This brewery has been OK for me in the past, but this "India-Style Brown Ale" bullshit is ridiculous.
It's an amber.
Pours a deep coppery amber with a small-celled off whit head that slowly fades and with good carbonation. Looks like an amber.
Good grassy hops smell, with plenty of sweet malt backbone. Smells like an amber.
For the first time, one single characteristic of a brown emerges. It has a slight nutty taste. But it almost seems like it's a product of the hops, not from any singularly distinct nut flavor or addition. It is also solidly hoppy with more malt backbone, again, it's more of an amber than anything. Maybe a mild IPA, but brown is the least of its characteristics.
I can see what they meant, but I despise the false style categories. Decent beer, not a brown.
Friday, July 31, 2009
Tuesday, July 28, 2009
Dundee Brewing Company's Pale Ale
I've had a Dundee beer before (Octoberfest, I think), and was less than impressed. This one came in a mixed pack though, and I prefer to buy what may be a middle of the road beer in mixed packs because it's cheaper than buying them a sixer at a time. This was a twelve pack of six different beers, so it's perfect for that.
Pours a good orange-ish amber with a good light tan, almost off white head that stays well due to good carbonation.
Good smell for an amber. Lots of grassy to floral hops and a nice malt underneath it. Smells like it has substance.
Pretty good. Same grassy to floral hops taste that follows from the smell. Average body for a pale, with a bit of a hollow twang that I wish wasn't there. It gets sweeter as it warms, but loses the twang.
It's about what I'd expect from Dundee. Not bad, but not anything to look for again.
Pours a good orange-ish amber with a good light tan, almost off white head that stays well due to good carbonation.
Good smell for an amber. Lots of grassy to floral hops and a nice malt underneath it. Smells like it has substance.
Pretty good. Same grassy to floral hops taste that follows from the smell. Average body for a pale, with a bit of a hollow twang that I wish wasn't there. It gets sweeter as it warms, but loses the twang.
It's about what I'd expect from Dundee. Not bad, but not anything to look for again.
Monday, July 27, 2009
Harpoon Brewery's Leviathan Imperial IPA
I've heard a lot about this beer, but couldn't find it in Texas. Finding any Harpoon beer was difficult, but this one was pretty much nowhere for me. So, I was glad to see it at Spec's today.
Pours a light amber with a large-celled tan head that sticks. The color and clarity are disappointing for an imperial IPA, but the big head that doesn't thin tells me there may be more to it than the rest of the appearance would indicate. Almost no carbonation, and what there is is very slow so there might be more body than the looks show.
Great grassy hops smell. definitely bigger than a standard pale or IPA, and it's clean. Not muddled, it's a crisp, bitter grassiness that fades a bit to reveal a slightly sweet malt.
Surprising. Aside from the head, it looks wimpy. But uber-filtration aside, this beer is a great example of the style and lives up to its hype. One of few beers that I can say that about. You get a solid bitter zap that is slightly grassy, a heavy feel to the body, and a sweet malt backbone to finish it off. Probably the most surprising part is that even as it warms, which brings out the sweetness in the malt a bit more, there is almost no hint of the 9.3% ABV that many beers would be absolutely unable to hide. Many imperial stouts with a huge roasted or coffee flavor can't hide the alcohol this well.
Great beer. I had one or two set aside to give to a buddy, but no more. I'm keeping them.
Pours a light amber with a large-celled tan head that sticks. The color and clarity are disappointing for an imperial IPA, but the big head that doesn't thin tells me there may be more to it than the rest of the appearance would indicate. Almost no carbonation, and what there is is very slow so there might be more body than the looks show.
Great grassy hops smell. definitely bigger than a standard pale or IPA, and it's clean. Not muddled, it's a crisp, bitter grassiness that fades a bit to reveal a slightly sweet malt.
Surprising. Aside from the head, it looks wimpy. But uber-filtration aside, this beer is a great example of the style and lives up to its hype. One of few beers that I can say that about. You get a solid bitter zap that is slightly grassy, a heavy feel to the body, and a sweet malt backbone to finish it off. Probably the most surprising part is that even as it warms, which brings out the sweetness in the malt a bit more, there is almost no hint of the 9.3% ABV that many beers would be absolutely unable to hide. Many imperial stouts with a huge roasted or coffee flavor can't hide the alcohol this well.
Great beer. I had one or two set aside to give to a buddy, but no more. I'm keeping them.
Harpoon Brewery's UFO Hefeweizen
Always look forward to a new wheat, even with the cheesy UnFiltered Offering half-ass acronym.
Pours hazy and yellow, with a huge white head that isn't too crisp because it's unfiltered. It develops huge cells before fading to a collar, with slow carbonation.
Light and zippy smell like a wheat should have. More yeasty than malty, due to the lack of filtration. So far, I'm looking forward to it.
A bit sweet, and it's not as zippy as I'd like because it's not filtered, but that adds to the body. Although I prefer zippy to body in a wheat, this is very good for an unfiltered, which would be expected to add to the body and slow the feel a bit. Very light bitterness that fades fast. Clean aftertaste, without being too dry.
Great summer beer. Probably my favorite Harpoon so far.
Pours hazy and yellow, with a huge white head that isn't too crisp because it's unfiltered. It develops huge cells before fading to a collar, with slow carbonation.
Light and zippy smell like a wheat should have. More yeasty than malty, due to the lack of filtration. So far, I'm looking forward to it.
A bit sweet, and it's not as zippy as I'd like because it's not filtered, but that adds to the body. Although I prefer zippy to body in a wheat, this is very good for an unfiltered, which would be expected to add to the body and slow the feel a bit. Very light bitterness that fades fast. Clean aftertaste, without being too dry.
Great summer beer. Probably my favorite Harpoon so far.
Unibroue's Blanche de Chambly
This is kind of the worst of both worlds for me--French-Canadian Unibroue, and a Belgian wit. But like the other recent Unibroue beers, it was part of a mixed pack that was cheaper to buy and try like that than to buy four packs or bombers of each separate beer.
Poured like Duvel, although I'm not sure it was supposed to. Good cloudy light yellow appearance with a huge off white head and strong carbonation. Looks right on type.
Smells on type too, with that odd plastic smell. I think this is like cilantro. A person is predisposed to hate it, and to me cilantro tastes like freezer burn. And wits smell like plastic.
You know, it's better than most wits. It has that light, airy, white grape flavor but a decent amount of malt as well. Almost no hops at all. I'll never reach for a wit when out, but I wouldn't mind of someone handed me one of these.
Poured like Duvel, although I'm not sure it was supposed to. Good cloudy light yellow appearance with a huge off white head and strong carbonation. Looks right on type.
Smells on type too, with that odd plastic smell. I think this is like cilantro. A person is predisposed to hate it, and to me cilantro tastes like freezer burn. And wits smell like plastic.
You know, it's better than most wits. It has that light, airy, white grape flavor but a decent amount of malt as well. Almost no hops at all. I'll never reach for a wit when out, but I wouldn't mind of someone handed me one of these.
Sunday, July 26, 2009
Jim's Krispy Fried Chicken
This is one of those non-BBQ institutions that you have to go to. Period.
I have a great story from when Anna Nicole Smith used to work here. Yes, I do. No, I'm not telling you. Think of it like Vegas. What happens in Anna Nicole, stays in Anna Nicole. Or something.
Anyway, this is one of two fried chicken places I'll go well out of my way for. They have huge pieces and you can get a box full for cheap, unlike the chains. Because there are always customers, the food rotates out fast, and they have great sides. I stay away from the corn, and the mashed potatoes are instant, but I kind of miss middle school and it reminds me of back then. The fried okra is perfect. Order a large, and tell them "yes, I know how big the large is," when they ask, even though you don't. You'll wish you had more of it if you didn't, it's their best side. Great rolls too. The chicken tenders are big, adn they have a spicy version that is nice and zippy. I like to stand at the window outside, but going inside is faster.
Say hi to everyone you see and hold the door open, even though most won't say anything back and generally won't thank you for opening the door. Mexia (pronounced "Muh-hay-uh, but "Muh-hay-er," by the locals, or if you're really country "Muh-hair"), is just that way. Small town without the small town charm, and they even tore out the traffic circle that was the only other good thing about the place. Come for the fried chicken, then get the hell out at the posted speed, because the place is also a notorious speed trap.
312 E Milam St
Mexia, TX 76667
(254) 562-5035
I have a great story from when Anna Nicole Smith used to work here. Yes, I do. No, I'm not telling you. Think of it like Vegas. What happens in Anna Nicole, stays in Anna Nicole. Or something.
Anyway, this is one of two fried chicken places I'll go well out of my way for. They have huge pieces and you can get a box full for cheap, unlike the chains. Because there are always customers, the food rotates out fast, and they have great sides. I stay away from the corn, and the mashed potatoes are instant, but I kind of miss middle school and it reminds me of back then. The fried okra is perfect. Order a large, and tell them "yes, I know how big the large is," when they ask, even though you don't. You'll wish you had more of it if you didn't, it's their best side. Great rolls too. The chicken tenders are big, adn they have a spicy version that is nice and zippy. I like to stand at the window outside, but going inside is faster.
Say hi to everyone you see and hold the door open, even though most won't say anything back and generally won't thank you for opening the door. Mexia (pronounced "Muh-hay-uh, but "Muh-hay-er," by the locals, or if you're really country "Muh-hair"), is just that way. Small town without the small town charm, and they even tore out the traffic circle that was the only other good thing about the place. Come for the fried chicken, then get the hell out at the posted speed, because the place is also a notorious speed trap.
312 E Milam St
Mexia, TX 76667
(254) 562-5035
Friday, July 24, 2009
Rahr and Sons Brewing Company's Rahr's Red
I always try to buy a Texas beer when at the store, so I was glad to see this one come back. Rahr has solid beers, and I've liked every one of them except for their Summertime Wheat, which is too Belgian for me but otherwise I bet pretty good.
This one pours a moderate, coppery red. Too foamy. Unusual for one of their beers, and I hope it doesn't throw off all of the taste as the head recedes. Took several slow pours to empty the bottle. The pillowy tan head would have been just right otherwise.
Lots of large floaties, including one or two stuck to the side of the bottle. Combined with the heavy foam, it looks like this one is infected. I don't think this beer is bottle conditioned, and even if it is these are fairly large chunks. Damnit.
Good smell. Slightly spicier and more peppery than a straight up amber. Malt is lighter than I think it should be though.
This one is soapy (no, it's not my glass, which was clean), and I think I'm gonna' stop there. I've had this beer in the past and enjoyed it. Something's wrong with it, I think.
This one pours a moderate, coppery red. Too foamy. Unusual for one of their beers, and I hope it doesn't throw off all of the taste as the head recedes. Took several slow pours to empty the bottle. The pillowy tan head would have been just right otherwise.
Lots of large floaties, including one or two stuck to the side of the bottle. Combined with the heavy foam, it looks like this one is infected. I don't think this beer is bottle conditioned, and even if it is these are fairly large chunks. Damnit.
Good smell. Slightly spicier and more peppery than a straight up amber. Malt is lighter than I think it should be though.
This one is soapy (no, it's not my glass, which was clean), and I think I'm gonna' stop there. I've had this beer in the past and enjoyed it. Something's wrong with it, I think.
MO's BBQ
Too bad. I remember this place being much better than I'm about to describe, and I'll haev to go back to double check it.
MO's is a popular place locally, and for good reason. There's a dearth of good BBQ in a city the size of Houston. Unfortunately my visit started off with the slowest order taker on the planet, who just could not get my order right, which was no surprise by the time I got to place my order because I'd seen her butcher four or five others before I got there. she also told me they didn't do beef ribs, and never had, although I've had them there before. It's been a few years, but I remember them being the best beef ribs I'd ever had. Whatever, I'm here for food, not service.
I ordered two two-meat plates to go. I was hungry. I ordered ribs, brisket, chicken, pork loin, slaw, baked beans, and a huge baked potato. Alright, my eyes may have been bigger than my stomach.
MO's has always had the leanest brisket I have ever seen. That makes it drier, but if you've read my other posts you know I'm ok with that. It is also smoked for a shorter period of time, but for some reason always has a good smoke flavor to it compared to the light crust on the meat. The brisket was a little tougher than what I remembered, but still very good.
The chicken was an outright disappointment. Well cooked and tender but firm, it tased more like an overcooked turkey than a chicken and had little to no smopke flavor.
The ribs were tender, but also had little smoke flavor. They were also fairly lean, but hadn't been cooked long enough so the fat that was there was still fairly white and gelatinous. Meh. Longer in the smoker would have fixed every problem they had.
The pork loin was very lean and well done, but a bit tasteless. Again, more time in the cooker...
The sauce was too smoky, almost in an effort to cover up the lack of smoke in the meat. If you're used to better places where sauce is almost never even wanted, you see through that real quick.
Their slaw was very good. Light sauce (or whatever you call it on slaw), it's shredded with carrots and tastes almost nutty--probably due to what looks like poppy seeds. I'll have to remember not to take a drug test for a few days. Anyway, it's very good, not the soupy, glumpy, mayonnaise covered goo that many are.
The baked beans are some of my favorites anywhere. Slightly zingy with a ketchupy hint that doesn't detract a bit. They feel slowly cooked, and I can't think of a thing wrong with them.
Like I said, I know they can do better. Hell, I've had better there.
MO's is a popular place locally, and for good reason. There's a dearth of good BBQ in a city the size of Houston. Unfortunately my visit started off with the slowest order taker on the planet, who just could not get my order right, which was no surprise by the time I got to place my order because I'd seen her butcher four or five others before I got there. she also told me they didn't do beef ribs, and never had, although I've had them there before. It's been a few years, but I remember them being the best beef ribs I'd ever had. Whatever, I'm here for food, not service.
I ordered two two-meat plates to go. I was hungry. I ordered ribs, brisket, chicken, pork loin, slaw, baked beans, and a huge baked potato. Alright, my eyes may have been bigger than my stomach.
MO's has always had the leanest brisket I have ever seen. That makes it drier, but if you've read my other posts you know I'm ok with that. It is also smoked for a shorter period of time, but for some reason always has a good smoke flavor to it compared to the light crust on the meat. The brisket was a little tougher than what I remembered, but still very good.
The chicken was an outright disappointment. Well cooked and tender but firm, it tased more like an overcooked turkey than a chicken and had little to no smopke flavor.
The ribs were tender, but also had little smoke flavor. They were also fairly lean, but hadn't been cooked long enough so the fat that was there was still fairly white and gelatinous. Meh. Longer in the smoker would have fixed every problem they had.
The pork loin was very lean and well done, but a bit tasteless. Again, more time in the cooker...
The sauce was too smoky, almost in an effort to cover up the lack of smoke in the meat. If you're used to better places where sauce is almost never even wanted, you see through that real quick.
Their slaw was very good. Light sauce (or whatever you call it on slaw), it's shredded with carrots and tastes almost nutty--probably due to what looks like poppy seeds. I'll have to remember not to take a drug test for a few days. Anyway, it's very good, not the soupy, glumpy, mayonnaise covered goo that many are.
The baked beans are some of my favorites anywhere. Slightly zingy with a ketchupy hint that doesn't detract a bit. They feel slowly cooked, and I can't think of a thing wrong with them.
Like I said, I know they can do better. Hell, I've had better there.
Otter Creek Brewing Company's Wolaver's Oatmeal Stout
Although I'm usually disappointed in organic beers, I can't pass up a new stout. Well, new to me, anyway.
Pours an opaque black once in the glass, but while pouring is a deep brownish black, on type for a non-imperial stout. Great tan head that slowly fades, which I hope is indicative of a better body than most stouts, due to the oatmeal.
Good roasted grain smell, with distinct oatmeal.
Pretty good. Very good upfront roasted grain taste, with the oatmeal adding more to the body than the taste. Feels a little hollow to me as it goes down, but that's probably because I like and am used to the heavier stouts. Moderate bitterness.
I like it. More roasted flavor than most stouts, and the oatmeal does boost the body a bit and make it a little more full than regular stouts. Eh, if I see it around I may pick it up again. It's a good compromise if I know someone I'll be with doesn't like the heavier beers like I do.
Pours an opaque black once in the glass, but while pouring is a deep brownish black, on type for a non-imperial stout. Great tan head that slowly fades, which I hope is indicative of a better body than most stouts, due to the oatmeal.
Good roasted grain smell, with distinct oatmeal.
Pretty good. Very good upfront roasted grain taste, with the oatmeal adding more to the body than the taste. Feels a little hollow to me as it goes down, but that's probably because I like and am used to the heavier stouts. Moderate bitterness.
I like it. More roasted flavor than most stouts, and the oatmeal does boost the body a bit and make it a little more full than regular stouts. Eh, if I see it around I may pick it up again. It's a good compromise if I know someone I'll be with doesn't like the heavier beers like I do.
Wednesday, July 22, 2009
Spoetzel Brewery's Shiner Light
I know, I know, I shouldn't be posting about a light beer. But it's a Shiner, so it's excusable. Yes it is.
Pours a darker yellow (almost amber, even) than any other macro-style lager. Crisp white head that stays longer than most too. Low, and fairly slow, carbonation.
Like many Shiner beers, it tastes like a Shiner Bock Light. Fairly malty with the uniquely Shiner twang to it. It's good, and because it's from Texas would be enough of a reason to pick it over macro lagers. I also like the fact that a Shiner Light actually tastes like a light version of Shiner Bock. I can't imagine it should be any other way.
Pours a darker yellow (almost amber, even) than any other macro-style lager. Crisp white head that stays longer than most too. Low, and fairly slow, carbonation.
Like many Shiner beers, it tastes like a Shiner Bock Light. Fairly malty with the uniquely Shiner twang to it. It's good, and because it's from Texas would be enough of a reason to pick it over macro lagers. I also like the fact that a Shiner Light actually tastes like a light version of Shiner Bock. I can't imagine it should be any other way.
Bear Republic Brewing Company's Hop Rod Rye
I hate just about everything about California. From their false environmentalism to their deficit creating social policies, California could use a major overhaul.
Except leave the beer alone.
Bear Republic was a real surprise. I have yet to have a beer of theirs that is anything less than great. Hop Rod Rye is no exception. It pours a deep copper, almost like a bock, with a light tan pillowy head that very slowly fades. Good, slow carbonation.
Smells zippy and grainy. Unadulterated. The bready malt is secondary to to a twangy rye smell.
Great bitterness. Not grassy, not floral, just a bitter zap to the back of your tongue that stays. Smooth feel to it that makes sense with the slow carbonation, it has good body for a rye. All in all it's more substantial than other ryes. It's like a zippy pale, with a rye zing to it that picks it up and gives it more than just a bitterness that accompanies a pale.
Great beer. Glad Spec's carrier them in 12 oz bottles now. It'll be a mainstay.
Except leave the beer alone.
Bear Republic was a real surprise. I have yet to have a beer of theirs that is anything less than great. Hop Rod Rye is no exception. It pours a deep copper, almost like a bock, with a light tan pillowy head that very slowly fades. Good, slow carbonation.
Smells zippy and grainy. Unadulterated. The bready malt is secondary to to a twangy rye smell.
Great bitterness. Not grassy, not floral, just a bitter zap to the back of your tongue that stays. Smooth feel to it that makes sense with the slow carbonation, it has good body for a rye. All in all it's more substantial than other ryes. It's like a zippy pale, with a rye zing to it that picks it up and gives it more than just a bitterness that accompanies a pale.
Great beer. Glad Spec's carrier them in 12 oz bottles now. It'll be a mainstay.
Tuesday, July 21, 2009
Belhaven Brewery's Wee Heavy
I've been avoiding this one after the first two Belhaven beers I tried, but their Twisted Thistle and Scottish Stout were good so I decided to come back to them.
Pours like a bock. Deep almost opaque copper with a light and fizzy tan head that quickly fades and huge carbonation. Smells malty, like a bock too.
I like it. Very low bitterness that is more of an aftertaste than anything else. It's not a sexy beer. No huge flavor or bitterness, but a solid, malty beer that is an ale version of a bock.
Not a whole lot to say about it. Good, solid beer. I'd even rather have it than many bocks.
Pours like a bock. Deep almost opaque copper with a light and fizzy tan head that quickly fades and huge carbonation. Smells malty, like a bock too.
I like it. Very low bitterness that is more of an aftertaste than anything else. It's not a sexy beer. No huge flavor or bitterness, but a solid, malty beer that is an ale version of a bock.
Not a whole lot to say about it. Good, solid beer. I'd even rather have it than many bocks.
Monday, July 20, 2009
Brew Dog Brewery's Storm
This brewery is starting to remind me of Stone and all of their "you're not worthy" bullshit. It looks like instead of terribly over-hopping everything like Stone, though, they think you can throw anything in a whisky barrel and it instantly improves it. Not so much.
Pours like a deeper wit--opaque and amber to orange. Almost no head at all.
Smells like a combination of bourbon and that medicinal hand soap that some truck stop restrooms have.
Wow, for people who think they make such bad ass beers, I have to say this one is weak. Sure, it's bitter and tastes like I'm drinking the medicinal hand soap, but it's completely flat and exceptionally weak in body. Odd bitter twang resonates for a little while after the main medicinal taste is gone. The soap taste overpowers the whisky barrel flavor, it's so strong. There's a slight yeasty twang and an almost imperceptible malt.
I drank less of this beer than any other beer I can remember.
It is truly awful.
Pours like a deeper wit--opaque and amber to orange. Almost no head at all.
Smells like a combination of bourbon and that medicinal hand soap that some truck stop restrooms have.
Wow, for people who think they make such bad ass beers, I have to say this one is weak. Sure, it's bitter and tastes like I'm drinking the medicinal hand soap, but it's completely flat and exceptionally weak in body. Odd bitter twang resonates for a little while after the main medicinal taste is gone. The soap taste overpowers the whisky barrel flavor, it's so strong. There's a slight yeasty twang and an almost imperceptible malt.
I drank less of this beer than any other beer I can remember.
It is truly awful.
Saturday, July 18, 2009
Spoetzel Brewery's Shiner Hefeweizen
Well, a bottle conditioned Shiner is something to try. And they put out good lighter summer beers, if you ask me.
This one pours a hazy yellow with an amber hue and a crisp white head that quickly thins. Smells surprisingly malty, with a hint of citrus--orange, not the lemon.
A bit tart. I've had it before, and I don't remember it being this tart or this dry. The honey explains the dryness, but I thought it was much more of a wheat beer than this. As it warms it seems more like a wheat beer but the tartness never goes away. Hard to tell if it's zippy because of the wheat or the honey.
All in all a decent beer. Not quite macro, not quite craft. About right for a Shiner. Good summer beer that I'll reach for when looking for something from Texas.
This one pours a hazy yellow with an amber hue and a crisp white head that quickly thins. Smells surprisingly malty, with a hint of citrus--orange, not the lemon.
A bit tart. I've had it before, and I don't remember it being this tart or this dry. The honey explains the dryness, but I thought it was much more of a wheat beer than this. As it warms it seems more like a wheat beer but the tartness never goes away. Hard to tell if it's zippy because of the wheat or the honey.
All in all a decent beer. Not quite macro, not quite craft. About right for a Shiner. Good summer beer that I'll reach for when looking for something from Texas.
Unibroue's Ephemere
I'm not a Unibroue fanboy, although I do like La Fin Du Monde. They just lean a little too Belgian-y for my taste. But, I've always kind of wanted to try this one, and because it come in a mixed four pack it meant I'd be able to try all four types and pay 1/4 as much as usual, so I had to pick it up.
Pours a hazy yellow, with a crisp white head and huge carbonation that throws off the green apple smell aggressively. The smell is overwhelmingly green apple, but it can't completely hide the Belgian wit smell that I feared would follow the wit appearance.
Yep, that's exactly what this is. A tart Belgian wit. The tartness makes it much better than most, I'll give you that, and the apple flavor isn't over the top probably because I'd rather taste it than the wit, whereas in most beers this level of fruit (or spice, or smoke, or nut, or whatever) flavor would be too much.
Glad I had the opportunity to pick this up as a mixed pack. It'll prevent me from having to buy it in a larger quantity. But if you like wits, and think that fruit flavors should be overpowering, you'll like it better than I do.
Pours a hazy yellow, with a crisp white head and huge carbonation that throws off the green apple smell aggressively. The smell is overwhelmingly green apple, but it can't completely hide the Belgian wit smell that I feared would follow the wit appearance.
Yep, that's exactly what this is. A tart Belgian wit. The tartness makes it much better than most, I'll give you that, and the apple flavor isn't over the top probably because I'd rather taste it than the wit, whereas in most beers this level of fruit (or spice, or smoke, or nut, or whatever) flavor would be too much.
Glad I had the opportunity to pick this up as a mixed pack. It'll prevent me from having to buy it in a larger quantity. But if you like wits, and think that fruit flavors should be overpowering, you'll like it better than I do.
Thursday, July 16, 2009
Smitty's Market
Any BBQ joint that you walk in and have to dodge the fire has to be good. And this is the view back through the door to the back parking lot: 
When I passed that wall, the heat surprised the hell out of me. It was awesome. The fire boxes are to the left of the fire, and the heat draw the smoke in from the fire and over the meat. The other side has an identical fire outside an identical box, drawing the smoke toward the center like this one, and up through the smokestack that's visible from the street. As you walk up to the boxes the old guy behind the counter with ham-fists asks grumpily what you want. I would too, if I worked in an oven. They seemed to specialize in sausage, but they had beef shoulder, pork chops, brisket, and ribs as well. I ordered all of the above, plus slaw and beans, my usual for BBQ.
The slaw was finely chopped and creamy. Bland. Could use a hit of horseradish, for some zip. The beans, though, are probably the best I've had aside from my mother's. Like hers, you can actually taste the beans. They're not hidden by an overdose of pepper and spices that are so prominent that they even change the color of the beans. It has salt pork and a few scattered onions, peppers, and tomatoes, but they're complimentary, not overpowering.
The sauce was a bit reddish and tomatoey, with a vinegar twinge. Not too much of either though, and I like the sauce.
The beef shoulder was moist and well smoked with a great, simple flavor. The brisket was tough and fatty though. disappointing. Whereas the sauce was a good compliment to the shouder, it was a requirement for the brisket. The pork chop was excellent. It was a little drier but not quite as well smoked as those at Kreuz Market, although the meat on the other side of the ribs was deeply smoked and the best part. The rest was almost a dry pork tenderloin, but that was perfect. The ribs were amazing. Perfectly smoked and almost falling off the bone, sauce would have actually hurt them. I'd say they were almost as good as City Market. Almost. The sausage wasn't quite as dry as I like, but I'm not a sausage fan so I'm probably too quick to judge on that one. The casing was slightly crisp and the sausage tasted good, I just wish sausage didn't feel like I was chewing on fat. This was a bit porky-tasting for my taste as well, I actually prefer more spices in sausage and less on everything else.
Hearing that this was the site of the original Kreuz Market made a lot of sense. The Kreuz ovens were far too clean and new to have dated back as long as the business does, and these look far older than the 1999 est. date. The similarity in meats offered makes sense too, what with the father owning Kreuz, and the daughter owning Smitty's. Hard to pick a winner, and I can't wait to get back to either, or both, of these places.
208 South Commerce
Lockhart, Texas 78644
512.398.9344
Mon. - Fri. 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sat. 7:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Sunday 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
When I passed that wall, the heat surprised the hell out of me. It was awesome. The fire boxes are to the left of the fire, and the heat draw the smoke in from the fire and over the meat. The other side has an identical fire outside an identical box, drawing the smoke toward the center like this one, and up through the smokestack that's visible from the street. As you walk up to the boxes the old guy behind the counter with ham-fists asks grumpily what you want. I would too, if I worked in an oven. They seemed to specialize in sausage, but they had beef shoulder, pork chops, brisket, and ribs as well. I ordered all of the above, plus slaw and beans, my usual for BBQ.
The slaw was finely chopped and creamy. Bland. Could use a hit of horseradish, for some zip. The beans, though, are probably the best I've had aside from my mother's. Like hers, you can actually taste the beans. They're not hidden by an overdose of pepper and spices that are so prominent that they even change the color of the beans. It has salt pork and a few scattered onions, peppers, and tomatoes, but they're complimentary, not overpowering.
The sauce was a bit reddish and tomatoey, with a vinegar twinge. Not too much of either though, and I like the sauce.
The beef shoulder was moist and well smoked with a great, simple flavor. The brisket was tough and fatty though. disappointing. Whereas the sauce was a good compliment to the shouder, it was a requirement for the brisket. The pork chop was excellent. It was a little drier but not quite as well smoked as those at Kreuz Market, although the meat on the other side of the ribs was deeply smoked and the best part. The rest was almost a dry pork tenderloin, but that was perfect. The ribs were amazing. Perfectly smoked and almost falling off the bone, sauce would have actually hurt them. I'd say they were almost as good as City Market. Almost. The sausage wasn't quite as dry as I like, but I'm not a sausage fan so I'm probably too quick to judge on that one. The casing was slightly crisp and the sausage tasted good, I just wish sausage didn't feel like I was chewing on fat. This was a bit porky-tasting for my taste as well, I actually prefer more spices in sausage and less on everything else.
Hearing that this was the site of the original Kreuz Market made a lot of sense. The Kreuz ovens were far too clean and new to have dated back as long as the business does, and these look far older than the 1999 est. date. The similarity in meats offered makes sense too, what with the father owning Kreuz, and the daughter owning Smitty's. Hard to pick a winner, and I can't wait to get back to either, or both, of these places.
208 South Commerce
Lockhart, Texas 78644
512.398.9344
Mon. - Fri. 7:00 a.m. - 6:00 p.m.
Sat. 7:00 a.m. - 6:30 p.m.
Sunday 9:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
Laguinitas Brewing Company's 2009 Correction Ale
I have to agree with the concept behind the name, 2009 was the year the market finally corrected a bit. Anything over 7,000 on the Dow is inflated to me, but hey, I'm a lawyer not an investment broker. Looks like I'll get to sue a lot of them, though.
Pours a clear, bright, orangish amber with a great large-celled and fluffy tan head. Good, slow, carbonation.
Huge grassy smell. So much so that there's not much else to the smell. It smells a bit like a Bigfoot without the malt.
Wow, big beer. I was less than impressed with the Hop Stoopid, because it was all hops and no cattle. This one has the malt backbone to back it up though. Big grassy bitterness that lingers well into the aftertaste, with a sweet malt behind it that means the body keeps up with the taste.
Very good beer, and I'll look for more in the future. I think it was only about four or five bucks, making it a steal.
Pours a clear, bright, orangish amber with a great large-celled and fluffy tan head. Good, slow, carbonation.
Huge grassy smell. So much so that there's not much else to the smell. It smells a bit like a Bigfoot without the malt.
Wow, big beer. I was less than impressed with the Hop Stoopid, because it was all hops and no cattle. This one has the malt backbone to back it up though. Big grassy bitterness that lingers well into the aftertaste, with a sweet malt behind it that means the body keeps up with the taste.
Very good beer, and I'll look for more in the future. I think it was only about four or five bucks, making it a steal.
Independence Brewing Company's Bootlegger Brown
The last Independence beer I bought foamed out of my glass, so it took a while for me to consider buying another one, even if it is brewed here in Texas.
This one pours well, though. Fairly opaque for a brown. Small head that quickly fades, like many browns have. Moderate carbonation.
Fairly nutty for a brown that's not advertised as such. Hazlenut, I think, more than anything else. Nutty, but not over the top. Slight malt smell fights through as well.
Huh. Very vinous, too much for a brown. It's like a nutty porter. Barely malty, with almost imperceptible bitterness. Not a bad beer, but off for a brown. The nutty flavor is very light and in my opinion this is closer to what Rogue's Hazlenut Brown Nectar should be more like. If only this beer was going for that taste.
This one pours well, though. Fairly opaque for a brown. Small head that quickly fades, like many browns have. Moderate carbonation.
Fairly nutty for a brown that's not advertised as such. Hazlenut, I think, more than anything else. Nutty, but not over the top. Slight malt smell fights through as well.
Huh. Very vinous, too much for a brown. It's like a nutty porter. Barely malty, with almost imperceptible bitterness. Not a bad beer, but off for a brown. The nutty flavor is very light and in my opinion this is closer to what Rogue's Hazlenut Brown Nectar should be more like. If only this beer was going for that taste.
Dave's Rib Shack
I drive past this hole in the wall on West 1960 every once in a while, and I never would have noticed the place if not for the guy with a bullhorn yelling at me as I drive by. I figured his hard work should pay off at least once, so I pulled in.
The place always seems empty when I go past, so I was glad to give the little guy some business. I ordered the three meat dinner with ribs, chicken and brisket, and beans and slaw for sides.
The beans tasted like they were straight out of a can, but they were cooked long enough and not too bad. The slaw was shredded and seemed like it was made by them. It was a little peppery, but good. The dressing was light and it didn't clump up. Pretty darn good, to me.
The ribs came with sauce on them, which is not ideal, but it was a good molasses based sauce that wasn't too sweet or too spicy, but was zippy. It was better than store-bought, and about what you would expect from a roadside joint. The ribs, though, were great. They fell off the bone easily and were fairly lean. Great smoke flavor.
The chicken was even better. It had sauce as well, but it came off with the skin so it wasn't overpowering. Even the dark meat was firm without being too dry, and had a great smoke flavor as well.
The brisket was dry, and needed the sauce. It seemed like it had been cooked far more than smoked, and it had very little flavor. It was pretty lean, which I like, and I'm not really offended by dry meat, but it was tougher than it should have been. All in all, it was the only halfway disappointing part of the meal. I'll definitely go back again, but I'm sticking to ribs and chicken. I'll update of I try anything new, and I noticed they had beef ribs and maybe a few other things on the menu, which I look forward to trying.
5102 FM 1960 West
Houston, Texas 77069
(281) 537-1125
M-S, 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
The place always seems empty when I go past, so I was glad to give the little guy some business. I ordered the three meat dinner with ribs, chicken and brisket, and beans and slaw for sides.
The beans tasted like they were straight out of a can, but they were cooked long enough and not too bad. The slaw was shredded and seemed like it was made by them. It was a little peppery, but good. The dressing was light and it didn't clump up. Pretty darn good, to me.
The ribs came with sauce on them, which is not ideal, but it was a good molasses based sauce that wasn't too sweet or too spicy, but was zippy. It was better than store-bought, and about what you would expect from a roadside joint. The ribs, though, were great. They fell off the bone easily and were fairly lean. Great smoke flavor.
The chicken was even better. It had sauce as well, but it came off with the skin so it wasn't overpowering. Even the dark meat was firm without being too dry, and had a great smoke flavor as well.
The brisket was dry, and needed the sauce. It seemed like it had been cooked far more than smoked, and it had very little flavor. It was pretty lean, which I like, and I'm not really offended by dry meat, but it was tougher than it should have been. All in all, it was the only halfway disappointing part of the meal. I'll definitely go back again, but I'm sticking to ribs and chicken. I'll update of I try anything new, and I noticed they had beef ribs and maybe a few other things on the menu, which I look forward to trying.
5102 FM 1960 West
Houston, Texas 77069
(281) 537-1125
M-S, 11:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Wednesday, July 15, 2009
Spoetzel Brewery's Shiner Kosmos Reserve
Glad to see a mixed sixer from Shiner, I buy Real Ale's every once in a while and go to World Markets just to put them together, and I hope Saint Arnold's wakes up and makes them. I'll buy a lot more St. A's if they do.
Anyway, this family six pack had a Kosmos Reserve in it, so it was a no-brainer just for that. It pours a light amber with a crisp white head that thins to a sheet but stays due to strong carbonation.
Crisp lager smell, and lightly malty. I'm going to go with kolsch on the style so far, even though you can't find it anywhere and even the Shiner website is absent any reference of Kosmos Reserve at all.
Yep. Very low and indistinct hops, light, sweet malt, and overall crisp without an aftertaste to speak of. Very good kolsch. I wish they would keep it around, it's better than the blonde, dark, smokehouse, and a couple of others. It also doesn't have that Shiner Bock twang to it, unusual for a Shiner beer. Most of them taste like a Dark Shiner Bock, or Smoke Shiner Bock, or Blonde Shiner Bock, but this stands on its own.
Very good kolsch that I'll buy every chance I get.
Anyway, this family six pack had a Kosmos Reserve in it, so it was a no-brainer just for that. It pours a light amber with a crisp white head that thins to a sheet but stays due to strong carbonation.
Crisp lager smell, and lightly malty. I'm going to go with kolsch on the style so far, even though you can't find it anywhere and even the Shiner website is absent any reference of Kosmos Reserve at all.
Yep. Very low and indistinct hops, light, sweet malt, and overall crisp without an aftertaste to speak of. Very good kolsch. I wish they would keep it around, it's better than the blonde, dark, smokehouse, and a couple of others. It also doesn't have that Shiner Bock twang to it, unusual for a Shiner beer. Most of them taste like a Dark Shiner Bock, or Smoke Shiner Bock, or Blonde Shiner Bock, but this stands on its own.
Very good kolsch that I'll buy every chance I get.
Farm Road 713
I take the back roads to and from just about anywhere if I can, so on the drive back from Lockhart to Houston I drove southeast down FM 713 to I-10.
If you've ever been to or heard of Bastrop State Park, you know about the Lost Pines. The Lost Pines are a peculiar stand of pine trees in a place where they shouldn't be. When one of the last ice ages came through, somehow they spared the area around Bastrop and left pine trees there, but scoured the land in a way that took them out to the west and east for miles until you get pretty close to Houston.
Until today, I thought the Lost Pines were centered on Bastrop State Park, but I was miles southwest of the park when I came upon more pine trees where they just shouldn't be. I guess it's the southwestern most edge of those in Bastrop, but mixed in with more post oaks and cedars.
Trivial, maybe, but enough of an oddity if you keep up with Texas plants that I thought I should keep track of it.
If you've ever been to or heard of Bastrop State Park, you know about the Lost Pines. The Lost Pines are a peculiar stand of pine trees in a place where they shouldn't be. When one of the last ice ages came through, somehow they spared the area around Bastrop and left pine trees there, but scoured the land in a way that took them out to the west and east for miles until you get pretty close to Houston.
Until today, I thought the Lost Pines were centered on Bastrop State Park, but I was miles southwest of the park when I came upon more pine trees where they just shouldn't be. I guess it's the southwestern most edge of those in Bastrop, but mixed in with more post oaks and cedars.
Trivial, maybe, but enough of an oddity if you keep up with Texas plants that I thought I should keep track of it.
Kreuz Market
The Kreuz Market v. City Market debate is kind of like the Ford v. Chevy one. I hear people talk about Kreuz market all the time, and I have to say, to this Chevy driver, they're driving Fords.
First impression is that this place is made for crowds, unlike any of the other local BBQ joints. Several huge rooms lined with tables give you plenty of options on where to eat. Head back to the smokers, of which there are also more than usual (making me wonder just exactly how old the current grills are), which are cleaner than others. You can't tell where the fires are from that room, which is in stark contrast to places like City Market and especially Smitty's.
Alright, so it's a newer building and suspiciously clean for the caliber of BBQ place I'm looking for, and that's made a little worse by the fact that I went very early in the day when they had run out of ribs the night before, so they didn't have ribs ready yet. This is what happens when you go to a BBQ place that has run out of ribs:
Fine, it gives me an excuse to go back. Instead I ordered a pork chop, beef shoulder, brisket, and jalapeno sausage. For sides I went with beans and slaw, and a pecan pie that was pre-packaged. They threw in some cheddar cheese and onions as well. This was my haul:
The picture was taken on my blackberry because I'm not carrying a camera into a restaurant, so everything is much smaller in scale than it really was. That's a big pork chop in person, and the picture doesn't do it justice.
First, the lack of ribs is a cardinal sin, but like I said I just have to go back. And second, the brisket was amazingly and unfortunately fatty. It was fairly bland (like a Ford), and I usually wouldn't care about the amount of fat I had to trim because I trim it religiously anyway, but when you're throwing away a third of the meat you buy by the pound it's altogether different. It was decent, but not smoked nearly long enough. If you happened to get an edge piece you got some flavor, but otherwise it wasn't anything you couldn't get in your H-E-B. There was no sauce to spice it up, well, they had a hot sauce that I didn't want to try because I don't like hot sauces, but there was a salt rub in shakers on the table that was pretty good. It was mostly salt, but seems to have had some crushed red pepper and black pepper in there as well. It zipped it up some, but was too salty if you tried it in an amount to compensate for the lack of smoke.
The pork chop gets its own paragraph, because damn if it wasn't amazing. A tad dry, which I love, but almost two inches thick so it had to be to get cooked all the way through. The bits along the inside of the rib were moist despite being the most thoroughly cooked, and had great flavor. The rub was probably the same thing that was on the table, since it was saltier than it was anything else, but the smoke flavor was great for the pork chop where it was almost absent anywhere else. I wouldn't have ordered it if not for the fact that they were out of ribs, but I'll order it everywhere else that it's offered from now on, and this will be the metric by which the others will be judged. It was that good.
The beef shoulder was fairly dry (probably from yesterday), which again is the way I like it, and had a better smoke taste than the brisket. I'm hoping the brisket was also just a result of the time of day I went, and that the next time it'll be much better. The shoulder doesn't need anything though, it was great as is. The jalapeno sausage was also good. Firm, and not fatty like some sausages can be, with a zip from the pepper that keeps it interesting. I'm not a sausage fan, but when it's done this well I can eat quite a bit of it.
The slaw was unimaginative, basically cabbage and a light mayo. The beans were great though. Well cooked and not overly spiced, whereas some places like to make them taste like Ranch Style beans. The pecan pie was as expected of a pre-packaged pie you can find in most gas stations.
In a head to head comparison with City Market, which doesn't offer pork chops, only the beans are better at Kreuz. But where it counts, City Market is far and away better. I'll come back later in the day to give Kreuz a second chance and will never turn it down of offered, but it's not even as good as Black's, much less City Market.
619 N. Colorado St.
Lockhart, TX 78644-2110
Phone: 512-398-2361
Monday through Saturday 10:30a.m to 8:30 p.m. (Mon-Sat)
Closed Sunday
First impression is that this place is made for crowds, unlike any of the other local BBQ joints. Several huge rooms lined with tables give you plenty of options on where to eat. Head back to the smokers, of which there are also more than usual (making me wonder just exactly how old the current grills are), which are cleaner than others. You can't tell where the fires are from that room, which is in stark contrast to places like City Market and especially Smitty's.
Alright, so it's a newer building and suspiciously clean for the caliber of BBQ place I'm looking for, and that's made a little worse by the fact that I went very early in the day when they had run out of ribs the night before, so they didn't have ribs ready yet. This is what happens when you go to a BBQ place that has run out of ribs:
Fine, it gives me an excuse to go back. Instead I ordered a pork chop, beef shoulder, brisket, and jalapeno sausage. For sides I went with beans and slaw, and a pecan pie that was pre-packaged. They threw in some cheddar cheese and onions as well. This was my haul:
The picture was taken on my blackberry because I'm not carrying a camera into a restaurant, so everything is much smaller in scale than it really was. That's a big pork chop in person, and the picture doesn't do it justice.
First, the lack of ribs is a cardinal sin, but like I said I just have to go back. And second, the brisket was amazingly and unfortunately fatty. It was fairly bland (like a Ford), and I usually wouldn't care about the amount of fat I had to trim because I trim it religiously anyway, but when you're throwing away a third of the meat you buy by the pound it's altogether different. It was decent, but not smoked nearly long enough. If you happened to get an edge piece you got some flavor, but otherwise it wasn't anything you couldn't get in your H-E-B. There was no sauce to spice it up, well, they had a hot sauce that I didn't want to try because I don't like hot sauces, but there was a salt rub in shakers on the table that was pretty good. It was mostly salt, but seems to have had some crushed red pepper and black pepper in there as well. It zipped it up some, but was too salty if you tried it in an amount to compensate for the lack of smoke.
The pork chop gets its own paragraph, because damn if it wasn't amazing. A tad dry, which I love, but almost two inches thick so it had to be to get cooked all the way through. The bits along the inside of the rib were moist despite being the most thoroughly cooked, and had great flavor. The rub was probably the same thing that was on the table, since it was saltier than it was anything else, but the smoke flavor was great for the pork chop where it was almost absent anywhere else. I wouldn't have ordered it if not for the fact that they were out of ribs, but I'll order it everywhere else that it's offered from now on, and this will be the metric by which the others will be judged. It was that good.
The beef shoulder was fairly dry (probably from yesterday), which again is the way I like it, and had a better smoke taste than the brisket. I'm hoping the brisket was also just a result of the time of day I went, and that the next time it'll be much better. The shoulder doesn't need anything though, it was great as is. The jalapeno sausage was also good. Firm, and not fatty like some sausages can be, with a zip from the pepper that keeps it interesting. I'm not a sausage fan, but when it's done this well I can eat quite a bit of it.
The slaw was unimaginative, basically cabbage and a light mayo. The beans were great though. Well cooked and not overly spiced, whereas some places like to make them taste like Ranch Style beans. The pecan pie was as expected of a pre-packaged pie you can find in most gas stations.
In a head to head comparison with City Market, which doesn't offer pork chops, only the beans are better at Kreuz. But where it counts, City Market is far and away better. I'll come back later in the day to give Kreuz a second chance and will never turn it down of offered, but it's not even as good as Black's, much less City Market.
619 N. Colorado St.
Lockhart, TX 78644-2110
Phone: 512-398-2361
Monday through Saturday 10:30a.m to 8:30 p.m. (Mon-Sat)
Closed Sunday
Laguinitas Brewing Company's Hop Stoopid
I can't find a style category for this one after a very brief search online, but at 102 IBU's it can't be anything less than a DIPA.
Pours a clear and somewhat bright orangish amber. Huge head that almost gets in the way. Makes you think that it's throwing off too much of what would otherwise be in the taste. Good carbonation.
Strong grassy hops overpowers any malt smell, and it has an odd hint of dill pickles. This beer tastes like a combination of Bigfoot Barleywine and Indian Wells Orange Blossom Amber. The huge grassy hops are very similar to Bigfoot, and the odd twang and lack of real body remind me of Orange Blossom Amber.
All in all, this beer is a good example of how too much of something can throw a beer out of balance. Big hop presence, but no body to speak of. Certainly not one that a beer this hoppy should have. Think of a Budweiser Barleywine, and you'd have this beer.
Pours a clear and somewhat bright orangish amber. Huge head that almost gets in the way. Makes you think that it's throwing off too much of what would otherwise be in the taste. Good carbonation.
Strong grassy hops overpowers any malt smell, and it has an odd hint of dill pickles. This beer tastes like a combination of Bigfoot Barleywine and Indian Wells Orange Blossom Amber. The huge grassy hops are very similar to Bigfoot, and the odd twang and lack of real body remind me of Orange Blossom Amber.
All in all, this beer is a good example of how too much of something can throw a beer out of balance. Big hop presence, but no body to speak of. Certainly not one that a beer this hoppy should have. Think of a Budweiser Barleywine, and you'd have this beer.
Tuesday, July 14, 2009
Rogue Brewing Company's Hazlenut Brown Nectar
Rogue is one of my favorite breweries, despite the cheesy artwork. Still, they make an impressive variety of beers and give lots of information on the bottles. Their Imperial series are great offerings as well and their Imperial Pilsner is one of my all time favorites. So I do go back to even their more pedestrian offerings from time to time, sometimes just to see what I think about them a second time around.
Like this one. I distinctly remember thinking that I didn't want to really try this again because it was too nutty, but it was given to me as a gift so what the heck.
Pours a clear, deep copper with a light tan head that thins fairly quickly despite pretty strong carbonation. Smells mostly malty. Like they may have toned it down.
Ack. Nope. Tastes like I'm drinking a peanut butter sandwich. Otherwise it's appropriately crisp and malty for a brown, and I bet the next few sips are better because I know what to expect, but I'll have to keep in mind that free or not, it'smy least favorite of the Rogue beers by a damn sight. The taste smooths from peanut butter to a more raw hazlenut taste as it warms, but it's still too much. I wish brewers would make an effort not to over do things like nut, fruit, or other added flavors. Too much of a good thing is just not good.
Like this one. I distinctly remember thinking that I didn't want to really try this again because it was too nutty, but it was given to me as a gift so what the heck.
Pours a clear, deep copper with a light tan head that thins fairly quickly despite pretty strong carbonation. Smells mostly malty. Like they may have toned it down.
Ack. Nope. Tastes like I'm drinking a peanut butter sandwich. Otherwise it's appropriately crisp and malty for a brown, and I bet the next few sips are better because I know what to expect, but I'll have to keep in mind that free or not, it'smy least favorite of the Rogue beers by a damn sight. The taste smooths from peanut butter to a more raw hazlenut taste as it warms, but it's still too much. I wish brewers would make an effort not to over do things like nut, fruit, or other added flavors. Too much of a good thing is just not good.
Boston Brewing Company's Long Shot Traditional Bock
Again, congratulations to the home brewer who won this year's Long Shot. It has to be an honor for the folks who won. And like the Long Shot DIPA, I'm sure your version that you sent in was better than what Sam Adams did to it.
I guess I could congratulate Sam Adams for not getting ground glass in the beer though. That's a step up.
Like I mentioned in the other Long Shot review, it had to be because as a general rule Sam Adams beers are complete bullshit. Barely better than Coors, except with the claim that they're craft beers they actually fall far short of what we all know Coors to be. If Coors claimed to be craft, they'd be a bigger liar than Sam Adams, but they don't. So Sam Adams is the biggest liar in the beer world.
I'm sure you disagree. So go write your own blog about what an idiot I am.
This one pours a good, clear, deep copper with the best head I've seen in a BBC beer, which is more surprising for a bock. It's not as big or pillowy as the Anchor Bock, and it does fade, but it's good. Good carbonation as well.
Smells good too. Slight raisin smell, but mostly a solid bread smell from the malt. So far, so good.
At first taste I was tempted to bag on it. It seems a bit too twangy but the style is broad enough for this one. Good malt flavor with a hint of alcohol that gets bigger as it warms. As it warms the twang subsides as well.
Good beer. I don't search out bocks, but this one would be one that I certainly wouldn't avoid.
I guess I could congratulate Sam Adams for not getting ground glass in the beer though. That's a step up.
Like I mentioned in the other Long Shot review, it had to be because as a general rule Sam Adams beers are complete bullshit. Barely better than Coors, except with the claim that they're craft beers they actually fall far short of what we all know Coors to be. If Coors claimed to be craft, they'd be a bigger liar than Sam Adams, but they don't. So Sam Adams is the biggest liar in the beer world.
I'm sure you disagree. So go write your own blog about what an idiot I am.
This one pours a good, clear, deep copper with the best head I've seen in a BBC beer, which is more surprising for a bock. It's not as big or pillowy as the Anchor Bock, and it does fade, but it's good. Good carbonation as well.
Smells good too. Slight raisin smell, but mostly a solid bread smell from the malt. So far, so good.
At first taste I was tempted to bag on it. It seems a bit too twangy but the style is broad enough for this one. Good malt flavor with a hint of alcohol that gets bigger as it warms. As it warms the twang subsides as well.
Good beer. I don't search out bocks, but this one would be one that I certainly wouldn't avoid.
Boston Brewing Company's Long Shot Double IPA
First off, congratulations to the home brewer who won this year's Long Shot. I can only imagine that having your beer adopted like this is something to brag about. And I'm sure your version that you sent in was better than what Sam Adams did to it.
It had to be, because as a general rule Sam Adams beers are complete bullshit. Barely better than Coors, except with the claim that they're craft beers they actually fall far short of what we all know Coors to be. If Coors claimed to be craft, they'd be a bigger liar than Sam Adams, but they don't. So Sam Adams is the biggest liar in the beer world.
I'm sure you disagree. So go write your own blog about what an idiot I am.
The reason I know this beer was probably better before Sam Adams got hold of it is that in some ways it's pretty darn good even after they did their thing to it. It pours a loosely filtered deep amber that is mostly opaque with a decent tan head. It's not as big as a beer this malty should be and it fades faster than it should, but it's at least there, which is unusual for a Sam Adams beer that's not in a TV commercial.
The heavier than average malt gives it a smell of a darker type of bread and it has a good grassy hops smell as well. If it tasted as good as it smelled, it would be a beer to look for again. But, of course, anything run through BBC (or more likely, one of their macro contract brewers), puts up a false pretense. It has an odd twang that shouldn't be here, and the grassy bitterness that starts out fairly strong disappears in a flash. You're then left with a cardboard type of bitterness that's indistinct and honestly just not where it should be for a DIPA.
There's a reason I avoid Sam Adams, except for the Long Shot beers, and this beer almost puts itself into a better category than BBC beers are in. It smells and initially tastes good, but in general suffers from the lack of follow through and substance that Sam Adams beers all have. Decent appearance... until the head disappears. Decent smell... until it warms. Decent taste... but just for a second.
Again, I would love to try this one out of the brewer's kegerator and it's a step up for Sam Adams. Maybe they'll hire this home brewer to give some substance to their regular offerings. Or at least stop lying about being a craft brewer.
It had to be, because as a general rule Sam Adams beers are complete bullshit. Barely better than Coors, except with the claim that they're craft beers they actually fall far short of what we all know Coors to be. If Coors claimed to be craft, they'd be a bigger liar than Sam Adams, but they don't. So Sam Adams is the biggest liar in the beer world.
I'm sure you disagree. So go write your own blog about what an idiot I am.
The reason I know this beer was probably better before Sam Adams got hold of it is that in some ways it's pretty darn good even after they did their thing to it. It pours a loosely filtered deep amber that is mostly opaque with a decent tan head. It's not as big as a beer this malty should be and it fades faster than it should, but it's at least there, which is unusual for a Sam Adams beer that's not in a TV commercial.
The heavier than average malt gives it a smell of a darker type of bread and it has a good grassy hops smell as well. If it tasted as good as it smelled, it would be a beer to look for again. But, of course, anything run through BBC (or more likely, one of their macro contract brewers), puts up a false pretense. It has an odd twang that shouldn't be here, and the grassy bitterness that starts out fairly strong disappears in a flash. You're then left with a cardboard type of bitterness that's indistinct and honestly just not where it should be for a DIPA.
There's a reason I avoid Sam Adams, except for the Long Shot beers, and this beer almost puts itself into a better category than BBC beers are in. It smells and initially tastes good, but in general suffers from the lack of follow through and substance that Sam Adams beers all have. Decent appearance... until the head disappears. Decent smell... until it warms. Decent taste... but just for a second.
Again, I would love to try this one out of the brewer's kegerator and it's a step up for Sam Adams. Maybe they'll hire this home brewer to give some substance to their regular offerings. Or at least stop lying about being a craft brewer.
Monday, July 13, 2009
Black's BBQ
Alright already, I get it. Once you've seen the first 20 signs advertising the oldest continually operated BBQ joint by the same family, you've seen them all. I guess in a town where you're tucked in the back of the place, with 20 other BBQ places between you and the major roads, you have to advertise a ton. I saw half a dozen places between the city limits and Black's, one of which was Kreuz Market, so I'll forgive the aggressive signage/visual pollution.
Right when you walk in you know you're in a great place. Hasn't been changed in decades, judging by the dust covered paneling. Right off the bat you're in a line where you pick your own sides, and they have a better than average selection considering the fact that most BBQ places have only one or two things that aren't meat. I chose pinto beans and peach cobbler, both of which were very good. I wish the beans had been cooked longer, but it wasn't a distraction. The person I was with had blackberry cobbler, which was a bit tart, and green beans, which I thought made her a communist and didn't try. I just couldn't.
When you step up to the meat counter you see the smoke boxes behind the folks cutting and weighing it for you, and I will say they were reasonable in their prices. They also had a wider selection of meats. They had the standard pork ribs and brisket, but they also had chicken and beef ribs that looked like some caveman had just cut it off a buffalo. I ordered a quarter pound each of brisket, pork ribs, a quarter chicken (white meat), and I tried to order some beef ribs but when I asked for a quarter pound the guy pointed at the single rib laying on the chopping block and said that was one rib. I knew it was one rib, as evidenced by the enormous single bone sticking through it, and it had about a 4" square of meat on it that looked great, but they wouldn't cut anything off of it. The guy told me it would be about $14.00 for the one rib, and then he measured it. "Nope, it's $15.00." And while I hesitate to say that price was no object, I was going to hike some later that day and the real object was that I couldn't eat five pounds of meat all at once and my companion looked at me like there was no way in hell she was going to eat any more than what we'd already ordered, so I decided to make a second trip someday for one beef rib.
The chicken was very tender and moist. I'm a weirdo and like it drier, but it was very well done, although not hugely smokey because it was still on the lighter side of done. The brisket also looked like it could spend more time in the smoker. It was tender and moist, and had good flavor, but just not quite enough of it. The pork ribs were fantastic. On par with City Market, they were well smoked and had great flavor. The rest was good, but these were great.
The sweet tea was great, just like Grammy used to make, although one old lady at the next table over was a bit put out that it was Luzianne instead of Tetley. I can go toe-to-toe with just about anyone on BBQ and beer, but I'm at a loss for the difference in iced teas.
The BBQ sauce was good, but had a slight vinegar twinge to it that I just was not prepared for in Texas. It tasted like a light A-1 with a vinegar base, and was the part of the experience with which I was least pleased. Cumin? No thanks. Good, but not up to snuff with the meat. I used it to dip the bread in, but nothing else.
Overall, Black's is a must-see for Texas BBQ. Except for the pork ribs it's not as good as City Market, which is my standard since it was my first real BBQ experience. I wish City Market had chicken and more sides, but otherwise it's unbeatable so far.
215 North Main Street
Lockhart, Texas 78644
(512) 398.2712
Sunday through Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Friday and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Right when you walk in you know you're in a great place. Hasn't been changed in decades, judging by the dust covered paneling. Right off the bat you're in a line where you pick your own sides, and they have a better than average selection considering the fact that most BBQ places have only one or two things that aren't meat. I chose pinto beans and peach cobbler, both of which were very good. I wish the beans had been cooked longer, but it wasn't a distraction. The person I was with had blackberry cobbler, which was a bit tart, and green beans, which I thought made her a communist and didn't try. I just couldn't.
When you step up to the meat counter you see the smoke boxes behind the folks cutting and weighing it for you, and I will say they were reasonable in their prices. They also had a wider selection of meats. They had the standard pork ribs and brisket, but they also had chicken and beef ribs that looked like some caveman had just cut it off a buffalo. I ordered a quarter pound each of brisket, pork ribs, a quarter chicken (white meat), and I tried to order some beef ribs but when I asked for a quarter pound the guy pointed at the single rib laying on the chopping block and said that was one rib. I knew it was one rib, as evidenced by the enormous single bone sticking through it, and it had about a 4" square of meat on it that looked great, but they wouldn't cut anything off of it. The guy told me it would be about $14.00 for the one rib, and then he measured it. "Nope, it's $15.00." And while I hesitate to say that price was no object, I was going to hike some later that day and the real object was that I couldn't eat five pounds of meat all at once and my companion looked at me like there was no way in hell she was going to eat any more than what we'd already ordered, so I decided to make a second trip someday for one beef rib.
The chicken was very tender and moist. I'm a weirdo and like it drier, but it was very well done, although not hugely smokey because it was still on the lighter side of done. The brisket also looked like it could spend more time in the smoker. It was tender and moist, and had good flavor, but just not quite enough of it. The pork ribs were fantastic. On par with City Market, they were well smoked and had great flavor. The rest was good, but these were great.
The sweet tea was great, just like Grammy used to make, although one old lady at the next table over was a bit put out that it was Luzianne instead of Tetley. I can go toe-to-toe with just about anyone on BBQ and beer, but I'm at a loss for the difference in iced teas.
The BBQ sauce was good, but had a slight vinegar twinge to it that I just was not prepared for in Texas. It tasted like a light A-1 with a vinegar base, and was the part of the experience with which I was least pleased. Cumin? No thanks. Good, but not up to snuff with the meat. I used it to dip the bread in, but nothing else.
Overall, Black's is a must-see for Texas BBQ. Except for the pork ribs it's not as good as City Market, which is my standard since it was my first real BBQ experience. I wish City Market had chicken and more sides, but otherwise it's unbeatable so far.
215 North Main Street
Lockhart, Texas 78644
(512) 398.2712
Sunday through Thursday 10:00 a.m. to 8:00 p.m.
Friday and Saturday 10:00 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
Brewdog Brewery's Rip Tide Twisted Merciless Stout
Cheezy name, but I can never pass up a new stout.
Pours an opaque black with amber to ruby highlights. Pours thinly, like a standard stout, and has a small light tan head that isn't too reminiscent of an imperial stout either. Good deep, vinous smell though. That puts it closer to a porter to my tastes, but as long as it starts getting more substantial that's all I care about. Roasted grain smell and alcohol are the most prominent smells aside from the tannins.
I can see where they get the liquorice description on their website. Very vinous feel to it as well, and a a taste that I'd say is closer to raisins or prunes than liquorice. Maybe black jelly beans, a nice middle ground. Low bitterness for the actual 65 IBU's that the brewer claims, so that's a good thing if you ask me.
Overall a good beer and I'll try their other offerings. Interesting take on the style, but it still feels more like an imperial porter than an imperial stout to me.
Pours an opaque black with amber to ruby highlights. Pours thinly, like a standard stout, and has a small light tan head that isn't too reminiscent of an imperial stout either. Good deep, vinous smell though. That puts it closer to a porter to my tastes, but as long as it starts getting more substantial that's all I care about. Roasted grain smell and alcohol are the most prominent smells aside from the tannins.
I can see where they get the liquorice description on their website. Very vinous feel to it as well, and a a taste that I'd say is closer to raisins or prunes than liquorice. Maybe black jelly beans, a nice middle ground. Low bitterness for the actual 65 IBU's that the brewer claims, so that's a good thing if you ask me.
Overall a good beer and I'll try their other offerings. Interesting take on the style, but it still feels more like an imperial porter than an imperial stout to me.
My Next BBQ Grill
This is Jimmy. 
Jimmy is an old guy from, well, I'm not sure where he's from. What I do know is that he lived in Gilmer, Texas at one point about 30 years ago, and while there managed to weld two stamped steel bathtubs together with hinges to make a grill. How it found its way to Groesbeck I still don't understand, especially with Jimmy drinking Bud Lights one after the other in a Homer Simpson koozie. "You a fan of The Simpsons?" was a question I had to have answered by 80 year old Jimmy from Gilmer. "Hell, I don't know whatcher talkin' 'bout. I prob'bly found that on the side of the road somewheres" was the answer, which is pretty much what I thought it would be.
Anyway, damn if it wasn't an excellent grill. Now, a bathtub is pretty deep, you see, and Jimmy is a short fella', he explains, so he trimmed the bottom one up so that it was only about 18" deep. Then he welded some stops so he could put some mesh steel in for a grill. And because it would get too hot to make the whole thing a grill, inside off to one side is a truck wheel that he puts his coals and any wood for smoke on, and you can either cook right over it or heat things up off to the side. He welded a pipe over the drain, and a thermometer into the side wall. Weld a chain to allow the lid to hold open without flipping back, re-bar frame to slide it in, a formica front counter and a couple of wheels, and you're in business. Or, as Jimmy says, bid'ness.
We had hamburgers cooked directly over the charcoal covered wheel with pecan thrown in for smoke, hot dogs cooked about a foot off to the right, and heated sausage up in there as well. Then one of the most interesting tips I've ever seen was that he dumped all of the buns into one brown paper bag, inverted another bag over it, and put it on the grill the farthest away from the flame and just left it there. It heated them up perfectly, and although the bags got hot and smoked they never burned.
Rednecks are the mothers of all invention. The only way this grill falls short is that nowhere is bailing wire involved. Other than that, it's perfect. In case you're wondering, and because according to Jimmy the old bathtub plant in Gilmer has been run out of business by the Chinese, you can make one out of tubs that still have enamel on them. You just have to grind the enamel off anywhere you want to make a weld. As a matter of principle, I recommend scrubbing the years of soap scum and tub rings off first too, even if they would cook off eventually.
Jimmy is an old guy from, well, I'm not sure where he's from. What I do know is that he lived in Gilmer, Texas at one point about 30 years ago, and while there managed to weld two stamped steel bathtubs together with hinges to make a grill. How it found its way to Groesbeck I still don't understand, especially with Jimmy drinking Bud Lights one after the other in a Homer Simpson koozie. "You a fan of The Simpsons?" was a question I had to have answered by 80 year old Jimmy from Gilmer. "Hell, I don't know whatcher talkin' 'bout. I prob'bly found that on the side of the road somewheres" was the answer, which is pretty much what I thought it would be. Anyway, damn if it wasn't an excellent grill. Now, a bathtub is pretty deep, you see, and Jimmy is a short fella', he explains, so he trimmed the bottom one up so that it was only about 18" deep. Then he welded some stops so he could put some mesh steel in for a grill. And because it would get too hot to make the whole thing a grill, inside off to one side is a truck wheel that he puts his coals and any wood for smoke on, and you can either cook right over it or heat things up off to the side. He welded a pipe over the drain, and a thermometer into the side wall. Weld a chain to allow the lid to hold open without flipping back, re-bar frame to slide it in, a formica front counter and a couple of wheels, and you're in business. Or, as Jimmy says, bid'ness.
We had hamburgers cooked directly over the charcoal covered wheel with pecan thrown in for smoke, hot dogs cooked about a foot off to the right, and heated sausage up in there as well. Then one of the most interesting tips I've ever seen was that he dumped all of the buns into one brown paper bag, inverted another bag over it, and put it on the grill the farthest away from the flame and just left it there. It heated them up perfectly, and although the bags got hot and smoked they never burned.
Rednecks are the mothers of all invention. The only way this grill falls short is that nowhere is bailing wire involved. Other than that, it's perfect. In case you're wondering, and because according to Jimmy the old bathtub plant in Gilmer has been run out of business by the Chinese, you can make one out of tubs that still have enamel on them. You just have to grind the enamel off anywhere you want to make a weld. As a matter of principle, I recommend scrubbing the years of soap scum and tub rings off first too, even if they would cook off eventually.
Thursday, July 9, 2009
Lone Star Brewing Company's Lone Star Beer
You have to love a beer that tells you on the label it's beer. Not ale, not lager, beer. Lone Star Beer.
It's here just because. No serious critique, no goofy explanation of smells and tastes, just a record because I had a couple today. And I loved them too. Straight up, from a can, perfect for summer and chili or steak, or BBQ. Smoother than the major macros, and brewed in Texas. Good stuff.
It's here just because. No serious critique, no goofy explanation of smells and tastes, just a record because I had a couple today. And I loved them too. Straight up, from a can, perfect for summer and chili or steak, or BBQ. Smoother than the major macros, and brewed in Texas. Good stuff.
Rahr and Sons Brewing Company's Summertime Wheat
Good to see another Texas beer at the store, especially one of my favorite styles.
Pours a cloudy, loosely filtered (at most) orangish yellow with a perfectly white head that thins quickly. A bit of a wit smell, which is sorely disappointing.
Yeah, it's not a full-on wit, but I think it tries to be. Damn I wish I would have read the label closer. Disappointing. More of a green grape flavor than the usual chemical or plastic tastes, but still.
At least I have a friend who'll drink the other five, cause I'm not touching them. Never thought I'd see the day when I was looking forward to the three Sam Adams I have sitting in the fridge.
Pours a cloudy, loosely filtered (at most) orangish yellow with a perfectly white head that thins quickly. A bit of a wit smell, which is sorely disappointing.
Yeah, it's not a full-on wit, but I think it tries to be. Damn I wish I would have read the label closer. Disappointing. More of a green grape flavor than the usual chemical or plastic tastes, but still.
At least I have a friend who'll drink the other five, cause I'm not touching them. Never thought I'd see the day when I was looking forward to the three Sam Adams I have sitting in the fridge.
Wednesday, July 8, 2009
Joseph James Brewing Company's Tahoe Blue Nevada Pale Ale
Hate the label.
Pours an unfiltered orange-amber, with a weak head but I like the unfiltered and cloudy appearance otherwise. Solid amber smell that's bready and has a twang that may come from the hops. As it warms it gets a bit of a bitter smell that may come from adjuncts. Reminds me of rice.
The body is heavier than expected due to the lack of (or loose?) filtration, but the taste rings hollow. It's actually closer to an IPA in bitterness, with a bitterness that hits in the roof of the mouth more than back of the tongue. It hits, then gets twangy, then kind of hangs around in a weird, hollow, residual bitterness that has no distinctive flavor.
This is an odd one. Good appearance and body, but hollow despite the initial jolt from the hops. I think it's mitigated by the adjuncts, and so it makes me think that this is what an overly hopped Budweiser would taste like.
Pours an unfiltered orange-amber, with a weak head but I like the unfiltered and cloudy appearance otherwise. Solid amber smell that's bready and has a twang that may come from the hops. As it warms it gets a bit of a bitter smell that may come from adjuncts. Reminds me of rice.
The body is heavier than expected due to the lack of (or loose?) filtration, but the taste rings hollow. It's actually closer to an IPA in bitterness, with a bitterness that hits in the roof of the mouth more than back of the tongue. It hits, then gets twangy, then kind of hangs around in a weird, hollow, residual bitterness that has no distinctive flavor.
This is an odd one. Good appearance and body, but hollow despite the initial jolt from the hops. I think it's mitigated by the adjuncts, and so it makes me think that this is what an overly hopped Budweiser would taste like.
100th Post
And with it, a bit of a policy change.
I'm adding BBQ joints and random dive eateries. Just because.
July 13th Update:
I'm also going to add state and national park information, also just because. That will allow me to keep all of the information for all of the things that I track on a regular basis. I'm not going to go back and add old stuff, this is for here on out. So, it'll take a while to build up. And it'll still be scattered in between beer posts, but they'll be marked as "state park," "national park," "BBQ," "Mexican food," "dive," etc. so they'll be searchable.
I'm adding BBQ joints and random dive eateries. Just because.
July 13th Update:
I'm also going to add state and national park information, also just because. That will allow me to keep all of the information for all of the things that I track on a regular basis. I'm not going to go back and add old stuff, this is for here on out. So, it'll take a while to build up. And it'll still be scattered in between beer posts, but they'll be marked as "state park," "national park," "BBQ," "Mexican food," "dive," etc. so they'll be searchable.
Monday, July 6, 2009
Great Divide Brewing Company's Chocolate Oak Aged Yeti Russian Imerial Stout
Another rarity in Texas, so I had to grab it when I saw it at Spec's. One of my all time favorite breweries too, and Yeti was my gateway RIS. The Oak Aged Yeti is an excellent, not-so-bourbony beer as well, so I'm thinking this one is going to be great as well.
Pours thick and opaque. Slow. Fantastic deep coffee-brown head that slowly recedes. Great roasted malt smell with a hint of bourbon and slight sweetness. The huge roasted malt keeps the bourbon back, but it's stronger in this one than Oak Aged Yeti. Bit of a milk-stout feel, smooth, like lactose would give it. Hoppy bitterness fights through as well. Cayenne? Eh, I noticed it after I read the label, but I would have preferred it without it. I initially thought the zip to be from the higher alcohol, but I guess it's the pepper by the way it stays in the aftertaste. You feel it more than taste it though. I've seen worse things done to beer for sure, but that just seems off.
I hope Great Divide isn't going the way of some of the other breweries that run odd one-off experiments from time to time, but I guess the market pushes in weird directions.
Good beer. A step down from their standards though.
Pours thick and opaque. Slow. Fantastic deep coffee-brown head that slowly recedes. Great roasted malt smell with a hint of bourbon and slight sweetness. The huge roasted malt keeps the bourbon back, but it's stronger in this one than Oak Aged Yeti. Bit of a milk-stout feel, smooth, like lactose would give it. Hoppy bitterness fights through as well. Cayenne? Eh, I noticed it after I read the label, but I would have preferred it without it. I initially thought the zip to be from the higher alcohol, but I guess it's the pepper by the way it stays in the aftertaste. You feel it more than taste it though. I've seen worse things done to beer for sure, but that just seems off.
I hope Great Divide isn't going the way of some of the other breweries that run odd one-off experiments from time to time, but I guess the market pushes in weird directions.
Good beer. A step down from their standards though.
Sunday, July 5, 2009
Deschutes Brewery's Red Chair IPA
The label says "deliciously intense hop flavor without the bitterness." We'll see, I guess. I've always thought that this brewery was good but overrated, and touting an IPA without the bitterness seems like something an overrated brewery would claim.
Pours a deep copper with a great tan head that gets pillowy and almost never recedes. Strong bread smell, but I smell what's probably going to be some fairly strong (and bitter) hops.
Decent body and I'll admit that it's not as bitter as many IPAs are, but you can't have this much hops of any type and not have the bitterness. I don't know why you'd want to, since hops without bitterness would seem out of place. You could easily make an all-malt beer, and they can be close to this of done a certain way (I had an all-malt amber that was), or even add other brewing spices instead of hops altogether, but then again, the whole point of an IPA is the extra hops, so this just seems pointless as advertised. If you discount the BS on the label, it's a good, middle of the road IPA. Not as hoppy as some, but solid body, malt and bitterness that a decent IPA should have.
Best when coldest. As it warms it gets a little soapy. An odd peppery bitterness creeps out in the aftertaste as well.
Pours a deep copper with a great tan head that gets pillowy and almost never recedes. Strong bread smell, but I smell what's probably going to be some fairly strong (and bitter) hops.
Decent body and I'll admit that it's not as bitter as many IPAs are, but you can't have this much hops of any type and not have the bitterness. I don't know why you'd want to, since hops without bitterness would seem out of place. You could easily make an all-malt beer, and they can be close to this of done a certain way (I had an all-malt amber that was), or even add other brewing spices instead of hops altogether, but then again, the whole point of an IPA is the extra hops, so this just seems pointless as advertised. If you discount the BS on the label, it's a good, middle of the road IPA. Not as hoppy as some, but solid body, malt and bitterness that a decent IPA should have.
Best when coldest. As it warms it gets a little soapy. An odd peppery bitterness creeps out in the aftertaste as well.
Thursday, July 2, 2009
Great Divide Brewing Company's 15th Anniversary Wood Aged Double IPA
I don't usually like wood aged beers. They usually fall into two groups that either taste like someone added vanilla extract or like they added bourbon. In other words, too much of a good thing. But I have yet to have a Great Divide beer that wasn't excellent, including Oak Aged Yeti, and this was a unique beer that I hadn't even heard of, much less tried, so I jumped on it.
Pours a deep reddish amber, like a hugely malty barley wine. Great tan head that gets pillowy and stays. Smells like a mellow pale. The oak apparently evens it out quite a bit so that it doesn't hit you in the face with a bread smell that most beers with this much malt would have, and there's just a trace of hops that wavers between floral and grassy.
Huge body, and while not as bourbon-y as many oak aged beers, it's still a little too much bourbon flavor for me. The 10% ABV is well hidden. The aftertaste is amazingly peppery. I think this is the first time I've really had that stand out in a beer, although a few have it listed as a characteristic. Gets more bourbon flavor as it warms, and the alcohol gets more noticeable in the smell as well.
I hoped for a little less bourbon, along the lines of the smell. Still, a very good beer. You can taste the Denver Pale Ale in it.
Pours a deep reddish amber, like a hugely malty barley wine. Great tan head that gets pillowy and stays. Smells like a mellow pale. The oak apparently evens it out quite a bit so that it doesn't hit you in the face with a bread smell that most beers with this much malt would have, and there's just a trace of hops that wavers between floral and grassy.
Huge body, and while not as bourbon-y as many oak aged beers, it's still a little too much bourbon flavor for me. The 10% ABV is well hidden. The aftertaste is amazingly peppery. I think this is the first time I've really had that stand out in a beer, although a few have it listed as a characteristic. Gets more bourbon flavor as it warms, and the alcohol gets more noticeable in the smell as well.
I hoped for a little less bourbon, along the lines of the smell. Still, a very good beer. You can taste the Denver Pale Ale in it.
Indian Wells Brewing Company's Orange Blossom Amber
This brewery has surprised me quite a bit. I was intrigued by the Anatomy of a Murder-esque label on their Lobotomy Bock, which turned out to be a damn good beer, with an imperceptible 10% ABV. Crazy. Same for the Amnesia IPA, just less alcohol. So it was good to find this one on the shelf, even if the label is kinda lame.
Pours a deep amber with definite orange a hue. Moderate light tan head, but I'm afraid I quick-chilled this one too long so it's more subdued that it would normally be. Great bready malt smell, with a hint of citrus. Not overpowering, like many breweries would try to do (I'm looking at you, Sam Adams), but just right. You know it's not there, but it's an amber first and foremost. Not some syrup-laden goo that has no discernible beer taste.
Well, it's a bit too tangy. Tangy(tm), even. Aftertaste has a solid malt flavor to it, and the hops are indistinct, keeping the bitterness low. Too low for an amber.
I hope it's just that it was too cold. I'll come back to this post when I try one that wasn't cooled off in a rush in the freezer, and I hope the orange taste calms down some.
UPDATE: Well, after a second bottle it's still more Tang-like than I'd like, but it's better than the first one I had. Decent beer, but like most fruit beers it's just too much of a good thing.
Pours a deep amber with definite orange a hue. Moderate light tan head, but I'm afraid I quick-chilled this one too long so it's more subdued that it would normally be. Great bready malt smell, with a hint of citrus. Not overpowering, like many breweries would try to do (I'm looking at you, Sam Adams), but just right. You know it's not there, but it's an amber first and foremost. Not some syrup-laden goo that has no discernible beer taste.
Well, it's a bit too tangy. Tangy(tm), even. Aftertaste has a solid malt flavor to it, and the hops are indistinct, keeping the bitterness low. Too low for an amber.
I hope it's just that it was too cold. I'll come back to this post when I try one that wasn't cooled off in a rush in the freezer, and I hope the orange taste calms down some.
UPDATE: Well, after a second bottle it's still more Tang-like than I'd like, but it's better than the first one I had. Decent beer, but like most fruit beers it's just too much of a good thing.
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