrus, but overall is uninteresting. See you soon Houston, it was fattening, back to the grind in LA. ARMAGEDDON rating.

Hey Shiner 101, NICE

Still in Houston and I'm out with old friends Allison, Andrew, Mark, Monica, Shaddix and Sheila. This wasn't going to be my beer of the day, but I spied the tap in the corner and knew Jebus had brought me to this dive to drink a Shiner I never even knew about, the SHINER 101.

To celebrate the number of years the brewery has been open, Shiner started making limited release beers somewhere around the mid 90's. The Black Bohemian Lager (now in wide distribution) was originally the '97 anniversary beer. So the 101 is the 2010 anniversary batch. It's a Pilsner, a departure from their usual family and made according to the German Purity Laws. It pours a darker hue than other Pilsners like the Urquell and the aroma is vanilla. It's a very malty, smooth beer and bordering on creamy, like a Boddington's. It's also sweet - not like a belgian but nonetheless sweet. I love how different this is from the Bock and I could easily drink a sixer of this. TRANSFORMERS rating.

Flensburger Hefeweizen is Quite Pleasant

Today I went bowling with 50 cousins and will shortly have dinner with them, so I'm sneaking my beer before they arrive for part 2. Here is the second entry from the Flensburger brewery, the Hefeweizen.

It pours a nice hazy color and I immediately respond to the banana and bready aroma. The beer follows the scent for a sweet banana bread taste. This isn't as smooth as many of the German hefe's I've tasted, but it's still a tasty scrumpet. I dig it and deem it worthy of your gullet. TRANSFORMERS rating

On Thanksgiving, Flensburger Pilsener isn't something I'm thankful for

Drank while watching the dog-ass Longhorns, as my father puts it - he's a die hard fan watching the worst season in at least 10 years. I wish my beer was better. But with a fridge full of Shiner Blonde as backup, at least somebody will win tonight (this guy, heyyyy).

Happy Thanksgiving everyone! I'm thankful for delicious beer and family. Mostly beer though 

Pilsener body is a little bitter and stale, I wonder if something happened in the import. It's an odd taste. Could also be the water they used. Let's see how the other two Flensburgers turn out. Nothing else to report here, except I wouldn't buy it. THE ISLAND rating.

Belgian restaurant Broken Spoke in Houston services me well

And yes, I know how that sounds but it's true. For someone tasting beer, there is no better place to drink than at a Belgian restaurant. As David has accurately noted, if there's anything this experience has illuminated for us, it's that Belgian (style) beers are king. They're simply heads above of the rest.

Wednesday night per my suggestion, the cousins and my family met at the Broken Spoke, a Belgian restaurant my parents had discovered. I drank three beers and paired them with food food, which was also delicious. In the end, I will can only pick one for today's beer; what will it be?

 

These Mussels were the real deal

Appetizer/Beer -Blanche de Bruxelles. Very light, smooth and buttery. The coriander and orange add subtle flavor to the profile. This is the perfect beer for my appetizer, Les Moules L'Escargot (mussels in garlic butter sauce).

Chomp, Chomp, Chomp

Main Course/Beer; Maredsous 10 with Bouchée de Bruxelles, which is a pastry stuffed with chicken, carrots, mushrooms, and celery in a cream sauce. Both were pretty damn tasty. 

Dessert/Beer -Cousin Forest and I decided upon Affligem Dubbel and Trippel respectively, but they were out of the Trippel. Wanting something sweet to pair with my Belgian Chocolate Mouse dessert, the waiter suggested Witches Brew. Never heard of it, but it was an excellent choice!

YUM

Witches Brew is highly carbonated (almost like champagne) and is sweet up front with a crisp aftertaste. It's probably the closest I'll come to eating a cloud. It was a delicious 9% 750ml bottle to pair with a divinely chocolate desert.

I'm going to pick the WITCHES BREW as my beer of the day (BAD BOYS rating), specifically because I don't know how wide its distribution is and thus when I would have access to it again, but all three beers were fantastic. I highly recommend them and plan to drink them again soon. I'm also kinda proud of my first real attempt to pair beer with food, which went fairly well. Probst!

Delicious Goose Island Demolition accompanies my Home Brew's 2nd Fermentation

Goose Island has been good to me, so I picked the Demolition to keep my company as I siphoned my first home brew (code named King Moonracer's Revenge) into my 2nd fermentation tub.

Now the waiting begins...

That big glass tub is now sitting in my room with a towel wrapped around it and for the next two weeks my patio door will not be opened (to keep the temperature in the room steady) and the curtains drawn (young beer doesn't interact with sunlight well). Crossing my fingers for the best and I plan to bottle in about 9 days.

I bought this beer at Bristol Farms grocery store and it was quite good. It's a Belgian style ale with a doughy scent and a sweet full body that tastes of banana with a hint of spice. This would be an especially great beer to enjoy during a nippy December night. THE ROCK rating

Bruery Loakal Red Growlers at Me

Being roommates with someone who likes to cook works out well for me sometimes and tonight was one of those nights - Blackened Salmon and Parmesan Asparagus. Real, Grade A trash. Could it get any better? Um yes, Doyyy. We have to Finnish the delicious Growler of Bruery Lokal Red!

Like Gingers, red ales are hereditary and are fairly rare. Among the red ambers, the Loakal Red stands head above the rest. It's is a belgian style red ale, so it's full bodied and sweet with a tasteful caramel malt. Out of my favorite regular Bruery beers, this is a close 2nd only behind Mischief, and that's saying something. BAD BOYS rating.

Bruery Tasting Room! 2 Turtle Doves fellatio'd my tongue

I surprised David on his birthday with a field trip - and by surprise, I mean, I didn't tell him where we were going, but he kinda knew deep down we were going to The Bruery, but then that place is so far out in the middle of nowhere (who knew there was a 605 freeway?) he became confused and probably thought I was taking him to smoke peyote in the desert - so until we arrived it was still technically a surprise. To say the least, he was excited when we finally arrived at The Bruery's brewery in Placentia, CA I think the mescaline would've been a let down compared to what awaited us.

Tap Beauty

Karl K had joined us for the trip, and we settled around a converted barrel/table for 5 tastings and some great reminiscing. I won't spare you with all the details, but all five beers I tried were all new to me and The Workman's Friend (description pictured center above) stood above the rest.

But the best was yet to come. The beer gods were smiling upon David, because The Bruery had a party the day before and left a little in the kegs of TWO beers we could not longer purchase - 2 Turtle Doves and The Bruery 2010 Coton Anniversary beer.

Two Turtle Doves for Three please

This is how good the 2 Turtle Doves was - Karl offered his Mischief to clean our pallettes. He offered to waste Mischief - one of our favorite beers, the beer we would get a keg of it's so freaking amazing - to wash our mouths out for the Doves. How could Mischief become the spittoon? Only with the Doves.

It's that good. Birthday aside, this tasting alone made the trip spectacular.

2 Turtle Doves - The smell is amazing. Tasting wise, at 12% this is a dark and wonderful alcohol drenched syrup. My god, the chocolate and molasses combination is to die for. It's incredible, easily one of my top beers ever. Simply Promethean. When David posts, read his column, he puts it best. Simply awesome. BAD BOYS rating.

The 2010 Coton Anniversary Ale is equally, if not more so, impressive. Up front, the taste is similar to the 2 Turtle Doves, but it's complexity is quickly apparent as vanilla and the dark fruit arise. Its intricacy is impressive and inspiring. Also a phenomenal beer. 

Thank you Bruery for making David's Bday and my Sunday. We each bought a growler to take home, so we will be visiting you again soon to refill!

The bedroom isn't the only place where magic happens

Maredsous #8 and David's Berfday Night Celebration

For David's berfday we saw Aziz Ansari standup downtown at The Orpheum and HE WAS HILARIOUS. Duh. Afterwards we headed to The Other Room and took over their one and only 'room' in the back and filled it with friends. Happy Birthday David, tonight was a blast. 

Tonight's beer is the Maredsous #8. Maredsous is one of the original 6 Trappist (Abbey Breweries) and they also brew the golden god, Duvel. The #8 is a dubbel belgian and it's super, super smooth. I need to get back to partying, so the long and short is, TRY IT. Your tongue won't be disappointed. THE ROCK rating.

Stone Vertical Epic 09.09.09 at Whole Foods

Another Friday evening beer flight tasting at Whole Foods and tonight it's with one of my favorite breweries, Stone.

These might be hard to find now, but if you ever get your hands on a Vertical Epic, buy and save it (if you're like me, under your bed) for December 12, 2012 (12.12.12) because they are all amazing. This fellow has a spicy roasted malt with flavors of chocolate and coffee. Looking forward to drinking it again in two years. THE ROCK rating

Red Hook Limited Release Eisbock 28 is as tasteful as Mr. Freeze

The Eisbock style of beer is made by freezing off some of the water and removing it from the beer (hence the Arnold reference above), which consequentially replaces the hop and flavor with a big alcohol presence. The Eisbock 28 has 11% alcohol.

The resulting concoction tastes like a flavorless rye home brew poured down an ice chute cut from a Greenland glacier. This style is popular in Germany, but not with me. THE ISLAND rating.

Stone Smoked Porter Finishes Stone Brewery Week

The last night of bowling was tonight and we're not going to make the playoff this year, single tear (think we're behind the cut by only 90 points). The Smoked Porter is also the 11th straight and final beer of the Stone Brewery week. Here is a tribute for our now empty comrades:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4WRoWPhLU2Q

This is my first 'smoked' beer and I found the smoke subdued and a nice touch. This is a solid porter with the standard hints of chocolate and caramel and malt bitterness. I won't be circumlocutious; this is good. TRANSFORMERS rating.

It's really impressive to consider that a single brewery makes over FOURTEEN different kinds of beer (not counting limited productions like the Vertical Epics) and I haven't had one 'bad' beer yet. If it wasn't before, Stone is certainly one of my top 5 breweries is now. Color me very impressed.