Tuesday, June 28, 2011

Upon the 4th Beer Review

Man last weekend was not one of my stellar efforts. As an explanation (and why not an excuse as well)...on Saturday, I went to Nebco, picked up a growler of the Bot, then hit Prime 16 and Cask Republic. Polished off the growler most of Saturday and was pretty shot when it came to the new stuff!

1) Harpoon - Rich and Dan's Rye IPA - 6.9% - Nice take on the IPA Style. The Rye adds a little more flavor, maybe some balance. Overall, at 5.99 a bomber not bad!

2) Coronado Brewing - Hoppy Daze 9.0% - Belgian IPA...Nice kind of muted on the hops, do get some banana and bubble gum flavor as well. Glad I got to try it once...probably wouldn't go again!

3) Three Floyds - Arctic Panzer Wolf - 9% - I like this one. To go with the citrus this has a little white wine/apricot in the taste. Alcohol very well hidden. This one is a pleasure to drink!

4) Berkshire Brewing Co - Hefeweizen Ale - 4.5% - As I have stated I am really starting to get into this style. The banana and bubble gum notes are there a faint bit of cloves, no hops of note. Great beer and if I can believe the hype, what is next should be better!

5) New Glarus - Dancing Man Wheat - 7.2% - Thanks to a great BA for the hook-up! Poured in to a pint glass. Pale yellow/orange, nice medium head. The taste is great here, we all know the banana, bubble gum and cloves but I get some orange zest which fades into a slight alchohol burn at the end (which belies the 7.2%). This is a very good beer to drink and since I just got into the style I really lucked in to a nice acquisition!

6) Three Floyds - Blackheart - 9.0% - English IPA - A bit more citrusy than some of the other English IPA's that I have had (and that is a good thing). Very tasty. One of the better of the midwest hauls. Cheers!

7) New Glarus - Two Women - 5% Says its a lager, classified as a pilsner, who knows with this nonsense. Still a mighty tasty beer!

Saturday, June 25, 2011

Weekend Beer Review!

Some real esoteric stuff is coming up............

1) Three Floyds - Gumball Head 5.5% - Wheat beer with a little piney hoppiness and a little lemon zest. Great summer beer.

2) Surly - Abrasive - 9% -A little malty for my liking.

3) Three Floyds - Dreadnaught - 9.50 - - Kind of nice DIPA...starting to get a little disillusioned about some of the beer hype!

Tuesday, June 21, 2011

Mid Week Beer Review!

Hey apparently my last post was number 1000! Most of it beer related!

1) RJ Rockers - Rock Hopper - American IPA 7.5% - Nice american IPA. Surprised that a small brewery would bother distributing in CT. The hops are very piney. Time to make another Facebook friend!

2) Peak Organic - Weiss Principal - 8.6% - Pretty strong for the style, but a style I am growing rather fond of. All the characteristics, with the banana, clove, bubble gum taste. Will certainly buy again.

3) The Bruery - Hottenroth - 3.1% - Berliner Weissbier - Not necessarily my style (needs more alcohol) but an interesting concoction to have once. This would be outrageous if you had it on a day where it was about 90 degrees with 90 percent humidity.

Saturday, June 18, 2011

Weekend Beer Review!

Went to NebCo for a growler of Ghandi Bot but they weren't there....anyway!

1) Clipper City - Dubbel Cannon - Nice Belgian IPA offering...7.3%....lightly spiced and hopped, this will be a quick six to go down!

By the way this place sells some cool shirts!

2) Harpoon Leviathan - Uber Bock - Nice 9% Maibock for this late spring early summer evening. Malty and robust. Might stick one away for the winter!

3) Firestone Walker - Porter (Walkers Reserve)- 5.8% - Tasty beer

4) Firestone Walker - Parabola - Obtained from one of my frequent trips to Westchester. Poured into a Duvel Glass. Nice pour into the glass, no lacing of note.
Bourbon and Vanilla. One of the most unique beers that I have had regarding the smell. See below for the taste. Dark Chocolate and then some, throw in some licorice as well. Prunes, figs vanilla, some mild coffee notes. Wow! No carbonation. just a little hot. Overall - Lives up to the hype!

Tuesday, June 14, 2011

Wanted to end the day on a beer review

And so I shall

1) Harpoon - UFO Hefeweizen - I am actually at a point where I can't get enough of this style, and this is is a nice very attainable representation.

Rule Change!

If beer advocate lists it separately then so will I!

2) Great Divide - 17th Anniversary Wood Aged DIPA - 10 % - Reasonably fresh at April 29th...I am not sure about wood aged DIPA's. I think it might mellow it out a bit and dry out the hops taste. Actually not what I am really looking for. Up to Neb Co for Ghandi Bot on Saturday!

3) Anchor Brewing - Summer Ale - I haven't reviewed much by Anchor. I actually need to review my lists to quantify what I can actually get in Ct. This is a nicely malted wheat beer, not much in the way of hops. Summer is a much underrated season for beer!

Saturday, June 11, 2011

On the March to 900 Beer Review

You keep brewing....I'll keep drinking

1) Ballast Point - Tongue Buckler - 10% Good way to start the road to 900. Nice hoppy amber red. Done!

2) Victory - Summer Love - American Blonde Ale - 5.2% - Nice summer ale, a little peach yeast taste. This is a very refreshing beer. I do need to make a road trip there!

3) Sixpoint Righteous Ale - 6.3% - Nice rye ale with a lot of hoppiness. Gotta love these guys as their beers are sold in 16 oz cans that they call nano kegs. I need to get to Brooklyn!

800

Three Floyds - 2011 Dark Lord - 15% I think

2011 Vintage poured into a tulip glass

Apperance) Short head which almost immediately goes away. Minimal lacing.

Smell) Really get the dark fruit, cherries, raisins, chocolate and burnt coffee.

Taste) Man is this sweet. You really again get the dark/candied fruit taste, some smokiness which is supplemented by the chocolate and coffee flavors. There is almost a bit of crossover to a quad, very interesting!

Mouthfeel) Very rich, no carbonation.

Overall) I can see the hype on this. I can only imagine what the variations on this must taste like. Bourbon barrel aged must be a night ender!

Well done!

Friday, June 10, 2011

799

Pelican Pub & Brewery - Mother of All Storms - 13.5%

Was lucky enough to get this. I think I understand now why there is a differentiation between English and American Barleywines basically the hop presence on the American side. This beer pours an opaque red. No head. First sip you know you have something special. The vanilla starts out and then comes the bourbon wallop! My only regret is that I don't have another one for aging (yet)!

Update...I e-mailed the brewer that I really enjoyed this and he e-mailed me back in 5 minutes...great Hobby!

Tuesday, June 7, 2011

Easing my way to 800!

I might need MC's or Adam's help in the STD (no not an Anthony Wiener post) STD would be standard deviation within the 100 increments. I think this is my fastest between 100 increments....anyaway!

795 -Clipper City - Hang Ten - 10% Weizen Dopplebock - Or in other cases a wheat wine. Very tasty, get the Marzan taste. Too sweet!

796 - Lakefront Brewing - Biere De Garde - 7.2% - Nice Farmhouse Ale - It is actually very refereshing in the new heat wave going on. Love me some Funk!

This is why corporate America rocks!

797 - World Brews Four in Hand IPA - 6.3% - Mnaged and brewed by these folks I think this is a corporate brewer for Whole Foods...this is tasty!

798 - Widmer Brothers - Pitch Black IPA - 6.5% - This is a nice beer to drink, kind of weird that given the color you don't get the malty taste. Actually picked up this 4 pack in Bridgeport!

Saturday, June 4, 2011

Beer Alert!

I finally have enough in house for beer 800! I thought it would take a few weeks, then the Whole Foods opened up in Fairfield and I was able to get a mix a six of stuff I hadn't had and then I went up to Amity Wine & Spirits and found some reasonable bombers that I hadn't had...that said let the insanity continue....I think we will start off with something light....

1)Huyghe - Delirium Nocturnum - 8.5% - I know I have had this but don't have an record of it. Starts out with the raisin and plum taste and finishes with a weir metallic taste. Other people on BA noticed this as well. May just stick with the Tremens! I do need to get a couple of those snifters!

2) Berkshire Brewing - Raspberry Barley Wine Style Ale - 9% - Maybe a bit too sweet....this will hurt tomorrow.

3) Stone IRS - Belgo Anise - 10% - No... this went wrong.

4) The Hartford Better Beer Co - Arch Ale - Contract brewed by Shipyard...A little too malty for my taste....hopefully the next offering is better!

5)The Hartford Better Beer Co - Arch IPA - Drain pour.

6) Rogue - Dad's Little Helper Black IPA - 7% - Nice Stout not sure why the call this an IPA though...have not had much luck lately with the last couple of beers!

7) The Bruery - Cuir - Old Ale - 14.5% - Done screwing around, going to the heavy hitters. This is their third anniversary ale. To me its is more of a quad that is very boozy. Good though, will drink this for a bit!

8) Berkshire Brewing - Steel Rail XPA - 5.3% - May be a little too light for me. Still nice beer!

9) Stillwater - 25 to One - 8.4% - Belgian Strong Dark Ale - Not bad a little more carbonated for the style. More malt than plum or raisin taste. I will buy this again if I can!

Wednesday, June 1, 2011

Weekend Beer Review!

Oh Well....wanted to see if Adam reads this blog...he will get it fast...

1) Peak Organic - King Krimson - An Imperial Red Ale - 8% - Don't get much of the hops and may be a bit too malty for me. That's the con, the plus is that this is nicely fresh.I actually had this on tap at Mudville 9. I wonder if they had Tarkus on their juke box?

2) Pretty Things - Field Mouse's Farewell - 7% - This is a very nice light saison. By light I meen no huge peppery taste. Nice beer, this husband and wife team remain two of my favorites! Great people.

3) Berkshire Brewing - Shabadoo Balck and Tan Ale - 6.3% - Have not reviewed a lot from this brewery, may really need to do more. Nice silky beer, has a mild porter taste, a little vanilla. At 3.99 a bomber, not bad!

4) Full Sail Hop Pursuit - American Pale Ale - 6% - Another one of this is what beers should be....beers. Fresh bitter hops, clean finish!