Tasting Notes: Bear Republic: Racer 5

Bear Republic: Racer 5 (USA: IPA: 7% ABV)

Visual: Apricot with a crisp frothy head that is just off white. The beer sparkles in a haze from not quite settling before the pour so some sediment is still free floating. Very low carbonation main body.  The head leaves a slight trail around the rim as the beer diminishes.

Nose: Fresh apricot, pineapple and custard cream biscuits. Shortbread as well. Slight gooseberry sharpness. The apricot seems more dried apricot on a deep lungful. Custard slices. Cream.

Body: Bitter hops and sweet peaches. White grapes, pineapple. Toffee sweetness. Solid in its bitterness, but never too strong. Elderberry or tart gooseberries.

Finish: Very buttery shortbread into growing bitter hops. Light honey. The bitterness really hits here and dries the tongue. White grapes again.

Conclusion: For some reason I always think this is a Canadian beer. It isn’t. It’s a Californian beer. I’m guessing neither place would appreciate the mix up.

So here is a beer of the old favourite style, the IPA.  The beer is very much USA style. Big and bursting with fruitiness. This beer comes in with a touch of sediment at the bottom to make it bottle conditioned, which may or may not make the CAMRA real ale fans happy. For me its welcome as it seems to bring a bit of extra thickness to the beer.

So this thing is apricot, bitter, fresh and fruity. It’s got a massive aroma, great range on the nose as well. The body is a touch simpler but balanced great. Its got a similar style to the Sculpin IPA in the fruitiness, but its touch thicker body makes a lot more grip for the apricot flavour to fight the bitterness To my mind this makes it work a touch better.

It’s probably the best apricot flavour based IPA I’ve had. Yes I have had so many good IPAs that I need to make my praise that specific.  It’s all in the balance. Too many IPAs ratchet up the bitterness without counterbalancing the flavour well. This keeps it just on the correct side of the razors edge.

Now as the curiously over specific complements earlier may have hinted at, I have had better IPAs.  Wipeout IPA and Hopwired for example.  However this is still a great beer. Tart enough to refresh, bitter enough to kick and sweet enough to enjoy. Even better the bottle conditioning has stood it in good stead on its long journey.

A beer you should race to get (ho fucking ho ho)

Background:  I first became aware of Bear Republic in Japan where an American Navy man at the bar recommended it is a true taste of home.  At the time I went for a Hair Of The Dog beers instead but it has always stayed on my radar since.  This was picked up at The Brewdog guest beer section and due to a problem with the new delivery partners took a damn age to turn up.

Tasting Notes: Marstons: Oyster Stout

Marstons: Oyster Stout (England: Stout: 4.5% ABV)

Visual: Very dark brown to black. Dark coffee froth head.  The head has a short life but decent amounts of froth.

Nose: Fish oil. Milky coffee and dry roasted peanuts.  Condensed cream. Almond slices. Cinnamon and a hint of smoke.

Body: Dark bitterness. Slight sour dough. Milky but with a slight rough texture. Milky chocolate. That oiliness again.

Finish: Fish oil. Bitter coffee, or maybe just bitterness. Black cherry and cream at times. Dry on the tongue. Cinnamon dusting on apple at the very end.  Becomes slightly salty after a while.

Conclusion: This beer seems to show up a lot in warmer climes for reasons I can’t quite establish. Oft amongst a host of identikit lagers this oyster stout has popped up and given me something actually worth drinking.

That oiliness that seems to be what makes it an oyster stout is a slightly odd addition, but may be part of the reason why it works in the heat.  In the much more sane (and by that I mean cold) British climate it is drinkable, slightly cloying and has a reasonable chocolate base.

It’s a good beer, if not impressive in the highly competitive stout world. It does have just enough quirks with the oiliness and the like to make it at least somewhat different.

It’s all in the little touches. The almond fingers in the aroma, the oiliness, the apple and cinnamon touch at the end. All very slight but they do make it a bit more drinkable. The bitter at the back is far less subtle though and thus is the mainstay of the beer.

Like a lot of the Marston beer it’s decent product, and at the same time a stepping stone. It’s not the greatest beer, but it is good and helps open people up to the better beers out there.

Background: This beer has been a life saver a few times, I’ve seen it as the only decent beer in pubs around the UK, in Cyprus, in fact in more places than you would guess.   One of a pack of Marston beers that the parents had got in to tide me over Christmas, which was kind of them.  I tried to ignore my father using them to make shandys.   Some things should just not be done to a poor beer. Again due to being drunk with the family it had a slightly odd choice of glass.

Tasting Notes: Marstons: Pedigree

Marstons: Pedigree (England: ESB: 5% ABV)

Visual: Mahogany to honey. Decent whitish froth of bubbles of a head. Moderate carbonation made up of very small bubbles.

Nose: Honey. Mellow British hops. Grapes.

Body: Honey. Bitter and sweet mixes. Slick texture. Lots of the clingy British hops in evidence. Dough. Golden syrup. Slight fizz mid body. Light peanuts on the middle as well,

Finish: Slick, like honey spread over your tongue. Hop oil and bitterness. The bitterness is the longest lasting element, solid but not overpowering. Peanuts.

Conclusion: Marstons can often be peoples first exposure to non crap beer.  It used to have a red and white colour scheme, maybe attempting to gain popularity my matching the English flag.  Any which way, it is a solid red these days so I can’t take the piss if it was.

Martson main appeal I feel tends to come from its very slick and quite thick texture, which tends to be backed by a solid bitterness.  Revisiting Pedigree I find the remembered texture still very much in evidence, it’s a thick sheen over your tongue that holds on well, Similarly the mix of the traditional Fuggle and Golding hops style is unmistakable, it has what I would think of a stereotypically British hop character; Thick and slightly heavy, with a clinging touch.

In fact this is what often is thought of as a hop characteristic for a casual drinker in Britain due to its prevalence in the more popular ales.  Oft people are unaware of the more showy hop varieties available elsewhere.  It’s a pity as these hops provide solid bitterness but not much pizzazz. Because of this it is quite hard to get excited about a beer that has it as its main characteristic.  The telling weight and thickness of the brewery are put to better use in some of their other beers.

This, their mainstay is somewhat dull. It does however carry nice grape and honey sweetness alongside the hops. A memorable beer for where it stands in my drinking history but not a special beer.

Background: Marstons is a popular brewer with a lot of my friends, with the term “A Marstons Moment” being used to refer to a gathering where Marstons is served.   They have always been a good stand by I’ve found, if not in the top league. Their Owd Rodger however is a thing of beauty by my recollection. May have to add it to my list of things to review one day. This beer was drunk with the family over Christmas, hence the odd choice of glass which was pretty much all they had.

Thus Drank Zarathustra: Hops Kill Nazis

Something new for the new year. Thus Drank Zarathustra. A video beer blog on youtube. Since I already do tasting notes these are aimed as more playful and fun, hoping to expose great beer to a wider audience.

This is my first attempt at anything like this, a pilot if you will, so any and all feedback is welcome. As always my e-mail address is alcoholandaphorisms at gmail dot com.

These take a while to make, so feedback is appreciated, and if you like it, please tell people and share it. If people enjoy it I will definitely make more.

Enjoy, and to Bacchus!

Holidays huh.

Another short downtime. This time for inevitable holiday family time. I’m taking a few notes though, so should have plenty for my return. Also working on something just a bit different which I hope you will all like. Just waiting for feedback from my trusted fellow tasters and if they give the thumbs up it should be online before new year.

Tasting Notes: Bristol Beer Factory: Raspberry Stout

Bristol Beer Factory: Raspberry Stout (England: Imperial Stout: 7.7 % ABV)

Visual: Black with a dust of toffee brown head.  Its 99% certainly psychosomatic but during the pour the head seemed to froth lavender for a while.

Nose: Lots of really tart raspberry dominates. Sour grapes underneath and thick vinous touches. White grapes as well. Strong to the point of being almost lighter fluid aroma touches, but offset by so much fruit that it is not unappealing.

Body:  Roasted and bitter yet smooth textured. Breaks out into tart raspberry jam with white grapes mixed in again.  Very vinous influence. Raisins and figs.

Finish: Milky chocolate and coffee. Feels very fresh and tart if not actually raspberry filled. Big roasted nuts after awhile and bitter chocolate. Some plums and fig rolls.

Conclusion: Definitely a case of does exactly what it says on the tin. The raspberry is so obvious that even if you were down with the Christmas bug it would be evident.

I don’t know if it’s the base beer, the raspberry or a mix of the two but there is a definite wodge of vinous feel to this beer that is thick and rich.  The fig and plums almost definitely come from where the beer meets the fruit and brings in a wonderful second wave of flavour.  It feels weighty yet fresh and tart, a great combination.

The elements all combine to give the impression of an alcohol element that is very evident but not burning. The lighter fluid I referenced in the aroma section may be a slight exaggeration but this beer really puts its power at the forefront and that “Booziness” may be off-putting for some.

Notice how when I say some, I don’t mean me. I love the thickness, the almost jam like sweetness that the weight brings and the roasted and bitter elements that come after a few mouthfuls.

So hugely flavoursome and vinous. If completely lacking subtlety. It’s a sledgehammer of flavour here.  I think this beer will be crowd splitter. Its very big and obvious nature will put off some, especially combine with the noticeable alcohol. These very same elements will draw others to its flock.

Me, I’m firmly in the enjoy camp. It isn’t a masterwork, but damn it’s brash and fun. Considering how few beers can compete with the strong flavours raspberries bring this is very impressive that each element is evenly matched by the other.

 
Another high quality stout.

Background: Oddly listed as a standard stout on ratebeer.  However due to the reference to Belgium yeast and the identical abv, I think this has Ultimate Stout at the base which was blatantly an Imperial Stout.  As mentioned this beer is made with Belgium yeast and a shitload of raspberries.  Part of the 12 Stouts Of Christmas set which has been rock solid for quality so far.

Tasting Notes:Brewdog: Christmas Porter

Brewdog: Christmas Porter (Scotland: Porter: 6.2% ABV)

Visual: A very dark brown to black. Loose bubbles in an espresso style form a head of light coffee brown. No immediately evident carbonation.

Body: Pepper seeds. Bubble gum. Cloyed cream. Milky coffee. Slight dusty chocolate. Orange juice. Warms to a more roasted character.

Body: Bubblegum, lemongrass. Milky chocolate. Bitter, definitely bitter. Tingly. Quite smooth. Slight pineapple. Slight mulled beverage spices.

Finish: Strawberry crème centres. Hops and chilli seeds. Dry hoppy bitterness. Bitter chocolate. Sour dough.

Conclusion: Here is my small acknowledgement that Christmas exists. A review of a Christmas beer. Woo. Yeah don’t all celebrate at once.

This has Alice porter at its base, but has a few distinctive differences. Aside from the obvious note of the extra ingredients that is.  The sorachi ace hop seems to have freer reign in this expression, making the bubblegum and lemongrass more full on. In contrast the cloying elements seem smoothed out, giving a much more easy to drink beverage. Possibly this could be attributed to the coca nibs, but I wouldn’t want to take that bet.

All the special ingredients seem to have similar restrained influences. The chilli hints itself in the occasional tingle, and the spice is moderate, an element of the beer rather than defining it.  Some people I’ve spoken to are not happy about this but I appreciate the subtlety. Its there, but only on examination, which is pleasing and rewards exploration of the beers nuances.

Not a huge jump from Alice Porter but the refinements are appreciated. The extra smoothness is key to making it a much more approachable beer, and the extra flavour means that you spend more time with it once you start. A good combination.  Compared to the overwhelming spice assault to “There Is No Santa” this is far more elegant and enjoyable.  So it has improved the quality Alice Porter, and actually defines well a quality Christmas. By that I mean the Christmas elements are unobtrusive and doesn’t get in my face every sodding thirty seconds. A beer all Christmas organisers should learn from.

Thanks Brewdog.

Background: This beer is based on Alice porter but has orange, cocoa and chilli added.  The base beer used the Sorachi Ace hop which is a favourite of mine, so I presume this beer does too. I am not an unbiased actor on Brewdog despite my best efforts. With the time of year being what it is, I have had far too much home mulled wine beer and the like over the past week or two at Capoeira gatherings. This has left me quite amenable to the mulled styling. I may not be a huge fan of Christmas. So sue me.

A Slight Delay

Sorry for the lack of updates, my sense of smell has been shot with a minor cold which makes tasting notes somewhat difficult. Back to normal now and updates will resume shortly

 

Tasting Notes: Bristol Beer Factory: Vanilla Milk Stout

Bristol Beer Factory: Vanilla Milk Stout (England: Sweet Stout: 4.5% ABV)

Visual: Opaque black. Quite the fizzy hazelnut brown head which is small and quickly diminishing.

Nose: Roasted nuts. Quite fresh lactose character. Really rich. Toffee. Slight thick cream. Milky chocolate.

Body: Caramel and vanilla. Milky coffee.   Moderate bitterness. Toffee. Slight sherbet lemon and a hint of fizz to the texture. Only a hint mind you. Some nuttiness and milk chocolate.

Finish: Milky coffee. Bitter. Vanilla and toffee pavlova. Roasted nuts.

Conclusion: If there was one thing Bristol beer Factory does well, its stouts.  Thankfully they do a lot of things well, but still, especially stouts.  Unlike a lot of the craft scene they really excel in the full range of stouts, not just the Imperial Stouts which usually get the most attention.  This is a good honest sweet stout, the slightly more unusual end of the stout scale.

This variant on the already excellent milk stout makes full use of the vanilla to slightly sweeten it and bring out the toffee and caramel notes. This makes an already impressive and easy to drink milk stout much more rounded.

Some will find that it’s ratcheting the sweetness up a bit far for their tastes. Me, I’m loving the extra umph it brings, and there is a good solid bitter and roasted nuts holding at the back. Present but not intruding.

To find flaws, and thus not gush embarrassingly, the texture is a tad fizzy at time when a smoother play would work better. Also as referenced before it is maybe a tad sweet, but this is Yahtzee Croshaw level nitpicking here. A more likely flaw seems to be that the twelve stouts of Christmas is going to make me look very long and hard at what exactly goes on the “My favourite” tag, as if it keeps up this way the list may end up a tad stout heavy and I have tried so hard to keep a good balance of styles.

The twelve stouts are off top very good start with this great sweet session stout.

Background: One of the twelve stouts of Christmas released by Bristol Beer Factory. While I have tried their Milk Stout and Ultimate Stout before, this is the first of the new beers from the pack I have tried. As is evident from the name it is a tweaked version of the highly rated milk stout, having added, yes vanilla into the mix.  Frankly, stouts tend to be where BBF excels so I was looking forwards to this.

Tasting Notes: Heatherlea Birdwatching: Old Henry

Heatherlea Birdwatching: Old Henry (Scottish Speyside Single Malt Whisky: 10 Years: 40% ABV)

Visual: Medium hay colour.

Nose: Apples. Pencil shavings. Slight alcohol prickle, which moves into light oak.  Slight cideresque elements. Touch of vanilla. Light sugar. Water adds a wheat chaff element that masks some of the more flavoursome elements.

Body: Light custard and apples. Smooth. A touch of toffee. Light chocolate. Water adds dried apricot and peaches. More chocolate comes as well.

Finish: Pears and apples (Note the word order being picked to not be rhyming slang for stairs).  Light grapes. Shortbread. Water adds fudge and chocolate but leaves a slight alcohol air.

Conclusion: After seeing the potential, albeit very well hidden potential, in the previous tried blend I was interested to find similar elements in this malt but which much more prominence. I wonder therefore if they use a good chunk of this malt as a base for the prior sampled blend.

It’s actually surprisingly nice, light smooth and fruity. There’s a touch of alcohol evident right at the back, but apart from that it is really easy going.  There is still flavour forcing its way through, but never really harsh. It all laid back, sweet and almost apple crumble and custard in style to a chocolate finish.

A really graceful light whisky. Not hugely complex, but has enough play and is relaxing to boot.  Works well for slow sipping in the dimming sunlight under an orchards leaves.

A very nice smooth surprise.

Background: Second of the twitchers pack.  This is a single malt whisky bottled to raise money for some bird watching thingy. Hey don’t ask me, it was a kind gift from the parents.  The first bottle was a blend which was not well received but showed some promise under all the grain.  This may or may not use whisky from the same distillery. I really have no idea. Oh yes, and again we only had deeply inappropriate glasses to use. Worked better than you would imagine though.