New Website | Owl Beer Returns.

 

It's been yet another unacceptable amount of time in between posts but this time I'm back with an official website full of shameless self promotion.  Don't worry, all of my shameful self promotion is reserved for the brilliant content that makes up this blog.

Last Thursday I launched my official website thanks to Garrett Ryan Design.  If I had tried to do it myself then you'd end up at a broken link with a picture of burning tires.  That doesn't make sense, which is the point.  Seriously, I am extremely happy with the way it turned out.  I won't go into much detail about it here but before you scurry off and visit it please finish reading this post -  no one likes quitters.  But even more seriously, tire burning is a huge problem and makes babies sad.

Last Thursday I also had the opportunity to pour some craft beer (as well as my own home-brewed Hefeweizen) at Kryptonite in Rockford in association with Ignite.  Ignite is an excellent local organization aimed at attracting and retaining young professionals in Rockford through a series of networking events.  Thanks to Ignite and Kryptonite for hosting the event, Marketplace Selections, The Olympic Tavern, and Caked for providing the food and beer, and everyone who attended for making it a success and pretending to like my beer!

In this momentous occasion I've decided to crack open another bottle of owl beer - this time being Hitachino Nest Commemorative Ale.  I briefly mentioned this beer in my previous post about Hitachino Nest but mistakenly called it Celebration Ale.  Mistakes happen, Miller Chill knows what I'm talking about.

Hitachino Nest Commemorative Ale

9% abv | 11.2 oz bottle 

There's a good chance that if you're reading this it is because you probably Googled "owl beer" and you were somehow coerced into clicking on this blog.  I have found that coercion is the most effective technique in getting people to visit this site. So far it's worked on at least 132 innocent owl-beer-Googlers.

Commemorative Ale is labeled a "Festive ale brewed with vanilla beans, coriander, orange peel, nutmeg and cinnamon." You read that right.  While it is not uncommon to see such ingredients in various brewing styles, it is not everyday they find themselves together in one bottle.  I was anticipating a rich flavor profile similar to that of a mulled cider - subtle tartness, well spiced, and slightly warming from the higher alcohol percentage.

Commemorative Ale initially poured a crystal clear reddish-brown then a very cloudy rust with all the sediment.  An enticing aroma of spices and citrus was very promising.  The nutmeg was pronounced with a cedar-like fragrance while the vanilla remained very faint but developed as the beer warmed.

Though full-bodied and creamy, Commemorative was not as rich as I had anticipated given its 9% ABV and laundry list of spices.  Citrus tang from the orange peel was definitely detectable up front. The vanilla bean helped create a smooth beer, but lent more sweetness than actual vanilla flavor.  I had to search a bit for some discernible flavor from the spice mix. While present, it tasted as though the spices had some trouble fighting through the overall sweetness of the beer.  As in the aroma, the actual vanilla flavor became more present as the beer warmed.

Commemorative Ale did not reflect the image I had constructed in my mind but it was, all in all, a decent bottle of beer.  For its strength, it is smooth and easy to drink with enough complexity to keep you interested.  Hitachino Nest's Belgian influences really show in this beer.  One one hand, the orange peel and coriander present the familiar profile of a Belgian Wit.  On the second hand, the depth of the vanilla, cinnamon, and nutmeg mirror the more complex sweetness of a Belgian Dubbel.  Both flavors combine to create some sort of Dubbel/Wit hybrid.  Since those are two of my favorite styles I kind of regret not buying a second bottle.

Lastly, I am going to make an asserted effort to post more often and on a consistent basis.  My goal is for more varied content - brewer interviews, brewery tour/brewpub experiences, getting the upetty-up on newly released brews, even harsher, more character-demoralizing commentary. It's a process.

Keep your eyes peeled for a new entry anywhere between next week and 6 months.

Me Drink Beer.