Whoa Nelly, Big Bad Beer Post

I've tried to make a habit of recording the different beers I've been trying (as well as my thoughts/reactions). I've sorta fell behind the last week or so, but this should include most of the stuff I've tasted recently (starting with the most recent)...

Oh, and just a sidenote, I'm going to stop linking to pictures of the bottles. It's a pain in the ass to get the formatting right and most of the pictures look frickin' grainy anway.


Arrogant Bastard Ale
I'm enjoying this little slice of heaven as I type this. The bottle is covered with warnings about how I probably won't like it and to stick with "fizzy yellow beer". This being the second time I've tasted it (the first time I was much less concerned with actually tasting it), I sort of already knew what I was in for, as far as the intensity. This beer is definitely not for the faint of heart, I assure you. At times, it's even a bit much for my pseudo-trained palate to fully appreciate. Very strong hoppy aroma with slight hints of citrus and oak. A bitter suprise at first, but the bitterness subsides (a little) to reveal more of what the aroma advertised - notes of lemon and a subtle oaky flavor. The hoppy bitterness really stays with you after you swallow and the citrus sparkles. One word of advice - sip this one.

Erdinger Weissbier
Tom brought this over the other night. I'm starting to think the reason I don't generally like hefeweizen is that I just haven't been trying the right ones. This was (of the few I have tasted) the best hef I've had thusfar. Sweet and creamy with a light, lemony flavor. This one pretty much convinced me to be a bit more open to other wheat beers.

McEwans India Pale Ale
Boring, tasted like Newcastle with a side order of ass. Maybe we got a bad batch. Anybody got a hef?

Fullers Vintage 2005
(To be fair, I only sipped this a couple times). Way fruitier than I was expecting, this one had a very perfume-like aroma and grape flavors with a tart finish. I actually commented to Joana that it tasted very slightly like wine. Came in a cool box, but I probably wouldn't buy it.

Birra Moretti La Rossa
Hard to believe that this is the same joint that brews that Dutch Swill known as Heiniken, but for an italian beer (and I've only had a few), this one seemed much more full-bodied than the others I've had. Slightly sweet, hoppy aroma with hints of what smelled like oak. The first sip was hoppy with subtle (but not really identifiable) fruity flavors. Clean finish with little aftertaste.

Samuel Smith's Winter Welcome Ale
Chris brought this over last week. Had the typical darkness/boldness of a winter brew, but with a strangely sweet aroma and aftertaste. Very nutty flavor, almost overpoweringly so at times. Halfway through, my palete was such a mess I felt like I'd had half hoppy IPA and half pancake syrup. I'll probably avoid this one in the future.

And, whilst Chris and I drove around pickup some of these fine beverages, we happened upon a magnum bottle of Double Bastard Ale for $60. Needless to say, if there are 5-6 of you out there willing to make the drive to my place, we'll definitely make an evening of it...

Oh, and I also picked up a small Sam Adams Triple Bock, brewed in 1995 (don't let the date fool you, apparently it's still fairly easy to come across). The bottle is small, but so are the recommended servings. Maybe around Christmas time I'll open this guy up.

Tune in next time when I drink more.