dark copper

New Beer Blog Frankenmuth Brewery Red Sky Irish Style Ale

image

While in Michigan, This beer is from the Frankenmuth Brewery Company.  I did not have enough time to try it at the brewery so I pick up this bottle in the Downtown area of Frankenmuth at the Lager Mill Beer Store.  I am really looking forward to their Winter Lager.  If you have not read the first part of my earlier blog, please, read the first part of that blog post.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a nice red color with a constant white head.  There is small bubbles that flow to the top of the beer. The smell is caramel to malty.  The taste is a sweet malty with a little caramel with a dry aftertaste.  It is pretty drinkable.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

This malt focused Irish style red ale uses roasted barley to give it its robust red color and subtle caramel notes.  Red Sky is a full flavored ale with a smooth malty finish.

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

Dry Irish Stout Ale-A traditional Dry Irish Stout is light in body with a hint of chocolate and coffee. This rich flavor comes from a combination of roasted barley & a generous helping of hops. We low-carbonate our stout using a nitrogen system which  aids in masking the natural bitterness of the brew.
ABV 4.1% IBU 41

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.frankenmuthbrewery.com

Twitter:  @fb1862

Bottom of beer bottle, I am not a fan of Irish Red Ales.  This one for what it is was pretty good.  It has a ton of flavor and everything that a Red Ale fan is looking for in this beer style.  I enjoyed it but I would not put it in my everyday line up of beers.  Just because I said that, it does not mean you will not enjoy this beer.  This is a really good beer and I did enjoy it.  Just like Pilsners, I am not into Red Ales right now.  Please, go try it and let me know what you think of the beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Frankenmuth Brewery Octoberfest

While in Michigan, we are going to take a look at another brew from Frankenmuth Brewery.  This beer is one of their Fall Seasonal called Octoberfest.  If you read my earlier blog post on their beers, you know a little something about this brewery.  If you did not, please, go back and read the first part of that blog.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a nice copper color without a head.  It has a sweet malty smell.  The taste is about the same with a little carbonation.  Just like the classic style, it has taste, smell, and aftertaste.  It is extremely drinkable.

Here is description from website (www.frankenmuthbrewery.com):

Oktoberfest Lager-An authentic German Oktoberfest beer. Its trademarked copper color is achieved by 4 different malts thus giving it its barley flavor. Adding German noble hops brews the perfect balance and tops with a nice finish. This once a year lager is a reason to celebrate all by itself.
ABV 5.27% IBU 27

Here is their website and addresses:

Website:  www.frankenmuthbrewery.com

Twitter:  @fb1862

In closing, as many of you know I am huge fan of this brewery.  I love how easy the beer drinker can drink this beer.  It has a nice malty flavor and gives the true malt drinker something to remember.  As a huge Fall Seasonal Beer fan, this beer makes me die happy if it was today. It is a malt drinkers heaven in this beer.  This is a very good beer and I wish I could drink it all the time.  I cannot wait for them to get to Chicago or I might just have to move back to Michigan.  I would hunt this beer down.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Bells Pale Ale

While in Michigan, we are going to sample out a local beer from Bells Brewery Pale Ale.  Thank you to my sister for picking up a six-pack while I was in town.  If you read my earlier blog on their Two Heart, you know a little something on this brewery.  If you have not, please, go and read the first part of that post.  Let us get into beer.

Bells Pale Ale is a yellow color without a head on the beer. It has a slight citrus smell to the beer. The taste is a sweet carbonation grapefruit with a dry bitter aftertaste.  It is pretty drinkable.

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

Pale Ale stands apart from the model of completely hop-dominated pale ales, offering a noticeable degree of malt body to counter the hop bitterness. A blend of floral & herbal hop notes provide the aromatic & flavor highlights, alongside the distinctive contribution of our house ale yeast. A crisp bitterness finishes the experience without being harsh.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.beelsbeer.com

Twitter:  @bellsbrewery

Closing, I know this brewery pretty well and had several of their beers.  I went back home to see friends and family and check out a few breweries in Michigan.  This beer has the nice English style to this Pale Ale.  It is a little bit more hoppier than the normal English Pale Ale.  It has a nice flavor and pretty good balance for a beer.  I really enjoy drinking this beer but it is not one of my favorite beers.  I believe that this  brewery makes some better beers.  They are always finding new beers to brew.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Milwaukee Brewery Tour And Brewery

While in Milwaukee, WI, as many of you know, I rode my motorcycle up to check out as many breweries in Milwaukee.  I had to stop by my favorite brewery, which is Milwaukee Brewery, and many of you know that I am a huge fan of this brewery.  If you read my earlier blog on their Pull Chain, you are up to speed on the history of this brewery.  If not, please, go back and read the first part of blog post.  Here is a little of their brewery.  Milwaukee Brewery started out under a brewpub in the city and it was called Milwaukee Ale House, which is still there.  I would recommend checking out their brewpub.  You will get a feel of the theme of their brewery and their beers.  There first beer was brewed in 1997.  Let us get into the tour and then a few of beers that I was trying that I did not blog.

Brewery Tour

The first thing I noticed about this brewery.  It reminded me of old school Goose Island in Chicago before they were sold to Budweiser.  They are very lay back and enjoy brewing beer.  This gives you  the hint of their packaging design and how they brew their beers.  I like how they broke up the brewery tour in parts with a beer break between each part.  They had several beers you could try and enjoy.  I also like that the tour guide had a microphone for most of the tour.  I have been on several brewery tours where they are shouting, yelling, or even screaming for the people to hear them.  We had Tom and he was awesome.  I had a great time listening to him because of his passion and love for his job.  You can tell he loves his jobs and he was not the only one there with that passion.  I really enjoyed this brewery and this tour. It is worth the $7.00.  Thank you MKE Brewery for welcoming us into your brewery.

MKE ULAO

This beer has a golden yellow color with a nice constant white head.  This beer really does not have a smell to it.  There is a little wheaty and yeast taste to the beer.  This is extremely drinkable beer and with a nice punch of 5% ABV.  As many of you know, I am not a fan of wheat, white, or hefeweizen.  I believe my taste buds are changing again.  I really enjoyed this beer and I recommend you trying this beer.  Go get some!

MKE Hoptober Fest

Please read the blog I will post later.  I went into more detail on this beer.

MKE Double IPA

This beer has a nice copper color with a nice white constant head.  This beer has a nice cirtus to piney smell to it.  The taste is about the same as the smell, which is cirtus to it.  The aftertaste is a bitter dry which is about right for my taste buds.  It is a pretty drinkable beer for being a big IPA.  I really enjoyed this beer and I wish it was in the package.  I will hunt down a bar in Chicago to drink it.  If I cannot find bar in Chicago, I guess it is another road trip to Milwaukee.  Go get some!

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.mkebrewing.com

Twitter: @mkebrewco

Leaving Milwaukee, I had a great time and it felt like a huge beer party with all the beer drinkers at the brewery during the tours.  It was nice to see the brewery and meet some of the workers that work for this brewery.  It was also nice to go to the brewpub to see where they started.  This is a good brewery and I hope more and more people discover their beers.  Thank you for showing us around.  If you are around Milwaukee, please, check  this brewery out.  It is worth your money.  This is what you get for your money and it is one pint glass, brewery tour, sample any beer that is available, and two tokens to use at a selected bars in the area.  Go get some!   Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blog Uinta Brewing Detour Double IPA

In this beer blog, we are going to get into a beer from Uinta Brewing.  The beer is called Detour Double IPA, which is part of their Crooked Line.  If you read my earlier blog on their Uinta Hyve Ale, you are up to speed on the information on this brewery.  If you have not, please read the first part of that beer post.  Let us get into the beer.

This Double India Pale Ale is part of their 750ml bottle which is called Crooked Line. It is heavy in carbonation and has a dark amber copper color to the beer with a head. The smell is a citrus to earthy to the beer.  The taste of the beer is the same as the smell.  It has a nice crisp bitter finish. It is pretty drinkable for a beer with 9.5% ABV.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Detour blazes the trail for fresh and bold Double IPAs.  Four varieties of hops combine to step up the flavor profile.  A hoppy adventure that finishes dry.  Big in character.  Venture to pair with other spirited flavors such as those found in spicy ethnic foods.

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

NotesDetour blazes the trail for fresh and bold Double IPAs. Four varieties of hops combine to step up the  flavor profile. A hoppy adventure that finishes dry. Big in alcohol and character. Venture to pair with other spirited flavors such as those found in spicy ethnic foods.

Art

Label art by local Utah artist Leia Bell.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.uintabrewing.com

Twitter:  @uintabrewing

In the end, this is one of my favorite beers from this brewery asides their Hop Notch India Pale Ale, which there is a beer post on this blog.  I love the drinkablity of this beer.  It has a nice hoppy taste but yet balance from the great malty backbone.  It is extremely drinkable and dangerous because it is 9.5% ABV.  This beer has affordable price at your local liquor store which makes it a value to us craft beer drinkers.  This is a great beer and I highly recommend it.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blot Bridgeport Brewing Witch Hunt Spiced Harvest Ale

In this fall beer blog, we are going to dig into one of my favorite west coast breweries, who is Bridgeport Brewery. The beer that will be feature is their first Fall Season, which is called Witch Hunt. If you read my earlier beer blogs on this brewery, you are pretty up to speed in the history and information on this great brewery. If you have not, please, go back and read the first part of that post. Let us get into the beer.

This beer is the first attempted for Bridgeport Brewing to make a Fall Seasonal.  It has a nice amber color or a little darker amber color.  The smell is of spices, malty, cinnamon, and nutmeg.  The taste is more of the spice of cinnamon and nutmeg. It has a nice malty aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable even though it is pretty complex taste.

Here ia a description from the beer bottle:

Something wicked this way comes.  From slightly sweet caramel malts, Witch Hunt offers an intense dry hop character finished with a hint of cinnamon and nutmeg spices.

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

A spiced harvest ale with a rich caramel color, unique dry hop character and subtle hints of cinnamon and nutmeg.

ABV 5.8% | ORIGINAL GRAVITY 15.8 | IBUs 40

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.bridgeportbrew.com

Twitter:  @bridgeportbrew

Closing, I really love this brewery and everything they brew. They have a really nice Brewpub in Portland and I am hoping to have a chance to return there in a few weeks (October 11th that weekend). Pretty much all of their seasonals do not disappoint. I love how they took a classic American Harvest style and mixed the cinnamon and nutmeg that you find in Pumpkin ales. Most Pumpkin ales or lagers you normally do not taste the pumpkin in it. When the beer drinker tries this beer, he or she will get the matly taste while tasting cinnamon and nutmeg. You will feel like you are drinking Harvest Ale and a Pumpkin Ale at the same time. This beer is extremely unique and drinkable. It is better than most Pumpkin Ales and Lagers and different than the other Fall Seasonals. They did an awesome job and it became my favorite Fall Seasonal. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Blog Milwaukee Brewing Hoptober Fest

While in Milwaukee, we are going to take a look at one of my favorite breweries in the city north of Chicago.  Milwaukee Brewing Hoptober Fest is one of their few Fall Seasonal.  If you read my earlier blog on their beers, you are pretty up to speed on this brewery.  If you have not, please go back and read the first part.  Let us get into the beer.

This is one of their many seasonal beers and a few in the Fall Seasonal.  It has a nice clear amber color with a little head on the beer.  The smell is like the traditional German Oktoberfest beers. It has a sweet malty smell to the beer. The taste of the beer is a sweet carbonate malty with a nice crisp malty aftertaste. This is a perfect beer for the Fall and drinkable too.

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

Our hoppy take on a classic seasonal German style lager. Brewed with pale ale, caramel, and toasted Munich malts that attribute a sweet earthy malty flavor, toasted aroma, and a bright orange hue. German Tettnanger hops add an herbal peppery flavor and nose.

One of my favorite parts about brewing this beer is that we’re participating in a seasonal brewing tradition that spans the globe. Since nearly all craft breweries take part in the Oktoberfest season, I like to try the different renditions side by side.

We use a traditional lager fermentation along side the traditional toasted Munich style malts. There are a lot of bready characters that come up during the brew. We wanted to brew a hoppier version of the brew, so we added Perle, Tettnang and Columbus hops.

The simple recipe hasn’t changed since we started brewing it in 2006.

Here is a video from Youtube (www.youtube.com):

http://youtu.be/MweezhrL7yM

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.mkebrewing.com

Twitter:  @mkebrewco

Closing out, I was not expecting a true Octoberfest Marzin style.  I thought it was going to be over hop amber ale or lager.  Here it is your normal Octoberfest that is slightly hop.  It is pretty drinkable and has a ton of flavor.  This beer just became my favorite fall beer.  This is a huge debate in my head between MKE Hoptober, Scharfly Pumpkin, or Brooklyn Oktoberfest.  I have to say they are all tied for first place.  I cannot make my mind.  This is good because all these breweries that make some awesome beers.  This beer I would run not walk and get some of this brew before it is all gone.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comast.net

Twitter:@djweiser

New Blog Yuengling Black & Tan

In this blog, we are going to take a look at another beer from Yuengling and the beer is their Original Black & Tan.  If you read my earlier blog on their Flagship Lager, you are pretty much up to speed on this brewery.  If you did not, please, go back and read the first part of that beer blog.  Let us get into the beer.

This beer has a black color without a head on it.  This Black & Tan does not really have a smell to the beer.  The taste of this Yuengling Beer is of sweet malty chocolate with a nice dry malty aftertaste. It is extremely drinkable and that will get many beer drinkers in trouble.

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

Black & Tan Combines our popular Dark Brewed Porter with Premium Beer.  Rich and dark in color, it has a well-balanced flavor, with hints of caramel and coffee from the dark roasted malt that finishes smooth and satisfying.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.yuengling.com

Twitter:  @yuengling_beer

Closing out,  I have been looking forward to trying this beer.  I just want to thank my boss for bring me a bottle.  I just wished he would have saved me a bottle of their porter.  I cannot complain to only getting one out of two of the beers.  If you read my earlier one on their Lager, you know I enjoy drinking it.  This Black and Tan is the best on the market and it is not the crap that Mississippi Mud puts out.  I will never buy that beer again after trying this beer.  The only problem I have is the fact that are not available in the Chicago market.  This is a great beer with good taste and a nice balance.  If you live in the market or know someone that does, go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blog Ommegang Brewery Scythe & Sickle Harvest Ale

In this Fall Beer blog, we are going to get into Ommegang Brewery from Coopertown, NY.  This is their first seasonal beer and it is called Scythe and Sickle Harvest Ale.  Ommegang Brewery is under the Duvel Moortgat Brewery that brews beer in an old farmhouse and hop field in upstate New York.  It was founded in 1997 and they brew several different Belgian style beer with an American twist.  Let us get into this great beer.

Ommegang finally came out with a seasonal and they did a pretty good job with it. Scythe & Suckle is a nice dark golden color with a constant white head.  There is a ton of carbonation and there is yeast in this bottle so be careful pouring it out in the glass. This beer has the malty smell but the Ommegang smell from their yeast. The taste of the beer is sweet, malty, and unique. There is a nice spicy malty aftertaste. This beer is pretty drinkable.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Scythe and Sickle is a seasonal brew that celebrates the richness of the grain harvest.  Brewed with Barley, Wheat, Oats and – in a nod to traditional upstate New York Grains – Rye, this fine ale is malty, lightly hopped, and creamy n the palate.  The flavors of the grains and the earth shine through so you can enjoy the refreshment of the season and joy of fine brewing.

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

Scythe and Sickle is Ommegang’s foray into honoring the harvest season. Using barley, oats, wheat, and rye, we’ve brought the mood of fall to life with vibrant and flavorful passion.

Farming is about precision, timing and care. At Ommegang we place the same emphasis a farmer has for his crops into the creation of our beers. Scythe and Sickle is a testament to the craft and care of farming, from which our farmstead-brewed beers benefit greatly.

Brewed with balance in mind, Scythe & Sickle reveals a smooth and creamy mouthfeel with light toastiness and gentle sweetness. Bright amber in color from the mixed malts, the beer is balanced with delicate hopping to counter rather than overpower the malt profile.

5.8% ABV

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.ommegang.com

Twitter:  @breweryommegang

Closing out the beer tab, I am a huge fan of this brewery.  I knew they were looking to do a seasonal and I was pretty nervous to try it.  Most American craft breweries feel they have to make a seaonal beers.  I did not know how all the grains being used in this beer would go over with my drinking experience.  I will be really honest.  I did not like this beer at first, however, I have grown to love this beer.  It has a ton of flavor, balance, and pretty drinkable.  I highly recommend this beer and the rest of their beers.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blog Samuel Adams Harvest Pumpkin Ale

image

In this blog, we are sample out last beer from this Samuel Adams Fall pack. We are going to get into one of my favorite beer styles in the Fall Season.  Samuel Adams Harvest Pumpkin Ale is going to be feature in this beer blog.  If you read my earlier blog, you know a little something about this brewery.  Samuel Adams are pretty well-known and I know you about this brewery before you reading this beer blog.  If you do not, please, go back to one of the earlier blogs and read the first part of it.  Let us get into the beer.

Samuel Adams Harvest Pumpkin Ale is available in their Fall Sampler Pack.  It has a dark amber color without a head on the beer.  It has a cinnamon to nutmeg and a little pumpkin.  This pumpkin taste like a cinnamon, nutmeg, and pumpkin.  This is not a well balance beer. There is a point in the beer drinking experience that the drinker will get a little water hint. It is kind of drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Early New England colonists were nothing if not resourceful.  Lacking traditional malts, they added pumpkin to their brews, & the first pumpkin ales were born.  This modern adaptation uses 4 different malts, and over 17 lbs of real pumpkin per barrel, for a rich depth of flavor & unmistakable character.  Cheers!  Jim Koch

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

A perennial favorite at our brewery Halloween party, Samuel Adams Harvest Pumpkin Ale is brewed with over 17 pounds of real pumpkin per barrel, adding a full body and sweetness to this dark reddish amber brew.  Deep roasted malts, including a smoked malt, lend a distinct roasted character while traditional pumpkin pie spices give the beer a subtle spice note.

Pumpkin Ale is one of the oldest beer styles that originated in America.  Early colonists lacked some of the classic beer ingredients, so in place of malt other fermentable sugars such as molasses or pumpkin were used.  Pumpkin beers were not as popular at first since the pumpkin was used for its sugar alone rather than its flavor.  More recently, pumpkins have been used in addition to malt and other spices to create flavorful pumpkin ales.  For our take on the style we’ve used a large portion of real pumpkin to give it a natural richness of flavor.

To brew our version of this fall favorite, we used a significant portion of real pumpkin.  The pumpkin is added to the mash to meld with the malt flavors, bringing out its true flavor in the final brew.  In addition to our classic two-row pale malt and Caramel 60, we’ve added Special B and Smoked Malt for a deep roasted and nutty character that perfectly complements the pumpkin.  Once in the kettle we also add clove and the classic pumpkin pie spices of cinnamon, ginger, allspice, and nutmeg.  The spices subtly enhance the character of the pumpkin and malt without overpowering it.

Flavor: Smooth and roasty, real pumpkin adds to a full body and sweetness while deep roasted malts lend a toasty finish to this subtly spiced brew.
Color: Dark reddish amber, 33 SRM
Original Gravity: 15° Plato
Alcohol by Vol/Wt: 5.7%ABV – 4.4%ABW
Calories/12oz.: 199
IBUs: 14
Malt Varieties: Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, Caramel 60, Special B, and smoked malt
Hop Varieties: East Kent Goldings and English Fuggles
Special Ingredients: real pumpkin, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg, and allspice
Yeast Strain:Samuel Adams ale yeast
First Brewed: 2010
Availability: Seasonal (Sept. – Oct.) and in the Harvest Collection Variety pack

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.samueladams.com

Twitter:  @samueladamsbeer

Closing, this pumpkin ale is one of the best one in the market.  I am pretty stun since it is coming from Boston Beer Company.  They found the classic American style and did it up right.  It has a nice balance unlike most pumpkin ales in the market.  Most Pumpkins ales have too much cinnaon or nutmeg in the beer. This beer is also in six pack bottles this year.  I recomment this beer and you can take your time with it.  This is because most of the smaller batches will be gone first.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser