It's Big Beer Night

[squiffynimrod]

New Year's Eve is a boozefest for many. This year is no different for me, as I don't go out for NYE. I'll spend time in the hot tub and reminisce about everything I've done (or haven't done) this year.

Tonight I'm channeling my inner beer snob and going through some high OG beers. Care to come along?

Please post up what you're enjoying this year- beer, wine, champagne, cocktails......whatever!

 

[squiffynimrod]

First up is a local I really like.



Nice grapefruit and piney resinous IPA without being overly bitter. Hop forward with subdued malt flavours. 6.5% so not huge, but a nice start to a big beer evening.

 

[squiffynimrod]

On to round 2



Another great IPA, made a couple of hundred miles away from me. Great balance of hops and malt. In fact, one of the best balanced IPA's I can recall. Right up there with the IPA from Santa Fe Brewing, Santa Fe NM which is outstanding! Another 6.5% offering so for those who are counting I'm up to 3 Coors Light.

 

[squiffynimrod]

The wildcard



For those who know hefeweizen's this style does not officially exist. It would be listed as an experimental in the BJCP guidelines (https://www.bjcp.org/docs/2015_Guidelines_Beer.pdf) I've been to Bavaria and had many outstanding hefe's. This is amazing. It's like hefe on steroids. The banana/clove front taste has been replaced by a honey like taste and feel, with the B/C bringing up the rear. Excellent taste and mouthfeel, clear not cloudy as pictured so this batch has been filtered. If you know IPA's and then DIPA's, this is the DIPA of hefe's. Yes yes yes. 7.7%, definitely big for a hefe.

 

[wazup]

I'll rain on the parade, my drinking days are pretty much behind me. I've started to dread the hangovers more than I enjoy drinking. Carry on.

 

[squiffynimrod]

I'll rain on the parade, my drinking days are pretty much behind me. I've started to dread the hangovers more than I enjoy drinking. Carry on.

No worries! This will be a big night for me. Usually it's 1 or 2, carefully selected, in the proper glass at the proper temperature, style notes and judging sheets printed and at hand.

 

[squiffynimrod]

Let's go with the classic



Those Belgian monks know how to make a strong ale. At 9% it's tonight's winner in the ABV wars. Big, strong and beautiful. As I don't have the proper glass I'm using the next best thing, a brandy snifter. Better as it warms it's smooth, complex and surprisingly not overly boozy for 9%. I'll finish this, but may not make it to the hot tub. In fact, probably won't make it until midnight either.

Have a great night everyone, see you next year!

S.

 

[blueray]

Let's go with the classic

View attachment 29899

Those Belgian monks know how to make a strong ale. At 9% it's tonight's winner in the ABV wars. Big, strong and beautiful. As I don't have the proper glass I'm using the next best thing, a brandy snifter. Better as it warms it's smooth, complex and surprisingly not overly boozy for 9%. I'll finish this, but may not make it to the hot tub. In fact, probably won't make it until midnight either.

Have a great night everyone, see you next year!

S.

Can’t go wrong with the Chimay squiffy!!!
I like the red, white, gold and the aforementioned blue. I haven’t seen the gift packs in the LCBO the last few years, but I picked up my proper Chimay glasses through the holiday gift packs. I Had a red earlier tonight. Cheers.