Eel River Triple Exultation

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The Triple Exultation was an experiment, of sorts.  I've been wanting to brew my own old ale for some time yet, but it hasn't quite gotten to the top of the priority listing thus far.  However, since it is a variety that's not exactly en vogue these days, I decided it would be a good idea for me to get a feel for what I would be shooting for in my eventual batch.

Eel River seems to have put together an ale that caught me off-guard, but most definitely in a favorable way.  This beer's smell was significantly fruitier than I anticipated; the malt was extremely prevalent.  However, the fruit was only minimally present in the taste.  Instead the malt came through strongly, which, as one might expect, led to a somewhat high-gravity final product (the beer didn't list its FG on the bottle, but it had a lingering feel to it).  To balance the sweetness, there was a significant amount of some form of grain I couldn't quite put my finger on (my best guess was rye).

You may notice from the image above that there was a significant level of carbonation present; very much higher than most beers I consume.  That said, it was balanced well by the high level of alcohol and the thickness of the beer itself.

Pairing Suggestions
This is an interesting question; I don't typically have beers that are this malty, so I'll have to wing it and see how it goes.  I would imagine this would balance well with an acidic dish, perhaps even a spicy one (pad thai?), as the thickness of the beer would help calm down the fire.  I wouldn't recommend any light flavors, however, as they might get overwhelmed quite easily by the beer itself.

Lagunitas Hop Stoopid IIPA

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Although most craft beer drinkers are likely familiar with Lagunitas due to their widely-distributed IPA, they actually produce a rather wide variety of other beers, most of which I would consider highly drinkable.  That said, given my latest penchant for Imperial IPAs and their bretheren, it should be somewhat unsurprising that I gravitated immediately to their "Hop Stoopid" ale, which proudly boasts that it brings 102 IBUs (International Bitterness Units - a scale that is supposed to top out at 100, but the recent surge in robust IPAs has most breweries claiming higher).  Since the brewers seemed to have me pegged (I was drawn not only to "stoopid" for the word itself, but for their choice of spelling), it seemed only appropriate that I give it a shot.

As one might expect from an IIPA, the Stoopid was extremely floral, with notes of flowers that I don't know how to pick out, so don't ask.  This is balanced by a nice level of fruit, notably oranges and apples from what I could tell.  Despite its appearance in the photo, the carbonation was relatively light on the tongue, which goes well with its medium gravity level.  Considering its claims, its bitterness wasn't really as high as I anticipated; certainly it was lower than other IIPAs I've had in the past.  That said, this certainly isn't a complaint; I would definitely recommend this one.  As far as this variety goes, it can't match Stone's Ruination, but it certainly makes a valiant attempt.

Pairing Suggestions
The fruit and mild bitterness level of this beer would lead me to believe it would pair well with roasted (or ideally, grilled) pork.  A good pulled pork sandwich would be fantastic, but it would probably also do well with a thai-style dish, as it would do well to balance a mild spiciness.

Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary Stout

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Sierra Nevada is largely known for their famous Pale Ale, a beer that I've never been hugely impressed by, but as far as a mass-produced beer, it's certainly not bad.  That said, it seems like I've started seeing more variety from them in the past few years; I'm not sure if this is due to my imagination, to my increasing interest in small-batch beers, or an actual effort on their part to diversify.  Regardless, these more interesting brews have been most impressive to me, and none more so than their first (of a series of four) 30th Anniversary Ale.  To celebrate the brewery's significant anniversary, the brewers are teaming up with other brewers from around the country to produce four different types of beer as one-off releases; if this bottle is any evidence of what's to come, I predict that I'll be buying multiples of each release as soon as it appears on the shelf.

The 30th Stout is an excellent demonstration of what a stout can be: malty, toasty, and extremely complex.  The initial flavor is an almost overwhelming maltiness that is counterbalanced by the toasty bitterness from the darker grains present.  As the beer lingers on the palate, mild hints of fruit come out, followed shortly by a strong espresso flavor that holds long after the beer is gone.  The stout's typical light carbonation gives it almost a creamy head that helps lighten what is most certainly a high-gravity beer.  Little in the way of hops are immediately present, but then, the point of this beer is to highlight malt, not flowers.  As you may be able to tell, I cannot recommend this beer highly enough; the unfortunate fact that it is a limited one-time release (which, sadly, was released over a month ago) leads me to suggest that if you find it on the shelf anywhere, buy it immediately.  If nothing else, it's robust enough to age well on the shelf for years to come.

Pairing Suggestions
A beer of this magnitude is probably best paired with rich hearty fare; I picture a greasy leg of roast beast with a very distinct flavor that is not at all mild.  A good grilled tri-tip roast or rack of ribs would do well here, as the weight of the beer would go well with the weight of their flavors.  Additionally, much like the Bison Chocolate Stout, this would do well as a dessert beer, paired with dark chocolate (a mousse, perhaps?) or cheesecake.  If you're feeling heretical, I bet it would reduce into a fantastic steak sauce, but please don't tell me if you end up doing so; this beer deserves better.

Bison Chocolate Stout

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The Bison Chocolate Stout was something I picked up on a whim during a pilgrimage to the local BevMo. It came highly recommended by my cashier, who is starting to recognize me--an unsettling thought. Nonetheless, it was an intriguing prospect as it claims to be completely organic, which for a beer means ... well, actually I have no idea what forms of regulation are in place in the beer industry for such terms, so it could be completely meaningless.

The immediate taste is reminiscent of coffee; not quite to the espresso level, but certainly carrying a bit of bitterness, which I can only assume is due to the charring of the grains used in the brewing process. Not a lot of malt or hops present, leaving the grain flavors to stand on their own. The carbonation is medium-high, resulting in a slight burn on the tongue that is not due to alcohol (the alcohol burn itself is relatively low). For a stout, this is surprisingly refreshing; most stouts tend to be high-gravity thick beers that coat the mouth like cough syrup, but the Bison keeps the gravity low, which I certainly appreciate.

Pairing Suggestions
This would actually be a decent dessert beer, largely due to the coffee notes present. It would go well with vanilla ice cream or, if you're into chocolate-fruit pairings, raspberries and chocolate or something along those lines. It might work for cheesecake, but I'm not sure that it has enough acidity to cut through the richness of cream cheese.

Stone Ruination Ale

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At the risk of coming across as one of those people who sit around with fellow snobs talking about a particular drink's "mouthfeel" and "citrusy notes", this post marks a style that is new to my blog: a brief review of something I recently (or more often than not, not-so-recently) consumed. In most cases, this will involve beer or wine, but this could certainly change at my every whim. This is ostensibly in an attempt to keep track of the many varieties I end up trying, if for nothing else than to make sure I keep track of mistakes and don't end up repeating them. These posts will most likely come across as standard wine-tasting elitist jargon, but hell, it's my blog so shut up.


Stone's Ruination is a fitting first review post as it's one of my favorite beers for the time being. In my book, it is the India Pale Ale against which all other IPAs are judged, and as such, little that I end up drinking meets with its high standard. In my relatively limited home-brewing attempts, I've already tried to match its splendor twice, both times with inadequate (albeit still tasty) results. The only problem I have with this beer is that, much like most craft brews, it comes with a rather high price tag and must be enjoyed infrequently lest one's wallet protest too much.

After the inital pour, Ruination exudes a great deal of fruit in the smell alone, largely citrusy (ha! Told you!), but with some sweetness in the end. Its taste evokes a combination of pear, apple, and lemon flavors tempered with the IPA's signature high level of hops. The carbonation level is medium, balancing well with the crispness of the taste. The hops are not as bitter as one might expect, but this is probably due in part to the fruit helping to moderate the alpha acids present. As would be expected, there is little in the way of malt flavor, resulting in a low-gravity beer that is quite refreshing for a warm day.

Pairing Suggestions
Dishes designed to accentuate the beer's fruitiness (or rather, vice versa I suppose) would be best. It works well with fattier foods as the acid levels help cut through the richness present in the food itself. Fish, particularly catfish, works quite nicely. Tomatoes or cole slaw are also good ideas.