North Coast Brewing Company's Ruedrich's Red Seal Ale

This beer is another example of why this is a great brewery. Whatever they do, it's done well.

Pours a perfect deep amber with a huge tan head and good carbonation. It's the way this type should look.

Smells great as well. Great balance between a slightly sweet bready malt and slightly grassy and bitter hops. The malt is slightly more prominent.

The taste is reversed, with the bitterness taking the lead. Not grassy, just bitter, with a dry feel to it. The dryness lightens the body a bit, but it's still fairly substantial for an amber. Lingering bitterness stays in the aftertaste. Slight tartness as well, to supplement the bitterness.

Great hoppy amber.

North Coast Brewing Company's Scrimshaw Pilsner

We just had a cold snap here in Houston, so you'd think tonight would call for at least a porter, and maybe a stout or barley wine. But, dinner is a huge bowl of a pretty spicy lentil soup, and nothing goes better with spicy food than a pilsner.

This one pours a super clear yellow, with a white head that thins but stays due to good carbonation. That's fairly unusual for a pils, even a malty German one.

Smells crisp and has the right pils funk, but it's pretty light. More sophisticated? We'll see. Definitely smells maltier. Not quite sweet, but just more substantial.

It's a more subtle, more malty German pils, instead of a more funky in your face Czech type. Moderate bitterness with a heavier body than a Czech, so it doesn't fizz away in the feel as fast and isn't as sharp in the smell or taste.

Good beer. I prefer Chezchs, but this is right on type for a German. My only complaint is that it's a little too sweet, but again that's from the maltier German style. Many people say a German pils is a lot hoppier, but this one shows that you can do it right without over-hopping it (I'm looking at you, Prima Pils, you ridiculous excuse for a beer).