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velovampire wrote:
The first one I had I felt the same way about "that flavour" (I can't pinpoint it either). However, I did have it right after a Monogamy: Summit, so that might have coloured my opinion somewhat. The second bottle (and subsequent bottles) I had on a fresh palate and was really, really nice. Slightly "rough", but perfectly fitting for the style, IMO.
Drinking one now and quite like it - yeah, a tad rough, but the hops and roast work, I think...really drinkable. Is the flavour a mild soapiness in the finish? There seems to be a real thick oily flavour from the hops - not unpleasant though.
I spent a lot of time thinking about it, and I think it's Hoppin' Frog's black IPA that it reminds me of. The combination of the hops they used along with the roast malt bitterness and slightly cloying sweetness put me off a bit. That bottle was a bit of a challenge to get through for me. I have one more, I will give it another shot tomorrow.
I'm starting to get used to the house character of Bellwoods...I really liked the beer and found it quaffable. I could've used a bit more roast and body, but I realize it's a brown ale and not a black IPA.
I'd like to try more American Brown Ales, but I think I probably prefer the subtleties of English ones.
As an aside the new batch of Hellwoods went on tap tonight. Couldn't stick around and try it, but apparently it's been tweaked and is very good.
"What can you say about Pabst Blue Ribbon that Dennis Hopper hasn’t screamed in the middle of an ether binge?" - Jordan St. John
Brooklyn Black Chocolate with a few years on it. This takes me back a decade to when I first started drinking good beer. Nothing flashy or over-the-top, just an incredibly well-crafted imperial stout using a great malt combination to create a wonderful chocolate flavour. Always loved this one.
Drainpoured both. Supplication was sour (probably infected). Utter crap.
Good call, you might have become seriously ill!
Beaver River IPEh. Tasting much better than I remember, not sure if they've changed the recipe or if it's just that it's fresher than I've had it before. The batch currently at the LCBO was bottled February 14th.
^ really, I had no idea a sealed alcohol product going sour/cheesy/infected can make you sick. I always assumed a soured Trafalgar product was safe to drink even if it taste like a Flemish Red instead of an Irish Ale.
If infected = not healthy to drink, we have a public safety petition VS one local brewer.
Molson Stock Ale on tap at Loose Moose. I thought I would give it a shot. Alas, not very good, even for a traditional Canadian cream ale or whatever. I'd much rather have a Sleeman even. Followed it with a Sawdust City Lone Pine, and it was just light years better. Then finished up with a Silversmith Black Lager -- really nice too.
Thanks for the tip on Molson Stock, Midlife, it must be the first time in over 30 years the brand is available on draft. Too bad the taste doesn't sound that great..
Sampling now Hop City's Pale Ale. It's got lots of malt, lots of hops, but the thing doesn't cohere for me, it ends up tasting (to me) kind of unbalanced. The hops have an acidic edge - I think it is the hops - similar to what I get in Barking Squirrel. Decent gateway product but not more, IMO and I'd rate Six Pints's pale ale and IPA much higher for example.
