For more detailed information, check out their social media and website.  

I honestly struggled a bit with how to judge this since it features both barrel aging and the addition of spices. If you will allow me a little latitude, I feel like for those of my readers that want to learn more about sensory and beer judging, it is worth giving a bit of an explanation.

In the BJCP guidelines, there are several categories that are judged using the base style of the beer and then considering how the addition of certain ingredients affects the overall beer. Some examples are the Fruit Beer Category, the Spiced Beer Category, the Wood Beer Category, and the American Wild Ale category. All these categories are judged with the characteristics of the base style as a guideline, with allowances for the effects the additional ingredients might have on the finished product. The overall theme in all these categories is that the base style of the beer should still be recognizable and is enhanced by the additions that were made without overwhelming the beer itself.

Laser Kraken will be judged with the base style, Imperial Stout, and I will take into consideration both the barrel aging and the spices with somewhat equal weight.

Aroma: The complexity of Laser Kraken’s aroma is unreal! When it is first poured, the overwhelming characteristic is a nice warm alcoholic note, which is bang on for Appleton Rum. It isn’t unpleasant or solventy but certainly makes its presence known. When drinking this beer, I highly recommend letting it warm up to at least 55°F as that is where all the wonderful richness and complexity start to come through. The roasted malt character here is lower than one would usually expect from an Imperial Stout but is explained by the barrel aging and the additional spices. The malt that does come through is a medium level of roast, an almost burnt brown sugar, and an overall impression of malt richness. Fruity esters here are low levels of dark dried stone fruits, like raisin, and are difficult to distinguish from the fruitiness coming from the Appleton barrel.  Hop aroma here is not noticeable, which is not unexpected from this style. The spices added here add another layer of aroma, just adding to the complexity. There is a hint of spiciness (from the peppercorns and cinnamon), a vanilla aroma from both the spice and the wood of the barrel, and a touch of woody sweetness from the nutmeg.

Appearance: This beer is a gorgeous dark reddish brown with some slight orange tones when light is shined through. It is not completely opaque, but certainly close. The head is a pillowy deep tan that has very little persistence.

Flavor: Even more complex than the aroma, is the flavor of Laser Kraken. It is nuanced and bold in each sip. The malt flavor here sticks out a little more than it does in the aroma and would be at the high level in intensity. It has the dark brown, almost burnt, sugar flavor with a somewhat bitter cocoa flavor. The same esters are present here in the flavor that were in the aroma and are at a relatively low level of intensity. The hop flavor level is low, but the bitterness from the hops is medium-high. This is great because it keeps the beer from being unbalanced, or too sweet. The characteristics both from the Appleton Rum previously stored in the barrel and some vanilla from the wood itself is present at a high level, but does not in any way overpower the beer. The spiciness from the added peppercorns, cinnamon, and nutmeg is at a low level. Each spice added gives the overall impression of the spiced rum that was used to age this beer. It is relatively dry with just a hint of lingering warmness when you finish each swallow.

Mouthfeel: Traditionally Imperial Stouts are at the minimum, full bodied. Laser Kraken is lower than that threshold, at a solid medium level. Barrel aging tends to add to the body of the beer but does add a slight level of astringency that can sometimes dry the beer out and make the drinker perceive it as being thinner than it truly is.

Overall Impression: If you could take the flavor profile of Appleton Estate Rum and make it into a beer, then Laser Kraken is what you have. This beer is incredibly smooth and easy to drink, with a complexity that makes me notice something a little different with each sip. This is a really fun beer to practice your sensory skills with because as it warms the flavors and aromas continue to unfold and change. I would strongly encourage you to try this beer if you have the chance, and perhaps buy a few bottles to hold onto as this beer would be a great one for cellaring.

The post Taste it First: Laser Kraken Rum Barrel Aged Imperial Stout – Lone Pint Brewery first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Taste it First: Laser Kraken Rum Barrel Aged Imperial Stout – Lone Pint Brewery appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

First to pick up the gauntlet for “Taste it First” was Klaus Brewing Company with their new release, Double Dirndl. Double Dirndl is an imperial version of their Märzen, and at 10% abv and 30 IBUs this brew was mellowed for an entire year at Klaus. Trust me when I say this year was not only vital to the flavor profile for this beer, but is a disappointing timeline to wait for the next iteration of this beer. A candy-like malt backbone and medium body makes this beer surprisingly drinkable for its strength. Klaus Brewing Company is a German-style focused brewery led by head brewer, Thomas Lemke. They are located at 10142 Jones Road in Houston, not far from the Jersey Village/Cypress area.

As with my other review pieces, I will be approaching this beer review as a judging of the beer in comparison with its BJCP style parameters. Since Imperial Märzen is not really a style, I will be comparing this loosely to a traditional Märzen with factors that make it Imperial in mind. Without further ado, Double Dirndl from Klaus Brewing.

Aroma- This beer is ALL MALT, just gorgeous complex bready malt aroma. There is almost no hop aroma here, except the slightest suggestion of some German spiciness, but is only noticeable after the beer warms some. The fermentation aroma doesn’t really give off any fruitiness, but there certainly is a clean fermentation aroma that I would expect from a lager.  

Appearance- This beer is a dark amber color with significant orange tones to it. When poured the head was a slightly off white (yellow tint) foamy head that had decent retention to it (especially for a high ABV beer). The head gradually dissipated to a ring of foam bubbles around the glass and a slight lacing around the glass as I continued to drink.

Flavor- This is where this beer shines, it is malty, bready, and wonderfully sweet without being cloyingly sweet. The balance obtained from the hop bitterness here is incredible. You can definitely tell this was a clean lager fermentation, as there are no off flavors here and no fruity esters to speak of. The balance is towards malt in this beer for sure, but in the best kind of way.

Mouthfeel- The body of this beer was medium high, but there was such a creaminess to this beer that I think the body was medium to medium low and the creaminess factor made it feel higher. There was just the slightest hint of alcohol warmth, but nothing that is reminiscent of a 10% beer. The finish here was dry but without any unpleasantness because as I mentioned in flavor, the lingering malt character held this beer to a pleasant sweetness.

Overall Impression- If the Märzen is the big brother of a Festbier, then this beer is the big brother to the Märzen. It is a beautiful rendition of a Märzen flavor profile with the high alcohol and richness of a Doppelbock. I was disappointed to find out that there was only 1 keg of this beer, and it was taproom only as I would have gladly taken this beer to-go.

This beer releases tomorrow, Saturday, January 30^th and I would not miss my chance to try this beer that has been mellowing for a year!

Prost! 

The post Taste it First: Double Dirndl Imperial Märzen – Klaus Brewing Company first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Taste it First: Double Dirndl Imperial Märzen – Klaus Brewing Company appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

One thing that has continued to impress me is the diversity and creativity of stout styles that the HOU craft scene has been putting out in recent years. We are lucky to have stouts to fit anyone’s preferences. We have boozy Russian Imperial Stouts, sweet and creamy Milk Stouts, and even a few roasty Oatmeal stouts.

The following is just a small sample of the stout releases from the Greater Houston area, each unique and delicious in its own way. I would have loved to review more beers, but there are only so many high ABV beers I can drink and review and still retain my day job. In no particular order, here are the reviews from 11 Below Brewing, Local Group Brewing, & Southern Star Brewing.

11 Below Brewing- Positive Space & Coconut Space

Both beers are variants of the base beer, Negative Space. Since the base style Negative Space is known as a Sweet Stout, I will be judging each of these beers based on that style with allowances for the addition of fruits and spices.

Positive Space is a variant of Negative Space with added Chili, Cacao Nibs, and Vanilla Beans.

Aroma– The first big sniff of this beer is predominantly big and roasty malt. Right underneath that big malt aroma is some dark chocolate bitterness in there as well as a slight stone fruit ester that is reminiscent of plum or prune. There is no apparent hop aroma, and the only perceptible bitterness that comes through in the aroma comes from the dark chocolate bitterness of the cocoa nibs.

Appearance– Positive Space it is the color of dark chocolate and is opaque, meaning no light will shine through. When poured there is a creamy tan head that dissipates quickly leaving a ring of creamy tan foam at the top of the glass.

Flavor– The flavor is where this beer really shines. When sipping the beer, the first taste that hits your tongue is a roasty dark malt flavor with bitter dark chocolate and coffee notes. The chili in this beer lends little flavor to the beer but does add a hint of smokiness without any heat. As the beer warms the fruit flavor becomes more noticeable and is a plum/prune flavor that is like what was found in the aroma. There is no hop flavor here, but it is worth noting that even being quite a sweet beer it is still rather balanced which means the hops do lend bitterness and balance to the beer.

Mouthfeel– Positive Space has a medium body and tastes quite creamy, with a low level of carbonation. Positive Space coats the tongue with the sweetness without feeling oily, and there is an ever so slight tingle at the back of the throat that comes from the chilis. The added lactose in this beer adds extra creaminess.

Overall Impressions– Overall, this beer is an excellent example of a milk stout. The added lactose really makes this beer much creamier than its base beer, Negative Space. The cacao nibs add a level of bitterness that is not only tasty but helps to balance the sweetness that can sometimes be overbearing in some milk stouts. I wish that the chili contributed more flavor to the beer, but overall a fantastic and incredibly enjoyable beer to drink.

Coconut Space. This beer is simply Negative Space with the addition of shredded coconut.

Aroma– Boy is the coconut strong with this one! You can tell there must be a lot of coconut in this beer to come off stronger than the roasted malt. The coconut aroma is certainly more reminiscent of the fresh white flesh of the coconut, rather than toasted coconut. After the first hit of coconut there is the expected roasted coffee and bitter chocolate malt aromas. As the beer warms, the chocolate flavor becomes more pronounced. There are no hop aromas detected, and there are hints of dark stone fruit esters.

Appearance– In comparison with the Positive Space, this beer is slightly lighter in color with more of a mocha brown hue. Though dark, this beer is not completely opaque with slight ruby undertones when looked at through the light. When poured the head is a creamy caramel color and dissipates quickly with large bubbles. As with Positive Space, as the head dissipates a ring of foam encircles the top of the glass.

Flavor– With the first sip, roasted malt and chocolate come through first, followed by strong fresh coconut flavor. There is no hop flavor, but again this beer is well balanced by not being sickly sweet, so the hops are certainly there. Slight stone fruit flavor as the beer warms. My only critique is that there is a bit of a vegetal finish with this beer, which reminded me a bit of cooked green beans.

Mouthfeel– The body on this beer is medium low, which is a little low for this style. The creaminess here is perceptibly lower than Positive Space, presumably since Positive Space had the addition of lactose. There is a slickness on the tongue that might come from the oils in the coconut.

Overall Impressions– Overall this is a solid variant of Negative Space, and it certainly delivers the coconut promised in its name. Other than the slightly off-putting vegetal aftertaste, this is a solid beer.

Local Group Brewing- Gravity Dancer

Gravity Dancer from Local Group Brewing is an Oatmeal Stout with no additional adjuncts added.

Aroma– As expected, there is a medium amount of roasted malt flavor with bittersweet chocolate (like baking chocolate) and just a smidge of coffee and cream. Low hop aroma comes through as the beer warms with a suggestion of a floral orange.

Appearance– The color is an opaque dark chocolate brown, and when poured the head has medium to large bubbles and is light tan in color with excellent persistence.

Flavor– The first taste is a roasty malt followed by a bittersweet baking chocolate. Behind that is a bit of coffee. Low levels of citrus fruit flavor are present that could be either from the hops or the yeast.

Mouthfeel– The beer is medium-full in body and in carbonation. There is no warmth from the alcohol and a velvety smooth creaminess from the oats.

Overall Impressions– Gravity Dancer reminds me of a very mild Irish Extra Stout with more fruit flavor, creaminess, and sweetness. It is a beautiful Oatmeal Stout that is easy drinking and has a wonderful mouthfeel and flavor that can only come from Oat.

Southern Star Brewing Company- Drunken Comrades

The Drunken Comrades from Southern Star Brewing Company were a release that came in a box set with 1 of each Octobrist variant.

Rum Barrel Aged Octobrist

Aroma– Not surprising is that there is a strong boozy rum aroma that hits first, followed by a roasty coffee and just a hint of brown sugar/treacle sweetness. Not surprising in this style there is no hop aroma or any fruity characteristics that I was able to pick up.

Appearance– This was an opaque black beer with a gorgeous thick tan head made up of medium to large bubbles, that dissipated quickly.

Flavor– Similar to that of the aroma, there was a strong coffee roast flavor with a big hit of rum flavor. This beer is certainly balanced and is sweet without being cloying. The roasty coffee malt flavor lingers around and the beer finishes sweet.

Mouthfeel– This had a medium body to it with a silky mouthfeel. It was carbonated fairly low, and had a slight warmth from the rum barrel aging, but nothing too “hot” or unpleasant.

Overall Impressions– Overall I like this variant of Octobrist, it was exactly what I would expect from a rum barrel aged Russian Imperial Stout. In comparison with the Bourbon Barrel Aged Octobrist, I would say I love the body and sweetness of this version the most, but enjoyed the flavor imparted from the bourbon barrel more.

Bourbon Aged Octobrist

Aroma– Similar profile to the Rum Barrel aged Octobrist, but instead of the Rum fruitiness, there was a boozy and a bit smoky Bourbon edge to this beer. Still have the same dark sugar and coffee aromas with the roasty malt.

Appearance– Overall same appearance as the Rum Barrel aged Octobrist. Black opaque color, with a tan head made up of medium to large bubbles. I might say this version seems a little lighter in both color and head, but it would be a miniscule difference.

Flavor– I love the bourbon flavor in this beer, it seems to bring the beer back to a drier finish which helps temper the sweetness a little bit. Otherwise, the same roasty malt backbone with supporting flavors of coffee and dark sugars.

Mouthfeel– This is where I was a bit let down with this beer, the mouthfeel here was medium to medium low, which is low for this style. Just came across too thin for me. The beer was also a bit more carbonated than the Rum Barrel aged Octobrist. The warmth here was a bit higher than the Rum Barrel aged, but still pleasant and not hot.

Overall Impressions– Overall I preferred the flavor and aroma characteristics of the Bourbon Barrel Aged Octobrist, but liked the body and sweetness from the Rum Barrel Aged Octobrist. Overall great examples of Barrel Aged Russian Imperial Stouts, and I certainly would drink them again.

The post Season of Stouts first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Season of Stouts appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.

Here I am 8 years into my journey, and I am in my third year serving as the Vice President for the Bay Area Mashtronauts Homebrew Club. I have gone from a few early batches of decent beer that may have only tasted okay, but certainly gave me an immense sense of pride to winning medals and awards in homebrew competitions. I love homebrewing and how it enriches my life, but most importantly to me is my development of my sensory skills and descriptors so that I can familiarized myself with the myriad of beer styles that exist.  I have worked hard to taste and learn, and I have been able to earn the rank of Certified Judge from the Beer Judge Certification Program (BJCP). I love learning about craft beer, the vast range of styles of beer, and how to use my senses to describe beer in all aspects as I drink it.

When using all your senses and focusing on describing each aspect of the beer you are drinking from a sensory perspective, I find it adds a great deal to the overall experience of enjoying that beer. That is a big reason I wanted to be a contributor to Houston Beer Guide. The most worthwhile part of my experiences has been learning to objectively taste a beer and build a large vocabulary to draw from to describe it. It is something that I am passionate about and would love to pass on to the readers who are interested in more in-depth reviews than you typically see on Untapped or Social Media.

I have decided that for my beer review pieces, I will treat these beers as if I were judging each beer as an entrant in a homebrewing competition and use the BJCP scoresheet as a guide to lay out my thoughts. I feel that this will help me to better organize my thoughts on the beer, as well as make the post a little easier to follow.

I always endeavor to continue to learn and grow in my knowledge of craft beer and homebrewing, and luckily that means drinking more beer. Hope you will all drink along with me!

The post Contributor Introduction: Tristin Marcks first appeared on Houston Beer Guide.

The post Contributor Introduction: Tristin Marcks appeared first on Houston Beer Guide.