michigan craft brewery

New Beer Blog Wolverine Winter Lager

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Starting new beer tab, we are going to sample out the first brew from Wolverine Brewery.  It is their Winter Lager.  Wolverine Brewery was started by a few Michigan borne home brewers.  They brew beers in the lager styles.  They rarely do any ales.  There is not much history on this brewery.  I cannot find when they opened their doors.  I believe it was 2010.  Let us get into the beer.

This lager has a clear amber color with a white head that disappears over time.  The smell is heavy malty to caramel notes.  The taste is a light carbonated caramel notes with a crisp caramel finish.  It is pretty drinkable for a winter beer.

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

Wolverine Winter Lager
6.5% abv / 18 IBU – Available November through February
This cold-weather seasonal was designed to make your winter warmer rather than to match a particular style. We start with hearty Maris Otter malt from the UK. Then we add Special Roast barley from Wisconsin, before heading back across the pond for some dark German Munich malt and German Wheat malt for some added character. We top that off with a blend of dark, rich, caramel malts and the result is an extremely smooth and silky lager beer with a hint of alcohol in the flavor and a clean finish…the perfect beer for drinking by the fire.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.wolverinebeer.com

Twitter:  @wolverinebeer

Closing out current beer tab, I am going to make it down to their taproom.  I do not care if they do not sell food.  I lived in Chicago for a good eight years before moving back to Michigan about a few month ago.  I have to say most of the new brewpubs do not service food.  I do not see an issue of not having food.  You want the people of focus on your beer.  If it is good they will come back to your brewpub.  I am a fan of lagers when they are done right.  There are not too many good craft lagers on the market and I believe Wolverine Brewing has something here.  If this winter lager tells me something, they know how to make craft lagers.  I love the malts they used in this brew.  It kicks off a nice caramel notes.  I highly recommend this brew and I am looking forward to trying their other brews.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Frankenmuth Brewery Twisted Helles Summer Lager

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into the new summer brew from my favorite Michigan brewery which is Frankenmuth Brewery.  The new brew, which is one of my favorite German beer style, is Twisted Helles Summer Lager.  If you read my earlier beer bogs on this brewery’s brews, you know the long and rich history of Frankenmuth Brewery.  If you have not, please, read those beer blog posts.  Let us get into the brew.

It has a hazel strew to light golden color with constant small bubbles.  It also has a constant white head.  The smell is of malt with a fade orange to lemon notes but to me it is the pilsner malt smell.  The taste of this light body and refreshing lager is malts with a notes of orange and lemon zest.  The aftertaste is crisp with lemon zest finish.  It is extremely drinkable beer and perfect for the hot summer day.

Here is a description from the beer can:

One Sip And It’s Summer

Inspired by Michigan summers, Twisted Helles stands as a monument to everything we love about the season: beaches and BBQs, patios and porch swings, friends and fireworks.  Tinged with mild, yet memorable notes of citrus, this crisp, full-flavored lager is indigenous to happy hours, tailgates and block parties.

Crafted by a brewery that’s lived and loved over 150 summers, Twisted Helles doesn’t just tastee like summer…  It feelslike it.

Here is a description from the beer packaging:

One Sip And It’s Summer

Twisted Helles is inspired by Michigan summers – and so, by effect, it’s summer’s perfect complement.  The unmistakable presence of German noble hops is perfectly balanced with an elegant maltiness, reminding you that bitterness has no place in a true Helles lager.

Full-bodied, yet pleasantly quenching… and then there’s the “twist.”  The moment you crack open a can your senses are brought to life in both aroma and flavor with finishing hints of orange and lemon zest that bring it all back home.  Because this one summer brew that knows exactly where home is.

Here is a description from their website (www.twistedhelles.com and www.frankenmuthbrewery.com):

Twisted Helles is inspired by Michigan summers–and so by effect, it’s summer’s perfect complement. The unmistakable presence of German noble hops is perfectly balanced with an elegant maltiness reminding you that bitterness has no place in a true Helles lager. Full-bodied yet pleasantly quenching…and then there’s the “twist.”
The moment you crack open a can your senses are brought to life in both aroma and flavor with finishing hints of orange and lemon zest that bring it all back home. Because this in one summer brew that knows exactly where home is.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.twistedhelles.com (it is a fun site)  and www.frankenmuthbrewery.com

Twitter:  @FB1862

In the end, when I heard Frankenmuth Brewery was coming out with a summer beer, I was like another summer beer that I will not be drinking.  I will have to just keep drinking my IPAs and Pales Ales.  I am not a fan of most spring and summer seasonals.  However, I heard  it was a classic German beer style, I was pretty excited and upset because I could not get it here in Chicago.  When I made it back to Michigan, I made it a point to find this brew to try it and write a review on it.  Helles is one of my favorite German beer style.  I have to say if any craft brewery in the states can do German beer styles.  It is Frankenmuth Brewery.  This Twisted Helles Summer Lager is well made and it is one of the few summer seasonals I will go out of my way to pick up.  The other two summer brews are Sierra Nevada Summer Lager and Two Brothers Dog Days Lager.  I have to say I am not too impressed with those brews but that is what I was force to drink if I wanted a summer brew.  This is a perfect brew for the hot Michigan Summer Days.  Trust me I know all about those days and extremely hot Chicago Summer Days.  Thank you Frankenmuth Brewery for giving this Hophead hope and something to drink in the summer time!  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Tri-City Brewing Charity Island India Pale Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into a brewery I have been eye balling every time I go back to visit in Michigan.  Tri-City Brewing Company is the brewery being featured in this beer post and the beer is called Charity Island India Pale Ale.  This Bay City brewery opened its doors in 2007 by Kevin Peil and a few friends.  There is not too much information on this young brewery.  Let us get into beer.

It has cloudy copper color with a constant white head on the brew. The carbonation is heavy so be careful pouring the beer in the glass. The smell is fade citrus to this India Pale Ale. The taste has a carbonated citrus without an aftertaste. It is drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Charity Island IPA has a bold and assertive hoppy characteristic.  Brewed with 100% malted barley, the five hop additions give an aroma with a rich citrus, floral, and resinous bouquet.  The crisp flavor is in perfect harmony with the malt backbone with a refreshing, clean, and dry finish.

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

Charity Island IPA

Charity Island IPA has the bold and assertive hop characteristics of an American IPA. Brewed with 100% malted barley, the five hop additions give an aroma with a rich citrus, floral, and resinous bouquet. The crisp hoppy flavor is in perfect harmony with the malt backbone with a refreshing, clean, and dry finish.

6% abv and 72 IBU

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.tricitybrewing.com

Twitter:  No Twitter address

In closing, I enjoyed drinking this beer.  I love the citrus and it has enough of a malty backbone and balance.  There is a nice crisp and dry finish that I picked up when I was drinking this beer.  This is a great beer.  I will be enjoying some pints when I go back to Michigan.  If you live in the Michigan area, I recommend you trying this beer out.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser