Attending the Winter BrewFest this weekend.

For anyone who is looking for a beer event this weekend in the Albany Area, there is the Winter Brewfest happening at the Polish Community Center this Saturday the 11th of February 2012.  I will be there at the night session from 6 P.M to 9 P.M.  I will be attending with D.P. Tickets are $35 in advance or $45 at the door.  I have never been to this event before so I have no idea what to expect there is a list of some breweries who will be there on the website http://www.albanywinterbrewfest.com/ Hope to see you there, if on some off chance you are looking for us I will be wearing a Black Oneonta State Baseball Cap with white OSC Lettering on the front and a white dragon on the side of it.  Hope to see some people there, and possibly a reader.  I apologize for the lack of updates of late, I am really going to get better about this process, I swear.

Z.P. Signing off.

 

 

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Hoegaarden Secondary Review by D.P.

Hoegaarden Witbier
ABV – 4.9%
Appearance – Very light straw color,  attractive, zillions of tiny bubbles clinging to the inside of the glass.
Smell – Smells yummy,  yeasty, like expensive candy.
Taste – Delicious,  nice tanginess with hints of spice and citrus undertones.
Mouthfeel – Exquisite.
Drinkability – I highly recommend it.
Notes – I shall fashion a breastplate from ladybug wings and forge a broadsword from 20,000 discarded bottle caps.  I will live in a castle built exclusively of shark teeth and my domain shall be populated by elven folk, beautiful naiads, and mythical creatures.  My faithful steed shall be a triceratops cloned from ancient DNA. Visiting lords shall ache to be seen in my presence and they shall supply me with great casks of Hoegaarden which I shall drink from a chalice made from the petrified egg of a pterosaur and which shall quell the thirst of my countrymen.  I shall decree this the beer of choice and none shall question my judgement.
My call – 5.0

Full Sail LTD Series Recipe #05 Limited Edition Lager Secondary Review by D.P.

Full Sail LTD Series
Recipe #05 Limited Edition Lager
ABV – 5.6%
Appearance – Nice,  sparkling copper color.
Smell – A little like asparagus.
Tasted – Grain sweetness strikes first.  Intense carbonation burns the tip of the tongue.  This is followed by a blast of alcohol and a pleasant, candy-like (caramel, I suppose) aftertaste.
Mouthfeel – A little bit harsh,  almost too much carbonation.
Drinkability – Worth a try.
Notes – Not your typical lager,  that’s for sure.  I’m not quite sure why you would go to such lengths to make a lager with so many ale characteristics.  It’s like trying to make a fork lift out of a plow truck.
My call – 3.0

Left Hand Brewery Milk Stout Secondary Review by D.P.

Left Hand Brewery
Milk Stout
ABV – ?
Appearance – Deep dark,  almost black.  Frothy,  rich mocha head.
Smell – Smells like toasted grains and coffee.
Taste – Toasted coffee prevails,  very mild suggestions of chocolate.  Mild and pleasant bitter aftertaste.
Mouthfeel – Smooth and silky.
Drinkability – Absolutely.
Notes – Drop everything and get your hands on one of these right now.  The Left Hand Brewing Co. has awesome labels, too.
My call – 4.5

Stella Artois Premium Lager Secondary Review by D.P.

Stella Artois

Premium Lager
ABV – ?
Appearance – Light golden,  almost clear.  Ample head,  attractive.
Smell – Clean and fresh,  like standing in a field of grain.
Taste – Refreshing balance,  hint of sweetness,  short snap of tartness at the finish.
Mouthfeel – Exquisite.
Drinkability – Without a doubt,  delicious and refreshing.
Notes – Should be drunk from a chalice.  Not an original idea I’m aware,  however,  entirely true.
My call – 4.5

Estrella Damm Inedit Secondary Review by Z.P.

Estrella Damm
Inedit
ABV – ?
Appearance – Dense,  amber color.  Nice bubbling action,  nice head.
Smell – Tart and yeasty.
Taste – Tastes like a honey cough drop…..exactly.  Nice aftertaste,  though.
Mouthfeel – Pleasant.
Drinkability – It depends on how much you like cough drops.
Notes – The little booklet which stands in for a label claims this is a blend of lager and wheat beer styles.  I can’t really distinguish these individual traits.  An unnoffensive brew.
My call – 3.0

Stone Sublimely Self Righteous Ale Secondary Review by Z.P. & D.P.

Stone
Sublimely Self Righteous Ale
ABV – 8.7%

Review by Z.P.
Appearance – Very dark coffee color.
Smell – Sweet and Hoppy.
Taste – Very heavily roasted at the start the middle is piney and the end is a lingering hop flavor it goes on for quite a while.
Mouthfeel – Sticky.
Drinkability – One glass is enough for me.
Closing Notes – Stone always makes a quality beer. This is no exception, it just isn’t something I would want to drink all the time. The lingering hops on the end with a slight sweetness is very pleasant. There are a lot if complex flavors in this beer which are cool. Stone can be arrogant because they make awesome beer.
Overall- 3.0

Review by D.P.
Appearance – Very dark,  almost black.
Smell – Very strong hop presence,  like sticking your face in a christmas tree.
Taste – Very unusual.  All I can think of is pine pitch.  Lengthy bitter aftertaste.
Mouthfeel – Fine.
Drinkability – Only if you’re into the bizarre.
Notes – You might as well clamp a vise-grip to your tongue…..it’s that weird.  I dumped half of it out.
My call – 2.5