What beer are you drinking now? #4645

Ferment Brewing Co. -- ESB (The Explorer Series)
Extra special bitter
ABV: 5.4%; pouring temperature: 56.4 ℉; canning info: 10/18/2? (may be 22 or 23)
Source: @snaotheus
Auxiliary vice: Mashbuild -- Wheated (and another bottle bites the dust )



4.23/5 rDev +1.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25

Pours a dark, honey-amber color, clear pour, somewhat cloudy in the glass; thick, pale khaki colored head, creamy, rolling sculpted head,foamy yet densely so and long-lasting; sticky partial sheets of foam line the glass. Excellent caramel nose; toasted grains. Rich and balanced grain sweetness; caramel and honey; great bitterness counterpart. Heavy and sticky mouthfeel; teasingly warm.

What a fantastic extra special bitter, rich and delicious and sporting great looks and an incredible luscious mouthfeel.

 

Trillium Brewing Co. -- Hatch Shell
India pale ale
ABV: 7.1%; pouring temperature: 47.7 ℉; canning info: 06/12/25
Source: local purchase (Coaltrain Fine Wine, Craft Beer & Spirits)



3.81/5 rDev -6.8%
look: 4.25 | smell: 3.75 | taste: 3.75 | feel: 4 | overall: 3.75

Pretty, opaque pastel yellow body; thick head, white and sudsy; sticky fingers of foam inside the glass. Very mild citrus and tropical fruit notes with a backdrop of oats; pineapple and a light touch of tangerine and kiwi. Relatively mild taste for a New England India pale ale; obtuse tropical and citrus fruits; white grapefruit; bold and acidic bitterness. Heavy body; sharp and acidic.

While less harsh and brash than some other recent Trillium India pale ales I've had, this boils down to being just a slightly less noisy version of the same ol' same ol' product. Great looks, fair scent, sharp and bitter flavor and a biting mouthfeel. While not my type of beer overall, I would judge it good for what it is.

 

Fewer Shanex’ posts/drawings/banter. Something about working probably. Fortunately @SawDog505 is doing his part.

 

River North Brewery -- 13th Anniversary Imperial Stout Barrel Aged Blend
Barrel aged imperial stout
ABV: 22.7%; pouring temperature: 52.8 ℉; bottling info: 13th anniversary
Source: local purchase (Coaltrain Fine Wine, Craft Beer & Spirits)



4.59/5 rDev +0.2%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4 | taste: 5 | feel: 5 | overall: 4.5

Jet black pour, opaque; thin light tan head, winds up mostly a thin ring around the inside of the glass. Rich and alluring smell; dark chocolate with grain char and a slight sense of booziness; heavy caramel. The taste explodes and encompasses the palate with richly sweet dark chocolate and refined boozy flavors; subliminal spiciness lurks in the recesses. Heavy, oily mouthfeel; sticky and lip smacking; beautiful alcohol warmth.

What a divine beer! The looks and smell are good, but the taste and mouthfeel are exquisite. The depth and complexity of the taste combined with the perfect mouthfeel sensation (for the style) are world-class. The extremely high ABV is notable for not coming across too brash or hot. I'd never call it well-hidden, just well-balanced. One could always hope that this recipe would become a standard offering, yet as an anniversary beer, this one is hard to beat.

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...I so seldom now give a '5' rating for any single review category, but this one got two of 'em (taste and mouthfeel)...

...re: the tuneage -- J.J. Cale's '5' is one of my all-time favorites of his...