Tag Archives: Central Waters

Cassian Sunset by Central Waters

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Cassian Sunset by Central Waters

(C) 2016 popsonhops

Tasting: March 14, 2017
Style: Barrel-Aged Stout
Beer # 1,043
ABV: 10%

Cassian Sunset

It was 70 degrees a couple of weeks ago and today we were hammered with about 18 inches of snow. Such are the wild weather patterns of late winter here in northern New Jersey. Spring will eventually come and bring its pleasant warm days. For now, our temperatures and future forecast resemble Green Bay. Speaking of Wisconsin, this stout in front of me is from Central Waters Brewing located in Amherst, Wisconsin, just west of Green Bay. The Cassian, I assume, also refers to a Wisconsin town. Cassian, Wisconsin is a small town located about an hour north of Central Waters Brewing. According to the web, it looks to be filled with serene lakes. Certainly has me day dreaming of summer evenings at our local lake sipping on a beer watching the sunset. For now, we’re frozen like a Wisconsin winter.

Since the bottle of Cassian Sunset was labeled as a stout, I was expecting a stout. But I’ll have to say that this resembles more of a barley wine or a strong ale. Cola brown color. Brown sugar, caramel, vanilla and raisin flavors abound. Some earthy mossy and coconut undertone. Some of the advertised cinnamon pops, very little coffee. On the nit-picking negative side, a little thin and a tad boozy but not enough to complain. The finish is sweet, not a speck of bitterness. Really nice sipper for a snowy day in northern New Jersey. 94 points.

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More Ale and Odds and Ends

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I can finally see the back of my beer fridge. At least for now, I can go to my fridge and pick out a beer I’d like to drink versus beer I should drink because I need a recent blog entry or its getting old. As much as I’d like to try to keep my fridge clear, inevitably I’ll fill it up with same experiments and create a new backlog of beer. Here are a few of the lingering stragglers:

Allagash White and Cigar City Maduro Brown Ale

© 2014 Popsonhops

Maduro Brown Ale by Cigar City-

Tasting: January 4, 2015
Style: Brown Ale
Beer #: 678

Meh…not really any positive takeaways here. Madero comes across with watery coffee, and a wisp of sweet toffee. 83 points.

Allagash White
Tasting: January 6, 2015
Style: Belgian Ale
Beer #: 681

Bought this bottle about ten months ago as an experiment for a tasting event I was hosting. I passed on including in my talk but nonetheless, it lingered in the back of my fridge for all these months. I had this bottle immediately after enjoying Prairie’s Standard Farmhouse Ale. This one is pale as well but that’s where the road diverges. Loads more spice than standard – clove, banana. Despite its age, really isn’t bad at all – 86 points.

The Beast Grand Cru Ale by Avery Brewing Company

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Avery The Beast

Tasting: January 4, 2015
Style: Belgian Quad
Beer #: 679

Big time boozy. Not sure I see it as the advertised Belgian quad. Definitely more barley wine with raisins and toasted caramel tucked behind all the heat. I’ll call it nice and give it 87points.

Central Waters Brewer's Reserve Bourbon Barrel Aged Barleywine Ale

© 2014 popsonhops

Central Waters Bourbon Barrel Aged Barleywine

Tasting: January 7, 2015
Style: Barleywine
Beer #: 682

Received this bottle of barleywine as a bonus in my first trade way back in March of 2014. With wind chills below zero on the evening that followed a grey January day. I need some boozy heat and this 11.5% ABV bourbon-barrel aged barley wine might do the trick. This Brewer’s Reserve offering from Wisconsin was a Gold Medal winner at the 2008 Great American Beer Festival. Massive bourbon influence up front – vanilla, oak, peat with underbelly of caramel and prunes. A bit more carbonation than I’d like. It certainly brings the heat and even feels more boozy than The Beast from Avery that I had the other night. Perhaps I should have waited a little longer on this one. I’ll call it an 87.

Prairie Artisan Ales Standard A Hoppy Farmhouse Ale

© 2014 popsonhops

Prairie Standard

Tasting: January 6, 2015
Style: Belgian Farmhouse
Beer #:680

Surprised to see Prairie make its way to New York a couple of months ago and was happy to buy this bottle along with a bottle of their legendary Bomb!. It’s a farmhouse ale, so not really in my wheelhouse. Pale straw beer that’s light but crisp on the palate. Has a bit of cider underneath spices. Hops are mellow but add to a nice finish. I can see drinking this on a hot summer afternoon. Surprisingly, I’m liking it – 89 points.

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Brewer’s Reserve Stout by Central Waters

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Tasting: August 15, 2014
Style: Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout
Beer #: 584

Brewer’s Reserve Stout

© 2014 popsonhops

© 2014 popsonhops

With thirteen of my last fourteen beers entered being either an IPA or an Imperial IPA, I have to admit that my tastebuds have had enough – they are just screaming for a change of pace. Since today felt more like a crisp fall day, my mind has turned to big hearty beer like barley wine and stouts. To boot, I acquired a bucket list stout today – Surly Brewing’s Darkness. I’m very fired up about stout to say the least.

Brewer’s Reserve Stout made by Central Waters Brewing Company of Wisconsin. Since this is not available in New Jersey and distribution in just six states this was a purchase in Rockland County, New York. Brewer’s Reserve Stout is aged for one full year in twelve year old bourbon barrels. The resulting stout is 9.5% alcohol by volume.

Since its been a while in between my entries on bourbon barrel aged stouts Let me explain that bourbon is an American whiskey product and to be called bourbon, it needs to be aged in new, charred oak barrels. Since the barrels can’t be re-used in a product that would be certified as bourbon, the barrels have been given a second life and used in aging beer. There are a number of varieties that utilize barrels but the most common application is imperial stouts. While aging in barrels bourbon passes through the oak’s fibers and evaporate into what distillers call “angel’s share”. Since the oak is permeated with bourbon’s signature flavors like vanilla. The barrel’s wood imparts bourbon’s characteristics into these stouts.

Brewer’s Reserve Stout pours a cola brown. Not as opaque I would have thought. The nose is definitely bourbon and chocolate fountain syrup. Flavor follows the aroma – a ping pong match between rich chocolate, treacle and vanilla oaky bourbon flavors. A little thin in the mouthfeel – and it’s the fatal flaw. Brewer’s Reserve Stout was certainly a much needed jolt to my taste buds. One sip a classic and one sip the thin mouthfeel bums me out. I’ll split the difference and put it at 89 points.

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