The only reason I bought this was because of the Long Shot competition. I bet it started as a great beer. but will be greatly reduced after Sam Adams gets hold of it.
Pours a deep coppery amber with a nice small-celled tan head. Nice bready smell to it, with no alcohol, a surprise for a 9% beer.
There's the alcohol. It's the biggest part of the taste, followed by a sickly sweet fruit taste. Not citrus, more dank.
I bet this was alright at the home brew competition, but here it's odd. Too much going on to be an old ale, I think.
Sunday, October 24, 2010
Dixie Brewing Company's Blackened Voodoo Lager
I hate all things that incorporate the word 'Dixie' into them, and despite avoiding this one for years for that very reason, I decided to buy it just so I could hate on it.
Blackened? Not really. It's closer to a brown. It's like their hillbilly dislike for black people kept them from making a black beer, too. It has that wet raisin smell that poorly made lagers often have.
It's a lager, so I didn't expect it to have much body, but this tastes and feels like an MGD 64--whatever that tastes like, anyway. It feels weak. The bitterness tastes like it comes from a bad metal taste from the tanks, not hops. No malt to speak of.
All in all, exactly what I expected. Maybe the next big hurricane will take this place out for good.
Blackened? Not really. It's closer to a brown. It's like their hillbilly dislike for black people kept them from making a black beer, too. It has that wet raisin smell that poorly made lagers often have.
It's a lager, so I didn't expect it to have much body, but this tastes and feels like an MGD 64--whatever that tastes like, anyway. It feels weak. The bitterness tastes like it comes from a bad metal taste from the tanks, not hops. No malt to speak of.
All in all, exactly what I expected. Maybe the next big hurricane will take this place out for good.
Friday, October 22, 2010
Flying Dog Brewery's Snake Dog IPA
One of the most over-hyped over self-promoted breweries ever. Yes, I like the label art. The beer just never has matched it.
Pours a decent enough amber, with a pillowy tan head that is fairly large probably because the last pour out of the bottle was all foam. Smells nice enough, with a fair amount of grassy hops but a substantial amount of malt as well.
Eh. Kind of a dull, hollowness to it. The grassy hops smell is adulterated in the taste, and the bitterness flattens out to bland, followed by a weird bitter aftertaste.
About what I remembered this beer to be, when I tried it years ago. Won't try it for several more, if then.
Pours a decent enough amber, with a pillowy tan head that is fairly large probably because the last pour out of the bottle was all foam. Smells nice enough, with a fair amount of grassy hops but a substantial amount of malt as well.
Eh. Kind of a dull, hollowness to it. The grassy hops smell is adulterated in the taste, and the bitterness flattens out to bland, followed by a weird bitter aftertaste.
About what I remembered this beer to be, when I tried it years ago. Won't try it for several more, if then.
Estrella Damm
Another single that I had to pick up.
Pours a clear yellow with a fizzy white head. Like a lot of European lagers, it seems to be a pilsner. And from the funky smell, a Czech at that.
Light bodied--too light for a German pils. Nice and crisp, but a little more dull than a Czech Rebel. A little more watered down. Good beer for what it is, but not a great beer for the style.
Pours a clear yellow with a fizzy white head. Like a lot of European lagers, it seems to be a pilsner. And from the funky smell, a Czech at that.
Light bodied--too light for a German pils. Nice and crisp, but a little more dull than a Czech Rebel. A little more watered down. Good beer for what it is, but not a great beer for the style.
Otter Creek Brewing Company's Wolaver's Certified Organic Ben Gleason's White Ale
Saw the label and thought it was going to be a straight-up wheat. Must. Read. The. Labels.
Pours a hazy yellow with a white head that thins to a sheet fairly quickly. Has that deep yeasty smell that wits have. I'm hopeful though, because it doesn't have the plastic or chemical smell that many have. I've like the only other Wolaver's beer I've had so far, which was a very good stout, so maybe this will be better than most wits as well.
Eh. It's heavier-bodied than most macros, but not much, and has a zip to it that they can have. Smothered under a hugely wet, yeasty taste. I like this better than most wits, but it's still not my favorite style. It is, however, well done for the style that it is ad I'd recommend it to anyone who like wits.
Pours a hazy yellow with a white head that thins to a sheet fairly quickly. Has that deep yeasty smell that wits have. I'm hopeful though, because it doesn't have the plastic or chemical smell that many have. I've like the only other Wolaver's beer I've had so far, which was a very good stout, so maybe this will be better than most wits as well.
Eh. It's heavier-bodied than most macros, but not much, and has a zip to it that they can have. Smothered under a hugely wet, yeasty taste. I like this better than most wits, but it's still not my favorite style. It is, however, well done for the style that it is ad I'd recommend it to anyone who like wits.
Tuesday, October 19, 2010
Twisted Pine Brewing Company's Red Mountain Ale
Pours a fairly deep red, almost brown, with a nice tan head that stays. Smells like a pretty strong pale, with grassy hops and a sweeter than normal malt for an amber/red.
The taste is back down to a red though. Standard amount of bitterness that is less grassy than the smell, and no real sweetness. Instead, more of a grainy malt taste that suits the style well. A bit watery in the feel, is my only complaint, and otherwise it's a pretty good red.
The taste is back down to a red though. Standard amount of bitterness that is less grassy than the smell, and no real sweetness. Instead, more of a grainy malt taste that suits the style well. A bit watery in the feel, is my only complaint, and otherwise it's a pretty good red.
Monday, October 18, 2010
Big Sky Brewing Company's Moose Drool Brown Ale
I've had a few Big Sky beers, but none have been posted here for some reason. Guess it's been a while. Of all of them, Moose Drool has the biggest following. The right name is everything, sometimes.
Pours a nice brown, tinged with red. Tan head dissipates to a collar pretty quickly. Nice slightly nutty smell, with minimal hops.
Much nuttier in the taste. Nice, fairly light body, again with light hops so that the malt is more prevalent than the bitterness.
Good version of an American Brown. Not a sexy style, but a solid beer.
Pours a nice brown, tinged with red. Tan head dissipates to a collar pretty quickly. Nice slightly nutty smell, with minimal hops.
Much nuttier in the taste. Nice, fairly light body, again with light hops so that the malt is more prevalent than the bitterness.
Good version of an American Brown. Not a sexy style, but a solid beer.
Abbaye St-Remy's Trappistes Rochefort 10
I stopped trying Belgians by the time this one was widely available in Houston, but I couldn't pass it up for one reason, here about a month ago.
Nice, deep smell. Not terribly bready like I'd expect, but deep ad not hoppy. Slightly fizzy smell to it. Tan head didn't stick around too long, but didn't disappear immediately, either.
Big feel to it, like a quad should have. Fairly strong alcohol taste, which isn't unexpected from an 11.3% ABV, but I wish it was hidden a little better. I know a lot of people would talk about dark fruits when describing this beer, but I refuse to. It has a deep, slow taste to it, with a wet cigar tobacco aftertaste.
Excellent beer. Trappists know what they're doing.
Nice, deep smell. Not terribly bready like I'd expect, but deep ad not hoppy. Slightly fizzy smell to it. Tan head didn't stick around too long, but didn't disappear immediately, either.
Big feel to it, like a quad should have. Fairly strong alcohol taste, which isn't unexpected from an 11.3% ABV, but I wish it was hidden a little better. I know a lot of people would talk about dark fruits when describing this beer, but I refuse to. It has a deep, slow taste to it, with a wet cigar tobacco aftertaste.
Excellent beer. Trappists know what they're doing.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Dogfish Head's Raison D'Etre
I'm guessing this will be another over-hyped Dogfish beer, but I swear I'm keeping my mind open.
Pours a deep brown--same color but not as opaque as Palo Santo, with a nice tan head that stays. Smells kinda fizzy. Very slightly nutty, like a brown, but mostly just kind of... there.
Eh, not bad. I expected something much more off the wall. The 8% ABV is imperceptible, and there isn't a hint of the standard Belgian yeast flavors. It feels a little fizzy as well, but in general it's pretty good. Not hoppy or bready, just kind of light in feel despite the color and alcohol.
Pours a deep brown--same color but not as opaque as Palo Santo, with a nice tan head that stays. Smells kinda fizzy. Very slightly nutty, like a brown, but mostly just kind of... there.
Eh, not bad. I expected something much more off the wall. The 8% ABV is imperceptible, and there isn't a hint of the standard Belgian yeast flavors. It feels a little fizzy as well, but in general it's pretty good. Not hoppy or bready, just kind of light in feel despite the color and alcohol.
Grand Teton Brewing Company's Lost Continent Double IPA
I've liked everything I've had from this brewery, so I hope this hasn't been sitting in the cellar too long. From what I remember, I got it in Nebraska about a year ago.
Pours a cloudy deep amber with a pillowy light tan head that thins fairly quickly to a sheet. Big grassy hops smell, with a sweet malt and a slight hint of alcohol. 8% ABV is bigger than most, but not too big for a DIPA.
Whoa. It has such a big scotch hit to it that I had to look this beer up and see if it wasn't barrel aged. It wasn't, as best as I can tell. And the description from the brewery throws in just about every fruit they can think of as taste descriptors, and I just don't get it. I can taste the grapefruit in the mid-aftertaste, but the biggest thing about this beer is the oak taste, followed by the solidly bitter hops.
Good beer. Wish I'd had a warning about the scotch, but it's pretty good nonetheless.
Pours a cloudy deep amber with a pillowy light tan head that thins fairly quickly to a sheet. Big grassy hops smell, with a sweet malt and a slight hint of alcohol. 8% ABV is bigger than most, but not too big for a DIPA.
Whoa. It has such a big scotch hit to it that I had to look this beer up and see if it wasn't barrel aged. It wasn't, as best as I can tell. And the description from the brewery throws in just about every fruit they can think of as taste descriptors, and I just don't get it. I can taste the grapefruit in the mid-aftertaste, but the biggest thing about this beer is the oak taste, followed by the solidly bitter hops.
Good beer. Wish I'd had a warning about the scotch, but it's pretty good nonetheless.
Saturday, October 16, 2010
Left Hand Brewing Company's 400 Pound Monkey English-Style India Pale Ale
Pours a yellowish amber with a decent enough light tan head. Slightly grassy, more malt than the last IPA I had, which is a good sign.
Tastes nice, I'm betting this has been laying around a while so I bet it would be better if it was newer. Grassy hops that are fairly moderate, with a lighter body than I would like.
All in all, there's nothing that stands out about this one. Not bad, but not great, just a middle of the road IPA. That's about par for this brewery, from my experience.
Tastes nice, I'm betting this has been laying around a while so I bet it would be better if it was newer. Grassy hops that are fairly moderate, with a lighter body than I would like.
All in all, there's nothing that stands out about this one. Not bad, but not great, just a middle of the road IPA. That's about par for this brewery, from my experience.
Twisted Pine Brewing Company's Hoppy Boy IPA
Damn. Foams out of the bottle, then again right out of the glass. Too bad, because it smells like it would be a good IPA.
Pours a nice amber with a tan head, and there must be some carbonation left because it's loosely filtered with particulates that rise to the top and then sink again. Smells nice. Very grassy, and slightly sweet.
Despite the apparent carbonation, it feels dead. It tastes nice because it's still pretty grassy and bitter and despite the slight sweetness there's no feel to it at all. I'm certain it's because of how it foamed out, but regardless of why it makes this a weak beer because it just feels wrong.
Pours a nice amber with a tan head, and there must be some carbonation left because it's loosely filtered with particulates that rise to the top and then sink again. Smells nice. Very grassy, and slightly sweet.
Despite the apparent carbonation, it feels dead. It tastes nice because it's still pretty grassy and bitter and despite the slight sweetness there's no feel to it at all. I'm certain it's because of how it foamed out, but regardless of why it makes this a weak beer because it just feels wrong.
Tuesday, October 12, 2010
Xingu Black Beer
I bought this thinking it was from China. Oh well.
Pours black alright. Color and body of a standard stout, with a fizzy head but I'm going to stick with my gut that it's an ale and not a lager. Smells kind of like a porter. Slightly sweeter than a stout, with a smaller roasted smell.
Whoa. It's like drinking fizzy raisins. Blech. Too sweet with a weird tobacco (cigar, not pipe or cigarette) aftertaste. Stay away from this one.
Pours black alright. Color and body of a standard stout, with a fizzy head but I'm going to stick with my gut that it's an ale and not a lager. Smells kind of like a porter. Slightly sweeter than a stout, with a smaller roasted smell.
Whoa. It's like drinking fizzy raisins. Blech. Too sweet with a weird tobacco (cigar, not pipe or cigarette) aftertaste. Stay away from this one.
D.G. Yuengling and Sons' Yuengling Porter
So, my first Yuengling. From what I can tell it's like the Shiner of Pennsylvania, but with a longer history. Sounds good to me.
Pours nice. Like a stout with a hint of red and a nice medium-tan head that stays pretty well. Smells great. Roasted malt with a sweet floral hops, but both are subtle. Tannins are even more so.
Nice. Still very mild, very much like a schwarzbier, but enough body and tannins to distinguish it. A good version of the style, and a very good beer.
Pours nice. Like a stout with a hint of red and a nice medium-tan head that stays pretty well. Smells great. Roasted malt with a sweet floral hops, but both are subtle. Tannins are even more so.
Nice. Still very mild, very much like a schwarzbier, but enough body and tannins to distinguish it. A good version of the style, and a very good beer.
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Spoetzel Brewery's Marzen-Style Oktoberfest
I don't remember this last year--glad to see another Texas Oktoberfest, even if it is likely to taste like Shiner Bock with a twist. It has '96' on the neck label--maybe this is what they brewed that year for their anniversary beer.
Pours very light orange with a ton of carbonation and a nice light tan head that stays for quite a while. Clear Shiner smell to it. It also has a sweeter malt taste to it, but to me it has hints of bock.
Bigger than the clear color would indicate, but more bland than expected. I like Marzen-style beers to be a little spicier, to feel a little more like Fall. This one, is just kind of bland.
Pours very light orange with a ton of carbonation and a nice light tan head that stays for quite a while. Clear Shiner smell to it. It also has a sweeter malt taste to it, but to me it has hints of bock.
Bigger than the clear color would indicate, but more bland than expected. I like Marzen-style beers to be a little spicier, to feel a little more like Fall. This one, is just kind of bland.
Friday, October 8, 2010
Dogfish Head's 60 Minute IPA
I was surprised to see that my Dogfish Head beers, except for the big ones, predate my posts here. Been a while and I've felt no real urge to go back and buy more of them, because I have always considered this brewery's IPAs a bit overrated.
Pours a hazy almost amber with a huge pillowy tan head. Throws off a ton of floral hops at first, but then kind of dies out in the smell. Slightly sweet, more from the hops than the malt, it seems.
This one tastes kind of like your regular old pale. Nice body to it with a decent amount of malt, but the hops take a back seat to the hops, which you wouldn't expect from an IPA, much less "The continually-hopped" one.
Pretty much like I remembered it--average.
Pours a hazy almost amber with a huge pillowy tan head. Throws off a ton of floral hops at first, but then kind of dies out in the smell. Slightly sweet, more from the hops than the malt, it seems.
This one tastes kind of like your regular old pale. Nice body to it with a decent amount of malt, but the hops take a back seat to the hops, which you wouldn't expect from an IPA, much less "The continually-hopped" one.
Pretty much like I remembered it--average.
Summit Brewing Company's Horizon Red Ale
Pours right. Reddish, to almost brown, actually. Light tan head that stays well. Decent enough smell, slightly sweet and crisp, with a raw hops smell as well.
Not bad. A bit harsh, maybe, like the raw smell indicated, but overall it';s pretty good. I've had a few Summit beers and was surprised to see that I haven't posted about them, but this one is my favorite so far, from what I remember.
Not bad. A bit harsh, maybe, like the raw smell indicated, but overall it';s pretty good. I've had a few Summit beers and was surprised to see that I haven't posted about them, but this one is my favorite so far, from what I remember.
San Miguel's Dark Lager
Here's how you know you have a problem--even a crap beer is a must-buy because you haven't seen the dark version of the crap beer you've had before.
Pours a deep brown, with a nice tan head that's fizzy like it should be for a lager. Smells sickly sweet though, and a bit like raisins. I hate that I just used that word in describing a beer. Someone please shoot me if I ever say 'cloying'.
Eh. Just a stronger Budweiser. A little sweeter, a little more roasted, and a little more bitter. Not a very good beer, because it's just too sweet.
Pours a deep brown, with a nice tan head that's fizzy like it should be for a lager. Smells sickly sweet though, and a bit like raisins. I hate that I just used that word in describing a beer. Someone please shoot me if I ever say 'cloying'.
Eh. Just a stronger Budweiser. A little sweeter, a little more roasted, and a little more bitter. Not a very good beer, because it's just too sweet.
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Laguinitas Brewing Company's Imperial Red Ale
Finally, a Lagunitas beer without a stupid name.
Pours a deeper red than most, so that's another step in the right direction. Decent enough tan head that thins to a sheet, which is fairly standard for a red/amber.
Nice, sweet smell. Kind of a light, floral hops, which adds to the sweet smell. Not bready, or grainy, just sweet.
Good hit, close to an IPA. The hops are grassier than I expected, which I guess is what makes it taste like an IPA to me. Sure, it's basically an amber and an imperial amber is basically an IPA, but still. And because of the sweetness, it also reminds me of a substantially lighter Old Foghorn, from Anchor.
Very nice beer. I like just about everything Lagunitas brews, just not what they call them.
Pours a deeper red than most, so that's another step in the right direction. Decent enough tan head that thins to a sheet, which is fairly standard for a red/amber.
Nice, sweet smell. Kind of a light, floral hops, which adds to the sweet smell. Not bready, or grainy, just sweet.
Good hit, close to an IPA. The hops are grassier than I expected, which I guess is what makes it taste like an IPA to me. Sure, it's basically an amber and an imperial amber is basically an IPA, but still. And because of the sweetness, it also reminds me of a substantially lighter Old Foghorn, from Anchor.
Very nice beer. I like just about everything Lagunitas brews, just not what they call them.
Sunday, October 3, 2010
Pike Brewing Company's 2009 Pike Entire Wood Aged Stout
On a good note, I see that none of my old reviews of Pike beers are on this blog. So, I have an excuse to buy them all again.
I can't remember where I got this one, or how long ago. I'm hoping that they didn't over-do the wood aged aspect, as so many brewers are prone to do in an attempt to be bigger than they really are. Pike always does the bigger beers right though.
This one pours black. Completely opaque with a nice dark tan head. Throws off a big, grainy, roasted smell. Not really scotchy, like some wood aged beers can be, but instead slightly oaky with some vanilla. That's good.
Nice. Big and smooth, not quite an imperial but more than a standard stout. Good roasted flavor that's closer to coffee than chocolate, with the vanilla still slightly present.
Very good beer. Makes me want to make the rounds through the Pike beers even sooner. I'll pick up the seasonals as they appear, but I have too many singles to go out and pick up more right now.
A good problem to have, I guess.
I can't remember where I got this one, or how long ago. I'm hoping that they didn't over-do the wood aged aspect, as so many brewers are prone to do in an attempt to be bigger than they really are. Pike always does the bigger beers right though.
This one pours black. Completely opaque with a nice dark tan head. Throws off a big, grainy, roasted smell. Not really scotchy, like some wood aged beers can be, but instead slightly oaky with some vanilla. That's good.
Nice. Big and smooth, not quite an imperial but more than a standard stout. Good roasted flavor that's closer to coffee than chocolate, with the vanilla still slightly present.
Very good beer. Makes me want to make the rounds through the Pike beers even sooner. I'll pick up the seasonals as they appear, but I have too many singles to go out and pick up more right now.
A good problem to have, I guess.
Michigan Brewing Company's Celis White
This post will be proof positive to the one person who ever reads it that I can be objective. Just because I don't like something, doesn't mean it isn't done right.
This one pours a hazy yellow with a fizzy white head that fades fairly quickly. Throws off a ton of floral hops and that weird, chemical smelling yeast that I don't like. But, of course, it's supposed to be like that.
Ooof. Smells the same. Do.Not.Like.
Yeah, tastes to me like a weak form of cleaning solution. It's zippy and light, with a huge amount of the Belgian-type yeast that I just cannot stand.
But for the style, it's very good. It has all of the characteristics that a Belgian wit should have, and is fairly strong for one as well. So if you like for even the lighter beers to have a little more kick than usual, and like Belgians, you'll like this one.
I just don't, though.
This one pours a hazy yellow with a fizzy white head that fades fairly quickly. Throws off a ton of floral hops and that weird, chemical smelling yeast that I don't like. But, of course, it's supposed to be like that.
Ooof. Smells the same. Do.Not.Like.
Yeah, tastes to me like a weak form of cleaning solution. It's zippy and light, with a huge amount of the Belgian-type yeast that I just cannot stand.
But for the style, it's very good. It has all of the characteristics that a Belgian wit should have, and is fairly strong for one as well. So if you like for even the lighter beers to have a little more kick than usual, and like Belgians, you'll like this one.
I just don't, though.
Buzzards Bay Brewing Company's Buzzard's Bay Brown
Man, I remember the last time I looked up this brewery I found that it had been sold and the labels discontinued. And that felt like a year ago. Still, it's sitting in the cellar, so I'm trying it tonight. Besides, I just came back from out of state with about 40 new beers to try, so I'm cleaning house.
Pours a clear, slightly coppery brown with a nice enough tan head. Browns never seem to have much in the way of carbonation or head, and this one follows that trend.
Smells fine. Earthy malt, slightly nutty, low hops that are more floral than bitter.
Nice enough taste as well. It is still a bit raw feeling like a brown should be, but it has lost quite a bit of its zip. This beer is well over a year old, so that's expected. I bet it was really good back then. It's pretty good now.
It's also gone for good.
Pours a clear, slightly coppery brown with a nice enough tan head. Browns never seem to have much in the way of carbonation or head, and this one follows that trend.
Smells fine. Earthy malt, slightly nutty, low hops that are more floral than bitter.
Nice enough taste as well. It is still a bit raw feeling like a brown should be, but it has lost quite a bit of its zip. This beer is well over a year old, so that's expected. I bet it was really good back then. It's pretty good now.
It's also gone for good.
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