Prelude to a Beer Tasting

Tomorrow marks the first ever Circle Beer Tasting. "The Circle" is a group of friends (includes as many as 10 people, but really consists of about 5 or 6 now) who met freshman year of high school in football. We gave our group the name because in the morning before class we would stand together and talk, and when someone came up to us who we didn't want to join in the conversation we would close down into a tight circle to exclude that person. Now we have all graduated from college, some of us work full time, while one of us is still in school (me). Recently, and after a bit of an effort, I have introduced my fellow Circle members to the great world of craft/micro/good beer. The last few weeks we have been planning a beer tasting, so I took charge and got things squared away. First things first, our lineup looks like this...

1. Unibroue La Fin Du Monde
2. Chimay Premiere (Red)
3. Full Sail Pale Ale
4. Lost Coast Pale Ale
5. Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye
6. Green Flash West Coast IPA
7. Bayhawk Chocolate Porter
8. Rogue Mocha Porter
9. Young's Double Chocolate Stout

Father of the Circle, Steve "Milty" Timmins, whose house the tasting will be held at, has also bought a great assortment of cheeses and is cooking up some Philly cheese steak sandwiches for us.

I took the beers up to Milty's house tonight along with an Allagash Grand Cru for us to sample tonight. Belgian Strong Pale Ale category with an ABV of 7.2%. The bottle states that it is brewed with spices. The beer pours a dark, cloudy golden, with a very nice head that leaves great lacing. The smell is typical Belgian Strong Golden Ale, but the taste is a bit different. There is more of a hop presence in this, but as it warms up the spices come out. The great smooth mouthfeel made it ridiculously easy to drink. I gave it a 4.45 on BA.