Blog From South County

We are blogging from Goose's house.  In the heart of Sunset Hills.  We have three guest tasters.  Goose, Mark, and Mike.  And off we go.  5 bottles to get through.  Not much time for hyperbole.

Brewer:  Firestone Walker
Beer Name:  Wooley Jack Black Rye IPA
Beer Style: Black IPA
Price:  Gift From Goose- it would be impolite to ask but I just saw it for $5.99 at Friar Tuck's.  We will assume Goose paid at least $15.99 since it was a gift for me.

Apperarance:  Slight lacing, obviously very dark in color- almost black.
Aroma:  Hoppy, of course.  Very black licoricey.
Mouthfeel: Tingly, a great starter beer for the evening.  8.3% alcohol so there is some weight to it.
Taste:  Not as much of a rye presence says Goose.  Mike adds, "but its free."  I think it has a very strong hop taste with almost no citrus at all.  This is an IPA for the fans of hoppy beer.
Overall Rating:  Goose gives 3.0, Mark says 4.5.  Mike says a 3.0 and +1 for being free.  I say a 3.5.  I prefer an IPA with a little citrus in it but this is good for a starter beer.  Not quite a traditional IPA but has a good thing going on.  On to #2:

Brewer:  Brouweru Verhaege
Beer Name:  Duchesse De Bourgogne
Beer Style:  Reddish Brown Belgian Ale
Price:  Again, a gift from Goose so not sure.

Appearance:  Very light reddish brown color; fairly cloudy.  I can't see anything looking through it even though it is very light in color.  Mark is mad he has to turn the bottle sideways to read it.  Also, he finds the woman on the label unattractive.  It is very light in color for an ale.  Mark says the label is stupid because you have to turn it
Aroma:  Slightly underwhelming for a Belgian beer.  Not a huge aroma for a belgian.  Actually, it is quite pleasant.
Mouthfeel:  Mike says it is very effervescent as was demonstrated by the fact that I shot the cork through Goose's ceiling.  It is very tangy.  Almost fruity.
Taste:  Very fruity.  Goose says Sunny D with an infusion of apricot Febreze. Mark wants to know if we are drinking cologne.  It is actually really good.  Not a slam a twelve pack by the pool good but a sip with a friend over your after dinner cigar good.  It reeks of classy beer.
Overall ranking:  Mike says 3.0.  Mark is going a 1.0.  Goose says a 4.5  He digs it.  It is such a change from the IPA; I'm going a 4.0 as it would be very drinkable during the summer.  ON TO #3!

Brewer:  Huyghe Brewer
Beer Name:  Delerium Noel
Beer Style:  Belgian Ale
Price:  Again, a gift from Goose.

Appearance:  Almost the same as the previous but it is much clearer.  Still not a clear beer but not cloudy.  No lacing at all.
Aroma:  Mike says "Musty female crotch, picture the sweaty chick who danced for too long in the skirt- He did not mention whether she had panties on or not.  I think it has a very nice aroma.
Mouthfeel:  There are some serious chunks in this beer.  I mean floaties and flakes and other assorted flotsam and jetsam floating in the beer.  After you get past the crucnh, it has a good aley feel to it.
Taste:  Quite a bit less fruity then the last belgian but still definitely an ale from Europe.
Overall rating:  Mark says, "Given that they are not good, they aren't good.  A solid 1.5"  Mike says 1.5 also.  Goose gives it a 3.7.  I'm going to give this a 3.75.  On to the 4th beer:

Brewer:  New Belgium
Beer Name:  Cocoa Mole'
Beer Style:  Spiced Chocolate Porter
Price:  $7.99 for a pint.

Appearance:  Medium brown.  Not quite clear.  No lacing on the glass.
Aroma:  A lot of cinnamon, and peppers.  Quite a weird flavor mix.
Mouthfeel:  Very spicy, tingly ale feel here.  Quite a bit of hot peeper at the end.
Taste:  No one likes this at all.  It is a very weird flavor combination.  Chocolate up front, cinnamon in the middle and hot peppers at the end.  Actually, I'm going to say this is rather disgusting.  Definitely found the loser of the night.
Overall rating:  Mike says 1.5.  Mark goes 1.5.  Goose goes pi to the 7048th digit.  I give it a 0.0.
Seriously.  It may have been the worst beer I have ever had.  I dumped mine out.

Brewer:  Rouge Brewery (otherwise known as heaven)
Beer Name:  Voodoo Donut Lemon Chiffon Crueller Ale
Beer Style:  Voodoo Donut Lemon Chiffon Crueller Ale
Price:  Too much- it was about $14 for the pint bottle

Appearance:  Normally, we stick with the beer appearance, but Mike and Mark have focused on the bottle.  Mike says it looks like a lemon douche.  Mark says the bottle is shaped for her pleasure.  I'm not sure I have an opinion on the bottle.  Somehow we have digressed to a douche actually being a pine scented air freshener worn on the belly button ring of a female.  We need a female panel member to verify.  Don't ask.
Aroma:  It smells like a lemon donut.  Absolutely the best smell ever- besides maybe a vanilla long john.
Mouthfeel:  Very citrusy; almost a lemonade feel- very tangy.
Taste:  Delicious.  This beer tastes like a lemon donut.  Seriously.  It is not super sweet- definitely not as sweet as the Shock Top or the Leinenklugels but it has the donut taste perfected.
Overall rating:  I'm going a solid 4.0.  If it was a little sweeter, the rating would go up but it is delicious. Definitely the best beer of the bunch.  Goose gives it credit for being exactly what it wanted to be; he just said what it wanted to be sucks ass.  A 1.7.

Wait a second!!!!!  Goose just grabbed a sixth beer!!!!

Brewer:  The Musketeers
Beer Name: Troubador Obscura
Beer Style:  Belgian Mild Stout
Price:  Goose's fridge.

Appearance:  Reddish brown and not very clear.  A dark, thick looking beer.
Aroma:  WOW!!!!  Quite a Belgiany aroma.
Mouthfeel:  Not much there.  Very flat as a stout should be.
Taste:  Very belgiany.  Think Gallagher smashing a fruit basket on the back of your tounge.  Somewhat fruity and very tangy for a stout.  I'm not even sure you can call it a stout.
Overall Rating:  I'm giving the stout a 3.5.  Definitelty not the best stout of all time.  But not bad.