About Me
- Name: on-the-rocks
- Location: Atlanta, GA area, United States
As a Geologist/Naturalist with a strong interest in Photography (and being an aspiring writer), I hope to use my travels in the continental U.S. and my experiences (and mistakes) as Educational Resources. I have a constant "yearning to learn" and a desire to better understand the things that I see and have seen in the past. I grew up on the Georgia Piedmont, received my B.S. in Geology and later worked on the Coastal Plain, and spent 14 years in El Paso, where I received my Master's Degree and learned much about the Chihuahuan Desert.
Beer Collectibles Links
- American Breweriana Association
- Atlantic Chapter, BCCA
- Brewery Collectibles Club of America
- 49er Chapter, BCCA
- Jim Plant's Collector Page
- Keystone Chapter, BCCA
- Red Fox Chapter, BCCA
- Rusty Bunch Chapter, BCCA
- Tennessee Brewing History
- Google News
- Abita Beer
- Anchor Brewing Co.
- Anderson Valley Brewing Co.
- Appellation Beer
- Asheville Pizza and Brewing Co.
- Atlanta Brewing Co.
- August Schell Brewing Co.
- Avery Brewing Co.
- Bayhawk Ales
- Beer Blog
- Beers of My Life
- Bitter End Brewpub (RIP)
- Bluegrass Brewing Co.
- Boscos Brewpubs
- Boston Beer Co.
- Boulder Beer Co.
- Breckinridge Brewing Co.
- Brewery Ommegang
- Christian Moerlein Brewing Co.
- City Brewery
- Eric's Beer Page
- 5 Seasons Brewing Co.
- Flying Dog Ales
- Fred's Beer Page
- Full Sail Brewing Co.
- F.X. Matt/Saranac Brewing
- Good People Brewing Co.
- Gordon Biersch Brewing Co.
- Hair of the Dog Brewing Co.
- Highland Brewing Co.
- Hilton Head Brewing Co.
- Huber Brewing Co.
- Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co.
- Max Lager's
- Moon River Brewing Co.
- National Bohemian Blog
- North Coast Brewing Co.
- Old Dominion Brewing Co.
- Olde Auburn Ale House
- Olde Hickory Brewing Co.
- Oskar Blues Brewing Co.
- Park Tavern Brewery and Eatery
- Point Beer
- Rogue Ales
- Santa Fe Brewing Co.
- Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
- Shiner Beer
- Stoney's Beer
- STL Hops: A St. Louis Beer Website>/a>
- Straub Brewing Co.
- Sweetwater Brewing Co.
- The Lion Brewing Co.
- Thomas Creek Brewing Co.
- Tipsy Texan
- Turtle Mt. Brewing Co.
- Widmer Brothers Brewing Co.
- Yuengling Brewing Co.
- June 2005
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- April 2011
Beer Links
Archives
I blog primarily over at "geosciblog" (http://geosciblog.blogspot.com), I am doing this one for fun. It is inspired by 30+ years of beer can collecting and having tried more than 3,000 different American beers during that time. “. . . And beer was drunk with reverence, as it ought to be.” — G. K. Chesterton
Thursday, March 22, 2007
Trying to be a Little Too Much
I enjoy most of the products of the Sweetwater Brewing Company of Atlanta, which recently turned 10 years-old.
I am, however disappointed by the recently-released bottled version of their Happy Ending Imperial Stout. When I had the draft version a year or so ago, I thought it was good.
From one of the reviewers on the Beer Advocate website:
"...Mouthfeel was quite thin for an Imperial stout and had a light bodied character. This Impy is quite disappointing and really lacks the balls and complexity that the style is known for. The hops were way overboard and made the beer very unbalanced."
From the Beer Advocate, here is a description of the Russian Imperial Stout category:
"Inspired by brewers back in the 1800’s to win over the Russian Czar, this is the king of stouts, boasting high alcohol by volumes and plenty of malt character. Low to moderate levels of carbonation with huge roasted, chocolate and burnt malt flavours. Often dry. Suggestions of dark fruit and flavors of higher alcohols are quite evident. Hop character can vary from none, to balanced to aggressive."
On this 10 Best List of Russian Imperial Stouts, I have only had Stone Imperial Stout.
Echoing the more detailed opinion above, the "mouthfeel" was just a little too thin. The color was good, the head was good, but IMHO, Imperial Stouts are not the place to go looking for pronounced hoppiness. I don't know if it was the elevated hops that contributed to the thinness or not.
North Coast Old Rasputin Imperial Stout is a better example of this variety. So is Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout.
Leave the hoppiness to the Pale Ales and India Pale Ales (and I do enjoy the Sweetwater IPA).
In closing, I like hoppy ales and I like stouts, but I don't like the characteristics of the two mixed together. It is sort of like mixing picante sauce and cheesecake.
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I am, however disappointed by the recently-released bottled version of their Happy Ending Imperial Stout. When I had the draft version a year or so ago, I thought it was good.
From one of the reviewers on the Beer Advocate website:
"...Mouthfeel was quite thin for an Imperial stout and had a light bodied character. This Impy is quite disappointing and really lacks the balls and complexity that the style is known for. The hops were way overboard and made the beer very unbalanced."
From the Beer Advocate, here is a description of the Russian Imperial Stout category:
"Inspired by brewers back in the 1800’s to win over the Russian Czar, this is the king of stouts, boasting high alcohol by volumes and plenty of malt character. Low to moderate levels of carbonation with huge roasted, chocolate and burnt malt flavours. Often dry. Suggestions of dark fruit and flavors of higher alcohols are quite evident. Hop character can vary from none, to balanced to aggressive."
On this 10 Best List of Russian Imperial Stouts, I have only had Stone Imperial Stout.
Echoing the more detailed opinion above, the "mouthfeel" was just a little too thin. The color was good, the head was good, but IMHO, Imperial Stouts are not the place to go looking for pronounced hoppiness. I don't know if it was the elevated hops that contributed to the thinness or not.
North Coast Old Rasputin Imperial Stout is a better example of this variety. So is Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout.
Leave the hoppiness to the Pale Ales and India Pale Ales (and I do enjoy the Sweetwater IPA).
In closing, I like hoppy ales and I like stouts, but I don't like the characteristics of the two mixed together. It is sort of like mixing picante sauce and cheesecake.
