120 Minutes

Every beer has a story.... That is how Dogfish Head Ales introduces the 120 Minute IPA, the self-described "Holy Grail for hopheads."  The beer is "continuously hopped," according to the brewers, "with a copious amount of high-alpha American hops throughout the boil and whirlpool," and, if that was not enough, "then dry-hopped with another pallet of hops."  It is no wonder that this beer is marketed toward "hopheads."

However, in my humble opinion, the most prominent character of the 120 Minute IPA, is not the intense hoppiness of the beer.  To be sure, it is hoppy.  But, the 120 Minute IPA is more boozy to me than it is hoppy.  A very hoppy beer to me is something like Fat Head's Imperial IPA, Hop JuJu.  That beer is like being hit in the head with hop punch.  The heavy hop presence in that beer masks the alcohol content in the beer.  But, with the 120 Minute IPA, there is no avoiding the booziness of that beer.  The 15% to 20% ABV is the first and foremost element of the beer that greets the drinker and it does so with every sip.  Nevertheless, the 120 Minute is one of my favorite beers.

The Imperial IPA pours a dark, hazy orange-copper color. The beer exudes a drunken hop aroma, with a lot of that booziness making its way to one's olfactory senses. This is a welcomed greeting, reminding a person that this is a beer to be sipped and savored.  

The 120 Minute IPA is one of the smoothest beers that I have ever had.  It is perhaps the closest example of what a cordial would be in beer form.  There  is some hop bitterness in the background, which reminds you of the fact that ti is an Imperial Pale Ale.  That bitterness is joined by hints of dark fruit, which highlight the sweetness in the alcohol.  

The brewers suggest that, if you find some 120 Minute IPA, grab a few bottles. I second that suggestion, because I ranks this beer among my favorites.  Don't mind the price tag.  It is totally worth it. 

ENJOY!

O.T.W.O.A.

The message is clear on the can: "[a]nd so it was written ... According to the Mayan and Hopi Calendars, the 'transition from one world age to another' will happen on December 21, 2012."  Well, that was over four years ago and, if I am not mistaken, I am currently typing this blog post.  So much for the transition that the Mayans and Hopi predicted.  

Nevertheless, the brewers at DC Brau paid homage to that single date with Imperial India Pale Ale called On the Wings of Armageddon or O.T.W.O.A.   It is a single hop Imperial IPA brewed with Falconers Flight hops.  These hops are known for floral, citrus and tropical fruit elements, with an emphasis on lemon and grapefruit flavors. These characteristics of this hop varietal are matched with Pale, Cara-60, and CaraPils malts and malted wheat.  This blend of a single hop with these malts provide a very hop-forward beer that has a good malt backbone.  

The O.T.W.O.A. pours a hazy, orange color.  The haze of the beer is capped by a light foam, which dissolves into thin strings resembling a galaxy.  (The Mayans and Hopi always looked to the stars.)  The aromatic elements highlight the features of the Falconers Flight hops, particularly the citrus notes.  The brewers also note there are elements of white grapes, grapefruit, light bread and biscuit notes.  I get the grapefruit (as that is citrus), as well as the bread and biscuit notes from the malts.  As with any Imperial IPA, the taste of this beer is hop-centric.  There is a significant lemon and grapefruit presence, but some piney notes. The ABV of 9.2% is present with some subtle boozy tones, but it is not overwhelming.  Just a reminder that this is a beer to be sipped and enjoyed slowly.  

I am a big fan of DC Brau beers.  After all, I have reviewed five of them in the past.  I have to say that, of all the DC Brau beers that I have tried, On the Wings of Armageddon is the best beer that the brewers make.  It is so good that it is worth the $14.99 to $19.99 that you have to pay for a six pack. 

ENJOY!

Bell's Hopslam Ale

I admit that I often struggle to describe beers in my beer reviews.  I spend a lot of time trying to create an image of the beer in the reader's mind.  Too often, I give up that endeavor and just write a rather ordinary review.  Other people apparently don't suffer from the same troubles as I do.  They have a much easier time creating an image that sticks with a reader long after the article -- and the beer -- has been finished.  And, for some, those descriptions come a little to easy.

For example, a production manager at a brewery described one of the brewer's most popular offerings in the following way: "[imagine] if you’d gone to the hop growers association 20 years ago and said, I’m going to have a beer that we make 4,000 barrels of one time a year. It flies off the shelf at damn near $20 a six-pack, and you know what it smells like? It smells like your cat ate your weed and then pissed in the Christmas tree."  I found this quotation in a post from Appellation Beer written by Stan Hieronymus, and, it comes from Bell's Production Manager, John Mallett.  According to Hieronymus, Mallett was decribing Bell's Hopslam Ale.

The Hopslam Ale is brewed in the style of a double Imperial Pale Ale.  The brewer uses six different hops to brew this beer, although Bells does not disclose the identity of the hops on its website.  The brewers do note the "massive dry-hop addition of Simcoe hops" as part of the brewing process, which results in what the brewers call the most complex hopping schedule of any beer in its repertoire.  

The obvious question is whether the beer "smells like your cat ate your weed and then pissed on your Christmas tree"?  To find out, I was fortunate enough to be given a bottle of Hopslam Ale from a friend.  The beer poured an amber, copper-orangish color.  A good thick foam appeared and stuck around for quite a while.  I let the beer rest for a moment and two, and, then I tried to discern the aromas.  Fortunately, the aromatic elements were closer to the description provided by the brewers -- "a pungent blend of grapefruit, stone fruit and floral notes -- than the description provided by the production manager.  (Although I should note that Mallett's description was given as part of the reason for the formation of the Hop Quality Group -- a non-profit organization that communicates brewers' interests in hop aromas and the changes to those aromas to farmers.) 

For me, there was that pungent blend of citrus and floral notes in the aroma of the Hopslam.  However, those notes were restrained somewhat by the sweetness that comes from the "generous malt bill" and the "solid dollop of honey" used to produce the beer.  The sweetness served as a frame for the hops, both with the aroma and the taste of the beer.   The taste included everything I would expect and enjoy with a double IPA, a strong punch of citrus that crosses over to provide some piney notes, but the honey coats those rather astringent and bitter elements and adds a complexity that is often missing from double IPAs. 

Overall, this is an excellent double IPA, which one would expect when you are paying almost $18.00 for a six pack. If you are lucky enough to see a six pack.  It seems that -- whether the smell is like a cat eating your weed and peeing on your Christmas tree or a pungent blend of grapefruit, stone fruit and floral notes -- those six packs sell very quickly.  If you come across a six-pack, or even one bottle, it is worth the price.

ENJOY!

The Quest for El Dorado

There are many stories throughout history about the "gilded one."  Back in the 17th century, one author, Juan Rodríguez Freyle wrote in El Camero about how the "gilded one" emerged from a cave at Lake Guatavita (in what is now Colombia) covered in gold dust.  This was a special ceremony, which was part of the ascension of the gilded one to become the leader of the Muisca people.  To the Spanish conquistadors, the "gilded one" was known as El Dorado.  The conquistadors believed that Lake Guatavita was full of gold and, at one point, they drained the lake to reveal its riches.  Unable or unwilling to drain the lake completely, the Spaniards were only able to find some gold coins along the edge.

For centuries thereafter, the name El Dorado became synonymous with a place where there was abundant wealth.  However, wealth can be more than the number of gold ducats in your possession.  Indeed, it does not even need to be associated with the chemical symbol Au.  In the context of craft beer, the El Dorado  is that beer with the perfect accumulation of aromas and tastes.  It is that beer that will motivate people to assume the roles of modern day conquistadors, plodding through unknown beer stores, grocery stores and other locales searching out that very special beer.

 

I was one of those beer conquistadors.  Walking through a newly discovered beer store, I came across El Dorado.  This beer is one of the latest, limited releases by Flying Dog, and it is brewed using only a single hop, aptly named the El Dorado. According to the brewers, the El Dorado hop was first bred between 20 and 25 years ago by a United States Department of Agriculture research program.  The USDA program cultivated the hops for eventual use by Anheuser-Busch. However, Anheuser-Busch eventually decided to abandon the hop.  Now, A sole grower in Moxee Valley, a northern district of the famed Yakima Valley, kept the variety in the ground over the years and in 2010, harvested a mere 1.5 acres.  Those cones made their way to Frederick, Maryland, where Flying Dog used them to produce this beer.

As the name suggests, Flying Dog used only the El Dorado hops to produce this beer. However, they also used Rye, Cara-Pils and Biscuit malts, along with an American ale yeast during the brewing process. 

The El Dorado pours a bright gold or orange color, with only a thin, quick receding foam.   The aroma is full of citrus, such as grapefruit, tangerines and perhaps a little lemon.  There is even a little pepper or spice around the edges.  The taste of the beer mirrors the grapefruit aromas, which provides some bitterness, along with some grassy or herbal notes.  The most surprising aspect of the El Dorado is the sweetness that is found in the taste of the beer.  That sweetness numbs the bitterness, especially during the finish of the beer.

The brewers at Flying Dog suggest that this beer can be paired with a range of ingredients or dishes.  Pineapples and star fruit.  Thai or Mexican dishes.  This is just reflective of Imperial Pale Ales, which are fairly easy to pair with foods. I paired this beer with a lamb t-bones, grilled in the Fiorentina style, with mashed potatoes and a basic mushroom sauce.  The pairing worked very well. 

I found this six pack at a local beer and wine store.  It sold for about $15.00 for a six-pack.  Of course, I guess gold is kind of expensive....

ENJOY!

For more about the legend of El Dorado, check out the National Geographic Society.

The Decadent

I have mentioned several times that I never buy beer or wine based upon the label on the bottle.  However, if I did, then I would be buying a lot of beer from Ska Brewing Company.  The labels for Ska Brewing's offerings -- with the ska-music based themes and funky skeletons -- catch my eyes every time I see them on a store's shelves.  Fortunately, I can also justify the purchase of those beers on the fact that Ska Brewing makes some very good beers. 

Ska Brewing Company is located in Durango, Colorado.  As its website recounts, two friends -- Dave and Bill -- decided, after drinking a lot of bear and listening to ska music, that they would start brewing good beer.  They also undertook the battle against the big, bad forces that were "conspiring to conglomerize and corporatize beer."  The result are year-around brews with names like Ten Pin Porter and the Buster Nut Brown Ale.  However, Ska Brewing's "Robust Reincarnations" are some of the more noteworthy beers.

One of the "Robust Reincarnations" is the Decadent, an Imperial India Pale Ale.  Ska Brewing first made this beer to celebrate their tenth anniversary in business, and, they continue to make it every year. 

According to the brewers: "citrus aroma prevail.  Mounds of fresh hops and caramel malts explode upon the palate."  The beer pours a copper color, and it has a very nice citrus aroma.  I also sensed a little pine in that aroma as well.  As for the taste, the beer hit the mark of an Imperial India Pale Ale, with bold citrus flavors -- most notably, grapefruit -- that is paired with other traditional hop flavors like pine and even a little resin.  Those Imperial IPA flavors are tamed by a caramel-like sweetness in a beer that is smooth and silky in character.

Ska Brewing Company suggests pairing with spicy Indian, Thai and Mexican foods.  The brewer suggests that the hops attach to cumin, lime juice and cilantro, and I think I can see that.

The Decadent Imperial Pale Ale is available at beer stores, but not around where I live.  This bottle was bought at a Binny's outside of Chicago.

ENJOY!

Hops on the Rampage

"Wading through the jungle of beers on the shelf can be daunting, even mind numbing," reads the label.  "Session beers have their place," the label adds, "but this is not your normal sitting beer."  An Imperial India Pale Ale can never be mistaken for a session beer, with aromas and tastes thick with citrus and pine.  "Sort of like the big fella on the front," the possessed elephant, "he's been called ... Nothing but a massive thundering rampage of hops will do...."

Imperial India Pale Ales beckon a history of beer where brewers produced beer for the crews of vessels with names such as Atlas, Bengal, Hercules, and Sovereign, as they traveled thousands of miles to reach ports where, once they were ashore, they could see ... among other things, elephants.

A little closer to home, Black Diamond Brewing Company produces the Rampage Imperial IPA from its brewery in Concord, California.  The brewery gets its name from the nearby coal mines, where miners hauled black diamonds from the Earth. 

The Rampage pours copperish gold in color, which approximates the ideal color of an Imperial India Pale Ale.  A thin foam rests along the surface of the beer, which slowly recedes toward the edges, leaving a palette of foam resembling the clouds in the sky.  

As one would expect, the aromatic elements of the Rampage foreshadows what is to come.  The aroma features a range of citrus, principally grapefruit, with a little hint of grass. The taste is grapefruit first and foremost, with tastes of resin and pine following the citrus flavor. The bready flavors of the malt linger around the edges of the beer. 

I found this beer at a local market.  A 22-ounce bottle sells for about $8.99.  And, as the brewer says, "[b]ecause you can't really tame the beast, but you can definitely make it happy."

ENJOY!

Dogfish Head's Robert Johnson's Hellhound on my Ale

Legend says that, at the stroke of midnight, Robert Johnson  went down to the crossroads at Highways 61 and 49 in Clarksdale, Mississippi.  Angry at God for the untimely death of his wife and unborn child, Robert Johnson called upon the devil and made an irrevocable pact ... in exchange for his soul, the devil would tune Johnson's guitar, enabling him to become one of the greatest blues artists.  Robert Johnson did, in fact, become one of the greats, but the devil cashed in the exchange.  Robert Johnson died at age 27.

Well, now there is a beer in honor of Robert Johnson, and it is courtesy of Dogfish Head.  The beer, Robert Johnson's Hellbound on my Ale, commemorates the Mississippi Delta blues legend's 100th birthdays with a lot of 100s.  As the beer recounts, the Hellhound on my Ale is an Imperial India Pale Ale, which is loaded with hops -- including the dry-hopping of the beer with 100% Centennial hops at a rate of 100 kilograms per 10 barrel brew length, all of which contributes to an IBU of 100 at the brewhouse.  The beer has a 10.0% ABV and is 10.0 SRM in color. 

The SRM is the Standard Reference Method, which is a means by which brewers measure the colors of their beers. The SRM is actually a range from 2 (which would be a pale lager) to 70 (which would be an imperial stout).  A 10.0 places the Hellhound on my Ale in the range of a pale ale.  

The beer appears a little darker than an average pale ale, much more like an Imperial India Pale Ale.  When pouring the beer, a nice, thin layer of foam tops the beer.  As the foam subsides, the aromatic elements become clear.  There is definitely a good, solid aroma of lemons, wrapped in hops.  The lemon aromas (and flavors) come from the use of dried lemon peel and flesh in the brewing process.  The lemons are in recognition of Robert Johnson's mentor, Blind Lemon Jefferson.  

Those lemons figure prominently throughout the taste of the beer.  In fact, the lemon flavor is so prominent that it seems to upstage the flavor of the hops.  While I might have an issue with that,  particularly given the Imperial IPA style (where hops are supposed to be the king), Dogfish Head actually  makes it work this beer.  When drinking the beer, the lemon flavor seems sweet at the front, and then turns citrusy and a bitter in the finish.  The flavors of the beer are an analogy to Robert Johnson's life, sweet up front, but a bitter end. 

This beer is a limited release and is available in stores now for about $11.99 a bottle.  I have been able to find it at a local Whole Foods store, but it should be available at other beer store that sell 22 ounce bottles of Dogfish Head beers. This is a great beer to sip while listening to some of Robert Johnson's greatest blues songs, like Crossroad Blues, Kindhearted Woman Blues, and, most appropriately for this blog, Come on in My Kitchen!

ENJOY!

For more about the Robert Johnson, check out Robert Johnson and the Crossroads Curse.

Harpoon Brewery Leviathan Imperial India Pale Ale

In 1986, Harpoon Brewery opened its doors in Boston, Massachusetts and, for many years, it was known for the Harpoon IPA.  The beer is very good for an IPA; however, in my opinion, it is Harpoon's Leviathan series that truly pique my interest.  The Leviathan series are the brewery's big beers, like a Barleywine, an Imperial Rye and an Imperial India Pale Ale.

I bought a four pack of the Imperial India Pale Ale.  The beer is extremely bitter and very hoppy in taste, primarily due to the use of a lot of hops.  Harpoon uses Chinook, Centennial, Simcoe and Amarillo hops.  The brewery also uses its own proprietary yeast during the production of this beer. The result is a beer that has a whopping 10% ABV.

The Leviathan Imperial India Pale Ale has an amber color as it is poured into a glass.   The hops in the beer are very present in the nose of the beer, which is something you expect from this style.  The aromatic elements also include some pine.

With regard to taste, this beer is also not for lightweights.  If you do not like hoppy or bitter beers,  then this beer -- and, for that matter, any Imperial India Pale Ale, is not the beer for you.  But, for people like me, who really like hoppy beers, this beer is a good example of an Imperial India Pale Ale.  The taste of the beer is full of hops, which are not only up front, but also in the finish. The hoppiness of the beer also makes it fairly dry.

The intense hop flavor of this beer makes it a little difficult to pair with food.  However, in his book The Brewmaster's Table, brewmaster Garrett Oliver suggests that regular India Pale Ales can be paired with a wide array of ingredients and food, such as chili relleno, chorizo, fajitas, jambalaya, gumbo, and Thai food.

The beer sells for about $9.99 for a four pack and is available in stores like Whole Foods and Rodmans.

ENJOY!

Fat Head's Hop Juju Imperial Pale Ale

There are few things better than a nice glass of fresh craft beer.  And, right now, the beers of one of the best craft brewers out there -- Fat Head's -- is only available from the tap.  Fat Head's originated in Pittsburgh, and it is known for its "headwiches," which are huge sandwiches that would normally be reserved for Adam Richman to conquer on the Travel Network show Man v. Food.  However, Fat Head's North Olmsted, Ohio location is adding to the restaurant's fame for a completely different reason.  At the North Olmsted location, brewmaster Matt Cole produces some of the best beers that I have ever tasted.  He has produced a wide array of beers -- from Kolsches to Baltic Porters, from Imperial Pale Ales to Christmas Ales.  And, whenever I'm in Cleveland, I try to stop by Fat Head's to try whatever is the latest beer Matt has on tap.

This time, it was Matt's Hop Juju Imperial Pale Ale.  Imperial Pale Ales are one of my favorite beer styles and this beer lives up to what makes these beers truly great.  The Hop Ju Ju is all about the hops.  From the nose to the taste, one is inundated by hops.  The large amount of hops used in this beer creates a bitterness that is treasured by hop heads like myself.  The punch this beer provides is not just the hops, but it is also the alcohol.  The ABV of this beer is about 9.0%.  And, as the above picture shows, it is served in a small glass, rather than a pint glass.

This is truly a great beer and, for anyone who loves hops and happens to be in Cleveland area, I would recommend that you stop by and have a glass -- while it lasts.  The beer is available only on draft.  Fat Head's is working on bottling the beers, but, as of this post, the bottling has not taken place.  The picture below is the "label" of the beer, which I think is cool:

Still, I would prefer to stop by the restaurant because there are usually ten Fat Head beers on tap.  I would recommend that, after having one Hop Juju, you try another one of Matt's beers, like his award winning Headhunter IPA or his Up-in-Smoke Porter.

ENJOY!

Savage Boleks' Rascal King Imperial India Pale Ale

I am a big fan of craft beer and craft breweries, throughout the United States and around the world. You can see some of them on the right side of the blog under "Some Great Craft Brewers."  While I have no dreams of becoming a craft brewer, I did decide to start homebrewing as a hobby.

I chose to make an Imperial India Pale Ale as my first home brew, which is one of my favorite beer styles.  My beautiful wife, Clare, helped me make the beer.  Hence the "Savage Boleks."  This beer was made from a Brewer's Best kit and I followed the instructions to the letter.

The beer has a rascally history.  During the fermentation, the carboy blew its top because of the active fermentation.  Still, the beer turned out well.  It has a a deep brown color and a nice foam develops when poured.  Take a sniff of the beer and you are greeted by hops.  More hops follow when you drink the beer.  In fact, the beer has a very hoppy taste, which stays with you after each sip.  This is to be expected from an Imperial IPA, which is a beer style that uses more hops that other styles.

 

The beer is supposed to have an ABV of 9%, but I don't think I got the ABV that high.  Still, it is a very drinkable beer and a good first attempt at home brewing.  I offered the opportunity to try the beer to family and friends at our Open House/BBQ.  I guess people liked it, we went through a lot of them.

Obviously, as a homebrew, the beer is not for sale and is not available in stores.  You will just have to wait for the next party, assuming there is any left.  

ENJOY!

Lake Erie's Monster

Great Lakes Brewing Company is one of the first original craft breweries in Cleveland.  Great Lakes is known for its regular craft beers, such as its Dortmunder Gold or Burning River Pale Ale;  but it also has a reputation for great seasonals, such as its Nosferatu.

One legendary seasonal is the Lake Erie Monster, the Great Lakes seasonal for the summer.  An Imperial India Pale Ale, it registers at a 9.1% ABV with an IBU of 72.  The high ABV and relatively low IBV make this monster a little unique.  (The Nosferatu and Blackout Stout both have higher IBUs than the Imperial IPA).

The Lake Erie Monster is smooth, with a more rounded hop taste.  The finish is also smooth, with the alcohol following lock step with the hop taste.  Yet, this monster is no wallflower, as that 9.1% ABV provides the teeth for this beer.

I strongly recommend this beer, and, if I were rating it on a 1 to 5 star scale (with 5 being the highest), I would give it 4.5 stars.  The Lake Erie Monster is available at Whole Foods Markets.