So...
A lot has been going on recently. I was considering joining the military and beginning work where I do virtually nothing but write all day. Because of those two things, I've been on a hiatus that lasted way too long.
More than once I said: "Today I'll rewrite the rating system so it makes more sense and syncs up with the other ones I'm using."
I've also said something like: "Oh boy, I had an awesome beer, I'll write stuff down and rate it." In fact, I even actually wrote a couple of reviews that managed to destroy themselves on the tiny page they were written on. Stupid graphite... Guess I'll just have to get more Dogfish Head Punk and random other things.
Point being, apologies for the not-being-around or mentioning the hiatus, but as soon as I have another new beer, I'll be getting back in the swing of things here on NEO-BS.
Another exciting bit of news: I may be beginning to learn to brew soon. The concept for the beer is called Odin and will be a heavy ABV ale with hints of honey, vanilla, cinnamon, and mint. We'll see if it actually happens.
Bright the cheeks and warm the heart,
-NEO-BS
Wednesday, October 20, 2010
Sunday, September 19, 2010
New Holland Dragon's Milk
Who here is up for another rousing round of angry stout? That's what we've got on the agenda today. Dragon's Milk is both a personal favorite and one that you should probably reconsider if you find it in the beer store. If you're part Viking and you just slaughtered the thing raiding your town every week and you need to calm down because you just can't seem to stop killing, well then, this is your beer. If not... bow to it, stare it down, and back away slowly. This beer belongs in a fantasy tavern and it may very well try to kill you.
As a quick aside, there are multiple Dragon's Milks out there, I believe I've had two, but New Holland is the one I'm most familiar with as well as the one I'm willing to come back to.
Stats:
Appearance - It looks almost like a latte to be honest. It pours really smoothly and has a nice head. It actually looks a bit like a cup of coffee at first.
Smell - There are a variety of things here. I've stated more than once I don't have a strong sense of smell, but there are really nice tones of chocolate, oak, and malt here.
Taste - Along with the things I could smell, you'll find coffee, milk, espresso, and just a hint of vanilla. Did I mention it's barrel aged? Mmmm... barrels... I honestly love the flavoring here, though the high ABV detracts a bit from it.
Feel - This is where the drink has the most points in my opinion. Higher carbonation which compliments the alcoholic fizzy bite you get, smooth and viscous, -I'm reliving it right now, I love the feel of this beer- and definitely a hint of spite. This beer doesn't like you. It's a wanted beer you know... it has the death sentence in 12- Erhrm, sorry, Star Wars... Any ways, yeah. That's that. Seriously, though, this beer does not like you. You know it as soon as you pick it up. For someone like me, that's actually a selling point.
Drinkability - Finally we come to the one place this beer loses points. It's one of those beers that they only sell in large bottles or four packs. Wonder why it's four instead of six? Because they know that you only have three friends and they're not letting you pick drinks again after this. Honestly though, its high alcohol content makes it hard to drink many of. Even those who can run through a few six packs in a night by themselves should reconsider taunting this dragon. I know people with a normal tolerance who've bought the larger bottle and gotten drunk off of it in two separate sittings. It's just not a beer you really want to sip on for a while. Don't let it get warm...
Drew's Ratings:
5 - This beer will always, always be a 5. Even if it's your first beer and it's on tap (therefore you only have a pint or less, as opposed to that traditional larger bottle it likes to come in), it's still going to end you. 9 ABV and angrier than most beers you'll run into, Dragon's Milk is NOT to be taken lightly. It's dark, smooth wonder is mellowed by the fact that even to get the taste out of your mouth, you'd be hard pressed to want another beer.
AND
E - I enjoy this beer, but it's neither world class nor Earth shattering. I come back to it from time to time and we're good friends, but the kind of friend you only see once every couple of months for good reason. It's a good drink and if I only want one, I'm liable to have this or a full 750 ml bottle of Three Philosopher's in my hand. One of only a few beers I actually come back to on a consistent basis.
Overall: B
Honestly, the solid B here is more from a drinkability / normal people standpoint. In terms of merits as a beer and a drink, it's closer to an A-.
Note: My reviews will be a little slower coming. I've gotten a job writing full time. This means two major things, one is that I'm writing almost constantly, the other is that I just have less time to drink. Either way, I'll try and get up at least one review a week. Cheers!
Warm the cheeks and bright the heart,
-NEO-BS
As a quick aside, there are multiple Dragon's Milks out there, I believe I've had two, but New Holland is the one I'm most familiar with as well as the one I'm willing to come back to.
Stats:
Appearance - It looks almost like a latte to be honest. It pours really smoothly and has a nice head. It actually looks a bit like a cup of coffee at first.
Smell - There are a variety of things here. I've stated more than once I don't have a strong sense of smell, but there are really nice tones of chocolate, oak, and malt here.
Taste - Along with the things I could smell, you'll find coffee, milk, espresso, and just a hint of vanilla. Did I mention it's barrel aged? Mmmm... barrels... I honestly love the flavoring here, though the high ABV detracts a bit from it.
Feel - This is where the drink has the most points in my opinion. Higher carbonation which compliments the alcoholic fizzy bite you get, smooth and viscous, -I'm reliving it right now, I love the feel of this beer- and definitely a hint of spite. This beer doesn't like you. It's a wanted beer you know... it has the death sentence in 12- Erhrm, sorry, Star Wars... Any ways, yeah. That's that. Seriously, though, this beer does not like you. You know it as soon as you pick it up. For someone like me, that's actually a selling point.
Drinkability - Finally we come to the one place this beer loses points. It's one of those beers that they only sell in large bottles or four packs. Wonder why it's four instead of six? Because they know that you only have three friends and they're not letting you pick drinks again after this. Honestly though, its high alcohol content makes it hard to drink many of. Even those who can run through a few six packs in a night by themselves should reconsider taunting this dragon. I know people with a normal tolerance who've bought the larger bottle and gotten drunk off of it in two separate sittings. It's just not a beer you really want to sip on for a while. Don't let it get warm...
Drew's Ratings:
5 - This beer will always, always be a 5. Even if it's your first beer and it's on tap (therefore you only have a pint or less, as opposed to that traditional larger bottle it likes to come in), it's still going to end you. 9 ABV and angrier than most beers you'll run into, Dragon's Milk is NOT to be taken lightly. It's dark, smooth wonder is mellowed by the fact that even to get the taste out of your mouth, you'd be hard pressed to want another beer.
AND
E - I enjoy this beer, but it's neither world class nor Earth shattering. I come back to it from time to time and we're good friends, but the kind of friend you only see once every couple of months for good reason. It's a good drink and if I only want one, I'm liable to have this or a full 750 ml bottle of Three Philosopher's in my hand. One of only a few beers I actually come back to on a consistent basis.
Overall: B
Honestly, the solid B here is more from a drinkability / normal people standpoint. In terms of merits as a beer and a drink, it's closer to an A-.
Note: My reviews will be a little slower coming. I've gotten a job writing full time. This means two major things, one is that I'm writing almost constantly, the other is that I just have less time to drink. Either way, I'll try and get up at least one review a week. Cheers!
Warm the cheeks and bright the heart,
-NEO-BS
Thursday, September 16, 2010
Upcoming
All right gang.
I've been at work all week and I'm finally starting to get the rhythm of things. I'll be adding a post either tonight or this weekend on Dragon's Milk with a few likely to follow. Sam Adams Black Lager and I would like to pause for some home brewing and maybe Old Speckled Hen.
As an aside, I may also be using this blog as a place to begin fermenting (yes, it's a beer pun) ideas for what JG and I, as well as a few others, have been thinking about for a while. He wants to open his own brewery, and I'd like to help...
Warm the cheeks and bright the heart,
-NEO-BS
I've been at work all week and I'm finally starting to get the rhythm of things. I'll be adding a post either tonight or this weekend on Dragon's Milk with a few likely to follow. Sam Adams Black Lager and I would like to pause for some home brewing and maybe Old Speckled Hen.
As an aside, I may also be using this blog as a place to begin fermenting (yes, it's a beer pun) ideas for what JG and I, as well as a few others, have been thinking about for a while. He wants to open his own brewery, and I'd like to help...
Warm the cheeks and bright the heart,
-NEO-BS
Thursday, September 9, 2010
Bam Noire Dark Farmhouse Ale
Now, I'll be the first to admit my memory is a bit fuzzy on this beer for two reasons. The primary one being that I've waited a little too long to do the review without having taken any notes while in the bar. The second is that this was the second to last beer I had at the trip to the cave. Still, it left more of an impression than the Censored or the Red Rice {both of which I'll probably have to try again before reviewing them properly}. This particular ale was special enough that even bad note taking and a couple of days in between the review and the drink itself aren't enough to make me forget. It'll never be my Three Philosophers or Duchesse, but it's none the less a worthwhile beer. It's also the first Jolly Pumpkin I've ever had, needless to say, I'll be trying more.
Stats:
Appearance - Honestly, this was fairly average. I mean, it's a darker ale. There's nothing special or shiny about it's appearance. It doesn't destroy light passing through it, nor does it add the reddish tint of lights in a cafe in Amsterdam. It's just a beer. It's got a fair head and it's lighter than Guinness. What do you want from me?
Smell - Very earthy and calming. There's not much sweet fruit like the tiny bits you get with the flavor or the smell you'd get with Duchesse or a cider. It's almost as if the beer has been around for a while and is being patient while waiting for you to come and try it.
Taste - This, for me, is what makes this beer most memorable. This beer had undertones of all things I consider fall that weren't already a part of the Tree of Might mentioned last review. It's got a bit of apple here and there with tiny hints of fruitiness buried under earthy and light chocolate and harvest grains. BeerAdvocate mentions some other things, but to each his own. I don't know about the raisins or other things it mentions. Still, I remember this taste and I'd definitely like to have it again.
Feel - This is probably where my memory fails me the most. I've been looking at BA to try and jog my memory, but I honestly disagree with them. I don't think it was as carbonated as they say it was. I believe the foamy head took care of that for me. It did make a nice lattice and was smooth going down without being watery. All around a pleasant drink.
Drinkability - I don't know if I could go through a six pack of this, but I do know I could probably have two or three in a row. Even for some of my favorites, that's not true. I feel like it would eventually {around beer two or three in a row} lose most of what it has. For that, I have to say is its uniqueness. That's where it also gains and loses points. It is unique, but it also can't retain its qualities after a few. Still, even after three or four other drinks, it will be the same interesting beer it was if your others were not Noire.
Drew's Ratings:
2-5 - I didn't think I'd find a beer that works whenever, but this one really does. It's not so unique that it needs to be your first beer, but it's also not going to mar your palate further so as to hinder the taste of your next beer. That being said, I certainly wish this had been my last beer rather than the Censored. That's the only thing I remember about Censored, was that it pulled me from the gravity center of the Earth that I found with the Bam Noire.
AND
F - In all honesty, I want to recommend this beer to anyone I meet, but it's not for everyone. For me, this was an amazing beer. It had hints of a ton of different distinct flavors and smells, a foamy head that stayed as long as I'd hoped it would, and was smooth going down. I could drink more than one of these in a row and that says something. It's a good place to begin or end the night and I really enjoyed it. The name, to me, says it all. It's dark and has an almost noire quality it imparted to the bar while drinking it plus the flavors reminded me of Phish's Farmhouse album while simultaneously thinking of walks I've taken in late autumn.
Overall: B+
Bright the cheeks and warm the heart,
-NEO-BS
Stats:
Appearance - Honestly, this was fairly average. I mean, it's a darker ale. There's nothing special or shiny about it's appearance. It doesn't destroy light passing through it, nor does it add the reddish tint of lights in a cafe in Amsterdam. It's just a beer. It's got a fair head and it's lighter than Guinness. What do you want from me?
Smell - Very earthy and calming. There's not much sweet fruit like the tiny bits you get with the flavor or the smell you'd get with Duchesse or a cider. It's almost as if the beer has been around for a while and is being patient while waiting for you to come and try it.
Taste - This, for me, is what makes this beer most memorable. This beer had undertones of all things I consider fall that weren't already a part of the Tree of Might mentioned last review. It's got a bit of apple here and there with tiny hints of fruitiness buried under earthy and light chocolate and harvest grains. BeerAdvocate mentions some other things, but to each his own. I don't know about the raisins or other things it mentions. Still, I remember this taste and I'd definitely like to have it again.
Feel - This is probably where my memory fails me the most. I've been looking at BA to try and jog my memory, but I honestly disagree with them. I don't think it was as carbonated as they say it was. I believe the foamy head took care of that for me. It did make a nice lattice and was smooth going down without being watery. All around a pleasant drink.
Drinkability - I don't know if I could go through a six pack of this, but I do know I could probably have two or three in a row. Even for some of my favorites, that's not true. I feel like it would eventually {around beer two or three in a row} lose most of what it has. For that, I have to say is its uniqueness. That's where it also gains and loses points. It is unique, but it also can't retain its qualities after a few. Still, even after three or four other drinks, it will be the same interesting beer it was if your others were not Noire.
Drew's Ratings:
2-5 - I didn't think I'd find a beer that works whenever, but this one really does. It's not so unique that it needs to be your first beer, but it's also not going to mar your palate further so as to hinder the taste of your next beer. That being said, I certainly wish this had been my last beer rather than the Censored. That's the only thing I remember about Censored, was that it pulled me from the gravity center of the Earth that I found with the Bam Noire.
AND
F - In all honesty, I want to recommend this beer to anyone I meet, but it's not for everyone. For me, this was an amazing beer. It had hints of a ton of different distinct flavors and smells, a foamy head that stayed as long as I'd hoped it would, and was smooth going down. I could drink more than one of these in a row and that says something. It's a good place to begin or end the night and I really enjoyed it. The name, to me, says it all. It's dark and has an almost noire quality it imparted to the bar while drinking it plus the flavors reminded me of Phish's Farmhouse album while simultaneously thinking of walks I've taken in late autumn.
Overall: B+
Bright the cheeks and warm the heart,
-NEO-BS
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
The Bruery's Autumn Maple
Back for yet another review in a single day, we have Autumn Maple. This beer is not an anytime beer, but nor is it strictly a mood based beer. More of an eclectic "I need to try this" and then whenever it finds you again {rather than you seeking it out}. I admit that this beer was not mine and I stole sips here and there, but it left enough of an impression to want to do a review. Interestingly enough, those who watched DBZ as kids will get the nickname we came up with for this beer {scary how we're over 21 now, huh?}, it was dubbed: Tree of Might. Thanks to Luke for letting me try enough of it to review while we were out.
Stats:
Appearance - It was Belgian for sure, but it didn't look like a traditional Belgian ale when poured because it had a much deeper color. It looked almost like if you mixed the inside and outside of a sweet potato and got a sort of orangish brown.
Smell - You can smell the oak and maple syrup in this beer and it's overpowering. The difference is, it's overpowering in an amazing way. I wholeheartedly believe that the smell is the best part of this beer and it is the thing I will remember best. Those with a better nose than I have noted its hints of yams and Belgian spices. I can't say I noticed them right off the bat, but I also didn't have the whole thing to myself.
Taste - One of the more interesting beers I've ever been exposed to. The flavor of this beer was by far a mixture of flavors. While I couldn't smell it, the taste of yams and spices were prevalent under the tone of a fairly normal beer. Beyond that, there are hints of maple syrup that are hard to pin down for the darker feel of this relatively light beer. The other thing of note is that this beer really does have a very strong kick to it. It's not so much alcoholic as it is simply there. That being said, it does have an ABV of 10.5, which does lend to the kick. It's really the maple and oak that add to it though. That's the reason we gave it the name Tree of Might.
Feel - There is definitely a kick in the teeth here. This beer could have been amazing, but because of the kick, it loses the smooth feel it ought to have.
Drinkability - I'm not entirely sure what to say here. This beer is smooth as can be, but the kick it's got definitely detracts from the general pleasant oak / maple dynamic it's got going on with the undertone of spices. It just makes it hard to enjoy the richer aspects of the beer.
Drew's Ratings:
2 - This is a solid two simply because of its abnormal flavor. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend this being the first beer of the night, but unless it is, you'll miss out on what it has to offer. It will be a one of a kind experience that you rarely find in craft beers. X usually can be compared to Y, it might be my inexperience with Belgians, but I don't believe it is.
AND
E - This beer has so much going on that if you enjoy it's strong taste, you probably won't be able to pay attention to what's going on around you until it's gone. I loved this beer, but not in the way that I would for a G or F. The reason for that is that I couldn't keep getting more of these at once. I feel like I need a few bar trips in between ordering one of these, but when you feel like having one, it is fantastic.
Overall: B+
Bright the cheeks and warm the heart,
-NEO-BS
Stats:
Appearance - It was Belgian for sure, but it didn't look like a traditional Belgian ale when poured because it had a much deeper color. It looked almost like if you mixed the inside and outside of a sweet potato and got a sort of orangish brown.
Smell - You can smell the oak and maple syrup in this beer and it's overpowering. The difference is, it's overpowering in an amazing way. I wholeheartedly believe that the smell is the best part of this beer and it is the thing I will remember best. Those with a better nose than I have noted its hints of yams and Belgian spices. I can't say I noticed them right off the bat, but I also didn't have the whole thing to myself.
Taste - One of the more interesting beers I've ever been exposed to. The flavor of this beer was by far a mixture of flavors. While I couldn't smell it, the taste of yams and spices were prevalent under the tone of a fairly normal beer. Beyond that, there are hints of maple syrup that are hard to pin down for the darker feel of this relatively light beer. The other thing of note is that this beer really does have a very strong kick to it. It's not so much alcoholic as it is simply there. That being said, it does have an ABV of 10.5, which does lend to the kick. It's really the maple and oak that add to it though. That's the reason we gave it the name Tree of Might.
Feel - There is definitely a kick in the teeth here. This beer could have been amazing, but because of the kick, it loses the smooth feel it ought to have.
Drinkability - I'm not entirely sure what to say here. This beer is smooth as can be, but the kick it's got definitely detracts from the general pleasant oak / maple dynamic it's got going on with the undertone of spices. It just makes it hard to enjoy the richer aspects of the beer.
Drew's Ratings:
2 - This is a solid two simply because of its abnormal flavor. Honestly, I wouldn't recommend this being the first beer of the night, but unless it is, you'll miss out on what it has to offer. It will be a one of a kind experience that you rarely find in craft beers. X usually can be compared to Y, it might be my inexperience with Belgians, but I don't believe it is.
AND
E - This beer has so much going on that if you enjoy it's strong taste, you probably won't be able to pay attention to what's going on around you until it's gone. I loved this beer, but not in the way that I would for a G or F. The reason for that is that I couldn't keep getting more of these at once. I feel like I need a few bar trips in between ordering one of these, but when you feel like having one, it is fantastic.
Overall: B+
Bright the cheeks and warm the heart,
-NEO-BS
Break from regularly scheduled programming
A few notes before I start working on the next review.
I plan on doing a lot of reviews in quick succession in the beginning, that's what follows bar trips like the one after my graduation party, I get the chance to try {and hopefully remember} a large succession of craft beers. Later on down the line, I plan on doing them more sporadically, but also more often as opposed to the giant chunks of reviews you're likely to notice for the first couple weeks.
Next, while the Cave is certainly an amazing place with a fantastic atmosphere, my quest is to expand my knowledge of craft beers will fall short if I never go anywhere else. I have recently discovered that my home town of Kent actually has a number of astounding places with out of this world selection that I'd urge anyone in the area to take note of.
Here's the third, yes that last sentence ended with a preposition. I am indeed a competent writer, but in a blog, I feel like it's more personal if you read the way I speak, so I write the way I speak. I think it makes things more personal.
Now, backtracking for a moment. Those places in Kent are a wine bar on 43 with a selection on par with the Cave, Professor's Pub with a good atmosphere and fair selection, and Ray's which also has a Cave-esque selection. It doesn't have the most personal atmosphere, but the quantity and quality of food {like sweet potato fries} make up for it.
In terms of homebrews, I want to mention that I will occasionally be making space for those reviews even though my readers will {sadly} not be able to get a hold of them. It's for that reason that those reviews will be a little less in depth.
Finally, I want to mention two things. One is that I love seasonal beers, specifically fall, so you may begin to notice a sort of seasonal cycle as I run down the list of local and craft beers. Examples would be a lot of the Octoberfests coming out and the seasonal things by Magic Hat that are usually new. Secondly, I'm hoping to eventually get user input. I may one day need advice on what to try or if someone wants a beer revisited for a second opinion.
Along with this line of thought, I'll soon be introducing a guest author. He's a good friend of mine, Peter, who will occasionally be doing IPA reviews for me so they're a little more unbiased than if I were writing them myself. As I've said Two Hearted Ale and I aren't friends. Most IPAs I've had haven't agreed with me.
Bright the cheeks and warm the heart,
-NEO-BS
I plan on doing a lot of reviews in quick succession in the beginning, that's what follows bar trips like the one after my graduation party, I get the chance to try {and hopefully remember} a large succession of craft beers. Later on down the line, I plan on doing them more sporadically, but also more often as opposed to the giant chunks of reviews you're likely to notice for the first couple weeks.
Next, while the Cave is certainly an amazing place with a fantastic atmosphere, my quest is to expand my knowledge of craft beers will fall short if I never go anywhere else. I have recently discovered that my home town of Kent actually has a number of astounding places with out of this world selection that I'd urge anyone in the area to take note of.
Here's the third, yes that last sentence ended with a preposition. I am indeed a competent writer, but in a blog, I feel like it's more personal if you read the way I speak, so I write the way I speak. I think it makes things more personal.
Now, backtracking for a moment. Those places in Kent are a wine bar on 43 with a selection on par with the Cave, Professor's Pub with a good atmosphere and fair selection, and Ray's which also has a Cave-esque selection. It doesn't have the most personal atmosphere, but the quantity and quality of food {like sweet potato fries} make up for it.
In terms of homebrews, I want to mention that I will occasionally be making space for those reviews even though my readers will {sadly} not be able to get a hold of them. It's for that reason that those reviews will be a little less in depth.
Finally, I want to mention two things. One is that I love seasonal beers, specifically fall, so you may begin to notice a sort of seasonal cycle as I run down the list of local and craft beers. Examples would be a lot of the Octoberfests coming out and the seasonal things by Magic Hat that are usually new. Secondly, I'm hoping to eventually get user input. I may one day need advice on what to try or if someone wants a beer revisited for a second opinion.
Along with this line of thought, I'll soon be introducing a guest author. He's a good friend of mine, Peter, who will occasionally be doing IPA reviews for me so they're a little more unbiased than if I were writing them myself. As I've said Two Hearted Ale and I aren't friends. Most IPAs I've had haven't agreed with me.
Bright the cheeks and warm the heart,
-NEO-BS
Storm King and Old Rasputin
This one's going to be a joint review because, to be honest, there's very little about Storm King and Old Rasputin that differ. Both of these beers, nearly twins, are Imperial Stouts. Old Rasputin's edge is that it is a Russian style Imperial Stout that, if you found the right one, is cask aged. These twin terrors are extremely angry beers and are only recommended to a very specific caliber of person or if someone's been cheating on you and you know 151 is a bad idea.
Stats:
Appearance - Both of these beers are incredibly dark, though Rasputin doesn't have the blackish tint that Guinness does. Storm King is definitely the darker of the two.
Smell - Both have an impressive aroma. There's a high odor of coffee and malt with a hint of oak that makes you feel like you're taking a walk on a crisp autumn morning in a fleece.
Taste - That being said, this is where the beer loses points from an objective perspective. It's hard to describe what I mean when I say a beer is angry, but if you ever try one, you'll understand. The aftereffect is basically what ends this beer. I drink my coffee black and strong, but even that doesn't compare to the aftertaste. It's a lot like Turkish coffee if you left out the sweeteners. The oak and rich, bitter coffee taste will stay with you in the beginning, but the end of it, it's almost as though some kind of sludge is involved. Rasputin doesn't do this quite as much as Storm King, it has more of a bite at the end.
Feel - This is one of these beers greatest assets. While the drinkability is lacking due to the shock {read on, you'll see}, these beers both have one of the most amazingly smooth feels that you'll ever find. Both are carbonated {obviously}, but you'd never know it from drinking one.
Drinkability - In the end, there's a superb amount of drinkability to this beer assuming it's not your first and your tongue is loosened up a bit. It's coffee flavor, heavy aroma, and smooth start will have you coming back {just probably not for a second one in a row}.
Drew's Ratings:
5 - Both of these beers are by far terminators. They should always be the last beer or the only thing you're drinking. There's a reason Old Rasputin only comes in a pack of 4. This lies under the subcategory of 5 where you had better already be at least tipsy when you consider finding this in your hands. Both are so overpowering that any other flavor you've ever known will be gone and lost.
AND
E - This is an excellent example of something I mentioned a few posts ago where my opinion will diverge from the beer's primary rating. While I do have to be in the right mood for an Imperial Stout, both hold a special place in my heart. It's almost as though someone distilled the anger out of a liquor above 100 proof and put it into a richer Guinness-like beer. When I've decided to drink a beer like this, I know what I'm getting into and honestly, I like it. The overall rating won't reflect this because it's a beer that is only something a guy like me would drink. There's nothing special about these beers from an impersonal perspective other than their uniqueness, but I can't help but enjoy it when it isn't the first thing I've had.
Overall: C+ -> B-
-> This rating is from an impersonal perspective, personally, it's closer to an A, A-.
Bright the cheeks and warm the heart,
-NEO-BS
After thought:
I'm not sure about Storm King, but for those of you who are also cooks, I have used OR as a cooking beer before. Don't ever, EVER use it for a batter, but if you like cooking off most of the water, this can be used with something spicy like Siracha and maybe a hint of brown sugar or vanilla if you're cooking with beef or sausage and using potatoes, onions, and garlic.
Stats:
Appearance - Both of these beers are incredibly dark, though Rasputin doesn't have the blackish tint that Guinness does. Storm King is definitely the darker of the two.
Smell - Both have an impressive aroma. There's a high odor of coffee and malt with a hint of oak that makes you feel like you're taking a walk on a crisp autumn morning in a fleece.
Taste - That being said, this is where the beer loses points from an objective perspective. It's hard to describe what I mean when I say a beer is angry, but if you ever try one, you'll understand. The aftereffect is basically what ends this beer. I drink my coffee black and strong, but even that doesn't compare to the aftertaste. It's a lot like Turkish coffee if you left out the sweeteners. The oak and rich, bitter coffee taste will stay with you in the beginning, but the end of it, it's almost as though some kind of sludge is involved. Rasputin doesn't do this quite as much as Storm King, it has more of a bite at the end.
Feel - This is one of these beers greatest assets. While the drinkability is lacking due to the shock {read on, you'll see}, these beers both have one of the most amazingly smooth feels that you'll ever find. Both are carbonated {obviously}, but you'd never know it from drinking one.
Drinkability - In the end, there's a superb amount of drinkability to this beer assuming it's not your first and your tongue is loosened up a bit. It's coffee flavor, heavy aroma, and smooth start will have you coming back {just probably not for a second one in a row}.
Drew's Ratings:
5 - Both of these beers are by far terminators. They should always be the last beer or the only thing you're drinking. There's a reason Old Rasputin only comes in a pack of 4. This lies under the subcategory of 5 where you had better already be at least tipsy when you consider finding this in your hands. Both are so overpowering that any other flavor you've ever known will be gone and lost.
AND
E - This is an excellent example of something I mentioned a few posts ago where my opinion will diverge from the beer's primary rating. While I do have to be in the right mood for an Imperial Stout, both hold a special place in my heart. It's almost as though someone distilled the anger out of a liquor above 100 proof and put it into a richer Guinness-like beer. When I've decided to drink a beer like this, I know what I'm getting into and honestly, I like it. The overall rating won't reflect this because it's a beer that is only something a guy like me would drink. There's nothing special about these beers from an impersonal perspective other than their uniqueness, but I can't help but enjoy it when it isn't the first thing I've had.
Overall: C+ -> B-
-> This rating is from an impersonal perspective, personally, it's closer to an A, A-.
Bright the cheeks and warm the heart,
-NEO-BS
After thought:
I'm not sure about Storm King, but for those of you who are also cooks, I have used OR as a cooking beer before. Don't ever, EVER use it for a batter, but if you like cooking off most of the water, this can be used with something spicy like Siracha and maybe a hint of brown sugar or vanilla if you're cooking with beef or sausage and using potatoes, onions, and garlic.
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