Beer Review - Arbor Brewing Company Violin Monster.

Ann Arbor Brewing Company - Violin Monster Autumn Ale

Beer Type: Belgian Strong Dark Ale - 9.50% ABV

Appearance: 12 brown bottle with a freakin' VIOLIN MONSTER on it!! Some kinda werewolf looking dude playing a violin under a dark red moon. Awesome. Beer pours a dark pitch brown with hints of red (like the red moon AROOOWWWW) with a thin light brown head.

Smell: All kinds of sweet spices. A melange of autumn beer smells. Sweet brown sugar, malt, and all kinds of warming spices.          

First Drink: Nutmeg and clove come through strong with a nice brown sugar malted backbone. A little bit of booze on the finish. 

Mouthfeel: Not as sticky as you might expect from the sweet nose and flavor. A nice full bodied big beer.      

Last Drink: A bit more yeast and alcohol coming through now. Still plenty of spice. Where is the pumpkin!!?            

Drinkability: Not sure if this is a new seasonal brew or not. Never seen it until this fall but I dig it! A nice change of pace from the pumpkin ales.            

Notes: I really love this label and this is a great selection from the ABC catalog of brews. Now to try it on tap!              

Verdict: 4 out of 5. Big spice, dark flavors, and a kick ass werewolf on the label.  

Beer Review - Chimay Grande Réserve

New Brew Thursday continues! This time around we have another import from the well known Chimay brewery... 

Bières de Chimay - Chimay Grande Réserve

Beer Type: Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Appearance: Short brown bottle with the classic "Chimay" blue look. Beer poured a hazy chestnut brown color with a bubbly beige head.

Smell: Yeast, a bit of spice and dried fruits come through in the aroma. Smells a bit of alcoholic cherry and prunes. 

First Drink: First the alcohol kick quickly followed by a dried fruit (raisins or prunes) and followed by some grain and a nice cherry finish.   

Mouthfeel: Has a bit of bite in the carbonation, overall it is creamy but not as smooth as I would like (though seemingly common with this style).  

Last Drink: More cherry flavors come through as the beer warmed up. Getting more of the yeast now as well.   

Drinkability: You can't hammer these beers without being hammered (both physically and financially). Good for one or two if you can find a way to buy them individually (or handle a full 750ml). 

Notes: A classic beer made in an equally classic style. It has been too long since I had this beer. The last time I drank one it was the "straw that broke my stomach's back" in a sickened haze. Glad to be back on the Chimay train.     

Verdict: 4.75 out of 5. Well crafted to a superior level. I don't see how you can go wrong with this brew if you enjoy strong ales or Belgian Trappist ales.   

Links: Beer Advocate and Bières de Chimay.

   

Beer Review - Stone 11.11.11 Vertical Epic.

New Brew Thursday on Friday! Because I forgot to do this yesterday!! Another beer from the "archives"...

Stone Brewing Company - 11.11.11 Vertical Epic

Beer Type: Belgian Strong Ale

Appearance: 22 oz. brown bottle a sunburst of 11.11.11 and some text printed on. Beer poured a crimson/copper color a thin off-white head like many Stone brews. A decent longevity to the head which is always nice (and some lace too).

Smell: I smell malty banana way up front and something a bit spiced lingers in the nose. Not quite sure how this will taste judging from the smell alone. 

First Drink: Woah chili flavor? I guess I should have read the bottle description before I tasted this. The "banana" in the nose is probably from the sweetness of the green chilies used in this brew.

Mouthfeel: Bold and smooth all at the same time. A bit sticky like most Stone brews I have had but the sensation is welcomed and quite nice with this flavor profile.

Last Drink: Now we're getting a lot more complex. Fruity Belgian yeast is coming through along with a bit of the cinnamon (almost like a nice buttery slice of cinnamon toast). The chilies are there but aren't as present with continued drinks. Complex and quite damn good! 

Drinkability: Too rare and complex to chug, but I would certainly drink this again if I am given the chance. This is the first time I have tried any of these "Vertical Epic" beers and I wish I had been able to try more. 

Notes: Good times! Not quite what I was expecting and the "heat" kept creeping through the high ABV in a nice way... leaving me feeling warm all over. 

Verdict: 4.75 out of 5. One of the best limited edition Stone brews I have had, this one has me looking forward to future iterations in the series.

Links: Beer Advocate and Stone Brewing Company.