lager

New Beer Blog Wolverine Brewery Dark Lager

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into another Lager from Wolverine Brewery.  It is their Dark Lager.  If you read my earlier beer blog post on this brewery, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not read it, please, read that beer blog post to get to know this brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

It had a clear dark brown color with a nice snow-white color head.  The smell is burn to roasted malt.  The taste has chocolate to slight coffee malty notes with a crisp chocolate like finish for the aftertaste.  It is a pretty drinkable dark lager.

Here is a desecration from their website (www.wolverinebeer.com):

Wolverine Dark Lager 5% abv /19 IBU – Always on Tap

Are you afraid of the dark? Don’t be. This is Michigan’s smoothest dark beer, a dark beer even people who don’t think they like dark beer will love. Wolverine Dark will win you over with a mild maltiness balanced by a crisp feel on your tongue and a smooth finish.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.wolverinebeer.com

Twitter:  @wolverinebeer

Ending, this craft brewery out of Ann Arbor, Michigan is quickly becoming my favorite craft Lager brewery.  I am a fan of their IPL (India Pale Lager).  I have always loved imported dark or black lagers.  I was interested in getting my hands on this brew from Wolverine Brewery.  I love the color and tone of this brew.  I love the aroma it kicks out from the beer.  This brew is pretty drinkable for being a dark beer.  Most general or all beer drinkers think a dark beer means it is a heavy beer.  This is urban legend in the beer world.  It takes time to pass this on to the beer drinkers of the world.  The point I am trying to get across is just because it is a dark lager that does not mean it will drink heavy or light. Most dark beer could drink easier than a golden color beer. It is smooth and drinkable.  I highly recommend this brew.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog 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

New Beer Blog Resignation Brewery And Redhook KCCO Black Lager

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In this tag team beer blog, we are going to get into a beer called KCCO Black Lager that is brewed by Redhook Brewery and Resignation Brewery.  If you read my beer blog posts on the Redhook Brewery, you know the history of this Northwest Craft Brewery.  If you have not, please, read those beer blog posts to get to Redhook Brewery.  Resignation is a multiple digital media company.  The black lager was brewed for the sharing around the office and to close friends and family.  Late in 2013, they teamed up with Redhook Brewery to get it into the market.  Redhook Brewery refined the beer and shipped it out to the following markets, which are New York City, Boston, Washington DC, Chicago, Dallas, Austin, Seattle, San Francisco, and Los Angeles.  In the early part of 2014,  KCCO Black Lager will receive a  national roll out.  Let us get into the beer.

This Black Lager has a dark brown to a light black color with a nice creamy tan head at first.  It fades after a while.  There is really no smell.  The taste is a malty to chocolate notes with a dry chocolate crisp finish.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Black Lager

A toast lager with notes of chocolate and coffee. Unlike a heavy porter or a stout it’s amazingly light, crispy, and sessionable. KCCO Black is a delicious misfit.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.resignationbrewery.com and www.redhook.com

Twitter:  @resignationbrew and @Redhook_Brewery

1-2-3, I have to say for the victory and the match.  This beer has won it all.  I have been waiting to try this brew since I heard of its launch in a few markets.  I am not disappointed.  I am really looking forward to see how it will do in the Michigan market.  I am also looking forward to trying the other brands from both of these breweries.  I am a fan of black lager so I knew I was won over right away.  There is some nice chocolate notes and pretty drinkable with a nice balance.  I highly recommend this brew if you can find it.  It will be in your market sometime in 2014.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Moonlight Brewery Death And Taxes

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into a beer that I found while out in San Francisco.  The brewery is called Moonlight Brewery from Santa Rosa, California.  The brewery was started by Brian Hunt in 1992.  Death And Taxes is their flagship beer.  They do not package any of their beer.  They only sell their beers in kegs in the northern part of California.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a black color with a semi tan head on the beer.  The smell is roasted malts to coco notes.  The taste is smoked with coffee to slight chocolate notes.  The aftertaste is a dry crisp coco to it.  It is a pretty drinkable beer.

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

A very dark yet surprisingly light-bodied Lager beer, crisp and refreshing with no heaviness.

Alcohol 5.0% vol

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.moonlightbrewing.com

Twitter:  no twitter address

In closing, I found this beer at a bar, which is Toronado Bar, that my work took us to for a few beers.  I did not want anything heavy.  I wanted something with flavor but yet a light in body.  I will say this beer covered all those things that I was looking for in a beer.  This has some nice notes but yet pretty drinkable.  I recommend  you trying this beer if you are around the northern part of California.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Maui Brewing Bikini Blonde Lager

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In beer blog, here is another beer from Maui Brewing.  The beer is Bikini Blonde Lager.  Of course, it is a can and that makes this beer special because they were one of the few breweries to just can than use bottles.  If you read my beer blog post on their coconut porter, you know the history of this great beer.  If you have not, please, read that beer post.  Let us get into the beer.

This lager has a clear yellow color without a head on it. The smell has a sweet malty to slight citrus to the beer. The taste is something between a pilsner and lager. It is a malty to slight hoppy to the beer. The aftertaste is a crisp but sweet to the beer. Of course, this is a drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer cans:

Bikini Blonde is a fresh handcrafted Helles Lager brewed with the finest German hops and barley, not skimpy on flavor. Bold, smooth, and refreshing!

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

Our filtered Munich Helles Lager brewed with floral hops and Pilsner and Munich malts.  This is the closest thing to an American lager from Maui Brewing Co. but not skimpy of flavor.  Bold, smooth and refreshing!

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.mauibrewingco.com

Twitter:  @MauiBrewingCo

Aloha, I am not a big fan of wheat ales and lagers.  I get bored pretty quick with lagers, however, this lager gives you something different to a craft beer drinker.  It is a Hellas lager and I really enjoy that German Beer Style.  I love the fact that they get their hops and barley from Germany.  They are still able to give it a light body that fits the tropical weather on Hawaii.  I miss Hawaii but this beer takes me back to that time in my life.  I had some friends bring this back from the Big Island and I want to thank them for it.  If you are able to get this beer or any of their beers, go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blog Brooklyn Brewery Lager

The feature beer in this lastest edition is Brooklyn Lager.  If you read my earlier blogs on this brewery, you are pretty much up to date on Brooklyn Brewery.  If you have not, please, go back and read the first part of the Brooklyn Brown post to get to know this great New York City brewery.  Let us get into beer.

Brooklyn Lager is part of their everyday lineup of beers and is their flagship beer. It has copper to almost amber color with a constant white head on the beer.  It has a heavy malty smell to the beer.  This lager has a taste of a sweet malty and crisp malty finish to it. It is extremely drinkable.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Amber gold, with a malty body and a floral hop character, Brooklyn Lager is a revival of Brooklyn’s pre-Prohibition all malt lagers.  This is the brewery’s first and best-selling brand.  Brooklyn Lager is brewed only with malted barley, hops, water, and yeast, and will taste best before the freshness date indicated.  Please write us or visit the brewery Saturdays noon to 5pm, at #1 Brewers Row.  79th North 11th Street, Brooklyn, NY 11211, or our website at www.brooklynbrewery.com.

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

In the late 1800’s Brooklyn was one of the largest brewing  centers in the country, home to more than 45 breweries.  Lager beer in the “Vienna” style was one of the local favorites. It is amber-gold in color and displays a firm malt  center supported by a refreshing bitterness and floral hop  aroma. Caramel malts show in the finish. The aromatic qualities of the beer are enhanced by “dry-hopping”, the centuries-old practice of steeping the beer with fresh hops as it undergoes a long, cold maturation. The result is a wonderfully flavorful beer, smooth, refreshing and very versatile with food. Dry-hopping is largely a British technique, which we’ve used in a Viennese-style beer to create an American original.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.brooklynbrewery.com

Twitter:  @brooklynbrewery

Ending the beer tab, I will be honest about this beer.  I was not a fan of this beer at first but over the years it has grown on me.  I believe my taste buds are changing again.  This lager is what an American Lager should be not what the mass produced beer companies are putting out there.  I am not saying they are bad lagers and beers.  For me personally, I enjoy more of a malty taste.  This is a great beer with a ton of flavor and a nice hop touch to it.  If you enjoy lagers, I would give this beer a shoot and let me know what you think about this Brooklyn Lager.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blog Lucky Bucket Pre – Prohibition Style Lager

In this blog, we are going to get into the second beer, which is Lucky Bucket Pre-Prohibition Lager Style, from my Beer of the Month.  I did a blog post yeasterday on their Heartland Wheat Ale and I wrote a little history on the brewery.  Let us get into their Flagship beer.

Lucky Bucket Pre – Prohibition Lager is one of their everyday beers. When poured in the glass, it has a nice clear and amber color with no head on the beer. It has a s’more like smell, which I mean it has a malty smell to the beer. The beer has a malty dry and crisp aftertaste to it. This beer style shows us beer drinkers what an American Lager should be than the water down beer that is being shoved down our throats. Also, what beers were like way back in the day.

Here is a video off their website (www.luckybucketbrewing.com):

Lucky Bucket Pre-Prohibition Lager

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

A lot of things go into making a great beer.  This Pre-Prohibition style lager, for example, combines 100% malted bareley with just the right amount of hops, making it smoother and more flavorful than today’s typical lagers.  But the most important ingredient isn’t on the label; it’s our passion for quality that goes into every Lucky Bucket Brew.  So take another drink and savor what real beer is all about.

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

Everyone loves a great drinking beer; a brew you can drink again and again and enjoy every sip every time. Lucky Bucket Pre-Prohibition style Lager is exactly what the palate craves.

Pre-Prohibition style salutes a time when lagers had greater character and more distinct flavor, when beer wasn’t full of the additives found in many of today’s mainstream lagers. Lucky Bucket’s version has a light, malty flavor that’s easy on the palate. Filtered twice, the subtle maltiness nicely balances a floral hop. Dry-hopped with a fresh blend of aromatic West Coast hops, Lucky Bucket Lager is a great session beer with an ABV of 4.5% and 20 IBU’s.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.luckybucketbrewing.com

Twitter:  @luckybucketbrew

In closing, Lucky Bucket Brewery has done a really great job on this lager.  I do not understand why we have the normal American Lager that we have today.  It is sad when you hear lager; I bet you think of the the mass produced American Lager.  There is nothing wrong with those beers.  The problem I have is Prohibition put several breweries that brew this great style of beer out of business.  Since the Craft Beer movement, they have been dead or loss.  It is nice to see this Lager Beer Style coming back to life.  Now the mass produced beer companies are starting to see this movement and now they are bring their recipes back to life.  One is from Coors with their Batch #19 that is only available in draught only.  Lucky Bucket Brewery for being a young brewery has a bright future and their Pre-Prohibition Style Lager is going to push them into the light of craft beer drinkers around the country.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blog Yuengling Brewery Traditional Lager

In this blog, we are going drive to a brewery that I really wished they would come to Chicago.  The brewery and the beer I am talking about is Yuengling Brewery Traditional Lager.  On their label on their beer bottle tells us a little history of this brewery.  They are American’s Oldest Brewery started in 1829 by David Yuengling in Pottsville, Pennsylvania.  They brew several different beer styles.  They are tied with Boston Beer Company for most sales from an American owned brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

This beer is a dark copper to light amber in color with no head.  There is a smell. I make it out to explain it but it smells really good. The taste is a sweet carbonation.  It is very drinkable.  This is what an American Lager should taste like not what is being put in your glass today.

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

An iconic American lager famous for its rich amber color and medium-bodied flavor – with roasted caramel malt for a subtle sweetness and a combination of cluster and cascade hops, this true original delivers a well- balanced taste with very distinct character.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.yuengling.com

Twitter:  @yuengling_beer

In closing, I really enjoy this beer and just what I said at the top of this blog.  I wish it was here in Chicago and I understand why they do not come here.  This would be my everyday beer if it was here.  This beer is really old school in a very good way.  It is very drinkable with a ton of flavor for being one of the mass produced breweries.  I still believe they are a craft beer but I know many craft beer drinkers do not look at this brewery as a craft brewery.  This is a very good beer and I hope to get back east coast to try their beers.  I hope you can go and get some!  Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser