Troegs Nugget Nectar

My first time trying this super hyped-up hop bomb. Wow, is all I can say. I haven't been particularly impressed by Troegs before, but this one blew me away. Great clean hop flavor, complex with all the components I love. And the best part, it is uniquely flavored, like an IPA I've never had before. These are hop varieties I'm not that familiar with and they definitely don't let me down. Flavors of bubble gum, cantaloupe and sweet honey accentuate this brilliantly tasting brew. It's great to easily be able to acquire such a fine brew. I noticed that East Village Tavern has a cask of this amazing beer -- going to have test the difference. I recommend any hop lovers in NYC taking a similar action.
In other news, I placed a shipping order from West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago. There were definitely some items that particularly caught my eye that I've been wanting for awhile. Mikkeller Beer Geek Brunch is probably the most notable and highest ranked beer. But the great selection of Three Floyds doesn't hurt either. I'm expecting that package sometime this week, so stay posted.

The Abyss and Dark Lord...Alpha Klaus too

Two of the biggest names in imperial stouts out there and then some other good treats. Been enjoying a lot of great beer recently, and it looks like we can put the Internet behind us...for now.
I was so excited when I received these beers in the package, i had never had any of them and with all the hype surrounding them, well you can imagine. They were enjoyed at their respective indulgent times and left me thirsting for my next trade.
I really enjoyed the Three Floyds Alpha Klaus, such a great beer and just so unique. from its beautiful combination of cocoa and fruit hop flavor,s to its incredible smoothness and drinkability, it is such a quality beer. I wish i could try it on tap, Three Floyds just continually impresses me, and with their limited distribution, it becomes all the more a rare treat.
Speaking of rare treats, the rarest of treats might be the Three Floyds Dark Lord. Until now, this beer was just a legend, a ratings monster, topping every single chart of the best beers you could ever find. It's known because of its rare availability and of course because of its monstrous taste. This beer is a monster, and let me tell you this is the best tasting beer I might ever have had. So thick and rich, such beautifully scented dark harmony. If I didn't live so far I could see myself going every year to Dark Lord Day, wait how far? This beer is just absolutely incredible, it's like chocolate fudge oatmeal. Indescribable chocolate flavors, with that signature Three Floyds fruity end. Darkness just ensues on the palette and this beer never lets up. I would seek this beer out again for sure, and yes it is worth the hype.
Deschute's the Abyss on the other hand might not be. I've had Deschutes before when I went to visit my brother in San Francisco. The Black Butte Porter and the Obsidian Stout were both excellent, I expected big things from The Abyss. It tastes like what it says it tastes like was the general reaction. Maybe it was the Dark Lord which was tasted the day before, maybe it was the massive hype, but it was kind of a let down. Lacked body and initial depth. It was good, it wasn't bad just not worth all the hype I thought. Definitely worth a try and still happy for having traded for it, but I wouldn't trade for it again.
Looks like Bell's Hopslam is now available, might have to get some...

Three Floyds Behemoth Barleywine

Well this beer just had to be saved for a special occasion and it was. One of the last beers left (and for a reason) in the WLV package, this beer is a big bold style from an even bolder brewery. An American Barleywine, i.e. more hop-oriented is a favorite style of mine and this beer is an excellent example.
Three Floyd's beer just impress in so many ways and a big part of that is the carbonation and the smoothness it entails. Behemoth Barleywine just epitomized so many of their great flavors in true form. A hop bomb completely, this beer much like the Dreadnaught seems to possess every single type of hop descriptor in one beer: citrus, pine, earthy, grapefruit. This beer is so thick and smooth, the hop and malt bill do gooey battle over your tongue with the hops winning. But that is not a problem, the malt note flashes toffee and butterscotch and fits quite nicely with the gooey hops. It has incredible drinkability for a 12.5% barleywine, but much like all their other beers alcohol is just not a factor in the flavor.
So it's almost time for my first ever Cellar Reserve night on Dec 27th. I have been saving and collecting for this event for quite some time and I can't think of a better opportunity to try some of these world-class beers with friends. Keep posted for me information on what will be a momentous occasion to say the least.

Three Floyds Moloko Milk Stout

I could smell this beer as I was pouring it out of the bomber -- Dark and robust. It's coming down to the final few bottles of my package from WLV, so the competition is getting real. This particular new release from Three Floyds obviously did not disappoint. This beer just smells great, absolutely all the right smells: Coffee, Dark Chocolate and Caramel. Beautiful shiny black color too. Taste is so smooth, or wait is it crisp? Instead of super roast toasty finish its almost a clean break? Smell it again -- ah, like a dark choclatier or something like that. Taste it again -- yea this is delicious, choclately caramel milk smoothness, and a nice clean mocha finish. There is this perfect balance of smooth milky malt flavors and then this very nice crispness. Somehow this crispness is paired with signature low carbonation which gives this beer the body I desire, trim body that is.
These Three Floyds beers are pretty amazing, having previously tried them in visits to Chicago I knew it was the right decision...but oh the desire to have the elusive, the mythical Three Floyds Dark Lord, is still my ultimate conquest for this brand and maybe my cellar too. That and Surly Darkness, oh yea and Kuhnhenn Raspberry Eisbock...Alright I'll stop naming really highly rated beers that I've never had...except maybe the last one.

Saturday Morning Round-up: Goose Island Night and Other Fine Tastings

Good morning, its time for the Saturday round-up. This is where I get to write about all the great stuff that happened over the past few days but I have yet to report on. Well there is lots to write about today so let's get started.
Goose Island Night was great, the Blind Tiger just manages to score some of the best and rarest kegs and this was no exception (Looking forward to VSK next Wednesday -- same place, same time). I started things off with an obvious choice of Bourbon County Stout 2008, which much to my expectation tasted very similar to the bottle. Do I dare say I actually like it in the bottle better? I do, I think it has a slightly more enjoyable carbonation for me, which I think more effectively coats your tongue. The draft has sort of a good almost sherryness to it, personifying a much more fruity than usual flavor, but with that signature toasted marshmallow finish that I love so much. But, I'll tell you what they don't have in the bottle, especially over here in the NYC area, is the Blue Czar, which was fantastic! This beer essentially seemed to be a version of the BCS but aged shorter and with the addition of...blueberries! This was excellent. When done right, fruit flavors are some of the greatest addition to the beefiest biggest imperial stouts out there. But done poorly to a weak and inappropriate stout can just end up in disaster... a Goose Island bourbon barrel aged stout certainly does not fall into this category. This beer took on an almost fluffiness and I really enjoyed how the blueberry flavors danced on my tongue in the lightest and most complex way. Other notable beers from the night included Pappy Van Sherry which was their Imperial Red Ale aged in Pappy Van Winkle Barrels. Somewhat disappointing....smelled like Pappy Van Winkle, a whiskey I love and is one of the highest regarded bourbons in the world, but flavor didn't do it for me. I love the taste of fresh hops and this beer possessed the opposite, sort of a sour cloying taste personified by stale hops. But hey this beer was good, I just had higher expectations. There were great flavors of dry butterscotch developing in this one.
The Goose Island night was a huge success and one in which I took great pride in participating in. I'm always excited to try the great beers of a brewery with an incredible reputation.
In other news, some more treats from the package will now be revealed.

Three Floyds Dreadnaught anybody? Surprised that was in the package? I'm not. This is considered one of the best American craft IPAs there are out there, and the beer does not disappoint. It pours with a cloudy golden orange body with a nice dissipating fluffy white head. This beer just smells hops in all varietals. Spicy, herbal, earthy, piney, fruity, citrusy...all the great flavors of hops. But the taste is the same thing. You get it all with a beautiful golden malt flavor backing it up and making this Imperial IPA what? Yes, balanced. Malt flavors draw a similarity to Dogfish Head, but never this smooth. It has this incredible carbonation that just puts everything in its place. Makes this monster smooth, and incredibly drinkable. It finishes clean and the palette, yearning for the next sip. It's a delicious beer of an incredibly rare nature, one that will certainly become a part of all future orders from Chicago.
Southern Tier recently came out with a run of Oak Aged Ales called the Cuvee series. Cuvee #1 is the first foray into this series. The packaging is beautiful. The individual boxing, the foil label. But most importantly, what does the beer taste like? Its a beer of incredible deception cloaked in the mystery of oak aging. This beer is a monster, at 11% ABV, it is huge, but you'd never know. Such is the nature of this oak aged beast. It tastes great, just incredibly smooth. Yes smooth, is the word I'd use to describe it. Not honey, not vanilla, not even fruity or spicy. Although this beer possesses all those flavors, the most dominant flavor is yes, smooth. Such is the nature of a beer that melds its flavors so well, that hides its alcohol as almost imperceptible. This is an incredibly complex piece of brewers art. Its slightly Belgiany, yes I just made that up, and I could go without that, but it works well here, balancing the honey malt flavors with a certain dry spiciness. It's a great beer and a definite adder to the cellar.

What Saturday treats await tonight's palette?