Beer #11 - Mikkeller Santa's Little Helper 2011

I have had this beer in my fridge since the beginning of December, and all during the Holidays I was planning on opening it. The time never seemed just quite right so in my fridge it sat.

Thursday night this week, I really wanted to have something strong; I also wanted to have something I hadn't ever had (as I was recognizing that i was falling behind on the blog). I decided I'd share this bottle with myself, poured most of it in to my Duvel Tulip and sat down for deep pontification of life and beer.

This beer was fantastic. Sometimes Mikkeller over does it, he thinks that because he is a "gypsy brewer" he can be all hipster and do funky weird ass things that no one really enjoys. Then there are beers like this. He is a clearly a great brewer, there have only been a few things that I have had that fall into the "what the heck were you thinking" category. This one was quite nice. The belgian spices were perfectly balanced with the darker colored malts, and the alcohol was just there to remind you that you need to be careful with this one.
If you can still find it around, I highly recommend picking one up. Sit on it a year or drink fresh.

Beer #10 - Westmalle Dubbel

I purchased this as part of a gift I put together for someone for Christmas. The concept was to put 4 new beers in his hands, in a style that he likes, but wouldn't likely venture too far from what he knows. Three of the beers purchased were things I had never had either so I bought those three in doubles. This was the first of that group. As usual with Trappist beers, you know they are going to be delicious before you even pry the lid off. These brewers are the brewers of history. They've been making beer in monasteries for centuries and it is generally safe to say, that they've perfected the craft.

That being said, Westmalle's Dubbel did not disappoint. Dark and malty, strong in alcohol but not strong in alcohol taste (it warmed as it went down but didn't taste "hot"). Not a lot of hops here, some nice funk from the yeast but nothing offensive. The friend I arranged the 4 pack for has now had it, and disliked it as it warmed because more of those funky yeast esters come out as the beer warms. I thought it was great and I probably drank it too fast.
This one really needs to be paired with food. It's special and needs to be found paired along side of something that you don't have everyday. I think next Christmas I'll be having one of these with the Prime Rib.

Beer #9 - Stone Vertical Epic 11.11.11

Last years beer from the vertical epic series (that will come to an end at 12.12.12) was very unique. It was medium colored beer with a belgian style malt and yeast style but taken to a new level with the addition of Cinnamon and Anaheim Chillies added to the beer. I really enjoyed this beer, I shared with Zach and Lindsey, it reminded them of a Jalepeno jelly they like. It reminded of something I at or drank during the month of december, but for the life of me I can't pin point it. 

As with all beers that I am aging, I am looking forward to trying this in a couple years. 

Beer #8 - Ommegang Gnomegang

1/9/12 - Ommegang Gnomegang

This brew is a Belgian Blonde. Again, shared a portion of this beer with my roommate; it was 9.5% and between Stoic and Gnomegang, the beers caught me by surprise.

This one was nice, it was an easy drinking beer from a 9.5% beer. I like the malt flavors, the yeasts were mild but there in the finished product. The aroma was quite boring. Worth trying if you're looking for a good Belgian Blonde, and you can't find Russian Rivers Damnation.

Beer #7 - Deschutes The Stoic

1/9/2012- Deschutes The Stoic
Shared this 11% monster of a beer with my roommate Jon Gee. Neither of us have ever experience a beer with an aroma like this beer. It was wonderful, it smelled like Lavender, Rose Water, tobacco, all kinds of crazy, but it all worked so well.

The taste was like non-aromatic pipe tobacco. Lots of "smokey" flavors that probably came through the Rye Whiskey barrels that it hung out in for a portion of it's life. Also lots of fruity flavors from the Red wine barrels that held it as well. Really great beer, Looking forward to seeing what the other two I have turn out like in a few years.

Year in Beer - v6

1/7/2012 - Left Coast Voodoo American Stout
My friend Trevor Carpenter fell in love with this beer this week. My friends Paul and Manette picked me up a bottle so I could give it a try. I opened it up last night.

Initial aromas and tastes were are a little chemically. Which isn't a good thing. I am pretty sure this taste was from the hops, and both the aroma and flavor mellowed after the first sip. I do like this stout, if you can make it past that weird initial flavor, then it starts to be just a nice bitter, well hopped stout with a great chocolate malt backbone. Not the most legendary beer I've ever had but definitely worth trying. I will probably buy this when I am looking for a nice easy going, strong stout with a little hop to it. The 8.5% caught me off guard and hit me pretty quick.

Year in Beer - v5

1/6/2012 - Duvel (Ommegang) Hennepin Saison
This is a great example of the Saison style. If you're looking to get into something new, this would be a good place to start. It has the barnyard funk that Saison tends to have but is so grassy that it is off putting. I liked how smooth the back of the pallet was, and that the funk was mostly at the front end of the beer.
Again a great entry saison, tastes how it should tastes, smells as it should smell; grassy, earthy, funky, but very enjoyable despite those aroma descriptors.