dj weiser

New Beer Blog Smuttynose Brewing Finestkind IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to sample one of my favorite IPA’s in the United States.  I am talking about Smuttynose Brewing Finestkind IPA.  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 Snuttynose Brewing.  Let us get into this IPA.

It has a clear golden color with a constant white color head. The aroma has a heavy citrus notes. The taste has a heavy citrus notes with a dry aftertaste. It is a pretty drinkable beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.smuttynose.com

Twitter:  @smuttynosebeer

In closing, Just what I said in my last blog about their brown ale, I am so happy that they finally made it to the Michigan market.  This brew was one of my go to IPA’s when I lived in the Chicago market.  This is one of my favorite IPA’s. I was so happy to see them make it to the Michigan market. When I left the Chicago market, I was sad to leave many of my favorite brews and breweries. Why I like this beer?  It is pretty simple.  It is not overall bitter and hoppy but it has enough for this hopheads.  I could drinking this beer in any season.  I hope cans make it to this market soon.  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 Smuttynose Brewing Old Brown Dog Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into a craft brewery, who is Smuttynose Brewing, that finally made it to Michigan beer market.  We are going to get into one of their everyday brew, which is Old Brown Dog Ale.  If you read my earlier beer blog post on their Winter Ale, you know the history of this Northeast craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read it to get to know Smutty.  Let us get into this English style brown ale.

It has a clear brown color with a tan color head on this brown ale. The head disappears over time. The aroma has some nutty notes. The taste has a sweet malty to nutty notes with a dry nutty aftertaste. It is pretty slight and crisp for the aftertaste. It is a pretty drinkable beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.smuttynose.com

Twitter:  @smuttynosebeer

In closing, I am pretty excited to have this craft brewery in the Michigan market finally.  I was a pretty big fan of their beers when I lived in the Chicago market. I am still a huge fan if theirs. This craft brewery is no joke.  They are growing and looking to keep pushing themselves on their beers and knowledge.  This is a classic English style brown ale.  It has a beautiful color and appearance.  There is some nice nutty aroma.  The taste has some nice sweet malty notes that keeps you coming back, however, the aftertaste is pretty crisp unlike most brown ales.  This is a well thought and built brew.  They did a great job.  This is second to Goose Island Nut Brown Ale.  I have to say Brooklyn Brown Ale is up there too.  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 Portage Porter

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In this spring seasonal beer blog, we are going to sample the new spring seasonal, which is Portage Porter, from New Belgium Brewery.  This craft brewery is always changing it up on all their seasonals.  They normally switch seasonal brews every two years but they have been switching them sooner if they are not selling.  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 porter.

It has a jet black color with a constant tan head on this porter. The aroma has a chocolate to coffee notes. The taste of this American porter has a nice creamy chocolate to toffee notes. The aftertaste has a dry chocolate to coffee finish. It is kind of drinkable beer.

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

A great porter just feels right in your hand. And carrying a glass of Portage Porter is no different. An opaque, brown pour, this beer presents with coffee and chocolate aromas, with hints of toast and smoked almonds. The taste follows suit, adding an upfront sweetness and a slight, roasty bitterness to back it up. Creamy and wonderful, this porter sips a medium body and finishes dry and delightful. Portage Porter carts itself towards perfection. Just tip your glass and keep smiling. Available January 2015.

Here is their website and Twitter addresses:

Website:  www.newbelgium.com

Twitter:  @newbelgium

Ending, I did not see a normal American porter coming from New Belgium Brewery.  On top of that, it is a spring seasonal.  Now, my head is starting to spin.  This spring seasonal as a porter makes some sense.  This is why.  It was released about the half way point of the first quarter.  I am talking late January and early February.  I know here it is still winter.  This is one reason this beer makes some sense.  It is a light body porter and this is a second reason.  It is not like most porters that are pretty heavy.  I like it but it is not the best porter that I have had in my lifetime. I give credit for trying to do something new.  I can see some craft beer drinkers loving this 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 New Belgium Slow Ride Session IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to feature a new brew, which is Slow Ride session IPA, from New Belgium Brewery.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this craft brewery.  If you have not, please, them to get to know New Belgium Brewery.  Let us get into this session IPA.

It has a clear golden color with a white constant head on this session IPA. The smell has a floral to tropical notes. It has a complex aroma notes. The taste has a juicy citrus notes. This is a session IPA with a full body IPA that will keep hop head guessing all the way through this brew. It is drinkable beer.

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

Kicking back and relaxing with a session beer requires little more than a couch, some free time, and a few pals. Slow Ride Session IPA is up for this easy-going challenge, starting with a pour of sheened gold and plenty of fluffy, white foam. A blend of eight hop varieties, led by exotic Mosaic and Nelson Sauvin, twist together brilliant tropical scents of melon, peach, lime and grapefruit for a vividly fruity aroma. The flavor mirrors the aroma, while balancing a malty-sweet yet clean start and hoppy bitterness in the back. Light bodied and extra quaffable, Slow Ride Session IPA brings the finish line to you.

Looking for Slow Ride in Texas? Our friends in the Lone Star State can find Slow Ride under the name New Belgium Session IPA beginning in early March. Don’t worry: It’s still the same green and yellow package and label with the same awesome couch bike and, most importantly, the same great beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.newbelgium.com

Twitter:  @newbelgium

In the end, I will say it again and again. Session IPA’s are pale ales.   This is just a reality check.  It is just a marketing situation which is fine.  Founder’s Brewery in Michigan started this trend with their All Day IPA.  There are some Session IPA’s that are not very good.  This one from New Belgium Brewery is very good and they did a great job throughout the process.  There is a ton of complex aroma notes that makes the craft beer drinker thinking he is drinking a full body IPA.  The taste profile is light body but with the aroma, it makes the beer drinker think he or she is drinking a full body IPA.  The aftertaste will bring new IPA drinkers into this hophead world because it is clean and crisp.  This session IPA is unlike any other session IPA’s on the market.  New Belgium Brewery has changed the way we look at session IPA’s.  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 Victory Brewery Vine To Victory Harvest Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into one of my favorite breweries in Penyslivania.  It is Victory Brewery and it is Harvest Ale.  This is a pretty big trend in the craft beer world.  I am talking about wet hopped or harvest ales.  It could either a Pale or India Pale 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 Victory Brewery.  Let us get into this pale ale.

It has a clear copper color without a head on the beer. The aroma has an earthly, piney to floral notes. The taste has a nice carbonation and malty notes along with juiciest earthy to piney notes. The aftertaste has a hop finish that is pretty wet. It is drinkable.

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

Harvest Ale

Wet-Hopped Pale Ale

Highly aromatic and sensual, this novel pale ale delivers a fresh hop flavor like no other brew. Its secret? Fresh hops piled into our boiling kettle just hours after their harvest. With many more of their essential oils intact, these “wet” hops add glorious notes of juicy, fruit to a lightly sweet and balanced brew. Best enjoyed fresh!

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.victorybeer.com

Twitter:  @victorybeer

Ending, This is a great beer.  There is not too many ales that I can say are juicy.  The only other beer comes to mind is New Belgium Slow Ride IPA.  I like it. It is pretty different.  What makes this beer a little different is the aftertaste, it has a kind of wet hop bitter finish.  It is a nice drinkable beer.  This is a beer to enjoy watching sports but you will need to pace yourself.  The aroma and taste profile gives off some nice notes.  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 Dark Horse Brewing Double Crooked Tree India Pale Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into a special release from Dark Horse Brewery.  It is their Double Crooked Tree IPA. 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 Dark Horse.  Let us get into this Double IPA.

It has a cloudy copper color with a constant white head on this double IPA. The aroma has a heavy citrus notes. The taste has a heavy citrus notes with extremely heavy bitter finish for the aftertaste. This is a nice sipping brew.

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

DOUBLE CROOKED TREE IPA

Have you read the description for the regular Crooked Tree yet? Well this beer is almost the same just double the flavor and alcohol. We actually took the Crooked Tree recipe and doubled all of the ingredients except the water, just the way a DOUBLE should be made. Big hops balanced with tons of malt give this beer a huge body. Although this beer is as cool as “The Fonz” when first purchased, it gets really mellow and smooth with some age. After a year or two stored in a cool dark place you’ll notice the heavy caramel and malt flavors are trying to sneak past the hops. This beer is hugely delicious so it will need your undivided attention (the chores can wait….trust us).

ABV:
12%

Availability:
February (Limited)

Package:
1/2 Barrels / 1/6 Barrels / 4-Pack of Good ol’ Bottles

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.darkhorsebrewery.com

Twitter:  @darkhorsebrewco

Ending, I have always been a fan of IPA’s and Double or Imperial IPA.  It was a no brainer to pick up a bottle of Dark Horse Brewery Double Crooked Tree IPA.  This is a pretty heavy beer and they did it right.  You will not be doing anything else the rest of the day after drinking this beer.  I love it. I will try to get more but since it is pretty limited, it will be hard to find more bottles.  I highly recommend this beer.  They did a great job on this brew.  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 Abita Brewery Bourbon Street Imperial Stout

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into another brew from Abita Brewery.  It is a special and limited release from Abita Brewery and it is their Bourbon Street Imperial Stout.  This liquid is aged in Bourbon Barrels.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this southern craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know Abita Brewery.  Let us get into this Imperial Stout.

It has a jet black color with a tan constant head. The aroma has a sweet chocolate to bourbon notes. The taste has a sweet chocolate to nice earthy bourbon notes with a nice burn alcohol finish. It is a nice sipping beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Four centuries New Orleans’ famed Bourbon Street has inspired good times and fine libations like our Abita Bourbon Street Imperial Stout.  This hand-crafted artisanal brew is aged for months in wooden barrels used to make small batch bourbon whiskey.  During barrel aging, the brew absorbs the flavors of the barrels which intensifies the taste and aroma of roasted malt, warm vanilla and smooth bourbon.

This Imperial Stout is a dark-colored ale brewed with pale, caramel, chocolate and roasted malts.  Oats are added for a full, sweet taste.  After fermentation the ale is cold aged for six weeks to ensure a smooth flavor before bourbon barrel aging begins.

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

Imperial Stout

Bourbon Street Stout is an Imperial Stout that is aged in small batch bourbon barrels. Our Imperial Stout is brewed with a combination of pale, caramel, chocolate and roasted malts. Oats are also added to give the beer a fuller and sweeter taste. The roasted malts give the beer its dark color as well as its intense flavor and aroma. After fermentation the beer is cold aged for 6 weeks. This is necessary for all of the flavors of the malt and hops to balance and produce a very smooth flavor.

After the cold aging the beer is transferred into the bourbon barrels. It is then aged for another 8 weeks to absorb all of the flavors from the barrels. The result is a stout that brings out the roasted flavors from the malt and the warming toasted, vanilla, and bourbon flavors.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.abita.com

Twitter:  @theabitabeer

In the end, I did not know they made this beer and I am not stun one bit.  I was pretty happy to see it made it to my market.  I love my porter and stouts.  You put it in a barrel or bourdon barrel and now you are talking.  The first brewery to take this on was Goose Island Brewery.  I am happy to see other craft breweries doing this process.  To me, this will show which beers are good or bad or which beers that the craft beer drinkers like it.  This beer has a nice balance from the imperial stout and bourbon notes.  It is not in your face like the Goose Island Bourdon Country Stout.  It is still a sipping stout but it is a little bit more drinkable than Bourdon Country.  I love the story behind the name.  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 LA Folie Sour Ale (2015)

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In this special beer blog, we are going to get into a limited release brew, which is La Folie Sour, from New Belgium Brewery.  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 sour ale.

It has a nice dark ruby-red to a nice brown color with a slight cloudy look. There is no head but the head that was there has a tan like color. The aroma has a sweet malty to slight caramel with some sour notes. The taste has a heavy sour to sweet malty notes. The aftertaste has a heavy sour finish. It is a sipping beer.

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

La Folie, French for ‘the folly’, is a beer steeped in New Belgium brewing tradition. This wood-aged, sour brown spends one to three years in big, oak barrels, known as foeders. And when the beer finally hits the glass, La Folie is sharp and sour, full of green apple, cherry, and plum-skin notes. Pouring a deep mahogany, the mouthfeel will get you puckering while the smooth finish will get you smiling. Not a beer for the timid, La Folie is a sour delight that will turn your tongue on its head.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.newbelgium.com

Twitter:  @newbelgium

In the end, I love my sour ales.  I have to say that this is the best American version of Belgian sour ale.  Upland Brewery has a great sour program but they just do very little batches.  It makes their beers a little special and super rare.  This is a great sour from New Belgium.  There is a nice balance.  It is pretty sour and bitter but not over the top.  This is one of the best sours that I have ever had in a long time. It is up there with the Rodenbach and other great Belgium sours.  I am talking as a American version. I highly recommend this beer.  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill  DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Victory Hop Ranch Imperial India Pale Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into another limited release and high-end brew, which is Hop Ranch Imperial India Pale Ale, from Victory Brewery  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 this craft brewery.  Let us get into the Imperial IPA.

It has a slightly cloudy golden color with a white constant head. There is no aroma. The taste has a heavy dry hop bitter with a sweet citrus notes. The aftertaste has a light tropical notes finish. It is pretty drinkable for imperial IPA. It is really a sipping beer.

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

Hop Ranch

Imperial India Pale Ale

To our hop ranchers, who coax and cultivate our enticing and flavorful hops, we raise this glass. Selecting the finest varieties in their natural, whole flower form, we craft our Hop Ranch Imperial India Pale Ale, as a celebration of their successes. Pungent, floral and intense, this represents America’s best in every relaxing sip.

Composition

Malt: Pilsner

Hops: Mosaic and Azacca

ABV: 9.0%

Flavor

This powerful brew features full, juicy hop character, while expressing notes of mango, pineapple and the pleasantly sharp, biting edges of tart citrus fruit.

Food Pairings

Hot wings, curry and bold cheeses

Availability

Winter seasonal available in 12oz. bottles and on draft.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.victorybeer.com

Twitter:  @victorybeer

Closing, this beer was kind of hard to find.  I am pretty happy to find this brew.  I will say that this beer was not disappointing at all.  It lived up for the beer hunt.  I love this beer.  They did a great job.  There is a nice balance but it has a nice punch to help aid towards food pairing.  It would go perfectly with hot wings for example but the hops and bitterness will bring out the heat out more.  This is a great beer to enjoy by itself.  I highly recommend this beer.  Go get some because it is a winter seasonal.  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 Rogue Brutal India Pale Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into our first review of a Rogue Brewery beer.  It is their Brutal India Pale Ale.  It is the official beer for Rogue Nation.  Rogue Ales was founded in 1988 in Ashland, Oregon.  They have three brewpubs in three different states.  They are known for their Dead Guy Ale, which is a maibock.  They are known to push the limits of beer.  Let us get into this IPA.

It has a cloudy copper color with semi on white head. The smell has a heavy citrus notes. The taste of this medium body has a nice citrus notes with a dry hoppy bitter aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Style: India Pale Ale

FOOD PAIRING: Seafood, Beef

Tasting Notes: A non-traditional India Pale Ale with big citrusy, hop flavor and intense hop aroma. Medium-bodied with a vibrant lingering hop-bitterness that is anything but brutal. Enjoy!
8 Ingredients: 2-Row, Carawheat, C15 & Rogue Farms Dare™ & Risk™ Malts; Rogue Farms Alluvial™ Hops; Free Range Coastal Water & Pacman Yeast.

“Fermentation may have been a greater discovery than fire.” – David Wallace

Awards:

2012 World Beer Awards, World’s Best IPA
2011 World Beer Awards, World’s Best Bitter Pale Ale
2010 World Beer Championships, Gold
2010 Australian International Beer Awards, Gold
2007 World Beer Championships, Best of the Year

History:

Rogues take risks. Rogues are willing to shun titles and personal financial success in the pursuit of the greater good. Rogues pursue the long shot. Rogues have respect for diversity. Rogues are never satisfied to rest on past laurels. Rogues work hard. Rogues ignore the accepted patterns and blaze their own trails. Rogue shave raw talent and focus on that talent. Rogues are honest with themselves and others. Rogues are rebels. Rogues have one foot in reality to let them get the job done, but they are, nonetheless, led by their dreams. Not a member? Join the nation! Rogue.com

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.rogue.com

Twitter:  @rogueales

In the end, I did not know how I felt about his beer.  It has pretty cool packaging and it is just their normal IPA to me.  It is a great beer.  I guess I would understand this beer a little bit more if I visit Rogue Nation.  A few years ago, I was in their backyard and I did not get a chance to stop by their brewery.  I hope one day to visit them.  I love it.  There is a nice balance from the aroma to the aftertaste.  There is a nice pretty color.  I believe if you are a hophead, you should at least try this beer.  Go get some!   Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter: @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13