The Giant Flaming Zombie Polar Bear

"What is in a name?" For fans of Shakespeare, it is a question posed by Juliet in Act II, Scene II of Romeo & Juliet.  For a fan of craft beer like me, it is a reason to buy a beer. The name in this case is Giant Flaming Zombie Polar Bear, a double India Pale Ale produced by the brewers at Atlas Brew Works in Washington, D.C. 

I've reviewed many double IPAs over the life of this blog. Firestone Walker's Double Jack (a very, very good beer); Black Flag Brewing's Mambo Sauce (a great introduction to a relatively new brewer); and Columbus Brewing Company's Bodhi (one of the best I've had). I have a particular fondness for double IPAs and tripel IPAs, which is most likely due to my preference for hoppy beers.  The bitterness -- which can range from piney and resinous to citrusy and vibrant -- provides some variety from beer to beer, while the higher ABV ensures that each one packs a punch. 

But, it is that name -- Giant Flaming Zombie Polar Bear -- that caught my eye and led me to purchase a six pack to take home.  There was no actual giant flaming zombie polar bear on the label.  Instead, it was the standard Atlas labelling, which itself is one of the more classic designs out there.  

But, there is more to a beer review than the label. The brewers at Atlas describe this beer as a "deceptively smooth beast." They go on to describe the combination of hops, some that I've heard of and others that are unfamiliar. Bravo, Mandarina Bavaria, Chinook, Cascade and Centennial. This particular combination is supposed to present "orange citrus aromas", along with a "malty backbone" that supposedly "balances the assertive hop bitterness and heavy citrus hop character providing an overall flavor reminscent of orange marmalade." 

I have to admit that I am not a big fan of orange marmalade. While I could definitely sense the elements of oranges, I am not sure that I would go as far to descrive the overall flavor as orange marmalade. Sure, orange marmalade is typically made from bitter oranges, which resonates with the hop bitterness of a double IPA, but, in my humble opinion, this beer lacks the sweetness that one would expect to co-exist with the bitterness of a marmelade. 

All of this discussion is academic, at best, and rambling, at worst. The bottom line is that the Giant Flaming Zombie Polar Bear is one damn good double IPA. It comes very close to unseating the Bodhi in my opinion as the best double IPA that I have reviewed. At 9.4%, it is a double IPA that deserves to be savored, taking occasional sips while relaxing after a stressful day.  Needless to say, I've had a few and that is why I am down to my last can from the six pack.  I will need to go out and find another six pack.  Until then ....

ENJOY!

A Hideaway in Sin City

Over the next few months, I will be doing a lot of traveling for work, which means that I won't be doing a lot of cooking.  The traveling has already begun, with a trip to Las Vegas.  My job usually requires me to make a trip to Vegas at least once (and up to four times) per year. 

Whenever I am in Las Vegas, I inevitably look for a place where I can go to get away from work and relax.  A year or so ago, I found one such place.  It is a little bar tucked away in a corner on the Strip. The small bar is lined with approximately half a dozen seats and another half dozen taps. From those taps pour the beers of Sin City Brewing.   

Each time I made my way to that spot, I would sit down and quickly scan the taps.  The same six (or so beers).  I would then order the "seasonal," which happens to be the same beer every time.  The double India Pale Ale.  The only difference is whether I get a 16 ounce or 24 ounce cup. (The picture on the right is the 24 ounce cup.)

Like those taps, the double IPA is also always the same, a tribute to consistency.  It pours light golden color, with a thin foam covering the entire surface of the beer.  This double IPA does not pack the "in your face" punch of the piney or citrusy notes of other double IPAs that I have had in the past, such as the Columbus Brewing Bodhi or the D.C. Brau Deus Ex Machina.  The aromatic and taste elements that one would expect are there: hints of pine and citrus greet both the nose and the palate. These elements are moderated by the malts, which are more present in this beer than I would have expected for a double IPA.  Nevertheless, the moderation of those elements make this an easy drinking double IPA. That can be as dangerous as Las Vegas, given the IPA comes in at about an 8.3% ABV.

Now that I have given away the little corner where I go to relax, I will have to work on finding new ones.  Perhaps it is time to check out some new breweries or brewpubs in the Las Vegas area, like Tenaya Creek Brewery, Craft Haus Brewery or Banger Brewing.  We'll see what the future holds. Until next time ...

ENJOY!

Fear.Movie.Lions.

As the story goes, "there is a 3m x 3m square in our Richmond, VA brewery with these three words painted on it.  What three words?  Exactly.  For the uninitiated, that's What3Words." I guess I am one of the uninitiated. The story continues, "It is a global addressing system to bring locations to the previously unlocatable.  Inspired by the positive impact of this system, we decided to name this IPA after a 3 meter square in the brewery where it was created.  Check it out."  I did, and learned that you have to be very exact.  ///Fear.Movie.Lions. puts you in Montrose, Virginia, where Stone Brewing has a production facility.  Switch the "s" to ///Fear.Movies.Lion and you find yourself outside of Scunthorpe, England. Switch that "s" again to ///Fears.Movie.Lion and you get transported to the middle of the Detroit River in the downtown of Motor City.  

Back to the beer, ///Fear.Movie.Lions is Stone Brewing's version of a New England-style IPA.  It is an unfiltered IPA that, according to the brewers, packs "a massive tropical and citrus notes."  That's quite a claim for an New England-style IPA, because I have found (in my humble opinion) that many of the IPAs of this style are usually more subdued when it comes to the traditional citrus notes of an India Pale Ale.  So, I was gladly willing to to verify the brewers' claims.

Before I do, however, just a few notes about the NE IPA style.  Apparently, just a few months ago, it was the style.  Some even went so far as to call it the "hottest style" that "conquered America." Yeah, right.  For me, NE IPAs always seemed like "Adult Alternative" music, as opposed to "Alternative music."  It is as if you are looking on a jukebox for Soundgarden songs and all you can find is Crowded House songs.  It is just not the same.  That is how I view NE IPAs ... it is not just the same as an IPA.  I expect an IPA to have a hop-forward profile, with that resinous, piney, citrus fruit punch in each sip.  The NE IPAs that I have had prior to this beer have been a hazy, mellower experience that just ordinarily does not appeal to me when I am looking for a hoppy beer.  (And, don't get me started about "session" IPAs, that is like the jukebox is filled with Air Supply songs.)

According to the Beer Certification Judge Program, a NE IPA is supposed to be a smoother, hazier, juicier version of an American IPA. Straw or yellow in color, hazy or opaque, with an intense hop aroma and an intense hop flavor.  The good people at the BCJP also note that there may be a bready, grainy, lightly sweet flavor in the beer as well.  Except, as I noted above, none of the NE IPAs that I have tried in the past ever had the hop intensity that the BCJP would expect.  

As the photos show, the Fear.Movie.Lions is a hazy unfiltered beer, with the golden, yellowish color one would expect from an India Pale Ale.  When the hazy beer is poured into the glass, there is a thick foam that clings to the sides of the glass, and, floats around like thin cirrus clouds occasionally overtaken by a cumulus cloud.  

The aroma is very well defined.  There is a definite citrus fruit note in the aroma, perhaps mango or melon, or a mellow orange.  The orange carries through into the taste, which carries a more modest form of the bitterness for which Stone is known.  That bitterness is, unlike other Stone offerings, expertly balanced with a malty, almost sweet character that makes this beer very drinkable. The brewers note that "lingering lime peel and tropical fruit derived from the hops stand out on the finish, begging one to seek out more." I think that is an adequate description of the beer.

Although I am a skeptic of the New England-style IPA, I have to say that Stone's ///Fear.Movie.Lions is the best one of the style that I have had to date. It makes me want to buy more of that style, which will probably be another six pack of ///Fear.Movie.Lions. 

As for What3Words, if you want to find me, you could check out ///waveguides.unsteady.treehouse. (Actually, you won't find me there, but you will be standing on a beach on the Mauritian isle of Vingt Cinq with a lovely view of the Indian Ocean.)

ENJOY!

The Bodhi

So what does it take to become a "cult beer"? That is, a beer with a following that is so passionate that they will do just about anything -- drive distances, stand in line, pay extra -- just to have a pint or buy a bottle of a beer?  I began thinking about this issue after trying a bottle of Columbus Brewing Company's Bodhi Double IPA.  My dad described this beer as a cult beer.  So, what does it take to achieve that status?

I did some searching, but I was unable to find anything that would set forth criteria for what constitutes a cult beer.  Instead, most articles simply tell you which beers are "cult beers."  And, I found an article that describes the Bodhi as having achieved "cult" status.  Marc Bona, a writer with Cleveland.com, described the Bodhi as having a "strong, fresh citrus aroma that hits you immediately [that] is followed quickly by wonderful tropical flavors, and, then, seconds later on each sip, a big hop smack."  That's some description, and, it provides a little insight into what it takes become a cult beer.

Simply put, it is the beer itself.  The Bodhi pours a golden color, which one would expect with a double India Pale Ale.  Depending upon the light, there was an orange hue that shined through.  As I stared at the beer, the thin foam gracing the surface of the beer began to recede.

As that foam retreated to the edges of the glass, the aromatic elements of the hops began to shine through.  Notes of citrus fruit, with a little pine greet the nose, but are balanced by the softer tones of the malts.  The taste of the Bodhi, at least for me, began with the pine, with grass, floral and herb tones.  However, with each sip, the flavor transitioned to citrus fruit, such as grapefruit, and tangerines.  The bitter finish lingers on the tongue and the back of the mouth long after the beer is gone.  Perhaps that is the "big hop smack."

The Bodhi is definitely a great example of a double IPA (or, as it is also known, an Imperial IPA). It follows the style well, pushing the envelope in getting big hop aromas and flavors.  While I can't say that the Bodhi is a "cult beer," I can say that if I saw it on tap or in bottle, I'd have another one.

ENJOY!

The Black Flag Flying Over Columbia

The Black Flag stands in direct opposition to the established norms.  That is a statement tat, as a fan of punk music, I would expect from Henry Rollins, the singer for the hardcore punk band that goes by that name.  However, the italicized sentence sums up Black Flag Brewing Company, a relatively new brewery in Columbia, Maryland.  

I have to admit that the name is catchy, because I am a big fan of the punk rock band, Black Flag.  When I saw the signs for the brewery, Black Flag, thoughts emerged In My Head about how I'm the One who would drive From Hell and Back to grab a Six Pack for a TV Party in a Padded Cell known as Room 13.  6 song titles and 1 album title in one sentence about getting beer.  Not to shabby.

With that out of the way, we visited Black Flag Brewing to check out the taproom and the beers.  The brewery is trying to keep from being type-cast in the craft beer world.  Its owner does not want to be known for a specific style of beer (for example, Sierra Nevada and its IPAs).  Thus, the ten taps that lie behind the bar have a range of styles including a blonde, Belgian saison, sour, breakfast stout, pale ale and a Double IPA, as well as seasonals like an Octoberfest and a pumpkin beer. 

The first beer I tried was the Mambo Sauce (which itself is a reference to the condiment found in Washington, D.C. area restaurants that is akin to a barbecue sauce.   Black Flag's Mambo Sauce is nothing like the bottles that might grace a restaurant table.  The brewery describes its beer as a "big tropical monster," with "huge juicy hop additions hidden behind smooth bitterness."  

The Mambo Sauce DIPA is pictured to the right.  The beer pours a golden-orange color, with a little haziness; but, it comes as advertised.  The aromatic elements are full of ripe citrus fruit, such as grapefruit, tangerine and lemons.   Those aromatic elements carry through to the taste of the beer, although they are couched in the malt tones, which add a little sweetness to the flavor profile of the beer.  The latter are the result of the brewers' efforts to smooth out the bitterness of the hops.  The effort to round out the bitterness represents, to a certain degree, the efforts to be non-conformist.  After all, most DIPAs push the bold hop aromas and flavors, not thinking too much about the malts.  

In the end, Black Flag Brewery illustrates the promise of the craft beer movement in Maryland: new  breweries open, creating beers that stand out on their own.  We will definitely be stopping in again ... very soon.  

ENJOY!

Its all about the Alchemy Hour ...

Along the beaches of California, surfers have a term for that period of time when they can enjoy the best that a swell has to offer ... the "Alchemy Hour."  The origin of the phrase is unknown, but one could surmise that it is the combination of elements to transform regular waves into those surface gravity waves that provide the best surfing.

Great Lakes Brewing Company has borrowed the term "Alchemy Hour" for its Double India Pale Ale.  The brewery claims that it chose the name to commemorate those who surf the Great Lakes.  That hardy lot has to work a little harder than their brethren who surf the Pacific Ocean's waves.  (Swells are not as swell on the Great Lakes and the reasons are better left for something other than a beer review.)   The GLBC brewers note that, on the Great Lakes, "our surfers have to work a little harder to find the perfect swell, waking at dawn and camping out on icy beaches in freezing temperatures.  Crazy?  Yes.  Extreme? Definitely, But we crafted our Double IPA for the bold ones."   

The choice of words often provides hidden clues or suggestions.  Take, for example, "crafted."  Alchemy is the medieval practice of transmuting one thing into another, relying upon the properties of materials to craft something truly special.  For centuries, people used alchemy in an effort to turn base metals into gold or other precious metals.  Those people failed.  Perhaps they were trying to create the wrong kind of gold.  After all, the end product need not carry the chemical symbol "Au."    

Gold could be something else.  It could be liquid gold, like beer.  In this case, the "alchemy" practiced by the brewers produced a Double India Pale Ale that pours pours a burnt copper or orange color, several shades off from what one would ordinarily consider the color of gold.

Color aside, the brewers were able to use the properties of the all natural ingredients -- Harrington 2 Row Base Malt, Caramel 45 malt, and honey malt, as well as Mosaic, nugget and cascade hops -- to produce a beer that is definitely golden in both aroma and flavor.  The beer as the aromas of citrus, like fresh grapefruit

However, the "alchemy" practiced by the brewers at Great Lakes Brewing Company produced  the end product does not need Pours a burnt copper or orange color.  Aromas of citrus, like grapefruit.  These aromas are from the use of the Mosaic hops, which provide floral, citrus and fruity aromas to the beer.  The citrus tones carry over to the taste of the beer, providing the bitter bite one expects from a hopped-up India Pale Ale.  There was also a little pine flavor in the beer, perhaps offered by the nugget hops.  While this citrus and pine bitterness was fairly strong in the beer, it was nevertheless wrapped up in a surprising sweetness, brought out by the use of the honey malts.

The brewers at the GLBC suggest that the Alchemy Hour Double IPA pairs well with smoked beef brisket, grilled lamb, sharp and rich cheeses, and sweet desserts.

Great Lakes Brewing Company definitely found liquid gold with the Alchemy Hour Double IPA.  As for myself, I found this beer at a local grocery store, where it sold for about $10.99 a four-pack.  This is a limited production beer.  If you see it, you should buy it.

ENJOY!

Deus Ex Machina

Albert Einstein once said, "anyone who has never made a mistake has not tried anything new."   Although I am sure that the quote has its application to theoretical physics, it applies perfectly to brewing beer. Beer is produced according to recipes, with precise measurements of ingredients and also of times. If you deviate from the the recipe or the brewing process, then you will most likely have something new to try.  

Take D.C. Brau, for example.  The brewers were working on a new batch of their Double India Pale Ale, On the Wings of Armageddon (OTWOA).  They suffered a mistake in the brewing process.  Many mistakes have to be discarded, but this one led to something new.  It was not the OTWOA; however, the mistake produced a double IPA, with a character all of its own.  According to the Chief Executive Officer of D.C. Brau, Brandon Skall, "sometimes you have to embrace blunders."  This "blunder" was not really one at all.  It produced a unique double IPA that the brewers dubbed Deux Ex Machina or "God from the Machine."

Deus Ex Machina is a force, with an ABV of 8.75% ABV and IBUs totalling 131 IBUs.  The brewers describe the beer as being hopped with Falconer's Flight and Columbus hops.  Both of these hops are known for their spicy and strong flavors.  For the Deus Ex Machina, they create what the brewers call "a virtual pine forest of super dank, mouth-coating flavors with underlying hints of sugar coated fruit."  

For a mistake, the Deus Ex Machina pours a perfect golden orange color.  The foam is thick and persistent; however, it eventually gives way as the aromas greet the nose.   Those aromatic elements are full of the piney and resinous hops, but there is a surprising amount of citrus fruit.  The most prominent fruit, as one would expect, is grapefruit, but there are also some hints of lemon.  The flavor is just as advertised ... one large, deep conifer forest of hop flavors.  The citrus fruit is also present, but, it is seems as if there is not just the fruit, but also the rind.  This means that there is some bitterness, but something that is welcomed by hopheads. 

D.C. Brau has said that this is a limited release and it may never be made again.  This would be unfortunate.  Even though it was a mistake, the Deus Ex Machina is a great beer.  

ENJOY!

Firestone Walker Brewing Company's Double Jack Double IPA

Paso Robles is not only home to vineyards and winemakers, but it is also home to one craft brewer with a rather impressive portfolio of beers.  The brewer is Firestone Walker.  Beginning in 1996, two brothers-in-law began to brew their own beer.  Nearly sixteen years later, they have earned multiple awards for their brewery and their beers, including the Champion Mid-Size Brewery in 2004, 2006 and 2010.

Like most brewers, Firestone Walker has brewed a "series" of beers, which it calls its "Proprietors Reserve Series."  One of the beers in this series is the Double Jack Double IPA.  Firestone Walker brews the Double Jack in the style of an American Imperial Pale Ale.  The brewer uses Premium Two Row Malts (Metcalf and Kendall varieties), Munich and Simpson's Light Malts, as well as a range of hops.  The hops include Warrior and Columbus hops as bittering hops; Centennial and Cascade hops as late kettle hops; and Amarillo, Cascade, Centennial and Simcoe hops for dry hops.

The Double Jack pours a golden color, with orange hues.   The aromatic elements are very interesting, ranging from bright citrus fruits to grass.  These aromas result from the use of different hops. The citrus aromas carry over to the taste of the Double Jack, with flavors of grapefruit, tangerines, and lemon leading each taste.  The lemon carries over to the finish of the beer, along with a warm alcohol feeling.  That alcohol is reminiscent of caramel, providing a little unexpected sweetness in the finish.

Double IPAs like the Double Jack are very strong beers.  This beer has an ABV of 9.5% and a high IBU.  For this reason, the beer should be paired with strong foods, like roasted meats, hard cheeses, and grilled vegetables. 

The Double Jack is available in fourteen states across the United States.  It is available in twenty-two ounce bottles. 

ENJOY!

Brew Dog Hardcore IPA

"This little bottle," says the brewer, "has a grandiloquent story to tell." And quite the story it is.  Brew Dog, a Scottish craft brewer, began to brew this double India Pale Ale during a hop shortage in 2008.  Needless to say, the beer did not turn out as the brewers had hoped.  A year later, with more hops available, Brew Dog tried again, taking advantage of the plentiful hops by using four times as many hops as they had the year before.  And, ever since then, they have continued to push the envelope with what they call an "explicit imperial ale."  

At 9.2% ABV and a whopping 150 IBU, this beer is bigger than many other pale ales and imperial India pale ales.  Brew Dog uses Maris Otter malts (2,204 grains according to the bottle), along with crystal malts and caramalts. The brewer uses Centennial, Simcoe and Columbus hops during the brewing process and additional Centennial Simcoe and Columbus hops during the dry hopping process.  And, according to the bottle, 9,900,000,000 yeast cells.

The end result is an amber ale, with hues of red and orange shining through when held up to the light.  As the beer is poured, a thick foam develops and slowly recedes to the edges of the beer.  The aromas of the beer are obviously hoppy, but not overwhelmingly piney or citrusy.  The beer is actually somewhat mellow when it comes to the hop aroma, most likely due to the malts used in the brewing process.  The malts also figure into the taste.  With every sip, the hops are clearly present in the front and the finish.  But, in between, the smoothness of the malts shines through, which allows the alcohol of the beer to make its presence known. 

When it comes to food pairing, the brewer suggests smoked and grilled meats.  This is actually a fairly standard pairing for pale ales of this magnitude and caliber. The brewer does offer some rather different pairings, such as carrot cake and blue cheeses.  While I am a little skeptical of pairing the beer with carrot cake, blue cheeses would work well.

I found this beer at Corridor Wine & Spirits in Laurel, Maryland.  It should be available at stores with large selections of craft beer.  It sells for about $7.99 a bottle.

ENJOY!