13 Beers of Festivus Day 7 New Holland The Poet Oatmeal Stout

New Holland The Poet Oatmeal Stout is a beer I have been meaning to try for a while now. What better time than now to review it for the blog! It pours a very nice dark brown and is very dense, impossible for any light to pass through. Very small tan-white head dissipated extremely quickly leaving just a thin line resting on top around the edge of the glass. Other than that, there was practically no lacing due to the fact that there was almost no carbonation. The aroma, I thought, was beautiful. The oats dominate the nose but it's not overwhelming or in any way a bad thing. It is not astringent at all, very pleasant, soothing even. Oats naturally are at the forefront on the first taste and each subsequent one. It feels soft and warming in the mouth, has some body but it's very drinkable. The Poet is very tasty, not too filling and smooth since there's no carbonation. There are practically no hops to speak of but has a nice malt backbone that supports the oat flavor rather than suppressing it. I could sit around and enjoy a few of these in one sitting without it affecting my taste buds. And at 5.2% it is a true session beer. I rate New Holland The Poet Oatmeal Stout 4 pints out of 5, the lack of carbonation and dynamic mouth feel preventing it from inching closer to a perfect score. I highly recommend seeking this one out, especially during the winter months.

13 Beers of Festivus Day 6: Stone Oaked Arrogant Bastard

Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale
Stone Brewing Co., Escondido, CA
American Strong Ale
7.2% ABV
IBU: Classified
BA: A-
RB: 99(96 style)
Consumed at home, purchased at Buy Rite, Jersey City(I think it was like $4 for a single)

    So let me again apologize for lateness, but we're going to catch up and be on track tonight.  Second I have to tell you that you're not worthy of drinking this beer.  The label clearly tells you so.  So if you can get past that fact then you'll have the pleasure of tasting a really good beer.  Arrogant Bastard is a very hoppy bitter ale brewed by Stone.  Oaked Arrogant Bastard is that same beer aged with oak chips floating in it.  If you're not sure what oak tastes like then go lick a tree because the oak flavor is clear in this beer.  The same spicy chinook hops flavor comes through as dominant in the oaked variety, but there's a little something extra in the flavor.  OAK.  The thick creamy head dissipates a little but stays around through the entire drinking process.  The smell is that of unfinished wood furniture.  This is a man's beer.  This beer is not for rookies and I recommend tasting Arrogant Bastard prior to Oaked Arrogant Bastard.  There are also two more Bastard varieties; Double Bastard and Lukcy Bastard(spelled correctly), which is a blend of the previous three Bastards( and another beer in my cellar).  That having been said, when you're ready for the bitterness and the cost of this beer, I highly recommend Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale.  This is a clear 5 out of 5 pints and I hope you all have the chance to taste it one day.  It is a year-round permanent brew so no need to wait for the right season.  If you're an advanced craft beer drinker, then go track one of these down and give it a try.  Happy Festivus to all and check back shortly for Josh's review to catch us back up to where we should be.

13 Beers of Festivus Day 5 Victory Yakima Glory

Okay, I know I already reviewed a Victory beer, but I've had this one laying around and had to try it. But unlike the year-round Storm King, Yakima Glory is a winter seasonal and in the style of Black IPA. Black would not be a word that I would describe it, however. It's actually more brownish-reddish and not very dense. I can't quite see through it but it's not totally opaque either. There was actually no head to speak of, just a very small section of bubbles for the tiny amount of carbonation (can kind of see it in the picture at the front of the glass). The aroma reminds me of a typical IPA, hoppy but not overwhelmingly so. It smells piney, floral and gets my taste buds ready for something gloriously more bitter than your garden-variety macro brew. The first taste is as expected - nice hop character and a pleasant bitterness. But before long, it gives way and shares the spotlight with a nice malt profile that makes it taste darker than it looks. The malt sweetness, if I can call it that, blends beautifully with the bitter hops to give a nice, rounded taste that doesn't leave a bad taste in the mouth. The finish is relatively long with some sweetness melded nicely with some bitterness, the bitterness showing a little bit more. The alcohol seems quite hidden despite coming in at 8.7% but as I continue to drink it and write on the fly, there is some alcohol in the aftertaste but it isn't all that unpleasant. It's actually rather warming, which is kind of expected for a winter style brew. In my opinion, it is a very nice beer with some great characteristics but falls a little short for the style compared to a few other Black IPAs that I have sampled. Regardless, it still earned a respectable 3.5 pints out of 5, the lighter color playing tricks on me when I expected something a lot darker. Definitely worth a try, though, and definitely one that I will try again in the future.

13 Beers of Festivus Day 4: Flying Fish Exit 13 Imperial Chocolate Stout

Exit 13 Chocolate Stout

Flying Fish Brewing Co., Cherry Hill, NJ

Foreign Stout

7.5% ABV

BA: A-

RB: NR

Consumed at friend's house in snifter, available at Beekman's Wine for $9.11

     First I'll apologize for not taking a picture while I was drinking this beer.  If I have another one at some point I'll edit the post and add a picture.  The beer poured out the darkest black I've ever seen from a beer.  It was also thick like syrup and as I consumed the beer, it left a film on the glass like chocolate syrup.  There was a large fluffy, foamy head that barely dissipated as I drank this.  It really had a light chocolate smell and even lighter chocolate taste.  As it warmed up slightly more chocolate came through but it was mostly in the aftertaste.  I tasted more of the roasted malt and caramel flavors that are usually associated with a stout but I was left disappointed with the lack of real chocolate flavor.  I'm happy I tasted this before I taste any of the renowned chocolate beers, such as Southern Tier Choklat.  Reviews of those beers have praised the overall chocolatey flavor and therefore I'm glad I didn't have those first, otherwise this beer might get a 1 pint rating.  

    Overall I found the beer very drinkable for 7.5% ABV.  Had I not been a collector of the bottles, I probably would not have bough this beer.  The previous exits have been fairly good, but this one leaves me with the same feeling I have when I drive down the Turnpike on a summer weekend, anticipation and frustration.  If you're with a friend who has a bottle then by all means drink up, but its not worth the $9-10 if you're just curious.  I will remind you that taste is a personal thing and everyone's taste buds are different.  The Exit Series is a fun little novelty that gained the brewery a nice little bit of press when it started, but this one just isn't worth the hype.  I'm going to have to give this 2.5 pints out of 5 with a possibly half point boost only because I wasn't the one that paid for this and my friend let me keep the empty for my collection.  

13 Days of Festivus: Day 3 Southern Tier Creme Brulee

My sincerest apologies. I know I'm a day late on this, but I was enjoying a particular dark, wintry beer at the Copper Mine Pub on Ridge Road in North Arlington for this post and had not gotten a chance to share my opinion until now. Better late than never!

Southern Tier Creme Brulee was as it sounds, a dessert-like beer. It is described on Beer Advocate as an American Double / Imperial Stout and weighs in at a whopping 10% alcohol. It poured very dark and dense with a nice creamy white head that actually dissipated rather quickly. Despite the quickness that the head disappeared, it left rather nice lacing on the sides of the glass. The aroma was very sweet, a promise of what was to come. I caught hints of caramel and chocolate as typical for a stout, particularly one appropriate for dessert such as this one. Upon tasting, it reminded me of the dessert for which the beer is named. It was sweet with a quick hit of caramel with some bitter chocolate notes hiding behind the sweetness. Creme Brulee was very enjoyable, though the high alcohol content catches up quickly and the sweetness attained a cloying aspect further into the session. Just like any good stout, it was on the thicker side while still remaining drinkable. The sweetness is prevalent without being overpowering though be wary that it may become too much after the first glass. I am a big fan of a lot of Southern Tier beers and this one did not disappoint. I rate their Creme Brulee 3.75 pints out of 5, the cloying nature later in the session preventing it from getting a full 4. I highly recommend buying a 750ml where available and splitting with a friend or significant other over dessert.

13 Beers of Festivus: Day 2 Full Sail Session Black Lager

Full Sail Session Black Lager
Full Sail Brewing Co., Hood River, OR
Schwarzbier
5.4% ABV
18 IBU
BA: Not Rated
Ratebeer: 85(92 style)
Gary's Wine (consumed at home)
12/15/10
$1.49 in Ommegang Witte glass
       Full Sail Session Black Lager is a beer from Oregon that has only been available in the New Jersey market for about a month.  It poured a dark, think, deep black color.  There was a thick, bubbly head of about one finger in size that dissipated slowly.  Upon pouring it seemed highly carbonated as if it were a soda, but as I learned upon tasting, this beer was not to be judged on its looks alone.  At just 5.4% ABV and 18 IBU the Session Black is just that, a session beer.  A session beer is a beer of which several can be consumed over a drinking session without getting the drinker drunk.  There is absolutely no alcohol burn while drinking and it goes down deceptively smooth.  It drinks like a fairly light lager with a little extra malty flavor with some caramel and really light hints of chocolate.  This beer probably won't offend or impress anyone.  The biggest draw of this beer is the cool short, fat bottle that it comes in.  I picked up a single bottle at Gary's Wine in Wayne, NJ for $1.49 and it was also available in 12-packs.  They also sold the Full Sail Session Lager.  I would imagine that it tastes much the same with less caramel.  I wouldn't really recommend this for our more advanced followers, but if you're just starting your craft beer journey, this is a nice way to dip your toes in the deep end.  Its nothing wild, but the color will play tricks on you.  I'll give the Full Sail Session Black Lager 3.5 pints but only because of its quirkiness and price.  For a few more dollars than the big boys but less than most craft brands, pick up a 12-pack for you and a friend if you don't really want to get drunk, but want some flavor. 

13 Beers of Festivus: Victory Storm King Stout

I am honored to be kicking off the First Annual 13 Beers of Festivus Reviewathon! Every night starting tonight through Christmas, Aaron and I will alternate reviewing a different beer for your enjoyment. To get this party started, I sampled an impeccable beer for the frigid winter months, Victory Storm King Stout.

Storm King pours an extremely dark and dense color, impossible to see through and absolutely as dark as night. It is topped by a tan head that is thick and sticky and has amazingly good retention - it hung around for the duration of the session! The lacing on the side of the glass was thick and tan and also lasted long into the session. Bringing it to my nose, I immediately smelled chocolate and coffee, which was expected. Caramel also found it's way into the aroma, giving off a subtle sweetness, but, from experience, I knew that I would find almost no sweetness when tasting. And I was not disappointed. At first, I was hit the enormous mouth feel due in part by the carbonation. I had not taken a large sip but it felt like a lot. Texturally, it was thick and chewy and a literal mouthful, like a meal in a glass. Then the bitterness hit, but not the over-the-top-hop kind of bitterness. This bitterness came from the chocolate and coffee notes that dominate the palate; no sweetness to be found. Further into the session, the brew turned out to be quite smooth despite the thick, big mouth feel. It lingered nicely on the tongue, on the bitter side, but for this hop-head, it's not unwelcome. It even felt somewhat chewy after it was gone but that didn't last as long as the warming taste it leaves behind. Throughout, however, the astringent taste of alcohol is prevalent, which isn't surprising considering it weighs in at 9.1%! Overall, it is quite an amazing brew, very tasty, though chewy, good notes of chocolate and coffee and the more subtle caramel, but the alcohol kind of gets in the way. I still rate Victory Storm King Stout 3.5 out of 5 pints and recommend to those who like dark beers that are high in alcohol. It is a tried and true beer for the cold months that will warm you all winter long!