beer

New Beer Blog Foothills Brewing Hoppyum IPA

In this beer blog, we are going to sample a beer from a brewery that I have been trying to get a bottle. I have to say thanks to Mike and Mike for the share. I am talking about Foothills Brewing and it is their Hoppyum IPA. Foothills Brewing was founded in 2005. They are located in the State of North Carolina. There is not much history on their website and the web. Let us get into this India Pale Ale.

It is a clear copper color with a white constant head on this IPA. The aroma has a malty to earthly notes. The taste has a malty to earthly notes with a heavy bitter aftertaste. It is pretty good drinkable IPA.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

An American India Pale Ale full of pungent Simcoe, potent Columbus, and citrusy Centennial and Cascade hops. A medium dry finish ensures that Hoppyum makes an excellent session beer. ALC. 6.25% by VOL. SRM: 7.1 IBU 78

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

The recipe is simple. Take some hoppy. Add some yum. Nutty malts lend a surprisingly sweet base to copius additions of tangerine-y Simcoe™ hops. Great aroma, superior taste, clean dry finish. One sip will show you why this is our most popular beer . . . followed closely by a strong desire to take another sip.

Closing, I am so happy that I was able to get a bottle to finally enjoy this brew. It says on the bottle it is an American IPA. I do not look at it as an American IPA. I bet they use American yeast so they are kind of forced to call it American IPA. It is not hoppy enough for me to call it American IPA. Craft Breweries can call their beers whatever they want. I respect that. I view this beer as a nice English IPA. I love it for it’s nice taste profile. The aftertaste is extremely bitter that is where they can call it American IPA. Overall, it is a great brand. If you are able to get 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 Short’s Brew Thirst Mutilator Munich Helles Style Lager

In this beer blog, we are going to sample the last beer from their Fall Sampler Pack. Short’s Brew made this beer, which is Thirst Mutilator Munich Helles Style Lager. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this Michigan craft brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know Short’s Brewing. Let us get into this Helles Lager.

It is a cloudy golden color with a constant white head. There is no aroma to this lager beer style. The taste has a sweet malty notes with crisp aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Thirst Mutilator is a light straw-blonde lager with sharp doughy yeast esters that gather atop a perfectly retained head. Kilned barley produces perfect bready and flour-like qualities that blend pleasantly with the beer’s mild hop bitterness. Aided by a wonderful effervescence, these delicate flavors fade into a crisp clean refreshing finish.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.shortsbrewing.com

Twitter: @shortsbrewing

Closing, I will say it again and again. If you do not make a good lager or pilsner as a brewery, please do not make them. Any style in the lager and pilsner world are hard to make just like sours. Short’s Brewery is like most craft brewery. They make average to below average lagers and pilsners. I have them credit for trying. There is something wrong when you have to add things to hide your faults in your beers. They did not have to in this beer and their alt that reviewed yesterday same thing. I have seem them do it in the past. This is an average beer. I just feel they could drop this beer and focus on their everyday or other beer styles. This is my thought and I know others do enjoy their beers. I like that and they do make some good ones. If you see this one, try 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 Short’s Alter Spalter Ale

In this beer blog, we are going to get into another beer from Short’s Brewery. It is their Alter Spalter Ale. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this Michigan craft brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know Short’s Brewery. Let us into this beer.

This German style Alt Ale has a cloudy amber color with a white head. The aroma has no smelling notes. The taste has a slight carbonation with hints of malty notes. The aftertaste is a dry malty finish. It is a pretty drinkable beer.

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

Alter Spalter is true to the old world German style ale with a light brown color and pleasant nose. The malt character is low with soft, caramel notes and a unique banana-like sweetness. The beer is well-balanced with a crisp clean nature and a lack of lingering malty flavors.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.shortsbrewing.com

Twitter: @shortsbrewing

Closing, I am a huge fan of this beer style. This beer is pretty close to the traditional beer style but I just feel like it is missing something. I do not know what it is. It is pretty boring. It is not like the rest of the Alt beers that I had in the past. I know it is not water because Michigan has one of the best water supply in the world for brewing. I believe it is between the malt and hops. Do not get me wrong, this is a pretty good beer. I know it is missing something. I just feel I could be drinking something else. This is a beer they could cut and make sure their everyday beers are good and better. 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 Short’s The Magician Dark Red London Style Ale

In this beer blog, we are going to get into another brew from the sampler pack from Short’s Brewing. It is their The Magician Dark Red London Style Ale. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this Michigan craft brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know this craft brewery. Let us get into this red ale.

It has a cloudy dark red to ruby red color with a nice white head. The aroma has a sweet malty to slight caramel notes. The taste has a very light carbonation with a dry sweet malty notes. The aftertaste has water like malt finish. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

The Magician is a lustrous dark-red London Ale with a rich grain bill. The grain combination lends complex notes of toasted caramel, raisins, chocolate, and roasted toffee. Very light hop additions let the true malt characters show throughout this beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.shortsbrewing.com

Twitter: @shortsbrewing

Closing, I have to say this is one of the better English style red ale from a craft brewery. I am pretty stun. This goes back to the arguments that I had in yesterday’s blog posts on their Dan’s Pink Skirt IPA. This brewery’s seasonal are so much better than their everyday beers. At least, this Michigan craft brewery makes some good beer unlike most craft breweries in this state. I love the balance in this red ale. I am not a huge fan of red and amber ales. I love my Fat Tire once in a while. If you can find 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 Short’s Brew Dan’s Pink Skirt American India Pale Ale

In this beer blog, we are going to get into yet another IPA from Short’s Brewery. It is Dan’s Pink Skirt American India Pale Ale. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this Michigan 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 cloudy golden to yellow color with a nice foamy white color head on this India Pale Ale. The aroma has a slight citrus notes. The taste has a nice light carbonated notes with some citrus notes. The aftertaste has a dry bitter finish. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Dan’s Pink Skirt is an American IPA brewed with Summit and Simcoe hops. Malt characteristics are mild and practically undetectable in the nose. Dan’s Pink Skirt has pronounced floral and citrus aromas, with a pine resin hop bitterness that attacks the palate.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.shortsbrewing.com

Twitter: @shortsbrewing

In the end, how many IPA’s and how many seasonals does a craft brewery really need to pumped out in the market. This is has been the aged old question in the craft brewery. If you make all these beers, is your product still good. I believe you are good at a few things and have to work on other things. It is pretty sad when a seasonal IPA is better than their everyday IPA. This is my thought and I know many would disagree with my thought pattern. I believe this craft brewery makes way too many beers and it makes it tough for them make good beers. I know there is many that would disagree with that thought. I just feel their seasonals are so much better than their everyday beers. I love this IPA and this is their best IPA. There is a nice balance from the hop bittest and malty backbone. They did a great job on this beer. If you can get a bottle, 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 Sierra Nevada Northern Hemisphere Harvest Wet Hop IPA

In this special beer blog, we are going to sample another special release from Sierra Nevada. It is their Wet Hop 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 Sierra Nevada. Let us get into this IPA.

It has a nice hue of copper and light bronze color with a white constant head. The smell has an earthly, rose, piney, and grapefruit notes. The taste has a carbonated grapefruit with a nice dry slight bitter aftertaste. It is a pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

The fourth in our 2014 harvest series, Northern Hemisphere Harvest spans a flavor spectrum from bold, earthy, green hop flavors to hints of citrus, fresh herbs and pine.

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

Available September 2014.
Northern Hemisphere was the first wet hop ale and it inspired the wet hop craze here in America. Wet—undried—hops go straight from the fields into our kettles within 24 hours. Because hops are incredibly perishable, using hops wet preserves all of the precious oils and resins for a unique drinking experience as evidenced by the intense herbal green flavors and citrus-like and floral aromas. Northern Hemisphere is part of our five-bottle Harvest series which features single hop, fresh hop, wet hop, and wild hop beers.

Wet Hop versus Fresh Hop

Over recent years, there has been some confusion about the difference between fresh and wet hops. While it may seem like semantics, to us it’s an important distinction.

Wet Hops are un-dried hops, picked and shipped from the growing fields within 24 hours.

Fresh Hops are the freshest dried hops to come from the fields, typically within seven days of harvest.
Over 90% of the world’s hop harvest happens between August 31 and October 31, and these hops are used throughout the calendar year. Can hops possibly be the same on November 1, one day after harvest, as they are on July 25, nearly one year after growing in the fields? The answer is no. We think of hops like dry kitchen spices—the flavor of thyme or rosemary right after the jar is opened is far more intense than it is six months later. The same can be said for hops. There are ways to control the way hops age and to reformulate and readjust as some of the aromas fade, but there’s nothing like the magic of the first bales of hops as fresh as can be. That is the stuff dreams are made of!

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.

Experimental Hops

Hop farmers, breeders, brewers, and brokers are always looking for new and interesting hop varietals with compelling flavor characteristics and intriguing properties. Sierra Nevada has a unique relationship with hop growers, and often has access to limited and experimental varieties. Some of the varietals, while interesting, don’t add enough value and never make it into commercial production, while others—like the recent hop Citra—take the brewing world by storm. Every day new varietals are being tested and some have become signature flavors for Sierra Nevada.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.sierranevada.com

Twitter: @sierranevada

Closing, I am always looking forward to the next single hop beers from Sierra Nevada. I enjoyed these brews very much. I have always just brought one bottle but starting this year editions. I will be picking up more than one. I just picked up one because they are one of the hardest beers to find in the Midwest. This beer was no different then the rest of their limited releases. Of course, the beer was different. I mean is it was awesome brew. They have all been awesome beers. They know how to build a nice malty backbone. They picked some nice hops throughout this hop series. 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 Blake’s El Chavo

In this cider blog, we are going to the first cider from Blake’s. It is their El Chavo. There is not much history on their website. I do know they have been in business less than five years. They make several different Hard Cider. There is about 12 different Hard Cider on tap in their Taproom. Let us get into this Hard Cider.

This cider has a clear light yellow color without a head. The smell has a slight mango and hints of Habanero peppers. The taste has a mango to earthly notes with pepper hot aftertaste. It is kind of drinkable but I can see becoming sipping cider.

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

We like spicing things up. That’s why we put dimmers on the lights in our Cider House. And it’s why we created this sweet, heated blend of Habanero Pepper, mango and our famous Blake’s apple. Experience a hard cider that’s really, honestly, truly like no other. Experience El Chavo.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.blakeshardcider.com

Twitter: @BlakesHardCider

Closing, I have to say I am not a huge hard cider fan. I am always willing to try it at least two times to see if I can find one that I like. I have to say between Woodchuck and Blake’s Hard Cider. I have found two cider companies that I enjoyed drinking their products. In the few times, I had some of Blake’s Hard Ciders. I did not have time to write tasting notes. I had to write-up for this special and unique cider. I like it. I did not know how the peppers would go over with apple and mango notes. The Habanero Pepper starts to shine through the end part of the pint. It is not overpowering which I liked. There is a nice balance in this Hard Cider. 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 Sierra Nevada Brewery Porter

In this beer blog, we are going to sample one of my favorite porters in the craft beer world. It is Sierra Nevada Porter. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this California craft brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know one of the legends in the craft beer world. Let us get into this porter.

This porter has a black color with a semi on light brown color head. The smell has a burned to slight notes of chocolate. The taste has a creamy roasted chocolate with a roasted malty to dry chocolate aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable for the beer style.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Sierra Nevada Classic Porter is a testament to roasted malts which give it a rich bittersweet and roasted coffee like flavor. This all-American adaptation of the traditional workingman’s ale is well-balanced and a perfect complement to a variety of foods.

Before Sierra Nevada was a reality, nights were spent perfecting homebrew recipes and dreaming of starting a brewery. One of our favorite beers was a porter. Made before roasted malts were readily available, we spent time in the kitchen roasting barley for our own malt. The result is big malt flavor – rich, bittersweet, and roasted.

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

Porters were invented as a fortifying drink for the rough-and-tumble working class of London’s bustling markets. It was brewed for good folks with calluses on their hands, doing work that needed to be done. We salute those working-class heroes with our classic Porter, brewed in the hop-forward American style and featuring a depth of malt flavor and complexity with roasted notes of black coffee and cocoa.

Origin of Porter

The origins of porter are shrouded in mystery, but most agree that by the middle 1600s there were many beers of various styles referred to as porters not because of a singular flavor characteristic, but because of their intended audience—the hardworking folks shuttling gear in England’s bustling markets. In fact, porter as we know it today—roasty, dry and dark as midnight—would have been impossible to achieve because efficient and reliable malt roasters weren’t invented for another hundred years. One thing is certain though, porters developed alongside the Industrial Revolution and as brewing technology improved, so did the technique and quality of the beer. Porter was the first mass-produced style of beer and the beer that helped build the mighty British brewing industry. It will forever be associated with London’s working class.

Stout versus Porter

While the exact origins of porter are hazy, the development of stout is more straightforward. By the 1700s bolder, high-alcohol versions of any style of beer were referred to as “stout” or strong. By then, porter was far and away the most popular beer style in the British Isles, and clever breweries began advertising the stronger versions of their beers as “stout porter.” By the late 1800s, regular porters had fallen out of favor and stout porter, or simply stout, took their place. There are many different varieties of stout ranging from the light bodied, low-alcohol Dry Irish Stout to the vicious, rich and strong Imperial Stout.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.sierranevada.com

Twitter: @sierranevada

In the end, Sierra Nevada is so beyond under rated to us here in midwest and east coast. I am not sure on how they are viewed on the west coast. I believe pretty highly. I just feel most craft beer drinkers just see Sierra Nevada as the brewery that makes one really good brew, which is their Pale Ale. I love their Pale Ale but they offer so much more to their beer drinkers. This porter is one of their finest brews that they make. I can enjoy this beer in any season. It is pretty drinkable and full of flavor. 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 Founders Backwoods Bastard Ale (2014)

In this special beer blog, we are going to sample a special limited beer, which is Backwoods Bastard Ale, from Founders Brewery. 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 Michigan craft brewery. Let us get into this beer.

It has a nice dark ruby-red color without a head on this barrel aged ale. The aroma has a sweet malty to slight bourdon along with some vanilla and other earthly notes. The taste has a sweet malty, alcohol, and earthly notes. The aftertaste has a nice warm alcohol finish. It is a nice sipping beer.

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

Expect lovely, warm smells of single malt scotch, oaky bourbon barrels, smoke, sweet caramel and roasted malts, a bit of earthy spice, and a scintilla of dark fruit. It’s a kick-back sipper made to excite the palate.

ABV: 10.2%

IBUs: 50

Availability: November

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.foundersbrewing.com

Twitter: @foundersbrewing

In the end, I kept on hearing this is the beer that you need to try from a Michigan craft brewery. It is a must find and try. When I hear it was released, I rushed out and found a few bottles. I was pretty excited this beer. I love ales aged in barrels. I am a huge fan of old ales, wheat wines, and barley wines. I have said it is a nice sipping beer. I love the sweet malty to alcohol notes. There is a pretty nice balance. I have to say for the price and I was looking for more out of this beer. I just believe it is not worth it. I will get at least a bottle every year but I am not going out of my way like I did this year. It is beyond overrated. Let me put it this way. It is very good beer but not the best in this beer style that I have had in my lifetime. If you see it, try it. I would love to hear your thoughts. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser16@gamil.com

Twitter: @djweiser

Instagram: @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Coronado Brewing Blue Bridge Coffee Stout

In this beer blog, we are going to sample the second beer from Coronado Brewing. It is their Blue Bridge Coffee Stout. If you read my earlier beer blog on their everyday IPA, you know the history of this California craft brewery. If you have not, please, read it to get to know Coronado Brewing. Let us get into this coffee stout.

It has a jet black color with a tan to light brown color head. The aroma has a heavy coffee with a burn chocolate notes. The taste has a smooth creamy chocolate with a dry coffee aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Just as the iconic Coronado Bay Bridge connects our island home to the mainland, this java-tinged dry stout, brewed using dark roasted coffee beans from a local San Diego artisanal roaster, provides a bridge uniting craft beer drinkers with CBC’s rich, flavorful SoCal brewing traditions.

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

Just as the iconic Coronado Bay Bridge connects our island home to the mainland, this java-tinged dry stout, brewed using dark roasted coffee beans from a local San Diego artisanal roaster, provides a bridge uniting craft beer drinkers with CBC’s rich, flavorful SoCal brewing traditions.

Details
Style: Coffee Stout Malt Profile: 2-Row, Crisp 45, Simpson R.B. Ingredients: Café to dark roast coffee-10lbs per 10bbl Hop Profile: Northern Brewer Yeast Profile: Cal Ale IBUs: 27 Alcohol by Vol: 5.40% Sizes: Bottles: 22 oz. | Draft: 1/6bbl & 1/2bbl

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.coronadobrewingcompany.com

Twitter: @CoronadoBrewing

In the end, I was pretty excited when this craft brewery hit the shelves here in Michigan. I have been wanting to try their beers. I love my coffee stouts. It was a no brainer to pick up bottle of their coffee stout. I was not impressed with this beer. It just seems a little water down. It is not good and it could be better. It is pretty than most on the market. There is better coffee stouts on the market. It might be ok in the warm weather in California. Here in the Midwest, we need a heavy stouts and porters. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter: @djweiser

Instagram: @djweiser13

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Wet Hop versus Fresh Hop

Dry Hops

Experimental Hops

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