Beer Review 61: Upland Persimmon Lambic

We all know that lambic style beer was started in Belgium, and from Belgium come some of the finest and most sought after lambic's in the world. Well! who knew you can get a good quality lambic in the states, let alone in the state of Indiana. Upland Brewery is doing just that, they are constantly producing some of the best fruit lambic out there. Tonight's review centers around their persimmon lambic, which of course features the addition of persimmon's(fruit) into the barrel in which the lambic is stored away to age for a year or so. Furthermore, These lambics are quite complex and aromatic. The persimmon adds a wonderful fruit texture to the beer and beautiful coloring to go with the already typical lambic characteristics. Upland Persimmon is not available year round, as a matter of fact its gets released in rotation with all the other fruit lambics the Upland produces, so if you are interested in trying this beer, and I do suggest you try it if you are a fan of lambic, be on your toes and keep checking in on the brewery web site for release details. Moreover, the Upland Lambic's aren't cheap, they sell for $20.00- $25.00 dollars a pop, but in my opinion totally worth it. To enjoy Persimmon fully please pour your beer into a tulip style glass or flute, that way you can experience the amazing lambic complexity. Also, something to look out for when drinking any of the Upland Lambics, these beers do intend to gush like champagne out of the bottle, so be careful when popping open a bottle. Lastly, I really enjoy my lambic paired with a good aged cheese that provides some serious stink and punch, this makes a great compliment to your Persimmon lambic. The Abv on this beer is unknown.

Color: Quite beautiful. A hazy pale orange straw color with shades of pale dull yellow. This beer leaves behind no lacing at all and the one finger white head that forms after you pour reduces itself to a dime size ring around the glass.

Nose: Great! Nice fruit profile with all the typical lambic features: Oak, barnyard funk, hay, hints of the wild yeast. The persimmon floats in the beer, but its not over powering on the nose.

Palate: Everything you want and need. Tart/sour on the tongue followed by small waves of citrus, grass, hay, and oak. Some lemon and orange peel bring up the rear, but its so welcomed. Very Balanced and drinkable. The carbonation is a bit high, but it doesn't bother me at all.

Finish: Dry and tart. Complex and fruit forward, with a balanced integration of funk and earthiness. This lambic is a success and a total treat.

Rating: 95 out of 100

Beer Review 60: Kern Brewing Citra

When it comes to IPA's and delicious beer in general Kern Brewing company is king. About everything they brew is drinkable and puts a smile on your face and electrifies your taste buds. Tonight's review is Citra; Kern's seasonal DIPA. This hoppy treat is considered nation wide as one of the top 25 beers in the world. With its amazing hop profile that delivers amazing citrus flavors and incredible balance, Citra is a must have beer for anyone who consider himself/herself a hop head. For the most part this is a brewery release only brew, but this year Citra was bottled for the first time and saw minor distribution in southern CA. Furthermore, Citra is a very affordable DIPA. At $6.99-$9.99 for a 22 oz bottle and $20.00 for a growler fill at the brewery this beer is worth every single cent you spend on it. Moreover, at 8% abv Citra drinks smooth and crisp with plenty of flavor. This beer really makes a great summer beer and pairs well with plenty of dishes, but I find that Citra will make a veggie and meat pizza even more delicious. Enjoy Citra fresh so you can best enjoy all the complexity of the hops. Lastly, Citra is best enjoyed out of nonic pint or tulip in 6 oz servings.

Color: A nice vibrant amber orange shines through the glass. Pretty clear beer. A one finger head sits at top of the beer and of the off white shade. This beer leaves behind a good amount of lacing all the way down the glass.

Nose: Sublime! Extremely floral and filled with explosive citrus smells. Orange, peach, and pineapple shine through. The citra hop provides a wonderful aroma and the amarillo hop provides the slight bitterness and extra citrus punch. Smells heavenly.

Palate: Refreshing and quite complex for DIPA. The beer sticks to your mouth, but as it swims on the tongue you get all these wonderful fruit flavors and gentle hop bitterness and fresh pine textures. The drinkability of this beer is amazing and the carbonation is just perfect for this brew. The Abv is no where to be found.

Finish: A bit sticky and bitter, but extremely smooth and drinkable. The hops have a huge presence here and the citrus fades to the background, but that is not a bad thing. A gentle sweetness shines through here giving Citra another level of complexity. Probably the best DIPA I have ever had to date.

Rating: 97 out 100

Beer Review 59: Olde Rabbits Foot 2011

I've been away for a bit to long, but I'm back with a list of new beer's and whiskey's to review. Today's review is the 2011 Olde Rabbits Foot, a collaboration beer between these fine North Carolina breweries: Duck Rabbit, Olde Hickory, and Foothills. This has been a long time want for me, and I was extremely stocked when I was able to land 2 bottles of this delicious stout. Olde Rabbits Foot is an imperial stout aged in Pappy Van Winkle Bourbon barrels, and if you know anything about bourbon, you know that Pappy is considered the best American whiskey out there. Furthermore, ORF(acronym for our beer) is brewed with honey and cocoa nibs which add wonderful sweetness to the beer and a lot more texture and complexity. Moreover, this American imperial stout is released once a year at the brewery only and sells for $15.00 for a 22 oz bottle. As tasty and amazing as this beer is , it is no slouch; bottled at a nice robust 10.13% abv this beer is a sipper and best enjoyed in 6 oz servings and in a snifter or small nonic pint style glass. Lastly, I must say this beer is best consumed on a cool evening as a dessert beer or paired with a nice mild cigar like a montecristo white. Do yourself a favor and seek this beer out, its great to drink fresh, but also makes a great addition to your cellar to age for a few years.

Color: Dark, dark brown, almost black. No head even after an aggressive pour and it leaves behind hardly any lacing.

Nose: Wonderful! Full of amazing scents. Bourbon, vanilla, hazelnut, caramel, cocoa, mellow honey, and a pleasant roastiness are all present. Very well done for a stout.

Palate: Full bodied and and complex. Drink ability is amazing, so smooth you can just put it down to quick. The carbonation is ok, not great, but nothing to hinder the quality of this beer. The tongue gets coated with waves of vanilla, chocolate, and nice, warm bourbon flavors. The abv is so well masked that it can hardly be detected in the mouth.

Finish: Long, warm, and with plenty of texture. Plenty of flavors become evident as it goes down the hatch, but Bourbon and honey are most evident. A sweetness eases the bit of abv that shows up at the end. A fantastic imperial stout that provides plenty to like. A true pleasure to drink.

Rating: 95 out of 100