BEER #11: TROEGS NUGGET NECTAR

The eleventh beer I chose to film was Troegs Nugget Nectar. Everyone into craft beer has had this one. Probably the best taste for the value of any beer. The only problem with this one is it only comes out once a year around the beginning of February.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BEER: The hops are great. The aroma is outstanding with citrus, pine and grapefruit hop notes. There is some malt in the background of the nose that balances out one of the best smelling beers there is. The taste continues the great hop presence of this beer. Lots of fruit, citrus, pine and earthy notes. The beer itself is good looking with a nice creamy head and thick lacing left behind. The amber color suits the ale very well. The mouthfeel also suits the beer with medium carbonation and body.

Even after having a ton of IIPAs and hop-bombs, this beer is just a bit too bitter. If the bitterness was tuned down just a tiny bit, this beer would be more drinkable and taste almost perfect, IMO.


FINAL GRADE: 4.45 / 5 = A (for excellent smell, great smell and taste, good mouthfeel and drinkability)

BEER#10: DIEU DU CIEL APHRODISIAQUE

The tenth beer I chose to film was Dieu Du Ciel Aphrodisiaque. I did not get to try this one last year when I was in Montreal. It sounded so good, a stout brewed with vanilla and cocoa. About a year later, this beer started to be bottled and shipped to the USA. Aphrodite was the name in the USA and this beer started to get hyped up. I came across a few bottles as soon as I could and found out what I had missed up in Canada. This is truly the best beer I have made a video for, so far.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BEER: Everything. As you can see it pours out pitch black with a very big, creamy dark tan head. The head stays there like whipped cream and leaves very nice lacing on the way down. These characteristics are exactly what I look for in dark beers. This was the second or third time around for me on this beer. The smell and taste have certainly improved since last time, causing me to bump up my grade a bit. Both the smell and taste epitomize what vanilla and chocolate should be doing in a beer. Especially the vanilla. The roasted malts make for a nice background to the two but doesn't compete. The vanilla and cocoa play back and forth so well, it is almost like twist ice cream, but way better! This is one a few stouts (especially non-Imperial Stouts) that makes me think I am having dessert. Earthy hops help round out a flavor that is near perfection. The beer is expensive in the USA but not in Canada. If I could bring like 100 cases back from Canada, I would. It would be the best dark session beer of all time.

The one nitpick I have about this beer. The mouthfeel could use a bit more body and creaminess. If this beer had a creamy body, I would probably think it was some sort of dessert. It would truly be a perfect stout.

FINAL GRADE: 4.9 / 5 = A+ (for excellent look, smell, taste, drinkability and good mouthfeel)

BEER#9: TERRAPIN RYE SQUARED

The ninth beer I chose to film was Terrapin Rye Squared. I took a trip to Philadelphia a few weeks back and this was one of the many beers I brought back with me. The Philly are had so much good beer to choose from but it seems I got a few great examples from Bell's and Terrapin as well as Russian River and Hair of the Dog.

WHAT I LIKED ABOUT THIS BEER: The smell and taste (most importantly) of this beer were great. I was expecting a hop bomb, didn't get one but was not disappointed in the least at what I did get. Smell has a huge caramel/buttery malt aspect to it with some earthy and citrus hops in the background. Grapefruit and citrus peels come to mind. Further into the aroma I get huge whiff of rye/breadiness that is nice. Some alcohol comes off this one in a nose of good strength and complexity. The taste is much of the same, a great balance of many flavors. The caramel/buttery malt is massive and rye/bread comes through with it. The rye is almost spicy to me and adds a nice element. Citrus peel and earthy hops are good, some grassy notes in there as well. The hops lend a very nice level of bitterness. A tiny bit of alcohol comes through and makes this one like a Barleywine/Old Ale. This beer also felt way more than 8.5%, which was pretty cool.

Not much to say here. The caramel flavor could have been toned down a bit and the beer would have been perfect. In the opposite direction, a bit more flavor hops would have gave the same effect. The looks could have improved with a head that had better size and retention but it seems like nitpicking at this point.

FINAL GRADE: 4.3 / 5 = A (for great taste and smell, and good mouthfeel, looks and drinkability)