barley wine

New Beer Blog Summit Old Blaggard Ale

In this special beer blog, we are going to get into a special release from Summit Brewery. It is their Old Blaggard Ale. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know they 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 Barleywine ale.

It has a clear amber to reddish color with a white constant color head. The aroma has a sweet candy like notes. The taste has a sweet malty, candy, and alcohol notes with candy to slight alcohol aftertaste. It is a sipping beer

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

This Union Series brew is an homage to the great strong ales of the famous English brewing town of Burton-on-Trent. Aged six months, this ale features new varieties of British barley and hops and offers up huge complexity and warmth.

Due to the aging requirements of stronger beers, many British brewers would include “Old” as part of the beer name. (e.g. “Old Tom” referring to the brewery cat). In rural England and Ireland, a blaggard was a ne’er-do-well, so “Old Blaggard” seemed like an apt name to denote the hooligan nature of our Head Brewer, Damian McConn.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.summitbrewing.com

Twitter: @summitbeer

Ending, I just had this beer come out of no where. A friend dropped off some bottles to me. It has been a long time since I have had a bottle of Summit. I have to say it has been two to three years when I lived in the Chicago market. I was pretty excited to try this Old Ale or Barleywine. I did enjoy the aroma. It is close to the classic beer style in the aroma. The beer overall is not very good. I do not know what went wrong. I do not believe aging it more in the bottle would help it. This brewery is trying and I give them credit. I have to say they are failing at it of late. This is going back when I was trying their beers in Chicago. If you can find a bottle, pick one up. I know they are not in the Michigan 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 Blue Point Brewery Old Howling Bastard

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 Big Horn Ram Tap Party Wheeling Snow Blower

In this Tap Party Beer Blog, we are going to sample out another beer from Ram Wheeling Tap Party. This is a beer style I did not know was being made. I was very interested in trying this beer. If you read my earlier beer blogs from this brewery, you are up to speed on this brewery. If you have not, please, read the first part of that beer blog. Let us get into the party.

Snow Blower is a wheat wine from the Wheeling location. It has a cloudy cooper color with a semi white head on the beer. There is no smell to the beer or I cannot pick it up. The taste is a little wheaty with a sweet malty that will burn down your throat for the aftertaste in a good way. There is a nice malt backbone. It is kind of drinkable but at 8.3% ABV.

Here is a desecration from the brewmaster:

Stylistically it is a Wheat Wine, which is a wheat based version of a barley wine. When tasting this beer the hops come forward right out of the gate with a big hop character and provide a big hop punch, but as it lingers on the palate the slight sweetness from the wheat malt comes through and a slight bit of alcoholic warmth teases the palate.

At 8.2% alcohol by volume and 70+ IBU’s it will warm you and your palate up.

Here is some photos of the food we were eating while sampling the beer:

All American Burger

American cheese, pickle chips, lettuce, tomato, onion, ketchup, mustard and mayo. Served with choice of Fries, Chips or Coleslaw

Nachos Deluxe

Choice of Chicken, Beef, or Combination, black beans, cheddar jack cheese, jalapeno, tomato, green onion, sour cream, and guacamole.

Dessert

This was a great desert from my birthday gift from Ram. Thanks!

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.theram.com

Twitter: @theram and @rambrew

In closing, I really enjoyed going to these Tap Parties. I wish I can make the next one but I have at work training. I was very curious on how this beer will taste. As many of you know, I am not a fan of wheat or wheat base beers. This beer is extremely joyful to drink. The wheat is there but there is a nice hop touch to Snowblower. I love the contrast between wheat, sweetness of the normal barely wine, and hop. It is a drinkable beer but be careful because of the ABV is pretty high. This beer is the Lawnmower beer of the winter. I recommend this beer. I want to thanks to Eric and Lanny! Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Uinta Cockeyed Cooper Bourdon Barrel Barley Wine Ale

In this beer blog, we are going to get into one of four beers from Uinta Brewing Crooked Line. The beer is called Cockeyed Cooper Bourdon Barrel Barley Wine Ale. If you read my earlier blog, you know the past of this brewery. If you have not, please read the first part of that post. Let us get into the beer.

This beer has a nice amber color with a nice white head on it. The smell is sweet, Bourbon, vanilla and caramel to the beer. It has sweet malty to Bourbon vanilla ans a little caramel taste without any aftertaste to the beer. It is pretty drinkable.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Launch into the exquisite flavors of bourbon with splashes of vanilla. Watch for currents of dark chocolate and dried fruit. Generous amounts of hops and malts make for a smooth journey from start to finish. Decadent desserts and aged cheeses make superb companions.

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

Notes

Aged in bourbon barrels

Art

Label art by local Utah artist Travis Bone.

Accolades

2011, Bronze Medal, New Zealand Beer Awards, Wood and Barrel Aged Beer

2010, Bronze Medal, North American Brewers Association Awards, Wood Flavored Beer

2010, Gold Medal, World Beer Championships, Wood Aged Beer

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.uintabrewing.com

Twitter: @uintabrewing

In closing, I did enjoy this beer which is a little weird. This why it is weird because most Barley Wines I have to age them a year before drinking them. I do not know if it is the barrels make this barley wine ale a little different from the rest of them on the market. I also like the fact I can get this beer anytime of the year unlike the rest of the barley wines on the market. Most barley wines are available in the late fall to winter time. This is an awesome beer at reasonable price for the style of beer. I highly recommend 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

Share this:

Share this:

Share this:

Share this: