October 8th, 2008 beckel
So the day has come for me to explain to you the wonder that is Surly Brewing’s take on an Oktoberfest beer straight from Brooklyn Center, Minnesota. Surlyfest is dry hopped with Summit hops and brewed with German malts and Crystal Rye and then aged 11 weeks. To get the bias out this is my favorite Oktoberfest and is delightfully unique so lets get to the beer. This 16oz can pours a beautiful dark amber color that should inspire anyone to want to drink it. Head tends to be a few inches and cascades gently creating firm white head that dissipates after a few minutes. Aroma is marvelous, heavy on sweet malt aromas but countered by a nice bitter hop scent. In the first taste of this beer you will notice the rye and nice bitter hoppyness that is then countered by a sweet malt flavor that you may have been expecting initially. There is really nothing traditional about Surlyfest aside from the fact it uses some German malt. As you continue to drink this beer you will notice how marvelously balanced it is, some sweet, some bitter and over all simply something amazing. This is certainly beer. Though malt produces the primary flavor in this beer the dry hopping of this beer gives it a unique twist you will not see in any traditional Oktoberfest not to mention the nice rye flavor. The mouthfeel of this beer is medium but it does not have a heavy body. With aproximately 6.3% ABV this is a solid brew but you will likely not notice the alcohol. If you are looking for a sweet light Oktoberfest this isn’t for you. However if you are looking for a unique American interpretation of an Oktoberfest that has amazing hop flavor and malt to balance you should absolutely drink think beer. Bare in mind this is a seasonal beer and will only be around for as long as Surly can keep it stocked so go out and enjoy some, just get some for me too. Give it a shot and ride your bike.
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October 1st, 2008 beckel
While at the store the other day I was torn between which Great Divide Ale I wanted to purchase. After much contemplation I determined I should pick up the one I hadn’t tried before, Hibernation Ale an English Style Old Ale. This lovely beer is touted as their winter beer and appears to have been a success since 1995. This dry hopped ale is brewed in July and cellared until late October to allow it to properly mature and ferment, with that said I am assuming I have a batch from last year and plan to cellar as much as I can manage to not drink to see how delightfully it matures further. Winning multiple awards from 1997 to 2007 and likely beyond I’m sure this brew will prove to be a delight. Pours with a few inches of light tan head that evaporates quite slowly. Appearance is a dark red that looks a bit like a ruby under light but is still only partially transparent. Wonderful malt aromas hit the nose immediately, nicely roasted and not overly sweet, slight alcohol is present but over all a very smooth scent. This is definitely a Winter Ale, roasted malts hit the tongue first followed by a hop like bitterness that is underwhelming but very nicely complimentary. The mouthfeel of this beer is medium but aside from its slight thickness it is quite drinkable if you don’t mind strong beers. With a 8.1% ABV this Ale will keep you warm but does not taste particularly alcoholic because of the wonderful roasted malt and hop balance. As you continue to drink you will notice the sweet malt flavors that accompany this beer making it a wonderful choice for any cold night, in my opinion a good beer for any night. I am very pleased to have been able to enjoy another lovely Great Divide brew, anyone who likes gently roasted malts and flavorful nicely balanced beers will likely appreciate this one. Otherwise anyone who doesn’t mind good ale and wants to keep warm will also be satisfied. Give it a shot and ride your bike.
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September 29th, 2008 beckel
Here we have another ale from Full Sail, one that I’m even more excited about. Today I will be enjoying a 07 reserve of their Old Boardhead Barleywine Ale another brew from their Brewmaster’s Reserve this one being released last October, so I suppose I’m jumping the gun a bit and could let it mature for a full year, but then I couldn’t tell you about it now, and who knows maybe I’ll just have to pick up some more if I can depending on how this session goes. Producing a solid couple inches of just off white head, most of which fades rapidly but a few millimeters persist for some time. Color is a wonderful somewhat dark raspberry like hue that brightens very nicely in light but is not transparent at all. The aroma of this beer is rather interesting, very nice sweet malt was the first thing I noticed but then strong alcohol took over my senses, many wine like scents some almost fruity are also present, this is turning out to be a nicely complex brew. Unfortunately the flavor isn’t nearly as complex as its aroma. Tastes of sweet smooth barley prevail which is very nice but bitter alcohol flavors aren’t far behind making you remember you are drinking a 9% ABV Barleywine. This is an interesting Barleywine and part of the reason I have a lot of respect for the style. Though this beer is less balanced than most Barleywines I tend to prefer it still has some lovely flavors and I am very curious to see if further aging may help soften its harsher flavors. If you like a strong Barleywine and don’t expect it to cover up what it is this is a good choice, particularly if you like wine or at least don’t mind bitter flavors. This beer would soften any spicy meal quite well. Give it a shot and ride your bike.
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September 25th, 2008 beckel
Jolly Pumpkin’s beers have stared down at me from the shelves for some time tempting me to pick them up, it hasn’t helped that anyone I talk to about the company says that they make lovely brews. Brewed in Dexter, Michigan Jolly Pumpkin appears to put a great deal of care into their beer which we all can appreciate. Calabaza Blanca is a barrel aged, bottle conditioned Belgian inspired White Ale coming in at 4.7% ABV. This beer produces a couple inches of very white fluffy head that settles slowly, depending on how heavily handed you pour. Color is a wonderful light yellow with peach hints and very cloudy yet light and bright in color. Aroma is intense and complex, I detect an interesting orange scent as well as numerous spices and a sour alcohol smell. This is a sour beer. Not exactly what I was expecting, but interesting. After the initial shock of the sour flavors I notice some nice light malty flavors that one would expect in a White Belgian Ale and this surprisingly does a rather good job balancing out the flavors. As I continue to drink this beer I like it more and more. In addition to the malt, the tart flavor of this beer is complimented nicely by some light spices that help the finish of this beer stay smooth and almost crisp. The mouthfeel of this beer is rather light though the sweet and sour flavors make this beer a bit less drinkable. This beer would go wonderfully with a sweet desert or even a tart cherry pie. I doubt many will pick up this beer regularly but if you want to try a sour beer this is a tasty and not particularly intense example to start with this is a grand choice. Anyone who enjoys unique beers, particularly Belgians will likely appreciate this beer. Give it a shot and ride your bike.
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September 22nd, 2008 beckel
I regularly hear and read good things about Left Hand Brewing out of Longmont, Colorado. Many of their beers have been recommended to me and from reading a bit about them they seem like a pretty cool company that supports the local community and understand the importance of one of my core beliefs, balance. Today I have Sawtooth Ale an Extra Special Bitter. Head is slightly off white with about an inch being produced in a nice simple cascading effect, fading at a reasonable rate. A nice orange color that lightens and darkens into a number of nice hues depending on lighting. Smell is nice and malty with a gentle roasted aroma as well as some nice balanced floral scents. The flavor of this beer is interesting, sweet and malty with some roasted hints as well as a kicking hop bitterness seconds later. Floral flavors are present and compliment the sweet malted barley well but are not dominant. Mouthfeel is relatively light making this an easy beer to drink as long as you don’t mind bitterness. With a 4.48% ABV this beer doesn’t taste alcoholic at all but you certainly know your drinking beer as it is so full flavored. Over all this is certainly a special and bitter beer as its style suggests, if you like hoppy bitterness but still want some nice malt flavors to compliment this is the drink for you. Would certainly be delicious with most any meal particularly one with strong flavors. If your not into bitter this beer probably won’t be your thing but you may just appreciate some of its nice malt flavors. Give it a shot and ride your bike.
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September 18th, 2008 beckel
This beer has been sitting in my fridge with no other Tyranena beers to keep it company so I decided it deserved to be consumed. Chief BlackHawk is an American Porter inspired by a Sauk Indian leader of the same name who’s bravery and independent thinking were highly respected by his people. The BlackHawk war allowed settlers to conquer and rapidly develop what is now Wisconsin and was the last armed conflict between Native Americans and Europeans east of the Mississippi River in the Old Northwest Territory. This beer pours a wonderfully dark black color that is absolutely impenetrable. The two Inches of head produced is a nice solid creamy brown color that is quite frothy and lasts for a couple minutes. The style of this beer is very apparent in its aroma, sweet toffee and coffee scents are predominate. The flavor of this beer is also expected, smooth coffee and roasted malt flavors are most notable but a few bitter flavors pop up here and there. This is a very smooth flavored beer with little flavor lingering throughout the palate. The mouthfeel is definitely medium but it is still very drinkable. The roasted flavors of this beer almost make me forget I’m drinking alcohol even with its 5.6% ABV. A basic and simple porter but no doubt another tasty beer from Tyranena Brewing. If you can’t typically handle dark beers but would like to this would be a great one to start on. Otherwise any fan of porters who is looking for something simple and less heavy to drink all night long will likely find this beer appropriate. Give it a shot and ride your bike.
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September 15th, 2008 beckel
I don’t know much about Full Sail brewing other than that they are located in Hood River, Oregon but a friend of mine has had only good things to say so I thought I should give them a chance. Upon reading the bottle it appears they are employee owned which always deserves some extra credit in my book. While almost picking up their normal IPA I came across a bottle of the Prodigal Sun on the shelf and couldn’t bring myself to put it down. Part of their Brewmaster’s Reserve series of unique beers I am sure to be satisfied. Upon opening this beer I am already happy, immense hop aroma is notable even before I bring my nose to the glass. After the few inches of off white frothy head evaporate you can really smell this beer. Wonderful sweet and bitter hop aromas overwhelm the nose with a few citrus hints sneaking in. The color of this beer is delightful, a bright orange with hints of red and a good amount transparency. The flavor of this beer is pretty nice, quite bitter and hoppy with only a little malt sweetness and a bit tangy of an aftertaste. The mouthfeel of this beer is medium but its body isn’t too thick. At 6.2% ABV this beer certainly isn’t overpowering but the bitterness doesn’t hide the alcohol content either. Some of the citrus and floral notes of this beer do a nice job of trying to balance the bitter hop content but they aren’t able to overpower it. This would be a lovely beer to drink with a meal, be it simple steak and potatoes or something rather spicy and full flavored, the hop flavor of this beer would do a nice job rounding off most meals, not to mention compliment any spices present. This bottle was a somewhat pricey in comparison to their 6-packs but it is certainly full flavored and not bad. I would suggest this beer to those who are into an IPA that doesn’t hide where it is coming from and don’t mind bitterness. Give it a shot and ride your bike.
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September 9th, 2008 beckel
Bells Brewery tends to make good ale but I had avoided their Special Double Cream Stout until now, hesitant but curious about the double cream part. This beer pours a dark impenetrable black color that ends up producing a good inch of lovely dark brown creamy head. The aroma of this beer is intense, sweet and malty one moment and then roasted and a bit bitter but still very smooth and appealing. This is one smooth beer, mouthfeel is medium but it doesn’t have a ton of body for a stout and it goes down very easily with its creamy consistency. Though this beer tastes a bit creamy it is undoubtedly still a stout, coffee flavor is immense and penetrating. Roasted malts swarm the palate and provide some nice bitter flavors that overpower most of the sweet flavors present in this beer. The 6.1% ABV of this beer seems to work well as it is not particularly strong but you can still tell you are drinking alcohol. If you are looking for a stout that is a bit creamy and not particularly thick but still incorporates roasted coffee flavors you may very well appreciate this beer. This is also a good choice for people who want to start appreciating stouts but are not as accustomed to their flavor. Give it a shot and ride your bike.
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September 7th, 2008 beckel
I’ve been wanting to savor Pumking for sometime since I purchased it as I have yet to be let down by a Southern Tier Ale. I always question flavored ales but if their creme brulee is any example of what they can do to a beer I highly doubt I will not approve of the quality of this beer. Pours a nice roasted orange color that is transparent but deep. Head is a solid inch and 1/2 and cascades very nicely producing creme colored bubbles that are quite fluffy. Aroma is wonderful, sugar and spice hit the nose immediately and lead me to believe I am about to bite into a lovely fresh pumpkin pie. Though I am a bit sad I don’t have any actual pie to accompany this beer the flavor almost makes up for it. Sugary and Spicy flavors are immense and wonderfully compliment the great pumpkin flavor of this beer, a little bit of alcohol is noticeable but almost nothing considering its 9% ABV. Though full flavored this beer is very drinkable and has a rather light mouthfeel. This would be a great desert beer or a lovely beer to drink with a good hearty meal. It is a bit odd for me to think of enjoying a pumpkin pie flavored beer but this was a delightful experience. If you like a sweet somewhat creamy beer or happen to have a fondness to pumpkin pie this is absolutely worth consuming. Give it a shot and ride your bike.
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September 6th, 2008 beckel
So this month The Session is hosted by Jim over at lootcorp and he has come up with the wonderful topic of Deutsches Bier. Now German beer is not something I am particularly familiar with so this was a hard topic for me. Germans have done a lot to influence the way beer has been made in various parts of the world, by encouraging others to follow their “reinheitsgebot” or German purity laws which state beer can be made of only water, hops and barley (they didn’t know about yeast at the time), but have also discriminated against most beer that is made outside of Germany in the same breath. Regardless any country that allows its citizens to freely enjoy good beer as long as they can get on the bar stool is OK with me. Not to meantion they are only surpassed in breweries by the United States. Any how I rattled my brain for a while deciding what I should drink yesterday and it was so close to my nose I almost missed it: Surly Hell. Surly Brewing from lovely Brooklyn Center Minnesota recently brewed a single batch of a Munich Helles lager that they are serving at a few bars in the city. So I made my way to Mackenzie to see how Surly might interpret light German lager, Helles literally meaning “light colored” or “pale” in German. Unintentionally I managed to pick a style that fit what Jim had encouraged when fielding the topic. Helles is a Bavarian lager that they appear to be very proud of, they even claim to know the exact date the first batch of the lager was shipped by the Spaten Brewery of Munich: March 21, 1894 all the way to the port city of Hamburg where it was received well and so brewing continued. Surly doesn’t make light beers so when I sat down waiting for my beer I knew this was going to be a different experience. The appearance of this beer is a golden straw color that is very transparent. Head was a bit over a quarter inch off the tap and very white in color that remained for a few minutes. The aroma is full of immense sweet malted barley with some bitterness and alcohol present, reminding me a bit of a more grain filled pilsner. Grain is the first thing I taste when I sip this beer. Flavors of wheat, barley and even a bit of corn, I am curious what they actually brew it with. Sweet malt is detectable occasionally but the aftertaste can be a bit bitter and taste somewhat like a pilsner. The mouthfeel of this beer is medium even though it is quite drinkable you can tell your eating a lot of grain. This beer was OK and I’m glad I tried it but few lagers seem to hit the right spot for me. If you like lagers and light grain flavored beers you may very well enjoy this beer. Give it a shot and ride your bike.
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