Category: Beer Reviews

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Featured Review – Deep Thoughts About Hops

I got a nice care package from Three Weavers Brewing with an exciting single hop beer, featuring Simcoe.

This pale ale pours a vibrant yellow. Pine and earthiness are first to make their presence known followed by a minor note of grapefruit. For a pale ale, Deep Thoughts has a strong layer of bitterness to it while still being lighter in body. Additional citrus notes come through as the beer warms up making the flavor profile more complex.

I am hoping that maybe, down the road, there will be a mixed 4-pack each can featuring a different hop.

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Featured Review – Nature Nut from Athletic Brewing

Peanut butter beers are the rage right now, but what would an N/A one taste like? Let’s see what Athletic Brewing can do with Nature Nut a collaboration with Justin’s Nut Butters.

Double N pours a nearly black color. The aroma has a slight peanut butter aroma to it. Akin to the smell when you stir up a natural peanut butter when first opened. Again, Athletic has made a beer that does not taste thin like others in this category. There is a bit of a cherry note amidst the carbonation that hits upon first taste which quickly leaves and then a pleasant but light peanut tastes lingers.

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Featured Review – Rochefort 10

I went straight up the ladder you 10 since Trappistes Rochefort does not have a 9 which is my favorite number.

10 – pours a dark amber red color. The head just doesn’t diminish. I watched as it took many minutes to flatten down. Yeast esters on the nose headlined by banana. Not so much spice though that I would expect. Quite bready and sweet. A dessert quality to it.  A “wet” beer but not viscous. 

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Review – Pink Boots Women’s Day IPA from Topa Topa

We head to Topa Topa for another Pink Boots blend. The boot imprint is on the label of this IPA which makes it hard to miss.

I get a bit of raspberry aroma off of this beer. Fruity bitterness as well. Very west coast IPA in the execution. Tastes stronger than the ABV. As it warms, there is more grassy notes that come through.  It is a different mixture of flavors and aromas from the typical IPA for sure.

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High Seven vs Double High Seven

Whichever High Seven reaches higher? Let’s dig into the two anniversary IPA’s from Highland Park Brewery.

H7 – pours a darker yellow color. Spicy and grassy aroma. Light and lively for 7%. Grapefruit pith is the first flavor identified. Getting a rye character as well.  Has a medium hop bite to it. 

DH7 – this was a gusher. I set the can down, turned away and eruption. After the cleaning, the beer was super hazy. Sweet tart and lactose. Soft with a fruit punch spike.  Tongue scrape action like in my first hazies.

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Firestone Walker – Citra IPA vs Double Mind Haze

Time to play catch-up on releases from Firestone Walker…

Firestone Walker Propagator Citra – very light on the palate almost like a session IPA.  Getting grapefruit first and foremost. Getting a bit of Meyer lemony notes as well. Hazy yellow in color.  They certainly know how to keep it murky. 

Double Mind Haze – another FW hazy appearing masterpiece.  This is a rather odd beer to me.  Has a cheek warming amount of alcohol and a bit of a bite to it. Texture is there but the flavor leads more to buttery or barely blood orange. 

Wasn’t super jazzed about either to be honest but I would take the Citra if forced to choose.

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Featured Beer Review – Zundert 8

Kievit bound for Zundert 8 an “unruly” brew according to the brewery. Let’s dig into this ale brewed with spices. And it was true to the adjective. This beer wanted to escape from the moment it was opened. Once the foamy head settled, I was left with an amber hued brew that was spilling Belgian esters. A little banana. A little clove. The standards. A bit of a cola taste as well. There is a bit of spice lingering in the far background as well. This bottle does taste a skosh old though. I will have to find a newer bottling to make sure.

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Featured Review – DefCon1 from Faction Brewing

Might as well start big right. Heading into the new DefCon series from Faction Brewing at #1, the Belgian Quadruple. It pours a dark cola color and the candi sugar is the first dominant aroma and taste that I get. It has a syrupy sweetness to it. I start picturing it as a float with salted caramel ice cream to balance the flavors. There is a bit of spice layered underneath which adds a nice counterpoint. As it warms up, the flavors flatten a bit and the whole works well. Looking forward to trying the other numbers in the series b

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Featured Review – Natty Noir from The Bruery

Our final March Review from The Bruery is….

It is very weird to pour a craft beer from a clear glass bottle. I mean, isn’t everything in 16oz cans now? But I will give The Bruery the benefit of the doubt here. This sour pours a bright red. Grape and a touch of vinegar hit the nose. First sip screams wine more than beer. Some raspberries hit the taste buds. Has a tart initial edge to it and not getting the beer portion so much. Says 12.2% but I am not feeling that warmth in my cheeks or any burn on the palate. I know that an “orange” version is on the way which might show off malt more. The wine to beer balance is off to me.

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Dual Review – Infinite Wishes 2020 and Infinite Wishes / Peanut Butter 2021

Normally, I would review the standard Infinite Wishes as well as any and all 2021 variants. Since normal is still a few months away, I have cracked open a 2020 as well as the Peanut Butter Cup version.

Now let’s review these two from Smog City…

Oh the Wishes I should have made this time last year.  But let’s talk about this waxed Bourbon Barrel Imperial stout, which the label describes as “a bourbon chocolate pie”.  I initially get a red wine vinous note along with a touch of coconut.  As it warms up, the chocolate starts to cone through. A mix of milk and dark versions.  A tiny hint of oak adds a different taste along with a bit more carbonated sparkle than I expected. 

Now let’s turn to Reeses, Jeff, Skippy or wherever your personal peanut butter fix comes from…

Big peanut hit upon popping the bottlecap.  It is not a candy aroma or taste though.  More peanut butter cookie to me.  Maybe a cookie dough effect. Less carbonated than the previous Infinite Wishes which I think works better. The bourbon barrel flavors are effectively removed. I wish that some more of that remained to create a boozy cookie simulacrum.