Beer of the Day Review - Small Craft Warning

I originally tried this beer on a lark and ended up liking it. So here I go with a review of a whole 6 pack. This is a 7.25% abv beer, categorized as an Imperial Pilsner by Beeradvocate.com. I call it an Americanized Pilsner, or as the packaging says Über Pils, either way it's a Pilsner heavy on the alcohol and not meant to be sessioned (it took me a week to drink all 6...) .

It is brewed by the Clipper City Brewing Company in Baltimore, MD and is part of their Heavy Seas line of high alcohol per volume (abv) beers. Go to www.ccbeer.com to learn more.

Let's review it, shall we?

It pours a dark, golden, apple juice color. Since I'm not big on pilsners, or lagers to begin with, this color is a welcome sight. If you pour a little rough you will get big head and lots of lacing. If your pour is more conservative you will get a quarter-inch of head,which receedes quickly to a thin flm, and very little to no lacing.

The smell is of mild hops and mild malt... very mild, with some lemon zest citrus and a touch of alcohol mixed in.

Taste-wise, you get your typical lager fizzyness with some mild hops and alcohol, and an almost sour, lemony taste on the back of your tongue as it goes down. There is also a slightly yeasty, buttery taste in there somewhere as well.

The mouthfeel is medium-thin but very crisp and refreshing, even with the high alcohol content. It leaves a fading touch of citrus hop/alcohol aftertaste which is not unpleasant at all. There is a slight warming sensation after you swallow, caused by the high alcohol content, noticible but not overbearing. It is very drinkable but if you're not careful the high abv will get you.

I'm not a huge fan of pilsners, or lagers in general, but I find this beer to be smooth and easy drinking. Unfortunately, it is also tame and not spectacular in any way. The taste is simply nothing to write home about. This is a simple, un-complicated beer - an unremarkable, easy drinking, high abv, American made, Pilsner. If your a fan of the style give it a shot, it's not bad. Just dont expect your socks to get blown off. I call this a glass 1/2 FULL but nothing to get exited about. Your mileage may vary. Cheers!

The Beer of the Day

Beer of the Day Review - Guinness 250 Anniversary Stout

I saw this at a Winn/Dixie today and just had to pick it up. So what that it was $10.49 for a 6 pack of 11.2 fl oz bottles, it's a new Guinness! Here's what it says on the side of the 6 pack:

During 2009, Guinness is celebrating the 250 year anniversary of the signing of the lease on St. James Gate Brewery in Dublin, Ireland by Author Guinness. To mark this momentous event, Guinness introduces a special commemorative stout. This premium recipe takes the flavor of Author's distinctive stout and balances it with an underlying taste of refreshment, delivering a unique Guinness experience.

This beer was introduced in the U.S. on April 24th, 2009 and will be available for about 6 months. It is 5% abv compared to the usual Guinness Draught at 4.2% abv. The packaging says Limited Edition and Beeradvocate.com defines this limited as being only brewed once. Some more information on the release of this beer can be found here: http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/30093096/

I will definitely be keeping one of these bottles for the collection... Now, on to the review.

It goes without saying that I poured this beer into one of my Guinness tulip glasses. It is a solid black color but shows a reddish tinge around the edges when held up to the light. The head is tipical of non-nitro Guinness- thick, light-tan colored and easily reaches 3-4 fingers if poured sloppily. It leaves very nice lacing, as it should.

The smell is bitter. It's really hard to say more than that. There is another smell in there but I can't call it. It's just a bitter smell, with subdued traces of coffee and chocolate malts and hints of hop. In a weird way it reminds me of the Draught Guinness in that the nose is very underpowered.

The taste is all chocolate malts, with hints of espresso, that are bitter and acidic, but not in a bad way. There are more malts and some hops in there but they are hidden behind the somewhat heavy carbonation and overall bitterness. The finish is dry and kind of powdery, like some 80% cacao, with a slight touch of hops.

Now, as far as mothfeel and drinkability, this brew is the bastard child of Guinness Draught and Guinness Extra Stout. It is much thinner than the Extra Stout but not as much so as the Draught. It is way more carbonated than either and is definitely more bitter but, because of the carbonation and it's thinness, it is remarkably drinkable. These guys go down quick and easy.

This brew , in my opinion, is exactly what it should be for a limited run, celebratory brew. Consider it, 'an experimental change of pace'. As such, I call this beer a solid glass 1/2 FULL and hope that all the Guinness lovers out there pick it up to see for themselves what this beer is all about. It's not better than the pre-existing Guinnesses but it's a rare attempt to spice things up from the people that gave us the timeless classic. Check it out, it won't be here for long. Cheers!

The Beer of the Day

Nitro-Stout Cascade Effect (Beamish)

A while back I reviewed Beamish Irish Stout. Afterwords, many folks kept asking me what a nitrogen beer, or a nitro-can, or a nitro-widget, or a cascade effect, is. So, I made a brief video showing exactly what happens when you open and pour a nitro-can beer (in this case Beamish Genuine Draught Stout in matching glass).

My apologies for the lack of audio (crappy camera). 

The same thing will happen with Guinness, Boddingtons & Murphy's, or any other nitrogen-infused beer. Nitrogen + Beer = Cascade. Cool ain't it? I love looking at it almost as much as I love drinking it. Almost. Cheers.

Beer of the Day Review - Old Thumper Extra Special Ale

Yes, this was one of the original Beers of the Day, so I had to do it one more time, this time with a review.

Old Thumper is brewed by Maine's largerst brewery, Shipyard Brewery, under contract from Ringwood Brewery in Hampshire, England. This is why the bottle says Ringwood Brewery in big letters and Shipyard only in fine print. I first tried this beer out of a Shipyard variety pack and thought it was a Shipyard creation. Nope, this recipe comes from across the pond, and is brewed at Shipyard under the watchfull eye of Alan Pugsley, who trained and worked at Ringwood Brewery for many years. Pugsley supposedly ships the famed Ringwood yeast and the 'finest ingredients' directly from England to recreate, in Maine, the unique flavors of Old Thumper...  or at least that's what the writing on the bottom of the 6-pk says.

The packaging says Extra Special Ale and on Beeradvocate.com it is categorized as an ESB (extra special bitter). Basically what that means is that it is bitter and it is strong and it's an ale. Right up my alley =)

It pours an almost copper color with a nice finger or so of head which eventually recedes to a nice layer skimming the surface of the beer. It leaves behind some light, but very nice lacing with pretty good carbonation.

Smell is of caramel malt with a buttery yeast smell and a little more than a hint of hops also coming though. The taste is much the same, caramel malt and some vague fruit, with a medium body and a dry, bitter, medium-hoppy finish. The ringwood yeast does impact it's own flavor on the brew but I have yet to put a finger on it. It is not undesirable though, and I suspect, make me like this beer even more. 

I completely understand why this beer is such an award winner:

This is Extra Special Bitter is favorably comparable to the world renown Fuller's ESB. I call this beer a glass 1/2 Full and even though most say that it's not better that the Fuller's, it can sure hold its own. If you see it, pick it up. I will, because I sure as hell enjoy it. Cheers!

The Beer of the Day

Wheat Beer Review- Sierra Nevada & UFO Hefeweizen + SA Summer Ale and a burger

My girlfriend left these beers at my house so, you know, eventually, I had to drink them. She is a fan of wheat beers, I'm not, but wheat beers are known to be very refreshing and I came back from the outdoor shooting range today drained, sweaty and dehydrated. So, y'all know what happened next...

First, we have the Sierra Nevada Wheat Beer from the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., in Chico, CA (www.sierranevada.com).

It pours a light, hazy, golden color, kind of like a cloudy lemonade, with a nice amount of white head. This is an unfiltered beer, so good luck trying to see though it. The smell is mostly of wheat, slightly hoppy with a touch of lemon. The taste is very much like the smell- wheaty and citrusy with some mild citrus hop on the backend. This is a thin, crisp and very refreshing beer. The finish is crisp and very dry and when you're done there's some nice lacing on the glass to look at.

All in all, this beer goes down like heaven after you've been outside in the Miami heat for a few hours. I'm still not a huge fan of wheat beers but lately I've realized they have a place and a purpose. This one is, most definately, a glass 1/2 FULL, almost pushing 3/4. Get yourself one... Cheers!

Next up, we have the UFO Hefeweizen, from New England's Harpoon Brewery (www.harpoonbrewery.com).

This, of course, is another unfiltered wheat beer. Hefe is German for yeast and weizen means wheat. This one also pours a light gold, cloudy lemonade color but does not develope as much head as the Sierra Nevada, nor does that head that it does develope last very long at all. Also, it seems under-carbonated and, conversely, it leaves no lacing to speak of.

The smell is of wheat and lemon and the taste makes me think of wheaty lemon water. Not hard to drink at all but not special in any way- and definatly thinner than the Sierra. It had some bite to it and felt slightly chewy when the head and carbonation were present but they didn't last and even that couldn't save it from being blah. Once the head and carbonation were gone this truely became wheaty lemon water.

Pure blandness and the fact I'm not a huge fan of wheat beers make me call this one a glass 1/2 EMPTY. It's not bad, its just whatever. There are better wheat beers out there, like the Sierra Nevada. But dont take my word for it, go and try them for yourselves... 

+ _ - | - _ + _ - | - _ +

Now, remember what I said about wheat beers having a place and a purpose? Well, the other night the g/f and I went to Outback Steakhouse. For those that don't know, Outback has some kick-ass burgers and they stock the Samuel Adams Seasonals, which right now happens to be the Summer Ale, also an unfiltered American style pale wheat ale like the Sierra and UFO. 

I spent the second half of my workday last friday drooling over the thought of one of those kick-ass burgers and a Summer Ale so, of course, when I got there I had to get it in the 'Big Bloke' 22 oz mug.

Actually, I had to get two of them =)

So yes, wheat beers have a time and a place, and they go great with a burger. I must admit that the Samuel Adams Summer Ale is the better beer, in my opinion, but it is brewed with lemon zest and 'Grains of Paradise', a rare pepper from Africa that gives it a distinct taste and an unfair advantage. Maybe one of these days I'll give the Summer Ale a full-blown review but until then I suggest anyone who is curious, or just lives in a hot ass climate, go pick up a 6'er and give it a try on a hot summer day. I promise it'll do ya right. Cheers!

Beer of the Day Review - Beamish Draught Irish Stout

Let me start by saying that this is a biased review. I LOVE Draught Irish Stouts. I consider Guinness Draught to be the 'Nectar of the Gods'. I plan to eventually shell out about a grand to get a home keg set-up with the nitro tank so I can enjoy Guinness on tap at home. Also, I consider Murphy's Irish Stout to be just as good as Guinness. Now enter into the equation Beamish Draught Irish Stout, from Beamish & Crawford in Cork, Ireland. (FYI, draught is just a different spelling of draft, it's pronounced the same.)

The reviews on Beeradvocate.com were good and the price was great so I picked up a 4-pack of nitro-cans at ABC Fine Wine & Spirits in Doral. Truely one of the best beer decisions I have ever made.

Forgive my blasphemy but... this may be better than Guinness! It pours with less head than Guinness, even with that same nitro widget bouncing around inside my can like an agitator ball in a can of Krylon. The head might be slightly less but it's still creamy and the color is still black with a touch of red around the edges when held up to the light.

For the uninformed, some beers, like Guinness, use nitrogen to help create that thick, creamy head. Nitro is the only way Guinness is poured on tap at any bar and to help recreate that at home the widget was created, which is basically just a little ball with nitrogen in it that is placed inside the can (or bottle). When the beer is opened the change of pressure releases the nitrogen and it mixes with the beer and creates that cascade effect that looks like an upside down waterfall in the glass and forms that wonderful creamy head. (I'm in a rush so that's the quick and dirty explanation. For a more on point, technical breakdown hit up Wikipedia.)

Now back to the review - this beer may be better than Guinness! Nitro beers are known to not have much of a smell, somehow this is a side effect of the nitro, but what I can smell is basically roasted malt, some chocolate malt and coffee. The taste is bitter but sweeter than Guinness, mainly roasted malt and chocolate. Don't get me wrong, the sweetness is a good thing and in no way overpowering.

As far as the mouthfeel, that is pretty much like Guinness & Murphy's, which is thin and ever so slightly chewy. Some folks don't like the nitro-stouts because they are so thin, some might even call it watery. Those folks want something rich and hearty and full-bodied. There's nothing wrong with that but rich and hearty is usually not as easily drinkable as light and thin, so there, to me, is the beauty of the nitro-stout. Combine that with a 4.10% abv and we have a beer that you can drink as long as you want.

So at the end of the day, I learned that Beamish is a great beer, sweeter than the typical Irish Dry Stout and incredibly smooth... and it leaves some nice lacing, too. If Beamish was as popular and as available as Guinness then I would be drinking Beamish instead. Unfortunatly, it isn't so I'll just have to enjoy it whenever I encounter it. 

With all that said, and my obvious bias laid out on the table, I hereby pronounce this as my first Glass FULL beer. If you don't like Guinness then don't bother with this one but if you do like Guinness then you need to try Beamish, it's just that much tastier. Cheers!

I just found this video about Beamish, check it out: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JGukSK33QRs

The Beer of the Day

Unibroue Beer Review - La Fin Du Monde & Maudite

Unibroue. Kind of a funny name, ain't it? Well, for those that don't know, Unibroue is a French-Canadian brewing company based in Quebec. They make a bunch of high-quality, Belgian style ales. I have been hearing (and reading) about them for quite some time so when I saw these the other night I had to pick them up.

What we have here is a 12 oz bottle each of La Fin Du Monde (The End of the World), a Belgian style Tripel, and a bottle of Maudite (Damned, or Maldito for the Spanish speakers), a Belgian Strong Dark Ale. Both are bottle fermented, or 'lees on yeast', which means yeast was added to the bottle before sealing, which means the bottle will continue to ferment long after it has left the brewery. These beers can be stored (cellared) for years allowing the fermentation to continue and the beer to mature. Go to www.unibroue.com if you would like to know more. 

Forgive me for being unprepared, the Tripel is meant to be served in a chalice or goblet. Sadly, I had neither at the time and had to settle for the trusty Sam Adams tulip glass. I think it worked well but I wish I had had the proper glassware.

La Fin Du Monde poured a cloudy, dirty, golden color with almost two finger head with very tiny bubbles and active carbonation. I read a review that said it had 'champagne like efervesance...' that about sums it up. The head lasted throughout and there was a bit of lacing left on the glass. The nose is of banana and dried fruit. The taste is much like the nose- wheaty, with touches of bananas, dried fruit and, maybe, perhaps, pineapple? There are some hops in there but it's hard to put a finger on them. The finish is relatively clean with no lingering aftertaste.

For a 9% abv this beer hides the alcohol very well. It has a thin to medium body and mouthfeel and is very easy to drink. This review doesn't do the beer justice, it is a very complex beer. This might actually be the most complex beer I have ever had. Yes, there is that much going on with it. Try it for yourself and see.

This is a glass 1/2 FULL all the way. I'm tempted to rate it higher but I'm not familiar enough with the Belgian styles to say this one is that good. But dont be surprised if I come back in a year or two and say it is. This beer is incredibly well made and the exquisite taste is worth the money. Cheers!

Now for the Maudite. This one poured a hazy brown, the same color as a Tamarindo Jarrito (again, for the spanish folks out there). As with the Tripel it pours with really good head, maybe two fingers worth, all tiny bubbles. The nose is all wheat, malt and fruits. Banana, peach, pear, raisin, they all work their way in there. The taste is the same as the nose but with a dose of hops on the backend and a hoppy, alcohol finish with a chewy mouthfeel. The aftertaste is of hops and alcoholic fruit.

The Maudite does not do as good a job of hiding the alcohol as the La Fin Du Monde, but it does a respectable job nonetheless (it's 8% abv). This is a more straight forward brew with its own subtle complexities but regardless, it is SMOOTH.

Just like La Fin Du Monde, I rate this as a glass 1/2 FULL beer and wouldn't be surprised if someone more familiar with Belgian style ales called this a 5 star beer. I am not familiar enough with the Belgian style to do that but I completely understand that Unibroue makes quality stuff. See for yourseves and let me know what you think.... Cheers!

Bier Can Chicken Recipe & Yuengling Beer Review

This is the easiest way to make the juiciest chicken. And it involves beer! What could be better?

Start with the chicken. A good medium sized bird, about 4 lbs will do, obviously thawed out with the giblets removed. You can season it however you like but I like to use a good chicken rub. Make sure to get the seasoning under the skin.

Now for the beer. Truthfully, any beer should do but I use the German stuff in a 16oz can. Empty (or drink) half the can and poke a few extra holes in the top. Pour a little of your seasoning or rub into the can and the proceed to molest the chicken.

In other words, sit the chicken on the can and stand it up in some kind of pan, you'll obviously need it to catch the drippings. Now pop it in a preheated oven at 350 degrees for about an hour & a half or until the skin is crispy and the juices run clear when poked with a knife.

There you go, a juicy bird ready to eat. Goes great with some baked potatoes rubbed with olive oil and salt and some grean beans in garlic butter sauce.

Then you need a good beer to go with your meal.

Yuengling Traditional Lager. It's American oldest brewery and even though its the cheapest thing at Publix, it tastes better than any of your standard Bud/Miller/Coors offerings.

It's not a craft beer by any stretch and the use of adjuncts is a given, mainly corn. The smell and taste is mostly of malt and grain with a vague hint of hops. It pours a beautiful color but after that there's not much head and no lacing to speak of. I'll still take this over any of the tasteless BMC stuff on the shelves. Plus, its only $5.69 for a 6-pack.

I can't drink this all the time but I still consider this a glass 1/2 FULL beer. It's a great beer to give a Bud or Miller drinker to show them there are tastier, more colorful choices out there. Cheers!

Beer of the Day Review - Lagunitas Censored (aka Kronic)

Interestingly enough, this beer was actually called, The Kronic until the Feds stepped in and forced a name change, hence the new name, Censored. It is brewed by the Lagunitas Brewing Company in Cali and is classified as an American Amber Ale on Beeradvocate.com. I picked this six-pack up at the ABC Fine Wine & Spirits in Kendal.

The first beer was a bit disappointing as it poured with no head and left no lacing, but it was cold as hell. I let the second one warm up a little before I opened it and that one gave almost 3 fingers of head which fizzled down rather quick to leave some scant lacing. I've noticed temperature affecting the beer before (head, flavor, etc) so I have acted accordingly and turned the thermostat up a notch in the beer fridge. An ice cold beer is great when you just washed the car or mowed the lawn but some beers, like this one, taste so much better a little warmer (relax, I'm only talking 5-10 degrees here, nothing drastic like room temperature). 

It is a lovely copper color, and you can smell the caramel malts right away. You can taste them right away, too. There's a little something citrusy in there as well. Kind of a thin mouthfeel though, with a bitter, dry, hoppy finish and a not unpleasant aftertaste that will stay with you for a while. It's not IPA hoppy but it might be more hops than some people may like... definately hoppier than one would expect an American Amber to be. It also has a slightly higher than normal abv (alcohol by volume) at 5.9% so consider yourselves warned...

All in all, it's a tasty, well-made beer. Its not exactly my style but this glass is definately 1/2 FULL and I'm sure alot of people out there would rate it even higher. Cheers!

Beer of the Day

Crappy Beer Alert - Murphy's Irish Red

So, its Saturday and I decide to do an oil change on my car. While I'm out getting the oil I decide to pick up some other things, mainly pizza and beer. I hit ABC to pick up a 6'er that was recommended to me by a buddy and, on a lark, I pick up a can of Murphy's Red. Big mistake.

For those that don't know, Murphy's makes a fine Irish Dry Stout, very much like Guinness, in a nitro-can. My appreciation for the stout had me assuming this Irish Red would be decent at least. Wrong.

1. This beer is not Irish.

2. This beer is not red.

3. This beer is not an Irish Red.

As it turns out, this beer is brewed by Heineken in Holland. That makes sense because it smells just like a Heineken! Pretty much tastes like one too, only with maybe a touch more malt. It pours with a nice fluffy head but it disappears in about 35 seconds, just like it does on a Heiny. The picture above is very decieving, this beer is a little bit darker than a Heiny but nowhere near anything that can be called red.

Look, Killian's Irish Red may be made by, and taste like, Coors but at least it tries to be an Irish Red, in color and taste. Murphy's didn't even bother trying. Mislabled garbage all the way. (To be clear, I am in no way saying I like, or am recommending, Killian's)

With that said, I'll make it my first Glass EMPTY beer review. Even though it's not repulsive or offensive, it's weak and misleading. Reason enough to call this beer 100% crap. Stay away from this one.

Beer of the Day Review - Bells Amber Ale

I could have sworn I had some AA batteries around here...  Oh well, the camera is dead but I still have my phone. Now that we have a picture lets move on to the review.

What we have here is a Bell's Amber Ale, a bottle conditioned amber from Bells Brewery in Michigan. Bottle conditioned means that instead of using preservatives, they add a little yeast in the bottle before closing it up so the beer continues to ferment untill you, or I, get it and pop the top. Also, due to that, these beers are unfiltered, like many wheat beers, and will be hazy with a little sediment floating at the bottom of the bottle.

This is one tasty beer. A very nice example of an American Amber, malty with an almost full bodied mouthfeel. The hops are there but a bit subdued. It seems a little heavy though. Don't get me wrong, its super tasty and very refreshing, but for an amber it seems heavy, not the kind of beer I want to knock 5 or 6 back in one sitting. YMMV

Even though looking at that sediment floating at the bottom of the glass makes me not want to finish the last inch, thats just me and I cant let that take away from the overall quality. This is a really good beer and, with no question, a glass 1/2 FULL.  Cheers!

Oh, and I'll make sure to have some extra batteries laying around next time...

Budweiser American Ale and the 'New' Michelob

I drink alot of Bud nowaways. Yeah, I know, I find it hard to believe myself. I feel guilty about it and, lord knows, anyone who knows me would be shocked to find out. But, amazingly, Budweiser has earned the consideration.

This isn't your daddys Budweiser anymore. For starters, they are now owned by an international conglomerate (read the full story here:  http://www.reuters.com/article/topNews/idUSN1337955120080714), and secondly, and most importantly, they actually make some worthwhile beers now (refer to my pic above).

Although it appears that the Anheuser-Busch people are still in control of all the A-B brands, it is now practically impossible to know who is calling the shots as far as ideas, products, recipies and marketing strategies. Of course, I'm not saying InBev is responsible for the new beers A-B has come out with, just the R&D on these new brews had to have begun before Inbev's takeover bid was accepted. That's not what I'm getting at.

No, what we have here is the lovely folks at Budweiser trying to stake their claim in the craft beer market. They have made countless billions of dollars selling cheap watery beer to countless billions of people. So much so that most people in this country have grown (been brainwashed and trained over generations) to accept and love cheap, watery, tasteless beer and will not consider switching. For that exact reason, the BMC people (bud/miller/coors) will always focus 98% of their efforts on pumping out piss-water because they know it will sell. But they want a piece of every pie and the 'craft beer' market is lost revenue as far as they are concerned.

So, knowing that the craft beer revolution is going strong and gaining momentum because there are many people like me, like us, who want a better tasting beer, A-B realized they had to jump in this game all the way if they wanted our money. Enter a revamped Michelob line and, what I like to call Bud's craft flagship, Budweiser American Ale.

I love and respect American capitalism, but sometimes companies get so big and powerful that they make us hate them. In all fairness though, I have to give Anheuser-Busch kudos- this time they actually listened. They realized that we wanted a better tasting beer made with better ingredients. They realized some of us were never going to buy flavorless swill like Bud Select. So they went back to the lab and came out with an American Amber that tastes pretty damn good and a Michelob line that does some pretty respectable versions of some popular beer styles. And they did it knowing that these beers will never sell even a quarter of what Bud Light sells.

Is the American Ale a super kick-ass beer or the leading example of the style? No. Is it cheaper than the others, tasty and easy to find? Yes. Same goes for the Michelobs, not the best but affordable and easy to find. I hate so say it but quality beer costs $9.99 or more for a 6 pack, whereas I can get the Bud and the Michelobs for $6.50. I'm a bill paying, working class guy who drinks a lot of beer and sometimes price comes before taste. Before, when I was low on funds I bought Miller Lite, now I can buy a decent amber ale and not have to sacrifice taste at all.

As you may have noticed, I really like the American Ale. It's not a great beer but it holds its own with other amber ales quite well, plus the aforementioned $6.50 price tag. As far as the Michelob line, the Pale Ale is really good and the Dunkelweisse gets rave reviews from the fans of the style. Go to beeradvocate.com and see for yourself. Also, the Irish Red may not be spectacular but I'll take it over Killians anyday.

So, here it is spelled out: Anheuser-Busch makes some decent beers nowadays. Now, I would much rather support the little guy and drink a more well-crafted beer but I got bills to pay. So with that in mind, I suggest anyone who likes, but can't always afford, Samuel Adams, or Dogfish Head, or Anchor, or Rogue, or Stone, or Sierra, or New Belgium try some of the new Bud beers. They might just be better than you expect.  And if you don't like them, you only lost 6 bucks.

ABC, the Dead Guy & the Dog

While at work today I received a call informing me that my FedEx package had arrived. That package contained my two most recent purchaces, a Sam Adams tulip glass and a Rogue Brewery Dead Guy Ale pint glass. The kicker here is that a few days ago I learned there is an ABC Fine Wine & Spirits down the street from my job... So, at some point it dawned on me that I could go to ABC on my lunch break and pick up some Dead Guy Ale so I can properly break the glass in. And that is what I did, or at least tried to do.

This was my first time in an ABC and the prices and selection weren't too shabby, but alas, no Dead Guy. Matter of fact, no Rogue at all. Shit. I know a couple of other places that sell Dead Guy but they were too out of the way for an after work, 6 o'clock rush hour visit. So, Dead Guy dreams dashed, I decided to just pick up a few singles of stuff I hadn't tried before and call it a day.

I ended up picking up a can of Beamish Irish Stout, a bottle of Xingu Black Beer and a bottle of Black Dog Ale. Thanks to the fridge at work they were still nice and frosty when I got home. I grabbed the camera and opened up the dog.

Its called Black Dog Ale, its brewed my the Spanish Peaks Brewing Co. out of Bozeman, Montana and the bottle reads, 'English Style Amber'. 

Its a very good English Pale with a lovely dark amber, almost copper color to it. Head retention isn't great but the lacing is. It smells like an English Pale should, malty with a touch of floral hops. Taste is the same, slightly sweet with a nice, mellow hop finish. Mouthfeel is good, definately not thin, and coats the tongue nicely. I've been seing this beer around for a while now and I had my reservations about it but it has resoundingly proven me wrong.

Most definately a glass 1/2 FULL beer, almost pushing 3/4.  Cheers!

Beer of the Day Review - Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout, from the lovely people at the North Coast Brewing Company out in Cali. 9% Abv, very strong and very smooth.  This is a Stout with all the coffee and chocolate flavors you expect from a stout... with a shitload more alcohol. Ok, maybe I exaggerate but this is a strong brew, maybe thats why they only come in 4 packs.

Very balanced, very smooth, you can taste the higher abv but it doesn't deter from enjoying this fine example of an Imperial Stout. Great head, beautiful lacing, everthing a stout should be and more. A great beer to have as dessert or before bed.

More info on Imperial Stouts here:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Stout#Imperial_stout

My apologies for the crappy phone picture, this was taken when I started the pack and is the only surviving picture of Old Raspy. Still, its very fitting with the 440rd spam-can of com-block 7.62x54r ammo in the background...  

The glass is definately 1/2 Full, almost 3/4.  Cheers!

Scotch Ale and my affinity for Sam Adams

I love Samuel Adams. The beer. Their quality, selection, availability and attention to their customers is unparalleled. They are the largest 'craft' brewer in the country, the leaders of the pack, and for good reason. So last week, while in a Publix I hadn't been in before, I see they have a variety 12 pk and it has one of the few Sam Adams brews I haven't tried yet - Scotch Ale. 48 hours later (on payday) I went back and picked up the 12 pk, even though it included 2 bottles of White Ale (a wheaty seasonal I don't particularly like) and 2 bottles of Boston Lager (their original and most commercially available beer, one I don't think belongs in a mixed sampler pack). 

Fortunately, it also included 2 bottles each of the Black Lager, Honey Porter & Boston Ale, all of which I love. See, most of these beers come from the Sam Adams Brewmasters line, but unfortunatly, not all of them are available in 6 packs. Some, like the Scotch Ale and the other 2 I haven't tried, are only available in mixed variety packs.

So I got home and threw them in the freezer only to pull one out about 20 minues later and crack it open... and, of course, take a picture:

I was going to send it as a Beer of the Day, but I held back because, to me, the Beer of the Day is the beer I choose to sit down and drink that day, and that, in and of itself, means more than just two... So the picture stayed in limbo until now.

I dont like to review from memory so all I can say is that it was good. Strong, malty, with a certain, almost scotch flavored smokiness, and with that typical, gritty, underlying Samuel Adams flavor. A very interesting brew, one I wish I could have more than two at a time of.

One down and two to go. Well, three actually. I still haven't tried the Samuel Adams Hefeweizen or Pale Ale, once I knock those two down then I will have sampled all the Seasonal offerings and everything from the Brewmasters collection. After that, I would like to find and try at least one of their three Imperial brews, mainly the Imperial Stout, and since I have a $15 bottle of Chocolate Bock waiting for the right occasion to crack it open, once I do those two I can call it a day. Until I have a big enough wallet to be able to pick up a bottle of Samuel Adams Utopias... but thats another story (Google it if you want to know what I'm talking about).

-click for larger image-

For the record, missing from the above picture is a bottle of Cherry Wheat, Boston Ale, Scotch Ale and, of course, the Chocolate Bock. I have all of those now but I'm not retaking the picture until I find the Hefe, the Pale and an Imperial... and until my new Samuel Adams tulip glass arrives in the mail. 

Yup, safe to say I'm a fan. 

Overall quality and a prompt and personal reply to my email go a long way with me... I prefer to spend my money with companies that give a shit. The Boston Beer Company has proved to me that they do, therefore, they have earned my love and support. No bullshit. Besides, the beer kicks ass.

Beer of the Day -The Beginning- pt 2

...Continued from "Beer of the Day -The Beginning- pt 1"

Sierra Nevada Stout

Old Thumper (Shipyard Brewery)

Bass Pale Ale

Samuel Adams Boston Ale

Tommyknocker Maple Nut Brown Ale

Michelob Pale Ale

It's amazing what you can do with a crappy cell phone camera and a desire to show people something new. So, fear not, my series of picture messages will continue and those same low resolution pictures will find their way onto this site. Besides, for a beat-up 3 year old Samsung the pics don't look that bad... (minus the Tommyknocker one, I had a smudge on the lens there)

Personally, what makes it worthwhile to keep taking these pictures is being able to see and show the difference in color from one beer to another, and in many cases the difference in the head size, color & texture. You look at these things, you think about the smells and the flavors and you wonder, "How can anyone want to drink a commercial light beer again after seeing that?" I sure as hell can't.

Beer of the Day -The Beginning- pt 1

This blog grew from a small, silly idea. Originally, I started a series of picture/text messeges to a bunch of my friends and co-workers called Beer of the Day, showcasing whatever oddball beer I was drinking at the time. Part of it was just because I like to be a clown and part of it was my sincere attempt to show people that there's more to beer than Light American Piss-Water and overpriced, commercial, green bottle Euro Urine.

I got a lot of feedback and I wanted to do more so the idea for this blog was eventually conceived, but I wanted to show everybody that isn't on my phone's contact list how the Beer of the Day began

McGovern's Oatmeal Stout

Samuel Adams Winter Lager (Seasonal)

Boddingtons Pub Ale

Samuel Adams Brown Ale

Dead Guy Ale (Rogue Brewery)

continued in pt 2...

Baltika #6 Porter review and 1st post!

Well here I am, with a new blog and a new beer. Lets get down to brass tacks, shall we?  

It's called Baltika #6, its a Porter, it's Russian and its damn tasty. This bottle in particular was given to me by my gay, non-drinking, German speaking, Cuban co-worker. Having  dealt with Soviet communism first hand and having co-habitated with the East Germans many moons ago, I'm sure he thought it odd to see a Russian beer on the shelf and picked it up thinking his beer loving co-worker (me, duh) would be surprised by the thought. As he was soon to learn, I had already heard and read about Baltika beers and was planning on picking one up, coincidentally, the same exact #6 Porter. Still, it was a very nice gesture. Thanks, Twinkle.

As far as porters go, this one is a bit watery, is a touch too sweet, and has, I believe, about 7% abv. It doesnt smell too strong, the head doesn't last and there is no lacing to speak of.  With all that said, I like it!

I am not a purist or a perfectionist. I found it to be tasty and the sweetness, and alcohol content, to be subtle enough to not distract from my overall enjoyment. As far as for it being watery, hey, watery-ness can make porters and stouts lighter and easier to drink, think Guinness Draught...

I'm not sure what he paid for this bottle but if it was under $2 then it was a pretty good deal, being a nice 16.9 oz single serve. There are much better porters out there but for those that like the style I think this one can be thoroughly enjoyed. 

I find this glass to be 1/2 Full, but not by too much. Of course, your milage may vary.