winter season

New Beer Blog Goose Island Christmas Ale 2011

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In this winter beer, we are going to take a look at a beer from my vintage beer closet and the beer is from Goose Island.  It is their Christmas Ale 2011.  If you read my earlier blog on one of their beers, you know the history of this brewery.  If you live in Chicago or the Midwest, you know this brewery and some of their beers.  If you do not, please, read the first part of that beer post.  Let us get into the beer.

This Christmas beer has a light brown with a semi head on the beer. The smell has a strong caramel with a fade hazel nut to it. The taste has a little caramel with a sweeten carbonation malty to the beer.   The aftertaste is a slight malty to it but it is very fade. It is pretty drinkable beer and it aged very well.

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

Brewer’s Notes:Every year to celebrate the holiday season, we brew up our Christmas Ale, and with each year we change the recipe slightly so that you have something special to look forward to.

Recipe Information:

Style: Brown Ale

Alcohol by Volume: 7.3

International Bitterness Units: Change year to year

Color: Chocolate Hops: Change year to year

Malt: Pale, Munich, Caramel

Serving Suggestions:

Preferred Glass: Nonic

Food Pairings: Ham, Turkey, Lamb

Cheese Pairings: Aged Gouda, Dry Jack

Cellaring Notes: 5 years

Availability:

Seasonal (November – December)

Bottles: 6, 12 & 24pks

Draft: 1/6 & 1/2bbl

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.goooseisland.com

Twitter:  @gooseisland

In closing, the 2011 Goose Island Christmas Ale was the last to be able to age but I am not going to push it over two years.  Over the years, I had to pour out a ton of Christmas Ale because they did not age good.  This 2011 age very well and it is better than 2012.  When this beer was young in 2011, I really did not like it so I am happy that it aged very well.  It is complex with a ton of flavor.  It is true that they change this American Brown Ale every year.  If you see this on the shelf, I would grab and you will not be disappointed.  Go get some!  Drink it!  Enjoy it!  Metal it!  \m/

Cheers!

Bill DJ Weiser

Email:  djweiser13@comcast.net

Twitter:  @djweiser

New Beer Blog Widmer Brothers Brewing Brrr Seasonal Ale

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In this winter beer blog, we are going to sample out another beer from Widmer Brothers Brewing and the beer is their winter seasonal called Brrr Seasonal Ale.  If you read my earlier beer blog on their beer, you know the history of this brewery.  If you have not, please, read the first part of that beer blog.  Let us get into brew.

Widmer Brothers Brrr seasonal ale has a light brown color with a semi white head on the beer. The smell is a citrus to it.  The taste is a sweet carbonation little malty with a citrus touch to the beer.  The aftertaste is a dry aftertaste. It is a pretty drinkable hoppy beer for the winter seasonal.

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

Warm Up with a Cold One. Or Two. Our winter red ale is the perfect treat, naughty or nice. The deep red body fills your glass and a citrusy hop aroma fills your nose. Then caramel and chocolate malts reward you with a perfectly balanced, malty sweet flavor and velvety finish.

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.widmerbrothers.com

Twitter:  @widmer_brothers

Closing, this is an awesome beer from the Widmer Brothers.  I really like what this brewery is doing.  They are going back to roots and pushing the limits of craft beer brewing.  This winter seasonal gives the craft beer drinker something you do not get from the other winter seasonal and it is hops and hops and more hops.  It has the malty and warming but gives it a hoppy finish.  It is like malty winter seasonal India Pale Ale.  Plus, it is extremely drinkable and it will get you in trouble so be careful.  This is a beer is part a sampler pack with Redhook Winter Hook and Kona Pipeline Porter.  It is hard to get so if you see it, you better grab it.  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 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 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 Great Divide Hibernation Ale

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In this winter beer blog, we are going to do the 12 days of beer at Countryside Bar.  The first beer of the twelve days of Christmas is Great Divide Hibernation Ale.  Great Divide was founded in 1994 by Brian Dunn in Denver, Colorado.  They brew several different beer styles.  Their Denver Pale Ale was one of three craft beers to be feature at the Denver Broncos new football stadium in 2001.  Let us get into the beer.

It is a cloudy amber color without a head on the beer.  There is really no smell maybe slight malty to it.  The taste is a sweet carbonation to caramel with a little hazel aftertaste to the beer.  This beer is the type of beer that the drinker will have one maybe two and will move on to the next beer.

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

HIBERNATION ALE has been our celebrated winter tradition since 1995. This robust, dry-hopped ale has a malty richness balanced with a complex hop profile and hearty, warming character.

ABV.: 8.7%

RATE BEER: 98

AVAILABLE: Seasonal

SIZES: 6 packs and 5 gal kegs

Awards:

1997 Great American Beer Festival, Gold Medal, Strong Ale/ English-Style Old Ale
1998 World Beer Cup, Silver Medal, Strong Ale/English-Style Old Ale
2003 Great American Beer Festival, Silver Medal, Old Ale
2006 Great American Beer Festival, Silver Medal, Aged Beer

Here is their website and twitter addresses:

Website:  www.greatdivide.com

Twitter:  @greatdividebrew

In closing, I enjoy the balance this beer has and warmth that it peers out with every sip.  This is a good and easy to drink.  I could have a few and I need to move onto the next beer.  There is not too many good English-Style Old Ale in the market.  I have been wanting to try this beer a few winter seasons ago.  This program that Countryside had going made me try it.  I recommend you trying this beer if you are a fan of English Ales or winter beers.  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

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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