Bike trip pre-game

Since I'm going to Maine this weekend for a group cycling trip, where we're likely to consume some non-Bukowski's beers, a visit tonight was necessary.

Beer: Tetley's Cream Ale
ABV: 3.60%
Home: Leeds, West Yorkshire, England, UK
Slogan: "Smoothly does it"

Judging by the cascade of tiny bubbles going up the glass immediately after the pour, it's clear that this can of Tetley's was pressurized by nitrogen rather than CO2 gas. It's like a lighter Guinness with its low alcohol, low carbonation, and smoothness. Like other super smooth beers, though, I can't really make out distinct flavors. Too bland.

Beer: Rogue Dead Guy Ale
ABV: 6.50%
Home: Newport, Oregon, USA
Slogan: "Dedicated to the Rogue in each of us"

I've been afraid of this beer for years, as I was under the impression this was a strong, bitter ale. I was pretty surprised when I tried the Dead Guy Ale and discovered that this wasn't the case at all! The Dead Guy wouldn't be in my top picks or anything, but it's very drinkable and I'd get it again.

Beer: Wachusett Blueberry
ABV: 4.40%
Home: Westminster, Massachusetts, USA
Slogan: "Our blueberry defines the style"

I couldn't figure out what to order next, so when the server came by asked what I wanted, I panicked and ordered the Wachusett Blueberry. At the very least, it's a safe choice on this uncomfortably hot and humid day. There's nothing surprising about this beer - it is exactly as advertised. No complexity. It's a wheat ale with lots of bubbles, blueberry aroma, and strong blueberry flavor.

109

To take the sting out of the Boston Bruins' loss last night, we watched the UCLA Bruins win the College World Series tonight for NCAA Championship #109 and their first ever in baseball! Go Bruins all around! It was 97 today with ridiculous humidity - definitely the hottest day of the season. Everyone in our group was leaning toward IPAs because of it, and I was no exception.

Beer: Harpoon Leviathan - Imperial IPA
ABV: 10.00%
Home: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Slogan: "Love beer. Love life."

Fans of hops, this beer is for you! The powerful bitter hoppiness is the defining characteristic of the Leviathan, but I found it easier to drink than the Arrogant Bastard (probably due to the fact that it wasn't in a 22 oz bottle). Not bad for a double IPA, not bad at all.

Beer: Allagash White
ABV: 5.00%
Home: Portland, Maine, USA

Here's a beer that I've had numerous times, but never really tried to describe in words. The Allagash White is a standard Belgian wheat beer, but not really anything special. Maybe it's because wheat beers aren't my go-to anyway. Pours a cloudy, pale golden. Light, crisp, citrusy, with a little spice.

Beer: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
ABV: 5.60%
Home: Chico, California, USA

The Sierra Nevada Pale Ale has its own distinct tart, herbal flavor. It's been a while since I've had one of these, but I remember it being much harder to get through. Now it's kid's play in comparison to the Arrogant Bastard, 90 minute, etc.

Game 5

A group of us decided to meet up at Bukowski's to watch Game 5 of the Stanley Cup Finals among our own kind. I knew I was in the right place when I saw the specials board:

Beer: Sinebrychoff Porter
ABV: 7.20%
Home: Kerava, Finland

Right before the start of the game, I decided on this Finnish porter in honor of Tuukka Rask, the Bruins' awesome goaltender. This beer is nearly black with coffee aromas. Smoky taste with a long finish.

Beer: Samuel Adams Little White Rye
ABV: 5.30%
Home: Boston, Massachusetts, USA
Slogan: "America's World Class Beer"

I was able to get the Little White Rye on draft in place of the Sam Adams Light in a bottle, which was so lucky for me because this beer is freaking delicious. I'm excited I can get it easily here at home! It's unlike any other beer I've had with fragrant sage aromas and a robust rye flavor. Very drinkable and refreshing.

Beer: Krusovice Imperial Pilsener
ABV: 5.00%
Home: Krusovice, Czech Republic
Slogan: "A Jewel Among Beers"

Not bad, but the Radeberger is better! The Krusovice is light and slightly bitter for easy drinking, characteristic of a typical pilsener, but not really noteworthy. High carbonation and lots of bubbles.

Beer: Trois Pistoles
ABV: 9.00%
Home: Chambly, Quebec, Canada

In my mental beer haze, I had the brilliant idea to get this strong Canadian beer from Unibroue as my fourth of the night to support our Canadian Bruins players. This one was a bullet to the head and I was down until the middle of the following (Saturday) afternoon. However, Google Translate says that "trois pistoles" means "three shillings" rather than "three pistols," which is not what I expected. That said, I loved this beer! Gorgeous pour into a goblet with a two-fingers thick head that gives off a fruity aroma. Smooth, drinkable, and the flavor of sour cherries sticks around for a nice long finish.

The supermoon this weekend ended up being a bad omen for the Bruins in Game 5. And we just finished watching them lose Game 6 in the final minute, which was sickening. They had an amazing run this year, but it still hurts. At least Taco Tuesday is tomorrow - We can start getting over the Stanley Cup loss and re-focusing on the beer list.

Summer!

What's better than a couple drinks after work on a beautiful Friday that just happens to be the first day of Summer and longest day of the year?

Beer: Schneider Edel-Weisse
ABV: 6.20%
Home: Kelheim, Germany

I really enjoyed the Schneider. Pours a hazy amber with a frothy head. The taste was like tangy oranges and perfect for a warm evening like this one. It's a big bottle and I was surprised by how much this one beer affected me!

After my friend ordered a chicken tenders appetizer, we mentioned the cheap burgers that you can get during happy hour. Since he didn't believe us, he asked the bartender about the too-good-to-be-true $1 burger and she said, "No that's kind of a lie. It's $2." Now I think it's safe to say that we've converted someone else. After hearing the other options for $2 burgers, which I didn't know about since they're not on the menu, I got the fat-kid-style (deep-fried) veggie burger with a Gansett.

Beer: Narragansett Lager
ABV: 5.00%
Home: Rochester, New York, USA
Slogan: "Hi, neighbor, have a 'Gansett!"

After doing some reading online, I learned that Narragansett hasn't had its own brewery since 1981. Narragansett's original home in 1890 was in Cranston, Rhode Island, but has since moved to contract breweries in New York, Rhode Island, and Connecticut. I'd like to note that as the self-proclaimed "Beer of the Clam," there is an entire recipe for a clam bake on the can! Not really a fan of the actual beer, though. It's refreshing when ice-cold, but there's a metallic taste that only gets worse as you progress through the can. The hot weather certainly didn't help!

Game 4

Alone with no food in the house after a 7 mile run and 15 minutes to go before Game 4 of the Stanley Cup finals, I headed straight to Bukowski's for dinner. After claiming the last seat at the bar, I ordered a light beer on draft to start things off.

Beer: Blanche de Bruxelles
ABV: 4.50%
Home: Quenast, Belgium

The logo is a peeing cherub. No clue why. Just thought that was worth noting. This Belgian white tastes as light as it looks - very summery and refreshing! Pours a cloudy pale golden with head about a finger thick. The beer is so light, though, that I couldn't really distinguish the intended flavors other than a subtle lemon tang. Good choice if you're not in the mood to go hard.

Beer: Uinta Baba
ABV: 4.00%
Home: Salt Lake City, Utah, USA
Slogan: "Earth, Wind, and Beer"

After eating some food, I felt like ordering something more robust. My eyes lit up as this beer went down for the first time. The Baba is awesome! Dark beer fans should definitely try it. This black lager (Schwarzbier) actually reminds me of our local Mayflower Porter, which is one of my go-to beers. Woodsy and just a bit smoky, it hits all the right tastebuds. Oh, and there's a cute Baba black sheep on the bottle!

With the 1st period of the game ending in a tie, I decided to hurry home as the 2nd period was just starting. About 5 minutes later when I walked in the door, the Blackhawks had scored two goals. I knew I should've stayed at the bar! From that point on, the game went nuts and turned into a shootout. Well, I know where I'll be on Saturday...

Tecate Special

The mug team is back and firing on all cylinders. We decided to kick off the week with an aggressive 3-beer plan. To paraphrase the daily special at Bukowski's: Hijo de puta, not only can you get $2 tacos on Taco Tuesday, but you can get a $4 taco and Tecate combo! How is this not a good idea?

Beer: Tecate
ABV: 4.50%
Home: Cervecería Cuauhtémoc-Moctezuma, Monterrey, Mexico
Slogan: "Sabor con Carácter"

This is a straight-out-of-the-can beer. Nothing special by itself, but perfect when paired with tacos! I thought the lime was a classy touch.

Beer: Old Speckled Hen
ABV: 5.20%
Home: Suffolk, England, UK
Slogan: "A not-so-traditional English ale"

Look at the progression of this beer from shortly after it was poured until about a minute later when all the bubbles settled out. When it was set in front of me, the tiny nitrogen bubbles were cascading down the glass in a waterfall. About a minute later, a neat, compact head had formed atop the amber colored beer. Pretty cool. The head had no aromas that I could detect. The last time I had this beer was about 10 years ago at the Thirsty Scholar - I didn't care for it then because of its strange flavor that I couldn't define. My feelings haven't really changed much. The Old Speckled Hen has a creamy Guinness-like quality, but it's just not as good.

Beer: Delirium Nocturnum

ABV: 8.50%

Home: Melle, Belgium

My first impression of this beer was the compact, adorable glass. Look at the cute baby pink elephants! The color is a dark brown with a generous foamy head. I was taken aback by the tangy quality of this beer, but not at all put off by it. Really good stuff! But watch out, at 8.50% this beer sneaks up on you!

Bastard

Beer: Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale
ABV: 7.20%
Home: Escondido, California, USA
Slogan: "You're not worthy"

After several weeks of hard talk, I finally pulled the trigger and ordered this 22 oz bastard. It is the devil. Pours a deep copper with a thin head that gives an accurate preview of what's about to happen. I'm sure my impression would be more favorable if the experience had ended after 12 oz! My only hope was to drink it at a steady pace before it got too warm. My toughest beer so far because bitter is all there is. It had a long finish so bitter it was almost metallic - all I wanted to do was go brush my teeth.

And with that, I've closed out the American Strong Ales category - quite an accomplishment by my standards!

FYI - I feel like I should share the bottle label, which had me rolling my eyes:

This is an aggressive ale. You probably won't like it. It is quite doubtful that you have the taste or sophistication to be able to appreciate an ale of this quality and depth. We would suggest that you stick to safer and more familiar territory - maybe something with a multi-million dollar ad campaign aimed at convincing you it's made in a little brewery, or one that implies that their tasteless fizzy yellow beverage will give you more sex appeal. Perhaps you think multi-million dollar ad campaigns make things taste better. Perhaps you're mouthing your words as you read this.

At Stone Brewing, we believe that pandering to the lowest common denominator represents the height of tyranny - a virtual form of keeping the consumer barefoot and stupid. Brought forth upon an unsuspecting public in 1997, Arrogant Bastard Ale openly challenged the tyrannical overlords who were brazenly attempting to keep Americans chained in the shackles of poor taste. As the progenitor of its style, Arrogant Bastard Ale has reveled in its unprecedented and uncompromising celebration of intensity. There have been many nods to Arrogant Bastard Ale... even outright attempts to copy it... but only one can ever embody the true nature of liquid Arrogance!

Thursday doldrums

Definitely an off week. It's been consistently raining, the Bruins lost Game 1 in triple overtime, a couple good friends are leaving our fair city for Baltimore, and the mug club hasn't been at full strength since last week! We had a couple hours before meeting friends at People's Republic in Central and figured we'd try to pick up some momentum with a couple beers on the list.

Beer: Chimay Rouge
ABV: 7.00%
Home: Notre-Dame de Scourmont Abbey, Chimay, Belgium

It only took a minute for the bartender to remember us from "Thirty-three" last Thursday... Oh man. Making an impression. Look at this beautiful pour. Great head retention that lasted minutes! The aroma is, well, Belgian... and I don't have another word to describe it! The beer is lighter in color and mouthfeel than the blue cap from what I recall.  A hint of sweetness. The best from Chimay, in my opinion.

Beer: Einbecker Ur-Bock Dunkel
ABV: 6.50%
Home: Einbeck, Germany
Slogan: "Beer of all beers"

I was suspicious at first sight. The first few sips were... unusual. Sweet with a very distinct flavor that I couldn't put my finger on, but might have been licorice. Einbecker has three original beers (the "ur" in the name means "original"), this one being the dunkel bock. It doesn't look dark to me, though - not even close to the Julius Echter Dunkel. More like an amber. As I went on, it got tougher to drink until I could barely force down the last warm sips. Still not sure what flavors they were going for at the end, but I'm sure something got lost in translation here. Maybe it doesn't ship well. I blame the light bottle.

Rainstorm

Only the dedicated will brave the rainstorm for $2 tacos on this gloomy Tuesday...

Beer: Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout
ABV: 5.00%
Home: Tadcaster, North Yorkshire, England, UK

It's absolutely pouring outside with a chill in the air and nothing could taste better right now. I loved this beer. The color was nearly black with almost no head after the pour, as it disappeared before I was able to get the picture below. Smooth and highly drinkable - I would drink this one in gulps if there was enough to last. There's just a touch of earthiness and bittersweet at the finish.

Beer: Orkney Skull Splitter
ABV: 8.50%
Home: Quoyloo, Orkney Islands, Scotland, UK

I wasn't in the mood to steer away from the dark brews, so I ordered this Scotch Ale. There's a lot going on in this one, but my palate isn't sophisticated enough to pick it all apart. It pours a deep copper with a head about two fingers thick that leaves great lacing as the beer swills in the glass. Definitely more sweet than bitter, I could taste a sweet raisin flavor with a substantial tang from the hops. Lots of alcohol. 

Thirty-three

Birthday on a weeknight? No problem. After a fancy steak dinner downtown, we headed back to Bukowski's in order to satisfy our weekly drinking goal with my awesome beer-drinking friends!

Beer: Chimay Bleu
ABV: 9.00%
Home: Notre-Dame de Scourmont Abbey, Chimay, Belgium

Coincidentally enough, we kicked off the birthday celebration with beer #33, which I made sure was a good one. This rich mahogany-colored Trappist ale comes in an impressive gold-rimmed goblet with a big head. This brew is meant to be enjoyed slowly - I would definitely get it again with food, probably some good cheese! It has a hint of sour at the finish, like sourdough bread.

Beer: Fuller's London Porter
ABV: 5.40%
Home: London, England, UK
Slogan: "Rich, dark, and complex"

What a great brew! The sudsy head was about two fingers thick (I've learned that people often use finger width to describe the size of the beer head) with a very recognizable chocolate aroma. This brew has coffee and chocolate flavors, which aren't overdone, and a dry finish. Smooth, tasty, and very drinkable. Just outstanding. 

Beer: Dogfish Head 90 Minute Imperial IPA

ABV: 9.00%

Home: Rehoboth Beach, Delaware, USA

Slogan: "Off-centered stuff for off-centered people"

After my first couple of beers, I saw another one on draft that was on the list: Dogfish Head 90 Minute. The beer pours a light amber color with a head about a finger thick. In my own tasting notes on my phone, I apparently thought that the aromas were like "freshly crushed hops in my hand to my face like freedom." I guess I was having a good time! You don't have to love IPAs to understand what this beer brings to the table. I enjoyed its surprising drinkability, especially with the intense hops. Dogfish Head uses a method of continuous hopping in their series of 60, 90, and 120 Minute IPAs. The 90 minutes for this beer refers to the amount of time that hops are continuously added to the boiling wort while brewing. I thought the 90 Minute was much better than most IPAs, but the Brewdog is still my favorite!

When another group at the tables started singing Happy Birthday to someone, my friends all looked at each other and I knew I was in trouble. They sung it for me way louder and I could feel my face turning bright red. We started recalling how we spent my 30th taking shots at the now-closed Crossroads Pub downtown, which naturally resulted in a round of Redheaded Sluts being ordered for the group. I was horrified but unable to refuse. Especially since an old friend from Ithaca had just walked into the bar! He had just flown in from Germany for a wedding we would all be attending over the weekend...

Beer: Coors Original

ABV: 5.00%

Home: Golden, Colorado, USA

Slogan: "The Original Banquet Beer"

To finish off my string of bad decisions, I ordered a Coors on draft after my good friend told me it was his favorite college beer. I probably thought this draft would be an upgrade from Coors Light in a can, which was on the list. In the notes on my phone (with auto-correct), all I have is "colors banquet duck this." I don't really have much more to add at this point, but we can probably leave this one in the college dorms where it belongs. 

Brutal Bitter

Beer: Rogue Brutal IPA
ABV: 5.80%
Home: Newport, Oregon, USA
Slogan: "Dedicated to the Rogue in each of us"

Since it was a ridiculously busy day (and week, for that matter), I was in the mood to punish myself with a hardcore 22 ouncer. The Brutal Bitter was not nearly as bad as its name would suggest, though. It pours an dark orange with a frothy layer of suds. It leaves the same impression on me as most IPAs: Strong hops that mask the intended flavors for an average beer-drinking experience.

**Observation after reading the bottle label:  I think it's worth noting that the bottle specs don't include ABV, but degrees Plato. So what does 15 degrees Plato mean? I had no clue until after a lengthy discussion at the bar. A degree Plato is a unit of density, which refers to how much sugar is dissolved in the water. This value is the upper bound on the amount of sugar that the yeast can convert to alcohol. It seems more useful to just tell us what the ABV is rather than what the potential ABV might be, right? According to the interwebs, the upper limit on ABV is roughly deg Plato/2.5 (in this case, 15/2.5 = 6.00% ABV). Definitely a bottle for brewing enthusiasts!

Drafting

After disappointing showings on the last 3 trips, I got back up on that horse. I was eager to turn things around this afternoon when we met up at the bar (not at a table - finally putting our lessons into action). I ordered a Weihenstephaner and actually got it this time. On draft!

Beer: Weihenstephaner Hefeweissbier
ABV: 5.40%
Home: Freising, Germany
Slogan: "The world's oldest brewery"

When the bartender gave me this beer on draft, I was so thankful! I've been missing draft beers! Apparently if they have one of the mug club beers on tap, they'll pour you the draft version. At least that was the case with this bartender! Sitting at the bar is already paying off. This beer pours a cloudy golden with a substantial head that gives off a banana aroma. I was also able to taste the banana flavors throughout along with a light sweetness. Great for a hot day.

Beer: Smuttynose IPA
ABV: 6.90%
Home: Portsmouth, New Hampshire, USA
Slogan: "Make mine a Smutty!"

I got this one because I saw it on draft and figured I could pull off the same trick twice. Rightly so. According to their website, when beer drinkers started asking why they don't make a really hoppy beer, this IPA was Smuttynose's answer. Pours golden with a head that reeks of hops. Super bitter, super aggressive. I couldn't taste anything in this beer except the bitter hops. Won't order again.

Beer: Grolsch Lager
ABV: 5.00%
Home: Enschede, Netherlands
Slogan: "Beer is fit to be seen again"

Uh oh, green bottle. The slogan above was introduced when Grolsch became the first major Dutch brewery to make the switch from brown to green bottles. After what we've learned, there's no positive side to it other than cost savings for the brewery. Let's do this anyway. The Grolsch is an average light lager that pours like soda with huge bubbles on the sides. It wasn't very interesting and I'd put it in the same category as the Warsteiner. Not for me.

While we were on this round, the guy next to me at the bar asked about our lists. I explained that we were working on earning a mug in the name of beer research. Within about 10 minutes, he had signed himself up for the mug club challenge. Oh, the peer pressure!

Heat wave

What do you do when it's 95 degrees outside and you don't want to walk around outside for longer than a few minutes? Go sit in a bar and work on our beer list.

Beer: Warsteiner Pilsener
ABV: 4.80%
Home: Warstein, Germany
Slogan: "A Queen Among the Beers"

I actually ordered a Weihenstephaner Hefeweiss, but took this beer when they brought it because we'd already waited quite a while. Not a fan. It poured a light gold color with a decent head and lacing (although very quickly disappearing). With its thin and bitter taste, I actually found the Warsteiner reminiscent of a typical American mass-produced beer (like MGD). Not a ridiculous choice considering the heat today, but I probably won't order it again.

After having sub-standard experiences on our last two trips, I had resolved to sit only at the bar until we realized how much hotter it was away from the open windows. We sat at a high-top table by the window knowing that we'd sacrifice good service for more comfortable temperatures. Spot on. The server was new - there must be a high turnaround. There are a lot of beers and it's a lot to learn for anyone. I think it would make sense for the servers to try them all (or earn a mug)! I have to get over it - I'm only 28 beers in...