Tag: review

Posted on

XVIII

I was reading one day, when I suddenly realized, I had not added the 2024 Firestone Walker Anniversary Ale to my rolling five year collection.  I do not know why I had not recognized that deficiency earlier as each year I review the new edition.  So I dutifully headed to the FW website only to find that XVIII is a Brewmasters Collective only release which was the second crappy thing that life had handed to me in November.

But when I calmed down, I reached out to learn, to my relief that the barrel-aged blend would indeed be purchasable by the likes of me and now I can review it!

Before we dive into the newest blend, let us cast our taste buds back to 2019 and the XXIII and see what five years has done for the beer.  

The 2019 pours a close but not quite black color.  The nose on it is cola, dark berry and a touch of chocolate.  The first sip is giving me barleywine vibes as there is both a lightness on the palate with a bit of hop still there but that gets taken over, slowly, by the more roasty and cocoa hits so that the finish becomes quite smooth.  Only at the end does a little alcohol burn poke out s little bit.

Now on to 2024 / XXVIII, headlined by 37% Stickee Monkee and 28% Bravo, both bourbon barrel-aged. In fact only 11% was not bourbon rested and that 11% was Rye barrel-aged. The other noteworthy bit is that a collaborative stout blend with Colorado’s Weldwerks makes up 7% of the beer.

And this blend pours a pitch black, not seeing through this. Smells clean with pops of vanilla. This is very smooth and has a nice combo of vanilla and caramel. Almost an ice cream swirl. I say this a lot but especially, in this case, how will this soft flavor age? As the glass warms, the bourbon notes start to assert themselves which gives me more hope.

Of the two, the new one is more my speed and more 2024 craft beer as well.

Posted on

N/A Day – Kentucky 74

In my reviews of N/A beer, I often lament that an IPA should be easy. Just throw all the hops at it. That often does not work. I currently hold the position that an N/A bourbon should be straightforward as well. Get some oak notes, get some vanilla.

Let’s see what Spiritless and their distilled non-alcoholic spirit for Bourbon cocktails, Kentucky 74 does…

I can smell a load of spice coming off of this. Is it Fireball? There is also a strange secondary aroma as well. Granted, before I get too far. I am not cocktailing, just tasting straight. Very thin and more spiced like a rum. How this applies to a traditional Bourbon cocktail eludes me. Glad I didn’t spend the $35 bucks for a bottle.

Posted on

Review – Gelson’s Summer Blonde Ale from El Segundo

Looks like there is a renaissance of branded beers much like in the olden days of craft beer. One of these is a new blonde ale on tap at Gelson’s fancy supermarkets that is brewed for them by El Segundo brewing.

Here is the brewery description, “made with 100% Tettnanger hops, contributing to its subtle floral and herbal spice notes. The malt profile, featuring Rahr 2-Row, Rahr Premium Pilsner, Flaked Corn, and Dextrin malt, creates a harmonious balance of doughy sweetness, white bread, cake batter, and honey.”

It is quite a light beer. I abhor the word crushable but this beer is one that will go down quick. It was served extra cold which both helps on a hot day but also dampens flavor. The malt is the lead act but even it is mild and the corn finish is what you will remember most.

Posted on

Review – Trailing West – Firestone Walker Invitational Collaboration

This year the special Firestone Walker Invitational collaboration beer partner is Half Acre Beer. And the beer is Trailing West Pilsner.

First off, I am so glad any time a summer beer festival chooses a lighter beer style for their marquee beer. It is just smart. That being said, this is the first year of the FWIBF beers that I have been really m’eh on.

Maybe my expectations were too high. Maybe past beers have set a high bar. Either way this beer is not a favorite of mine. Firstly, it is labeled as a pilsner but it seems more a lager to me so right from the jump, I am on the back foot. It is also got a weird mix of corn and minerality that doesn’t mesh for me. If they called it a midwest lager, I would have rated it higher. But if pilsner was the target, they missed.

Posted on

Mead Review – Two from Nectar Creek

I am known to be ambi-beverage-ous so I was happy to receive two mega meads from Nectar Creek. Both Super. Mure and Cyser.

Starting with the Super Cyser, which looks a bit like honey in my glencairn. The aroma is apple-y and not sweet. The honey comes on strong in the first sip. But the apple is not far behind at all. A bit slick on the tongue but not in a cloying way. For something that is 14%, it is not super bitey.

The SM with blackberry has a more pronounced aroma. Berry comes through for sure. This one tastes way sweeter to me. I get sugar, then blackberry, then a smidge of honey. I do like the berry, it tastes natural and fresh. But this is the one for the sweet tooths.

Which one the casual mead appreciator would like comes down to sweetness tolerance. If you prefer dry then the Super Cyser is the choice, if you are looking for a dessert partner, the Super Mure is the pick.

Posted on

Magazine Day – Final Gravity # 03

Previously on Beer Search Party, I reviewed issue # 01 of the beer ‘zine, Final Gravity. That memory made me pass on # 02 but the list of articles intrigued me for # 03 so I ordered it up and here are my thoughts.

Will I be back for # 04? The answer is yes. I found the stories in this issue landed with me better from the opener about Ola Brew and their ingredient buying, to going gluten free or Ayurvedic and especially the Spanish local beer from Cooperativa Cervesera Cadaques were all fun little peeks into locales that made me want to go there. I still don’t understand the art interludes all that much because they don’t tie into beer. A beer comic would fit in my opinion, a lot better. Strangely, the weakest piece was from one of the editors David Nilsen and the most emotional was from the other editor Melinda Guerra.

Posted on

Review – Anchor Christmas Ale 2017 & 2018

The last two bottles of Anchor Christmas Ale. A bit melancholic this is. Sad to have Sapporo be such a Grinch.

But time waits for no one or no brewery so before these go too far, time to crack them open and taste….

2017 – I got an aged barrel, slightly sour smell when popping the cap. A bit of cherry aroma as well. Pretty foamy latte head of foam. Super dark brown color tinged with red. Initial taste is a bit smoky but also bubbly. Mouthfeel is light and what I am left with is a cola note.

2018 – this year pours a bit more red in color and the foam is a shade whiter. Much less aroma upon opening. Initial taste is much hoppier even after 5+ years. Tastes much less lighter than the previous year despite only being .02 higher in ABV. Like a red ale this.

The 2018 is more straightforward while the 2017 is more complex in flavor but I like that streamlined red ale a touch more.

Posted on

Review – Sawtelle Sake

I have wanted to dip my toes into Sake for a while now but I wanted to have a medium grasp of gin and bourbon first.

I found a Los Angeles brand, Sawtelle Sake – Clear Skies which “is a Nama (unpasteurized) Junmai (pure/no-additive) Ginjo style of sake with a 60% polish ratio made from rice sourced locally in California. Clear Skies is deeply aromatic with notes of citrus and melon.”

I decided to try both chilled and warmed to see what, if any difference it would make and, it did.

Chilled, there was a subtle floral aroma with a little alcohol burn at the end.  Viscous at first but dry overall.  A bit of tea tannin with citrus and honey.

Warmed, the alcohol was more pronounced and it was sweeter but pleasantly it had a distinct, wonderful pear flavor.

Posted on

Review – Two Hazies from Brouwerij West

Doing a hazy double dip with Brouwerij West….

Frizzonaire with Citra, Enigma and Cashmere – hazy if not murky appearance. little sawdust and Concord grape on the nose. very soft mouthfeel with that grape taste there in the leas with some prickly hop bitterness popping here and there. as it warms a bit, I get a subtle hit of peach and creamsicle.

Next up is Scissor Run with Amarillo, Huell Melon and Ekuanot – this is very berry bright upon opening the swirling labeled can. a lighter yellow shade of haze in the glass. getting a berry, peach combo here. a little brisker upon the palate, but still soft mouthfeel. a little more piney bitterness as well.

Hard to pick a winner here but based on my haze guideposts, Frizzonaire hews closer to the line for me.