gulp! beer blog.

Samuel Adams Blackberry Witbier

2012-02-01T18:04:00.000-05:00

Tonight's review is from a brewery everyone should be familiar with - Samuel Adams. I haven't reviewed a Sam Adams product on the blog before mainly because they're the "macro"-"micro" brewery. I'm ashamed to admit that, but it is what it is. They're kinda like that first job you get outta college... you have to go through them to learn, and once you move on, that's it. In reality though, they were one of the first big time craft brewers and have grown immensely. Unfortunately, they've paid the price from beer snobs. Well, no more I say! It's time to treat Sam with more respect! Not to mention the Patriots play in the Super Bowl on Sunday, and we're taking a trip to Boston in a couple months, which includes planning a trip to the brewery, I need to polish up on my Sam Adams repertoire.

The beer I'm drinking is from the Brewmasters Collection: Blackberry Witbier. From the bottle: "Only a specific blackberry could bring the subtle flavor that we wanted for this brew. These Marion blackberries from Oregon give a hint of blackberry in the aroma and taste and perfectly complement the refreshing and crisp flavors of the witbier. Cheers!" Basically what we're working with is a wheat beer infused with blackberries. Let's do this.

The BB pours the typical golden hue with a pretty decent head. Yeah, scent wise, you're blasted with blackberries. The first sip was kind of overwhelming, a bit cold medicine-ish. But after a few more sips, the malt comes through and sort of calms down the berries. Interestingly enough, there is no after taste or bitterness in the end. All flavors end rather abruptly. The scent of blackberries continues throughout the drinking process, which continues to be light and crisp. Overall, this is a very drinkable beer, but one at a time as the blackberry has a solid presence throughout.

This is an alright beer. The overwhelming blackberry drowns out the rest of the drink, but without it I think it would lack any type of profile. I do recommend you try it though. As the originally craft brewery, we should continue to support their products just like we would any other craft brewery. Go America!

Oh by the way, 5.5% ABV. Get to drinkin'!

Dogfish Head 90 Minute IPA

2012-01-31T18:55:00.000-05:00

We've been on a Dogfish Head kick lately. Last Friday was Dogfish Head Brewery Night at World of Beer Lake Mary, where I very much enjoyed Pearl Jam Twenty Faithfull Ale, and Palo Santo Marron. Then on Saturday night I had Midas Touch. All three were very solid, unique, and tasty. I'd say the most unique was one my wife had, the Sah'tea, which is flavored with black tea, cardamom, cinnamon, ginger, cloves and black pepper. I really don't like tea, but this beer smells like tea and just when you think it would taste like it, it doesn't; which I really enjoyed. So, I wanted to keep this fish afloat through this week, so tonight I'm drinking DFH 90 Minute IPA.

Last year I had 60 Minute, which was really good, but 90 Minute is argued by some/most to be the best Imperial IPA in the world. What makes 90 Min so unique is that it's continually hopped for 90 minutes, then it is dry hopped in the "Me So Hoppy" machine. What does all this mean? Well, it's probably best to hear it from Sam Calagione himself: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0lXC8m3tnA.

Let's get to it. After pouring a light gold, the 90 fills out a nice burnt orange/red color. Very floral scent, typically of a solid IPA. Off topic for a minute, when I show people some of the stouts I drink, they see how dark in color they are, and automatically ask how thick is tastes. Most of the time though, they're pretty easy drinking (maybe except the Terrapin Wake'n'Bake). Well, this IPA actually tastes thick to me. The combination of strong hops and malt have really created a unique texture and flavor. I wish I would've had 60 Min recently so I could compare the two.

Out of all craft beers and beer styles, I feel like the IPA gives people the most trouble. If you're looking to expand your palate, this is a must. If you're a pro, I'm sure you've already had it. But if you're a beginner, start slower, but put this on your to-do list. Like all Dogfish products are must-have's, this is a must-have IPA. Period.

Narragansett Fest Lager

2012-01-26T18:12:00.000-05:00

It's been a long day, so I won't be writing a huge posting tonight. But, tonight I'm drinking Narragansett Fest Lager. A seasonal beer from the Narragansett Brewery in Connecticut. The Narragansett Fest Oktoberfest was brewed at the Cottrell Brewery in Pawcatuck, CT. The brewski is made with four different types of malts, and two types of hops. The brew pours a nice dark orange color, somewhat reminiscent of amber lagers. The head fizzes quickly, but the tastes are great. This is a pretty solid 'toberfest, and I don't mind enjoying it here in January. And here's a fun tidbit, the jolly fellow on the can is the Patron Saint of Beer, King Gambrinus.

This is a solid beer. Low alcohol too, 5.5%. I'd recommend finding this patron saint of Oktoberfests.

State of the Union - gulp! Edition!

2012-01-25T20:17:00.000-05:00

There won't be a review tonight; however, in the spirit of the 'State of the Union', I'm going to present some factoids and numbers for my readers. gulp! has been live for just over a year now, and I think there's been quite a bit of good growth to the site. Granted I don't get numbers like many of the larger blogging sites out there, but I think all things considered, we've had a pretty solid year. So without further adieu, here are some figures.

Since gulp! went live on January 22, 2011 we have received 3,566 pageviews
The most active pageview months were November 2011 (458 views), and January/December 2011 (441 views)
The month with the lowest activity was July 2011 with 107 pageviews

The most viewed posts were:
Big Flats 1901 aka "The Walgreens Beer": 123 pageviews
New Grist Sorghum Beer: 94 pageviews
Terrapin Wake 'N' Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout: 71 pageviews
The Steve Jobs tribute post: 69 pageviews
Fort Collins Brewery - Retro Red: 65 pageviews

The Top Referring URL has been twitter.com
The Top Referring Sites have been:
Google: 295
Facebook: 149
Twitter: 28

Here's where it gets REALLY interesting... Pageviews by Country:
United States: 2,952
Germany: 87
Latvia: 84
Russia: 69
Ukraine: 48
Italy: 24
United Kingdom: 22
Moldova: 16
France: 15
Canada: 12
(I love the internet, hah)

Over 66% of viewers are using the IE or Chrome browsers

Top Two Operating Systems:
Windows: 1,644
Mac: 1,201

The month with the most reviews was January 2011, the first month of "operations", where 13 beers were reviewed. Since then, the monthly average has been about 4 (oopsy).

So - to conclude, we've had a pretty decent year I guess. I'll try to do more reviews in 2012, just don't forget to look me up on Untappd because my numbers are pretty big on there - good for 1 sentence reviews haha. Thanks for viewin' and keep it comin!

Great Divide Brewing Company - Samurai Rice Ale

2012-01-20T20:19:00.005-05:00

Tonight I'm drinking Samurai Rice Ale from Great Divide Brewing Company based out of Denver, Colorado. Up until now, I've only reviewed one Great Divide product: Colette, early in 2011. I have, of course, had Great Divide brews that I haven't reviewed: Denver Pale Ale, Oak Aged Yeti, Hades, and Claymore Scotch Ale. Boy, after that list I feel like I owe you all an apology for not providing reviews! Well, I'll make it up to you. Not tonight though, let's stay with the Samurai.

The Samurai is a unique beer as not only is it brewed with rice, but it is also unfiltered. What that means is that during the brewing process, the yeast is left in suspension to add more flavor to the beer. The converse of this, a filtered beer, is one which has been filtered free of yeast. Many wheat beers are unfiltered, which is part of the reason you catch a lot of the fruitiness. One of the things Great Divide sells on this beer is that the rice adds crispy fruitiness. Well, I'm still try to figure that part out because I've never had fruit rice. Perhaps someone can fill me in on that one...

Clicky-Clicky

The Samurai pours a very thin, hazy straw yellow color. The head is decent, but fizzes relatively quickly. The floral scent is extremely light, as is the drink itself. The flavors are also very light, some light floral type flavors, but not much else. It drinks very light, almost a mix of a hefeweizen and a light lager.

This is an award winning beer, taking Best of the Rockies, U.S. Beer Tasting Championship, Summer 2007 and Tap Room Pick Summer 2008. Don't get me wrong, this isn't a bad beer, but it is light and very easy drinking. There is also a decent amount of carbonation. 5.1% ABV, NOT gluten free. Good for the summer, and a good replacement to the macro beers in the fridge. Also has a wicked pissah label.

Terrapin Moo Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout

2012-01-18T20:23:00.000-05:00

Hey, hey, it's Wednesday. Tonight's review is from the Terrapin Beer Company out of Athens, Georgia. This is probably the 3rd or 4th beer I've reviewed from Terrapin, and I have yet to have a bad Terrapin beer, so I'm looking forward to it. I should say though, that over the last couple of months, Terrapin made waves in the craft beer world. You can read all of the details here: http://onlineathens.com/local-news/2011-10-17/terrapin-brewery-selling-minority-interest-miller-coors-craft-beer-division. Basically, they sold a minority stake of the company (less than 25%) to Tenth & Blake. T&B is the "craft beer" arm of MillerCoors *cue the boos*. Try not to overreact though, the Terrapin folks have said that just because one of the big boys has invested doesn't meant that they will stop doin' what they do. We should all be happy for Terrapin though because this will get them more capital to expand their company and do more exciting things, which will benefit all of us. We'll save the T&B/MillerCoors bashing for another thread, let's get to this Moo Hoo!

I told you, dark black!

Moo Hoo is one of Terrapin's new seasonal brews. There are two other seasonals: Pumpkin Fest, which I've had and was great, and Hop Karma Brown IPA, which I'd love to try. Anyway, the Moo Hoo uses a mix of hops, malts, chocolate, cocoa nibs, cocoa shells and lacoste. Interestingly, the cocoa nibs and shells come from a company in Nashville, Tennessee known as the Olive & Sinclair Chocolate Company. Sounds good right? Even their website looks delicious (http://www.oliveandsinclair.com/)!

The cow pours an extremely dark black (as opposed to light black), with a fairly thick cocoa head. The scent is a surprising combination of hops, cocoa, and vanilla. After I let the beer warm up a bit, the flavors and sweetness really start to shine. Cocoa, vanilla, and standard roasted malts come through very well. It's also quite thin, which upon first glance, wouldn't seem possible. That said, it's a very drinkable stout. I think if it were a bit thicker, it would emulate a good glass of chocolate milk, but I also think that would make it tougher to drink. So, I won't complain!

This is another really solid offering from Terrapin. I'm hoping to visit their brewery/tasting room in Athens this year, so hopefully I'll be able to pull off a full blown Terrapin Brewery review! That'd be a first. So, to close, Moo Hoo is 6% ABV, which is about normal. I'd say that this would be a great stout for those of you who aren't totally comfortable with darker beers, like stouts and porters. It's not overpowering, and it's thin. So get to gettin people, and "Enjoy It... 'Til The Cows Come Home".

SOPA/PIPA

2012-01-18T18:48:00.002-05:00

First Review of 2012! Scuttlebutt Tripel 7

2012-01-16T18:38:00.000-05:00

Welcome to the first beer review of 2012. We have a first for gulp! tonight, as I will be reviewing the first tripel to be featured on the site. That being the case, I'd suggest you head on over to Beer Advocate for a quick read up on what a tripel is: http://beeradvocate.com/articles/223.

Now that you're educated, tonight's beer is from the Scuttlebutt Brewery in Everett, Washington. Part of 14 seasonal beers, the Tripel 7 is a Belgian style ale. Right there you should be warned that this really isn't a true Tripel (perhaps you can tell me why it isn't a "true" Tripel based on what you read from the link up there). Created in the mid 90's, Scuttlebutt is a growing brewery in the northwest United States. Growing so much in fact, that, according to their website, in 2011 they projected selling 186,000 gallons of beer! Sweet!

Let's get to the beer. The '7' pours a pretty nice golden haze color, and with this pouring, had little head. The scent is a pretty light fruity - like banana. And, no surprise, the flavor is much the same. It goes down pretty easy, and feels good on the throat. They used two types of hops in this beer, Bullion and Cz Saaz. Had I had those before, I would likely tell you right now if I taste them; however, I haven't so... yeah.

This is a pretty good beer. I can't really compare it against other Tripel's, so I vow to you that as the year goes on, I'll have some more Tripel's for comparison. Also know that it's just under 9% ABV, so drink with care!

Happy 2012

2012-01-15T21:35:00.000-05:00

Greetings all, and happy 2012. This is the first post of gulp! for 2012, and it's a teaser of things to come. Not only that, it's almost the one year anniversary of the blog (t-minus 7 days), so I have some fun additions to the blog to talk about. Before we get there though, here's a quick showcase of some of the beers I'll be reviewing over the next few weeks.

Showcase (Showdown): As you can see, I've made a pretty decent score recently at Total Wine and More (the GO TO place for your craft beer needs). I have an interesting mixture of beers that I'll be writing about over the next few weeks that I think you'll find illuminating.... or maybe just slightly interesting. If you've been a reader since the early beginnings of gulp!, you may remember that I've already done a write up for the Banana Bread beer. That is correct, I did one in February. But, if you remember harder (good linguistics) I was at a bar when I drank it and I didn't really have a good write up. So, I'll be bringin' a 2012 edition of the review to a computer screen near you. You'll also see a Framboise in there... the one with the bright ass pink label. That's for my wife, so, we'll see how that goes. Not a huge fan of the 'boise. Anyway, good mix that I'm sure will illuminate - er - I hope you enjoy the write ups.

New Additions: We live in a tech age these days folks. Hell, you can read my somewhat subjective reviews of alcoholic beverages from the comfort of your own couch and you don't have to listen to my annoying voice. How great is that? That said, many people have smart phones in which they connect with strangers they've never met via apps or social networks, and even share information about themselves with said nutjobs. So, if you have such a smart phone, there are two apps that I'd really suggest you download to follow another dimension of gulp!

Instagram: Here's my "app caveat", I don't know if you need an iPhone to use Instagram, but if not, get it! If so, well, sorry. If you have, or can get, Instagram, hit me up. My user name is "gluparama". I typically just take hipster style photos of beer, which may or may not get reviewed. So it's a good combo of two cool things: beer and photography. And you don't have to worry about reading my pointless blather.

Untappd: Untappd is an awesome social network where you "check in" to the beer you are drinking. They have an app that is available on iPhone and Android, so there should be no excuse on this one! Basically you can search for almost any beer out there, "check in", and share it with your followers. They have silly badges you can earn based on your check ins, and they also keep track of what you drink. It's a lot of fun, and good again for beers that may or may not be reviewed here. You can also see what's trending in your area.

So, that's what up these days here at gulp! I appreciate you stopping by, and be sure to check out those apps and look me up! You know you want to be better pals anyway, so don't act like you don't want to. Oh, and don't forget to come back for the, you know, reviews.

Sneak Peek For What's Coming In 2012

2011-12-22T19:47:00.002-05:00

COMING IN 2012

Happy Thanksgiving from gulp!

2011-11-23T22:29:00.000-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving from us here at gulp!

Enjoy some great food and even better beer!

See ya soon with some new beer reviews

-Steve-

Cigar City Good Gourd

2011-11-11T19:10:00.000-05:00

Oh baby, we're on a roll this week at gulp! If my research is correct, this is the busiest beer review week in gulps! short history. It's actually quite sad if you think about it. I've been running the blog for about 11 months, and this is the first week where we've reviewed almost the same number of beers as there are days in a week. I wish there was a prize for this. Oh wait, I run the blog, so I get to drink the great beer. Game, set, match.

So, earlier today I reviewed a great Terrapin beer: Pumpkinfest. Well, this evening I'm coming at you with a really special beer from a really great FLORIDA brewery. Good Gourd from Cigar City Brewing based in Tampa, Fl. Cigar City Brewing has been around about 3 years and have totally revolutionized the beer scene not only in the cigar city of Tampa, but the entire state of Florida. So much so that they were the only Florida brewery to win a gold medal at this year's Great American Beer Festival.

If you're a Florida citizen, I imagine that you know Tampa is known as "cigar city" due to their rich cigar history. Cigar City Brewing has grasped that by the horns, and presents it with almost all of their products. Take one look at their logo, and it's quite obvious how much they enjoy the rich history of Tampa. Many of their beers have built into their labels, or names, hints of the history of the area.

I myself have only had 1 Cigar City beer: Jai Alai IPA. I had it at their tasting room in Tampa over the summer (I think I've had it once before that, but don't remember). It was a really good IPA. Cigar City has many other standard offerings though: Maduro Brown Ale, White Oak-aged Jai Alai IPA, Cubano-style Espresso Brown Ale (which is in my fridge), and Jose Marti American Porter. They also have special 750mL regulars: Bolita Double Nut Brown Ale, Guava Grove Farmhouse Ale, and Improve Oatmeal Rye India-style Brown Ale. Just look at that list. I'm sure you notice how unique these guys are, along with today's earlier brewery, Terrapin. Cigar City also takes pride in using local ingredients as frequent as possible, which is something they should be applauded for.

Tonight, I am very excited to try the Good Gourd 750mL seasonal from Cigar City. I've read that it is pretty comparable to Pumpking by Southern Tier; some say it's even better than said pump-king. I'll of course be my own judge of that. On their website, Cigar City writes a playful intro to the description of the beer by saying "Legend has it that when a pumpkin comes into the world it is possessed by either a good or an evil spirit". Well, they think that at Cigar City, they got all the good. We are told to prepare for real pumpkin flavors, spices, cinnamon, cloves, and nutmeg. All the great ingredients to a really good pumpkin beer. I should note that this is an Imperial Pumpkin Ale. The Gourd is sittin pretty at 8.5% ABV... and being 750mL, I suggest bringing a friend along for the ride. However, in my case, my wife isn't here tonight, and my dogs still don't like beer, and I'm not a huge fan of keeping an open bottle in the fridge, so, we'll just see where this goes (wink, wink).

Upon popping the cap, the bottle let out a little fizz noise. I've had this in my fridge for about a month or so... I'm hoping that doesn't ruin anything. I let the bottle sit for a few minutes as well so it wasn't as cold when I poured the beer. It was a bit difficult to get any scents from the bottle, but upon pouring into my St. Bernardus snifter glass, I was catching the cloves, spices, and a little bit of nutmeg. No shockers with the golden copper coloring. At this point, there should be a special name for this color. Let's go with copper pumpkin shall we? This is the last pumpkin beer of the season that I'll be reviewing, so I figure we better make it interesting.

The Gourd has a medium body feel, and is not overly complex on the way down. It's very smooth, and you can certainly catch all of the different flavors and spices at different points of the drinking. I do wish I knew what the Jamaican allspice smelled like pre-brewing because based on my research of this beer, it is pretty apparent throughout. It isn't as heavy on the nutmeg as Pumpking is; but I'm not sure if that's a good or bad thing. Without a doubt, it knocks the doors off of any standard pumpkin ale. Compared to Pumpking though, I'd say they're neck and neck.

Now that the beer has had some time to warm up, the carmely texture is really shining, as well as the different spices. It's almost become a different drink than when completely cold, and it's fantastic. I'd say it's complex, and a bit edgy on the way down. Without a doubt, it helps the case. I'd say the only thing missing is some whipped cream to go on top to finish the pumpkin!

Well folks, that about wraps up this seasons pumpkin beers. Pumking and Good Gourd are without a doubt the two most amazing pumpkin beers out on the market. With Good Gourd being our feature tonight, I strongly recommend you find some before the season is over. Gulp it down with family and/or friends, but savor every sip because it won't be back until next year. Thank you Cigar City for making an incredible product. I'm looking forward to having the Espresso Brown Ale very soon!

Terrapin Pumpkinfest

2011-11-11T15:23:00.001-05:00

Happy 11-11-11! I have the day off, so in beer speak, that means we're drinkin early today! I'm actually planning on reviewing two beers today. I'd love to do three, but the second beer is large and I plan on milking it for a while. Until then, I have a fantastic Terrapin product to talk about: Pumpkinfest. I've never had it before today, so I'm really looking forward to it because Terrapin has some solid-solid beers. I think they're slowing becoming my favorite craft brewery. What a love story.

A little about Terrapin. They're based out of Athens, Georgia and have three year-round beers: Hopsecutioner, Rye Pale Ale, and Golden Ale. I've had the first two (I think I wrote about Hopsecutioner), and they were pretty good. They have three seasonal offerings: Pumpkinfest (new to the lineup), Moo Hoo Chocolate Milk Stout (OMG), and Hop Karma Brown IPA. Finally, they have four "Monster Beers": Wake'n'Bake Coffee Oatmeal Imperial Stout (which I had earlier this year and was unbelievable), Big Hoppy Monster, Monk's Revenge (Belgian IPA), and Hopzilla (Imperial IPA). They also have some random side projects and collaborations too - including Hoptaneous Combustion (a SMOKED Double IPA - which was intense). So I'd say that is quite a line up of very, very unique beers; and as I said, I've had several and they've all been amazing.

On to Pumpkinfest. This beer is pretty unique for a couple reasons. One, it's a lager and not an ale. Most pumpkin beers are ales and incorporate different ingredients. Since the main brewer at Terrapin is a bit of a nutcase, they decided to do Pumpkinfest differently. It's actually the combination of a german style oktoberfest beer and a pumpkin ale (aka a 'hybrid'). Therefore, while there was about a pound of pumpkin used in the brewing, the malts are very germanesque. All in all, I am expecting a quality brew here.

As you've probably noticed, I've been on a pumpkin beer kick. However, some of the latest "non-imperial" pumpkin beers have been flat for me. Combine that with my high thoughts of Terrapin, I've got high hopes. The beer pours the standard golden/copper hue that you normally see with a pumpkin beer. Thankfully, right off the bat, I was hit with nutmeg and clove scents; a good sign of a really good pumpkin beer. The spices are pretty complex for a pumpkin beer, which kinda gives it that tie-in to the oktoberfest/pumpkin beer, which is pretty cool. The back end is a little big hoppy, but certainly big on the spices. It's pretty smooth all around, and is a pleasure to drink.

Overall, this is a solid offering from Terrapin. Of the non-imperial pumpkin beers, this one tops the list for me (yes, above Pumpkinhead from Shipyard - which would be #2). It's 6.1% ABV, so while drinkable, it could have you topsy-turvey after a few. I definitely recommend this beer while we're still in the fall, and before the winter beers start taking over the shelves. Heck, they kind of have already. So, what are you waiting for!? Get out there and buy the latest from the crazy green turtle!!

Buffalo Bill's Brewery - America's Original Pumpkin Ale

2011-11-09T19:11:00.001-05:00

Tonight we're picking up where we left off last night. I had originally planned to review this beer yesterday, but I got sidetracked. Plus, my wife wanted to do a review, so I helped her with that. Anyway, tonight's beer review is Buffalo Bill's Brewery, America's Original Pumpkin Ale. I think out of all of the pumpkin beers, this one is probably the easiest to find in stores. Touted as an "ale brewed with real pumpkin and natural spice flavor", the bottle really suggests that you are about to be hit with some pumpkin madness. Well, we'll be the judge of that.

The Buffalo Bill's Brewery website educates us on their five main beer bottle offerings: Orange Blossom Cream Ale, Alimony IPA, Blueberry Oatmeal Stout (which sounds pretty intense), Imperial Pumpkin Ale, and the America's Original Pumpkin Ale. Suffice it to say, Buffalo Bill's wasn't created to brew regular beers.

Now, today is November 9. So, I've had probably about 6-8 different pumpkin beers this season. At this point, Pumpking is far and away winner of best pumpkin beer. I haven't gotten to Good Gourd yet, but I have a feeling that beer will be just as good as Pumking. But, I guess what I'm driving at is I'm getting a litte tired of the pumpkin beers; so, Buffalo Bill may suffer in it's review. I suppose I'll try to be as objective as Fox News....

"America's Original" poured a very nice golden orange/copper color, and fizzed with carbonation. The head was pretty nonexistent though. Upon first scent, there was a nice layer of pumpkin. It was nice to smell because the last couple pumpkin beers were labeled as pumpkin, but I was pretty skeptical that there was any pumpkin at all. This pumpkin is pretty drinkable, I'd say comparable to Pumpkinhead from Shipyard, but this one is a bit more watery towards the back. There's a little bit of spice, but nothing too heavy. There's also very light nutmeg, but it's not very prevalent.

Overall, this beer, which is supposed to be like "pumpkin pie in a bottle", sort of falls flat for me. I don't think the beginning carbonation did any favors for the rest of the drinking experience. It's smooth, but somewhat watery. The spices do also get lost within the drink.

Not sure how to end this one. I got it for 2 bucks at World Market, so, if you see it at your local retailer, it's cheap enough that if you don't like it, you won't feel bad about not liking it.

ABV: 5.2%

Surprise guest post! Cold Storage Florida Avenue Blueberry

2011-11-08T20:40:00.000-05:00

Surprise, tonight is a double dose of gulp! The big surprise though, is that this review has been put together by Sarah, my wife. Actually, she wanted to do a review, so she drank the beer and took some notes. The beer she chose to review was Cold Storage Craft Brewery Florida Avenue Blueberry: "Ale with Blueberry Flavor Added". Cold Storage is based out of Tampa and is touted as "Tampa Bay's Youngest Local Brewery". They're so young in fact, that according to their Facebook page, they were founded this year! Don't know if that means, 2011 or 2010, but nevertheless, good for them!

On to the beer. Right off the pour, I was hit with the blueberry scent, which was essentially no surprise. A lack of BB scent would've been a disappointment considering the name of the beer. I also noticed a pretty high level of carbonation; this baby was sprtizin' and poppin' like a soda. Also no surprise was the light color; much like a light lager.

This blueberry beauty drank easy, but will a little zing in the malt department. Unfortunately, the more I drank, the more the blueberry flavors got lost in the carbonation and malt textures throughout. Although, those factors did contribue to a pretty high drinkability level, which I enjoy. Also of note is that the warmer this beer got, the worse it got. Unlike the pumpkin ales Steve has, which he says should "warm up" a little bit, I'd recommend keeping this ale cold to keep the flavors at "Bay".

Overall, it's no Seadog Blueberry, but for a brewery that just started out, I'd say it's a good start. If you see it at a bar, or on a shelf somewhere, support your local brewery and buy it! If you don't, stick to Seadog ;)

ABV: 4.5%

BISON Organic Gingerbread Ale

2011-11-08T18:16:00.000-05:00

Greetings everyone. My fridge appears to be overflowing with pumpkin ales... and now "winter" ales. I've decided to leapfrog a few beers to get to tonight's review. On my to-do list is Cigar City Good Gourd, Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale, and Terrapin Pumpkinfest... but I thought this one was too cool to pass up. When it comes to holiday memories as a kid, there aren't many "things" that bypass gingerbread cookies. Well, tonight's beer takes gingerbread to a whole new level. Bison Brewing (out of Berkley, California - who also brew all organic beer) Gingerbread Ale is brewed with ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon. While the gingerbread man from Shrek wasn't decapitated to make this, it's safe to assume that with the big three ingredients, something close to gingerbread will be found.

This gingerbread ale is the holiday offering from Bison. Note that it is a porter, so if you're not used to drinking dark beers, proceed with caution. I personally have come to really enjoy the depth offered from porters and stouts. I believe I poured this a bit haphazardly because the head was pretty big. The nice part about that though, as you see in the photo, was that it really highlighted the cocoa brown color. Unfortunately, the thick head didn't come with a powerful scent. I found myself searching for the big three (ginger, nutmeg, and cinnamon). Granted, cinnamon doesn't really have a smell, but I was hoping to get some nutmeg in there. Overall, I wasn't too overpowered with any scents, including gingerbread. In general though, there was some chocolate and a bit of nutmeg. In the drinkability department, I was surprised. For a porter, it's actually quite drinkable. It's smooth, decent in carbonation, and it's not too bitter on the back end. In fact, the hops kind of peek through towards the end, which is a nice touch.

Ultimately, if you look past the sell of gingerbread, it's a pretty decent beer. On my random sliding scale, I'd give this a solid B (like an 86-88 for you teachers out there). I especially like the little write up: "Our Spiced holiday porter is brewed with ginger, nutmeg and a touch of cinnamon, yielding the aroma of fresh backed gingerbread men! The chewy dark malt flavors are sure to smooth out that dinner with the in-laws."

6.0% ABV
Main Ingredients: Organic Malt, Organic hops, water, yeast, and organic spices

Can't hold me down WOB

2011-11-06T20:04:00.000-05:00

Your menu online said you had this, then you didn't. Thank you Total Wine & More. Review coming soon.

Post Road Pumpkin Ale (Brooklyn Brewery)

2011-10-17T18:22:00.001-04:00

Been a little over a week since the last pumpkin write up, so it's time for the next one. Tonight I'm drinking Post Road Pumpkin Ale, by the Brooklyn Brewery Co. I'm a little nervous for this beer considering the last pumpkin beer I had was probably one of the best on the market.

It poured a light goldy haze, and the short lasting head was a light biscuit color. There actually wasn't much scent either, which was a bit of a disappointment. All around, this is a light beer. There isn't much spice punch, or pumpkin flavor. There isn't much else to say about this beer. Overall, I'm kind of bummed with the product. But, as I said, Pumking was a tough act to follow, so that may be the issue. If you it on the shelf, I leave the choice the you.

ABV: 5%

Southern Tier Brewing Company Imperial Pumking

2011-10-09T16:37:00.001-04:00

Here comes the beer review that everyone, well, maybe one or two people, were waiting for. Southern Tier Imperial Pumking. Let's get our standard history and data lesson in first.

This Pumpking came available from a 22 oz bottle. The label is black, orange, and gray with a pumpkin king in the middle. On the side of the label we're given our lesson: "Pumking is an ode to Púca, a creature of Celtic folklore, who is both feared and respected by those who believe in it. Púca is said to waylay travelers throughout the night, tossing them on its back, and providing them the ride of their lives, from which they return forever changed! Brewed in the spirit of All Hallows Eve, a time of year when spirits can make contact with the physical world and when magic is most potent. Pour Pumking into a goblet and allow it’s alluring spirit to overflow. As spicy aromas present themselves, let its deep copper color entrance you as your journey into this mystical brew has just begun. As the first drops touch your tongue a magical spell will bewitch your taste buds making it difficult to escape. This beer is brewed with pagan spirit yet should be enjoyed responsibly. " (http://www.southerntierbrewing.com/beers.html).

When first poured, there wasn't much head at all. However, it pours a very lovely golden rust orange color. The scents are a mixture of pumpkin pie, vanilla, nutmeg, caramel, and general "spiciness". A little bit of squash also peeks through if you smell hard enough. The back end is very light and smooth. There isn't much bite, but you can certainly feel the aforementioned spices and flavors. In fact, it goes down a bit like a light wine. It also reminds me a little bit of Weyerbacher Pumpkin, which had a bit more of a nutmeg flavor to it.

Overall this is a fantastic seasonal beer, without a doubt the best one I've had so far. Full disclosure, I have yet to try Cigar City Good Gourd, which I've heard/read is quite the competitor. But, I strongly recommend getting your hands on this beer. I'm confident it will make you re-think your previous seasonal choices :)

ABV: 8.6%



2011-10-05T21:13:00.000-04:00

Thank you Steve.

Coney Island FREAKTOBERFEST

2011-10-04T18:29:00.002-04:00

Red! Ack!

Tonight I'm drinking a very strange "oktoberfest" beer- FREAKTOBERFEST from the Coney Island Craft Lagers line of Shmaltz Brewing Company (the guys who make the "He'Brew"). It appears that the Coney Island line is for specialty weirdo beers. Let me tell you what, they hit the nail on the head with this beer. The bottle warns you that "this is not an oktoberfest..this is freaktoberfest!" Apparently I should've read the fine print better. For example: 6 malts, 6 hops, 6.66% ABV. Oh, by the way, the beverage is RED. Blood red. That was something I was not expecting, so needless to say, when I poured the freak, it freaked me out a bit! Even the head, which poured rather thick, was a light red color.
Smell wise, this is a strange beer. It is definitely not an oktoberfest, as there are no spices coming from this beer. In fact, it's more of a fruity/hoppy beer. The first sip was a complex ferris wheel of malt, hops, and fruit. Again, not what I expected from a beer with the name "-toberfest" in it. Given the spin, there isn't much lacing with this brew. The backend is a weird combination of sugar hoppiness. It kind of makes me wish I had an IPA handy to compare the two, because that's what this beer reminds me of; albeit, a poor IPA.
This was a strange beer. I think the color gimmick hurts its chances at being maybe a little better of a beer. I think I'd recommend it to someone if they want to try something different and get a laugh, but as far as trying to find a good beer, this isn't it.

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale

2011-10-02T17:29:00.009-04:00

This is the first of the fall time brews to be reviewed this season. You know when there's a Dogfish Head product, it's bound to be special. Punkin Ale is really no different. The head built up into a fluffy light brown pillow right to the rim of the glass, which was entertaining. The scent is great with the nutmeg punching through at the top. This brown ale is spicy, with hints of nutmeg and cinnamon, two key ingredients in fall brews. There is a lack of pumpkin though, which was a bit disappointing. What wasn't disappointing though, was it's - macro defined - drinkability. A somewhat light to medium texture, so I could see a few of these being had in one sitting, which is a pleasant surprise.

What I really enjoy about the fall brews is that the color usually tastes the way it looks. What I mean is: with the brown coloring, I'd hope to get spiciness, brown sugar, biscuits; and that's what I'm getting. The contrast to that is, during the non-fall months, you may end up with an IPA or a more malty brown ale. I'd suggest buying this beer if you see it in the store. Like I said earlier, any Dogfish beer is bound to be special, and this beer is no different. So go be Off-Centered, like Dogfish wants you to be!

It's Fall at gulp!

2011-10-02T14:22:00.001-04:00

I've returned for your reading pleasure and beer education. The fall season is upon us, and concurrent with that is one of the best seasons for beer. I've put together a small collection of seasonal brews that I will be reviewing over the next month. I'll probably add more as the month goes on as there are more than the 7 pictured that need to be talked about. Continue checking back on the blog, and I think you'll like what you see and read!

Left Hand Brewing Co. - Polestar Pilsner

2011-06-21T17:42:00.000-04:00

Happy Tuesday people! This is a back-to-back week, one of the first in a long time. Thank you for stopping by to read today's review. The weather in Florida is reaching triple digits during the day, with the heat index, so today's review will feature a light pilsner from a brewery our of Colorado. Yes, that's two straight beers from out west, but trust me, there are some great products from that side of the Country. In fact, why don't we talk a little about the brewery: Lefthand Brewing Co. from Longmont, Colorado.

Lefthand Brewing Co.
Lefthand has quite a cool history. The story started in 1990 with a couple homebrewers - of course. In 1993, the two guys who founded the Brewery, Dick and Eric, started Indian Peaks Brewing Company, in honor of some regional geography and history. However, there was already a brewery with the same name, so they had to change to Lefthand in honor of Chief Niwot, from a local tribe. Niwot comes from the Arapahoe word which means "Lefthand". Pretty cool stuff. Anyway, in '94 Sawtooth Ale came out, and the groove kept on moving from there. In '98 the brothers merged Lefthand with Tabernash Brewing Company, based out of Denver. Fast forward to 2010, after a few sales, growth spurts, and money spending, the bro's have a massive brewhouse and have won numerous awards from their beer - including Polestar Pilsner (Bronze Medal, 2007, North American Beer Awards). So, now that you've gotten your daily history lesson, let's talk about the pils.

Polestar Pilsner
Polestar Pilsner is a great German-style pilsner. It is an American pilsner, but I say German-style because our European brethren tend to make their pilsners a bit more hoppy and bitter. Having said that, this opposite right hand offering is bitter and hoppy with smooth crisp finish. It pours a nice grainy yellow, with a thin foam head. You can see the suds raising the roof throughout. On the back end it's a bit spicy, but it's nothing to throw you back in your chair. This is a great beer, something I would highly recommend for a daily drink, or to substitute one of your favorite macro brews. And at 5.5%, it's certainly a beer that you can have more than once in one sitting.

If you're interested in more Lefthand Brewing products, I'd suggest the Sawtooth Ale (one of the first beers from Lefthand). I originally bought it to review on the site, but instead I just drank it to enjoy it. Other popular beers from the Lefthand are Milk Stout (Stout) and 400 Pound Monkey (IPA).

Great Divide Brewing Company - Colette Farmhouse Ale

2011-06-20T20:58:00.000-04:00

Good Monday evening to my readers. I have been so terrible at updating the blog on a regular basis, so I'm thankful that you've come back for another read. Tonight's review will feature the first saison beer to be reviewed on gulp! Let's get right to it.

What is a saison?
A saison ale is, historically, a pale ale with low alcohol content. I wouldn't consider tonight's review a low alcohol content saison as it is 7.3% abv, which is on the higher end for a modern saison. In the old days, around 3% was standard. Anyway, saison is French for "season", in that Belgian farmers would drink the beers during the summer harvest season. They had to plan ahead though by brewing the beer in autumn or winter; and it also had to be strong enough during storage so it didn't lose to much alcohol by the time it was drinky time. Michael Jackson (no, not that MJ), a big name in the brew business, briefly describes a saison as "Seasonal summer style in the French-speaking part of Belgium. A sharply refreshing, faintly sour, top-fermenting brew, sometimes dry-hopped, often bottle-conditioned, 5.5 - 8 by volume."

Great Divide Brewing Company
I don't believe I've done a review on a Great Divide product yet, so I will indulge in a bit of history on them as well. These days, Colorado and Oregon are seen as two of the major states for micro-breweries. However, in 1994, when Great Divide was founded, such a scene hardly existed. I guess you could say that Great Divide, which opened up shop on the outskirts of Downtown Denver, helped to close the great divide.

Photo taken with iPhone 4

Colette Farmhouse Ale
A little bit about the brew from Great Divide: "Colette is our homage to the beers that Belgian farm workers have enjoyed for centuries. Brewed with barley, wheat and rice and fermented at high temperatures with a special blend of four different yeast strains, Colette is fruity and slightly tart, with a dry finish that makes it that rarest of treats - a beer as refreshing as it is complex."

One reason I was exited to try this beer tonight was to use my recently acquired Unibroue tulip glass. That might sound silly, but technically certain beers go better with certain glasses, and according to my "research", tulip was appropriate for this tasting. Now, up to this point, I wasn't sure if I had had a saison before. But, after I popped open the bottle and sniffed away, I was reminded of some recent beers I've had. The farmhouse ale pours a dark yellow - maybe best described as a carbonated liquid banana? The head was a fairly decent size, perhaps due to the tulip glass design. The smell is a bit sour, but fresh. On the way down it's a mix of spicy fruit and light ale. A bit spicier at the back end, but nothing overwhelming.

Overall, this is a pretty good beer. Certainly easy to drink during our hot Florida summers. If you've never tried a saison, they're in season, so go grab a bottle and give it a shot!