Sierra Nevada is without a doubt the best quasi-macro brewery out there. This is what Sam Adams can never be, but BBC fanboys claim it is. They don't even come close. And if anyone from SN reads this (I know they won') dont take the quasi-macro thing the wrong way. You've maintained your quality hile increasing production. You haven't pandered to the mass market by dumbing down your beers, which BBC has done shamelessly, while promoting themselves as craft the whole time. I'm far more offended by ther commercials than anyting BMC ever put out. So I was glad to see this one finally hit my local store after I got back from vacation.
Pours like a big amber. Deep orangish amber color with a great light tan head that thins a bit but stays with decent carbonation. Great grassy hops smell, backed by solid bready malt. This is what an IPA is supposed to smell like, and in testament to the "extra" part, it actually smells pretty close to some barley wines.
Dang. This one grabs you. You can taste the bitterness even in the roof of your mouth. Perfect feel to it, substantial and smooth. After you adjust to it, the bitterness gives way to a sweet malt that gives it its body. Solid, grassy, excellent bitterness.
Eh, I don't like the name, but everything else about this beer is right where it should be. You know the other brewers are pissed that they put out an IIPA. I can't wait to see if they come out with an RIS. It'll be Code Brown for other brewers, as SN will make an even bigger dent in BMC and the micro market.
Good stuff.
Saturday, March 28, 2009
Southern Star Brewing Company's Bombshell Blonde Ale
I hope this one fares better than Pine Belt Pale Ale did post-hops shortage. Pine Belt was too piney, but solid, until the hops shortage killed it. Some say it's back, but not the last time I tried it.
Anyway, their Blonde Bombshell has some great nose art on it, and I've been looking out for it because I've heard good things.
Pours pretty deep for a blonde, with a solid amber color and a huge light tan head that throws off a floral sweetness with a hint of slightly grassy hops and grainy malt. Most blondes ae closer to lagers, lighter in color and feel with a fizzy head that recedes fairly quickly. This one sticks. Pine Belt was strong for a pale, and I think his one is shaping up to be strong for a blonde. An Imperial Blonde? I've drank (drunk?) weirder things. Looks loosely filtered and I guess the head took pretty much all of the carbonation out of it, as there's just a few bubbles rising slowly.
Yeah, it's hoppier than a blonde should be. A hollow bitterness, with a hollow aftertaste that ends up tasting about like wet cardboard smells. Like a lot of blondes with big hoots, it looks promising but is kind of vacuous. And the more I think of it, the bitterness comes more from the cardboard taste than the hops, what with only 20 IBU's, but that's even worse than a beer that's overly hopped.
For Texas blondes I'll reach for a Shiner next time.
Anyway, their Blonde Bombshell has some great nose art on it, and I've been looking out for it because I've heard good things.
Pours pretty deep for a blonde, with a solid amber color and a huge light tan head that throws off a floral sweetness with a hint of slightly grassy hops and grainy malt. Most blondes ae closer to lagers, lighter in color and feel with a fizzy head that recedes fairly quickly. This one sticks. Pine Belt was strong for a pale, and I think his one is shaping up to be strong for a blonde. An Imperial Blonde? I've drank (drunk?) weirder things. Looks loosely filtered and I guess the head took pretty much all of the carbonation out of it, as there's just a few bubbles rising slowly.
Yeah, it's hoppier than a blonde should be. A hollow bitterness, with a hollow aftertaste that ends up tasting about like wet cardboard smells. Like a lot of blondes with big hoots, it looks promising but is kind of vacuous. And the more I think of it, the bitterness comes more from the cardboard taste than the hops, what with only 20 IBU's, but that's even worse than a beer that's overly hopped.
For Texas blondes I'll reach for a Shiner next time.
Wednesday, March 25, 2009
Four + Brewing Company's Rype
I don't know man, I think I may be headed downhill. Billed as "like a Beligian, but you can't tell from the looks." Well, I don't like Belgians. And thelooks are piss poor. So this one is getting ready to both suck and blow.
Pours a horribly clear cider-ey transparent orange. Doesn't look like a beer so much as a flavored ice tea. It's from Utah, so I guess that's no surprise. Dull light tan head that thins to spots very quickly.Yeah, smells like a wit. A hint of orange citrus, but dull.
Water in Houston has more body and flavor than this (and that explains the third testicle I've grown). Dull, flat taste. Like a half-strength lager, or a Michelob. Fine, make that 1/4 strength.
The best thing about this beer is the aftertaste. Mostly because it means you're that much closer to not having to taste it any more, but it's actually a decent balance of hops and malt, once the beer is down.
Pours a horribly clear cider-ey transparent orange. Doesn't look like a beer so much as a flavored ice tea. It's from Utah, so I guess that's no surprise. Dull light tan head that thins to spots very quickly.Yeah, smells like a wit. A hint of orange citrus, but dull.
Water in Houston has more body and flavor than this (and that explains the third testicle I've grown). Dull, flat taste. Like a half-strength lager, or a Michelob. Fine, make that 1/4 strength.
The best thing about this beer is the aftertaste. Mostly because it means you're that much closer to not having to taste it any more, but it's actually a decent balance of hops and malt, once the beer is down.
Harpoon Brewery's Hibernian Irish Style Red Ale
Been on vacation in kind of a beer wasteland. Great tequila though.
It'll be good to kick off the new posts with a beer from a brewery I've never tried. Don't know why, just never have.
Harpoon's Hibernian pours a perfect red with a dull tan head that stays a while. Moderate to low carbonation.
Smells fantastic. Bready and crisp, like a red/amber should be. Not muddled by any off or slow smells, just a sharp, crisp, bread smell.
Grainy taste as well, with solid bitterness that is in line with a pale or red. It fades to a bit of a cardboard taste though, kind of like Coors, which is disappointing. Like husks, or wet paper. Definitely not crisp in the taste like in the smell.
Maybe I should have started back with a Founders Breakfast Stout instead.
It'll be good to kick off the new posts with a beer from a brewery I've never tried. Don't know why, just never have.
Harpoon's Hibernian pours a perfect red with a dull tan head that stays a while. Moderate to low carbonation.
Smells fantastic. Bready and crisp, like a red/amber should be. Not muddled by any off or slow smells, just a sharp, crisp, bread smell.
Grainy taste as well, with solid bitterness that is in line with a pale or red. It fades to a bit of a cardboard taste though, kind of like Coors, which is disappointing. Like husks, or wet paper. Definitely not crisp in the taste like in the smell.
Maybe I should have started back with a Founders Breakfast Stout instead.
Sunday, March 1, 2009
Independence Brewing Company's 2008 Jasperilla Old Ale
As a general rule, you shouldn't follow a big barleywine with a smaller beer, but an old ale is generally big enough to stand up for itself, and truth be told it's the five corn dogs with mustard that will affect the taste of this beer more than anything else.
This one pours a deep amber with a good light tan head that stays afloat with moderate carbonation. Smells like a light amber with a hint of Belgian yeast. Not too bad, but not as pronounced as many old ales. Just a hint of citrus--oranges nore than limes.
Huh. Pretty solid. Good malty bread taste backed up by a decent if indistinct bitterness. I know I call lots of beers 'bready' but it just seems to fit. Although this one isn't too sweet, it fits here too. All in all this is very balanced beer. Big feel, almost as strong as thick as a barleywine, with solid bitterness and malt. Nothing overrides anything else, except as the taste fades to a good bitterness in the aftertaste.
This brewery has surprised me. I've heard mixed reviews, but so far everything I've tried has been well worth it.
This one pours a deep amber with a good light tan head that stays afloat with moderate carbonation. Smells like a light amber with a hint of Belgian yeast. Not too bad, but not as pronounced as many old ales. Just a hint of citrus--oranges nore than limes.
Huh. Pretty solid. Good malty bread taste backed up by a decent if indistinct bitterness. I know I call lots of beers 'bready' but it just seems to fit. Although this one isn't too sweet, it fits here too. All in all this is very balanced beer. Big feel, almost as strong as thick as a barleywine, with solid bitterness and malt. Nothing overrides anything else, except as the taste fades to a good bitterness in the aftertaste.
This brewery has surprised me. I've heard mixed reviews, but so far everything I've tried has been well worth it.
Anchor Brewing Company's Old Foghorn Barleywine
Another of my favorite seasonals from this excellent brewery, Old Foghorn packs a decent punch.
Pours a deep copper that you can't quite see through until it settles, with a huge pillowy tan head. Slow, small carbonation.
As the head recedes it throws off an almost bourbon smell, but the sharp bourbon smell fades just a bit to allow a sweet bready smell to come through. The hops don't really stand a chance against that much malt and alcohol, but it's under there somewhere.
You know, I think Belgian monks could fast longer on a barleywine than a quad. This is almost meaty. Foghorn has more bourbon flavor than other barleywines, and it's a little sweeter than my favorites, but it's hard to make a beer with this large of a grain bill without it coming across as sweet and bready. And the bready I like, the more the better, but the man flaw in this one is that it's a bit too sweet. And I don't remember that it had such a bourbon hit to it last year, which is also a downer for me, but overall it's a great beer. I'm saving the other five to see how they age, right next to a case of '09 Bigfoot. Should be fun.
Pours a deep copper that you can't quite see through until it settles, with a huge pillowy tan head. Slow, small carbonation.
As the head recedes it throws off an almost bourbon smell, but the sharp bourbon smell fades just a bit to allow a sweet bready smell to come through. The hops don't really stand a chance against that much malt and alcohol, but it's under there somewhere.
You know, I think Belgian monks could fast longer on a barleywine than a quad. This is almost meaty. Foghorn has more bourbon flavor than other barleywines, and it's a little sweeter than my favorites, but it's hard to make a beer with this large of a grain bill without it coming across as sweet and bready. And the bready I like, the more the better, but the man flaw in this one is that it's a bit too sweet. And I don't remember that it had such a bourbon hit to it last year, which is also a downer for me, but overall it's a great beer. I'm saving the other five to see how they age, right next to a case of '09 Bigfoot. Should be fun.
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