Wild Ride Brew's Tarty to the Party Watermelon Lime Sour Ale

10 IBU's 5.6% ABV
Beer Advocate - 3.5/5 (2 votes
Untappd - 3.8/5

28B. Mixed-Fermentation Sour Beer

American Wild Ales are beers that are introduced to "wild" yeast or bacteria, such as Brettanomyces, Pediococcus, or Lactobacillus. This introduction may occur from oak barrels that have been previously inoculated, pitching into the beer, or gained from various "sour mash" techniques. Regardless of the method, these yeast and/or bacteria leave a mark that should be noticeable to strong, and often contribute a sour and/or funky, wild note. Mixed-fermentation examples will display a range of aromatics, rather than a single dominant character.

Purchased at Fred Meyer

I don't know if you've noticed lately but, I have been in a rut. A dark beer rut. A barrel aged dark beer rut. And for good reason, 'cause they're damn tasty...if you like that sort of thing, of which I do. So I appealed to my good friend for an idea for my next beer. Well, he has a thing for sours and this one came highly recommended. It's an odd selection for this time of the year here in Oregon. It's currently rainy and cold, which, by the way, calls for a barrel aged dark beer. But as I reached for the watermelon lime sour ale on the shelf, I was longing for the nice warm 80 degree days of the summer...and I saw it's appeal as a drink in the winter time. Then I walked outside and reality hit me. It was still winter. Oh well, at least I was taking home summer in a bottle.

Okay, on to the scores:

Aroma: Well, it smells like a watermelon jolly rancher with a hint of lime...I guess I expected that.  7

Appearance: The hue of the liquid looks to be like a richer, darker hue of apple juice from the store. Like Tree Top or something.   7

Flavor: The tartness is nice. My taste buds detected the subtle sweet watermelon after the initial blast of sour. It then dives right back to tart on the back end. Not overpoweringly puckalicious but it lets you know it's there.  8

Mouthfeel: Dry and nice level of carbonation. The level of pucker is not overwhelming throughout.  7.5

Overall: Wild Ride did a nice job for the style. I have had sours with off putting smells (vomit like) and makes you pucker just thinking of them. I guess some people like that but not this person. The flavor profile and lightness makes this a perfect beer for the summertime (or when wishing for the summer).  7.5

Matt's mark: 3.7/5

Chubby Cherub Cherry Bourbon Porter by Falling Sky Brewing

Falling Sky Brewers' Reserve

15 IBU 6.5% ABV
Beer Advocate - n/a
Untappd - 3.8/5

20A. American Porter (or possibly a specialty category)

A substantial, malty dark beer with a complex and flavorful dark malt character.
 
Purchased at Falling Sky Delicatessen Eugene, Oregon

So, the first Wednesday of each month, we have what we call at our house "chicken Wednesday". No, we don't eat chicken this day...we pick up chicken this day. And when I say we, I mean me. I pick up the chicken. So let me explain. The missus and I purchase an allotment (three to be exact) of whole chickens (delicious organic free range chicken by the way) each month from Fair Valley Farms, which is located on the outskirts of Eugene. Fair Valley, in turn, has a pickup location on Saturday and Wednesday of the first week of each month. Now this is important...the pickup location on Wednesday is Falling Sky Delicatessen...which is an offshoot of Falling Sky Brewing. So basically, it is a "forced" night out to eat sliders and drink beer by myself (well, not totally by myself... there are a few other patrons at the 4 o'clock happy hour). Oh the horror! Before we go any further, no I didn't get a picture of the counter at Falling Sky. I told myself to do it but honestly, you're lucky to get the picture at the top of the page. I don't like taking pictures. It's a thing. Now, as I was purchasing my sliders and beer at said counter, I noticed that the Chubby Cherub was for purchase in a bomber...so I added it to the bill! I mean, it had all the important ingredients like being dark, aged in some sort of barrel and alcohol derived from malted grain. Apparently, I am on a dark beer kick for at least one more week.

Okay, on to the scores:

Aroma: Not a big boozy smell like other bourbon beers have. Notes of coffee, raisin, cherry and vanilla on the nose. The subtle bourbon an underlying note in the background. Enticing enough to keep going.  7.5

Appearance: Has a nice dark reddish/brownish color...like a mahogany laced with cherry. The medium thick cream colored head lasts for awhile.  8

Flavor: A nice yummy vanilla and cherry upfront. Surprising, not a big coffee note. Again, the subtle bourbon woodsiness on the back end.  8

Mouthfeel: Decidedly a medium light weight to the brew. It has a nice dry finish but not overly carbonated.  7.5

Overall: This is a solid brew from Falling Sky. While I like my bourbon beers to be a bit bigger, the more subtle and light approach was nice. You could sit back and drink a couple of these bombers and still be able to function just fine...comparatively speaking of course. Also, the missus (not being a dark beer fan) was not totally put off by the Chubby Cherub. She even suggested it would be a nice desert if made into an adult milkshake. I tend to agree with everything she says (except I accept all types of beers) because life is just better that way. The Chubby Cherub is definitely worth the purchase.  7.75

Matt's mark: 3.88/5

Prairie Artisan Ales Bomb! Imperial Stout

(now owned by Krebs Brewing Company)

13% ABV
Beer Advocate score - 4.5/5
Untappd score 4.3/5

20C. Imperial Stout

An intensely-flavored, big, dark ale with a wide range of flavor balances and regional interpretations. Roasty-burnt malt with deep dark or dried fruit flavors, and a warming, bittersweet finish. Despite the intense flavors, the components need to meld together to create a complex, harmonious beer, not a hot mess.

Found at Market of Choice

So I am going to let you in on a little secret, don't go to the Willagellespie Road Market of Choice. Their beer section is the worst of the four in Eugene, much like going to a Safeway or an Albertson's (which, of course, are the same thing). Not sure why, just not impressive. Even the campus one is better even though it's smaller. I go to the main MOC on Willamette Street in South Eugene...the Mecca of MOC's you could say. While searching for my latest brew, Claim 52 happened to be providing samples. So I sampled like any smart person would do...which led to me asking him for recommendations. He quickly pointed out the Bomb! as one of his all time favorites. An Imperial Stout that is aged on coffee from Spaceship Earth, cacao nibs, vanilla beans and Chili peppers? Yeah, that is a list of ingredients that could lead to that kind of build up. So, I had to come home with it...and also Fluffier from Claim 52. I mean, after all, the guy was helpful in so many ways...free beer, pointing out a promising beer, oh and free beer. On to the review!

Aroma: The aroma is reminiscent of a sweet chipotle BBQ with hints of vanilla and chocolate. The coffee comes through at the end...nice undertone.  9

Appearance: Very little head that dissipates quickly (the high ABV might have something to do with that?). The liquid is a really lovely dark brown hue that lets no light through.  9

Flavor: Wow! A co-mingling of many flavors! It reminds me of a dark chocolate Mexican Mocha blended with a small amount of vanilla ice cream. Desert in a bottle. The spiciness of the peppers is a nice touch.  9.5

Mouthfeel:  Extremely smooth and just the right amount of carbonation. The heat from the spice is low, doesn't make the drink uncomfortable at all.  9

Overall: Apparently, I am late to the Bomb! party. This is probably the most popular beer that I have reviewed. Now I know why. It has many great flavors the co-exist exceptionally well together. I have elevated the Bomb! into my top beers for sure. If you see this beer on the shelf at the store, don't wait, buy it, buy it now.  9

Matt's mark: 4.55/5

Rum Barrel Aged Porter by PFriem Family Brewers

45 IBU 9.5% ABV
Beer Advocate - 4.2/5
Untappd - 4.2/5

20A. American Porter (or possibly a specialty category)

A substantial, malty dark beer with a complex and flavorful dark malt character.
   
Found at Whole Foods

It is a good damn thing that I score the beers I drink before emptying the whole bottle, 'cause I tell you what, it's hard to type when consuming a beer like this. I originally planned on a different beer to do a review on but was not excited about it...I wanted something special to bring in the new year of course! And a bloody IPA was soooo derivative. I have this whole New Year's tradition that I started 4 years ago now. I hang out at my good friends apartment (shout out to the Brisby's) on the Eve while mentally preparing myself for a 5k at midnight to bring in the new year. Then I come back to the apartment and crash for 6 hours, wake up and run another 5k! The event is called The First Run and it's a total blast if you're in to that sort of thing. Which I am of course. And afterwards, there is nothing better than drinking a high ABV beer on an empty stomach when already riding that exercise high. The endorphins are off the charts! And endorphins make you happy. Happy people just don't shoot others, they just don't.

Okay, on to the scores:

Aroma: This is how a barrel aged beer is supposed to smell. The nose is nice and boozy with hints of burnt sugar, dark chocolate and vanilla. Makes my mouth water.  9.25

Appearance: Pours a deep burnt sugar with hues of red and a sandy brown medium head. Pleasant to look at if you ask me (and I did, how else would I rate it?).  8.5

Flavor: I don't know if I can fully convey all the flavors but I will try. A chocolate rum ball at the forefront, hints of vanilla, burnt sugar and a woodsy oak flavor.  Nicely balanced.  9

Mouthfeel: I decided to drink this on an empty stomach because I knew it was going to be heavy but is also really smooth. The carbonation is a little bit more than what I am used to from a porter; small drawback. Did I say it was really smooth?   8.5

Overall: This is the second brew from PFriem that I have partaken and it did not disappoint. It left me feeling nice and toasty...just how I was wanting to feel! What a shocker! PFriem's website says that this porter has 45 IBU's but it didn't seem like it. Don't get me wrong, 45 IBU's is not a lot in this day and age of hop head craziness, but it does lend an amount of detectable bitterness. If the hops did, it was well balanced... as a porter should be. 8.75

Matt's mark: 4.40/5

Fort George Brewery 1000 Years of Silence

Sweet Virginia Seriers
Mexican Chocolate Imperial Stout

22 IBU

10.5% ABV
Beer Advocate  - 4.06/5
Untappd - 4.1/5

20C. Imperial Stout

An intensely-flavored, big, dark ale with a wide range of flavor balances and regional interpretations. Roasty-burnt malt with deep dark or dried fruit flavors, and a warming, bittersweet finish. Despite the intense flavors, the components need to meld together to create a complex, harmonious beer, not a hot mess.

Beer found at the Market of Choice.

As I was pondering what cheeses to buy for our first Christmas (the missus' side), I also was pondering what Mexican Chocolate Imperial Stout would be leaving the store with me. It came down to Epic Brewing and the one I eventually decided on from Fort George Brewery located in the wonderful little town of Astoria, Oregon. They both sounded wonderful but the 1000 Years of Silence was just a tad bit less expensive (also, a really cool name, couldn't pass it up). Considering I was buying relatively spendy cheeses, I thought it prudent to save a few bucks knowing I was still getting a quality beverage (Fort George is above reproach). Now, let's dive into what I found out!

Aroma: When I put my nose down into the glass, the first thing that hit was a nice sweet malt chocolate fragrance. I also detected some vanilla and a bouquet of spiciness. I am guessing some cinnamon and something else... my sniffer can't quite distinguish.   8.5

Appearance: It pours out a very dark, velvety smooth liquid with a thick, caramel chocolate head. I am being honest when I say that the head lasted for a at least ten minutes after the pour.  9

Flavor: Definitely Chocolate, cinnamon and vanilla. What surprised me was the kick of some sort of pepper (found out later it's Pasilla and Ancho) at the beginning. You can actually feel the spiciness tingle in the nose. Wow! 9

Mouthfeel: Nice level of carbonation. Creamy and silky smooth. I could sip this beer for hours and not grow tired of it.  8.5

Overall: I really, really enjoyed this brew. Great job by Fort George Brewery. I especially loved the zesty spice up front from the Pasilla and Ancho peppers. Together they gave the stout an extra kick. As you can see, the rating of this beer is much higher than the already high marks of beer advocate and untappd. It's not much of a surprise given my bias towards dark beers. This one though, ranks with the best. I might have to make this one a Christmas tradition! 8.7

Matt's mark: 4.35/5

I hope everyone has a great Christmas and many blessing to you and yours!

Baerlic Brewing Company Special Collusion Edition

Wood Worker Barrel Aged Series
Dolce De Leche Russian Imperial Stout

65 IBU 10.5% ABV
No rating on Beer Advocate
No rating on Untappd

20C. Imperial Stout

An intensely-flavored, big, dark ale with a wide range of flavor balances and regional interpretations. Roasty-burnt malt with deep dark or dried fruit flavors, and a warming, bittersweet finish. Despite the intense flavors, the components need to meld together to create a complex, harmonious beer, not a hot mess.

Beer found at the Market of Choice.

When I was perusing the options, I stumbled upon this magnificent looking bottle... and you know me, I can't pass up the chance to try another bourbon barrel aged brew! I immediately thought, "hey, at $9 a bottle, this barrel aged stout comes in at a lower cost than others I have tried and liked...I wonder if I can detect any differences in quality...". Sure enough, it's what I brought home for a review!

Aroma: The missus think it smells like gingerbread but I get a big whiff of bourbon toastiness layered with a bit of chocolate, coffee and an appealing aroma of vanilla. There is something else on the back end which is reminiscent of toasted coconut but I am not sure. My mouth is watering.   9

Appearance: A deep, dark brownish color that is clean. Not surprising considering it's a stout with coffee added in. A nice milk chocolate head that lasts for awhile leaving a decent amount of lacing behind.   9

Flavor: Wow! It tastes like a heavier version of a coffee cocktail. Strong coffee character with the punch of bourbon and cocoa (holding the heavy cream of course... although, it does have creaminess to it). It's a little on the sweet side (maybe more hop bitterness needed?) but the flavors are quite enjoyable.  8

Mouthfeel: The carbonation comes through at a nice low-medium level. As mentioned above, a decent amount of creaminess. The brew coats the mouth, leaving the sweet aftertaste for a time. An after dinner sipper.  8

Overall: Baerlic Brewing Company did a nice job with this brew. I am actually shocked at the price point compared to others in its class. I found it to be a complex brew with many layers to it... all of which complimented each other quite nicely. The one draw back I did find, the sweetness comes on a little strong. That is just a preference of mine though, others may enjoy it more (I prefer my beers to stay firmly in the beer category, I think a little higher hop profile would suit this just fine). I started drinking the brew before dinner and a third of the way through I decided it would be better after dinner as a desert. It was a smart choice. 
8.5

Matt's mark: 4.25/5

Life's a Peach & Then You Die Peach Milkshake IPA from Riverbend Brewing Company

65 IBU 7% ABV
Beer Advocate - 4.02
Untappd - 3.92

21B. Specialty IPA

Recognizable as an IPA by balance – a hop-forward, bitter, dryish beer – with something else present to distinguish it from the standard categories. Should have good drinkability, regardless of the form. Excessive harshness and heaviness are typically faults, as are strong flavor clashes between the hops and the other specialty ingredients.

Beer found at the Market of Choice.

Surprise! It's a midweek beer review! I couldn't decide last week what brew I wanted between the Brut IPA and the NE Style (Hazy) IPA. So I came home with both! So, here we go!

Aroma: Big on the sweet fragrance of peach and mild citrus. The hops give it a nice dankness.  8

Appearance: Chunky and hazy (living up to it's name I guess). It actually looks like pulp floating around in golden hazy liquid. Have to admit, it doesn't look appetizing to me. The head is almost non-existent.   5.5

Flavor: Good hop resiny bitterness up front that quickly goes away. It leads to a fair amount of peachy sweetness (from the lactose I presume) with just a hint of vanilla on the back end. A decently balanced brew. 7

Mouthfeel: Astonishingly smooth and creamy, reminiscent of a smoothie. A little weird in a beer but definitely not unpleasant. I am taking a wild guess that oats were used in the mash to create some of the feeling (along with the lactose).  7

Overall: This was my first NE Style IPA. I thought it was an enjoyable experience. I have to admit though, I don't think I am a huge fan of the distinctive look of a hazy IPA. It just looks messy to me. Maybe I am just a curmudgeon and have no idea what I am talking about...it IS all the rage you know. Well, I do have an idea of a way around this problem (cause it is a problem and I do like the flavor), I could just drink the beer from the can! That way I don't have to see it. Look at me solving my problems! (pats self on back) 7


Matt's mark: 3.45/5