Month: June 2014

New Beer Blog Greenbush It’s My Porter And I’ll Rye If I Want To

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While at Ashley’s Westland, we are going to sample another beer from Greenbush Brewery.  It is their It’s My Porter And I’ll Rye If I Want To.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts, you know the history of Greenbush Brewery.  If you have not read them, please, read them to get to know this Michigan Craft Brewery.  Let us get into this Rye Porter.

It has a jet black color without a head on this barrel age beer.  The aroma has a heavy alcohol to bourdon notes.  The taste has spicy with a heavy boozy notes with a heavy alcohol aftertaste.  It is a sipping.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.greenbushbrewing.com

Twitter:  @greenbush_brew

Closing, I really enjoyed this beer but towards the end of this 12oz pour. I was forcing myself to finish it.  The boozy notes in the beer just over takes everything.  Please, do not take this the wrong way.  I really did like this beer but I cannot get through another 12oz pour. I could share a 12oz bottle. There is some notes rye spice that blends nicely but fate with the bourdon notes.  I can see people that will love this beer and others will not like and/or hate it.  If you see this beer on draft, try it.  I recommend it.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Widmer Brothers Hefe The Original American Hefeweizen

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into a classic beer.  This brew helped moved me into the craft beer scene along with Red Hook Brewery.  It is Widmer Brothers Hefe.  It is one of their first brews and it is the most popular American Hefeweizen.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts, you know the history of this Northwest Craft Brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know Widmer Brothers.  Let us get into this German Style Hefeweizen.

This beer has a cloudy straw to golden color with a white head.  In the light, it has almost bright yellow to almost like dark white yellow color.  The aroma has yeasty to wheat notes with citrus notes.  It is almost like lemon.  The taste has wheat to citrus notes with a lemon notes to aftertaste.  It is pretty refreshing and easy drinking for any season.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

This naturally cloudy brew starts with the highest quality malted wheat. Its bold, clean flavor and pronounced citrus and floral aromas are what define American Hefeweizen. Prost! To the original.

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

Meet the beer that started it all. Our naturally cloudy flagship brew starts with the highest quality wheat. It’s bold, clean flavor and pronounced citrus and floral aromas are what define American-style Hefeweizen. So pour yourself a cool, cloudy glass, finish with a lemon and enjoy the original.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.widmerbrothers.com

Twitter:  @widmer_brothers

Closing, this is a classic craft beer and I will always find myself enjoying one Hefe during the spring and summer.  This is one of the best craft Hefeweizen on the market.  I have always recommend this beer if they are looking for something different from their normal craft beer drinking or a guy looking to switch from the mass-produced beers.  This is a great light to medium body beer with a nice refreshing taste notes.  If you are looking for a change-up or a nice summer like beer to enjoy in any season, this is your beer.  I highly recommend you trying this beer at least a few times.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcat.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Big Sky Summer Honey Ale

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While at Ashley’s Westland, we are going to sample Summer Honey Ale from Big Sky Brewery.  Big Sky Brewery was founded in Missoula, Montana in 1995.  It is the largest craft brewery in Montana.  Moosehead Brewery sued the brewery in 2000 over the use of Moose Drool.  Big Sky and Moosehead Brewery agreed that Big Sky will not sell Moose Drool to most of the eastern states in the United States.  They brew several different beers and they sell most of their beers to the west coast and their home state.  Let us get into their Summer Seasonal.

It has a clear copper to a slight dark golden color with constant white head.  The smell has slight honey notes.  The taste has a honey and earthy notes with a light carbonation notes.  The aftertaste is a dry sweet honey finish.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Heres the scoop about Summer Honey. It’s a full flavored, refreshing summer seasonal. This well-balanced brew has a unique blend of spices, which complement the european hops. The Honey lightens up the Body and helps to blend taste with aroma without making the beer too sweet.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.bigskybrew.com

Twitter:  @bigskybrewing

Closing, this was pretty bad.  I find it hard for any brewery to brew their beers with honey.  Most craft breweries are good when it is secondary item in the beer.  When it is the primary item, the beer comes out pretty bad.  I will say this beer was pretty drinkable and they hit their goal of not being too sweet.  I wish they would have used American hops.  I would believe it would have made it a better beer.  I could be wrong.  I had a few of their beers and I love their Moose Drool.  I am not liking this beer.  If you never had it, I would at least try it once.  I do not recommend you buying a six-pack just a bottle.  Run away from some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Magic Hat Hocus Pocus

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into another beer, which is Hocus Pocus, from Magic Hat Brewery.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts, you know the history of Magic Hat Brewery.  If you have not, please, read those beer blog posts to get to know this craft brewery.  Let us get into Summer Wheat Ale.

It has a light to normal copper color with a semi white constant head.  The aroma has a citrus notes but it is pretty fated.  The taste has a light carbonation to smooth lemon notes.  The aftertaste has a hoppy dry finish.  It is a nice refreshing drinkable brew.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

The ancient ritual of brewing a distinctly 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 unique beers to share in the rousing company of kindred spirits.  Cheers!

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

A light, crisp ale with a malty sweetness and delightfully tart finish.

A toast to weeds, rays and summer haze. Hocus Pocus is a light, crisp ale for mowing lawns, hitting lazy fly balls and communing with nature. It is offered up as a summer sacrifice to cloudless days. Its malty sweetness finishes tart and crisp and is best appreciated with a wedge of orange.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.magichat.net

Twitter:  @magichat

In the end, this is a nice summer drinkable but yet refreshing beer.  It is a nice relaxing beer to put down while doing the summer things like lawn work or pick me up baseball game.  It has some nice wheat ale notes but yet light in body to keep you drinking it through out the day.  There is some nice sweet malty notes but a nice fruit to tart finish.  It is drinkable.  I am not a huge fan of wheat ales but it is still pretty average brew.  I recommend it if you like mass-produced or wheat beers.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Magic Hat Elder Betty Weiss

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In this beer blog, we are going to sample Magic Hat Elder Betty Weiss.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts, you know the history of this craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know this craft brewery.  Let us get into this Weiss.

It has a slightly cloudy golden color with a constant white head.  The smell has berry like notes.  The taste has blueberry to blackberry notes with a fruity aftertaste finish.  It is a refreshing drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

The ancient ritual of brewing a distinctly 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):

The wisdom of ages hangs sweet and free from the branches of Elder Betty’s elderberry tree. She is the matriarch of the summer sun and the spirit in our bare dancing feet. Listen for her on warm waves and winds, as the joy of a thousand lifetimes flows from the earth through her branches, and drink her offering with ecstatic abandon.

A Weiss-style ale with bready malt flavor balanced by a touch of hops and complemented by the tart berry flavors of elderberry.

Here is thier website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.magichat.net

Twitter:  @magichat

Closing, I have been wanting to this beer for a long time.  I keep missing it because it is a seasonal ale.  I am a huge fan of their Dram Machine and #9 and I know the brewery knows this fact.  I picked up the sampler pack because I wanted some #9 and Dream Machine for the weekend.  It came with this beer, which is Elder Betty Weiss, and Hocus Pocus Wheat Ale.  The berry that is used in this Weiss ale is something between a Blueberry and Blackberry.  It is pretty different but it gives this beer a nice fruit notes.  I like that.  I am not a Weiss fan but I like fruit beers.  I do like the fact that the Weiss base part of the beer has a nice refreshing notes to it.  This is a great beer and I recommend it.  I will search out this beer once in a blue moon.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Sierra Nevada Brewery Hoptimum Imperial IPA 2014

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In this beer blog, we are going to sample one of my favorite Imperial India Pale Ale.  It is Sierra Nevada Brewery Hoptimum Imperial India Pale Ale.  If you read my earlier beer  blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know Sierra Nevada Brewery.  Let us get into this Imperial IPA.

It has a clear copper color with a constant white head.  The smell has a heavy piney to earthy notes.  The taste has a heavy piney to earthy notes with a heavy dry hop bitter finish for the aftertaste.  It is a nice to comfortable sipping beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Hoptimum is the biggest whole-cone IPA we have ever produced: a 100 IBU, whole-cone hurricane of flavor.  Aggressively hopped, dry hopped AND torpedoed.  Hoptimum delivers ultra-intense flavors to hop fanatics everywhere.

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

Hoptimum® Imperial IPA

A whole-cone hurricane of flavor.

Hoptimum is a hurricane of whole-cone hop flavor. Hopped, dry hopped and torpedoed for incredible hop flavor and complexity, Hoptimum is the pinnacle of whole-cone hoppiness and the biggest Imperial IPA we have ever produced. It features resinous hop varieties: Magnum, Chinook, Simcoe and a new experimental hop variety exclusive to Sierra Nevada. With intense hop flavors and aromas of grapefruit rind, pine, herbs and tropical fruit, Hoptimum is an aggressive drinking experience. Originally created as part of our Beer Camp program, Hoptimum throws down the gauntlet to all other IPAs.

Dry Hops

We work hard to get strong hop flavors into our beers and one of the ways we do that is through dry hopping. Dry hopping refers to the addition of whole-cone hops to the fermentation tanks. The addition of hops to cold beer allows the aromatic oils and resins to infuse the beer with flavor and aroma without adding any additional bitterness.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.sierranevada.com

Twitter:  @SierraNevada

In the end, I love Sierra Nevada and their beers.  This brewery does not make a bad beer and I had pretty much all their brews.  This is one of the best all around craft brewery and I feel they are very under rated.  I believe that is because there are so many new breweries around.  They just get forgotten in the mix.  If you have not went back and retry their beers, I highly recommend doing so.  I believe you will be stun at how good their beers are compared to other breweries’ beers.  I am not saying they are the number one brewery but pretty close.  I love the IBU count in this beer.  It is like eating a whole hop cone.  This is a great beer and it has a nice malty backbone.  I highly recommend this beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Blue Point Brewery Old Howling Bastard

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While at Ashley’s Westland, you would think it is winter in summer with these last two beer posts.  We are going to sample Blue Point Brewery Old Howling Bastard.  If you read earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of Blue Point Brewery.  If you have not, please, read to get to know this New York Craft Brewery.  Let us get into this Barley Wine.

It has a filter dark brown to amber color maybe dark bronze color.  The aroma has a sweet malty notes.  The taste has a sweet malty with a dry aftertaste.  It is a nice sipping beer throughout the winter season.

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

Some Long Island Winters can make just about anyone surly. Old Howling Bastard was named after a certain colorful local character years ago, but when the weather gets cold a lot of folks around here get cranky waiting on our bold barley wine to hit taps. Our special barley wine is made with English 2-row barley and Vienna malt. Its robust, malty, caramel flavor is balanced by lots and lots of hops, giving it a great depth of character. Drink only in moderation, the colorful name is not all that will grab your attention. Try an Old Howling Bastard in a snifter or wineglass – the trick is to never forget that after a few, you too, may turn into a howling bastard!

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.bluepointbrewing.com

Twitter:  @bluepointbrewer

In closing, this brew has a ton of flavor and has aged very nicely in the keg.  I just feel at times when a Barley Wine is released to the public.  They are at times are too young and need to be aged.  I did not feel that way about this beer.  I have to say it is so much better aged.  This beer lives up to the classic beer style.  I really enjoyed this brew and pretty much any beer from Blue Point Brewery.  I highly recommend it.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Greenbush Pete’s Red Hot

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While at Ashley’s Westland, we are going to sample Pete’s Red Hot from Greenbush Brewery.  Yes, it is a winter warmer.  It is rare to see a nice winter ale in the middle of the summer.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this western Michigan craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know Greenbush Brewery.  Let us get into this winter warmer.

This winter warmer has a dark amber to redish brown color with a constant slightly off white to a light tan color head.  It has a slight smell of malt to other spices notes.  The taste has a light carbonation malty notes with other spices like nutmeg to cinnamon.  The aftertaste has a dry bitter hop finish.  It is a nice sipping beer for winter that can be kind of drinkable beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.greenbushbrewing.com

Twitter:  @greenbush_brew

In closing, I did not realize what I order until it came to me.  I was not expecting to see a winter seasonal on tap at Ashley’s.  This is brew is one of their anniversity beers that some craft breweries did for them last year.  I guess they had a keg left over.  I am not complaining.  This is a great beer and I wish they would package this beer.  This beer has a ton of flavor with a full body.  If you have not had this beer, I recommend you getting up to Ashley’s to try it.  It will be gone here soon.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Oddside Ales Paranoia Imperial India Pale Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into another brew, which is Paranoia Imperial India Pale Ale, from Oddside Ales.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their craft brews, you know the history of this Michigan craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know Oddside Ales.  Let us get into this glow in dark label Imperial IPA.

This Imperial India Pale Ale has a clear dark copper color with a semi white head.  The aroma has earthy notes.  The taste has earthy with some light carbonation.  The aftertaste is dry hop bitter finish.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.oddsideales.com

Twitter:  @oddsidesales

In closing, I love this brew as far as the taste profile.  However, I am really not a huge fan of the dry hop bitter finish, it is a little too powerful for me.  I normally do not mind but today I was little turn off on it.  This is a great beer and I know many craft beer and hopheads drinkers will love this beer.  I love the hops they picked in this brew.  They did a great job designing the malty backbone.  I highly recommend this brew, plus, it glows in the dark.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Short’s Brewery Bourdon Sustanance

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While at Ashley’s Westland, we are going to sample Short’s Brewery Bourdon Sustanance.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their brews, you know  the history of this craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read those posts to get to know Short’s Brewery.  Let us get into beer.

It has a jet black color with a constant off white color head.  The aroma has a heavy chocolate to bourdon notes.  The taste has a bourdon bite at the front and a nice smooth chocolate malty notes to finish it off.  The aftertaste is a nice crisp finish.  It is sipping beer.

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

Bourbon Barrel Soaked Sustenance Black Beer

Bourbon Barrel Soaked Sustenance Beer is our spring Schwarzbier (black lager) aged in bourbon barrels for 10 months. It features rich roasted malt qualities with bold flavors of vanilla, charred oak, and even a slight nuttiness. The light, crisp finish makes this bourbon soaked beer light in flavor, which is wonderful because it highlights the complexities of the bourbon aging process. The light body also makes it an ideal beer for a springtime refreshment.

6.5% ABV

22 IBU

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.shortsbrewing.com

Twitter:  @shortsbrewing

Closing,  I will be upfront and honest.  I am not a huge fan of Short’s beers.  I just believe almost everyone  in the State of Michigan over rates their beers.  With that said, I have to say most underrate Greenbush’s beers.  So I had the chance to try this beer and a beer from Greenbush at the same time. I can’t remember what beer.  I was so disappointed with the Greenbush and was really impressed with this beer from Short’s.  No, it is not odd.  I love my German Beer Styles and it took me a long time to come around to respect these beer styles.  This Black Lager that is aged in Bourdon Barrels gives the beer drinker something different from the normal German Black Lager.  Schwarzbier is name Black Lager in German.  I highly recommend this beer and I will be searching for this beer in bottles.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13