Shiner Oktoberfest Marzan Ale‏--JT's Review

It is that time of year when the Octoberfest beers start coming out, and I love it!!! I am a big Shiner Bock fan, so naturally it made sense to try their version of Octoberfest beer. I really liked it a lot.
 
From the Spoetzl Brewery in Shiner, Texas, and at 5.7% alcohol, this is a really smooth tasting ale. It tastes more like a lager than an ale to me. It has a malty toasted flavor, but the hops give it a nice bite at the end that makes it perfect.
 
I got my first one in a sampler pack, and actually drove back to the liquor store to get another 12 pack because I liked so much. My only complaint is that they don't make this beer year around.

Sudwerk Marzen Premium Lager‏--JT's Review

Sudwerk beer is brewed in Davis, California. Apparently it is relatively new on the brewing scene, as it first came out in 1989.

Their Marzen Lager is a total winner. It has an nice amber color when poured in a glass. There is a strong malt flavor that finishes smoothly. Very similar to other Octoberfest marzen beers, but from what I understand, they make it year around.

I will buy this beer again and again. They have several types of beer that they brew, and they specialize in different lagers. Being a huge fan of lager style beer, I plan to try them all!

Alhambra Especial Premium Lager‏--JT's Review

I really enjoyed the two Alhambra's that I had tonight. It is a Spanish lager that is imported by a group from California. The word Alhambra actually means " the red one", which I really didn't understand. When I poured it into a glass, it looked like a Budweiser.

The flavor of Alhambra is very strong at first, but quickly transitions into a smooth finish. The aftertaste reminded me of Dos Equis. It certainly has the over tones of a Mexican beer, which I liked, but had the full flavor almost similar to a bock.

It was expensive, but well worth the money. if you like full flavored lagers, you will be into this beer!

Yazoo Hefeweizen

I haven't had many of the Yazoo brews.  I think I might have sampled a couple on some of my trips to Nashville (Yazoo is brewed in Nashville), but some of those memories are a little hazy.  If you have ever been to Nashville you know how fun of a town it is!!

This hefeweizen is typical of all of its kind.  It is cloudy with yeast that settles on the bottom.  The label states that it is 70% yeast and has "an aroma of bananas and cloves and a tart finish."  While drinking this beer I did taste the cloves and agree it has somewhat of a tart finish.  The banana claim wasn't evident when I first started drinking it.  However, the more I drank, the more I could taste a little banana.  It was real subtle but it was there.

Usually I can pound a few hefeweizens with no problem.  I don't think that would be the case with this beer.  I did really enjoy it...............just slowly.

Bahia lager‏ (JT's Review)

My favorite beer store, Macadoodle's, sometimes has sales on beer that they claim to be over stocked in, or they break down the 6-packs, and sell them individually. I have often thought that they were old beers that they just couldn't get rid of. However, I have had good luck trying some new beers at a discount or being able to just buy one to try it.

The other day, as I was filling up my cart, I saw one of these situations. In the cooler there was a bunch of Bahia Lager, which I have never tried, so I grabbed a couple.

Bahia is a Pale Lager brewed in Guatemala City, Guatemala, by Cerveceria Centro Americana. In the bottle it looks like a Corona or Land Shark, which are both beers that I like.

It wasn't a terrible choice, but I don't think I will buy it again. It tasted old and maybe a little skunky. I thought that maybe it was old, hence the reason they we breaking down the 6-packs? I read several other reviews of it online, and most people that have tried it feel about like I do about it. My advice is to grab a Corona or Pacifico if you are in the mood for a Latin Lager.

Abita Satsuma Harvest Wit

I love Abita beers, and I also love wits.............so it was a "no brainer" to pick this beer up and give it a try.  Another thing that lured me to this beer was the satsuma.  What in the world is a satsuma??  Exactly what I asked myself........and many other people.  I was relieved when I wasn't the only one who didn't know what the satsuma was.  Frankly, it sounds like a made up fruit in an effort to sell beers.  However, it does exist..............even though, I would buy and drink a beer with a "non-existent" fruit.  A satsuma is a sort of seedless orange with an Asian origin that can be found down in Louisiana. 

As far as the beer goes, it is the typical wit.  It has the coriander, the orange peels (and satsumas), and is cloudy in appearance.  The one downfall of this beer is that it has a little too much aftertaste.  I felt like I was chewing on the orange/satsuma peel after every gulp.  All in all, it was a decent wit beer.  I have to say that this whole experience was extremely positive.  I drank a new beer and learned what a freakin' satsuma was.  Tell everyone................beer helps you learn things!!

JT's Night of Awesome Reviews

I want all the followers of Brian's Beer Guide to know that I have been working hard for you tonight!!!! With that said, I must provide an explanation for my next several reviews.
 
I live in Rogers, Arkansas. There are two main liquor store that I frequent. My main beer provider is Macadoodle's in Springdale. The back up plan is Liquor World in Fayetteville. Both stores are equipped with the very handy "build your own six-pack" option! 
 
Today, I was in Fayetteville, so I ran over to Liquor World. I build a double six-pack. I found six beers that I wanted to try, and bought two of each. As you read my thoughts concerning these beers please understand that as I am working for you, my subjects are between 7.5% and 12% alcohol. I haven't felt this good after a 12 pack since high school!
 
With no further delay, I give you the results of a good evening of beer drinking!

Boulevard Bully Porter (JT's review)

One of my good friends who is also my neighbor and a very good beer drinker suggested that I give the Bully a try. I tend to be hit or miss with Porters. This one was a hit. It is pretty "heavy", but it is very good. I tend to like Boulevard beers, and the Bully Porter was no let down. It is a very smooth, and some what malty beer, but it goes down easy. I'm not sure that I would suggest that one buy a six pack of it until you have tried it, but in a build your own six-pack or a sampler situation it is a good fit. A couple of these to get the night started is a good way to go!

Anchor Bock Beer (JT's review)

Anchor Bock is from the Anchor Brewing family in San Fancisco. I am usually a fan of Bock beer, but not typically an Anchor beer fan, so I decided to give it a try.

This beer is HEAVY...Heavy. I drank the two I bought, and I may not have room for breakfast tomorrow morning. I like to drink beer fast, and when I pour it in a glass, it usually goes down even more quickly. This selection was close to provoking me to break out a fork and a knife to break it up. The flavor was ok, but it was border line too much. Had I purchased a third bottle I would have likely tried to pour it in my car instead of gas.

If you like to drink very full flavored beer, slowly, this might be for you. However, it was a little too much for my tastes.

White Wolf Golden Ale (JT's review)

Can I say that this is simply Fabulous???!!! I will defiantly buy this beer again. It is a little pricey, but well worth the money! It is brewed in Wilkes Barre Pennsylvania, and is outstanding!!!!

It is very smooth and easy to drink. To be honest, it was a welcome surprise after some of the extremely heavy beer the I have tried tonight.

I like this beer a lot! If you are into a full flavored, yet very smooth white ale, this is a great choice!

Pietro Piegari Amber Ale (JT's review)

At first thought, I would have never bought a beer with an Italian immigrant's name that I can't pronounce on it. However, I love amber ale's and it is brewed in Krebs, Oklahoma. I assume that the sad fellow on the front of the bottle is Pietro, and I can only guess that he is walking away before he got to drink his fill of this beer. Only having two of these made me sad too! The Choc brewery did a great job with this one!

It is a deep red color, but it doesn't resemble a red ale at all in taste. It has a very distinct amber flavor and almost could be considered an amber bock by its taste.

I will drink many more of these. I highly recommend it to anyone that enjoys a full flavored, but very smooth amber style beer!

Pranqster Belgian Style Golden Ale (JT's review)

Pranqster Belgian Style Golden Ale
 
Not Good...Not good to me at all. I did something that I never do tonight. I poured out half a beer. I usually like golden ale's, and I am a sucker for a well marketed label. The fact that this is a golden ale with a bunch of fat drunk guys on the label made me think I couldn't go wrong. All I can say, is that I am very thankful that I didn't have to buy a six pack to try it. I think I may have had an allergic reaction to it as it made me break out in a cold sweat. 
 
It is extremely hoppy, with a very strong flavor of brewing spices. When I was choking it down, I felt as though the brewer couldn't help himself but just get carried away and add too many ingredients.
 
If you feel the urge to try this beer, turn and run. It is the only way to a happy ending.

Samuel Adams Imperial White (JT's review)

From reading the label, one might think that this is a soft white ale that would be smooth to drink. One would be wrong.

This is not a bad beer, but at 10.3% alcohol, it is a sippin beer. It took me 45 minutes to drink two of them. By the way, I will not need to consume any more beer to sleep well tonight.

The flavor is a little spicey, but it goes down ok. As you drink it, there is a definite over tone. Of Sam Adams, which I find to be ok. The after taste is what left me a little concerned. It is strong and made me want to go brush my teeth.

If I ever buy it again, and at $2.50 a bottle, I'm not sure I will, I will drink it in place of scotch with a cigar.

If you try it, all I can say is good luck. It will put some lead in your pencil!

Sierra Nevada Summerfest

First, let's talk about the good.  This is a very easy drinking beer.  This could be a "gameday" beer.  What I mean by that is one could take a cooler full of these to a tailgate party and not have to worry about "filling up" on beer.  Another good thing........... 5% ABV..........so it has potential to knock you off your tailgate! 

So now the negative............To me it just tastes like a watered down version of Sierra Nevada.  I was expecting a little more "summer" taste.  I feel like I wasted some money by purchasing a six pack.  Don't worry, I didn't waste any of the beer...........just my money. 

Abita Amber---JT's Review

The pride of Abita Springs Louisiana. This is a damn good beer! It is a very smooth amber that I really liked. The bottle says that it is brewed with caramel malt and perel hops from Germany. It does have a little bit of a sweet flavor, but the hops provide it with enough bite in the after taste that it isn't a turn off.
 
This beer comes with my highest recommendations. I will buy it again soon. I hope you like it as much as I do.

Blue Moon Summer Variety Pack

Another summer sampler purchased............another summer sampler DOMINATED.  This Blue Moon variety pack can be purchased pretty much anywhere, mainly because of Blue Moon's widespread commercial appeal.  This sampler contains three different varieties: Blue Moon Belgian White, Pale Moon (pale ale), and Blue Moon Honey Moon (spring ale). 

Pretty much everyone has had the Blue Moon Belgian White.  I really like this beer.  It is one of my favorite "whites" or "wits."  If I am at a restaurant that has it on tap, more than likely I will have at least one.  The Pale Moon was your typical pale ale.........nothing really to write home about.  The Honey Moon was somewhat of a disappointment.  It was OK, but I expected and wanted a little more HONEY.  If I drink a honey beer, I need some sweetness.  JW Dundee's Honey Brown is what I think of when I drink a honey beer.  It's my favorite honey beer, and the Honey Moon just doesn't compare.

Magic Hat--Summer Scene (Variety Pack)

Like I said, I really enjoy variety packs..........especially the summer variety.  I picked this one up in Destin, FL as well (at the Publix grocery store).  Magic Hat Summer Scene is from the Magic Hat Brewery located in South Burlington, VT.  Of course, I can't get these beers in my neck of the woods.  In fact, some of the Magic Hat beers can only be found in the state of Vermont.

This sampler comes with four different beers. They are: #9(Not Quite Pale Ale), Blind Faith (IPA), Single Chair Ale, and Wacko (Summer Seasonal). 

All the beers are pretty good.  I guess the one that stands out is the Wacko.  It is the summer seasonal, so you know it's light and easy drinking.  It has just a hint of citrus.  The real cool thing about this beer is its color......it's beet juice in color.  It actually boasts about that on the bottle.  Also, the picture on the bottle is a beet in the shape of a heart.  To be honest, I didn't catch on to that until I drank all three Wackos.  Sometimes, I am not the brightest of beer drinkers.............and I'm OK with that.  Anyway, you don't have to buy the variety pack, but try the Wacko.

Ziegenbock‏ (Continued)

I agree 100% with JT's review of Ziegenbock!!!  It is also my favorite "bock" or "amber" beer.  Shinerbock was my favorite of this breed before Ziegenbock found its way to Arkansas.  If you like Shiner................you will love this beer!

Here are some more of my favorite "bocks" or "ambers":
Leinenkugel's Classic Amber
Michelob AmberBock
Dos Equis Amber (my favorite of the two Dos Equis)
Michelob Ultra Amber (the best of the diet beer)
Shinerbock

Ziegenbock‏--JT's Review

Several years ago I was driving through Texas and stopped to fill up with gas. Of course I made a pass by the beer cooler to see if there was anything I needed to try. I always like to see what selections other parts of the country have to offer. My stop put me in touch with Ziegenbock! At that time, Texas was the only state that it was sold in. Now Anheuser has expanded it to be sold in Arkansas!  

                  I really like bock's a lot. The problem for me is that after I drink three or four of them, thetaste becomes a little overwhelming. Ziegenbock doesn't do that to me. It has a little bit of a sweet taste, but it still has that Anheuser bite that makes it so that I don't get worn out with it. This is my favorite bock beer. I hope you like it as much as I do!

Saranac Summer Ale

Summer is almost over, but there are still summer brews to be consumed.  Saranac Summer Ale is brewed up in Utica, NY.  Once again, I had to go to a different part of the state to run into this beer.  The bad thing about summer beers is that, of course, they are seasonal and aren't around the entire year.  I am pretty much a fan of all summer brews.  This one I really enjoyed.  All summer beers are pretty similar........they are all light and have some sort of citrus flavor.  This beer had just the right amount of that.  It had a little lemon to it, but not too much.  It was also really "easy drinking."  You could take this with you to the golf course, lake, or cookout and not get tired of it.


By the way, I hope everyone noticed the nice presentation of the bottle in the above picture.  My wife took the picture and insisted on the "professional" look.  Once again, just glad she supports this.

Nude Beach Summer Wheat-- JT's Review

I have enlisted the help of a great beer lover for the good of this blog!  My buddy JT has agreed to help in the review of all these craft beers.  We have gone with the approach "divide and conquer."  It helps that he lives in NW Arkansas, which has a different beer availability than where I live.  Also, he has one of the best beer stores right down the road from him.  JT and I love the fact that we are drinking for a purpose now.  We are doing this for all of you present and future followers.  We are givers...........and for that we say.........."You're Welcome!"  Here is JT's review:

My name is JT, and Brian and I have been sharing a passion for beer of all kinds (except Miller Lite) for a long time now.
 
This summer I had my first encounter with Nude Beach Summer Wheat. One of my friends was on vacation and brought me a six pack of it back from Alabama. It was one of the smoothest wheat beers that I have ever had! It was described to me as being a sweet shady style of beer, but I didn't find it to be sweet at all. I enjoy most wheat brews, but usually after 3 or 4 I am ready to switch back to an Anhieser light lager. I drank all six of my Nude Beaches, and wished I had another sixer!
 
Unfortunately, Pointe Brewery products are not sold in Arkansas, but the Pointe Brewery web site has a list of the states that it is sold in if you are interested. This is an excellent seasonal beer with a smooth light wheat flavor . I hope you like it as much as I did!
 
By the way, the bottle isn't bad to look at either as it has several barely covered ladies enjoying the beach on it.

SweetWater Tacklebox Cont.

I'm not a fan of IPAs, but I love wheat beers(I will have a list of my favorite wheats in future posts.)  So, needless to say, I enjoyed the SweetWater Sch'Wheat.  It wasn't the best wheat beer I have ever tasted, but it is a really easy drinking beer (especially in the summer).  I was wanting a little more citrus and a little less hops.  I guess I could have added a lemon slice........which I would probably do next time.  Ultimately, this was my favorite of the SweetWater Tacklebox.

SweetWater Tacklebox Cont.

Let me start out by saying that I am not a big fan of IPAs......no matter what company brews it.  The SweetWater IPA is not totally bad.  I know that's not a ringing endorsement, but I am not a "hop head" by any means.  This beer is bitter, but not as bad as other IPAs I have had in the past.  I know that there is a special hop meter or scale used for IPAs.  I don't know where this would fall, but I would guess it wouldn't be as high as some.  Here's a scale that really matters: this beer has a ABV of 6.3%.  IPAs might be bitter and have an aftertaste that leaves a film in the back of your throat, but those suckers pack a punch.  So in conclusion, this would not be my first choice of SweetWater brews, but I would not avoid it like some other IPAs.

SweetWater Tacklebox Cont.

The 420 is an extra pale ale.  This beer is a little more "sit around and drinkable" than the Motor Boat.  There is a little bitterness, but not anything overwhelming, with just a slight aftertaste.  It is what one might call a "well balanced" beer.  The 420 has a ABV of 5.4%.  This was probably my second favorite of the Tacklebox.

SweetWater Tacklebox Cont.

SweetWater Motor Boat reminds me a lot of Sam Adams.  It might be a little darker than Sam Adams but it tastes similar...........to me.  I tasted a lot of malt and hops.  Maybe a little too much for my taste.  Don't get me wrong, I had no problems drinking it/them.  I just don't think that I could just sit around and have more than about two. A little too bitter for that. It does, however, have a ABV of 5.6%..........which is nice.  Above all, not my favorite of the Tacklebox.

SweetWater Tacklebox

I'm a big fan of variety packs, no matter what the product is.  But I really love it when beer companies distribute their own variety packs (I am a sucker for great packaging).  Sometimes certain beer stores will let you build your own six packs, which is brilliant!  Anyway, back to the main point of this post.......The "Tacklebox" by the SweetWater Brewing Company (Atlanta, GA).  I bought this variety pack down in Destin, FL at the Publix grocery store.  I am glad they have it in Destin because I can't get SweetWater in my neck of the woods.  My wife actually suggested that I buy it.  I mean, what other choice did I have??? 

The Tacklebox came with twelve beers (3 beers from 4 different brews).  All the Tackleboxes are not the same.  All will have 3 of SweetWater's "everyday" beers.  The fourth flavor will be one of their "seasonal" or "limited time" varieties.  This particular box had the 420(their flagship beer), the IPA, the Sch'Wheat, and the Motor Boat.

"Old Faithful"

My favorite beer is Busch Light!!  Maybe I just lost some followers or credibility by making that statement........but I don't care.  Maybe I just gained some followers......who knows.  I have been drinking this great lager for as long as I can remember.  Well, if you want to get specific, I guess since I was LEGALLY OF AGE to drink.  Of course, none of us consumed beer before the legal age......that's just crazy talk! 

Bush Light has it all : Great Taste, it's light (for all of you who are watching your girlish figure), it's American, and it's CHEAP.........although, not as cheap as it once was.  This beer is great for any occasion: golfing, softball, meals, weddings, drinking, mowing the lawn, funerals, boredom, relaxing at the lake, BBQs, drinking, class reunions, and most of all, drinking.

Don't get me wrong, I will drink other "lagers."  I just prefer Busch Light over them all.  This beer has been with me through thick and thin.  Through its NASCAR track cans to its present cold indicator cans, this beer has helped me through some tough times and made me do some really stupid things in great times.  I know that I am not the only one with a soft spot in my heart (and liver) for this great American beer.

Besides Busch Light, here are some more of my favorite American lagers (in no particular order):

Bud Light

Budweiser

Bud Select

Michelob Light

Michelob Ultra Amber

Bud Light Lime