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Three Floyds Brewing Company Alpha King (365 Day 103)

Monday, March 14th, 2011

Three Floyds Alpha King

A weekend trip to Michigan shot my chances of going up to Grand Rapids for the release of Founders KBS. Although I have heard that the KBS release this year was a huge fiasco, I still would have liked to get a chance to get my hands on some as I will be lucky to get a single bottle locally.

On the ride back home on Sunday, I wanted to stop off at Founders to try and pick up some KBS. A quick phone call to the brewery let me know that they sold out on Saturday. I needed my American craft beer fix, so my wife and I made a couple of quick decisions and, after she offered up Three Floyds Brewing Company. I didn’t hesitate to agree that we should have dinner and beverage or two.

Alpha King was my choice off of the tap list. The unique thing I noticed about the tap list was that almost all beers were put in some type of container that allowed for them to serve them all for five dollars. Like almost all FFF beers, Alpha King is no slouch on the hops. Citrus hops are in the aroma and taste, making the beer a toy land for the hop heads. I like to drink this beer just about anytime I can get my hands on it as it is very drinkable and refreshing. Enjoy!

Aroma: 8, Taste: 9, Look: 9, Drinkability: 9, Overall: 8.8

Useless Fact: Right handed people live, on average, nine years longer than left handed people do.

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Three Floyds Brewing Artic Panzer Wolf (365 Day 72)

Friday, February 11th, 2011

Three Floyds Artic Panzer Wolf

Alright raise your hand if you have ever had a beer from Three Floyds Brewing Company that has been hoppy. Exactly what I thought: not many, if any. They are known for taking just about any style of beer and hopping it to heaven. I think their motto is “there is never enough hops.” This comes through in many of their most popular beers and, with so many hop heads, they continually have a hard time keeping store shelves full of their beers.

Artic Panzer Wolf is no different, but it is actually a style that is supposed to be hoppy: American Imperial/Double IPA. I had this back a couple of years ago, for the first time, on tap. I raved about this beer to my American craft beer buddies. Low and behold, about a year later, it is now available in bottles.

This bottle was shared by Steve (titireefer). Steve moonlights from his normal job at a local liquor store that is slowly building up some rep points in terms of handling American craft beer. It is nice to have a friend in the right places. ;)

Pine, citrus (grapefruit), and floral hops abound from this beer. I also believe they must use some Citra hops from the Mango aroma that abounded as well. Nice drinking with a quality grapefruit bitterness that keeps you coming back for more. Have it while it is fresh and you can’t go wrong. Enjoy!

Aroma: 10, Taste: 9, Look: 9, Drinkability: 9, Overall: 9.3

Useless Fact: 0.3% of all road accidents in Canada involve a Moose.

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Three Floyds Lord Admiral Nelson (365 Day 9)

Friday, December 10th, 2010

If you followed Sips at all, you know that Thursday night is work on the website night (read: partake in some wonderful American craft beers) for Rich and I. We try as often as we can to get together and after a hiatus last week, are schedules matched to review a few beers last night.

For about the third time in two months, I am catching a cold, so I thought that last night’s tastings would be a wash. I limited myself to not much more than a couple of ounces of each beer: just enough to review. Luckily my sniffer was not blocked so the aroma of the beers came through big and bold.

I had three beers to choose from for the write up: Three Floyds Lord Admiral Nelson, Bell’s Batch 10000, and Olde Hickory Hickory Stick Stout. I decided to take the high road, writing about the beer that I liked best from the group: Lord Admiral Nelson. To be honest, I didn’t rate Batch 10000 last night, just didn’t have it in me.

Lord Admiral Nelson is a season that is somewhat hard to get and I only live an hour from the brewery. I decided it was time to crack this one open and see what the fuss was all about. A nice pour is quickly followed by juicy, fruity, and floral hops that draw you into the beer, not wanting let go once they have attained your attention. Malt is sweet and toasted. The hops, even though seemingly big, do not over power nor lend any extended bitterness to the after taste. Just a really solid beer all the way around. Enjoy!

Aroma: 10, Taste: 8, Look: 9, Drinkability: 9, Overall: 9.0

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Project Finished – Time for Beer Again!

Monday, June 28th, 2010

It is hard for me to believe that it has been two weeks since I said how busy I have been and that I would be writing on a regular basis. So much for that idea. I will not apologize as life brings us all the unexpected; learning to deal with it is part of life.

This past Friday, while speaking to Rich, I told him that I was done with this huge project, so I stopped by to discuss beers and he went and did it: grabbed a bottle of 2010 Three Floyds Dark Lord from the cellar. Unfortunately, my wife gave a call and we had to put the tasting aside for another day. Just so the wife doesn’t get a bad name, she didn’t ask me to come home, I wanted to.

I guess when you finish a tough project, luck is on your side. The wife and I found our way over to Rich’s house around 10:00pm on Saturday night. This time the total and complete intent of the visit was to have Dark Lord. And have Dark Lord we did.

Outstanding is the easiest way to describe it. The aroma and flavors are deep and complex: dark fruits (raisin, plums, cherry), roasted malt, coffee, chocolate, some booze, and even smoke. It is thick, heavy, and a meal in a bottle. I will have to have another soon as I didn’t review the beer, I just wanted to savor the beer.

Now that that episode of my life is over, I can get back to more home brewing and American craft beer reviews. I think I might still be on target for 365 reviews this year. If not, it is catch up time. This weekend will find me in Minnesota for a Surly tour and a visit to Flat Earth, Town Hall, and Summit. Enjoy!

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Golden Tickets

Thursday, April 15th, 2010

If you have any pulse of the American craft beer industry, you will know that Dark Lord Days (DLD) is coming up Saturday, April 24th, 2010 at Three Floyds Brewing. Tickets went on sale about a month ago raising the ire of a many of beer geek as the ordering system couldn’t handle the load/demand in the 50+ minutes it took for tickets to sell out.

I was fortunate enough to get tickets and will spending the day in the parking lot with friends and all the beer geeks there to partake.

There is one group of people I don’t look forward to seeing out there: the ones who buy with intent on making money. In case that wasn’t clear, I am talking about the people you see on ebay selling these bottles of beer for at least three times what they paid. There are many people that would like to have those tickets just so they can have a chance to try the beer behind the tickets.

DLD is one of the American craft beer industries biggest events each year in the midwest and to be “cheated” out of a chance to have one bottle of this beer because someone wants to take advantage of the system sucks.

I have already promised half of my bottles to trading friends. Not for a big loot of my friends, but $4$. Why? They are my friends and they will scratch my back when they get a limited release.

That’s what it means to be a beer geek: share and pure enjoyment without the thoughts of raking others over the hot fire. Enjoy!

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Long Time Coming: Wednesday Beer Store

Thursday, January 14th, 2010

founders

It seems like an eternity since my last official Wednesday beer store visit. I had been on vacation during the Holidays and last week I was busy after returning to work. I feel like I should be headed to the principals office for skipping school.

I have no idea how busy the beer store was during my time away, but Matt (beer store beer buyer) said before my abscence that they would mostly be restocking the shelves for the Holiday season. So I don’t think there was much that I did miss, if any.

The welcome site of the beer store as I pulled up had me more excited to see Matt and talk a little shop rather than wondering what new liquid goodness had found its’ way to the shelves. Matt quickly let me know that they had hit a jackpot of beer yesterday. Some were retreads while others were new seasonal and one-time releases.

Run down of beers (not all listed, just the highlights):

A really good beer store visit to start the year off on the right foot. I only wish I had more money but that always seems to be the case. Enjoy!

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Dreadnaught By Three Floyds Is Awesome

Friday, January 8th, 2010

three floyds brewing company dreadnaught

Dreadnaught is the answer to all of my American craft beer dreams. Based on the hop profile(s) I like, this one is perfectly made for my liking.

Three Floyds Brewing Company is known for their abundant use of hops and Dreadnaught is no different. I am sure this beer is dried hopped as the aroma immediately greeting my nose after the cap removal was a delightful sampling of what was to come. Citrus, peach, pine, and mango hop aromas gave me the feeling it was summer and I was on a beach soaking in the rays on my pasty face. The aroma in the glass was even more pleasing as it was stronger, bigger, and inviting. There was some sweetness to balance in both the aroma and taste with a citrus bitterness to the finish. I really didn’t notice the big alcohol level and, for me, that is a good thing. I don’t want a beer to wear it’s big ABV values on its collar. 10/10

I originally gave it a 9 because I just don’t like giving a beer a 10. In my mind that means it has no room for improvement. It is the pinnacle of American craft beer within the style. After sleeping on it, I am convinced that this is a perfect American Imperial IPA. Enjoy!

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Broo Doo Tops List of Four Reviews

Sunday, December 13th, 2009

Is anything better than getting together with a beer drinking buddy and reviewing four beers? Maybe, if you have time or sobriety to review more. :) Just was our luck as Rich and I, on Friday, had the chance to try out four new beers.

Broo Doo was the surprise of the evening as we both really liked the beer. FFF is expensive on their bombers and they make some good stuff, but we had no idea what type of beer we were in store for. Enjoy!

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Rabbid Rabbit Review

Wednesday, December 9th, 2009

three flyods brewing company rabbid rabbit

Next to New Glarus Brewing Company, Three Floyds Brewing Company are the breweries beer that I have tried the most different beers to this point, officially. They are both close by, both make some good beers, and both make beers quite different from each other.

Rabbid Rabbit by Three Floyds Brewing Company is a saison with a twist, like most of their beers. They added one of the strangest candies of all time to it: pop rocks. The complex beer starts off with fruit, spice, sweet, and a touch of yeast on the nose. The spices are clove and pepper. The taste follows closely. The straw colored brew is light in the mouth, contrary to the big, complex taste and aroma. Very drinkable but the sweetness, probably from the candy, seems to overwhelm at times. 7/10

One lonely bomber of Rabbid Rabbit is all I could review last night as the snow caused some nasty travel times and I lost myself in the sixth Harry Potter movie with my wife and kids. Enjoy!

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Five Reviews Led By Heavier Handed by Two Brothers

Friday, December 4th, 2009

two brothers heavier handed

It has been a while since Rich and I both had a chance to get together and review some beers. Last night we had the chance to check out five tasty American craft beers that ended around midnight. Some of the beers were repeat, some we didn’t review, as we had a good time shooting the breeze about the direction of the site, where we will head on our next few brewery hops, and what festivals we should try and hit. Good times.

I actually started the evening out about 20 minutes before Rich showed up with Munsterfest by Three Floyds Brewing Company an Oktoberfest. Let me preface this with the fact that I really enjoy FFF beers but this one had a mild metallic flavor that left a bad taste in mouth. The beer was also light in the impression department when it came to Oktoberfest flavor. Sorry to say, but this time FFF you let me down a bit. 5/10

Wipeout IPA by Port Brewing Company was on the docket next. We have had this beer in the past and it is one that I really enjoy and the price is so right ($3.99 this time around for a bomber). I noticed that I originally rated this as an 7, it is really due at least an 8. 7/10

In the middle of the group was Heavier Handed by Two Brothers Brewing Company. Pine, citrus, and floral hop notes are complimented by an earthy, biscuit malt. A really interesting, complex combination that Two Brothers pulls off nicely. 8/10

Alpha Klaus is Christmas seasonal offered by Three Floyds Brewing Company. This American porter is a super smooth porter that has a great compliment of citrus, orange hops. This is more of what I have come to expect from FFF. Rich liked it even better than I did but I was only one behind. :) 8/10

Last beer of night was Heavy Seas Prosit! by Clipper City Brewing Company. A better than average Oktoberfest beer that delivers the full gambit of malty goodness. I thought a little more hops was needed to help balance the large sweetness presence. 7/10

A fun night full of beer reviews and good conversation. Enjoy!

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