Dogfish Head Rhizing Bines Imperial IPA

Brewery:  Dogfish Head
Location: Milton, DE
Style: Double IPA
ABV: 8%
Price: $10.99/750ML

I absolutely love when breweries collaborate and bestow their own styles and specialties to a particular brew. It's a creative way to bridge the regional gaps that exist among breweries from across the country.  In this variation of Life and Limb, Dogfish Head and Siera Nevada team up to create this sweet and pleasantly mild Imperial IPA. Here's the commercial description of the beer:

Rhizing Bines is a collaborative IPA using the best of both coasts: Carolina-grown red fife wheat and Dogfish Head’s continual-hopping from the East and Sierra Nevada’s estate-grown caramel malt and Torpedo dry-hopping from the west.

Now let's move on to the tasting notes...

Appearance: Clean and crisp look. Carbonation is easily seen rising to the top, where a one inch thick white head has formed. It's golden-amber hue is inviting.

Aroma: Sweet citrus and spicy hops. There's really not a lot going on here. Mild and subtle all the way around. Surprisingly nonchalant for a DIPA.

Taste: Sweet is the first thing that comes to mind. Again, surprising when compared to other beers in this style. To me, this performs more like a pale ale than a double IPA. Besides the immediate sweetness, there are mild citrus flavors (lemon, grapefruit, orange, and melon), mixed with a balanced hop and malt profile. The finish is slightly dry and overly sweet.

In general, I think this beer is mislabeled and will therefore let people down. Unfortunately, this just doesn't live up to the style and would be better suited as a pale ale or imperial amber. Rhizing Bines missing the mark for the style, but I still enjoyed the beer and would even buy it again. In fact, the overall subtle flavors make this beer very drinkable. I was able to finish back-to-back pints and I could have easily gone back for thirds. It's sweeter than your normal IPA, but it's not too sweet. Definitely not as sweet as a barley-wine or some ambers I've had. The mild hops also makes this a great beer to share with friends who are normally turned off to IPAs. I think this would be a wonderful gateway beer, even if it is a bit misleading in terms of the style.

Cheers!

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.!

Hopcloth

Craft beer's recent influx of success is due, largely, in part of the various enthusiasts who spend their time, money, and energy supporting their favorite beer and local breweries. I've seen beer geeks support craftbeer in a variety of ways: some brew their own, turn to social media and blogs, and others simply refuse to give their money to anything that's not craft.

Now thanks to Hopcloth, you can show your support for craftbeer with the shirt on your back. Literally. I came across Hopcloth on Twitter recently (@hopcloth) and was immediately intrigued. I wanted to learn more about the business and, most importantly, what it offered to the craftbeer community.

I reached out to Jeff Smith, the creative mind behind Hopcloth, and he was kind enough to answer a few of my questions. Below are my questions and his responses. I encourage you all to check out the Hopcloth website and order a few shirts. After talking with Jeff, I am completely sold on what he's doing and love that he has provided another outlet for people like me to spread the good news about craft brews!
 
Where did the idea for Hopcloth come from? What is your inspiration?

From two places: Twitter, where I've been sort of crowd-sourcing sayings and phrases for a while and from the terrible beer t-shirts my mom has been buying me for Christmas.  This year's said "relief pitcher" and displays a pitcher of beer.  I also have "In dog beers I've only had one" and the Life is Good parody: "Life is Crap: Out of Beer."  I just feel like the craft beer drinker doesn't have shirts that allow them to express themselves.

Do you have other shirt designs in mind? How quickly do you plan to roll out new designs?

I have quite a few ideas, but I'm just a tiny startup.  I had to convince my wife to allow me to put this first pressing on the credit card.  The thought is that if I can sell through this first pressing pretty quickly, I'll do another design.  If they sit around for months and months, then I'll assume I'm the only one who wants to wear clever, craft beer t-shirts.  I think the biggest challenge will be getting beer fests and bars to allow me to set up a table or at the very least walk around to sell my shirts.  Without a brick and mortar presence, my success depends on exposure.  Any help I can get with that will be huge. 

Where can people go to buy your shirts?

Right now, I have a splash page set up on hopcloth.com that links to my etsy and ebay accounts.  It's just one design so far [a second design is on its way!] and I'm selling them for $15.  I figure since craft beer drinkers have discerning tastes with what they drink, they feel the same way with what they wear.  

Would you ever endorse one particular brand or brewery or is your mission more to bring a general awareness to craft beer?

More than anything, I'd just like to give ways for craft beer drinkers to express themselves.  If that's a conversation starter that allows them to talk about craft beer with a "non-believer" then that's fantastic.  If it just allows them to tell everyone that they're a craft beer nut, then that's good too.  I think that small triggers like a t-shirt slogan or a sticker can help foster the great community of craft-beer drinkers.  I just got my shirts in the mail today, so I'm excited to wear one out and see what conversations it starts.

In closing, I asked Jeff to share anything else he would like people to know about Hopcloth. Here's what he said: 

I'm a startup with zero capital.  My logo is free-handed using freeware.  My friends are pitching in with their various levels of expertise.  I completely rely on word of mouth and one right person hearing about my shirts could be huge.  I have always said "craft beer people are good people," and I hope this opportunity will exemplify that.  I'm not looking to get rich off this.  I would just like to make enough to afford my hobby.

That right there is enough to gain my support. He's a modest guy with a novel idea.

There are two things that I learned about Hopcloth that really impressed me. First, I love that the shirts are all made in the USA. I feel like purchasing shirts from the sweatshops would not only be anti-American, but counter-culture to craftbeer. Secondly, I appreciate the how the business has started. It's based on a whim. He not only needed to convince his wife of the idea, but he then had to charge the first pressing to a credit card. This isn't necessarily about getting rich; it's about going after something you have a passion for. Again, very American. 

I want to thank Jeff for taking the time to answer my questions. I truly wish him and Hopcloth all the success in the world. I'll be putting in my first order soon and I hope you all will do the same. Be sure to follow Jeff on Twitter at @hopcloth and check out his website here: hopcloth.com.

Grasslands Tally-Ho! CaraRye Amber (First Batch)

Brewery:  Grasslands Brewery
Location: Tallahassee, FL
Style: Amber
ABV: 6.2%

Look out Tallahassee! Grasslands Brewery is set to open sometime in 2014 and my prediction is that they will shift the Tally craft beer culture once they do. Grasslands is an environmentally-friendly brewery that uses organic and locally grown ingredients whenever possible

Today, I am reviewing Tally-Ho! CaraRye Amber, which I received through the Grasshoppers Club (more on that later). Tally-Ho! CaraRye Amber is brewed entirely with Tallahassee-grown Cascade hops, caramelized malt and rye.

Here are my tasting notes...

Tally-Ho! CaraRye pours a murky amber with a slight head that fades quickly. This is definitely on the darker side of amber ales and resembles more a brown ale.

The nose is incredibly full. I get a lot of malt, caramel, and candied fruits. I also pick up a spiced scent from the rye, but everything is overshadowed by the intense malt aromas.

The flavors of Tally-Ho! CaraRye are surprisingly complex based on what I was getting from the nose. Yes, this beer has a strong malt flavor profile, but it's eloquently balanced by subtle citrus notes and a very rye finish. You can almost pinpoint where the various malt, hops, and rye flavors pop incrementally along the palate. The front is an explosion of caramel-malt-sweetness and, as the beer travels towards the back, there's a quick burst of hop-citrus followed by a dry-and-slightly-bitter finish. The aftertaste is a mix of sticky caramel and spicy rye.

I'll be honest--this is a tough beer to describe in terms of flavors. At first, I wanted to say this is a malt-forward amber, but that would not be doing justice to the cascade hop and rye flavors that really complete this beer. Tally-Ho! CaraRye almost reminds me of New Belgium Fat Tire, if Fat Tire wasn't watery and lacking complexity.

Tally-Ho! CaraRye Amber is a medium bodied beer that goes down smoothly. Very drinkable. Knowing that this a variation of what Grasslands is trying to go with for their flagship, I get the sense that they're going to create a lot of craft beer converts. I particularly appreciate this beer because it doesn't quite fit as an amber ale, nor can it be labeled as a rye. It's sweet. It's spicy. It's dry. It's fresh.

I am already a huge advocate for this brewery and I've only had one of their beers. I like what the brewery is doing in terms of creating "Earth first ales." I like the commitment to using organic and locally grown ingredients. I appreciate the personal emails and messages I receive from the brewery as one of the members of the Grasshoppers Club. There was even a personal message that came with my beer today which expressed gratitude for being a supporter of their brewery. The letter provided detailed information about the beer I was about to consume and the story behind it. It's rare to come across a business that dedicates so much time and energy to building a rapport with local supporters.

I have no doubt that Grasslands Brewery will do quite well when the doors open in 2014. And you can be sure that I'll make the two hour drive for the grand opening.

Interested in becoming a Grasshopper?

If you're interested in getting your hands on any of Grasslands' brews before 2014, register for their Grasshoppers Club which is your ticket in to getting exclusive releases from the brewery before they open. As a Grasshopper, you'll be eligible to enter the monthly lottery drawings to sample beer and provide critical feedback that may contribute to the final product. You can also check out Grasslands on Twitter and Facebook for more information.

Cheers!

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.

Exploring Memphis: From Craft Beer to Civil Rights

Image taken from www.memphisinternationals.org

I spent the greater part of last week in Memphis on business. If there is anything good about traveling for work, it's that I get to explore the local scene and sample new beers from breweries I can't normally access from my home in Florida.

One of the best things about flying out of  JAX is the almost-always-guaranteed connecting flight out of Atlanta. Why is having a layover a good thing? three words: Sweetwater Draft House. It's become a mandatory stop for me in the Atlanta airport and has single-handedly made flying fun again.

This is what I saw as I turned away from my gate

On this particular trip, my intention was to drink local beers that were Memphis or Tennessee born. My consumption was mostly limited to two breweries: Ghost River Brewing (Memphis, TN) and Yazoo Brewing Co. (Nashville, TN).

After checking in to the hotel, my next natural stop was the hotel bar and see what local craft beer options there were. I asked the bartender to serve me something local and preferably from Memphis. He quickly responded with, "Ghost River" and served me this Golden Ale.

Honestly, this wasn't anything special. Basically a local version Budweiser. It's a light bodied, light flavored beer that's heavy on the carbonation and drinkability. The beer had a profound bread profile that tasted worse as the beer warmed.

I do want to acknowledge that I am sure Ghost River has more to offer than this adjunct knockoff. Unfortunately, I was limited by the hotel's selection and this was the only GR brew they had in stock. I would definitely like to go back and check out some of their other beers.

Beale Street was the obvious place to check out--which I did--but I found myself hanging out at The Flying Saucer, just a short block away from Beale. As a current UFO Club member, I am no stranger to The Flying Saucer. While I am not even close to the 200 beers needed to have my name forever enshrined on a saucer of my own, I do enjoy the process of swiping my member's card and ordering my beers from the long list of beers I have not yet tasted at any of their locations.

The following day, after a full day of training sessions, meetings, and networking, I was eager to sample some more beer. This is where Flying Saucer came to the rescue. A quick 5 minute trolley ride from the hotel is all it took. I used my handy dandy UFO club card to scan the hundreds of beers Flying Saucer had to offer and found Yazoo Brewing Company. I had heard plenty about Yazoo Sue and hoped to be able to try it but was disappointed to see that it wasn't currently available. Instead, I ordered a Rye Saison and Hop Project.

I definitely enjoyed both beers from Yazoo and would have loved to try more. Rye Saison was a tasteful blend of rye spices and citrus fruits and Belgian sugars. My only complaint is that I would have enjoyed more rye and less saison, but that's just a personal preference.

Hop Project is a solid IPA that had a very strong hopped profile. I really enjoyed this beer and could see this being a go-to for me if I lived in TN.

Overall, I left with a great impression of Yazoo and really hope I am able to sample Sue and their other offerings in the near future.

Civil Rights Museum and MLK
My trip ended with the National Civil Rights Museum. Although there weren't any beer-related offerings for me to share from the museum, I do want to share some of the pictures from my visit and recommend that you check out the museum if you're in the Memphis area. The museum takes you through a literal recount of the events leading up to the assassination of Martin Luther King, Jr., including the assassination itself.

This is one of the original signs outside the historical motel where MLK was shot.

MLK stayed in room 306 at the Lorraine Hotel every time he visited Memphis

Civil Rights activists protested using this slogan. MLK was in Memphis to help support the workers who were protesting,

The view from the balcony outside room 306. It was from one of those windows that the assassin shot MLK.

A wreath marks the place where MLK was shot and killed. Two vintage cars remain parked outside rooms 306 and 307.

I can't express the impact of standing on the very balcony where MLK was shot and killed. It was an emotion experience to say the least; the museum has done a wonderful job of preserving the area and retelling the story of MLK's death and his lasting legacy on Civil Rights.

Divine Reserve 12

Brewery:  Saint Arnold Brewing Co.
Location: Houston, TX 
Style: Old Ale
ABV: 10%
Price: Unknown (Given as gift)

I received this bottle from @discipleofhops and need to give him a huge shout-out for sending me some Saint Arnold love.

I have reviewed a couple of Saint Arnold's brews and have mentioned the impact this brewery has had on the beer scene in Houston. The Divine Reserve series has had its own impact on the city as its not uncommon to hear of thousands of people calling off of work during the Divine Reserve releases. These are special release-single batch beers that usually sell out within hours of stores opening. Thus, waiting until after work to buy this beer just isn't a plan for success.

DR12 is an old ale recipe that actually came out of a 2011 homebrew competition. It pours an amber color with a slight white head.

The aroma is full of warm spices and there's a hint of funk on the nose. If I didn't know the style, I would almost think this is a farmhouse ale given given the spicy notes. Still, there is a malt backbone in the aroma that makes sense with this style.

The taste is not what I expected. The body is quite malty. Syrupy even. There are strong notes of molasses and caramel that are nicely balanced by a Belgian profile on the finish. My guess is Saint Arnold used a Belgian yeast strand in this beer. As this beer warms, there's a candied cherry  finish with a  sherry/boozy aftertaste.

Overall, this is a good beer, but isn't what I would expect from an old ale. This one seems a little more experimental to cleanly fit the old ale label. And while I think this is one of the weaker releases from the series, it's still work picking up if you have a chance to do so.