REVIEW 144: GIFT OF THE MAGI

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:  USA

BREWERY:  The Lost Abbey

STYLE:  Bière de Garde

ABV:  12.0%

PURCHASE:  25.4-oz. bottle, $14.99

SERVING:  Said bottle, poured into St. Bernardus branded snifter. Not very heady. I got maybe half an inch from pours of both normal (~20 seconds) and fast (~10) speed. A slow pour yielded not even one complete layer. Not much retention of what was there.

APPEARANCE:  Chestnut brown, almost like apple butter. Beige-white head. Translucent, as it seems to glow even when not in the light. Faint bubbling present. No lacing.

BOUQUET:  Malty and earthy. Seems a bit figgy or raisin-like. Brown sugar seems evident, as does a pinch of spice, seemingly clove, as in a witbier. Before I continue, I must say that I reviewed this one once before, for a private message board, almost five years ago. And scouring my notes from that session--via the original post--my experience tonight was strikingly different.

PALATE:  Malt sweetness characterizes practically the entire front half. Dark fruit enters the picture toward the slightly boozy finish, in the form of fig and possibly raisin. Rich aftertaste, continuing with the fig, but added hints of what seems to be clove. Warming at the end. The label claims this is "dry-hopped," but I couldn't detect any sort of hop presence whatsoever. (Note: This also contrasts with my earlier, private review, which noted a hoppy and also citrusy presence.). Not overly complex on the whole, and like a lot of specialty brews, gets better as it warms up a bit. In fact, these beers are better consumed at 50-55 degrees Fahrenheit, as opposed to 35-40 degrees for a "normal" beer. If drunk too cold, you will no doubt experience an off-putting yeast factor--likely the brettanomyces at play. (That's what the label refers to as "brett." "Brett" is the colloquial shorthand synonym for brettanomyces. Okay, that's enough with the etymology for one day.)

MUSINGS AND METAPHORS:  The recipe for this brew has obviously changed since I first (and last) had it, in 2012. Comparing my notes for both that and tonight's sessions is like night and day. Even the ABVs are different: It's gone up two percentage points in that time!

In that earlier session, I noted that I thought this was an "elite brew." That wasn't the case here, although I was still nonetheless very pleased. The "magi," if you're not aware, refers to the "Three Wise Men" who visit Jesus with gifts of gold, myrrh, and frankincense. I don't know if I tasted or smelled any in the beer; I don't have much gold and have never once encountered the other two. Myrrh? What the hell is that?




GRADE:   B+

REVIEW 143: PILSNER URQUELL

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:  Czech Republic

BREWERY:  Plzeňský Prazdroj

STYLE:  Pilsener

ABV:  4.4%

PURCHASE:  Case of 24 11.2-oz. bottles, $32.99

SERVING:  11.2-oz. bottle, poured into pint glass. Standard pour yielded a head of roughly an inch and a half. A slower one on Round 2 got less than an inch. A fast pour on Round 3 resulted in two full inches. Slightly above average retention.

APPEARANCE:  Transparent brass body with a very bright white head. Very faint bubbling. Lacing is minimal and in a broken pattern--when noticeable.

BOUQUET:  Soft malt notes, hints of noble hops, and a bit husky.

PALATE:  Classic pilsener, simple and relatively straightforward. Medium body that leans toward the light side of things. Carbonation is fairly quick to assert itself, but manageable. Starts grainy and husky, then segues into a mid- and back palate with slight uptick in noble hop bitterness. Finish sees a seeming touch of lemon rind enter the picture; I say "seeming" to acknowledge that this is likely a placebo effect in action. Aftertaste is somewhat sweet and sees a return to huskiness, but with an addition of what seems to be a very, very, slight spice note; this has to be the effect of Saaz hops. They're known for that. Stella has these same hops, but they work better here.

MUSINGS AND METAPHORS:  Introduced in 1842, this is commonly referred to as the "original pilsener" and the world's "first pale lager." I use quotes to allow for the possibility of historical inaccuracies. According to a tour of the Pilsner Urquell brewery undertaken by a group from the University of Economics, Prague, this is the beer that has inspired roughly two-thirds of all beers we drink today. 

It's significant in an historic way, no doubt. It was once one of the most prestigious brews in the world. And it's had a very, very, long run, akin to that of another famous Czech export:  Jaromir Jagr. He has now surpassed Mark Messier to become second to Wayne Gretzky in points for an NHL player. Jagr is 44 years old, and last year he led the Florida Panthers in scoring. And this year he is still producing better than most players half his age. But he's simply not the same player he was during his 1990s peak with the Pittsburgh Penguins. Like Pilsner Urquell, he's been surpassed by a new generation. There are pilseners out there comparable to Jagr in his prime; but this one is more like the Florida version.

Nonetheless, you can't help but savor what's still there.




GRADE:   B-

REVIEW 142: WINTER CHEERS

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:  USA

BREWERY:  Victory Brewing Company

STYLE:  Hefeweizen

ABV:  6.7%

PURCHASE:  Draft (13-oz.), $6.00

SERVING:  Tulip glass. 3/4" head from tap. Very good retention.

APPEARANCE:  Pale, golden-straw body. Bright and spongy white head. Steady but narrow bubbling. Consistent, albeit minimal, lacing around the glass.

BOUQUET:  Strong clove and coriander factor--this is a wheat beer, of course. Subtle citrus notes, namely of orange and lemon peel. A tease of banana. No real hop presence.

PALATE:  Run-of-the-mill body with crisp and slightly biting carbonation. Not particularly filling for a beer at this ABV. Tastes like it could be lightly hopped, but it's not truly discernible. At the forefront are moderate lemony-citrus notes. Yeasty undertones throughout. Finish seems largely twofold. It's sweet and cider-like. Secondly, there's a slight fusel quality to it--particularly when swallowed fast--but nothing truly off-putting. Various notes in the aftertaste: Subtle hints of witbier spices; a tinge of pepper; a bit appley as well. Emphasis on the adjectives here that indicate shyness; this beer could stand to be a bit more aggressive. Holds back a little too much.

MUSINGS AND METAPHORS:  A hefeweizen as a "winter" beer? Well, if it shares characteristics with winter warmers and Belgian strong ales, then why not? 

That said, this one is like an actress who specializes in romantic comedies; likeable enough, but ultimately lacking an edge. I rate it accordingly.




GRADE:   B-

See? The label even looks like a movie poster for a rom-com!

REVIEW 141: DELIRIUM TREMENS (REVISITED)

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:  Belgium

BREWERY:  Brouwerij Huyghe

STYLE:  Strong Pale Ale

ABV:  8.5%

PURCHASE:  Draft (12-oz.), $7.50

SERVING:  Tulip glass. Usual head of three-quarters of an inch to an entire inch for the first two beers, then the tap seemed to catch a "head fever" and gave me two full inches for Round 3. Average retention this time, as opposed to great retention from the bottled version.

APPEARANCE:  Foggy, pale golden body with slightly off-white head. Faint bubbling. Splotchy lacing around the inside of the glass.

BOUQUET:  Fairly balanced between malt and hops, with malt notes holding a slight edge. Fruity and citrusy, with noticeable appleskin essences. A tinge of banana and seeming traces of witbier spices such as clove.

PALATE:  Goes down effortlessly for a beer of this strength. Carbonation is initially quite tame but gets a bit sharp if held too long. Sweet malt entry, leading to a fruity mid-palate. Lightly hopped. Undertones of banana seem to lurk. Sour apple notes become more prominent toward the end; this was not noticeable in the bottled version. Aftertaste is yeasty, citrusy, and appley, with a blink-and-you'll-miss-it kick of pepper and clove at the end. 

MUSINGS AND METAPHORS:  This was only the second time I've had Delirium on tap, and like the first, it possessed a strong apple presence. Why I didn't pick up on this in the bottled version, I can't say. Maybe I'm just not that savvy a beer snob. Or maybe it's just not there in bottled form.

This is a deceptive beer. You can almost down this as if it were Budweiser. But then it would be bad news! Good thing for me that it's quality, and not quantity, that I'm after. And quality this is, though I may have overrated it by a hair the first time around.




ORIGINAL GRADE:  A

NEW GRADE:  A-

Delirium Tremens is also the name of a speed and thrash metal band from Germany. Check'em out!

This is their Facebook page. And here they are live:

REVIEW 140: RACER 5 IPA

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:  USA

BREWERY:  Bear Republic Brewing Company

STYLE:  IPA

ABV:  7.5%

PURCHASE:  Draft (pint), $7.50

SERVING:  Chilled pint glass. Head of one full inch and change from the tap. World-class retention.

APPEARANCE:  This is one beautiful IPA. Golden-caramel colored body. Dense and spongy white head that almost defies gravity. Cloudy but translucent overall appearance. Not very much noticeable bubbling. Lacing that is beyond extraordinary; almost as if it was independently put there by a professional whitewasher.

BOUQUET:  Sports a hoppy forefront--it's an IPA, duh. But it's tempered by a very well rounded malt and citrus presence. Grapefruity. A tease of caramel seems to linger in there.

PALATE:  Extremely well attenuated. Soft carbonation on a slightly heavy body. It's an IPA, so you know what the constant factor is from start to finish. Mid-palate, grapefruit notes take hold, leading to an ideally balanced finish of hops, citrus, and toasted malt. Lemon and orange notes enter the fray at this juncture. The caramel seems to have been a mirage; I don't detect any here--not really. No matter: This isn't overly complex, but not simplemindedly hop-laden either. It's . . . just . . . right. 

MUSINGS AND METAPHORS:  Takes a backseat to Pliny and Dogfish's 90 Minute IPA, but remains a favorite of mine in this category, and probably among the very best IPAs in the country. Goes with any kind of food and is never out of place, no matter the situation. An IPA for all seasons. 

I can't find an irrefutable connection between Racer 5 and the Mach 5 from Speed Racer, but one of the taglines, per Bear Republic's own website, is: "There's a trophy in every glass." Come on!




GRADE:  A

REVIEW 139: WHO YOU CALLIN' WUSSIE

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:  USA

BREWERY:  Arrogant Brewing

STYLE:  Pilsener

ABV:  5.8%

PURCHASE:  Draft (pint), $7.00

SERVING:  Chilled pint glass. Standard 3/4" head from the tap. Good retention.

APPEARANCE:  Classic golden-straw color, see-through, with an equally classic sudsy white head. Very faint but visible bubbling. Picture-perfect lacing around the inside of the glass.

BOUQUET:  Citric and noble hop bitterness are immediately noticeable. Malted barley and yeast lurk in the background, aromatically. Somewhat grassy.

PALATE:  Moderate body with mild carbonation. Doesn't take long for hop bitterness to take hold, but it never goes too far. Rounded out very nicely by the malt and citrus notes--almost comes off as a pale ale. Finishes with a too-prominent uptick of yeast, but it's a meshing of hops and citric bitterness that saves, then carries, an otherwise addictive and lingering aftertaste. Just the right amount of complexity. 

MUSINGS AND METAPHORS:  Prior to the advent of the mass-produced adjunct lager, this was likely what most people would call "regular beer": The pilsener. 

Credit the American microbrewer, in this case Arrogant Brewing, with bringing it back. This was introduced this past June, roughly one year after Arrogant split from their longtime parent, Stone. (Both breweries remain situated in Escondido, California, outside San Diego.)  The aim of this brew, as advertised on the Arrogant website, is to return the pilsener "to its almighty glory." 

At the very least, it's a great start.




GRADE:  A-

REVIEW 138: MINT JULEP ALE

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:  USA

BREWERY:  Flying Dog Brewery

STYLE:  Blonde Ale

ABV:  6.0%

PURCHASE:  Draft (pint), $7.50

SERVING:  Chilled pint glass. Initially heady from the tap, but served with the standard 3/4" head. Average to slightly better than average retention.

APPEARANCE:  Transparent blond-straw body. Almost looks like a pilsner--even an adjunct lager. The usual white head. Inconsistent, splotchy lacing. Bubbling visible, particularly early on.

BOUQUET:  Lives up to its name. Muddled mint leaf aroma above all else. Strain and you might pick up a bit of floral hop, a bit of malt, a bit of yeast. But it's difficult. Almost smells like mint gum, or Tic-Tacs. 

PALATE:  Not particularly filling; goes down like a minty adjunct lager. Normal carbonation. As with the aroma, strain and you can pick up traces of malt, yeast, and floral hops. The yeast asserts itself at the finish, but that mint just doesn't want to share the spotlight. It's not overpowering, exactly; it's more the brewmaster's doing than anything else. This is just not an ideally balanced beer. 

MUSINGS AND METAPHORS:  This beer is misnamed. Mint juleps are made as much with bourbon as with mint. Yet this brew had no bourbon character. At all. 

Intriguing idea, but so-so execution. Not exactly a miss, but nowhere near a hit, either. Hey, it'll freshen your breath!

NOTE:  This beer is only available while supplies last, as it has been "retired" by its brewery.



GRADE:  C-

An actual mint julep.

REVIEW 137: PUNKIN ALE

COUNTRY OF ORIGIN:  USA

BREWERY:   Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

STYLE:  Pumpkin Ale

ABV:  7.0%

PURCHASE:  Draft (12-oz.), $7.00

SERVING:  Chimay branded chalice. From the tap, a half-inch head with average retention.

APPEARANCE:  Translucent auburn color. Visually alluring. Off-white head. No visible bubbling and no real lacing either.

BOUQUET:  Essentially pumpkin spice and brown sugar. Nutmeg and cinnamon are detectable.

PALATE:  Middle-of-the-road body with normal carbonation. Entry starts softly, and gradually crescendos in sweetness. Fusel alcohol finish, particularly if swallowed too fast. Aftertaste is spiced with cinnamon, nutmeg, and seemingly, clove and allspice. Could stand to have a bit more pumpkin; the brown sugar was actually more prominent. 

MUSINGS AND METAPHORS:  A tasty brew, but points off for a relatively subdued pumpkin flavor. This is like a second-rate Hitchcock film: It's still better than most of its competition, even if it's not exactly an ace in its field. 

You know what this is named for? World Championship Punkin Chunkin (WCPC), an annual pumpkin chucking contest held in Delaware, the home of Dogfish Head. "Punkin chunkin" is slang for "pumpkin chucking." And I'm not talking manual chucking either. They use mechanical launching equipment. (See below.) It's even aired on the Science Channel. What will they think of next?




GRADE:  B+