About
During the dawn of micro-brewing in the Bay Area Roger Lind started Lind Brewing Company, which would later become Drake's Brewing. Lind was a brewer at Triple Rock in Berkeley, one of the first brewpubs in America, and set off on his own to brew draft-only English-style ales. In 1998 Roger Lind sold the brewery to a local coffee company, which continued to brew Drake's beer. A new era started in 2008 John Martin and Roy Kirkorian, purchased the brewery. Over the ensuing 10 years, they've expanded brewing capacity, distribution, and started producing West Coast style ales using an abundance of high quality hops and malt. A new 60-barrel brewhouse and fermentation tanks to match, boosted our brewing capacity, ensuring more people could find and enjoy Drake's beer was opened in 2016.
Part of the group
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 6
Overall 8
2006 swing-top bottle from Hollingshead Deli, drunk on 3/29/07
One finger of tan/beige head recedes to cover, being held there well. Very minimal, blotchy lacing. Medium-low clarity, though I don’t find much, if any, sediment on the bottom. Deep black with a slight chartreuse tint on the edges.
Dark berries show off the roasted barley, nicely vinous without being overdone/astringent. Some light fusels initially noted, but it seems to fully pass with some breathing. Malt is lightly sweet but very reserved overall. Lots of vinousness returns on the finish, highlighted by plum and prune. Medium strength of aroma, takes a little work to unlock, but the quality is certainly there.
Very vinous up front with lots of bitter chocolate. Perfect body is lightly chewy, but also has a slipperiness on the end. Thus it starts out quite hearty, but glides down the back of teh throat with very light carbonation adding a pleasing tingle. Dark coffee and a fair amount of bitterness/vinousness sit on the finish. Trails off in to anise and heavy bitterness, remaining very dry with some light fusel alcohols apparent.
This embodies so much of where Imperial stouts should be headed; very dry, with a good charge of vinousness and coffee. Lots of bitterness from the dark malts with both a nice oily feel and chewy consistency. It seems to be lightly filtered and I dont believe bottle conditioned, as evinced by some of the fusels showing through and a bit of loosening to the mouthfeel as it breathes. But the flavors are spot on, almost exactly what I want from an Imperial. Very much in the vein of Harveys Imperial. Not all the thick, underattenuated chocolate and caramel and obnoxious dose of PNW hops that you see in most American versions.
I didnt find this to be overhopped in the least, and in fact didnt find much of a impact from the hops at all.
One finger of tan/beige head recedes to cover, being held there well. Very minimal, blotchy lacing. Medium-low clarity, though I don’t find much, if any, sediment on the bottom. Deep black with a slight chartreuse tint on the edges.
Dark berries show off the roasted barley, nicely vinous without being overdone/astringent. Some light fusels initially noted, but it seems to fully pass with some breathing. Malt is lightly sweet but very reserved overall. Lots of vinousness returns on the finish, highlighted by plum and prune. Medium strength of aroma, takes a little work to unlock, but the quality is certainly there.
Very vinous up front with lots of bitter chocolate. Perfect body is lightly chewy, but also has a slipperiness on the end. Thus it starts out quite hearty, but glides down the back of teh throat with very light carbonation adding a pleasing tingle. Dark coffee and a fair amount of bitterness/vinousness sit on the finish. Trails off in to anise and heavy bitterness, remaining very dry with some light fusel alcohols apparent.
This embodies so much of where Imperial stouts should be headed; very dry, with a good charge of vinousness and coffee. Lots of bitterness from the dark malts with both a nice oily feel and chewy consistency. It seems to be lightly filtered and I dont believe bottle conditioned, as evinced by some of the fusels showing through and a bit of loosening to the mouthfeel as it breathes. But the flavors are spot on, almost exactly what I want from an Imperial. Very much in the vein of Harveys Imperial. Not all the thick, underattenuated chocolate and caramel and obnoxious dose of PNW hops that you see in most American versions.
I didnt find this to be overhopped in the least, and in fact didnt find much of a impact from the hops at all.
Tried
from Bottle
on 20 Apr 2007
at 10:34
7.5/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 8
Overall 7
Aroma of piney, resiny hop. Way hoppy. Reddish amber color with a beige head that fills the glass. This stuff seems to be alive. Starts a bit thin with resin hop, followed by some bittersweet malt. That evergreen aspect just won’t leave. This is an amber? There is a lot of dark malt flavor, but the hop tends to overbalance. Hop wins. Finish is grutchy memories of malt and a good hoppy bitterness. Huah! Memorably good.
Tried
on 19 Apr 2007
at 23:56
6.8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 7
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7
Just when I thought I was done drinking beer last night, beastiefan2k breaks this stuff out - remembering how complex the brandy barrel barleywine was, I was a litte afraid that my palate wouldn’t be up to the challenge - suprisingly, it was - this stuff lacked the complexity I was expecting, but was still somewhat enjoyable - semi-cloudy, mahogony color, with a compact head - very earthy, musty, and, yes, slightly moldy aroma, with lots of damp earth/wood - lightly acidic flavor, probably from the apple brandy - mild sourness - woody, and even a bit bitter - not nearly as sweet as I expected, as the wood makes it a little dry - slight oxidation makes the beer taste a bit stale - I didn’t pick up any apple brandy in this - an interesting variation, but nothing all that special.
Tried
on 15 Apr 2007
at 18:08
7.1/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 7
Texture 6
Overall 7.5
Bottle thanks to Davecooks. Color is brown with low clarity, small head. Aroma is very musty with lots of wet wood (must be the oak). Lots of sour woodiness that have fruity aspects. Taste is very subdued for the expectations I had, basically a woody brown ale. Leaves a slightly bittered flavor mixed with alcohol. Moldy sweetness all around, yet nice.
Tried
from Bottle
on 14 Apr 2007
at 23:08
8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
(On tap - cask - Toronado) Ever so slightly hazy, dark golden with a creamy, off-white head. The nose is full of sweetish caramel malt and good aroma hops. The body comes medium with a soft and extremely pleasant mouthfeel. Lightly sweet caramel flavours and then all these great aroma hops. Very pleasant - the limited carbonation doesn’t take the 84 IBUs very far. IPA on cask is a different but rewarding experience! 290307 (Bottle 35,5 cl) Courtesy of aspidites. Pours a hazy, amber golden with an off-white head. Very fresh, citrusy aroma. Medium-bodied and caramelish with a distinct, hoppy and citric finish. Clean, clear and fresh. 8/3/7/4/15=3.7 310507
Tried
from Draft
on 13 Apr 2007
at 00:58
8.4/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8.5
Bottled (Thanks stoutlover 72!). Dark nutbrown colour, not much head. Alcohol, raisins, oak barrel and some vanilla in aroma. Flavour is raisins, malts, alcohol, spices and some slight notes of vanilla. All in a wellmixed balance. Burningly warming, still very pleasantly done.
Tried
from Bottle
on 07 Apr 2007
at 04:01
7.8/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 8
Overall 8
Bottled
Muddy brown color, no head. Nose has oak barrel, vanilla and whiskey. Soft palate. Brandy, lots of vanilla, alcohol and some raisins (making this beer fruity) in the flavor. Very balanced beer for slow drinking.
Muddy brown color, no head. Nose has oak barrel, vanilla and whiskey. Soft palate. Brandy, lots of vanilla, alcohol and some raisins (making this beer fruity) in the flavor. Very balanced beer for slow drinking.
Tried
from Bottle
on 07 Apr 2007
at 02:56
8/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 9
Texture 8
Overall 8
(On tap - Toronado) Clear, amber golden with a small, off-white head. Sweetish, caramellish nose. Fairly full body with loads of caramel. Hoppy and very fruity finish. Excellent. 250307
Tried
from Draft
on 06 Apr 2007
at 05:33
7.6/10
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Appearance 8
Aroma 7
Flavor 8
Texture 6
Overall 8.5
Draft. Rich ruby-amber beer with a whitish head. Citrus and some tropical fruit aroma. Citrus, tropical fruit flavor with some resin, malt and pine. Good hop flavor but not overly bitter. Hides alcohol well. Lingering citrus, resin and fruit.
Tried
from Draft
on 03 Apr 2007
at 16:31
6.4/10
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Appearance 6
Aroma 8
Flavor 5
Texture 6
Overall 6.5
Bottle. Murky, brownish-amber color with little head. Brown sugar/caramel malt aroma with lots of apple. Musty apple brandy flavor. Earthy/malty flavor with apple and brandy backing. Seems a bit oxidized. More brandy than beer in the flavor and the brandy definately lingers. Dry finish and just lacks something that’s going to make it into a good beer.
Tried
from Bottle
on 30 Mar 2007
at 22:56