Style: Wild Ale, Barrel Aged Brown Ale
Brewery: Captain Lawrence (Pleasentville, NY)
ABV: 7.5%
IBUs: unknown
Availability: single brew, limited release

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Summer has descended upon New York with full force at that means it’s time to feverishly drink through my winter storage of brews before the heat takes a toll on them. The result is early summer nights filled with rare brews, obscure barley-wines and delicate Saison’s that just won’t last the heat in a Brooklyn apartment without air conditioning. It’s the perfect excuse for me to snap a few new bottle photos and get back to writing reviews! First up in this series is the Captain Lawrence Barrel Select Batch #1, an aggressively sour American Brown Ale blended from a 6 barrels ranging from two to three years old.

Appearance: The Barrel Select pours a hazy, amber brown with aggressive carbonation and ecru head. The pour leaves slight lacing on the glass that fades away quickly.

Smell: The nose here is a blast of sour cherry that almost overpowers the other scents. As I get accustomed to aroma, notes of chocolate and oak come forward along with the traditional hints of wild yeast (barnyard funk, horse blanket, etc.)

Taste: There is quite a blast of acidic bitterness here as the Barrel Select leads with a puckeroushly sour hit of unripened cherries, tart green grapes and – in a throwback to my childhood (or last trip to the movie theatre) – Sour Patch Kids. Once you dig through the sea of sour, you get more flavors of Hershey’s chocolate bar mixed with lactic acid and a bit of musty malt. There’s also a hint of astringent tannins and oak notes but they are bonded well with the acidic overtones and don’t really stand out on their own.

Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is pretty straightforward for a bottle aged brew… fine carbonation, medium body and a nice, dry finish from the barrel aging.

Drinkability: While the mouthfeel and finish are easy on the pallet, this is an abundantly sour beer that may be overwhelming for some people. For such a complicated, blended brew, the flavor is surprisingly straightforward which may keep you from reaching for another glass. Splitting (and sipping) the bottle amongst two people, however, should fair quite well.

Overall: The Captain Lawrence Barrel Aged Select #1 is another milestone for the brewery. It’s incredibly tart and and unlike any of their other offerings. While it was a bit over-acidic for my taste – which is a rarity so non-sour beer drinkers be warned – but it would pair really nicely with a farmhouse cheese and it is a great non-traditional brew to help open people’s eyes to the potential of beer. People who like Flemish sours such as a Rodenbach should take notice and seek this one out.

Tags: brown ale, Captain Lawrence, sour beer, wild ale.

TUESDAY 3/16 – NATIONAL BUZZARD DAY IPA EVENT

Why you should go
Because, yes, National Buzzard Day is a real holiday and what better way to celebrate than by drinking 18 different IPAs. Oh, did I mention the complimentary buzzard meat and beer bread! Hello, obscure beer event of the week

What you should drink
Local brewer Kelso debut their Kelso IPA tonight. Be the first to check it out. Ithica Flower Power is quite tasty as well.

Where
Spring Lounge – 48 Spring St at Mulberry St

Tap List
Draught – Kelso IPA (the first ever!), Avery IPA, Bear Republic Racer 5, Elysian Immortal IPA, Flying Dog Snake Dog, Goose Island IPA, Ithaca Flower Power, & Stone Ruination

Bottles – Ballast Point Big Eye, Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA, Great Divide Titan, Green Flash West Coast IPA, Lagunitas Maximus, Left Hand Warrior, Smuttynose Big A IPA, Victory Hop Devil

Can – Oscar Blues Gordon

Gravity keg – Weyerbacher Hops Infusion

ALSO TUESDAY – ANNE SAXELBY BEER AND CHEESE PAIRING

Why you should go
Anne Saxelby, “New York City’s local champion of American artisanal cheeses,” knows a thing or two about fine curds. Match that with Jimmy’s fantastic beer knowledge and you’ve got a crash course in flavor combinations. And at 3 beer and cheese pairings for $10, this is a no brainer.

Where
Jimmy’s No 43 – 43 East 7th St

WEDNESDAY 3/17 – MIKKELLER SINGLE HOP BLAST

Why you should go
Rather than spend your St. Paddy’s day slugging green bud lights with the masses, The Blind Tiger offers up the ultimate in hop education. This event is primarily focus on the Mikkeller Single Hop brews, with a few other treats thrown in…

Where
The Blind Tiger – 281 Bleecker St.

Tap List
Mikkeller Amarillo Single Hop IPA
Mikkeller Tomahawk Single Hop IPA
Mikkeller Cascade Single Hop IPA
Mikkeller Chinook Single Hop IPA
Mikkeller East Kent Single Hop IPA
Mikkeller Simcoe Single Hop IPA
Mikkeller Nugget Single Hop IPA
Mikkeller Warrior Single Hop IPA
Mikkeller Nelson Sauvin Single Hop IPA
Mikkeller Santa’s Little Helper
Mikkeller Cream Ale
Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast
Mikkeller Imperial Pils

ALSO WEDNESDAY – ST PADDY’S DAY RATTLE N HUM STYLE

Why you should go
Yes, this will be a madhouse but if you are gonna to the Paddy’s Day proper then there is no better place than with the Rattle crew. Featuring Irish craft beer and Irish-American style Craft beer all week! Celebrate before and after the parade, with bag-pipers, drink specials, Corned Beef ‘N’ Cabbage and all the O’Hara’s Irish Stout and Jameson you can imagine.

Where
Rattle N Hum – 14 East 33rd Street Between 5th and Madison

THURSDAY 3/18 – VINTAGE BEER NIGHT

Why you should go
If there’s one event you make it to this week then this is it. Barcade open their cellars wide with a selection of rare vintage barrels. If this is anything like the Sixpoint event, you may want to be there at 6pm to get the good stuff.

What you should drink
I thought I swore off Russian Imperial Stouts for the season last week but Southampton’s is not to be missed. A rare barrel of Smuttynose Oak Aged Big A IPA is also making a welcomed appearance

Tap List
2004 Avery Hog Heaven – 9.2% ABV – Barleywine
2005 Flying Dog Gonzo – 9.2% – Imperial Porter
2007 Avery the Czar – 11.0% – Imperial Stout
2007 Chelsea Imperial Mild – 10.9% – Barleywine
2007 Sly Fox Ichor – 10.0% – Belgian style Quadruple
2007 Southampton Russian Imperial Stout – 10.2% – Imperial Stout
2007 Weyerbacher Blasphemy – 11.8% – Belgian Quadruple
2008 Dogfish Head Raison D’etre – 8.0% – beet sugars and raisins!
2008 He Brew Jewbelation 12 – 12.0% – Strong Ale
2009 Smuttynose Oak Aged Big A IPA – 9.2% – barrel aged Imperial IPA

Where
Barcade – 388 Union Avenue, Williamsburg

Esteemed beer connoisseur Michael Jackson swings by the Conan O’Brien Show in this vintage clip to taste a few select brews including a mysterious Dogfish Head Golden Shower.

(originally posted on laurtering.com and found via @brewcrewtv)

Style: Brown Ale
ABV: 7.5%
IBU: unknown
Availability: limited release, draft only
Pairing: caramelized pork chops, wash-rind cheese, vanilla ice cream, cheeescake

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Last night, New York received another great opportunity to visit the Brooklyn Brewery for the invite-only release of Dark Matter, their latest in the Brewmaster’s Reserve series. Brewmaster Garrett Oliver was on hand along along with a laundry list of the city’s finest pub owners, food editors and beer bloggers. Once again, the tap room flowed with some of brewery’s best drafts: Cookie Jar Porter, Monster ‘09, Blast, Black Chocolate Stout ‘09, Pilsner and more. The Bedford Cheese Shop and The Meat Hook were on hand to supply a nice meat and cheese compliment Dark Matter’s vanilla-oaked, sweet palate of flavors.

Appearance: The Dark Matter pours a deep, dusty brown with reddish undertones and a very fine ecru head. On draft, the beer shows only a slight carbonation but a nice lacing develops with a minor swirl signifying a well crafted brew.

Smell: A massive vanilla-oak barrel aroma hits the nose upfront with lingering hints of dark stone fruits. Raisins, prunes, and black currant are all here along with notes of sweet bourbon.

Taste: There’s an explosion of contrast in the Dark Matter’s flavor palate. Upfront, this beer is delicate with slightly bitter, wooden hints and vanilla notes. Quickly, however, a massive rush of barrel-aged flavors envelope the palate. All of the character of the nose is here — especially the bourbon and raisin ones — mingling with lots of sweet burnt caramel and chocolate malt.

Mouthfeel: A very delicate carbonation hits the tongue at first but finishes with a strong, syrupy coating of the mouth.

Drinkability: This is surprisingly drinkable for such a sweet beer with such rich flavors. Paired with a hearty meal, a few Dark Matters will go down without a second thought. But this beer can also be approached on its own during the last few cold nights of late winter.

Overall: Dark Matter is a strong edition to the Brooklyn Brewery’s Brewmasters Series. While their flagship barrel-aged offering, the Black Ops, is often sought out by Imperial Stout lovers worldwide, it is also one that is best served after a year in the bottle. Dark Matter, however, carries all the richness and complexity of Black Ops in a much more accessible, ready-to-drink brew with a lower ABV. This beer is also a great introduction to barrel-aging for those unfamiliar with the technique. Poorly crafted oak-aged beers can be abrasive and overpowering but the flavors here are balanced and very approachable for even an uninitiated palate. As a solid standby, it will pair nicely with meat-centric dinners and tangy/creamy desserts alike. Overall, Dark Matter is another fine offering from the Brooklyn Brewery.

Brewing Note:
Malt: British Pale Ale, Crystal, Chocolate, Wheat, Belgian Aromatic, Roasted Barley
Hops: Willamette, Cascade, U.S. Fuggle
Yeast: Brooklyn House Ale
Barreling: Four months in a blend of bourbon and rye barrels of differing ages
OG: 18 deg. Plato
ABV: 7.5%

Official Release:

Cosmologists tell us that the universe was made by a massive explosion called the Big Bang. And in this Big Bang was created a material called “dark matter”, which accounts for 95% of the mass of the universe and actually binds the universe together. Well, that sounds pretty heavy. But it’s theoretical. Here in Brooklyn, our cosmology is a bit different.

In the beginning, there was Black Ops. Or perhaps not. Beer does have its mysteries. Anyhow, they say that back in 2007, a small amount of Dark Matter was created alongside Black Ops, but very few people had an opportunity to taste it. The Brooklyn Brewing Team decided that this shortage was unfortunate – plenty of Dark Matter for themselves, but not enough to share with all their friends. So last autumn they decided to recreate Dark Matter and open up the Brooklyn Barrel Room to a wider world. Brooklyn Dark Matter is a robust brown ale aged for four months in bourbon and rye whiskey barrels. Some barrels previously held Black Ops, some hosted The Manhattan Project, others came straight from the distilleries as soon as the whiskey was decanted. We’ve blended these barrels to create a beer full of caramel and chocolate flavors heightened by vanilla-like oak notes and hints of the barrels’ previous tenants. The result is a smooth, rich beer that really loves food, from fried or roasted chicken to char-grilled steak, barbecue, pork chops and even monkfish. And on some chilly evening in late winter, or perhaps the first warm night of spring, we hope that you may be tempted to believe that Dark Matter really does bind the universe together.

– Garrett Oliver

Tags: Brewmaster's Reserve, Brooklyn Brewery, New York beers, porter.

TUESDAY 3/02 – SOUR BEER NIGHT

Why you should go
Get a crash course in the wonders of lactic acid, Brettanomyces and all the other bacterial goodies that make sour beer so delicious. For a mere $10 you can try selections from the Shelton Brothers portfolio including Jolly Pumpkin and Cantillon

Where
Jimmy’s No 43 – 43 E 7th St

THURSDAY 3/04 – KEEGAN ALES AND FIRE ISLAND BREWING COMPANY NIGHT

Why you should go
Fresh selections from Fire Island and Keegans. F.I. president will be on hand to answer questions.

What you should drink
Keegan’s Super Kitty is an amazing American Strong Ale based on the Hurricane Kitty recipie. The recipe is then stepped up with 100lbs of local NY State honey, oak chops and lots of hops. This guy is rare so get him while you can

Where
David Copperfields – 1394 York Ave at 74th St

ALSO THURSDAY – PRETTY THINGS BEER AND ALE TASTING

Why you should go
Dann Paquette is one of a new breed of gypsy brews who travel around the country and create their concoctions at other breweries. Most of their line will be on tap tonight – Jack D’or, Baby Tree & St, Botolph’s – along with some rare bottle of the 10% London Mild. OHh, and free pomme frites at 6pm

Where
Burp Castle – 41 E 7th St.

SATURDAY 03/06 – DIVE BAR HOMEBREWERS CHALLANGE

Why you should go
Local homebrewers bring their big guns (in 5 gallon batches) to this uptown pub to claim the crown and with the coveted prize… having your beer brewed by Chatham Brewing and served on tap! Drop $15 for some food and a chance to try and vote for the best brew.

Where
Dive Bar – 732 Amerstdam Ave at 96th St

SATURDAY & SUNDAY 3/06 & 3/07 – SPLIT THEY BROOKLYN SKULL XI

Why you should go
Mug’s annual Barleywine/Strong Ale Festival is one of my favorite festivals of the year. Over two days they will pour some 40 amazing high gravity beers. Admission is free and its pay as you go. Not to be missed!

What you should drink
Where to start? Brewdog Paradox Cask, Mikkeller Double Bock, Keegans Super Kitty, Ithica Ten, Brewdog Tokyo, Life and Limb… I can go on all day.

Tap List
Saturday March 6th

Gravity Cask: Brewdog Paradox 10% Whiskey Aged Imperial Stout
Otter Creek QVH 12% American Strong Ale
St. Somewhere Lectio Divina 8.00% Belgian IPA
Pennichuck Pompier 12.5% Barleywine
Ithica Ten 10.5% American Strong
Sam Adams Dobblebock 9.5%
Weyerbacher Old Heathen Imperial Stout 2008 8.0%
Harpoon Quad 12.0% Quadruple
Wintercoat Cockney Imperial Stout 2007 8.4%
Goose Island Brown Goose 9% Old Ale
Ramstein Eisbock 11.5%
Speakeasy Old Godfather Reserve 10%
Mikkeller Double Bock 11.0%
Slyfox Black Raspberry Reserve 8.00 %
Spring house Two Front Teeth 9.75% Saison
Philadelphia Shackamaximum 10.00% Imperia Stout
Two Brothers Hop Juice 9.9% Double IPA
Yards Old Bart 9.0% English Barleywine
Keegans Super Kitty 12.0% American Strong Ale
Souther Tier Backburner 10.0% Barleywine
Sixpoint Express 2008 11.3% quadruple
Lefthand Widdershins 10% Barleywine
Chelsea Imperial Mild Oak Aged 10.9% barleywine
Nogne O #100 Barleywine 10.0% Barleywine

Sunday March 7th

Gravity Cask Heavy Seas Below Decks Barleywine with Oak
Bluepoint Old Howling Bastard
Smutty Barleywine 2007 10,9% Barleywine
Victory Old Horizontal 11.0% Barleywine
Lagunitas Sumpin Extra 8.7% Imperial IPA
Sierra Bigfoot 2005 9.6% Barleywine
Greenflash Palate Wrecker 9.0% Imperial IPA
Cigar City Marshal Zhukovs Imperial Stout 11.5
Dicks Brewing Company Barleywine 10.0% Barleywine
Kuhnenns 4th Dementia
Life and Limb 10.2%
Brewdog Tokyo 18.2% Imperial Stout
Dock Street Prisoner From Hell 10% Belgian Strong ale
Northcoast Old Stock Ale 12.5% Old Ale
Spring House Kerpunk 8.1% Imperial Chocolate Stout
Voodoo Grand Met 10% Biere De Garde
Yards Thomas Jefferson Tavern Ale 8% English Strong Ale
Weyerbacher Blasphemy 2007 11.8% Quad
Souther Tier Imperial Mokah 11.0% Imperial stout
21st Amendment Monks Blood 8.3% Quad
Brooklyn Monster 2006 11.8% Barleywine
Heavy Seas Siren Noire 8.0% Imperial Chocolate Stout
Allagash Odyssey 10.0% Belgian Strong Ale

Where
Mugs Ale House – 125 Bedford Ave, Williamsburg

New York’s Craft Beer community was at it again this week as brewmaster Greg Hall took over 30+ lines at Bleecker St’s Blind Tiger Ale House for a very impressive Goose Island night. Greg brought a collection of rare brews, seasonal offerings and brew pub exclusives to the event, showcasing both the breath of his operation as well as a glimpse into the future of the Brewery.

While Blind Tiger Events can be a tight squeeze, we managed to find a good spot near the bar and run through a bevy of petite half-pours. From lambics to wheats to an array of IPAs and imperial stouts, each beer showed a unique complexity. Personal standouts for the night included the Pepe Nero, a black saison that combined the hearty body and drinkability of a black IPA but backed with more caramel hints and peppercorn spice rather than hoppiness. It’s Fulton Wood polar opposite, the White City was also quite nice. An imperial white, the White City held a strong even body along with lots of herbal hints of rosemary and time and a bit of citrus. This is an awesome beer for food pairing.

And finally, the night capped off with the much hyped Goose Island Night Stalker, in incredibly complex Imperial Stout based on their famed Bourbon County Stout. Here, however, the oak aging is traded for a massive amount of dry hopping which results in a complicated mixture of earthy bitterness, chocolate and heavy malt notes. This beer is best to be hunted down, sipped and savored.

Also noted by our crew was the Goose Island IPA served on Nitro which gave it a delicious smooth, creamy appeal as well as their biscuit-y Brew 4000 (described as tasting like the scent of a brewery) and the Midway IPA, a halfway point between an Imperial IPA and a traditional IPA. The only noted miss of the night was the Lex, a sweet lambic which – to me – aligned more with a Lindeman’s Framboise than a traditional lambic and I missed some of the complex funk and tartness.

Tags: Blind Tiger, goose island.

TUESDAY 2/23 – SIXPOINT  5TH ANNIVERSARY TASTING

Why you should go
Sixpoint will be running all 10 taps at this Park Slope beer-haven with pints at $5-$7. This is a great chance to taste the breath of their brewing skills while munching on one of Bierkraft’s awesome sandwiches.

Where
Bierkraft – 191 Fifth Ave between Berkeley Pl and Union St, Park Slope

Tap List
Gorilla Warfare 2010
Bengali Tiger
Sweet Action
Righteous
Otis
Brownstone
Mason’s Black Wheat
Diesel Stout
Double Sweet Action
Whiskey barrel-aged Diesel Stout

ALSO TUESDAY - SOUTHERN TIER NIGHT

Why you should go
New York brewery South Tier makes some top notch, high octane ales. Bar Great Harry do some of the friendliest tastings in the city with $4 beers early and free cheese and meat. Plus you can bring in your own food to counter the effects of these delicious brews

What you should drink
Choklat Imperial Stout is one of my favorite chocolate stouts and worth a try. Also, this is the first time I have seen Oak-aged Unearthly Imperial IPA on tap so grab a glass!

Also

Where
Bar Great Harry – Smith Street and Sackett, Carrol Gardens

Tap List
Choklat Imperial Stout
Backburner Imperial Barley Wine
IPA
Unearthly Imperial IPA
Oak-aged Unearthly Imperial IPA
Gemini Double IPA
Phin and Matt’s Ale

WEDNESDAY, 2/24 – GOOSE ISLAND INVADES THE TIGER

Why you should go
Goose Island is making some of the best, and most diverse beers in America right now. Tonight they invade one of the city’s creme de la creme bars, Blind Tiger, and take over a commanding 33 lines. This is a great chance to taste some Goose Island brews that you’ve never even heard of and will probably never make it to NYC again

Where
Blind Tiger Ale House – 281 Bleecker St at Jones St.

Tap List
Goose Island Hopped Honkers (Cask) – English Bitter
Goose Island Oatmeal Stout (Nitro) – Oatmeal Stout
Goose Island IPA (Nitro) – IPA
Goose Island Honkers – English Bitter
Goose Island IPA
Goose Island 312 – Summer Ale
Goose Island Matilda – Belgian Ale
Goose Island Pere Jacques – Belgian Abbey Ale
Goose Island Bourbon County Brandy Stout – Imp. Stout
Goose Island Mild Winter – American Mild
Goose Island Extra Pale Ale – Pale Ale
Goose Island Robert Burns – Scottish Ale
Goose Island Liquid Inspiration Stout – American Stout
Goose Island Lake Effect Winter Ale – Imp. Red
Goose Island Golden Goose Pilsner
Goose Island Aviator Dopplebock
Goose Island Crop to Cup Rind Grind Stout – Uh, Coffee Stout
Goose Island Lincoln Park Lager – Vienna Lager
Goose Island Midway IPA – IPA
Goose Island Vanilla BCS – Imp. Stout
Goose Island Lolita – Raspberry Belgian Ale
Goose Island Lil’ Smokey – Rauch Bock
Goose Island White City – Imperial Witbier
Goose Island Brew 4000 – Belgian Imperial IPA
Goose Island Night Stalker – Imp. Stout
Goose Island Pepe Nero – Black Saison
Goose Island Blonde Rascal – Belgian Golden Ale
Goose Island Rye County Stout – Imp. Stout
Goose Island Bourbon Lolita – Raspberry Belgian Ale
Goose Island Lex – Raspberry Saison
Goose Island Belgian Double (Cask) – Dubbel
Goose Island Sgt. Peppercorn – Stout



ALSO WEDNESDAY – SIXPOINT  5TH ANNIVERSARY CONTINUES

Why you should go
For one, you get to play Tapper while drinking and how cool is that. For two, Sixpoint will be raiding the taps with 17 lines and casks for you two try. There will be lots of rare and one-off stuff to try so if you are a Sixpoint fan than this is not to be missed

Where
Barcade – Union St. and Powers St

Tap List
Gorilla Warfare 2008
Gorilla Warfare 2010
Gorilla Warfare Cask conditioned with coffee
Bengali Tiger
Sweet Action
Righteous
Otis
Brownstone
Mason’s Black Wheat
Diesel Stout
Double Sweet Action
Hops of Love
Express
Experimental Beer #1
Experimental Beer #2
Experimental Beer #3

SATURDAY & SUNDAY 2/27 & 2/28 – THE TRAPPIST SESSIONS

Why you should go
Get a fast-tracked course in Belgian beers tonight as Swift brings a tasting of all the true Trappist (aka made by the monks, not commissioned by them) Belgian ales. You may have had a lot of these before but it is amazing to taste them side by side and notice the subtle differences (note, this is $50 but you get a lot of bang for your buck including crazy tastings, Murray’s cheeses, cured meats and lots of knowledge)

What you should drink
Everything is absolutely amazing but Rochefort 8 and Koningshoeven La Trappe Isid’or are some favorites

Where
Swift Hiberian Lounge – 34 East 4th St bet Lafayette and Bowery

Tasting List
Chimay (Première, Cinq Cents and Grande Réserve)
Orval
Westmalle (Dubbel and Tripel)
Rochefort (6, 8 and 10)
Achel (Bruin and Blond)
Koningshoeven (Quadrupel and La Trappe Isid’or)
Vertical Tasting of Chimay Grande Réserve Vintages (2005, 2006, 2007, 2008 and 2009)

Tags: bar great harry, barcade, bierkraft, blind tiger ale house, goose island, southern tier, swift.

New York City’s craft beer community was out in full force yesterday as Tampa Bay’s Cigar City Brewery took over a commanding 20+ lines at Rattle N Hum Bar. The young brewery unleashed just about all their known beers from standards such as Jai Alai IPA and Maduro Brown to rare offering from their Humidor and Wood Aged Series.

From the Creamsicle IPA to the Bourbon Barrel Aged Hunahpu’s Imperial Stout, our crew made a valiant effort to try the entire list tap list and even went as far as to “borrow” sips from nearby patrons when available. My personal favorite by far from the evening was Brandy Barrel Winter Warmer, a variation of their Winter Warmer Old Ale aged in apple brandy barrels. The result was a warm and distinguished sipping beer with hints of oak and Calvados on top of a sweet toffee and chocolate malt back and a nice rye body. Combined with a dry finish, there was a level of complexity here found is some of the finest ales I have tried.

Also notable was the Humidor Series Maduro Oatmeal Brown which carried a heavy dose of ashy, cigar box notes from its cedar aging. These flavors notes married nicely with with the toasted chocolate body of Cigar City’s standard Maduro and provided a unique alternative to the abundance of oak aged beers available today. Other table favorites included their roasted, slightly bitter coffee brown, the Cubano Espresso Maduro. As well as the hopped up Flora IPA

Overall, this was an incredibly impressive showing from a brewery that is yet to celebrate its one-year anniversary. It was also a testament to the range of flavors that the Cigar City brewmasters can accomplish by aging and modifying their four base recipies. Unfinished kegs should be on tap for the rest of the week and if you couldn’t make it out to the should-to-shoulder release event then I recommend you swing by soon and give them a try as these beers soon as they will not be returning to New York any time soon.

For more great shots by Sarah, check out her website at www.sarahpostma.com

Tags: cigar city, hoptopia, rattle n hum.

Style: Belgian Tripel
Brewery: Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat (Breendonk-Puurs, Belgium)
ABV: 10%
IBUs: unknown
Availability: year round

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Ah, you crazy monks. How you make such good beer. I know I should be drinking syrupy sweet American barleywines this month but something keeps bringing me back to these great, golden brews. Maredsous Tripel, however, does not come from a Trappist Monastery. Instead, it is commissioned and brewed by makers of Duvel at Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat. The result is a beer brewed with bigger brewery consistency and pricing without sacrificing the subtle notes characteristic of Belgian beers.

Appearance: The Maredsous Tripel exploded (literally) after the cork and cage were removed. After the vigorous overflow of foam, it poured a light amber with a stately tan head that resided slowly to leave nice lacing on the glass.

Smell: There’s a full bouquet of floral and chamomile notes up front here along with hints of honey, toffee and dirty oranges that are a bit muted but still notable.

Taste: As expected, the flavor is sweet and full of golden malt. But there is also a unique, bright taste from spicy pepper notes, yeasty apple hints, and some subtle orange flavors. If you dig deep enough, there’s even a musky undertone distanct to Maredsous’ cousin brew, Duvel, but it is something that goes unnoticed unless you hunt it down. The alcohol is very well hidden.

Mouthfeel: Maredsous Tripel has a medium bodyand a very active carbonation that finishes clean with a bit sweetness.

Drinkability: Tripels tend to be a bit less easy-going than their lower-alcohol cousin, the dubbel. This one, however, is very drinkable. It’s got big sweetness and a bright, golden flavor that is not overpowering.

Overall: Maredsous Tripel is a extremely well made beer and a good transition for someone who has tried the more common Belgians (Duvel, Chimay, etc) but may not be ready to delve into the funky ones such as Orval. Since it comes from a rather large brewery, you can get this at a good price and it’s well worth trying.

Tags: Belgian, Big Beer Month, maredsous, Tripel.

Style: Winter Warmer
Brewery: Birra del Borgo (Lazio, Italy)
ABV: 9.5%
IBUs: unknown
Availability: unknown

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Back across the pond today for the big beer of the day only this time I am giving the Belgians a break and heading to Italy for Birra del Borgo’s 25 Dodici. I first became aware of Birra del Borgo through their collaboration with Dogfish Head on the My Antonia. Leonardo DiVencenzo, head brewer at Birra del Borgo, is often compared to Dogfish Head’s Sam Calagione for his adventurous brewing techniques and use of non-traditional adjuncts. And while there spirit is the same, their equally-spectacular results are really quite different.

Appearance: Pours a deep brown with a rich reddish hue. There’s no head at all from the poor but it does leave a bit of residue on the glass as you drink. No lacing.

Smell: The nose is really tart here, almost like orange Starburst candies mixed with lots of fresh berries. There’s a good amount of chocolate and roasted notes as well with really subtle hints of honey and grass. Quite a bit going on once you get into it.

Taste: The flavor is very light but there are a lot of complex elements too it. The bitter orange peel comes forward as well along with some pepper, coriander and burnt caramel. Beneath the initial flavors are some pine and oak notes which make this taste like a cross between a saison and and a pale ale. The orange flavor lingers nicely in the finish.

Mouthfeel: 25 Dodici is dangerously light bodied for a 9.5% alcohol beer. It comes across slightly watery with almost no carbonation and finishes slightly sweet on the tongue.

Drinkability: This is highly, highly drinkable for a big beer. It is light, dry and refreshing. The only off-putting element is the lack of carbonation but it could have just been my bottle. Otherwise, I could easily put back a few of these with dinner (dangerous).

Overall: 25 Dodici is really unique. At first I thought it was way flat but then the lack of carbonation grew on me. It’s a nice introduction into the world of Italian craft beer and the high level of drinkability makes it worth hunting down for a try.

Brewing Notes: Malt: Pilsner malt, munich malt, vienna malt, cara munich malt, cara
weizen, chocolate malt. Hops: Hallertau Northern brewer, Hallertau hersbrucker, styrian golding, simcoe.
Spice: Bitter orange peel

Tags: Big Beer Month, Birra del Borgo, Italian Beer, my antonia, Winter Beers, Winter Warmer.