Month: September 2014

New Beer Blog New Holland Brewing Black Hatter Ale Black IPA

image

In this beer blog, we are going to sample another brew from New Holland Brewery.  It is their Black Hatter Ale Black IPA.  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 this Michigan craft brewery.  Let us get into this black ale.

It has a jet black color with a tan color head.  The aroma has a slight coffee to citrus notes.  The taste has a roasted malty with coffee notes. There is a nice citrus with burn to hoppy bitter finish. This is a sipping beer.

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

Description

IPA brewed with black malts which add dark, roasted flavors. Dry-hopped. Centennial finish.

Beer Style

Black IPA

Degrees Plato

14.2

Alcohol by Volume

5.07%

IBUs

67

Grains

2-row, Munich, Crystal, Black, Carapils

Hops

Nugget, Centennial, Cascade

Yeast

American Ale

First Brewed

2001

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.newhollandbrew.com

Twitter:  @newhollandbrew

Ending, I get pretty excited when any craft brewery releases new beer or a beer I never had.  It is fear of the unknown that brings out the excitement of brews.  I have been curious about this beer for a while.  I have had this beer on my beer list for a while.  I broke down and finally picked up a bottle.  I love the packaging and color to the beer.  It has some nice tasting notes but I just thought it was pretty average beer.  It is an OK but not worth the price that you are paying for it.  At least, try it once.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!   \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Lagunitas Sucks Brown Shugga’ Substitute Ale

image

In this beer blog, we are going to get into a special release from Lagunitas Brewery.  It is their Sucks Brown Shugga’ Substitute 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 this craft brewery.  Let us get into this beer in quart bottle.

It has a clear bright golden copper color with a white constant head.  The smell has a heavy citrus notes with a slight caramel notes.  It is really fated.  The taste has citrus to a slight creamy caramel notes.  The aftertaste has crisp dry bitter finish that is pretty smooth.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Originally brewed in 2011 as a Brown Shugga’ substitute, due to construction-induced capacity issues. But we liked it so much it had to make a return trip.

AVAILABLE: LATE NOVEMBER thru JANUARY
ABV: 7.85%
Sold as: 6-Packs & Kegs (plus 32oz Quarts in select markets)
Net contents: Ounces and ounces of Malt, Hops, Yeast and water.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.lagunitas.com

Twitter:  @lagunitasbeer

Closing,  I have always loved Lagunitas Sucks.  I am always sad that this beer is only a seasonal.  This Sucks is their Brown Shagga edition.  Plus, I love that it comes out in 32oz or quart bottle.  I am saving my bottle.  When I visited the brewery in Chicago this last summer, they were selling these bottles and I wanted to take it home.  The problem was that I flew out of Chicago.  I love all nice caramel to citrus notes.  They picked a nice selection of hops and build a well design malty backbone.  I love this beer and I will have a few more bottles in the neat future.  I highly recommend this beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Music Monday White Wizzard The Devil’s Cut

In this Music Monday blog, we are going to get into the latest record from White Wizzard.  It is called “The Devil’s Cut.”  We are going to get into the history and then the music off this new record.  Let us get into the history.

History:

White Wizzard was founded in 2007 by bass player, Jon Leon.  He was looking to bring back the classic hard rock and metal sound to fans looking for it.  The band released their first EP, which was called “White Wizzard,” in 2008.  Even with some success at first, the band loss three of their orignal members.  They went on to start a new band called Holy Grail that has similar music style.  Jon Leon signed a contract with Earache Records and then started to search for members for the second line up.  After filling the second line up, the band released their second EP, which is called “High Speed GTO,” in 2009.  In 2010, the band released their first full length record, which was called “Over The Top.”  White Wizzard was nominated for Best New Artist at Metal Hammer Golden Gods.  In 2011, the band released their second record, which was called “Flying Tigers.”  The band in 2013 released their third record, which was called  “The Devil’s Cut.”  White Wizzard put out their new single, which was called “Marathon Of Dreams,” on their new label White Wizzard Records.  This is first time in history of the band that features Jon Leon on lead singer and Devin Lebsack.  This band has went through several line up changes after the release of “The Devil’s Cut.”  Let us get into the music.

Track List:

Forging The Steel

There is a nice classic hard rock driving music at the beginning of the song.  I love the guitar work at the beginning of the song.  This music sounds like something out of the late 1970’s to early 1980’s.  This is a nice intro song to the record.

Strike The Iron

I love the blend from the first track to the second track.  The music pace has picked up.  The singer sounds like someone from Riot or Saxon.  I love the lyrics and singing.  This song has a sound like it came right from Riot.  I love the short guitar solo.  They wrote a nice opening track for this record.  There is a nice expanded guitar solo towards the back half of the song.  I love the music towards the end of the music.  It sounds like two different songs on the back half of the song.

Kings Of The Highway

I love the slower pace of this song.  I love singing and lyrics.  I love the theme of this song.  Jon put some thought on the lyrics.  He did a great job on it.   This is a great song but I feel it should be a little faster.  I love the guitar solo towards the end of the song.  There is a guitar solo to take the song out.  It has a nice fade out.

Lightening In My Hands

The beginning of the song remains me some old school Iron Maiden music.  There is some nice guitar and bass playing.  Even the singing remains me of Bruce.  I love the lyrics.  I love the guitar solo towards the end.  I also love the bass playing.  There is another nice well written guitar solo towards the end of the song.  I love the trade-off on the guitar solos.

Steal Your Mind

There is a nice slight dark tone guitar playing at the beginning of the song.  I love the slow down to bring the singer with some nice guitar work.  There is some nice singing and well written lyrics.  This is a great song but I just feel it is too slow for my taste.  I love the short guitar solos throughout the song.  It is becoming too much now.  This is too long but it is a great song.  I just wish it was a little faster.  I love how it the pace finally picks up towards the back half of the song.

The Devil’s Cut

I love the drumming and how the guitar playing is at the beginning.  The shinning light is the bass playing.  It is some awesome playing.  I am not too sure on how I feel about the singing from the singer.  I love the lyrics.  At the beginning, I just felt he was too low but as the song moves on it did get better.

Torpedo Of Truth

I love the pace and music at the beginning.  There is a some nice drumming on this track.  There is some nice guitar playing with some nice guitar solos.  I love the singing with the back up singing.  The lyrics are well written but I am not liking the title of the song that much along with the chorus.  I am really not liking this song so much.  I could do without it on this record.

Storm Chaser

I am loving the bass playing and drumming at the beginning.  I am not liking the guitar playing so far on this song.  The singing seems a little off and not really fitting with the song  The lyrics are really below average.  They could do so much better.  Some of these songs on this record are starting to sound the same.  There is a nice guitar solo towards the end of the song.  It seems every song on this record does not need a guitar solo.  This song could live without a guitar solo.

The Sun Also Rises

I am loving the acoustic guitar at the beginning.  It is about time.  I have been waiting for one song like this.  I love the bass playing in the background.  I love the singing and lyrics.  The main part of the song sounds just like an old Iron Maiden song.  The singing like some from White Lion.  I am really liking this song.  It has a nice driving song.   This song is way too long unless.  I love change of the music at the half way point.  Oh!  Once again another guitar solo.  I love how they ended this record.

Original Line Up:

Wyatt Anderson – Lead Vocals

Jon Leon – Bass And Guitar

Erik Kluiber – Guitar

Jesse Appelhans- Drums

Current Line Up:

Joseph Michael – Vocals

Jon Leon – Guitar And Bass

Jake Dreyer – Lead Guitar

Will Wallner – Guitar

Giovanni Durst – Drums

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.facebook.com/WhiteWizzard

Twitter:  @whitewizzard

Closing, I have enjoyed this band since their start and I will always buy their music.  I have to say this record has some great songs but overall it is pretty disappointing.  I know in the past hard rock and metal music had guitar solos in their songs.  I just felt they went over the top on the guitar solos.  No to plug one of their songs.  The singer is spot on to the original singer.  I am pretty worried about this band and their future.  They only have two members in this band at this time.  I know this band went through several line up changes but I hope they can get it together again.  There is some well written songs on this record and there are songs you will be skipping.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer (Mead) Blog B. Nektar Meadery Evil Genius IPA Style Mead

image

In this beer (mead) blog, we are going to get into a style that many people might not know about.  It is mead.  I am kind of new to mead scene but my studies, I know what a mead is. I just need to try them. I will get into the history of mead and then Meadery featured on this post.  I am talking about B. Nektar Meadery.  The mead being feature is Evil Geniues IPA Style Mead.  Mead is a honey and water with fruits, hops, grains, and other spices to add character.  It is a wine base product.  It is normally made as a base of a honey wine.  B. Nektar Meadery was founded in Ferndale, Michigan in 2006.  Brad and Kerri Dahlhofer founded this meadery.  They make several different mead styles.  They sell their products around the country but mainly the midwest to the east coast.  Let us get into this Mead.

It has a bright yellow to white color without a head on this Mead.  The aroma has a honey with a hint of earthy notes.  The taste has a sweet honey with earthy undertones.  The aftertaste has sweet honey with a slight bitter finish. It is pretty drinkable.

Here is a description from the mead bottle:

In an obsure industrial lair resides the man known only as the evil Dr. IPA.  Using his hadron collider hidden deep underground, he has conducted his most remarkable experiment to date.  The result is a perfect balance of honey and hops.  But there are side effects…  his lab rats can’t get enough of the stuff.  And soon, neither will you.  Introducing the Evil Genius.  The big bang is no longer a theory, it’s your reality.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.bnektar.com

Twitter:  @bnekar

Closing, I had a few meads and they are all from B. Nektar.  I do not know many more meaderies in the market.  If there is, I will be trying them soon.  I find some of these meads pretty sweet to way too sweet.  This is one of them.  I do not get too much from the hops.  I love this mead at first.  The more and more I was drinking it.  I just found that it was way too sweet for me.  I just feel if it was 10oz pour I would be in better shape.  I can drink meads and some sweet ciders.  I just find that they become too sweet for me.  Keep in mind, I am a hophead, porter, and stout type of beer drinker.  I recommend this mead.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Stone Brewery Coffee Milk Stout

image

In this beer blog, we are going to get into a new beer from Stone Brewery.  It is their Coffee Milk Stout.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this west coast craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know this craft brewery.  Let us get into this new beer.

It has a jet black color with a brown color head.  The smell has a creamy chocolate to slight coffee notes.  The taste has creamy chocolate with a slight burned coffee notes.  The aftertaste has a heavy coffee finish.  It is a sipping beer but kind of drinkable.

Here is a description from the beer bottle and website (www.stonebrewing.com):

There’s no shortage of talented people at Stone, and each makes their presence known in their own unique way. Brian Gallagher, a brewer who learned the art of fermentation in the UK, used the beer you now hold, a take on a traditional English milk stout, as his vehicle for personal expression. Originally brewed as a limited edition offering at Stone Brewing World Bistro & Gardens – Liberty Station, this coffee-laced milk stout quickly became a favorite among Gallagher’s peers. Made bittersweet and creamy while remaining smooth and easy-drinking thanks to the addition of milk sugar, it’s clear in one sip why this is a brew we needed to share with fans everywhere.

Here is a youtube from the brewery about this beer and history:

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.stonebrewing.com

Twitter:  @stonebrewingco

In the end, I love this beer and I hope they make it as an everyday beer.  This is why.  I was stun by the pice for the alcohol percentage.  I just thought this would be a pretty simple beer to make.  The price is high because the limited cases in the market.  This is a great beer asides that one negative mark.  Milk stout shines with a nice blend of coffee.  It has a nice creamy easy drinking notes with a nice coffee aftertaste.  If you are not a fan of coffee or stout, you will not like this beer.  If you are a fan, you need to hunt this beer down and try it.  This is a great beer and I hope they make more to get a lower price in the market.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog New Belgium Saison Harvest Ale (2014)

image

In this fall beer blog, we are going to get into New Belgium Saison Harvest Ale.  This beer was their fall seasonal back in 2007.  Every season, New Belgium brings back seasonal back to life in their sampler pack.  The sampler pack comes with two bottles each of three of their selected everyday beers.   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 New Belgium Brewery.  Let us get into this Saison Ale.

It has a nice clear golden color with a nice white constant head.  There is some nice small constant bubbles in middle of the beer.  The aroma has a nice Belgian spicy notes.  The taste has a nice refreshing citrus notes with some spice kick.  The aftertaste has citrus finish.  It is extremely drinkable.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Brewed with a yeast harvested from Belgium, our SAISON has a just-picked freshness reminiscent of the farm-house ales produced each fall in Blegium.  Pale bronze in color, this delicately hopped ale has a bright, yeasty, artisanal quality worthy of toasting those long autumn sunsets.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.newbelgium.com

Twitter:  @newbelgium

Ending, I really love this beer and I wish it was still in six packs form.  I love how this brewery change-up their seasonal every two to three years.  It could  be a good thing or a bad thing.  If there is a seasonal that you are not a fan of it, you will be looking forward to the new one to come out.  I love how they revisit some of their old seasonal in  their sampler pack.  This is a perfect and true to the classic saison style.  It is not overly hop but it is not under hop.  It is refreshing and keeps you coming back for more beer.  I recommend this beer and their fall sampler pack.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Buffalo Bill’s Brewery American’s Original Pumpkin Ale (2014)

image

In this fall beer blog, we are going to get into the Oringal Pumpkin Ale from Buffalo Bill’s Brewery.  Buffalo Bill’s is one of the oldest brewpub in the United States.  It opened in 1983.  It was opened right after the laws changed.  Bill Owens, who is the founder and owner, wanted to serve homemade food with some great beers.  In 1994, Bill Owens sold the brewery to Geoff Harries.  Geoff worked with Bill in 1987 as the orinigal brewmaster.  Geoff grew the brewerey into 40 states in the United States.  This is information was pulled from their website (www.buffalobillsbrewery.com).  Let us get into this pumpkin ale.

It has a slightly cloudy amber color with a white head at first.  The smell has a light to slight cinnamon notes.  The taste of this medium body beer has a cinnamon notes with a crisp cinnamon finish.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Pumpkin Ale

Pumpkin pie in a bottle

America’s Original Pumpkin Ale was first brewed in 1985. Made with real pumpkin, it has a golden amber color, and the sweet aroma of pumpkin pie. This brew is perfect for Fall, Halloween and Thanksgiving. Pumpkin Ale is available from August – November

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.buffalobillsbrewery.com

Twitter:  No Twitter address

In closing, here is the pumpkin beer that started this mass trend right now.  Every fall, we have a flood of Oktoberfest and Pumpkin beers hit the market.  It is alwasy nice to go back and try the beer that started that trend.  I had this about four or five years ago and loved it.  I wanted to retry it.  I still love this beer.  I have to say it is better than most pumpkin ales on the market now.  There are some really bad pumpkin ales on the market.  It is so disappointed us beer drinkers have not send that message that these beers are not good.  I mean we vote with our wallet or money.  It is a nice message not to buy them.  This one is good and you need to try or retry it.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Harpoon Brewery UFO Pumpkin Ale (2014)

image

In this fall beer blog, we are going to get into another Harpoon Brewery beer.  It is their UFO Pumpkin Ale.  If you read my earlier beer bog posts on their beers, 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 pumpkin ale.

It has a cloudy amber color with a white constant head. The aroma has a heavy cinnamon to nutmeg notes.  The taste has a nice creamy cinnamon to nutmeg notes with a cinnamon banana clove aftertaste.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

It’s a simple story; we brew this beer because we like pumpkin (pumpkin pie, really) and thought an unfiltered pumpkin ale would be great, especially during the New England fall. Turns out it is.

Description

Imagine a pumpkin vine wound its way in a field of barley, and a brewer harvested it all to make a beer. Add Northwestern hops and a blend of spices, and you’ve got UFO Pumpkin. The malt combination provides a smooth body and slightly sweet flavor, which balances perfectly with the earthy notes derived from the pure pumpkin. And like all of our UFO beers, UFO Pumpkin is UnFiltered.

Tasting Notes

  • Appearance: Amber and orange with a slight haze
  • Aroma: Malty with hints of pumpkin and spice
  • Mouth feel: Slightly sweet and smooth
  • Taste: A solid malt backbone highlighting German Vienna and Munich malts with a nice dose of pumpkin and spice, reminiscent of pumpkin pie
  • Finish: Easy drinking with a lingering pumpkin aftertaste on the back of the tongue

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.harpoonbrewery.com

Twitter:  @harpoon_brewery

In the end, I was looking to try this beer for many seasons when they made it to the Chicago market.  It is average beer.  There is better pumpkin ales on the market.  I will say this beer is so much better than Blue Moon Pumpkin and Brooklyn Pumpkin Ale.  I did enjoy this beer but I just feel it could be a lot better.  I will try it again next season.  I recommend it at least once.  Go get some!  Drink it! Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Harpoon Brewery Octoberfest (2014)

image

In this fall beer blog, we are going to get into Harpoon Brewery and the beer is their Octoberfest.  This is the first time this beer is being featured on this blog.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this northeast craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know this 1980’s craft brewery.  Let us get into this Octoberfest.

It has a clear amber color with a white constant head.    The aroma has a sweet malty to nutty notes. The taste has a slight sweet malty to nutty notes with a dry malty finish for the aftertaste.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

This rich, full-bodied, malty beer – perfectly balanced with a generous dose of hops – calls out for lederhosen, dirndls, and oompah music!

Roll out the barrels!

And keep them coming, because this is going to be one festive, malty fall.  Come to the brewery and celebrate Octoberfest with us!  Prosit!

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

The original German Oktoberfest was brewed with one celebratory festival in mind. Harpoon Octoberfest is brewed with TWO festivals in mind; our Octoberfests at our breweries in Boston, MA and Windsor, VT. We love the style and it’s a great beer for the fall season. In true Octoberfest tradition, we threw our first festival here at the brewery in 1990. There were a couple thousand people here celebrating amidst the brewing tanks. We can’t quite fit everyone in the actual brewery now – last year nearly 18,000 revelers attended our Boston Octoberfest and nearly 7,000 joined us at our brewery in Vermont the following weekend. Prost!

Description

Harpoon Octoberfest is a malty tribute to fall, balanced by a gentle hop bitterness. In keeping with tradition, it is a Marzen-style beer, brewed with abundant quantities of Munich, Chocolate, and Pale malts. Those malts provide a solid, full body and create the beer’s deep color. It is a rich, flavorful beer.

Tasting Notes

  • Appearance: garnet-red color with a firm, creamy head.
  • Aroma: hop aroma, (not overpowering but present)
  • Mouth feel: full-bodied, smooth, and malty
  • Taste: gentle bitterness to balance any residual sweetness
  • Finish: soft and malty with a mild bitterness

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.harpoonbrewery.com

Twitter:  @harpoon_brewery

Closing, I like this beer.  This beer gives you something different then the rest of the Oktoberfest on the market.  Most Oktoberfest are very sweet with a heavy caramel notes. There is some with a heavy malty notes.  This one is like this year’s Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest.  This beer is true to the classic beer style.  I love how it echoes the fall season which it should.  I will be picking up some more bottles before the end of the season.  I wish I could get this in cans.  I would to take this out to cook outs or tailgating.  This is a great beer and I recommend it.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Anchor Brewery Big Leaf Maple Autumn Red Ale (2014)

image

In this fall beer blog, we are going to get into Big Leaf Maple Autumn Red Ale from Anchor Brewery.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their Anchor Brewing IPA post, you know the history of this craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read it to get to know this west coast craft brewery.  Let us get into this fall beer.

It has a nice clear red to amber color with a white head.  The aroma has a sweet malt to hints of maple syrup.  The taste has a carbonated malty to slight nutty notes.  The aftertaste is a dry slight burned maple syrup to malty notes.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a desecration from the beer bottle and website (www.anchorbrewing.com):

Our fall seasonal, BigLeaf Maple Autumn Red™, was inspired by a native California tree, its incredible leaves, its delicious syrup, and the best colors of fall. Bigleaf maple thrives along the banks of California’s mountain streams. Native Californians once made rope and baskets from its bark. Today, artisans handcraft its wood and burl into custom guitars. In autumn its huge leaves, up to a foot across, can display a full range of color as they slowly turn from green to gold to red. Bigleaf maple sugaring in California dates to the 1800s; yet this tree’s unusually flavorful syrup remains the product of a small group of hobbyists. A hint of maple—including bigleaf maple—syrup in every brew perfectly complements the malty complexity, balanced hoppiness, and rich fall hue of BigLeaf Maple Autumn Red™, a red ale like no other.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.anchorbrewing.com

Twitter:  @anchorbrewing

In closing, I was looking forward to trying this beer.  I was pretty interested on how the maple syrup would go over with the red ale.  I liked it.  The aftertaste is pretty dry aftertaste.  There is some nice flavor and some complex notes.  I enjoyed drinking this beer.  I might be picking up some more before the end of the season.  There is so many fall seasonals that I want to get into.  I like this beer if it was for dessert or a late night beer. I know there are some people that can drink this while they are tailgating.  This is a great beer.  I recommend it.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13