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Brewed For Thought (82 items)

November 20, 2008
0:17
Maine Brew Reviewed From Away
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You might not believe this, but I was actually very close to going to college in Maine. I went on two campus visits, one to Berkeley, one to Colby College in Maine. Berkeley was 80, sunny, beautiful, Maine was cold, there was a blizzard, I slipped on some ice and broke my wrist. That’s ok, I don’t hold it against Maine. Why do I bring this up? Because I just opened a bottle of Shipyard’s Pugsley Signature Series Imperial Porter and I was drawing a blank on where to start. My fascination with packaging continues, and the Pugsley Signature Series is my kind of bottle. The label is a coarse thick paper with a classic simple design and a nice story on the back. This bottle looks expensive, and with the trend in pricing for these special edition beers, it ought look that way. My one complaint, this is a twist top bottle.

Inside this bottle is a dark brown opaque brew with a thin, bubbly head. The aroma is of yeast and alcohol, very similar to the Export Ale from Shipyard. Coffee flavors dominate with some molasses and dry yeast coming out as well. There is definitely a good deal of alcohol in the flavor profile. The mouthfeel is a bit thin for the flavors, but this is what you would expect from an imperial porter. The finish is full of coffee which disappears quickly, leaving a slightly roasted malt bitterness lingering in your mouth.

This beer tastes a bit raw and young and will get better with time as the flavor blend and the alcohol has a chance to mellow. Even without the age, this is a very nice brew, big, complex and most of all, tasty.

The Pugsley Signature Series also has a Barleywine which I’ve stored in the closet for now. I am looking forward to opening that bottle once it gets a little age under it’s belt.
November 19, 2008
15:26
AB InBev’s New Look
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The merger between Anheuser Busch and InBev is complete. The deal has been approved by both sides, and now the only thing left is to merge the logos. Take a look below at the past and present.

Image Courtesy of Brand New

Not much to say really, it’s a logo. The old Anheuser Busch logo was a bit rough and rugged with some attitude, where this just seems very sterile and corporate. If you want more of that sterile and corporate stuff, read AB InBev’s official take on the subject here.

In summary, the new identity is meant as a beacon of a bright, vibrant future for employees, customers, consumers and the communities where we work and live.

Of course, this has nothing to do with the actual beer, but it is something new.

Brand New - Global Beer
0:21
Burning Bridges Never Felt So Good
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Another weekend, another beer from Milwaukee. No, I’m not knocking back MGD while watching the football games. This time I’m getting into another brew from Lakefront Brewing, their Bridge Burner.

Basically, the wife was out for a night with the friends, so Kaleigh and I invited our Badger buddy Scott over to watch the evening game. The plan was to drink beer and eat Brats. Since the Bridge Burner was already in the fridge I figured I would go ahead and share it with Scott.

The deep reddish brown strong ale has a a fluffy off white head and a dry, yeasty aroma, with a soft malt aroma hidden in the back. The description made me expect an Arrogant Bastard like beer. Bridge Burner is full of deep malt flavors of dark fruits with a good deal of sweetness, but not so much so that it’s unappealing. There a big kick of alcohol with only a mild bit of hop in the finish. More similar to Bear Republic’s Pete Brown Tribute if I had to compare it to another beer, this is a smooth easy drinking beer.

Apparently, sharing a quality brew with someone doesn’t spare you from criticism. I got it heaped on me for my opinion of American Ale. This came at the same time as he brought a bottle of High Life into my house. While no High Life was actually drank (it was used for the bratwurst), Scott did admit to liking the stuff.

On the back of the Bridge Buner label is a line that struck me and seemed fitting for a conversation with a High Life drinker. “…When you want to make a point, you’re better off making a statement.” Instead of continuing the debate on the merits of American Ale versus the High Life, I freshened his glass with an Anchor Christmas Ale which seemed to be suitable common ground, as it was well received.

We finished the night drinking Mission Street Pale Ale. In the end, we made a point by drinking bold flavorful beers, despite our macro fueled debate. Lakefront’s now put two beers before me this week that I enjoyed. I would recommend the brewery to anyone who happens across their beers, expecially the Bridge Burner.
November 18, 2008
1:02
Can, You Dig It!
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One of the new trends in craft brewing is the aluminum can. When I received a trio of Oskar Blue beers from Dave, my wife was puzzled as to why canned beer was in the fridge. I have been fascinated by the beers that keep appearing in cans, wondering if cans are, in fact, better than bottles.

The first can I cracked open from Oskar Blues was Dale’s Pale Ale. The aroma is a nice balance of malt and hops. Dale’s has a chewy, malty flavor, with a nice light hop finish. The malt flavor is really nice, sweet but hearty. The hops are buried deep in the malt, but provide a real base for the whole beer. You’re left with a nice piney hop flavor that linger in the aftertaste. This is a great pale with a lot of flavor, sufficient hops and a real unque malt profile.

One step up from Dale’s is Gordon. The can says it all “Big. Red. Sticky.” Gordon has a big hoppy aroma. The malty flavor is similar to Dale’s. For such a big ipa, Gordon is very drinkable with a piney hop finish. The malt, as with Dale’s, is the biggest flavor. Nothing in the flavor implies the near 9% strength. Brewed in memory of Gordon Knight, I have a feeling I would have like the guy if this is his beer.

The last can I got into was probably the most well known from Oskar Blues. Old Chub is a scotch ale and given the great malt flavor of the previous two, I had a good idea what I was in for. The color is a red brown, almost black. This is a thick brew, the carbonation seemingly fighting through the beer to create the head. The flavor is chocolatey with a mild alcohol pepper in the finish. This malt is huge, but not overly sweet. The 8% alcohol hides well, this is a very smooth brew, and goes down a little too easy. As it warmed a little, hops became present in finish as alcohol notes emerged as well.

These are three fantastic brews all available in cans. I have yet to try the Imperial Stout, Ten Fidy, but can only imagine it stands up to the high bar set by this trio. I have to say, the can didn’t impart any off flavors to thebeers, but it still feels a little weird cracking a can and getting a quality brew. I think if I keep knocking back beer like this, I may be get over it. Feel free to send any canned beer craft beer my way in order to help me with my affliction.
November 17, 2008
0:53
Bridging the Gap
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It’s been a while since I received this package from Dave, but I had been looking forward to this sampler and really needed to give it the proper attention. As expected, Great Divide didn’t disappoint with their sample of 4 brews.

I started off with Samurai Rice Ale. The pour is a light cloudy straw color. Samurai has a slightly sour aroma, similar to a macro with fruity overtones. It goes down easy, not too complex with a nice lager hop profile in the finish. I didn’t expect much when I saw “rice” in the name, but this is a solid, light refrshing beer.

Next I moved on to the Titan IPA. Nice hop aroma in this one, fairly floral. Titan has a dark honey color with a thin white head. This is a well balanced IPA, a little sweet malt, a bit of a bready flavor, the hop and malt flavors are nicely balanced. The finish is a deep piney hop bitterness and malt sweetness. A little citrus is left on your tongue in the aftertaste. Titan isn’t a huge IPA as the name would imply, but falls more in the East Coast style of IPA.

Stepping back a little, I turned to the Denver Pale Ale. This is an Engish styled pale ale with a light hop aroma. The malt flavor is restrained with a grassy, tart hop finish and aftertaste. Overall, this beer is a little sour. In the end, this is a decent English pale ale.

The last beer I tried was the Hades Belgian-styled ale. Hades has a bright fruity aroma with noticable alcohol. The color is bright gold, very similar to Duvel including the big peaky head. The flavor is full of alcohol and bright fruits with a spicy hop finish. As I compared the looks to Duvel, this beer is similar to the Belgian ale in many ways, minus the hard edge. This proved to be my favorite from the pack, a light, bright, flavorful beer that reminds you of Belgian beers but is uniquely American.

With this sample, I’ve exposed myself to the meat of the Great Divide lineup and have to say it stacks up comparably to other well established, well respected breweries. I am in love with their Yeti brews, but these brews give me faith that anything I reach for with a Great Divide label will do the job.
November 15, 2008
12:01
Return to Aleworks
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After the medal winners were announced at the Great American Beer Festival last month I checked the list for local brews that I haven’t tried, or may not have tried for some time. One that caught my attention was the Blarney Sisters Dry Irish Stout at Third Street Aleworks here in Santa Rosa. With Russian River, Flavor and The Sweet Spot all within a few blocks, it’s easy to miss Aleworks, so I set out for a quick afternoon sampling of their award winning brew.

I was there with my daughter Kaleigh while mom had an afternoon to herself, so I had to keep it light. I ordered up samples of The Blarney Sisters as well as the cask offerings of their Bodega Head IPA and Stonefly Oatmeal Stout.

Left to Right: Blarney Sisters Dry Irish Stout, Bodega Head IPA, Stonefly Oatmeal Stout
- Blarney Sisters Dry Irish Stout - Gold medal winner, dark chocolate and coffee flavor. Dry with creamy texture. Excellent beer, definitely deserving of the gold medal.
- Bodega Head IPA - Nice floral aroma. Fresh hoppy flavor, citrus, slightly sweet, odd sweetness of malt in aftertaste. Not a bad beer, nice to see it on cask.
- Stonefly Oatmeal Stout - Less creamy than Blarney, with more coffee and alcohol. A little sweet, but good.
These samples got me to wondering about my previous opinions of Aleworks beers. Kaleigh was busy with her grilled cheese sandwich so I figured I would try another sample or two. I asked the server for his suggestion and ended up with the Oktoberfest Märzen and Goat Rock Dopplebock.
- Oktoberfest Märzen - Perfumey aroma. Alcohol and sweetness in the finish. Not so great, not bad though. A little earthy hop in the aftertaste when you swallow a second time.
- Goat Rock Dopplebock - Toast and maple syrup, a bit too sweet. Lots of alcohol. Another flavor I can’t place. Odd, tastes likes it’s unfinished. I would probably pass on this beer next time.
In the end, the Blarney Sisters Stout is a fantastic beer with the cask ales providing a solid second tier. After that, I’m holding strong on my opinion of the Aleworks offerings in that there may be a highlight here or there, but in general, the selection is pretty average.
November 14, 2008
11:09
If You’re Looking For Some Drinking To Do On Saturday
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This is a message from Vic at the Bistro, and I don’t think I can say it any better:

We are pleased to announce our 3rd Annual West Coast Barrel Aged Beer Festival / Street Party Saturday, November 15th.We will be offering over 60 beers aged on wood, this is our most intense beer tasting event. Live music and BBQ all day, doors 11am.

There you have it. If you’re looking for an activity this weekend, I recommend heading to Hayward. The weather is supposed to be great this weekend, so it would be a perfect way to spend a Saturday. Best of all, the Bistro is right next to the Hayward BART so you don’t have to drive.

More than a few people have written about this event already, so I’m going to be lazy and just set out a few links.
- What’s On Tap - More than 50 beers on tap at Bistro’s West Coast Barrel-Aged Beer Fest Saturday
- The Bistro (Scroll down and they have a recap of last year’s festival)
- Beer By Bart (A Great resource, not just for this weekend)
- Brewed For Thought - West Coast Barrel Aged Beer Fest November 10, 2007
Unfortunately, I will not be attending, but have a great weekend everyone.
November 13, 2008
0:02
Those Cheeseheads Are On To Something
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My recent lamenting on the early Christmas rush incited a response from an unlikely place. All the way from Milwaukee I got an email from Lakefront Brewing, agreeing with my opinion of Christmas in October. I appreciated the thought, so thought it would be only appropriate to get into a bottle of thei Holiday Spice Lager. Hey, it’s November, it’s alright.

This brew pours a dark amber, like melted brown sugar. The sweet aroma is full of spices, cinnamon, and brown sugar. The flavor is very sweet, with oranges, brown sugar and a heavy dose of spice. This beer is very seasonally appropriate as it has a nice warming thanks to the 9.5%. There’s a slightly sour aftertaste with the previously mentioned spices lingering on the tongue.

I really liked this beer, as I’m a fan of the over the top Christmas spiced brew. When I saw it was from Milwaukee I thought of my friend Scott who’s a transplanted Badger. He seemed excited by the mention of the brewery, so that weekend I brought him a holiday 4-pack as a house warming gift for his new condo. We cracked a couple bottles, watched some Big Ten football and warmed in the early afternoon.

So here’s to Scott’s new place and here’s to the upcoming holidays. The Holiday Lager from Lakefront is a good one, definitely more Christmas than Thanksgiving, and probably a good friend on a cold Wisconsin night.
November 12, 2008
7:22
Farging Ace (in the) Holes
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Occasionally, work will take me out into Western Sonoma County. On one of these trips, I needed to grab lunch. I used this as an excuse to make a visit to Ace in the Hole Cider Pub.

I had tried to visit before with Jen and Kaleigh, but that particular day was a big bike run and the place was overrun with bikers. We felt it probably wasn’t the best environment for a toddler and decided to come back another day.

When I sat down at the bar, I was greeted by Aaron. I ordered up a sampler and was treated with a mini-presentation of each of their ciders. Aaron gave me a brief description and recommended going from dry to sweet. The sampler came to me in a tin tray with a laminated sheet with a spot for each cider. All around, it was a nice atmosphere and they presented the ciders well.

Speaking of the atmosphere, the place felt like a pub, as the name would imply. There was rock music playing softly, but that was going to change. When the owner arrived, the volume went up. He was there to rock, which was fine with me, but it did seem a bit odd for noon on a Thursday in an empty pub.

Having taken in the feel of the place I started into the sampler tray, featuring their 5 ciders. Here are my notes on each:
- Joker Cider - Dry European champagne style 8% , very dry, light, not very full flavored. Wine like.
- Apple Cider- lots of apple flavor, still very light and fizzy. Slightly sweet, but on the dry side
- Perry Cider - much sweeter, distinctly pear flavor. Very refreshing
- Honey Cider - brewed with 5% local honey, mixed with apple. Distinct honey flavor, I wonder when it is added to ferment. More flavorful than apple. Slightly stronger at 6%, others @ 5%.
- Berry Cider - brewed with berries. Slightly bitter, tart flavor. Like a sparkling fruit juice. Alcohol is slightly noticeable. Wine like finish
After going through the samples, I had a quick discussion with Jeff, the hard rocking owner. He’s originally from Kingston back in the UK and is a big Chelsea fan. He’s been here for 30 years and definitely isn’t the brewer. He told me the honey in the honey cider is added late in the fermentation, my guess right before kegging.

As I mentioned, lunch was my purpose for being at the Ace Pub, so I ordered a plate of fish and chips. This was definitely not a highlight of the afternoon, as the meal wasn’t memorable beyond the fact that it was rather bland. Oh well, maybe I’ll try something else next time. They do feature an outdoor BBQ, which in hindsight, probably would have been a better choice.

So if you’re ever in West Sonoma County, swing by the Ace in the Hole Cider Pub. Cider is a different beast than the ales and lagers we typically drink, but Sebastopol is known for the apples (Gravensteins, anyone?) so it was worth venturing outside of my comfort zone.
November 11, 2008
15:54
One Nickel at a Time
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Do you like drinking beer? Of course you do. Do you like living in the state of California? For those of us who do, I’m willing to say sure. Do you want to pay 5 cents more per beer for good of the state. Hmmm..welll…

Californians are all aware of our current budget crisis. Every year we have not nearly enough money to pay for all the things that help make California the great state that it is. The problem is, nobody wants to pay these taxes, and nobody wants to give up the services we’ve come to depend on. Because of this fact, the Governator is getting creative. His newest idea is to tax the beer you and I drink.

So the proposed tax would be 5 cents per alcoholic drink. The tax would help generate $585 million dollars for the state budget. This wouldn’t solve the $11.2 billion shortfall, but it does seems like a way to help bridge the gap.

My biggest problem is this idea is supported by groups like the Marin Institute. They don’t drink! Of course they’re willing to tax alcohol.

When it comes down to it, I’m a socialist (not a communist) and I think we should all pitch in a little more if we’re fortunate enough to hold a steady, well paying job. While the tax wouldn’t hurt me, and I have no problem with the idea of a nickel per beer, I do have a problem with identifying things others feel are immoral and applying taxes to those things.

We have a big problem in California, and it’s the responsibility of all of us to bear this burden. If you’re going to tax my beer, then tax that sinful Big Mac, Snickers and Coke at the same time.

Marin Institute - Governor Schwarzenegger Proposes an Alcohol Tax Increase
0:21
A Couple Seasonal Beers and a Handy Resource
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In case you didn’t know, I have a thing for seasonal beers. There’s no better time for seasonal beers than the winter. So to help get you prepared for this wonderful time of season, I have a new resource and a couple quick reviews.

First, I wanted to let everyone know about a cool website run by the Brewer’s Association, www.seasonalbeerandfood.org . The information is provided by the brewers and this site compiles all your seasonal brews available in your state. Don’t expect all of these beers to be found in the bottle, so if you have to, head to the local brew pub for some of your favorites.

One beer on that site you should be able to find in any beer aisle around the country is Sam Adam’s Winter Lager. This brew is a sweet and spicy lager with a small bit of alcohol in the flavor. There’s a nice aroma of sweet malt and holiday spices. Very easy to drink with a caramelly base, this lager is one that will appeal to many but won’t blow you away.

Want something more ambitious? Head over to Russian River Brewing and grab a glass of Sanctification. This is one of Russian River’s sour ales, and it lives up to the label. No fruit added to this brew, this one is a cloudy golden brew with a big funky brett aroma. The first sip is incredibly tart on the tongue which turns to a sharp grapefruit flavor in the finish. As you drink this, the initial shock of the tartness of the beer fades and starts to cempel you to drink more. One odd flavor emerges towards the end of this beer in the aftertaste, and I could only describe is as cheese-like. This is a nice sour beer with a lot of bright flavors in it. Not everyone will like it, but if you’re into sour ales, this will do you well.

So there you have it, a place to find some seasonal beers as well as a couple beers you might find on that list.
November 10, 2008
18:15
Brewed For Thought Turns 1!
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It’s been one full year since Brewed for Thought launched, and me and my liver are still going strong. It’s been a fun time bringing all these beer reviews to you, and hopefully you’ll keep reading and coming back for more beer related info. Here are some quick numbers about what we’ve accomplished over the first year.
- Beers reviewed: 200+
- Breweries visited: 7
- Posts written: 360
- Homebrew batches: 5
- Sessions: 5
- Total Visitors: This one I have no idea about since we switched after August to brewedforthought.com. At this point I’ll just say, a lot.
Thanks for being here for all of it and I’ll keep brining you brews from around the world as it happens.
November 09, 2008
23:41
Full Sail: Coming Of Age
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I’ve discussed the Full Sail lineup in the past, and I have to say, the label tends to disappoint me. I used to love all things Full Sail, but then, one day, they seemed to go the extreme route, but failed to follow through with the quality that such a move requires. As a result, everything kind of fell behind. Even though, I’m still willing to give them a chance when a new brew hits the shelf. This was the case with their big 21st Anniversary beer. As we all know, 21 is always a big party.

This one is dubbed a killer dopplebock by the crew at Full Sail so I was excited to see what they came up with. The brew pours a nice brown with a big slightly off white head. I didn’t pick up much in the aroma, which seemed odd, but wasn’t a big deal. The flavors are of sweet burnt caramel and ripe fruit. There a little spicy hop in the finish and some lingering sweetness in the aftertaste. This was quite a tasty beer, and that’s coming from a pretty harsh judge of dopplebocks.

Being a tall 22 oz bottle, I went back for more and was rewarded with an expanding flavor profile. The fruity aromas really came out this time. Give this bottle a good 20 minutes out of the fridge, maybe more, to leave just the slightest chill on the beer and you will find it at it’s best.

I’m really impressed with this beer and what Full Sail was able to do. While I don’t find myself buying many Full Sail products anymore, this serves as a good reason to keep giving a brewery a chance, especially when it comes to new, ambitious brews.
November 07, 2008
2:01
The Session # 21 - Favorite Beer and Why
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This months session has a very simple question that has possibly the most difficult answer. What’s your favorite beer? Before I get to the answer, I need to thank A World Of Brews for hosting this session and coming up with this month’s question.

So to pick a favorite beer I have to start with what it is that makes me love beer. Number one on that list is the wonderful flower, Humulus lupulus. Of course, my favorite beer would be incredibly hoppy like Pliny the Elder or Racer 5. Maybe it could be a more restrained, spicy hop, like those found in a German pilsner, like Weihenstephaner. Either way, hops have to play a big role, and could even find it’s way into the name, like Hop Stoopid, Hop Devil, or Hopsickle.

Hops are great, but they are nothing without their partner in crime, malt. This favorite beer would have to have a standout malt flavor. It could bold and dominant like Kilt Lifter, or unique and inviting, such as Dale’s Pale Ale. I might even be in the mood for something nectar sweet, like 90 Minute IPA.

What brings all of these two together is the yeast, and the right yeast can open up the flavors of beer like nothing else. The Belgians are a great source of yeast, with such wonderful brews as Chimay, Duvel, and St. Bernadus. Even in America we have Russian Rivers funky offerings. But the yeast doesn’t have to be funky to get the job done, so maybe a versatile yeast like the Pacman yeast of Rogue would do the trick.

That just scratches the surface of brewing, the real fun begins when you add new stuff to the brew. It should have a thick, creamy mouthfeel like a Sam Smith’s Oatmeal Stout, or a real sweetness like Mackeson’s XXX Milk Stout. It should be wheaty and drinkable like Schneider Weiss. But it would need a real spicy kick as well, so toss in some rye, like Lenny’s Bittersweet Rye IPA.

Brew additions don’t have to stop with adjunct grains, you can add chocolate (who doesn’t love chocolate?) like Rogue’s Chocolate Stout, or just fake the Chocolate like Brooklyn Brewing does. A nice fruity highlight could be great, like Three Philosphers, but sometimes I want the fruit flavor to be strong and bold, like Lindeman’s Framboise or Marin’s Stinson Beach Peach.

I guess what I’m saying is that even if I tried to identify my favorite beer by the components of beer that I love, I just couldn’t do it. Beer is more than a go to brand for any occasion. But if I have to make a decision, oh hell, I’ll say Red Nectar…no wait, Boont!

Extra credit asked for reviews, so I have linked reviews to as many beers as possible.
November 05, 2008
19:32
Hail To The Chief!
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Yesterday history was made. Barack Obama will be the next President of the United States of America. I think we all knew this would be a big night, so I prepared and set aside a couple special beers for the occasion.

After dinner, the polls were just starting to close around the country. This was no time for a celebration brew, not yet. I reached for a bottle of the Oak Aged Yeti from Great Divide. I’d been waiting for this beer for a long time, so it seemed appropriate in many ways.

The pour is black with the brown head seemingly rising out of nowhere at the end. There’s a big hoppy aroma with sweet dark malts in the background. The hops disappear in the flavor which is sweet with dark chocolate and coffee flavors leading the way as well as a significant kick of alcohol. I can’t pick out the oak in the flavor, but there is a certain softness to this beer that is hard to describe. The flavors are big and bold, but they don’t attack your palate. The finish is hoppy and thick with coffee and chocolate bitterness. I anticipated something impressive with this beer and was not disappointed.

As 8 o’clock neared and the California polls were set to close, I needed to prep for a celebration. I had everything waiting, beer, glasses, all I needed was the word on our next president. While pouring the beer into glasses I hear a commotion outside. Pans were being banged together and I could hear a voice shouting out, “President Obama!” I got back to the television and saw that it was now official.

To celebrate, I had poured a bottle of Ommegang’s Chocolate Indulgence. This is a Belgian styled stout brewed with Belgian Chocolate. It is Ommegang’s 10th Anniversary Ale. When I saw an ad for it quite some time ago, I knew I had to try it with my wife.

The aroma of this brew is full of chocolate as you might suspect. The flavor started a bit metallic, but I noticed that it seemed to fade as I finished the glass. This is a very creamy and smokey beer, not as much chocolate in the flavor as you might expect from the name, but there is still plenty. I finished this beer as our President-elect finished his speech, raising my glass high to a historic moment.

So that’s how I spent the evening. Today, I am still in shock. I never thought this day would come and the amount of pride and excitement that I feel is only tempered by the fact that discrimination also won on the ballot in California yesterday. This country is making huge strides and has many more to make. Thankfully we have great beer like the ones I drank accompany us on the journey.
November 03, 2008
21:00
Election Day is Here
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Today is the first Tuesday in November, which means it is Election Day. I hope you’ve all sent in your ballots or are planning a trip to the polling stations. Personally, I love going in and voting in person. We really take our right to vote for granted, with so many of us opting not to do it while people in other countries risk their lives for the opportunity. I know, this isn’t a political blog, so I will stop there. In the spirit of Election Day, I have decided to review a couple patriotic ales.

The first beer up is Anchor’s Liberty Ale. This brew is an IPA and was one of the first to hit the post-prohibition shelves. The aroma is nice and hoppy with a touch of malt. The flavor is sweet enough to balances the generous amount of hops in this beer, creating a nicely balanced IPA. The malt a nice caramel flavor and the hops are proportional in strength. This is a solid, flavorful beer, whcih might fall short in the hop department when compared to the Racer 5’s of the world, but accomplishes the goal of being a fine IPA in all respects. This has always been one of my favorite beers.

Next I turned to the North and grabbed a bottle of Rogue’s American Amber Ale. This cloudy amber brown ale has a thin white head and a sweet brown sugar and fig aroma. This aroma gives away the flavor with adds more dark fruit flavors and a nice sweetness. A piney hop bitterness finishes off the beer with memories of the malt still lingering on the tongue. Another fine beer which should appeal to many.

Above you’ll see example of two very fine ales, with great mass appeal and serves as a benefit to all who choose to embrace them. I would fully throw my support behind either campaign. I also mentioned Prohibition for a reason. Prohibition acts as areminder of where falsely placed morality can have ruinous effects on the America. Some feel changing the constitution is a way to enforce their own moral code on everyone, but that doesn’t live up to the visions of America and doesn’t represent the freedom and liberty we all cherish. Keep that in mind when heading to the polls.
November 02, 2008
23:54
Not Quite New: Cháu Tiên Pale Ale
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When browsing the beer cooler the other day I noticed a new beer caught my eye. There are always a handful of beers I’ve never tried, but this had something that those others lacked, an Anderson Valley Solar Powered beer cap. Could it be this was a new Anderson Valley product? I wasn’t sure, but I figured that cap was as good as a mark of approval, so I grabbed one and figured I would do some research.

The beer I grabbed was Cháu Tiên Pale Ale. I wanted to know more, so I searched the internet and was able to get in contact with the brewer, Tuan Cháu Tiên. Cháu Tiên Pale Ale was originally made at Sierra Nevada back in 1985-1987 as a joint venture with Sierra Nevada. Sierra Nevada sold Cháu Tiên to its distributors but not as contract brew. Due to capacity issue at the old brewery, Sierra Nevada focused on the Pale ale and Cháu Tiên moved on to St. Stan’s for about ten years (1988-1998). St. Stan’s ran into financial problems and a management breakup, so Cháu Tiên was again on the move, this time to Coast Range Brewery (1999-2005). As I mentioned previously, Coast Range went bankrupt, which lead to the most recent change of partnerships to Anderson Valley Brewery (2006-Present). Tuan made sure that I knew that Cháu Tiên Pale Ale is an English style pale ale, and with a little bit of Asian barley. “It’s an all malt brew, not crap adjuncts.”

The beer pours a light amber color, with not much head. There’s an interesting bready malt aroma. The flavor is unique, dominated by the malt, slightly sweet and with a sharp piney hop finish. The malt hangs around in finish and balances hop flavor.

This is a one of a kind pale ale and it’s hard to really describe unless you get a chance to drink this yourself. Tuan also brews BeerGuy IPA, which I have yet to run into, but keep your eyes open for that brew as well.
November 01, 2008
11:28
Trick or Treat: Freaktoberfest
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It’s always nice to find a beer that fits the occasion. For St. Patricks’ day, we put a drop of green food coloring into our Irish beers to celebrate. For Halloween, what better than a cloudy blood red beer with a crazy carnival theme. Thank you Shmaltz for Freaktoberfest.

I case you’re unfamiliar with the Coney Island Lager label, this is a brand made by Shmaltz Brewing, makers of the He’Brew lline of beers. They started hitting the shelves about a year ago, but I haven’t had a chance to try any of them yet. Freaktoberfest is one their Freak Lagers, all with a carnival themed label.

This strong lager pours a blood red with a pink head. My wife assumed it was a lambic, but don’t let the color fool you, this isn’t a fruit beer. The dominant flavor is rye, which if you’re familiar with the He’brew Lenny’s R.I.P.A., will be immediately apparent. There’s an additional sour and bitter note that I can’t quite place. For a lager there is a certain sweetness and fruitiness to the flavor that you might not expect. The finish is crisp and hoppy with the rye and malt lingering in your mouth.

This beer is freakishly easy to drink, and I love the 6.66% alcohol. If you’re not a fan of rye, stay away, as this won’t be your cup of blood, or tea. I feel I should be dressed as dracula while drinking this, as the glass lends a certain flamboyance to it all.

Since it is Halloween, I couldn’t leave out Kaleigh. She was dressed as Aurora from Sleeping Beauty and had a great time on her first trip trick-or-treating. As usual, she loves the empty beer bottles. Happy Halloween!
October 31, 2008
1:48
The Month of the Dog
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October is a pretty cool month. If you’re a sports fan, it’s great thanks to baseball’s playoffs, tons of football and the beginning of the hockey and basketball seasons. Here, we like beer, and we have 2 weeks of Oktoberfest to look forward to. Well, Oktoberfest has passed, but I needed to make room for one last beer while still in October. That beer is Dogtoberfest from Flying Dog brewing.

Flying Dog has always caught my eye with their label art work. It’s a wild chaotic style that fits the brewery attitude perfectly. The label is what I could only describe as Fear and Loathing in Munich, and I love it.

The brew itself is amber in color with a thin white head. The sweet malty aroma has hints of caramel and a touch of hops. The malt flavor is slightly nutty and chocolaty with an earthy hop finish. This is a solid Oktoberfest lager, perfect for drinking in mass quantities if the need be. In case you missed it, Dogtoberfest won Gold at the Great American Beer Festival in the German-Style Märzen category.

So that does it for October. It’s now November, be prepared for an onslaught of winter brews.
October 29, 2008
23:29
An Old Salty Sailor
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Can’t get much farther away from California than Maine, yet one of their breweries is able to get their brews out here. That brewery is Shipyard Brewing. I’ve seen their brews on the shelf a lot and felt it was time to give them a little space on this blog, so here is my review of Shipyard Export, their flagship, so to speak.

I bought the bottle of Shipyard at Cost Plus the other day. Without thinking much of it, I tossed the brew in the fridge and looked forward to drinking it after a long day of work at the docks…or my desk. The brew poured with a big head and a golden orange color. There was a sweet clove-like aroma and within the head and beer I noticed a lot of floating yeast. This made me question the freshness of the bottle, as Cost Plus has been known to be a little lax at time with their rotation.

Fresh or not I had to continue with my beer, if at least for one sip. The brew was very dry with fruity highlights. Not a bad beer considering my concerns. The finish was crisp and light. I actually quite enjoyed the beer. That’s when I grabbed the bottle and checked for a date. What I saw was a January 2007 date. Not so bad if it were a bottled date, but this was a best before date, this beer was beyond expired. In the sake of saving my digestive tract, I did the prudent thing and dumped the beer. I have to admit, I did take another sip, it was a tasty beer.

Since this brew was 21 months past prime, I went through my other Cost Plus purchases. Most were ok, but my Unibroue Chambly de Blanche was also a year past expiration, an impressive feat for a beer with a 2 year shelf life. I took the bottle back and told the clerks my story. The Chambly was replaced, but all the Exports were from the same batch, so I just left that sailor at Davy Jones’ locker.
1:03
Hefe of the Class
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It seems it was a long time ago when I started my journey through the German Hefeweizens. I started with Schneider, moved on to Franziskaner, then tried the Paulaner on the recommendation of a reader, which brings us to today. One left to review, and this happens to be the top rated German* Hefeweizen, according to RateBeer, Weihenstephaner.

This long journey could not come to a quick and easy conclusion. On my trip to by the final installment in my review of German hefeweizen, I hastily grabbed the bottle that was labeled original, and proceeded to checkout. When I arrived at home I was greeted with a tall, crystal clear pilsner. No sense in putting good beer to waste, so I went ahead and drank it.

The Weihenstephaner Original Premium is a very nice beer. A clean, dry pilsner with a spicy hop aroma, it goes down smooth and finished with a bright hop flavor. These could go down so smoothly on a hot summer day. This was a rather fortuitous mistake on my part as I probably would never have tried this beer otherwise.

So back to the beer store I went, this time to grab the Hefe Weissbier. The hefe pours a cloudy orange with a big peaky head and tons of clove in the aroma. The flavor is fruity with a really nice spicy finish. This is a very thick beer that feels hearty in your mouth but remains light and refreshing. I was reminded of a Belgian golden ale while drinking thi

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