In this week’s episode of Electronic Beer, the gents talk about our impending 2012 doom and LG’s new super chilling beer refridgeration technology. On the homebrewing front, Chris talks about his homebrewed chocolate porter, Adam talks about his coffee stout and the joys of PBW (Powdered Brewery Wash). Additionally, there’s also reviews of three brews from the likes of Full Sail and Sam Adams.

As always, big thanks to our IRC host thinstack.net and our former music producer Moonlit at bgaaudio.org.

You can find Derek on twitter @ddahlen, Adam @chzbacon and Chris @cloudchaos.

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Electronic Beer Weekly – Episode 67

The Beers

Wreck The Halls

Full Sail Brewery

Reviewed by:Adam - Electronic Beer

Score

3.8

out of 5

Style

Harvest Ale/Wet Hop

ABV

6.5

%

Review Notes

As a beer drinking I love this time of the year. This time I have the Full Sail "Wreck the Halls". One thing I know for sure is that this beer goes great with the National Lampoon's Christmas Vacation movie. On this nose this one has a nice fresh floral aroma. It pours a nice medium golden color with about a half inch worth of light white head that dissipates pretty quickly. On the taste you get a nice hop bite right on the tip of your tongue which rolls off leaving a nice mild back end. Overall it's a pretty good beer. If spot one left in the store grab it.

Samuel Adams Black & Brew

Boston Brewing Company

Reviewed by:Chris - Electronic Beer

Score

4.5

out of 5

Style

American-Style Stout

ABV

5.8

%

Review Notes

Pours out a pitch black with about 3 fingers of khaki head. On the nose it smells heavy of coffee and chocolate. has a good coffee and chocolate taste with a hint of sweetness and a coffee aftertaste. Very good brew!

Right before we rang in the new year, Adam and I did a show which will never see the light of day. However, we wanted to share the love and post the reviews we did as part of the show. Here are those solid holiday brews.

Snow Day

New Belgium Brewing Company

Reviewed by:Adam - Electronic Beer

Score

4.4

out of 5

Style

American Black Ale

ABV

6.2

%

Review Notes

It's that time of the year again. So many great beers flood the shelves around this time. In this review however, we'll only cover one of them. The New Belgium Snow Day. It pours out a nice dark color, with about two fingers width worth of light tan head. There also seems to be some really nice lacing on the glass. To some this beer may be scary due to it's dark appearance, but don't be fooled, this beer is just as delicate as a Belgian ale. The nose on this one has a nice rich malty smell, along with a really light hint of fresh hops. On the front of the drink you get this really light bodied mouth feel, some really light carbonation, and a bit of sweetness from the malt. On the back of the drink you get his really nice coffee / fresh hop blend, followed up with a nice light aftertaste. I had a friend suggest the beer, and now I know why. The Snow Day is truly a great beer. Also weighing in at 6.2% ABV it's no slouch. Do yourself a favor the next time you're at the store, and pick up a sixer of Snow Day.

Sucks (Holiday Ale)

Lagunitas Brewing Company

Reviewed by:Derek - Electronic Beer

Score

4.4

out of 5

Style

American India Pale Ale

ABV

7.9

%

Review Notes

Poured out of a 12 oz bottle into a Mother Earth Brewing Company pint glass with about two centimeters of head and a crystal clear pale golden hue. The nose has loads of piney, grassy freshness with a touch of apricot lingering in the background. The nose is super fresh and pungent, absolutely enticing. The sip really focuses on the hop characteristics with the lack of complexity on the malt bill. I get loads of pine and a touch of grapefruit peel with a touch of sweetness lingering at the finish. The mouthfeel is nice and medium bodied which helps to support the punch of hoppy goodness. And at nearly 8%, it's definitely what I'd expect out of this brew. Overall, this is a super hop forward IPA which I find fairly unbalanced (but not in a bad way) with just a touch of sweetness from the malt. The 63 IBUs shine through and pack a punch that I didn't quite see coming. I think this is an extremely solid West Coast IPA which is sure to bring cheer to any holiday celebration.

As we start anew in 2012, we at Electronic Beer wanted to reflect on our top 6 rated beers of 2011. These brews offer a broad array from Strong Ales to Pumpkin Ales and I feel they represent the best of the best that we tasted over the course of the year.

As I look back on my reviews, I feel pretty strongly about the scores I placed for these particular brews. The experiences with them definitely shine through as some of my best brews of 2011.

Moving forward to 2012, if I had to make a beer resolution, it would be to try less one-off productions and special releases and more standard releases. I feel the standard brews more broadly represent what everyday beer drinkers are purchasing.

Double Bastard Ale

Stone Brewing Company

Reviewed by:Adam - Electronic Beer

Score

4.8

out of 5

Style

American Strong Ale

ABV

11.2

%

Review Notes

It's been awhile since I've had a brew. I'm really glad to start things off on the right track. This beer pours a beautiful dark copper color, and finishes off maybe with a 1/2 inch of head. Right off the bat the nose has an amazing floral aroma with dare a say a hint of bubble gum? This brew hits the tongue with a real bastard of a bite, but mellows out great as it spreads across the palate. It finishes with a nice almost sugary sweetness on the lips. Honestly I think that bite comes from the 11.2% ABV which it packs. Overall This is a really top notch beer thats a real privilege to drink.

Buried Hatchet Stout

Southern Star Brewery

Reviewed by:Adam - Electronic Beer

Score

4.7

out of 5

Style

Imperial Stout

ABV

8.3

%

Review Notes

This beer pours really dark chocolate brown color with a light reddish copper tint. The head has a nice tan color and lays on beer with about two fingers width worth of head. This beer has a really great nose. I'm picking up a really nice blend of dark chocolate, espresso, and caramel. A real nice creamy mouthfeel with some subtle coffee and dark chocolate notes that roll off the tongue to create a really full bodied experience. To me this is a prime example of what a imperial stout should be. This stout would pair excellent with anything from a steak to chocolate cake. Overall this beer is nothing less than great. I would highly suggest anyone reading this to find a can and judge for themselves.

Brewer's Reserve Bourbon Barrel Stout

Central Waters Brewing Company

Reviewed by:Derek - Electronic Beer

Score

4.6

out of 5

Style

Imperial Stout

ABV

9.5

%

Review Notes

Poured from a 12oz bottle into a Duvel snifter with a small tan head. This is the Central Waters winter seasonal limited release. On the nose I get a really nice sweet, vanilla and earthy aromas. Definitely get the bourbon on this one. The taste hits me with quite a bit of chocolate, vanilla, and a hint of coffee. This beer is extremely well rounded. The mouthfeel has a perfect amount of carbonation for the style, and drinks extremely smooth with a slight amount of dry bitterness on the backend. Overall, I'd have to say this is one of the best bourbon stouts I've ever had, and the price is definitely right.

Halcyon

Tallgrass Brewing Company

Reviewed by:Derek - Electronic Beer

Score

4.6

out of 5

Style

American Wheat Beer

ABV

5.0

%

Review Notes

Poured out of a 12 oz can into a Tallgrass pint glass with a hazy golden hue. The nose on this one reminds me of a sweet orange marmalade with hints of lemony citrus and a slight grassy note. It's definitely one of the best aromatically charged wheat beers that I've had. The taste has quite a bit of orange, but not overbearingly so. The finish is extremely clean and light with a hint of lingering bitterness. The malt definitely comes through on this, but doesnt overpower the bitterness or the hop flavors and aromatics. The mouthfeel is light and crisp. Definitely a summer beer here. Overall, this is an insanely drinkable beer, perfect for summer. The balance between the aromatics, malt and bitterness are perfect for both the seasoned and amateur craft beer drinker. If you're looking for a new summer brew, I highly recommend you try this out.

Silver Anniversary Ale

Summit Brewing Company

Reviewed by:Derek - Electronic Beer

Score

4.6

out of 5

Style

American India Pale Ale

ABV

6.5

%

Review Notes

Poured out of a 12 oz bottle into a Mother Earth Brewing Company pint glass with a pale golden tone and about an inch of head. The nose has some incredibly fresh, grassy citrus and tropical fruit hop aromatics which is supported by a nice caramel sweetness. On first sip I get some grassy piney bitterness with almost a caramelized citrus flavor as well. The lingering bitterness is very reminiscent of the stalwart Extra Pale Ale (EPA), but has a but more punch to it. Even with the extra IBUs, the brew still retains the balance that is so key to a solid IPA. The mouthfeel is medium bodied and incredibly smooth. This beer is drinking extremely well right now. Overall, I think this is a fantastic, modernized twist on the always delicious EPA. I'll definitely be enjoying this over the next few weeks.

Pumpkinator

Saint Arnold Brewery

Reviewed by:Adam - Electronic Beer

Score

4.6

out of 5

Style

Pumpkin Ale

ABV

0.0

%

Review Notes

Right off the bat this beer has a great nose on it. A great mixture of nutmeg, cinnamon, and cloves, no real pumpkin per say though. This is great for me because I totally despise pumpkin, and had it not been for this site I wouldn't be drinking it to begin with. The pour is really dark almost black as I would expect with a stout. It's also very lightly carbonated, which again I would expect. On the drink it has a nice rich almost spicy taste, and really follows through with the spices you get from the nose. I now know why people were waiting in line for this beer. Simply put, this beer is badass. As for a food pairing I think any sort of pork dish would go well, but it could also be a great desert beer. IF you can find this beer, do yourself a favor and pick it up.