Rare and Extreme Beer Tasting (Syracuse Beer Week)

Rare and Extreme Beer Tasting

Syracuse Beer Week

J Ryan's Pub

Extreme beers = extreme hangovers... ugh.  I can't say I didn't have fun though.

Here's the background story: Jason had me pick him up from school around 7:45 so that we could get there right at time at 8.  Unfortunately he decided it would be a good idea to turn off his phone during class which lead him to not know what time it was... so around 8:15 he finally showed up, after leaving me in the car for a half and hour anxiously awaiting him.  He was able to keep all his fingers though because I didn't miss any beers.

My camera phone apparently had a hard time taking clear pictures.

While Extreme Beers has the hefty price tag of $50 it continues to be well worth the investment.  We tried some outstanding beers that we would have not had the opportunity to have tried before, enjoyed some cheese and crackers, got to drink all the leftover beer (can you say, pitchers of Ommegang's Adoration??) and got to take all the free glassware we wanted.

Cheese Platter!

And, free glassware!

You're rare and I love it:

De Struise Brouwers (Belgium)

Struise "Tsjesses" Reserva

Belgian Strong Pale Ale (10% ABV)

Belgian Christmas Ale.  Really good but I was too excited to get a beer to write a review about.  Also was a little anxious after we stormed into the event panting and yelling while someone was giving a speech... oops.

Brewery Ommegang (New York)

"Adoration Bourbon Barrel Aged"

Belgian Dark Strong Ale (10% ABV)

Spicy and bourbony.  Like drinking whiskey and candy corn at the same time.  Really intense flavor, really kicks you in the ass.  I mostly blame my extreme hangover on this beer.

Jolly Pumpkin (Michigan)

"La Parcela"

Oak Aged Sour Pumpkin Ale (5.9% ABV)

Starts out sour but has a less sour and more sweet, mellow finish.  All of the beers that Jolly Pumpkin makes are sours, which means I'm going to have to start making trips to Dexter, Michigan (where they're located).  I really liked this one.  Not as harshly sour as I would have expected from a sour beer but that's what makes it well balanced and enjoyable to drink.  Little hint of spice in there but I don't take it too much and I would have liked to have tasted more pumpkin in the beer.

Bryggeriet Djaevlebryg (Denmark)

"Gudelos"

Imperial Stout (8.9% ABV)

Rated99 on Great Beers.  Delicious, roasty and dark.  Super well balanced and has a little bit of a burnt taste to it.  Plus, I enjoy the humor of the beer being named "Gudelos" or Godless and that it was brewed with the Danish Atheist Society.  Jason calls this one a "dangerous beer" because it's high in alcohol but it's hidden so you can't really tell that you're drinking a big beer.  Lovely mouth feel.

Stone Brewing (California)

"Russian Imperial Stout" Vintage 2007

Imperial Stout (10.5% ABV)

Really sweet and to me it tastes too much like bourbon.  Jason and I both prefer the Gudelos better.  We also were able to try their 2011 Russian Imperial Stout which tastes about the same but only weaker.  It reminds Jason of Ithaca's Dark Humor.

Mikkeller (Denmark)

"Texas Ranger"

Barrel Aged Chipotle Porter (6.6% ABV)

Son of a bitch... they totally stole my idea.  Not as peppery as I would liked... so I win this round, Mikkeller.

Dogfish Head (Delaware)

120 Minute IPA

Super IPA (21% ABV)

I've had this beer a few times and my response to it whenever someone asks me about whether or not I like it is, eh.  Here's my issue:  when the ABV on a beer is extremely raised it starts really tasting like whiskey and since I don't like drinking whiskey on the rocks or straight up, I have a hard time drinking a beer that resembles those flavors.  But, I do have to say that at least there's enough hops in this beer to somewhat mask the intense whiskey flavor.

Hoppin' Frog (Ohio)

"B.O.R.I.S. The Crusher"

Oatmeal-Imperial Stout (9.4% ABV)

Bourbon!  Give me a rocks glass, turn me 80, put a cherry in it and call it a day.

Dogfish Head (Delaware)

Pearl Jam "Faithfull" Ale

Ale Brewed with Currants (7% ABV)

So one day Dogfish Head went up to Pearl Jam and said, hey we want to do a beer after you guys... what do you normally drink on tour?  Pearl Jam responded with: Red Wine & Corona.  I probably would have walked away at that but Dogfish Head did not so therefore I give you "Faithfull," which tastes like red wine and corona.  I'll take your finest and cheapest Cabernet...  Does not do it for me, blah.



The Great Dane Pub & Brewing Co.

The Great Dane Pub & Brewing Company

Location: Madison, WI

Rating: **** (4/5)

I found my notes from our roadtrip home from Colorado, yayy!!  I thought they were lost for good but apparently not.  So our roadtrip home consisted of leaving Denver and heading Northeast to South Dakota.  Turns out there's nothing in South Dakota but this really weird, Dr. Seuss looking landscape and pheasants that like to play Frogger with your car.  No breweries for day 1.

South Dakota

Day 2 we hit up Madison, Wisconsin which is beautifully located on Lake Monona and is home to the University of Wisconsin-Madison.  They have an extended street full of shops, restaurants, Starbucks and bars which could use some TLC but is quite nice.

 Lake Monona.  Check out that gnarly beard.

We had the pleasure of drinking and eating at The Great Dane Pub & Brewing Company.  This brewpub has this really sophisticated, 1940s, newspaper and reporter feel to it that's kind of hard to describe but is very unique and really cool.  Their menus are made like actual newspapers which was probably my favorite part (well played sir).

Go fetch! (yourself a sampler...):

Tri Pepper Pilsner: (****) Really spicy but not too overpowering; has a very malty yet light fragrance.

Praguer Lager: (***) German malts; sweet and fruity; light; refreshing; dark but clear amber color; crisp.

Texas Speedbump IPA: (***) Cask Conditioned; thick head; pine tasting hops; fantastic mouth feel; weak aroma; more of a British style IPA because the hop flavor isn't so strong; nice & bitter but could be a little bit more balanced between hop and malt flavors.

Black Water Scotch: (***) Sweet, smokey taste and aroma; could have a better mouth feel; smokey "bacon" taste isn't overwhelming; smooth; we say, nitro it!

Mr. Natural's Organic Nut Brown: (**) Bland; none of the flavors really grab me; super light maple flavor; little aroma; not bad but the flavors need to be more pronounced; it is an organic beer... whatever the fuck that means.

Stone of Scone Scotch: (**) Really light for a scotch; sweet, yet still has that sharp alcohol burn (but still, very light); little aroma; nothing special.

Emerald Isle Stout: (***) Light and watery; need to increase the mouth feel; really nice, buttery finish; needs bigger starting impact.

Hop Jack IPA: (****) Cascade & Chinook hops we believe; thick mouth feel; bitter (American style); strong hop aromas; bitter, lingering aftertaste; sweet, crisp malt taste.

great food... great beer... Great Dane!