Lupulin Libations

The name says it all.

Lupulin glands are the tiny little yellow pockets of goodness in a hop cone that contain some essential ingredients for aroma and flavor in beer.

A libation is an alcoholic beverage, and of course beer fits into that category.

Lupulin Libations is dedicated to everything beer. I offer you a chance to have an experience with beer through my organized tasting sessions.

Tuesday, November 27, 2012

Beer Brief #33 - Chimney Sweep



Brewery - August Schell Brewing Company, New Ulm, Minnesota

Beer - Chimney Sweep
Style - Franconian Dark Lager
ABV - 5.2%

IBUs - 31

Color - Dark brown with a strong red tint and a tan head
Aroma - Toffee, cocoa, hint of coffee, smoke
Flavor - Very similar to the aroma. Caramel, roasted coffee beans, tasty wood smoke, and balancing bitterness
Verdict - I was surprised to find out that Schell's will be discontinuing their stout. I know many people who are big fans of that brew will be disappointed to hear that. However, I'm happy that Chimney Sweep is the beer chosen to replace the stout. It has a nice, sweet malt profile with some roastiness and the perfect amount of smoke. I really like this brew and look forward to drinking more of it in the future!

Wednesday, November 21, 2012

2011 & 2012 Commander Comparo



My wife, Amy, had made plans a while ago to spend this evening with a couple of her friends. I try to encourage her to go out when she can, since she's always home with the kids. This would be a nice, fun break for her, and I would be able to do some PS3 gaming after the kids went to bed...

Unfortunately for my wife, her friends cancelled their plans. (Sorry PS3, you'll have to wait for another night.) Lucky for her, I have a back-up plan! I thought it would be fun for the two of us to sit down and do a little beer tasting for the Lupulin Libations blog.

We're going to compare the 2011 and 2012 versions of the Lift Bridge Commander barleywine. I'm even going to put Amy in front of the computer to type what she thinks! I know. Crazy, right? I've had the itch to do it ever since I gained possession of the 2012 bottle (so, like, a few days ago...).

About the beer: Commander is a 12.5% ABV English-style barleywine brewed with cardamom and aged in bourbon barrels, brewed by Lift Bridge Brewing Company in Stillwater, MN.

Alright, the kids are in bed. I think it might be time to get started. Are you ready? Let's do it!

2011 & 2012 Commander Comparison

Appearance

Nick: These two beers want to be the same color, and might just be. The 2011 is hazy, while the 2012 is crystal clear. That makes it hard to be exact regarding the color. They both have the same light tan head that dissipates fairly quickly into a thin ring of foam along the sides of the glass. Visible carbonation appears nearly identical.

Amy: The 2011 is definitely hazier, but seems similar in every other way. The foam does seem to stay around longer on the 2012.

Aroma

Nick: The 2011 has big wiffs of bourbon, vanilla, cardamom, light alcohol. Wow. The 2012 has the same notes as the 2011, but much more muted and subdued. It comes off more like a light caramel. The 2011 definitely wins this section by a nose. (Sorry, couldn't help the pun.)

Amy: They are so very close to me. The 2011 was easier to pull the aroma out, but the 2012 delivered the same aroma after a few swirls.

Flavor

Nick: Mmmm, delicious. Both have very similar flavors: caramel, vanilla, bourbon, toffee, cinnamon spice, touch of bitterness. The 2011 seems a little sweeter, especially up front. The 2012 is a touch more bitter at the finish. Otherwise, there doesn't seem to be a big difference.

Amy: They are both very yummy! This is a style I really enjoy. They are very similar, but I feel I could pull out more differences in the flavor than I could with the aroma. The 2011 seems to be sweeter and caramely in the beginning with less of a bite throughout. The 2012 has more of an alcohol burn in the middle with a more bitter finish.

Comparison Verdict

Nick: These two years of Commander are surprisingly similar, especially since one has been aging for a year. Both are delicious and are very enjoyable. You can't go wrong with either. I think if I had to choose between them, the 2011 would barely edge out the 2012, due to the more fragrant aroma and the marginally fuller palate from the slightly more sweet beginning.

Amy: I am drawn a little bit more to the 2011 because I tend to favor the sweeter flavors. Overall it just seemed a bit smoother. Both have a very complex flavor base giving it a very rich flavor. That is why I feel like I enjoy this beer so much. There is so much going on in every sip!

Monday, November 19, 2012

Beer Brief #32 - Imperial Pumpkin Ale


Brewery - Weyerbacher Brewing Company, Easton, Pennsylvania

Beer - Imperial Pumpkin Ale
Style - Pumpkin Ale brewed with cinnamon, nutmeg, cardamom, and cloves
ABV - 8%

Color - Reddish orange with a light tan head
Aroma - All the spices are definitely present in the nose: cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and cardamom along with a bit of brown sugar
Flavor - Light sweet caramel, hint of toasted bread, cinnamon and nutmeg dominate to make it spicy, perfect bitterness level at the finish - not too much, not too little
Verdict - This is a tasty pumpkin beer. I do however think the aroma is more pleasing than the flavor. This beer smells just like pumpkin pie. It doesn't taste just like pumpkin pie (which to be fair, I don't think any pumpkin beer does), but it is flavorful and delicious. Much lighter bodied than I expected and could sneak up on the beer drinker who is unaware of the ABV. I think this might just be my second-favorite pumpkin ale...

Tuesday, November 13, 2012

Beer Brief #31 - Eagle Claw Fist



Brewery - Clown Shoes Beer, Mercury Brewing Company, Ipswich, Massachusetts

Beer - Eagle Claw Fist
Style - Imperial Amber Ale
ABV - 8%

IBUs - 100+

Color - Copper brown with light tan head
Aroma - Brown sugar, biscuits, crackers, molasses, piney, grassy, earthy
Flavor - Toffee, slightly scorched caramel, bread dough, hint of grapefruit, slow building bitterness that turns massive at the finish
Verdict - The sweet and bready malt launches the flavor profile in such a way that I almost thought this was going to be a balanced beer. But then, the bitterness of the hops creeped out and smacked me upside the head! Tasty beer that I'd probably be willing to drink again, but not too often. Definitely check it out if you're a fan of bitter brews.

Monday, November 5, 2012

Beer Brief #30 - The Libertine



Brewery - Fulton Beer, Minneapolis, Minnesota

Beer - The Libertine
Style - Imperial Red Ale
ABV - 8.5%

IBUs - 45

Color - Dark red brown with a light tan head
Aroma - Brown sugar, cotton candy, toast, touch of herbal spice, hint of alcohol
Flavor - Caramel, sourdough bread, raisins, figs, pepper, moderate bitterness
Verdict - Sweet malts and a bit of fruit are balanced well by the bitter finish. After trying this for the first time, it has to be one of my 2 favorites from Fulton (Worthy Adversary is the other). C'mon, why should I have to choose just one, right?