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We finish off the spooky beer reviews with the appropriately ghoulish label for Institution Ale Co. and their Fall Seasonal IPA which has been given the three descriptor treatment as Dank, Citrusy, Balanced.
Pours a very clear Halloween orange in the glass. First notes are of fruit punch and softness on the palate. The aroma is very, very red berry. Tastes much less than 7.1% abv for sure. Tilts more pale ale to me. There is a bit of woodsy, earthy bitterness in the background like a scarecrow.
Another pumpkin beer but this one is from L.A. local San Fernando Brewing Co., Pumpkin π.
As the can opens, that pumpkin spice aroma wafts up, thankfully there is a bit of actual gourd into it There is, on the negative side, a bit too much sweetness here and a weird metallic taste at the back end of it. For me, this needs a little something else to push it further. Maybe vanilla or a barrel-age to it. As is, it is quite fine but it is one of those where I wanted just a bit more.
I remember the first time having a Southern Tier Halloween themed beer. I was in NYC with my wife and ordered it. Was enjoying it before a platter of food as big as me arrived and then the beer was kinda forgotten. Years later, I saw an orphan bottle and grabbed it.
Warlock Imperial Pumpkin Stout is a mere 8.6% ABV. It has that American PSL thing going but behind the curtain is a nice and a bit chocolately stout. The pumpkin actually shines through as well as it warms. More gourdy than pie which is a plus in my book.
There are a few breweries who have leaned into the realm of spookiness, one of which is Oakland’s Ghost Town Brewing. Time to get Wretched.
Pours a hazy light yellow color. Has the requisite softness on the palate. Getting an interesting combination of Concord grape and an earthy bitterness. Crawled out from underground as it were. There is a bit of a lemon underlaying the proceedings and I get that scratchy fuzzy mouthfeel at the end.
Doing a hazy double dip with Brouwerij West….
Frizzonaire with Citra, Enigma and Cashmere – hazy if not murky appearance. little sawdust and Concord grape on the nose. very soft mouthfeel with that grape taste there in the leas with some prickly hop bitterness popping here and there. as it warms a bit, I get a subtle hit of peach and creamsicle.
Next up is Scissor Run with Amarillo, Huell Melon and Ekuanot – this is very berry bright upon opening the swirling labeled can. a lighter yellow shade of haze in the glass. getting a berry, peach combo here. a little brisker upon the palate, but still soft mouthfeel. a little more piney bitterness as well.
Hard to pick a winner here but based on my haze guideposts, Frizzonaire hews closer to the line for me.
I have had one beer made with hops from Sow A Heart Farm (read about the farm in this months Beer Paper). It was a California Common from Boomtown Brewery.
Now time to check a couple more….
Lupulin Harvest from Frogtown Brewing – Pours shimmery orange in color. Sharp bitterness to it. Earthy. Has some navel orange notes to it. A bit one note to me.
Itchy Fingers from MacLeod Ales – Now this is more like it. Yes, I did pick some of the hops in this beer, so there is a bias but this has a punchy hop of grapefruit and earth to it.
Taking the beer Tardis back to 2018 for Eagle Rock Brewery’s 7th Anniversary beer, La Suerte. “Imperial Mexican Stout, brewed with Flaked Maize, Chocolate, Vanilla, Chile, and Cinnamon.”
For being 5+ years old and in a can, La Suerte has held up quite well. The chile is still there, prickling the tongue and lips with a touch of heat. There is a slight wine sour note and a bit of thinness in the mouthfeel but the flavors promised on the can – chocolate, vanilla and cinnamon are there if in smaller intensity than the chile. It is a 14% beer but the chile heat covers any of that burn.
Today, I picked two beers from Ventura Coast Brew Co. from two far apart styles.
We start with the Hazy IPA collaboration with Seaward Brewing (also from Ventura). It pours a light yellow with a bit of haze to it. There is a bright sugar candy Sweet Tart aroma to it. Doesn’t have the softness I would expect from a hazy. Light bodied but with a firm hit of earthy / piney bitterness. If just called an IPA, I would rate higher.
Earth Day Dopplebock pours a dark brown garnet color. Lovely foam at top too. Very pretty to look at. Lovely cereal malt smell, like being in a brewery. Big and simple taste here. Getting a bit of Kix cereal. Full mouthfeel without being heavy or cloying. Tiny touches of sweetness and smoke add to the whole.
It has been big news that Modelo has overtaken Bud Light in recent months as best selling beer in the U.S. Will it stay king of the hill, who knows. Maybe Bud Light will stop shooting themselves in the foot and regain the top selling spot.
Until then, best to taste the beer and see for myself.
Looks real pretty in the bottle. Lovely bright yellow. The aroma is classic pilsner. Gave me a memory of being at a baseball game. This has a good taste to it. Has a bit of a cross between a pilsner and a Mexican lager to it which gives it a bit more complexity than you have in your Industrial pilsner. It also isn’t as super watery as that ilk. Which makes me a little hopeful that the flavor is taking hold of the American palate.
Not a big fan of the un-groovy name, Grüvi but I was interested in a N/A Nitro Mocha Stout. “This creamy non-alcoholic brew is a smooth yet full-bodied ale with notes of coffee and chocolate. The addition of nitrogen makes tiny bubbles and helps us create an ultra-creamy beer that pours like a dream.” It even shows how to do an aggressive pour.
Did not get a big nitro pour from the can. Maybe it needs that widget that I did not hear in the bottom of the can. As with most non-alcoholic beers, this is pretty thin, which is really evident in a stout. Past that, there is a bit of a Mexican Hot Chocolate vibe off of this. Of the three adjectives on the packaging, it is a bit creamy, kind of smooth and roasted for sure. Overall, kind of disappointing.
