Magic Hat DeVEILed and Seance

Magic Hat deVEILed (2013)

Seasonal (Fall).

12 fl. oz. / $1.49 USD / 5.2% ABV

About: "Shrouded in otherworldly goodness! A thin veil rests between two worlds, shrouding one’s view from the other. Lives of the present and those long gone may cross the boundary if they wish, but they must first awaken to the possibility. Once eyes have opened, a harmonious convergence of life and death can be seen, the oneness deveiled, shifting into sight. Malts: 2-Row Pale, Victory, Crystal 40L, Caramel Munich, Caramel 120L, Chocolate / Hops: Magnum, Cascade / Yeast: English Ale"

Thoughts: Damn that is some nice artwork label there. I wonder how much the beer is going to suck just based off that it's got such incredible artwork alone! DeVEILed poured an amber red color with a small foamy light tan head on top. There's generous carbonation and the beer itself is very cloudy. Leaning in for the first whiff and I get toasty water. It's really hard to smell anything here. I get some sweet syrup way in the background but that's about it.

Mouth feel is a little fizzy like and really watery. This beer has a raw funk to it. It's peppery and citrusy and just really kinda grimy. Not all too pleasant I'd have to say. The flavors all blend together kinda nice at first but once you swallow and let the air hit the inside of your mouth it gets all jumbled up and gross. It's like a spiced brown ale, with a lot of grassy water and a little dirt added. Not liking this one too much. Fuck you awesome artwork. Final thought, this motherfucker needs to be REveiled. Ha!

Magic Hat SEANCE (2013)

Seasonal (Fall).

12 fl. oz. / $1.49 USD / 4.4% ABV

About: "Some mysteries are more easily attainable through collected energies and certain assembled elements of seasons, dreams and that which is not at all what it seems. Hold a Séance and peer into an ethereal world of pleasures lying just on the other side of our psyche, floating on shifting winds, through blurred seasons and between waking and sleeping bends. Malts: 2-Row Pale, White Wheat, Victory, Carafa, Flaked Oats, Crystal 80L, Cherry Wood Smoke / Hops: Goldings, Hallertaur / Yeast: Saison II"

Thoughts: Seance poured a really dark brown color with a long lasting light tan head. One things for sure this smells a hell of a lot better than deVEILed. Ahh, it must be that belgian yeast. This one smells sweet, with hints of banana, candy apple, toasted oats, and bonfires.

The beer starts off peppery and smoky, with a lot of that bonfire feeling coming through real strong. The tons of malt mingle together peacefully while the sprinkling of hops bounce around the palate. It's not a strong beer at all, but it's loaded with flavor and tastes good. It's slightly on the charred side, but I've really got no problem with that. Drinking this really reminds me of getting drunk at the beach back when I was a freaky teen. It's got a slight hint of sourness around the middle mark, but a really fine and clean aftertaste to it.

Mouth is a bit fluffed up and weighty. You can tell this beer was made by Magic Hat as their stuff does share a similar kind of base taste and a gritty, dirty rawness to them... but here's one that actually worked out. I'm not in any rush to go buy any more of it, but if they do something special like age it in wine barrels or something I'll have another go at it.

AleSmith EVIL DEAD RED Ale

AleSmith EVIL DEAD RED Ale (2013)

Brewed and Bottled by AleSmith Brewing Company in San Diego, CA. USA.

Autumn Seasonal Brew.

22 fl. oz. / $7.49 USD / 6.66% ABV

About: "Each Halloween we release this special concoction to celebrate one of our favorite holidays. Deep blood-red in color, an intense aroma of pine and citrus from an abundance of American hops balances the sweetness and rich, bready flavors of this beer's caramel malts. The result is a fiendishly smooth brew that will make your taste buds scream with delight. This beer pairs excellently with toffee, caramel apples, or your favorite horror flick."

Thoughts: Evil Dead Red? Lemme get a Hell Yeah! Bottled on 9/10/13. Drank 11/2/13. Zombeer poured a rusty as all fuck "blood red" color with a yellowed frothy cap on top. The beer is almost clear despite looking so damn murky in that fucked up overexposed photo above, and carbonation seems light.

At first whiff this beer comes off as a total malt bomb. It's deep, rich and just damn hella malty son. But upon leaning in for a second take the citrusy and slightly piney hops start to bleed through. It's also really syrupy smelling with a touch of fallen leaves. Ain't that nice.

The taste is big and boisterous. It's very malt heavy but the hops are pronounced at the same time. There seems to be quite a good balance on this sucker. It starts off a little syrupy sweet but gives way to a bit of a grungy bitterness. It gets a bit earthy and grassy on the back of the tongue. It's got a little bit of a cola like quality to it as well, like a store brand cola or Dr. Pepper, but it's very much a beer. Sweet and Bitter both hit their marks at the exact same degree. Nothing is overly dominant here, and to describe the main taste of this beer would be like a soft grassy, resonating peppery, and heavy bready malted blast of middle ground goodness.

After a while it starts to taste kinda like a ash. ;) This one could have been a bit more Evil... and a little less Dead. Aight?

Dark Horse Perkulator

Dark Horse Perkulator - Coffee Dopplebock (2013)

Brewed and Bottled by Dark Horse Brewing Co., in Marshall, MI. USA. 

Limited Rotating Release (Autumn Seasonal)

12 fl. oz. / $2.71 USD / 7.5% ABV

About: "This is a true dopplebock and Dark Horse Brewing’s only publicly distributed lager. It was so normal that we couldn't stand it so we made it into a coffee dopplebock. Ha, take that Germany, with your Reinheitsgebot purity law! Anyway, we use fare trade organic coffee from our friends at The Ugly Mug Cafe in Ypsilanti, MI. We did a label contest and opened it up to the public for this beer. We had so many awesome entries that we couldn't just pick one winner so we have 2 labels for this beer. We stagger the bottles in the six packs but with no order in mind."

Thoughts: As I look at this bottle I notice a thick layer of soil deposit on the bottom, and as I flip the bottle once and hold it up to the light I see some absolutely massive floaties in there. Am I afraid? Afraid to die? Don't be afraid... to try. Not only do those taunting flakes of hopefully non-poisonous artifacts inside give me worry, but the label of this beer has a double-headed Goat Devil with demon wings on the fuckin' front!

Guess I'll pour it out... into my stomach that is!! Perkulator poured a murky as shit, hazy vomit looking brown color with a spiraling head that looks like someone spit in my beer. There's a shit-ton of flaky debris suspended in animation and no, wait, the flakes are slowly descending. Probably back from whence they came. And now they're rising back up, what in the fuck... ok, they're just bouncing around. I look inside the bottle and notice a half ring layer of goop at the bottom, and it looks pretty gross. I wait a minute for it to warm, and then I pour it into the glass.

What the hell is wrong with me I think, but this is the stuff that nightmares are made if and I'm willing to crawl through fire and brimstone, or at least shit out my intestinal track tomorrow morning to review this beer, just for you! Whoever you are reading this.

I lean in and put my nose to the glass. It's just as I expected! This coffee dopplebock smells just like coffee. Those clever bastards. There's a rich malty undercurrent and a lot of crazy spice in the forefront.

I say a backwards prayer and then put the stuff inside of me. It tastes just like coffee. It's not intense at all, or rotten thankfully, but instead rather sweet, mild and tasty. A little raw, and not as spiced as the nose would let you believe, but raw sugar like sweet and in the end it's overly sweet. None too expected. It's actually really good, if a little burnt, and if you've every bought an iced coffee you'll probably like this. Also, as an added bonus this stuff will get you drunk.

Grand Teton Black Cauldron

Grand Teton Brewing Black Cauldron Imperial Stout (2011)

Brewed and Bottled by the Grand Teton Brewing Company in Victor, ID. USA. 

Winter Seasonal (Brewers' Series)
12 fl. oz. (x2) / $1.56 USD (Sale) / 8.0% ABV

About: "This thick, rich ale was brewed with plenty of caramel and roasted malts, and subtly spiced with American Chinook and Willamette hops. We’ve accentuated the natural smokiness of the brew by adding a small amount of beechwood-smoked malt and aging the brew in an oak whiskey barrel, which also adds notes of oak and vanilla.

We've brewed our Black Cauldron Imperial Stout to recognize and honor the women in the history of brewing. Brewing has been women's work since the dawn of civilization. In all ancient cultures, beer was a gift from a goddess, and women maintained status and power through their skills as brewers. This remains true today in indigenous cultures from Asia to Latin America, Africa to remote villages in Scandinavia. Around the world, women baked bread and brewed their own beer."

Thoughts: Poured pitch black through and through with a large bubbly chocolate colored head. Holding the glass up I'm seeing some light speckles in suspended animation near the bottom.

First approach is a super strong blast of alcohol to the face! Fruity hops blast forth before the chocolate malt starts to come through. There's a slight hint of coffee, a smokey aura and there's a bit of spicy pepper crawling up the nostrils.

Total candy at first. Raisins, dried fruit, slight vanilla... reminiscent of a Sherry or a Brandy. Very woody once swallowed. More woody than grassy. Smokey. I'm getting no bad taste or strangeness with this. In fact, this tastes pretty damn good. Coffee flavor seems to be the dominant factor in stouts, but here it's laying way low in a roasted subtlety and I'm lovin' it. It's mostly just a chocolatey hint, with that beach wood and fruitful tones along with a boozy haze and candied sugar. Quite lovely.

This is one thick and hearty brew. Very filling.

It finishes slightly dry, but not really. Things begin to even out once you're near the end of one bottle, and as it warms it becomes a little easier to drink. Aside from the initial bite, the alcohol seems to have fallen back a bit. I'm very pleased to find no unpleasantness within this brew. Plus, it's pretty cool to see more witches on bottle art as well, so that's a very cool added bonus.

Rogue Dead Guy Ale

Rogue Dead Guy Ale (2011)

Year Round Release.
64 fl. oz. (1/2 Gallon Growler) / $17.99 USD / 6.5% ABV

About: "In the early 1990s Dead Guy Ale was created as a private tap sticker to celebrate the Mayan Day of the Dead (November 1st, All Souls Day) for Casa U Betcha in Portland, Oregon. The Dead Guy design proved so popular with consumers and especially Grateful Dead fans, that we made it the label for our Maierbock ale. Even though the association with the Grateful Dead band is pure coincidence, we have gratefully dedicated Dead Guy Ale to the Rogue in each of us." Malts: Northwest Harrington, Klages, Maier Munich and Carastan / Hops: Perle and Saaz / Yeast and Water: Rogue's Pacman Yeast and Free Range Coastal Water.

Thoughts: When I cracked this growler open I took a look inside and noticed creepy, swirling smoke that reminded me of dark nights creeping through the graveyard. Very plan 9 like fog. Poured a very amber looking amber that settled into an almost orange tone but not really with a one inch slightly off white head that stuck around for a few minutes. The brew is really hazy, but I can make out tons of carbonation bubbles rising up the sides of the glass.

This smells pretty incredible. Heavy bits of sweet malted toffee candy bars. Cold and smokey like a dark Halloween night. It also very slightly reminds me of those chocolate cereal straws that you drink milk through. After a while of drinking it smells like straight up Graham Crackers. Nice!

That's pretty damn good. Sweet honey-like malts flow forward then retreat and afterwards these peppery hops start to bounce their way in and tingle around. Bitter hops resonate on the back of the tongue after breathing in for a while. Something cool about this beer, keep it in your mouth for a while and the process repeats itself once before settling down to that lingering bitterness. This beer is really sweet. Not super chocolatey, but a minor chocolate touch on lovely biscuity malt with a touch of honey and sugar.

Medium near almost-heavy body. Leaves behind a bit of filmy aftertaste.

This is my first time drinking Dead Guy Ale. I bought this, not only because I wanted to try it for so long, but also because I wanted the Growler with that cool ass artwork. Seeing as I was slightly unimpressed with the last two Rogue ales I had tried, I was a bit worried. Well that thought was put to rest when I drank this. Dead Guy is brewed with Saaz hops, but I didn't taste any funk this time around. Strange that the few beers that I seriously disliked, I later found out all had Saaz hops in them. Perhaps it was a mix of Saaz and overly strong Belgian yeasts that was the problem, or bad batches. No matter. This beer tasted perfectly fine and I finished this growler off in a single sitting, leaving me feeling comfortably swell.

Take a look at this great artwork!

Rinkuškiai Werewolf Bier

Rinkuškiai Werewolf Bier (2011)
Brewed and Bottled by Rinkuškiai, in Biržai, Lithuania.

Year Round (Standard Release)
16.9 fl. oz. / $2.79 USD / 8.2% ABV

About: "Werewolf is based on the recipe of the best Biržai beers. No pees, rice and other non-malt products are used for Rinkuškiai beer production." Good to know. I prefer my beer without both pee and peas.

Thoughts: Poured a pretty standard amber color with a slight dark orange tint and just a sliver of a white head that quickly moved around and bubbled away.

Little bit malty at first. Some spicy hops come flowing through after a couple minutes. It smells pretty sweet and spicy, little bit like alcoholic cherries. There's something diabolic about it though.

Well, this beer actually tastes pretty damn good! I didn't know what to expect at all, but it's very well done. Balance of malts and hops is stupendous. It's like a spicy bread. Taste doesn't change. It's not really a one note beer, it's just very consistent in the stages it goes through. The same stages each time around. All very nice.

It a heavy medium. Tinging. Goes down smooth, and a little bit slow. Mouth coating.

This is a pretty straightforward brew. It starts off spicy and robust, slowly calms after the swallow and leaves a sweet soothing feel. Low bitterness. Not much of a bite for this 8.2%, no pun. Overall this is an enjoyable brew, that leaves a nice taste in your mouth and a mini-fire in yer belly.

Wychwood King Goblin Ale

Wychwood Special Reserve KingGoblin Dark English Ale (2011?)

Brewed and Bottled by Wychwood Brewery in Witney, Oxfordshire. UK.
Year Round[?] (Specialty Release) 

16.9 fl. oz. / $5.99 USD / 6.6% ABV

About: "Brewed only on a Full Lunar Moon. As the full moon casts its eerie light over the shadowy old Eagle Brewery, a magical brew gurgles forth from the casks. A beer enlivened by the energies of the universe, when the elements are converging into a harmonious alignment. Truly a brew fit for a celestial majesty. KingGoblin is hand crafted from roasted chocolate and crystal malts, with a timely infusion of fuggles, sovereign, styrian and cascade hops to produce an indulgently rich, full, smooth beer of exceptional quality and character. A full, rich, sublimely fruity and satisfying indulgent beer; a beer for the connoisseur of the finer things."

Thoughts: Poured a dark dark raspberry colored amber with a white bubbly head that left a small cloud of foam in the middle.

I picked this bottle up twice thinking it was their standard Hobgoblin while I was browsing a small independently owned supermarket that I'd never been to before (Imagine that! Of all the places to finally find this). As I started walking away I kept thinking to myself about that silver foil on the label and that I thought I saw the words "Special Reserve". In fact, I was quite sure of it, though clouded-minded at the time. So I floated back and noticed what it was: KINGGoblin! I snatched it up quickly. This place had a nice selection of winter seasonal brews on display, but not a lot of them, or much of anything else except for a small row of wines and standard US lagers. Still, they went through the trouble of labeling an area right inside the middle of the store with colorful chalk on a board displaying the Christmas beers! The owner must be a real seasonal guy. I wish the big markets would do this (not a chance!).

Smells a little bit like sour berries. Hmm. Sour cherry and stinky floral hops at first, and a bit of chocolate malt afterwards.

Kind of reminds me of that Innis and Gunn's Whiskey barrel brew, which is also an English Strong Ale. It's a bit fruity, and bitter, and yup, there's a sourness lingering throughout the brew. It's bready, and nutty, and that mixed with the berry tones makes it reminiscent of toast and jam which is quite right English. Still, there is a bit of a grape wine thing going on that I usually don't get along with. Here, it's not so bad actually. Very tolerable actually. That's rare.

Thick and fluttering at first, smooth and thinly fading later. Leaves a nice aftertaste, but is a bit drying.

KingGoblin is a very cool beer with a slightly strong alcohol that doesn't show itself too much... quite mischievous I'd say! It might take a little getting used to, but I could imagine myself easily pounding about five or six of these no problem. The tastes seem to meld after a while with my brain, like it's sneaking up on me. It probably doesn't help that every time I glance to my left I see a fuckin' evil pointed-nosed goblin with an axe and a devilish grin staring at me.

Woodstock Inn Autumn Ale Brew

Woodstock Inn Autumn Ale Brew (2011)
Brewed and Bottled by Shipyard Brewing Co., in Portland, ME for Woodstock Inn Brewery, North Woodstock, NH. USA.
Autumn Seasonal (Limited Release)
12 fl. oz /  $1.99 USD / 4.4% ABV

About: "Chestnut in overall color. Medium bodied with apple and cinnamon flavor and aroma." Uhh, nice description?

Thoughts: Three pumpkin (sorry, apple) headed ghouls in robes surrounding a cauldron of alcohol under a full moon in the blue night's sky. Fucking... awesome! Then there's the bats and the splatter effects. It screams delicious mischief in a bottle.

Very deep cherry red. Looks cool. Thick foamy head that took a few minutes to die down.

Damn this smells sweet. Candy Apples, low levels of clove and nutmeg, all mixed with cinnamon toast crunch.  Wow.

Loads of apple cinnamon, but it still tastes enough like a brew to satisfy. This malt beverage is strange, but damn is it good. Taste changes from candy apple to cinnamon rolls to bitter cider and back again. I wonder how this would fare in a higher ABV%? Wonder indeed... get on that shit Woodstock Inn. I demand a High Gravity Bomber of this!

Medium bodied and tingly. Goes down very smooth.

 

I'm impressed. I was weary at first when I read that it was brewed and bottled by Shipyard. And secondly, when I noticed that this isn't technically a pumpkin beer. But I'll be damned if this one isn't superior to a few other so-called pumpkin beers I've recently tried. If I ever decide to drink a pumpkin beer that isn't a pumpkin beer, this will be my choice.

Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale

Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale (2011)

Brewed and Bottled by Weyerbacher Brewing Co, Inc. Easton, Pennsylvania. USA.
Autumn Seasonal (Yearly Release)

12 fl. oz / $2.99 USD / 8.0% ABV

About: "Like a pyramid for a pharaoh, we set out to make a bold monument for The King of the Pumpkins! This 8.0% ABV pumpkin ale is the mother of all pumpkin ales. It is heartier, spicier, and more “caramelly” and “pumpkiny” than its faint brethren! We have added lots of pumpkin along with cinnamon, nutmeg and a touch of cardamom and clove giving this beer a spicy, full-bodied flavor. This truly is an Imperial Pumpkin Ale. Perfect finisher on a cool autumn night, or match it up with a slice of pumpkin pie and fresh whipped cream."

Thoughts: This artwork is one of the most awesome of all the pumpkin ales. This Pumpkin King is one magnificent bastard! Cool shit, mister. Also, this Ale won the Bronze Medal at the 2010 Great American Beer Festival in the 'Field Beer' Category.

Copper, just like a penny. And the tan colored head is about the equivalent of one too, gone in an instant.

I'm immediately hit with the scent of sweet cloves, reminiscent of Djarum cigarettes. I remember them fondly, and smelling this makes me think I should pick up another pack for old time's sake. There are hints of nutmeg and a dash of cinnamon.Yeah, this one smells pretty sweet and spicy. I wonder how it tastes...

Burnt coffee grounds, first of all. What the hell is this!? The difference between the smell of this and the taste is just absurd. Stale clove cigs, dipped in allspice. I don't recall ever having cardamom, but I hope it tastes better than this. This Imperial tastes like some funky caramel candy that's been stepped on by a coal miner.

It's foamy, feels thick (yet goes down like it's thin) and stays on the tongue. Why it's this foamy in my mouth without too much carbonation seems rather strange. After a while it's like I just french kissed my ex girlfriend back in '95 all over again. She was a butt fiend. And maybe that sounded wrong.

Sticky, smokey, and like I took a fork and knife to my boot. It's funny how smelling this is like running a fresh clove cigarette across your nostrils, and yet the taste is like you just lit up one that's already been half smoked the day before.

I don't really either love, nor do I hate this ale, despite however you may interpret my review. But I suppose it will be interesting to see where it fits along with the others in my graded summary. I've still got six other pumpkin ales to go from the batch I picked up, and I'll be grabbing more the end of the week.

Southern Tier Imperial Pumking Ale

This is technically my second time trying this ale (since I had a small swig at a tasting about a week back), but is my first buy and real drinking of the product. Oh, and welcome to my first ever beer review.

Southern Tier Imperial pumking Ale (2011)
Brewed and Bottled by Southern Tier Brewing Company in Lakewood, NY, USA.
Autumn Seasonal (Yearly Release).
22 fl. oz  / $7.99 USD / 8.6% ABV (I hear that it used to be 9% in previous batches from years before.)

About: "Bewitched and brewed with pagan spirit! Pumking is an ode to Púca, a creature of Celtic folklore, who is both feared and respected by those who believe in it. Púca is said to waylay travelers throughout the night, tossing them on its back, and providing them the ride of their lives, from which they return forever changed. Brewed in the spirit of All Hallows Eve, a time of the year when spirits can make contact with the physical world and when magic is most potent. Pour Pumking into a goblet and allow it’s alluring spirit to overflow. As spicy aromas present themselves, let it’s deep copper color entrance you as your journey into this mystical brew has just begun. As the first drops touch your tongue a magical spell will bewitch your taste buds making it difficult to escape the Pumking. Malts: 2-row Pale, Caramel / Kettle Hops: Magnum / Aroma Hops: Sterling / Pureed Pumpkin."

Thoughts: Look at that evil motherfucker. This bottle is impossible not to see when you're walking through the shops. Love the little orange bats that are flying off to the right of the label. This bomber is truly fit for the king.

It's gotta orange rusty color that's somewhat translucent (heard that it was grainy like you'd want to chew it but it's not even hazy at all), a 1/4 inch finger head and the bubbles are very small. There doesn't look to be all that much carbonation, which I didn't expect. The head dissipated in no time flat.

This ale smells great! That's probably the best thing going for it, not that I'm knocking the taste, but I'd say that the aroma is a major attraction and focal point of this one. There's a strong pumpkin pie, gingerbread/graham crackers and cloves scent. I'm not really getting much of the cinnamon, but there's a little vanilla. I read one review saying this ale has a scent reminiscent of spicy creamed corn. When I read that I went back to the empty bottle for another smell, and yes, there it was. The aromas here completely engulf the senses. I could breathe this one in for days.

Nutmeg, Pumpkin Pie (surprise), Cloves, Brown Sugar. The faint hop aroma ain't that faint once you taste it. It's a strong ale and you can tell, but it's not too overpowering after the second and third gulp. The spices are strong and the taste is quite sweet, yet it's got a not-too-harsh kick to it. After drinking a bit over half of the bottle, the taste and smell seemed (and this was almost unnoticeable) vinegar-like.

Because of the light carbonation this was really easy to drink. It was however mouth coating and the slightest bit astringent, leaving me puckering like a kissing fish for a while.

Bittersweet, Metallic aftertaste is quite good with a long lingering finish. The flavors all seem to stand out, yet in the end it's pretty balanced. I like this ale, but probably wouldn't buy it on a regular (limited) basis  due to the price. One thing is for sure: The bottle has a very cool design. It really stands out what with that Evil Pumpkin(g) on the label. I think I'll be keeping it for a while.

NOTE: I'm not giving this ale a rating yet, since I'll be trying about a dozen or more pumpkin related drinks this month and at the end of all of it I'll be grading them on a curve. Cheers you crazy fothermuckers!