Newcastle Brown Ale

20130131:
I think Newcastle Brown Ale was one of the first beers I ever had. I recall liking it at the time. However, I've had many beers since then, and this beer falls on the lower end of the taste spectrum.

(20140312)

I wrote: "I didn't like the Newcastle Brown Ale. It tasted like bad beer."

Actually, it wasn't terrible. It's certainly better than a Natty Boh, but not as good as a Yuengling.

I had a Natty Boh today (20130204) and it was pretty good. Thus, I'll have to retract my statement about Newcastle Brown Ale being "certainly better than a Natty Boh."

[20130204]

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20140312:
I wrote: "This Newcastle is alright. Its quite light compared to what I tend to enjoy nowadays." 4:33PM ET

(20130131)

Before having the Newcastle I had a Samuel Adams Octoberfest and later in the evening I had a Samuel Adams Boston Lager.

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Newcastle Brown Ale

Relevant Links:
Newcastle Brown Ale (RateBeer.com)
Newcastle Brown Ale (BeerAdvocate.com)
Newcastle Brown Ale (Wikipedia.org)

Southern Tier Phin & Matt's

20130130:
I had this beer straight from the bottle. I thought it was alright. Actually, it either started going bad, or it just plain tastes bad. It tastes like a Natty Boh or some sort of cheap beer. 2:21AM ET

Today (20130204) I had a Natty Boh and it was actually pretty good. Given my description above, I'd have to change the above statement to "this beer tastes worse than a Natty Boh."

[20130204]

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Southern Tier Phin & Matt's

Relevant Links:
Phin & Matt's (Southern Tier Website)
Phin & Matt's Extraordinary Ale (BeerAdvocate.com)
Southern Tier Phin & Matt's Extraordinary Ale (RateBeer.com)

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Website Information:

PHIN & MATTS

"brewed with 3 varieties of hops & 3 types of malts"

FOOD PAIRINGS: Particularly tasty with earthy cheeses, grilled chicken, buffalo mozzarella, seafood, burgers.

AVAILABILITY: Year-round / 12oz (6pk and 24 bottle cases) / 1/2 keg, 1/6 keg

ABOUT THE BEER
STYLE: American Pale Ale
BREWED SINCE: 2004
ABV: 5.7%
FERMENTATION: Ale yeast, three varieties of hops, three varieties of malts
COLOR: Pale amber
EFFERVESCENCE: Generous carbonation. Bubbles rise soft and slow
NOSE: Biscuity, a hint of malt, earthy
FLAVOR: Grassy and floral, light and refined sweetness, straw
BITTERNESS: Medium
BODY: Medium-light
SERVING TEMPERATURE: 40-45°F
GLASS: Pint glass, mug
AVAILABILITY: Year-round / 12oz (6pk and 24 bottle cases) / 1/2 keg, 1/6 keg
CELLARING: 35-40°F

Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar

20130115:
I wrote: "It certainly has a sweet smell. It tastes like a brown. Oh it smells like maple syrup! But it doesn't taste like maple syrup." 3:21AM PT

[20130210]

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Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar

Relevant Links:
Hazelnut Brown Nectar (Rogue Website)
Hazelnut Brown Nectar (BeerAdvocate.com)
Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar (RateBeer.com)

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Website Information:

Hazelnut Brown Nectar

Style: Brown Ale

Food Pairing: Pork, Beef

Tasting Notes:
A nutty twist to a traditional European Brown Ale. Dark brown in color with a hazelnut aroma, a rich nutty flavor and a smooth malty finish.

11 Ingredients:
Great Western 2-Row, Brown, Carastan 13/17, Crystal 70/80, Crystal 135/165, Beeston Pale, Chocolate Malts; Perle & Sterling Hops; Hazelnut Extract, Free Range Coastal Water & Pacman Yeast.

Specs:
14º PLATO
33 IBU
73.6 AA
36º Lovibond

World Class Package:
Draft, 22oz Bottle, 6 Packs

Awards:
2012 GABF - Gold
2011 GABF - Gold
2011 World Beer Championships - Silver
2010 World Beer Championships—Gold

Coronado Blue Bridge Coffee Stout

20130109:
I wrote: "I can smell hints of coffee. The color is dark black. The beer has a smooth and slightly watery mouthfeel. I can get a little dryness lingering afterwards. Overall, the Coronada Coffee Stout tastes a bit like drinking coffee black. There's some light carbonation. I like the coffee taste which lingers on the tongue." 11:44AM PT

Coronado Blue Bridge Coffee Stout

I also wrote: "Oh nice. After eating, the coffee and stout smell and taste is more defined. [Cafe 21]." 11:58AM PT

[20130113]

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20140828:
I wrote: "Coronado Blue Ridge Coffee Stout. There's a definite coffee smell. There's also a good coffee taste. My sister says that she tastes the beer flavor after sipping it, but for her, the overall taste is like watered down coffee - in a refreshing way. Josh likes both this one and the previous one (Angry Orchard Iceman).

(20140828)

I like this one more and more as the beer goes on. After finishing my share, I find the delicious coffee taste stays in the mouth. Solid." 9:27PM PT

[20141028]

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Coronado Blue Bridge Coffee Stout

Relevant Links:
Coronado Website
Blue Bridge Coffee Stout (BeerAdvocate.com)
Coronado Blue Bridge Coffee Stout (RateBeer.com)

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Lacing

Website Information:
Blue Bridge Coffee Stout

Core Series
Limited Yearly Releases

Description:
Just as the iconic Coronado Bay Bridge connects our island home to the mainland, this java-tinged dry stout, brewed using dark roasted coffee beans from a local San Diego artisanal roaster, provides a bridge uniting craft beer drinkers with CBC’s rich, flavorful SoCal brewing traditions.

(20140828)

Details:
Style: Coffee Stout
Malt Profile: 2-Row, Crisp 45, Simpson R.B.
Ingredients: Café Moto dark roast coffee-10lbs per 10bbl
Hop Profile: Northern Brewer
Yeast Profile: Cal Ale
IBUs: 30
Alcohol by Vol: 5.40%
Sizes: Bottles: 22 oz. | Draft: 1/6bbl & 1/2bbl

Samuel Adams Winter Lager

20130106:
This beer tastes better than the standard Samuel Adams Boston Lager. It's easy and definitely a good winter beer. It went well along with chips. It was also a good follow-up to Brooklyn Brown Ale which in turn followed a bottle of New Belgium Imperial Coffee Chocolate Stout. In contrast with the Brown Ale, the Winter Lager seemed to have more of a spice and slightly more carbonated mouth-feel. In summary, the beer was slightly above average and I'd recommend it for casual drinking during the winter season.

From the difference in labels, the bottle drank on 20130106 must have come from the Nov. 2011 to Jan. 2012 season.

[20130203]

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20130131:
I wrote: "The Samuel Adams Winter Lager was solid. I like it better than the standard Samuel Adams Boston Lager. It's not special, but it's good." 6:53PM ET

It's interesting that on 20130106 I drank the Winter Lager after a Brooklyn Brown Ale, because today I drank the Winter Lager after a Newcastle Brown Ale. I like the Winter Lager more than the Newcastle Brown Ale.

[20130203]

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Samuel Adams Winter Lager

Relevant Links:
Samuel Adams Winter Lager (Samuel Adams Website)
Samuel Adams Winter Lager (BeerAdvocate.com)
Samuel Adams Winter Lager (RateBeer.com)

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Website Information:

Flavor: Robust, malty, and spicy with a slight sweetness to the mild-palate. Noble hops complete the beer with a floral and citrus note that compliments the spices.
Color: Deep ruby brown, 25 SRM
Original Gravity: 14.3° Plato
Alcohol by Vol/Wt: 5.6%ABV – 4.4% ABW
Calories/12 oz.: 193
IBUs: 22
Malt Varieties: Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, Caramel 60, malted wheat, Carafa, and Munich 10
Hop Variety: Hallertau Mittelfrueh Noble hops
Special Ingredients: Orange peel, ginger, and cinnamon
Yeast Strain: Samuel Adams lager yeast
Availability: Seasonal (Nov. - Jan.)
First Brewed: 1989

New Belgium Imperial Coffee Chocolate Stout

20130106:
I wrote: "This New Belgium Imperial Coffee Chocolate Stout is delicious. I'm tasting more of the coffee flavor. But I think I do smell some of the chocolate. Oh wait. Drinking some more of the beer, I start to taste the chocolate." 8:02PM PT
I wrote: "My sister smelt the chocolate and it gave me a laugh because I thought she had already seen the bottle and was just being sarcastic. She mentioned liking it." 8:04PM PT
I wrote: "Leaving my glass of beer alone and coming back to it, I can clearly pick up on the coffee smell." 8:35PM PT

[20130107]

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New Belgium Imperial Coffee Chocolate Stout

Relevant Links:
Imperial Coffee Chocolate Stout (New Belgium Website)
Lips Of Faith - Imperial Coffee Chocolate Stout (BeerAdvocate.com)
New Belgium Lips Of Faith - Imperial Coffee Chocolate Stout (RateBeer.com)

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Website Information:

Imperial Coffee Chocolate Stout

Serving up cold and jet black, this imperial stout should be taken seriously for about one minute as the dark foam builds. Then, enjoy its velvety chocolate-covered smoothness and delicious aroma of sustainably-grown, locally roasted coffee.

Just the facts Ma'am...
Birthdate - October, 2012
ABV - 10%
IBU - 39
Hops - Willamette
Malts - Pale, Midnight, Barley
Fruits/Spice - Coffee, Chocolate
Body - Medium-Full
Aroma - Rich, with lots of coffee and cocoa/baker’s chocolate aromatics. Lots of roasted and rich dark malts.
Mouthfeel - Smooth lip smacking and mouth coating. Warm, boozy and slight lingering astringency from the espresso.
Flavor - Sweetness upfront, balanced with a welcome mild bitterness in the middle and finish.
Visual - Moonless midnight. Opaque black, with tan foam and firm lacing.

TAPS Toasted Santa

20130102:
There was some confusion as to which beers were which, but after doing some analysis at home (20130121), I determined that the order of the beers was simply the reverse of the order given at the restaurant.

Beer Flight: (listed left to right) (number in parentheses indicates turn order)
Avery The Czar (2)
Deschutes Red Chair NWPA (1)
TAPS Toasted Santa (3)
Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale (4)

Third, I tried the third from the left (#3).
I wrote: "I smell the alcohol. Huh. Yeah, its a bit spicy."

I later wrote: "#3 is sweeter and milder than #4."

Status: One-third full. Left to right: The Czar, Red Chair, Toasted Santa, Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale

[20130121]

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TAPS Toasted Santa

Relevant Links:
TAPS Website
Taps Toasted Santa (RateBeer.com)

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Website Information:

Toasted Santa [ale]
A medium to full-bodied Belgian-style Winter Warmer, reddish-brown in color, a bit fruity, spiced with ground ginger, molasses, and a touch of cinnamon, finishing nice and smooth. (8.2% abv)

Avery The Czar

20130102:
There was some confusion as to which beers were which, but after doing some analysis at home (20130121), I determined that the order of the beers was simply the reverse of the order given at the restaurant.

Beer Flight: (listed left to right) (number in parentheses indicates turn order)
Avery The Czar (2)
Deschutes Red Chair NWPA (1)
TAPS Toasted Santa (3)
Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale (4)

Second, I tried the first from the left (#1).
I wrote: "Tastes like a brown ale, which is my favorite style of beer at the moment. It has the perfect taste with low bitterness."*
*It's actually an Imperial Stout.

I later wrote: "This beer tastes great. Well, it's different. I'm tasting the alcoholic spice. Maybe it's the taste of Tabasco sauce from the burger."
I finally wrote: "#1 is sweet."

Status: Full. Left to right: The Czar, Red Chair, Toasted Santa, Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale

[20130121]

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Avery The Czar

Relevant Links:
The Czar (Avery Website)
The Czar (BeerAdvocate.com)
Avery The Czar Imperial Stout (RateBeer.com)

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Website Information:

The Czar

Beer Style: Imperial Stout
Hop Variety: Magnum, Sterling
Malt Variety: Two-row barley, Oats, Cara-45, Black malt, Belgian Chocolate malt, Midnight wheat, Honey malt
OG: 1.104 ABV: 10-12% IBUs: 55 Color: Black
Behold the stunning crimson hues through the inky blackness. Inhale the noble Hallertau hops, spicy and floral. Savor the flavors redolent of English toffee, rich mocha, sweet molasses, candied currants and a hint of anise. We highly recommend cellaring additional bottles, as the Czar will continue to mature and become denser and more complex with age.

The Czar is the first installment in our Dictator Series.

Food pairing: The roasted barley, chocolate, anise and mocha flavors of The Czar are accentuated by all manner of chocolate desserts. We also love The Czar with coffee-crusted filet mignon, as its bold flavors are able to stand up to the instensity of the coffee/meat combination.

Availability: Releases in November. 22oz. bombers, 1/6BBL and 1/2BBL kegs. Limited quantities.

Deschutes Red Chair NWPA

20130102:
There was some confusion as to which beers were which, but after doing some analysis at home (20130121), I determined that the order of the beers was simply the reverse of the order given at the restaurant.

Beer Flight: (listed left to right) (number in parentheses indicates turn order)
Avery The Czar (2)
Deschutes Red Chair NWPA (1)
TAPS Toasted Santa (3)
Stone Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale (4)

First, I tried the second from the left (#2).
I wrote: "It tastes strong and bitter. At first, I thought it was the Sublimely Self-righteous Ale, but its not. Haha. Wow, this TAPS Toasted Santa is bitter."*
*I later determined this was not TAPS Toasted Santa, but Deschutes Red Chair NWPA.

I later wrote: "#2 is grassy and tastes like an IPA."*
*The beer is actually an American Pale Ale.

I finally wrote: "#2 is still crazy bitter."

Status: Full. Left to right: The Czar, Red Chair, Toasted Santa, Sublimely Self-Righteous Ale

[20130121]

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Deschutes Red Chair NWPA

Relevant Links:
Red Chair NWPA (Deschutes Website)
Red Chair NWPA (BeerAdvocate.com)
Deschutes Red Chair Northwest Pale Ale (RateBeer.com)
Deschutes Brewery (Wikipedia.org)

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Website Information:

Red Chair NWPA

Northwest Pale Ale

Pale, IPA
Available Jan - May
Alc. 6.2%
IBUs 60
192 Calories, 12 oz serving

The citrus punch of a big IPA, minus the one-dimensional hop sledgehammer. Seven select European and domestic malts round out the edges for a complex, copper-colored brew. Like its namesake ski lift, it’s an insider’s ride to fresh thrills.

Malt: Pale, Crystal, Munich, Carapils, Pilsner, Carastan
Hops: Cascade, Centennial