In a foreign land, we are going to sample out of Troubador Obscura during Belgian Week at Ashley’s Westland. The brewery was founded in 2000 by Kristof De Roo, Rikkert Maertens, Stefaan Soetemans and Sven Suys. They are known around Europe as the 4 ‘Musketeers’. They brew in the traditional and classic Belgian beer styles in past. This brewery brew several beer styles and they do them well. They do not let anything out of their brewery unless it is up to their standards. I like that. Let us get into the beer.
It has a dark brown with some reddish tones for the color with a constant white head. The aroma has slight chocolate with notes of cherry to fruit. The taste has an aged malty chocolate notes with a cherry aftertaste. It is a pretty drinkable beer.
Here is a description from their website (www.troubadourbeers.com):
Troubadour Obscura is a dark red-brown colored beer, with a rich, malty body combined with different touches of a stout but in a very nice balanced way: roast, chocolate, coffee, vanilla. A mild stout with a Belgian body!
Specifications:Alcohol (V/V): 8,2%
Stamwort: 18
Plato EBC: 110
IBU: 35
Here is their website and twitter addresses:
Website: www.troubadourbeers.com
Twitter: @Troubadourbeer
In first glance, it took one sip of Obscura. I was in love with this brew. It took me a few sips to get to know everything that is going on in this complex ale. I love the chocolate cover cherry notes I received out of the this brew. I can see the vanilla and coffee notes also. I tasted that towards the end of the glass. There is a ton going on in this beer and I love that. It is a drinkable beer but I found myself sipping it. I wanted to taste everything that was going on in this brew. I highly recommend this brew. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/
Cheers!
Bill DJ Weiser
Email: djweiser13@comcast.net
Twitter: @djweiser
New Beer Blog Old Dominion Oak Barrel Stout
In this beer blog, we are going to sample my favorite beer from Old Dominion Brewing. It is their Oak Barrel Stout. This is the beer that open my eyes on this brewery. I received a bottle from one of my beer of the months. If you read my beer blog post yesterday on their Coffee stout, you know the history of this brewery. If you have not, please, read beer blog post on their Morning Glory Espresso to get to know this east coast craft brewery. Let us get into this stout.
It has a jet black color with a tan creamy color head on this stout. The smell is chocolate with coffee notes. The taste is chocolate, little vanilla and coffee notes with a dry chocolate aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.
Here is a description from the beer bottle:
Dominion Oak Barrel Stout raises the bar for American stouts. Our method of dry-hopped with vanilla beans and oak chips broadens our stout’s flavor spectrum even further.
Here is a description from their website (www.olddominion.com):
Oak Barrel Stout
Oak Barrel Stout raises the bar for American Sweet Stouts. Our method of infusing vanilla beans and oak chips during conditioning results in a smooth, roasty stout that is unparalleled.
- 6.1% alc/vol
- “Best Beer in Delaware” – Delaware News Journal, March 2011
- Willamette & Cascade Hops.
- Pairs well with oysters, clams, brie cheese & chocolate
- Serve in a pint glass at 50-55ºF
Here is their website and twitter addresses:
Website: www.olddominion.com
Twitter: @DominionBrewing
Ending, what can I say to a stout fan to have them try this beer? Why this stout? This stout gives the craft beer and stout drinkers something a little different from the normal boring old craft stout. There is nothing wrong with the boring old craft stout. They have an answer for the mainstream and mass-produced beer or lager. This stout kicks out some vanilla notes making it smooth and easy to drink. There are also some notes of oak with some creamy chocolate notes. This is why the craft beer and stout drinker needs to try to beer. I believe we could get some lager drinkers to maybe enjoy this stout. Let me know what you think and go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/
Cheers!
Bill DJ Weiser
Email: djweiser13@comcast.net
Twitter: @djweiser
New Beer Blog Old Dominion Brewing Morning Glory Espresso Stout
In this 500th blog, we are going to sample out a brewpub that I had a chance to visit a few years go when I was in Washington D.C. I am talking about Old Dominion Brewing. The beer that we will review is their Morning Glory Espresso Stout. Old Dominion Brewing was founded in 1989 by Jerry Bailey in Virginia. In 2000’s, Jerry sold his brewery to Coastal Brewing Company and they later moved the brewery to Dover, Delaware. They brew several different beers. Let us get into this stout.
It has a jet black color with a nice creamy tan color head. The smell is a slight coffee notes. The taste has coffee with hint of chocolate notes. The aftertaste has a dry coffee bean aftertaste. It is a nice sipping brew.
Here is a description from the beer bottle:
Loose Lips sink ships. And coquettish glory will never tell. A midnight stout brewed with coffee beans. Morning Glory wakes up at 9% AlC. by Vol. with the aroma of espresso.
Here is a description from their website (www.olddominion.com):
Morning Glory Espresso Stout
Morning Glory is a full-bodied espresso stout that utilizes locally roasted coffee beans. Waking up at 9% ABV with the aroma of espresso and the taste of chocolate, she will give drinkers a jolt. She will be available in six-packs and on draft.
- 9.0% alc/vol
- 35 IBUS
- Chocolate, Crystal, Pale, Smoked, Wheat, and Roasted Malts
- Bravo and Glacier Hops
- Available in 12oz bottles and on draft
Here is their website and twitter addresses:
Website: www.olddominion.com
Twitter: @DominionBrewing
Closing, I was excited moving back to Michigan to be close to family, however, I knew I could get some brews here that I could not get in the Chicago market. This brewery is one of them. I have had their Oak Barrel Stout a few times and I will have a review on that beer soon. I enjoyed it and I put it on my towards the top of my stout list. I was beer shopping and I came across this stout from Dominion Brewing. The color, aroma, and tasting experience is out of this world. This is a perfect beer after dinner or before. There is nothing wrong having a sipping beer with a nice cigar. I highly recommend this brew. If you are looking for this brew or other beers from this brewery, please, visit their website and click on beer finder to pick up a six-pack or twelve pack today. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/
Cheers!
Bill DJ Weiser
Email: djweiser13@comcast.net
Twitter: @djweiser
New Beer Blog Beer Stores In Southeast Michigan And West Of Detroit Part 1
(www.509beerstore.com)
In this beer blog, we are going to talk about liquor stores in my area of Michigan. I just moved back in October so please, give me feed back if I missed a store. As you know, I am a huge beer fan and a craft beer fan. I will be the first to say I was spoiled in Chicagoland area with great beer stores. It was between Binny’s, Cardinal Stores, and some of the chain stores there. When I moved back, I knew Michigan craft beer market was huge on Michigan beers, which should be the case. There are so many beers, and breweries in every market around the country. I know Michigan is in that same situation. Where do I go to buy some great beers? I had no idea. I did Google search after Google search. I came up with a list. I even did something I hate doing walking in and out of stores. I do have a list and I am going to be up front and honest. Here we go!
Beer Baron (Livonia, MI)
Beer Baron is a little bit north of Wine Palace by 7 mile on Middlebelt. When I went, they were working on the store. The staff there was nice and let me walk around. He let me take my time and asked if I needed help. This was the opposite of Wine Palace. They have a great beer selection and some pretty good prices. I was pretty impressed. This is a beer store and it is pretty clear to that fact. The two things I did not like about this store. One, the store is in chaos. There is beer everywhere. Two, when I went, the staff did not know anything about beer. Their parking lot is a lot easier than Wine Palace. I recommend this beer store.
Wine & Barrel (Livonia, MI)
I did not want to drive up to Beer Baron and I am staying away from Wine Palace. I just went to Wine & Barrel that is right down the street from my place. There is some nice parking at the side of the building and they are not that busy like the last two stores. The first thing, I did not like is the guy does not take pop cans. You are a liquor store that sells rum and you do not sell pop. I guess not rum and coke for someone in the area. I am just saying. I was not happy by that. Now, I have to go two places to get my errands done for returns. Who will go there and buy their liquor just to go somewhere else to get their pop? I was not too impressed by their beer selection. I did not like the fact you could not buy single beers (12oz). They had beer store selected ones available. It was like it came from their breakage area. I thought their prices where too high like Wine Palace. I get it that these stores need to make some money. There is a level where it will keep people out of your store. This store has a huge area for beer brewing supplies. I thought that was really cool when I was walking through but after looking at that the beer selection. I started to have a different attitude towards the store. Their beer area is all over the place. I mean you have craft beer with imports beers and the other way around. This is so not profitable for the store. Their beer customers that are looking at crafts beers are not seeing all their crafts or import beer customers in one area. They have to walk around the store and I know I might have missed something. It can be the same for their mass-produced beer customers. I just feel they make more money off their beer supplies. There is nothing wrong at being just a brewing supply store. I will pass on this store.
Mid-Joy Liquor Store (Livonia, MI)
The first weekend I was back in Michigan. I wanted to go beer shopping so I thought I would go back to my old liquor store when I first lived in the area. They have a pretty nice selection. I was enjoying it until I started noticing that everything I was picking up was out of date. I was pretty disappointed pretty quickly. This store went hard into the craft beer without the consumers to support it. I never went back into this store. I might again but I think I just might stay away.
Keg & Wine Party Store (Redford, MI)
I found this store looking for a Cider from Woodchuck Hard Cider on their website. The parking lot could be better but that is not point of this review. The store inside is pretty nice and clean. Everyone is nice and helpful. They have a great selection on beers and spirits. I was pretty impressed. I will have to say it is better than Wine Palace. The only thing I do not like about this store. I can not buy single bottles and/or cans of beer (12oz). You have to buy the six or four pack. I will be back to this store and I recommend this store.
Holiday Market (Canton, MI)
Whenever I would come in town, this was the store I would go to in the beginning. They had whole warm shelf aisle in this grocery store for craft beer. I was amazed at the selection. I always picked up beers that I could not get in Chicago. I started to realize pretty quickly that they were not selling through most their beers. This store at that time had a ton of out of code beers. This is a great store but buyer beware.
Super Fines (Canton, MI)
This store is at the top of my list. They have just about everything in this liquor store. If they do not have it, they will get the beer or whatever you are looking for at that time. If it is sold in the state, they will get it. You can do mix six packs in every price range. You can buy single beers too. They have a pretty big spirit selection. This is a great beer store and I highly recommend it.
Closing, I know I have not covered everything liquor stores in the Southeast Michigan. I am looking at just craft liquor beer stores. I am not going to just the neighbor store. I went to ones that claim they are a craft beer store or I know they have a pretty big selection. I know there are more out there. I will keep searching. I loved Super Fines in Canton, Beer Barton in Livonia, and Key & Wine Party Store in Redford. I will never go back into Wine Barrel and Mid-Joy Liquor Store in Livonia. If there are any other stores, please, let me know. I would love to hear your thoughts on these stores. I will be writing a new review here shortly. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/
Cheers!
Bill DJ Weiser
Email: djweiser13@comcast.net
Twitter: @djweiser
New Beer Blog Great Lakes Brewing Blackout Stout
Lights out, we are going to sample a beer from Great Lakes Brewing that was named after the “Blackout Of 2003.” It is their Blackout Stout. If you read my earlier beer blog on their Christmas Ale, you know history of this Ohio brewery. If you have not, please, read that beer blog to get to know this craft brewery. Let us get into the beer.
This stout has a jet black color without a head. The smell of this Russian Imperial Stout has a chocolate to coffee notes. The taste is a creamy chocolate with notes of burned malt with a slight burned chocolate bitterest. It is a sipping stout.
Here is a description from the beer bottle:
Our robust Blackout Stout is named after the infamous “Blackout of 2003” that left the northeastern United States without power for days…. A nuisance for some, an enjoyable 36 hours of energy conservation and beer drinking with neighbors for others
Who needs the power grid when you’ve got the full moon, bright stars, good friends and Blackout Stout, our Russian Imperial Stout with a hearty malt body and bold hop favor.
Here is their website and twitter addresses:
Website: www.greatlakesbrewing.com
Twitter: @GLBC_Cleveland
Lights back on, I enjoyed this brew and I forgot how good this brew really is. Every year this beer is released. I used to pick up a few like a few years ago and I would see it. I keep forgetting to pick up. Shame on me, this is a great stout. I almost want to make a road trip to try this as a barrel aged stout. This is a nice sipping Imperial Stout. I love the chocolate and slight coffee notes. I know there is a code date but I could see this brew aging well in the bottle. This is on my own thing and it did not come from the brewery. I highly recommend this brew and I would hunt it down before it disappear until next season. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/
Cheers!
Bill DJ Weiser
Email: djweiser13@comcast.net
Twitter: @djweiser
2013 in review Thanks For All The Support!
The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.
Here’s an excerpt:
A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 2,500 times in 2013. If it were a cable car, it would take about 42 trips to carry that many people.
Click here to see the complete report.
Thanks For The Support!
Bill DJ Weiser
New Beer Blog Une Annee Airing Of Grievances
New beginnings, we are going to sample out a new craft brewery from Chicago and beer from that brewery on this blog post. It is Une Annee Brewing Airing Of Grievances Imperial Russian Stout. This Chicago based brewery was founded in 2012 in the Bucktown area of town. They based their beers on Belgian and French beer styles. They have about eight beers they brew and package in 750ml bottles. They brew several different beer styles. Let us get into the beer.
It has a jet black color with big bubbles. There is a tan to creamy semi head. The smell has some chocolate to hints of coffee. The taste is a smooth creamy chocolate with a slight coffee notes. The aftertaste is a dry coffee bean notes. This stout is extremely drinkable and will get beer drinkers in trouble if they are not paying attention.
Here is a desecration from their website (www.uneannee.com):
Airing of Grievances – Russian Imperial Stout
ABV: 10.6% – Classic Belgian and English yeasts combine fruity esters with a deep malt presence for a creamy, chocolate finish. After drinking this decadent beer, one may feel at ease to tell friends how they’ve disappointed in the past year.
Here is their website and twitter addresses:
Website: www.uneannee.com
Twitter: @UneAnnee
Closing out the new beginnings, all I can say is WOW! This beer is something else in a good way of course. This beer is rich and full of flavor. I love the creamy chocolate notes this stout has going on in it. It does not drink like a beer over 10%. This beer will sneak up on you, however, you will enjoy the beer and love the design. This is the first beer that I had from this brewery. When I am back in Chicago, I will stop by their brewpub if they have one. If not I will bring some bottles back to Michigan to try rest of them, I highly recommend this brew. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/
Cheers!
Bill DJ Weiser
Email: djweiser13@comcast.net
Twitter: @djweiser
New Beer Blog Goose Island Bourbon County Coffee Stout (2013)
In this limited edition beer run, we are going to sample out a beer that makes Black Friday Shopping different after Thanksgiving Day. I am talking about the run of beers that are released around the country by Goose Island Brewery. This one is their Bourbon County Coffee Stout. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this brewery. If you have not, please, read those posts to get up to speed with this brewery. Let us get into the beer.
It has a jet black color without a head on this stout. The smell is a heavy coffee notes. The taste is a heavy coffee with bourbon notes. The aftertaste is chocolate with hints of coffee. It is a sipping beer.
Here is a description from their website (www.gooseisland.com):
Everyday Goose Island smells the wonderful coffee roasting next to our brewery at Chicago’s Intelligentsia Coffee and Tea. This world class roaster puts the same passion and skill into their coffee as Goose Island does with its beer. This excellent stout is made with a different coffee from our friends next door each year. With the change in coffee comes a change in the flavor profile, making each release truly unique from the previous years.
2013 Release – Intelligentsia Los Inmortales 2012 Release – Intelligentsia La Tortuga Beans 2011 Release – Intelligentsia Anjilanaka Beans 2010 Release – Intelligentsia Black Cat Espresso Beans
Recipe Information:
Style: Imperial Coffee Stout Aged in Bourbon Barrels Alcohol by Volume: 13.4% International Bitterness Units: 60 Color: Midnight Hops: Willamette Malt: 2-Row, Munich, Chocolate, Caramel, Roast Barley, Debittered Black Coffee: Intelligentsia La Tortuga Beans
Serving Suggestions:
Preferred Glass: Snifter Food Pairings: Flourless Chocolate Coffee Cake Cheese Pairings: Capriole Bourbon Chocolate Torte Cellaring Notes: Develops in the bottle up to 5 years
Availability:
Limited Release Bottles: 12oz Draft: 1/6 bbl
Here is their website and twitter addresses:
Website: www.gooseisland.com
Twitter: @GooseIsland
Closing out, Goose Island is heading into the right direction now since being took over by evil empire. I never doubted any of their products and I still look at them as craft brewery. I like the fact they are putting out more and more of Bourbon County Stout into the markets. It is still limited but it is expanding. I love the no balance of these stouts. They are designed like that and Goose Island was the first to the party to do this type of beer stytle. Some little craft brewery in Europe can stop being jealous of this brewery. I love the heavy coffee notes and how bourbon does not overpower the coffee stout part. If you can get a bottle, this is a must try for a craft beer drinker. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/
Cheers!
Bill DJ Weiser
Email: djweiser13@comcast.net
Twitter: @djweiser
New Beer Blog Green Flash Brewing Double Stout Black Ale
In this beer blog, we are going to get into another brew from Green Flash Brewing from California. Thanks again to my friend Jay for sharing this brew with me. If you read my beer blog post earlier, you know the history of this brewery from the southern part of California. If you have not, please ,read that beer blog post to get to know this brewery. Let us get into beer.
It has a jet black color with a creamy tan color head on this stout. The aroma is chocolate, hint of coffee, and toffee notes. The taste is a creamy chocolate with a chocolate and caramel aftertaste. This double stout is a scary drinkable.
Here is a description from their website (www.greenflashbrew.com):
Double Stout Black Ale
Golden naked oats mashed with dark crystal and robust roasted malts create a luscious black brew with satin-smooth finish. An old-world style, done the Green Flash way. Big, bold, flavorful and complex.
ALC. BY VOL. 8.8% | IBUS: 45
- World Beer Cup 2010 Silver–Other Strong
- California State Fair 2009 1st Place – Foreign-style Stout 2008 1st Place – Imperial Stout
- Los Angeles County Fair 2009 Silver – Imperial Stout
- San Diego County Fair 2012 Bronze – Bold Stout
Here is their website and twitter addresses:
Website: www.greenflashbrew.com
Twitter: @Greenflashbeer
In the end, this is a big beer and stout. It is nicely balance and extremely drinkable. It rich and full of flavor. This brewery knows how to make some great beers asides India Pale Ales. They are not like most breweries that know how to make one beer style great and rest of their beer styles are bad or good. This brewery took some time and learn how to brew beer. They put some thought behind this beer and rest of their line up. I love this beer and I will be drinking it again down the road. I highly recommend this beer. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/
Cheers!
Bill DJ Weiser
Email: djweiser13@comcast.net
Twitter: @djweiser
New Beer Blog Cisco Brewers Island Reserve Russian Imperial Stout
In the beginning, we are going to get into a brew, which is Reserve Russian Imperial Stout, from Cisco Brewers Island. It was founded by Randy and Wendy Hudson in 1992 Nantucket, Massachusetts. They are part of a winery. There is not much history on the web about this brewery. They brew several different beers in many forms. Let us get into the beer.
It has a jet black color with a semi tan to light brown color head. The smell is chocolate to coffee notes. The taste is smooth slight creamy chocolate and coffee notes. It is a nice sipping beer.
Here is their website and twitter addresses:
Website: www.ciscobrewers.com
Twitter: @CiscoBrewers
In the end, I do not know this craft brewery that well. I just know the few things I had from them. I was not really a big fan of it. I am not say it was bad. I believe their everyday beers were in the middle of the road but I have not had them all. I am a huge fan of stouts so I saw this one. I thought I would give this brewery one more chance. This Island Reserve Russian Imperial Stout has some creamy chocolate and coffee notes. It is a sipping beer with a nice cigar. I was pretty impressed with this brew. This beer has to be their best brew at this brewery. Of course, I have not try everything from this brewery. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/
Cheers!
Bill DJ Weiser
Email: djweiser13@comcast.net
Twitter: @djweiser
DJ Weiser 