Olde Hickory The Event Horizon

I picked up a bottle of Olde Hickory The Event Horizon from Bruisin’ Ales in Asheville. The beer pours a black color with a frothy brown colored head that leaves a faint lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of honey, vanilla, bourbon, chocolate, toasted malts, cherry, and oak. The taste is smooth and silky with a delicate milk chocolate base and sweet caramel before a bold bourbon flavor takes over, imparting vanilla and cherry notes. Hints of honey and toasted malts are interlaced into the flavor and a dry oaky finish is left behind. The alcohol content is 8.5% ABV. This was one of the better barrel aged stouts that I have ever had with a wonderful blend of bourbon barrels. Vanilla, cherry, and chocolate all took their time on the tongue and left me wholly satisfied.

Allagash Fluxus 2012

At Appalachian Vinter in Asheville, I picked up a bottle Allagash Fluxus 2012. The beer pours a golden color with a frothy and lofty white colored head that leaves specks of lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of lemon, Belgian yeast and spice, orange peel, peppercorn, and fresh cut grass. The taste is strongly laced with lemon on the front end with a peppercorn spice to hit. Belgian spices and yeast make an appearance with some orange peel and a grassy and earthy finish. The alcohol content is 7.7% ABV. This was a nice, light, and refreshing beer with lots of lemon and spicy peppercorn accent.

Allagash Curieux

I picked up a bottle of Allagash Curieux from Appalachian Vinter in Asheville. The beer pours a golden color with a bubbly white colored head that leaves a moderate lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of lemon, banana, caramel, bourbon, and oak. The taste is smooth with a solid banana banana, caramel, grass, and an earthy spice. A light bourbon accent arrives with the alcohol bite, some coconut flavors, and a light oak accent that isn’t dry because of the solid sweet base of the beer. The alcohol content is 11.0% ABV. Overall, this was quite a solid beer with a great base tripel beer that benefits nicely from some bourbon accents. The bourbon wasn’t overpowering, but was accentual.

Blue Mountain Barrel House Local Species

Another bottle I picked up at Appalachian Vinter in Asheville was Blue Mountain Barrel House Local Species. The beer pours a dark amber color with a frothy cream colored head with a speckled lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of Belgian yeast, oak, and cardboard. The taste is smooth and bubbly with a light fruity base that mostly has passion fruit and pineapple qualities. A hint of earthiness and Belgian spice comes out before an oaky dry finish. The alcohol content is 6.6% ABV. Overall, I can’t say I was impressed with this beer. It had a variety of flavors, none of which seemed to blend too well together. Also, the logo on the bottle absolutely looks like a Dogfish Head rip off.

Rogue Chatoe Rogue First Growth Pumpkin Patch Ale

While in Asheville, I picked up a bottle of Rogue Chatoe Rogue First Growth Pumpkin Patch Ale at Appalachian Vinter. The beer pours a brown color with a bubbly cream colored head that leaves a light lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of pumpkin, cream, nutmeg, allspice, caramel, and cinnamon. The taste is bursting with pumpkin and caramel with a nice nutmeg, cinnamon, and allspice compliment. A hint of graham and a lightly dry hop finish accompanies the sweeter aspects of the beer. The alcohol content is 5.6% ABV. This was a really nice pumpkin beer with a very complimenting profile. The hop finish was also a nice reminder that it was a beer and not just pumpkin pie in a bottle.

Epic Brewing Brainless on Cherries (Batch 12)

At Appalachian Vinter in Asheville, NC, I picked up a bottle of Epic Brewing Brainless on Cherries (Batch 12). The beer pours a red-tinted amber color with a bubbly white colored head that fizzles away rapidly. The aroma consists of cherries, sugar, oak, and a light tartness. The taste is lightly tart with a strong cherry flavor. and a Belgian yeast flavor. Some oak dryness settles in and leaves behind some grassy flavors and a light spice accent. The alcohol content is 10.7% ABV. Having had Brainless on Peaches, this one didn’t quite stand up to it. I liked the cherry flavor, but thought it fell a little bit flat.

French Broad IPA

While in Asheville, I picked up a bottle of French Broad IPA after sampling a friend’s glass of it. The beer pours a dark amber color with a lofty and frothy cream colored head that leaves a solid lacing the glass as it recedes. The aroma consists of tangerine, orange, grapefruit, lemon, caramel, and spruce. The taste is lightly bitter with a strong citrus punch. Tangerine, orange, grapefruit, passion fruit, and lemon all are present before a spruce and pine finish that leaves behind a peppery after taste. All of this is build upon a solid caramel base that balances really well. The alcohol content is 5.9% ABV. I thoroughly enjoyed the citrus punch packed into this beer with a solid base for balancing effect.

Lexington Avenue Brewery Kolsch

Another beer I ordered while out to dinner at Lexington Avenue Brewery (The LAB) was the Kolsch. The beer pours a golden color with a frothy white colored head. The aroma consists of lemon, wheat, grass, and caramel. The taste is butterscotch, caramel, lemon, and grass. The alcohol content is not available online, but I would assume it to be about 5.0% ABV. This was an alright Kolsch, but not as clean and crisp as I like. The butterscotch flavor got in the way of it being too enjoyable, and I wouldn’t return to this beer.

Lexington Avenue Brewery Out of Bounds IPA

I went to dinner at Lexington Avenue Brewery (The LAB) while in Asheville for my bachelor party and I ordered the Out of Bounds IPA. The beer pours an amber color with a frothy white colored head. The aroma consists of tangerine, orange, lemon, and grapefruit. The taste is dry and citrusy with some tangerine, orange, and lemon flavors. There is a caramel backbone and pepper and pine arrive on the finish with hint of passion fruit. The alcohol content is 5.75% ABV. I’d put this IPA in the “pedestrian” category as it wasn’t overly memorable. Not to say that it was bad, but it just wasn’t great either.

Asheville Brewing Shiva IPA

While in Asheville for my bachelor party, I stopped in to Asheville Brewing and tried the Shiva IPA. The beer pours a golden color with a frothy white colored head. The aroma consists of tangerine, lemon, grapefruit, pineapple, and passion fruit. The taste is passion fruit, pineapple, orange, tangerine that concluded with a pine finish that has pepper accents. The alcohol content is 5.3% ABV. While I wouldn’t say this was overly memorable or the best IPA I’ve had, I’d say it was a decent IPA. Furthermore, I love the name of it if for no other reason than I am a huge “The League” fan.

Craggie Brewing Company Antebellum Ale

While in Asheville for my bachelor party, I stopped in to Craggie Brewing Company to try a beer before they closed for good. I ordered the Antebellum Ale, which is an 1840s American Ale. The beer pours an amber color with a frothy beige colored head. The aroma consists of ginger, spruce, and molasses. The taste is dry and spicy with ginger, lots of spruce, and a hint of caramel. It finally sweetens with molasses before a dry finish that is very floral arrives. The alcohol content is 5.0% ABV. I wanted to like this beer, but it seemed to be a bit out of balance and too floral.

Wedge Brewing Company Iron Rail IPA

Another beer I tried at Wedge Brewing Company in Asheville during my bachelor party was the Iron Rail IPA. The beer pours an amber color with a thin filmy white colored head. The aroma consists of hop resin, apricot, and caramel. The taste is full of hop resin, dried apricot, orange, and lemon. Pine, spruce and drying oils come out on the finish. The alcohol content is 6.2% ABV. This beer was more bitter than their Imperial IPA 3rd Rail, but definitely not as citrusy. It still was a great IPA and I would visit this brewery again without hesitation.

Wedge Brewing Company 3rd Rail IPA

I went to Wedge Brewing Company during my bachelor party in Asheville and I ordered a glass of the 3rd Rail IPA. The beer pours was a vibrant amber color with a lofty foamy white colored head that lingered for a while. The aroma consists of piney hops that pack a citrus punch including grapefruit, tangerine, lemon, orange, and a hint of passion fruit. The taste is similar to the aroma with tangerine, grapefruit, orange, and lemon on the front end. A hop oil lingers on the tongue and the beer finish with pine and pepper. An alcohol bite arrives at the after taste and leaves the tongue almost paralyzed from the bitterness. The alcohol content is 8.8% ABV. If you are looking for a citrus bomb, this Imperial IPA is for you! It delivers plenty of fruity flavors, but also destroys the tongue with hop oils and alcohol, and was one of the better beers I had in Asheville.

Pisgah Brewing Nitro Chocolate Stout

Another beer I ordered at Pisgah Brewing in Asheville during my bachelor party was the Nitro Chocolate Stout. The beer pours a black color with a lofty and frothy beige colored head. The aroma consists of chocolate, toasted malts, and vanilla. The taste is bold with chocolate,  a solid toasted malt backbone, caramel, and hints of vanilla, all leading up to a dry finish. The alcohol content is not available online, but I would estimate it to be about 6.5% ABV. This was a well done chocolate stout with rich lacing and a nice balance of dry toasted malts, making it easy to drink and very enjoyable.