Posts Tagged ‘Vermont’

After a rather crazed Labor Day weekend (wherein the Cha Cha Hut made its official commercial debut), we decided to journey to Oliver’s Discount Beverage in Albany to restock a quickly dwindling cellar. I once stated the selection here is much smaller than Half Time in Poughkeepsie, but what is there is truly amazing. I always find a ton of interesting new brews when dropping into Oliver’s So much so, I can’t remember the last time we made the trip to Half Time. Plus – the Oliver’s staff seem to be really excited to be selling something other than the endless stream of BMC we see going out the door.

Bombers
Southern Tier Imperial Pumking Ale
Southern Tier Imperial Mokah (chocolate & coffee stout)
Southern Tier Imperial Cherry Saison
Southern Tier Imperial Heavy Weizen
Dogfish Head Fort (brewed with pureed raspberries)
The Bruery Black Orchard
Brown’s Whiskey Barrel Aged Porter
He’Brew Rejewvenator Harvest Ale
Avery Fifteen Anniversary Ale
Avery Collaboration Not Litigation Ale
Red Hook DB Double Black Stout with Coffee

40 oz.
People’s Pint Tap & Die Malt Liquor

6 Pack
Wolaver’s Certified Organic Will Stevens’ Pumpkin Ale
Brown’s Oatmeal Stout
Sierra Nevada Kellerweis
Atwater Block Brewery Vanilla Java Porter
Boulder Beer Mojo IPA

I’m calling this the “Western Mass. Edition” due to a weekend OAB roadtrip to the I-91 corridor of Massachusetts. We decided we needed to get out of town for the weekend and decided to use the beer map in Yankee Brew News as our guide. There are many upcoming articles about the trip, but I decided to kick things off with a beerventory update that is now decidedly Massachusetts heavy.

As we were staying in the Northampton area, we THOUGHT we would do the beer run at Spirit Haus in Amherst on our way out. No such luck. We’ve see great reviews for this place, but the selection on a Sunday morning pretty much sucked. Perhaps we missed something other than the weak selection of bombers and 6/12 packs on the floor near the register. Perhaps it had been a heavy Saturday night – though to me most of the shelves looked stocked.

Thankfully, we had gone to Greenfield, MA on Saturday and looked around in Ryan and Casey Liquors. So after the Spirit Haus disappointment, we hit the highway, headed up to Greenfield and stocked up before heading back to OAB HQ. Looking forward to the coming weeks and drinking these. (Also looking forward to another beer run to Massachusetts.

Bombers
Berkshire Brewing Hefeweizen Ale
Berkshire Brewing Coffeehouse Porter
People’s Pint Pied pIPA
People’s Pint shWheat Ale
People’s Pint Natural Blonde
High & Mighty Two-Headed Beast Chocolate Stout
High & Mighty St. Hubbins Abbey
High & Mighty Purity Of Essence Lager
High & Mighty Beer of the Gods
Pretty Things Baby Tree Quad with Dried Plums
Pretty Things St. Botoisph’s Town Rustic Dark Ale
McNeill’s Ruby Ale
Southern Tier Mokah Stout
Southern Tier Creme Brulee Stout
Jolly Pumpkin La Roja Amber Ale
Arcadia Ales Cocoa Loco
Arcadia Ales Cereal Killer
Southern Tier Jah-Va Imperial Coffee Stout
Ommegang Biere de Mars
Flying Dog Wild Dog Weizenbock

40 oz.
People’s Pint Tap & Die Malt Liquor

12 Pack
Opa Opa Sampler featuring Opa Opa Light, Red Rock Amber Ale and Opa Opa IPA

6 packs : cans
21st Amendment Brew Free! or Die IPA
21st Amendment Hell or High Watermelon Wheat

6 packs : bottle
Saranac Summer Brew

Brewery: Long Trail
Location: Bridgewater Corners, VT
Style: Double IPA

Having enjoyed the the other member of the Brewmaster Series (Long Trail Coffee Stout), I could not pass up the opportunity to try the Double IPA. Add to this the fact Oliver’s Discount Beverage was selling bombers for $3.99 and it was a slam dunk to pick up two for the cellar.

As I have mentioned in several IPA reviews, I spent many years avoiding the hops. Stouts, porters and ambers were the standard drink for me. At the beginning of the warm weather here at OAB HQ, I declared this spring and summer the season of “Embrace The Hops”. I’ve gone out of my way on each cellar restock to find at least one hop bomb or big hop beer – much to the dismay of Mrs. Ohabeer. (She is decidedly not a hop fan…) While the Long Trail Double IPA does not qualify as a hop bomb, it certainly satisfies my desire for something hoppier than my usual fare and was declared by Mrs. Ohabeer: “too hoppy”.

It pours a slightly cloudy gold color with a clean foamy white head. The aroma is definitely an DIPA: large hop scent – citrus with a faint flower and malt scent. The flavor is a lovely balance of citrusy hops, a subtle balance of malt with a touch of flowery hop at the end. Mrs. Ohabeer and I discussed the citrus profile and decided it comes through mostly as lemony. It’s a medium light bodied IPA with a bit of “tongueyness”. By that I mean, it’s a slight bit dry on the end leading to that strange sort of feeling on the tongue. If you’ve encountered it you know what I mean. It’s not a bad thing – just a little unexpected in an DIPA.

Certainly lighter than most DIPAs in body, it’s 8.6% ABV is nicely hidden in the balance of citrus hop and sweet malts. A very mellow DIPA that could easily sneak up on you if you’re not careful. At $3.99 a bomber, drinking several – while economical – may not be the most advisable session on a BBQ afternoon.

Brewery: Long Trail
Location: Bridgewater Corners, VT
Style: Imperial Coffee Stout

Question: what do you do when you see a bomber for a brewery’s Special Edition series prices at $4.99?

If you answer is anything other than “Buy it without thinking” I have serious doubts about your sanity and fiscal responsibility.

So it was that I encountered the Long Trail Brewmaster Series Coffee Stout in a bomber at the remarkable price of $4.99. Without thinking – I picked up a bottle. I now wish it had been more, but that’s another story.

For full disclosure, I am a big coffee junkie. I brew via French press, prefer to grind my own beans and feel most coffee stouts fail to actually impart a coffee profile. To me, if you are going to call it “coffee stout” – it sure as hell better have a coffee taste. To their credit, Long Trail has accomplished this task creating a decent low priced stout with a solid coffee base.

The bottle states “Made with Vermont Coffee Company Coffee” and to a coffee geek that’s a good thing. Vermont Coffee Company has a fairly good reputation for quality roasting and that come through in this brew. It pours a jet black with a dark brown head that falls fairly quickly. It’s a big imperial stout scent – huge on roasted malt – with a very heavy coffee tone. Think morning coffee brewing crossed with a big stout.

The taste carries this combo through – big stout taste with a nice bitter coffee tone. Here is where I think most people discussing coffee stouts part ways. If you prefer a smooth mellow roast coffee – most coffee stouts are going to be a fail for you are they tend to use a stronger coffee flavor. If the brewer has decided to go LCD and use a coffee extract or cold brew coffee – the bitter edge is gone and the hardcore coffee geek is unimpressed. To me, if you’re not a fan of strong coffee – why are you buying and drinking a big coffee stout? The Long Trail is a big bitter coffee taste – like a great fresh cup in the morning – and finishes with a hint of chocolate.

My only real complaint is it is a bit thin on body. If this had been a bit thicker – it would have been a damn near perfect coffee stout. Excellent aroma. Solidly balanced bitterness. A nice mid-range 8% ABV makes it no session drink but fine for the seasoned professional. All for the low low price of $4.99. I certainly hope to run into this again soon.

Brewery: Rock Art Brewery
Location: Morrisville, VT
Style: Barley wine ale

Keeping in a Vermont beer mode (see the last few days of Wolaver’s/Otter Creek reviews), next stop is Morrisville and the Rock Art Brewery Ridge Runner Barley Wine Ale. One major factor in picking this bomber up was the price – $3.99.

That’s right $3.99 for a bomber of craft beer!

Now I can’t say for certain it was not on some sort of close out, but it was in the regular stock surrounded by all of the usual pricey craft bombers. Like a slightly sad kitten at a shelter, it just seemed wrong NOT to pick one up and take it home.

This pours a dark amber brown with a thick creamy long lasting head. There is a dense malty aroma. Tasting proves to also be big on the malt. There is an excellent sweetness – not too cloy – with a lovely additional nuttiness. That is finished off with a hint of bitter hops at the very end.

This is a medium bodied barley wine. Not as thick as most I’ve had – more like an amped up dark American ale. There is a bit of alcohol linger on the tongue, but all in all this is a somewhat toned down brew good for a summer’s evening but not the sort of big brew you expect in a barley wine.

Than again – at $3.99 a bomber – if I see it again I’d most likely pick it up.

Brewery: Otter Creek
Location: Middlebury, VT
Style: Brown ale

Like the Otter Creek Copper Ale, the Otter Creek Mud Bock came in a 12 pack sampler we served up at the Cha Cha Hut Grill Club 2009 Kick off. Of the beers in the sampler (two more remain to be reviewed), this was by far the most interesting.

The Mud Bock is a dark brown American ale with a medium bubbly tan head. There is quite a bit of hoppiness in the aroma. Smelling it, you would expect it to possibly be a dark ale hop bomb. It’s actually mostly a sweet roasty malt brew with a nicely balanced citrusy floral hop undertone. It’s a medium bodied ale that went quite well with smoked pork and spicy pulled chicken.

The low alcohol content means it’s a perfect session beer for an afternoon of outdoor drinking. Sadly, it is seasonal and will soon disappear. If you’re looking for something a bit different than the usual utility ale, I suggest stocking up on this while it’s around.

Brewery: Otter Creek Brewing
Location: Middlebury, VT
Style: Copper ale

Since I reviewed the Wolaver’s Ben Gleason’s White Ale yesterday, I decided to keep in the Otter Creek Brewing mode and review two of their non-organic line.

For the first Cha Cha Hut Grill Club of the 2009 Season – in addition to a variety of foamybeer brews – we decided to back up our beverage selection with a couple of 12 pack craft samplers. This Otter Creek Copper Ale came from one of these samplers.

This is a definite utility ale. There is nothing particularly spectacular about this ale, but then again sometimes you do not need spectacular. It has a nice clear copper color with a moderate foamy haed that falls rather quickly.

There is a flowery malty scent that carries over to the tasting. It’s a medium hoppy ale with malt sweetness rounding off the hops. You get a moderate hit of flowery hops at first taste that is quickly followed by a nice mellow malt finish. It’s a medium bodied ale with not too big of a kick. Perfect for around the BBQ.

Brewery: Otter Creek Brewing
Location: Middlebury, VT
Style: White ale

Continuing on the Belgian or Belgian styled white ale trend of the last few reviews, I turn now to an OAB favorite brand: Wolaver’s. I have yet to be disappointed in anything I have had from them. Often I feel the “certified organic” tag is nothing more than a marketing ploy to attract yuppie douchebags and charge far too much for a product. In the case of the Wolaver line – however – the price is no more than the usual craft beer but the quality definitely stands out.

Ben Gleason’s White Ale is a Belgian style white brewed with organic raw wheat, organic rolled oats, and organic 2-row malted barley. This is then spiced with organic coriander and orange peel. All of that organic care actaully comes through in the final product.

This is a slightly cloudy pale gold beer with a bright white head. There is quite a bit of carbonation and that brings all the orange, yeast and spicy goodness to the nose as you pour. The word that comes to mind on tasting is: crisp. This is a crisp light Belgian with a perfect citrus to spice to yeast balance. Those organic grains have laid down a perfect foundation of light maltiness with a nice level of wheat. We can only hope the foamybeer Ring My Belgian we are currently conditioning will turn out half as good.

Excellent with a light BBQ dinner outside on a summer evening. You simply can’t go wrong here – unless you REALLY hate great Belgian beer. Wolaver’s continues to impress and I continue to look for their beers.

I haven’t really done much of a restock lately to the cellar. We’ve been a bit too busy around OAB HQ drinking various foamybeers – our own line of brews. A recent trip to pick up more brewing supplies lead us to drop by Oliver’s discount Beverage in Albany. so, the latest beerventory…

Growlers
Cave Mountain Hefeweizen (bought at the brewery on $8 browler Sundays)

6 packs
Widmer Drop Top Amber Ale
Widmer Drifter Pale Ale
Saranac Summer Brew
Wolaver Ben Gleason’s White Ale
Sherwood forest Friar’s Belgian White ale
Boulder Brewing Hazed & Infused
Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA

12 Pack
Smutty Nose Sampler featuring Shoals Pale Ale, Old Brown Dog, IPA and Robust Porter

Bombers
Long Trail Brewmasters Series Double IPA
Jolly Pumpkin Bam Biere
Jolly Pumpkin La Roja Amber Ale
Arcadia Ales Cocoa Loco
Arcadia Ales Cereal Killer
Southern Tier Jah-Va Imperial Coffee Stout
Southern Tier Iniquity Black Ale
Smuttynose Really Old Brown Dog Ale
Smuttynose Gravitation Belgian Quad
Ommegang Biere de Mars
He’Brew Jewbelation 12
Elysian Bifrost Winter Ale
Flying Dog Wild Dog Weizenbock

After a recent sweltering Sunday in New Paltz, NY chilling at the Gilded Otter (great beer – bad website) with The Beer Wench (as much fun to drink with as she is on Twitter) and some other fine folks, we swung by K & E Discount Beverage to do a little stock up since we were in the area.

Bombers
Brooklyn Brewery Local No. 2
Great Divide Hercules Double IPA
Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale
Rock Art Brewery Ridge Runner Barley Wine
Elysian Bifrost Winter Ale
The Bruery Orchard White
Troegs Flying Mouflan

Six packs
Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA
Sherwood Forest Friar’s Belgian-style White Ale

Promo bottle (yes! free beer!)
Guinness 250th Anniversary Stout

We bought the Troegs Flying Mouflan in order to cellar two more. We already had one in the cellar. Troegs claims this ages nicely – turning into a whole new beer. We’re looking forward to seeing if that is true. I am also a bit curious about the anniversary Guinness. It is not out yet, but – when I asked about it – the clerk gave me a free bottle from a promo pack. Given some of the press – and being a huge traditional Guinness fan – I’m a bit dubious about this one. Claims of it being “fizzier…maltier…made for the U.S. market” makes me think “Guinness dumbed down” but the 5% ABV (up from the 4.2 ABV of traditional Guinness) is intriguing. Then again – at $10/six pack – I’m betting this promo bottle is all I’ll have of the anniversary Guinness.