The head retention on this beer is great.  Foamy, frothy, dense and lacing.  It is egg-shell white in color as it rests atop a light hazy straw liquid with supporting bubbles.  The aroma is crisp, floral, herbal, bready, and soft.  This might sound a little contradicting, but the hops are what give it that pop while the malt adds the sweet smooth notes.  It is very aromatic like Avery’s Pils however, here, only Liberty hops are used.  One of the parent flowers is Hallertau  Mittlefruh giving Liberty that spicy, herbal component.

Initially, this beer gave a wonderful salvo of hoppy flavors that were dry at the finish.  For a sessionable Pilsner, I can see why this would be a good beer to enjoy with spicy foods as it cleanses the palate.  Towards the second glass the great bready malt and yeast notes come to the fore.  The bottle says Pacman Yest is used while their website says Czech Pils Wyeast 2278 was used.  Given the fact that the flavor was closer to that of a Czech Pils I’m going with the website.  Spicy on the sides of the palate and slightly resinous on the aftertaste, the hops do make a strong showing in this beer.  The light bready sweet flavors do well to provide a hay, straw, wheat-like base for the hops to shine.  The mouthfeel was smooth and more full bodied than most Pilsners, while retaining a refreshing quality.

They consulted the help of Christopher Elbow who recommended a chocolate from the Dominican Republic.  Using this cocoa, Boulevard achieved this flavor by using both nibs and ground cocoa beans.  The flavor and aroma is amazing!

Pure silky milk chocolate was very evident on the nose.  While robust, it was not a dark bitter chocolate.  Smooth, elegant, light and creamy.  The malts used played a huge part in the aroma.  The honey malt give off a very sweet aroma which combined with the cocoa made for a very sugary smell.  Pale malt and wheat where used providing some body to the aroma, but for the most part it was very fruity.  Orange, honey, lemon, orange peel, coriander, and a floral honeysuckle sweetness were very apparent.  The malt notes seemed close to that of a Dubbel.

it tastes exactly like it smelled.  Milk chocolate seemed to filter through the rich caramel malt notes lending a silky, creamy mouthfeel.  It almost seemed like this beer could be make into an ice cream topping.  Floral flavors dominated the flavor.  Honey, lavender, orange blossom, and eucalyptus highlighted the finish, while the chocolate make through more so on the aftertaste.  Both did compliment each other as was their goal.  This beer is unique…it is not a dark ale, but rather a honey-bronze color with a rocky tan head.  It comes across like a Dubbel to some degree, but without the spicy yeasty quality.  The chocolate is noticeable but still subdued…partly because it is a lighter variety or used sparingly in order to find that sweet spot with the malt.

I sampled Double Jack before giving this one (the base) a try, but here in IL, Dubs was the first IPA of FW to hit the shelf.  Double Jack rocked my world causing me to keep my fridge well stocked with it for at least 3 months straight.  Wanting to sample their Pale Series beer, I was naturally excited when I found Union Jack on the shelf.

It pours a clear, light bronze hue with a dense ivory head.  Honestly, it looked lighter than some APAs I’ve had – my kind of IPA.  The orange hues were most dominant, but for the most part this looked close to the IPAs that 3 Floyds and Founders brew.

The aroma was all about the hops.  Floral, citrus, dank, resinous, pungent, herbal, grassy, honey, piney, woodsy, earthy and fruity notes were all present in this beer.  While there was more focus on the fruity aspects there is something here for every hop head to enjoy.  Not as grapefruit-like as expected, but the citrus aromas are more tangerine, orange, and peach.  There is a nice light caramel touch to the malt providing some sweetness that compliments the honey’d hop characteristics well.

The flavor is phenomenal!  FW does hoppy beers well and it shows.  Union Jack is a hop lovers dream.  Seriously, a few months after I finished my first 6 pack, I had a dream I was enjoying a pint of this on a tropical island.  Even though this beer is full on hops, it is well-balanced with a sweet caramel, biscuit-like malt backbone aid to sugar coat the front of the palate.  From there it becomes an all on assault on the taste buds (in a good way).  The hopping is crisp and clean…like a good IPA should be.  It seemed the bitterness amplified the abv a little as there were times this beer seemed like an Imperial IPA.  It as packed with resinous flavors…that if for sure!  The back half of the sip reveals the pungent dank high alpha hops used for bittering.  Wow!  It is intense.  The aftertaste is that of peach, mango, some apple, and light bready caramel.

Overall, I give this beer the highest grade for many reasons.  It is a quality beer that deserves more attention.  Compared to most IPAs on the market, I’d argue that this is as good as Bell’s Hopslam and Founders Double Trouble…if not in the same vein.  It is that good!

Being that I live in Chicago, the first city in distribution, I’m eager to see if other people have a similar issue.  Therefore, next time I enjoy this beer I’m going  to let it warm a little and maybe pour it right down the center of the glass.  I will say, the appearance if not the only place the nitro plays an important role.  The mouthfeel.

Here is where this new, sleek, repackaged beer shines.  It is super creamy and the nitro almost makes you feel like your drinking chocolate syrup from the can.  The taste is very similar to the CO2 Milk Stout, but the finer bubbles allow for the sweet/milk aspect of the beer to shine through more.  It carries some great burnt malt and coffee tastes into the finish which lasts all the way through the aftertaste.  These flavors combined with the lactose sugar create a Lititz Wilbur Bud (the original Hersey Kiss) creaminess and chocolaty body.    With regards to the aroma, there were burnt grains, coffee, and chocolate notes.  The sweetness was slightly masked until the taste.   All in all it was a good beer, new take on a flagship product, and interesting mouthfeel.  However, I don’t know if I would call it “America’s Stout?”

I’m a sucker for these seasonal beers that utilizes wet hop cones.  They provide a very interesting look into the aroma and flavor of the hop without having an insane about of bitterness.  Additionally, I’m not much of a New Belgium fan, but I’m trying to overcome some self induced preconceived notions and giving them another try.  Boy, did it pay off.

This beer is chalk full of yummy, juicy hop flavor!  Both the nose and taste are bursting with citrus and floral hop layers.  The color was a light bronze hue that looked like a very drinkable APA.  There was a fluffy dense head that left rings after ever sip.  Pretty close to Firestone Walker’s Union Jack IPA as far as the aroma goes.  Citrus notes of pineapple, apple, slight grapefruit, lemon, pine, honey, and herbs made up the hop profile.  It was bright and lively.  Not dank or pungent despite the fact that wet hops were used.  There are some sweet light caramel notes that help to slightly balance out the hops.

The flavor was much the same.  Light sappy hop notes cascaded over my palate in a clean and refreshing way.  Towards the end there was a bitter pop which I assumed was from the Target hops as they were the only variety that was not freshly picked.  This bitterness did have a resinous, pungent aspect to it.  Until that point, the hop profile was mellow and juicy.  Some spicy notes danced around the malt sweetness which heightened the floral components of the hops.  Overall, this was a very good brew which I would like to try again next year.

I think it is safe to say that CBS is the pinnacle of their stouts.  Taking the base Imperial Stout with its huge flavor we move on to their Breakfast Stout brewed with coffee, chocolate, and oats.  From there that brew is then aged in Kentucky Bourbon barrels to create KBS.  Then, when you thought it was not possible to perfect, Founders took that Bourbon barrel aging and used ones which once contained Michigan maple syrup to create CBS (giving nod to our Northern friends).

On December 1st, 2011 I had the privilege of sampling this beer for the first time on draft at the Bavarian Lodge in Lisle, IL.  Founders had a tap takeover and boy was it a rush.  Arriving shortly after 3pm there was a long line for a 4pm opening.  I was one of the lucky few to get a glass of CBS and Black Biscuit before the kegs popped 15 minutes into the event.  In all honesty it tastes very similar in both bottle and draft form which I think speaks a lot to the quality of the brew.

On Tap:  Deep mocha/tan head that is dense and creamy resting atop a viscous jet black body (syrup-like) that has legs.  Dark ruby edges were noticeable.  Huge coffee notes, astringent burnt grains, oats, and an abv sting.  Maple syrup on the nose for sure.  Caramel and vanilla come across big and bold.  The taste was that of raisins and vanilla.  The mouthfeel was thick, silky, smooth and almost buttery (oily).  It seemed to combine all the other stouts Founders makes.  Notes of plum and dark fruits are found in aftertaste.  Delicious and so good, CBS great sweet notes that help to mask the abv.

Bottle:  Poured a deep opaque black/brown color with a dense dark khaki head.  The appearance is very similar to its preceding stouts.  Something that I found interesting is that CBS seems much more viscous than KBS although both are barrel aged.  I gather this is due to the maple syrup which most likely lined the barrel.  Also the abv is much lower than KBS.  I’m not sure what to attribute to that as syrup is refined sugar.   Right from the broken seal I could smell a plethora of delicious burnt grain, roasted coffee, and chocolate notes.

Big roasted notes found in the Imperial Stout coat the nose while the maple syrup quality provide a relieving sweetness.  The coffee was the prevailing aroma, but it helped to highlight the grains, chocolate and syrup.  I’d say this is more of a Breakfast stout in all honesty.  All the ingredients to start your day.  There was an additional spiciness which smelled a bit like cinnamon or nutmeg found in the aroma.  Rich, hearty and bold it was one of the best smelling beers I have come across.

The flavor was unique and well balanced.  All aspects of this beer worked together to complement each other while at the same time stand alone.  There was a definite sweet quality that coated the front of the palate while letting the astringent grains and coffee flavors offer their soothing effects.  At colder temps it was smooth with bitter chocolate notes.  At warmer temps I received the full range of flavors from all aspects of the beer.  This gives way to the caramel and vanilla flavors.  The coffee accented the syrup to create a breakfast blend type of roast.  The chocolate and syrup made me think of chocolate chip pancakes.  The the maple syrup itself recalled the wonderful taste of Stroopwafel.  Additional notes of brown sugar, treacle, molasses, and black licorice were evident at different point of each sip.  The finish had a slight hoppy tingle to it that is piney and earthy along with a campfire smoke.  Barrel aging provides a very dry oaky tannin finish and aftertaste that is supplemented by the sweet syrup flavor and a burnt oats/grainy character.  Be advised:  CBS is super smooth!

Founders CBS lives up to the hype in so many ways.  Crafted with quality and care it stands as a benchmark for what a great Spirit-aged beer can offer…let alone what ingenuity can produce.  If you are a die-hard (that’s for you Jake) fan of Founders, Imperial Stouts, barrel aged stouts, or maple syrup I would recommend acquiring a bottle for your personal enjoyment.  I would definitely recommend letting this beer warm as you drink.

Pliny the Elder this beer ain’t. Supplication is a seasonal ale, a Brown Ale aged in French oak Pinot Noir barrels, with sour cherries, and bombed with three strains of wild yeast: Brettanomyces, Lactobacillus, Pediococcus. That should be enough of an introduction for most people who understand beer to approach this beer delicately. But excitedly, big big! Because beers like this, though they might seem formidable, are special. The nature of their ingredients means they’re much harder to master. And let me tell you, Russian River have absolutely mastered Supplication. It is an incredible beer.

It comes in a 375mL bottle that’s nice and heavy: dark brown glass, cork, and familiar blue label. Poured into a clean tulip glass with great care (don’t want to stir up sediment), the beer appears a beautiful reddish orange hue and gathers some nice carbonation. Its aroma is quite clean and fruity compared to the more musty barnyardy aromas you get in beers with these yeasts: grape, cherry, and dark fruits lurking in there, and there’s a tartness to the nose that really makes the palate water. The taste is amazing: so absolutely delicious and surprising, your palate will reel from all the complexity in this beer. Bready malt, tart fruit, hop bitterness, and wild yeast combine in such a great ratio. This beer is nuance through and through. Here in Chicago, Russian River is impossible to buy. We must either enjoy it as a gift from Westerly friends, have to travel out to the west coast ourselves, or trade for it on the beer wire. I highly recommend you get your hands on some. There’s a reason it is one of the highest rated American-brewed ales.

Kumquats – an small citrus fruit grown in the Asian region of the world with a sour taste.

Schichimi – a Japanese blend of 7 spices (red chilli pepper, black & white sesame seed, Sichuan pepper, roasted orange peel, hemp seed, ground ginger, and sometimes an edible seaweed).

The flavors in this beer are very rather big.  Essentially, I found the base flavors to be that of a Belgian Golden Strong Ale (tastes similar to Mischief). However, the  spices and fruit did seems to carry this beer.  The mouthfeel was on the lighter side as the carbonation in the beer was champagne-like.  It helped to keep the beer on the effervescent side.  My thought is that the sake yeast was added in addition to a Belgian strain as there is a definite bready, bubblegum, spicy aspect to the yeast flavor.  Moreover, the sake yeast seems to add this coconut-like aftertaste to the beer which for the most part seemd to smooth everything out.  Very tropical to say the least without the huge citrus notes (passionfruit, grapefruit, guava, mango).  The kumquat adds a little citrus pep to the front half of the taste while the schichimi spices are very noticeable on the back side of the sip.  With regards to the abv, it was practically non-evident yet providing some muscle.

There were a ton of flavors going on in this beer (American flare), but they all seemed to be enhancing a traditional style (Japanese tradition).  It was a lively drink that had some unique ingredients.

The appearance was very bubbly.  I had poured it into a pokal glass, but quickly realized it was better suited in a pilsner glass as to show off the ever-present beads of carbonation rising to form a tight white head.  The color was just like The Bruery’s Mischief – pale/straw gold.  The head was so dense that it looked like whip cream.  I attribute that to the sake yeast.  When pouring the last glass worth there was a cloudy sediment that served to provided a deeper yeast quality to the aroma and taste.

Revisiting my glass before I finished off the last sips I explored the aroma.  It too, smelled like a Belgian Golden Strong Ale.  Yeasty, fruity, bubblegum, some citrus, and a host of herbs.  While the aroma seemed rather complex, it was continuously brought back to the base beer.  An interesting beer for sure that was great for expanding my flavor profile.  It has it’s place as a one-off brew.

DORIS is extreme, yet approachable as any well-crafted Imperial Stout.  In fact, I gave this beer an A+ after sippin’ on half the bottle.  Allow me to explain why…

You see, when it comes to Russian Imperial Stouts I like mine on the super astringently bitter side.  Almost tastes like pure Black Patent, charcoal, and oh yeah, hops.  While many a brewery produce good interpretations of the style, I found that I gravitate towards ones that seem to enter a higher stratosphere when it comes to burnt malt character.

No doubt about it, this beer has all the makings of a great stout from the dirty motor oil thick pour and deep mocha head to the intense aroma that proceeds it.  Completely opaque no light gets through this brew.  The aroma is monumental.  Thick notes of black licorice, tar, blackstrap molasses, charred wood, campfire smoke, and burnt grains prevailed.  A spicy and piney hop profile was very noticeable in both the aroma and taste.

The mouthfeel this thick and viscous due to the intense grain bill and oatmeal addition.  It is slick, silky, oily, and on the front of the palate velvety.  The flavor however, is much deeper than BORIS.  It took me some time to warm up to the little brother, but this beer was an instant classic in my mind.  Due to the astringent nature, alcohol content that was balanced just right, and the hopping.  Not one aspect of this beer was completely overpowering.  Yes, the malt profile was dark and burnt, but the hops were something to be reckoned with.  The beer was sticky on the lips which moved to astringent and resinous on the finish.  When enjoyed with spicy salsa the spiciness cancels out leaving a Rauchbier-like effect on the aftertaste.  I was left with an aftertaste that was woody, smokey and tasted like it had been barrel aged minus the caramel and vanilla.  Dry and oaky basically layered atop some massive burnt grains.  This beer is a definite must try for any Russian Imperial Stout fan.

Enough with the diatribe. Fort Collins Brewery’s Double Chocolate Stout is a big imperial version of their award winning Chocolate Stout, a year-round offering. It is available Jan-Feb and is not a surprising seasonal for the winter months. It pours a creamy, thick black color and forms a wonderful head full of little dark brown/tan bubbles. I bought this beer because it said “Double Chocolate Stout” on the bottle. I have yet to regret making a purchase based on those words alone.

Fort Collins’ offering smells great: heavily roasted, with wonderful coffee and cocoa aromas that just warm you up inside. I pulled it out of the fridge and let it sit for about 40 minutes before I poured it. That prevented some of those harsher “ice cold” sensations and also allowed the carbonation (so I’m told) to come alive. In mouthfeel this stout was like smooth black chocolate coffee, rich and creamy. The taste was full of dark, richly roasted chocolate (et al) malts, and I remember wishing I could have tasted the unfermented wort. But the taste was also gently tempered with carbonation and hops, which actually do brighten it up and give it some liveliness on the palate, making it quaffable. I really liked this beer.

Now that I’ve used the word “quaffable”, my work here is done.

*I don’t really mean that.