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Brew: Urthel Saisonniere

Brewed by: De Leyerth Brouwerijen (Urthel) | Ruiselede, Belgium

Style: Belgian Ale Saison/Farmhouse

Glassware: Best served in a pint glass (becker or nonic), a tulip glass or an oversized wine glass.

Personal Notes: Yet another entry into my personal BHoF! This brew pours up a hazy amber-gold body and an enormous frothy head that leaves some amazing lacing on the glass. Scents of yeast, grains (like wheat), and fruits. Flavors of wheat and lemons along with subtle spices and something akin to warm butter. This brew is meant to be savored slowly and enjoyed for all the intense flavors and textures that it yields. An excellent brew to have with some grilled poultry or perhaps some spicy grilled fish/shrimp.

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Got this brew @ Lone Star Beverages.

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Dundee Original Honey Brown Lager

Brewed by: Genesee Brewing Co./Dundee Brewing Co. | Rochester, New York USA

Style: Amber/Red Lager

My preferred glassware: Shaker

My personal notes:
This is a great session brew! It pours up a rich copper-colored body with a one-finger foamy head that dissipates quickly. Scents of honey (duh!), caramel, malts, warm bread. Flavor is a twinge of sweetness from the honey, caramel, and Hungry Jack biscuits! No heavy aftertaste, just a good, clean finish. Goes darn good with some homemade tacos and burritos.


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Got this brew @ Lone Star Beverages.

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Birra Moretti La Rossa

Brewed by: Heineken Italia | Milano, Italy

Style: Doppelbock

My preferred glassware: Shaker

My personal notes:
A great Italian session brew! This brew pours up a rich ruby-brown body with a frothy two-finger head. Scents and flavors of caramel, roasted malts, and sweet molasses. Very rich with a clean, crisp finish and no harsh aftertaste. This would go great paired up with some dry-rubbed/smoked ribs!

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Got this brew @ Lone Star Beverages.

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North Coast Old Rasputin

Brewed by: North Coast Brewing Co. | Ft. Bragg, California USA

Style: Russian Imperial Stout

My preferred glassware: Snifter

My personal notes:
What an amazing imperial stout!! This brew pours up a rich, black body sporting a frothy one-finger thick tan-colored head that dissipates slowly into a tan-colored ring (with very good retention) that leaves incredible lacing on the sides of the glass. Scents of roasted malts, dark chocolates, strong coffee and alcohol. Flavors of the same embody a light syrupy body texture with just a slight tinge of bitter aftertaste (but that is what makes it so good!). As the brew warms, the flavors and scents just intensify! This is a very easy-drinking imperial stout so go slow and enjoy the robustness of this brew. A great brew year-round but especially one to be enjoyed in the wintry months next to a roaring fire!


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Got this brew @ Lone Star Beverages.

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Abita Turbodog

Brewed by: Abita Brewing Co.; Abita Springs, Louisiana USA

Style: English Brown Ale

My preferred glassware: Pint glass

My personal notes:
Probably one of the best offerings one can enjoy from Abita! This brew pours up a deep, dark chocolaty brown body and sports a rich, foamy tan-colored head. Scents of espresso, caramel, roasted malts and even those of a well aged bourbon. Flavors of slow-roasted coffee, dark chocolates and bits of toffee; also mixed in this complex brew are dark fruits (akin to plums). This is a great session brew and definitely one to be enjoyed with some grilled meats or even a good wild game dinner!

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Got this brew @ Lone Star Beverages.

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Meantime London Porter

Brewed by: Meantime Brewing Company Limited | London, United Kingdom (England)

Style: English Porter

My preferred glassware: Pint glass

My personal notes:
Now this is one robust porter!!! This brew pours up a hearty dark brown body sporting a frothy tan-colored head that has excellent retention and lacing qualities. Warm scents and flavors of roasted malts, warm hazelnuts, raisins, chocolate and slow-roasted coffee along with some subtle hints of well-aged bourbon. Not too bitter and not too sweet with just the right ‘bite’ of aftertaste that beckons you to have another sip. The body texture is very creamy so go slow and enjoy this fine porter; no need to rush or quaff! A fine porter to enjoy year-round with some grilled steaks or a hearty wild game dinner; or just all by itself!

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Got this brew @ Lone Star Beverages.

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Real Ale Phoenixx Double ESB - Real Ale Brewing Company | Blanco, Texas USA

Style: Extra Special/Strong Bitter (ESB)

My personal notes: Bitter is as bitter does! This brew poured up a murky, coppery colored body with a one-finger head with good retention and thick lacing. Aromas of malts, caramel, a nip of citrus and hops. Flavors of roasted malts, caramel and citrus followed up with a hoppy/bitter aftertaste. The brew is crisp and smooth with a good bitter finish. Would be a good brew for the BBQ!

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Flying Dog Old Scratch Amber Lager - Flying Dog Brewery | Frederick, Maryland USA

Style: Steam Beer

My personal notes: This brew poured up a dark, rich copper colored body with a one-finger bubbly off-white head that left a good deal amount of lacing. Scents and flavors of toffee, caramel, malts, warm butter. The body is somewhat creamy/malty with a very smooth finish and a great balance between the malts and hops. Would be great paired up with some grilled poultry or a spicy fish/seafood meal.

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Kostritzer Schwarzbier
Kostritzer Schwarzbierbrauerei GmbH & Co. | Bad Kostritz/Thuringen, Germany

Style: Schwarzbier

My personal notes: Another great German schwarz! This brew poured up a hearty black-colored body with a one-finger tan-colored head that left good lacing on the sides of the glass. Scents of roasted malts and dark chocolates and a subtle undertone of hops. Flavors of rich malts and dark chocolates. The body is smooth with hardly any bitter aftertaste but rather a somewhat silky, chocolaty aftertaste which gets better the more the brew returns to room temperature. Definitely a brew to have following a hearty brat/wurst dinner!

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Deschutes The Abyss 2010 Reserve
Deschutes Brewery | Bend, Oregon USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages

Style: American Imperial/Double Stout

My personal notes:

Oh how sweet that deep, dark Abyss …

For quite some time I have been reserving THE number one spot of my Beer Hall of Fame for THE best brew. Deschutes Abyss is THE brew! From the moment I peeled off the wax covering and removed the cap I knew that this would be a brew like none other. Many friends and brew-aficionados had long been telling me that this was the brew of brews that were along my taste preferences. What a fool I was to wait so long to partake in this enticing beverage!

After refrigerating for a few days and then into the freezer for an hour, I let this brew ‘rest’ for an hour to warm up a tad. This brew poured up a decadent near-black colored body sporting a healthy mocha-colored foamy head with retention like I’ve never experienced (so much that I had a lot of foam left on that last sip!) and lacing that left you holding the glass and admiring the artwork long after that last sip was taken. Amazing scents of warm cocoa, roasted malts, alcohol (not too much), and slow roasted robust coffee. This coffee is complex and tantalizing with flavors of dark chocolates, coffee, roasted hazelnuts and hints of vanilla and well-aged bourbon that beckons you to take another sip just as soon as you finished taking one! The body of this brew is just astounding with the just-right thickness and that smooth, clean finish with a warm, bitter, chocolaty, light bourbon aftertaste. Delicious.

I enjoyed this beverage all by itself and it’s definitely a warmer-upper!! At 11% ABV (alcohol by volume) this bad boy does the job right! So it is definitely NOT a brew to be quaffed! Slow down, relax, and enjoy. While this brew is recommend to be enjoyed during the wintry months, it is definitely one that can be enjoyed all year round. When the next reserve is produced, I know I will be stocking up and cellaring many, many bottles of this fine beverage. Heck, I might even share a bottle; might, that is!

Enjoy it by itself or pair this brew up with a hearty slow-grilled porterhouse steak or some wild game (venison, buffalo, feral hog, etc.) or even some slow-smoked brats/sausage. Either way, you will enjoy this amazing brew! Hats off to the folks at Deschutes; you nailed it with The Abyss!

just back from vacation! getting some write-ups ready and will be back to posting regularly soon!

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Choc Beer Brewmaster’s Signature Belgian-Style Dubbel
Krebs, Oklahoma USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Ale – Dubbel

My personal notes: Now just because this brew hails from Oklahoma, don’t let that stop you from trying this exceptional beer! It pours up a rich mahogany-colored body sporting a tan-colored head that lingers for quite a long time and leave a good amount of lacing on the glass. Incredible scents of toffee, caramel, and dark fruits (like plums, dark cherries, etc.) along with vanilla, warm nuts, and roasted malt. Flavors of the same with none overpowering the other. The body is rich and creamy with a spicy finish that is just absolutely amazing! Definitely a brew to be paired up with a hearty beef dish or slow-grilled steaks!

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Augustijn Ale
Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V. | Ertvelde, Belgium
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Ale – Tripel

My personal notes: This brew makes for a rather good session beer. It pours up a murky apple-juice colored body with a huge foamy head with good retention and loads of lacing. Scents of yeast and malts intermingled with a bit of honey and ripe bananas. Flavors are near the same with the yeasts and malts and some spices with a tinge of alcohol and something near the lines of a sour mash taste at the finish. The body is light and thin with an ease of drinkability. For those that haven’t dabbled with tripels, this is a good start but know that tripels should possess a flavor complexity greater than what this brew presents. Would go well with some grilled pork topped with grilled peaches or pineapple.

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Gulden Draak
Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V. | Ertvelde, Belgium
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Ale – Strong Dark Ale (Dark Tripel)

My personal notes: Now this is one amazing dark tripel! This brew pours up a rich dark brown colored body with an incredibly frothy tan-colored head loaded up with amazing retention and lacing! Scents of hot caramel, buttery toffee and dark fruits (like plums or dark cherries) along with slight hints of bananas or warm banana-nut bread. Hearty flavors of caramel and toffee are largely present followed up by a smooth, creamy, non-bitter finish with just the right amount of alcohol taste to the brew. Take your time with this brew as it is definitely not a quaffer (as I cannot stands beers like that!). Pair this up with a slow-grilled steak dinner and you have a winner!

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Leinenkugel’s 1888 Bock
Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company | Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin USA
Purchased @ Olivers Fine Foods (Mansfield, Texas USA)

Style: Lager – Bock

My personal notes: Of the line of Leinenkugel beers, this one is my favorite! When poured I would compare it to looking like a fine cherry Dr. Pepper (without all that carbonation!!). The head is very robust and tan-colored with some nice lacing as you enjoy the beer. The flavor is just a nice smooth roasted flavor; nothing overbearing nor standout-ish. For a beer that’s not too complex I find this one very satisfying; one to be enjoyed over and over! An excellent pairing with a wild game dinner!