Category: Beer Reviews

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Guest Review – Requiem Espresso Stout

Because I am not a huge dark beer fan, I occasionally have my Defense Against Dark beers reviewer give the lowdown on new or classic beers that I normally don’t drink.

Technically not called a Christmas Holiday beer. More Edgar Allen Poe and Halloween. But this espresso stout would be great this time of year.

Here is the latest installment…
“I tried out the Requiem Espresso Stout. Looks like a stout, very dark, not a lot of head, but the taste is very light and bright for a stout. Definitely get the coffee and there’s almost a cinnamon taste there too. It does not have the heaviness of taste that typifies most stouts. This is not a bad thing, its just different and a little surprising. If you were trying to get someone to like darker beers and they were already a coffee fan this might be a great bridge beer.

Paired it with pan sauteed green beans and pine nuts topped with feta cheese. Somehow the pairing worked, don’t ask me how.”

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Review of Older Viscosity

The Defense against the Dark Beer reviewer tested a bottle from Port Brewing.

12% abv 12 oz bottle
Old viscosity aged on bourbon barrels. Super dark in color, no head. Smells like booze not beer. Tastes the same. It’s smooth but it has lost all the beer qualities in the bourbon. I’d much rather have a special old engine oil.
It holds the balance between the two better.
ov

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09/09/09

Thank you Daily Pint for pouring the latest Vertical Epic from Stone! More on that in a bit. First, I have to say, that I really like Stone beers in French Oak. I had Arrogant Bastard from the Daily Pint handpump and it was smooth and hoppy with spice notes that could also make it a session beer. Of course, I recommended it to various people and they were taken aback. Presumably due to the lack of arrogance.

On to the Epic. It pours dark black and almost has the espresso head on it. It has spice notes and roasted notes and is easy to drink at first. Then the alcohol swoops in and it becomes more of a sipper. I am not a big dark beer fan but this is a complex beer with multiple flavors swirling in the glass.

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photo courtesy of Richard Rosen

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Echigo Stout review

My mystery dark beer reviewer has this to say about another Japanese beer…
“Nice dark chocolate almost black color. Pretty hefty alcohol smell. 7% abv. Nice rich taste. Fairly full mouth feel. First after taste was pretty bitter but as I drank more the flavors melded nicely. Nice lacing on the glass as well. Drank after an green enchilada dinner while airing out my ole filled house. There’s little doubt that my taste buds have been influenced by my surroundings.
Even though I have only had 2 Japanese beers, they both seem somehow lighter and brighter than the us and Brit beers I’ve had.”
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Woodruff + Berliner Weiss =

…one of the weirdest beer tastes that I have ever had and I have had a few. The Bruery in Orange County has their Hottenroth Berliner Weiss on tap and they offer a traditional style serving with Woodruff syrup.

I asked the bartender what he thought of it and he said “Lucky Charms”. I was unbelieving. That is not a beer flavor to me but he was spot on. It tasted like freeze dried cereal marshmallows.

woodruff

I am still on the fence about how to review it. It was a light absinthe green. The aroma was faint but that Lucky Charm taste was pronounced without completely overpowering the beer. The tartness of the Berliner Weiss was very muted.

I may have to get it again to really come to a sound decision either for or against.

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Ommegeddon

Beer America TV

Follow that link and you will find a review of a beer that I had at my first beer tasting event for the Beer Search Party. This beer sharply divided my guests and is not one of my favorites either.

I also just received my very cool Beer America TV shirt. Thanks guys!

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Ginger beer from Hitachino Nest

Occasionally, I will let trusted beer tasters give me the rundown on what they are drinking (especially if it is something I haven’t had before).

My mystery reviewer “walked away with Real Ginger Brew from Hitachino Nest. The first taste is really light and bright followed by a slightly metallic taste. Ginger flavor is not prominent and it’s not dusty spicy at all. In fact I didn’t think there was a Ginger bite at all until I realized my palate was tingling about a quarter of the way thruogh the glass. It went nicely with my green bean chicken.”