Voodoo White Magick of the Sun

Finally had time to give another one of these Voodoo Brewery samples my attention and due diligence. Seems like each time that I open a Voodoo Brewery beer, I'm inspired to write.

Voodoo White Magick of the Sun, 30 IBUs, 6% ABV:

Spalter Select Hops, coriander, sweet orange peel, juniper berries, and 12 varieties of peppercorns . . . No lie. Sounds full of stuff, and it is , but drinks super clean, super dry, and impresses with its subtleties. You get a nice hint of orange peel late, mid-palate that immediately moves onto a spicy Spalter hop characteristic which sets off the wonderful, delicate balance of the additionally added spices. The spice of the hops definitely paves the road for the coriander, juniper berries, and variety of peppercorns . . . Wonderfully selected hops for these specific spices. Everything is kept in check, and this Belgian Yeast strain is a beautiful complement aiding to create a very dry finish.

Definitely one of the most unique and satisfying "White Ales" that I have ever had.

Voodoo Brewing Pilzilla

Thursday made me the fortunate possessor of some very fine Voodoo Brewing Company 22 oz bottles. The only question was which bottle should I try first. I decided on the 4 Seasons IPA. 4 Seasons IPA is interesting in the fact that it changes with all 4 regionally existing seasons here in Pennsylvania. For this reason, this is the only Voodoo Brewing Beer that does not list information regarding the ingredients, IBU, gravity, or ABV on the label. In my hand, I had this year's Spring version of the 4 Seasons IPA (silver cap). What I found inside of the bottle was a delicious, clean, American IPA that satisfies. I'd tell you more, but I would rather you check out their link, or better yet, buy it and check it out for yourself. On to the second bottle, and our topic for the day, Pilzilla.

Voodoo Brewing Pilzilla, 50 IBUs, 6.7% ABV:
Beautiful pale golden color with a bright white head. Bready malt character in the nose accented by nice hop spice. Hits the mouth creamy, bright, and balanced. Malt coats the mouth wonderfully, while hop bitterness and flavor builds. Spicy hop complexity hangs around nicely and continues to coax and tease the malty slick that coats the mouth. This beer is bright and clean like its traditional European brother. However, I can assure you . . . If Pilzilla walks in a room, which he can't, because he's too monstrously large to fit through the doorway . . . But if he could, his European brothers would be screaming and running the other way. This beer takes the great qualities of a European Pilsner, hits them with two atom bombs, and out walks Pilzilla . . . He's big . . . He's bad. And he's righteously angry.

Voodoo Brewing Company makes cutting-edge American craft beer, and they do it well. These guys are relatively new, but years of experience, passion, and love are apparent in every Voodoo beer that's produced.

1995 Thomas Hardy's Ale

Had my mother and father-in-law in town this past weekend. It's always good to see them. A little verbal prodding from Theresa had me looking around in my cellar for a couple of bottles of Thomas Hardy's Ale from O'Hanlons Brewing Company. She did help me secure a few cases of various vintages a couple of years ago, so it's only right that I share them with her occasionally. Besides, with the way that I squirrel stuff away in my cellar, who knows when I'll actually think to drink one on my own!

1995 Thomas Hardy's Ale, 11% ABV:

Decanted clear with almost no carbonation. The color is brown, and the nose is of molasses, toffee, pecans, dates, and soft alcohol. The bouquet of this beer is huge! You can smell it sitting on the table a couple of feet away. Upon entry, it delivers molasses and hints of cocoa in the front, then quickly moves onto figs, dates, and subtle apricot. Finishes with pecan nuttiness, caramel, hints of chocolate, and ripe fruit. This beer is outrageous, and well worth the wait!!

If I had a favorite style, Old Ale would probably be it. I'm a huge fan of the style, and this 1995 Thomas Hardy's Ale is a perfect example of how wonderfully complex and delicious that this style can be!

What a treat!!

Thomas Hardy's Ale was first sold in 1968 to commemorate the 40th Anniversary of the death of Thomas Hardy. It is based on the ale mentioned in the novel "The Trumpet Major" where it is described so vividly by the author.

"IT WAS OF THE MOST BEAUTIFUL COLOUR THAT THE EYE OF AN ARTIST IN BEER COULD DESIRE; FULL IN BODY, YET BRISK AS A VOLCANO; PIQUANT, YET WITHOUT A TWANG; LUMINOUS AS AN AUTUMN SUNSET." http://www.onlyfinebeer.co.uk/beer/1487/

Southampton Double White

Friday lunch found me catching a bite on the South Side at Smokin' Joe's Saloon. Smokin' Joe's is a great South Side beer bar offering a few hundred different bottles of beer, fairly priced pub food, and 60 beers on tap!


As I looked over the draft selection, I found a beer that fit my mood, Southampton Double White.


Southampton Double White, 7% ABV:
Beautiful, cloudy, golden appearance . . . Bananas, citrus, and clove in the nose. Malty upfront with flavors of citrus rind, spice, and bananas. Has a nice spritzy effervescence. Flavors dissipate slowly with heavy orange and lemon citrus, spice, and hints of bananas leading way to a nice crisp, semi-dry finish . . . Very complex . . . Very satisfying . . . This Double White Ale is much more complex and sophisticated than its traditional White Ale counterparts. Stylistically speaking, you wouldn't enter this White Ale into a White Ale category. It's much too large for the category. This is a thinking outside of the box White Ale that combines American creativity with the fundamental flavor profile of a traditional White Ale. This is a White Ale with attitude . . . Bad-ass attitude. Thanks, Phil!


If you are unfamiliar with Southampton Double White, and enjoy White Ales, you should run out and find this unique offering. It is widely available in distributors, bottle shops, and restaurants throughout the Pittsburgh area, and it's draft presence will surely increase with the recent onset of sunnier, warmer days.


As always, if you contact me looking for direction, I would be more than happy to point you to the nearest retailer in your region that carries this fine product.


Cheers!

Green Flash West Coast IPA

Stopped into Kaya today to tighten up some things with Kaya's "We Love Beer Week", coming up March 23 - 26, and decided to visit my old friend, Green Flash West Coast IPA . . .

Green Flash West Coast IPA, 7% ABV:
Copper in appearance. Nice mesh of malt, and tangerine citrus in the nose . . . aromatic. Big malt and citrus bitterness upfront. Malt coats the mouth nicely, while citrus bitterness meanders its way to a very resiny bitterness. In a very pleasing manner, the acidity of the hops stings every part of the mouth that it comes in contact with . . . much complexity comes from the attacking layers of hop spice. Very dry finish. This is what Hop Heads, and myself, want out of an American IPA! Pushing it to the extreme, then coaxing it right back in. Is this the King? It certainly is royalty. Way to go Chuck!


Green Flash West Coast IPA is a diamond in the rough. This beer can be found on draft almost everywhere in Pittsburgh. If your local restaurant does not carry it, ask them, why?


Kaya has not taken this wonderful IPA off tap in the past two years ... Why would you?

Cointreau vs. Combier

What bizarre battle is this? I'm not sure myself. Let's see . . . Here's Cointreu. Here's Combier . . .

Cointreau, 40% ABV:

Super rindy grapefruit citrus in the nose. Intense sweetness assaults the palate, and is immediately followed with intense alcohol burn.

Combier, 40% ABV:

Delicate orange-citrus meshed nicely with underlying neutral spirits. Mouthfeel is full. Citrus and cane sugar sweetness upfront that leads way to a nice, balanced, lengthy finish-Soft.

Why are we talking about this?

The question was posed to me earlier this day: Which do I like better? Cointreau or Combier?

. . . I like the Combier.

Great Divide Espresso Oak-Aged Yeti Imperial Stout

Thursday confronted me with a lack of inspiration, hence, no Daily Mash. Friday was a completely different story! On Friday, I was on the search for the mysterious Yeti. There are frequent Yeti sightings in Pittsburgh, but I was looking for a more elusive Yeti. And I'm not referring to the fairly elusive Oak-Aged Yeti. I'm referring to his even more elusive counterpart, Espresso Oak-Aged Yeti! Is there such a thing, you may ask? Oh yes . . . I assure you, there is. And with me selling 80% of the inventory this week, it was just a matter of seeing who put it on tap first! . . . And the winner is . . . Market Street Ale House! Told you that they don't play around! They ordered the beer on Wednesday, and had it on tap by lunch on Thursday. Looks like I wasn't the only person ecstatic about the arrival of the Espresso Oak-Aged Yeti . . . Way to go Roess!

Great Divide Espresso Oak-Aged Yeti Imperial Stout, 9.2% ABV:

So you think that's a mouth full, do ya? The lengthy name of this beer is merely an abbreviation for what I found inside of my glass.

The color is black. That is if black were mostly black with a brown twinge . . . Completely opaque with a beautiful brown head. The nose is of very bitter dark chocolate, coupled with a wonderful aroma of medium roasted, coarsely ground coffee beans . . . Wow! The beer smells so good that I have to dive in immediately! Pummels the palate with liquefied chocolate . . . Fudge, molasses, vanilla, and mocha. Oak tannin present. This beer is ridiculous. By the time you are getting a grip on the malt, which pleasantly assaults your palate, the hops are beginning to replace the sweetness of the malt with intense green bitterness that intensifies as the beer finishes. The beer finishes for minutes . . . All the while, keeping all of the previously mentioned flavors present, and somehow getting more bitter. This beer starts off very dark and finishes with a lot of hop greenness. At this exact moment, this is one of the most complete, complex, beers that I have ever enjoyed . . . Luxurious! The beautiful coffee aroma and flavor serves as a reminder that this beer is caffeinated. Oh yes, as I discovered, this beer will perk you right up! This is one of the most special beers that I can recall quaffing in recent memory.

Keep an eye out. Great Divide Espresso Oak-Aged Yeti Imperial Stout should be popping up at your favorite Pittsburgh beer bar over the next few days. If it's not, go where they have it, and do not hesitate. This is the most elusive Yeti yet!

Southampton Imperial Porter

Wednesday found me in downtown Pittsburgh in the late afternoon. Popped into seemingly the biggest secret beer bar in the downtown area, the Market Street Ale House. I say this, because I'm always amazed by the number of people that I run into that have never heard of this great place. The Market Street Ale House, located in Market Square, sits on the second story, directly across the square from Primanti Bros. Once in the Ale House, you have a great view of the Square, and more importantly, great food, great bartenders, and the best beer selection in the downtown area!

As I discussed this week's beer order with the manager, Roess Reddick, I decided to sip on a 2008 Southampton Imperial Porter, fresh on draft.

Southampton Imperial Porter does not get its Imperial from the loosely used American version of this word that seemingly means higher alcohol, rather Southampton Imperial Porter is a true Baltic-styled, or Imperial Porter. This porter is modeled after those of Eastern European decent, and drinks cleaner and crisper than its English counterpart.

2008 Southampton Imperial Porter, 7% ABV:

Color is dark brown. Big bitter chocolate and coffee in the nose. Hits the palate with HUGE chocolate and soft roasted bitterness. Finishes fairly quickly and extremely clean, like a good Baltic-styled Porter should. Leaves the mouth coated with wonderful mocha and hints of roasted bitterness. Wow!! This beer is 7% ABV? This is the type of beer that will sneak up on you if you are inexperienced, or not paying attention. I like that about this beer. Anytime you can hide the alcohol this well, you have created a beautiful offering. Kudos Southampton!!

If you are unfamiliar with this brewery, I suggest you begin familiarizing yourself with their offerings. Their beers are readily available in the Pittsburgh area, and not too many breweries nail down styles the way these guys nail down styles.

Now go find some Southampton . . . NOW!!

Rogue Mogul Ale and Stone Smoked Porter

Tuesday's travels had me concentrating on the South Side of Pittsburgh. When it comes to frequency of bars per walking block, the South Side of Pittsburgh is where it's at. And if you're visiting the South Side of Pittsburgh in search of beer, surely Fat Head's Saloon is on your list of destination locations.

I stopped in to Fat Head's, as I frequently do on Tuesdays, to talk beer with the owner, Glenn. As I was waiting for Glenn, I browsed the Beer Menu Board and spotted Rogue Mogul Ale. I have a rule. Whenever I see Rogue Mogul Ale on draft, I order it. It's as simple as that.

Rogue Mogul Ale, 7% ABV:

Dark amber appearance with a sturdy, tan colored head. Nice hoppy bouquet accentuated by underlying maltiness. Creamy malt with toffee and crusty bread flavors immediately followed up by intense hop bitterness that intensifies as the beer finishes-Lengthy bitter finish. One of my favorites from Rogue. Only 3 half barrels of this came into Pittsburgh, and there's only one place to get it on draft! Hurry!! Fat Head's sells through beer faster than any other bar in Pittsburgh . . . It could be gone already. ; )

That Rogue Mogul Ale woke my taste buds up. So, I decided to stay and have another beer. The next beer that caught my interest was Stone Smoked Porter.

Stone Smoked Porter, 6% ABV:

Dark brown appearance. Soft smokiness and bitter chocolate in the nose. Medium bodied with intense smoke upfront. Dissipates slowly, coating the mouth nicely with smoke, chocolate, and roasted bitterness. Lengthy finish with smoke character leading way to hop and roasted bitterness. Just ANOTHER wonderful offering from the folks at Stone!! Check it out!

It has been brought to my attention that ABV Listings for each beer would be helpful, and I can't agree more. I originally left them out in hopes that readers would click on the links of each brewery to learn more, but realize that it is pretty much an essential part of each beer's Tasting Note. So from now on, I will list the approximate ABV of each beer in an attempt to get you closer to the beer through each description. I would like to stress that this should not dissuade you from visiting each brewery or restaurants' link. Each link is an essential part of The Daily Mash and is included for each reader's benefit. Want to know more about the beer or location that I am speaking about? Simply click on the link and you will be sent to the appropriate Homepage. Thank you for your comments, and continued support!

Blue Point Winter and Blue Point Spring Fling

Monday: A day of now, and soon to be.

At the end of the day on Mondays, you can frequently find me in Shadyside at The New Harris Grill. Depending where you draw the lines in the sand, Harris Grill may be considered the only good beer bar in Shadyside. Regardless, it's one of the best beer bars in Pittsburgh, and a favorite spot of mine.

Monday's offerings bring us Blue Point Winter and Blue Point Spring Fling.

Blue Point Winter:
Amber in appearance. Nice malty nose with hints of chocolate and toffee. Tons of malt up front with caramel, hints of chocolate, and the crust of bread. Finishes with a nice malty mouthfeel that lingers with good earthiness. A great Winter offering that doesn't look for attention through the over-done avenues of added spice.
Being that it's March 2nd, I live in Pittsburgh, and they're both fresh on draft, it's only fitting that the next beer I should have is a Blue Point Spring Fling.

Blue Point Spring Fling:
Color is copper. Nice bready, malty nose with good hop bouquet. Hop forward-Nice hop bitterness leads to a creamy malt backbone. Beer coats the mouth wonderfully! Dissipates slowly leaving a great, green hop bitterness to linger for minutes. This beer exemplifies everything Blue Point: Good malt, good hops, super clean, and balanced.

Blue Point Brewing Company: Presently classic. Balanced, modern ales, produced to quaff, repeatedly.

Tuesday is Boozeday . . . Am I allowed to say that? . . . I think I aaaaammmmmm . . .