Wolverine State Brewing Company Green Thumb Dry Hopped Lager

Wolverine State Brewing Company is primarily a Lager House located in Ann Arbor, just down from the Stadium. While they market mainly their premium and dark lagers they have a wide variety of Lager and Ale styles to please everyone and I think a great place to visit while on a brew tour of Ann Arbor.

Today we are trying the Green Thumb Dry Hopped Session Lager

Pours a golden straw colored hue with ample head that fades quickly with very light lacing. Plenty of earthy hop notes a bit of funk with some serious pine aromas.  Reminiscent of the spruce pilsner from Shorts but a bit lighter on the pine nose.

The dry hopping has left the beer with its light lager mouthfeel which quickly yields to a bright hop dryness with plenty of evergreen and citrus. Really dries out the palate and leaves that bitterness in the back of the throat that begs for another sip. My only complaint would be that the bitterness has overpowered the rest of my palate in the aftertaste and loses a bit of the earthiness and citrus leaving my mouth dry and bitter. I don't get a lot of Lager characteristics and would consider it more of a light session IPA in the new trend among Michigan brewers.

I think it is a very drinkable beer that I could have a few of, and another success that ventures away from their trademark premium and dark lagers. Oliver is doing some great things down there and I highly suggest a visit if you haven't been. They have a large variety of great beer at their Tap Room for all palates and make some outstanding ales if you are not a lager fan.

For more information on Wolverine State Brewing Company please visit their website and the Beer Wench's Blog at: www.wolverinebeer.com and http://www.a2beerwench.com/?zx=5552eb5274d429bb

Shorts Noble Chaos

Short Brewing Company of Bellaire and Elkrapids, MI is one of my favorite places for a brew and make some of the most unique and interesting beer in the sate. Today I am going to try out their take on the Oktoberfest style. Noble Chaos is an Amber Lager in the Marzen category of beer style.

It pours a very rich copper color with a fluffy a full head that quickly settles to a thick layer across the top of the beer. Much darker looking than most of the other Oktoberfest's I have tried. The lacing is also quite good and clings tightly to the glass, I love to see that.

The noble hops are very present on the nose with a very distinct caramel note and nuttiness cutting through the roasted malts. Over all it is not very pungent and the scents are more subtle that I expect from Shorts.

There is a lot going on here between the hops the toasted malts and caramel and the nuttiness you expect from the style. A good dose of hops which are not typical for the style and some might say rules it out as a true marzen but its a trait I find delightful and helps place this on top of the list of Oktoberfest beers i have had. The more it warms up the creaminess of the caramel and roasted nuts really come through and it sweetens up as the hop crispness dry the end but don't dominate the palate.

I think it is delicious and at 5.5% i could have several on a great fall day. I still love my Captain and hot apple cider but this one rank up there with my favorite fall beverages.

Learn more about this any the many other beers of Shorts Brewing Company at their website. http://www.shortsbrewing.com/

The Livery Dixie O'Flynn Stout

The Livery is located in Benton Harbor, MI just north of St. Joseph. Over one hundred years ago, the 


building known as the Palace Livery provided a vital service making it a unique gathering place for residents of


and travelers to Southwest Michigan. This former horse stable has been brought back to life as The Livery. 


It features 12 beers on tap and 3 real ales as well as a beer garden.




Completely black in color, it looks rich and full as it pours. Dark caramel colored head is frothy and thick and is stubborn to dissipate. A good amount of lacing and a solid head across the top stays for the duration of the pint.

Roasted aromas are prevalent with coffee and toffee the most distinct. Walnut and pecans are very slightly perceptible with a smooth chocolate scent that lingers. Very slight hop notes round it out and are very inviting.

The first sip is overwhelmed with the chocolate and coffee notes but as it warms up you definitely catch the roasted nuts. Very dry and full mouthfeel that rivals Breakfast Stout from Founders. The mild 5.3% alcohol leaves the heat out of it and its nice to see this big of a stout not need to be overly high in abv.

I really like this brew and its the first I have had from The Livery and has got me looking forward to my next style from them.


For more information on The Livery check out their webpage at: http://www.liverybrew.com

Unibroue Black Currant Ephemere

A 5.5% White ale brewed with fruit from Chambly, Quebec at Unibroue Brewing Company, one of Canada's finest. It pours a cloudy peach color, not quite orange, not quite pink. A light soft head, very thin but sticks around surprisingly well as a constant stream of bubbles pour up from the bottom of the glass.

Smells tart and dry with rich berry aroma's as well a small amount of spice and citrus. You can pick up that currant rather easily and the smell is inviting and floral without that over powering potpourri smell you can get from some less sophisticated attempts at fruity beer.

Very tight bubbles, well carbonated and very refreshing. The berry flavor is helped along with a soft peach undertone with granny smith apple and lemon zest. The acidity is perfect as it is tart but not sour and reminds me of a easy drinking Soft Parade from Short's, a similar flavor but not the kick of the high gravity alcohol.

I am a tough sell on fruit beers but this one has enough complexity to keep me interested and not sweet enough to make me feel like I am swilling syrup or coat my teeth with that sugary film. I would probably drink this again though I think used as a base for a nice raspberry vinaigrette or sorbet may fit my likes a bit more.


For more information on Unibroue and their beer please visit their website @ http://www.unibroue.com/en/unibroue/history/

Founder's Breakfast Stout

Founder's highly acclaimed Breakfast Stout that holds an "A" rating from over 2000 reviews on beeradvocate.com and a world class rating of "A+" from the websites founders, is the subject of our tasting today. Boasting heavy doses of coffee and chocolate it is a Michigan Beer lovers must and legendary fall beer from one of our great brewing companies.

It pours black as night with a thick caramel or cappuccino colored head that dissipates slowly with good lacing that seems to linger the entire way through the beer even after 30 minutes of savoring every sip.


Attacking my nose immediately are the roasted and toasted aromas of burnt chocolate and toffee with a rich espresso aroma. There is definitely a presence of the hops at 60 ibu's adding to the bitterness already present in the baker's chocolate like smell of the dark malts and imported chocolate. In the end the most dominant trait is still the chocolate espresso that comes trough above all others. 


My first taste is all bitter espresso up front, with a dark roasted almost burnt chocolate after taste. Letting the next sip swish around and sit on the tongue, I get the sweetness from the chocolate and a slight dark nuttiness like roasted walnuts or chestnuts. The mouthfeel is rich and creamy and coats the taste-buds. Very earthy on the back of the tongue but really very powerful chocolate and coffee throughout. The high alcohol is there but not all that noticeable as it is balanced very well for a beer of 8.3% abv.


Aptly named as it reminds me of morning coffee, like a shot in the dark (cup of coffee with a shot of espresso added) and a big bowl of coco-wheat's. This beer is so rich and satisfying that a few minutes after finishing it's hard to determine whether i just downed a beer or a frothy cup of real hot chocolate.


An iconic beer that has helped to make Founder's the name it is today. Delicious and in high demand so I say go get yours now!




For more information on this and the many other offerings by Founder's Brewing Company of Grand Rapids, MI please check out their WEBSITE!

MBC Screaming Pumpkin

It must be fall as I have now been approached by all 6 of my distributors with all of their Oktoberfest and Pumpkin beers. There are a lot of them out there and last year I think we poured at least 8 of them and it looks like we will have somewhere around 12 in the next 2 months this year.

Above all other Michigan beers, Michigan Brewing Company's Screaming Pumpkin sold the most and seems to be the most popular of the spiced ales that our state brews.

It pours a slightly cloudy copper color but is mostly translucent. Little to no head with very minimal lacing if any at all. Aroma is that all-spice, cinnamon, nutmeg and cloves you come to expect from this style and immediately brings pumpkin pie to mind as intended.

I actually find this pour slightly under carbonated and the mouthfeel is quite thin. The refreshing quality is there but I prefer a little more body in my ales, but then again, I'm not a real fan of spiced ales to begin with. There is a smooth malt character to it before the spices take over your taste buds and those flavors back what you get in the aroma.

Of all the pumpkin/spiced ales I have had I think this one may have the most pronounced flavors and spices and if that is what you are looking for this is top of the line. As I said before it is our number one spiced ale we sell in the fall and only second to Sam Adam's Octoberfest for over all fall beer sales.

Michigan Brewing Company is a longstanding presence in the Michigan craft beer scene and also a great spot to pick up home brew materials. For more information on them visit their site at http://www.michiganbrewing.com/

Flying Dog Raging Bitch

Flying Dog Raging Bitch is a Belgian Style IPA that has been the source of a lot of controversy in Michigan. Up until very recently it was banned for sale in Michigan due to "vulgar" label art. I won't get into my thoughts on this but know that the laws have no changed in favor of freedom of speech and expression and hurray for us cause we now can enjoy this tasty brew!


Pours very translucent coppery color, good thick head with tight bubbles that dissipates rather quickly but not too quick and leaves decent lacing.

The aroma is very bright citrus and floral hops with that very faint funk from the Belgian yeast. The Belgian characteristics are barely there unlike the Cali-Belgique but are present in the slightly earthy smell behind the hops.

It is actually quite drinkable, not too heavy as I was expecting and the only hint of the Belgian side of it is a slight sweetness on the finish. Over all its an excellently balanced IPA but the depth is lacking a bit. The citrus of the hops is cut by the dry finish and the very small hint of banana is there but fades quickly. Almost too bitter as I wait a good minute before taking the next sip but for a hop head like me that is all good.

Medium mouthfeel that lingers well on the sides of my tongue as a little honey and clove do manage to make their mark but over all if I wasn't told this was a Belgian style I might miss it. That ultra dry grapefruit really grips my taste buds still even after 2-3 minutes since the beer was empty.

A very good brew and one of my favorites but I still enjoy Cali-Belgique from Stone, Farmhouse Hatter and Short's Belgian IPA better in this category. It drinks more like an Imperial IPA than a Belgian and that is OK in my book!

Find out more about this beer @ flyingdogales.com


Find out more about the political side of this story @ http://flyingdogales.com/victory-for-raging-bitch-but-our-first-amendment-fight-with-michigan-rages-on/

A Beer Geek Interview with Joe Short

Short’s Brewing Company in Bellaire, MI is constantly pushing the envelope. Bringing us cutting edge flavors and variations on classic styles, Shorts is always quick to the conversation when talking about people’s favorite beers and breweries from the state. This summer they took a step further towards being one of the of the first suggestion towards the some of the countries favorite names as they hook up with Sam Calagione and the gang from Dogfish in Delaware and Three Floyds of Indiana to make a tri-state collaboration that celebrated three unique flavors from each region.

The beer they came up with “Cornholio”, a dark lager reminiscent of a Baltic Porter with the Beach Plums of Delaware, Red Popcorn of Indiana and Horehound of Michigan.  I personally tried the Cornholio collaboration at the Brew Pub and I thoroughly enjoyed it. The very faint tartness of the Beach Plum coupled with the unique herbal characteristics of the Horehound compliment the already rich maltiness of the Baltic Porter and its inherent notes of stone fruits, molasses and anise. The 10% abv is present but not overpowering and definitely warmed my cheeks as my first beer of the day. This is a truly delicious brew worthy of the Shorts, Dogfish and Three Floyds name.

I got the opportunity to travel up to Acme, MI and meet up with Joe Short and Sam at their public reception for the collaboration at the Grand Traverse Resort Hotel and Spa. Eager to get their beer into the hands of some of their biggest fans, Joe and Sam happily shook hands, signed autographs, posed for photos and mingled with everyone who came. The event was fantastic and proved once again that the icons of the brewing industry are some of the most passionate, approachable and enjoyable people in the public eye.

It was too busy to take up too much of his time but Joe agreed to answer a few questions by email and here is that correspondence.

Besides what was mentioned in the article posted on your website, http://www.shortsbrewing.com/2011/06/dogfish-head-and-shorts-to-release-their-first-collaboration-brew/ what else can you tell me about how this collaboration came about, how you chose a Baltic Porter and what inspired you to use those particular local ingredients?

This was a midwest collaboration and we wanted to use an ingredient from each breweries state. We chose the dark lager base as it seemed to fit the beach plum and horehound components. the popcorn we just had to make work

Sam Calagione has been an inspiration in the brewing industry. With his TV shows, books, seminars and his success as a brewer and entrepreneur, how did he inspire not only you as a start up, but to this day? What do you think you and your people will take away from this experience and what impact do you think, if any, it had or will have on your business?

When I met Sam he inspired Leah and I to keep going. We we're in a place in our life when we wanted to know whether or not it would be worth continuing the brewery. Sam's story was very much like our own as we were just getting going. He told us we were on the right track, so we stuck with it. I think that a collaboration with DFH has a lot of marketing potential for us as DFH essentially endorsed us and made us more of a credible brewery. 

This collaboration was just as delicious as the one with Half Acre. What other brewers are you planning to work with and if you could pick a dream collaboration besides what you have already done, who would it be with?

I'm thinking we're going to tone down the collaborations. We'll probably continue our relationship with Half Acre and work with them again in the future. Our most recent one with H.A. is a Hopped up saison with Pear

(The latest collaboration with Half-Acre was called Captain Fantasy and was tart and hoppy, a must try if you can get some! I was lucky to grab a few samples at the MBG Summer Beer Festival.)

Your passion for Michigan is inspiring. It may or may not be common knowledge but you only sell your brews in Michigan. I have heard it called "Joe's Michigan Stimulus Plan". Can you explain what your philosophy is in regards to this?

Basically we want to distribute our beer in Michigan only. We want to retain the mom and pop ideology with our business model and that means keeping it small and manageable and meaningful. When people come to Michigan just to get our beer it means something to them and to us. So yeah, it's kind of a stimulus. We want you to come to us and experience our beer and the great state of Michigan.   

With Michigan relaxing its ban on "vulgar" labels and beer names such as Flying Dog's Raging Bitch and Dogfish Head's Bitches Brew, does Shorts have any plans to add some "explicit" beer to the market?

Not at all. We do our best to avoid such headaches. 

You shared a story with me about an Imperial Stout that you had made before founding Shorts and called it, to this day, the best Stout you have ever made. I would love for you to share that with me again if you don't mind so I can share it with the other enthusiasts.

The short story is I had made one of the best imperial stouts I have ever tasted during my final months at Jackson Brewing/Zigs Kettle and Brew. It was hand bottled in fancy 1/2 liter and 1 liter flip top bottles. My goal was to show the establishment we could make some money on the beer. Before we could really launch the bottle sales, Zigs decided they we're going to close. They left all of that beer behind and sold it for ridiculously cheap. We'll some of the regulars knew about this and bought it all up. The day after our first anniversary party in 2005 I was in the pub that morning cleaning up and readying the pub for another day. A gentleman who I knew from Jackson stopped in and told me he had a bottle of that stout I had made. He brought one in and gave it to me. I shared it with 4 or 5 people at the bar and we all agreed, not only was it an appropriate way to close out our first year at Short's, but the beer was amazing. 

(what a great testament to the passion and reverence the enthusiasts of this industry show for the beer our brewers sweat to make and share with us.)

I had a fantastic trip on my 20 hour road trip from Ann Arbor and Back and though it was only a brief moment spent at the collaboration party, getting to interact with guys like Joe and Sam was worth every moment in that car. It was an experience I wouldn’t trade and a memory that will stay with me through the years.

--

Jonathan Cole

Supreme Beer Geek

Here is a link to the Flicker Page where you can find more photos! 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/shortsbrewing/sets/72157627138665636/

New Holland el Mole Ocho

As I venture into one of the odder beers in the state, we hit the unique el Mole Ocho from New Holland Brewing Company. New Holland describes it as "Our exploration into the flavors of mole, the legendary sauce of central Mexico. Malty aroma and rich, cocoa-laden body laced with an invigorating tinge of dried chilies and coffee." 


It pours a murky, copper color with a moderate head that lingers for the first few minutes than settles to a thin layer with light lacing. It looks rich and inviting and my mouth is salivating as it approach my lips and I start getting the first few whiffs of aroma off the beer.

I am blasted with ancho and red chili pepper aromas up front with hints of roasted coffee beans followed by very faint hop notes. I don't sense the chocolate in the nose and the longer I take in the scent of this beer the more the spices saturate my sinuses.

The first sip hits my sweetness buds as toffee and dark chocolate come straight through. After swishing it around my mouth the spices took hold of the sides of my tongue and the coffee beans stuck to the back of the throat as I swallowed. The slightly burnt flavor invoked Mexican dining just as promised and the sweet, spicy, bitter flavors mix well and bring a lot of complexity to this beer. The high alcohol level is present but not over powering as it adds a slight warmth to the already spicy peppers.

A delightful beer that grows on me each time I try it. Well done to the brewers at New Holland for thinking outside the box on this one. I highly recommend it!

For more information on New Holland visit their website at:

www.newhollandbrew.com

Special Thanks to Rick Wilson for comparing tasting notes

Mt. Pleasant Gruit / Kuhnhenn Heather Ale

I thought we would switch it up off my hop obsession and go after a few of the stranger options out there. We tried an ancient style of beer called Gruit and here is what we thought!

Gruit is an old-fashioned herb mixture used for bittering and flavoring beer, popular before the extensive use of hops.

Today we tasted Kuhnhenn’s  Heather Ale side by side with Mt. Pleasant Gruit.

Kuhnhenn’s beer poured a very light amber color and mostly translucent, reminding me visually of a glass of iced tea.  Mt. Pleasant Gruit had a similar color but a bit cloudy. Not much head to either and both faded quickly with minimal lacing.

Aromas match the tea color with scents of black tea and a slight lemon or other citrus lingering. The Mt. Pleasant version had a distinct diacetyl scent of buttered popcorn. I didn’t think it completely over powered the tea and citrus but it was definitely present and am not sure whether it was intentional or not.

With no hops the bitterness I am accustomed to is lacking and in the Heather Ale an almost floral taste mixes with the herbal heather flavors and the malty caramel tones are accompanied with a touch of honey crisp apple. The Mt. Pleasant one brings more of the honey, less of the caramel and almost a cinnamon or nutmeg spiced apples instead of the honey crisp.

Both are fairly light bodied with good carbonation, the Heather Ale being lighter and more refreshing as the Mt. Pleasant Gruit was a touch creamy and leaning towards the medium bodied spectrum.

Over all I thought this style of beer was surprisingly refreshing and drinkable and as my first venture into Gruit’s I left satisfied and would definitely order another next time I need a break from my IPA’s. 

Special Thanks to Rick Wilson for comparing notes with me!

visit the brewery webpages for more information

www.kbrewery.com/ 

www.mtpleasantbrew.com/

Witch's Hat Holy Confusion Barley Wine

The Witch’s Hat Brewing Company is small microbrewery located in South Lyon, Michigan.  They have yet to open officially but I have been blessed to receive an advanced bottle of their beer to review. Ryan Cottongim was kind enough to bring me a 22oz bottle of their Holy Confusion Barley Wine and I happily indulged while relaxing the other day.


The bottle art is excellent on this one and the batch number was hand written as "1" so perhaps I will hold on to this in hopes they become world famous one day and I will have a collectors item.

I poured its contents into a large 18oz wine goblet as to get the best view with the limited glass selection I have at home. It poured a rich creamy ivory color as the beer itself was dancing between Amber and Crimson notes with a very thick clouding of yeast as it was bottle conditions with a healthy amount of sediment left in the bottom of the bottle. The head dissipated slowly and left thik lacing around my glass and had a very fine creamy texture.

The first scents were all hop citrus and dryness as this beer boasts 100 IBU's and reminds me of Stone's Arrogant Bastard Series as once you get past the massive hop aroma you start getting the earthy malts and bread or biscuit like smells from the yeast. As it warms up a bit I catch whiffs of white peppercorn and other spices maybe coriander, it doesnt linger long and is hard to peg down with the hops and sweet malts dominating the nose.

My first sip hits me as I would expect from a 100 IBU beer and i get that delicious pucker I get from my first Imperial IPA of the day. This is where I think the name comes from because I could certainly confuse this easily as an American Strong Double or Imperial IPA. The Barley Wine starts to assert itself on the mouth feel as the dry hops give way to the richness and sweet malts I would expect in a strong barley wine such as this. The finish is fantastically complex as the blend of styles wash the back of my palate. I taste every component I have described so far with that slight spiciness I picked up in the nose a bit more prevalent on the end and the 10% abv adding a bit of a bite and slight warmness as it goes down.


Barley Wines are not typically my cup of tea when it comes to beer but this one with its hops not hidden away in sweet syrupy maltiness has really impressed me. I would be happy to put this on tap and challenge my Stone drinkers to try this side by side with their strong ales and i would guess even they would find that it stands up to them just fine. If the rest of their portfolio is as good as this I say we are gonna have some great beer coming out of our back yards over here.


Special Thanks to Ryan Cottongim for the sample and for my lovely Fiance Katee for helping me taste this excellent beer.

For more information on Witch's Hat and to stay up to date on their progress visit their website or email Ryan

Ryan@WitchsHatBrewing.com

http://www.WitchsHatBrewing.com

New Holland Poet Stout

New Holland Brewing Company was my first love when I got into the craft scene so it holds a special place in my heart and Isaac Hartman, their Beer Ambassador, does a fantastic job supporting his brand and Michigan Beer in general.

The Poet is their Oatmeal Stout.  It rings in at a modest 5.2% abv, and at 40 ibu's it has just the right amount of dryness to clear your palette of the rich, chocolate, soft, creaminess from the dark roasted malts. Pouring a deep brown, when held up to direct light you get some dark ruby highlights that compliment the thick creamy head that leaves fantastic lacing even though it dissipates rather quickly.

You get a strong chocolate malt aroma right away with maybe some shortbread and oatmeal notes and surprisingly little coffee scent for how dark it is. I actually poured it a bit too cold so i initially got more iced tea aromas before I got the chocolate and coffee as it warmed up to proper the temperature.

Just as I said above, the alcohol is not present, allowing for great drinkability and allowing the malts to make a very soft  creamy coating on your tongue.  This creates a very satisfying mouthfeel but has just the right amount of hops to clear your palette at the end allowing for that great sensation that leaves you reaching for the next sip. The carbonation is a bit high today, which could be the draft system more than the beer itself, but the bubbles are tight and don't interfere too much. As it warms, the roasted malts with the dark chocolate and coffee make their presence felt.

From top to bottom this is a great example of how to make a solid stout without having to get in your face by over malting or taking the abv too high. It remains one of my favorite dark beers and can be enjoyed in any weather.


To find out more about this and New Holland's many other brews visit them @ www.newhollandbrew.com

You can find this and 67 other great beers on tap at the Shark Club in Howell, MI

To get up date happenings of all Michigan Breweries and Events visit www.michiganmicrobrews.com

Thank you for your support, check out my other reviews @ howellbeergeek.blogspot.com


Jonathan Cole
beergeekhowell@gmail.com

Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree

As you can tell from my previous posts, I am a glutton for hop punishment, so when we tapped this years Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree IPA you know I couldn't resist. I sat down with my good friend Chad Roe and we gave it a whirl.

Right off the bat I noticed the murky amber or almost cedar color, with a thin but concentrated head that faded fairly quickly but does leave a touch of lacing behind. The moment I stuck my nose in I get a pronounced honey and maybe sourdough scent, that almost smells sticky, with a strong whiff of alcohol behind it, which is not surprising as it boasts an abv that hovers around 12%. The more it warms up the more of the alcohol nose comes out and the dry citrus hop sent fades but that sticky bready scent lingers the whole time.

The hops are there to be sure, it is a huge IPA, however at first sip I felt it is over balanced. It finishes more like a Barley Wine with its sweetness and syrupy mouthfeel. I lose the hops on the back end and am not left with that dry bitterness that encourages you to grab it up for another sip that I come to look for in my IPA's. Now keep in mind I prefer 60 minute over 90, and Huma Lupalicious over Hopslam, but this beer just didn't resonate with me and my desire for hops. Don't get me wrong this was a spectacular beer and I will sit down with you and have one anytime you like, just not what I look for in IPA's.

for more information on Dark Horse Brewery please visit their website below
http://darkhorsebrewery.com/

Thanks to my friend Chad for sipping this delightful brew with me. He has as much or more knowledge of craft beer as I do and an impeccable palate. To shoot the breeze with Chad, check him out at Stonefire Bistro Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday nights in downtown Brighton.

Stone Cali-Belgique IPA

Stone Brewery in Escondido, CA is a marquise craft brewery and certainly one of my favorites. Opening in 1996 they went from a well-kept secret to a world wide juggernaut in the industry in only 10 years. Their barrel production went form 400 in '96 to 115,000 in 2010. checkout out the website for more interesting facts. http://stonebrewing.com/press/facts.asp 

Today my friend Rick and I decided to sit down and taste Stone's Cali-Belgique IPA. This is quite obviously by its name a marriage of California IPA with Belgium yeast to create a unique beer that still has the distinctly Stone flare.

The First thing I noticed as I poured this beer is the cream white thick head that quickly dissipated to a light ring around the edges of the glass. The color is slightly hazy with pale wheat to amber shades. Right on the nose you catch the overly hoppy presence that Stone is known for. Less of a grapefruit and more of cantaloupe or other more earth melon aroma, with a hint of peach maybe some lemon, and Rick notes very faint classic belgium notes just past the hops of bubblegum, banana and cloves.

Right up front you get hit with the signature hops of Stone, some people find it overbearing but I am a hop head that doesn't mind unbalanced hop attacks! However in this one they try to balance it out with its Belgium side that brings more earth tones and the melon that was picked up in the nose. Rick didn't get it but I got a faint green vegetable taste that lingered behind the crisp hoppy finish, like asparagus or broccolini.

All in all I think this is a fantastic beer from a fantastic brewery that give a different take on the classic American IPA. Whether you are a fan of IPA's or Belgium's you get all the best parts of each and left satisfied and ready for another glass.


Please visit their website for more information on the rest of their brews and don't for get to check us out on facebook to keep up to the minute on news and tappings. Special thanks to Rick Wilson for comparing tasting notes! www.stonebrewing.com

Jonathan Cole
Supreme Beer Geek

www.facebook.com/sharkclubhowell
www.sharkclubhowell.com

Founder's Double Trouble

As a huge fan of giant IPA's I was very much looking forward to tasting this one. Just arriving on tap last week, I don't expect this to last long, so come in and grab a glass while it lasts.

After a few glasses of Breakfast Stout I decided to switch it up to close out the night, so I poured a glass of Double Trouble... and at 9.4% abv it was perhaps a poor choice and certainly was my night cap. The name is spot on as I knew I was in trouble from the first sip. Unlike Hopslam or other Double IPA's that balance the large amount of hops with equal amounts of malt to add a touch of sweetness to cut the bitterness, Founders seems to have left that out with this one. It instantly drys the mouth with a bitter puckering that made me feel like I was in one of the old warhead sour gum commercials.

It smells fantastic! All those hops throwing the classic citrus with pineapple and grapefruit tones all followed up with an almost spruce tree like hint of pine. A golden murky yellow almost honey colored with a rich creamy head, it definitely looks the part.


The first thing you notice when it hits your tongue is unabashed hops. Bitter, citrus and pine, it tastes just as it smells with very little malt to balance the insane amount of hops in this beer. A hop heads dream! Medium bodied but still very substantial mouth feel that lingers nicely after each sip leaving your mouth dry and wanting more. With 86 IBUs it ranks right up that at one of the most bitter IPA's, not in the top 100 but it holds its own.


Another great beer from a great Michigan commodity, Founders Brewing Company. To find out more about Founders visit their website below.


Thanks for checking in with me and be sure to come check out this and the many other great Craft Ales on tap at the Shark Club in Howell, MI.


JC, Supreme Beer Geek



links:

www.foundersbrewing.com
www.facebook.com/sharkclubhowell

www.sharkclubhowell.com
www.michiganmicrobrews.com