Beer - #297 - Sierra Nevada - Narwhal Imperial Stout

I seem to be stuck in a groove, The Imperial Stout.  I continue with this a Sierra Nevada Narwhal Imperial Stout.

Single bottle of a 12 fl Oz, (355ml)  10.2% ABV, beer, being 306 calories, and 2.86 standard drink units. Also 60 IBU.

Narwhal Imperial Stout is the latest beer in Sierra Nevada’s High Altitude Series. This malt-forward monster is bold – with notes of baker’s cocoa, molasses, and dark roasted coffee. This massive imperial stout is incredibly complex, rich, and intense and will develop in the bottle for years to come.

Hops:  Bittering:- Magnum, Finishing:- Challenger
Malts: Two Row Pale, Chocolate, Honey, Carafa, Roasted Barley

Lovely chocolate aroma on opening,  Dark pour but without a head, breaking a fine run. Aroma is still coffee/chocolate and some rich fruits.

Really big mouthfeel with this, really big. And the bitterness is cranked up and front and centre. There is a smooth and mellow middle of the malts and a fruity finish.

This has a very dry and harsh finish.  I got up to get some cheese and crackers at this point .

The gap in time has allowed this to warm a little in the glass and release a lot more of the roastedness that contained making this a whole new, and quite pleasant experience.

The pdubyah-o-meter rates this as a safe 8, very good beer.  I was left, overall, thinking that this was just a touch too bitter in the front, and it's lack of a head was dissaponting. As it warms more it releases more of the roasted malts, giving you more of the chocolate, but also then finally some earthiness that contributes to the dry finish.

I didn't not like it, I wouldn't be giving you a virtual high five over this, but if you were drinking it I'd tip my glass to you as a good choice .

Music has been " Daughter"

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

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.

 Specialty Malt

Malted barley generally falls into two camps: base malt and specialty malt. Base malt is highly modified malt that is responsible for producing the bulk of the fermentable sugars in the beer. Specialty malt is malt added for its flavor, color or effect on the body and mouthfeel of the finished beer. Specialty malts are typically produced by kilning and/or roasting barley. Caramel malt is made by placing germinated barley with a high moisture content directly into a roaster. The resulting malt produces unfermentable sugars during the mashing process, adding sweetness and body to finished beer. Roasted malt is base malt that has been placed in a roaster similar to a coffee roaster to produce deeper, darker, baker’s cocoa and espresso flavors like those common in a porter or a stout.

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Beer - #232 - Sierra Nevada - Ovila Saison

I'm pleased to be able to drink this - a Sierra Nevada - Ovila Saison  with Mandarin Oranges and Peppercorns. Brewed by Sierra Nevada Brewing Company obviously in the style of a  Saison  and in a place that sounds like part of a group of bothers Chico, California USA

It's cork and cage presentation, the interesting bottle shape, the dark label and of course it seeming;y weird concoction all called me.



An homage to the monk’s noble work, this unique farmhouse ale is incredibly complex with notes of lemon, pepper, straw and herbs balanced by the tang of Mandarin oranges and a spicy kick of pepper. The Mandarin oranges used to make this beer were locally grown, including a portion grown on the grounds of the Abbey of New Clairvaux and picked by hand by the community of monks living there. We hope you enjoy this collaboration ale.

12.7fl oz,  or 375ml, of  a 7.5% ABV beer, making it 2.21 standard drinks in NZ (1.59 in the US)

 A collaboration between Sierra Nevada Brewing Co and the monks at the Abbey of New Clairvaux, Ovila Abbey Saison brings the centuries-old monastery brewing tradition to America. Ovila Abbey Saison is complex and contemplative-but also refreshingly dry and drinkable. With earthy and spicy aromas, this rustic Saison has note of green grass and a faint citrus tang. The body is light and layered with fruit and spice accents and a dry, peppery finish. A portion of the proceedsfrom this ale go toward the restoration of the historic Santa Maria de Oliva chapter house on the grounds of the Abbey of New Clairvaux. This medieval building stood for nearly eight centuries in Spain. William Randolph Hearst purchased the monastery in 1931 and planned to use the stones for a castle even grander than his famous San Simeon. Although Hearst’s plan crumbled, these historic stones will rise again in a California Cistercian abbey.

It's a bit wordy if nothing else.

Really fruity notes on opening, pours golden brown orange, little cloudy, thin head, aroma has more yeasts in it.

Little sourness, but an interesting mix of things. You'd expect the sourness of course, that's one of the things. The fruits are trying hard to be made known, they hint and insinuate rather than standing up though. Very easy drinking this, and in the sun it's making everything seem all a little more pleasing and relaxing.

Didn't get anything like a fluffy head, nor any lacing, but I'm going to look all past that. If it was that I was limited to having a beer, just the one, this afternoon, this would be it.

The Sourness, the dried fruit aroma, the way the mandarin is giving it a good go, the nice caramel length means that it's ticking a load of boxes. It's nice for that.

Missing though is anything that you could confuse as peppercorns. I'm sure they do a thing.

So much so that the pdubyah-o-meter says easily a 8.5, making it almost a great beer to be drinking.  Sadly I only have the one, because this for it's shortcomings is rather nice to have.

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.

Related articles

• Sierra Nevada Brewing Sustainable Journey (neevilbeers.wordpress.com)


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Out and About - Skysport Grill Auckland Viaduct

Skysport Grill is New Zealand's first purpose built genuine sports grill and bar, featuring 25+ sports viewing screens and 40+ beers on tap from all over.

It has an exciting menu of New Zealand fare (based on the American sports style bar but with a New Zealand theme), and plays a continuous selection of classic rock music on a state-of-the-art sound system.

I was there last night for a short time with a couple of friends.  I could have been there for so much longer. They really do have a stunning amount of on tap beers, from around everywhere.

Madly I started off with a local beer, i of the Zombie, which was 9.5%ABV screamer. I'm going to make an honest effort to review that later, stand by. By which I mean I went and brought some and will get to it next.

I also had a Thornbridge Jaipur. This is a beer that I had the pleasure of in a bottle a long time ago, and fondly remember it as being awesome. The keg version wasn't a welcome return of the king. It was mightily good, but was thinner than I remember.

To finish me off, in more ways than one, The Sierra Nevada Torpedo, which was a mighty fine beer too.

Somehow there was also a Ben Middlemiss Lunatic Soup enjoyed and a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, as well as more exotic Lowenbrau. A concerted effort would see you enjoying one of everything as a group, if you tried.

10 pints of beer then, NZ$95 which I'd say for anyone's money for the quality of beer was outstanding.

The Venue? Well it does have a magnificent bar to look at, and it's chock full of TV's of all sizes, all showing, have a guess.... Sports. Can't vouch for the food, it didn't even enter our heads. But given the once over I'd be confident that the burgers, hotdogs, nachos or fish and chips would be par for the course, it's not gourmet, it's not greasy spoon. I'm going to make a point to eat something next time.

We had a semi-outside table under a heater which put out more than enough rays to make me want to sit somewhere less intense, but it was matter of inches rather than feet.

The barman, Ben,  knew his thing, the wait staff were attentive, amusing and ready for a quick chat. All the things you need in bar.

Possibly then a good reason to move to the Viaduct and make this a local. Tempered only by the fact that in a previous incarnation that the venue happened to be an Indian restaurant, so I might make it an event pub, and enjoy it on occasion. There is local parking, but unless you have an iron will and want just one beer then get the bus, get a sober driver, or walk. Mad if you don't.