Wine Central

Flying Dog: Easy IPA

"Good people drink good beer."--Hunter S. Thompson

"They say that life isn't easy. They also say that you should always put your pants on before you go out in public, the best meals aren't made in the microwave, couches aren't made to have cup holders, and condiments come in vessels other than squeezy tubes. Clearly, they aren't always right."~Label

Pour: Light gold hue, almost like transparent apple-blossom honey. Medium, soft white head. Scattered lace.

Bouquet: Floral grass with piney, herbal hops. Toasted malts round out the back end to form a notes of hay.

Taste: Bouncy pine and floral hops. Lemon zest, orange and grapefruit citrus flood the palate. Dry finish with slightly bitter hops. Toasted bready malts linger in the undercurrent.

Mouth-Feel: Light to Medium body. Nicely carbonated with small sharp bubbles. The toasted malts give it a creme quality and make it more robust.

Overall: Has that classic Flying Dog taste, without quite as bitter a bite that some of their beers. This is a great session beer which doesn't sacrifice flavor for a lower alcohol content. One of my favorite session beers from one of my favorite companies. Great for porch sippin', beach parties, relaxing in the pool, or when you just want to kick back and take it easy. Excellent Spring/Summer beer.

Cheers,

~William Millman

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I have come down with an ailment that has affected my ability to taste and smell.  So I will unfortunately not be posting as regularly as I was before.  I will post a different holiday cocktail each week, along with what tasting notes I can muster.  

Best Wishes,

Harpoon: Winter Warmer

Pour: Appearance is a rusty orange amber.

Bouquet: Smells fruity and spicy, cinnamon and nutmeg.  Some cherries present. Malty sweetness.

Taste: Fruity, syrupy sweetness. Caramel malt. Candied Cherries. Almost like fruitcake.

Mouth-Feel: Light bodied, small bubbles but medium carbonation

Overall: The roasted malt is nice and pleasantly light. It has some nods to a Belgian style but isn't as heavy bodied, or as spicy/sweet. Great for introducing novices to beer brewed with spices, especially for the lighter palate.

Cheers,

~William Millman

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Ballast Point: Sculpin Ipa

Pour: Golden orange amber. Head is a creamy white with nice lacing.

Bouquet: Clementine citrus, raw sugar, piney, and floral hops.

The Sip: Toasted malt notes start off and fade into the hops. These herbal and floral hops spring up through the malt notes and burst citrus onto the scene. There is a nice hop bitterness which cleanses the palate of the malt makes Sculpin very well balance. Sculpin reminds me ofpricot jam, orange-marmalade, light creamy malts. Toasted bread. Deep resin.

Mouth-Feel: Small, sharp carbonation. Medium body. Tart pucker on finish.

Overall: Exceptional. An excellent intensely enjoyable IPA. Complex flavor notes, and very well balanced. You could drink this with almost anything and it would steal the show, I would suggest just drinking this alone so nothing spoils your palate. Everyone needs to try this beer.

Cheers,

~William Millman

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River Horse: Hipp-o-Lantern Imperial Pumpkin Ale

Pour: Pours a Gold Amber, one-finger white head which fades quickly.

Bouquet: Bready malts, sweetness and pie spice.

The Sip: The first sip washes over the palate with Roasted Chestnut notes: creamy with smoky spice. The pie spice (nutmeg is the dominant spice, but cinnamon and allspice are detected as well. There is even a hint of ginger. Bready and creamy, like pumpkin bread pudding, or gingerbread custard. Dark caramelized sugar notes finish of the taste sensation.  

Mouth-Feel: Medium to full Bodied, soft bubbles.

Overall: This beer is extremely pleasant to sip. Definitely the kind of beer to warm you up, since it is a little heavier bodied than most pumpkin seasonals. Cozies up to your taste buds, in fact I will be drinking this into the winter season. The warm malty notes are exceptional. It is great for setting up in front of the fire with a piece of shepherd's pie and a piece of cornbread.

Cheers,

~William Millman

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Great Divide Brewing Co. Yeti Imperial Stout

"Great Minds Drink Alike"-Bottle Cap

The Pour: Black coffee color, a dirty beige one-finger head. This looks like a shot of espresso that's sat out just a little too long: the creme is there but the body is jet black.

The Bouquet: Smells like chocolate, almond, vanilla, and roasted dark coffee.

The Sip: Chocolate and coffee cozy up to the palate in a "get to know you" way. Then the almond and vanilla slip under the covers to join the party. The finish is earthy and sweet. Caramel and toffee are present throughout, but act more to balance the roasted malt and bitter coffee.

Mouth-Feel: This is so velvety. Carbonation is soft, smooth, and lush. Medium body, but it's got that booty you keep coming back for.

Overall: This is like a eating a dark chocolate devils food cake with a dollop of whipped cream on top and a cup of espresso on the side. I love this. This stout is just sweet enough for you to notice, without overpowering the palate. Bitter coffee rounds out the caramel/toffee, vanilla notes and makes this a very well balanced stout. I would recommend having this stout on a cold winter's night in front of a fire with your arms around a loved one.

Cheers,

~William Millman

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For the Kids: Non-Alcoholic Sparkling Cider

I've been on a cider kick lately. Thanksgiving always makes me think of cider because when I was growing up sparkling cider was the kids champagne. We would drink it out of the little glass flutes and feel like fancy grown ups. Even after I outgrew my braces and started drinking the hard stuff, non-alcoholic sparkling cider has remained a staple during the holiday season. Today I will review two sparkling ciders: Shop Rite's Sparkling imported Spanish cider, and Trader Joe's sparkling cider.

Shop Rite: Imported Spanish cider

   The Pour: Light amber with a gold tint to it. No head to speak of.

The Bouquet: Strong pear to the nose, there is a faint sweetness present as well like a caramel or nougat.

The Sip: Caramel apple, pear notes, with some spice rounding out the base. This was sweeter than ciders I remember having in the past. The first sip is a blast of apple sauce with a little cinnamon sprinkled on top, then it finishes to an apple crumble.

Mouth-Feel: Full-bodied. This is a heavy cider that lingers on the palate for a while. Carbonation is light to medium with soft smooth bubbles.

Overall: The sweetness makes this a great choice for kids on Thanksgiving as an after dinner digestif. I wish it had been more tart, but it was a solid sweet cider and a great option for dessert. Pair with pumpkin, cranberry-raisin, or strawberry rhubarb pies. This needs something with spice tartness, or both to balance out the sweetness.

Trader Joe's: Sparkling Cider

The Pour: Yellow/orange hue with slight head on a 45 degree pour.

The Bouquet: Spicy and tart. There is a distinct note of brown sugar on the nose.

The Sip: Bright notes of tart apples which mellow into a brown sugar sweetness. The tart apple is reminiscent of a baked Granny Smith apple pie with brown sugar and raisins. Finish is quick.

Mouth-Feel: Medium Body. Light carbonation.

Overall: Beautiful cider. Tart and sweetness are very well balanced. Nice easy finish will pleasantly not outstay its welcome, a trait which is more appreciated during the holiday season. This is a great choice for older children or as an alternative to sparkling moscato if you're trying to be good, but want to join in on the toast. This would go great with Thanksgiving dinner.

Cheers,

~William Millman

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ACE: Pumpkin Hard Cider

We might be a day late, but we're not a dollar short.  I had some internet issues last night after getting home from Thanksgiving shopping, so there will be two posts today: one now, and one tonight.  

The Pour: Pours with no head, a soft amber hue. Bubbles are prominent and cling to the glass.

The Bouquet: Smells just like Autumn, with strong apples, soft spices and pumpkin. This cider smells more like actual pumpkin than any seasonal I have had thusfar. Just smelling it makes me want to take it on a stroll through a park, listening to the leaves crunch under my feet, and check out the Autumn falling. If this tastes anything like it smells, Ace has nailed it on the seasonal front.

The Sip: Amazing. It hits you with the dry tartness of the apples, while the spices slide in underneath. The pumpkin doesn't hit you until the finish but when it does, it is powerfully present. The cinnamon and pumpkin pie spice flit around the palate and disappear into the combination of apple and pumpkin. I have never tasted anything like this.

Mouth-Feel: In spite of the large amount of bubbles clinging to the sides of the glass, this is a very smooth, medium body cider. The bubbles are very soft, like a warm blanket across your palate.

Overall: I was suspicious of a pumpkin flavored cider at first, but was floored when I smelled and tasted this. Ace's Pumpkin Cider is a wonderfully dry seasonal cider with a fair amount going on in terms of the bouqet, sip and finish. It is the perfect daily Autumn beverage, for picnics, etc. Turkey sandwiches with cranberry relish and onion would be the perfect companion for this drink. If your in-laws make you need more of an oomph than the 5% that this offers, mix in a shot or two of silver rum and stir it with a cinnamon stick. I call it an "Ace in the Hole".

Cheers,

~William Millman

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Lagunitas: IPA Maximus

The Pour:  Light orange-amber, 2 finger ivory white head.

The Bouquet:  Earthy, piney hops, grapefruit, and pineapple citrus notes are prominent

The Sip: Nice bitterness from the hops and citrus. This is a very hop forward beer with herbal earthy pine hops. Malty sweetness which makes it a little bready.

Mouth-Feel:  Light carbonation, very malty for an IPA, super smooth. Full-bodied hops linger after swallowing.

Overall:  Beautiful. On the maltier side of IPAs that I've had in the past, but I really like this. This IPA has a very nice weight to it. Full-bodied earthy hops bounce around the palate while the malt anchors the whole package. Very easy drinking IPA.  Pair with a burger or pulled pork sandwich, or just drink it by itself.  

Cheers,

~William Millman

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New Holland Brewing Co. Dragon's Milk Stout

The Pour: Pours a dark, midnight black.

The Bouquet: Light notes of caramel, vanilla, roasted cacao, cream, and some woodsy oak.

The Sip: Creamy vanilla and sturdy oak from the bourbon barrel aging cozies up to your tastebuds, a faint roasted coffee note is present with a finish of almond and smooth silky chocolate.

Mouth-Feel: Smooth creamy, medium body, small bubbles with light carbonation.

Overall: One of the silkiest stouts I have had. This beer washes over the palate and embraces your taste buds along the way. Soft caramel softens the slight alcohol bite. The bourbon barrel aging really comes through in the bursts of vanilla. This is a great stout.

Cheers,

~William Millman

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Dogfish Head: Punkin' Ale

The Pour: Pours a light honey-brown. Two finger head (it died down a bit before I got the lighting right for the picture), with nice lacing occuring.

The Bouquet: Smells sweet with caramel, brown sugar, and allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg, with a touch of vanilla. Smells like what you would expect from a pumpkin pie custard. There is a certain sharpness to the nose as well. From the nose you can tell this beer has a little oomph to it.

The Sip: There is a burst of brown sugar that fades into the pumpkin pie spice and returns in the finish. There is a bit of alcohol bite that gives it a bit of bitterness, which is necessary to balance out the sweetness of the brown sugar. The roasted malt gives Punkin' a woody vanilla quality that adds a certain warmth to round out the beer.

Mouth-Feel: Medium to fulll-bodied brown ale that doesn't overwhelm but still stakes it's claim to the taste buds.

Overall: This is a solid choice for a pumpkin seasonal. I would recommend this for watching the game on Turkey Day, or during the afternoon with relatives. It retains the beer characteristic very nicely, which some beers lose during their pumpkin seasonal. A very well balanced brew. I would drink this year-round if I could.

Cheers,

~William Millman

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The Pour: Pours a rusty brown-red with a clean-white head. Sawtooth lacing.

The Bouquet: Sweet malt, nougaty caramel, brown sugar, and a blast of hops.

The Sip: Strong alcohol bite. Deep hoppy bitterness, rounded out by the malt. There is a brown sugar sweetness, that smooths out the hops bitterness. Finish is earthy with some woody oak.

Mouth-Feel: Sharp bubbles with moderate carbonation. Medium to Full-bodied.

Overall: I would suggest drinking this at just a tad bit colder than room temperature. Anything colder will dull the malt and the hop bitterness will overwhelm the beer. As far as double IPAs go, this is one of my absolute favorites. It's got a nice balance of malty sweetness to hops, and has an excellent body. The drinkability of this beer is just phenomenal. It's hard to believe this clocks in at 11.5%.

Cheers,

~William Millman

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"Ruffino was among the first wineries to rediscover the Chianti Superiore appellation, which forms the perfect bridge between simpler Chianti DOCGs and more complex, deeper Chianti Classicos. Wines under the current Chianti Superiore DOCG code are subject to stricter production standards than Chianti DOCG wines."

~The Ruffino Website

The Pour: This wine has a nice shimmer to it as you hold it up to look through it, with  a light eggplant color.

The Bouquet: Not a lot going on here. Earthy, some berry notes, and some sharpness.

The Sip: Light bright-red cherries, some strawberry, and finally earthy currant. A tinge of vanilla on the back end.

Mouth-Feel: This is a very light bodied wine. It has a quick, crisp finish, and doesn't linger.

Overall: Very easy drinking. Instantly makes your mouth water for the next sip. The light body makes it the perfect aperitivo, or "pre-dinner" wine. I would take a couple bottles of this along for a sunny Sunday picnic with salami, mozzarella, and good olives. This also pairs well with pizza, any kind of pasta with red sauce, and

Cheers,

~William Millman

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The Pour: Pours an resiny orange-amber. 1-Finger creamy white head which disappears moderately quickly, leaving a flecking lacing.

The Bouquet: Herbal, citrusy hops. The herbal notes are that of bright pine. Citrus are orange and faint lemon.

The Sip: The hops are herbal, not overpowering but very much present from the beginning through the finish. The bitterness in the hops shines through as lemon, orange, tangerine (I believe the tangerine comes from the sweetness of the malt), a little pineapple,and pine.

Mouth-Feel: Light to medium body with small sharp bubbles.

Overall: This beer makes me yearn for the beach, the warmth of summer. It is an excellent IPA. Those of you out there who claim to dislike IPA should try this. The maltiness balances the hop bitterness beautifully. Drinks like a session ale, but with the bounce and body of an IPA The tropical hops whisk you away for a mini vacation. 

Cheers,

~William Millman

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Saucony Creek's Maple Mistress

The Pour: Pours a honey-brown, rusty amber. 2-finger Ivory white head, slow-fading with light lacing.

The Bouquet: Smells slightly sweet with caramel, brown sugar, and full-bodied spices.

The Sip: Beautiful sweetness, very powerful but not overwhelming Brown sugar and nougat, with a smack of pumpkin pie spice (cinnamon, nutmeg, ginger and allspice). There is a warmth to the taste of the Maple Mistress, it tastes like a belgian style with a beautiful mix of bready malts and the kick from the spices. Tastes in between a pumpkin pie tart and pumpkin bread. The maple syrup is present in the sip in its oaky qualities, warm sweetness and mellowness throughout.

Mouth-Feel: Has small light bubbles. Medium body.

Overall: By far and above my favorite pumpkin seasonal. This brew was a pleasure from when it splashed into the glass to the last sip which lingered, cuddling the taste buds. This beer is the perfect post turkey-dinner beer.

Cheers,

~William Millman

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Magner's Irish Apple Cider (http://www.magners.com/)  is made from 17 different varieties of apples. 

The Pour:  Very small head.  Translucent reddish-gold color.

The Bouquet:  You can tell that Magner's is made from more than one apple when you first sniff if.  It has an interesting layer of apple smells, sweet and tart and also somewhat bitter on the nose.  There is also a sense of grass or hay. Some slight notes of citrus are also present.

The Sip:  This is on the drier side of cider.  A lot of ciders I have had are on the sweeter side, but Magner's does a nice job of having just enough sweetness to balance out the dryness.  It has a very crisp finish.  

Mouth-Feel:  Magner's has the mouth feel of a dry, sparkling white-wine.  Has some pucker to it, refreshing and tart.

Overall:  It really depends on what you intend to use it for.  This isn't a cider you whip out to blow people away with its complexity, but it is a very solid standby.  Traditionally served over ice, this is a great cider for cook-outs, porch parties, or lazy sunday afternoon repast in bed with your loved one. It is not the cider for you if you like sweeter, more floral ciders.  Magner's is a nice cider because it doesn't attack you with complexity.  Magner's is dressed down and simply asks to be enjoyed, with friends in an informal setting.

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For the First beer review of this blog, I decided to go with the Sweet Baby Jesus Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter out of Du Claw's Vats in Baltimore, MD (http://www.duclaw.com/).

SBJ is famous for putting the Du Claw Brewery   on the map in a big way.

First of all, don't let the "Chocolate Peanut Butter" moniker lead you to believe that this is an overpoweringly sweet beer.  I did not anticipate liking this beer, and was very pleasantly surprised.

The Pour:  SBJ pours a "dark chocolate" brown hue with a caramel tan head.  There is a nice lacing that occurs throughout the drinking experience.

The Bouquet:  SBJ is a very aromatic beer.  There are heavy tones of caramel, roasted malt and coffee, as well as a roasted nut smell.  The roasted nut smell was more reminiscent of fresh almond butter than peanut butter.

The Sip:  Starts with a smooth, slightly sweet chocolate and coffee.  The roasted malt is very much present while not being overpowering or distracting from the overall experience.  To put it in musical terms, the malt is the kick drum in this rock song of a beer, it adds a great foundation and everything sort of swirls around it but it is not the main focus for the person enjoying this beer.  The malt is also responsible for this beer having a toasted oats quality to it, something I found very interesting in my experience with the SBJ.    The peanut butter doesn't hit you until the finish on the first sip, but is more present as it opens up. Again, it reminds me more of almond butter than peanut butter.

Mouth-Feel:  Not an overpowering carbonation, but this beer definitely has some bounce to it.  It isn't a super thick/heavy beer which I find nice.

Overall:  This beer is very, very good.  Through my conversations with people I have found that some people think that with a heavier body the SBJ would make the perfect dessert beer.  I think that this is misguided.  To me, this is the perfect breakfast beer. Sitting at a comfortable 6.5% I could see enjoying it with a BLT on wholegrain portuguese roll, or with some maple oatmeal or gluten free-pancakes on a hazy November morning.

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