Birthday Beer Tasting 2009

BIRTHDAY BEER TASTING 2009
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*size:* 10 people

Food Layout
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Heavy Hors'deouvers
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* peel and eat shrimp 3 pounds
* 4 types of cheeses
  * Red Dragon mustard seed & ale
  * Gruyere
  * english farmhouse cheddar
  * slices of provolone
* hamburger sliders
* Provolone cheese sliders
* olive tapenade + crackers
* artichoke hearts
* Mozzarella balls
* salami
* prosciutto

Heavy Dessert
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* cake
* Dark Chocolate covered coffee beans
* 87% cacao Dark Chocolate
* Tolberone (dark, milk, white) for dessert pairings

Beer Tasting Agenda
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7:30
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Food
   Peel and eat shrimp
   Sliders   

New Holland Full Circle Kolsh
    4.9% ABV
    balance refreshing celebration.
    soft, well rounder malt character
    light hop character with crisp finish
    perfect session beer
    pairs with fish, grilled veges, sausages anything outside 
Dale's Pale Ale
    6.5% ABV
    Leaders of the "Canned revolution"
    strawberry blonde color
    scent of grapefruit and malt
    slight hop kick
    floral, slight caramel, heavy citrus notes


8:00
Food
       Cheeses (minus the provolone)

Saison Dupont
       6.5% ABV
       classic belgian farmhouse
       balance, complex, fruity, 
       bottled unfiltered which gives it a cloud or slight sediment
       musty spicy
Trappistes Rochfort 10
       11.3% ABV
       dark brown color
       Top beer of the night
       notes of fig, raisin, sugar, sweet
       like sex

8:00
Food
       Pasta

Bellhaven Wee Heavy Scotch Ale
       6.5% ABV
       deep copper
       active carbonation and faint haze
       toffee and raw earth
       touch of peat moss and smoke black tea
       simple -> complex
       toffee -> pepper -> bittersweet
    
New Holland Sundog Amber Ale
    5.25% abv
     amber sharp and hoppy 
     malts give a mild but dry toffee flavor
     pepper and orangee peel character
     more like a pale ale with an amber color


9:00
Bell's Consecrator Doppelbock
      8.0% ABV
      traditional doppelbock fermented with bohemian lager yeast
      Reddish brown in color, mild hop color
      well balanced, full bodied
      hints of caramel molasses, smooth malty finish
New Holland Mad Hatter IPA
       5.8% ABV
       floral, citrus, and pine hoppiness
       slight smell of brown sugar
       gentle intro to the hop heavy beers.
Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale
      7.2% ABV
      dark brown amber
      thick and aggressive
      toasted coffee
      face smacking hops
      malty aftertaste

      

9:30
Dessert
Bells Double Cream Stout
      6.1% abvx
      sweet. milky flavor
      black color
      best when decanted

New Holland Poet Oatmeal Stout
    5.2% ABV
    rich smooth malt character
    tones of roast and chocolate
    pairs with mushrooms and beef and perfect with chocolate.
Sam Adams Blackberry Witbier
    nose of blackberry (sweet and tart)
    crisp and smooth with berry finish
    perfect with cake, ice cream, dairy
    refreshing, fruity, not overly sweet or tart.


10:00
New Holland Cabin Fever Brown Ale
    6% ABV
    robust and smooth
    roasty brown ale
    notes of rye, roast, and raisin play off caramel
    pairs with roasts, stew, caramlized onions, snowfall.
New Holland Ichabod Pumpkin Ale