IndianaBeer Group Tasting and Reviews – American Pale Ales

What category of beer best represents the style and attitude of American craft brewers? I would make an argument for the extreme flavors and high alcohol of an Imperial IPA. But before Vinnie Cilurzo unleashed Pliny the Elder on hop lovers in 2000, American Pale Ale (APA) had been steering brewers in that direction for over two decades. The landmark beer of this style has to be Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, first distributed in 1981 and still very popular today. Sierra Nevada’s version lightened the malt character of Pale Ale’s English counterpart and featured an intense citrus hop character (for the time anyway) from American Cascade hops. There were also a few notable examples before Sierra Nevada. Anchor Brewing could stake a good claim to developing the APA style, as their Liberty Ale was released in 1975 and is still available today. But Liberty was initially brewed as a special commemorative release and did not become a regular release until 1983. Another beer often cited as influential was Jack McAuliffe’s New Albion Ale, which was developed in 1976 and featured the hop-forward style associated with modern APAs. But New Albion Brewing struggled to make a profit while brewing only 7.5 barrels (217 gallons) a week, and shut down production in 1982. Their beers were highly influential to the next generation of craft beer pioneers, and Sam Adams resurrected the New Albion Ale recipe for a special release at the beginning of 2013.

                                               

The lineup selected for our tasting featured highly regarded modern APAs from Flat 12, Oskar Blues, Sun King, and Three Floyds. And for the sake of curiosity, the classic Sierra Nevada Pale Ale was also included. A blind tasting was administered by our lovely hostess Poppi Rocketts (watch for the coveted Poppi’s pick in the results below). The beers were served in a random order to our tasting panel, and the identity of each was not revealed until after the panelists had finalized their individual rankings. Joining me on the panel were IndianaBeer reporters Dave Allen and Kathleen Slauzis; with a guest appearance from Brew Bracket's Mike Sale. Here is a summary of each beer sampled, with the brewery’s description followed by the panel’s tasting comments.

Beer #1: Sun King Osiris – Osiris is an assertively hopped west coast style Pale Ale. Every aspect of Osiris is designed to showcase the hops without overpowering your taste buds.  50 IBU  5.6% ABV

Dave: I ranked this beer third overall. To my palate, it resembled the top end of beers found in the Pilsner or Light Lager categories. Subtle but present hop aroma and a well-attenuated dry finish with some hop bitterness. Very refreshing, if a bit thin in body when compared side-by-side with the other beers in the panel. A nice beer to be sure. Just the sort of thing I might like when floating down the river in an inner tube with a bunch of pals. Would I Drink Another: Sure I would… Especially if it was really warm outside (August, I’m looking at you!).    Dave’s Rank: 3rd

Kathleen: The first beer to me was light in color, almost golden. It has little to no head with a slightly sweet aroma in the nose, almost floral. My first taste had me thinking that it was a little piney or woodsy with the hops. It wasn’t an overpowering taste or bitterness. Definitely drinkable and since it was light enough I thought it’d be something that would go well with food. I also felt that this would be something I would drink a few pints of but didn’t overall excite me.   Kathleen’s Rank: 4th

Mike: Going into the event, I think I was most excited to sit on the other side of the curtain for a blind taste testing. We built Brew Bracket to try and let the beer speak for itself without the perceptions of brand or the brewery behind the beer to influence. And the silver medal was that I love pale ales. Going into the tasting I decided I would be looking for a perfect pale ale for the spring that would be “sessionable”, i.e. that I could drink 3 of while playing cornhole and still throw the bags straight. The hop aroma on this one was just right, not overpowering, but very present. The beer had a mild bitterness, with a subtle, hop finish that stayed with your tongue. The malt backing was light, leaving a nice dry finish. The hop finish really stayed with me, but didn’t burn out my palate. Right off the top I felt like we had landed on a perfect example of the style. This beer ended up being my first place pick. I’m ready to buy a 6 pack and go throw some bags. Mike’s Rank: 1st

Nathan: Gold colored, very clear, medium carbonation. Tangerine hop aroma with a bit of grainy malt in support. Flavor is very hop-forward with a strong orange and tangerine impression (almost reminds me of chewing on an orange peel…..which is actually much better than it probably sounds). The residual bitterness and hop flavor are well-balanced, and the beer has an overall bright, fresh, and clean impression. The malt character plays only a very minor supporting role here, kind of like a smaller West Coast IPA. Very enjoyable and well executed beer, a little more malt complexity would improve it for my personal tastes.    Nathan’s Rank: 3rd

Beer #2: Flat 12 Walkabout Pale Ale – A single-hop pale ale featuring Galaxy hops from Australia, Walkabout delivers a big passionfruit aroma and flavor, with a nice hoppy finish.  40 IBU  5.3% ABV

Dave: This one was the biggest surprise when the big reveal came. I ranked this beer last in our line-up. To my palate, I found it a bit over-attenuated, highly carbonated and firmly bitter. I was quite surprised when we learned which beer this was, as Walkabout has been a staple go-to beer in our household since Flat12 opened their doors. In fact I am such a fanboy that as a home-brewer I have sought out and paid a premium for Galaxy hops to add to my own recipes. Despite that, somehow when compared to the other beers on the table, Walkabout fell a little short of the competition. This is a great example of how a side-by-side comparison can change my preconceived notions about the beer in front of me. Would I Drink Another: Maybe if it was fresh draft on-site at the brewery. But probably not from a bottle shop.  Dave’s Rank: 5th

Kathleen: Out of all the beers this one was the only cloudy beer. It was a hazy shade of winter, well more like a hazy shade of a darkened gold color. The scent on this beer had a definite citrus scent with a little undertone of floral. The mouth feel however was very overpowering, almost to the point of being harsh. Even though the nose on this beer had the citrus scent which is more appealing to me, the taste of this was too much. Kathleen’s Rank: 5th

Mike: The hop aroma on this one was intense. My notes say intense smells of citrus and bubble gum wafted out of the foamy head. The hops led each sip with a punch, although it didn’t feel as if they lingered for as long as the first beer. The unique smell and taste was fun, but in my rankings of sessionable beers, I worried about palate fatigue when I lined up more than one of these. Mike’s Rank: 4th

Nathan: Significant haze is immediately noticeable after pouring. Aroma is a bit more subdued than Beer #1, but still carries some nice citrus notes…..it primarily reminds me of pineapple. Very nice multi-layered hop flavor: pineapple, tangerine, with piney notes. I get a bit of caramel malt, but this is another very hop-forward offering with limited support from the malt. The bitterness is pretty intense and overshadows the hop flavor in the aftertaste. This one was near the top of my list after the initial tasting – the hop flavor was very nice. But once all the beers were placed side by side, my opinion started to change. In comparison to the other beers, the flavors are just kind of muddled and the bitterness is a little too much. Note: After learning this beer is “only” 40 IBU, I may have been picking up an astringent character that was mistaken for bitterness.  Nathan’s Rank: 4th

Beer #3: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale – Pale Ale began as a home brewer’s dream, grew into an icon, and inspired countless brewers to follow a passion of their own. Its unique piney and grapefruit aromas from the use of whole-cone American hops have fascinated beer drinkers for decades and made this beer a classic, yet it remains new, complex and surprising to thousands of beer drinkers every day. It is—as it always has been—all natural, bottle conditioned and refreshingly bold.  38 IBU  5.6% ABV

Dave: I placed this beer 4th in the panel. Not because I found it off putting in any way, nor because there were perceived flaws (this was a tough panel to rank, all the beer being really tasty). But when compared to the other beers on the table, this one just didn’t have enough oomph to push it higher in the ranks. I found it to be quite drinkable and well balanced between assertive hop character and malt profile, but non-committal overall. Very much a middle of the road offering. A good beer to be certain, but not much in the way of personality when compared to the others. Would I Drink Another: Probably so… It’s a great go-to beer when out with the family for dinner.    Dave’s Rank: 4th

Kathleen: Compared to the second beer, this one started out very shy. It had no significant nose, little head, and light to amber in color. The taste of it as well was nothing standout making it hard to tell anything on the hop profile. With the simplistic flavor of this pale ale, it is something easy to drink, which makes it a good summer ale to drink multiple pints of but doesn’t keep the tongue interested the flavor. Overall, since it was smooth, it became my mid-range pale ale. Kathleen’s Rank: 3rd

Mike: This beer had a much more subtle hop aroma then the rest of the pack. The beer was nicely balanced with a subtle bitter finish, with more caramel flavor at the close. However, the tasting for me felt like the three little bears story. A couple of the pale ales were a little too malt and hop heavy for what I was looking for in the category, and this one just fell off my radar on the lighter end of the spectrum.  Mike’s Rank: 2nd

Nathan: Medium hop aroma: a pleasant mix of piney and grapefruit, but distinctly more subdued than the other samples. Similar hop notes in the flavor with a lower level of bitterness that leaves a bit of malt sweetness on the backend. Very easy drinking, very smooth, with a softer overall profile than the other beers. The malt profile and hop flavor achieve a pretty nice balance that is still slightly tilted in favor of the hops. With all that said, the beer really struggles to grab your attention when placed side by side with the other samples. The malt and hops both seem pretty one-dimensional in comparison. Damn…..something has to go in 5th place. I enjoyed this beer, it’s technically stronger than a few of the others, but it doesn’t deliver the flavor or complexity I prefer in American Pale Ales.   Nathan’s Rank: 5th

Beer #4: Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale – This voluminously hopped mutha delivers a hoppy nose and assertive-but-balanced flavors of pale malts and citrusy floral hops from start to finish. Oskar Blues launched its canning ops in 2002, brewing and hand-canning Dale’s Pale Ale in the Lyons, ColoRADo, brewpub. America’s first-craft-canned mountain Pale is a hearty, critically acclaimed trailblazer that changed the way craft beer fiends perceive portable beer.  65 IBU  6.5% ABV

Dave: I ranked this beer at number two in the panel. Assertively hopped, but with enough malt backbone for support. I found it to be dry in the finish with firm hop bitterness. Just the sort of thing for a warm late-spring afternoon. Delicious beer and something I had not had the pleasure to sample before this panel. I’ll definitely be adding this one to the regular line-up. Would I Drink Another: Absolutely!    Dave’s Rank: 2nd

Kathleen: Immediately the scent of citrus hit my nose as I drank this golden amber pale ale. The flavor though has a piney taste in the front and an orange like flavor in the back on the throat. However after the overall mouth feel there is a coating of caramel that lingers all over the tongue. Instead of the others beers where the hops played a key part you can tell with that caramel flavor that the malt had a bigger play in this beer. This was my second favorite beer, since it had a more complex balance with the bigger malt component. Kathleen’s Rank: 2nd

Mike: Another really sessionable pale ale in my book. The hop aroma and taste on this one was a little more piney and resiny than number 1. The darker color made me think it would have a sweeter finish, and I could almost detect a honey sweetness to the taste, but the beer still finishes nice and dry with a good lasting bitterness. This was another perfect example of what I was looking for in the category. Mike’s Rank: 5th

Nathan: Massive aroma: the first beer where both malt and hops are significant players. A touch darker than the first three beer and very clear. Biscuit, nutty, caramel malt flavors with a touch of residual sweetness. Hops feature grapefruit, lemon, and an interesting spicy quality. The balance is almost a bit toward the malt in this one, or maybe my perception is just skewed by the preceding samples that were so low on malt character. A pretty substantial bitterness in the aftertaste works well with this beer as it cleans up the malt sweetness and makes the next sip more inviting. Very well-executed and nicely balanced American Pale Ale. Nathan’s Rank: 2nd

Beer #5: Three Floyds Alpha King – A bold yet balanced American Pale Ale with slight caramel sweetness and aggressive citrus hoppiness. This is our flagship beer.  68 IBU  6.66% ABV

Dave: This was hands-down my favorite beer in the panel. Firm hop character coupled with a strong malt framework. Sweet on the front of the palate, quickly transforming to assertive hop bitterness and dry enough that I wanted another sip. Piney, resinous and delicious. Ringing in at 6.6% this was also a bit on the big side for my perception of the style. To be fair, my affinity for this beer may be influenced by a preference for IPA as I found this beer to be closer to that end of the scale overall. However, the nature of these panel tastings is not to determine how closely a beer meets a style definition but rather to offer thoughts regarding side-by-side comparison of similar styled beers. As such, this was the standout beer of the afternoon. Here again, I was surprised by the reveal, typically shying away from beers with this much ABV when purchasing at my local bottle shop. Alpha King is not something I consume on a regular basis. I think that’s about to change. Would I Drink Another: Without Question. In fact, I hear it may be on tap over at the Sinking Ship. That’s within walking distance and all this typing has made me quite thirsty…  Dave’s Rank: 1st

Kathleen: The darkest beer of the bunch, it is almost an amber color instead of the pale golden colors as the previous pale ales. The flavor is strong, all hops – hops – hops hitting on the side, the front and the back but not in a puckering, bitter way. This is something I would drink a lot of but alone and not mixed with highly flavorful food otherwise the tastes of both would be muddled. In the back of the throat this beer finishes toasty and also a little dry. Ultimately it was my overall favorite.   Kathleen’s Rank: 1st

Mike: Boom! Any malts that we had been missing from prior examples could all be found in this beer. The hop aroma and taste was really nice on this one, but the malty finish really took over and I thought it was too sweet for what I was looking for in my pale ale. I’d pair this one with a solid meal, but don’t think it would help me survive an afternoon cornhole tournament. Mike’s Rank: 3rd

Nathan: Deep copper color – significantly darker than the other examples. Aroma seemed a bit musty at first, but this faded quickly. Hop aroma has a significant piney quality to go with the typical citrus of American hops. But it’s not all hops here – I get significant caramel malt and a few notes of dark fruit. The malt character is very upfront in the flavor, followed by layered hop flavors of apple, pear, and lemon. There is an interesting note in the finish from the malt that is almost coffee-like. Seems to have a pretty dry finish for such a malty beer – the bitterness may be contributing to that impression. Distinctly more complex than the other samples. When trying all the samples side by side, this beer emerges as the most complex and interesting of the group. While we tried a lot of great hop profiles in this lineup, it’s the malt complexity that puts this one over the top for me. Nathan’s Rank: 1st

And the results are in…….

To determine the overall results, we used a model where the lowest number of points would win (a 1st place vote = 1 point, a 2nd place vote = 2 points, etc). After tallying up the scores, our collective rankings determined the final order:

Fifth Place: Flat 12 Walkabout Pale Ale (18 points)

Fourth Place: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale (14 points)

Second Place (tie): Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale and Sun King Osiris (11 points)

First Place: Three Floyds Alpha King (6 points)

And while it doesn’t count in the official rankings, our hostess “reveals” her favorite……

Poppi’s Pick: Three Floyds Alpha King

In my opinion, this was the strongest field we’ve had for any of these tastings. There usually are at least 1 or 2 beers that are clearly several notches below the rest of the field. This was the first time I went back and forth at the end trying to slot 2-5. But we probably shouldn’t be surprised at who came out on top. Three Floyds gets a lot of hype. Sometimes it's questionable, and sometimes we find it to be very well earned. While it fell just short of sweeping first place, Alpha King was the clear winner and also managed to earn the coveted Poppi’s Pick. Three Floyds is often associated with insanely hoppy beers, but our panel frequently cited the malt character in pushing Alpha King to the top. Our second place tie featured a prominent local example in Sun King Osiris and a newcomer to our market (though already well-established nationally) in Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale. Given the previous collaborations between these two breweries, we’re guessing they won’t mind sharing second place in a very strong lineup.

Despite it’s 4th place finish, I actually thought Sierra Nevada Pale Ale had a decent showing here. While it was a boundary-pushing beer when it first hit the market, the craft beer scene has taken their inspiration and pushed the envelope much further in intensifying the flavor profile of this style. I actually considered not including this beer in the tasting out of concerns it could not be expected to compete with the bigger examples. But in the end, apparently I was the only hack who couldn’t appreciate the subtlety enough to elevate it above 5th place on an individual list. Shifting to the 5th place beer, I would echo Dave’s comments of surprise at the finish of Flat 12’s Walkabout. I have probably purchased more Walkabout in the last year than any other beer on this list, and picked it because I really thought it would be a strong contender. It may be damning with faint praise to say Walkabout is the best 5th place beer we’ve had in these tastings, but the results were eye-opening nonetheless.

Discussing price is worthwhile here as you can expect to pay $3-4 more for a 6-pack of Alpha King versus a 6-pack of Sierra Nevada. In between those two; Osiris, Dale’s Pale, and Walkabout were found in the same price range of approximately $10-12 a 6-pack (or 4-16oz of Osiris) depending on where you do your shopping. Our results would probably justify the extra money for Alpha King, but it’s not always easy to find. In lieu of finding Alpha King, Dale’s Pale Ale and Osiris would qualify as high quality brews for your money.

Thanks to Dave, Kathleen, and Mike for participating in the panel – and thank you for reading our review. The weather is getting warmer, so get out there and enjoy some beautifully hoppy American Pale Ales!

Cheers, Nathan

IndianaBeer Group Tasting and Reviews – Winter Warmers

My wife likes to say I shouldn’t worry about things I can’t control. It’s a nice sentiment but never seemed very logical to me. I’ll just do something about the things I can control, so what else is there to worry about? Well….when you’re trapped firmly in the death grip of this motherf%@*er of a winter, one of the few things you can control is the seasonal beer you choose to consume. And that brings us to the next IndianaBeer group tasting.

Hosting a tasting of “Winter Warmers” seemed like the perfect cure for my mid-January blues. Perfect until you get to the liquor store and face the question: “What exactly is a Winter Warmer anyway?” An Old Ale? An English Barleywine? A spiced holiday ale? To allow for some diversity (and avoid the dreaded style snob label), the rather loose definition of stronger winter seasonal, spiced or unspiced, will be applied here.

The lineup ultimately selected featured beers from Dark Horse, Great Divide, Hinterland, Samuel Smith’s, and Southern Tier. Some were spiced and some lean toward English strong ale styles. A blind tasting was administered by our lovely hostess Poppi Rocketts (watch for the coveted Poppi’s pick in the results below) with an assist from Robin Walthery Allen. The beers were served in a random order to our tasting panel, and the identity of each was not revealed until after the panelists had finalized their individual rankings. Joining me on the panel were IndianaBeer reporter Dave Allen and guest panelists Bill Breuninger and Carl Nelson. Here is a summary of each beer sampled, with the brewery’s description followed by the panel’s tasting comments.

Beer #1: Hinterland Winterland – Winterland is deep brown to black with amber highlights. The massive brown head deposits large sheets of lace right down to the very last sip. The dark malt and heavy dark chocolate aroma mixed with a slight juniper scent, give Winterland a sort of chocolate covered berry aroma. The rich roasted malt flavor makes it's appearance first, followed by a dark bitter chocolate flavor. Winterland is reminiscent of a porter or stout with a surprising juniper berry finish. 7.5% ABV

Bill: This beer started off with exciting promises with the aroma. A blast of nutmeg with just a hint of coffee notes. The medium high carbonation helped with a crisp dryness, but all of the promises of nutmeg and coffee in the aroma gave way and disappeared. What was left was just a faint taste of paper and winter green, not strong at that, but just faint. It was the most disappointing beer, because the aroma had such promise, but the taste seemed to betray that promise leaving me to not even finish this beer.  Bill’s Rank: 5th

Carl: The wonderful upfront coffee roast aroma was ruined by a sour vinegar pungency. The aroma had a dustiness often found with dark roast beers. The overly roasted character was astringent, leading to a sharp, long-lingering, bitter aftertaste. High carbonation along with the roast created a dry chalky finish. The beer had a medium body but felt more full from the high carbonation. As the dark brown opaque beer warmed up, the fruitiness and alcohol started to make an appearance in the flavor. I was a bit disappointed as I have a particular fondness for any beer that resembles a stout. However with the excessive roast astringency and strange sourness, I ranked this beer 12th out of the five we tried. Post mortem: As I write this review in the early morning, I became concerned that I misunderstood how juniper would affect the flavor of a beer. Recalling that juniper is a common, if almost mandatory, ingredient in gin, off to the liqueur cabinet I went to explore the gin, I mean juniper. After sampling all the gins listed with juniper, I am now concerned about finishing this write up before noon. The first beer did not have any the characteristics of juniper (or of gin either). This of course makes me wonder if we got a bad bottle or if the entire batch picked up some wild yeast. Do I hunt down another bottle? Better yet, you do it and let me know. Carl’s Rank: 12th (5th for scoring purposes)

Dave: For me, this beer placed last in the panel. Noting after the tasting that the label mentioned juniper barriers as an ingredient may lend some insight to some of the flavors I found in my glass. Keep in mind that these tastings are done blind and that we only find out the brewery/beer/411 after we’ve all scored them, noted them, and firmed up our rankings. Perhaps we got a bottle from a bad batch, or perhaps it had been mishandled somewhere along the supply chain. Whatever the case this beer just didn’t impress. On it’s own, outside the context of side-by-side comparisons, it may be great. But on this day it just couldn’t quite toe the line. To my palate there was a tannic/sour impression that was off-putting and seemed to compete with the malt profile. Not at all what I would label as Winter Warmer. Would I Drink Another: As the saying goes: Never say Never… But I’d say the odds are pretty slim. Dave’s Rank: 5th

Nathan: Attractive pour with a porter/smaller stout color and thick lasting tan head. The aroma is a promising combination of roasty, chocolate malts and a distinct spruce-like spicing. Unfortunately the flavor can’t match the promise of that aroma. The flavor characteristics of a big, roasty porter are present; but the whole thing is overwhelmed by a tart/acidic type of quality that really diminishes the drinkability. I’m not sure if this is a case of overdone spicing or some type of actual contamination. Given the lack of off notes in the aroma, I’m leaning toward the former but couldn’t guess what type of spicing would cause this. Nathan’s Rank: 5th

Beer #2: Dark Horse 4 Elf Winter Warmer – A spiced Winter Warmer brewed with nutmeg, clove, allspice and other holiday flavors. 8.75% ABV

Bill: What an amazing Beer! The dark brown color with amber highlights gives you the first clue how amazingly complex and enjoyable this beer is. The aromas were some of the strongest with a balance of nutmeg, cinnamon, and citrus peel. The flavors from the spice are front and center on the stage without stealing the show. The malts and roast help balance the performance of the spices and each one lasts throughout, from looks to smell, to taste, and even after taste, this is a well-balanced beer. I would buy more of this, and would have ranked it higher, but as the spice blend of this beer suggests a Winter Warmer (throughout the entire season), I found it to be more of a Christmas beer limiting it to just the first part of winter.  Bill’s Rank: 2nd

Carl: Nutmeg initially dominated –– overwhelmed the aroma. As the beer warmed, the aroma revealed flashes and hints of cinnamon. The nutmeg carried through the malty flavor blending with the light roast character. Malt character was even and consistent with light fruitiness in the middle from the initial sip through the swallow and into the aftertaste. This dark brown medium body beer had clean, gentle flavors. Late light hop bitterness lingered slowly, drying out the finish and eventually giving way to a roasty aftertaste which continued to dry out the finish. This beer was my #2 pick. From the perspective of whether I would buy more of this beer or pour a second pint – no, I probably would not. However this beer is masterfully crafted. The even and consistent malt flavor is hard to do for most brewers, particularly with spices. In a competition, this beer would win over my #1 pick. This is a nice example of managing, blending and balancing the use of spices in a beer. Try this with pumpkin pie and let me know how that works. Carl’s Rank: 2nd

Dave: I ranked this beer in Second place overall. Surprise! I have a personal affinity for cleaner flavor profiles, and this beer certainly had an upfront spice character. In fact my tasting notes specifically say: “Hello Spice Rack!”. However, contrary to my aforementioned opinion regarding heavily spiced beers, this was a pleasant surprise. A very well crafted beer. The spice notes (think cinnamon, vanilla, nutmeg) were obvious throughout (from aroma to flavor to finish) while not being so aggressive as to be off-putting or offensive. The balance regarding spice components in comparison to the things that we expect from beer, like malt and hops was really well done. Kudos to Dark Horse for taking what could easily be an over the top beer and exercising enough restraint and brewing expertise to pull it off nicely. Well done. Would I Drink Another: You bet your socks I would. Preferably from a snifter in front of the fireplace next to my sweetheart… this is that kind of beer.  Dave’s Rank: 2nd

Nathan: Dark brown color with a low head and fairly low carbonation. Very malty aroma: chestnuts, brown sugar, raisins, with some subtle nutmeg and cinnamon spicing. Well-rounded and full-bodied mouthfeel and flavor. Caramel and bready malts come through more in the flavor. Liquefy a gingerbread house, pour in some booze, and I imagine you’d get something close to this. Well-rounded flavor and full-bodied mouthfeel but doesn’t finish too sweet. Spicing is a very delicate practice for a brewer, but this is a great example of how to do it right. Nobody else voted this beer in 1st place……….but we all make mistakes. Nathan’s Rank: 1st

      

Beer #3: Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome Ale – This seasonal beer is a limited edition brewed for the short days and long nights of winter. The full body resulting from fermentation in ‘stone Yorkshire squares’ and the luxurious malt character, which will appeal to a broad range of drinkers, is balanced against whole-dried Fuggle and Golding hops with nuances and complexities that should be contemplated before an open fire. 6% ABV

Bill: This is a very clear Orange with a deeper amber glow. Aromas are very slight with a sweetness hiding behind hints of apple which yield to white grapes. The beer is labeled as an ale, but I imagined it in the blind tasting as a lager. The Crispness, with sweet tastes of white grape juice were pleasant. I got little to no warming effect from the alcohol, but I found this to be very drinkable. It’s alarming how easy this beer goes down. I don’t condone the use of any machinery and the consumption of beer, but I know a lot of guys who have a favorite “Lawn Mower Ale.” This beer is perfect for my new favorite “Snow Blower Ale.”   Bill’s Rank: 3rd

Carl: The malty aroma was reminiscent of a Belgian trippel. The clean highly pilsner malt flavor, subtle alcohol heat in the swallow and light clear gold color continued down the trippel path. But alas, it did not have the spicy and fruity characters of a trippel. I had been tricked! This was not the delightful Belgian trippel I thought I was going to get. The malt character was singularly pilsner malt, very clean, very lager like. A low late hop bitterness restrained the malt focused finish and the lingering bitterness slowly dried out the malt in the aftertaste and left a hop flavor late in the aftertaste. The medium light body felt more full from the high carbonation. As the beer warmed, the alcohol presence increased. After getting over my disappointment of not getting a trippel, I ranked this beer as my #3 pick. This beer was a bit boring due to its clean pilsner flavor and lack of expected trippel spiciness. It reminded me more of a malt liquor but better. I could drink some quantity of this beer and would order a second pint but I probably won’t buy it in the store.                                                                Carl’s Rank: 3rd

Dave: The battle in my tasting notes was for third and fourth places. I scored Sammy Smiths’ Winter Welcome in Third place. Not that I had any mentionable issue with the beer itself. It was well crafted and clean. But it just didn’t really distinguish itself from the other beers in the panel. Pouring a mid-golden with diminishing white foam. I found the aroma to hold a pilsner malt quality along with a dry cracker/toast note. Hop character was somewhat floral and readily apparent. My overall impression was of a large(ish) gravity lager. Think Imperial Helles Bock. This beer would be delightful on it’s own. Especially as we gain ground toward warmer weather. But in comparison to some of the darker more aggressive beers in the panel it didn’t really hold up. Would I Drink Another: Absolutely. Sometime around early March when the Snow Drops have been out of the ground for a couple weeks…  Dave’s Rank: 3rd

Nathan: The color is surprisingly light – almost golden in color. The aroma is not aggressive, but does feature an inviting mix of soft nutty and caramel notes. The flavor features a nice touch of caramel malts backed by a bready, nutty base malt character. Low hop bitterness – but there is a touch of spicy hop flavor in the aftertaste. Good carbonation but a bit thin in the body. Tough beer to rank – it’s very enjoyable, balanced, and clean; but struggles to keep up with the bigger beers in this lineup. Dare we call it the session beer of Winter Warmers? I may have just thrown up a little in my mouth. One comment after learning this beer’s identity: It’s a good beer that I would definitely drink again, but the label is pretty misleading (at least for “Imperialized” American craft drinkers). This beer will not give you many “nuances and complexities that should be contemplated before an open fire.” In fact, it seems better suited as a beer to celebrate the transition to spring weather. Nathan’s Rank: 3rd

Beer #4: Great Divide Hibernation Ale – HIBERNATION ALE has been our celebrated winter tradition since 1995. This robust, dry-hopped ale has a malty richness balanced with a complex hop profile and hearty, warming character. 8.7% ABV

Bill: A dark Brown color with amber hints peeking through. The aroma is an upfront coffee with an organic earthiness which makes you want to immediately start sipping instead of peeling back these complex aromas. The first sips peel back the coffee and give way to a brown sugar turned caramel like toffee or Belgian candy sugary hints as it helps accentuate the malt profile. The hint of spices seem to come from hops instead of spice additions which are again, well balanced and not over powering. So someone who does not like “Hoppy” beers, would most likely still find this enjoyable. It finishes with an awesome warming effect from the alcohol but not so much to call “Hot,” but just perfect to make a very drinkable beer throughout the entire winter not just Christmas time.  Bill’s Rank: 1st

Carl: Beer #4 had a dry, dusty roast, chocolate aroma with coffee which smelled similar to pouring coffee into the beer. The creamy texture immediately stood out. The flavor was malty and roast showed up in the middle, quickly followed by hop bitterness. Coffee flavors did not show up until the beer warmed up. The overall flavor was of a milky chocolate sweetness which carried over to the aftertaste. The semi-sweet finish was dried out by lingering roast and eventually by hop bitterness. Low alcohol warmth came in late and became more hot as it warmed up. The dark brown / ruby highlighted body was thinner than expected but the texture created a fuller mouthfeel experience. This beer struck me as a milk coffee imperial stout. This was my #1 pick even with the higher alcohols showing up. The roast, chocolate flavors were particular to my liking and I would order a second or third pint.                                                                                                                                         Carl’s Rank: 1st

Dave: For me this beer was the clear winner. Easily taking top honors in our panel. Pouring a dark reddish/amber and clear. Aromas of chocolate, roast and coffee. This one was boozy and big. Not in an offensive way, but complimentary to the complex malt character. This is the beer I would point to when asked what I think a Winter Warmer is. Complex, big, clean profile (no spice) and delicious. Great Divide have really crafted a nice beer here. This beer was a bit sweeter than the others in the panel, but with enough hop bitterness in the finish as to not be cloying. The alcohol was –literally- warming. Meaning you can feel that warmth in your throat and on your palate after finishing the sample. Just the sort of thing for sub-zero temps and day dreaming of summer. Would I Drink Another: I did… asking for a little top-up of this one after our discussion and scoring. In fact, I’m headed over to my local bottleshop shortly to spy out a sixer of this one. You should too.  Dave’s Rank: 1st

Nathan: Medium brown color with a malty nose complemented by floral hops and an interesting bubble gum aroma. The higher alcohol level was very apparent in the first sip and distracted from the other flavors. As the sample warms a bit, there are some great complexities coming through: caramel, brown sugar, chocolate, raisin, biscuit, etc. Some hop aroma, flavor, and bitterness are perceptible, but the balance heavily favors the complex malt flavors. This one had to grow on me for a little while. The alcohol initially seemed too harsh and distracting, but seemed to fade into the background the more I came back for another sip. It ended up being a very enjoyable beer. Nathan’s Rank: 2nd

Beer #5: Southern Tier Old Man Winter – Our winter offering is here to quell your shivers and get you through the coldest of nights. A rich marriage of hops and barley to cast light upon the evening and melt your mind out of the snowdrifts. Old Man Winter’s earthy hue and thickness lace around the glass, inviting you to linger in its warmth and share the spirits of the season with your friends and family. 7% ABV

Bill: A deep red/ amber beer with excellent clarity. There isn’t a lot going on with the aroma, it’s a faint floral aroma at best. The taste, while the beer is cold, gives your palate a large heavy bread taste, which turns to a more biscuit flavor as the beer warms. As the beer sits on the palate a hint of rye creeps in leaving me to want more of the rye spice. Whether it’s coming from rye in the grain bill or the spice from hops, I wanted more and nothing ever developed leaving the beer very smooth and drinkable reminiscent of a Pale Ale without the large hop bill of an IPA instead of a Winter Warmer.  Bill’s Rank: 4th

Carl: Finally, I got a beer that had some hop aroma! Ah, but it was quickly chased off by a malty, floral character, a hint of rose and some light spice. The initial malt and caramel flavor were immediately wiped out by a moderately high hop bitterness which carried into and grew into the finish and cleaned out the semi-sweet aftertaste. The medium full body had a soft texture but the malt character was not complex. I expected more complexity from that much body. The alcohols were high and you felt it. Given the clear, copper color and malt, I guessed that this was a Barleywine. The lack of complexity and the high alcohol dropped this beer into 4th place. With time, this beer may improve. I would consider buying a 6-pack and trying it again in a few years. Carl’s Rank: 4th

Dave: I placed this beer in fourth overall. This one was another lighter (dark golden) beer in comparison to the others. First impression placed it somewhere between a barley wine and a big IPA. Boozy, malty and hop forward. Typically these are characters I might find pleasing, but for some reason this beer just didn’t resonate. I found something in the aroma to be a bit off. Here again, it could be that the beer was mishandled along the supply chain somewhere, or maybe it could just use a little more time in the bottle to come into its own. To be fair I was surprised to see that this beer came from Southern Tier. I’ve had some really exceptional beer from these folks, so to have one that just didn’t quite get there seemed out of character. I suppose that’s the virtue of a blind tasting: new revelations about our perceptions of what we drink are not only possible, but pretty darn likely. After all – the fun is in the discovery. Would I Drink Another: I might… if you’re buying the round.  Dave’s Rank: 4th

Nathan: Amber to light brown in color with a more aggressive hop aroma than our other samples. The hops are supported by a strong caramel malt aroma and flavor that is prominent but seems pretty one-dimensional. The most interesting flavor aspect is the hopping: earthy/spicy up front with the spicy character lingering well into the finish when a medium level of bitterness creeps into the mix. This seems like a beer that might come into its own with some aging, but isn’t sure what it wants to be right now. While it may be the hoppiest beer in this lineup, it is still too subdued to be considered a showcase for the green matter. On the other hand, the malt complexity I would look for in a “warmer” can’t compete with the high levels exhibited in beers 2 and 4. I wouldn’t kick it out of bed for eating crackers, but there are better options available. Nathan’s Rank: 4th

And the results are in…….

To determine the overall results, we used a model where the lowest number of points would win (a 1st place vote = 1 point, a 2nd place vote = 2 points, etc). After tallying up the scores, our collective rankings determined the final order:

Fifth Place: Hinterland Winterland (20 points)

Fourth Place: Southern Tier Old Man Winter (16 points)

Third Place: Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome Ale (12 points)

Second Place: Dark Horse 4 Elf Winter Warmer (7 points)

First Place: Great Divide Hibernation Ale (5 points)

And while it doesn’t count in the official rankings, our hostess “reveals” her favorite……

Poppi’s Pick: Great Divide Hibernation Ale

Here’s a short video of the panel breaking down our results:

So it does appear the panel engaged in a bit of groupthink this episode, but the lineup largely dictated this as we had two excellent beers for the style, one that was clearly a notch below, one that just didn’t really fit with the others, and one that just wasn’t well executed. Winterland is the first beer I’ve tried from the Green Bay, WI Hinterland Brewery and it wasn’t a great start. We always consider price points when wrapping up these reviews, but the retail price of $3.99 for a 16 ounce bottle did not make Winterland a good value pick either. Old Man Winter was perhaps the most surprising underperformer in the lineup as Southern Tier makes some outstanding beers. But retailing for around $11-12 per six pack, Old Man was the cheapest beer in this lineup and warrants a “worth a try” recommendation based on the combination of price and flavor. And it does show some promise if you have the patience to let some mature in the cellar for a while. Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome on the other hand, was a good beer, but not a great value pick based on the retail price of over $5 for an 18 ounce bottle, making it the most expensive beer per ounce in our lineup.

The two clear standouts in our lineup were Dark Horse 4 Elf Winter Warmer and Great Divide Hibernation Ale. We found them retailed at $13.49/6 pack for the Hibernation and $8.99/4 pack for the 4 Elf, which makes them roughly equivalent in price per ounce. While this is a slight premium over what you might expect from a core lineup craft offering, our results suggest an extra buck or two is easily justified. One could argue the 4 Elf performance in our ranking was the most surprising given the admitted preferences of our panelists. Carl’s writeup noted “I have a fondness for roast. I do not have a fondness for spices.” Dave observes “I lean closer to the big-beer side of the equation and really don’t have much affinity for overly spiced beers.” You’ll generally find me conspicuously absent on this site from discussions of things like Pumpkin or Christmas beers, because I just don’t drink that many of them. So it’s a high compliment to Dark Horse that a spiced beer scored so well with this group.

But throw in Poppi’s pick, and the big winner of the day is still Great Divide’s Hibernation Ale. This English Style Old Ale is only available during the winter season, so grab a six pack while you can. You’re going to need something to look forward to during your next 2-hour commute home from work.

Cheers, Nathan

Indiana Beer Group Tasting and Reviews – Russian Imperial Stouts

According to legend, the origins of Russian Imperial Stout can be traced to when Peter the Great opened Czarist Russia to the West. A trip to England exposed Peter to the Porters that were very popular in the early 18th century. When the Imperial court of Russia requested Porter to be sent over from England; the low alcohol, lightly-hopped brew spoiled during the journey. Because alcohol and hops act as preservatives in beer, English brewers increased these qualities in a new version of porter that could survive the journey, and the style we know as Imperial Stout was born. The John Courage Brewery used the term “Imperial Stout” on the label of their beer, boasting that it’s creation was by Imperial order of Catherine the Great.

                   

Today’s Russian Imperial Stout has been embraced by American craft brewers to be even bigger and more flavorful. They typically clock in with an alcohol by volume content of 9% to as high as 15%+, and contain an intense blend of various dark malts. As the winter months close in on the Hoosier state, now is a great time to acquire some thick and rich Russian Imperial Stouts to help you make it through some chilly nights ahead. The high alcohol and specialty malts also make these beers ideal for aging, where the flavors can mature and sometimes develop a vinous quality. To make the comparison in this tasting as fair as possible, all beers included were 2013 vintages. Keep in mind that a comparison of the same beers after aging for 3, 5, or even 10 years could yield different results.

We didn’t mess around with the lineup for this tasting – each of these beers rate at least a 92 on Beer Advocate and come from highly respected breweries Bell’s, North Coast, Oskar Blues, Sierra Nevada, and Three Floyds. With this lineup of heavy hitters, a blind tasting was administered by our lovely hostess Poppi Rocketts (watch for the coveted Poppi’s pick in the results below). The beers were served in a random order to our tasting panel, and the identity of each was not revealed until after the panelists had finalized their individual rankings. Joining me on the panel were IndianaBeer reporters Dave Allen and Jason Wilkerson and guest reviewer Tim Palmer. Here is a summary of each beer sampled, with the brewery’s description followed by the panel’s tasting comments.

Beer #1: Sierra Nevada Narwhal – Narwhal Imperial Stout is inspired by the mysterious creature that thrives in the deepest fathoms of the frigid Arctic Ocean. Featuring incredible depth of malt flavor, rich with notes of espresso, baker’s cocoa, roasted grain and a light hint of smoke, Narwhal is a massive malt-forward monster. Aggressive but refined with a velvety smooth body and decadent finish, Narwhal will age in the bottle for years to come. 60 IBU 10.2% ABV

Dave: I ranked this beer in third place of the five we sampled. To my palate the beer seemed a bit simplistic for what I might expect from a RIS. Not to say that it was not a good beer, it certainly was. But there were other beers in the panel that were more complex, better balanced, and generally just better beers. I found the Narwhal to be primarily about the chocolate malt and alcohol. It was also the most carbonated beer in our flight, which I was grateful for, as we’ll see coming up… I like to measure the beers in these tasting panels against the completely subjective and totally arbitrary question: Would I Drink Another. Which is to say: did this beer impress me enough that I would order more than one if out at a bar having beers with friends. For the Narwhal, I say sure. It was a decent beer; I’d be happy to consume a couple of pints.  Dave’s Rank: 3rd

Jason: This is not nearly thick enough to be a Russian Imperial. There is no coating of the glass and I miss that used motor oil sensation. There is a nice, roast smell to it but it is subtle. The beer was not harsh on the tongue at all, not strong or overpowering like some beers in this category tend to be. I had trouble detecting the bitter notes of hops which is okay for me because it leads to a very smooth drink. There was no strong after taste, nothing lingered longer than it had to. Good overall beer, a nice stout to give to a beginner to the category but not quite sure it's a Russian Imperial. Jason’s Rank: 5th

Nathan: Pours with a thick, frothy head and a nice chocolate malt aroma. The roasted malt and hop aroma are fairly low for a RIS. Chocolate and coffee dominate the flavor profile with hints of dark fruit and some earthy hop character. The thick and heavy mouthfeel seems more in line with a RIS than the overall flavor profile. Alcohol is present, but very smooth and not distracting. This is a very good beer overall, but seems a bit lacking in flavor complexity for the style.  Nathan’s Rank: 4th

Tim: Pitch black with a large light brown head. Spicy, woodsy hop character followed by light roasted chocolate notes. The initial hop character initially reminded me of a Northern Brewer hop, but seemed to disappear as the beer warmed. Full body with a smooth roasted chocolate character (more chocolate than roast) and high hop bitterness that lingered. This was also the most carbonated out of the beers sampled. Alcohol was present and warming, but not harsh. The beer did not have the character of a Russian Imperial, but reminded me more of a big American Stout, and as such was nice, but not a Russian Imperial Stout, BUT I would definitely order another. Tim’s Rank: 4th

Beer #2: North Coast Old Rasputin – Produced in the tradition of 18th Century English brewers who supplied the court of Russia's Catherine the Great, Old Rasputin seems to develop a cult following wherever it goes. It’s a rich, intense brew with big complex flavors and a warming finish. 75 IBU 9% ABV

Dave: Our tasting panel all came to the same conclusion that this one was, hands down, the best beer on the table. To my palate it was complex, balanced, with flavors of both chocolate and roasted malt, hints of coffee and apparent (but not dominating) alcohol. When I conjure up what RIS should be in my imagination: this is it - delicious without being overpowering in any of the handful of typical flavor profiles one might expect. Great beer. And readily available locally all year round at a competitive price point. What’s not to like? Would I Drink Another: Absolutely.   Dave’s Rank: 1st

Jason: The aroma of chocolate was a welcome sign as it reminds me of this category of beer. Thicker than Beer #1 but still not the texture I've come to expect, which is not a bad thing. Great flavor. This beer throws a knockout punch on your tongue from the start to announce its presence. Rich in color, flavor and texture, the bold taste follows from the front of your mouth to the back. A great Russian Imperial with good balance of bitter and sweet. Jason’s Rank: 1st

Nathan: Less head retention than the first beer, but the level of roasted malt character has increased and nicely balances the chocolate notes. Wonderful flavor complexity: chocolate, coffee, raisins, figs, and hints of citrus hop character. Thick mouthfeel with a fairly dry finish and lingering bitterness the complements the intense malt character. Moderate alcohol warming in the aftertaste, but never harsh or distracting from the other flavors. This beer almost perfectly embodies the best qualities I associate with Russian Imperial Stouts. Outstanding!  Nathan’s Rank: 1st

Tim:  Let's just say that I can't see through the beer as it is dark as night with a small dark tan head. The first hints of the aroma immediately hit me as this wonderful blend of rich malt (bready, hint of fruit), roast and chocolate character followed by a low earthy hop nose. The first taste filled my mouth with this full bodied, rich, more roast (not acrid) than chocolate, complex delicious beer that finished dry leaving me asking for more. Even with the low head, it had plenty of carbonation to support this big beer. The alcohol was pleasantly warming and not hot at all. This was solid all the way through! Can I have another? This is what I was expecting from a Russian Imperial Stout. Tim’s Rank: 1st

    

Beer #3: Three Floyds Dark Lord – A demonic Russian Style Imperial Stout, brewed with Intelligensia coffee Mexican vanilla, and Indian sugar this beer defies description, available one day a year in April at the brewery, Dark Lord Day. ??? IBU 15% ABV

Dave: This beer was my least favorite of the group. I found it to be syrupy, very sweet, a little under carbonated and heavy on the palate. To be fair, there were some malt complexities present if one could get past the palate coating sweetness, but for me personally it was too much. Perhaps a bit more carbonation would have helped to lift some of that sensation (see the Narwhal notes above) but compared side by side with other examples of the style, this beer fell flat. This is the part where I offer up opinions about marketing and the conception of quality as it compares to demand and price points… or not. The panel scores speak for themselves. Would I Drink Another: No. Please no. Someone take the rest my sample, please…  Dave’s Rank: 5th

Jason: No overpowering roast aroma here but yet distinct as almost too sweet. This is the viscosity I was expecting as it leaves a presence on the glass. No hop bitterness that I can detect and even if it was there the sweetness just dominates the liquid throughout. If you like syrupy sweet beers, this is a great one for you. Bold and attempting to be imposing, but not a beer you could drink with ease. Jason’s Rank: 4th

Nathan: Low head retention and carbonation, but still unleashes an intense aroma dominated by roasted malts and burnt sugar. Nice complexity in the flavor with coffee, molasses, burnt sugar, and cream. There is a lingering residual sweetness throughout the flavor that does not fade even after you swallow the beer. Substantial bitterness is apparent, but is still competing with the sweetness to clean up the beer before your next sip. Seems higher in alcohol than the other examples, and might be pushing the limit of “too much”. I really like the flavor complexity of this beer, but the residual sweetness is hard to overlook.  Nathan’s Rank: 5th

Tim: Well let's just say, more pitch blackness. Getting the idea here. Very little head or apparent carbonation, but it did carry a dark tank ring around the top of the beer. My first impression of the aroma and the taste was I was drinking some extremely rich, sweet creamed coffee. As I continued to evaluate, I just could not get rid of the lip smacking residual sweetness in my mouth. Once I could cut through this, I could detect the hops, but the sweetness was just too overpowering and this is not a malty sweetness, this was residual sweetness; as if the beer did not attenuate out. I think more carbonation could help this a bit, but to be honest, the more I thought about this, the more I kept thinking that this beer was some sort of imperial milk stout! Tim’s Rank: 5th

Beer #4: Oskar Blues Ten Fidy – This titanic, immensely viscous stout is loaded with inimitable flavors of chocolate-covered caramel and coffee and hides a hefty 98 IBUs underneath the smooth blanket of malt.  Ten FIDY is made with enormous amounts of two-row malt, chocolate malt, roasted barley, flaked oats and hops. Ten FIDY is the ultimate celebration of dark malts and boundary-stretching beer. 98 IBU 10.5% ABV

Dave: I ranked this beer in second place, and for a minute there it was a close call. There was a greater hop character apparent in this beer than the others, but not enough to be off putting. There were also the requisite malt complexities with hints of coffee, roast, chocolate and toffee. I’d like to grab a sixer of this beer and set it back for a few months. I think it might have given North Coast a run for first place if it had just a bit more age on it. But that wasn’t the beer we had in front of us, so Ten FIDY wound up in second. However, I would really like to try this beer on nitro. I think that might round off some of the sharper edges. If you see it around town on a nitro tap do yourself a favor and stop for a pint. Maybe I’ll see you there. Would I Drink Another: Yes please.  Dave’s Rank: 2nd

Jason: At this point in the tasting I was starting to doubt myself. I was afraid my nose was deceiving me. I smelled absolutely no roast and detected rubbing alcohol. The liquid coated the glass well enough but it wasn't nearly as thick as Beer #3. As I was drinking this I thought it would pair perfectly with a strong, stinky cheese. There was no hint of sweetness at all which does not lend to balance. Still find it acceptable to drink, just not want I expected. I make it sound unappealing but it was pretty solid. Jason’s Rank: 3rd

Nathan: Now here are some hops to compete with all this malt flavor! Notes of black licorice and tobacco combine with the expected, but subdued, chocolate and roasted malt flavors. The amplified hopping sets this beer apart and adds to the layers of flavors at play here. Medium mouthfeel, not as thick as the other examples, with some burnt malt character in the finish. Very good beer, but clearly a notch below beer #2 in terms of malt complexity and refinement. Very close to beer #5 in my book, but the hop character pushes it past that beer into second place.  Nathan’s Rank: 2nd

Tim: Guess the color! The pour had a low light chocolate brown head with a light malty, roast and earthy hop aroma. Very full bodied in the mouth feel, with good carbonation (even with the low head). To me the malt character came across as a little one dimensional, solid, but not very complex. There was both a smooth roast and chocolate notes as expected, with the roast  more prominent. A nice hop bitterness to support this beer, but little hop aroma. Could immediately tell that this was big beer as the alcohol was prominent, not hot or distracting. Overall a very solid beer, but the aroma did not have that in your face character that would be able to push it higher on my ranking. It came across as an extremely fresh, young beer, just out of the fermenter! Tim’s Rank: 3rd

Beer #5: Bell’s Expedition Stout – One of the earliest examples of the Russian Imperial Stout in the United States, Expedition Stout offers immensely complex flavors crafted specifically with vintage aging in mind, as its profile will continue to mature and develop over the years. A huge malt body is matched to a heady blend of chocolate, dark fruits, and other aromas. Intensely bitter in its early months, the flavors will slowly meld and grow in depth as the beer ages. 10.5% ABV

Dave: Ranked in 4th place on my list, I was a bit surprised by the results. I’ve purchased and consumed Expedition more than once and enjoyed it greatly. But that is the benefit of not having a side-by-side comparison. When paired against the other beers in the flight, it just didn’t have the same delightful character as the others. However, let me take a moment to mention the relatively close ranking of the middle of our field. The beers in spots 2-4 were all very good and the competition was close. Ultimately, not everyone can get a trophy. There are in fact winners and losers (just like in the real world, kiddo) and one of the beers has to be in 4th place. This time around it was Bells Expedition. For me personally, there was a significant licorice flavor, and that’s not one of my favorites. Here again the beauty of this sort of blind tasting is that it’s completely subjective. We’re not scoring beers according to any style guidelines or handing out medals and fancy swag at the end. That gives us the freedom so speak clearly about the things we liked or disliked. Less licorice, more roast and I might have scored it higher on the list. Would I Drink Another: Probably not. Dave’s Rank: 4th

Jason: Roasty, sweet aroma with decent lacing around the glass. Almost has the same alcohol scent as Beer #4. Very earthy from the taste and once again all bitterness with no sweetness. I like my Russian Imperial to blend the roast of coffee and chocolate and not lean too heavily in one direction. I could almost mistake this for a black IPA if I didn't know any better. At first I was pretty adamant this was not a beer for me, almost thinking it was the worst of the group. However, after a lengthy rest and a warming of the glass I find myself returning to drink more and more. At the end, I would definitely buy this beer and put it on par with Beer #2 or #4. Jason’s Rank: 2nd

Nathan: Very nice malt complexity: roasted notes, black licorice, coffee, and bitter chocolate. Low level of citrus hop character and medium lingering hop bitterness. Good carbonation level and very smooth with a nice touch of sweetness to complement the roasted malt character. Thick mouthfeel, good drinkability, and a nice balance between the malt character and hop bitterness. If this had a little more chocolate character and hop flavor, it would have been a contender for the top of my list. But we’re seriously nitpicking now – this is another excellent Russian Imperial Stout. Nathan’s Rank: 3rd

Tim: Ok, they were all pitch black beers! This beer poured with a low dark tan head and had a rich malty nose with the roasted and chocolate character to support this. Not as bold as beer #2, but still very nice. Very full bodied, roasty, almost coffee like, with a very supportive hop bitterness and a malty, but dry finish. The beer did have a very pronounced alcohol warming, but was not hot. It was a little distracting at first, but with a little more time, this dies down and I believe just adds more complexity to the beer. This was another solid example, just needs some time! Tim’s Rank: 2nd

And the results are in…….

To determine the overall results, we used a model where the lowest number of points would win (a 1st place vote = 1 point, a 2nd place vote = 2 points, etc). After tallying up the scores, our collective rankings determined the final order:

Fifth Place: Three Floyds Dark Lord (19 points)

Fourth Place: Sierra Nevada Narwhal (16 points)

Third Place: Bell’s Expedition Stout (11 points)

Second Place: Oskar Blues Ten Fidy (10 points)

First Place: North Coast Old Rasputin (4 points)

And while it doesn’t count in the official rankings, our hostess “reveals” her favorite……

Poppi’s Pick: Bell’s Expedition Stout

There are two big stories that came out of this tasting for me. First is the rediscovery of a wonderful beer in North Coast’s Old Rasputin. There was a stage in my craft beer drinking evolution where Old Rasputin was a beer I commonly sought out, and an Old Rasputin sign proudly hangs next to the pool table in our basement. But as the number of craft beer options has exploded, it’s very easy to get caught up in constantly trying new things and taking some of these old favorites for granted. I can’t remember the last time I purchased this beer off the shelf, but it certainly won’t take that long again. Along with the straight tasting results we always try to include cost analysis at the end of these because the highest ranking beers are often the most expensive. But at the relatively low price (for a Russian Imperial Stout anyway) of $10.99 for a 4-pack, this aspect only bolsters the case for Old Rasputin in this lineup.

But I suppose the real elephant in the room here is the performance of Dark Lord. It wasn’t the poorest performance of any beer we’ve had in these tastings (the dubious distinction for that belongs to Brooklyn Brown Ale), but it was definitely the most surprising. Reaction to the result may be summed up best in a note from Jason:

I was able to call out Beer #3 as Dark Lord as soon as I smelled it and it was only confirmed by the taste. It is amazing that a beer that I truly enjoy, when placed side by side with beers of the same category it could pale in comparison. The mystique of Dark Lord certainly draws its following, but in a "blind" tasting the simple fact that it could be labeled worst amazed me. Of course, in a pairing of five someone has to be a loser, but that beer? Shocked and amazed. Just proves that there are a lot of great beers in this world to enjoy.

Even with the consistently low rankings, opinions from the panelists about Dark Lord still varied somewhat. Jason and I noted certain qualities that impressed us, while Dave flat out wouldn’t finish his sample. But this ranking clearly came down to a consistent feeling among the panel that the high level of residual sweetness in Dark Lord hurt the drinkability and distracted from the positive qualities. Personally, I had tagged this beer as probably 3rd or 4th in the initial round where we taste them individually. But when compared side by side in a final lineup of this caliber, any notable flaw really stands out. And there’s no getting around it – when considering this beer as a value for your dollar, Dark Lord was a huge disappointment. But I’m not sure that’s even a controversial statement for people who really like this beer. You’re always paying a certain premium for the mystique and a memento of your experience at Dark Lord Day.

We shouldn’t forget about the rest of the lineup – Oskar Blues Ten Fidy and Bell’s Expedition Stout are exceptional beers. Bell’s Expedition in particular exhibits the type of character to suggest it could really be outstanding with some extensive aging. But at a slightly elevated price point, it’s still hard to recommend Ten Fidy ($15.99 for a 4-pack) or Expedition ($17.99 for a 6-pack) over Old Rasputin. Sierra Nevada Narwhal is a worthy value consideration at $10.99 for a 4-pack and will likely develop some of the lacking complexity with some aging.

But if you’re looking for a great Russian Imperial Stout to enjoy in the near future, we can’t recommend Old Rasputin strongly enough. Buy up a good portion of that beer and horde it for yourself. Save the Dark Lord for impressing your friends with rare beer.

Cheers, Nathan