In this beer blog, we are going to get into another seasonal from Shipyard Brewery. It is their Prelude Special Ale. 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 Shipyard Brewery. Let us get into this winter warmer.
It has a clear dark ruby-red color with constant small bubbles feeding a constant white head. The smell has a sweet burned malty to light rum liquor notes. There is some alcohol notes in the aroma. The taste has a sweet burned malty with a burn alcohol aftertaste. This beer will warm you up in the winter. It is a sipping winter ale.
Here is a description from their website (www.shipyard.com):
Prelude Special Ale
“This seasonal specialty is the perfect winter warmer.”Here is their website and twitter addresses:
Website: www.shipyard.com
Twitter: @shipyardbrewing
Closing, I have seen this brew a few times on the shelf. The question that I had every time is should I pick up this time? I do not know whyI kept on walking away from it. Is it the packaging? Or is it lack of information on the packaging? Either way, I finally picked up this beer and I am glad I did. I have been wanting to try it. I kind of like this brew. This is a hidden gem for us in the Midwest. It is kind of unknown brew here. There is some nice balance but yet a nice complex notes. I love the alcohol notes. This is a nice beer to keep you warm in the winter months. 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 Brewing Diesel
In this winter beer blog, we are going to get into one of my favorite breweries out of New York City. The brewery is Sixpoint Brewing and the beer is their winter seasonal called Diesel Stout. If you read my earlier beer blog on their beers, you know how I feel towards this brewery and the history of it. If you have not, please, read the beer blog called Sixpoint Brewing Apollo. Let us get into this great stout.
This winter seasonal has a jet black color with a light tan color head to the stout. The smell is a chocolate with a citrus to the beer. The taste is a complex full body beer. It has a chocolate to coffee with piney with a dry chocolate aftertaste. It is drinkable beer to me but I can see people thinking it is not a drinkable beer.
Here is a description from the beer can:
Each dawn is clear cold air bites the throat. Thick frost on the pine bough leaps from the tree snapped by the diesel. On the darkest days of the year, light becomes a luxury. Just when you think you cannot penetrate the darkness…SNAP! Light pieces through the roasted pine forest.
Here is a description from their website (www.sixpoint.com):
Diesel
WinterThis undefinable black brew is part black IPA, part American Stout, but 100% Diesel powered. Robust chocolate and roasted flavors, with thick pine hop flavor and aroma.
Here is their website and twitter addresses:
Website: www.sixpoint.com
Twitter: @sixpoint
Closing out the winter season, I am sadden by the fact that winter is ending because I love the fall and winter sesaonal beers. Spring and summer seasonals beer are not one of my favorites. I really loves this beer because it gives you something little different. However Sixpoint Brewing gives the craft beer drinker something different, this is way I love Sixpoint. The craft beer drinker will get the stout and then the snap of the piney at the back part of the tasting experience. The piney hops echo in the aftertaste. This is a beer that will give you more for the beer drinker. If you are looking for the normal stout, this beer is not for you. If you are a stout or hophead that is looking for something different in your beer, this beer is perfect for you. I know this beer is not going to be for everyone. I recommend you trying this beer. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/
Cheers!
Bill DJ Weiser
Email: djweiser13@comcast.net
Twitter: @djweiser
New Beer Blog Anderson Valley Winter Solstice Seasonal Ale
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 New Holland Cabin Fever Brown Ale
In this 200th blog, we are going to sample out New Holland Brewing Cabin Fever Brown Ale. New Holland Brewing was founded in 1996 in Holland, Michigan by Jason Spaulding and Brett VanderKamp. They brew several beer styles. They are mostly known for their for their Mad Hatter India Pale Ale. They have did a spin off with different India Pale Ale styles in a 750ml bottle. New Holland is being distributed throughout most of the east coast. Let us get into the beer.
It has a dark brown color without a head on this beer. There is a slight toffee to caramel smell to it. The taste is sweet carbonation with a slight caramel. There is really no aftertaste. It is kind of drinkable beer.
Here is a description from their website (www.newhollandbrew.com):
Robust in character yet smooth in delivery, Cabin Fever is a roasty brown ale and a hearty, comforting companion for long, mind-bending winters. Its rye, roast and raisin notes play off a subtle caramel sweetness and culminate in a dry finish. Excellent with roasts, stews, caramelized onions and snowfall.
16° Plato, Alc. 6% by Vol.
Here is their website and twitter addresses:
Website: http://www.newhollandbrew.com
Twitter: @newhollandbrew
In closing, I am not a huge fan of most Michigan breweries. However, this beer is pretty good, I will be drinking it when I go to my local watering hole. I do not see it in too many bars in the Chicagoland area on draft or bottle. I mostly see their beers in the local liquor stores. I really enjoyed this beer but I cannot see the price for the six packs. I encourage you to try this beer and let me know what you think. Go get some! Drink it! Enjoy it! Metal it! \m/
Cheers!
Bill DJ Weiser
Email: djweiser13@comcast.net
Twitter: @djweiser
DJ Weiser 