Beer Tastings, Halloween 2012, Take One...

There are so many beers to review, and I am not nearly caught up, so here's a start. Keep in mind, ratings range from 1 (avoid at all costs) to 5 (world-class). Any beer rated a 3.0 or better is worthy, so taste them yourself. There are many bottle shops who sell singles for a dollar or three, so there's no excuse to not have a favorite craft beer. As always, support the independent and local breweries, not the multinational corporate leviathans! Down with corporate beer!

SIERRA NEVADA and THE ABBEY OF NEW CLAIRVAUX - Ovila Saison (Chico, CA) - 3.5

Sierra Nevada is a craft beer giant, and has a peerless reputation for quality brews at affordable prices. This is a special release in collaboration with a monastery in California, and seeks to unlock ancient Belgian traditions in brewing, but to limited success (at least on this particular brew). 

This large bomber pours a murky gold, with a thick head of white carbonation. Little trace of lace, though. Nose is fruity and spicy -- displaying a distinctly Belgian-style character. Nice. Flavor is spiced fruitiness (berry, orange), followed by a peppery zing. Alcohol (7%) is well-masked, and this is faithful Belgian-style, but not as interesting as I'd hoped.

Additional notes: The fruitiness (and a dry booziness) comes out more prominently as this one warms.

NEW BELGIUM - Somersault (Fort Collins, CO) - 4.5

Ah, this has turned into a Summertime tradition at Goatsden HQ.

Clean gold, with a nice head of fine white bubbles. Big frilly lace. Beautiful. Aroma is grainy, lager yeast, and a little bready. There's a hint of fruit in there, and a little hint of hoppiness. Refreshing. Taste is smooth and rich, with some hint of spice, hops, and a soft tint of fruit underneath it all. Quite complex, especially for a 5.4% summer ale. Excellent, and a brew I always stock up on.

NEW BELGIUM - Red Hoptober (Fort Collins, CO) - 3.5

This new seasonal offering debuted in 2012 for the Fall, and I wasn't a huge fan. 

Rich ruby in appearance, with a huge head of sudsy off-white carbonation. Thick, delicate lace. Aroma is assertively strong and spicy hops, with a sharp earthiness. Taste is a melding of roasty malt tones with bitter hops smack at the finish. An unusual collision of styles, and not a bad beer by any means, but Red Hoptober is not my favorite of New Belgium's seasonals. I'll hold out for Snow Day and Somersault.

PEOPLES BREWING - Mr. Brown (Lafayette, IN) - 3.0

I've now tried several of this Indiana breweries' bottled beers, and haven't been a fan of any thus far, I'm sorry to say. 

Hmm, this "imperial brown ale", pours a very dark, almost black. Head is limited, and I get no lace whatsoever. Nose comes across as boozy at first (it is a sturdy 7%, after all), followed by some dark chocolate and fruit notes. Nice. Flavor is chocolate, with some roasted nuttiness in the finish, as well as a slight alcohol heat.  This heavy-bodied brown ale isn't bad, but left me unimpressed in the end. Not one I'd pursue again.

December 2010 beer tastings are upon us!

Ah, the holydaze season is upon us, so like it or not...it's time to drink. Forget the malls and shopping centers. Support your local breweries, brewpubs, and independent businesses. It's been a busy time for beer, with all kinds of seasonals hitting store shelves, as well as craft beer's big "mainstream" break, the Discovery channel TV show "Brew Masters", featuring Sam Calagione of Dogfish Head. Stock up and herald the craft beer renaissance. Here are some thoughts on some recent tastings of mine. Remember that ratings run the gamut from 1 to 5, with 1 being toilet bowl dredge and 5 being holy water (and yeast, and malt, and hops!). Hut, hut, hike!

REDBRIDGE GLUTEN-FREE SORGHUM BEER (St. Louis, MO) - 3.0
Commendations to Anheuser-Busch for supporting the growing number of people with gluten (wheat or barley) allergies. However, don't let that dissuade you from trying this one, as it stands on its own merits. Pouring a nice red-amber with average lacing, this sorghum-based beer has a sweet molasses nose, and a rich and malty flavor. The hops content seems subdued, pushing this one towards an overbearing sweetness rather than a well-balanced mix. Still, an easy-to-drink beer, and certainly steps above mainstream American lagers.

NEW BELGIUM - TRIPPEL (Fort Collins, CO) - 5.0
This classic Belgian abbey-style ale with a redesigned label initially pours an unimpressive pale gold, but the thick head and dense nose brings to mind cinnamon, ripe fruity banana, and clove/coriander. The taste is a bum-rush of spice up front, followed by a mellow maltiness, then a stronger alcohol sting (it's 7.8%). A perfect example of this style, and made in America. New Belgium's Trippel is a delightful and delicious beer.

GOOSE ISLAND - MILD WINTER (Chicago, IL) - 4.0
Goose Island seems to have stepped up their brewing in the last couple of years, and this is another triumph. This rye ale is an attractive deep amber with a rich foam and a fruity, biscuity nose. So far seems enticing! Taste is a surprisingly smooth and spicy, with a hint of clove. Subtle and tasty, this one's definitely enjoyable.

SPOETZL BREWERY - SHINER HOLIDAY CHEER (Shiner, TX) - 2.5
A curiosity here - a seasonal ale flavored with peach and pecan. Odd and not necessarily a typical cold-weather brew, but Shiner's always been dependable enough for a good tasting beer. Nonetheless, I'm not overly fond of this one. The sweet flavor is followed by a nutty finish, which sounds well enough, but this is just not one I'd purchase a 6-pack of, at least this year. Maybe next year's batch will be better?

CAVE CREEK - CHILI BEER (Mexico) - 1.0
This creative beer (there is an actual whole green chili pepper inside every bottle) opens with a sickly pallid complexion and a nonexistent head. The only scent I get is, not surprisingly, jalapeno. The taste is, well, like hot sauce. The pepper far overpowers the ultra-light lager beer it's suspended in. I have to admit, it's a nice novelty for the beer fan who THINKS he/she's had it all, but this one is just not appetizing at all. I'm not one to ever waste a beer, but this one's a pourer.

KINGFISHER LIGHT LAGER (Bangalore, India) - 1.0
Pours a decent golden, with thin lacing. Smells of butter and honey, with maybe a little corn. Taste is similar, with only a heavy malt presence and no hops detectable. Seems quite drab and unremarkable. This one doesn't stand out in any way, though it does have more body than most American adjunct lagers. Still, this one isn't crisp or tasty at all. Wouldn't have another.

LEFT HAND OKTOBERFEST MARZEN LAGER (Longmont, CO) - 4.5
This attractive and arty beer (complex and creative bottle renderings) pours a deep amber with an average head. The olfactories reveal an odor of fruit and yeast. Quite appealing already! The taste is crisp and even sweet up front, followed by a slight hop zing in the followthrough. Seems stronger and heartier than most lagers, and this one was a pleasure to finish.

LAKEFRONT - RIVERWEST STEIN BEER (Milwaukee, WI) - 4.0
Pours an attractive amber-red, with average lacing. This rich all-malt lager also boasts of a lovely ripened fruit bouquet, and the first taste reveals a biscuity flavor, with a slight zip of hoppy citrus in the finish. Tasty and well-done, and a perfect example of a lager done the right way.

WEIHENSTEPHANER - HEFE WEISSBIER (Freising, Germany) - 4.5
Poured into my ale glass with a major amount of froth, this well-regarded classic makes its presence known with a slightly spicy, clean scent and a clouded golden appearance. The flavor brings to mind grains and spices, like baked bread with a followthrough of clove. Tasty, balanced, and the best hefe I've had in some time.

JOSEPHS BRAU - DUNKELWEIZEN (San Jose, CA) - 3.0
A thick, dense head on this malty Bavarian-style unfiltered hefe, with a nice scent of caramel, clove, and banana. The taste is bold and roasty with hints of buttery biscuit and clove - spicy and tangy. Not bad, but I found this one somewhat lacking in balance, with perhaps a tad too much of the spiced element.

Beervember 2010!

So we are officially into the chilly months, so some darker, heavier beers are in order. This month there are some sure-fire winners from some first-rate brewers. But don't take my word for it...try them yourself. Remember that I rate beer on a 1-5 scale, with 1 being undrinkable pisswater, and 5 being nectar of Valhalla. So, it stands to reason that a 3 or 4 will still be a solid drinking experience. Support your local breweries and drink indie!

GOOSE ISLAND 312 URBAN WHEAT ALE (Chicago, IL) - 3.0
A pleasant and cloudy gold, this wheat ale boasts of an appealing banana and biscuit scent. First taste is subtle, with a slight citrus hint, though it is fairly subdued. Like most unfiltered wheat beers, this one's rather heavy and solid. It may not be frilly or challenging, but I found this one comfortable and a fine easygoing brew.

SAMUEL ADAMS - CHERRY WHEAT (Boston, MA) - 3.5
This cloudy golden-amber ale came to me highly recommended by this very magazine's illustrious beer expert/managing editor, and he knows his brews. Not to mention the fact that Sam Adams seldom disappoints, so this one's a "can't lose". What we have here is a cloudy golden ale with a strong cherry nose -- instantly appealing and unusual. My initial taste revealed, not surprisingly, tart cherries with a smooth honey undertone. Cherry wheat is balanced on the palate, and not too sweet or artificial-tasting (as are so many fruit-infused beers). Enjoyable.

NEW BELGIUM - 1554 ENLIGHTENED BLACK ALE (Fort Collins, CO) - 4.0
This deep, dark black ale is supposedly based on a 500 year old Belgian recipe, and it's an unusual and tasty ale that doesn't easily fit into a category. I get a roasty chocolate scent, which gives way to a burnt chocolate palate -- not as spicy as a traditional Belgian abbey ale, and more akin to a softer, gentler stout. It's not snappy or hoppy, but subtle, smooth, and quite tasty. This one's a delightful brew with a unique personality.

WIDMER BROTHERS HEFEWEIZEN (Portland, OR) - 4.0
Cloudy gold, and nearly amber in color, this hefe (unfiltered wheat) ale has a fruity nose up front. That's followed by a sharp and toasty tongue and a brisk, hoppy finish. Widmer's hefeweizen is a more complex wheat beer than most, and the strong, assertive personality may not be for beginners. Excellent.