west coast brewery

New Beer Blog Sierra Nevada Beer Camp West Coast Double IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into West Coast Double IPA from Sierra Nevada Brewery.  This is a beer they made to kick off Beer Camp.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts on their beers, you know history of Sierra Nevada Brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know this West Coast Craft Brewery.  Let us get into this Double IPA.

It has a clear slightly dark golden color with a white constant head.  The aroma is citrus to orange notes.  The taste has a nice light carbonation citrus notes with a dry hop bitter aftertaste.  It is pretty drinkable for a Double IPA.

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

Heading to most states in limited quantities, the Beer Camp Across America West Coast Double IPA clocks in at 8.5% ABV and features five hop varieties, two of which went into Sierra Nevada’s “Hop Torpedo” dry-hopping device and impart hints of grapefruit and a floral note that recalls orange blossom. A light malt body and dry finish complement the bold hop profile.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.sierranevada.com

Twitter:  @sierranevada

In the end, this was a great beer and it is a perfect beer to kick off beer camp.  I was pretty happy to get a Beer Camp 12pk.  I wish they would have made more because some of the liquor stores are over charging.  I am still happy that I have at least one.  I am pretty big fan of their Extra IPA.  They took that one and they hop it up.  I love the aroma to the color of the beer.  I love the packaging.  I love the hops and the malt backbone is a perfect match.  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

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog New Belgium And 3 Floyd’s Grätzer Ale

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In this special beer blog, we are going to get into a beer from New Belgium and 3 Floyd’s.  It is Grätzer Ale.  This is an old and ancient Polish beer recipe.  If you read my beer blog posts on both of these breweries’ beer, you know the history of these breweries.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know these craft breweries.  Let us into this beer.

It has a jet black color with a tan color head.  The smell a chocolate to cocoa notes.  The taste has a burned to smokey caramel to chocolate notes.  The aftertaste is dry cocoa notes with hints of smoke that disappears fast.  It is kind of drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

It’s not dead. But Grätzer is definitely a long-buried style from Poland.  Together with 3 Floyds we unearthed its robust smokiness with oak smoked wheat and midnight wheat.  Polish Lublin hops for a bitter bite and lacto for a slightly sour finish.  This pours out a billowing, foamy mouth worth indulging.

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

It’s not dead, but Gratzer is definitely a long-buried style from Poland. And together with 3Floyds we have unearthed the best of beer zombies. Full of bold flavors from oak-smoked wheat, and along with Midnight Wheat, this beer presents a pure black pour. A subtle, spicy note from the Polish Lublin hops hides in the aroma, just below the dark and smoky surface. Despite all appearances, the Gratzer is very drinkable at 4.5% ABV, and walks itself with a nice, light body. Cheers to drinking smoky, undead beers. Prost!

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.newbelgium.com and www.3floyds.com

Twitter:  @newbelgium and @3floyds

Closing, this is a great beer and I enjoyed drinking it very much.  The Midnight Wheat is featured pretty well in this beer.  I enjoy it like most hops in the beer world. This beer is a limited release and kind of rare.  However, I just feel the beer is average, I enjoyed drinking. I just wish the price was a little lower but it is worth the try. This is a great beer. Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Wild Rose Brewery IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into Wild Rose Brewery IPA for the first time on this blog.   Wild Rose Brewery was founded in 1996 by Mike Tymchuk.  They were founded in Calgary, Canada.   They brew several different beers.   Let us get into this IPA.

It has a slightly cloudy copper color with a white constant head.  The aroma has a slight caramel to citrus notes.  The taste has a citrus to caramel notes with a dry hoppy finish.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

A beautiful copper-coloured ale, rich in caramel malt character and well-balanced with plenty of hops. An authentic India Pale Ale, this IPA is handcrafted for the true ale drinker.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.wildrosebrewery.com

Twitter:  @wildrosebrewery

Closing, I have to say I have been pretty impressed with some craft beers from Canada.  I always thought they were a bunch of Lager breweries.  I guess I am so wrong.   I know they brew several ales around the country.  I did not think they are pretty good.  Well, Wild Rose Brewery and Mill Street Brewery are proving me wrong.  I am sorry for saying and thinking it.  I love the caramel notes bending with the citrus.  I love the hoppy dry finish that keeps me coming back for more of it.  Wild Rose Brewery has a winner IPA here.  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

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Widmer Brothers Upheaval IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into the first beer from my beer trade with my friend Matt from the East Coast.  I have been wanting to try this beer and I was pretty excited to get a few bottles.  It is Widmer Brothers Upheaval IPA.  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 Widmer Brothers.  Let us get into Upheaval IPA.

It has a cloudy copper color with a constant white head on this India Pale Ale.  The aroma has a heavy citrus to slight grapefruit notes.  The taste profile of this medium to full body beer is a carbonation citrus notes with a dry hoppy finish.  It is pretty drinkable IPA but I find myself sipping it.

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

Upheaval IPA is the result of our brewers’ relentless pursuit of the perfect IPA. With more than two pounds of hops per barrel, Upheaval IPA unleashes a huge hop flavor and aroma with serious bitterness and balanced finish. Brewed with wheat, the result is a hazy, bold IPA that’s Unfiltered. Unexpected. Unapologetic. Uncompromised.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.widmerbrothers.com

Twitter:  @widmer_brothers

Closing, this is an awesome brew.  I really enjoyed it.  I just find it funny.  When I make this trade with my friend, package finds its way into my market but it is still a drive.  I am cool with that because now I can pick up a six-pack.  I love big malty backbone with some Northwest hops.  It has a nice bold and powerful hop character but nice enough to make it drinkable beer.  Widmer Brothers did it again.  They pushed the limits of craft beer.  This is the new standard of IPA’s.  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

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog What Is Good Beer?

In this special beer blog, we are going to take in-depth look at beer. What is good or bad? How do we come up with this conclusion? Many of you know, I have been drinking beer for a while. I started like everyone from the Bud Lights and moved up to all the craft beers. Most craft breweries around the country know of me or know me. I started as a Metal DJ on STFU.Fm. The station shut down but before that I started to feature craft beer on the air while playing music. After the station, I started document the beers that I had in my life time. This blog was for me to go back and see if my thoughts grown. Plus, I have always wanted to be a writer. I know I am not the best on spelling and grammar, however, I believe I have improved because of this blog. I just want to say thank you for coming by reading, and putting up with my errors. This blog also made me a better beer drinker. I have learned more about each beer style. I am finding out I like all styles and it is including wheat beers. I am still writing music and sports review. I wanted to give you a little more about myself. When I thought about writing this “What Is Good Beer?” I will not point out breweries. I am not calling out anyone. Let us see if we can answer this question.

What Is Good Beer?

I know several craft beer drinkers will jump to the answer.  It is the little guys, who are Craft Breweries.  Is that because they do not make a golden lager or the companies that make it?  Craft Breweries make different beer styles asides the American Style Lager.  They will make Pale Ales to Porter to Stouts and sometimes even a German Style Lager.  Is Good Beer is more selection or “Flavor”?  “Flavor” has been toss out there.  A little style of the American Golden Lager.  German immigrants wanted to have their beers here in the States. This is where American Golden Lager came from.  Is it a ton of Ads to make the beer better?  Mass produced?  There is a brewery in the big Midwest brewery that puts their beer through hard test make sure their quality is the highest. It is make sure that their beers are up to their standards and constant. Is that a bad thing?

There are other things wrong with the mass-produced beer companies.  It is the fact they put other things into their beers.  However, it adds to their cost, they make less on their beers.  Mass produced beer market is getting smaller everyday.  They put these items into their beers to get it as close to their old country style. More and more people are drinking craft beers.  The question is their beer better or good.  Yes, it has a ton more flavor and that is the first thing anyone says.  I agree with that.  I see in every state, please, drink local.  There is nothing wrong with that.  The problem that I have is most of the newer beer companies out there are making some bad beer.  I do not mean bad in the beer will hurt you.  I mean it is just not good beer.

What about the craft breweries?

Some of the smaller breweries do not put their beers through as many tests like the bigger breweries. This leads to inconstant batches of beer. This is not a good thing when you like that beer. When you try the beer for the first time and do not like it, the quality might be the issue. Beer drinkers might be turn off and never try it again. Is this a good beer? I get it that most breweries do not have the capital to do all tests. I am not saying this is a case for all these small craft breweries.  Some little craft breweries do not even have labs to test anything.

Closing, I love craft beer and I will keep on searching for better version of my favorite beer styles.  The local guys are making beer but I am open-minded to say there are some bad or not so good beer coming from those craft breweries.  I enjoy some of the mass-produced beers but I will not go out of my way to buy them nor drink them.  Many people will not like this statement I am going to put out there.  If the beer you are drinking is good to you, it is a good beer.  We all have thoughts on beers and they are all correct.  This goes for all mass-produced beer.  If there is a bad beer on the market, the beer drinkers vote with their wallet and they will let beer companies know that it is not good.  It will disappear off the market.  Please, share your thoughts with me.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog New Belgium And Odell Brewing FOCOllaboration American Pale Ale

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into collaboration from New Belgium and Odell Brewery.  It is their FOCOllaboration American Pale Ale.  If you read my earlier beer blog on both of these breweries’ beers, you know the history of this craft breweries.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know these craft breweries.  Let us get into this American Pale Ale.

This American pale ale has a clear copper color with a white constant head. The aroma has grapefruit to piney notes with a slight but fated citrus notes. The taste has a sweet fruity to piney notes with citrus to grapefruit notes for the aftertaste. It is pretty drinkable beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

We teamed up with our hometown hop heroes at Odell to brew a FOrt COllins collaboration. Our proximity allowed sharing of ingredients to create this unique Pale Ale. If only we could employ the prairie dogs that inhabit the space between us to courier the Fawcett malt, an Odell standard, we used to complement our favored Centennial, Cascade and Citra hops. Best enjoyed with a neighbor!

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

We teamed up with our hometown hop heroes at Odell Brewing to brew a FOrt COllins collaboration. Our proximity allowed sharing of ingredients to create this unique Pale Ale. If only we could employ the prairie dogs that inhabit the space between us to courier the Fawcett malt, an Odell standard, we used to complement our favored Centennial, Cascade and Citra hops. Best enjoyed with a neighbor!

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.newbelgium.com and www.odellbrewing.com

Twitter:  @OdellBrewing and @newbelgium

In closing, I love both of these breweries and their beers they come out with.  Odell’s, I wish was in the State of Michigan.  I will have to do trades to get some of their beers.  I have had pretty much all of their beers and blogged about them.  I was happy to see this beer make it to the state.  It was a no brainer to pick up this brew.  It is an American PAle Ale but just a little different.  I really enjoyed the hops and nice malty backbone.  I highly recommend this brew and I would get out to find it as soon as possible.  There is a limited of bottles in the market.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Widmer Brothers Hefe The Original American Hefeweizen

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In this beer blog, we are going to get into a classic beer.  This brew helped moved me into the craft beer scene along with Red Hook Brewery.  It is Widmer Brothers Hefe.  It is one of their first brews and it is the most popular American Hefeweizen.  If you read my earlier beer blog posts, you know the history of this Northwest Craft Brewery.  If you have not, please, read them to get to know Widmer Brothers.  Let us get into this German Style Hefeweizen.

This beer has a cloudy straw to golden color with a white head.  In the light, it has almost bright yellow to almost like dark white yellow color.  The aroma has yeasty to wheat notes with citrus notes.  It is almost like lemon.  The taste has wheat to citrus notes with a lemon notes to aftertaste.  It is pretty refreshing and easy drinking for any season.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

This naturally cloudy brew starts with the highest quality malted wheat. Its bold, clean flavor and pronounced citrus and floral aromas are what define American Hefeweizen. Prost! To the original.

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

Meet the beer that started it all. Our naturally cloudy flagship brew starts with the highest quality wheat. It’s bold, clean flavor and pronounced citrus and floral aromas are what define American-style Hefeweizen. So pour yourself a cool, cloudy glass, finish with a lemon and enjoy the original.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.widmerbrothers.com

Twitter:  @widmer_brothers

Closing, this is a classic craft beer and I will always find myself enjoying one Hefe during the spring and summer.  This is one of the best craft Hefeweizen on the market.  I have always recommend this beer if they are looking for something different from their normal craft beer drinking or a guy looking to switch from the mass-produced beers.  This is a great light to medium body beer with a nice refreshing taste notes.  If you are looking for a change-up or a nice summer like beer to enjoy in any season, this is your beer.  I highly recommend you trying this beer at least a few times.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcat.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Big Sky Summer Honey Ale

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While at Ashley’s Westland, we are going to sample Summer Honey Ale from Big Sky Brewery.  Big Sky Brewery was founded in Missoula, Montana in 1995.  It is the largest craft brewery in Montana.  Moosehead Brewery sued the brewery in 2000 over the use of Moose Drool.  Big Sky and Moosehead Brewery agreed that Big Sky will not sell Moose Drool to most of the eastern states in the United States.  They brew several different beers and they sell most of their beers to the west coast and their home state.  Let us get into their Summer Seasonal.

It has a clear copper to a slight dark golden color with constant white head.  The smell has slight honey notes.  The taste has a honey and earthy notes with a light carbonation notes.  The aftertaste is a dry sweet honey finish.  It is pretty drinkable beer.

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

Heres the scoop about Summer Honey. It’s a full flavored, refreshing summer seasonal. This well-balanced brew has a unique blend of spices, which complement the european hops. The Honey lightens up the Body and helps to blend taste with aroma without making the beer too sweet.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.bigskybrew.com

Twitter:  @bigskybrewing

Closing, this was pretty bad.  I find it hard for any brewery to brew their beers with honey.  Most craft breweries are good when it is secondary item in the beer.  When it is the primary item, the beer comes out pretty bad.  I will say this beer was pretty drinkable and they hit their goal of not being too sweet.  I wish they would have used American hops.  I would believe it would have made it a better beer.  I could be wrong.  I had a few of their beers and I love their Moose Drool.  I am not liking this beer.  If you never had it, I would at least try it once.  I do not recommend you buying a six-pack just a bottle.  Run away from some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Sierra Nevada Brewery Hoptimum Imperial IPA 2014

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In this beer blog, we are going to sample one of my favorite Imperial India Pale Ale.  It is Sierra Nevada Brewery Hoptimum Imperial India Pale 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 Sierra Nevada Brewery.  Let us get into this Imperial IPA.

It has a clear copper color with a constant white head.  The smell has a heavy piney to earthy notes.  The taste has a heavy piney to earthy notes with a heavy dry hop bitter finish for the aftertaste.  It is a nice to comfortable sipping beer.

Here is a description from the beer bottle:

Hoptimum is the biggest whole-cone IPA we have ever produced: a 100 IBU, whole-cone hurricane of flavor.  Aggressively hopped, dry hopped AND torpedoed.  Hoptimum delivers ultra-intense flavors to hop fanatics everywhere.

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

Hoptimum® Imperial IPA

A whole-cone hurricane of flavor.

Hoptimum is a hurricane of whole-cone hop flavor. Hopped, dry hopped and torpedoed for incredible hop flavor and complexity, Hoptimum is the pinnacle of whole-cone hoppiness and the biggest Imperial IPA we have ever produced. It features resinous hop varieties: Magnum, Chinook, Simcoe and a new experimental hop variety exclusive to Sierra Nevada. With intense hop flavors and aromas of grapefruit rind, pine, herbs and tropical fruit, Hoptimum is an aggressive drinking experience. Originally created as part of our Beer Camp program, Hoptimum throws down the gauntlet to all other IPAs.

Dry Hops

We work hard to get strong hop flavors into our beers and one of the ways we do that is through dry hopping. Dry hopping refers to the addition of whole-cone hops to the fermentation tanks. The addition of hops to cold beer allows the aromatic oils and resins to infuse the beer with flavor and aroma without adding any additional bitterness.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.sierranevada.com

Twitter:  @SierraNevada

In the end, I love Sierra Nevada and their beers.  This brewery does not make a bad beer and I had pretty much all their brews.  This is one of the best all around craft brewery and I feel they are very under rated.  I believe that is because there are so many new breweries around.  They just get forgotten in the mix.  If you have not went back and retry their beers, I highly recommend doing so.  I believe you will be stun at how good their beers are compared to other breweries’ beers.  I am not saying they are the number one brewery but pretty close.  I love the IBU count in this beer.  It is like eating a whole hop cone.  This is a great beer and it has a nice malty backbone.  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

Instagram:  @djweiser13

New Beer Blog Coronado Brewery Islander IPA

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In this beer blog, we are going to sample Islander IPA from Coronada Brewery.  I had a chance to try this brew from a tap take over a few weeks ago. I was not impressed with this beer and rest of their brews.  I loved their Orange Wit but there was a few people who did not like and others that did.  Coronado Brewery was founded in 1996 by Ron and Rick Chapman.  They founded the brewery in Coronado City, which is their hometown.  The brewery brews several different beer styles.  However, like most West Coast craft brewery, they are known for their India Pale Ale.  Let us get into this flagship brew.

It has a clear golden color with a semi constant white head on this IPA. The aroma has a grapefruit to mango notes.  The taste has a heavy citrus notes like mango and grapefruit with a dry hop bitter finish.  It is kind of drinkable.  The aftertaste keeps you coming back for more of this West Coast IPA.

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

Description:

Named after Coronado Island, our original India Pale Ale is a liquid expression of hometown pride. Centennial, Chinook and Columbus hops combine to provide an explosive burst of piney bitterness and luscious notes of apricot, grapefruit and mango that are sure to evoke imagery of swaying palms and sun-kissed shores.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.coronadobrewingcompany.com

Twitter:  @coronadobrewing

Closing, I do not know if it was dirty lines or a bad keg.  I have to say I was not a fan of this brew on draft at that tap take over.  It is possible that it could have been a bad keg.  I love this better in bottle and it was so much better than the keg.  There was a difference in this brew.  I love the hops that they picked for this beer.  It is kind of drinkable beer, however, the aftertaste is dry that will keep you coming back for more.  This is a great beer and 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

Instagram:  @djweiser13