import beer

New Beer Blog Church Street Brewing Heavenly Helles Lager

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In beginnings, Church Street Brewing Heavenly Helles Lager is the feature craft brewery and brew in this beer blog post.  If you read beer blog post from yesterday, you know the history of Church Street Brewing.  If you have not read that post from yesterday, please, read the post to get to know this craft brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear golden color without a head on this Helles Lager.  There is no smell to this lager.  The taste has a slight carbonated malt to a light hop notes.  The aftertaste is a dry crisp finish.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Heavenly Helles

One of Bavaria’s quintessential beverages, now the best lager in Chicagoland. Utilizing old world decoction mashing techniques for a truly unique malt complexity, this gentle drink also features a straw colored-clarity that’s clearly heavenly!

  • ABV 5.4%
  • IBU 30
  • SRM 6

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.churchstreetbrew.com

Twitter:  @ChurchStBrew

In the end, I love this German beer style.  It is one of my favorite Lager beer styles.  One of my favorite Helles beer is out of the little brewery out of Shiner, Texas, who is Shiner Brewery.  I have always compare other Helles to that one.  It is my staple, however, it is not fair.  This is why it is not fair because they smoked  their malt.  It gave off a smokey notes in aroma and taste. I know for a fact that other craft breweries that make Helles do not that to their malt.  I could be wrong. I am going to stop judging other Helles Lager to the Shiner one, since, they do not make this beer anymore.  I like this one and this will be my staple until another one can knock it off the top of the list.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Church Street Brewing Continental Lager

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In this beer blog, Church Street Brewing is making its first appearance on this blog with their Continental Lager.  Joe Gregor traveled around checking out local beers around the world and found a nice location in the Northwest Burbs of Chicago.  Joe loves German Lagers and the craft beer drinkers will see a few Lagers in their beer line ups.  This brewery opened the doors for the first time in 2012.  They brew several different beer styles asides Lagers.  Let us get into this Lager.

It has golden color with a big white constants head.  The carbonation is heavy on this lager.  There is really no smell.  The taste has a light carbonation with a slight malty to hoppy notes.  The aftertaste is clean crisp finish.  It is a pretty drinkable lager.

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

Smooth and drinkable, yet malty and complex with a noble hop kick. Church Street’s Continental Lager marries four German malts with three German hop varieties to create our quintessential pilsner.  Notes of biscuit and grassy/floral hops make this a great beer to kick back with anytime. Enjoy!

  • ABV 5.3%
  • IBU 39
  • SRM 7

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.churchstreetbrew.com 

Twitter:  @ChurchStBrew

In the end, I have been on a search for a good craft lager.  I believe this one from Church Street Brewing has come pretty close to it.  This lager to me is too close to the European Lager Style.  It is still good brew.  I wished I could get another bottle of this brew but they are not available in the Southeast part of Michigan.   I really did enjoy this Lager and it is towards the top of my lager list. I recommend this brew and I hope to hear your thoughts on this brew.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

2013 in review Thanks For All The Support!

The WordPress.com stats helper monkeys prepared a 2013 annual report for this blog.

Here’s an excerpt:

A San Francisco cable car holds 60 people. This blog was viewed about 2,500 times in 2013. If it were a cable car, it would take about 42 trips to carry that many people.

Click here to see the complete report.

Thanks For The Support!

Bill DJ Weiser

New Beer Blog Robinsons Brewery Trooper Ale

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Run to the hills, we are going to get into the brew from Iron Maiden and Robinsons Brewery and it is their Trooper Ale.  This is recipe came from Bruce Dickenson, who is the lead singer.  Robinsons Brewery was founded and started in 1838 by William Robinson in England.  They brew several different beer styles.  Here is a youtube video with Bruce talking about this beer.

It has a clear copper color with a semi white head on this Metal Beer.  The smell is a slight caramel to some hop notes.  The taste has some caramel with hop notes along with a slight water notes.  The aftertaste has a dry hop and malt finish that falls flat at the end.  It it is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Onward, onward Ride the 600…

The change of the light brigade, which inspired the Iron Maiden song The Trooper, took place at the Battle Of Balaclava (1854) during the Crimean War when 600 British cavalry courageously charged the masses Russian artillery.  This gallant but foolhardy assault resulted in a massive loss of life and came about due to a misunderstanding of an order given by the commanding officer, Lord Raglan

Trooper is a premium British beer inspired by Iron Maiden and handcrafted are Robinsons brewery.  Being a real ale enthusiast, vocalist Bruce Dickinson has developed a beer which has true depth of character.  Malt flavours and citric notes from an unique blend of Bobec, Goldings, and Cascade hops dominate this deep golden ale.

Here is a description from Robinson Brewery’s website (www.robinsonsbrewery.com):

Premium British Beer – Inspired by Iron Maiden, handcrafted by Robinsons. ABV 4.7%

TROOPER takes its name from the Iron Maiden song which is inspired by the famous Charge of the Light Brigade. Being a real ale enthusiast, vocalist Bruce Dickinson has developed a beer which has true depth of character.

TROOPER is a Premium British Beer inspired by Iron Maiden and handcrafted at Robinsons brewery. Malt flavours and citric notes from a unique blend of Bobec, Goldings and Cascade hops dominate this deep golden ale with a subtle hint of lemon.

Premium British Beer – Created by award-winning heavy metal rock legends Iron Maiden, brewed by Robinsons. ABV 4.7%

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.robinsonsbrewery.com and www.ironmaidenbeer.com

Twitter:  @ironmaidenbeer

Fear of the dark, I am huge metal head and fan of Iron Maiden.  When I heard the band was coming out with a beer, I thought it was a money grab.  Of course, they will make money on it either way.  When I heard they are taking this beer serious, I started to take this brew serious.  I had a hard time finding a bottle to try it here in the states.  I had a friend from one of my beer stores get a few cases.  It is 16.9oz bottle for $7.99.  I am not saying this is a bad beer because it is not a bad one.  I just feel this beer is over priced.  Of course, I understand it is an import beer that is one reason why it is a little bit more.  I recommend you trying this brew if you are a fan of the band, metal head, and/or craft beer drinker.  Overall, it is a well made beer and I enjoyed 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 Epic Armageddon IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into a brewery I have been wanting to try in a very long time.  I am talking about Epic Brewery from New Zealand.  The beer is their Armageddon India Pale Ale.  Epic Brewing was started in 2006 by the founder, who is Luke Nicholas.  In 2007,  Steam Brewing Company sold all the Epic Brewing and the brands to Luke Nicholas.  The brewery started to sell their beers to Australia in 2009.  The United States and Sweden in 2010 and Belgium and Italy in 2011.  They brew several different beer styles.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear copper color with pure white head on this India Pale Ale.  The smell is grapefruit.  The taste of this medium body beer is a carbonated grapefruit notes with a slight dry hop aftertaste.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Armageddon I.P.A

The answer to everything.

In the beginning, there was nothing. Then an impish brewer piled a ludicrous amount of hops into a batch of beer. This zymurgical big bang is Epic Armageddon, an apocalyptic assault on your preconceptions and taste buds. It may be too huge for this fragile planet so enjoy this beer like it was the last one on Earth.

Malt

  • English pale ale
  • Caramalt

Hops

  • US Cascade
  • US Centenniel
  • US Columbus
  • US Simcoe

Flavours & aromas

  • Hops! hops! hops!
  • Citrus
  • Grapefruit

Awards

  • Best in Class – BrewNZ 2011
  • Best in Class – BrewNZ 2009
  • Gold Medal – BrewNZ 2011
  • Gold Medal – BrewNZ 2009
  • Bronze Medal – BrewNZ 2010

Here is a their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.epicbeer.com

Twitter:  @EpicBeer

Closing, I am not disappointed with this beer after a long wait of wanting to try it.  I will be hunting down the rest of their brews.  This brewmaster did a great job on this brew.  He and his company put some thought behind this brew.  The beer is nice balance with some great hop notes and character.  It is pretty drinkable for the beer style.  I will be looking for more of this beer in Detroit beer market.  Thanks Luke for giving the United States craft beer drinker a good import IPA.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Fuller’s London Porter

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Fuller’s London Porter is the next  brew that will be featured on this beer blog.  If you read my beer blog post on their ESB, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not read that beer blog post, please, that beer blog post to get to know this brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a jet black color without a head on the beer.  The smell is rich chocolate black coffee.   The taste of this light to medium body beer is dark chocolate and coffee with a dry dark chocolate aftertaste. It is not drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Fuller’s London Porter is an award-winning example of this historic English style; smooth and creamy with delicious chocolate and coffee flavors derived from the roasted malts.

The Griffin Brewery in Chiswick, London, has been brewing fine ales since 1654.

The Fuller, Smith & Turner partnership, dating back to 1845, brews an excellent range of award-winning ales, many of which are available in the USA, including London Pride pale ale and the world’s original ESB.  I hope you will enjoy trying all our fine ales.

Here is a description from their website (www.fullers.co.uk):

London Porter

Fuller’s London Porter, is widely regarded as the World’s Finest Porter: having won awards all over the world, London Porter is regularly voted the number one Porter on beer websites such as http://www.ratebeer.com, a tremendous accolade to our brewing team. The origins of Porter date back to London in the early eighteenth century, and the beer has seen fame around the world, from Ireland to the USA and Australia. It was the dominant beer style in London for quite some time, and takes its name from the street and river porters of the city who carried goods around the streets.

Tasting notes

Fuller’s London Porter captures the flavours of those original brews perfectly, although you won’t find a cloudy pint these days! Rich, dark and complex, at 5.4% ABV the beer has an outstanding depth of flavour.
It is brewed from a blend of Brown, Crystal and Chocolate malts for a creamy delivery balanced by traditional Fuggles hops. The range of flavours works well with a wide variety of foods, ranging from rich meat dishes, to oysters, and even chocolate puddings.

Here is their website and twitter addresses;

Website:  www.fullers.co.uk

Twitter;  @London_Pride

In the end, this is a great classic porter from Fuller’s.  This beer is rich and smooth with a ton of chocolate and coffee notes.  There is a lot going in this brew.  I can see many American Craft Breweries trying to make their own version of this great beer.  If you love porters, this is one porter you have to try before you make any judgement on other porters in the world.  This porter is in my top five porters of all time.  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 Fuller’s London Pride

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into the flagship from Fuller’s Brewery and the beer is London Pride Pale Ale.  If you read my beer blog post on their ESB, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not read that beer blog post, please, read that post to get to know this brewery.  Let us get into beer.

It has a clear copper color with a constant white head.  There is no smell to this beer.  The taste is a malty caramel with a light carbonation with a tropical fruit aftertaste.  It is drinkable and refreshing beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Fuller’s London Pride is an award-winning English classic premium beer, rich and smooth, with a good malty base and well-developed hop notes in the finish.

The Griffin Brewery in Chiswichk, London, has been brewing fine beers since 1654.

The Fuller, Smith & Turner partnership, dating back to 1845, brews an excellent range of award-winning beers, many of which are available in the USA, including London Pride premium beer and the world’s original ESB.  I hope you will enjoy trying all our fine beers.

Here is description from their website (www.fullers.co.uk):

London Pride

Fuller’s London Pride is the UK’s leading premium ale.

An intrinsic part of London, London Pride has been brewed by the banks of the Thames from the very first brew.

Known and loved for its smooth, distinctive malty base and rich balance of hops flavours, London Pride is London and the UK’s favourite premium ale.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.fullers.co.uk

Twitter;  @London_Pride

Ending, this is a great beer but I am not a huge fan of the malty base pale ales.  This is how all English Pale Ales.  There is nothing wrong that brewing styles.  Europe set the standard for the classic beer styles.  I love the hops that they use in this brew but I just feel this beer would be better if it did not have a huge malty backbone.  This is what the brewery and the brewmaster at the time was going for in the recipe.  So for what it is, it is well made beer. 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

New Beer Blog Fuller’s ESB

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into an import and craft brewery from England.  It is Fuller’s and the beer is their ESB.  This is family owned business since 1845.  This brewery is just outside of London, England.  They brew several different beer styles that is true to classic England beer styles.  There beers are not over hopped like most American craft brews.    Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear amber color without a head on the beer.  The smell is almost like a caramel.  The taste of medium body beer is carbonated caramel with dry hazelnut hop finish.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Fuller’s ESB is the famous winner of many awards around the world; bursting with powerful, sustained malt and hop flavors, it is the world’s original and the one by which others are judged!

The Griffin Brewery in Chiswich, London, has been brewing fine ales since 1654.

The Fuller, Smith & Turner partnership, dating back to 1845, brews an excellent range of award-winning ales, many of which are available in the USA, including London Pride pale ale and the world’s original ESB.  I hope you will enjoy trying all our fine ales.

Here is a description from their website (www.fullers.co.uk):

ESB was launched into the Fuller’s family in 1971, as a winter brew to replace a beer named Old Burton Extra. The potential of the beer was soon realised and ESB was installed as a permanent fixture, creating an immediate impact.

Not only was it one of the strongest regularly brewed draught beers in the country (at 5.5% ABV), it was also one of the tastiest, and as the awareness of the beer grew, so did its popularity. ESB’s reputation was soon enhanced after being named CAMRA’s (Campaign for Real Ale) Beer of the Year in 1978, and the beer has not stopped winning since!

With three CAMRA Beer of the Year awards, two World Champion Beer awards, and numerous other gold medals to speak of, ESB is, quite simply, the Champion Ale.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.fullers.co.uk

Twitter:  @London_Pride

In closing, what can you say about this beer?  It is a classic beer and this brewery shows most craft breweries in the United States how to brew the classic beer styles.  They keep teaching their wrongs or maybe they are not paying attention to it.  I am talking the old and new world breweries. There is some rich flavors here and I really enjoyed drinking this brew.  I love the malt characters that this brew produces to the beer drinker.  I am not much into import breweries but this brewery pops off the shelf.  I had to give it a try again.  I recommend you trying this brew to get an idea what ESB is supposed to taste like.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Fruli Strawberry Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into import fruit beer.  I am talking about Fruli and the beer is their Strawberry Ale.  There is not too much history on this brewery.  I could not find any history.  I do know they are an extremely small brewery in Belgium.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a reddish to amber color without head on the beer.  The smell is a heavy strawberry.  The taste of this medium beer is heavy strawberry notes with light carbonated.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Fruli is a high quality Strawberry Belgian fruit beer, produced at a craft brewery near Ghent. It is a unique blend of white beer and strawberry juice. The juice complements the zestiness of the wheat beer and the result is a balanced and refreshing beer that is packed with strawberry fruit flavour.

It is simply delicious.

Fruli is a high quality Strawberry Belgian fruit beer, produced at a craft brewery near Ghent. It is a unique blend of white beer and strawberry juice. The … has a delicious and refreshing taste that has been compared by Time Out magazine to a smoothie with bite….a completely different experience in beer

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.fruli.be

Twitter:  @Fruli

Closing, I do get into some fruit beers but I am not a huge fan.  I have to say this import craft fruit beer is really good beer.  It is pretty well balanced with the beer and the fruit in the beer.  It is pretty refreshing and perfect for the hot summer days.  They did a great job on this beer 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

New Beer Blog Three Floyds Evil Power Imperial Pilsner

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into our second brew from Three Floyds Brewery.  The beer is their Evil Power Imperial Pilsner.  If you read my earlier beer blog on their Christmas Porter, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read that beer blog to get to know this brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear golden color with a semi white head. There is no smell to the beer. The taste of this medium body beer has a slightly crisp citrus with malt notes with a clean crisp dry aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

A fortified Euoropean Style Pils langered to perfection, brewed with Heavy Metal warriors Lair Of The Minotaur in commemoration of their 4th Full-Lenght release “Evil Power.”  Available now at lairoftheminotaur.com 3floyds.com prosit skol cheers.

Here is  their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.3floyds.com

Twitter:  @3floyds

Closing out, I have a problem with most craft breweries when they try to make a lager or pilsner.  I will have to say I have had some really bad version of this classic beer styles.  Three Floyds Brewing is one of the few craft breweries in the United States that made a great Imperial Pilsner.  I have to say this brew has challenged Uinta Imperial Pilsner.  I wish I could find this in the City of Chicago but I have to drive down to their brewpub.  It has a beautiful color that welcomes you to drink this brew. There is a nice hop character but a nice malty blend with a nice crisp dry finish.  I highly recommend you trying this brew.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/