Dogfish Head Golden Era Imperial Pilsner

I've been wanting to try a good imperial pilsner for a while now. I tend to favor high gravity beers, and I pretty much always choose ale over lager (even in the summer). But, of course there are some equally potent lagers out there. Such as...Dogfish Head Golden Era Imperial Pilsner. Dogfish Head is certainly one of the most prolific and experimental breweries in America. They are constantly releasing new beers that push the limits of something or another, and usually the results are seriously delicious. One of the only complaints that beer lovers might have about them is that their beers often have a bunch of crap in them. Most of their specialty beers contain fruit, or honey, or are aged in wooden barrels.

But this imperial pilsner is "brewed in the tradition of the Reinheitsgebot", meaning it contains only water, barley, and hops (and yeast). It represents the old-world traditions of Czech brewing, and at 9% abv, it's a completely different beverage than popular American pilsners. Unfortunately, it might be hard to get your hands on a bottle of this, as it was a limited release and I don't think Dogfish Head has any plans to re-release it.

It pours a hazy, golden yellow. The smell is amazing. Very malty with a honey scent. Wow. Very full bodied for a lager. Lots of hops. And it's pretty bitter with a long finish. I'm impressed and I wish I had a few other imperial pilsners to compare this to.

Dogfish Head Golden Era Imperial Pilsner
Is it delicious?: A-
Is it interesting?: B+
Drinkability: B-

Try-me

I got this old wooden crate for soda bottles at the World's Longest Yardsale. Try-me was a soda company based out of Birmingham, Alabama from the 1920's to the 1950's. The problem with soda companies today is that they don't have enough desperation.

Ryazenka Baked Style Yogurt

I picked up this bottle of Ryazenka yogurt drink at the big Russian grocery store in Sheepshead Bay. Apparently this type of baked yogurt is popular in Russia and is considered very nutritious (especially for old and/or injured people). This particular bottle was manufactured in Philadelphia. My only hope is that it will be better than Romi's Yogurt drink (which comes in a very similar container).

Ryazenka pours like Elmer's glue, but beige. It smells pretty good though...somewhere between yogurt and cheesecake. The flavor is surprisingly strong. It's pretty sour, with a hint of lemon and a tang similar to fresh mozzarella. It's interesting, but I think I'm going to have to stop drinking it before it makes me puke.

Ryazenka Baked Style Yogurt
Is it delicious?: D
Is it interesting?: C+
Drinkability: F+