Non Belgian beers

[Trappist]

One of these days maybe I'll even take a road trip to there to St Helena California and pay them a visit in person.

Hi John,
It's good to read you like the Erosion beers, and want to go there in person.
Actually, you really should do that!! It looks like a very enjoyable region. Napa Valley !! Essential really!! and alot of great wines too!
Cheers and thanks for sharing your local beers. They all look so appetizing.
You know, I'm jealous about your sunny weather   
Cheers,
Filip

[John B]

Here's the last of the three Erosion beers that I ordered. It's a 6% abv red rye IPA called Rue's Red Rye, named after Patrick Rue, the owner/head brewer. According to their description this delicious offering is brewed with Belgian base malt, rye malt & crystal rye malt, and Centennial & Amarillo hops. It also features Berkeley Yeast Tropics Vermont, which gives a touch of tropical fruit, although I'm having a hard time picking that part up. But the taste is beautifully balanced, and the mouthfeel is smooth with just the right amount of carbonation. An excellent representation of the style.

All in all another winner from Erosion. I can't wait to see what they come up with next. Cheers! - John

[Trappist]

John,
That's a true RRRRIPA. The only and one ! 
Again, a truely lovely picture, pretzel spiced
I sure like them 75cl cans John. That's a whole evening enjoyment 
Maybe, if someone here in Belgium noticed, this could become a Belgian entry 
Imagine Karmeliet tripel, offered from those cans  Success for 100% guaranteed.
Cheers,
Filip

[John B]

Firestone Walker Wookey Jack, an 8.3% black rye IPA. It's been a number of years since I've had this one. They discontinued it for a long time, but brought it back last year. A nice smooth beer, however the rye isn't as prevalent as I remembered it from before. Probably just poor memory on my part though. Cheers! - John

[John B]

Here's one from Tired Hands, an 8.6& double IPA called Eviscerated Pathway of Beauty. The name doesn't exactly roll off the tongue does it? Well anyway, this is the second Tired Hands beer that I've tried. The other one is an IPA called Alien Church, and I found it very impressive. This Citra hopped one is excellent as well. Lots of fruit forward notes here, peach and mango being the two I picked out the most. There's a bit of alcohol there too, but it blends in nicely and offers that extra little kick. Another winner from Tired Hands. Cheers! - John

[John B]

Two hazy classics from The Alchemist in Vermont. Focal Banger and Heady Topper. Both offer up a load of fresh goodness to your tongue, and have excellent smooth mouthfeels. Very well made beers. If hops are your thing, these will tickle your fancy. Cheers! - John

[John B]

Finally, another classic. Stone IPA. It's not a beer which I normally buy very often any more, since there are a lot of other options out there which I prefer. However, I noticed that I didn't have any beer left in the house, so I went to the closest liquor store to my home because it's been snowing heavily today and I didn't want to do much driving in it, and this is the best that store carries unfortunately. Oh well, it'll get the job done until I can venture out a bit further to someplace with a better selection. Wintery Cheers! - John

[Viv]

Hi John,

Thanks for sharing your tastings of some interesting brews. That
must have been a nasty shock discovering that you had no beers in
the house!!!

As ever wonderful, and always different, backgrounds too.

Unusual weather you have there at the moment!

Keep on keeping on......

Cheers!


Viv

[Jay]

Some cracking beers there John, hoppy goodness 

I myself have had a couple of amazing IPA's recently, the first was a brand new release that I picked up at the Basqueland bar in San Sebastián, a can of their Bone Broth DIPA on 8.5%



Sweet stone fruits (peach and nectarines) papaya, mango, chalky resinous hops, creamy tropical sorbet...absolutely delicious, without doubt one the best DIPAs around.

Cheers
Jay

[Jay]

Here's the second IPA I had and it's a very special release of an already amazing beer.

Here we have Puttty, a ramped up 10% TIPA version of the much sought after Putty.

This was released last week and of course Linda was online when it went live and managed to bag me 4 cans, she even managed to get me the special Puttty glass that sold out in just 5 minutes.

So here's Verdant Putty's bigger badder brother...Puttty - 10% TIPA



Pours all thick and creamy and the haziest dense orange.
Massive stone fruits (peaches and apricots) oranges, juicy mango, green pine cones, anise....intense hop soup, it's bloody magnificent

Cheers
Jay 

[John B]

Very cool Jay, those are some real beauties! 

Cheers! - John

[Trappist]

Thanks all for sharing your great beers over here 
Quite surprised to see the snow in California!! Must be a very rare experience.. I think.
Cheers,
Filip

[John B]

Hi Filip,

The snow is a somewhat rare occurrence at my house. We may only get a trace amount once or twice a year. This time though it was quite a large amount. However the mountains that are nearby (about 15 minutes away) get snow quite often from November through about March, and sometimes as late as May.

My oldest sister lives up in the mountains near Yosemite National Park, and in some areas they have gotten 15 feet of snow. The Lake Tahoe area further north has had even more than that. So California is not all beaches and sunshine all the time, lol.

Chilly Cheers! - John

[Trappist]

The snow is a somewhat rare occurrence at my house.

Hi John,
The weather in the US is always so much more extreme compared to the moderate climate we have in Belgium.
I can remember that I had some school lesson long time ago where it is stated that the long mountain chains on either side of the United States create a funnel from north to south. You get very hot summers but also very cold winters. Quite extreme.
Busy with the Italy report......
Cheers,
Filip

[John B]

Russian River Happy Hops. A 6.5% IPA, not as well known as Pliny the Elder and Pliny the Younger, but a very enjoyable and, as all Russian River beers are, well made beer. A perfect thirst quencher. Cheers! - John