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.

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.

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.

YETI Imperial Stout

Brewer: Great Divide Brewing Company, Denver, Colorado
Alcohol Content: 9.5%

Official Description from Brewer:
"YETI Imperial Stout is an onslaught of the senses.  It starts with big, roasty malt flavor that gives way to rich caramel and toffee notes.  YETI gets its bold hop character from an enormous quantity of American hops.  It weighs in at a hefty 75 IBUs."

Wilk's Take:
As I tilted the bottle to fill my favorite pint glass I was reminded of synthetic motor oil spilling out of my car after 15,000 miles.  After I filled the glass I snapped the picture just to capture the perfect 3/4" head that finished the pour.  For a stout, you get the dark liquid you would expect.  Unusually, when held to the light I caught a hint of an amber hue that I never noticed in a stout before.  With that, I was ready to enjoy my dessert beer.

When you bring the glass to your lips you catch a whiff of the caramel and toffee notes the brewer insists is in the beer.  The smell is distinct and worth mentioning because it resonates continuously from the first sip to the last gulp.  This invites you to keep on keeping on and barrel through what you expect to be a rich beer.  Surprisingly, YETI is a smoother drink than the alcohol content suggests.  I tend to find that heavier beers are almost a meal and insist on smaller drinks than say (I'll go there) a Miller Lite.  This beer flowed as well as a Guinness, in that the darkness of the beer is deceiving to its actual consistency.

The toffee notes are more prevalent than the caramel and the roasty malt flavor is so bold that it can at times drown out the notes the brewer intended to display.  The rich flavor definitely leaves a finish in your mouth that you can't escape, not that you want to, but you'd be hard pressed to try and taste anything else after drinking it.  Great Divide suggests pairing the beer with grilled steak, strong cheese, or chocolate.  I think I'd skip the steak because as my favorite food I would hate to lose the flavor of the steak in the brew.  I can see the strong cheese because the stout might not over power it.  Chocolate, well, if you are that adventurous, I'd go with dark chocolate.

YETI was a recommendation from my brother so I gave it the old college try.  I probably would go back to the well for this over and over as it did not disappoint.  However, as mentioned above, my night would end with this beer.

Suggestion:  If you have YETI available, go and get it.  It is certainly on par with other stouts and Great Divide offers YETI in Espresso Oak Aged, Chocolate Oak Aged, and Oak Aged.  Buyer beware though, if you don't like roasted anything, avoid at all costs.

Value: I purchased a 22 oz bottle for around $8.  After finishing the bottle I feel I certainly got my money's worth.  Based on the alcohol content a 22 oz bottle could certainly relax you after a long day of work without having to mix a cocktail to garner the same effect.

Michelle Factor:  I joked with Michelle the other day that I should take pictures of her face after she tried every beer.  For this particular picture imagine she just smelled a freshly run over skunk.  I don't even know if that analogy truly captures the grimace that was on her face.  "It tastes like coffee!"  For a non beer drinker this is a no-no.