brewery

New Blog Blue Moon Harvest Pumpkin Ale

In this blog, we are doing the last one from Blue Moon Brewing Company.  The beer is Harvest Pumpkin Ale, which is their Fall Seasonal.  If you read my blog on their Summer Seasonal, we are pretty much up to speed with the brewery.  I will not bore you with the history again.  If you have not read it, please go back to read the first part of that post.  Let us get into the beer.

Blue Moon Harvest Pumpkin Ale is their seasonal six-pack and twelve pack bottles.  It is also part of their fall sampler twelve pack bottles. It has a deep dark copper color without a head on the beer.  The smell to the beer is a cinnamon and a ton of nutmeg and a slight pumpkin.  The taste is a cinnamon, nutmeg, and a little pumpkin.  The aftertaste is a little wheat to yeast to this fall seasonal. It is drinkable.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

A pumpkin ale crafted with autumn’s bounty of vine-ripened pumpkin and flavors of cloves, allspice, and nutmeg,  Then brewed with a touch of wheat for a smooth, lightly spiced finish.

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

In 1995, we crafted our first autumn seasonal—Pumpkin Ale. At the time, Oktoberfest beers were in high demand. For our version, we wanted to create a beer that was a little different than what was already out there and complemented the season by highlighting the flavors we’ve all grown to love during this time. It was so popular that it became the first nationally available pumpkin ale. Harvest Pumpkin Ale, as it’s called now, is crafted with pumpkin and spices of cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice for a taste you’ll want to fall right into.
Available in 12-oz. bottles, 6-pack, 12-pack, Draft
Ingredients and Profile
Malts: Munich, Caramel
Hops: Hallertau
Our Twist: Pumpkin, Cinnamon, Nutmeg, Clove, Allspice
IBUs: 16
Original Gravity: 15º Plato
ABV: 5.7%
Appearance:  Deep amber-colored ale with brilliant clarity and a rich, white head.
Aroma:  Very complex aroma consisting of malty spice notes.
Taste:  The taste starts out with assertive malty notes and is quickly balanced with the right amount of harvest spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves, and allspice. There’s a small amount of bitterness to keep the malt sweetness from building up.
Mouthfeel:  A medium-bodied ale with just enough carbonation to balance the rich caramel character.
Finish:  Finishes with a smooth, clean malt and spice taste. Hints of cinnamon, nutmeg, and malt gradually fade.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.bluemoonbrewingcompany.com

Twitter:  there is no twitter address

In closing, being one of the first Pumpkin Ales, it does not mean that it is a good beer.  It is a drinkable beer but this is a really bad beer.  I had several different Pumpkin Ales so far this season and this is at the bottom of the list.  I am not saying it because it is made from a mass beer company.  I just gave them credit in a few post earlier.  This beer is really bad and you can find it everywhere.  I know for a fact if you do want to try, which I will suggest it, that you could find it for a pretty good price in a bar or where beer is sold down at the store level.  I just want to hear your thoughts on this beer. Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blog Blue Moon Carmel Apple Spiced Ale

In this blog, we are sampling out another beer from the Blue Moon Brewing Company and the beer is called Carmel Apple Spiced Ale.  If you read my earlier blog on their Summer Ale, you are pretty much know about this brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

Blue Moon Limited Autumn Release Carmel Apple Spiced Ale is part of their fall sampler twelve pack bottles.  It has a copper color without a head on the beer.  The smell is caramel apple with cinnamon and touch of nutmeg to it.  The taste is of cinnamon caramel to apple. It is sweet yet extremely drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

This copper-colored ale is crafted with caramel malts, cinnamon, and fresh apple juice to stir up the tastes of fall.

Thank you to all our fans that helped us craft this limited autumn release.  For this fall seasonal, we blended fresh apple juice with cinnamon, nutmeg, and caramel malts for a warming spice taste.

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

So Crisp, You’ll Want to Bite Right Into It.
Limited Autumn Release.
In anticipation of the blue moon on August 31, 2012, we reached out to our fans to help us craft our next Blue Moon®. We started by taking suggestions from our fans, and then we brewed three beers based on their input. Then came the hard part—tasting the beers. Our fans voted for their favorite, and with that we now welcome Caramel Apple Spiced Ale to our collection of limited seasonal releases. We blend apple juice with cinnamon, nutmeg, and caramel malts for a warming spice taste to stir up the tastes of fall.
Available in 12-oz. bottles, Brewmaster’s Autumn Sampler Pack
Ingredients and Profile
Malts: Pale, White Wheat, Caramel, Munich
Hops: Spalt Select
Our Twist: Apple Juice, Cinnamon, Nutmeg
IBUs: 16
Original Gravity: 14º Plato A
BV: 5.8%
Appearance:  Rich copper with high clarity and a creamy head.
Aroma:  Warm spice aroma of cinnamon and nutmeg with hints of apples and caramel malt.
Taste:   A seasonal blend of spice and caramel malts that highlight the crisp apple taste.
Mouthfeel:  Medium to full-bodied ale.
Finish:  Spice gives way to a smooth apple finish that cleans up nicely.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.bluemoonbrewingcompany.com

Twitter:  there is no twitter address

In the end, this beer is shocking good and taste like by the name of the beer.  It is a liquid form of a Caramel Apple you would get out in a farm or what your Mom use to make.  This is the point why we drink these craft beers.  It should touch our past experiences.  This beer has done that to me.  I really enjoy this beer and it comes accross more as a dessert beer.  This is not a beer you can enjoy all day because it will be too sweet for after a while.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!   \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blog Blue Moon Belgian-Style Pale Ale

In this blog, Blue Moon Belgian-Style Pale Ale is the beer that will be sampled out from their Fall Sampler Pack.  If you read my earlier blog on their Summer Seasonal, you are up to speed on this brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

Blue Moon Pale Ale is available in six pack bottles and part of their seasonal sampler twelve pack bottles.  It is a clear copper color without a head on the beer.  It has a dull earthly smell to the beer.  This pale ale has a sweet malty to earthly and slightly piney taste to it. It is drinkable. It has an English Pale Ale taste to the beer.

Here is a descriation from the beer bottle:

This copper-colored ale is crafted with hibisccus, a touch of wheat, and Cascade hops for a smooth finish and subtle hop aroma.  We add a twist of orange peel and hibiscus for a well-rounded, balanced taste.

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

A Maltier Pale Ale.
While studying brewing in Belgium, our head brewmaster and founder, Keith,  met plenty of beer-minded friends who introduced him to local styles including  Belgian Pale Ales. On weekends, they’d road-trip north of Brussels to  Londerzeel—a small town famous for its Belgian Pale Ales. The malty taste  and pleasant hop aroma (without the overpowering bitterness) made a lasting  impression on Keith. So much so that when he returned to the States, he decided  to create his own interpretation of the classic style by adding hibiscus and  orange peel for a subtle citrus finish, making it a great beer to pair with a  wide variety of foods and occasions.

Available in 12-oz. bottles, 6-pack, 12-pack, Draft

Ingredients and Profile
Malts: Pale, Imported Caramel, Imported Light Caramel, White Wheat
Hops: Cascade
Our Twist: Orange Peel , Hibiscus
IBUs: 22
Original Gravity: 13º Plato
ABV: 5.4%
Glassware:  Pour in a tulip-shaped glass to capture the hop notes and allow room for a thick head on the beer.
Appearance:  The beer will have a brilliant amber color with a thick, creamy, white head.
Aroma:  Notes of caramel malt and citrus with an assertive Cascade hop aroma.
Taste:  Caramel maltiness balanced with a hint of bitterness.
Mouthfeel:  Medium body with a smooth malt character.
Finish:  A hint of hops with a slight citrus/floral taste from the orange peel and hibiscus.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.bluemoonbrewingcompany.com

Twitter:  There is no twitter address.

Closing, Blue Moon is not on my rader at all but I pick up this sampler back for their Carmel Apple Ale.  This Pale Ale is shocking good but this is not a Belgian- Pale Ale.  It is an English Style Pale ale.  It has a nice malty taste with a nice hop finish.  It is has good flavor from one of the mass produced beer companies sub brewery.  It is drinkable beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email;  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blog Slumbrew Flagraiser IPA

Starting a new tab, Slumbrew Flagraiser IPA is the beer that will be featured in this beer blog.  Slumbrew was founded by Caitlin Jewell and Jeff Leiter in Sommerville, MA.  They bottle their beers in 22oz and draft beer.  They brew several different beer.  They take the classic beer styles and put their own twist on them.  Let us get into the beer.

This India Pale Ale has a pretty cloudy copper color a head on it.  Slumbrew IPA has an earthly to slightly piney smell to it.  The taste is a sweet earthly to pine with a piney aftertaste. It is a drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Flagraiser IPA is a big, hoppy tribute to the unfurling of the Grand Union flag atop Prospect Hill in Sommerville, MA on January 1st, 1776.  This ale celebrates our passion for hop aroma and flavor balanced with just the right amount of malt.  Salute your hops!

Ale brewed with five grains, Columbus, Crystal and Galaxy Hops.  Dry-hopped with Galaxy.

Keep cold, enjoy, while fresh and serve at 45 to 50 degree.

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

Flagraiser IPA is a big, hoppy tribute to the unfurling of the Grand Union flag atop Prospect Hill in Somerville, MA on January 1, 1776. This ale celebrates our passion for hop aroma and flavor balanced with just the right amount of malt.

Huge aroma and resin-y flavors from the elusive Galaxy hops are the signature of this beer. Built on a solid base of pale malts, this double IPA makes generous use of hops from Columbus, Crystal and Galaxy with the Galaxy hops taking the lead during ten days of aggressive dry-hopping.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.slumbrew.com

Twitter:  @slumbrew

Closing out the beer tab, I really enjoyed this brewey’s beers.  As many of you know, I am not a huge fan of 22oz or 750ml bottles but I will reject my thought on that for this brewery’s beer. Many of you know I use to do a metal and beer show on STFU.FM and this brewery was one of the last breweries that was feature on that show. This India Pale Ale is a strong example of the great beers that this brewery makes in their everyday line up.  I really enjoy the hop character to its great malty backbone.  It has a nice balance and huge drinkablity. Those are huge plus for this beer. If you love West Coast Pale Ales or any India Pale Ale, I highly recommend you trying this beer out.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blog Brooklyn Brewery Pilsner

Starting a new beer tab, we are going to get into another brew from Brooklyn Brewery and the beer is Brooklyn Pilsner.  If you read my earlier blog on one of their other beers, you are pretty up to speed on this brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

Brooklyn Pilsner is part of their everyday beers. It has a clear golden color with constant white head and bubbles.  There is really no smell to the beer. The taste is a dry slight carbonated to it with crisp finish. Just like all Brooklyn beers, it has that classic European style to it. This pilsner is extremely drinkable and perfect for anytime of the year.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Brooklyn Pilsner is a pale refreshing lager, brewed in the style flavored by New York’s pre-Prohibition German-American brewers.  Brooklyn Pilsner tastes best before the freshness date indicated.  Please write us or visit the brewery Saturdays noon to 5pm.  79 N 11th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211, or visit our website at www.brookynbrewery.com.

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

Brooklyn Pilsner is a refreshing golden lager beer, brewed in the style favored by New York’s pre-prohibition brewers. In the 1840’s, the pilsner style emerged from central Europe to become the world’s most popular style of beer. Like its ancestors, Brooklyn Pilsner is traditionally brewed from the finest German two-row barley malts. Germangrown Perle and Hallertauer hops provide a crisp, snappy bitterness and fresh, floral aroma. The flavor of the malt comes through in the finish. We ferment Brooklyn Pilsner at cool temperatures, and then give it a long, gentle maturation (lagering), which results in a beer of superior complexity and smoothness. We believe that you will find there to be none finer. Unlike mass-marketed so-called pilsners, Brooklyn Pilsner does not contain cheap fillers such as corn or rice, nor does it contain any preservatives or stabilizers. Brooklyn Pilsner is the real thing.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.brooklynbrewery.com

Twitter:  @brooklynbrewery

Closing out the tab, I have really been enjoying Brooklyn beers.  This beer style is slowly becoming one of my favorite beer styles.  I really love the clean crisp finish and the medium body.  It has a ton of flavor and perfect for any season from the Summer to Winter.  If you love pilsners, this is one beer you need to try a few times.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blog Shiner Spring Ale Dortmunder

In this blog, we are going to get into one of the seasonal from the Shiner Brewery,  It is their spring seasonal called Dortmunder.  If you read my earlier blog, you are pretty up to speed with this brewery.  Let us get into the brewery.

Shiner Dortmunder has a copper color without a head on the beer.  There is a slight malty smell to the beer.  It has a sweet, carbonation, and carmel taste with a dry crisp finish to it. It is a drinkable spring beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Spring has a sprung at the little brewery in Shiner, TX (pop. 2,070).  And with it, our newest brew, Shiner Dortmunder-Style Spring Ale.  This Old World classic pours deep gold in color, with a white head and smooth flavor.  Its medium hop bitterness, and hints of grain honey and floral hops will refresh you like a sun-drenched nap on a lush green lawn.  Prosit!

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.shiner.com

Twitter:  @shinerbeer

In closing, Shiner Dortmunder is not one of my favorite seasonals or beers from Shiner Brewery.  It is not a bad beer for being a meduim body beer.  It is a perfect beer for the spring time.  This beer is good to drink all day while doing lawn work or watching a baseball game from start to finish.  If you love German style beers, you will love Shiner Brewery’s beers.  They are German base asides Shiner Wild Hare, which is newest beer to their everday lineup and I have blogged about it in the past.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blog Half Acre Brewery Over Ale

In this blog, we are going to check out one of many craft breweries from Chicago.  Half Acre Brewery was founded 2006 by Gabriel Magliaro in Chicago, IL.  They brew several different beers.  Being a young brewery, there is not too much information on this brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a brown color with an off white head. It has sweet malty smell to it. The taste is a sweet carbonation malty to it. The aftertaste is something that I could do without in a beer. It is drinkable asides the aftertaste.

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

Website is down right now!

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.halfacrebeer.com

Twitter:  @HalfAcreBeer

In closing, there is some places that call this American Brown Ale and other call this American Style Bitter.  I believe this is an American Brown Ale.  This is a pretty drinkable beer but the aftertaste has killed it for me.  I am really not a fan of this beer.  Just because I did not like this beer, this does not mean you will not like this beer.  Half Acre Brewery does pretty good in Chicagoland and I know they have a fan base here.   I will keep trying their beers and I believe I will find something I like from them.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blog Lagunitas Brewery Fusion 8

In this blog, we are going to check out Lagunitas Brewery and the beer is Fusion 8.  Lagunitas Brewery was founded in 1993 by Tony Magee in Petaluma, California.  They brew several different beer styles but they are known for their India Pale Ale.  This brewery is expanding to Chicago in 2013 and they are hoping to have their taproom open in late 2012. Let us get into the beer.

I was told when I was at the Blues Bar that this was a  special beer for Chicago.  I cannot find anything on their website or the internet.  It has a dark deep brown color without a head.  It has a chocolate and slight citrus notes for the nose. It has a sweet chocolate to slight citrus taste.  It is drinkable beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.lagunitas.com

Twitter:  no twitter address

In closing, I enjoyed drinking this beer and I have enjoyed many of their beers.  I cannot wait for their taproom to open and to see what they will do when they get their brewery up and running.  I heard some special things are coming to us craft beer drinkers. This is a really good beer and I wish it was in package.  Just what I said above, I believe this is just in Chicago so I hope they do some more brews like this beer.  Do not worry beer blog reader, I will be doing more blogging on this brewery soon.  Go get some if you can find it!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blog Uinta Brewery Punk’n Harvest Pumpkin Ale

In this blog, we are going to take a look at the first pumpkin and fall beer of 2012.  This beer is Punk’n Harvest Pumpkin Ale from Uinta Brewery.  If you read my blog posts from this brewery, you are pretty much know a little something about this brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

Pumpkin ale has a dark copper color without a head on it.  It has a pumpkin like smell to the beer. The beer drinker will experience a ginger to other spices along with a little pumpkin.  For being a fall beer it is extremely drinkable.

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

Description

This sessionable pumpkin ale is brewed with fresh pumpkin and seasonal spices.

Tasting Notes

Malt and hops accented with roasted pumpkin and spices of the season. A subtle hint of vanilla and honey. Punk’n is a wonderful compliment to foods with nutmeg, cinnamon, and clove flavors. Try it with roasted turkey, squash or pumpkin ravioli, peach cobbler, or pumpkin cheesecake.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.uintabrewing.com

Twitter:  @uintabrewing

In closing, we are now getting into my seasonal beers that I love but make me sad because the motorcycle is in storage until next spring season.  Uinta Brewing is an important brewery to me in the United States.  They are pushing the limits of beer brewing to the next level.  This beer is kind of organic and it is really good tasting beer.  However, Uinta Punk’n is not my favorite pumpkin ale, it is still a really good full flavor beer.  I would recommend you trying this beer then giving up on it because it is another pumpkin beer.  This is a perfect balance of pumpkin to other spices.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blog Baderbrau Chicago Pilsner

Starting a new tab, we are going to sample out a beer, which is Baderbrau Brewing Company, called Baderbrau Chicago Pilsner.  The brewery, which is Pavichevich Brewing Company, was founded in 1988 by Kenneth Pavichevich, who was a former Chicago Police Officer.  He travel Europe and enjoyed find beers.  He believed that Chicago should have its own world class beer.  Kenneth filed for bankrupt and then sold to Goose Island Brewery in 1997.  It was later named Golden Goose Pils and later Goose Island Pils.  They stop brewing the beer in 2002 and lanched a beer called 312 Urban Wheat as a draft only and then bottles.  This pilsner was replace by one of the biggest craft brand in Chicago right now.  This beer returned in 2012 under Baderbrau Brewery Company in Chicago.  Let us get into the beer.

This pilsner has a dark golden color with a constant white head on the beer. There is really no smell to the beer.  The taste of the beer is the normal import pilsner. Even though the beer is a craft beer here in Chicago.  It is crisp dry and refreshing with a huge drinkable aspect to it.

Here is a descriation from the beer bottle:

Chicago’s Original Craft Beer

In 1989, when Barderbrau was first introduced in Chicago, its upstart spirit, revolutionary nature, and award-winning flavor won accolades and captured the imagination of a great city.  Rooted in the old-world ideas of Eastern Europe’s top craftmen and infused with bold American character, this beerdared to be greater.  This beer started Chicago’s craft revolution.  This Beer.  In your hand—now.

Its deep amber color, spicy hop-forward aroma, malty body, and creamy finish sets it apart from all others.  With an unconventional blend of the finest ingredients—North American water, exacting proportions of imported German aromatic Noble hops accenting Czech Saaz, an exclusive stain of European lager yeast, and robust malts from the USA—it defines a style all its own.  Baderbrau Chicago Pilsner.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.baderbrau.com

Twitter:  @baderbrau

Closing out the tab, this pilsner has that old school European feel to it.  I am just now getting into pilsner beer style.  I have to say this beer is interesting.  I do enjoy this beer and I do remember seeing Goose Island Pils in the market when I first moved to Chicago.  I never had it and I wonder if they could resurface that beer.  I know they will not do that because they want to be known as an Ale House.  This beer has a ton of flavor and exetremely drinkable.  A beer drinker could drink this in a Chicago Summer days to Winter days.  I love this beer and I am glad to see it back in Chicagoland area.  It is drinking the history of Chicago Craft history in your hand.  Go try and tell me your thoughts on this beer.  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser