I didn't mean to forget about you!

For whatever reason, and I can't really blame this on anyone but myself and sheer laziness, I haven't been posting. Maybe it was because there were all kinds of cask and free glassware nights, maybe it's because I was too busy drinking beer instead of writing about it, but probably because I've spent very little time on the interwebs doing beer related things. Simple nerdery has kept me a bit occupied...but I'll never tell!

So, because the most wonderful time of the year has passed, and to be real, there weren't very many winter ales I tasted this December that totally impressed me, this post will cover the brews that have touched me as of late, or at least, since my last post.



Brown Shugga by Lagunitas in Petaluma, California. According to their website, this beer was originally supposed to be their Olde Gnarly Wine that somehow received too much brown sugar. That said, sugar equals higher alcohol content, and that's very obvious in this brew. Sweet labeling aside, this beer is both hoppy and sweet. Typically I don't care for sweet drinks, booze content or not, but I like how this American strong ale starts off with a nice hoppy tang and ends with a sweeter note. Neither end of the spectrum is too overwhelming with this one.



Old Man Winter Ale by Souther Tier of New York. Nearly 8% ABV but doesn't really feel or taste like a high gravity beer. There's also nothing about this old ale that says Merry Christmas if you ask me, but the hop varietals and barley used def provide the warmth you may be looking for in this very cold winter upon us (yes, guys, it snowed in Florida today). If I wasn't such a lush I would have put some away for next year as Southern Tier suggests, but, where's the fun in that?



Homegrown Ale Estate by Sierra Nevada of Chico, California. An organic American IPA that the hippy within me just had to try. Being a gardener I was totally drawn to this beer that was created with hops and barley grown organically on the brewery's property. Growing your own ingredients means that you can control exactly how you want your beer to taste, and I found this brew very drinkable and an excellent example of what we can do here in the good ol' U.S. of A. A bit citrusy and smooth as well as highly complex as it warms in the glass. The wax seal is a nice touch too. Try this as soon as you can get your hands on it, guys, you won't be disappointed.

Southern Tier, round duex

So here are a few more from Souther Tier in Lakewood, New York.



iniquity, “the antithesis of unearthly”. An Imperial India black ale brewed year round and sits at almost 9% ABV. Don't be fooled by the color of this beer, just because it's black as night doesn't mean it's going to be anything like a stout. IBA's, and especially this one, have all the bold flavors you'd expect from a stout, but lacking in the same texture. Big and hoppy like an IPA should be, this brew is very impressively different from anything else I've ever had.

Another great black beer to try is the Brazilian made Xingu.



It some how holds a strangeness about it that can only be described as being half way between beer and South American, real cane sugar, Coca-Cola. It took about half a beer to decide if I liked it or not, to be honest, simply because I felt like my pallet was being accosted. How dare they confuse me.

Anyway, back to Southern Tier.



Pumking, "brewed with pagan spirit". Imperial Pumpkin Ale released in August and made for the fall. It's a strong boy at 8.8%. I feel like I can forgive this the sell out, pumpkin, stereotypical, fall brew...everyone makes a pumpkin ale for October...for sake of the Harvest ESB. On a different note this is one of the few pumpkin brews I've had that takes the whole of the Thanksgiving concept. Aside from the high gravity tang, each sip gives you a little brown sugar, a little graham cracker, and a pumpkin pie feeling without actually, physically tasting too much like a pie. It's worth trying, but I suggest finding a place with this beer on tap, otherwise it only comes in boomer 22 oz. bottles.



Creme Brulee, "a stout of great contention". An Imperial milk stout that rings in at almost 10% ABV and released only for the summer. One would think it'd do better in the fall and winter months because it is a stout at the end of the day, but the added milkiness of it makes it easy to drink in the heat. This easily a dessert beer, as silly as that may sound to some. It's sweetness over rides the hoppiness of this beer, and I can really only handle three ounces or so. It truly tastes like a fine French dessert, and if you're into beer that tastes like food, go for it.

I'm a firm believer that fruit and food flavors have no business in beer, but that's just a personal philosophy.

As for what's next? I'm excited to try:



Krampus, "are you naughty or nice?". Imperial Helles Lager that'll be available next month.

Southern Tier, O! How I love thee

There's no way I could ever say I truly love a single brewery, my heart is far too fickle for such a statement, but I can easily say that I have never been disappointed by a beer from Southern Tier. So, here are a few beers I have found to be incredibly enjoyable from these folks in Lakewood, New York.



Farmer's Tan, "the hallmark of hard work". An imperial pale lager brewed only for the summer; generally released in June. This guy's a heavy hitter, ringing in an alcohol content of 9% and only distributed in boomers (22 oz. bottles) and 1/6th barrels.

Probably the strongest-in flavor and alcohol-I've ever experienced in a lager. Robust, which the paleness in color of this beer would make one think otherwise, smooth, but bitter in after taste. Very malty and sweet almost at first before the hops roundhouse kick you. If only they made this year round.



Unearthly IPA, "an uninhibited infusion of hops". Imperial India Pale Ale available year round from these guys. Be very, very careful with this brew, the 11% ABV on this one is no joke, and neither are the hops. Better on tap (of course) than in a boomer; bitter, oh so bitter on the end but pleasantly so. This beer is raw and almost dirty tasting, like a beer should taste. If herbally brews are not your bag, stay away.



Harvest, "quadrupulus humulus lupulus". An ESB, or, Extra Special Bitters, brewed for the first time this year and released for the fall. First, I'd just like to say how refreshing it is to get a fall seasonal that's not pumpkin beer, God, pumpkin beer season makes me want to shoot myself in the face. Second, the 4 hop varieties in this beer are balanced so well with just 2 malts, it's almost a wonder on how it could be an ESB. Very drinkable, guys, try it while you can.

Just a handful to name a few, more to come from my experiences with Southern Tier in my next post.