porter

New Beer Blog Milwaukee Brewing Sasquash Ale

image

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  http://www.mkebrewing.com

Twitter:  @mkebrewco

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

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Central Waters Mudpuppy Porter

image

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

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

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

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

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  http://www.centralwaters.com

Twitter:  There is no twitter address.

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

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blog Southern Oregon Brewing Pin Up Porter

When in Portland, I was able to take a trip with a few of my coworkers to check out a some breweries in Portland, Oregon.  When we landed in Portland on a Thursday night, we headed downstairs to Hotel 50 bar.  There was this beer from the Southern Oregon Brewing called their Pin Up Porter.    Southern Oregon Brewing was founded by Dr. Tom Hammond in 2006.  There is not a ton of information on this young brewery.  Let us get into this beer.

It has a black color without a head on the beer.  There are some chocolate to coffee notes with a slight burn smell. The taste is about the same as the smell, however, the aftertaste is of a dry chocolate to the beer.

Here is a descriation from Made In Oregon (www.madeinoregon.com):

Southern Oregon’s Pin-Up Porter is dry finishing with chocolate and coffee undertones to go along with a hint of smokiness.  5.5% ALC and 30 IBUs. 22 oz.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.sobrewing.com

Twitter:  There is no Twitter address.

Closing one tab to start another one, we moved from the hotel bar to some Irish Pub down the street.  I loved the smokey to the roasted  taste.  There is a, chocolate and little coffee notes from the beer.  It is pretty drinkable beer and a pretty damn good beer.  I just wished I had a little bit more time to enjoy another beer.  I guess I will have  make another trip out to Portland to enjoy another pint or two.  I would recommend this beer to others that loves stouts and porters.  Go get some!  There was a theme towards the end of the trip.  Thanks to Kevin!  Put a bird on it!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blog Ale Asylum Contorter Porter

image

In this beer blog, we are going to look at the second of three beers from Ale Asylum.  If you read my earlier blog on their Jacksin Double IPA, you know some about this brewery.  If you have not, please, read the frist part of that beer blog.  Let us get into their Contorter Porter.

It has a dark black color without a head on the beer.  It has a heavy coffee notes with a little chocolate notes. The taste of this porter is like a black coffee. It really does not have an aftertaste.  I can see some people thinking it is drinkable.  There are some that might think this porter is not drinkable beer.   I am one beer and done that is not a bad thing.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Our porter is dark in color yet soft on the palate.  English chocolate malts give it a complex, rich flavor wrapped in a silky smooth finish. Contorter 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):

4.8% abv.

Available: Year Round Style: English Porter Motto: Smooth never tasted so smooth.

You’re not still afraid of Dark, are you? You don’t know how that hurts Dark’s feelings! Dark would never judge you like that. Not even after what you did at summer camp. You know that thing you’ve always wanted? Dark just got you two of them. Dark wants to know what else it can do to change your mind. How about a glassy smooth porter with a long, silky finish? Will that seal the deal? Dark thought so.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.aleasylum.com

Twitter:  @ale_asylum

In the end, it is really hard to make a bad porter, stout, or any IPA’s.  I am not saying this is a bad porter.  It is an average porter and I would love to try this beer straight from the brewery.  I believe I received old beer.  I am on the state line on this beer.  I can see this beer being really good if it was a little bit more fresher.  DO NOT judge the beer from this posted.  I will be doing an updated blog when I try it at the brewery or I get a fresh bottle.  Go get some in Wisconsin!  Drink it!  Enjoy it! Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Blog Maui Brewery Coconut Porter

In this blog, we are going to talk about one of my favorite breweries and favorite porter.  Maui Brewery Coconut Porter is going to be feature in this blog.  Here is a little history from this brewery.  Maui Brewery was founded in 2005 by Garrett Marrero and Melanie Oxley.  All of their beers are packaged in cans to make it easy to take to the beaches of Hawaii.  They are one of the fastest growing companies and the only mirco-brewery on Hawaii Islands.  Yes Kona Brewery is on the island but that is own by Craft Beer Alliance and Budweiser has part ownership of it.  Let us get into this awesome beer.

This beer is black in the glass with no head. It has a very strong coconut smell to this beer from Hawaii.  This beer has a roasted chocolate to toffee taste with a nice refreshing coconut aftertaste to it. Shocking for the beer style, this beer is very drinkable.   This beer has a won Gold Award in 2006 Herb and Spice Beer at the World beer Cup and has won several other awards around the world.

Here is a description from the can:

Welcome to the microcanning revolution…. Cans eliminate light damage and reduce the risk of oxidation, keeping this craft brew fresher than in bottles!

Cans are lighter, chill quicker, and can be enjoyed on beaches and in sensitive environments, aluminum is the most recycled and most eco-friendly material.

Coconut porter is a fresh handcrafted robust porter brewed with six varieties of malted barley, hops and hand-toasted coconut

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.mauibreweryco.com

Twitter:  @mauibreweryco

In the end, I loved this beer when I visit this awesome brewery on the islands.  I brought back a case of their porter and IPA in my bag back to Chicago.  I am very happy to see I can order this awesome beer and rest of their beers online.  The shipping cost is as much as my beer order but it is worth it.  This is a very good beer and drinkable for the style.  This brewery is doing newer things everyday.  If you follow my blog, you know I wrote about their sour that they did with Jolly Pumpkin Brewery Company.  I am hoping to see this brewery in my local liquor store when they come to Chicago.  I hope that is really soon.  Thank you Maui Brewery Company for making some good beers.  Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Blog Savor 2012 Part Two (Beer Event)

Sury Brewery Smoked Lager

This beer is black in color with no head. It has a nice smoky chocolate smell. It has a nice smoky chocolate taste with a burn smoky aftertaste. It is not bad and pretty drinkable. I would say to try this beer.  Cheers!

Flying Dog Chocolate IPA

Shocking this beer is not dark in color which is refreshing to see any brewery do with the trend of black IPAs out there. It is yellow with a slight cloudy look to it in the glass.  It is very well balance for IPA. It is sweet then a slam of carbonation and a slight coco aftertaste. I really enjoy this beer. Very well done!  Cheers!

Flying Dog Wildeman Farmhouse IPA

This beer has the Belgian Farmhouse Saison look to it but this dog bites pretty hard in and out of the glass. It has a nice cloudy yellow look in the glass. You can smell the earthy farm smell from the beer. It is very drinkable which this style is suppose to be and keeping to the tradition. The aftertaste is ok but I could live for the beginning of this great beer. Go get some! Cheers!

Devil’s Backbone Brewery

Any brewery has the word Devil or Slayer better live up to the name. That old bastard will do some crazy on you.  This brewery does not disappoint. This BPA is light cloudy yellow with a sweet carbonation piney taste. The aftertaste is very interesting.  It comes with almost a chili punch to the beer. I love this brewery. Cheers!

Flying Fish Chestnut Brown Ale

It has a nice brown color to the beer. It has a marriage of nutty and ginger kicking around in the beer. The taste is something out of Belgian. It is very sweet and a ginger hunting in it this beer. It is a very well done beer. Cheers!

New Blog Savor Part One (Beer Event)

Swamp Head Black IPA

It is black in color in the glass. Chocolate smell is going on in the beer. Not over hopped and a ton of porter chocolate roasted taste going on. This beer is very drinkable.  I am disappointed with it. It is nothing like other black ipas. Cheers!

Surly Brewery Coffee Blender Ale

The beer in the glass is a light brown with a white head.  It has a nutty and that coffee smell going on. It is very smooth and taste. It has a nice slam of coffee aftertaste.  This is a very good beer. I love it!  Cheers!

Maui and Jolly Pumpkin Sobrehumano Palena’ole

This beer I am really excited to try. It is a cloudy yellow in the glass. It is really hard to see in the room. It doesn’t have a smell to it. It has a nice sweet sour cherry taste. The aftertaste is a longing dry sweet kick to the beer.  I really love sours and everything this brewery had done in the past.  This is an excite beer for the style. Cheers!

Green Flash West Coast IPA

Just like most IPAs, it had s nice copper tune to the beer. It has a nice circus smell to it but very light. It is very smooth and drinkable for a west coast IPA.  I have been wanting to try this beer and it did not disappoint me. Good IPA. Cheers!

Epic Brewing (Utah)

I was disappointed it was not the brewery down under but whatever I can not be mad.  This is free beer.  This beer is cloudy yellow in color.  It has s heavy peach smell for this fruity beer. It is very sweet peachy and sour in taste with a very peachy aftertaste. It is very drinkable for what it is for the style. It is not my beer in my pint glasses but I could see this sell in the market. Well done. Cheers!

New Blog Uinta Dubhe Imperial Black IPA

In this blog, we are going to talk about another small brewery called Uinta Brewery from Salt Lake City, Utah.  We talked about Hyve in my earlier blog.  I voiced how it was very disappointed and I did not like it.  This time around we are going to talk about one of my favorite beer from them.  The beer we are going to sip and visit is called the Uinta Dubhe Imperial Black IPA.  This beer style is a marriage of two awesome styles of beer.  Porter or stout meets IPAs.  You can’t go wrong with that.  This is the latest trending beer style out there right now.

This beer in the glass is black until you put it up to the light then it becomes a dark brown.  The smell of the beer is of sweet circus. The taste of the beer is slight chocolate and kick of carbonation to circus kick. The aftertaste is very dry but in a good way.  The dryness from this beer is from the hops and the IBU is over 130.  Just picture yourself eating chocolate cover orange and you will understand this style a little bit better.  It is not fully like that but it gives you a better idea.

Here is a descripation from their website (www.uintabrewing.com):

Toasted, chocolaty dark malts align with an astronomical amount of hops.

They put this also on their website (www.uintabrewing.com):

Named Utah’s Centennial Star in 1996, Dubhe (pronounced Doo-bee) illuminates the front of the big dipper from 124 light years away. Dubhe, also known as Alpha Ursae Majoris, is a red giant that appears orange in color and has a mass 4x that of the sun.

Here is a few places to get information on this brewery:

Website: www.uintabrewing.com

Twitter:  @uintabrewing

Setting up the tap again, I really love this beer.  I love all three beer styles that go into this one beer style.  It is a wet dream for people that enjoy all factors that this style and this beer brings to your coffee table or bar.  This is one of my favorite one in the Black IPA market along with Widmer Pitch Black IPA. Pitch Black and Dubhe are the same style but totally different.  I want you to go out and hunt this beer down and try it.  Please let me know what you think and send a message to the brewery.  Breweries love to hear from us beer drinkers.  Enjoy it!  Drink it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Blog Widmer Brothers Raspberry Russian Imperial Stout ’12

In this blog, we are going to talk about a very limited release around the country. I have been wanting to try this beer and I could not find a bottle.  I finally found a bottle but I had to get some help from a few people.  Widmer Brothers is the second oldest brewery from Portland, Oregon.  Bridgeport beat them by a few weeks to have the title of the Oldest Craft Brewery.  Well both breweries are really good at what they do.  Well back to Widmer, the whole idea of the brewery is give you something different from the classic beers from around the world.  I believe the brothers of Widmer has done a very good job.  There pale ale is different from what is out there now.  It has a heavy grapefruit smell and taste.  Let us talk about this beer now.

This beer is black as black can get with a dirty head that is constant. This beer smells like chocolate cover raspberry smell with hints of roasted malt smells. This beer taste like dark chocolate cover raspberry with a roasted and carbonation.  For this beer being a big beer style, it is a very drinkable beer.  You will only have one beer and make it with some kind of dessert.  I did my bottle with vanilla ice cream.

Here is a description from the bottle:

An extremely rich and complex beer.  The addition of raspberries during the fermentation process results in an almost purplish opaque color with a beautiful brown head.  Warm chocolate and roasty notes complement the hop bitterness.

Here is more information on this beer from their website (www.widmerbrothers.com):

ABV 9.3% IBU 70

Malts: Pale, Roast Barley, Caramel 60L, Midnight Wheat, Chocolate Malt

Hops: Alchemy, Willamette, Cascade

Here is a few sources to get more information on this great brewery:

Website: www.widmerbrothers.com

Twitter: @widmer_brothers

In closing, this is not one of my favorites from this brewery but it is still a great beer.  This beer is perfect for a beer dinner.  They pick the right fruit to put into this stout and make it perfect for a spring seasonal.  Rasberries are not over powering but enough for you to enjoy the sweetness of them and the chocolate in it.  If you see a bottle, I would pick it up.  This beer in the Chicagoland area I would say big craft stores where you can find this beer.  Enjoy it! Drink it! Metal it!

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Blog Big Horn Ram Total Disorder Porter

In this blog, we will talk about one of beers from one of my favorite brewpubs in the Chicagoland area.  I am talking about the Ram Brewery Total Disorder Porter.  This brewery was founded in 1971.  It is also a very award winning brewery.  Let us get back to some of the history of this brewery.

This came from their website (www.theram.com)

The Ram is a private, independent, family-owned and operated   restaurant business. We were born on February 26, 1971 when our founders took   their entrepreneurial spirit and experiences they received making pizza and   serving beer at Shakey’s Pizza Parlor to open their own restaurant. That first   restaurant was called the Ram Pub, which was a “Deluxe Tavern” that served hot   food, including cook-your-own burgers and steaks, along with beer and wine.

This is a short point of their history.  It is kind of neat to see where this resturant and brwery.  They have multiple location through out the USA.  I bet there is one by you.  I wrote a blog on the Wheeling, IL Ram.

Here is a descripation from their website (www.theram.com) about their Porter:

Rich and smooth, our award-winning brown porter features the flavor of chocolate and caramel.

This beer has won an award.

2010 Gold Metal at the Great American Beer Festive

The porter in the glass has a dark brown to black look to it. Nice chocolate and roasted malt smell in the porter. When drinking the beer, you will get a light carbonation taste along with slight burned malts, chocolate, and hints of toffee. This porter is in the class of the English Porter world. It is very drinkable and heavy enough to make the porter drinkers happy.  You can drink this beer all year long.  Even in the hottest Chicago days and the coldest winters, it is a perfect drinkable beer.

Here is a few ways to get information on this Brewery and Resturant:

Website: www.theram.com

Twitter Main Brewery: @theram

Twitter Wheeling Brewery: @rambrew

In closing, this beer is one of my favorite porter in the market.  I love this beer along with most of their other beers that they brew.  Along with great beer, their food is off the charts.  You will get the whole Craft Beer Drinker wet dream.  Great food and good Craft Beer is under one brewery called The Ram.  Go to their website and see where a location is near you.  Let me know what you think.  Enjoy it!  Drink it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser