east coast craft beers

New Beer Blog Blue Point Brewing Blueberry Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into another beer from Blue Point Brewing.  It is their Blueberry Ale.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this Long Island, New York brewery.  If you have not, please, read those beer blog posts to get to know this brewery.  Let us get into beer.

It has a clear golden color without a head.  The smell is heavy blueberry.  The taste of this light body beer is heavy blueberry notes.  It is extremely drinkable beer.

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

Who knew that throwing some blueberries into a batch of beer one day would have worked out so well? While there’s no Oompa-Loompas involved in its production; there’s definitely something special that makes Blueberry Ale one of our top-sellers. First brewed in 1998, this delicious golden ale quickly became a year-round favorite. Our fresh Blueberry Ale offers an unusual twist on brewing that turns out to be a wonderful blend of fresh blueberries matched with a distinctive, thirst quenching ale. We carefully add 732 pounds of fresh, plump and juicy, handpicked, USA Northern Highbush Blueberries to every batch. Even before your first sip of Blueberry Ale, a strong, refreshing sweet fruit aroma emanates from the bottle, kicking your taste-buds into overdrive.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.bluepointbrewing.com

Twitter:  @bluepointbrewer

Closing, I do get into my fair share of fruit beers.  I love pretty much everything I have had from Blue Point Brewing.  I had this beer for the first time in Cooperstown, New York.  I have to say I was pretty impressed.  I picked up this bottle on my way back to Chicago from Detroit.  I wanted to re-try this brew just to make sure I still like it.  This beer is pretty balanced from the golden ale and the blueberries.  It is sweet but not overly sweet.  I recommend you trying this brew.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Great Divide Colette Farmhouse Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into the second of three beers from Great Divide Brewing.  It is their Colette Farmhouse Ale.  If you read my earlier beer blog, you know the history of this great Denver brewery.  If you have not, please, read that beer blog post.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear bright yellow to golden color with constant small bubbles.  There is yeast in the bottle that will change it from clear to cloudy. The head is a constant white.  The smell is a slight farmhouse but a fresh farm smell. The taste of this light body ale has slight lemon with some spices with a spicy to lemon but refreshing finish.  It is a drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Colette is our homage to the saisons that Belgian farm workers have enjoyed for centuries.  Brewed with barley, wheat and rice and fermented at high temperatures with a special blend of four different yeast stains, Colette is fruity and slightly tart, with a dry finish that makes it that rarest of treats – a beer as refreshing as it is complex.

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

COLETTE is our homage to the saisons that Belgian farm workers have enjoyed for centuries. Brewed with barley, wheat and rice and fermented at high temperatures with a special blend of four different yeast strains, COLETTE is fruity and slightly tart, with a dry finish that makes it that rarest of treats — a beer as refreshing as it is complex.

 ABV.: 7.3%

AVAILABLE: Year Round

SIZES: 6 packs, 5 gal and 15.5 gal kegs

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.greatdivide.com

Twitter;  @greatdividebrew

Ending, this is a pretty tricky ale to make for most craft breweries.  There are several different Saisons on the market.  It could be hoppy amber saison, hoppy saison, and a refreshing saison.  This one to me is in the refreshing saison.  It echos the classic beer style.  It is well balance and gives everything that a saison fan is looking for in this beer style.  I recommend you trying.  Please, let me know what you think of this beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog DC Brau Else Here Speaks

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into another brew from a brewery I want to visit one day.  It is DC Brau and it is their seasonal or limited release called EL Hefe Speaks Limited-Release German-Style Wheat Beer.  If you read my earlier blog on their stout, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read that beer blog post to get to know this up and coming brewery from the DC area.  Let us get into this brew that I received from a friend.

It has a cloudy yellow with a white head on the beer.  The smell is of bananas in this beer.  The taste is of a heavy bananas to this wheat ale.  The aftertaste is a slight fading banana.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer can:

This traditionally brewed German-Style wheat is our collaboration with Chris Frashier and John “Solly” Solomon, who are both well-known for their delicious brewing work in the Washington DC area.

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

EL HEFE SPEAKS™

We crafted EL HEFE SPEAKS!, our fond farewell to summer, as a collaboration with John Solomon and Chris Frashier. The pair are well known for their fine (and tasty!) work at Old Dominion in Ashburn, VA, during the mid 90’s.

EL HEFE SPEAKS!  is a traditionally brewed German-style Hefe. It is fermented around 65°F and hopped with German Tettnang hops. 11 IBUs and 5.3% ABV make this one extremely drinkable.

If you think it speaks to you as well, definitely try a glass… because it will be gone before you can say “sweater weather”.

“We’re tremendously excited to bring this specialty brew to the District,” said DC Brau Co-Founder and CEO, Brandon Skall, “Working with other local brewers on this project has made presenting the final product even better.”

The beer was brewed at DC Brau in early August. “El Hefe Speaks” uses the Weihenstephaner yeast strain, a classic, popular German wheat beer strain used worldwide.

John Solomon and Chris Frashier have been a part of the DC brewing community for years. The two worked together at Old Dominion Brewing Company in Ashburn, VA before opening Solly’s U Street Tavern. Frashier brewed at Capital City Brewing Company for 7 years before brewing at Old Dominion for 5 years. Solomon worked at Old Dominion for a total of 11 years.

COMING SOON IN 22oz BOMBERS!

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.dcbrau.com

Twitter:  @dcbrau

In closing, as many of you know, I am NOT a fan of wheat beers.  However, I have grown a love towards German wheat or German what styles, this is one of those beers.  I really enjoyed this brew and I stun everyone in the room and on twitter.  This is a great brew and it is well balance.  It gives you everything you are looking for in a German wheats.  There is bananas in the aroma and the drinking experience.  I wish I had more and I know they are working on making it in 22oz bottles.  So far everything, I had from this brewery is great.  I highly highly recommend you trying this brew and this brewery’s beers.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog DuClaw Brewing Hellrazer IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into a beer from DuClaw Brewing.  The beer that will be feature is their Hellrazer IPA.  If you read my earlier beer blog on their Imperial IPA, you know the history of this east coast brewery.  If you have not, please, read that beer blog to get up to speed on this brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

The color is a fogging copper color without a head on the beer. The smell is a mango to the beer.  The taste of this light body beer is a mango to star fruit with bitter aftertaste.  It is not really drinkable.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

From first sweet sip to crisp, dry finish, this IPA gets in your face with the exotic flavors and aromas of New Zealand Motneka hops, yet maintains enough malt character to stay balanced but always ready to… Raze Hell

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

Hellrazer
Raze Hell                                                
This medium-bodied, golden IPA gets in your face from first sweet sip to crisp, dry finish with exotic tropical fruit flavors and aromas of New Zealand Motueka hops. With just enough malt character to keep the unruly hops and 7.5% abv in check, this brew was born to raze hell.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.duclaw.com

Twitter:  @DuClawBrewing

Closing, I really loved drinking this beer.  This was a nice drinkable India Pale Ale and still get hit with the a nice hop taste.  Motueka hops have been becoming the new hop trend a few years ago.  You had a ton of craft breweries jumping on this hop to brew a new India Pale Ale or just a Pale Ale.  I know Summit Brewing use this hop to make their new IPA.  I love aroma and taste this hop kicks off.  There is a nice malty backbone to balance this IPA.  This is a well made IPA and I highly recommend this brew.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Flying Dog Double Dog Double Pale Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to sample another brew from Flying Dog Brewery.  The beer is their Double Dog Double Pale Ale.  If you read my earlier post on their flagship Doggy Style Pale Ale, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not read that post, please, read that beer blog post.  Let us get into the beer.

It has at golden amber color with white head.  The smell is a grapefruit to this Double Pale Ale.  The taste is grapefruit with malt character.  The aftertaste has a huge hop finish.  It is sipping beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.flyingdogales.com

Twitter:  @FlyingDog

In closing, this is a pretty big beer and I loved it.  This is not a drinkable beer and that is not a bad thing.  I love how it is a sipping beer.  This is a beer you can enjoy at the end of the day and relax with it.  I love the hops that they use in the beer.  It kicks off a huge grapefruit aroma and taste.  There is a nice malty backbone to this beer.  I highly recommend this beer and all their beers.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog DuClaw Brewing Serum Double IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into a brewery from a beer called DuClaw Brewing.  The brew is called Serum Double India Pale Ale. DuClaw Brewing brewed their first beer in 1996 and was founded the same year by Dave Benfield.  It was a Marzen and the beer was called Mad Bull Marzen.  According to their website, they are the number one craft brewery in Maryland.  They brew several different beer styles and won several different awards.  Let us get into beer.

It has a slightly cloudy copper color with a white head.  The smell is of pineapple to orange.  The taste is pineapple with an orange aftertaste.  It is drinkable but dangerous.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Give your palate a big injection of hop bitterness well-balanced by malty sweetness with this smooth, medium bodied, copper-colored nectar that takes India Pale Ale to the next level.  Pop the top and… Get all hopped up.

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

Serum

Double your pleasure. 

                 
Some beers are released … this one ESCAPED! Serum takes the style, IPA to a whole different level! This Double IPA is hopped aggressively at several stages in the brewing process. Although it is hopped up, Serum is well-balanced with a malty sweetness, making it the perfect solution to awaken lifeless taste buds.

Here is a their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.duclaw.com

Twitter:  @DuClawBrewing

Closing, I will say to my friend Matt from Maryland knows how to pick them or he has some great breweries by him.  I am thanking.  This brew is one of the best Double IPA that I had from out of my market.  I love the pineapple to orange notes from the hops and the nice balance from the malt.  This is a well balance beer for the beer style and it is extremely drinkable beer.  I really enjoyed this brew and I wish I could get this beer in the Chicago market.  I highly recommend this brew.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:   djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Starr Hill Grateful Pale Ale

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In this beer bog, we are going to get into another brew from Starr Hill Brewery.  It is their Grateful Pale Ale. If you read my earlier blog on their Amber Ale, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not read that post, please, read that post.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear golden to dark yellow color with a white head.  The smell has a citrus with a touch of mango and grapefruit.   The taste of this light to medium body ale has a light carbonated citrus with a slight dry hop finish.  It extremely drinkable beer.

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

Grateful

Pale Ale

Grateful creates a fresh spin on the American Pale Ale tradition. A strong citrusy, resinous aroma from the hops leads into a light body with subtle malt flavor. Grateful is a sessionable brew at 4.7% abv.

Ingredients

Malted Barley: Two Row, Wheat & Caramel
Kettle Hops: Chinook, Centennial, Topaz & Cascade
Yeast: Ale Yeast

Characteristics

Flavor: Aromatic hops with a light body
Color: Light Gold
Style: American Pale Ale
IBUs: 26
ABV: 4.7%

Other Info

Availability: Seasonal
Release Date: May 01, 2013
Draught: 1/2 Barrel, 1/6 Barrel
Package: 4/6 LNNR

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.starrhill.com

Twitter:  @StarrHill

In closing, I have heard great things about their beers and I had one of their beers when I was in Washington D.C.  I was pretty impressed with their  Amber Ale.  I just felt this was a great brew, however, this beer is too much of a light body for my taste.  I love the hop they use in the beer.  I understand where they were going with it being their summer seasonal.  I was not impressed but I know for a fact this beer will sell.  I recommend you trying this beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Troegs Craft Brewery Hop Back Amber Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into the first review on this blog on a Troegs Craft Brewery brew.  The beer that will be reviewed is Hop Back Amber Ale.  Troegs Craft Brewery was founded by brothers, who are John and Chris Trogner in 1996 at Harrisburg, Pennsylvania.  They sold their first keg in 1997.  They later moved their brewery to Hershey, Pennsylvania in 2011.  They brew several different beer styles and won several different awards.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear amber color without a head on the beer.  The smell has a malty to caramel with a touch of citrus.  The taste of this well balance beer is malty and caramel to citrus notes.  There is no aftertaste to this hoppy amber ale.  It is drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Each batch of HopBack Amber Ale flows through a bed of whole flower hops creating a fresh aroma, spicy taste and rich caramel note that defines our signature beer.

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

Tröegs HopBack Amber Ale

Alcohol by Volume: 6.0%Hop Bitterness (IBUs): 55Color (SRM): AmberAvailability: Year RoundMalts: Pilsner, Munich, CrystalHops: Cascade, Williamette, NuggetHopBack Hops: Nugget, CrystalYeast: Ale

Tröegs HopBack Amber gets its unique name and taste from the hopback vessel in our brewhouse.  Packed full of whole flower hops, each batch circulates through the vessel, creating a fresh hoppy aroma, spicy taste and a rich caramel note that defines our signature Amber Ale.

TASTING NOTES

Deep amber in color under a huge creamy head. HopBack Amber Ales aroma is very apparent, bold and spicy with a slight floral character. Balanced with caramel malt, this well-rounded amber ale has an up-front floral spice that builds with a flush of sweetness.

FOOD COMPLIMENTS

Big, robust flavors like red meats and strong cheeses. The assertive flavors of our HopBack will hold up against strong cheeses like Stilton and Smoked Cheddar.

Serving Suggestions: Temp: 50-55° F   Glassware:  Bavarian Tumbler or Pint Glass

Here is  their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.troegs.com

Twitter:  @jtroegs

In closing, I really enjoyed this brew.  This is a great hoppy amber ale.  I had a few brews from this brewery.  I have enjoyed them.  I love the hop touch and malt that kicks off the caramel notes.  It has a nice balance from the hops and caramel notes.  I wish I could get their beers in the Chicago market.  It is drinkable and has a ton going in it.  It was a pretty enjoyable beer.  I am happy  that I was able to try.  I also thanks to my friend, who is Matt, from Maryland for sending me the beers.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog 3 Fonteinen Zwet.be Belgian Porter

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Happy 4th of July, we are going to get into 3 Fonteinen Zwet.be in this beer blog.  It is a pretty unique beer.  It is a Belgian Porter, which is unique as it is, but they use the Begian yeast during the brewing process.  3 Fonteinen was founded in 1887 in Belgium.  They were brewing lambics beers.  It is style of blending old and young beer into one.  It was sold 1953 to Gaston De Belder and it has been the family since.  The current owners have expanded the brewery and they have been exploring into different beer styles like the one we are review here.  Let us get into this unique beer.

It has a jet black color with a constant tan to light brown color head. The smell is a dark chocolate cover fruit.  The taste of this full body is a dark chocolate with a tart aftertaste. It is a sipping beer with a cigar.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

This unusual ale is the brainchild of Armand Debelder, brewer and blender of the world-famous Drie Fonteinen lambics.  A Belgian Porter, brewed with wild yeast cultured from Armand’s casks of lambic.

Here is a description from their website (www.3fonteinen.be):

Zwet.be, unusual “black” beer mixed gistingis is brewed with wheat, Maris Otter malt and cara malt.

Specifically, the mixed fermentation, yeast culture on the one hand from the Beersel Blonde, other lambic yeast. The lambic, brewed by Armand Debelder, a specific type of Brettanomyces geïsolleerd. This yeast gives this beer of 7% alc. volume slightly tart finish.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.3fonteinen.be

Twitter:  @3Fonteinen

In the end, I hope this would be my last beer on the planet.  This is amazing sipping beer.  I am a huge porter fan and I have not really been a fan of Belgian beers.  This beer is in my top five list of best porters ever had so far in my life.  This porter has everything that will make the Belgian fans happy and non Belgian fans happy.  There is the dark chocolate to tart notes.  This is dark chocolate cover fruit because of the tart.  I am pretty speechless on what to say about Zwet.be.  It just tells you how much I liked this beer.  I will say this just because I like this beer.  It does not mean you will like it too.  I would keep an open mind and draw your own thought pattern.  This is great beer and I highly highly HIGHLY recommend you trying this beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Evil Twin and Local Option Plastic Man

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Starting a new tab, we are going to get into another brew from Evil Twin Brewing.  If you read my earlier beer post on Evil Twin Brewing, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read that beer blog post.  However, this beer has Local Option teamed up with Evil Twin Brewing to brew this beer, Let us get into the history of Local Option.  There is really no history on the internet for Local Option.  They are based in Chicago.  Let us get into the beer.

It is cloudy peach color with a constant white head. It is like they put whole peaches in the bottle without the skin. The smell has a peach aroma to this Saison Style Ale. The taste is a slight carbonated peaches with peach aftertaste. It is drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Taste the Colors, Hear the Aromas, Smell the Carbonation.

Here is a their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.eviltwin.dk and www.localoptionbier.com

Twitter:  @LocalOption and @EvilTwinBrewing

Closing out, this beer was something else.  Local Option and Evil Twin teamed up and did a great job on this beer.  I am pretty impressed with this beer.  I have not had too many beers from Local Option.  I will be heading down to check out their brewpub.  Evil Twin, I had several different brews from Evil Twin Brewing.  I am not a fan of peaches but the peaches in this brew are awesome.  I highly recommend this beer and I want you to hunt this beer down.  Please, let me know what you think of it.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser