Uinta Crooked Line Tilted Smile Imperial Pilsner.

Here's another imperial pilsner. I wonder if this is going to be the next trendy style to have. The Gordon Biersch IPB is pretty good. I am also a fan of the Sam Adams Noble Pils. This one comes off as a little too malty and creamy, not enough clean, light hop flavor. Maybe it's a little old. I left in the fridge and forgot about it for at least a month and who knows how long it was sitting on a store shelf before that.

It's pretty easy-going for being a stiff 9%. Oh, the bottle is stamped with a bottled-on date of 5/22/12. So kinda old.

The label is nice, certainly drinkable, but not what I'm looking for in an imperial pilsner.

Gordon Biersch Braumeister Select IPB.

I got to try this at a WF tasting a few weeks ago. GB is not really regarded as a notable brewery, they are actually not that bad. I've had GB on occasion, and I really do think they try to make a good beer. Not that they are anything to write home about, but I think they are much more approachable for the macro beer drinker to get into craft beer.

I'm not typically a fan of pilseners but I've had a few that I've liked in the past, Sam Adams Noble Pils for one. I think I'm actually had one imperial pilsener before as well, though I can't remember where that was. Weighing in at only 6.5%, it's not really the typical imperial strength. In terms of flavor thou

gh, it's definitely a beefier brew. IPB stands for "Imperial Pilsner Brau", by the way.

Nose is a crisp, slightly grassy spring aroma, makes it just that much more refreshing. I like this one. Plus it comes in a swing-top, which is cool.

Stone Ruination 10th Anniversary.

This is probably one of the few beers to which I've looked forward in recent memory. I picked up two bottles, one for the fridge and one for sitting, even though I know it won't keep well probably. For being an anniversary brew, it was pretty reasonably priced.

DAAAAAAAAAAMN. Watching the pour, thick resiny bubbles cropped up in the fine, dense head. A rich floral, hoppy aroma. And I mean floral. Usually when someone says floral, it means a slightly fragrant, maybe grassy, delicate non-bitter aroma. This is not that kind of floral. It is a bouquet.

This actually tastes somewhat more refined than Stone IPA and, presumably, Ruination. The up-front is relatively gently, but the IBUs kick in hard and fast, super punchy, really aggressive and persistent. The body is nice and light for the wallop, but leaves a bit of residue.

Really, I should have tried this next to a regular Ruination, but, alas, I did not. But this is a kickass, dangerously sippable/drinkable beer. I( will definitely have to pick up some more, if I see it around.

Knee Deep Brewing Hoptologist DIPA.

Finally getting into some new beer for another summer abroad. I haven't heard of Knee Deep so I picked up a bomber. This was actually a purchase from a few weeks ago, but I've been so busy lately that I haven't had much time to sit with a thoughtful beer. To be honest, I've mostly been drinking Copper Bell, $5 for a 12-pack at WF these days. Pretty hard to beat that.

First impression is a bit hop pellet-y, a typically bit unbalanced DIPA. Not going to be impressed, especially since I just finished a Stone IPA. But it's a funny bottle.

On a related note, WF was having a 20% off 375mL+-sized bottles today so I picked up a half dozen or so new ones, so hopefully I'll have some solid beers coming down the line soon. I should also probably pick up some more Copper Bell. I must say, I'm enjoying my boozing a bit more this summer without the self-imposed pressure of taking myself so seriously. Expect a lot more casual impressions rather than 5-point reviews. Got a hankering to head up to Lagunitas and Russian River soon.

Black Diamond Rampage Imperial IPA.

I never got around to trying any Black Diamond last summer so here we are. It's only ok. It's nice for an IPA but there's something a bit watery behind it. Meh. I wouldn't be interested in buying this again. 'Nuff said.

Sam Adams Third Voyage Double IPA.

I've been seeing these special brews from Sam Adams lately. They look pretty adventurous. I've been sitting on this one and another one lately and since I found a couple new ones the other day, I figured I should start working on one. Third Voyage is brewed with Cascades from UK, NZ and US so that's kind of cool. It's not as hooppy as I'd like for a double but maybe that's because it's mostly malty up front with the bitter showing up late. Not going to lie, there's some serious booziness going on.

Maybe it's because I'm sick, but I'm not really feeling this one. All somewhat unbalanced

• Appearance: Clear, typical dark amber. Fairly creamy, frothy head. Curtains.
• Smell: Rather fruity, tropical aroma, somewhat sugar-y.
• Taste: Very malty up front with only a hop bitter arriving towards the finish which accents the alcohol heat unpleasantly.
• Mouthfeel: Leaves more residue than I'd like, but otherwise typical.
• Drinkability and Overall: It was a nice experience but not one I'd want to repeat again and again.

Pyramid Outburst Imperial IPA.

Guy at the shop had been recommending I try the Outburst since I've been downing the Empire IPA lately. It turns out it's the same price so I went for a fill this time. Typical pour, had a nice whiff of resiny hop aroma on opening. Outburst is a good name for this brew. Right up front is a punchy, hoppy, sweet resiny flavor, bright and bitter. It finishes a little bit dirty and harsh though. A few more sips to wreck your palate takes off most of the edge though. Initial impression: I like it. For the price, it's a great deal for an imperial IPA. It's not as assertive as some other imperials, but not everyone can be Unearthly or Ruination.

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Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout.

The 11-12 gave a much bigger hiss on popping the cap. The 10-11 is much breadier is both smell and taste. I had initially thought that the 10-11 had taken on a hotter, harsher edge, but comparing against the 11-12, it's actually lighter, smoother, mellower than the 11-12. The 11-12 is pretty up-front with bitter malts, coffee, and even a little boozy heat. The 10-11, I've decided, is bitter in more of a dark chocolate way than anything else. It's just very smooth and dangerously drinkable, leaving not much residue, and the linger is just long enough to be pleasant and short enough to bring you in for more.

Port Brewing Oak-Aged Santa's Little Helper.

As I was pouring, I was surprised by how light this was. Instead of the thick, oily, opaque black pour one normally receives from an imperial stout, this was noticeably tinted brown. An assertive bourbon character is evident in both the nose and initial taste. The barrel aging leaves it boozy but not hot, and there's a slightly dirty, woody taste towards the back end. The more that I think about it though, the bourbon is masking a lot of the expected complexity of an imperial stout. I'm finding it difficult to pick up the typical coffee and chocolate notes, even the dark malts. Even the mouthfeel is somewhat bourbon-y: lighter, cooler, and a bit astringent.

Weyerbacher Fifteen Smoked Imperial Stout.

• Appearance:
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Mild smokiness that doesn't bring an overpowering sense of bacon. Predominantly roasted malts with hints of coffee.

Atwater Block VJ Black Imperial Stout.

Yet another bottle that's been taking yup room since before the summer, bottled March 2011. There's lot of fruity sweetness in this one. Fruity coffee nose, fruity sweetness as it lingers on the tongue. Strong, bittersweet chocolate notes with almost burnt malts. The mild carbonation makes it a dangerously easy drinker and the 11%ABV brings no heat.

I think the component I enjoy the most is the cogency of the entire flavor profile. There is an mild bittersweetness that weaves through the chocolate, coffee, and malt notes, but it is far from being cloying. It is clean and smooth, no residue, not on the lips or even the glass. I think I like this one quite a bit. It's a good story.

• Appearance: Black core, brown around the edges, opaque. Lack of a head is replaced with an oil slick.
• Smell: Fruity coffee beans.
• Taste: Overall, a bittersweetness permeates all components: Coffee, chocolate, dark malts.
• Mouthfeel: Fairly light for an imperial stout. Slick and clean. Ok, if a bit initially biting, carb.
• Drinkability and Overall: Moves easily but at 11%ABV, exercise caution. A nice change of pace in the imperial stout category with good balance and cohesion.

Port Brewing Anniversary Ale.

Still working through the haul from the west. I brought back a lot of bombers from Port Brewing, which I think is a great all-around brewery. Even better, they make some pretty damn good pizza and their sister brewery, Lost Abbey isn't too shabby either. I picked up a couple bottles of the 5th Anniversary Ale since anniversary ales are usually pretty good and/or interesting. I was surprised to find that this is "yet another hop monster of a beer". Is it a hop monster? Not really. But it is a pretty hoppy, yet well-balanced IPA. Definite sweet malt up front with a jack-in-the-box hop backbone. A swish releases a lot of carbonation before releasing a healthy dose of hop bitter, slightly pilsener-y. Everyone on BA keeps mentioning pine, but I get more of resin-y taste.

• Appearance: Somewhat pale on the double IPA scale. Thick, luxurious head on the pour, diminishes to a steady thin head.
• Smell: Pine-y resin-y aroma but not out of this world; actually, a bit mild.
• Taste: Sweet up front before presenting a solid hop bitter.
• Mouthfeel: High carbonation at first. The other half of this bottle has simmered down quite a bit. Finish is fairly clean, mild residue on the lips with a inoffensive hop linger.
• Drinkability and Overall: BA rates it at 10%ABV, so no on sessioning. It is, however, a pretty good all-around double IPA.

Sierra Nevada Hopsichord, Camp 36.

First review since returning home last week. To be honest, with all the drinking I had done on the drive back, combined with the slew of upkeep, I had been feeling a little burnt out. But here we are. I picked up this bomber at the Sierra Nevada brewery because I had been so impressed with the Best of Beer Camp half-case I had earlier this summer.

The head is pretty creamy and soft though not terribly aromatic. With a name like "Hopsichord", I would expect this to be much hoppier, but it's more on a malty side with apple tones, surrounded with some overdeveloped hop bitter that draws out on the finish. Carbonation is low and smooth. Mostly, I don't think this is as harmonious as its name would imply. I can't figure out if something is actually unbalanced or if nothing really works together. Pretty disappointing.

In contrast, most people on BA noted a good balance and one said the hop bitter was harsh. So I don't know what's up with that. At 9.8%ABV, it's a little beefy.

• Appearance: Dark copper; fine, creamy head.
• Smell:Mild and nondescript.
• Taste: Heavy malt, caramel, brown sugar; not enough hops that don't kick in until the back end.
• Mouthfeel: Carbonation is low and body is smooth, slightly cohesive.
• Drinkability and Overall: 9.8%ABV is pretty hefty, but it's really the lack of harmony that's the showstopper here.

Eel River Raven's Eye Imperial Stout.

Yet another Eel River offering. It's been a while since I've had an imperial stout, it seems, so it sounded good when I saw it. Plus, it was kind of a cool name and label, a little different from the typical something-something-black-or-dragon-whatnot. Besides, I really like those big black birds. They're always yelling at people or standing around talking to each other. Pretty funny.

A heavy black, noticeably viscous pour, but with not much head. Weaseling an aroma out of this is kind of difficult but it's mostly caramel. I'm not going to lie, I didn't type anything about the first half of this bomber because I was watching Lego videos on YouTube. Upon pouring the other half though, I get a visual confirmation of the mouthfeel. This is a pretty fizzy beer for being an imperial stout. The head on this actually fizzed out like a soda, which is pretty bizarre. The second glass is also a little warmer, and I find the viscosity somewhat less pleasing in this case. It's a decent tasting imperial stout. Rich and malty, bittering slightly on the back on the finish. I really have to say the amount of carbonation in this slightly distracting. I feel like I'm drinking a slightly warm soda, the kind that's a little too each to foam up when it hits your mouth. Because of the association, I get a little cola flavor. And some licorice. Maybe a little brownie.

On one hand, I'm happy to be drinking an unadulterated imperial stout. On the other hand, this is slightly generic and the carb is off to the point of being distracting. It is a punchy 9.5%ABV though. So it's not a bad take. But there are certainly others that I'd opt for first. If I could get a deal on these, yeah, I'd pick up a case or two. But if I had a choice, Rasputin is solid.

• Appearance: Thick-looking black pour, not head. Second pour had a soda-like head that fizzed out.
• Smell: Hard to get an impression without a head to capture it. I get mostly caramel.
• Taste: A fairly standard, if a bit mild, dark, slightly sweet malt with some finishing bitter. A bit too nondescript. On the second glass, I found some licorice and something akin to brownies.
• Mouthfeel: Overcarbed. It's pretty distracting. Otherwise, viscous, slightly sticky.
• Drinkability and Overall: 9.5%ABV so if you can get a deal, well, then you got a deal. But otherwise, there are other imperial stouts more worth your time.

Grand Teton Lost Continent Double IPA.

After a disastrous Grand Teton experience last night, I felt compelled to go after the other one right away. After all, if it was going to be bad, I might as well find out now, and if it's good, well, that would a timely redemption. So anchors aweigh.

Right off the bat, I could tell this was malty, possibly resiny, from the way it poured into the glass. The head didn't stick around but exposes a glassy surface with visible tension. I was a little nervous about the first taste but the smell was inviting enough. With so much apprehension, actually tasting it left me a little confused. It's sweet and fruity with a tight ball of hop in the center towards the back. And then it just sort of disappears. Very confusing.

Not going to lie, I have kind of mixed feelings about this one. Slightly resiny with a double IPA like body. The carbonation is a little low, leaving the viscosity pretty high. However, the double hops component is not really there. As it warms up, the lack of a strong hop backbone leaves the malt unbalanced. There isn't a strong amber malt component either so for something so mild to be unbalanced says a lot. It's strange for it to be so fruity while still lacking so much hop character. At the end of the day, I think that lack is glaring and unforgivable in an double IPA. So I have to give it an F on the style. As a beer, it's slightly surprising and unique, whether it meant to be or not. Very meandering. Maybe Grand Teton was on the pursuit of hoppiness and got lost and wound up here. Herp derp.

• Appearance: Darker gold-orange. No head retention. Visibly thick.
• Smell: Fruity and a bit citrus-y, oranges then apricots.
• Taste: Strange sweetness, fruitiness, not a dominant hop character but not a very malty taste either. A miss here.
• Mouthfeel: Thick and viscous, surprisingly so. The body is too heavy for the marginal potency it has.
• Drinkability and Overall: Fairly unsatisfying due to the low flavor density. 8%ABV in a bomber format. I'm not sure I would ever really want more than a glass of this.

Grand Teton Pursuit of Hoppiness Imperial Red Ale.

Since I seem to be on a roll with Grand Teton thus far, I thought I'd try out some of the bombers, which had decent reviews on BA. I picked up Lost Continent along with Pursuit of Hoppiness. The first thing by which I'm struck (typed struct initially -> too much kernel time; also debated on whether to use '=' or '=='. Thought about it and decided to go with the less ambiguous implication arrow. In the time I've taken to type the last sentence, I've reevaluated my position and decided that '=' would be semantically more appropriate than '=='. But I'm sticking with the implication arrow.) is the name: Pursuit of Hoppiness. This is, in fact, an imperial red ale, not an imperial IPA. I thought that was a strange name for a red ale. After pulling off the silly color-coordinated foil cap, I was greeted with a blank gold cap. Bummer.

First, let me say this beer is not very good. This basically is a Killians at imperial strength. My initial sniff was a pretty off-putting coppery (as in metallic) smell, the kind you get on your hands after handling a lot of loose change, plus an intermittent fishy smell. So we're off to a terrible start. Fantastic. The taste is flat malty and metallic. Very rarely do I say this about a beer (Denogginizer), but fuck this shit. Maybe a bad bottle, but seriously, this thing is really terrible. This is should probably be renamed something like Pursuit of Sadness. Or Boner-killer. It is that terrible.

At 8.5%ABV and $8 for the bomber, it's only on par for QPR. The upshot is that the beer after this is probably going to taste great.

• Appearance: Standard red ale; frothy head with some awkward off-on curtains.
• Smell: Metallic and fishy. Yuck.
• Taste: Very 1-D malty but not really on the level of an imperial. Tinny taste, like a skunky can.
• Mouthfeel: Viscosity on par for an imperial, standard weight. Carbing is not unusually low, but I'm annoyed enough with this beer to hold it against it.
• Drinkability and Overall: DO NOT WANT. There are much better tasting red ales and at this price point. Trying this only makes me want to make sure I pick up some Rogue Santa's Little Helper this year.

Uinta Dubhe Imperial Black IPA.

Picked up a 4-pack of this black IPA from Uinta, mostly off a recommendation from a WF beer tasting I happened to encounter tonight. Of note, this is form Uinta. Also, of note, it's a black IPA (that doesn't even make sense). I didn't notice until I went to open one that there's fuzzy spots on the bottles that look suspiciously like mold. And this beer is brewed with hemp seed. And there's lots of Mormons in Utah. I'm tripping balls.

This is an off-hand, first-taste review because I'm already deep one DHF 90, it's 11:20PM and I'm not sleepy. I'm not going to lie, this has a some serious herbal taste to it. Impulsively, I must say that I kind of like this beer. First, this is the first imperial black IPA/dark Cascadian I've seen. I'm going to say the gravity boost (gravitic boosters, obs upgrade, #broodwar) up to imperial really helps fill out the profile on this. I got to talk shop with some folk at the tasting and was enlightened.

Tangent: So what's in a black IPA/dark Cascadian? And why would you ever want to drink something with a self-contradictory name? So the intent was to have a beer, hoppy like an IPA, but full and rich like...a black ale or a bock. So instead of hop bouquet, you get a toastier, maltier, more seasoned beer that still retains a hop core. Sometimes you want the hops but you want the darker malts too. Interesting.

So with that in mind, I will see if I can dissect this and still enjoy it. It is certainly malty, profile is along the lines of a dark toast, grilled in the pan with butter. The hop bitter is certainly there, much more so than any other black IPA I've had. This could actually be an IPA except for the fact that it's black (no racist). The hemp seed brings a very unique finish that is bitter in both a different and complementary way to the hopping. There is a strong herbal character that kind of reminds me of this box of hemp gummy candies I ate once in high school.

I have to say, my initial impressions are rather positive. It's both an adventurous and interesting tasting beer; maybe slightly gimmicky but it pays off. I don't think I would want to sit down and drink too many of these those, especially at 9.2%ABV, but it's certainly worth trying. I do wonder how often I might say that I have a hankering for this one, as it's very much a standalone beer.

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Moyaln's Hopsickle Imperial Triple Hoppy Ale.

The hoppier cousin to that ambiguously double IPA, brewed with Tomahawk, Chinook, and Anthanum hops. Immediately after breaking the seal, I was greeted with a delicious hoppy aroma, fragrant, fruity, and not stale or pellet-y. That's a really good sign. A slightly dark amber with a persistent head. Even better. First taste was rich, hoppy, complex, long-lasting. There is just a slight sweetness up front to prepare your palate for the hop roll out. Dark, grassy, weedy, but still crisp and distinct. What's remarkable is the balance in this hop bomb. Nothing is blown out; nothing is stale. It's downright refreshing. The finish is exceptionally clean, no residue. I wish I knew what the IBU rating is because I'm only going to be more impressed if they pulled this off at 80-90+.

Hands down, this beer is superior in all ways to its little brother. Everything is right about this beer. I would love to pair it against a Southern Tier Unearthly (which reminds me: I should compile a list of my top IPAs). I'm not sure how I would pair it, but I think it goes pretty damn well on its own. I'm eating it with some sweet potato chips from Food Should Taste Good, and I like the combination. The chips themselves are mild but superbly crunchy; I find the combination of a strong-willed beer and a texture of a silently strong chip to be enlightening. At 9.2%ABV, it is no session beer, certainly, but I wouldn't mind treating it like one.

• Appearance: Dark, slightly hazy amber, thin but persistent head with heavy curtains.
• Smell: Sweet, floral and fruit fragrance, hoppy and grassy. Fresh.
• Taste: Strong hop backbone with plenty of complexity, just a touch of sweetness. Crisp and refreshing, fresh. Very well balanced both between malts and hops and in the hop profile. Lingering hop bitter but does not overstay its welcome.
• Mouthfeel: Slightly low on the carb, but perfect for the flavor. Clean finish and without heavy resin.
• Drinkability and Overall: 9.2%ABV but it covers itself well.

Moylan's Moylander Double IPA.

The bottle reads, from top to bottom, "Moylan's | Moylander | Double | IPA | Ale". Is it a double IPA ale? Or Moylander Ale: Double IPA? Double India Pale Ale Ale? In any case, I was excited to see what Moylan's could do in the double/imperial IPA range. Their Nor Cal was a great IPA, so when I saw that they had a double and even a triple, I grabbed one of each. A big whiff is rewarded with a strong, grassy hop aroma with lots of fruit and citrus. Taste is strongly malty actually with an undercurrent of resin-y, bitter hops. There's not as much complexity there as I would have thought. The flat hop character doesn't go well with the long finish as it ends up being a little stale and musty.

I have somewhat mixed feelings about this one. I really wanted to like it, but it's just a little flat, little unbalanced. For all its accolades, I'm afraid that I've had much better. It's not a necessarily bad, but I'd take a Southern Tier Unearthly over this one. For 8.5%ABV, it's not a bad buy, but I'm not sure what I'd put with this. For some reason, fried chicken sounds really good. Or some jambalaya, something Creole and spicy.

• Appearance: Clear, dark gold. Fluffy head with plenty of curtains.
• Smell: Grassy, fruity, a little hot.
• Taste: Fairly malty, strong hop intensity but fairly flat. Ends up coming off as a bit stale and musty.
• Mouthfeel: Resin-y but the carb and weight are all typical.
• Drinkability and Overall: 8.5%ABV so no session but the lack of balance in the finish makes it an odd sipper. Maybe an appetizer beer, whatever that means.

Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron.

A "Malt Beverage aged on Palo Santo Wood". In true DFH style, Palo Santo Marron is a whopper of an unfiltered brown ale, aged in 10,000 gallon tanks made from Paraguayan Palo Santo wood, which sounds pretty fancy. But I don't actually know anything about this wood. A peek at wiki, which even has a reference to DFH, doesn't say much about why this wood is special, but apparently, it is pretty hard and dense (that's what she said) and the locals use it for winemaking.

DFH was not joking when they said "malt beverage". This thing is super malty. It's like drinking a Whopper. A very rich, alcoholic, liquid Whopper without any milk dilution. Up front, it is chocolately but any sweetness there quickly gives was to a malt monster which is throwing a lot of mud and darkly stained, polished, wooden banisters in your face. It's extremely toasty but definitely not burnt. Expectedly, it is a little sticky. The finish is long-lasting and not unpleasant. It is a little woody, but I get more of a sawdust and balsa wood notion as it lingers.

I have a history of belittling pretty much any brown ale that is not Blackstone Nut Brown, but this is pretty tasty. It's a standard brown ale that looks and feels like it's been simmered on the stove until it turns into a rich, thick gravy of a beer. It's intense. Hailing from DFH, it is, of course, high ABV: 12%. Though I must say it is well-masked. Likewise, the 4-pack also carries a $15 price tag. Here's the thing though: you're going to pay just as much, if not more, at a typical bar for four other beers which are probably not as cool as this one. So I don't feel bad about that. Except that I do because I know I can get a 6-pack of Stone IPA for $8 or $9 dollars. But hey, a 4-pack of 12%ABV beers, that's like a 12-pack, in terms of ABV, right. Well, you know, I can get a case and a half of PBR for that much, get more absolute alcohol volume, and get cool cred (as long as you drink it post-ironically). Sigh, and that's the quandary of DFH. Often overrated and almost always overpriced, but you have to hand it to them for being one of the most creative, daring craft breweries out there even whose disasters are elegant. But Palo Santo Marron is no disaster. This is a monster beer, a definite sipper, most probably out of a snifter. Assertive chocolates and cheeses would be appropriate here.

• Appearance: Completely opaque black. No head save for a toffee-colored ring.
• Smell: Very imperial stout-like, coffee, chocolate.
• Taste: Malt and malt. Very earthy with your standard chocolate, dirt, and wood tones. The wood complexity is evolving throughout. As toasty as you can get without being burnt so the finish isn't overly bitter. Despite all of the stout characteristics, it is definitely a brown ale. Also, major props: it is smooth without any noticeable heat.
• Mouthfeel: Just enough carb to assert itself on your palate. About on par with or maybe a touch higher than an imperial stout. Probably a touch higher. It reminds you that you're still drinking a brown ale and not a stout. A bit sticky on the finish but that's to be expected.
• Drinkability and Overall: A definite sipper at 12%ABV. It is something of a cross between a brown ale and an imperial stout. I'd love to try another one of these after some conditioning.

By the way, I wrote the first half of this post in present tense, in contrast to the previous few posts. I think I like that better because it feels more natural as I'm typing that as I drink. I guess I need to think of it as akin to live-tweeting watching a movie, marathoning a TV series, or a poop.