ITT, Squiddy reviews beer.

[Sir Squid Diddimus]

I've never seen that one

[NWC]

Christmas is inching closer, which means only one thing: Christmas beers! I'm not a fan of the holiday itself, but I was happy when I saw this in the store yesterday.


Bon secours blonde de noël, mmmm. Last year I tried to stock up in December because they're gone by January but my stock emptied itself very quickly. This is a very good beer with a very cool bottle! And at 1.34€/bottle, it's barely more expensive than a Westmalle.

[Sir Squid Diddimus]

I need more of those bottles.
Also last night I tried a few new things.

Left Hand has an imperial stout I hadn't had yet-


It was pretty decent.

Then I tried Bells' java stout-

It was quite good. definitely taste the coffee in there

I also tried a stout called Verdi Imperial stout-


is supposedly a stout brewed with chilis, not much chili flavor but a really good stout anyway.

[Precious Moments Zalgo]

Bon secours blonde de noël, mmmm. Last year I tried to stock up in December because they're gone by January but my stock emptied itself very quickly. This is a very good beer with a very cool bottle! And at 1.34€/bottle, it's barely more expensive than a Westmalle.

It is a cool bottle.  I've never seen a 1/3 liter swing top. 

I wish I could get Westmalle for less than 1.34€/bottle.  It costs about $6 here. </grumble>

I have a 75 cl bottle of 2008 St. Bernardus Christmas ale that I plan on opening this year.  I bought two of them and drank the other one in 2008.  I liked it a lot, and I'm looking forward to the other bottle.

Left Hand has an imperial stout I hadn't had yet-
http://beerme.com/graphics/brewery/2/2539/9800.gif

It was pretty decent.

Then I tried Bells' java stout-
http://partipakliquors.net/Beer/BeerBrowser/Micro/Michigan/Bells/Images/1_15_BellsJavasmall.jpg
It was quite good. definitely taste the coffee in there

I also tried a stout called Verdi Imperial stout-
http://beeradvocate.com/im/beers/43161.jpg

is supposedly a stout brewed with chilis, not much chili flavor but a really good stout anyway.

I have had the left hand imperial stout.  It is nice.  I have not had the Bells java stout or the Verdi imperial stout, but Bells has good distribution in my area, so I'll see if I can find it.

I have a batch of a 12% ABV Russian imperial stout that I brewed in February, but I haven't opened any of them yet.  It's all sitting in bottles, aging.  I'll break into it sometime this winter.  I'm looking forward to that, too.  I sampled it out of the fermenter, and I liked it so much then that I briefly considered continuing to drink it that way, not even bothering with packaging it.

I have had Aventinus Weizenbock before, a very nice strong dark wheat beer, with a lot of chocolate, banana, and clove flavor.  Wonderful beer, I highly recommend it.  Recently I ran across a bottle of Aventinus Weizen-Eisbock, which is the same beer, only it has been partially frozen and had about 1/3 of the water removed.  This process concentrates the already strong flavors in the original beer, and bumps the ABV up from 8% to 12%.  It was very nice.

[Sir Squid Diddimus]

I've had Aventinus Eisbock. The bar I usually go to has it once a year for their Oktoberfest in a little wooden cask. I don't know how they get their hands on this shit. Lucky bastards.

Dude, I need to know what your stout tastes like when you eventually break into one. I need a lengthy description. I'm really curious.
We have some in a ferementer right now. So far it's reminding me of old rasputin. We just dry hopped it yesterday, so in a week or so we'll bottle it. The reading on it is around 10% abv right now.

[Suu]

Recent samplings:

Left Hand Brewing - Colorado

400 Pound Monkey English India Pale Ale = A+
Oktoberfest = A

Otter Creek (Vermont) Stovepipe Porter = A

[Don Coyote]

Most beer is nearly organic anyway.

I know I'm not drinking any inorganic beer.  It would probably be fatal.

[Sir Squid Diddimus]

I've had the 400 lb monkey.
It's pretty good

[Eater of Clowns]

21st Amendment Fireside Chat
Winter Spiced Ale

-ahem-

HOLY FUCK THIS IS GOOD.

[Sir Squid Diddimus]

Currently guzzlin on the Cigar City Sea Bass.
Noted as: "A pugilistic dark-bodied farmhouse-style ale"
It's like Duchesse de Borgogne X 1000

Pours a dark brown/purple with sturdy khaki head effervescing from the bottom. Strong sour cherry and vinegar flavors. Slight citrus and blah blah.
It's a fucking good sour beer.

[Suu]

Cigar City would fucking ANYTHING.

When I asked the local distro if we could get some up here, they said that I wasn't the only one that asked, but a lot of bars won't carry it because they only ship out of state in the 725mL bottles, which makes it harder to sell.

[Sir Squid Diddimus]

Cigar City would fucking ANYTHING.

When I asked the local distro if we could get some up here, they said that I wasn't the only one that asked, but a lot of bars won't carry it because they only ship out of state in the 725mL bottles, which makes it harder to sell.

Ask your local small time liquor store to stock it. Usually they'll comply (at least mine will) cause 750's will sell there.
Also you can suggest to your bar that they have a CCB feature night and advertise. Many times people will show up and buy the shit because it's advertised as a special event. Especially if they manage to get any kind of free swag to pass out like stickers, bottle openers and such that you can get off the distributors (sometimes if you ask em).

[Suu]

It's not so much as the liquor stores, as the distributors up here. Getting stuff shipped from Florida is a hassle. *whine whine whine* Otherwise, I know the perfect packy. I should go in there and talk to the owner anyway, maybe since she's a hot chick who knows teh beerz she can pull some strings.

[Precious Moments Zalgo]

You might have better luck if you offer to buy it by the case.

[Sir Squid Diddimus]

You have suitcase? I has bubble wrap.

I'm actually going to the brewery this saturday.