063. Karbachtoberfest

The leaves have begun to turn -- well, as much as they do here in this part of Texas. Which is to say, not a lot. But still, the heat has broken for the most part (it only got up to the low 80s today). Which means I'm slowly getting ready to transition from the lighter beers of summer to the heartier fare of fall and winter.

But, of course, before I start chugging porters and stouts, it's time for the autumnal bacchanal that is OCTOBERFEST. Yup, that time of year when even the casual beer drinker sets aside his Bud Light and tries something with a German name.

And for me, it's high time to dive into the plethora of seasonal offerings that bridge the seasons.

The first offering of the year is a definite winner for me. And it's surprising in two ways:

• It's lighter than I usually prefer in an autumn beer (5.5% ABV)
• It's by the same people who made my summer favorite, Love Street

Yup, I'm talking about the great hometown brewers at Karbach Brewing Co., and the brew of the hour is their seasonal Marzen-style beer, Karbachtoberfest. Okay, they get me with the name right off the bat. Anyone who knows me in person has probably spent serious time developing the mental skills necessary to filter out the almost non-stop string of puns and word play that streams from my mouth while I'm drinking. I make no apologies for it -- I am who I am. And, who I am at the moment loves this beer.

I'm on my second six-pack. Yup. I'm enjoying it that much and this could well be my go-to beer for the season. Of course, I've only tried a handful of other beers lately (some of which don't warrant reviews, a few others that will (one of them being Sam Adams Octoberfest, which will make the list soon). 

Pour me another, please

I'm not gonna lie -- I'm on my second Karbachtoberfest tonight. It's light, it's late, and I don't have to get to work until after 10 am tomorrow. So I'm good to relax and enjoy the pleasant tart notes that play around with citrus and hops, but lets the sweet malt take center stage and belt out the high notes in a power ballad of flavor. In most ways, this is an atypical Marzen, which I must admit is a beer I like but am not an expert on.

Marzen is German for the month of March. Here's the lowdown from BeerAdvocate.com:

Before refrigeration, it was nearly impossible to brew beer in the summer due to the hot weather and bacterial infections. Brewing ended with the coming of spring, and began again in the fall. Most were brewed in March (Märzen). These brews were kept in cold storage over the spring and summer months, or brewed at a higher gravity, so they’d keep. Märzenbier is full-bodied, rich, toasty, typically dark copper in color with a medium to high alcohol content. 

The common Munich Oktoberfest beer served at Wies'n (the location at which Munich celebrates its Oktoberfest) contains roughly 5.0-6.0% alcohol by volume, is dark/copper in color, has a mild hop profile and is typically labeled as a Bavarian Märzenbier in style.

Now, this beer is not a standard Marzen. In fact, it reminds me much more of a summer beer -- and considering that it's still very warm here, its not surprising that I'm enjoying this so much. As I mentioned above, this is tart, but not bitter. This reminds me of citrus, but maybe it's spice. No, not that either. One guy at BeerAdvocate.com said this had pepper notes, but I'm not getting that. Nor do I see the color they describe: Copper. There is no read in any of the cans I've popped over the past week or so. In fact, the color is just a hazy sort of yellow that really doesn't impress me. It's not bad, but it's certainly no Moylan's Danny's Irish Style Red Ale. 

From the can:

Every year in Munich a little party is thrown.  If you've ever been, there are some things you may or may not remember: Lederhosen envy, oompah music, dirndls, and rolling down the hill.  One thing you surely haven't forgotten is the extremely quaffable beer.  While you may not be able to attend Oktoberfest this year, you can experience the world's biggest beer fest right here with Karbachtoberfest.  An authentic, Bavarian-style Marzen, decotion mashed with Vienna and Munich malts, cold fermented and aged for six weeks, this beer pairs well with pretzels and sausage, but it tastes mighty fine on its own.  Eins, Zwei, G'suffa!

Closing Thoughts

I don't think this is a remarkable Marzen for Oktoberfest. But I'm really enjoying it. I will review a few more beers to make sure I'm not passing up on something else that's awesome, but I predict that I'm going to go out and stock up on case of this to get me through to Thanksgiving.

Thoughts from the bottom of the glass:
Type: Marzen Lager
Color: Hazy Yellow
Aroma: Malt & faint hops
Hops: A bit strong for this type of beer, but not too strong
Malt: Key performer -- up front and sweet, but not dominating
Head: Thick, white, and temporary
Lace: Almost none
Bitterness: Faintly in the aftertaste
Carbonation: Light; vanishes quickly
Mouthfeel:  Crisp with dry finish
Temeprature Sweet Spot: 40-55 degrees (wide range: crisper when colder, more complex hopes when warmer)
ABV: 7%
My Rating: 8 out of 10

Other Reviews Worth A Sip:
The BeerAdvocate.com guys were all over the map with this one. Most thought it was a bit weak for an Oktoberfest, and I can't argue with that. But those who enjoyed it really sang its praises. www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/26762/85078/ 

062. Abita SOS (Save Our Shores) Pilsner

This is probably the last wheat beer I'll review. I may have mentioned this before, but my face turns beet red when I drink wheat beers. I don't have any other symptoms from it (other than a pleasant buzz if I drink enough), so I don't think I have a wheat allergy. But why push my luck? Now, this is not specifically a WHEAT BEER. It has Wheat Malt, so we'll see if the results are the same.

SOS (Save Our Shores) was a limited edition beer designed to raise money and awareness. From the bottle (and their Website: abita.com/brews/our_brews/s.o.s

"Abita S.O.S.® (Save Our Shore) — a charitable pilsner is a message in a bottle...a distress signal for the troubled waters of our Gulf Coast. For every bottle sold Abita donates 75¢ to the rescue and restoration of the environment, industry and individuals fighting to survive the disastrous gulf oil spill. This unfiltered Weizen Pils is made with pilsner and wheat malts. It is hopped and dry hopped with Sterling and German Perle hops. It has a brilliant gold color, a sweet malt flavor, and a pleasant bitterness and aroma."

First Pour
So, let's start by admitting that I don't know how old this beer is. It's been in my refrigerator, chilled, for what seems like forever. It's one of those beers that I kept putting off -- I'll review it next week. Or the next. Or the next... It's a big bottle (1 pt 6 oz) and, since I probably paid about $5 - $10 for it, I feel obligated to give it a proper review. So, it's been sitting there forever, just waiting for me to grab it and add culmination to its existence.

Well, tonight -- on a whim -- I decided it was time. I grabbed it out of the door of the fridge and gave it a pour.

My first thought was that it smells like a pilsner. Kind of aromatic, nothing strong or off-putting. I detect hints of grass (reminds me of Saint Arnold's Lawnmower -- which, for me, is not a great thing). Definitely no citrus or spice notes.

The head was disappointing -- I had to practically slap it around to get a rise out of it. But, considering that it's probably 1-2 years old, that's not surprising and I won't hold that against it. Lace was respectable, once I got it to a head.


The flavor was okay on its own, although a bit grassy and bitter for my taste. Not bad, but not remarkable. There were elements of grassy mountain hops, a pleasant but-definitely-in-the-background presence of malt. As I let it warm from 40 to 55 degrees, the aromatics became stronger, but that didn't really affect my enjoyment one way or the other. However, as I drank more I also became more aware of its alcohol content (at 7%, it's not too shabby). This also revealed an alcohol taste that grew stronger the more I drank.

Then the pizza arrived.

I had a supreme with jalapenos -- and suddenly the beer came alive. Pared with this classic chow of Friday nights, the beer really stepped forward in my estimation. The bitterness played remarkably well off the spicy ingredients in my pizza, and I found myself enjoying it quite a bit.

Closing Thoughts
Okay but not remarkable pilsner. I suspect many people who like IPAs will really appreciate the bitterness in this bottle. It's not too strong, but it is there. Pared with pizza, though, it was a rare treat. I really enjoyed it.


Thoughts from the bottom of the glass:
Type: Pilsner
Color: Hazy Gold
Aroma: Grass and hay
Hops: Bitter and strong, but not IPA strong
Malt: Present, but definitely dancing in the background
Head: Not sure -- 2 fingers with aggressive pour, but that could be related to the age of the beer
Lace: Respectable at first, but fades as the glass goes dry
Bitterness: Bitter
Carbonation: Medium, but dissipates quickly (see note above)
Mouthfeel:  A little dry for my taste, but okay
Temeprature Sweet Spot: 45-55 degrees
ABV: 7%
My Rating: 6 out of 10
Paired with Pizza: 8 out of 10


Other Reviews Worth A Sip:
A lot of guys at RateBeer.com liked this, but they detected a hint of orange that was completely missing from my experience.

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