Liquid Solutions

Sorry folks, as of 5:20 (11-19) we have sold out of “The Abyss 2008”. I will try and acquire more but I am not sure if there will be any available. I will keep you updated.
Matt

Are you prepared to jump head long into The Abyss??? This beer has sooooo much going on it takes several sips to get a handle on it all. First and foremost it is an imperial stout of the highest caliber. Not sweet, this 11% stout has only a hint a caramel. The predominant flavors are of roasted barley, licorice, and molasses. Light bitter hop finish with a bit of a drying bite from the black malts and licorice and a spicy alcohol hit at the end. If that were not enough all of this has been aged in French oak and Bourbon casks. The oak an bourbon tones meld perfectly with the molasses and roasty flavors, none predominating the other. Superb A++.

"I just had to crack one open once it hit the floor. It is even better than I had hoped. Smooth fruity, roasty, complex and strong. All of it and more. Another A++.

This beer is all about the ingredients,” says Alaskan brewer Michael King. “A ridiculous amount of hand-peeled and seeded whole gourmet Madagascar vanilla beans were used along with nearly 500 pounds of dark black cherries and a variety of specialty malts to create a dynamic and smooth experience. Aging on toasted French oak and the addition of vanilla beans during fermentation really round out the flavor.”

Alaskan’s Baltic Porter is full bodied and jet-black in color with garnet highlights and a dense tan head, characteristics similar to a Russian Imperial Stout. The smooth, deep maltiness is accentuated by raisin and licorice notes as well as chocolate and mild coffee characters. The oak brings hints of bourbon and hot toffee. The higher alcohol content contributes to the warmth of this richly flavorful beer.

The Earth Monk being an Oud Bruin that pours a brownish red with a medium size head that has some good staying power. The aroma is woody with fruity cherry and a good spicy clove. The flavor is very tart and fruity with hit of grape, oak, cherries, vanilla, and it has malt of caramel and nut. The finish is of light hop and a dry tart lactic.

No minimums, no maximums, order away.

Pannepot is a wonderfully spiced, 10% dark Belgian brew that is everything I expect out of an exceptional Belgian and more. Dark brown in color this beer pours with a massive meringue like head. Sweet fruity aromas that come across fig, pear with spicy notes of cinnamon and a whiff of licorice. The flavor is malty with a touch of sweetness; fig is a major flavor with brown sugar, and hints of chocolate and clove. Great creamy mouth feel and the 10% does not get in the way. A+

I am very excited about this new Baltic Porter from Alaskan. The quality, complexity, and flavor of their reserve beers (Smoked Porter, Barley Wine) have been nothing short of A++. Although I have not got to try this one yet my expectations are very high. We do have a good quantity coming in but it is limited and we will probably not see a second shipment so don’t miss out.

"This beer is all about the ingredients,” says Alaskan brewer Michael King. “A ridiculous amount of hand-peeled and seeded whole gourmet Madagascar vanilla beans were used along with nearly 500 pounds of dark black cherries and a variety of specialty malts to create a dynamic and smooth experience. Aging on toasted French oak and the addition of vanilla beans during fermentation really round out the flavor.”

Alaskan’s Baltic Porter is full bodied and jet-black in color with garnet highlights and a dense tan head, characteristics similar to a Russian Imperial Stout. The smooth, deep maltiness is accentuated by raisin and licorice notes as well as chocolate and mild coffee characters. The oak brings hints of bourbon and hot toffee. The higher alcohol content contributes to the warmth of this richly flavorful beer.

Many of the Christmas beers are starting to show up. These spicy malty beers are what I look forward to every year. Once again we are seeing some exciting brew from the Scandinavian Brewers Guild.

Ummmmm, now this is a winter / Christmas beer to savor and cherish. Dark brown in color with mahogany around the edges. The head is very persistent with some amazing lace. That aroma is of heavenly chocolate covered spiced cherries. The flavor, like the aroma, is chocolate along with some same dark fruit and star anise. Do not serve this too cold, as it would do it a great disservice.

An opaque medium brown color that pours with a sticky tan foam. The aroma is hoppy with citrus rind and a bit of chocolate cookie dough from the malt. The flavor is hoppy with oily grapefruit with some restrained caramel and spice. A great Christmas beer that has more hop presence than most of its imported brethren.

Solid brown in color with some red tints. This spiced bock beer is smooth and malty with the spicing not over the top. The aroma is malty sweet with a cake like quality. The flavor is of toasted bread, slight caramel and a bit of roasty chocolate. It does have a reserved hop finish but you are left with an overall soft malty character.

This massivly carbonated Belgian pours amber with a slight haze. The aroma is of candied fruit with spice of anise, clove with a bit of molasses. The flavor is malty sweet with a doughy quality, allspice, cinnamon and a dark fruit ester. The mouthfeel is a bit warming from the alcohol and the overall flavor threshold is not as aggressive as my descriptors may sound. A good example of the fruity Belgian Christmas style.

Unfortunately things are not going all that well on the Abyss front. From what I have been told, the supply is going to be shorter than last year. With “The Dissident” taking longer than expected it lowered their capacity to make “Abyss”. This means that there is less available. That, along with the fact the EVERY retailer is now wanting to sell this very popular product means that the quantity Liquid Solutions will be allotted is up in the air. So I can not, in good conscious pre-sell Abyss as I truly do not know how much is going to show up. I know many of you want to reserve a few bottles but I am afraid that taking per-sell orders will only make more people unhappy (those who do not get product) than I would make happy by taking the order ahead of time. I hope you understand that I am only trying to reduce the strife in what is going to be frustrating situation for us all. The company that wholesale Deschutes beer delivers to me on Wednesdays so if you check our website about 2:00pm on Wednesday’s you will have a good chance of catching some in stock.

Named for the three wise men. These three beers came from the east baring gift of Hops, Spices, and Mustard Seeds. With a 5% discount.


2 Alvinne Melchior 330ml
2 Alvinne Gaspar 330ml
2 Alvinne Balthazar 330ml

Belgian double style, highly carbonated and brown in color. Rich with flavors of dark fruit and chocolate and highly spiced. Malt: Pilsen, wheat, special B, amber 45, chocolate
Hops: Challenger, EK goldings,Candi sugar: dark candi sugar, Spices: ginger, cardemon, coriander.

Belgian IPA in style, golden amber in color with a light malting and a big hop flavor, aroma and bitterness. 8% alc/vol Malt: Pilsner, Pale, Chocolate, Wheat, Hops: Challenger, Saaz, East Kent Goldings. Unfiltered, Unpasteurized, bottle-conditioned. Aroma: Fruity with strong hoppy aroma. Flavor/Taste profile: Spicy, malt-sweet, hoppy-bitter palate, with a very very long dry & bitter finish.

Malt: Pilsen, wheat, munich 15, cara 120, Hops: challenger, EK goldings, Saaz, Spices: mustard seeds. Clean, crisp and spicy. The spicy Saaz hops works perfectly with the mustard seed.

This big porter pours a black brown with a big brown head. The aroma is sweet with spice, licorice and chocolate. The flavor starts with dark chocolate and roasted malt. The spices kick and are accompanied by vanilla and spruce. To: From: is an excellent beer that anyone would appreciate as a gift.

This 11% quadruple style is a tasty powerhouse. It pours a dark amber with aromas ranging from tropical, cookie dough, and figs. Its flavor is of caramel, brown sugar, plums and spice. A big yummy dessert beer.

J.W.Lees Vintage Harvest Ale is only brewed once a year for release on December 1 of each year. It is a Limited Edition Vintage to celebrate the first brew from each year's harvest of barley and hops. Only the first delivery of the year's classic barley malt 'Maris Otter' and the classic hop variety 'Goldings' from East Kent is therefore used.

Fermentation is induced by J.W.Lees 'distinctive three-strain top-fermenting yeast. J.W.Lees Vintage Harvest Ale reaches 11.5 % alc./vol. once completely attenuated with a natural fermentation in open copper lined fermenting vessels that were commissioned in 1876 when the brew house was refurbished [J.W.Lees has been brewing at Greengate Brewery in Middleton Junction for six generations since 1828].

Pale in color it has a warm, estery aroma, a good deal of malty flavors on the palate, and a lot of hoppy dryness in the finish.

Here is some info about the casks it was aged in. Willoughby"s Finest Reserve Port [to mature JW Lees Harvest Ale] Specially blended for Willoughby"s by Peter Symington, head winemaker at the Symington Family Port Companies, owners of Dow"s, Graham"s, Warre"s and other famous Port shipping houses. This is a "Reserve" quality Port, not of a single vintage but of a superior blend, aged for up to 5 years in wood as opposed to the 2 or 3 years usually allowed for Ruby. It is full bodied, sweet and luscious, reminiscent of the style known in the 19th century as "Blackstrap".

Here is some info about the casks it was aged in. Willoughby"s Rayoso Cream Sherry [to mature JW Lees Harvest Ale] From Emilio Hidalgo in Jerez, this wine is drawn from their 8 year old Oloroso solera, and blended with PX and Moscatel to give the wine a rich, full bodied, sweet character without being cloying. Compared with the UK"s leading brand of Cream, Harvey"s Bristol Cream, Rayoso is darker, sweeter, fuller and deeper, with a long raisin finish.

These are the fun brews that will make a perfect Christmas gifts. Even if those on your list have been naughty, they at least deserve a “Lump Of Coal” . For those who have been extra nice they should be visited by some of Santa’s more cantankerous elves.

Looking forward to a depressing holiday? Here is liquid consolation. This 8% bittersweet chocolate stout is the best you could hope for in these dark times. Actually, come to think of it, considering how bad you’ve been, this little coal-black gem is more than you deserve for Christmas this year.

The handiwork of vastly talented (but altogether too cheery) master brewer Peter Scholey, Lump of Coal is the perfect stocking stuffer for the beer lover or manic depressive in your family.

First off the title is a double-entendre in that the 126 gallon cask he is sitting on is referred to as a butt. This “Winter Porter” is deep brown in color. The aroma is lightly fruity with a nice roasty hit. The flavor is light coffee and caramel with a fruity hop flavor and an ever so slight hop bitterness at the finish. The perfect holiday gift.

This English IPA style is a little less hoppy, a little more malty, and a little more festive this time around. This Elf is so bad, it’s way good.

Based on an original Pale Ale recipe from 1795, Very Bad Elf has nutty and sweet-roasted flavors attributable to its use of an ancient pale malt, uniquely recreated for this delightful ale. A rare variety of Fuggles hops dating to the mid-1800’s gives the beer a soft, rounded bitterness and uncanny drinkability.

Another masterpiece from Peter Scholey at Ridgeway Brewing. Seriously Bad Elf is Peters"s very English interpretation of a Belgian Tripel, brewed to warming 9% alcohol.

Outstanding English barley wine. Brown in color with a bit of amber. Dense ample head with malty aroma. The flavor is caramel and fruity without being sweet and a small hop finish. Great beer with a great label.

This light mahogany colored 11.2% insanity pours with a dense thick head that lasts well for such a high percent. Billed as an imperial red the one thing that comes to my mind is the images of sugarplums dancing in my head. Huge plum fruity with a touch of cherry and a big candy sweetness. Very Belgian in character since I can not think of any other English beers that approach this level of strength, ester, and sweetness.

This 11% imperial stout pour inky black with a red/brown tint at the edges. The head is thin and brown. The aroma is coffee, anise, and grassy hops. The flavor is coffee, sweet licorice and grassy/floral hops. A roasty bite hits you up front then the hop bitterness gets you in the finish.

Check them out at...
http://www.laughingdogbrewing.com/Reserve_Beers.html

Brown/amber in color, this winter ale pours with a small off white head. The aroma is of toffee and a light flowery hop. The body is smooth with a medium mouth feel. The flavor is lightly roasty with just a touch of malt sweetness and a very mild bitter finish with a hop flavor of fruit and spice.

Is this an Imperial IPA or is it a pale Barley Wine???? Well to be honest I do not know (or care). At 10.5% and 85 IBUs it is strong, bitter and very tasty. It pours a pale amber brown with a tight head that sticks around for a while. The aroma is heavy pale malts with a pine hop and a touch of apple. It has a medium to heavy body that is cut through with a stiff hop bitterness. The flavor although heavy on the hops and bitterness one can not ignore the big malt that weaves its way around all of the hop components. Even at 85 IBUs this level of malt can not be ignored. This is a good thing as it does provide some balance and what I see (taste) as a great aging potential. Enjoy this one now and for years to come out of the cellar

This is a most excellent 9% massive Baltic porter. Big and strong with a huge coffee and hop flavor, this inky black Baltic is not as sweet as its Polish and Russian counterparts but is just as strong and aggressive in flavor. What sets it apart is the big grassy hop flavor to go with all of those dark roasted malts. This beer commemorates the death of Hunter S. Thomson with the label done by Ralph Stedman.

If you have yet to try the Double Bastard, think Arrogant Bastard only more malt, more hops and more alcohol. Everything you love in a beer and more. Malty rich and caramely, this seasonal brew is not to be missed.

If you have yet to try the Double Bastard, think Arrogant Bastard only more malt, more hops and more alcohol. Everything you love in a beer and more. Now it comes in a convenient party size 3-liter bottle. Who wouldn’t love to unwrap one of these during the holiday season. And you would be the hit of any new years party when you walk in the door with this bad boy under your arm. Quantities are limited.

*** Beer Flash! ***

I have Goose Island’s “Bourbon County Stout” coming in very soon (written 11-3-2008). The distributor was able to get me pricing on it but was unable to get me the exact amount I would receive as my allotment. As such we are setting this up as a pre-sell with a first come first serve. I hope to get enough to keep everyone happy but at this point I really do not know what we will receive. This is the first time we have seen it up here in my area so I’m pretty jazzed :-)

This imperial stout aged in bourbon barrels is big strong and tasty. This inky black stout pours with a dense brown head. The aroma and flavor are huge and maybe a little overwhelming. Notes of sweet chocolate bourbon, figs, prunes, roasted malts with a bit of an alcohol kick. But don’t just take my word for it, see what the guys at Beer Advocate have to say… http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/1146/43034