Dang it, but the epidemic of "ick" that went around this year hit me hard. I caught bronchitis and still have a lingering cough. I have one steadfast rule -- I don't drink when I'm sick (past experience tells me it will just lengthen my recovery time). Fortunately, I'm recovering now and will be back on schedule later this month.
I've got a whole slew of cool beers lined up to review and I'm really looking forward to getting back in the swim of things.
Monday, February 4, 2013
Wednesday, January 2, 2013
051. Bear Republic Red Rocket Ale
Inasmuch as tomorrow is Veteran's Day, I thought I'd break from the dark shadows of Halloween and the bounty of harvest beers, but still enjoy something dark as the earth spins ever nearer toward the solstice. In a bit of a stretch, I decided to honor those who have served by tipping back a glass with an ale inspired by the words from our National Anthem, "by the rockets red glare..."
That much justification aside, I'm now sitting here sipping Bear Republic's Red Rocket Ale. As I said, the patriotic theme is a bit of a stretch, but my enjoyment of this ale is not. This is particularly enjoyable because I was very concerned that I wouldn't like it because of the description from the label:
At 50 degrees F, it was quite smooth and poured a beautiful dark red that was remarkably clear considering the yeast comment on the label. The head was light brown and barely one-finger thick -- it and the lace were not really very memorable.
The taste, however, was quite memorable. The hops were there and they did dominate the malt more than I care for, but there were other flavors at play below the surface. I almost never use the word "pine" to describe beer, but that word does apply here. Also, and this is odd because these two flavors don't go together well, but a hint of mint mixed in with a citrus nip that I would best describe as orange. When it's all done, the mouthful is surprisingly dry. I say surprising because I'm not used to getting a light caramel aftertaste in such a dry ale. After it settled in my mouth for a minute, I was finally aware of the malt. It's there as a supporting character doing an important-but-underappreciated role in the t
Finishing off the bottle
I only picked up one bottle of this, which is a shame because I'd like to run some more tests on it (he he heh -- yup, it's all int the name of science). As it is, I tested this at 48 and 50 degrees, and found that it definitely does taste better in that range. At least to me. However, I think hops-happy drinkers might prefer the tanginess that comes alive when this ale is between 55-59 degrees. It develops a bit more "bite" at that point, which I know hops heads would like.
I think this is a really pleasant ale and I'm very glad I used it to toast my friends who served in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines (I don't mention the Coast Guard because I don't have any personal friends who served there). And I thank them and everyone before and after them who served. I wouldn't be here today if not for them... none of us would.
This particular beer, as good as it is, is a bit too dry and piney for my taste. I wouldn't turn it down in a bar or with good company, but it's not one I would seek out on its own. It's very good, but not great.
That much justification aside, I'm now sitting here sipping Bear Republic's Red Rocket Ale. As I said, the patriotic theme is a bit of a stretch, but my enjoyment of this ale is not. This is particularly enjoyable because I was very concerned that I wouldn't like it because of the description from the label:
Red Rocket Ale is a bastardized Scottish style red ale packed with distinctive flavors an an aggressive hop character riveled by none. This unfiltered, bottle-conditioned, amber colored ale breaks all style molds.
Keep refrigerated, beer is perishable, real ale is alive, yeast is good, serve at 45-50 degrees F.I was very concerned that this ale would be dominated by hops, much like a powerful IPA is. This fear was reinforced when I took a whiff after popping the top on the bottle. All I smelled were hops and alcohol (a quick glance at the label revealed it has an ABV of 6.8% -- pretty heady stuff). But I was pleasantly surprised once I actually took a sip.
At 50 degrees F, it was quite smooth and poured a beautiful dark red that was remarkably clear considering the yeast comment on the label. The head was light brown and barely one-finger thick -- it and the lace were not really very memorable.
The taste, however, was quite memorable. The hops were there and they did dominate the malt more than I care for, but there were other flavors at play below the surface. I almost never use the word "pine" to describe beer, but that word does apply here. Also, and this is odd because these two flavors don't go together well, but a hint of mint mixed in with a citrus nip that I would best describe as orange. When it's all done, the mouthful is surprisingly dry. I say surprising because I'm not used to getting a light caramel aftertaste in such a dry ale. After it settled in my mouth for a minute, I was finally aware of the malt. It's there as a supporting character doing an important-but-underappreciated role in the t
Finishing off the bottle
I only picked up one bottle of this, which is a shame because I'd like to run some more tests on it (he he heh -- yup, it's all int the name of science). As it is, I tested this at 48 and 50 degrees, and found that it definitely does taste better in that range. At least to me. However, I think hops-happy drinkers might prefer the tanginess that comes alive when this ale is between 55-59 degrees. It develops a bit more "bite" at that point, which I know hops heads would like.
I think this is a really pleasant ale and I'm very glad I used it to toast my friends who served in the Army, Navy, Air Force and Marines (I don't mention the Coast Guard because I don't have any personal friends who served there). And I thank them and everyone before and after them who served. I wouldn't be here today if not for them... none of us would.
This particular beer, as good as it is, is a bit too dry and piney for my taste. I wouldn't turn it down in a bar or with good company, but it's not one I would seek out on its own. It's very good, but not great.
Thoughts from the bottom of the glass:
Type: Red Ale
Color: Rich red, crystal clear
Aroma: Hops and alcohol
Hops: Strong but not too overpowering; piney and aromatic
Malt: Lurking below the surface
Head: Quarter-inch, mostly thick light brown, but fades quickly
Lace: Almost none
Carbonation: Low
Mouthfeel: Very dry and a little chalky
Temeprature Sweet Spot: 45-50 degrees F (for more hops flavor, let it warm to 55-59)
ABV: 6.8%
My Rating: 7.5 out of 10
Other Reviews Worth A Sip:
The fellers over at Beer Advocate enjoyed this more than I did, but they tend to prefer hops-heavy beers over there: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/610/1655/?ba=dancinwillie
Type: Red Ale
Color: Rich red, crystal clear
Aroma: Hops and alcohol
Hops: Strong but not too overpowering; piney and aromatic
Malt: Lurking below the surface
Head: Quarter-inch, mostly thick light brown, but fades quickly
Lace: Almost none
Carbonation: Low
Mouthfeel: Very dry and a little chalky
Temeprature Sweet Spot: 45-50 degrees F (for more hops flavor, let it warm to 55-59)
ABV: 6.8%
My Rating: 7.5 out of 10
Other Reviews Worth A Sip:
The fellers over at Beer Advocate enjoyed this more than I did, but they tend to prefer hops-heavy beers over there: http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/610/1655/?ba=dancinwillie
Happy New Year!
Well, those pesky Mayans were proved wrong and the world did not end in 2012 (neither at the solstice nor the start of our calendar year).
I need to apologize a bit for my absence of late. Around Halloween things really got crazy and I started missing my blog-post dates. And like any good habit, once you miss it more than once, it's dangerously easy to start missing it a lot.
But now that the crazy holiday season has finally wound up (don't get me wrong -- we had fun, but we were hopping from one party to event to gathering for almost 10 weeks straight!), I can get back to the serious business of drinking some new beers.
First I'm going to go back and fill in a few old reviews that I started but had not finished, then I'll move on to the new material for the new year.
Talk to ya soon!
Saturday, November 3, 2012
Thursday, November 1, 2012
049. Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat
I was out in the country for a barbecue and memorial on Saturday (waaaaay out in Bellville) then went up to Spring for a costume party and games with friends. Between all that, I just wasn't able to sit down and write about what I was drinking that day (the week before had been filled with drinking some of the Magic Hat Hex Ourtoberfest I squirreled away before it went out of production).
BTW: The barbecue was a lot of fun, but I spent the day drinking Shiner Oktoberfest, and since it's not a "beer that is new to me," it's really not eligible for one of my reviews (although after I hit 50 reviews I think I'll go back and start reviewing some of my old favorites next year). For now, though, I'm sticking to new beers only.
First Impressions
So here I sit, the day after Halloween and I'm finally sitting down to enjoy a glass of beer that's new to me. This week (or, technically, last week) I'm popping the top on Shock Top Pumpkin Wheat. I was honestly hoping to find something a little scarier for Halloween, but I've already done most of those recently so now I guess it's time to move into the Autumnal beers for the harvest season.
My first impression was pretty lackluster, which unfortunately puts it in the same range as the other Shock Top beer I reviewed back in June. I've had pumpkin ales before, and I really don't much care for them. But I always break out my bottle opener with the highest of hopes in mind (despite the creepy Midnight Syndicate music I'm listening to as I write this review). I wasn't expecting the pumpkin to be overpowering, but I expected it to be present and detectable. As it was, though, sniffing the freshly opened bottle, I found there to be almost no aroma at all.
Fortunately, I read the directions on the label before pouring it into my cool skull glass:
Pour down side of glass until 1/2 inch is left in bottle, swirl, and pour remaining brew to properly blend spice and release the aroma and flavor.
I followed the directions and still wasn't impressed. The aroma just wasn't there, and like that equine-riding horror from Sleepy Hollow, I couldn't find a head worth writing home about. At best I got a quarter-inch lightly brownish white head that faded into the night very quickly, leaving so little evidence that even Mulder would agree it wasn't there.
However, I know that most spiced beers and ales don't come alive when they're cold, so I waited for it to warm up a bit and -- sure enough -- when the beer warmed to over 50 degrees, I could finally smell the spices, but really didn't get much improvement in taste (Oh, I took a taste when it was cold and it was just so mediocre that it's not worth commenting further on -- let this warm up a bit before you imbibe).
Letting Things Heat Up a Bit
I drank one bottle of this while it was fairly cold and it really didn't do much for me. The alcohol was there, but the flavors and spices weren't. They just seemed to trapped, unable to break out to the surface. So I let it warm up significantly more for the second glass, and finally around 58 degrees this beer came alive.
Now, we're not talking Dr. Frankenstein yelling "IT'S ALIVE!" But more of a subdued realization that this beer has some life in it after all. At the warmer temperatures the spices were more pronounced and I finally found the pumpkin they were talking about. All in all, it finally became a fairly decent seasonal beer.
A few comments about color and other things: It's a cloudy, medium-to-strong carbonated orange color. It looks pleasingly appetizing and I like the way it sat in my mouth, leaving a nice wheat beer finish without overpowering me with the spices. That being said, though, it's just good, not great. I kept waiting for the curtain to slide away to reveal something interesting or unique. But that never happened.
What I wound up with was a nice solid seasonal wheat beer that I would be happy to drink at a party, but would never make a special trip to the liquor store to find (which I did do for Hex Ourtoberfest). I also drank it with some roasted chicken and didn't care for the pairing at all. There was a little fat in the chicken and this beer did not blend well with that. It actually made both the food and the beer taste weird and uninviting. To be honest, I can't really imagine what I would eat with this, unless it was some type of vegetable platter... and even then I couldn't imagine it pairing well with any dipping sauces.
Fortunately, man does not live by food alone (yeah, I'm paraphrasing), so for tonight, this beer stands on its own. Proud, but not to proud, to help bring the year to an end with a celebration of harvest, family and friends.
However, I know that most spiced beers and ales don't come alive when they're cold, so I waited for it to warm up a bit and -- sure enough -- when the beer warmed to over 50 degrees, I could finally smell the spices, but really didn't get much improvement in taste (Oh, I took a taste when it was cold and it was just so mediocre that it's not worth commenting further on -- let this warm up a bit before you imbibe).
Letting Things Heat Up a Bit
I drank one bottle of this while it was fairly cold and it really didn't do much for me. The alcohol was there, but the flavors and spices weren't. They just seemed to trapped, unable to break out to the surface. So I let it warm up significantly more for the second glass, and finally around 58 degrees this beer came alive.
Now, we're not talking Dr. Frankenstein yelling "IT'S ALIVE!" But more of a subdued realization that this beer has some life in it after all. At the warmer temperatures the spices were more pronounced and I finally found the pumpkin they were talking about. All in all, it finally became a fairly decent seasonal beer.
A few comments about color and other things: It's a cloudy, medium-to-strong carbonated orange color. It looks pleasingly appetizing and I like the way it sat in my mouth, leaving a nice wheat beer finish without overpowering me with the spices. That being said, though, it's just good, not great. I kept waiting for the curtain to slide away to reveal something interesting or unique. But that never happened.
What I wound up with was a nice solid seasonal wheat beer that I would be happy to drink at a party, but would never make a special trip to the liquor store to find (which I did do for Hex Ourtoberfest). I also drank it with some roasted chicken and didn't care for the pairing at all. There was a little fat in the chicken and this beer did not blend well with that. It actually made both the food and the beer taste weird and uninviting. To be honest, I can't really imagine what I would eat with this, unless it was some type of vegetable platter... and even then I couldn't imagine it pairing well with any dipping sauces.
Fortunately, man does not live by food alone (yeah, I'm paraphrasing), so for tonight, this beer stands on its own. Proud, but not to proud, to help bring the year to an end with a celebration of harvest, family and friends.
Thoughts from the bottom of the glass:
Type: Belgian Wheat (spiced)
Color: Dullish cloudy orange
Aroma: Dead at cold temps, but warmth and stirring release nutmeg, spices and a faint hint of pumpkin
Hops: Hiding beneath the beadcovers like a scared child until things warm up; after that they 're okay but not too domiant
Malt: Lurking in the shadows, waiting to play with the spices
Head: Quarter-inch, mostly thick white, but fades quickly
Lace: Like the invisible man, I couldn't see it
Carbonation: Strong/Medium
Mouthfeel: Pretty good, but mostly the spices remain
Temprature Sweet Spot: Above Ice Cold -- the spices don't come alive until it warms over 50 degrees, but it LIVES when it's around 58 degrees
ABV: 5.2%
My Rating: 6.5 out of 10
Other Reviews Worth A Sip:
This fellow seemed to have the same reaction I did: it was okay, but not brilliant.
http://www.firstpourwine.com/2012/10/20/shock-top-pumpkin-wheat/
Type: Belgian Wheat (spiced)
Color: Dullish cloudy orange
Aroma: Dead at cold temps, but warmth and stirring release nutmeg, spices and a faint hint of pumpkin
Hops: Hiding beneath the beadcovers like a scared child until things warm up; after that they 're okay but not too domiant
Malt: Lurking in the shadows, waiting to play with the spices
Head: Quarter-inch, mostly thick white, but fades quickly
Lace: Like the invisible man, I couldn't see it
Carbonation: Strong/Medium
Mouthfeel: Pretty good, but mostly the spices remain
Temprature Sweet Spot: Above Ice Cold -- the spices don't come alive until it warms over 50 degrees, but it LIVES when it's around 58 degrees
ABV: 5.2%
My Rating: 6.5 out of 10
Other Reviews Worth A Sip:
This fellow seemed to have the same reaction I did: it was okay, but not brilliant.
http://www.firstpourwine.com/2012/10/20/shock-top-pumpkin-wheat/
Saturday, October 20, 2012
048. Samuel Adams Octoberfest
On tap at the Movie Tavern! There is a hint of Autumn in the air and ghosts dance on the edge of my peripheral vision. This makes it the perfect time to embrace the chills of the season and went to The Movie Tavern to see Paranormal Activity 4.
I love the Movie Tavern. A movie and a beer? Toss in the fried pickles and I'm in heaven. Well... considering the movie on tap, that might not be the best analogy. But I'm most certainly not in hell. I'VE GOT BEER!
I've been enjoying this beer for about two weeks now and have really been enjoying it. I'm not sure, but I think I've had about three six packs and it's becoming one of my signature Brews of the Season.
Saturday, October 13, 2012
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