Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout

Label

Limited Release

Lagunitas Brewing Co. Petaluma, CA

Ale brewed with Colombian coffee

Brewed with Sebastopol’s Own Hardcore Coffee

1 Pint 6 Fl Oz.

ABV: 8.3%

Cofee is my shepherd; I shall not doze. It makes me to wake in green pastures.  It leadeth me beyond the sleeping masses. It restoreth my brain. It leadeth me in the paths of consciousness for it’s name’s sake. Yeah, though I walk through the valley of the shadow of sleep, I will fear no artificial sweetener for though art with me ; Thy cream and thy sugar they comfort me. Thou preparest a carafe before me in the presence of my zz’s. Thou anointest my day with sunlightl My cup runneth over. Surely richness and flavor shall follow me all the days of my life; an I will dwell in the house of Cappuccino…Let us sip…or whatever…1.707.769.4498 Cheers!

Appearance

Head: Carbonated, not as thick as I thought. A lot of air pockets. Light beige.

Body: Dark brown, thin, dark red in light, cloudy.

Aroma: Roasted, coffee, dark chocolate, hops

Taste

Carbonated bite, bitter middle, roasted finish. Definite coffee/espresso flavor. Hints of chocolate. Not overly hoppy, not too thick. A very light body and color stout. 

Stu’s Review

After doing a bit of research I found as many people living in the California area already know that Sebastopol is a town outside of Santa Rosa, California approximately 10 miles from Petaluma where Lagunitas Brewery is located. The Hardcore Coffee referenced on the label comes from a coffee shop named Hardcore Expresso and it gets rave reviews. I really like how Lagunitas showed some love to a lesser known beverage brother. If you live in lower California and you want good coffee and good beer to boot head check out  http://www.yelp.com/biz/hardcore-espresso-sebastopol

Lagunitas…sigh…again. After the sickening ABV sweetness of the Brown Shugga’ I was hesitant. A stout though usually always has a hint of coffee, so I took a chance and made the purchase.  

First sip: Too cold, no coffee flavor.

Second sip: Still too cold, but coffee flavor more evident.

Third sip: After a 10 minute trip to the corner store and a phone conversation…Bang!

This beer is more than words. I absolutely love the espresso/cappuccino/coffee infused flavor. It’s not going to knock you over the head, but I definitely could taste the label (if you know what I mean). This is a well round beer and although I couldn’t see drinking more than one at a time…this one has got me seeing double…I am really digging the flavor balance. Don’t call this a meal though because it’s a thin stout without much thickness you will find in oh industry standard Guinness. Mark this at the top of your beer “must get” list. Better yet give it as a present. 

Where I Got It

200 Rhode Island Ave NW
(between N 2nd St & N 3rd St)
Washington, DC 20001

(202) 588-5612

www.timordc.com

Price: $5.75…I think

 

 

 

 

Monk’s Cafe Flemish Sour Ale

Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Ale

Van Steenberge brewery

5.5% ABV

Serving – Bottle: 330 mL

$5.00 – 10.00

 

My first Monk’s Cafe sour ale was had at The Saloon on U Street.  I had read about Flemish style beers, but I hadn’t made an effort to find them (yet).  Someone next to me had ordered one, and I could smell the vinegary/lactic acid aroma from my seat… I couldn’t resist.  The aroma is a nice mix of vinegar and sweetness, kind of like vinaigrette.  I grabbed my server, and ordered one for myself- it was worth the price. 

 

If you don’t like sour beers, then there’s probably no convincing you that this is any good.  However, if you have an adventurous side or if you like sour things in general, give this beer a try.  It’s a little sharp on the front of the tongue, but it quickly gives way to a rush of sweet and sour, as well as a rich chocolate candy flavor – like a chocolate tootsie roll pop.  The sweet and sour aspects of this beer are pretty much balanced at 50/50.  There is also a slight vinegar aspect to this beer which is very pleasant.  I would recommend this beer with spicy and/or greasy food (queue the Saloon’s “Spicy Saloon Sub” – which I also recommend), as the sourness of this beer helps cut fatty flavors and make for an all around pleasant experience. 

 

Found at:

 

The Saloon (Restaurant)

1207 U St. NW
Washington DC, 20009

202-462-2640

 

D’Vines

3103 14^th Street, NW

Washington, DC 20010

http://www.d-vines.com/

Hercule Stout

House Beer

 

Brasserie Ellezelloise

9% ABV

Serving – Bottle: 330 mL

 

When I first saw this beer, I didn’t give it much consideration.  Its diminutive size and neutral colored label caused it to get lost among so many other larger and flashier bottles. Luckily, the store clerk pointed me to it, saying that it’s a classic example of a small Belgian brew, with a lot of unique “house” flavor.   

 

I couldn’t have been more pleased with this beer.  It is just heavy enough to be satisfying, with out being overbearing or too filling.  It goes down smooth, with a little of that Belgian earthy spice, and a dry and dark roasted finish.  The roasted flavor almost immediately disappears off the tongue, and it’s pretty much impossible to avoid taking another sip.  None of the flavors in this beer are overpowering, and everything seems to be in balance.  There’s a little spice, a little sweetness (maybe some hints of chocolate), and a nice bitter and roasted dry finish.  Even the high alcohol is just a little warming, with out causing that tongue numbness and hot aftertaste. 

 

Definitely try this one if you get a chance, and if you like it, consider investing in a case to store in your basement, this one is bottled on the yeast, and I would bet it ages nicely.          

 

Found at:

 

D’Vines

3103 14^th Street, NW

Washington, DC 20010

http://www.d-vines.com/

Piraat Belgian Ale

Piraat Belgian Ale

Van Steenberge Brewery

10.5% abv

330ml

Serving:

I opted for the small 330ml bottle poured into a wide mouthed chalice glass.

Appearance and Taste:

Piraat has a thick and foamy white head of suds that complements its clean and clear light amber appearance. It has an effervescent complex aroma of spices and fruits, as many Belgian styled ales also tend to. I really enjoyed Piraat’s taste. Its carbonation produced a fizzy tickling sensation on the tip of your tongue followed by a mild but not overwhelming hoppy spicy bitter aftertaste. The high alcohol content doesn’t overpower the beer but it is a significant taste that my American palate may not be used to.

Overall:

Truthfully this one was hard to definitively nail down taste wise. After a few glasses the fruity flavors were very hard to pick out amid the high alcohol content (which tends to damage your taste buds after a few drinks). However, I enjoyed this beer and would most certainly buy it again.

Where to buy:

Whole Foods, P street or any fine liquor store.

Coney Island Albino Python

White Lager Brewed with Spices

Shmaltz Brewing Company

6% ABV

Serving – Bottle: 1 pint, 6 ounces

$5.00

 

Aroma

 

Most striking aroma is akin to old-timey bubblegum – the kind that isn’t fruit flavored.  There are definite spices as well.  

 

Appearance

 

Cloudy, golden – like a typical wheat (although typical this is not). 

 

Taste

 

There is a taste which reminds me of middle-eastern spiced bubblegum.  In fact, this beer has an intriguing mix of spices which dominate the flavor of the beer.  It is an easy drinker, and it is not as sweet as some hefes.  Perhaps due to lagering, the typical flavor profile of normal wheat beers seems to be replaced with bright spices.  This strikes me as the ultimate summer beer.  Even as I sip, on the couch and in the middle of winter, I can imagine being out in the warm summer sun – perhaps even at a carnival.  My one wish would be little more carbonation and/or head retention.  The head fell quickly, but the beer did remain light and effervescent.   

 

Would I buy it again?

 

For now, I would choose this one as my go to summer beer.    

 

Found at:

 

D’Vines

3103 14^th Street, NW

Washington, DC 20010

http://www.d-vines.com/

Cantillon Classic Gueuze

100% Lambic, brewed and bottled by Brasserie Cantillon in Brussels, Belgium

 

ABV – ??

Serving – 12.7 oz. bottle

$9.00

 

Lambics: not for the faint of heart

 

For many beer enthusiasts, Lambics are the proverbial holy grail of beer.  They are mysterious, complex, and they carry with them a long brewing history.  They are also brewed through a process that completely contradicts modern-day brewing practices.   

 

Most beer, and especially commercial beer, is brewed in a sanitized and highly controlled environment.  It is kept away from the light and air, and made with relatively fresh ingredients.  Commercial breweries have perfected their ability to recreate the exact same beers over and over again through complete control of the entire brewing process. 

 

Lambics, on the other hand, throw caution to the wind.  They are brewed with old, stale hops, and left out in open vessels to be fermented spontaneously by wild yeast and bacteria.  They are often stored in wooden barrels, and left to mature, becoming increasingly sour as the years pass.  In the case of Cantillon’s Gueuze, three year-old lambic is blended with one and two year-old lambics.  The younger beers are less sour than the older beers, helping to balance the sourness of the final beer.

 

For more info on this beer visit http://www.cantillon.be/br/Cantillon.php?lang=3&page=101

 

Aroma

 

Musky and sour

 

Appearance

 

A little cloudy, golden, and a little off-colored – as if it were warning you that it’s not your typical brew.

 

Taste

 

If you’ve ever had a lambic, you know what to expect.  This on is lightly carbonated, with intense sourness.  It certainly does not taste like beer.  It almost bites your tongue with sourness and tang.  There is a pleasant sweetness coupled with some earthy spice which emerges after the sourness subsides.  The beer has a musky and dry quality to it which is hard to describe.  The sourness seems to coat the mouth in much the same way as a sour candy.   

 

Would I buy it again?

 

I am a fan of lambics so I would probably pick this one up again, but I would probably prefer trying a different version, or perhaps a Kriek (a lambic brewed with cherries).   

 

Found at:

 

D’Vines

3103 14^th Street, NW

Washington, DC 20010

http://www.d-vines.com/

Köstritzer Schwarzbier

Literally “Black beer”   

 

4.8% ABV

Serving – 500 mL bottle

$2.50

 

Aroma

 

Malty, hints of roast and coffee.

 

Appearance

 

Dark, pretty much black, but translucent and dark brown around the edges.

 

Taste

 

The flavor is relatively light and clean (I guess not too surprising given it is a lager).  There is some malt flavor upfront, and mild roasted bitterness after.  There is a light hint of coffee, but it is subdued.  The aftertaste is fleeting, and it is surprisingly easy to drink.  It is medium bodied, but it is actually lighter in body than you might expect from a dark-colored beer. 

 

Would I buy it again?

 

Well the price is right, but unless I really find a beer I like, I tend to gravitate towards beers I haven’t tried yet.  I would certainly try other renditions of Schwarzbier given the opportunity. 

 

Found at:

 

D’Vines

3103 14^th Street, NW

Washington, DC 20010

http://www.d-vines.com/

Allagash Black

Not your typical stout.

 

Brewed by Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, Maine

 

7.5% ABV

Serving – 750 mL Bottle

$12.00 (give or take a few dollars…)

 

Aroma

 

Smells like a less fruity Belgian dubbel.

 

Appearance

 

Jet black, but not as drastically opaque as a typical stout.  The head is white instead of the cream/tan color exhibited by other stouts. 

 

Taste

 

It has a Belgian tripel’s spicyness – perhaps from the use of Czech hops.  It finishes with a sharp burnt roasted flavor and significant bitterness.  It does not have the smooth chocolate flavor found in some stouts – it is crisp instead.  If you’ve had a tripel, try to imagine the same beer, but with a black coffee finish.  Also, it is much thinner in body than most stouts. 

 

Would I buy it again?

 

Maybe… although I think if I were looking for a dark Belgian beer, I would prefer the complexity of a dubbel instead. 

 

Found at:

 

Whole Foods (P Street) and D’Vines in Columbia Heights

Georg Schneider’s Weisen Edel-Weisse

This Hefe-Weizen is brewed in Kelheim, Germany

 

6.2% ABV

Serving – 1 pint bottle

$5.00

 

Aroma

 

Smells like a wheat beer.  Slightly acidic, slightly spicy.  It has a noticeable banana aroma. 

 

Appearance

 

It is golden and has visible unsettled yeast.  It is not cloudy in the same way most hefe-wiezens are; it is clear instead, with small clumps of yeast suspended through out. 

 

Taste

 

Not surprising if you’ve had European wheat beers.  It is slightly sweet, a little fruity and has a mild citrus/acid tang.  There is a little bitterness, and after drinking, the flavor lingers for a moment, and then quickly evaporates. This beer also seems to have a little spice character – perhaps clove – as well as the earthy flavor from the suspended yeast.  It reminds me of a dryer version of a Belgian white.

 

Would I buy it again?

 

Probably not, and I’ve certainly had more satisfying wheat beers.  It is certified USDA organic… if you’re in to that short of thing.     

 

Found at:

 

D’Vines

3103 14^th Street, NW

Washington, DC 20010

 

(Columbia Heights, across from the Target shopping center)

Lagunitas Brown Shugga’

Label

Lagunitas Brown Shugga’

12 FL Oz

ABV: 9.9%

We hope this special sweet release finds you and yuors happy ad health this hopeful holiday season. We were making Gnarlywine back in ‘98, messed up the recipe and this Elegant Accident is what we got.

How come you taste so good…

Apperance

Head: Thick, fluffy, offwhite (light tan)

Body: Reddish brown, clear

Aroma: Hoppy, hint of brown sugar.

Taste

Starts with a bitter taste and has a hoppy finish. Somewhere in the middle you get hints of grapfruit and a dark sugary alcoholic taste. The sweetness lingers in the aftertaste as does the hops.

Stu’s Review

I was hesitant about buying this sixer. I’ve been burned before with sweet beers, especially Leinenkugel’s Berry Weiss, but Kim assured me this was good stuff. I was surprised that something with a 10% ABV would come in a six pack. The flavor was hopyy, and had a definitely barley wine feel. The beer is good, but there isn’t anything exciting about this beer except for its high ABV. I recommend trying it, but it isn’t a favorite and definitely not something for a beer beginner.

Where I Got It

200 Rhode Island Ave NW
(between N 2nd St & N 3rd St)
Washington, DC 20001

(202) 588-5612

$12.50

www.timordc.com