A Microbrew Review Blog

Lagunitas Brewery India Pale Ale - My Microbrew Review

noreply@blogger.com (David James) — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 02:20:00 +0000

This cool looking small brown bottle with the plain aged parchment looking label caught my eye in the local six pack shop cooler this evening. What's the microbrew I'm referencing you ask? It's Lagunitas Brewery's very own special IPA (or India Pale Ale) offering that's on tap here at the house tonight.

As I mentioned, the label was cool because it was so plain (although it features a small depiction of the famous Lagunitas brewery spotted dog in the top right corner of the label. It was sort or reminiscent of one of those old Wild West "Wanted" posters.

For those of you who may not know, Lagunitas Brewing Company is a Petaluma, California-based microbrewery with a somewhat famous and storied history and a very cool and entertaining website (Lagunitas Brewery). Anyway, on to the beer at hand in in the plain, brown, cold 12 ounce bottle.

As I poured the microbrew into my 12 ounce pub glass, I took note of the awfully clear, clarity of this beer which is not out of the possibility for an IPA but in my experience somewhat rarer than most for such a chilled brew. Hues of robust burnt orange copper and bubbles bustling everywhere and mostly upwards greeted my eye blossoming into a wonderfully foamy eggshell marshmallow two finger head which stayed and lasted a good three minutes or so.

Dryed citrusy floral aroma wafted strongly off the top of the glass and surrounded my drinking vessel with a "come hither" hoppy scent. Already I'm liking what I see and smell.

The taste of Lagunitas Brewery's IPA does not disappoint, whether you are a huge fan of hops or just an adventurous microbrew and craft beer sampler alike. This beer is well put together.

The first sip went down very crisp with a pretty extreme dry hoppiness tang. Extreme but not offensive as I put it if that makes any sense. This is a beer that will not leave you guessing as to its style if you were drinking it blindfolded in some sort of blind microbrew taste test.

There's a citrus sense of grated grapefruit peels and clove in the the far background that contributes to the drinking enjoyment. As the beer warmed at about halfway through the twelve ounce mug, the swallow became stickier but still with a welling up of hoppy "kaaa-chow" at the end the crawls up the back of the roof of your mouth. The beer finished with a mild ripe peachy pine aftertaste that left me personally wanting another bottle. Unfortunately, that's not to be the case tonight unless I get the energy up (and the wife's purse change) to ride back down to the store to grab another bottle.

Overall, I'd give Lagunitas Brewery Company's India Pale Ale a 7.75 on my 1 to 10 microbrew and craft beer rating scale. I have no idea on what the alcohol by content is for this beer but there's no warming or burn effect that I could perceive during my beer session. I'd say you could have a few of these just about any time without getting too out of hand and the flavor and visual of this beer in your glass will be interesting enough to have you wanting to keep them coming. Not an out-of-the-bottle sipping beer.

If you're lucky enough to pick up California's own Lagunitas Brewery offerings any where in your neck of the woods in the continental US, I'd recommend picking up a bottle or two of the IPA whether you're an India Pale Ale fan or not, this beer's worth cracking the cap for.

If you found any enjoyment in reading this microbrew beer review and if you love craft beers in particular, you'll find more craft beer reviews of both new and old microbrews and also fun microbrew and craft beer-related info at Microbrew Review or Best Craft Beer Reviews. Click the links above and please let me know what you liked or hated and let me know any beers that you might like to see me review next time. Cheers and please drink responsibly!

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Weyerbacher Brewing Company Hops Infusion India Pale Ale - A Microbrew Blog Review

noreply@blogger.com (David James) — Sat, 28 Jun 2008 23:31:00 +0000

I picked up Weyerbacher Brewing Company's Hops Infusion this evening along with several other nifty looking India Pale Ales since I guess I'm in a hoppy mood. What else could it be that I focused on this particular style of microbrew to review for the remainder of the weekend?

Weyerbacher Brewing Company is based in Easton, Pennsylvania and has provided me with quite a few favorable reviews of many of their craft beer products I'm happy to say. I'm hoping their Hops Infusion India Pale Ale doesn't let me down and continues a fine track record for producing some good to great microbrews.

Cracking the bottle cap of this chilled 12 ounce brown bottle of brew, I poured carefully into my unchilled 10 ounce glass beer mug to find a visual display of an almost mahogany, copper colored liquid, slightly hazy from the chill is my initial assumption.

The beer smells pretty good just waving my nose several times intently across the brim of my beer mug. Zesty, spicy and that oh-so familiar hoppy scent that leads me anxiously into the first of many sips of the microbrew. Tinges of mild floral aroma add some character to the beer's bouquet.

The very first sip is crisp and crunching with the hops. There's a very good punch of tip-of-tongue bitterness with lively enough carbonation to make this beer "jump" on my tongue. Swallow is full and rich with an unobtrusive coating of malty sweetness on the sides of my mouth filtering to the far back of my tongue. There's an expected presence of piney citrus abound, but the malt ingredient in this Pennsylvania craft beer is very well balanced for the IPA style.

It's definitely bitter from the hops, as you would commonly expect from any India Pale Aleworth its salt, but very nicely balance and almost rich as silk from it's sweeter sidekick Mr. malt. I like it and I suspect many others might as well (if you're into hoppier beers and it's available in your neighborhood).

Weyerbacher Brewing Company continues to produce some of the better microbrews which I've been lucky enough to have the pleasure of sampling and reviewing. Hops Infusion follows suit and does nothing to tarnish that great microbrewing reputation. I'm not sure just how far west the Weyerbacher beer brand reaches in its marketing and distribution, but if you're in the mood for trying a new India Pale Ale, I'd recommend Weyerbacher Hops Infusion as a microbrew that will not set you into orbit, but will certainly make you want another one or two if you get the chance. It's a very good summer's evening back porch sitting with friends kind of IPA. Try it, you'll like it!

P.S. Weyerbacher Brewing Company Hops Infusion clocks in at 6.2% alcohol by volume according to the bottle label and website. Not over the top in ABV but enough to make you want to bear it in mind if you grab a six pack. Might be good to split with a friend if you plan to finish all six at an outing. One last note, the bottle beer label is a cool closeup photo-type image of a hop flower. Real nice and indicative of what you'll be getting inside the bottle.

If you found any enjoyment in reading this microbrew beer review and if you love craft beers in particular, you'll find more craft beer reviews of both new and old microbrews and also fun microbrew and craft beer-related info at Microbrew Review or Best Craft Beer Reviews. Click the links above and please let me know what you liked or hated and let me know any beers that you might like to see me review next time. Cheers and please drink responsibly!

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Clipper City Brewing Company Below Decks Barleywine Style Ale - A Microbrew Blog Review

noreply@blogger.com (David James) — Sun, 22 Jun 2008 03:43:00 +0000

Clipper City Brewing Company has become pretty high up on my list of great microbreweries lately. This Baltimore, Maryland microbrewery has put out some great beers and a few of them I've been lucky enough to sample as of late. Clipper City's Below Decks Barleywine (a 2007 vintage offering from their Heavy Seas line of microbrews) is just the latest in a series I've had the chance to enjoy recently.

I poured the chilled 12 ounce brown bottle of Below Decks into an unchilled pint glass. Color is a spectacularly clear copper and ruby. Awesome presence of carbonation and effervescence makes itself known. There really was no foam or beer head to speak of in this craft beer (as the photo above proves). Aroma was mildly of sweet fig and molasses, but not a very strong scent at all.

Taste is great! This barleywine style ale is thick, rich, sweet and sticky. Roasted malt is everywhere with molasses flavors abound. It's slick on the palate and sticky on the cheeks with a zest and zing yet on the tip of my tongue at the swallow that lingers for what seems a minute or two. While this beer is of the thicker sweet variety, it still offer a bubbly life to it. It takes on a personality of its own. It's alive!

Alcohol burn is reasonable but not overwhelming strong or present even given the fact that this craft beer is clocking in a a powerful 10% alcohol by volume rating. There is a warming effect in the chest and stomach after the first few swallows. Very nice indeed. I believe this beer has had just enough of time to mellow just a tad taking a bit of the sting off the alcohol kick that might have been too dominant had it been in a fresher state of existence, say maybe when it rolled off the bottling line late last summer or early fall (hard to say its born on date since there is no indication on the bottle).

I've gone through a few barleywines in my years of sampling craft beers. There are several that have really stood out to me and have held a warm spot in my heart over time. Clipper City Brewing Company's Below Decks Barleywine Style Ale does not rank right in the top 2 or 3 overall, but comes in respectably as a second tier barleywine in my book. It's certainly well put together and very tasty indeed. It's a sipper and not something I'd down more than one or two in an evening, but it offers enough to keep it interesting along the 30-60 minutes it takes for me to imbibe a full twelve ounces.

I can't find anything glaringly wrong or off with Below Decks Barleywine Ale. It's not the ultimate barleywine I've tried, but it's nowhere near the worst either. This is worth the try if you enjoy the stronger barleywine style ales. Pick up a bottle or two if you see it somewhere in your local sixpack shop. I don't think you'll be disappointed at all. As with any strong ABV craft beer and barleywine ales in particular, it might be a good bet to keep a spare in the fridge for a year or two before trying it out again just to see how well this barleywine matures over time. I'll get Clipper City Brewing Company's Below Decks Barley Wine Style Ale a 7.75 out of 10.00 on my personal microbrew rating scale. You'll enjoy the beer and check out the entertaining bottle label as well.

If you found any enjoyment in reading this microbrew beer review and if you love craft beers in particular, you'll find more craft beer reviews of both new and old microbrews and also fun microbrew and craft beer-related info at Microbrew Review or Microbrew and Craft Beer Reviews. Click through on the links above and please let me know what you liked or didn't like and let me know any beers that you might like to see me review next time. Cheers!

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Speakeasy Untouchable Pale Ale - My Microbrew Review Blog Review

noreply@blogger.com (David James) — Sun, 15 Jun 2008 00:43:00 +0000

Speakeasy Ales & Lagers is a California-based microbrewery which proudly calls San Francisco its home of beer brewing operations. Tonight I grabbed a bottle of Speakeasy's Untouchable Pale Ale out of the cooler at my local mix a six craft beer and microbrew outlet. I'd have to admit that the bottle imagery of a screen printed 1930's mobster-type character with a sneaky looking pair of eyes painted on the bottle neck caught my eye the most out of the many bottles in the cooler to select from.

The text on the back of the bottle reads:

"Sssshh! During Prohibition, the masses were forced underground into the speakeasy. Hidden within the streets of the city, friends gathered where music played and drinks were poured... Untouchable does justice to the American Pale Ale, enforcing a strict balance of arresting hop flavor and a smooth maltiness that's just undercover."

Well, we'll see how it stands up to the promise.

Pouring the chilled brown bottle of micro brew into my 10 ounce glass beer mug, this American Pale Ale displays a rusty nail orangey color. It was very cloudy and high in floating yeast particulate. It wasn't the prettiest of beers to look at in my mug, but the respectable white and pillowy 3/4 inch head was admirable and stuck around quite a bit longer than I had guessed that it might.

Upon placing my nose up to the glass rim, I find that my olfactory senses are greeted with a musty floral scent, slightly oily and earthy all at once. Mild hints of lemon waft in the far distant background and pine makes a non-obtrusive appearance in this craft beer aroma.

Partaking of the first few sips of this chilled pale ale, the beer's mouthful was smooth and full. A respectable hoppy bitterness was present with lesser twinges of malty sweetness further in the background, but just enough to make the beer interesting and balanced overall. I sensed a grassy earthiness to Untouchable Pale Ale. Carbonation in the mouthful was fair and became more visually evident as the liquid cleared somewhat by mid glass. The swallow finished primarily clean with just a hint of citrus bitterness left mid-tongue.

Finishing off the full 12 ounce bottle, I'm left with wanting to try one more bottle of this craft beer. I got the feeling that I just might like this ale a little bit more upon a second sampling. At 5.5% alcohol by volume, I probably could have stood another bottle or two of Speakeasy Pale Ale. But I'd only picked up one tonight and will probably find myself moving on to other microbrews tomorrow.

I might try this beer again in the future. But overall, I didn't find any one particular feature that I could point to in making it one of the better American Pale Ales that I've sampled over time. It's worth a shot though and especially if you're just starting into the world of microbrews but just aren't quite ready for the further extremes of an IPA or the stronger imperial strength beers. Matching this beer up to it's perfect situational serving setting, I'd say this would be a great beer on ice, bottles piles high in a bushel barrel while sitting around a cozy beach fire with friends on a chilly summer's evening. I recommend giving Speakeasy Untouchable American Pale Ale a try sometime in your microbrew sampling endeavors.

If you found any enjoyment in reading this microbrew beer review and if you love craft beers in particular, you'll find more craft beer reviews of both new and old microbrews and also fun microbrew and craft beer-related info at Microbrew Review or Microbrew and Craft Beer Reviews. Click through on the links above and please let me know what you liked or didn't like and let me know any beers that you might like to see me review next time. Cheers!

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Speakeasy Untouchable American Pale Ale

Clipper City Brewing Company's Red Sky at Night Saison Ale - A Microbrew Review

noreply@blogger.com (David James) — Wed, 28 May 2008 02:59:00 +0000

Clipper City Brewing Company's Red Sky at Night Saison Ale. Here's a craft beer I've never had the opportunity to sip down before let alone do a microbrew beer review about. I just picked up this single 12 ounce bottle from the famed Baltimore-based microbrewery tonight and was anxious to give it a try. Let's get started with the beer review shall we?

Pouring the chilled brown bottle into a 16 ounce pint glass, the "new penny" colored ale sparkled and shimmered with good carbonation and plentiful, playful tiny bubbles cascading eagerly upwards towards the surface. Once there, they formed a meager one finger layer of head that only lasted but a brief minute or so.

This Baltimore-based microbrew's aroma of strong candied fruit and yeasted malt wafted aggressively from the surface and all around the close proximity of my glass. Fruits of banana, plum and even a bit of sweet citrus come to mind along with the unmistakable scents of Belgian yeast. So far, this beer is looking and smelling pretty good.

Partaking of the first few sips of Red Sky at Night Saison Ale, my palate is greeted with a full bodied, sour yet sweet flavor. It's definitely Belgian in nature and thick in texture. The initial sweetness is quickly followed by the soured zesty fruitiness ending in a fairly clean swallow with a citrusy and oily presence left in the middle of the tongue. There's a certain level of spiciness to it as well which makes the ale quite refreshing, maybe almost too much so.

As the glass emptied to its halfway point, I observed an absence of any lacing or "legs" from this beer on the wall of my pint glass while the liquid still remained crisp and clear and full of carbonated energy. A timid ring of foam still lined the top perimeter of the glass at this point. Throughout the remainder of the sampling this Clipper City Brewing Company microbrew stays strong and consistent never wavering in flavor or scent.

Overall, I'd give Clipper City Brewing Company's Red Sky at Night Saison Ale a 7.75 on my microbrew rating scale of 1 to 10. This is a respectably complex and enjoyable craft beer that will please many fans of many wide-ranging microbrew styles yet will also satisfy those experienced and discriminating Saison Ale style afficiandos as well. The 7.5 percent alcohol by volume presents a warming factor in the gut which is not predominantly what you'd seek out in a seasonal beer this time of year being that it's late spring/early summer and all. But Clipper City's Red Sky at Night will definitely stand on its own merit no matter what the calendar says or what the occasion might be. Just don't go overboad with this "Heavy Seas" offering from Clipper City Brewing Company. Keep it "above board" when enjoying this microbrew. Ahoy Matey!! Cheers!!

If you actually experienced any level of enjoyment in reading this microbrew beer review and if you love craft beers in particular, you'll find more craft beer reviews of both new and old microbrews and also fun microbrew and craft beer-related info at Microbrew Review or Microbrew and Craft Beer Reviews. Click through on the links above and please let me know what you liked or didn't like and let me know any beers that you might like to see me review next time. Cheers!

Clipper City Brewing Company
Saison Ale
Baltimore microbreweries
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Troegs Dreamweaver Wheat Beer - A Microbrew Review

noreply@blogger.com (David James) — Sun, 18 May 2008 00:22:00 +0000

Spring's here!! Even though it hasn't felt like Spring the last couple of weeks, it's May 17th and summer's just around the corner...I hope! Now's a good time to start sampling and selecting some favorite summertime style microbrews and craft beers to enjoy during the upcoming sweltering hot months. My wife was kind enough to bring home a local Pennsylvania microbrew from our friends at Troegs Independent Craft Brewery out of Harrisburg, PA. This microbrew is none other than Troeg's Dreamweaver Wheat Beer (one I've somehow never tried before).

Anyway, I wasted no time in cracking open the 12 ounce chilled bottle and poured Dreamweaver Wheat agressively into my 14 ounce pilsner glass which just happened to be the only clean beer sampling vessel in the cupboard at the time.

Troegs Dreamweaver Wheat Beer revealed itself as a musty straw colored liquid with much carbonation bearing a one finger marshmallowy head at the surface which remained for all but only a short minute or two. Very cloudy, chilled haze was the predominant visual from this unfiltered wheat craft beer.

The aroma was strongly reminiscent of bananas and clove, very sweet with just a mild hint of allspice in the far background. This was a very nice scent for this microbrew and not unexpected being a wheat beer by nature.

Troeg's Dreamweaver Wheat Beer tastes great in a nutshell. The beer is zingy on the tongue and vibrantly bright. Bananas do overwhelm the flavor in my opinion, but in a sweet and sensual way for this style of beer. It's smooth and velvety with its natural oily sensation slickening and coating the back of the mouth before swirling down into the gullet. This microbrew does have a little bit of weight to it for a summertime beer but I like it. There's not a lot of hops to be noted but that's also to be expected and the lack thereof didn't disappoint in any way or distract from the beer.

In all honesty, from my past experiences, wheat ales have never been my absolute favorite style of microbrew. But Troeg's Dreamweaver Wheat Beer is one of those beers that just might change my mind in the long run. I could definitely sit out back on the porch after a hot July afternoon of mowing the grass and easily see myself putting back two or three of these well crafted Pennsylvania microbrews one after the other. And with the convenient 4.8% alcohol by volume rating, this is a craft beer that won't get you in too much trouble too quickly. That's a real change of pace from some of my other favorite beers that are heavy on the ABV.

Troeg's Dreamweaver Wheat Beer is a champ in my book when it comes to wheat beers specifically and summertime style beers in general. I'll definitely be keeping an eye open for another couple of these brews to grace the beer fridge for the warm months ahead. I'm going to give Dreamweaver Unfiltered Wheat Beer a 7.0 on the microbrew Richter scale and throw more kudos to the fine beer brewing brothers at the Troeg's Independent Craft Brewery in Harrisburg, PA. Those guys know what they're doing when it comes to brewing no matter the style or season. Pick up some Dreamweaver Wheat now while you can before it's gone like leaves on the trees in the fall.

If you actually experienced any level of enjoyment in reading this microbrew beer review and if you love craft beers in particular, you'll find more craft beer reviews of both new and old microbrews and also fun microbrew and craft beer-related info at Microbrew Review or Microbrew and Craft Beer Reviews. Click through on the links above and please let me know what you liked or didn't like and let me know any beers that you might like to see me review next time. Cheers!

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summer beers
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A Microbrew Review of Samuel Adams Irish Red Ale

noreply@blogger.com (David James) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 02:05:00 +0000

I'd been meaning to pick up a bottle of Samuel Adams Irish Red ever since I'd seen it for the first time in the local beer cooler right before St. Patty's Day. For whatever reason, I passed on it at the time and am just finally getting around to sampling this Boston Beer Company offering after grabbing a single 12 ounce bottle of it tonight.

I poured 12 chilled ounces of this ale into a standard 10 ounce glass mug discovering a fiery ruby colored liquid bursting with those lively tiny effervescent bubbles o' joy just racing gleefully to the top of my beer mug. Those little bubbly leprachauns formed a gloriously frothy eggshell colored head that stuck around for a good five minutes and never fully dwindled down to non-existent. Foamy and creamy was my general impression.

The nose of this craft beer was malty and sweet with a tinge of allspice in the far distant horizon. What that was doing in this beer, I'm not sure. Sweet and malty sticks in my mind though.

The first few sips of Samuel Adams Irish Red was smooth and silky. I may have been better served to let the beer warm in my glass a bit before partaking but as it warmed a bit at mid-bottle, more flavors came out to round out that malty kiss of sugar. The predominant sweetness was nicely balanced with a mild hop backstop and notes of smoked peat appeared and left its mark on my palate.

As the beer in my glass dwindled, there was not much in the way of lacing or "beer legs" gracing the glass walls but I was mainly focused on drinking Sam Adams Irish Red, not looking at it for long periods of time.

My bottom line review of Samuel Adams Irish Red leaves me thinking that this is a very good beer, one of my favorite ales from the Boston Beer Company. This is smooth drinking, packed with flavor and easy to imbibe in more than one or two without going over the top in the alcohol by volume realm. I only wished that, knowing what I know now, I'd have picked up a six pack of this ale to have on hand and enjoy at this year's St. Patrick's Day celebrations. It's definitely a supremely enjoyable and well put together craft beer that I will be sure to keep in mind and look for come early March of 2009.

If you have a chance to grab a left over, straggling bottle from your local beer purveyor's shelves from this year's batch of Irish Red Ale, it's definitely worth a shot and your time. Samuel Adams Irish Red is a winner. Thanks again Boston Beer Company!

Oh, by the way, I'll give this beer review a 8.00 out of 10.00 points on my microbrew and craft beer review ratings scale. Boston Beer Co. knows what they're doing when it comes down to brewing!

If you found any level of enjoyment at all in reading this microbrew beer review and if you love craft beers in particular, you'll find more craft beer reviews of both new and old microbrews and also fun microbrew and craft beer-related info at Microbrew Review or Microbrew and Craft Beer Reviews. Click through on the links above and please do let me know what you liked or didn't like and also any beers that you might like to see me review next time!

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Victory Brewing Company's Hop Wallop - A Microbrew Review

noreply@blogger.com (David James) — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 23:48:00 +0000

A Microbrew Review of Victory Brewing Company's Hop Wallop

Victory Brewing Company, Downingtown, Pennsylvania

Sure, it's St. Patrick's Day today. But for whatever reason, I picked up a bottle of Hop Wallop from Victory Brewing Company at tonight's visit to my local mix six beer purveyor. Notably, this beer is a yearly Fall season brew but this bottle was still hanging around in the cooler and it's got a "enjoy by" date of 12/6/08, so what the heck, right? Hop Wallop is customarily classified as an Imperial India Pale Ale craft beer, brewed and bottled at Victory Brewing's Pennsylvania-based Downingtown brewery.

This imperial IPA poured a cloudy, chill-hazed burnt orange from the 12 ounce brown bottle into my unchilled 16 ounce pint glass. The head of this beer quickly rose to a 3/4 inch, pillowy meringue froth that lasted a good 2-3 minutes before slowly subsiding.

This craft ale's aroma wafted up, out and about from my glass, ringing true to a strong hoppy character. Very bold in bitter grapefruit and cheering from the sideline presence of fresh pine was predominant.

The initial sip of this Victory Brewing Co offering puckered my mouth and gave off a zesty kick of otherworldly hops bitterness. The primary flavor is bitter grapefruit and it lasts through to the swallow. Carbonation level isn't a distraction at all and it ends by going down pretty smoothly although there is a sticky lollipop sour aftertaste that lingers well after. There is just a glimmering hint of a spicey flavor to it in the background, almost clove-like, but not much.

Hop Wallop is strong, very strong in its overbearing hop supremacy. Any malt in this Victory beer? It's close to impossible to detect that's for certain but it's got to be in there somewhere. In looking more closely at the label, I can see that this Pennsylvania craft beer boasts a pretty hefty alcohol by volume rating of 8.5%. I couldn't tell it however as the alcohol content appears very well cloaked in this Pennsylvania based microbrew. Either way, in flavor and in alcohol, it's not a chugging beer, at least not for me. One interesting note is that by about 1/3 left in my glass, this microbrew is especially clear and crystalline almost. It changed appearance about as quick as the weather does here in Western Pennsylvania.

Overall though, my personal opinion is that Victory Brewing Company Hop Wallop is a very good beer although pretty straight-forward and one dimensional in complexity. This ale is probably the king of beers when it comes down to sheer hop bitter terror. It's all about the hops. I personally enjoyed Hop Wallop, but I would guess that there are likely many folks who wouldn't if hoppy beers are not their cup of tea. In fact, even if hoppy beers are your favorite, Hop Wallop still might not be the ticket. It depends. This Imperial IPA falls on the extreme end of bitter hop bombs. I'd give Victory Brewing Company's Hop Wallop an 8.0 out of 10.0 points on my scale. It's a worthy brew for your bucks and especially worth a sit down with for any hop head out there.

P.S. The label on the bottle features a cartoon slappy pappy miner 49er character who goes by the moniker of Horace "Hop" Wallop, at least according to the entertaining little label story about the origin of Victory Hop Wallop. Maybe the story's true, maybe it's not. You decide.

Microbrew Review of Samuel Adams Double Bock - by the Boston Beer Company

noreply@blogger.com (David James) — Sun, 16 Mar 2008 00:50:00 +0000

March is here and spring is just around the corner finally. And with Spring comes the spring seasonal beers. I have a few spring craft beers that I look out for each year around this time, but I'm always trying to find new beers to sample no matter what the season.

Tonight at the local six and save beer shop, I was able to procure a craft beer that I hadn't tried to date. This beer is none other than Samuel Adams Double Bock. This late winter/early spring seasonal beer is brought to me by our good friends at the Boston Beer Company. I've noticed this past year that Samuel Adams has produced seasonal beers as a limited time offerings. I'm not sure exactly when this practice started but this is the first time I'd seen Samuel Adams Double Bock anywhere. But hey, I'm a guy and an amateur and I don't pay alot of attention sometimes I guess. Maybe this Doppelbock beer from Sam Adams has been around for years and I just missed it. Either way, I was excited to give this craft brew a shot.

I poured this beer into an unchilled 10 ounce glass mug. The beer was a beautiful deep coppery mahogany color and shimmered when held up to the little. Very tiny, frisky bubbles of carbonation dodged and darted their way quickly to the surface forming a creamy eggshell colored head that lasted but for a brief minute or two before settling to a meager corona of foam against the mug wall. I was a little surprised to see so much noticeably active carbonation.

The aroma of Sam Adams Double Bock is of strong, sticky sweet syrupy malt with tinges of alcohol stinging just a little on the nose. An almost carmel and licorice hint lingered very faintly in the background.

I'd poured this beer a little bit cold and found the first sip to be noticably strong and chewy with alcohol presence more present than I'd have expected. It actually was a little more present than I would like. As the beer warmed about half mug, the alcohol fell more into the background but provided a warming sense to the belly. I was impressed with the amount of spider web lacing down the side of the mug that Sam Adams Double Bock left as a ghost of the beer that used to be there.

Samuel Adams Double Bock got smoother and more enjoyable as it warmed. It's filling and chewy and finishes admirably clean for such a malty brew. The Bavarian hops ingredient in this craft beer only makes a forgettable cameo as Double Bock is all about massive quantities of malt and that's really what a good double bock beer should be.

My bottom line is that I really enjoyed my review of Samuel Adams Double Bock. It's a great spring seasonal beer and I found it very drinkable yet almost a meal in itself. It was filling and thick yet crisp and refreshing in an "end of winter" sort of way. I couldn't see myself pouring this beer on a hot summer lawn mowing day, but for the first few mid 50 degrees days of the coming spring, Sam Adams Double Bock hit the spot. I will caution that this Double Bock rates a whopping 8.8 percent alcohol by volume, so be respectful and sip responsibly. It's not really a chugging kind of beer anyway.

I'm no expert on double bock beers, but I really liked Samuel Adams Double Bock and will seek out another bottle or two to sample again before the heat waves of summer. I'm also looking forward to whatever Samuel Adams might come out with as their special Summer Seasonal Beer in the upcoming months. Sam Adams Double Bock rates an 8.25 out of 10.00 with me and I hope you like it too if you get a chance to try it. It'll shake you right out of those late winter doldrums and into spring.

If you by chance found any mild enjoyment in reading this microbrew beer review and if you love craft beers in particular, you'll find more reviews of both new and old microbrews and also fun microbrew and craft beer-related info at Microbrew Review or Microbrew and Craft Beer Reviews. Click through on the links above and please do let me know what you liked or didn't like and also any beers that you might like to see me review next time!

Saranac Winter Wassail Microbrew Review

noreply@blogger.com (David James) — Mon, 03 Mar 2008 00:46:00 +0000

Although it's now March, I was able to pick up a straggler winter beer sampler 24 pack of Saranac's 12 Beers of Winter. The 12 beers is actually only 6 different styles of beers in 2 separate 12 packs (a little misleading as I'd initially thought I'd have the opportunity to sample 2 of 12 different brews).

Anyway, the price was right and I'd had several pretty good past experiences with craft beers from Saranac (Saranac's actually one of the brand names of beers brewed by Matt Brewing Company out of Utica, New York). This case of craft beer looked festive enough from the design on the packaging and since it is still officially winter, I thought I'd give it a try.

Saranac Wassail Ale, as served from the traditionally classic brown glass bottle (with fairly festively cool label)poured a crisp cool looking copper pink into an unchilled 16 ounce standard pint glass.

The perky foamy head rose in agitated fashion to a billowy off-white head of a good three quarters inch, but simmered down in less than 2 minutes to virtually nothing. Nothing too notable here yet.

Aroma is festive. Malty and sweet with rough edges of fruit and spice. A very faint raison/clove scent eminates. Not alot like many Christmas ales I've sampled these past few months. For a spiced ale, I sense more in the way of fruit presense.

This winter ale microbrew provided a fairly crisp flavor. Sweet and malty at first but more in the way of fruit presense as I progressed mid-glass via the warming stages. The sweetness and malt tended to transgress to a fruity, plum-like flavor. Not so much on the spice side once hitting mid-glass with warming. I really don't know the alcohol by volume rating of this beer but assume it's under 6%. If it's more than that, it's extremely well hidden.

Saranac's Winter Wassail is an enjoyable microbrew. It's refreshing, a little unique, and fruity in an unobtrusive manner. I imagined more prominence in the way of spices judging by the label description, but was more impressioned with the fruit side of this ale. Plum sticks foremost in my mind, at least with this particular 12 ounce bottle.

If you haven't tried any beers from Saranac yet, this microbrewery's offerings are definitely worth a shot. I've sampled several from the Matt Brewing Co and have rarely had any extreme disappointments. I would describe many of Saranac's beers as great "crossover" beers to the craft beer world. Saranac Winter Wassail out of their Winter Beers mixed sampler pack is worthy of inclusion in the mix of 24. It's more of a milder Christmas beer I'd say with better enjoyment promised upon consumption around festively warmer holiday meals rather than while riding out a late winter blizzard in the freezing cold of an unsurrendering winter. This is global warming? How can we get some more? I think we need it.

A Microbrew Review of Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA

noreply@blogger.com (David James) — Sat, 02 Feb 2008 00:30:00 +0000

Okay folks. Here's my review of Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA.

I snagged this Imperial India Pale Ale tonight at my local mix and match bottle shop. Good deals abound tonight which is always a good sign and a great start to the Super Bowl weekend (I'm wrecklessly predicting a Giants upset by two points by the way. But hey, what do I know?)

90 Minute Imperial IPA is proudly produced by Dogfish Head Craft Ales, a craft beer brewery based in Milton, Delaware. For those of you who haven't heard of Dogfish Head brewery, they're known for their "experimental" and "extreme beers". While they have a few brews more or less considered their flagships and more accessible to the average microbrew drinker, they've always been on the cutting edge of craft beer brewing since their humble beginnings by their founder Sam Calgione way back in 1995. And with some of the Dogfish Head craft beers I've sampled to date, it might just be that we may only be in the beginning stages of experiencing some great, extreme out-of-this-world, unthinkable microbrews from the friendly Dogfish Head folks in Milton, DE. They definitely seem to keep an open mind when it comes to brewing.

So anyway, on to the beer at hand. First off, let me say I like the beer bottle design. I got mine in a 12 ounce brown bottle. The label features the familiar dogfish head shark overlaying an aged parchment colored paper with a screening of hops prominently displayed in the background. The brewery description reads: "What you have here is an Imperial India Pale Ale featuring a single constant 90-minute hop addition. It's balanced by a ridiculous amount of English Two-row Barley. Then we dry hop it in every tank." Yes, they really do!

90 Minute IPA pours a sparkling champagne copper with bubbles vibrant and abound. It sparkles! It shines! It almost seems alive and the hoppy musk eminates aggressively well off of the surface emcompassing any airdom within reach of the nose. Great aroma with a "sweet?" hoppy scent. Almost sticky, sugar hops if there is such a thing. Would make a great cereal, wouldn't it? Mom, can I have a bowl of Sticky Sugar Hops? The head raced up the side of my meager, unchilled 12 ounce mug and almost jumped the fence to freedom. After a few minutes though, it reduced to a manageable level and maintained a subtle film throughout the sampling.

This craft beer's flavor was tremendous folks. Thick, hoppy, bitter and rich all in one. 90 Minute IPA offers a lasting, unobtrusive mouthful of strong bitters and hops rounded off amazingly well with a malty and sweet stickiness that almost makes this craft beer a meal in itself. I noticed progressively more chewiness as the beer warmed. It's a dramatic contrast from the take back of initial hop shock. A marshmallowy coating of lace graced the side of my mug as I reduced it's 12 ounce volume to just a few drops on the bottom. I just don't know how they keep it all together here with this beer. For a Double India Pale Ale, this beer offer a lot of character and many facets not commonly found in Imperial IPA's.

Probably my only negative that I can give Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA is the fact the it clocks in at a whopping 9.0% alcohol by volume (according to the label). And it's a blatantly noticeable alcohol burn in tasting this microbrew that supports that. 90 Minute IPA is so doggone good and so tempting in making me want for more. It's just not something I can stand more than two of in any one sitting. Oh well, it's still great to have found a beer this worthy of waiting and looking forward to for the next time around. I'll head back to the store and stock up on a few more to keep in the beer fridge for the next few days.

Summary: Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA is probably one of the best all-around craft beers that I've had to date. It's just so well rounded in all aspects, but still it screams extreme in the fact that it doesn't lean in any one direction or categorization than would be reasonably assumed. If I could find this beer at a standard 5.0% abv, I'd have 90 Minute IPA as my "go-to beer" all the time. If you like IPA's and Double IPA's, give Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA a go. You most likely won't be disappointed and you just might find a new favorite beer. It's worth it. I'd give Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA a 9.75 out of 10.00 on my craft beer rating scale. Get some today!!

dogfish head
dogfish head brewery
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imperial india pale ales

If you had any fun or enjoyment in reading this microbrew beer review and love craft beers in particular, you'll find more reviews of both new and old microbrews and also fun microbrew and craft beer-related info at Microbrew Review or Microbrew and Craft Beer Reviews. I've also review Dogfish Head Punkin Ale if you care to check it out. Click through on the links above and please do let me know what you liked or didn't like and also any beers that you might like to see me review next time!

A Microbrew Review of Anchor Brewing Company's "Our Special Ale"

noreply@blogger.com (David James) — Wed, 12 Dec 2007 04:50:00 +0000

I was lucky to find and procure several bottles of Anchor Brewing Company's "Our Special Ale" tonight. Anchor Brewing Company craft beer products are not easily found in my locale (here in Western Pennsylvania) and a special find like Anchor Brewing Company's Christmas Ale 2007 seasonal beer is not one to just take for granted.

I've heard and read quite a lot about Anchor Brewing Company (based way, way out in California as a San Francisco-oriented craft beer brewery)and have had the opportunity only to try a couple of their lovingly produced ales. I know of one gentleman who frequents my local bottle shop who always seems to be grabbing a 12 pack of Anchor Steam Ale every time I'm there. I'm guessing it's "his beer" and perhaps he possibly drinks nothing else. Maybe that's a strong indicator of Anchor Brewing's cult type following nationally. Who knows for sure?

Anyway, on to Anchor Brewing Co.'s Christmas Ale. This Christmastime seasonal beer is only offered from November to January each year and the recipe differs each year as well. I've discovered that the "tree" on the front of the label is an actual unique tree also. Very ketchy. I like the marketing already. The label lists the 2007 vintage as well as "Merry Christmas & Happy New Year"! Nice, especially nowadays where everywhere you turn, people seem to go out of their way to be politically correct in leaving the word "Christmas" out of anything they print or portray.

Pouring the 12 ounce brown, glass bottle of ale into my trusty 14 ounce glass mug, this beer pours an almost opaque dark ruby with an abundance of carbonation (bubbles firing everywhere) and a huge billowing head of fluffy carmel frost on top. Very visually inviting this beer is.

Aroma is spicy, scents of mild carmel, sweet fruits (dates?!?) and a slight twinge of what I perceived as cloves. Hmmm, very interesting so far.

Tipping the mug back to my lips, Anchor's "Our Special Ale" does not disappoint or let down in the slightest. This craft beer is crisp and refreshing and lively in every sense of the word. I could very much just describe this seasonal beer in one simple word, "festive". It's very smooth and gives a sweet malty coating on the palate. Very chewy, almost a meal in itself. I tasted a nice balance of hop backbone to offset the sweet, malt characters and the spice made its presence felt just enough to not be too overbearing. I really like the balance and it's just hard to describe the equilibrium between the beer feeling heavy but still alive and zesty at the same time. If a craft beer could be judged on its ability to seem like a living organism, Anchor Brewing Company's 2007 vintage of "Our Special Ale" would be that beer for me.

In brief summary, I personally would highly recommend Anchor Brewing Co.'s "Our Special Ale" for your next holiday meal or festive gathering. I'd recommend this one to my dearest of friends. Anchor Christmas Ale is rich, robust, refreshing, pleasing to the eye and boasts loads and loads of character. It's an interesting ale that I could personally enjoy more than 2 or 3 of at a sitting without getting bored even in the slightest. In a nutshell, this is one great craft beer any time of the year, let alone as a special Christmas Ale. I guess that just lends a little more to its mystique, being that there's only just a small window of time for you to pick some up for your beer refrigerator before it's all gone until the 2008 edition is released next Christmas. I will give Anchor Brewing Company's Christmas Ale a big 8.75 out of 10.00 points in my ratings as an excellent representation of what a celebratory Christmas time, holiday ale should be. It's a winner!

If you experienced any slight fun or enjoyment in perusing this microbrew beer review and, if you love craft beers in particular, you'll find more reviews of both new and old microbrews, craft beers of all kinds, and also fun microbrew and craft beer-related info at Microbrew Review or Microbrew and Craft Beer Reviews. Click through on the links above and please take a second to let me know what you liked or didn't like and also note any beers that you might like to see me review next time! Hey, I'm new at this beer review thing. I need to know what I should be trying out!

A Microbrew Review of Abita Christmas Ale

noreply@blogger.com (David James) — Mon, 10 Dec 2007 04:12:00 +0000

I have to admit, I picked up a couple 12 ounce bottles of Abita Brewing Company Christmas Ale this evening just solely because of the shiny silver foil printed labels. Something about the appearance of the bottle just shouted "festive". I had to give it a try. And being the holiday season, this beer fit right in. I'll be blunt by saying I'd trying a couple of the year round offerings from Abita Brewing Company (a microbrewery based in Abita Springs, Louisiana) and at least with those microbrews was not the most impressed. I was hoping Christmas Ale might be a little different.

Pouring Abita Christmas Ale into a standard unchilled 12 ounce beer mug, I was presented with an amber, reddish vibrant hue. The beer looked "zesty" so to speak with a bold bright color and energetic bubbles abound everywhere. There was no notable head to point out and despite it's bubbly appearance, the beer gave off a "thin" image.

Taking the first couple sips of Abita Christmas Ale was where it really got going for me. The nose was sweet and bready. A little bit of clove mixed in. Not a whole lot of out of the box going on here but the flavor was respectable. It was a little thin for my taste, but still with a bit of Christmas Ale type spice and bite. Abita Christmas Ale was clean, crisp and refreshing. It gave off a little bit of holiday-esque sensation through it's spiciness but kept it drinkable with the balance of hops throughout. It didn't go over the top.

I actually could imagine myself enjoying several of these regularly during a typical microbrew session throughout the year regardless of the season. Abita Brewing Company Christmas Ale was just that darned drinkable and easy to put down. Now, if only all the Abita Brewing Company offerings were in the same ballpark of flavor, I'd be more and more on the lookout for Abita Brewing offerings in my local microbrew bottleshop haunt and at the beer distributor as well.

As a quick wrap up, I'd have to say that I do recommend the Abita Brewing Company Christmas Ale to anyone who's asking. It's not all that complex of a brew and certainly not as sweet, thick, or spicy as a lot of Christmas craft beers are know for, but Abita Christmas Ale holds it's own, is very drinkable and is at least interesting enough to make you pay attention to the beer throughout the entire bottle consumption process. I noticed a little more flavor as the beer warmed and a little more warmth from the milder levels of alcohol by volume included in this beer as well.

I'd recommend going out and picking up a bottle or two of Abita Brewing Company's Christmas Ale if you do get an opportunity to this holiday season. The festive label will make it look a little more exciting than it is, but the beer will not disappoint and would be a nice, "lighter" craft beer addition to any holiday gathering throughout this Christmas beer drinking season.

If you had any fun or enjoyment in reading this microbrew beer review and love craft beers in particular, you'll find more reviews of both new and old microbrews and also fun microbrew and craft beer-related info at Microbrew Review or Microbrew and Craft Beer Reviews. Click through on the links above and please do let me know what you liked or didn't like and also any beers that you might like to see me review next time!

A Microbrew Review of Festbier - Oktoberfest Style Lager by Victory Brewing Company

noreply@blogger.com (David James) — Sat, 20 Oct 2007 01:44:00 +0000

Here's another craft beer in the Oktoberfest vein picked up just this week at my local microbrew and craft beer bottle shop. This beer is another from a Pennsylvania brewery which I've become quite fond of over the past two years. Welcome to Festbier Lager from Victory Brewing Company, a brewery based in Downingtown, Pennsylvania.

As mentioned in previous posts, I'm really starting to come along in beginning to appreciate the Oktoberfest style beers this fall. I thought I'd try this Festbier being that it's described right on the label as an Oktoberfest style lager.

Upon pouring the properly chilled beer into an unchilled sixteen ounce pint glass, it's easy to describe this beer as a burnt, rusty orange color with a little bit of cloudiness and haze. Festbier poured with almost no head to speak of and very minimal evidence of carbonation. From appearance, it almost looks like it may be spoiled or flat.

Smell is faint. No very much eminating from the surface as far as aroma goes until you really take a good whiff. Scent is somewhat sweet and predominantly of bready malt, maybe almost a toast smell with a strange orange peel presence as well (almost like one of those gel fruit candies shaped like oranges and lemons...strange).

Several sips into the beer, it's got a little more of a carbonated feel to it than its appearance admits. Beer tingles a little on the palate. Not very much excitement in the flavor however. It's got the typical bready, German malt flavor but nothing out of the ordinary or striking. There's not a whole lot in the way of hops bitterness (nor anything tasting like the orange peel as hinted to in the aroma). It wasn't very crisp and left a somewhat unpleasant sour aftertaste on the tongue well afterwards.

As far as an Oktoberfest beer goes, Victory Brewing Company Festbier is pretty standard in the real of Oktoberfests, although it's easy for me to deduct from sampling this beer that I have had better Oktoberfest beers. It's decent enough to drink and is not drain pour quality certainly, but running out and purchasing a 24 bottle case of this at $27.00 for my party this Saturday is something I will not be doing. I probably wouldn't have more than one and I'm guessing my guests would not as well.

My final assessment of Victory Brewing Festbier is ho-hum, which disappoints me a little being that this beer was from one of my growing favorite local Pennsylvania microbreweries. I wanted to like it more, but just can't honestly say it's on my short list to be drinking again anytime real soon. At 5.60% alcohol by volume, this would be a beer you could enjoy a few of on a warm fall evening on the back porch after a football game. But I just don't see myself doing that with Festbier. It's worth a try though and maybe it might be a better experience for you though. Who knows. But in the world of countless Oktoberfest microbrews, with so many beers and so little time, I might steer you towards another beer to satisfy your fall Oktoberfest season beer hankering.

In all fairness though, Victory Brewing Company is a fantastic craft beer brewery with incredible beers. For Victory Festbier though, I'd rate this Oktoberfest beer a 6.00 out of 10.00 points.

If you had any fun or enjoyment in reading this microbrew beer review and love craft beers in particular, you'll find more reviews of both new and old microbrews and also fun microbrew and craft beer-related info at Microbrew Review or Microbrew and Craft Beer Reviews. Click through on the links above and please do let me know what you liked or didn't like and also any beers that you might like to see me review next time!

Atwater Block Brewery Bloktoberfest - A Microbrew Review

noreply@blogger.com (David James) — Sun, 14 Oct 2007 01:14:00 +0000

I'm really starting to appreciate these Oktoberfest style beers this fall. I've never been the biggest fan of this particular style, but the more I drink and review American Oktoberfest beers this year, the more I respect them and enjoy them as well.

This evening's craft beer Oktoberfest selection from my trusty basement beer refrigerator is downtown Detroit-based Atwater Block Brewery's Bloktoberfest Lager. I've not had all that many microbrews from Michigan microbreweries over the past year, but Atwater Block Brewery is a well known and respected brewery across the state of Michigan. They got a few really nice craft beer offerings and I was anxious to give Bloktoberfest a shot to see if it would continue the trend.

Dumping the chilled 12 ounces of brew from the brown glass bottle into my pub glass, this beer poured with an extremely active and aggressive marshmallow two finger head that hung around for a good 5 minutes or so finally settling down to a frothy corona around the parameter of the top of the glass. Bloktoberfest boasts a tannish gold color with slight tinges of tawny red. It was clear with generous, visible carbonation. A good looking beer overall at this point. A strongly malt based scent eminated from the surface of this beer. It was sweetly scented reminiscent of cookie dough, bread and even a little cinnamon. Interesting enough for an Octoberfest beer. This is one of the strongest scented German style Oktoberfests that I've tried so far.

Taking down the first taste of this beer, I knew I was on to something pretty special. First off, there was a very nice presence of lacing down the side of my glass which I've always found to be a good indicator of the richness of a craft beer. It was a lot chewier and thicker than I imagined. Great feel on the tongue and malty to the max. Sweet and a little bit of gingerbread and spice which surprised me a little as well. A nice and mild hoppy bitter backbone balance it out very well and kept the flavor from going off to far in one direction or the other. A great, clean finish with a mildly sour aftertaste but nothing too distraction.

Atwater Block Brewing's Bloktoberfest Specialty Lager met and exceeded my expectations of an Oktoberfest style beer. No it wasn't the best Oktoberfest beer I've ever had, but it sure comes close in my book. Blocktoberfest is a very enjoyable and drinkable beer that I would certainly be able to imbibe in a few of in one sitting. It's very smooth, and easy to drink and has a special festive appeal to it that matches the fall season perfectly I would say. At 6.3% alcohol by volume, you probably don't want to go overboard, but that's just good sense when enjoying any microbrew. I loved Bloktoberfest and will give it a well-earned 8.0 out of 10.0. This is one Oktoberfest I'll be looking forward to again next fall for sure!

If you enjoyed reading this microbrew beer review and love craft beers in particular, you can find more reviews of new and old microbrews and fun microbrew and craft beer-related info at Microbrew Review or Microbrew and Craft Beer Reviews. Stop by and let me know what you liked or didn't like and what beers you might like to see me review next time!

A Microbrew Review of Penn Brewery's Oktoberfest Lager Beer

noreply@blogger.com (David James) — Sat, 13 Oct 2007 03:41:00 +0000

I live right here in Western Pennsylvania and have sampled some great Pennsylvania microbrews and craft beers from all across the state. But finally, just yesterday I picked up an unassuming looking bottle of penn brewery oktoberfest from my local bottleshop. Wow, it took me this long to try out a beer from a local Pittsburgh area brewery? Yes, I am a slacker in some senses of the word. But of course, Pittsburgh is not exactly known for its microbreweries and craft beers now is it?

Anyways, this chilled 12 ounce brown bottle features a somewhat festive scene of a good ole German guy and gal in traditional German Oktoberfest celebratory garb (the guy hoisting only one stein of the German liquid gold while the young lady boasts six mugs at once. Pretty impressive for a young lady of any nationality. It's a decent label but nothing too extreme or off the beaten path of those found on many Oktoberfest beers. How much can you do with a theme like an Oktoberfest celebration in Germany?

I poured this beer into a standard, unchilled 10 ounce glass beer mug fairly aggressively. Not a whole lot of head frothing about or anything really going on here appearance-wise. I witnessed just shy of a one-finger white head on Penn Oktoberfest which really didn't hang around very long for more than a minute or two. Beer is very clear and a tawny reddish brown color. A very active culture of tiny bubbles migrate to the surface from every area of the bottom of the mug.

Aroma is not very assuming. Mildly bready and a mediocre malty scent presence. That's really about it here. There was nothing to write home about Penn Brewery's Oktoberfest in the way of an assault on the ole olfactory homefront. Nose is definitely average at best in making me want to take my first sip.

But sip I did. And my first sip provided a smooth but somewhat thin mouthful of beer. Sweet just a bit but a fair balance of hops to balance. There was not much zing on the palate even given the appearance of a high level of carbonation. It was hard to sense much carbonation at all in the mouthful. This Oktoberfest went down very smooth and very easy and it only went easier as fifteen or twenty minutes went by and it warmed in my mug. Only after a while did I start to become a little more annoyed with the thin character of this craft beer. There was a mild sour aftertaste that definitely didn't add to a most positive experience.

I tried this beer after a long holdout of sampling and reviewing any of the products cranked out by Penn Brewery and after this beer, may wait quite a while longer before sampling and reviewing another microbrew from this Pittsburgh microbrewery.

Aside from my experience with Pennsylvania Brewing Company's wintertime offering of St. Nikolaus Bock Bier, I just haven't been all that impressed with most of the others I've tried from this Western Pennsylvania microbrewery. I think they try, but maybe there's some room for one or two more "flagship" type beers that could help put them on the microbrew review map nationally. I hope the best for them as I do all microbrewers and craft beerbrewers alike. More good breweries means more good beer for us all to try and enjoy.

My final word on Penn Oktoberfest Lager from Pennsylvania Brewing Company is that it is an average craft beer, and an average representation of an Oktoberfest style lager. Nothing too, too bad about it but nothing all that great either. I just didn't feel this beer defined itself or offered any separation from the other Octoberfest beers available on the beer market today. Maybe next fall's batch will be different and better overall but for this year, I'm giving Penn Brewery's Oktoberfest a 4.75 out of 10.00 points overall. It would be good for tailgating at the next Steelers game however. I don't know the alcohol by volume, but I'm guessing it's somewhere around 5% or so which would allow for consuming at least a few of these beers per sitting or event. Cheers!

If you enjoyed reading this microbrew beer review and love craft beers in particular, you can find more reviews of new and old microbrews and fun microbrew and craft beer related info at Microbrew Review. Stop by and let me know what you liked or didn't like and what beers you might like to see me review next time!

Microbrew Review of Southern Tier Harvest Ale

noreply@blogger.com (David James) — Sun, 07 Oct 2007 02:15:00 +0000

I've enjoyed several craft beers from Southern Tier Brewing Company over the past year or so. I haven't had the pleasure of sampling them all yet, but my overall general impression is that this Lakewood, New York microbrewery produces some pretty carefully concocted craft beers. I've typically had some very good experiences and even those Southern Tier beers that I wouldn't necessarily rate at the top of my personal favorites list, those still wouldn't come anywhere close to being considered as bad beers.

Tonight's Southern Tier Brewing Company selection I've chosen to inbibe in is Harvest Ale, technically categorized as an English Style Extra Special Bitter ale. I've not had this one before so my curiosity was piqued when I spotted a couple of bottles in the local shop cooler.

I quickly poured Southern Tier Harvest Ale pretty aggressively into an unchilled pub glass and found a result of a pillow of fluff of about a finger in depth, but not very long lasting. After a couple of minutes it was gone. Lazy microbeads of carbonation sifted upwards through the dark yellow straw coloring. Not a bad looking microbrew, but nothing to write home about yet either. Let's move on though.

There's a mild, hoppy aroma to this beer. Makes me think "crisp and clean". It throws off a pleasant smell, but not overbearing. Not an astringent scent, just enough to make it interesting and tempting enough to tease for a sip. And sip I did.

The flavor of this craft beer stands out on its own. It's got a great level of hoppiness without going way over the top in citrus and bitters. A maniacal hop-head may not find this satisfying enough, but although I love hops and the bitter the better, I'm taking this beer for what it is, an English Style Extra Special Bitter ale. The beer does have a mild layer of malt backing that truly helps the follow through and makes it a very easy beer to drink and put away(I guess I'd say the "drinkability is good").

It's a very smooth and enjoyable micro brew and Southern Tier's Harvest Ale doesn't have any drastically noticeable weaknesses in flavor as far as I can tell. I'd describe this as a well rounded balance from all players in the taste of this microbrew with no one single factor taking away from the total presentation. Another point I noted was that the mouthful was excellent. There was very little in the way of disconcerting aftertaste and I was also a little surprised that this beer didn't taste quite as thin as it looks in the glass (not that it looked that thin, just that the taste was a little "thicker" than I thought from just looking at it).

I would rate Southern Tier Brewing Company's Harvest Ale as a winner. It's no hop bomb but offers enough hoppiness to keep the true hopheads interested while making itself reasonably accessible to the lesser microbrew experienced crowd. It's a well made craft beer that crosses lines and allows many levels of microbrew drinkers to enjoy it and at 5.7% alcohol by volume, this beer will allow just about any beer drinker to enjoy a couple of these in one sitting. Almost a session beer.

In my humble opionion, I'd rate Southern Tier Brewing Company's Harvest Ale a 7.25 out of 10.00. Harvest Ale is a far above average beer that I'd recommend to anyone who appreciates a well thought out and handily crafted beer. I'll be having this microbrew again, and probably very soon!

You can find more reviews of new microbrews and fun microbrew and craft beer related info at Microbrew Review or My Squidoo Lens. Check out Summer Microbrew too!

Microbrew Review of Lancaster Brewing Company's Oktoberfest

noreply@blogger.com (David James) — Thu, 04 Oct 2007 02:05:00 +0000

At the bottle shop tonight, I found a new microbrew I'd not been privvy to trying out before. As with any new microbrew or craft beer I find, I can't resist at least trying it out, no matter what the style. This new find is Oktoberfest from Lancaster Brewing Company a Lancaster, Pennsylvania craft beer brewery. I'm on a mission this fall to find the very best Oktoberfest beers and am reviewing as many as I can find accordingly.

The label was a little bit cartoonish, a drawing of a festive looking German man two-fisting it with both hands full of frothing mugs of brew at an Oktoberfest event I would have to guess. Fortunately, beer can't be judged by bottle and label design alone. Let's get to the beer itself.

I poured this one into a 10 ounce unchilled beer mug. Nothing fancy here. Color of the beer was mainly copper with a few tinges of rusty red. Carbonation very fine and very limited in the glass leading to an almost non-existent film of froth lazily grazing the surface.

Nose is malt and not much else. Smell is faint at best. I'm just not feeling it with this beer so far. Might as well take a sip then, shouldn't we?

Taste of this craft beer is mild and light on the malt taste. A bit a tempered hops in the far distant background but it almost seems unintentional. It's there but it's not doing anything for this beer. It's not bitter with malty backbone, nor is it sweet with a hop balance. Seems a little strange and off the mark for me. As the beer warms the sweet malts do make a stronger stand but in the sense of things, it's very weak in flavor for an Oktoberfest beer (Marzen style if you're keeping official track).

My bottom line for Lancaster Brewing Company's Oktoberfest is not impressive. While the Oktoberfest/Marzen style is not my favorite and probably never will be, I've had some good to great Octoberfest beers to start off the fall season. Lancaster's Oktoberfest just isn't one of them for me. My strongest lasting impression is that it is a very thin tasting craft beer. I guess a craft beer just makes me expect more. Maybe I'm too harsh or discriminating. But maybe not.

I'm not sure if this is Lancaster Brewing Company's first attempt at an Oktoberfest beer or not. Being from Pennsylvania, this is the first time I've seen it around these parts however. I've had several beers from this brewery and to this point, it's been about 50/50 for me. I love their Hop Hog and their Winter Warmer beer is outstanding. But Oktoberfest comes in low on my score scale for craft beers from Lancaster Brewing. I'll give this one a 4.5 out of 10, at least for now. I will probably try this again just to make sure I'm being fair and didn't accidentally receive a bad bottle. If my findings then are otherwise, I'll post again to correct my first sampling impression.

You can find more reviews of new microbrews and fun microbrew and craft beer related info at Microbrew Review or My Squidoo Lens. Check out Summer Microbrew too!

A Microbrew Review of Great Lakes Brewing Company's Oktoberfest

noreply@blogger.com (David James) — Tue, 02 Oct 2007 01:48:00 +0000

Yes, October is here, fall weather is starting to make its entrance and it's finally time to enjoy all the wondrous variations of Ocktoberfest beers in all their glory. I've not always had the best experiences with microbrews and craft beers of the Octoberfest style (and had even less success with the so-called "pumpkin beers") but I'm still a craft beer enthusiast and, doggone it, I'm always open to trying new beers. That's why this craft beer blog was created in the first place.

Well tonight, I decided on trying out Great Lakes Brewing Company's Oktoberfest amber lager. If you didn't already know, Great Lakes Brewing is a Cleveland, Ohio-based craft beer brewery with a great track record of producing some pretty fine beers over the years. It's certainly been one brewery that I never hestitate to try something new from.

Great Lakes Oktoberfest lager was served tonight from an approximately 45-50 degree chilled brown bottle into a standard 10 ounce, unchilled, glass beer mug. A nifty black & white photo of several assumed German patrons in their local beer garden enjoying their harvest of brew during Octoberfest is featured on the label. In addition, an "enjoy by" date of 10/13/07 is stamped on the label (not exactly leaving a whole lot of time to imbibe in this one being that it's Oct. 1st already. But I'm a trooper and I'll make the effort to try this one out under the pressure. I prefer a bottled on date myself but that's a personal preference I guess.

Pouring the beer into my mug, I discover that Oktoberfest is, as promised, an amber lager of great clarity. Not alot of carbonation going on here and the head is minimal at best and short lasting, even with an aggressive pour. Overall, the beer does look fairly handsome sitting in my mug. Nothing all that shocking in an extremely good or bad way either way.

This microbrew smells sweet, very heavy on the malt and almost sticky in its scent. There is a hint of spiciness to it as well (nutmeg?). I'm apt to believe at first wiff that this beer might be an autumn spiced seasonal judging just from the aroma. But, I digress.

First sip is hearty. It's a little chewier than I expected and the malty sweetness really dominates this craft beer. The malt does not go over the top however, and judging by the style, fits in right perfect on the scale. I don't taste anything in the way of added spicing. There are some hops in there, a fairly respectable backbone offsetting the malty sweetness just a tad. But this beer is not about hoppy bitterness. It's Oktoberfest afterall isn't it?

One thing I noticed is how easy the beer does go down, especially as it warms. Alcohol is more noticeable as it creeps closer and closer to room temp. I could see myself having several of this Great Lakes Brewing offering at a single sitting. That might not be all that bad, but this is a microbrew boasting a 6.5% alcohol by volume rating, at least on the label which I have no reason to doubt. By all accounts though, I thought this was pretty smooth and easy drinking.

My microbrew review rating of this fall seasonal beer is good for the style. I'd say it's substantially above average in my book. It did win a Silver Medal at the World Beer Championships afterall (according to the label which does not list the year that is won silver). I would certainly recommend this to any of my microbrew and craft beer enthusiast friends, even those who may not be crazy about this style. It does fit the style well and matches a good to great Octoberfest beer to the fall season which is what it should be striving to accomplish anyway.

I'm giving Great Lakes Brewing Company's Oktoberfest Amber Lager a 7.00 rating for the Octoberfest style and will surely enjoy several more of these before the month passes. I've got 30 days left though so there's plenty of time to enjoy a few other Octoberfest beers and pumpkin beers and you can bet good friend that enjoy them I will! I give Great Lakes Oktoberfest a thumbs up and I think you would also. Try it!

You can check out more reviews of new microbrews and fun microbrew and craft beer related info at Microbrew Review or My Squidoo Lens. Check out Summer Microbrew too!

Pumpkin Beers and Octoberfest Beers - It's a new season starting tomorrow!

noreply@blogger.com (David James) — Mon, 01 Oct 2007 03:05:00 +0000

Well, it's officially fall again. Summer's newly gone and, in between those blazing dog days and blinding blizzards, there's the Fall season in all its glory.

While I personally hold nothing against enjoying a nice, hot spiced apple cider on a crisp, cool autumn evening, I'd much rather partake of a nice and chilled, cool and crisp Octoberfest craft beer or even a well-produced Pumpkin Ale microbrew. We'll be focusing our posts here at "A Microbrew Review Blog" for the next month on those styles of autumnal microbrews and craft beers.

I can't wait, and luckily for me, it's only just a few hours away now until October 1st officially kicks off the Oktoberfest beer season (for me at least). Come and celebrate with me now, won't you? Cheers!

A Microbrew Review of Stone Brewing Company's IPA

noreply@blogger.com (David James) — Sun, 02 Sep 2007 03:39:00 +0000

Picked this one up this evening at my local mix and match six pack shop. I'll admit having sampled Stone IPA previously, but only now am I finally getting to the down and dirty of reviewing this craft beer.

For those of you who don't know, Stone Brewing Company is a wonderful brewery based in Escondido, San Diego County, California. This is a storied brewery with a history of producing many aggressive beers and microbrews since its inception (maybe the most famous and memorable being the Arrogant Bastard Ale).

First off, the brown bottle presentation is beautiful. An ominous, croutching gargoyle is menacingly painted on as the label. I'm not sure what it is about a painted label on a bottle, but I love them as opposed to the old pasted on paper label. It just gives a more painstaking, handcrafted feel to it I guess. There is no brewed on or best by date however, one of the downfalls to the painted label I would say.

Pouring my Stone IPA into a standard 10 ounce glass beer mug, the beer pours a bright, goldenrod orange with a subtle haze and many, many energetic bubbles abound everywhere. A respectable 1 1/2 finger billowy head graces the surface for a few minutes but settles down with little coaxing.

Aroma screams grapefruit and floral. A little bit of spiciness gives a zest to the beer and orange hints just graze in on the fringe. Kinda interesting. I'm a little surprised at the haziness, but not deterred in the slightest.

Sipping my way casually down the mug, this is a quite refreshing beer. Hoppy, citrusy and alive. It goes down smooth with no bit or choke to it. Easy mouthful and a fairly crisp and clean finish with very minor coating or aftertaste. I like it alot folks and I'm not afraid to say it. Halfway through the serving, this craft beer is lacing all the way still up to the top of the mug. It's a spiderweb of lace all the way down to the orangey liquid level.

I'll be the first to admit this is a quick review, but one I stand behind wholeheartedly. Stone Brewing Company IPA is a great craft beer and one I'd love to have stocked in my fridge anytime, all year round. It's hoppy, citrusy and extremely refreshing, especially on a warm summer day. This is one of the most consistently produced microbrews I've had in all my years. I've sampled quite a few of these Stone Brewing IPA's and quite honestly have never had one that disappointed me. I can't tell if the one I'm drinking is a few weeks young or a year old but they've always tasted, smelled and looked great to me. You just can't go wrong with this microbrew.

I will tell you that although Stone Brewing Company's IPA is very delicious and very easy drinking, the alcohol by volume rating on this one is 6.9% which doesn't make it easy to imbibe more than maybe 3 at a sitting. I don't know that I'd classify Stone IPA as a "session" beer per se being it's a little stronger than I'd like to serve that purpose.

Synopsis: go out an pick yourself up a six pack of Stone Brewing Company's IPA if you live in an area where you can. You won't be disappointed, especially if you're a microbrew hophead and enjoy the bitter style beers. I'd give this one a 7.75 out of 10.00 rating and am going for a second bottle right now. I'd love to try this one fresh sometime on tap at the brewery. That would be the bomb. Can Stone Brewing Company do anything wrong? Will see next time when we review Stone Brewing Company's famed Arrogant Bastard..."Are you worthy?"

You can check out more reviews of new microbrews and fun microbrew and craft beer related info at Microbrew Review or My Squidoo Lens. Check out Summer Microbrew too!

Carolina Brewing Company India Pale Ale - A Microbrew Review

noreply@blogger.com (David James) — Mon, 13 Aug 2007 17:58:00 +0000

On my long-awaited week long getaway to the Outer Banks this week, I stopped by a few of the local bait, tackle and brew shops in hopes of finding some new North Carolina microbrews and craft beers to sample and review. Well, I'm sorry to say after 3 days, I think I've pretty much narrowed it down to just one local microbrewery I've been able to locate any beers available from here. We'll make due with what we have I guess.

What we did find was an India Pale Ale produce by local North Carolina microbrewery the Carolina Brewing Company located in Holly Springs, NC. I'd not heard of this brewery before but the label states that the brewery started out back on July 3rd, 1995, so as microbreweries go, it's no baby.

The brown bottle boasted a navy blue label featuring a gold cartoonish lion giving a fearful roar. Nothing too overly dramatic though. The "brewed on" date was a nice feature, with this particular bottle just recently brewed on 7/25/07 with a best-by date of 10/25/07. This one obviously was pretty fresh so my hopes were high, especially with this being an India Pale Ale, one of my favorite styles.

Once poured fairly aggressively into my standard 16 ounce pint glass, the beer hardly hooked my attention solely on its appearance. The brew looked very cloudy, rusty orange and overly just seemed to lack life. Only a few weak streams of the ole' bubblies emininated up from the bottom to the surface where a slick of mild, creamy foam lingered after a short stance as a one finger head.

Aroma was fairly standard but faint. The typical hops scent was noticable and reasonably floral but again, nothing too dramatic or catchy here. I'm looking for something striking though in a microbrew. C'mon now, give me something to get excited about.

Taste is ho-hum. Not overly hoppy, not overly crisp, zesty, grapefruity, or any of the other adjectives typically used to describe an India Pale Ale. The mouthful was fairly thin, but it did seem to leave a filmy sense in the aftertaste. Not crisp, clean and all that refreshing. I finished my pint glass of this microbrew over the course of about only 20 minutes so it did go down pretty quick, so maybe the "drinkability" factor gives it a few points. Although, I really have no desire for another bottle at least not right now.

I hate to be negative about a microbrew or a microbrewery in particular. Most microbrewers have a true sense of pride in their craft and want to offer a great product. I want to find great microbrews for my own reference and to review to recommend to others. In this instance though, with this microbrewery, this beer and this bottle in particular, I'd say that I'd not recommend Carolina Brewing Company India Pale Ale to someone who's savvy and heavily into the India Pale Ale microbrews. It would be worth a shot to someone just sampling some IPA's for the first time or someone who's just hanging out and wants a few beers they don't really have to think all that much about to drink.

I'll give Carolina Brewing Company's India Pale Ale a 5.0 out of 10.0 and will vow to give it a try again in the future to make sure I'm thinking straight here. I'll try reviewing their Blonde Ale in the future as well to be fair.

You can check out more reviews of new microbrews and fun microbrew and craft beer related info at Microbrew Review or My Squidoo Lens. Check out Summer Microbrew too!