So yes, it’s technically Wednesday so I’m a bit late for a Tuesday Tastings but consider it a late edition. Plus I’m featuring three beers friends and I drank the weekend before last, so nothing as formal as I normally do but good beers with pictures. Onward!

Belmont Station / Ecliptic Brewing 19th Anniversary Barleywine

We picked up several bottles of this anniversary beer at Belmont Station in Portland last month, and had a chance to visit a bit with Lisa Morrison (owner and the Beer Goddess!) while we were there; Lisa thought this beer was still a bit “hot” and figured it would be great with about a year of aging. So, we drank one, and have one to save for a year.

My notes:

Beautiful aroma, full of vanilla/vanillin and amazing bourbon wood notes. A touch solventy, not unexpected. Thick, sweet, boozy, bourbony. Lisa’s right—a little hot but this is terrific with the booziness, the complex malts, the sweet woody notes, and a lovely warming sipping quality overall.

Sam Bond’s Brewing Filbert Brown Ale

Sam Bond’s has only been bottling two of their beers as recently as the last couple of months, and I picked this one up in Corvallis in April, possibly within a week or two of it coming out. I love filters (AKA hazelnuts) so a nut brown is a good vehicle to present them. This one was interesting but falls off at the end.

My notes:

Smells like Nutella—hazelnut and chocolate. A touch of smoky, roasty malts on the nose as well. Flavor-wise, it’s nutty and dry, with a toasty, amber-y malt body that is a little bit metallic and a little bit like filbert shell.

Ecliptic Brewing Zenith Grapefruit Gose

I’m always excited to drink a gose, and this one was picked up at a beverage trade show recently. I enjoyed it, and generally I think Ecliptic is doing a great job with their beers. Definitely seek this one out if you’re a sour/gose fan.

My notes:

Saltwater (seawater) nose with a kiss of citrus grapefruit oil. Super subtle tartness, gets me right at the back sides/joint of the jaw, and I get a sea salt note at the back of the tongue. Fruity but mild, a bit of light grapefruit juice and zest, very well balanced and strikes me as a good version of the style.