samuel adams

New Beer Blog Fuller’s London Pride

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into the flagship from Fuller’s Brewery and the beer is London Pride Pale Ale.  If you read my beer blog post on their ESB, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not read that beer blog post, please, read that post to get to know this brewery.  Let us get into beer.

It has a clear copper color with a constant white head.  There is no smell to this beer.  The taste is a malty caramel with a light carbonation with a tropical fruit aftertaste.  It is drinkable and refreshing beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Fuller’s London Pride is an award-winning English classic premium beer, rich and smooth, with a good malty base and well-developed hop notes in the finish.

The Griffin Brewery in Chiswichk, London, has been brewing fine beers since 1654.

The Fuller, Smith & Turner partnership, dating back to 1845, brews an excellent range of award-winning beers, many of which are available in the USA, including London Pride premium beer and the world’s original ESB.  I hope you will enjoy trying all our fine beers.

Here is description from their website (www.fullers.co.uk):

London Pride

Fuller’s London Pride is the UK’s leading premium ale.

An intrinsic part of London, London Pride has been brewed by the banks of the Thames from the very first brew.

Known and loved for its smooth, distinctive malty base and rich balance of hops flavours, London Pride is London and the UK’s favourite premium ale.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.fullers.co.uk

Twitter;  @London_Pride

Ending, this is a great beer but I am not a huge fan of the malty base pale ales.  This is how all English Pale Ales.  There is nothing wrong that brewing styles.  Europe set the standard for the classic beer styles.  I love the hops that they use in this brew but I just feel this beer would be better if it did not have a huge malty backbone.  This is what the brewery and the brewmaster at the time was going for in the recipe.  So for what it is, it is well made 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

New Beer Blog Dark Horse Safety Meeting IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into an India Pale Ale from Dark Horse Brewing.  I had  their Safety Meeting IPA on National India Pale Ale Day.   Dark Horse Brewing was founded in 1998 by Bill Morse and Aaron Morse.  They opened in Marshall, Michigan.  They later moved to their current location off South Kalamazoo Road in 2000.  They brew several different beer styles.  They are known for their flagship which is called Crooked Tree IPA.  Let us get into the beer.

It has cloudy amber color without a head on the beer.  The smell is piney and citrus.  The taste of this medium body beer is citrus to hints of pine with a wet hop finish.  It is pretty drinkable.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.darkhorsebrewery.com

Twitter:  @DarkHorseBrewCo

Happy IPA Day!, I enjoyed this beer and I love the hops that they used in this beer.  This beer was pretty well-balanced beer.  I was pretty stun by it.  I was on my way back to Michigan from Chicago and I wanted to stop by the brewpub to have lunch.  I had a few IPA’s at the brewpub and enjoyed them.  I had a chance to talk to some of the regulars that come into the brewpub.  Chuck was a really nice guy and I hope to meet him again the next time I come back through the brewpub.  The food was great and everyone was really nice.  I highly recommend this beer if it is still available and checking out the brewpub.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Blue Point Hoptical Illusion India Pale Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into one of my favorite India Pale Ales.  I am talking about Blue Point Brewing and the beer is their Hoptical Illusion India Pale Ale.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on this brewery, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not read those beer posts, please, read them to know everything about this brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a dark golden color without a head on the beer.  The smell is weird malt to the beer.  There is really no hop smell.  The taste of this full body IPA is earthy to piney with a slight dry hop finish.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

We won’t go as far as saying you’ll see things after partaking in a few, but one or two will leave you craving more. Ancient Egyptians stuffed their pillows with fresh hops, believing the hop’s aroma brought on intense, vivid dreams. Today, our classic, American-style India Pale Ale (IPA) features a rare hop grown exclusively on a small farm in Oregon. One taste and you’ll understand why we bought the entire crop. Our Hoptical Illusion IPA is brewed with a generous amount of this select hop that’s added five different ways for maximum hop flavor. The delicious, resiny, citrus-burst that you taste is the “Essence of the Hop” which is balanced by a malty backbone yielding an intense, golden ale. Hoptical Illusion tantalizes beer lovers’ taste-buds, while its colorful, psychedelic packaging is candy for the eyes.

1.064 OG and 66 IBU’s 6.8% ABV

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.bluepointbrewing.com

Twitter:  @bluepointbrewer

Ending, I miss getting this beer in the Chicago market.  However, I was visiting friends and family in Michigan, I was able to pick up some beer and this one of them.  I love this India Pale Ale while I was there.  I always call this beer the “Hippie Package” or “Hippie IPA.”   I love the hops that they are using in this beer.  I highly recommend you trying this great beer from the Long Island, New York brewery.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Fuller’s ESB

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into an import and craft brewery from England.  It is Fuller’s and the beer is their ESB.  This is family owned business since 1845.  This brewery is just outside of London, England.  They brew several different beer styles that is true to classic England beer styles.  There beers are not over hopped like most American craft brews.    Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear amber color without a head on the beer.  The smell is almost like a caramel.  The taste of medium body beer is carbonated caramel with dry hazelnut hop finish.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Fuller’s ESB is the famous winner of many awards around the world; bursting with powerful, sustained malt and hop flavors, it is the world’s original and the one by which others are judged!

The Griffin Brewery in Chiswich, London, has been brewing fine ales since 1654.

The Fuller, Smith & Turner partnership, dating back to 1845, brews an excellent range of award-winning ales, many of which are available in the USA, including London Pride pale ale and the world’s original ESB.  I hope you will enjoy trying all our fine ales.

Here is a description from their website (www.fullers.co.uk):

ESB was launched into the Fuller’s family in 1971, as a winter brew to replace a beer named Old Burton Extra. The potential of the beer was soon realised and ESB was installed as a permanent fixture, creating an immediate impact.

Not only was it one of the strongest regularly brewed draught beers in the country (at 5.5% ABV), it was also one of the tastiest, and as the awareness of the beer grew, so did its popularity. ESB’s reputation was soon enhanced after being named CAMRA’s (Campaign for Real Ale) Beer of the Year in 1978, and the beer has not stopped winning since!

With three CAMRA Beer of the Year awards, two World Champion Beer awards, and numerous other gold medals to speak of, ESB is, quite simply, the Champion Ale.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.fullers.co.uk

Twitter:  @London_Pride

In closing, what can you say about this beer?  It is a classic beer and this brewery shows most craft breweries in the United States how to brew the classic beer styles.  They keep teaching their wrongs or maybe they are not paying attention to it.  I am talking the old and new world breweries. There is some rich flavors here and I really enjoyed drinking this brew.  I love the malt characters that this brew produces to the beer drinker.  I am not much into import breweries but this brewery pops off the shelf.  I had to give it a try again.  I recommend you trying this brew to get an idea what ESB is supposed to taste like.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Blue Point Brewing Blueberry Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into another beer from Blue Point Brewing.  It is their Blueberry Ale.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this Long Island, New York brewery.  If you have not, please, read those beer blog posts to get to know this brewery.  Let us get into beer.

It has a clear golden color without a head.  The smell is heavy blueberry.  The taste of this light body beer is heavy blueberry notes.  It is extremely drinkable beer.

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

Who knew that throwing some blueberries into a batch of beer one day would have worked out so well? While there’s no Oompa-Loompas involved in its production; there’s definitely something special that makes Blueberry Ale one of our top-sellers. First brewed in 1998, this delicious golden ale quickly became a year-round favorite. Our fresh Blueberry Ale offers an unusual twist on brewing that turns out to be a wonderful blend of fresh blueberries matched with a distinctive, thirst quenching ale. We carefully add 732 pounds of fresh, plump and juicy, handpicked, USA Northern Highbush Blueberries to every batch. Even before your first sip of Blueberry Ale, a strong, refreshing sweet fruit aroma emanates from the bottle, kicking your taste-buds into overdrive.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website: www.bluepointbrewing.com

Twitter:  @bluepointbrewer

Closing, I do get into my fair share of fruit beers.  I love pretty much everything I have had from Blue Point Brewing.  I had this beer for the first time in Cooperstown, New York.  I have to say I was pretty impressed.  I picked up this bottle on my way back to Chicago from Detroit.  I wanted to re-try this brew just to make sure I still like it.  This beer is pretty balanced from the golden ale and the blueberries.  It is sweet but not overly sweet.  I recommend you trying this brew.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Three Floyds Evil Power Imperial Pilsner

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into our second brew from Three Floyds Brewery.  The beer is their Evil Power Imperial Pilsner.  If you read my earlier beer blog on their Christmas Porter, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read that beer blog to get to know this brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear golden color with a semi white head. There is no smell to the beer. The taste of this medium body beer has a slightly crisp citrus with malt notes with a clean crisp dry aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

A fortified Euoropean Style Pils langered to perfection, brewed with Heavy Metal warriors Lair Of The Minotaur in commemoration of their 4th Full-Lenght release “Evil Power.”  Available now at lairoftheminotaur.com 3floyds.com prosit skol cheers.

Here is  their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.3floyds.com

Twitter:  @3floyds

Closing out, I have a problem with most craft breweries when they try to make a lager or pilsner.  I will have to say I have had some really bad version of this classic beer styles.  Three Floyds Brewing is one of the few craft breweries in the United States that made a great Imperial Pilsner.  I have to say this brew has challenged Uinta Imperial Pilsner.  I wish I could find this in the City of Chicago but I have to drive down to their brewpub.  It has a beautiful color that welcomes you to drink this brew. There is a nice hop character but a nice malty blend with a nice crisp dry finish.  I highly recommend you trying this brew.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

New Beer Blog Paw Paw Brewing K.U.A. Extra Pale Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into the first brew from Paw Paw Brewing on this blog.  I had a chance to try their beer at the Michigan Brewer’s Guild Summerfest.  I stopped by their booth and talked to them along with sampling their beers.  I was back in Michigan this last weekend to see Tesla and Uncle Ted.  I did stop by their brewpub but they were closed.  I might make a trip back in to check out this brewery.  Paw Paw Brewing is located in Paw Paw, Michigan by Ben Fleckestein and Ryan Sylvester in 2010.  They had their grand opening in 2011.  They brew several different beer styles and package them in bottles.  I am looking forward to stopping in and trying everything straight from source.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a hazel copper color with a constant white head. There is no smell to this extra pale ale.  The taste is smooth caramel with a citrus hop finish.  It is drinkable.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

This American pale ale carries tropical citrus notes and announces itself first with a golden color and wonderful aroma.  Inspired by cyclists nationwide that ride the urban streets, this brew is sure to refresh.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.pawpawbrewing.com

Twitter:  @pawpawbrewery and @2pawsbeer

In the end, this is an awesome beer.  I have to say the newer craft breweries raising up in Michigan put the newer ones in Chicago to shame.  Michigan is growing into a pretty important state for craft beer.  They are a long ways off from Oregon and Washington.  They are gaining ground pretty quickly.  I love the hops that they use on this beer and yet there is a nice balance from the malt.  This a well-built beer and you can tell that this brewery put some thought behind this beer.  I will be looking forward to try rest of their beers.  I recommend you driving to Michigan to get this beer in your hands.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Bastone Brewery Peanut Butter Noir

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into another beer I had at the Summer Beer Festival in Michigan.  The brewery is Bastone Brewery and the beer is their Peanut Butter Noir.  The brewery is located at Royal Oak, Michigan in 2004.  The brewery is named after a Belgian city.  Their beer and food is theme after this great Europe country.  I found this information on their website (www.bastone.net). Let us get into beer.

It has a peanut butter color without a head on it.  There is not a smell to it.  The taste is sweet peanut butter with a dry peanut butter aftertaste.  It is not drinkable.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.bastone.net

Twitter:  @bastonebrewery

In the end, I have to say I was pretty impressed by this beer.  Everyone with me was looking at me weird when I brought it over to the group.  This brewery did think out of the box which is a good thing.  I am willing to try beers like this all the time.  I have to say  this was a really good tasting beer.  I loved the aftertaste.  I hate to say this.  I could only have maybe 12oz pour of this beer.  It is not thick but heavy.  I just feel it is heavy and not drinkable.  I really enjoyed this beer and I could not find anything on their website about this brew.  I am looking forward to making a trip to this brewery the next time I am in  town.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Great Divide Hades Golden Belgian Style Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into the last of the three beers from Great Divide Brewing that I am reviewing on this blog.  It is their Hades Belgian-Style Ale.  It you read my earlier beer blog post on their beers, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read those beer posts to get to know this brewery.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a slight cloudy golden color without a head.  The smell is between malt to citrus but very fade.  It is hard to pick up.  The taste of this medium body ale is a slight carbonated back hop to malt with refreshing with a slight citrus finish.  It is a session beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Hades is a Begian-Style golden ale brewed with a rare Belgian yeast stain that gives a complex spicy flavor and aroma.  Noticable hops and medium malt character make it a very well-balanced crisp ale.

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

HADES is a Belgian-Style golden ale brewed with a rare Belgian yeast strain that gives a complex spicy flavor and aroma. Noticeable hops and medium malt character make it a very well-balanced, crisp ale.

 ABV.: 7.8%

AVAILABLE: Year Round

SIZES: Included in Brewers’ Picks and Big Show 12-packs only

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.greatdivide.com

Twitter:  @greatdividebrew

In closing, this is one beer style.  I believe are hardest to match to the classic beer style and put your own twist.  It is just like lagers most craft breweries can not make a good one.  Great Divide did a great job coming as close as they can and putting their twist on  their version of Duvel.  I have to say I was pretty impressed about it.  I recommend you trying this brew and please let me know if I am right or wrong.  I would love to talk about beer with you.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Frankenmuth Brewery Twisted Helles Summer Lager

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into the new summer brew from my favorite Michigan brewery which is Frankenmuth Brewery.  The new brew, which is one of my favorite German beer style, is Twisted Helles Summer Lager.  If you read my earlier beer bogs on this brewery’s brews, you know the long and rich history of Frankenmuth Brewery.  If you have not, please, read those beer blog posts.  Let us get into the brew.

It has a hazel strew to light golden color with constant small bubbles.  It also has a constant white head.  The smell is of malt with a fade orange to lemon notes but to me it is the pilsner malt smell.  The taste of this light body and refreshing lager is malts with a notes of orange and lemon zest.  The aftertaste is crisp with lemon zest finish.  It is extremely drinkable beer and perfect for the hot summer day.

Here is a description from the beer can:

One Sip And It’s Summer

Inspired by Michigan summers, Twisted Helles stands as a monument to everything we love about the season: beaches and BBQs, patios and porch swings, friends and fireworks.  Tinged with mild, yet memorable notes of citrus, this crisp, full-flavored lager is indigenous to happy hours, tailgates and block parties.

Crafted by a brewery that’s lived and loved over 150 summers, Twisted Helles doesn’t just tastee like summer…  It feelslike it.

Here is a description from the beer packaging:

One Sip And It’s Summer

Twisted Helles is inspired by Michigan summers – and so, by effect, it’s summer’s perfect complement.  The unmistakable presence of German noble hops is perfectly balanced with an elegant maltiness, reminding you that bitterness has no place in a true Helles lager.

Full-bodied, yet pleasantly quenching… and then there’s the “twist.”  The moment you crack open a can your senses are brought to life in both aroma and flavor with finishing hints of orange and lemon zest that bring it all back home.  Because this one summer brew that knows exactly where home is.

Here is a description from their website (www.twistedhelles.com and www.frankenmuthbrewery.com):

Twisted Helles is inspired by Michigan summers–and so by effect, it’s summer’s perfect complement. The unmistakable presence of German noble hops is perfectly balanced with an elegant maltiness reminding you that bitterness has no place in a true Helles lager. Full-bodied yet pleasantly quenching…and then there’s the “twist.”
The moment you crack open a can your senses are brought to life in both aroma and flavor with finishing hints of orange and lemon zest that bring it all back home. Because this in one summer brew that knows exactly where home is.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.twistedhelles.com (it is a fun site)  and www.frankenmuthbrewery.com

Twitter:  @FB1862

In the end, when I heard Frankenmuth Brewery was coming out with a summer beer, I was like another summer beer that I will not be drinking.  I will have to just keep drinking my IPAs and Pales Ales.  I am not a fan of most spring and summer seasonals.  However, I heard  it was a classic German beer style, I was pretty excited and upset because I could not get it here in Chicago.  When I made it back to Michigan, I made it a point to find this brew to try it and write a review on it.  Helles is one of my favorite German beer style.  I have to say if any craft brewery in the states can do German beer styles.  It is Frankenmuth Brewery.  This Twisted Helles Summer Lager is well made and it is one of the few summer seasonals I will go out of my way to pick up.  The other two summer brews are Sierra Nevada Summer Lager and Two Brothers Dog Days Lager.  I have to say I am not too impressed with those brews but that is what I was force to drink if I wanted a summer brew.  This is a perfect brew for the hot Michigan Summer Days.  Trust me I know all about those days and extremely hot Chicago Summer Days.  Thank you Frankenmuth Brewery for giving this Hophead hope and something to drink in the summer time!  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser