dark copper

New Beer Blog New Belgium Frambozen Ale (2014)

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In this special beer blog, we are going to get into their holiday beer from New Belgium Brewery.  It is their Frambozen Ale.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this mountain area craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know New Belgium Brewery.  Let us get into this American Brown ale.

It has a clear ruby-red color when held up to the light. The smell has a heavy sweet raspberry notes. The taste has a sweet malty with raspberry wine notes. The brown ale calms wine notes. The aftertaste has a sweet raspberry finish. It is a nice sipping but kind of drinkable beer for the holiday season.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Flemish for “raspberry,” Frambozen is our big, luscious celebration of the ruby-red fruit. We discovered the perfect marriage between the fruity complexity of northwestern raspberries and the rich chocolate, roasted maltiness of a Brown Ale. Frambozen pours a warming, deep red of seasonal festivity.

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

Frambozen begins with the aroma of fresh red raspberries, followed by the ripe seductiveness of a fruity brown ale with depth and delicate malt notes. It is deep ruby in color, with flavors just as rich. Every year, New Belgium sends a delegate to the Pacific Northwest to oversee the process of turning freshly picked berries into a pure juice to be added in fermentation. The coming of Thanksgiving at New Belgium is ushered in with the first sighting of our cellar operators scuttling about, covered head to tow in a festive crimson berry wash.

Here is their website and twitter:

Website:  www.newbelgium.com

Twitter:  @newbelgium

In the end, I have been wanting to try this so many seasons.  I miss it season after season.  I saw it on the shelf this winter season.  I knew I had to pick it up right away.  I knew the raspberries would go over pretty well with the brown ale.  This is before trying this brew.  I love the nice color.  It has that Flemish Brown color but it is not a sour.  I love it. There is a nice balance from the raspberries and the brown ale.  It kind of has a little wine like notes which is a little unique.  This is by far the best winter seasonal on the market this 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 Bell’s Mercury The Winged Messenger Belgian Style Ale

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In this special beer blog, we are going to get into third brew from this Planet series from Bell’s Brewery.  It is Mercury The Winged Messenger Belgian Style Ale.  After a major recall, I took my chances to try this beer because of glass being in it. I filter this beer twice.  I am still alive and I did not see any glass.  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 legend.  Let us get into this Belgian style ale.

It has a slight cloudy golden color with a white constant head. It has a big bubbles in the head. The smell has a floral to herbal notes. The taste has an herbal to species.  The aftertaste has a nice dry finish. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

This is one of a seven part series inspired by Gustav Holst’s musical composition.  “The Planets,” strap in and embark on a flavor tour of our solar system – in the order of Holst’s piece, Mars to Neptune.

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

The Winged Messenger

STYLE: Belgian Single

RELEASE DATE: December 2014

ABV: 4.8%

COLOR: Pale, straw

GLASSWARE: Snifter

TASTING NOTES: Light and sessionable like its namesake, the third release in the Bell’s Planet Series, Mercury: The Winged Messenger, was inspired by the Belgian Single, a style traditionally brewed by monks in Belgium for their own consumption.

This interpretation has bready and grainy notes from Belgian malt, herbal and balanced characteristics from the hops and a subtle, but spicy character from the Belgian yeast. Fruity notes of pear are also present in this light, bright and complex session beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.bellsbeer.com

Twitter:  @BellsBrewery

Ending, I did enjoy this beer. The problem that i have with this beer is the price.  I am paying so much for a session Belgian Ale.  I get what they were doing.  It was not really good for the price.  If it was cheaper or everyday brew, it would make a little bit more senses.  There is a little rumor out there.  Bell’s did a recall because the liquid was not up to their standards.  It has nothing to do with glass in the bottles.  They made something up to get this liquid off the market.  This is just a rumor and I heard it in a few craft beer bars.  If you can find a bottle, drink it at your own risk.  I believe this is once in a lifetime brew.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweser13

New Beer Blog Shipyard Brewing Prelude Special Ale (2014)

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into another seasonal from Shipyard Brewery.  It is their Prelude Special Ale.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers. you know the history of this east coast craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know Shipyard Brewery.  Let us get into this winter warmer.

It has a clear dark ruby-red color with constant small bubbles feeding a constant white head. The smell has a sweet burned malty to light rum liquor notes. There is some alcohol notes in the aroma.  The taste has a sweet burned malty with a burn alcohol aftertaste. This beer will warm you up in the winter. It is a sipping winter ale.

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

Prelude Special Ale

 “This seasonal specialty is the perfect winter warmer.”

Prelude is a rich, nutty, full-bodied English ale with an inviting amber hue and hoppy finish.

First Brewed:  December 1993

Available:  November – December

Malt Style:  2-Row British Pale Ale, Crystal, Chocolate, Wheat

Yeast:  Top-Fermenting English

Hops:  Cascade, Tettnang, Fuggles

Color:  Deep Amber

IBUs:  47

OG:  1.070

ABV:  6.7%

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.shipyard.com

Twitter:  @shipyardbrewing

Closing, I have seen this brew a few times on the shelf.   The question that I had every time is should I pick up this time?  I do not know whyI kept on walking away from it.  Is it the packaging? Or is it lack of information on the packaging?  Either way, I finally picked up this beer and I am glad I did.  I have been wanting to try it.   I kind of like this brew. This is a hidden gem for us in the Midwest. It is kind of unknown brew here. There is some nice balance but yet a nice complex notes.  I love the alcohol notes.   This is a nice beer to keep you warm in the winter months.  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