Tag: beer review

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Review – Shore Break Hefeweizen

As part of a Twitter Tasting hosted by the Fresh & Easy Market chain, I had the opportunity to sample a beer new to me, Shore Break Hefeweizen.

This is a “phantom” craft as it depicts bucolic surf scenes and is sold here in California but is brewed by Rheinlander in Wisconsin.

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It pours an orange golden color with not much aroma to speak of at all.  First sip comes and goes without any banana or clove so you can safely assume this is not a real hefeweizen.  But even worse, this beer is watery.  Not much there, there.  Grain taste is practically non-existent.

Not only is this not a “craft” beer it isn’t a German hefe and it is flat out a really poor example of a wheat beer. I do not recommend this beer and I would avoid other Shore Break and Underworld brands at Fresh and Easy and focus on the tried and true you can get there.

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Review – Organic Hop Cuvée

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With new organic rules in place that now include hops, it is heartening to see an organic IPA already.  Here is my review of this offering from Bison.
Pours a bright yellow with streaming bubbles. Not too much hop notes on the nose. The taste is pretty mild too. An organic XPA as it were. Get a touch of citrus and a little floral flavor but otherwise a mild showcase.
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And I liked that their website had a definition of Cuvee as well….”Used by both winemakers and brewers, the term cuvée indicates a blend—typically, a special blend of higher quality. Each year, “Organic Dan” will work with organic hop growers from the Pacific Northwest to select the best organic hops as well as explore the development of new organic hop varietals to be used in all of Bison’s organic beers—especially Hop Cuvée. The 2013 Hop Cuvée recipe includes Citra® and Simcoe, two new and exciting organic hop varietals not previously available as certified organic, as well the classic Centennial hop. This year’s hops were grown by Carpenter Ranches, Perrault Farms and Roy Farms, respectively.”
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Review – Sculpin (in cans)

My bier buddy Richard aka Cap’n, recently went to San Diego and he brought back the new, canned version of the iconic Sculpin IPA from Ballast Point.

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Here is what I found when I opened the cans….

Pours a lovely orange color.  I am a little dubious about the variety of fruits listed on the label but I am surprised to get quite a bit of apricot balanced out by a charming hit of hops.  The bitterness isn’t super big but it adds a nice punch akin to sea salt too caramel.  Just tastes more frutier than I remember and I like it.

And here is the website info from the brewer, “The Sculpin is a testament to our humble beginnings as Home Brew Mart. It showcases bright flavors and aromas of apricot, peach, mango & lemon. The lighter body also brings out the crispness of the hops.”

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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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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 – New Albion Ale

Sam Adams has gone back in the way back machine and re-created with the help and permission of the original New Albion and the groundbreaking brewer Jack McAuliffe, a fresh batch of beer not seen for many years. With the old label design and everything!

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Here is what the PR people say about this ale, “Jack McAuliffe’s pioneering spirit paved the way for the American craft beer revolution. We’re rereleasing his original Pale Ale, with its distinct American hop character for the first time in 30 years in honor of Jack and his contributions to craft brewing. Cheers!”

Here is my review:

This is more lager-esque than pale ale. But it has a nice citric sweetness going on and a nice bit of hop bitterness on top a light malt base. If you can picture yourself pre craft beer, this would be a huge step away from the industrial water lagers.  But it is a huge step from here to Sierra Nevada pale ale.  But that is what makes this beer important.  It really puts things in perspective.  Maybe next someone will re-create a beer from the old Cartwright brewery.

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Video Review – Midnight Sun Kodiak Brown

March brings two video reviews of brown ales and we start with a canned version from Alaska.  How it ended up in sunny L.A., I do not know but let’s see what Kodiak from Midnight Sun tastes like….

The brewery describes it this way, “Rugged yet smooth, Kodiak Brown Ale balances caramel and roasted malts with enticing Northwest hops. Perle and Willamette hops accent without overpowering this American brown ale’s intrepid maltiness. The result is uniquely delicious.”

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Review – East Coast vs West Coast lagers

Today I am doing a West coast vs East coast beer smackdown. But instead of doing an IPA, I am comparing lagers.

On one side is the new Anchor California lager and from the east is the Underdog Atlantic Lager from Flying Dog of Maryland.

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The Anchor pours a dark yellow and has a sweet wheat aroma. The flavor is a touch to sweet for me and could use a burst of carbonation to cut through some of the slickness in the mouthfeel but it is a solid beer. I also love the backstory on how this is a re-creation of an old Gold Rush lager.  So it has great history behind it.  And I think the bear on the label would kick the ass of the Underdog on the Flying Dog label.  But the beer is more sweet than refreshing.

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The Underdog Atlantic lager pours a very light yellow with plenty of both foam and bubbles. There is really no aroma at all. There is no sweetness at all and has a tiny bit of metallic at the back. A bit dry as well. Very crisp.

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The winner?

I have to go with the Underdog. It seemed more of a lager to me. The Anchor sweetness reminded me of the overly sweet industrial lagers though obviously light years ahead. I preferred the simpleness of the Underdog.

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Review – Melange # 3

After stewarding at the Batch 1,000 Home Brew contest at the Bruery, I got a bottle for all of my “hard” work.

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I last reviewed Melange # 3 way back in 2011 and I said this, “This is a big boozer. Way too sweet for me. Followed by a big ABV taste that I don’t cotton too. Pours a dusky brown with a big barrel aroma to it.”

The Bruery describes this beer thusly, “Melange #3 is a blend of three bourbon barrel aged strong ales. White Oak Sap, a wheat wine, our Anniversary Series old ale and our imperial stout, Black Tuesday, join forces in this luxurious strong ale that links some of the best characteristics of each of the contributing beers. Chocolate, dark fruits, oaky vanilla and rich toffee-like character reach through the bourbon veneer for an intensely satisfying quaff.”

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And now, this is the 2013 updated review of Melange # 3, It pours a dark brown with a tint of red to it.  Foamy head disappears somewhat quickly but a big sweet bourbon aroma takes over.  I get some coconut and caramel notes in the aroma as well.  This is a viscous beer that leaves alcohol legs on the glass and on the palate too.  Very sweet.  Almost a bourbon coconut ganache.  And very strong, their is a bit of an alcohol burn that holds on for awhile.

I have to agree with previous me from 2011.  This is just too sweet for me.

 

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Video Beer Review – Drakes Robusto Porter

The second and final porter review for February is the Robusto from Drakes in the Bay Area…..

And here is the 411 on the beer from their website, “Drake’s Black Robusto Porter is a deep, dark “Robust Porter,” a beer style known for being darker, fuller-bodied, and higher in alcohol by volume than a standard Brown Porter. Our Black Robusto goes down smoothly with flavors of bittersweet chocolate an slight roast from Crystal and Chocolate malt. A touch of spicy, herbal hop character from Willamette hops balance out the finish.”