mke

New Beer Blog Breckenridge Vanilla Porter

In this beer blog, we are going to sample out Breckenridge Vanilla Porter. Breckenridge Brewery started in 1990 became the third brewery to open in Colorado by Richard Squire. They are being sold in thirty-two states right now. This is a great brewery and they make several different beers. Let us get into the beer.

This everyday porter has a jet black color with a semi white head on it. There is a vanilla, toffee, and chocolate smell to the beer. The taste is a sweet chocolate and vanilla with a medium dry vanilla bean aftertaste. This is a pretty drinkable beer.

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

Remarkable. Partakable.

Deep in the jungles of Papua New Guinea and Madagascar grows the perfect ingredient for an extraordinary Porter brewed in Colorado. Breckenridge Brewery’s Vanilla Porter. An ale that has all the chocolate and roasted nut flavor of a classic Porter, with an enigmatic surprise thrown in for good measure.

Beer Style: Herb and spice beer

Flavor: Smooth Roasted Chocolate with a Creamy Vanilla Finish

Yeast: Top Fermenting Ale Yeast

Malts: Two Row Pale, Caramel, Bonlander, Black, Roasted Barley

Vanilla Beans From Paupau New Guinea and Madagascar

Hops: Chinook, Palisade, Perle, Goulding

Color: Deep Brown

Bitterness Units: 16

Alcohol By Volume: 4.7%

Alcohol By Weight: 3.76%

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.brechbrew.com

Twitter: @brechbrew

Closing out, this vanilla porter is by far one of my favorite beers in this beer style. There is a few craft breweries that are starting to put out vanilla porters. Breckenridge Brewery came up with it first to do something different in the craft beer world. Now, there are a few craft breweries that are starting to put out some vanilla porters. This beer is smooth and drinkable with a ton of flavor. I recommend this beer anytime but it needs to be in the winter time. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Revolution Brewing Mad Cow Milk Stout

In this beer blog, we are going to get into another beer from Revolution Brewing and the beer is called Mad Cow Milk Stout. If you read my earlier blog on their Anti-Hero IPA, you know the history of this brewery. If you have not, please, read the first part of that beer blog post. Let us get into the beer.

Revolution Brewing Mad Cow Milk Stout has a jet black color without a head on it. The smell is chocolate to toffee to the beer. The taste is a creamy chocolate beer without an aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Mad Cow

Smooth, charcoal black stout made with lactose for a lingering sweetness.

Milk Stout

ABV 7.7%IBU 30

Profile: Smooth, charcoal black stout made with lactose

Availability: 1/6 & 22oz

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.revbrew.com

Twitter: @revbrewchicago

In closing, I really enjoyed this beer and this is my favorite brew from Revolution Brewing. I love their Anti-Hero IPA also from this brewery. It is smooth and silky beer. It is extremely drinkable and that could get some people in trouble. I highly recommend this beer, however, this is not my favorite milk stout I have ever had. Mad Cow is my top five for Milk Stout.

Here is my top five Milk Stouts:

Lancaster Brewing Milk Stout
Milwaukee Brewing Polish Moon Milk Stout
Revolution Brewing Mad Cow Milk Stout
Maui Brewing Milk Stout (Brewpub only)
Left Hand Milk Stout

These are all really good milk stouts and just because I put it third does not make it a bad beer. I really enjoyed drinking them all. Now some of these beers, I can not get in my market like Maui Brewing and Lancaster Brewing. Left Hand is a great brew. I just feel the rest of the breweries took their recipe and made it better. Left Hand Milk Stout is still the same old brew and they did not change it. I recommend you trying all these beers. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Central Waters Satin Solstice Imperial Stout

In this beer blog, we are going to sample some Central Satin Solstice Imperial Stout. If you read my earlier blog on their Imperial India Pale Ale, you know the history of this small great brewery. If you have not, please read the first part of that beer post. Let us get into this awesome imperial stout.

It has a black color without a head on the beer. The smell is a chocolate, toffee to some coffee to the beer. The taste is between chocolate to slight coffee notes. This beer is very drinkable and dangerous because of the ABV.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

The smooth creamy stout and a cracking fireplace are the perfect answer to a wintery evening in Wisconsin. The rich coffee flavor compliments the “warm fuzzy feeling” you get from the abundant alcohol. Enjoy in moderation.

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

SATIN SOLSTICE IMPERIAL STOUT
This smooth, creamy stout and a crackling fireplace are the perfect answer to a wintery evening in Wisconsin. Enjoy in moderation.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: http://www.centralwaters.com

Twitter: @CWBrewing

Closing out, this is one of my favorite imperial stouts on the market. It comes at a really good price for a six-pack bottles at $9.99 at most stores. It is at the same price as the rest of their everyday beers. It is even more a value to everyone asides the brewery. Most breweries charge more their imperial stout. I love how easy this stout is to drink with the nice chocolate, with a little coffee and toffee. This is an awesome stout and 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

New Beer Blog Milwaukee Brewing Louie’s Demise Amber Ale

In this beer blog, we are going to take a look at the flagship beer, which is Louie’s Demise Amber ale, from Milwaukee Brewing Company. If you read my earlier blog on their Pull Chain, you know about this brewery. If you have not, please read the first part of that beer blog. Let us get into the beer.

This amber ale has a nice clear amber color with a semi white head on the beer. The smell is a little malty to it. It has a sweet malty carbonation taste without an aftertaste. This is easy drinking beer.

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

Our flagship brand; this medium bodied amber ale starts with a rich malt flourish that’s kept in
perfect balance by a smooth hop finish. This MBC original is similar to a German style malt beers.

Jim McCabe (owner and founder) started as a homebrewer, brewing beer with his original partner in a farmhouse in Cedarburg. On the wall was a picture from the 19th century of several men drinking from dimple glasses, every time they would drink they would toast to these men. After looking into it, they found out they were at a distant relative’s wake. That distant relative was Louie, they decided that all this time they had been toasting to Louie’s Demise.

The next question they asked was how did Great Great Uncle Louie? Our friend Bruce was able to supply us with some of the answers we were looking for.

Sheboygan, 1886, Great Great Uncle Louie was cracked over the head with a glass and killed. For several years we speculated with our friends; why was Louie killed? Turns out, Louie had it coming, it was over a woman! He was picking a fight with another bar patron over his beautiful wife. After a scuffle moved outside, Louie was sent on his way bruised up. But, near closing time, he had returned. The fight escalated, and the man whacked Louie over his head with a glass. Legend has it, an onlooker pried the beer from Louie’s dying hands and toasted his lustful life.

After Bruce gave us the lowdown, he reluctantly told us it was his great great uncle that killed Louie.

I have been brewing the Louie’s recipe for 15 years now. Brewing this beer is like wearing a favorite shirt or old hat; it’s reliable and comfortable. I look forward to the rich and complex malt aromas that are released during the mash, you might also catch some caramel and earthy notes. A portion of the malt bill is honey malt from Garnbrinus Malting Co. It adds that sour and honey aroma to the ale. Since the malt is really the highlight of this brew we kept it simple on the hops and the yeast. The yeast strain we use produces a subtle dried fruit flavor. We changed the yeast strain about 12 years ago to cut down on the BU’s and the malt bill has changed very slightly since we started brewing it.

Here is a video from Youtube (www.youtube.com) and their website (www.mkebrewing.com):

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: http://www.mkebrewing.com

Twitter: @mkebrewco

In the end, there are not too many amber ales that I can say I enjoy drinking day to day. This is one of my favorite beer from this brewery just like their Hoppy Happy India Pale Ale. There is not too Amber Ales I love in my market. For the ones, I had in my lifetime it is high on my list. I love malty and how easy it is to drink. This is great example of American Amber Ale and I recommend you trying this beer. Go get some and let me know what you think of it. Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Milwaukee Brewing Sasquash Ale

In this fall beer blog, we are going to take a look at Sasquash Porter Ale from Milwaukee Brewing. If you read my earlier blog on their Pull Chain, you are pretty much up to speed on this underrated craft brewery from Milwaukee. If you have not, please read the first part of that beer post. Let us get into this beer.

This porter has a nice jet black color with a semi white head on it. The smell is a heavy sweet potato. The taste is a little toffee and chocolate with some yam to pumpkin. The aftertaste is dry. There is no other way to explain it. It is kind of drinkable beer.

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

This recipe was created by our Brewer Kurt. Along with 400 pounds of pumpkin and 300 sweet potato he used a variety of specialty malts to keep your taste buds on an adventurous ride with each sip. You’ll find the roasty flavors are well-balanced with pumpkin which gives it a very smooth character. Kurt also added pumpkin spice to this Porter to give it that amazing aroma and finish.

Although Wisconsin is not known for Sasquatch sightings like the North West, we do have one very famous incident.

In October 1968 a group of six hunters were out near Deltox Marsh in Waupaca County, although they saw the creature from different view points, they all agreed, it was tall, muscular and covered in short dark brown hair. What stopped them from shooting was how human-like the creature seemed.

That same November, the group of hunters plus 6 more were hunting for deer near Deltox Marsh. Lined up for a deer drive, one saw the creature and one by one the dozen men came to a halt. When the creature ran back into the woods, the hunters waited for him to return to the marsh, but it did not.

Sasquash started as a homebrew. I really wanted to create something that wasn’t like the other pumpkin beers on the market. Sasquash has a big, malty body that backs up all the spices.

This year we used about 700 pounds of pumpkin and sweet potato and adding them to the wort has to be my favorite part of this brew. Along with the obvious pumpkin smells, we’ll also get the cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg aromas from the spices. We added those spices because we really wanted it to taste like a pumpkin pie.

I love drinking this beer with spice cake, pumpkin pie and chocolate chip cookies.

Here is a video from Youtube (www.youtube.com) and their website (www.mkebrewing.com):

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: http://www.mkebrewing.com

Twitter: @mkebrewco

In closing, this beer put a smile on my face from the smell to the aftertaste. I love the smell of yams and the taste of chocolate cover pumpkin with a touch of ginger and cinnamon with a dry punch for the finish. I love this beer and I cannot get enough of this beer. Most people cannot drink this beer all day but I can. I am always finding something new each sip from this pumpkin porter. There is a limited amount of cases here in Chicago area so make sure you get a six-pack. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Central Waters Mudpuppy Porter

In this beer blog, we are going to check out Central Waters Mudpuppy Porter. I realize I have not written up a review on this porter. If you read my earlier blog on their Imperial IPA, you know a little something on this small brewery from Wisconsin. If you have not, please read the first part of that beer blog. Let us get into this beer.

This porter has a nice dark brown to black color with a semi head on it. There is a slight coffee to chocolate smell notes from the beer. The taste is chocolate to a little toffee notes with a dry coco aftertaste. This porter is pretty drinkable and that is even in the summertime.

Here is a description from the beer bottle and their website (www.centralwaters.com):

MUD PUPPY PORTER
A robust, yet surprisingly refreshing porter, Mud Puppy is a favorite of dark beer lovers. Characterized by a thick, rocky head and luscious chocolate-like nose, the malty profile is balanced by liberal hopping for its style

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: http://www.centralwaters.com

Twitter: There is no twitter address.

In closing, I love this porter. This porter is pretty much always in my refrigerator. There is a nice balance in this porter. It is an extremely drinkable porter. There is not too many drinkable porters on the market. You can drink this beer in the hottest summer days. It has a nice chocolate to some coffee notes. The aftertaste wants you to go back for more in a good way. There is nothing else to say about this beer. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Milwaukee Brewing Love Rock Vienna Style Lager

In this beer blog, we are going to take a look at another beer from the Milwaukee Brewing Company. The beer is their Love Rock Vienna Style Lager. If you read my earlier on their Pull Chain Pale, you know the history of this brewery. If you have not read that blog, please read the first part of that blog. Let us get into the beer.

It has a hazel golden color without a head on the beer. There is really no smell to it. It has a slight malty with shunky taste with a nice crisp finish. It is extremely drinkable beer.

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

Love Rock is a Vienna Style Lager. This type of lager beer has a subtle malt sweetness, balanced by the earthy tones of noble German Hallertauer hops.

The Rock is a story unique to Milwaukee and our freshwater coast. As part of the drinking water system for the city, the system draws from a big pipe in the Lake. The “intake” was marked by a big structure that was prominent off the Bradford Beach shoreline. Because of the privacy (in plain view!)the Rock was a popular lookout point for ambitious suitors. In the exciting free love days of the early ’70′s, a few ambitious Milwaukeeans paddled out to the Rock and memorialized the sentiment of the time.

The original version of Love Rock known as “Winter Lager” happens to be the second batch of beer brewer at our second street location, it was brewed on November 27th 2007. We have made a few adjustments to the recipe over the years, just to the body and to the color. The Love Rock is Milwaukee Brewing’s first year round production lager. The cold, long fermentation process that helps create such a smooth flavor. This recipe is pretty straight forward with the malts and two hop varieties. The Vienna style malt adds a nice toasty quality without overwhelming the beer. Our yeast guy tells us that this lager strain happens to be quite old. Many of the the major breweries in Milwaukee did, and still do, use this yeast. Love Rock is a refreshing and simple beer.

Here is a video from youtube (www.youtube.com) and their website (www.mkebrewing.com):

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: http://www.mkebrewing.com

Twitter: @mkebrewco

In closing, I enjoy pretty much all beers from this brewery. This is not my favorite beer from this brewery but it is still a pretty good beer. If you enjoy craft lagers, you will need to check this beer out. I really enjoyed this beer but I will enjoy it if I cannot find something else. Go get some and let me know what you think of this craft lager. Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Blog New Glarus Black Top

In this beer blog, we are going to take a look at the fifth of seven beers from New Glarus Brewing. The beer is called Black Top. If you read my earlier blog on their Fat Squirrel Ale, you are pretty up to speed on this brewery. If you have not, please, go back and read the first part of that beer blog post. Let us get into this Black India Pale Ale.

It has a dark brown to black color with a heavy constant white head on the beer. It has a citrus smell to the beer. It has a slight chocolate to citrus taste with a dry bitter aftertaste to the beer. It is kind of drinkable beer.

Here is a descriation from the beer bottle and their website (www.newglarusbrewing.com):

We invite you to discover this newest beer style Black IPA. Political debate rages over the origins of this jet black beer as both coasts feel they deserve credit. Our Black Top is a pleasant road connecting Villages and Communities statewide on a ride of Black IPA discovery.

Expect this beer to pour a hop forward jet black glass brimming with aromatic bitterness. Brewmaster Dan skillfully weaves molasses and chocolate malt undertones with a soaring rush of clean citrus and pine hop notes, to deliver a drinkable Black IPA. Savor Black Top, like Wisconsin’s miles of licorice ribbons of ink that meander through armies of corn and bovine mowed fields. Enjoy the journey on a road less traveled. Happy Trails, Daniel & Deborah Carey

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.newglarusbrewing.com

Twitter: @newglarusbeer

In closing, I am a HUGE fan of this beer style, which is Black Ales or Black India Pale Ale. This has a ton of flavor. It is just as smooth as Widmer Brothers Pitch Black. It has a little bit more hoppiest and bitterest than that beer from Widmer Brothers. This beer would be in my regular beer line up. I really enjoyed this beer but I love Milwaukee Brewing Black Iron more but their beer is more of a seasonal. New Glarus Black Top is available all the time and I will be drinking this beer when I get it in my hands when I cannot get Black Iron. Great Job on this one, Dan! Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Blog Brooklyn Lager Vs Samuel Adams Boston Lager

Battle of Evermore, we are going to do something different. I am taking two well-known craft lagers and putting them up against each other. They are Samuel Adams Boston Lager, which is the flagship of the Boston Beer Company, and Brooklyn Lager, which is the flagship of the Brooklyn Brewery. The reason why this challenge has come to head is the fact when both breweries started out they contracted their beers out to one brewery to keep up with demand. Plus, it is Boston against New York City. Both cities hate each other from football, hockey, baseball, and I believe basketball. Both breweries were there from the beginning of the craft beer world. I do not need to go over the history of these two breweries because I have done blogs on both breweries. Let the fight begin!

Brooklyn Lager

Brooklyn Lager has a slightly hazel copper color without a head on the beer. It has a sweet malty to a little caramel smell to the beer. It has a slight hoppy to malty taste with a nice crisp finish for the aftertaste. It is a pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Amber gold, with a malty body and a floral hop character. Brooklyn Lager is a revival of Brooklyn’s pre-Prohibition all malt lagers. This is the brewery’s first and best-selling brand. Brooklyn Lager is brewed only with malted barley, hops, water and yeast.

Samuel Adams Boston Lager

Samuel Adams Boston Lager has a clear copper color without a head on the beer. There is really no smell to this beer. This lager is sweet malty carbonation to it with crisp malty aftertaste. It is a pretty drinkable beer.

Our original beer, brewed with Bavarian Noble hops. The balance of malty sweetness and hop spiciness in this brew sets the standard for all Samuel Adams beers.

What is the same between these beers?

Both beers are craft beers and are the flagship beers to each respected brewery. They are both pretty malty tasting lagers.

What is the differences between these beers?

Brooklyn lager is a little bit more hopper than Boston Lager and has a clean crisp aftertaste. Boston Lager is a little bit more maltier and has a malty crisp aftertaste that last longer than the Brooklyn Lager.

The end, respect to both breweries, they both make some good beers. Some of their beers are average to below average while some are above average. You will get that from many breweries. There are a very few that make all their beers really good. Brooklyn Lager has a little bit more of a hoppy feel but yet enough of malty taste to give the best of both worlds. Boston Lager is a little bit more maliter. I have to say Brooklyn Lager is better. Brooklyn is going with the old school taste that was going on in American before Prohibition. Boston Lager is more American Craft Lager with a classic twisted. I just feel Boston Lager is dying a fast death and needs to put down. To me, Brooklyn Lager wins this battle and I wish more people knew about this great beer. This is my thought pattern and I would like to hear your thought. Go get some Brooklyn Lager! Raise your glass to a beer that should be classic American lager before and after Prohibition era. Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Milwaukee Brewery Tour And Brewery

While in Milwaukee, WI, as many of you know, I rode my motorcycle up to check out as many breweries in Milwaukee. I had to stop by my favorite brewery, which is Milwaukee Brewery, and many of you know that I am a huge fan of this brewery. If you read my earlier blog on their Pull Chain, you are up to speed on the history of this brewery. If not, please, go back and read the first part of blog post. Here is a little of their brewery. Milwaukee Brewery started out under a brewpub in the city and it was called Milwaukee Ale House, which is still there. I would recommend checking out their brewpub. You will get a feel of the theme of their brewery and their beers. There first beer was brewed in 1997. Let us get into the tour and then a few of beers that I was trying that I did not blog.

Brewery Tour

The first thing I noticed about this brewery. It reminded me of old school Goose Island in Chicago before they were sold to Budweiser. They are very lay back and enjoy brewing beer. This gives you the hint of their packaging design and how they brew their beers. I like how they broke up the brewery tour in parts with a beer break between each part. They had several beers you could try and enjoy. I also like that the tour guide had a microphone for most of the tour. I have been on several brewery tours where they are shouting, yelling, or even screaming for the people to hear them. We had Tom and he was awesome. I had a great time listening to him because of his passion and love for his job. You can tell he loves his jobs and he was not the only one there with that passion. I really enjoyed this brewery and this tour. It is worth the $7.00. Thank you MKE Brewery for welcoming us into your brewery.

MKE ULAO

This beer has a golden yellow color with a nice constant white head. This beer really does not have a smell to it. There is a little wheaty and yeast taste to the beer. This is extremely drinkable beer and with a nice punch of 5% ABV. As many of you know, I am not a fan of wheat, white, or hefeweizen. I believe my taste buds are changing again. I really enjoyed this beer and I recommend you trying this beer. Go get some!

MKE Hoptober Fest

Please read the blog I will post later. I went into more detail on this beer.

MKE Double IPA

This beer has a nice copper color with a nice white constant head. This beer has a nice cirtus to piney smell to it. The taste is about the same as the smell, which is cirtus to it. The aftertaste is a bitter dry which is about right for my taste buds. It is a pretty drinkable beer for being a big IPA. I really enjoyed this beer and I wish it was in the package. I will hunt down a bar in Chicago to drink it. If I cannot find bar in Chicago, I guess it is another road trip to Milwaukee. Go get some!

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.mkebrewing.com

Twitter: @mkebrewco

Leaving Milwaukee, I had a great time and it felt like a huge beer party with all the beer drinkers at the brewery during the tours. It was nice to see the brewery and meet some of the workers that work for this brewery. It was also nice to go to the brewpub to see where they started. This is a good brewery and I hope more and more people discover their beers. Thank you for showing us around. If you are around Milwaukee, please, check this brewery out. It is worth your money. This is what you get for your money and it is one pint glass, brewery tour, sample any beer that is available, and two tokens to use at a selected bars in the area. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

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