No-Li Wrecking Ball Imperial Stout

I am still very much missing the beer i was able to drink when i was in Washington state a few weeks back, not that my Texas brews aren't great (they are!), but there sure were some wonderful beers to imbibe during my visit.  The Wrecking Ball Imperial Stout from No-Li Brewhouse in Spokane was one such beer.  Pouring dark black with a tan head, the stout smells of chocolate and roasted malts.  Flavors of malt, chocolate, toffee, and dark fruit abound in this full bodied, 9.5% ABV brew, a wonderful way to wind down as the sun sets.

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Sound Brewery Bombshell

Pretty much every trip i've made to Washington over the last few years is at least somewhat influenced by the wares of Sound Brewery.  And while Silver City is quickly becoming my favorite from the Puget region, the good folks at Sound are dear to my heart and make some damn fine beers.  The Bombshell is a Belgian style blonde ale and pours a beautiful gold that just captures the sunlight.  Aromas of yeast, citrus, and spice abound and mesh nicely on the tongue with some very subtle hints of grass and banana.  And it's surprisingly easy to drink, considering its 7.3% ABV.  Think of it as a kind of light Tripel if you will.  Good summer drinking.

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Silver City Tropic Haze IPA

So, i've been back from Washington for about a week now, and man am i missing it.  The cooler weather.  The fantastic beer.  Good friends.  The cooler weather (worth mentioning twice).  Of the numerous brews i got a chance to try over my trip (hooray Bremerton Brewfest!), the mainstay for the week was the Tropic Haze IPA from Silver City Brewery.  It's a perfect summer beer.  Pouring a hazy gold with a foamy white head (and dig on that lacing), the brew smells of yeast, bread, and spices, with a ton of fruit notes.  Flavors of grapefruit and citrus mash with hints of pineapple, orange, and more all against a hoppy backbone that finishes with just the right amount of bitter bite.  And despite its 6.4% ABV, i could drink these all day long.  Stay tuned for a whole bevy of brews from the Pacific Northwest over the next few weeks.

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Elav Dark Metal Imperial Stout

Back again with another delicious beer from Northern Italy's Elav Brewery.  This time around is their black and smooth Dark Metal Imperial Stout.  The brew pours black with a tan, chocolaty head and smells of cacao, coffee, and malt.  The flavor is a mix of coffee and chocolate notes, complimenting each other well amid a nice bitterness and some subtle boozy hints.  This is a tasty, late night brew, something to sip on after the sun has set and the air has cooled, relaxing and enjoying the 8.5% ABV.  And again, all thanks to my awesome wife.

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Elav No War Rye IPA

My wife is smart and wonderful and does things like get me beer related gifts for Father's Day.  This year brought me a sampling of different beers from Elav Brewery in Northern Italy.  I'm pretty stoked about imbibing these over the next couple of weeks, and my first selection from the box is the tasty No War Rye IPA.  The brew pours a hazy, murky gold with a thick, white head and smells of citrus, orange peel, rye, pine, and spices.  The flavor is a lovely combination of citrus and pine with notes of orange and bread, and a slight hint of molasses.  Light to medium bodied and with a relatively dry finish, this 6.9% brew is an excellent start to this gift.  Be on the lookout for some other selections from Elav over the next few weeks.

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Real Ale Bitchin' Camaro

Blanco's Real Ale never disappoints.  The Central Texas brewery has been doing things for a number of years now, and everything they create is worthy of inspections.  The Bitchin' Camaro is a new limited release, an hoppy amber ale that really hits the spot.  The 6% ABV brew pours a deep amber with a bubbly, dissipating head and smells of spice and citrus with light notes of bread.  The beer feels and tastes like your normal amber, but with lots of citrus and decent bitter finish.  This is a great beer for grilling in the backyard.

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Founders Doom

I partook in a little pre-Father's Day libation on Saturday night, the latest release in the Founders Brewing Co. barrel aged series, a delicious collision of flavors in a bourbon barrel aged Imperial IPA called Doom.  Pouring a dark, goldish amber with a foamy but dissipating head, this wonderful concoction smells of hops, vanilla, and oak, with hints of booze.  The flavor is a combination of intense hops and vanilla, with the notes of oak, malt, and alcohol mingling intermittently.  It's an interesting combo of aromas and flavors, but also very appealing.  And it weighs in at 12.4% ABV, so maybe take it easy.

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