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New Beer Blog Milwaukee Brewing Double IPA

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While in Milwaukee again, I was up in Milwaukee to see my friends from Milwaukee Brewing.  The name of the beer is called Dark Matter.  If you have read my earlier beer blog on their Pull Chain, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read the first part of that beer blog.  Let us get into the beer.

This Double IPA has a golden to amber color with a white head.  There is not a smell to the beer.  It is hard to smell in while on the brewery tour.  It has a sweet silky citrus taste without aftertaste. It is extremely drinkable beer for being a big beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.mkebrewing.com

Twitter:  @mkebrewco

In closing, I do not know if this is one I had back in the fall but this Double IPA is amazing.  I really enjoyed the one in the fall and I loved this one too.  It was hard to smell the beer in the brewery so if there is a smell I am sorry I did not pick it up.  I love the taste of the hops and the balance of the malty backbone.  This was a smooth Double IPA.  Uinta Detour Double IPA is my favorite but I have to say this one sets the standards for me for some double IPA’s in the Midwest Breweries.  I wish this was in bottle or cans.  I hope they do it in the future.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Kona Brewing Big Wave Golden Ale

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In this Kona beer blog, we are going to get into in my opinion is the best beer from this Hawaii Brewery.  It is called Big Wave Golden Ale.  If you read my earlier blog on  their Pipeline Porter, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read the first part of that beer blog.  Let us get into the beer

This golden ale has a clear yellow color without a head and bubbles in the beer. The smell is very fade. It has a slight citrus smell. It gives a sense of a Tropical feeling in the smell and taste.  The taste is sweet carbonation malty with a little citrus, which is very fade in the beer. There is no aftertaste. It is a beer the beer drinker can drink all day. It is extremely drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the  beer bottle:

Year-Round.  The waves that roll onto Hawaiian beaches are some of the best in the world.  Catch the crest of a breaking wave and ride it all the way in our sun-drenched Big Wave Golden is a smooth.  Refreshing brew inspired by what makes Hawaii great.  Since 1994, Kona Brewing Co. has been committed to making handcrafted ales and lagers of uncompromised quality.  We invite you to visit our brewery and pubs whenever you visit Hawaii.  Mahalo!

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

Light, Balanced & Easy Going

Our brewers wanted to make a beer that went down easy after a day out on the water. Big Wave Golden Ale is just the ticket. Big Wave is a lighter bodied golden ale with a tropical hop aroma and flavor – a smooth, easy drinking refreshing ale. The use of caramel malt contributes to the golden hue of this beer and our special blend of hops provides bright quenching finish.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.konabrewingco.com

Twitter:  @konabrewingco

Closing, just like all the rest of their beers, this beer is extremely drinkable.  Big Wave Golden Ale is drinkable with a huge Tropical feeling.   This beer has a ton of flavor.  I love the connection between the tropical hop and malts in the beer.  It is refreshing and brings out summer in the coldest winter day.  This beer is not heavy for the hottest summer days.  Big Wave Golden Ale is a great beer to be pair with several foods like spicy meats and even an American Burger.  I recommend 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 Schlafly T IPA Tasmanian Style India Pale Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to talk about a new beer from Schlafly Brewing.  The beer is called Tasmanian Style India Pale Ale.  If you read my earlier blog on their beers, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read the first part of that beer blog.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a yellow color with a white head on the beer.  The smell is between pineapple and hint of grapefruit to mango. The taste is a heavy mango and a hint of pineapple. The aftertaste is a drop off fast almost like it is not there and hard to explain it. This beer is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Schlafly Tasmanian Style IPA is a brewed with 100% Australian hops.  They impart a unique citrus flavor to the ale.  A special Release IPA, TIPA is available for a limited time, with a new IPA every few months.

Here is a description from the website (www.schlafly.com):

Tasmanian IPA

Available October – January

ABV:   7.2%   |   IBU:   60

  • Appearance: Golden, bright
  • Process: Dry hopped, single hop/single malt beer
  • Hops: Galaxy (AU)
  • Malts: 2-row malted barley
  • Yeast: American Ale
  • OG: 17.5
  • SRM:

Schlafly Tasmanian IPA is brewed with 100% Australian hops. The Tasmanian hop, Galaxy, is a strong, aromatic variety that is different from traditional strains of the Pacific Northwest. Our brewers developed a recipe that showcases the hop’s unique flavors of citrus and pineapple.

India Pale Ales (IPAs) were first brewed in England during the late 1700s for export overseas to British soldiers in India. To keep their beer from spoiling during the long voyage, English brewers fortified their traditional pale ale recipes with natural preservatives: more malted barley, for a higher alcohol content, and more hops. In recent decades, with growing appreciation for highly hopped beers, American craft brewers have revived the style, embraced it, and incorporated new hop varieties. Our Special Release IPAs further those traditions and showcase the distinctions of hops from different hemispheres.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.schlafly.com

Twitter:  @schlafly

Closing, this was a pretty interesting India pale ale.  These hops are the new trend in the craft beer world.  I have to say this brewery has hit a home run.  I have not had too many beers with these hops.  The ones I had are average to below average.  I just seems like these breweries do not know how to use the hops correctly.  I love the pineapple and mango taste from the hops.  This beer makes me feel like I am in the warm place.  This is beyond far my favorite IPA I have ever had in my life.  I recommend this beer and it is must hunt down.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Br. De Ranke Pere Noel

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In this winter beer blog, we are going to sample out a Christmas Ale from Belgium.  De Ranke was founded in 1994 by Nino Bacelle.  They brew several different Belgian Beer Styles all year-long.  There is not too much information on this brewery on the web.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a hazel golden color with a big white head on this Belgian ale. The smell is a heavy spices.  The taste is sweet carbonation spices.  The aftertaste has a hint of caramel.  It is a kind of drinkable beer.  There is a ton going on in the beer.

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

Père Noel

Père Noël is a Christmas ale, though very different from any other Christmas ales you might know. While most Christmas ales are rich & sweet, this one is amber-coloured, 7% vol. Alc. strong and tastes quite bitter. The complex taste is completed with the addition of liquorice. In the recipe we can also find pale malt, Munich malt, Caramel malt, Brewers Gold hops and Hallertau hops.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.deranke.be

Twitter:  No Twitter address

In closing, this beer is just like all the rest of the Belgian Strong Ales on the market.  I am not saying it is a bad beer.  I rather spend my money on Duvel and get more liquid.  It will give the beer drinker more of a value.  I did enjoy this beer and it was great on New Year’s Eve.  I am glad I try it once.  I recommend you trying it and maybe you will find something in that I did not find in it.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Goose Island Christmas Ale 2012

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In this winter beer blog, we are going to sample out this years Christmas Ale from Goose Island Brewery.  If you read my earlier blog on one their beers, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read  the first part of that beer blog.  Let us get into the beer.

Goose Island Christmas Ale has a nice amber color without a head on it. The smell is a caramel to malty to it.  The taste of this ale is a hazel to almond with a slight dash of caramel for the aftertaste.  It is not that drinkable but the beer drinker could have a few of these beers.

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

Brewer’s Notes:Every year to celebrate the holiday season, we brew up our Christmas Ale, and with each year we change the recipe slightly so that you have something special to look forward to.

Recipe Information:

Style: Brown Ale

Alcohol by Volume: 7.3

International Bitterness Units: Change year to year

Color: Chocolate

Hops: Change year to year

Malt: Pale, Munich, Caramel

Serving Suggestions:

Preferred Glass: Nonic

Food Pairings: Ham, Turkey, Lamb

Cheese Pairings: Aged Gouda, Dry Jack

Cellaring Notes: 180 days

Availability:

Seasonal (November – December)

Bottles: 6, 12 & 24pks

Draft: 1/6 & 1/2bbl

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.gooseisland.com

Twitter:  @gooseisland

Closing, this is the first of Goose Island Christmas Ale where the beer will not change over the years or can not be aged like Christmas Ales from the past.  It is pretty disappointing because a ton of us craft beer drinkers love to age beer to see what is like next year.  I was pretty disappointing with this beer.  It is kind of drinkable beer.  I just feel this beer is missing something like other years.  I do not know what it is and I am not a brewer to make to explain my thought pattern.  I can see most people liking this beer and I want you to try it.  This beer does pair really well with food.   I just do not like this year’s Christmas Ale from Goose Island and that does not mean you will not like this beer.  Let me hear your thoughts.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Revolution Brewing Mad Cow Milk Stout

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into another beer from Revolution Brewing and the beer is called Mad Cow Milk Stout.  If you read my earlier blog on their Anti-Hero IPA, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read the first part of that beer blog post.  Let us get into the beer.

Revolution Brewing Mad Cow Milk Stout has a jet black color without a head on it. The smell is chocolate to toffee to the beer.  The taste is a creamy chocolate beer without an aftertaste.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Mad Cow

Smooth, charcoal black stout made with lactose for a lingering sweetness.

Milk Stout

ABV  7.7%IBU  30

Profile: Smooth, charcoal black stout made with lactose

Availability: 1/6 & 22oz

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.revbrew.com

Twitter:  @revbrewchicago

In closing,  I really enjoyed this beer and this is my favorite brew from Revolution Brewing.  I love their Anti-Hero IPA also from this brewery.  It is smooth and silky beer.  It is extremely drinkable and that could get some people in trouble.  I highly recommend this beer, however, this is not my favorite milk stout I have ever had.  Mad Cow is my top five for Milk Stout.

Here is my top five Milk Stouts:

  1. Lancaster Brewing Milk Stout
  2. Milwaukee Brewing Polish Moon Milk Stout
  3. Revolution Brewing Mad Cow Milk Stout
  4. Maui Brewing Milk Stout (Brewpub only)
  5. Left Hand Milk Stout

These are all really good milk stouts and just because I put it third does not make it a bad beer.   I really enjoyed drinking them all.  Now some of these beers, I can not get in my market like Maui Brewing and Lancaster Brewing.  Left Hand is a great brew.  I just feel the rest of the breweries took their recipe and made it better.  Left Hand Milk Stout is still the same old brew and they did not change it.  I recommend you trying all these beers.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Heavy Sea Winter Bock

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When in Michigan for Thanksgiving, we are going to get into another brew from Heavy Sea Brewery.  The beer is their winter seasonal and it is called Winter Bock.  If you read my earlier blog on their flagship beer, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please read the first part of that beer post.  Let us get into the beer.

This winter bock has a dark amber color. There is a little earthy to a bit nutty malty smell. The taste has a ton going on the beer. It has a nutty, earthly, and malty taste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

With a full ruby hue, rich malty character, and earthy hop aroma. Winter Storm is an original– an Imperial ESB for the winter months. 7.5% Alc./Vol.

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

Winter Storm

Pyrate Fleet Fleet

Winter Storm may be Hugh’s favorite beer in the Heavy Seas catalogue. Our winter ale draws on hops from the West Coast and the UK for its pronounced bitterness. A mix of pale and darker malts give it its tawny color and its bigger body. True to the style, Winter Storm’s aroma is nutty malts and earthy hops. This is a perfect fall beer, especially because of its warming qualities.

BEER DETAILS
  • Style: Imperial Extra Special Bitter (ESB)
  • ABV: 7.5%
  • IBUs: 50
  • Availability: October-December
  • Hops: Warrior, UK Goldings, UK Fuggles, Cascade, Centennial
  • Malts: 2-row, Crystal, Caramalt, Chocolate Malt
SUGGESTIONS
  • Food Pairings: Brie or Havarti cheese, pan-seared steak, barbecued pork

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.hsbeer.com

Twitter:  @heavyseasbeer

Closing, this beer is awesome and it got me in trouble, which I am still recovering from two days later.  This Winter Storm is extremely drinkable for being 7.5% ABV.  There is a ton going on this beer.  I really enjoyed this beer and I wished I could have brought some back from Michigan.  I am happy to see them around Michigan stores but I wish they were in my Chicago liquor stores.  At least, they are getting closer and it is reason to go back to Michigan.  This is what ESB should taste like not what I have been drinking here in the Chicago area or wherever.  I recommend you trying this beer at least once.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog MacTarnahan’s Brewing Spine Tingler

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When in Michigan for Thanksgiving, we are going to check out MacTarnahn’s Brewing and the beer is called Spine Tingler.  MacTarnahan’s Brewing was founded in 1986 by Robert Malcolm “Mac” MacTarnahan, who was one of the investors in the Brewery.  At one time, this brewery was called Portland Brewing.  Pyramid Brewery brought this brewery in 2004.  Pyramid Brewery was sold to Magic Hat Brewery in 2008 and they later sold in 2010 to North American Breweries.  Let us get into the beer.

This beer has a golden clear color with a semi head on it but there is a heavy carbonation when pouring from the bottle. It has a nice hoppy Belgian smell. The taste is a carbonation with Belgian species aftertaste. It is kind of drinkable beer.

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

Spine Tingler

Malts: Pilsner Malt, Wheat Hops: Northern Brewer, Perle Spice: Candied Sugar Bitternes: 23 IBU Alcohol By Volume: 8.5%

A surprisingly sublime Belgian-style triple offering an electrifying blend of spicy aromatics balanced with a lively malt palate that is so good it’s scary.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.macsbeer.com

Twitter:  @macsbeer

Closing, I was pretty stun at how close this beer is to a real Belgium Triple.  If anyone in the United States can make beer good, it is Portland.  There are very few beers I had from Portland that are just flat-out bad.  I love the aroma from the beers.  The taste of the nice hop character.  This is brewery has nailed it.  I will have this beer again when I am in Michigan because I do not believe I have seen this brewery around Chicago.  I will put this brewery on my list when I make it out to Portland again.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Short’s Brew Soft Parade

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When in Michigan for Thanksgiving, Short’s Brew Soft Parade is the brewery and beer that will be featured in this blog post.  If you read my earlier blog on their India Pale Ale, you know the short history on this young brewery.  If you have not, please read the first part of that beer post.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a light amber color that is not clear with a nice white head on the beer.  The smell is all the fruit that the brewery put in during fermenting. There is some raspberry to blackberry smell to this fruit beer. The taste is sweet carbonation fruit with a raspberry to blackberry aftertaste. The strawberry and blueberry are in the taste but in the background. This is not a drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

High Gravity Ale fermented with blueberries, strawberries, raspberries, and blueberries.

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

The Soft Parade

This gourmet specialty is engineered of toasted rye flakes and two-row malted barley. Loaded with pureed strawberries, blueberries, raspberries, and blackberries, we refer to this fermented potion as a fruit infused rye ale. The result is a refreshing fruit delicacy that’s easy to drink, appealing to look at, and finishes dry.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.shortsbrewing.com

Twitter:  @shortsbrewing

In the end, I am not a huge fan of fruit beers.  I am not a fan of many of the Belgian beers.  This is a pretty good beer but it is not my favorite beer I had from this brewery.  I have to say I did enjoy drinking this beer.  It reminds me of summer.  I love the name and I wonder if it was named after the classic The Doors song.  There is a question for Joe Shorts.  If you pour this beer out and did not let me see the bottle, I would have thought this came from Belgian Brewery.  For the beer style, Short’s Brew made an excite fruit beer.  If you are a fan of fruit beers, you will like this beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiseer

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Central Waters Satin Solstice Imperial Stout

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In this beer blog, we are going to sample some Central Satin Solstice Imperial Stout.  If you read my earlier blog on their Imperial India Pale Ale, you know the history of this small great brewery.  If you have not, please read the first part of that beer post.  Let us get into this awesome imperial stout.

It has a black color without a head on the beer. The smell is a chocolate, toffee to some coffee to the beer. The taste is between chocolate to slight coffee notes. This beer is very drinkable and dangerous because of the ABV.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

The smooth creamy stout and a cracking fireplace are the perfect answer to a wintery evening in Wisconsin.  The rich coffee flavor compliments the “warm fuzzy feeling” you get from the abundant alcohol.  Enjoy in moderation.

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

SATIN SOLSTICE IMPERIAL STOUT
 This smooth, creamy stout and a crackling fireplace are the perfect answer to a wintery evening in Wisconsin. Enjoy in moderation.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  http://www.centralwaters.com

Twitter: @CWBrewing

Closing out, this is one of my favorite imperial stouts on the market.  It comes at a really good price for a six-pack bottles at $9.99 at most stores.  It is at the same price as the rest of their everyday beers.  It is even more a value to everyone asides the brewery.  Most breweries charge more their imperial  stout.  I love how easy this stout is to drink with the nice chocolate, with a little coffee and toffee.  This is an awesome stout and I highly recommend this beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email;  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser