Founders Dissenter Imperial IPL

Labor Day was yesterday and what better way to celebrate than with a good beer? Last night I cracked open my 750ml bottle of one of the most recent beers released by Founders Brewing Co in their Backstage Series: Dissenter Imperial IPL. Dissenter is an Imperial India Pale Lager.

Founders is not really known for brewing lagers...ever, but they decided to give this one a shot and try something new with the style. Founders always creates complex beers. If they can brew a lager worth drinking then I'm on board.

Right from opening the bottle a hoppiness is present in the aroma. I poured myself and my friend Rob a glass.

Dissenter had a generous amount of head and a hoppy taste/flavor throughout. It almost felt like I was drinking All Day IPA or Double Trouble with each sip.

Overall I thought that Dissenter was just okay. There's a lot of people on the Dissenter review page on Beer Advocate that loved it and thought its flavor was complex with pineapple, mango and other tropical fruits. I just didn't taste it this time around.

Both Rob and I throught it was a pretty standard tasting beer with a good deal of hoppiness and bitterness. I fear that I've grown tired of IPAs since I've had so many of them over the summer months. I think it's time I take a break from the style and gracefully come back to it in a year or so.

That being said, if you can find Dissenter in stores feel free to give it a try. At 8.7% ABV it's sure to knock you on your butt right onto your couch.

Founders Dissenter Imperial IPL is the first beer to be released in its 2014 Backstage Series. I'm more excited for the next one to come out; Smoked Porter in February.

Still good, just tired of IPAs

Chip Blog: The Great Lays Showdown of 2014

Last year marked the first ever Lays 'Do Us A Flavor' contest, which allowed potato chip fans from around the U.S. to pick a new flavor that was to be made into a permanent option in the Lays lineup. Last year's entries included the sweet and delicious Chicken and Waffles, the spicy yet great Sriracha and the winner of it all Cheesy Garlic Bread. I tried all of these flavors and thought Sriracha should have won it, but I guess not everyone shared my love for the Thai hot sauce infused chips.

This year the polls for the 'Do Us A Flavor' contest opened on July 28th and they will be closing on October 18th. There are four options this year to choose from: Wavy Mango Salsa, Kettle Cooked Wasabi Ginger, Cappuccino, and Cheddar Bacon Mac and Cheese.

 

I sat down with a couple close friends and decided to try them all and write down all of our impressions of each flavor. We started with Cappuccino as that one made us the most curious.

"That's a weird flavor, very interesting." - Brett S

"What is that? It's a little spicy under my tongue." - Erica W

"Good and sweet, like a dessert chip." - Phil

"I think it should be sweeter." - Brett S

"Tastes just like the foam of a real cappuccino!" - Erica W

Next we moved on to Wavy Mango Salsa:

"It smells kind of like Fruity Pebbles." - Phil

"Tastes like a dried mango." - Brett S

"Oh no, no, no, no, no." - Erica W

"Needs a better balance of mango and salsa, I don't taste any salsa." - Brett S

"Tastes like they couldn't decide on making fruit snacks or potato chips." - Phil

"I was absolutely disgusted by that one." - Brett S

Cappuccino and Wavy Mango Salsa on the top,

Cheddar Bacon Mac & Cheese and Wasabi on the bottom

Thirdly we tried the Kettle Cooked Wasabi Ginger:

"In your face, just like real wasabi." - Phil

"Ooo I like this, it's soo good." - Erica W

"That is so Wasabeeeee, I taste the ginger too." - Brett S

"Not too spicy either." - Brett S

Last but not least we threw the Cheddar Bacon Mac and Cheese down our gullets:

"It smells like dog food." - Brett S

"That's dog food." - Erica W

"Tastes like mac and cheese, nothing special." - Phil S

After the initial tasting we all sat down for a couple of minutes and continued to taste test the chips seeing if our opinions changed as we did so. Eventually we each voted on each chip placing them with a number 1 through 4 depending on which we liked the most and the least. Here are our results:

Brett: 1) Wasabi 2) Mac and Cheese 3) Cappuccino 4) Mango Salsa

Erica: 1) Wasabi 2) Mac and Cheese 3) Cappuccino 4) Mango Salsa 

Phil: 1) Wasabi 2) Cappuccino 3) Mac and Cheese 4) Mango Salsa

Despite Erica and Brett initially both thinking the Cheddar Bacon Mac and Cheese smelled like dog food they ended up digging the flavor a lot more after eating a few chips. We all agreed that the Wasabi Ginger was our favorite and had a good balance of spice and flavor and was the best fit with its kettle cooked style. I really enjoyed the Cappuccino and it was almost my number 1, but it was a bit too sweet for a chip that I would eat on a daily basis. The Mango Salsa chip, while it sounds good in principle, was disgusting for all of us and they should never make it ever again at least not with that overpowering nasty Mango flavoring.

So there you have it; Our great Lays off! Have you tried all of these flavors? Which one will you be voting for and hope will be made into a permanent flavor?
Let me know in the comments section below.

Hoptimum (Sierra Nevada)

Good Ol' Hoptimum. Literally this bottle was both good and old. This batch was brewed in 2012 and while normally it's customary to drink an IPA (India Pale Ale) while it's still fresh, this one was left in my basement to sit for awhile (and not on purpose!).

Hoptimum, brewed by Sierra Nevada is a Whole-Cone Imperial IPA that is a whopping 10.4% ABV. What makes this IPA different from the rest is the brewing process in which whole-cone hops are used aka the entire hop. The majority of other IPAs are brewed using hops that have been cut up into smaller pieces. By using whole-cone hops produces a stronger, more robust flavor that is present in the beer.

So how does Hoptimum stack up with the other countless IPAs I drank over the years? Let's find out.

Not only is my shirt Kick-Ass, the beer is too!

Like other IPAs Hoptimum has a very pine-inspired scent associated with it. Its color is that of an amber orangey red. The taste is both strong and memorable.

Bitterness is expected with an IPA and Hoptimum has its fair share of it. Hidden behind the initial explosion of bitterness on your tastebuds is citrus notes, almost like that of a grapefruit. The pine flavor is evident in every sip although I would say it's not as overwhelming as a beer like Heady Topper.

 

That being said Hoptimum is a great beer, but not as good as my favorite IPA of all time Hopslam. It just doesn't have the smoothness that Hopslam had and the subtle sweetness that made it great. For those who are more of IPA purists though Hoptimum is a dream come true and one of the best IPAs you can buy on the market.

 

Look for it in stores, it's sold in 4 packs!

 

Hoptimum was created by the masterminds at Sierra Nevada Brewing and if I made a list of my top five favorite IPAs it would be on there.

Southampton Double Ice Bock

Easter is a very special day. One which we share with our families and eat delicious candy and other foods we probably shouldn't be eating. It's also a time to catch up and create new memories. Easter 2014 was a very special day for me and not just because of my wonderful family and foods that probably caused me to gain a couple of pounds, but also because of a small beer by the name of Double Ice Bock...created by Southampton Publick House.

I picked up my one 7 oz bottle from the Russian Imperial Stout Release Party I went to back in February. I decided Easter night was just as good of a night as any to appreciate this fine beer. I love bocks so I was greatly anticipating this one...enough to even pose with my bottle before opening it.

Just from the gold aluminium foil on the top of the bottle, you knew it was going to be a good one.

I opened the Double Ice Bock bottle and was met with this sight, slowly bubbling and waiting to be drank.

The smell of Double Ice Bock was that of a good ol' fashioned German beer complete with maltiness and all.

Without waiting any longer I took a sip of one of the best beers I have drank in 2014.

I can't really describe the flavor of Double Ice Bock all too well. Maltiness was evident with each sip I took and it was an all around perfect beer. I'm a big fan of bocks, especially double bocks. This is the first time I have ever tried an ice bock and boy was I pleased.

I wish Southampton sold me more than one bottle of this fine beer. Great in every way imaginable and a beer drinker's dream.

Double Ice Bock was created by the Southampton Publick House and has an ABV of 18.00% ABV.

The New Taco Bell Breakfast...Reviewed!

This is definitely not a Beer Blog, but something I have to write about. Today I got to try Taco Bell's new breakfast menu, Waffle Taco and all. This is my post telling you about my experience and what I thought of Taco Bell's entry into the world of breakfast.

I arrived at my local Taco Bell to find this glorious sign out front displayed in one of the windows. If my anticipation wasn't already high enough, this sign showing the delicious Waffle Taco brought it to a critical level.

As I walked into the Taco Bell I was all smiles as I thought about the experience I was about to have with menu items I've been waiting to try for months.

I walked up to the counter and was greeted by one of the happiest Taco Bell employees I've ever encountered (especially at the early hour of 10:20 AM) and ordered my food. 

I chose the Waffle Taco combo (Combo 15), which included a side of a hash brown and a drink (I got coffee). I also ordered an A.M. Crunchwrap with bacon.

Within minutes my food was ready.

After opening the bag I was greeted with these new containers specifically made for the Breakfast items.

I thought they were cleverly designed and the message it brings is that Taco Bell believes that they can compete with the other breakfast experts...McDonalds.

I opened my containers and was amazed by this spectacle:

And this...

I tried the A.M. Crunchwrap first. It contained scrambled eggs, hash browns, cheese and bacon. It also had the creamy jalapeno sauce that you would normally find in a chicken or steak quesidilla. I loved it.

It had a bit of a spice to it and was flavorful enough to keep me coming back for more. Every bite was better than the last and it was gone within minutes.

Next onto the Waffle Taco with sausage.

 
It wasn't quite as good as the A.M. Crunchwrap I had, but still worth trying. The sausage on it looked and tasted fake. The waffle it was on was a little better, but nothing to write home about. I later found out that I was supposed to get syrup with mine, but I didn't. If I had the syrup to dunk it in it would've made it a lot better. Overall I was disappointed with it.

The hash brown I got on the side was just as good as I expected it to be. It was almost identical to the ones at McDonalds in taste and consistency. A little greasy, but that's expected.

The coffee was tasty, but nothing out of the ordinary.

For my first Taco Bell breakfast experience I was pleased, but not floored. I really think they're onto something with the A.M. Crunchwraps, but there's room for improvement with the Waffle Tacos. The price of my meal was cheap too (I spent a little over $7 for everything).

In addition to the items I tried, there is a Steak & Egg Burrito, Breakfast Burrito with Sausage or Bacon, an A.M. Grilled Taco, a Sausage Flatbread Melt and Cinnabon Delights available during breakfast hours, which go begin at 6:30 A.M. and end at 11:00 A.M. at my local Taco Bell.

I look forward to trying out these other menu items on my next visit, especially the Steak A.M. Crunchwrap.

This was a good taste test for me and I only expect for Taco Bell to improve upon these scrumptious breakfast creations.

Taco Bells nationwide started opening earlier and selling their breakfast items on Thursday, March 27th. If you love Taco Bell's regular menu it is hands down worth a try.

Heady Topper (The Alchemist)

Last night I decided to drink my final can of Heady Topper, a beer brewed by The Alchemist located in Vermont. This beer is normally released in very limited quantities to the New York area and it's especially hard to find on Long Island. Luckily we acquired some from Shoreline Beverage in Huntington (Thanks Stuart!) and Tom and I got to finally try the perfect 100 score rated beer on Beeradvocate.com.

I'm going to start by saying that Heady Topper is one of the hoppiest beers, if not the hoppiest, that I have ever drank. On the 16 oz can it even demands that the drinker enjoy Heady Topper right from the can so that the hop aromas they worked so hard to get into the beer don't escape. As the rebel I am, I decided to pour my Heady Topper into a glass (I really just wanted to get a picture of what the beer looks like out of the can).

Alchemist owner John Kimmich wasn't kidding in his lengthy description on the back of the Heady Topper can. The aroma of Heady Topper is off the hop chart! I never smelled a hoppier beer than this one. Heady Topper is an American Double India Pale Ale and is meant to give you "wave after wave of hoppy goodness on your palate" with each sip.

It is in that regard that Heady Topper succeeds. Everything about the beer screams hops and more hops with hops added on top of those hops. In all seriousness though this beer is ridiculously hoppy, almost too hoppy. For those of you who don't like the taste of hops or beers on the bitter end of the spectrum this one isn't for you.

As Tom and I drank this beer for the first time all we could collectively think was that there was almost too much hop flavor within it. By the time both of us got to the end of our cans we didn't want any more hops taking over our taste buds.

I think Tom said it best when he described the experience as taking a handful of hops and then putting it in your mouth and chewing on it. TOO MUCH HOPPINESS even for us hop lovers.

What it's like to drink Heady Topper: putting all of this in your mouth at the same time

Tom and I appreciate a good IPA, double IPA, or even triple IPA, but Heady Topper took it to the next level. Heady Topper had an aftertaste that stuck with us long after we finished drinking the beer. Don't get me wrong, I enjoyed drinking Heady Topper (it was very smooth) and I'm glad I did, it just had too much of a good thing. If you're not in the mood for a hoppy beer then by all means don't pick up a can of Heady Topper. You really have to prepare yourself for the Hoptastic experience that you will imminently meet if you decide to pour some into your mouth.

Good, but only when drank sparingly

Heady Topper was brewed by The Alchemist, a brewery located in Waterbury, Vermont. It has an ABV of 8.0% and a hop reading of a planet composed entirely of hops. If you ever see it in stores give it a try, but be forewarned of the hoppy beating your tastebuds will receive after opening a can.

My Rating: 7.5/10

 

 

Big Mel and Lisa

Today I'll be doing something I have never done before in a Beer Blog. I'm going to review a beer that was brewed and given to me by a friend. You won't be able to find this beer in a beer store (yet!). I introduce to you a beer that my friend Mel and his family brewed that they call Big Mel and Lisa.

Besides going out of their way to brew a very tasty beer, Mel and his family even took it a step further by creating their own labels for the growlers they put their beer in. When I first took a look at it I was pleasantly surprised at how profession it looked. If I walked into any beer store and saw a bottle of Big Mel and Lisa on a shelf with the rest of the beers they sold I wouldn't think it was anything out of the ordinary. That's how good the label looks. But onto a more important matter. How was the beer??

Poured into my Bull Frog Brewery pint glass, Big Mel and Lisa had a light brown color to it with a bit of cloudiness and had a generous amount of head.

It's hard for me to exactly pinpoint both the smell and taste of the beer. Sweet and malty, Big Mel and Lisa was a very good beer and one that I could not stop drinking. Everything about it to me just seemed well done and balanced in a way that provided a flavor and sweetness I couldn't get enough of. (I think I might have tasted cinnamon undertones and a hint of fruit as well?)

My friend Erica agreed that it was a great beer. We both had multiple glasses of it throughout the night. One thing's for sure; Mel and his family have brewed a beer that, in my honest opinion as a beer blogger, could butt heads with the beers released by the big name companies. Sam Adams and Blue Moon have nothing on Mel and his family operated brewing company.

Well done Mel, Lisa and family on a beer my friends and I thoroughly enjoyed. I can't wait to try some of your future brews!

Big Mel and Lisa was brewed by my friend Mel and his family in Bay Shore, New York. The ABV was around 8.0% and it was given to me in a 32 oz growler for my review.

Thanks Mel!