Anchor drinks at the Dev Cat, Sheffield UK

Every couple of weeks, my pals and I pop to the Devonshire Cat in Sheffield to sample some wonderful beers that have been imported from goodness knows where.

The managers of the pub have recently been over to the states and brought some different Anchor beers over. Last Thursday we tried these:

• Anchor Porter
• Summer Beer
• Libery Ale
• Anchor Bock

Anchor Porter
Our favourite. Frankly this is the best porter according to the 3 of us who went to the pub. It never goes wrong (although once there was an odd batch that tasted different). Really deep and tasty. Medium sweet but not too much. Fizzy! Yes, the fizziness is just great. Holds a special place in our hearts.

Summer Beer
Refreshing as you’d expect but really quite complex at the same time. As it was last week, I don’t remember much more. Maybe not the best of the evening although I had a porter before this so it might have been very different if I’d had it first (which I’ll do next time)!

Libery Ale
This is a regular and one of Anchor’s biggest. Really nice. Better than the stream beer (for which they are most famous for) and quite zingy. Very drinkable and enjoyable yet tasty – it rounded off my evening perfectly.

Anchor Bock
Woah – this was pretty mind-blowing. Really great. It is so fruity and strong but is thoroughly delicious! It’s quite complicated in terms of flavour (that’s flavor for you US guys) and the hops work perfectly in there. You could say it’s similar in some ways to the Porter but is definately stronger and more complicated. I will be drinking this again, regardless of the crazy cost!

Beer Trip: Charlotte NC, part 3

On Monday night we took an outing to the Charlotte location of the Duckworth’s Grill and Bar.

Having checked out the menu before hand I knew that there would be a few decent taps out of the 20 on offer. Of particular interest were the Arrogant Bastard, Two Hearted Ale and 90 Minute IPA. While there was nothing unusual about the list there were a few really good beers to look forward to drinking. Well once we got there we were greeted by an even better list. We ordered a Founders Double Trouble, Foothills Seeing Double and a Flying Dog Double Dog. I had to pass on the 90 Minute, Stone Ruination and a few other tasty beers as my kidneys can only take so much. My wife was kind enough to share with me and also had an Allagash Black that was much better than I remember the bottle I had some time ago.

Duckworth’s is a smallish place with perhaps 15 bar stools and a number of tables for dining. There were a few other people drinking good beer but it was pretty quite overall. The atmosphere was fine, nothing special but nothing negative either.

One mark against is our first beers were served in frozen glasses. After that incident I asked for non-frozen glasses and they were happy to oblige with non-chilled glasses.

But the real clincher was that the tab for four beers and a bowl of fries came to $10. These were 12oz pours so I rate that as a stunning bargain. With that in mind this is definitely the place I would recommend going on a Monday night.

Hope to see you there.

Head to Head: Hoppin Frog Mean Manalishi vs. Lagunitas Maximus IPA

Welcome to today’s Head to Head challenge.
Style: Imperial India Pale Ale. View the top Imperial IPAs

Beer	Hoppin Frog Mean Manalishi	Lagunitas Maximus IPA
Brewer	Hoppin Frog	Lagunitas
Country	America	America
State (if Applicable)	Ohio	California

Appearance: Winner – Tie

Hoppin Frog – This pours an amber color with a very small head that disappears very quickly and leaves no lace.

Lagunitas – This pours a golden amber color with a small off-white head. The head rapidly disappears.

Aroma: Winner – Hoppin Frog

Hoppin Frog –This has more aroma including a stronger grapefruit character along with some sweetness from the malt.

Lagunitas – There is a good strong hop aroma that is dominated by a pleasant aroma of pine and resin.

Taste: Winner – Hoppin Frog

Hoppin Frog – This has lots of citrus, some well developed bitterness along with a trace of alcohol. It all combines for a very flavorful beer.

Lagunitas – There is a definite malt back bone in this beer but the hop bitterness never truly grows to surpass it. It leaves the beer tasting a bit sugary compared to most Imperial India Pale Ales.

Body/Finish: Winner – Hoppin Frog

Hoppin Frog – This has a medium body and the finish is dry, long and bitter finish but it never becomes harsh.

Lagunitas – This medium bodied beer finishes as a smooth drinkable beer but is lacking the dry finish and bitterness usual to style.

Overall: Winner – Hoppin Frog
Well pretty straight forward this tasting. The Mean Manalishi simply hopped all over the Maximus. It had more of all that matters. It was more aromatic, full of flavor and had all the bitterness that Imperial India Pale Ale’s should have. I found it incredibly drinkable and would easily believe that it could hold its own against any Imperial India Pale Ale. The Lagunitas is a good beer that is let down by a lack of hops. Perhaps this bottle was not a prime example but I feel that even if it was it would still not be enough to beat the Mean Manalishi. It is simply stunning.

Head to Head: Southampton Public House Imperial Porter vs. Sinebrychoff Koff Porter

Welcome to today’s Head to Head challenge.
Style: Baltic Porter. View the top Baltic Porters

Beer	Southampton Publick House Imperial Porter	Sinebrychoff Koff Porter
Brewer	Southampton Publick House	Sinebrychoff
Country	America	Finland
State (if Applicable)	New York

Appearance: Winner – Sinebrychoff

Southampton – Pours a very dark red. The head is very small and and tan in color.

Sinebrychoff –.This black beer pours with a very large brown frothy head. The head leaves good lace on the glass.

Aroma: Winner – Sinebrychoff

Southampton – The nose has some tar/molasses and is definitely a sweet smelling beer.

Sinebrychoff – The nose is dominated by a roasted coffee aroma. But there is also some malt sweetness and a hint of alcohol.

Taste: Winner – Sinebrychoff

Southampton – The sweetness from the smell is carried over in the taste.

Sinebrychoff – There is a definite candy sweetness to start with some fruit notes come out later. There is also medium bitterness along with some roasted flavor that adds balance to the great taste. A nice and complex beer.

Body/Finish: Winner – Sinebrychoff

Southampton – This has medium-light body and a short finish with a bit of a tang at the end.

Sinebrychoff – This has a medium to full body and a nice smooth finish.

Overall: Winner – Sinebrychoff
Unfortunately the Koff just overshadowed the Southampton. It was a great beer to drink. There were lots of flavors and aromas that kept the palate working hard. None of it overpowers and it all balances beautifully. The Southampton taste to much like a regular Porter to compare well here. The Koff on the other hand is almost everything you could ask for in a Baltic Porter.

Head To Head: Lagunitas Maximus IPA vs. Avery The Maharaja Imperial India Pale Ale

Welcome to today’s Head to Head challenge.
Style: Imperial India Pale Ale. View the top Imperial IPAs

Beer	Lagunitas Maximus IPA	Avery The Maharaja Imperial India Pale Ale
Brewer	Lagunitas	Avery
Country	America	America
State (if Applicable)	California	Colorado

Appearance: Winner – Avery

Lagunitas – This pours a golden amber color with a small off-white head. The head rapidly disapears.

Avery – This pours with a big frothy off-white head atop a golden amber beer. The head leaves lots of lace as it slowly recedes..

Aroma: Winner – Tie

Lagunitas – There is a good strong hop aroma that is dominated by a pleasant aroma of pine and resin.

Avery – This has a bit more sweetness along with a good resinous aroma.

Taste: Winner – Avery

Lagunitas – There is a definite malt back bone in this beer but the hop bitterness never truly grows to surpass it. It leaves the beer tasting a bit sugary compared to most Imperial India Pale Ales.

Avery – This also has a strong malt sweetness but has much more bitterness. The hop bitterness is close to becoming harsh but never quite becomes so. There is a slight earthy/musty note. .

Body/Finish: Winner – Avery

Lagunitas – This medium bodied beer finishes as a smooth drinkable beer but is lacking the dry finish and bitterness usual to style.

Avery – While not as dry as typical for the style this finishes with a good dose of bitterness and has a medium body.

Overall: Winner – Avery
This was a pleasant surprise. I have had the pleasure of trying the Avery several times and most say I have never been truly impressed. On the other side the Maximus has always been a good drinking companion. So when a bottle of the Avery that I have had for ages (this one was bottled in Feb 2008) beat the Lagunitas I was surprised. Perhaps the Avery has improved with age. If so it now rates as one of the better IIPA’s that I have had. The Lagunitas on the other had seemed a bit bland. Good but far from the big bold flavors I look for in an IIPA.

Head to Head: Stone Ruination IPA vs. Hoppin Frog Mean Manalishi

Welcome to today’s Head to Head challenge.
Style: Imperial India Pale Ale. View the top Imperial IPAs

Beer	Stone Ruination IPA	Hoppin Frog Mean Manalishi
Brewer	Stone	Hoppin Frog
Country	America	America
State (if Applicable)	California	Ohio

Appearance: Winner – Stone

Stone – This pours a golden to amber color with a big, froty off-white head that leaves lots of lace on the glass.

Hoppin Frog – This pours an amber color with a very small head that disappears very quickly and leaves no lace.

Aroma: Winner – Hoppin Frog

Stone – The aroma of this Imperial IPA is not as strong as I would expect. There is some grapefruit aroma but not a lot else.

Hoppin Frog –This has more aroma including a stronger grapefruit character along with some sweetness from the malt. This definitely had a more robust aroma.

Taste: Winner – Hoppin Frog

Stone – There is a bit of bitterness in the flavor but also a little bit of sour grapefruit. There is a hint of grain but it is a bit hidden.

Hoppin Frog – This has lots of citrus, some well developed bitterness along with a trace of alcohol. It all combines for a very flavorful beer.

Body/Finish: Winner – Hoppin Frog

Stone –This medium bodied beer ends strong with a dry, long and bitterfinish. There is a slight harshness to the finish

Hoppin Frog – This has a similar Medium body and the finish is dry, long and bitter finish but it never becomes harsh.

Overall: Winner – Hoppin Frog
This was my first chance to try a Hoppin Frog beer and I must say I was impressed. It was a birthday gift from my sister. Thanks Jess. Other that a weak appearance it was the better beer by a clear margin. I wanted to come back and have more and more. The aroma and flavor were superb. The Stone had its good points, especially if you like lots of bitterness from your hops. But it lacked dimension. This seems to be common to Stone beers and I do not think it makes them bad beers. I simply think that a well-rounded beer that has both sweetness and bitterness is more enjoyable. So the victory goes to the Mean Manalishi but I will still enjoy a little Ruination when I get a chance.

Head to Head: Southampton Publick House Imperial Porter vs. Baird Kurofune Porter

Welcome to today’s Head to Head challenge.
Style: Baltic Porter. See the Top Baltic Porters

Beer	Southampton Publick House Imperial Porter	Baird Kurofune Porter
Brewer	Southampton Publick House	Baird Brewing Company
Country	America	Japan
State (if Applicable)	New York

Appearance: Winner – Baird

Southampton – The dark redish-brown beer is topped by a head that is very small and and tan in color. A small amount of lace is left on the glass.

Baird – This beer pours a very dark brown. The tan head is very large with a foamy texture and it leaves some great lace on the glass.

Aroma: Winner – Tie

Southampton – There are lots of sweet smells on the nose. The dominate smell is of molasses.

Baird – The aroma has some nice smoke notes and a bit of candy sweetness from the malt.

Taste: Winner – Baird

Southampton – The sweetness from the smell is carried over in the taste and this beer lacks any roasted/smoky notes.

Baird – The flavor has lots of roasted character. There is a bit of bitterness which keeps it in check.

Body/Finish: Winner – Baird

Southampton – This has medium-light body and a short finish with a bit of a tang at the end.

Baird – The body is a bit light but does have a bit of bitterness to create a decent finish.

Overall: Winner – Baird
This was my second beer from Baird and I think it is a pretty solid beer. It is definitely on the lighter side for a Baltic Porter but it does press the right buttons. It has an elevated sweetness and good smoke and roasted aroma and flavor. While not possessing the fruit notes that can be present in a good Baltic Porter it is none the less a really solid drink. The Southampton on the other had comes up short. I think it needs more character to hold its own as a Baltic Porter. So I raise my glass to the land of the Rising Sun.

Head to Head: Smuttynose IPA vs. Founders Centennial IPA

Welcome to today’s Head to Head challenge.
Style: India Pale Ale. View the Top IPA’s

Beer	Smuttynose IPA	Founders Centennial IPA
Brewer	Smuttynose	Founders
Country	America	America
State (if Applicable)	New Hampshire	Michigan

Appearance: Winner – Smuttynose

Smuttynose – This beer pours with a reddish copper color with a large frothy off white head. There is some good lace left as this great looking beer recedes.

Founders – This beer is a lighter amber color with a small rapidly diminishing white head. There is a small amount of lace left on the glass.

Aroma: Winner – Founders

Smuttynose – The dominate aromas are floral and grassy..

Founders – This has a sweet floral nose along with some really nice pink grapegruit smells from the hops. This has a great aroma.

Taste: Winner – Tie

Smuttynose – This has a reasonable sweetness from the malt that is well balanced with the bitterness that never overpowers the beer.

Founders – This has a bit less sweetness which makes the bitterness stand out but it perfectly fits within the realm of IPA’s. There are some resinous and floral flavors to be enjoyed also.

Body/Finish: Winner – Founders

Smuttynose – This has a good medium body but a rather short bitter finish.

Founders – This has a similar medium body but has a dry finish that is both stronger and longer.

Overall: Winner – Founders
So many of the tasting that I do involve two really good beers that I feel bad to have to chose one as a winner. In fact there have been almost no beers that I would not recommend. Today I would happily recommend the Smuttynose. It looked great tasted great and would be enjoyed on a nice warm sunny day. The same could be said of the Founders. The fact it also had a better aroma and finish means that it comes out ahead today. In fact I would put it high on my list of IPA’s. Go grab a bottle and enjoy it if you get a chance.

Head to Head: Breckenridge 471 Small Batch IPA vs. Bells Hopslam

Welcome to today’s Head to Head challenge.
Style: Imperial India Pale Ale. View the Top Imperial India Pale Ales

Beer	Breckenridge 471 Small Batch IPA	Bells Hopslam
Brewer	Breckenridge	Bells
Country	America	America
State (if Applicable)	Colorado	Michigan

Appearance: Winner – Tie

Breckenridge – This orange to amber colored beer has a slight haziness and a well developed frothy off-white head that leaves good lace as it slowly diminishes.

Bells – The only real difference here is that this is less hazy so the orange to amber color, good head and nice lace are all present.

Aroma: Winner – Bells

Breckenridge – Definaetly the weaker of the two. There are some light citrus notes as well as a bit of sweetness. The balance is good it just has a lot less aroma than the other beer.

Bells – The big aroma is dominated by grapefruit and is accompanied by some good floral notes.

Taste: Winner – Tie

Breckenridge – This has a good balance. There is some good bitterness although and plenty of sweetness from the malt. There is a slight musty quality to the beer but it does not detract from the flavor.

Bells – There is a good dose of grapefruit sweetness accompanied by a moderate bitterness.

Body/Finish: Winner – Bells

Breckenridge – This beer has a slightly harsh bitterness in the finish. The body is medium and the finish is short.

Bells – This has a smoother finish with the bitterness being less harsh and lasting longer. The body is also medium.

Overall: Winner – Bells
Going in and I would have said it is a no brainer. Like me chances are that you rate the Hopslam pretty highly. I sure do. So I expected it to be a clear winner. Well it was the better beer tonight but not by a huge margin. The 471 held up well and if not for a lack of aroma could possibly of pulled off a tie. Having said that neither of these seemed to have the level of bitterness I would expect in and Imperial IPA. They were both refreshing and enjoyable just not massively memorable. It looks like Hopslam will have its work cut out for it in the upcoming comparisons against a whole host of great Imperial IPA’s.

Head to Head: Dieu du Ciel Péché Mortel vs. Oscar Blues Ten FIDY

Welcome to today’s Head to Head challenge.
Style: Russian Imperial Stout. View Table

Beer	Dieu du Ciel Péché Mortel	Oscar Blues Ten FIDY
Brewer	Die du Ciel	Oscar Blues
Country	Canada	America
State (if Applicable)		Colorado

Appearance: Winner – Péché

Péché – Pours pitch black with a large tan head. The head is quite fine and rapidly diminishes. There is a small amount of lace left on the glass.

FIDY – Pours the same pitch black but with almost no head. What there is of a head leaves almost no lace.

Aroma: Winner – Péché

Péché – Really big strong aromas on the nose. There is a definite roasted coffee aroma that is accompanied by some tar/smoke and a trace of alcohol.

FIDY – There is a nice burnt tar aroma along with some nice prune sweetness.

Taste: Winner – Péché

Péché – The falvors are not quite as big as the aroma but the coffee and tar are still there and now there are some traces of raisins. This has a really food bitter to sweet balance.

FIDY – The fruit flavors are accompanied by some warming alcohol and the burnt aromas carry through to the flavor.

Body/Finish: Winner – Péché

Péché – This has a full body with a velvety smoothness. There is also a good bitter finish..

FIDY –This also has a full body but it has more fizz and a slightly tanpy metallic note the finish has a good bitterness to it.

Overall: Winner – Péché
This was pretty easy for me and that was a surprise. I have had both these beers before and while I thought the Péché Mortel was really good I remember the 10 FIDY as being stunning. Tonight that was not the case. The Péché was the stunning beer. I struggled to see how it could be better. Maybe a better head development and more bitterness in the finish but that would be nitpicking. The FIDY was really good but it just seemed to lack the oomph of the Péché. Now my wife made a good point and she felt the 10 FIDY was more like a true Russian Imperial stout ala Samuel Smiths. I almost agree. But I can’t help but feel that Imperial Stouts have progressed beyond the old standards. The other argument is that The Péché belongs in the newly emerging American Double/Imperial Stout. I see that logic I am just not sure how you choose. Perhaps we all need to make that choice for ourselves and not listen to any one else.