Featured Beer, week ending 5/15

So, I went to The Asgard for the first time a few weeks ago. I decided that it was time to actually face the mass crowds at a bar after Friday. It was a rough going at first. I cannot stand that many alpha personalities in one room. But, once we found who we were meeting and carved a little niche, then I started to feel much better.

Who? Bershire Brewing Company Dean's Beans Coffeehouse Porter, South Deerfield, MA

What? Robust Porter, 6.2% ABV

When? 5/13/11

Where? The Asgard, Cambridge, MA

Original Tweet: BBC Coffeehouse Porter. Nitro! I can tell because of the bubbles. It is the coffeehouse porters to end all coffeehouse porters. A-

Hype 9 / 10: This is the fickle thing about a hype rating. I knew of the CHP before I really knew that BBC existed, or even much knowledge about different styles at all. But once I finally tried it, back when I started getting into beer, I knew it was a winner. So, it's not like there was a build up to it, but finally trying something that was always there. Good thing it was awesome, AmIRight?

Taste 15 / 15: I'm torn, because I know that this beer is awesome as it is, and it doesn't need the added element of nitro to make it taste better. Unlike, you know, some marco-stouts that are out there. But, nitro is a fun presentation style and it should be a feature, but not a mandatory type thing. I liked that the Common would serve, because that's how I planned, it off of a normal tap. I strongly feel that you shouldn't have to add to a beer at the end to make it taste good. Like, I hate orange wheels on my Allagash White. Seriously? With all that said, though, nitro CHP is so rich and creamy, it is like coffee-icing beer. Which would lead to coffee-beer icing in the future. It just weighs on your tongue, lacing your taste buds with the micro bubbles of foam. And I have never had a better coffee flavored beers. And there are some good ones.

Memorability 15 / 15: I sadly have to stop and think of the other fine brews from BBC, besides CHP, when listing them off. It defines a style for me and that is the best praise I think a beer can get. Like Saison Dupont is the king of the Farmhouses, I truly believe that this is the coffee-flavored porter that everyone has to try.

Environment 4 / 5: Taking in to account the whole experience of the night, I much would rather have had a table and been able to talk quietly with my friends. Good thing this was my second beer of the night, because if I was grading Southern Tier Gemini I had first, it might have been a 1 or 2!

X-Factor 4 / 5: No real X-factor to speak of, other then being reliable and readily available. If a restaurant has a nitro line that they care about, this is what they should have on it, if not, something like Left Hand Milk Stout. But, again, I press that this beer is so good that you do not have to do anything fancy with it to make it enjoyable.

Score: 47 / 50, A

Featured Beer, week ending 5/8

Since I have taken more of an active interest in work, I feel like I am slowly progressing my genereal education. That said, I picked up a shift at the Celalr for the first time since March, and I still feel like there are huge gaps in my knowledge. If things had worked out in a perfect world, where I worked in the industry, and took an active interest in my education, then, well, let's say... there would be smaller gaps in my education.

Who? Peak Organic Hop Noir, Portland, ME

What? Cascadian Dark Ale (Black IPA)*, 8.2% ABV

When? 5/2/11

Where? Craft Beer Cellar, Belmont, MA

Original Tweet: Peak Hop Noir. I think that I have a favorite black IPA and this is it. All the balance that you would want, just dark and dandy. A-

Hype 9 / 10: I didn't know about it until it was offered to me for Brew Year's Eve. I asked Peak if they had anything that would taste great on a nitro-line, and I was told that this was just brewed and could work real well. I mean, great, for a night that is all IPAs, what else would you want to have? And it was great, except for the part where the gas was still on when I was changing the valve and something important and tiny ricocheted across the cooler, among the 50 or so kegs crammed in there. Thank goodness Peak got smart and started bottling these great beers, though. They are 3 for 3 with excellent bombers. (Espresso Amber and King Crimson)

Taste 15 / 15: It is the best beer of this style that I have had. Others, seem to have something missing. They are either overly roasted malts, or taste just like IPAs that happen to be black. I'm sure someone out there loves those other beers, that's fine. But what I want from an Black IPA is something that is reminiscent of an IPA, but doesn't change everything, either. I think Peak captured magic in a bottle (ha!). The roasty malts are don't kill the hops, or vise versa. Balance and flavor is such a difficult game

Memorability 15 / 15: Besides this and 21st Amendment Back in Black, I don't remember anything immediately when it comes to naming beers in the category. And Peak is the first one I think of. Plus, having popped up a couple times in the last six months (really, has it only been within six months? Wow!) with a catchy name and a fantastic sales rep, you gotta love it.

Environment 5 / 5: I have never had a bad time drinking this. I had a wonderful time getting off in time for the countdown on NYE to sit with Beth and enjoy a beer or three. And every time I bring it home, it goes well with our food, and have never been disappointed. Though it is stronger in ABV, I think that there are enough hops in it that I will drink it sooner than later. I don't want to accidentally age it and be disappointed.

X-Factor 4 / 5: Had this beer a one time beer, and have been rated before I left the Common, then it would have been a 5. There is a little bittersweetness to the Brew Year's Eve. But, I do enjoy it, and I am happy to be able to have brought a few bottles home this past month.

Score: 48 / 50, A

*Not an offfical style guideline.

Also, if an 87 is a B+, should I rank a 97 an A+... hmm.

Featured Beer, week ending 5/1

Going out on a Monday night. Certainly one of the best things you can do, right? Who cares if you have to work in the morning? Well, that's just what Beth and I did, to meet up with our friends. We chose Deep Ellum, 1) For its central location 2) we have never been there before and we wanted to try. Little did we know that it was going to be Fluffy White Rabbits on Cask that night. The Brewer was there, plus a lot of the local beer geeks. Lucky us!

Who? Pretty Things Fluffy White Rabbits, Somerville, MA

What? Belgian Tripel 8.5% ABV

When? 4/25/11

Where? Deep Ellum, Allston, MA

Original Tweet: Pretty Things Fluffy White Rabbits (Cask). This was a nice thing to put on a cask. The hops are mellow, more flavorful. A must have! A-

Hype 8 / 10: Well, this is the beer's second time around the seasonal releases. I think that the key to good beer marketing is if you have a good beer but only put it out once a year, or longer, the the good will only fester into greatness. Imagine if Founder's KBS was available all year long? We would get to the point of, "Oh, it's too strong to drink that.. almost ever." But, as it goes, I look more forward to Pretty Things Historical Beers and Babayaga. But, seeing this also means the return of better weather. Or, at least it will after a few more years.

Taste 14 / 15: Tripels are fun because the are strong in alcohol, but easy to drink. It a good beer for someone who likes lighter beers, but wants to get drunk a little faster. Tripels in general are a great showcase of beer for someone who wants to expand their horizon. And Tripels do not tasty boozy at all. Which, really, is why they are great. With Fluffy, the hops were mellow, which I think was really due to the lack of carbonation. I know that it is a hoppy beer. I mean, it says so right on the label. I don't know how different hops are affected in a cask. I don't know if some shine, some fizzle, or Pretty Things just brewed their beer and put it into a barrel. I know that some people will add fresh hops at the end. But that's really the pleasure of drinking a cask, letting the flavors settle and mellow.

Memorability 13 / 15: I know every year that it's a beer that I need to drink. And I do. But I think that I need to go on a Tripel streak and really start to notice the differences in each kind. I gotta get me a bottle of Westmalle Tripel, to start, and then expand. You have to know where a beer comes from to really understand where the brewer is taking it. I know that I also liked the Sapient Tripel from Dark Horse. The latter being a more casual form of the style, but still respectable. But I am never like, "Damn, I have to have Fluffy White Rabbits, now!" But I do get a joy seeing it, and I know that's it good. It's just the taste that I have to be reminded of.

Environment 5 / 5: We had a great time at Deep Ellum. One of the biggest surprises was that one of our favorite bartenders from The Independent was now serving drinks there. She was thrilled to see us, and we were thrilled to see her. And then our friends came, and it was the first time we really had hanging out with them, just our couple and their couple. They are fantastically nice people and we look forward to hanging out with them again. But, even with that, a couple more awesome people showed up, and the night was maybe a round too long, but every smile and laugh was worth it.

X-Factor 5 / 5: It's all about the cask! I think that every beer should have at least one go around in a cask. Especially stronger or darker beers. I mean, you don't really want something light in a cask unless you know that you are going to sell it pretty fast. There is no carbonation to effect it. This, as a customer, is the closest you will get to knowing a beer without going straight to the factory itself. Back to Fluffy, this was great in a cask. I think that I will remember this pint when I see the bottle next time, and want to create a nice, refined, and fresh taste. You gotta love all the wonderful beer in the area, and this one is one of the best.

Score: 45 / 50, A-

Featured Beer, week ending 4/24

So, what I am basing my posts here off of is what I have tweeted for the corresponding week. And, lately on Twitter, I have only been tweeting beers that are new to me or of extreme note. Not much of either happened this week, so it will be a fairly random sampling. I like to have rules in place, or else everything will become too free thinking, and that's just scary. *In my best old man voice* And it will happen to you....

Who? Flying Dog Garde Dog, Frederick, MD

What? Bière de Garde, 5.5% ABV

When? 4/19/11

Where? Craft Beer Cellar, Belmont, MA

Original Tweet: Flying Dog Garde Dog. I like it a lot on first sip. Super clean, crispy, with a subtle complexity, but I am afraid it would get boring. B+

Hype 7 / 10: There was one customer at the Cellar who really wanted this, so I thought that eventually it would be worth the taste. But the first case, if I remember correctly, sold out really fast, and I didn't think much of it. Possibly because my employers also didn't think too much of it. Not that it was bad, but Flying Dog just really isn't on anyone's radar up here. But, in one of those swoops through the Cellar, I decided to finally pick up a bottle.

Taste 11 / 15: Granted, I am almost two weeks removed from drinking half the bottle, which I split with Beth. I think that I like Biere de Gardes in general, being that they are cousins with the Farmhouse/Saison family that I love so much. It is warm weather beer, and I am honestly trying to like the "lighter" beers more. But, there is more of a complex spice with the Farmhouse body, and it's something that I really guess you have to get used to. Granted, this is not the roll model for all Beire de Gardes, so I shouldn't judge all of them so harshly.

Memorability 10 / 15: This may even be high because I will remember the artwork more than I will remember the actual beer. It's really all I have to go off of right now within the style, so I will have to keep it in mind next time I go shopping. Though, it then popped up at Beck&Tony's party, in which I thought to myself, "Hey, alright!" Or maybe it was the other way around, and I was like, "Hey, alright! I have this in my fridge!"

Environment 4 / 5: It was an easy drinking dinner beer split with Beth. Nothing fancy, but I certainly don't have any negative memories with it. I wasn't drinking this beer out of shame or anything like that.

X-Factor 5 / 5: It's really about the artwork with Flying Dog. Yes, they do have a connection to Hunter S. Thompson, or more importantly, a connection with Ralph Steadman, who is famous for the Fear and Loathing logo. I think that it is pretty cool to have a recognized artist at your disposal every time you produce a beer. So, kudos for them. But, really, besides Raging Bitch, I have never really been that impressed with the brewery.

Score: 37 / 50, C

Wow, perhaps this grading scale more accurately reflects the beer. This is not a bad beer, but it think this certainly puts it in its place. I might be on to something!