Fortieth Meeting

We're here at Tom J's house for the 40th meeting of beer club and I'm joined by Lampe, Belfry, Colin, and Tom J, obviously. Lampe said we should have done 40s as the theme and I think that would have been a wonderful idea. The theme is wheat beers, so we have a selection of the various wheat styles.

First up- Tom J brings to us Ayinger Brau Weisse, which is a delicious German wheat beer that's 5.1%. LET ME HEAR YOU SAY THIS STUFF IS BANANAS, B-A-N-A-N-A-S! Quite banana-y smelling and tasting. This is light and refreshing. I guess all you can say about it is that it's light, banana-y, and tasty. Banana split sandwich, Gwen Stefani, Citrus... those are all the words being thrown at me when I asked what people's impressions were.

BPA: 3.46

Lampe brings us yet another Trade Joe's original. This one is brewed by Steinhaus and is called Mission Street Hefeweizen. This one is 4.7% ABV. There's not a lot on the nose, and equally not as much going on the palette. It's just a pretty bland beer. There's just a little yeasty, wheaty kick, but that's about it. This is unanimously decided.

BPA: 2.06

Belfry brought 21st Amendment Hell or High Watermelon Wheat Beer. Mouthful. This is classified as a Fruit/Vegetable beer and is 4.9%. Yikes, this sure smells like an African Ham(copyright Urban Dictionary)! I thought I'd had this before, but apparently not. This is watermelon first, wheat second. Pretty unique and I guess I could see myself drinking one on a hot summer day. Tom J left a wrapper on the salami. And that's not a sexual innuendo.

BPA: 2.82

Colin brang to us New Belgium Mothership Wit, which is a witbier rolling at 4.8%. It looks like a hef but it smells SPICY. Black pepper, and a nice wheat taste. The black pepper is quite notable. I believe I also detect some Belgian candi sugar. Pretty decent, but it's nothing that would knock one's socks off.

BPA: 2.82

Tom B brings New Belgium Lips of Faith Dunkel Weiss. It's basically a dark malty 9% wheat beer. The Lips of Faith series rarely goes wrong, so hopefully this is solid. It's quite smooth and a black pepper mamba, according to Colin. It's pretty peppery, smooth and light, but then ends with a sugary kick which is where the high ABV comes from.

BPA: 3.12

BOOOOONUS BEEEEER! Tonight Tom J, Colin, and I decided to bring bonus beers. Tom J is up first with his mystery beer. And it is.....


Full Sail Old Boardhead Barleywine, ABV 9%. It pours a dark, thick brown color and doesn't emit much odor. It's a pretty good barleywine, but the conversation has shifted wildly off topic.

BPA: 3.04

Next, I brought us a trade throw-in. I've had this a few times before and it's a solid Belgian Strong Pale Ale from my favorite brewery. Russian River Damnation comes in at 7.75%. It pours a cloudy gold color, and it tastes of candi sugar and hops.

BPA: 3.3 (Ed. Note- B+s all around!)

Last up is a rare, fine treat. This one can be obtained from Town Hall once or twice a year, and it's a pain in the ass to get. It's Town Hall Czar Jack, which is their imperial stout aged in Jack Daniels barrels. It's 9.3% and can be traded for just about anything on beeradvocate.com. This is just magical- boozy, bourbony, a little coffee bitter... fantastic.

BPA: 3.86

Thirty Ninth Meeting

Here we are in Brent's dark, dank basement on the nicest day of the year so far. But, there's beer to be drank and it's up to us to rate it subjectively. I'm joined by Belfry, Brent, Turnbull, Mike, and Woodpond. The theme is Rogue beers. As in the brewery, not the outlaw.

First up, as tradition dictates, is Brent. He brings to us Rogue First Growth Creek Ale. I think it's just river water that comes in at 6%. It's dark and murky like the Mississippi, but tastes dark and fruity. It has a pretty muted, sour taste- not spicy like you'd think a dubbel would taste like.

BPA: 3.09

Next, Turnbull brings us Rogue Brutal Bitter, which is an American IPA at 5.8%. It pours a cloudy, golden color not atypical for the style. There's not a lot of nosefeel. The taste is really bitter- but BA only lists it at 59 IBU. It's just a very dry hoppy flavor that dominates without much malt to back it up. There isn't much beer talk going on; mostly just trying to piece together Saturday night's bachelor party.

BPA: 3.19

Colin brought Rogue Juniper Pale Ale, which is classified as an Herbed/Spiced beer, but is really just a pale ale spiced with juniper. It looks like an IPA like the last beer, but it's a little less hoppy than that. To be honest, I'm having a hard time picking out the juniper flavor. It's fine, but unremarkable.

BPA: 2.87

This next one is a Red Ale brought to us by Mike. We’re having some serious internet issues and talk about Saturday night. On to the bpa, I guess!

BPA: 3.23

Woodpond brings us Rogue’s Younger Special Bitter. I don’t have the internet, but I believe this is an English IPA. Dang, this is pretty tasty. It’s nice and balanced, with some citrus-y hops. Not exactly what I’d think of when I think of an English IPA.

BPA: 3.17

300!! 300th beer!! This is the 300th beer we’ve tried in beer club. Tom brings to us Rogue Hazelnut Brown Ale. It pours a brown color. Mmm smells hazelnutty. I enjoy this, especially as far as brown ales go.

BPA: 3.17

Therobot brings to us Rogue First Growth OREgasmic Ale. Eww, gross! This one is 6% and is an APA. It’s citrusy and skrunkly sandwich. Definitely my favorite beer of the night.

BPA: 3.42

B-B-B-Bonus beeeer! Next up we have Brent’s bonus offering which is capped and foiled! It’s Great Divide’s 16th Anniversary Ale, which is a Double IPA aged in oak barrels. It should right pack a punch, as any good bonus beer should. It’s darker and a little more clear than most pale ales. It smells hoppy and a bit citrusy, but ZING there’s a lot of oak. I would equate this to taking a shot of hops and then chasing it by licking oak bark.

BPA: 3.56

Thirty Eighth Meeting

Survivor Edition WTBC

By far the weakest culinary showing out of Brother Belfry. The group has shown no mercy for the fact that there isn’t even furniture in the house let alone food and an equipped kitchen.


Squatter's IPA- 6.5%. A slight error has resulted in this beer’s appearance tonight, I mistakenly grabbed this one instead of 2 Hop Rising’s. Light mildy hoppy very drinkable, not getting voted off the island thus far, Joseph Smith would be proud. Good balance of citrus hops for a more well rounded offering.

BPA: 3.09


Squatter's Hop Rising- 9%. Nice hop profile again, good citrus balance, again very drinkable , right now more interested in watching chicks fight on survivor. This one is the host’s desert island beer.

BPA: 3.09


Olvalde Farm and Brewing Company, Auroch's Horn- 10%. A braggot and and new MN brewery, a braggot for those of you that don’t know, is a historic ale which changes opacities over night. According to Joe it was clear last night and filled with sea monkeys this morning, they must have been spawning furiously. It should be noted that this is the only beer this brewery makes, eggs in one basket anyone? Very yeasty, and wild tasting. Light and fruity just the way Brent likes them (his quote). BTW will someone tell me what Auroch is?

BPA: 3.21


Baja-?%. Our first Central American offering. smells like Mexican beer night. This one is voted off the island. “You can put me on a bleach and I would drink that” – Michael

BPA: .76


Boulevard Chocolate Ale- 9.1%. Very chocolaty, could probably only finish this sample size. Others stated they could finish a larger sample. Color is surprising at dark amber, I think all of us were expecting something much darker. This one is coming in hot for Joe. One of the favorites so far tonight. Great dessert beer. Michael must have had a brain slur and confused dessert beer with desert island beer. Good none the less.

BPA: 2.86


Central Waters Illumination- 9%. Hop sandwich in my salad. Hop bomb. Very great IIPA, super great, very drinkable generally very well liked. IMHO not as well balanced as the hop rising, I may be biased.

BPA: 3.41


Stone Old Guardian Belgo Barleywine- 12%. Welcome to flavor country. Nice combination of Belgian yeast and caramel punches you in the face. Lots of heat, the poster is conflicted about the combination of Belgian yeast and sweet caramel of the barleywine. HOT HOT HOT. It’s a spicy meatball! Jury says if you were stuck on a desert island at least it would F*@# you up.

BPA: 2.86


Lagunitas Imperial Stout- 9.9%. Mouthfeel a little on the light side but we’re going to give this the benefit of the doubt considering its’ predecessor sample. A very boozy version of a stout. Thin not roasty, not chocolaty.

BPA: 3.04


Bonus! Three Floyd's Robert the Bruce- 6.15%. Michael has shown us a beautiful girl in this season of Survivor, we all admired her mammaries and then Michael told us she died of breast cancer. :(

BPA: 3.21

Bonus:

Chosen survivor style from my cellar, everyone picked something from the cellar and we’re voting them off the island the winner gets sampled.

Deliverance is voted the winner. You’ve got a perty mouth!

BPA: 3.71

Also pictured is a prototype Brewbicle, visit brewbicle.com or friend it on facebook