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New Beer Blog Unibroue Grand Reserve 17 Dark Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into beer called Grand Reserve 17 Dark Ale from Unibroue.  Unibroue was founded in 1990 under the name of La Brasserie Massawippi Inc in Quebec, Canada.  The name changed in 1993 to Brasserie Broubec Inc and then merged with Unibroue.  It was then sold in 2004 to Sleeman Breweries.  Sleeman Breweries was then sold to Sapporo.  Unibroue Brewery brews several different Belgian beer styles.  Let us get into  the beer.

It has a brown color with a white head on the beer.  The smell is a sweet malty and other species. The taste is a sweet slight carbonation and no aftertaste to the beer.  There is a lot going on in this complex dark ale.  It is a sipping beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Dark Ale on Lees.  Ale Brewed with Spices, Aged with French Oak, and with Natural Flavors added

Inspired by the great Belgian brewing tradition of Trappist monks established over the centuries.  Unibroue 17 was first brewed in 2007 to celebrate our brewery’s 17th anniversary.  However, the overwhelming success of this specialty brew made it obvious that we could not let such great ale slip into the anonymity of retirement.

As testimony to its remarkable flavor profile which increases in complexity as it ages, the original batch bottled in 2007 was awarded an international platinum medal three years in a row and the prestigious title of “World’s Best Dark Ale” when it was well past three years in the bottle!

So in 2011, we proudly brought back this French Oak aged, bottle refermented dark ale, with the “Grande Reserve” appellation as a fitting endorsement of its exceptional quality for aging.  Brewed only once a year, in limited quantities, and individually numbered “brasseur” bottles, this is truly a flavorful delight for the specialty beer enthusiast.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.unibroue.com

Twitter:  @unibroue

In the end, I really enjoyed this beer and I have to thank my friend let me try it.  There is a ton going on in this dark ale.  It is a sipping beer but it is pretty smooth.  I was pretty stun by this beer and I will be searching the rest of their beers down from this brewery.  To be honest, how much this beer was good, I would rather drink a beer from Belgium.  This brewery being from Canada is as close to the real thing from Belgium.  I recommend this beer and  I would like to hear your thoughts on this beer or other brews that Unibroue brew.  Any you recommend for me to try from 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 Three Floyds Alpha Klaus Christmas Porter

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In this winter beer blog, we are going to look at another brew from Three Floyds and it is called Klaus Christmas Porter.  If you read my earlier beer post on their Robert The Bruce, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please read the first part of that beer post.  Let us get into the beer.

It is a jet black color with a tan color head. The smell is an evergreen pine with a touch of toffee in the beer.  The taste has a hint of toffee with a ton of pine with a pine cone aftertaste. It is not drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Alpha Klaus is Alpha King’s festive cousin. A big American Christmas Porter brewed with English chocolate malt Mexican sugar and of course, tons of strange American hops. Cheers!

Here is a description from their website (www.3floyds.com):

6.0% ABV 38 IBUs

Alpha Klaus is Alpha King’s festive cousin. A big American Christmas Porter brewed with English chocolate malt, Mexican sugar and of course, tons of strange American hops. Cheers! November release.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.3floyds.com

Twitter:  @3floyds

Closing, I am a fan of this brewery.  I was looking forward to try this beer for while.  I do not know what they were trying to do with this brew.  I feel they wanted to make a black IPA or black pale ale but wanted a porter.  I am a huge porter and hop fan so this beer has some promise.  There is not enough of the porter here just a ton of hops.  It is like you are smelling a pine cone and then eat it in liquid form.  I was really disappoint with the beer because I had to pour it out.  I never pour out a beer but this was that bad.  If you like this beer, I would like to hear your thoughts.  Do not get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Tallgrass IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to take a look at one of my one of my favorite brewery that is not in the Chicago market.  The beer is Tallgrass India Pale Ale.  If you read my earlier blog post on their 8-Bit Pale Ale, you know about this brewery.  If you did not, please, read that beer post on their flagship beer.  Let us get into this beer.

The color is light cooper with a hint of amber with a semi white head on the beer.  The smell is earthly. The taste is earthy with a dry piney aftertaste.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from their beer can:

Bombastically Hopped.  Surprisingly Malty.  Pour a Pint…..

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

IPA (ABV 6.3%, 60 IBU)

Our third beer, Tallgrass IPA, is an India Pale Ale that is rich, complex, and flavorful. We are proud to be the first brewery here in the Great Plains to have the first brewed, cans, and draft IPA out on the market!

Tallgrass IPA originally came to life as a creation during Jeff’s early homebrewing days (batch Numero Uno), and it was consumed in short order by his friends who came over to cook out and help with the next batch. After some modifications over the years (because nobody’s rookie homebrew batch tastes all that great, but your friends will tell you it does) the recipe was dialed in to become what is now Tallgrass IPA. We love this beer and think you will too!

What is with the name “India Pale Ale”? Well, India Pale Ales have a history that reaches way back to the days of the British Empire and the need for good and proper British beer for the soldiers in India. It just so happens that hops not only taste and smell great, they also have natural preservative properties that help keep beer fresher. Obviously, there was no way to keep beer cool on the long voyage around Cape Horn from England to India, so the intellectual forebearers of modern microbiology (genius brewers of course!) figured that if some hops were good for storage then heaps of hops would be great!

With this technique, these hero brewers and their hops kept the beer good and the soldiers of the empire inebriated, even in the furthest corners of the globe. Even more, the hoppiness of the IPA preserved not only the beer itself, but the great taste it created has preserved the style as one of the most popular beer styles in the world in the 21st century. If those brewers weren’t knighted by the empire back then, they should have been!

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.tallgrassbeer.com

Twitter:  @tallgrassbeer

Closing out, so far all the beers that I had from this brewery.  I have loved to death.  I love their packaging to the liquid.  This India Pale Ale is great but I do believe this beer is not an American India Pale Ale.  It has more a feel of English style IPA and with the description from their website, I believe they are embracing it.  Most American IPA are very hoppy and this beer is not.  That is why I am basing my facts on that.  I am not a brewer.  If they believe it is American IPA, it is American IPA.  This is my thought pattern.  I highly recommend this beer and I love 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 Flying Dog K-9 Winter Ale

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In this winter beer blog, we are going to get into another brew from Flying Dog Brewing and the beer is called K-9 Winter Ale.  If you read my earlier beer blog, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read the first part of that beer blog.  Let us get into this great brewery.

This beer is part of the 12 beers of Christmas from Countryside Bar.  It has a hazel copper color without a head on the beer.  There is no smell to the beer.  The taste is sweet carbonation malty without an aftertaste to it. It is very warmly so it lives up to being a winter warmer. This is a sipping beer.

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

Alchohol By Volume: 7.4%
Availability: Winter release
Hop Bitterness: 30 IBU
Specialty Malts: Changes with each release
Hops: Changes with each release
Yeast: English Ale

If it tastes like Christmas, it probably works with K-9. Flavor notes: Sweet malt base with roasted, nutty, and spicy flavors  Pairs with: Buttery cheeses; sweet breads; spice cake; squash, yams, and sweet potatoes; hearty meats and stews.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.flyingdogales.com

Twitter:  @flyingdog

Closing, this beer is not a session beer but it is just a great beer.  I love how complex the taste of this winter warmer.  This is a sipping beer and take your time in the cold winter days.  There is a ton going on in the beer.  I love the warmth when this beer goes down my throat and how sweet the beer comes across.  I love 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 Sierra Nevada Celebration Fresh Hop Ale

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In this winter beer blog, we are going to get into another brew from Sierra Nevada.  It is their winter seasonal called Celebration Fresh Hop Ale.  If you read my earlier blog on their Beer Camper, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read the first part of that beer post.  Let us get into the beer.

This beer from Sierra Nevada is called Celebration Fresh Hop Ale. It has a deep hazel copper color without a head on the beer. The smell is citrus to the beer. The taste is dry carbonation citrus with a dry aftertaste.

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

Festive fresh hop holiday fun.

The start of Celebration season is a festive event. We can’t start brewing until the first fresh hops have arrived, but once they have the season is officially under way! First brewed in 1981, Celebration Ale is one of the earliest examples of an American-style IPA and one of the few hop-forward holiday beers. Famous for its intense citrus and pine aromas, Celebration is bold and intense, featuring Cascade, Centennial and Chinook hops—honoring everything we have at Sierra Nevada.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.sierranevada.com

Twitter:  @sierranevada

Closing out, this is one of my favorite beers in the winter season and Sierra Nevada Brewery.  This is everything that I want out of a winter seasonal.  I love the hoppy taste and a great malty backbone. Most winter seasonals are jacked up with nutmeg or cinnamon and this brew gives you a different side of the season l.  I realize that craft breweries are going back to more the traditional beer styles and getting away from the over hop beers.  If you have not had this beer, I recommend you picking up a six-pack and try this great beer.  Let me know what you think of 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 Bell’s Winter White Ale

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In this winter beer blog, we are going to get into another beer from Michigan brewery known as Bell’s.  The beer is their winter seasonal which is called Bell’s Winter White Ale.  If you read my earlier blog on their Pale Ale, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read the first part of that beer post.  Let us get into the beer.

This Winter White Ale from Bell’s is part of the 12 Beers of Christmas at Countryside. It has a hazel straw like color without a head on this winter seasonal.  There is a yeasty to wheaty smell with a little corridor smell to it.  The taste is yeasty and species with a dry slight lemon aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable for the beer style.

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

Taking its cues from Belgian-style white ales, Bell’s Winter White Ale offers a lighter yet abundantly flavorful alternative to the traditional heavy winter warmers. Fermented with a Belgian ale yeast, this blend of barley & wheat malts yields a mixture of clove and fruity aromas, all without the use of any spices. Deliberately brewed to retain a cloudy appearance, Bell’s Winter White Ale is a beer for embracing winter.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.bellsbeer.com

Twitter:  @bellsbrewery

Closing, I do not know why craft breweries put out White, Wheat, etc in the middle of the winter.  It is different then the rest of the craft breweries.  I am not saying this is a bad brew.  I am not a fan of it but they did a great job on it.  I always see this beer in my market in the middle of the summer.  The distributor does a really bad job with this brewery’s beer.  This brewery will sell more of this liquid in the spring and summer.  I recommend this beer, if you are a fan of white, wheats, and hefeweizen.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Anderson Valley Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale

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In this winter beer blog, we are going to sample out another brewery that I have been wanting to try their brews out for a while.  Anderson Valley was founded in 1987 by David Norfleet and Kim and Ken Allen in Boonville, California.  This brewery was sold to Trey White with two silent partners in 2010.  They still brew several of David Norfleet’s beers and have added on since he sold the company.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a clear copper color without a head on it.  The smell is a strong cinnamon and a little caramel to the beer.  The taste is a smooth and silk caramel with a touch of cinnamon.  There is really no aftertaste to the beer.  It is kind of drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Brilliantly clear dark copper color with a dense tan head. Caramelized malty and spicy aromas redolent of cinnamon, allspice, black currant, and black licorice. Pleasantly creamy, with a silky body, sweet caramel flavor, hints of seasonal spices and a clean, malty finish.

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

The holidays are a special time in Anderson Valley. The days are darker, weather colder, and foods richer. And Anderson Valley’s Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale is perfect for this time of year. Deep amber in color, with an inviting aroma of spice and nutmeg, it was made for the turkeys, cranberries, hams, and yams of the holidays. WinterSolstice Seasonal Ale evokes a crackling fire, drifting snow, and smells of home. A hint of spice and hop bite to balance out the creamy and smooth mouthfeel, and medium sweetness.

As with all of our products, Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale is never sterile filtered nor heat pasteurized.

6.9% ABV6 IBU

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.avbc.com

Twitter:  @avbc

Closing, this beer was an awesome beer.  I was pretty stun on how good it was to the rest of the winter beers I had so far this season.  It is kind of drinkable beer.  I love all the flavors that this beer has kicking around in my mouth.  I really hate when breweries uses the term “winter warmer.”  It is really not a beer style but more and more it is starting to become a beer style.  This is why.  Most brewmasters I talk to about their beers and I bring up what is the beer style of your “winter warmer.”  Pretty much all of them could not nail it down to a beer style.  With all of this said, I recommend you as a craft beer drinker to try this beer.  Please, let me know what your thoughts on 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 Ska Euphoria Pale Ale

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In this winter beer blog, we are going to get into another beer from Ska Brewing.  The winter seasonal is called Ska Brewing Euphoria Pale Ale.  If you read my earlier blog on their Ska Mole Stout, you know a little history on this brewery.  If you have not, please read the first part of that beer blog post.  Let us get into the beer.

This beer is part of the 12 days of Christmas at Countryside Bar.  It has a clear copper color with a semi white head on the beer.  There is a slight sweet malty citrus smell to it. The taste of the beer is a carbonation citrus with a grapefruit aftertaste. It is a pretty drinkable beer.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.skabrewing.com

Twitter:  @skabrewing

In closing, I really enjoyed this beer.  I love the fact you can get in cans, which is starting to become a huge trend in the craft beer world.  This a good beer for the winter season but I wish it was a beer all year long.  I enjoy the beers I had from this brewery asides their Mole Stout.  I can only drink 6oz and I need to move onto another beer.  It is still good but just do not like the feel that beer does to my throat.  If you love pale ales or india pale ales, you will enjoy 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 Smuttynose Winter Ale

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In this winter beer blog, we are going to take a look at a beer called Winter Ale from Smuttynose Brewery.  I do not know this brewery that well so I was looking at trying this beer out at Countryside Bar.  Smuttynose Brewing was founded in 1994 by Peter Egelston in Portsmouth, New Hampshire.    They brew several different beer styles.  I will be trying some other brews from this brewery.  Let us get into this beer.

It has a clear brown color with a constant white head on the beer.  There is really no smell to the beer. The taste is a sweet malty with a dry aftertaste.  It is a pretty warm beer going down the throat.  It is a nice beer for the winter months.  I would say this is a marathon beer not a speed drinking beer.  It is a nice Dubbel.

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

Smuttynose Winter Ale is a full-bodied, amber beer brewed with a special Trappist ale yeast. Stylistically reminiscent of a Belgian Abbey Double, it features fruity aromas and flavor, balanced by soft Crystal hops. Warming, mellow & pleasantly complex, Smuttynose Winter Ale is your perfect cold weather companion.

SMUTTYNOSE WINTER ALE CONTAINS NO SPICES

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.smuttynose.com

Twitter:  @smuttynosebeer

Closing out, I did enjoy this beer and I am looking forward to checking out their other beers that they have out in my market.  I love the looks to the taste of this beer.  This is a great beer sitting by the fireplace with a nice cigar.  I recommend you trying this beer and let me know what your thoughts.  If you had some of their beers, please let me know which is the next brew I should have from 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 Southern Tier 2xmas

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In this winter beer blog, we are going to sample out Southern Tier 2xmas.  Southern Tier was founded in 2002 in Lakewood, New York by Phineas DeMink and Allen Yahn.  They ship beer around the world and of course most of it is in the United States.  They brew several different beer styles and putting their stamp on these classic beer styles.  Let us get into the beer.

It has a cloudy amber color without a head on the beer.  The smell is a cinnamon to nutmeg to the beer.  The taste is sweet carbonation cinnamon to nutmeg. The aftertaste is a dry slight bitter with cinnamon and nutmeg to it. It is perfect for winter and not really drinkable.

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

Swedish flags are a fairly common sight in our part of the country.  Holiday parties often have warm concoctions of spices and booze at the ready to knock the ice off of toes while raising spirits.  We were inspired by a Gloggy party, deciding on the spot to brew a beer that pays tribute to this Nordic tradition.  2xMas Ale combines traditional brewing ingredients with figs, orange peels, cardamom, cinnamon, clove and ginger root.  Its a holiday addition to the 2X line and another reason to toast to the season, but unlike Glogg, we recommend serving this one chilled.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.stbcbeer.com

Twitter:  @stbcbeer

Ending, I will be honest on this beer.  I do not know how I feel about this beer.  There is a ton going on in the beer.  It is complex and ton of flavor.  To me, it just seems like this beer wants to be sweet but then wants to be hoppy for the winter season.  It is not one of my favorite but it is not a bad beer.  There are fans out there for this beer.  I am starting to think I do not like Christmas beers and it is not because of this beer.  I love winter warmers and winter seasonals.  I wanted to try this beer and it is out of my system. I will have at least a few every Christmas or winter season.  This is a beer you can have pass Christmas and yes, it is still in code after Christmas.  There are beer drinkers that see Christmas on beer packaging and think the beer went bad.  I recommend this beer and this brewery.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser