So while I was home from work on Wednesday for Hurricane Isaac, I was able to tune in to some daytime television that I rarely get to watch. This includes some of the late afternoon sport talk shows on ESPN, specifically Around the Horn and Pardon the Interruption. Both of these shows are sponsored by Red Stripe beer.
Although I am not a big fan of the Red Stripe Lager, I have an appreciation for their commercials. They are humorous and one in particular hits close to home for me. Below are three links to some new ones I found while on hurrication. I hope you enjoy.
Hooray Big Word Usage
Hooray Office Party
Hooray Free Money
Cheers!
Friday, August 31, 2012
Wednesday, August 29, 2012
Waiting out Isaac down under - Coopers Best Extra Stout
As I write this, we are in the throws of now Category 1 Hurricane Isaac. The storm has made landfall to our east and we have not gotten mostly wind so far and little rain. The storm has stalled and will be moving slowly over land for the next 24 hours or so and we expect to get some rain later today. Many folks in the New Orleans area, approximately 140 miles to our east have already lost power and had significant rainfall.
In preparation for the impending storm, my office shut early on Tuesday to allow our employees some time to make last minute preparations. For me this included moving things that could fly around in heavy wind on my patio. For Margaret, it meant making gumbo. For those who are unfamiliar with Louisiana cuisine, gumbo is a hearty rue based soup served over rice that can include seafood or meats like chicken and sausage, as ours did. Since it is such a hearty soup, people in south Louisiana typically make it in the colder weather months. However, do to its comforting qualities, we decided it would be prefect hurricane food.
A shot of Margaret's rue that she makes from scratch.
In order to compliment a hearty soup, I decided I should have a hearty beer to go with it, specifically a Coopers Best Extra Stout from Australia. I picked up this one at the World Market.
When most Americans think of Australian beer, unfortunately they think of Foster's lager. After all, it is Australian for beer, right? My first experience with Foster's came while in college in New Orleans. One of the bars that I would frequent, TJ Quill's would have an "Oil Can Night" every Tuesday. Of course the oil can was the large size Foster's lager. I was more interested in the size of the beer than the taste back then and it seemed like a deal. I can't think of many better examples of how advertising has taken an inferior product and turned it into a household name and something that people will buy just due to name recognition. I have spoken to people who have spent time in Australia and they said that there, Foster's is akin to our American standouts like Natural Light or Milwaukee's Best. To quote Jerry Seinfeld, "Who are the ad wizards that came up with this one?"
Enough about Foster's. How about the Coopers Best Extra Stout?
Appearance: Beer poured a pitch black color but had some carbonation that was visible upon close inspection. A very weak thin tan head was briefly there. Patchy lacing was present also. Since this beer is fermented in the bottle, some sediment was seen on the bottom of the bottle. Kind of a disappointment from an appearance standpoint.
Smell: Typical malty aroma from this stout. I also got a nice milk chocolate smell as well.
Taste/Mouthfeel: Like the smell, got lots of chocolate and malt flavor with the alcohol taste up front. Also had some lingering hop flavor on the tongue at the start. When the beer warmed up, it mellowed to no longer have the bitterness and was mostly a chocolate and caramel flavor. Like other stouts, the beer had a heavy mouthfeel, but not as heavy as Guinness.
Overall: This is a good example of the stout style. It does have a smoother and more drinkable flavor than a Guinness, but not as much as the Sierra Nevada stout that I recently profiled. All in all, a solid beer that was a nice accompaniment to the gumbo, and way better than the Outback's most famous beer.
As we endure more Isaac, I hope everyone remains safe and are spared property damage and injury.
Cheers!
In preparation for the impending storm, my office shut early on Tuesday to allow our employees some time to make last minute preparations. For me this included moving things that could fly around in heavy wind on my patio. For Margaret, it meant making gumbo. For those who are unfamiliar with Louisiana cuisine, gumbo is a hearty rue based soup served over rice that can include seafood or meats like chicken and sausage, as ours did. Since it is such a hearty soup, people in south Louisiana typically make it in the colder weather months. However, do to its comforting qualities, we decided it would be prefect hurricane food.
A shot of Margaret's rue that she makes from scratch.
In order to compliment a hearty soup, I decided I should have a hearty beer to go with it, specifically a Coopers Best Extra Stout from Australia. I picked up this one at the World Market.
When most Americans think of Australian beer, unfortunately they think of Foster's lager. After all, it is Australian for beer, right? My first experience with Foster's came while in college in New Orleans. One of the bars that I would frequent, TJ Quill's would have an "Oil Can Night" every Tuesday. Of course the oil can was the large size Foster's lager. I was more interested in the size of the beer than the taste back then and it seemed like a deal. I can't think of many better examples of how advertising has taken an inferior product and turned it into a household name and something that people will buy just due to name recognition. I have spoken to people who have spent time in Australia and they said that there, Foster's is akin to our American standouts like Natural Light or Milwaukee's Best. To quote Jerry Seinfeld, "Who are the ad wizards that came up with this one?"
Enough about Foster's. How about the Coopers Best Extra Stout?
Appearance: Beer poured a pitch black color but had some carbonation that was visible upon close inspection. A very weak thin tan head was briefly there. Patchy lacing was present also. Since this beer is fermented in the bottle, some sediment was seen on the bottom of the bottle. Kind of a disappointment from an appearance standpoint.
Smell: Typical malty aroma from this stout. I also got a nice milk chocolate smell as well.
Taste/Mouthfeel: Like the smell, got lots of chocolate and malt flavor with the alcohol taste up front. Also had some lingering hop flavor on the tongue at the start. When the beer warmed up, it mellowed to no longer have the bitterness and was mostly a chocolate and caramel flavor. Like other stouts, the beer had a heavy mouthfeel, but not as heavy as Guinness.
Overall: This is a good example of the stout style. It does have a smoother and more drinkable flavor than a Guinness, but not as much as the Sierra Nevada stout that I recently profiled. All in all, a solid beer that was a nice accompaniment to the gumbo, and way better than the Outback's most famous beer.
As we endure more Isaac, I hope everyone remains safe and are spared property damage and injury.
Cheers!
Tuesday, August 28, 2012
Post-run, Pre-hurricane beer - Sierra Nevada Porter
So living in South Louisiana, we are more than accustomed to that time honored summer tradition, hurricane tracking, hurricane supply stocking and occasionally hurricane evacuation. For the uninitiated, "hurricane season" lasts from June 1 through the end of November. It usually is most active in the August and September period, however we have seen named storms as late as December in recent years.
I mention this because it seems that the entire area is in complete preoccupation/panic mode on the latest storm, currently called Tropical Storm Isaac. I say currently named, because some time today, it will likely increase to hurricane strength and will be called such. Margaret went out yesterday to get some groceries and was surprised to see how crowded stores and particularly gas stations were. Even in a power outage situation, does a family really need 10 cases of bottled water? I guess if these guys are planning to put on a marathon during the hurricane, then the aid stations will be well stocked.
I don't mean to make light, it looks like this storm will make landfall on the 7th anniversary of the devastating hurricane Katrina that did billions of dollars of damage to the Mississippi Gulf Coast as well as my home town of New Orleans. However, Isaac is not the same storm as Katrina. This one is a lower grade hurricane and the affected areas claim to be well prepared. With all this in mind, I was surprised to see all the PTSD induced panic coming from people in New Orleans and even here in areas further to the west.
Since we are now better supplied and gassed up if the evacuation need arises, I decided to go for a run after work in the 93 degree heat. The run was actually prompted by being too lazy to get up in the morning when it was cooler. I suffered through and for my reward, I had a Sierra Nevada porter.
Appearance: Beer was the color of cola with two fingers of khaki colored head, which had decent but not great retention. Due to the dark color, the carbonation was not noticeable. Again, beer had decent, but not great lacing.
Smell: Immediately got lots of chocolate and malt aromas from this beer. Exactly what I would expect from a good porter.
Taste/Mouthfeel: Like the nose, flavors of chocolate and roasted malt. Also got some caramel and coffee flavors. Initially had some lingering hoppy bitterness on the tongue. This seemed to reduce as the beer warmed up. A creamy mouthfeel that was on the heavy side.
Overall: This beer is a great example of the porter style with great chocolate and coffee flavors. Beer was not too heavy and worked well as a recovery beer, if there is such a thing. I had previously tried the Sierra Nevada stout after a run with similar results. This one is well done. For more information on this beer, please see http://www.sierranevada.com/beers/porter.html
Isaac is about 24 hours away from landfall and appears that it will be to our east. Therefore we are not planning to evacuate. We are now well supplied with water, gas and we are always well supplied on the beer front. I wish everyone a safe next few days here in South Louisiana.
Cheers!
I mention this because it seems that the entire area is in complete preoccupation/panic mode on the latest storm, currently called Tropical Storm Isaac. I say currently named, because some time today, it will likely increase to hurricane strength and will be called such. Margaret went out yesterday to get some groceries and was surprised to see how crowded stores and particularly gas stations were. Even in a power outage situation, does a family really need 10 cases of bottled water? I guess if these guys are planning to put on a marathon during the hurricane, then the aid stations will be well stocked.
I don't mean to make light, it looks like this storm will make landfall on the 7th anniversary of the devastating hurricane Katrina that did billions of dollars of damage to the Mississippi Gulf Coast as well as my home town of New Orleans. However, Isaac is not the same storm as Katrina. This one is a lower grade hurricane and the affected areas claim to be well prepared. With all this in mind, I was surprised to see all the PTSD induced panic coming from people in New Orleans and even here in areas further to the west.
Since we are now better supplied and gassed up if the evacuation need arises, I decided to go for a run after work in the 93 degree heat. The run was actually prompted by being too lazy to get up in the morning when it was cooler. I suffered through and for my reward, I had a Sierra Nevada porter.
Appearance: Beer was the color of cola with two fingers of khaki colored head, which had decent but not great retention. Due to the dark color, the carbonation was not noticeable. Again, beer had decent, but not great lacing.
Smell: Immediately got lots of chocolate and malt aromas from this beer. Exactly what I would expect from a good porter.
Taste/Mouthfeel: Like the nose, flavors of chocolate and roasted malt. Also got some caramel and coffee flavors. Initially had some lingering hoppy bitterness on the tongue. This seemed to reduce as the beer warmed up. A creamy mouthfeel that was on the heavy side.
Overall: This beer is a great example of the porter style with great chocolate and coffee flavors. Beer was not too heavy and worked well as a recovery beer, if there is such a thing. I had previously tried the Sierra Nevada stout after a run with similar results. This one is well done. For more information on this beer, please see http://www.sierranevada.com/beers/porter.html
Isaac is about 24 hours away from landfall and appears that it will be to our east. Therefore we are not planning to evacuate. We are now well supplied with water, gas and we are always well supplied on the beer front. I wish everyone a safe next few days here in South Louisiana.
Cheers!
Sunday, August 26, 2012
Waiting for the Fall - Samuel Adams Octoberfest
So it is the 2nd half of summer in south Louisiana, with the same high temps that make the fall seem like several months away, instead of less than 2 the calendar shows. Somewhat to my surprise, I found Sam Adams Octoberfest seasonal beer at my local World Market store.
The Boston Beer Company as they are formally known is quite possibly the best example of brewers having a passion for craft beer and turning it into a large enterprise. They now brew dozens of different beers and are the most recognizable name in American craft brewing. With all that said, I have probably only tried a handful of their beers, including of course the Boston Lager, Summer Ale, Black Lager and the Noble Pils. This was my first try on the Octoberfest seasonal.
Appearance: Beer poured a clear copper color with a thin off-white head that lacked retention. As pictured above, lots of carbonation was noted. This helped provide some nice lacing on the glass while consuming.
Smell: Beer had a somewhat floral aroma. Some yeasty breadiness was also present on the nose.
Taste/Mouthfeel: Initially some roasted malt flavor, but much milder than darker beers. No bitterness was present and had some subtle citrus flavor. Beer had a light to medium mouthfeel. A slickness was there also on the mouthfeel. This combined with the lack of bitterness gave this beer a high level of drinkability.
Overall: This beer had a very mild, but complex flavor. High drinkability and well balanced. I thoroughly enjoyed this beer. I will certainly be picking up more of these babies in the fall.
I have only spent a limited time in the Boston area, two weeks in the winter of 2000 working on a client there. Back then, I really did not have the beer interest that I have now. Bud Light was the epitome of my beer universe then. There is quite a craft beer scene there these days, and since Margaret has never been, it is on our list of places to visit. It is nice to see that the original craft brewery in America is still putting out good beer.
On a different note, Man United picked up their first three points of the new season with a 3-2 victory over Fulham. Glory, Glory Man United!
Cheers!
The Boston Beer Company as they are formally known is quite possibly the best example of brewers having a passion for craft beer and turning it into a large enterprise. They now brew dozens of different beers and are the most recognizable name in American craft brewing. With all that said, I have probably only tried a handful of their beers, including of course the Boston Lager, Summer Ale, Black Lager and the Noble Pils. This was my first try on the Octoberfest seasonal.
Appearance: Beer poured a clear copper color with a thin off-white head that lacked retention. As pictured above, lots of carbonation was noted. This helped provide some nice lacing on the glass while consuming.
Smell: Beer had a somewhat floral aroma. Some yeasty breadiness was also present on the nose.
Taste/Mouthfeel: Initially some roasted malt flavor, but much milder than darker beers. No bitterness was present and had some subtle citrus flavor. Beer had a light to medium mouthfeel. A slickness was there also on the mouthfeel. This combined with the lack of bitterness gave this beer a high level of drinkability.
Overall: This beer had a very mild, but complex flavor. High drinkability and well balanced. I thoroughly enjoyed this beer. I will certainly be picking up more of these babies in the fall.
I have only spent a limited time in the Boston area, two weeks in the winter of 2000 working on a client there. Back then, I really did not have the beer interest that I have now. Bud Light was the epitome of my beer universe then. There is quite a craft beer scene there these days, and since Margaret has never been, it is on our list of places to visit. It is nice to see that the original craft brewery in America is still putting out good beer.
On a different note, Man United picked up their first three points of the new season with a 3-2 victory over Fulham. Glory, Glory Man United!
Cheers!
Friday, August 24, 2012
A Homecoming - Abita Wheat
Prior to moving to Lafayette 8 years ago (amazing that it has been 8 years), Margaret and I lived in Mandeville, LA. Mandeville is a bedroom community located about an hour north of New Orleans. Part of that hour journey is over the Causeway bridge, a 24 mile structure that spans Lake Pontchartrain, and has the distinction of being the longest bridge over water in the world.
Mandeville is also close to most iconic craft brewery in all of Louisiana, the Abita Brewery, located in Abita Springs. So close in fact that it was less than 5 miles from our Mandeville house. Being that close you would think that we were frequent visitors to their brewery and brew pub. That would be incorrect. I am ashamed to say that in the 3 years that we lived there, we only went to the brew pub one time. Since we were childless and both worked downtown in New Orleans, we really just slept in Mandeville as most of our lives were on the south shore of the lake.
Now that does not mean that I am not intimately familiar with the Abita beers. I have tried the majority of their beers and their Turbo Dog is among my favorites. I recently picked up one of their seasonal beers that I had not tried before, the Abita Wheat.
Appearance: The wheat was a straw yellow color with 3 fingers of fluffy white head. Lots of carbonation was noted through the clear appearance. Some good lacing was noted also.
Smell: Even from a foot away I was able to pick up a yeasty bread aroma from this beer. Not much else was distinguishable close up.
Taste/Mouthfeel: As the color would suggest, the mouthfeel was light and bubbly. This beer had a crisp, refreshing taste with a dry finish. Not much in the way of wheat flavor was noticeable. It tasted like a pilsner, but with slightly more complex flavor, but not much more.
Overall: This beer had some good qualities like a good drinkability, but really left me wanting more from the flavor. The wheat name had me thinking a certain thing, and the flavor was not it. Not a favorite of the Abita beers, and not likely to try this one again. For more info on this beer, please see http://abita.com/brews/our_brews/wheat
We frequently go back to the Mandeville area to see family. My brother and his family live in nearby Covington, but we have not been back to the brewery and brew pub. I will have Margaret put it on our list.
Cheers!
Mandeville is also close to most iconic craft brewery in all of Louisiana, the Abita Brewery, located in Abita Springs. So close in fact that it was less than 5 miles from our Mandeville house. Being that close you would think that we were frequent visitors to their brewery and brew pub. That would be incorrect. I am ashamed to say that in the 3 years that we lived there, we only went to the brew pub one time. Since we were childless and both worked downtown in New Orleans, we really just slept in Mandeville as most of our lives were on the south shore of the lake.
Now that does not mean that I am not intimately familiar with the Abita beers. I have tried the majority of their beers and their Turbo Dog is among my favorites. I recently picked up one of their seasonal beers that I had not tried before, the Abita Wheat.
Smell: Even from a foot away I was able to pick up a yeasty bread aroma from this beer. Not much else was distinguishable close up.
Taste/Mouthfeel: As the color would suggest, the mouthfeel was light and bubbly. This beer had a crisp, refreshing taste with a dry finish. Not much in the way of wheat flavor was noticeable. It tasted like a pilsner, but with slightly more complex flavor, but not much more.
Overall: This beer had some good qualities like a good drinkability, but really left me wanting more from the flavor. The wheat name had me thinking a certain thing, and the flavor was not it. Not a favorite of the Abita beers, and not likely to try this one again. For more info on this beer, please see http://abita.com/brews/our_brews/wheat
We frequently go back to the Mandeville area to see family. My brother and his family live in nearby Covington, but we have not been back to the brewery and brew pub. I will have Margaret put it on our list.
Cheers!
Thursday, August 23, 2012
More running & beer
The guys at Runners World are on to something. Extolling the virtues of two of my favorite things, running and craft beer. The links below are courtesy of my buddy Keith, all the way from Ghana.
http://news.runnersworld.com/2012/08/20/craft-breweries-correlate-with-good-health/
I always enjoy a post race beer and here is a list of some good ones.
http://www.runnersworld.com/beers/
Cheers!
http://news.runnersworld.com/2012/08/20/craft-breweries-correlate-with-good-health/
I always enjoy a post race beer and here is a list of some good ones.
http://www.runnersworld.com/beers/
Cheers!
Wednesday, August 22, 2012
0 for 2 - Samuel Smith Taddy Porter
As I mentioned earlier, this past weekend marked the opening of the 2012-13 BPL season. That meant matches on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. Unfortunately, I had to wait until Monday to see my favorite team, Manchester United kickoff their season against Everton on the road. Since the matches take place 6 hours ahead of my Central time zone, I had to do my best to avoid the score in order to preserve the match that I had recorded while at work. Due to the increasing popularity of the English football leagues, this has become a more difficult task. The league is no longer relegated to the obscure channels far down the cable dial. This match aired on ESPN2.
I thought it would be fitting to pair the match viewing with an English beer, specifically a Samuel Smith Taddy Porter. What a great combination, my favorite team hopefully starting their 20th championship campaign and my favorite kind of beer and one which has a near perfect rating on Beer Advocate?
The game started out well enough. The home Everton crowd was very much into the match and the atmosphere was much more like late round cup match with more at stake than the first of a 38 match season. My side lacked the creativity and ability to find the back of the net. Everton was inspired and broke through early in the 2nd half. They never relinquished the lead and took all three points.
Since the match was a disappointment, what about the beer?
Appearance: I used my new English pint glass courtesy of World Market for this proper pint. Beer had a pitch black appearance. The dark color hid the carbonation that made it look practically still. One finger of khaki colored head was apparent. Beer had some decent lacing, but not as much as I would have expected.
Smell: Heavy malt aroma was present. Picked up some coffee notes as well.
Taste/Mouthfeel: Lots of roasted malt flavor with some smoky coffee as well. More of a lingering bitterness than some American porters, like Sierra Nevada. Beer had sort of a flat finish and not much carbonation noted and a heavy mouthfeel. The bitterness did mellow out some as it warmed up.
Overall: This porter was more stout like than I had expected with the lingering bitterness. Not as creamy of a mouthfeel as some other porters I have had. I tend to disagree with the Beer Advocate views on this one. Not one of my favorite porters. I prefer the Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout to this porter. For more info on this beer, please see http://www.samuelsmithsbrewery.co.uk/taddyporter.html
The only success from this Monday night was the fact that I had avoided the score and managed to have 90 minutes of solitude to watch the match in its entirety. Not the result I wanted on the football (soccer) or beer front. Luckily United has 37 more chances to make it up and I have hundreds more beers to try.
Cheers!
I thought it would be fitting to pair the match viewing with an English beer, specifically a Samuel Smith Taddy Porter. What a great combination, my favorite team hopefully starting their 20th championship campaign and my favorite kind of beer and one which has a near perfect rating on Beer Advocate?
The game started out well enough. The home Everton crowd was very much into the match and the atmosphere was much more like late round cup match with more at stake than the first of a 38 match season. My side lacked the creativity and ability to find the back of the net. Everton was inspired and broke through early in the 2nd half. They never relinquished the lead and took all three points.
Since the match was a disappointment, what about the beer?
Appearance: I used my new English pint glass courtesy of World Market for this proper pint. Beer had a pitch black appearance. The dark color hid the carbonation that made it look practically still. One finger of khaki colored head was apparent. Beer had some decent lacing, but not as much as I would have expected.
Smell: Heavy malt aroma was present. Picked up some coffee notes as well.
Taste/Mouthfeel: Lots of roasted malt flavor with some smoky coffee as well. More of a lingering bitterness than some American porters, like Sierra Nevada. Beer had sort of a flat finish and not much carbonation noted and a heavy mouthfeel. The bitterness did mellow out some as it warmed up.
Overall: This porter was more stout like than I had expected with the lingering bitterness. Not as creamy of a mouthfeel as some other porters I have had. I tend to disagree with the Beer Advocate views on this one. Not one of my favorite porters. I prefer the Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout to this porter. For more info on this beer, please see http://www.samuelsmithsbrewery.co.uk/taddyporter.html
The only success from this Monday night was the fact that I had avoided the score and managed to have 90 minutes of solitude to watch the match in its entirety. Not the result I wanted on the football (soccer) or beer front. Luckily United has 37 more chances to make it up and I have hundreds more beers to try.
Cheers!
Monday, August 20, 2012
A reason to celebrate
Yesterday was my oldest daughter, Regan's 8th birthday. As has been our tradition, we let the birthday girl pick where we have dinner on her birthday. Having little concern for the beer selection at a particular restaurant, she initially decided to eat at McDonald's. My girl is a cheap date. Don't get me wrong, I like a quarter pounder with cheese as much (if not more) than the next guy, but not exactly what I was hoping for with a birthday dinner.
After some further discussion, she eventually reconsidered and she caved in to her carnivore tendencies and selected Outback Steakhouse. This kid loves steak and she did her old man a favor by selecting a place that may not have a diverse beer selection, at least had a couple I could live with.
First was a Shock Top Belgian White.
Second was a Samuel Adams Summer Ale.
This was my first Shock Top and I did like it. Some citrus flavor and easy drinking and refreshing. The Sam Adams Summer Ale was a similar story. I have had this one before, but I don't think I have liked the others as much as this one. Could be that we were having a nice family time and that made the beer taste better.
It feels like just yesterday that Regan was born and there is no way it can already be 8 years. Time really moves quickly. As a colleague of mine once said, life is like a roll of toilet paper, the closer you get to the end, the faster it goes. Take some time to enjoy a beer with friends and family. If there is not a reason to celebrate, make one up.
Cheers!
After some further discussion, she eventually reconsidered and she caved in to her carnivore tendencies and selected Outback Steakhouse. This kid loves steak and she did her old man a favor by selecting a place that may not have a diverse beer selection, at least had a couple I could live with.
First was a Shock Top Belgian White.
Second was a Samuel Adams Summer Ale.
This was my first Shock Top and I did like it. Some citrus flavor and easy drinking and refreshing. The Sam Adams Summer Ale was a similar story. I have had this one before, but I don't think I have liked the others as much as this one. Could be that we were having a nice family time and that made the beer taste better.
It feels like just yesterday that Regan was born and there is no way it can already be 8 years. Time really moves quickly. As a colleague of mine once said, life is like a roll of toilet paper, the closer you get to the end, the faster it goes. Take some time to enjoy a beer with friends and family. If there is not a reason to celebrate, make one up.
Cheers!
Saturday, August 18, 2012
Rogue Dead Guy Ale and BPL Kickoff
Ok, my first time out with the Rogue Brewery from Newport, Oregon was not the best. Their Rogue Mocha Porter was less than what I was expecting. Hence my hesitation to try another of their beers that I had purchased a few weeks ago. I picked up their Dead Guy Ale at the Fresh Market and it has been sitting in my fridge since then.
On a recent evening, upon looking at my fridge supply, I came to the realization that I am running low on new beers in the inventory, hint hint readers. Margaret finds that hard to believe since still have a decent supply, but not much in the way of beers that I have not tried yet. I decided to give the Dead Guy Ale a shot.
Appearance: Beer poured a copper or amber color with a finger worth of an off white head. The beer had a slight haze as well. Good carbonation and lacing were also present.
Smell: This one had a yeasty aroma. Some banana smell was also noted.
Taste/Mouthfeel: The beer had a sweet malt flavor with some banana like the smell. Beer had a nice lingering finish, but minimal to no bitterness. A medium body with carbonation noted.
Overall: The Dead Guy Ale experience was way different than the one I had with the Mocha Porter. Nice carbonation, great appearance and a mild drinkability made this one a winner. I could certainly have more than one of these in a session.
You can't judge a brewery by just one beer. The Dead Guy Ale impressed me and has me more interested in other Rogue Ales, even if the first impression was not a great one. For more information on this beer, please see http://rogue.com/beers/dead-guy-ale.php.
On a non-beer note, today opens the Barclays Premiership season. For those who do not know what that is, it is only the best club football (soccer) league in the world, which happens to be played in England. Sounds like an excuse to down some pints this season.
Glory, Glory Man United! From me and Fred the Red.
Cheers!
Appearance: Beer poured a copper or amber color with a finger worth of an off white head. The beer had a slight haze as well. Good carbonation and lacing were also present.
Smell: This one had a yeasty aroma. Some banana smell was also noted.
Taste/Mouthfeel: The beer had a sweet malt flavor with some banana like the smell. Beer had a nice lingering finish, but minimal to no bitterness. A medium body with carbonation noted.
Overall: The Dead Guy Ale experience was way different than the one I had with the Mocha Porter. Nice carbonation, great appearance and a mild drinkability made this one a winner. I could certainly have more than one of these in a session.
You can't judge a brewery by just one beer. The Dead Guy Ale impressed me and has me more interested in other Rogue Ales, even if the first impression was not a great one. For more information on this beer, please see http://rogue.com/beers/dead-guy-ale.php.
On a non-beer note, today opens the Barclays Premiership season. For those who do not know what that is, it is only the best club football (soccer) league in the world, which happens to be played in England. Sounds like an excuse to down some pints this season.
Glory, Glory Man United! From me and Fred the Red.
Cheers!
Friday, August 17, 2012
And the winner is...
The results of the first poll are in. By the narrowest of margins, Wheat beer is the favorite style of beer from the readers. Not my favorite, but I only voted once. A new poll to be up soon.
Congratulations Wheat beer. Take a bow.
Cheers!
Congratulations Wheat beer. Take a bow.
Cheers!
Thursday, August 16, 2012
2 months down - Top 5 Beers of the Month July/Aug
The old saying is time flies when you are having fun, or drinking beer in my case. The blog is already 2 months old and that means it is time for the top 5 beers of the month for July/August. Since the last time I did a top 5, I have learned a lot about what I am doing, tried some new styles that I really enjoy (Saison) and got over some preconceived notions about what types of beer I like and don't like (IPA).
In the past month I have tried and or reviewed 21 beers. Here is a list of my top five favorites:
5. Shiner Black Lager
4. Sweet Water IPA
3. Nola Hurricane Saison
2. Sierra Nevada Stout
1. Ayinger Celebrator Dopplebock
Another month of sampling some great beers. I was happy to see that all top 5 beers were different types. I had a great time trying them, and I hope you enjoyed reading about them. Over 1,800 page views in 2 months and 10% from outside the US. It has gone way better than I could have imagined. Thanks for the support.
Cheers!
In the past month I have tried and or reviewed 21 beers. Here is a list of my top five favorites:
5. Shiner Black Lager
- One of the 6 beers included in the Shiner Family Reunion 6 pack that Pop brought back from his trip to San Antonio. A black lager with good carbonation and lacing, but minimal head. Nice coffee and malt notes, but not heavy like other dark beers. My favorite of the Shiner beers. http://www.shiner.com/main.php
4. Sweet Water IPA
- A treat from my running partner who is from Atlanta. Not my usual style of beer, being an IPA, but was a milder version of the hopmonsters I usually associate with the style. No lingering hop flavor and a nice dry finish. Very refreshing. http://sweetwaterbrew.com/brews/ipa/
3. Nola Hurricane Saison
- On draft at the Irish House in New Orleans with family. First Saison style beer I have had. A flavorful sweet smelling and floral tasting beer. Some spice also noted. Unique flavor that I really enjoyed. http://www.nolabrewing.com/2011/brews/hurricane-saison/
2. Sierra Nevada Stout
- Part of a create your own 6 pack from The Fresh Market. Right up my alley with a dark flavorful beer with a nice head and lacing. Creamy mouthfeel and lots of roasted malt and chocolate flavor like a stout should taste. http://www.sierranevada.com/beers/stout.html
1. Ayinger Celebrator Dopplebock
- A gift from a home brewer friend of mine. Creamy dark beer with good lacing and lots of roasted malt and caramel and chocolate flavor. No bitterness made this beer the beer of the month. http://en.ayinger-bier.de/?pid=118
Another month of sampling some great beers. I was happy to see that all top 5 beers were different types. I had a great time trying them, and I hope you enjoyed reading about them. Over 1,800 page views in 2 months and 10% from outside the US. It has gone way better than I could have imagined. Thanks for the support.
Cheers!
Tuesday, August 14, 2012
Second time is the charm - St. Arnold Amber
One of the pitfalls of trying to canvas the craft beer universe to try new ones for a review is that I rarely try more than one or two of a certain beer before forming an opinion on them. I am a big fan of the make your own 6 pack that some of the better markets feature. This allows me to get 6 different beers and form an opinion before making the commitment of buying 6 of them. However, it also means that some beers only get one shot for the thumbs up or down.
One beer recently has made me rethink my stance on one strike and you're out rule for new beers. Margaret's grandfather, Pop picked up a 6 pack of St. Arnold Amber when he was in Texas visiting family there. I have enjoyed several of the St. Arnold beers in the past and the Amber is the first beer they brewed. Needless to say, I was pretty excited when I received 6 of them, however the first one I tried was not what I was expecting. With the name Amber, I expected it to be more like the Amber I am most familiar with, the Abita Amber from the Abita brewery in Abita Springs, LA. The St. Arnold Amber was not the color I expected. It appeared to be more of a golden beer to me. It's taste was also not what I was expecting. I had one and decided that I would shelve doing a review of it until later.
Fast forward to a recent evening where I was grilling and wanted to have a beer, simply for the sake of having a beer. I turned to the St. Arnold Amber I had in the fridge and was very surprised that my first impression did not do this beer justice. I poured the beer into a pint glass and was amazed at the head on this one. I don't remember this from the last time I had one.
This picture does not do the head justice. I had fully not intended to go all beer dork on this one, so I waited a couple of minutes before taking the picture. The head was a full 3 fingers.
Appearance: Beer poured a clear dark golden color. The Amber name had me thinking it would be a darker color, like the Abita version. As previously mentioned, the soft fluffy head was very impressive. The head had some good retention also. Medium carbonation was noted also, which provided good lacing.
Smell: This beer had a mild floral hoppy smell, but nothing very strong.
Taste/Mouthfeel: The Amber had a very smooth taste. Some fruity sweetness on the finish was noted. As it warmed up, I picked up some of the malt flavor. Nothing about the flavor was particularly robust, but it was very drinkable.
Overall: My first impression on this one was not accurate. I had an expectation of what this beer should be and did not let its merits stand alone. Although it is a little high at 5.8%ABV for a session beer, I think this one would make a good one due to its balance and drinkability.
This beer has taught me a lesson. One time with a beer is not enough to form a good opinion. So many things can go wrong with a beer the first time out. I have had some beers that for whatever reason just did not have their best day. Unlike the Olympics where stumbling on a hurdle in a race means waiting four more years for redemption, beers should get a do-over. Let this be a lesson to beer drinkers out there, a first impression on a beer may not be an accurate depiction of how it tastes. It may be a good idea to try one again. This one worked for me. For more info on this beer, please see http://www.saintarnold.com/beers/amber.html
Cheers!
One beer recently has made me rethink my stance on one strike and you're out rule for new beers. Margaret's grandfather, Pop picked up a 6 pack of St. Arnold Amber when he was in Texas visiting family there. I have enjoyed several of the St. Arnold beers in the past and the Amber is the first beer they brewed. Needless to say, I was pretty excited when I received 6 of them, however the first one I tried was not what I was expecting. With the name Amber, I expected it to be more like the Amber I am most familiar with, the Abita Amber from the Abita brewery in Abita Springs, LA. The St. Arnold Amber was not the color I expected. It appeared to be more of a golden beer to me. It's taste was also not what I was expecting. I had one and decided that I would shelve doing a review of it until later.
Fast forward to a recent evening where I was grilling and wanted to have a beer, simply for the sake of having a beer. I turned to the St. Arnold Amber I had in the fridge and was very surprised that my first impression did not do this beer justice. I poured the beer into a pint glass and was amazed at the head on this one. I don't remember this from the last time I had one.
Appearance: Beer poured a clear dark golden color. The Amber name had me thinking it would be a darker color, like the Abita version. As previously mentioned, the soft fluffy head was very impressive. The head had some good retention also. Medium carbonation was noted also, which provided good lacing.
Smell: This beer had a mild floral hoppy smell, but nothing very strong.
Taste/Mouthfeel: The Amber had a very smooth taste. Some fruity sweetness on the finish was noted. As it warmed up, I picked up some of the malt flavor. Nothing about the flavor was particularly robust, but it was very drinkable.
Overall: My first impression on this one was not accurate. I had an expectation of what this beer should be and did not let its merits stand alone. Although it is a little high at 5.8%ABV for a session beer, I think this one would make a good one due to its balance and drinkability.
This beer has taught me a lesson. One time with a beer is not enough to form a good opinion. So many things can go wrong with a beer the first time out. I have had some beers that for whatever reason just did not have their best day. Unlike the Olympics where stumbling on a hurdle in a race means waiting four more years for redemption, beers should get a do-over. Let this be a lesson to beer drinkers out there, a first impression on a beer may not be an accurate depiction of how it tastes. It may be a good idea to try one again. This one worked for me. For more info on this beer, please see http://www.saintarnold.com/beers/amber.html
Cheers!
Sunday, August 12, 2012
Bitter is not always better - Redhook ESB
As I discussed in the previous post, "It is not always about the beer," http://thebishopscollar.blogspot.com/2012/06/it-is-not-always-about-beer.html Margaret and I took a trip to England in March. As long as I can remember, I have been a fan of the UK and this trip was the trip of a lifetime. While we were there, we were graciously hosted by Margaret's cousin, Betsy and her husband Ryan, who are living in a town about an hour train ride north of London.
They were both very hospitable hosts, but for my money, Ryan takes the cake. He has a thoughtfulness and innate ability to make sure everyone is having a good time. We have taken to dubbing him "the mvp of life" because everything the guy does turns into fun. I am quite jealous of this characteristic, even more so because he makes it look effortless.
Prior to our arrival I had requested for him to pick up some local beers for enjoying while we were there. He picked up some Fuller's London Pride and ESB (Extra Special Bitter). http://www.fullers.co.uk I know these are both massed produced beers, but they are brewed in England and I had never had them before.
As luck would have it, all of our beer consumption while were in the UK took place in proper pubs. I can drink beer at home anytime, but never before had I drank beer in some real English pubs. The Fuller's beers never made it out of the refrigerator. It was only after I got home that I picked up a 6 pack of both the London Pride and the ESB at Rouse's and was able to try them. Of course, I liked them both. Even across the pond Ryan is still the MVP.
The reason I bring all this up is that the Fuller's was the first ESB that I had ever tried. Also, they originated the ESB style. I enjoyed it and wanted to try other breweries' take on the style. I picked up a couple of the Redhook Brewery's ESBs at the Fresh Market store.
They were both very hospitable hosts, but for my money, Ryan takes the cake. He has a thoughtfulness and innate ability to make sure everyone is having a good time. We have taken to dubbing him "the mvp of life" because everything the guy does turns into fun. I am quite jealous of this characteristic, even more so because he makes it look effortless.
Prior to our arrival I had requested for him to pick up some local beers for enjoying while we were there. He picked up some Fuller's London Pride and ESB (Extra Special Bitter). http://www.fullers.co.uk I know these are both massed produced beers, but they are brewed in England and I had never had them before.
As luck would have it, all of our beer consumption while were in the UK took place in proper pubs. I can drink beer at home anytime, but never before had I drank beer in some real English pubs. The Fuller's beers never made it out of the refrigerator. It was only after I got home that I picked up a 6 pack of both the London Pride and the ESB at Rouse's and was able to try them. Of course, I liked them both. Even across the pond Ryan is still the MVP.
The reason I bring all this up is that the Fuller's was the first ESB that I had ever tried. Also, they originated the ESB style. I enjoyed it and wanted to try other breweries' take on the style. I picked up a couple of the Redhook Brewery's ESBs at the Fresh Market store.
Appearance: Beer had a clear orange and golden color, with lots of carbonation as you can see from the picture. Very minimal white head and patchy lacing were present.
Smell: Picked up a floral hoppy smell at the start. The aroma reminded me of more hopped beers like an IPA.
Taste/Mouthfeel: Contrary to the name, this beer had very little bitterness. I noted some piney flavor from the hops and some caramel malt flavors. It had a light to medium mouthfeel with the carbonation noticeable. The beer was very smooth and drinkable, but had a rather weak finish. The flavor started out good, but left midway through the sip.
Overall: Although this beer was smooth and very drinkable, I think I will stick with the originator of the style, the Fullers ESB.
For more info on this beer, please see http://redhook.com/beers/esb/
Here are a couple of pictures of our proper pub experiences in England.
Cheers!
Margaret, Betsy and me at the Pickerel Inn, Cambridge
Ryan, me, Margaret, Betsy and Philip at the Pie Shoppe, London
Saturday, August 11, 2012
New addition
Hello loyal readers. You may have not noticed yet, but I have added a poll section to the blog. Based on having no votes yet, it appears that no one has noticed. Please take a look and exercise your franchise. If you don't vote, "they" win. For the record, I don't know who "they" are. I just don't want them to win.
The poll is located at the lower right side of the blog.
Cheers!
The poll is located at the lower right side of the blog.
Cheers!
Friday, August 10, 2012
Session beer, what the heck is that? - Three Philosophers Belgian Blend
As part of my writing, and in order to provide a more informed opinion on the beers I am discussing, I have done a fair amount of research. Before you ask, "research" is more than just drinking the beers I am discussing. I have looked at various beer related sites as well as the particular brewery webpages. The best source of information I have found is a site called Beer Advocate. This site contains thousands of reviews of thousands of beers. They also have good info about beer styles and just general tips to be more educated about beer and to help enjoy it more. I have even started adding my reviews to their database.
One of the words that kept popping up while I was reading the reviews on the site was the term "session." Most of the time it would appear in a review with something like, "this beer would make a great session beer," or "this one would not make a good session beer." The frequency of coming across this term made me very curious as to what it meant. As usual, beer advocate had a plain english answer to my question.
Here is how they define it:
Session beer
Any beer that contains no higher than 5 percent ABV (Alcohol by Volume), featuring a balance between malt and hop characters (ingredients) and, typically, a clean finish - a combination of which creates a beer with high drinkability. The purpose of a session beer is to allow a beer drinker to have multiple beers, within a reasonable time period or session, without overwhelming the senses or reaching inappropriate levels of intoxication. (Yes, you can drink and enjoy beer without getting drunk.) For the entire article, please see http://beeradvocate.com/articles/653.
So now that I have defined what a session beer is, you probably think I am going to review one, right? Well not so fast my friend (in my best Lee Corso voice). The beer I am going to review would fall into the not a session beer category. The beer in question is the Three Philosophers Belgian Blend. Due to its high alcohol content, 9.8%ABV, this one was part of a one beer night. Many thanks to my home brewer friend who gave me this one to try. See this post for another beer that he gave me recently. http://thebishopscollar.blogspot.com/2012/08/never-look-gift-beer-in-mouth.html
Appearance: Since this one is a Belgian beer, I decided I should use some different glassware, specifically my Chimay chalice. Beer poured an orangish brown color with a very fizzy khaki head. The color was that of a late afternoon sunset when held up to light. The head was like a cola and disappeared very quickly. As expected with these kinds of Belgian beers, sediment was noted as well. The beer left no lacing, but perhaps the most interesting part of this beer was the bubbly cloud left on the surface of the beer.
It was so noteworthy that I thought it deserved a picture.
Smell: I picked up the aroma of dark fruit and the high alcohol content.
Taste/Mouthfeel: Initial flavor is of dark fruit and some bitterness and a warming affect on the finish, which I attribute to the high alcohol content. As the beer warmed up, I finally got the sweetness from the cherries that are part of the blend. Beer had a full mouthfeel and the carbonation was noticeable.
Overall: This beer is no joke. It really hits with the alcohol content and is much more of a sipping beer. Taking it slow did allow me to pick up the sweet cherry flavor and helped it mellow out a little. Overall, this one is just not my cup of tea.
I guess I am more of a session beer guy after all. Now that I know what that means.
Cheers!
One of the words that kept popping up while I was reading the reviews on the site was the term "session." Most of the time it would appear in a review with something like, "this beer would make a great session beer," or "this one would not make a good session beer." The frequency of coming across this term made me very curious as to what it meant. As usual, beer advocate had a plain english answer to my question.
Here is how they define it:
Session beer
Any beer that contains no higher than 5 percent ABV (Alcohol by Volume), featuring a balance between malt and hop characters (ingredients) and, typically, a clean finish - a combination of which creates a beer with high drinkability. The purpose of a session beer is to allow a beer drinker to have multiple beers, within a reasonable time period or session, without overwhelming the senses or reaching inappropriate levels of intoxication. (Yes, you can drink and enjoy beer without getting drunk.) For the entire article, please see http://beeradvocate.com/articles/653.
So now that I have defined what a session beer is, you probably think I am going to review one, right? Well not so fast my friend (in my best Lee Corso voice). The beer I am going to review would fall into the not a session beer category. The beer in question is the Three Philosophers Belgian Blend. Due to its high alcohol content, 9.8%ABV, this one was part of a one beer night. Many thanks to my home brewer friend who gave me this one to try. See this post for another beer that he gave me recently. http://thebishopscollar.blogspot.com/2012/08/never-look-gift-beer-in-mouth.html
Appearance: Since this one is a Belgian beer, I decided I should use some different glassware, specifically my Chimay chalice. Beer poured an orangish brown color with a very fizzy khaki head. The color was that of a late afternoon sunset when held up to light. The head was like a cola and disappeared very quickly. As expected with these kinds of Belgian beers, sediment was noted as well. The beer left no lacing, but perhaps the most interesting part of this beer was the bubbly cloud left on the surface of the beer.
Smell: I picked up the aroma of dark fruit and the high alcohol content.
Taste/Mouthfeel: Initial flavor is of dark fruit and some bitterness and a warming affect on the finish, which I attribute to the high alcohol content. As the beer warmed up, I finally got the sweetness from the cherries that are part of the blend. Beer had a full mouthfeel and the carbonation was noticeable.
Overall: This beer is no joke. It really hits with the alcohol content and is much more of a sipping beer. Taking it slow did allow me to pick up the sweet cherry flavor and helped it mellow out a little. Overall, this one is just not my cup of tea.
I guess I am more of a session beer guy after all. Now that I know what that means.
Cheers!
Wednesday, August 8, 2012
Reunited and it feels so good - SweetWater IPA
I mentioned previously that I am a runner. Runner may be a little generous. I have completed 6 half and 3 full marathons in the last 4 years, but what I was doing during those races could only loosely be called "running." A faster paced shuffle would be a more appropriate description. As you would imagine training for these races, even if not running fast, requires some discipline. I do confess, there is a lot of quit in me when it comes to running. I usually start off with great intentions to run a certain distance, but when times get tough, I have the less than admirable ability to cut a training run short, or even worse, convince myself that staying in the rack is a much better idea than sweating for an hour. Therefore some motivation is very helpful for a runner like me.
As luck would have it, about a year and a half ago, between my first and second marathons, I started running with a friend from work. She is a fantastic athlete, but was new to distance running. We both had something the other lacked, I could offer some advice from running longer races and she would provide me with the motivation to get out of the rack to do the training I needed to do. It is one thing to let myself down by not running, but totally another to let someone else down by canceling. Unlike myself, she does not have any quit in her. It is a mutually beneficial relationship, we even crossed the finish line together for her first marathon in March of this year. Unfortunately, since that race we have been less than consistent with our "running group," as I call it. My experience with running has shown me that marathons are true spring board events. They either convince people that they want to continue running as long as they can, or by burnout or injury, they shut it down. It was injury that stopped the regular meetings of the running group.
I am glad to report that after a few month hiatus, the running group is back together, with our first group run taking place this week. So you ask, what does this have to do with beer? Evidencing the mutually beneficialness of our group, my partner happens to be originally from Atlanta, GA. Atlanta happens to be home to the SweetWater Brewing company. Since her parents bring some of the SweetWater beer when they come to visit, she let me have some of their IPA to try.
Appearance: Beer had an orange golden color with some haziness to it. This one was highly carbonated with a quarter inch white head with some good retention. The head was pillowy soft, and the beer had terrific lacing.
I am getting to be a big fan of good lacing on a beer.
Smell: Beer had a floral and citrus hoppy aroma. Smell was pretty typical of IPAs I have had in the past.
Taste/Mouthfeel: Like the nose, this one had some citrus and piney hoppy flavor. Some slight lingering bitterness was noted, but not as strong other IPAs. The beer had a dry finish, but did not suck all the moisture out of my mouth like ones I have had in the past. Mouthfeel was medium with the high carbonation noted.
Overall: I am not much of a fan of the IPA style, preferring more brown ales, porters or stouts. This beer was a good example of an IPA that I can get behind. The hops were not overpowering on this one, which made it much more tolerable for me. It also did not weigh me down like some dark beers can. For more information on this beer, please see http://sweetwaterbrew.com/brews/ipa/
I am really glad to be getting the band back together on the running front. The beer that came with the membership renewal was a bonus. If only the heat would go away so I would enjoy sweating it out at 5:30am. At least it gives me an excuse to hydrate with good beers like this one. Thanks JPB.
Cheers!
As luck would have it, about a year and a half ago, between my first and second marathons, I started running with a friend from work. She is a fantastic athlete, but was new to distance running. We both had something the other lacked, I could offer some advice from running longer races and she would provide me with the motivation to get out of the rack to do the training I needed to do. It is one thing to let myself down by not running, but totally another to let someone else down by canceling. Unlike myself, she does not have any quit in her. It is a mutually beneficial relationship, we even crossed the finish line together for her first marathon in March of this year. Unfortunately, since that race we have been less than consistent with our "running group," as I call it. My experience with running has shown me that marathons are true spring board events. They either convince people that they want to continue running as long as they can, or by burnout or injury, they shut it down. It was injury that stopped the regular meetings of the running group.
I am glad to report that after a few month hiatus, the running group is back together, with our first group run taking place this week. So you ask, what does this have to do with beer? Evidencing the mutually beneficialness of our group, my partner happens to be originally from Atlanta, GA. Atlanta happens to be home to the SweetWater Brewing company. Since her parents bring some of the SweetWater beer when they come to visit, she let me have some of their IPA to try.
Appearance: Beer had an orange golden color with some haziness to it. This one was highly carbonated with a quarter inch white head with some good retention. The head was pillowy soft, and the beer had terrific lacing.
Smell: Beer had a floral and citrus hoppy aroma. Smell was pretty typical of IPAs I have had in the past.
Taste/Mouthfeel: Like the nose, this one had some citrus and piney hoppy flavor. Some slight lingering bitterness was noted, but not as strong other IPAs. The beer had a dry finish, but did not suck all the moisture out of my mouth like ones I have had in the past. Mouthfeel was medium with the high carbonation noted.
Overall: I am not much of a fan of the IPA style, preferring more brown ales, porters or stouts. This beer was a good example of an IPA that I can get behind. The hops were not overpowering on this one, which made it much more tolerable for me. It also did not weigh me down like some dark beers can. For more information on this beer, please see http://sweetwaterbrew.com/brews/ipa/
I am really glad to be getting the band back together on the running front. The beer that came with the membership renewal was a bonus. If only the heat would go away so I would enjoy sweating it out at 5:30am. At least it gives me an excuse to hydrate with good beers like this one. Thanks JPB.
Cheers!
Monday, August 6, 2012
Nola Brown Ale
On the heels of the very flavorful Nola Hurricane Saison that I had at the Irish House when I was in New Orleans a couple of weeks ago, I thought it would be a good idea to try some of their other beers, namely the Nola Blonde ale and the Brown ale.
I can attest that the Blonde ale is more flavorful and complex than other blonde beers. Lots of hop flavor was noted. It was also versatile enough for a day on the water in South Louisiana. However, the subject of this post and review is the Nola Brown ale. I picked this up while in New Orleans the last time I was there.
NOLA brewery is unique in that it does not bottle their beer, but puts it in cans. Not the most visibly appealing in terms of presentation, but can come in handy in places that don't allow glass, like Mardi Gras parades. This trend is catching on with other craft breweries also. See my previous post about beer in cans.
http://thebishopscollar.blogspot.com/2012/07/case-for-canned-beer.html
Appearance: Beer had a dark brown appearance with a quarter inch of light tan colored head. The head has some retention. The beer turned an amber color when held to the light. Appeared to have good carbonation and very nice lacing.
Smell: Picked up a pretty consistent roasted malt aroma with some dark chocolate scent as well.
Taste/Mouthfeel: Like the smell, primary flavor was roasted malt and had some caramel notes. The beer lacked a depth of flavor and seemed to be a one note wonder lacking complexity. Although it had some good carbonation, the finish was a flat one. Mouthfeel ended up being thin and watery not nearly as full bodied as the color might indicate.
Overall: I had high hopes for this one. The first two beers from this brewery were thumbs up, but this one did not live up to my expectations. I have had several good brown ales lately (it is one of my favorite kinds of beer) and this one does not stand out. I think I will stick with the two proven winners from this brewery that I have had. I will however, continue to support this brewery because it is in my hometown, the Big Easy.
For more info on this beer, please see http://www.nolabrewing.com/2010/brews/nola-brown-ale/
Cheers!
I can attest that the Blonde ale is more flavorful and complex than other blonde beers. Lots of hop flavor was noted. It was also versatile enough for a day on the water in South Louisiana. However, the subject of this post and review is the Nola Brown ale. I picked this up while in New Orleans the last time I was there.
NOLA brewery is unique in that it does not bottle their beer, but puts it in cans. Not the most visibly appealing in terms of presentation, but can come in handy in places that don't allow glass, like Mardi Gras parades. This trend is catching on with other craft breweries also. See my previous post about beer in cans.
http://thebishopscollar.blogspot.com/2012/07/case-for-canned-beer.html
Appearance: Beer had a dark brown appearance with a quarter inch of light tan colored head. The head has some retention. The beer turned an amber color when held to the light. Appeared to have good carbonation and very nice lacing.
Smell: Picked up a pretty consistent roasted malt aroma with some dark chocolate scent as well.
Taste/Mouthfeel: Like the smell, primary flavor was roasted malt and had some caramel notes. The beer lacked a depth of flavor and seemed to be a one note wonder lacking complexity. Although it had some good carbonation, the finish was a flat one. Mouthfeel ended up being thin and watery not nearly as full bodied as the color might indicate.
Overall: I had high hopes for this one. The first two beers from this brewery were thumbs up, but this one did not live up to my expectations. I have had several good brown ales lately (it is one of my favorite kinds of beer) and this one does not stand out. I think I will stick with the two proven winners from this brewery that I have had. I will however, continue to support this brewery because it is in my hometown, the Big Easy.
For more info on this beer, please see http://www.nolabrewing.com/2010/brews/nola-brown-ale/
Cheers!
Saturday, August 4, 2012
Sierra Nevada Stout
So after a long week at work, I needed a way to unwind. My usual solution, besides beer, is by running. I typically try to run in the morning to take advantage of the break in temps and sun baking that happens in the evenings here in South Louisiana. However, due to my laziness and desire to get more sleep, I ended up having to literally sweat it out in the 90+ degree temps after work.
I try to get in 3 runs a week in order to combat the beer weight gain. Oddly enough, that is one of the things that people warn me about when they hear that I have a beer blog, like I just decided recently that I like beer. It is not that my beer consumption has increased, now I just go through the beer dork routine of taking a picture and writing about the ones I try.
So what would someone have after a hot 4 mile run, a refreshing lighter beer? Not this smart guy, I had a Sierra Nevada Stout. I had picked up this one a few weeks ago at The Fresh Market as part of a make your own six pack.
Appearance: Beer poured a black color with one finger of tan head that stayed for a while. Cloudy appearance with some good carbonation. The beer had some terrific lacing as well. Check out this lacing.
Smell: This beer gives off a strong roasted malt aroma, typical of a stout. I also noted some coffee notes toward the end.
Taste/Mouthfeel: Beer has a creamy, heavy and full mouthfeel. Carbonation was not really noticeable. Lots of roasted malt flavor. Beer also had some chocolate and coffee elements as well. It does not have as much lingering bitterness as the most famous stout, Guinness. It finished with a dry smokey flavor.
Overall: I have said numerous times that stouts and porters are my favorite kinds of beers. This should be evidenced by the fact that I would have a stout after a run in the heat. I really liked this beer. I had previously had the Sierra Nevada Porter and I would say they are both excellent dark beers. I don't know if I could have more than one in a sitting due to the heaviness, but for a one beer night, this one was a winner.
For more info on this beer, please see http://www.sierranevada.com/beers/stout.html
Cheers!
I try to get in 3 runs a week in order to combat the beer weight gain. Oddly enough, that is one of the things that people warn me about when they hear that I have a beer blog, like I just decided recently that I like beer. It is not that my beer consumption has increased, now I just go through the beer dork routine of taking a picture and writing about the ones I try.
So what would someone have after a hot 4 mile run, a refreshing lighter beer? Not this smart guy, I had a Sierra Nevada Stout. I had picked up this one a few weeks ago at The Fresh Market as part of a make your own six pack.
Appearance: Beer poured a black color with one finger of tan head that stayed for a while. Cloudy appearance with some good carbonation. The beer had some terrific lacing as well. Check out this lacing.
Smell: This beer gives off a strong roasted malt aroma, typical of a stout. I also noted some coffee notes toward the end.
Taste/Mouthfeel: Beer has a creamy, heavy and full mouthfeel. Carbonation was not really noticeable. Lots of roasted malt flavor. Beer also had some chocolate and coffee elements as well. It does not have as much lingering bitterness as the most famous stout, Guinness. It finished with a dry smokey flavor.
Overall: I have said numerous times that stouts and porters are my favorite kinds of beers. This should be evidenced by the fact that I would have a stout after a run in the heat. I really liked this beer. I had previously had the Sierra Nevada Porter and I would say they are both excellent dark beers. I don't know if I could have more than one in a sitting due to the heaviness, but for a one beer night, this one was a winner.
For more info on this beer, please see http://www.sierranevada.com/beers/stout.html
Cheers!
Friday, August 3, 2012
Beer plus running what could go wrong?
I am all for a beer after a race, but during? I have been tempted to try a beer run but have not had the stomach to do one yet. This article from runners world is making me feel good about my decision.
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-243-297-519-14498-0,00.html
Cheers!
http://www.runnersworld.com/article/0,7120,s6-243-297-519-14498-0,00.html
Cheers!
Thursday, August 2, 2012
Never look a gift beer in the mouth
One of the best and unexpected benefits of having a beer blog is that people sometimes bring me beers to try. This was the case a few weeks ago when a particular beer expert friend of mine gave me a couple to try. This friend is a brewer himself, so I respect his opinion a great deal. The first of the two beers is the Ayinger Brewery's Celebrator Doppelbock.
I knew I was in for a treat when I checked out beer advocate and saw that this beer has an almost perfect rating. http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/39/131. You can also see my review at that link, under the username Bishop_Collar.
Appearance: Beer poured a cola color with a quarter inch tan head. Nice carbonation was noted. Good lacing was present. Nice swirl of carbonation left on top as it was consumed.
Smell: Roasted malt aroma noted. Caramel and chocolate notes more apparent as the beer warmed.
Taste: Nice malty flavor, no bitterness to speak of. More chocolate flavors noted near the end of the glass.
Mouthfeel: Really creamy mouthfeel that coats the tongue. Carbonation is good as well.
Overall: A smooth creamy beer. Liked the malty, chocolate flavor without the bitterness. This beer is an early contender for beer of the month.
For more info on this beer, please see http://en.ayinger-bier.de/?pid=118
Cheers!
I knew I was in for a treat when I checked out beer advocate and saw that this beer has an almost perfect rating. http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/39/131. You can also see my review at that link, under the username Bishop_Collar.
Appearance: Beer poured a cola color with a quarter inch tan head. Nice carbonation was noted. Good lacing was present. Nice swirl of carbonation left on top as it was consumed.
Smell: Roasted malt aroma noted. Caramel and chocolate notes more apparent as the beer warmed.
Taste: Nice malty flavor, no bitterness to speak of. More chocolate flavors noted near the end of the glass.
Mouthfeel: Really creamy mouthfeel that coats the tongue. Carbonation is good as well.
Overall: A smooth creamy beer. Liked the malty, chocolate flavor without the bitterness. This beer is an early contender for beer of the month.
For more info on this beer, please see http://en.ayinger-bier.de/?pid=118
Cheers!
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