Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA

20111201:
I wrote: "I have three bottles. Two I bought once a while back and one sometime later. I've kept all of them in a cupboard since I've bought them. Today, I put one in the fridge for about 15 minutes. Just to get the serving temperature down a bit. It has the general smell of pine, but perhaps a slightly sweeter smell than most IPAs. I might actually smell the caramel in a beer for once. Amazingly, the taste is not as bitter or as strong as I was expecting. It's alcohol content is high enough to give a slight burning sensation on the tongue. I don't feel the burning sensation down the throat. I guess the alcohol only has an immediate effect. Complex and powerful. It'll take a while for me to finish this one. It doesn't taste like an IPA. (At 18% ABV it should be powerful)" 12:33 AM

Ultimately I couldn't finish the drink. I started too late at night and I was feeling too tired. That's about $5 down the drain; I was only able to drink about half the bottle. Next time I open a bottle of 120 Minute IPA I will definitely split it at least two ways.

[20120104]

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20120217:
Nice beautiful smell. I'd normally describe such smells as floral. But I feel this one has a little something extra. Unfortunately I can't tell what goes into it. Spicy on contact. Slight burning alcoholic sensation. Some alcohol in the taste. It's so strong that it takes a long time to drink. This is a beer you can't just down. It's strong. Definitely sweeter towards the end. I'm not absolutely sure, but I believe the initial alcoholic burn numbed the front area of my tongue a bit.

12 fl. oz. of 18% beer is a lot of alcohol. It would be the equivalent of four shots of 36% alcohol (note that a shot is 1.5 fl. oz.).

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Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA

Relevant Links:
Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA (BeerAdvocate.com)
120 Minute IPA (Dogfish Head Website)

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Website Information:

120 Minute IPA

Availability: Limited
Too extreme to be called beer? 120 Minute IPA is brewed to a colossal 45-degree plato, boiled for a full two hours while being continuously hopped with high-alpha American hops, then dry-hopped daily in the fermenter for a month and aged for another month on whole-leaf hops!

Clocking in at 15-20% ABV and 120 IBUs, 120 Minute is by far the biggest IPA ever brewed! It's easy to see why we call this beer THE HOLY GRAIL for hopheads!

We brew 120 Minute IPA a few times a year, but it goes fast. If you find some grab a few bottles -- some to enjoy and some to age.

Original Release Date:
04/2003
Food Pairing Recommendations:
Smoked almonds, smoked meats, grilled lamb, gingersnaps
Glassware Recommendation:
Snifter
Wine Comparable:
More whisky than wine

Flying Dog Double Dog Double Pale Ale

20111127:
I wrote: "Poured the beer into a wine glass. I smell some sort of fruit. Maybe cranberry. Smells great. Amber color. The beer was about to overflow and I took a quick sip. I was surprised at the strength of the beer. On one of the sips I had I could smell and/or taste the alcohol. There's some pine smell to it. Perhaps too much for me. I'll let it warm up and have one final sip or two warm before pouring the rest out. Wow. Yeah... strong. Much better when it was somewhat cold. Of course, I don't find the sense if having a strong beer for the sake of strong beer. I figure the strength of a beer should correlate with its complexity, smell, and taste." 10:12 PM

[20120102]

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Flying Dog Double Dog Double Pale Ale

Relevant Links:
Flying Dog Double Dog Double Pale Ale (BeerAdvocate.com)

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Website Information:

(Listed under Canis Major, as opposed to The Pack, Seasonal, or Wild Dog)
DOUBLE DOG DOUBLE PALE ALE
BREWER BREAKDOWN:
ALCHOHOL BY VOLUME: 11.5%
AVAILABILITY: Limited distribution
HOP BITTERNESS: 85 IBU
PLATO: 24
HOPS: Columbus, Warrior, Cascade
YEAST: Ale

FOOD PAIRINGS:
This is a big beer that calls for equally big foods.

Flavor notes: Citrus hops with sweet malt and subtle alcohol burn (like a kiss on the cheek)

Pairs with: Extra sharp aged Cheddar and stinky Blue cheese; smoked brisket; spicy foods with chili or cayenne pepper; earthy desserts like carrot cake

NOTABLE NOTES FOR $1000:
Originally a Wild Dog release commemorating our 10th anniversary, Double Dog Double Pale Ale became here to stay in 2009. Could you control such a beast?

Cosmo Pearl at Niwana

20111121:
I went to Niwana today and to drink I got this Cosmo Pearl. The Cosmo Pearl consists of Momokawa Pearl and Triple Sec mixed with cranberry juice and fresh-squeezed lime juice. Normally, it costs $5.50, but Happy Hour lasts until 6PM and cocktails are $1 off. 5:58PM ET

I'm still not quite adjusted to sake. The mix (Cosmo Pearl) has an interesting flavor. After a couple of sips, the sake ceases to be overbearing and there's a nice lime taste. 6:06PM ET

[20120102][20160821 Quick Edit][20180620 Edit]

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Cosmo Pearl (Momokawa Pearl and Tripel Sec)

Relevant Links:
Momokawa Pearl Junmai Nigori Genshu Sake (RateBeer.com)
Momokawa (SakeOne Website)

2010 Famiglia Cielo Venezie IGT

20111119:
I wrote: "2010 Famiglia Cielo dal 1908. Pinot Grigio delle Venezie IGT. White Wine. 12%. Good. I think I tend to like the overall taste of white wine over red wine." 6:35 PM

[20120102]

Crispin Artisanal Reserve The Saint

~I'm not a beer. I'm a cider.~

20111119:
I had some Crispin at the Pratt Street Ale Fest and I thought it would be a suitable drink for Thanksgiving.

I wrote: "I like the Crispin The Saint. Yeah... Though cider is a different beast than beer. I hardly understand beer, let alone cider." 6:10 PM

[20120102]

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Crispin Artisanal Reserve The Saint

Relevant Links:
The Saint (Crispin Cider Website)
The Saint Press Release (Crispin Cider Website)
Crispin Artisanal Reserve The Saint (RateBeer.com)

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Website Information:

The Saint

Prepare to be converted.

The first creation by new Crispin Head Cider Maker, Bruce Nissen, The Saint is a uniquely debonair & elegant cider, a cider to convert skeptics.

Naturally fermented using a premium blend of fresh pressed apple juice, not from concentrate, and fermented with Belgian Trappist beer yeasts, The Saint boasts a sweet floral bouquet that develops a yeasty, herbal complexity.

The Saint is uncorrupted by added malt, spirit or grape alcohols, and is free of added sugar, colorants, sorbate and benzoate preservatives, and is filtered cold for crisp refreshment.

Artisanal Reserve®. A small batch, hand-crafted, super-premium hard apple cider, The Saint is smoothed with pure organic maple syrup for a silky, sustained mouth-feel that develops complexity on the palate. The Saint is vinted to a 6.9 percent ABV for a full body, yet remains exceptionally easy to drink from the first crisp sip to the last drop.It's very, very good. The Saint has an elevated drinkability that is never sacrificed to overbearing complexity.

Cloudy Filtration. The embodiment of artisanal style, The Saint uses rack-aged apple wine through our cloudy filtration process. Discerning drinkers will find residual apple wine sediment in each bottle for a rich full-bodied flavor that's true to the apple and good to the last drop. Give a full Bottoms-Up! Tilt & swirl to disperse the apple-wine sediment evenly and to ensure an even taste profile through the entire bottle.

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Website Information (Press Release):

The Saint
2011-06-28

The Saint Comes Marching In

Introducing Crispin® The SaintTM

Elevated Hard Apple Cider

With Belgian Trappist Yeasts & Organic Maple Syrup

The Crispin Cider Company (Crispin) continues to take hard cider to a higher level with another new genre-breaking cider, Crispin The Saint. The Saint is a truly unique cider that uses apple wine fermented with Belgian Trappist beer yeasts and is smoothed with organic maple syrup.

"Crispin has always been inspired by the truly innovative, and breakthrough, can do culture of the American craft beer industry," says Joe Heron, CEO of Crispin. "The Saint is our homage to these pioneers."

[information is above]

The Greatest Adventures Happen Over Ice

Crispin Super-Premium Natural Hard Apple Ciders are designed to be enjoyed over a glass of ice for crisply satisfying refreshment. The Saint continues this vision and is exceptionally smooth tasting over ice.

"The combination of super-premium ingredients and hand-craftsmanship yields a hard cider that's very, very good, with an elevated drinkability that is not sacrificed to overbearing complexity," says Bruce Nissen, COO and Head Cider Maker - Crispin. "The Saint is testament to a rapidly evolving US cider market that is reinvigorating America's Original Refreshment after years of dormancy.

About the Crispin Cider Company

In addition to The Saint Artisanal Reserve Cloudy Hard Cider, the Crispin Cider Company also produces European-style Natural Hard Apple Ciders in Original, Light and Brut varietals, as well as an additional Artisanal Reserve - Crispin Honey Crisp. The company recently acquired the Fox Barrel Cider Company and added the Fox Barrel line of superior flavored ciders - Pear & Black Currant. The company is based in Minneapolis, MN & Colfax CA.

2011 Georges Dubœuf Beaujolais Nouveau

20111119:
I wrote: "2011 Georges Duboeuf Beaujolais Nouveau. It isn't harsh like some red wines, so I like it a little more. Beaujolais Controler. Red Beaujolais wine." 5:20 PM

[20111230]

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2011 Georges Dubœuf Beaujolais Nouveau

Relevant Links:
2011 Georges Dubœuf Beaujolais Nouveau, France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Beaujolais Nouveau (CellarTracker.com)
2011 Georges Dubœuf Beaujolais Nouveau (Website) Yes/No

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CellarTracker.com Information:

Vintage 2011
Type Red
Producer Georges Dubœuf (web)
Variety Gamay
Designation n/a
Vineyard n/a
Country France
Region Burgundy
SubRegion Beaujolais
Appellation Beaujolais Nouveau
UPC Code 031259015477

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Website Information:

2011
This 2011 Beaujolais is striking in it's brilliant deep crimson robe.

For the nose, a veritable palette of bright floral aromas is interlaced among blackberries, with hints of black and red currants. Taste the Beaujolais Nouveaux 2011 and revel in its full, smooth body with a fine, silky harmonious texture and exceptional richness.

Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat

20111119:
I wrote: "Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat. Nice spice smell. Great taste, good amount of fizz." 4:45 PM

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Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat

Relevant Links:
Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat (BeerAdvocate.com)
Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat (RateBeer.com)
Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat (Shock Top Website) Month Day Year

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Website Information:

Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat
Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat is the first seasonal ale from Shock Top. With a flavor that’s refreshingly fall and distinctly Shock Top, it’s guaranteed not to be the last.

Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat is a traditional Belgian-style wheat ale brewed with ripe pumpkins and a variety of autumnal spices, including nutmeg, cinnamon and cloves. This seasonal unfiltered wheat ale has a deep amber color and is crafted with a refreshingly distinct pumpkin spice that fully captures all the flavors of fall.

2009 Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha

20111116:
I wrote: "Tres Picos Borsao Garnacha 2009. It has a strong "bitter" smell. The taste reflects this." 4:30 PM

I'm still getting used to the taste of wine. There are suppose to be smells and flavors in this wine that I just can't pick up on. Come to think of it, I'm still unable to pick up on a lot of the smells and flavors in many beers.

[20111118]

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2009 Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha

Relevant Links:
Bodegas Borsao Website (English)
2009 Bodegas Borsao Garnacha Campo de Borja Tres Picos, Spain, Aragon, Campo de Borja (CellarTracker.com)

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Website Information:

Product Name:
BORSAO TRES PICOS GARNACHA

Description:
Borsao Tres Picos Garnacha, is the most daring creation of the new phase of the winery. It is the result of new technologies that have been applied but without disregarding the wise tradition of wine making in the region. It has a dark ruby colour with shades of purple. At the nose there is a rich aroma of ripe berries with hints of floral tones typical of the Garnacha, a unique variety. In the mouth, it is a full bodied rich wine with a taste of blackberries, strawberries and hints of leather, vanilla and plums. It is perfectly combined with a sweet and pleasant tannin that leads to a long, balanced and smooth finish.

Tasting:
Alcohol: 14,5º
Variety: 100% Garnacha
Harvest: First week of October
Production: Fermentation in stainless steel tanks at a temperature between 25 y 30º, with a long maceration of the grapes for 21 days. It is placed in a new barrel for a period between 3 to 4 months.
Serve at a temperature of 16º

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CellarTracker.com Information:

Vintage 2009
Type Red
Producer Bodegas Borsao (web)
Variety Garnacha
Designation Tres Picos
Vineyard n/a
Country Spain
Region Aragón
SubRegion n/a
Appellation Campo de Borja
Options Show variety and appellation
UPC Code 763159120097

Bass Pale Ale

20111116:
I wrote: "Taste is subtle. Its a small step above Bud and Heineken. Very simple. Bass." 4:25 PM

[20111126]

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Bass Pale Ale

Relevant Links:
Bass Pale Ale (BeerAdvocate.com)
Bass Website

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Website Information:

Bass Pale Ale

Introduced: 1777

Beer Category/Style: English-style pale ale

Taste Profile: Bass is a full-flavored ale that is still brewed according to its original recipe. Select malts, aromatic hops and water rich in essential salts and minerals combine to give Bass its slight burnt roast aroma and high-quality, full-bodied flavor.

Ingredients/Brewing: Bass is brewed with two strains of traditional ale yeast to produce a complex, nutty, malty taste with subtle hop undertones and a beautiful chestnut hue. Bass is 5.1 percent alcohol by volume (ABV).

How to Serve: Try pairing Bass with smoky poultry dishes and pasta. The beer should always be served in its special tri-glass to enhance the flavor and presentation. Enjoy Bass alone or as part of an authentic Black & Tan – Bass Pale Ale in its signature tri-glass, layered with a stout beer.

Interesting Facts: The original English Pale Ale and England’s first trademark, Bass has been embraced by trail-blazers since 1777. The brand has been painted by Manet, fought over by Napoleon and was served on the Titanic.

2009 Laurent Martray Brouilly Vieilles Vignes

20111113:
I went to Petit Louis Bistro and had a glass of this wine.

I wrote the following:

"Great strong beautiful smell. Great taste. Nice balance. Nice sourness when swallowing." 6:28 PM ET
"Brouilly Vieilles Vignes. 2009." 6:40 PM ET
"Apellation Brouilly Controlee. Vieilles Vignes. 12.5%" 7:02 PM ET
"Combiaty. Vieilles Vignes. Laurent Martray." 7:11 PM ET

Menu Description:
601g Brouilly, Laurent Martray "Vieilles Vignes" 2009 $35.00

[20111127]

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2009 Laurent Martray Brouilly Vieilles Vignes

Relevant Links:
2009 Laurent Martray Brouilly "Combiaty" Vielles Vignes, France, Burgundy, Beaujolais, Brouilly (CellarTracker.com)

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CellarTracker.com Information:

Vintage 2009
Type Red
Producer Laurent Martray
Variety Gamay
Designation "Combiaty" Vieilles Vignes
Vineyard n/a
Country France
Region Burgundy
SubRegion Beaujolais
Appellation Brouilly

Ommegang Abbey Ale

20111113:
I wrote: "Nice fruity smell. Has a dark, great tasting berry taste. Almost like a great berry soda." 4:12 PM

Unfortunately, I drank this beer in somewhat of a hurry. But I definitely remember enjoying it while it lasted.

[20111127]

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Ommegang Abbey Ale

Relevant Links:
Ommegang Abbey Ale (BeerAdvocate.com)
Ommegang Website
Ommegang Abbey Ale (Ommegang Website)
My Ommegang BPA post

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Website Information:

Ommegang Abbey Ale

Meditate on this dark ruby elixir. Breathe in its deep emanations of fruit and spice. Is that clove you smell? Licorice? Fig? Sip serenely as revelations of honey, toffee, chocolate and dark dried fruit delight your senses. Can a beer be holy? you wonder, and Where can I get a grail on-line?

Ommegang, our first brew, was inspired by the centuries-old brewing practices of the Belgian Trappist monks. This burgundian brew gives off a variety of aromas, including plum and cinnamon, and packs in flavors such as caramel, toffee, and licorice. At 8.5% abv, it is known to cause spontaneous meditation.

Try Ommegang with:
savory dishes, meats, slow-cooked French dishes made with pork, lamb, rabbit, beef, carbonnades, hotchpot, marinated roasts, barbeque, rich cheeses, almost every dessert.

2008 Papantonis Agiorgitiko Meden Agan

20111109:
I wrote the following: "12.8% Papantonis. Agiorgitiko Dry Red Wine 2008 Meden Agan. Sour and definitely dry on tongue. I don't quite enjoy it." 4:49 PM

[20111127]

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2008 Papantonis Agiorgitiko Meden Agan

Relevant Links:
2008 Papantonis Winery Agiorgitiko Meden Agan, Greece, Peloponnisos, Nemea (CellarTracker.com)
2008 Papantonis Winery Agiorgitiko Meden Agan, Greece, Peloponnisos, Nemea (CellarTracker.com)

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CellarTracker.com Information:

Vintage 2008
Type Red
Producer Papantonis Winery
Variety Agiorgitiko
Designation Meden Agan
Vineyard n/a
Country Greece
Region Peloponnisos
SubRegion n/a
Appellation Nemea
UPC Code 5200000005462

Dominion Lager

20111109:
I wrote: "This Dominion Lager (Dortmunder lager) has a slightly interesting flavor. But only slightly. Has a sensation of a dark lager." 4:00 PM

[20111127]

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Dominion Lager

Relevant Links:
Dominion Lager (BeerAdvocate.com)
Old Dominion Website Yes/No
My Oak Barrel Stout post

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Website Information:

Dominion Lager

Brewed using four types of malted barley, this Dortmunder lager becomes a smooth, flavorful and complex beer that is a delight to drink.

5.3% alc/vol
GABF Gold Medalist
Pilsner, Munich & Caramunich malts
Pairs well with Fish, Pork & Poultry as well as Havarti, Swiss & Gouda cheeses.
Serve in a pilsner or pint glass at 40-45ºF

Gekkeikan Cap Ace Sake

20111107:
I wrote: "Sake Gekkeikan. Cap Ace. I like it. Drinkable. Not that sweet. Not that strong. 15 to 16% abv. In general, I find sake is enjoyable for its variety from ale." 1:23 PM

[20111127]

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Gekkeikan Cap Ace Sake

Relevant Links:
Cap Ace Sake (Gekkeikan Website)
Gekkeikan (Laurel Crown) Cap Ace Sake (RateBeer.com)

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Website Information:

This sake has long been a very popular item in Japan. Enjoy for its delicious taste, convenient size and accompanying cup. Serve chilled, room temperature or warmed.

Available in: 180 ml | (24 bottles per case)

Belgo Belgian India Pale Ale

20111106:
I wrote: "I'm not liking this Belgo. I like other IPAs more. 7% ABV." 9:12 pm

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New Belgium Belgo Belgian India Pale Ale

Relevant Links:
Belgo Belgian India Pale Ale (BeerAdvocate.com)
Belgo IPA (New Belgium Website) MM DD YYYY

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Website Information:

BELGO Belgium Style India Pale Ale

When we set out to brew, we use imagination and salvation to guide us- not necessarily style guidelines. It’s the Belgian way. So, Ameri-Belgo and IPA both being styles, the branding begged for New Belgium whimsy to liven things up. Hmmm Belgo sounds like a Belgian disco. Hops like to party. Next thing you know, we bust out a disco-ball and brewers started groovin. Hops started hoppin. Add in an authentic Trappist yeast strain and the place brewed into a frenzy of citrus hoppy folly.

Just the facts Ma'am...
ABV - 7.0%
IBU - 60
Calories - 201
Hops - Simcoe, Centennial, Cascade, Amarillo
Malts - Pale, C-120
OG - 19.5
TG - 2.4

Warsteiner Oktoberfest

20111102:
I wrote: "At first it tasted like a Heineken. But after some sips it had a refreshing apple taste. Warsteiner. 5.9% ABV. Oktoberfest edition." 4:04 pm

[20111212]

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20111130:
The Warsteiner was worthy of drinking a second time.

[20120104]

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Warsteiner Oktoberfest

Relevant Links:
Warsteiner Premium Oktoberfest (BeerAdvocate.com)
Warsteiner Website Day Month Year
Warsteiner Oktoberfest (RateBeer.com)