Month: June 2012

New Blog Firemans Brew Redhead Red Amber Ale

In this blog, we are going to get into the second of three beers from Fireman’s Brew.  This blog we are going to check out a Redhead Ale.  If you read my earlier blog on their Blonde Lager then you are up to speed on this brewery, let us get into this Redhead Ale.

This beer has a deep amber color with no head to it. This beer has sweet malty smell to it. It has a very sweet taste to it with really no aftertaste.  It has a very full bodied and easy to drink for this beer.  This Redhead is very drinkable and perfect for anytime of the year.

Here is a description from their website (www.firemansbrew.com):

A flavor-packed Amber Ale with smooth, rich flavors.  Yakima Valley hops provide a nice aroma up front, while a variety of crystal malts add a solid, toasty malt base and caramel finish.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.firemansbrew.com

Twitter: @firemansbrew

In closing, I will be honest which I am in these blogs.  I am not a huge fan of this style of beer.  I have tried several different Red Ales and Amber Ales and I just cannot get into them.  However, I felt the same way about pilsners, I have grown over time to liking them.  This Redhead Ale is a very well made and drinkable beer.  This is a very excite beer if you love this style of beer.  This is my third favorite beer from this brewery and I have to say they should not be a shame of this beer.  I always knew a Blonde could beat the Redhead Ale out in a fight.  There is a saying in the world about Redheads.  They are very pretty ladies or just very ugly but this Redhead Ale lives in the very pretty world.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Blog Fireman’s Brew Blonde Beer Pilsner Beer

In this blog, we are going back out to California to try three beers from Fireman’s Brew Company.  Their website has a good story on their beer and their history.  After that, we will get into the first beer called Fireman’s Brew Blonde Beer Pilsner Beer.

Here is their history from their website (www.firemansbrew.com):

A True Story

In December 2000, Rob and Ed were sitting on a steep hillside of an extinguishing brushfire above the Glendale Mountains. They were staring into the midnight sky, dreaming of the cool smooth taste of a fresh beer to quench their scorched dry mouths. From this point, these two Los Angeles based firemen set out to brew the best Fireman’s Brew in the world.

The result was Fireman’s Brew, the perfect choice to “Extinguish Your Thirst” & “Ignite the Party”! In a brief moment in time, the two men gave birth to a vision that they are living out today. Their thirst for beer and coffee after that exhausting day launched them into developing a hero’s brand of products that every American could relate to. With every product sold, Fireman’s Brew donates a portion of its profits to the National Fallen Firefighters Foundation in Emmitsburg, Maryland. So whether your beverage of choice is beer, coffee, or root beer, sit back and relax with the smooth taste of a fresh Fireman’s Brew!

This beer has a bright golden clear color with no head. You can read a newspaper through the beer. The smell of the beer has fresh air smell or no smell to it.  The taste of this beer is a sweet carbonation with a weird hop aftertaste. It is very hard to explain what I am experiencing. The aftertaste to me makes this beer and then the sweet carbonation taste.  The overall big selling point is the drinkablity of this beer.

Here is a description from their website (www.firemansbrew.com):

Our original golden lager is the lightest of our beers.  Smooth, light malt flavors combined with just enough hops for balance deliver a crisp and refreshing beer with a clean finish and no bitter aftertaste.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: http://www.firemansbrew.com

Twitter: @firemansbrew

In closing on the first of three, just what I said in my earlier blog, I am really starting to enjoy American Craft Beer Pilsner. Fireman’s Brew Blonde stays true to the German pilsner style. It is very drinkable and refreshing beer. This beer is in my top five German pilsner style.  This is a very good beer and I love the fact they still give back to their firefighters brothers.  This is not just a brewery.  You will need to check out their website.  Go get some!  Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Blog 21st Amendment Back in Black IPA

In this blog, we are going to get into the last beer from 21st Amendment Brewery. A friend gave me three cans and they are India Pale Ale, Pale Ale, and the one I will review in this blog their Black In Back Black IPA. If you read my earlier blog then you know a little something on this brewery, let us get into the beer.

The beer in the glass is black in with a nice white and constant head on it.  The smell is a chocolate with a slight citrus in the beer. The taste is a slight citrus with a chocolate to roast malt along a little burn taste. The aftertaste is a nice citrus hop driest going on in the beer. This Black India Pale Ale like many is very drinkable.

Here is a description from their website (www.21st-amendment.com):

Inspired by Paul Revere’s midnight ride, we rebelled against the British style IPA, embraced the more aggressive American version and then recast it in bold, brave, defiant black. Our Black IPA is a Declaration of Independence from the tyranny of the expected.

Back in Black is our newest year-round beer available now in six pack cans and on draft. Brewed like an American IPA but with the addition of rich, dark malts, this beer has all the flavor and hop character you expect with a smooth, mellow finish.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: http://www.21st-amendment.com

Twitter: @21stamendment

In the end, just like their other beers, I really enjoyed drinking this black india pale ale. I love the drinkablity of this black india pale ale but enough punch from hops to keep this hophead wanting to drink more of this beer. It has a full body and a nice balance of complex of chocolate and citrus notes. This is a very well made beer and I highly recommend trying it. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

21st Amendment Brew Bitter America Pale Ale New Blog

In this blog, we are going to check out the second of three beers from 21st Amendment Brewery. This beer is their spring seasonal and it is called Bitter American Pale Ale. If you read my earlier blog on their India Pale Ale, you know a little something on this brewery. Up next is the tasting of the beer.

This beer is a clear copper color with next to no head on it.  It has a very earthy to slightly piney smell to it. As far as the taste of the beer is a carbonation light piney to it. It is a different taste kicking to it. It has a little Bass Ale but a ton more hoppier but I would not say it is a west coast pale ale.  I would say more east coast to just normal American pale ale.  The aftertaste is a nice dry earthy hop snap to it.  This aftertaste I can live with in it. Just like their India Pale Ale, it is very drinkable.

Here is a description from their website (www.21st-amendment.com):

If you’d been rocketed into space against your will, you might be a little bitter too. Bitter American is our long-overdue tribute to unsung, unwitting heroes everywhere. This American session ale packs a lot of hop and malt flavor into a refreshingly lower-alcohol brew, making it the perfect beer to have on hand when you have a little history to make.

Bitter American is available year-round, in six pack cans and on draft. This extra pale session ale has lower alcohol but all the flavor and hop aroma you expect from a much bigger beer. Give one, or three, a try.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: http://www.21st-amendment.com

Twitter: @21stamendment

In closing, I really enjoying this beer.  It is not overpowering on the bitterest from the hops.  It has a very nice balance on this beer.  It is really drinkable for the spring and very hot summer days.  This is the second beer I had from this brewery and I have to say so far they have not let let me down on their beers.  I love the fact that it is not like a West Coast Pale Ales.  It is in the middle of the road and gives us craft beer drinkers a break from the over hop Pale Ales and India Pale Ales.  This beer reminds me a little bit of Ska Brewery Winter Pale Ale (I believe that is it.  I cannot think of the name of the beer.) or Shiner Wild Hare Pale Ale, which came out last month to the market.  I know how that sounds I am sorry to the brewery but there is not too many Pale Ales like this one in our market like this that I know.  If there is please drop me an email, I will go try that beer.  They are the normal English Pale Ale or they are a West Coast Pale Ale.  I really enjoyed this beer and I want to go to the nearest state and pick up some more cans.  Thank you again to my friend Dean for bring me these cans.  Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

21st Amendment Brew Free! Or Die India Pale Ale New Blog

In this blog, we are going to dig into one of the breweries that I have been wanting to try in a very long time.  This brewery that I am talking about is 21st Amendment Brewery.  The brewery was founded by Nico Freccia and Shaun O’Sullivan in 2000 in San Francisco, Calfornia.  They ran with the government theme on all of their cans and naming them after historic events in United States hisyory.  Let us get into the beer.  This is pretty exciting.

This beer is light copper in color with no head on the beer. It has almost an orange to citrus smell. The taste is a sweet carbonation citrus going on in the beer. This beer is a full body with a ton of favor going on in this beer.  The aftertaste is that dry hops citrus going on after drinking the beer.   This beer is a very drinkable beer.

Here is a descripation from their website (www.21st-amendment.com):

BREW FREE! OR DIE IPA is brewed with some serious west coast attitude. This aromatic golden IPA starts with a sucker punch of six different hops to the nose, quickly balanced by a solid malt backbone. Our top selling beer at the pub, this IPA starts big and finishes clean leaving you wanting more.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.21st-amendment.com

Twitter: @21stAmendment

Closing out, this brewery just like Cigar City Brewery that I have been wanting to try has not been disappointing.  I love this beer and I wish I could get it here in Chicago.  However, I need to give a huge shout out to my friend Dean, he brought me a few cans of their beers.  I have two more blogs coming from this brewery. I love the hop taste and the drinkablity of this IPA.  I am pretty speakless on how good this beer is.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

Stone Brewery IPA New Blog

While in Vegas, we are going to try another beer from the Stone Brewery and it is one of their flagship beers called India Pale Ale.  If you read my earlier blog on their other beer then you know about this brewery, let us get into the beer.

This India Pale Ale is copper with a constant head on it.   It has a heavy citrus smell to it. The taste of this beer is a sweet carbonation citrus kicking throughout the beer experience.  This beer is a very drinkable beer for being India Pale Ale.  I was stun to fine this beer on tap at a resturant on the Vegas Strip.

Here is a descripation from their website (www.stonebrew.com):

An “India Pale Ale” by definition is highly hopped and high in alcohol – you’ll find our Stone India Pale Ale to be true to style with a huge hop aroma, flavor and bitterness throughout. If you’re a hop-head like us, then you’ll love our Stone India Pale Ale! Medium malt character with a heavy dose of over the top hops! Generous “dry hopping” gives this beer its abundant hop aroma and crisp hop flavor

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.stonebrew.com

Twitter: @stonebrewingco

Last craft beer in Vegas,  this beer is very well made and has put mark on India Pale Ales in craft world.  I really enjoy drinking this beer but the one problem I have with this beer.  I believe this beer is very over price in the six pack bottles.  I cannot remember what I paid at this bar but I rarely see it on draft here in Chicago area.  I do buy it here and there but I do not put it in my regular lineup because of the cost.  Go get some!  Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Tenaya Creek Brewery Calico Brown Ale New Blog

When Vegas I will tell you what I drank, this beer was at the Mirage Hotel where I was staying at this weekend.  Bartender told me it was from a local brewery.  Well Tenaya Creek Brewery is in the Las Vegas area and it was founded 1999.  This is a small brewery that is only available in the following states and they are Nevada, Utah, Ohio,  and Arizona.  They are also in some parts of Canada.

This beer is a clear light brown in color with next to no head. The beer has a malty to nutty smell going on in the beer. The taste of this Nut Brown Ale is nutty and slightly sweet with no aftertaste.   It is a pretty drinkable beer but what stop me was the price I was paying at the bar.  That is Las Vegas for you.

Here is a descripation from their website (www.tenayacreek.com):

Our “Calico Brown” is a malty brown ale with dark amber hues. There’s a velvety smooth body with a light bitter finish from our friend the Chinook hop. We’ve struck a balance to the bitterness with a hint of spiciness while using Tettang hops to give this ale a pleasurable aroma. We live in Las Vegas and enjoy the surrounding area of Red Rock Canyon. Do yourself a favor: Get back to nature. Get a beer. Enjoy it! ABV: 5.6%

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.tenayacreek.com

Twitter: @tenayacreek

Closing out after one beer, I really enjoy this beer and I wished I had time to get by the brewery.  I am hoping to get back to Vegas just to visit the brewery.  It is nice to see good beer asides the crap that was in all the betting holes.  I just hope with this brewery helps the growth of more craft beers in the Vegas area.  Since they are in Ohio, I might have to make a trip just to get some beer.  I am going to get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

Big Horn Ram Brewery Barefoot Wit Ale New Blog

Still have an open tap, the next beer from Big Horn Ram Brewery is their Barefoot Wit Ale, which is their summer seasonal. You know the history of this brewery if you read my blog on their Total Disorder Porter. Let us get into the beer.

This beer has a cloudy golden yellow with average head in the beer. The smell is a heavy coriander and lemon zest floating up to your noise. Your noise will experience a slap from its girlfriend for being a jerk the other night.  The taste is a citrus and yeast over load with a slight lemon aftertaste.  It is very drinkable for whatever a beer drinker does in the hot summer days.

Here is a descripation from their website (www.theram.com):

Our Barefoot Wit is fruity, complex and easy drinking.  It presents a delightful interplay of malt flavors with an underlying regiment of citrus with herbs and spices. This unfiltered wheat ale is the perfect refreshment for lazy, hazy, crazy days

Here their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.theram.com

Twitter: @theRAM

Closing out a two beer tap, I am really not a fan of this beer style.  If you read my blogs on these beer styles, I know you know that and I am honest maybe too honest at times.   This beer lives up to the Belgian style.  The Ram has done a great job bring forth the spicies to the funky of the Belgian yeast.  To me,  I was tasting too much coriander in this beer.  Overall, it is a well made beer and it is very drinkable for the summer.  I am not a fan but if you are a huge fan of the wheat, wit, and whites, I would go try this beer with all of its complex and full body.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

Big Horn Ram Brewery Pointon’s Proper English Mild Ale New Blog

Opening a new tap at my one of my favorite brewpubs, we are going to get into Big Horn Ram Brewery Pointon’s Proper English Mild ale in this blog.  If you read my earlier blog on their Total Disorder Porter then you know this brewery, let us get into this beer.

The beer has a brown color with a constant head.  There is no smell to the beer that I can find in it. This beer is light in body with a nice carbonation and a slight coffee bean bittiest taste to this English Mild Ale. There is really no aftertaste. It is really drinkable beer.  This beer becomes more drinkable in the summer months with its low ABV of 4.0%.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.theram.com

Twitter:  @theRAM

Not closing out my tab yet, this English Mild Ale is very drinkable and low ABV makes it perfect to drink it in the hot summer days.  However, the English verision of this beer style has ABV of 3.0 to 3.5%, this brewery just kicked it up a little bit and there is nothing wrong with that.  This beer is really good and I recommend you  trying this beer.  This beer is pretty dark but do not let that fool you because you will be very stun by how easy it is to drink this beer.  Great job!  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

Cigar City Brewing Jai Alai India Pale Ale New Blog

In this blog, we are going to dig into a brewery and beer I have been wanting to try in a long time.  I have to give a shout out and thanks to my friends Dean and Dee Dee for bring back some bottles to me.  The brewery and beer are Cigar City Brewing Jai Alai India Pale Ale.   I cannot find any history on this brewery.  I did multiple searches on the net and I cannot find anything.  On their website, they have a nice history on Tampa Bay City breweries but nothing on them.  Let us get into the beer.

The beer has a slightly cloudy copper color in the glass with no head. It has a little citrus smell to this IPA.  It has a grapefruit and carbonation with a dry grapefruit aftertaste to the beer. It is a very drinkable beer.

Here is a description on the beer bottle:

Jai Alai, the “merry game” is a game native to the Basque region of Spain.  Tampa was once home to this high speed game, but sadly all that remains here is this India pale Ale that we brewed in tribute to the merry game.  Pair Jai Alai India Pale Ale with Empanadas, Deviled Crabs and other spicy dishes.

Here is a description on their website (www.cigarcitybrewing.com):

Jai Alai, a game native to the Basque region of Spain, is played on a court called a fronton. Jai Alai players attempt to catch a ball using a curved mitt whilst the ball travels at speeds up to 188mph! Proving they have a sense of humor the Spanish dubbed this game, with its ball traveling at racecar speeds, “the merry game.” Tampa was once home to a bustling Jai Alai fronton but sadly all that remains of Jai Alai in the Tampa Bay area is this India Pale Ale that we brew in tribute to the merry game. The India Pale Ale style of beer has its roots in the ales sent from England to thirsty British troops in India during the 18th century. Pair Jai Alai India Pale Ale with Beef Empanadas, Deviled Crabs and other spicy dishes.

Tasting Notes

Pours copper in color with notes of citrus and tropical fruit in the aroma. Flavor has upfront citrus bitterness with a hint of caramel and citrus and tropical fruit hop notes in the finish.

Medals

2010 Best Florida Beer Championship – Gold Medal

2011 Best Florida Beer Championship – Silver Medal

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.cigarcitybrewing.com

Twitter: @cigarcitybeer

Closing out, for the wait unit I recieve a bottle in my hands, this beer was not disappointing at all.  This beer lives up to what I was hearing about this beer.  Cigar City Brewing Jai Alai India Pale Ale is not like the other IPAs in the market.  It is very drinkable and has a nice favor to it. I just wish I had more bottles in my refrigater.  This brewery has done a very good job and I cannot wait to try their other beers. I really love this beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser