Weyerbacher "Insanity"

So, after quite an insane day, I won't lie that I was really looking forward to cracking open the bottle of insanity. I feel like my life lately has been an insane whirlwind, so sitting down and sipping something aged, something classy, was a treat I thought about for most of the day.

I figured that Blithering Idiot (see my previous post) would be interesting aged in oak barrels but I was not expecting such a wonderful, interesting taste. It does not smell like any beer or barleywine I've ever tried. It smelled like... cognac...whiskey? Brandy?

The taste, too, was distinctly un-beer-like. It was sweet and alcoholic, oaked, so it tasted like brandy and warmth. I think I taste a bit of vanilla, and I would almost categorize this as a beer cordial. Does that even exist? Am I allowed to coin a new type of beer for this? It's certainly beyond the mild, smooth and pleasant barleywine that Blithering Idiot does so well at. This is an entirely different level.

I wouldn't drink this with food, but maybe after a dinner. An additional note, I am having a reaction with my salivary glands, too, similar to a wine with lots of tannins.

I managed to avoid the typo-inducing buzz that the Blithering Idiot bestowed upon me this time, but I have to say that I'm now quite fluffy-headed at this point. Like the Blithering Idiot, Insanity is also very low in carbonation, and reported on the bottle to be 11.1% ABV, but I am not sure of the year on this one. According to the Weyerbacher it was originally released in 2004. So I have no way of knowing, really, if I have a 2004 bottle that's been aging on a shelf since then, or if I have a newer one.

I'd recommend this one to people who act like Frasier Crane (from the TV show Frasier) who want to sip it in a brandy snifter and put their nose up and impress people with telling time that yes, this is, in fact, a beer. For the rest of us, this is on the fringe of still being considered a beer in my eyes, and I certainly couldn't have that more than one bottle at a time... way too much alcohol taste, unless, of course, on an insane day, that's what you're looking for.

Weyerbacher "Blithering Idiot"

I was up in Orono, Maine bringing a friend to a college orientation at U-Maine, and to kill the time I went in search of record stores and little beverage centers. Originally drawn to a record store which, oddly enough was only closed on Thursdays (the day I was there) I walked back to my car and spotted... a beverage center. I of course, had to check this out, and I was impressed with the beer selection! The really knowledgeable guy in the store recommended several Weyerbacher brews to me, so don't be surprised if a few follow in sequence. Specifically, there is an oak-barrel aged version of the Blithering Idiot called "Insanity" that I'll be reviewing tomorrow to compare.

Anyhow, onto the Blithering Idiot. First of all, awesome name. I admit, I'm a sucker for good names. Blithering Idiot is a phrase that you yell at your friend when they are so drunk that they're playing in traffic or table dancing. "You blithering idiot! Get off that table!" Hehe.

This is a barley wine with a very drinkable taste! It is sweet and smooth and mild, it even has some vanilla and malty flavors. It isn't overly strong, you're not hit in the head with the taste of the alcohol like most barleywines I've tried. It is an 11% ABV, but you wouldn't know it by taste. The carbonation is pretty low, so it is smooth and syrupy. This would go really well with a fine dinner or an intellectual conversation, or a sophisticated date... I would like to have more of this to just sip slowly - I highly recommend this as an entry level barleywine - impress your friends with the complexity and qualtiy of this... It's an experience.

P.S. The alcohol in this sneaks up on you! As I write this, my typos are multiplying.... anyhoo, stay tuned for an Insanity review - what happens when you age barleywine in brandy casks. Should be fun!

Goose Island Beer Co. - Matilda

"Once upon a time in a valley, a beautiful countess lost something precious to her in a small pond. Racked with grief, she prayed for its return. Very quickly it resurfaced in the most wondrous of ways. After her prayers had been answered she blessed the pond and the valley. Later, she had an abbey built there. Today, they brew beer and while were were traveling to Belgium we stopped in, heard the story, and tried the beer. Really GOOD BEER and a GREAT STORY. Of course we wanted to share what we'd heard and tasted. Usually we'd do that over beers. This we did with a beer. " - Greg Hall, Brewmaster, Goose Island Beer Co.

The Goose Island Beer Company of Chicago features stories like these on each of their beers, and this one in particular is named 'Matilda.' From the sound of the story, you'd think it was a Trappist wheat Belgian style ale, but... not quite. It is called a simple "Belgian style ale" but has so many hops it could be confused with an IPA at first sip. The wheat comes in a bit later, and is an interesting combination. I'd say that this is one of the most different Belgian's that I've tried. If I've learned one thing about beer styles, its that "Belgian style ale" is the vaguest term in the world in terms of taste... but sometimes with surprising results.

Mr. Hall says this would go well with a "plate of fresh mussels." I think I'll try that tomorrow night with the other bottle I have.

Visiting Boston Beer Companies 

Posted on Helium.com

West Coast beer gets a lot of attention, but for the center of the craft beer movement, you need look no further than Boston, MA, home of the Samuel Adams Brewery. In addition to Samuel Adams, there are several other Boston beer destinations that should be included on a beer-geek's trip to Boston. The Harpoon Brewery, and the Boston Beer Works all await eager beer enthusiasts and are almost all available via Boston's awesome mass transit system.

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What is an IPA?

Posted on Helium.com

It seems like everyone today has heard of ales and lagers, styles of beer that are becoming more popular lately due to a recent surge in craft beers and microbreweries. But another common type of beer that is frequently microbrewed is called an IPA, or an "India Pale Ale". These beers are packed with flavor because they use an extensive amount of hops when brewing their beer. But what many do not know is that this variety of beer came out of necessity and invention.

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Beer Reccomendations for Thanksgiving Dinner (2007 Edition)

Posted on Helium.com

If you're anything like me, Thanksgiving is a holiday which is nice, but can quickly get dull as the conversation fades and the tryptophan kicks in. To keep the crowd lively - especially members of the family (usually uncles and cousins) who retreat from the kitchen at the first sign of trouble - bring some different beers. Who says that only wine goes with turkey?! Here are some great beers to keep people talking at dinnertime.

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Buy the Babe a beer

Should you like to buy the Babe some beer, you can do so by clicking the button below. 

 I've set it up so that it goes in increments of a pint ($5.00) a 6-pack ($8.00) a big bottle ($12.00) and "something special" ($15.00). 

I promise that your contribution will be used to purchase beer to be reviewed. Please let me know in the comments field if you'd like to dedicate the brew review to anyone, or if there's a particular brew you'd like me to review in your honor (subject to me being able to find it, of course). 

How much beer?

A pint $5.00 A six pack $8.00 A big bottle $12.00 Something special $15.00

Thank you very much - Cheers!

If you'd like to share a pint in person, and you're in my NH/ME/MA area, send me an email at askthebeerbabe@gmail.com