Month: December 2013

New Beer Blog Buckledown Brewery Shady Aftermath Porter

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Starting a new beer tab, we are going to sample the second brew from Buckledown Brewery on this blog.  This time we went to the dark side of this brewery.  I am talking about their Shady Aftermath Porter.  If you read my last beer blog posts on their American IPA from yesterday, you know the history of this brewery that has been open for just a month.  If you have not, please, read the review to get to know this young and upcoming brewery.  Let us get into the brew.

It has a jet black color without a head on the beer.  The smell is chocolate.  The taste is chocolate to coffee notes.  The aftertaste is a dry cocoa to chocolate notes.  It is a sipping to drinkable porter. It can be either way but depends on the person.

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

Shady Aftermath

Robust Porter

A malt-driven dark ale with layers of chocolate, caramel and coffee over a base of roasted malts.  It boasts a rich mouthfeel giving way to some warming alcohol on the finish.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.buckledownbrewing.com

Twitter:  @BuckleDownBeer

Closing out beer tab, I have to say this is one of the best porters that I had in a very long time.  I would not say it is the best, however, I will say it is towards the very top of my best porter list.  There is some nice chocolate to coffee with a nice warm feeling from the alcohol.  This is a pretty drinkable beer but I could see many people sipping this beer.  This is a great beer to have with a nice cigar with it.  This is a pretty balance brew and I believe this is one of the best beers that they make so far.  All their beers are great but I believe this one is at the top of their beer list.  I highly recommend this brew and this brewery.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Buckledown Brewery Belt And Suspenders American IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to review a craft brewery, which is Buckle down Brewery, that just opened in the southern part of Chicagoland market.  The beer is their Belt And Suspenders American IPA.  Buckledown Brewery opened in December of 2013.  Ike Orcutt and Sean Mahoney, who are owners, opened the brewery in Lyons, IL.  They brewery four different beer styles and in extremely small batches.  There is not much history on this young brewery but I am glad to see them open now to make some history.  Let us get into the brew.

It has a clear copper color with a constant white head.  The smell is earthy to floral like to this American IPA.  The taste is an orange with hints of citrus notes.  The aftertaste is orange.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Belt & Suspenders

American IPA

Loads of Crystal and Sterling hops lead the way in producing huge citrus and pine aromatics.  Hoppiness is supported with a clean, slightly biscuity malt backbone.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.buckledownbrewing.com

Twitter:  @BuckleDownBeer

In closing, this is a great place to have a beer.  I love the fact they do not service food at their brewery.  You are there to have and try their beers.  Their beers are a work of art and they put some thought behind each of these brews.    There is a nice malty backbone and it is well designed.  They are not piling hops to hide the faults like most craft breweries in the City of Chicago or around the country.  I love the hops that they are using in this brew.  It kicks off some citrus notes.  It is drinkable and it is really good.  You might be able to find this brew around the city but I would make a trip to the south side of Chicago to enjoy beer with Sean, Ike, and their staff. I highly recommend this beer and this brewery.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Unknown Music Thursday Blog The Ongoing Concept Saloon

In this Unknown Music Thursday Blog, we are  going to get into an up and coming artist, which is The Ongoing Concept.  Saloon is their first record and only studio recording from this young band.  There is not much history on this band.  They are signed to one of the biggest record labels, which is Solid State, in metalcore.  Let us get into this record.

Song List:

Let’s Deal The Cards Again

There is some nice saloon sounds like back in the wild west times.  There are people talking in the bar.  It is a nice intro song for this record.

Saloon

The music is in your face and heavy.  The piano is like wild west time sound.  The singer is screaming and does get into some clear vocals.  I love the bend of different types of music.  This is a pretty good opening track for their first record.   Ongoing Concept has written some nice lyrics and music.  I love the ending of the song.

You Are The One

I love the singing and the beat at the beginning.  The singing is like old church singing.  I love the music and the singing.  There is some nice lyrics on this song.  This is a pretty good record so far into track number three.  I love the guitar playing on “You Are The One.”  I love the drumming towards the end of the song with some awesome singing.  They put some thought behind this song.

Cover Girl

I love the drumming and the singing.  It is just right into the main part of the song.  It is straight up in your face.  I love the guitar, drumming, and bass playing.  The singing is very good with some well written lyrics.  They wrote some nice music.  I love how they used the banjo on “Cover Girl” during the main part of the song.  It is not over the top and annoying but it is used just right.  I love the singing towards the end of the song.  It reminds me of the beginning of Van Halen’s “Ice Cream Man.”  I love how they put the focus on the banjo at the end.

Little Situation

I love the acoustic at the beginning with some nice clean vocals.  I love the beat of this song.  There is some well written lyrics on this song too.  This song is pretty heavy just like the first few songs.  It is a nice break and change pace on this record.  I love how they let the bass player loose on this song.  The guitar and drumming are spot on and well written.  There is some nice guitar work towards the middle of the song.  I love how they came back to the acoustic guitar towards the end of the song.  I love the build up in the last-minute of the song to end the song.

Sunday’s Revival

I love the classic hard rock sound on the guitar.  There is a nice drum beat with a nice simple bass playing.  I am not really a fan of the singing and the lyrics.  I love the music.  It reminds of something from the late 1980’s to the mid 1990’s.  This is not my favorite song on this record it is still pretty good.  It has a pretty good ending.

Sidelines

I love the singing and piano playing at the beginning of “Sidelines.”  This song sounds like something in the mainstream music today.  There is some well written lyrics and music.  I really enjoyed listening to this song.  He is pouring out his soul into this song.  The mid part is where the rest of the band comes into play.  I love drumming and bass playing.  I am not a fan of the ending.

Failures And Fakes

I love the touch on the organ at the beginning and throughout the song.  I love the music with some nice lyrics.  I love the singing on this song.  I love the melody on the singer.  I love how he goes from clean to distorted singing.  There is some nice guitar playing towards the end of this song.  I love the build up to an awesome ending to the song.

Like Autumn

I love the piano but do not like the main part of the music.  This song is pretty bad.  It just seems this singer is just screaming.  The bad 8-bit video game music during the main part of “Like Autumn.”  I can not make out the lyrics.  I do not like the back up singing.  This is the worse song on this record by far and I cannot finish this song.

Class Of Twenty-Ten

This song is just like the last song.  It just seems the deeper I get into this record.  It keeps getting worse and worse.  These last two songs are filler songs to complete this record.  I cannot finish this song like the last.

Goodbye, So Long My Love

Oh, I love the music at the beginning of this song.  I love the singing from the lead and the back up vocals.  There is some nice lyrics and they put some thought behind it.  At beginning, it seems like something you would hear in the mainstream music.  The song went off the deep end and just gone bad at the midpoint of the song.  This song had some much promise.  The screaming over that awesome music just kills me.  The middle part of the song there is some nice piano and singing.  She has a very beautiful voice.  This song has rebound.  It was a nice ending to the song and the record.

Band Line Up:

  • Dawson Scholz- Guitar, Vocals
  • Kyle Scholz- Vocals, Keyboards
  • Parker Scholz- Drums
  • TJ Nichols- Bass

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.theongoingconcept.com

Twitter:  @ongoingconcept

In the end, this is extremely talented band and I believe they could do better tan this record. This is a nice start. I came across this band and listen to samples of some of their songs.  I loved how they used different types of music.  I also love how they use different elements to give their sound a nice twisted.  The beginning of this record was pretty good.  I have to say the back half was a little rough.  The one thing that is a plus for this record is the lengths of all the song.  They are just right.  I love the pace and speed of the songs.  It has a nice balance.   I am not much into Christian rock but I love the metal on this record and this band.  I will check out their next record.  I recommend any metal head to give this record a listen.  I bet you will be shocked at how good it is.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Magic Hat Heart Of Darkness Stout

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into another brew from Magic Hat.  It is their Heart of Darkness Stout.  If you read my earlier beer blog post on this brewery, you know the history of Magic Hat.  If you have not, please, read those beer blog posts to get to know Magic Hat Brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a jet black color with a semi tan to off white color head on this stout.  The smell has a slight coffee to chocolate notes.  The taste of this stout is chocolate to coffee notes.  There is a coffee or toffee aftertaste.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

The ancient ritual of brewing a distincity rich and flavorful beer is a performance to behold.  Our mysterious melange of time-honored ingredients harmonize with chaotic chemistry, humble patience, and blind faith to create this unique beer to share in the rousing company of kindred spirits.  Cheers!

Here is a description from their website (www.magichat.net):

Filled with the howling of black dogs that haunt the long-forgotten shadows of the human soul. This dense liquid-silk summoned hope from hibernation and balanced winter’s endless white snows with a rich swirl of creamy black rapture.

An inky-black stout with a smooth, round palate and a dream-like undercurrent of bittersweet chocolate.

Stats

  • MaltsPale, Crystal, Roasted Barley, Chocolate, Munich
  • HopsApollo, Goldings
  • YeastEnglish Ale
  • ABV5.7%
  • IBUs30
  • SRM80
  • Original Gravity15° Plato

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.magichat.net

Twitter:  @magichat

Closing, I was not a huge fan of this brewery when I first saw it hit the market in Chicago.  I believe they hit that market about six or seven years ago.  I have from that time started to like Magic Hat a little bit more and more as the years edge to 2013.  I still have not retry their flagship #9.  I will be retrying that beer in the near future.  I saw this beer and I had to pick it up and try it.  I really like their packaging but it sometimes does not really say what the beer is in the bottle.  This one does.  I love the balance from the chocolate and coffee notes.  I really enjoyed drinking this brew.  I will be picking up more before it leaves for the season.  If you are a stout fan, you will need to find a bottle of Heart of Darkness.  I recommend this brew.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Wolverine Winter Lager

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Starting new beer tab, we are going to sample out the first brew from Wolverine Brewery.  It is their Winter Lager.  Wolverine Brewery was started by a few Michigan borne home brewers.  They brew beers in the lager styles.  They rarely do any ales.  There is not much history on this brewery.  I cannot find when they opened their doors.  I believe it was 2010.  Let us get into the beer.

This lager has a clear amber color with a white head that disappears over time.  The smell is heavy malty to caramel notes.  The taste is a light carbonated caramel notes with a crisp caramel finish.  It is pretty drinkable for a winter beer.

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

Wolverine Winter Lager
6.5% abv / 18 IBU – Available November through February
This cold-weather seasonal was designed to make your winter warmer rather than to match a particular style. We start with hearty Maris Otter malt from the UK. Then we add Special Roast barley from Wisconsin, before heading back across the pond for some dark German Munich malt and German Wheat malt for some added character. We top that off with a blend of dark, rich, caramel malts and the result is an extremely smooth and silky lager beer with a hint of alcohol in the flavor and a clean finish…the perfect beer for drinking by the fire.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.wolverinebeer.com

Twitter:  @wolverinebeer

Closing out current beer tab, I am going to make it down to their taproom.  I do not care if they do not sell food.  I lived in Chicago for a good eight years before moving back to Michigan about a few month ago.  I have to say most of the new brewpubs do not service food.  I do not see an issue of not having food.  You want the people of focus on your beer.  If it is good they will come back to your brewpub.  I am a fan of lagers when they are done right.  There are not too many good craft lagers on the market and I believe Wolverine Brewing has something here.  If this winter lager tells me something, they know how to make craft lagers.  I love the malts they used in this brew.  It kicks off a nice caramel notes.  I highly recommend this brew and I am looking forward to trying their other brews.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Detroit Brewing Alt Beer

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into another brew from the Detroit Brewing.  It is their flagship beer and it is called Alt Beer.  If you read my earlier beer blog, you know the history of this Detroit Brewery.  If you have not, please read the earlier beer blog post to get to know this brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear amber color without a head on this German style Alt.  The smell is a malty to caramel notes.  The taste is about the same with a crisp finish.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Inspired by the legendary “Nain Rouge” (French for Red Dwarf),  our- signature beer is full in flavor while remaining very balanced and crisp.

Detroit Brewing Co. has won 3 medals from the Great American Beer Festival and one from the World Beer Cup in German Alt category.  It is our pride and pleasure to provide you with one of the finest Alt beers brewed in the US.

Here is a desecration from their website (www.detroitbeerco.com):

Copper/amber in color. Clean lager character with some fruity ale notes.  Earthy with flavors of tea and forest nuts.  Distinct balance between malt and hops allows the creamy texture to really come through.  We earned a medal at the Great American Beer festival in our first year of business with this one and it remains our house specialty to this day.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.detroitbeerco.com

Twitter:  @DetroitBrewing

Closing, this is one of my favorite beer styles.  There is not too many craft breweries that I know of making this classic German beer style.  I am not sure if this brew was in code, however, I enjoyed drinking it.  It is one of my best Alts from a craft brewery in a while.   I love the lager notes but yet giving off some ale notes.  This beer style is a hyper of a lager and ale.   I love the caramel notes but yet a nice crisp finish.  I am really looking forward to stopping by their brewpub in the D to check out all their beers.  I recommend you trying this great Michigan craft brewery.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Detroit Brewing Sanders Chocolate Stout

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Starting a new tab, Detroit Brewing is the featured brewery with their Sanders Chocolate Stout on this beer blog.  Detroit Brewing Company opened their doors in 2003.  It is seconds away from the two ball parks in downtown Detroit.  They brew several different beer styles.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a jet black color without a head on this Chocolate Stout.  The smell is a sweet chocolate alcohol notes.  The taste is a sweet chocolate alcohol notes with a dry coco finish.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

In the fall of 2009, Detroit Brewing Company began tinkering with their Pub Classic Smooth Cream Stout.  A chance meeting, over a few beers, with the folks from chance meeting, over a few beers, with the folks from Sanders brought the final sweet ingredient.  Our brewer found the best way to combine Stout and Sanders chocolate to create the dark, satisfying aroma and flavor of a fine Stout Ale with the restrained richness and elegance of the hand selected cocoa used by Sanders Fine Chocolatiers in Detroit since 1875.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.detroitbeerco.com

Twitter:  @DetroitBrewing

In closing, I saw Sanders on this brew.  I was thinking about the chocolate company.  I was right when I was reading the label.  I had to pick up at least one bottle.  I have been wanting to try some their beers from this brewery.  I drive pass their brewpub a few times a week.  I will have to stop in for lunch or dinner here soon.  This beer has a nice balance and it is not over the top on the alcohol and the chocolate notes.  It is a pretty nice smooth chocolate notes.  I will be stopping by their brewery and looking for more of this brew.  This is one of my favorite beer styles.  I recommend this brewery and brew.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Love it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Griffin Claw Brewing Grind Line Pale Ale

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Starting a new tab, we are going to get into the second brew from Griffin Claw Brewing.  It is their Grind Line Pale Ale.  If you read blog post from yesterday, you learn that I could not find too much information on this brewery.  If you know anything, please, let me know anything about this brewery so I could share with the world.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear copper color with a white head on this pale ale.  The smell is slight earthy notes.  The taste has an extremely light earth notes to creamy caramel notes. It is pretty drinkable.

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

Our gold-medal-winning Grind Line Pale Ale gets its name from equal parts Detroit Hockey and Detroit Automaking. Everything about this Ale works together to form the whole – just the right amount of malt and hops. A good place to start if you’re having trouble deciding.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.griffinclawbrewingcompany.com

Twitter:  @Griffinclaw

Closing, I have to say this brew was so much better than their IPA.  I realize they are two different styles.  I could drink this brew.  It is pretty drinkable and there is a nice hop balance here with the malty backbone.  I will not say this was the best pale ale that I have ever had.  It is not the worse.  There are pretty good pale ales out on the market.  I was pretty happy to try it.  I will try it again just like their IPA to get a true sense of how I feel about this beer.  I right now feel this is average to below average brew.  I recommend you trying this brew.  Please, let me know what you think.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Griffin Claw Brewing Norm’s Raggedy Ass India Pale Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to sample out two brews for the first time here on this blog.  I am talking about Griffin Claw Brewing.  This review will be their  Norm’s Raggedy Ass India Pale Ale and the other review will be their Grind Line Pale Ale that will be released tomorrow.  There is not much history on this brewery.  Their website does not say much, however, I believe they started this year.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a slight cloudy golden color with a constant white head on this India Pale Ale.  The smell has malty to bad citrus notes.  The taste has a piney to bad wet citrus notes.  There is a bad hop taste to aftertaste.  It is like a bad import beer taste.  It is not really drinkable.

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

No corners are cut to brew our World Beer Cup champion Norm’s Raggedy Ass IPA. The key is in the giant, wonderful combination of piney, citrusy, and fruity hops with a surprisingly low malt profile.   In other words, this is a powerhouse beer but it won’t make you drowsy. You’ll probably just want to order another pint

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.griffinclawbrewingcompany.com

Twitter:  @Griffinclaw

In the end, I was pretty excited to see this on shelves of my local liquor store.  Since getting back from Chicago, my goal is to try any Michigan craft beer  that I can get in my hand.  I have to say that I have had some good ones and some bad ones.  I heard somethings about Griffin Claw Brewing and I was happy to see their beers in cans.  I love beer in cans because it protects it from its two enemies, who are air and sunlight.  I love how this beer looked.  I did not like the aroma and the taste.  I just believe this beer is not balanced enough or the hops are just a bad mix.  It is not a good beer.  I do not know if I just brought a bad beer and I will try it again.  As of right now, I am pretty disappointed. I did retry this beer at Sports Locker in Livonia on draft. I know now I had a bad can or batch. It is better. I still do not like the hops that they are using in the beer. I recommend you trying this brew.  I am not a huge fan but it is better than the first can I had. This does not mean you will not like it.  Please, let me know what your thoughts are on this brew.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Atwater Brewery Grand Circus IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into Grand Circus IPA from Atwater Brewery.  Atwater Brewery was founded in 1997 by the Detroit River.  City of Detroit has a rich history like most major cities in the United States in brewing.  There brew house was imported in from Germany.  They brew several different beer styles.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear dark golden with constant small bubbles and a constant white head on this IPA.  The smell is earthy with some piney notes.  The taste of this medium body is earthy and piney notes with a dry hop aftertaste.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Here is their website and twitter addesses:

Website:  www.atwaterbeer.com

Twitter:  @atwaterbeer

Closing, Atwater Brewery is a few breweries located right in the City of Detroit.  I give them a ton of credit for where they are located in the city.  I have to say this about this brew and brewery.  They did a semi good job to bad job on this brew.  I am a huge hop head and I was pretty disappointed on this IPA.  I just feel there is not enough malty backbone.  I am not a fan of the hops they are using in it. I love their packaging and their Java Vanilla Porter.  I have to say just because I do not like this brew.  It does not mean you will not like this beer.  I am going to stop by their brewpub here soon since moving back to Michigan.  Please, go try this beer and let me know what you think of it.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser