Head To Head: Grand Teton Black Cauldron vs. Foothills Sexual Chocolate Imperial Stout

Welcome to another Head to Head challenge. Today we start to see which Imperial Stout is truly worthy. Both of today’s Imperial Stouts come from America. The first beer is Grand Teton Black Cauldron from Idaho. The second beer is the Foothills Sexual Chocolate Imperial Stout From my Home state of North Carolina.

As usual the tasting was done blind and to style.

Appearance: Winner – Tie

Caludron – This beer is dominated by the huge head. It is a frothy tan head sitting upon a black beer. The head diminishes quickly leaving little lace.

Sexual – While possessing a smaller head the appearance of this beer is about the same. Black beer with a nice thick tan head that leaves little head as it disappears.

Aroma: Winner – Sexual

Cauldron – The main aromas are all sweet with this. A bit of caramel, chocolate and some fruit are all apparent..

Sexual – This also has a lot of sweetness. Chocolate and caramel start of the aromas but you then get some coffee and some nice roasted smells.

– .

Taste: Winner – Sexual

Cauldron – The sweetness is apparent to start but a nice bitterness slowly builds as a nice complement.

Sexual – Now you can really taste the chocolate. There is a sweet start but then the roasted flavors of the dark malts start to really build. Hints of coffee, grains and hops all make appearances in the flavor providing a very rich palate.

Body/Finish: Winner – Sexual

Cauldron – This has a medium to full body and a short aftertaste.

Sexual – This has a smooth texture, full body and a wonderful bitter aftertaste. Definitely makes you want more.

Overall: Winner – Sexual
I often wish every tasting was a close decision. It provides a bit more excitement when doing these Head to Heads. Unfortunately every so often one beer is just so good that it is head and shoulders above the other. Today is one of those days. I would happily dink the black cauldron. In fact in isolation I would probably say it is a great Imperial Stout. But compared to the Sexual chocolate it just seems a bit ordinary. The sexual Chocolate does everything better. I simply has more aroma, more flavor and a better finish. The fact that it does this without becoming overpowering in any one area is simply stunning. It is going to take something very special to beat this beer. I can’t wait to crack open my last bottle and I will be standing in line when they release the next batch.

Head To Head: Mikkeller Black Hole vs. Victory Storm King

Welcome to another Head to Head challenge. Toady is another day of Imperial Stouts. The first comes to us by way of Denmark and is the Mikkeller Black Hole. The second beer is from Pennsylvania in America and is the Victory Storm King Imperial Stout.

As usual the tasting was done blind and to style.

Appearance: Winner – King

Black Hole – Pours a deep black with almost no head. What head there was had a tan color but it disappeared so quickly I can’t be sure of the accuracy of my observation.

King – Now that looks better. Black with good sized tan head. It does not last long but looked good while it was there.

Aroma: Winner – Black Hole

Black Hole – Really strong and powerful aroma. There is a definite hop aroma and distinct coffee smells. There are also roasted notes and some alcohol wafting around the glass.

King – A lot less aroma with a resin hop smell dominating.

Taste: Winner – Black Hole

Black Hole – Lots going on here. First is the warming alcohol and sweet caramel flavors. Then the hops start to come on and finally hints of whisky and bourbon appear. Very complex and quite a challenge.

King – Less happening here with a really strong bitterness the main flavor. Could really do with more malts.

Body/Finish: Winner – King

Black Hole – Very Full bodied but the finish is not the beers finest point. It is still pleasing if a bit syrupy and a slight Metallic finish.

King – Straight forward bitter finish but more enjoyable for it. Good full body and long finish.

Overall: Winner – Black Hole
The Black Hole really showed up the Storm King. It had more complexity, a wider palate of flavors and was simply a more enjoyable Imperial stout. This is not a beer for the timid but that is how Imperial Stouts tend to be. This one more than most is a real challenge. Not because it overpowers with one flavor or aroma but because it keeps bringing out more and more. It is not perfect as both the appearance and finish leave room for improvement and I am not sure I would have more than one. At nearly 14% my kidneys and liver would probably not forgive me if I did.

Head To Head: Foothills Sexual Chocolate Imperial Stout vs. Victory Storm King Imperial Stout

Welcome to another Head to Head challenge. I have such a rough life for today we get to try two more Imperial Stouts from America. The first beer is Foothills Sexual Chocolate Imperial Stout form my local state of North Carolina. The second beer is Victory Storm King from Pennsylvania.

As usual the tasting was done blind and to style.

Appearance: Winner – Tie

Sexual – Pours Black with good tan head. The head dimishes quickly and leaves little lace.

King – Much the same with a deep black color and tan head that leaves little lace as it rapidly disapears.

Aroma: Winner – Sexual

Sexual – Rich, vibrant, deep complex. Any could be used for this. The aroma has sweetness, chocolate, coffee, some burnt aromas. Need I mention I like it.

King – Less sweetness in this beer and a lot more floral hop aroma instead.

Taste: Winner – Sexual

Sexual – Well this is a smooth beer. It has a nice sweetness that never become cloying or sickly. It balances this with a good amount of bitterness. Thrown in for good measure is a wonderful dark chocolate and roasted aroma.

King – This is simply dominated by hops. Lots of bitterness.

Body/Finish: Winner – Sexual

Sexual – The full body ends with a smooth and long finish. Makes you want more and for it not to end.

King – Good full body and the finish is the best part of this beer. The bitterness is just right although it could do with a bit more balance.

Overall: Winner – Sexual
Well this is the beer that started this blog. I have had several chances to enjoy this beer and am never disappointed. But this is the first chance to compare it against another Imperial stout. While I have not been overly impressed with the Storm King in these head to Heads the Sexual Chocolate crushed it in this tasting. In my opinion you would have to be truly blinded by hops to prefer the Storm King. The overall balance of the Sexual chocolate is astounding. I have had stouts with stronger characteristics that I really like the bitterness of the Great Divide Oak Aged Yeti or the coffee and alcohol of the Mikkeller Black Hole but this is the best-balanced Imperial Stout I can remember. I wish I had bought more bottles. Well I guess I will have to stand in line again next year. It is rough I know.

Head To Head: Victory Storm King vs. Grand Teton Black Cauldron

Welcome to another Head to Head challenge. Today we two Imperial Stouts that are both brewed in America. The first beer is Victory Storm King Imperial Stout from Pennsylvania. The second beer is The Grand Teton Black Cauldron from Idaho.

As usual the tasting was done blind and to style.

Appearance: Winner – Tie

King – Pours black with a decent sized tan head. The head diminishes leaving little lace.

Cauldron – Pours black with huge tan head. The head has big frothy bubbles but diminishes quickly leaving little lace.

Aroma: Winner – Cauldron

King – This has a small amount of molasses sweetness but what is more evident is the hops. The hop presence is very strong.

Cauldron – This has more balance with neither the sweet caramel or hop aromas dominating.

Taste: Winner – Cauldron

King – Any sweetness is immediately taken over by a very strong bitterness. There is a tar like presence in the taste.

Cauldron – This beer has a pleasing caramel sweetness to start. There is a bit of chocolate and the taste finishes with a nice build up of bitterness. It does not become overpowering like the other beer.

Body/Finish: Winner – King

King – The body is full and he bitterness finally pays off in a pleasing (if strongly bitter) aftertaste. It is a long finish and quite enjoyable.

Cauldron – The body is full and the finish is short. A slight disappointment in that the bitterness in the flavor is not evident in the finish.

Overall: Winner – Cauldron
There is something a bit overwhelming about a bottle of beer that is the equivalent of a six-pack of bud. While it has no relevance to the tasting the Black Cauldron bottle is a beast to behold and thanks must go out to my sis for giving it to me as a gift. If you’re reading this feel free to send more.

Now as to the tasting the Storm king was simply to bitter. It reminded me of the Great Divide Yetis without the balance. Surprisingly it was quite different to the last Head to Head and perhaps I will need to revisit it in the future. But today it was outclassed. The Grand Teton was the better beer with a wonderful balance. It could have a bit more finish and more complexity but it was a lot of fun finishing the bottle after the tasting. Thanks go out to my wife and the Warner’s for helping me finish it.

Beer Table: Doppelbock

Doppelbock
	Win	Loss	Draw	Points
Ayinger Celebrator	1	0	0	3
Paulaner Salvator	0	1	0	0

Head To Head: Paulaner Salvator vs. Ayinger Celebrator

Welcome to another Head to Head challenge. Today we have two Doppelbocks from Germany. The first is the Paulaner Salvator. The second is the Ayinger Celebrator.

As usual the tasting was done blind and to style.

Appearance: Winner – Tie

Salvator – This pours a nice rich amber with a large frothy off-white head. The head slowly diminishes leaving a trace of lace on the glass.

Celebrator – Pours a dark reddish brown with a large tan head. The head lasts a bit longer and leaves a similar amount of lace.

Aroma: Winner – Celebrator

Salvator – There is a lot of sweetness in the aroma. Some hints of candy.

Celebrator – This is also very sweet but has a bit more depth. There are hints of caramel and a slight roasted aroma and some hints of fruit.

Taste: Winner – Celebrator

Salvator – As in the aroma the sweetness dominates with a nce caramel taste.

Celebrator – This has more complexity with some plum, chocolate, and a hint of roasted elements all taking part in the sweet flavor.

Body/Finish: Winner – Tie

Salvator – This has a medium body with a slight amount of carbonization. The finish is not to long.

Celebrator – Slightly more body in this beer with a more oily texture and similar length to the finish.

Overall: Winner – Celebrator

This was a really close test. In fact both beers easily fill all the requirements for a Doppelbock. The fact that they look so different has no real impact on the finish as both are within style. The same goes for the aroma and taste. While they have different characteristics this is not outside of the style. So either is a fine example for the style. But since this is a head to head and my taste and preferences have a part to play I would choose the Celebrator. It just has that added level of complexity that goes with being the darker Doppelbock. But please do not let that stop you from having either they are both great Doppelbocks.

Never Drink alone…

Well on top of my Normal Head to Head postings today we have a guest post from a good friend. I must say that hearing about a trip to my old local pub when I lived in England makes me miss it dearly. I was well recognized there and I like to think that I was able to encourage them to stock more good American beers. I have lots of memories of the Devonshire Cat in Sheffield all of them good.

Here’s to you Ant.

A visit to the Devonshire Cat…

A bunch of us regularly go to the Devonshire Cat, Sheffield, UK for a few pints. It’s a good time to catch up but it is also a great way to try new and interesting beers. It was flippin’ ages ago that we went and I’ve owed this blog this post for a darn tootin’ long time (sorry Joel). Some of us weren’t drinking alcohol and we even had a cider drinker amongst us (oo-ar)!

• Chris had an orange Looza [6/10] and a strawberry Looza [9/10] (non alcoholic)
• Jono had a pint of Madness [8/10] and a pint of Hornbeam Bitter [4/10] - he’s a proper real ale drinking lad
• Dave had 2 and a half pints total of Paulaner [10/10] which he says is the beer that he likes far beyond all others in the pub and “why change when you’ve found the one?” is his excuse for not being more adventurous. He also had a coke [8/10]
• Paul (our visiting cider drinker) had a couple of local ciders; Gold Digger [8/10] and Strawberry Fields [7/10]
• Ant (moi) had St Bernardus Pater 6 [8/10], Sierra Nevarda Pale Ale [4/10] and Anchor Porter [6/10].

I would like to expand on my selection - here I tried a couple of American drinks for Joel’s benefit. Today they really didn’t do it for me which is a massive shame. I wonder whether it was a dodgy batch of Anchor Porters because there have been times that I have only drank them all night and I would have given them a hefty [10/10]. I still have to say it’s one of my favourite drinks. The Pale Ale was seriously disappointing and lacked much in the flavour department. Goose Island do it way way better. The St Bernardus Belgium ale was actually one that I’ve bought from a local dealer since and enjoyed much more the second time. A lot of these Belgium monk-brewed beers really can’t go wrong - they make some seriously great drinks so cheers to them!

I also recorded the quote of the evening: “Do you have a console?”, “I’ve got a mega drive, I don’t need anything else”. Guess you’d have to be a hardcore seasoned gamer to get that…

Head to Head: Anderson Valley Hop Ottin IPA vs. Bells Two Hearted Ale

Welcome to another Head to Head challenge. Today we have two India Pale Ales from America. The first is from California and is the Anderson Valley Hop Ottin IPA. The second is from Michigan and is the Bells Two Hearted ale.

As usual the tasting was done blind and to style.

Appearance: Winner – Ottin

Ottin – Pours light amber with a large frothy off-white head. The head lasts for a long while and leaves good lace on the glass.

Hearted – Pours a dark gold with a small white head. The head quickly diminishes and leaves very little lace on the glass.

Aroma: Winner – Hearted

Ottin – This has a nice resinous hop smell along with some grassy notes.

Hearted – Starts with a really nice orange citrus smell. There is also a sweet grassy smell along with a nice hop character.

Taste: Winner – Hearted

Ottin – Wow, there are a lot of hops here. In fact the harsh bitterness overpowers any other flavor.

Hearted – There is as trong bitterness but in this beer it does not overpower the sweetness from the malt. This one also has a bit more carbonization.

Body/Finish: Winner – Hearted

Ottin –With all the hops it is not surprising that this has a long bitter aftertaste. It also has a bit of acidity.

Hearted – The bitterness is more subdued here but still leads to a good long dry finish that is very enjoyable.

Overall: Winner –Hearted

Well there was little doubt that these were IPA’s. The Bells had enough hop bitterness to make itself known where as the Hop Ottin simply shouts I have Hops. In fact it reminds me of another really heavily hopped IPA the Victory Hop Devil. The Devil and the Hop Ottin are all about the bitterness. The Bells on the other hand is a great representation of an India Pale Ale. It has bitterness accompanied by just enough sweetness to create a wonderful drinking beer that was great to drink on a nice hot day. The Hop Ottin on the other hand will please you if you like lots of hops and not to worried about much else. I like it but one is enough.

Head to Head: Nøgne Ø Porter vs Fullers London Porter

Welcome to another Head to Head challenge. Today we have two Porters. The first is from Norway and is the Nøgne Ø Porter. The second is the English Fullers London Porter.

As usual the tasting was done blind and to style.

Appearance: Winner – Fullers

Nøgne – Quite simply this looks like a stout. The creamy tan head sitting on top of the lovely black color says I am a stout come drink me.

Fullers – This looks like a porter. It pours a very dark brown with a nice reddish color as you look through the light. The head is a bubbly light tan and leaves good lace on the glass.

Aroma: Winner – Fullers

Nøgne – Really good aromas leap out of the beer. There is good amount of roasted flavors but also some citrus hop aromas. In fact it reminds me of simcoe hops present in some Imperial IPAs.

Fullers –The aroma is full of roasted barley along with some sweetness and a bit of tar.

Taste: Winner – Nøgne

Nøgne – Wow this is smooth with a sweet start followed by a bitterness that builds slowly. There is also a bit of nuttiness mixed in almost like a good nut brown ale.

Fullers –The initial sweetness is balanced by a moderate degree of bitterness. The contrast between the two gives a wonderful balance.

Body/Finish: Winner – Nøgne

Nøgne – The full body is accompanied by a nice long bitter finish.

Fullers – The body is medium to full and the finish has a smooth oily texture. Finishes with hints of bitterness.

Overall: Winner – Fullers
Well finally a Porter gave the Fullers a good run. In fact I think the Nøgne is the better beer. So why did it not win? Well simply it is just to outside the normal porter description. At 7% it is closer to a Baltic Porter in strength and in taste and aroma much more like a stout. And I think it is great. But the Fullers London Porter is still what I would expect of a Porter. It is rich but not overpowering. Not to mention the beautiful red color and the ease at which it can be drunk. These make it the better porter and so it wins this Head to Head. But I highly recommend having the Nøgne.