Allegro Art, Life, and Beer

Ive moved!

2011-01-01T05:57:00.000-08:00

Ive decided to move to a new web address, as this one just didnt seem appropriate for beer any more. find more new beer reviews here:

http://allegrobeer.blogspot.com/

Taking a break

2010-11-04T20:20:00.000-07:00

Sorry, no new beers for a while. Im taking a break from the blog for the next few weeks while I get my jewelry business in line for the holiday rush, and keep up with a business finance class for my MBA.

But I will return!

Coffee Coffee

2010-10-16T04:28:00.000-07:00

I do enjoy the dark beers, and beers with coffee are a weakness. I saw this one from Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee and had to try it. Its the Fuel Cafe Coffee Stout.
Starts off very dark, opaque brown, with a creamy head the color of chocolate. The aroma is a wonderful blend of coffee (of course), and sweet malty stout, with a bit of sour to it, and not much hops. Plenty of coffee aroma going on here, no mistaking what kind of beer this is. The flavor hits you first with the coffee bitterness, but then the sour and sharp notes take over a bit much. That doesnt last long, as the deep toasted flavors take over later, followed by a lovely fuggle hops aftertaste. I've had lots of coffee stouts that only vaguely have coffee flavor in them, but this pushes the coffee flavors to the fore. It stands up and says "yes, im COFFEE!" which worked really well with the rest of the flavors. My only complaint is the sourness that creeps in there, a bit too much for my taste.
Scoring
Look: 4 - opaque brown
Aroma: 5 - coffee!
Taste: 3 - lost points for sourness
Feel: 3 - solid body
Total: 15

Pumpkin beer is here

2010-10-11T11:38:00.000-07:00

What better way to celebrate October than with pumpkin beer? Its a style that has picked up popularity over the last few years. 5 years ago, it was obscure, now even Sam Adams makes one. This is from my favorite local brewery, Schlafly.
Its a deep dark amber color, with plenty of carbonation, and an aroma that knocks your head back. Pure mouth watering. You get lots of spice and sweet smells, like someone has been baking pie in your kitchen, with enough hops to let you know its a beer.
The taste is darn good. Ive tried a lot of pumpkin beers, and they usually fall into two camps: not much spice but lots of pumpkin; or too much spice and no pumpkin. This one really finds a happy middle ground. you get the cinnamon, nutmeg, and clove flavors right off the bat, with a good dose of malt sweetness that makes it taste like a pie. The pumpkin comes through on the back end with that smooth slippery flavor, enough to let you know its there without taking over. The hops give it enough bitterness in the aftertaste to keep the sweet from being too much. Plenty of carbonation keeps it bright and happy. I could easily drink a six pack.

Scoring:
Look: 3 - deep amber
Aroma: 5 - someones baking pie
Taste: 5 - easily the best pumpkin beer ive tried
Feel: 3 - high carbonation

Sweet!

2010-10-08T05:39:00.000-07:00

The Hintochino Brewery of Japan has been a pet favorite of mine for a while, they make some really unusual beers you dont see in the US. Today I'm trying something more well know, its their Lacto Sweet Stout. Its a milk stout, thus the word "lacto", meaning milk sugar was added to make the beer sweeter.
It starts a lovely deep dark brown, nearly opaque, with a pale brown head and plenty of carbonation. The aroma is just heavenly. You can tell just from the scent its a sweet stout, plenty of malty and sugary aromas come at you from across the room. The flavor however.... was less than satisfying. While there was plenty of deep dark nutty/malty/roasty flavors you expect in a stout, the sweetness had turned sour. The acidic flavors reminded me of Coke Classic, actually. It does mellow out a bit as it warms up, but overall the 'sweet' flavors were disappointing. I'll try this again later to see if I just got a bad one.
Scoring:
Look: 4 - opaque brown
Aroma: 5 - sweetness you can smell across the room
Taste: 2 - sour
Feel: 3 - plenty of body
Total: 14

Octoberfest

2010-10-05T20:16:00.000-07:00

The Left Hand Brewery has been pleasantly surprizing my for a couple years now. They're best known for their milk stout, but today, im trying their new Oktoberfest. Its supposed to be a classic Marzen style lager.
It looks like you would expect, a deep dark brown and slightly cloudy, with a good dose of carbonation. The hoppy aroma is a bit surprizing, you dont expect that much hops in an Octoberfest beer. The flavor is big surprize. The hops grab you right from the start, sharp, crisp, and biting. If I didnt know better, I'd think this might be an IPA. The classic Octoberfest nutty flavors are certainly there, but more of an afterthought than the main focus of the beer. I get flavors of caramel and apple too, fitting for the season.
Scoring
Look: 3 - deep amber
Aroma: 2 - too much hops for a Marzen
Taste: 2 - overly hoppy, but lots of flavor
Feel: 3 - nice body
Total: 10

Monday Night Football + Beer

2010-09-27T19:29:00.000-07:00

Ready for some football? Tonight Im watching the Packers beat up on the Bears, and drinking some lovely beer from Wisconsin. This is the Bridge Burner Special Reserve Ale, from Lakefront Brewery in Wisconsin. Its labeled as a Belgian style abbey ale, with 8% alcohol.
It pours a deep dark brown, slightly cloudy, with plenty of head. The aroma is quite strong. Lots of sweet syrupy notes, and a good bit of hops. The flavor... wow. Its thick, complex, heady, syrupy, and just plain strong. Plenty of sweet malt, with hints of oak, maple, fig, and raisin. The hops are a strong counterpoint, with some deep dark notes and spicy finish. And with 8% alcohol, you can feel some burn in the back of your throat too.
Overall, a very nice beer. Well worth buying a couple.
Scoring:
Look: 4 - lovely deep brown
Aroma: 5 - stong, heady, deep
Taste: 4 - layers of fruit, malt, and hops
Feel: 5 - thick and chewy
Total: 18

Octoberfest!

2010-09-23T20:15:00.000-07:00

Its the end of September, and Octoberfest is in full swing. This traditionally means lots of wonderful fall beers!
This is the "Ourtoberfest" beer from Magic Hat Brewery in Vermont. Ive had a coupel other beers from them, and they are known for high quality.
Its starts a nice medium brown color, slightly cloudy, and plenty of carbonation. The aroma has lots of nutty sweetness, and overtones of spicy and floral hop sharpness. The taste is nice and refreshing. It starts smooth and sweet, with the good nutty flavors you expect in an Octoberfest beer, and layers of raisin, brown sugar, and even some tannic nuttiness. The real surprize is the hops. They dont take a back seat here, but come on strong with spiciness that reminds me of sage and even oregano. Not overpowering, but a tasty counterpoint.
Scoring:
Look: 3 - cloudy brown
Aroma: 3 - nutty and sweet
Taste: 3 - nice layers of nutty and spicy
Feel: 3 - refreshing
Total: 12

Scotch Ale

2010-09-21T20:24:00.000-07:00

If you've been following the blog a while, you know I like the darker beers, and a good Scotch Ale is one of my favorites. This one from O'Fallon Brewery in Missouri just came out, so of course I had to try it.
The color is a lovely caramel brown, with light carbonation. The aroma is nicely sweet and malty, with hints of honey, and just a bit of hop sharpness. A good scotch ale is heavy on the sweetness and lightly hopped, and I think this one got the balance really well. Heavy, smooth, and very drinkable, you get a good balance of toffee like sweetness, with flavors of oak, smoke, and coffee on the end. At 10/5% alcohol, it packs a great punch, enough to give you a bit of burn on the way down.The hops just barely come through for a bit of bitterness in the aftertaste. As the beer warms up, the oakiness and bitterness come through more strongly, and really blend nicely. Great example of the style.
Scoring:
Look: 3 - lovely caramel brown
Aroma: 4 - balanced malty sweetness
Taste: 4 - excellent layers of flavor
Feel: 4 - heavy but drinkable
Total: 15

Beer Time!

2010-09-16T20:24:00.000-07:00

Meantime is a British brewery that makes beer in funky bottles that look like half an hourglass. But beyond the fun bottles, the beer is actually pretty good.
This is their India Pale Ale. It pours a deep amber brown, pretty cloudy for an IPA, with moderate carbonation. The aroma is not IPA-ish at all, but lightly sweet, almost fruity, with the hops light and crisp. The flavor is not like an IPA at all, where I would expect a heavy hop presence. The hops take a back seat to a smooth, refreshing brown ale flavor, with flavors of pear and green apple, almost like a cider. Theres a nice residual sourness, and a clean hop bite, but nowhere near the bitterness I expected.
A tasty beer, but not one I would call an IPA. Dont let that stop you from enjoying one.
Scoring:
Look: 2 - deep brown and cloudy
Aroma: 3 - fruity and crisp
Taste: 3 - malt and green apple
Feel: 3 - refreshing
Total: 11

The 250th Beer!

2010-09-14T07:00:00.000-07:00

So in the 2 1/2 years ive been doing this blog, ive sampled a lot of beers. Today I hit the big 250th beer milestone, and to celebrate im opening something special. This is the new Raspberry Coffee Stout from Schlafly, which was just released this fall, and available only through a local grocery chain in St Louis called Culinaria
What a beer! It has the expected deep dark chocolate brown of the standard Schlafly coffee stout, with lovely aromas of coffee, and tart fruity berries. The first taste pours dark, rich, and bitter over the back of your tongue, a decent amount of carbonation, and a residual sweetness of molasses and maple syrup. The raspberry flavor is there, but hiding as a lingering tartness and a bit of fruit on the aftertaste. As the beer warms up, the coffee flavors get more bold, and the fruitiness picks up.
Overall, well worth finding a bottle and stashing away for a special occasion.

Scoring:
look: 4 - excellent deep chocolate
aroma: 4 - coffee + fruit
taste: 4 - layers of bitterness with a hint of berry
feel: 4 - thick and meaty
total: 16

Draft Ale - in a can!

2010-09-09T07:07:00.000-07:00

Canned beers often get a bad rap, but there have been some great strides lately that makes it a good choice for some beers. For example, the 'widget', patented by Guinness, allows a creamy tap-like head for canned beers. Thats what Boddington's has done for their pub-draft ale here.
You get a satisfying "pssssht" when you open the can, and tons of foam when you pour it. Give that a minute to settle down and you end up with a beautiful creamy head on top of a clear golden ale. The aroma is sweet and light, with a hint of hops. The first taste tells you that the effort to can this beer is worth it. What hits you first is the absolute creaminess of the beer on your tongue. You just cant get that with a bottled beer without using the widget to gassify the beer. The flavor is sublty malty with a bit of sour, matching nicely with the smooth mouthfeel. The hoppy aftertaste is balanced and not overpowering.
As the beer warms up, the hoppiness starts to take over and the creaminess dies, so I recommend drinking it quickly.

Scoring:
Look: 5 - perfect head and golden color
Aroma: 3 - subtle but sweet
Taste: 3 - good balance of malt and hops
Feel: 5 - creamy!
Total: 16

Bowling for beers

2010-09-06T19:59:00.000-07:00

This label caught my attention, its not often you see both skulls and bowling pins together. Its the Pin Stripe Red Ale, from the Ska Brewery in Boulder Colorado.
It starts off promising, with a slightly cloudy red/amber color, and a good amount of foam. The aroma is a bit weak, but you get some sweet malt, and some spiciness of the hops. The first taste is a bit of a let down. It comes across unbalanced, with the maltiness going weak and the hops overpowering. While the body is good, theres an odd sour flavor that reminds me of wood....
Overall not one I would drink again.
Scoring:
Look: 2 - good head, lost points for cloudiness
Aroma: 2 - weak
Flavor: 1 - cant get over the off flavors and unbalanced hops
Feel: 3 - decent
Total: 8

Field Trip!

2010-09-02T10:58:00.000-07:00

Nothing like a little trip to the local brewpub to liven up the end of summer. I had heard about Square One Brewery for about a year now, they are located in the Lafayette Square neighborhood of St Louis. Lovely little building, looks like it used to be a grocery store. Now its a brewery, bar, and restaurant. We stopped in for lunch.

I had the smoked salmon BLT, and a pint of the Smoked Scotch Ale. This is a traditional Scotch Ale, and for added flavor some of the malt has been dried over a smokey fire, like a barbecue.

Theres nothing like a beer on tap at the brewery that made it, you just cant beat the freshness of it. This one had a lovely amber color, and an aroma that you could smell even before the waitress set it on the table. Sweet, malty, a hint of smoke, and scents of maple syrup and fall leaves. Very light carbonation. Flavor wise, they really did their homework. This is a great Scotch Ale, with a good dose of sweet malt flavors, vanilla and molasses, and light on the hops. Because of the light hops, you might expect it to be too sweet, but the smoke counters it nicely. Theres a finish of apples, sour cherries, and even a little bacon flavor from the smoke. The body is not overly heavy, but still has a nice kick, and goes down quite smoothly. Overall, a great reason to stop by.

Scoring:
Look: 4 - lovely clear amber brown
Aroma: 5 - sweet, malty, smokey, and beat the beer to the table
Taste: 4 - well balanced combination of sweet, sour, and smoke
Feel: 4 - smooth and drinkable
Total: 17

Seaweed?

2010-08-30T09:20:00.000-07:00

Heres something you dont see every day....
Williams Brothers Brewery in Scotland is known for doing some pretty unusual beers, typically with some kind of historical reasoning. This is their Kelpie Ale, made with seaweed. The story on the bottle tells of old Scottish brewers fertilzing their barley fields with seaweed, which added some flavor to the malt. This beer was made with actual seaweed extract.

At first look, its pretty promising. A deep dark nearly opaque brown color, with a light head. The aroma is weak, but there are hints of coffee and toasty malt in there. The first sip is rather disappointing. Im overwhelmed by a thin sourness, and a body thats quite watery and not at all refreshing. A little digging finds yes... there are some deep toasted malt and bitter coffee flavors in there, but they're well hidden.
I was wondering where the seaweed was, until about 10 minutes into it. The strong aftertaste gives you flavors of sea salt and kelp... and its not good. It hangs on cloyingly for a good hour after you've finished the beer too. Definitely going on my "never again" list.

Scoring:
Looks: 3 - promising opaque brown
Aroma: 2 - weak toastiness
Taste: 1 - thin, sour, and a seaweed aftertaste that hangs on for days
Feel: 2 - watery and not refreshing
Total: 8

Summer Skinny Dip

2010-08-25T20:37:00.000-07:00

New Belgium Brewery of Colorado keeps pumping out these new beers, and I keep trying them. This is their Skinny Dip summer ale.
Its a nice deep brown color, very clear, and a good amount of head. The aroma is clean and nutty, with a good dose of cascade hops. The flavor comes on strong, with a thick sweet malty start, and plenty of hop kick, and some spicy flavors that remind me of ginger and coriander. I am a bit disappointed with a soapy aftertaste in there, but its not overly strong and fades out quickly. The body is nice and not a bit watery.
Scoring:
Look: 3 - good gold brown
Aroma: 3 - malty with lotsa hops
Taste: 2 - disappointing soapy flavors
Feel: 3 - solid
Total: 11

India Brown

2010-08-19T09:21:00.000-07:00

The Boulder Beer Company, the oldest independant brewery in Colorado, is celebrating its anniversary by re-introducing some of its original styles. This is the India Brown Ale. Normally you only hear about its lighter cousin the India Pale Ale, but the brown is a style of its own too.
Its a lovely medium brown color, just like you would expect from a brown ale, with a decent amount of head. The aroma is sweet and nutty, with a good dose of crisp Golding hops, and hints of fresh mown hay. The flavor isnt as hoppy as you might expect from an "India" ale, which are typically very high on the bitter scale. If I hadnt read the label, I would think this was just a standard brown ale. Nevertheless, its a pretty tasty beer. The flavors of toasted nuts and malt come through, and the hops have a crisp clean aftertaste, with a bit of bite. Overall a good solid beer.

Scoring:
Look: 3 - lovely brown
Aroma: 4 - great dose of hops
Taste: 3 - toasty and malty, but not enough hops for an "India"
Feel: 3 - very refreshing!
Total: 13

Saki!

2010-08-16T08:04:00.000-07:00

Hitochino is a Japanese brewery that has caught my attention before, with beer styles you just dont see in the US. This one takes the "oak aged" beer fad in a new direction, by aging the beer in sake casks. Not sure what the "XH" stands for, but I'm inclined to call it "Xtra Head"
I was initially a bit scared by this one, because when I opened it the foam went everywhere. Not sure if that was caused by some residual yeast going nuts or what. But once you get over the initial over-carbonation, you're in for a real treat.
The aroma is light and crisp, with notes of honey and banana and of course, oak. The first sip is sweet and light and inviting, and you get the distinct light burn of alcohol. Its only 7%, but it feels a bit higher. The oaky and sake flavors come on in some wonderful layers, and as is typical of many Japanese beers its dry and crisp. As the beer warms up, the sake flavors come out more, and you get the distinct taste of sweet rice, and other fruity flavors come through like plum and banana. Just wonderful.
I would be interested in trying another to see if the carbonation was just a fluke, it would score much higher without that.
Scoring:
Look: 2 - way too much carbonation, but good color
Aroma: 4 - sweet fruit and oak
Taste: 4 - multiple layers of fruit and oak
Feel: 3 - refreshing but highly carbonated
Total: 13

Hoppy Summer

2010-08-11T19:35:00.000-07:00

What summer without a little hops? Today im drinking the Hop Czar IPA from Bridgeport Brewery. IPAs are typically known for their full body and lots of hops, and this one really hits that.
When you first open it, the hop aroma takes over and smacks you right upside the head. The color is a deep brown, slightly cloudy, and a good amount of head. Hops, hops, and more hops in the aroma, bright and sharp and cheerful. The first taste is yes, hoppy, of course, with a sharp tang of citrus, lightly sour, almost a champagne feel. The body is excellent, full, and coats your tongue. You're left with a warm biting aftertaste of bitternes and spice, but also some alcohol burn. Overall an excellent IPA.
Scoring
Look: 4 - deep, dark, and foamy
Aroma: 4 - tons of hops
Taste: 4 - layers of hops and more
Feel: 3 - great body
Total: 15

The Raven

2010-08-09T11:07:00.000-07:00

This one caught my attention just because of the label. A beer called "the Poet" with a picture of a raven? sounds good! Its an oatmeal stout from the New Holland Brewery.
It pours a delicious dark inky black, just like you want in a stout. A good amount of head, and an aroma of coffee, dark bitter chocolate, and some sweet almost banana like notes.

The flavor hits you right off the bat. This is a bitter beer, with tons of hops, not to be taken lightly. Lovely smooth creamy body, and flavors of burnt coffee, and molasses. Theres a sharp sour edge to the flavor, which may seem a bit distracting at first but as you drink it really tones down and blends with the flavor. The aftertaste is very strong, lots and lots of hop bitterness. Seriously, I woke up the next morning and could still taste this beer.

Scoring:
Look: 4 - opaque black with good head
Aroma: 3 - burnt coffee
Flavor: 3 - bitter + sour
Feel: 3 - solid body
Total: 14

A classic

2010-08-05T04:11:00.000-07:00

Summer seems to be all about the lager this year, so I thought I'd go back to a brand everyone should know. This is Harp, made in Ireland by the same company that makes Guinness. Cant have a black and tan without it.

It really sets the tone for what a true lager should be. Clear golden color, a good bit of foam, and an aroma of slightly sour malt and spicy hops. The flavor is all business. Cold and refreshing, yes, but it doesnt back down like its American cousins. The flavor comes on strong and stays there, with a well done balance of citrusy sours, hop bitterness, and a touch of honey sweetness in there too. Great body, not a bit watery. The aftertaste of bitter and spicy lingers on your tongue.

Scoring

Look: 4 - classic lager gold

Aroma: 3 -

Taste: 4 - well balanced

Feel: 4 - full body

Total: 15

Still more beers of summer

2010-08-02T12:29:00.000-07:00

Its a long hot summer, what can I say?
Today it's another from that little local brewery Crown Valley, this time the "worktruck wheat". It sure looks like a standard wheat beer, light clear color and a decent amount of head. The aroma is a satisfying blend of sweet malt and floral spice reminding me of cut hay.
The flavor is light, but full bodied. You get a refreshing bit of light maltiness, and a bit of citrus, cinnamon, and raisin also. Unusual for a wheat beer, but it really works. The hoppy aftertaste is light, and doesn't interrupt the malt.
Scoring
look: 3 - light and clear
aroma: 3 - sweet an floral
taste: 3 - good mix of malt and fruit
feel: 4 - great body for a wheat
total: 13

Return of the Beers of Summer

2010-07-28T20:19:00.000-07:00

Coming back to local beers for this one, its the Schlafly Summer Lager from the St Louis Brewery. This is a nice little seasonal beer they bring back every year.
It starts off a lovely pale yellow, crystal clear, and a good head on it. The aroma is light and crisp, a good dose of citrus, and some hints of floral and nuts. The flavor comes on nice and refreshing, a good dose of malt and a relatvely strong body for a lager. I get hints of orange and nut in there too. The alcohol content seems higher than you might expect too, with some burn in the aftertaste. Overall a good summer choice.
Scoring
Look: 4 - lovely pale gold
Aroma: 3 - light and citrusy
Taste: 3 -
Feel: 3 - stong body
Total: 13

Classic

2010-07-25T20:02:00.000-07:00

Today we go to Pennsylvania, for the Ray Hill Classic Pilsener.
It starts off a deep gold color, a couple shades darker than you might expect for a pilsener. The aroma is smooth asd lightly sweet, also not as hoppy as you might expect. If I didnt read the label, I would have placed this as a standard lager.
The first sip is rather nice, you get the light sweet maltiness, some flavors of pear and sour apple, and a little bit of hoppiness for balance. There is the expected lager slippery feel, but also a wateriness thats kind of disappointing. It does pick up some deeper flavors and more body as it warms up, which is unexpected for a pilsener, which are normally drunk cold.
Scoring:
Look: 2 - darker than a pilsener should be
Aroma: 2 - light, not very hoppy
Taste 3 - nice mix of fruit and hops
Feel: 2 - a bit watery
Total: 9

Yay, England!

2010-07-22T08:34:00.000-07:00

First things first - who is that fluffly guy on the left?

Its Jacob the Sock Monster, and hes been visiting me from England. I thought he'd appreciate helping me taste a beer from the UK. See more about his travels here -
http://madebykate.co.uk/jacobs_blog.html

Today, we're trying Legbiter Ale, made by Strangford Lough Brewing Co in Northern Ireland. It certainly comes across as a nice English Ale. It starts off a nice copper brown color, with plenty of head. The aroma is heavenly. I get citrus, apples, and spicy, floral, and even grassy hop scents in there. The flavor is a bit subdued at first, with good layers of malt and hops. Theres also a sourness that drifts through, but doesnt overpower the beer, which seems fairly standard for this style. The aftertaste is a bit bitter, with the citrus and fruit from the aroma coming through too. Overall a pretty nice little beer.

Scoring:
Look: 4 - good copper brown color
Aroma 5 - very nice!
Taste: 3 - good, but not spectactular. a bit sour at times.
Feel: 3 - refreshing but not watery
Total: 15

Chocolate!

2010-07-19T05:51:00.000-07:00

If you've followed the blog a while, you know I like the dark beers, and dark beers with chocolate will always find their way into my shopping cart. This one from Arcadia Brewery in Battle Creek, MI, looked interesting, its the Cocoa Loco Stout. According to the label, its a stout made with chocolate, molasses, and lactose (milk sugar), which certainly got my attention.
It pours a lovely opaque brown color, with tons of chocolate colored foam. Maybe a bit too carbonated. The aroma is a deep dark stout, lots of fuggle hops for sure, and a hint of chocolate on top. Because of all the carbonation, my first taste was just foam. You get lots of the bitter toasted flavors in there, and lots of hop bite, like a dark extra stout. But dont let that fool you. Once you get to the beer itself, its amazingly smooth, sweet, and creamy. Many layers of malty flavors, molasses, brown sugar, and of course chocolate. The addition of lactose into a chocolate beer is brilliant. It really brings out the the chocolate flavors, and makes the whole thing go down like a milk shake. With 7% alcohol, of course. Theres a good kick of hops at the end too, to cut the sugars and let you know you're drinking a real beer.
This easily jumped into my top 10 beers. I cant wait to see what it tastes like with a scoop of vanilla ice cream.
Scoring
Look: 4 - opaque brown, but too much carbonation
Aroma: 4 - toasty, malty, hoppy, chocolate
Taste: 5 - layers of malty chocolatey goodness
Feel: 5 - SMOOOOOOOOOTH
Total: 18

Guest Review - Canada!

2010-07-15T06:00:00.000-07:00

We have a special treat today, a new guest review! Karen from Toronto has found this wonderful beer that I cant get in St Louis. Find out more about her here : http://www.etsy.com/shop/KarenElizDesigns

=============================================

I was first introduced to Innis & Gunn a few years ago, by the owner of the café I was then waitressing at. Almost from the first taste, it became one of my favourite brews: the sweet, oaky tang of it hits you right away, and as a whiskey drinker it's a flavour that I can definitely appreciate.

The colour of this beer is a pleasant honey gold, with a light, frothy head when poured. The clarity is very high, and it lends itself well to the clear bottles it comes in – it's a pretty beer, if such a thing can be said. The aroma right off the bat is malty, with a sweet undertone. A second sniff will yield a bit of a citrusy tang, but it's somewhat hidden under the other scents.

Temperature is definitely a factor in the taste of this beer. I prefer to serve it cool, not cold. Too cold will dull the more subtle flavours of vanilla and citrus, leaving you only with the malty and oaky notes. As it warms up, the orangey flavours become more noticable; take your time sipping this one, and you'll be able to taste the change.

Drinking from the bottle or from a glass can also be a taste-factor, here. From the bottle, the beer will hit closer to the back of your tongue and give you more of an oaky whiskey hit. From a glass, you'll get more of the sweet aromas and more of the taste at the front of your mouth, resulting in a more vanilla/citrus flavour with undertones of oakyness. Which way you prefer it is a personal choice, I think – my dad likes this one straight from the bottle, while I prefer to pour it into a glass before enjoying. Either way, the prevailing aftertaste is a dry oaky flavour, which I find very pleasant.

At 6.6% abv., this beer is strong without being too strong. I could happily sip my way through several of these every day if price weren't a factor. Unfortunately, at $2.95CDN a bottle, it's a bit rich for every day – I save this one for special occasions and days when I need a little pick-me-up. It always manages to impress when I pull out a few bottles for friends and say “now, this is my favourite beer”.

With food, Innis & Gunn is best paired with slightly fattier grilled meats (I love it with pork), although the company's website also suggests seafood and curry(!) as good pairings. Dark green vegetables, such as kale and spinach, also mingle well with the flavours here. The sweeter flavours also make this a decent dessert beer, although I suggest serving it slightly closer to room temperature if you're pairing it with sweet treats, to up the punch of the vanilla and citrus tones.

Looks: 5 – it's pretty
Aroma: 4 – a little too sweet
Taste: 5+ - oaky, malty, citrusy, and vanilla. Deliciously rich, and very drinkable.
Feel: 5: light without being watery. Hangs out on your tongue like wine.
Total: 19

Poland

2010-07-13T07:10:00.000-07:00

Ive tried a few beers from Poland in the past, but never reviewed one for the blog. This is Stawski, a solid lager, and from what ive read its quite popular there.

It certainly pours like a good lager, with a pale gold color and lots of carbonation. The aroma is heady and strong, with noble hops that give it a good spiciness.
The first taste is disappointing. It comes across as watery and weak, not at all what I was expecting from the aroma. After a couple sips, it starts to mellow out and the hops take over, but the watery feel is still hard to shake. The alcohol content is 5.2%, a bit higher than American lagers, but not enough to knock you on your ass.
Overall, Id pass on it.

Scoring:
Look: 3 - good gold color and head
Armoa: 3 - promising hop spice
Taste: 2 - weak
Feel: 2 - watery
Total: 10

Hop Kick

2010-07-08T09:26:00.000-07:00

I found a new local brewery a couple weeks ago, the Weston Brewery in Weston, Missouri. Hadnt tried their beers before, but the labels really caught my attention. This is the Drop Kick Ale, which according to their description is done in an ESB style.
It pours a nice amber color, with light carbonation, and a good dose of hops in the aroma. The flavor is kind of hop heavy, with some fruitiness in there too of apples and pears. Theres a residual sourness you expect from an ESB, a good counterpoint to the malt and not overpowering. As the beer warms up, the maltiness gets stronger and more complex. Overall, pretty darn tasty!
Scoring
Look: 3 - good deep color
Aroma: 3 - hoppy!
Taste: 4 - fine example of ESB
Feel: 3 - refreshing
Total: 13

And in case you were wondering, the little visitor on the left is Mr Bacon, the Team Bacon mascot. He's traveling the world and getting into all kinds of trouble. You can see where he goes here:
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Mr-Bacon/141373902540462

Minnesota Beer 3

2010-07-05T06:00:00.000-07:00

The final of the lovely beers from Minnesota, today is the Lakemaid Beer, from Schell Brewing Co. The label alone makes it worth buying, this one showing "Miss Muskie".
Its a light clear pilsener, with a good amount of carbonation, and the sweet crisp aroma you expect from a good pils. The flavor is on the malty sweet side, with plenty of body, not the watered down flavor that most American pilseners have come to. Good amount of hops, with just enough bitterness in the aftertaste to balance the malt and go down smooth. A good thirst quencher for summer.
Scoring
Looks: 3 - good clear gold
Aroma: 3 - sweet
Taste: 3 - well balanced
Feel: 4 - nice body for a pilsener
Total: 13

More Minnesota Beer

2010-07-02T12:26:00.000-07:00

Next up from Minnesota is Olde Johnnie, from Gluek Brewing Company. According to my sources, it is only available in cans, so I'll have to drink it that way.

It looks like a pretty nice brown ale, good deep amber color and lots of carbonation. The aroma is lightly sweet with some mellow hops to it. The first taste is kind of disappointing, you get the metallic bite that comes from being in a can, and a heavy dose of hops. I guess that cant be helped in a canned beer. After a bit, the can flavor dies off and the beer really starts to come out, so hang in there and drink it all. The hop bitterness can be a bit overpowering in the aftertaste.

Scoring

Looks: 3 - nice amber color

Aroma: 3 - malty and sweet

Taste: 2 - cant get over the metal and bitterness

Feel: 3 - refreshing

Total: 11

Minnesota Beer

2010-06-30T19:13:00.000-07:00

A good friend in Minnesota sent me a couple local specialties I cant get in St Louis, and its my great pleasure to review them here. First up is the Brau Brothers Sheeps Head Ale, made in Lucan, MN.

Its kind of dark for an ale, and slightly cloudy, but the aroma means business. Lots of spicy hops in there, I can smell plenty of Kent Golding and maybe some fuggles. The first taste is full of flavor, not a bit watery, the malt is understated but the hops kick right in and tell you who's boss. This could easily move into the IPA catagory if it wanted. Very tasty, goes down well, and leaves a fine spicy aftertaste.

Scoring

Look: 3 - deep brown, a bit cloudy

Aroma: 4 - plenty of hop spice

Taste: 4 - lots of flavor

Feel: 3 - refreshing and nice body

Total: 14

Biere De Mars

2010-06-28T10:03:00.000-07:00

here's something you don't see every day. Biere de Mars is a French style of beer that literally means "beer of spring".
This one from New Belgium Brewery starts off quite well, with a fine deep amber color and a bit of cloudiness. The aroma is sweet and fruity, with lots of citrus and some hop bite. It tastes and feels quite refreshing, although not watery. The malt is a bit understated and the citrus very strong, with flavors of lemon and even gragefruit coming out. The hops come on strong and floral in the aftertaste, but don't overpower the beer. Overall a decent example of the style.
Scoring
Look: 3 - amber and slightly cloudy
Aroma: 4 - promising fruit and hops
taste: 2 - too much grapefruit
feel: 3 - refreshing but not watery
total: 12

Imperial Stout

2010-06-23T18:14:00.000-07:00

Just back from vacation, I'm treating myself to something new and dark and heavy. This is Night Stalker Imperial Stout, from Goose Island Brewery in Chicago. They've had some winners in the past, and this is no exception.
It pours a deep dark black, even the foam is a deep brown color. The aroma is deeply malty, with lots of hops. First taste packs a heck of a punch, this is no beer to be taken lightly. It's surprisingly sweet for an imperial stout, lots of malty flavors, and hints of molasses, dates, and raisins. The hops kick in strong on the aftertaste, but not overpowering, and the alcohol gives a bit of a burn in your throat. At 11.7%, it's strong enough to taste and leave you quite happy.
Scoring
Look: 4 - opaque black
aroma: 4 - heavy malt and hops
taste: 4 - bitter sweet and fruity
feel: 4 - chewy!
Total: 16

Vacation Beer

2010-06-20T04:59:00.000-07:00

Ive been on vacation for the last week, but I didnt neglect the beer sampling while I was out. We went to the grand opening of the Wizarding World of Harry Potter at Universal Studios in Orlando, and while the weather was unbearably hot, the beer was cold. We were able to get into a special "sneak preview" of the park the day before it opened, which was ideal as the wait lines the next day were supposed to be up to 8 hours. And thats just to get into the park.

The park itself is just amazing. If you like Harry Potter, you will not be disappointed.

But yes, you can get beer in Hogsmeade! (and not just butterbeer, which is what the kids are drinking)

So to celebrate, I tried a Hogs Head Ale at the Three Broomsticks restaurant. I apologize for the bad picture, but it was pretty dark inside there and crowded. Im guessing this is actually a re-labelled contract beer or local beer as you cant buy it anywhere else, but I cant figure out what, and its certainly not Bud/Miller.

It looks like a brown ale, with some nice color to it and light carbonation. The aroma is malty with a good dose of spicy hops. The flavor is smooth and nutty, and very refreshing on a hot day like when we visited. The sweetness of the malt is the primary flavor, the hops kick in on the aftertaste, a bit too much at times. Overall not bad for a theme park beer, especially when you normally expect just the major labels. If I had to compare it to a major label, Id guess Newcastle.

Scoring:

Look: 3 - nice amber color

Aroma: 3 - good maltiness

Taste: 2 - hops a bit overpowering

Feel: 3 - refreshing

Atmosphere: 5+ you cant beat a beer in a theme park like this

Total: 11 (16 if you include the atmosphere score)

More beers of summer

2010-06-09T20:13:00.000-07:00

Continueing on with this fine theme, today we have the Orand Blossom Cream Ale, from Buffalo Bill's Brewery in California. But look carefully, its not actually made in California, its contract brewed through the fine Pyramid Brewery in Oregon.

It starts with a nice pale orange color, a decent amount of foam, and a bit of cloudiness. The aroma has lots of citrus, which you would expect with a beer called "orange blossom". First taste is creamy and kind of heavily bodied for this style, with lots of malt and orange flavor. The citrus hangs on kind of long, with the flavor of pithy orange peel, and is a bit much. The body is certainly creamy and foamy, living up to the name well. Overall a good summer beer.

Scorinig:

Look: 3 - cloudy orange

Aroma: 4 - orange!

Taste: 2 - the pithy orange peel flavor loses points

Feel: 4 - creamy!

Total: 13

A great summer ahead

2010-06-07T13:22:00.000-07:00

Heres a beer ive been waiting to try for a long time, Duvel Belgian Golden Ale. It’s a classic, you’ll hear about it from beer geeks everywhere. And brewed by monks, so you know its done right.

It starts a lovely pale gold, with tons of foam, so much that I had to hurry up and sip some off the top before it overflowed. The aroma is stongly hoppy and spicy, with some nice citrus notes in there too. The flavor is great for summer, light, crisp, and fairly sweet. The hops take over the aftertaste with some lemon peel and coriander flavors at the end too. It also has a great creamy feeling in your mouth, usually associated with a lager.
Overall a great summer beer, serve with barbecue or grilled foods.

Scoring:
Look: 4 – pale gold with lots of foam
Aroma: 4 – spicy and sweet
Taste: 3 – complex and malty, a bit too hoppy at times
Feel: 4 – creamy
Total: 15

Starting the summer right

2010-06-02T11:15:00.000-07:00

Heres one I stumbled on by sheer accident. Im always up for a Belgian Abbey Ale, and the label looked good, so why not? Its from the Cathedral Square Brewery, in St Louis. I hadnt heard of them before, and I live here, so I figured they must be new. And for a new brewery, this is a great start.
This is an Abbey ale, and according to the label, its made with yeast imported from Belgium. Cant go wrong there! It starts off a medium deep brown, with lots of carbonation, and a bit of cloudiness from the yeast. Aroma is light, malty, with hints of apple and peach. The first taste is just lovely. Nice and sweet, moderately thick body, and overtones of fruit and the sourness of the yeast. The hops come in on the aftertaste, a bit heavy, but a good counterpart. Overall a very good way to start your summer.
Scoring:
Look: 4 - opaque brown with lots of head
Aroma: 3 - fruity
Taste: 4 - complex and malty
Feel: 4 - thick and refreshing
Total: 15

Kicking off the Long Weekend

2010-05-29T05:45:00.000-07:00

O'Fallon Brewery's Hemp Hop Rye Amber Ale is up next, and this brewery has had some hits in the past. Its a rye beer made with hemp seeds. Interesting idea, and I dont think ive seen a hemp beer before. No, you cant get high from it.
It starts off a deep oaky brown, but fairly cloudy, and moderate carbonation. The aroma was very subtle, nearly undetectable, but there was some sweet malt and a bit of hops to it. The taste....a letdown. Im not sure what happened to this beer, but the sweetness is odd and kind of overpowering, and the hops dont keep up. The body is a bit on the watery side, not really refreshing. It was a struggle not to just pour the second half down the sink.
Scoring:
Look: 3 - deep brown but cloudy
Aroma: 1 - nearly non-existent
Taste: 1 - cloying sweetness
Feel: 2 - too watery
Total: 7

Bring on the Beers of Summer

2010-05-26T20:52:00.000-07:00

OK, so the unofficial start of summer is Memorial Day, and im a bit early. Sue me.
Today, its Avery Brewery's White Rascal Belgian White. a type of beer often associated with Summer. It pours very well, with a slight cloudiness from the wheat and lots of foam. The aroma is light and refreshing, plenty of citrus and a bit of spice. The taste is actually darn good. The light sweetness you expect in a white, with lovely citrus overtones, and just a slight bit of hop aftertaste. It also has an unexpected creaminess, which I really liked. Altogether, a great beer for relaxing on the patio.
Scoring
Look: 3 - slightly cloudy, lots of head
Aroma: 4 - nice citrus
Taste: 4 - light, sweet, and lemony
Feel: 4 - refreshing and creamy
Total: 15

Woody

2010-05-24T20:07:00.000-07:00

This one has been hanging around my fridge waiting for a special occasion, so i finally opened i.t The 15th anniversary Wood Aged Double IPA from Great Divide Brewing Company, of Colorado.
It pours a lovely deep oaky brown color, with lots of foam. The aroma is highly hoppy, as you'd expect from a double IPA, with some nice hints of oak also. The flavor is wonderfully complex. It starts off lightly sweet, then the hops take over in several layers, and finally the smooth aftertaste of oak flows across your tongue. Very well done. As the beer warms up, the bitterness gets more apparent, but still not very high. I would hesitate to call this a 'double' IPA, as the hops arent that overpowering.
Scoring:
Look: 4 - lovely deep brown
Aroma: 5 - lotsa hops
Taste: 4 - layers of hops and oak
Feel: 4 - nicely chewy
Total: 17

Guest Review! Gluten Free

2010-05-19T18:52:00.000-07:00

Long time Blog reader Ken from Florida has supplied today's review, of Gluten-free beer!

=============

I recently discovered that I’m gluten intolerant, I know not to bad, there are much worse things to be, right? But now I can’t drink beer anymore, it no longer plays well in my stomach, and that my friends, is a damn shame. I love beer, it taste so good when it hits your lips ya’ know. I mentioned this to the Beer Miester Alegro who suggested that I try a gluten free beer, the day was saved, I set out that very day to find one, and I did. When I told Alegro that I’d got some he asked If I wanted to review it, so here it is.

Redbridge is Anheuser-Busch’s gluten free beer. I had a 6 pack of it, I drank them over the course of the weekend and really tried to savor them. I wish I could say that it was a better experience. I was really very excited too when I opened the first one, the smell was great, rich, strong a bit hoppy, I was happy. When I poured it I was pleasantly surprised by the color, it was amber and orange blossom gold, very nice to look at. At this point I can’t wait to try it, I hold it up to my lips and drink, deep. Wait, theres something wrong, something’s missing. What is it…I have another long pull and let it sit in my mouth…hmmm, what is it, what’s missing…oh yeah, FLAVOR! This beer has a muted taste and none of that sweet crisp beer bite, it was a dud. I hoped that it was just me needing to maybe get used to the new taste, but after 6 I knew, this was not a good beer.

However this is only the beginning, I will start my search anew, and look high and low till I find a decent gluten free beer. I know your out there, and I ‘m coming for you!

Appearance. 4
Aroma. 3
Taste. 1
Feel. 2, that was a point I didn’t bring up before, the beer felt flat.
Total. 10

Dunkel

2010-05-16T15:36:00.000-07:00

Warsteiner is a pretty well known German import in the US, but you dont see the dark version very often here. And Germans take their dark beers pretty seriously, so I thought it would be worth a try. This isnt a porter or stout, but a lager made with dark malt, so you have to adjust your taste buds to what you might expect.
It certainly pours dark, a nice deep coffee color, with light carbonation. The aroma is nicely malty and sweet, but not overly so. Some hop aromas there, but not much. The first taste is actually pretty light and refeshing for a dark beer. The maltiness is high, not a lot of hops to cut it, but there are sour flavors that creep in after the first few sips which really put me off. They tend to take over the aftertase, and the hoppiness gets lost. Overall, not bad, but not one Id drink again.
Scoring:
Look: 4 - nice dark coffee color
Aroma: 3 - malty
Taste: 2 - sourness takes over
Feel: 3
Total: 12

Late Winter

2010-05-13T20:54:00.000-07:00

Heres a little gem. I was cleaning out my beer fridge (yes, i have an entire fridge just for beer), and found this hanging around in back. Its the Augusta Farmouse Winter Ale, a Begian style spiced Dubbel released last November. I had forgotten I had bought it, but seeing as we were going through some pretty cold weather for May, I thought Id open it.
What a great find! The aroma is sweet and spicy, with some cinnamon and citrus and nutmeg. The first taste is light and sweet, highly carbonated, and the alcohol comes through rather strong. Then the beer mellows out, the deep malty flavors of molasses and caramel come out, and the spiciness fits right in. The aftertaste is of more spices and lightly dry hops, nothing overpowering.
Scoring
Look: 3 - deep brown, lots of carbonation
Aroma: 5 - great combo of malt and spices
Taste: 3 - good layering of flavors, lost points for alcohol overpowering
Feel: 4 - good and thick
Total: 15

Homebrew

2010-05-11T04:12:00.000-07:00

My brother brews beer. A lot of beer. Usually 20 batches a year. This year, he decided to enter one of his creations in the annual Sam Adams Homebrewer contest, and this is what he came up with. Its a Black Cherry Porter, which according to him used a ton of fresh black cherries.
It pours a deep dark ruby/purple color, from a combination of the dark malts and tons of cherries. Good carbonation, not overdone, and some cloudiness from the live yeast. The aroma certainly says cherries, with hints of citurs, caramel, and toasty malts. The taste is nicely malty, with layers of caramel and molasses; the cherry flavor is certainly there, but doesnt overpower the beer taste. Certainly what you would expect in a porter, lighter and sweeter than a full stout. Hops are understated, and crisp. My only complaint is the slightly off flavors of yeast in the aftertaste, but you excpect that in a bottle conditioned homebrew.
Scoring
Look: 4 - deep, dark, and red
Aroma: 4 - lots of malt and cherry
Taste: 3 - layers of malt and fruit
Feel: 3 - could use more body
Total: 14

Scotland in Idaho

2010-05-04T04:15:00.000-07:00

This week I found something really special, a Scottish Ale from the Gran Teton Brewing Co in Victor, Idaho. Not a state that normally comes to mind when you think of beer, but you'll be glad you tried this one.
It starts off looking like a classic Scotch Ale, very dark, decent carbonation, and tons of sweet malt aroma. This one also has a nice smoky scent to it. The flavor does not disappoint. Scottish Ales are known for being low in hops and high in maltiness, and this one nails it. Many layers of malt flavors, brown sugar, and caramel, and the smokiness continues, coming from malt that was dried over a smoky peat fire. The aftertaste gets just enough bitterness to cut the sweet, and lots of toaty malty goodness.
At 7.5% alcohol, its not incredibly high, but it had me buzzing pretty well.
Scoring:
Look: 4 - deep and dark
Aroma: 4 - malt and smoke
Taste: 5 - many layers of sweet and malt
Feel: 4 - thick and creamy
Total: 17

Point 3

2010-04-28T19:20:00.000-07:00

After the last two beers from Point Brewery, I was prepared to be disappointed by the third beer, their Belgian White. I was glad to be wrong on this one!
It pours the expected pale gold color, with a good amount of carbonation. The aroma is just what you'd expect from a white beer, with lots of orange peel and spices, and some sweet maltiness sneaking in. The taste is surprizingly good considering the let downs of the earlier Point beers. The citrus and spice flavors are pretty strong, and the sweet malt is good. You get the slippery almost soap-like mouthfeel typical of this style, very refreshing. This would be great with a slice of lemon.
Scoring:
Look: 3 - pale gold
Aroma: 3 - citrus and spice
Taste: 3 - sweet and citrusy
Feel: 3 - refreshing but not watery
Total: 12

Point 2

2010-04-25T19:43:00.000-07:00

Next beer in our little "Point Fest" is their Burly Brown Ale.
It starts off more promising than the first one, with a deep brown color and lighter carbonation. The aroma has some malty sweet notes you'd expect, and a it of sharp hops. The first taste, however, was a bit of a let down. Theres a sourness that takes over, and the hops start off a bit overpowering. The sweetness from the aroma is almost nonexistent. It does mellow out a bit after drinking more, but this beer is going on my "dont try again" list.
Scoring
Look: 3 - deep brown
Aroma: 3 - malty sweet
Taste: 1 - sour
Feel: 2 - watery
Total: 9

Point 1

2010-04-20T19:29:00.000-07:00

Point beer has been around a while. I can remember my dad drinking it from cans 30 years ago. But this little brewery from Stephens Point, Wisconsin, is reinventing itself with some new flavors I thought Id try.
First up is the Cascade Pale Ale. It starts off a little darker than your typical pale ale, with lots of carbonation, and a heavy hop aroma with lots of floral Cascade hop smell. The flavor starts off very hoppy, nearly to IPA levels, but backs off a bit in the aftertaste where the sweetness of the malt comes through.
Altogether not bad for a pale ale, but could be better.
Scoring
Look: 2 - dark and highly carbonated
Aroma: 3 - lots of floral hops
Taste: 3 - nice combination of hoppy and malty
Feel: 2 - a bit watery, too much carbonation
Total: 10

Czech

2010-04-15T20:16:00.000-07:00

The Czech Republic is known as the birthplace of the Pilsner style, and the best are still made there. This is one I hadnt seen before, Staropramer from Prague. A true Czech Pilsner is the direct ancestor of the mass produced American beers like Bud and Miller, but a whole lot better.

This one starts off well, with the pale golden coler and lots of carbonation. The aroma is lightly sweet with a hint of floral and earthy hops. The flavor is very light and refreshing, without being watery. The malty sweetness continues, and you get the slippery/smooth mouthfeel that light lagers seem to have. The hoppy aftertaste is there, but not very strong. Overall a good representation of the style.
Scoring
Look: 4 - classic pale gold
Aroma: 3 -
Taste: 4 - lightly sweet
Feel: 3 - refreshing without being watery
Total: 14

There Wolf

2010-04-13T20:15:00.000-07:00

The label on this one spoke to me, something about Werewolf beer just seemed interesting. Its from Lithuania, and hits 8.2% alcohol.

It starts off promising, with a slightly fruity, clean aroma; a decent amount of carbonation; and a non-filtered cloudiness. The first taste is decent. That fruitiness in the aroma translates to a smooth sweetness in the flavor. But then things take a turn for the worse. Some sour flavors creep in that arent particularly appealing, and the mouthfeel is decidedly watery. The alcohol is certainly strong enough to taste, which isnt particularly bad, but overpowers some of the flavors. Could be a lot better.

Scoring:

Look: 3 - good color and cloudiness

Aroma: 3 - fruity and sweet

Taste: 2 - off flavors, overpowering alcohol.

Feel: 2 - watery

Total: 10

Frosty

2010-04-08T08:22:00.000-07:00

The Spoetzl Brewery, in Shiner Texas, is best known for its Shiner Bock beer. But they do make some other fine brews, and this one caught my eye. Its the Shiner Frost, a light ale

At first look, it fits the pale ale style, with a light golden color and moderate carbonation. The aroma is also light, slightly sweet, and a hint of floral hops. First taste is surprizingly sweet and refreshing, without being watery. The hops are almost an afterthought, but certainly there and giving the beer a nice crispness. The hops do sneak in and take over the aftertaste, which isnt a bad thing.
Id be happy to drink this in the summer, rather than as a winter/spring beer as they seem to be marketing it.
Scoring
Look: 3 - lovely gold
Aroma: 3 - clean
Taste: 3 - sweet
Feel: 3 - refreshing without being watery.
Total: 12

Hoppy Easter

2010-04-04T19:14:00.000-07:00

Ive tried the Capuccino Stout from Lagunitas Brewery of California, so when I saw this new one from them I thought it would be worth it. This is the Hop Stoopid Ale, a highly hopped and quite strong pale ale.
It pours a lovely golden brown color, with light carbonation, and amazing hop aromas. The hops are heavy, yes, but green and floral, very appropriate for spring. The first taste, and the hops hit you right away. At 102 IBU, its relatively high for a pale ale, but not anywhere near the heavier IPAs. There is a sweet maltiness underneath all the hops, and they linger on through the aftertaste nicely.
Scoring:
Look: 4 - lovely golden color
Aroma: 4 - clean and springlike
Taste: 4 - hoppy!
Feel: 3 - good carbonation
Total: 15

Bacon Beer!

2010-04-01T07:39:00.000-07:00

What goes better with beer than salty smoked cured meat? Some genius at the O'Fallon Brewery thought up the brilliant idea of combining the two, making (as far as I know) the worlds first Bacon flavored Beer.

It starts off promising, very dark, a moderate amount of foam, and the wonderful smell of dark bitter beer and smokey bacon. The flavor is really surprizing. Deep malty, coffee, and fuggle hops flavors, plus lots of salty sweet bacon over the top. The aftertaste is a lovely blend of hop bitterness and meaty goodness. Now all we need is some fried eggs and toast.

Scoring

Look: 4 - dark and wonderful

Aroma: 5 - what could be better than Bacon?

Taste: 5 - more Bacon!

Feel: 4 - lots of body, lost points for not being crunchy enough

Total: 18

And if you REALLY like bacon, check out the givaway at the Team Bacon! blog. Just post a comment there for a chance to win a piece of original art

Spring Freshness

2010-03-29T19:49:00.000-07:00

New Belgium Brewery has a new one this season, its a pale ale called Mighty Arrow. Its actually named after the brewery's dog, Arrow.
It starts off like a nice pale ale, with a deep golden color, decent carbonation, and a very fresh and clean aroma with lots of floral hops. The hops really carry over into the beer, giving it a nice depth of flavor. Not necessarily bitter, but clean and springlike. The aftertase of green is quite refreshing, reminding me of . For a beer with lots of hops, its not overly bitter or painful to drink.
Scoring
Look: 3 - nice deep gold color
Aroma: 4 - strong, clean, and fresh
Taste: 3 - complex combination of hops
Feel: 3 - decent and not watery
Total: 13

Bock again

2010-03-26T13:08:00.000-07:00

Bock is a classic spring beer flavor. Legend has it that the Catholic monks would brew bock beer for drinking during Lent, as they had to fast and needed a way to get calories.
This one starts off with the deep amber brown color of a bock, but an awful lot of carbonation. The aroma has the nutty malty notes you'd expect, and a bit of sweetness. The flavor is nice, although the carbonation does get in the way, its more of a soda pop feel than a beer. Good malt and nut flavors, some hints of brown sugar and molasses, and some nice punch from the hops in the aftertaste. Altogether not bad, but not a favorite.
Scoring
Look - 2, good color, way too much foam
Aroma - 3, malty and nutty
Flavor - 3, not bad
Feel - 2, highy carbonated
Total: 10

Spring Fling

2010-03-23T19:15:00.000-07:00

Spring is here, and with it come a slew of seasonal beers. First up, from the Pyramid Brewery in Oregon, is the Fling Pale Ale. Ive tried several of their beers in the past, and they usually do a darn good job.
This one starts off looking very nice, with a pale golden brown color, and a decent amount of carbonation. The aroma is light and slightly fruity, reminding me a bit of their Apricot Ale. First taste is light and slightly sweet, then the hops hit you. I really like the balance here, the hops are clean and fresh, without being overpowering. The aftertaste is nicely hoppy, with a bit of alcohol burn to it. Overall, a great way to welcome the season.
Scoring
Look: 4 - great golden brown color
Aroma: 3 - clean and fruity
Taste: 4 - complex with clean hoppy aftertaste
Feel: 3 - not a bit watery
Total: 14

Hey, Porter

2010-03-17T20:30:00.000-07:00

Sierra Nevada, the California bewery, has been known for years for their fine beers. Sadly, I have never tried the Porter before, so here goes!
It pours a lovely deep dark black/brown, with coffee colored foam, and lots of carbonation. The aroma is malty and sweet. First taste, excellent for a porter, with the deep sweet maltiness you'd expect, a bit of a smoky flavor, and some honey and maple syrup too. The hops hit you pretty strongly, but not overwhelming, and linger on through for a decent aftertaste. No complaints here, this is a fine drinking porter.
Scoring:
Look: 4 - nice and dark
Aroma: 3 - malty
Taste: 4 - complex and sweet
Feel: 3 - decent
Total: 14

St Patties Day!

2010-03-15T14:21:00.000-07:00

While Guinness may be the most well known Irish Stout, I thought Id celebrate with something a little different this year. This is O'hara's Irish Stout, and yes, its made in Ireland.
It starts off just like you'd expect - deep dark color, an aroma of coffee and sweet malt. I would have liked more head, but its not bad. The first sip is everything you want in an Irish stout. A nice combination of bitter, malty sweetness, some coffee and caramel undertones, and the unmistakeable fuggle hops aftertaste. It does have some sourness that lingers, but gets smoother as the beer warms up. Altogether a very nice little stout.
Scoring:
Look: 4 - nice darkness, needs more head
Aroma: 3 - coffee and malt
Taste: 3 - complex stout flavors, a bit of sourness
Feel: 4 - thick and tasty
Total: 14

Bitchy

2010-03-10T20:23:00.000-08:00

When I saw the name of this beer, I just had to try it. Moorhouse's Blond Bitch, from Lancashire, England. It claims to be a blonde ale with lots of citrus flavor, and it really lives up to that.
It starts off somewhat cloudy, and lost points for some odd floaties. Aroma is light, lemony, and some nice floral hops. The citrus flavors really hit you on the first taste, they werent kidding with that. Its a refreshing, almost grapefruity flavor. The hops are light, but sneak in there on the aftertaste. Overall not bad, I could see relaxing on the porch with one on a hot day.
Scoring:
Look: 2 - cloudy with some floaties
Aroma: 3 - malt and citrus
Taste: 3 -
Feel: 2 - kinda watery
Total: 10

Montana

2010-03-08T06:53:00.000-08:00

Ive had beer from the Big Sky Brewery in Montana before, and was pretty impressed with their quality. So when I saw this new one at the beer store, I thought Id give it a try. Its the ScapeGoat Amber Ale.
It starts off with a lovely golden amber color, just what you'd expect, and an aroma of lightly spicy golding or cascade hops. The first sip - wow, its HOPPY, more than you'd expect from an amber, but not too much to make it an IPA. Once your mouth gets used to the hoppiness, the maltiness comes through, with some nice hints of honey and citrus. My only complaint is its a bit watery in the finish.
Scores:
Look: 4 - great amber color
Aroma: 3 - lightly hoppy
Taste: 3 - lots of hops, some nice layered flavors
Feel: 2 - just a bit watery
Total: 12

Black is the new Black

2010-03-03T19:31:00.000-08:00

And it doesnt get much blacker than this. Its Harviestoun Old Engine Oil Black Ale, from Scotland. According to the lable, the original brewmaster used to work for Ford motor company making engine prototypes out of wood, and this beer recipe reminded him of engine oil, hence the name. True or not, beer is always more fun to drink with a story behind it.
It starts off pouring very black, opaque, even the foam is dark brown, and light carbonation. Aroma is very malty, with a good bit of fuggle hops. First taste... whoa! its a LOT more hoppy than the aroma lets on. Tons of fuggles. But give it a few minutes, and let your taste buds get used to it. The sweetness of the malt starts to come through in the aftertaste, with hints of chocolate and coffee. For a beer that starts off so hoppy, it ends really smooth.
Scoring:
Looks: 4 - none more black. only lost points for the low carbonation.
Aroma: 4 - lots of malt and hops
Taste: 4 - complex, lots of flavor
Feel: 4 - chewable
Total: 16

Amber

2010-02-28T20:26:00.000-08:00

This week, Im looking west to Oregon, and MacTarnahan's Amber Ale. I havent tried this brewery before, but I did get some recommendations for it, so I thought it worth a look.
It starts off fairly nice for an amber, with the deep rich color and mild carbonation. First taste is decent, about what you'd expect from an amber ale. Nice maltiness, and some mildly floral hops in the aftertaste. Overall, nothing spectacular, but solid and drinkable.
Scoring:
Look: 3
Aroma: 3
Taste: 3
Feel: 3
Total: 12

Nicaragua

2010-02-25T19:23:00.000-08:00

Heres something you dont see every day. Central America, espcially Nicaragua, is not a place you normally associate with beer. But I managed to find one, so Im giving it a try. This one is called Tona. Im not sure what that means.
It starts off nicely enough, with lots of foam, and the light sweet and earthy aroma you expect from a lager. The flavor, while promising at first, was kind of one dimensional. A little bit of sweetness, which isnt bad, but then some off flavors sneak in and lead to a hoppy aftertaste. Certainly better than a Bud, but not something I would go out of my way for.
Scoring:
Look: 3 - golden color, lots of foam
Aroma: 2 - not bad, but not good either
Taste: 2 - some off flavors I didnt like
Feel: 2 - watery

Total: 9

Chocolate!

2010-02-22T08:51:00.000-08:00

Chocolate beer... yes, its out there, and its tasty. The most common one is Young's Double Chocolate Stout, but this week Im trying the Double Chocolate Stout from Fort Collins Brewery in Colorado. And I have to admit, I think this one is better.
It pours incredibly dark, inky black, with light carbonation. The chocolate aroma is unmistakable, my wife thought I had opened a Hershey bar. The flavor is deep and malty and complex. Smooth and very drinkable, with lots of toasted coffee, malty, and a lingering bitterness from the fuggles hops. The chocolate flavor sneaks in on the aftertaste and leaves you wanting more. And at 8.5% alcohol, watch out how much more you drink.
Look: 5 - so black it wont let light through
Aroma: 4 - toasted malt and chocolate
Taste: 4 - many layers of flavor
Feel: 4 - smooth and drinkable, but lots of body

Total: 17

French Beer in the US

2010-02-17T19:37:00.000-08:00

So after a lovely week of beers from France, I thought I'd sample a French style beer made by an American company. This is the Saison from Schlafly.
It pours a lovely deep gold color, with plenty of carbonation. The aroma is fruity and sweet, with apply, raisin, and even banana in there. The flavor is a bit of a let down. It starts off with some nice maltiness, then the fruits take over, with apple and sweet cherry, but a bit of an off flavor like dactyl or banana. The aftertaste is too watery for me. Too bad, this brewery usually makes such great stuff.
Scoring
Look: 4 - great deep gold color
Aroma: 3 - promising fruit
Taste: 2 - bad off flavors
Feel: 2 - too watery

Total: 11

French Beer Week, part 3

2010-02-14T05:51:00.000-08:00

Today we have another French Biere de Garde, from the Braserie Castelain, called St Amand. The bottle describes it as being brewed since before 1900. It comes in a half liter bottle, and at 5.9% alcohol is quite drinkable and refreshing.

Like the previous biere de garde, this one is cloudy and unfiltered, but a bit more reddish in color. The aroma is similar, lots of fruit and yeast, and some floral hops. The flavor is complex, with the expected fruitiness like apple cider, but a bit sweeter and maltier. I can taste some oakiness in there too, and the creamy mouthfeel ive come to expect from this style. The aftertaste has a nice bit of hop spiciness, and the sourness of cherries and apples.

Scoring:

Look: 4 - cloudy, nice deep amber color

Aroma: 3 - floral hops and malt

Taste: 4 - complex combination of fruit and malt

Feel: 4 - very creamy and smooth

Total: 15

French Beer Week, part 2

2010-02-10T20:02:00.000-08:00

Next up in our exploration of French beer, is another biere de garde, La Choulette Ambree.
This one certainly looks good, coming in a 1/2 liter bottle with a cork. It pours a deep amber color, with plenty of carbonation, and very cloudy. You can certainly smell the live yeast, as well as sweet fruity aromas, some sourness, and a touch of floral spicy hops.
The taste starts off light and refreshing. The sweetness is the dominant flavor, good apple cider taste in there, with a bit of pear and even raisin. The hops are light, almost an afterthought. Theres also a residual creaminess to the mouthfeel that gets stronger as the beer warms up. Very nicely done.
Scoring:
Look: 4 - deep and cloudy
Aroma: 3 - yeasty and fruity
Taste: 3 - complex, but slightly watery
Feel: 4 - nice creaminess

Total - 14

International Guest Reviewer

2010-02-07T12:00:00.000-08:00

Today we have a special guest beer reviewer, Mesmin from Rouen, France.
I know I've said some bad things about French beers in the past, and she has set me straight and suggested some very fine ones, and provided a wonderful review of a beer I cant find in the US. So Im going to use this opportunity to start off an entire week of French beers.
---------

L'angélus beer got its name from the painting of JM Millet illustrating the bottle. This spiced wheat beer has earned two years in a row prices from "Concours général d'agriculture", the most recognized French competition for artisanal foodstuff products.
Made with a mix of malted and raw barley that gave it it's light golden color, l'Angélus is what we call a "bière de garde".
The smell is fresh, redolent of the wheat in it, and slightly spicy. I can't yet recognise those.
The foam is creamy, and dissipate quickly, but the bubbles remain very presents, not too big but tickling the tongue in a pleasant way.
First sip is mildly bitter, spicy, and fresh : the fresher the better for this beer.
In the mouth, the wheat is very present, the taste strong but not overpowering, nicely rounded and with a surprising honeyed tang in the end. I still can't identify the spices but those are giving a great body to the beer!
Aftertaste is light, flowery, with notes of toffee.
Very different of the hop beers I generally tend to, this beer was a very good surprise to me, so here is the notation:

Looks: 3 a clear, blond beer
Aroma: 4 the smell does remind of a freshly mowed field!
Taste: 4 surprising but delicious
Feel: 4 lighter that what I like but very good still
Total: 15

Awesome Anniversary

2010-02-04T19:59:00.000-08:00

The St Ambrose brewery has been making beers in Canada for the last 20 years, and for their 20th anniversary they produced this very special ale. Yes, that thing on the left is a can that holds the bottle. Im not sure why.

It starts off very nicely, with lots of carbonation, and a deep amber color. Very cloudy, and some floaties in there too. The aroma is lightly malty, with fruity scents of apple and peach.

The taste... wow. Layer upon layer of flavors flow across your mouth, starting with sweet malt and apple juice, then deep caramels and molasses, floral and spicy hops, and finally the fruit returns in the aftertaste with just an edge of sour to it. As it warms up, it just gets more complex and delicious.

The guys at St Ambrose must be doing something right!

Scoring

Look: 3 - great color and carbonation, but it lost points for floaties

Aroma: 5 - fruit, floral, and spice

Taste: 5 - super complex thats great both cold and slightly warm

Feel: 4 - good carbonation, lots of body

Total: 17

Retro!

2010-01-31T19:05:00.000-08:00

Theres been a trend recently of "retro" style pilsners, attempting to bring back some classic brands and flavors from the 60's or earlier. Today its the pilsner from the Boulevard Brewery in Kansas City.
It certainly looks the part, with the retro-style label and the medium-yellow color. Decent carbonation, and lots of malt aroma. My wife commented that you can smell this across the room. The flavor is what you would expect from a classic pilsner, too. Light, relatively sweet, and light bodied. The hop aftertaste is mild and unobtrusive. Altogether a decent alternative to the big labels, if you're into this style of beer.
Looks: 3 - classic golden color
Aroma: 2 - a bit too much
Taste: 2 - not my thing
Feel: 3 - thin, but ok for this style I guess
Total: 10

Mean Porter

2010-01-27T20:19:00.000-08:00

I have to admit, the bottle caught my attention first. This is Meantime London Porter, and yes, its made in London. The bottle is (I think) supposed to be shaped like the bottom half of an hourglass. Time, get it?
Anyway, it starts off like a nice solid porter. Nice and dark, relatively low carbonation, and a pretty hoppy aroma. The first taste is surprizing, the hops take over much more than you'd expect for a porter right from the beginning. The deep malty flavors seem almost an afterthought. It mellows out a bit as it warms up, but the hops are still pretty strong on the front of the flavor.
Scoring:
Look: 4 - nice, dark porter, med brown head
Aroma: 3 - just what you'd expect
Taste: 2 - too hoppy for a porter
Feel: 3 - decent mouthfeel
Total: 12

Wee Heavy

2010-01-24T21:03:00.000-08:00

Belhaven is one of those breweries that you keep hearing good things about. They've been making Scotch ales since the 1700's, and according to the bottle they're the oldest locally owned brewery in Scotland. Quite a reputation.
Scotch Ales, if you couldnt tell, were developed in Scotland. Because they traditionally had a difficult time getting hops up there, these beers were made with very little hops, and sometimes used peat instead, giving a smoky and very sweet flavor. The "wee heavy" refers to the strenght, which in this case is moderately high.

This is a beer you really need to let warm up before you drink it. Cold, its very bubbly and light and smooth, but the flavors are dead. Let it get up above 45 degrees or so, and it really opens up, with tons of sweetness and flavors of malt and honey, and a little bit of smoke on the aftertaste.

Scoring:
Looks: 4 - dark and clear
Aroma: 3 - light, sweet, no hops
Taste: 4 - once it warms up, its great
Feel: 3 - decent body, but could use a bit more

Total: 14

Big, Bison, Ale

2010-01-21T19:03:00.000-08:00

Another from a small local brewery, this is the Big Bison ale from Crown Valley Brewery in Missouri. The label says its a Belgian Dubbel, good thing I read it because I wouldnt have known from tasting it.

It starts off promising, great reddish brown color, and decent carbonation. The aroma is sweet, with a bit of citrus. First taste is decent, good malty flavors, with hints of caramel and orange, and the alcohol certainly comes through. I didnt get the 'rasin and plum' flavors that the label promised. The aftertaste was a bit disappointing, after a bit it gets taken over by a the citrus, with something like the pithy part of a grapefruit rind. not the best flavor for an aftertaste there.

Scoring!
Look: 4 - great red/brown color
Aroma: 3 - promising
Taste: 2 - lost a lot of points on the aftertaste
Feel: 4 - low carbonation, high mouthfeel
total: 13

Coffee!

2010-01-18T19:11:00.000-08:00

Heres a beer I had heard many good things about, but was not able to find until recently when the local beer mega-mart sent out its weekly tasting schedule. Lagunitas Capuccino Stout, from Petaluma, CA.

It starts off very stoutlike, with a coffee aroma you can smell from across the room. Very creamy head. Lots of sweet malt flavors, some nutty undertones that are pretty entertaining. The coffee slips in as an aftertaste, but doesnt take over the beer. Only a mild sourness gets in the way at the end. Overall well worth stockpiling.

On with the scoring!

Look: 4 - plenty dark, good creamy head

Aroma: 4 - nice and stoutlike, lots of coffee

Taste: 4 - great coffee aftertaste

Feel: 4 - good and strong, decent carbonation

New Orleans Light

2010-01-13T14:04:00.000-08:00

The Dixie Brewery in New Orleans is pretty well known for its Blackened Voodoo beer, and for surviving hurricane Katrina. This is the Dixie Jazz Amber Light, which I had never seen before, so I thought it would be worth a try.
It starts off promising, with the aroma of a good amber, and plenty of carbonation. The flavor is decent, good maltiness and a residual sourness. However, it doesnt escape the really watery mouthfeel and aftertaste that plagues most "light" beers. For a "light" bere, its really not that bad, certainly better than most ive tried, so if you feel the need to save some calories its a good choice.
Look: 3 - good amber color
Aroma: 3 - decent
Taste: 2 - starts nicely, but falls short with the watery aftertaste
Feel: 2 - thin, but not bad for a light beer

Total score: 10

Classic Stout

2010-01-10T14:03:00.000-08:00

Sometimes you have to go for a beer you know is going to be good. Today Im driking Sam Smith's Imperial Stout, from England. This brewery has been in operation since the mid 1700's, slightly longer than Guinness. And with that much time to perfect the recipes, they've made some really good ones.
While they're better known for their standard stout and oatmeal stout, the imperial is nothing to sneeze at either. It starts off incredibly dark, opaque black. Even the head is dark brown. A good amount of carbonation, and an aroma of malt, malt, more malt, and toasted coffee and nuts. The flavor is heavy and complex. You get the malt sweetness by the ton, followed by LOTS of hop bitterness, with traces of coffee, molasses, and a slightly burnt flavor. Like most "imperial" beers, the alcohol content is high, but there is no alcohol flavor cutting through, which is really refreshing. Highly recommended.
On with the scoring!
Look: 4 - so opaque it wont let light through.
Aroma: 4 - malty, toasty, yummy
Taste: 4: - all the flavor you expect in an imperial stout
Feel: 5 - a beer so thick you could chew it

Total score: 17

Floaters?

2010-01-05T19:35:00.000-08:00

Today we have a new beer from Lakefront Brewery in Milwaukee. You may remember them from my review of their gluten free beer last year, which im still trying to forget. But I thought id give them another chance.
It starts off promising, the aroma is very strongly hoppy. Even my wife commented that you can smell the hops from across the room. The first taste is also promising, with the strong hop flavors you expect in an IPA. But the hop flavor is kind of one-dimensional. Yes, theres lots of hop flavor, but what only tastes like one kind, and not much else. The body is kind of watery too. The aftertaste mellows out with some maltiness finally sneaking in, but overall, not one of my favorites.
Look: 1 - dark, cloudy, which you dont expect in an IPA, with floaty chunks in it. not appealing.
Aroma: 3 - strong and hoppy. maybe a bit too strong.
Taste: 2 - hoppy, but one dimensional
Feel: 3 - OK, but a bit watery

Total Score: 9

New Year, New Beer

2010-01-01T20:13:00.000-08:00

and a new rating system too. Starting with the new year, I'll be rating beers on a 5 point scale in 4 different areas: looks, aroma, taste, and feel. So a perfect score would be 20.
We're starting the year with something really special, this is the Bourbon Barrel Quad from Boulevard Brewery in Kansas City. Its a Belgian style quad aged in bourbon barrels with cherries, and in small batches. In fact, each bottle is numbered.
It starts off strong, with a clearly bourbon aroma, a touch of fruit, and plenty of carbonation. The flavor is very complex. Lots of deep malty oaky flavors, a hint of cherry, and undertones of smoke, maple syrup, and molasses. As the beer warms up, it really opens up and changes, the cherry flavors come to the front, and the oakiness backs off. The alcohol content is high, nearly 12%, and you can certainly feel the warmth from it.
Ok, first try with the new rating system, here goes!
Look: 4 - deep reddish brown, a bit cloudy
Aroma: 4 - bourbon with a touch of fruit
Taste: 5 - great complexity, many layers of flavors
Feel: 4 - lots of body, good carbonation
So we end up with a final score of 17. That sets the bar high, but I think the score was deserved.

Final Holiday Beer of the Year

2009-12-30T19:12:00.000-08:00

This festive label caught my attention, and I just had to try it. Its the Sogaards Bryghus, by the Aalborg Brewery in Denmark. The label says its a seasonal holiday bock.
The aroma caught me by surprize, its got plenty of sweet and malt, but also a dash of cinnamon and what I can only describe as banana. Interesting. First taste is nice and complex, lots of nutty maltyness, with undertones of maple syrup and orange peel. Great body, lots of carbonation. As it warms up, the nutty flavors become more strong, and you get some sour/tannic flavors too, which arent bad at all.
Excellent choice for a celebration.

O Holy Grail

2009-12-28T19:35:00.000-08:00

I dont often buy beers that are part of promotional tie-ins, as they're usually just done for a cute label and the beer itself isnt that good. But when Monty Python comes out with its own beer, I take notice. OK, they Pythons didnt really brew this themselves, its contracted by the Black Sheep Brewery in Yorkshire, England. And tempered over burning witches? Thats gotta be good!

Its actually a pretty tasty brown ale. Lots of carbonation, nice aroma of malt and apples, and a bit of sourness. Pretty smooth flavor, you get the complex malts, sourness you expect in a brown ale, and just enough hoppiness to cut the sweetness. Theres yeast in the bottle too, thus the cloudiness, and you can definitely tast that as the beer warms up.

Overall, not bad, and certainly worth buying just for the bottle.

Hard to Find Holiday Beer

2009-12-26T15:22:00.000-08:00

Heres one you wont see every day. Schlafly, the local St Louis Brewery I visit often, made this Holiday Ale espcially for the 2009 season. And to top it off, it was brewed exclusively for Culinara, a local grocery store that opened just this year and is leading the revival of the downtown area. Luckily, I managed to secure a bottle before they sold out.

Its a lovely dark brown ale, with lots of carbonation and a brilliant malty aroma with hints of clove and cinnamon.The flavor is quite strong, and so is the alcohol content. Hints of sour apples, peaches, and spice, plus a lovely subtle aftertaste of floral hops. Excellent beer if you can get it. No, you cant have mine.

Happy Holiday Beer

2009-12-23T19:33:00.000-08:00

Heres one I just had to buy based on the name, a holiday beer called Insanely Bad Elf. Its bottled in England, and the label says its an "imperial red ale". A red ale is just an ale made with red malt, and "imperial" has lately come to mean "really really strong". This one certainly is, at 11.9% alcohol.
You would think with an alcohol content that high, that it would take over the flavor, but it doesnt. The aroma is actually kind of fruity, like a strong apple cider. The flavor is surprizingly refreshing with plenty of body. The alcohol is there, certainly but subdued. Instead, you get lots of malty sweetness, with the apple and peach overtones, and an oakiness that reminds me of an oak aged sherry.
Excellent addition to your Christmas celebrations.

Holiday Beer

2009-12-20T19:32:00.000-08:00

A tradition every year, its Sam Adams Holiday Porter. The recipe changes slightly every year, just to keep beer drinkers happy.

This year turned out pretty good. A solid porter aroma, lots of fuggle hops malt. Plenty of carbonation. The flavor this year has distinct coffee and nutty components, and a lingering molasses and brown sugar sweetness that seems kind of fitting for Christmas. Decent body, if a bit on the watery side for a porter. Overall a good beer to bring to a holiday party.

Number Nine.....

2009-12-17T18:41:00.000-08:00

Another selection from the Magic Hat Brewing Co of Burlington, Vermont. This is the "Number 9" almost pale ale. It could certainly pass for a pale ale, but Im all for fun names.
It starts off light and refreshing, with an aroma of faint malty sweetness and some peach notes. The flavor is very smooth for a pale ale, nice malt, apple, and peach flavors, and lots of body. Certainly nothing watery here, I really like the way it goes down. The hops are light and balanced, with a slightly bitter and brown sugar aftertaste.
Certainly a good one to try, im really liking everything from this brewery so far.

What beer drinkers drink when they're not drinking beer

2009-12-14T12:34:00.000-08:00

I am referring to cider, of course!
This is Cider Jack Hard Cider, from Middlebury Vermont. The brewer is more commonly known as the producer of Woodchuck ciders, this is their "harder" drink.
And for a cider, Im pretty impressed. An aroma of light apples and a bit sour. Smooth, dry, fruity flavor, a good amount of carbonation, and a residual sourness that lets you know it means business. Im most impressed by how smooth and clean the flavor is. Not overpoweringly apple or sweet, I could easily down a six pack without blinking.
Excellent example of what a good cider should taste like.

Dont judge a beer by its label

2009-12-09T18:56:00.000-08:00

Heres one that looks promising, Anderson Valley's Winter Solstice Ale, from Colorado. Great looking bottle, and promising beer. Dont let that fool you.
On pouring it, you get a great light ale aroma, a bit of yeast, and lots of fruity scents like apple cider. The first taste is promising, again the apple cider overtones, and sweet malt. But after the first couple sips...
Im not sure if I just got a bad bottle, but this beer had almost no carbonation after sitting for 5 minutes. And without carbonation, the flavors just didnt meld, to the point where the sweetness became cloying and the yeast sour. I ended up having to pour it down the sink, and you know how bad a beer has to be before I'll do that.
I might try it again, if I was assured that the carbonation was a fluke, but otherwise no way.

Alsace

2009-12-06T17:22:00.000-08:00

France is not normally known for beer. But for every rule, there is an exception. Today we have the Fischer Amber Ale, from Schiltigheim, France. Why would a French town have a German name? Its from the Alsace region, right on the German border, which has been shifting between the two countries for centuries.
This pours very light in color, with an aroma of yeast and apples and fruit. The first taste is highly carbonated, plenty of flavor, and a great smooth mouthfeel that reminds me of a lager. Even though theres no fruit in this beer, you get hints of apple, peach, nuts, and molasses. Theres even a smooth aftertaste thats almost like maple syrup.
A really good beer, highly recommended.

Like a fine wine

2009-11-29T20:13:00.000-08:00

Heres a label that caught my attention. Goose Island Brewery of Chicago is known for making some great standard beer styles. Now they've started something special with a series of Belgian style ales.
This is Matilda. Not a typical name for a beer. Its a Belgian Style Ale, with an alcohol content of 7.5%. It pours with decent carbonation, light fruity aroma of malt and apples, and the cloudiness of live yeast. On the first taste, you definitely get the fruitiness you expect in a Belgian ale. No, theres no fruit in the beer, its just caused by the right malts and yeast. Great flavors of honey, sour apples, peaches, and cherries. A little hoppiness, but not much, and a light aftertaste of yeast. Overall, I was pretty impressed. Worth picking up a couple more bottles.

Thanksgiving

2009-11-25T03:45:00.000-08:00

What goes better with fall than dark beers? In trying to find a beer that had at least some connection with the holiday, I came across New World Porter, by Avery Brewing Company of Colorado. (get it? new world? pilgrims arriving in their new colony? bah. never mind)
It starts how you would expect for a porter, deep dark aroma with lots of malt, and some sweet toasted notes. The taste is smooth and drinkable, with the malty sweetness of a dark beer, plus a good coffee bitterness, and flavors of maple syrup and dark chocolate sneaking in at the end. The hops are not over done, staying out of the way of the sweet flavors. This could be mistaken for a milk stout because of its residual sweetness, not that that is a bad thing.
Put it on my "will try again" list

Classic German

2009-11-22T19:45:00.000-08:00

DAB, or Dortmunder Acten Brauerai, is a well known German brewery and the flagship of the Dortmund style of pilsener. If you havent tasted it, its well worth giving it a try.

It starts off with a spicy hop aroma, with some mild floral hints. The first taste is refreshing and almost watery, until the hops hit you. It has the nice earthy and spicy bitterness you expect in a German pils, bold but not overpowering. The aftertaste is a combination of malty sweetness, and hop spice. The only downside is the slight wateryness to it, but other than that a fine beer.

A Bit Nutty

2009-11-18T18:14:00.000-08:00

Heres a nice one for Fall. The Abita Brewery in Louisiana is best known for unusual names and unusual beers, like Purple Haze and Turbo Dog. This year, they've come up with something special for fall, called Pecan Harvest. Yes, its a beer made with pecans.
It looks like a standard brown ale, and the aroma gives no clue that the beer was made with nuts. But the first taste is a surprize. Its fairly well carbonated, light malty ale flavor, kind of refreshing actuallly. Then the nuts hit you.... Not really a highly nutty flavor like some dark brown ales, but lots of the tanins and dry mouthfeel you get when eating fresh pecans. Its surprizingly good paired with the light ale flavors. The hops are light and crisp, mostly taking a back seat to the malt and nuts.
Definitely worth a try. I wonder what this might taste like when paired with pecan pie, or used in cooking.

Odd

2009-11-15T15:28:00.001-08:00

Heres one I saw at the local beer store and just had to try. From the Magic Hat Brewery in Burlington, Vermont, comes Odd Notion "Fall 09".

It pours dark and thick, like coffee, with a light carbonation. The aroma is strong and heady, with notes of malt, molasses, and coffee. The taste isnt at all disappointing, just what you would expect from aroma. Good strong mouthfeel, like a porter, and a complex flavor with lots of malt, coffee, maple syrup, and just enough fuggle hop bitterness to round it out. As it warms up, it picks up a residual sourness in the aftertaste.

Altogether, worth a try.

Cranberry

2009-11-11T18:51:00.000-08:00

Another from Sam Adams winter beers box set, this is the Cranberry Lambic. They've been making this beer for many years, and they alter the recipe every year. Some years are good, some bad. This year turned out to be one of the best.
Its not technically a Lambic, but a wheat ale with fruit added. I'm willing to forgive them on that. The aroma is very fruity, and a little sweet. Lots of berry flavors, and the carbonation his very high, almost to a champagne consistency. The body is light and refreshing, and the hops light and unobtrusive.
As the beer wams up, the tartness of the cranberries starts to come out, and a maple syrup undertone to the flavors. Very well done this year, well worth searching out a six pack.

Going Coastal

2009-11-08T19:37:00.000-08:00

As you can probably tell, I got my hands on this years Sam Adams Winter Seasonals box. First up is a beer I havent seen from them before, the Coastal Wheat. The labal describes it as a stronger and heavier wheat ale, with lemon peel.
It certainly has the lemon peel aroma, and the coloris darker and cloudier than your typical wheat ale. The flavor certainly lives up to the description. It has plenty of body, the light slightly sweet flavor of a wheat beer, and plenty of lemon. Its also pretty well carbonated, which seems to work in this case, giving it a bubbly almost lemonade flavor. The hops are light and reserved, taking a back seat to the lemon and malt. My only complaint is that the aftertaste strays into the pithy lemon flavors you get from the white part of the peel.
Certainly worth your time to try this one.

Belgian Pils

2009-11-05T18:46:00.000-08:00

Ah, those Belgians, they really know their beers. Today its Bavik Pilsener.
Unlike German Pilseners, the Belgians tend to make theirs a lot lighter in flavor. This one starts off with a light aroma, with hints of lemon. It has a clean flavor, with strong citrus notes, and lightly hopped. The slippery mouthfeel you expect of a lager is definitely there. The aftertaste moves from slight hop bitterness, to citrusy. My only complaint is that it gets a bit watery as it warms up.
Overall a very tasty beer.

Fall Ales

2009-11-02T19:42:00.000-08:00

Today, Im drinking the Levity Amber Ale, from O'dell Brewing Company in Ft Collins, Colorado.
It starts off very nicely for an amber ale, with a malty sweet aroma and hints of peach and apple. Just what you like for a fall beer. But the flavor left me disappointed. The mouthfeel is lacking, on the watery side, and theres a sourness to the aftertaste that doesnt go well. The malt flavors are good, and the hops are nice and strong, but overall not one of my favorites.

Classic Czech

2009-10-28T19:57:00.000-07:00

Czecholslovakia is known as the birthplace of Pilsener, and no country does the style as well. Today, Im trying one of the more well known "export" Czech Pilseners, the Czech Rebel beer.
And it is darn tasty. Its a bit darker than you might expect, but the aroma is all spicy pilsener hops. The taste is light, refreshing, everything you'd want in a pils. There is a sourness to the flavor that creeps in as the beer warms up, and on the aftertaste. Altogether a tasty beer, but not quite up to the level of Czechweis.

October Surprize

2009-10-25T11:26:00.000-07:00

Continuing in the seasonal beer tradition, today's tasting is the new Hoptober beer from New Belgium Brewery in Colorado. You might know them as the producers of Fat Tire.

This beer starts off with a strong hoppy aroma, lots of spice and floral notes. The surprize, however, is the smooth flavor. For a beer that at first appears ready to knock you out with hops like an IPA, it has a lighter flavor with a bit of sweetness. The hops are there, definitely, and give you a great spicy aftertaste, but dont take over the beer. Very well balanced, and well worth opening a 6 pack for a football game.

Winter Beers

2009-10-21T19:12:00.000-07:00

OK, so its not actually winter yet, but the winter beers are starting to hit the shelves. This is the Imperial IPA from Mendocino Brewery in upstate New York.
If you're not familiar with IPAs, it stands for India Pale Ale. Back in the 1800s, when India was a British colony, the colonists wanted to enjoy their beer. But regular beers could not survive the long trip by ship from England. IPAs were created as much more highly hopped beers, with the hops acting as a preservative.
The Mendocino version turns out to be a pretty good representation of the style. From the first sip, its pretty highly hopped, with lots of spice and bitterness. Its enough to actually make your tongue a bit numb. Good maltiness, and plenty of hoppy aftertaste. The alcohol content is nice and high, just what you'd expect in a winter beer.
Worth a try, if you can find it.