michigan

New Beer Blog Short’s Brewery Strawberry Shortcake Ale (2014)

In this beer blog, we are going to get into a special release from Short’s Brewery. It is their Strawberry Shortcake Ale. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this craft brewery. If you have not read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, please, read them to get to know this Michigan craft brewery. Let us get into this dessert beer.

It has a cloudy amber color without a head but there is a white head at first. The aroma has a heavy strawberry notes. The taste has a light body with strawberry notes with a crisp finish. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Strawberry Short’s Cake is a golden ale. The addition of strawberries and milk sugar transform this beer into a rose-colored nectar that has hints of cream and is pleasingly sweet. Biscuit flavors and aromas arise from the great amounts of Victory malt used in the brewing process.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.shortsbrewing.com

Twitter: @shortsbrewing

Ending, these are the beers that give me hope that Short’s can be something special again. Most of their flagship beers I am really not a fan of them. I use to be a fan. I do not know if my taste bud changed or their beers changes. I know there are many craft beer drinkers like their beers. There is nothing wrong with it. This is my thought pattern of their beers. However, I love this beer, I do not put this beer as a fruit beer. I look at it as a dessert beer like their Key Lime Ale, which I did a review of it earlier. This beer reminds me of Fruli Strawberry Beer. I have done a review a few months ago. Both beer are great. I just feel Short’s focus on their special releases and not on their flagship beers. 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 Griffin Claw Norm’s Gateway Session IPA

In this beer blog, we are going to get into a brewery that I need to stop drinking. I am talking about Griffin Claw and it is their Gateway Session IPA. If you read my earlier beer blog posts, you know the history of this young Michigan craft brewery. If you have not read it, please, do so to get to get to know this Michigan craft brewery. Let us get into this Session IPA.

It has a clear golden color with a constant white head. The color is like an American lager. The aroma has a fresh piney to a slight grapefruit notes. The taste has some grapefruit to piney notes. The aftertaste has a dry hop bitter finish. It is extremely drinkable.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.griffinclawbrewingcompany.com

Twitter: @Griffinclaw

In the end, this is a really good beer. I was pretty impressive. I really have not liked many of their beers that I have had. I will be hunting down their Pumpkin Ale because there is a rumor that it is the same recipe of Michigan Brewery Company one. There is an ongoing theme with this brewery and their beers. Their batches of beer are not constant. This makes it challenging for the craft beer drinker. I had this beer a few times already before writing this beer blog post. Yesterday, I had a great batch but this one that I have today is not really good. If this craft brewery corrects this problem, they could have some success in this tough Michigan craft beer market. 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 Bell’s Mallard’s Odyssey Imperial Dark Ale

In this special beer blog, we are going to get into the second beer of twelve in this Beer Camp sampler pack. Sierra Nevada Brewery teams up with Bell’s Brewery out of Michigan. It is their Maillard’s Odyssey Imperial Dark Ale. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on either one of their craft breweries, you know the history of this Midwest and West Coast craft brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know both of these breweries. Let us get into Imperial Dark Ale.

It has a jet black color with a nice tan color head. The aroma has a chocolate to coffee notes. The taste has chocolate to coffee notes with a dry coca notes for the aftertaste. It is scary drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

This robust dark ale is layered with complex malt flavors of toffee, caramel, chocolate, coffee, and dark fruit.

Rich, dark, and roasty. That was our shared vision, and Maillard’s Odyssey is exactly that, taking its name in part from the famed Maillard reaction-the “browning” of sugars and amino acids-that creates the wonderful caramelized toffee-like and roasted flavors so abundant in this beer.

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

Rich, dark, and roasty. That was the concept Bell’s beer guru John Mallett aimed for and, true to John’s vision, Maillard’s Odyssey is exactly that. Its name honors the Maillard reaction—the “browning” of sugars and amino acids—that creates the wonderful caramelized toffee-like and roasted flavors so abundant in this beer.

Bell’s has done a lot to raise the Midwest’s craft beer bona fides. They are masters of many beer styles from their portfolio of top-notch American stouts all the way through to the alpha acid assault of their Hopslam Ale. Bell’s constantly reinvents beer styles and refines recipes with artful mastery and an oddball slant.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.bellsbeer.com and www.sierranevada.com

Twitter: @BellsBrewery and @sierranevada

Closing, I was pretty impressed with this beer in bottle and draft. I had it at first on draft at Ashley’s in Westland, Michigan. I am not a huge fan of Bell’s Brewery. I love my dark ales and lagers. There is a ton of notes going on in this brew. It is pretty complex ale. I love that because you are paying a nice penny to get this sampler pack and you are getting your money worth. I would hope all these breweries look at this time to give something different to the craft beer drinker. I believe that Sierra Nevada and Bell’s Brewery did just that for the craft drinker. This is a great dark ale and I hope either brewery pick up the recipe to make it everyday beer or seasonal. I love it. I highly recommend this beer. I hope you can find it on draft or this sampler pack. Good Luck! 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 Oddside Ales Chocolade Koffie Stout

In this beer blog, we are going to get into another beer, which is Chocolade Koffie Stout, from Oddside Ales. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on this Michigan craft brewery, you their history. If you have not read those posts, please, do so to get to know Oddside Ales. Let us get into this stout.

It has a jet black color with a tan to light brown color head. The aroma had a heavy coffee notes. The taste profile of this full body beer is a chocolate to heavy coffee notes with a dry coffee bean aftertaste. It is kind of drinkable to a sipping beer.

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

If you’re a fan of chocolate stouts this is the one to try! A great mixture of thick, sweet, dark chocolate fudge, and light espresso bean undertones will immediately appeal to your senses. Your taste buds will dance when the creamy stout takes flight. 6%ABV

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.oddsideales.com

Twitter: @oddsideales

Ending, I am a pretty big fan of this brewery and I will try anything new or beers I have not had yet from this brewery. I am a pretty big fan of stouts, porters, pale ales, and India Pale Ales. I do not like my coffee but only if it is in my beer. I know this craft brewery knows how to use their coffee bean. They shown me that in Bean Flicker Ale. To me, there is something a little off in this brew. I do not know if it is the stout or the coffee bean is over the stop. I am starting to think that I might have picked up an old beer. The problem is there is no code dates on their bottles. I recommend this beer but I hope you get a better bottle. 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 Dragonmead Final Absoration Trippel

While at Ashley’s Westland, we are going to get into the second and probably the last beer from Dragonmead Brewery. It is their Final Absorption Trippel. If you read my beer blog review on their Crown Jewel IPA, you know the history of this Michigan craft brewery. If you have not, please, read it to get to know Dragonmead Brewery. Let us get into this beer.

It is a clear copper color with a semi white head. The aroma has banana and clove notes. The taste has a German Hefeweizen notes of banana and clove. The aftertaste is dry Hefeweizen. It is not drinkable beer.

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

Final Absolution Belgian Style Trippel

Dragonmead’s signature product! This is the ultimate Belgian style. The very high gravity of this beer is balanced by the smoothness of its finish. Banana and Clove aromas come from the Belgian yeast strain combining with the generous dose of Belgian Candi Sugar. The Saaz hops help to give this beer a balanced bitterness with no noticeable hop aroma. O.G. 1.085, ABV 8.5%

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.dragonmead.com

Twitter: @dragonmead

Ending, WOW! What the hell is this craft brewery thinking? This is a local brewery to me here in Michigan. This brewery is bad and I will not buying anymore of their beer. I do not think this craft brewery knows their beer styles. You made a filter Hefeweizen. This is not a trippel Belgian style. It is bad and it is not worth the money. I know most American craft breweries take twisted to classic beer styles. It is not just me talking bad about this brewery. A few of my close craft beer drinker friends. They been saying the same thing about it. I do not recommend this beer. Run away! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

Instagram: @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Cheboygan Brewery High Grade Export Beer

In this beer blog, we are going to get into the third beer from Cheboygan Brewery. It is their High Grade Export Beer Lager. If you read my earlier beer blog posts, you know the history of this German base Michigan craft brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know this Michigan craft brewery. Let us get into this Imperial Pilsner.

It has a cloudy golden color with a white constant head on this Imperial Pilsner. The smell has a ton of farm to hay notes. The taste has a light carbonation notes with a malty to earthy hop notes. It is not bitter like IPA or pale ale. The aftertaste has a farm to hay dry finish that will keep you coming back for more of it. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Premium double-hopped pilsner that takes its name from one of the beers created by Cheboygan brewmasters more than 100 years ago. Now available in the Tap Room.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.cheboyganbrewingcompany.com

Twitter: @CheboyganBrew

Closing, this is a really great beer and I wish I could get it in the lower part of Michigan. I love their ongoing theme throughout all of their beers. It has some earthy, farm-house, and hay notes. Some people do not welcome that but it is what makes it special about their beers and this brewery. There is some nice hop notes and a strong malty notes. It is a pretty drinkable beer with evil side to it. You need to watch yourself around her. It has a bite of alcohol waiting to hit you. If you are around their brewpub, stop and try this beer and take a six-pack home with you. This hophead needs to get up there and try their IPA one of these days. I recommend this pilsner. 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 Greenbush Brewery Dunegräs India Pale Ale

In this beer blog, we are going to sample another brew, which is Dunegräs India Pale Ale, from Greenbush Brewery. If you read my earlier beer blog posts about their beers, you know the history of this west side Michigan craft brewery. If you have not, please, read those beer blog posts to get to know this craft brewery. Let us get into this India Pale Ale.

It has a dark copper color to light amber with a constant white head. The aroma has a slight floral to citrus notes. The taste has a light carbonation with a sweet notes to citrus like notes towards the middle of the drinking experience. The dry bitter hop aftertaste at end. It is kind of drinkable to a nice sipping beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Here at Greenbush we’ve always known that good ideas often start over beer. We also know that there’s nothing like taking a good idea too far. You’re reading this, so you must be one of us. Enjoy the first step in taking your own idea too far.

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

A justly hopped india pale ale with absolutely no dunegrass.

Combining west coast and noble hops, we created our own IPA with a shining finish. And as an environmental treat, absolutely no dunegrass was killed in order to make our fine beer, so drink up!

Grain: Golden Promise, Gambrinus, Munich, Belgian Aromatic, Crystal 60L

Hops: Columbus, Amarillo, Cascade, Spalt

Yeast: House yeast

Specs:
67 ibu
alc. 6.7% by vol.
12º Lovibond

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.greenbushbrewing.com

Twitter: @Greenbush_Brew

Closing, I have had several of their brews. This one was pretty good and I did enjoyed drinking it. I have to say I was a little disappointed compared to rest of their beers. This beer is still a great beer. I love two out of four of hops that they use in this brew. I do not know why I am pretty disappointed with this beer but it is still good. I guess every craft breweries has that beer in their line up. This beer is the weakest in their line up but this beer could be some craft breweries best beer. This Michigan craft brewery makes some great beers. I recommend this beer and I want to hear your thoughts. 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 Dragonmead Brewery Crown Jewel IPA

In this beer blog, we are going to sample Crown Jewel IPA from Dragonmead Brewery. This is the first appearance for this brewery and beer. We will do a belief history of this Michigan craft brewery and then get into this beer. Dragonmead Brewery opened in 1997 in Warren, Michigan. It was founded by Earl Scherbarth, Larry Channel, and Bill Wrobel. They brew several different beer styles. Their packaging and brewpub has a Medieval era theme. Let us get into this beer.

This Michigan craft India Pale Ale has a dark amber to dark copper color. If you glance at it, it looks almost looks like a brown color. The smell has earthy tones and notes with hints of toffee to malt notes. The taste profile of this medium body has earthy notes to toffee and slight caramel with dry hop bitter finish for the aftertaste. It is kind of drinkable beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.dragonmead.com

Twitter: @Dragonmead

In closing, This is not American IPA. It is an English style IPA. There is a huge malty backbone that is overpowering the hops. They picked some nice hops. It is a bad version of IPA and I am not liking the metallic notes. I just find it pretty funny that this beer is not on their website. Is it still being made? Or did this beer found itself in grave? These are some pretty important questions. This is beer is in a four pack and it is overpriced. I believe this craft brewery needs to look at their beer a little bit more. I believe they need to take a hard look at their recipes. They have a shot of making some good beers. I just feel they are at a cross roads. With all new craft breweries and beers in the market, this craft brewery needs to take some notes. I do not recommend this beer but it is worth trying at least once. Don’t 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 Cheboygan Brewery Blood Orange Wheat

In this beer blog, we are going to sample the second brew from Cheboygan Brewery. It is their Blood Orange Wheat. If you read my beer blog posts on their Lemongrass Wheat a few days ago, you know the history of this Michigan craft brewery. If you have not, please, read to get to know Cheboygan Brewery. Let us get into this wheat.

It has a cloudy straw to a light golden color with a semi white head. The aroma has a heavy orange notes. The taste profile of this light to medium body has a wheat orange notes with a nice orange aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

A unique twist on a great American-style wheat beer, with the addition of fresh local wildflower honey mixed with blood orange zest, and blood orange puree. The result is a medium bodied beer that is very smooth with a residual sweetness, and creaminess from the honey, and an exhilierating nose of citrus from the orange. Ahh, summertime. 5.7% ABV

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.cheboyganbrewingcompany.com

Twitter: @CheboyganBrew

Closing, compare to the Lemongrass Wheat, this is not as good but it is still a solid beer. It is a great beer. I did not like this beer as much as I enjoyed their Lemongrass Wheat. I am not a huge fan of oranges and there is nothing wrong with it. This is why we have several different beer styles in the market. The orange notes are not overpowering the wheat ale. It is a nice refreshing 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

Instagram: @djweiser13

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