Thomas Creek Up the Creek Extreme IPA

Another beer I received in a beer trade with with Lance Martin (Beers of the Night) and Alfred Hugh Leonard III was the Thomas Creek Up the Creek Extreme IPA. The beer pours a cranberry-tinted brown color with a lofty and frothy tan head, which was not what I was expecting to see. The aroma consists of cherry, caramel, lemon, and sweet malts. The taste is malty and sweet with lots of caramel up front, hints of cherry and honey, orange, and a dry lemon and pine finish. The alcohol content is 12.5% ABV. I would say this is not a conventional IPA, especially since it is noted as “extreme,” but it is wonderfully crafted and I can’t express how much I enjoyed the cherry accents found in the beer.

Red Brick Double IPA

I received a bottle of Red Brick Double IPA in a beer trade (my first ever and also by using Google+) with Lance Martin (Beers of the Night) and Alfred Hugh Leonard III. The beer pours an amber color with a foamy off-white colored head that leaves some lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of sweet grapefruit and tangerine with a large caramel base. The taste is smooth and sweet at first with plenty of caramel before some bitter flavors of grapefruit, lemon, and tangerine kick in on the tongue. There is a bit of lingering pepper in the finish and a piny after taste. The alcohol content is 9.0% ABV. This Double IPA sides on the slightly more bitter side of things rather than sweeter, but it is quite delicious and has a nice citrus profile. I would consider ordering this beer again if I find myself in Georgia.

Troegs Scratch 45- India Pale Ale (6 of 4)

I picked up a case of Troegs Scrach 45 (number 6 in a series of 4 in advance of the Perpetual IPA). The beer pours a golden color with a frothy white head that laces to the glass and plenty of rising bubbles. The aroma consists of grapefruit, tangerine, lemon, pine, orange, and pepper. The taste is lightly bitter on the front end with a bit of grapefruit and lemon, all accented with pepper. The flavor then sweetens with tangerine and orange flavors and a dry pine finish. The alcohol content is 7.0% ABV. This beer provides a wonderful amount of sweet citrus flavors mixing with bitter citrus and spicy pine and pepper. Troegs is on the right path to making an excellent IPA.

Founders Blushing Monk

I picked up a bottle of Founders Blushing Monk from Al’s of Hampden, and I also stashed one away in my cellar. The beer pours a black cherry color with a foamy pink head that dissipates rather rapidly and leaves behind a filmy head. The aroma is raspberry syrup-like, red wine, strawberry, raspberry, and a faint hint of vinegar. The taste is more sweet than sour with lots of raspberry flavor, almost like an ice cream topping. There is a hint of cherry and strawberry before a slight vinegar tongue hits the tongue, but does not make the mouth pucker. The alcohol content is 9.2% ABV. For those expecting a Belgian sour-like beer, this is not for you. However, it is quite a delicious beer, but it definitely falls under the sweeter side of this and is very syrupy. I am very interested to see how this beer ages and if it gets any tartness about it.

Cigar City Jose Marti

My buddy Adam brought a bottle of Cigar City Jose Marti over to my house to share amongst friends. The beer pours a dark brown color with a bubbly tan head. The aroma consists of oak, red wine, toasted malts, earth/dirt, and smoke. The taste brings out some tobacco flavors right up front with some licorice accents. It is a dry beer with plenty of oak flavors. Toasted malts take a back seat, but make their presence known. The alcohol content 8.0% ABV. I would liken drinking this beer to what chewing a cigar must taste like. The malts provide sweetness, but the tobacco and smoky flavors really take over the beer. I didn't hate the Jose Marti like some of my friends did, but I did find it to be dry and very interesting.

Brooklyn Concoction

Once I saw Al’s of Hampden had tapped the Brooklyn Concoction, I had to make a trip there to give it a try. The beer pours an amber color with a bubbly white head. The aroma is malty and first but then a wave of other smells come at the nose. There is lemon, a slight funk, orange, and wheat. The taste is big on caramel early on with a hefty amount of spice. Also noticeable are orange peel, lemon grass, caramel, toffee, cloves, thyme, and pepper. There is a slightly fruity sour finish before an after taste settles in with sweet tea and honey. The alcohol content is 7.6% ABV. The Concoction contains lots of spices and is very complex. I would say that the spices work well together, rather than tasting like they were just thrown in there. I enjoyed the finish, with its sweet tea and honey characteristics the most, as they were difficult to pinpoint at first.

Selin's Grove Simon's Private Stock Porter

I ordered a glass of the Selin’s Grove Simon’s Private Stock Porter, which is a bourbon barrel aged porter, while at the brewpub. The beer pours a murky dark brown color with a frothy off-white colored head. The aroma is bourbon up front with toasted malts, chocolate, and oak falling in line like soldiers. The taste is dry and malty with a chocolate taste similar to a chocolate powder. There is a smooth and light bourbon finish, but it is very faint. The beer ends with a vanilla and oak after taste. The alcohol content is 6.8% ABV. While this beer is bourbon barrel aged, I wouldn’t say that the bourbon really makes its presence known. It adds a little vanilla and warmth to the beer, but the main focus here is still the beer and not the bourbon.

Selin's Grove Sour Red

While at Selin’s Grove, I ordered a glass of the Sour Red, a new beer and first attempt for the brewpub at a sour. The beer pours a red tinted brown color with a thin filmy off-white colored head. The aroma consists of vinegar, cherry, and yeast, typical for a Flemish red. The taste is slightly dry with hint of sour vinegar before lots of cherry flavor explodes in the mouth. There is a warming finish before the biggest part of the flavor profile comes out, the dry oak flavor. I would liken the oak finish to a red wine dryness, but it is wonderful. The alcohol content is not available online, but I would estimate it to be about 5.0% ABV. As a first attempt at a sour beer, this was a complete win for Selin’s Grove. I would liken its flavor to the F*Red from Iron Hill, which I also add it a major compliment. If you see this beer on tap at the brewpub, make sure to order a glass before it is gone.

Selin's Grove The Phoenix Kriek

I heard from a little birdie that after The Phoenix Kriek was kicked at Selin’s Gove Brewpub, another one mysteriously appeared, so I made the trip up to make sure I got to try some of this year’s batch. The beer pours a cranberry color with a thin white head. The aroma consists of cherry, cranberry, light vinegar, and sweet malts. The taste is sweet and smooth with a surprising maple syrup flavor on the front end. There are also cranberry, cherry, honey, and sweet malt flavors. The alcohol content is 6.5% ABV. This was a wonderful kriek and I completely loved the maple syrup and honey accents, as they were a surprise and added a nice sweet kick without being too sweet.

Appalachian Brewing Company Trailblaze Organic Brown Ale with Amarillo Hops

I noticed that Appalachian Brewing Company was offering a cask of Trailblaze Organic Brown Ale with Amarillo Hops on my last visit, so I decided to give it a try. The beer pours a brown color with a frothy tan head. The aroma is strong with the smell fresh and clean hops that provide a lemon and pine front end of the nose with a toasted malt accent. The taste is smooth and creamy with lots of fresh lemon and pine. There is a solid caramel and toasted malt base, mostly focusing on the toasted malts. The alcohol content is 5.3% ABV. The addition of the amarillo hops to the brown ale provided a great and welcoming bitter accent to the beer, and this whole new dimension made the beer completely dynamic.

Appalachian Brewing Company Dunkelweizen

While at Appalachian Brewing Company, I ordered a glass of the small batch of Dunkelweizen. The beer pours a copper color with a frothy off-white colored head. The aroma consists of sweet malts, caramel, and a light pine accent. The taste is smooth a sweet with caramel, an enjoyable smoked malt accent, and a toffee finish with a little pepper accent. The alcohol content is 5.5% ABV. The beer is a bit dry, but not as watery as some dunkelweizens can be, which was appreciated. The smoked flavor was nicely done and wasn’t overwhelming, providing a nice dry and smoked flavor without making it seem like you ate a fireplace.

Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Fresh Hop Harvest

I ordered a glass of Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Fresh Hop Harvest from Al’s of Hampden. The beer pours a caramel color with a frothy white head. The aroma consists of the expected fresh hops, lemon, pine, rain, and caramel. The taste is sweet with lots of caramel as a base and a great lemon flavor which is similar to lemon cake. There is a pine and pepper finish that dries out the tongue. The alcohol content is 6.7% ABV. I’m not going to lie, I love fresh hops. With the Southern Hemisphere Fresh Hop Harvest, Sierra Nevada found a way to bring a fresh hop beer at another time during the year, and I want to thank them for that. The lemon flavors in this beer were unreal and overly enjoyable, and the aroma was heavenly.

Appalachian Brewing Company Mad Cameron White

I stopped in to Appalachian Brewing Company to have dinner with family and I received my free monthly mug club beer of the Mad Cameron White. The beer pours a straw yellow color with a frothy white head. The aroma consists of lemon, cream, oregano and other spices. The taste is spicy up front with oregano before some lemon sweetness come out with a pepper pinch. There is a nice creamy finish as well. The alcohol content is 5.2% ABV. I was quite impressed with this Appalachian Brewing Company offering, as it proved plenty of spices up front and sweetened out nicely with some lemon citrus flavors.

East End Bigger Hop

I had my friend Eileen get me some bottles of East End Bigger Hop that I used as an excuse to get to Mount Washington in Pittsburgh to proposed to my (then) girlfriend (she said yes!). The beer pours a golden color with a frothy white head that is about a pinky finger thick and leaves some lacing behind on the glass. The aroma consists of a soft caramel undertone with plenty of bitter hops giving off wonderful citrus notes including orange, lemon, tangerine, and grapefruit. There is also some pepper and pine mixed in as well. The taste is bitter with lemon, orange, tangerine, and grapefruit right up front. The flavor transitions into pine and pepper spicy bite before a sugary sweet grapefruit flavor pokes through with caramel undertones. The after taste is bitter and has a spruce flavor about it. The alcohol content is 9.0% ABV. I was always a huge fan of Big Hop and an even bigger fan of Harvest Hop, and I think this beer is up there with those two beers. The citrus notes that this beer hits is perfect and bitters nicely of a soft caramel base, making this beer all about the hops.

Boulder Sweaty Betty

As part of the mixed case I picked up of Boulder Beer, I tried a bottle of Sweaty Betty. The beer pours a golden color with a very loft and frothy white head that lingers for awhile. I poured the beer in its correct manner, with the glass upside down on the bottle and flipping it over. The aroma consists of wheat, lemon, yeast, grass, weeds, and fresh grass clippings. The taste is yeasty and wheaty right up front with a slight sweetness but it is dry as well. There is a nice lemon zest associated with the beer and a slight peppery and grassy finish. The alcohol content is 5.9% ABV. This was a very nice blonde ale that has a good amount of citrus flavors, nice earthy tones, and a yeasty sweetness.