Beer Review 67: Firestone Parabola

When I first had Parabola last year I felt it was the best barrel aged stout I had ever had and to this point after expanding my horizons a bit more and trying new things Parabola is still near the top when I think barrel aged stouts. I also want it to be known that tonight's review are from notes taken from the 2011 vintage of this beer not the 2010 vintage I had a while back. Firestone Parabola, is a robust imperial stout with lots of body and complexity; this stout isn't for those who think Guinness is as good as it gets. Like most of the Firestone barrel aged program releases, Parabola is a seasonal beer that see's it release near the end of May, but for sure in June. To me what makes the beer so special is the price, availability, and the quality of the product. For example, Parabola sells for $13.99 a 22 oz bottle and you can buy it anywhere Firestone distributes(sorry not all states get Firestone). Then there is the quality. Unlike the Bruery's Black Tuesday or Chocolate Rain (which  are good beer's)which are extremely expensive at 30 dollars or more and limited to Reserve Society members or for purchase at the brewery only, Parabola is as good if not better than the previous beers mentioned and did I say a lot cheaper! Furthermore, what makes Parabola even more amazing is how well it drinks for a beer bottled at 12.5% abv. Yes there is some heat from the alcohol when you consume this beer fresh, but its not enough to distract you from the array flavors this beer delivers. Make sure to enjoy the imperial stout in moderation, a 6.8 serving size of this beer is enough to last you awhile. as this beer is meant to be sipped and not pounded down like a hefe or you cheap variety lite beers. When it comes to pairing your Parabola with a meal or dessert, make sure its heavy enough to cut through the thickness and robust nature of this beer. Fish would probably be a bad idea as would be most white meats. A steak would make an excellent companion to this monster beer. I'd also like to add if you are a cigar smoker and and you are tired of pairing your Cohiba's, Montecristos, or Partagas with rum or whisky's may I recommend this beer for you, it will not disappoint. Parabola is a great beer and a beer snobs dream, so if you love stouts and barrel aging of your beer grab a few of these bottles, some to drink now and others to stash away in your cellar for years down the road because this brew will just keep developing over time.

Color: This beer is a solid deep dark brown to almost black. A dime sized tan ring forms at top of this brew. A nice amount of lacing is left on the glass and the head retention is very limited.

Nose: Complex! At first sniff you get the vanilla in this beer followed by the coffee and beautiful bourbon aromas rising from the glass. There is also the smell of bitter dark chocolate and roasted malts, truly a great smelling brew. Gets better as it warms by the way.

Palate: Explosive and layered. This beer is extremely drinkable and the carbonation is spot on. As this beer hits your taste buds and sits on your tongue you realize how wonderfully crafted this beer is. The taste of vanilla and bourbon dance the tango in your mouth, its beautiful, yet rough and sophisticated. Then comes the coffee and with it brings tobacco and velvety bitter chocolate. All these textures are present and invited. This is the wow portion of this beer.

Finish: Warm, full bodied, and extremely complex. A wonderful example of the usage of barrels with stouts. Firestone keep up the good work, this beer is a gift to all beer lovers!

Rating: 97 out of 100

Beer Review 66: Surly WET

Well as we beer lovers know, Surly Brewery makes some of the best beer in the country and there hoppy beer's are some of the tastiest offerings on the market. With that being said, this brings me to WET, Surly's wet hop IPA. For those lost, wet hops are hops that are fresh when harvested in the Autumn months. Usually these hops go from the harvest site to the brewery to being used in your beer. Beer's such as WET us these hops to give the beer an intense hop profile, meaning the citrus usually takes a back seat and the piney/forest features shine in your beer giving it a fresh aroma. Surly WET is a winner, probably the best fresh(wet) hop IPA on the market today, and with reputation you can also expect to pay a hefty price for this beer. At $16.99-$18.99 a four pack, this beer can make a dent in your wallet if your a fan of this style of beer, but if your like me.... you just tend to over look that. Furthermore, WET is canned in 16 oz cans like most Surly offerings.  What make WET so special though is how easy it is to drink, at 7.50% abv this beer goes down smooth and full of flavor. However, with WET being a fall seasonal you better load up on this because its gone quickly and it wont be out till the following year, so don't get left without any. Enjoy your WET in any style glass that allows you to pour 16 oz's. I believe this beer is simply sublime and should be savored to the last drop, so when pairing this beer with a meal or snack make sure that you are not overwhelming the hops because.... well... that's the point of this beer, the HOPS!

Color: This beer shines golden caramel hue. A fluffy two finger white head forms after the pour and it slowly reduces to a dime sized rings around the top of the glass. Good head retention and minimal lacing from this beer.

Nose: Massive amount of fresh hops! Smells like a wet forest in the spring..... ahhhhh delicious. Light amount of citrus flavors rise from the glass as the beer warms, but the aroma is still all hops. Tiny hints of caramel in this beer as well.

Palate: Smooth and crisp. The drinkability of this beer is just sublime. No hints of alcohol, just all hops and mellow tangerine and peach. The tongue just gets lambasted with a plethora of hops, but its inviting and tasty. At the back the palate gets cleansed by the underlying citrus of the brew.

Finish: It goes down way to fast and way to good. Nothing but good things to say about this beer.... well done Surly. Best wet hop IPA in my book.

Rating 95 out of 100

Beer Review 65: Midnight Sun TREAT

Midnight Sun Brewery is located in Alaska, and when you think Alaska you think wildlife, forest, cold, and maybe depressing, but the last thing that comes to mind is quality beer. Well you would be wrong! Midnight Sun Brewery produces some of the finest and rarest beer in the country. With great beer's like Arctic Devil, Bar Fly, Sloth, and TREAT this brewery is hitting home runs with about everything they produce. TREAT is a chocolate pumpkin porter released in the fall. Its bottled in 22 oz bottles and priced anywhere between $10.99 and $13.99. Not to expensive for the quality of beer you are getting. But for all the god things there is to say about this beer, there is one negative.... availability! Midnight Sun does not distribute very far so not many cases get out of the state of Alaska. If you live in Washington or Oregon you have a good shot at finding this beer when its released, but if you live in California like me you'll be hard pressed to find it. Only a few quality bottle shops get this beer when its released and it sells out asap, so if your not on top of it your not gonna get it. However, besides that drawback, TREAT is an incredible beer, its drinkable, especially for a robust porter clocking in at 7.80% abv. Full of flavor and decent complexity this beer makes a great autumn beer. Moreover, enjoy TREAT with a wonderful thanksgiving meal as it will pair nicely with oven baked turkey, mashed potatoes, yams, and of course pumpkin pie. Lastly, even though this beer is a quality ale with plenty of character, TREAT can be enjoyed out of any glass of your choosing and serving size. So, if you are a fan of chocolate and pumpkin this beer is for you.Seek it out you will love it!

Color: A dark muddy brown. Some lacing is left on the glass, but not much. A one finger head form from the pour of the off white nature...the head then recedes quite quickly to a tan ring around the top edges of the beer.

Nose: Milk chocolate in the forefront followed by the pumpkin and spices. Cloves come in and out as does some nutmeg and all spice. Very good aroma.

Palate: Smooth! Extremely drinkable and delicious. The carbonation on this medium bodied beer is fantastic making the mouth feel tingled with an array of texture and flavor. The sweetness of the chocolate is mellow, but noticeable. the spices mingle with the nice maltiness of this beer, and the pumpkin comes in waves coating the tongue with the taste of fall.

Finish: It goes down like chocolate covered pumpkin pie, and that is not bad at all. Well done Midnight Sun! Give me more.

Rating: 93 out of 100

Beer Review 64: Sour in the Rye, The Bruery

I'm usually one to say that the offering by The Bruery are a bit over-rated and way overpriced, but not this beer! Sour in the Rye is by far my favorite beer they make. The only problem with this beer is that you have to be part of The Bruery's reserve society to be able to get this beer as it is part of your membership allocations.
Its hard to say what is the cost of this wonderful sour beer, but its safe to say that it would probably be in the neighborhood of $20.00-$30.00 like all the limited barrel aged beers The Bruery releases. Furthermore, Sour in the Rye is worth every single cent. For a 750 ml bottle, I feel this beer is worth every single penny and a beer that you need to drink till every drop is gone! Full of character and great complexity this beer shines fresh, but also with age, so don't miss a chance to try whenever you can. Moreover, Sour in the Rye is meant to be enjoyed properly. When treating yourself to this gem use a tulip style glass or flute to fully appreciate the quality and craftsmanship of the beer. I find that paring Sour in the Rye with apricot Stilton or stinky blue cheese is a match made in beer Heaven. If you choose to pair this brew with a meal Chilean sea bass or sea food and pasta dishes would make incredible pairings. I'd also like to Thank my buddy Eric for allowing me to try this beer. Thanks for the bottle, so cheers!!!!

Color: This beer pours a golden brown with little to no head. A thin white color ring forms on the edge of the top of the beer. Light to minimal lacing is left around the glass after you give this beer a twirl in your glass.

Nose: I love it! Quickly the scent of the rye hits your nostrils, after that you get the funk from this beer and a nice woody aroma comes out as it warms. Hints of vanilla also rise from from your glass. This beer offers great complexity here.

Palate: The mouthfeel of this beer is so wonderfully layered and delicious its makes this American wild ale extremely drinkable. The Carbonation is not as good as it can be, but that doesn't really hurt the overall quality of the brew. The rye coats the tongue giving this beer a sweet beginning  just to be washed away by the wonderful sourness of the beer. Sour in the Rye is multi-dimensional, making this beer a total experience.

Finish: Dry, yet very drinkable. Sour,sweet, and complete. The Bruery scores with this one. The addition of rye makes this take on the wild ale style refreshing and new.

Rating: 95 out of 100

Beer Review 63: Jolly Pumpkin Biere de Mars

Jolly Pumpkin Brewery as you well know by now is one of my favorite breweries out there. They fine people over in Dexter, Michigan hardly ever produce a bad beer. Tonight, Biere de Mars is no exception, this might be along with La Roja my favorite beer they release each year. This beer is brewed in the French style stock ale. Biere de Mars is aged in oak barrels and brewed using two different yeast strains giving this beer a unique and complex profile. Furthermore, Biere de Mars is a seasonal beer released in March, so keep your eyes open and pick up a few; some to drink now others to lay down. Moreover, this brew isn't pricey at all for the quantity and quality you get. At $13.99 a bottle for a 750 ml, I believe you are getting a steal when it comes to barrel aged sour beer. Biere de Mars is absolutely drinkable, bottled at a 7% abv this beer is smooth and refreshing. Like all Jolly Pumpkin beer's make sure to enjoy them in the proper glass and with a proper serving size. With Biere de Mars its best to use either a tulip or goblet style glass, both of which usually suffice for a 9.4 oz serving size. This is a very good beer, one that you should consider buy plenty off if you are a sour beer fan and also if you are one of those who is just starting to get into the style. Biere de Mars is a quality beer, enjoy!

Color: Brownish red hues for this beer.... glows differently from every angle. A hazy beer, not plenty of light getting through this one. A nickle sized head forms after the pour of the off white shade. Some minor soapy lacing is left on the glass as you drink the beer down.

Nose: Big funky smells come from this beer. Vinegar comes up at the forefront followed by some wicked barnyard scents. Dried pit fruit floats around in the glass and the smell of apples and cranberries swim in the background.

Palate: Interesting! mellow sourness/tart. Funky and fruity with a medium body feel. The drinkability is awesome.... the carbonation is spot on and the abv is well masked. As the beer warms it gets a tad more complex,but a bit harder to drink, but not really a bad thing.

Finish: Dry and tart with a lingering texture of sour fruit and mild vinegar. I really enjoyed this brew. I wish it was available a lot more especially in California. JP another solid brew!

Rating: 94 out of 100

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