In this winter beer blog, we are going to get into the latest version of Goose Island Christmas Ale. This year the brewery has rename the brew to Festivity Ale. They felt calling it Christmas Ale that after the holiday, people stop drinking and buying it. They are correct. 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 Goose Island Brewery. Let us get into this winter ale.
This brown ale has a nice bronze to brown color with an off white to light tan color head. The smell has a caramel with a slight floral notes. The taste has a creamy caramel with a dry nutty aftertaste. It is a nice sipping beer.
Here is a description from the beer bottle:
Brown Ale
Caramel and dark fruit malt flavors swirl inside a creamy toasty brown ale.
Here is a description from their website (www.gooseisland.com):
Festivity Ale
Brewer’s Notes
Every year we brew a brown ale to celebrate the holidays. To make each year’s special, we alter the recipe. This year we wrapped caramel and dark fruit malt flavors inside a creamy toasty brown ale. May your holidays be filled with Festivity.
Recipe Information
- Style: Classic Ales – Seasonal
- Alcohol by Volume: 7.7%
- International Bitterness Units: 50
- Color: Ruby Brown
- Hops: Pilgrim, English Golding
- Malts: Special Pale, Bon Munich, Caramel-60, Caramel-120, Rice Hulls, ECJ Sugar
Availability
Seasonal (November – December)
Available
Bottles: 6 PackHere is their website and twitter addresses:
Website: www.gooseisland.com
Twitter: @gooseisland
Ending, every year, I get excited for Fall and Winter seasonals. This beer is normally at the top of my list. I will say the last few years. I have been pretty disappointed with this American Brown Ale. This year has been promising for the future years. Goose Island is known to change the recipe slightly every year. I love this year’s ale. They did a great job. It is so much better than last year. This beer will have the malt head of the world wishing for more of this ale. 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 Rochester Mills Snow Daze (2014)
In this winter beer blog, we are going to get into the winter seasonal, which is Snow Daze, from Rochester Mills. 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 beer.
It has a dark amber to brown color with a nice white color. The smell has a malty to alcohol notes. The taste has a sweet malty to alcohol notes with a heavy alcohol aftertaste. The aftertaste has a nice burn down the throat but it is slight. It is pretty drinkable for the beer style and it will get some craft beer drinkers in trouble.
Here is their website and twitter addresses:
Website: www.cplanet.com
Twitter: @Rochmillsbeerco
In the end, this beer has a ton going on in it. There is some nice complex notes that will keep the beer drinker sipping it until he or she figures it out. This is a great beer and I love the alcohol notes. It gives something different with the nice sweet malty notes. This beer does not taste like 10.2% beer. It is drinks like a 5% brew. There is some nice malty notes that will get the malt head going crazy over this beer. I do not see anyone drinking more than one. This is a beer that you have one and have to move onto to another one. I highly recommend this beer. Draft only for this year but next year it will be in draft and package in 2015. 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 Latitude 42 Red Beard’s India Style Red Ale
In this beer blog, we are going to get into the first beer from Latitude 42 Brewery. It is their Red Beard’s India Style Red Ale. There is not much history on this Michigan craft brewery. I know they opened their doors some time last year. They are one of the best young Michigan craft brewery. They are packaging their beers in cans like most Michigan craft brewery Let us get into this Red Ale.
This Red IPA has a clear red to amber color with a nice white head. The aroma has a malty to a slight citrus notes. The taste has a creamy malty to citrus notes. The aftertaste has a dry malty hoppy finish. It is pretty drinkable beer.
Here is a description from their website (www.latitude42brewingco.com):
Red Beard’s India Red AleOur red ale is a cross between a northwest red ale and an India pale ale hence the style India red ale. The dark amber-colored brew uses a variety of crystal malts and premium 2-row malt as well as Munich malt to create a full-bodied ale. Generous additions of Chinook, centennial and simcoe hops impart abundant hop character. Together the malts and hops generate a tasty rich and quaffable ale. 6.5%
Here is their website and twitter addresses:
Website: www.latitude42brewingco.com
Twitter: @Latitude42Brew
Closing, I had a chance to stop by this craft brewery when I was moving back to Michigan from Chicago. I heard rumors they will be opening very soon. I took a chance to stop for lunch and sample a flight of their beers. This was one of the beer that I sampled. I really enjoyed this one and a few of their other beers. I would have sampled more of their beers but I had to drive to the other side of the state. I like it but it depends on the price. I am finding most of the Michigan craft beers are always but sometimes are over priced. I believe I will be able to mix this beer into my regular beer line up. There is not too many really good red IPA’s. I will mix this one in to give me a different IPA once in a while. It is not overly hoppy but just enough to drink a few of them. I highly recommend this beer and I cannot wait to see their beers in liquor stores on southeast part of Michigan. 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 New Belgium Brewery And Perennial Artisan Ales Lips Of Faith Salted Belgian Chocolate Stout
In this special beer blog, we are going to get into beer from a team of New Belgium Brewery and Perennial Artisan Ales. It is part of New Belgium Brewery’s Lips Of Faith. The brew is called Salted Belgian Chocolate Stout. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on both of these craft breweries, you know the history of both breweries. If you have not, please, read them to get to New Belgium and Perennial Artisan Ales. Let us get into this stout.
It has a jet black color with a creamy tan color head. The aroma has a creamy milk chocolate with slight salt notes. The taste has a slight salted creamy chocolate notes. The aftertaste has a dry salted notes. It is kind of drinkable beer.
Here is a description from the beer bottle:
Dessert is best poured and the brewers at Perennial agree. We dreamt up a beer that would bring together chocolate sweetness, Belgian yeast, deeply roasted malts and just the right shake of salt to pour a creamy stout worthy of a cherry on top.
Here is their website and twitter addresses:
Website: www.newbelgium.com
Twitter: @newbelgium
Closing, I will say New Belgium has been hitting some home runs of late between their everyday beers, new seasonal, and high-end brews. I am a pretty big fan of Perennial Artisan Ales when I lived in Chicago. I am still a fan but I can not get their beers here in Michigan. They have not made it here. I was pretty excited when I saw they teamed up with New Belgium Brewery. I love the salt and chocolate mix in this beer. It reminds me a creamy milk chocolate with sea salt notes on it. This is a great liquid. 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 Cheboygan Brewery IPA #11
In this beer blog, we are going to get into the only IPA from Cheboygan Brewery. 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 Midwest craft brewery. Let us get into this IPA.
It has a nice copper color with a with constant head. The aroma has a light citrus notes. The taste has a light malty to citrus notes with a dry bitter aftertaste. It is pretty balance. It is pretty drinkable beer.
Here is a description from their website (www.cheboyganbrewingcompany.com):
Named out of respect for our Brewmaster’s family at Fire Station #11, this is a golden ale that is built with over 40 pounds of hops. The malt bill provides a balanced backbone and the big hop finish gives a pleasant bitterness and a nose full of herbal and citrus notes. A real palate cleansing experience. 5.7% ABV IBU 58
Here is their website and twitter addresses:
Website: www.cheboyganbrewingcompany.com
Twitter: CheboyganBrew
Closing, I enjoyed this beer. There is a nice balance in this IPA. I wish it was in a package. This is a nice gift for myself when my friend makes a trip up to the craft brewery once a year. It is not one of my favorite IPA’s but is still a pretty good beer. It is a nice gateway beer to get more craft beer drinkers into good beer world. They picked up some nice hops to make this beer special. I believe this beer is a great brand. I love the story behind this beer. I highly recommend this beer. I hope you get a good batch. 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 Bell’s Special Double Cream Stout (2014)
In this beer blog, we are going to sample one of my favorite beer from Bell’s Brewery. It is their Special Double Cream Stout. 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 get into this cream stout.
It has a jet black color with a nice creamy tan color head. The smell has some chocolate, coffee, to alcohol notes. The taste has a chocolate to burn coffee notes with a dry coffee aftertaste. It is a nice sipping beer.
Here is a description from the beer bottle:
Brewed with a blend of 10 different malts, Double Cream is an incredibly rich stout composed of dark, sweet, and smooth tones intermingled with a soft, roasty finish.
Here is a description from their website (www.bellsbeer.com):
Special Double Cream Stout derives its name from its smooth, creamy texture, not the ingredients. Completely dairy-free, this stout blends ten different specialty malts to yield a remarkable depth of flavor. With only a touch of burnt notes, Special Double Cream Stout focuses on the softer, cocoa & espresso-like aspects of roasted malt.
Here is their website and twitter addresses:
Website: www.bellsbeer.com
Twitter: @BellsBrewery
In the end, I love this beer and I enjoy it very much. I had the chance to have this beer in a Firkin. It was even better brew. I love the fact the shelf life is a year but I bet I can get it to age for a few years. I just wish this beer was available all year-long. This beer I know cost a little bit more to make and let it age to quality to the beer. This beer has some nice creamy chocolate notes but a nice burn coffee notes. This beer will sneak up on you because it does not drink like a high alcohol beer. I recommend it. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/
Cheers!
Bill DJ Weiser
Email: djweiser16@gamil.net
Twitter: @djweiser
Instagram: @djweiser13
New Beer Blog Founders Nitro Oatmeal Stout
Founders Brewery is the featured craft brewery in this beer blog. We will be looking at one of three draft only beers and it is nitro draft from Founder’s. It is their Nitro Oatmeal Stout. 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 get into this Nitro Oatmeal Stout.
It has a jet black color with tan color head. The aroma has a chocolate and coffee notes. The taste has a creamy chocolate to slight coffee notes. There is a slight burn notes that also echoes in the taste and aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.
Here is a description from their website (www.foundersbrewing.com):
A Founders take on a classic style, brewed with a generous amount of flaked oats, chocolate malt, roasted barley and a healthy helping of Nugget hops, Founders Oatmeal Stout is nitrogen-infused to give it an extra smooth and creamy mouthfeel. An attractive cascade effect gives this beer its forthright visual appeal—and the body and clean flavor delivers on that initial promise.
- ABV: 4.5%
- IBUs: 38
- Availability: Year-round
Here is their website and twitter addresses:
Website: www.foundersbrewing.com
Twitter: @foundersbrewing
In the end, I was out on a NFL Football Sunday to watch my Miami Dolphins. I saw this on draft and it was a slam dunk to try it and drink it. I also noticed it was hooked up to a Nitro line. Nitro makes everything good but not every beer. It was pretty excited to try this beer. It was not too bad but it is pretty average. I will have to say it is so much better than Summit Brewery Oatmeal Stout. This is a pretty average beer but it is pretty than some of their everyday beers. Just because it is made in Michigan, it does not make it good. This is better than most Michigan craft brews. I highly recommend this beer. I had this one at One Under Bar in Livonia. Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/
Cheers!
Bill DJ Weiser
Email: djweiser16@gmail.com
Twitter: @djweiser
Instagram: @djweiser13
New Beer Blog Bell’s Best Brown Ale (2014)
In this beer blog, we are going to get into the fall seasonal from Bell’s Brewing. It is Best Brown Ale. 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 midwest craft brewery. Let us get into this brown ale.
It has a cloudy brown to dark brown color with a tan constant color head. The smell has a slight malty, nutty, and toffee notes. The taste has a sweet malty to nutty notes with a dry toffee aftertaste. It is a pretty drinkable beer.
Here is a description from their website (www.bellsbeer.com):
A smooth, toasty brown ale, Best Brown Ale is a mainstay in our fall lineup. With hints of caramel and cocoa, the malt body has the depth to stand up to cool weather, but does not come across as heavy. This balancing act is aided by the generous use of American hops.
Here is their website and twitter addresses:
Website: www.bellsbeer.com
Twitter: @bellsbrewery
In the end, It is a nice English brown ale. There is not too many really good English style brown ales from an American Craft breweries. I like it. I know Brooklyn Brown Ale and Goose Island Nut Brown Ale are around. Brooklyn version is pretty weak and not very good but Goose Island try to match the Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale, which was the first brown ale ever made. I love that Goose Island Nut Brown Ale. Too bad, they do not make that beer anymore. There is a nice English Brown Ale from Frankenmuth Brewery that is Brewpub only brew. Brown Ales are a tough sell in the spring and summer. When the fall and winter season, it is a little easier. Now a days, most craft beer drinkers want everything but a brown ale and in most part lagers. This is a good English Brown Ale. 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 New Holland Brewing The Carhartt Woodsman Barrel Aged Pale Ale
New Holland Brewery Carhartt Woodsman Barrel-Aged Pale Ale is the brewery and beer featured in this blog. 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 New Holland Brewery. Let us get into this Pale Ale.
It has a cloudy copper to darken golden color with a white head on this pale ale. The aroma has a faded to slight notes. I cannot pick up what it is. The taste has a light citrus to earthy with oak notes. The aftertaste has oak notes finish. It is kind of drinkable beer.
Here is a descriptions from the beer bottle:
Locally-grown Cascade hops bring a brightness to this barrel-aged American pale ale. Malt sweetness and toasted oak combine for a smooth, refreshing finish.
Here is a description from their website (www.newhollandbrew.com):
Celebrates craftsmanship and hard work. Locally-grown Cascade hops bring a brightness to this barrel-aged American pale ale. Malt sweetness and toasted oak combine for a smooth, refreshing finish.
Here is their website and twitter addresses:
Website: www.newhollandbrew.com
Twitter: @newhollandbrew
Closing, I do not know how I felt about this brew. I am trying to keep positive about this beer and craft brewery. I just find myself at times looking at New Holland as an average craft brewery. They do make some good beers. They shine the most in their high-end beers. I am talking about 22oz and four packs. I was interested in this beer because this could be the beer to turn around their six-pack line. It is an average brew. I love their effort and out of the box thinking. I did liked it but I just feel the Pale Ale does not work too well with aging in barrels. I love when it is a Brown, Stout, or Porter. 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 Rambler IPA (2014)
In this beer blog, we are going to get into another beer from Goose Island Brewery. It is next seasonal release, which is Rambler IPA. 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 Goose Island Brewery. Let us get into this Red IPA.
It has a clear red to amber color with a tan color head. The aroma has an herbal to citrus notes with a slight hint of earthy tones. The taste has earthy to caramel and citrus notes with dry malty hoppy aftertaste. It is a pretty drinkable beer.
Here is a description from the beer bottle:
Red Ale
A bold ale with a mix of herbal, woody, and citrus aromas from Mt. Hood and Amarillos hops.
6.7% ALC. 65 IBU
Here is a description from their website (www.gooseisland.com):
Rambler IPA
Brewer’s Notes
Aroma and Taste:
Herbal, woody, and citrus aroma. Spicy, resinous hop flavors with enough sweetness to balance the Mt. Hood hops.
Mouthfeel:
Medium bodied, medium carbonation. Spicy hop flavor lingers on the palate with a malty, dry finish.
Recipe Information
- Style: IPA
- Alcohol by Volume: 6.7%
- International Bitterness Units: 65
- Color: Auburn
- Hops: Amarillo, Mt. Hood
- Malts: Special Pale, C-120, Cara Red
Availability
Seasonal (September – December) Bottles: 6 & 12pks
Draft: 1/6 & 1/2bbl
Here is their website and twitter addresses:
Website: www.gooseisland.com
Twitter: @gooseisland
Closing, I love this brew. This brew is the best of all the seaonals by far. I love their Endless IPA but this Red IPA takes it home. I was pretty impressed with their Ten Hills Pale Ale but after going through the year, it is the weakest of the seasonals. They did a great job on their Oktoberfest this year. I can’t wait to retry their Ten Hills Pale Ale. I might need to remind myself of this brew. I know their Christmas Ale will be out. It is American Brown Ale. This is a nice Red IPA for the fall season. It is not over hopped but just enough to make you get through the cooler fall days or part of the winter months. There is some nice malty notes and Amerillo hops just shine throughout this brew. This is a great brew. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/
Cheers!
Bill DJ Weiser
Email: djweiser16@gmail.com
Twitter: @djweiser
Instagram: @djweiser13
DJ Weiser 