Crux Fermentation Project Insider IPA

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

Tonight’s featured beer is Crux Fermentation Project Insider IPA. I picked this bottle up at the brewery.

From the Crux Fermentation Project  website: “This truly American IPA owes its inspiration and its very existence to the bounty of hops in our own backyard. In the glass, the copper-and-gold hue results from a base of Northwest Pale, Munich and primarily Pilsner malts. On the tongue, warm colors continue, abetted by Oregon-cultivated Sterling hops that yield earthy flavors of orange peel and peppercorn.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a light golden orange color with a slight white head and soapy lacing.

Aroma: Peaches, tropical fruit, pine, sweet caramel, biscuit malts, orange and a touch peppery.

Taste: Tropical fruit, peaches and citrus, sweet caramel and biscuit malts and a slight peppery spice.

Overall: Highly drinkable and refreshing, Crux Fermentation Project Insider IPA is enjoyable.  It certainly doesn’t drink like an 8% ABV beer. Check it out if you get a chance.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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Boulevard Brewing Company Rye-On-Rye - 33% Ale, 67% Ale aged in Rye Whisky Barrels

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

Tonight’s featured beer is Boulevard Brewing Company Rye-On-Rye - 33% Ale, 67% Ale aged in Rye Whisky Barrels. I brought this bottle back from Kansas City, MO from a shop that Keith from Boulevard Brewing Company recommended. He said that Berbiglia (here) would most likely have some of this one and sure enough, they did!

From the Boulevard Brewing Company website: “Why Rye? This assertively flavorful grain is more often associated with whiskey than with ales. Even in that arena, it has largely been eclipsed by corn and barley, the sources of bourbon and scotch. But when we procured some seasoned barrels from our friends at Templeton Rye, we asked ourselves, “Why not?” Why not brew a rich, tawny rye ale, then mellow it in the warmth of charred oak rye whiskey casks? Two kinds of malted rye provide spicy sweetness, giving way to notes of caramelized wood and the citrusy tang of Citra and Ahtanum hops before easing into a dry, lingering finish.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a hazy amber color with a nice off-white head and good lacing.

Aroma: Whisky, spicy rye, brown sugar, tasted oak and caramel malts.

Taste: Boozy, but in a good way with whisky, sweet caramel, vanilla, rye, brown sugar, oak and dark fruits.

Overall: Balanced nicely – not too sweet, not too boozy, not too spicy - Boulevard Brewing Company Rye-On-Rye is yet another example of why I love this brewery. This 12% ABV offering is ridiculously good and most certainly worth picking up.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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Speakeasy Ales & Lagers Old Godfather Barley Wine 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 Old Godfather Barley Wine Ale. Yet another fine pick up from my friends at Royal Liquors (here).

Commercial description: “Re-emerging from the shadows, Old Godfather Barley Wine is the first of our new 22oz Infamous Series. The Infamous Series will feature three elusive releases, brewed in small batches and reserved for the tenacious.

Old Godfather pours a light amber with a beige lacing. Aromas of fresh pine and citrus dominate, giving way to deep flavors of nutty maltiness and burnt caramel. A spicy hop bite of citrus peel rounds out the rich mouthfeel. Bittersweet English malts and cut-throat West Coast hops make Godfather a barley wine that is not to be taken lightly. This re-release of Old Godfather is the first vintage of its kind. As a brazenly robust brew, Old Godfather will benefit from years of cellaring, developing new refinements in character over time.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours amber with a nice cream colored head and great lacing.

Aroma: Caramel, toffee, citrus and pine hops and sweet dark fruits.

Taste: Citrus and pine hops bite at first followed by sweet caramel malty goodness.  Toffee, vanilla, brown sugar and dark fruits.

Overall: As a fan of the style I found Speakeasy Ales & Lagers Old Godfather Barley Wine Ale very enjoyable. This 9.5% ABV offering from Speakeasy Ales & Lagers is one I will most certainly purchase again!

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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Goose Island Beer Company Bourbon County Brand Stout - Stout Aged in Bourbon Barrels

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

Tonight’s featured beer is Goose Island Beer Company Bourbon County Brand Stout - Stout Aged in Bourbon Barrels. I picked this up at Santa Clara Liquors (here).

From the Goose Island Beer Company website: “Brewed in honor of the 1000th batch at our original Clybourn brewpub. A liquid as dark and dense as a black hole with thick foam the color of a bourbon barrel. The nose is an intense mix of charred oak, chocolate, vanilla, caramel and smoke. One sip has more flavor than your average case of beer.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours very dark brown, nearly black with a thin mocha colored head and spotty lacing.

Aroma: Bourbon, dark roasted malts, oak, coffee, chocolate, caramel, vanilla and a slight dark fruit scent.

Taste: Bourbon, roasted malt, chocolate, oak, caramel, coffee, vanilla and a touch of dark fruits.

Overall: Sweet, thick and creamy, Goose Island Beer Company Bourbon County Brand Stout - Stout Aged in Bourbon Barrels is a world class barrel aged Imperial Stout.  This 14.9% ABV masterpiece lives up to the hype.  I had a chance to visit Goose Island Beer Company’s Clybourn brewpub on a business trip a while back and had a great visit. If you find yourself in Chicago I suggest a visit.  Next time this beer comes around I plan to buy more and all the varieties.  This was the only bottle I was able to secure this year and I’m glad I was able to find it.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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Good Life Brewing Company Sweet As! Pacific Ale

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

Tonight’s featured beer is Good Life Brewing Company Sweet As! Pacific Ale. I picked up this can when I was up in Bend, OR at Broken Top Bottle Shop (here).

From the Good Life Brewing Company website: “Why name a beer "Sweet As"? This beer is 100% brewed with hops from the Pacific. In New Zealand, "Sweet As " can be used to describe a fishing hole, a ski run, a sunset glowing behind a mountain or a set of legs that happen to be walking in front of you. Sweet As means "Really Good." Now, let your imagination go wild and think how often you could say Sweet As to describe your GoodLife.

We make this beer to say, "Cheers to all the Sweet As experiences in life."Try this beer and good luck not having another...... it's Sweet As!”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a slightly hazy blonde color with a foamy white head and sticky lacing.

Aroma: Citrus, tropical fruit, pine and grassy hops with a biscuit malt backbone.

Taste: Pale and biscuit malts upfront followed by a slight caramel malt vibe, with citrus, grassy and some tropical hops balancing this out.

Overall: Delicious and refreshing, Good Life Brewing Company Sweet As! Pacific Ale is crisp and very drinkable. This 6% ABV Pale is well worth checking out.  If you encounter it, buy some!

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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Midnight Sun Brewing Company Arctic Devil Barley Wine Ale - Ale Aged in Bourbon Oak Barrels

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

Tonight’s featured beer is Midnight Sun Brewing Company Arctic Devil Barley Wine Ale - Ale Aged in Bourbon Oak Barrels.  I picked up this bottle at Royal Liquors (here) in San Jose.

From the Midnight Sun Brewing Company website: “Arctic Devil Barley Wine, aptly named after the ferocious wolverine of the north, is an English-style (meaning malt-inclined) barley wine. Though the recipe and process for Arctic Devil have evolved over the years, it is brewed once a year then aged in oak barrels for several months before the entire batch is blended, bottled and released. Arctic Devil is released once a year in the fall.

In its youth, Arctic Devil gnarls and snarls its way across the palate. Containing this beast of a beer for long periods in oak barrels–some having previously aged port, wine or whiskey–tames the unleashed malt and fierce hop flavors, melding and mellowing this powerful liquid into an incredible elixir worthy of a brewer’s table.

Each annual batch of Arctic Devil Barley Wine represents the brewers’ resolve to create an intriguing and sought-after barley wine by precisely brewing to well-designed specifications, carefully selecting the type and combination of barrels to use for aging, and meticulously checking the beer as it ages. Distinct nuance and complexity are contributed by the wood’s previous tenants, resulting in unique flavor profiles in each batch that continue to change over time. We invite you to savor Arctic Devil Barley Wine upon its release then cellar some for future enjoyment.

Midnight Sun’s elusive Arctic Devil Barley Wine is Alaska’s most awarded barley wine.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a murky dark caramel color with no head leaving little lacing.

Aroma: Caramel, toffee, oak, vanilla, bourbon, dark fruits and roasted malts.

Taste: Bourbon, vanilla, caramel, toffee, dark fruit, coconut and oak. Sweet, slightly overcooked malts and boozy, but in a good way.

Overall: Delicious and complex, Midnight Sun Brewing Company Arctic Devil Barley Wine Ale - Ale Aged in Bourbon Oak Barrels is very enjoyable.  This 13.4% ABV beast is worth sourcing if you’re a fan of the style. If I find another bottle I’ll probably cellar it as I am sure this one would age very nicely.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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Evil Twin Brewing Imperial Doughnut Break - Imperial Porter - Malt Beverage Brewed with Coffee and with Natural Flavors Added

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

Tonight’s featured beer is Evil Twin Brewing Imperial Doughnut Break - Imperial Porter - Malt Beverage Brewed with Coffee and with Natural Flavors Added. I purchased this bottle at Royal Liquors (here) in San Jose.

From the Evil Twin Brewing website: “Did the flavors of sugar and bitter sweet almonds and coffee in Imperial Biscotti Break also make you sentimental? Now we topped it off with insane amounts of doughnuts. This all-time American favorite is making it’s way back into the spotlight and we at Evil Twin Brewing are not letting a tasty trend pass us by without taking it to the next level. Drink it with great gusto - Forza Doughnuts.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours very dark brown, nearly black with a thin mocha colored head and spotty lacing.

Aroma: Dark chocolate, coffee, roasted malts, toffee, vanilla, caramel, doughy and somehow glazed.

Taste: Dough, chocolate, roasted malts, vanilla, coffee, caramel and a certain sugary sweet vibe remanicient of a donut glaze.

Overall: Sweet and outstanding, Evil Twin Brewing Imperial Doughnut Break is the kind of beer I want lots of, but I haven’t been able to find since I purchased this bottle at Royal Liquors.  This 11.5% ABV offering is tasty and a great dessert beer (much like Southern Tier Brewing Company Crème Brûlée Imperial Milk Stout – reviewed here). If you see this one, grab it if you’re a fan of the style.  You’ll be glad you did!

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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Boulevard Brewing Company Single-Wide IPA

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

Tonight’s featured beer is Boulevard Brewing Company Single-Wide IPA. I had the opportunity to drink this at the brewery recently and brought this bottle back with me for review.

From the Boulevard Brewing Company website: “Boulevard Single-Wide I.P.A. is our take on a style that originated in 18th century Great Britain. This American version—inspired by our Smokestack Series Double-Wide I.P.A.—boasts a heady combination of six varieties of hops, some of which were employed for dry-hopping.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a dark copper color with a large white head and excellent lacing.

Aroma: Pine, citrus and floral hop aromas blended well with caramel malts.

Taste: Citrus and pine hop bitterness upfront balanced with caramel malt flavor.

Overall: A very drinkable and approachable IPA, Boulevard Brewing Company Single-Wide IPA is easy drinkin’. At 5.7% ABV this beer is solid and worth a try for fans of the style.  Not over-the-top hoppy this may be a good beginner IPA for hop shy drinkers.  I enjoyed it as it presents a nice alternative to the hop bombs I’m accustomed to.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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Bitter Root Brewery Nut Brown Ale

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

Tonight’s featured beer is Bitter Root Brewery Nut Brown Ale.

From the Bitter Root Brewery website: “Developed in London, England, Brown Ale has been brewed for hundreds of years. English and American brewing techniques, combined with generous amounts of Amber, Brown and Honey Malts, give Bitter Root Brewing’s Nut Brown ale its nutty, sweet character.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours reddish brown with a thin off-white head and nice lacing.

Aroma: Sweet malts, toffee, roasted nuts, slight cocoa and bready malts.

Taste: Bready malts, slightly nutty, caramel malts and hints of coffee and chocolate.

Overall: Nicely done, Bitter Root Brewery Nut Brown Ale is easy drinking.  No ABV was listed on the bottle and I search the internet, but didn’t turn anything up.  I would say it is probably a 5 or 6% ABV beer. If you can find it, check it out.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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