restaurants

New Beer Blog Big Horn Ram Tap Party Wheeling

In this tap party blog, we are going to sample out another beer release from the Big Horn Brewery in Wheeling. The beer is called Rabbit Punch Irish Red Ale. If you read my earlier blog on their beers, you know the history of this brewery. If you have not, please, read that beer blog. Let us get into the beer.

This beer has a deep reddish-brown color with a white constant head on it. The smell is a sweet caramel to the beer. The taste of the Rabbit Punch Irish Red Ale is a sweet carbonation caramel to a touch of toffee with a caramel aftertaste. It is a sessional beer.

Here is a description from the brewery:

A reddish-amber ale with roots in Ireland characterized by its malt profile including caramel and a toffee-like sweetness. Alcohol by volume is about 5.15%.

Here is a description of the meal I had during the Tap Party:

Bourbon BBQ Meatloaf Sandwich

Meatloaf grilled over high heat, smothered with bourbon bbq glaze on toasted white bread with Wisconsin double cream Havarti and onion crisps. Served with choice of Fries, Chips, or Coleslaw.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.theram.com

Twitter: @theram

In closing, I am not a red ale fan but this beer is not bad. I did enjoy this beer and I will have a few pints when it is around. The food was really good. I am not a meatloaf fan but this was pretty good. If you are a fan of red ales, you need to try this beer. I believe you will enjoy drinking this beer and it does have a flare of the Irish Red Ale feel. Most craft breweries normally miss that part of this beer style. I also like the fact it is ale this year and not a lager. It has a nice malty backbone and not overly hopped like most red ales. These brewers did a great job and you need to support them. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Heavy Seas Small Craft Warning Uber Pils

In this beer blog, we are going to take a look at another beer from Heavy Seas Brewing. Thanks to my loving sister for getting the beer of the month for Christmas to write about this beer. This time around we are sampling their Small Craft Warning Uber Pils. If you read my earlier blog on their Loose Cannon Ale, you know the history of this brewery. If you have not read that beer blog, please, read that beer blog. Let us get into the beer.

This Pils has a clear golden color without a head on the beer. The smell is extremely fate and I am having a hard time picking up what the smell. The taste is a sweet carbonation hoppy and the aftertaste is a malty dry crisp finish. It is a session beer and I am looking forward to go back to Michigan to drink some Heavy Seas beers.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Unofficially the original American Uber Pils, Small Craft Warning is a rich, golden bock lager with big malt flavor and a crisp hop finish. 7.0% Alc./Vol.

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

Small Craft Warning

Year Round

Arguably our most well-balanced beer, Small Craft Warning seems at once hop-forward and malt-forward; our brewers debate over which flavor force prevails in the beer. Small Craft exemplifies a robust pilsner—it’s crisp, well-carbonated, and slightly sweet. The beer is characterized by a firm malt backbone and a pronounced hop character. A fine aroma, from an array of hops, completes this quaffable beer.

Beer Details

Style: Über Pils

ABV: 7%

IBUs: 35

Availability: Year-round

Hops: Warrior, Palisade, French Strisselspalt, Saaz, Simcoe, Cascade

Malts: 2-row, Munich, Caramalt

Suggestions

Food Pairings: Baked chicken, mild cheddar cheese, shortbread cookies

Glassware: Pilsner

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.hsbeer.com

Twitter: @heavyseasbeer

Closing, I have grown to love these beer styles, which is craft lager and pils. I have enjoyed several beers I have had from this brewery. They are not shy to boost the ABV in their beers. I do not think I have ever saw a beer less than 5.0% ABV in their beers. I could be wrong. I have not had all their beers. I love the smoothest and drinkablity of this beer. It comes with a shark bite that will sneak up on you if you are not careful. I hope they come to Chicago, if not I know where to find them in Michigan. They make some great classic beers with their own twist. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Sixpoint Brewing Diesel

In this winter beer blog, we are going to get into one of my favorite breweries out of New York City. The brewery is Sixpoint Brewing and the beer is their winter seasonal called Diesel Stout. If you read my earlier beer blog on their beers, you know how I feel towards this brewery and the history of it. If you have not, please, read the beer blog called Sixpoint Brewing Apollo. Let us get into this great stout.

This winter seasonal has a jet black color with a light tan color head to the stout. The smell is a chocolate with a citrus to the beer. The taste is a complex full body beer. It has a chocolate to coffee with piney with a dry chocolate aftertaste. It is drinkable beer to me but I can see people thinking it is not a drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer can:

Each dawn is clear cold air bites the throat. Thick frost on the pine bough leaps from the tree snapped by the diesel. On the darkest days of the year, light becomes a luxury. Just when you think you cannot penetrate the darkness…SNAP! Light pieces through the roasted pine forest.

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

Diesel

Winter

This undefinable black brew is part black IPA, part American Stout, but 100% Diesel powered. Robust chocolate and roasted flavors, with thick pine hop flavor and aroma.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.sixpoint.com

Twitter: @sixpoint

Closing out the winter season, I am sadden by the fact that winter is ending because I love the fall and winter sesaonal beers. Spring and summer seasonals beer are not one of my favorites. I really loves this beer because it gives you something little different. However Sixpoint Brewing gives the craft beer drinker something different, this is way I love Sixpoint. The craft beer drinker will get the stout and then the snap of the piney at the back part of the tasting experience. The piney hops echo in the aftertaste. This is a beer that will give you more for the beer drinker. If you are looking for the normal stout, this beer is not for you. If you are a stout or hophead that is looking for something different in your beer, this beer is perfect for you. I know this beer is not going to be for everyone. I recommend you trying this beer. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog To Ol Brewery Launch Party In Chicago

In this beer blog, we are going to get into a beer launch in Chicago. The brewery is To Ol Brewery from Denmark. To Ol Brewery was founded in 2005 by Tobias Emil Jensen and Tore Gynther. They are traveling rogue brewers. Where they think their beer styles will be brew best that is where they will go to. They brew in Europe and United States. This is what makes this brewery unique and their beer is pretty much one and done, which makes their beer pretty special. Let us get into the beers.

Goliat Coffee Stout

This stout has a black color with a tan head on the beer. The smell is a strong coffee and chocolate to the beer. The taste is a strong chocolate to toffee with a heavy aftertaste. This is a sipping beer.

Here is a description from the website (www.to-ol.dk):

Goliat Coffee Imperial Stout

The great warrior of Gath. The mighty champion of the Philistines. Embedded in ancient folklore and religion. Coming from the World of Old. His size and stature is not human. He is bigger. The armor of Goliat is black. Creamy black lacings. Stands with a towering height. He can grab elements from both earth and heaven. Earthy, roasted, notes from the earth. Warming, pungent, sweet notes from the skies. His heart is beating slowly, almost endlessly slow. This man is thought to be invincible!

Ingredients: Water, barley malt, roasted barley, dark cassonade sugar, flaked oats, hops, gourmet coffee and yeast.

10.1% ABV / Net content 375 ml (12.7 FL OZ)

Brewed at De Proef Brouwerij, Lochristi-Hijfte, Belgium.

San Frontiere

This Belgian Blonde has a golden clear color with a white head on the beer. There is really no smell to the beer. The taste is a carbonation sweet with a tart and barnyard aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from their website (www.to-ol.dk):

Sans Frontiere Belgian Ale

“Heaven knows no frontiers, and I’ve seen heaven in your eyes”

This is how the Frontier beer series lost their ground, missed direction and finally found themselves again. This beer has no frontiers, meaning that it can now pick and choose among brewing specialties. Instead of being an IPA, this is a rather a Belgian ale, hopped and dryhopped with continental european hops and refermented with brettanomyces. A tart, picturesque and rural beer.

Ingredients: Water, barley malt, hops, Rock Candy, yeast and brettanomyces. 7% ABV / Net content 750 ml (25.4 FL OZ)

Brewed at De Proef Brouwerij, Lochristi-Hijfte, Belgium.

Final Frontier

This double IPA has a light copper color with a white head on it. The smell is a citrus to the beer. The taste is a strong citrus and carbonation with a dry hop to mango aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from their website (www.to-ol.dk):

Final Frontier DIPA

“Nature is Satan’s Church”

This is it! The sequel to the hop success of First Frontier. This beer is the final in every way. We recommend it as the final of your evening! This is an extremely potent and yet well-balanced Double India Pale Ale. This beer is well suited in extreme environments, whether it be Siberian winter, Volcano eruptions on Java, Danish earthquakes(They exist!) or rush hour. This beer is seeking out frontiers and built for the test.Ingredients: Water, barley malt, flaked oats, Hops (Simcoe, Centennial, Columbus) and yeast.

9% ABV / Net content 330 ml (11.2 FL OZ)

Brewed at De Proef Brouwerij, Lochristi-Hijfte, Belgium

Black Ball

This porter has dark brown to black color with a tan head on the beer. The smell is a chocolate to roasted coffee to the porter. The taste is a carbonation sweet chocolate with a burn roasted to the beer. The aftertaste is a roasted citrus to the beer. It is kind of drinkable beer.

Here is a description from their website (www.to-ol.dk):

Black Ball Porter

Black Ball is a potent porter, boasted with dark cassonade sugar and a good heap of American hops to rebalance the edgy and full-flavoured malt profile. You will find notes of chocolate, caramel and sulphur. This results in a porter with a broad and delicate mouth feel, capable of a good kick and does not leave the mouth voluntarily.

Black IPA? No way! Hoppy Porters is here to stay!

For a perfect evening, Black Ball blends perfect with a Black Rocket from the Pivovar Matuška brewery and Mikkeller Black Hole (Royalties to Theis!)

Ingredients: Water, barley malt (Lager, smoked, chocolate, cara munich and brown), roasted barley, flaked oats, dark cassonade, hops and yeast.

7.1% ABV / Net content 330 ml (11.2 FL OZ)

Brewed at De Proef Brouwerij, Lochristi-Hijfte, Belgium

Mine Is Bigger Than Yours

This ale has a light clear copper color without a head on the beer. There is a slight to fate sweet malty smell to the beer. The taste is a sweet with a strong wine to the beer. The aftertaste is sweet raisin to it. The aftertaste is like a whiskey burning down your throat but calm. It is a sipping beer.

Here is description from their website (www.to-ol.dk):

Mine is bigger than yours Barley Wine

“When you have to kill a man, it costs nothing to be polite”

This beer is a big fat beast packed with every potent ingredient we had at the brewery. This tons of malts and hops combined in one big fat, yet balanced brew.

It jumps higher than yours, it builds houses bigger than yours, It’s mama is fatter than yours, it chops wood faster than yours, it’s father is could beat yours…. No reason to say, but Mine is bigger than yours!

Ingredients: Water, barley malt, flaked oats, light candy sugar, hops (Columbus, Simcoe, Citra) and yeast.

12.5% ABV / Net content 375 ml (12.7 FL OZ)

Brewed at De Proef Brouwerij, Lochristi-Hijfte, Belgium

Here is their webiste and twitter addresses:

Website: www.to-ol.dk

Twitter: @toolbeer

In closing, I enjoy all of these beers. As a rule, I like to age my Barley Wines at least a year before trying them. I believe this Barley Wine is ready now, which is pretty rare. I am not saying Barley Wines are not ready now. Some barley wines are just too young coming out to the market and they are better when they age in the bottle. The porter is like any other porter but it is pretty good beer. I really enjoyed the stout and I believe it is best beer of all these beers. Their Double IPA is really smooth and drinkable. It is not over the top hoppy like most Double IPA. I recommend you trying these beers. I believe you will like at least a few of them. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Deschutes Brewery Mirror Pond Pale Ale

In this beer blog, we are going to get into another beer from Deschutes Brewery. The beer is part of their everyday line up of beers. The beer is called Mirror Pond Pale Ale. If you read my earlier beer blog on their beers, you know the history of this beer. If you have not, please, read the first part of that beer blog. Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear copper color with a white head on the beer. The smell is a malty citrus to it. The taste is a carbonation earthly with a dry citrus aftertaste to the beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

If you could only listen to one album forever, what would it be? At least there’s Mirror Pond when it comes to Pale Ales.

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

This is base camp, where any craft brew exploration begins. A distinct hop nose and hop-forward flavor make Mirror Pond the quintessential Pale Ale. It is aromatically complex, multi-layered, and unmistakably “right.”

Malt: Pale, NW Pale, Crystal, Carapils Hops: Cascade

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.deschutesbrewery.com

Twitter: @deschutesbeer

Closing, this is not my favorite beer from this beer company. I am really not a fan of this beer. I pick it up because every time I go west and have this beer. There is better Pale Ales in our market here in Chicago. Just because I do not like it does not mean you will not like this beer. Please go try this beer and let me know what you think. I am serious. I want to hear your thoughts if you like or not, please let me know. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Deschutes Brewery Red Chair NWPA

In this beer blog, we are going to get into the seasonal for Deschutes Brewery. The beer is called Red Chair NWPA (Northwest Pale Ale). If you read my earlier beer blog on their beers, you know the rich history of this brewery. If you have not, please, read the first part of that beer blog. Let us get into beer.

This seasonal pale ale has a clear copper color with a white head on the beer. The smell is vague piney to earthly to the beer. The taste is a carbonation earthly with a dry piney aftertaste that linger. It is drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Witness the subtle aromatic seduction of the original Northwest Pale Ale. Another slap at brewing convention. Another kick in the pants. Enjoy.

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

The citrus punch of a big IPA, minus the one-dimensional hop sledgehammer. Seven select European and domestic malts round out the edges for a complex, copper-colored brew. Like its namesake ski lift, it’s an insider’s ride to fresh thrills.

Malt: Pale, Crystal, Munich, Carapils, Pilsner, Carastan Hops: Cascade, Centennial

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.deschutesbrewery.com

Twitter: @deschutesbeer

Closing, this was a pretty enjoyable beer. The problem I have with this beer is the bottle says pale ale and the website is saying this is India Pale Ale. I will be honest this does taste like an IPA but more like an English style India Pale Ale. If this is a Pale Ale, which I do not believe it is, this is better than their Mirror Pond Pale Ale. I really love this beer. I will add it to my line up until the season ends. I recommend you trying this beer if you are a pale ale to india pale ale fan. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Deschutes Brewery Black Butte Porter

In this beer blog, we are going to take a look at another beer from the Deschutes Brewery. The beer is their flagship called Black Butte Porter. If you read my earlier beer blog, you know about this brewery. If you have not, please, the first part of that beer blog. This brewery has been around for a while so you might know about this brewery pretty well. Let us get into the beer.

This porter dark brown to black in color with a light tan color head on the beer. The smell is a slight coffee to the beer. The taste is a dry chocolate to a little coffee to the beer. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from beer bottle:

AHH, Our creamy contrary flagship a dark zig to the usual zag.

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

With a dark beer as our first and flagship brand, Black Butte defined Deschutes as a radical player. A slight hop bitterness up front enhances the distinctive chocolate and roasted finish. It’s prized for its creamy mouthfeel and intense complex flavors.

Malt: Pale, Carapils, Chocolate, Crystal, Wheat Hops: Cascade, Bravo, Tettnang

Watch Brewer Veronica Vega talk about the wisdom in failure and the brewery’s flagship beer, Black Butte Porter.

Awards

Bronze Medal, Brown Porter

2009 Great American Beer Festival

Best Porter

2007 Readers’ Choice Awards, Northwest Brewing News

Gold Medal, Porter Category

2007 Australian International Beer Awards

Silver Medal, Porter Category

2006 Australian International Beer Awards

Silver Medal (88 – Highly Recommended)

2005 World Beer Championships

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.deschutesbrewery.com

Twitter: @deschutesbeer

Closing out, this is an extremely creamy and drinkable porter. It is a little different then the rest of the porters on the market. The key to this porter it is the fact it is drinkable and sessionable. In other words, you can have several of these beers in a seating. It is pretty balances with the hops but yet gives you a ton of chocolate notes. Black Butte being a full body beer has a ton of flavor and I am glad it is in Chicago. This is a great beer for any season and any weather. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog O’so Brewing Hopdinger

In this beer blog, we are going to sample a new brewery to hit the Chicago market from Wisconsin. The brewery is called O’so Brewing and the beer is their Hopdinger. O’so Brewing was founded in a small town in Wisconsin and design to give the local people some good craft beer. They had some help from the Central Waters and Point Brewery and they are also good friends. It does not say when they were founded on their website but they are a pretty small brewery. O’so is in the town of Plover, Wisconsin. I wish I could find more on this brewery. Let us get into the beer.

This beer has a clear, constant bubbles, and copper color with a constant white head. The smell is a citrus to the beer. The taste of this pale ale is a sweet citrus and grapefruit together. The aftertaste is a dry citrus to the beer. Being a full body beer, it is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Pungent, Hoppy, Crisp, Floral, Bitter, Piney, Resinous, and Engaging

Join the fight against boring beer at osobrewing.com brewed and bottled by O’So Brewing Company Plover, WI Discover the art of freestyle brewing.

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

Hopdinger^TM

This pale ale is generously hopped yet balanced through the use of Munich and Crystal malts. Hops added after fermentation gives this American classic an intense aromatic bouquet. Enjoy! ABV: 6%, 49 IBUs, 14 SRM

Available Yearly!

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.osobrewing.com

Twitter: no twitter account

In closing, this is not my favorite pale ale and it is just like the rest on the market. If I can get the same pale ale cheaper, I will pass this beer. I really hate to say it. This is a great beer but I just feel the price I am paying is not really worth it. If you love pale ales and think it is worth it, please, drink it and support this little brewery. I do recommend you trying this beer. I believe you will find the same thing I did about this beer. Please, let me know about your thoughts on this brewery. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

New Beer Blog Saugatuck Brewing Neapolitan Milk Stout

In this beer blog, we are going to check out a newer brewery from Michigan. The brewery is called Saugatuck Brewing Company and the beer is called Neapolitan Milk Stout. Saugatuck Brewing was founded in 2005 in Dougles, Michigan by Barry Johnson. In mid 2008, the next part of their plan was in motion, which was to start bottling their beers. Let us get into this beer.

It has a jet black color with a tan head on the beer. The smell is milk chocolate to chocolate milk. The taste is a silk to smooth chocolate to the beer. The aftertaste is roasted chocolate to coffee to the beer. It is close to the ice cream. It is a pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Nostalgic flavors of chocolate, strawberry, and vanilla… Our flavors the Mt. Baldy radar tower a local landmark installed by the U.S. Air Force in 1937.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.saugatuckbrewing.com

Twitter: @saugatuckbrew

Closing, milk stouts always had that feeling of drinking ice cream. Saugatuck Brewing took it to the next level. They design this milk stout to totally take on ice cream feel. I had it in the bottle and I could pick up Neapolitan Ice Cream, which I remember as a kid eating it all the time in Michigan growing up. I am pretty impressive by this beer and I might have to retry their beers again. I recommend 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 Ghostrider White India Pale Ale

While in Milwaukee again, we are going to get into a beer at John’s Hawks in downtown Milwaukee. I have to say this bar has a great beer selection and awesome food. It is a hidden gem in Milwaukee and I hope more people find this bar soon. I could not find any information on this brewery. I found the brewery site with the same name but this beer is not listed. I do not want to give wrong information. Let us get into this great beer.

The color is a hazel yellow without a head on the beer. The smell is a fresh grass and more earthly to the beer. The taste is a wheaty to yeast with a sweet carbonation earthly to the beer. The aftertaste is not really there but fate. It is a pretty drinkable beer for wheat and IPA fans.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Legend has it the Ghostrider roams the high-desert seeking revenge on those who stole his recipe for the perfect IPA. … we might be in trouble.

Here is a description from a beer blogger like myself (www.utahbeer.blogspot.com):

It’s looking to be a White Xmas this year at Wasatch Brewing. Yesterday we had the debut of Switch, a Port barrel aged Belgian style Witbier. Today we have its cousin, an aggressively hopped – hybrid beer called Ghostrider White IPA.

First of all it has one of the best looking labels to adorn a local bottle in quite some time. Inside is a beer style that’s becoming very popular in the U.S., the White IPA.

At it’s most basic, a White IPA is a beer that mixes the hop-character and brewing techniques of an India Pale Ale with the wheat base and spice additions of the refreshing Belgian witbier.

GhostRider pours a cloudy, light straw color with a nice sudsy white cap. The nose is full of citrus with hints of wheat and coriander. The beginning of each sip starts out like a wheat beer with notes of biscuit, coriander, lemongrass, and orange peel. Mid palate big citrusy tangerine hops “pop” adding a bit of bitterness to the back of the tongue. Swallowing the beer releases more of the soft and grainy wheat flavors with an emphasis on coriander & cloves in the finish. 6.0% ABV in 12 oz. bottles

This is a nice twist on an IPA. It takes many of the traditional characteristics of a Witbier and combines them with an intense hop character. The flavors come together quite nicely to make this easy to drink, smooth, enjoyable beer.

In closing, I am not a huge fan of this new trend in the IPA sub categories. I am hoping it is a trend because White India Pale Ales are growing pretty fast. There is new White IPA popping on the market everyday. I have to say I did enjoy this beer very much. It was not over the top with yeast or wheaty taste. It was pretty balance. I have to say I pick up more hints of the hops. I would add this to my line up if it was available in Chicago. I recommend this beer if you can find it in your market. I know this is not available in the Chicago market. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email: djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter: @djweiser

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