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New Beer Blog Finch’s Brewery Tour

While in Chicago, I had more time to check out another brewery. It is a little brewery that was founded three years ago in Chicago. They are known for packaging their beers in cans. They are up to seven different beer styles in cans and they also package some beer in tall single bottles, which is 22oz bottles. The brewery is named after the founder, who are Benjamin and Paul Finch. They are located on the Northside of Chicago. They started out at this location and has expanded, however, they started out with two beers, which are Cut Throat Pale Ale and Gold Wing Blonde Ale.

Tour Guide:

In this photos above, the guy in the green shirt, who is Nick, in the middle of this crowd was the tour guide. Nick is a teacher for his full-time job and does this part-time. He is also a homebrewer and I am not sure if he helps around the brewery. However, he works on the brewery tours and sets up tour dates and times. He is an awesome tour guide. He knew the history and the beers. He is not reading off paper or memorizing history scripts unlike some tour guides. He is a student of this craft brewery and he puts a personality into this brewery tour.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.finchbeer.com

Twitter: @finchbeer

Closing, I learn something from this tour and that is a huge apprise to this tour. I enjoyed my time at the brewery and glad I went to check out this brewery. The one thing that I learned during this brewery tour was the discontinuing of two of their beers. Both beers were the first two beers they started brewing. Both are going to be discontinued and replace with two new beers. The Cut Throat Pale Ale will still be a pale ale but a different one. The Gold Wing Blonde Ale will be replace with Hardcore Double IPA. I believe that is the name. I love the direction of this craft brewery. They have a bright future and I believe their newer beers will take this craft brewery to the next level. I highly recommend getting down and take a brewery tour. If you do not have the chance, go and try some of their beers. I promise you will not be disappointed with their Black IPA and Stout. This craft brewery makes some great beers and they are extremely under rated. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

Instagram: @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Lagunitas Brewery Tour

While in Chicago, I had a chance to get by the new brewery in Chicago from Lagunitas Brewery. I want to thank my boy, Tony for the hook up. Everyone was great at the brewery from tour guide, bar, to Jack. I had several different beers but I did not have time to take tasting notes. I really do not want to guess, however, I saved all the photos of the beers and during the brewery tour. You will see them below. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this West Coast and Midwest Craft Brewery. Let us get into this brewery.

Undercover Investigation Shut-Down Ale

Imperial Red Ale

Brewery tour!!

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.lagunitas.com

Twitter: @lagunitasbeer

Closing out, I had a great time at the brewery and I will be back there when I am back in Chicago. I might have to eat and get beer to go. As many of you know, I am a huge fan of this craft brewery. I always throw their IPA into my line up of regular IPA’s. I was able to get turn on to other beers that they make. I will be checking them out and adding them to my line up of beers. For example, I am adding Daytime IPA. I will be switching back and forth with their IPA and Daytime. As far as the brewery tour, it is like every other craft brewery tour. This craft brewery is set up for expanding and they are growing it everyday. It is also set up awesome for brewery tours unlike other craft breweries. The whole tour is on a catwalk above the craft brewery. You can see everything. I highly recommend jumping on this craft brewery tour. If you know their beers, I would still make a point to checking this brewery out. This brewery is very important for us on the eastern part of the country. We will be able to get fresher and enough of their beers for the demand in this area. It also gives us a chance to get their beers cheaper. I highly recommend checking this brewery out in Chicago. They have great food, service, and of course, great beers. Thanks again, Tony! Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

Instagram: @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Local Option American Muscle Double IPA

While in Chicago, we are going to sample American Muscle Double IPA from Local Option Brewery. If you read my beer blog review on their Sweet Leaf from yesterday, you know the history of this craft brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know this craft brewery from Chicago. Let us get into this Double IPA.

It has a slightly clear copper color without a head on this Imperial IPA. The aroma has hints of earthy notes. The taste is a nice smooth earthy notes with a dry hop finish. It pretty drinkable for an Imperial IPA.

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

American Muscle – New World Double IPA is massive hop-bomb brewed by the Local Option Bierwerker. Aggressively late-kettle and dry hopped with four quintessential varietals of American hops; this beer is built like houses used to be built. A strong malt backbone balances a rich, flavorful palate of citrus fruit with floral and earthy notes. No adjuncts or extracts of any type were used in this beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.localoptionbier.com

Twitter: @localoption

Closing, this is by far my favorite beer from Local Option Brewery. I love the name and packaging. I love the hop selection and the strong malty backbone to cut through those hops. This beer is pretty drinkable for Imperial IPA. It is pretty extremely and scary drinkable. The craft beer drinker needs to be careful at how much he is drinking. This is an awesome beer and I will be looking for it in package in Michigan. I hope some bottles make it to my market. I highly recommend this beer and this brewpub if you are around the Chicago area. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

Instagram: @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Sierra Nevada Beer Camp West Coast Double IPA

In this beer blog, we are going to get into West Coast Double IPA from Sierra Nevada Brewery. This is a beer they made to kick off Beer Camp. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know history of Sierra Nevada Brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know this West Coast Craft Brewery. Let us get into this Double IPA.

It has a clear slightly dark golden color with a white constant head. The aroma is citrus to orange notes. The taste has a nice light carbonation citrus notes with a dry hop bitter aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable for a Double IPA.

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

Heading to most states in limited quantities, the Beer Camp Across America West Coast Double IPA clocks in at 8.5% ABV and features five hop varieties, two of which went into Sierra Nevada’s “Hop Torpedo” dry-hopping device and impart hints of grapefruit and a floral note that recalls orange blossom. A light malt body and dry finish complement the bold hop profile.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.sierranevada.com

Twitter: @sierranevada

In the end, this was a great beer and it is a perfect beer to kick off beer camp. I was pretty happy to get a Beer Camp 12pk. I wish they would have made more because some of the liquor stores are over charging. I am still happy that I have at least one. I am pretty big fan of their Extra IPA. They took that one and they hop it up. I love the aroma to the color of the beer. I love the packaging. I love the hops and the malt backbone is a perfect match. 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

Instagram: @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Dogfish Head Burton Baton Imperial IPA

While dog sitting, I had a chance to sample Dogfish Head Burton Baton Imperial IPA. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this East Coast Craft Brewery. If you have not read them, please read them to get to know Dogfish Head Brewery. Let us get into this IPA.

It has a clear dark copper to almost bronze color like with a nice white constant head. The aroma has a slight earthy, oak, vanilla, and citrus notes. The taste has a nice smooth slight vanilla notes along with an oak and citrus notes. The aftertaste has smooth oak and vanilla notes. It is a nice sipping beer.

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

ABV:

10.0

IBU:

70

Availability:

Year Round

Original Release Date:

11/2004

This oak-aged hybrid has been gaining popularity over the past few years and is now available year-round.

For Burton Baton, we brew two “threads,” or batches, of beer: an English-style old ale and an imperial IPA.

After fermenting the beers separately in our stainless tanks, they’re transferred and blended together in one of our large oak tanks. Burton Baton sits on the wood for about a month.

When enjoying the Burton Baton, you’ll find an awesome blend of the citrus notes from Northwestern hops melding with woody, vanilla notes from the oak. The wood also tends to mellow the 10% ABV of Burton, so tread cautiously!

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.dogfish.com

Twitter: @dogfishbeer

Closing, I did not realize this brew is all year-long now. I always thought this was a seasonal. I am pretty happy to see Dogfish Head realizing the demands for their beers. It is a nice sipping and relaxing type of beer. This is a beer you will not be able to pound a few down in a day. There is some nice notes from oak, vanilla, to citrus notes. This is right way of making Oak IPA. There is a brewery in Michigan called Round Barn. They make similar beer called Oak IPA. I believe and it is not really good. I give them credit for trying. Dogfish Head Brewery did this beer right and gives the hopheads a little different. I recommend this beer and it should be pretty easy to find now since it is all year-long. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

Instagram: @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Hop City Brewery Hopbot IPA

In this beer blog, we are going sample a beer from a little craft brewery, who is Hop City Brewery, from Canada. This is one of their new beers and it is Hopbot IPA. There is really no history about this craft brewery. I do know they are from Canada and by looking at their website they are a young brewery. The article where I found the description below says they are part of the Moosehead Brewery. This beer is not listed on their website. Be careful, there is a brewery in the south named Hop City too. Let us get into this IPA.

It has a clear copper color with constant small bubbles. The white constant head is showing itself off on this IPA. The aroma has a nice citrus notes to hints of sweet malt. The taste has a nice tropical to citrus notes. The aftertaste has a tropical fruit finish like mango almost. It is a drinkable beer from Canada.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Programmed with 5 West Coast American hops, Hopbot IPA brings out waves of absurd citrus and tropical aroma and flavor. The Citra, Centennial, Mosaic, Summit and Willamette hops provide 70 IBUs which are perfectly balanced by a solid malt backbone.

Here is a description from article in Canada website (www.canadianbeernews.com):

The latest brew from the guys at Hop City is their boldest yet, packed with five different West Coast American hops crafted to bring out waves of absurd citrus and tropical notes with just the right notes of spice and pine. The Citra, Centennial, Mosaic, Summit and Willamette hops provide a serious hop kick, while a blend of Canadian Pale 2-Row, Carastan, Crystal and Black malts provide a solid balancing malt backbone.

Here is a their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.hopcity.com

Twitter: @hopcitybrewing

In the end, I like this beer but I would not say it is my favorite brew. I love the five different hops they picked. I am happy to see more craft breweries popping up in Canada. Even though, it is under the company of Moosehead Brewery. There is nothing wrong with that. There are some craft breweries like that in the states. It looks like they are allowed to do their thing unlike most craft breweries that are in this situation. This is a great IPA and I would be interested to see if they try to make Double IPA. I recommend you trying this brew at least once or twice. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

Instagram: @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Destihl Brewery Hoperation Overload Double IPA

In this beer blog, we are going to sample Hoperation Overload Double IPA from Destihl Brewery. Matt Potts switch careers from Lawyer to a brewmaster and CEO of Destihl Brewery in 2007. They brew several different beer styles and they package most of their beers in cans. Asides that, there is not much history from this young craft brewery. Let us get into this Double IPA.

It has a dark copper color with a semi constant white head. The aroma has a citrus to some floral notes. The taste has some citrus to a slight caramel to sweet malty notes. The aftertaste has a sweet caramel finish. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer can:

Hoperation Overload

Our mission for this Imperial or “Double” India Pale Ale is overload the beer with hops for an intense hop bitterness, flavor and aroma while still being balanced by a big malt profile, resulting in a hoppy beer with more dimension. This beer is light copper in color with some hop haze from overloading with dry hops as well. Cheers!

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

Imperial India Pale Ale / overloaded with hops

ABV: 9.6% IBU: 85 Color SRM: 11 First Brewed: 06-19-09

Our mission for this Imperial or ‘Double’ India Pale Ale is to overload the beer with hops for an intense hop bitterness, flavor and aroma while still being balanced by a big malt profile, resulting in a hoppy beer with more dimension. This beer is light copper in color with some hop haze from overloading with dry hops as well. World Beer Championships Award: Bronze Medal 2011

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.destihlbrewery.com

Twitter: @DESTIHLBrewery

In the end, I am a hardcore hophead. I love my hops and I love every level of IPA’s. Yes, I have grown to love White IPA’s. There are some unique ones out there that I fall in love with. However, we are talking about this Double IPA, I have to say I love it. I love the fact it is package in cans and I love design of the label. I love the play on words and I believe they are honoring those who serviced. I love the finish of this beer. For being Imperial IPA, it is pretty drinkable and that is a plus for us hopheads. It is drinkable to the experience IPA drinkers. I am not saying the guy that drinks wheat ales is going to say this is drinkable. It is a sipping beer to him. 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

Instagram: @djweiser13

New Beer Blog New Holland Brewing Michigan Awesome Hatter IPA

In this beer blog, we are going to sample a special beer from New Holland Brewing. It is their Michigan Awesome Hatter IPA. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this craft brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know New Holland Brewing. Let us get into Michigan IPA.

It has a nice dark copper color with a nice white constant head on this Michigan IPA. The aroma has a citrus notes. The taste has a light carbonation citrus notes with hints of malty to light caramel in taste profile. The aftertaste has a slight dry hoppy finish but it is pretty clean finish. It is extremely drinkable brew.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

The epitome of Hand Crafted, Michigan Awesome Hatter celebrates community, collaboration and local agriculture, Centennial hops from the Leelanua Peninsula provide bright citrusy counterpoint to the delicious and earthy malt notes from Michigan grown and malted 2-row barley.

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

The epitome of Hand Crafted, Michigan Awesome Hatter celebrates community, collaboration & local agriculture. Cascade hops from the Leelanau Peninsula provide bright citrusy counterpoint to the delicious and earthy malt notes from Michigan grown and malted 2-row barley. Thanks to our collaborators, Michigan Awesome.

Beer Style

Michigan-grown IPA

Degrees Plato

14

Alcohol by Volume

5.8%

IBUs

55

Grains

2-row, munich, crystal

Hops

Cascade, Nugget

Yeast

American Ale

First Brewed

2013

Pairings

Sharp cheddars, herbed poultry and curry

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.newhollandbrew.com

Twitter: @newhollandbrew

Closing, I love supporting my local craft brewery. I am honest to myself if a beer or brewery is bad. I am not saying this beer or brewery was bad. New Holland Brewery makes some average to slightly above average beers. I do like some of their brews. I have to say this beer is pretty good. I just feel for the price gives me a different aspect of this brew. I just feel it is just does not live up to the price. This beer is nothing special. I do not care where everything comes from because it is not anything special. However I had this on draft, it is better on draft than bottle. I thought it lived up to price on draft. I will give this brewery credit for trying. I would love 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

Instagram: @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Terrapin Beer Co Mosaic Red Rye India Pale Ale

In this beer blog, we are going to get into Terrapin Mosaic Red Rye India Pale Ale. Terrapin was founded in 2002 by Brian Buckowski and John Cochran. They are located at Athens, Georgia. They brew several different beer styles. This brewery was named after Grateful Dead record. Let us get into this rye ale.

It has a nice dark ruby-red color with a nice off white to tan color head. The smell has a heavy malty to caramel notes with hints of earth to piney. The taste has a malty to earthy hop notes with a dry bitter hop aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle and website (www.terrapinbeer.com):

Like a fine piece of art, “Mosaic” Red Rye IPA is masterfully created by using 100% Mosaic™ hops throughout the brew. With it’s aesthetically pleasing ruby-red color and spatial depth from the rye malt, this hand crafted masterpiece leaves your palate’s canvas open to interpretation.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.terrapinbeer.com

Twitter: @TerrapinBeerCo

Closing, I knew there were other craft brewery in Georgia. I just never had the chance to get around to sample these beers. As many of you know, I am a huge fan of Sweetwater Brewery. I was pretty excited to see this brew in my beer trade. I will be on hunt to sample more of Terrapin’s beers in the near future. Rye IPA’s are one of my favorite IPA beer style. I am always on the hunt for new Rye IPA. The depth that is in this beer is something else. I mean that in a good way. I love caramel to earthy and piney notes. They did a great job on the malty backbone and selection of hop. They used it correctly to feature it in this brew. 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

Instagram: @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Wild Rose Brewery IPA

In this beer blog, we are going to get into Wild Rose Brewery IPA for the first time on this blog. Wild Rose Brewery was founded in 1996 by Mike Tymchuk. They were founded in Calgary, Canada. They brew several different beers. Let us get into this IPA.

It has a slightly cloudy copper color with a white constant head. The aroma has a slight caramel to citrus notes. The taste has a citrus to caramel notes with a dry hoppy finish. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle and website (www.wildrosebrewery.com):

A beautiful copper-coloured ale, rich in caramel malt character and well-balanced with plenty of hops. An authentic India Pale Ale, this IPA is handcrafted for the true ale drinker.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.wildrosebrewery.com

Twitter: @wildrosebrewery

Closing, I have to say I have been pretty impressed with some craft beers from Canada. I always thought they were a bunch of Lager breweries. I guess I am so wrong. I know they brew several ales around the country. I did not think they are pretty good. Well, Wild Rose Brewery and Mill Street Brewery are proving me wrong. I am sorry for saying and thinking it. I love the caramel notes bending with the citrus. I love the hoppy dry finish that keeps me coming back for more of it. Wild Rose Brewery has a winner IPA here. 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

Instagram: @djweiser13

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