This is not from the Congress Street of my childhood...

Trillium Brewing Company, Congress Street IPA, Boston, MA

7.2% abv. This beer is two weeks old. It pours a brilliant unfiltered yellow gold color with a huge head and fluffy Belgian lace. Pine, orange zest, mango, and fresh cut grass aromas. It has an amazing silky smooth mouthfeel with an aggressive hop finish. This beer has a light and pleasant carbonation and it is so fresh it almost tastes cask conditioned.  Super drinkable with pine, apricot, orange, mango, grapefruit, and fresh pineapple flavors. Wow the 7.2% is sneaky. It is going down way too fast. This is a thoroughly enjoyable IPA and something I would definitely revisit in the near future. I may even have to make a trip to the brewery soon. 

I wish I lived in Bourbon County...

Goose Island Brewing Company, Bourbon County Imperial Stout, Chicago, IL

This one weighs in at a whopping 14.9% abv. It was brewed in August of 2013 and I cellared it until today. I should have waited longer, but I have another one that I am going to let sit for a couple of years. I'll be sure to compare notes when I review it again. Thankfully it comes in a 12oz bottle, it is a force to be reckoned with. 

Pours tar black with a thin tan head. Good carbonation generated through the middle of the beer. On first smelling this beer I get an immediate oaky bourbon aroma with a fresh raisin scent and touch of mild espresso. Plums and other dark fruits as well. The huge round body of this beer is obvious on first sip. It is big, syrupy and boozy. 

This beer has 450 calories! I just walked two miles and I should have walked a few more before cracking it open. While the alcohol is clearly present in each sip, even adding a peppery spicyness, it is not overwhelming. You want to drink this beer slowly of course, but it really doesn't become overbearing at any point. What an incredibly complex beer. I am getting oak, bourbon, sherry, molasses, maple, tobacco, coconut, candy sugar, dark chocolate, coffee, plum, raisin, figs, and a light citrusy hop flavor...and that is just in one sip. After about 10 more the gums start to tingle and the belly warms right up.

I stepped slowly away from this one for about 20 minutes and now I am back. The smell is simply amazing. Now I am catching a distinct bourbon vanilla aroma with some raw sugar, maybe even old school ribbon candy...yes, that shit your grandma used to give you and it would cut your tongue and gums! I am tasting new flavors as well, anise, dates, charcoal smoke, burnt caramel, and dried orange zest. This beer is fantastic. It gets more and more astringent with each sip due to the intense malt profile, but not in a bad way. It might be a really good thing that this beer is incredibly hard to find. I could drink it all night, but at 450 calories per bottle it is like adding an additional breakfast to your daily intake...it is so worth it though. 

This is a revival that I can appreciate...

Revival Brewing Company Double Black IPA

Label on the bottle depicts Chinook vs. Sorachi Ace. 8% abv. Given to me by Trevor Smith (thank you sir), who recently met the brewer. Bottled by Cottrell Brewing Company for Revival Brewing Company. Pours a rich dark brown color with big whitish tan head. Tootsie roll, lemon, cilantro, and roasted hazelnuts on the nose. First sip is a burst of tangy citrus and piney hops that finishes with a mild coffee ice cream flavor. The two hop flavors really do battle it out with each sip. Roasted nuts, milk chocolate and a few herbal notes. Extremely drinkable for the relatively strong 8% abv. Becomes astringent toward the end of the bottle, but not in a bad way. I am a big fan of this style and this one really holds it weight. This beer is a must try.

And then there were eight...

For the longest time, there have been only 7 Trappist breweries, Westvleteren, Westmalle, Orval, La Trappe, Chimay, Rochefort, and Achel. La Trappe was the only Trappist brewery outside of Belgium and I never would have imagined that the next one would be in the United States...never mind in my home state of Massachusetts. Needless to say, this is an exciting development that enhances the already white hot craft beer production in this state.

Brewed by the monks at St. Joseph's Abbey in Spencer, MA. 6.5% abv. Pours a gorgeous, unfiltered orange color with a rich creamy head. Nice carbonation and head retention. This beer smells incredible, ripe banana, spicy clove, touches of floral and citrus hops, and fresh berries. Good Belgian lace. Great mouthfeel. First sip is cloves and dried tropical fruit, maybe mangos, papaya, and pineapple. About halfway through you pick up Belgian candy sugar and  raisin flavors. Pear skin and just the slightest white pepper finish. Crusty bread and dry cracker maltiness. Well balanced and excessively drinkable. The 6.5% abv make this a fantastic session beer. I think this an excellent first effort from the brothers of St. Joseph Abbey. I am looking forward to their next offering.