Roebling Imperial Robust Porter

Brewer: Rivertown Brewing Company, Lockland, Ohio
Alcohol Content: 7.8%

Official Description from Brewer:
"Brewed with imported sweet vanilla beans, cold pressed espresso/coffee & raw cane sugars.  Like a big, chewy, vanilla, coffee infused brownie, Roebling Porter brings tons of chocolate aroma & a docile acidity."

Wilk's Take:
First and foremost, thank you to my sister-in-law Danette for feeding into my beer obsession with a variety pack for Christmas.  Nothing warms my heart more than an endless supply of beer to opine about.  The first one I grabbed was the Roebling due to its compact 12oz bottle that looked oh so cute in my fridge next to its big brothers.

Roebling pours like liquid red rocks.  It settles in the glass a hearty brown, but held in the right light, the ruddy, reddish brown that originated in the pour can be caught.  In direct contrast to the brewer's description, Roebling reeked of espresso right out of the gate; coffee heavy to the extreme.  I really buried my nose in the glass to capture the vanilla and chocolate but kept coming up short.

I dove in for the first drink and the taste sensation that settled over my tongue defied what my nose just got done telling me.  The bitter smell of espresso gave way to a taste of chocolate heaven.  I actually said out loud "the taste defies the smell."  The chocolate led the charge with the espresso in a close second trailed by the vanilla bean.  Frankly the vanilla bean was only evident on the inside of my cheek after I swallowed.

Roebling surprises as you drink it.  As I neared the bottom of my glass the aroma that lifted into my nose was that of chocolate and no longer espresso.  The taste of coffee virtually disappears as well and all that is left is a full flavored porter and I wish I had another one in the fridge to grab.  Alas, I'll have to track it down another day or forget about it when I have another beer.

Suggestion: This is my first time even seeing a beer by Rivertown Brewing Company.  I'm sure Danette will tell me where she got it.  Find this beer and try it.  While you're at it, might want to invest in another Rivertown beer, as this one is a rare breed (as offered on their website).

Value: I can't really speak to the value of Roebling.  As part of a variety pack I can only imagine that it ran anywhere between $2-3 for the bottle alone.  That's better than any bottle you can buy at a bar.

Michelle Factor: Not only did Michelle give it a whirl, so did special guest Melanie.  Both liked it and Michelle agreed the taste defied expectation. 

Founder's CBS

Brewer: Founder's Brewing Company, Grand Rapids, Michigan
Alcohol Content: 10%

Official Description from Brewer:
None that I could find

Wilk's Take:
Founder's does it right.  This beer came to me via eBay.  I felt this strange desire to grab a hard to find brew because it seemed like getting one would be akin to finding the Holy Grail.  I know that's a bit of an exaggeration, but I am seeking the best.  When I say Founder's does it right, I am comparing them directly to Three Floyd's, our local champion.  Although Founder's Brewing had a CBS release party, the beer was not limited to the brewery; it was distributed across the state of Michigan and even made its way to Indiana.  Retail stores had the right to sell the beer on the shelf.  After my experience at the Three Floyd's anniversary party and the stories I've been told of Dark Lord Day, I was glad to find out that Founder's doesn't take itself too seriously.

The bottle, not labeled for size, was probably 750mL.  And let me tell you, it took me four hours to drink it over the course of Christmas Eve.  It poured out of the bottle like used motor oil and even my guests "oohed" and "aahed" as it hit the bottom of my glass.  I raised the glass to take in the aroma and every note Founder's wanted you to grab was there: coffee, chocolate, maple syrup, and bourbon.  The most subtle of these was bourbon.  From my previous encounters with bourbon stouts, most smell so sweetly of bourbon that it could be off putting for those who detest it.  With CBS, the bourbon is just right.

I had CBS stored in my cold room downstairs and I put it in the fridge prior to serving.  I tried it fresh out of the cold bottle and it was delicious.  I let it warm up to room temperature and it was even better.  I am constantly amazed at how different a beer can taste as your progress through the glass and even how it can change from the front of your mouth to the back.  Of course, the tongue has different taste buds at different locations so this makes sense, but CBS defies the logic.  The bitter coffee notes (and bitter might be too strong to describe it) resonated most clearly at the front of my mouth whereas the sweet maple chocolate taste was caught on the back end, which let the beer flow smoothly down the throat.  I didn't want to rush through this beer, I wanted to drink it forever.  Only one beer competes with that sensation and I'm sure you can imagine which one it is.

Suggestion: If you can find it, try it.  If you know someone who has it, ask for a taste as I doubt anyone would want to part with a whole bottle.

Value: I wish I could tell you.  My eBay purchase cost me some serious coin, but I'm glad I did it.  I don't even know how much it retailed for, but I'm sure it was worth it too.

Michelle Factor: None.  Michelle was relaxing with some egg nog.  I wonder if CBS mixed with egg nog would be good.

World Wide Stout

Brewer: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Milton, Delaware
Alcohol Content: 15-20%

Official Description from Brewer:
"YES! This is the beer you've heard so much about. Dark, rich, roasty and complex, World Wide Stout has more in common with a fine port than a can of cheap, mass-marketed beer. Brewed with a ridiculous amount of barley. Have one with (or as!) dessert tonight!"

Wilk's Take:
Somewhere on a shelf, a lone bottle of Dogfish Head's World Wide Stout cried out to me, practically begging me to buy it.  Honestly, I admit that I have not really had a Dogfish Head beer until this very moment.  I know that seems odd because Sam Calagione has done as much for the craft beer movement as anyone.  At least he has been well publicized.  But when you have a reputation for brewing good beer you must be doing something right.  Now I could have gone with the standard 60 minute IPA, but no, I go for a little rarer sighting, the World Wide Stout.

Between the realm of chocolate liqueur and rubbing alcohol lies the aroma of World Wide Stout.  It is simultaneously inviting and repulsive.  Granted, the repulsion is based on years of childhood illness where I inhaled rubbing alcohol as a method to clear chest congestion, so it might not be a fair comparison for this beer.  There is something definitely pungent about the smell that makes you think you'll lose a few nose hairs in the process.  I drink it anyway.

For a stout, the look of the beer is anything but.  As I poured it out of the bottle into my trusty pint glass I couldn't help but notice a deep amber color reflected from my kitchen lights.  This is not the used motor oil I love seeing, but it wasn't off putting either.  There was also a distinct liquidity about it that betrays the normal heavy of stouts wallowing in snifter glasses at your run of the mill craft beer establishment.

The taste is definitely akin to port wine.  It has to be.  Something that sweet can only remind you of dessert.  There is no bitter here, but Dogfish Head advertises World Wide Stout to be 70 IBU.  Even when you let it sit on that back of your tongue you are not getting anything remotely close to 70.  My fellow drinkers can confirm, but 70 is on the higher end for an IPA, which this is a far cry from.

Suggestion: I'm a sucker for stouts and World Wide is no exception.  It's good.  After a long day of work and a good meal, unwind with one, if you can find it.  With the heavy alcohol content you won't be surprised to find that it comes in a stand alone 12 oz. bottle.

Value: Definitely not a value buy.  For $8 you could get a couple bombers and even a six pack of good beer that could hold its ground to World Wide Stout.  Of course, it's usually from a local brewer and straight from their tap room.

Michelle Factor: She took the picture, does that count?  She passed on sampling.  Just not in the mood I guess.

Three Floyd's XV Anniversary Party - Worst Episode Ever

Maybe it's my fault. As a rookie coming off the bench, maybe I didn't prepare myself or establish the right expectations for the day. I was so excited to have access to this "exclusive" shindig that I failed to read any information about it posted just the day before. I have waited a week and half to even attempt to describe the day's activities because I needed to calm myself down. I wanted to approach it from the most objective perspective I could muster, but in the end I still hate, HATE, what I went through.

My wonderful sister-in-law Genny was kind enough to drop my brother Adrian and I off because I knew that parking was going to be ridiculous. That warning was well publicized by Three Floyd's from the outset, plus I read about previous Dark Lord Days. We arrived at 1:07pm, which was seven minutes after the premises was accessible to ticket holders and the line snaked down the street, around the corner, around a cul-de-sac, and back down the other side of the street. Now, I stood in line to get into a ballgame before with ticket in hand, so I was fine with that, but the line wasn't moving!

The picture above shows how much further we had to wait having already waited in the line for approximately one hour. Many of my taste buds were crying as I watched those around us drinking fine brews and feeling the saliva in my mouth ascending to levels reserved probably for dogs looking at a bacon treat. I had two bottles of CBS in my bag that I was looking to trade so the will power not to crack one of those open was battling my desire to drink a beer. I was hungry too. I skipped lunch because there were fine chefs inside and I love good brewpub food.

It took two and a half hours to get into a facility where we had tickets to attend the event inside. Egregious. When I get to the gate I present my ticket and my driver's license and the woman gave me two options, "To the right is the line to buy the bottled beers, to the left is the tent where they are serving the guest beers along with Three Floyd's beer." We went to the right.

Fortunately, my friend Dale met us near the front of the line. I let him cut the line. I didn't care at this point. I was tired, thirsty, hungry, and decidedly peeved about the whole situation. Not to mention the group behind us let about six people cut the line. Dale was our beer gopher. As my brother and I stood waiting to buy beer, Dale went to grab a couple of Alpha Kings. Yes, you read that right. Of all the selection of beers they were offering we decided to get the flagship formula. Why? Because it was the easiest brew to get. When Dale returned he handed us our Solo cups and graciously said, "First round is on me." I chuckled a little assuming that the beer had to come with the price of admission. Nope. $5. Damn, I'm at a beer garden at a lame state fair, right?

The picture above is the line to buy bottled beer along the side of the brewery's warehouse. Another hour and a half. Thankfully I was able to try "Baller Stout," the XV anniversary brew which is a combination of Dark Lord, Surly Darkness, Struise Black Albert, and Mikeller Beer Geek Brunch, before I decided if I wanted to buy it. Who am I kidding, I was going to buy it regardless. It was very tasty. Velvety smooth, but really hits you with coffee on the front end and cayenne notes on the back end. When I actually drink a bottle I could offer you a better opinion, but since I felt like a jilted lover drinking it, probably a good idea to leave the bias aside.

It took us another hour and a half standing in line before we bought our beer. I walked away with four bottles of Baller Stout, a bottle of Biggs' Stache (limited barrel aged brew), and a bottle of Alpha Klaus just because I wanted it. My time in line also yielded a bottle of Goose Island Bourbon County Stout which cost me a bottle of CBS. With beer securely in my bag, in was time to forage for sustenance.

At 5 o'clock, with five hours still ahead of the celebration, the food was gone. The celebrated chefs, nowhere to be found. The two food trucks that they brought in to supplement? One was closed and waiting for all the guests to enter the brewery (yes, still a line outside) and the other had a long, winding line since it was the only food on site. The bands that were lined up for entertainment? Inside the warehouse.

I left. I could not fathom spending another second of my time there. On a scale of one to worst episode ever you can imagine where I rated this event. Am I on a soapbox? You bet I am! $25 per ticket gets you into a party where you have to spend $5 on beer, an equal if not more amount on food that wasn't even there, and $30 per bottle of anniversary beer. I've never been to Dark Lord Day, but I'm guessing that I'm never going to go either. Having tried that beer (and it is by far the best beer I've had to date) I have no need to go back.

Alternatively, now that I'm a seasoned veteran, I can always approach the festivities from a different perspective. However, my favorite craft beer establishment threw a one year anniversary celebration for its patrons and provided Zombie Dust free of charge (along with another craft beer selection) and the food was free as well. In fifteen years, maybe Three Floyd's is slowly morphing into an entity whose mystique far outweighs its service. The product is outstanding, don't get me wrong, but if the precedent of Dark Lord is the new trend in craft beer (i.e. CBS, Darkness, etc.) then I may just pass and stick with the Alpha Kings.

Why did I do that?

Leading up to the unique beer sale at Wise Guys (yes, I renamed it) I was trolling around craigslist and eBay looking at how much some of these beers were going for.  And I revisited an old favorite: Dark Lord by Three Floyd's.

There it was, in my hometown nonetheless.  It seemed like a reasonable price at the time and besides, I already convinced Brett to go in on half.  The only thing I had to give up was the bottle.  I had no problem with that as I am not in the habit of keeping the bottles.  I was only interested in the prize within.  So I arranged a meet with the buyer and ponied up $60 for the 2011 brew.  Why did I do that?

Finally the day of the sale came and we lined up outside the store with a dedicated crowd more than likely chasing after the same beer: Founders CBS.  We were ushered into the narrow first aisle of the store and told about the quantities available.  They were selling 8 bottles of CBS that morning and there were roughly 60 or 70 people in line.  Very interesting.  I don't remember the specific counts of the other beers but we had six names in six beer drawings and the outlook seemed promising.

"You know," Melanie started, "we should have gotten back in line and come up with aliases to increase our odds."  This was a brilliant idea!  Unfortunately one that was shared after the name collecting stopped.  If ever I find myself in that situation again, you better believe I'll remember that piece of advice.

First up was the CBS.  They were selling it for approximately $18 a bottle.  These bottles were fetching as much as $60 on eBay so the investment alone was worth the wait.  Alas, we struck out.  And the next round was lambic beers from Upland brewery in the form of raspberry, peach, or hell, I can't remember.  We lost out on those too.  Spirits were fading.

I was already holding a bottle of Hoppin' Frog's Frog's Hollow Double Pumpkin Ale which was a 2010 Great American Beer Festival Gold Medal winner.  I was happy with that.  I just wish that I could get some of these other beers.  And then it happened.  The total take away was at least doubling up on the last four beers sold:

4 bottles of Hoppin' Frog Naked Evil @ $25 each - $100 (Why did I do that?  I sold one bottle right on the spot because I couldn't imagine what I would do with four, so we'll scale it back to $75)

2 bottles of Stone Vertical Epic, years 2006 and 2008 @ $42 each - $84 (Why did I do that?  Turns out Stone has been brewing Vertical Epic since 2002 and they release the beers on the following dates: 2/2/02; 3/3/03; 4/4/04; etc. and they will stop on 12/12/12.)

2 bottles of Hoppin' Frog DORIS @ $13 each - $26 (Why did I do that?  I had a bottle at Beer Geeks the week before and it was good and remember BORIS got this whole thing started)

2 bottles of Victory Otto @ $10 each - $20 (Why did I do that?  To be honest with you, I have no frickin' idea.  It was just a limited release)

$205 on 9 bottles of beer averaging $23 bottle which translates to about $1 an ounce.  Ok, that softens the blow a little bit.  Plus I walked away with the Pumpkin Ale which I think was $17 and a bottle of Abita's 25th Anniversary Double Dog for $6.  All told Wise Guys got $228 from me that Saturday morning.

Here's the problem I have: It was a total scam!  Ok, the beer is real and I have it, but my friend Brett calls me half an hour later and says, "So I was at Nick's Liquors and they have Hoppin' Frog DORIS and Naked Evil on the shelf."

"Son of a bitch."

Ok Wise Guys, great marketing scheme.  You bring in foot traffic and hype up beer only to ensure it's sold in one day.  However, good luck getting any more of my money.  Apparently Nick's Liquors doesn't need bells and whistles to sell their beer.  Might be better priced too.

Post Script: This spawned a nasty habit.  I went on eBay and spent $20 on Vertical Epic year 2007 and $10 on Vertical Epic year 2010.  $42 at Wise Guys for beer I could have got on eBay at half the cost.  Granted, year 2002 is going for about $600+.  And I spent $75 on CBS because I didn't think I'd actually win that auction.  Why did I do that?  I can't even drink it now and feel good about it.

Rare beer attack - Sneaky bastards

So I follow a couple dozen people/breweries/beer bloggers on twitter.  Sometimes they provide useful information, other times I gloss over it like a kid being begged by his mother to make the bed.  However, one tweet rose above the others, even though it was so plain:

"Limited release beer sale coming soon....stay tuned for details!!!"

Thanks @wiseguysliquors, that made my day.  What could it be?  The intended effect worked and I was captivated.  Ok, I'll admit, I really didn't care.  Honestly, rare beers are all hype right?  The value of the beer is related to the scarcity moreso than the actual taste.  Or not.  Dark Lord seems to be popular, but with a rabid fan base and loyalists touting it as the best beer ever could just be pulling my chain.  I might think it tastes like crap!  I stayed tune for the next tweet which came about 10 days after the first:

"Our limited release beer sale will be on Saturday 10/29 @ 9:15 a.m. at our Merrillville location."

Well no shit.  You just opened your new store only two months earlier so picking your flagship location was not a stretch.  Still not telling me anything useful.

"We will be using a lottery system to determine who will get the opportunity to purchase these special items to be as fair as possible"

That's good.  The last thing you want is dedicated beer drinkers to start lining up outside your store before a beer release.  You would end up with a tent city of people drinking the night away before you opened.  That helps a lot.  But is it worth my time?

"the beers involved will be announced on Monday 10/24!!! thanks for your patience!"

Damnit.  Really?  Three more days to find out what the hell you'll be selling?  Does that mean the deal with the distributor fell through on some stuff?  Does that mean your distributor won't tell you?  Alright, until Monday...

"Saturday's limited release beer sale will include the following beers:"

140 characters, saves on advertising dollars I suppose

"victory otto, hoppin' frog DORIS, hoppin' frog naked evil, upland lambics, vintage stone vertical epics and founders CBS!"

And there it was.  The hook that the sneaky bastards were using to drive foot traffic.  It could be argued that only one of those beers was rare or highly sought after.  Then again a trip through craigslist or eBay just tells you what the secondary market is offering for these brews.  Craft beer has almost become an investment.  The Founder's Canadian Breakfast Stout alone was a myth!  You could triple your money!

I rounded up my team.  Thanks to Adrian, Brett, Melanie, Michael, and of course Michelle for accompanying me to Wise Guys Liquors that morning.

The conclusion tomorrow...

"Get Him to the Geek"

Jason Owens has spent four years trying to open the bar where he wanted to go have a drink. His efforts have paid off as Beer Geeks has just celebrated its first year in business proving that others in the region also want to go to his bar and have a drink. Of course striking the craft beer iron while it is hot didn't hurt either.

Not Your Typical Dive Bar

Well, from appearances, it is exactly your typical dive bar. Sandwiched between a pizza joint and a burrito place, the unassuming facade of Beer Geeks isn't inviting the masses from the outside with bright, flashy lights and a wall of picture windows letting you peer at the patrons inside. There is one iron gated porthole that lets in absolutely the bare minimum of natural light. At 3pm when the door opens you have to adjust your eyes to take in the darkness, tempered only by the glow of fluorescent.

"I wanted that dark bar, downtown Chicago feel: low ceilings, dark and intimate. I wanted a dive bar with a purpose," Jason explains to me. "I got some of my ideas from Bone Dry, the booths, tables and chairs. And I always had the idea for the leather couches. First thing I did when I got in here was get the carpet." The carpet, the exact color escapes me now, only contributes to the dark atmosphere. In contrast to all of it are the white ceiling tiles that even the whitest guy could jump and hit.

"This is the kind of bar I hung out in Chicago. I always wanted to open a place where I wanted to go drink." And that's the prevailing theme with Jason. He fell in love with the Chicago Blues scene and offers Tuesday Bluesday. Local bands and musicians come play on Saturday nights to add to that intimate bar setting. It's everything you might expect to find in downtown Chicago.

The Craft Beer Phenomenon

"Bone Dry had been rotating craft beers before the movement ever became huge. It was just something different than your Millers or Buds. You will never find those here."

My journey into craft beer started at Beer Geeks with a bottle of Hoppin' Frog's BORIS. As I was chatting with Jason I was slowly sipping on a snifter of Hoppin' Frog's DORIS, completing my circle so to speak. Recently, Wise Guys Liquors advertised a rare beer sale with one of those bottles being DORIS, which I had already had!

"It's all about the relationship with the distributors. I take care of them, they take care of me. If there is one barrel left in the state, they give me a call and say, 'Hey, there's one barrel left and we're bringing it to you.'"

That's a great position to be in. When you are tapping kegs from all over the states it pays to grab the barrels that might not be available anywhere else in Indiana. Now I'm sure the folks in Indianapolis get a large selection as well thanks to distributors down south. But the rotating selection up here separates Beer Geeks from even the breweries that can trade their own beer for another's.

"Every time you come to Beer Geeks it is like a brand new bar. Yesterday we had 'Old Blarney' but today it's gone. I'm about to go put on 'Zombie Dust.'"

And away he went, back into his labyrinth of kegs and lines and swapped out one for another. As he was cleaning the line of the 'Old Blarney' pouring it into a pitcher he offered a taste of an 'Old Blarney,' 'Zombie Dust' mix. I passed but the other patrons at the bar were more than happy to try.

That's how it has to go here. There is no set day and time for beer rotation. If a keg is empty, Jason wastes no tap space and grabs another brew. It makes Beer Geeks a year round brewfest.

And the clientele certainly helps lend that feel too. When I was there chatting with Jason there were maybe a dozen people in the place. Although I was the one pressing him for answers, every patron was waiting to hear the story behind the bar. At times, the topic changed from Beer Geeks simply to beer. There is no more enjoyable experience than drinking a great beer and talking about great beer with people who share the passion.

The Palate Requires There Be NO SMOKING

The town of Highland does not have a smoking ordinance.

"Totally my decision," Jason says.

"So this wasn't because you were serving craft beer?"

"No, but I know how much that means to craft beer drinkers."

It certainly is an added benefit to walk into Beer Geeks and not be engulfed in a haze of secondhand smoke. Most of us know that to truly enjoy a craft beer you have to invoke all five senses and that can be a little difficult when all you smell is nicotine addiction and all you taste is stale air. But it all goes back to Jason's concept of the bar he wants to drink in.

This is also a good thing for the beer selection. It all comes down to his palate. He alone selects the beer and sometimes, on a rare occasion, he may let a distributor talk him into a beer without actually tasting it. As far as I can tell, this has backfired only one time.

"One time I got a keg of Pink Killer Beer. It was grapefruit infused. Probably the worst beer I've had in my life. I went through the keg in three days. The girls really loved it."

Word of Mouth

"I advertised one time.  I ran a weekly Friday ad in the Times for a blues event.  Oh, and I sent some stickers or coasters to a brewfest and nobody had any idea the place existed."

I cheerfully retorted, "But you have about 3,000 friends on Facebook."

"Yeah, but half of them are from Brazil. You know how Facebook is, people see 'beer' and they just go crazy. One girl 'liked' one of my keg tapping's yesterday. I did that in September! I hope she wasn't expecting to come in here and order it."

Jason takes the time to announce every new beer on tap and he's pretty good about staying up to date. Between Facebook (Beer Geeks), Twitter http://twitter.com/#!/beergeekspub and his own website, http://www.beergeekspub.com/, you can always stay up to date on what's going on.

I asked him how much sleep he's lost in his first year of business.

"I haven't lost any sleep. Sure it keeps me busy, between [the three aforementioned media], bar tending, working another job (yes, he works another job), and running the business I certainly have been busy. But I have a lot of help."

The Future

Beer Geeks, with little to no publicity or fanfare, is slowly becoming a staple in the craft beer scene here in Northwest Indiana. Although the vast majority of the public may be unaware of its existence, the fans of craft beer flock quite frequently to enjoy a pint, tulip, or snifter of the newest ale to arrive on the scene. It even manages to attract a few hipsters thanks to the offering of PBR ($3 tall boys only).

When I asked Jason about the future of Beer Geeks he offered me a surprising response:

"I want to open a blues bar."

Craft Beer could lead the whole beer industry back

http://money.msn.com/stock-broker-guided/article.aspx?post=597cf1c1-18a4-4f48-8632-f73a3dfe534c

Notice that even in a depressed economy, craft beer is a growing enterprise.  The one year anniversary of Beer Geeks, the opening of Bulldog Brewing, the popularity of Three Floyd's show that craft beer in Northwest Indiana can be a major player in the Miller v. Bud debate, wherein these beers have more taste than the big media spenders.  I think it shows that if you actually considered the quality of your beer over the quantity you can gain a loyal following not tied to how much money you spend on advertising.

The Michelle Factor

This blog would not be complete without the help of Michelle.  She puts up with all this silly drinking business and supports my passion with her own.  We just celebrated five years of wedded bliss and she decides to show her love with a bounty of gifts that make a beer drinker just ooze with excitement.

The personalized hoodie sweatshirt now means that Beer Me Wilk is virally advertising.  Don't be surprised if you see this at the next tailgate, pub, or brewfest event (like say the Three Floyd's anniversary party).  And I hear it makes a great Christmas present too.

The other awesome gift were two glasses, yes glasses, recycled and produced out of 22 oz bombers.  The company that manufactures these is based in San Diego, so naturally Stone is the brewer of choice.  You better believe Beer Me Wilk is shopping the idea around to some glass manufacturers here locally so that his bottle collection can be turned into quite possibly the most ingenious beer vessels yet.

Next time you see or talk to Michelle, and you actually like the blog, thank her before you thank me.

Night Tripper Imperial Stout

Brewer: New Holland Brewing, Holland, Michigan
Alcohol Content: 10.8%

Official Description from Brewer:
"Night Tripper is an Imperial Stout for a Fat Tuesday release. Dark, mysterious and poetic, Night Tripper’s abundance of roasted malts, combined with flaked barley create a rich, roasty beer with deeply intense and lush flavors. Night Tripper’s layered, nuanced tones invite intrigue and reward a curious palate. Beads and masks aren’t required, but are encouraged."

Wilk's Take:
I suppose there is always a possibility of grabbing a seasonal brew late in the year.  I have passed Night Tripper on the shelf several times but never had the presence of mind to buy it, which is a little troublesome as it screams Imperial Stout right on the label.  On top of that, it has been sitting in my fridge for weeks as circumstances have continually drawn me away from this brew.

Fate had a plan.  You see, a beer like Night Tripper needed to be enjoyed in the perfect drinking vessel and this weekend, this vessel came to me.  Introducing: Das Boot.  Surely a 36 ounce boot glass can accommodate a 22 ounce bomber with ample room to spare.  However, as I am here to talk about beer, the boot will have to wait.

When I popped the top off the beer and the warm air met the cool liquid the vapor that wafted from the bottle's contents to my nose was furious.  Maybe robust would be a better word to use but how creative is that?  It really was the first time that I felt floored by the smell of a beer without so much as spilling a drop.  I emptied the contents into das boot and the aroma just grew more powerful.  It reeked of bourbon of all things.  Maybe not bourbon, maybe an Irish whiskey or a scotch because although sweet, not that sweet.

The roasted malts were delicious.  Notice New Holland doesn't tell you chocolate or coffee but keeps the descriptors vague: rich, intense, lush, nuanced.  That's probably because they couldn't label it!  I can hardly describe it myself except to say it drank so smooth and when I finally made it to the end I was disappointed it was all gone, but thankful I was done because 10.8% can floor you  (especially when your favorite football team is winning).

Suggestion: Go forth and procure, but only if you like stouts.  If you're trying a stout for the first time, Night Tripper is not the answer unless you're that brave.

Value: I can't remember what I paid for Night Tripper, but if I had to guess it is a bit on the higher end because it is seasonal and I bought it out of season.  It doesn't matter though, I'd buy it again.

Michelle Factor:  Michelle could smell the beer before I ever brought it to her.  The sour grapes expression on her face was all I needed to see.

Guest Factor: So we tried the "Melanie Factor" this week.  Melanie drinks beer so this was a new little spin.  She didn't like it either, but she detected something in the beer she couldn't quite label.  I believe it was the whiskey smell I described above.  She could tell me otherwise.

Bulldog Brewing Company

Northwest Indiana has another microbrewery on its hands.  Enter, Bulldog Brewing Company.  The soon to be open brewpub in Whiting, Indiana is offering a variety of brews named after regional history.  It is opening Saturday, October 8, and you better believe that I will be there to sample the brews first hand.  Support your local beer makers and keep the culture growing in Northwest Indiana.

Bulldog Brewing Company
1409 119th Street
Whiting, IN
219-655-5284

Read more about the owners here: http://www.nwitimes.com/business/local/article_982f3b94-9ad8-5b2e-9974-e3a48e68fa98.html

Bourbon Barrel Stout

Brewer: Bluegrass Brewing Company, Louisville, Kentucky

Alcohol Content: 8.5-9%

Official Description from Brewer:

"This complex stout has aromas of bourbon, oak and dark roasted malts. Full-bodied, silky stout aged in Bourbon Barrels for 60 to 90 days. The aging process produces a smoky richness from the deep char of the barrels. Roasted barley flavors of chocolate and coffee develop as the stout continues along. Finishing hints of vanilla and bourbon finds it way down the back of the pallet."

Wilk's Take:

After my encounter with Bourbon Barrel Stout at the Valpo Brewfest and how exceptional the BBC RIP was that I already sampled, I made the effort to buy myself a four pack of the stout for some sampling.  After giving away three of the bottles I actually was able to enjoy the fourth prior to dinner last night.  And with the rare, warm October weather it was while working the grill.

Forgiving BBC their spelling error in the description (insert "Kentucky intelligence" joke here; I won't because I've heard the same lobbed at me about Indiana while working in Chicago) I can honestly say that not one word of what they think of their beer is a lie.  I, as evidenced by the blog, am never so succinct in my description of these beers.  BBC must pay someone to come up with this stuff.  (They do, he's called the brewer).

Bourbon Barrel Stout pours like a watered down beer.  There is no thickness to it whatsoever and I poured it, like I do all my beers, to have minimum head.  This isn't the used motor oil that stouts and porters can give, this is the fresh stuff right out of the quart!  And the aroma!  If you like bourbon, or any kind of whiskey, you will love the sweet air surrounding this beer.  You would think that you just got a Maker's neat and not a beer.  I really like that in these barrel beers.  Two Brothers did it well with their offering at the Illiana Brewfest as well.

There's not much more I can say about this beer that hasn't already been said.  If you consume it too quickly, you really miss out on the bourbon notes.  The chocolate and coffee undertones are prevalent no matter how fast to take it in, but are a supporting cast at best to the star of the show.  Low and slow my friends; that's the mantra you want to repeat to really get the best out of this beer and really appease your palate!

Suggestion: It's obvious right?

Value:  About $7-$8 a four pack if memory serves me correctly.  Not a steal by any stretch of the imagination, but good for a night of mellow consumption.

Michelle Factor:  M:"I taste chocolate."  W:"But did you like it?"  M:"I wouldn't drink a whole bottle if that's what you're asking.  Can we get some more of that pumpkin ale?"  W:"ABSOLUTELY NOT!  How about we try another pumpkin ale later."  M:"Anheuser Busch, big deal.  You love Michelob Golden Draft."  W:"Touche my dear, touche."

Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat Ale - Addendum

Those bastards!

If you didn't think the craft beer movement was in jeopardy, look no further than Shock Top Brewing Company.  This is what I got for posting too damn quickly.  Getting content out there is no good if you don't do research.

My apologies to my fellow craft beer brethren out there.  I led you astray by not divulging fully the following:

Shock Top Brewing is wholly owned by Anheuser-Busch.

It doesn't alter the taste of the beer by any stretch of the imagination, but no wonder the value is there.  $6 for a six pack is because of the big machine behind it.  I support smaller, local brewers.  Had I not been duped by the packaging I never would have paid for this beer.

Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat Ale

Brewer: Shock Top Brewing Company, St. Louis, Missouri
Alcohol Content: 4.2%

Official Description from Brewer:
"Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat is the first seasonal ale from Shock Top. With a flavor that’s refreshingly fall and distinctly Shock Top, it’s guaranteed not to be the last.

Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat is a traditional Belgian-style wheat ale brewed with ripe pumpkins and a variety of autumnal spices, including nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. This seasonal unfiltered wheat ale has a deep amber color and is crafted with a refreshingly distinct pumpkin spice that fully captures all the flavors of fall."

Wilk's Take:
Now, it normally would not be in my nature to start a beer critique by mentioning another beer, but my hand is almost forced to in this situation.  I've never tried a pumpkin ale prior to this year.  I suppose I've always stuck with any number of Oktoberfest brews and shied away from pumpkin varieties.  At the Beer Geeks one year anniversary celebration (which, I know, I never wrote about), I had the pleasure of trying Southern Tier's Pumpking.  I was amazed.  The snifter held pumpkin pie in a glass, complete with whip cream.  No, the beer wasn't topped with whip cream but it sure tasted like it was.  This set the bar incredibly high for pumpkin ales to follow.

Enter Shock Top's Pumpkin Wheat Ale.  If you inspect the neck of the bottle closely, nestled just below the cap, Shock Top has provided instructions on how to pour the beer.  I'm paraphrasing here, but it goes something like this: "Pour down side of glass until there is about 1/2 inch of beer left in bottle.  Swirl bottle around to release full flavor of spices, then pour remainder."  I missed this the first time.  Let me assure you however that swirling the remaining half inch really does nothing to alter the taste.

Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat is a beautiful autumn color.  If you are opposed to drinking pumpkin ales, it is just worth pouring a glass just to see the colors blazing at you.  Imagine driving through south western Michigan on a perfect October day and you will see unimaginable leaves being wrestled from trees.  Blend all of those colors together and you get Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat.  The combination yields a rusty orange look that is darker than 70s style carpeting but lighter than stained cherry wood.

The smell is what you would expect.  The pumpkin is the primary aroma and you can certainly detect the autumnal spices that usually accompany pumpkin: cinnamon, nutmeg, clove.  What is lacking is the wheat aspect of the beer.  At least through the smell.  When you drink Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat Ale, you can taste the pumpkin and spices and they taste good.  Not nearly pumpkin pie in a glass, but damn tasty.  The wheat is subtle and at the tail end of any pull, so at least the claim to Pumpkin Wheat Ale is a solid one.

Suggestion: Do it.  'Tis the season to try autumnal beers and Shock Top has a good one with Pumpkin Wheat Ale.  It's their first seasonal and it's a damn good one.

Value: I bought a six pack for $6.  That's a steal in my opinion.  I drank three of them while watch the Bears game Sunday afternoon and could have finished the other three if I didn't try another beer that day.  I found mine at Wise Guy's.  Go out and get yourself some.

Michelle Factor: For the first time, Michelle finished a glass.  She took the obligatory sip, told me she liked it and I told her to have at it.  She did.  Although she left some brew hanging.  A picture is forthcoming.

Valpo BrewFest

"If God wanted us to filter our beer, he wouldn't have given us livers"  -Bumper Sticker from Bell's

No beer journals this time.  Why bother?  The staff of the Valpo Brewfest provided a "Beer Notes" section on the back of their program.  You could scribble furiously away as you dissect the beer sample that was just poured for you.  Of course, you'd have to put the beer down, and who has time to do that?

One thing noticeable right away, and something I also fell victim to, was that inevitably the crowd can be heard comparing one beer festival to another.  So here I'll vent a little, in hopes that maybe a staff member will stumble across this critique and keep these ideas in mind for next year.

1. If your brewery is going to be attending an event, make sure someone with vast knowledge of your beer is pouring it.  Too often we came across some young guy paid by the distributor to top off the three ounce sample.  When I asked about the beer he would be reading a cheat sheet.  Really?  I can read a beer label too.  What's the unique factor that's going to wow me?  The local brewers certainly represented and were very passionate about their product, otherwise I felt like I was talking to a marketing undergrad with his first job out of college.

2. If you have VIPs, treat them like VIPs, don't tease.  Sure, we were allowed to enter the premises and peruse the beer selection an hour before the general public.  And yes we had access to rare beers and some great food samples to complement them.  But when there are 200 VIPS and only four specialty beer stations something will be missed in that first hour.  My friends and I decided to go around to the other beers and grab a taste before the masses came.  We went back to the VIP tent about a half hour after the general admissions crowd came in and all the food and rare beers were gone.  Blue Chip did this better when each booth at VIP brews throughout the whole day.

3. Don't run out of beer, especially the good stuff.  Arguably a brewer would want to appeal to the farthest reaching audience to gain customers.  However, at a brewfest where the attendees are expecting brilliance, bring massive amounts of your Oktoberfest or Pumpkin ale, because I don't need to try another pale ale or IPA.  Bring enough bottles or kegs for 1,500.  That's 500 ounces based on 3 ounce sample size.  If you can't bring 42 bottles with you, why bother?  And if you want to offer variety I can understand that, but why not master one trade instead of being the jack of all?

4. On a positive note, getting quality food vendors was the best idea ever.  Although a hot dog, burger, or piece of pizza would have been good, Stout BBQ pork ribs, carne asada tacos, and bison chili was great. 

The best in show: Rogue Ales Chocolate Stout.  I had a bomber of it waiting in my fridge, so after we returned from the brewfest, the four of us shared it.

My personal favorite: Bluegrass Brewing Company's Bourbon Barrel Stout.  Deliciously smooth and bourbon sweetness made this a great beer.

Honorable mentions:
Woodchuck Pumpkin Cider - This was offered with a food pairing of pumpkin carrot cupcakes.  It was pretty damn tasty.

Rogue Ales - Every stout they had.  Adrian enjoyed all three in one visit, starting with Oatmeal, then Chocolate, than the Russian Imperial.  Escalating in intensity and thickness, you can imagine how the well balanced Chocolate could be the best at the fest.

The only beer to give the Chocolate stout a run for its money was North Coast Brewing's Brother Thelonious.  Although I was not personally overwhelmed by it, Brett and Rob were raving about it.

Immediately following the Valpo Brewfest was Beer Geeks one year anniversary.  I'll be talking about those beers tomorrow.

Valpo Brewfest - Delicious Irony

"It's like rain on your wedding day,
it's a free ride when you've already paid,
it's the good advice that you just didn't take,
Who would've thought? It figures."

-Alanis Morissette, "Ironic"

Wilk: You know, there is an effort to redefine craft beer into "gourmet" beer.
Rob: It's funny, you say redefine, I say ruin.  Beer is for the common man.  People complain about the billion dollar breweries, but you know what, they make a billion dollars because people keep buying them.  It's like wine tasting.  Wine tasting is on the tail end of the bell curve.  It's no longer this bourgeois thing that relates to the upper crust, it's for the common man.  Now craft beer is coming up the bell curve and it's starting to be reserved for...
Wilk: The damn hipsters.

Aside: I only discovered later that when I looked up the word bourgeois to spell it correctly that it is a term to describe a member of the middle class, of which I believe Rob would include himself.  Unless common usage has turned the definition of bourgeois into snobbery the word was used incorrectly in the context (sorry Rob).  In any case, I understood his point perfectly when he was making it.

Rob: Exactly.
Wilk: Well, the hipsters drink PBR.
Adrian: Yeah, but they do that to be ironic.  We drink PBR because we have no problem with how it tastes.  They drink it because they feel they're being cool based on the irony.  "Look, we're drinking crappy beer."

As this dialogue continued into ranging topics, a group of twenty-somethings rambled in.  The most obvious offense was the gentleman wearing a tweed blazer over his t-shirt while a fedora rested on his head.  His black rimmed spectacles and unshaven face complemented his whole look perfectly.  He certainly tried to give the appearance of someone who didn't care how he looked, but the meticulous nature of his clothing selection was very apparent.

Wilk: If anyone ever needed a definition of the word "hipster," there he is.

Rob, Adrian, and Brett nod approvingly and laugh.

Rob: Who wants to go back to the VIP tent and grab one of the specialty beers?  There is one in there that paired beautifully with the smoked gouda.  Oh! and did you try that peppered salami?

Social Media

To supplement the blog I've also been more active on Twitter.  The handle is rather obvious: @BeerMeWilk.  I'll be working on my own Facebook page (independent of my own Facebook page (confused yet?)) and showcase some of the craft brewers that I've had the pleasure of meeting, through their products only.  Also, 2012 looks to be the year that the adventure of brewing beer may commence.  Brett has been chomping at the bit ever since the Illiana Mayfest and I might actually dive head first with him into the foray.  Stay tuned for those details.  In the mean time, spread the love and the word and bring people into the craft beer fold.  While you're at it, click on an ad or two, just so our beer brewing venture can be supplemented by ad income!  FYI, I've made $10 since May.  Exciting, isn't it?

Milestone in Local Craft Beer Movement

A hearty congratulations goes out to Beer Geeks for their one year anniversary.  From one fledgling business venture to another!

The craft beer movement seems to be alive and well in northwest Indiana thanks to the efforts of not only Three Floyd's, Figure 8, etc. but also of Beer Geeks for showcasing the finest the nation has to offer in the way of specialty brews.  Beer Geeks offers the perfect alternative to your run-of-the-mill saloon giving the patron not only variety, but classic bar ambiance: dim lighting, real darts (not that cheap, plastic shit), knowledgeable bar staff, and really great live music.  The venue may be small, but the intimacy makes the experience that much better.

You can find Beer Geeks on Facebook and join their over 2,800 friends www.facebook.com/beergeekspub and you can also follow them on Twitter @beergeekspub.

Beers and Bears

Dubbel Cannon IPA from Heavy Seas Beer, the new brand from Clipper City Brewing Company in Baltimore, Maryland.  Alcohol Content: 7.25%
No words from the brewer other than to say it is made with Belgian Dubbel yeast.  "Tangy hops and spicy aroma"  *Yawn*  I'm sorry Clipper City, you didn't bother to critique your own beer?  Well don't you worry, my thoughts are below.

 

Two Hearted Ale from Bell's Brewery in Galesburg, MI.  Alcohol Content: 7%.  From the brewer: "Two Hearted Ale is defined by its intense hop aroma and malt balance. Hopped exclusively with the Centennial hop varietal from the Pacific Northwest, massive additions in the kettle and again in the fermenter lend their characteristic grapefruit and pine resin aromas. A significant malt body balances this hop presence; together with the signature fruity aromas of Bell's house yeast, this leads to a remarkably drinkable American-style India Pale Ale."

Dead Guy Ale from Rogue Brewery in Newport, Oregon.  Alcohol Content: 16 degrees Plato.  From the brewer: "In the style of a German Maibock, using our proprietary Pacman ale yeast. Deep honey in color with a malty aroma and a rich hearty flavor."

In a world of possibilities, especially one in which a friend opens a refrigerator door and offers a world of different tasting beers, the last thing a person would ever think is to try the same beer three times.  You would almost be a fool to grab the Miller Lite and drink nothing but that.  I mean, the Bud Light Lime in the fridge was tempting, but instead I reached in and grabbed the Dubbel Cannon.

Absolutely nothing wrong with this beer.  The "tangy hops and spicy aroma" were not there.  I'm not saying this is a bad thing mind you.  The aroma was grainy.  This was no fruit laced hop scent, this was straight up hay bale-esque.  At first whiff I thought I was at the county fair again feeding little pellets to sheep who wanted nothing more than to eat and not feel my paw on their head.  But, what the hell, it's beer; let's go!  Away I sipped, running over the taste combination in my mind.  There really was nothing outstanding about this beer.  It was good, but I wasn't tripping over myself to run out and grab a second one from the fridge.

No, instead I grabbed the Dead Guy Ale.  Rogue let me down with the Irish Lager.  Well, not sure if it let me down and I'm not about to read the review to confirm the thoughts in my own head (that's too much like work and I'd rather be compared to a flip-flopping politician than fact check).  The Dead Guy Ale, even though it is a different style beer altogether, tasted surprisingly like the Dubbel Cannon.  I said that aloud and Brett confirmed my suspicion.  I was scared.  I mentioned to my father not too long ago that I would have to abandon the blog because all this craft beer started to blend together into a deeper shade of gray.  How could I ever brew and/or be a beer judge if I can't get a German Maibock and a Belgian IPA straight?  Alas, maybe the brewers messed up.  Yeah, let's go with that theory.  Dead Guy Ale, Dubbel Cannon: discuss! Also nothing outstanding about this beer.  It was good, but I wasn't tripping over myself to run out and grab a second one from the fridge.

No, instead I grabbed the Two Hearted Ale.  Before I even lifted the glass to my thoroughly quenched lips my friend Brett said, "You know, that beer surprisingly tastes like the other two, maybe a little hoppier."  Oh thank goodness he was right and wrong.  Two Hearted Ale was definitely hoppier, but that made all the difference in the world to the taste.  Finally a beer that wasn't like any of the others.  However, after a couple roast beef sandwiches and two similar beers clogging my palate, I feel it would be a disservice to Two Hearted Ale to give it any further look tonight.  It was delicious, but to fully describe the finer points of it would get me nothing but grief from those who actually trusted my opinion (of which there are few).  Bell's doesn't really disappoint and just by grabbing this beer Brett decided we needed to drive to Michigan just to check out the brewery.

Well, this makes two blog posts in the weekend.  Just to let you know, I have some pretty interesting bombers in my own refrigerator chilling for future consumption.  Next weekend is the Valpo BrewFest of which my cadre and I have decided to be VIPs.  The promise of sampling some rare brews was intriguing enough to show up an hour earlier.

Renewed vigor

For those of you who have supported this fledgling endeavor from the beginning, you will be quick to remember that the impetus behind it all was the misfortune of being handed an involuntary vacation from what was otherwise a very nice full time employment position.  As the quest for craft beer continued, the means to procuring some of the finest brews available for sale in Northwest Indiana diminished significantly.  No longer was Michelle willing to part with cash towards an unhealthy habit (in reality it was my fiscal responsibility getting in the way of my taste buds).  As summer progressed and activities continued, I found myself with more and more Miller Lites and less Left Hand Brewing Company Milk Stouts.

I have, I am happy to report, finagled my way into the position of someone contributing to society rather than solely depending on it.  As such, the funds necessary to pick up where I left off have materialized in the bank account.  So with that, Beer Me Wilk has come back with renewed vigor.

However, as proud as I am to report that the blog will return, it is not returning to its former glory.  I will only be providing weekly reviews of beer, relegating my exploration to Saturday and Sunday.  My commute is rather long and by the time I get home I would rather simply enjoy a cold one and not wrap my head around trying to categorize it in the relative spectrum of good or bad.  Saturday and Sunday afford me the opportunity to truly sit back, relax, and take in all a beer has to offer.  It doesn't hurt that football is back on TV.

So to those who have been reading from the beginning, thank you.  I write not only for my own amusement but for the smile I can put on your face.  For those stumbling upon this by mistake, I hope the writing has convinced you to stay.

Mokah

Brewer: Southern Tier Brewing Company, Lakewood, New York
Alcohol Content: 11.2%

Official Description from Brewer:
"When empirical and creative impulses collide, the result is often timeless. The classic utility-art aesthetic of the coffee maker is an example of design and engineering working in concert.

It is through similar cooperation that the simple bitter cocoa bean is transformed into a sweet treat. As scientists, our brewers utilize their materials to exacting standards. As artists, they couldn’t resist the temptation to combine two of our highly acclaimed Blackwater Series Imperial Stouts: Jahva and Choklat. Alone each is perfect, but together as Mokah they are an inimitable expression of two of the world’s most sought after flavors. Enjoy Mokah stout with – or as – your favorite dessert!"

Wilk's Take:
I was sitting at Beer Geeks one night with my good friend Brett and I noticed Southern Tier's Mokah on the menu and decided that would be my last beer of a great evening.  Alas, Beer Geeks was out and I immediately made it a point to ask my brother to pick up a bomber during his annual trek to Lake Chautauqua.  After our trifecta on Father's Day and the Porter he handed me for free I figure I could ride the free beer train as far as he's willing to let me.

There are two things that I did for the first time while drinking this brew.  Presently, a half full glass of Mokah still sits in front of me as I type this.  Southern Tier recommends serving Mokah at 48 degrees in a snifter.  I have no snifters in the house so I'm letting the brew ascend to ambient temperature in my trusty pint glass.  There really is no difference in the taste.  I'll mention the second experience later.

Mokah pours beautifully.  There is a great caramel color tone to the liquid as it escapes the bottle.  You can easily confuse Mokah for either cola, black coffee, or motor oil, all of which make a stout appetizing.  The aroma of Mokah is a perfect blend of the malts and gems used to make this brew, chocolate and coffee.  You could not escape the scent and the potency truly makes it a dessert beer.

When you bring the glass to your lips, the cold (yes, I drank it cold) beer shocks your system because the chocolate and coffee you were anticipating are lost to the bitterness of the four hops employed in the brewing process.  Ok, not entirely lost but you know that it is beer and not mocha.  Something beautiful occurs in the process however.  As you lose beer to your stomach you gain an even stronger smell resting inside your favorite beer drinking vessel.  If you've ever had the pleasure of smelling a chocolate factory (or if you live in Chicago catch the whiff of ever present chocolate in the air) you get that sensation over and over and over every time you take another drink.

Suggestion: Good stout, great beer, dessert watch out!  Mokah is a mid-spring seasonal with an April release.  I'm sure it comes and goes quickly, with the exception of the bomber my brother grabbed.  Even if you don't like dark beers, grab Mokah at 10pm, turn on the news, and melt away into dream land (or Left Hand's Milk Stout, either one a winner).

Value: FREE!!  Ok, I'll ask my brother how much he paid, but if it is like other Southern Tier bombers I've found at Wise Guy's or Nick's I'm going to guess around $8, maybe $9 because it is seasonal.  At 11.2% and a great dessert beer, well worth it.

Michelle Factor: "I want to take a huge bite!"  Michelle really loved the chocolate aroma and after taking a couple of pulls announced that she would definitely drink this beer.  Her only complaint was the bitterness.  Can't win 'em all.

Endnote:
I actually grabbed a dark chocolate truffle to see how well it paired with the beer.  I thought that either the truffle would enhance the beer or the beer would enhance the truffle.  I should have listened to Alton Brown (Food Network food guru).  Taste buds have limited use and cannot handle sensory overload.  The reason some sweet foods taste better with salt is because the contrast enhances the sweet receptors of the tongue.  When I took a bite of the truffle, my sweet receptors were at capacity so that when I took a drink of Mokah all I could taste was the bitterness of the hops.  The truffle certainly enhanced the flavor of the beer but in the wrong direction.  Needless to say, I doubt I'll bring food back to a beer critique.

The Persistence of Memory

In a discussion with my brother I discovered a friend of ours had a disagreement with a critique of a beer.  I took offense immediately!  How dare someone question my almighty judgment?  Realistically, we are all beer judges in our own right so no offense was really taken.  It has probably been stated several times over these posts that your own individual taste will dictate which direction you will steer your beer buying mechanism.

The reason this particular incident is being shared is because the beer in question is a porter.  When it comes to a beer style I really enjoy and take my time admiring I have to wonder why a difference of opinion really exists.  I made the claim that the brew was average and our friend really believes it is a damn fine beer.  I cannot deny that, but I am wondering why I cannot recall the taste of the beer without referring to my own notes.

This is where my title comes in.  I have to agree with myself (shocking I know!) that it is an average beer simply because I cannot recall how it tastes.  The sense of smell has the strongest memory of our five and with its close association to taste I have to believe taste to be second in command when it comes to recall.  I can review Miller Lite, Bud Light, Coors Light, Corona, Summer Shandy, Michelob Golden Draft, etc. without ever having to have a bottle or can in front of me because I've consumed it so many times that the smell, taste, and even look are programmed into my brain.  Some beers that I've tried only once still tickle my taste buds by invoking their name because they were that damn good.

The title of Dali's painting really has nothing to do with the subject matter, his or mine.  However, it is my favorite piece of art and by name alone I can picture the painter's subject matter and every detail behind it.  The same should go with beer.  Of course, when you name your beer "Porter" you almost are asking for it to be average.

Matilda

Brewer: Goose Island Beer Company, Chicago, Illinois
Alcohol Content: 7%

Official Description from Brewer:
"Wild in character, with a slightly fruity aroma and a spicy yeast flavor that is as unique as it is satisfying – Matilda is an intriguing choice for beer and wine lovers alike. Dry and quenching, it’s the perfect accompaniment at the dining table or for casually socializing at the bar."

Wilk's Take:
I've been away from the game for a while and I forgot how to take a decent picture of a poured beer.  Shame on me for not adjusting the lighting to capture the true essence of Matilda in all her glory.  The fact is we had just finished a nice meal and I was pouring a little dessert beer for my brother and me, hence the two for one above, that I just decided on a whim to fly back to my creation and revive it.

Matilda is a wonderful beer.  After the cap comes off the bottle and the beer goes in the glass you can smell a beer that reminds you of Blue Moon.  Matilda is a Belgian Style Pale Ale so this scent is to be expected.  The color on the other hand was a little surprising.  Blue Moon is truly pale yellow and so cloudy you couldn't see your fingers on the other side of the glass.  Matilda is deep and rich and looks like a drop of red food coloring was let in to emanate throughout the bottle to give Matilda character.

The taste is definitely spicy.  Not overwhelming, but the coriander is evident from first sip and resonates throughout the glass.  Matilda goes down smoothly and the brew can disappear as soon as it is poured.  "Dry and quenching"?  Maybe, but I don't really see it.  As you move further down the glass there is a metallic after taste, almost as if you just put a penny in your mouth for five seconds.  It disappears and doesn't make the beer unappealing, but it can be a little off putting.

Realistically, Matilda is a Blue Moon that tastes better.  No need for the orange or lemon slice here as Matilda stands on its own.  Now, I can neither confirm nor deny the rumor that Matilda is going the way of the dodo.  Since ImBev took over Goose Island there is some suspicion that the whole of Goose's vintage ales are going to leave us.  Let's hope not for the craft beer sake.  Just because a brewery is big doesn't mean the beer has to suffer.

Suggestion: Find Matilda and drink it up.  It's a great summer time brew and can easily be enjoyed in its Belgian style glory.

Value:  I bought a four pack for $12.  I certainly feel it was worth it, especially when you enjoy it in good company.  If you want to splurge on beer, this is a good one to do it.

Michelle Factor: No Michelle factor to speak of here.  Her and the sister-in-law were gabbing so the beer melted in the background.  More for me I suppose.

Fourth of July

Amidst the cacophony of booms, pops, whistles, and explosions I was being lulled to sleep by the gentle hum of my Off! Clip-On.  Occasionally I would hear the jazz music escaping from my aging cell phone or the untimely death of an insect on my neighbor's bug zapper.  I was sitting on my deck enjoying the best the people of Crown Point had to offer in terms of fireworks purchases.  Watching thousands of dollars explode against the blackening night sky drowning out the stars I slowly sipped away at my Michelob Golden Draft.

This weekend, most of you probably threw and/or attended a wonderful summer cookout honoring the birth of our country.  And I'm assuming that most of these events included this blog's favorite beverage of choice.  I encountered a wide array during my weekend travels and found myself drinking the old standby more than anything else.  As it is more readily available to quench the thirst of the masses it was hardly a surprise.

Along the way I got to sit down and enjoy Hoppin' Frog's Fresh Hop IPA.  It was fantastic.  The color, just a little south of orange, and the aroma of fresh citrus fruit made it inviting on the 93 degree day.  The ale was smooth with only a slight hint of bitterness.  I probably liked it so much because the hop flavor was very muted.

I ended the weekend with the aforementioned Michelob Golden Draft.  My love affair with this beer cannot really be explained, mostly because I don't remember how it started.  This brew is not available in my area and has almost become seasonal in nature.  A very good friend of mine goes to Minnesota every June and picks me up a case every time.  I know it is available in the western suburbs of Chicago, but it isn't exactly a beer worth traveling for.  It is reminiscent of MGD or Budweiser but somehow just a little better.  In the past the best part about this beer was the can.  It was ribbed for his and her pleasure.  Maybe that's where the love affair began.

I hope everyone had a great weekend and was safe and sound.  If so inclined, please share your beer experience so I can be on the lookout for new brews to try.

Milk Stout

Brewer: Left Hand Brewing Company, Longmont, Colorado
Alcohol Content: 6%

Official Description from Brewer:
"Dark and delicious, America's great milk stout will change your perception about what a stout can be. Preconceived notions are the blinders on the road to enlightenment. Udderly delightful."

Wilk's Take:
As I am a sucker for a good stout, I couldn't help but grab this bottle for my six pack variety pack.  It has been sitting in my refrigerator for a good, long while as I've been busy getting the house in order from all things construction.  The worst part is, I had been anxiously waiting for the right time to crack open this brew.  Milk stouts have become more and more popular with the advance of craft beers and they make a great dessert.  After a night of homemade pizza, I figured it would be perfect.

Left Hand did me wrong with TNT.  I was expecting great things with this offering and I was not disappointed.  The stout poured beautifully into my usual pint glass, which I discovered is not quite a pint.  The black hue was inviting and the liquid was far from thick.  As I drew in a deep breath my sense of smell detected an odor bordering on rubbing alcohol hidden beneath the milky bitterness of the beer.  It was sickeningly sweet in a way.

My first draw of the Milk Stout was so smooth and creamy.  A sweet undertone gave way to an intense coffee aftertaste that was further followed by the initial milkiness.  The sensation was phenomenal and kept the glass tilted at a 45 degree angle near my lips.

Left Hand has won me back with the delicious Milk Stout.  It indeed was the perfect dessert beer to cap off my night and I am looking forward to stocking my fridge with a couple bottles.

Suggestion: Add this to your stout collection without hesitation.  Even if you aren't a fan of dark beers you will be pleasantly surprised by the rich, creaminess that Milk Stout has to offer.  If you don't like coffee, avoid the black aftertaste.

Value: Part of my $2/bottle variety pack.  Well worth it.  Smooth, delicious, and 6%.

Michelle Factor:  Michelle grimaced upon taking her sip of Milk Stout thanks to the intense coffee flavor on the back end.  After a minute she discovered the milkiness underneath but was still not impressed.

Oberon Ale

Brewer: Bell's Brewery, Galesburg, Michigan
Alcohol Content: 5.8%

Official Description from Brewer:
"Bell's Oberon is a wheat ale fermented with Bell's signature house ale yeast, mixing a spicy hop character with mildly fruity aromas.  The addition of wheat malt lends a smooth mouthfeel, making it a classic summer beer."

Wilk's Take:
Bell's Brewery is one of the better known microbreweries in my neck of the woods.  I have had pints of Bell's Oberon before and already knew it to be a summer seasonal brew.  My encounters in the past in no way prepared me for this experience as my pints came straight from the bar.  Pouring Oberon out of a bottle was new to me.

There was nothing overly dramatic about pouring the beer into the glass.  Oberon is a darker shade of yellow than a pale ale or lager but equally transparent in appearance.  The worrisome thing in the glass to me were little flakes that were dancing precariously amongst the little bubbles of carbonation.  I have never seen anything like it before.  I'm wondering again if I've encountered a bad beer.  Maybe it's bottle conditioned and this is the result.  Not quite sure.

Oberon smells a little like a wheat beer.  The graininess that most wheats throw at you is very low-key with this brew.  There is no hop aroma either.  I was missing everything Bell's was telling me was there.  Then again, I hadn't tasted the beer yet either.  When I did I enjoyed it.  The bubbly liquid played beautifully on the tongue and the taste was crisp and refreshing.

Bell's certainly does not "wow" you with anything flashy in Oberon but it delivers what it promises: "a classic summer beer."  This can easily be in the cooler on the deck or on the table behind the grill and yield a clean, crisp "ahhhh" after consumption.

Suggestion: Bell's Oberon has always been a hit with the crowds I run with and I can't say I blame any of them.  If you just finished mowing your lawn in 90 degree heat, grab a Bell's Oberon and you won't be disappointed.

Value: This was still part of my variety pack so the bottle went for $2.  That's a great deal as the micro brew price tag would follow you into the bar.  Grab a six pack and I'm sure the per bottle price drops even more.  There is value to it because you don't want to stop at just one.

Michelle Factor:  I asked Michelle to take a drink and she politely declined.  If the past is any indication she would not have favored this beer.

Father's Day Southern Tier Trifecta

Special thanks to my brother Adrian for providing the three above beers to complement the Father's Day meal I had prepared.  He makes an annual trek to Western New York and always comes back with a full supply of Southern Tier brews.  After the so-so Porter that Southern Tier provided he was determined to prove the quality of the Southern Tier brand.  I'll play along.  Who can turn down free beer?

The Big Red is a nice Imperial Red Ale.  Certainly it poured like a red with a beautiful color that sit nicely in both of our glasses.  The big hop aroma attacked my nose and I knew this was a beer not to be messed with.  That really doesn't mean anything.  The beer was smooth and had a nice array of bitterness.  Southern Tier took great pride in the type of hop used for this beer.  They add a dry hop step to their brewing process akin to Sam Adams and their lager.  This beer was definitely better.  At 9% it also packed a punch.

The Farmer's Tan is an Imperial Pale Lager.  Now, I think it is silly to throw the word "Imperial" before any beer type, much like it's silly to throw the word "Senior" in front of a job title.  Miller Lite is a pale lager; ok, technically a light lager.  The only thing that Farmer's Tan has over Miller Lite is twice the alcohol and a heavier taste.  Now, it may have been the burger I was eating that affected this beer, but it was not good.

Finally we ended the evening splitting the Back Burner, a nice barleywine style ale.  It was good.  One thing in this trifecta is that Southern Tier loves their hops.  Back Burner had a subtle pineapple aroma and flavor that allowed the hops to be tempered so that the beer was palatable.  Much like the other beers, the alcohol content was around 9-10%.

Overall a good showing by Southern Tier.  2 out of 3 is not bad.  I'm hoping my brother can score the beer that they only offer the locals.  Hopefully they bottle it or he can grab a bomber at the pub.

Four Horsemen

Brewer: Mishawaka Brewing Company, Mishawaka, Indiana
Alcohol Content: Unknown

Official Description from Brewer:
None

Wilk's Take:
Sadly, in all my time at Notre Dame I never once made it to the Mishawaka Brewing Company's brewpub.  That will stay that way forever as the pub closed in December 2008 with the owners mostly laying the blame on a smoking ban and the recessing economy.  The brewery was to remain open with operations being moved to Elkhart.  It seems however, that the company is defunct or soon will be.  My research led me to discover that all the equipment was for sale.  This may be my only encounter with a brewery that was virtually in the backyard.

When I took the cap off the bottle I heard absolutely nothing but the clinking of the cap on my counter top.  I was nervous.  The ever inviting "pfft" that comes from opening a capped bottle was missing in action and I thought I may have encountered a previously unsealed beer.  I poured it however and discovered zero carbonation.  My worries continued as I raised the liquid to my nose and whiffed nothing but sour, almost rusty scent.  The copper brew in the glass was anything but my notion of an Irish Red.

My first sip of Four Horsemen was awful.  I was reminded of the sour beer I had in Newport with a distinct sour cherry taste to it.  Fear spread quickly, worried that my beer had spoiled somehow.  I took to my guys at Beer Advocate to see if my taste buds were experiencing exactly what they should.  I was missing a lot, but then as I read more reviews I decided the beer probably was intended to taste this way.  That didn't bode well for the beer.

The beer was missing hops.  I'm sure they were there, but there was no bitterness to speak of but that didn't make the brew any smoother.  Four Horsemen tastes like it was made with well water out of decaying copper piping.  The sour was a huge turn off to me and I barreled through the glass like a champion just so I can say I finished it.  In the end I regretted grabbing the bottle off the shelf.  Maybe it was good that I never went to the brewpub, it might have been a wasted trip.

Suggestion: Avoid it.  No need to spend money on a beer that you might not even be able to find any more.

Value: The $2 I spent on this bottle would have served me better if I bought a bomber of Natural Ice.

Michelle Factor:  Lack of bitterness and distinct beer flavor made Michelle actually enjoy this beer.  "I could definitely drink this."