Julius-Tree House Brewing Company

I received a message recently from Eric of Nine State Brewing. He asked if I had ever tried anything from Tree House Brewing Co. I explained that I hadn't but would love the opportunity and, just like that, I received a packaged containing these four beers. Eric's only request was that, in return, I provide my readers with honest and in-depth reviews of each beer. Challenge accepted!

After doing some research on each of the four beers, I decided to start with Julius and work my way through each one, posting a review as I go, based on the hop profiles of each beer,taking into consideration the beers that should be consumed fresh.

Brewery: Tree House Brewing Co.
Location: Monson, MA
Style: American IPA
ABV: 6.8%
Beer Apostle's Final Grade: A+

Julius is Tree House's flagship American IPA. Julius has a perfect score of 100 on both BeerAdvocate and RateBeer, and has become one of the more sought-after American IPAs as of late. Just a quick glance on any of the beer trading forums and you'll quickly see there is a considerable buzz around Julius. However, I will state for the record: I am not one to fall in line with the hype around beers. Without naming specific labels, there are several "whales" that dominate the ISO forums that, in my humble opinion, are not worth the trouble people go through just to get their hands on a beer that may not be much (if any) better than the beers brewed at your local microbrewery. With that being said, I trusted the endorsements given by many who have tried Julius and was eager to give it a taste for myself.

As soon as I opened the can, the aroma from Julius instantly fill the room. Just as if I had lit a candle, the kitchen filled with vibrant scents of citrus and tropical fruits. There was also a considerable amount of orange notes detected.

Julius pours a deep haziness. This is as cloudy as I have seen an IPA. The color is spot-on: a beautiful orange hue to match the theme and label.

Complex layers of citrus and tropical fruits attach the palate. Julius is just as sweet and juicy as advertised, and full of oranges--both fruit and rind flavors. But for as juicy and fruity as Julius is, there's also a good amount of bitterness that balances this beer. I have seen some reviews labeling Julius as sweet with little bitterness, but I would have to disagree. I get a good amount of bitterness, but it's just not overpowering. As for a malt profile, there's not much of one. Julius is juicy, tropical, and citrusy.

Overall, Julius is as near a perfect IPA as I have tried. In many ways, I find this to push boundaries on what my archetype of an American IPA is or was. Julius' juiciness is unmatched. And the amount of fresh orange flavors that are packed into this beer is impressive. As far as I can tell, Julius deserves the credit and even the hype. It's refreshing and delicious, and I wish I would have received more than just one can.

To see more from the Beer Apostle, be sure to check out the Archives section! Have questions or feedback, contact me and share your thoughts! And don't forget to join in on the discussion by following  on Twitter and Facebook!

New Holland Black Tulip Tripel Ale

Brewery: New Holland Brewing Co
Location: Holland, MI
Style: Tripel
ABV: 10.5%
Beer Apostle' Grade: A-

New Holland's Black Tulip is a Belgian Tripel that was first released in '98. It might be hard to imagine, but back then, waaayy back in the 90s, craft beer wasn't really all that popular, and Belgian beers were better for...well, Belgium! But New Holland stayed its course and now produces one of the more respected Tripel ales on the market.

The commercial description reads:

Mysterious, alluring and seductive, yet tantalizingly elusive; these are the storied characteristics of the Black Tulip.

Speaking of mysterious, I am at a loss in determining the correct ABV for Black Tulip. New Holland's website has it listed at 8.8%. Beeradvocate and RateBeer list it at 9%, and the label on the bottle claims a 10.5%. I'm taking my wife's advice and assuming bigger is better in this case.

Appearance: An opaque copper with minimal head that fades quickly.

Aroma: Bubble gum, Belgian spices (clove, coriander, lemon, honey). Alcohol scent is detectable, but not overly strong.

Taste: Banana and alcohol is a pretty good synopsis here, though that's a bit minimalistic of me to leave the description at that. The banana flavors, which is common with some Belgian yeast strands, is front and center on the palate. Once the beer heads to the back, I pick up apple and lemon notes. These fruity flavors blend nicely into a white-wine-like finish that gives a mild booze warmth in the back of the throat. There's that 10.5% we were talking about!

Mouthfeel: Smooth, crisp, and creamy. Everything is perfectly balanced about the body of this beer.

Overall: For the style, this is an excellent beer. There's not much I can complain about besides, maybe, the overt booziness. But, come on, is that really something to complain about? I can see why Black Tulip received a perfect rating of 100 by the Beeradvocate "Bros," but yet received scores of 87 and 84 by the Beeradvocate and RateBeer public, respectively. I instinctively respect this beer because I know it's true to the style; however, I wasn't blown away of transformed at any point during the consumption of this beer. It's good. Just good.

I want to thank Ryan L (@ryan_leisure). for sending me this beer. I have heard so many great things about New Holland beer; I'm very grateful for having the opportunity to sample and review Black Tulip. Cheers to you, Ryan!

Thanks for reading the Beer Apostle and for supporting craft beer! Join in on the discussion by following me on Twitter and Facebook! Cheers!

Firestone Walker Double Jack

Brewery: Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
Location: Paso Robles, CA
Style: Imperial IPA
ABV: 9.5%
Price: $6.99 22oz (Purchased from Wegman's in Buffalo, NY)

Double Jack is a double IPA from the highly acclaimed California brewery that took home a bronze medal for this beer at the Great American Beer Fest in 2012. This is the first ever Imperial IPA from Firestone Walker; it's done quite well, receiving ratings of 100/100 and 97/100 on Ratebeer  and  BeerAdvocate, respectively.

Appearance: Copper/reddish hue. Clean and filtered. Quarter inch head with nice retention that laces the glass.

Aroma: Sweet, hoppy, and herbal nose with lots of malt and caramels. This is really pleasant. The hops and floral notes are rivaled by the sweet sugary malt scents. I expect this one to have a really well-balanced malt backbone...and that gets me VERY excited!

Taste: The hops are far more prominent on the palate than they are on the nose. For a split second, I thought this was going to be a sweeter beer, but that notion was quickly denounced by the wave of earthy dryness from the hops. The taste begins with a touch of citrusy sweetness that is quickly washed away by pine and zest. The flavors are quite herbal in the middle, and the hops have a drying effect as the beer moves towards that back of the palate, where the finish is piney and dry. There is a nice malt undertone that I am able to pick up the more I drink this beer (probably has something to do with the warming of the beer as well).

Mouthfeel: This is a medium-bodied beer, maybe even on the lighter side of Imperials.

Overall: This is very enjoyable and drinkable. This is a 9.5% beer that hides the alcohol well. The flavors are vibrant and complex. Double Jack definitely lives up to the accolades it's received online and within the beer community. I'm glad to have had the chance to try this.

Also, something I failed to highlight earlier is the price-point of this "World-Class" beer (based on BeerAdvocate's standards). At $7, I doubt you'll find another bomber of beer that's as highly regarded and delicious as this one is. When was the last time you bought an imperial beer that's rated as high as this one for under $10? Yeah, didn't think so.

Cheers!

This is as pretty as an empty glass gets.

Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Stout

Brewery:  Alltech's Lexington Brewing and Distilling Co.

Location: Lexington, KY
Style: Imperial Stout
ABV: 8%

Bourbon barrel stouts create a lot of attention. Until recently, the style was reserved for limited and special releases, and were often highly sought after creating even more hype to the already buzzworthy style. But in the last few years, more and more breweries have jumped on the bandwagon and have created bourbon barreled beers (some stouts, some not) that are more accessible and not so ridiculously priced. It seems like every brewery has their own bourbony concoction to offer. Lexington now has two. Aside from their award winning Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale, they now have a barrelled imperial stout to offer patrons with a boozy appetite.

If you follow me on Twitter, you probably already know that I am quite disappointed with this beer. However, before you read my tasting notes, I do want to qualify my review with this statement (which should be applied to any beer review you ever read--yes, even reviews from those Alstrom brothers): Each person's palate is unique and it's impossible to give a completely objective review as we all have our personal preferences when it comes to flavors. So, my metacognitive self recognizes that I generally lean towards full-flavored beer and, when it comes to bourbon barrelled beers, I expect homerun hitters.

On to the tasting notes...

Appearance: dark as expected, but has a significant amount of carbonation that more closely resembles a Pepsi than a stout-- maybe that says more about my archetype of a Stout than anything else. 

The head is minimal, tan in color, and dissipates quickly. 

Aroma: Sweet vanilla and bourbon come out strong. Beneath that I can pick up some burnt sugars and molasses.

Taste: At first, I had trouble picking up on the flavors. The carbonation seemed to really interfere with the palate. I let the beer warm for about 7 minutes before taking another sip to see if the carbonation would mellow any.

After sitting for 7 long minutes (I'm not good at being patient), the vanilla definitely sang a deeper tone, but I still struggled to get the bourbon or anything else for that matter. This beer is very sweet up front which really masks the other flavors. I get a lot of coffee in here too, but more of a vanilla cappuccino than a dark-roasted coffee that you might expect. The bourbon is definitely there, especially on the finish and aftertaste, but it's weaker than expected and not nearly as pleasant as it is on the nose.

Mouthfeel: The body of this beer is somewhat light, too light for a stout. It's over carbonated, a bit watery, and lacks character.

Overall: Again, I am disappointed. Though the beer did open up with warmth, it was still too weak and watery for my liking. I thought the vanilla, at times, was overpowering and too sweet. The complexity that one would expect from an imperial stout is missing and I won't even reiterate what I expect from a bourbon barrelled imperial stout. I expect many will enjoy this beer because it's not nearly as intimidating as others in this style and its light body and subtle booze makes it a very approachable beer.

Wrecking Bar Brewpub: Atlanta, GA

Image taken from wreckingbarbrewpub.com

Wrecking Bar has charm and appeal in every aspect of its establishment. The bar is located in  the cellar of a 20th Century Victorian home built just before the 1900s. While the term brewpub doesn't usually evoke notions of eloquence and  prestige, Wrecking Bar has all of that plus the grit and casual vibe one would expect from a local pub.

Before I get to the beer, I have to mention that the service I received from the Wrecking Bar's staff was phenomenal. I was greeted as soon as I sat down and given a thorough explanation of the Wrecking Bar's history and current beer selection. The entire staff was extremely knowledgeable on the various beers they brew and was eager to give me their personal recommendations and favorites.

One of the people who made my experience so enjoyable was Ian (@wbiancox), who I believe is the General Manager. Ian recommended his top three beers and also guided my order off the food menu, which I will get to in a moment. Ian, like everyone else I came into contact with at Wrecking Bar, was extremely helpful and excited to help me select the various items from the menu. As I was sitting there, I couldn't help but think, either they pay their staff extremely well and I should consider quitting my day-job, or the food and beer is really that good and the staff can easily stand behind the product.

The Beer:
Based on Ian's recommendation, I chose three brews to sample. I tasted a rye bock, double IPA, and an Imperial Stout. All of them were well crafted and extremely enjoyable; easily some of the best beer I have had lately. And boozy! You'll notice a trend in my notes in regards to the booziness that came with each beer. That, I am sure, had an impact on how much I loved what I was tasting. Here are my tasting notes:

Manhattan Barrel Aged Rye Bock--Cask Poured (6% ABV)
This was the first beer I had and let's just say the stakes were raised after tasting this beer. Aged for two months in Manhattan (yes, the cocktail) barrels, this rye-bock was poured from a cask and served just below room temperature. The body was fairly light and had virtually no carbonation due to the cask pour. The aroma was all alcohol and malts. There's no question that the Manhattan barrels have made an impact on the aroma of this brew. The taste was sweet on the front of the palate with predominate flavors of caramel and malt. The rye spices came out nicely on the finish, which was also very boozy.

Denamelizer Double IPA (10.4% ABV)
I'll admit that before tasting this beer, I did something I usally try not to do--I read the brewer's description of the beer. With a name like "Denamelizer," I had to read about the hops. As the description divulged, this DIPA was brewed with five different hopes and has a whopping IBU level of 140. Folks, that's 20 more than Dogfish Head's 120 Minute IPA.

Surprisingly, this beer was incredibly balanced. The hops were there, but they weren't overpowering and I never felt concerned about the enamel on my teeth being stripped away as I finished the glass. Both the aroma and the front of the palate were full of the hop profile--lots of floral characteristics, pine, and lemon and orange peels. As the beer moved to the back, I picked up a pleasant malt base which I enjoyed. The finish was boozy with a spicy and dry finish. I even picked up some rye on the finish, which makes me wonder if this is a derivative of the rye-bock recipe.

Siberius Maximus Russion Imperial Stout (10-12%)
The final beer that I tasted at the Wrecking Bar was not just the best beer of the night, it was also one of the best beers I have ever tasted. Period. This beer was so good that I have already thought about taking the five hour road trip from Jacksonville to Atlanta just to get some more of this stout before it runs out.

This particular version of their RIS was aged for nine months before being tapped. The profile was full of rich malts, semi-sweet chocolate, bourbon, and toffee. The beer had a radiant bourbon and chocolate aroma that almost literally pulled my nose into the glass. The body was on the heavier side and included a smooth and creamy texture. Very little carbonation. The finish, like the rest of the palate, was one part chocolate to one part bourbon. It was reminiscent of World Wide Stout or Bourbon County Brand Stout, but better. Like I said, this is one of the best beers I have ever had.

The Food:
Based on Ian's recommendation, I chose the barley dish off the menu and added grilled chicken to the otherwise vegetarian dish. The plate was risotto with an artichoke puree, pumpkin seeds, mixed vegetables, cheese, and the grilled chicken. Honestly, this dish could have easily come from a high-end restaurant in midtown Manhattan. The dish was savory, comforting, and paired very will with the Denamelizer Double IPA.

Although I didn't try any of the other food, it all looked gourmet and delicious. I was just blown away by the skill and quality of beer and food that the Wrecking Bar produces. There's literally nothing negative I have to say about my experience at Wrecking Bar. I have seldom walked away from a place as satisfied by everything that I consumed during my visit, not to mention the service was stellar.

If you're in the Atlanta area, this is a must-stop brewpub. I promise you'll walk away glad you took my advice.

You can check the Wrecking Bar out on Facebook and Twitter where they post their rotating selection of beer.

Grasslands LeeRoy the Red Imperial Amber #5

This is a recurring monthly series in which I taste and share my thoughts on a different beer from Grasslands Brewing Co. as they progress on their journey to open their doors to thirsty craft beer lovers (2014).  Grasslands is an up-and-coming brewery out of Tallahassee, Fl. that centers their philosophy on making quality "earth first ales." I will taste pilot batches and share my thoughts with the BeerApostle community. You can read past posts about Grasslands beer in the archive section of this blog.

Style: Imperial red/amber ale
ABV: 9%

Appearance: Dark amber, thick and cloudy. Tan head with long retention.

Aroma: Floral, pine, malt, sweet bread

Taste: Great flavors! Sweetened grapefruit, spicy bitterness from the hops which makes this surprisingly floral for a red amber. The finish has a well-balanced malt profile with notes of caramel and toasted grain. There's a slight dryness on the end with a spicy/sweet blanket that coats the lips.

Mouth: As I suspected from the appearance, this is a full bodied beer. It's perfectly carbonated which helps to open up some of the floral notes without compromising the malt backbone. This is a beer I could drink regularly (though in moderation--at 9%, this one will sneak up on you quickly!).

As the beer warmed, the bite seemed to grow in intensity. The alcohol content became more evident, as did the spices in the beer. Although it was still good, I think this one is better served and enjoyed at colder temperatures. It became less sessionable the longer it sat in my glass--apparently, I am slow typer...

Overall: This is the fifth variation of this recipe and I am crossing my fingers for #5 to be a close representation of the final product. I was fortunate enough to also sample LeeRoy #4 and I definitely prefer this recipe over its predecessor. The balance of citrus and sweet makes this one stand out in a pretty crowded genre of beers. If you follow me on Twitter, you know that Tocobaga has been my go-to red ale. LeeRoy certainly gives Tocobaga a run for the money.

Price: Because Grasslands is up-and-coming, they have asked me to share my thoughts on a recommended price-points for their brews. LeeRoy packs in a lot of flavor, alcohol, and is on the heavier side as far as body is concerned. I would expect to pay somewhere in the range of $5-$6 for a pint of this at a local pub. And I would pay it gladly.

Another great job by Gabe at Grasslands Brewing Co.!

Bell's Hopslam

Brewery:  Bell's Brewery
Location: Kalamazoo, MI
Style: Double IPA
ABV: 10%
Price: $6.99/Pint (Kickback's Gastropub-Jacksonville, FL)

Few beers carry the clout that Bell's Hopslam carries. I've heard it called the "East Coast answer to Pliny the Elder." Hopslam has a perfect rating of 100 on both BeerAdvocate and RateBeer. For most, this is a perfect beer.

Now, before I move to my tasting notes, I will caution you. I think it's hard for any beer to live up to this kind of hype. When I think of a "perfect" "World-class" beer, I expect unicorns to dance around in my mouth whilst chasing pink elephants...or something like that. I am always a bit skeptical when beers reach this level of elitism. However, I will say that there is one major thing Hopslam has going for it that other beers on this level don't: it is very affordable. I had Hopslam on tap for just 7 bucks a pop. And it was a full pint. I can think of a list of other beers that are more expensive, come in smaller pours, and not nearly as good.

Now on to the tasting notes...

As you can see from the image, the color is a beautiful orange haze. It's slightly cloudy which helps pronounce the various hues as light reflects from the glass. There is a nice cream head that leaves a solid lace around the glass.

The beer lets off a pleasant aroma of fresh hops, lemon peels, grapefruit, and pine. This is the type of scent that makes you feel good. I'm surprised Bell's hasn't figured out how to bottle this scent or put it in candles yet. (Note: if anyone figures out how to do this, I expect royalties).

The taste. Oh, this really is delicious! Big citrus profile. Lots of hops. Finish is very clean and mildly bitter with a wonderful honey sweetness. The middle of the flavor has a subtle malt profile that balances the hops and citrus nicely. Still, the predominant flavors are of the hops, lemon, pine, and grapefruit. This is bouquet of citrus fruits and floral hops that are nicely bound by a touch of honey and malt sweetness. This is really as good as an IPA can get.

Hopslam is very good. It's great, actually. This is my second year getting to taste this beer and it's just as good as I remember. In fact, my first experience with Hopslam was during a blind IPA tasting where there were several world-class IPAs in unmarked glasses; Pliny the elder was among them. Without knowing, I scored Hopslam as my top beer, ranking it above Pliny, Heady Topper, and Surly Furious. So, there you have it.

Hopslam doesn't come with unicorns, but it's as close to magical as an IPA can get.

Cigar City Jai Alai vs White Oak-Aged Jai Alai

 Brewery: Cigar City Brewing
Location: Tampa, FL
Style: IPA
ABV: 7.5%
Price: $10.99/6pk (Jai Alai) $9.99/4pk (White Oak Aged Jai Alai)

With the recent release of White Oak Aged Jai Alai, I have been itching to pair it with the regular release and share my notes and critiques of each. Also, this was just a good excuse for me to pour myself two beers simultaneously without looking like I have a drinking problem.

Most importantly, I am excited to record my thoughts on how much Jai Alai changes after being aged on the white oak. I have always loved Jai Alai by itself and am curious to see how the white oak variation compares.

We'll start with the regular release of Jai Alai.

Jai Alai pours an orangish-red hue with a strong head that remains in the glass and puts out a pretty good lacing.


The aroma is beautiful. Lots of grapefruit and lemon with a malt sweetness underneath. This is exactly what I imagine a citrus farm smelling like as you walk through the rows of fruit-bearing trees (I've never been to a citrus farms, but that's how I imagine them).

The flavor comes at you with a stinging sharpness from the hops. There's no doubting this is an IPA and Cigar City doesn't shy away from the bitterness. Once Jai Alai passes the front of the palate, there is a subtle yet distinct malt-sweetness that quickly fades in a dry and bitter finish. After a couple sips, I noticed that the beer started to taste sweeter. It's almost as if my taste-buds adjusted.

Now we move to the White Oak Jai Alai:

The White Oak-Aged Jai Alai pours a cloudy yellow with hints of amber.

The aroma is dominated by the oak. The citrus notes still come forward, but they are mellowed in comparison and a bit more complex. There's a nice scent of vanilla that comes through on this as well. There's a lot going on, but I really like how this one smells.

What a great flavor! The body is much creamier than the regular version of Jai Alai. Like most IPAs after they've been aged, the citrus/hops are mild and balanced by a malted sweetness. The hops are not nearly as prolific as the regular release, but the flavors are balanced and enjoyable. The vanilla finish is nice. Smooth. And unlike other beers that have been oaked, there's not a smokiness that comes through prevalently with other beers (see Oaked Arrogant Bastard).

Which Do I Prefer?

Tasting these together really presents a nice opportunity to pick up on the different complexities in each beer, and analyze the affect of aging Jai Alai on the white oak. Cigar City pulls both off excellently. Each variation offers something unique to patrons looking for something bitter, hoppy, and complex to satisfy the palate.

Although I think it's probably a bit silly to name one a "winner" over the other, if I had to choose, I would go with the regular Jai Alai over the aged version. When fresh, Jai Alai is a superb IPA with a wonderful citrus profile that's simply exceptional.

But as I said, it's silly to name one a winner because they are both great beers; each presents a unique beer-tasting experience for the consumer. If you have a chance to taste both, I recommend you trying these together and see for yourself how the oak changes the flavor profile of the original.

Westvleteren XII US Release: Gone before it was ever Released?

Westvleteren XII is regarded by many as being the best beer on this planet. It has a perfect 100 rating on both beeradvocate.com and ratebeer.com. It has been voted as the #1 beer by several beer and consumer polls. This Belgian Abbey is brewed by monks (literally) and has been making the world's highest rated beer since 1940.
Westvleteren XII has never reached American soil (legally) until now. Less than 8000 six packs, or gift packs (each six pack will include two souvenir glasses), have been distributed to the US and many of these gift packs will be sold at the chain, Total Wine and More for a whopping $85--many believe this is actually a good deal.
As the news spread, many people jumped with joy in anticipating. I imagine beernerds around the country were shouting, "The Westies are coming! The Westies are coming!" No longer do little boys and girls need to hope for a beer trade with Santa. On December 12, anyone who stands in line at their local TWM at least has a shot at purchasing their own six pack of the Holy (again, literally) juice. At least that's what everyone was told.
After announcing TWM would be selling the beer in 9 states on 12.12.12, some stores actually sold some of the gift packs early. Beerstreetjournal.com reported that several Total Wine stores sold the gift packs on December 1st--nearly two weeks early! This has upset many and left others wondering whether the stores will even have any to sell on the 12th.
Like I have seen so many times, this looks like a classic case of store employees taking cases home for themselves and selling the rest to their friends. It's another example of a highly anticipated beer release going out to the people on the inside, leaving the average folk like you and me left with our hearts broken and mouths watering.