More than Alright - DuClaw Sweet Baby Jesus

You know that years ago when microbrews first started being referred to as craft beer or the craft beer movement you fantasized about a beer that reminded you of Reese's Peanut Butter Cups. At least you most likely did if you didn't know of a brew pub that didn't dabble in that kind of thing already.

The peanut butter was extremely pungent in the aroma. It kind of hit me hard when I popped the bottle cap off. I went in a bit closer and abruptly proclaimed "Holy God!" I then read on the side of the bottle (I love bottles with little stories on them) and learned afterwards that the brewers yelled something similar upon finishing this brew for the first time and hence the thing's name.

Sweet Baby Jesus was very dark, roasty yet smooth. It actually played light once I started to drink it though. The peanut/peanut butter flavor isn't as pronounced in the taste. I really wanted to just toss a handful of Reese's Pieces in the glass. Still, this brew was like an already melted Reese's Cup. So happy that DuClaw now has beer in the Pittsburgh market.

"Jesus is just alright with me. Jesus is just alright, oh yeah." - Doobie Brothers in Jesus is Just Alright

Beer Review: Atlantic Coal Porter

Serving Type: Bottle

ABV: 6.5 percent

Appearance: Here we find ourselves with yet another brew that if it didn't have the color similar to that of its title we'd have a problem. Luckily, everything ended up just right for this one. The color of the body was in deed coal black! It also boasted some golden brown hues. The head rose to a thickness of about a half-inch and appeared to be somewhere in between a white and a beige. It did look flat after the initial pour, but after foaming up it did leave a ring of foam entirely across the glass without any breaks.

Smell: Very dark, but with some interesting layers. I got plenty of cocoa and roast. Behind that came some sweeter and darker malts.

Taste: I was bombarded with some cocoa and dark chocolate up front. I haven't come across too many porters that had a layer of cocoa and one with darker chocolate playing off of one another. The dark chocolate became more prevalent and noticeable about mid-way back. It was at this point that some robust coffee flavors came out and combined with the dark malts perfectly. I think this assisted in the roasty and bitter after taste I got after each of my sips of this brew.

Overall Rating: 

This was an aged beer on my part. If you grab one of these today you're likely to see a completely re-branded bottle. I couldn't find anything wrong with this. It definitely was complex for a porter, which we get used to being basic and not featuring quite as many layers of flavor. Different chocolate tastes and some robust and bitter coffee notes. A good beer.

Monday Rant: We're Very Forgetful

I'm sure you've heard the phrase "respect your elders" at many points over the years. I've sensed over time that I've become one of the keepers/backers of such a phrase.

For whatever reason, I developed an extreme craving for brown ales over the weekend. I had one of Voodoo Brewery's Wynona's Big Brown Ales stocked in the fridge. So, I cracked it and poured it into a glass.

My God was it tasty. Not only because it was actually good, but my body needed a beer that tasted as such for whatever reason. I just craved the chocolate and toffee roastiness of a brown ale. I supplemented all of this by also making a journey to East End Brewing to snag a growler of the very sessionable Fat Gary Nut Brown. That too was satisfying.

Once in a while I grab and open up Randy Mosher's Tasting Beer of the Oxford Companion to Beer and read about the specific styles that I'm drinking or the intricacies of each one.

It was yesterday that I discovered that brown ales are one of the old British cornerstones of beer. Right up there with porter and pale ale. Then I thought to myself that with the ultra creativity we see in craft beer today, we sometimes forget the roots of such a great drink. We're sometimes like children that ignore what our grandparents tell us. Just because a certain style is old doesn't mean that they're boring and outdated!

Beer Review: Maui Coconut Porter

Serving Type: Can

ABV: Six percent

Appearance: This brew featured a body that was coal black and had quite a heavy and thick look to it. Stout and porter folk would classify this as "chewy." The head was a light shade of tan and was very frothy. it did show a sign of weakness after it reached its peak, though. It seemed to cave in, but ended up leaving some sticky lacing caked along the inside of the glass. It wasn't in the typical fashion, but it certainly got there!

Smell: I got plenty of dark chocolate that was plenty sweet. This was also a bit nutty. I settled on the idea that this was something close to almond. Oh yea, and there's coconut.! Coconut and chocolate is such a great combination.

Taste: I was hit with a plethora of the dark chocolate and coconut on the front. The chocolate tasted very sweet, but the coconut did as well. The sweetness was enjoyable and not overpowering at all. The coconut in the taste also has a note of charred flavor. Nice and toasty. The front of the tongue is balanced by a roasted flavor from this brew's malt bill. The finish of the beer was quite balanced. There was a small bitter hop presence along with the almond. I love drinking a beer and being put through the process of nostalgia. This reminded me of Almond Joy bars. I was floored.

Overall Rating: 

The only other Maui Brewing beer I've had was the Bikini Blonde Lager. I mentioned in my review that it'd be perfect for hot on-the-beach drinking. I honestly would have this beer on a beach as well. I love being reminded of food's I've tasted previously in beers. this was just another case. Rarely am I reminded of some of my favorite candy bars from childhood. I've also had a coconut porter/stout before by Church Brew Works and the coconut didn't come off too well. It tasted like something closer to a twist cone.

Beer Review: Atwater Vanilla Java Porter

Serving Type: Draft/Growler

ABV: Six percent

Appearance: Atwater Vanilla Java Porter is a tad lighter when it comes to porters, which are almost exclusively black. By lighter I'm still talking in a darker connotation. This brew was pretty much a dark brown. If I took some dark chocolate and melted it down the finished product should be something close to this color.The head of the beer wasn't too active. There was a very thin layer, but it did feature some of the biggest bubbles I've seen in a beer.

Smell: The aroma kind of reminded me of an upscale coffee shop. I noticed a few hints of coffee roast with some vanilla sneaking in behind it. Overall, the smell is in the dark and roasty category. The vanilla plays the role of a nice kicker.

Taste: Expect a rush of coffee up front and an above'average finish with the vanilla. I also got an unexpected touch of cocoa mixed in there with the vanilla sensation. In terms of mouth feel I was kind of disappointed in that regard. I expected this from the sight of the brew's head, but it does indeed not feel as thick as I'd want it to be. As us geeks like to say "we like a porter/stout that we can chew."

Overall Rating: 

There's a good use of flavors in this beer. Usually you get a dark brew that has either a combination of coffee/cocoa or coffee/vanilla. This one provides you with all three. The two small misses for me was the lack of head activity and the weak mouth feel. Still, I'd be happy with another growler of this. Reminded me, albeit slightly, of Breckenridge Vanilla Porter.

Beer Review: Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald Porter

Serving Type: Bottle

ABV: 5.8 percent

Appearance: Edmund Fitzgerald Porter pours a deep coal black and has some appetizing brown highlights scattered elsewhere throughout the body. The crown of the brew gives off an almost brown head, which had thickness of approximately quarter of an inch. It provided a creamy cap atop the beer for pretty much the entire drink.

Smell: A robust aroma of coffee beans was the most dominant thing I noticed upon initial waft. The chocolate came next. The thing with the chocolate was the fact that it didn't smell too sugary. It was somewhat bitter, which complimented the coffee very well.

Taste: This beer tastes really warm and roasty. That can be contributed to the coffee content. As I mentioned previously about the bitterness of the chocolate complimenting the coffee notes, the same can be said for the taste. Another thing I'd like to note is how the slight hop bitterness also successfully plays into the role of complimenting the strong coffee. Everything works quite well in this beer.

Overall Rating: 

One of the best porters I've ever had. Before I began to explore what each beer style had to offer (years ago) I tried this beer once and it tasted awful to me. My palette wasn't quite ready to appreciate the bold and dark flavors this brew provides. I've finally come back to it and couldn't be happier. You also have to listen to Gordon Lightfoot's song as you drink this!

Monday Rant: Loose Speech

A few weeks ago I received a text from my girlfriend (whom is quite beer illiterate and admits this) that asked "what does the word imperial mean when referring to a beer?"

I've never claimed to be any form of a beer expert, but I actually had to consult my Oxford Companion to Beer for the answer to this due to seeing the word "Imperial" thrown onto just about every other beer name out there. Otherwise, you'd think it would come to you a lot quicker since you've drank plenty of beers coined as "Imperial."

After finding the entry in my Oxford Companion, I simply replied that it means that a beer named as such is intended to be set apart and bolder than others of the same type.

That night I went on thinking about (over a few beers, of course) how that enables anyone, even homebrewers that name their beers, to tell others that their brew is an "Imperial." I thought more of this subject yesterday after coming across something referring to an Imperial Pilsner. Something I've never heard of.

When i used to think of an Imperial, the first thinks to my head were darker brews such as stouts and porters. Some darker pumpkin beers could also be included. Now, it seems as if it's just a loose terms casually thrown around as a marketing ploy. Though, I could be wrong.

If an Imperial beer means that it's just bolder and set apart from its brethren then the circle of anything by said name is limitless. Is it not?

 

George Washington and Beer

Photo via Wikipedia

Of the three historical figures I've taken a look at over the last few weeks, George Washington most likely enjoyed beer the most. Porter to be exact. So, it's convenient that Yards Brewing chose to base a beer off of his personal recipe for porter. One with plenty of molasses.

It works out perfectly. Our nation has a profound enjoyment for beer as did our very first president. It's also been said that Washington made sure that soldiers in the Continental Army had beer as part of their food rations.

His personal recipe for what he called "small beer" is currently on display at the New York Public Library. Keep in mind that small beer was known as a weaker beer in older times and was constantly mocked and wasn't given much value at all.

If what Yards used in the brewing of the porter I reviewed yesterday has anything to do with the recipe that's on display in new York, then that recipe was nothing to reckon with. It's almost a perfect beer with some awesome historic value.

Beer Review: General Washington's Tavern Porter

Serving Type: Bottle

ABV: Seven percent

Appearance: General Washington's Tavern Porter pours a really dark black. By black, I mean black like the ocean abyss with the weird-looking creatures you learned about in elementary school. The body also featured a few slight brown highlights. The head was a dark beige and begins as the width of a half-finger and has a moderate dissipation rate..

Smell: Some strong and dark coffee is prevalent in this brew's aroma. Behind that came some roasted malt. What made me feel like I was in a colonial tavern somewhere was the presence of molasses. A lot of molasses, which I had no problem with at all.

Taste: That dark, roasted coffee was once again dominant. I got some nice zing from some black licorice as well. The molasses took over on the finish and in the aftertaste, which really lingered. You'll thank me for this later, but let the beer warm a bit. As it warms, there's a small alcohol warmth sensation that accompanies each sip.

Overall Rating: 

This is a fantastic beer. I love the heavy use of molasses in this brew. It's something that I don't sense much in a lot of beers today. The zing I got from the licorice also added an awesome touch. If you get a good glass of this with a great head, it's a very attractive beer as well. Unfortunately, the photograph I took doesn't get that across as well as I would've liked.

Beer Review: Breckenridge Vanilla Porter

Serving Type: Bottle

ABV: 4.7 percent

Appearance: I wouldn't Breckenridge Vanilla Porter as a black beer, as you'd expect most Porters to be. This brew has a body that's more on the browner side of the spectrum. The visible carbonation provides you with a texture that causes the mouth to water. The head is slightly tan and somewhat weak, but the lacing makes up for it later on.

Smell: I got plenty of roast and chocolate in the aroma at first. Next comes an inviting, sweet smell of vanilla beans. The hint of vanilla reminded me of the days when your parents made some homemade vanilla bean ice cream. Remember the black specks?

Taste: This beer tasted very dark, at first. The roast and chocolate are the majority of that. The chocolate is more on the darker side as opposed to milk chocolate. You end up wandering where the vanilla is, but then it comes and creates a dramatic, extremely smooth finish.

Overall Rating: 

This is a really enjoyable drink. At first, it teases you and causes you to think that this is just like any other Porter. Then, a rush of sweet vanilla kicks in. Good timing!

Monday Rant: Love/Hate Relationship With Dark Beers

 (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
Superior never gives up her dead.

Just like in the movies, sometimes your closest friends start out as your enemies. I wouldn't say that I'm exactly enthralled by darker beers, but I still know when one should be appreciated. Keep in mind that I've only been searching for exotic and different beers for about the last four years, since I've turned 21-years-old.

My most memorable battle with dark beers began exactly three years from yesterday on the very same porch I sat on for yet another Easter Sunday. That day an Edmund Fitzgerald Porter by Great Lakes Brewing was set in front of me.

Being one whose taste buds weren't yet attuned to the strong tastes of porters, trying to drink that beer was a massive struggle for me. It just tasted burnt and looked like a dark, muddy abyss. My tongue would rather have been on the actual ship the night it sunk rather than take another swig of that beer. I couldn't finish it.

Another incident was with Guinness. It tasted like burnt coffee. I couldn't stand it. One could understand why I didn't prefer darker beers. I really couldn't understand what was so good about them.

That was until a trip to Piper's Pub on Pittsburgh's South Side and had a friend buy me a Guinness on draft. That's when I learned that the beer was meant to be served off of draft, and not from the bottle like I had during my first time with it.

It was also the beginning of my theory that some beers are a totally different experience from bottle to the tap and vice versa. It's very frustrating when you are stuck in a situation where you are forced to have one or the other type of beer serving, but that's just the way it is.

Today, my outlook has completely changed on the darker beers. I've discovered a few ways to drink the different types as well as trying them on draft or through a cask system. The Edmund Fitzgerald has even become one of my favorite beer names due to my love of the story and the song by Gordon Lightfoot. Research has even shown that some of the darker beers are even a healthier choice than the lighter counterparts. Don't be afraid like I once was. It's alright to travel over to the dark side once in a while.

Beer Review: Flying Dog Road Dog Porter

Serving Type: Bottle

ABV: Six percent

Appearance: Road Dog has a very dark body. Looked to be even darker than a glass of cola. Impossible to see through without any assistance from light. Even then it's still tough. There isn't much of a head, as it is slightly fizzy and disappears almost as fast as it's poured into the glass.

Smell: I got a lot of roasted malts and chocolate from this beer. I'm still learning to enjoy most porters, but must admit that the smell of this beer caused some mouth watering.

Taste: There was plenty of the chocolate and the roasted malts on the front end. In the back, there's a tad of bitterness which balances the the beer's flavors.

Overall Rating:   

I love reading the stories on the side of craft beer bottles and I loved that this beer is inspired by a Hunter S. Thompson story. The chocolate made this beer for me because it tasted like real chocolate, not artificially infused chocolate like a certain bock I had a while back.