Beer - #640 - Coronado - Blue Bridge Coffee Stout

Indeed, Coronado - Blue Bridge Coffee Stout. Coffee Beer, StarSailor (which is close to Starbucks right), 5 stars and sitting under the stars.

A dry stout with the addition of local Cafe Moto dark roast coffee from San Diego

This is a really well presented bottle of 650ml size, and 5.4% ABV,  it is listed as a quite mild  27-30 IBU things, and at 162 calories a serve size, I make this to be 2.77 standard drink units.

Coronado Brewing Company in the style that is Dry Stout and they are in Coronado, California  USA

[caption id="attachment_11555" align="alignleft" width="300"] A beer to make anyone smile[/caption]

Just as the iconic Coronado Bay Bridge connects our island home to the mainland, this java-tinged dry stout, brewed using dark roasted coffee beans from a local San Diego artisanal roaster, provides a bridge uniting craft beer drinkers with CBC’s rich, flavorful SoCal brewing traditions.

So what could possibly go wrong?

A lot of coffee in the aroma on opening, as it did with a vigorous hiss.  Brilliant!

Pour seems to be a beer that isn't pitch black, a lot lighter and perhaps this is why it didn't seem 'thick' but what a head. I'm on a roll.

Aroma is still a lot of coffee, very intense. Coffee grounds.

It's very carbonated, and I feel that this reduces your ability to taste directly on the tongue. Green earthy coffee is the first thing, and  a nice middling dry finish.

What's missing though is some of that deep fruit thing that you might get. But are you confusing Porter and Stout again?  I think I am.

I had to get up and leave this sitting for a few minutes, I came back and it really is a lovely coffee ale.  Soft, yet rich and in an odd way refreshing.  Forget the fruit thing, I have no idea what I was thinking of.

Does it matter that it's not 'thick' or coats the palate, not at all, it might be the better because it makes it a beer that you could have a few of without being exhausted or overloaded and jaded, particularly if you like coffee.

It is quite rewarding, deserves a bit of praise and wider enjoyment, which I might add it has already.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 8.5 a of its things from the thing. This might be the perfect stout to session on, it's not sweet, it's not dry, it's not heavy on aroma, but it has all those things, and it looks pretty, and you know that pretty beers are nice to drink.

The double dip review

Am I enjoying it? I am !
Would I have another? I would !
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Indeed, this is nice on a colder evening, and I think would make a long lat drink session. A favourite.

Music for this is the quite delightful  Starsailor. Their album 'all the plans' you can listen here on the Spotify, or all the other places mostly

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EwB4YlsJbDA

as an aside other reviews for this beer are at  : 365Blog 

Dry Stout

The “Irish-style” stout is typically a low-gravity stout with bitterness ranging between 30-45 IBUs. Roastiness is present, but restrained, and there should not be hops in either the flavour or aroma. A little bit of acidity can be present. Often, this type of stout is serving via nitrogen, with all the effects that has on a beer – low carbonation, extra-thick head, lifeless palate and muted flavour and aroma

Beer - #626 - Ballast Point - Sculpin IPA *Redux*

I can't help it that I'm easily led. This time astray by the Ballast Point - Sculpin IPA. Again.

Something that has a sting but tastes great

At 7% ABV a one litre bottle is about 6.8 standard drink units in NZ, and some 210 calories a serve size. Comes in at 70 IBU things. 

Brewed by Ballast Point Brewing Company in the style of an India Pale Ale (IPA) and of course near Sea World in San Diego, California USA.

The Sculpin IPA is a testament to our humble beginnings as Home Brew Mart. Founded in 1992, the Mart continues to be a catalyst for the San Diego brewing scene, setting the trend for handcrafted ales.

[caption id="attachment_11402" align="alignleft" width="300"] I know what's coming![/caption]

Inspired by our customers, employees and brewers, the Sculpin IPA is bright with aromas of apricot, peach, mango and lemon. Its lighter body also brings out the crispness of the hops.

This delicious Ballast Point Ale took a Bronze Medal at the 2007 Great American Beer Festival in the Pro Am category.

The Sculpin fish has poisonous spikes on its fins that can give a strong sting. Ironically, the meat from a Sculpin is considered some of the most tasty. Something that has a sting but tastes great, sounds like a Ballast Point India Pale Ale.

So what could possibly go wrong with that?  I remember being a bit middling. I also know that this is regarded as being a bit of a winner. 

Aroma is sticky sweet pine, very rich sweet., the aroma is quite subtle and muted really, it's not a bit boast of a thing.

Pour is lovely golden orange with an excitable large fully white head os some substance. The aroma remains quite and reserved, a hint of grass and pine, but an over-riding sweetness. It's very inviting.

It's a burst of bitterness carried on a lovely sweet malt, delivering a lovely citrus fruity mouthfeel and a slightly to the dry finish, but not arid.

You can tell why this remains a firm favourite of IPA drinkers, it has pretty much all the boxes ticked, without any of the IPA madness that you can also get.

It's not shy on the alcohol content either, with it being slightly stronger than some beers, it's not a session beer, despite it's session drinking taste and profile.

Then though, what is is you want from a top shelf IPA? Well I'd have expected, bitterness, warm sweetness in the middle, some pine or citrus thing like grapefruit perhaps and a dry finish. Somehow this manages to dial down the bitterness and the sweet backbone somewhat, making this a very good standard IPA, but not memorable.

Thing is there are lot of really good middle-of-the-road IPA beers available, and I know that sometimes you keep reaching for the next level, this one though seem content to be in the pack and the the middle. Which is fine, because this is a fine beer. A very fine beer. Where I remember to remember that it's about this beer, not the beer I think I'm having or want, but the one I have.

I left it for a bit, and when I came back it had become 'sticker' in the tastes, a lot more resinous and piney, and sticky and lingering, all those things.  Does it make it better?

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 8 of its random things from the thing. It's very good, but it's then somehow it's become a middle of the pack beer. At one point this was the bar though, and it needs to be enjoyed and appreciated because it's very good. 

The double dip review

• Am I enjoying it? Yes, it really is accessible, enjoyable and moorish, it's just good.


• Would I have another? I've had a few, they're always the same, enjoyable etc etc


• Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? There is no reason that this wouldn't be welcome to any beer drinker, I'm sure the bitterness wouldn't or shouldn't put off any beer drinker, but I've been known to be wrong.

Music for this.  ' Tito & Tarantula '  who are an American chicano rock/stoner rock band formed in Hollywood California in 1992. This is a track  ' After Dark Snake Dance '

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hvnL4dtqIY8

INDIA PALE ALE & IPA

India Pale Ale gets its name and unique style from British brewers who were making beer for export to India. This style has an intense hop flavor which was used to preserve the beer for the long voyage. India Pale Ale has a golden to copper color with a medium maltiness and body. The aroma is moderate to very strong. IPAs work especially well at cutting the heat of chili, vindaloo or Sichuan cuisine.

Beer - #625 - Rogue - Juniper Pale Ale *redux*

The BeerJerkNZ beerclub beer of the week is the   Rogue Juniper Pale Ale which is a beer I've previously had, but you know things change and so here we go again...

A pale ale, saffron in color with a smooth malt balance, floral aroma with a dry spicy finish from whole juniper berries

This is the smaller 12fl oz, 355ml in old money bottle, which has beer of  5.2% ABV, being about 1.5 standard drinks in NZ. Also this is 34 IBU - which is low end English Bitter, mid range porter bitter, and it comes in at 156 calories a serve size.

Brewed by Rogue Ales this is in the Style of an American Pale Ale - and they are in Newport, Oregon USA 'merica!

Juniper berries don't taste like other berries because they are not berries. They are actually a sort of fleshy pine cone. Which explains the fresh, clean, citrus, pine flavour of juniper.

This is the traditional predominant flavour in gin.

[caption id="attachment_11398" align="alignright" width="300"] Unshaved man and a beer[/caption]

This floral, hoppy beer is infused with whole Juniper berries to give it a unique flavour. The sweet malt base and light carbonation work perfectly to support the dry resin-y flavour or the hop and juniper combo.

Different but drinkable, we are fans.

Juniper Pale Ale, like all Rogue products preserves water by using more ingredients, contains no chemicals, additives or preservatives and uses Free Range Coastal Water.

“When I read about the evils of drinking, I gave up reading"
- Paul Hornung

What could possibly go wrong ? HA! he said, I've heard all that before, but what does a Juniper berry really taste like anyway?

It's a yeasty bready aroma on opening, pour is a hazy range golden with a small (well no) head, in either glass.

Taste is a mix of tangy bitterness, and the aroma moved to something akin to mushrooms, which is not at all what you might expect. 

It is well carbonated, and that somewhat has an effect on the way you taste this, having to push through that fuzziness. It does have quite a long taste with a more middle tongue linger and finish, and then a dryness. 

It's not an easy beer to drink, and it does begin to develop a gin-like flavour (from memory it's been a while since I had the Gin out) but I recognise that tartness. 

Thankfully the aroma settles into something sweeter and bit more enjoyable. Don't think I'll be adding a slice and ice though, or tonic, or anything else. 

So unlike any hoppy pale ale that I've ever had, even ig you persuade yourself that the front notes are hop based this is tart and not bitter where it should be, and that tartness is the predominant taste, which battles for the finish over the dryness that this has.

Possibly a clever beer, but it might just too clever for it's own good, but I say that knowing that it's a staple and regular brew from Rogue, and one of the few beers they make that I've had that I can connect with, or enjoy. 

As I drink more it began to fell like an epic non-ending journey, I took a photo of how that felt too, for comedy value mostly, but you get the idea that this wasn't a beer that going down in a hurry. 

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 6 a of its things from the thing. I really didn't like it. But it has one feature and that is played in spades, it's not like a mystery beer, it's all on the label and in the literature . I did note that from other sources that this rates around the 7/10 based on a lot of feedback, so I'm not so far off. 

The double dip review 

• Am I enjoying it? Sadly I'm not, but I wanted to, it's not the first time I had it, I thought I might have been wrong first time around. Sadly I wasn't.


• Would I have another? I don't think I could 


• Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Not a chance.

Music for this one, well ' The Orange Humble Band '  an alternative rock band, also a bit of rock, power pop, folk, country, bluegrass.  I would have said soft pop. They're from Australia.  The album is ' Depressing Beauty ' you can listen on the Spotify here or most the other places I imagine.

Couldn't find a new video clip, but try this from an earlier work

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=obQ77g5DPtQ

AMERICAN PALE ALE

American Pale Ales are light in color, ranging from golden to a light copper color. The style of this beer is defined by the American hops used. American hops typically have high bitterness and aroma.This is a perfect beer for big fare like grilled burgers or combination pizzas, as well as lighter fare like sushi and green salads.

Related articles

• Beer | Rogue Juniper Pale Ale


• Low-alcohol session IPA is the hot beer trend for summer

Beer- #618 - Coronado - Islander IPA

Week two of BeerJerkNZ Beer Club. This week an IPA.  Mermaid beer, Siren Songs, Singing the numbers and Sea you at the party.

What would a mermaid drink?‏

The 330ml bottle of a 7% ABV beer, which is 75 IBU, and 210 calories a serving size, This would be around the 1.82  standard drinks worth.

Brewed by Coronado Brewing Company  in the style that is of India Pale Ale (IPA) and they're in, surprisingly, Coronado, California  USA

[caption id="attachment_11289" align="alignleft" width="300"] What would a mermaid drink[/caption]

Named after Coronado Island, our original India Pale Ale is a liquid expression of hometown pride.

Cascade, Chinook, and Columbus hops combine to provide an explosive burst of piney bitterness and lucioius notes of apricot, grapefruit, and mango that are sure to envoke imagery of swinging palms and sun-kissed shores

So what could possibly go wrong?

I thought I'd had this beer, I was wrong. I am often it should not be a surprise.

Wonderfully hoppy aroma on opening, of course I get passion fruit as an aroma, naturally the fruit not mentioned, so I'll pretend it's mango.

It's really a nice orangy orange pour with a fantastic sugary sweet aroma that comes through in spades in the glass, where you get to pick your tropical fruit of choice, Passion Fruit Mango for me. Very pleasant.

It's very crips to drink and the finish starts neutral but moves to dry as it settles and warms sightly.

The tropical hold their own in this not being subdued by the bitterness which remains in check and not over the top, this is possibly a beer you could have quite a few of before you cottoned on that it's higher in ABV, but then dive on in for another.

I like the fruitiness, I like the drier finish, and there sin't a dip from the top to the back on this, it is very well rounded and polished. I can't believe that I'd not had it before, I feel sheepish.

In the IPA category it's hard to be above beyond on at the front, this though should gather all those accolades around it because you'd have to go a bit further to find a better beer that isn't all in your face and one sided.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 9 of its random things from the thing. 9 is 'Very Good' and I had no problem with that, it probably more a 8.5, closer to 9 because it's just a nice drink.

The double dip review

Am I enjoying it? I am, I was surprised by the aroma, the palate and the finish.
Would I have another? I would love to have had a bigger bottle, but I'd easily go again.
Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Of course, this is a fantastic beer to share and share around, it should appeal to a wide range of beer drinkers as it's not totally overboard on hops and bitters, and has a wonderful aroma.

Music for this. Hard to believe this music is 40 years old! Patricia Lee "Patti" Smith is an American singer-songwriter, poet and visual artist who became a highly influential component of the New York City punk rock movement. This is the track  'Horses' Which you can find here on the Spotify, and most other places I imagine.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FPwOfwhpiW8

INDIA PALE ALE & IPA

India Pale Ale gets its name and unique style from British brewers who were making beer for export to India. This style has an intense hop flavor which was used to preserve the beer for the long voyage. India Pale Ale has a golden to copper color with a medium maltiness and body. The aroma is moderate to very strong. IPAs work especially well at cutting the heat of chili, vindaloo or Sichuan cuisine.

Beer - #594 - Samuel Adams - Boston Lager

Samuel Adams Boston Lager.  A gift which I failed to look in the mouth. But never let it be said that I'm a snob, and this is a beer you can readily buy and enjoy.  So Boston Beer, Boston the Band,  Sports numbers and Cheers at the party.

a full, rich flavor that is both balanced and complex

This is one of 6 of the 335 ml bottle sized, that has beer of 4.7% ABV inside, giving it 144 calories a serve size, and 1.3 standard drink units in the bottle.

Brewed by Boston Beer Company in the style that is an Amber Lager/Vienna and they are, no surprises here, in Boston, Massachusetts  USA

Samuel Adams Boston Lager® is the best example of the fundamental characteristics of a great beer, offering a full, rich flavor that is both balanced and complex.

[caption id="attachment_11009" align="alignleft" width="300"] Smile like it's not a grimace[/caption]

It is brewed using a decoction mash, a time consuming, traditional four vessel brewing process discarded by many contemporary brewers. This process brings forth a rich sweetness from the malt that makes it well worth the effort.

Samuel Adams Boston Lager® also uses only the finest of ingredients including two row barley, as well as German Noble aroma hops. The exclusive use of two row barley not only imparts a full, smooth body but also gives the beer a wide spectrum of malt flavor ranging from slightly sweet to caramel to slightly roasted.

The Noble hops varieties, Hallertau Mittelfruh and Tettnang Tettnanger, add a wide range of floral, piney and citrus notes, which are present from the aroma, through the flavor, to the lingering smooth finish. We take great pride in the Noble hops used in our beers. They are hand selected by Jim Koch and our other brewers from the world’s oldest hops growing area.

Among the world’s most expensive, they cost twenty times as much as other hops.

What could possibly go wrong with that? Well Vienna Lager is of course the darker maltier version of lager, which if done well is a treat. On the other hand if it's made with 'the world's most expensive hops' how was this half the price of other beers?

Dark malt aroma, quite intense, Pour is the most glorious bright burnt orange beer with a lovely head of firm foam that looks a right treat.

Aroma in the glass is more malt beer than anything else, just dialled up a bit.

Taste is hard to pin down on this, there is a lot of sweetness thorough this that somehow bring a sense of a full bodied beer.

This is a very hearty and enjoyable beer. Enjoyable that it isn't challenging and you can drink it without prejudice, foreboding, expectation or thinking too much about subtle hop combinations and brewers notes.  A Couple of these in an afternoon wouldn't be a bad way to waste a couple of hours if you had to. Sure there are better beers, there always are, always. I can imagine this being popular as offering a different take to a lager, and yet not be a bitter, sort of beer someone who wanted to show off just a little bit to a crowd of standard lager drinkers might drink.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 7 of its things from the thing. It really isn't bad. It isn't spectacular.  Rates as well as the other Vienna Lager types I've had, and is a style that is probably not explored or enjoyed as much as it might be.

The double dip review

• Am I enjoying it? Yes, it's surprisingly quote enjoyable.


• Would I have another ? I have a 6-pack so I will be enjoying another.


• Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I don't know that this is an 'everyman' beer and 'Lager' would confuse many as it's a style of lager that isn't golden malt plain old lager, so I'd be careful about taking to some places.

Musically, of course not Boston, nor Aerosmith,Pixies, The Cars, NKOTB, Boston Dolls, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, or Lemonheads,  but I went with the DropKick Murphys.

Dropkick Murphys are an American Celtic punk band formed in Quincy, Massachusetts.  This is "'I'm shipping up to Boston"

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x-64CaD8GXw

AMBER LAGER/VIENNA

Your typical macrobrewed Dark Lager, often rendered dark with either brewer’s caramel or black patent malt, but each brewery will have a different approach. Aside from caramelly notes, these beers will not typically resemble other dark lager styles so much as they do the lighter styles, due to low amounts of hops, malt and body. Vienna as a beer style was theorized by Michael Jackson, but his oft-cited example was Negra Modelo, which is a macro dark lager like all the others. Some beers have taken on the idea of a Vienna lager as a distinct style, loosely based on the 1840 Anton Dreher beer, and these can be expected to be all-malt, with a fuller body and more character than the average macro dark

Beer - #583 - Gigantic - Ginormous

Superlatives, Super Bands, Super Numbers, Super groovers

A myriad of juicy citrus hop aromas and flavors envelope your mouth.

I have the the bottle that is 650ml (22 fl oz), a beer that is is 8.8% ABV and over 100 IBU things, 264 calories a serve size, the whole of which is 4.51 standard drink units in NZ

Gigantic - Ginormous - brewed by Gigantic Brewing Co. in that style known as Imperial/Double IPA and that happens in the exotic and romantic sounding  Portland, Oregon  USA

Every time we brewed an Imperial IPA you asked for more. So we put our brewing skulls together and formulated the ultimate mecha Imperial IPA. We present to your olfactory zones Ginormous Imperial IPA. Available year-round.

[caption id="attachment_10861" align="alignleft" width="300"] Big Fellah has a big beer[/caption]

Developed in a secret testing facility deep in S.E. Portland, Ginormous is powered by seven mighty hops.

His mission is simple; to deliver a massive hop punch to those in need.

Definitely not a bitter IIPA, just enough to balance the sweetness of the alcohol.

Label Artist: Rob Reger

What could possibly go wrong with that?

On opening no mistaking a high grass hop aroma there.

Pour is light chestnut brown, and I proved I have poor skills as I got a head like a ice-cream soda, but I could smell the aroma as I poured, it's divine.  A closer sniff gives a bunch of malt sugar sweetness and a more muted grassiness.  Like it calmed down a bit. Not the head that will take ages to calm down.

Good gravy. That has a lot going on immediately, 3 or 4 things all have a clamour for attention, sweet, sour, sugar, bitter, smooth and sharp. I;m going to sit back and try again in a bit.

There is a sudden and creeping dryness at the back of this, just thought I'd mention in passing until I'm brave enough to go again.

So, that all calms down a bit second time up, although the malt does hit a peak as the stand out note this time, it's unusual the way it does that.

The to nose aroma is great.  The bitterness, isn't all that bitter, it is being constrained. The dryness is just the dryness.

Warms up more and gets more, if I could use it, oaky, to describe the roughness that creeps in in the middle. Almost certainly the wrong way to describe the flatness that you taste.  Which would be the malt thing, which seems to be the core of this beer concoction.  As I ponder and drink more I get less enthusiastic. That would be change go styles and exceptions. Too much malt man.

The gap between expectation and delivery is of course the disappointment.

Are they bad things? Not at all, it's interesting to have a beer that starts as one thing, gives you A, then B, then C, and still ends up quite drinkable and enjoyable. Memorable is the missing bit. The gap in the beer.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 8 a of its things from the thing. All in all a bit good, and somewhere to aim at if you wanted to make a good dIPA. I thought though that not quite spectacular and awesome as it could be, as I thought, and it's just me, that this might be too malty, which kind of dulls it down a bit.  Too sweet, by just enough to be enough to make you under if it really was a good idea.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? I started off really liking it and waned as I got more into it.


2. Would I have another? I would love another, there is nothing like a good hop forward beer with great aroma to tickle your fancy.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Can't see why not, this is well regarded and the amount of taste things I got would indicate that it should appeal to a lot of people.

Super Band, who was I kidding, in a pop rock kind of way I ended up listening to "First Aid Kit", you can here. First Aid Kit is a Swedish folk duo. Klara Söderberg sings and plays guitar. Her older sister Johanna sings backing vocals and plays keyboards.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gwLMRA3Fi7E

IMPERIAL/DOUBLE IPA

Imperial IPA, Double IPA or DIPA is a strong, often sweet, intensely hoppy version of the traditional India Pale Ale. Bitterness units range upward of 100 IBUs and alcohol begins at 7.5% but is more commonly in the 8.5-10% range. The flavour profile is intense all-round. Unlike barley wines, the balance is heavily towards the hops, with crystal and other malts providing support.

 

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• Three Imperial IPAs


• Craft beer is getting lighter - and that's a good thing


• A six-pack of thoughts for sixth annual Brewfest


• 8 New Beers You Should Know

Beer - #550 - Gigantic - Too Much Coffee Man

Beer to coffee by, music to beer by, the numbers of coffee beans and after party coffee

Imperial Black Saison with cold pressed Coava coffee. And what you get with this beer is something a bit more unique in taste

the not so subtle named beer from Gigantic - Too Much Coffee Man,  is on my table.

This is a 650ml bottle , the beer is of 8.2% ABV, and it has a mild 25 IBU rating, 246 calories a serve size, this would be 4.21 standard drink units in NZ.

Too Much Coffee Man is brewed by Gigantic Brewing Co. in the style that is either a Saison or a  Belgian Strong Ale and Gigantic are in Portland, Oregon  USA

Note: It could be a number of styles from "Imperial Black Saison, Belgium Style Black Ale, Saison / Farmhouse Ale, it's a fluid thing (not a pun intended).

I'm going with Saison. This is their Beer #17 and rated a G on their music scale. I might have to work that out.

The Too Much Coffee Man Beer is a rich Belgian Style Black Ale that combines the malt, floral, and fruit notes of a Saison

[caption id="attachment_10487" align="alignleft" width="300"] Never have too much coffee[/caption]

with the caramel, honey, and graham of our cold brew coffee.

At 8.2% alcohol and 134% delicious-awesomeness this beer does not fool around.

It is a reward for your hard working taste buds.

An experiment perfected! This beguiling blend of Imperial black saison and custom roasted cold pressed Coava coffee will have your olfactory zones erongenized and begging for more.

I love cold brew coffee, this sounds like a bit of heaven. And what, I ask myself, could go wrong with that combination?

This does have a lovely flat coffee aroma on opening, a nice hiss too,

Pur is deep dark black, and the head tries hard but just gives up and leaves just a hint, a film, a whisper.

Aroma is musty and coffee and also of some rich fruits. It's interesting to the nose.

The taste, Well I was confused when I tasted tobacco ash, wouldn't you be?

This is also more bitter then you might be expecting and waiting for, all around the edges of the tongue tingling.

Beer has a lot of rich fruits in the body. The coffee is chipping in on the bottom note. There is a lot less sweetness that you might expect too, despite the fruit situation.

Also I though a lot less coffee and I know that cold press should be more mellow. Still they could have worked something out, the aroma somewhat over-plays the taste delivered.

I'm going to say that New Zealand has a strong coffee culture, and that poor coffee isn't tolerated. It is on that basis that I think the coffee-ness of this in the taste might be light. I think it's adequate but I don't think it is "too much" which I might have liked.

Then It is a Saison, or a Belgium Strong Ale, or both , or neither. So you don't get a baseline to go from. So you make your own.

This does have hints of the Saison and musty about it, it doesn't have a hit of sweetness though. It does have a great aroma. Doesn't have a head.

Does make me smile.

As it warms up slightly though, you do get the alcohol burn at the back, which made me smile more in the sense that "oh there it is!" As it warms up it calms down slightly in the bitterness, and this too is welcome.

Once you work your way into this you begin to get a sense that it is indeed a bit clever.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as a 9 of its things from the thing. Either I've been more picky, have lowered my standards, or am in fine form in picking beers. Nine is great, and a beer that I find to have many things going for it, all mostly in the right direction and it stands out as being a memorable beer. Even tomorrow I'd remember this I'm sure.  I love the way this unfolds and lets you enjoy the musty, the fruits, the sweetness, the coffee and then the burn at the back of the alcohol. I'd have liked more coffee, which also comes across as chocolate perhaps. It's a small but important thing that stops this taking the top rung.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? I started off with a frown but it soon turned upside down into a smile.


2. Would I have another? I would love another, this is very drinkable, dangerously so since it's higher in ABV.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I would and I'd be happy to extoll the virtues of all the things, Coffee, Beer, Saison beers, and explain how Cricket works.

Musically, well it seemed a good idea for it to be musics only day, so from the album "Live Sessions" "Bonobo" cracks out "Nothing Owed" Which is quite good live.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NkHxZtcT3I4

SAISON

Fruity esters dominate the aroma. Clarity is good with a large foamy head on top. The addition of several spices and herbs create a complex fruity or citrusy flavor. Light to medium bodied with very high carbonation. Alcohol level is medium to high.

BELGIAN STRONG ALE

Belgian Strong Ales can vary from pale to dark brown in color, darker ales may be colored with dark candy sugar. Hop flavor can range from low to high, while hop aroma is low. The beers are medium to full-bodied and have a high alcoholic character. Types of beers included here include tripels, dubbels and ultra-strong abbey ales.

Beer - #541 - Pelican - Red Lantern IPA

More Red beer, Simply red, seeing red and red light disco

"...Born from our brewer's love of hops "

This is a bottle that is 22fl oz, or 650ml, and it has beer of 6.4% ABV,  60 IBU things, making it 3.28 standard drink units in NZ, and around 350 calories in the bottle.

Brewed by Pelican Pub & Brewery in the style that is an American India Pale Ale (IPA)  and they are in Pacific City, Oregon  USA

[caption id="attachment_10343" align="alignleft" width="300"] Red like my suntan[/caption]

Just as red lanterns were once used to guide fishing boats to home base at the end of the day during foggy winter weather, our Red Lantern IPA is the perfect way to end your winter day.

Born from our brewer's love of hops and craving for a deep caramel backbone, the rich red color and medium body delivers just the right balance.

Copious amounts of El Dorado hops give Red Lantern a clean hoppy finish.

Website says that this is a seasonal beer available in December, so either this is a bit fresh or a year old, what could go wrong!

Big fresh pine hops aroma and a lovely hiss as I popped the cap on this one.

It is much lighter than a 'red' might be, deep chestnut and a lovely yellow tinged fluffy head. It does look the biz.

Aroma the same in the glass, strong pine hops.

~gosh~ that's potent and loud and a full nice beer. Somehow I have a beer that seems to be a the right temperature and in peak form. Go me!

Bitterness is not apparent up-front, it's more in the middle with the malt backbone and a dazzling bitter finish that just sings a bit. Standby for poetic ramblings.

A lovely beer that is aromatic on the nose and delivers a decent but not crashing bitter burst on the palate, and a finish that is not to little or not to much, it's just nice. I'd probably say 'a bit good'

So I'm dazzled by a red beer, which doesn't have the appearance or depth of colour to be 'red' but has a bunch of flavours and burst that does make it a really good IPA.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as a 9 of its things from the thing, which is a really good score, particularly for an IPA in a field where there are a lot of IPA style beers.

I haven't enjoyed a beer this much for a while, just for the enjoyment of drinking it and the reward for the flavour layers that it has, just for the beer it is, not a thirst quencher or something to pass the time by, but a beer that has an engagement.

Reminds you what a good IPA should be like.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? It really has made me smile and brought real enjoyment to my day.


2. Would I have another? I'd love another, or two, this would be a great beer for an evening.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Yes I think that it has enough bitterness, hops and malt softness to keep everyone happy, it is also easy drinking without harsh edges.

Musically not even Red but an album called "Blue Planet Eyes" from a group called "The Preatures" This is a track called "Somebodys Talking".  The Preatures are an Australian 5 piece band from Sydney, New South Wales.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1tmMNOxRZCg

INDIA PALE ALE & IPA

India Pale Ale gets its name and unique style from British brewers who were making beer for export to India. This style has an intense hop flavor which was used to preserve the beer for the long voyage. India Pale Ale has a golden to copper color with a medium maltiness and body. The aroma is moderate to very strong. IPAs work especially well at cutting the heat of chili, vindaloo or Sichuan cuisine.

Beer - #528 - Karl Strauss - Wreck Alley Imperial Stout

Stout beer, being Stout about musics,  some stout numbers, and stout mates at parties

"... is as dark as the depths of its namesake "

Karl Strauss -  Wreck Alley Imperial Stout - a beer I should have brought a week ago. At least I went back...

20fl oz bottle (650ml) that contains a  9.5% ABV, 50 IBU things beer, that has 265 calories a serve size, so this then a  4.9  drinks units worth in NZ.

Brewed by Karl Strauss Brewing Company  in the style: Imperial Stout and they are in the home to sea-world, San Diego, California  USA

[caption id="attachment_10225" align="alignleft" width="300"] He squints he smiles,,,,,[/caption]

Beneath the tides off Mission Beach rests Wreck Alley – a dark and mysterious seascape of forgotten ships. Amidst the rusted wreckage is a marine ecosystem, an artificial reef teeming with life.

Our Wreck Alley is as dark as the depths of its namesake, an Imperial Stout of uncharted complexity. Brewed with darkly kilned malts, cocoa nibs, and Ethiopian coffee beans, Wreck Alley boasts rich layers of dark chocolate, toffee, and espresso-like roast.

Save a bottle. This one has a stout shelf-life.

What could possibly go wrong. It seems this time a whole lot.

Sometimes the Live-blog thing ends in a bit of a pigs-ear thing. You think I might have worked that out, or at least WP might have saved me with "Auto-save" or something, in my dreams.

- I wrote about the pour and how it was a bit disappointing. Not thick like some beers, how the head was a bit of a wastrel and half-hearted at best.

• I wrote about the aroma, and how it went missing but there might have been fruits coming through, but it needed to be make more effort. C'mon!


• I wrote a bit about how this was a pretender beer. what was special? what? How was this the beer that made grown men weep?


• Then I wrote about how I really got it, and how this really was a pretty accomplished beer, here wasn't a dip in the middle or a missing bit, it was pretty much a complete end to end beer. From the initial sup the wash and the finish. It has great chocolate or roasted malt, nothing peaky in the middle and a finish that has that fruit thing going on. incroyable!

I really did poetry that an angst teenager would weep at. Then I did something stupid and it went south, or right-swipe defending on your OS of choice.

Imagine some really good writing then, and then catch up with me at the bit here where I go..."

Loving that nice seeped fruit thing that stouts (or indeed barley wine) has as this gets warmer, somehow it gets more treacle like, and a whole lot more interactive and enjoyable.

The really clever thing though, really strong beer, really no idea how that works, it really isn't apparent or obvious,  quaff away, get squiffy, go on-line shopping, wait for the results in a a few days. When I say clever  I mean something else.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 9 a of its things from the thing. It really is a great thing, The finish does end a bit, just a bit dry, the worst thing perhaps you could say about this, other than perhaps that it lacks a character or a defining moment that would make this apart of the crowd.

10 was a reach as, for me,  there was an under taste of something wet-oats or something in this, just there and being there. I might have had a crank on, I might be right, I'd go again this this beer, it is worth while.

I like this because well it is what is says it is. There isn't an addition like "Chocolate" or "fruit of some kind" or "Coffee" that would guest in the middle.  This is an honest and goodness "Stout" that I can discern. The chocolate or Coffee fro the roasted malts (I might be making it up) but what you end with is a beer that is really level drinking, there are no peaks in the flavour, no side shoes and a finish that isn't dry and hints a some kind of dark fruits. It is perry good and worthwhile.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? It really is a bit special and stands up on its own as a straight up beer, I stated off a bit dubious and ended up loving it.


2. Would I have another? I would really like another, this has so much potential.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Can you imagine the lies you could tell when drinking this, by lies I mean embellishments, and nuances. This is a cracking beer and drinks well and leaves you wondering how your head went a bit squiffy because you can't remember the 9.5% ABV thing.

The Stylistics were a soul music vocal group, and were one of the best-known Philadelphia soul groups of the 1970s. I'm sure you'd know "You are Everything", I was listening to a best of compilation. That's some squeaky voices.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZILgIoNIDT8

IMPERIAL STOUT

Imperial stouts are usually extremely dark brown to black in color with flavors that are intensely malty, deeply roasted and sometimes with accents of dark fruit (raisin, fig) or milk sourness. The bitterness is typically medium and often the low sie of that. Imperial stouts are strong and often exceed 8% by volume.

Beer - #525 - Modern Times - Aurora

Modern Times, Modern Music, Modern Maths and a Modern party.

.... the spicy malt character of rye with the fruity dankness of new wave American & New Zealand hops...  Drink it with your eyes.

650ml (22 fl oz) bottle that has beer of 6.7% ABV, 75 IBU, around 201 calories a serve size, and this would be 3.4 standard drink units in NZ

Brewed by Modern Times Beer in the style that is either Amber Ale or American IPA San Diego, California  USA. I can't find a Red IPA, Consensus might be Amber ale. I sit on the fence.

Aurora is a 6.8% ABV red rye IPA loaded with Equinox, Centennial, Motueka, and Experimental Hop 07270. This pungent, complex IPA marries the spicy malt character of rye with the fruity dankness of new wave American & New

[caption id="attachment_10200" align="alignleft" width="300"] Man needs shave, has beer instead[/caption]

Zealand hops.

Aurora pours a gorgeous ruby red, making it the perfect IPA for Fall (if it ever comes to San Diego).

Aurora prominently features a couple of brand spankin’ new American hops: Equinox and 07270. Equinox offers both pungent fruit and rare dank was; 07270 is like the offspring of an orange and a pine cone.

We’ve married that remarkable hop combination with a rye-heavy malt bill, giving Aurora a spicy, bready backbone to support the heavy hop load.

A gorgeous, deep ruby hue makes this a real purdy beer in the glass. Drink it with your eyes.

So what could possibly go wrong with that?

I have to say that the label and presentation of this is very 'wine' like, simple, crisp, clean, and for the aged and infirm of eyesight, easy to read. The label does say IPA. That settles that then.  I can tell from the table that this is fairly fresh too.

It's also a Vegan beer. Lordy.

That's nicely hopped and aromatic on opening.

It is a very pretty our of a lovely chestnut coloured beer with a nice off shite head that is firm and fluffy although not huge. Lots more caramel aroma in the glass than before.

That fair pops on the tongue, it's bitter but not overly and it smooths into a soft middle and finishes to a grassy finish, all in one move. It's not bad.

So for me there is a lot of 'middle' in this, a great big bash of, I'll say it, more in ignorance, of what must be the Rye.  The bitterness seems to have tailed away somewhat though, might be the effect of the rye and the strength that that brings to the beer.

The finish does get drier too as it warms. Overall Not bad but not my style of beer perhaps, but hey you have to give it a crack otherwise who knows. This is one of a few of the 'Red' beers I've had lately and I'm sure I'm the same about all of them. They're ok but they're just not me.

I wonder though if this would balance against something food, but I don't know what in particular, the style stumps me.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as  a  7 of its things from the thing. I really struggle with this style, the 'red' and the 'rye' thing.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? Not really, I personally find it a bit challenging.


2. Would I have another? I 'get' the Rye thing, and the big middle and that, it's just not for me.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Who's buying because I wouldn't turn up with this, if however you did I'd drink it and make idle chat about the style and that.

Music for this, well, I came across this band "Mumm-Ra" who are an English indie rock band originates from Bexhill on Sea, on the South Coast of England.  This is "Technicolour" from the Album "Back to the Shore" and yes I spelt that correctly.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=TkFo7af30QI

No I've never watched Thundercats. Ever.

And as to Indie Pop. At least it fits with the summer weather and you can have it on in the background whilst watching the flora and fauna to distract you.  It's not the worst music I've ever listened to, it's ok, but it's not 'wow' good. Good enough though, close enough. I did play it twice. :-)

AMBER ALE

A style without definition, amber ales range from bland, vaguelly caramelly beers to products with a fairly healthy malt and hop balance. Often the differentiation between a quality amber and an American Pale is that the amber might have more dark malt character, or a less assertive hop rate.

INDIA PALE ALE & IPA

India Pale Ale gets its name and unique style from British brewers who were making beer for export to India. This style has an intense hop flavor which was used to preserve the beer for the long voyage. India Pale Ale has a golden to copper color with a medium maltiness and body. The aroma is moderate to very strong. IPAs work especially well at cutting the heat of chili, vindaloo or Sichuan cuisine.

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Beer - #513 - Rogue - Santa's Private Reserve Ale

Worked it's way to the front of the fridge, a Rogue Santa's Private Reserve Ale -

A double hopped Red Ale, reddish in color with a roasty, malty flavor and a well balanced spruce finish

This one is brewed by Rogue Ales in the style that is of an Amber Ale although I've also seen it descried as American Amber / Red Ale, indeed Rogue themselves call it a Red Ale, and they are in Newport, Oregon  USA

22Oz bottle, so that would be 650ml in where I am, Also listed as 40 or 65 IBU things, go with 65 it's safer. It is 6% ABV, and around 180 calories a serve, and 3.1 standard drink units.

[caption id="attachment_10064" align="alignleft" width="300"] Man who needs a haircut holds a beer[/caption]

Rogue’s annual holiday offering, Santa’s Private Reserve, is a variation of the classic Saint Rogue Red, but with double the hops--including Chinook, and Centennial, and a mystery hop called Rudolph by head brewer John "more hops" Maier!

This holiday elixir is brewed with  [..] . free range coastal water and proprietary top-fermenting Pacman yeast - Our Snowflakes Glisten in the dark!

I'm still mixed about 'Red Ales' I don't know if this is going to be different.  Buy hey, what could go wrong?

Heavy in the malt aroma on opening, and the pour is a lot darker than I was expecting, but then I didn't really think this through.it's family red, and had a little yellowish head that faded to a film.

Aroma still that wet malt thing, Initial taste of this is that it's bitter, and bitterer than I was expecting, this is full of unexpected things. Taste is somewhat of citrus, perhaps grapefruits.

It is pleasant drinking for all that and there isn't a reason not to like it.

Summary then, slightly bitter, medium body, some floral and citrus, for me grapefruits. Nice pour great colour, some lacing but not enough of a head. Not overly keen on the aroma that just doesn't do it for me.

The hops, blame the hops for that. One day I'll be an expert or have an expert take me though this and then I can claim expert. I can only tell you what I think it is. I even had a page to hops. it didn't help me :-) Of course it could be the "Free Range" water.

You would think though that for a seasonal or festive beer that it would be something more twisted or spiced or fruity in some way, I guess if I want a christmas pudding I need a Porter or Stout?

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 8 a of its things from the thing. The bitterness is nice, the finish towards dry, there is some nice softness and caramel in this.  I don't know so much about the aroma which I should be more familiar with and be able to identify much more readily and easily.  Did I love it? not really, but I didn't not like it, in some way I'm glad it is a seasonal which means that look forward to forgetting about it in the next 12 months and then I'll be up to go again....

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? I am, because it's nice drinking, quenching and not too edgy.


2. Would I have another? I don't know, I'm not sure I enjoy the aroma.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? I might just, because it comes not needing a christmas wrapping or anything, and for a couple of months you can claim 'gift' if it falls flat. bit of a win win.

I'm listing to some occasionally very good music from Jim Yamouridis - This is the track "Body of Proof" in an  Acoustic Session. I'm sure some of this would be better if I spoke the French.

[youtube https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dQuASgQShEw&w=560&h=315]

AMBER ALE

A style without definition, amber ales range from bland, vaguely caramelly beers to products with a fairly healthy malt and hop balance. Often the differentiation between a quality amber and an American Pale is that the amber might have more dark malt character, or a less assertive hop rate.

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Beer- #505 - Rogue - Captain Sigs Deadliest Ale (Northwestern Ale)

Beer with a lot of letters in the name, music with a big band, big numbers and a big night on the porch.

Deep red in color, this ale starts off with a floral, slightly citrus hop nose, hop flavor soon fades into the malty backbone of this red ale.

Rogue Captain Sigs Deadliest Ale (Northwestern Ale) - Brewed by Rogue Ales
in the classic style that is  India Pale Ale (IPA) and they are in Newport, Oregon  USA.

This is a 650ml bottle (22 fl oz), and the beer is 80 IBU, and 6.2% ABV, and 186 calories a serve size. The bottle contains 3.18 standard drink units.

However Rogue call this "India Red Ale",  but it might also be "American Amber" or "Red Ale".

Now the last time I had an "India Red Ale" it was defined as "Amber Ale" - that would be the 8 Wired Tall Poppy  but all you get from that is the style is not well defined and even possibly includes 'American Strong Ale".

So, I'm going to go with -  Red IPA  "American red ale brewed at a higher strength and hopped like an IPA. Typically, redder in color than an IPA, with deep ruby hues" Sorted.

Originally a tweak of Eugene City Tracktown 100 Meter Ale, reformulated for release as Captain Sig’s Deadliest Ale

Rogue's Northwestern Ale, brewed for Captain Sig Hansen joins the Rogue family of World Class Ales, Stouts, Porters, and Lagers. 

Dedicated to the Hansen Brothers--Sig, Edgar, and Norman--the Rogues of the Bering Sea.

What an adventure so far, and so I press on, what could got wrong?

A more muted aroma on opening than I would have expected from an IPA type beer, I might venture that this isn't the freshest version of the beer that you can get, transport distance and all that.

Having said that it does pour magnificently and looks very 'red' in the glass, dark deep burn chestnut, and brownish foamy head as well, it's turned itself around.

Nice grass happens at the front that is stern but also mellow, washes over the tongue and finishes slightly bitter, with a bit of linger in there too. I'm not sure that there is a lot of balance in this.

The bitterness is 'strong' and persistent in this and it leaves you feeling a little unbalanced, and thinking you are drinking an overly unnecessarily bitter beer. I don't get the warming malts in this at all.

So it's not bad, it's just not great.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as 7 a of its things from the thing. I think that this is interesting but not accurate or on point with any particular thing it is trying to make. The style is confused and I ended up not liking the overly bitter lingering mouthfeel in this.  OR not a style that I'm comfortable with, it's too bitter at one and with no middle and a finish that is too long.

The double dip review

1. Am I enjoying it? I am odds with a yes and no on this. I like the beer, I'n not sure I'm enjoying the mouthfeel and lingering bitterness though.


2. Would I have another? I'm not sure that i'm that much of a fan.


3. Would I share with a friend on a porch and set the world to rights? Sure to start a debate over what it is and where it fits, it's not an IPA, and I've had other 'Red' ales that are different.

Musically, Well stop me in the street but I was listening to Bjork, and the Biophilia Live thing. The album, composed during the 2008–11 Icelandic financial crisis, is considered a concept album, with references to the linking points between nature, musicand technology.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDSzBs-lOYI

It's a bunch of jangles and performance art with lyrics not understood. The Audience is enthusiastic though, so I go with the crowd, or against it.

INDIA PALE ALE & IPA

India Pale Ale gets its name and unique style from British brewers who were making beer for export to India. This style has an intense hop flavor which was used to preserve the beer for the long voyage. India Pale Ale has a golden to copper color with a medium maltiness and body. The aroma is moderate to very strong. IPAs work especially well at cutting the heat of chili, vindaloo or Sichuan cuisine.

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