Oskar Blues 'Death by Coconut' Irish Style Porter. 6.5% abv. 25 IBU. Dense black, blocks light. Figner of foamy, mocha head. Outstanding retention and lace. Nose of sweet coconut, vanilla, milk chocolate, light herbal. 

Front taste is dark chocolate, coconut, vanilla, sweet dark malt. Aftertaste is bittersweet dark chocolate, coconut liquor, light botanical, light wood, dry finish. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, sticky, thick, round, slightly astringent.

This is a solid porter that definitely delivers on its promise of coconut, with chocolate underlining the coconut expression throughout. The warm mouthfeel almost turns hot as the temp rises to room, with a creamy overtone all across. This is one of those rich, flavorful "core" beers that makes for an excellent base for experimental offshoots: barrel aging, liquor additions, dark fruit flavor combos. 

I once had this beer on tap at BC's in Clovis, CA, and I recall it as richer and more intense. Curious if I had a limited edition one-off. No matter. This standard canned version is exceptional. If you love the flavor profile of Almond Joy candy bars, and you love big, rich, full-bodied beers, seek this one out. Well recommended.

From the brewery:

"Pass. Dash. Hit. Intense pure liquid cacao flavors swirl with popping coconut aromas, all supported by a semi-sweet porter made from loads of our dark chocolate and extra dark caramel malt. This limited release specialty comes around once a year to satisfy that sweet tooth, so get ’em while you can before they disappear. At 6.5% ABV and 25 IBUs, this choconut goodness will have you yellin' 'Pass. Dash. Hit.' all winter long."
[source: oskarblues.com]

Oskar Blues 'Gubna' Imperial IPA. 10% abv. 100 IBU. Golden honey color. Thick foamy head. Excellent retention and lace.  Nose of sweet malt, caramel, light fruit. Faded grapefruit aroma once the temp drops. Front taste of light sweet bread, bright fruity hops, citrus back. Hops become more present as the temp drops but not overdone. Aftertaste of bittersweet fruit, citrus peel. Medium body. Mouthfeel is hot, herbal, slightly thick.

This is a very good Imperial IPA. The hops are abundant but far from harsh bitter, and the sweet malt flavor is balanced well with the fruity taste of the hops. Compared to other Imperial/Double IPAs this one is just north of the middle. It's not the best of its category but still a damn fine beer. Well recommended.

From the brewery:

"Each year GUBNA takes on a personality of its own. We seek out the most exciting and best available hops fromeach individual season to create a potent and complex Imperial IPA. GUBNA is packed with Rye and North American Pale Malt and accented with Munich Malt to give a spicy and flavorful backbone to support loads of kettle hops driving the IBUs to triple digits.  The 2014 GUBNA Seasonal is dry hopped with copious amounts of Sorachi Ace, Chinook and Mosaic hops creating a dank, dense nose and unique blend of lemon zest, red berries, spice, peach and herbs through a clean bitter finish."
[source: oskarblues.com]

Oskar Blues 'Ten Fidy' Imperial Stout. 10.5% abv. 98 IBU. Pitch black in color. Thick creamy brown head, like melted ice cream. Outstanding retention and superb lacing. Nose of dark malt, raisins, smoke. Front taste of bittersweet chocolate, black coffee, dark fruit, smoked wood. Aftertaste of bitter earthy hops, cocoa powder, strong coffee notes on the back end. Big full body. Mouthfeel is hot, creamy, carby.

This is an incredible beer. The malty backbone is well supported by the myriad of dark fruit, chocolate, abundant hops, and smoked grain flavors. A great big beer that makes no bones about what it is: an imperial stout of the highest order. Strongly recommended.

From the brewery:

"This titanic, immensely viscous stout is loaded with inimitable flavors of chocolate-covered caramel and coffee and hides a hefty 98 IBUs underneath the smooth blanket of malt.  Ten FIDY (10.5% ABV) is made with enormous amounts of two-row malt, chocolate malt, roasted barley, flaked oats and hops. Ten FIDY is the ultimate celebration of dark malts and boundary-stretching beer."
[source: brew.oskarblues.com]

Oskar Blues Brewing 'Deviant Dale's' IPA. 8% abv. 85 IBU. Amber copper color with cream colored head that falls to a sustaining ring. Good retention with nice clingy lace. Malty, hoppy nose. Deep hop flavor, like a DIPA, with a big hop bite up front. Aftertaste coats the tongue with a balance of hops and almost sugary malt. Medium body. Mouthfeel is warm, herbal, slightly creamy from the small-bead carb. This is a wonderful brew that I'd love to have again. Highly recommend. I love the canned treasures coming out of this brewery.

From the brewery:

"Deviant Dale’s IPA was born at the crossroads, in a juke joint, as if Dale’s Pale Ale sold its soul to balance Deviant’s foreboding aromas of citrus, grapefruit rind and piney resins, its copper ball-of-fire color and inscrutable flavor-intense finish. Deviant is the Devil incarnate with untold amounts of malt and hedonistic Columbus dry-hopping. Oskar Blues delivers this boundary-buster in the brewery’s first 16-ounce tallboy can."

Enjoying a Deviant Dale's at Gazebo Gardens.

Oskar Blues Brewing 'Old Chub' Nitro Scotch Ale. 8% abv. Big nitrogenated can beer. Strong nose of caramel. Rich clingy head as normal with nitro brews. Heavy malty taste, nutty, toffee, hop flavor on the front. Aftertaste is warm sugar, lingering hops. Full body. Sweet sticky mouthfeel.

This is one of those decadent Scotch Ales, kinda like a dessert beer, made more so by the creamy nitro head. A solid example of its category. The sweet malty profile is a little too dominant for my taste. Still, it was a taste that was instantly memorable, a nice treat that I would try again. Highly recommended.

From the brewery:

"This jaw-dropping Scottish strong ale is brewed with bodacious amounts of malted barley and specialty grains, and a dash of beechwood-smoked malt. Old Chub features semi-sweet flavors of cocoa and coffee, and a wee-bit of smoke. A head-turning treat for malt heads and folks who think they don’t dig dark beer."

Enjoying my Old Chub at Peeve's Pubic House