Tasting- Some Coconut IPA or Cocoa IPA?

[caption id="attachment_1478" align="alignright" width="403"] Coconut oil makes the best skin lotion, great for cooking, hair conditioning and massages.[/caption]

 

I've been following with wet lips and hungry eyes the R&R Coconut IPA being released by Stone Brewing in the home-brewer competition collaboration due mostly to everlasting love of Maui Brewing's Coconut Porter.

As I'm rubbing coconut oil into my sun soaked southern France skin, I'll roll around some Rip Current Coconut IPA connections.

Robert & Ryan / Rip Current / Stone R&R Coconut IPA Collaboration is a 7.7% ABV India Pale Ale brewed and flavored with coconut

[caption id="attachment_1475" align="alignleft" width="216"] Maui Coconut Porter is my weakness[/caption]

Label:
This collaboration beer is a celebration of the homebrewing spirit and an example of counter-intuitive thoughts coalescing beautifully into something exceptional. Case in point is the seamless marrying of toasted coconut and a hop bill brimming with tropical fruit notes. Longtime homebrewers Robert Masterson and Ryan Reschan teamed up to enter this beer in our annual American Homebrewers Association-sanctioned brewing competition and, though it was the first beer they’d ever brewed together, they sailed past the competition like a tropical ocean breeze on a pleasure cruise bound for India. After winning, the duo reached out to their friend, highly decorated homebrewer and 2011 AHA Ninkasi Award winner Paul Sangster of the newly opened Rip Current Brewing Company, to assist in dialing in the recipe. Together with Sangster’s skilled partner Guy Shobe and Stone Brewmaster Mitch Steele, Masterson and Reschan present fellow craft beer enthusiasts with a most delicious and original style of IPA. Open, enjoy, rest, relax and repeat as needed.

“On the nose, you get lots of tropical fruit—mango, passion fruit, pineapple—with some sweet orange and stone fruit from the hops along with toasty coconut sweetness.” Ryan Reschan /I Winning Homebrewer 1 love the tropical spin that Robert and Ryan added to an already great IPA recipe.” Mitch Steele II Brewmaster, Stone Brewing Co. “The true lest of a beer like this is the balance between the fruity hop and the coconut flavors and, with this one, you feel like you’re drinking a tropical drink on the beach.”

[caption id="attachment_1476" align="alignleft" width="300"] Coconut IPA from OCBeerBlog[/caption]

There have been a hand-full of reviews out lately, best of which:

Brewerianimelogs- "Overall, the beer does a pretty good job and bringing some very nice tropics to the scene and some nice hints that would not be found in some other IPAs"

Thefullpint- "When I had my first pour at the Stone Company Store at their serving temperature, not a trace of coconut... The bottle however, was a different experience."

From StumpyJoeJr (Ryan) himself in a video

OCBeerBlog- "Vacation in a glass."

Beergeekradioreviews (first post, but great review)- "But few people do IPA's as well as Stone, and even though I wanted more coconuts in the flavor, I could still drink this all day. Not perfect, but definitely not a loser by any means." 

Still waiting for other respectable reviewers to get some bottles and chat it up, like Greg or Beer Geek Nation.

[caption id="attachment_1477" align="aligncenter" width="960"] Coconut IPA from Brewerianimielogs[/caption]

As soon as find someone willing to send me over a bottle (or a case) I'lll get my own review up, until then, sip on this taste of something equally IPA awesome: Cocoa IPA from Microbrewery Bodebrown, voted Brazil's favorite IPA for #IPADAY:

Cocoa IPA with Maria Cevada

Cheers to beers and vacations!

XOXO

Tasting- Plein Lune Aubeloun

[caption id="attachment_1446" align="aligncenter" width="696"] Brasserie Pleine Lune[/caption]

One of my haul from the Cave à bulles, Paris France location:

Plein Lune Aubeloun 7%

A: Tawny orance color with an abundance of yeast floaties. (I did not swirl or shake before pouring)

S: Citrusy hops and grapefruit with a delicate toffee smell

T: Malt pops out at the front, followed by lemon/lime hops and a tart bitter finish

M: Smooth coating of resin with a perfect amount of carbonation to but the sticky

O: Although not exactly the "Full Moon," I'm looking for in an IPA, Plein Lune Aubeloun delivers a great kick of citrus hops and throat choke bitterness reserved for the highest in drinking pleasures. Kudos to the brew team, I Brasserie Pleine Lune line.

'Our Beer Plein Lune Aubeloun is an India Pale Ale. This is an English-born beer brewed in the 18th century. The India Pale Ale was originally destined for India. To support a journey that lasted for more than 6 months time, The  IPA was overloaded with hops for better conservation during the trip.

Our Beer Plein Lune Aubeloun is a traditional amber beer, very fruity and powerful in the mouth. This India Pale Ale will awaken your taste buds with a very persistent finish end of the citrus types, specifically pulling the grapefruit.

Alcohol: 7% and 59 IBU (unit used by brewers to measure the bitterness of their beers)

Tip: Served between 8 ° C and 10 ° C'

-Brasserie Pleine Lune

[caption id="attachment_1447" align="alignright" width="300"] FHL Certified[/caption]

Plein Lune Aubeloun is a great example of how French craft beer is on the rise. If you're able to find one of these 50 IBU IPA nuggets while in France or abroad, don't hesitate to enjoy it to the fullest!

Tasting- HOME

Hello Mr. Pump-Clip Parade contestant #1!

If you haven't heard of the pump-clip parade it is best that you drop over for a scan of the best (and worst) that beer culture has to offer in the way of utilizing sexuality for marketing purposes. This bottle below, HOME by a French microbrewery, shows how women can be used in the brewing process to up sales- tie them to the phone.

[caption id="attachment_1439" align="alignleft" width="384"] HOME American Pale Ale[/caption]

HOME 5.2% ABV

The name of brewery seems to have been misplaced in my excitement over the the daringly dirty pump-clip label and the name itself isn't ripe ground for internet searches in a the sparse French microbrewery landscape.

A: Light chill hazed, golden blond with medium lazy bubbles. Huge head. Too much head. Head falls quickly. Could be the glass...

S: Wet hops more like old wet hops as there is a touch of staleness.

T: Bitter assault to the novice palate, but Nitch's nearly dead bitter receptors aren't impressed. Light malts come through as the beer warms and balances better but who has time to wait?

M: Light to medium body

O: Not enough malt to balance the hops. You get the smell of western hops, light and bitter sweet then nothing- fades to bland, disappointment. I mean groovy attempt and what not, text book middle of the run Pale Ale but with such an eye-catchingly raunchy label and, with the style very pointedly "American Pale Ale," (me being an American) I feel slightly disapprovingly responsible. I don't feel tied to the phone for this beer. But maybe this is the beer French pump-clippers assume us sex phone types fall for. Wrong. Try again. Better luck next time!

XOXO

 

Tasting and Thinking- I Hardcore You and Taras Boulba

I Hardcore You Monkey Ghost!

Being a beer reviewer gives one a reason to get another beer from the fridge, effectively isolating them from conversations and social obligations. “I’ve got this new beer to try… so.. bye…”

Here I am, beer sampling and life contemplating as the men in my life pack their toys into bigger toys and ready the band for a week long Monkey Ghost tour in the south west of France.

Being a beer connoisseur also gives one a reason to be mildly anti-social, with relief. No need to drudge through heavily gestured foreign language speech or pretend to be interested in people with completely different interests when one can spend 20 minutes examining and cataloging a beer bottle. To fully ignore and disconnect yourself from the man rabble, take as much time as possible with the following:

[caption id="attachment_1467" align="alignnone" width="696"] Monkey Ghost prepares for the road![/caption]

1. First there is the photographing of the bottle. Different angles and lights, backgrounds and color tones- delete, retake and tag for posting.

2. The glassware needs to be readied. Usually a wine glass or short tumbler will substitute for proper glassware as most houses only offer steins, pints or weizens when asked, "do you have a beer glass?" Remember to rinse with water before pouring to remove any dust, soap resin or lingering whatever that might be residing in the glass.

3. Now comes the opening! Bottle cap examination is in order, why not it the underside of that a sniff as well and then contemplate rather or not to keep the crown top.

[caption id="attachment_1468" align="alignright" width="338"] Taras Boulba and roadie work[/caption]

4. Smelling of bottle opening then pouring. I like to pour my beer in steps instead of one go. Proper pouring takes a good amount of focus so there's no need to trying getting into another one of those failing conversations. Conversations that leave both partners feeling awkwardly unsatisfied, reject people who try to chat with you by nodding and saying yes and no intermittently.

5. After the pour comes the smell and sight appreciation. Remember to hold the glass in the air, to the light so that everyone in the courtyard can see that you are geeking-out to the max and should not be disturbed.

6. Cooing and talking out-loud to oneself is completely natural. Once the under nose wafting becomes unbearably close to the lips, tasting is in order. Small sips, take notes, swash around the mouth, smack the tongue against the roof of mouth and try to make more noise then when you were inspecting the appearance and smell.

7. Now comes the proper note taking rush, no more floundering in water before you get your bearings, time to swim competently. This is also a good time to take a look around and write about the area and people you happen to be planted in.

BRASSERIE DE LA SENNE- Taras Boulba

'Light Blonde 4.5% alc. Generously hopped with the finest aromatic hops, giving it a very refreshing character and a nose reminiscent of citrus.'

A: Great head on a bazed apple juice

S: Bread and rising yeast

T: Bitter, bitter, bitter! Clean citrus and smooth with a great hop bite but not much after taste or lingering bitterness.

M: Medium mouthfeel, smooth, dry finish.

O: Lovely 'extra hoppy', session beer. An every day go-to that should be purchased in mass amounts. Too bad I only have this one bottle. No, I'm not willing to share.

MIKKELLER and BREWDOG- I Hardcore You

9.5% IIPA collaboration that is a mix of Mikkeller's I Beat You and Brewdog's Hardcore IPA that was twice dry hopped after blending, making the beer four times dry hopped.. or does that make six times? Brewdog Blog has lost count.

A: Bright copper with a snow white head that leaves rims of lacing

S: Tropical fruit, citrus and grapefruit

T: No malt backbone just sweet hops finishing bitter and resin. Beautiful light bubbles lifting sweet tart alcohol kisses into the air.

M: Leaves a sticky mouth feel with resins coating your palate.

O: That is a balanced beer! The hops are galaxy exotic sweet floral and fresh fruit. The taste is a roller coaster into hops. An exciting sugar bubble dance followed by a candy coasted passion fruit that smells of sunset on a hot summer day. Like sitting in the yard after gardening, wet earth and drip drying greenery all gently waving you thanks for a job well done. I Hardcore You is a great marriage of two attention whore breweries- there is no denying it’s beauty. As much as I hate glammed-out television personalities like Kim Kardashian, but their lot in life is to be a feast for the eyes and, I hardcore you delivers on it’s label deign and sweet IIPA perfection, beasts of beauty cannot be ignored.

[caption id="attachment_1469" align="aligncenter" width="576"] I Hardcore You[/caption]

As I learn the finer arts of roadie-dom. Color coding wire wraps, towel covered drums and impossible to be perfect puzzle games using musical instruments and metal boxes (and the occasional chrome plated motorbike), I sip away at I Hardcore You with relish. Thank you Ninkasi for the small pleasures in life.

I pour the last quarter of my beer into my Heineken logo beer glass with a sigh and shake of the head at regretfully having purchased a single bottle of this extraordinary beer only to realize that a gnat has taken the final trip down the green fairy river and been face down fermenting in my medical grade IIPA while I wrote my beer praises. Hardcore Figures.

The night is winding to an end as it become obvious that someone will have to walk five paces toward the house and wave at the light generating machine every three minutes. "Yes, hello, we are still here packing vans and trailers like girls packing their bags for an over sea vacation."

Which is a great relief to anti-social, non musical instrument packing Nitch who has run out of beer (good beer) and has resorted to drinking Pierre and enjoying the audio injustice that has been bleating in the background for the past 10 minutes. At least the skipping Lenny Kravitz cd hasn’t bothered anyone else.

I watch a French man chug a glass of Pierre and I am in awe. It's like chugging champagne, I can't do it. I Hardcore dare You to try power drinking soda water.

Vans, trucks, metal boxes and wires all packed and ready to go, I place my one large grocery bag of beer bottles in the back and hope that we'll have wifi where ever it is in France we are heading to this time.

Updating as we go (wifi be willing)- Nitch on the tour road!

XOXO

 

#IPA Day! And Beyond...

Yesterday was IPA Day!

If you missed it, run (don't walk) to your nearest beer receptacle and apologize to the God's of beer- five hail hops and eight our brewers then down nuzzle your nose in the aroma and bitterness of hops for at least one hour.

'Founded in 2011 by beer evangelists and social media personalities Ashley Routson (aka The Beer Wench) and Ryan Ross, IPA Day is a universal movement created to unite the voices of craft beer enthusiasts, bloggers, and brewers worldwide, using social media as the common arena for connecting the conversation together.'

-Brew Dad

As infallible as Nitch is, the internet is still attached to cables and thus worldly. Having been down for the past three days (French cable guy's are NOT as fun as Jim Carey) the disconnection from the internet has left yours truly with lots of time to focus on her upcoming wedding.

Oh, I might have passed over that minor legally life changing detail while taking pictures of myself with IPAs. I'm marrying my long term French Man so that we can get some visas put together in both our nations, with intentions to have an official wedding bash in the future. This is a minor (yet surprisingly stressful) private wedding event. My cousin flew over to visit event- my only family member in attendance.

So, while you are lashing your back for forgiveness and crossing tour fingers for a wedding invite here are some devotionals for #IPA Day:

Zythophile's 'Five facts you may not have known about India Pale Ale for #IPA Day'.

Beer Bar Band's '#IPA Day review – Epic Hop Zombie' in which James and Jenn celebrate their wedding anniversary with Epic IPA day beer, zombies and tickets to New Zealand's upcoming Beervana festival- congrats and kudos you two!

 

Beer Is Your Friend has been doing a week long IPA event- 'IPA Week – Day Five'.

Epic Beer Girl does a run down of breweries and their #IPA Day related events.

Not So Professional Beer does a great line up of beers while petitioning for #IPA Day Nation Holiday statues.

What is Nitch doing for #IPA Day?

Shopping for a white summer dress, lounging on a French all wood boat (spider architect watching) and chatting in English (at last!)- all while sipping and sniffing the frothy nectar of the gods. Check back later for Tasting evaluations of my #IPA Day selection as follows:

HopHorn

I Hardcore You

Saleve

Taras Boulba (not totally an IPA but 'Extra hoppy Ale". Meh, the holiday is for hoppy beer.)

[caption id="attachment_1435" align="alignnone" width="696"] Nitch and her #IPA Day line up![/caption]

I'm international bitches! Beers from around the world, collaborations and sunshine- good day #IPA Day and cheers to another year.

XOXO!

Tasting- Brasserie Corrézienne Dordogne Valley DIPA

[caption id="attachment_1454" align="alignnone" width="816"] This might be the last time you see this label[/caption]

Brasserie Corrézienne- Dordogne Valley DIPA

That's double indian pale ale (DIPA) for none IPA specialists.

The Dordogne Valley is not only the name of the rainbow sporting IPA but also a place (not to be missed)!

A: Caramel touched orange peel with a full white head

S: Very fruity and floral

T: Not very bitter at the frist sip. A super grapefruit/cirtus fruit hop blast with an earthy assault as the nose enters the tasting station. As usual, the smell is more sweet green than the taste can deliver, as the malts and honeyed malt pull to the front.

O: Okay, I'll state here forward that this is the BEST IPA style beer I've had made by the French. Kudos to Brasserie Corrézienne with Dordogne Valley DIPA! A fuzzy bunny source of mine has stated that this rainbow label is on the way out which is a bit of a relief and a disappointment. IPA is a hard color to define, as I'll later rant more about. Rainbow might be the best way to describe this new wave, hipster eclectic style but for the time being, Brasserie Corrézienne makes, I'll sample. EXCITED FOR MORE!

[caption id="attachment_1459" align="alignright" width="300"] Brasserie Corrézienne Dordogne Valley DIPA caption[/caption]

The Brasserie Corrézienne website does an exceptional job of displaying Dordogne Valley DIPA's information with a sliding graph visual:

As this bottle was opened Nitch happened to be on the way to an over night camping event. Drinking in the car in France?

“...as long as I’m under the limit, it’s okay”

Does the French man mean under the speeding limit or under the blood alcohol limit? No matter, as we are parked waiting for our friend to gather this luggage and arrange his hair.

[caption id="attachment_1453" align="alignleft" width="300"] Nitch sans beer, on the river 'beach' taking in some camping sunshine[/caption]

As the Dordogne Valley DIPA warms it gains more strength in bitter content which makes both driver and passenger peddle to the floor with delight. Happy hop beer- Camping here we come! 

XOXO

Steampunk Beer Lamp

Beer Lamp For The Steampunk Beer Cave Of Your Dreams!

First, pick out vintage bottles with the peared creation site 'bottle browser". Each bottle comes with a complete historical background, so you know you're getting the real deal.

Then, chat up the company- they are open to questions, willing to international ship and generally seem like down to earth awesome! Steampunk'ed! W00t! Nerd zone!

"This lamp is constructed from industrial style black iron piping. The vintage bottle is firmly secured by custom rubber gaskets that grasp the bottle without causing damage. A low wattage bulb is used to illuminate the vintage amber bottle producing a warm ambient light. A rotating faucet handle serves as a switch to turn the light on and off, a new feature we are excited about! Power is supplied by a retro style cloth covered lamp cord and plug.

The featured brewery bottle in this listing is from the Cumberland Brewing Co of Maryland but due to sales a similar/custom bottle will replace the one featured. Each dates between 1890 - 1920 and is very heavy duty with ornate embossing (Don't make them like this anymore!) "

-Etsy site