Day 360 - 90 Minute IPA

A glorious sunset color, clear and sparkling orange, yet it pales next to the taste that you experience when you drink this. This beer was worth waiting 360 days to drink, and I can guarantee that it won't be another 360 days before I have my 2nd of these...


The specs don't matter, nothing else matters, this is a great beer, but should only be drunk if you truly like high hops palies. Ok, a teaser, the ABV is 9%. I'm celebrating (if that is really the right word for it...) my 50th in a few days, and perhaps should have on hand a selection of my favorites. This one will be there, and it could be interesting to compare my top picks head to head, so to speak.

Not sure if any of the rest I got today will be this good, but many thanks to Dean Baker for reminding me I needed to get this in!

Day 297 - Raison D'Etre

The risks I take just amaze me sometime. So Cullen is home for Thanksgiving, and drinks my 60-minute IPA from this brewer, leaving me with this one. Per the label, it is brewed with Belgian beer sugars, green raisins and a sense of purpose. Hum, me thinketh they should have substituted all 3 for real ingredients...

A rootbeer brown, and unsurprisingly, dominatingly sweet flavor. You gotta like creativity in brewing, but this was a recipe for disaster in my opinion, which of course they didn't ask for...

Specs:

Full Name: Raison D'Etre
Brewed by: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
From: Milton DE
ABV: 8%

Well, on the bright side, this one is now out of the way, and there are no more of this style in the pipeline for the next week, so things are looking up, as I look up into an empty bottle.

cheers

Day 268 - Punkin Ale

Day 2 of the seasonals, and I had mixed expectations regarding this one. They brew an excellent palie (2 actually) but then, any beer that lists allspice, cinamon and nutmeg in the ingredients list is plain scary.

The orange-brown color of pumpkin pie, and alas, the taste matches the pie as well. How could it not, with all those spices.

Specs:

Full name: Punkin Ale
Brewed By: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
From: DE
ABV: 7%

They say the base is a brown ale, but clearly not the indian brown I had sampled way back in March, as that was quite dark and this is lighter. If one really were inclined to stretch, this is kind of a dessert, and thus allowed the flavor. I reckon after the next week, I'll be Gumby with all the stretching I'll be doing...

Cheers!

Day 208 - 60 Minute IPA (draft)

Met a great friend for beers tonight, and to pick his amazing sales brain for suggestions on how to improve my sales/marketing efforts for CrossPoint. As a side benefit, had a tasty draft palie...

Expectations went way up watching the waiter carry over the sunset-orange glass ("tall", of course '>) ). Dry hops aroma, and excellent citrusy taste with lingering finish, that drives you to take the next sip, then the next, then the next, until they just had to bring a second... ;>)

Full Name: Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA
Brewed by: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
From: Rehoboth Beach Delaware
ABV: 6%


So, no pic, but a small price to pay for excellent beer and awesome advice. Not only is he driving his 3-yr old company to high levels, but when I get there as well, it will be in no small part to his creativity and suggestions. Tonight's blog is dedicated to Todd, as well as the next round when I close that next deal!

Day 38 - Dogfish Head

It's not really cheating having your son at home having a different beer than you on the side that you get to taste right...?

This one was actually recommended by Cullen, as he had it whilst visiting family friends in AZ. It is very stout-esque, black, very heavy roasted malt sweetness, yet a touch lighter and cleaner finish. It's not a pale ale, but an excellent change of pace for those times you want to walk the other side of the street. I'd be inclined to keep a few of these on hand for those occasions.

Specs:

Full Name: Dogfish Head Indian Brown Ale

Brewed by: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery

From: Milton, DE (another state - check)

ABV: 7.2%

I dedicate this blog to my mom, who underwent cancer surgery today. I really have her to blame for my willingness to try different things, as she made sure when we were growing up that we were exposed to all sorts of strange creations. Thanks mom... ;>)