Steve's Cellar Cleveland Heights, Ohio
Total Beers: 113 | Unique Beers: 39 | Breweries: 21
83
30
| Consumption History | When |
|---|---|
| Drank 22 oz of Willettized Coffee Stout by Lagunitas Brewing Company (2018-08-14) | August 9th, 2019 |
2019-11-02 In August I drank the next to last bottle of this and commented that the coffee hadn't faded. Welp either the colder weather has muted it, even though I consider the start of weather chill to be 100% imperial stout weather when you're not sure if you're channeling Dostoyevsky or Rasputin, or it faded away. Make no doubt about it, this is still very enjoyable but I think it passed its best by date. Oh well, the 2019s should be here soon. | |
2019-08-09 This reminds me of something that happened in February: it was cold as fuck in Cleveland and I was flying through Minneapolis to get to San Jose to drive to Santa Cruz. The flight got cancelled because of mechanical problems so Delta, being a quality airline, rescheduled me for the following morning and put me up in a local hotel so Mrs Hate didn't have to fuck around with picking me up in brutal conditions. I had dinner in the hotel's bar and they had Great Lakes Blackout Stout on tap. I ordered one and texted one of my fellow hops kissers in Raleigh, NC, and asked him if that wasn't what we split a growler of when he visited and got so blotto that Mrs H still uses it as a benchmark of overindulgence. He just responded "Dude...". So the tulip I ordered was totally enjoyable.
But I noticed a waitress walking by with a Jackie O's bottle and asked the bartender "you got Dark Apparition here?" She said hell yeah and told me I'd ordered from an old list. So I ordered one of those and the difference is why Jackie O's is, in my opinion, the best brewery in Ohio. I could smell and taste immediately that there was more richness and complexity in the Dark Apparition.
That's what I'm tasting tonight versus the Great Lakes Imperial Oyster Stout previously. In every category this is a much better stout. I know that others like the past Lagunitas versions but I can't evaluate this against something I'm unaware of. Perhaps the coffee has faded, although I'm not willing to concede that, but there's still a lot going on. Fortunately I have another bottle (these are extremely affordable) in my cellar to enjoy subsequently. | |
| Drank 16 oz of Bakery: Coconut Macaroon by The Bruery (2019-02-06) | August 4th, 2019 |
2019-08-04 4.18/5 rDev -0.7%
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.25
Poured a 2/6/2019 16 ouncer into a DFH tulip. Nice rich blackish brown body with a small tan head that dissipated quickly except around the edges and above the etched fish in the center of the bottom. Smell at first was hot boozy vanilla but after it warmed up started detecting coconut and brown sugar. Taste was remarkably smooth for 13% with no risk of coughing jags. Again mostly tasted vanilla initially but upon warming the coconut became apparent on the back end. Mouthfeel was full without being thick. Nice imperial stout; I hope I can find another for cooler weather. | |
| Drank 500 ml of The Dissident aged with Oregon Marionberries by Deschutes Brewery (2018-07-01) | August 3rd, 2019 |
2019-08-03 4.23/5 rDev +2.2%
look: 4.25 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4 | overall: 4.25
Poured from a 7/1/2018 550 ml bottle into a DFH tulip. Small frothy white head disappeared quickly over a rich clear ruby body which became yellowish amber when tilted against the sides. Because it's warm, kind of but not obnoxiously so for August, I put the bottle from my cellar fridge at 50-55 into the colder regular fridge and as a result the best qualities stayed hidden until it warmed up. The smell was of sourness and berries. I have no idea what marionberries are like (I just looked up that they're somewhat of an Oregon product) but the berry smell was very inviting. Likewise the taste starts out sour and hits the back of the palate that way before the berry presence takes over. Mouthfeel was a bit thin but still refreshing. This was a good experience. | |
| Drank 12 oz of Barrel Aged Esther by Platform Beer Co. (2018-11-30) | July 30th, 2019 |
2019-07-30 Christmas in July | |
2019-04-13 4.23/5 rDev +3.4%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
The original review was from 12/11/2017 at the brewery and it was much more bourbon forward than the subsequent canned version from 11/30/2018 drank on 4/13/2019. Don't get me wrong, this is still very enjoyable but I'm wondering how much variance there was between batches or if it's just me. | |
| Drank 500 ml of Schneider Weisse Tap 6 Unser Aventinus by Private Weissbierbrauerei G. Schneider & Sohn GmbH (2012) | July 27th, 2019 |
2019-07-27 Body and head are essentially the same as the 2008 but the smell is much more complex with spice notes overlaying the sherry aroma. The taste confirms the smell as cloves and still a faint banana taste exist in conjunction with the dark fruits and sherry flavor. Mouthfeel is very clean and refreshing.
I believe this is much more in the primo age window at seven years than eleven. | |
| Drank 12 oz of Black Note Stout by Bell's Brewery, Inc. (2017-10-05) | July 7th, 2019 |
2019-07-07 poured into a DFH tulip. No lack of carbonation for a fluffy tan head over a dark brown body. Smell is of boozy roasty chocolate with a licorice/molasses tinge. Taste mirrors the smell with still packing some alcohol heat on the way down but not at all unpleasant. Mouthfeel is incredibly creamy, moreso than I remember this fresh. I wish I'd bought a four pack at the time because I love what the aging has done so far and would like to experience further points in time. Next time I'll stock up more. | |
| Drank 500 ml of Aventinus Wheat Dopplebock by Private Weissbierbrauerei G. Schneider & Sohn GmbH (2008) | May 24th, 2019 |
2019-05-24 4.25/5 rDev -1.8%
look: 3.75 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.25 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
2008 vintage bought at a bottle shop last fall after they told me they received some aged at the brewery.
500 ml bottle poured into a DFH tulip. Small quickly disappearing tan head over a dark brownish copper clear body. Smell is of dark fruit, caramel and sherry. Taste is very sherry forward with other sweet caramel/vanilla flavors hidden. Any wheat banana and clove tastes are long gone. Mouthfeel is still very refreshing.
By itself this is very fine but I have a feeling that this is well past the time for maximum complexity. Next time I'll try a younger one or do a vertical. | |
| Drank 22 oz of Big Bad Baptist by Epic Brewing Company (2017-05-29) | May 11th, 2019 |
2019-05-11 4.39/5 rDev +0.7%
look: 4.5 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | overall: 4.25
Preliminary comment: I'd endured two infected BA stouts, for which I'd had high hopes, before "settling" for this.
This was part of release #90, brewed on 5/29/2017 with an ABV of 10.8%. Kudos to Epic for making this info available at their website. 22 ounce bottle poured into a DFH tulip produced a generous and persistent light tan head topping a dark brown body. At my cellar fridge temperature of 50 the smell of the bourbon was well hidden with the malt char predominating but as it warmed the chocolate, bourbon and barrel rose up and provided an intricate balance of aromas. Likewise with the taste but even more so. The mouthfeel for this was full bodied and creamy.
I had heard many good things about this, which is remarkably affordable. They've all been validated. | |
| Drank 12 oz of Bourbon Barrel Dark Apparition Vanilla & Coffee Bean by Jackie O's Pub & Brewery (2018) | May 11th, 2019 |
2019-05-11 Infected | |
| Drank 12 oz of Bourbon Barrel Aged Dark Apparition by Jackie O's Pub & Brewery (2018) | May 11th, 2019 |
2019-05-11 Infected | |
| Drank 330 ml of Scaldis Noël / Bush Noël by Brasserie Dubuisson (2017-08-14) | May 3rd, 2019 |
2019-05-03 I'm not sure how much this has improved in the last six months but it tastes very good tonight. Everything is balanced with rich malty Belgian strong ale tastes and smells. I'll have the last one of this four pack over the holiday season. | |
2018-11-16 This has aged nicely over the ten months since I first tried it. The malt and dark fruit smells and tastes seem to be deeper and richer than before with an alcohol presence you recognize but it's not out of balance. This is a very good Belgian strong dark ale that could get even better with more time. | |
| Drank 750 ml of The Dissident 2016 Reserve by Deschutes Brewery (2016-10-17) | May 1st, 2019 |
2019-05-01
4.39/5 rDev +4.5%
look: 4 | smell: 4.25 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.25 | overall: 4.5
10/17/2016 bottle stored @ 50 degrees. Poured into a DFH tulip, the first pour had a clear reddish amber color but the second, after being put in a colder fridge was much cloudier with sediment. Both had reasonably sized heads which faded quickly. Smell was very cherry forward with a wild yeast funk. Taste was of cherries on top of a pleasantly sour base which lingered nicely. Maybe this is the perfect age for this because I can't imagine improving on this but this is why we keep pushing the limits. | |
| Drank 275 ml of Harvest Ale 2008 by JW Lees and Co. (Brewers) Ltd. | April 30th, 2019 |
| Drank 12 oz of KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout) by Founders Brewing (2109-02-13) | April 29th, 2019 |
2019-04-26 Much as it pains me to say this, it isn't up to expectations. I'd already seen some similar comments and was thinking "these clowns are just trying to build some geek cred by having a dismissive attitude" but now I'm thinking they are spot on. Don't get me wrong; this is still an excellent stout but I'm used to being knocked on my ash can by a boozy barrel blast from the get go and I'm just not getting that here. I'm trying a 2017 next, which I thought would be blown away by this but now I'm not so sure; maybe the coffee component. This tastes like a really good Breakfast Stout. | |
| Drank 12 oz of KBS (Kentucky Breakfast Stout) by Founders Brewing (2017) | April 26th, 2019 |
2019-04-26 This is the second half of a vertical starting with a 2019 which was, quite frankly, a disappointment. It tasted like a slightly better Breakfast Stout with next to no barrel presence. This had slightly less carbonation but was far from flat. The coffee smell and taste was reduced but still present but, wow, the barrel presence was back and left no doubt that I'm drinking something barrel aged in bourbon barrels. This was the opposite of what I expected, which is why we do these tests. | |
2018-11-12 Another 2017 in an Abbey long stemmed tulip. I think this is very balanced now and am thinking of gradually finishing the 2017s between now and late spring 2019 to ward off any off tastes or the barrel tastes disappearing and it becoming something less pleasing than it currently is. | |
2018-08-26 Had another of the 2017. Poured into a DFH tulip I think the head was slightly smaller than when fresh. The barrel and booze smell is still prominent but is slightly more balanced in the taste along with the chocolate and malts. Still a very rewarding experience in the waning days of August. Still three left to consume and compare
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2018-04-07 Having a 2017 after a year (time flies when you drink excellent beer) and the chocolate flavor has faded slightly but the barrel taste and alcohol burn are still present along with the coffee. This probably isn't a long term item to cellar but there's no urgency to consume the remaining four.
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2018-02-19 Still pretty hot but smooth. I'm hoping that aging mutes the alcohol burn and brings out more of the chocolate and other flavors. But if it doesn't this is still very good. | |
