Mike's Beer of the Week

Beer Information

Brewery: Trappist Westvleteren 

Beer Name: Blonde

Beer Style: Belgian Pale Ale

Abv.: 5.8%

Serving Glassware: Snifter, Chalice, Tulip, Oversized Wine Glass

Serving Temp.: 45-50 deg. F. (BeerAdvocate.com)

Local Availability: N/A

Pairings: If you obtain this beer, enjoy it by itself...then call me!

web.mit.edu

Mike's Ratings (1-5)

Overall Grade/Rate: A+/4.58

Appearance: 4.5

Aroma: 4

Taste: 5

Mouthfeel: 4

Drinkability: 4.5

BeerAdvocate Avg. Rate: A-/4.23

Mike's Description

Thanks to Craig for giving me this amazing and extremely rare beer! For those of you that are unaware, any Trappist Westvleteren beer must be reserved and obtained from the monks who brew it within their trappist in Belgium... and it's very very pricey. 

Appearance - Pretty much a perfect representation of what a Belgian pale ale should look like...very aesthetically pleasing. Extremely modest bottle with no label, merely "Trappistenbier" engraved in the glass...mysterious...and a sweet logo on the cap. Completely opaque yellowish golden hue with a 1/2" of white head. Very good retention and moderate speckled lacing.

Aroma - Pure Belgian yeast...mmmm...unparalleled. Earthy and woody scents with a slight hint of citrus and perhaps pine from the hops. 

Taste - This is just awesome. The Belgian yeast dominates as in the aroma with a slight citrusy taste. Very complex spiciness that only Belgian trappist beers are capable of...go monks! Very earthy tones take over the background.

Mouthfeel - This is where the Belgian spices really steal the show. The natural spices are present immediately, through the experience, and in the aftertaste. The unique yeast strain plays a role here as well...it seems as though it's still fermenting in my mouth.

Drinkability - Overall I believe that this beer is the pioneer of the style. Not my favorite style, but the leader nonetheless. It is the perfect spring beer and I wish I had more than one to drink! Thanks again Craig!

Mike's Beer of the Week

Beer Information

Brewery: Maine Beer Company 

Beer Name: Zoe

Beer Style: American Amber Ale

Abv.: 7.2%

Serving Glassware: Pint, Stein

Serving Temp.: 45-50 deg. F. (BeerAdvocate.com)

Local Availability: Table and Vine

Pairings: Meat (Beef, Chicken, Fish), Cheese (Sharp, Bleu, Cheddar)

www.flickr.com/photos/brostad

Mike's Ratings (1-5)

Overall Grade/Rate: A/4.45

Appearance: 4.5

Aroma: 4.5

Taste: 4.5

Mouthfeel: 4

Drinkability: 4.5

BeerAdvocate Avg. Rate: A-/4.23

Mike's Description

Appearance - Unique looking bottle with interesting label. A couple inches of tannish smooth head with fantastic retention and lacing deposits. the beer itself is a beautiful dark amber color that is completely transclucent...sort of like a ruby.

Aroma - Wonderful hoppy bouquet with floral wisps. Although the hops are very strong, there is a strong malt background with an earthy/woody feature.

Taste - Exactly what you want for this style, lots of hops with a strong malty backbone. Very crisp and easy to drink. The alcohol is noticeable, but it is well hidden.

Mouthfeel - Great hoppy feel and aftertaste; the syrupy malt is nice and smooth. Medium-bodied brew that is a perfect balance and representation for this style.

Drinkability - Very drinkable beer...despite its size and alcohol content I could see myself drinking about 4 of these.  Fantastic beer overall; world class for this style in my opinion. It's a little pricy, but completely worth it especially if it's fresh...I'll be getting more of this and I hope it is a year-round beer.

Mike's *BeerS* of the Week (Special Pairing)

Beer Information

Brewery: Founders Brewing (MI)

Beer Name: Kentucky Breakfast Stout (KBS) & Breakfast Stout

Beer Style: Oak Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout & Dbl. Chocolate Coffee Oatmeal Stout

Abv.: 11.2% & 8.3%

Serving Glassware: Snifter, Pint, Red Wine Glass

Serving Temp.: 50-55 deg. F. (BeerAdvocate.com)

Local Availability: KBS Not Available / BS available at Johnny Macs

Pairings: Meat, Chocolate

Mike's Ratings (1-5) KBS

Overall Grade/Rate: A+/4.97!!!

Appearance: 4.5

Aroma: 5

Taste: 5

Mouthfeel: 5

Drinkability: 5

BeerAdvocate Avg. Rate: A+/4.53

Mike's Ratings (1-5) BS

Overall Grade/Rate: A-/4.13

Appearance: 4.5

Aroma: 4

Taste: 4

Mouthfeel: 4

Drinkability: 4.5

BeerAdvocate Avg. Rate: A/4.43

Mike's Description

I was very lucky to obtain these extremely rare beers.  Obtaining KBS was a bloodbath at Table and Vine and it sold out in a matter of hours.  I was also lucky to obtain the nearly as popular Breakfast Stout at Johnny Macs.  Pairing them side-by-side...well I never thought I'd have the opportunity...until tonight!!!!!

KBS

Appearance - Completely black with absolutely no translucency. Only a little khaki-tinted head with bits of refined lacing on the Stella glass. Moderate retention, but pretty good considering how little it started with.

Aroma - Amazing...milk chocolate and bourbon mixed together perfectly. I'm not a big bourbon fan, but it's so well balanced in aroma that it is good whether or not you like bourbon. Slight bitterness as well.

Taste - Slight hop bitterness up front with a nice bourbon bite that is balanced out with a viscous milk chocolate taste that coats the tongue. The alcohol is slightly noticeable, but it is hard to decipher due to the bourbon flavor that pretty much masks it.

Mouthfeel - This is one of the best features of this brew. Typically in a bourbon barrel aged beer, the bourbon lingers forever due to its strong and ever-present tones. In this beer, however, the bourbon lingers, but at the perfect magnitude creating a warming sensation that makes you eager to keep coming back. The sweet milk chocolate is also a very desirable quality that isn't overdone in this beer. The bitterness of the hops (70 IBUs) is perfect for this style and does not kill the palate, allowing you to enjoy this brew for quite some time!...until you're dominated by the 11.2% abv...

Drinkability - Overall this beer is one of the best I've ever had and it is certainly the best I've had of this style. I thought all the hype might raise my expectations too high, but this beer really came through...well worth the effort and I am ecstatic that I was able to obtain a 4-pk. !!!

Breakfast Stout

Appearance - Pretty much the same as KBS with slightly paler head. The brew is completely black with no translucency. 1/4" tan/off-white head with moderate retention.

Aroma - Unlike the KBS in which chocolate and bourbon dominate, coffee and slight chocolate undertones are at work here.

Taste - Very smooth for a stout. Similar to the aroma, coffee beans and dark chocolate are the stars of the show. Slight sweetness is present, but it is overwhelmed by the coffee and hoppy bitterness.

Mouthfeel - Uh...feels great in my mouth! The coffee and chocolate really soothe and coat the tongue in a way that most stouts don't. The aftertaste fades pretty fast making you all the more eager for more.

Drinkability - A fantastic stout and definitely one of the best I've had. Side-by-side with KBS...I prefer the KBS, but with no intention of belittling this solid brew.

Mike's Beer of the Week

Beer Information

Brewery: Brooklyn Brewing Company (NY - Kat's Homeland)

Beer Name: Local 1

Beer Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale

Abv.: 9.0%

Serving Glassware: Snifter, Tulip, Red Wine Glass

Serving Temp.: 50-55 deg. F. (BeerAdvocate.com)

Local Availability: Table and Vine

Pairings: Meat (Steak, Salmon, Burgers)

www.farm4.static.flickr.com

Mike's Ratings (1-5)

Overall Grade/Rate: A+/4.8

Appearance: 5

Aroma: 4.5

Taste: 5

Mouthfeel: 5

Drinkability: 4.5

BeerAdvocate Avg. Rate: A-/4.07

Mike's Description

Thanks to Craig, Steve, and Tim for enjoying this amazing beer with me!  I bought one bottle to drink immediately and one to age, so plan on hearing about this beer again in a year or two.

Appearance - Very light golden in color and completely opaque. Enormous head filling the pint glass entirely and dying down to about 3 inches. Head has a frothy whipped-cream appearance with amazing retention throughout entire experience. Lacing completely covers the pint glass. This unique bottle is perfect for this unique beer!

Aroma - Very light wheaty smell with hints of citrusy orange peel. Sweet malty and honey-like notes with earthy and woody esters.

Taste - Unreal...many spices mix together for a unique and complex taste. The alcohol is slightly noticeable, but the orange peel, hoppy bitterness, and belgian yeast dominate. There are also some spicey notes...perhaps cinnamon.

Mouthfeel - Bitter feel with slightly numbing sensations...9%. Lighter bodied beer with a definite citrus aftertaste and the yeast lives on...

Drinkability - This beer is dangerously drinkable despite its size and high abv. One of the attractions of this beer is that it is still fermenting in your glass as you drink it...mmm double fermentation...

Well done Brooklyn!

Mike's Beer of the Week

Beer Information

Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Company (CA)

Beer Name: Olde Gnarlywine

Beer Style: American Barleywine

Abv.: 11.0%

Serving Glassware: Pint Glass, Snifter

Serving Temp.: 50-55 deg. F. (BeerAdvocate.com)

Local Availability: Table and Vine (Limited Release!)

Pairings: Gorgonzola, Dessert (Cake, Chocolate, Ice Cream)

www.mustlovebeer.com

Mike's Ratings (1-5)

Overall Grade/Rate: A/4.3

Appearance: 4.5

Aroma: 4

Taste: 4.5

Mouthfeel: 4.5

Drinkability: 4

BeerAdvocate Avg. Rate: A-/4.1

Mike's Description

Hurry up and obtain this limited release beer at Table and Vine...it will be gone all too soon along with Lagunitas' Cappuccino Stout.  This is a great barleywine if you haven't had this particular style before.

Two-Aught-11

Appearance - Pours a reddish burnt orange color that is only slightly cloudy. 1/2" head that is slightly off-white with moderate retention...really captures the hoppy aromas. Good amount of lacing on the pint glass.

Aroma - Sweet aroma that suggests licorice and raisins. Slight bitterness is noticeable from the 69ish IBUs.

Taste - Very sweet taste that reflects the aroma. The alcohol is present, but it is hidden fairly well by the sweetness and slight bitterness. Raisins, again, are dominant in the taste. The flavor suggests some pear sweetness with plum.

Mouthfeel - A slight numbing sensation from the 10.6 abv. The carbonation adds to this feel as well.

Drinkability - This beer is pretty drinkable as a dessert beer...the high abv. limits consumption however.