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