It was a good day: The Corner Brewery

The late-Feb weather in PA is starting to bum me out a little. What was supposed to be a sunny, mid-40's, perfect-for-riding day turned in a cold, icy/wet, gray day. A special thanks goes out to the assholes at AccuWeather.com for crushing my hopes.

In an effort to lift my spirits (if yours are at all lifted, good for you too), here's picture from a summer bike ride near Ann Arbor, MI. I was attending a friend's wedding and the day after took a look spin around the area. Much to my surprise I found a brewery along the path with a bar, beer garden, and cookies. It was a good day.

Dave Zabriskie Needs a Beer

Dave Zabriskie! You just took second at the Amgen Tour of California! What are you going to do next?

Well, I'm going to drive home, get a speeding ticket and then find out that thieves cleared out my house.

Sure they took his cars, computers, and home stereo. That junk is replaceable with an afternoon shopping in the suburbs. What's awful to hear is that they took his 14 bikes and race medals. Ouch. Even the overpriced comic book statues can probably get replaced with a little works (maybe he could get a life-size bust of the Creature from the Black Lagoon this time around). Regardless, now is likely one of the very few times ever that I can say it sucks to be Dave Zabriskie.

Dave, this beer's for you - in the metaphysical sense, of course.

Bourbon County Stout
Goose Island
American Double / Imperial Stout

A / 4.4
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 5 | drink: 5

Vintage 2007, 13% abv.

Easily the smoothest, tastiest ~13% beer I've ever had. Yes, it's a bit thick, but no more so than weaker double or imperial stouts. The aroma is rich with the bourbon which once on the palate, doesn't dominate, but compliments the strong, dark chocolate ad espresso flavors. Throw in a dash of oak and vanilla and you've got a hell of a beer. More please.

New to me: Paper City Brewing

I picked up a couple Massachusetts brews on a recent trip to Syracuse. Both were nice, though the Holyoke Ale has a bit of an identity problem.

Riley's Stout
Paper City Brewery Co.
Irish Dry Stout

A- / 4.05
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | drink: 4.5

Picked up a single from Party Source in Syracuse. This is a good, rippingly dry Irish stout. It makes a touch in complexity, but the almost sour black roasted malts are big and bad (delicious). The appearance is pitch black with a tan head. I could drink more of these. Comes off very traditional - in the best way. A little heavier than the true Irish stout (Beamish, etc), but hardly less sessionable.


Holyoke Dam Ale
Paper City Brewery Co.
American Pale Ale (APA)

B / 3.55
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 4

Picked up a bottle from the Party Source in Syracuse. This beer seems more like an amber to me. First, it's a red-amber color. Second, the beer is very malt-centered with a sweet, cherry flavor. It's fairly drinkable, but the hops only seem to provide a mild spice in the aftertaste.

Just OK Belgian Beer: De Koninck

Not all Belgian is good. Most of it (looking at options, not gallons) certainly is, and some is just acceptable. De Koninck is one such acceptable beer. It provides a drinker with something to ponder, but it's overly flavorful, aromatic, or complex. All I might add to my review is that if you're really a fan of apple juice and lemons, this beer is for you.

De Koninck
Brouwerij De Koninck NV
Belgian Pale Ale

B / 3.65
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 4

Picked up a single at Syracuse's the Party Source. Appears a clear amber, no sediment, with a short white head. The aroma is surprisingly plain, with a just a hint of Belgian-spiced vanilla. The flavor does better, with a tart lemon undercurrent that builds as you drink. There's also a hit of apple juice, mild caramel and finishing peppery hops. The flavor is respectable, while the aroma leaves much to be desired. Worth a try for a sessionable Belgian.

New Beer: Odell Red Ale

The kind folks at Odell Brewing sent me a few bottles of their new red ale, Odell Red Ale, this week. Here's their description:

The Rocky Mountain Goat is no ordinary goat. Just like Odell Red is no ordinary red.

We took the American-style red to a whole new level by adding a variety of aggressive American hops—giving this ale a distinctive fresh hop aroma and flavor.

We think you'll agree this red has some serious kick.

Available February – May of '09
6.5% Alcohol By Volume

The hops are indeed aggressive for the style, but not along the lines of Ithaca's Cascazilla or Troeg's Nuggest Nectar - that's not a bad thing. Still, the juicy, citrus hops are strong enough you could consider this an "Indian Red Ale." It's almost like an American version of the British Extra Special Bitter, as it's both full of smooth malt and biting hops, while still maintaining a good degree of drinkability. I say keep an eye for this baby, it's worth a try for anyone that likes their hops, but doesn't demand the bitterness be over the top.

Not all Belgian Beer is Awesome: Tripel Abdijbier Dendermonde

I usually look up most new-to-me beers before I buy, but every once in a while I throw caution to the wind. Sometimes I'm delightfully surprised, but most of the time - like this time - I just get a mediocre beer. Dendermonde is further proof that research pays off and that Belgian beer is far from infallible.

In hindsight, this low-scoring brew is no surprise. The De Block brewery makes Satan, a Duvel-knockoff that pales in comparison to the original, and little else worth noting.

Tripel Abdijbier Dendermonde
Brouwerij De Block bvba
Tripel

C+ / 3.2
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 3.5

Picked up a single at Abe's Cold Beer for $3.25. I figured that was a fair price for a random triple. This beer however, wasn't terribly impressive. Sure, it was smooth and drinkable, but the flavor fell flat. There was a sweet bready malt profile with a hit of vanilla spice, but that's really it. No spicy hops or significant fruit. Not really worth trying for the price.