Category: Beer Reviews

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Review – Aberrant from Bergschrund (Logsdon)

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Love the label in this new series from Logsdon.Farmhouse and good to see another beer offering from the Logsdon folks.  Mostly because I haven’t had even close to a bad beer from these guys.  On to my quick review: Pours a pale straw yellow with a big foamy white head.  A light Belgian yeast note in the aroma that really hits upon the first sip.  I pick up vanilla and spice notes amidst the funk.  My sister in law detected some fruit notes that I didn’t notice but maybe some stone fruit lurks for those that are more supertaster than I am.  Really light tasting and not 8% abv at all.

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I have seen this one at Vendome in Toluca Lake and at a few other beery locales and I highly recommend it.

And what am I reading while drinking this?  A book about wine!  Heresy, I know but I have learned a nice amount of information already from the Inventing Wine by Paul Lukacs.  And that is in just a the first few pages.

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Review – Unionist from Eagle Rock Brewing

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Now I have had this beer on tap on a number of occasions at the Eagle Rock taproom but this is the first time from the bottle. So it made sense to review it anew to see if my taste had changed and to see if I had any new insights.

To start here is the old review:
“Eagle Rock really hits the mild side and I don’t mean that negatively. They know how to brew a really nice and bright beer. This new one is no different. Light touch of Belgian yeast with a bit of spice and bit of hops. You get a nice hit of all three without one overpowering the other.”

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And now the bottle review, Pours a lovely orange color. Getting slight notes of nutmeg and cinnamon first followed by a dash of hops. Still a pretty bright beer. The spices linger past any other notes. A little bit of banana as well. All light touches. Nothing huge but a nice melange of flavors.

Thieves of Baghdad is the current book that I am working on. I started the Wet and the Dry but was turned off by the writer/narrator/tour guide. So I started this book about the investigation into the loss of antiquities during the Iraq War. The writer/narrator/tour guide of this book and I would have nothing in common but he is engaging and erudite. Plus it is the current Linfield College Common Read selection. And as a loyal Wildcat, I am obliged to read it.

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Review – Standard from Prairie Artisan Ales

Last month, I posted about Prairie Artisan Ales from Oklahoma, and then surprise, here is a review of their Standard, a hoppy farmhouse ale.

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I love the cool comic label. Little scared by the description of “How to Noodle” but I got past that to the beer which pours a light yellow color with a little bit of bubbles. Lovely Belgian funk going on in the aroma. Barnyard for sure. It really coats the mouth. Nice little fizz at the front of the tongue which fades into a bit of vanilla for me. Simple and classy.

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Review – Anchor Zymaster # 4 Fort Ross Farmhouse Ale

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Always fun to see that you have caught up to a series.  Granted only four in the Anchor Brewing Zymaster Series, but I have had all of them!  Pours a reddish orange. Nice 1/2 finger white head of foam. A crazy quilt of funk, hops and some metallic notes in the first sip.  Maybe that is the Yerba Santa?  Very earthy to me.  A little dry at the end as well.  A search finds some tea notes and vanilla in the aroma.  As it warms some rose and citrus notes start to come forth. But to me closer to a dubbel than a saison.

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No book to report on currently but I am watching the Netflix series Orange is the New Black and listening to Ratchet from Bloc Party too much.

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Review – Ritterguts Original Gose

Like the spooky top hat dude on the label and the hard to read font too on this new to Los Angeles Gose from Brauhaus Hartmannsdorf  in Borna, Germany. And it goes excellently with my book on the spies and royal court of Elizabeth the 1st “The Watchers” (even though Spain plays a bigger role here than Germany).

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Pours a medium orange color. The aroma is in the ballpark of a Berliner Weisse with some Belgian funk added but the taste is really, really dry. Puckery but not sour. I get a touch of salt but I actually taste more cinnamon for some reason. After that a touch of white wine acidity creeps in. Quite a complex beer.

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If you haven’t tried this (thankfully) resurrected style from Leipzig then give this one a shot and get the  Bayerischer Bahnhof version and then try to find the Upright Brewing one as well for a trio of Salt & Coriander goodness.

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Review – Hoppy Feet from Clown Shoes

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Clown Shoes got off on the wrong foot (pun intended) with me.  Some of their names seemed chosen for shock value and attention.  Plus ever since Stephen King’s “It”, clowns and I don’t mix.  Even when my dad started donning clown make-up to entertain at his church, I was still spooked.  But now, since some of their beers are wending their way to Los Angeles, I had to put the maxim of “It’s the beer” first and forget the backstory.  So on to Hoppy Feet….

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For me, a good black IPA has an equal balance between roast and hops. Not many get that. But happily Hoppy Feet does. Good citrus bitter notes intermingle with the the medium (not milk-not dark) chocolate notes. And it packs a punch of bubbles and hops that melts into a caramel taste at the very end.  But the balance remains from the first sip to the last.

Oh and in my new tradition, here is what I am doing outside of craft beer.  Reading The Capital of the World about the race to be the city to host the United Nations.  South Dakota had a moment where it might have been the place instead of New York.  Crazy.  And I am still raving about Much Ado About Nothing.  It may not be playing anymore since it is the silly blockbuster season and the White House has to be saved by Channing Tatum but when it comes out on video/streaming, watch it.  Funny stuff and a classic story.

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Review – Terra Incognita from Boulevard and Sierra Nevada

First things first, this is the Boulevard branded version of Terra Incognita.  Now onto what else I am watching/listening/reading while reviewing.  Why?  Because great craft beer makes me enjoy all the good things in life.  Kinda new age-y but that is fine.  So I am on a season 1 of Fringe kick right now.  If you are a Netflix-er.  Catch it there.  I am also a big fan of the ESPN/Bill Simmons/McSweeney’s mash-up Grantland.  Funny and spot on sports reporting/commentary as well as culture analysis of Mad Men that will leave you rolling.

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On to this mash up of Chico and Kansas City…..The cork shot out of this bottle. Lots of foam initially, followed by a big blast of barrel aged notes. Whiskey. Not bourbon heavy. Still quite effervescent after settling down. Getting some acidity and hop bitterness after the oaky notes fade. Amazing that it is 8.5% when you consider how strong the aroma and taste is. But it is indeed light when you let it linger on the tongue.

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Review – Scotch Ale from Monday Night Brewing

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I complete the troika of beers from Atlanta’s Monday Night Brewing with Drafty Kilt Scotch Ale.  Personally, I am glad to see a Scotch ale and I saved this one for last because it was the one that I was most excited about.  With my last review of the Eye Patch IPA, I tossed out what I was listening to and reading and I thought I would do that again just for fun.  I have some new Sigur Ros playing on the iTunes and I have a lively and funny Daily Show type of depressing book by Jess Walter on the nightstand called the Financial Lives of the Poets.  Read into those choices what you will.

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Here is the review: Nice big pillowy head on this dark cola colored Scotch ale. Smoke on the nose as well as caramel. There is some rauch going on here. A touch of caramel as well. Good fizz to it as well to keep the beer moving and not become too cloying.  I actually get a hint of cherry coke flavor as well.  Nice third wave of flavor.

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Review – Deschutes & Great Lakes Class of ’88 Imperial Smoked Porter

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This is one of those beers where you know what you are going to get but it still hits with a punch.  Deschutes is known for their Black Butte Porter and Great Lakes has their Edmund Fitzgerald so you know going in that this beer is in each of these breweries wheelhouse.  But then the beer pours a light cola color.  Lulling you into thinking it is not that imperial.  The aroma hints at the smoke but chocolate notes come into play as well.  Then you take a sip and the smoke descends.  This is really “rauchy”.  And that liquid smoke lingers.  You would need a big BBQ sauce to soften this beer.  Otherwise, most other foods would pale against it.

Rauch is not my cup of beer usually.  But I can tell what was being aimed for here and it was hit.  If you don’t like the smokey then this is not the beer for you but if that is a something you like then this is one to pick up.

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