Tasting Notes | Mashing In

Tasting Notes – Spirits Edition: Full Volume from Highland Park Distillery

Posted on June 20, 2018June 20, 2018 by mashingin

For this special mid-week installment of Tasting Notes, we take a moment to indulge ourselves with an afternoon dram of FULL VOLUME from Highland Park Distillery (Kirkwall, Scotland).

Just as a musician works with his/her “amps and equalizers [to maintain] critical balance at high volume by fine-tuning musical frequencies”, Highland Park’s Master Whisky Maker, Gordon Motion, uses his skills to ensure “that every individual wave of flavor finds its perfect place in the beautifully harmonized final spirit.” FULL VOLUME illustrates this point by striking a balance between two styles: Bourbon and Scotch Whisky. Originally distilled in 1999, FULL VOLUME is a Single Malt Scotch Whisky that has been matured in “100% ex-bourbon casks rather than Highland Park’s traditional sherry-seasoned ones.” This lengthy rest ultimately produced a 47.2% ABV Whisky that offers harmonized “flavors of creamy vanilla and sweet citrus fruits from the bourbon casks, balanced by Highland Park’s characteristic aromatic smokiness.”

FULL VOLUME is available now in specially-packaged 750ml bottles for the suggested retail price of $100. You can expect to find this Limited Release Whisky on shelves at select specialist retailers located throughout the U.S.

Now that we are all a bit more familiar with the inspiration behind FULL VOLUME, it appears it is finally time to find a good chair, grab a glass and crank it to eleven with some Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for FULL VOLUME from Highland Park Distillery

Appearance: Poured neat from a tasting vial, FULL VOLUME presents itself as a brilliantly clear whisky that is light straw yellow in color. When held to direct light, the color holds for the most part but a touch of vibrant gold builds at its center. The whisky is slick on the glass, coating the sides with a wide tract of slow-falling legs that eventually meet to create a complete oil slick that never loses its hold of the glass.

Aroma: The nose begins with rich and inviting tones of vanilla and coconut. That sweetness is then brightened up with notes of lemon and orange zest. Tropical fruits bloom from the citrus to add notes of mango and papaya. The expected presence of peat finally surfaces to close out the profile with some light smoke that works alongside just a touch of toffee.

Taste: The grains and peat smoke quickly grab your attention here, but immediately mellow out to reveal citrus tones that come across as carefully grilled lemon and orange. Sweeter, candied lemon tones then force through and bring with them juicy exotic fruits such as mango, pineapple and papaya. Vanilla smooths it all out, creating a combined quality that mimics a lemon ice box pie that has just a bit of cinnamon in the crust. The experience finishes with a pleasant combination of coconut and banana.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and slightly creamy on the palate, FULL VOLUME has a beautifully long finish that allows you to fully savor notes of coconut and smoke. That 47.2% ABV is nothing to scoff at, but it is incredibly well behaved and allows each sip to be effortless and thoroughly enjoyable. Not at all harsh or aggressive.

Final Thoughts: If you are a bourbon drinker that has been looking for a way into the Scotch Whisky game, FULL VOLUME just might be your gateway. Although distinct and attention-getting, the peat and smoke in this offering are far more reserved than you will find in most Scotch Whiskies. The bourbon casks supply approachability with those familiar, gorgeous notes of vanilla and coconut, and the overall fruitiness – both the citrus and tropical fruits – of this expression keeps things light, bright and dynamic. Just like the music that inspired it, this unique spirit comes across as a smooth, free-flowing thought piece as it evokes memory while stimulating contemplation and imagination. All in all, FULL VOLUME is bourbon reminiscent while still retaining its character and heritage as a Scotch Whisky, and that makes for one hell of a memorable sip. Be sure to check it out the next time you are on the hunt for something special to add to the home bar. Prost!

highlandParkFVpour — Image Credit: Mashing In/Guillermo Woolfolk. The other two images displayed above are the property of Highland Park Distillery.

Tasting Notes: Blue BBLS (2018) from Bruery Terreux

Posted on June 8, 2018 by mashingin

With another long and heavy week nearing its end, Tasting Notes has us shutting down the office early with small pours of one big ol’ beer: Blue BBLs (2018) from Bruery Terreux (Orange County, California).

Officially released back in January as a Society offering from Bruery Terreux, Blue BBLs (2018) – the “BBLs” is a notation for “barrel,” a unit of measurement equal to 31 gallons – is “a special blend of . . . bourbon barrel-aged imperial stout with . . . bourbon barrel-aged sour stout, plus an addition of juicy blueberries.” This careful blend offers a complex experience that has “the acidity from the sour stout seamlessly [balancing] the sweet malt character of the imperial stout, and the tannins from the berries [amplifying] the fruity character.” Blue BBLs (2018) weighs in at a massive 16.5% ABV.

Alrighty . . . that should adequately cover everyone’s need for background info, so let’s not waste any more time and get to scribblin’ down these Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Blue BBLS (2018) from Bruery Terreux

Appearance: Blue BBLS pours a cola-like dark brown to black in color and builds just under half a finger of slightly purple tinted, tan-colored foam. The beer is completely opaque, but a healthy amount of the tiniest of bubbles can be seen breaking the surface of the pour. The head dissipates nearly immediately, leaving behind just a brushstroke of airy foam to linger in the center of the glass. There is no lacing to report.

Aroma: Lovely oak greets the nose first with a pronounced woody character that offers a touch of vanilla as well. The blueberries take over from there with a fruity burst that is both tart and sweet. Roasted grains, a bit of coffee, and a splash of bourbon sneaks in at the end of the profile to smooth it all out.

Taste: The flavor profile begins with an interesting mix of blueberries that are both sweet and tart and a complementary presence that reads as a vinous, red wine-like note. The bourbon barrel then makes itself known by offering tones of vanilla, charred wood, brown sugar and booze. The blueberries and barrel then collide to produce complex notes of leather and tobacco. The Imperial Stout character is the last to step forward and rounds off any rough edges with a nice level of roast, dark chocolate and toffee.

Mouthfeel: On the lighter side of full-bodied with a moderate carbonation, this stout comes across as slick and a little thin (in a good way). Although the beer works the palate heavily with tart, sour and sweet flavors, it dries out beautifully like a fine red wine. As expected, the 16.5% ABV brings some heat that starts in the throat and carries down into the belly. Aftertaste is all booze-soaked blueberries.

Final Thoughts: Blue BBLS is a gorgeously composed Sour Stout and the source of its beauty is found in its layers. The aromas and flavors both hold three distinct layers: a Sour Ale heavily laced with blueberries, bourbon barrel character, and straight up Imperial Stout. Sure, those tannic blueberry and red wine qualities are assertive and the first thing to grab your attention, but everything ultimately settles down and smooths out as the layers of Stout and Bourbon establish themselves. Each layer works so well on its own only because they all work so well together. This harmonious level of balance (found in the blend, flavors, aromas, etc.) acts as the keystone that locks the entire experience together. All in all, Blue BBLs is a dynamic and delicately complex offering that truly must be experienced to be fully understood. If you ever cross paths with this beer out in the wild, do whatever it takes to ensure that you walk away with a pour. You certainly will not regret it. Prost!

Tasting Notes: Braupakt from Weihenstephan & Sierra Nevada

Posted on June 1, 2018 by mashingin

This installment of Tasting Notes has us closing out the week with an in-depth look at Braupakt, the highly-anticipated collaboration beer from Bavarian State Brewery Weihenstephan (Freising, Germany) and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. (Chico, California).

When Weihenstephan – the World’s Oldest Brewery – and Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. – one of America’s pioneering craft brewers – come together to work on a collaboration project, it kind of goes without saying that the beer community is going to take notice. The resulting beer that everyone is talking about is Braupakt (literally translates to mean “Brewery Pact” but is also a play on “America’s ‘bro pact’ vernacular for fraternal allegiances”), a Hefeweizen that introduces a style that is rich in German tradition – Weihenstephan’s area of expertise – to a carefully selected hop bill comprised of juicy American hops – Sierra Nevada’s playground – that can both complement and accentuate the style’s classic flavors and aromatics. When all is said and done, Braupakt promises to be a unique take on a classic style that will effortlessly reinforce both breweries’ reputations for “establishing brewing standards for their respective styles and . . . renowned . . . contributions to contemporary brewing techniques.”

Braupakt is currently available in the US and will hang around as long as supplies last. You can expect to find this Limited Edition beer available in 6-packs of 11.2 oz. bottles (suggested retail price of $10.99) at fine beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, California, North Carolina and throughout the rest of Weihenstephan’s nationwide distribution network.

Now that we are all up to speed on the particulars behind Braupakt, let’s break out the Weizen glasses and get into some Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Braupakt from Bavarian State Brewery Weihenstephan & Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.

Appearance: Braupakt presents itself as a burnt orange in color that holds a darker amber tone at the core of the glass’s bulb. When held to direct light, that amber core holds as vibrant orange and bright gold hues burst outward from the center. The beer is appropriately cloudy for the style, but you can still see a dutiful carbonation presence rising up to feed the 3+ fingers of cream-colored head sitting above. Head retention is extraordinary, gradually falling to a lasting, rocky finger that effortlessly coats the glass with gobs of lace throughout the experience.

Aroma: The hops turn up first with a nice grapefruit presence that takes on notes of ripe to over ripe peach and melon. Clove then works its way through and brings with it banana and bubblegum notes to establish a very pronounced Hefeweizen character. The aromatics close out with just a bit of honey-laced wheat and caramel.

Taste: Although similar to the aroma, this beer’s flavors mix it up a bit by leading with those beautiful, trademark Hefeweizen notes of banana, bubblegum and clove. The hops work their way out of the clove and fully engulf the palate with tones of peach, melon, apricot, lemon zest and grapefruit. A touch of pine and black pepper slips in just before the beer finishes with some gently sweet notes of wheat and caramel.

Mouthfeel: Medium in body with a medium to medium-high carbonation level, this beer has a beautifully creamy texture that allows you to fully explore every aspect of each sip. The hops supply a bit more bite than you would normally expect from a Hefeweizen, but they are held in check and gorgeously balanced by the sweeter banana notes from the yeast and caramel from the malts. The ABV is tame at 6%, but it does allow for a touch of warmth in the throat. The aftertaste is a welcomed, lingering presence of clove and peach.

Final Thoughts: Braupakt delivers exactly what you hope would come from a brew day led by the master brewers at Weihenstephan and Sierra Nevada. They wrapped that legendary Hefeweizen base around some juicy American hops to offer just the right amount of invigorating brightness (citrus fruit and pine) while a stone fruit character (peach and apricot) actually accentuates and highlights the style’s more expected clove, banana and bubblegum tones. It is the best of both worlds meeting on middle ground. Its Hefeweizen character is absolutely stunning and is not at all bullied by those American hops . . . but those juicy hops still find their moments to shine brilliantly through those Hefeweizen notes and elevate the overall experience. These brewers were clearly looking for a sweet spot between the two, and they certainly found it in this artful composition. Braupakt is not your everyday collaboration project and it certainly should not be missed. Be sure to check it out before this Limited Release runs its course and disappears for good. Prost!

Tasting Notes: Born Again Yesterday Unfiltered Ale from Lagunitas Brewing Company

Posted on May 25, 2018 by mashingin

For this edition of Tasting Notes, the wacky alchemists at Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, California) magically transport us back to wet hop season with a pour of their Born Again Yesterday Unfiltered Ale.

Wet hop season typically starts in late August and lasts for about a month or so each year. During this time, many brewers usually take this opportunity to make a special beer with fresh hops that are picked and in the brew kettle within a 24-hour window. They get one shot at this a year and then – because hops are easily susceptible to mold and spoilage – the rest of the harvest is quickly dried for year-round use. Even though the folks that process hops are masters of this delicate craft, many brewers are left feeling that “something is always lost in translation.”

Very fond of that je ne sais quoi that wet hops possess, the brewers at Lagunitas decided that they were going to find a way to take the wet hop experience year-round. To do this, they took the book that taught them everything that they already knew about hops, threw it out the window, and went all trial and error to devise a new process for hop preservation. After “5 or 6” botched attempts, they finally discovered “a relatively simple process” that just forced them to “[think] about hops and freshness in new ways.” Now armed with this proprietary, “homegrown process of time dilation for the delicate hop cone that the flower doesn’t even perceive”, Lagunitas can now offer Born Again Yesterday Unfiltered Ale (7% ABV) as a true wet hop experience six months removed from harvest season.

Born Again Yesterday Unfiltered Ale is available now for a limited time in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft. You can expect to find this Limited Release at select craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, California, Illinois and throughout the rest of Lagunitas Brewing Company’s vast distribution area.

Alright . . . now that we are all caught up on that lengthy backstory, let’s get into these Tasting Notes to see exactly what a preserved wet hop beer can offer to a self-proclaimed hophead.

Tasting Notes for Born Again Yesterday Unfiltered Ale from Lagunitas Brewing Company

Appearance: Born Again Yesterday pours up as a deep golden colored brew that is wearing a perfect finger of pure white foam. When exposed to direct light, the color shifts a bit to take on some vibrant orange tones. The beer has a light haze/cloudiness to it, but an abundant carbonation presence can still be seen kicking around a serious amount of floaties suspended in the liquid. Head retention is good, falling oh so slowly to a lasting and incredibly creamy top cap that leaves wide sheets of lace behind after each sip.

Aroma: Big on the citrus, the aromatics lead with pronounced notes of sweet orange and mandarin. Lime and grapefruit zest then move in to brighten the lightly sweet malts running parallel. The profile closes beautifully with that signature earthy grassiness that is so often found in wet hop beers. These aromas may seem simple, but they are enormous.

Taste: Citrus leads here as well, but this time around it serves as more of a role player. Orange, lemon, lime and grapefruit offer a bright initial pop before the hops take a dynamic turn toward more earthy and grassy qualities. The profile then takes on a lightly herbaceous and piney quality that eventually fades out to leave behind a finish filled with clean, non-obtrusive malt character.

Mouthfeel: Medium in body with a medium carbonation level, this beer has a good weight to it and fully coats the palate with each sip. The hops do bring some bite, but the balance is dialed in so that the bitterness is not all-consuming. Despite its palate engulfing nature, the beer still finds a way to dry out quickly and clean up nicely. The 7% ABV is well-behaved, but it does draw some attention to itself as the beer warms. The aftertaste is all clean malt with a dash of grapefruit zest.

Final Thoughts: Whatever the process is that Lagunitas devised to preserve wet hops, it works. When I approach wet hop beers, I tend to look for two things:

Big ol’ gains in the department of hop aroma
A very distinguishable grassy and “green” flavor

Born Again Yesterday Unfiltered Ale easily checks both those boxes, and then goes on to turn it up a notch by having a bigger hop flavor than most wet hop beers. Just as you would expect from a hop-forward beer from Lagunitas, the citrus hop notes are absolutely massive and work beautifully with that wet hop grassy character to supply the drinker with a memorable and dank Pale Ale. Wet hops at the end of spring? Yeah, you best believe that they live on in Born Again Yesterday Unfiltered Ale. If you are a lover of hops, be sure to get your hands on this tasty beverage before its Limited Release runs its course. Prost!

Tasting Notes: Gose from Reuben’s Brews

Posted on May 17, 2018May 17, 2018 by mashingin

This week’s Tasting Notes finds us fighting off Tampa’s ridiculously sudden spike in humidity with the outside help of some Gose from Reuben’s Brews (Seattle, Washington).

Offered as an incredibly popular Year-Round from this family-run brewery that was named Mid-Sized Brewery of the Year at the 2015 Washington Beer Awards, Gose (pronounced “GOES-UH”) is Reuben’s Brews’ take on a style of German Sour Ale that nearly went extinct before it experienced a recent revival in the U.S. Staying true to tradition, this Gose is brewed simply with “Lactobacillus, salt and coriander to make a refreshingly crisp brew with lemon notes and a vibrant salinity.” This classic approach to the style has paid off greatly for Reuben’s Brews as Gose has earned the brewery a Silver Medal at the 2015 World Beer Championships, a Gold Medal at the Best of Craft Beer Awards, and two Gold Medals at the Great American Beer Festival (2015 & 2016). Reuben’s Brews Gose is available in 4-packs of 12 oz. cans and on draft at craft beer establishments located in Washington and throughout the rest of the brewery’s distribution footprint in the Pacific Northwest region.

Now that all the pertinent details are out of the way, let’s jump into these Tasting Notes and get our first sip of this highly-decorated brew!

Tastings Notes for Gose from Reuben’s Brews

Appearance: Gose presents itself as a pale straw-colored brew that is wearing just under two fingers of airy white foam. Held to direct light, the color holds for the most part but does gain a touch of a lemony yellow tone. The beer is crystal clear and displays an incredibly active carbonation presence dashing throughout. The head falters rather quickly, leaving very little foam or lace behind.

Aroma: The aromatics begin with that unmistakable Lactobacillus character that quickly takes shape as a bright lemon note. Coriander reinforces that citrus quality and offers some floral tones as well. A gorgeous note of citrus zest (lemon and orange) establishes itself just before the profile closes with a clean wave of salt water.

Taste: This beer quickly grabs the attention of your tastebuds with a bright and lightly tart lemon-lime presence upfront. Surprisingly, the grains then move in with a gentle bready note that works nicely with the dominating citrus. Coriander supplies some earthiness and a floral character that blends with the other flavors to offer an almost vinous/white wine-like note at times. As the finish closes in, all of these flavors are ultimately overtaken by just the perfect amount of salinity.

Mouthfeel: Light in body with a prickly carbonation level, this beer is crisp and refreshing. Lightly tart and noticeably salty on the palate, it dries out nicely and easily coaxes you to take another sip. Coming in at 4.3%, the ABV is not at all noticeable. The aftertaste is just a touch of limeade.

Final Thoughts: Elegant in its simplicity, Reuben’s Brews Gose is proof that traditional takes on styles – when done correctly – can be just as flavorful and mind-blowing as those limited release, adjunct-laden, hybrid-style ales that always seem to get the beer trading community all in a tizzy. As soon as you take a sip of this Gose, you are reminded of why beer is so amazing. It is nothing but simple, basic ingredients coming together to work in harmony and provide sip after perfect sip. The flavors and aromas are big and attention grabbing, but not overly aggressive or obtrusive. It is simply a Gose as it should be and that is the source of its awe-inspiring beauty.

The most remarkable aspect of this beer is that the folks at Reuben’s Brews did not shy away from the salt – the ingredient that so many breweries skimp on when tackling this style – at all in their Gose. This example shows you that a proper level of salinity is integral to the style because it does so much to draw attention to the beer’s tart citrus qualities and boost its overall quenching ability. With this attribute dialed in to the degree that it is, Reuben’s Brews Gose is well on its way to becoming an American-made standard for the style.

Honestly, it is no wonder why this beer has earned such prestigious awards over the years because absolutely everything about it is just so precisely on point. We may only be five months in, but we can easily declare that this beer will make our Top 10 of 2018. Yeah, it is that damn good and it certainly deserves any and all praise that it receives. If you have the ability, do yourself a favor and get yourself some Reuben’s Brews Gose as soon as you can. It will undoubtedly come in handy this summer. Prost!

Tasting Notes – Spirits Edition: Blazing HEEET Vodka from MerryGo Spirits

Posted on May 10, 2018May 10, 2018 by mashingin

For this special edition of Tasting Notes, we find ourselves pregaming the weekend by getting into a little Blazing HEEET Hot Cinnamon Vodka from MerryGo Spirits.

Released as the first high-quality, luxury spirit from MerryGo Spirits, Blazing HEEET is here to spice up your summer with an experience that combines the sweet heat of cinnamon with the crisp taste of vodka. More than just another gimmicky flavored-vodka, Blazing HEEET is an “ultra-premium American-made Vodka” that is 6x distilled, carbon filtered and made with 100% all-natural ingredients. Clocking in at 68 Proof (34% ABV), Blazing HEEET is an “intense, hot cinnamon” libation that you can shoot straight, enjoy on the rocks, or mix into your favorite cocktail. Blazing HEEET Hot Cinnamon Vodka is available now at fine liquor stores for the suggested retail price of $24.99 per 750ml bottle.

Now that we are all a little more familiar with the information behind Blazing HEEET, let’s go ahead and jump headlong into the fire and burn through some Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Blazing HEEET Hot Cinnamon Vodka from MerryGo Spirits

Appearance: Blazing HEEET is packaged in a uniquely shaped, squat and heavy glass bottle. The label is an eye-grabbing reddish orange in color with retro-style fonts, and the design cleverly incorporates actual strike points for matches. The liquid itself is perfectly clear, but it does take on a bit of a haze when chilled. There are absolutely no off colors from the added ingredients, and it looks exactly as one would expect when presented with a glass of vodka.

Aroma: That said, those expectations see a little realignment just as soon as you unscrew the cap on this bottle. At that moment you are hit with a big waft of pure cinnamon. It has that signature, attention-getting heat that the spice is known for, but there is also a candied note pushing forward. It is almost as if you infused a beautiful vodka with some of those cinnamon candies we all sought after at one time or another as kids. It is clean, nostalgic, and it certainly has our attention.

Taste: Each sip of HEEET leads with a rush of sweet heat from the cinnamon. It is not overly aggressive, but it definitely takes the alpha role in the flavor department. The heat from the cinnamon then seamlessly threads itself into the booziness of the vodka. The experience closes with a pure and clean vodka flavor that possesses just a touch of earthiness.

Mouthfeel: Slick in texture, HEEET coats the palate well, hangs around for a moment, and then evaporates slowly to leave behind a lingering heat. That heat comes from both the cinnamon and 34% ABV, but it is tempered beautifully with that subtle sweetness. Subtle is the word here because both the sweetness and the heat are dialed in just right to avoid any issues with cloying. The aftertaste is straight vodka.

Final Thoughts: Although cinnamon-flavored spirits are all the rage right now, Blazing HEEET proved to this tasting panel that it is something special. Sure, the aggressively aromatic cinnamon had a few us more than a little wary, but that all changed with a sip. This thing is crafted for balance and it is artful in its execution. It leads with the expected pop of cinnamon, but it is just the right amount to get your attention without burning you down. That is impressive enough on its own, but the finish is what truly amazes us. The fact that this spirit can start with an assertive flavor like cinnamon and close out with an aftertaste that is nothing but clean premium vodka is remarkable. It would be so easy for Blazing HEEET to be one note, but the folks who crafted it clearly wanted you to know it is a vodka at heart. This gives Blazing HEEET character, and that is not something we often find in flavored spirits.

All in all, Blazing HEEET just comes together to be a damn tasty flavored-vodka experience that can be easily enjoyed on its own with ice, thrown back as a shot with friends (we might have done a few . . . for science), or used to spice up an old cocktail recipe. It’s delicious. It’s different. It’s fun. And it does not have be much more than that. Be sure to check it out the next time you are looking for something to spice up the liquor cabinet. Prost!

Side Note: Speaking of cocktails, we dabbled with Blazing HEEET in a variety of mixed drinks this week and this one turned out to be the office favorite.

Shimmering HEEET

1.5 oz. Blazing HEEET Hot Cinnamon Vodka
3 oz. Pear Juice
Champagne

Combine the Blazing HEEET and pear juice with ice in a cocktail shaker. Shake and strain into a collins or highball glass filled with fresh ice. Top with champagne and enjoy.

This cocktail basically plays on the idea of champagne poached pears. The sweetness of the pear juice tempers the heat of Blazing HEEET but draws out its comforting cinnamon characteristics. The champagne adds dryness and effervescence to round out the experience. This all results in a ridiculously refreshing cocktail that you can pair with a cool summer evening on the porch or you could use it to break up the mimosa monotony at brunch.

If you do not want to mess around with the pear juice and champagne, you can simplify this into a two-ingredient cocktail by replacing those with a Pear Cider like Samuel Smith’s Organic Perry Sparkling Pear Cider or the more adventurous could use an apple-infused Lambic like Lindemans Pomme/Apple Lambic.

Tasting Notes: Stone Scorpion Bowl IPA from Stone Brewing

Posted on May 7, 2018 by mashingin

For this week’s installment of Tasting Notes, we track down some tropical fruit refreshment in a tall pour of Scorpion Bowl IPA from Stone Brewing (Escondido, California).

Released as the newest Year-Round offering to join the brewery’s respected lineup of IPAs, Stone Scorpion Bowl IPA is Stone Brewing’s take on those trendy, fruit-forward beers that are so popular right now but “with absolutely no addition of fruit.” Relying solely on Mosaic, Loral and Mandarina Bavaria hops, Stone Scorpion Bowl IPA (7.5% ABV, 76 IBUs) offers a tiki-like experience that possesses “hints of passion fruit, pineapple, tangerine, guava and mango . . . as well as strawberry, blueberry and subtle herbal notes.”

Stone Scorpion Bowl IPA is out now and available in 22 oz. bottles and on draft. You can expect to find this new Year-Round at craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, California, Virginia, and throughout the rest of Stone Brewing’s nationwide distribution area.

With all that background information now out of the way, let’s stretch the weekend out into this Monday and get into some Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Stone Scorpion Bowl IPA from Stone Brewing

Appearance: This IPA pours a deep golden in color and is capped with almost two fingers of chunky, white foam. Held to direct light, its appearance brightens and radiates with light orange and brilliant yellow hues. The beer is impeccably clear and alive with a steady carbonation presence. Head retention is decent, but the foam does end up reducing down to a thin ring that draws intricate lines of lace across the glass.

Aroma: Tropical notes abound as mango, cantaloupe, papaya, guava, and pineapple are all eager to greet the nose. In addition to those fruity tones, the hops also offer a subtle musty and earthy quality that hangs out in the background. This dynamic hop character dominates the profile, but there is just a hint of lightly sweet, bready malt that works its way in to lend some support.

Taste: Just like the nose, this brew’s flavor is all about that tropical hop goodness. It starts with a sweet tangerine/orange character (almost candied orange at times) that opens up to welcome notes of pineapple, passionfruit and mango. Mixed berries then surface and bring with them some subtle floral and herbal tones. The malts supply some nondescript but balancing sweetness, but this beer is pretty much just straight hoppy fruit punch.

Mouthfeel: On the light side of medium in body with a lighter carbonation, this beer comes across as smooth and slightly creamy. Although it is more on the hoppy than bitter side, this IPA is still allowed to retain some West Coast bite that lingers a bit in the finish. The ABV is well hidden and does not influence the experience really at all. The aftertaste is a satisfying mix of various tropical fruits.

Final Thoughts: From the first sip to the last drop of this bomber, Stone Scorpion Bowl IPA definitely lives up to its name by conjuring up memories of tiki-themed, fruity drink-fueled good times. The amount of fruit flavor that Stone Brewing coaxed out of these hops is absolutely staggering and impressive. With that said, it was refreshing to see that the brewers did buck the low IBU trend by keeping this IPA both hoppy and bitter. This results in a ridiculously enjoyable combination of fruitiness and hoppiness that is innovative, playful and in your face. In other words, it’s everything that an IPA from Stone Brewing should be. Prost!

Tasting Notes – Book Review Edition: Booze and Vinyl by André and Tenaya Darlington

Posted on April 25, 2018May 2, 2018 by mashingin

BoozeVinylcover — Photo credit – Running Press. All other photos in this post are the property of Mashing In.

In recognition of this past Saturday’s Record Store Day festivities, this week’s special edition of Tasting Notes has us uniting recently acquired vinyl treasures with our love for all things beer and liquor in a review of the newly released Booze and Vinyl: A Spirited Guide to Great Music & Mixed Drinks by André and Tenaya Darlington.

Written and compiled to act as “the ultimate listening party guide”, Booze and Vinyl was born from André and Tenaya Darlington’s memories of time spent “[flipping] records on their father’s Thorens turntable, surrounded by jovial guests and the warm glow of the amp.” The siblings – now food and drinks journalists – have recreated those feelings and experiences in this book by using eye-catching colors, striking photography, and gorgeous graphic design to showcase 70 iconic albums from the 1930’s through 2000’s alongside delicious cocktail recipes that properly convey the mood of the music.

The chapters of Booze and Vinyl are broken down into four genres/moods: “Rock”, “Dance”, “Chill” and “Seduce”. Each album then goes on to serve as its own mini-chapter with informative areas such as “Liner Notes”, trivia-laden background info on each artist/album (did you know Led Zeppelin’s IV “was recorded in a Victorian mansion where the band took breaks to roam the grounds with cups of tea in hand”?), and the “When to Spin” and “Before You Drop the Needle” sections that help you plan the perfect get-together.

Each album is then matched with two cocktail recipes, cleverly dubbed Side A and Side B. These cocktail pairings range from the more-than-obvious – such as Gin and Juice with Snoop Doggy Dogg’s Doggystyle or a Brass Monkey with the Beastie Boys’ License to Ill – to the imaginative yet wildly appropriate – think a lavender-colored Fallen Angel with Prince’s Purple Rain or a Long Happiness to pair with Björk’s “Violently Happy” from Debut. Whether it was a band member’s favorite drink, references or originated in the band’s hometown, or just speaks to the overall soul of the band/album/song, it is quite clear that each cocktail pairing was laboriously thought out to ensure that it would enhance the drinker’s experience while enjoying the featured album.

Once you get beyond the beautifully arranged album and cocktail pairings that make up the bulk of the book, you begin to notice some subtly placed how-to and instructional sections meant to help you hone your skills as a host and at-home bartender. The authors throw in a handful of food recipes to enhance a few of the featured albums and corresponding cocktails – like Punk Rock Tea Party Sandwiches that you can put together while listening to Blondie’s Parallel Lines. Readers can also find a separate index that helps them easily track down two and three ingredient drinks, tips on “How to Host a Boozy Listening Party”, advice on “How to Host a Whiskey Tasting”, and a short final chapter that helps novice bartenders better understand things like working with eggs in cocktails, making simple syrup, and creating large batches of cocktails for a crowd. To put it simply, if a reader is left confused or has a question about a recipe in Booze and Vinyl, the book is set up so that he or she can find the needed answers somewhere in those pages. Every consideration has been made and there is no googling required.

All of that is well and good, but you do not really know much about a book of this sort until you put it to the test. Since everyone in this office tends to be in the mood for “Rock”, we thumbed over to that chapter, broke out our copy of Appetite for Destruction by Guns N’ Roses, mixed up some Rattle Skulls and held an impromptu listening party to do just that (recipe below is quoted directly from Booze and Vinyl):

Rattle Skull

A popular colonial drink that packs a wallop, this cocktail comes straight at you from revolutionary times to help woo that sweet child. Why chase your beer with a shot when you can just have them together? That’s the early-American logic of this drink that is hard to refute. Try it over ice or without — the taste is similar to a Cuba Libre (rum and Coke).

12 ounces porter (Our choice was Night Swim Porter from Coppertail Brewing Co.)

1 1/2 ounces rum or brandy (We went with some Dogfish Head Brown Honey Rum)

3/4 ounce fresh lime juice

1/2 ounce brown sugar syrup (1:1 sugar to water)

Add ingredients to a chilled beer mug and stir.

The often shunned combination of beer and liquor nicely parallels the reckless reputation that Guns N’ Roses earned in the late ’80s, but the Rattle Skull comes together to produce a cohesive, nuanced experience that has stood the test of time . . . just like Appetite for Destruction. The added lime juice brings out Night Swim Porter’s citrusy hops while the Brown Honey Rum accentuates the beer’s more malty and roasty notes. Just as the recipe mentioned, the Rattle Skull comes across as a more balanced and dynamic Cuba Libre. This cocktail makes for the perfect drink to enjoy as you scream the lyrics to “My Michelle” (Track 7) or groove along to “You’re Crazy” (Track 10).

With that incredibly fun experience under our belts, we can now confidently declare that Booze and Vinyl is a cocktail guide that goes well beyond any previous experiences you may have had with cocktail recipe books. It takes the sometimes intimidating art of bartending and makes it incredibly accessible by relating it to something we all love: music. If a recipe proves challenging, the music – because you know it will be playing in the background – is always there to either draw out that calming, centering breath or pump you up with the confidence needed to totally crush one hell of a cocktail party. This unique attribute makes Booze and Vinyl much more than just another coffee table book. It can be read cover to cover or used as a quick reference guide for bartenders of varying experience levels. Beyond that, this book arms its reader with a wealth of cocktail/listening party ideas that can be employed during a casual Friday night in with friends or in planning full-blown theme parties. Just pick a genre or artist, stock the bar and fridge, fire up the turntable, and you are set. Above all, this book mirrors the joy that music provides by putting a smile on your face, conjuring up memories of the past, and offering you the fuel to make some new ones. It doesn’t get much better than that. Prost!

Tasting Notes: The Waldos’ Special Ale from Lagunitas Brewing Company

Posted on April 20, 2018 by mashingin

4/20 is officially upon us and we are joining the party by getting into some Tasting Notes on The Waldos’ Special Ale from Lagunitas Brewing Company (Petaluma, California).

Inspired by the Waldos and the “unbelievably-heady-but-totally-true story of” their daily, 4:20 search for a “Secret Garden” (click here to read more about those shenanigans), The Waldo’s Special Ale is brewed with the help of the Waldos and is Lagunitas’ only official Triple IPA. Tipping the scales at 11.3% ABV and 100+ IBUs, The Waldos’ Special Ale is a 4/20 – or 4:20 . . . whatever works for you, man – appropriate beverage that is meant to be all things “Herbaceous. Botanical. Dank. [and] Resinous.”

The Waldos’ Special Ale is available during the month of April in 6-packs of 12 oz. bottles and on draft. You can expect this One-Hitter Release to be on shelves and taps “in HIIIIIIIGHly limited areas” located within Lagunitas Brewing Company’s distribution footprint.

Now that we are all caught up on this beer’s backstory, let’s pass thing around and start working on these Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for The Waldos’ Special Ale from Lagunitas Brewing Company

Appearance: Waldos’ is a hazy, dark orange in color and is wearing well over a finger of tight white foam. Held to direct light, those orange tones burst with vibrancy as some sunshiny yellows push through. Although the haze makes this beer almost opaque, a slow and steady carbonation presence can be seen ambling about in there. Head retention is pretty fantastic, and the only reason the foam cap reduces in size is because of the mind-blowing amount of sticky lace it leaves behind on the glass.

Aroma: The first thing to come to mind here is a huge amount of . . . let’s just be blunt . . . skunky, dank-ass weed. It so blatant and abundant that is just beautiful. That herbaceous, earthy note eventually shifts into more of a resiny pine quality. Citrus and tropical fruit notes do attempt to push their way through the dankness, but they are pretty much sequestered in the background with a little caramel maltiness.

Taste: The script flips a bit here as pineapple, mango, apricot and orange peel find their way to the palate first. A grassy quality then slides through and brings that raucous, dank character with it. This builds to become a pure danknesss that is filled with straight weed, pepper, oregano, various herbal and floral tones, and sticky pine resin. A sweet honey and caramel sweetness sits underneath all of this, but it simply cannot compete with these hops.

Mouthfeel: Medium in body with a soft carbonation, this beer has an almost creamy texture that possesses a good amount of coating stickiness. Bitter hoppiness is the name of the game here, but the malts do what they can to loosen the hops’ hold on the tastebuds. The ABV is nearly unnoticeable and that is absolutely shocking considering this beer sits at 11.3%. The aftertaste is all honey-laced bud.

Final Thoughts: Well . . . it is incredibly easy to confirm that The Waldos’ Special Ale lives up to its billing as a 4/20 tribute beer. The hops are just off-the-charts dank, and they certainly grab a hold of the palate with authority. That said, this beer is definitely more than a one trick pony. For instance, the malts are dialed in nicely to impart just enough flavor and balance to keep this lip-smacking, jaw-numbing, enamel-stripping experience manageable. Also, we still cannot wrap our heads around how the brewers were able to completely hide an ABV of this height. It is simply mind-boggling. Once you get beyond those pungent hop notes that may conjure up some memories of your college apartment, the level of craftsmanship in this beer becomes so clear that you could literally spend hours contemplating its beauty. Considering the date, I think many of us have the time to do just that today. If you can, get yourself some of The Waldos’ Special Ale and settle in for one hell of a ride. Prost!

Tasting Notes: Aloha! Berlin from Stone Brewing & Maui Brewing Co.

Posted on April 18, 2018April 18, 2018 by mashingin

This week’s installment of Tasting Notes has us fending off the midweek malaise with a very special bottle of Aloha! Berlin Imperial Coconut Porter from Stone Brewing (Escondido, California) and Maui Brewing Co. (Kihei, Hawaii).

Originally released back in late 2016 as the first of fourteen Stone Groundbreaking Collaborations brewed to commemorate the opening of Stone Berlin, Aloha! Berlin is an Imperial Coconut Porter that carries on a long history of collaboration between Stone Brewing and Maui Brewing Co. Filled with “the welcoming spirit of the Aloha State”, Aloha! Berlin echoes past collaborations between the two breweries as it showcases “ingredients familiar to the islands – rich coffee and pounds of hand-toasted coconut – and introduces hazelnuts into the mix.” Clocking in at 9.3% ABV, Aloha! Berlin boasts an experience “deeply rooted in Hawaii, San Diego, Europe and friendship, capturing the true essence of the word ‘aloha,’ which also means on a deeper level ‘joyfully sharing life.'”

Although Aloha! Berlin was originally released in 2016 via a special-order campaign, a limited amount of it and six other Stone Groundbreaking Collaborations were re-released back in December of 2017. It may be a bit more difficult to track them down these days, but a few of these 750ml and 1.5L bottles might still be tucked away on shelves at select craft beer establishments located in Alabama, Florida, California, Virginia and throughout the rest of Stone Brewing’s distribution footprint.

That should just about wrap up this beer’s background info, so let’s properly introduce Aloha! Berlin to a glass and get into these Tasting Notes!

Tasting Notes for Aloha! Berlin Imperial Coconut Porter from Stone Brewing & Maui Brewing Co.

Appearance: Aloha! Berlin pours a seemingly black in color and wears right at a finger of almond colored foam. When held to direct light, the color opens – especially at the edges – to reveal that this Imperial Porter is actually a rich, dark brown. The beer is opaque, but a pulse of carbonation can be seen near the edges of the glass. Head retention is decent, but it does eventually fall to a lasting ring that leaves behind chunky lace patterns after each pull.

Aroma: Toasted coconut leads the aromatics with a supporting cast of mixed nuts – mostly hazelnuts and cashews. Coffee rises up to establish a bit of earthiness and a whole lot of roasty goodness. That roast then draws your attention to the underlying malts that also offer notes of indulgent caramel and bittersweet chocolate.

Taste: A firm Porter base establishes itself first with really nice layers of dark chocolate, caramel and toffee. A toasted coconut presence that is both sweet and booze soaked then emerges alongside a dollop of cream. Just before the entire experience becomes awash with a closing flood of roasted coffee, a European influence settles in as hazelnuts ride in on another layer of rich chocolate. There is a lot at work here, but it is all nuanced and ridiculously tasty.

Mouthfeel: Sitting on the fuller side of medium in body with a moderate carbonation level, this beer has a great weight that maintains a smooth, easy sippin’ experience. Although it is mostly sweet on the palate, the roast from the coffee brings out a nice bitterness that assists with balance and keeps this thing from getting cloying. The ABV does bring a touch of heat to the throat and further promotes this beer’s intention to be a sipper. The aftertaste leaves behind some dark chocolate and coffee.

Final Thoughts: Aloha! Berlin comes together as a wonderful mashup of a solid but larger representation of Maui Brewing’s respected Coconut Hiwa Porter and Stone Brewing’s love of everything that is unapologetically big and bold. That combo on its own is more than enough to result in an amazing beer, but they took this experience to the next level by recognizing the establishment of Stone Berlin with the addition of hazelnuts – an ingredient that is often used in German treats and chocolates. All of these layers result in a sip that simultaneously possesses plenty of tropical goodness, a European quality that has a comforting familiarity, a robust coffee character that serves as some middle ground, and a careful mix of the three that translates as a slightly scaled back, not-so-sweet German chocolate cake note. It is everything you could possible want when you see a beer label that reads “Aloha! Berlin Imperial Coconut Porter“. It is all things Maui Brewing Co. . . . It is all things Stone Brewing . . . and it is abundantly clear why this offering served as the first of the fourteen beers in this series. If you are lucky enough to run across this beer out in the wild, you owe it to yourself to try it. Prost!