Brewery: Founders Brewing Company
Location: Grand Rapids, MI
Serving: 12 oz Bottle
Style: Rye Beer
ABV: 6.4%
I picked up a six pack of this for our going away party. I wanted to start the day with some decent beer. Poured into a glass, it was dark orange with a medium white head. The head left some lace stuck all down the sides of the glass. Always a plus. This has one of the best aromas I've ever smelled in a beer. It was spicy with lots of fruit and herb from the hops. It starts off with a sweet malty flavor and then you get some of the citrus. The rye added a spiciness and it finishes with a bitter punch of the hops. The rye and the hops dominate but it's well balanced and very delicious.
Rating: A
Monday, July 28, 2008
Saturday, July 26, 2008
Upland Maibock
Brewery: Upland Brewing Company
Location: Richo's
Serving: Imperial Pint
Style: Seasonal (Heller Bock)
ABV: 7.5%
Met up with some friends from out of town at Richo's to have a pint. As old as the food gets they keep you coming back with all the great brews. In this instance I chose the Maibock. At first glance you could hardly tell the difference between Miller's Hop Devil and this one but taste will prevail. A mild flavor in a beer that could probably just be described in the lager family was one that will be repeated.
Rating: B+
Location: Richo's
Serving: Imperial Pint
Style: Seasonal (Heller Bock)
ABV: 7.5%
Met up with some friends from out of town at Richo's to have a pint. As old as the food gets they keep you coming back with all the great brews. In this instance I chose the Maibock. At first glance you could hardly tell the difference between Miller's Hop Devil and this one but taste will prevail. A mild flavor in a beer that could probably just be described in the lager family was one that will be repeated.
Rating: B+
Tuesday, July 22, 2008
Stone IPA
Brewery: Stone Brewing Company
Location: Escondido, CA
Serving: 12 oz Bottle
Style: American IPA
ABV: 6.9%
I love this beer. It has easily worked it's way into my top 10. I snagged a bottle of this from Hill and proceeded to enjoy. It pours a light copper colour with a nice thick head that clings all over the glass. Hop aromas are citrus and herbs. It reminded me of grapefruit and grass. I could splash this on as a cologne. The taste is also hops. Lots of hops. A nice bitter bite that doesn't overwhelm thanks to the malt smoothing things out a bit. Top Notch.
Rating: A
Location: Escondido, CA
Serving: 12 oz Bottle
Style: American IPA
ABV: 6.9%
I love this beer. It has easily worked it's way into my top 10. I snagged a bottle of this from Hill and proceeded to enjoy. It pours a light copper colour with a nice thick head that clings all over the glass. Hop aromas are citrus and herbs. It reminded me of grapefruit and grass. I could splash this on as a cologne. The taste is also hops. Lots of hops. A nice bitter bite that doesn't overwhelm thanks to the malt smoothing things out a bit. Top Notch.
Rating: A
McChouffe
Brewery: Brasserie d'Achouffe
Location: Belgium
Serving: Snifter
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
ABV: 8%
My friend always raves about this beer and I finally had the chance to try a glass of it from his birthday bottle. It resembled a cloudy soda, deep brown with a nice off-white head. It had a really great smell, lots of sweet fruitiness and yeast. It had a crisp sweet flavor to match the smell with lots of malt. I might have to buy my own bottle of this on occasion.
Rating: B
Location: Belgium
Serving: Snifter
Style: Belgian Strong Ale
ABV: 8%
My friend always raves about this beer and I finally had the chance to try a glass of it from his birthday bottle. It resembled a cloudy soda, deep brown with a nice off-white head. It had a really great smell, lots of sweet fruitiness and yeast. It had a crisp sweet flavor to match the smell with lots of malt. I might have to buy my own bottle of this on occasion.
Rating: B
Monday, July 14, 2008
Prima Pils
Brewery: Victory Brewing Company
Location: Pennsylvania
Serving: Draft/Imperial Pint
Style: German Pilsner
ABV: 5.3%
I picked up a growler of this from Sportstime to enjoy while it's available. I finally cracked it open the other night. It poured a very clear pale gold with a decent white head that left rings of lace down the glass as I drank it. I really enjoyed the smell of this one. It had an herby grassy aroma that went nicely with the summer weather. The taste of this one was typical pislner flavor but with a few twists and turns. There is a nice bitter bite from the hops that is assuredly missing in the average pils. The malt shows up to provide some balance and the bitterness doesn't blow your tounge out. A nice session beer.
Rating: B+
Location: Pennsylvania
Serving: Draft/Imperial Pint
Style: German Pilsner
ABV: 5.3%
I picked up a growler of this from Sportstime to enjoy while it's available. I finally cracked it open the other night. It poured a very clear pale gold with a decent white head that left rings of lace down the glass as I drank it. I really enjoyed the smell of this one. It had an herby grassy aroma that went nicely with the summer weather. The taste of this one was typical pislner flavor but with a few twists and turns. There is a nice bitter bite from the hops that is assuredly missing in the average pils. The malt shows up to provide some balance and the bitterness doesn't blow your tounge out. A nice session beer.
Rating: B+
Monday, July 7, 2008
Colt 45
Brewery: Pabst Brewing Company
Location: Texas
Serving: 40
Style: Malt Liquor
ABV: 6.1%
What better way to celebrate Independence Day than by drinking a big bottle of malt liquor. Ian and I decided to hoof it down to the corner liquor store for some forties. The store sells everything from behind a counter, I guess they get robbed a lot. The patron told us he had King Cobra and Colt 45. We decided to go all out and pay $0.50 more for the Colt 45, we were celebrating after all. The giant bottle held a pale yellow brew with a head that resembled dish soap bubbles. It smells like every other Macro Lager but with a dash more alcohol to make things interesting. The taste was surprisingly sweet, with some corn and malt flavors. It disappeared quickly and we were off to the Mag Bar for the good stuff.
Rating: C-
Location: Texas
Serving: 40
Style: Malt Liquor
ABV: 6.1%
What better way to celebrate Independence Day than by drinking a big bottle of malt liquor. Ian and I decided to hoof it down to the corner liquor store for some forties. The store sells everything from behind a counter, I guess they get robbed a lot. The patron told us he had King Cobra and Colt 45. We decided to go all out and pay $0.50 more for the Colt 45, we were celebrating after all. The giant bottle held a pale yellow brew with a head that resembled dish soap bubbles. It smells like every other Macro Lager but with a dash more alcohol to make things interesting. The taste was surprisingly sweet, with some corn and malt flavors. It disappeared quickly and we were off to the Mag Bar for the good stuff.
Rating: C-
Tuesday, July 1, 2008
Shiner Bock
Brewery: Spoetzl Brewery
Location: Shiner, TX
Serving: Draft/Pint
Style: Bock
ABV: 4.4%
We visited the Corner Pub to watch the EURO final. Nothing better than pints and soccer. I ordered a Shiner Bock as they were on special. My pint arrived missing a few ounces, but that's another story. It was a brown soda colour with no head anywhere to be found. The smell, or what little I could find, was sweet. The taste is sweet and malty, but there isn't much of either flavor. The touch of bitterness disappears as do all of the other flavors after a few seconds. To sum up this beer in one word: BLAND. All was not lost however, as Spain defeated the evil Germans.
Rating: C
Location: Shiner, TX
Serving: Draft/Pint
Style: Bock
ABV: 4.4%
We visited the Corner Pub to watch the EURO final. Nothing better than pints and soccer. I ordered a Shiner Bock as they were on special. My pint arrived missing a few ounces, but that's another story. It was a brown soda colour with no head anywhere to be found. The smell, or what little I could find, was sweet. The taste is sweet and malty, but there isn't much of either flavor. The touch of bitterness disappears as do all of the other flavors after a few seconds. To sum up this beer in one word: BLAND. All was not lost however, as Spain defeated the evil Germans.
Rating: C
Dos Perros
Brewery: Yazoo Brewing Company
Location: Nashville, TN
Serving: Draft/Pint
Style: Altbier
ABV: 3.5%
I enjoy trying out the local brews when I travel and on a recent trip to Nashville I got to do just that. We met up with our friends Ian and Sarah at a late night sushi bar called PM. I ordered a pint of the Dos Perros from the local Yazoo brewery. Our awkward server brought me a dark brown beer with no head. It has a nutty, roasted aroma with a bit of chocolate. The hops didn't come through at all. The taste is mostly chocolate and toasted malts with a hint of sweetness. It was not heavy and all and pleasantly crisp. The website says that it is brewed in the old style of Mexican beers which descended from Austrian occupation. I wish most of the current Mexican offerings would revert back.
Rating: B-
Location: Nashville, TN
Serving: Draft/Pint
Style: Altbier
ABV: 3.5%
I enjoy trying out the local brews when I travel and on a recent trip to Nashville I got to do just that. We met up with our friends Ian and Sarah at a late night sushi bar called PM. I ordered a pint of the Dos Perros from the local Yazoo brewery. Our awkward server brought me a dark brown beer with no head. It has a nutty, roasted aroma with a bit of chocolate. The hops didn't come through at all. The taste is mostly chocolate and toasted malts with a hint of sweetness. It was not heavy and all and pleasantly crisp. The website says that it is brewed in the old style of Mexican beers which descended from Austrian occupation. I wish most of the current Mexican offerings would revert back.
Rating: B-
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