February 2009

Ten Fidty and Telegraph Wheat at City Beer

well, February 2009 was quite the month, Strong Ale month and SF Beer week provided a plethora of refreshing, tasty and humbling new beers. Here are a few that are new to report for the month:

Drakes Imperial Stout Slight malt, molasses and currant, but mostly chocolate, caramel and roast. Medium to light mouthfeel, a very bronze to black color. Flavors of roast, caramel, toast, with chocolate, coffee and toffee highlights. Definite warmth. Somewhat slick and medium bitterness in the finish. 4.0

Oskar Blues Ten Fidty
Imperial Stout, in a can!
Vanilla, chocolate, malt, caramel and definite graham cracker in the nose. Medium bodied, jet black, a little slick on the tounge. Flavors of chocolate, cream, toffee, light vanilla. Slight bitterness in the middle, but overall a creamy, slightly sweet finish. 3.9

Dikke Mathile
Belgium Amber Ale
Nose of toast, pear, apple, slight banana. Light amber color, light haze, with slight gold and orange highlights. Light nutty flavor, banana, pear, light earth and citrus. Light to medium bitter finish, slightly creamy. Nice, balanced Beligum Amber. 3.8

Port Midnight Sessions
Black ale - Schwartzbier
Nose of chocolate, toast, slight roast and yeast. Medium to thick body, deep black with deep garnett highlights. Flavors of roast, toast and light chocolate. Light finish, slightly thick. 3.8

New Belgium Lips of Faith
Dark Kriek ale with Cherries
Nose of cherries, caramel, sour fruit, berries, oak and toast. Deep amber with garnett highlights, light haze, off white but quickly disappating head. Light to thin body. Flavors of sour cherries, caramel, oak, toffee, light grain and sweet-tart. Lightly puckering finish. Could use some more complexity, but a nice beginning. 3.7

Alesmith Anvil ESB
Nose of strong toffee, light malt and toast, and hints of dried fruit. Garnett color with a light orange tinge, light bodied. Flavors of toffee, toast, light vanilla and apple esters. Lightly dry and malty finish. 3.6

Widmer 2009 Brewers Reserve
Belgium Golden Ale
Nose of toast, toffee, and strong banana and pear esters. Clear, deep gold with orange highlights, off white but disappating head. Flavors of grain, carmel, banana, pear and light citrus in the finish. Very light "band aid" flavor from the phenolics. Light sweetness to this beer that ends with a rather bitter finish. 3.4

Josephbrau Winterfest
Dopplebock Nose of chocolate, roast, smoke, dried fruits. Deep brown color with golden highlights, medium to full bodied. Flavors of chocolate, roast, caramel, smoke, toast, banana, pear. Light oxidation. Finish is medium, light bitterness over the sweetness. 3.0

Lost Abbey Avant Garde
Biere de Garde
Nose of apple, caramel, toffee and cherries. Medium bodied, deep gold color with orange highlights, low head. Flavors mostly toffee, toast, caramel and slight yeast esters. Finish is sweet, mild, creamy. Really needs more farmhouse and yeast character. 2.5

Peek into the Coolers at City Beer