ipa

New Beer Blog Goose Island IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into another beer from Goose Island.  I am kind of stun this is my second one beer blog since I am a pretty big fan of this local Chicago brewery.  The beer we are going to talk about just took home another Gold Medal from Great American Beer Festive in this years event (2012) and it is called Goose Island India Pale Ale.  If you read my earlier blog on their fall seasonal, you know a little history on this brewery.  If you have not, please read the first part of the Harvest Ale beer post.  Let us get into the beer.

This India Pale Ale has a nice clear copper color without a head on the beer.  The smell is a nice grapefruit to the beer. The taste is a carbonate grapefruit without an aftertaste to the beer.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Recognized as among the world’s finest, Goose Island’s India Pale Ale has a spicy hop aroma and an inviting fruity flavor.  This exceptional beer is one you will not soon forget.

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

Brewer’s Notes:

Our India Pale Ale recalls a time when ales shipped from England to India were highly hopped to preserve their distinct taste during the long journey. The result is a hop lover’s dream with a fruity aroma, set off by a dry malt middle, and long hop finish.

Recipe Information:

Style: English Style India Pale Ale

Alcohol by Volume: 5.9%

International Bitterness Units: 55

Color: Bourbon

Hops: Styrian, Fuggle, Cascade, Centennial

Malts: Pale

Serving Suggestions:

Preferred Glass: Thistle

Food Pairings: Curries, Chicken, Pork

Cheese Pairings: Blue, Aged Gouda

Cellaring Notes: Enjoy within 180 days

Availability:

Year Round Bottles: 6pks Draft: 1/6 & 1/2bbl

World Beer Cup Recognition:

Judging Category: English Style India Pale Ale

2010: Gold  Medal

Great American Beer Festival Recognition:

Judging Category: English Style India Pale Ale

2009: Silver Medal

2007: Silver Medal

2004: Silver Medal

2001: Bronze Medal

2000: Gold Medal

Here is their webiste and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.gooseisland.com

Twitter;  @gooseisland

In closing, I really enjoy this beer and it is part of my everyday line up of beers.  It is pretty much always in my frig.  This is the staple of any India Pale Ale style.  It is an English style so it is not overly hop like some of those west coast India Pale Ale.  This beer always gives me the break from the over the top hoppy beers on the market.  I realize that AB Inbev brought this beer company and everyone believe that this brewery will go to crap.  It is not the case.  There beers will constant and get better because of the technology that this big brewery will give this small brewery.  They will get the best hops, malt, and anything else this brewery needs and wants to make some great beers.  Goose Island is staying close to the Chicago market.  John Hall, who was the founder and former owner of this brewery, stepped down as president just this last week.  It does not mean this brewery will change.  If it does change, I believe it will be for the best.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Oskar Blues Deviant Dale’s India Pale Ale

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In this blog, we are going to get into Oskar Blues Brewing and the beer is called Deviant Dale’s India Pale Ale.  Oskar Blues was founded in 1997 by Dick Dale Katechis in Longmont, Colorado.  They brew several different beer styles but they use only cans for their packaging.  Oskar Blues was the first craft brewery to package their beer in cans.  Let us get into the beers.

It has a cloudy copper color with a white head on the beer. The smell is of a heavy citrus to almost grapefruit to the beer.  The taste is a sweet grapefruit taste with a balance from the malts. The aftertaste is a bitter dry to it. For being Double IPA, it is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the bar menu (Blues Bar):

This beer is intended to be assault for hop lovers and is a returning favorite from the little brewery in Lyons, Colorado.

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

Deviant Dale’s IPA (8% ABV, 85 IBUs) was born at the crossroads, in a juke joint, as if Dale’s Pale Ale sold its soul to balance Deviant’s foreboding aromas of citrus, grapefruit rind and piney resins with a copper ball-of-fire color and inscrutable finish. The 2011 GABF Silver Medal Winner (American IPA Category) is the Devil incarnate with untold amounts of malt and hedonistic Columbus dry-hopping. Oskar Blues’ southern spirit caught a northbound blues bus to Colorado to deliver the boundary bustin’ brewery’s first 16 oz. tallboy can.

Here is a youtube (www.youtube.com) video and their website (www.oskarblues.com):

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.oskarblues.com

Twitter:  @oskarblues

In closing, I am excited to have this brewery in the Chicago Market.  When I wanted to drink their beers, I had to work the phones or get friends or family to bring back beer for me.  For this brewery, I will not have to do that anymore.  I saw this beer on draft at the Blue Bar.  This is a pretty good India Pale Ale.  I really enjoyed this beer and I will be searching for it at my local liquor stores.  I see their Dale’s Pale Ale in most liquor stores which is expected.  This is a great brewery and I hope Chicago craft beer drinkers start showing them some love.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Breakside Brewery Beer Flight

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When in Portland, the next stop on the beer tour was Breakside Brewery.  Breakside Brewery has very little to no history on the internet.  Here is a little something from the website called www.beerpal.com.

Breakside Brewery is the invention of Scott Lawrence and Tony Petraglia. Some
mutual friends introduced the two after learning they both had a desire to leave
their corporate jobs in order to pursue their dream of opening a brew pub. They
jumped in head first and committed their minimal financial resources and made it
happen.

We brew many of our beers in house on our 3 barrel brewery.
These beers range from classic styles to experimental concoctions. In addition
to our house beers, we offer a rotating selection of guest beers.

It is a young brewery that make some interesting beer but yet keeping the non craft beer drinker interested. Let us get into the brews.  There is a photo I took of their beer flight.

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This will go to right to left. First up is Kolsch, Wit, Dry Stout, Aztec Woodlawn IPA, IPA, and Fresh Hop Citra Double IPA.

Kolsch

It has a clear yellow color without a head on the beer.  The beer has a shunky smell to it.  The taste is a sweet carbonation slight fruity notes with a nice crisp finish.  It is an extremely drinkable beer.

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

Our new director of brewing operations Jacob Leonard has designed his first Breakside beer! We’ve made a number of kolsch-esque beers over the last few years, but they’ve all had something non-traditional about them. With this beer, Jacob takes us to the heart of true Cologne beer with an elegant and restrained interpretation, using German pils and wheat malts, and Hallertauer and Tettnanger hops.

5.1% ABV 16 IBU

Wit

This wit has a cloudy white color without a head on it.  It has a heavy yeast to lemon smell with other spices that I cannot figure out. The taste is a heavy lemon to a little wheat taste with a nice lemon aftertaste.  It is very drinkable beer.

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

Our summer seasonal is back for a six month run in our lineup! This beer is brewed in the style of the great wheat beers of Belgium. Spiced with orange peel, coriander, and chamomile, it is refreshing, slightly tart, and easy drinking.

4.4% ABV 16 IBU

Dry Stout

It is black in color without a head on it.  It has a roasted coffee smell to the beer. There is a heavy chocolate notes in the taste with a slight coffee aftertaste.

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

An Irish-style stout brewed in the tradition of Guinness. Dark in flavor but light in alcohol, this is a roasty and chocolaty beer that won’t make you feel stuffed. SILVER MEDAL, 2011 GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL; BRONZE MEDAL, 2012 WORLD BEER CUP

4.2% ABV 36 IBU

Aztec Woodlawn IPA

It has cloudy dark copper color without a head on the beer.  It has a burn citrus smell to the beer.  The taste is sweet carbonation hoppy and way too many spicy to it.  It is not drinkable beer.

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

A new addition to our full-time lineup, this second IPA showcases four pungent American hops that we don’t use in our regular IPA: Newport, Amarillo, Cascade, and Chinook. It is slightly darker, more full bodied and less bitter than our flagship beer, and at under 6% ABV, it’s a hoppy beer that you can drink all day long.

5.4% ABV 49 IBU

IPA

It has a cloudy copper color without a head on the beer.  It has a citrus to earthy smell to the beer. It has a nice citrus to piney taste with a nice dry aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Our take on the classic India Pale Ale style–the favorite craft beer of the Northwest. This amber colored brew is loaded with four different types of hops during the brew day and then gets dry hopped after fermentation is complete. Our IPA has a huge citrus and pine character with a strong, but refined bitterness.

6.9% ABV 65 IBU

Fresh Hop Citra Double IPA

It has a cloudy copper color without a head on the beer.  It has a nice copper color without a head on the beer. This beer has a nice citrus taste to it with nice dry aftertaste to it.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

The final of our fresh hop beers is a true hop explosion: it’s a wheat-based double IPA using one of our favorite aroma hops. The tropical fruit notes in this beer are wildly intoxicating.

8.4% ABV ? IBU

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.breaksidebrews.com

Twitter:  @breaksidebrews

In closing, here is another brewery that I wish I had a little bit more time to enjoy their beers.  There are not too many Kolsch I like in the market but this one from this brewery found a way to make a good one.  I do not know what it is but American Craft Breweries find ways to mess up classic German beer styles.   I am not a huge fan of wheat beers, which I had a chance to talk to the brewmaster about it.  I can see people liking this beer.  Their Dry Stout was pretty good.  This is a beer I could find myself drinking it all day.  Hello Mass produced Dry Stouts take notes on this one because this is what your stout is supposed to taste like.  Good job on this beer!  Aztec Woodlawn IPA, I was not fan of it.  I am not a fan of chili powder or peppers in the beer.  I hate the burning down the throat but this is the new thing in the craft beer world.  There are people are looking for this beer just because I do not like this beer does not mean you will not like it.  Please go try it and let me know what you think about  this beer.  There normal IPA was pretty good.  I really enjoyed it.  Fresh Hop Citra Double IPAis a really good beer.  I wish I had more time to try some of the fresh hop beers.

Here is the beers I love to unlike:

  1. Fresh Hop Citra Double IPA
  2. IPA
  3. Dry Stout
  4. Kolsch
  5. Wit
  6. Aztec Woodlawn IPA

This is my thought pattern and it is the golden word in craft beer world.  I am just an idiot with a ton of thoughts in the world.  However, this is a really good brewery, when you are in the Portland, you need to stop in and check this brewpub out.  I will be back at Breakside Brewery in Portland.  Put a bird on it and go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Deschutes Inversion IPA

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When in Portland, Deschutes Brewing is the brewery that will be featured in this blog post and the beer is called Invasion IPA.  I had this beer at that Irish Bar down the street from Hotel 50.  Deschutes Brewing was founded in 1988 in Bend, Oregon.  This brewery is the fifth largest craft brewery and the eleventh largest overall brewery in the United States.  They brew several different beer styles.  Let us get into the beer.

This beer has a copper color without a head on it.  It has a citrus smell to the beer.  It has a nice citrus taste with a nice dry hop aftertaste to the beer.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Alc. 6.8% | IBUs 80

228 Calories, 12 oz serving

Paradise is stumbling upon our whole flower hop room and inhaling.  Inversion IPA is as close as you can get without knowing somebody.Enter, if you will, all the glorious aromatic complexity of the hop.  This big, bold IPA’s intense multi-hop kick gets a subtle dose of restraint from select Crystal and Carastan malts.  For discriminating hop heads.Malt: Pale, Crystal, Munich, Caramel Hops: Millennium, Horizon, Centennial, Northern Brewer, Cascade, Citra

The Critics Speak

The America’s Best IPA Pale Ale
2011 World Beer Awards
Gold Medal, India Pale Ale
2009 Australian International Beer Awards
Gold Medal (90 Points – India Pale Ale)
2008 World Beer Championships
Silver Medal, India Pale Ale Category
2007 Australian International Beer Awards
Bronze Medal, India Pale Ale Category
2007 West Coast Brew Fest

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.deschutesbrewing.com

Twitter:  @deschutesbeer

In the end, this is a very good West Coast India Pale Ale.  It is not one of my favorite India Pale Ales but I will put it in the mix once in a while.  Once they come to Chicago. This beer is pretty drinkable.  It has a nice citrus to hoppy taste witch enough malty backbone to balance it.   It has an nice balance for an India Pale Ale.  I really did enjoy this beer and you need to try this beer if you can get a chance.  Go get some!  Put a Bird on it!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Blog New Glarus Black Top

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In this beer blog, we are going to take a look at the fifth of seven beers from New Glarus Brewing.  The beer is called Black Top.  If you read my earlier blog on their Fat Squirrel Ale, you are pretty up to speed on this brewery.  If you have not, please, go back and read the first part of that beer blog post.  Let us get into this Black India Pale Ale.

It has a dark brown to black color with a heavy constant white head on the beer.  It has a citrus smell to the beer.  It has a slight chocolate to citrus taste with a dry bitter aftertaste to the beer.  It is kind of drinkable beer.

Here is a descriation from the beer bottle and their website (www.newglarusbrewing.com):

We invite you to discover this newest beer style Black IPA. Political debate rages over the origins of this jet black beer as both coasts feel they deserve credit. Our Black Top is a pleasant road connecting Villages and Communities statewide on a ride of Black IPA discovery.

Expect this beer to pour a hop forward jet black glass brimming with aromatic bitterness.  Brewmaster Dan skillfully weaves molasses and chocolate malt undertones with a soaring rush of clean citrus and pine hop notes, to deliver a drinkable Black IPA. Savor Black Top, like Wisconsin’s miles of licorice ribbons of ink that meander through armies of corn and bovine mowed fields. Enjoy the journey on a road less traveled.  Happy Trails, Daniel & Deborah Carey

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.newglarusbrewing.com

Twitter:  @newglarusbeer

In closing,  I am a HUGE fan of this beer style, which is Black Ales or Black India Pale Ale.  This has a ton of flavor.  It is just as smooth as Widmer Brothers Pitch Black.  It has a little bit more hoppiest and bitterest than that beer from Widmer Brothers.  This beer would be in my regular beer line up.  I really enjoyed this beer but I love Milwaukee Brewing Black Iron more but their beer is more of a seasonal.  New Glarus Black Top is available all the time and I will be drinking this beer when I get it in my hands when I cannot get Black Iron.  Great Job on this one, Dan!  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Goose Island Harvest Ale

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In this fall beer blog, we are going to take a look at one of the pioneers of the craft beer world in Chicago.  The beer and brewery are Goose Island Brewery and the beer is Harvest Ale, which replace their Oktoberfest two to three years ago.  Here is a belief history of this great Chicago Brewery.  The brewery started in 1988 by John Hall in Chicago, Illinois.  The first beer that was brew was their Honkers Ale, which is an English Style Ale.  Greg Hall, who is John Hall’s son, took over as a brewmaster and came up with this recipe for their Vintage Line, their winter seasonal, which is Mild Winter and several other brews.   Greg Hall stepped down as brewmaster when Goose Island was sold to AB InBev.  He is now making Cider, which is sold in Midwest only.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear dark copper color with a constant white head on the beer.  There is some fall earthly orange smell to the beer.  This Harvest Ale has a slight citrus to malty taste without an aftertaste.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Brewer’s Notes:

Brewed in honor of the Harvest season this copper colored ESB is made with Cascade hops and the richest Midwestern malts. A fruity American hop aroma and a toasty malt character make Goose Island Harvest Ale an extra special beer worthy of your devotion.

Recipe Information:

Style: American Extra Special Bitter Alcohol by Volume: 5.7% International Bitterness Units: 35 Color: Copper Hops: Cascade Malts: 2 Row, Wheat, Caramel, Pale

Serving Suggestions:

Preferred Glass: Willi Food Pairings: Chicken, Pork, Turkey, Sausages Cheese Pairings: Cheddar, Aged Gouda Cellaring Notes: Enjoy within 180 days

Availability:

Seasonal (September-October) Bottles: 6, 12 & 24pks Draft: 1/6 & 1/2bbl

Great American Beer Festival Recognition:

Judging Category: Extra Special Bitter 2011: Bronze Medal

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.gooseisland.com

Twitter:  @gooseisland

In closing, I love the hoppy taste that is in this Extra Special Bitter.  This beer was design to have that when the trend was the over hop beers.  This beer gives you a nice balance from the hops and the malts.  This is not my favorite beer for the fall but I will at least enjoy a few six packs of it.  As a beer drinker, this brewery gives you two different Extra Special Bitters.  Fall is the hoppy one.  Mild Winter, which is their winter seasonal, will give you the next malt drinkable in the middle of the harsh winters.  Being a fall seasonal, I would go and get some soon! Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Website:  @djweiser

New Blog Ale Asylum Satisfaction Jacksin Double IPA

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Starting new tab, I will be featuring three beers from Ale Asylum in the next three posts.  The first beer is called Satisfaction Jacksin Double IPA.  Ale Asylum was founded in 2005 in Madison, Wisconsin.  They brew several ale styles.  There is barely any information on this brewery on the web.  Let us get into this ale.

This double IPA has a dark copper color without a head on the beer.  It has a nice pineapple smell to the beer.  It has a weird taste to the beer. It has a little pineapple and then some citrus to it.  The beer has earthly to the taste. It is really balance with a nice malty backbone. It is extremely drinkable for being a Double IPA.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Three pounds of Centennial hops per barrel give our double IPA a slightly punishing yet entirely pleasing bitterness that dances on t he tongue.  Jacksin is unfiltered and all natural for superior flavor and quality.  It is brewed with passion and is best enjoyed that way.

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

8.5% abv.

Available: Sep – Dec Style: Double IPA Motto: Slightly punishing, entirely pleasing.

Satisfaction Jacksin is a full frontal assault on the taste buds. The massive amounts of Centennial hops don’t tickle the taste buds as much as they beat them into submission. If hops make you hide and bitterness sends you cowering in the corner, steer clear of this hop monster. Pleasure? Check. Pain? Check. Satisfaction? Jacksin.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.aleasylum.com

Twitter:  @ale_asylum

Raise Your Glass, this beer is pretty good but I will rotate it in and out of my regular line up of beer, if it was availabe in the Chicago Market.  I had a friend bring me some bottles down from Wisconsin.  I never heard of this brewery and it turns out that they are a very young brewery.  I recommend you trying this brew and let me know what you think.  I might have to make a trip up to Madison, Wisconsin some time soon.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill 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 Blog Two Brothers Outlaw India Pale Ale

Starting a new beer blog, this is the first beer from Two Brothers Brewery that I am blogging about and the beer is Outlaw IPA.  Two Brothers was founded in 1996 in Warrenville, IL by Jim and Jason Ebel.  They brew several different beer styles and some of them they do a twist to some of the classic beer styles.  Let us get into the beer.

This beer has a copper color without a head on it.  The smell is of earthly to piney.  The taste of this IPA is earthly to piney with dry hoppy aftertaste.  It is not really a drinkable beer.

Here is a descripation from the beer can:

As bold as the name suggests but as friendly as the masked man, comes our first world of cans.  This IPA is full of citrus and pine hop character and aroma.  The hop flavors play off the pleasant malt complexity like a good sidekick.   Giddy-up.  60 IBU 6.3% ALC/VOL

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.twobrosbrew.com

Twitter:  @twobrothersbeer

In closing, one of many new breweries being opened in Chicago area and this is one of the newer ones.  Two Brothers are growing at a rapid rate and I believe it is taking away from quality of the beer.  When I moved to Chicago, I was excited to try all the breweries at that time in 2005.  Two Brothers was on that list and I loved their beers back then.  I just feel their beers have loss something.  It could be passion or rushing the beers through the brewing process to keep up with demand. Outlaw IPA does not have enough malty backbone to my taste buds as a hop head.  It is all bitterest and that does not make this hop head happy. It kills the hop taste for me. This beer is a huge let down and I love my craft beer in a can.  This beer is selling pretty good and I believe it is because it is local brew.  General Chicago Craft Beer Drinkers’ pallets are still growing and I hope these local beer companies realize and step up to make some good beer.  I am not saying this the worse India Pale Ale.  I believe it is average India Pale Ale and this brewery could do better.  Just believe, I say this before.  It does not mean you might not like this beer.  Please, go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser