all the same song

Beer Review 0385: Oskar Blues Gubna Imperial IPA

With great pride I can now call Oskar Blues a local brewery — cans from their new facility in Brevard, North Carolina, have just started hitting shelves and this can of Gubna is a fresh example.

Oskar Blues began life in 1999 in Lyons, Colorado; Dale Katechis turned his restaurant into a brewpub, and while the beer was merely a side project at first, it quickly turned into big business. With customers really liking the beer they could get at the pub, Katechis wanted to start packaging the beer for sale outside of his restaurant.

In 2002, Oskar Blues began packaging beer… in cans. That’s right, all cans. Imperial Stout (Ten Fidy, 98 points) in cans. Everything. Today, canning craft beer is a hot trend, especially since the advantages of the can really outweigh bottles.

In late 2012, Oskar Blues opened an east coast facility in Brevard, NC. The brewery sells 35% of its beer on the east coast, so the new brewery helps with distribution. Over the last few weeks, we here in North Carolina have been enjoying super-fresh cans of all Oskar Blues beers, which has been a tasty experience!

The beer up for review today is Gubna, an Imperial IPA brewed with a blend of Cascade and Summit hops. The malt bill features rye malt; after fermentation, Gubna is massively dry-hopped, and comes in at 10% ABV (alcohol by volume) and over 100 IBUs (International Bitterness Units).

Out of the can, this beer creates a large, off-white head that is frothy and loves to hang around. The liquid itself is tangerine orange colored, clear in body, and featured no particles or sediment. Lacing started to form just as soon as the head began to settle, and continued impressively down the glass as I sipped, leaving thick, puffy suds.

The nose is a little deceiving, as the rye malt comes to the forefront and gives the nose a bready, spicy scent. But eventually those Cascade and Summit hops shine through, issuing up grapefruit and general citrus, especially orange juice. Dig deeper and there’s a significant amount of pine, too; unfortunately, this is a little underplayed because the rye is so strong. And for a high ABV beer, the alcohol isn’t present.

On the palate, there’s a different story: the hops are front and center; big notes of orange and lemon. Just a smidgen of bitterness starts to develop when the rye sweeps in, offering a spiciness and turning the hops quite sweet. Flavors of grapefruit and caramel develop until the swallow, when the rye kicks up again, this time gentle, and brings about a ton of heavily bitter pine and grapefruit rind. There is a touch of an alcohol kick, but if you ask me, it plays well with the heavy bitter finish. Gubna is full-bodied, with a medium, foamy and gritty mouthfeel; the final conclusion leaves the tongue dry and ready for more.

Honestly, I was very surprised by this brew — while I tend to really enjoy IPAs brewed with rye malt, I do find that the rye coupled with the bitterness tends to give off a soapy flavor that tires my palate quickly. Gubna isn’t like that, and the rye is a welcome addition. Excellent flavors and a nice story this beer tells. Pick it up if you see it.

Oskar Blues Gubna Imperial IPA, 94 points. Price: $4.79 US for one twelve ounce can.

Beer Review 0384: Allagash FV13 American Wild Ale

Allagash Brewing Company are based in Portland, Maine, and specialize in Belgian-style beers. Inspired by his travels and recognizing a void in Belgian-style selections here in the United States, Rob Tod founded Allagash in 1995, and hasn’t looked back since. Allagash are well-respected in the beer industry and are New England’s original Belgian-style brewery, using authentic ingredients and brewing methods.

I haven’t reviewed many Allagash beers, and that certainly needs to be remedied. (Hey, I can only get to so many at a time!) We have a special beer to look at today; FV13 is a beer I knew nothing about, and stumbled upon this rare offering in the right place at the right time — my bottle shop received only SIX bottles of this beer.

So what makes it so rare? Well, first, FV13 is a Wild Ale aged in oak barrels. The barrels used are actually called foudres, which is a French word for a high capacity barrel. FV13 — named after foudre 13, Allagash’s first high capacity oak tank, formerly used to make wine — sits in its oak container for four years where wild yeasts (Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus, and Pediococcus) are added for souring. The beer finishes at 8.9% ABV (alcohol by volume) and then goes to the bottling line, which is another installment of our story…

So how do you get beer stored inside a 2700 gallon foudre into bottles? The answer is 300 gallons at a time — segments of the beer were offloaded into smaller vessels, then each 375 ml bottle was HAND FILLED. After finishing with a cork and cage, Allagash used a 1940’s printing press to make labels.

Nothing seems easy about this beer, which might be why it is so rare. Without further ado, let’s give it a review!

FV13 pours with a large, dense, tightly compacted head that is especially creamy and long lasting. It never completely disappears, and is always hanging out over the beer in a thin cover. The color of the brew is amber with orange highlights, and the body is very cloudy. There are heavy particles and sediment, but nothing I’d classify as being chunky. I did swirl the bottle before the last of the pour to get all the goodies out. Lacing is good, leaving behind a few thick patches. This is an awesome looking beer.

On the initial sniff, there’s plenty of sharp and tart cherry, some vinegar, and oxidation. As the beer warms, the aroma gets better, bringing on a note of grape and accentuating the malt backbone, which is quite hefty — plenty of deeply sweet caramel and a touch of roast. There are definite wine-like qualities here, and a nice presence of funky, dank yeast.

Tasting, and the initial notes are tart dark cherries mixed with grapes, which stays steady until the swallow, when the malts kick in. The tartness is eased for a bit with bready caramel, giving off a savory sweetness. The final lingering notes mix sweet with sour, as candy-apple caramel collide with tart dark cherries, grapes, and Granny Smith apples. There’s a dash of the oak barrel, perhaps some vanilla, present too. As the beer warms, it gets much better, with the sour being scaled down in favor of the obvious base beer. FV13 is medium-bodied, with a medium mouthfeel that dries out the palate significantly.

Speaking as someone who doesn’t normally prefer sour beers, this is pretty good. I like that the sour doesn’t dominate, and the range of flavors really show themselves as this drink warms. However, with four years committed to this beer, I’m not sure the end result is worth it. Lots of time went into this brew, and it commands a large price tag — but I’m left feeling a bit unsatisfied. With four years investment, I was expecting something incredible, but was left with something just really good.

Allagash FV13 American Wild Ale, 86 points. Price: $12.99 for one 375 ml (12.7 oz.) corked & caged bottle.

Beer Review 0383: Logsdon Seizoen Bretta Farmhouse Ale

Logsdon Farmhouse Ales is located in Hood River, Oregon. They are a small brewery, producing only farmhouse (Saison) style beers, and they’re made from organic ingredients. And when I say they only produce farmhouse ales, the brewery is located inside a red barn, surrounded by Schaerbeekse cherry trees imported from Belgium.

You might say it’s something Belgian beer lovers wouldn’t expect to see on Oregon’s Columbian River.

David Logsdon, the brewmaster, was also a founding partner of Full Sail Brewery; additionally, he started up Wyeast Laboratories, one of the United States’ main brewing yeast companies.

Typically, I’ve had bad luck with organic beers in the past; while the concept is nice, organic beers seem to be lacking in something very important: flavor.

Seizoen Bretta is brewed in small batches and comes unfiltered in the bottle. It is conditioned with pear juice, and is fermented with Brettanomyces, which is a wild yeast that can impart sour and funky flavors, and dryness in mouthfeel. The bottle crown is sealed with beeswax (again, from the farm), and the beer weighs in at 8% ABV (alcohol by volume).

The pour kicked up a large amount of creamy, bright white head, which rested atop a very beautiful golden-orange beer. The body was cloudy, but there weren’t any particles or sediment in suspension, at least not in the initial pour. Lacing was very nice and started just as the stubborn head began to subside; it left solid trails all the way down my glass.

The aromatics are quite engaging and complex — the yeast is the obvious star here, funky and very doughy/bready, with a basement mustiness that verges on barnyard. There’s also a peppery spice that mixes with some orange peel; the pear juice used for bottle conditioning is present, along with just a general fruity scent. As the beer warmed, a big note of pink bubblegum showed up, playing well with the yeast and spiciness.

On the palate, the initial flavors are tart pear, orange peel, and a hint of the doughy yeast yet to come; a wave of peppery spice brings on a changing of flavors, issuing out funky horse blanket and continued tart pear. The finish introduces some of the bubblegum found on the nose, along with a heated orange peel (no heat from the alcohol, just spiciness) and general dry fruitiness. Medium-bodied, the mouthfeel is thin and gritty thanks to the above average carbonation, and the ultimate conclusion leaves the tongue dried and ready for another sip.

Logsdon have made an impressive brew, especially for an organic beer. My thought process about those beers has now changed; as flavorful and complex as this is, I’ll scoff at the ‘organic’ logo no more. A delight to drink, this is probably the best Saison I’ve had to date. And now I’m sad that I only had one bottle and this isn’t distributed in my area — imagine this puppy with age!

Logsdon Seizoen Bretta Farmhouse Ale, 98 points. Price: This beer was a gift to me, received through a beer club membership I got at Christmas 2012.

Beer Review 0382: The Alchemist Heady Topper Imperial IPA

This review might get a little long, because I want to tell you the story of this beer, and how I got it. Not to mention there’s a ton of hype that comes along with Heady Topper; according to Beer Advocate, it’s the #1 rated beer in the world; RateBeer has it at #31. (That is, if you put any stock into those lists.)

About The Beer

Heady Topper is an Imperial IPA brewed by The Alchemist, a family run brewery located in Waterbury, Vermont. As of now, they only brew Heady Topper, an unfiltered 8% ABV (alcohol by volume) IPA, brewed with a proprietary blend of six hops, at the pace of 120 barrels per week. The beer is distributed to a few locations in northern Vermont, and it is also sold at the brewery. And sale, it does: each week, The Alchemist sells through all 120 barrels of canned Heady Topper. The math: with one barrel of beer equaling 31 US gallons, that’s 3720 gallons; one US gallon = 128 ounces; multiply that out and you get 29,760 sixteen-ounce cans, sold every week of the year.

It used to be worse: The Alchemist only recently expanded production — the expansion allowed them to double capacity. Now, instead of running out of beer on Friday, it lasts until Saturday. And getting it at a retail location isn’t any easier. According to Montpelier’s Hunger Mountain Coop, they get 24 cases of Heady each week, and it typically sells out within a day, even with a two 4-pack per customer limit.

This isn’t a rare beer by quantity definition; with close to 30,000 cans being made each week, you can hardly call this limited quantity. But with such a small distribution and with heavy local demand, Heady Topper is extremely hard to get unless you happen to live or know folks in northern Vermont.

How I Got Heady

This past weekend, I decided to visit a local shop that sells beer that I’ve never been to. I’ve known about the place for a long time, but had just never paid a visit. While I’d love to tell you the shop, I don’t want to, simply because I don’t want anyone to expect to go there and get Heady Topper. If you’ve read my site for any length of time, you know I’m based in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Clearly, Heady Topper is not sold here or within a 500-mile radius. (If you find yourself in the Piedmont Triad area, and would like some bottle shop recommendations, contact me and I will be glad to provide them.)

I picked up a couple of bottles at this (new to me) shop, some beers I had been looking for but couldn’t find anywhere else. As I checked out, one of the best things about craft beer happened: The Beer Talk. What styles you like, specific beers, recommendations. Saying the name of a beer and seeing eyes light up. I mentioned this site and the fact I review beer. The gentleman behind the counter started talking IPAs and went to the back and retrieved a can of Heady Topper, giving it to me. Being as into beer as I am, I immediately recognized what the can was and was very grateful to be getting a can I know I would probably never get any other way!

That’s the beauty of beer. I have given away my fair share of rare or hard to find beers and it has always been paid forward in return. I will definitely return to this particular shop, not because they had a hard to find beer or that I got a free beer, but because you can tell the folks there are passionate and knowledgeable about beer and believe in furthering beer’s good cause.

Never would I have expected getting a can of Heady Topper one random Saturday in May!

Why This Review Will Be Slightly Different

A significant portion of my review score (15 points) is dependent upon the appearance of a beer. Proudly written on the can of Heady Topper is “DRINK FROM THE CAN!” As The Alchemist owner, John Kimmich, explains in this video, the reasons for drinking it from the can:

-It prevents oxidation, meaning the last sips of the beer will smell just as the first sips did
-After each sip, a layer of carbon dioxide sits atop the liquid, protecting aromas and flavors

Mr. Kimmich also cites some environmental concerns, like being able to drink this beer in the outdoors without risking broken glass, and easier recycling.

Traditionally, I review beer based on how the brewer recommends it be served. 99% of the time, it’s in a glass. Sometimes, the brewer will have you leave the final sip in the can or bottle so as not to distribute particles or sediment; occasionally directions will be provided to swirl the remainder of the beer as to distribute that sediment. Since Heady Topper is recommended from the can, I will be reviewing it straight from the can… BUT, I will pour some of the beer into a glass to describe and rate the appearance. I will also note if there are any differences between the poured and canned beer.

Finally…The Review!

Pouring Heady Topper produced an average size, bright white head, which would have probably been much larger had I poured more of the can into the glass. The head was soapy and lasting, and was easily able to regenerate when swirled. Color of the beer was golden-orange; the body was hazy but there weren’t any particles or sediment present, indicating this is a fresh can (and it is — about three weeks old, although The Alchemist doesn’t date cans as of yet). Lacing was minimal but it was hard to really issue a judgment with such a small sample poured.

If you wanted big hops, well, you got ‘em! Huge waves of resinous pine, grapefruit and lime open this up, and it only gets more complex from there. It seemed like each sniff presented something undiscovered — there’s mango, Hawaiian Punch, pineapple, touches of grass, lemons, and a very soft cattiness. The malt body was very minor, giving off some sweet notes, perhaps a bit bready and caramel. And yes, although you aren’t supposed to put this in a glass, I say do at least once so you can get everything this wonderful aroma has to offer, because sniffing the can doesn’t give you even a quarter of the story.

The taste is pretty much a rush of everything on the nose — lots of grapefruit, orange, lime, and passionfruit, followed up by a strong blast of pine that nearly completely takes over the palate, kind of like a menthol throat lozenge. But that Christmas tree blast clears the way for even more delicate hoppy flavors; enter pineapple, hemp, and peaches. Yes, peaches, fresh cut and maybe even with a bit of sugar tossed on them. The finish is a sneaky bugger, too — while you think Heady Topper will be an Imperial IPA that will conclude on a sweet note, that sweetness slowly fades into a sizable note of bitterness that dries out the mouth and makes your taste buds cry for another sip. This beer is full-bodied just because of the intense hoppiness, but the mouthfeel is medium and is foamy when moved about with the tongue.

All those folks screaming good things about Heady Topper aren’t lying: it’s an incredible beer, super drinkable, absurdly complex, and delicious. And yes, I can taste a big difference drinking it from the can versus the glass, albeit sipping from the glass is nothing to scoff at, either. You’ll just have to try it and see. I have never tasted an IPA that contained this much hop flavor, complexity, or one that delivered such a story of sweetness and bitterness.

My eyes lit up at the sight of the can, and nothing disappointed. One of the best!

The Alchemist Heady Topper Imperial IPA, 100 points. Price: A gift to me from a very kind gentleman and fellow beer lover. Again, thank you very much! I hear this goes for $3.00 US per 16 oz. can at the brewery.

Beer Review 0381: Bell’s Consecrator Doppelbock

Looking over my reviews, it appears that I have never reviewed a Doppelbock. Time to change that.

A Bock is a strong lager of German origin — several different styles exist in the Bock category, with Doppelbock being a malty, higher alcohol version. The style was first brewed in the 14th century by beer makers in the town of Einbeck. In the 17th century, Munich brewers adopted the style and adapted it to lager-style brewing. The beer became known as “Bock” because the Bavarian accent pronounced Einbeck as “ein Bock,” or “a billy goat.” That’s why you’ll often see goats on the labels of Bock beers.

Doppelbocks are a prime representation of beer being “liquid bread,” as Friars drank these brews when fasting.

Bell’s Brewery (Kalamazoo, Michiagn) produces a Doppelbock as a seasonal release. Their take, Consecrator, is lagered for three full months, and comes in at 8% ABV (alcohol by volume). They recommend you keep the beer refrigerated.

The pour made a small, soapy head, which quickly faded. This beer was a deep amber in color, almost red; the body was clear, free of particles and sediment. Lacing was sparse to nearly non-existent.

On the nose, loads of sweet caramel and biscuit malt were awaiting, lightly toasted. This beer is quite fragrant; it’s very bready and has a light citrus hop body, perhaps some orange peel. There’s also an earthy yeast, and as it warms, the 8% alcohol shows up, tapping at the door loud enough to let you know it’s there.

Sipping, Consecrator kicks off with a touch of dark fruit — raisin, prune, some dark, juicy grape, before it washes into the sweet and bready caramel. That dark fruit taste continues to the middle; it was hard for me to tell whether it was dark cherries or grape. You know how sometimes Imperial Stouts give off a grape flavor? This was similar, but sweeter and bready. The finish continued the sweetness, and introduced lingering notes of brown sugar, molasses, and cinnamon to accompany the creamy caramel. This beer has some body; I’d call it full, and the mouthfeel was medium and foamy. The alcohol is present at the very end of the taste and warms the throat.

Overall, a tasty and extremely well-made beer. No surprise from Bell’s. I’m just shocked (and appalled, really) that it took me this long to pick up a bottle of Consecrator Doppelbock. I’ve passed it up before — don’t be like me, give this a try. Smooth, easy drinking, and it has a nutritious body with just the right amount of alcohol oomph for a bigger beer.

And, I need to review more of this style.

Bell’s Consecrator Doppelbock, 91 points. Price: $2.99 US for one twelve ounce bottle.