Beer 365 47/365 Brooklyner-Schneider Hopfen-Weisse

Beer 365 47/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- #47 Brooklyner-Schneider Hopfen-Weisse
I am truly sad at this moment. As I type these words I am savoring the final sip of this fantastic brew. Pours a hazy golden color with thick white head. Banana, spice (clove), a hint of citrus...very inviting. Light in the mouth with nice liveliness. Very intricate flavors, leads off with traditional banana, followed by nice spice and a hoppy finish. This is one that I will return to again before the 3-6-5 project is over. (7.8% ABV)

Beer 365 46/365 Ithaca "Ten"

Beer 365 46/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- #46 Ithaca "Ten"
Dark hazy brown with thick creamy off-white head. A nose that will get your attention. Very rich and decadent, sweet citrus with pine notes, raisins? brown sugar, fruit cake?. Like I said, rich and decadent. A flavor profile to mach the nose, this is not a subtle delicate beer. Big malt sweetness (a tad cloying), nice hops presence, you taste what is on the nose. Warming finish that stays with you. This could be a case of more is not always better. (10% ABV)

Saturday In Store 5/30/09

Saturday In Store 5/30/09, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365 45/365 Birra Moretti

Beer 365 45/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- #45 Birra Moretti Hmmm?... Well, my daughter had her dance recital practice tonight so the whole family went for pizza afterward. Why can't pizza places serve good beer? I settled for a Moretti instead of a Peroni or Coors light. Clear pale yellow in color. Slightly soapy nose (I would image from the glass). Quite bubbly, sort of like soda. Not much flavor, hints of malt and hops but basically flavorless. Luckily the pizza was better. (4.6% ABV)

Beer 365 44/365 Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Fresh Hop Ale

Beer 365 44/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- #44 Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Fresh Hop Ale
Nice copper color with thick creamy off white head. Nice hoppy nose, pine/citrus with hints of malt peeking through. Awesome balance of semi-sweet caramel malt and spicy dry hops. Great lingering bitter finish. Very drinkable. (6.7% ABV)

Beer 365 43/365 Capt Lawrence Xtra Gold

Beer 365 43/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- #43 Capt Lawrence Xtra Gold Tripel Ale
Big beer needs a big glass... Hazy golden amber color, very active, loads of tiny bubbles streaming upward to maintain the thick head. Orange peel mixed with apricot with a splash of alcohol on the nose. Creamy but zippy mouth feel. Rich dense semi sweet honey notes mingle with crisp subtle dry hops, crisp lasting finish. This beer is extremely drinkable and at 10% abv that spells T-R-O-U-B-L-E.

Beer 365 42/365 Brooklyn Local 2

Beer 365 42/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365 42/365

Beer 365- #42 Brooklyn Local 2
I Love This Beer! Enough zip in the bottle that the cork actually pops when you take it out. Lovely dark brown color with nice off-white head that lasts. Sweetness and warmth... raisins, dates, brown sugar, clove, citrus peel, honey are all noticeable on the nose. Very lively in the mouth. Rich and warming flavors, sweet malt with hints of cinnamon, dry spicy finish that make you want to take another sip. I repeat...I Love This Beer! (8.7% ABV)

Beer 365 41/365 Westmalle Dubbel

Beer 365 41/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- #41 Westmalle Trappist Dubbel
Cloudy brown with a thick head that quickly recedes. Floral/fruity nose, some nice candied malt their as well. Somewhat still in the mouth, I expected more liveliness. Sweet malt with with intermingled fruit, bannana the most noticeable, spice pops up near the nice lingering dry finish. I've had this beer before and fear this bottle was a little off, just not as crisp and lively as I remember. all the reason to try another bottle! (6.5% ABV)

Beer 365 40/365 Oskar Blues Dale's Pale

Beer 365 40/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- #40 Oskar Blues Dale's Pale Ale
I really wanted to like this ale. I love the fact that Oskar Blues cans instead of bottling. Since I didn't care for their Old Chub I thought perhaps I could support them by enjoying this beer. Pours a dark rusty amber color with thick white head that quickly disappears. Hints of citrus buried in sweet malt on the nose. Not much in the way of fruit on the palate, just syrupy sweet malt quickly followed by over the top metallic hppiness. I have another in the fridge, perhaps my taste buds were off, I'll try another and report back. (6.5% ABV)

Beer 365 39/365 Plam Amber Ale

Beer 365 39/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- #39 Palm Belgian Amber Ale
The company that imports this ale (Latis) is based in the town that I grew up in so I've been enjoying it from day 1. This beer is all about balance and mass appeal. Nice semi-sweet nose of citrus/malt. Clean amber color, medium bodied mouth feel. Mild sweet malt flavors that aren't over the top, mild clean appealing finish. This is a beer that you can enjoy with friends that have varied tastes, and everyone will end up being happy! (5.4% ABV)

Beer 365 38/365 Kasteel Rouge

Beer 365 38/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- #38 Kasteel Rouge
I'm not much for fruit beers but this one is different, at least for me.
This Belgian ale is brewed with cherries then they add a little cherry juice for good measure.
As you would expect this ale has a distinct reddish hue and an aroma of fresh cherries. The flavor is rich and dense with again cherry being the predominant flavor, hints of cinnamon and spice peak through so that the cherry isn't overwhelming. The beer is very refreshing and my personal choice when I serve spicy ribs off the grill. (8% ABV)

Beer 365 37/365 Harviestoun Ola Dubh 12 yr.

Beer 365 37/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- #365 Harviestoun Ola Dubh 12 yr.
This is a collaboration between Harviestoun Brewery and Highland Park Distillery. It is Harviestoun's Old Engine Oil aged in casks that formerly held Highland Park Scotch. Pours a dense black with little head. Huge nose of sweet licorice, tootsie roll, damp ash (imagine a camp put out with water). Not as heavy in the mouth as one would expect. Loads of sweet malt, mixed with hints of smoke and peat, slightly bitter hopped finish. Wonderful experience but I tired of it after only half a glass. (8% ABV)

Beer 365 36/365 Oskar Blues Old Chub

Beer 365 36/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- #36 365 Oskar Blues Brewery Old Chub Scottish Style Ale

Scottish Style Ale... out of a can! I know, I know... a can is a better vessel for beer than a bottle...less air, no light and they line the cans now so no aluminum taste.
Dark cola in color, throws a dirty white head. Strong intricate nose of sweetness, candied malt, spice, Dr pepper, Jager?... Rich dense complicated flavors. Sweetness is what I notice the most. Loads of black licorice, way too sweet for my taste. This not a subtle beer by any means. I could split one with a friend, just for conversation. Couldn't dream of a session with this one. (almost forgot... 8.0% ABV)

Beer 365 35/365 Ommegang Ommegeddon

Beer 365 35/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- #35 365 Ommegang Ommegeddon

Well it finally happened. I put my daughter's toys in one of my beer images. I new it was going to happen. I just thought it would be later down the road. Look out Dora, here I come!
The label says this is a Funkhouse Ale, I can only assume it's a play off of Farm House Ale?
This pours to a hazy golden straw color with a thin white head. The nose is a yeasty funk with hints of sour fruit and wet hay. The mouth is somewhat dense, it's reactive and creamy at the same time. This has the frame of a triple with slight sourness and dry bitterness tacked to it for good measure. This is another case of intriguing more than enjoyable. I'm not sure if this is going to cycle back into rotation after the 365 is done. (8% ABV)

Beer 365 34/365

Beer 365 34/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- #34 Southern Tier IPA

I avoided this beer for a while simply because of the label. The somewhat cartoonist look didn't appeal to me. I finally picked up a six a month ago and was pleasantly surprised by this quality IPA. Clear dark golden color, nice citrus notes on the nose, prefect fruit to hop balance on the palate. This is my new session IPA! (6.5% ABV)

Beer 365 33/365 JP Bam Noir

Beer 365 32/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- #33 365 Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales Bam Noir

I was turned on to this brewery by a friend and have been intrigued by their ales ever since. Dark rust brown in color. Funky complex/complicated nose of wet hay, vinegar, cider vinegar to be exact. Thin feel in the mouth. Sour flavor with some medicinal characteristics, bitter lingering finish and after taste. This ale is not for everyone....I find it more intriguing than enjoyable. (4.3% ABV)

Beer 365 32/365 Long Trail Coffee Stout

Beer 365 32/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- #32 Long Trail Brewmaster Coffee Stout Dense and really thick, you have to pour it as harshly as possible to get a head. Slight hints of mocha on the nose. Thick creamy mouth with loads of bitter smokey flavor.
Not sure where the coffee is, it must be there because it's on the label but it's tough to find on the palate. (8 % ABV)

Saturday In Store 5/16/09

Saturday In Store 5/16/09, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

2006 Rollin HCB Bourgogne

2006 Rollin HCB Bourgogne, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

2006 Domaine Rollin Bourgogne Hautes-Cotes de Beaune Rouge

This 2006 Burgundy just hit the shelves and it reflects that in the glass. This wine is all about showing off it's youthful vibrancy. Sweet strawberries mingle with alcohol on the nose. In the mouth this light bodied red is all about the tart zippy fruit, bright red sour cherries over power any earth and spice that there might be. Don't get me wrong this is going t be a fantastic red, it just needs bit more time to grow up.~Mitch

Wild Wild Wild Bourgogne Rouge! 2006 was a year of extremes for growers and winemakers in Burgundy. The winter was extremely cold and the summer was extremely hot. Needless to say it was a challenging vintage in the region, this is when winemakers are tested. I think great producers can make exceptional wines in tough vintages and in my opinion Domaine Rollin is a great producer. I call this a wild burgundy because it literally arrived from France last week , and I think the wine is a little shocked. The color is deep red with very ripe berry aromas on the nose hints of a vegetable and roasted toasty components sneak through as well, a bit rustic. Loads of fruit on the palate, vibrant cherries show off the wine's youth. Fleshy tannins and a good amount of acidity form the framing. I agree with Mitch 100% , with some time this wine will show more elegance and a more feminine side.~Dan

Beer 365 31/365 Hooker Watermelon Ale

Beer 365 31/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365 31/365

Beer 365- #31 Thomas Hooker Watermelon Ale.

I new right off the bat that I wouldn't like this beer. Why drink it you ask? Well, because I wanted to try to figure out who would like it. First off the beer pours a rusty orange color and smells just like a watermelon Jolly Rancher. The mouth feel is light and crisp. The flavor is straight up sweet watermelon that at first sip isn't all that bad, half way through the beer you want it to just go away. This beer is perfect for the non-beer drinker, the person that drinks Mike's Hard whatever. Dare I say it... this is a chic beer. (4.5% ABV)

Beer 365 30/365 Lagunitas IPA

Beer 365 30/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- #30 Lagunitas IPA
Clear copper color, mild nose of pineapple, Somewhat flat in the mouth, not more bitter hops than fruit, a bit out of balance. I've had this many times before, this bottle seems a little off. I'll try another...(5.7% ABV)

Beer 365 29/365 Rogue American Amber Ale

Beer 365 29/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- #29 Rogue American Amber Ale
Slightly hazy amber color, Nice clean nose of fruit, light in the mouth with good balance between fruit and hops flavor. Nice quencher bitter finish. Quite drinkable. (5.6%)

Beer 365 28/365 Dogfish Head IBA

Beer 365 28/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- #28 Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale

I've had this many times before. Seem a bit different this time around, more brown less Indian ale. Dark brown in the glass, think cola. Light herbaceous nose, think Jager. Dense creaminess in the mouth but medium bodied, nice active spritz on the tongue. Dark malt flavors, very roasted, hints of coffee, mocha. Short finish but lingering aftertaste. Much more porter-esque than what I remember, still very good. (7.2% ABV)

Beer 365 27/365 Smuttynose Old Brown Dog

Beer 365 27/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- Beer #27 Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale

I first enjoyed this beer while camping in NH. Went there to get a tattoo, ah youth. Great big brown, dense and dark in color but light a nimble in the mouth. Rich maltiness that is semi sweet, a roundness that is enjoyable. Long lingering finish. I think I'll skip the tattoo this time. (5.7% ABV)

Beer 365 26/365 Kona Fire Rock Pale Ale

Beer 365 26/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- Beer #26 Kona Fire Rock Pale Ale

Enjoyed this pale ale while at my Mom's this past Sunday (Mother's day, hence the card and flowers)
Nice light drinkable pale ale. Nothing to write home about but it would be a great session ale. (5.8% ABV)

Beer 365 25/365 Farmington River Mahogany Ale

Beer 365 25/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- Beer #25 Farmington River Brewing Mahogany Ale

One of those beers that I really enjoy, but rarely drink for some reason. Beautiful dark brown color. Great malt nose. Silky soft malt flavors that aren't too sweet and cloying. Enjoyable clean finish. I need to remember to drink this more often. (?% ABV)

Arnoux In Wonderland

Arnoux In Wonderland, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

2005 Dom Robert Arnoux Pinot Fin Bourgogne

Dense, slightly hazy, garnet red color. Intricate nose of fresh cherries and damp earth. Wonderfully thick, viscous mouth feel. Complex flavor, hints of spice, earth and leather layered over sweet candied cherries. Long lingering dry finish. I tried this wine over a three hour period. It was slightly one dimensional (fruit) at first, but with time it opened and became very complex. All in all a beautiful wine now that will only get better with more time.

Saturday In Store Tasting 5-9-09

Saturday Tasting

Beer 365 24/365 Boulder Mojo IPA

Beer 365 24/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- Beer #24 Boulder Beer Co. Mojo IPA

Didn't think that this was going to be very good based solely on it's label. Guess you can't judge a beer by it's label. Nice floral aroma, slightly hazy gold color. Refreshing liveliness in the mouth and wonderful malt/hop balance. (Man am I going bald...time to shave the noggin!) (7.0% ABV)

4 Fantastic Finds!

Sample Tasting, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Sample Tasting

It's a difficult job but somebody has to do it. Thursday is our sample day. Vendors stop by with new wines that they would like us to carry. We taste though the wines and make our selections. This week we waded through 30 or so wines and came away with 4 winners that will be added to our selection ASAP.~Mitch

2007 Albet i Noya Old Vine Xarel-Lo (organic)

Spanish (Penedes) 100% Xarel-Lo- Clear Light straw color, aromas of almond, cream, lemon. Very crisp and lively on the tongue, clean pure citrus flavors, slightly sour refreshing finish. Perfect with light seafood fare.~Mitch

2007 Dom De Pellehaut

French (Cotes De Gasconge)- Clear light straw color with hints of green, clean minimalistic nose of lime and bread. Crisp lemon and lime, zingy and zippy. Inviting slightly bitter finish. Warm weather thirst quencher.~Mitch

2003 Domaine de Murmurium Cotes du Ventoux Cuvee Opera

Ok. Baby Chateauneuf du Pape, this wine is impresive.... very dense and intricate, pretty full bodied syrah-grenache blend wine that makes me scratch my head wondering if this indeed is just a Cote du Ventoux, delicious wine.~Dan

Beer 365 23/365 Harpoon UFO Raspberry Hefe

Beer 365 23/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- Beer #23 Harpoon UFO Raspberry Hefeweizen
Had this shot in mind and chose the beer to fit the shot. Didn't think I was going to enjoy it at all. I was pleasantly surprised. The sweet raspberry flavors were somewhat subtle. The Hefe was a clean frame to hang the refreshing fruit on. In the heat of the Summer I will definitely revisit this beer. (5.0% ABV)

Beer 365 22/365 Red Hook Long Hammer IPA

Beer 365 22/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- Beer #22 Red Hook Long Hammer IPA
Hmmm... First the beer. The nose had a faint fruitiness, the flavors were weak at best. Hints of sweet malt, hops bitterness that was one dimensional. Not terrible tasting, but just no an IPA. (6.5% ABV)

Beer 365 21/365 Pike Place IPA

Beer 365 21/365
Originally uploaded by mitchancona
Beer 365- Beer #21 Pike Place IPA

I really enjoyed this IPA. Very traditional in style. Thinner (lighter in body) than many of the newer IPAs on the market, malt sweetness is underlying, hops command your attention but don't assault your tongue, great citrus notes on both the nose and palate. nice clean hop driven finish. (6.3% ABV)

Uploaded by mitchancona on 6 May 09, 1.56PM PDT.

Beer 365 20/365 Hooker IPA

Beer 365 20/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- Beer #20 Thomas Hooker IPA.
I love IPAs, probably my favorite of all styles. Once poured this beer didn't look like an IPA, it looked more like a brown. Flavor wise it lacked the hops that I would expect. I didn't mind the flavors, just not true to the style.

Had another bottle tonight. Started to grow on me a bit. The mega malt seemed further back in the palate. The hops came through a little stronger in the finish. Not stellar but enjoyable. (6.5% ABV)

Fourrier Gevery-Chambertin Les Goulots 2005

Beer 365 19/365 Sam Adams LongShot Cran Wit

Beer 365 19/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- Beer #19 Sam Adam's "LongShot" Cranberry Wit...
Hmmm... My Mom always said, "If you don't have anything nice to say..."
Well.... I will say this, it wasn't awful, just not what I wanted at that moment in time. Perhaps on a sunny Fall day this beer would hit the spot. The added flavors are very subtle, which is a good thing... actually all the flavors of this beer are subtle, almost non-existent. Oh well, I have another bottle of this in the fridge, perhaps that one will hit the spot. (5% ABV)

In Store Tasting, Saturday May 2nd

Altovinum Evodia Calatayud 750ml 2007

"This is one of the reasons I love Garnacha ‘Aka Grenache’ so much, it’s so versatile…in this case this 100% Old Vine Garnacha comes from the village of Atea in the Calatayud region of Northeast Spain. This wine doesn’t see any wood, which allows for the bold yet extremely bright fruit flavors to come out. I detected juicy, red berries with a bit of spiciness and little to no tannins on the finish. A true valued wine, something to drink with anything off the grill."~Dan

"It took a little time for this wine to come around, about an hour into the tasting the wine had really hit it's stride. Nice fruit up front, enjoyable spice driven mid palate and a soft finish. The will be my go to wine the next time I have burgers off the grill."~Mitch

Sable d'Azur Rose 750ml 2008

"Best of Tasting, This Cotes de Provence has an absolutely gorgeous color a luminous peach pink color. The nose and the taste is pure under-ripe strawberry. Although it is a Cotes de Provence rose, it doesn’t feature crazy herbal notes or heavy minerality, the Wine finishes dry with crisp acidity and a hint of minerality, a great introduction to Provencal Rose, and a wonderful way to kick off the summer. "~Dan

"I agree, this was the best of the bunch. Wonderful freshness, subtle intricate flavors and a finish that beckoned you to take another sip. This is a fantastic Summer sipper. I'm sure I'll enjoy many bottles of this wine with friends over the next several months."~Mitch

Thorn-Clarke Chardonnay Eden Valley Terra Barossa Single Vineyard 750ml 2007

"This Barossa Chardonnay showcased toasty aromas of buttercream, apples, roasted almonds, on the palate the wine is medium-to-full with a fair amount of creaminess. The wine finishes crisp and refreshing, a very well balanced wine."~(Dan)

"This wine is all about balance. Half the juice sees time in oak the other half does not. Great fruit and crisp acidity balanced by wonderful hints of toasty oak."~Mitch

Beer 365 18/365 Chouffe Houblon

Beer 365 18/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- Beer #18 Chouffe Houblon

I've always been a big fan of Chouffe ales. This one is my favorite of the bunch. The head on this beer is so thick you can literally eat it with a spoon. I'm guessing that this beer was created solely for the American consumer. It's a cross betwen a Triple and an IPA. What you get is this wonderfully rich ale that has fulderfully intergrated hops characteristics. A tru treat! (9.0% ABV)

Beer 365 17/365 Mc Chouffe Brown Ale

Beer 365 17/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- Beer #17 Mc Chouffe Brown Ale

Normally wonderful, I fear that this bottle was slightly off. Normally the beer should be quite reactive when poured into a glass. I had to force a head to appear with this one. The flavors were all there, rich sweet raisins and dates smothered in spice, mostly hidden hops peak out near the yeasty finish. I look forward to trying this again to see if the bottle was indeed slightly off. (8.0% ABV)

Beer 365 16/365 Sam Adams Longshot Double IPA

Beer 365 16/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- Beer #16 Sam Adams "LongShot" Double IPA
Over the past couple of nights I've come to the conclusion that this project will have good nights and difficult nights. This was literally a 5 minute shot (as it looks), pizza was getting cold and the beer was getting warm... priorities.
The beer was OK, I drank it opposed to enjoying it. I have another bottle kicking around so I'll try it again and report back. (9.6% ABV)

Beer 365 15/365 Berkshire Miabock

Beer 365 15/365, originally uploaded by mitchancona.

Beer 365- Beer #15 Berkshire Miabock lager.

I love almost all of the Berkshire line. This is one that forces me to say almost. Not a huge Maibock fan. Way too sweet and cloying, I get a headache just thinking about it. I don't think it is any fault of Berkshire, I think it is true to the style, just not my favorite style! (6.5% ABV)