Day 18, July 31 - Maredsous 8 Brune

The Offering: Maredsous 8 Brune, Dubbel, Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat NV, Belgium

ABV: 8%

This is a Belgian Trappist style dubbel by the makers of Duvel (Duvel Moortgat Brewery). This is much darker than the other Belgians I've had. It has the same bitter, yeasty, malty sweet flavor, but the Maredsous has darker notes of coffee, chocolate and burnt toast. This is a tasty Belgian dubbel especially on tap, but I've liked some of the other Belgians better.

Points: 89

Thanks to Kevin Barnett

Cheers

Day 17, July 30 - Arrogant Bastard

The Offering: Arrogant Bastard Ale, American Strong Ale, Stone Brewing Co., California, USA

ABV: 7.2%

Getting this as a gift, especially from your Father in-law, you have to wonder the motivation. I am going to naively assume he wanted to give me the most intense beer he could for my blog, not that he had issue with my character...

Well he accomplished his goal. This is a very intense, hoppy, bitter and delicious ale. The guys at Stone know what they are doing and have every right to print "you're not worthy" on the label. You'll have to be in right mood for it, but if you want big and bitter you'll get it here.

Points: 92

Thanks to Doug a.k.a. Grando

Cheers

Day 16, July 29 - Mississippi Mud

The Offering: Mississipi Mud Black and Tan, Porter & Pilsner, Mississippi Brewing Co., New York, USA

ABV: 5%

A Trader Joes classic, I've been wanting to try this for a while. Once again the bottle sells this one and the contents leave you wanting. I definitely taste the porter half with notes of tobacco an leather, but the pilsner half is indistinguishable and really only adds that home brewed after taste. I'm glad I finally tried it but it's not on my keeper list.

Points: 84

Thanks to Kimbo and Michael

Cheers

Day 15, July 28 - Chimay Bleue

The Offering: Chimay Bleue, Grande Réserve Trappist ale, Chimay, Belgium

ABV: 9%

First off, happy birthday to my beautiful girls Katie and Ailia. This beer is a great way to celebrate. This is Chimay's classic offering and a great example of a Trappist ale. Slightly sweet, a little spicy, and bitter. I get some fruity aromas and flavors like plum. This beer is heavy and filling and delicious, a Belgian breakfast in a bottle.

Points: 92

Thanks to Uncle Phil

Cheers

Day 14, July 27 - Brett Beer

The Offering: Brett Beer, Wild Ale, The Lost Abbey & New Belgium, Colorado

ABV: 7.5%

Brett beer is quite unique. This one is an acquired taste. It gets its name from the primary yeast used in fermentation, Brettanomyces. Big barnyard flavors, wet brown grass, musty, and some describe it as sweaty goat. It's not an everyday beer but it is unique and somewhat enjoyable. If you want something different and you know what you're getting into you'll probably like it.

Points: 87

Thanks to Nick

Cheers

Day 13, July 26 - Moinette Blonde

The Offering: Moinette Blonde, Belgian Strong Pale Ale,  Brasserie Dupont, Belgium

ABV:8.5%

Typical Belgian blonde. A big boozy bitter beer with a bit of spice. There is a very subtle sweetness but mainly bitter. The hops comes through with a slightly floral flavor. I'm not sure that I'm totally in love with this beer, but it will probably be loved by Belgian connoisseurs.

Points: 89

Thanks to Kev again

Cheers

Day 12, July 25 - Lucky Buddah

The Offering: Lucky Buddah, lager, The Lucky Drink Co., Australia

ABV: 4.8%

Don't judge a book by its cover? In this case the cover overwhelmingly yells "overcompensating". Like that guy at the party who is dressed just a little too well... I guess you have to make the sell somehow. Now don't get me wrong the green Buddah bottle is pretty cool but I just didn't have high expectations about its contents.

Turns out my thinking was correct. This Australian made, Chinese beer tastes like a good old American Budweiser. Nothing wrong with it, but no Zen enlightenment was found. This is a good gift but don't stock your fridge.

Points:79

Thanks to Keeley

Cheers

Day 11, July 24 - Petrus Aged Pale Ale

Offering: Petrus Aged Pale Ale, Flanders Oud Bruin, Brouwerij Bavik, Belgium

ABV: 7.3%

Nowhere on the label does this beer give any indication that it's a sour beer. So to say the least I was surprised on the first sip. I really thought I had opened a spoiled beer. Being adventurous, I decided what the hell and continued drinking. It really was quite refreshing for a spoiled beer. Lots of lemon, crisp, and clean. After about three sips, and sharing the "spoiled" beer with my wife and sister in law who had the same pleasant reaction, I started to think this was purposeful. My suspicions were confirmed with a quick google search that this was in fact supposed to be sour. With "spoiled" now out of the back of my mind, this was quite a delicious beer. No hops or malt to speak of but really just pleasant.

Points 93

Thanks to Kev again

Cheers

Day 10, July 23 - Goliath

Offering: Goliath, Belgian Blonde Ale, Brasserie Des Gents, Belgium

ABV: 9%

It's ironic that the smallest beer yet is named Goliath, but don't let it's size fool you, this thing packs a punch. It's a Belgian blonde but it is bitter from beginning to end. It's almost like an IPA to start but it finishes like malt liquor. The character on the label emulates the character of the beer quite perfectly. Overall it's like a sophisticated Steel Reserve ("business in the front and party in the back" to borrow from the classic mullet phrase). Also, bonus points for being brewed in a midieval castle.

Points: 89

Thanks to Kevin, one of my 7/14 birthday brethren.

Cheers

Day 9, July 22 - Racer 5

Offering: Racer 5, IPA, Bear Republic, California

ABV: 7%

Once again beer is best served with the sweet taste of victory. This Racer 5 was served directly following a playoff clinching 10-0 victory. Those handsome gentleman behind me are your very own SF Blazers.

As for the beer, great IPA by the good guys at Bear Republic. Even without the cascade hops I usually like, this one is solid. It's pretty bitter but delicious.

Points: 92

Go Blazers!

Cheers

Day 8, July 21 - Ayinger Brau Weisse

Offering: Brau Weisse, Hefeweizen, Ayinger, Germany

ABV: 5%ish

It's a Hef. Beyond that it's not remarkable. I think maybe I expected more being that the label is all in German. It's not a bad beer by any stretch of the word, I just found it a bit boring. If you like German wheat beers you will like this, it's wheaty and citrisy and has a beautiful milky golden color. In the end however it lacks anything to make it stand out and is just a bit boring.

Points: 88

No name on this one, so thanks Anonymous.

Cheers

Day 7, July 20 - Ta Henket

Offering:  Dogfish Head - Ta Henket (from their Ancient Ales series)

ABV: - 4.5%

This one is totally unique.  You will not find another brew like it.  As one of the Ancient Ales series, Dogfish Head actually analyzes remnants of ancient clay pots used for brewing and determines the ingredients used in beer a thousand years ago (or so).  This one is brewed with Za'atar, doum fruit, chamomile and wild Egyptian yeast.

The body is pretty light and refreshing and a little tart.  I actually get tastes of bread and oregano in this one.  I happen to really like it, but Katie's quote tonight was "It tastes like I'm drinking a pizza".  Don't worry though, it's not heavy or doughy and I bet most drinkers wouldn't pull out pizza.  I recommend this to those wanting something new from their brew.  I loved it and would definitely seek it out.

Points: 92

Thanks to Nick and Laural

Cheers

Day 6, July 19 - La Fin du Monde

Offering: Unibroue's - La Fin du Monde

ABV: 9%

Of course it's delicious. I like to think that is what Ailia is saying in the back of this picture. It's definitely my favorite of the Unibroue brews along with Trois Pistoles. This one is a classic and a classic Belgian triple. It's wheaty and a little sweet with tastes of orange and spice (nutmeg maybe?).

The name means "end of the world", I'm not sure I'd go to the end of the world for this one, but definitely out of my way. Final score 92.

By the way, the "End" beer I was most looking forward to was "End of history"
by the guys at Brewdog (makers of Tactile Nuclear Penguin). The beer is 55% ABV and served in a taxadermied squirrel. Unfortunately, it is no longer made and was $800 while it was made. I'll have to settle for one of their lesser beers...

Thanks to Jeff Z and Maryam!

Cheers!

Day 5, July 18 - Hopsickle

Offering: Moylan's Hopsickle Imperial Ale (Triple Hoppy)

ABV: 9.2%

As advertised this is a big hops ale. You get the IBU's all the way through and you can really taste the finishing cascade hops. This is a big boy version of the typical California IPA and falls directly in the huge hops California IPA category. More research is required as to why this is called an imperial ale and not called out as an IPA.

This is an interesting point for the abrewaday rating system. I have a great beer here but since great big hoppy IPAs are common place here, and this doesn't bring anything unique beyond that, I don't know that I would go out of my way to get one. Chalk this one up to spoiled Californian, but because of the rules set day 1, I can't go above 90 on this delicious hoppy ale. Final grade 90.

Thanks to either Mikey S. or KP, you know who you are.

Day 4, July 17 - La Folie

2012 New Belgium Brewing, La Folie, Sour Brown Ale. This one is part of New Belgium's "Lips of Faith" series and let me tell you I have faith. Awesome beer! Deep red, sour like raspberry and just plain good. Almost like an unsweetened cran apple martinelli's (but better obviously). I give this one a 95 and bonus points for its healing properties. I recommend everyone store one in the fridge at all times. Story below:

I was suffering from a bout of food poisoning today and trying to muster up the stomach for the daily offering when came across this in my fridge. After a brief moment of hesitation (sour beer on an upset stomach does not sound like a winning proposition) I decided to go for it. Let me tell you, I have a pretty ironclad gut but when it goes wrong it takes a solid day to reright itself. Anyway, after one sip of this beer I was bright eyed and bushy tailed. As I write this, after the whole beer, I am 100% with no Ill effects! Not sure what it was in the beer but I will keep it handy.

Thanks to Jacob and Georgia!

Day 3, July 16 - Total Domination

Staying with West Coast beers, this one is out of Eugene, Oregon. Thank you Alex for the Ninkasi, Total Domination IPA. This is bitter and hoppy, but no Cascade hops like a typical Cali IPA. This one doesn't have that floral skunky flavor of cascade. Very drinkable. I would buy this again. Grade 90. I would give it higher but my IPA pallet has been tainted toward cascade hops since moving to California. I'm sure this will change over the next year though. Cheers.

Also, for those keeping track of other aspects of my life, that is Ailia in the background (behind Kevin) moments after taking her first steps.

Day 2, July 15 - Fruet

Go big or go home, right? Well I decided to jump in with the biggest available beer in stock. Thank you to Tex and Lori! Today is The Bruery's Fruet Ale 2012. At 15.5% abv this thing packs a punch. It's sweet and tart at the same time with notes of apricot, cherry and spice. It was aged in bourbon barrels and it shows. Not an everyday brew, but absolutely enjoyed. Grade - 91 (I'll start the grading on the standard Robert Parker scale, anything above 90 I would go out of my way to pick up)

Day 1, July 14th - Bud Light

Like any great adventure, the first step always begins on well traveled ground.  Beer #1 is a cold Bud Light served in a plastic Giants cup.  Thank you to Jeff Zelinski.

Bud Light is a beer that is best served with victory, and a victory it was!  It's good to see Timmy back in form tonight 11 K's, 0 ER,  Giants won in 12 innings.  Happy Birthday to me.

As for the flavor... I can say that I appreciated tasting what I'll be missing for the next 364 days.

I would like to preface this blog with huge thank you to my awesome wife Katie, without whom I would not be able to embark on this journey through beer drinker's heaven.  For my 30th Birthday she is buying me a unique beer every day for a year.  For the next 365 days I will get a new beer delivered to my doorstep.  Well, technically I get 24 delivered to the doorstep a month and the other 6 or 7 will be consumed in pubs, beer gardens etc.  So let's begin...