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Beer Review: Mother Earth Weeping Willow Wit

Monday, August 30th, 2010

This past weekend was the perfect weather to review a few American craft beers. The weather was comfortable at the beginning of the weekend and ending hot and humid yesterday. Lighter beers seemed to be the best bet for the sake of refreshment.

When I reach for beers out of the refrigerator in the basement, I imagine myself taking a drink and depending on my mood, if it would suffice. So the refreshment theme was in full motion when I grabbed Weeping Willow Wit by Mother Earth Brewing a Belgian witbier. The beer had all the signs of being a solid witbier, including coriander, wheat, Belgian yeast, and lemon. All the aromas and flavors were well balanced greatly increasing the ability to appreciate the beer. A light body and sharp carbonation finish off a well rounded beer. I would definitely seek this beer out again. 8.6/10 – Aroma: 8 (25%), Taste: 9 (25%), Look: 8 (15%), and Drinkability: 9 (35%).

In hindsight, I realize this witbier is the best I have tasted to date. Now that makes me want more. Enjoy!

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TNBC One Year Anniversary

Wednesday, August 25th, 2010

Last night marked the one year anniversary of Tuesday Night Beer Club (TNBC). Shawn, Mark, Ed, Rich, and myself were the players for the evening. Since it was a big evening we all decided to bring out the big guns to help celebrate.

Ed was the host for the evening, so he supplied us with dinner, which included burgers, brawts, potato salad, and chips. Darn tasty. As usual, each of us brought at least three beers. Shit, Mark brought a vertical of 10, 11, and 12 of Firestone Walker anniversary beers but we all agreed to have that at the next TNBC when we can do the vertical justice.

Below is the list of beers, in the order that I liked them.

I am almost never negative about American craft beer but I have had several Cigar City beers now (so have the others in the group) and none of us have been impressed. Maybe i have had the wrong beers. Enough said.

The next TNBC is in another four to six weeks, can’t wait for the Firestone vertical. Enjoy!

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Beer Review: Belfast Bay Lobster Ale

Monday, August 23rd, 2010

So I am back on the horse and reviewing American craft beer. Being back in the saddle again feels so damn good. Of course I am talking about tasting and reviewing beers while being sick last week.

Yesterday I decided on by Belfast Bay Brewing Company. You can read the review so I am only going to touch upon the thing that stuck out most to me: sweetness. This beer is made to session but has one flaw that comes out in the aroma and taste that just makes it cloying. Malt is used with reckless abandon and doesn’t have any hop profile to balance the caramel malt. There is a toasted malt presence but not enough to cut through an almost honey like syrup sweetness to the beer.

All this said, it isn’t a horrible beer, just one that didn’t agree with me and one that I wouldn’t probably pick up again. Enjoy!

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21st Amendment Brew Free Or Die IPA

Saturday, August 21st, 2010

Just yesterday I mentioned how I had been out of sorts and not had a chance to review an American craft beer in a week. That all changed today. I feel good, I had some time, and the rest of the family was out. Perfect timing to partake.

I have a group of beers that need to get rolling as they are hoppy and been in the cellar for about a month. I hate old IPAs and the like. I haven’t had a 21st Amendment beer before, so I figured a can of Brew Free Or Die IPA was a good choice for the evening. After all, I wanted something in hops in it and I figured it should have plenty coming from the west coast.

Out came the pour which looked about normal for an IPA: good foam, retention, and lacing. But that was probably the best part of the beer for me. It was really sweet with malt and honey throughout: aroma, taste, and mouth. Cloying is a single word that I could best describe the beer. The hop profile isn’t what I expected for a west coast ipa as it was a little subdued. Still it was good for the beer and made for a pleasant profile.

I have the 21st Amendment Watermelon beer. I have heard good things. That might be up for tomorrow. Enjoy!

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New Glarus R&D Short Releases

Saturday, August 14th, 2010

Yesterday marked a first for New Glarus Brewing Company, that I know of: they had a publicized short release. Actually, not one but two beers were released. R&D Bourbon Barrel Kriek and R&D Gueuze. Kriek is a American wild ale while Gueuze is supposedly a gueuze. These two releases come on the heals of releasing their third Unplugged beer of the year: Abt.

The release was held yesterday, Friday, August 13th, 2010 at the brewery in New Glarus, Wisconsin. Kriek was released to the tune of 1,500 bottles while Gueuze was a 1,900 bottle release.

Each person was limited to three bottles per day. It seems like I was fortunate to be able to get six bottles of each today when the brewery opened at 10:00am. My wife called last night and we were told that they would probably be out of the beers by noon today. Based on the amount of people already there at 10, they were about dead on.

I also picked up the newest Unplugged release: Abt. As I wrote this tonight, I was partaking in the Kriek, the other two will follow in the next few days (probably tomorrow). Enjoy!

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Matacabras by Dave’s BrewFarm

Thursday, July 22nd, 2010

On my recent visit to Minneapolis I stopped off at a beer store to pick up some beers. The store had been recommended via an online forum. The staff was helpful and one of the many beers they pointed out was Matacabras by Dave’s BrewFarm.

The store sold all their beer in singles, if you so desired, and that’s what I picked up of this beer: one. I figured it might be alright, at best, afterall I had never heard of the upstart brewery from Wilson, Wisconsin. I figured if the beer wasn’t all that tasty I was only out $1.99.

I put the beer in my fridge the other day, really just for the fact that I wanted to get rid of beers that I thought wouldn’t satisfy. Last night after staring into the abyss of my open fridge, out came Matacabras. To be honest I didn’t even remember the style (Belgian Strong Dark Ale). I poured it, immediately my nose picked up apple and light banana on top of a bed of spice: corriander and cinnamon. Of course some sweetness. Mentally I said to myself this is some type of Belgian Ale.

Surprise. I wasn’t expecting that. Next I tasted and, again, was pleasantly surprised by the flavor, ease of drink, and how well the alcohol was hidding in an 8% ABV beer.

I would have this over and over again and wish I would have picked up more than one. Enjoy!

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Merry Monks’ by Weyerbacher

Tuesday, July 20th, 2010

I have been busy so these daily beer write ups have gone to the way side. Don’t feel sorry for me because the beer reviewing has been going forward, I just haven’t had the time for the write ups to the blog.

Yesterday I fired up Merry Monks’ by Weyerbacher Brewing Company. It has been sitting in the cellar for a good four months and I had been drinking a lot of American styled beers, so I thought it would be a good change for the evening.

The Monks poured a bit cloudy with a ton of little floaties while being topped with some merangue, white foam. Nice on the eyes. Aroma and taste are very similar, following the style very closely. As the beer warmed up closer to room temperature, it seemed to take on an even sweeter fruity taste and aroma. Almost cloying in nature. I thought the beer was above average but once it warmed up, that sweetness was too much, taking it down a couple of notches. Drinking this at right around serving temperature seems to be the best bet. I would have it again but since my knowledge of the style is slim, I would rather have others to compare and get a better understanding of the style.

I am not going to promise ot get an American craft beer review up here every day for a while, it is too nice outside to be stuck inside writing blogs. I will try to get them out more regularly. Enjoy!

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Craft Beer In Cans: Big Hit

Wednesday, May 26th, 2010

American craft beer in cans? Not the way your father or grandfather knew them!

It is no surprise that American craft beer is leading the movement to beer in cans. It is definitely a better way to store beer and keep it fresh in spite of what many people think. Instead of boring you, the guy over at beernews.org has compiled a list of 100 breweries making the switch or going to be making the switch to offering their wares in cans:

http://beernews.org/2010/05/100-u-s-craft-breweries-embrace-the-can/

The article goes to show you that you don’t have to look hard to find high quality beer in metal. Many of these breweries have been making the switch lately (last year or so) as it seems to be the fad. But nonetheless: better for the beer is better for the consumer. Aren’t kegs made of metal? Enjoy!

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Reviewed: New England Gandhi-Bot

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

Reviews have been few and far between lately as I have been busy at work (sob story), Rich has been out of town off an on, and we can’t coordinate a day to “work on the website.” So most the last few weeks has been solo beers: mostly home brews and duplicates as I haven’t been in the reviewing mood. Oh, one last reason: the weather is finally nice and I want to be outside!

What to drink when it is warm and humid in Chicagoland isn’t much of a debate: something lighter than used motor and a little hoppy (I don’t like to limit my beers any time). But, since the day was seasonally hot and humid, I wanted something equally big: a DIPA. Gandhi-Bot to the rescue.

Ghandi-Bot is an east coast beer that really has a lot of qualities of the west coast big DIPAs: pine and citrus with the grapefruit hops leaving a big hole in my tongue as they rot with their bitterness. The pour was nothing fantastic but the rest of the beer was. Enough malt to balance the hops and make for a big, yet refreshing late spring beer. Enjoy! Aroma: 9, Taste: 9, Look: 7, Drinkability: 9, Overall: 8.7

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Reviewed: Geary London Porter

Friday, May 14th, 2010

Being back in the American craft beer reviewing saddle again, makes me one happy beer dude. The other night I tasted and reviewed London Porter by D.L. Geary Brewing Company.

An English porter, London Porter, has a nice scent: roasted, toasted, chocolate, and coffee which are delicately balanced with some spiced hops. The taste follows and, for such a robust aroma, comes across a little thin in the body. This doesn’t take away from the beer but makes it easier to drink and gives a sensation of crispness. 9 Aroma 8 Taste 9 Look 9 Drinkability 8.8 Overall.

My first beer from Geary and if the rest are like this, hopefully not my last. Enjoy!

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