As you all know, Nick has no taste in beer.
Last year, Germany won his "Ale-Lympics" Tonight, I go through a few German beers with my beer drinking group.
1) Einbecker Mai-Ur-Bock. This is literally the name of this one. Eminently compliant with the German Purity Laws, or as I would call them, the "beer can be really boring too" rules, this one's pretty plain. Nothing wrong with it, but I can't imagine anyone getting too excited with it. Definitely a functional session beer.
2) Reissdorf Kolsch. One thing Nick and I agree on is that Kolschbier is a good beer. This one's a pretty good example of the style. Light, refreshing, crisp... (super-secret beer Agent Al informs me that Kolsch, to be Kolsch, is supposed to come from Cologne (the guy running the tasting says "20 miles"... don't they use the metric system in Deutschland?)... I guess that homebrew Nick made in Providence can't actually be called a Kolsch... welcome to "Kolsch-style", Nick.)
3) Pinkus Organic Ur-Pils. I'm a little sick of organic beer, but judging from the information I can find about Pinkus online, they may have been a little bit ahead of the trend on this organic nonsense. This one's pretty clean, with less hop character than you expect from a pilsner--and really, less flavor than most beers period. That's a pilsner for you...
4) Georg Schneider Wiesen Edel-Weisse. Beer Advocate loves this beer (like seriously LOVES it)--another organic offering from the Germans. Heavy banana bread and clove in a pretty tasty and well rounded weizen. Tastes like a baked good, and is highly drinkable.
5) Ayinger Brau-Weisse Hefeweizen. This is a sweet beer. Both sweet in the colloquial (awesome) sense, and sweet in the sugary sense. They're pouring it a little strangely--I was lucky enough to get the bottom of the bottle, and they're not pouring it like a hefe, so I've gotten a load of the unfiltered yeast and wheat remainders. Packing a ton of flavor--all the usual hefe stuff and some citrus as well. In fairness, I may only have been getting such a heavy dose of flavor because I was lucky enough to get the bottom of the bottle. About to try Al's (poured from the top of a bottle): similar flavor profile, just muted when you compare it to mine. Still, a good flavor.
6) Monchshof Schwarzbier. Haven't tasted it yet, but the nose is sheer heaven--dark fruits, a detectable alcohol undertone, and some beet sugar flavor. Al's getting chocolate, which I think I'm getting as plums and dark berry. The flavor doesn't hold up to the nose, unfortunately--it's a little on the watery end, with some nice flavors, but they're relatively weak flavors. I'm definitely getting more chocolate on the taste, but losing a lot of the interesting fruits. Some hints of Rauschbier smoked flavors that don't really mesh with the rest of the flavor profile.
7) Schneider and Sohn Aventinus Doppelbock. Beer Advocate loves this one as well--I've reviewed the Ayinger Celebrator elsewhere on this blog, another BA-hyped doppelbock. Strong nose--some chocolate, some alcohol, some Oktoberfest sugar... the taste actually keeps up with the nose on this one--it's complex and interesting, lots of cool flavors, with some nice clove background, and other tasty excitingness.
That's all, folks. Some excellent beers... but anyone (NICK) who thinks Germany should win the Ale-lympics has another think coming.
Tuesday, November 17, 2009
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Old World/New World: East Coast/West Coast
Another LiveBlog... 3 styles, 3 takes (Europe, East Coast US, West Coast US) on each one of them.
A. Lagers:
1) Paulaner Pilsner--you all know this one by now. If you don't, go try the damn thing.
2) Buzzards Bay Lager--not sure which one specifically... let's be honest... you've had 400 East-Coast American lagers at this point. This one's just fine, but nothing special... it's pretty hairy on the finish--American brewers need to figure out how to balance the hoppiness in some of these. This is one of those.
3) Anchor Steam Beer--California Common is anything but. I doubt any of you need my thoughts on one of the most-discussed American brews. Thanks for saving craft-brewing, and thanks for a delicious brew.
B. IPAs:
Despite the recent trend of intense IPA-hatred among brew-heads, we've got three offerings.
1) Burton IPA--raise your hand if you've ever had a true English IPA. What? Nobody?!? This stuff is hard to come by, but it is the right way to have an IPA. So much more dynamic than the American pretenders, with fascinating malt on the front and a near-caramel syrupy undersweet. The hop character is still powerful and still strong, but it's balanced. And interesting. Which makes it radically different than the American IPAs. (Which I still love).
2) Berkshire Brewing Company (BBC) IPA--welcome to America. Still, more balanced and interesting than most of the American IPAs--some interesting fruit, and some sweet malts that come through at the front. Worth a try, especially if you're a fan of the style.
3) Green Flash IPA--the Westest of the West Coast. Very green taste at the front, and the hops are fun, but you absolutely can't taste the malt one bit. Too bad, because it's an interesting hop profile, and some balance would make it one hell of a beer.
Porters:
1) Samuel Smith Tadcaster--readers, you know what I mean when I say something is a dogshow beer, yes? This one is a dogshow beer. In a big way. I appreciate a good porter, and this is a very pure porter--maybe even a little bit less roasted flavor than most. It's good stuff.
2) Mayflower Porter--perhaps too roasted, a little too sharp on the bottom, but otherwise, tasty.
3) Mad River Steelhead Stout--some chocolate on the nose; a little reminiscent of the Abita TurboDog with the sweet scent. Good malt balance on the nose as well. Well-rounded on the front, with a little hidden sugar and chocolate, largely overwhelmed by slightly dry malts. The middle bottoms out a little bit (unsurprising, since the bottle bills it as a "Scotch Style Porter,) and rolls smoothly into a nicely roasted finish with a tiny bit of very dark fruit peeking through. This is emphatically NOT a session beer, but it is an excellent single-glass beer.
A. Lagers:
1) Paulaner Pilsner--you all know this one by now. If you don't, go try the damn thing.
2) Buzzards Bay Lager--not sure which one specifically... let's be honest... you've had 400 East-Coast American lagers at this point. This one's just fine, but nothing special... it's pretty hairy on the finish--American brewers need to figure out how to balance the hoppiness in some of these. This is one of those.
3) Anchor Steam Beer--California Common is anything but. I doubt any of you need my thoughts on one of the most-discussed American brews. Thanks for saving craft-brewing, and thanks for a delicious brew.
B. IPAs:
Despite the recent trend of intense IPA-hatred among brew-heads, we've got three offerings.
1) Burton IPA--raise your hand if you've ever had a true English IPA. What? Nobody?!? This stuff is hard to come by, but it is the right way to have an IPA. So much more dynamic than the American pretenders, with fascinating malt on the front and a near-caramel syrupy undersweet. The hop character is still powerful and still strong, but it's balanced. And interesting. Which makes it radically different than the American IPAs. (Which I still love).
2) Berkshire Brewing Company (BBC) IPA--welcome to America. Still, more balanced and interesting than most of the American IPAs--some interesting fruit, and some sweet malts that come through at the front. Worth a try, especially if you're a fan of the style.
3) Green Flash IPA--the Westest of the West Coast. Very green taste at the front, and the hops are fun, but you absolutely can't taste the malt one bit. Too bad, because it's an interesting hop profile, and some balance would make it one hell of a beer.
Porters:
1) Samuel Smith Tadcaster--readers, you know what I mean when I say something is a dogshow beer, yes? This one is a dogshow beer. In a big way. I appreciate a good porter, and this is a very pure porter--maybe even a little bit less roasted flavor than most. It's good stuff.
2) Mayflower Porter--perhaps too roasted, a little too sharp on the bottom, but otherwise, tasty.
3) Mad River Steelhead Stout--some chocolate on the nose; a little reminiscent of the Abita TurboDog with the sweet scent. Good malt balance on the nose as well. Well-rounded on the front, with a little hidden sugar and chocolate, largely overwhelmed by slightly dry malts. The middle bottoms out a little bit (unsurprising, since the bottle bills it as a "Scotch Style Porter,) and rolls smoothly into a nicely roasted finish with a tiny bit of very dark fruit peeking through. This is emphatically NOT a session beer, but it is an excellent single-glass beer.
Tuesday, October 13, 2009
LiveBlog of a Beer Event
At a fall-tasting event for a beer club... thought it might be a nice return to the blog to liveblog the tasting. It looks like we'll be tasting 9 different beers.
#1) Spaten Oktoberfest
It looks like one of two actual German Oktoberfests on this evening's menu. Very sweet, but more sting on the front than I'd expect from an Oktoberfest with the kind of acclaim that usually accompanies this beer. Nice honey in the nose. I'm NOT an Oktoberfest guy, but if you are, this one's a solid example of the style.
#2) Paulaner Oktoberfest
Actual German Oktoberfest numero dos. A mellower nose, and a mellower flavor as well. The sweet isn't quite as overwhelming, and the beer has an almost distilled quality to it. It's very clean, but maybe a little too clean. Or maybe I just don't like the sickly-sweet Oktoberfestiness.
#3) Otter Creek Oktoberfest
My concerns with Otter Creek are well-documented elsewhere on this blog. This beer does NOTHING to alleviate my problems with them. Someone at Otter Creek missed the memo suggesting that Oktoberfests be smooth... it's the one positive trait of the style, and this beer's got enough front-side carbonation to prevent the word "smooth" from entering the conversation.
#4) Brooklyn Oktoberfest
Another Oktoberfest. My cup runneth over. Or something. Less sickly sweet than the Otter Creek--still an inappropriate amount of front-end carbonation, and definitely some clear notes of syrup once the carbonation recedes... but still, altogether too sickly. The nose isn't bad--it reminds me a bit of Otter-San, the Otter Creek sake-lager... not sure if that's what you want in an Oktober, but there it is.
#5) Berskshire Oktoberfest
Barleywine on the nose. Or maybe taffy/toffee. Haven't tasted it yet, but it may be the beer with the shot to redeem Oktoberfests... Here goes the taste. Completely and totally hopless, but a fair bit of acid, especially on the finish. It's very sweet, but not as syrupy as the others. I like it the most of the bunch, but that's probably because it's really not an Oktoberfest. Apparently 6.8% ABV... but it's not hidden at all. Al and I both suspected it would be higher, higher, higher.
Now we move to the pumpkins. Nick would be sad to know that Shipyard's Pumpkinhead isn't here, and there's only one beer here that I haven't had before, but the three I have had are all excellent pumpkins.
#6) Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale
This beer just smells like autumn. The Australian next to me just said, "this is my first pumpkin beer. I kind of like, sort of a strong aftertaste. Crazy pumpkin beer." Thank you Australia. "Pumpkin is not a dessert fruit. It is a vegetable. And while I'm at it, what the hell is the difference between pumpkin and butternut squash?" Apparently in Australia, butternut squash are called "butternut pumpkins." Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi.
Back to the beer: really nice nose. Lots of spice going on... nutmeg and cinnamon for sure. The pumpkin's overwhelmed in the beer, but it's still a nice beer--it's just not much of a pumpkin. Good spice--it would actually be a pretty nice winter.
#7) Post Road Pumpkin Ale
This is the pumpkin offering that I've never had before. It's apparently Brooklyn's pumpkin beer. Pumpkin on the nose, but still dominantly spices. Similar flavor to the Smuttynose... same spices, more pumpkin, but the spices are largely identical. I'm definitely in the minority on this, but I've never been crazy about Brooklyn's stuff in general--this is no exception. It's good, but it's far from great.
#8) Dogfish Head Punk
A good one. I'm pretty sure I've talked about it before... so I won't bore you again.
#9) Southern Tier Punking
Readers, you know Nick's and my feelings on Southern Tier. That is to say, our feelings on EVERYTHING the brewery produces. This beer is no exception. With no offense to Nick's favorite beer, the ever-delicious Pumpkinhead, this beer is far and away the finest of the pumpkins. End of story. I will admit, for what it's worth, that it's tough to drink on the tail-end of eight other beers. The vanilla and coconut are a little overwhelming if you're not drinking it earlier in the night.
Sadly, must run to another meeting. Adieu, readers. Adieu.
#1) Spaten Oktoberfest
It looks like one of two actual German Oktoberfests on this evening's menu. Very sweet, but more sting on the front than I'd expect from an Oktoberfest with the kind of acclaim that usually accompanies this beer. Nice honey in the nose. I'm NOT an Oktoberfest guy, but if you are, this one's a solid example of the style.
#2) Paulaner Oktoberfest
Actual German Oktoberfest numero dos. A mellower nose, and a mellower flavor as well. The sweet isn't quite as overwhelming, and the beer has an almost distilled quality to it. It's very clean, but maybe a little too clean. Or maybe I just don't like the sickly-sweet Oktoberfestiness.
#3) Otter Creek Oktoberfest
My concerns with Otter Creek are well-documented elsewhere on this blog. This beer does NOTHING to alleviate my problems with them. Someone at Otter Creek missed the memo suggesting that Oktoberfests be smooth... it's the one positive trait of the style, and this beer's got enough front-side carbonation to prevent the word "smooth" from entering the conversation.
#4) Brooklyn Oktoberfest
Another Oktoberfest. My cup runneth over. Or something. Less sickly sweet than the Otter Creek--still an inappropriate amount of front-end carbonation, and definitely some clear notes of syrup once the carbonation recedes... but still, altogether too sickly. The nose isn't bad--it reminds me a bit of Otter-San, the Otter Creek sake-lager... not sure if that's what you want in an Oktober, but there it is.
#5) Berskshire Oktoberfest
Barleywine on the nose. Or maybe taffy/toffee. Haven't tasted it yet, but it may be the beer with the shot to redeem Oktoberfests... Here goes the taste. Completely and totally hopless, but a fair bit of acid, especially on the finish. It's very sweet, but not as syrupy as the others. I like it the most of the bunch, but that's probably because it's really not an Oktoberfest. Apparently 6.8% ABV... but it's not hidden at all. Al and I both suspected it would be higher, higher, higher.
Now we move to the pumpkins. Nick would be sad to know that Shipyard's Pumpkinhead isn't here, and there's only one beer here that I haven't had before, but the three I have had are all excellent pumpkins.
#6) Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale
This beer just smells like autumn. The Australian next to me just said, "this is my first pumpkin beer. I kind of like, sort of a strong aftertaste. Crazy pumpkin beer." Thank you Australia. "Pumpkin is not a dessert fruit. It is a vegetable. And while I'm at it, what the hell is the difference between pumpkin and butternut squash?" Apparently in Australia, butternut squash are called "butternut pumpkins." Aussie Aussie Aussie, Oi Oi Oi.
Back to the beer: really nice nose. Lots of spice going on... nutmeg and cinnamon for sure. The pumpkin's overwhelmed in the beer, but it's still a nice beer--it's just not much of a pumpkin. Good spice--it would actually be a pretty nice winter.
#7) Post Road Pumpkin Ale
This is the pumpkin offering that I've never had before. It's apparently Brooklyn's pumpkin beer. Pumpkin on the nose, but still dominantly spices. Similar flavor to the Smuttynose... same spices, more pumpkin, but the spices are largely identical. I'm definitely in the minority on this, but I've never been crazy about Brooklyn's stuff in general--this is no exception. It's good, but it's far from great.
#8) Dogfish Head Punk
A good one. I'm pretty sure I've talked about it before... so I won't bore you again.
#9) Southern Tier Punking
Readers, you know Nick's and my feelings on Southern Tier. That is to say, our feelings on EVERYTHING the brewery produces. This beer is no exception. With no offense to Nick's favorite beer, the ever-delicious Pumpkinhead, this beer is far and away the finest of the pumpkins. End of story. I will admit, for what it's worth, that it's tough to drink on the tail-end of eight other beers. The vanilla and coconut are a little overwhelming if you're not drinking it earlier in the night.
Sadly, must run to another meeting. Adieu, readers. Adieu.
Friday, September 4, 2009
Mascots and 'Gansett
No progress yet on an interview with new Naragansett Beer co-owner Troy Brown, however, the boys at 'Gansett have been busy with some fun new ideas for getting their name out there. My personal favorites: leaving a crate of tall boys for Henry Louis Gates and this video of their two company mascots.
If there's one thing in this world we can all agree on, it's that we need more mascots.
If there's one thing in this world we can all agree on, it's that we need more mascots.
Saturday, August 29, 2009
OLD BEER
Quick post. I'm at my uncle's rather lovely house on the Delaware coast right now... and last night, we had some delicious Blue Crabs. Setting aside the joy of beating the crap out of dinner with a mallet, I faced the difficult situation of being in a house with no decent beer.
I found a single bottle of Newcastle, and decided it would be the best I could do... and when I tasted it, it literally tasted like pure acetone. When I poured out the contents, I found that it was actually sticking to the entire bottom eighth of the bottle. Ugh. I settled for a MILLER GENUINE DRAFT instead. Look... I really wanted something that was vaguely beer-like. But again, UGH.
This really does beg a question... why don't people get rid of old beer? My uncle isn't exactly someone who doesn't know that beer goes bad... he definitely knows that it can and that it does. But he's not the only person who keeps beer well after it's gone bad, bad, bad. What gives, surprising number of readers? Why don't people chuck old beer?
I found a single bottle of Newcastle, and decided it would be the best I could do... and when I tasted it, it literally tasted like pure acetone. When I poured out the contents, I found that it was actually sticking to the entire bottom eighth of the bottle. Ugh. I settled for a MILLER GENUINE DRAFT instead. Look... I really wanted something that was vaguely beer-like. But again, UGH.
This really does beg a question... why don't people get rid of old beer? My uncle isn't exactly someone who doesn't know that beer goes bad... he definitely knows that it can and that it does. But he's not the only person who keeps beer well after it's gone bad, bad, bad. What gives, surprising number of readers? Why don't people chuck old beer?
Tuesday, August 25, 2009
Iniquity Liquidity
Nick's and my feelings on Southern Tier are well-established by this point.
I will admit that I have one small problem with their beers; they're bottled almost exclusively in 22 oz. bottles (an inconvenient size)--these bottles sometime cost a bit more than you might want to pay. But let's be honest. It's completely and totally worth it.
Every beer these people brew? DELICIOUS. MAGNIFICENT. EXQUISITE.
So I bought a Southern Tier Iniquity; apparently a "Black Ale". I knew nothing about the style or the Iniquity in particular. As with every other Southern Tier beer, the gamble more than paid off. It pours like a Guinness or any other stout: very very dark and thick, but with a browner, lighter, and taller head than most stouts. The taste is different from anything else I've tasted. Definitely an ale backbone, but with some SLIGHTLY roasted notes, and a really sweet finish that doesn't show up in most ales. As usual with Southern Tier, the hop balance is beautiful and interesting, with a strong and clear hop presence, but without overpowering hops and spice.
So, a question for the mysterious readers who have started to pop up (welcome, btw, everyone!). What do you think about the approach of buying beers based on the brewery, regardless of the particular style or brew? I've become convinced that ANYTHING Southern Tier brews is worth buying and drinking, regardless of what it is.
I will admit that I have one small problem with their beers; they're bottled almost exclusively in 22 oz. bottles (an inconvenient size)--these bottles sometime cost a bit more than you might want to pay. But let's be honest. It's completely and totally worth it.
Every beer these people brew? DELICIOUS. MAGNIFICENT. EXQUISITE.
So I bought a Southern Tier Iniquity; apparently a "Black Ale". I knew nothing about the style or the Iniquity in particular. As with every other Southern Tier beer, the gamble more than paid off. It pours like a Guinness or any other stout: very very dark and thick, but with a browner, lighter, and taller head than most stouts. The taste is different from anything else I've tasted. Definitely an ale backbone, but with some SLIGHTLY roasted notes, and a really sweet finish that doesn't show up in most ales. As usual with Southern Tier, the hop balance is beautiful and interesting, with a strong and clear hop presence, but without overpowering hops and spice.
So, a question for the mysterious readers who have started to pop up (welcome, btw, everyone!). What do you think about the approach of buying beers based on the brewery, regardless of the particular style or brew? I've become convinced that ANYTHING Southern Tier brews is worth buying and drinking, regardless of what it is.
Wednesday, August 19, 2009
Death of a Classic?
I had a Sam Summer Ale last night... this year's batch, still within expiration dates. It was reasonably awful; almost tasted like it may have skunked, but that seems unlikely, since Sam uses those clever brown-glass bottles and I'm pretty careful to keep my beer out of bright light anyway.
Anyone else out there (I like pretending that there are people who read this besides Nick) have the Sam Summer this year? Is it a crappy batch? I had another well-loved seasonal brew this summer (the Bell's Oberon--review forthcoming, and it was also sub-par, according to some beer-friends who know the beer well). Bad year for summer beers? Or did I just get a bad bottle?
Anyone else out there (I like pretending that there are people who read this besides Nick) have the Sam Summer this year? Is it a crappy batch? I had another well-loved seasonal brew this summer (the Bell's Oberon--review forthcoming, and it was also sub-par, according to some beer-friends who know the beer well). Bad year for summer beers? Or did I just get a bad bottle?
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