dark copper

New Beer Blog New Belgium Pumpkick Ale (2014)

In this fall beer blog, we are going to get into this year’s limited release from New Belgium and it is Pumpkick Ale. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this employee owned brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know this craft brewery. Let us get into this pumpkin ale brewed with cranberries.

It has a clear copper to bronze color with a white constant head on this fall seasonal. The smell has a pumpkin to cranberry notes. The taste has a slight pumpkin but the cranberries take over the taste profile. The aftertaste is a heavy cranberry notes. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

What’s that bite of tartness doing in a pumpkin beer? Adding the unexpected kick of cranberry juice to brighten this traditionally spiced seasonal ale. PUMPKICK is brewed with plenty of pumpkin juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, but it’s the cranberries and touch of lemongrass that’ll have you hunt and pecking for more.

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

What’s that bite of tartness doing in a pumpkin beer? Adding the unexpected kick of cranberry juice to brighten this traditionally spiced seasonal ale. Pumpkick is brewed with plenty of pumpkin juice, cinnamon, nutmeg, and allspice, but it’s the cranberries and touch of lemongrass that send your taste buds sailing. Available in September and October 2014.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.newbelgium.com

Twitter: @newbelgium

In the end, this is the beer that brought me back into trying and retrying New Belgium’s beers. I will be up front and say I did not like their beers or most of them. I was excited to see this beer coming back for at least one more season. New Belgium Brewery makes the same seasonal for at least two years and then switch to a new one. They wanted to see if they could get one more season out of this brew. There is lack of cranberries this season. The new fall seasonal is Tour De Fall. I might try to get a review up before the end of the season. Pumpkick was my favorite fall beer from last season. This year was a little disappointed. I felt that my bottles did not have enough of the cranberry notes. I loved last years more. There was not as much cranberry notes as this year’s brew. It is still a great brew. I highly recommend this brew. Go get some before it disappears again. 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 Bonafide Legit American IPA

In this beer blog, we are going to get into Bonafide Legit American IPA from Short’s Brewing. This is a special brew because they used Summit hops from Michigan. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this Northwestern Michigan craft brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get ot know this brewery. Let us get into this American IPA.

It has a cloudy golden color in the light with a white constant head. The aroma has an earthy to citrus notes. The taste has a citrus notes with a dry bitter hop finish. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

A light bodied American Pale Ale brewed entirely with Northern Michigan grown Summit hops. An excellent sharp aroma of strong floral and fruity characteristics stings the senses with hop laced anticipation. A sticky hop filled mouthful of damp earthy pine with notable herbal accents coats the entire mouth, followed by a big resiny bitterness that lingers well into the finish, drying the palate and resonating boldly.

ABV 6%

IBU 85

6% ABV

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.shortsbrewing.com

Twitter: @shortsbrewing

Closing, I love this beer. This is their real IPA. This is so much better than their everyday beer. I have to say there is something that is starting to bother me. I love the fact that their website calls this a pale ale but the packaging says American IPA. So which is it. I starting to wonder if it was a print misprinted but if you look at the IBU’s, it is in the range of being an IPA. I am calling this IPA not a pale ale. In other words, this is a great beer and I am pretty impressed. I highly recommend this beer. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy i! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter: @djweiser

Instagram: @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Lagunitas Sucks Brown Shugga’ Substitute Ale

In this beer blog, we are going to get into a special release from Lagunitas Brewery. It is their Sucks Brown Shugga’ Substitute Ale. 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 beer in quart bottle.

It has a clear bright golden copper color with a white constant head. The smell has a heavy citrus notes with a slight caramel notes. It is really fated. The taste has citrus to a slight creamy caramel notes. The aftertaste has crisp dry bitter finish that is pretty smooth. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Originally brewed in 2011 as a Brown Shugga’ substitute, due to construction-induced capacity issues. But we liked it so much it had to make a return trip.

AVAILABLE: LATE NOVEMBER thru JANUARY
ABV: 7.85%
Sold as: 6-Packs & Kegs (plus 32oz Quarts in select markets)
Net contents: Ounces and ounces of Malt, Hops, Yeast and water.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.lagunitas.com

Twitter: @lagunitasbeer

Closing, I have always loved Lagunitas Sucks. I am always sad that this beer is only a seasonal. This Sucks is their Brown Shagga edition. Plus, I love that it comes out in 32oz or quart bottle. I am saving my bottle. When I visited the brewery in Chicago this last summer, they were selling these bottles and I wanted to take it home. The problem was that I flew out of Chicago. I love all nice caramel to citrus notes. They picked a nice selection of hops and build a well design malty backbone. I love this beer and I will have a few more bottles in the neat future. 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 New Belgium Saison Harvest Ale (2014)

In this fall beer blog, we are going to get into New Belgium Saison Harvest Ale. This beer was their fall seasonal back in 2007. Every season, New Belgium brings back seasonal back to life in their sampler pack. The sampler pack comes with two bottles each of three of their selected everyday beers. 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 New Belgium Brewery. Let us get into this Saison Ale.

It has a nice clear golden color with a nice white constant head. There is some nice small constant bubbles in middle of the beer. The aroma has a nice Belgian spicy notes. The taste has a nice refreshing citrus notes with some spice kick. The aftertaste has citrus finish. It is extremely drinkable.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Brewed with a yeast harvested from Belgium, our SAISON has a just-picked freshness reminiscent of the farm-house ales produced each fall in Blegium. Pale bronze in color, this delicately hopped ale has a bright, yeasty, artisanal quality worthy of toasting those long autumn sunsets.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.newbelgium.com

Twitter: @newbelgium

Ending, I really love this beer and I wish it was still in six packs form. I love how this brewery change-up their seasonal every two to three years. It could be a good thing or a bad thing. If there is a seasonal that you are not a fan of it, you will be looking forward to the new one to come out. I love how they revisit some of their old seasonal in their sampler pack. This is a perfect and true to the classic saison style. It is not overly hop but it is not under hop. It is refreshing and keeps you coming back for more beer. I recommend this beer and their fall sampler pack. 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 Harpoon Brewery UFO Pumpkin Ale (2014)

In this fall beer blog, we are going to get into another Harpoon Brewery beer. It is their UFO Pumpkin Ale. If you read my earlier beer bog 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 pumpkin ale.

It has a cloudy amber color with a white constant head. The aroma has a heavy cinnamon to nutmeg notes. The taste has a nice creamy cinnamon to nutmeg notes with a cinnamon banana clove aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

It’s a simple story; we brew this beer because we like pumpkin (pumpkin pie, really) and thought an unfiltered pumpkin ale would be great, especially during the New England fall. Turns out it is.

Description

Imagine a pumpkin vine wound its way in a field of barley, and a brewer harvested it all to make a beer. Add Northwestern hops and a blend of spices, and you’ve got UFO Pumpkin. The malt combination provides a smooth body and slightly sweet flavor, which balances perfectly with the earthy notes derived from the pure pumpkin. And like all of our UFO beers, UFO Pumpkin is UnFiltered.

Tasting Notes

Appearance: Amber and orange with a slight haze

Aroma: Malty with hints of pumpkin and spice

Mouth feel: Slightly sweet and smooth

Taste: A solid malt backbone highlighting German Vienna and Munich malts with a nice dose of pumpkin and spice, reminiscent of pumpkin pie

Finish: Easy drinking with a lingering pumpkin aftertaste on the back of the tongue

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.harpoonbrewery.com

Twitter: @harpoon_brewery

In the end, I was looking to try this beer for many seasons when they made it to the Chicago market. It is average beer. There is better pumpkin ales on the market. I will say this beer is so much better than Blue Moon Pumpkin and Brooklyn Pumpkin Ale. I did enjoy this beer but I just feel it could be a lot better. I will try it again next season. I recommend it at least once. 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 Harpoon Brewery Octoberfest (2014)

In this fall beer blog, we are going to get into Harpoon Brewery and the beer is their Octoberfest. This is the first time this beer is being featured on this blog. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this northeast craft brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know this 1980’s craft brewery. Let us get into this Octoberfest.

It has a clear amber color with a white constant head. The aroma has a sweet malty to nutty notes. The taste has a slight sweet malty to nutty notes with a dry malty finish for the aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

This rich, full-bodied, malty beer – perfectly balanced with a generous dose of hops – calls out for lederhosen, dirndls, and oompah music!

Roll out the barrels!

And keep them coming, because this is going to be one festive, malty fall. Come to the brewery and celebrate Octoberfest with us! Prosit!

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

The original German Oktoberfest was brewed with one celebratory festival in mind. Harpoon Octoberfest is brewed with TWO festivals in mind; our Octoberfests at our breweries in Boston, MA and Windsor, VT. We love the style and it’s a great beer for the fall season. In true Octoberfest tradition, we threw our first festival here at the brewery in 1990. There were a couple thousand people here celebrating amidst the brewing tanks. We can’t quite fit everyone in the actual brewery now – last year nearly 18,000 revelers attended our Boston Octoberfest and nearly 7,000 joined us at our brewery in Vermont the following weekend. Prost!

Description

Harpoon Octoberfest is a malty tribute to fall, balanced by a gentle hop bitterness. In keeping with tradition, it is a Marzen-style beer, brewed with abundant quantities of Munich, Chocolate, and Pale malts. Those malts provide a solid, full body and create the beer’s deep color. It is a rich, flavorful beer.

Tasting Notes

Appearance: garnet-red color with a firm, creamy head.

Aroma: hop aroma, (not overpowering but present)

Mouth feel: full-bodied, smooth, and malty

Taste: gentle bitterness to balance any residual sweetness

Finish: soft and malty with a mild bitterness

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.harpoonbrewery.com

Twitter: @harpoon_brewery

Closing, I like this beer. This beer gives you something different then the rest of the Oktoberfest on the market. Most Oktoberfest are very sweet with a heavy caramel notes. There is some with a heavy malty notes. This one is like this year’s Sierra Nevada Oktoberfest. This beer is true to the classic beer style. I love how it echoes the fall season which it should. I will be picking up some more bottles before the end of the season. I wish I could get this in cans. I would to take this out to cook outs or tailgating. This is a great beer and I recommend 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 Anchor Brewery Big Leaf Maple Autumn Red Ale (2014)

In this fall beer blog, we are going to get into Big Leaf Maple Autumn Red Ale from Anchor Brewery. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their Anchor Brewing IPA post, you know the history of this craft brewery. If you have not, please, read it to get to know this west coast craft brewery. Let us get into this fall beer.

It has a nice clear red to amber color with a white head. The aroma has a sweet malt to hints of maple syrup. The taste has a carbonated malty to slight nutty notes. The aftertaste is a dry slight burned maple syrup to malty notes. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a desecration from the beer bottle and website (www.anchorbrewing.com):

Our fall seasonal, BigLeaf Maple Autumn Red™, was inspired by a native California tree, its incredible leaves, its delicious syrup, and the best colors of fall. Bigleaf maple thrives along the banks of California’s mountain streams. Native Californians once made rope and baskets from its bark. Today, artisans handcraft its wood and burl into custom guitars. In autumn its huge leaves, up to a foot across, can display a full range of color as they slowly turn from green to gold to red. Bigleaf maple sugaring in California dates to the 1800s; yet this tree’s unusually flavorful syrup remains the product of a small group of hobbyists. A hint of maple—including bigleaf maple—syrup in every brew perfectly complements the malty complexity, balanced hoppiness, and rich fall hue of BigLeaf Maple Autumn Red™, a red ale like no other.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.anchorbrewing.com

Twitter: @anchorbrewing

In closing, I was looking forward to trying this beer. I was pretty interested on how the maple syrup would go over with the red ale. I liked it. The aftertaste is pretty dry aftertaste. There is some nice flavor and some complex notes. I enjoyed drinking this beer. I might be picking up some more before the end of the season. There is so many fall seasonals that I want to get into. I like this beer if it was for dessert or a late night beer. I know there are some people that can drink this while they are tailgating. This is a great beer. I recommend 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 Alaskan Brewery Hop Thermia Double IPA

In this beer blog, we are going to get into Hop Thermia Double IPA from Alaskan Brewery. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this Northwest craft brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know this craft brewery. Let us get into this beer.

It has a clear copper color with a semi white head. The smell has slight citrus notes. The taste has a citrus notes with a citrus hop bitter finish for the aftertaste. It is a sipping beer.

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

Style:

This American Double India Pale Ale, or IPA, is as big and bold as the mythical lone brewer himself. Legend has it that he first came up with this beer, with the help of his woodland friends, to fight against the long frigid winter nights endured by all of the pioneers of the Last Frontier.

Flavor Profile:

Hopothermia is a full-flavored representation of the Double IPA style with a robust malt body resting in easy harmony, like a massive grizzly bear in winter, with the big and drinkable American hop character.

History:

Much of the history of Hopothermia is lost to the mists of time. We know that the windswept lone brewer dreamt of a Double IPA so bold and packed full of hop flavor that it could keep the wild wolves from the door of his remote cabin. We know he was able to converse with the creatures of the woods – except for the bears who slept through the cold winter, and the mink, who were just really super rude. And we know he skillfully crafted a beer that became the stuff of legend.

There are strange brews made where glaciers cascade
By the brewers who know no bounds.
For they stuff in the hops ’til the temperature drops
And then call for a few more rounds.
In Alaska, it seems, every brewer dreams
of a bold Double IPA.
Hopothermia’s the beer, in the Last Frontier
That will keep the wild wolves at bay.

Story Behind The Label:

The legend of Hopothermia begins as any Alaskan tale should, on a frozen landscape with wolves howling and a vast dark moonless sky of swirling Northern Lights above. It was on that long-ago night that a lone brewer stood against the harsh winds with only his beard to protect him, and dreamt of a beer so full of hop flavor, so jam packed with the spirit of frontier Alaska, it could freeze your very soul and one of your thumbs. All that winter, as moose, wolverines, and one beaver peered through his remote cabin window, he feverishly labored to make a beer that could face down the harsh elements – that could conquer not only thirst – but fear itself. After the thaw, the lone brewer had vanished, leaving behind only a few recipes scrawled on scraps of paper, a sock puppet, and a hand-whittled keg. In that keg he left his legacy – Hopothermia. Respect this beer. Wear layers. Lots of wool. Mittens? Open a bottle and then, sshh . . . Listen for the windswept cry of a lone wolf.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.alaskanbeer.com

Twitter: @alaskanbeer

Closing, I know you know that I am a huge fan of this brewery. I loved this brewery before they came to the State Of Michigan. I was always excited when my friend Dean would bring some bottles back from the West Coast. When they finally made it to Michigan, I have been going crazy finding out what is being released in the state. There were several beers that are here that I never had. I was excited to get them out-of-the-way. This Double IPA was one of them. I love the name and the packaging. I love how it is a nice sipping beer. There is some complex flavor going on in this beer. I love it. It has a nice color and aroma. This is a great beer. 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 Shipyard Brewing Pumpkinhead Ale (2014)

In this fall beer blog, we are going to get into another pumpkin beer, which is Pumpkinhead Ale, from Shipyard Brewery. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this northeast craft brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know this craft brewery. Let us get into this pumpkin beer.

It has a clear golden color with a semi white head on this pumpkin beer. The smell has a cinnamon to nutmeg notes. The taste has a heavy cinnamon notes but turns to water notes with a cinnamon to slight pumpkin finish. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.shipyard.com

Twitter: @shipyardbrewing

Closing, I loved their Smashed Pumpkin Ale. I wanted to try the normal seasonal in their everyday six pack line of the fall from this brewery. I have been pretty curious on this craft brewery. I do not know this brewery because most of their packaging does not help sell their beers. It is pretty boring but most cases that means the beer is really good. I have to say in this case with this Pumpkinhead Ale it is pretty average. I was pretty disappointed and I have to say this is the weakest fall and pumpkin beer this season. I will be searching out for their other beers. 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 Autumn Ale (2014)

In this fall beer blog, we are going to get into the fall seasonal from Short’s Brewery. It is their Autumn 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 fall beer.

It has a slightly cloudy amber to bronze color with a semi white head. The aroma has a floral to nutty notes with some hazelnut. The taste has a slight carbonation malty with earthy hop bitter aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Autumn Ale is a true-to-style London Extra Special Bitter (ESB). It has a medium body, amber color, and full flavor. This beer exhibits a wonderful balance of malty sweetness and floral hop bitterness. The result is an ideal bridge between malty and hoppy beer styles. Autumn Ale is a silver medal winner from the 2006 Great American Beer Festival.

6.5% ABV

45 IBU

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.shortsbrewing.com

Twitter: @shortsbrewing

In the end, I did not like this beer. It just seems like it is missing something. I love my ESB’s. I love the old country-style of it. This one is true to the classic beer style. I do not know if maybe it threw me off because the flood of Oktoberfest and Pumpkin beers. This was the first beer I had for the day. So it was not like I was a few beers in and started to drink it. If it was a normal price craft beer but not higher than the rest, this beer would be worth the price. I recommend you trying it and this beer is better than most of the beers Short’s release in the market. 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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