Ayinger - Celebrator (2010)

Celebrator has a creamy head of tight bubbles contrasting beautifully with its profound dark robe. It is full-bodied and velvety from half a year's aging. Although it is strong, it is not overpowering. There is a wonderful and complex balance between the various malts, the alcohol and the subtle hops. A complex fruitiness of roasted malt and whole hop flowers make Celebrator great as a party drink with friends and family at celebrations. Despite its richness, it has a faintly smoky dryness in the finish.


The ABV is 6.7 and the IBU rating is ??
Style - Doppelbock
Glass to use- Pint Glass, Snifter, Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery 500ml Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a dark brown color with a small tan head. Good lacing.
Aroma - Dark roasted malts, sweet, caramel and brown sugar.
Taste -  Malty, chocolate, caramel and some fruits.
Mouth Feel - Medium carbonation, medium body.
Drinkable - One of my favorite doppelbocks!  It aged very well for one year.  Still, you should drink it fresh.

This beer pairs well with German food, cheese, chocolate and meats.

This beer gets a Duper rating of B
BeerAdvocate Rating =A
Ratebeer Rating =100

Redhook - Treblehook (Limited Release) 2009

Treblehook is vigorously hopped and patiently aged with aromatic malt and spicy hop notes. Smooth and complex, this beer is carefully brewed by hand with subtle caramel, toffee and chocolate notes.

The ABV is 10.1 and the IBU rating is 52
Style - American Barley Wine
Glass to use- Pint Glass, Becker, Tumbler or Snifter
Delivery 22oz Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a copper color with some head. Good lacing.
Aroma - Dark fruit, molasses and peat.
Taste -  Caramel, molasses, some dark fruit.
Mouth Feel - Medium carbonation and medium body. Smooth.
Drinkable - Some American Barley Wines are just too hoppy.  Two years of aging had done this one well.  The harsh hop aftertaste is almost non-existent.  A pleasant surprise. 

This beer pairs well with sharp cheese and desserts.

This beer gets a Duper rating of A-.
BeerAdvocate Rating =B+
Ratebeer Rating =91

Tröegs - Scratch 46 (Naked Elf)

The Scratch Beer series has developed into an experimental beer series where we can tinker with new techniques and brew with non-traditional ingredients. Each batch is extremely small and cases and growler fills are only available in our tasting room. Make sure to stop in for a taste and let us know what you think.

Naked Elf takes a hard look at the less-is-more theory. Ever since we developed The Mad Elf, we’ve speculated what it would taste like without the cherries and honey. So what lies beneath the fruit? Naked Elf is unfiltered, so the spicy yeast taste is more prominent in this strong, hazy orange ale. The combination of the Pilsner, and Vienna malts give a lot of body and minimal sweetness, but Naked Elf has a dry finish. Finally, the heat of the alcohol makes its presence known in the finish. The Naked Elf’s finest quality is the delicate balancing act between a lively yeast kick and a slight alcohol note that lingers in the back of the mouth—constantly reminding us not to overindulge in this complex, warming elixir.

Click here for a list of Troegs' Scratch beers

The ABV is 7.8 and the IBU rating is 50
Style - Belgium Strong Pale Ale
Glass to use- Tulip, Snifter or Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery 12oz Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a clear copper color with a little head. Good lacing.
Aroma - Sweet, light spices and fruits.
Taste -  Taste like it smells, some fruit and spice notes.
Mouth Feel - Medium carbonation and body.
Drinkable - Similar to the Mad Elf without the cherries and the alcohol. Less of a cherry bomb which emphasizes the spices. Glad I found this unique bottle.  I also have the Scratch 42 - Belgium Brown.

This beer pairs well with cheese and meats.

This beer gets a Duper rating of B+.
BeerAdvocate Rating =B
Ratebeer Rating =94

Avery - The Kaiser (2007)

The Kaiser once said, "Give me a woman who loves beer and I will conquer the world." If the Kaiser and his significant other had tipped this bottle, we’d all be "sprechenden Deutsch!" We took all that is good in a traditional Oktoberfest - gorgeous, deep copper sheen, massive malty backbone and spicy, floral, pungent noble hops - then intensified each into this, an Imperial Oktoberfest.

2004 = 9.3% ABV
2005 = 8.9% ABV
2006 = 9.1% ABV
2007 = 9.3% ABV
2008 = 10.03% ABV
2011 = 10.01% ABV 

The ABV is 9.3 and the IBU rating is ??
Style - Imperial Oktoberfest
Glass to use- Pint Glass, Becker, Tumbler or Stein
Delivery 22oz Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a cloudy amber color with a tan head. Good lacing.
Aroma - Malty, bananas and spices.
Taste -  Sweet, caramel, some fruits and spices.
Mouth Feel - Medium carbonation and body. Smooth.
Drinkable - Aged nicely. Who knew a larger would age well. 

This beer pairs well with German style cuisine, wurst!

This beer gets a Duper rating of A.
BeerAdvocate Rating =B+
Ratebeer Rating =96

Weyerbacher - Quad (2009)

Massively big and delicious, QUAD is an elegant and dark ale. Rich with complexity and flavor, try savoring it after a long day or during a fine dinner. You also might enjoy it as an aperitif or as an accompaniment to a dessert, but QUAD stands alone quite well. We recommend enjoying QUAD in a brandy snifter or wineglass so you can drink in the aroma of this fine elixir.

The ABV is 11.8 and the IBU rating is ??
Style - Quadrupel
Glass to use- Snifter, Tulip, Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery 12oz Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a cloudy amber with a little head. Great lacing.
Aroma - Sweet like candy, some dark fruit, caramel and toffee.
Taste - Malty, tangy, boozy, some dark fruit and spices.
Mouth Feel - Medium carbonation and full body.
Overall - A nice brew, three years aging have done it well.  I have case which I purchased last year and plan to age several for many years.

This beer pairs well with cheese and beef.

This beer gets a Duper rating of A
BeerAdvocate Rating =B+
Ratebeer Rating = 95

Dogfish Head - 120 Minute (2003)

Too extreme to be called beer? Brewed to a colossal 45°P, boiled for a full 2 hours while being continually hopped with high alpha American hops, dry-hopped every day in a fermenter for a month, and aged for a month on whole leaf hops, 120 Minute IPA is by far the strongest IPA ever brewed. And at 18% ABV and 120 IBU’s, you can see why they call this the Holy Grail for Hopheads.

This post is for the 2003 vintage.

The ABV is 18.0 (21.0) and the IBU rating is 120
Style - Imperial IPA
Glass to use- Snifter, Tulip, Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery 12oz Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a cloudy dark brown color with no head. Clear coat lacing.
Aroma - Lots of dark fruit, peat, caramel and toffee.
Taste -  Malty, dark fruits like plums and raisins, chocolate, molasses, toffee and its really sweet. 
Mouth Feel - Low carbonation which is expected for an aged beer.  Syrupy.  Full bodied and smooth with a lingering slow burn as a finish.
Drinkable - Excellent!  8 years of aging did this brew well.  One of the best aged beers I have ever had.  Don't know the alcohol content due to aging, my guess is 21%.

This beer pairs well with bread and cheese.

This beer gets a Duper rating of A+.
BeerAdvocate Rating =B+
Ratebeer Rating = 99

Straffe Hendrik - Quadrupel

Straffe Hendrik Quadruple is a rich and intense dark Belgian ale. It is brewed with a subtle blend of specialty malts, which give the ale an extremely dark color and a chewy, malty complex character. The quadruple combines a clean dryness with a warm full bodied mouth feel and essences of fruit. Secondary fermentation in the bottle creates a living ale that can be aged and will have an evolution of taste profiles over time.

It is brewed by the last active brewery in the historical city of Bruges. The town archives first mention the brewery in 1546. Since 1856, the famous brewing family Maes-Vanneste has owned the brewery.

The ABV is 11.0 and the IBU rating is ??
Style - Quadrupel
Glass to use- Snifter, Tulip or Chalice
Delivery 330ml Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a dark brown color with a big tan head. Great lacing.
Aroma - Malty, toffee and caramel.
Taste -  Sweet, some caramel and a bit nutty (spicy)
Mouth Feel - High carbonation and medium body. On this fizzy side.
Drinkable - A good quad, way too fizzy like most Belgium.  Alcohol is well hidden. 

This beer pairs well with cheese and smoked meats.

This beer gets a Duper rating of A-.
BeerAdvocate Rating =B+
Ratebeer Rating =95

Chouffe - Houblon Dobbelen IPA - 2010

A unique marriage between the English tradition of IPAs, the new American revolution of Imperial IPAs and the classic Belgian way of brewing. Houblon Chouffe, although very much hopped as it is, showcases the unique balance between a very strong IPA and a very special Belgian Tripel exclusively created for this ale (Big malty body, distinct dryness, expressive estery fruitiness).

The ABV is 9.0 and the IBU rating is 59
Style - Belgium IPA
Glass to use- Snifter, Goblet, Tulip, Chalice or Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery 750ml Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a straw color with a white head. Good lacing.
Aroma - Sweet, citrus fruits and hoppy
Taste -  The hops are not overpowering, sweet, candy sugar, and tropical fruit.
Mouth Feel - High carbonation and medium body. Very dry.
Drinkable - Not bad, I've had a few hoppy Belgium brews. This is way too fizzy like most Belgium.  Alcohol is well hidden. A lite refreshing IPA.

This beer pairs well with sharp cheese and salads.

This beer gets a Duper rating of B+.
BeerAdvocate Rating =A-
Ratebeer Rating =99

J.W. Lees - Harvest Ale [Calvados Cask] 2006

Matured in wooden Etienne Dupont Calvados casks from the end of October until mid March.
This fully fermented ale has been brewed by JW Lees as a celebration of the brewers' art. Harvest Ale can be enjoyed now or laid down like a fine wine for enjoyment to come.
This blog is for the 2006 Calvados Cask release.  In 2010 and 2011 I had the 1997, 1998, 1999, 2000, 2001, 2006 and 2007 all on different dates of course.  Sadly I have no blogs for the 1997, 1998 or 2001 vintages.

The ABV is 11.5 and the IBU rating is ??
Style - English Barleywine
Glass to use- Snifter, Tulip, Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery 275ml Bottle

Should be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions. Ah Men.

The Pour - Pours a copper color with no head. No lacing.
Aroma - Dark fruits (figs and cherries), a bit of peat and oak tannins.
Taste -  Sweet, dark fruits like plums and raisins. No peat funk or tannins that appeared in the nose.
Mouth Feel - No carbonation, medium body, very smooth no burn from the alcohol.
Drinkable - Surprised, not sure what to expect from this brew.  Does not compare to the regular 2006 vintage.  The casking had smoothed out this brew.  On the negative side it's really sweet, too sweet. It is a sipper.  

This beer may pair well with cheese and desserts but just enjoy it without food.

This beer gets a Duper rating of A.
BeerAdvocate Rating =A-
Ratebeer Rating = 98

Lost Abbey - Judgement Day

A massive beer in every sense of the word. A stronger and more contemplative version of the Lost and Found Ale. Judgment Day is the base beer for the Cuvee de Tomme. Many of the Trappist Breweries produce a version of beer which ages incredibly well for many years to come. And, since none of us knows when the end of the world is coming, you should stock up with lots of Lost Abbey beers so that when the end of the world magically appears from no where, you’ll have a beer or two on hand for even the stingiest of angels. Available in 750ml bottles and on draft at select inspired locations.

The ABV is 10.5 and the IBU rating is 112
Style - Quadrupel
Glass to use- Snifter, Tulip or Oversized Wine Glass
Delivery 750ml Bottle

Can be cellared for long periods, under the proper conditions.

The Pour - Pours a dark brown color with a big thick tan head. Some lacing.
Aroma - Sweet, dark fruits and caramel.
Taste -  Malty, dark dried fruits, some his of hops (not much).
Mouth Feel - Medium carbonation and body. 
Drinkable - My first impression is that its very similar to the Lost Abbey's Ten Commandments but not quite as good.  It does get a bit better as it warms to room temperature.  I will seek out another bottle to age a few years.  This rates as a very good American Quad but just an average Belgium Quad. 

This beer pairs well with cheese and smoked meats.

This beer gets a Duper rating of B+.
BeerAdvocate Rating =B+
Ratebeer Rating =99