1001 Beers: General Washington's Tavern Porter

Beer Number 107: Yards Brewing General Washington's Tavern Porter

This beer found it's way to me right in time for me to watch last weeks Craft Beer Nations Friday Night Hangout: Porters, while I was not able to attend that hangout because I was out waiting for some lesser known bourbon barrel aged imperial stout, tonight, we are doing it big with a Drinkers Choice Hangout in DC... you can watch that later.

One of the most popular tourist destinations in Philadelphia is the City Tavern, a modern re-creation of the colonial tavern where the Founding Fathers raised their tankards and plotted revolution. Just a short stroll from Independence Hall, the tavern's walls seemingly echo the toast that surely accompanied the signing of the Declaration of Independence.

So, here goes nothing.



Very dark, viscous liquid with a sweet and malty nose, deep and dark. I get the molasses character that they suggest from the addition to make up for a lack of ingredients back in Washington's day. A nice bitterness opens and you get a nice helping of dark fruits over your tongue and a touch of chocolate in the finish.

A very smooth and clean beer. One that I can see pint, or tankard after tankard going down with ease while formulating the perfect plan to take down opposing forces. I guess the 7% abv helps a bit, too. But you only know it is there based on feeling, not taste. There is a nice warming sensation. This is a fantastic porter. I could easily drink this one daily, especially since this is my favorite style... or brown ales... hard decision.

894 Bottles Of Beer To Go!

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1001 Beers: Imperial Pumking

Beer Number 106: Southern Tier Imperial Pumking

This is the beer that I HAD to get my hands on. Apparently it is the King of all the pumpkin beers and nothing can beat it, no matter what... I was not convinced, especially after having Fermentation Without Representation, so we will see.

Pumpkin ale is an increasingly popular seasonal that is threatening to replace Oktoberfestbier as the favorite among U.S. microbreweries. Its recipe goes back to the colonial days when the American brewers, unable to obtain malt, used pumpkins as a substitute.

So, here we go. Can this really be the Pumpkin King?

Short lived white head that was very bubbly almost soda pop-esque. Orange/pinkish amber tint, aroma of pumpkin pie, cloves, nutmeg fill the air but a deep malt aroma sits right upon this beer. A candy corn sweetness as well. Thick full body, pumpkin spice, sweet syrup, still that candy corn taste, there is something I cannot describe but the spice level is very high, but not over done in this one. I get a ton of candy corn from it, no joke.

Not really something I am looking for but it is one of the better pumpkin beers I have ever had... Also, Pumpkin Ale is not a style... Just throwing that out there.

895 Bottles Of Beer To Go!

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1001 Beers: Bear Republic

1001 Beers: Bear Republic Racer 5 & Hop Rod Rye

Racer 5 is one of the first IPAs that I was able to drink multiples of. Before this time the only IPA I liked was DFH 120 Minute... which is way extreme for anyone who hated the style to begin with. Though, time and tolerance changes I guess.

Beer Number 104: Racer 5

Racer 5 quickly became Ricardo's top selling beer, although Rocket Red Ale was the original flagship. The former is an IPA that packs a punch at 84 IBUs, but is as noteworthy for its aromatic blend of Northwest American hops--Cascade, Columbus, and Chinook.

I have not had this one since I visited the brewery way back when but I am glad to revisit it.



Racer 5 is quite enjoyable, though there is some flavor that I never noticed before that I pulled out today... I don't know how to describe it but, this beer had a light, very soft and mellow resiny nose. Pine also peeked through. A very malty, smooth bitterness, and a grassy finish on top of a medium bodied beer with a very robust hop flavor that lingers long after the finish. It really sticks to your tongue.

Beer Number 105: Hop Rod Rye

At 8 percent abv and with more than 90 IBUs, it is somewhere between an India Pale Ale and a double IPA. However, there is also 20 percent rye in the grist, which adds a rich, bready texture.

I love rye in beers and this one was no exception. This was actually the first beer I had had and checked into untappd!



Hop Rod Rye had that same light and fluffy nose but there is a whole new world of flavor when you dive into it. Nice rye character, some spice and a velvety, malty texture. Nice strong flavor and a fuller body it seems than Racer 5. Though, that new flavor is coming through in this one too... I have no idea how to describe it or what it is coming from...

896 Bottles Of Beer To Go!

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1001 Beers: Double Simcoe IPA

Beer Number 103: Weyerbacher Doubel Simcoe IPA

Double Simcoe is apparently one of the greatest beers out there. I always hear about it and so many homebrewers I know want to replicate it, or something like it. I have not had many Simcoe beers... that I know of, but I hear mixed reports on the flavors that it gives off... I do not have first hand knowledge.



So, I had a bottle of Double Simcoe at home but while I was out at The Yard House, I found it on tap and figured I would give it a try... after ordering, I noticed that they had Allagash Fluxus 2013 on tap... I wish I would have ordered that but maybe I will be getting a bottle of it soon.

As you would expect, Double Simcoe is intensely bitter. Yet, the hops bring a variety of flavors to this strong ale: pineapple and pine, with a certain earthiness that is reminiscent of trekking through a forest, in search, perhaps, of that holy grail.

So, like I said, I first had this one on tap... and I hated it. No lie. Hella bitter, I got that earthy pine-ness but pineapples? No. Maybe some grapefruit but not the tasty kind. There really isn't a lot I wanted to say about this beer on tap. When I drank it out of the bottle, it was more enjoyable but I can tell the bottle had a little bit of age on it. Not saying it was old or anything but it was mellowed out compared to the fresh draft. I drank them both and went on my way. One I will not be purchasing for myself again.

898 Bottles Of Beer To Go!

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1001 Beers: Terrible Delerium

1001 Beers: Delirium Tremens & Terrible

I went over to one of my noncraft/says he appreciates good beer coworkers place the other night and I had no idea what to bring to drink. I figured I could get something fairly common, popular, and tasty... while knocking a few beers off of my list. The result, a great night.

Beer Number 101: Brouwerij Huyghe Delerium Tremens

Brouweij Huyghe has an odd reputation in Belgian brewing--it gets no respect. One reason for this is its pursuit of off-the-wall beers, such as Mongozo Coconut Beer, served in a glass styled after a half coconut shell, of course, and the Floris line of fruit beers, which includes one flavored with cactus and another with chocolate. Then there is the Rubbel Sexy Lager, whose label sports female models adorned with scratch-off swimsuits, about which the less said the better. But behind the gimmicks, smoke, and mirrors ia a serious brewery with some seriously enjoyable beers, such as their flagship Delirium Tremens.

This honestly came to me as a surprise. This is crazy, I had no idea a brewery outside of the US was doing things like this... hell, we aren't even doing some of this stuff. I guess there is something to look forward to, just for fun. There is even more controversy about this beer as the reading goes on. It even talks about the beer being pulled from shelves here in America... wtf... well, crazy!



Well, this beer was a success. It got the job done, and he enjoyed it. Not that I am surprised, this is a great beer. We even drank a Nocturnum after this. A nice, bright, fruity, dry beer. A great beer to open the night with.

Beer Number 102: Unibroue Terrible

An iconic line from the early days of rap music explains that something or someone bad could be "not bad meaning bad, but bad meaning good!" And so it is with Terrible, a pitch-black and intimidating strong ale first unleashed on the public at the 2002 edition of the Montreal beer festival, La Mondial de la Biere.

I always made fun of the name when I saw it in stores, but people always told me it was good. I guess that is the explanation, but hmmm...



I have to agree, this beer is not as terrible as I thought it would be. Nice dark fruits, spices, cherry, banana, burnt chocolate, but smooth. Very nice and refreshing. 3 winners for the night, 2 1001's. I guess I will leave off with an image of the second beer we drank.



899 Bottles Of Beer To Go!

Cheers!