Imagine my excitement upon leering into the cooler at Worden’s Market in Missoula, a bottle of Stone Brewing Imperial Russian Stout was staring back at me. Decision made in a heartbeat, and that bottle went home with me.

Upon opening the brew, the air was filled with cocoa and coffee waves of aroma. As I poured it, the anticipation was overwhelming.

Appearance: Rich dark, black coffee color with a one finger dark tan head.

Aroma: Incredible mocha-like tones. Almost felt like I holding a hot chocolate.

Mouthfeel: Exquisitely silky, or maybe more like drinking velvet.

Taste: Chocolate and coffee with a right hop bitterness. The high alcohol (10.5%) was almost entirely hidden except for comfortable warm on the back palette. Roasted characters are in the background – noticeable but not the stars.

Redneck Rating: Goddamn!

Last night, we meet for a little beer and food pairing tasting. For the food end of things, I brought my Honey-chipotle jerky. This was paired with the Stone Brewing Smoked Porter. And for dessert, Sam made homemade ice cream with from-scratch butterscotch and caramel sauces, which was pair with the John John Ale for Rogue River Brewing. I did forget my camera…absent minded. So, here is a middle review of the John John Ale.

Appearance: The thinnest of heads atop a rich honey color. Somewhat hazy as it is bottle-conditioned.

Aroma: Malty caramel and vanilla tones from the oak barrels.

Taste: Wow, great complexity. Up front there is a significant floral and pine. It is amazing that this beer is only 40 IBU. The mid-palette has honey and caramel highlights. Then, the surprise…this wonderful vanilla-oak that arises from the throat with the swallow.

Mouthfeel: Silken and smooth. Very little carbonation

Overall: This paired with the vanilla ice cream and butterscotch…hedonist, indeed. This was in my top 10 beer experiences.

Redneck Grade: Slap your momma, your sister, and your wife!

In an ode to the Beer Report, this beer is f*cking metal! It comes in a six pack which would be great if you split between 3 guys. At 8.8% ABV, it a stout mutha. Imagine my surprise when I found this little treasure in the back of gas station’s beer cooler.

Appearance: Scant white head that rather rapidly dissipates. Dark reddish-brown that is clear. Has legs like wine, or “that” girl from high school.

Aroma: Rather subtle bourbon with some floral and malt notes.

Taste: Wonderful flavors of vanilla toast, if that makes any sense. I guess, I mean that it is very malty with a unique mix of floral, vanilla, and caramel on top of a grainy maltiness.

Mouthfeel: Very full feeling, coats my entire palette.

Overall: I really enjoyed this brew, then again I have been a fan of all of Lagunitas seasonal releases.

Redneck Grade: Slap your momma!

Sidenote: I was going to do a video review except a ‘typical’ blizzard descended on Montucky…next review.

An unique brown ale that is sweet and robust at the same time.

Appearance: One-finger head that is tinged with tan. Reddish-brown in color. Moderation carbonation.

Aroma: This may be a bit esoteric, but I was reminded of ponderosa pine – piney with hints of vanilla and floral.

Taste: The piney hoppiness attacks at first. The malts had caramel sweetness, which I find enjoyable in brown ales.

Mouthfeel: Surprising light and crisp on the palette.

Overall: I really enjoyed this brew, then again I have been a fan of all of Lagunitas seasonal releases. Overall grade: B+

I just realized that I had a bunch of old beer reviews and posts that were just sitting in the Live Writer folder, so I decided to post them to Rockies Brew today. I hope that you like them or tell me if you hate them.

Appearance: Dark Golden with a thick creamy head
Aroma: Soft pine aroma with light hops
Taste: Creamy palate with bright pine notes…very pleasant

Overall: I have never had a juniper-infused ale, but I have been thinking of using that ingredient in an upcoming homebrew. So, when I saw this on the shelf at Rosauers it was quickly grabbed and purchased. I enjoyed this brew; however, it is not what I find to be a session beer. It is great for a pint or two. I can’t wait to brew my Northern Lights Juniper Rye PA…coming soon.

This evening Andy and I went down to the Bozeman Brewing Company’s tasting room. We started off with a Pumpkin Ale. We both thought that it was somewhat over-spiced with, in my opinion, the allspice taking over. My next brew was a Dry Irish Stout on a nitrogenated tap. This was excellent with a milky mouthfeel and great hints of coffee and smoke in the aroma like cowboy coffee. A great beer that I hope stays in rotation. I ended the session with a beer that is big in every way, the Hopzone. I refer to this ale as "Man candy" — heavy hopness, not bitter – hoppy, and a stiff belt of a heavy gravity Double-IPAish beverage. The Bozone never disappoints, they are always stretching their limits with new ideas and techniques. I encourage everyone to support this great local brewery whenever possible.

Today I brewed a recipe of my own devices, a Sticky Sweet Maple Honey Porter. The intent of this was to have big porter with sweet tones of coffee, maple, and floral tones from the Fuggles hops and honey. In what follows is the recipes, images from the brew day, and the brew particulars.

Fermentables
7 lbs. – Dark Malt Extract Syrup
1.5 lbs. -  Honey
1.25 lbs. – Maple Syrup
1 lbs. -  Rye Malt
1 lbs. – American Black Patent

Hops
1.0 oz. – Fuggles 4.6% AA
0.5 oz. – Fuggles 4.6% AA
0.5 oz. – Fuggles 4.6% AA

Yeast
White Labs Irish Ale (WLP004)

Steep black patent and rye for 30 minutes at ~155 F

Add dark malt extract and 1oz of Fuggles hops. Bring up to a boil.

Add honey and 0.5 oz. of Fuggles hops at 15 minutes.

Add maple syrup and the remaining 0.5 oz. of hops at 2 minutes.

Postscript: The fermentation is healthy to say the least.

This evening I had the Copper John Scottish Ale from the Madison River Brewing. The brew is a nose full of smoke and peat tones. The color is a bit light for the style, but the flavor is on. Overall, it is a good Scottish ale, but I think that it is a light in gravity and color.

Tonight, Sam and I went down to the Bozeman Brewing Company tasting room for a few great beers and to listen to the Bridger Creek Boys. The bluegrass was incredible and beers were just as amazing. The band seems to just getting tighter and tighter. I had 2 different brews; the Wee Heavy Barley Wine and the HopZone.

Wee Heavy Barley Wine The nose of this great barley wine is the first thing that you notice when bringing the sniffer to your face. Thick waves of malt fill your nostrils. the mouth-feel is full and soothing. The flavor has floral, almost honey, notes with a nice amount of alcohol. A great beer in a great atomshpere.

HopZone HopZone sums this one up. The aroma is full of floral and resin notes. The first sip brings a full force hop punch to your grill. This is awesome for a hop-head like myself. This is one of my perfect beers – high hops and high alcohol (~7.5% ABV).