Quick Sip 009. Karbach Love Street

I feel like I should write a love letter to this beer. At first, I was not overly impressed with this beer. I drank it, enjoyed it, and thought I'd move on. But as the summer wore on, I became more like Archie Andrews (if he were old enough to drink that is -- unbelievably, the dude is pushing 73 and he's still in high school and can't buy a beer!); even though I was infatuated with darker, more exotic fare like Veronica Lodge, I kept being drawn back to good old reliable Love Street, which was as light and breezy as Betty Cooper, the girl next door.

Copyright 2014 Archie Comics
All rights reserved. Hey, I'm a subscriber, so please
don't make me delete this.

I can't say wonderful things about this beer. It's light. Pleasant color, pleasant aroma... nothing remarkable. But there's something relatable about it that kept drawing me back to it. Over and over again. Over the course of the entire summer, I bought (and consumed) two cases of this stuff. I think I was into my third six-pack before I realized that this was, at least for now, my "go-to" beer when I wanted to drink something light (ABV 4.9%) while chilling at night with my wife and dog,

So, here's my ode to Love Street, something local that I thought would be a passing fancy, but something that kept me coming back for more.

This is a light-colored, pleasant Kölsch-Style beer. It has a caramel aroma with hints of the sweet malt to come. It has a nice white head and a pleasing mouthfeel. This beer has more complexity than you first suspect, with citrus undertones and a dash of pleasing aromatic hops.

From www.karbach.com:

In the 1960's on Allen's Landing sat Love Street; a hot spot of music and social impact.  The venue hosted eclectic characters ranging from open mic'ers to the Lizard King himself.  Love Street was not only a place, but a state of mind.  A place to unwind and let the music refresh your soul.

Likewise, Love Street Summer Seasonal is a state of mind.  Brewed in the Kolsch-style and hopped delicately with floral German hops, this beer boasts a clean malt proile that refreshes to the core, without sacrificing character.  So crack one open and find your own Love Street.

My Rating: 7 out of 10
One of my favorites

Quick Sip 008. Unibroue La Terrible

When you look at the photo for this week's pour, you may wonder why I only went with half a glass. The answer is simple: La Terrible by Unibroue has an Alcohol By Volume (ABV) of 10.5%. Since I still have work to do tonight (for a peak of what I'm up to, take a look at the various projects over at my other blog, mikemitchellonline.blogspot.com), I didn't think it wise to consume more than half a glass.

I have heard of this beer before. And, truthfully, it's been sitting in the beer fridge for a long time. Since it's such a big bottle, I was reluctant to open it. But, I've recently decided I need to drink some of my back-shelf stock before it sours, so I'm going through things I normally would drink in the winter, not the summer. That is to say, heavier fare, like this midnight-black concoction. Honestly, when I poured this into the glass, I wondered if I shouldn't call NASA and tell them that I've isolated dark matter right here on earth.

Yup, it's black.

I mean really black. It is as dark as Guinness from the bottom of the keg. I've only seen one or two other beers this dark, and one of those would include Storm King, which might be darker than this. I would have to put them side-by-side to be sure.

Anyway, the aroma didn't thrill me.  It was malty and fruity... sweet notes dominated the nose. The head was a generous, but slow-to-rise tan that left decent lacing. I drank it at about 50-55 degrees F, and found it to be much more pleasant than I had expected. In the past, most beers of that strength kick like a mule and taste like mule hooves that have been prancing in the field. In other words, they taste like rotgut that someone has cut with beer.

This wasn't bad, though. I actually enjoyed the fruitiness and it came off lighter than I expected (of course, my expectations were just this side of molasses, based as they were on its appearance). Not sure of the fruit: Cherries or plums? Slight hint of chocolate, and more than an aftertaste of yeast. But not in an entirely bad way.

If I'd been drinking this in the winter, I would be curled up under a blanket and marathon re-watching the last season of Community. As it is, I've had half a glass tonight and put a wine stopper in it for another night. I know someone who I think would like this, so I'll save it for the next time I see Josh B. I'll let you know what he thinks of it.

La Terrible is a dark brown beer on lees and is part of a collection of exotic and refined Unibroue beers brewed using 100% natural raw materials. It may be drunk as an aperitif or as an after dinner digestive. It is equally a perfect accompaniment to the above-mentioned dishes or a pleasant alternative to coffee.
-- From their Website:  www.unibroue.com 

ABV: 10.5%
My Rating: 7 out of 10

Quick Sip 007. Goose Island Sofie - Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale

With this Quick Sip having the number 007, I was tempted to find something with a spy theme, or perhaps to try to force some heavy-handed metaphor about something hiding beneath the surface. But after taking one sip of Goose Island Sofie Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale, I decided that wasn't going to work. You see, this is a good, nicely spiced farmhouse ale, but I don't think it has a lot of lurking nuance to report back to the home office.

This bottle was actually made in 2013 and has been sitting in my beer fridge -- nice and cold, only occasionally agitated by the opening and closing of the door -- since I bought it some time last year. When that was, I cannot say. I do know this is a large bottle (750 ml) and I don't buy them often, but I seldom pay more than $15 for a bottle this size ($10 being far more common).

This is a good farmhouse ale -- appropriately light and spiced for the summer. Opening it, I actually had to do an emergency suck at the mouth to catch the ample head as it foamed over. I didn't really agitate it much carrying it to my desk, so perhaps it was the extra time spent aging? Unless I find another (more recent) bottle, then there's no way for me to no. But as i was sucking suds from the neck, I was greeted by pleasant citrus notes with hints of pepper and perhaps some coriander. Pleasing, to say the least.

The pour was a light yellow color with a huge head (as to be expected). lacing was lighter than expected from such a glorious 3-finger head. Carbonation was medium but persistent. It's still got bubble after 10 minutes. Again, as to be expected, it's very cloudy.

"80% Belgian Style Ale Blended with 20% Belgian Style Ale Aged in wine barrels with orange peel."
-- From the label

I think fans of farmhouse ales (also known as Saisons) will like this, but it was a little too sour for me. In fact, this borders on a shandy and the sour notes give me the impression of drinking a tart lemonade, but without the lemon flavor. I will say this, though, it has a relatively dry mouthfeel that I expected to increase the bitterness, but that didn't happen. It didn't get more sour the longer I drank it (and since it was such a big bottle, there was a lot to drink). Another thing I expected was a strong presence of hops, but they were nicely in balance with the understated malt and managed to play nicely with the spices and aromatics.

This is a good summer beer and I might actually like to try a more recent vintage so I can decide whether the faint yeast taste and persistent carbonation are intended, or just by-products of staying on the shelf too long. The next time I try it, I would like to try it with some pork barbeque and a good, vinegary cole slaw to see how it pairs. If I get the chance, I'll post an update.

ABV: 6.5%
My Rating: 6.5 out of 10
Summer fun in the sun rating: 8

061. Blue Moon Short Straw Farmhouse Red Ale

I first tried this beer about two weeks ago and very quickly drank 5 out of 6 bottles, saving the last one for my review. I also spent that time looking for another six pack -- and failed. For whatever reason (out of stock, out of season, just don't care enough brands), I couldn't find another six pack of Blue Moon Short Straw Farmhouse Red Ale.

Which is odd, considering their Website reports that this is available year round: http://www.bluemoonbrewingcompany.com/OurBeers/product/Short-Straw-Farmhouse-Red-Ale  I don't care what their site says, though, I'm pretty darned sure this is a summer seasonal.

Nevertheless, the reason I checked out about six stores for it was not because it's a super amazing beer, but it just a really solid red ale with a hint of citrus and just a few nice notes of hops to make it a very pleasing summer beer that won't weigh you down.

"Farmhouse Ales were brewed for the diligent farmhands who drew the short straw and had to work the arduous harvest. Our brewmaster’s expression blends the spiciness of a Farmhouse Ale with the tartness of a Flanders Red for a remarkably refreshing finish."
-- From the label (and their Website)

Pour & Nose
The pour was, honestly, unremarkable. Two fingers of white head that was washed away by a quick rise of bubbles. I thought this was going to be an aggressively carbonated beer, but that's not the case. The bubbles came and went quickly, leaving almost no trace of lace. The color was nice, though: a crisp, clear copper with just the right color for something daring to call itself a "red ale."

The nose was even better. Spices, citrus (I'd say pepper and hibiscus) with subtle hops notes. Pleasing, but not attention grabbing. Still, it has a nice, earthy honesty that I found refreshing.


Savor the Flavor
I'm not a big fan of Flemish sours, but this one has just enough bitterness from the hops and just a hint of sweet from the spices, citrus and malt to make this a very pleasing drink for these dragon's breath days of summer. I think what appeals to me is the crispness. There's something about it that reminds me of biting into a crisp, really bitter Granny Smith apple. Now, don't get me wrong. I am not suggesting that this has any sort of apple flavor or any underlying apple sweetness. It's just that this combo reminds me of the experience of biting into a really bitter apple.

And I like it.

Closing Thoughts
Not bad, not good. A bit above average, which is why I didn't give it a 5 rating. The color and light taste seem perfect for summer by the pool or chilling with friends. It's not something I can imagine taking up permanent residence in my beer fridge, but it wouldn't be unwelcome if I found it in a cooler at a barbecue. Of course, I would let it warm up significantly before drinking it.


Thoughts from the bottom of the glass:
Type: Red Ale
Color: Clearly Copper
Aroma: Citrus, hibiscus, pepper, hint of hops
Hops: Mild, but aromatic
Malt: Subtle, but it does its job in the chorus supporting the main performers
Head: White but leaves the party early
Lace: Almost none
Bitterness: Nicely sour
Carbonation: Heavy, but dissipates quickly
Mouthfeel:  Crisp, but with an odd bready quality as you near the bottom of the bottle
Temeprature Sweet Spot: N/A (I liked it cold and warmer, so 36-56 degrees)
ABV: 5.8%
My Rating: 7 out of 10
Summer fun in the sun rating: 9

Other Reviews Worth A Sip:
Most of the guys over at RateBeer.com hated this. They were really bitchy about the sourness and just seemed pissed that it wasn't a stronger version of some other type of beer. This is one of the only times I've found their reviews to be so out of synch with mine that they are utterly useless to me.

For more about Farmhouse Ales in general, check out this page over at BeerAdvocate.com.

060. Goose Island 312 Urban Pale Ale

Summer is here -- at least in temperature and humidity, if not in date. Dog walking is now and after midnight activity. And even then the humidity can be oppressive. To shake off these early summertime blues, sometimes I like to come home and pop the top on a nice cold one. And the beer in this bottle is a lot lighter in color than what I prefer in the dark nights of winter.
Tonight's lucky bottle is from the Goose Island Beer Company.

I'll be honest, I am not be a fan of the politics that have seeped out of Chicago, but I am a fan of this brewery. I've had a couple of their beers that I have enjoyed quite a bit. This one is no different, in that regard: 312 Urban Pale Ale is a solid beer that has the right mix of flavor and crispness that I look for in a summer beer.

From Popped Top to Glass
The beer has almost no aroma when cold, but when allowed to warm up a bit, floral notes and citrus become apparent. There's a hint of sweetness hiding under the mountain hops aroma... but that sweetness doesn't make it into the glass itself.

Colorwise, this is an unusual beer. In one light, it looked rather dull and almost yellow. But, when photographed against a dark cloth, suddenly it turned into a pleasing golden color with hints of copper. The Goose Island web site lists the color as "Marigold," but I don't agree with that. It's really just a pleasing golden color.

Poured with a gentle slope and care into the glass, it generated a heady two-finger layer of foam that was a bright white. Just judging this beer by its looks, this brew looked like it had a lot to offer. That did not immediately translate into the glass. My first taste left me with the impression that this is a nice beer -- but almost completely unremarkable.  In fact, if this review were based on a 2-3 ounce sample, I would have given it a 5 out of 10.

But, being mindful of my responsibility to you, the reader, I didn't stop at just a few sips. I kept on drinking the bottle, just to make sure I was being thorough. After all, I do need to maintain some levels of journalistic integrity, don't I? So, braving on, I began to detect more subtle notes in the beer that I found both surprising and pleasing.

As I said, there are floral and citrus notes in the nose and the body. The light carbonation is pleasing, but it and the head seemed to fade faster than I expected. It did leave a lot of lace in the glass, however. And who doesn't like lace-lined beer glasses?

"We are from the city that invented the skyscraper. We constructed our Urban Pale Ale on a balanced malt backbone, so the citrus hop aroma and crisp flavor can stand tall."
--From their Website, www.gooseisland.com

The mouthfeel is good -- not overly dry or sweet. As the beer warmed, the malt did seem to release more sweetness, but on the whole, this beer was a little bitter... but in a good, citrus way, not in an overly hopped or way.

Some Like it Hot  -- Or at least warm...
I found the bitterness to be very strong when I tasted it cold. Under 40 degrees, this is an almost disagreeable beer. But when allowed to thaw out a bit, it gets downright pleasant around 57-60 degrees. This is a good beer, but I don't think it's going to come home again this summer... or next. Oh, I wouldn't snub it at a party, and I might actually recommend it to good ole Cousin Josh as something he might like. He tends to like beers with strong hops or more bitter flavors. I think this might be the sort of thing he'll enjoy, so I'll save a few bottles for him and see what he thinks of it.  I'll let you know what he thinks.


Thoughts from the bottom of the glass:
Type: Pale Ale
Color: Gold with whispers of copper
Aroma: Citrus and mountain hops
Hops: Aromatic mountain hops with hints of floral
Malt: Solid and dependable, but it's working in the chorus, not taking the lead
Head: Super white and fluffy -- two fingers thick
Lace: Heavy -- more impressive than I was expecting
Carbonation: Light
Mouthfeel:  Crisp, hints of citrus, not too much alcohol
Temeprature Sweet Spot: 57-60 degrees
ABV: 5.4%
My Rating: 6.5 out of 10
Worth a sip when the heat is on

Other Reviews Worth A Sip:
Most of the guys over at BeerAdvocate.com did not, for the most part, like this beer. Most of the comments focused on the bitterness and more than one guy mentioned that it looked thin and had a poor head. I'm betting these guys tried to drink it cold. At

Quick Sip 006. Smithwick's Premium Irish Ale

Even the rain cannot dance in my spirit this Memorial Day. I've got burgers on the grill and a cold beer in my hand. And yes, I am thinking about those who died to make this possible for me and everyone else. One of the men I am thinking of most today is my uncle Harry. He passed away this past week after a very long and painful illness.

He had served in the US Air Force and had been stationed in Greenland in the late 1960s. So, even though he didn't fall in battle, I'm still remembering him today. I have many wonderful memories and stories about my uncle Hoppy, as we called him. But to be honest, must of them are not really suitable for mixed company. Yup. He was that kind of guy -- funny as hell... especially when he was with "just us guys." So, I'm going to keep the stories to myself.

My first beer of the day is poured in his honor. Other beers shall honor others. This beer is a pleasant malty Irish brew from those fine folks at Guinness. It's Smithwick's Premium Irish Ale. This is a very malty beer with a sweet taste of a wonderful, clear color. It has a hint of caramel sweetness and a thick head. I find this to be a very refreshing beer with a wonderful mouthfeel and very little bitter aftertaste (perhaps stemming from the fact that it only has 4.5% ABV?).

I first had this back at St Patrick's Day end of this loan bottle has been hiding in my refrigerator ever since. I have yet to find a food that I really think pairs well with it, but on its own it is a real refreshing treat.

 My rating: 8 out of 10

059. Miller Fortune

A late night ice cream run for me and the wife netted a little something extra for me. I was at a CVS Pharmacy in NW Houston to pick up some Blue Bell Ice Cream (Vanilla for the wife, Rocky Road for me) and I saw a new beer on sale. Miller Fortune for only $6.49. It was a good price, so I tossed it in the basket and, after TV and ice cream were finished, I decided to end the night with a nightcap.

Even though the beer had chilled for more than an hour, when I grabbed a pair of bottles and headed upstairs, I was concerned that they weren't chilled enough. I think that initial though is correct, as when I poured my first glass the old digital thermometer read it at 60 degrees. Not bad for an English Ale, but probably too warm for this decidedly American concoction.  So I put the second bottle in the freezer to chill it for a second taste, which I'll report on shortly.

The Basics
The bottle is drop-dead sexy. Narrow at the waist, dark color (if you look through it, it is actually dark brown, but looking at it you'd swear it's black). The label just says "Miller Fortune" and has an oh-so-cool Ace of Spades on the neck with a smoking red "M" in it. If I were still young and frequenting pool halls with my buddies, this would be in my hand between shots (at the pool table, that is -- I gave up shots in bars after the night that ended in the bar fight and my broken nose). But I digress.

Popping the top, I was hit with the aroma from a few inches away. Strong, sweet, malty and more hops than would actually turn up in the glass. A closer sniff yielded hints of yeast that, thankfully, were not in the brew itself. The pour was very pleasing to the eyes. A crisp, yellow liquid with a generous bounty of fluffy white head that sprouted in abundance from the hyperactive little bubbles that filled my glass. Photo op-wise, this was everything you hope for in a lager.

Miller Fortune is a premium golden lager undistilled at 6.9% abv. It boasts a rich, malty aroma, a light body, and a crisp, clean finish. Balanced, yet unexpectedly bold. Designed for a balanced taste and smooth finish. Crafted to have a deep golden color.
-- From their Web Site

The beer being a bit warm, I was not surprised that my first sip was very strong and flavorful. Thinking back, the aroma had led me to expect some type of strong IPA experience, but that was not what I encountered. I was drinking a decent lager with a strong taste of malt, a hint of aromatic hops and a whispered promise of pepper and spices.

In short, it's an okay beer. I honestly can't say that it would remind me of Miller High Life if it weren't for the Miller name on the label, but it does so I can't help but think of this as a more robust Miller High Life, which is not a bad thing. It's just not great. There's no single taste that dominates this. Normally, I like my beers to be very balanced, but this is balanced to the point of being unremarkable, and that's not a good thing. On the other hand, it's not a bad thing, either.

A few other notes are worth mentioning. After writing my review, I check out the other reviews at sites and compare mine, mainly to correct factual errors (such as beer type, brewery info, etc.). This time around I was surprised to find that Rate Beer is listing this as Malt Liquor. That was a surprise because millerfortune.com lists it as Golden Lager. There were also some posts mentioning that this is actually a reconfigured formula of an old malt liquor brew that they used to produce. I really don't know anything about this, but thought it interesting enough to mention.

Chilling with my Second Bottle
As noted previously, I let my second bottle chill in the freezer for about 30 minutes while I wrote down my first impressions. I expected the aroma to be smaller, but it was not. Still strong and pleasant. The head, however, was nonexistent -- barely one-finger tall and it faded in seconds. However, the lace was significantly thicker. I was very surprised by this last development.

My first taste was actually a bit bitter, but I think that may have been a reaction to the temperature affecting my taste buds, because after that, it seemed smoother than before. As people wrote elsewhere, the hops were nowhere to be found -- only the malt (and a bit more yeast) were taking center stage and making everyone else play quietly in the background chorus. In other words, malt took over and didn't leave much else.

To be honest, this is one beer that I may actually want to drink almost warm -- around 58-60 degrees. I typically like my brews a little warmer than most of my friends (they drink it ice cold and I prefer to let the hops and flavors come alive at slightly warmer temperatures), but this one really wants to wander over to the warm side of my drinking experience. A final thought at this temperature -- the alcohol taste is much more obvious when it's cold.


Closing Thoughts
Not bad, not good. A bit above average, which is why I didn't give it a 5 rating. The color and light taste seem perfect for summer by the pool or chilling with friends. It's not something I can imagine taking up permanent residence in my beer fridge, but it wouldn't be unwelcome if I found it in a cooler at a barbecue. Of course, I would let it warm up significantly before drinking it.


Thoughts from the bottom of the glass:
Type: Lager (some claim it's a malt liquor)
Color: Brilliant gold with whispers of copper
Aroma: Malt, sugar, hints of yeast and hops (at least when warm)
Hops: Mild, but present with floral after-notes
Malt: Strong, roasted -- yummy
Head: Super white and fluffy -- three fingers when warm, less when cold
Lace: Almost none
Carbonation: Heavy, but dissipates quickly
Mouthfeel:  Crisp, hints of citrus, not too much alcohol
Temeprature Sweet Spot: 58-60 degrees
ABV: 6.9%
My Rating: 6.5 out of 10
Summer fun in the sun

Other Reviews Worth A Sip:
Most of the guys over at RateBeer.com did not, for the most part, like this beer. A few thought it was innocuous and mostly harmless, though... kinda like my impressions of it.