Mike Loves Beer

So I’m trying something a little different here today. Well I guess you could say this is a very different beer so a very different review is in order.  Okay you got me, it’s not completely different but let’s just see where it goes shall we.

I know a lot people enjoy a good blended beer.  Some like the good old black and tan with Guinness and Bass.  Some like those summer shandies when you mix a light beer with lemonade.  I like many enjoy a black velvet on occasion.  But a couple months ago a new blend came before that can only be described as a mad scientist’s creation.  The mad scientist was played by Ian from Fresh Beer.  And instead of dead body parts to make a monster Ian’s tools were simply two beers and a glass.

While working a local beer festival and being a helpful hand for Fresh Beer I found myself pouring at Breckenridge’s table.  With my partner in crime Phil by my side we set off pushing Breckenridge brews on the masses.  We especially pushed the Vanilla Porter on people.  It’s lighter body and vanilla taste is very approachable.

But while peddling the suds Ian arrived to tell us that Brooklyn Brewery’s table had the ever amazing Black Chocolate Stout being poured.  Phil being no stranger to trades took some Vanilla Porter to the Brooklyn guys and offered a trade for some lovely Black Chocolate Stout.  Met with some resistance Phil sweetened the offer with a smile that Kim Jong Il couldn’t resist.  And score!

This is where Ian’s scheming began.  He said simply to blend the two beers together and make a Vanilla Chocolate Swirl.  And Ian did exactly that.  So here I am today with your instructions on how to make this awesome treat, just in time for the cold weather!

First you are going to of course need a bottle of Breckenridge’s Vanilla Porter and a bottle of Brooklyn’s Black Chocolate Stout.  I recommend letting the bottles sit out for a few minutes if you have had them refrigerated.

Now the next part is how Ian did it and by all means you can experiment with it and get it to your liking.  But I first opened the Black Chocolate Stout and filled the glass about 40-45% full, not half way.  Next I poured in the Vanilla Porter the rest of the way.

The color is not quite black.  The Vanilla Porter makes it seem like a very dark brown.  There are some spots of red around the edges of the glass that have some clarity to them.  A nice light brown head sits atop the brew but quickly dissipates.

The nose was not all that potent but I did pick up some of the boozey qualities of the Black Chocolate Stout along with some hints of vanilla beans.

The taste is just an attack of desert sweetness.  The cocoa and vanilla flavors blend together and I get what almost tastes like peanut butter.  The body is very full and rich.  I feel like when I drank Guinness for the first time.  It was a very heavy feeling.  With it being so rich and filling I could only have one of these babies in a night.

So there you have it, Ian’s evilly good creation.  If you decide to be daring and make it please let me know what you think.

Previous Reviews:
Breckenridge Vanilla Porter
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout

Name – Breckenridge 471 IPA (Small Batch)
Country – United States
Type – American Double IPA

Next up in my adventure through beer is one I have been very anxious to try and that is Breckenridge 471 IPA.  I’ve been wanting to try this one for quite awhile.  Even before Breckenridge came down to South Florida.  A few people said it’s a great, well balanced double IPA.  Well last week I picked up a couple of bottles and now it’s time to finally try it.

I poured it into my Funky Buddha pint glass and it settled in as a mostly clear orange color.  It had a very thin white head that was gone pretty quick.  But have no fear, it leaves awesome lacing around the glass.

The smell was sort of faint.  It was able to pick up some piney hops along with some malt.  There was a slight boozy like burn in the nostrils as well.  But again these were not very pungent aromas.

At the first sip I was immediately surprised by a nice tangerine flavor to it.  It’s not like a tangerine hop profile but an actual taste of the fruit.  This was followed up with an extremely well balanced taste of citrus hops and malts.  As it warms up you get a little alcohol bit to it but that’s to be expected with the 9.2% ABV.

So people were not kidding when they said it was well balanced.  The hops do not stand out too much and at the same time they keep the malt from going overboard.

I did some research on the Small Batch series that Breckenridge does and there were some interesting sounding ones but they mostly seem to be retired.  Who knows maybe the next time I’m in Colorado I can come across something new.

But overall this was a very good DIPA to me.  I know a lot of people like the super hoppy ones so this may not be for them.  If you like well balanced DIPAs then please go out and try this.  And if you are in South Florida, be sure to check out all the rest of Breckenridge’s stuff that you can get down here now.

Grade – B+

Name – Breckenridge Vanilla Porter
Country – United States
Type – American Porter

Appearance – Pours an opaque dark brown color.  There is some lighter brown along the edges of the glass.  A very thin off white head was gone just about as quick as it arrived.

Smell – Pretty straight forward with roasted malts and vanilla smells.

Taste – More roasted malts with a nice mixture of the vanilla and a chocolate tastes in there.  A small amount of coffee peaks it’s head out but not a lot.  Slight boozy backing once it really starts warming up.

Lately I have been hearing a lot about Breckenridge from people.  I saw them in Philly and have been seeing their name at places in Central Florida.  So on my latest beer trip to Roy’s Liquors in Fort Pierce I picked this one up.  It’s a pretty standard porter to me with the nice addition of the vanilla to it.  It’s pretty light in body too.  I look forward to having some other things from these folks in the future.

Overall Grade – B