Month: November 2012

New Beer Blog Sixpoint Autumnation

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In this fall beer blog, we are going to get into another beer from Sixpoint Brewery.  This beer is their fall seasonal called Autumnation.  If you read my earlier blog on their Apollo, you are know the history on this brewery.  If you have not, please, read the first part of that post.  Let us get into the beer.

This fall seasonal has a clear copper color without a head on the beer.  The smell is a slight piney to it. There is no smell to this beer. The taste is a sweet carbonation to earthly with a dry bitter aftertaste. It is kind of drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer can:

No spring nor summer beauty hath such grace as I have seem in one autumnal face.  One of the most special times of the year for craft brewers is the hop harvest.  The Autumnation celebrates this season by harnessing pumpkin and fresh “wet hops” chosen by our fans.

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

Autumnation

Autumn
Our Autumnal brew is made with subtle pumpkin and spice, but its prominent feature is the fresh harvested “wet-hops” that are added. New hop strain and selection every year. Autumnation 2012 features Citra Hops.
ABV 6.7%
IBU 74
SRM 15

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.sixpoint.com

Twitter:  @sixpoint

In closing, I really enjoyed the change of pace that this beer gave me to the rest of the fall beers on the market.  Do not give me wrong, I love my fair share of pumpkin and Oktoberfest beers.  I love the hoppy taste and yet the beer pulled out some malty taste.  I have not been disappointed with any of the beers that Sixpoint has put out on the market.  I really need to make it to Brooklyn to check out the brewery.  If you have yet check out their beers but read all my post, go get some and stop reading for a bit.  You will not be disappointed with this brewery that is taking the traditional beer styles and put a twist on them in a good way.  This beer is no different.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Goose Island IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into another beer from Goose Island.  I am kind of stun this is my second one beer blog since I am a pretty big fan of this local Chicago brewery.  The beer we are going to talk about just took home another Gold Medal from Great American Beer Festive in this years event (2012) and it is called Goose Island India Pale Ale.  If you read my earlier blog on their fall seasonal, you know a little history on this brewery.  If you have not, please read the first part of the Harvest Ale beer post.  Let us get into the beer.

This India Pale Ale has a nice clear copper color without a head on the beer.  The smell is a nice grapefruit to the beer. The taste is a carbonate grapefruit without an aftertaste to the beer.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Recognized as among the world’s finest, Goose Island’s India Pale Ale has a spicy hop aroma and an inviting fruity flavor.  This exceptional beer is one you will not soon forget.

Here is a descriation from their website (www.gooseisland.com):

Brewer’s Notes:

Our India Pale Ale recalls a time when ales shipped from England to India were highly hopped to preserve their distinct taste during the long journey. The result is a hop lover’s dream with a fruity aroma, set off by a dry malt middle, and long hop finish.

Recipe Information:

Style: English Style India Pale Ale

Alcohol by Volume: 5.9%

International Bitterness Units: 55

Color: Bourbon

Hops: Styrian, Fuggle, Cascade, Centennial

Malts: Pale

Serving Suggestions:

Preferred Glass: Thistle

Food Pairings: Curries, Chicken, Pork

Cheese Pairings: Blue, Aged Gouda

Cellaring Notes: Enjoy within 180 days

Availability:

Year Round Bottles: 6pks Draft: 1/6 & 1/2bbl

World Beer Cup Recognition:

Judging Category: English Style India Pale Ale

2010: Gold  Medal

Great American Beer Festival Recognition:

Judging Category: English Style India Pale Ale

2009: Silver Medal

2007: Silver Medal

2004: Silver Medal

2001: Bronze Medal

2000: Gold Medal

Here is their webiste and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.gooseisland.com

Twitter;  @gooseisland

In closing, I really enjoy this beer and it is part of my everyday line up of beers.  It is pretty much always in my frig.  This is the staple of any India Pale Ale style.  It is an English style so it is not overly hop like some of those west coast India Pale Ale.  This beer always gives me the break from the over the top hoppy beers on the market.  I realize that AB Inbev brought this beer company and everyone believe that this brewery will go to crap.  It is not the case.  There beers will constant and get better because of the technology that this big brewery will give this small brewery.  They will get the best hops, malt, and anything else this brewery needs and wants to make some great beers.  Goose Island is staying close to the Chicago market.  John Hall, who was the founder and former owner of this brewery, stepped down as president just this last week.  It does not mean this brewery will change.  If it does change, I believe it will be for the best.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Big Horn Ram Oktoberfest

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In this fall beer blog, we are going to get into another fall seasonal.  This fall beer is coming from Big Horn Ram Oktoberfest.  If you read my earlier blog post on this brewery’s beer, you know a little history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read the first part of that beer post.  Let us get into the beer.

The beer has a nice clear copper color without a head. The smell is a sweet malty to caramel to the beer. The taste is a sweet carbonation malty with a malty aftertaste. It is extremely drinkable beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.theram.com

Twitter:  @theRAM

In closing, I enjoy this brewery for the value you get out of their food and beer.  This is a huge comment for this brewery and it is the fact this was one of the best Oktoberfest that I had this season.  It is extremely drinkable and great taste to this craft beer.  I love the malty taste throughout the drinking experience.  If you live by a Ram Brewery, you need to check them out.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Uinta Oak Jacked Imperial Pumpkin Ale

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In this fall beer blog, we are going to get into another beer from Uinta Brewing.  The beer that will be featured is called Oak Jacked Imperial Pumpkin Ale.  This is beer is part of their Crooked Line, which there will be three more beer post in the future on their Detour IPA, Bareley Wine Ale, and Imperial Pilsner.  If you read my earlier blog on their spring ale, you are up to speed on this brewery.  If you have not, please read Uinta Hyve Ale beer post.  Let us get into the beer.

This fall seasonal has a deep amber without a head on the beer. The smell is a little vanilla and pumpkin with other spices. The taste is a pumpkin and nutmeg with a cinnamon aftertaste.  It is not really drinkable.

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

Notes

Aged in oak

ArtLabel art by local Utah artist Trent Call

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Cranked up and primed to celebrate, Jacked reveals in the season.  Pop the cork for bursts of pumpkin and spices.  Aged in oak barrels, Jacked is wound and ready to play.  Pairs well with flavors of the season.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.uintabrewing.com

Twitter:  @uintabrewing

In closing, I have to say as we start to wrap this year’s fall seasonals and get ready for the winter seasonals.  There are some last-minute fall  beers I wanted to post on and this is one of them.  I had this beer last year and loved it.  I was pretty excited to see it on the shelf in the Chicago market.  This brewery did something different then the same boring pumpkin beers out in the market.  They put their pumpkin ale in barrels.  This has been a rough fall season for the seasonals and I have been very disappointed.  I have to say this is the same gem that I discover last year and I am glad I picked up this bottle this year.  I am happy to say the breweries that I had huge wins on their fall seasonals are Milwaukee Brewing, Flying Dog, Ram, and Uinta.  Uinta Oak Jacked is only available in a limited time and it is in 750ml bottles.  I would run to your near by liquor store and pick up a bottle of this great pumpkin beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Oskar Blues Deviant Dale’s India Pale Ale

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In this blog, we are going to get into Oskar Blues Brewing and the beer is called Deviant Dale’s India Pale Ale.  Oskar Blues was founded in 1997 by Dick Dale Katechis in Longmont, Colorado.  They brew several different beer styles but they use only cans for their packaging.  Oskar Blues was the first craft brewery to package their beer in cans.  Let us get into the beers.

It has a cloudy copper color with a white head on the beer. The smell is of a heavy citrus to almost grapefruit to the beer.  The taste is a sweet grapefruit taste with a balance from the malts. The aftertaste is a bitter dry to it. For being Double IPA, it is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the bar menu (Blues Bar):

This beer is intended to be assault for hop lovers and is a returning favorite from the little brewery in Lyons, Colorado.

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

Deviant Dale’s IPA (8% ABV, 85 IBUs) was born at the crossroads, in a juke joint, as if Dale’s Pale Ale sold its soul to balance Deviant’s foreboding aromas of citrus, grapefruit rind and piney resins with a copper ball-of-fire color and inscrutable finish. The 2011 GABF Silver Medal Winner (American IPA Category) is the Devil incarnate with untold amounts of malt and hedonistic Columbus dry-hopping. Oskar Blues’ southern spirit caught a northbound blues bus to Colorado to deliver the boundary bustin’ brewery’s first 16 oz. tallboy can.

Here is a youtube (www.youtube.com) video and their website (www.oskarblues.com):

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.oskarblues.com

Twitter:  @oskarblues

In closing, I am excited to have this brewery in the Chicago Market.  When I wanted to drink their beers, I had to work the phones or get friends or family to bring back beer for me.  For this brewery, I will not have to do that anymore.  I saw this beer on draft at the Blue Bar.  This is a pretty good India Pale Ale.  I really enjoyed this beer and I will be searching for it at my local liquor stores.  I see their Dale’s Pale Ale in most liquor stores which is expected.  This is a great brewery and I hope Chicago craft beer drinkers start showing them some love.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser