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I haven’t had a Carlsberg in a long time but at the price that my local Trader Joe’s was selling them, I couldn’t pass it up. Here is my review of the stovepipe can of the Danish Lager.
Well, technically not a stovepipe, but it is above 16oz even if by just an almost ounce, so I am counting it. Pours super clear. Darker yellow than expected and a lingering foam to it as well. First note is pear. A little dry. A bit sweet close to honey note. Not super grain forward. A bit slick. No snap to it.
Now that we are in September, it is seasonally appropriate to talk Oktofest beers. Today, I will compare and contrast the gold standard (since the German collaborations have started) Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest and a local marzen from Chapman Crafted in Orange.
Starting with the latter. This is really quite biscuit rich. That creates a backbone for other flavors to play off of. I get a little citrus note as well as a bit of nutty. Good sparkle to this. May not have the mineral tinge that a classic may have but this is a beer that reminds what happens when malt is in the fore.
The Bitburger 2019 version of the Okto pours a red/brown color. Another malt forward beer but this is a notch or two lighter in both malt character and heft. There is a nice hop character here but the beer overall still tilts to the German side. Searching my memory, this seems like the lightest version so far. Part dunkel and bigger part lager.
Thanks to beer buddy Richard, I was able to taste an all Cryo Hop IPA from Mikkeller San Diego. How do Henry and Sally fare in my tasting notes?
This is a super clear yellow hued beer with orange tint to it. The aroma is a mix of pine and candied orange. This has a solid bitter backbone to it. The hop resins are sticking to the roof of my mouth. Pretty viscous and slick as well. Pine and woodsy flavors are the headliners for this one. Cryo hops are still new-ish but this IPA reminds me of beers of yesteryear.
I have visited the Ventura branch of Topa Topa on two occasions and really enjoy the space and the cacti design. On the 2nd visit, I saw that 12oz canning had begun and when I saw them in L.A. I grabbed two beers.
First is Dos Topas. This lager pours a near orange but primarily yellow color. Great to have a malt forward beer. Cracker. Little rye spice. Maybe a tiny bit of pear at the end. Leans to viscous over crisp. Simple and effective.
The Woodcutter pours a dark black color. Almost a spiced apple aroma behind a pina colada. Initial taste is toasted coconut. Does not taste 11%+ ABV at first, then it begins to warm the cheeks. Almost more rum in direction than rye whiskey. Maybe the two woods combine to give off the coconut. Little bit of spice at the back end but that is quickly gone. A fine collaboration for FWIBF.
Since I am in Paso Robles, it behooves me to visit Silva Brewing. It is my annual first stop.
This new IPA from the mind of Chuck Silva was quite interesting. West Coast hop bitter more than expected from a beer using this yeast. A little grapefruit and general citrus notes to it. Has a rustic and rough but not quite Belgian quality to it.
Foedre Friends canned by Almanac Beer Co. pours a deep orange color. Woodsy, botanical. Hops are not coming through but this tastes different without too many bells and whistles. Leather and dried fruit come to mind.
Now I have not seen a collaboration with this many hands in the kitchen…
Since it is an Orange County themed month, I went down to the Cellar (aka the car park, aka the garage) and pulled up a beer from The Bruery from way back in 2013.
This is what the website says about this anniversary ale. “Bois is our fifth anniversary ale, loosely brewed in the English-style Old Ale tradition using our house Belgian yeast strain and then blended using the solera method. A portion of each of our anniversary ales is saved in our barrels and blended in with the next year’s production, providing more complexity and depth of character that comes with age. Layered with complex flavors of dark fruit,vanilla, oak, and burnt sugar, Bois is a robust ale, surely the perfect beer to mark this major milestone.”
Damn this is a really sweet beer. Even the aroma is sweet. Boozy on the tongue and it does burn the throat a bit. Still hot after 6 years. Not much bourbon or barrel notes left. For a beer named after the Wood anniversary, I was hoping for some oak. Getting a vanilla maple syrup combo. Maybe better served to have held longer.
The Ur beer of California, the oft cited influence for many a brewer across the country is the green labeled Pale Ale from Sierra Nevada.
And if memory serves (often it doesn’t according to my significant other), I have not reviewed it. So for my first #FlagshipFebruary review of the month, it is time to rectify that error.
Pale pours an dark orange color nary a haze to be seen. Orange notes in the aroma that follow through into the flavor along with a bit of pine needle. Rugged hop flavor. Not weak at all. Would stand up to many an IPA. Bit of caramel peeks through at the end to add an extra flavor to the result. It is easy to see why this was such a game changer if you were used to light watery lagers.
This new Beer Rose from Firestone Walker pours a vivid rose color prompting my wife to say that it was the prettiest beer that I have had in a while. (probably a comment on recent hazy beers) The Hibiscus is in full effect. Rosalie smells like a light wine wine and is almost spritzer like, in a good way. The grape taste is strong but more in a winery pressing after a harvest way. It is fizzy on the tongue and has a light kiss of malt at the back along with some jam notes.