Month: January 2014

New Beer (Cider) Blog Woodchuck Hard Cider Private Reserve Barrel Select

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In this cider blog, we are going to get into our third cider on this blog and from Woodchuck.  It is their Private Reserve Series Barrel Select.  If you read my earlier cider blog post on this brewery, you know the history of Woodchuck Hard Cider.  If you have not read those post, please, read them to get to know Woodchuck Cider.  Let us get into the cider.

It has a clear copper color without a head on it.  The smell is apple, cider, bourbon, and a slight smoky notes.  The taste has a cider to apple notes with a bourbon oak notes.  The aftertaste bourbon cider notes.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Barrel Select

This ultra-limited cider manages to combine the sweet and crisp taste of apple cider with smoky and dry flavors of Kentucky Bourbon. Woodchuck Cider is awesome, Kentucky Bourbon is awesome. Match made in heaven? We think so.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.woodchuck.com

Twitter:  @WoodchuckCider

In closing, I love my barrel age and bourbon barrel age beers.  I had to try a cider that was aged in a bourbon barrel.  I have to say I am pretty impressed.  It is not overly sweet but enough to say it is a cider.  The bourbon cuts through the cider and adds some nice notes to the cider.  I will have to add this to my regular line up beers just give me a nice twist in my beer drinking.  Woodchuck Hard Cider has reach their goal in my view-point on this cider  What I am trying to get at, they give the beer and craft beer drinker something else.  This cider is on that list.  I highly recommend this cider.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Une Annee Airing Of Grievances

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New beginnings, we are going to sample out a new craft brewery from Chicago and beer from that brewery on this blog post.  It is Une Annee Brewing Airing Of Grievances Imperial Russian Stout.  This Chicago based brewery was founded in 2012 in the Bucktown area of  town.  They based their beers on Belgian and French beer styles.  They have about eight beers they brew and package in 750ml bottles.  They brew several different beer styles.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a jet black color with big bubbles.  There is a tan to creamy semi head.  The smell has some chocolate to hints of coffee.  The taste is a smooth creamy chocolate with a slight coffee notes.  The aftertaste is a dry coffee bean notes.  This stout is extremely drinkable and will get beer drinkers in trouble if they are not paying attention.

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

Airing of Grievances – Russian Imperial Stout

ABV: 10.6% – Classic Belgian and English yeasts combine fruity esters with a deep malt presence for a creamy, chocolate finish. After drinking this decadent beer, one may feel at ease to tell friends how they’ve disappointed in the past year.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.uneannee.com

Twitter:  @UneAnnee

Closing out the new beginnings, all I can say is WOW!  This beer is something else in a good way of course.  This beer is rich and full of flavor.  I love the creamy chocolate notes this stout has going on in it.  It does not drink like a beer over 10%.  This beer will sneak up on you, however, you will enjoy the beer and love the design.  This is the first beer that I had from this brewery.  When I am back in Chicago, I will stop by their brewpub if they have one.  If not I will bring some bottles back to Michigan to try rest of them, I highly 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 Goose Island Ten Hills Pale Ale

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In this new beer release blog, we are going to get into one of the first new beers from Goose Island Brewery from Chicago.  I am talking about their first beer, which is their Ten Hills Pale Ale, in the series called “Limited Release.”  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on this craft brewery, you know the history of Goose Island Brewery.  If you have not, please, read those beer blog posts to get to know this craft brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

This new brew from Goose Island has a clean copper color with a white head.  The smell has some piney to earthy notes.  The taste has some earthy notes with a dry hop finish.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Ten Hills traces its story to Elk Mountain Farms in Idaho, famous for growing hops of exceptional quality  and character. With hops from the “first ten hills” grown for Goose Island at Elk Mountain, we crafted a pale ale that delivers both a herbal and citrus hop character. We hope you’ll find the intriguing balance of flavors in this beer to be truly unparalleled.

Recipe Information:

Style: Pale Ale Alcohol by Volume: 6.2 International Bitterness Units: 48 Color: Copper Hops: Perle, Cascade, US Saaz Malt: 2-Row, Caramel 20, Caramel 40, Munich

Availability:

Seasonal (December – March) Bottles: 4/6pks 2/12pks Draft: 1/2bbl 1/6bbl

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.gooseisland.com

Twitter:  @GooseIsland

In the end, just what, I said in review of their Coffee Stout from the Bourbon County Stout line.  I love the direction that Goose Island is going with Bret Porter as their Brewmaster.   I love the hops and I am glad they are only available for Goose Island use only.  It makes this brew a little bit more special.  It has a nice balance between the hops and malty backbone.   I am really not a fan of the aftertaste but overall, this is a great beer.  I just cannot wait for the next release.  I highly recommend this brewery.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer (Cider) Blog Woodchuck Winter Hard Cider

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In this cider blog, we are going to get into our first review of a cider.  I am happy it will be Woodchuck and their Winter Hard Cider.  Woodchuck came from a winery which at the time most wineries were not making cider.  In 1990, Woodchuck was born.  They wanted to give beer fans something else to drink that is why their “802” and “Amber” cider was born.  By 1996, they had two successful ciders and sold over half million of cases.  A year after they added their “Granny Smith Cider.”  A few years later, they added “Raspberry” and “Pear.”  They just added some seasonals to their line up.  I found all this information from their website (www.woodchuck.com).  Let us get into the cider.

It has a clear slight dark yellow color with some small bubbles.  It does not have a head on it.  The smell is a cider and apple notes.  The taste has hints of vanilla and a little oak to apple.  It is a pretty drinkable hard cider.

Here is a description from the bottle:

Winter Cider is a balanced culmination of premium French and traditional American Oak, giving the cider great complexity and broad characteristics that neither style could produce on its own.  This cider has tremendous depth starting with an attractive oak taste and finishing with a touch of vanilla, all crafted in Woodchuck tradition… Independent to the core.

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

Winter

Somewhere between a delicate snowflake drifting down to your tongue and a hard-packed snowball to the teeth, the power of this winter Cider is a balanced culmination of Premium French and Traditional American Oak, giving the cider great complexity and broad characteristics that neither style could produce on its own.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.woodchuck.com

Twitter:  @WoodchuckCider

In closing, I am not a cider guy.  I wanted something different and sweet.  I did not want anything over the top sweet but just enough.  I thought a cider might be it.  I try it and I thought I would write a review.  I will end up writing not just one review but I will have two more after this one.  I love barrel age beers so I thought this Winter Cider would be in my wheel house.  I was right.  I loved the apple with the hints of vanilla and oak.  It was pretty drinkable and had pretty good kick.  I highly recommend this cider and I will be trying some more of these ciders.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser