Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout

Hello beer lovers and welcome to another edition of the NorCal Beer Blog's brew review.

Tonight’s featured beer is Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout - Ale Brewed With Pecans, Wheat & Rye, with One Quarter Aged in Bourbon Barrels.

From the Stone Brewing Company website: “From the most unlikely yet intensely imaginative trio that is actor and uber-geek champion Wil Wheaton, alternative news website Fark.com creator Drew Curtis and Stone CEO/Co-founder Greg Koch, comes an imperial stout unlike any ever made. Brewed with rye, wheat malt and pecans and partially aged in Bourbon whiskey barrels, this viscous yet silken brew erupts with an oaky, nutty bouquet and rich flavors of vanilla, toast and bitter chocolate. Enjoy now or cellar this celebration of nth degree passion and geekery applied most gracefully to the craft of brewing and collaboration-Drew Curtis/Wil Wheaton/Greg Koch Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout!”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours pitch black with a thin cream colored head and nice lacing.

Aroma: Roasted pecans, bourbon, caramel malt, vanilla, oak, dark fruits, roasted malts, spicy rye, dark chocolate, brown sugar, molasses and coffee.

Taste: Dark fruits, chocolate, brown sugar, molasses, spicy rye, roasted pecans, bourbon, vanilla and oak.  Slight espresso, roasted malt and wheat flavors noted as well.

Overall: Big, nutty and malty, Stone Farking Wheaton w00tstout is well done in my opinion.  I’m huge fan of bourbon barrel aged beers and this 13% ABV beast doesn’t disappoint.  I think I’ll source a few bottles for a cold and rainy winter night.  This is good sippin’ beer.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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Snake River Brewing Company Pako's IPA

Hello beer lovers and welcome to another edition of the NorCal Beer Blog's brew review.

Tonight’s featured beer is Snake River Brewing Company Pako's IPA. This is another beer sourced at Creekside Meats Market & Deli (Yelp page here).

From the Snake River Brewing Company website: “Named for Pako (say “PACO”) the dog (No wait, Pako’s not a dog!) This full flavored, fully hop-evident IPA will have the hopheads rejoicing. 6.8% ABV and 60+ IBUs with explosive hop aroma from a pungent Simcoe/columbus blend.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a hazy golden yellow with a large white head leaving sticky and chunky lacing on the glass.

Aroma: Citrus and pine hops, sweet caramel and bready malts.

Taste: Initial citrus, pine and tropical fruit hop blast followed by sweet caramel and bready malts.  Slight honey-like sweetness as well.

Overall: A touch sweet, but easy to drink, Snake River Brewing Company Pako's IPA is very good.  At 6.8% ABV this slightly bitter, slightly sweet IPA is something I’d gladly drink again (and again).

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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Speakeasy Ales & Lagers Scarlett Red Rye Ale

Hello beer lovers and welcome to another edition of the NorCal Beer Blog's brew review.

Tonight’s featured beer is Speakeasy Ales & Lagers Scarlett Red Rye Ale.

Commercial description: “Scarlett Red Rye Ale captivates with an act that ranges from sweet hop highs to spicy rye tones. Scarlett hits the notes that will set your heart on fire.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a clear reddish brown with a cream colored head and sticky lacing.

Aroma: Caramel and roasted malts, toffee, rye, pine and citrus hops.

Taste: Roasted and caramel malts, spicy rye and grapefruit/citrus/pine hop bitterness.

Overall: Tasty and balanced, Speakeasy Ales & Lagers Scarlett Red Rye Ale is easy drinking.  At 5.5% ABV this is certainly something I could have more than one of.  Interesting enough to seek out again for sure.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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The Bruery Bois Old Ale

Hello beer lovers and welcome to another edition of the NorCal Beer Blog's brew review.

Tonight’s featured beer is The Bruery Bois Old Ale. I grabbed this beer at Caps & Taps in Dublin, CA (here) and although it was pricey I knew it was going to be enjoyable.

From The Bruery website: “May is our anniversary month and we are excited to release Bois (pronounced "Bwah!"), our fifth anniversary ale this week! This beer is brewed in the English-style Old Ale tradition using our house Belgian yeast strain and then blended using the solera method, where a portion of each of our anniversary ales is saved in our barrels and blended in with the next year's production, providing more complexity and depth of character that comes with age.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a hazy reddish brown with a nice beige colored head and patchy lacing.

Aroma: Bourbon, oak, vanilla, dark fruits, caramel and molasses.

Taste: Bourbon is upfront followed by toffee, sweet caramel, dark fruits, vanilla, oak and molasses.

Overall: Complex and HUGE, The Bruery Bois Old Ale is a sipper for sure.  At 15% ABV the drinkability is high even if slow, but for the price you surely will want to savor this masterpiece. Since barrel aged beers seem to be my thing I’d put this high on the list.  If only the price was a little lower I’d probably want to buy several more. If you find it and you’re a fan of the style you won’t be disappointed!

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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21st Amendment Brewery Brew Free Or Die IPA

Hello beer lovers and welcome to another edition of the NorCal Beer Blog's brew review.

Tonight’s featured beer is 21st Amendment Brewery Brew Free Or Die IPA. I decided to take a break from reviewing beers from the road trip and get back to a NorCal beer that I have drank much of, but never reviewed.

From the 21st Amendment Brewery website: “BREW FREE! OR DIE IPA is brewed with some serious west coast attitude. This aromatic golden IPA starts with a sucker punch of six different hops to the nose, quickly balanced by a solid malt backbone. Our top selling beer at the pub, this IPA starts big and finishes clean leaving you wanting more.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a light caramel color – golden, with a large foamy white head and thick lacing.

Aroma: Grapefruit, pine and citrus hop notes along with sweet caramel.

Taste: Sweet caramel and biscuit malts complimented perfectly with grapefruit, pine and citrus hop flavors.

Overall: Super drinkable and great out of the can or on tap, 21st Amendment Brewery Brew Free Or Die IPA is a great example of a West Coast IPA.  At 7% ABV, this well balanced and delicious offering is something I tend to buy from time to time as the mood strikes me.  It is good drinkin’!

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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Snake River Brewing Company Vienna Style Lager

Hello beer lovers and welcome to another edition of the NorCal Beer Blog's brew review.

Tonight’s featured beer is Snake River Brewing Company Vienna Style Lager.  Here’s another beer I sourced from Creekside Meats Market & Deli (Yelp page here).

From the Snake River Brewing Company website: “Snake River Lager is our most popular beer. This is an amber colored Vienna style lager. The rich, caramel flavor is balanced with the use of several hop varieties for a subtle hop note. An authentic German lager yeast strain adds to the true flavor of this beer. The malt forward profile of Snake River Lager makes it a fine complement to pizzas and red meat.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours copper/amber with a large off-white head and spotty lacing.

Aroma: Caramel, toasted malt and a slight lemon scent.

Taste: Sweet caramel and toasted malts, a touch of toffee and a slight earthy hop bitterness. A little nutty in the finish.

Overall: Although I don’t gravitate toward Lagers, Snake River Brewing Company Vienna Style Lager is great.  Smooth, crisp and clean, at 4.8% ABV I’d definitely drink this one again as well as highly recommend it.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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Santa Clara Valley Brewing Peralta Porter

Hello beer lovers and welcome to another edition of the NorCal Beer Blog's brew review.

Tonight’s featured beer is Santa Clara Valley Brewing Peralta Porter.  I picked up this bottle at Caps & Taps in Dublin (here).

From the Santa Clara Brewing website: “It’s 1807 and Luís María Peralta is looking out the window of his small adobe house in Pueblo San José. Little could he have imagined that over 200 years later his home would still be standing.

Our Peralta Porter displays the same hearty character as this resilient landmark. Pouring earthen brown, this ale is built upon a light caramel foundation which firmly supports its chocolate and coffee flavors, finishing with a soft bitterness and earthy hoppiness we know you’ll enjoy.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a very dark brown with slight red highlights, a large cream colored head and nice lacing.

Aroma: Caramel, chocolate, coffee and roasted malts.

Taste: Roasted malts, coffee, bitter chocolate, slight caramel malt flavor and earthy hop bitterness. It gets a touch sweeter as it warms.

Overall: Creamy and balanced nicely, Santa Clara Valley Brewing Peralta Porter is an easy drinking Porter.  At 6.2% ABV I would certainly pick this up again and am going to look for it on tap.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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The Great Northern Brewing Company Going to the Sun IPA

Hello beer lovers and welcome to another edition of the NorCal Beer Blog's brew review.

Tonight’s featured beer is The Great Northern Brewing Company Going to the Sun IPA. I first tried this beer at dinner up in Glacier National Park and I knew I had to source another bottle (strictly for review purposes).  I made it to the brewery and purchased this bottle and I wish I had brought back more.

From The Great Northern Brewing Company website: “A true IPA that is designed to be more drinkable & refreshing than typical IPA’s. Citrus Cascade flavors dominate the palate, but don’t overwhelm.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a slightly hazy orange with a dense cream colored head and sticky lacing.

Aroma: Citrus hops (orange, grapefruit, lemon) upfront followed by caramel malt and a slight pine hop presence.

Taste: Caramel and bready malts balanced well with citrus and pine hop flavors.

Overall: Extremely approachable and refreshing, The Great Northern Brewing Company Going to the Sun IPA is delicious.  Not overly hoppy, at 5.5% ABV this is beer is easy drinkin’ and probably something I would recommend to someone as a gateway IPA (if there is such a thing). 

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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Kettle House Brewing Company Double Haul IPA

Hello beer lovers and welcome to another edition of the NorCal Beer Blog's brew review.

Tonight’s featured beer is Kettle House Brewing Company Double Haul IPA.

From the Kettle House Brewing Company website: “Double Haul® IPA  is our full bodied, hoppy, award winning India Pale Ale made with Montana barely and Northwest grown cascade hops. We’re the first modern craft brewery in Montana to package it in cans, so you can enjoy it on the rivers, lakes, golf courses and anywhere else glass is prohibited. Recycle your can, and you can save up for that 4 piece 6-you’ve always wanted. Look for it on nitro in our local taproom, a.k.a Myrtle St IPA.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a clear copper color with a dense cream colored head and nice lacing.

Aroma: Sweet caramel malt, floral and citrus hops and toffee.

Taste: Caramel and biscuit malts, toffee, followed by pine and citrus hop bitterness.

Overall: More malt forward than hoppy, Kettle House Brewing Company Double Haul IPA is enjoyable and easy to drink.  At 6.5% ABV it reminded more of an English IPA.  I would certainly drink this again.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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