Beer Review 78: Cantillon Fou Foune 2008

Cantillon Fou Foune.... what can one say other than a near perfect beer form one of the premiere brewery's in the world. Fou Foune is one of the best fruit lambic's produced anywhere, the combination of apricots and the sour and funk of the beer make this liquid treat a true pleasure to consume. This beer transforms throughout its life. Starting as a fruit forward lambic with light acidity and sourness, this beer than becomes more sour/funky as it ages and the fruit begins to take a back seat. Jean Van Roy is a true master in producing fruit lambic's, his work is only matched by a hand full of other brewers in the world. Drinking his beers are a total guilty pleasure. Moreover, Fou Foune is quite expensive to buy and find here in the states. Starting from $25.00 a bottle to anywhere below $35.00, this beer will def leave your wallet hurting, but once you taste this magnificent creation you'll want to spend to get it again. However, finding it can be quite tricky, especially if you live on the west coast like I do. Though this beer is made every year, not much makes it to the states and what does usually stays on the east coast. So how do you go about buying one or finding it.. well you can start buy finding it online and see how much it would cost to get it shipped to you (but trust me this option gets expensive). Or if you are an avid beer trader, find some one with multiple bottles of it and hope he is willing to give one up. Fou Foune comes in 750ml bottles and are the most common ones sold on the market, but they also bottle it in 375ml bottles, but finding these anywhere might be tough as the only ones I've seen have come from Japan. Like all Lambic's, the abv on Fou Foune is low, at 5% one can easily consume a bottle without help and quite quickly(its that good). I recommend enjoying this beer in a tulip or flute to fully enjoy the complexity of this beer, but if you want to be old school and have a vintage Belgian gueuze tumbler glass feel free to use that as well.

Color: A hazy, but yet bright golden/orange. White 1 1/2f finger head that reduces to a thin bubbly cap after awhile. No lacing with light retention

Nose: Apricots what else, but the fruit has definitely faded compared to the fresher batches. Nice funk aroma with hints of wood, hay, and light lemon peel.

Palate: Wow! simply amazing. A perfect amount of carbonation making this beer very drinkable. The apricots hit the tongue first followed the an enjoyable wave of sourness and funk. This beer is dry, but yet it contains a good amount of spritz. At the end you begin to taste the oak/woody textures of this beer.

Finish: Long and dry with a good amount of texture. Mellow fruit which balances the light acidity at the end. An incredible beer that can be consumed fresh and aged.

Rating 98/100
08 vintage score

Beer Review 77: Midnight Sun Bar Fly

I'm back with another beer review, and its another Midnight Sun Brewing offering. This time it's their smoked Cabernet barrel aged stout, Bar Fly. I can say in all honesty this may be my favorite barrel aged stout of all time. Bar Fly posses great texture, balance and its so drinkable that one alone can put down a 22 oz bottle without any help. One draw back about this beer, its very limited, and by that I mean it was brewed once and sold only in Alaska. Making it even more rare is the fact that less tan 2000 bottles were made 2010, so if you trying to track one down you might be looking for awhile or you will be paying some insulting type of money to purchase one. Furthermore, Bar Fly makes a great beer to cellar as well, so people who still have it, they wont be parting with it, making trading for it pretty hard.  If you do have a bottle of this make sure to enjoy it in 6oz pours and in the proper glassware. In the case of Bar Fly, a snifter or tulip glass will work best. Moreover, this incredible stout is bottled at a very smooth 12.60% abv. Usually a beer of this high alcohol content packs some heat when drinking it, but Bar Fly goes down smooth and clean. I'm fully blown away by this beer and I want to give the head brewer and other staff at Midnight Sun a big hug and high fives for not only coming up with this beer, but many other beers I truly enjoy. If your an avid craft beer drinker, do yourself a favor... get some Midnight Sun brew!

Color: Pours almost jet black. Hints of mocha shine around the edges of the glass. A nice tan one finger head forms in the glass, but it dissolves quite quickly.

Nose: Just superb! Light smoke, roast, and great oak presence. Hints of roasted coffee beans, mellow chocolate, with hints of tobacco. Quite complex.

Palate: Medium to full bodied. Extremely drinkable with the perfect amount  of carbonation. The abv is well masked throughout the beer. On the tongue you first get the smoke followed by waves of roasted coffee and tobacco. At the back end the vanilla and cab barrel presence begins to show.

Finish: Smooth and uber complex. Great texture and layers. An incredible stout that shines above all others out there.

Rating: 97/100

Beer Review 76: Cantillon 100% Kriek 2010

Here is another Cantillon review, and this time we are gonna talk about their 100% Kriek. This beer is a lambic brewed with cherries, and like all other Cantillon is just sublime! This lambic is one of Cantillon's year round offerings, which one can pick up form the shelf wherever Cantillon is distributed. Coming in at 5% abv this beer is sour, complex, and just straight drinkable. Moreover, 100% Kriek comes in two different bottle formats: 375 ml and 750 ml. The cost for both is a tad pricey; with the 375 ml coming in at 10-12 dollars and the 750 ml coming in at 17-20 dollars depending on where you are purchasing your beer. Furthermore, with all well crafted lambic one must enjoy it out of the proper glassware. I recommend using either a flute or tulip for this beer and to not to exceed a 10 oz pour as to enjoy this beer to its full potential. Like all other well made Belgian lambic, these beers are meant to age for years and can be enjoyed with an array of aged cheeses and desserts. Do yourself a favor, if you are a fan of the this style of beer, seek out as much Cantillon as you can; drink them fresh or drink them after years of storage in your cellar, either way you are in for a special treat.

Color: Hazy, but yet a vibrant and deep reddish/pink. A nickle thick white head appears after the pour and this beer leaves behind minimal lacing/retention.

Nose: Big time sour cherries followed by that unique Cantillon funk. A nice oak profile rises from the glass along with all those barnyard smells associated with Belgian sours.

Palate: Sour, fruity, balanced, and complex. This beer is extremely drinkable for how funky and tart it can be. Cherries invade your mouth followed by some woody textures and dryness. The abv is this beer is not evident at all making the mouthfeel incredible and full if taste.

Finish: Dry and sour. Cherries abound and the complexity of this beer is superb on the back end. Truly an amazing fruit lambic/

Rating: 94/100

Beer Review 75: Upright Fantasia

This is my first Upright Brewery beer, and I must say if all their beer is as good as Fantasia I want to try everything they offer. Upright is located in the heart of Portland, Oregon and by word of mouth I hear they make great saison's and other really tasty barrel aged beers. Today though I am reviewing Fantasia, a peach sour aged in barrels and boy does it deliver! This beer packs in great fruit flavor along with a great balance of sourness and drinkability. Furthermore, with this beer being priced at $20.00 for a 750 ml bottle, I believe this brew is a steal, so if you bought some lucky you and if you didn't trade for some and drink it; you wont be disappointed. Fantasia is so drinkable that you alone could polish of a whole bottle, especially when this beer clocks in at only 5.75% ABV, but don't do that, serve yourself a nice 9.6 oz serving into your tulip or goblet and share this rarity with other beer loving friends.  Moreover, I would say that you enjoy this beer fresh as I am not sure how this will age, but the potential is there is the excellent peach profile holds up. Usually I would tell you what fine food you can pair along with this beer, but its my honest opinion that this beer should be consumed solo to fully enjoy all the excellent complexities it contains, but if you must pair it up, just make sure your meal doesn't overwhelm the beer.

Color: A vibrant golden/orange  with a thin white head that recedes quickly. No lacing or head retention to speak of.

Nose: Peaches! More and more peaches! Light oak rises from the glass as it warm, a soft sweetness is paired with an inviting sourness. I also get some light white wine textures.

Palate: Very drinkable. The abv is well masked throughout the beer making the peach profile in this beer shine. The beer is sour/tart, but not to point were it makes your mouth pucker. Very fruit forward with waves of oak and vinous qualities, but these are just sort of floating in the background.

Finish: Simple, fruity, and mildly dry. Great peach flavor all the way through, but the complexity lacks on the back end of this beer. Still a quality sour with a lot of excellent textures and body

Rating: 93/100

Beer Review 74: Goose Island Bourbon County Vanilla Stout

Goose Island in Chicago, Illinois is one of the premier stout brewing breweries in the country. Their line of barrel aged stouts are even better. From the classic BCBC to the highly regarded,expensive, and now retired Bourbon County Rare these stouts make up what can be the best stout portfolio in the world. Today though we are not reviewing one of the former, but another from the long list of award winning barrel aged stouts offered by Goose Island, Bourbon County Vanilla. This beer like Rare is now retired and never to be made again. I have had the pleasure to have tried all the BCBS beers except for the Rare, and until then I am gonna have to say that BCBVS is by far my favorite. The combination of the barrel treatment and the vanilla beans make for an extreme stout with a huge taste profile. Furthermore, BCBVS is a heavy hitter like all great barrel aged stouts should be. Clocking in at 13% abv this beer when fresh packs some heat, but as you age it it realy begins to mellow out and become smoother and mellow. Bottled in 22oz bottles and priced anywhere from $13-$15 when it was released, this beer was a steal. If I lived in Chicago when this rolled out I would have bought a truck load of this stuff. Bourbon County Vanilla is best enjoyed in moderation and small servings, a pour of 6oz goes a long way as this beer should be sipped and not chugged. This beer should also be consumed out of the proper glassware. A snifter or goblet is just what this beer needs and this will also allow you to enjoy the beer at a whole different level. In the end, this beer is a must try for any craft beer lover. If you have the means go out and get it;  it wont be easy as you can't buy it anymore at any bottle shop, you'll have to either go the trading route or if you want to spend top dollar an auction site.

Color: Thick, almost jet black. A tan, creamy film forms atop of the beer after the pour. Light lacing is left behind with no head retention at all.

Nose: What else Vanilla! Caramel and a strong bourbon aroma float around. In the background hints of caramel and hazelnut appear. Coffee tons are apparent once the beer warms up. after awhile in the glass.

Palate: Big and full bodied. A tad boozy from the 13% abv, but its not a beer killer. The drinkability is damn good and the carbonation a bit low, but not a deal breaker. Vanilla assaults your tongue from the get go, then the bourbon influence washes it away leaving behind the taste of caramel, chocolate, and espresso. Some minor oak character comes through as the explosion of taste subsides.

Finish: Warm and long with a sweetness. A great combination of bourbon and vanilla linger as the beer slowly goes down the hatch. Definitely a winner and a super presentation of a barrel aged stout.

Rating: 95/100

Beer Review 73: Midnight Sun Arctic Devil

Midnight Sun Brewery in Alaska is one of those breweries that if your really not a craft beer nerd you don't know much about, but I'm here to tell you that you should! Midnight Sun makes some of the most sought after beer's in the country and for a reason..... they are amazing! I want to to say that about 3 months ago I reviewed TREAT, their pumpkin chocolate porter, and it blew my mind. Shortly after that endeavor I made it my mission to search out all their other highly reputable beers, but the one I really wanted and finally got was Arctic Devil. This Beer is a barrel aged barleywine that just simply out shines most other barleywine's...it's that good. The complexity level and sublime drinkability of Arctic Devil is off the charts, its layered with tons mouth watering flavors that leave you wanting more. This is one of those beers that you just never want to run out off or come down to your final sip. Moreover, this beer isn't simple to find, if you live outside of Alaska, Washington, Oregon, you're gonna find yourself going crazy trying to find it. Even California and Idaho get some, but not very much, so before you know it its gone. Furthermore, Arctic Devil isn't available year round. Its a winter release and like stated earlier it has very minimal distribution. Some other important facts about Arctic Devil:
Its bottled at a smooth 13.4% abv in 22oz bottles, it cost anywhere from $12-$17 dollars depending in which state you buy it in, and should be served in 6oz servings and in the proper glassware such as a snifter or wide mouth tulip. I fully endorse this beer, so go buy it or trade for it. As a matter of fact get multiples so you can cellar a few because this beer will just keep getting better over time. Lastly, I usually like to tell you what kind of food goes well with the beer being reviewed, but screw that this time, this beer should just be enjoyed as is!

Color: It shines a caramel/copper color with a light off-white head that quickly dissolves into a dime thick ring around the glass. No head retention and minor lacing.

Nose: Wow!!!! Caramel,vanilla,bourbon, and mold oak shine. As the beer warms hints of toffee and dried apples appear. Just a wonderful aroma emanates from this beer.

Palate: Regal... yes I said it, this beer is just that... regal. Once this beer hits your tongue it is an elegant presentation of flavor and craftsmanship. For such a high abv this beer is highly drinkable. The alcohol is well masked and the carbonation is just right. Waves of bourbon and caramel hit your taste buds first, followed by the smoothness of the vanilla and the boldness of the oak. Gentle fruit appears as the beer warms adding another level of complexity.

Finish: Warm,smooth, and mildly sweet. the taste of bourbon lingers with hints of vanilla at the back end of the tongue. This beer is at another level... simply outstanding and an achievement in beer making.

Rating: 97/100

Beer Review 72: Cantillon Lou Pepe Gueuze 2008

I'm so excited to be reviewing this beer tonight. Aside of  being one of the beer's I have sought after for the longest time, it also comes from on of my favorite breweries in the world, Cantillon, in Belgium. For those of you who don't know, Cantillon is one of the premiere lambic, gueuze, and sour beer makers in the world, and Jean Van Roy the head brewer at Cantillon, is by far one of the best at coming up with these fantastic beers. One of Jean's best creations is the Lou Pepe series of beer's: Gueuze, Framboise, and Kriek. However, these beer's are not easy to find, and if you do spot them at your local bottle shop the price of buying a bottle is steep. The Lou Pepe Gueuze runs anywhere from $25.00- $30.00 a 750 ml bottle. I know what your thinking... Damn! that shit is expensive, is it worth it. My response... Hell! Yes! Then again I'm a beer snob and  I love they style, so if your like me and like the sour and funky beers do yourself a favor and pick up as many as you can get your hands on. Furthermore, like all gueuze's this one also has a low abv. At 5% this beer is an easy drinker, but also provides plenty of complexity and character. I also suggest you enjoy this beer out of a tulip or goblet in reasonable 8 oz pours that way you can see how this beer changes as it warms over time. Finally, what else can be said about Lou Pepe Gueuze that doesn't sound like hyperbole, this beers taste should be enough.  Do remember to share this rare gem if you have one in your possession because like all Cantillon its best enjoyed in good company.

Color: A hazy golden/blonde this beer is. A thin white bubbly head forms that quickly reduces to a cloying white ring at the edges of your glass. Minimal head retention.

Nose: Wow! Like all great Belgian gueuze this one smells of funk, lemon peel, and stinky cheese. hints of oak and barnyard rise from the glass as it warms. A pretty complex aroma.

Palate: Simply perfect. Outstanding drinkability, perfectly carbonated, light and layered on the tongue, and above all delicious. Once this beer enters your mouth your palate is assaulted with sourness, extreme funk and waves of lemon. The oak then comes through to mellow out the sour patch invasion that just happened. Hints of grass and other barnyard textures shine on the back end.

Finish: Dry and easy going. Sour through and through with an incredible complexity that can only come from excellent craftsmanship.

Rating: 96/100

Beer Review 71: Beatification Batch 3

When it comes to making American Wild Ales, Vinnie from Russian River knows best. The whole sour line-up that is produced by Russian River Brewing is fantastic, from the year round productions of Supplication, Temptation, and Consecration, to the limited releases like Sanctification and Compunction and the ever spontaneous appearance of Beatification! This beer might be the best American produced sour beer I have had to date, it is complex, funky, sour, delicious, and way to drinkable. Beatification is a spontaneously fermented beer inspired by the Belgian sour beer making way. No yeast is added to the beer, it is put in a tank over night to collect whatever yeast and bacteria might be floating around and later transferred into a wine oak barrel where it sits and ferments for months. For all us craft beer nuts out there, we aspire to try this beer, we try to convince someone to trade us a bottle,which isn't easy to do, especially for the older vintages(batches ph1-3) or we try to become friends with someone who has one and have them share their bottle with us. Furthermore,  what I'm trying to get to is this: If you have a chance to get a bottle get it. If you have a chance to buy one, especially an older bottling, buy it (short of selling of your first born or home of course). Moreover, I'm one of the lucky few who over time has been able to not only try different vintages of this beer, but also own a few different batches of this beer and I must say that to this date.... batch 3 is still my favorite. What makes this vintage so sought  is that its the one year Russian River bottled Beatification in a 750 ml bottle. I believe when this came out it sold for $20.00 or more depending on where you bought it. As most of you know who read this blog I'm a big stickler for using proper glassware and its no different for this beer. A goblet or or champagne flute will do wonders for this beer, so please pour this beer into its proper glass. As for what to pair this beer with, I say nothing; do not ruin the greatness of this beer by shoving food in your mouth, enjoy the excellent craftsmanship that went into making this beer sublime! Lastly, like all well made sours Beatification can be cellared for a long time, so don't rush and drink it all at once.... save it for the right occasion.

Color: Golden to blonde with a few orange highlights. A thin white bubbly head appears but quickly reduces to a white ring around the glass. Leaves behind some head retention, but no lace.

Nose: Extreme and complex. Sourness, barnyard textures, funk, lemon scent, and mellow grassy notes.

Palate: Like heaven on the tongue. Extremely drinkable for how sour it is. The carbonation is perfect, no trace of alcohol and its tingles your taste buds. As this beer sits in your mouth waves of sour lemon and oak coat the tongue , later the grassy notes appear in soft gentle way. Truly well crafted.

Finish: Long and dry with plenty of layers. Tart and funky, sour and lightly fruity, and yea very drinkable till the last drop. A masterful sour!

Rating: 97/100

Beer Review 70: Surly Darkness 2011

When it come to Russian Imperial Stouts there are few that stand up to the behemoth that is Surly Darkness. This big, flavorful, and rich stout out of the the Minnesota is an amazing beer. Since 2007 when Surly when first decided to bottle Darkness has become one of the cornerstones of the imperial stout market. Once a year during "Darkness Day " at the brewery people gather from all around the country to share bottles from their cellar and have a good time as they wait to buy their allotment of bottles. I've been blessed to have had Darkness 09-2011 and I must say that I enjoy this beer fresh. I'm not saying Darkness gets worse with age, I just prefer the nice hop profile it has when you consume it fresh. At $20.00 dollars a bottle I find that this beer is worth every single dime, especially because it's bottled in a really cool 750 ml bottle that is waxed and has great art work every year. Darkness clocks in at a very drinkable 10.30 % abv, but its still best enjoyed out of a snifter in 6 oz pours. What I also like about this beer is that as it opens up you get more and more flavors and textures. I love to pair this beer with any form of red meat especially with my bone in cajun rubbed rib-eye, but it also goes well with a big juicy bacon burger with blue cheese.... yea yum, and now in hungry! I do recommend to go out and find this beer, buy 2 or more bottles and drink a few fresh and age a few so you can also see the changes this beer goes through over the years.

Color: Deep, dark, and black. a beautiful tan head of 1 1/2 finger head forms at the end of your pour. Light lacing and some good head retention are left behind in the glass.

Nose: Big time roasted malts... like so big in your face roasted malts. A delightful hop aroma arises from this beer along with hints of espresso and mild chocolate.

Palate: Boom! Out of the gate you get bitter coffee along with the perfect compliment to it sweet mild chocolate. As the beer makes it down your tongue you get many different aspects of this beer: roasted malts, hops and a tad of warmth from the abv. The drinkablity of this beer is just sublime, the carbonation is just right and this full bodied beer just goes down easy.

Finish: Near perfect Russian Imperial Stout. Quite layered with a long finish. you can taste this beer well after you have taken down your sip. A nice bitterness come through here along with a gentle sweetness to chase it away. Just good.

Rating: 96/100

Beer Review 69: Allagash Ghoulschip

From one of the furthest northeast breweries in the country comes this wonderful pumpkin sour. Ghoulschip, is made by the fine brewers at Allagash located in Portland, Maine. Yes, the state known for Stephen King and clam chowder does provide us with of the most delicious beer made in the U.S. Ghoulschip, is an American wild ale in line with the coolship series beer's released by Allagash every now and then, and with this beer they tried to capture the essence of a seasonal pumpkin beer and make it a high quality wild ale. They succeeded  in their attempt, Ghoulschip is an extraordinary beer with good complexity and taste. I will be the first to say I was a bit skeptical at first about this beer seeing that there have been many attempts by other breweries to make this such style and failed. With Ghoulschip though, it was a massive achievement! Furthermore, Ghoulschip had a minimal release as it was only sold at the brewery last year and only 1,200 bottles were sold to the public making this beer quite unique and rare. Moreover, this wild pumpkin ale was sold at $10.00 dollars a bottle and packaged in a cork and caged 375 ml bottle. Ghoulschip clocks in at a very drinkable 6.9% abv and should be enjoyed from the proper glassware as to allow the multi-layered aromas of this beer come to life. I would recommend enjoying this beer out of a tulip or wine glass in 8 oz servings to allow for the beer to open up and develop over time.  No lie, this beer will pair wonderfully with braised pork ribs or lamb or if you just want snack on something any form of aged stinky cheese will do fine.

Color: Copper,orange, auburn hues glow from this beer. A dime sized white ring forms around the top of the glass.

Nose: Pumpkin, light molasses. toasted oak(which I love) slight sour funk and other seasonal spices: allspice, nutmeg(faint) and clove.

Palate: This is where Ghoulschip shines! The drinkability of this beer is insane good. The carbonation is just right and the abv is well masked all through this beer. This brew has a medium bodied feel on the tongue and it provides plenty of sour funk and oakiness. I love the feel of molasses at the back end and the spice profile on the finish. The pumpkin comes in waves to add some pleasant sweetness.

Finish: a nice sourness with good sweetness and subtle dry finish. Def a good American sour

Rating: 94/100