Samuel Adams Variety 6'er pt. 3 of 3 - Black Lager

Hopefully, you've already watched parts 1 & 2 so I don't have to explain how the idea for these reviews came to be. If not, here are the links for parts 1 and 2, directly on Youtube:

Now we have the 3rd and final beer of the collection - Samuel Adams Black Lager.

Now, this review is based on notes I took about 6 weeks ago when I had the 3 Black Lagers. I was originally going to wait around and review them all at once but I couldn't help myself.

It pours an almost black color that shows brown around the edges when held up to the light. The smell holds some coffee and cocoa notes. There are also slight caramel notes and toasted malt.

My first impression upon tasting it was that it was a stout brewed with lager yeast. Roasted malt, coffee and chocolate hit you right away, backed up by a certain crispness provided by the yeast. You also get a light kiss of hops in the finish. Also, the malt presence becomes stronger as the beer warms, as is usually the case with malty brews. The mouthfeel is around a heavy-medium.

In my opinion, this beer could be a little more bitter but, all in all, it is another winner from the Samuel Adams Brewmasters line. A great choice when you're in a stouty mood. There aren't too many 'black' lagers out there, so with that in mind, I call this beer a GLASS FULL - dark, different and tasty. Cheers!

Rogue Morimoto Soba Ale at P.F. Chang's

I used to work at P.F. Chang's years ago. Earlier this year, they closed down my Chang's to remodel and enlarge it and I hadn't been back since it reopened. Last night marked my return.

It's nice to know the bartender. As we are all standing around up front, waiting for seats at the bar to become available, I have a look at the drinks menu. I see the usual suspects- adjunct lagers and Asian beers, and, what's this, Morimoto Soba?

A Rogue beer, a 22 oz bottle no less, at a mainstream, franchise Chinese restaurant? Before I have a chance to ask the bartender if this is what I think it is (it didn't say Rogue in the menu), one of my friends orders me one. Yup, low and behold, it is the same Rogue 22 oz bomber I had been reading about on Rogue's website only a few days earlier. Will wonders never cease.

So, thanks to this fortunate oddity of fate, I was able to sample another impressive Rogue beer. One I probably would have never bought myself, I might add. I won't review it from memory but I will say that it was a slightly hazy, light golden color and it didn't produce much head. The Soba (buckwheat) adds an interesting, yet hard to describe, taste to it. Smooth and slightly sweet, it is most noticeable in the finish.

The beer is light and thin, great to wash down lettuce wraps and crab wontons. The flavor the soba imparts on it may not be to everyones liking but it does make this ale an interesting change of pace and a memorable experience. It is, no question, a quality brew.

If your ever at your local P.F. Chang's, or neighborhood beer place, and you come across a soba beer, check it out. Who knows, you just might like it. Oh, and while your there may I suggest the Chengdu Spiced Lamb. Delicious. Thanks to Jen for the beer and to Luis for the picture. Cheers!

Mojo India Pale Ale

Mojo. This was one of the more interesting IPAs on my must-try list. The name and logo design stood out, much like the other beer from Boulder Beer Company - Hazed and Infused, which was next to it on the shelf. Considering it gets a B+ out fo 550 reviews on Beeradvocate, I decided to roll the dice. I'm glad I did.

Mojo pours a clear deep gold/light amber color and gives a good chubby finger of head. Since I'm not a huge fan of malty IPAs, seeing it pour that nice, light color was a very positive sign.

This brew has a great color and a great smell. Immediately, grapefruit and pine began to rise out of the glass with soft hints of malt underneath. The hop aroma was resiny and zesty.

The taste is much like the smell, except the hops don't hit as hard up front as expected. They do hit you right away, carried across by out-of-the-way malt. The finish is hoppy- bitter and resiny although hop oil doesn't linger very much in the aftertaste. Don't get me wrong, the aftertaste is minimal but it's there, those hops don't leave without saying goodbye.

The (relatively) mild flavor up front is a bit disappointing but it goes down smooth and the finish is very nice and hoppy. The mouthfeel is on the medium side of thin, the carbonation is just about right and the 7.2% abv is almost unnoticeable. This is a very good IPA

Very good, but not great, though. It reminds me a lot of the Stone IPA, just a little less complex, a little less complete. Still, Mojo is a wonderful IPA and a strong Glass 1/2 FULL. Check it out and let me know what you think. Cheers!

Beer of the Day - Wexford Irish Style Cream Ale (with video)

What's up everybody. I've been backed up again, editing my video reviews on a slow computer gives me less time to work on my written reviews, so today I bring you last Thursday's Beer of the Day.

This is Wexford Irish Style Creame Ale, a nitro-beer I picked up on a lark during my latest trip to Total Wine. It's from Greene King, the same folks who now own and brew Old Speckled Hen, and it's a 5% abv brew categorized as a Cream Ale on Beeradvocate.com with a B- overall out of 251 reviews.

Now, I love nitro-beers and I love Old Speckled Hen (nitro explained and beer reviewed here), so trying this beer was a must. Sadly, my normal reviewing process was disrupted so my review is based on my memory and my video, and won't be as comprehensive as I would like.

We start with the typical nitro-beer pour and the ensuing cascade. The creamy, foamy, frothy head that the nitrogen produces never fails to amaze. This one pours a lovely dark orange amber color, with the nitrogen produced fat finger of mousse like head.

As is typical of nitro-beers, the nose is relatively weak. Oddly, it smells a bit lager-ish, and there are hints of bread and malt in there as well.

Tasting it reveals a smooth, malty and slightly bready quality reminiscent of an English Pale. It is as creamy as expected and there is no metallic taste noted at all, unlike some other canned beers. Surprisingly, there are some hops in the finish, though mild they are certainly present. There is also an unmistakable pear taste in there. It's unexpected but not unwelcome.

This beer was a pleasure to drink but, admittedly, it is nothing out of this world. It is as smooth and creamy as advertised and it tastes good. Not great, though, just good, with no unwanted or offensive flavors to turn you off (unless you don't like pear). With that said, I call this beer a Glass 1/2 FULL, but not by much. A good beer to try out of curiosity or just the desire to have a cream ale, but not something to journey to the ends of the Earth for. Still, it's a must for nitro-beer fans, like myself. See for yourselves and let me know what y'all think. Cheers!

The Beer of the Day

Eye of the Hawk Review (with video)

I had been seeing Eye of the Hawk, along with other Mendocino beers on the shelf at my local ABC for some time now. Eventually, my curiosity got the best of me (with the help of Beeradvocate).

Eye of the Hawk is categorized as an American Strong Ale on Beeradvocate.com and gets a B out of 336 reviews, so far. Now, American Strong Ale is just a catch-all category for any high abv beer that doesn't fit into any other category so I wasn't sure what to expect from this beer. What I did know is that Mendocino Brewing Company is highly regarded. Check them out at mendobrew.com.

This 8% abv brew pours a dark dirty copper color and gives very little head. The little head it does produce recedes quickly and half way through the glass there is nary a trace of head left.

The nose is of malt with hints of dark fruit and hints of hops. It is inviting but the malt is the predominant smell. The hops are hard to pinpoint but they are there.

The taste is of malt, dark fruits and mild alcohol up front, with weak but present hops on the finish along with alcohol warmth. Caramel malt mixes with plum and alcohol heat, specially as the beer warms. You also get a touch of hop resin on the tongue in the aftertaste.

The mouthfeel is on the heavier side of medium but, even with the little head, the active carbonation keeps it crisp. The 8% abv is not very obvious as one would expect and the beer is very well-balanced overall. It is a pleasure to drink even for someone like me who isn't a huge fan of malty beers. There is enough going on with this beer to make it enjoyable regardless of the malt or the abv.

This is not a beer I want to drink on a regular basis, and I might not ever have it again. But I still respect it as a special, well-made beer and I hold it in high esteem. Malty and complex, with enough alcohol to make it dangerous in the wrong hands, Eye of the Hawk is a memorable American brew and a Glass 1/2 FULL leaning towards like 3/4. Find out for yourself if you come across it. Cheers!

Beck's Octoberfest

I just had to. Yes, it's a Beck's, yes, it's an Inbev owned, mass produced and over commercialized beer. But it was a new Beck's, a different Beck's, a darker Beck's. I had to try it. I never learn.

This thing pours a clear, dark copper, almost reddish color. The fizzy off-white head builds quickly and recedes quicker. The head, the green bottle and the smell are all typical Beck's.

The nose is that of a malty lager, which is what most Marzens, or Oktober Biers, are after all. There is a hint of caramel in there and a hint of hop.

The carbonation and the taste are very much like a regular Beck's, with the exception of the added malt. It is a bit thicker that a standard Beck's and a bit tastier too, but it's still a Beck's.

Even though this brew gets good reviews on Beeradvocate.com I have to say it is nothing special. It may be a good example of the Octoberfest style but I find it too much like the plain Beck's I used to drink back in the day. Again, there is nothing special here.

The only reason this even gets a weak Glass 1/2 FULL is because it is unoffensive, and because, by nature, Octoberfest beers are really nothing more that maltier, slightly spiced lagers. That's what this is and I'm sure there are better examples of the style out there. Have one of those instead. Cheers!

Beer of the Day - Titan IPA (with video)

Yes, another IPA.

I couldn't help myself. Beeradvocate.com calls it World Class and it was staring me in the face when I went to my local ABC. What the hell.

The Titan IPA is from the Great divide Brewing Company in Denver, Colorado. It's an American style IPA with a 6.8% abv. Check out Great Divides website at greatdivide.com.

This bad boy is the color of a really dirty penny, almost brownish. It gives a finger plus (when not damn-near frozen) of white foamy head, typical of most IPA's. The nose is all malt. There is some piney hop underneath but it's mostly malt and very inviting.

Tasting it gives you hop up front, quickly followed by a smooth and ever present malt middle. It is very well balanced to the point that the hops are clearly there but don't bite up front or linger in the finish. The finish is balanced, without too much resin or malt sticking around for long.

The mouthfeel is on the lighter side of medium and this beer is a pleasure to drink, even though I find it a touch too malty for my IPA taste. Still, it is balanced and tasty, and obviously made with care and quality. Great Divide is highly regarded for a reason.

So, even though I find this beer a bit too malty for my taste I still consider it a GLASS FULL. A rock solid IPA and good stuff all the way. Get some for yourself if you can. Cheers!

The Beer of the Day

Beer of the Day - Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

Hey everybody, I'm still getting caught up on the reviews after the long weekend, so today I bring you last Thursday's Beer of the Day, Dogfish Head's 60 Minute IPA.

Dogfish Head Brewery is based in Delaware and their slogan is "Off-centered beers for off-centered people". Asides from some of their more unusual offerings, like their Raison D'Etre and Palo Santo Marron, their flagships are their IPA's, which come in 60 minute, 90 minute, and 120 minute varieties (those are the actual minutes in which the beer has hops added to it while in a full boil, or something like that). Go to dogfish.com if you want to know more and seek out the documentary Beer Wars if you want to learn more about Dogfish Head and it's founder, Sam Calagione. They are truly an American success story.

Though I have had one of their India Brown Ales in the past, I decided to start at the bottom and work my way up, so I picked up a 6 pack of their 60 Minute IPA at my local Winn/Dixie. They also carry the four packs of the 90 Minute IPA, I will picking that up sometime soon.

It pours a slightly cloudy dark golden color and gives a generous amount of foamy head with very small bubbles. The color is almost lager like and swirling the beer around leaves some nice lacing.

The nose is piney, very, very piney - the resin comes out in the smell. There are hints of malt in there somewhere but it's all hop. Pine with hints of grapefruit citrus.

Upon tasting it I discovered that although this beer is a bit thin, it is very smooth. The hop isn't as sharp, it doesn't bite as much as other IPA's. You can taste the hop, but it's more of a flavor, resiny and piney with a bit of grapefruit citrus and grassiness.

There is hop upfront but not as hoppy or harsh as some others - very easy drinking. The malt is there, subtley anchoring the hop, smooth and steady. There is hop oil on the finish but it doesn't linger very long at all, leaving a very mild and short lived aftertaste.

Overall, this is a good IPA but it is one dimensional. It's all pine. Sure it's light and easy drinking but there is just not enough going on to satisfy the hardcore IPA fans. This is a great IPA to down on a hot afternoon or maybe just something to give a Bud drinker to show him there's better beer out there. It is plain and thin but very well made and a pleasure to drink.

The truth is, I expected more but the fact of the matter is that this is Dogfish's ground floor offering. I shall be trying the 90 Minute very soon. Until then, I call this a solid Glass 1/2 FULL and urge any IPA fan out there to give it a shot. If it's not for you then I'm sure Dogfish Head has a beer right up your alley. Check them out if you can. Cheers!

The Beer of the Day

Harp Lager

Here I go again with another impromptu review. I knew I was going to be working outside so I picked this up on a lark. Well, actually, the new green packaging caught my eye.

I don't really like reviewing lagers since lagers by nature have less flavor to them, no matter who brews them. But Harp is made by the same Irish folks who brew Guinness so a quality product is expected. Also, while lagers may not be as flavorful as ales, they are just as refreshing, if not more.

This brew pours a light golden color with a finger of white rocky head which recedes to a film rather quickly. It has the typical lager smell (or lack of smell), light hop, light malt, plus a hint of something vaguely Irish.

Tasting it you get a mild hop hit up front followed by a simple and subtle touch of malt across your tongue. The taste of lager yeast is unmistakable but there is also a hint of something else, almost sweet, that kind of reminds me of Irish cream.

All in all this is a very good lager, but it's just another beer on a shelf full of similar, and unremarkable, lagers. It is crisp and clean and easy to drink but that little hint of Irish is a nice touch and about the only thing that sets it apart from the pack. Still, it's a must for lager fans and a Glass 1/2 FULL. Cheers!

Witbier Face-Off - Blue Moon Vs. Shock Top

A Witbier is a Belgian style ale that is unfiltered, made with high levels of wheat and always spiced, usually with coriander, orange peel and other spices. Also known as a White beer due to the cloudiness of the suspended yeast, it is a light and refreshing style many American brewers have taken a liking to.

With that said, I bring you a face off between two of the most popular (and commercial) American made, Belgian Style brews around today - Shock Top and Blue Moon.

Shock Top is a relatively new product, it's brewed by Michelob, which of course, is owned by Anheuser Busch. Blue Moon, although the packaging says some crap about the Blue Moon Brewing Company in Colorado, is actually brewed by the Molson Coors Company in a plant in Canada. So, yes, these two Belgian Style ales are really brewed by two of the biggest, baddest, over-commercialized, macro-breweries in the U.S.

Now, I had had a Shock Top on tap before and knew what it was all about, but with all the publicity Blue Moon got thanks to the Presidential 'Beer Summit' some time ago, I decided to pick some up and see for myself why it was so popular. That of course just led to me picking up some Shock Top for a true head-to-head comparison.

Before we get to the beers, let me make this disclaimer: I do not like this style of beer. It doesn't taste much like beer at all to me at all. Many taste like carbonated orange soda. I prefer beers that taste like beer but that is just my taste and since I know there are people who like this style, I am trying my best to be fair and impartial. And, to be honest, they can be very refreshing on a hot day.

We start with the Blue Moon. It pours a hazy, dark amber color with a chubby finger of head that dissipates and disappears completely. Completely! Not a good sign.

It has the typical light, clean, zesty, orange and coriander smell. Slightly sweet and under carbonated, it's thin and its bland.

Now on to the Shock Top. It pours lighter than the Blue Moon, but still hazy, with a head that recedes quickly but sticks around as a thin film.

This one has better carbonation, which you feel immediately upon tasting. Shock Top also seems lighter and crisper, and has a stronger orange taste.

So, having to pick a winner, I must chose the Shock Top. I pick this one only because it's lighter and better carbonated, making it more refreshing. I would rather have a real beer but if I had to have one of these twist-off, mass produced, American copies of an old Belgian style, a Shock Top will do just fine on a hot summer day.

Your mileage may vary, of course, and if you find that you like the style I suggest you seek out a real Belgian whitbier. I might pick one up myself one of these days. Cheers!

Beer of the Day - Bell's Oberon

Hey, folks. I've been a bit busy lately so I've gotten a little backed up with my reviews. So today I bring you Tuesday's Beer of the Day, a tasty American wheat ale, Bell's Oberon.

Bell's Brewery is based in Michigan. I believe this is the third beer I try from them and they have always gotten high marks for quality and taste. They brew over 15 different beers and Oberon is their summer seasonal, although in Florida and Alabama it is available year round. Their website is Bellsbeer.com for anyone who's interested. By the way, on Beeradvocate.com this beer gets a B+ out of 950 reviews.

As you can read in the picture above, Oberon is a summer wheat beer, meant to be light and refreshing. I had originally meant to pick this up earlier in the summer when it was hotter but, then again, in South Florida it's always hot. That probably explains why they sell it year round here. I have found it in stock at Publix supermarkets in Pines and Doral, along with Total Wine, and it is on tap at the Yard House.

This brew pours a hazy, burnt orange color and gives very little head, which about typical for wheat beers. I must admit though, the smells coming from the glass almost threw me for a loop. It smells citrusy, wheaty and malty. A much heavier caramel malt smell than I ever expected in a wheat beer. Not a bad thing but not expected at all. Now on to the taste...

Wow. I get malty wheat and carbonation up front and a nice hoppy finish. This is possibly the hoppiest wheat beer I have ever had, even though it is amazingly well balanced against strong caramel flavor that carry across the middle. Those same caramel flavors also impart a malty touch in the aftertaste which is pleasant and short lived.

This is not your average summer wheat beer. The mouthfeel is almost medium, making this one heavier than most other American wheat beers. The hop levels are higher than expected but, as is the case with most American brewers, that's nothing new. What is unexpected is the higher malt content of this beer, which explains the darker, richer color. Again, it's not a bad thing, just not a typical characteristic of a summer wheat beer. Props to Bell's for being bold and doing something a little different.

The fact that this beer is richer and heavier than most in its class do take away some points for drinkability, I don't know if this is the brew I want after a couple of hours working in the sun, but I do know that it is a tasty and quality brew. I call this a Glass 1/2 FULL and then some, and I urge fans of wheat beers to seek it out and give it a taste. Feel free to drop me a line and let me know how that goes. Cheers!

The Beer of the Day

Chang beer & Suvi Thai

So the other night my girlfriend and I hit up this amazing Thai place called Suvi. And this time, unlike our previous two trips there, I was in the mood for a beer with my dinner. A Thai beer.

Chang beer is advertised as Thailand's #1 beer. Beeradvocate.com categorizes it as an American style adjunct lager, which is typical of most Asian and Latin American imports.

Some Asian beers are rice lagers, which are basically just adjunct lagers that use rice as the adjunct. I can't be sure if Chang uses rice or not, all I know is that the taste imparted by the adjunct in question is unmistakable and not exactly pleasant.

Fortunately for me, the two beers I had were used mainly as fire extinguishers to put out the hot (as in temperature) and hot (as in tongue burning spicy) drunken noodles I had for dinner. If I had to have the beer by itself I doubt I would enjoy it much. I did like the Chang glass they served it in but thats about it.

Now as far as the food goes, I recommend Suvi to anyone who likes Thai cuisine. The food is wonderful, the service is great and the prices are reasonable. Check them out if you are in the neighborhood, just don't order a Chang. www.suvithai.com

Beer of the Day - Redhook ESB

Forgive me, boys and girls, this beer was last Thursday's Beer of the day and I haven't had a chance to post the review until now. So here is my $.02 on Redhook ESB.

I need to stop buying beers just because they're on sale. That's how I ended up with this brew from the Redhook Ale Brewery, which is based in Seattle, although the 6'er I picked up came from their other Brewery in Portsmouth, NH. Now, I'm not saying that it's a bad beer, but buying beer based on sale prices is never a good idea.

For those that don't know, a Bitter is a type of pale ale and an ESB is an Extra Special/Strong Bitter, stronger and darker than a pale. So far, the only other bitter I've been able to sit and enjoy was Old Thumper, reviewed here.

This 5.7% abv brew pours a dark, dirty copper color. The beer itself is very clear and it pours with very little head, what head there is recedes quickly down to a clumpy film that stays for the duration.

The nose is not very strong but it's not bad at all. Biscuity, with a light hoppy twang - citrusy, and with a nice touch of caramel malt underneath. Very pleasant.

It tastes slightly bready with a light hop bite up front. All that rides on a solid malt backbone which becomes more noticeable towards the end and even more so as the beer warms. It is very similar in taste to Old Thumper and Fullers. The finish is slightly bitter, dry and ever so citrusy, but there isn't much of an aftertaste.

I read a review that said this beer was a little 'harsh' on the palate, specially in the finish- I can understand where that comes from. Harshness aside, it is crisp and well filtered, with a medium mouthfeel.

Redhook ESB is not bad and not great. It's a decent bitter, unexceptional but made from quality stuff. There are much better bitters out there but, for the price, I have no regrets. Definitely a Glass 1/2 FULL. Cheers!

The Beer of the Day

Shipyard Export Review

My relationship with Maine's Shipyard Brewery started back in April, when my girlfriend picked up a Shipyard variety 12 pack while hanging out with her cousins. She ended up bringing home the leftovers, one of which was a Shipyard Export (along with some Old Thumper and a Blue Fin Stout).

While not being blown away, I did note it to be a tasty, well-made beer. Fast forward almost 5 months and add a sale at my neighborhood Winn/Dixie supermarket and, once again, I have in my fridge a Shipyard Export ale.

Upon checking out Shipyards website, www.shipyard.com, I learned that the Export Ale is their flagship beer. I also learned that it is a Canadian-style golden ale. Ok, not what I expected but, ok, lets give it a shot.

It pours a dark golden color with a finger or so of fizzy head that quickly recedes. It recedes but never disappears, a thin layer of head stays floating on the surface for the duration.

The nose is of biscuit with some light malt and some faint citrus hop. It's weak but nice and just a bit yeasty.

Tasting it yields some more faint citrus hop up front with a little bite from the carbonation. There is a very mild malt middle and a light, yet crisp, finish with more citrus hop. There is no aftertaste and there are no standout flavors. It is a simple beer, balanced but plain.

The mouthfeel is on the heavier side of thin and the carbonation is well done, making this not a spectacular beer but one that is easy to drink and refreshing

It is almost lager-like with its subdued nose, lack of standout flavors and crisp finish. Unexceptional but good, great with food or really cold on a hot, sweaty day. Shipyard's flagship beer is a decent beer, well-made and to style, but not great by any means. A Glass 1/2 FULL but not by much. Check it out but don't expect a lot in the flavor department. Cheers!

Lagunitas 2009 Correction Ale

Lagunitas is starting to become one of my favorite breweries. This is one of their limited edition brews which I luckily ran into at my local ABC Fine Wine & Spirits a week ago when I popped in to pick up some Red Seal and some Trois Pistoles.

Lagunitas 2009 Correction Ale. The label says specifically that it is NOT a Double IPA, just a good American Ale. Actually, it's a really good IPA, according to Beeradvocate.com and my own palate. The label also says this:

-click image to enlarge-

Yeah, Lagunitas has a flair for cooky and nonsensical blurbs on their beers and on their website. See what i mean for yourself at their site, www.lagunitas.com.

As far as the beer goes, the 22 oz bottle poured beautifully into my big-ass mug. A lovely burnt copper color with well over a finger of clumpy head. It looks great.

It smells great too. Piney, citrus hop with a nice dose of malt waft up through the thick head. There are also hints of sweet fruit, almost mango-like. All in all, a wonderful nose, appealing and inviting.

Tasting it gives you a hop bite up front, oily and almost zesty. The malt comes out steadily throughout - a solid, thick backbone that blends beautifully. The finish is piney hop and a coat of resin on the tongue that lasts a few minutes.

It has a light-medium mouthfeel which is about right for the style and about perfect considering the darker color of the brew. It is smooth and wonderfully, masterfully well-balanced. And a clumpy layer of head still remains, halfway through the glass.

This brew may be a touch too malty for an IPA but that may just be a matter of taste. Regardless, this is a rock solid beer and another winner from Lagunitas. No question, this is a GLASS FULL beer. Get you some before it disappears. Cheers!

Modelo Especial and Ernesto's Taco Shop

I recently reviewed the Mexican beer, Negra Modelo, and was quite disappointed. Ever since, I have had it in mind to try a Modelo Especial, just to be fair and see what the lighter (colored) version is like. Well, last night, the time came.

Ernesto's Taco Shop on Kendal Drive fit the bill for the quick and dirty (and inexpensive) dinner my girlfriend and I required last night. While waiting in line I perused the beer selection and found the standard Mexican fare: Corona, Tecate, Pacifico and the Modelos. Why not? Let me get a Modelo Especial with my nachos, please.

Modelo Especial is categorized as an adjunct lager and it comes in a clear glass bottle, 2 things I'm not a fan of. Regardless, as I sat down to wait for our order I took a couple of long swigs from the chubby bottle the nice Central American man behind the counter had popped open for me. After a long and hot day at work the cold beer went down gloriously.

As is par for the course with adjunct lager, there was an obvious taste of grain apparent from the beginning. Even though I was given no glass to drink out of I could see this beer was a lovely golden color due to the clear bottle. The beer seemed just a slight touch sweeter than your typical Mexican lager and that, along with the cereal grain flavor, was nicely balanced against what I considered to be almost perfect carbonation making it crisp and refreshing.

On its own this beer is no better and no worse that your run-of-the-mill adjunct lager but it does a kick-ass job of washing down some good Mexican food. Not only did I have to get a second beer but I had to take a picture with my brand new phone. Ok, two pictures, and please excuse the messy looking nacho remains on my plate...

Yeah, so the beer is nothing special but Ernesto's is a great little spot for some authentic Mexican food. Plus, it's open 24 hrs. The nachos were amazing and my girlfriend really enjoyed her carne asada quesadilla. I believe their website is www.toomanytacos.com if you're hungry and in the area. Cheers!

Harpoon IPA Review

Today I bring you an IPA from New England's Harpoon Brewery. I say New England because they have a brewery in Vermont and another in Boston. They have been in business since 1986 and are generally well regarded in the beer world. Their website is harpoonbrewery.com if you're interested in finding out more.

This is the second beer I have from Harpoon and I can't say the first one was a good experience. That was the Hefeweizen from their UFO line (Harpoon's UnFiltered Offerings), which I reviewed here. When I saw this IPA on the shelf of a Publix supermarket in Pembroke Pines, I knew I had found the right beer to give Harpoon a shot at redemption.

The Harpoon IPA is a 5.9% abv beer that has been brewed since 1993. It pours a copperish, light-amber color and gives a good chubby finger of head, although it receedes more than one would expect from a good IPA and leaves only scant lacing when all is said and done.

It smells of lovely hop, piney and floral, with malt underneath. It is not a strong nose at all but it is indeed appealing.

Then I taste it and everything changes.

WTF? This is an IPA? The hop flavor is there but it just kind of cruises by your tongue and waves. There is a solid malt backbone to hold things together but the lack of strong flavor, any flavor, jumping out is sad. No hoppy finish, no hop oil, no resin, no kick, nothing to remember it by. Ok, yeah, it is slightly hoppy on the finish but nowhere near enough.

On top of all that, it's thin! Easy to drink but thin and flavorless. Disappointing. And if that wasn't all bad enough, there is this odd, almost rubbing alcohol smell that developes and rises about halfway through the beer as it gets warmer. Never seen that happen before. Strange.

For these who think I'm slamming this beer as a total crap, think again. This beer is pretty well-made and is miles ahead of any BudMillerCoors product. The problem is that I bought it expecting an IPA, American style, strong and heavily hopped and that is not what this beer is. Compared to a standard American (specially a west coast) IPA this brew just has nothing going on. It is lame and tame just compared to my previously reviewed IPAs from Avery and Stone.

The thing is that, from what the Harpoon website says, this beer isn't meant to be like the standard American IPA fare. "Harpoon IPA is an interpretation of the classic English style using hops and malt grown in the United States." Ahh, that makes sense. Maybe in my ignorance I judged it too harshly. Also, Beeradvocate.com gives it a B out of 800+ reviews. So maybe this is what an IPA was originally like, before American brewers hopped the hell out of it. I can live with that.

So, taking all that into consideration I'll call this a Glass 1/2 FULL beer. It's not the best beer out there and the flavors could use a little more punch but it's obviously a quality brew. Just don't expect a super-hopped American IPA and you might just enjoy it. Try one for yourself and let me know. Cheers!

Samuel Adams Imperial Stout & The Verdict on the Imperial Series

Hello, Faithful Readers, and welcome to another beer review. This time, I bring you the third and final brew from the Samuel Adams Imperial Series, the Imperial Stout.

I have previously reviewed the other two beers in the series, the Double Bock and the Imperial White, here. I liked neither, although to be fair, I am not really a fan of the doppelbock style in general. Still, for a die-hard Sam Adams fan like me, disliking 2 out of 3 was a major disappointment so everything came down to this final beer. Fortunately, I really like Russian Imperial Stouts, and besides, how can anyone screw up an Imperial Stout? Read the label and find out:

-click image to enlarge-

If you took a good look at the picture above you realize that aside from giving us some history on Russian Imperial Stouts in general, and info on this brew in particular, you see that they call this their 'take' on a RIS. And take it from me, a faithful interpretation of a RIS this is not.

As is typical for a stout this beer is thick and black. Light will not make it through. Sadly, not much head is formed. It takes a rough pour to get a finger or so of khaki colored, foamy stout head. The retention is not good at all and the lacing is very scant.

It doesn't smell like your average stout but that doesn't mean it's not inviting. There are notes of licorice and dark chocolate and roasted malt. It's also slightly bready and sweeter than expected, although there are hops back there somewhere. Complex indeed, with a hint of alcohol drifting up as well.

Upon tasting this viscous brew there is a thick hit of chocolate malt upfront. The licorice sweetness is apparent and consistant. The finish is of hop and alcohol, which makes sense since this is a 9.20% abv brew. While the alcohol taste is not strong, it is not inconspicuous.

I had a hard time pinpointing the odd mix of flavors present here but be assured that this is not your typical RIS at all. There is more to it but the bitter fruity sweetness mixed with the alcohol bite made me wish I had an Old Rasputin instead.

This stout isn't a bad beer, and it gets a B+ on Beeradvocate.com (out of 347 reviews so far), but it's nowhere near what I was expecting. Much like the Imperial White, the Sam Adams folks tried to experiment and failed with this idea, at least in my opinion. Some of you might disagree and I can understand why, therefore I will call this a Glass 1/2 FULL but include the following warning: This is a slightly different take on the RIS, it deviates from the norm and the taste reflects it. If you can handle that then you might just enjoy this well-made beer.

Now, as far as what I think about the Imperial Series as a whole? It is a plain and simple disappointment. They tried to get creative and make some really big, colorfull beers and fell short. Thats ok though, not every experiment is going to be a success. I still consider Samuel Adams to be the top brewer in America. But don't take my word for it, go find out for yourselves. Cheers!

Negra Modelo Review

I'd been meaning to get around to this one for a while now. Today I give you my take on Negra Modelo.

You see, most Mexican beers (Corona, Tecate, Modelo Especial, etc) are just adjunct lagers, like Bud or Miller. Very few, like this one, are made in a different style and actually have some flavor to them. The Grupo Modelo website calls this a Munich type beer, which I'm sure is why Beeradvocate.com categorizes it as a Munich Dunkel Lager (dunkel = dark). A Dunkel Lager is just a lager brewed with more malt, making it darker and richer, but still not as heady or heavy as something like a stout.

I had had this beer before and liked it, so I had been meaning to get around to having it again to review it. Hindsight 20/20...

Well, it pours a dark brown color but upon pouring it I realized that not much head is forming. Never a good sign. The head dissipated quickly and left neary a trace. Disappointing.

Along with that typical clean lager smell there is some toasted malt and caramel in the nose, along with a faint touch of nuttiness. The maltiness is to be expected but overall, there's nothing special here.

I still had faith in this beer... until I tasted it. Toasted caramel malt came in behind the bubbly fizz of too much carbonation. There was some vague hop in the finish but mostly all I got was watery malt and carbonation. In a way, it was like a cleaner, more carbonated Newcastle. Again, never a good sign.

This beer is about as thin and watery as a beer this color can get. The carbonation is on the heavy side but it works for this beer, or saves it, depending on your point of view.

I expected better. This is a Glass 1/2 EMPTY beer. It's in no way horrible, there are no adjuncts and the flavors and balance are almost there, but it's weak and watery. This beer is better in the bottle and is still a good choice to wash down some Mexican food. Other than that, reach for something better. Cheers!

Beer of the Day - Stone IPA

Today I bring you the Stone IPA, from the Stone Brewing Company in Kalifornia, makers of the highly regarded Arrogant Bastard Ale (and my personal favorite, the Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale).

I had this beer once before on tap at the Yard House (read about that experience here), and I felt the need to have it again so I had a buddy pick me up this 6'er at the Total Wine in Aventura. Check out their website at www.stonebrew.com or read the bottle below.

-click image to enlarge-

Stone makes big beers with big personalities and interesting names like, Arrogant Bastard, Levitation Ale & Ruination, and is considered one of the most popular craft brewers in the country. Their founder was also prominantly featured in this year's, Beer Wars documentary.

Now, enough of that, on to the beer.

This IPA pours a hazy amber color, with close to two fingers of a creamy, off-white head that never completely goes away. As usual, the pictures make it look darker than it is.

The floral hop hits you as soon as you pop off the cap. There's malt in there but it's buried under the piney, floral bouquet. Very impressive.

Upon tasting it, the hops hit you right away. Woah. Citrus pine resin attack your tongue immediately. It's so easy to not notice the malt that is subtle but consistant from start to finish. It should come as no surprise that the finish is hoppy. Floral resin that coats the back of the tongue. The aftertaste is slight, it never wears out its welcome.

This beer goes goes down oh so smooth but I suppose one must like IPA's to begin with to fully appreciate it. Also, one must be concious and careful of the 6.9% abv. Oh, and the lacing is pretty impressive as well.

This is a Grade A beer. Stone does not skimp on flavor or character and this beer has both to spare. The gargoyle been doing it's job and deserves a good pat on the back. A solid Glass FULL, a quality beer from a quality brewer. Maybe not he best IPA around but a good one, no doubt. Try it and see. Cheers!

The Beer of the Day

Sapporo Premium Beer

I'm a sucker for a cool looking can.

This is the Sapporo Premium Beer. A 5.0% abv Japanese rice lager brewed under contract in Ontario. This is basically the same as an American adjunct lager, except the Japanese use rice as the adjunct instead of the cereal or corn common here.

This isn't the type of beer I usually drink but, like I said, I'm a sucker for cool, shiny can. Besides, I've had most of the other popular Asian beers, I needed to scratch Sopporo off the list. Done.


It's a 22 oz can so it's a no-brainer that I had to pour it in my big-ass mug. After pouring it, and cleaning up the minor spill that always seems to happen with big cans, I noticed that it is a very light, golden, straw color. Reminds me of Miller Lite. The head receeds quickly but never dies completely and does leave some light, scant lacing.

The smell is very clean, very subdued, much like a Euro lager. There is a touch of malt in there and a ghost hint of hops but nothing to really write home about. Now to taste...

Ok, there's carbonation up front, a mild, but present, malt middle and a bit of annonymous hop on the back end. There's also something else there, very slight... could it be the rice?

It finishes clean and the carbonation is about right for the style. It goes down smooth, with no metallic taste occasionally found in canned beer and none of the 'adjunct lager aftertaste' common with American light beers. Again, this slight difference might have to do with the rice, it's hard to say, and it might just be me.

I compare this beer to Miller Lite, only a it's a little better. Which is why I call this beer a Glass 1/2 FULL. Relax, I haven't hit my head, I know it's not a great beer, and it's not a craft beer by any stretch of the imagination, but for what it is, it's pretty damned good. It's a light beer, folks, and it's worth a try if you like light beer. Cheers!

The Beer Term Glossary

I had this on the main page but I decided to move it here and give it it's own space. Hope it helps

ABV -

Alcohol % by volume

Adjuncts -

Unmalted grains (corn, rice, cereal, etc) used to supplement the main ingredients, often to cut costs

Ale -

One of the two main types of beer, (the other being Lager). Ale is brewed using a top-fermenting yeast.

Some of the more popular styles of ales are: Pale Ales, Amber Ales, Brown Ales, Porters & Stouts

Bomber -

A 22 oz bottle of beer

Bottle Conditioned -

When yeast is added to the bottle before sealing so that the bottle keeps fermenting after it leaves the brewery

Cascade (or Cascade Effect) -

The waterfall-like effect produced by nitrogen infused beers when poured

Draft (or Draught) -

Name used for any beer served on tap from a keg. Also used by some Nitro-can beers

E.S.B. -

Extra Special Bitter. A style of pale ale, especially strong or bitter

Head -

The fizzy foam that forms on the surface of a beer

Imperial -

Taken from the Russian Imperial Stout, imperial is now often used to descibe any beer with a high alcohol content

I.P.A. -

India Pale Ale, a very hoppy style of ale popular with West Coast breweries

I.B.U. -

International Bitterness Unit. A standard unit for measuring a beer's bitterness

Lacing -

Pattern of dried foam that forms on the sides of a glass resembling lace

Lager -

One of the two main types of beer, (the other being Ale). Lagers are brewed using bottom-fermenting yeast.

Some of the more popular styles of lagers are: Pilsners, Märzens & Bocks

Mouthfeel -

How the beer feels in your mouth- thick, watery, creamy, etc

Nitro -

Nitrogen gas used in some beers to create creamier head

Nose -

The smell the beer gives off

Seasonal -

Beers brewed in, and for, certain seasons. Light and refreshing for summer, dark and heavy for winter, etc

Session -

Drinking several beers in one sitting - A drinking session

work in progress... any suggestions?