Dark Horse – The Barley Whine

DIPA Battle: Fat Head’s Hop Juju versus Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree

March 17, 2014 by Steve Leave a Comment

Fat Head’s Hop Juju versus Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree

For this review we take on two double IPAs that are super fresh, released to markets the same week. With similar IBUs, we were inspired to compare the two Midwestern breweries efforts in this category. And so, we bring you our DIPA Batttle: Fat Head’s Hop Juju versus Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree. Double IPAs are a hugely hopped-up style, with an alcohol content often approaching a barley wine. From the Oxford Companion to Beer:

Based on the original India pale ale (IPA) style that was revived by the American craft brewing movement in the 1980’s, the newly minted ‘double IPA” (also known as “imperial IPA”) seeks to take both alcoholic strength and hop intensity to new levels.

In late February two double IPAs appeared in our local beer stores simultaneously. One is a newcomer to stores, the first bottling of Fat Head’s Hop Juju. Regarded by locals as a world-class DIPA, as exceptional a double as Headhunter is a traditional IPA. Hype was palpable. The second beer is old-school as far as the imperial IPA scene goes. Having been released in 2005 as a hop bomb with 98 IBUs and a massive ABV of 12%, it represents all the brashness and swagger of the team at Dark Horse.

So how did the two hoppy beers compare, and which one won the battle?

TASTING NOTES

Fat Head’s Hop Juju.

First up was the paler of the two, a semi-translucent— wouldn’t call it cloudy— copper pour with thick white head. As the original Batman show would say: BAM! KAPOW! BOINK! This beer has a massive piney hop nose with undercurrents of citrus, plants and a hint of malt. The taste is even bigger, with a huge grapefruit/citrus element, balanced somewhat by a cracker malt flavor. The body is medium with solid carbonation. Finish comes in with big bitterness, even more hops, and a dryness.

What a beer! Hop lovers are always told that every double IPA with major bitterness is right up their alley. In this case, Fat Heads delivers the goods with an amazing beer from hop crazy nose to thirst inspiring dry finish. A 2013 Great American Beer Festival gold medal winner, Hop Juju shows what a world class double IPA can be.

Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree

The team up at Dark Horse are known for taking chances on beer. For their imperial IPA, they went literal in this persuit, doubling the malt bill and hops, while keeping the water at the same level. From this description we might expect a near barley wine level of malts. With 98 IBUs and an ABV of 12% this thug is bringing all his swag to the party.

Pour is ruddy orange/copper with some haze. The head is thin, khaki-orange, and dissipates quickly. The nose is caramel malt with medicinal phenols and a distinct scent of booze. The body is medium, feeling heavier due to the weak carbonation. Tasting this thing is much like the smell: caramel malts, a plant-like note, bitterness from the hops, and alcohol. Double Crooked Tree is very sweet, reminding one more of an American barley wine than an IPA. Finish is bitter and booze-forward.

CONCLUSION

In this battle, I expected to huge delicious imperial IPAs. The results proved us half right. Dark Horse brought a malt loaded booze bomb, that seemed designed to cover up the hoppy high IBUs. The new Fat Head’s beer was closer to what was hoped for, a beer striving for the superlative heights of double IPAs. Superbly flavorful, but actually achieving a good balance between the juicy citrus hops and malts.

The winner then, is Fat Head’s Hop Juju by knockout in the first round. Even if older double IPAs left too bitter or malty a taste in your mouth, this one will not disappoint.

Dark Horse Double Crooked Tree

4.5/10

Fat Head’s Hop Juju

9.0/10

Dark Horse 4 Elf Party 2012

January 16, 2013 by Steve 1 Comment

On Saturday, December 8th the third annual Dark Horse 4 Elf Party featured nearly 50 beers on tap and are selling 13 specialty beers

WHY GO TO MICHIGAN AT 4:00 AM?

With scores of diverse and bold beers on tap, a battle of the bands, and an eclectic mix of offerings such as elk ribs, muscat brains, and Rocky Mountain oysters, the party to celebrate the first tapping of a Marshall Michigan brewer’s limited release holiday beer, may e reason enough for a beer lover to take a trip to Dark Horse Brewing. On top of all that, DH offered a battle of the bands and the sale of bottles, such as Bourbon Barrel Aged Plead the Fifth and Barrel Aged Monster 29, an imperial barley wine. These beers in particular sell out quickly, meaning you get in line early or get left in the cold.

And cold it was. Arriving around 7:30 AM, we approached an already winding line in a cold rain. Despite having left at 4:00 AM, our place was over 50 deep in the queue, and the temperature dropped every hour. We had some time to wait until 11:00 when tickets were handed out, assigning your spot in line for the beer buying at 3:00. Thankfully, the line was packed full of friendly beer geeks, ready to share a bottle or two of some rare tipple they had acquired along the way. the rain turned into snow, but we all felt warmer with the convivial atmosphere and delicious samples warming our souls.

Following the passing out of numbered tickets for those wanting to buy beer later, there was a three hour lull. This might of been a good time for a nap, or in our case, some well needed lunch. Food at the cozy Dark Horse bar was a tasty mix of pizza and garlic bread. While none of the special party beers were on tap at this time, I got to sample the delicious Thirsty Trout Porter, a Baltic Porter. Don’t recall seeing this one at my local shops, but try it if you can find it!

At 3:00 another lined formed for those buying beer, and the party started inside the brewery. Lots to be had:

Special Bottled Beer Release Availability:
2011 4 Elf Winter Ale: 19 cases / 2 – 4 pack limit – $13 a 4 pack/$4 a bottle
2012 4 Elf Winter Ale: 180 cases – no limit – $70 a case/$12 a 4 pack/$3.50 a bottle
2011 BBL Plead the 5th: 9 cases / 1 – 4 pack limit – $26 a 4 pack/$7 a bottle
2012 BBL Plead the 5th: 432 cases / 2 case limit – $130 a case/$22 a 4 pack/$6 a bottle
Monster 29 (Imperial Barleywine): 37 cases/1 – 4 pack limit – $26 a 4 pack/$7 a bottle
BBL Monster 29 (Imperial Barleywine): 73 cases (375 ml bottles)/2-4 pack limit – $30 a 4 pack/ $8 a bottle
MMMMM (Chocolate Rye Porter – (Rye Whiskey BBL Aged): 33 cases (750ml Bottles)/3 bottle limit – $15 a bottle
Ginger in Your Pants (Imperial Red – Rye Whiskey BBL Aged): 33 Cases (750 ml bottles)/3 bottle limit – $15 a bottle
Militiagan (Potable Oat Wine – Angels Envy BBL Aged): 33 cases (750ml bottles)/3 bottle limit – $15 a bottle
King of the forest: 67 cases (750ml bottles)/4 bottle limit – $15 a bottle
Aigre Plead the 5th: 33 cases (750ml bottles)/3 bottle limit – $15 a bottle
Whiskey Richard: 33 cases (750ml bottles)/3 bottle limit -$15 a bottle
Lambeak wants dragon fruit: 33 cases (750ml bottles)/3 bottle limit – $16 a bottle
Lambeak wants blood orange: 33 cases (750ml bottles)/3 bottle limit – $16 a bottle

Draft List:

Crooked Tree IPA 2. Raspberry Ale 3. Amber Ale 4. Boffo Brown Ale 5. Reserve Special Black Ale 6. ONE Oatmeal Stout 7. TOO Cream Stout 8. TRES Blueberry Stout 9. Plead the 5th Imperial Stout 10. Bourbon Barrel Plead the 5th 11. Monster 29 12. Bourbon Monster 29 13. Thirsty Trout Porter 14. Scotty Karate Scotch Ale 15. KBE Dark Horse Volume II (coconut raspberry porter) 16. Tall, Dark, and Crunchy’s 17. Death Star Lover 18. Artic Dekoorc Eert 19. Ollirama Dekoorc Eert 20. Sc-7 Dekoorc Eert 21. GingeRed 22. Militiagan 23. Ginger in yer Pants 24. MMMM 25. HomoBourbonSapien 26. Whiskey Richard 27. Lambeek wants Dragonfruit 28. Lambeek wants Passionfruit 29. Perkulator Coffee Dopplebock 30. Aigre Plead the 5th 31. King of the Forrest 32. Sour 3 Guy off the Scale Old Ale 33. Lost Droid Chenstnut Porter 34. Wassupwiththemonkey Blueberry Ale 35. F.F. Dekoorc Eert 36. Edacsac Dekoorc Eert 37. Belgianator Belgian IPA 38. Bourbon MMMM 39. Sarsaparilla 666 Stout 40. Sahti 41. Westy Wendell’s West Coast Wheat 42. 4 Elf 2011 43. 4 Elf 2012 44. Kmita Kolsch 45. MBG 15 Ann’y Ale 46. Bourbon Militagan

Of the draft beers I tried, Dark Star Lover, a raspberry chocolate stout aged in oak barrels was an amazing mix of flavors, possibly the best beer Dark Horse brews. Other stand outs were the odd but fun Ginger in your Pants, hop variants on their Crooked Tree IPA (named backwards as in ‘Ollirama Dekoorc Eert’), and the tasty chocolate based MMMM. The lambics were not to my liking, unfortunately. Best part of the sampling was that we were able to do it while waiting in the very slow line.

But we didn’t rise at 3:00 AM for just a party, no matter how fun the tap list. Bourbon Barrel Aged Plead the Fifth is the prize I was after, and at our spot in line, I had no problem getting some, along with some Monster 29, BA Monster 29, Ginger in Your Pants, and MMMM… Mission accomplished.

But was it worth the cold temps, early rising, and long day? If your only enjoyment will come from scoring bottles, the costs may out weigh the benefits. There were a number of people that were shutout from some or even all of the beers they were hoping to buy. But if you are there to take in the massive selection of delicious drafts, try some succulent, obscure creatures, and hang with pleasant locals and generous beer geeks, the Dark Horse 4 Elf Party is a great event. One I will hopefully be returning to next year.

Best Coffee Beer Part 2

April 9, 2012 by Steve 4 Comments

No Really, What Is The Best Coffee Beer?

More Coffee Beers — Best Coffee Beer Part 2 Lineup

The Premise

After our first tasting of coffee beers, we realized that the surface had only been scratched by our efforts. With so many coffee flavored beers currently being brewed, our attempts to find the world’s best needed a much larger sample size. And any excuse to taste coffee beers in the cold months makes sense to the BW cabal. This is our effort to review more of the world’s coffee beer population. So why are there so many beers using coffee? And what is the origin of coffee in beer? Who do you think we are, Woodward and Bernstein? You’r way off pal. Let’s get to tasting.

Methodology

At a recent party Dave and I moved furtively to the kitchen with a trio of fellow craft beer aficionados. We then poured (not 100% blind) mostly even drams into small sampling glasses. Starting from the most genteel amber ale with coffee and Sam Adams lackadaisical creation (the only repeat from part #1), we moved to heavier beers before finishing with bourbon barrel aged imperial stouts. Notes were taken but no scores were tallied.

The Beers

Goose Island – Bourbon County Coffee Stout 2011: This is a super hyped beer. Brewed with Chicago’s own Intelligentsia Anjilanaka beans, a coffee geek choice, and barrel aged in Elijah Craig 18 year barrels, this beer uses world class ingredients in a style defining brand. Huge fruity coffee, massive vanilla and bourbon with roasted malt flavors with no bitterness. Lives up to the noise and then some. 14% ABV.
Founders – Kentucky Breakfast Stout: Smelling of coffee and sweet chocolate, pours a khaki strong head with good retention. The taste is cold pressed coffee combined with semi-sweet chocolate. Finishes with a bitter chocolate/hoppy bite. The mouthfeel is thick but slick from the oatmeal, and well carbonated. A world class blending of flavors, brewed to perfection.
De Struise – Damnation II Mocha Bomb: A dark chestnut pour with bubbly tan head. Smell is surprising mix of malts, coffee, and hops. Some sweetness, coffee, and hops with biscuity malts. Some astringency from the roasted malts and hops. Coffee is mostly in the finish. Body is creamy, smooth and thick. The 12% ABV is well hidden. Superb beer.
Long Trail – Brewmaster Series Coffee Stout: An imperial stout at 8% ABV. Lots of chocolate roasted malt flavors and potent, smooth coffee. Good body, a bit of oil and only a hint of java bitterness. When we think of good coffee stout, this is it. Seek this out!
Fort Collins – Common Ground: Tasted second. An American amber ale. Taste is Fat Tire with coffee from the well regarded Jackie’s Java. Nothing wrong with that. The big dark malts play to style and pair well with the coffee notes. An uncommon, but solid coffee beer admixture.
Dark Horse – Perkulator Coffee Dopplebock: “Hear that? The percolations are imminent. No need to come in… cease your ingress!” -Mr.Burns. Strong coffee nose. Taste is of bad church coffee and huge sweet caramel malts, finishing bitterly.
Samuel Adams – Black and Brew: First beer we tasted. Still dark and smelling of coffee. Still bland and lacking much of the body or roasted elements of a stout or any fresh coffee. But check out the snake in this video review of this beer!!!
Cigar City – Cubano-Stlye Espresso Brown Ale: Appealing espresso roasted coffee nose. Unfortunately this beer was infected, very sour: drain pour.

Conclusion

Your morning caffeine fix does double duty after hours not just in dark beers but complementing dopplebocks, even amber ales. As a flavor additive to beer, coffee beans can add wonderful roasted tannins or harsh bitterness. Just as they do with with a straight cup O’ joe. But that seems almost a facile point. The true revelation from this second tasting is that we found even more great and mediocre coffee beers, and yet there are so many more to taste. So where is the Peche Mortel by Dieu Du Ciel or Mikkeller Beer Geek Breakfast? Where are Wake ‘n Bake or Victory at Sea or Wolavaer’s Alta Gracia? We hear you loud and clear. Tomorrow is another day, and with it we will need our coffee. And soon enough after that we will again need to do another tasting of coffee beers. All in the quest to find the world’s best coffee beer.