Boon Brewery Oude Geuze Mariage Parfait (6/10)

As part of a recent Rare Beer Club shipment, I received a bottle of Boon Brewery's Oude Geuze Mariage Parfait, a Belgian Geuze style beer.

Since I'm not that familiar with the style, I looked it up.  The Beer Judge Certification Program guidelines for the "Gueuze" style say that it should have a sour aroma that may be described as "barnyard, earthy, goaty, hay, horsey, or horse blanket" as well as having fruit aroms like grapefruit, citrus, apple, rhubarb, or honey.  The flavor should be moderately sour and acidic, in balance with the malt and other characteristics.  Fruit and honey flavors are common.  Hops bitterness is usually absent or very mild.

Mariage Parfait pours a nice amber-like gold color with a thick white head that lasts a while.

The aroma is similar to a fresh lemon, with a bit of barnyard funk to it.

The flavor starts a little malty and sweet, but quickly gives way to a lemony kind of sourness.  Hints of the funk make an appearance in the flavor sporadically.  The finish is sour and bitter.

I can't say that the sour style has yet become a favorite of mine, so take my rating with a grain of salt if you're a fan of sour beers.  I gave it a 6 out of 10, primarily because it's a bit too sour for my liking.  Beer Advocate gives it a 92 out of 100 or "outstanding" rating, so I'm in the minority there.  Rate Beer also appreciates it, giving it a 98 out of 100 overall.

Although this was shipped to me as a "Rare" beer, I've seen it occasionally on store shelves around town.  I don't recall where I last saw it, but believe it may have been The Andersons General Store near Sawmill Road.

Beer Reindeer

Last Christmas, my stepchildren (aged 21+, FYI) surprised me with the four-pack of "reindeer beers" pictured at the left.

To create these, they first chose a pack of beer they knew I would like, in this case Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale.  You could use pretty much any other beer that comes in a brown bottle.  (I suppose you could use other colored bottles, but it wouldn't look quite like reindeer.)

Purchase plastic stick-on "googly eyes", red plastic stick-on pom-pom "noses", and pipe cleaners.

Stick the eyes and noses on the bottle necks as seen in the image at the left.

Cut some of the pipe cleaners into small pieces, about 2-3 inches long.  Leave the rest at full length.

Wrap a long pipe cleaner around the neck of the bottle, just below the cap and spread the ends out to make the "antlers".  Then take one of the small pieces of pipe cleaner and tie it around each antler to give it the shape seen above.

It's a craft item that won't take you very long to do and is sure to bring a smile to your favorite beer lover.

Brasserie Des Legendes Noel Des Geants (10/10)

When I saw this beer on the shelf in 2013 at The Andersons General Store in Dublin, It immediately caught my attention.  It had an interesting bottle, an understated label, and it was a Belgian Christmas Beer.  Priced at $9.99 a bottle, it went on my Christmas list that year.  Thankfully, Santa has developed an appreciation for Belgian ales and placed a bottle under my tree.

Noel des Geants comes from Brasserie des Legendes (Brewery of the Legends) of Belgium.  They produce a number of other beers that I haven't encountered in Ohio in the past but will keep an eye out for now that I've had this one.

Noel des Geants pours a clear mahogany color with a thick head of beige foam.  It's beautiful to look at.

The aroma combines dark fruit, rich malt, and honey.  It smells as good as it looks.

Flavor is where this beer really shines... especially when you let it age for a few months in the cellar.  It's sweet, fruity, spicy, and has a strong caramel note.  Without question, one of the more delicious beers I've ever had and one that I look forward to having again.

I've seen it at The Andersons and sporadically at a few other shops around town.  If you enjoy Belgian beers, look for it.

Beer Advocate gave this only an 85-87 rating (very good).  Rate Beer gave it an 82 overall.  I think I enjoyed it a bit more than they did.  I'm giving it the full 10 out of 10.

De Struise Brouwers Pannepot 2011 (10/10)

While visiting the amazing Jungle Jim's in Cincinnati, I picked up a bottle of De Struise Brouwers 2011 edition of Pannepot "Old Fisherman's Ale" and brought it back to Columbus.

The brewery web site describes Pannepot as their flagship beer, and somewhere between a Belgian strong dark ale and a stout.  They say that "Each sip hits you with complex flavors of toasty bitterness and deep caramel sweetness.  With all its dark and strong complexity, this beer lends itself perfectly to all types of barrel aging, which is exactly what we've done.  We've aged it on various barrels, including bourbon and calvados."

The beer pours a nearly black color with a thin beige head that lasts mere seconds.  (I couldn't even get a picture snapped before it was gone.)  This may have something to do with its high alcohol content (10% ABV).  It leaves behind no lacing in the glass.

The aroma is loaded with dark fruit and perhaps a touch of leather.  Its every bit as enticing as any dark Belgian ale I've ever smelled.

The flavor starts sweet and malty with dark fruit prominent.  After this, the sweetness and fruit subside in favor of the malt and mild hops bitterness.  The finish is malty, and is where you'll taste the barrel aging.  Prior to the finish, there are tiny hints of it, but it doesn't come through until then.  It's not like some of the more "barrel forward" beers like Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale or Innis & Gunn.  It's much more subtle and refined.  It's a truly delicious beer and one I would be happy to drink every day if I could.

Beer Advocate readers agree, rating it a 96 out of 100 or "world-class".  Rate Beer gives it a 100.  My own rating of 10 out of 10 is right there with them.

I do need to share a bit of info, though.  Since the original bottle pictured above, I've bought other bottles of Pannepot at Jungle Jim's and a couple of local retailers.  One or two of those bottles have tasted radically different than described here.  I don't know if those bottles were perhaps mishandled, contaminated, or what may have happened - but they were not the same experience.  They had an almost vinegary tartness to them that didn't go well with the beer's other flavors.  If you decide to try this beer and find that it's not a sweet, malty, dark fruit experience, don't give up on it.  You may have just gotten a bad bottle.

When it's a good bottle, this is hands-down one of my favorite beers.  When it's a not-so-good bottle, it can be a pretty bad beer.

Pigskin Brewing in Gahanna

Pigskin Brewing Company is located in Gahanna on Mill Street, in the space pictured at the left.

They feature up to 20 taps, including a mix of their own beers and those of other breweries.

As you might expect from the company name, there is a definite football theme to the brewery, its taproom, and its beer names.

During our visit in November 2015, their Porterback, Legendary Amber, Gose All the Way, Cream of the Crop, Undefeated IPA, Saison Du Victory, Laces Out hefeweizen, Kickoff Mild Brown, Stout Defense, 12 Gauge double IPA, and Autumn Wind Russian Imperial Stout were on tap - as well as beers from a number of other breweries.  A selection of bottled and canned beers is also offered, as well as mixed drinks and wine for the non-beer-lover.

Pigskin Taproom taps

The bar has big-screen TVs, lots of seating, and free Wi-Fi

The taproom is clean, well-lit (and with plenty of natural lighting), lots of seating, free Wi-Fi, and two big-screen televisions displaying (what else?) football games.

A self-service popcorn machine near the entrance provides free popcorn to customers.  Around the edge of the table on which the machine is perched, you'll find shakers full of popcorn seasonings like white cheddar, bacon cheddar, and others.  The base "unflavored" popcorn is great, but the option of seasoning it is a nice touch.

There is a food menu as well, offering both appetizers and sandwiches.  We shared a ground beef quesadilla during our visit and found it very tasty (though a little greasy).  I'd happily eat another.

Also on the food menu, you'll find pretzel rods and beer cheese, sharp cheddar pierogies, hummus platter, beer battled pickle spears, a chipotle ranch chicken wrap, turkey bacon wrap, beer bratwurst, tomato aioli BLT, and a kids menu.

We tried several of the beers during our visit.  All of them were good, and I'd be perfectly happy if a friend shared a growler of any of them with me.  The Cream of the Crop cream ale was nicely balanced between malt and hops.  The Laces Out hefeweizen was a good example of the style.  Kickoff Mild Brown lived up to its name.  We eventually settled on a glass of Autumn Wind Russian Imperial Stout and Saison Du Victory.

(A word about the pictures here.  We arrived on a Saturday, just after the taproom opened.  Many of these pictures might make it seem like Pigskin is deserted, but that's not normally the case.  As we finished our beer and left, the place began to fill up with fans eager to watch the Ohio State football game that would be on the air in a few hours.)

Pigskin Brewing's Saison Du Victory

The Saison Du Victory is a typical Belgian-style Saison (Farmhouse Ale).  Unlike many Saisons, it didn't have the sometimes-unpleasant "funk" you find in the style.  It did, however, deliver everything else you'd want from a Saison.  It was well-balanced between malt, fruitiness, and hops bitterness.  I'd describe it as one of the most drinkable Saisons I've encountered.

Pigskin Brewing's Autumn Wind Russian Imperial Stout

Autumn Wind pours a nice black color with thick layer of creamy tan head that lasts a while and leaves behind spotty lacing.  The aroma is malty, chocolatey, and carries a hint of coffee.  The flavor is a nicely balanced mix of coffee, roasted malt, chocolate, hops bitterness, and mild sweetness.  It's a very nice stout.

Pigskin offers its beers on draft as well as by the glass, so you can enjo2y them at home.

This is where the magic happens...

A cool feature of the Pigskin facility is the ability to see the brewhouse from outside and within the taproom.

The Pigskin Brewing taproom has a welcoming but upscale feel about it that makes for a pleasant visit.  If you have the time, I recommend checking it out.  You might also check out Actual Brewing's taproom, too, which is about ten minutes away.

Pigskin Brewing Company
81 Mill Street, Suite 150
Gahanna, OH 43230
(614) 944-9311

Actual Brewing Taproom Visit

Actual Brewing's Taproom Entrance

Actual Brewing's Taproom is located near the Greater Columbus International Airport in an industrial park.  The signage is confined primarily to the windows and doors, and a small "Actual Beer" sign on the end of the building.  If my wife and I had not been actively seeking it out, we would probably have missed it.  The lighted "BEER" sign in the window was our first clue we were at the right place.

Step through the right-hand of the two doors in the picture, and you'll walk right into the taproom.  To your left, you'll find the bar and beer taps.  In front of you, tables and chairs to sit and enjoy your Actual beers.  To your right, a second room with seating.

The main bar offers 5 taps.  Four of these serve Actual Brewing's beer.  The fifth serves a non-alcoholic root beer.  The bar is clean, nice looking, and pleasantly decorated.  The server is friendly and engaging, knows the beers on offer, and can help patrons pick out one to their liking.

Actual Brewing's Taproom Counter/Bar

Once you have your beer, the taproom offers some fun and interesting options.  The room adjacent to the bar has a shelf full of books along with tables and chairs.  Music is also being played over a stereo system.

Walk past this room and you'll find a room with a single table and chairs, a shelf filled with interesting board games, an old-school video game console hooked to a television (for visitors to play on), and a number of old 80's style video game arcade machines.  Donkey Kong, Ms. Pac Man, Dig Dug, a bowling game, and Galaga were there.

Video game console and Donkey Kong machine in the back room

Board games available for patrons to play

Whiteboard in the back room of the Actual taproom

I found the Actual taproom to be a comfortable, welcoming space.  There were certainly enough entertainment options (reading, music, video games, board games, and of course the company of good people enjoying good beer).  That being said, some of the furnishings have a "thrift store" feel to them.  There are dingy ceiling tiles, and it feels a little like you're hanging out in a friend's basement.  I can imagine some people being put off by the fact that it's not a gleaming, brightly-lit space loaded with designer furniture and so forth.  As I said, I personally like the space and felt very at home in it.

Enough about the taproom itself.

While there, we sampled the Photon Light Lager, Saison Du Poincare, and Fat Julian beers.

The Photon Light Lager is bright and clear pale gold with a nice balanced aroma and flavor.  It's a great example of the light lager style and a beer I can imagine being popular with the macro brew set while still having a good enough flavor to entice craft beer fans to drink it.

Saison Du Poincare is a very nice beer as well.  It's closer to amber in color with a white head.  The aroma has the usual Saison "funk" to it and a hint of fruitiness as well.  The flavor and aroma are perfectly matched.  Hops bitterness is present but subdued, as it should be in a Saison.  I would rate it as one of the better Saisons I've had.  I'll be sure to watch for this one on tap or in bottles.

My wife and I split a glass of Fat Julian, Actual's Imperial Stout (dispensed with nitrogen instead of carbon dioxide).  This is a very impressive beer.  The aroma is chocolatey, with hints of coffee and roasted malt.  It's slightly sweet, but in no way cloying.  Hops bitterness is present but doesn't dominate.  The 10% alcohol content is well hidden.  The use of nitrogen ensures that the head is present from the minute it's poured until it's finished, and helps to keep the chocolate aroma alive.  It's an excellent stout.

Actual Brewing Company
655 N. James Road
Columbus, OH 43219

Brasserie D'Achouffe N'Ice Chouffe (7/10)

This week we'll look at a beer from Belgium's Brasserie D'Achouffe.  N'Ice Chouffe is is described as "a strong, brown beer that will warm y ou in the depths of winter. Spicy (thyme and curacao) and tinged with hops, this is a very balanced beer.  N'ice Chouffe is an unfiltered beer which is refermented in the bottle and in barrels."

N'Ice Chouffe pours a slightly cloudy mahogany color with a finger-thick beige head that lingers a little while.

The aroma is malty, fruity, and sweet.

The flavor is not betrayed by the aroma. It's malty, sweet, and slightly dry like a red wine.  The finish is mildly bitter. and there is a lot of carbonation. This is another Achouffe beer that should be among my favorites, but it just isn't.  I want a little more sweetness, a little less bitterness, and more of the usual Belgian spice and fruit.  This beer doesn't really have that.

Beer Advocate and Rate Beer disagree with me on this beer as well.  I rate it a 6 out of 10, leaning a bit toward a 7.  Beer Advocate gives it a 91-93 (outstanding).  Rate Beer rates it a 98 overall.  When I had the draft version around the holidays last year, I did like it a bit better than the bottled version reviewed here.  I still don't think it's "outstanding" when compared to Belgian beers like Gulden Draak, Karmeliet Tripel, and the like.

I found this particular beer at Palmer's Beverage Center on Indianola.  During the Christmas season, you may find it there or in other area retailers.  There's also a good chance The Winking Lizard Tavern will feature it during the winter months as their Achouffe draft that month.

Buckeye Lake Wee Heavy Ale (8/10)

Buckeye Lake Brewery is, unsurprisingly, located in Buckeye Lake, Ohio.  They produce a wide range of beers in a variety of styles.  In this review, we'll look at their Wee Heavy ale.

The BJCP Guidelines call the Wee Heavy Ale a Strong Scotch Ale.  The style originated in Scotland.  The guidelines say a wee heavy should be deeply malty with caramel often apparent.  There may be peaty, earthy, or smoky aromas as well.  Hops are very low to not present in the aroma.  The flavor should be richly malty with caramelization often present.  Roasted malt or barley may also be there, along with nutty characteristics.  Hops flavors and bitterness should be low to medium-low, so that the malt can dominate.

Buckeye Lake's Wee Heavy pours a dark, clear mahogany with an off-white head.

The aroma is malty and toasty.

The flavor follows the aroma.  It starts with a burst of roasted malt, followed by a mild sweetness.  The finish is a touch bitter, but not out of line with the style.  It's one of the better examples of the wee heavy style I've tasted, and Buckeye Lake should be proud of it.

There's nothing on Beer Advocate or Rate Beer for this one, so you'll have to take my word for it.  This is a very good beer, and well worth trying if you like the malty styles as I do.  I'm rating it a solid 8 out of 10.

I was able to try this beer in 2014 at The Daily Growler in Upper Arlington.  You'll want to check Buckeye Lake's Facebook and Twitter pages, as well as BeerMenus.com, if you're looking to try it.  Better yet, you could visit the brewery and try it right from the source.

The Great Pumpkin (Beer)

I’m a big fan of pumpkin pie.  I’m also a fan of craft beers.  What could be better than to blend the two into one, resulting in pumpkin beer?  To be honest, I still prefer pumpkin pie to pumpkin beer.  Even the best pumpkin beer falls short of a nice slab of pumpkin pie with some whipped cream on top.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve made it a point to try every pumpkin beer I can find.  I want to know which pumpkin beer gets me as close to that imaginary blend of good craft beer and pumpkin pie.  Below, I’m ranking 32 contenders for the crown of “best pumpkin beer” in order from best to worst.  I consider numbers 1-5 a tie for first place.  I'll need to do a "taste-off" to see which one I think is really the "best of the best".

1. Heavy Seas The Great'er Pumpkin (9/10):  The aroma is strong with pumpkin and spice.  The flavor starts with a nicely balanced mix of pumpkin, spices, malt, and hops.  The barrel aging adds a nice oaky element.  
2. Southern Tier Pumking (8/10):  This is hard to beat.  You have crust elements in the flavor and aroma.  You can pick out pumpkin and spice in both aroma and flavor.  If it was a touch sweeter it would be fantastic.
3. Hoppin' Frog Frog's Hollow Double Pumpkin Ale (8/10):  Aroma is malty with hints of ginger, cinnamon, and other spices.  Flavor starts with malt, pumpkin, and ginger.  Hops bitterness is detectable but minimal.
4. Sam Adams Fat Jack Double Pumpkin Ale (8/10):  The aroma is malt and caramel primarily, with a definite alcohol note.  The flavor is well balanced.  Pumpkin, malt, and other elements are all present and blend well.  One of the better pumpkin beers.
5. Rivertown Headless Wylie's Spiced Pumpkin Ale (8/10):  The aroma is rich, with cinnamon, pumpkin, and pie crust elements.  The flavor starts sweet and malty, then creamy, with pumpkin, spice, and mild bitterness.  Reminds me of Southern Tier Pumking.
6. Uinta Punk'n Harvest Ale (8/10):  The aroma is malty and pumpkiny.  The flavor is more beer than pumpkin and spice.  Finish is slightly dry and bitter. Despite this, it's a smooth, creamy, and very drinkable beer.
7. Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale (8/10):  The aroma is spicy and leans toward cloves.  The flavor is a nice mix of pumpkin and spice with minimal hops presence.
8. Shipyard Smashed Pumpkin (8/10):  Aroma is malty and spicy.  Flavor starts sweet and malty with a creamy element.  After this, clove, cinnamon, and pumpkin come through.
9. Elysian and 21st Amendment He Said Pumpkin Tripel (7/10):  Aroma combines clove, pumpkin, and malt.  Flavor is an interesting combination of Tripel style spice and sweetness with pumpkin and spice.  Some alcohol warmth.
10. Sideswipe Pumpkin Butternut Squash (7/10):  Aroma is of squash and spice.  Flavor is similar to the aroma, starting with malt and squash. This gives way to spices.  Finish is mildly bitter, malty, and squashy.
11. The Brew Kettle Strangeville Pumpkin Ale (7/10):  Aroma is spicy.  Flavor is primarily malty with pumpkin, nutmeg, and cinnamon in the background.  Finish is bitter.
12. Uinta Oak Jacked Imperial Pumpkin Ale (7/10):  The aroma is great.  You get vanilla, spice, and pumpkin.  The flavor is leaning toward bitter. The oak element comes through.  The vanilla, pumpkin, and spice are much less pronounced.  Great as an oaked beer, not as great as a pumpkin beer.
13. Cellar Dweller Pumpken (7/10):  Aroma is full of pumpkin and spice.  Flavor tends toward spice, predominantly cinnamon and nutmeg.  Finish is bitter and lingering.
14. Rivertown Pumkin's Spiced Pumpkin Ale (7/10):  The aroma is of pumpkin, spice, and maybe ginger.  The flavor starts rich and malty, then gives way to the pumpkin and spice.  Finish is a mix of pumpkin, spice, cinnamon, and ginger.
15. BJ's Brewhouse Pumpkin Ale (7/10):  The aroma is very strongly pumpkin and only very slightly spicy.  The flavor starts with a kind of sourness, but gives way to creaminess and malt with a spice backdrop.  Easier to drink than some of the others below it on the list.
16. Dogfish Head Punkin Ale (7/10):  The flavor hints at pumpkin and you can detect a bit of spice in it, but it's a very subtle beer overall.  It might be easy to mistake for an Octoberfest or other beer that isn't pumpkin based.
17. Ithaca Country Pumpkin Ale (7/10):  The aroma is malty and spicy. The flavor seems balanced toward ginger, with pumpkin coming after that, and spices in the background.  Easy to drink.
18. Elevator Peacelock Pumpkin Stout (7/10):  The aroma is of pumpkin pie and coffee.  Flavor is primarily coffee and stout, with some pumpkin in the finish.  Less hoppy than many Elevator beers.
19. Southern Tier Warlock Pumpkin Porter (7/10):  The flavor starts bitter and smoky.  This gives way to dark roasted malt, pumpkin, and spice.  The finish is hoppy and bitter.
20. Anderson Valley Pinchy Jeek Barl (7/10):  Aroma is buttery, oaky, and bourbony.  The flavor is all that, plus a little pumpkin.  It's definitely a sipping beer.  It took me a very long time to finish the bottle.
21. New Belgium Pumpkick (7/10):  The aroma is definitely pumpkin with cranberry, cinnamon, ad nutmeg behind that.  The flavor is very tart, with cranberries, nutmeg, and lemongrass dominating.  It's not really what I look for in a pumpkin beer but not bad.
22. Jackie O's Barking Pumpkin Ale (7/10):  Aroma is spicy.  Flavor is balanced but leans toward sweet.  The spices are subtle, but present.  Finish is slightly bitter.
23. Epic Imperial Pumpkin Porter (7/10):  The aroma is very malty, covering up any pumpkin or spice.  Flavor is malty and bitter.  Pumpkin and spice take a back seat to porter here.
24. New Holland Ichabod Pumpkin Ale (6/10):  The aroma is good.  The label is great.  The flavor tends toward malt and nutmeg, and finishes bitter.  I like it, but don't love it.
25. Wolaver Organic Pumpkin Ale (6/10):  There is a good spice level and the pumpkin is readily discernable.  Finish is mildly bitter and dry.
26. Anderson Valley Fall Hornin' (6/10):  The aroma is cinnamon and pumpkin.  The flavor starts malty with some bitterness and pumpkin.  The finish is bitter and lingering.
27. Dayton Beer Company Pumpkin Party Ale (6/10):  The aroma reminds me of a lightly spiced pumpkin pie.  The flavor opens on the hoppy side, but this gives way to cinnamon and spice.  The hops at the start and end detract from the overall experience for me.
28. Saranac Pumpkin Ale (6/10):  Aroma of sour pumpkin and grain.  Flavor is mostly barley with a little pumpkin funk and ginger, with a slight hint of spice.  The malt overwhelms most of the other flavors.
29. Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale (5/10):  This has a good pumpkin and spice aroma.  The flavor starts out good but there's a kind of sour pumpkin funk to it that ruins it for me.
30. O'Fallon Pumpkin Ale (4/10):  The aroma's a mix of vanilla, pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  Flavor is not unpleasant but borders on it.  There's a kind of creamy sour pumpkin funk followed by malt and toasted grain.  Maybe I had a bad bottle, but I don't like it.
31. Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin Ale (4/10):  The aroma is great.  There's a lot of spice and pumpkin.  The flavor, unfortunately, is like a lot of other Brooklyn beers.  It's "all about the hops" and less about anything else.  If it wasn't for the aroma, it would be easy to mistake this for a non-pumpkin beer.
32. Smuttynose Pumpkin (3/10):  Hops is the dominant flavor here.  Pumpkin and spice take a back seat, or maybe they're in a different vehicle altogether.  This one is heavily balanced in flavor and aroma toward hops.  Not what I look for in a pumpkin beer.

Rank	Image	Description
1		Southern Tier PumkingAroma:  Wow!  I want to take out a fork and start eating this.  You get crust, creamy pumpkin, and spice here in spades.  Absolutely delicious. Taste:  Not as good as the aroma, but still quite good.  Pumpkin and spice up front where they should be, with beer and hops in the back seat. Overall Experience:  Pretty darned close to the mental image of a slab of pumpkin pie and a nice cold beer.
2		Sam Adams Fat Jack Double Pumpkin AleAroma:  Malty and caramel, with a strong alcohol note to it. Taste:  Well balanced.  Pumpkin, malt, and other flavor elements are all present and none really overwhelms the rest.  The pumpkin lends a creamy thickness to the beer that works well.  Finish is a little dry but nice. Overall Experience:  It’s not the pumpkin pie experience I’d like it to be, but it’s a good mix of beer and pumpkin pie elements.  For an “almost macro brew” it’s pretty darned impressive.
3		BJ’s Brewhouse Pumpkin AleAroma:  Definite pumpkin here.  A little bit of spice. Taste:  Starts with a bit of molasses-like sourness, followed by some pumpkin creaminess and malt.  Spices hang out in another room but are present. Overall Experience:  Not quite that pumpkin pie experience, but there are elements of it here.  Pumpkin takes center stage, with beer right behind it.
4		Uinta Punk’n Harvest Pumpkin AleAroma:  Malty with a strong hint of pumpkin, but no spice that I can detect. Taste:  More like a good craft beer than a slice of pie.  I get some ginger and pumpkin, but that’s about it.  Finish is dry and bitter. Overall Experience:  Very little of the holiday experience here.  Still, it’s a good beer and pleasant to drink.
5		Jackie O’s Barking Pumpkin AleAroma:  Spice takes the front seat, with pumpkin behind it. Taste:  The brewers use a lot of malt in this, so it tends toward the sweeter side, which I like.  Overall, it’s well-balanced.  The spices are too subtle in the flavor, and the finish is slightly bitter. Overall Experience:  Based on the aroma, I want to like this more than I do.  Still, it’s a solid pumpkin beer and certainly one of the better ones in this lineup.  This is the highest ranking Ohio pumpkin beer in the list.
6		Ithaca Country Pumpkin Ale Aroma:  Spicy and malty with a ginger note.  Not a pumpkin pie, but evocative of the season.Taste:  Ginger seems to be a dominant part of the flavor, with pumpkin “funkiness” behind it.  A kind of molasses or brown sugar sourness goes with it. Overall Experience:  It’s a pleasant beer but not really what I look for in a pumpkin beer.  I’d like to see something a bit more creamy, sweet, and spicy.
7		Southern Tier WarlockAroma:  It’s kind of a cross between pumpkin pie, chocolate, and dark malt. Taste:  Begins bitter and smoky.  This gives way to pumpkin, malt, and spice.  The finish is definitely hoppy and bitter, reminding you that this is definitely a beer. Overall Experience:  While not entirely unpleasant, it’s not quite what I look for in a pumpkin beer.
8		Dayton Beer Company Pumpkin Party AleAroma:  Reminds me of a lightly spiced pumpkin pie. Taste:  Opens on the hoppy side, which reminds me that it’s a beer.  This gives way to cinnamon and allspice.  The aftertaste is bitter. Overall Experience:  This has the aroma I’m looking for, but doesn’t make it on the flavor side.
9		Epic Imperial Pumpkin Porter Aroma:  It’s malty, and the malt nearly covers up the pumpkin and spices.Taste:  The flavor is primarily malty, with a bitterness that seems to be from the grain rather than the malt.  Pumpkin and spice are way in the background. Overall Experience:  Not a bad beer, but not what I’m thinking of for this situation.
10		Dogfish Head Punkin AleAroma:  Malty with maybe a hint of hops.  No hint that pumpkin or spice is in it. Taste:  Matches up with the aroma.  It’s a good enough beer, but could easily be mistaken for an Oktoberfest or harvest ale rather than a pumpkin beer. Overall Experience:  It’s OK but not what I’m looking for.
11		Saranac Pumpkin AleAroma:  Sour pumpkin and toasted grain dominate. Taste:  Starts with smoked barley, followed by pumpkin funk and barely-detectable spice.  The roasted malts aren’t bad but not what I expect from pumpkin beer. Overall Experience:  A decent beer, just not a good “pumpkin beer”.
12		New Holland Ichabod Pumpkin AleAroma:  Pumpkin, cinnamon, and nutmeg dominate, as I’d expect. Taste:  Starts with malt and nutmeg, then gives way to pumpkin creaminess.  Ends mildly bitter.  Hops bitterness kills the overall effect. Overall Experience:  The coolest label of all the pumpkin beers.  Not the best tasting by far.
13		Shipyard Pumpkin AleAroma:  Pumpkin, ginger, and cinnamon dominate the aroma. Taste:  Starts with ginger, cinnamon, and pumpkin.  I get some nutmeg along with it.  The finish is bitter and sour, which I don’t care for. Overall Experience:  It’s a lot of what I’m looking for, but unfortunately also a lot of what I don’t want in a beer.
14		O’Fallon Pumpkin BeerAroma:  This is a mix of raw pumpkin and vanilla, with some cinnamon and nutmeg.  Not a bad start. Taste:  Funky and sour at the start, ending with a malty, toasted grain flavor. Overall Experience:  Maybe it was a bad bottle, but it struck me as just unpleasant and nothing like a pumpkin pie experience.  It was really sour overall.
15		Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin AleAroma:  Very nice with lots of pumpkin and spice in it. Taste:  Hops, hops, and more hops.  If there’s pumpkin and spice in here, I can’t find it for the hops. Overall Experience:  Not what I want from a beer, pumpkin or otherwise.
16		Smuttynose Pumpkin AleAroma:  Hops, with maybe some pumpkin and spice in the background. Taste:  Not as bitter as some pale ales, but much more than I’m looking for in a pumpkin ale.  The hops bitterness overwhelms the pumpkin and spice that might exist somewhere in this beer. Overall Experience:  Not what I want from a beer, period.

Timmermans Pumpkin Lambicus (7/10)

Timmermans is apparently the world's oldest lambic brewery, which makes this possibly the most authentic of the lambic beers you might try. Timmermans is located in Itterbeek, Belgium, and is one of the official Belgian Family Brewers.  When I found this beer on special at Kenny Road Market, I had to pick up a bottle to try.  I'm a big fan of Belgian beers in general, and am just starting to appreciate the lambic style.

Pumpkin Lambicus pours a very bright and clear amber color with no head and minimal carbonation.  You'll think something's wrong with it when you first pour it, if you're used to the typically very carbonated Belgian beer styles.  There is no head, and no lacing.  Very few bubbles rise up through it, even if you pour it very hard.

The aroma betrays the pumpkin in the beer, mixed with a hint of the typical lambic sourness.

The flavor is surprisingly far less sour than you might expect for a lambic.  It's more like a white wine than a lambic beer.  It starts with a very mild sourness (a Jolly Rancher sour apple candy is a LOT more sour than this).  This is followed by a mild pumpkin flavor (not pumpkin spice) and a mild malt element.  Hops, if present, is definitely taking a back seat here.  This is not a brew for IPA fans.  Finish is very mildly bitter.

Beer Advocate gives Timmermans Pumpkin Lambicus an 82 out of 100 or "good" rating.  Rate Beer gives it an 80 out of 100 overall.  I have a bit of a hard time rating it.  Compared with other lambics I've had, I'd definitely give this an 8 out of 10 - possibly a 9.  Compared with other beers that I've rated 8 out of 10, I don't like it quite as much.  I don't do "half" ratings (like 7.5), so I guess that's my answer... it's a 7 out of 10 for me.  I like it, and I like more than most lambics, but there are other beers I'd prefer to drink.  If you're looking for a good introduction to the lambic style without intense sourness, this may be what you want.

As noted earlier, I purchased this beer at Kenny Road Market earlier in the year.  You may still find it there, or you may need to look around.

Bornem Double/Dubbel (8/10)

Bornem Double is produced by the Brouwerij Van Steenberge, which is also responsible for Gulden Draak, Piraat, and other fine Belgian Ales.  The brewery's web site says "Soft as velvet, this double with warm dark brown color and burgundy undertones has a fruity taste and hoppy aftertaste.  Its creamy, rich and firm foam head crowns it."  It is initially fermented in a barrel, and refermented in the bottle.  The brewery also suggests that you can age it for many years like a fine wine.

This is true Belgian Dubbel style ale.  The BJCP guidelines for the style say that the aroma should be complex, rich, malty, and sweet.  Moderate fruit esters, usually raisins and plums are present.  Spicy phenols and alcohols are common.  Appearance is usually dark amber to copper in color, with a reddish hue.  The head is generally large, dense, and creamy.  Flavor is similar to aroma, with complex malt sweetness and a moderately dry finish.  Raisin flavors are common, and dried fruit flavors are acceptable.  The balance is toward malt, not hops.

Bornem Double pours a dark brown with a touch of mahogany to it.  The head is easily two fingers thick and beige in color.  It tends to last a while, too.

The aroma is sweet, with strong dark fruit notes like prune, plum, and raisin.

The flavor is malty, sweet, and very mildly spicy.  Dark fruit flavors like raisin and prune are definitely present, in pleasing amounts.  It's hard to argue with the brewery's claim of it being a velvety smooth beer.  I'd be pleased to sit and sip one of these anytime.

Rate Beer gives Bornem Double a 76 overall.  Beer Advocate gives it an 84 or "good" rating.  My own rating of 8 out of 10 is in line with these.

If you're looking for this locally, The Andersons General Store is a good starting point, as that's where I bought the bottle reviewed here.  You can also check BeerMenus.com to see where they've got it on record.

Avery Salvation Belgian Golden Ale (7/10)

Avery Brewing Co. of Boulder, Colorado, produces Salvation.  Salvation is described as a Belgian Golden Ale and the third in Avery's "Holy Trinity of Ales" series of beers which includes The Reverend (a personal favorite).  Avery says that "luscious apricot and peach aromas are delicately interwoven with spicy suggestions of nutmeg and cinnamon in this soft, champagne-like elixir."

Salvation pours a slightly cloudy orange-tinged gold with a thin white head.

The aroma is sweet, and definitely invokes the peach and apricot aromas Avery was going for.

The flavor starts with a strong warming note, hinting at the beer's 9% alcohol content.  This warming note is soon followed by caramel malt, and ending with a citrusy bitterness at the end.  The bitterness is mild.

Beer Advocate gives Avery Salvation an 86 or "very good" rating.  Rate Beer gives it a 94 overall.  I enjoyed it, but not quite as much as they did.  I'm giving it a 7 out of 10.

To see where Avery Salvation might be available nearby, visit this link to BeerMenus.com.

Actual Brewing Ingenuity Lemongrass Saison (7/10)

Columbus' own Actual Brewing makes Ingenuity, a Saison ale brewed with lemongrass.  They say it "tastes like lemonbears, summer nights and big ideas" and that you'll "probably need to quit your day job and build that thing you've been dreaming about" when you drink it.

Ingenuity pours a slightly cloudy amber color with white head that doesn't last long.

The aroma is mildly hoppy and bitter.  I can't pick out the lemongrass or malt in this one.

The flavor begins malty and sweet, then turns a bit bitter and fruity.  All in all, it's a nice beer but not one of my favorites.  It definitely didn't inspire me to quit my day job.

There aren't many reviews on Beer Advocate for Ingenuity at this time.  What's there works out to about 3.9 out of 5 or just under 8 out of 10.  Rate Beer has few reviews also, but those which are recorded work out to an average in the 6.9 out of 10 range.  These are in line with my rating of 7 out of 10.

Ingenuity is available at a number of places around town, including the brewery's taproom.  This link to BeerMenus.com will help you find somewhere you can try it.

Abita Andygator Helles Doppelbock (8/10)

Having just given a less-than-stellar review to an Abita product last Friday, I decided to share another review about one of their beers I do like, their Andygator Helles Doppelbock.

The Abita web site describes Andygator as having a slightly sweet flavor and subtle fruit aroma with a dry finish.  It's rated at 8% alcohol by volume, 25 IBUs of bitterness, and a color of 8 SRM.

The aroma is definitely malty.  I don't get the fruit they're talking about, but there's a definite sweetness in the aroma.

The flavor starts mildly hoppy, but quickly turns malty and sweet.  I get hints of roasted malt, and some bready or grainy elements.  The mouthfeel is slightly watery to me.  A very easy to drink beer.

Beer Advocate rates Andygator 81 or good.  Rate Beer apparently really disliked it, giving it only 36 overall, although the weighted average of reviews is more like 6 out of 10.  I'm rating it an 8 out of 10.  I'm pretty fond of malt-forward styles, and this is definitely that.

If you're looking to find Andygator, this link to BeerMenus.com should help you find where it might be locally.  I happened to try it at The Winking Lizard on Bethel Road some time before their remodel in 2015.

Abita Bourbon Street Barrel Aged Biere De Mars (6/10)

Lately, I've been going through my old beer review notes and trying to get everything available here on the site for my readers.  One thing that's really disappointed me (in myself, mostly) is that I've had a tough time getting the reviews for certain beers online before those beers disappear from sale.  Sadly, this review is one of those.  I post the reviews anyway, as a thank you to the brewers for producing these interesting beers, and as a way for other craft beer lovers to get some idea what the beer was like - should it ever reappear at your favorite store or bar.

Abita Brewing Co. is located about 30 miles away from New Orleans, Louisiana.  Bourbon Street Barrel Aged Biere De Mars is a Biere De Garde style ale, typically brewed in March (hence the Mars name).  It's aged in bourbon barrels, but I can't find much information about the barrels used.

The Biere De Garde style in the BJCP guidelines has an aroma with a prominent malty sweetness with a complex toasty character.  Esters are moderate to low, and there is little or no hop aroma.  There's also a musty element common in commercially brewed versions.  The guidelines state that the flavor has a medium to high malt flavor with a toasty toffee or caramel sweetness.  Alcohol flavors are low to moderate.  Hop bitterness is medium to low, as this is a beer that should be balanced toward malt.

Abita's version pours a hazy light brown with minimal head.

The aroma is buttery, oaky, and only slightly malty.  

The flavor starts malty, then turns oaky and a little buttery.  There is a lingering bitterness, probably from hops, and a cola-like malt character.  As much as I like the Biere De Garde and Biere De Mars styles in general, I don't care much for this example of it.  It's rated at 9% alcohol, and 21 IBUs of bitterness.  It seemed a bit more bitter than that.

All things considered, this is a beer I should love.  I like barrel aged beers.  I like Biere De Mars style in general.  Abita makes some nice beers.  It's got all the right elements, but somehow it just doesn't work for me.  I'm giving it a 6 out of 10.  Beer Advocate reviewers gave it an 89 or good rating.  Rate Beer reviewers come closer to my own rating, giving it a 3.22 out of 5 on average, or 6.4 out of 10.

This is supposedly a one-time limited edition beer.  If you want to see whether it's available near you today, check this link to locations selling it on BeerMenus.com.

Brasserie d'Achouffe La Chouffe Blonde Ale (8/10)

The Brasserie d Achouffe is located in Achouffe, Belgium.  They produce a range of several beers, including La Chouffe.  La Chouffe is an unfiltered Belgian Blonde Ale which "is refermented both in the bottle and in barrels" and is described as "pleasantly fruity, spiced with coriander and tinged with hops."

The beer pours an almost coppery amber color with a finger thick white head that lasts a little while before disappearing, leaving behind a significant amount of thick white lacing as you can see in the photo at the left.

The aroma mixes the typical Belgian fruit and spice elements.

The flavor starts malty and a little sweet, with mild fruit and spice notes as in the aroma.  I get hints of orange, cinnamon, and coriander.  The finish is bitter and lingering, and is the only thing about the beer I dislike.  The flavor hides the fact that this is a relatively strong beer (8% alcohol by volume).

Beer Advocate gives La Chouffe a 99 or "world-class" rating.  Rate Beer gives it a 98 out of 100.  I really liked the beer, but I can't justify a 9 or 10 rating because of that unpleasantly bitter finish.  I'm rating it an 8 out of 10, but it's probably more like an 8.5.

You can find Achouffe products around town at a number of retailers and draft beer sellers.  Here's a link to the BeerMenus.com list of nearby locations which have it available.

Rivertown Brewery - Cincinnati, Ohio

Rivertown Brewery Tapoom Beer List and Taps

On Saturday, I had the opportunity to visit and tour the Rivertown Brewery in Cincinnati.  The brewery is located in an industrial complex in the Lockland area.  It features a taproom with vintage arcade games, plenty of seating, a small gift shop area (several shelves), a refrigerated section featuring Rivertown's beers and soft drinks, televisions, and a bar where you can sample the company's beers.  Unfortunately, at the time of our visit very few of the beers were still in stock.

Adam, our tour guide and brewmaster, began his brewing career as a homebrewer.  He walked us through the entire brewing process.  He began by showing us samples of grain and hops pellets used in some of Rivertown's beers.   We were invited to chew on some of the grains to get an idea what they contributed to the beer's flavor.  Pale Malt has a slightly sweet taste to it.  Honey Malt is a bit sweeter and tastes a little like honey.

Citra Hops Pellets, Honey Malt, and 2-Row Pale Malt Samples

Adam talked about how a lot of brew day work involves lugging 50-pound sacks of grain around the brewery - an area which often reaches temperatures over 100 degrees during the summer months.  To help reduce some of this heavy lifting, they installed a grain silo capable of holding 6,000 pounds of the pale malt they use.  Since pale malt represents most of the grain used in a typical beer, this has cut down significantly on the lifting they've had to do.

Rivertown's Grain Silo

Pale malt flows from the silo through tubes into the mill, where it's crushed before moving on to the mash tun.

Inside the white room here is the grain mill, which takes in grain
from the silo before passing it on to the mash tun

After being crushed, the grain flows on to the mash tun.

Brewmaster Adam showing the mash tun and explaining the
mashing, hot liquor, and vorlauf parts of brewing

In the mash tun, the grain is mixed with water and the sugars are extracted from it.  Water from the mash tun is circulated from the bottom of the mash tun back through the top.  This allows the grain to act as a kind of filter to clarify the beer a bit.  Once the mash is boiling, hops are added at appropriate times to provide bitterness, flavor, and aroma to the beer (which is called a wort at this point).

The wort is pumped through a heat exchanger which uses cold water and glycol to quickly lower the temperature of the wort from boiling (212 degrees) to a temperature suitable for yeast (typically around 60-65 degrees Fahrenheit).  The wort is then pumped into fermenters.

One of Rivertown's fermenters, in which wort is turned into beer by yeast

In the fermenter, the wort is mixed with yeast.  The yeast consumes sugar in the wort and releases carbon dioxide and alcohol.  Some varieties of yeast also produce flavor compounds which give the beer's flavor more complexity.  The size of Rivertown's fermenters require about $600 worth of yeast for a batch.

When the fermentation is finished, the fermenter is chilled to cause the yeast to drop out of the beer into the bottom of the fermenter.  The yeast is then recovered by the brewmasters and re-used up to twelve times as a cost-saving measure.  A clarifying agent known as biofine is added to further clarify the beer.  The beer is then pumped into brite tanks.

Brite tanks, where beer is further clarified and carbonated before
being kegged or bottled

After the beer is moved to the brite tanks, it is further clarified and carbon dioxide gas added to it.  From here, the majority of the beer is packaged into kegs.  A smaller percentage is bottled.  The brewery has an automated bottling line in it.

The bottling line, in which Rivertown's beer is bottled, capped, and labeled.
Beer comes in from the left side of the photo, circles around, and the
bottles are capped in the machines on the right.

The labeling end of the line for Rivertown bottled beers

Rivertown is one of a few breweries that is developing a reputation for sour beers  They're also developing a variety of barrel aged beers.

Adam showing the barrel and sour beer brewing equipment

Adam showed us the equipment Rivertown is using to brew sour ales.  He mentioned that it's important then they bottle their sour beers to remove and replace all the rubber components in their bottling line.  Sour beers include bacteria that can infect rubber and taint beers bottled in the same equipment.  Cleaning the stainless steel components and replacing the rubber ones allows Rivertown to do both regular and sour beers.

Another element of Rivertown's sour brewing apparatus

Adam also showed us their chill room, where beers can be kept at refrigerator-like temperatures.

The Chill Room

The tour finishes back at the taproom, where you have the opportunity try Rivertown's beers.

Fans of Rivertown's products will enjoy this "backstage" look at how they're made.  As a home brewer, I enjoyed seeing how Rivertown's products are made.