pale ale

New Beer Blog Round Barn Brewery Wood Oaked India Pale Ale

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Starting a new tab, we are going to sample out a first on this blog.  It is a brewery that is also a winery.  I am talking about Round Barn Brewery from the west part of Michigan.  It is their Wood Oaked India Pale Ale.  There is not much history on this brewery on their website and other sources.  I know they brew several different beer styles.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a cloudy golden color with a white head on this IPA.  The smell has wooden, earthly, and notes of citrus. The taste has notes of citrus and wooden with a slight vanilla and oak aftertaste.  It is a pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

From the first taste of this IPA you will pick up the fresh oak character and cascade hop bitterness that gives this beer a balanced finish. Pairs well with Asian or Mexican dishes, grilled meats and of course, IPA’s classic mate, Indian curry.

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

Wood Oaked IPA

From the first taste of this IPA you will pick up the fresh oak character and Cascade hop bitterness that gives this beer a balanced finish. Pairs well with Asian or Mexican dishes, grilled meats and of course, IPA’s classic mate, Indian curry. (ABV 6.75%)

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.roundbarnwinery.com

Twitter:  @RoundBarnWinery

Closing out my tab, I have to say I was pretty interested when I saw this brew on the shelf.  I was wondering how it would turn out.  I have to say I was pretty impressed.  It is pretty good but not good at the same time.  It was a pretty average beer.  I will give them credit on doing some original.  I am happy to see them not do the normal old India Pale Ale.  I do not mind those either.  I recommend you trying this brew because it is unique.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog North Peak Brewing Hoodoo Midwest Wet Hop IPA

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In beginning, we are going to sample out the first brew from North Peak Brewing.  It is their Midwest Wet Hop IPA, which is a double or imperial IPA.  North Peak Brewing was founded in 1997.  They brew several different beer styles and use the classic beer style bottle.  There is not much history on this brewery asides they are in a beer that use to be the old “Big Daylight Candy Factory.”  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear copper color with a constant white head on this India Pale Ale.  The smell is a slight malty and citrus notes.  The taste is heavy citrus notes.  It is kind of drinkable beer.

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

Hoodoo

MIDWEST WET HOP IPA – October

ABV: 8.0%  IBUs: 88

Hoodoo Midwest Wet Hop IPA is the first  of it’s kind. Brewed with fresh from the farm Michigan hops for  exceptional flavor. Hoodoo is hops from start to finish with a little  malt in the middle, just enough to keep Hoodoo from going Voodoo on you.  Not to worry – pretty much nothing but hops.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.northpeakbeer.com

Twitter:  @northpeakbeer

Closing out, I have to say this is the best brew that North Peak Brewing makes.  I love the hops and I am happy to see they are straight from the Michigan Hop Farms.  This brew packs a nice little punch in this brew.  There is a nice malty backbone to cut through and balance the hops.  If you can find a bottle of this brew, you better pick it up since it is not all year-long brew.  I 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 Speakeasy Butchertown Black Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to sample out another brew, which is a limited release, from Speakeasy Brewery.   The brew is their Butchertown Black Ale.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read these beer blog posts to get to know this great west coast brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a jet black color with a white constant head on this black ale.  The smell slight chocolate with a heavy citrus notes.  The taste has chocolate citrus notes with bitter hop aftertaste.   It is kind of drinkable beer.
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Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.goodbeer.com

Twitter: @SpeakeasyBeer

Closing out, this beer is something else.  I really enjoy drinking this beer.  This is a big boy beer for the experienced hop heads in the world.  The hops shine nicely through the chocolate notes.  They did a great job on the picking of the hops.  I love the bitter aftertaste.   They found a way to heavy and in your face but not making you run away from the beer.  I am hoping they make their way to the Michigan Market, if not I will be making road trips back to Chicago.  I am glad I am back in Michigan this is one of the breweries I will miss getting on a regular basis.  I highly recommend this beer and their other brews.  If you are in San Fran, you need to get by their brewpub.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Blue Point Brewery White IPA

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In the beginning, we will sample out another brew from Blue Point.  I am talking about the new beer style in the world of white IPA’s.  It is their version of White IPA.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read those beer blog posts to get to know this great New York brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear golden color with a constant white head on the beer.  The smell is heavy wheat notes.  The taste is a slightly lemon with citrus and honey notes.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Remaining at the forefront of experimentation, the brewers at Blue Point have produced a white beer/IPA hybrid that is well on its way to creating a new style for the beer description books. Our White IPA is an unfiltered European-style white ale with a fresh American IPA finish. Brewed with malted and unmalted wheat and just the right amount of west coast hops, it’s fermented with German yeast to give it a perfectly balanced character with less bitterness than traditional IPAs.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.bluepointbrewing.com

Twitter:  @BluePointBrewer

Closing, I will have to say I am not a huge fan of this beer style in India Pale Ale world.  I do not know who makes a better Wheat IPA or White IPA.  I am up in the air between New Belgium Brewery’s new winter seasonal Accumulation White IPA and Blue Point Brewery White IPA, which is featured on this blog.  I love the balance between the India Pale Ale style and the wheat ale style.  Blue Point did a great job on this brew and I will be adding it to my line up of IPA’s in the future.  I recommend you trying this beer. Let me know what you think about it. Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Rochester Mills Beer Co. Cornerstone IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into another brew from Rochester Mills Beer Co.  I am talking about their Cornerstone IPA.  It is their flagship beer.  If you read my earlier beer blog post on their Milkshake Stout, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read that beer blog post to get to know this brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear copper color with a semi white head on this India Pale Ale.  The smell is mango notes.  The taste is mango notes with nice malty backbone to cut through the hops.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Cornerstone IPA – 6.6% abv. India Pale Ale

This unfiltered amber ale is packed full of hop bitterness, flavor and aroma. IPA is the most bitter beer style and it is enjoyed by people we refer to as “hopheads.” We dry hop this beer with a combination of English and American hop varieties for a wonderfully aromatic finish.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.cplanet.com

Twitter:  @Rochmillsbeerco

In the end, I love this IPA from Rochester Mills Brewery.  I love the hops from aroma and taste it gives off in the beer.  It has a nice malty backbone that supports this India Pale Ale.  This beer reminds me of something the beer drinker would get from Summit Saga, Maui Brewery IPA, and/or Epic IPA.  It has a nice tropical notes.  I love this IPA and I will be drinking this brew as much as Frankenmuth Batch 69 IPA.  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 Cranker’s Brewery Professor IPA

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In this beer blog, Cranker’s Brewery Professor IPA is the beer and brewery that we will be sampling out.  I had a chance to try this beer at Buddy’s Pizza in Livonia, Michigan.  I thought I would write my thoughts on this brew.  There is not much history or information on this brewery.  I know they are young and they are from Big Rapids, Michigan. There is not much history on this brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

It is hard to see in this restaurant because of the lighting.  It has a clear copper to light amber color with a white constant head.  The smell is a citrus notes.  The taste is carbonated citrus notes.  The aftertaste is dry hop finish.  It is kind of drinkable.

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

A West Coast style IPA, the Professor is golden and sports a large frothy white head. Hops leap out of the glass, citrus, apricot, and herbal notes define this brew. There is enough malty body to keep you coming back for more.

6.6% ABV – 65 IBU

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.crankersbrewery.com

Twitter:  @CrankersBrewery

Closing, I saw this brew and I was pretty interested in this beer.  I love my India Pale Ales.  I have to say I was not really impressed this brew.  It is not a bad beer but average brew.  I will say this brewery did a better job with their India Pale Ale over a few Michigan craft breweries and around the country.  This beer is better than Atwater Brewery Grand Circus IPA, New Holland Mad Hatter IPA, and Motor City IPA to name a few.  I would have this beer again but not all the time.  It would be once in a blue moon.  I will be retrying this beer in the near future. I want to hear your thoughts on this brew.  I will be searching out the rest of their beers.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Gigantic Brewing Hellion

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Starting a new tab, we are going to get into another brew from one of my favorite craft brewery from Portland, Or.  I am talking about Gigantic Brewing and their Hellion.  If you read my earlier beer blog on this brewery, you know the history of this little brewpub.  If you have not, please, read those beer blog posts to get to know this great craft brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear golden color with a constant white head on this brew.  The smell is a sweet Belgian notes.   It has a farmhouse smell notes.  The taste is citrus notes of spices with a crisp dry hop finish.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Hellion

To some a Hellion is a troublemaker, to others a messiah. Our dry-hopped Belgian-style golden ale will bring out one or both in you. Which will it be?

“The tall tree catches much wind”    -Japanese Proverb

Beer Style: Dry-Hopped Belgian-Style Golden    ABV: 8.5%    23 IBU

Label Artist: Shohei Otomo www.Hakuchi.jp

Notes: Dry-hopped with Sorachi Ace and Simcoe = lemon, grapefruit and dill aromas. Complex aroma and flavor of ester and spice from a Belgian yeast strain.

Availability: July-October 2013 in Oregon, Washington, California, British Columbia, Alaska, Vermont and Chicago.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.giganticbrewing.com

Twitter:  @GiganticBrewing

Closing out of the tab, this is a great beer and I really enjoyed drinking this brew.  This is a well made beer and they brew this beer as close to the classic beer style.  It is an American craft version of Duvel.  I love Duvel and I found hints of this beer when I was drinking it.  I can see many craft beer drinkers thinking this a great version of Duvel.  I highly recommend you trying 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 Liberty Street Brewery My Beer Flight

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into a newer brewery in the last ten years in the southeast part of Michigan.  The brewery is called Liberty Street Brewery.  They opened back in 2008.  There is not much history on this young brewery.  I did find some information on their website.  Let us get into the beer.

American IPA

It has a clear copper color without a head on it. There is really no smell to me. The taste is piney to earthy notes with a weird but good aftertaste. It is almost like Jolly Rancher or candy aftertaste. It is a mild IPA but pretty drinkable beer.

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

A decidedly hoppy and bitter, moderately strong American pale ale.  American hop character can be described as being citrusy, piney, fruity and resiny.

Starkweather Stout

It has a jet black color with a tan color. There is chocolate to a touch of coffee smell to this stout. The taste is a heavy coffee but a smooth taste to it. THe aftertaste is dry chocolate notes. It is drinkable for the type of stout.

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

This stout is full of chocolate flavor and aroma coming from grain only.  A rich mouth feel mellows the slight hop bitterness and makes this an easy drinking stout, even in warmer weather.

Porter

It has a dark brown to black color with a fluffy tan color head. The smell is of burned chocolate. The taste is the same as the smell. There is an aftertaste but pretty fade. It is like dry chocolate. It is drinkable like the porter for the type of beer style.

American Farmhouse IPA

It has a cloudy bright yellow color without a head. The smell is a heavy farm like smell. This is a Belgian Saison. The taste is like a saison with some citrus to funky spices. It has citrus to slight dry hop finish. It is a pretty drinkable beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.libertystreetbeer.com

Twitter:  @Liberty_Brewer

Closing, I have been wanting to stop by this brewery and check out their beers.  I had a chances a few months ago and I am glad I did.  I have been a little behind on my posts and I am glad I am getting it out now.  I became a fan of this brewery pretty quickly.  I loved both of their IPA’s.  I had their C-Monster at the Michigan Brewer’s Guild Summerfest.  I thought that was pretty good too.  I love their porter and stout.  Since I have moved back to Michigan, I will be by this brewpub a lot more. I highly recommend this brewery and now they are packaging their beers.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Redhook Brewery Game Changer

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Redhook Brewery Game Changer Ale is the featured brewery and beer on this beer blog.  This is a beer that is exclusive to Buffalo Wild Wings.  If you read my earlier beer blog on Redhook Brewery, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read those beer blog posts to get to know this brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear copper color with constant small bubbles raising up from the middle.  There is a creamy like white head on this pale ale.  The smell is notes of citrus and slight malty.  The taste of this light to medium body is carbonated citrus with slight caramel notes.  The aftertaste is creamy caramel. It is extremely drinkable.

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

Redhook Game Changer Ale is a sessionable ale with rich color to distinguish it as craft, just enough hops to cut the spiciness of wings, and the right amount of malt to cool the burn.

Style………………….Pale Ale

Abv…………………….4.6%

IBUs…………………..25 IBU

Original Gravity..degrees plato

Brewed Since………2013

Time Frame………..Year Round

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.redhook.com

Twitter:  @Redhook_Brewery
 
Closing, I am excited with every brew this brewery puts out on the market.  I am a huge fan of Redhook Brewery and I am not going to hide that fact.  I love the Dan Patrick beer, which is Audible Ale.  Audible Ale has grown since its release.  When I heard about this beer with Buffalo Wild Wings, I thought maybe they just rename Audible Ale.  It turns out I was totally wrong.  They are two different pale ales using different hops and malt.  Game Changer is a little bit more on the copper color and maltier.  These brews are really good and well made.  However, I just feel Game Changer is the weak link in Redhook beer collection, it is still a great beer.  Buffalo Wild Wings will sell a ton of this beer to make it worth wild for Redhook.  I recommend you trying this brew at least once.  Please let me know what you think of it.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/
 
Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Green Flash Brewing Green Bullet Triple India Pale Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into the second brew from Green Flash Brewing and it is an unique brew, which is Green Bullet Triple India Pale Ale.  If you read my earlier beer blog, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read that beer blog post to get to know this brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear dark golden color with a thick, creamy, and constant white head on this IPA.  The smell is piney notes.  The taste is a carbonated piney notes with dry hop aftertaste.  For being a big and high-end beer, it is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Green Bullet

Named after a super-robust New Zealand hop, Green Bullet™ is a well-balanced Triple IPA being bottled today for the 1st time ever. Brewmaster, Chuck Silva initially released this Pacific Gem to celebrate the Green Flash 9th Anniversary in 2011, and it was an immediate hit! Now, this cult favorite will be available from coast-to-coast as a seasonal release from September through December 2013. Be on the lookout for this high-caliber addition to our arsenal in 4-packs, 22oz bottles and on draft, because you do not want to miss the release.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.greenflashbrew.com

Twitter:  @Greenflashbeer

Closing, leave it to a west coast craft brewery to try to create a new beer style in the IPA world.  This is pretty much what Green Flash from California has done.  This Green Bullet Triple India Pale Ale has everything for the hop head is looking for on the next level in their beers.  I love the hops they are using in this brew.  New Zealand hops have grown on brewers and hop lovers in the last few years.  It is not a surprise that newer hops are popping up from New Zealand like Green Bullet.  Green Flash named their brew after the hop.  I love malty backbone to cut down on the hop’s intense feel.  This is a great brew and I sad it is a seasonal.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser