session beer

New Beer Blog Yuengling Porter

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In this beer blog, we are going to sample another brew, which is the Porter, from Yuengling Brewery.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this east coast craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know this Oldest Brewery in the United States.  Let us get into this porter.

It has a jet black color with tan color head. There is not any aroma in this porter. It is pretty faded and I cannot pick up the notes. The taste has a nice balance of chocolate to roasted malt with a nice slight alcohol burn for the aftertaste. There is a little chocolate notes within aftertaste. It is a pretty drinkable porter.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.yuengling.com

Twitter:  @yuengling_Beer

Closing, I just wish this brewery would make it to Michigan.  I happy to say that I can drive 60 miles south and pick up cases in Ohio.  I have not had their porter in a long time so I was happy to see it on the shelf.  I love it. This is a nice classic English style porter.  There is a nice balance in this porter.  I really enjoyed this beer.  What I love about this beer, it is really drinkable for the beer style.  I highly recommend this porter.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog New Belgium Frambozen Ale (2014)

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In this special beer blog, we are going to get into their holiday beer from New Belgium Brewery.  It is their Frambozen Ale.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this mountain area craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know New Belgium Brewery.  Let us get into this American Brown ale.

It has a clear ruby-red color when held up to the light. The smell has a heavy sweet raspberry notes. The taste has a sweet malty with raspberry wine notes. The brown ale calms wine notes. The aftertaste has a sweet raspberry finish. It is a nice sipping but kind of drinkable beer for the holiday season.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Flemish for “raspberry,” Frambozen is our big, luscious celebration of the ruby-red fruit. We discovered the perfect marriage between the fruity complexity of northwestern raspberries and the rich chocolate, roasted maltiness of a Brown Ale. Frambozen pours a warming, deep red of seasonal festivity.

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

Frambozen begins with the aroma of fresh red raspberries, followed by the ripe seductiveness of a fruity brown ale with depth and delicate malt notes. It is deep ruby in color, with flavors just as rich. Every year, New Belgium sends a delegate to the Pacific Northwest to oversee the process of turning freshly picked berries into a pure juice to be added in fermentation. The coming of Thanksgiving at New Belgium is ushered in with the first sighting of our cellar operators scuttling about, covered head to tow in a festive crimson berry wash.

Here is their website and twitter:

Website:  www.newbelgium.com

Twitter:  @newbelgium

In the end, I have been wanting to try this so many seasons.  I miss it season after season.  I saw it on the shelf this winter season.  I knew I had to pick it up right away.  I knew the raspberries would go over pretty well with the brown ale.  This is before trying this brew.  I love the nice color.  It has that Flemish Brown color but it is not a sour.  I love it. There is a nice balance from the raspberries and the brown ale.  It kind of has a little wine like notes which is a little unique.  This is by far the best winter seasonal on the market this season.  I highly recommend this beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog 21st Amendment Marooned On Hog Island Stout

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In this blog, we are going to get into another brew from 21st Amendment Brewery.  It is their Marooned On Hog Island Stout.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this west coast craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know 21st Amendment Brewery.  Let us get into this special stout.

It has a jet black color without a head but the head that was there is a tan color. The aroma has a chocolate to coffee notes. The taste has a slime chocolate with a burned malt to coffee notes for the aftertaste. It is a nice sipping beer.

Here is a description from the beer can:

Exhausted by the tedious work and rancid beer, deck swabs O’Sulivan and Freccia abandoned Sir Francis Drake’s Galleon.  Days later, they washed up on a tiny island in Tomales Bay, where they encountered local oyster Farmers John and Terry.  Soon, these beer mutineers and oyster mercenaries were feasting on roast pig, fresh oysters and goblets of the Captain’s finest ale.  They could think of worse fates than being…

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.21st-amendment.com

Twitter:  @21stAmendment

In the end, I have always love stouts.  I am pretty much in love with stouts made with oysters.  My first ever stout with oysters was from Flying Dog.  These stouts are really unique and it takes stout and oyster fans to love this unique beer style.  The oysters make this stout a little slime like notes with some nice chocolate to coffee notes.  I love it. There is a nice balance in this brew.  I cannot wait to see this brew next season or everyday.  There is no information on their website.  I highly recommend this beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Bell’s Mercury The Winged Messenger Belgian Style Ale

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In this special beer blog, we are going to get into third brew from this Planet series from Bell’s Brewery.  It is Mercury The Winged Messenger Belgian Style Ale.  After a major recall, I took my chances to try this beer because of glass being in it. I filter this beer twice.  I am still alive and I did not see any glass.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this midwest craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know this Michigan craft brewery legend.  Let us get into this Belgian style ale.

It has a slight cloudy golden color with a white constant head. It has a big bubbles in the head. The smell has a floral to herbal notes. The taste has an herbal to species.  The aftertaste has a nice dry finish. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

This is one of a seven part series inspired by Gustav Holst’s musical composition.  “The Planets,” strap in and embark on a flavor tour of our solar system – in the order of Holst’s piece, Mars to Neptune.

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

The Winged Messenger

STYLE: Belgian Single

RELEASE DATE: December 2014

ABV: 4.8%

COLOR: Pale, straw

GLASSWARE: Snifter

TASTING NOTES: Light and sessionable like its namesake, the third release in the Bell’s Planet Series, Mercury: The Winged Messenger, was inspired by the Belgian Single, a style traditionally brewed by monks in Belgium for their own consumption.

This interpretation has bready and grainy notes from Belgian malt, herbal and balanced characteristics from the hops and a subtle, but spicy character from the Belgian yeast. Fruity notes of pear are also present in this light, bright and complex session beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.bellsbeer.com

Twitter:  @BellsBrewery

Ending, I did enjoy this beer. The problem that i have with this beer is the price.  I am paying so much for a session Belgian Ale.  I get what they were doing.  It was not really good for the price.  If it was cheaper or everyday brew, it would make a little bit more senses.  There is a little rumor out there.  Bell’s did a recall because the liquid was not up to their standards.  It has nothing to do with glass in the bottles.  They made something up to get this liquid off the market.  This is just a rumor and I heard it in a few craft beer bars.  If you can find a bottle, drink it at your own risk.  I believe this is once in a lifetime brew.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweser13

New Beer Blog Harpoon Gingerland UFO (2014)

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In this winter beer blog, we are going to get into another beer from Harpoon Brewery and it is their Gingerland UFO.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this northeast craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know Harpoon Brewery.  Let us get into this German style Hefeweizen style.

It has a cloudy slight golden color with a white constant head. The aroma has a ginger to slight yeast notes. The taste has a refreshing ginger to corridor notes. The aftertaste has a ginger to lemon notes. It does not last long. It is kind of drinkable.

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

It took a while for us to come up with a UFO beer that could withstand the darkest days of the year, but the warmth of ginger combined with the seasonal spice of cinnamon and clove form a perfect companion for a visit to Gingerland. Brewed, not Baked. Poured, not sliced. Inspired by a classic tale. Deliciously spiced. Welcome to Gingerland.

Description

Cinnamon, clove and ginger combine with an unfiltered wheat beer in this deliciously spiced, gingerbread-inspired beer.

Tasting Notes

  • Appearance: slightly hazy, deep orange
  • Aroma: ginger snap
  • Mouth feel: medium bodied and rounded
  • Taste: malty sweetness from the blend of cinnamon and Munich malt
  • Finish: sweet with a clean crisp finish of ginger

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.harpoonbrewery.com

Twitter:  @harpoon_brewery

In closing, it makes a ton of senses for Harpoon Brewery to take their UFO to the next level.  They do have their ever popular Pumpkin UFO along with their Raspberry UFO Ale.  It makes sense for them to do a nice brew for the Christmas and winter season.  I am not a huge fan of it and this is not my kind of beer style.  I can see this being pretty popular brew for the winter season.  This brew will start a new trend in the craft beer world.  I highly recommend this beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Sixpoint Sensi Harvest

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In this beer blog, we are to sample another brew from one of my favorite east coast craft brewery, who is Sixpoint Brewery.  It is their Sensi Harvest.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know Sixpoint Brewery.  Let us get into this pale ale.

It has a nice clear copper color without a head on this harvest pale ale. The aroma has a floral to citrus notes. The taste has a nice malty with hints of citrus notes. The aftertaste has a citrus aftertaste. It is extremely drinkable beer.

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

A copper ale bursting with fresh, undisturbed hop character.
Juicy wet-hops carefully selected by the Mad Scientists make SENSI HARVEST a unique delicacy available only at harvest time.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.sixpoint.com

Twitter:  @sixpoint

Ending, if you read my earlier beer posts on their beers, you know that I am a huge fan of their beers.  They make some awesome beer.  I was pretty excited when I made a road trip down to Ohio and saw their beers on the shelf.  I saw this one and I thought this is no brainer.  I love some fresh or harvest hop ales.   I love the color and aroma from this pale ale.  I am not too sure on how I feel about the taste profile.  I like it but I think the hops or malt are not going good together.  This is a great beer but I only can have one.  I need to move on to another brew.  This is what the taste profile does to me.  I highly recommend this brew at least one.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Alaskan Winter Ale (2014)

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In this winter beer blog, we are going to sample another brew from Alaskan Brewery.  It is their Winter Ale.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know this northwest craft brewery.  Let us get into this winter ale.

It has a clear copper color with a white to off white constant head. The aroma has hints of spruce tips notes. The taste has a sweet malty with a heavy focus spruce tips notes. The aftertaste has a crisp aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Style:

English Olde Ale. Traditionally malty with the warming sensation of alcohol, Olde Ales are brewed in the fall as winter warmers.

Flavor Profile:


Brewed in the style of an English Olde Ale, this ale balances the sweet heady aroma of spruce tips with the clean crisp finish of noble hops. Its malty richness is complemented by the warming sensation of alcohol.

History:
From the seafaring adventurers of the 1700s to the homebrewers of today, adding spruce tips to beer has a rich history in Southeast Alaska. Alaskan Winter Ale was first released by the Brewery in 2000.

Ingredients:
Alaskan Winter is made from glacier-fed water, Sitka spruce tips and a generous blend of the finest quality European and Pacific Northwest hop varieties and specialty malts. Our water originates in the 1,500-square-mile Juneau Ice Field and from the more than 90 inches of rainfall we receive each year.

Recommendation:
Perfect winter warmer by the fireside or an accompaniment to holiday fare. Serve with roast goose, turkey, ham or lamb. A nice complement to holiday breads, pound cake, or apple pie.

The Story Behind The Label:
Throughout Southeast Alaska, bald eagles can be spotted landing atop the towering old growth forests of Sitka spruce trees. As many as 3,000 bald eagles congregate among these evergreen trees on the shores of the Chilkat River for the last large run of salmon before winter. Sitka spruce trees carry a significance of their own to local Alaskans. The tender new growth of the spruce tips lends a delicious, yet subtly sweet floral aroma to teas, jelly and now our Alaskan Winter Ale.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.alaskanbeer.com

Twitter:  @alaskanbeer

In the end, I have been wanting to this beer for a long time.  I was pretty excited to them enter the State of Michigan.  I was pretty stun that they skip the City of Chicago.  Chicago is a pretty big market for craft beer.  Most craft breweries did not want to enter that market because of the laws.  On the other side, most craft breweries did not want to enter the Michigan Market because the huge push for Michigan craft beers.  Beers that are outside of state get pushed away and do not get a fair shake.  I did not know if they will be pushing out their seasonal beers right away.  I was pretty happy to see this beer on the shelf.  I had to pick up a bottle and try it.  I was interested to see how Spruce would work in this beer.  There is a Michigan craft brewery that used spruce tips and failed on their beer.  The beer was terrible.  I knew experienced craft brewery would know how to work it correctly in this beer.  They did a great job and it is pretty good.  There is a nice balance in this beer.  I highly recommend this beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Lagunitas Brown Shugga’ (2014)

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into another brew from Lagunitas Brewery.  It is their Brown Shugga’.  This is their 2014 edition.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this west coast craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know Lagunitas Brewery.  Let us get into this beer.

It has a nice copper to bronze color with a small white bubble head color. The smell has a sweet malty to alcohol notes. The taste has a sweet malty to slight but faded alcohol notes. The aftertaste has a dry hoppy bitter finish. It is kind of drinkable beer.

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

Originally a failed attempt at our 1997 batch of Olde GnarlyWine Ale resulting in an all-new-beer-style we like to call…Irresponsible.

AVAILABLE: NOVEMBER 2014 thru JANUARY 2015 (whoa!)
ABV: 9.99%
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, this is a pretty unique beer.  It has a nice color and appearance.  The packaging is a nice just like all the rest of their beers.  It is pretty hard to explain this beer.  I know that I love it.  I look forward to every year it is released.  There is some nice malty notes along with some alcohol notes.  It is pretty drinkable for the ABV.  I highly recommend this beer.  This is one of their best beers.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Boston Beer Company Samuel Adams White Christmas (2014)

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into another brew from Samuel Adams Brewery.  It is their White Christmas.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this east coast craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know Boston Beer Company.  Let us get into this White Ale.

It has a cloudy golden color with a white head color. It disappears over time. The aroma has a yeasty, corridor, to a lemon notes. The taste has a wheat to corridor notes. The aftertaste has a dry cinnamon, nutmeg, and hints of orange to lemon notes finish. It is pretty drinkable winter beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

As crisp as the first snowfall of the year, this unfiltered white ale is blended with holiday spices including cinnamon, nutmeg, and orange peel.  The familiar citrus and wheat characters of the ale are complemented by the warmth of the spices for a festive brew that’s perfect for the season.

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

A special time of year calls for a special brew. For us, this brew combines the crispness of a white ale with the warmth of familiar holiday spices.

HOP VARIETIES

Spalt Spalter Noble hops

MALT VARIETIES

Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend, wheat, IdaPils malt

YEAST STRAIN

Samuel Adams ale yeast

COLOR

SRM: 6

SPECIAL INGREDIENTS

Cinnamon, nutmeg, orange peel

ALC. BY VOL/WT

5.8% ABV – 4.4% ABW

IBUs

8

CAL PER SERVING

190

AVAILABILITY

12oz: 6pk, Winter Classics

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.samueladams.com

Twitter:  @samueladamsbeer

Closing, I am not a fan of Samuel Adams or the Boston Beer Company. I give them a ton of credit to be one of the pioneers of the craft beer world.  Now days, they are looked as one of the big beer companies.  They are now known as one of the big three.  Jim Koch does not like to hear this but he is in that group.  Most of his beers are starting to be viewed like that too.  The kids today are looking at his beers like their Dad or Grandfather’s beer.  They are still pushing the limits but not as much as they did back in the 1980’s.  This brew is something a little special that they have been putting out in the last few years.  I am not a fan of but I can see people liking it.  There is a ton of spices going on this brew.  There is a nice light body but yet some complex notes.  I am not a fan of this beer style and beer.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Atwater Winterbock (2014)

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In this winter beer blog, we are going to get into another brew from Atwater Brewery.  I really do not know why I picked up their Winterbock.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know the history of this Detroit craft brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know this Michigan craft brewery.  Let us get into this brew.

It has a clear dark copper color with an off white color head.  The smell has a sweet malty notes. The taste is a sweet malty notes. The aftertaste is a sweet dry malty finish. It is kind of drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

This malty, sweet, caramel colored German bock beer is brewed with imported malt and hops.  It’s uncommon smoothness and impeccable taste make it the perfect companion on a cold night.

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

Atwater
Winter Bock (High Gravity Lager)

ABV 7.5% IBU 30
Color: Dark Caramel

This malty,sweet, caramel colored German bock beer is brewed with imported malt and hops.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.atwaterbeer.com

Twitter:  @atwaterbeer

Closing, I pretty much done with this brewery.  I do not know why I keep coming back to this craft brewery.  I always find myself buying or ordering one of their beers.  I am officially done.  This beer is full of alcohol.  It is a poor and bad version of a German bock.  They did a really bad job on this brew.  I just feel their is no balance.  It is like they dumped a ton of sugar to jack up the alcohol.  This beer is missing creative thought and passion towards this beer style and brewing beer.  I am not really a fan.  I do not recommend you trying this beer.  Do NOT go there!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser16@gmail.com

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13