Posts Tagged ‘beer review’
Tuesday, January 5th, 2010
Last night was a good night as I was fortunate enough to taste and review two good American craft beers: Double Bastard Ale by Stone Brewing Company and Sheep Shagger Scotch Ale by Tyranena Brewing Company.
An American Strong Ale, Double Bastard Ale is a big beer that has an over the top amount of alcohol that isn’t hidden all that well in the taste; which is my only complaint. Otherwise a big pine hop presence is countered by a sweet and bread malt bill. I like Stone beers and will continue to try more flavors. 8/10
Sheep Shagger is a Scottish heavy, which has to be one of my favorite styles of beer. This is no slouch itself as the peat smoke and sweet toffee are turned on extra high a fit the beer well. I could enjoy several of these at a time and over a long period of time. 
8/10
Why is it that our vices are so much fun? Enjoy!
Tags: Beer, beer review, double bastard ale, sheep shagger scotch ale, stone brewing company, tyranena brewing company
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Monday, January 4th, 2010
In trying to keep with my beer reviewing new year resolutions, I decided to give Hop 15 Ale by Port Brewing Company. Hop 15 is an American Imperial IPA that was just the beer for the other evening: not too much, but just enough for the possibility of tingles with the high alcohol and my low tolerance. 
The pour was similar to many good Imperials: big, frothy foam that left some sticky, web-like lacing throughout. Outside of the sweet and alcohol aromas, the citrus aroma is very pleasant and not over whelming. The taste is exactly more of the same with a bit of a nice tropical fruit in the middle. Not much bitterness for being an Imperial which makes it even better for me. Overall the alcohol level this is an outstandingly easy drinker. I would recommend.
I am sure there will be another review tonight. Enjoy!
Tags: Beer, beer review, hop 15 ale, port brewing company
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Sunday, January 3rd, 2010
Another new year brings on the time for some type of resolution. I have already made one for trying to lose weight and exercising more. I believe that has been the same one for the last ten years as I continue to fight a losing battle of the bulge. Now it is time to make my beer resolutions for the 2010 campaign of tasting and reviews.
I figured I could make hollow resolutions that I had no chance of reaching or make some reasonable, well thought out milestones. I choose for the ladder. So in no particular order here they are:
- 365 beer reviews – this past year I was in the 260 range, some 100 short of my goal for 2010. To meet this goal on plan on making sure each beer I taste will be different and reviewed.
- 6 brewery hops – about as many as last year but I realize this year I will have to travel longer distances and, more than likely, find time without taking the entire family. The long, boring drives, aren’t good for the kids.
- 6 beers brewed – brewing once every two months shouldn’t be a problem as my first, an ipa this weekend, will mark number one. My wife actually likes the beers I brew, so this might be the easiest goal to attain.
- 4 American craft brew events – find my way to at least four American craft brew events with the GABF being a really far out (and probably unattainable goal) for this year. Along with this, I plan on entering my beers into competitions.
- Finish the site – yeah, not beer related, but I guess it indirectly is in a way. There is still some functionality to add as well as skinning certain pages. I continue to find bugs in my code, imagine that.
Try and stay warm while having a few American craft beers on this last Sunday of the NFL season. Enjoy!
Tags: Beer, beer review
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Wednesday, December 30th, 2009
The six Shorts Brewing Company beers that we reviewed.
Shorts Brewing Company is a favorite of mine and Rich and everywhere you turn we hear good things about their beer. On my recent trip to Grand Rapids, Michigan I scored six different flavors of their, tripling the amount that we had had to this point. With great pride I invited Rich over last night to taste and review.
Here is the lineup, in the order reviewed, and a few thoughts:
- Good Humans – an American Brown Ale that was nicely dry hopped adding a pleasant layer of hop aroma. Very drinkable. 8/10
- The Soft Parade – Fruit Beer that is full of strawberries, blueberries, blackberries, and raspberries is light, seemingly more suitable for the summer months. 7/10
- Pandemonium Pale Ale – an American Pale Ale that is just a little bit better than average. Nothing really stands out which made me wonder if I might have had an old bottle. 6/10
- The Liberator – an American Imperial IPA that is very drinkable. There is some hop bitterness to the finish but it isn’t over the top while the alcohol level (which I can only guess at) is well disguised. 8/10
- Uncle Steve’s Irish Stout – an Irish Dry Stout is a spot on definition of the style. Although not my favorite style very easy drinking and light. 8/10
- Mystery Stout – an American Imperial Stout that had to be contaminated in some way. Rich and I were looking up in books what the problem was. We enjoy Short’s beers so much, that we had a hard time believing what we were drinking. 2/10
The one gripe I have is the lack of information on Short’s website is void of any information about their beers outside of a little marketing blurb. At least three of the beers that we reviewed I couldn’t even find listed on their site. I guess I would have to say all American micro-breweries that practice this lack of information bug me. Isn’t that part of the experience?
In Short’s defense, I did email them last night to let them know about my experience with their beers. They replied very quickly, apologizing, and trying to help with the diagnosis of why the beer might have been bad. That is some damn good customer service and why I can’t get enough of American craft beer. Enjoy!
Tags: Beer, beer review, good humans, mystery stout, pandemonium pale ale, short's brewing company, the libertor, the soft parade, uncle steve's irish stout
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Tuesday, December 22nd, 2009
Last night Rich and I tried out the Sam Adams winter variety pack. A cheap way to try five different winter offerings from Mr. Koch.
I have to admit that once the clock hit 8:00pm and no Rich, I thought I was flying solo. Off to the beer cellar for a few beers to review on my own: Black Scotch Ale by O’so Brewing Company and Louie’s Reserve Scotch Ale by Lake Louie Brewing. By the time the beer warmed and I was half way through Black Scotch Ale, Rich showed up. We shared the Louie’s Reserve and then started on with the Sam Adams: I had to work the next day.
Time is short today so I will list the beers, scores, and then give some quick overall thoughts.
Winter Lager, Old Fezziwig, and Holiday Porter all had very similar characteristics, just some minor subtletees that made them different. All three were good to varying degrees and I wouldn’t mind having them again. Coastal Wheat is way to light and did nothing for me and had no business being in a holiday pack. Cranberry Lambic – yuck!
All in all, seven beer reviews in an evening is a bit much as the taste buds begin to go and I don’t like throwing anything out. Hey, I paid hard earned money and I will drink it all. Enjoy!
Tags: Beer, beer review, black scotch ale, boston beer company, lake louie brewing, louie's reserve, o'so brewing company, samual adams old fezziwig, samuel adams coastal wheat, samuel adams cranberry lambic, samuel adams holiday porter, samuel adams winter lager
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Monday, December 21st, 2009
Yesterday was bottling day and nothing brings on a thirst more than handling beer. What better way to quench that thirst by picking up some American craft beer and reviewing. Three participants joined the thirst quenching party: Unplugged Cranbic Ale by New Glarus Brewing Company, Blue Paddle by New Belgium Brewing Company, and Olde Number 22 by Arbor Brewing Company.
Unplugged Cranbic marks the 20th beer I have tasted of New Glarus since I have been loggin reviews on the site. The beer has a slightly pink hue to an otherwise amber colored beer. Tart, cranberry and sweet are balanced on the nose with a mild spice and acidicy. Taste starts sweet and grows with a culmination towards the end with the tart – seemingly trying to balance but doesn’t quite get there. This little glitch keeps it from going to the next level but it is another really good beer from New Glarus. 8/10
Blue Paddle is a German Pilsner that is better than average and you should give it a try. I am not saying it will knock your socks off but it is crisp, clean, refershing, and easy drinking. I just thought the senses that it brought out were just a little bit on the light side. I would really like this beer in the summer time as a post lawn mowing thirst quencher. 7/10
The last beer, which I really wanted to be good since we drive by it on the way to my wife’s sisters house, was Olde Number 22. Olde Number 22 is an Altbier that was a little light on both taste and aroma. I realize that the styles call for a delicate balance, so I figured that the beer was to style. I did get a metalic taste in the after taste that killed the beer pretty much for me. It did seem to go away after a while (did I get used to it?) and I was wondering if it was something from the dishwasher in my glass, but this was the third beer in the glass. I would like to give this one another try. 6/10
I drank the beers in the order in which I also liked them: Unplugged Cranbic Ale, Blue Paddle, and Olde Number 22. Tonight is a five beer taster of Sam Adams beers with Rich. Enjoy!
Tags: american craft beer, arbor brewing company, Beer, beer review, blue paddle, new belgium brewing company, new glarus brewing company, olde number 22, unplugged cranbic
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Friday, December 18th, 2009
It seems like during the week that two is my limit on the number of reviews I will do in an evening. Of course there are those special occasions that will lead me to partake in a few more, but I find it hard to review more than two beers while doing so alone. The chit chat about the beers helps to bring out other possibilities and make the entire experience more fun. Hurray for TNBC next Tuesday
I had two stouts last night, one of the Russian imperial variety and the other an American imperial.
Founders Imperial Stout by Founders Brewing Company was the Russian imperial stout and the first beer of the evening. I have had it sitting in the cellar for only a month but it kept wooing me. I gave in to temptation. Poured black and thick with a couple of fingers of brown, sticky, frothy foam with some of the best retention I have seen in a beer. As expected the beer was complex with coffee, chocolate, citrus hops, roasted, and bitterness on the nose and in the mouth. The high alcohol really wasn’t detectable. Some creaminess added to the depth of this beer. Founders just producing the hits. 9/10
Satin Soltice Imperial Stout by Central Waters Brewing Company was the American imperial stout. A clear pour with a big, tan, sticky foam led to some good retention and lacing without even taking a sip. The aroma was good, just a little light and contained lactose, chocolate, coffee, and some dark fruits. The taste is similar but has a bit of a bitter aftertaste that I didn’t care for. It was too much. One small fault in an otherwise really good stout. 8/10
It was a good night for stouts and I really enjoyed reveiwing both. Now to start thinking of lineup for this evening. Enjoy!
Tags: american imperial stout, Beer, beer review, central waters brewing company, founders brewing company, founders imperial stout, russian imperial stout, satin soltice imperial stout
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Thursday, December 17th, 2009
Another Wednesday has come and gone and so has another visit to the beer store. Based on what I was told last week this beer store visit should mostly be uneventful as they were just retreading the shelves for the holidays. I drove over there next expecting much but my usual banter about beer with Matt, the stores beer buyer. Unfortunately and not Matt’s fault, I didn’t get much else this time around.
Two new beers were on the shelf:
I wouldn’t mind either one of these beers but my wife is still on the low fly zone when it comes to dumping money into my beer reviewing habit and I did spend a few bucks this weekend while up in Wisconsin. Matt once again reminded me that EisPhyre by Capital Brewery was well worth the investment. In spite of the shakes, I controlled myself and walked queitly away. Enjoy!
Tags: Beer, beer review, beer store, chocolate indulgence, dark horse brewing co., ommegang
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Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
Up until these two beer reviews I have had only two Ale Asylum beers but liked both and have looked forward to the chance at having more. A recent trip to southern Wisconsin with Rich gave me a chance to pick up a few more of their beers. Tripel Nova and Mercy where the lucky ones selected.
I had Tripel Nova is a Belgian Tripel and the first as it was the lighter of the two beers. The glass pour was typical with a minimal amount of foam over a partially cloudy beer. Fruit, spice, alcohol, yeast, and wheat were all part of the aroma to varying degrees. The fruit seemed to stand out most. The taste had a similar fruitiness and mixture of flavors with the alcohol making its presence known in the finish. A complex beer that seemed to have a bit more fruit and sweetness than my tastes would have cared for. 7/10
Mercy, a Belgian Dark Strong Ale, was my second and final beer for the evening. Heck both of these beer clocked in at over 9.0%, so that was plenty. The clear pour had a thin layer of white foam that didn’t last more than a few seconds but somehow found its way to create some blotchy lacing throughout. The aroma and taste both have sweet, toffe, and caramel malts blended with dark fruit (plum and raisin) with a spicy finsh on top of slight alcohol. A very pleasant beer that could easily be served at cellar temperatures. 8/10
After enjoying these two latest beers, I can’t wait to find my way back up to Ale Asylum for more. Enjoy!
Tags: ale asylum, Beer, beer review, mercy, tripel nova
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Tuesday, December 15th, 2009
Two beer reviews last night with one scored on a weekend trip to southern Wisconsin while the other was a gift from Rich from a recent trip to the Detroit area.
Snowshoe Red Ale by New Glarus Brewing Co. is a beer I have wanted to taste for a while as it is only released for two months: November and December, each year. As it turns out, New Glarus had some type of vote recently and Snowshoe will no longer be brewed going forward. It has been retired. That said, this offering by New Glarus comes up short on a big resume of good beer. The malt is the backbone with a mild lemony, spicy hops that comes through at the end to give some semblance of balance. Aroma, taste, and mouth feel all come up a little short but, in defense of the style, that is sort of the styles motto. 6/10
Another American amber ale, Siren Amber Ale by Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales is released under another brewery: North Peak and is brewed up in a sister brewery in Traverse City, Michigan. Siren is just another average amber ale that doesn’t do anything special for me. I know how good Jolly Pumpkin is with their brett and oak aged beers, they need to step it up a notch on their “normal” beers. 6/10
The night wasn’t a loss but I expect so much more from both of these breweries. Nobody is going to like everything that a brewery has to offer and last night was just not my night. Enjoy!
Tags: Beer, beer review, jolly pumpkin artisan ales, new glarus brewing co, siren amber ale, snowshoe red ale
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