Anderson Valley Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout

Beer: Anderson Valley Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout
Brewery Location: Boonville, CA
Beer Style: Oatmeal Stout
ABV: 5.7%



It seems I've only been in the mood for dark beer latley, but I haven't been in a mood to polish off a bomber of anything lately so I've been working through some of the 12 oz bottles that I have, and this is one that I got in trade recently. You can find them in every single state that touches us, but for one reason or another we don't get them in Indiana. I didn't realize how much beer they must brew based on how many states they are in. Here is the link to their distribution map. The represent the West coast, Mid West, and East coast quite nicely.

Appearance: This beer pours a very dark brown, almost black, color with tremendous head and it left amazing lacing on the walls of my pint glass.
Smell: The smell is rather "soft" and I get scents of chocolate, grassy hops, and roasted grain.
Taste: The flavor starts out with the roasted malt coming in very nicely and was quite pleasant. It was followed with a combination of cocoa, caramel, and there is also an orchard fruitiness to it as well, but that flavor is really hidden nicely, but supports the other flavors quite well.
Mouthfeel: This is the only spot this beer loses points with me. The mouthfeel is quite thin, but leaves a good chocolaty flavor on the back of the palate with medium carbonation.
Drinkability: I would certainly purchase more of this beer, and it will be a new six pack that I will be picking up when I go to Jungle Jim's in Cincinnati.

Overall this is a very nice and quite quaff able stout. I liked that it is a beer that won't get in the way of conversation, and this is a great beer to sit around with friends and relax with. I think this would be an excelling entry stout for people, and a good example of the style. The pricing on this beer is also nice with a six pack running around $8.99.

Cheers!
Matt

Ølfabrikken Porter

Beer: Ølfabrikken Porter
Brewery Location: Denmark
Beer Style: Baltic Porter
ABV: 8.0%


I was looking for something a little different to hopefully watch my Ball State Cardinals go undefeated last night, and I reach for this beer that I've had in the cellar for several months.

I really like the Baltic porter style. It is stronger than a regular porter, but not quite a robust as a Russian Imperial Stout. It is a good go-between those styles. We just started getting this beer in Indiana in 22 oz bombers, but this bottle is from Jungle Jim's in Cincinnati. I haven't seen this sized bottle in Indiana yet, but perhaps we will get two sizes of it eventually. I've been looking forward to trying this beer after hearing a great deal of hype over it.
Appearance: Pours an obsidian black color with a decent sized light tan colored head with very good staying power for the entire beer.
Smell: Impressive scents of roasted grain, coffee, caramel, milk chocolate, and a hint of vanilla in the nose.
Taste: The flavor profile is the perfect continuation of the nose with base flavors of milk chocolate, coffee, caramel, licorice, and plums. The flavors combine brilliantly with no harsh alcohol burn as well.
Mouthfeel: This beer is full bodied and very smooth with the warming alcohol coming in at the back of the palate with moderate carbonation.
Drinkability: This was an awesome Baltic porter, I will be stocking the cellar with a few bottles of this tasty beer.

As you can tell I was quite impressed with this beer. I loved everything about this beer, and wished I had another bottled of it after I was through with this one. If you are a fan of big stouts and porters you should grab a bottle of this and give it a try. This was my first beer from Ølfabrikken, and they knocked it out of the park on this beer.

Cheers!
Matt

Alesmith Yulesmith Holiday Ale (Summer)

Beer: Yulesmith Summer Holiday Ale
Brewery Location: San Diego, CA
Beer Style: American DIPA
ABV: 8.8%


My best friend Kevin got married a few weeks ago, and he gave me about as awesome a groomsman gift as I could have hoped for. He gave a bottle two bottles of Yulesmith (one summer and one winter) and a limited edition bottle of Brewer's Ale from Rogue. Since we can't get Alesmith here in Indiana I was very impressed at the very thoughtful gift. Kevin knows that Alesmith is one of my favorite brewers and that Yulesmith (winter) ranks as one of my very favorite individual beers. This is the first time I've had the summer offering. I've never found this when I've been down to Jungle Jim's in Cincinnati, but usually have found the winter version. I don't know if they brew the same amount of each for distribution.

This beer pours a nice golden hue with a thick cap of fluffy head on it. I could begin smelling all of the hop goodness as soon as I popped the cap on this beer. The hop smell is very pungent with plenty of grapefruit, sticky pine, candied oranges, peaches, apricots, tangerines, and a very soft caramel malt coming at the tail end of all of those citrus fruit scents. Wow, this is a tremendous nose on this beer. Hops are the showcase on the initial flavors with plenty of citrus flavors ranging from tangerines, oranges, and grapefruit, and sticky pine on the back end of those. The slightly sweet caramel base does its best to balance out the hops flavors and after the beer warmed a bit the malt takes on an almost graham cracker type flavor as well. Even with a few months of age on this the hop profile is still tremendous, and if it has diminished at all a fresh bottle of this beer must be quite the hop heads dream. The mouthfeel is very smooth and creamy, and there is a good dose of warming alcohol in this offering as well. The drinkability is very good and I felt like I could have kept drinking this beer.

If you are a hop head you should seek this beer out. I would gladly take the winter version or the summer version any time I had the chance to have either of them. I said it in my post about Alesmith Speedway stout, but if Alesmith came to Indiana I am pretty sure I would buy enough of it to justify them coming to Indiana.

Cheers!
Matt

Alesmith IPA

Beer: Alesmith IPA
Brewery Location: San Diego, CA
Beer Style: IPA
ABV: 7.75%



It was my birthday this past weekend and I've been keeping a few beers back for the occasion. This is one of those beers that I've been saving. You've read about what I think of Alesmith, and their beer Yulesmith (the winter addition) is in my top five favorite beers of all time. I've read that Stone helps to distribute Alesmith's beers, but we have yet to see them here in Indiana. I've gotten several bottles of this recently at Jungle Jim's and have also traded for a few since I like it that much.

I really would like to make a trip to the west coast just for beer purposes. In San Diego alone there are several breweries that I would like to visit like Alesmith and Ballast Point, and hopefully could finish the trip up in Petaluma visiting Russian River, but that is just a pipe dream at this point, but someone I will make it out there.

This IPA pours a cloudy copper color with a bit of spent yeast floating in my glass topped off with a full three fingers worth of slightly off-white head. This beer left ribbons of lacing around the walls of my pint glass. As a hop-head I love smelling this beer. The hops are very fresh and vibrant with strong scents of citrus fruit and pine underpinned by a subtle soft earthiness as well, and I personally think one of the best American IPA noses you will find. The flavor profile first brings on the rush from all of those hops with flavors of orange rind, pineapple, sticky pine needles, and ripe grapefruit, but as the beer warms a bit I get more of the sweet caramel base to round everything out. I do get a bit of alcohol in the flavor as well, but that is fairly muted compared to the hops and malt. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and super smooth going down with no astringency and the alcohol that was present in the flavor was gone in the mouthfeel. The drinkability is superb on this beer and even at 7.75% I would have multiple offerings of this beer.

This beer is just a superior example of an IPA. The fresh scent of the hops and flavor profile are just about unbeatable here for an IPA. This easily goes in my rotation of IPA's if I could find it locally. The bottle has a few new acronyms for IPA, one being "I Prefer Alesmith" and "It's Pretty Awesome." I have to say that I agree with them.

Cheers!
Matt

Great Lakes Burning River Pale Ale

Beer: Great Lakes Burning River Pale Ale
Brewery Location: Cleveland, OH
Beer Style: American Pale Ale
ABV: 6%



Great Lakes is another one of my top breweries out there, but unfortunately we can't get any here in Indiana unless you live in South Bend. I've heard some stories on why we don't get Great Lakes beers in Indianapolis anymore, but I don't put much stock in them. Great Lakes brewing was the first micro-brewery in Ohio back in 1988. I've been drinking Great Lakes since my very first trip to Jungle Jim's down in Cincinnati several years back. This beer I am reviewing along with their Dortmunder Gold would have permanent places in my fridge if I could buy them locally. This beer is available in every state that touches us and as far north as Wisconsin and as far east at West Virginia. With gas prices at four dollars a gallon though, it is much easier and cheaper for me to trade for them with people from Ohio. I received this beer along with several other Great Lakes offerings in a recent trade.

This beer is named after the 1969 burning of the Cuyahoga River that helped to spark environmental change.

This beer pours a slightly hazed orange color with a decent cap of bright white head on it. The scent is really nice for an APA. Loads of fresh citrus, floral notes, and sweet malt in the nose. It is assertive, but it also doesn't cross the lines into other bigger beers like an IPA, and I think it is really nice and refreshing. The flavor profile is a good balance of bitter hops and sweet malt. I get more citrus than pine in the flavor profile that is balanced quite well with the almost bready malt. The mouthfeel is very smooth with maybe slightly above medium carbonation. The drinkability is really nice, and as I said before I would give this beer a permanent home in my fridge if it were available locally.

Obviously you can tell this is one of my favorite APA's. Alpha King is my favorite APA, but Alpha King is classified as an APA, but to me it is more like an IPA. It isn't going to blow your socks off compared to bigger beers, but in terms of style guidelines and how refreshing this beer is makes it a keeper to me. This is one of my go-to beers during the summer months, and when I think of a "lawnmower beer" this beer is my favorite. If it were possible I would really love to see Great Lakes come back Indianapolis.

Cheers!
Matt

Victory Brewing Storm King Stout

Beer: Victory Brewing Storm King Stout

Brewery Location: Downingtown, PA

Beer Style: Russian Imperial Stout

Serving Style: Bottle

ABV: 9.1%

I've saved the best for last in my Victory Brewing trade. This beer is quite respected and is one of the top 100 beers on Beer Advocate and on Rate Beer. This is a seasonal offering from Victory and is usually available around the winter time, but according to their website it says available on draft and in bottles year round. My stout kick is starting to fade, but I still like stouts on the occasion anytime of the year.

This beer pours very dark brown, but not quite black, with a finger of creamy tan head that dissipated after a few minutes. It left great lacing for a Russian imperial stout on my pint glass. The aroma on this is a very unique combination of classic stout scents including coffee, espresso, dark fruit, and roasted grain, but also an earthy hoppy citrus scent that actually works itself in very well. The first sip brings on the roasted malt flavor upfront with secondary flavors of espresso and chocolate soaked coffee beans. The citrus hops make their appearance on the finish with just a slight grassy citrus kick at the end. This flavor profile is done very well with as much as is going on with the beer. The mouthfeel is velvety and smooth on the palate that leaves a slightly dry finish. The alcohol is very well hidden and only barely noticeable. The drink ability on this beer is good and I would have more than one of a cold night.

I really enjoyed this beer. I knew this stout used hops in it and I was afraid it was going to be like Black Sun Stout from Three Floyds. The floral aroma was just too strong with the Three Floyds offering, but this is pulled back and subdued and doesn't try to dominate the flavor profile, but only add a little something extra that a normal stout. That makes this an above average Russian imperial stout. If you find yourself down at Jungle Jim's in Cincinnati it is certainly worth picking some up.

Cheers!
Matt

Victory Brewing Company Hop Devil

Beer: Victory Brewing Hop Devil
Brewery Location: Downingtown, PA
Beer Style: American IPA
Serving Style: Bottle
ABV: 6.7%


I am working my way through about six offerings from Victory Brewing right now, and I've heard and read some great things about this beer, so I was pretty excited to give it a try.

This beer pours a deep amber with one finger of white head. This is a deeper color than most other IPA's I've encountered. It does leave very good lacing on my pint glass. Hops are the only thing I smell on this beer, but that isn't really a good thing. The hop scent is rather muted and not as bold as I was expecting. I don't really pick up any other secondary scents as well. The taste is very sweet upfront with a bit of caramel before the hops take over and assert themselves, but the hops fizzle out rather quickly and leave a tea-bitterness for the rest of the beer. I am rather unsatisfied with each passing drink. The mouthfeel is rather thin, but there is quite a bit of astringency that normally isn't found on IPA's.

Overall, this was a big miss for me. I am a big hop-head, but this one fizzled out, wasn't well balanced, and the astringency wasn't expected either. This beer is so highly regarded by the masses, and I am wondering what I am missing here. I am going to try it again if I make it down to Jungle Jim's and see if it was just an off bottle.

Cheers!
Matt

Victory Brewing Company Hop Wallop

Beer: Victory Brewing Hop Wallop
Brewery Location: Downingtown, PA
Beer Style: Double IPA
Serving Style: Bottle
ABV: 8.5%


I've just traded for quite a bit of Victory Brewing's beers. I first had Victory after a visit to Jungle Jim's in Cincinnati. My first beer from them was their Prima Pils. I am not usually a fan of the pilsener style, but I was really wowed by it, and I get some every chance that I get.

Victory has pretty good distribution across the county for a micro brewer, but doesn't come to Indiana. You can find this beer in almost every state that touches Indiana in Ohio, Illinois, and Michigan.

Hop Wallop is Victory's seasonal DIPA that comes out each year around November.

Pours a hazy golden-straw color with two fingers of fluffy white head. It left sheets of lacing on my pint glass. The nose is packed full of citrus hops scent. There is a subtle earthiness mixed, but I cannot pickup any malt background. I almost smell a bit of candied fruit as well. The flavor profile is heavy on the hops with flavors of ripe pink grapefruit and resinous pine dominate without much of a malt base to round things out. The beer is medium bodied with medium carbonation that left a very dry finish on the back of my palate. I would certainly purchase this beer again, but the unbalanced nature of the beer wouldn't make it part of my regular rotation.

Overall, this is a pretty good beer. I wanted a little more balance out of the beer, but that shouldn't deter any hop heads out there.

Cheers!
Matt

YuleSmith

Beer: Alesmith's Yulesmith (Winter)
Brewery Location: San Diego, CA
Beer Style: Imperial Red Ale
Serving Style: Bottle
ABV: 9.5%


When you are a beer geek and you travel outside of the state you always look for something new and interesting to try. There are certain beers that just are not available here in Indiana. I wish Alesmith was available here in Indiana. I bought this beer down in Cincinnati a while back at Jungle Jims and still have a few left. I don't fully understand distribution laws, but it seems like if a beer travels past Indiana to get to Ohio, there is no reason we shouldn't get this here. When beer geeks find out how delicious this beer is they would be buying it in great quantities. I think I read that Alesmith is also distributed with Stone's beer, so we should hopefully get this beer in Indiana.

Jungle Jim's by the way is a great place to pick up beer as well. Their selection is as good or better than Kahn's and Party Pak, but it is housed in this massive building that has just about any food from any country you've ever imagined. It's well worth the visit if you find yourself down that way. It really is a unique experience.

Alesmith produces this beer twice a year. I am reviewing the winter offering. You can tell from the bottles because the winter bottle is in Christmas colors and the summer bottle in blue. They call the winter offering an Imperial Red Ale, but probably belongs in the strong ale category and is very close to a DIPA.

The beer pours a very deep rustic orange color with three fingers off-white head. The lacing on the beer is one of the best I've seen. Billowy pillows of head leave large creamy rings of lace all the way to the end of the beer. The scent on this beer is a hop lovers dream. You can smell the resinous pine and grapefruit that are very bold and you can easily pick out the sweet caramel scent vying for your attention as well. Truly one of the best noses I've ever smelled on a beer. The taste on this beer is really something special. The first sip grabs your attention with the hops taking center stage. Bold flavors of candied grapefruit, pine, grain, toffee, and caramel come to the palate before the huge malted and bready backbone balance out those flavors. It is so complex, but it is still so very easy to pick out things in the flavor profile. Each sip the creamy mouthfeel brings those flavors in and out and never falter during the entire beer. The mouthfeel is full, bold, sticky, syrupy, and the best of all velvety. This beer is really something special. Such a great winter warmer.

I normally don't really just shower attention on something and try and give a fair review of a beer, but this is truly one of the best beers I've ever had in my life. Everything I look for in a beer Yulesmith beats the expectation on every category. The taste and mouthfeel are the two biggest keys on this beer. If I tried to make beer commercially this would be my benchmark.

If I was going to die tomorrow I would want to drink this tonight. That is how good this beer is. Easily in my top five beers of all time. The bottle states that this is for gift giving during the holiday season. You would be my favorite person on Christmas morning if this was sitting under my tree.

Cheers!
Matt