Beer 185/365 – Founder’s Red’s Rye PA

Style: Rye Beer

ABV: 6.8%

Purchased at: Vintage Estate – Boardman OH

What makes this beer different: Its like a spicy IPA

Will I be drinking this again: Yes

Grade: B+

5/12/2010: Okay so time for some honestly. I never took the time to read what a “rye beer” technically is. To me they always just tasted like an IPA. Well turns out they are supposed to have IPA qualities, but with some spicy notes.

Red’s Rye smells a lot like a DIPA, a lot of malt and hops going on, somewhat sweet smelling. The taste is mostly sticky caramel malt, grapefruit hop flavor, and an “earthy” flavor I can’t quite put my finger one. It also does have a pepper (spicy) type of hint to it. This beer is thicker and has more malt than a typical IPA, but not quite a DIPA. Other Rye beers I have had were a bit dry, but this one is not. Overall a pretty solid beer.

Picture of the day: How does this bike not get hit?

Beer 163/365 – Short’s Bellaire Brown

Style: American Brown Ale

ABV: 5.2%

Purchased at: Siciliano’s Market – Grand Rapids MI

What makes this beer different: Very drinkable brown ale

Will I be drinking this again: Shorts needs to start distributing to PA damnit.

Grade: B+

4/20/2010: Why doesn’t Short’s distribute out of Michigan?? Does the brewer just want to remain a small humble brewery, lack of funds, lack of desire to distribute farther? Regardless they should at least send beer to Ohio so I can head over the border to grab a bunch whenever I want.

Bellaire Brown actually doesn’t have a lot of smell at all. Honestly I am not the best for smelling because my sinus’ are terrible, but regardless I am just getting a bit of sweet malt smell. The flavor is a good bit lighter than I thought it would be, mostly sweet caramel with a little bit of chocolate going on. A little bit of hops going on too. Overall I like brown ales to be a bit sweeter and malty, but this is a good lighter brown ale. Good flavor, just needs a bit more.

Picture of the day: The first illegal immigrants.

Beer 159/365 – Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree IPA

Style: Imperial IPA

ABV: 13.6%

Purchased at: Received in a trade

What makes this beer different: Almost barleywine-ish. But hides the alcohol insanely well

Will I be drinking this again: I hope I can find more of it. If so then yes. Two of these in one night I will be down for the count.

Grade: A

4/16/2010: I think its official, if I had to pick one brewery to have the best combo of an Imperial IPA and an Imperial Stout, Dark Horse would take the title. Yes there are better Imperial IPA’s and Stouts, but for one brewery to have beers in both styles that are this good, is just awesome. I would be a happy man if I could have an entire case of Plead the 5th Stout and Double Crooked Tree sitting around to drink whenever. Then again if that were the case I would probablyyyy end up having a drinking problem because I would pop them open way too often.

Wasn’t sure what to expect from this DIPA, but I read some good things about it so I had to trade for it. If I had to guess this beers style just by the smell I would guess its a barleywine, boozy and even amounts of hop/malt. Wow the flavor is awesome, some earthy and grapefruit hops, with a ton of toasted/caramel malt to support the high ABV. Mouthfeel is a bit heavier than a normal Imperial IPA but I think it needs to be, also a bit resiny. This beer is amazingly drinkable for a beer with 13.6% ABV. So if you are looking to get a buzz but not drink a ton of liquids, pick this one up.

Picture of the day: Some amusing Unattended Children signs.

Beer 148/365 – Dark Horse Plead the 5th Imperial Stout

Style: Imperial Stout

ABV: 12.0%

Purchased at: On-tap @Vintage Estate

What makes this beer different: Tastes like 8% ABV, but dangerously drinkable at 12%

Will I be drinking this again: I bought a sixer to age so yes.

Grade: A+

4/5/2010: First off, I just finished redesigning Phill’s website for Vintage Estate. He has been rated the #1 beer retailer in the WORLD according to ratebeer.com. Go check out the site and let me know what you think of it. Without his store I’m not sure I could a) afford to do the 365 beers (easily half the price of PA beer), and b) get enough variety of GOOD beer from local shops to add up to 365.

Dark Horse I would have to say is my #2 favorite brewery right now (behind Three Floyds). Probably because they have more than just a few really good stouts, and the atmosphere at their brewery/bar is amazing. If you are a new reader click here to see when I visited Dark Horse.

Sorry for the crappy pictures, but my blackberry pearl is garbage. This is without a doubt my favorite Dark Horse beer to date. I ordered this before I saw what the ABV was and I assumed it was 8, maybe 9%. The alcohol is hidden insanely well, which is impressive considering it hasn’t been aged at all. The smell actually has some dark fruit in it, dark chocolate… The taste is just amazing. Bitter chocolate, some prunish flavor, and I am assuming they used some oatmeal in this. I also get some vanilla and coffee flavors towards the end. The mouthfeel is so creamy, and almost oily (in a good way). I could drink three of these and be down for the count. Do yourself a favor and if you see this around and you like stouts, buy yourself a bunch.

Picture of the day: Damn it feels good to be A Gangsta.

Beer 146/365 – Bell’s Two Hearted Ale

Style: American IPA

ABV: 7.1%

Purchased at: Vintage Estate – Boardman OH

What makes this beer different: Very crisp, great summer beer.

Will I be drinking this again: Absolutely

Grade: A

4/3/2010: I just recently bought an entire case of Aventinus ($96… yikes) for fishing next weekend, but after I check out I realized that I should have purchased some Two Hearted Ale! Just look at the label damnit! But seriously this is a great summertime beer, but I avoided buying an entire case since some people can be iffy about hoppy beers (as I used to be). Sidenote: Anyone notice Bell’s labels are always crooked on the bottle?

Two hearted ale is one of the strongest smelling IPA’s I have ever run across. Tons of floral/grapefruit hops, and some citrus. The taste is all about hops, but still some decent malt to fall back on. Grapefruit and lemon type flavors, with some pale malts in the background. This is the type of beer I would have HATED about 5-6 months ago, but I have learned to appreciate the bitter punch you get from an IPA. So far this might be my favorite IPA (but like a couple DIPAs better).

Picture of the day: Seth Mcfarland without a doubt has a formula for his cartoons.

Beer 130/365 -Founder’s Kentucky Breakfast Stout

Style: Imperial Stout

ABV: 11.2%

Purchased at: Given to me by Andy

What makes this beer different: So complex, and perfectly boozy

Will I be drinking this again: Yes yes yes

Grade: A+

3/18/2010: Another beer given to me by Andy from Michigan. This bottle is a 2009 so it has already been aged a year, well two including the one that it is aged before it is even put onto shelves. So pumped to try this because as I’m sure a lot of you know Imperial Stouts are my go to. Thanks again Andy!

KBS smells mostly like roasted coffee, with some bourbon and chocolate hints. The first sip can only be described as “wow.” So many flavors going on, all are very strong but in perfect balance. A lot of coffee/chocolate flavor, followed by bourbon and some woody notes. As I get to the bottom I am starting to get some vanilla as well. Some nice hop presence also. Very boozy but in a good way. Similar to that feeling you get after a long week at work and you drink a strong jack and coke. Mouthfeel was not quite as thick as I expected, but still on the thick side of average. This doesn’t quite uproot Speedway Stout from my #1 stout spot, but it came very close. If you are a beer lover I am sure I don’t need to tell you to buy this if you see it.

Picture of the day: I would love to know what this cat is looking at.

Beer 129/365 – Dark Horse Too Cream Stout

Style: Milk Stout

ABV: 8.0%

Purchased at: Siciliano’s Market – Grand Rapids MI

What makes this beer different: Strong for a Milk Stout but hides the ABV Extremely well.

Will I be drinking this again: If I can find it in the Pgh area

Grade: A-

3/17/2010: Its been a while since I have had a stout, so time to go back to my conmfort zone. This is the third of the “fore” series of stouts by Dark Horse that I am trying. The smoked and blueberry stouts were both great beers, so hoping this one is also.

Smell is a ton of roasted coffee, with some dark malt scent. Tons and tons of flavor for a beer with a low/mid mouthfeel. Coffee is top of the list, followed by a solid lactic (milk) sweetness, ending with a dry hop flavor. So much flavor, my brain keeps telling me this beer should be thicker but I think thats why its so good. I also had no clue this was an 8.0% ABV beer, I would have guessed no more than a 6. No sign of the alcohol at all. If you see this on the shelves grab a couple.

Picture of the day: ****NOT SAFE FOR WORK**** Also not a picture, if you guys haven’t read it yet, check out the texts that Tiger sent to one of his mistresses.

Beer 128/365 – Bell’s Consecrator Dopplebock

Style: Dopplebock

ABV: 8.0%

Purchased at: Vintage Estate – Boardman OH

What makes this beer different: A hint of barleywine flavor to this bad boy (strong)

Will I be drinking this again: Maybe? Depends what else I have to choose from that day

Grade: B+

3/16/2010: I am a sucker for a good dopplebock, and have yet to try Bell’s Consecrator. To be honest other than Hopslam, there aren’t any beers that Bell’s makes that I go out of my way to find. I sampled batch 9000 and it was good, but it needs some age to it.

Its weird, Consecrator has little to no smell at all… A little bit of malt and booze, but thats it. This is very sweet, a lot of molasses, dark rum type flavor (where the barleywineishness kicks in, and yes thats a word), with a decent hop profile. I’m also getting a bit of butterscotch flavor the closer I get to the bottom. A good amount of carbonation, which helps mask the alcohol just enough for it to be very drinkable.

Picture of the day: Remember fellas, ladies like a little foreplay.

Beer 124/365 – Shorts PB & J

Style: Fruit/Vegetable Beer

Purchased at: Given to me by loyal reader Andy from Detroit

What makes this beer different: Lots of sour fruit flavor

Will I be drinking this again: Hoping the other ones I have are not infected like this one 😦

Grade: B-

3/12/2010: I might have been more excited to try this beer over any other beer previous to this one in my 365 mission. Very hard to find so I was surprised that Andy was able to find this one for me. Especially since Short’s does not distribute out of Michigan (as far as I know). Thanks again Andy!

From what I understand Shorts PB&J is half Uber Goober, and half Soft Parade. I have tried both so knew somewhat what to expect. Unfortunately I am pretty sure this one is infected. The smell was spot on with PB&J… lots of strawberry/raspberry smell, with a little bit of peanut. A Lot of carbonation going on here.The taste was very very sour. A lot of strawberry/raspberry flavor, with no peanut hints to be found. Oddly enough the head itself tastes a good bit like peanut, but not the liquid. The reason I think this might be infected is it was rumored that many of the PB&J’s were, and secondly I had the Soft Parade and it was not nearly this sour. Once I was halfway finished with the beer, I added about a half shot of Castries Peanut Rum Creme to the mix. Now THIS is what I expected this beer to taste like. I urge anyone who has some Short’s PB&J that they think might be infected, to run out and grab some of this creme rum to add to it. I still have two bottles left so I am hoping one of those is “clean.”

Picture of the day: Not so much funny but very creepy…Hitler without a beard.

Beer 120/365 – Founder’s Sappy Slappy Bastard

Style: Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy

Purchased at: Smokin Joe’s – Pittsburgh PA

What makes this beer different: So strong but the maple balances it out PERFECTLY

Will I be drinking this again: I hope to God they brew this again.

Grade: A+

3/8/2010: Big thanks to one of my readers Andy and his wife for buying me a couple rounds on a Monday night. They hail from Detroit and were spending a couple nights in Pittsburgh before heading out to The Barnes Foundation in Philly. They also picked me up 4 Short’s PB&J’s, 2 Short’s Mystery Stouts, and a Kentucky Breakfast Stout from 09. They wouldn’t let me pay them for any of the beer mentioned above. So again, thanks so much to Andy and his wife. You guys will be getting a nice little surprise beer in the mail when you get back home.

I honestly never even heard of this beer, but Andy went on to tell me its basically Backwoods Bastard that is aged in maple barrels (he had one also). I am always down for trying any beer that has maple in it. The smell is pretty straight forward, bourbon with maple. The taste is freaking amazing. The bourbon hits you first, and smoothly transitions into a strong maple flavor, and finishes with a touch of oak and vanilla. This is the most maple flavor I have ever tasted in a beer, but it works because there was a lot of bourbon in it to balance out. Maple is the perfect addition to the backwoods bastard, because I found the bourbon a little strong for me. Mouthfeel is syrupy but creamy in a way. Its been awhile since I had an A+ beer but this one no doubt deserves it. If you are lucky enough to see this on tap at a local bar.. GET IT!

Picture of the day: Even comcast realizes that Jay Leno’s show sucks.