midwest

New Beer Blog Frankenmuth Brewery Imperial Stout (2014)

In this special beer blog, we are going to sample this years Imperial Stout from Frankenmuth Brewery. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on the oldest craft brewery in Michigan, you know the history of it. If you have not, please, read them to get to know Frankenmuth Brewery. Let us get into this Imperial Stout.

It has a jet black color with a constant tan head on beer. The aroma has a strong chocolate, slight coffee, and alcohol notes. The taste has hints of chocolate and coffee notes. The aftertaste has hints of a dry chocolate and coffee finish but nice crisp finish. It is a nice sipping beer after a long day.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

A hybrid between a Russian Style Imperial Stout and an American Stout. This Lager is jet black, smooth and tasty. The bittering hops offset the smooth sweetness of the roasted malt. A delicious after dinner beer, best enjoyed with friends. A perfect way to celebrate the beginning of the New Year. Na Zoorovie!

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.frankenmuthbrewery.com

Twitter: @fb1862

In the end, this beer is a little different from your normal Imperial Russian Stout. I was a little lost when reading the bottle before trying the beer. As you know, lagers and ales are two different beer styles. I love the aroma and taste profile of this Imperial Stout. What makes this beer a little special, it has a crisp almost dry finish like a lager. It has everything you expect from a stout and yet has a lager finish. This is a great beer and I love the packaging. I also love how they hand write the bottle number on the bottles. I will be reusing this bottle here soon. 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 Goose Island 312 Urban Pale Ale

In this beer blog, we are going to sample the old but new 312 Urban Pale Ale from Goose Island Brewery. If you read my earlier beer blog posts, you know the history of this Midwest Craft Brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know Goose Island Brewery. Let us get into their new Urban Pale Ale.

This pale ale has a clear copper color with a nice white constant head. The aroma has a touch of caramel with a nice citrus notes. The taste is citrus notes with citrus dry hop aftertaste. It is a pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

We are from the city that invented the skyscraper. We constructed our Urban Pale Ale on a balanced malt backbone, so the citrus hop aroma and crisp flavor can stand tall.

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

We are from the city that invented the skyscraper. We constructed our Urban Pale Ale on a balanced malt backbone, so the citrus hop aroma and crisp flavor can stand tall.

Recipe Information Style: Urban Pale

Alcohol by Volume: 5.4%

International Bitterness Units: 30

Color: Marigold

Hops: Amarillo, Mt. Hood, Nugget

Malts: 2 Row, Crystal 60

Serving Suggestions: Preferred Glass: Nonic Pint

Cellaring Notes: Enjoy within 180 days

Availability: Year Round

Bottles: 12 Pack, 6 Pack Cans: 12oz Cans 12 Pack, 16oz Cans 4 Pack

Draft: 1/6 & 1/2bbl

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.gooseisland.com

Twitter: @GooseIsland

In the end, if you lived or visited Chicago, you might have had a beer from Goose Island called Green Line Pale Ale. Green Line a nice drinkable and session pale ale. They brew the beer with everything in the Chicagoland area or the state. It was only available in Chicagoland area. There has been rumors for a very long time that they were going to package it. They ran into production issues because of lack of supply to the market. The demand of their beer went right through the roof. They were sold to ABInbev to expand their brewery and keep up with demand. Years went by and I moved back to Michigan. I was sad because no Green Line here because of the exclusive to the Chicagoland market. Here is 312 Urban Pale Ale. I have to say it is nice drinkable and crushable beer. I love the aroma and taste profile. This is a great American Pale Ale. They might have used different hops but they act the same way as the hops in Green Line. Hello, Green Line in package and welcome to the rest of the country. 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 Bell’s Midwestern Pale Ale

In this beer blog, we are going to get into another beer, which is Midwestern Pale Ale, from Bell’s Brewery. If you read my earlier beer blog posts, you know the history of this craft brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know this midwest craft brewery. Let us get into this beer from Bell’s Brewery.

It has a copper color with a white head that fades over time. The smell has a citrus notes with a slight lemon notes. The taste has a carbonated citrus notes with a dry hop finish. It is pretty drinkable.

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

Brewed with barley from our farm in central Michigan, Midwestern Pale Ale stands apart from the model of completely hop-dominated pale ales, offering a noticeable degree of malt body to counter the hop bitterness. A blend of floral & herbal hop notes provide the aromatic & flavor highlights, alongside the distinctive contribution of our house ale yeast. A crisp bitterness finishes the experience without being harsh.

Alcohol by Volume: 5.2%
Original Gravity: 1.050
Shelf Life: Six months
Dates Available: Year-round
Available Packages: Bottles, draft

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.bellsbeer.com

Twitter: @BellsBrewery

In the end, this is a great pale ale. It is not the greatest but it is not below average. It is very hard finding this beer in date. I know I went to several stores and I have been finding it out of code. It is a newer brand to their every day line up. I do not think many people have try it yet. If they did, they did not like it and sales have slow way down for pull through at retail. It is not too hoppy but hoppy enough to make the hopheads happy. I will be looking for a fresh six-pack of beer. 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 Goose Island Endless IPA

In this beer blog, we are going to sample the next Limited Release beer, which is Endless IPA, from Goose Island Brewery. If you read my earlier beeer blog posts on Goose Island’s beers, you know the history of this Midwest craft brewery. If you have not, please, read those posts to get to know this craft brewery. Let us get into this IPA.

It has a clear dark golden to a clear copper color with a white constant head on this session ale. The aroma has a floral notes. The taste has a light carbonated cirtus notes with a dry bitter finish that disappears quickly. It is extremely drinkable beer.

Here is a descriation from their website (www.gooseisland.com):

Long days and warm nights awaken the city. The list of neighborhood festivals is endless. As is the great music that brings us together in parks and parking lots. We brewed our Session IPA to be easy drinking and endlessly refreshing, so you can enjoy every encore.Bright note of fresh oranges and other citrus fruit with a mild body that is crisp on the palate.

Recipe Information:

Style: IPA

Alcohol by Volume: 5.0%

International Bitterness Units: 35

Color: Wildflower Honey

Hops: Amarillo

Malts: 2-Row, Carapils, C-60

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.gooseisland.com

Twitter: @GooseIsland

In the end, I am pretty excited with all the new beers that Goose Island is releasing this year. I love the Ten Hills Pale Ale. When I saw this one being release, I needed to run out and pick up a bottle. Session IPA are a huge and growing beer style in the IPA world. The first one that I know of is from the Midwest came from Founders Brewery. It is their All Day IPA. I have to say when I tried it. I was not too impressed. I figured Goose Island has never really let me down on their beers. I have to say was not impressed. This beer is pretty average. It is a let down from Ten Hills Pale Ale. I will retry it one more time. I just feel I might have picked up a bad bottle. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Twitter: @djweiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Instagram: @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Atwater Beer Hop A Peel Ale

In this beer blog, we are going to sample Hop A Peel Ale from Atwater Brewery. If you read my earlier beer blog posts, you know the history of this Detroit Craft Brewery. If you have not read those posts, please, read them to get to know this brewery along the Detroit River. Let us get into this American IPA.

This American IPA has a cloudy amber color with a constant white head on this ale. The aroma has a citrus to orange notes. The tasting profile has a dry hoppy to bitter notes. The aftertaste is very dry and bitter that hangs out too long for my liking. It should be drinkable but to me it is sipping.

Here is a descriation from their website (www.atwaterbeer.com):

Atwater’s HopApeel is a frontal assault on the American IPA style that features not only the classic American Cascade and Chinook hops, but two of the new “Super Cascade” varieties in both the kettle and in the dry hop. Dried and ground orange peel is added to the whirlpool to deliver a citric bittering that sets HopApeel apart from the masses.

ABV: 7.5% IBU: 86

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.atwaterbeer.com

Twitter: @atwaterbeer

In closing, I have try and retry most of their beers. I have to say overall that I really disappointed. I love their Java Vanilla Porter. Their version of the classic beer style, which is India Pale Ale is pretty bad and disappointed. I do not know why I thought this American IPA would be any different. The malty backbone is very weak just like their Grand Circus IPA. The taste has nothing to what the name of beer and the description from bottle and website. The aroma does but the taste is like their Grand Circus IPA. It is water hop taste with alcohol. It is not a good beer. Please, let me know what you think of 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 Short’s Howling Chinaski

In this beer blog, we are going to sample another beer, which is Howling Chinaski, from Short’s Brewery. If you read my earlier beer blog posts, you know the history of this Northwest Brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know this Michigan Craft brewery. Let us get into this Lager.

It has a clear golden color with a constant white head on this craft lager. The aroma is fated but it is like corn notes. The taste is like a drinks a carbonated sweet corn syrup with a clear crisp finish. The corn notes is not making this drinkable to me. I can see some beer drinkers thinking this beer is drinkable.

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

Howlin’ Chinaski is a light bodied, golden straw colored Dortmunder beer. It has bready Bohemian lager yeast esters and grassy hop aromas. The overall malt sweetness is quite low, with the dominate flavors being the hearty milled grains. Howlin’ Chinaski has slight bitter complements from the German Spalt hops.

Howlin’ Chinaski was brewed as a traditional German Dortmunder Lager. Dortmunder is a Pale Lager that originated in the industrial city of Dortmund, Germany. Originally brewed by Dortmunder Union brewery in 1873, this soft pilsner style beer became very popular with industrial workers, and was responsible for Dortmunder Union becoming Germany’s largest brewery and Dortmund having the highest concentration of breweries in Germany.

6.5% ABV

27 IBU

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.shortsbrewing.com

Twitter: @ShortsBrewing

Ending, I have to say since moving back to Michigan from Chicago. I was excited to get Short’s beers on a day-to-day basis. I have went through and retry all their beers. To me, their beers do not taste like how I remember them. I do not know if it is because my taste buds have changed or their quality has went down. I know they have one thing right. They keep releasing new beer brands every week. That could be a good thing or a bad thing. I believe it is a bad because. I just believe they are pushing and rushing their beers to the market. Just because it is from Michigan, it does not mean it is a good beer. Now onto this beer, it reminds me of MGD. It has too much corn front notes. It is pretty drinkable. I just wished the corn notes were not overpowering. I do not recommend but let me know what you think of this beer. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

Instagram: @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Oddside Derelicte Pineapple IPA

In this beer blog, we are going to get into the first beer, which is Pineapple IPA, from Oddside Brewery. Oddside Brewery was founded in Grand Haven, Michigan in 2010. There goal is brew unique beers that will push the limits of the craft beer drinkers. Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear copper color with constant white head on this India Pale Ale. The aroma has a nice mild pineapple notes. The taste has a light carbonated pineapple notes with a dry hoppy dry bitter finish. The finish hangs around a bit. It is kind of drinkable to a sipping brew.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.oddsideales.com

Twitter: No Twitter

Closing, as many of us in Michigan, we are just getting around trying Oddside beers. I have to say this is one of my favorite beers from them. I am really love the pineapple notes how it shapes around the hops. It is a nice sipping to semi drinkable beer. The bitterest is not over the top but it is still there. The pineapple and the well designed malty backbone cuts right through hops. I really love 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 New Belgium Fat Tire Ale

In this beer blog, we are going to sample a flagship beer, which is Fat Tire Amber Ale, from New Belgium Brewery. It was a beer inspired from a bike ride in the Belgian county side. If you read my earlier beer blog posts, you know the history of this craft brewery. If you have not read those posts, please, read them to get to know New Belgium Brewery. Let us get into this Amber Ale.

It has a clear amber color with semi constant white head on this Amber Ale. The aroma has a malty to biscuit notes. The taste of this light to medium body beer has a malty to biscuit notes with a hint of light carbonated caramel. The aftertaste has a caramel to nice refreshing hop finish. It is an extremely drinkable beer.

Here is a descriation from the beer bottle:

Fat Tire Amber Ale perfectly balances biscuit-like malt flavors with hoppy freshness. Named in honor of a storied bike ride through Europe, Fat Tire cruises with Belgian imagination and inspiration.

Here is a descriatin from their website (www.newbelgium.com):

Named in honor of our co-founder’s bike trip through Europe, Fat Tire Amber Ale marks a turning point in the young electrical engineer’s home brewing. Belgian beers use a far broader palette of ingredients (fruits, spices, esoteric yeast strains) than German or English styles. Together with co-founder Kim Jordan, they traveled around sampling their homebrews to the public. Fat Tire won fans with its sense of balance: toasty, biscuit-like malt flavors coasting in equilibrium with hoppy freshness. Fat Tire: Pairs well with people.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.newbelgium.com

Twitter: @newbelgium

In closing, this light to medium body amber ale packs a ton of flavor and punch. It is drinkable for anytime of the year. It is a nice craft beer to get your American Lager drinkers to try. It is also a great beer for the experience craft beer drinkers to revisit and enjoy it all over it again. I love the story behind this beer and I love the fact they made American version of De Koninck. It is fresher and packs more of a drinkable style. This beer can pair with any food dish that is what their website says. It is better with people. I recommend you trying this beer or retrying it. 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 Belgium Brewery Ranger IPA

Starting a new beer tab, we are going to try and I mean retry New Belgium Brewery Ranger IPA. After years of their fans requesting, an India Pale Ale was finally made its debut in their line up. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this Mountain area craft brewery. If you have not, please, read those posts to get to know New Belgium Brewery. Let us get into this India Pale Ale.

This India Pale Ale has a clear copper color with a nice white constant head on it. The smell has hints of citrus and slight piney notes. The taste has a slight citrus carbonated notes with a dry piney hop finish for the aftertaste. It is a drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Tip your hat to our Beer Rangers in the field who inspired this will-balanced IPA packed with Simcoe, Cascade and Chinook hops. Count on citrus aromas and piney surroundings.

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

Ever met a New Belgium Beer Ranger? They are our beloved folks out in the field. Spanning all 29 of our states from the Pacific to the Atlantic, our Beer Rangers do their best to protect, to pour and to partake. And explore many a beer from many a brewery, they do.

Bring out the hops! This clear amber beauty bursts at the starting gate with an abundance of hops: Cascade (citrus), Chinook (floral/citrus), and Simcoe (fruity) lead off the beer, with Cascade added again for an intense dry hop flavor. Brewed with pale and dark caramel malts that harmonize the hop flavor from start to finish, Ranger is a sessionable splendor for all you hopinistas. Thank your Beer Ranger!

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.newbelgium.com

Twitter: @newbelgium

Closing out my tab, I have to say it took me a ton of time to start liking this beer. I do not know why. I will say my first impression was not very good towards this craft IPA. However, after a ton of research, I have a new thought pattern towards this IPA. I have to say I like it now. It is in my top ten of craft India Pale Ales. I love the hop collection and the selection. The malty backbone was well designed. I wish I could find this beer in cans. I am pretty happy to see this beer in their first sampler 12 pack cans. 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 Belgium Trippel Ale

In this beer blog, we are going to sample Trippel Ale from New Belgium Brewery. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their their Fall Seasonal, which is Pumpkick Ale, you know the history of this craft brewery. If you have not, please, read the beer blog posts to get to know this 100% employee owned craft brewery. Let us get into their Trippel Ale.

This Trippel Ale has a clear golden color with a nice white constant head. The aroma has a heavy coriander and other spicy notes. The taste has a Belgium spices and heavy coriander notes. The coriander lives and hangs around a bit in the aftertaste. This Trippel Ale is kind of drinkable but it is more of a sipping ale.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

A Belgian yeast strain, a trace of coriander, and a blast of hops is the triple-threat this Belgian style ale struts out each time you reach for our bottles conditioned Trippel.

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

Our Trippel Belgian Style Ale (pronounced triple) opens with a bold blast of hops that slowly gives way to the fruity esters implied by our Belgian yeast strain. In the Belgian tradition of brewing singles, doubles and triples, Trippel is the strongest with the longest fermentation. Remarkably smooth and complex, our bottle-conditioned Trippel is spiced with a trace of coriander.

Here is ther website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.newbelgium.com

Twitter: @newbelgium

Closing, New Belgium has made several Belgium beer styles ales. This brew is not different than the rest of the beers in this beer style. There is not many Trippel Ales brewed with coriandor. I am not a fan of this brew because of the coriandor in it. However, this is a good beer and New Belgium made a great beer here, I highly recomend this beer. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

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