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Well it’s time for another Summertime sunny and bright West Coast IPA! This time it is Double Actuator by Bottle Logic Brewing, established 2013 in Anaheim, California. From our Beer Studies 101, when you see any beer ending in “ator” going back to our brewing forefathers in Germany, look out! Big and Boozy! Well is that the case here?

Before I subjected this Double Actuator to the indignity of becoming a Bud-Zero blender, I tried it straight-up, and it is one fantastic double brew. Not heavy at all, and leaning heavily on Mosaic hops, there’s tasty flavor and great aroma additions here! This is a delish 8.5% ABV, 80 IBU Double IPA. I pulled up the Bottle Logic website, and the Double Actuator page shows 10% ABV which defies Logic, er Bottle Logic! Either way, 8.5% or 10%, this is very TASTY IPA, definitely put it on your Drink-List for the week. Cheers!


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Sounds like the Black White House:D
Locally there was a steer that escaped from a truck on the way to slaughter. He hid in the nearby pine barrens and people’s yards so long that I had thought he was likely in someone’s freezer. The police and a recuse group started calling him Barney. The beer Barney on the run, is named for him. Barney was eventually captured and sent to a sanctuary farm.
 
I sure hope you haven't been hit with those floods. And more rain for TX. :oops:
Yeah, pretty awful. My son/DiL live in North West Austin area and were right on the border of the 16in rainfall so they missed the heavy stuff. However, they lived in Wimberly on the Blanco River when that flooded in 2015. They were about 50yrds from the river, uphill, and the water still hit their back steps. We, however, live in a weather cone-of-silence which is one of my arguments with my wife for staying in Austin instead of moving. Thanks for asking my HBT friend!

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Cleaning and reassembling the ball valve from my 15 gal kettle, and having a HB oatmeal stout. This is putzy (cleaning the valve, not drinking the HB).

Next kettle is going to have TC fittings, dammit.

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It's funny you mentioned that, while driving home this afternoon it crossed my mind that the September tear down is looming. I have three of the damned things that need to be torn down on my kettle. It's not a task that I'll ever enjoy, but it is good have it done.

In my laziness, I've been giving some thought to an ultrasonic cleaner.
 
Damn, Bongo... I know I've said it before, but you have skills.
I refuse to take credit for my results when close to 99% of what I’ve learned about home brewing came directly from this site. All props should be directed towards those who contribute to this fine gathering of like minded folks.
 
It's funny you mentioned that, while driving home this afternoon it crossed my mind that the September tear down is looming. I have three of the damned things that need to be torn down on my kettle. It's not a task that I'll ever enjoy, but it is good have it done.

In my laziness, I've been giving some thought to an ultrasonic cleaner.
We use ultrasonic cleaners (industrial size) at work for cleaning graphite parts with much success.
 
I refuse to take credit for my results when close to 99% of what I’ve learned about home brewing came directly from this site. All props should be directed towards those who contribute to this fine gathering of like minded folks.
Amen! I started in 2007 with literally no knowledge or really just willingness to learn, just winging it. Needless to say things didn't come out as hoped. After a few years off, decided to learn/listen/get scientific. HBT is the reason I'm still home brewing...well after this damn leg heals.
 
I posted drinking this the other day but I’m drinking the last 2 in the new Sierra Nevada glass. As I mentioned a couple days ago, it’s been almost 20 years since I’ve had this beer. I think I appreciate it more now. It drinks exactly what an American Stout should be. It’s roasty without being burnt or ashy. A little chocolatey, the right amount of bitterness, and not so big you can’t have a couple. Now if I could find this beer closer to home.
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I posted drinking this the other day but I’m drinking the last 2 in the new Sierra Nevada glass. As I mentioned a couple days ago, it’s been almost 20 years since I’ve had this beer. I think I appreciate it more now. It drinks exactly what an American Stout should be. It’s roasty without being burnt or ashy. A little chocolatey, the right amount of bitterness, and not so big you can’t have a couple. Now if I could find this beer closer to home.View attachment 879471
Yeah, when you 1st posted it I thought to myself "They still make that?". I can find their Rye IPA every now and then but never the Stout. 🍻

Woke up to a half glass of margarita on the table and a picture in my photo album. Welp, hope that guy enjoyed it! 😂

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Yeah, when you 1st posted it I thought to myself "They still make that?". I can find their Rye IPA every now and then but never the Stout. 🍻

Woke up to a half glass of margarita on the table and a picture in my photo album. Welp, hope that guy enjoyed it! 😂

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That’s why I hardly ever drink tequila anymore. I’ll have one margarita on a rare occasion after swearing it off literally for decades. LOL
Right now I’m drinking coffee.
 
OK, I’ll come right out and say it. Belgian beers (or even “Belgian-Style” beers/Ales) are not the favorite of Beermeister32. As my progeny would say though, Beermeister32 is tough but fair. Today we’re going to see how that applies to Blue Moon’s new heavyweight, Extra Belgian White, an 8% ABV version of their regular Blue Moon. A tough, but fair evaluation. Great 19.2 ounce can though!

For starters, like a lot of the IPA’s I’m seeing down on the hobo end of the beer case, it seems that many brewers are jumping in to that high-ABV, big can, chug ‘till you’re wasted market.

To quote the great Fred Eckhardt, whose early contributions to this hobby pre-date the legalization of homebrew in the US – “There are those who think that a beer should be relatively high in alcohol. This is not reasonable, after all, why do you drink beer? If all you want is inebriation, drink hard liquor. Beer is a convivial beverage between friends, to be drunk for its’ own sake, as a friendly thing, not a drunking thing. Five to six percent is plenty of alcohol………..”

Alright, down off my soapbox. Let’s crack this open and see what we have… Hmmm…

Blue Moon Extra Belgian White… 8% ABV everything regular Blue Moon is except more. Well, this is a wheat Ale, it definitely has that Belgian taste characteristic that some of you love, “White” might be a stretch (Belgian “Orange?”!!) Medium to low-medium carbonation, 10 IBU, cloudy per style. Not really my thing, just the kind of beer to drag out when everyone is already blasted. Hides the booze well, my advice, bury this in a bunch of juicy orange or tangerine slices. Not my thing…. But enjoy!

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my advice, bury this in a bunch of juicy orange or tangerine slices
Haven't you seen their current ad campaign? They say a Blue Moon isn't a Blue Moon until you stick an orange slice in it. I don't dislike Blue Moon (or Corona for that matter) but if I'm buying beer instead of making it, I prefer not to have to finish the brewer's work myself.
 
HB Tropical Stout 7% abv, 40 ibu. I bottled half as-is, and for the other half, I added some coconut extract (McCormick's). This one is with coconut. Slightly bummed, because I just brewed my usual coconut stout recipe like 10 days ago, and it's never been as amazing as THIS beer has turned out! :rock:

Also, gourmet home-made-assembled tortilla pizza w/ pepperoni, basil from the garden, and some ground-up, dried thai chili pepper.

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Haven't you seen their current ad campaign? They say a Blue Moon isn't a Blue Moon until you stick an orange slice in it. I don't dislike Blue Moon (or Corona for that matter) but if I'm buying beer instead of making it, I prefer not to have to finish the brewer's work myself.
I get a ton of orange already in the beer. I don't necessarily rate beers on their adherence to style but how good it tastes and how does it make me "feel" after drinking it. I don't mean feel like drunkenness but more subtle like every sip just makes you feel good. That's how this beer make me feel.
 
OK, I’ll come right out and say it. Belgian beers (or even “Belgian-Style” beers/Ales) are not the favorite of Beermeister32. As my progeny would say though, Beermeister32 is tough but fair. Today we’re going to see how that applies to Blue Moon’s new heavyweight, Extra Belgian White, an 8% ABV version of their regular Blue Moon. A tough, but fair evaluation. Great 19.2 ounce can though!

For starters, like a lot of the IPA’s I’m seeing down on the hobo end of the beer case, it seems that many brewers are jumping in to that high-ABV, big can, chug ‘till you’re wasted market.

To quote the great Fred Eckhardt, whose early contributions to this hobby pre-date the legalization of homebrew in the US – “There are those who think that a beer should be relatively high in alcohol. This is not reasonable, after all, why do you drink beer? If all you want is inebriation, drink hard liquor. Beer is a convivial beverage between friends, to be drunk for its’ own sake, as a friendly thing, not a drunking thing. Five to six percent is plenty of alcohol………..”

Alright, down off my soapbox. Let’s crack this open and see what we have… Hmmm…

Blue Moon Extra Belgian White… 8% ABV everything regular Blue Moon is except more. Well, this is a wheat Ale, it definitely has that Belgian taste characteristic that some of you love, “White” might be a stretch (Belgian “Orange?”!!) Medium to low-medium carbonation, 10 IBU, cloudy per style. Not really my thing, just the kind of beer to drag out when everyone is already blasted. Hides the booze well, my advice, bury this in a bunch of juicy orange or tangerine slices. Not my thing…. But enjoy!

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I am also not a fan of Belgians. Blue Moon is a favorite with alot of women
 
Bought them all out at the grocery store. With all the rain we've had, I'm enjoying this as much as the mosquitoes are enjoying me!

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The "extra" must be the added alcohol. I have not seen that, I'll need to look for that around here.

Looks soooo good!
 

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