midwest

New Beer Blog Short’s Autumn Ale (2014)

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

It has a slightly cloudy amber to bronze color with a semi white head. The aroma has a floral to nutty notes with some hazelnut. The taste has a slight carbonation malty with earthy hop bitter aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Autumn Ale is a true-to-style London Extra Special Bitter (ESB). It has a medium body, amber color, and full flavor. This beer exhibits a wonderful balance of malty sweetness and floral hop bitterness. The result is an ideal bridge between malty and hoppy beer styles. Autumn Ale is a silver medal winner from the 2006 Great American Beer Festival.

6.5% ABV

45 IBU

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.shortsbrewing.com

Twitter: @shortsbrewing

In the end, I did not like this beer. It just seems like it is missing something. I love my ESB’s. I love the old country-style of it. This one is true to the classic beer style. I do not know if maybe it threw me off because the flood of Oktoberfest and Pumpkin beers. This was the first beer I had for the day. So it was not like I was a few beers in and started to drink it. If it was a normal price craft beer but not higher than the rest, this beer would be worth the price. I recommend you trying it and this beer is better than most of the beers Short’s release in the market. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter: @djweiser

Instagram: @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Cheboygan Brewing Oktoberfest (2014)

In this fall beer blog, we are going to get into another Oktoberfest from Cheboygan Brewing. 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 this Michigan craft brewery. Let us get into this Oktoberfest Beer.

It has a nice clear light amber to dark copper color with a semi white head. The smell has a candy to sweet caramel notes. The taste has a sweet candy to caramel notes with a dry malty notes for the aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Gold Medal award winner at the 2012 Frankenmuth World Expo of Beer!

The beer, created by the brewery’s operation manager and brewmaster Tim Perry, who was inspired by the 1976 Späten Oktoberfest bier from Munich, Germany, is orange in hue with a pronounced malt presence. 6% ABV IBU 28. Available in the Fall. Available in six packs seasonally.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.cheboyganbrewingcompany.com

Twitter: @CheboyganBrew

In the end, I have been really impressed with all the fall seasonals asides the Erdinger, Griffin Claw, Atwater Brewery, and Weihenstephaner. I have to say those were bad. I believe that is four out of fourteen fall beers. This brewery puts another good one on that list. I am so happy to have a great streak of fall beers this season. I love the candy to caramel notes from the malt. It is pretty sweet but yet has a nice malty dry finish. It will have you coming back and drink more and more of this beer. I highly recommend this beer. You can find this one in the Michigan market. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter: @djweiser

Instagram: @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Griffin Claw Screamin’ Pumpkin Ale (2014)

In this fall seasonal beer blog, we are going to get into another beer from Griffin Claw Brewery. I do not know why I keep coming back to this brewery. I know why for this beer because this is an old Michigan Brewery Company recipe. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this young craft brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know this Michigan craft brewery. Let us get into this pumpkin ale.

It has a light amber to dark color with a semi white head. The aroma has a heavy cinnamon and nutmeg notes. The taste has really no notes but slight sweet malt. The aftertaste is a heavy cinnamon and nutmeg notes. It is so not drinkable beer.

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

Our Screamin’ Pumkin Ale is like a slice of warm pie. Cinnamon, clove, sweet pumpkin, a little molasses. A couple sips in you’ll mistake the malty aftertaste for a crispy crust. The perfect beer to celebrate Halloween. Or Thanksgiving. Or Christmas, if there’s any left. From the time we brew it in July get it while it’s good.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.griffinclawbrewingcompany.com

Twitter: @Griffinclaw

Closing, I was a pretty big fan of the Michigan Brewery Company Screaming Pumpkin Ale. I use to make trips back from Chicago to bring some back. Later years I stop because of being busy and then they went out of business. I was pretty excited to hear that a craft brewery brought the rights to the recipe. I do not know what they did with this recipe but it is not the same beer as I remember it. It has been a long time since I had it. Maybe my taste has changed over the years. I might have to retry it but I am hoping I do not get a bad batch. Who knows, maybe this first one was a bad batch. It was not really good. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter: @djweiser

Instagram: @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Finch’s Beer Company Sobek And Set Black IPA

In this beer blog, we are going to get into another beer from Finch’s Beer Company. It is their Sobek and Set Black IPA. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their brewery tour, you know the history of this Midwest Craft Brewery. If you have not, please, read it to get to know this craft brewery from chicago. Let us get into this Black IPA.

It has a jet black color with a semi tan color head. The aroma has a chocolate to citrus notes. The taste has a heavy chocolate and citrus notes with a dry hop bitter finish. This is a kind of drinkable beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.finchbeer.com

Twitter: @finchbeer

Closing, this is an awesome beer and it is one of my favorite Black IPA on the market. It is one of my everyday beers right now. I will have to check it up here soon so I do not get bored with it. There is a ton of complex notes on this beer. The depth of flavor notes is what makes this beer special. I love the hop notes and there is some nice chocolate notes that blends nicely with the hops. I love the packaging design and it is in a can. I love my beer in cans. I highly recommend this beer. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter: djweiser

Instagram: @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Goose Island Oktoberfest (2014)

In this fall beer blog, we are going to get into the 2014 version of Goose Island Oktoberfest. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on this Midwest craft brewery, you know the history of this 1980’s craft brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know this Chicago Orignal craft brewery. Let us get into this fall beer.

It has a dark clear copper color without a head. The aroma has a slight sweet malty notes. The taste has a sweet malty to slight but faded caramel notes. The aftertaste has a dry malty finish. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.gooseisland.com

Twitter: @gooseisland

In the end, I have to say this year’s version is so much better than last years. I was not a fan of last year’s beer. It is night and day compare to these beers. I am pretty stun and impressed. The layer of depth has some notes of caramel notes. I did not really pick up too much of the toffee and apricot notes that is marked on the bottle. I am not too sure and I came up with these tasting notes before reading the bottle. I had a chance to try it on draft and it is pretty constant from bottle to keg. This is a great beer and I highly recommend it. Get it while it last if you are outside of the Chicago market. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter: @djweiser

Instagram: @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Great Lakes Brewing Oktoberfest (2014)

In this fall beer blog, we are going to get into this year’s Great Lakes Brewing Oktoberfest. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this Midwest Craft Brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know this Ohio craft brewery. Let us get into this fall beer.

It has a clear copper color with a white constant head. The aroma has a sweet malty to caramel notes. The taste has a depth of sweet malt, slight caramel, and nut notes. The aftertaste has a dry crisp malty finish. It is a pretty drinkable fall beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Our Oktoberfest is the noble brother of the Vienna lager…. As if wearing “lederhosen” and getting your “oompah” on didn’t make you noble enough. Oh, and enjoy this German lager in our energy effcient Beer Garden, complete with a retractable roof, straw bale wall and radiant heat fireplace and floor.

Cleveland’s celebration of Oktoberfest dates to the mid 1800s when German immigrants gathered at outdoor beer gardens like Haltnorth’s and Kindvater’s St Clair Gardens. Our amber lager with rich malt flavor and noble hops honors Cleveland’s diverse cultural heritage.

In keeping with the Bavarian Purity Law of 1516, this beer is traditionally brewed from all natural ingredients: barley, hops, yeast and water. no chemicals or preservatives are used.

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

An amber lager with rich malt flavor balanced by fragrant noble hops.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.greatlakesbrewing.com

Twitter: @GLBC_Cleveland

Closing, it has been forever since I had a Great Lakes Oktoberfest. I was happy to get a bottle in my hand. I have to say I was not disappointed. So far, this year’s fall seasonals has not been disappointing asides New Belgian Brewery Tour De Fall. I am not going to get into it on this review. Just like Goose Island Oktoberfest, there is some nice depth of malty notes. I am getting some nice hints of sweet caramel notes. It is nice drinkable and easy to drink beer. It is true to the classic beer style and I will have a few more pints before the end of the season. I highly recommend this beer. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter: @djweiser

Instagram: @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Atwater Brewery In The Park

In this beer blog, we are going to talk about my visit at Atwater Brewery In The Park. I did not take tasting notes but I will talk about the food and kind of what I had to drink. I also will talk about my experience there. If you have read my earlier beer blog posts about their beers, you know the history of this Detroit craft brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know this craft brewery. Let us get into this dining and drinking experience.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.atwaterbeer.com

Twitter: @atwaterbeer

Ending, I know there is other craft breweries using churches as their brewery. I know there is one in Pennsylvania. I have never been there. I would love to go. I will be the first to say that I am not a fan of this brewery but I wanted to check out this new brewpub in the Grosse Pointe, Michigan. I might not like the beer from the brewery but I like going to brewpubs. Sometimes, it might be the traveling that might be have an effect on the beer. The staff is super nice and helpful. The inside and outside area is very welcoming to their guests. They have two beer menus. One is beers that are brewed there and the other list is brewed at their main brewpub. I had two beers exclusive to the brewpub there. I had their Poorboy, which was a smoked porter, and Black IPA. I love these two beers and I was pretty impressive. I believe the main brewmasters need to look at some of these beers being made at this brewpub. The other two were Detroit Pale Ale and Bloktoberfest. I kind of like Bloktobeerfest. It is true to the beer style but I felt it was a little light for the style. Pale ale, I just felt it was a little weak on the hop and not strong malty backbone. I had two more that were not on any of these photos. I had GP IPA and Scherthing Cream Ale. These beers are part of the exclusive to Grosse Pointe brewery. The food came out. It was a German theme food menu. I love apps we order. It was a basket of Pretzels. They were awesome. There were different sizes with cheese and honey mustard, which were homemade there. There is a spicy mustard that was also made there. The main course was Turkey Burger with fries. I loved it. It was cooked just right and I love the spices. Overall, I had a great time and I will be back. I would love to try all the exclusive beers brewed there. I will be upfront and honest. I am not a fan of their everyday beers. There beers brewed there need to be packaged. 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 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 Finch’s Beer Company Threadless India Pale Ale

In the beginning, we are going to get into Finch’s Beer Company Threadless India Pale Ale. As you know I was at the brewery a few months ago. I thought I would start writing up reviews of their beers. If you read my review on their brewery tour, which I highly recommend doing, you know the history of this craft brewery. If you have not read it, please, do so get to know this Chicago craft brewery. Let us get into this IPA.

It has a cloudy dark golden to light copper color with a semi white head on this IPA. The aroma has a nice citrus notes. The taste has a light carbonation citrus notes with a dry hoppy finish that hangs out a bit. It is pretty drinkable IPA.

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

Finch’s Beer Company’s Threadless IPA is the gold medal winner in the IPA category at this year’s World Expo of Beer, Michigan’s largest international beer sampling event. Our Threadless/Finch collaboration IPA is a balanced experience of both perceived hoppiness and true bitterness. It pours a darker amber color and finishes with a citrus flavor, and when combined, will require this to be the last IPA you ever drink!

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.finchbeer.com

Twitter: @finchbeer

Ending, I really enjoyed this IPA. It is one of my favorite ones that I can get into Michigan market. It is one of my non Michigan craft IPA that I can get in my market. Later, found out that they are not in this market anymore. The hops have a great balance with the well designed malty backbone. When they released this beer, I was nervous because to be honest, I was not a fan of their Golden Ale or Pale Ale. I am glad that I did try it. This beer was the turning point for this craft brewery. This beer might be my second favorite beer from this craft brewery, today. My favorite is their Black IPA and it was a no brainer to try it after enjoying their IPA. I highly recommend this beer and a review of their Black IPA is coming soon. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser16@gmail.com

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

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