Millbock Brewing 12 Hops of Christmas

While at the Warwick Hotel in Hummelstown, I ordered a glass of Millbock Brewing 12 Hops of Christmas. The beer pours a golden color with a frothy white colored head that leaves a thin lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of grass, lemon, orange, and grapefruit. The taste is bitter and citrusy, with lemon, orange, and tangerine making up the fruity part of the beer. There is some pepper and grass as a result of the hops and light hints of caramel and toffee that set up the base. A dry finish with lingering bitterness is quite welcome at the conclusion of the beer. The alcohol content is not available online, but I would estimate it to be about 6.5% ABV. I liked this hop bomb of a beer, as it was light bodied but strongly hoppy.

Founders Bolt Cutter

I went to the Warwick Hotel in Hummelstown to try a glass of Founders Bolt Cutter. The beer pours a red-tinted amber color with a thin bubbly white colored head. The aroma consists of raisin, caramel, malts, grass, and pepper. The taste is sweet and smooth with a bold malty profile. Caramel, raisin, fig, and dark fruits are aplenty and the finish has a strong alcohol bite that is quite drying. The alcohol content is 15.0% ABV. This was a big and boozy beer that was very hot with alcohol. I think it could benefit from some aging, so I am glad that I got one bottle of it to stash away in the cellar.

Goose Island Bourbon County Rare

I was fortunate enough to try some of the Goose Island Bourbon County Rare bottle that my friend Deuane brought over to a friends house. I’m a big fan of Pappy Van Winkle, so this beer thoroughly excited me. The beer pours a black color with a thin frothy tan colored head. The aroma consists of strong bourbon, chocolate, vanilla, oak, and milk. The taste is smooth with a delicate milk chocolate flavor and some lightly toasted malts. The transition into bourbon is smooth and forgiving and it leaves alcohol burn on the finish which is quite warming. The alcohol content is 13.0% ABV. This was as smooth and amazingly delicious as I expected it to be, and if I ever see a bottle of this I will snatch it up. The chocolate flavors mixed and played very well with the smooth and delectable bourbon.

Westbrook Brewing Covert Hops

While over at my friend Ffej’s house, I was able to try a glass of Westbrook Brewing Covert Hops from a growler that he brought back from South Carolina. The beer pours a black color with a frothy tan colored head. The aroma consists of chocolate, lemon, toast, smoke, and tobacco. The taste is dry and chocolaty with lots of tobacco on the front end. Some burnt toast, pepper, and caramel come out to formulate a dry finish. The alcohol content is 5.7% ABV. This was absolutely a southern beer with its strong tobacco influence, but it was quite enjoyable and I would seek this beer out if I was in South Carolina.

Olde Hickory Christmas Ale

I picked up a bottle of Olde Hickory Christmas Ale from Bruisin’ Ales in Asheville. The beer pours an amber color with a lofty and frothy white colored head. The aroma consists of cinnamon, caramel, nutmeg, and honey. The taste is dry with spices up front including cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. A touch of honey sweetens up the finish with orange and is accompanied with a light grassy hop after taste. The alcohol content is not available online, but I would estimate it to be approximately 7.0% ABV. The beer fell short of expectations after having The Event Horizon from Olde Hickory, and it definitely was not among my favorite Christmas beers. I may drink it again, but wouldn’t go out of my way for it.

Epic Brewing-DC Brau Fermentation Without Representation

While at Bruisin’ Ales in Asheville, I picked up a bottle of the Epic Brewing-DC Brau collaboration Fermentation Without Representation, an imperial pumpkin porter. The beer pours a black color with a frothy tan colored head that leaves specks of lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of toasted malts, chocolate, caramel, and pumpkin. The taste is smooth with a nice roasted pumpkin flavor on the front end with a solid chocolate and toasted malt flavor. Very light hints of cinnamon, allspice, and nutmeg make an appearance and accent everything very nice. The alcohol content is 7.7% ABV. I thoroughly enjoyed the mix of flavors in this beer, as the porter provided a great base that allowed the pumpkin and spices to provide a wonderful balance.

Troegs Scratch 81- Export Lager

My sister brought over a growler of Troegs Scratch 81- Export Lager to share (guess I forgot to snap a photo). The beer pours a golden color with a frothy cream colored head that leaves specks of lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of lemon, caramel, malts, and grass. The taste is smooth and very easy to drink with a large malty profile and lemon accents. A light grassy and peppery hop balance compliments the beer very well. The alcohol content is 4.9% ABV. This was a very nice and easy drinking beer from Troegs that had enough of hop spice to it to make it very enjoyable. I probably would have liked it a little bit better if it was released in late Spring or early Summer.

Terrapin Side Project #18 Liquid Bliss

While at Bruisin’ Ales, I picked up a bottle of Terrapin Side Project #18 Liquid Bliss, a chocolate and peanut butter stout. The beer pours a black color with a beige bubbly head. The aroma consists of chocolate, peanuts, peanut butter, toasted malts, and caramel. The taste is smooth with chocolate and a nice peanut butter accent. A dryness settles in with some toasted malts and a vanilla and caramel finish. The alcohol content is 6.7% ABV. This was a very nice peanut butter infused stout that really played well to my palate. I love peanut butter and chocolate and this was right on in terms of flavor. I still put Spring House’s Big Gruesome as the best peanut butter stout, but it was worth getting again.

Blue Mountain Barrel House Dark Hollow

While at Bruisin’ Ales in Asheville, I picked up a bottle of Blue Mountain Barrel House Dark Hollow, an imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels. The beer pours a black color with a frothy tan colored head that leaves a light lacing on the glass as it recedes. The aroma consists of chocolate, bourbon, oak, cherry, vanilla, and alcohol. The taste is bold with strong bourbon and alcohol flavors. Some chocolate is mixed in with toasted malts and a touch of vanilla. The finish is all alcohol and oak and is somewhat dry. The alcohol content is 10.0% ABV. This was a pretty solid beer and focused heavily on the bourbon that the beer was aged in. If you love bourbon, this is a great one for you to try.

Evil Twin Imperial Biscotti Break

My buddy Matt brought over a bottle of Evil Twin Imperial Biscotti Break to share. The beer pours a black color with a thin tan colored head that leaves a few specks of lacing on the glass. The aroma consists of dark Belgian chocolate, coffee, cream, vanilla, toasted malts\, and caramel. The taste is smooth and chocolaty with a good mix of dark and milk chocolate. A great coffee flavor announces its presence with some vanilla, cream, and caramel. The finish is lightly dry with toasted malts. The alcohol content is 11.5% ABV. This was a very well done coffee infused imperial chocolate stout that had a very solid and powerful chocolate base.

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.