pale ale

New Beer Blog Schlafly T IPA Tasmanian Style India Pale Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to talk about a new beer from Schlafly Brewing.  The beer is called Tasmanian Style India Pale Ale.  If you read my earlier blog on their beers, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read the first part of that beer blog.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a yellow color with a white head on the beer.  The smell is between pineapple and hint of grapefruit to mango. The taste is a heavy mango and a hint of pineapple. The aftertaste is a drop off fast almost like it is not there and hard to explain it. This beer is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Schlafly Tasmanian Style IPA is a brewed with 100% Australian hops.  They impart a unique citrus flavor to the ale.  A special Release IPA, TIPA is available for a limited time, with a new IPA every few months.

Here is a description from the website (www.schlafly.com):

Tasmanian IPA

Available October – January

ABV:   7.2%   |   IBU:   60

  • Appearance: Golden, bright
  • Process: Dry hopped, single hop/single malt beer
  • Hops: Galaxy (AU)
  • Malts: 2-row malted barley
  • Yeast: American Ale
  • OG: 17.5
  • SRM:

Schlafly Tasmanian IPA is brewed with 100% Australian hops. The Tasmanian hop, Galaxy, is a strong, aromatic variety that is different from traditional strains of the Pacific Northwest. Our brewers developed a recipe that showcases the hop’s unique flavors of citrus and pineapple.

India Pale Ales (IPAs) were first brewed in England during the late 1700s for export overseas to British soldiers in India. To keep their beer from spoiling during the long voyage, English brewers fortified their traditional pale ale recipes with natural preservatives: more malted barley, for a higher alcohol content, and more hops. In recent decades, with growing appreciation for highly hopped beers, American craft brewers have revived the style, embraced it, and incorporated new hop varieties. Our Special Release IPAs further those traditions and showcase the distinctions of hops from different hemispheres.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.schlafly.com

Twitter:  @schlafly

Closing, this was a pretty interesting India pale ale.  These hops are the new trend in the craft beer world.  I have to say this brewery has hit a home run.  I have not had too many beers with these hops.  The ones I had are average to below average.  I just seems like these breweries do not know how to use the hops correctly.  I love the pineapple and mango taste from the hops.  This beer makes me feel like I am in the warm place.  This is beyond far my favorite IPA I have ever had in my life.  I recommend this beer and it is must hunt down.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Tallgrass IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to take a look at one of my one of my favorite brewery that is not in the Chicago market.  The beer is Tallgrass India Pale Ale.  If you read my earlier blog post on their 8-Bit Pale Ale, you know about this brewery.  If you did not, please, read that beer post on their flagship beer.  Let us get into this beer.

The color is light cooper with a hint of amber with a semi white head on the beer.  The smell is earthly. The taste is earthy with a dry piney aftertaste.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from their beer can:

Bombastically Hopped.  Surprisingly Malty.  Pour a Pint…..

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

IPA (ABV 6.3%, 60 IBU)

Our third beer, Tallgrass IPA, is an India Pale Ale that is rich, complex, and flavorful. We are proud to be the first brewery here in the Great Plains to have the first brewed, cans, and draft IPA out on the market!

Tallgrass IPA originally came to life as a creation during Jeff’s early homebrewing days (batch Numero Uno), and it was consumed in short order by his friends who came over to cook out and help with the next batch. After some modifications over the years (because nobody’s rookie homebrew batch tastes all that great, but your friends will tell you it does) the recipe was dialed in to become what is now Tallgrass IPA. We love this beer and think you will too!

What is with the name “India Pale Ale”? Well, India Pale Ales have a history that reaches way back to the days of the British Empire and the need for good and proper British beer for the soldiers in India. It just so happens that hops not only taste and smell great, they also have natural preservative properties that help keep beer fresher. Obviously, there was no way to keep beer cool on the long voyage around Cape Horn from England to India, so the intellectual forebearers of modern microbiology (genius brewers of course!) figured that if some hops were good for storage then heaps of hops would be great!

With this technique, these hero brewers and their hops kept the beer good and the soldiers of the empire inebriated, even in the furthest corners of the globe. Even more, the hoppiness of the IPA preserved not only the beer itself, but the great taste it created has preserved the style as one of the most popular beer styles in the world in the 21st century. If those brewers weren’t knighted by the empire back then, they should have been!

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.tallgrassbeer.com

Twitter:  @tallgrassbeer

Closing out, so far all the beers that I had from this brewery.  I have loved to death.  I love their packaging to the liquid.  This India Pale Ale is great but I do believe this beer is not an American India Pale Ale.  It has more a feel of English style IPA and with the description from their website, I believe they are embracing it.  Most American IPA are very hoppy and this beer is not.  That is why I am basing my facts on that.  I am not a brewer.  If they believe it is American IPA, it is American IPA.  This is my thought pattern.  I highly recommend this beer and I love 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 Ska Euphoria Pale Ale

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In this winter beer blog, we are going to get into another beer from Ska Brewing.  The winter seasonal is called Ska Brewing Euphoria Pale Ale.  If you read my earlier blog on their Ska Mole Stout, you know a little history on this brewery.  If you have not, please read the first part of that beer blog post.  Let us get into the beer.

This beer is part of the 12 days of Christmas at Countryside Bar.  It has a clear copper color with a semi white head on the beer.  There is a slight sweet malty citrus smell to it. The taste of the beer is a carbonation citrus with a grapefruit aftertaste. It is a pretty drinkable beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.skabrewing.com

Twitter:  @skabrewing

In closing, I really enjoyed this beer.  I love the fact you can get in cans, which is starting to become a huge trend in the craft beer world.  This a good beer for the winter season but I wish it was a beer all year long.  I enjoy the beers I had from this brewery asides their Mole Stout.  I can only drink 6oz and I need to move onto another beer.  It is still good but just do not like the feel that beer does to my throat.  If you love pale ales or india pale ales, you will enjoy 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 Short’s Brew Pandemonium Pale Ale

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When in Michigan for Thanksgiving, we are going to sample out another beer from Short’s Brew Pandemonium Pale Ale.  If you read my earlier blog on their India Pale Ale, you know something on this brewery.  If you have not, please read the first part of that beer blog.  Let us get into the beer.

This beer has a clear color with a white head on it.  There is a slight citrus smell to it.  It is very fate to the beer.  The taste is a carbonation citrus with a slight dry bitter aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Behold the Bitter Hysteria

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

Pandemonium Pale Ale

This coppered colored American pale ale lends its hue to hearty two row malts and hand selected specialty grains. Hop additions balance the wort, resulting in a tasty union of flavors and earthy aromas. Behold the bitter hysteria!

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.shortsbrewing.com

Twitter:  @shortsbrewing

Closing out the beer tab, this pale ale is pretty good but it is not one of my favorite from this brewery.  If I cannot find their India Pale Ale, this one is around.  I will be drinking this pale ale.  I will throw this beer in the mix once in a while but I cannot get it in Chicago.  When I come back to Michigan, I will be drinking it.  If I get it all the time, it will be on my radar once in a blue moon.  If you do not like IPA’s, you will enjoy this beer.  If you like Pale Ale, you will like this beer.  If you like beer, you better try.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Arbor Brewery Corner Brewery Beers

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While in Michigan, I was looking for another brewery in this area and I could not find it.  So my sister, brother-in-law and myself wanted to check out a brewpub.  I suggested Corner Brewery.  I had a few of Arbor Brewery brews in the pasted when I came back to Michigan from Chicago.  I was looking forward to try a few more of their beers.  I was not expecting all the beer on the menu but I am not going to complain.

Here is a little history of the brewery from their website (www.arborbrewing.com):

The ABC story began with a home brewing passion that grew into Ann Arbor’s first brewpub. In 1995 we purchased the building at 114 Washington, spent the spring rebuilding the space, and opened our doors in July. Over 15 years later, we now encompass three spaces: the original pub, the game room, and a tap-room available for private rental.

We believe in serving quality meals that are natural, delicious, and memorable. We strive to do this in an environmentally responsible way through sustainable, locally sourced ingredients. We provide vegetarian and vegan options—but we understand the appeal of a big meaty burger! That’s why our menu features a variety of offerings that you can feel great about feeding your family.

We subscribe to the idea that a for-profit company has obligations not only to its investors, but also to its staff and community. We give back by donating to local non-profits, shopping locally, applying sustainable business practices, and serving on local civic and non-profit boards.

Here is a little history of their other brewpub called Corner Brewery (www.arborbrewing.com):

When we opened Corner Brewery in 2006 we intended it to be the bottling and distribution hub of our operation, but our community’s appetite for a local hang out was undeniable. We expanded our kitchen to offer pub favorites like pizzas, sandwiches, soups, and salads.

Just north of historic Depot Town in Ypsilanti, Corner features a spacious lounge, outdoor beer garden, and covered patio. All this space lends itself to hosting wonderful community events like the indoor farmer’s market, The Shadow Art Fair, DiYpsi, and fundraisers for charities like Ozone House, Veterans for Peace, and Greyhound Rescue.

Looking ahead, we plan to increase our brewing capacity and quadruple bottling speed with our 2011 expansion. We’ve also partnered with students from the University of Michigan on the Green Brewery Project, which focuses on increasing our energy efficiency and reducing our carbon footprint—all while we continue to brew more great beer.

They brew several different beer styles and you will see after you read this post.  I will break it down as you will see when you read in a little while.  They also have a brewery in India that brews some of the same beers.  They are also adding new brews to fit that area of India.  I will rank their beers at the end of this blog on the way I liked them. Let us get into the beer but it was hard to see in this brewpub.  If I get the color wrong on the beer, this is why.

Brasserie Blonde

This beer is their Belgian Blonde Ale.  It has a clear yellow color without a head on it.  This Belgian Blonde Ale does not really have a smell to the beer.  The taste has a little sweet to slightly piney to the beer.  The aftertaste is dry but most Blondes do not have explainable aftertaste.  In most cases, I say they do not have an aftertaste.  This beer does have aftertaste but I had a hard time figuring it out.  It is a pretty drinkable beer.

Phat Abbot

This beer is their Belgian Abby Dubbel.  It has a clear brown color with semi on head on the beer.  The smell of this Belgian Abby has a sweet malty to it.  I like to refer it to as that Belgian Smell.  The taste of the beer is about the same as the smell.  It is sweet to malty taste with a weird sour aftertaste, which I do like it.  This beer is not really drinkable.

Tallywacker

Tallywacker is their Scottish Ale.  It has a golden color with constant bubbles to the head.  There is really no smell from this beer.  It is sweet carbonation malty taste with the same the aftertaste.  This beer is fitting in the classic Scottish Ale.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

Ypsi Gypsi Pale Ale

This beer is their Pale Ale.  This Pale Ale has a clear yellow color without a head on it.  It has a nice citrus smell to it.  The taste is bitter earthly to some citrus to it with a dry aftertaste.  It is a West Coast Pale Ale style like Sierra Nevanda Pale Ale.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

Hoptoberfest

This beer is their Oktoberfest.  It has a copper color with a constant head on the beer.  There is really no smell on the beer.  It has a sweet malty hoppy taste with a malty aftertaste.  This is a pretty drinkable beer for the type of beer style.

Red Snapper

Red Snapper is named after the fish that travels through Michigan to reproduced and it is their roasted red ale.  The beer has a amber to red in color without a head on it.  There is a sweet to malty smell to the beer.  The taste is just like the traditional red ale with the sweet malty dry taste to the beer.  It has a bad dry aftertaste to the beer, which most people love this aftertaste. There is nothing wrong with it.

Green Giant

Green Giant is their Organic Imperial Pilsner.  It has a clear yellow color with a semi head on the beer.  Most pilsners do not have a smell to it and this Imperial Pilsner is no different.  It has a sweet, which comes from the pilsner malts that use in this beer, to hoppy with a dry crisp finish.  This is a extremely drinkable beer.

Hop Town

Hop Town is their American Brown Ale.  This beer has a dark brown color without a head.  It has a sweet malty roasted smell to the beer.  This Brown Ale has sweet malty to slightly citrus taste with a dry sweet aftertaste to it.  This American Brown Ale is kind of a drinkable.

Sacred Cow IPA

This Sacred Cow IPA is their flagship beer.  It has a clear copper color without a head on the beer.  This India Pale Ale has a slight piney smell to the beer.  The beer has a piney and pineapple taste with a bitter aftertaste but it is very nice.  This beer does not disappoint and I have had this beer in the pasted.  It is extremely drinkable.

Buzzsaw American IPA

Buzzsaw is their American India Pale Ale.  It has a clear yellow color without a head on the beer.  The beer has a earthly to piney smell to it.  The taste is earthy taste with a dry aftertaste to it.  It is very drinkable beer for the beer style.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.arborbrewing.com

Twitter:  @arborbrew and @cornerbrew

In closing, all of these beers are pretty good.  Some of these beers are not my type of beer and that does not take anything away from the brews.  They brew several different beers which you can see from above.  The list order of the beers is the way they gave it to me and how I sampled it.

Here is in this order the beers I loved to I did not like:

1.  Sacred Cow IPA

2.  Buzzsaw American IPA

3.  Green Giant

4.  Hoptoberfest

5.  Phat Abbot

6.  Ypsi Gypsi Pale Ale

7.  Tallywacker

8.  Red Snapper

9.  Hop Town

10. Brasserie Blonde

I do not think you are surprise to see their India Pale Ales at the top of the list.  I really enjoyed them.  One was more of a English style, which was Sacred Cow,  and the other was American style, which is the Buzzsaw.  They both have a really nice malty backbone to the beers.    Since I am having a huge love for pilsners of late, Green Giant is their Imperial Pilsner.  It is very drinkable and full of flavor.  I will be bring beer back from Michigan when I am in town again.  This is a great brewery and I wished they were in Chicago.  I recommend you to go and hunt their beers down.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Goose Island IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into another beer from Goose Island.  I am kind of stun this is my second one beer blog since I am a pretty big fan of this local Chicago brewery.  The beer we are going to talk about just took home another Gold Medal from Great American Beer Festive in this years event (2012) and it is called Goose Island India Pale Ale.  If you read my earlier blog on their fall seasonal, you know a little history on this brewery.  If you have not, please read the first part of the Harvest Ale beer post.  Let us get into the beer.

This India Pale Ale has a nice clear copper color without a head on the beer.  The smell is a nice grapefruit to the beer. The taste is a carbonate grapefruit without an aftertaste to the beer.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Recognized as among the world’s finest, Goose Island’s India Pale Ale has a spicy hop aroma and an inviting fruity flavor.  This exceptional beer is one you will not soon forget.

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

Brewer’s Notes:

Our India Pale Ale recalls a time when ales shipped from England to India were highly hopped to preserve their distinct taste during the long journey. The result is a hop lover’s dream with a fruity aroma, set off by a dry malt middle, and long hop finish.

Recipe Information:

Style: English Style India Pale Ale

Alcohol by Volume: 5.9%

International Bitterness Units: 55

Color: Bourbon

Hops: Styrian, Fuggle, Cascade, Centennial

Malts: Pale

Serving Suggestions:

Preferred Glass: Thistle

Food Pairings: Curries, Chicken, Pork

Cheese Pairings: Blue, Aged Gouda

Cellaring Notes: Enjoy within 180 days

Availability:

Year Round Bottles: 6pks Draft: 1/6 & 1/2bbl

World Beer Cup Recognition:

Judging Category: English Style India Pale Ale

2010: Gold  Medal

Great American Beer Festival Recognition:

Judging Category: English Style India Pale Ale

2009: Silver Medal

2007: Silver Medal

2004: Silver Medal

2001: Bronze Medal

2000: Gold Medal

Here is their webiste and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.gooseisland.com

Twitter;  @gooseisland

In closing, I really enjoy this beer and it is part of my everyday line up of beers.  It is pretty much always in my frig.  This is the staple of any India Pale Ale style.  It is an English style so it is not overly hop like some of those west coast India Pale Ale.  This beer always gives me the break from the over the top hoppy beers on the market.  I realize that AB Inbev brought this beer company and everyone believe that this brewery will go to crap.  It is not the case.  There beers will constant and get better because of the technology that this big brewery will give this small brewery.  They will get the best hops, malt, and anything else this brewery needs and wants to make some great beers.  Goose Island is staying close to the Chicago market.  John Hall, who was the founder and former owner of this brewery, stepped down as president just this last week.  It does not mean this brewery will change.  If it does change, I believe it will be for the best.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Oskar Blues Deviant Dale’s India Pale Ale

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In this blog, we are going to get into Oskar Blues Brewing and the beer is called Deviant Dale’s India Pale Ale.  Oskar Blues was founded in 1997 by Dick Dale Katechis in Longmont, Colorado.  They brew several different beer styles but they use only cans for their packaging.  Oskar Blues was the first craft brewery to package their beer in cans.  Let us get into the beers.

It has a cloudy copper color with a white head on the beer. The smell is of a heavy citrus to almost grapefruit to the beer.  The taste is a sweet grapefruit taste with a balance from the malts. The aftertaste is a bitter dry to it. For being Double IPA, it is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the bar menu (Blues Bar):

This beer is intended to be assault for hop lovers and is a returning favorite from the little brewery in Lyons, Colorado.

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

Deviant Dale’s IPA (8% ABV, 85 IBUs) was born at the crossroads, in a juke joint, as if Dale’s Pale Ale sold its soul to balance Deviant’s foreboding aromas of citrus, grapefruit rind and piney resins with a copper ball-of-fire color and inscrutable finish. The 2011 GABF Silver Medal Winner (American IPA Category) is the Devil incarnate with untold amounts of malt and hedonistic Columbus dry-hopping. Oskar Blues’ southern spirit caught a northbound blues bus to Colorado to deliver the boundary bustin’ brewery’s first 16 oz. tallboy can.

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

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.oskarblues.com

Twitter:  @oskarblues

In closing, I am excited to have this brewery in the Chicago Market.  When I wanted to drink their beers, I had to work the phones or get friends or family to bring back beer for me.  For this brewery, I will not have to do that anymore.  I saw this beer on draft at the Blue Bar.  This is a pretty good India Pale Ale.  I really enjoyed this beer and I will be searching for it at my local liquor stores.  I see their Dale’s Pale Ale in most liquor stores which is expected.  This is a great brewery and I hope Chicago craft beer drinkers start showing them some love.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blog Ale Asylum Hopalicious

Starting new tab, we are going to take a look at the final beer from Ale Asylum and it is called Hopalicious.  This is their flagship beer from this young brewery.  If you read my earlier beer blogs, you know something about this brewery.  If you have not, please, read the first part of that beer blog.  Let us get into the beer.

This beer has a nice copper color without a head on the beer.  It has a nice citrus to grapefruit smell. The taste is carbonation grapefruit notes. There is really no aftertaste to this beer.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Eleven separate additions of cascade hops give this American pale ale its lush cirtus aromas and bold hop flavor without crazy bitterness.  Hopalicious is all natural and unfiltered for superior flavor and quality.  It is brewed with passion and is best enjoyed that way.

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

5.8% abv.

Available: Year Round Style: American Pale Ale (APA) Motto: Local hopheads granted asylum.

Hopalicious is a refreshing American Pale Ale unique enough for the connoisseur, approachable enough for the novice, and drinkable to everyone. Sure, we could have made it “Bitterlicious”, or even “Maltalicious” for that matter. But we didn’t. We made it Hopalicious. And we made it for the everyday hophead who wants bold, citrus hop flavor without crazy bitterness.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.aleasylum.com

Twitter:   @ale_asylum

Closing out, this was a pretty great beer.  It has a ton of flavor while being very well balanced.  I love the packaging.  For the few beers, I have had from this brewery.  I am really impressed by this one.  I am looking forward to making it up to the brewery to check out the rest of their line up.  If you are in the area, go there and try them.  The porter is the only one I have questioned but there is a good reason for it.  I recommend their beers.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Breakside Brewery Beer Flight

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When in Portland, the next stop on the beer tour was Breakside Brewery.  Breakside Brewery has very little to no history on the internet.  Here is a little something from the website called www.beerpal.com.

Breakside Brewery is the invention of Scott Lawrence and Tony Petraglia. Some
mutual friends introduced the two after learning they both had a desire to leave
their corporate jobs in order to pursue their dream of opening a brew pub. They
jumped in head first and committed their minimal financial resources and made it
happen.

We brew many of our beers in house on our 3 barrel brewery.
These beers range from classic styles to experimental concoctions. In addition
to our house beers, we offer a rotating selection of guest beers.

It is a young brewery that make some interesting beer but yet keeping the non craft beer drinker interested. Let us get into the brews.  There is a photo I took of their beer flight.

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This will go to right to left. First up is Kolsch, Wit, Dry Stout, Aztec Woodlawn IPA, IPA, and Fresh Hop Citra Double IPA.

Kolsch

It has a clear yellow color without a head on the beer.  The beer has a shunky smell to it.  The taste is a sweet carbonation slight fruity notes with a nice crisp finish.  It is an extremely drinkable beer.

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

Our new director of brewing operations Jacob Leonard has designed his first Breakside beer! We’ve made a number of kolsch-esque beers over the last few years, but they’ve all had something non-traditional about them. With this beer, Jacob takes us to the heart of true Cologne beer with an elegant and restrained interpretation, using German pils and wheat malts, and Hallertauer and Tettnanger hops.

5.1% ABV 16 IBU

Wit

This wit has a cloudy white color without a head on it.  It has a heavy yeast to lemon smell with other spices that I cannot figure out. The taste is a heavy lemon to a little wheat taste with a nice lemon aftertaste.  It is very drinkable beer.

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

Our summer seasonal is back for a six month run in our lineup! This beer is brewed in the style of the great wheat beers of Belgium. Spiced with orange peel, coriander, and chamomile, it is refreshing, slightly tart, and easy drinking.

4.4% ABV 16 IBU

Dry Stout

It is black in color without a head on it.  It has a roasted coffee smell to the beer. There is a heavy chocolate notes in the taste with a slight coffee aftertaste.

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

An Irish-style stout brewed in the tradition of Guinness. Dark in flavor but light in alcohol, this is a roasty and chocolaty beer that won’t make you feel stuffed. SILVER MEDAL, 2011 GREAT AMERICAN BEER FESTIVAL; BRONZE MEDAL, 2012 WORLD BEER CUP

4.2% ABV 36 IBU

Aztec Woodlawn IPA

It has cloudy dark copper color without a head on the beer.  It has a burn citrus smell to the beer.  The taste is sweet carbonation hoppy and way too many spicy to it.  It is not drinkable beer.

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

A new addition to our full-time lineup, this second IPA showcases four pungent American hops that we don’t use in our regular IPA: Newport, Amarillo, Cascade, and Chinook. It is slightly darker, more full bodied and less bitter than our flagship beer, and at under 6% ABV, it’s a hoppy beer that you can drink all day long.

5.4% ABV 49 IBU

IPA

It has a cloudy copper color without a head on the beer.  It has a citrus to earthy smell to the beer. It has a nice citrus to piney taste with a nice dry aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Our take on the classic India Pale Ale style–the favorite craft beer of the Northwest. This amber colored brew is loaded with four different types of hops during the brew day and then gets dry hopped after fermentation is complete. Our IPA has a huge citrus and pine character with a strong, but refined bitterness.

6.9% ABV 65 IBU

Fresh Hop Citra Double IPA

It has a cloudy copper color without a head on the beer.  It has a nice copper color without a head on the beer. This beer has a nice citrus taste to it with nice dry aftertaste to it.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

The final of our fresh hop beers is a true hop explosion: it’s a wheat-based double IPA using one of our favorite aroma hops. The tropical fruit notes in this beer are wildly intoxicating.

8.4% ABV ? IBU

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.breaksidebrews.com

Twitter:  @breaksidebrews

In closing, here is another brewery that I wish I had a little bit more time to enjoy their beers.  There are not too many Kolsch I like in the market but this one from this brewery found a way to make a good one.  I do not know what it is but American Craft Breweries find ways to mess up classic German beer styles.   I am not a huge fan of wheat beers, which I had a chance to talk to the brewmaster about it.  I can see people liking this beer.  Their Dry Stout was pretty good.  This is a beer I could find myself drinking it all day.  Hello Mass produced Dry Stouts take notes on this one because this is what your stout is supposed to taste like.  Good job on this beer!  Aztec Woodlawn IPA, I was not fan of it.  I am not a fan of chili powder or peppers in the beer.  I hate the burning down the throat but this is the new thing in the craft beer world.  There are people are looking for this beer just because I do not like this beer does not mean you will not like it.  Please go try it and let me know what you think about  this beer.  There normal IPA was pretty good.  I really enjoyed it.  Fresh Hop Citra Double IPAis a really good beer.  I wish I had more time to try some of the fresh hop beers.

Here is the beers I love to unlike:

  1. Fresh Hop Citra Double IPA
  2. IPA
  3. Dry Stout
  4. Kolsch
  5. Wit
  6. Aztec Woodlawn IPA

This is my thought pattern and it is the golden word in craft beer world.  I am just an idiot with a ton of thoughts in the world.  However, this is a really good brewery, when you are in the Portland, you need to stop in and check this brewpub out.  I will be back at Breakside Brewery in Portland.  Put a bird on it and go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blog Widmer Fresh Hop Columbia Common

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When in Portland, this is the second beer I had at the Widmer Brothers Brewpub.  It is their Fresh Hop Columbia Common.  If you read my earlier blog, you know a little something about this brewery.  If you have not, please, go back and read the first part of that blog post.  Let us get into the brew.

It has a nice copper color with a semi white head on this fresh hop ale. There is really no smell to the beer but picking up a little citrus smell.  The taste has a sweet malty but yet has a citrus carbonation to the taste. It has a nice pale ale aftertaste, which is dry hoppy finish.  It is extremely drinkable.

Website:  www.widmerbrothers.com

Twitter:  @widmer_brothers

Closing out, the meaning of fresh hop is when  they start the brewing process.  There are fresh hops picked from the farm and then pour into the brew kettle.  There is not many breweries that have ability to do this process unless they are by a few hop farms.  Portland Breweries have this option and you see many fresh hop brews around the city.  Even the little brew pubs get into the action of making their own fresh hop brew.  We do not get many that make it out east because they are made in such a small batch.  There are times that the breweries do not make enough and they want to take care of their home market, which I totally understand.  I really enjoyed this one.  I believe I had three while I was out in Portland and Seattle.  This one was the best and impressed me.  I would love to try this same recipe but not fresh hop next to each other to see the difference.  I really enjoyed the citrus in the smell and taste.  It is drinkable and I could have drank this beer all day.  It is only available in their brewpub for a limited time only.  Go get some or just put a bird on it!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser