Official Shaggy Beer Review Thread

[AnotherUTFan]

Knee Deep Simtra Triple IPA


I'm going to go ahead and give this 4 Hook Ems, but tempted to dock it a 1/2 to 3 1/2 since it costed $11.00

This beer has been the rage of the month so picked one up. Pours a nice clear amber and smells fantastic of.grapefriut.

The taste is 100% grapefriut (Im not much for grapefriut) and alcohal. Hoppy as hell.

Honestly, this just tastes like just another way over hopped beer with no real objective or balance.

It is 10.1% abv, so maybe that was the objective.

At 11 American, this beer isnt really for me.

[FCHorn]

[FCHorn]

Try this though...liquor store over here were selling this for 7 bucks a 4 pack...hell yeah...An IPA Trippel..

[Bottlecap]

Thirsty Planet Brewing's Franklin Smoked Porter

[AnotherUTFan]

Nice review. Makes me wish I could get my hands on one of those; especially since I'm collecting Smoked Porters right now for a Beta Tasting.

But you better watch out, you just called out about half the Shag and you know what happens when you piss off the Shag.

What began as a couple of punters (hi!) waiting in a small line (srsly, 15 mins) for a secret they selfishly hoped would maintain, the smells of brisket and fresh roast from the neighbors wafting towards, became a merciless algorithm of scene kids, tourists, fat lawyers, and students in a brick-and-mortar in real-East Austin.

[Bottlecap]

yeah, but i told them that I'm not fading em for loving and wanting the worlds best Q

[mdleast]

A cluster of mini reviews for you:

San Diego Brewing's Hopopotamus



This is a 9% ABV Imperial Red. This is a very hoppy red, which I really enjoyed. As opposed to other Imperial Reds, this has a great, hoppy smell, taste and, well, presence that the others didn't.

4 hook ems though I could easily see this being 4 & 1/2 on tap. Oh and for reference, it blew away the following other Imperial Reds:




Green Flash's (& Founders') Linch Pin White IPA



I failed to take good notes on this other than to note it was very unusual/unique tasting. 3 & 1/2 hook ems. However, given it is a collaboration with Founders, I was ultimately let down (as seems to be the case with all collaborations with out of state, otherwise unavailable breweries).


Wicked Beaver's Cream Weaver



This is a brand new to Dallas beer from a newish brewery near Lubbock. I thought this was a damn tasty Cream Ale. Not quite as good as the New Glarus version I had (previously reviewed in this thread) but damn tasty. 4 hook ems.


Port Brewing's Anniversary Ale



This is their 6th anniversary DIPA. This is one big, boozy 10% ABV. Unfortunately, I wasn't able to take good notes as this one deserves but this was great stuff. As enthusiastic as I was about AleSmith's YuleSmith (Summer) above, I feel equally enthusiastic here, only this has the big booze oomf to go along with it. This is one damn good and balanced (yet boozy) DIPA. So glad to have had this. 5 hook ems.


Fremont's Interurban IPA



This is an IPA out of Washington. Having (& loving) so many great Cali IPAs, it is interesting to try other locales' take on IPAs. While this doesn't have the same hop/citrus balance I love from certain Cali IPAs, I thought this was a very well balanced IPA. 4 hook ems.


Pelican Pub & Brewery's India Pelican Ale (IPA, get it?)



Similar to the Interurban IPA above, I was struck how different this Oregon IPA was, as it was a more bready IPA. While that would normally get a huge loss in points from me, the balance of fruit and hops tastes persevered and made me appreciate this different take on an IPA. 4 hook ems.

[mdleast]

A late breaking review for you - Boulevard's Love Child # 2



I just picked up 2 of these on the way home at the only place near me that seemed to have them. This is a new, very limited sour release.

Rather than try to describe the process of how they brewed this, I'll just copy and paste the description I found online:

Love Child #2 is a blend of sour beer aged in oak barrels and sour beer aged in stainless [steal]. We used 41 barrels (the majority were wine barrels but used whiskey and port barrels were also part of the blend) with a range of different base beers aged for 16 to 57 months. The sour beer in stainless is a beer called 'red' that is specifically brewed for the Love Child beers. Our brewers spend a Saturday afternoon tasting all the barrels to come up with the blend for Love Child #2. The beer in a bottle of Love Child #2 is on average two years old by now. We currently have close to 100 barrels and a stainless tank waiting for the next version. Barrels get tasted on a regular basis and when we have another series of barrels ready we hope to release the next Love Child. It is not our goal to make the Love Child beers the same every time but to make the best blend of what we have available. Love Child beers will change with aging. I recommend drinking the beer now as I believe that the flavor blend is now at its peak.

Sound good? Then you will love this beer. A further description from the back of the bottle:



While I can't say I'm any kind of sour expert (living here in Dallas), I do love me some sours and am really happy to get this. I would also put this up against many of the great California sour beers I have had. Of course, like seemingly all great sour beers that we get here (like Jester King's Das Wunderkind and Boxer's Rebellion), this is also,unfortunately, very limited. Get it while you can. 5 hook ems.

[triplehorn]

BC - highly enjoyable read for Franklin Smoked Porter. It puts you right there. Makes me homesick.

mdleast - I enjoyed and agree with your review of Pelican IPA. As brews go, it's not a pinnacle anthem beer, it's the bread. But fresh homemade bread. Sustenance.


I'm enjoying a DIPA right now, Perfect Storm, from Oakshire Brewing out of Eugene. Never had it, never heard of it, until this weekend. Saw it in a bottle shop when I was looking for brews from Bend makers and took a right turn to stay coastal of the Cascades. Last night I had a DIPA from Bend, Silver Moon's Hoptagon, but will defer saying much more than Hoptagon didn't grab me, and seemed too sweet and boozy for DIPAS I prefer - 1/2 for DIPA style.

On to the Perfect Storm:





Perfect Storm is light bodied and clear amber gold. Late emerging head upon pouring. The bitter taste of this brew evolves for a couple minutes between sips. The initial bitter tang mellows into lingering taste that is grassy and zooey. At 9.3 abv, this is significantly less boozy than the 8.5% Hoptagon I mentioned above. I will buy this again.

Side note, turns out I'll be tasting this tomorrow as one of ten pairings at the Portland Beer and Cheese Fest hosted by The Commons Brewery- gift from wife cutting me loose from my fatherly duties for the little guy.

[mdleast]

Stone Double Dry Hopped IPA



One word review: Ahhh!

4 hook ems.

[Greenspointexas]

Drinking a Surly Furious right now. Real interested to see if anyone else on here has had it before (im sure someone has to have had it). Like to know anyone elses thoughts on this one.

Smell - excellent. Canning date it 5/3, so its not the freshest, but the smell is still intoxicating. Pine and Citrus, with some jalapeno, yes jalapeno in there as well.

Look - Pours a nice dark amber color. 2 finger head. Some sediment in the can/glass after pour

Taste/Body - Interesting. At first, you get a kick to the teeth of hops, pine, citrus, and some dank.. yes.. dank ;). However, thats where the ride seems to end, as the taste tapers off quickly leaving me with one of the lightest finishes ive ever had from any IPA that I can remember. Different, not sure if in a good way or bad way yet.


Overall - for a name like "Furious" and a fantastic rating on BA and by word of mouth, I expected the highest. However, this beer to me fell just short of awesomeness. 4-4.5 stars.

Paging texashooch

[texashooch]

Hi. Many here have had it so I hope they chime in. Surly is top dog in these parts and Furious, as you might expect, is by far the top seller. I drink this beer more than any other and I love it. It is certainly dark for an IPA, and I think you wouldn't be out of bounds to call it a double red as much as a traditional West Coast style IPA. And you're right about the smell, best smelling beer I've ever had (Alpine Nelson is a close second) Here's the thing though, I never buy a four pack that's older than a week or two old, it's just better that way. I think, because of the heavy malt reliance, it loses balance faster than other IPA's. That's something they'll have to deal with when they get broader distribution.

My love of Furious notwithstanding, if I'm being honest, it's the second best IPA in the Cities behind Masala Mama at Town Hall Brewery. They don't bottle or can though.

[Greenspointexas]

CSB: My uncle actually owns a share of Town Hall Brewpub. Most of my family is from Minnesota and Wisconsin and we go up there all the time, but still havent made it to Town Hall. Ive heard MM and their Milk Stout are to die for though...

[Bottlecap]

Linchpin IPA review. I liked it. I've had better.

[mdleast]

Drinking a Surly Furious right now. Real interested to see if anyone else on here has had it before (im sure someone has to have had it). Like to know anyone elses thoughts on this one.

Smell - excellent. Canning date it 5/3, so its not the freshest, but the smell is still intoxicating. Pine and Citrus, with some jalapeno, yes jalapeno in there as well.

Look - Pours a nice dark amber color. 2 finger head. Some sediment in the can/glass after pour

Taste/Body - Interesting. At first, you get a kick to the teeth of hops, pine, citrus, and some dank.. yes.. dank ;). However, thats where the ride seems to end, as the taste tapers off quickly leaving me with one of the lightest finishes ive ever had from any IPA that I can remember. Different, not sure if in a good way or bad way yet.


Overall - for a name like "Furious" and a fantastic rating on BA and by word of mouth, I expected the highest. However, this beer to me fell just short of awesomeness. 4-4.5 stars.

Paging texashooch

Had it (possibly from the same source as you). LIked it - 4 stars. A little more malty than I prefer but still good.

[Greenspointexas]

Had it (possibly from the same source as you). LIked it - 4 stars. A little more malty than I prefer but still good.

Yes sir, same source.

Quick question: Where did you snag the Wicked Beaver? I know they bottle, but I thought they were confined to Lubbock currently?

[AnotherUTFan]

The Furious was my favorite of the 3 or 4 Surly beers that I am thankfull to hace tried.

BTW, Im drinking an admitedly not fresh St Arnold Endeavor right now and really enjoying it. I have a fresher bottle in there. I may drink it next for a side by side.

[Snow Dog]

Great Pils.

[mdleast]

Yes sir, same source.

Quick question: Where did you snag the Wicked Beaver? I know they bottle, but I thought they were confined to Lubbock currently?

Bottle Shop here in Dallas. I believe they actually did a road trip out there (or WB did a road trip to them).

[Bottlecap]

They did a roadie out to Dallas. Very nice of them. They need one to Austin.


Solid Prices

[Bottlecap]

Bell's/De Proef Van Twee Belgian Strong Collab review

[HenryJames]

Not a fan of beers brewed with juice rather than the actual fruit.

[Bottlecap]

I know what you mean, but that one actually used both

[Greenspointexas]

just picked up a case, yes a case of boulevard's love child #2. it had better be good mdleast ;)

[bshaf1]

just picked up a case, yes a case of boulevard's love child #2. it had better be good mdleast ;)

jesus.. aren't they like $20/bottle?

[Greenspointexas]

jesus.. aren't they like $20/bottle?

$18-something, but with the case discount, it came out to be just over $15 each. saved me almost $40

[mdleast]

Not to qualify my review but I paid $15.99 for mine...

[AnotherUTFan]

A few mini-reviews for you, mdleast style, as i've been trying to clear my fridge of all the IPAs.

Ninkasi Tricerahops


4 1/2+ hook ems.

A very nice, structured 8.8% dipa with a nice malty backbone and strong hop bite. My BiL brought this and another Ninkasi (Eugene,OR) beer down to me last week knowing we dont get it. Great beer.

St Arnold Endeavor


If Im going to give Ninkasi a 4 1/2+ then I have to give this one the same as its very similar. I had 2 the other night of differing ages and really liked them both. A nice creamy maltness that lingers and urges you to take another sip. Not really "West Coast" or "Midwest" style, but it kind of meets them both someplace in the middle. Very nice.

Ballast Point Dorado


Another 4 1/2+ hook em.

Im enjoying this one now. A bit more of the West Coast, dry-hopped oomph on the front end, but missing that creamy maltness on the backside that the other two had. Still a great IPA.

To be honest i easily could've given all 3 of these a perfect 5, but somehow it doesnt seem right to have a post containing 3 5 hook em beers.

This also is a great illistration of the unbelievabe beer-times were are living in. These are 3 regionally available beers from different parts of the country and all 3 are fantastic. We all get caught up in trying to track down whatever hot beer we dont have normal access to, but the truth is that there are great brewmasters & breweries all over the place. Its really just about finding whats available to you. I'm a pretty simple guy and as much as I love beer trading and finding nee stuff to try, i really could easily settle on a single IPA and be content, preferably a Nelson but any of these 3 would be just fine.

God I love summer, i have Summer Yulesmith, Port Anny, and a few other big IPAs on hand too. Plus Alpine should be brewing up some Expo soon.

[triplehorn]

Even though it's already up there in quality, Tricerahops is one where appreciation grows the more times you have it. If memory serves, I think I spotted the Ninkasi Believer Double Red Ale as your other bottle. Those two stand alone from their line up with the Red being more of an everyday beer. It goes with everything. Rumor has it the Double Red will become available in 12oz 6pks which would be my undoing.

I tried two more IPA's this week, Alameda Imperial IPA, a local brewery adjacent to my own hood and 10Barrel's Apocalypse IPA out of Bend. Alameda Brewing is best known for its Black Bear XX Stout for which it's won numerous awards over the last decade. 10Barrel has been crashing the scene lately with recently expanded creation/production capability.

Alameda IIPA:



While there is something to be said about uniqueness, it also applies for conforming to a standard. This one's in the club.



Apocalypse:



I give it a 1/2. Perhaps it's a bias I apply to IPA's only because I've tried the greatest number of these of any style, but I tend to look for more of a signature expression in an IPA. While clearly solid and refreshing, this one didn't imprint like my favorites have.

[BrazilHorn]

My wife is out of town all next week with kids so I am headed to D&Q today to get a metric $#@! ton of beer. I hope they have the Love Child #2.

[dark horse]

My wife is out of town all next week with kids so I am headed to D&Q today to get a metric $#@! ton of beer. I hope they have the Love Child #2.

I picked up a bottle yesterday at the Spec's in midtown. They weren't any on the shelf, but they still had some in the back when I asked for it.

[shnsajax]

Paid 15 euro's for a Westvletren 12 in Amsterdam in fear I would not get one while in Belgium. Didn't know the St. Sixtus cafe was closed on Thursdays and Friday's but managed to drink some more on that Saturday before we left.

Highly recommend heading that way and staying at the St. Bernardus B&B ($85 euro's a night for a huge double room, plus all you can drink in the lobby). Probalby the highlight of the trip through Holland, Belgium, and Paris. I'll try to post some pics later today or tomorrow.

[Greenspointexas]

My wife is out of town all next week with kids so I am headed to D&Q today to get a metric $#@! ton of beer. I hope they have the Love Child #2.

I think they are out. Brandon only got 2 cases a 2 days ago and when I went over there yesterday I didnt see any where there was some on the shelf.

But def. try Specs Midtown. They got nearly 30 cases at that location alone

[BrazilHorn]

A late breaking review for you - Boulevard's Love Child # 2



I just picked up 2 of these on the way home at the only place near me that seemed to have them. This is a new, very limited sour release.

Rather than try to describe the process of how they brewed this, I'll just copy and paste the description I found online:



Sound good? Then you will love this beer. A further description from the back of the bottle:



While I can't say I'm any kind of sour expert (living here in Dallas), I do love me some sours and am really happy to get this. I would also put this up against many of the great California sour beers I have had. Of course, like seemingly all great sour beers that we get here (like Jester King's Das Wunderkind and Boxer's Rebellion), this is also,unfortunately, very limited. Get it while you can. 5 hook ems.

Just got a bottle of this today. Cannot wait to try it.

[PhatAtUT]

we had a thread about this one more than a year ago. looks like we will see some fairly soon.


edit: will picture might not be showing up. talking about russian river & sierra nevada's collaboration, brux, being label approved by tabc.

the link

[mdleast]

we had a thread about this one more than a year ago. looks like we will see some fairly soon.

Can't see your pic on my phone but am assuming its Firestone Walker applying for Texas distribution (as I was coming here to post about the same thing). Very exciting!

[PhatAtUT]

Can't see your pic on my phone but am assuming its Firestone Walker applying for Texas distribution (as I was coming here to post about the same thing). Very exciting!

i posted in the wrong thread anyway. oops. where is the FW info from?

[Bottlecap]

Jester King / Mikkeler - Drinkin' the Sunbelt

[mdleast]

Not to qualify my review but I paid $15.99 for mine...

To help further clarify my thoughts on Love Child 2, I just acquired 3 more bottles (amongst several other beers) from Sunrise Mini Mart at $19.99 a bottle.

[Traffic]

Jester King / Mikkeler - Drinkin' the Sunbelt

sorry you didn't like it. I opened a bottle earlier today and it's going nicely with some cheese and charcuterie from Antonelli's. and Breaking Bad.

[Bottlecap]

sorry you didn't like it. I opened a bottle earlier today and it's going nicely with some cheese and charcuterie from Antonelli's. and Breaking Bad.

I can totally see that pairings would do justice to both the food and beer. I didn't have this with food, though the original intent was to do so ... $#@!ing friends and their pop ins.

Final entry of Collaboration Week: More Brown than Black IPA

[dumptruck81]

More Brown than Black IPA was bottled in December of last year. While I don't really care for the idea of black ipa's this beer tasted pretty good 5 months ago

[McDoom]

Southern Star Walloon



Saison, 5.5% abv per BA. I love saisons and remember really enjoying this one when I tried it on tap at the Saucer last year. Grabbed a four pack at Central Market today, and it doesn't seem as quality as I remember. The entire palate and nose feel really muted. 3.5 hookems.

[McDoom]

No pic on this one, but still wanted to add it, as it was one of the best beers I've tried in awhile. I need to remember to take more pics when I go to the Saucer.

Ommegang Aphrodite, 8.9% abv, kinda hard to describe the style. Part flemish sour part lambic part trippel? The Lake Saucer tapped a keg last week and looks like they still have it. Reddish-purple on the pour, effervescent like a wit, sour cherry, berry, and some alcohol on the taste, funky fruit and vinegar on the nose. Another great beer from the Ommegang folks. I want to get back and have another before the keg is tapped. 5 hookems

[mdleast]

Alpine Bourbon Barrel-Aged Odin's Raven



Pours as dark as you would imagine with a big ol' tan head. Whole lot of lacing on the glass. Smell is predominantly bourbon (of course) with a lot of other smells all blended together.



The taste? Wow! Lots of flavors going on here. The overwhelming one being bourbon (of course) which makes itself be known right off the bat but also not at all overpowering or distracting. On addition, there are notes of chocolate, roasty coffee, vanilla/buttery smoothness, some sweetness and also a touch of tart sourness. Really complex and fun to drink. 11% ABV to boot. Great, great stuff!



Oh...almost forgot, 5 hook ems.

[Greenspointexas]

Saint Arnold Divine Reserve #5 - Russian Imperial Stout

Simply put, the best beer SA has ever made. And the best stout to ever come out of this state. Bottled in Nov. 2007, I believe. Absolutely could hold its own on a world stage. Smells of bourbon (yes its not BBA), dark fruits, coffee, and chocolate. Tastes of the same, and amazingly balanced. The 10% abv is very well hidden. Smooth and easy going down. No heat. 5 Hook ems. Would give it more hookies if I could.

Up there with Parabola, Pesche Mortel, Eclipse, and Courage RIS as one of the top 5 stouts I have ever had.


Oh, and Love Child #2 aint bad either....

[ChampKind]

Alpine Bourbon Barrel-Aged Odin's Raven



Pours as dark as you would imagine with a big ol' tan head. Whole lot of lacing on the glass. Smell is predominantly bourbon (of course) with a lot of other smells all blended together.



The taste? Wow! Lots of flavors going on here. The overwhelming one being bourbon (of course) which makes itself be known right off the bat but also not at all overpowering or distracting. On addition, there are notes of chocolate, roasty coffee, vanilla/buttery smoothness, some sweetness and also a touch of tart sourness. Really complex and fun to drink. 11% ABV to boot. Great, great stuff!



Oh...almost forgot, 5 hook ems.

[obligatory] Great Odin's Raven! [/ron burgundy]

[BrazilHorn]

Hennepin Farmhouse Saison - 4 Hook 'ems

Pours a golden yellow with a big foamy/meringue head. Great crisp taste and went down super smooth. Not a super complex or overwhelming beer. Just crisp, simple hit day goodness.

Had one of these last night on the front porch and it was super.

[Bottlecap]

Ranger Creek Small Batch No. 1 Review

[McDoom]

We went to the Lake Saucer on Sunday to try some Peticolas beers they'd just tapped that day.



Peticolas Velvet Hammer, Imperial Red, 9% abv. It's got that typical bite of hop and booze that you'd expect from any beer with the "imperial" descriptive, but all in all, a pretty mellow brew considering the alcohol and IBU factor. 4 hookems.



Peticolas Golden Opportunity, Kolsch, 4.6% abv. Franconia's Kolsch has always been a personal favorite, so I was excited to try their version. It was excellent. Clean and crisp, a perfect summer session beer. 4.5 hookems



Rahr Summertime Wheat, hefe, 5.2% abv. Pretty average offering from Rahr. When I went to their website to look up the abv, they claim this one is a "German style" hefeweizen. Not so much. Oh well, another one towards getting a plate. 3 hookems.