Hill Country Beer Club

Red
February 21, 2014

Brandy's House (log in for address)
15:30:00

It's red month. Be creative, or boringly compliant. Red ales, sour reds, red labels, "red" in the name of the beer, or even something from a communist country. Your choice.

Brewer	Beer	Vintage	Score
Leinenkugel	Big Eddy	2014	89
Boulevard Brewing Company	Mid-Coast IPA		90
Adstragold	Red Ale		83
New Castle	Cabbie	2013	85
Santa Fe Brewing Company	Irish Red Ale	2014	85
Grolsche Bierbrouwerij Ned. (SABMiller)	Premium Lager		82
Boulevard Brewing Company	Westside Rye Ale	2014	87
Boulevard Brewing Company	Irish ale	2014	86
Sierra Nevada Brewing Company	Flipside Red IPA	2013	89
Horny Goat	Baby Got Bock	2014	87
Ninkasi Brewing Company	Believer Double Red	2013	90
Boston Beer Company	Tasman Red	2014	90
Hop Guru	Double IPA Single Dry Hopped	2014	90
Collrsi	Imper Ale	2013	87
Karbach Brewing Company	Yule Shoot Your Eye Out	2013	88
Stillwater Artisanal Ales	Stillwater Folklore	2013	88
Oskar Blues Grill & Brew	G'Knight Imperial Red		91
Boulevard Brewing Company	Long Strange Tripel	2014	89
Core Brewing and Distilling	IMPERIAL RED IPA	2014	89
Karbach Brewing Company	Hellfighter	2014	90
Hop Guru	999	2013	89
Stone Brewing Company	Punishment	2013	61

Who Offered: BRANDY, CHEETO, FATBOY, KAY JAY, LARA, MOJO, NOSS, PRIMETIME, SANTA, STEPH, WESTEXANS, WRIGHT DIST., WRIGHT DISTRIBUTING

Who Drank: BRANDY, CHEETO, FATBOY, KAY JAY, LARA, MOJO, NOSS, PRIMETIME, SANTA, STEPH, WESTEXANS

Summary

89	Leinenkugel Big Eddy Russian Imprrial \| % ABV \| Unknown IBU Offered By: STEPH

90	Boulevard Brewing Company Mid-Coast IPA American-Style India Pale Ale (IPA) \| % ABV \| Unknown IBU Offered By: PRIMETIME

Member Notes:
"This is bright and almost lemony in color with a thin, clear, but slightly foggy appearance. Its nose is really nice, citrusy, and well-dosed with chewy, bold hops. It has an awesome nose. It’s clean, clear, and dominated by citrus hops. It’s bitter, slightly astringent in the mouth, and very green. Thin and easy, but those bold on hops can really satisfy a hop craving. There’s almost a sweetness that sticks around on the teeth, a sign of some seriously high levels of hop acidity. I like it. For such high IBUs it’s incredibly palatable." - noss

83	Adstragold Red Ale Imperial or Double Red Ale \| 4% ABV \| Unknown IBU Offered By: BRANDY

Club/Brewer Notes:
Awarded BRONZE Medal SEA Microbrewery Award, BeerFest Asia 2010 ! Crafted with lightly roasted barley malt and aroma hops. Mellow non-bittle ale, with a slight dash of roasted aroma. Similar to English Bass Ale. Most favourite drinkable lightest dark ale! Excellence for non-dark ales drinker!

Member Notes:
"This was offered to me in an unmarked, clear plastic, screw-top bottle. That and the fact that the beer was from a microbrewery in Singapore, would normally make me think twice about drinking it. But I decided to try my luck. Besides, it’s fermented… how bad can it be for you? It’s dark, but clear-bodied, with healthy carbonation. There’s a strong aroma of burnt caramel and a heavy underlying sweetness. It’s odd in the mouth, with a very spiced, herbal bitterness and clean-bodied mouthfeel and finish. The bitterness is prevalent with a lasting uniqueness that, well… I’ll just say that I can’t tell if it’s pleasant or not." - noss

85	New Castle Cabbie Black Ale \| 4.2% ABV \| 23 IBU Offered By: LARA

Member Notes:
"First, this by no means is a black ale. It’s brown… dark brown, really, with a hint of dark red. Its nose is dark and sweet with a touch of smoky wood. The palate is dark, but dull and thinly malty. That’s it. Nothing more." - noss

85	Santa Fe Brewing Company Irish Red Ale Irish-Style Red Ale \| 4.5% ABV \| Unknown IBU Offered By: CHEETO

Club/Brewer Notes:
Just in time for spring, this Irish Red Ale will bring out the malt-lover in all of us. Using a subtle blend of American and Noble hops, this beer is a harmonious anthem to malty goodness. Brewed with the highest quality heritage barley and succulent golden oats, this Maris Otter based brew, bursts with smooth caramel and chocolaty notes with a clear garnet hue. Its delicate sweetness compliments the full-body flavor of this session brew trailed by perhaps this beer's most intriguing characteristic—its dry finish. To the beer-lover who appreciates a true session beer, this Irish Red offers an excellent balance of malt's two signature attributes—sweetness and roasty dryness. Slainte!

Member Notes:
"This Irish Red has a dark red color and is mostly clear-bodied, with a dark caramelized nose and palatable sweetness. The mouth is sweet as well and very well-balanced, with a malty pleasance. It’s easy and enjoyable. I like it." - noss

82	Grolsche Bierbrouwerij Ned. (SABMiller) Premium Lager European Low-Alcohol Lager \| 5% ABV \| Unknown IBU Offered By: WRIGHT DISTRIBUTING

87	Boulevard Brewing Company Westside Rye Ale American Rye Ale or Lager \| 5.2% ABV \| 36 IBU Offered By: WRIGHT DIST.

Member Notes:
"Pale golden in color, this rye ale is rightly dark and almost murky in appearance. The nose isn’t very appealing, with just a touch of dirty, but plain, rye. The flavor is somewhat bright, but muddy on the palate, with a mostly undecorated bouquet. I expected better for some reason, but it’s actually very pleasant for the style." - noss

86	Boulevard Brewing Company Irish ale Irish-Style Red Ale \| 5.8% ABV \| Unknown IBU Offered By: WRIGHT DIST.

Member Notes:
"Has an amber-red color with a toasty aroma. Flavor is a little hoppy. Light mouth feel. Huh, almost tastes like black tea. Great for an Irish ale! " - noss

89	Sierra Nevada Brewing Company Flipside Red IPA Red IPA \| 6.2% ABV \| Unknown IBU Offered By: NOSS

Club/Brewer Notes:
Flipside Red IPA is a rebuttal to the mild-mannered beers of summer. Tropical fruit and citrus hop flavors from the use of whole-cone Citra, Simcoe and Centennial hops are the perfect notes for this in-between season.

Member Notes:
"This dark, reddish-orange-brown colored beer is, although off-centered for Sierra Nevada, still deserving of one’s expectations. It has a light brown ale/amber aroma, with defining characteristics reminiscent of something Irish. The nose is is malty and red, with highly caramelized malts. It’s beefy, with soft and earthy hops to compliment.In the mouth, wow, very mutt-like in style, but still obviously a red IPA. There’s something about it, though, that’s not what you’d expect of your everyday red IPA. It’s still heavy for what you’d expect of an IPA, with obvious residual sugars weighing things down. There’s definitely something Irish or English about it. Whether it’s the thickness on the palate or something else, it’s definitely very defining of the beer.It seems to me to stand out amongst others of the style. It’s slightly more malty than red in the mouth, a maltiness that barely covers the hop presence. In addition, it finishes more like an Englush or east coast yeasted ale to think that it’s not just a plain old red IPA. Everything that a red IPA should be, just put together quite differently. Overall, it feels like an IPA, but smooth, malty, and different, with a great, subtle hop profile." - noss

87	Horny Goat Baby Got Bock Bavarian-Style Bock \| 6.3% ABV \| 25 IBU Offered By: WRIGHT DIST.

90	Ninkasi Brewing Company Believer Double Red American Strong Ale \| 6.9% ABV \| Unknown IBU Offered By: WESTEXANS

Club/Brewer Notes:
Brewed and dedicated to the believers of Ninkasi. Rich dark malt complexity is balanced by a plentiful hop presence bringing together perfection in every sip. Who knew believing had so many rewards.

Member Notes:
"Moderately solid orange-brown color with heavy sediment, this hefty red has a sweet, gorgeous nose that’s a beautifully-balanced mix of yeast, hops, and sweet malts. In the mouth it offers a bitter, Belgian-style experience with a slightly gritty creaminess. The aroma is great, but in my opinion the flavor is seriously lacking. It’s also a little too yeasty, although subtly so." - noss

90	Boston Beer Company Tasman Red Red IPA \| 7% ABV \| Unknown IBU Offered By: SANTA

90	Hop Guru Double IPA Single Dry Hopped Imperial or Double India Pale Ale (IPA) \| 7.5% ABV \| 75 IBU Offered By: KAY JAY

Club/Brewer Notes:
A single dry hopped IPA that is centered on hop flavor and aroma, but not bitterness. At 7.5% it just makes it into Double IPA range.

87	Collrsi Imper Ale Red Ale \| 8% ABV \| Unknown IBU Offered By: LARA

Club/Brewer Notes:
Pleasantly sweet with intense and spicy aroma of caramel, malt, hazelnuts and a very persistent finish.

88	Karbach Brewing Company Yule Shoot Your Eye Out Spice \| 8% ABV \| 37 IBU Offered By: MOJO

Club/Brewer Notes:
Ah, the sudden Texas change from Summer to Winter. This might possibly be our favorite time of year. Pull on your hoodie and head to your local pub for something warming. This, our Winter seasonal, is a black ale spiced generously with cocoa nibs, orange peel, ginger, cardamom, allspice, nutmeg, and cinnamon. It truly is the holidays in a glass. Medium bodied, this brew delivers a surprising amount of dark chocolate bitterness while the spices dance on your tongue providing a complex array of winter flavors. 8% ABV, please drink responsibly. Otherwise you might shoot your eye out! Malts: Pale Vienna, Munich, Chocolate, Carafa, Crystal Hops: Spalt, Hallertauer, Saphir Extras: Ginger, Cocoa Nibs, Orange Peel, Cardamom, Allspice, Nutmeg, Cinnamon O.G.: 18.5 plato

88	Stillwater Artisanal Ales Stillwater Folklore Foreign (Export)-Style Stout \| 8.4% ABV \| Unknown IBU Offered By: FATBOY

Club/Brewer Notes:
Human history is filled with myths and legends that shape and define our culture. Rituals, celebrations, gatherings.. whatever. One thing that's for sure, is we enjoy a proper shindig. So let's get the stories flowing and share a little 'Folklore'. A bracingly deep ale, built dark and rich with an elegantly lean body, accompanied by heady aromas of Belgian yeast, earthy hops and gently kissed by a wisp of smoke

Member Notes:
"This pleasant surprise is very dark brown, almost black, with red hues. It has a dark, malty aroma, while not being too roasted. It’s nice and easy. The flavor is really nice, almost fruity, and nearly candy-like, but not in the way that most fruity stouts are. It’s really nice and inviting, a real treat. It has a soft, beautiful mouthfeel and finish, nearly chocolaty, thin, but complex and mature. Bueno. " - noss

91	Oskar Blues Grill & Brew G'Knight Imperial Red American-Style India Pale Ale (IPA) \| 8.7% ABV \| 60 IBU Offered By: PRIMETIME

Club/Brewer Notes:
A hefty, dry hopped double-red ipa with a nose full of aroma, a sticky mouthfeel, a malty middle and unctuous hop flavors. G'Knight sports a surprisingly sensuous finish for a beer of its size. It's brewed in tribute to a fellow Colorado craft beer pioneer and Vietnam vet who died fighting a 2002 wild fire.

Member Notes:
"Gordon’s replacement, 25 whole IBUs less bitter, is just as good. It still boasts a dark orange color, but the body of the beer seems to have improved. Its off-white head is thicker, stickier, and leaves behind gorgeous, thick lacing. The aroma is of a soft, but acutely refreshing bouquet of gorgeous hops, coupled with the dark caramel sweetness of crystal malts. It’s thin in the mouth, but extremely refreshing and easy to drink, leaving you with a sharp finish of bold, fresh hop cones and alcohol. It feels like a hop flower has actually gotten stuck in my sinuses. Ah, heaven. The thick sweetness is well-balanced by the beer’s thin body and alcohol presence, and a great flavor profile of hops decorates the whole experience quite awesomely. It’s an incredibly delicious beer and worthy of representing." - noss

89	Boulevard Brewing Company Long Strange Tripel Belgian-Style Tripel \| 9% ABV \| 23 IBU Offered By: WRIGHT DIST.

89	Core Brewing and Distilling IMPERIAL RED IPA Imperial or Double India Pale Ale (IPA) \| 9.5% ABV \| 113 IBU Offered By: FATBOY

Club/Brewer Notes:
This beer has great balance from the 5 different malts. Simcoe is the dominant hop giving the ale a big nose and flavor.

Member Notes:
"This red ale… scratch that… IPA is bold orange, golden in color with a bright white head. Its nose is gorgeous, thick, and sweet, with a wonderful bouquet of hops. It really has a beautiful aroma. The flavor is different, a little odd and bitter, but with a maltiness and dougheyness that’s, well, fermented in flavor. Greenish, herbal hops control the finish. " - noss

90	Karbach Brewing Company Hellfighter American-Style Imperial Porter \| 9.8% ABV \| 85 IBU Offered By: STEPH

Club/Brewer Notes:
From the depths of the earth leap flames of destruction. When time is of the essence, the Hellfighter boldly steps in the line of danger. Whether or not he's insane is not important now. It's with intensity and aggression that the Hellfighter taunts the blaze of almost certain doom. Our Imperial Porter is much the same. At 9.8% ABV and black as oil, Hellfighter Imperial Porter, with roasted coffee and chocolate malt characteristics, finishes what it started. This explosion of flavors will extinguish even a Texas-sized penchant for boldness. Intense and maybe a little insane, drink carefully but drink often. Blaze on!

Member Notes:
"This is dark brown in color with reddish hues… it’s nearly black. The nose is sweet and malty, darkly roasted but not overbearing. It’s pleasant, bright, sweet and roasted in flavor with roasted characteristics that last. Not all that great… the bourbon barrel version of this is much, much better. " - noss

89	Hop Guru 999 American-Style Barley Wine Ale \| 10.5% ABV \| 80 IBU Offered By: KAY JAY

Club/Brewer Notes:
This beer was meant to be the clubs 999th beer sampled. Due to technical difficulties it was delayed. It is a big 10% beer with a subtle bourbon barrel character that has been aged gracefully for 9 months.

61	Stone Brewing Company Punishment American-Style Strong Pale Ale \| 12% ABV \| Unknown IBU Offered By: MOJO

Club/Brewer Notes:
Q: “What do you call it when you take a sip of oak barrel aged Double Bastard Ale that's had the other half of the bounty of chili peppers from Greg's home garden ceremoniously added in, resulting in a punishingly intense level of hot pepper heat to an already overly intense beer whose elevated alcohol level caused a significant transference of pain-inducing capsicum?” A: “Punishment.” Punishment is 2013 Double Bastard Ale brewed with freshly harvested peppers and aged in bourbon barrels. Brutally hot and unyielding in its imposition, this intensely hellish spawn of Caribbean red hots, fatalis and Moruga scorpion peppers is a just dessert for any spice-taunting masochist who dares to engage it.