Beer: Bell's Hopslam

BELL's (Kalamazoo, MI) - HOPSLAM - 4.75

Bell's Hopslam is a craft beer phenomenon. It's released in limited quantities, once a year, and subsequently sells out very quickly in Bell's distribution region, despite it's relatively high price (around $18 for 6 12 oz. bottles). It's a strong 10% ABV India Pale Ale brewed with honey, and despite the hype, it is truly world class.

Rich golden in appearance, with nice white foam. Superb lacing. Aroma is breathtaking...floral, grapefruit citrus, a little pine. Absolutely appealing.

Flavor is sweet but with a sustained hop sharpness. Maybe the honey is the balance? Pine, sweet grapefruit, and really very enjoyable. The high ABV is concealed well, too. 

This is a superior IPA, and one I'll definitely re-experience again.

Beer: Oaken Barrel, Budweiser, Bell's Brewing

More beer reviews, this time from a wide array of breweries. Keep in mind, my ratings run from a 1 (awful) to 5 (awesome). Any beer scored a 3 or more should be considered worthy. Without further adeiu:

OAKEN BARREL BREWING (Greenwood, IN) - EPIPHANY ABBEY-STYLE TRIPEL - 4.0

Based near Indianapolis, Oaken Barrel has quietly produced some fine beers for some 14 years now. Epiphany really impressed me.

Poured a cloudy golden upon pouring into my Viking glass. Nicely carbonated, but lace is thin. Nose is toasty at first impression, with some candied or dried fruit coming in behind. I don't get any spice in the nose, though, oddly. Taste is rich and malty. Definitely a big flavor here. I get candied fruit (figs, berries, fruitcake) along with a mildly spiced note. The finish is dry with a balanced fruit-spice melding. The bottle doesn't note the heavy-duy 9.4% ABV at all, but it's evident 2/3 through the bottle!

Overall, this is a solid brew, and certainly a faithful interpretation of the big Belgian tripel style. Enjoyable.

BUDWEISER (St. Louis, MO) - BLACK CROWN - 2.5

Not much introduction needed here. Corporate attempt to make a "heavier" and more alcoholic junk lager, No surprises as this one's very mediocre and hard to get down.

Pours a clean, clear golden amber, as promised on the bottle. Solid head of fine off-white carbonation, which subsides quickly, leaving no lace. Nose is yeasty and grainy. Not bad, just pretty well generic. Taste is sweet and mild, with almost no hop bite whatsoever. There are some toasty caramel and toffee tones, and even a hint of fruit. I get a really sweet finish, too, which kind of kills my enjoyment. 

I've had much worse beers before, but this isn't one I'd return to, given the choices. 

BELL'S (Kalamazoo, MI) - MIDWESTERN PALE ALE - 4.25

Bell's is a Midwestern craft beer giant, and this is their classic pale ale, reformulated and re-designed. It's a superb addition to their already-solid lineup of premium craft beers.

Pours a cloudy golden with a superlative white head and attractive tree-line lace. Lovely! Nose is crisp malts and a snappy citrus hops presence. Seems balanced and enticing. Taste is nicely hopped, but not overly so given the style. I get a complementary malt bill alongside the hops. 

Overall, a perfectly balanced and exemplary pale ale. Top marks for the style.

BELL'S (Kalamazoo, MI) - SMITTEN GOLDEN ALE - 3.75

A new seasonal from the respected Bell's, Smitten combines rye and plenty of hops into a highly enjoyable pale ale with a twist.

Pours golden and semi-cloudy due to massive chunks of sediment. My bottle is dated only a month ago, so I have no explanation for this. Regardless, there's a wealth of lovely and attractive lace. Nose is malty and appealing, with a hint of hops. Not bad. Taste is pleasantly hopped, with nice citrus notes and a slight bitterness. Didn't get a lot of the rye in the mix (which is fine with me), just a well-hopped pale ale. 

Tasty, well-done, and very enjoyable!

Beer: Oaken Barrel, Budweiser, and Bell's

With so many new craft brews (and, indeed, new craft breweries) popping up, it seems there is an unending wealth of new beverages to review! Not a bad thing. Here are a few recent samples I've enjoyed. Remember, the scorecard runs the gamut from 1 to 5, with 1 being crap and 5 being king. That said, anything at a 3.0 or better is decent. Support your local craft breweries and independent beer in general. 

OAKEN BARREL BREWING (Greenwood, IN) - EPIPHANY ABBEY-STYLE TRIPEL - 4.0

Oaken Barrel has been around for 5 years now, and I have yet to meet one of their beers I didn't like! Congrats to them for 5 years of making Indiana brew approachable and enjoyable. This is their interpretation of a Belgian tripel.

Cloudy golden upon pouring into my Viking glass. Nicely carbonated, but lace is thin. Nose is toasty at first impression, with some candied or dried fruit coming in behind. I don't get any spice in the nose, though, oddly. Taste is rich and malty. Definitely a big flavor here. I get candied fruit (figs, berries, fruitcake) along with a mildly spiced note. The finish is dry with a balanced fruit-spice melding. The bottle doesn't note the heavy-duy 9.4% ABV at all, but it's evident 2/3 through the bottle!

Overall, this is a solid brew, and certainly a faithful interpretation of the big Belgian tripel style. Enjoyable.

BUDWEISER (St. Louis, MO) - BLACK CROWN - 2.5

I had to at least try this latest marketing plot from the cut-throat corporate side of brewmaking (and avowed enemy of independent brewing). It's a typical American Adjunct lager in style, but with added alcohol content (6%) and a tad more body than Bud Light. 

Pours a clean, clear golden amber, as promised on the bottle. Solid head of fine off-white carbonation, which subsides quickly, leaving no lace. Nose is yeasty and grainy. Not bad, just pretty well generic. Taste is sweet and mild, with almost no hop bite whatsoever. There are some toasty caramel and toffee tones, and even a hint of fruit. I get a really sweet finish, too, which kind of kills my enjoyment. 

I've had much worse beers before, but this isn't one I'd return to, given the choices. 

BELL'S BREWERY (Comstock, MI) - MIDWESTERN PALE ALE - 4.25

Bell's is a leader in craft brewing, and among the top 10 independent craft breweries in the US. They have trail-blazed the path for craft since 1985 and are always reliable in making tasty (and occasionally groundbreaking, as with their Hopslam double-IPA) brews. Midwestern Pale Ale is a re-branded (and, I think, re-formulated) version of their previous Bell's Pale Ale. I like this much better.

Pours a cloudy golden with a superlative white head and attractive tree-line lace. Lovely! Nose is crisp malts and a snappy citrus hops presence. Seems balanced and enticing. Taste is nicely hopped, but not overly so given the style. I get a complementary malt bill alongside the hops. 

Overall, a perfectly balanced and exemplary pale ale. Top marks for the style.

BELL'S BREWERY (Comstock, MI) - SMITTEN GOLDEN RYE ALE - 4.0

Originally crafted at Bell's more experimental "Eccentric Cafe and Beergarden" in Kalamazoo, MI, this unique pale ale combines rye grains with a hop-forward pale ale, to outstanding effect!

Pours golden and semi-cloudy due to massive chunks of sediment. My bottle is dated only a month ago, so I have no explanation for this. Regardless, there's a wealth of lovely and attractive lace. Nose is malty and appealing, with a hint of hops. Not bad. Taste is pleasantly hopped, with nice citrus notes and a slight bitterness. Didn't get a lot of the rye in the mix (which is fine with me), just a well-hopped pale ale. 

Tasty, well-done, and very enjoyable!

Holydaze craft beer roundup!

The time is finally here for more beer reviews. I hope to catch up and post several more months worth soon, but meantime, here are some craft brews worthy of your attention, taste buds, and hard-earned cash. My rating scale goes from 1-5, with 1 being awful and 5 being awesome. As you see, nothing here was outright crap. Support craft beer, and especially your local craft brewers. On we go...

GOOSE ISLAND - PERE JACQUES 2010 (Chicago, IL) - 3.5
This bottle-aged, living beer is a Belgian-style ale, and it pours a rusty amber (with visible sediment) and a minimal head. I get virtually no lace, either. Not really impressive. The aroma is boozy, with hints of dried fruit esters and yeast. The flavor is similar, with notes of candied fruits and crusty bread. It's pleasant but heavy on the palate, and with a strong alcohol kick (8%), this one's a sipper. I like Pere Jacques, but wonder what it would taste like with a few years of aging to smooth it all out.

BOULEVARD NUT CRACKER ALE (Kansas City, MO) - 3.5
This hazy amber ale pours with medium carbonation and only a half-finger of lace on the glass. Nothing spectacular in the presentation. The nose is spiced, malty, and rich. Not bad. Upon tasting, I get more spice, and some tones of fruit and nuts, with a slightly bitter finish. Boulevard has captured some appropriate flavors for the holidays, and this ale is solid, if unremarkable.

WIDMER BROTHERS - BRRR SEASONAL ALE (Portland, OR) - 4.0
Ah, Widmer rarely disappoints my taste buds, and this clean red/amber ale pours with an impressive head and a luxuriously thick lace on the glass. The nose is caramel malty with some definitely hoppy flair tucked in there. Impressive. The flavor seems malty at first, but with a clean hops finish that places this more in line with a pale ale. Delicious and worthy!

BELL'S WINTER WHITE ALE (Comstock, MI) - 4.0
The respected Bell's presents their venerable Winter seasonal here, and it's a Belgian-style wit beer. This one pours a hazy yellow-orange with plenty of fine, white carbonation and a little retention. The aroma is definitely spices (I get a little clove) and citrus (namely orange). The taste is balanced and mild, with sharp wheat notes and orange zest playing leisurely with a little spice for warmth. Pleasant and enjoyable.