Here they are, in order of greatness:
#1 Russian River Supplication (American Wild Ale)
Grade: A+ (4.75/5.0)
On Tap @ RR brewery, was too cheap to pay $12/bottle for this at city beer or toronado - huge glass for $5 at Russian River! so good this beer is so worth $12/bottle though!
This is an almost perfect brown sour - aged in pinot noir barrels, and simply incredible...the best sour from russian river IMO, and probably the best American wild ale i've ever had.
This is an almost perfect brown sour - aged in pinot noir barrels, and simply incredible...the best sour from russian river IMO, and probably the best American wild ale i've ever had.
Smell is incredible, super complex, woody, earthy, mineral wine notes, corky, and full of ripe fruit - this thing just exudes complexity.
Taste is a bit like a lighter, less winey version of consecration, less woody, which allows the sour and creamy notes to come out more. its full of bad ass ripe incredible sour fruit, berries, winey, woody, leathery for sure.
mouthfeel in rich, smooth and creamy - awesome.
This is truly one of the best sours on earth, let alone in the USA - Russian River just proves over and over that they are the best brewery in the US!
This is truly one of the best sours on earth, let alone in the USA - Russian River just proves over and over that they are the best brewery in the US!
#2 Brewdog Prototype 27 (Fruit Beer/IPA)
Grade: A+ (4.6/5.0)
Article about the beer: http://www.brewdog.com/blog-article.php?id=310
White label with Sharpie markered 'Prototype 27' on the bottle. only one barrel of this one was ever made.
Nose is nothing short of incredible, like nothing i've ever smelled. peaty, smokey, woody malt whiskey up front with caramel and a bit fusel alcohol, along with fresh berries, and yeah, more peat.
Taste is very geared: starts out with oaky smokey peat and vanilla at first, then moves onto an unmistakable tart raspberry character, then finishes with juicy hop bitterness finishing warm and clean with a lingering smoke after the sip is done...so unique.
Mouthfeel is light and smooth, a bit viscous at the end...very nice.
Drinkability is quite high, the sourness of the raspberries balances the sweetness of beer as well as complimenting the bitter hop character - extremely intense but surprisingly drinkable.
This is simply an incredible beer, like nothing i've ever had, it cuts the line between belgian IPA wild yeasty tasting beers, fruit beers and the good 'ol Brewdog Hardcore IPA it was made from.
Drinkability is quite high, the sourness of the raspberries balances the sweetness of beer as well as complimenting the bitter hop character - extremely intense but surprisingly drinkable.
This is simply an incredible beer, like nothing i've ever had, it cuts the line between belgian IPA wild yeasty tasting beers, fruit beers and the good 'ol Brewdog Hardcore IPA it was made from.
A real treat, big ups to Ned at the Portcullis Clifton Village for saving me this bottle!
#3 De Dolle Oerbier (Belgian Strong Dark Ale)
Grade: A+ (4.55/5.0)
Bought at Healthy Spirits in SF (owner said it was one of his top 5 beers he'd ever had)
Pours red-brown opaque with a large head and a bit of lacing that dissipates quickly.
Nose is really interesting, huge pear, pineapple, ripe pungent cherries, and earthy, woody yeasty notes...very much like a california Viognier white wine - amazing and very complex, geared nose.
Taste is like nothing i've ever had in a beer...a bit tart, very ripe fruit driven, pears, more of the cherries, a very nice caramel, brown sugar malt backbone that opens up wonderfully, moves to earthy, corky notes, then finishes dry and bitter with lingering dried fruit and tobacco...gets better as it warms.
mouthfeel is smooth and thick.
An excellent beer like nothing i've ever had, this is the base beer for flemish sours, but i like this better than any flemish sour i've had - way more subtle and complex...very wine-like. This is a very excellent brew...one of the nicest beers i've had in a while.
Pours red-brown opaque with a large head and a bit of lacing that dissipates quickly.
Nose is really interesting, huge pear, pineapple, ripe pungent cherries, and earthy, woody yeasty notes...very much like a california Viognier white wine - amazing and very complex, geared nose.
Taste is like nothing i've ever had in a beer...a bit tart, very ripe fruit driven, pears, more of the cherries, a very nice caramel, brown sugar malt backbone that opens up wonderfully, moves to earthy, corky notes, then finishes dry and bitter with lingering dried fruit and tobacco...gets better as it warms.
mouthfeel is smooth and thick.
An excellent beer like nothing i've ever had, this is the base beer for flemish sours, but i like this better than any flemish sour i've had - way more subtle and complex...very wine-like. This is a very excellent brew...one of the nicest beers i've had in a while.
Lost Abbey Gift of The Magi 2010 (Bier De Garde)
Grade: A (4.45/5.0)
Pours redish brown opaque in a tulip glass with a one finger head that sticks around a while and lacing throughout the glass even after 20 minutes.
Smell is almost like a sour ale - lots of tart cherries/indistinct ripe fruit on the nose, very yeasty and fresh smelling...spices in there too...an bit of unsweetened chocolate as well.
Taste is a delicious mix of peppery syrah-like spiceness....followed by fig newtons, caramel malts and an incredible depth...the finish lasts forever, the mouthfeel is smooth and creamy.
In terms of drinkability, this is one of the nicest 10+ beers i've ever had.
what an incredible beer, damn!
Smell is almost like a sour ale - lots of tart cherries/indistinct ripe fruit on the nose, very yeasty and fresh smelling...spices in there too...an bit of unsweetened chocolate as well.
Taste is a delicious mix of peppery syrah-like spiceness....followed by fig newtons, caramel malts and an incredible depth...the finish lasts forever, the mouthfeel is smooth and creamy.
In terms of drinkability, this is one of the nicest 10+ beers i've ever had.
what an incredible beer, damn!
#5 Houblon Chouffe Doublen IPA Tripel (Belgian IPA)
Grade: A (4.45/5.0)
Pours yellow opaque with a huge head and tons of amazing lacing so beautiful
smell is just really intense ripe fruit, rich pears, light complex yeast and citrus, very nice
taste is immediately intensely bitter and fruity/yeasty/ even a little sour, overwhelmingly so but so good ...but still very good, interesting buixcuit notes as well and some light mango
very interesting, almost hard to compare on the flavour wheel...a very good and unique beer
Serving type: on-tap
smell is just really intense ripe fruit, rich pears, light complex yeast and citrus, very nice
taste is immediately intensely bitter and fruity/yeasty/ even a little sour, overwhelmingly so but so good ...but still very good, interesting buixcuit notes as well and some light mango
very interesting, almost hard to compare on the flavour wheel...a very good and unique beer
Serving type: on-tap
good stuff dude ! you must try the new bristol beer factory ultimate stout. it's a real turn-around for those guys...
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