Thursday, March 29, 2012

Browar Amber - Grand Imperial Porter



It’s clear that I’m a beer lover, but I have to say stouts and porters are not my favorite style of beer . . . but I can surely appreciate them for their richness and complexities and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed one or the other on occasion.










The big question is what's the difference between a stout and a porter?  This can be debated until the sun goes down and the keg is drained of its heavenly, intoxicating nectar. 

There are many styles of beers but there are no hard-and-fast rules for what passes for particular variety.  The truth is that there really is no meaningful difference between a stout and a porter . . . although, arguably, a stout was at one time considered a strong . . . stouter . . .  version of porter.  Today?  Different brewers have different interpretations.  And, if you ask me, it’s those interpretations that make beer so friggin’ awesome!


This selection hales all the way from Poland.  I chose Browar Amber's Grand Imperial Porter based on the label alone . . . classy, elegant.  And the name . . . it was so high falutin' . . . GRAND Imperial . . . it demanded to be consumed.  So, consume it I did!

The Browar Amber is a small brewery that was established in 1994.  It primarily distributes its beer regionally and has only recently started exporting to the United States and Canada. 









The Grand Imperial Porter is a good beer but not quite what I expected.  To the best of my knowledge, I've never had a Polish beer and certainly never a Polish dark beer. It is a Baltic style of porter which is black like an English stout but lighter in flavor; more like a strong, dark lager. 


I would classify the Grand Imperial Porter as a dessert beer.    It is strong and sweet . . . very much a sipping beer.  It pours dark as night.  A huge head is formed when it it is poured that dissolves into a light froth that clings to the side of the glass. It has a clearly defined dark chocolate flavor with only a hint of coffee.   I liked this porter but it was definitely not grand.  8.0% alcohol by volume.





Check out  Browar Amber's website and visit them on Facebook



Berkshire Brewing Company - Russian Imperial Stout




It’s clear that I’m a beer lover, but I have to say stouts and porters are not my favorite style of beer . . . but I can surely appreciate them for their richness and complexities and I’ve thoroughly enjoyed one or the other on occasion.









The big question is what's the difference between a stout and a porter?  This can be debated until the sun goes down and the keg is drained of its heavenly, intoxicating nectar. 

There are many styles of beers but there are no hard-and-fast rules for what passes for particular variety.  The truth is that there really is no meaningful difference between a stout and a porter . . . although, arguably, a stout was at one time considered a strong . . . stouter . . .  version of porter.  Today?  Different brewers have different interpretations.  And, if you ask me, it’s those interpretations that make beer so friggin’ awesome!

And now . . . onto the beer.  St. Patrick's Day was approaching as I was making my selections and what's St. Patty's Day without a good hardy beer?  

In the cooler I spied Berkshire Brewing Company Russian Imperial Stout.  Stamped on the label?  Local!  That sealed the deal.  I'm a huge fan of local beers and micro-breweries.  







Berkshire Brewing Company is a young-ish company, formed in 1992 by two friends with a love for beer who wanted to produce a finely crafted ale.  The brewery is located in an old cigar factory in Deerfield, Massachusetts.  20 years later their nine year-round flavors and seven seasonal ales and lagers are distributed in five states and they continue to grow.

BBC Russian Imperial Stout pours a velvety black and forms a creamy head that dissolves into a lovely lingering lace on the glass.  It smells of chocolate and coffee with the flavors of each to back up the aroma.  This imperial stout is full flavored and complex.  The high alcohol content . . . 8.5% alcohol by volume . . . warms you like a fine brandy.  This is an excellent sipping beer, to be savored and enjoyed after a good meal.  Dessert in a glass!  Cheers!



Check out Berkshire Brewing Company's website and visit them on Facebook

Thursday, March 22, 2012

Lagunita Wilco Tango Foxtrot



Lagunita Wilco Tango Foxtrot  . . . a malty, robust, jobless recovery ale . . . WTF indeed.  

What’s in a name?  If you know your military letter call signs, then you’ll know.  If not, well, I’m not going to spell it out for you.

And the subtitle?  A beer the jests about the current economy and the policies that have put us where we are . . . you know, $4 for a gallon of gasoline? 

A beer with a sense of humor; well, that only adds to the appeal.

It pours a rich reddish brown color with small head.  It has a malty aroma with mild hoppy undertones.   It’s slightly bitter upfront but not over powering and then finishes with almost chocolaty.  WTF is medium bodied, full flavored brown ale. It goes down smooth and easy . . . and that’s pretty dangerous for a beer that is nearly 8% alcohol by volume. 

The Lagunitas Brewing Company is a brewery located near LagunitasCalifornia.  They are known as much for their unorthodox approach to traditional beer styles as for their unique packaging.


Visit Lagunitas at their website  or on Facebook  

Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar



Various and strange the long-winded tale;
And halls, and knights, and feats of arms, display'd;
Or merry swains, who quaff the nut-brown ale,
And sing, enamour'd of the nut-brown maid;
                                       James Beattie, The Minstrel (1771)





. . . and so I sing the praises of Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar.  My first sip of this beer was reminiscent of the first home-brew my husband endeavored to make.  The likeness was remarkable . . . and that's a good thing.  

This Rogue brew is, as the name would suggest, a brown ale.  It poured with a light, fluffy head that quickly dissipated.  I was immediately stuck by wonderful nutty aroma and its inviting warm brown color.  The taste was rich and flavorful; hazelnut dominates this malty ale that finishes with a hint of sweetness.



Unlike lighter tasting beers that beg to be guzzled, this is a nice beer to sit back and relax with.  Wonderful after a meal to be sipped, savored and simply enjoyed.   Quite delicious.  6.2% alcohol by volume.

Rogue, located in Oregon, is quickly becoming one of my favorite breweries; with its amazing variety of craft beers.  

Visit Rogue at their website  or on Facebook 




Thursday, March 15, 2012

Whaler Ale - Anheuser Busch


The second beer was Whaler Ale.  The Whalers are a local minor league hockey team so when I spotted a beer  named after them on tap I just had to try it.  It just has to be a local beer no?  Well . . . no . . . not really.  I was surprised and disappointed to find out that Whaler Ale is actually Anheuser Busch’s Budweiser American Ale repackaged as Whaler Ale.

With all the great locally owned and operated Connecticut breweries around why a huge company that produces copious quantities of mediocre beer?  I don’t know . . . someone didn’t think that one through.   I kind of feel like I was misled into believing it was a local beer; I would have been happier knowing it was a Budweiser product.
 





The beer wasn't bad but it is what it is . . . mass produced beer in the style of American Amber ale.  It was a little malty, a little hoppy with a slightly sweet undertone.   Don’t let my disappointment in the misguided marketing of the beer dissuade you from trying this beer.  It is refreshing and tasty and overall a good ale.  5.3% alcohol by volume.

Ten Penny Ale - Olde Burnside Brewing


When I saw this tap head . . . it called to me. It was for a beer called Ten Penny Ale brewed by the Olde Burnside Brewing Company which is located in East HartfordConnecticut.  That’s pretty darn local . . . to me. 








The brewing company is spinoff of the family-owned ice manufacturing business.   The ice business primarily services local businesses.   The owner of the company . . . a beer lover himself . . . became curious about the volume of water being carted off by regular consumers.  Upon asking what they were doing with all that water they replied that they were using it to make beer.  What made his water so special?  Well, it turns out that the source of the water used for the ice making business is similar in mineral characteristics to the waters of Burton-on-Trent, the source of water for many of the renowned ales of the United Kingdom.  Long story short . . . the brewery came to be. 

Ten Penny Ale . . . their flagship brew . . . got its name from the olden days.  At a time when a pint went for a nickel occasionally brewers would produce a special batch that they would charge a whole dime for . . . hence ten penny ale.

Ten Penny Ale is a version of Scottish ale.  Scotch ale is a variety of pale ale with a high alcohol content and characteristically rich and malty.  

 





Flavor-wise, I think that The Olde Burnside version of this ale falls in line with that description.  However, with a 5.6% ABV it isn’t quite as strong as the typical Scottish ale . . . its not unusual for Scotch ale to have an alcohol content that exceeds 9% ABV.

Ten Penny Ale is a clean, flavorful beer.  The malt flavor is very much in evidence with definite caramel notes.  It’s got great body and goes down way to easy.  A very good, well crafted beer, in my opinion.  God, I love micro-brews!


For more information visit their website.


Thursday, March 8, 2012

Rogue Yellow Snow IPA

I would, by no means, call myself a hophead.  In fact, it was only recently that I came to appreciate the hoppy goodness of a good IPA.

Why the sudden turn about?  I don’t know.  Maybe IPA’s, like beer in general, are an acquired taste and perhaps I’ve acquired the taste.  Or, maybe I never had a good IPA and I’ve recently had a few very good ones.  Perhaps, it’s a combination of the two. Whatever the case I thinking I’m liking IPA’s.  











Frankly, I selected the Yellow Snow IPA by Rogue Ales it because of the fun label and a name that couldn’t be denied.  The fact that I’m not (or wasn’t) and IPA drinker didn’t matter . . . I had to try it!   All I can say is the Yellow Snow was gooooood and didn’t not disappoint.






Rogue started out as a brewpub and is headquartered in NewportOregon.  It is a small but growing brewery with a variety of craft beers that are distributed throughout the United States.  I know this because I live all the way on the other side of the country and it seems like there’s a new Rogue beer to try every time I visit my local package store.





Unlike its namesake, Yellow Snow is immediately inviting . . . it is a deep gold color with bright fruity aroma of grapefruit with a hint of pine.    The beer has a cloudy, unfiltered appearance and pours a big head.   It’s hoppy, but not in-your-face or over the top.   It rolls over the tongue with a hint of caramel and spiciness that fully compliments the citrusy, bitter goodness.  Yellow Snow is truly a good brew . . .two thumbs up! 

6.2% alcohol by volume.

Visit Rogue at their website  or on Facebook 



Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA


If you had asked me a month ago if I was a fan of India Pale Ales I would have responded with a resounding ‘no’.  If you asked me today I’d say I’ve got a hankerin’ for some of that bitter, citrusy goodness!  Really!  I think I just drooled a little simply thinking about one. Mmmm.

I've seen Dogfish Head beer on tap at a lot of the pubs and bars that I've visited.   The intriguing name invites one to take a sip and sample their wares.

Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA.  Dogfish Head Brewery is based in MiltonDelaware and gets its name from Dogfish Head, Maine where the brewery’s founder spent his childhood summers.
 






I decided to try one of their beers, basically because I hadn't had too many IPA's and wanted to expand my beer drinking horizons.  If I see something on tap all over the place I get the notion it might be a good place to start.  


So, I got a bottle.  As the beer poured into the glass the bright golden color really caught my attention . . . it was very rich looking . . . very appealing.  The grapefruity aroma as I took my first whiff of the 60 minute was mouthwatering.  

The first taste was equally lip smacking.  The beer is citrusy and as hoppy as I would expect an IPA to be with a bitter finish.  Overall I didn’t think the hoppiness was overpowering and the tart fruit flavors were refreshing.  A very drinkable and yummy beer. 

6% alcohol by volume.




Visit Dogfish Head at their website  or on Facebook 

Thursday, March 1, 2012

Honker's Ale - Goose Island Beers


Honker's Ale has a fun name that can't be denied.  It is one a several offerings made by Goose Island Beers.


Goose Island hails from Chicago Illinois.  It started out a single brewpub 1988 but was eventually sold to a better known brewery . . .  Anheuser-Busch . . . in 2011.  
The beer is distributed throughout the United States and England, but interestingly the Honker's Ale we enjoyed is made a little closer to home.  This variety and their IPA brewed specifically for the east coast in New Hampshire.  Does that make it a microbrew?  Mmm . . . I'm not so sure.



Honker's Ale is categorized as an English Bitter.  To me that brings to mind an acerbic hoppy taste but, in fact, this isn't the case at all.  British bitters are much milder than IPA's and are generally considered the mildest of English bitter ales . . . as opposed to best and premium bitter ales.


I would say that describes Honker's Ale pretty well.  It had a mild hoppy taste and was surprisingly light tasting . . . in other words, it is not a strong tasting beer.  It actually had what I would say was a hollow finish . . . not much flavor at all at the end.  4.7% alcohol by volume. 


Did I like it?  It thought it was good but not exceptional.  I can't say that I would buy it again; however, I wouldn't turn one down if someone handed me a glass.


Visit the Goose Island website for more information on this or their other offerings.

Switchback Ale - Switchback Brewing Company


One of our favorite restaurants, Red Park Steakhouse and Pub, has a hoppin' pub with some fantastic bartenders.  The bar is so much fun we normally dine in there instead of the restaurant.  

The pub has a large selection of standard beers with few rotating taps.  There's always something interesting and new to try.  While enjoying our appetizer we decided to go with a Switchback Ale.




Switchback Brewing was founded in 2002 by a couple of friends and is located in Burlington, Vermont.  I'm a big fan of small breweries, so anytime I get the chance to try a new microbrew I'm all over it.  This one didn't disappoint.  

Switchback Ale is brewed with five different malts, select hop varieties, and their own specially cultivated yeast.  The special brewing process uses the yeast to naturally carbonate the beer, and it is left unfiltered. 5.0% alcohol by volume. 

When the beer was set in front of me by the bartender I was immediately struck by the color . . . a beautiful reddish gold.   It was fairly clear for an unfiltered ale. The taste was refreshing; not overly hoppy, clean and fresh tasting with a nice malty flavor on the tail end.   It wasn't in-yer-face remarkable but overall it yummy and very drinkable.   If you're looking for something different to try, I'd say give it a go.

For more information you can find Switchback Brewing Company on Facebook.