Dirty Trail Ale – NC Craft Beer

Wow … Talk about a desert beer. This beauty was consumed at the Pub (British-Inspired American Crafted) at the Cleveland airport while waiting on my flight.

They would only serve this to me in a 10oz glass because of the 9.0% ABV. I got the bonus 2oz standard sample prior to order so FU alcohol regulation task farce.

There is zero head to this ale and it’s color is a beautiful amber that bleeds into the oak stained bar. I can barely smell it thanks to a capacity fill in a snifter glass. The flavor…omg the flavor. It tastes so sweet like bananas dipped in vanilla extract. It is as soft as velvet coating the mouth. The after taste lasts for a very long time allowing me to sip and enjoy.

As I slowly drink this down I can smell the smooth bourbon aroma. This is so complete in all stages. I rarely get impressed completely… Perhaps it is the fact that I just finished a rich meal…perhaps I had an amazing day…perhaps I have been thinking of a beer for the last few hours. Perhaps this beer is just that good. Only time will tell… I will update this post during my second session. This is under the assumption that my local Total Wine carries this hidden gem. Hint hint.

As the brew gets warmer, the flavor gets better. I am tasting the evolution of beer. This is like a three course meal. Pure sweetness transitioning to a delightfully complete beer experience. At room temperature the roasted malts come out. The vanilla is dominant throughout the cycle.

5 stars on all sides. This is by far my new favorite desert beer.

I asked the waitress who brewed this beer. It is the namesake and only beer brewed by “Kentucky Bourbon Barrel Ale”. Mad respect to the brewmasters at ABBA… Keep it up boys!

This brew began as a Northern Brewer recipe called the Carabou Slobber…finish the boil off with a quart of honey and you get this amazing frankenstein. The fermentation process was the most aggressive we have ever seen. By the activity of the airlock you would assume the contents of the primary fermentation was boiling on the stove.

Color Rating:
A dark cloudy hazel hue. There is some distinct floaters at the bottom of the bottle…Yeast is yummy though so we are not complaining. This cloudy beer has “a hunk of crap sitting in the middle of it” -DJ Shorty.

Aroma Rating:
Honey and brown sugar combined with definative banana scent…a little spice or metalic aroma is evident to the untrained nose. Do we have a faint paint smell? – Grubby

Head Rating:
This is no joke, the beer is well carbonated. The frothy foam head will hang out for some time, very merangish.

Flavor Rating:
Dances off the tongue, banana and honey prevail. Nearing a belgian style. Mouth coating body, leaning on full bodied and more viscous than most. No bitterness or hop profile to speak of. The carbonation cleans the palate.

Finish Rating:
Soothing ending, with a smooth sweet taste that makes you wait for your next sip. Watchout for the electric kick…we should have measured the alcohol level after cooling the wart.. It’s like time travel Thannk you parrot

“That nasty thing has been on the garage floor for a year!” -DJ Shortie
“Acid wash…good to go” -Eazy E
“Yea…we gotta wash this…cobwebs and everything” -Iceburg

“Put it beside the Boones Farm” -Eazy E
“It tastes better then it smells” – Iceburg
“It’s got alcohol in it…at least I’ll get messed up” – Grubby

Dead Dude Ale is a recipe provided by Brewmaster’s Select and was inspired by the Day of the Dead and modeled after Rogue’s Dead Guy Ale.

The recipe calls for;
4lbs. Light dried malt extract
3lbs. Extra light dried malt extract
1 bag Specialty Malts (Belgin Caramunich, Crystal and German Dark Munich)
1 1/4 oz Perle pellet hops (bittering)
1/2 oz Tettnang whole hops (flavor)
1/2 oz Saaz whole hops (flavor)

Hydrometer is red line at 8.5 prior to pitching yeast.

Northern Brewer Irish Red. 1 Week in Bourbon barrel washed in Irish Whiskey.

Color Rating:
reminiscent of Irish whiskey

Aroma Rating:
malty but up front whisky tones…clearly there is some influence of the whisky throughout…whisky aroma is not to overpowering but it is the dominant presence.

Head Rating:
Non existent…this is one week post cask without any sugar. This ale will be majority kegged.

Flavor Rating:
no alcohol burning…there are some hints of vanilla and caramel. A subtle whisky flavor throughout with a mellow maltiness. A touch of hops in the finish mixed with with the barrel char.

Finish Rating:
The beer is impeccably balanced with a medium to light weight in the mouth. Finish is fairly long with sensation more mid palate, leaning on the barrel and whiskey flavors in the back. Lacks the allure of a full bodied ale, whiskey dominates at this point (not a bad thing – tastes damn good!)…leaves us wanting a little more in both flavor and in the pint

“Good winter warmer” -Billiam
“I could drink this all night!” – Grubby

Opened about a week early.

Light formed head
Foggy amber color
Spicy orange aroma
Citrus overtones
Very sweet
Nice bitterness finish
Almost cotton candy after taste
Medium body with great texture

1 Week after Bottling
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