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New Beer Blog Wolverine State Brewing Gulo Gulo I.P.L.

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In another Lager blog, we are going to sample out another brew from Wolverine State Brewing.  It is a new beer style in the India Pale Ale world. It is their Gulo Gulo IPL.  This new India Pale Ale is India Pale Lager.  If you read my earlier and first one, which was their Winter Lager, you know the history of this craft brewery across the street from The Big House in Ann Arbor, Michigan.  If you have not, please, read that earlier beer blog post to get to know this Michigan craft brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear copper color with a white constant head on this India Style Pale Lager.  The smell has some piney notes.  The taste has a nice hops of piney notes with a crisp finish.  The aftertaste has bitter hop finish, which I love.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

6.7% abv / 65 IBU – Always on tap
This ground-breaking style combines the essential ingredients and hopping methods used to create a world-class I.P.A.  Then using our expert lagering techniques and house lager yeast we created an instant favorite among the existing and steadily growing number of “hop-heads” and craft “lager-heads” in the beer world today.  Gulo Gulo I.P.L. is hopped with Cascade, Chinook, Columbus, Warrior and Pilgrim hops.  It is dry-hopped once in the fermenter and then a second time with whole-cone Cascade hops before packaging.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.wolverinebeer.com

Twitter:  @wolverinebeer

In closing, I have to say I am pretty impressed about this Lager.  I am not a huge fan of this beer style.  To me, it is over hopped pilsner.  I love the hops they are using in this Lager.  I have to say this gives everything to your Lager drinker and Hophead.  I really love the aftertaste.  I have to say it is better than most India Pale Lager on the market.  There is not much more to say about this brew.  It is great brew and you better go try one.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Beer Stores In Southeast Michigan And West Of Detroit Part 1

(www.509beerstore.com)

In this beer blog, we are going to talk about liquor stores in my area of Michigan.  I just moved back in October so please, give me feed back if I missed a store.  As you know, I am a huge beer fan and a craft beer fan.  I will be the first to say I was spoiled in Chicagoland area with great beer stores.  It was between Binny’s, Cardinal Stores, and some of the chain stores there.  When I moved back, I knew Michigan craft beer market was huge on Michigan beers, which should be the case.  There are so many beers, and breweries in every market around the country.  I know Michigan is in that same situation.  Where do I go to buy some great beers?  I had no idea.  I did Google search after Google search.  I came up with a list.  I even did something I hate doing walking in and out of stores.  I do have a list and I am going to be up front and honest.  Here we go!

Beer Baron (Livonia, MI)

Beer Baron is a little bit north of Wine Palace by 7 mile on Middlebelt.  When I went, they were working on the store.  The staff there was nice and let me walk around.  He let me take my time and asked if I needed help.  This was the opposite of Wine Palace.  They have a great beer selection and some pretty good prices.  I was pretty impressed.  This is a beer store and it is pretty clear to that fact.  The two things I did not like about this store.  One, the store is in chaos.  There is beer everywhere.  Two, when I went, the staff did not know anything about beer.  Their parking lot is a lot easier than Wine Palace.  I recommend this beer store.

Wine & Barrel (Livonia, MI)

I did not want to drive up to Beer Baron and I am staying away from Wine Palace.  I just went to Wine & Barrel that is right down the street from my place.   There is some nice parking at the side of the building and they are not that busy like the last two stores.  The first thing, I did not like is the guy does not take pop cans.  You are a liquor store that sells rum and you do not sell pop.  I guess not rum and coke for someone in the area.  I am just saying.  I was not happy by that.  Now, I have to go two places to get my errands done for returns.  Who will go there and buy their liquor just to go somewhere else to get their pop?  I was not too impressed by their beer selection.  I did not like the fact you could not buy single beers (12oz).  They had beer store selected ones available.  It was like it came from their breakage area.  I thought their prices where too high like Wine Palace.  I get it that these stores need to make some money.  There is a level where it will keep people out of your store.  This store has a huge area for beer brewing supplies.  I thought that was really cool when I was walking through but after looking at that the beer selection.  I started to have a different attitude towards the store.  Their beer area is all over the place.  I mean you have craft beer with imports beers and the other way around.  This is so not profitable for the store.  Their beer customers that are looking at crafts beers are not seeing all their crafts or import beer customers in one area.  They have to walk around the store and I know I might have missed something.  It can be the same for their mass-produced beer customers.   I just feel they make more money off their beer supplies.  There is nothing wrong at being just a brewing supply store.  I will pass on this store.

Mid-Joy Liquor Store (Livonia, MI)

The first weekend I was back in Michigan.  I wanted to go beer shopping so I thought I would go back to my old liquor store when I first lived in the area.  They have a pretty nice selection.  I was enjoying it until I started noticing that everything I was picking up was out of date.  I was pretty disappointed pretty quickly.  This store went hard into the craft beer without the consumers to support it.  I never went back into this store.  I might again but I think I just might stay away.

Keg & Wine Party Store (Redford, MI)

I found this store looking for a Cider from Woodchuck Hard Cider on their website.  The parking lot could be better but that is not point of this review.  The store inside is pretty nice and clean.  Everyone is nice and helpful.  They have a great selection on beers and spirits.   I was pretty impressed.  I will have to say it is better than Wine Palace.  The only thing I do not like about this store.  I can not buy single bottles and/or cans of beer (12oz).  You have to buy the six or four pack.  I will be back to this store and I recommend this store.

Holiday Market (Canton, MI)

Whenever I would come in town, this was the store I would go to in the beginning.  They had whole warm shelf aisle in this grocery store for craft beer.  I was amazed at the selection.  I always picked up beers that I could not get in Chicago.  I started to realize pretty quickly that they were not selling through most their beers.  This store at that time had a ton of out of code beers.  This is a great store but buyer beware.

Super Fines (Canton, MI)

This store is at the top of my list.  They have just about everything in this liquor store.  If they do not have it, they will get the beer or whatever you are looking for at that time.  If it is sold in the state, they will get it.   You can do mix six packs in every price range.  You can buy single beers too.  They have a pretty big spirit selection.  This is a great beer store and I highly recommend it.

Closing, I know I have not covered everything liquor stores in the Southeast Michigan.  I am looking at just craft liquor beer stores.  I am not going to just the neighbor store.  I went to ones that claim they are a craft beer store or I know they have a pretty big selection.  I know there are more out there.  I will keep searching.  I loved Super Fines in Canton, Beer Barton in Livonia, and Key & Wine Party Store in Redford.  I will never go back into Wine Barrel and Mid-Joy Liquor Store in Livonia.  If there are any other stores, please, let me know.  I would love to hear your thoughts on these stores.  I will be writing a new review here shortly.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Great Lakes Brewing Blackout Stout

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Lights out, we are going to sample a beer from Great Lakes Brewing that was named after the “Blackout Of 2003.”  It is their Blackout Stout.  If you read my earlier beer blog on their Christmas Ale, you know history of this Ohio brewery.  If you have not, please, read that beer blog to get to know this craft brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

This stout has a jet black color without a head.  The smell of this Russian Imperial Stout has a chocolate to coffee notes.  The taste is a creamy chocolate with notes of burned malt with a slight burned chocolate bitterest.  It is a sipping stout.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Our robust Blackout Stout is named after the infamous “Blackout of 2003” that left the northeastern United States without power for days…. A nuisance for some, an enjoyable 36 hours of energy conservation and beer drinking with neighbors for others

Who needs the power grid when you’ve got the full moon, bright stars, good friends and Blackout Stout, our Russian Imperial Stout with a hearty malt body and bold hop favor.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.greatlakesbrewing.com

Twitter:  @GLBC_Cleveland

Lights back on, I enjoyed this brew and I forgot how good this brew really is.  Every year this beer is released.  I used to pick up a few like a few years ago and I would see it.  I keep forgetting to pick up.  Shame on me, this is a great stout.  I almost want to make a road trip to try this as a barrel aged stout.  This is a nice sipping Imperial Stout.  I love the chocolate and slight coffee notes.  I know there is a code date but I could see this brew aging well in the bottle.  This is on my own thing and it did not come from the brewery.  I highly recommend this brew and I would hunt it down before it disappear until next season.  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 Off Color Brewing Troublesome Wheat Beer

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Another beer before the road, Troublesome Wheat Beer from Off Color Brewing is the second brew to be reviewed on this beer blog.  If you read my beer blog from yesterday of their Scurry, you know the history of this upcoming craft brewery out of Chicago.  If you have not, please, read yesterday’s beer blog post to get to know Off Color Brewing.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a cloudy yellow color with a semi white head on this wheat ale.  The smell is lemon like but that comes from coriander notes.  The taste is a heavy citrus to coriander notes with a citrus aftertaste.  It is pretty drinkable.

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

TROUBLESOME

Blended Wheat Beer

Most brewers spend a lot of time and effort keeping lactobacillus out of their breweries; it was the first thing we brought in (it still has to stay in the corner though). We blend together two different beers to make Troublesome. The first is a somewhat uninteresting wheat beer and the second is an overly acidic & funky beer fermented solely with lactobacillus. We blend the two beers together with coriander and salt at the tail end of fermentation to create a mild, lemony tartness and a fuller sensation of mouthfeel. And yes, it’s hard to make.

ABV:4.5%
HOPS:Northern Brewer
IBU:10
MALTS:Pils, Wheat Malt, Flaked Wheat, Flaked Oats

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.offcolorbrwing.com

Twitter:  @OffcolorBrewing

Closing out the beer tab, I am not a fan of wheat beers.  I love German Hefeweizen but not too many wheats.  I love Upland Brewing Wheat and this beer from Off Color.  I just realized both of these craft beers are not even in my market.  Now that is pretty funny.  I will have to do some road trips.  What I like about this Wheat Beer, you do not taste the wheat or yeast like most American wheat beers.  I love the coriander that is used in this brew.  It has a nice lemon notes that kick off through out the beer drinking experience.  There is not over the top aftertaste from the beer and lemon notes.  It is just right.  They do some brewery tours and I would check into that to get to know this brewery a little bit more.  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 Off Color Brewing Scurry

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Starting new beer tab, Off Color Brewing is the featured craft brewery on this beer blog.  This is their frist appearance on this blog.  The beer that will be sampling is Scurry and tomorrow will be their Troublesome Wheat Beer.  Off Color Brewing was founded in the later part of 2012 to early part of 2013 in the western part Logan Square in Chicago.  The founder are John Laffler, who was part of Goose Island brewery team, and Dave Bleitner, who was part of Two Brothers Brewery team.  Their goal is to brew beer that they will enjoy and something different then the norm on the market today.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a dark brown to a slight amber or dark brown reddish color with a semi constant white head.  The smell is honey with hints of caramel.  The taste is a smooth and slight creamy honey with a nice creamy chocolate aftertaste.  It is a extremely drinkable beer.

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

SCURRY

Dark Honey Ale

This surprisingly dry beer retains all the aroma and nuance of honey (from bees) and molasses (not from bees) creating a perception of sweetness through cool, controlled fermentation. Because we’re sweet enough damn it.

ABV:5.3%
HOPS:Strisselspalt, Nothern Brewer, Hallertau Hersbrucker
IBU:18