Monthly Archives: March 2017

Black Butte XXVIII, Poterie, and Collaboration No. 6

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Well, beer lovers, it’s time once again for my much anticipated beer reviews. Today I bring you the low down on three big beers that I recently consumed. All are special release or limited release; I am trying to get these reviews to you in a timely manner so you can still find them if you’re interested. Please read responsibly.

Black Butte XXVIII: (2016) Deschutes Brewing Co., Bend, OR. 11.6% ABV
A few weeks ago I posted a review of Black Butte XXVII and teased you with a mention of Black Butte XXVIII. Well, I found my notes, so here is the review of the 2016 iteration of Deschutes’ anniversary ale.

XXVIII is brewed with cocoa, vanilla, peated malt and sweet orange peel. 50% is aged in Bourbon and Scotch Whiskey barrels. It pours black with a light tan ½” head that fades immediately to a thin ring. The aroma is sweet – raisin, vanilla and cherry. The first flavor impression is semi-sweet chocolate, with some alcohol, dark fruit, tobacco and vanilla. Chocolate and toffee linger in the aftertaste.

As it warms, it becomes sweeter. The chocolate persists, but is not as bitter. The chocolate/toffee aftertaste remains, but is somewhat sweeter. XXVIII has a very thick body and velvety smooth mouth feel. The carbonation level, although not high, is enough to impart some bitterness and palate cleansing. The alcohol content is relatively high, but is only slightly noticeable in the taste.

Although XXVIII is a Bourbon/Scotch Whiskey barrel aged beer, the barrel notes are not really noticeable in the flavor. They are only slightly detected in the aroma.

Overall, Black Butte XXVIII is excellent. I sampled this beer from a 22 oz. bomber (bottled 06-13-2016). I’m not sure about the availability any longer – I purchased it several months ago and drank it in January (2017).

Poterie: The Bruery, Placentia, CA. 16.8% ABV.
This is the eighth anniversary beer from The Bruery in Placentia. All of their anniversary beers have been big – very complex flavors and high in alcohol. This one is no exception. It’s an English style strong ale aged in Bourbon barrels.

Poterie pours a cloudy brown with a light beige ¾” head that fades after about 2 minutes to a substantial ring around the perimeter of a “Bruery” tulip glass. The aroma is sweet, vanilla, bourbon and alcohol. The flavor is sweet chocolate with some grainy bitterness, tart, and tobacco, with no alcohol noted. The aftertaste is chocolaty bitterness, vanilla, toffee and cherries. The bourbon barrel notes are very subdued.

As Poterie warms, the alcohol becomes noticeable, and the flavor grows a little sweeter. The aromas of vanilla, bourbon and alcohol also intensify. At room temperature, the flavor is alcohol, vanilla, and bourbon, and then fades to chocolate, mocha and grainy bitterness.

This beer is highly carbonated, which is a good thing. Otherwise, it could be too syrupy (thick and sweet) on the tongue. Poterie is available still, in 750 ml bottles. With almost 17% alcohol, that’s too much for one person at one sitting. I recommend this beer, but if you are going to get one, plan on sharing it.

Collaboration No. 6: Boulevard Brewing (Kansas City, MO) and Firestone Walker Brewing (Paso Robles, CA). 12.5% ABV.
This is a somewhat unique collaboration between two breweries. Normally with a collaboration brew, the two brewmasters get together at one of the breweries and they brew a collaboration recipe. In this case, however, the two brewmasters got together, each providing samples of two of their finished products, and then blended them in graduated cylinders until they arrived at “the perfect balance of two barrel aged beers from each brewery.” So, this is a mixture of Boulevard’s Bourbon Barrel Quad (45%), Imperial Stout X – Tart Cherry (10%) and Firestone’s Stickee Monkey (35%) and Velvet Merkin (10%).

Enough background though; lets get to the point. No. 6 pours opaque dark brown with a 1” tan head that persists. The aroma is tart cherry and chocolate with some Belgian spiciness. The flavor is chocolate and tart cherry, which fades to vanilla (from the barrel aging) with a lingering bitterness.

As it warms, the aroma becomes a bit sweeter and the flavor becomes more chocolate. The cherry seems to become sweeter, less tart. At room temperature, it’s all about the chocolate. The alcohol is noticeable in the aroma, but not in the flavor. The aftertaste is a lingering sweetness and cherry (not tart). No. 6 has a high carbonation level with medium body and mouth feel.  This beer is very good! I drank this from a 750 ml bottle over the course of an afternoon, for a very pleasant experience. I think this is still available in limited quantities, and I highly recommend it.

Well, folks, that’s it for now. I recommend all three of these beers, so open your wallets and buy them (if you can still find them). Caveat: fizzy yellow beer drinkers (and/or cheapskates) – don’t bother, you won’t like them.  I will likely be posting a new Vendome Beer Panel review at the end of the week, so check back around March 31, 2017 for additional tips and discount opportunities.

Sláinte!

Mac’s Brew News – March 12, 2017 (Farewell to Valiant Brewing)

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Well folks, this is just a quick note to pass on some sad news . . .

I heard at church this morning that Valiant Brewing in Orange, California, is closing it’s doors at the end of this month (March, 2017).  After hearing the rumor, I went home and checked on line to confirm.  Unfortunately, the news is true.

Valiant brewing, after 4 years in business in Orange, California, is permanently closing it’s doors at the end of March.  That’s really unfortunate, as they truely are one of the great breweries in Orange County.  The owner/head brewer, Brian Schroepfer, opened Valiant on February 13,2013.  I went to the tasting room late that same year (2013) and was immediately impressed.  Their quality and selection has improved since then to become what it is today.  One of their IPAs, Citcoe Drive, was proudly served at my annual beer tasting party in September 2016.  Really good stuff!

Unfortunately, Brian refused to consider outside investors for his brewery (I understand, Brian – you could lose control of your creativity, your dream, and your “manifest destiny”).  If you ever read this, Brian, understand that I would have invested money with no strings attached, just to keep your brewery doing what it does so well (brewing great beer).  When I found out you were closing, my wife suggested that I buy Valiant Brewing.  I don’t think I would have done it, but that’s irrelevant, as the equipment was already sold.

After getting this sad news, I immediately went down to Valiant Brewing with Bob Waddell and Russ Matulich to have some excellent beer this fine Sunday afternoon.  After a Coconut Imperial Brown Ale and a Chernny Medved with coffee (Chocolate/Cherry/Coffee Imperial Russian Stout), and a few sips of California Gloom (a New England style IPA), I left with a growler of the Coconut Brown Ale.  It doesn’t get any better than this!

To Brian Schroepfer and Valiant Brewing, a sincere thanks for 4 years of “blood, sweat and beers.”  You will be sorely missed, but never forgotten!!

Mac, Russ and Bob at Valiant Brewing
March 12, 2017

Cheers!

Vendome Beer Panel – March 9, 2017

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The Vendome Wine and Spirits Beer Panel met for the second time, on March 9, 2017.  Again we sampled five different beers again, but this time all of the beers were from one brewery – Ballast Point, in San Diego, California.  In addition to the Vendome panelists, there were two representatives from Ballast Point, Nicholas and Joey.  These two gentlemen put on a fine presentation, supplying the beer and providing loads of information about each sample.  If these reviews intrigue you or pique your interest, get yourself over to Vendome Wine and Spirits in Fullerton and use my code, “VEN10C” to get a 10% discount off the purchase price.  Oh, and please read responsibly!

The rating system:
0 – I wouldn’t offer this beer to my worst enemy.
1 – I wouldn’t pay for this beer, but it’s alrigjht.
2 – Tasty, but easily forgettable.
3 – I’ve had better, I’ve had worse.
4 – I can see myself buying this beer and ordering seconds.
5 – Just hook up the beer straight to my veins.

Bonito: 4.5% ABV   20 IBU   Rating – 3
This Blonde Ale pours clear yellow with a ¾” white head that lasts forever (and left substantial lacing, even in a 2 oz. plastic sample cup). The aroma is a little bit of lemon, but very slight, with just a hint of malt. The flavor is a slight hoppy bitterness, with a little malt at the back end. It fades to a very slight, but pleasant bitterness in the dry finish. The body is light, with high-medium carbonation.

This is a typical Blonde Ale in that the aromas and flavors are quite mild. The 20 IBU is just slightly high for the style (more typically around 15 IBU), which gives the impression of being a little more dry than most Blondes. Overall, it’s a tasty and thirst quenching beer, but not one I would order again (I’m not much of a Blonde Ale drinker – I prefer bigger, more robust flavors).  If you like Blonde Ales, you might like this a lot (or you might not, it’s a little more hoppy than a typical Blonde).

Sculpin: 7% ABV   70 IBU   Rating – 4
Is there anybody in Southern California who has never had a Sculpin IPA? I doubt it. Sculpin is Ballast Point’s flagship beer – and for good reason. It’s very good, and it’s one of my go-to IPAs.

Sculpin pours a clear golden color, shading toward orange, with an ivory ½” head that fades to a substantial ring. The aroma is citrus, grapefruit and tropical. The flavor is well balanced for an IPA. It’s bitter (but not an overwhelming bitter bomb), with notes of grapefruit, citrus and pine. The body is medium as is the carbonation level.

This is a great example of a West Coast style IPA. If you like IPAs, you can’t go wrong with this one.

Grapefruit Sculpin: 7% ABV   70 IBU   Rating – 4
Grapefruit Sculpin is just what you would expect from the name – Sculpin with grapefruit added. The appearance, body, mouth feel, and carbonation level is exactly the same as Sculpin. Here is how the other attributes compare to Sculpin.

The aroma is similar, but slightly sweeter with a little extra grapefruit on the nose. The flavor is grapefruit, of course, but not as strong as one might expect, and not quite as bitter (have you ever eaten a grapefruit half with a little bit of sugar on top?). The nice bittersweet fades to a strong grapefruit flavor for a few seconds. The aftertaste is also bittersweet, and very pleasant.

So what about Grapefruit Sculpin? It’s very good, just like Sculpin, but there is definitely an added layer of depth in the taste. Try drinking Sculpiin and Grapefruit Sculpin side-by-side and you will see what I mean. The differences are noticeable, but nuanced and easy to miss if one is not paying attention. I highly recommend Sculpin and Grapefruit Sculpin.

Manta Ray: 8.5% ABV   70 IBU   Rating – 5
This beer is the heavy hitter among these five brews. Manta Ray, a Double IPA, is a new release from Ballast Point.

Manta Ray pours clear yellow with a ¼” white head. The aroma is tropical, bitter, melon, and pine. The flavor is citrus and pine, but well balanced and smooth. The malty sweetness comes through, but is well covered by citrus, piney bitterness and melon. The body is medium to medium-high with low-medium carbonation and a smooth, creamy mouth feel. The alcohol is fairly high, although low to medium for the style, and is not noticeable in the flavor.

This beer is AWESOME – the best of the evening. I bought a 6-pack before I left Vendome (yes, I used my discount code). I highly recommend this beer to any serious IPA or DIPA drinker.

Barmy: 12% ABV   32 IBU   Rating – 4
Barmy is a strong Golden Ale brewed with orange blossom honey and apricots. It pours a clear golden yellow with an ivory head that rapidly fades to a fairly thin ring. The aroma is sweet, cider-like, but with no alcohol (surprising, given the high alcohol content).

The flavor is all about the fruit, similar to a mead. It’s sweet, but there is a noticeable apricot tartness, and notes of orange. The alcohol comes through late on the palate, but it’s not hot or unpleasant. Carbonation is low, with medium-heavy body.

Barmy is excellent. It is bursting with flavor, and easy to drink. Be careful, however, at 12% ABV, a little goes a long way. This is another Ballast Point brew that I can highly recommend.

Well, there you have it. Ballast Point Brewing is truly one of the West Coast’s finest breweries (BTW, I toured their Miramar brewing facility on February 6, 2017). If you want to give any of these beers (or all of them) a try, go to Vendome in Fullerton and purchase them. Be sure to use code “VEN10C” to get a 10% discount off the price of these beers.  If you can’t get down to Vendome in Fullerton, then by all means, buy them wherever you can.

Cheers!

Ashcroft and Black Butte XXVII

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Greetings to all you beer lovers.  Today I bring reviews of two beers that were released in 2016, Ashcroft (Black Market Brewing), and Black Butte XXVII (Deschutes Brewing).  I drank and reviewed these beers several months ago, but just recently found my notes.  I should have posted these reviews when I sampled them last summer.  Sorry for the delay – I offer no excuses.  Both of these beers may no longer be available.

Ashcroft: Black Market Brewing Co., Temecula, CA.  9.8% ABV
Ashcroft is a bourbon barrel aged Imperial Brown Ale.  It’s dark hazy brown with a 1/2″ beige head that fades after about two minutes, leaving a thick ring and a very slight surface layer.  The aroma is sweet, chocolaty, with a little coffee and vanilla.

The flavor is dark fruit, sweet chocolate, and caramel, with just a hint of acidic tartness.  Then the bourbon kicks in with notes of vanilla and coconut.  There is a nice lingering bitterness in the finish and the aftertaste.  Ashcroft has a medium body and mouthfeel with a nice carbonation level that keeps it from tasting too heavy.  Then alcohol level is high, but is not noted in the flavor (you will, however, notice it’s effects!).  As it warms, the alcohol becomes a little noticeable in the aroma and flavor.

Brown Ales can easily be too sweet or too thin, but this one is well balanced.  The bourbon barrel really adds a lot to it.  “Brown Recluse” from Phantom Ales in Anaheim has been my favorite and “Go To” brown ale, but I think I like Ashcroft a little better, just because of the barrel aging, which adds another level of complexity.  This beer is a real treat.

Black Butte XXVII (2015): Deschutes Brewing Co., Bend, OR.  11.6% ABV.
Each year Deschutes releases a special version of their flagship porter, Black Butte.  They add special ingredients and then age part of the batch in whiskey barrels.  This anniversary ale is different each year. so once it’s gone, there’s no getting it again.  The 2015 version was blended with apricot puree, cacao nibs and pomegranate molasses.  I purchased this bottle in early 2016 and aged it for several months in my refrigerator.

Black Butte XXVII pours black with a 1/2″ light cocoa colored head that lasts for a couple of minutes before fading to a substantial ring around the perimeter of a tulip glass.  The aroma is sweet, bourbon, oak, tart and apricot.

The flavor is sweet chocolate, a little tartness, vanilla, oak, dark fruit (plum), coffee (very slight) and molasses.  The overall impression is sweet, but that fades to a slight bitterness, which in turn dissolves into a semi-sweet chocolate flavor.  The apricot and pomegranate is subdued, but is noticeable in the tartness.  As it warms, the aroma and flavor becomes sweeter, with hints of caramel and nuts/nougat, like a Snickers Bar.  The alcohol flavor also becomes a little more pronounced as it warms, but never becomes prevalent or boozy.  The body is medium to full – well developed for a porter.

My perception of this beer is chocolate above all else.  Bourbon is not detectable in the flavor, but is slightly noticeable in the aroma.  That’s a little disappointing, but I would still say this is an EXCELLENT beer.  The notice on the bottle read, “Best After 7-20-16”.  I drank this beer on 08-06-2016.

I recently sampled/drank Black Butte XXVIII, and wanted to include the review here.  Unfortunately I lost my notes.  If I ever find them, I’ll post the review.  Until then, all I can say is that it is very good, but was different than XXVII.  Sorry for this teaser, but I guess  you’ll just have to go get some for yourself (it should still be available) and enjoy the experience.

Black Butte XXVII is no longer available, although one might be able to find it somewhere.  I believe Ashcroft is a special/rotating release, and may be available again (not sure about future availability – that’s a little ambiguous).

Well, that’s it for now beer lovers.  I will be posting a new Vendome Beer Panel review at the end of the week, so check back around March 11, 2017 for additional tips and discount opportunities.

Sláinte!