CoCoNut Porter

Brethen,

I have found a new beer and it comes from a can! Last night, I stopped by the local grocer and had a taste for the unique. I eschewed IPAs and dark lagers. I wanted creamy and smooth with a rich taste.

I grabbed a can of CoCoNut Porter by Maui Brewing Co. in an act of faith that the Gods of Beer would place a wonderful concoction inside the can.

The beer was robust. Creamy and smooth with a magnificent head. It had a hint of chocolate and coconut. It was a subtle beer: Not heavy, not too light. I could have well more than the 12 ounce can.

At 5.7 ABV, it was a nice treat on a Monday night.

Try It!

Cheers,

RD

MacTarnahan's Ale

CBS Tasting feat. Zak Davis

From the lecturn of Brother B:

Brother D and I got to meet the Church of Beer's now infamous lurker from Shmaltz brewing, Zak Davis last night at Corvallis Brewing Supply (link: http://www.brewbeer.cc/ ) at a tasting held by CBS owner Joel Rea.

It was a pleasure to meet you in person, Zak, your enthusiasm for the craft is top notch and a credit to your position at Shmaltz. <- meant for a cut and paste into your online CV.

Enough blathering about Zak and onto beer...Zak brought with him the perinneal favorites from Shmaltz including an updated version of Coney Island Albino Python that surpassed the last bottle RD and I tried last year. Seems that they have been doing a little tweaking of the process to refine it. The hint of sour that was present (but not unpleasant) in the last tasting seemed to have been caused by unintended fermination issues. If you like Belgian Wheats, give this a try for some variety. I will not hesitate to pick it up again.

For the new offering of the day, Zak brought Coney Island Human Blockhead. It has all of the malt characters that I have come to expect from a Shmaltz offering with a wonderful rider of hops weaving in and out of the malt flavors underlying it. Red in color with a clean finish that kept me trying to figure out how something so malty and hoppy wouldn't end up building in your mouth.

Brilliant again guys, your ability to use Lager yeasts against heavy beers continues to amaze.

Amen,

Brother B

Pale and Black

Had a long weekend and got a chance to enjoy some beers.

Classic Pale Ale from Whistler Brewing Company. I had it recommended after talking to local beer store employee about how I don't like a few beers because of the water (rogue and stone). I tried the pale, because they did not have the stout in. I am not a huge pale fan, reminds me Macro-macro beers. This was a beer I enjoyed while assembling some shelves. It was crisp and clean. I did enjoy the smoothness of the beer. As promised no weird water flavor, made with glacier water, which was refreshing. No stinky beer smell, but no real hop smell either, but it is a pale. I would recommend it and wish to try there stout.

Imperial Iniquity Black Ale from Southern Tier Brewing Company. Having enjoyed several black ales lately, I scooped this out of the cooler. Not reading the label, (this is beer drinking not homework). It was an Imperial Black 9% and it was made in New York. Having little success with east coast breweries, i was hesitant at first. This is a 9% hair on your chest beer, which I found to be the problem. This might be a good black ale, but the imperial part I think ruined it a little. There is a hint of roast that enticed me, but there was the 9% chasing it. Take a drink and you again are teased with a great flavor and then chased by 9%. That is all i could real taste. Don't get me wrong I do like strong beers (the abyss), it just seemed wrong. not recommended.

Which made me want to brew a black ale, now to find a recipe. Any suggestions?

Beer Tasting

So I finally had time to sit down and taste all of the beers brought to me by friends and family. I shared them with friends over a bit of pizza.

1- August Schell's Pale Ale= a nice safe drinkable beer. a light color beer. suited more drinkability, rather any skill of making a beer. i have low expectations for pale. it had no aroma. i would drink it if no other of my favorites were around. not something i would buy regularly, but wouldn't look down on it either.

2- August Schell's Stout - a good beer, although as discussed with friends, it supports the theory that east coast breweries have a lot to learn about beer. It was well made and beat most of the east coast stouts I have tasted. But still not strong, still no roast/dark flavor, which west coast breweries have spoiled me with. the black ale was better flavored beer.

3- Grand Teton Brewing Black Cauldron Imperial Stout- This beer starts off sharp and bitter and then slides off into a great after taste. It's alcohol is at a perfect level 8%. The problem is the first taste and the second taste don't fit each other. Almost like they hadn't "tuned" the recipe enough.

4-Mactarnahan's Goose Bump- Imperial Stout w/coffee= this is a beer that punches you in the face with flavor and alcohol. it is strong. i found myself put off by it after opening, but was engaged with something else and kept drinking. finding out that i enjoyed it after it overwhelmed my tongue and i had finished the 22.

5-Laughing Dog's Alpha Dog Imperial IPA- a good made beer. overpowering with it's hoppyness. i am barely an IPA fan and to drink an Imperial (it is close having a
Coors Light fan and drink an Old Rasputin). I loved the cloudiness and aroma of the hops, but just not the assault of hop flavor.

6-10 Barrel Brewing - Sinister Black Ale- The surprise of the tasting. A black ale with tons of mellow rich flavor, not overpowered by "beery" flavor, not bitter, not sour and very drinkable. a good solid aroma.

honorable mention
chris's homebrew. a stout made with coffee instead of water. it a was a great beer. it had little of a sugary problem, but better than i have ever done for stouts