Category: Beer Reviews

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Review – Nebra from 32 Via dei Birrai

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Nebra is the last of the 32 beers. Thanks to the fine folks at 32 Via dei Birrai for supplying me with such a generous amount of their beers that show off the Italian way of craft brewing.

Nebra pours a very light orange in color. A sharp astringent aroma greets the nose. Almost a combo of melon and pepper. The taste is a bit harsh with a vegetal bitterness unlike the hop bitterness that I normally encounter. Some medicinal notes to it as well. Maybe it is something in the Fiore di Sambuco (elderberry) that is causing that slight harsh note.
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I guess now to complete the journey, I shall have to head to Whole Foods and pick up the Tre + Due or 3 +2 and compare it to the rest!

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Review – Flying Fish Abbey Dubbel

Straight outta Jersey comes this Abbey Dubbel from Flying Fish.

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It pours dark orange with hints of brown shadows.  The head rises and falls quickly.  Caramel and raisins are the first aromas that greet the nose alongside some plum notes.  The first sip has quite a carbonation kick to it.  The scrubbing bubbles push the fruit and malt notes through the tongue.  A bit like having trail mix to a certain degree.  Quite effervescent along with some vanilla and spice contributions.

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Video Review – Natian Old Grogham

My mother is my Portland beer source and she acquired the two beers from Natian Brewery that I will review in April. We finish with Old Grogham Winter IPA…..

This is the short description from the brewery website, “Palisade hops were added throughout the boil and dry hop schedule, along with high alpha American hops for bittering, Noble hops for aroma and a few other varieties in-between to balance the heavy malt profile. Rum soaked Oregon oak spires added during the final stages of fermentation bring flavor notes of caramel and vanilla to complement the bitterness.”

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Review – Clown Shoes Clementine White Ale

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Three things right off the bat before I review Clown Shoes Beer’s Clementine:

1. I do not like clowns.  Ever since Stephen King’s IT.  So, the name scares me off.

2. Not a fan of some of their beer names.  Tramp Stamp, Muffin Top, Lubrication and Flight of the Pimp seem more attention grabbing than anything.  On the other hand, I like Hoppy Feet.

3. The label art seems to feed into the attention grabbing and talk about me on Facebook good AND bad mode that says to me, that the beer can’t sell itself.

But, with that being said.  I am clearing my mind and pouring this beer with a good name and nice-simple label into a glass.

Lot’s of bubbles here.  Color is tinting towards orange though primarily yellow.  Good amount of foam here.  Aroma gives off a candied orange peel note of medium strength.  The taste is straight up spicy.  Lots of coriander going on here.  But the orange taste sticks.  Almost to the point of creamsicle orange before it pulls back.  Those two competing flavor notes work well together in this effort.  One of the better and punchier white ales that I have had in a while.  I’m glad Sunset Beer Co. had started getting these beers in so that I can take stock of the beer inside.

And here is the info from the Clown Shoes website…..

“Light-bodied and crisp, this is a terrific White Ale with plenty of zest! Hazy in appearance and healthily carbonated, it utilizes Chambly yeast to energetically shape its wheat malt base. Incorporated in the brewing process is Clementine, sweet orange peel, a hint of Coriander, and Summit hops.”

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Review – Ovila Abbey Quad with plums

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Sierra Nevada didn’t have to do the Ovila line of beers.  They continue to hold a stellar reputation, they are building on the east coast and they grow some of their beers ingredients.  But we are blessed (pun intended) with this group of Belgian Abbey style ales.

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This beer comes in a small but heavy bottle that is caged and corked. The aroma is slightly plummy with a sharp medicinal note.  It pours a cola brown with a touch of red to it.  The taste is very dry and those plums really come through.  There is a slight warming to it but it really hits that strong set of Quad notes. I’m glad it is in the size of bottle it is!

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This is how the brewery describes it, “Ovila Abbey Quad is heady with aromas of caramel, rich malt, and dark fruit balanced by the spiciness and delicate fruity notes of a traditional Belgian yeast. This complex beer is a collaboration between Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and the monks of the Abbey of New Clairvaux. It features sugar plums grown on the grounds of the Abbey and harvested by the monks in Vina. We hope you enjoy this collaboration ale.”

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Review – 32 Via dei Birrai Atra

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I am feeling anxious because there is only 1 more 32 beer left in my ‘fridge now.  But I am thankful to the fine folks at 32 Via dei Birrai for supplying me with such a generous amount of their finely calibrated beers.

That being said, we move on to Atra, A bit of a gusher when the cork popped but maybe that was me being too anxious. This is more a light Belgian amber. The flavors persist after each sip. I get some plum notes and raisin from this cola hued beer. Some zucchini notes too. Easy to drink.

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Here is what their website describes the beer as….

“Appearance:
beige, compact, fine and persistent head; brown; fine perlage.

Bouquet:
roasted, with hints of coffee, chocolate, locust bean, walnut-flavoured liqueur, and touches of damp barrel staves, light liquorice, ripe medlar and caramel.

Flavour:
gently bitterish due to the roasted barley, which also imparts aromas of coffee, caramel and chocolate. Beer with typical Belgian light watery body.”

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Review – Rhizing Bines from Sierra Nevada and Dogfish Head

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Count me as a fan of Sierra Nevada hop bombs and also count me as one who isn’t super fond of  Dogfish Head IPA’s.  But I love that these two big regional breweries can collaborate from time to time.  Life and Limb part one and it’s cousin Limb and Life were both really solid beers.  So how does Rhizing Bines fare…..

Well it pours a light orange color.  I get a big alcohol hit in the aroma and some dankness.  I will have to compare it with the recent Celebrator beer magazine 25th Anniversary Imperial Pale since they both use the experimental 644 hop.  The Celebrator beer was super boozy but the blueberry and citrus notes popped more.  This beer was much more on the Dogfish Head side of the spectrum than the Sierra side.  Uber malty with a slickness that coats the tongue.  The hops are there and their fruit notes are underneath but I would prefer them in the forefront.

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Review – Port Brewing Board Meeting Brown

Board Meeting is one of those great beer names. Either you need this brown ale after escaping a Dilbert-esque hell or you are relaxing on the shore after a session on the surf.

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This newly bottled offering from Port Brewing pours a black with a foamy tan head. A bit of dark rum in the aroma and when you taste it you get milk chocolate and a skosh hit of coffee. Full bodied but not heavy.

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Here is the word from Port on this brew, “Port Brewing beers are typically boldly-flavored American and hop-forward West Coast style ales or lagers, and Board Meeting Brown Ale is no exception. An amplified brown ale, the beer is brewed with liberal additions of coffee from local San Diego roasters, Ryan Brothers, and cocoa nibs sourced from famed San Francisco chocolate maker TCHO.”

 

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Review – Audace from 32 Via dei Birrai

I was very lucky to receive an introduction to 32 Via dei Birrai with a full package of beers from the new Italian brewery. I first sampled the Oppale and Curmi and now I move on to another to the Strong Pale ale, Audace.

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Here is my thumbnail review, “Of the three, “32” beers that I have had this one looks the prettiest. Almost like an orange creamsicle. But has the least likeable flavor profile. I get wheat and vanilla and a tiny, tiny bit of funk and a bit of medicinal notes. Not bad as the score would say but I prefer the Oppale so far.”

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I am certainly enjoying the whole, what letter will be on the cork game.  The Audace revealed the letter V.