Spock, thanks for the nice review. It made me thirsty.

Nick, no, this thread will never die. Upon some things, it IS possible to focus. Unfortunately, Scott is correct about the amount of traffic and passion in the ill-fated Politics thread of 2004. Better to focus on our shared joys than on our differences, I say.

Scott - Good luck with that!

btw, I drank my last bottle of 2004 Full Sail Wassail the other day. Fabulous beer.

The Salvation Ale from Avery brewing in Colorado was only OK - super strong, nice toffee flavors - but as much like Scottish Ale as Belgian Tripel. They didn't seem to use a Belgian strain of yeast. Reminded me quite a bit of some of my big out-of-control homebrews.

got a new beer i am gonna try today when i go to my buddies to see the patriots-vs-steelers. i just picked it up at the grocery store.

its from the JW Dundee brewery in rochester, NY. its their American Pale Ale. they also had an amber lager, but i wasnt looking for anything dark or heavy. i will for sure let you know how it goes down. and lets hope the steelers can put a whoppin on the pats.!!

EDIT- i just discovered by looking online, that this beer is actually made by the Highfalls Brewing Co, and this particular flavor i got is brand new. it had medium to bland ratings on ratebeer.com, so i aint expecting nothing spectacular.

bigjohn

Hey so...my beer of choice for the games today is Stone IPA. I think I talked up Stone brewing company once before but if not, they make some good stuff. Especially their selection of IPAs.

As for the games...Eagles are in, so I'm happy. I'd like to see Eagles vs. Pats just so the rivalry is running strong up here but...I'm happy either way at this point.

well, the JW Dundee American Pale Ale from highfalls brewing co, was about what i expected. it had a dark golden color, with very little head. it had mildly smooth tones, with no spectacular flavor of anything. i very tame tasting beer, with ever so slight hints of fruit. but nothing to make your taste buds scream. it had a medium bitter after taste, but not as bad as some other pale ales i have tried. it was almost too easy to drink, and i found myself finishing a 12oz bottle in about 3-4 gulps. this beer is not bad, and not good, just boringly average. on a 1/10 scale, i give it a 5.5... and at $5.29 a sixer, i can spend my money elsewhere.

ya'll need to start drinkin and reviewing some beers. this thread has been trying to die for a few weeks now, and i just cant let it go.

bigjohn

I'll be doing another review when the Westvleteren comes in. I'm also going to see if I can still pick up a bottle of Phantome Hiver, their fall/winter brew. The taste of pumpkin and cloves sounds intriguing.

So this week's free beer tasting at Bierkraft in Brooklyn is the following:

Hennepin
Rare Vos
Ommegang
Duvel
3 Philosophers

each will be paired with, respectively:
Passendale cheese & Avocado
Bratwurst Boiled in Beer
Wynendale cheese & Carrot
Saucisson Sec en Croute
Oud Brugges & Beet

I've had all but the 3 Philosophers, but I imagine that it's probably a pretty bold beer, since that's sort of the common thread of the other four.

Anyone ever have these beers?

I have 3 cold Duvels in the fridge. Very unique and refreshing brew. Also be ready for a big head.

yes, of those, all i have had is the Duvel. and spock is correct, it has the most unique, exquisite head you have ever seen. its extremely thick, often compared to the meringue on top of pies. it has a flowery aroma, and has a delightfully balanced taste. you get both hints of sweet and pepper at the same time. the strong alcohol content(8.5%) is very evident, but not over powering. i really think this a great beer. you are in for a treat!!

bigjohn

You're making me wish I lived in Brooklyn. No small feat, that.

I've not had the Rare Vos. Of the others, I prefer the Duvel and the Hennepin, but for different reasons. I will look forward to your report!