Southern Tier 2XMAS

The final beer I ordered at TJ’s Restaurant and Drinkery 9th Anniversary Party was the Southern Tier 2XMAS. The beer pours an amber color with a bubbly off-white colored head. The aroma consists of nutmeg, caramel, cinnamon, and allspice. The taste is spicy with the nutmeg, allspice, and cinnamon from the aroma with hints of caramel and orange peel in the background, leading to a dry finish. The alcohol content is 8.0% ABV. This beer was all about the spice and quite frankly I wasn’t a huge fan of it. I like most of Southern Tier’s beers, but this one just did not connect for me.

Goose Island Imperial IPA

Another beer I ordered at TJ’s Restaurant and Drinkery 9th Anniversary Party was the Goose Island Imperial IPA. The beer pours a caramel color with a thin bubbly white colored head. The aroma consists of grapefruit, tangerine, orange, lemon, candy, and pine. The taste is bitter yet sweet with caramel and hops. Tangerine, orange, grapefruit, sugary candy, and passion fruit all arrive on the tongue and make quite a delicious brew. The alcohol content is 9.0% ABV. This was a great Imperial IPA with tons of fruit and bitter hops. A light bit of hop oil remains on the tongue to let this beer linger, which I didn’t mind at all.

BFM Brasserie Des Franches-Montagnes XIV La Quatorze

While at TJ’s Restaurant and Drinkery in Paoli for their 9th Anniversary Party, I ordered a glass of BFM Brasserie Des Franches-Montagnes XIV La Quatorze. The beer pours an amber color with a frothy off-white colored head. The aroma consists of Belgian spice, pepper, and caramel. The taste is nice and spicy with coffee, Belgian spice, banana, cloves, pepper, and a nice earthiness about it. Grass and hay linger behind on the tongue and dry out the beer. The alcohol content is 7.5% ABV. I’d say this was a rather enjoyable beer with nice fruity flavors and plenty of earthy flavors to accompany.

Gulpener Bierbrouwerij B.V. Mestreechs Aajt

Yet another beer that I ordered at TJ’s Restaurant and Drinkery in Paoli at their 9th Anniversary Party was the Gulpener Bierbrouwerij B.V. Mestreechs Aajt. The beer pours a dark brown color with a frothy white colored head. The aroma consists of cherry, vinegar, tartness, and sugar crust. The taste is bold with cherry that is accompanied with a light tartness hint and some vinegar accents. This beer is big on sugary crust accent and it also has a hint of oak in the finish. The alcohol content is 5.0% ABV. I thoroughly enjoyed this beer, as it was lightly tart and sour, but not too puckering while bringing along a pie-like flavor. If you see this beer, I recommend trying it.

Hill Farmstead Everett

At TJ’s Restaurant and Drinkery in Paoli, I ordered a glass of Hill Farmstead Everett during their 9th Anniversary Party. The beer pours a black color with a bubbly tan colored head. The aroma consists of chocolate, toasted malts, vanilla, and caramel. The taste is full of smoked malts, lots of dark chocolate, and some vanilla touches as well. A nice coffee accent dries out the mouth before a sweet caramel finish. The alcohol content is 7.5% ABV. This was a great porter and it met the great expectations that I have from Hill Farmstead beers. The robust flavors with smoky accents and a touch of vanilla absolutely made this beer overly enjoyable.

Brouwerij Liefmans Goudenband

While at TJ’s Restaurant and Drinkery in Paoli for their 9th Anniversary Party, I ordered a glass of Brouwerij Liefmans Goudenband. The beer pours a black color with practically no head. The aroma is slightly tart and consists of cherry, wine, oak, and chocolate. The taste is smooth and light bodied with a solid chocolate base. Wine, cherry, and oak flavors come out with a light tartness, and the after taste leaves red wine flavor behind. The alcohol content is 8.0% ABV. I can’t say the Goudenband was as tart as I was expecting, but it still was a delicious beer with a variety of intersecting flavors.

J.W. Lees Harvest Ale (Calvados Barrel Aged)

Once inside of TJ’s Restaurant and Drinkery for their anniversary party, I ordered a glass of J.W. Lees Harvest Ale aged in Calvados Barrels. The beer pours an amber color with a frothy white color. The aroma consists of caramel, apple, oak, brandy, and smoke. The taste is sweet at first with caramel, toffee, apple, cinnamon, and raisin before transitioning into an alcohol bite with hints of smoke. Naturally, these flavors dry the mouth and leave behind a lingering smoke and oak flavor. The alcohol content is 11.5% ABV. I enjoyed this version of the Harvest Ale, as I have with the others that I have tried. The brandy was faint and more complementary rather than overbearing, but it was quite enjoyable.

Harviestoun Old Engine Oil Engineer’s Reserve Blackest Ale

While waiting in line for TJ’s 9th Anniversary Party in Paoli, the servers brought out tasting glasses of Harviestoun Old Engine Oil Engineer’s Reserve Blackest Ale. The beer pours a dark brown color with a thin speckled brown head. The aroma consists of chocolate, dark fruits, licorice, coffee, and vanilla. The taste is smooth and plenty sweet with lots of chocolate and toasted malts. Hints of fig, vanilla, licorice, and coffee all come out before leading to a dry alcohol finish. The alcohol content is 9.0% ABV. This was an excellent beer and a great way to start the day, not to mention that it was free as well.