Jailhouse Brewing Breakout Stout

In a trade with Lance Martin (Beers of the Night) and Alfred Hugh Leonard III, I received a bottle of Jailhouse Brewing Breakout Stout. The beer pours a black color with a finger-sized frothy tan head. The aroma consists of mocha, toasted malts, coffee, dark chocolate, and a smoothing vanilla accent. The taste is dry and chocolaty with lots of coffee and mocha on the front end. There is some tobacco that mixes up the flavor, but the focus is on the tasted malts. Vanilla sweetens up the finish, which is quite enjoyable. The alcohol content is 7.8% ABV. While I typically am not a fan of tobacco flavoring in a beer, it complimented all of the other flavors well in the Breakout Stout and I really enjoyed drinking this one.

Alpine Beer Company Pure Hoppiness

I received a bottle of Alpine Beer Company Pure Hoppiness from the Beer Club 4 Men in a trade. The beer pours a golden color with a thin foamy white head. The aroma consists of caramel and lots of it with other accents such as grapefruit, pine, and sugar. The beer has a bubbly mouth feel when drank and the taste is bitter and hoppy with lots of grapefruit, tangerine, and orange peel. Pine, spruce, and pepper come out on the finish with a dry caramel after taste. Some hints of lemon also linger through the after taste. The alcohol content is 8.0% ABV. Pure Hoppiness was an excellent hoppy beer with plenty of bitterness to dry out the mouth, but also plenty of citrus flavors on a massive caramel base to keep the tongue happy.

Widmer Brothers X-114 IPA

As part of #IPADay, I ordered a glass of Widmer X-114 IPA at O’Reilly’s Taproom in Harrisburg. The beer pours an orange-tinted copper color with an orange tint with a frothy white head that leaves a light lace on the glass. The aroma consists of a solid caramel base with orange, tangerine, lemon, and grass. The taste is rather sweet up front with lots of caramel flavor before some bitterness comes out to play in the form of grapefruit, tangerine, and lemon. There is a light grassy hop bit with some pepper as well. The alcohol content is 6.2% ABV. I was surprised at how smooth and sweet this IPA was, rather than being overly bitter and hoppy. It was a rather nice beer to drink and celebrate the world of IPAs.

Nogne-o Two Captains

In celebration of #IPADay, I ordered a glass of Nogne-o Two Captains from O’Reilly’s Taproom in Harrisburg. The beer pours a golden color with a bubbly white head. The aroma consists of lemon, pine, and tangerine. The taste is extremely bitter and biting on the tongue, providing plenty of punishment. Citrus flavors appear in the form of lots of lemon with pine and pepper spices. On the finish, there are hints of caramel as a base for the beer. The after taste is very dry with some spruce accents as well. The alcohol content is 8.5% ABV. Wow was this a bitter hop bomb to drink. I enjoyed is resiny goodness, as well as the citrus notes that accompanied. The flavor of this beer will linger for a while long after you are done drinking it.

Jailhouse Brewing Mugshot IPA

I received a bottle of Jailhouse Brewing Mugshot IPA as part of a beer trade with Lance Martin (Beers of the Night) and Alfred Hugh Leonard III. The beer pours a golden color with an extremely lofty and frothy white head. The aroma consists of lemon, pine, caramel, tangerine, and orange. The taste is rather smooth at first with caramel before a drier toasted toffee flavor kicks in on the tongue. Lemon, tangerine, pine, and pepper come out on the finish of this beer and bitter the tongue a bit. The alcohol content is 6.7% ABV. This was a well done IPA that I could drink all of the time if it was available in Pennsylvania, and I recommend trying it.

Jailhouse Brewing Midnight Special India-style Black Ale

As part of a beer trade with Lance Martin (Beers of the Night) and Alfred Hugh Leonard III, I received a bottle of Jailhouse Brewing Midnight Special India-style Black Ale. The beer pours a black color with a lofty and frothy tan head that leaves lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of lemon, pine, chocolate, toasted malts, and pepper. The taste is really smooth and chocolaty at first with a nice creamy mouth feel. There are some mocha, chocolate liquor accent, and bits of coffee. On the finish, pine, pepper, and lemon dry the mouth and the after taste is warming from the alcohol, which is 10.0% ABV. This is one of the finest Black IPAs /Black Ales/Cascadian Dark Ales that I have had. The mouth feel is so creamy and chocolaty with plenty of sweet and bitter flavors all wrapped into one.

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.