pale ale

New Beer Blog Magic Hat Dream Machine IPL

image

In this beer blog, we are going to try a new beer, which is Dream Machine, from Magic Hat Brewery. If you read my earlier beer blog posts, you know the history of this Northeast Craft Brewery. If you have not read those posts, please, read them to get to know this craft brewery. Let us get into this beer.

It has a slight cloudy copper color with a creamy white head on this India Pale Lager.  The aroma has a heavy citrus notes.  The taste has a slight carbonated citrus notes with a nice crisp clean finish.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

The ancient ritual of brewing a distinctly rich and flavorful beer is a performance to behold. Our mysterious melange of times honored ingredients harmonize with chaotic chemistry, humble patience, and blind faith to create this unique beer to share in the rousing company of kindred spirits. Cheers!

Here is a description from their website (http://www.magichat.net):

THE STORY

Currents flow through lips, swim through limbs, lines of spine, and loop back ’round again, coming to rest in the comfort of your mind. Dream Machine whirrs, something stirs and the ether swirls with visions and dreams, reminding us that nothing in our minds must be what it seems.

THE BEER

Dream Machine, an India Pale Lager or IPL, is a melding of varied visions of an India Pale Ale and an Amber Lager. Once poured, its light copper color delights the eyes and a citrusy hop aroma flows through the nose. Upon first sip, a smooth hop bitterness reveals itself – fresh, bold and slightly spicy – before subtle hints of mild maltiness appear. A big hop bite and a crisp, clean lager finish combine for a beautifully balanced beer. Take Dream Machine for a spin and let your reverie begin.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: http://www.magichat.net

Twitter:  @magichat

Closing, I have to say the later versions of IPL’s are making the earlier ones look really bad.  I will be honest at first I was not a fan of IPL’s.  I thought it was a joke or a fake of a beer style.  More and more craft breweries are making their version of India Pale Lager.  I understand why.  IPA’s are growing at a rapid rate and craft breweries are expanding IPA styles in that world.  I am a pretty big fan of Wolverine IPL.  I have to say Magic Hat out did themselves on their brew.  They have best IPL that I had so far on the market.  I know there are few more IPL’s coming soon and I will be looking for them when they hit the market.  Dream Machine is my favorite one so far.  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

image

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 Sierra Nevada Blindfold Black IPA

image

In this beer blog, we are going to get into the new Sampler pack from Sierra Nevada.  It is called 4-Way IPA. The sampler pack has Blindflold Black IPA, Snow Wit IPA, Torpedo IPA, and Nooner IPA.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this west coast craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know their beers that I review and know the history of this brewery.  Let us sample out this Black IPA.

It has a jet black color with a tan head on this black IPA.  The aroma has a chocolate to slight coffee with a citrus notes.  The taste has a creamy chocolate with a hint of citrus notes.  The aftertaste is a dry bitter finish.  It is a sipping beer.

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

Blindfold™Black IPA

Bright hops pierce through roasty darkness.

Blindfold blankets us in darkness yet maintains a surprisingly light body and bold, hoppy character. This black IPA emerged from our Beer Camp program and builds on Sierra Nevada’s legendary love of hops with roasted malts for depth and complexity. Like its namesake, Blindfold is a bit disorienting—the color of a stout and the intense, hop-forward flavors of a classic American IPA.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.sierranevada.com

Twitter:  @SierraNevada

Closing, I believe this craft brewery does not get the credit they should today unlike they did back when they first started.  Their beers are very underrated.  I love their Pale Ale and I believe most just think of Sierra Nevada as one beer brewery.  This is so not true. They make an awesome stout and porter.  I have not even put the words about their IPA.  Their everyday IPA is one of my favorites and it is very underrated.  I knew I was in good hands when I saw this 4 way IPA Pack in the store.  I did not stop and thinking about it.  I just grab it and went home and try them.  The first one I tried was this Black IPA.  This beer style is hopheads wet dream.  I have had several Black IPA’s in my time.  I love how this one is creamy unlike the other ones I had.  It is not drinking and most are not drinkable.  It is a nice relaxing beer.  I love it and I recommend this brew and sampler pack.  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

image

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

image

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 Oddside Derelicte Pineapple IPA

image

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

image

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

image

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 Stone Brewery Stochasticity Project Grapefruit Slam IPA

image

In this beer blog, we are going to get into a new project called Stochasticity Project from Stone Brewery.  It is their Grapefruit Slam IPA.  There will be a series of different beers released under this name.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this craft brewery.  If you have not read those posts, please, do so to get to know this craft brewery.  Let us get into this big beer.

It has a clear copper color with a nice white head on this IPA.  The aroma has a heavy grapefruit and hints of citrus notes.  The taste of this medium body beer is a heavy grapefruit notes.  The aftertaste is a dry bitter hop finish that will keep you drinking more of this brew.  This India Pale Ale is a sipping beer.

Here is a descriation from the beer bottle:

Stochasticity

There is no happenstance or coincidence.  Dumb luck is a fallacy and randomness a commonly accepted mistruth.  Much of what seemingly falls into place and seems so natural is a result of Stochasticity, a concept embraced and exalted by this special and unpredicatable series of beers, where exotic notions, ingredients and ideas coalesce at an interesting and often unexpected endpoint.

Stochasticity Project Grapefruit Slam IPA

India pale ales harness the inherent flavor characteristics of hops to bring forward familiar flavors of pine, resin, spice and citrus.   In some cases, those botanincals are so potent, they exactly mirror specific edibles.  Such is the case with Centennials hops, which hail from the Great Northwest and come across on the palate like a mouthful of citrus fruit.  That sensation is amplified with this, the first beer introduced via the Stochasticity Project, a double IPA brewed with Centennial, Chinook and Magnum hops as well as an immense dosing of fresh grapefruit peel.  The result is over-the-top bittersweet grapefruit intensity that is a once refreshing and bracing in its citrusy bitterness.

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

Stochasticity™ Project

Grapefruit Slam IPA

STYLE: Double IPA ABV: 8.2% IBUs: 95
Description

India pale ales harness the inherent flavor characteristics of hops to bring forward familiar flavors of pine, resin, spice, and citrus. In some cases, those botanicals are so potent, they exactly mirror specific edibles. Such is the case with Centennial hops, which hail from the Great Northwest and come across on the palate like a mouthful of citrus fruit. That sensation is amplified with this, the first beer introduced via the Stochasticity Project–a double IPA brewed with Centennial, Chinook and Magnum hops as well as an immense dosing of fresh grapefruit peel. The result is over-the-top bittersweet grapefruit intensity that is at once refreshing and bracing in its citrusy bitterness.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.stochasticity.com

Twitter:  @STCHPRJCT

Closing, this beer was something else and that is all in a very good way.  I love the heavy aroma and taste of grapefruit.  I just found it funny that I hate the taste and smell of real grapefruit.  This is a pretty big beer and the beer drinker should not take this brew lightly.  It is a sipping brew, however, it is very nice to drink in any part of the year.  I wish this beer was all year long and was put in 12oz bottles.  I am not a huge fan of 22oz bottles.  At least, it came with a good price.  Most 22oz bottles are overpriced and that is my thought.  I get it.  These beers cost a little more than most beers to make. I recommend you trying this beer. I will be looking for one more bottle befoe they disappear.  Plus, the next beer when it is released to the public.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Rochester Mills Beer Co. Lazy Daze Amber Lager

image

In this beer blog, we are going to sample Lazy Daze Amber Lager from Rochester Mills Beer Co.  If you have been reading my beer blog posts, you know I have wrote about their beers in the past and you know the history of this east side Michigan craft brewery.  If you have not read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, please, read them to get to know this craft brewery.  Let us get into this Michigan Craft Lager.

This Lager a clear amber color with a nice small white bubble head.  There is a smell, however, I can not pick up what it is in the aroma.  The taste has a light sweet carbonated notes with touch of caramel.  The aftertaste has a sweet caramel notes that hangs around your mouth for a bit.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a descration from their website (www.beercos.com):

Lazy Daze Amber Lager – 5.1% abv

Boasting a rich amber color and medium-bodied flavor from a combination of Munich malt for a subtle sweetness and German hops, you’ll find Lazy Daze Amber is another easy drinking, well-balanced local brew from Rochester Mills.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.beercos.com

Twitter:  @Rochmillsbeerco

In the end, I am still looking for the best craft lager.  I just feel the Michigan Craft Breweries are making the best Craft Lagers and Pilsners in the United States.  I am not saying this is the best craft lager that I ever had in my lifetime.  I have to say it is pretty damn close.  It is in my top five beers.  It is well balance and full of a ton of flavor.   I love the caramel notes.  This is a great drinkable lager. It is a beer that is perfect all year long.  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