Real Ale Black Quad

Since i started writing this blog and drinking a slew of different beers every week, one of my all time favorites was the Brewer's Cut Black Quadruple from Real Ale, a one-off batch from about three years ago.  I have pined for its return ever since i drank my last one, sometime in April of 2013 at a baby shower before my son was born, and it has returned...this time in bomber form.  Now a regular rotation brew, this 10.5% ABV wonder pours a dark brown and smells of malts, molasses, dark fruits, and heaven.  The flavor is complex, spicy and fruity with just the right kind of dry finish.  Easily one of my favorite beers ever, i am beyond stoked to have it in my fridge again...only BIGGER.  Hooray!

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Real Ale Brewer's Cut #17 - Helles

I have been on Real Ale beers like a fat kid on a cupcake lately.  But, who can blame me when their output is just so damn good?  The latest in their Brewer's Cut series is a Helles, a light and tasty German style beer that's an excellent drink for a warm Spring day.  The beer pours a light gold with a white, foamy head and smells of malt and bread.  The taste is fairly bready, but with some spicy hop notes in the mix and a mild sweetness.  This is a post-yard work kind of brew.

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Real Ale Brewer's Cut Oyster Stout

Apparently it's weird and wonderful stout month for me, with the latest being the latest release from Real Ale's Brewer's Cut series, the eye-catching Oyster Stout.  And it's good.  I'll admit, i was expecting there to be a bigger oyster kick in the flavor, but this dark brew feels more like a traditional stout than anything else.  The roasted malts are evident in the aroma and the taste with a slight briny note on the back end.  Hints of coffee can be found throughout as well, sometimes giving the beer a porter-like taste.  All in all, an interesting beer from a great brewery.

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Real Ale Brewer's Cut Double IPA

Real Ale's continuing Brewer's Cut series never ceases to impress me.  Each subsequent one-off release is just as tasty as it is different from what preceded it.  The latest batch is a Double IPA.  The beer pours a nice transparent copper with minimal head, but nice lacing on the glass.  The aromas are immediately detectable, hints of orange, florals, grass, and pine.  The flavor is hoppy and spicy, but well balanced with notes of orange and pine as well.  The brew is easy to drink, and not overpowering, a great beer for an IPA fan.  I dig it.

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Real Ale Brewer's Cut Imperial Red

Having been stricken with cold and flu like symptoms for the past couple of days, my beer drinking has been non-existent this week.  That being said, i did try the lovely fourth beer in Real Ale's Brewer's Cut series, a delicious Imperial Red.  The beer pours a dark, reddish amber with a light head, and gives off an immediate citrus aroma with a slight floral hint here and there.  The taste is a little sour, with a pretty good combination of brown sugar and citrus (from the cascade hops).  It almost has a wine-like feel to it, so i'd suggest using it as a dinner beer, or with an array of meats and cheeses.  As far as alcohol content goes, the brew gets a solid 8.8% ABV, so it will pack a punch, even if it doesn't taste like it will.  All in all, an excellent beer, and one i intend to drink again...whenever this damn bug goes away.

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Real Ale Brewer's Cut Black Quadruple

Man, even typing out the name of this delicious beer makes me want to drink more of it.  The brilliant brew masters over at Real Ale Brewing Co. have really outdone themselves this time around with their Brewer's Cut Black Quadruple, a malty Belgian-style Quadruple.  The beer is very dark, but amazingly smooth to drink.  It starts out pretty sweet with all the hints of caramel and chocolate mixing very nicely with the malts and subtle hops.  One thing in particular that i really dig about this beer is that as you drink it, you can begin to taste an almost whiskey-like flavor that's not there at first.  Swirl the beer a bit like you would a wine, and you can smell the alcohol as well.  It gives the bottom of the glass a kind of oomph.  And at 10.8% ABV, it's the perfect end for a cold winter night.

If you are able to get a hold of some of this beer, i cannot recommend it enough.

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