Beer Journal #37: Hot Chocolate Stout, Brrr Seasonal Ale, Namaste, White Out Imperial IPA, 3 Sheeps' First Kiss & More

Brrr
Seasonal Ale
Widmer Brothers Brewing Co.
Portland, OR

I enjoyed Brrr on 12/5/14.

7.2% alcohol by volume

I gave Brrr a Yes Yes rating.

These words grace the label: "Warm up with a cold one, or two. Our winter red ale is the perfect treat, naughty or nice."

also

"Citrusy hop aromas fill your nose. Then caramel & chocolate malts reward you with a perfectly balanced candy-sweet flavor and velvety finish."

I appreciate the lovely scene on the label. I see a warmly lit mountain home with a peak behind and snow laden pines all 'round. The entire scene is tastefully asparkle. 

Namaste
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Inc.
Milton, DE

I enjoyed Namaste on 12/6/14.

4.8 % Alc. by Vol.

I awarded Namaste with a Yes Yes Plus rating.

Namaste is a customary greeting when individuals meet or depart, commonly found among Hindus of South Asia. Namaste is spoken with a slight bow and hands pressed together.

I gather the skeleton figure is offering a greeting represented by the red rings emanating from his bony hands.

The label describes Namaste as "A white beer brewed with orange slices, lemongrass, coriander & peppercorns."

Stout
Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Chico, CA & Mills River, NC

I enjoyed Stout on 12/6/14.

I gave Stout a Yes Yes rating.

The labels abound with words of interest:

"Purest Ingredients. Finest Quality."

"Sierra Nevada original stout is a full-bodied American version of the traditional black ale. Perfectly balanced with big roasted malt flavors and earthy wholesome hops."

"In 1980, when our fledgling brewery was being built, we needed a big beer with bold flavors to test the new, hand-built brewhouse. That first brew was a stout rich with roasted malts and earthy, whole cone American hops. We liked that original stout so much we've kept it with us as we've grown, and decades later, it still reminds us of that early pioneering spirit."

"We brew in Chico, CA, and Mills River, NC, to bring you the finest quality beer."

White Out
Imperial India Pale Ale
Green Bay Brewing Company
Green Bay, WI

Alc. 9.4% by Vol.

I enjoyed White Out on 12/7/14.

I gave it a Yes Yes rating, the same rating I seem to be giving the majority of the beers I'm drinking lately.

White Out is a Hinterland beer. 

First Kiss
Seasonal
Imperial India Pale Ale
brewed with honey
3 Sheeps Brewing Co.
Sheboygan, WI

8.2% ALC/VOL

I enjoyed First Kiss on 12/7/14.

I gave it a Yes Yes rating.

Not unexpectedly, 3 sheep posed for the label drawing. 

Pull Chain
American Pale Ale
MKE Brewing Co.
Milwaukee, WI

I enjoyed Pull Chain on 12/8/14 and gave it a Yes Yes rating.

On the label, above the name-Pull Chain, are the words "That's local flavor."

That's all I have to say about that, folks. 

La Fin du Monde
Triple Golden Ale On Lees
Unibroue Brewing Co.
Chambly, (Que) Canada

9% alc./vol.

I enjoyed this beer on 12/9/14 and gave it a Yes Yes rating.

Upon close inspection of the label, I find:

"Bottle Refermented. Ale brewed with spices."

"The excellence of triple fermentation through a blend of special yeasts gives this malt beverage La Fin Du Monde (The End of The World) an exquisitely robust flavour of exceptional refinement."

"Natural source ingredients refermented on yeast base."

The label advises using a wide glass rather than a narrow one.

Demento
Session Pale Ale
Ale Asylum Brewing Co.
Madison, WI

Alc. 4.7% by Vol.

I enjoyed Demento on 12/9/14 and of course, I gave it a Yes Yes rating.

Demento is described atop the label as "A symphony of cascade and centennial hops give this refreshing session pale ale a bright hop presence with a touch of bitterness. Demento is brewed with passion and is best enjoyed that way."

Rubee
Red Lager
Viking Brewing Co.
Dallas, WI

I enjoyed Rubee on 12/10/14 and rated it Yes Yes.

I can't make out the images on the label except for the silhouette of a shapely woman all in black.

The large V on the neck of the bottle represents VBC, the insignia for Viking Brewing Co.

The website listed is www.valkyriebrewery.com. 

McKenzie's Hard Cider
Hand-Pressed Green Apple Hard Cider
Mayer Brothers Apple Products, Inc.
West Seneca, NY

8% ALC/VOL

I enjoyed this hard cider at Thirsty Badger with my coworkers, Sue and Angela, as we celebrated Sue's birthday, on 12/11/14.

I gave it a Yes Yes rating.

On the label, I found:

"An American Tradition"

"! swift kick to the taste buds."

"McKenzie's Green Apple Hard Cider has quite the kick. With its deliciously crisp, slightly tart bite of fresh green apples, it's the most fun you can have with apples."

The label (uncharacteristically) lists:
Calories 160
Sodium 10mg
Total Carb 11g
Sugars 11g

Out of Bounds Stout
Avery Brewing Co.
Boulder, CO

6.3% ALC/VOL

I enjoyed this beer on 12/11/14. I rated it Yes Yes.

Label insights:

"Experts Only"

"This big, roasty stout takes flavor to the extreme. We aren't afraid to use a ton of roasted barley and a mountain of hops to give this full-bodied stout that little extra something you've been looking for."

"Est. 1993"

"Brewed with Rocky Mountain water, malted barley, hops and yeast."

I like the image of the skier on the snowy mountainside on the label front.

Hot Chocolate
Chocolate Stout
Valkyrie Brewing Co.
Dallas, WI

I enjoyed this on 12/12/14 and gave it a Yes Yes Plus rating.

"Chocolate Stout Brewed with Cocoa Powder & Cayenne Pepper"

I avoided this beer for a long time when I'd see it on the store shelf. It sounds horrible. I tried it and I love it. Go figure!!

Palo Santo Marron
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery Co.
Milton, DE

12% alc. by vol.

I enjoyed Palo Santo Marron on 12/12/14 and gave it a Yes Yes rating.

"Malt Beverage aged on Palo Santo Wood"

"An unfiltered, unfettered, unprecedented Brown Ale aged in handmade wooden brewing vessels. The caramel and vanilla complexity unique to this ale comes from the exotic Paraguayan Palo Santo wood from which these tanks were crafted. At 10,000 gallons each, these are the largest wooden brewing vessels built in America since before Prohibition. It's all very exciting. We have wood. Now you do too."

That's pretty interesting and unique, don't you think?