April Round Table - 4/17/11 (UPDATED: 4/24)

It has been requested that I discuss the beers that are posted for the round table, which makes complete sense. I'll have to start taking notes at the next one so I'll be able to provide more detailed notes.

So, this expansion is all from memory - but it was only a week ago. I'll rate these beers on a simple 10 point scale.

1 - Horrid
5 - Average
6 - slightly above average
7 - above average
8 - excellent beer
9 - superior beer
10-  perfect

1. Blue Moon Grand Cru - (5)
- 22oz. This beer was grabbed for exploration. Blue Moon doing a "Grand Cru"? Really? The beer poured out nicely, but ultimately didn't deliver. Came off like a bigger "blue moon" but definately not worth the 9.00$ price tag.


2. Wostyntie Mustard Ale - (9)
- 12oz. This is perhaps one of the most interesting Belgian brews I've ever had. Mustard seed in a Belgian ale? What? Turns out the mustard plays such a wonderfully subdued role in the flavor profile of the beer that it perfectly compliments the sweet malt and trademark Belgian sour note on the finish. Truly an experience! Definitely picking up some of this for myself..


3. Southern Tier Fresh Hop Ale (7)


4. Seirra Nevada Ovila Dubbel (8)
- 750ml. This is the first of a three beer series coming out of Sierra Nevada this summer. Brewers from SN spent time studying under monks at a monestary in New Clairvaux, CA and then collaborated with them to produce this new series. The first is a Dubbel, then there will be a Saison and a Quadrupel. Proceeds from sales will help build a new wing in the monestary. The Dubbel was pretty good. Classic Belgian meets SN's unique twist. Personally, I wanted a little more malt out of this beer, but still - a very good one. Grab a bottle, just for the experience - they won't be around for long.


5. Unibrou Trois Pistoles (8)
- There is a rule in my beer loving brain. UNIBROU can do no wrong. If you see a bottle, get it. (see also: Ephemere, La Fin Du Monde, Maudite, Don De Dieu)


6. Cigar City - Humidor Series - Cedar Aged IPA (10)
- 750ml. Cigar City doesn't distribute up here to the Mitten, so it is really a treat to get to crack one of their beers. They're from Cigar City, Florida, and these guys make a MEAN BEER. This particular beer is one of (maybe) three commercial examples of a "Cedar Aged" beer that have popped up around here. This type of aging has only been around for about a year and a half, and when it was done, people couldn't believe that it hadn't been done before. [in fact, no Michigan brewery has produced a cedar aged beer]


This beer is quite possibly on of the best I've ever had. Terrifically balanced, the cedar is present, but (most importantly) not overwhelming. It plays elegantly into the flavor profile, lending a wonderful accent to a beautifully constructed IPA. If you ever have a chance, GET IT. No, nix that. GET THREE.


7. Ass Kicker Brewing Co. IPA (4)


8. Abita Brewing Co's Andy Gator Hellesbock (8)
- 22oz. This was a real nice hellesbock. Clean, malty, goes down oh-too-smooth. Definitely grab on if helles is up your alley!


8. Southern Tier's Oak Aged Unearthly IPA (9)
- 22oz. This was a beast of a beer. Wonderfully aged, not overpowering, but prominent. Had never even come across a bottle before - but was so glad when I did! You'll be able to find this bottle around this spring, definitely grab a bottle if you're an IPA fan, quite a treat!

9. 03' Avery Anniversary Ale "Ten" (2*)
- 22oz. I happened across this bottle at Martha's Vineyard in Grand Rapids. Ten types of malt, ten types of hops - AVERY? - how could it be bad? Well, it turned out I had mis-read the bottle. This batch was bottled in 2003. Bottle was 8 years old. hahhaha.. yeah. I'm sure, in its day, it would have been a wonderful beer. But a little more than half of the carb had been lost, and the hops were horribly subdued by the aging. We basically got to taste a really great beer past it's deathbed. Sad, sad..


10. Avery 17th Aniv. Dry Hopped Black Lager (8)
- 22oz. This is a universal beer. Get it. You could put this beer in front of ANYONE and they will be impressed. Clean and wonderfully constructed. Great dark notes (which usually go missing in "black" lagers and IPAs these days..) and a solid middle provide the backbone for this dry-hopped dream. Great bottle, grab one!


11. Heavy Seas Rye Porter (8)
- 22oz. If you haven't ventured into Heavy Seas (Halethorpe, MD) yet, I would suggest checking them out. They make some great beers. The Rye Porter is an excellent one. Very well balanced with a nice prominent Rye note that is complimentary (not imposing) to the rest of the beer. 

12. Jolly Pumpkin Noel De Calabaza (8)
- Just do it. If you're a Belgian-head or not. Just do it. Jolly Pumpkin will change your beer-loving life. (Also check out Bam Noire, Bam Biere, Weizen Bam, Madrugada Obscura)


13. Left Hand Brewing Co. Imperial Stout (8)


14. New Holland's Charkoota Rye (7)
- 22oz. New Holland really shines in their High Gravity Series. This beer is great, but I feel like it's a little unbalanced. The rye is nice, but the smoke is a bit intense. I want to be able to drink a whole pint of a beer, ya know? Still, worth checking out for the experience.


Well there we are! Thanks for reading.
The Dude Imbibes.
BD