Firkin Beer! It's thicker, less carbonated, and more syrupy than usual. I find this delicious.
Triple Rock had a great beer festival - only $20 for 6 samples, but the "sample" was actually almost a half-pint. This meant that the Lumberjack and I were able to share samples and thereby taste a LOT of beer. Perfect!Lagunitas Little Sumpin Wild (Belgian Ale, 8.5%ABV): this was one of my favourites. It smelled like flowers, and the hops were just subtle enough to be delicious and not overpowering.
Iron Springs The Malice (Barleywine, 10% ABV): this one was way too much for me. It's aged in french oak, and smelled very strongly of wood. I thought the oak flavour was far too strong and overpowered the beer. I compared it to being slapped in the face with an oak panel. The Lumberjack viewed it more as getting one's mouth washed out with a 2x4, but apparently he thought that was a good thing. Duly noted.
Green Flash Le Freak (Belgian IPA, 9.2% ABV): one of my favourite beers from the bottle or tap, so I was super excited to try it Firkin-style. The hops were more subtle, and it was more syrupy. Had a sweet, pineapple/clove aftertaste. Delicious, as expected.
Ale Industries Ryed Piper (Red Ale, 5.8% ABV): no thanks. It was bitter, and the alcohol flavour was too strong. The malt wasn't toasty enough for me, and it almost tasted like buttery tobacco.
Drake's Expedition (American Strong Ale, 6.8% ABV): it's been hopped with Horizon, Cascade and Chinook, and at first the strong hop smell turned me off a bit. But the flavour was actually really nice - it was syrupy and had a sweet/bitter combination - grass/flowery with a hint of peach and honey. It's one of those beers that has a second, stronger flavour after you swallow and give it a second. Overall I really enjoyed the sample, but think the hops are a little too strong for me to drink a lot of it.
Blue Frog Arf & Arf (Red Ale IPA, 7.6% ABV): a lovely blend of IPA and Red Ale - the Lumberjack called it "the best of both worlds." I called it a wine cooler, but I meant it in the best way! I love wine coolers! It's sugary, and smells like bubblegum. I know the Librarian will mock me for this description, but it's true - it smelled like double bubble or bazooka, that hard pink bubblegum from the 80's (do they still exist?).
Speakeasy Payback Porter (Porter, 7.6% ABV): delicious! A good, smooth, coffee stout. A little lighter than Speedway Stout, with a hint of raisin and bourbon. Kind of mapley. Very drinkable.
Ballast Point Sea Monster (Imperial Stout, 10% ABV): good god. That 10% is nothing to scoff at. I found it bitter, and the alcohol was way too intense for me. Shocker: the Lumberjack loved it. He said it had a nice caramel/toffee scent, and that he could "taste the whiskey" to which I said I KNOW.
Pizza Port Ernest Silky Smoove (Sweet Stout, 5.6% ABV): oatmeal stout! oatmeal stout! I love oatmeal stout! This beer smells AWESOME. It has a nice "mouthfeel" and so delicious and syrupy. Oatmeal stouts are amazing, and this one is one of the best. The end.
Half Moon Bay Moonglow (Barleywine, 9.8% ABV): so tasty! We had seconds of this one. It was sweet and mild, and tasted like pineapple. It was amber, malty, and "light & sparkly" according to my notes - since this came after tasting a number of other beers, take that description with a grain of sparkly salt.
Marin Brass Knuckle (Double IPA, 10.2% ABV): I wrote "sweet, honey, smooth, hops are gentle, I am tipsy." The end.
Green Flash Le Freak (Belgian IPA, 9.2% ABV): one of my favourite beers from the bottle or tap, so I was super excited to try it Firkin-style. The hops were more subtle, and it was more syrupy. Had a sweet, pineapple/clove aftertaste. Delicious, as expected.
Ale Industries Ryed Piper (Red Ale, 5.8% ABV): no thanks. It was bitter, and the alcohol flavour was too strong. The malt wasn't toasty enough for me, and it almost tasted like buttery tobacco.
Drake's Expedition (American Strong Ale, 6.8% ABV): it's been hopped with Horizon, Cascade and Chinook, and at first the strong hop smell turned me off a bit. But the flavour was actually really nice - it was syrupy and had a sweet/bitter combination - grass/flowery with a hint of peach and honey. It's one of those beers that has a second, stronger flavour after you swallow and give it a second. Overall I really enjoyed the sample, but think the hops are a little too strong for me to drink a lot of it.
Blue Frog Arf & Arf (Red Ale IPA, 7.6% ABV): a lovely blend of IPA and Red Ale - the Lumberjack called it "the best of both worlds." I called it a wine cooler, but I meant it in the best way! I love wine coolers! It's sugary, and smells like bubblegum. I know the Librarian will mock me for this description, but it's true - it smelled like double bubble or bazooka, that hard pink bubblegum from the 80's (do they still exist?).
Speakeasy Payback Porter (Porter, 7.6% ABV): delicious! A good, smooth, coffee stout. A little lighter than Speedway Stout, with a hint of raisin and bourbon. Kind of mapley. Very drinkable.
Ballast Point Sea Monster (Imperial Stout, 10% ABV): good god. That 10% is nothing to scoff at. I found it bitter, and the alcohol was way too intense for me. Shocker: the Lumberjack loved it. He said it had a nice caramel/toffee scent, and that he could "taste the whiskey" to which I said I KNOW.
Pizza Port Ernest Silky Smoove (Sweet Stout, 5.6% ABV): oatmeal stout! oatmeal stout! I love oatmeal stout! This beer smells AWESOME. It has a nice "mouthfeel" and so delicious and syrupy. Oatmeal stouts are amazing, and this one is one of the best. The end.
Half Moon Bay Moonglow (Barleywine, 9.8% ABV): so tasty! We had seconds of this one. It was sweet and mild, and tasted like pineapple. It was amber, malty, and "light & sparkly" according to my notes - since this came after tasting a number of other beers, take that description with a grain of sparkly salt.
Marin Brass Knuckle (Double IPA, 10.2% ABV): I wrote "sweet, honey, smooth, hops are gentle, I am tipsy." The end.
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