February FABTS Meeting - Strong Ales

The February FABTS meeting will be on February 9th at 1:30PM at Kybecca. The style for February is BJCP category Strong Ale. Specifically, sub-categories 19A (Old Ale), 19B (English Barleywine), 19C (American Barleywine), and one in the Scottish and Irish Ale category, subcategory 9E (Strong Scotch Ale). Below are the Overall Impressions and Commercial Examples from the BJCP style guide. I will update the FABTS beers when I hear what people are brining.

As always, any style of homebrew is welcome and appreciated.


Strong Ales

19A Old Ale
Overall Impression: An ale of significant alcoholic strength, bigger than strong bitters and brown porters, though usually not as strong or rich as barleywine. Usually tilted toward a sweeter, maltier balance. “It should be a warming beer of the type that is best drunk in half pints by a warm fire on a cold winter’s night” – Michael Jackson.
Commercial Examples: Gale’s Prize Old Ale, Burton Bridge Olde Expensive, Marston Owd Roger, J.W. Lees Moonraker, Harviestoun Old Engine Oil, Fuller’s Vintage Ale, Harvey’s Elizabethan Ale, Theakston Old Peculier (peculiar at OG 1.057), Young's Winter Warmer, Sarah Hughes Dark Ruby Mild, Samuel Smith’s Winter Welcome, Fuller’s 1845, Fuller’s Old Winter Ale, Great Divide Hibernation Ale, Hudson Valley Old Man Ale, Cooperstown Pride of Milford Special Ale, Coniston Old Man Ale, North Coast Old Stock Ale
FABTS Beers:

19B English Barleywine
Overall Impression: The richest and strongest of the English Ales. A showcase of malty richness and complex, intense flavors. The character of these ales can change significantly over time; both young and old versions should be appreciated for what they are. The malt profile can vary widely; not all examples will have all possible flavors or aromas.
Commercial Examples: Thomas Hardy’s Ale, Burton Bridge Thomas Sykes Old Ale, Robinson’s Old Tom, J.W. Lee’s Vintage Harvest Ale, Fuller’s Golden Pride, Young’s Old Nick (unusual in its 7.2% ABV), Whitbread Gold Label, Lakefront Beer Line, Heavyweight Old Salty
FABTS Beers:

19C American Barleywine
Overall Impression: A well-hopped American interpretation of the richest and strongest of the English ales. The hop character should be evident throughout, but does not have to be unbalanced. The alcohol strength and hop bitterness often combine to leave a very long finish.
Commercial Examples: Sierra Nevada Bigfoot, Rogue Old Crustacean, Anchor Old Foghorn, Victory Old Horizontal, Brooklyn Monster Ale, Avery Hog Heaven Barleywine, Bell’s Third Coast Old Ale, Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot, Three Floyds Behemoth, Old Dominion Millennium, Stone Old Guardian, Bridgeport Old Knucklehead, Hair of the Dog Doggie Claws, Left Hand Widdershins
FABTS Beers:

9E Strong Scotch Ale
Overall Impression: Rich, malty and usually sweet, which can be suggestive of a dessert. Complex secondary malt flavors prevent a one-dimensional impression. Strength and maltiness can vary.
Commercial Examples: Traquair House Ale, Orkney Skull Splitter, McEwan's Scotch Ale, MacAndrew's Scotch Ale, Belhaven Wee Heavy, Broughton Old Jock, Scotch du Silly, Gordon Highland Scotch Ale, Founders Dirty Bastard
FABTS Beers:

January FABTS Meeting - Stouts

The January FABTS meeting is today, January 12th, at 1:30pm at Bangkok Boulevard in Central Park. The style of the month is Stouts.

For the benefit of the students in the BJCP class, this month's beer list is categorized by BJCP Style Guide. Categories for the individual beers were determined by Beer Advocate. I've included the Overall Impression and Commercial Examples from the style guide.

13. Stouts

13A. Dry Stout
Overall Impression:
A very dark, roasty, bitter, creamy ale.
Commercial Examples:
Guinness Draught Stout (also canned), Murphy's Stout, Beamish Stout, O’Hara’s Celtic Stout, Dorothy Goodbody’s Wholesome Stout, Orkney Dragonhead Stout, Brooklyn Dry Stout, Old Dominion Stout, Goose Island Dublin Stout, Arbor Brewing Faricy Fest Irish Stout
FABTS Beers:
2x 12 oz bottle Guinness Draught Stout - Lyle Brown
2x 12 oz bottle Beamish Stout - Lyle Brown
2x 12 oz bottle Murphy's Stout- Lyle Brown
2x 12 oz bottle O'hara's Celtic Stout - David Turley
2x 12 oz bottle Lakefront Brewing Snake Chaser Irish Style Stout - James Russ
1x 12 oz bottle Shipyard Brewing Bluefin Stout - James Russ
2x 12 oz bottle Dominion Oak Barrel Stout - David Turley

13B. Sweet Stout
Overall Impression:
A very dark, sweet, full-bodied, slightly roasty ale. Often tastes like sweetened espresso.
Commercial Examples:
Mackeson's XXX Stout, Watney's Cream Stout, St. Peter’s Cream Stout, Marston’s Oyster Stout, Samuel Adams Cream Stout, Left Hand Milk Stout
FABTS Beers:
2x 12 oz bottle Mackeson Triple XXX Stout - Joe Gherlone
2x 14.9 oz can Young's Double Chocolate Stout (actual chocolate in it) - Joe Gherlone
2x 12 oz bottle Lancaster Milk Stout - David Turley

13C. Oatmeal Stout
Overall Impression:
A very dark, full-bodied, roasty, malty ale with acomplementary oatmeal flavor.
Commercial Examples:
Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout, Young's Oatmeal Stout, Maclay’s Oat Malt Stout, Broughton Kinmount Willie Oatmeal Stout, Anderson Valley Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout, Goose Island Oatmeal Stout, McAuslan Oatmeal Stout, McNeill’s Oatmeal Stout, Wild Goose Oatmeal Stout
FABTS Beers:
1x 18.7 oz bottle Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout - Joe Gherlone
2x 12 oz bottle Wild Goose Oatmeal Stout - James Russ
Growler Vintage 50 Oatmeal Stout (maybe) - Chuck Triplett

13D. Foreign Extra Stout
Overall Impression:
A very dark, moderately strong, roasty ale. Tropical varieties can be quite sweet, while export versions can be drier and fairly robust.
Commercial Examples:
Lion Stout (Sri Lanka), ABC Stout, Dragon Stout, Royal Extra “The Lion Stout” (Trinidad), Jamaica Stout, Guinness Extra Stout (bottled US product), Guinness Foreign Extra Stout (bottled, not sold in the US), Coopers Best Extra Stout, Freeminer Deep Shaft Stout, Sheaf Stout, Bell’s Double Cream Stout
FABTS Beers:
2x 12 oz bottle Guinness Extra Stout - Lyle Brown

13E. American Stout
Overall Impression:
A hoppy, bitter, strongly roasted Foreign-style Stout (of the export variety).
Commercial Examples:
Sierra Nevada Stout, North Coast Old No. 38, Avery Out of Bounds Stout, Three Floyds Black Sun Stout, Mad River Steelhead Extra Stout, Rogue Shakespeare Stout, Bell’s Kalamazoo Stout, Deschutes Obsidian Stout, Mendocino Black Hawk Stout
FABTS Beers:
2x 12 oz bottle Mendocino Black Hawk Stout - David Turley
2x 12 oz bottle Bell's Kalamazoo Stout - David Turley
2x 12 oz bottle Dogfish Head Chicory Stout - Dave Fredrickson

13F. Russian Imperial Stout
Overall Impression:
An intensely flavored, big, dark ale. Roasty, fruity, and bittersweet, with a noticeable alcohol presence. Dark fruit flavors meld with roasty, burnt, or almost tar-like sensations. Like a black barleywine with every dimension of flavor coming into play.
Commercial Examples:
Samuel Smith Imperial Stout, Courage Imperial Stout, Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout, Rogue Imperial Stout, North Coast Old Rasputin Imperial Stout, Victory Storm King, Bell’s Expedition Stout, Dogfish Head World Wide Stout, Thirsty Dog Siberian Night, Stone Imperial Stout, Avery The Czar, Founders Imperial Stout, Newport Beach John Wayne Imperial Stout, Great Lakes Blackout Stout
FABTS Beers:
2x 12 oz bottle Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout 07-08 (no actual chocolate in it) - Joe Gherlone
2x 12 oz bottle Bell's Java Stout - Scott Fisher


Homebrew
Pretty Heavy Pale Ale - Dave Fredrickson
Smoked Pumpkin Ale - Dave Fredrickson