Beer: Hacker-Pschorr Festbier

HACKER-PSCHORR FESTBIER (Munich, Germany) - 4.0 (excellent)

Ah, another superb limited seasonal from this legend of German brewing. Festbier is a golden Oktoberfest lager, and is the first time the real Oktoberfest has been made available in the United States, believe it or not. The previous versions we saw over here were reformulations and variations. If you cherish a trip to the real Oktoberfest in Munich, search out a bottle of this and you’ll be getting that much closer.

Pours a clean golden, with a big frothy head of fine white carbonation. Beautiful spider web lacing, too.

Nose is caramel malts, brisk lager grains, and a touch of the Hallertau hops underneath. Nice.

Taste is definitely malt-based, and light in body — easy to drink and packed with flavor. This is a lager done the right way, and virtually an ideal template for the style. I could easily see downing a few of these anytime, even though it’s a deceptively big 6% ABV. A spot-on brew, and certainly showing (again) that the Germans have the history and know-how to make a world-class beer.

Hacker-Pschorr site

Beertember 2010!

So I've been backlogged with good brews (and some far-ranging music)...here's an installment of beer reviews from the late August to September period. Look out for another beer installment SOON! And don't forget to fight for your right to choose your beer. Corporate beer sucks! Indie beer, baybee! Power to the people, not to shareholders! Remember, my reviews range from a 1 (infected toilet water) to 5 (the fountain of youth). So, a 3 would be a decent (but not outstanding) beer. Got it? And a-one, and a-two, a beer for me, and a beer for you! Hah!

CASTELLO (Italy) - 2.0
Hmm. A thin, pallid appearance and major skunky odor are immediately apparent with this Italian lager. Not a good place to start. Taste is weak, watery, and, well, bland. There's little to grasp taste-wise. I know there are some good craft brews from Italy, but I've yet to encounter one, unfortunately! Awful stuff here.

GREAT DIVIDE - BELGICA (Denver, CO) - 4.0
A "Belgian-style India Pale Ale"? Now that's something I've never had before. Kudos to Great Divide for creativity. Anyhow, Belgica pours a non-threatening pale gold (like a lager), but the sweet and spicy floral notes are prominent and welcoming. My first taste landed me headfirst on the spice train -- warm and peppery. with an outlying hint of citrus underneath. Definitely one for the more adventurous, but quite delicious.

TYRANENA BREWING - ROCKY'S REVENGE (Lake Mills, WI) - 4.0
This cloudy brown ale I'd never seen nor heard of, but it packs a wicked punch. Starting with the endearingly cool "sea monster" bottle art with local legend on the label doesn't hurt. But what matters most is the taste, and "Rocky's Revenge" hit me straight away with a strong nutty, hoppy kick. There's some chocolate notes, too, most definitely, but none of the coffee-like tones of a porter. It's sweet and malty, but, like, heavy, man. A real winner and a unique beer.

BECK'S OKTOBERFEST (Germany) - 3.5
This malty red-amber brew pours with solid lacing, and a rich, yeasty biscuit toastiness upon initial sips. Not really a complex beer, but more than pleasing to my palate. Good showing, especially from the usually sub-par Beck's label.

CHIMAY - TRIPEL (Belgium) - 5.0
Poured into my ale goblet with a rush of carbonation and a sweet, fruity aroma. Very appealing and attractive! The cloudy, golden appearance shows plenty of yeasty sediment, too, and the first taste is a rich and spicy flavor, followed by a slight alcohol presence. Coriander, clove, and candy sugar also come through in this complex and perfectly-done Belgian abbey ale. The hoppy "rolling" finish is just icing on the cake. Absolutely a beautiful and delicious beer!

DARK HORSE BREWING - Perkulator Coffee Doppelbock (Marshall, MI) - 3.0
A cloudy, opaque amber at first pour, this hearty brew smells of sweet malts and roasty chocolate coffee. Initial taste is a palatable sweetness, tempered by an almost fruity character. Maybe a hint of raisin or spice with a final wash of alcohol. Certainly not as coffee-oriented or intense as I'd expected. Love the bottle art, though!

CARLSBERG ELEPHANT (Denmark) - 3.0
Pours a rich, amber-gold with plenty of head and lacing. This nice 7.2% ABV lager has a nicely floral nose and a balanced malty flavor profile -- not too challenging or challenging but certainly enjoyable and easy-going. A good, solid beer with a surprising alcohol kick.

AVERY BREWING - SALVATION BELGIAN-STYLE GOLDEN ALE (Boulder,CO) - 5.0
The ornate, busy, and artful label design is fitting for this opaque golden ale with a brisk 9% ABV content. The taste is rich, malty, and sweet with floral, fruity overtones and a hop-edged finish. A complex flavor that's pleasing and surprisingly palatable. Superb!

AVERY BREWING - THE REVEREND BELGIAN-STYLE QUADRUPEL ALE (Boulder, CO) - 3.5

Opaque, cloudy red-amber with average to medium lacing. Poured this one into a small wine goblet. First whiff is a sweet candy, some clove, spice, and then a profound jab of alcohol burn. At 10% ABV, this one's definitely a sipper. Faithful to the Belgian style, but substantially more assertive. Quite tasty, but perhaps a mite too heavy-duty to really enjoy often.

The Mega-Summer Beer Blast!

And here we go, late but not sorry. Seriously, there's been a shitstorm of personal distractions to tend to, so here's a compiled 2+ months of new beer reviews. As you can see, it's Summertime, and lighter lagers are the order of the day. Some good stuff sampled of late. Check out the tastes. And, as always, support your local brewery (remember freshest is usually the best). And if that's not always possible, at least support the little guys. Down with corporate beer dictatorships and "pay for space" in stores. Hail the craft brewers and microbrewers! Sermon out. Off to see Mono and The Twilight Sad in Nashville.

Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy (Chippewa Falls, WI) - 2.5

The pale, cloudy appearance isn't too impressive up front for this summery lemonade-infused wheat beer. The initial citrus smell isn't bad, though, but what really counts is the taste, and here it just reminds me far too much of Pledge furniture polish. Something here seems fishy (and plastic), and I won't be picking these up anytime soon.

Upland Rad Red Amber Ale (Bloomington, IN) - 4.0

A nice, rich, amber as promised upon pouring into my ale glass, followed by a hoppy (but balanced) flavor. Rad Red's not flashy, showy, or "extreme" (by a long shot), but with hints of maple and citrus, this one's got a nice and complex flavor profile. Maybe I'm being pretentious for deciphering those flavors, but this one's unquestionably steady, sturdy, and brings joy to my palate.

Michelob - Beach Bum Blonde Ale (St. Louis, MO) - 3.0

This rich ale pours golden with medium lacing, and though it doesn't offer anything too remarkable or unique, it does shine with a crisp maltiness that walks all over the usual summer lager lineup. More than drinkable, Beach Bum would be an ideal middle-point for an inexperienced drinker (or seasoned lager fan) to be gently swayed into the wide and wonderful world of ales. Decent enough.

Landshark Lager (Jacksonville, FL) - 3.5

This light beer has all the attributes of a classic lager -- pale. golden appearance and an easygoing flavor profile that's more on the malty side. The clean, crisp taste compares more than favorably to Corona, so summer beer fans looking for a light and tasty alternative to the more mainstream "light" "beers" should find Landshark ultimately satisfying. I say give this one a chance. You may be pleasantly surprised.

Avery Brewing - The Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest Lager (Boulder, CO) - 4.5

Cloudy copper (like a strong wheat beer) at first impression, without much lacing. I didn't get much of an olfactory reading here, maybe just me, but the taste is decidedly un-lagerlike. Rich, malty maple or molasses overtones seem present, with a hint of floral hop character upon finish. Quite delicious, and only hints at the heightened alcohol presence. A certain winner.

Pacifico Clara (Mexico) - 3.5

A nice, clean, and light lager with a satisfying smooth maltiness, Pacifico easily holds it's own against the mainstream American lager monoliths. This pale golden beer is a perfect example of a lager - drinkable and easygoing. Maybe it's not frilly or showy, but this one certainly quenches the thirst and gets the job done. Next time you're in the mood for a lighter beer, pick up these instead of the usual light beer (no names, please) and see what you think. I like it.

Negra Modelo Dark Beer (Mexico) - 4.0

Pouring a deep bourbon-brown, and tasting sweetly malty (like a brown ale), Negra Modelo is my go-to choice when frequenting Mexican restaurants. It's uncharacteristically dark, when compared to most Mexican brews (which tend to be light lagers), but nicely satisfying, especially when consumed alongside a good burrito or fish taco. A classic and favorite of mine.

Left Hand Good Juju (Longmont, CO) - 3.0

A nice pale amber ale with a nice foamy head, this ginger-spiced brew tingles the nose with it's pungent ginger zestiness. And despite ginger's natural health benefits (proven to help with nausea and digestive ailments), I'll admit that ginger beer isn't much more than a novelty at this point. I've always been a fan of Left Hand's brews, but this beer has me torn. It's among the better ginger beers I've had, for certain, and it's a nice diversion from the usual fruit or spice-laden ales, but I can't say it's one I'd pursue, either.

Sierra Nevada - Bigfoot Barleywine-Style Ale (Chico, CA) - 2.5

A deep red-amber hue and a thick head (and lacing) heralds this potent 9.6% ABV beast. First taste? Super-strong, rich, and overpowering hoppiness and syrup-y malt presence. This one packs a serious wallop and takes some dedication to finish. It's memorable, but not one to savor repeatedly.

Dogfish Head - Palo Santo Marron - (Milton, DE) - 4.5

Pours a thick oil-black with a medium head. Olfactories pick up hints of fruity esters and a sweet vanilla punch. The taste is consistent with this before a brisk burn of alcohol takes over. Fans of bourbon barrel stouts will be interested in this uncharacteristic brown ale, aged in Paraguayan Palo Santo wood vessels. Certainly a unique and delicious brew.