Beer Review

[213th]

Last night I heard people discussing



Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy - Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Company - Chippewa Falls, WI - BeerAdvocate

It's not bad. My wife bought it cause she heard an ad, sposed to have lemonade flavor, which is true. I believe it is a heffewiesen with lemon in it.

[bayern]

Never heard of those. What type of beer is it? We don't have it down here. In regards to Hoegarden: I find it too fruity and sweet. Never was much of a fan of the IPA's. Think I'll just stick to Weihenstephaner (not sure if I spelled it right) and St. Pauli Girl.

This Croation Beer (they have several others, but these are the most popular).. You can't find it any place but Croatia; maybe in Serbia or Solvenia. We are leaving in the morning going back to Germany so I"ll be off the air after tomorrow until I get back to the US.

[Five-0]

Well, well what did find today at Publix but a plethora of fine beers all on sale. Using my wife's logic against her, how could I not buy it because it is on sale.

Got one twelve pack of bottles that I know I love and one that I have not tried before.



Blue Moon is brewed in Golden, CO is marketed as Belgian White just like the Hoegaarden. In my opinion they taste nothing alike. This may be wheat beer those that did not like the Hoegaarden could enjoy. It is a good lighter tasting and refreshing beer for hotter weather. I really don't see myself drinking any wheat beer in the cooler/colder times of year. It just doesn't feel right to me for some reason. Another plus, is the cost compared to Hoegaarden which is $9-11 a six pack. This twelve pack of bottles was on sale for $12.36 normally $14.99 granted Publix is higher when things are not on sale.

Now for a professional review:

Blue Moon Belgian White - Craft Beer Reviews and Pictures

BLUE MOON BELGIAN WHITE
Written by Team


Yes, I know this is one of Americas trendiest craft beers…you know, with the slice of orange hanging onto to the side of the glass. Actually that orange is supposed to accentuate the flavor of this beer because orange peel is one of its unique ingredients. Anyway, I don’t care what anybody says, this beer is damn good! I enjoy this brew a bit more than I should and love to use this one to accompany my greasy wings when I am out for happy hour. This is a simple wheat beer that boasts great flavor and hits the palate well during many joyous occasions. Am I telling you to pick up a twelver of this stuff today?…well of course!
At first pour, this cloudy straw colored wheat beer makes me lick my chops every time I watch that thick white 2 finger head expand to the rim of the glass. Oh, the beauty of a wheat beer! Now, it is OK to salivate over your chunk of orange, I do, however, do not throw that sucker in the brew until you have gotten a real taste of the beer itself. Then after a swig or two do what you wish with that hunk of vitamin C. The smell of this brew is of citrus and wheat. The taste is much of the same, orange and citrus come to mind with a great wheat flavor that mixes and follows well. The beer is smooth with a common wheat-like fullness on your palate. In addition, the carbonation bites gently on the tongue and remnants of hops remain faintly between sips. The drinkability is above average for this wheat beer. They seem to just keep sliding down. Maybe I am just dehydrated all the time…or not.
I don’t know what it is about this stuff?!?!? Maybe I’m caught up in the hype but I’ll tell you what, Coors has done a great job with this brew. They taste even better when you drink em’ right after you get done with the Coors brewery tour! Thanks again Cigs… By the way, I know this brew’s packaging claims it is made at the “Blue Moon Brewing Co.” Not true, it is actually made at Coors, Molson-Coors, Miller-Coors, whatever it is these days. They use the Blue Moon Brewing Co as a marketing ploy to keep people thinking they are drinking a true craft beer.

[Buttercup]

I love Blue Moon.....and almost always with the orange slice.

[Five-0]

Time to up the ante folks:



BEER! I'll tell you why it's awesome!: Kasteel Tripel

I have a new favorite. At $16 a four pack it will be for only special occasions too.

[IMGreat101]

We were given a case of this.



REDBRIDGE - Home

gluten free!

It actually tastes ok.

[IMGreat101]

Does anyone make their own beer on a regular basis?

[JLK]

"Well you see, Norm, it's like this . . . A herd of buffalo can only move as fast as the slowest buffalo. And when the herd is hunted, it is the slowest and weakest ones at the back that are killed first. This natural selection is good for the herd as a whole, because the general speed and health of the whole group keeps improving by the regular killing of the weakest members.
In much the same way, the human brain can only operate as fast as the slowest brain cells. Now, as we know, excessive intake of alcohol kills brain cells. But naturally, it attacks the slowest and weakest brain cells first. In this way, regular consumption of beer eliminates the weaker brain cells, making the brain a faster and more efficient machine.

And that, Norm, is why you always feel smarter after a few beers."

[JLK]

had these for supper i mean with supper last night they went well with the ribeyes

a full body with a nice head

a little thin but with a smooth finish

[Car 4]

My grocery store manager son in law just brought me something called "A Little Sumpin" SP is correct. It is 18% by volume and still considered a beer. A 6 pack would kill me.....was pretty good too.


Car 4

[JLK]

strong beer flavor which went well with spicy food. the only thing was it had marital head that is to say that it had almost no head

[IMGreat101]

[JLK]

i tried the bud light platinum. well it is 6% and almost tasted like beer

[Five-0]

So Daddy went shopping today:



Reviews for the new beers to follow.

[Five-0]

I have found my Beer Mecca. If you are in AL, or even driving through this place is worth the stop:

Wine store and gift baskets - Birmingham, AL - City Vineyard

Vineyard you say? More than just wine and Champagne, trust me. They have a whole back room with all sorts of great beers from all over the place. With the new legislation in AL that selection is sure to expand too. The best part is they sell 1/2 Gallon Growlers that you can take home and reuse. The selections on tap are always changing, but updated on the page above. Plenty of live music in the evenings, but not your typical drunkfest. For my first Growler I selected a local brew, Avondale Vanilla Porter or as it is officially known Vanillaphant Porter. This link will tell you why: Avondale Brewing Company | Our Brews | Vanillaphant Porter.

The Growler and the porter poured up on my counter after the day's bout with ChrisFit.


If you are thinking heavy, you would be wrong. For such a dark porter it is lighter than you would expect. Almost tastes like a vanilla coffee, but mans up with a hint of hops and a very smooth finish. The official rating is below:

Avondale Vanillaphant Porter

Whiskey Barrel-Aged Vanillaphant Porter - Avondale Brewing Company - Birmingham, AL - BeerAdvocate

served on-tap into a pint glass @ Suds of the South beerfest

*This is Avondale's already-existing Vanilla Porter (that doesn't have a Beer Advocate listing for some reason) that has been aged in Jack Daniels barrels. This might be a festival-only beer for Avondale or they might make more of it. They should make more it.*

Pours a pretty dark brown. It's close to black, but more of a dark cola kind of color. Maybe one finger of head the color of lion's pelt, but I don't expect a lot of head from barrel-aged beers.

This beer smells and tastes like Southern Tier Creme Brulee would if Creme Brulee weren't a garish cartoon of a beer. Make no mistake, this is a sweet dessert beer. But it still tastes like a beer. There's a base porter here that's mostly brown malts and a touch of chocolate. That base porter has vanilla also, but it isn't a synthetic, chemical vanilla (like in beers such as Breckenridge Vanilla Porter). What the barrel does, as you might have guessed, is to heighten and enhance that vanilla flavor/aroma. Vanilla is a common characteristic of barrel aging, so the whole enterprise becomes real sweet real fast. The finish is literally reminiscent of ice cream.

Silky mouthfeel. Lowish carbonation but that's not much of a concern considering that silkiness and how it plays well with the sweet flavors.

But, again unlike Southern Tier Creme Brulee or similar vanilla-forward dessert beers, Avondale still has a beer here. There's maltiness that doesn't crumble in the face of vanilla adversity. It's a beer that works. I just wouldn't want to have that much of it at a single time.

Serving type: on-tap

Reviewed on: 03-11-2012 18:06:39id: 1756600

I will say this about this porter. If you are weary of dark beers, this is a good one to ease you into them. Ladies I'm looking at you.

[Ducky]

Five-0, I may need to go the extra distance to try that one. It sounds fantastic.

[Coyotesfan97]

One of my favorites is Four Peaks Brewery Kiltlifter Scottish Ale!

From their website:
It’s time for another installment of “What The Hell Am I Tasting”.* This time it’s our flagship beer, Kilt Lifter.* And, again, in the spirit of not completely demystifying the beer we’re going to keep it simple and touch on the obvious aroma and flavor high points.* You really can overanalyze things to the point of not enjoying them, “worts” and all.* Sometimes, we too, just like to have a beer.First, a style note.* Kilt Lifter is technically a Scottish-Style Ale and specifically a Scottish-style Export Ale.* The style is marked by a distinct malty sweetness with some burnt or smoky flavors with a strong but not lip-numbing alcohol content of around 6%.* The high malt content is due to the abundance of barley in Scotland but also in part to a high tax rate on hops, which were not so prevalent in the north but abundant in England.* And if it comes from England it will be taxed.* The Scottish said, “Fine, we’ll do it our way”, as they are genetically pre-disposed to do, and there you have it, Scottish-Style Ale.See it. Kilt Lifter has a beautiful dark copper, almost bronze color which comes not just from the addition of caramel malt (which gives more redness) but also the use of a small amount of roasted barley.* At this low level you get hints of brown, at high levels you get porter and eventually stout inkiness.* Again, the beer should be brilliantly clear (bright, in brewer’s parlance).* Also notice the foam (if there is no foam on your beer please have the bartender either re-pour it or top it off.* Beer must have a head).* It should be an eggshell, off-white color and consist of tight, tiny bubbles.Sniff it. A quick note on smelling, most of what we perceive as flavor is actually derived from our olfactory bulb in our sinus.* On the one hand, we can actually only perceive four tastes on our tongue; sweet, sour, bitter, and salty (some say there is a fifth flavor; umami (savory), including us). On the other hand, the nose can perceive thousands of compounds. Doubt it?* Hold your nose then drink a beer, or better yet, hold an onion under your nose and eat an apple, you’ll swear you’re eating an onion.* The nose is so effective that it even works in reverse.* After we swallow we often breathe out through our nose and, subsequently, over our olfactory bulb, gaining more insight into favor.* A good example is that burps don’t have any flavor, yet, to us, they do.The first impression should be of lightly toasted malt.* There are no late additions of hops in Kilt Lifter, stylistically hop aroma should be minimal to none at all.* This is a good beer to show malt’s distinct aroma. *It’s grainy and toasty and a little sweet, not unlike fresh bread.* If you’re curious as to malt’s aroma you can buy malt powder in the store.* You will get a little burnt toast aroma from the roasted barley as well.* Roasted barley is just that; it’s barley that has been put into a drum roaster and cooked at 500 degrees until a rich, black color is achieved.* If you’re thinking that this sounds a lot like coffee then you get a gold star; same process, same chemical reactions, and, not surprisingly, some of the same flavors.* Next, we get fruit, specifically apricots or dried apricots.* This is an ester that is unique to our proprietary strain of ale yeast and you’ll get this aroma in all of our more malty beers.* Fruity aromas are really a signature of ales that you won’t find in most lagers.* Remember, there are thousands of aromatic compounds in beer, these are just the obvious ones in this beer.Sip it. Actually, take a good pull (we just needed an “s” word for continuity), nobody sips beer, it’s meant to be taken by the mouthful.* Notice the same flavors that we anticipated from our nose; toasty, malty, a little sweet, some light coffee or tea and maybe some smoky burnt flavors.* You’ll also notice the bitterness is there but not overpowering. *Remember, good ales are always balanced.* You may also notice some heat once you swallow.* That’s the alcohol which has a distinct flavor but in most beers it’s perceived in a tactile way.* That is, as heat or as body (higher alcohol contents will give greater mouthfeel).* You should notice, as well, the carbonation which lends some acidity.

Repeat.* Repeat.* Re-order.

[GunmetalGray]

I prefer stouts, so I won't be much use to the majority of you guys, but I'll review a few of my favorites.

#1 - North Coast Old Rasputin Imperial Stout



I literally get mad when I can't find this beer at the local Publix. It is my absolute favorite when it comes to beer. If I could buy it by the keg I would not hesitate for a second.

First off, the bottle is awesome because it has 'ol evil mystic himself, Rasputin on the label. It just gets better from there.

This is the darkest beer I have ever personally seen ( and I won't drink a beer unless it is a redhead or darker ). It is as black as night, with a brown head that takes a while to come down. It has a starting flavor of coffee, burnt wood, caramel, chocolate. The mouthfeel is heavy, yet smooth at the same time. It is very pleasant to drink. There is a mild bitter aftertaste, but if you're used to dark beers, it's mild.

It's probably too pleasant to drink, since the 9% ABV will quickly sneak up on you. Needless to say, if I go out to our favorite restaurant and drink a few of these, my wife is going to be driving home.

Not too heavy on the pocketbook either, only $9 for 4 12oz bottles at this time.

All in all, a great sipping and relaxing beer. Goes GREAT with a steak or ribs.

[GunmetalGray]

#2 Spaten Optimator



This Doppelbock is my second choice at my favorite restaurant when they're out of Ol' Raspy.

A little more on the mild side than the stouts that I'm used to. This beer is more sweet, very bready/grainy at the start with a bit of spice and hops at the finish. Very drinkable, with a medium body and smooth mouthfeel. It's actually closer to light than medium. Very approachable for most people not used to "real" beers. The head on this when you pour it improperly is crazy, and you'll have half a glass of suds if you aren't careful.

At 7.6 ABV, it's got a decent kick as well. I can usually find this at my local Publix.

I like to drink this beer when grilling burgers or chicken. Great "real" beer for a summer cookout. Not near as heavy as you'd think it'd be.

[GunmetalGray]

#3 Ommegang Three Philosphers



This is a Quadrupel, and is a very, very complex brew.

Out of the 3 beers that I've reviewed so far, it's the lightest complexion, but don't let that fool you. It's the one with the highest ABV, with a whopping 9.8.

This beer SMELLS amazing, with hints of chocolate, cherries, and caramel. When I get it, it's usually served to me in a wine glass, and I enjoy the aroma in the same way.

The taste is very complex. The mouthfeel is medium bodied with a good amount of carbonation. You taste different fruits in the mix, with cherries being dominant. I always get a good hint of bananas, raisins, toffee, and sometimes cloves. This beer does not hide it's alcohol well like the previous two that I reviewed, but it does not take away from the experience. This beer is pleasant to drink, and is best enjoyed by sipping it after a good hearty meal.

It isn't cheap. The lowest I've found it for is around $8.50 a bottle, but it is well worth it. This beer is better compared to a fine wine than any other beer.