Corsendonk Pater (Abbey Brown Ale)

What better way to help relieve the record heat here in Los Angeles, then by conjuring up memories of this past weekend when it was less hot. And to do so, I bring you the latest and greatest installment of my monthly malty masochistic machinations (yeah alliteration!).  This month I decided to get away from the American craft beers that had been doting this blog and head back to some 750mL bottled Belgian ale. My random choice from the local BevMo, Corsendonk Pater (Abbey Brown Ale).

The Beer:
I think the first thing I can say in regards to this month's experiment is that I've grown as a beer drinker. I now know things I didn't before and acknowledge subtleties in the taste, texture, and aroma. I also can appreciate the finer things in life like cigars, brandy, and a good book. Walks on the beach are always nice, as are antique flea markets and bird watching. Occasionally, I'll enjoy an old jazz record on a Sunday evening by the fire. Perhaps I'll even break out Bill Cosby's "Fatherhood" just for good measure. Ahhhh, aging...ain't it grand!  Oh, did I forget to mention that I turned 30 a few weeks back. Yeah. Fucking aging! So, I jest about those finer points. Instead, I've enrolled in Muay Thai Kickboxing and have eaten more cheeseburgers this month than in the past several years. Yeah! Fuck aging!
But as for my brew o' the month, Corsendonk Pater was a great choice and I did notice those subtleties that I mentioned above. Which I can only attribute to my growth in beer and brewing. This brown ale poured nicely into my wonderful Trappist glass with a dark brown color and light bubbly head of foam. I immediately could smell notes of fruit and spice but the most prevalent aspect was the texture of the beer. It had a really light and carbonated feel to it. Knowing a little more from my tests, readings, and general inquisitiveness of beer, I'm sure this all stemmed from the bottle and brewing process. Unlike American craft beers that I've been sampling for the past several months, this one came corked and bottle-conditioned. Meaning that it was brewed with respect to its serving method. Much like the way Guinness cans their beer with a widget to help with cascading pours. Two full servings in the Trappist glass of Corsendonk Pater went down smoothly and swiftly. Well worth the price of admission!

The Buzz:
With a beer that tasted, smelled, and felt so good to drink, my hopes were high for the perfect buzz. Something that I could appreciate as a go-to beer when I was looking to celebrate a big occasion. An occasion, say, like a 30th birthday. Or perhaps something even more memorable...like...UFC 119. Well, wouldn't you know both those occasions happened in this past month. And while I opted for a plethora of specialty and craft brews on the big 3-0 at my local awesomeness-pub (The Daily Pint), I opted to celebrate the 119th UFC sanctioned pay-per-view fight with this Abbey Brown Ale. Boasting a respectful 7.5% abv and going down smoother than Billy Dee on a lucky lady circa 1979, one might think that this beer would've achieved its the perfect buzz-worthy-ness that I had hoped for. Alas, it was not to be. For whatever reason, I was barely phased by this Belgian brew. I actually wished for another after it was over. The combination of taste and refreshing palate had me yearning for more. And without a noticeable drunken state setting in, I was fairly confident that my body could handle it --- old age and all.  Regardless, this Dubbel style ale is one that I would certainly try again and again. And unlike it's celebratory counterpart, Mr. UFC 119, I was thoroughly pleased with the overall experience.

The Hangover:
Deciding to drink my beers on a Saturday eve while watching my monthly UFC pay-per-view has now become almost tradition. Doing so on a Saturday after having attended a grueling Muay Thai Kickboxing class during the day...not so traditional. My body was hurt and exhausted. But fortunately, none of the physical wear translated into physiologically. Perhaps it was the large Mexican dinner I had beforehand, perhaps it was the light and airy nature of the beer, or perhaps it was because I'm now officially 30 years old and have grown out of my pussy-beer-drinking phase.  But whatever the reason, there was absolutely zero point zero hangover symptoms. I feel asleep, stayed asleep, and woke up just fine. No need for even a hangover cocktail of meds. I more or less knew that I'd be ok with this beer. The lack of buzz seemed to solidify that notion. Now, I only wonder if another 12oz. of Corsendonk Pater would've changed this outcome. Perhaps I will have to explore that notion further with a follow-up test. To do so, however, would require finding this beer in smaller batches. Because if I was to buy two 750mL bottles, I certainly would find myself drinking both --- well over the allotted amount for these purposes.

The Verdict:
The second Abbey Ale in a row and one that is very closely compared to last months Ommegang pick, this beer couldn't have been any more different. From taste and aroma to drinkability and hangover, every aspect of Cosendonk Pater was the complete opposite my experiences last month. And all for the better. It truly may have been an instance of circumstances, or it may have simply been serving methods and bottling procedures. Whatever the factors were, this was a beer I truly enjoyed. And one that I'd like to enjoy again in the future. And unlike past beers that I've enjoyed through and through, there were no negative reactions the next day. While I'd like to chalk it up to my body and mind and soul aging properly, it's very likely this instance was just a birthday gift from the beer gods!

Ommegang Abbey Ale

Once again the end of the month is upon us and as I sit watching another episode of "The Great Food Truck Race" (a show I have a love-hate relationship with due to the fact that I pitched something like this to Food Network about 10 months ago only to be met with blank stares and suggestions to make it more like "Pimp My Ride for roach coaches" Braaagghhhh, stupid dumb damn TV execs!!!) I am writing this one one the fly - no drafts, no notes, no plan. This week I'm tackling a more well-known microbrew in Ommegang Brewery's Abbey Ale. In addition to the run-and-gun writing of this post, I've also added a new glass to my drinking arsenal. How can this not  be an exciting read!?!

The Beer:
Employing a brand new Trappist glass to maximize the taste, aroma, and colors of this fine ale, I found myself somewhat overwhelmed by the first few sips. Abbey Ale brought forth strong spiced notes and a slight woody taste as if it were aged in oak barrels (which admittedly, I have no knowledge of it is or not). It also presented itself with a strong taste of licorice. A taste that I'm not particularly fond of. A taste that was sticking in my mouth and my brain convincing me that I wasn't going to be able to get through the required 36oz (3 beers) to complete this month's experiment. But, like any good potentially-allergic-blogger, I soldiered on for you the reader! After the first beer was done, I took a short break had a few sips of water and poured the next one into the Trappist. While it could have been that my palate was now familiar with the wave of flavors about to hit it, maybe it was just that the second one got a better pour. I allowed the copious amount of foam to develop without getting too thick to drink. And beer number two went down much smoother and quicker than the first. Ok, perhaps all was not lost. Maybe this was a more acquired taste that would mean beer number three would be a home run. Well, instead of a home run, it was a Bill Buckner - complete flop and something I almost couldn't finish. I don't think it was necessarily a bad beer at all. In fact, I have one bottle left in the fridge that I anticipate having sometime later this week.

The Buzz:
So, much like the beer itself, the buzz from Abbey Ale provided complex results. I knew going into this month's beer test that I would be fighting fatigue no matter what I tried or when. It's been a hellish month of 60-hr work weeks leaving me completely spent by Saturday nights. But, with the support of a new glass to try out and a hotly anticipated UFC pay-per-view, I had hopes that I'd be able to push past that sleepiness and pound down the 4-pack. Unfortunately, that was not quite how the night went down. The glass lost its luster after its first two pours (also...it's a glass! Seriously, how much excitement did I really expect to get out of a freakin' glass!). Also, my go-to drinking event, UFC 118, turned out to be so boring that I fell asleep during the last fight (after the 3rd beer). The last, 5-round championship rematch fight! That's a perfect barometer of a) how boring it was, and b) how tired I was. Typically, in that instance I'd be going for that fourth beer excited that I had it reserved for events just as this. Alas, all I can infer is that the 8.5% abv that Abbey Ale packed was sufficient enough to knock me out before midnight.

The Hangover:
The mixed results that I had with both the taste and buzz from Abbey Ale decided to continue into the next day with one of the weirdest hangovers I can remember in quite some time. My hangovers typically manifest them selves as either a headache, stomachache, or worst-case scenario - both! This time however, it was like a pseudo-headache that felt like I was in an all-day fog. I slept fairly well having had my typical hangover cocktail early in the morning before going back to bed for a few hours. The absolutely bizarre dreams I had however, combined with sleeping so hard on my arms that I woke up to numb limbs, caused me to feel like I had just awoken from some deep, dangerous, life-altering surgery.  Half my body was on fire, while the other half was frozen. I couldn't mobilize properly and woke up to being more tired that I had felt in weeks. It was as if I had been up all night working out or getting beat on (which I suppose is possible if I was so passed out that my tough-as-nails Boxer, Murdoch, decided to walk all over me during the night). But the hangover stuck around until about 3pm when it finally dispersed only to reappear after dinner all over again. But it wasn't the worst hangover. It wasn't the pain of the Lagunitas Copper Ale or even the discomfort from last months Shipyard XXXX IPA. It was something different and foreign. I could deal with it well enough to function, I just wish I had had the entire Sunday to lay on the couch and watch old Jerry Orbach episodes of Law & Order. I miss you Lenny Briscoe...L&O hasn't ever been the same without you.

The Verdict:
After only having a few days to gather my thoughts and post this blog, I have to say that Ommegang's Abbey Ale fell into the middle of the craft brew pack for me. It clearly was a mixed bag for me. In taste, buzz, and hangover, my body and brain couldn't get on the same page as this American Belgian Brew.  I think that I'd certainly try other selections from Ommegang's brewery. They do hail from one of the greatest American towns, Cooperstown, NY. And they are known for award-winning Belgian Ales here in America. But on this particular day and this particular test, I have to say that they didn't quite make it to my list of awesomeness.

Pugsley's Signature Series XXXX IPA

Back to regular old beer tests this month. However, that's not to say that I haven't added something new to the mix.  Just as my beer palate is growing, so is my pint collection. The glasses I used this week came courtesy of my good friend and beer buddy John. Having attended an absolutely insane AC/DC concert a couple years ago, he & I have become hardcore fans, enjoying anything and everything AC/DC. And let me say with absolute conviction and assurance...great beer and great rock go hand in hand!

The Beer:
So the beer this week is Shipyard Brewing Co's Pugsley's Signature Series XXXX IPA. Although I made the choice of what to try this month, the wife heavily influenced my selection. While perusing the beer selection at the brand new BevMo up the block, I had a hard time picking just one beer to apply to my test (although I admittedly picked up several 22oz. bottles of some select Rouge & Stone brews). So when we came across Pugsley's XXXX IPA, she thought it'd be great to get a beer named after friend's dog. Yeah, we're dog people and had there been a Murdoch Smoked Porter (Murdoch is our Boxer/Bulldog), I very likely would have bought out the store.  So we headed home with a four-pack of XXXX IPA and several other beverages for a low, low price and I decided to catch up on some episodes of True Blood while putting the latest brew to the test. Right off the bat, I wasn't blown away by XXXX. It wasn't bad per se, but it wasn't particularly special either. The color was a nice copper and the aroma smelled slightly citrusy, but the taste was lacking in my opinion. It wasn't hop-heavy, it wasn't barrel-aged, it wasn't much of anything honestly. In fact, the first thoughts that came to mind were that this beer most closely represented a higher end beer from one of the major distributors. It had all the pieces of a unique beer but without the lasting impression of something I'd get again. Perhaps the best way to put it into perspective is that if I were at one of the ever-present gastropubs popping up throughout town, I'd taste the beer once and probably avoid it to sample what else the bar had to offer.

The Buzz:
Here is where XXXX IPA surprised me. The beer packed a subtle yet powerful punch. Bringing in a respectable 9.25% abv, I expected this beer to overwhelm me the way other 10% abv beers so often do. But after only 1 episode of Sookie & Bill, I had already cracked open my third beer without feeling especially tipsy.  Realizing the rate in which I was drinking, I slowed down considerably with number 3. When finished though, I was feeling fine and had to make the delicate decision of going for all 4 in the pack, or leaving one soldier behind to fight another day. Well, you can thank the power of Angus, Brian, Malcolm & crew for inspiring me to go for number 4. How could I possibly leave one beer behind when I still had one unused AC/DC pint to christen? Simple answer...I couldn't.  And so, in what may have been the worst decision (or perhaps the best), I poured beer number 4 into the "Highway to Hell" pint and went to town.  By the time the glass was emptied, 2 hours of True Blood were done...and so was I.

The Hangover:
So what could I expect the next morning after finishing the max allowance of beer for my experiment? I. Felt. Death. For the first time since the Lagunitas round, the hangover from hell returned. And this time, he hung around a little longer than before. Even with my standard hangover cocktail, I still woke up to a headache like none other. While it wasn't quite attacking my stomach like past hangovers, it did however bring with it the alcohol sweat that notoriously existed only when drinking beers like Bud Light, High Life, & even Corona. A shower, second teeth brushing, third mouth washing, some brunch, AND coffee...the beer stench finally faded. The headache however, did not. It stayed with me well into the afternoon and early evening. While not the worst hangover of my life, it was definitely one I'd like to avoid in the future.

The Verdict:
Pugsley's Signature XXXX IPA was unfortunate for many many reasons. It was the inaugural beer for my new AC/DC pints, it was the first beer purchased at a new BevMo, it's name sake is an adorable pug who is gay for my Brussels Griffon, Belvedere. And it's one I won't get again. The lack of outstanding taste and aroma combined with lasting hangover and headache was a simple equation for avoidance. In fact, I'd probably steer clear of Shipyard Brewing Co. altogether, which is unfortunate because this wasn't an awful beer, it was just unremarkable.

Beers of our Fathers with The Beer Chicks

“I'm flying high in the sky with America's hottest band, and we're all about to die”. Anyone get that reference? Got a free tshirt for you if you do! Seriously though folks, I am actually writing this very special edition of Beer Hates Me from 30,000 miles up. I'm on my way home from an amazing wedding in North Carolina where I drank many wonderful beers both local and foreign. But that's another post for another day (maybe). This time I'm bringing something different to the table. I recently was fortunate enough to attend a Father's Day beer class with the wife and a friend where we picked up some deeper knowledge of craft brews and brewing processes. It was put on by "The Beer Chicks" at Rustic Canyon in Santa Monica. While it was certainly informative, I don't really want to go too deeply into the scholastic aspects of the event, but rather do what I do best --- touch upon the brews, the buzz, and the hangover. How did it go mixing and matching 13 different varieties at noon on a Saturday? Read on to find out astute follower!

The Beer:
As I mentioned above, this installment included an astounding 13 beers in one sitting, but while split up into 3oz pours, the total amount (39oz) ironically equals the same amount I've allotted for this experiment (36-48oz). Our first beer was certainly the most recognizable, but equally the least appetizing.

PBR bitches!!! Yeah, so The Beer Chicks decided to start us off with something at the lowest end in terms of both quality and quantity of alcoholic content. There is nothing to write home about for the ol' Ribbon. It tasted, smelled, and looked as bland as I've always remembered. Perhaps it's fitting then that my loathing for a beer like this goes hand in hand with my loathing for the hipsters who've helped revitalize it.

Next up was Weihenstephaner Original. This is supposed to be the “good twin” to PBR. Same type of beer (a lager), but improved in every other way. It's considered a perfectly balanced beer, and perhaps it is. It's also perfectly forgettable as it's one of the few beers I drank that day that left no lasting impression whatsoever.

Batting third was Twilight Seasonal American Pale Ale. So this was our first ale of the day and also the first one that I took a note about. On my pad (they gave us pads, pens, a fact sheet, and beer packet. These ladies know how to teach a class!) I wrote: “crisp, dry, nice”. So that's simple enough. It reminded me of a good white wine. And by good, I mean that rare white wine that I actually like which is like 0.05% of all the wines ever made. Yeah, I'm not a wine guy. Also, Wine Hates Me sounds dumb.

Next came out the first beer on the list that I've actually had before (outside of PBR naturally). 1554 Enlightened Black Ale from New Belgium Brewing Co. was a beer I'd had before from a 22oz. bottle back in April. I remember liking it then, and little has changed in the 3 months since. It has a caramel, nutty taste to it which I really liked, and the wife even commented that she enjoyed it more than she expected to (and noted so on her pad).

We moved on to a beer from my nemesis Sierrra Nevada. Every beer I've ever had from them has caused me unmeasurable pain the next day. Whatever they're doing at that brewery, it's aimed at my displeasure. So when we tried their 30^th Anniversary Ale – Charlie, Fred, and Ken's Bock, I wasn't expecting too much. But then again, this was just a 3oz. pour, how much harm could it do? Well, while I couldn't exactly meter the damage done, I can say that I found it to be a nice creamy ale with some clean spicey flavors. It packed in a respectable 8.3% abv, the highest of the day so far.

Coming in sixth, was the second craft beer on the list I'd previously had, Ranger IPA. I liked this beer as a hoppy IPA the last time I had it (about a month ago) and enjoyed it for the same reasons this go around. It is one for the hop heads out there and while I tasted a pine flavor and my wife wrote down “mint” on her pad (she may have been on her way to a great buzz by this point) we were actually told by our teachers that their are strong notes of pot in there. Yes, pot. Marijuana, weed, dope, grass, kush, purple explosion, Jamaican delight. I could go on and on and on, but let's continue. The Beer Chicks also passed around bags and bags of different hops at this point, a nice hands-on learning experience to go with the tasting, smelling, and listening to them speak --- covering all the senses in this class they were!

Then we moved on to Hop Henge Experimental IPA out of Deschutes Brewery. This took over as the leader in abv for the day with a very respectable 8.7%. I thought it was ok, but to be honest I can't really recall it all that much outside of noting that I could taste a heavy fruity flavor in it. The notes we had accompanying the beers labeled this one to have strong hints of grapefruit, pineapple, and citrus. So I guess I'm getting a little better at this whole craft beer lifestyle, tasting, palate thing.

Our eighth beer was Maharaja Imperial IPA. Not to be outdone by its predecessor, this brew kicked up the abv all the way to 10.2%. Yeah, class started to get a little raucous at this point. Everyone talking over each other, people passing around cheese, nuts, and figs to pair with. It was quite the rowdy group, let me tell you! What I noted about this beer was it's thick and sweet taste. The sweetness was likely due to the heavy amount of malt brewed to get that higher alcohol content. I liked this beer, but couldn't really see myself having more than one a night at a bar.

Next we had our first stout of the day with Mo'Tcho Risin' Imperial Chocolate Stout. I've already stated my enjoyment of stouts on this blog, but this one was a little extra special. It came from 21^st Amendment Brewery in San Francisco and was brought to us in growlers taken directly from the brewery by one of the Beer Chicks herself. Its a beer that can only be had and purchased at the brewery and it was a nice change to the hoppy ales we'd been having for most of the day. It obviously tasted, smelled, and looked like a chocolate infused beer.

Our tenth beer was Terrible Belgian Strong Dark Ale. This was a big belgian ale that packed in a whopping 10.5% abv. Granted, at this point my palate was starting to overload, but I still remember not being particularly fond of this beer. I thought it was too spicey and smokey for its own good. I wrote down “holiday” on my pad, which can only mean that it reminded me of holiday flavors or that I should buy this as a gift for someone this holiday. Yeah, I was definitely well buzzed by this point.

The eleventh beer we tried was the overall champion in alcoholic content for the day. Pushing an impressive 11% abv, Allagash Curieux was also the last beer on the docket that I had previously tried. It had been quite a while though and was at the beginning of my exploration of craft beers and their different properties. This was a strong, complex beer and this was the first time I ever successfully noted the flavors from the barreling of the beer. Being stored in Jim Bean Bourbon Barrels made it pretty easy though. I will certainly have this beer again, exactly when however I can't say since everywhere I've ever seen it on a menu (including several times this past wedding weekend) it goes for a hefty price per glass.

Coming towards the end of our class we had Ola Dubh Reserve Ale from Harviestoun Brewery in Scotland. Ola Dubh actually means “black oil” and it made perfect sense for this dark, thick, complex beer. Its a collaboration between a brewery and a distiller and aged in skotch barrels. That absolutely comes across in taste and smell. Even moreso than the previous beer. I could see this beer working perfectly in combination with some amazing ice cream as a beer float. Should I come across this beer in a market, it's likely I will buy it just for that purpose.

Our last beer was probably the most interesting and unique. Quelque Chose is a Belgian Kriek (sour cherry ale) that was served to us on the rocks and instantly reminded me of a good Sangaria. I enjoyed it immensely but the wife did not. At all! Fortunately, that meant I got to drink hers, which I was more than happy to do. What also made this beer interesting was that while recommended to be severed chilled as we had it, it is also suggested to try it hot (122-158 degrees F). I can not at all imagine what that would taste like, yet I am eager to get my hands on a bottle and try it sometime this winter.

The Buzz:

Ahhh, the buzz. What can I say about drinking 13 beers with an average abv of over 7.5%? Well, I can say that by 2pm, this guy was feeling fine! But I suppose, even with a decent breakfast in me, mixing and matching that many different craft brews at noon on a weekend will get any guy a little fucked up. It was fun though to see this large group of people drinking beer out of wine glasses in a classy restaurant all getting rowdy and riled up. I confess that I did probably pour out a few last sips of every other beer or so. It's not that I didn't want to finish what I was given, it was that I had to be responsible and drive home afterwards. Even so, I'm glad I lived close to the event because there was no way I was about to get onto a highway and drive home. As for my companions, well...my wife was probably the ONLY person in the entire place that drank every last drop of every beer given to her (with the exception of the Quelque Chose) and she got home and continued to drink until dinner time. She makes me so proud! As for my other friend who joined us, he claimed to be wobbling down the street afterwards when he realized he ought to dash into a nearby bar for a cheeseburger to help him sober up. What better place to sober up than a bar? Smart guy my friend!

The Hangover:

The hangover didn't really apply to this edition of Beer Hates Me. It's hard to be hungover when you finish drinking at 2:00pm and sober yourself up throughout the course of the day. A good walk of the dogs, some fresh ice tea, and a hefty serving of fresh Mexican food will certainly soak up and dry away all the alcohol that was once floating around inside me. But this post wasn't so much a part of the experiment proper, but rather a tangent to help me better understand beer and brewing methods; To get a chance to get a better scientific grip on what it is about certain beers that wrecks me; To, as Obi Wan said, choose wisely!

The Verdict:

Since I pretty much summed up this particular post above, I will say this as a verdict: if you happen to find a tasting class, go to one! It was a blast. For $45, we got the equivalent of 3 full beers, a heft of information both on paper and through lecture, and had a great time drinking in a way we normally wouldn't have. I highly recommend checking out The Beer Chicks website & their book "The Naked Pint". I picked up a copy for my Dad and had them sign it for him. I figured that was the right thing to do when attending a "Father's Day" beer tasting event without a father in tow. Perhaps next time he visits, we'll have to find something similar to do!

Black Cauldron Imperial Stout

This installment of my grueling experiment was interesting for several reasons.  For one (if you've already skipped to the pictures, you might notice already) I used a different glass for my drinks this go around.  The reason behind that leads me to reason number 2: I didn't select my beers this time --- my wife did!  And she did it without my knowledge, input, or influence.  She was accompanying some friends to our (read "mine") favorite beer distributor here in LA.  While there, she thought it'd be nice to pick me up something special along with a new pint glass.  Only knowing that I am a fan of darker beers, she asked the salesperson for a recommendation and brought home a 4-pack of Black Cauldron Imperial Stout from Grand Teton Brewing Co.  The Sapporo glass?  Well, it was cheap and near the counter I guess...an impulse buy if there ever was one...and one I'm thankful for!

The Beer:
While I wasn't quite planning on adding another stout to this blog just yet, who am I to argue with free beer for the cause.  Black Cauldron was certainly a unique beer to try.  Not so much because of its flavor, taste, or originality....but because the package came full of details about the beer.  For instance, did you know that it's said that Catherine the Great discovered stout while visiting England and ordered some for the Russian Court?  No?  Neither did I.  Wanna know something else?  When the first shipment spoiled at sea, a special batch --- stronger and bitter enough to travel was produced.  It arrived in St. Petersberg and became known as Russian Imperial Stout.  Never thought that this wacky project would be filled with all sorts of knowledgeable trivia, huh?  But how did it taste?  In a word, strong!  I've had plenty of Stouts before, but this one was thicker than most and packed a wallop of smokey flavor with it.  The bitterness was a bit overwhelming at times though.  And I couldn't manage to finish all 4 in one sitting.  By the end, I'd had enough.  My palate couldn't tolerate any more spiced or dried fruity tones.  For one or two beers, it would've been ok throughout the night. But once I got through number 3, it was too much and had me not really desiring a fourth, but rather a big glass of water.

The Buzz:
The thing with Imperial Stouts like this that I was aware of beforehand, I was certainly going to get druuuuunk!  Boasting an impressive 8.0% abv, it wasn't the most potent beer I've had, but it certainly wasn't anywhere near the weakest.  In addition to the facts provided on the packaging, Grand Teton Brewing Co. provided a bevy of figures to match.  Black Cauldron has an Original Gravity of 22, measures 43 on the IBU scale, and falls at the very upper end of the Lovibonde spectrum around 35.  What do all those numbers mean though?  Well, just turn that packaging on its end and underneath they'll tell you!  Original Gravity refers to the "strength" of beer prior to fermentation.  It denotes how much sugar has been extracted from the malted grain into the unfermented beer.  The IBU scale stands of International Bitterness Units and represents the amount of bitterness in the beer.  IBU is an expression in parts per million of alpha acid in the beer.  And the Lovibonde spectrum, well, that is obviously the color of the beer.  Which in itself comes from the color of the hops.  The scale ranges from 1 to 30 with the lower numbers being very pale to the upper ends being black.  So there you go.  That's your beer class for the day.  I hope you enjoyed it as much as I did.  Oh yeah, the buzz...uh, I was certainly fucked up by the end of the 3 beers I drank.

The Hangover:
Coming off last month's experiment and painful recovery from the Lagunitas Censored Rich Copper Ale, I was praying for a more merciful hangover.  It could've been the decision to leave that 4th beer in the fridge.  Could've been the huge glass of water I downed before bed.  Maybe it was just that the beer gods were listening to my prayers.  But, after the typical aspirin, water, antacid cocktail I take every morning after drinking, any lingering symptoms of a hangover ceased to exist.  By noon, I had taken Murdoch (my boxer) on a nice long walk through one of the most expensive neighborhoods in LA where we were hoping to run into some other dog-loving family who just happened to have a 6000 sq ft guest house in the back they were hoping my family could move into.  Yeah...Sunday walks are fun!

The Verdict:
Black Cauldron Imperial Stout was far from a favorite of mine.  But that's not to say it was a bad beer.  It just wasn't right for this experiment.  It will however be notable for me for a few reasons.  The fact that it was one not of my choice, the fact that I actually learned something useful from this experiment, and the fact that part of me actually feels smarter (although admittedly, after each of these projects, most of me actually feels slightly dumber).  But kudos to Grand Teton Brewing.  I'd be interested in getting my hands on some of their other batches not only to taste, but to see what else I could learn from their packaging.  For now though, I'll be hanging on to Black Cauldron's 4-pack...if only for reference!

Lagunitas Censored Rich Copper Ale

So, five posts in, I think this is going to be a monthly thing.  It seems that's the amount of time in between experiments that best fits my schedule.  That's not to say that I've been drinking only one night a month.  Oh no, in fact, over the past several weeks I think I've sampled more flavors and varieties of beer than I have in a long time.  From Vanilla Bean Porters on cask to Belgium Triple Hop IPA's, I've gone far and wide in sampling some delicious brews.  For this installment, I went with one of my favorite breweries and one of their unlimited releases - "The Censored Rich Copper Ale".

The Beer:
Now, I've had Lagunitas beers before.  One of my all-time favorites is their Brown Shugga Sweet Release Ale.  Man, is that one tasty beverage.  This one though, was equally (if not more) tasteful than even that favorite of mine.  The Censored Rich Ale might have been the best overall tasting beer I've had ever.  It fit perfectly to my tastes: a touch of hops but not bitter, rich but not thick, malty but without aftertaste.  It has no copper in it, but the name fits perfectly due to the beautiful color of the beer.  I seriously LOVED this beer.  Since the parameters of my experiment call for 36-48oz of consumption, I often have the choice when dealing with six-packs of drinking 3 or 4 beers for this project.  In this case, the choice was easy.  And in fact, had my wife not given away two of them to a friend earlier in the week, I likely would have had to void the test altogether because I would've drank the entire sixer.  There was a sweetness to it that I had never really noticed in other ales before.  I think this was due to the caramel malt added with some sort of roasting touches to the finish.  Whatever technical magic they worked up for this one, I appreciated the efforts.

The Buzz:
In the past, I've paired these experiments with evenings of video games, MMA fights, AFL Retrospectives, & the Winter Olympics.  All things that go well with drinking in my opinion.  The content of the entertainment doesn't necessarily need the focus of sobriety (perhaps video games do, but I've been playing those drunk since I was 17).  This time however, I found myself participating in this test while in the middle of a Dexter mini-marathon.  Season 4, episodes 5-9 to be exact.  Intense shit!  Certainly the best season so far in my opinion and one I can't imagine them topping.  Anyway...a show like Dexter with all it's plotting devices and character mysteries isn't exactly one to watch as you're consuming 48oz of alcohol at a 5.9% abv.  You see, while episodes 5 & 6 were easy to follow, early on in episode 7 things began to get fuzzy.  Literally fuzzy.  I was on the last half of the last beer when I started the show.  Somehow, once the drink was all done, I couldn't recall anything that had happened in those first 15 minutes.  ANYTHING.  And it wasn't because of blacking out or falling asleep.  It was because I just didn't care about the show anymore.  Part of me was heavily contemplating further drinking for the night (other beers in house...again, voiding the project) and another part of me was looking at the DirecTV guide for something more passive to watch.  So, while I don't exactly know what that means in measured terms of drunkenness, I can however say that Dexter and beer aren't the best of friends.

The Hangover:
Here is the moment you've all been waiting for:  THIS BEER DESTROYED ME!  That's right, DESTROYED!  How is that for irony?  By far, the best tasting and most satisfying alcohol I've drank during this whole procedure is the first one that truly delivered on those horrific symptoms I've experienced in the past.  I woke up, popped some Advil, took an antacid, drank some water and went back to bed.  Surely, I'd be fine.  I mean...I've been fine every other time, right?  Wrong!  I woke up feeling like death.  Angry death too.  Death that wanted to punish me for any amount of enjoyment I took in watching a serial killer raise a family in Miami.  So, once up and around, I figured I just needed some fresh air and food and all would be well.  Nope!  We hit the farmer's market and got some breakfast and still I was shaky, nauseous, and fatigued. By 2pm, the nausea went away but the fatigue and headache set in like an old man trying to send soup back at a deli.  It was bad.  And what made it worse was that I was so upset by how much I loved the beer.  How I had planned on making it "my beer" anytime we went to a party or BBQ or whatever.  People would see me show up and be like: "Hey Rob, I see you brought ol' faithful: Lagunitas Censored Rich Copper Ale".  And I'd be like: "Oh, you know me".  And then we'd both laugh and high-five.  It would've been perfect.  But alas, it's not to be.

The Verdict:
Fucking Pissed Off! That's the verdict for ya! For now, until I find out more regarding Lagunitas brewing procedures and ingredients, I'm going to have to stay away.  Because I am indeed ALLERGIC to this fucking beautiful, gorgeous, delectably fantastic Censored Rich Copper Ale.