The Official INGO Beer Snob Thread

[LanceRobbins24]

Stone Vertical Epic

Can't believe I missed this thread! I was fortunate enough to try the entire Stone Vertical Epic and it was amazing, I was surprised at how well some of the earlier beers held up. Out of the entire lineup I didn't care for 11.11.11 or 12.12.12 they both were very busy maybe they'll mellow out with some time. Three of us tried them over a few days.

I' M J E A L O U S

 

[Sean]

3 Floyd's Apocalypse Cow

Apocalypse Cow
3 Floyd's Brewing
Munster, IN
11% ABV
100 IBU

Another great beer from 3 Floyd's. The underlying taste reminds me of other 3 Floyd DIPA's, however the addition of lactose adds a little sweetness to cut through the hop bitterness. I prefer Dreadnaught or Arctic Panzer Wolf but would seek this beer out. I had two bottles, consumed one fresh and this bottle hung around for two months. I wouldn't age a DIPA but the added two months worked out great for this brew, mellowed out the profile to something a little more balanced.

 

[nmcqueen469]

I have two of those in my fridge right now, they are on the list to try this week/weekend!

 

[Boba]

Pumpkick
New Belgium Brewing
Fort Collins, CO
6% abv



Fall Seasonal Ale brewed with pumpkin juice, cranberry juices, and spices.

Meh.

 

[red46239]

Pumpkick
New Belgium Brewing
Fort Collins, CO
6% abv


Fall Seasonal Ale brewed with pumpkin juice, cranberry juices, and spices.

Meh.

I always enjoy reading your reviews. Good info and well done.... This one just cracked me up. Straight to the point.

 

[Indy-Mike]

Never found a pumpkin beer that ever did anything for me

Pumpkick
New Belgium Brewing
Fort Collins, CO
6% abv



Fall Seasonal Ale brewed with pumpkin juice, cranberry juices, and spices.

Meh.

 

[Boba]

Osiris Pale Ale
Sun King Brewery
Indianapolis, IN
5.6% abv




So, sometimes you may find yourself in a situation where glass bottles of your favorite brews are un-ideal, or a mini keg would be a faux pas, like say... a half day canoe trip for instance. What's a beer snob supposed to do? Enter the aluminum can!

I was so pleased to finally partake of some of Indy's best hometown brews. This Pale Ale from Sun King pours a light golden amber with a fair bright head, but then if your cannin' it who cares! You probably don't have a glass to appreciate this crystal clear, yet bubbly, beverage.

Straight from the can, it's a hop lovers delight (I think they reference hops five times on the can). It's upfront but well balanced. A bit of a bitter punch initially with citrus in the back seat lingering. A home run for those of us who enjoy hops, but not so burdened if you don't generally care for IPA's. Eternally drinkable and an eye catching can to boot.

Also note: In a glass everything opens up more. The self described assertiveness is dissipated. The flavors and experience is smoothed out and sustained. And way way more drinkable; easy in fact. A medium-light mouth feel that stays full on the palate. Damn fine job.

 

[Boba]

Dog Days Lager
Two Brothers Brewing Co.
Warrenville, IL
5.1% abv




When a fine glass is not in the cards, a healthy set of cans will save the day! And what beer snob doesn't appreciate a healthy set of cans? (see also previous review above)

Typically this niche is filled with your run of the mill domestic bla de blas, but if I'm drinking a lager it's usually a german import pilsner... in a bottle, until now. This Dortmunder style, blue collar pilsner by Two Brothers is a serendipitous discovery.

From the can; creamy, light, refreshing and smooth.

The caramel malt body gives this bright clear golden lager an ample mouth feel, but with just enough noble hops to finish clean. Citrus flanks the palate as light malt floats over the top. Uber refreshing for those dog days of summer and well engineered. Das es gud.

 

[nmcqueen469]

I REALLY enjoy Osiris.

I'm not really a fan of much else from Sun King, but Osiris is a home run in my eyes.

 

[Boba]

Hercules Double IPA

Hercules Double IPA
Great Divide Brewing Co.
Denver, CO
10% abv




Great Divide in my humble opinion is an underrated brewery that has some impressive creations. In fact I suspect a GD review series for fun may be in order... Their hard to find "Fresh Hop" brew is so satisfying it's in my top ten but, this Herculean brew is easily in my top 5 of all time currently.

Pours a medium cloudy deep tanned amber to light copper in color. Tight thin head dissipating quickly. Not godly on aroma as this also dissipates soon after the pour but you know there exists a solid hops physique amidst a bold malt pedigree. A welcome pragmatic departure from many high octane hopped up potpourri aroma therapy brews that tickle your nose rather than feed your soul.

The first impression of mouthfeel is humble leading to a virtuous and well rounded experience. The strength of the sweet maltiness is countered somewhat by an earthy hops, all the while reminding you that this celestial ten percent-er is not for any mere mortal. Drink a bottle of this for every one of your twelve tasks and you too just might ascend to Olympus. Manna from heaven & fit for the gods.

*The bottle suggested food pairings... fish tacos & dutch cheese. Not necessarily together I'll assume.

 

[Boba]

Titan IPA
Great Divide Brewing Co.
Denver, CO
7.1% abv




Deep amber in color with a superfine thinner head. At 7.1% the bubbles do like to retain a presence on the glass throughout. Not your typical big complex floral aroma but rather a light nominal general hops aroma and, with some searching, a faint sweet malt comes through. The bottle purports to present a piny hop aroma, but I would venture to compare it to a sprig of pine that has dried out a long time ago. Regardless...

Mouthfeel is solid, starting light but finishing sturdy, providing a stoic foundation for the hop experience to follow. Strong citrus hops dominate this brew, but is tempered by a disciplined balance. The sweet charge upfront is quickly flanked by a decisive hops body leaving an almost astringent bitterness occupation of the entire palate. If you generally don't like bitter you may not be enthralled by this approach, but I personally find the experience a victory that sustains. A well regimented brew imposing giant citrus hops casting it's shadow of intent well beyond an empty bottle.

Always interesting food parings suggested FROM THE BOTTLE:
Grilled lamb burger, Thai green curry, roasted zucchini & pesto, Cabot sharp cheddar, carrot cake.

Let the catering begin!

 

[Boba]

Rumble, Oak Aged IPA
Great Divide Brewing Co.
Denver, CO
7.1% abv



Third in my Great Divide review series...

Pours a mostly clear copper color with medium residual bubblage. The frosty pour gives up a bit of piny hops aroma covering a light light malt nose. Pacific Northwest American hops according to the bottle.

Somewhat bigger mouthfeel that seems to expand like blowing up a balloon briefly which cleanly fades leaving a warm landscape. Very very well rounded. The oak seems to wrangle in any astringency of the pronounced hops. Grapefruit. The brewers suggest vanilla as well, but I'm having trouble grokking that. Maybe at the back 2/3 of the palate there's something faint that ties this all together which may be what they espouse as vanilla.

As the glass warms, more caramel malt comes through and the warmth sets into the gums. The mouthfeel lightens and your left with a well flavored brew and a clean palate. Nice.

Food pairings from the bottle (with personal commentary): marinated skirt steak (oh yeah), grilled sweet potatoes (totally), ripe brie or taleggio cheese (umm maybe, could overpower), apple crisp with creme fraiche ice cream (I'm game).

Do enjoy.

 

[JettaKnight]

Rumble, Oak Aged IPA

Where'd you find this?

 

[Boba]

Where'd you find this?

Chalet Party Shop, Goshen, IN. Enjoy!

 

[Boba]

Hoss, Rye Lager
Great Divide Brewing Co.
Denver, CO
6.2% abv



Based on a Marzen pale lager this work horse of a session beer presents a light transparent sweet malt nose from consistent faint bubbleage. Pours a crystal clear golden hour sunset copper. Mouthfeel is medium but uber light, like a cloud, dissipating quick and clean and dry. Earthy spices linger on the tip of the tongue. Nothing is too over powering here... more subtle and blended. Currants, stone fruits, and wild dark cherry perhaps with the rye component at the end. The earthiness reminds me of pine cones. Not pine or pine needles, but woody hefty cones. Medium bodied and flavorful, but not very dynamic or aggressive and in your face which is okay here.

Food pairings: Veal bratwurst, barbeque chicken, carnitas (pork) tacos, Camembert cheese, German chocolate cake.

...comfort food, and a comfort beer for the hard working ingoer.

 

[Boba]

Colette, Farmhouse Ale
Great Divide Brewing Co.
Denver, CO
7.3% abv



The GD hand at a Saison popular with Belgian farm workers. Brewed with barely, wheat, and rice. Fermented with a special four yeast concoction.
Pours a lightly cloudy bismuth lemon yellow color. Smells slightly yeasty sweet. At first taste it reminds me of a belgian tripel, higher octane, sweeter, spicy (like coriander), but not precisely. I'll assume this is from the multi-yeast platform. Fear not the lees at the bottom of the bottle as the end is not far from the beginning experience. In a word; consistent. Remains relatively clean on the palate. Never overpowers. There is a bit of tartiness at the back and an almost lemony citrus along the sides. Lighter, flavorful, warm, but at 7.3 % doesn't give up much. A-ha!... the fruitiness that had escaped me, I just realized was ground cherries!! Tart, sweet, and a bit different enough to make it difficult to pinpoint.
Ground cherries, straight from the garden.

Foodies: Charcuterie plate (country sausage & sauerkraut) *I did a brat omelet with mont. jack cheese & kimchi... yummy*, foie gras, Indian curry, & Camembert cheese.

Try it.

 

[Boba]

Hop Centric Double IPA
Two Brothers Brewing Co.
Warrenville. IL
9.9% abv



Pours a hazy translucent burnt sienna color with fair bubbles that dissipate to an ultra fine ring around the glass. Balanced medium hops aroma at first pour and a tight, clean, more watery mouth feel. The high octane content is well hidden and subdued (ie. no hints of fingernail polish remover). Smooth. Light. Lets wait and see what happens closer to room temperature...

Mouthfeel opens up a bit and some malt sweetness starts to roll in...real good and very drinkable.

Recommended.

 

[Boba]

Fat Head's Oktoberfest
Fat Head's Brewery
Middleburg Heights, OH
5.7% abv



Since it is October... Oktoberfest! You know the drill. Based on the common Munich Oktoberfest beer served at Wies'n (the location at which Munich celebrates its Oktoberfest) contains roughly 5.0-6.0% alcohol by volume, is dark/copper in color, has a mild hop profile and is typically labeled as a Bavarian Märzenbier in style. This is good, light crisp, clean, a bit watery. Good enough. I might prefer the GD Hoss (see above) for more body and complexity but it is what it is. I also have a Three Floyds Munsterfest waiting in the wings so we will soon see how that compares as well. Over all, it's fair. I certainly wouldn't turn one down. Easy to drink, and easy to drink another.

 

[AmericanBob]

I almost picked this up this weekend. The Three Floyds Munsterfest is very nice. Very drinkable.

 

[Boba]

Big Eddy Uber-Oktoberfest
Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company
Chippewa Falls, WI
8.5% abv



What will come of this seasonal Big Eddy? I'm excited since the Big Eddy IPA is one of my all time top five. (see my first ever review here #143)

Pours an active bubbling autumn red-orange and clears crystal shortly. Oktoberfest spice is acute initially but finishes more transparent on the end. Sweet malt is most dominant in the nose. Mouthfeel starts full but turns light and watery then leaves a trace of body when all is said and done after palate sensations. Sweet on the front of the tongue and hops along the sides. Fairly level overall but keep in mind it is 8.5% and not really in the tradition of the general Oktoberfestbier of around 5-6. "Imperial Oktoberfest," anyone? The malt is a bit more predominant in lieu of this. The dry hopped addition balances the malt quite well. Certainly a novel take for this seasonal. Worth a try, but not my "go to" red oktober yet... still hunting.