bottle – Beer Search Party

June 21, 2015August 31, 2018

Review – Session Gap (in bottles)

All Starburst rants aside, I was intrigued to see that MacLeod’s was bottling. Brewer Andy Black is protective of his beer and rightfully so because it really shines when presented right. That right being on cask at the right temperature.

But the attractive label lured me in and now it is time to see how the bottled version compares.
And there is quite a difference. There is zero lacing on this beer. Absolutely none. Plus it is many shades nuttier than what I remember. There is a nice hit of bitterness here that seems stronger than on cask as well. Sort of a tea/lemonade mix going on. Normally I would say this was a thin beer but because MacLeod Ales generally are on the less strident side, this isn’t much different to me.

I would hazard a guess that the darker, maltier beers like Jackie Tar would fare better with the bottle treatment.

November 8, 2014September 5, 2018

Next in Bottles from Smog City

First was the Nothing and Coffee Porter, then Goldie from the special barrel-aged series. Now the next bottle from Smog City is label approved.

Screen Shot 2014-10-28 at 1.19.41 PM

STS has to be in the discussion for great beer name and I love that an amber is next in line from the Torrance brewery. Design wise, I like it because of the plant life that harkens to their Forager series of beers plus the font for the name is just quirky enough while retaining readability.

January 9, 2014September 5, 2018

Review – Anomaly from Monkish Brewing

Monkish Brewing of Torrance has begun bottling some of their beers. I have seen Feminist, Magnificat and Anomaly in the distinctive and beautiful packaging that I have come to expect from Henry. So now it is time to re-review the Belgian Strong Ale that is Anomaly.

First up is my draught version review from June of 2012, Nice dark brown color. Aroma gives off some fruit notes. Taste is really mellow and smooth. A good melding of of chocolate and fruit. A nice strong ale without bells and whistles.

In the bottle, the taste remains pretty much the same. I notice a little more Belgian yeast character and a touch less chocolate which brings the fruit notes forward a bit more. All in all, a really nice weekend sipper of a beer. Just a classy beer that doesn’t jump out at you but demands that you pay more attention to each sip.

August 18, 2013September 10, 2018

Review – Unionist from Eagle Rock Brewing

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.”

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.

February 4, 2011September 12, 2018

Session # 48

Here is the topic posed by the Reluctant Scooper:

The method of beer dispense often raises the hackles of even the most seasoned beer drinker. Some evangelize about living, breathing cask as being the one true way. Others heartily support the pressurized keg. The humble tinny has its fans. Lovers of bottled beer, either conditioned or pasteurized, can be equally vociferous.

Perhaps you think that one method magnifies a beer’s impact. Perhaps you won’t try a beer if it’s dispensed in a way you don’t agree with. Perhaps you’ve tried one beer that’s been dispensed every which way.

The question is simple but your answer may not be: Cask, Keg, Can, Bottle: Does dispense matter?

I guess I would have to fall in the slut category. That may not be the most politically correct term but if the beer is good the beer is good.

Yes, a cask may bring out all of the flavors of that English ESB or a nitro may add notes unseen to an Irish stout but I think those are isolated examples. The pale ale is not going to be appreciably (and I am talking the average beer geek not the ciccerone or brewer) different be it from the bottle or can or tap. If (and you knew this was coming) the same care was shown by the people in the supply chain from Brewer A to Beer Merchant Z.

Some taps may be fresher but you have to deal with clean lines. Bottles may sit too long in harsh light. Cans may be set out in the sun too long while being delivered.

A recent example reinforced my idea. I had a Sierra Nevada sampler tray at the wonderful Tony’s Darts Away in Burbank, California. On it was Hoptimum. It was too harsh for me on the tip of my tongue and too boozy at the back end. But I also had a bottle in my ‘fridge. The next day, tried again and got the same result.

If the beer is good and it arrived to my pint glass in peak condition, then I do not care. (But I am willing to have people buy me a beer to make their point!)