December 25 - Fegley's Brew Works - Rude Elf's Reserve

Fegley's Brew Works - Rude Elf's Reserve

Tonight ends the 25 Beers of Christmas blog.  I sincerely hope you enjoyed reading some quick snippets about craft beer as well as my quippy (or at least the attempt to be) reviews.

A few weeks ago, my wife, her sister, and sister's husband were all headed to the NYC marathon where my wife was competing after we raised some funds for Allied Services Foundation (she did awesome by the way!).  We got to talking about beer and how one of the first craft beers that I tried was when they lived in the Lehigh Valley.  There are lots of places to grab a beer out there.  We thought we were drinking "good beer" when we went to Shangy's in Emmaus and picked up some cases of Lionshead and Lionshead Light.  That was our definition of craft beer at the time. 

NOTE - NOT craft beer.  Not even close. Don't kid yourself. Just say NO.

With our inexperienced palates, my brother in law decided to pick up a case of Fegley's Brew Works Rude Elf's Reserve, a 10.5% Belgian Strong Dark Ale.  Thankfully, he didn't make me finish the bottle because it was just flat out awful to me at the time. 

Little did I know that my palate would eventually graduate a slight bit.  I now appreciate different styles for what they are.  I also now know that sometimes letting a beer warm up makes it 10 times better.  More on that later. 





My palate eventually would graduate...keep reading...

Ironically enough, today at lunchtime, we all gathered as a family for dinner at my in-laws house.  We all exchanged gifts, my son and daughter made out like bandits with their gifts (for the second time today at that time), and my son melted down when it was time to go.  Par for the course.  The irony came when I received my gifts from my brother and sister in law.  I got a gift bag.  In the gift bag I reached and felt a wire hood and cork top.  I knew it was going to be good.  It had to be.  It had to be a Belgian beer at least.  I pulled out a 22 oz. bomber bottle of...

Yes, I have gingerbread men on my PJ's...focus on the bottle!

I'll be honest, even though I know they are both going to read this, there could have been so many other beers that they could have chosen from.  My initial reaction was, "dammit...this crap again."  After thinking about it, and our conversation in the car a few weeks back, I realized it was out of love.  The love of beer.  The love of giving second chances.  The love of beer.  Wait...I said that already.  OK, seriously now,  I would be able to see if I did done graduated my palate.  Also, I'll try anything twice.  If it sucks the second time, I'm putting that beer on the black list. 

...drum roll please...

The beer poured a cherry amber color with a beautiful thick, beige colored head at the top.  The aroma was that of carbonation, yeast, and slight fruit.  There was some spice to the aroma as well. 

Tasting this beer brought back some memories.  I remember sitting there eating pizza and playing some Nintendo Wii.  Pre-kids, Tiger Woods Golf and Madden '07 were the games of choice at that time.  I remember going to the fridge and drinking this straight from the bottle (oh, naïve one...) and thinking to myself, "dear God, what the hell is this crap?"  I remember actually thinking this beer was skunked and asking my brother in law the same thing.

Tonight, for the second coming of this beer the following was noted.  The taste, when cold was very unbalanced.  The clove taste, that I despise, jumped out and hit my palate first.  There were some sour cherry notes along with some honey, nutmeg, and allspice.  The finish left me with a tart cherry and yeast on the tongue. 

Letting the beer warm up helped out with the balancing of flavors tremendously.  The tart cherry was still there along with all of the other spices, but the clove mellowed out considerably.  There was also the slight banana flavor and some sweet honey notes as well. 

At first, the spices were too much, but letting this beer warm up changed the flavor profile altogether, for the better!  Not my favorite beer, but I'll stick to a 3 out of 5.  The seasonal nature of this, coupled with the day and the joy of second chances leaves me all tingly inside.  That may be the 10.5% talking though.  Not quite sure...

To wrap things up for this evening, and the blog for another year, I leave you with 5 quick tips I've learned in the last 25 days (and throughout the 2014 year): 

1. Appreciate all styles for what they are.  If you don't like a style, you can't accurately judge it otherwise.

2. If a beer needs to warm up to a certain temperature to be enjoyed properly, do that.  You'll thank yourself later (maybe me too).

3. Try a variety of brews and don't be afraid to step outside of your comfort zone.  I hated IPAs at first sip, but as I tried new styles and went back, it's my favorite by far now!

4. Don't take my word for it, try it yourself!  My palate and yours are nowhere close to the same.  If you like a certain style, I (or anyone for that matter) could probably pick something out for you, but it may not be exactly what you're looking for.

5. Sample single bottles (or craft on draft) before purchasing a whole case.  Nothing ruins the craft beer experience more than purchasing a whole case of something you didn't know you'd like in the first place.  Keep it simple! 



December 24 - Great Lakes Christmas Ale

Great Lakes Brewing Company - Christmas Ale

Merry Christmas Eve to you and yours!  I'm getting this one done early today so that I have the rest of the day to spend with friends and family.  I'm sure you're doing the same as well, so let's keep this short!

For the final installment of 2014 Winter Warmer Wednesday, we have Great Lakes Brewing Company's Christmas Ale.  This beer is spiced with some cinnamon, ginger and is also brewed with some honey.  At 7.5% ABV, this is sure to get your party started the right way!

This beer is yet another choice this season that is suggested serving temperature is 55 degrees.  It's going to take a while to let that warm up to the proper temperature, so I'll do my best to give you notes in difference between "straight outta the fridge" and proper serving temperature.

As for the pour, that won't change with temperature.  The copper color is complimented with a thin bead of beige head. 

The aroma is very indistinct at first, but if you use your imagination, there is surely a sweet, malty nose to this beer.  The honey is also a distinct ingredient here in the aroma.

The taste, at cold temperature, lends itself a punch in the mouth of ginger at first that mellows and allows the other spices to dance on the palate.  I detect a slight tinge of clove here too, but not too overpowering.  There are cinnamon notes along with a honey sweetness that lingers for a while on the tongue. 

"You're welcome!"

As the beer warms, it allowed the other flavors to take the spotlight more so than the ginger did earlier.  The honey became more prominent for me as the beer warmed up as well.  The overall balance was much better between the flavors as well.

All in all, not a bad beer, but out of all of the other Winter Warmer Wednesday beers this year, this is my least favorite.  Nothing really jumps out at me and makes me want more of this. 

3.5 Dressed up Christmas presents out of 5

Enjoy your holiday festivities and, if you do, drink responsibly!

December 23 - Saranac - Long John Lager

 Saranac Brewing - Long John Lager

Trying to get this one in under the gun, I decided to go play a round of night disc golf with a friend since it stopped raining and wasn't too cold this evening.  Now that I'm back, I need to get to sleep shortly to gear up for the Christmas Eve festivities that will be taking place tomorrow as well.  That being said, I went with the easy choice tonight.  I am not expecting too much from this beer tonight, unfortunately.

 

I wish it looked that cool tonight...my round sucked

 

I've had Saranac beers before and have seen them around for quite a while.  A fraternity brother of mine used to purchase it all the time and we all thought he was fancy for doing so.  My how times have changed!  Maybe it's my palate that's changed...?  If I'm in the mood for something different, and there's a variety pack of it available, I've been known to pick up a mixed Saranac case before.  Especially, if I really don't want to spend too much on a case!  You get a decent brew from these guys, but don't expect a ton.  It's middle of the road for me for most of their beers.

 

 

 

This particular beer pours a dark, clear mahogany color with an off-white head to it.  There is some sweet caramel on the nose that I can gather, but there are a few other things fighting each other for a not so pleasant aroma.

 

The taste is what I expected.  The bottle mentions some sweet caramel malts and toasted nuttiness will be found in this beer.  The sweetness isn't overbearing at all.  In fact, I wouldn't describe it as sweet at all because a hop bite cuts right through any sweetness that is supposed to be here.  As for the toasted nuttiness, that definitely leaves a dry and warming feeling in your throat on the back end of this brew.

 

Quite honestly, I wasn't too impressed with this choice.  I actually expected it to be something a little better than it was.  This, like very few brews out there, will be one that I don't recommend to anyone.  It doesn't quench thirst since it's a winter-style beer.  It doesn't please my palate whatsoever.  Nothing about it makes me want more.  I'm sitting here looking at the glass as I type this and I really don't feel the need to finish it at the moment. 

 

Sorry Saranac...this goes on the Naughty List of Beers - 2.5 out of 5 lumps of coal

 

 

Well...there's always Christmas Eve!  See you tomorrow!  Get that shopping done as well as your wrapping!

 

 

December 22 - Oskar Blues - Ten Fidy

 Oskar Blues Brewery - Ten FIDY

Oh boy, am I in for a treat tonight!  An Imperial Stout that is a hefty 10.5% with Christmas break right around the corner?  Say it ain't so...

...let me do my happy dance!

Tonight, from Oskar Blues Brewery is their Imperial Stout, Ten FIDY (named for what I believe is the ABV).  This beer is described by the folks at Oskar Blues as follows:

"This titanic, immensely viscous stout is loaded with inimitable flavors of chocolate-covered caramel and coffee and hides a hefty 98 IBUs underneath the smooth blanket of malt.  Ten FIDY (10.5% ABV) is made with enormous amounts of two-row malt, chocolate malt, roasted barley, flaked oats and hops.  Ten FIDY is the ultimate celebration of dark malts and boundary-stretching beer."

I agree Homer!  Let's get to the tasting notes!

The pour was the most opaque black that you could imagine along with a caramel colored head.  It was a sight to see.  As I enjoyed this beer, the lacing on the glass as also exquisite.  As for the aroma, there was the expected coffee and roasted chocolate notes, along with whiffs of brownies.  Yep, brownies.  I thought it was weird too, but I asked my wife to give it a go and she agreed!

As for the taste...this was a thing of beauty as well.  The flavors were simple, yet complex.  One will get exactly what they expect and much, much more.  There is the roasted coffee for sure, but along with the warm feeling that the 10%+ beer obviously will give you there were also hints of cacao nibs, as well as nutty notes to boot.  The beer never let up and finished very strong and slightly bitter.  Even after swallowing the sip (this is a sipper folks...), there was a malty coating on the tongue that sat with you for a while to allow you to take in all that this beer has to offer.

Never had this one?  You need to!  Like, as soon as possible! 

Oscar the Grouch comes in a can...so does this beer...coincidence?  Yeah, probably!
A perfect 5 out of 5 for this reviewer!

Sock Santa creeping in on my Ten FIDY.  I'll put you on the naughty list if you even think about it sir...

December 21 - Bell's - Winter White Ale

December 21 - Bells Brewing Company - Winter White Ale

Happy first day of Winter!  What's not to love?  The days are shorter, not to mention colder.  Who doesn't love that?

Someone with Seasonal Affective Disorder, that's who!

To "celebrate" this Winter Solstice, I had the perfect beer in the fridge tonight for blogging.  Enter Bell's Winter White Ale.  The bottle label looks pretty seasonal, the name is pretty seasonal, but the style of beer isn't.  Hmm...strange quandary indeed.  

A wheat beer in December?  Bumble is excited!

The pour was a hazy, gold color with a thick white head at the top.  The aroma was very much wheat beer like...you know, because it's a wheat beer in winter.  Orange and wheat dominate here with some small hints of spicy clove and banana.

The taste of this "winter" beer is very sweet.  Not overbearing, but the end reminded me of an Orange Julius.  There are some other traditional wheat beer notes, including orange peel, coriander, banana, and that spicy clove I got initially.  The clove isn't overbearing though, thank God.

All in all, this beer is a traditional wheat beer for sure.  I'm still confused as to how this is only a seasonal beer for the Bell's company.  Oberon is a seasonal beer that really falls close to the same line, comparatively speaking, with this beer.  Oberon is a little hazier and has more of a yeast profile than this one, but again, pretty much the same style for me.

For what it's worth, the beer was worth the try, but it's nothing special.  There are plenty of other wheat beers out there that are just as good if not better, not to mention the price point is lower and the beer is available year-round.  Since a wheat beer can be a flagship beer for other companies, I'll give Bell's an out there.  They make so many other styles that are better, they must be appealing to that guy we've mentioned before who heads to the local craft brewery and wants "the closest thing to Miller Lite."  He'd probably really get a kick out of this beer.

A 3 out of 5 tonight with a gingerbread house addition in the background...ordinary

December 20 - Terrapin - Midnight Monk

Terrapin Beer Company - Midnight Monk

"Something good happens after midnight"

It's not quite midnight, actually not even close, but I figured that this beer sounded like it would definitely be interesting.  Let's face it, even though the label says so, there's no way I'm making it to midnight this evening after last night's festivities and today's shopping trips. 

Terrapin makes some solid beers that are definitely decent.  In their portfolio they have an Imperial Oatmeal Stout (Wake 'N' Bake), a chocolate peanut butter porter (Liquid Bliss), and 4 or so versions of various IPAs.  Out of the few I've had from this Athens, Georgia based brewery, they make pretty decent stuff!

Part of their Monster Beer Tour (all 4 look to be near or over the 10% ABV mark), this particular brew is a Belgian-style, black IPA.  I enjoy the IPAs, black IPAs too, and I can always indulge in a spicy Belgian whether it's a tripel or not. 

The pour for this beer was a dark, cola brown color with a thin, tan head that quickly dissipated to non-existent.  As for the aroma right out of the bottle, I would describe it as a Belgian and black IPA combination.  It's exactly as described!  There is a mild floral hop aroma along with some minimal Belgian spice notes and esters. 

An explosion of tastes hit you all at once during the first sip.  You get lots of hops, Belgian spice, and roasted malts with this beer.  There are notes of roasted coffee at the end of this beer along with another wave of hops galore to finish things up.  As the beer got warmer (look, at 9.8% this was a sipper), it had more of a black IPA than a Belgian profile.

If you'd make it until midnight to enjoy this beer, you'd probably not make it much past the end of the glass.  This is an ass-kicker if you're not expecting it!  As mentioned already, I won't be making it until midnight tonig....................................

4 out of 5 monks agree...this beer is good!

  

December 19 - Dogfish Head Festina Peche

Dogfish Head - Festina Peche

Celebrating at a work Christmas party tonight, I'll keep this short and super basic...no fancy photos or funny meme as well as no fun formatting. :(

From Dogfish Head brewing in Deleware, the host decided to let me in on his secret stash of these tonight. I was able to get the feel of spring and summer during this cold time of year.

At a very sessionable 4.5%, this is a choice that always makes its way to my kegerator during the warmer months of the year.

The nose, and taste of this brew is sweet peach. Nothing more, nothing less. The beer drinks smooth and goes down easy...maybe a little too easy.

Short and sweet...literally! 4 out of 5

December 18 - Roy Pitz - Daddy Fatsacks

 Roy Pitz Brewing Company - Daddy Fat Sacks

Ok...let's be honest for a second.  If you tell me you've never bought something because of either the packaging or the name, you would be a liar.  Now that we're on the same page and being honest with each other, that is EXACTLY why I bought this beer.  I mean, really, Daddy Fat Sacks?  That's like the epitome of a metaphor for Santa Claus, right?

The Original Daddy Fat Sacks

Roy Pitz Brewing Company, which is a new one to me, is just down the road a bit in Chambersburg, PA.  After looking at the bottle and the strange label that accompanied it, I had to visit the website.  Turns out that these guys are all about creating "liquid art".  It looks like their labels are as creative as their beers.  There are the 4 flagship beers, along with 4 seasonal beers, and 18 specialty brews that are listed on the site.  The brew with the most intriguing name is a specialty released in January called Chicken Leg Oatmeal Stout.  It gets me curious enough to think that maybe they use chicken in the beer?  Probably not, but I'd give it a shot anyway!

...I bet Ludacris would too

Tonight's beer is an American IPA according to Roy Pitz's website.  My go-to beer app Untappd listed it as a Double IPA.  Either way, I can't pass up a new IPA to try, so let's get to it!

I decided to use my specialty Dogfish Head IPA glass to taste this beer tonight and gave it a hefty pour as you can see by the photo.  The head was ginormous!  The beer poured a cloudy, golden orange color.  Upon further inspection it looked like someone dropped a yeast bomb in the glass because there was flakes of sediment everywhere in here which turned me off at first, but I decided to keep an open mind.  This wasn't the first time I've seen sediment in a beer glass before.

...or in a carboy...I drink my own yeast when I brew, so why not someone else's?

The aroma was a floral hop bouquet that had earthy notes and grapefruit.  There was also some malt presence here too, which exhibited itself as mostly a bready, yeasty aroma. 

The taste of this brew threw me off since I was initially expecting a DIPA instead of an American IPA.  There was much more sweet malt flavor compared to the overabundance of hops that I expected.  There was definitely a mild citrus hop bite (and I mean mild) that was predominantly grapefruit.  Even for an American IPA, there wasn't much bitterness here whatsoever.  If you followed the link above, most beers in this style category are much hoppier than this was.  I truly expected to be blown away by hops with this IPA.

I would definitely drink this beer as another go-to IPA if it were more readily available in my area.  The ABV is up there at 7.5% but there is virtually no alcohol presence here at all.  I do enjoy my hops, but the balance here between sweet malt and bitter hops is ridiculous.  I don't know that I've ever seen a more balanced beer in this respect.  For the IPA hater (and I know a few) this may be a safe bet to possibly venture into the realm of the hoppy.  As for the IPA lover, you still get your hop fix while appreciating a well-crafted brew from a local craft brewery. 



A solid 3.5 / 5 hops tonight!



December 17 - Southern Tier -2Xmas

Southern Tier - 2Xmas

Well, I guess it's time for another installment of Winter Warmer Wednesday.  It's a shame too, because I have about 10 other different beers I'd actually like to try tonight.  I guess a theme is a theme and I have to stick to it at this point.  Oh man...I just realized that I'll have to do my last WWW post again on Christmas Eve.  You may get a 2 for 1 deal that night...time permitting of course.

From the fridge this evening, one of the winter warmers left is again from Southern Tier again. Last week's choice, Old Man, was a quality one so the bar has been set high already. This year the winter warmer beers I've tried have hit the mark.  They haven't been too spicy and have been very well balanced.  Let's hope for the same thing tonight!

...well let's hope so anyway...

The beer pours an amber brown color with a thin beige head at the top.  The head didn't stick around too long though.  However, don't worry, it didn't effect the beer that much for me.

The aroma was a very pronounced citrus, mostly orange, with a slight hint of cinnamon spices.

The taste, even though the bottle said so, surprised me for a winter warmer.  According to the label, the beer is brewed with figs, orange peel and spices.  The flavor was very unique in that it went from a fig flavor, to a distinct malt, to oranges, and wrapped up with some pine hop notes.  As for the finish, I would almost describe it as a dry, bitter orange rind.  However, that's not as bad as it may sound.  The balance between sweet oranges, malts and other spices is balanced very well with the 2 hop varieties used.

Had I not known it ahead of time, I wouldn't have pegged this as a winter warmer, style-wise.  Even the alcohol content didn't show through.  This beer is rather heavy at 8% ABV, but you wouldn't know it.  With the balance of malts, hops, and spices, the alcohol is well hidden.  You can start to sense that it is on the stronger side as the last of your beer starts to warm, but by then you're already invested...just finish it and get another!

3.5 out of 5 Christmas Wreaths!  Look, they're made of oranges too!

December 16 - Shmaltz Brewing - Hanukkah, Chanukah

 Shmaltz Brewing Company - Hanukkah, Chanukah

I will be the first to plead ignorance.  I don't know a thing about this Jewish holiday other than it is celebrated for 8 days and 8 nights.  As for this beer, it's thematic alright.  There are 8 malts, 8 hop varieties, and it clocks in at 8% ABV.  I figured there was no time like the present to indulge in trying this beer for the first time.  The bottle says it all...Pass the Beer!  L'Chaim!

From Shmaltz Brewing Company out of New York, these guys have a lot of He'Brew themed beers.  The most recent for me was a 17% (also a 17 malt, 17 hop brew, which is just crazy!!!) ABV strong ale.  Strong would be an understatement!  That beer was definitely a sharing one and we definitely split it 3 ways a few months ago.  I don't believe that I finished mine either...

This particular beer is a dark ale that pours a deep, opaque brown color with a thin beige head at the top. 

The aroma is a sweet malty one, since there are 8 malt varieties used here!  As it warmed, there was a distinct alcohol smell along with an almost whole wheat bread note to it.  I also noted some raisin in the smell as well. 

As for the taste...well...it's pretty malty.  Actually, very malty.  If you like your malts and want to coat your tongue in them, you'll be pleased here!  The beer is very well balanced with a decent hop bite at the end.  As it warms up, the hops definitely linger on the tongue with the deep malt profile.

For me, I'd drink it again, but like others in this blog before it, I wouldn't seek out to find it.  Now that Jewbelation Reborn 17%...I would definitely look for that one again.

mmm...there it is...

For this brew, a 3 out of 5 dreidels!



Talk about a staged picture!  Mazel and shalom!

December 15 - Duclaw Brewing - Guilty Filthy Soul

DuClaw Brewing Company - Guilty Filthy Soul

My first visit to DuClaw Brewing Company was about 3 years too early.  I was there for my best friends bachelor party to kick off the festivities for the night and we sat down to get some brews and food.  I vaguely remember anything about the beers because I didn't appreciate the craft brew scene at the time.  I probably was "that guy" who asked a local brewpub for "something that tasted like Miller Lite."

You can dress this beer up in a fancy glass, but ...

...it's a good looking pig in this case though...

I have recommended these guys to others when they get to the Fells Point area in the Baltimore area, but have found out that they no longer set up shop there.  Luckily, my neighborhood bottle shop decides to pick up a lot of their stuff since they are relatively local so we can all try their awesome creations.  These guys don't make a bad beer.  Well, if they do, I haven't had it yet.  

Tonight's beer is an Imperial Chocolate Rye Porter that clocks in at 7.7%.  Whoever came up with the name hits this right on the head.  Do you enjoy chocolate and want to feel guilty about it?  Well, then this is for you!

Really though...who doesn't love chocolate???

This porter poured an opaque, black color with a creamy beige colored head.  There was some significant lacing left in this glass at the end.  The aroma was very unique in that it smelled like semi-sweet chocolate, coffee, and cocoa.  Most porters that I have had in the past have a roasted note to them, but not this one.  I did see that others, via RateBeer, noted roasted aromas, but I couldn't convince myself that was the case here.

The taste, like the bottle describes, is a velvety, smooth chocolate and coffee combo that comes off as sweet, yet balanced.  I like my hops for sure, but I don't get too much hoppy bite from anything going on here until the very end.  Even then, the hop bite may be confused with the spicy rye flavor that I believe finishes off this beer.

Solid Combo of Beer and Chocolate!  4 out of 5!

December 14 -Slyfox Christmas Ale

Slyfox Brewing Company - Christmas Ale (2014)

Back again for another tasting in 2014 is Slyfox's Christmas Ale.  I had this beer in 2013 and wasn't overly thrilled by it.  I gave it a 3 out of 5 only because it had an ugly Christmas sweater on the can.  If you don't know me very well, ugly Christmas sweaters are high on my list of things to wear this time of year.  For those of you that know me in real life, you're in for a treat come this Friday...

...it's not this one...but my sweater comes with tights...

Anyway, back to the beer.  This beer poured a transparent, caramel brown color with a nice inch of tan colored head at the top.  I gave the can a hefty pour into my etched Sam Adams glass.  The aroma of this beer was mostly spices.  I got my favorite spice ever (just kidding...) in clove, as well as some slight hints of cinnamon.  It was pleasant bouquet of spices!

The taste started with a mild and slightly sweet caramel flavor that quickly turned spicy.  According to the can itself, there is ginger, cinnamon, allspice, nutmeg and cloves brewed with this beer.  For me, other than the aromas before, I get a strong ginger flavor from this winter ale.  The finish is slightly bitter with a coating of spices on the tongue.  

All things considered, this beer was much better for me than the 2013 version that was very spicy. The spices this year are either more mild or better balanced with the rest of the ale.   If I had to choose a winter warmer to drink that was also lighter in ABV (this is listed at 5.5% on the can) I would probably go right back to this one.  For something a little heavier in ABV, I would probably have to either go with Old Man from Southern Tier or the Winter Warmer from Lancaster.   

From the 2013 version to the 2014 version, would have to bump this up to a 3.5 out of 5!

  

That's a disc for disc golfing to the left of the can...just saying...
I also gave this to myself as a give...Merry Christmas to me! :)