Month: March 2016

New Beer Blog New Belgium Citradelic Tangerine IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into a new beer from New Belgium Brewery.  It is their new everyday beer, which is called Citradelic Tangerine IPA.  Fruit IPA’s will be a new trend in 2016 in the beer world.  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 IPA.

It has a clear golden color with a semi on constant white head. The aroma has a juicey tangerine to slight citrus and a light hint of grapefruit notes. The taste has a slight caramel and moves into a juicey tangerine to slight hints of citrus to grapefruit notes. The aftertaste has a caramel to tangerine notes finish.  It is not as bitter. The fruit cuts through the IPA bitterness. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Tune in and hop out with New Belgium Citradelic. Set adrift on a kaleidoscopic wave of hoppiness brought to you by a mystical marriage of Citra hops and tangerine peel, which elevates each sip onto a plane of pure tropical, fruity pleasure. Citradelic’s namesake hop and fruit combine to jam with visions of additional hops like citrusy Mandarina Bavaria, tropical Azzaca, and fruity Galaxy for a colorful explosion that’s grounded by just a touch of malty sweetness. Bored by the status quo? Expand your palate with a pour of Citradelic. Launching January 2016.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.newbelgium.com

Twitter:  @newbelgium

Closing, just what I said above, we are going to see more and more fruit IPA’s hitting the market.  We are going to see more grapefruit IPA’s more than anything.  I was happy to see one craft brewery made something a little different for their Fruit IPA.  They put some thought and came up with several recipes to get this beer right.  This beer has a nice balance between the bitterest and fruit notes.  Fruit IPA’s do not have the heavy bitter notes like the normal IPA.  I believe this IPA style will go over really well with the non IPA drinkers.  I love it. This is one of the best fruit IPA’s on the market.  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 Beer Blog Sweetwater Brewing Whiplash White IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into another beer from Sweetwater Brewing.  It is their white IPA, which is called Whiplash White IPA.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this southern craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know this craft brewery.  Let us get into this white IPA.

It has a slight cloudy golden color without a head. There was a white color head at first. The aroma has a slight wheaty with a citrus notes. The taste has a wheaty to citrus notes with a wheaty to bready yeast aftertaste.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

What happens when a 500year old Belgian style ale gets rear-ended bya truckload of pompous American hops? It equals one heck of an ambulance chaser of a beer.

This is an American style Belgian IPA, with a subtle phenolic flavor in combination with citrusy/piney hops, well balanced at 6.2% and 55 IBUs, with a tart, dry finish.

2014 World Beer Cup Bronze Medal winner for American-Belgo-Style Ale category.

Grains: 2-Row, Wheat, Flaked Oats

Hops: Bravo, Ahtanum, Centennial, Cascade
Dry Hop: Ahtanum, Centennial, Simcoe
Yeast: Strong Belgian Ale
ABV: 6.3%
IBUs: 55
Available: December through February

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.sweetwaterbrew.com

Twitter:  @sweetwaterbrew

Closing, as many of you know, I am not a huge fan of this beer style. I was a little nervous picking up the sampler pack with this beer.  Since I am not a fan, I have to say that this is a pretty good beer.  It is well balance but has some nice hop bitter notes to keep that hophead happy.  This white IPA is a little different than the rest of the white IPA’s on the market.  It is not too wheaty.  This fact is the only reason why I might pick it up again.  I 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 Beer Blog New Belgium Side Trip Belgian Style Pale Ale

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In this spring seasonal beer blog, we are going to get into one of the new seasonal beers for the year from New Belgium Brewery.  It is their Side Trip Belgian Style Pale Ale.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this Mountain high craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know this craft brewery.  Let us get into this craft pale ale.

It has a clear golden color with a white constant head. The aroma has a hay to bready like notes. The taste has a bready to earthly notes with a slight citrus notes. The aftertaste has a farm like to earthy finish. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Sometimes it’s a side trip that makes the journey. During our last anniversary retreat to Belgium, brewmaster Peter Bouckaert embarked on a sensory excursion to find the perfect yeast strain for his next creation: Side Trip Belgian Pale Ale. A beer from Brouwerij Van Den Bossche led Bouckaert to the brewery’s family Buffalo yeast strain, which they happily shared, and the foundation was set. Additions of Belgian Chateau Abbey and Cara Ruby malts from Castle Malting, the oldest malting plant in Belgium, as well as Belgian Magnum, Saphir and Target hops builds a bready, caramel-sweet wash with traces of stone fruits, and a balanced herbal bitterness for a pleasantly dry finish. Take a break from your journey with a Side Trip.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.newbelgium.com

Twitter:  @newbelgium

Closing, New Belgium Brewery has been making beer for 25 years now.  They are throwing a party this year and this spring seasonal is starting it up.  This beer has all ingredients from Belgium.  I am talking the yeast to the hops and etc.  The yeast came from Belgium brewery. I will have to say this is by far my favorite seasonal from this craft brewery.  I love it and I am stocking up on it.  I am going to try to age this beer for at least a year.  I want to see what happens with this beer.  This is well balance and they did a great job.  I believe it will hold pretty well for a year. 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 Beer Blog The Brew Kettle Dark Helmet Bier

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into another brew from Brew Kettle Brewery.  It is their Dark Helmet Bier.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this Midwest craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know Brew Kettle Brewery.  Let us get into this dark lager.

It has a jet black color with a white constant head. The aroma has a chocolate to slight alcohol notes. The taste has a chocolate and malty notes with a slight alcohol notes. The aftertaste has a chocolate to malty crisp dry finish. It is kind of drinkable beer.

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

Dark Helmet

A true TBK original, we kick this German-style black lager up a couple notches. Big clean malty flavor with just a hint of roasted malt. “May the Schwartz be with you!”

8.0% ABV 35 IBUs

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.thebrewkettle.com

Twitter:  @brewkettle

In the end, I am not huge fan of lagers.  I do like black lagers.  I will drink them over a normal golden or amber lager.  With all that said, I do like the balance in this brew.  I believe the Imperial side makes this beer special.  I do not think a normal black lager would be good from this brewery. I could be wrong.  I am not saying they cannot make a good one.  I believe they went the right way and made it an Imperial black lager.  It is pretty good beer. It is a nice Imperial beer. I love it.  I highly recommend this beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Metal it!  Enjoy it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Weyerbacher Sunday Morning Stout

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In this beer blog, we are going get into another beer from Weyerbacher Brewery.  It is their Sunday Morning Stout.  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 Weyerbacher Brewery.  Let us get into this stout.

It has a jet black color with a tan constant color head. The aroma has a heavy coffee and chocolate notes. The taste has a chocolate to coffee notes with a dry coffee aftertaste finish. It is a sipping beer.

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

Sunday Morning Stout
Sunday Morning Stout, 11.3% ABV, is an Imperial American Stout brewed with coffee and aged in bourbon barrels. This brew pours a beautiful ebony with a large, creamy, off-white head that lasts and lasts.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.weyerbacher.wpengine.com

Twitter:  @weyerbacher

In closing, this craft brewery is slowly becoming on my go to list of new beers.  Yes, I know some of these beers are not new to most of you reading this post.  They came into the Michigan market about year ago.  I missed this beer last year so when I saw it this time around.  I had to pick it up.  There is a nice balance from the coffee and stout notes.  It is almost like a black coffee.  It is a perfect morning beer. I like it but not my favorite coffee beer. I would not drink this beer in the morning.  That is just flat out crazy.  I 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 Beer Blog Goose Island Rasselbock

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into the first beer from Fulton Street beer series from Goose Island Brewery for this year.  This is the first of four in the series that are in package.  There are four beers on the package and draft.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this Midwest craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know this craft brewery.  Let us get into this Dark Rye Bock beer.

It has a cloudy light brownish copper color with a white constant head. The aroma has a sweet malty with a heavy banana notes. The taste has a heavy banana notes with a sweet malty to rye notes. The aftertaste has a dry finish. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Brewer’s Notes

There was particular attention to the malt bill using pale munich, wheat and rye. There was no fruit harmed in the making of this beer, however you can’t avoid the beautiful banana esters and clove phenals that the Weihenstephan weizen yeast expresses. Rasselbock is a German style Dark, Rye, Wheat beer.

Recipe Information

  • Style: Dunkelroggenweizenbock

  • Alcohol by Volume: 6.8%

  • International Bitterness Units: 28
  • Color: Pumpernickel

  • Hops: Hallertau
  • Malts: Munich, Rye, Wheat, Midnight Wheat, Rice Hulls

Here is a their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.gooseisland.com

Twitter:  @gooseisland

Closing, I remember when the Fulton Foods series started.  It was like six to seven years ago.  These beers are spin-off from that series of beers.  They renamed it Fulton Street beers.  They are doing package and draft.  I am pretty happy that they are releasing these beers outside of the Chicago market.  This gives other markets something new and exciting for Goose Island.  When I heard about this beer, I was looking forward to trying this beer.  This complex ale has many tasting notes in it. It is drinkable but perfect for a Midwest spring and summer season.  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 Beer Blog Rochester Mills Newton Alechemy Double IPA

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In this special beer blog, we are going to get into for the first time in package a beer from Rochester Mills Brewery.  It is their Double IPA, which is called Newton Alechemy.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this Michigan base craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know this Midwest craft brewery.  Let us get into this Double IPA.

It has a cloudy golden color with a white constant head. The aroma has a heavy grapefruit to citrus notes. The taste has a nice grapefruit notes with a dry bitter aftertaste. It is a sipping beer.

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

Newton’s ALEchemy

8.8∞% abv. – IBUs: 88 – Double IPA

Brewed with a precisely calculated “mountain of hops” to exploit the gravitational pull of today’s craft beer drinker toward the big and delightful bitterness bliss commonly found in American Double IPAs of the highest caliber. Newton’s ALEchemy gets the bulk of its flavor from Pure Michigan™ Cascade hops grown just a few miles up the road from the brewery. It’s smooth bitterness is derived from the power of Magnum hops. The brew is finished with dry hopped additions of Citra & Calypso hops for a complex fruity, citrusy aroma. The result is truly liquid Gold, the elusive quest of Newton and alchemists of his day.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.beercos.com

Twitter:  @rochmillsbeerco

Ending, every IPA today has to be fresh for it to taste the way the brewery wants us to consume it.  This goes for every beer on the market.  There are some beer styles that are very sensitive to age.  I do not know if I received an older Alechemy before.  I still liked it but not as much as I liked it this time around.  I know it was fresh because they just released the cans.  I love it but it needs to fresh like most IPA.  They did a great job on this beer.  I would hunt it down and make sure it is fresh batch.  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 Beer (Cider) Blog Blakes Wakes Fire

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In this cider blog, we are going into a new everyday cider from Blake’s Hard Cider.  It is their former summer seasonal, which is called Wakes Fire Cider.  If you read my earlier cider blog posts on their ciders, you know the history of this Michigan’s biggest cider makers.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know this Michigan base cider makers.  Let us get into this cider.

This cider has a clear golden color without a head on it. The aroma has a orange and slight cherry notes. The taste has a sweet cherry with a hint of orange notes. The aftertaste has an apple juice finish. It is pretty drinkable cider.

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

It’s impossible to replicate a Michigan summer. Recreating a northern night under the stars would be a futile endeavor. So, we’ve done the next best thing – we’ve crafted summer’s perfect ally. Experience WakeFire, a comforting blend of Michigan-grown cherries, orange peel and our famous Blake’s apples.

6.5% ALC. BY VOL.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.blakeshardcider.com

Twitter:  @blakeshardcider

Tabbing out, as many of you know, I am not a cider fan at all.  This group of cider makers are making me a fan at least with their brands.  I was pretty excited to learn that they were putting their Wake Fire in cans and then make it all year long.  This cider has Michigan grown cherries and orange.  It is well balanced and a perfect cider for any season.  I love it. One of my favorite ciders from this cider makers.  I highly recommend this cider.  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 Real Ale Brewing Brewhouse Brown Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into a brown ale from Real Ale from Texas.  It is their Brewhouse Brown Ale.  Real Ale was founded in 1996 by Phillp and Diane Conner in Blanco, Texas.  They had a brewery in the basement of Antique Store in Downtown Blanco.  The beer that is under review in this blog was one of the first beers made.  Let us get into this brown ale.

It has a dark brown color without a head over time. The smell has a sweet and nutty notes. The taste has a carbonated malty notes with a nutty aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

This is one of the three beers that started it all.  First brewed at Real Ale’s original brewhouse (in the basement of an old antique store in downtown Blanco), the Brewhouse Brown Ale epitomizes what Real Ale is all about – traditional beer making.  The Brewhouse Brown Ale is dark brown in color and a well balanced beer with flavors of chocolate and toffee and an exceptionally smooth, dry finish.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.realalebrewing.com

Twitter:  @realalebrewing

Closing, this beer was part of my last beer of the month that came in the mail.  This brewery has been on my list to try their beers.  This beer has a nice balance and a nice well built design for a brown ale.  It is good but I have had better.  There is something a little weird in the aftertaste and part of the tasting profile.  They made a great beer here.  It is their take a classic beer style.  I 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 Beer Blog Petoskey Brewing Hopsessed Double IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into a special release from Petoskey Brewing.  It is their Hopsessed Double IPA.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this Michigan base craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know this Midwest craft brewery.  Let us get into this double IPA.

It has a clear copper color with a white constant head. The aroma has a citrus with hints of passion fruit notes. The taste has a citrus notes with a passion fruit and dry hop bitter aftertaste.  It is a sipping beer.

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

Hold on to your taste buds & make sure you have a designated driver! This mouth-exploding double I.P.A. starts with the unique citrus aroma provided by a 100% Simcoe dry hop. The high bitterness is slightly toned down by the caramel sweetness imparted by the large quantities of malted barley needed to achieve such a high ABV. (Limited time only!)
9.1% ABV, 119 IBU

Here is a their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.petoskeybrewing.com

Twitter:  @petoskeybrewing

Closing, this is by far my favorite double IPA.  I love the malty backbone and how the hops blend in with it.  They did a great job on balance.  It might come across as 119 IBU but it does not drink like that.  It is still a sipping beer but drinkable in that beer style.  I love it.  This is so much better than Bell’s Hopslam.  I believe people try this beer.  They will realize that statement.  I highly 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