The 2-4 Beers of Christmas 2019 Day: 4 Bring Out The Imp, Alchemy Brewing Company

Beer # 504 Bring Out The Imp

Brewery: AlchemyBrewing Company


Type: Independent Brewery    Est.:  2012

Location: Edinburgh, Scotland, United Kingdom

Beer Style: Barrel Aged, Flavoured, Double Oatmeal Stout

ABV: 10.5%      IBU: ?

Format: Brown Glass Bottle  Size: 330 ml

Cost: $2.95 CAD     Purchased At: LCBO

 N/A

    @alchemybrewco

Day four of the #2-4BeersofChristmas brings me to a city that I loved when I visited it: Edinburgh. Despite one of the more epic hangovers of my early beer drinking career (Guinness hangovers suck... Yes I was drinking an Irish beer in a Scottish city, there were other beers too, hence the hangover) Edinburgh sticks out in my mind as a gorgeous historic city with a fun nightlife (see hangover earlier...) The craft beer movement really didn't start up until after I visited (I went for the whisky...) I would have loved to hit a few of the now famous Scottish craft brewers. Alchemy is one of the newer craft brewers in Edinburgh to gain attention. Started in 2012 they produce an interesting array of beers for all tastes. I had a tough time finding the website info for Alchemy as there are actually three (that I could find) Alchemy Brewing Companies. One is in Kamloops, British Columbia, Canada, one in Seattle, Washington, USA, and the last in Edinburgh. Alchemy in Scotland doesn't have an Instagram account and the twitter accounts for all three are almost identical. This is a double oatmeal imperial stout that was flavoured with Licorice and then aged in Côtes du Rhône wine barrels.

Onto our tasting:

Pours a slightly murky dark chestnut brown with a hint of a red tint. Pours a short off-tan head made up of tiny bubbles. The aroma is a malty liquorice all-sorts. Boozy and oaky with hints of red wine. The first sip is slightly syrupy with hot flashes of alcohol, molasses, and liquorice root. Lips are left quite sticky even after a few sips. Hints of roasted caramel. Aeration gives us a boozy, anisette and whiskey mix. Warming up the beer takes on an oatmeal sweetness mixed with molasses reminding me of horse feed.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  5/6 PASS
Experience: 5/6 PASS
Christmas Cheer 5/6 PASS


Final Thoughts:

This bottle actually took some age, I had bought it for a previous #2-4BeersofChristmas but didn't get around to it. I was not worried about the age as I was sure the high alcohol would protect it. I'm thinking that it even mellowed out a bit because I found the liquorice mild in comparison to the hefty malt flavours. Not really a fantastic beer but quite a decent one. I have checked and the beer is no longer being produced... so you will have to take my word for it.

Cheers

CJT

 Let's Stay "Social" Follow my adventures here

pintjockey

The Pint Jockey Online

@Pintjockey

And don't forget to "Friend" me on Untappd.

Double Russian Imperial Stouts By Innocente Brewing

A couple of Imperial stouts I picked up when I was in Waterloo and I felt it would be great for a side by side tasting.  Both of these stouts were aged in Tennessee Whiskey Barrels,  the first for 2 years and the second for 3. Let's get stuck in... 


Beer # 456 Until Proven Guilty  2015 Russian Imperial Stout

Brewery: Innocente Brewing Company



Type: Independent Microbrewery    Est.:  2014

Location: Waterloo, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: Imperial Stout Aged in Tennessee Whiskey Barrels

ABV: 11.9%      IBU: ?

Format: Bottle  Size: 500 ml

Cost: $11.95 CAD     Purchased At: The Brewery

Pours a super dark chestnut, almost black with a very dark tan head made up of small bubbles. Nose is creamy with hints of aged cheese. Large spike of alcohol smell with a warm note of whiskey wood and old leather. First sip is very dry wood with lots of smoky leather. It is a deep contemplative sipper, complex, warming, dusty and earthy. Takes a long time to open up. Hints of meatiness, smoky sausage, umami. Aeration brings out more woodiness, soy sauce and Worcestershire.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Beer Style: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL
Re-Order:  5/6 PASS

Experience: 6/6 EXCEPTIONAL











Beer # 457 Until Proven Guilty  2014 Russian Imperial Stout

Beer Style: Imperial Stout Aged in Tennessee Whiskey Barrels

ABV: 11.9%      IBU: ?

Format: Bottle  Size: 500 ml

Cost: $12.95 CAD     Purchased At: The Brewery

What a difference a year makes. 

The colour is the same, but the head is thinner. The nose is rich chocolate brandy and whiskey. Overwhelming, barrel influence, some corn, malt, molasses, and an almost medicinal nose. First sip is dry earthy and whiskey with hints of wood, fig and prune Taste is more closed than it's younger brother while the nose is wildly exciting. Some cooked and off notes with hints of oxidation. Aeration is hard, alcohol is very high but brings out a winey, grapey flavour with hints of caramel and tawny port.


Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  5/6 PASS
Experience: 5/6 PASS

Final Thoughts

Both are Excellent beers. The 2015 just edges out the 2014 in my opinion. I'm not sure if the extra year in wood oxidised the beer or what but there was just a certain something off about it. The aroma is fantastic but the body of the beer is just off somehow. Both are worth trying if there is any of the dwindling supply left.


Cheers

CJT

 Let's Stay "Social" Follow my adventures here

   @pintjockey




The Pintjockey Online


pintjockey

And don't forget to "Friend" me on Untappd.

Two Beers by Half hours on Earth

Beer # 451 Affection

Brewery: Half Hours on Earth Brewery


Type: Independent Microbrewery    Est.:  2016

Location: Seaforth, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: Aged Flavoured Farmhouse Ale

ABV: 7.0 %      IBU: ?

Format: Green Glass Bottle  Size: 375 ml

Cost: $12.00 CAD     Purchased At: The Brewery

halfhoursonearth

    @hhoebrewery

Two beers I brought back from Seaforth. The first one is an oak aged spelt farmhouse ale spiced with rosemary and sage. The second is a farmhouse saison blended with Revel Cider's Perry and aged in cider barrels. Onto our beer.

Cloudy light gold with a generous and slightly greyish off-white head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is tart and sour Brettanomyces with spicy notes of grain and toast. First sip is slightly sweet with strong grain notes. citrus and sage predominate with backgrounds of heady rosemary. Woody aromatic spices with hints of oak and vanilla.





Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 



Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  5/6 PASS
Experience: 6/6 Exceptional


Final Thoughts: richly complex beer with a lot going on. My first beer made from spelt. Hopefully not my last. This beer certainly nails home the reason why Half Hours is such a talked about brewery.



Beer # 452 Blueprint


Brewery: Half Hours on Earth Brewery


Type: Independent Microbrewery    Est.:  2016

Location: Bobcaygeon, Ontario, Canada

Beer Style: Farmhouse Saison aged in Cider barrels blended with Revel Perry

ABV: 4.5 %      IBU: ?

Format: Green Glass Bottle  Size: 375 ml

Cost: $11.00 CAD     Purchased At: The Brewery

Pours a cloudy gold with a fuzzy white head that doesn't last long. Nose is full of brett sour and citrus hints of apple and pear. An interesting and smooth blend of cider and beer.Tart acidic apples and pears good hint of sweetness mellowed by the barrel ageing and the funk of brett. Hints of smoke and oak near the finish. Aeration brings out a cheek-puckering malic acid. It is very light in mouthfeel and such an easy drinking beer.







Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 6/6 Exceptional
Re-Order:  5/6 PASS
Experience: 6/6 Exceptional


Final Thoughts: This is the sixth beer I've tasted from Half Hours, and the sixth beer I have been blown away by. Every beer is so light and airy, strong yet delicate. Full of flavour yet not exhausting. How they manage to balance everything is beyond me. I just hope they keep doing it! This beer, in particular, doesn't sound like it should work. Pear cider mixed with beer? Yes I know there are some pub concoctions using cider and Guinness etc. but This is a sour farmhouse it should work... But it does! I could drink this all day, and at 4.5 % ABV why not?


Cheers

CJT

 Let's Stay "Social" Follow my adventures here

   @pintjockey




The Pintjockey Online


pintjockey

And don't forget to "Friend" me on Untappd.

The 2-4 Beers of Christmas Day 2 Stack Brewing Smoke N' Oak

Beer # 250 Smoke N' Oak

Stack Brewing Company

Sudbury, Ontario, Canada
Independent Microbrewery
Barrel Aged Smoked Ale 5.5% ABV 
Aluminum Can 473ml
$3.50 (Canadian) At The Brewery

Twitter: @Stackbrewing

Back for day 2 of the 2-4 Beers of Christmas. I have been sitting on this beer for a little while, from my last trip to Sudbury, but I think it is a perfect time to break it out. It is a barrel aged smoked red ale.



Let's get into it.

Pours a caramel/dark chestnut with a fairly thin, off-tan  head made of tiny bubbles. The nose is loaded with bacon, hickory, and dark rye bread. Light in body but there is plenty of caramel and roasted malt to keep you interested. Certainly one of the lightest smoked beers I have tried. It just makes me crave bacon. Very fruity with hints of vanilla and bubblegum. Aeration gives us a slightly creamy feeling with lots of fruit and caramel, and a light campfire.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 5/6 PASS
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  5/6  PASS
Experience:  5/6 PASS
Christmas Cheer:  5/6 PASS

Final Thoughts:

Quite a good beer, light fruity and still smoky. I would love to eat this with a nice deli sandwich or I would love to marinate some meat with it with some nice smoked paprika.CJT


Follow me on Twitter: @pintjockey
Like me on Facebook: Pint Jockey Online

And don't forget to "Friend" me on Untappd.

The 2-4 Beers of Christmas Day 1: Sawdust City's Winewood Series # 2 Foma

Beer # 247 FOMA

Sawdust City Brewing Company

Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada
Independent Microbrewery
Barrel Aged Flavoured blend of Session and Berliner Weiss 
4.2 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 750 ml
$13.95 (Canadian) At the brewery

Twitter: @sawdustcitybeer


The first beer of our 2-4 Days of Christmas is another Sawdust City offering Just like last year we started with Sawdust's Winding Road for 7 KM. But this year we sample the second edition of their Barrel Aged Selections: The Winewood Series. Winewood is a street that is near the brewery and is of course a double entendre for the wooden wine barrels used in the ageing. This is a blend of two beers a Session and a berliner Weiss that have been barrel aged and flavoured with peach, lemon zest and pink peppercorns.

Onto the tasting...

Pours a very light gold with a slight haze to it. Super fluffy white head made up of small to medium bubbles. The aroma is lemons and peppers with a hint of sour. First sip is light and fruity with a hint of sourness. Some citrus, grapefruit and a light woody caramel. Some breadiness with a light peach sweetness. Aeration gives us a citrus sweet roasted grain. Some bitterness and a touch of astringency, slightly unbalanced.

Impressions: Fail, So-so, Pass, Exceptional 


Cost: 3/6 SO-SO
Colour: 5/6 PASS
Beer Style: 5/6 PASS
Re-Order:  4/6  PASS
Experience:  4/6 PASS
Christmas Cheer:  4/6 PASS

Final Thoughts:

I can't say I was as entranced with this beer as I was the first Winewood Series, the 1606. generally smooth overall and a nice flavour I would get a break of astringency every now and then which killed the flavour of the beer. otherwise it was a nice beer.
CJT


Follow me on Twitter: @pintjockey
Like me on Facebook: Pint Jockey Online

And don't forget to "Friend" me on Untappd.

Cleaning out the Cupboards

Back Again.... did you miss me?

After a long drawn out and somewhat tiresome summer (that dragged over into fall...) I return to my blog to hang my head in shame as I have not paid it much mind recently. This is actually a big month here at Pint Jockey Headquarters. Five years ago this Sunday (November 8th) is the fifth anniversary of my first post. Sadly I often miss my own anniversaries because of being busy at work... being a chef we start into Christmas parties right about now. However this year I plan on celebrating... with a beer or two and a few posts to boot. However, That being said I have to clear off my desktop and post a few beers I tasted but never managed to finish posting. So here is a a quick three teaser of some of the summer beers I tried to write about for you...

Beer # 240 Panache

Stack Brewing Company

Sudbury, Ontario, Canada

Independent Microbrewery

Twitter: @Stackbrewing

Cedar aged American Pale Ale 
4.5% ABV Aluminum Can 473 ml (16 oz).
$3.00 (Canadian) At The Brewery

Back again with another craft beer from Stack Brewing in Sudbury Ontario. Sadly when I picked these up I didn't get much information on them


Pours a slightly hazy dark gold with an off-tan head made up of tiny to small bubbles. Aroma is woody, mossy, grassy, and slightly fruity. Some pineapple is evident. First sip is very light, drinks like a session APA. some fruit, mostly tropical, pineapple and bitter orange. Cedar is an underscoring note light and refreshing on the back of the palate. Aeration warms up the cedar giving it a bit more of a sawdust smell, some resinous hops and a long finish of bitter orange peel.


Impression: A Solid 5/6 

Lovely little beer. Cedar works very well with beer, especially the APAs.









Beer # 241 1606 Winewood Series Barrel Aged Stout

Sawdust City Brewing Company
Gravenhurst, Ontario, Canada

Independent Microbrewery

Barrel Aged Raspberry Stout
5.7 % ABV Brown Glass Bottle 750 ml
$12.95 (Canadian) At the brewery

Twitter @SawdustCityBeer

pours a very dark brown with slight hints of red and chestnut. The head is dark tan and made of very fine bubbles. The Aroma is leather and wood, some cedar, red fruit, and slightly molasses sweet. First sip is smoky sweet with lots of oak, sweet berries, slightly tart, some cranberry. Some tobacco, raisins, and coacoa powder. Aerations gives us a slight whisky nose, with some grapey astringency. Mouthfeel is cream












Impression:   6/6 

Hands down this was the beer of the summer. After ageing for 10 months in wine barrels with the periodic addition of fresh raspberries, this beer was a flavour bomb, but very easy drinking. I could sit all night and slowly sip a pint of this.



Beer # 242 Revenge of the Ginger IPA

Double Trouble Brewing
Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Independent Microbrewery

Flavoured IPA (Australian Pale Ale)
6.2 % ABV Aluminum Can 473 ml
$3.00 (Canadian) At the LCBO

Twitter: @HopsandRobbers


Pours a red tinted clear amber with an off white head made up of small bubbles. Aroma is fresh ginger, or Jamaican Ginger beer, sharp and citrusy. Rich malt in the background. First sip starts out like a ginger beer, some zing which calms down into a malty robust IPA. Some elements of a red ale especially in the malt profile. Some caramelisation, some residual sugars. The gingerol gives a pleasant tingly mouth numbing feel, and the herbaceous hops lend a nice bitter green taste to counteract the heat of the ginger and the sweet of the malt. Aeration gives off a warmth that fills the body, there is some grassiness, and some hay. The finish is earthy, mineral, and slightly sticky on the lips.

Impression: 5/6

Not a beer I would drink often but a good flavour profile nonetheless. I would actually like to cook this this. It screams beer butt chicken to me...



























There you go... I am caught up again it is time to move forward. A new year dawns here at Headquarters let's see what new beers await.

Cheers
CJT

Follow me on Twitter: @pintjockey
Like me on Facebook: Pint Jockey Online

And don't forget to "Friend" me on Untappd.