pale ale

New Beer Blog Alaskan Free Ride APA

In this beer blog, we are going to get into the first beer, which is Free Ride APA, from Alaskan Brewery. This is the first time this craft brewery is being feature on this blog. Alaskan Brewery opened their doors in 1986. They were founded by a young couple, who is Marcy and Geoff Larson. They were the frist brewery in the state since Prohibition. They brew several different beer styles. Let us get into this beer.

It has a clear copper color with a white constant head on this APA. The smell has a floral like to tropical fruit notes. The taste is a lightly carbonation tropical fruit notes with a dry crisp finish. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Style:

American Pale Ale. Arguably the style that triggered the craft beer movement in the United States, the American Pale Ale showcases the floral, fruity, and citrusy aroma and flavors of Pacific Northwest hops in balance with a medium malt body

Flavor Profile:

Alaskan Freeride APA features a lush, green, almost tropical hop aroma paired with the unique taste combination of these three, distinctive hop varieties, making it both full in flavor and crisply thirst-quenching.

History:

Freeride APA started as a springtime staple for Alaskan’s backcountry skiing and snowboarding crew, then became a perfect beer to savor with summertime kayaking, biking, and just about every other outdoor activity.

Ingredients:

Alaskan Freeride APA is brewed with Cascade, Citra, and Centennial hops, premium two-row and specialty crystal malts, and Juneau’s glacier-fed water.

Recommendations:

Freeride APA pairs well with gourmet pub fare, especially a BLTA or club sandwich with peppered bacon, a spicy chicken quesadilla, or freshly battered Alaska halibut and chips.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.alaskanbeer.com

Twitter: @alaskanbrewing

In closing, I am pretty happy to see them finally make it to Michigan. I am been a huge of this craft brewery for a long time. I am loving the fact that I get to try all the newer beers and favorites. I am happy I do not have to trade with anyone out west. I am happy to walk into my beer store and get this craft brewery. I am a huge fan of PA and APA. I was pretty interested in this beer. I love hop aroma and taste of the tropical fruit notes. This is a great and balance beer. It is pretty drinkable and refreshing. This is one beer you can have it any part of the season. 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 Oddside Ales El Dankerino West Coast Double IPA

In this beer blog, we are going to get into another beer from Oddside Ales. It is their El Dankerino West Coast Double IPA. If you read my earlier beer blog posts, you know the history of this Michigan craft brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know this craft brewery. Let us get into this Double IPA.

It has a clear copper color with a white constant head on this Double IPA. The aroma has a slight grapefruit to tropical fruit notes. The taste has dry bitter front that leads to slight caramel to tropical fruit notes. The aftertaste has a dry grapefruit hop finish. It is a sipping beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.oddsideales.com

Twitter: @oddsideales

Closing, this is a great beer. I love the play on words for the name of the beer. There is some aroma notes and tasting notes. The malty backbone is a perfect match with the hops picked. The caramel and tropical fruit notes are a nice blend. This beer might be a sipping beer but I could see some experienced hopheads saying that it is kind of drinkable beer. I do not think I had one bad beer from this craft brewery. This brewery makes good beers and this one lives up to that line. 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 Lagunitas Brewery Day Time Ale

In this beer blog, we are going to get into another brew from Lagunitas Brewery. It is their Day Time Ale. This is a beer that I picked up a six-pack from the brewery while in Chicago. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this West Coast and Midwest craft brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know this craft brewery. Let us get into this session IPA.

This session IPA has a clear golden color with a white constant head. The aroma has a floral to earthy notes. The taste profile has a light carbonation with hints of earth notes. The aftertaste has a dry crisp hop finish. It is all day IPA beer.

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

Sometimes you want a beer, then you realize how much crap you need to do before you call it a day. This is it. Nicely dosed with Big, Round Hop Flavors and a Toasty Malt Foundation to satisfy your every need. But it still lets you stay in the game to do what needs to be done. Yup.

AVAILABILITY: SUPER LIMITED
ABV: 4.65%
Sold as: 6-packs & Kegs
Net contents: Ounces and ounces of Malt, Hops, Yeast and water.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.lagunitas.com

Twitter: @Lagunitasbeer

Closing, I love this session IPA. I just feel it is pretty hard to find their beers in southeast Michigan. When I do, I feel they are overpriced. I hope with the new brewery in Chicago that could solve some issues. I love this IPA beer style because I can get the big hop from aroma and taste but yet I am able to drink it most of the day. Before this beer style, I had to switch to a pilsner or lager. It was not making my taste buds happy. I had to drink a few IPA’s and I have to move on to another beer. I love the hops and the malty backbone is just about right. I 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 Anchor Brewing Anchor IPA

In this beer blog, we are going to get into our first brew from Anchor Brewing. It is one of their two new beer, which is Anchor IPA. Anchor Brewery started brewing in 1896 in San Francisco. Ernst F. Baruth and Otto Schinkel, Jr brought the brewery from Gottlieb Brekle, who came over from Germany. The brewery struggled throughout the 1950’s and finally in 1965 Frederick Louis Maytag III brought about 50% shares in the brewery to save it from closing. He later brought the rest of the shares in the company and moved in to its current location in 1979. In 2010, Maytag sold the brewery to Keith Greggor and Tony Foglio. They kept on pushing the brewery forward. Today, they brew several different beer styles. They released two new beers in the last two years. They are California Lager and this one Anchor IPA. Let us get into this IPA.

It has a clear bright copper color with a white constant head. The aroma has floral and earthy notes. The taste is an earthy with hints of malt. The aftertaste has a dry hop finish. It is kind of drinkable beer to drinkable.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

The California Gold Rush lured thousands went to “see the elephant,” a 19th-century metaphor for the hopeful but risky pursuit of happiness, adventure, and fortune. As early as 1849, India Pale Ale prepared by British brewers for export to India by adding dry hops to barrels of hoppy ale – was also heading west, from England around the Horn to San Francisco. Thirsty ’49ers savored imported IPAs, but it wasn’t until 1975 that Anchor, America’s original craft brewery, pioneered the revival of dry-hopped handmade ales. Now, that tradition fast-forwards to an adventurous new brew: Anchor IPA. Made with 2-row barley malt and fresh whole-cone hops, its bright amber color, distinctively complex aroma, spiky bitterness, malty depth, and clean finish unite to create a uniquely flavorful, memorable, and timeless IPA.

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

The California Gold Rush lured thousands west to “see the elephant,” a 19th-century metaphor for the hopeful but risky pursuit of happiness, adventure, and fortune. As early as 1849, India Pale Ale – prepared by British brewers for export to India by adding dry hops to barrels of hoppy ale – was also heading west, from England around the Horn to San Francisco. Thirsty ‘49ers savored the best imported IPAs, but it wasn’t until 1975 that Anchor, Americas’ original craft brewery, pioneered the revival of dry-hopped handmade ales. Now, that tradition fast-forwards to an adventurous new brew: Anchor IPA™.

Anchor IPA™ is made with 2-row barley malt and fresh whole-cone hops, its bright amber color, distinctively complex aroma, spiky bitterness, malty depth, and clean finish unite to create a uniquely flavorful, memorable, and timeless craft IPA.

The elephant you see on Anchor IPA™ was hand-drawn by our label artist, James Stitt. To “see the elephant” was a popular 19th-century expression that originated with a tale that predates the California Gold Rush.

There once lived a farmer who had heard of elephants but had never seen one. He longed for the day when he might catch a glimpse of this rare, exotic creature. When the circus came to town, he loaded his wagon with fresh produce and headed to market. On the way, just as he’d hoped, he came across the circus parade, nobly led by an enormous elephant. The farmer was ecstatic, but his horses were terrified. They reared and bucked, overturning his wagon and scattering its precious contents in the road. “I don’t give a hoot,” exclaimed the farmer. “I have seen the elephant!”

The elephant became the universal symbol of the Gold Rush, as evidenced by the journals, letters, and sketchbooks of the forty-niners. Whether or not they struck it rich in the diggings, those plucky pioneers would forever treasure their California adventure as the defining moment of their lives. Have you seen the elephant?

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.anchorbrewing.com

Twitter: @AnchorBrewing

In closing, I am always interested in what Anchor Brewery puts out in the beer world. I have a problem living in Michigan. It is hard to find Anchor Beers. I have to always ask for it. I could not find this beer so I had to go to Chicago. Their Wholesaler here in Michigan is not very good. They worry about Michigan craft beers, which is fine, as long as they are good. Most of them are not very good. I am a huge hophead so this beer was on my radar. This beer lives up to the IPA’s. I would not say this IPA is an American. I look at it as English IPA. It is right in the middle between the two beer styles. I get why it is American IPA because they use American hops or yeast. There is a ton of Malty depth. It is pretty complex there and then add the hops on top of it. The hop selection takes this beer to another level of complex flavors. I do enjoy it and I hope to try this IPA and their Liberty Ale side by side. Of course, if I can find them in my market, I might have to ask for both of them at my local beer store. I 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 Sierra Nevada Beer Camp 3 Floyd’s Brewing Chico King Pale Ale

In this special beer blog, we are going to get into the eighth of twelve of beers from Beer Camp from Sierra Nevada Brewery. If you read my earlier beer blog posts on both of these craft breweries, you know the history of this craft brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know both of these craft breweries. Let us get into this craft pale ale.

It has a clear copper color with a white head on this pale ale. The smell has a slight citrus notes. The taste has a light carbonated citrus notes with a dry hop aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

This pale ale stacks plenty of bright, fruit-forward, resinous hop varietals atop a robust malt body.

3 Floyds has a reputation as the Midwestern kings of Alpha (hops), and it seems our flagship beer helped lure them down the lupulin-paved path. Chico King is a mash-up of our mutual passion for hoppy pale ales and we suspect you’ll find it fit for royalty.

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

3 Floyds has a reputation as the Midwestern kings of alpha (hops), and it seems that one of our beers helped to lure them down the lupulin-paved path. Chico King is a mash-up of our mutual passion for hoppy pale ales and combines a uniquely robust malt body with intense citrusy and fruity new school hop varietals.

3 Floyds marches to the beat of their own (double kick) drum when it comes to collaboration, often partnering with comic book artists, tattoo parlors or heavy metal bands when inspiration strikes. These eclectic beers are coveted throughout the Midwest and some beers, like the legendary Dark Lord Imperial Stout, have spawned something akin to a beer-themed holiday in the brewery’s hometown of Muenster, IN.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.3floyds.com and www.sierranevada.com

Twitter: @3floyds and @sierranevada

In the end, I respect both of these craft breweries. I love both breweries’ beers but at times I feel like pay too much for 3 Floyd’s Brewery. I do not understand what both craft breweries were looking at when they made this beer. I get they wanted to use what put 3 Floyd’s Brewery on the map, which is the hop. I just feel they could have done something a little different. I was really disappointed with this beer. It is not really good but I get what they were doing towards in of the bottle. I just hope they will look at this beer and use it as a learning curve. 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 Starr Hill Brewery Northern Lights India Pale Ale

In this beer blog, we are going to get into another beer from my beer trade. It is Starr Hill Brewery Northern Lights India Pale Ale. If you read my earlier beer blog posts, you know the history of this East Coast Craft Brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know this craft brewery. Let us get into this IPA.

It has a cloudy copper color with a semi white head on this IPA. The smell has a floral to piney notes. The taste of this medium body is a light carbonation piney notes with a caramel notes finish for the aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

A classic American-style India Pale Ale, Northern Lights weighs in at 52 IBUs and 6.5% ABV. Characterized by its full-flavored bitterness and poignant citrus-floral aroma, a perfect blend of barley and hops make this a very balanced IPA. For the craftbrew connoisseur, Northern Lights is a deliciously crafted piece of the heavens.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.starrhill.com

Twitter: @starrhill

Closing, there is only been one beer that was pretty disappointing for me from this craft brewery. I have liked just about everything that I had from Starr Hill. I was pretty excited to see this beer in my beer trade. I love the hop notes from the aroma and taste. The other thing that I like about this beer is the IBU’s. It is pretty low. I could drink this beer about half the day and have to switch to something else or stop drinking. This is a great beer. 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 Sierra Nevada Beer Camp Ballast Point Electric Ray IPL

In this special set of beer blogs, we are going to get into the first of twelve beers from Sierra Nevada’s Beer Camp sampler pack. You will notice a theme throughout these beers. The name of the beers and beer styles is taken from the partner craft breweries. The first one that I picked is partner Ballast Point Brewery. It is Electric Ray IPL. Ballast Point Brewery was founded in 1996 by Jack and Yuseff. It came from a home brewing supply shop that they opened in 1992. The themes of this brewery is coming from the sea, water, or ocean. They brew several different beer styles but they are known for their IPA’s like most West Coast craft breweries. Let us get into this IPL.

It has a clear light copper color with a constant white head. The aroma has floral to grapefruit notes. The taste has a light carbonation grapefruit notes with a dry grapefruit finish for the aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

This nautically named India Pale Lager combines intense cirtusy, floral American hops with the clean, classic malt body of a blonde lager.

As ever, San Diego’s Ballast Point looked the sea for inspiration. A play on the fish’s scientific name – Torpedo California – Electric Ray pays homage to our Hop Torpedo, the source of much of this beer’s big flavor. Its massive grapefruit and floral notes deliver a high-voltage hit of hop flavor.

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

As ever, San Diego’s Ballast Point looked to the sea for the inspiration behind Electric Ray. A play on the fish’s scientific name—Torpedo californica—this beer pays homage to our mutual home state, as well as to our Hop Torpedo, the source of much of the big flavor in this high voltage, hop-forward Imperial Pale Lager.

Ballast Point brought their homebrewing dreams to the big leagues and started brewing professionally, but they never forgot their roots. They still run a successful homebrewing supply shop in San Diego. A love for hops and the ocean inspire incredible brewed and distilled offerings, and their one-of-a-kind labels boast some beautiful, and sometimes gnarly-lookin’, fish.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.ballastpoint.com and www.sierranevada.com

Twitter: @bpbrewing and @sierranevada

Closing, it is kind of fitting the fact that there would be IPL in this pack. IPL is a growing beer style in the world of IPA’s. I love the fact they named it after Electric Ray because of Ballast Point (BP). BP using fishes and everything in the water to name their beers. I really love the packaging and how it explains the back story of the partner brewery. I love how it explains their thoughts on why they picked this beer style. Of course, being a Hophead, I had to pick one of the India Pale Ale or Lager. I love the aroma and the taste profile that this beer offer. This is one of the best beers in this pack. I realize this is the first one I had in this pack that I am doing a write up but when I am finish this review up. I will already had about half of this pack. I recommend you getting a pack if you can find one. 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 Local Option Brewery Morning Wood

While in Chicago, we are going to sample another brew, which is Morning Wood, from Local Option Brewery. If you read my beer blog posts a few days ago, you know the history of this small but upcoming craft brewery. If you have not, please, read Sweet Leaf review to get to know the history of this Chicago craft brewery. Let us get into Morning Wood.

It has a jet black color with a semi white color head. The aroma has a heavy coffee notes. The taste has a sweet malty to coffee notes. There is a slight caramel to caramel liquor notes but really fate to weak. The aftertaste is a sour coffee notes. It is a sipping beer.

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

Local Option Morning Wood: Local Option Morning Wood is an oak-aged coffee ale developed and brewed by Local Option Bierwerker. Fresh American oak used during the aging process and Dark Matter’s El Salvador San Jose pulp-natural coffee aromatically drive the beer; while remaining subtle components of the beers’ complete flavor profile. The amber-colored, medium-bodied, and extraordinarily well-balanced ale was first unveiled at the Festival of Wood and Barrel Aged Beers in November 2011. Morning Wood’s taste is delicate and should be appreciated by beer drinkers of all palates.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.localoptionbier.com

Twitter: @localoption

Closing, I like this beer and I mean I really like this beer. I love how they took an amber style beer. Rather then, what most craft breweries do and they take porter or stout. I love when craft breweries think outside the box. This craft brewery did that idea with this brew. I love the coffee notes and it is not overpowering the rest of the beer. It is a nice balance and I will be looking for this beer in bottle in my market. I will be back to the brewpub. I love their brewpub from their food, beer, service, and music. 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 Finch’s Brewery Tour

While in Chicago, I had more time to check out another brewery. It is a little brewery that was founded three years ago in Chicago. They are known for packaging their beers in cans. They are up to seven different beer styles in cans and they also package some beer in tall single bottles, which is 22oz bottles. The brewery is named after the founder, who are Benjamin and Paul Finch. They are located on the Northside of Chicago. They started out at this location and has expanded, however, they started out with two beers, which are Cut Throat Pale Ale and Gold Wing Blonde Ale.

Tour Guide:

In this photos above, the guy in the green shirt, who is Nick, in the middle of this crowd was the tour guide. Nick is a teacher for his full-time job and does this part-time. He is also a homebrewer and I am not sure if he helps around the brewery. However, he works on the brewery tours and sets up tour dates and times. He is an awesome tour guide. He knew the history and the beers. He is not reading off paper or memorizing history scripts unlike some tour guides. He is a student of this craft brewery and he puts a personality into this brewery tour.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.finchbeer.com

Twitter: @finchbeer

Closing, I learn something from this tour and that is a huge apprise to this tour. I enjoyed my time at the brewery and glad I went to check out this brewery. The one thing that I learned during this brewery tour was the discontinuing of two of their beers. Both beers were the first two beers they started brewing. Both are going to be discontinued and replace with two new beers. The Cut Throat Pale Ale will still be a pale ale but a different one. The Gold Wing Blonde Ale will be replace with Hardcore Double IPA. I believe that is the name. I love the direction of this craft brewery. They have a bright future and I believe their newer beers will take this craft brewery to the next level. I highly recommend getting down and take a brewery tour. If you do not have the chance, go and try some of their beers. I promise you will not be disappointed with their Black IPA and Stout. This craft brewery makes some great beers and they are extremely under rated. 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 Local Option American Muscle Double IPA

While in Chicago, we are going to sample American Muscle Double IPA from Local Option Brewery. If you read my beer blog review on their Sweet Leaf from yesterday, you know the history of this craft brewery. If you have not, please, read them to get to know this craft brewery from Chicago. Let us get into this Double IPA.

It has a slightly clear copper color without a head on this Imperial IPA. The aroma has hints of earthy notes. The taste is a nice smooth earthy notes with a dry hop finish. It pretty drinkable for an Imperial IPA.

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

American Muscle – New World Double IPA is massive hop-bomb brewed by the Local Option Bierwerker. Aggressively late-kettle and dry hopped with four quintessential varietals of American hops; this beer is built like houses used to be built. A strong malt backbone balances a rich, flavorful palate of citrus fruit with floral and earthy notes. No adjuncts or extracts of any type were used in this beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.localoptionbier.com

Twitter: @localoption

Closing, this is by far my favorite beer from Local Option Brewery. I love the name and packaging. I love the hop selection and the strong malty backbone to cut through those hops. This beer is pretty drinkable for Imperial IPA. It is pretty extremely and scary drinkable. The craft beer drinker needs to be careful at how much he is drinking. This is an awesome beer and I will be looking for it in package in Michigan. I hope some bottles make it to my market. I highly recommend this beer and this brewpub if you are around the Chicago area. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

Instagram: @djweiser13

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