Pints for Prostates

Tuesday, December 27, 2011

Holiday Beers

Happy holidays! I've been drinking some great beers to celebrate. Here's a picture:
Holiday Brews
From left to right:

Union Jack (Beeradvocate Review)
I scored a six pack of Firestone Walker's Union Jack IPA, which is a rare find in Central New York. Union Jack is a good example of a west coast IPA.
A friend posted a picture and brief review of Brooklyn Brewery's Black Chocolate Stout on facebook. He recommended it. I have had a growing interest in dark beers such as porters and stouts. This beer is an example of a Russian Imperial Stout. Yummy, thick, bitter-sweet chocolate beer.

White IPA (Beeradvocate Review)
This beer surprised me. Saranac may be the local favorite around here, but I am no fanboi. But this beer really impressed me, enough to email Saranac and express my appreciation. There does seem to be a buzz about this beer. The appearance is yellow and cloudy. The taste and aroma is grapefruit and orange citrus, with very little bitter. Saranac/Matt's Brewing Company describes the beer as such:
Saranac White IPA is a tasty innovative twist on a traditional IPA. We've taken a delicious American IPA bursting with Citra hops, and given it a whole new direction by adding the refreshing fruitiness of orange peel & coriander and the softening characters of wheat malt and oats. You'll notice the complex hop flavor you've come to expect in an IPA, balanced with the extraordinary bright flavor of a wheat beer. Cheers to twisting tradition! (source)
I had a chance to have it on draft at Nail Creek Pub and at The Green Onion Pub. I was happy to find the beer in bottles at Marcy Beverage.

Oat (Beeradvocate Review)
The Oat from Southern Tier was a nice surprise that I found under the tree from Kim. She is fostering my interest in dark beers. This is an example of an American Imperial (Oatmeal) Stout. I drank it on Christmas eve. I thought it was great.

Double Jack (Beeradvocate Review)
Firestone Walker's Double Jack is the Imperial version of the Union Jack; it's their Double IPA. This was also a gift from Kim. I drank it on Christmas day (evening). I've had the Double Jack before and it's fantastic.

Adoration (Beeradvocate Review)
Ommegang's Adoration is a Belgian Strong Dark Ale. It has 10% ABV, which makes it a sipper. I've tried this once at The Green Onion Pub and was simply enamored by it. The beer is dark, rich, and complex. The beer is considerably more pricey than Ommegang's other beers. This one is an extra special gift from Kim. She chose well. I'm going to open it on New Years Eve.

Happy New Year! 
Drink responsibly and be safe!

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