Scotch Review 5: Balvenie 15 year

I love me some Scotch, especially as the colder evenings begin to show their gloomy faces. For a nice fall night I prefer a Speyside Scotch; reason being is that they don't pack as much smoke and warmth like Islay whiskey's or even of those from the Highland region. That is why Balvenie 15 year is the perfect whiskey for those Autumn nights when you want a night cap without that heavy warmth from other Scotch's. Balvenie 15 drinks very smooth and with nice sweet characteristics, especially with the abv at bottling being a robust 47.8%. Furthermore, this whiskey is priced wonderfully for the quality you get and the amount. At $59.99 a 750 ml bottle i feel this is a fair price for the this product. Moreover, Balvenie 15 is a small batch Scotch as they only bottle 350 bottles a cask and the fine folks at the distillery take time to hand number each bottle. Also, like all fine single malt Scotch's it is best to drink them out of a proper glass... a Glenncarin glass like the one pictured would be it. This whiskey is truly an art form and a true example of the speyside style. So if you like you Scotch with hints of sweetness, mild warmth and plenty of complexity on the palate grab a bottle of this at your local store and enjoy.

Color: A light honey/straw. Leaves behind a nice amount of legs on the glass due to the high abv.

Nose: Sublime! Apples, oak, toffee and sweet spices. Hint of vanilla and caramel butthey just float around in the background. Also some faint aromas of pit fruit and ceder.

Palate: This is so drinkable. Smooth and the warmth of this whiskey is just like sipping a great tea. Very balanced on the tongue as well.... it allows for all the complexities to shine. First you get the spices followed by the fruit, especially the apples. The oak later appears and with it comes the vanilla and caramel flavors.

Finish: A light warmness, smooth, but it looses some body here, but nothing to harm the overall taste of this Scotch.

Rating: 94 out of 100

Beer Review 62: Three Floyds Dark Lord 2011

When It comes to big stouts there are a few big hitters out there, and Three Floyd's Dark Lord is one of them. This big Russian imperial stout come out once a year and its only sold at the brewery, and to show you how big this beer release is I will tell you that there is a whole day in April in Munster Indiana dedicated to this beer, and appropriately its called "Dark Lord Day." This stout my friends is no joke, bottled at a robust 15% abv in 22 oz bottles sealed in wax, this beer is not for the faint of heart. Dark Lord drinks thick and heavy, but with lots of delicious complexity making this stout a delight. Furthermore, its best to to share your bottle of Dark Lord, not only because a bomber of this will knock you into next week, but also because it happens to be a rare beer and not most people get to try such a treat. Another reason to share your bottle is because this beer also happens to be expensive, not only do you have to buy tickets for 10 dollars to attend Dark Lord Day at the brewery, but also the cost of the bottle is 15 dollars, so essentially you are paying 25 bucks for this stout. Moreover, enjoy your Dark Lord in moderation; the proper serving size for this brew is about 8.4 oz poured into either a snifter or nonic pint. I prefer to drink Dark Lord as a late night beer when its cool out after dinner. This stout makes a great pairing with chocolaty desserts or a cheese fondue, but also will pair nicely with a cigar of the maduro variety. Also, Dark Lord makes a great beer to cellar, so putting this away in a dark place for a few months to a few years will help this beer mellow out a bit.

Color: Black... black as motor oil. A nice one finger khaki head forms on top of this beer. Leaves behind minimal lacing on the glass, but the darkness of this brew does stain the glass.

Nose: Boom! Immense roasted malts and bitter coffee. Vanilla, molasses, syrup, and raisin also appear as this beer warms. I can see why people say they smell soy sauce in this beer, but to me its quite faint and not a real factor in this beer.

Palate: Thick, yet drinkable because the carbonation is spot on. The tongue gets bathed in sweet waves of vanilla, chocolate, syrup, and molasses. Following the sweetness are palate crushing waves of intense bitter coffee and a gentle hop profile. This beer is well layered and smooth despite a tingly warmth from the abv.

Finish: Intense,thick,complex, sweet, and some good bitterness. Overall this stout is a great example of the Russian Imperial form. Very pleased with this beer!

Rating: 94 out 100

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

Beer Review 58: New Glarus Raspbery Tart

New Glarus Brewery is a tiny brewery in Wisconsin and from this little location the brewers at New Glarus make some of the best beer in the country. Raspberry Tart is one of those beers and its the beer I'm reviewing tonight. Bottled in 750 ml bottles and brewed to a very low 4% abv this beer is fantastic and delicious in every way possible. What makes New Glarus also very good is the prices of their beer's. Raspberry Tart is priced from $8.99 a bottle to $10.99 a bottle and for the product you are getting that my friends is a steal. The only beef I have with New Glarus is that I can't find it out west, and as a matter of fact I don't think you can find it outside of Wisconsin. In other words, I had to trade to obtain this beer. Furthermore, this beer is best enjoyed at cellar temp and in a tulip glass or flute. Moreover,this beer makes a wonderful desert beer when paired with chocolate cake. If you are beer lover and like fruit beer's seek this one out and buy a few... you wont be disappointed.

Color: A deep crimson color. Hints of brown and violet around the edges.A white finger head form after the pour, but this beer leaves behind minimal lacing.

Nose: What else raspberries. A mellow oakiness lingers and with are hints of other read fruits and barnyard smells.

Palate: Excellent carbonation and mouth feel. This beer is very drinkable and tasty. The tongue gets hit with wave after wave of ripe raspberry. This beer has a nice tartness to it as well adding some lite complexity to the beer.

Finish: Crisp and light. The gentle sourness/tartness makes this beer very interesting and the raspberry textures are just wonderful.

Rating: 94 out of 100

Beer Review 57: Russian River Pliney the Elder

As I was looking through my blog the other day I realized I had not yet reviewed on of the better beer's in the country and one of my favorites... Russian River's Pliny the Elder. This Double IPA is simply amazing and by far one of the top 3 in its style. Full bodied and complex, this double IPA really pleases. If you follow this blog you very well know that Russian River Brewery is my favorite brewery because top to bottom all their beer's are really great. Pliny the Elder is great for a lot of reasons, but its affordability is one of the major reasons. At $4.89 a 500 ml bottle this beer is a steal, especially considering the 8% abv this beer is bottled at. The only down fall of Pliny is that it may be hard to find if you don't live in norther California, and if you do find it the shop that is selling it may limit the amount of bottles you can buy. Moreover, Pliny needs to enjoyed out of a tulip glass to make sure you enjoy all the wonderful aroma this beer processes. Also consider that the serving size for Pliny is 8.6 0z, so enjoy and sip this beer accordingly. Furthermore, this beer makes a great summer time beer and pairs well with many great summer BBQ dishes and like always Pizza is IPA's best friend.

Color: A dull Golden hay color with hints of honey at the core. Forms a nice two finger white foamy head and it leaves behind some really good lacing.

Nose: A plethora of hops and sweetness that is blended with amazing citrus fruit aromas. You get hints of pine and very mellow caramel. Also evident are the smells of peach and tangerine followed the zesty grapefruit and pineapple.

Palate: The drinkability of this beer is sublime. Wonderfully carbonated and refreshing. This beer is complex on the tongue offering plenty of citrus punch combined by an excellent hop body.The sweetness from the malt in this beer is just right, giving Pliny another level of greatness

Finish: Smooth and soothing. One of the top 3 double IPA's on the market. This beer offers everything an IPA should be and more way more. IT can be a bit dry at the end but nothing to diminish the excellent craftsmanship of this beer

Rating: 97 out 100