Independence White Rabbit

So...maybe beer and i had a little disagreement last weekend.  And maybe some things were done and said that need to be taken back.  The past is the past.  Let's forge ahead.  Austin's Independence Brewing just released a canned Belgian white ale witbier called the White Rabbit, and it's tasty, tasty, tasty.  The beer pours a clear, crisp gold with a nice carbonated head.  Aromas of bread and spice prevail, while the taste is all spice, coriander, and orange peel.  A great libation for the ping-ponging hot and cold days we've been having in central Texas of late.

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Rahr and Sons Bourbon Barrel Aged Winter Warmer

And from out of nowhere...it's winter here in Austin again.  Temperatures hung around the 30's all day, gray clouds, mist and cold, light rain.  It's the perfect weather for a strong libation.  Enter the Bourbon Barrel Aged Winter Warmer, an English dark ale from Fort Worth's Rahr and Sons Brewing Company.  This 9% ABV creation pours a dark, pitch black with a frothy, tan head.  The beer looks thick, and it packs a punch.  The bourbon is very prevalent in both the aroma and the flavor.  Add in some light touches of vanilla, chocolate, oak, malt, and some subtle spiciness, and you've got yourself the perfect beer to warm you up on a cold day or night.  But drink slowly.  You'll want another one as soon as your finished.

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Ska Brewing Hibernal Vinifera Stout

Okay, this is a different one.  I don't normally take grape juice in my stouts, but after having the Hibernal Vinifera Stout from Ska Brewing, i'm willing to change my stance on that.  It's cool.  I can admit when i'm wrong.  The beer pours a dark black with a light brown head.  The initial aromas consist of roasted malt, chocolate, and a little bit of alcohol.  The taste combines those elements with some lovely fruit notes from the grape juice.  It's sweet and bitter and smooth.  I found these very, very easy to drink, and they were an excellent companion for the cold nights we had in Austin last week.

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Adelbert's Vintage Series #3: Barrel of Love Chocolate Imperial Stout

With our recent cold weather here in Austin, i've been drinking a lot of stouts of late, and with my recent visit to Adelbert's Brewery, i've been digging on their Belgian wares and beers of late too.  That said, Adelbert's Vintage Series #3: Barrel of Love Chocolate Imperial Stout is both a mouthful to say and to drink.  It's delicious!  Aged in bourbon barrels, this one-off batch is heavy on the alcohol, heavy on the chocolate, and just heavy all around.  The beer is dark, dark, dark with a thick, brown head.  Lots of chocolate, toffee, and some dark fruit aromas are present at first pour that soon give way to some more bourbon and oak smells as the beer sits.  I recommend letting it sit and taking your time.  It got tastier with each subsequent swallow, the initial maltiness and sweetness giving way to spicier and heavier flavors.  This beer gets an A+.  I must find more.

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Branchline Brewing Woodcutter Rye IPA

San Antonio's Branchline Brewing Co. offers up a delicious beer with their Woodcutter Rye IPA.  The beer is a dark orange with a decent, quickly dissipating head.  The aroma is great, with hints of floral, pine, citrus, and spice.  The flavor is predominantly pine and citrus with a decent helping of hops to keep things just the right amount of bitter.  There's also a mild bready taste.  All in all, a very easy beer to drink, and a good intro for someone who's not necessarily into IPA's in general.

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Circle Envy

Austin's Circle Brewing Co. has a rather tasty amber beer called Envy.  The brew pours a darkish red, minimal head, and smells of molasses, some dried fruit, and maybe some hints of pine.  The flavors are predominantly sweet, but not too sweet, a good combo of the aforementioned molasses and fruit.  The hops compliment the malts well, adding a dry bitterness, but not too dry and bitter, to the beer.  Complex and simple.  Well done.  Drink this with anything.

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Austin Beerworks Heavy Machinery Black IPA

The ongoing Heavy Machinery IPA series from Austin Beerworks continues to impress and delight my taste buds with each subsequent release.  The latest batch is a Black IPA, that pours a dark, leathery color with a light, quickly dissipating head.  The beer's aroma consists of some floral and pine elements mixed with some lighter malt and coffee smells.  The taste is a bitter and hoppy one, a good mix of pine, citrus, and malt.  It's interesting, but instantly drinkable if you're an IPA kinda person.  Kudos.

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