Weyerbacher – Merry Monks’ (bottle)
$51 a case - 12oz. Bottle - 9.3%ABV
What they say:
Merry Monks’ is a Belgian style Abby Tripel. To be true to the style, Merry Monks’ Ale is bottle conditioned. This means we add a bit of sugar and yeast just prior to bottling. This imparts a special effervescence to the beer, a creamier carbonation, and also extends the shelf life. The on-going fermentation inside the bottle will change the character of the beer as it ages, and you’ll find it becomes dryer with age. You may want to lay down a few bottles for future evaluation. We suggest storing at cellar temperatures – around 55°F – and away from light.
When you try this beer you’re in for a unique treat. The special effervescence and creaminess are immediately apparent when pouring. The pilsner malts combined with the Belgian yeast strains yield a remarkable and complex flavor- perhaps you’ll note subtle hints of banana and cookie dough. The flavor is nicely balanced and the finish moderate to dry, begging for the next sip. This 9.3% brew is avaiable year-round.
What I say:
Looks like a Trap Tripel....Smells Like a Trap Tripel....Tastes like a freakin banana. Weird. They also say “you’ll note subtle hints of cookie dough”.... uuhhhhh, no you won’t. Thats just dumb. I’m not saying the whole banana-rama is a bad thing it just caught me off guard.
Also, heres a bit of learnin for yinz... whenever a beer has a monk on the bottle or is called an “abbey style” it’s to copy pay homage to the famous Trappist beirs that we at TakeOneDown hold so near and dear to our livers. Some don’t come close while I feel others come real close and even surpass.
Label:
Nothing to special, just a average illustration of a few monks getting tipsy and a HUGE GOVERMENT WARNING about not drinking when you’re knocked up.
Overall:
“eehhh”
Blue Point – HOPTICAL ILLUSION
$30ish a case - 12oz - 6.2%ABV
What they say:
This classic American style IPA features a rare hop exclusively grown on a farm in Oregon. One taste of the Hoptical Illusion and you’ll know why Blue Point bought the entire crop. A generous amount of the select hop balances out malty backbone of this delicious golden beer. Offered in six packs and on draft, Hoptical Illusion is tantalizing the tastebuds of beer lovers from Montauk to Manhattan.
what I say:
A couple months back I declared my unbridled love for fruity beer. I also have an unhealthy obsession with enamel eating, hoppy ass IPAs. This beer is almost a perfect blend of those two things. It’s like an orange, a grapefruit and a voluptuous bunch of Oregon hops got drunk, had some crazy, weird, threesome plant sex and this beer is the bastard love child. It has a huge citrusy front and finishing with a super hoppy finish that lingers longer than the thoughts of an orange, grapefruit, hops threesome.
Label:
Ummm kind of weird, I’m pretty sure their designer is a 7th year super senior at the Art Institute of Long Island that smokes a lot of pot. The all seeming eye kind of creeps me out… it keeps staring at me…
Overall:
wow
Ommegang – Three Philosophers
$10.50 - 1pt. 9.4oz - 9.8% ABV
What they say:
The essence of wonder is a unique and masterful blend of strong malty ale and authentic Belgian Kriek. Our philosophers deduce that this powerful marriage of cherries, roasted malts, and dark chocolate will only achieve more wisdom and coherence as it broods in the dark recesses of your cellar.
What I say:
Greatness. It would seem that Cooperstown, NY knows a thing or two about the topic. The home of America's shrine to Baseball glory is also the home of this equally impressive triple play — Three Philosophers from Ommegang. Three Philosophers is actually a Quadrupel Belgian style ale with 9.8 abv. The brewery has added a cherry-infused lambic imported from Belgium, but for me the flavor of the roasted malts is the driving force of this ale. There is a sweetness and a sourness that is perfectly blended and is not dominated by the higher abv.
Touch'em all Ommegang, you hit this one out of the park.
Label:
For a brewery that seems to value good design, judging from other labels I've seen and their web site...this label falls flat...doesn't matter, still one of my favorite beers.
Overall:
"WOW"
21st Amendment – Monk’s Blood
$6 - A freakin Can - 8.3%
what they said:
21st Amendment founders Nico Freccia and Shaun O’Sullivan traveled to Belgium to develop the recipe for this special beer, visiting small, traditional breweries in the hop fields of west Flanders, not far from the famous Trappist abbey of Westvletren. Monk’s Blood is designed to pair beautifully with rich winter stews, creamy cheeses, unctuous desserts or just by itself, in a Belgian tulip glass, with a good book by the fire.
What I say:
11pm thursday night at the creek house....
"A can... are you f-in serious."
"Uh yeah brah, it's expensive to start up but in the long run saves small breweries a lot of money and it's better for the environment"
"I don't care, this $6 beer better not taste like a can"
"It won't man, the cans all lined and stuff"
I feel canned beer is a lot like Germany.... No matter how far you've come and how great you are now people will always be reminding you of your shitty past. Let's face it most people do not associate good beer with cans, I mean I always thought canned beer was for poor people and frat guys, but 21st Amendment is changing my mind... this beer was pretty damn good and didn't taste like can at all. It was actually a really sweet, complex beer with big vanilla and cinnamon flavor, that reminds me a lot of the strong christmas ales. It makes me want to put a can down in the cellar and see what happens... Anyway this stuff definitely changed my mind on beer in a can and has me excited to try some more. If you think about it cans are far more convenient and easy to transport when you're doing outdoorsy stuff. Backpacking with a bunch of empties or trying to stand up and piss out of a canoe full of bottles can be pretty difficult. At least with cans there's the option of crushing and throwing it under a rock like my dad does.
Label:
Pretty cool... the words around the top is hard to read but other than that, it's a sick design, unlike any can I've seen before.
Overall:
mmmm
Rust Belt – Old Man Hopper’s India Pale Ale
$3.50 - bomber - 6%
What they say:
The website doesn't say anything about the beer... if you want to see what other people think check it out on BA
what I say:
This beer takes me back to the countless hours I spent swimming in the highly polluted rivers of my central Pa hometown. Mine run off made the water the exact color of this beer and it had the same weird orangish foam floating on top. It too tasted slightly metallic and had a lingering bitter aftertaste.... Where the beer differs is the really citrusy front and mild hoppyness. It's a little different than the IPAs I'm use to, but it's a nice change of pace.
Label:
Awesome, nothing says rust belt like the Pittsburgh skyline and some old dude that looks like he spent 40 years in a steel mill before his high paying union job was shipped overseas n'at.
Overall:
mmmm
Trappistes Rochefort 10
$7 - 11.2 oz - 11.3% ABV
What they say:
Nothing.
What I say:
Feeling like the 5th dentist...the one that didn't recommend Crest, after my review of Rochefort 8, I was eager to try another ale from Abbey of Notre-Dame de Saint-Rémy. Well... I'm happy to report that I loved this brew. 11.3% ABV is no joke, but it is well hidden by a beer that I can only describe as wine-like...a sweet caramel barley flavor with a hint of raisin in the aftertaste. It's just an excellent beer...get some...NOW!
This beer is so good, I have to give the 8 from Rochefort another chance. I don't believe anyone that can produce such a fine ale should be judged on one bottle.
Label:
I still hate the label...but a beer this good needs no introduction.
Overall:
"WOW"
Bocktown Beer & Grill – Robinson PA
Places we like to get drunk responsibly enjoy a beer
what they Say
The Bocktown Story: We know of a ton of great Pittsburgh bars and restaurants, but we found ourselves going to one place to eat, and another place for some good camaraderie and better libations. That was all well and good, but we wanted one place where we could drink the best beers AND eat great homemade food, all while having fun with family and friends. Since we were getting old searching for our home away from home… we just decided to build our own, and share it with you!
Commitment to Craftbeer: We love the artisan efforts of America’s craft brewers. We are completely dedicated to bringing you their products. When you visit, you will find a great variety of beer styles on draft, 16 rotating taps ranging from India pale ale, to imperial stout, as well as fruit beer, and other seasonal offerings. We do not ever offer Coors, Bud or Miller on tap. You will also find 400 different better bottle choices including some once a year offerings! We love rare beers, so don’t hesitate to call us to see if we have something you have been searching for.
Are You a Localvore?: We cook with Pittsburgh Pride, using great quality products made and provided by Ricci’s Sausage, Prestogeorge Coffee Roasters, Wild Purveyors, Turner Dairy, Pierogies Plus, Cellone’s Bakery, Signature Desserts, East End Brewing Company, Troyer Farms and Weiss Meats. Bocktown is a locally owned establishment working with area breweries, vendors, farms and people to bring you a unique and fresh dining experience.
What I say:
Bocktown is probably in my top 3 favorite places in the burgh to drink. Like they say they've got 400 bottles and 16 taps, one of which is usually a rarity or vintage from Tera’s Beeried Treasures, and another running through "bruiser the infuser". The infuser is badass little contraption that can be filled with anything from hops to bacon to coffee beans and then beer is filtered through it on the way to the tap. As far as I know they are the only one in Pittsburgh using one.
Food:
Awesome, I've never had anything there that wasn't great. The she-crab soup is good enough to fight someone for and the french fries are a fat kids wet dream. Hand cut fries you can get topped with pretty much anything you want, some of my favorite combos are roast beef, gravy and portabella mushrooms or olives, feta, chicken and garlic parm sauce... Oh! or wing sauce and blue cheese... or ever the freakin crab soup.
Decor:
Pretty cool, one wall is all brink with hand done chalk signs featuring the specials and the other is pretty much all beer coolers and a bar. The only down side to this place is it's kinda small, on a friday or saturday night don't be surprised if there's a wait, but stick around it's worth it.
Where they at:
690 Chauvet Drive
Pittsburgh, PA 15275 (Robinson)
(412) 788-2333
bocktown.com
Overall:
Wow
Unibroue – Ephemere Apple
$2.50 - 12oz bottle - 5.5%
What they say:
As its name suggests, Éphémère is an ephemeral ale that comes and goes with the seasons. It was developed as a series to feature a seasonal fruit in a refreshing, lightly spiced white ale. The label depicts a fairy, an ephemeral spirit associated with fruits picked at the peak of ripeness during each harvest season. She first appeared in the spring of 2001 and has since been celebrated on a variety of seasonal fruit ales featuring apple must, cranberry, blackcurrant, peach, and raspberry. The apple version, first created in 2002, is without a doubt the most popular version. It is the only one to be distributed year-round and sold in the United States.
What I say:
Love this beer. Probably my favorite fruity beer ever. It's super light, has a big active head almost like a soda... It's really well balanced with a sweet start, tart finish and a strong burst of green apple that only sticks around for a second. It's like an apple fairy does a quick jig on your tongue before falling into the pit of acid that is your stomach and dies a slow, painful fairy death. Don't be sad... Apple fairies are put on this earth solely for human consumption, much like baby cows and doves.
Label:
A little girly and out of their normal wheelhouse. It's nice enough to stand out on a shelf though
Overall:
wow
Dogfish Head – Aprihop
$8.99 4/pack - 12 oz - 7% ABV
What they say:
Aprihop is our fruit beer for hopheads!
It is an American IPA brewed with Pilsner and Crystal malts massively hopped in in the continuous fashion. The flavor is complemented by the addition of Apricots.
After fermentation the beer is dry hopped with irresponsible amounts of Amarillo hops. The beer is hoppy in the aroma with the apricots playing a supporting complimentary role.
The flavor is rich with late hop flavors and its bitterness is tempered by just the right amount of malt sweetness and fruity undertones from the apricots.
This is one of our most popular seasonal beers and we've been brewing it each spring for quite a while now. We release the beer each March and you should find it on the shelves through May.
What I say:
Remeber that Christmas when all you wanted was a bike and you didn't get it? Or when Alf was canceled? Or when you found out you were adopted? The betrayal, the disappointment, the loss of innocents.... When I drank this beer thats how I felt. I was so pumped on this brew, I was counting down the days till it's release. I love fruity beers I love IPAs and I love Sam, how could I not love this beer.... well I didn't... I really wanted it to taste like I bit into a fresh juicy apricot with little hop buds hidden inside... like a Magic Hat #9 but awesomer.... and it just wasn't that.... it's a decent IPA with a really slight hardly noticeable apricot after taste.
Label:
Who cares can't you see I'm crushed....
Overall:
eh...single tear rolls down my cheek
Founders Brewing – KBS (kentucky breakfast stout)
$11.25 - 12oz bottle - 11.2%
What they say...
What we’ve got here is an imperial stout brewed with a massive amount of coffee and chocolates, then cave-aged in oak bourbon barrels for an entire year to make sure wonderful bourbon undertones come through in the finish. Makes your taste buds squeal with delight.
What I say:
It looks like motor oil and taste like coffee.... Thats really all I have to say about the 9th best beer in the world. If you go on BA or any other site people blow this beer. They talk about it as if jesus himself spilled his morning coffee and it trickled down to earth on rays of sunshine where it was collected by fairies and fermented by unicorn tears... So even though I hate stouts and everything they taste like I figured I had to try it, if any stout was to change my mind it would have to be this one right?... It wasn't. Even if I loved stouts I think I would have to say it was really good but not life changing. I think really what makes this beer #9 in the world is it's mystique, much like my holy grail westy 12. It's expensive... It's only available for a few days in march..... in a limited area.... most bars can score a single case if any... It all goes into making some serious hype.
Label:
It's pretty cool, I guess they are going for an old elixir label look. It's bold and simple enough to cut through the clutter
Overall:
"eh"
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