Tuesday, October 9, 2012

Trout Slayer Wheat Ale

Image courtesy of http://www.beerreviewsprofsudz.com
This is the second beer that I have tried from the Big Sky Brewery.  I really like the Moose Drool that they make.  It is a brown ale.

This one is a wheat........a wheat ale.  I usually like wheats, in fact, I love most of them.  This one.....not so much.  They made this one in the style of an ale, which means more hops I guess.

It was not cloudy, it didn't have any hints of citrus, and tasted a little metallic in my opinion.  I am glad I tried it, but probably won't venture in its direction again.  I do, however, want to try more of the beers from Big Sky!

Point Cascade Pale Ale

Image courtesy of beer-taster.com
I have not tried many beers from the Point Brewery out of Wisconsin.  I believe JT has sampled several of their brews.

I was reluctant of this beer, because I am not a huge fan of pale ales.  But since my neighbor hooked me up with this one.........of course I would give it a go.

I was pleasantly surprised by this ale.  It wasn't filled with hops like some of the pale ales that I have tried.  It did have the pale ale flavor, but it wasn't overwhelming.  It didn't linger too long like a lot of the pale ales from other breweries.  And it also has a nice ABV of 5.4%

I would definitely have a couple of these with a meal or   from the tap while watching a game.  Unfortunately, it won't be around here.  I will have to travel north for this to happen.

Sunday, September 30, 2012

Sawtooth Ale

 This is another beer from the Left Hand Brewing Company.  I like this one even better than the Polestar Pilsner, which I did not think would be the case.

Unlike some ales that I drink/try, this one was full of malt.  You can see that(hopefully) by its amber color in the picture.  Another thing that I liked was that it didn't have an overpowering and lingering aftertaste.  The 5.3% ABV was pretty nice too.

I could see myself drinking a lot of this beer whether it be out of the tap, or in this case, from the good ole bottle.  Unfortunately, I might have to drive to the St. Louis area to find this beer.  I don't believe it is sold in my area.


Monday, September 24, 2012

Polestar Pilsner

image courtesy of  examiner.com

I believe that this is the first beer that I have tried/reviewed from the Left Hand Brewing Co. from Longmont, CO.  I think JT has reviewed at least one from this brewery.

I was provided with this beer by my gracious neighbor Chris.  He grabbed a couple different brews from Left Hand from a big time beer store in the St. Louis area called Friar Tuck.  I have never been to or heard of this store, but I definitely want to check it out sometime.

This beer was pretty dang solid!  It took me trying two of these beers to realize that it was a very good find.  It obviously tasted like a true pilsner, but didn't have that what I call the "European" taste to it.  Unlike those, I could see myself sitting down and finishing a sixer of these.  And with the 5.5% ABV, I would be feeling it afterwards.  I can't wait to find and drink more beers from the Left Hand Brewing Company.  If you get a chance, pick this up and try it.

Saturday, September 15, 2012

Samuel Adams Whitewater IPA

Yet another beer...........yet another Sam Adams beer.  Had to get this beer because I had never seen it.  

I usually shy away from IPA's but am lured to "whites" or "wits".  I figured this beer to be similar to the Shocktop Wheat IPA........a combo between an IPA and a wit.  

To be honest, it was a little too much IPA for my taste.  Looks like an IPA and has the IPA aftertaste.  

If you love the hops........try this one.  I, however, will not try this one again.  I am a fan of too many of the other great Sam Adams brews.  Don't know unless you try...........right?

Monday, September 10, 2012

80-Acre Hoppy Wheat Beer

Image courtesy of pitch.com
As everyone knows who reads this blog, I really love the beers from Boulevard.  This is the true reason I purchased this beer.  I guess it is new, because I had never seen it before.  Or.........it is new to my "region."

As you can see by the picture, it is a good looking beer with a very creative label.  Nice color with a 5.5% ABV.

Unfortunately, I was a little underwhelmed by this beer.  Don 't get me wrong, I enjoyed the sixer that I bought (and finished in one evening.)  I felt like this beer was simply a combination of the Single Wide IPA and Unfiltered Wheat.  You really taste the IPA at first...then it gives way to  the wheat with a very evident citrus finish.   Reading what I am writing right now I can't believe that I didn't fall in love with this beer.  I just didn't.  I would definitely drink this if I found it on tap somewhere but I will probably not purchase a sixer of it again.  Glad I tried it though.



Sunday, August 12, 2012

Leinenkugels Original Lager (JT's Review)

Everyone knows about Leinenkugels beer from Chippewa Falls, Wiscinsin. I have enjoyed a ton of their different beers. One thing that never really occured to me was that they didn't have just a normal old lager. I just assumed that they didn't make one, but I never really gave it much thought? Several weekends ago, my friend Ross was down from Wisconsin for his granddaughter's birthday. He brought, among other beers, some Leine's Lager. I can't wait to review some of the other beers. They were excellent, and he brought me some Nude Beech from Point Brewery which I have reviewed on the blog. It is one of my favorite summer seasonals.

The beer was just like you would expect it to be. It was a medium bodied American lager. It was very similar to a Budweiser or Coors Original. It very much had the Leinenkugel stamp on it.

I enjoyed several of these beers(cheers to you Ross!) It is the kind of beer that you can pair with just about any occasion, and you can drink it all day long. The best thing about it was that Ross told me that in Wisconsin, it sells for around 14 dollars a case in bottles or cans. I really wish we could get it in Arkansas.

Tuesday, August 7, 2012

Schlafly Yakima Wheat Ale/Hefeweizen Wheat(JT's Review)




Ok, if you can't tell, I have been on  a Schlafly beer kick lately. As many of you already know, I enjoy a good wheat beer. I am not as big a wheat beer guy as Brian, but I like them a lot all the same. I have been visiting the Macadoodle's in Missouri much more frequently as of late due to their much more extensive selection of beer(Arkansas distributing laws suck!). The other day I ran into a few more Schlafly beers that I haven't tried yet.

To be a hundred percent honest, I couldn't tell a huge difference between the two beers. They were both relatively smooth easy to drink wheat beers. The Hefeweizen Ale is unfiltered, so I took a little more care in the pour. It was a little lighter in color, and also in taste. The Yakima Wheat is one of the Schlafly brewer's choice seasonals. It was a little more hoppy, but it wasn't overpowering by any means. They claim that the hops are brought in from the Yakima Vally in Washington State.

The good thing to me about wheat beer is that if it is good, and most of it is, it fits any season. These are two beers that I will buy again.


My Review:  I have to agree with JT's review.  Not a huge difference between the beers.  What was weird is that the Wheat had more taste than the Hefeweizen.  I liked them both........maybe a little disappointed in the Hefeweizen.  The Wheat was better than expected.

Monday, August 6, 2012

Schlafly Oatmeal Stout‏ (JT's Review)


If you are a follower of our blog, you already know that Brian, Shawn, and I are all three pretty big Schlafly beer fans. It is brewed in St. Louis by The St. Louis Brewery. I have yet to try one of their beers that I didn't like. Through the blog I have also gotten to know one of the guys that works at the brewery. I hope to make it up to St. Louis for a Cardinals game and a tour of their facility soon.

Usually I don't drink a lot of stouts in the summer time, but I have been drinking a lot of Schlafly Summer Ale. I was up at the Macadoodles in Missouri, to pick some up, and I decided to also build a six pack. I found the Schlafly Oatmeal Stout and decided to give it a try.

The beer was somewhat like your typical oatmeal stout. It was very malty (which I like). It wasn't as sweet as I expected, but still good all the same. It definitely had the stamp of the St. Louis Brewery on it.

I highly recommend any of the Schlafly beers, and this one was no exception.

Saturday, August 4, 2012

Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Ale ( JT's Review)

Sierra Nevada typically isn't one of my favorites. However, I have had my eye on the 24 ounce bottles of Southern Hemisphere Harvest seasonal. The other night, Shawn brought one over to share.

The intrigue of the beer is that apparently in the Southern Hemisphere, the seasons are backwards. During our spring, they are having fall. During their fall, Sierra Nevada gets a fall harvest of hops and makes this seasonal ale.

It was pretty good! It was, of course, very hoppy, but it had a nice malty flavor. The beer was smooth, and had a solid 6.7% ABV. For me. It wasn't a drink all day beer, but it went well with some chicken off of the grill.

If you see their 24 ounce bottles, pick one up. They aren't bad.




Point Burly Brown American Ale ( JT's Review)

Another brewery that I have really grown to like beer from is the Stevens Point Brewery from Wisconsin. One of my neighbors in laws live up there, and they are always kind enough to bring some down when they come. My favorite Point beer is their summer seasonal Nude Beech. We can buy Point Beer in Missouri, but they are usually sold out of Nude Beech. As I was building a sixer the other day, I ran across their Burly Brown.

I love brown ale's! This as a great beer. It was loaded with malts from start to finish. It had a robust taste that lingered between drinks. There was a distinct hopped finish, but it wasn't too much at all.

I can imagine that this is the perfect beer for those cold as hell winter days in Wisconsin. I think its a must try if you have a chance to pick some up.


Wednesday, August 1, 2012

Shoal Draft Pale Ale (JT's Review)

Image courtesy of untappd.com


Image courtesy of flickr.com


Palm Beach Brewing Company from Melbourne, Florida, is the maker of this most outstanding American Pale Ale. Shawn brought me one over from his stock that he received from the beer of the month club that his wife enrolled him in.



This is one of the best beers that I have tried in recent memory! It was very smooth from start to finish. It started with a light hint of hops, it then transitioned into a nice malty flavor, and then finished with a light crisp hopped taste. The word I would use to best describe it is "balanced".


This is one that I have got to figure out how to get in Arkansas or another state close by. If you see it, I think it is a must try.

Rusty Chain Vienna Style Lager (JT's Review)

Image courtesy of  http://www.tryitdist.com 

Rusty Chain is another beer that Shawn shared with me from his beer of the month club. I have got to join that club. This was another solid brew. It is made by the Flying Bison Brewing Company in Buffalo, New York.

At 5% ABV, it was just a very good smooth Vienna Style Beer. It had a ton of malts, which I really like and a soft mixture of hops to finish. It was very similar to the Oktoberfest beers that I like so much in the fall.

This may not be the best beer for summer seasonal people, but it really hit the spot for me. 

Monday, July 30, 2012

Orange Blossom Cream Ale‏ (JT"s Review)

Image courtesy of  untappd.com
This is one of those beers that I hesitate to A) call beer, and B) tell you how much I liked it. My man card may be under heavy scrutiny as you read this.

It is brewed in California by Buffalo Bill's Brewery. Apparently they specialize in beer brewed with fruit. They brew six different beers that include orange, strawberry, pumpkin, and blueberry.

This is totally a dessert beer. It tasted like the orange push up pops that we got in the school cafeteria when we were kids. It is brewed with orange peels, honey, and orange flower extract. It was very sweet and tasty, just not in a beer sort of way. This would make for a great breakfast beverage.

Please do not call in to question my manhood, but I thought it was good. I don't think I will ever have it in public, but maybe blended up with a protein shake at breakfast?

Sneaky Pete Imperial IPA

I have mentioned before on this blog that I am not a big IPA guy.  I saw this in the local beer store and decided to buy it and make the "sacrifice" for the blog and you, the readers.  It was sold in four packs and I noticed that it had a ABV of 10%, so it really wasn't a huge sacrifice!  Sneaky Pete Imperial IPA comes from the Laughing Dog Brewery in Idaho.


When I poured it I was surprised by its color.  It was darker than I expected, which I like because it generally means malty.  This was the case.  It was sweet and not too much of a hop punch in the face.  The high ABV gave me a warm feeling when it was going down.  This beer is definitely a sipping beer.  You might be able to have a couple with a meal.  I don't know if I will buy this beer again, but I am glad that I bought it.

Thursday, July 26, 2012

Beers Of Maine Intro‏ (JT's and Shawn's trip)


As we alluded to in earlier reviews, Shawn and I took our families on vacation this summer to Maine. After a great week, I would now classify the state of Maine as a beer drinkers paradise! Maine produces some outstanding beer, but we also enjoyed some great beer from surrounding states. In all total, I believe we drank 32 beers that we have never had before. Coupled with plenty of good ole Bud Light, we had a great week.



Several things about our trip:


The flight was long as hell, but well worth it.


Lobster is as cheap up there as chicken is in Arkansas!


Most of the places that you buy beer, it is totally permissible to build your own six pack right out of the existing sixers(different, but good!)


If you ever get a chance to visit that part of the country; jump all over it!









This review will be a little more like a narrative than individual reviews to keep my long winded ass from writing a novel. I hope you both enjoy my thoughts about the beers of Maine as well get the opportunity to try some of them!


Maine beer reviews.....all of them (JT's Reviews)


Harpoon Summer Ale‏

Brewed in Boston, Massachusetts, Harpoon Summer Ale is considered a summer Kolsch style ale. It was a light, easy to drink summer brew. It is similar to many of the summer ales that I have had before, but after having many of Maine's darker beers, it really hit the spot. They brew it from April to August, and if you are ever in the northeast around that time and run into it, I think it is a winner.

Smuttynose Old Brown Dog Ale‏

Smuttynose Brewing Company is in Portsmouth, New Hampshire. Founded in 1994, it claims to be New Hampshire's leading craft brewery. The label with an old brown dog caught my attention, but the beer was just ok.

I think it was the fact that I was drinking a winter sippin beer in the summer, but it was a little too rich and dark for me to enjoy. I think if I had one of these in the cold of winter, it would have been better. For a summer vacation, it was a little too much.

Long Trail Brewing Company‏

Long Trail is a brewery in Vermont. The two beers that we tried from there, Long Trail Ale and Double Bag seemed to be pretty popular. They were on tap at most of the bars that we went to, and they were for sale almost all of the beer stores.

LONG TRAIL ALE:
This was the flagship beer for the brewery that started in 1989. It is classified as a German Altbier. It was just another solid northeastern ale to me. I thought it was good, but there really wasn't much that stood out to me about it.

LONG TRAIL DOUBLE BAG:
Double Bag is a Dark Amber Ale. It was a very good beer and it had a very solid ABV of 7.2%. The coolest thing about it to me was the label on the bottle. There are 2 cows, bags hanging down, looking like they are ready to be milked. This seemed to be a popular beer as it was all over the place as well. Shawn bought a 22 ouncer of it, and was our poster beer of the week!

Belfast Bay Lobster Ale

Belfast Bay Brewing Company is in Belfast, Maine, which is in the northern part of the state. This was Shawn's favorite beer of the trip. From the label on the bottle to the pour into a glass, to the taste, Lobster Ale was exactly what I thought of when I was envisioning the beer we would drink on our trip. 

The beer was a red ale, and it poured with a deep red, almost copper color. It was a really hoppy beer, but it had enough malt taste to make it just right. 

I thought it was very good. It paired perfectly with the lobster boil night that we had.

Allagash Brewing Company

Let me start by saying that neither Shawn not I cared much for the two Allagash beers that we tried. It is another of the many breweries in Portland, Maine. Although we didn't like their beer, I will give them credit for being different in an area where there are a lot of run of the mill beers.

ALLAGASH WHITE:
This beer is a Belgian Wheat. I really expected to like it. The pour made it look light and tasty, and it had a nice head. That's where it stopped for me. It was much too spicy for my tastes. It seemed to have a coriander and fruit spice flavor that didn't work for me at all. To be fair, somebody must like it, because it has won several medals at the World Beer Cup over the years. I am going to plead being an unpolished redneck on not appreciating this beer.

ALLAGASH DUBBEL ALE:
Another beer that from reading the bottle, I thought I would love...Not so much. It is a red beer with an ABV of 7%. It claims to be malty with a light fruity finish. I found it to be dry and bitter. There really wasn't anything about it that would ever make me want to drink it again.

Dogfish Head Brewery‏

Unfortunately, we only got to drink two of these beers. They were fantastic! Both were very unique, but equally awesome!

DOGFISH HEAD RAISON D'ETRE:
It is classified as a mahogany brown ale. I haven't ever seen that before, but I hope to see it again soon! The best way for me to describe it is a ton of malts that you taste quickly, one after another. None of them are too much, but there is a rapid succession of flavor that turns into a lightly hopped almost fruity finish. I haven't ever had a beer like that before, and at 8% ABV, it packs a nice punch.

DOGFISH HEAD INDIAN BROWN ALE:
I had no idea what to expect with this one. It claims to be a cross between a Scotch Ale, an IPA, and an American Brown. It started with a good malt flavor, then hops, followed by roasted malts again, and then a bitter flavor that finished with a light malty taste. It was great! I don't think I could drink a ton of them, but I'd like to try.

Sebago Brewery

I don't know if I had drank too much when I tried Sebago's beer or if it was just that unimpressive, but I have very vanilla feelings about it. We only had a couple of them and they really don't stand out at all. It is brewed in Maine, and it is only sold in Maine and Massachusetts, which I found interesting.

SEBAGO RUNABOUT RED ALE:
This was just another red ale. It wasn't bad, but it was just like any other red ale you can get any where in the world. If you are up in that part of the country, spend your drinking time on another one of Maine's great beers that you can't get anywhere else.

SEBAGO BOATHOUSE BROWN ALE:
Boathouse Brown is very similar to New Castle to me, which I like a lot. It was a good beer, but, again, not all that different from the norm. It was a good beer, but there was a lot of great beer that is very unique to Maine.

Gritty McDuff's Brewery‏

Gritty's was a pretty cool little brewery and they make a damn good beer! I was able to visit the brewery while my wife and daughter went to a series of outlet malls. The beer I drank there was the most expensive of the trip due to their shopping spree. 

They claim to be from Portland, but the Brewery is actually in Freeport, which is about 10 miles outside of Portland. It was a really small operation. The restaurant was packed, but I was just there to drink. The bar area was small, but it was ok. Shawn and I had already tried several of their beers, so my drinking there was all a repeat, but it was good because I liked their beer!

GRITTY MCDUFF'S RED CLAW ALE:
Red Claw Ale was a well balanced red ale. It had a nice smooth taste but was a little more hoppy than I would have liked. Overall all, it was a good beer though. I liked one or two of them, but I doubt I could have bellied up to it all day long.

GRITTY'S MAINE'S BEST IPA:
I usually don't do IPA's even a little bit. Shawn had a couple at the house, so I felt that I should try it(he is a big IPA guy). I was pleasantly surprised. It wasn't bad at all. The hops were definitely the main event, but they weren't over bearing. It was a good beer. I will go so far as to say that I could drink a six pack or two of it.

GRITTY'S PUB STYLE ALE:
By far my favorite Gritty's beer... We had some at the house, and then I had several more at the brewery. It was a malty brown ale. The malts were the prevailing feature, and it had a nice smooth finish. It wasn't too strong at all. It was a beer that would fit any occasion.

Bar Harbor Brewing Company‏

Located in Bar Harbor, Maine, the Bar Harbor Brewing Company does a really good job. We got to try three of their beers, and they were all good. Just as a side note, all of their bottles have a cool label and you know I am a sucker for good marketing.

BAR HARBOR CADILLAC MOUNTAIN STOUT:

This was a jet black engine oil looking beer. To be honest, it scared me a little after I poured it in the glass. However, after a drink of it, I was sold. It is a dry stout that had a lightly fruit finish in the hops. It wasn't exactly a summer beer, but it was great. I would imagine that it would go great with those cold ass Maine nights in the winter.

BAR HARBOR THUNDER HOLE ALE:
I read that Thunder Hole beat New Castle and Sam Adams in among other at the World Beer Cup last year. I can see why. It was an excellent brown ale. It had a nice sweet malt start, followed by a little hopped flavor and then finished smoothly with more malts. I loved it!

BAR HARBOR LIGHTHOUSE ALE:
I thought this was interesting. It too was a brown ale. After drinking the Thunder Hole Ale, I expected Lighthouse Ale to be totally over hopped. It wasn't at all. It had several flavors of roasted malts that transitioned into a light hoppy finish. The hops didn't seem to go away, but they weren't so strong that it ruined the beer for me. I thought it was good beer

Andrews Summer Golden Ale

Andrews Brewing Company is from Lincolnville, Maine. Their Golden Summer Ale was the only one of their beers that we saw to try. It was probably my single favorite beer of the trip.

Classified as an American Blonde Ale, it pours a light yellow color. The malt flavor starts strong and dissipates into a sweet honey flavor. Just when you think it is going to be too sweet, the hops take over for a smooth finish.

If you have a chance to try this beer, I think it is a can't miss. I wish we had seen more of Andrews beers to try.

D.L. Geary's Brewing Company

Geary's beer was probably my favorite brewer of all the different beers that we tried. Top to bottom they made the best selection of beer. It is another Portland Maine brewery, and was founded in 1983. We found four different beers from there to try.

GEARY SUMMER ALE:
I love summer seasonals, and this was one of the best ones that I have had in a while. It was light and crisp with a nice citrus flavor. The flavor was great. I really wish we could buy it in Arkansas.

GEARY HAMPSHIRE SPECIAL ALE:
This is a very solid ale. It has a light malt start, and transitions into a smooth hopped finish. Nothing about it is too strong. It is the flagship beer for their brewery.

GEARY LONDON PORTER:
Another very solid beer. There really wasn't anything special about it, but it was just a good porter. I usually like porters, and this one was everything it should be.

GEARY PALE ALE:
I usually shy away from pale ale's, but I really liked Geary's version. It was very easy to drink. It tasted a lot like a lager such as Budweiser or Coors Original. Another beer that really didn't have anything off the charts special, but was just very solid.

Some of the beers that we sampled from different breweries were all over the map. Some were great, and others were not good at all. Geary's was consistently good.

Sea Dog Brewery‏

This is one of Portland, Maine's breweries, and in fact one of the ones that I visited. On the way back my family spent the night in Portland and we went to eat at Sea Dog's. The food and atmosphere were fantastic! This was also the brewery from which I sampled the most beer, although it wasn't my favorite. 

Here are the beers I tried and a brief review of each:

SEA DOG STOUT:
This was a very stout beer to say the least. It was very dark and heavy. The flavor was ok, but it was definitely a sipping beer and not the best selection for the summer.

SEA DOG HAZELNUT PORTER:
I think this was my favorite of the five beer sampler I ordered at the brewery. It was dark and rich, but not overwhelming. It had lots of good malty flavor and finish smooth. I ordered another pint after I finished the sampler.

SEA DOG GOLLYWOBBLER BROWN ALE:
I usually like brown ales a lot. This one wasn't bad, but it left me wanting a little more. The malt flavor dissipated quickly leaving a void, and then had a lightly hopped finish. I felt like it was a beer that needed a little more. It wasn't bad, but it could have been a lot better.

SEA DOG PALE ALE:
Not very good to me at all. It had a funky flavor all the way through. Some people might like it, but it just really didn't fit my tastes. I had much higher hopes for it. 

SEA DOG OWLS HEAD LIGHT ALE:
It was the pale ale mixed in water. Enough said.

SEA DOG WILD BLUEBERRY:
I usually don't go for fruit mixed in my beer outside of maybe a lime. I have to admit that this was a very good beer. Shawn bought it as part of a sampler pack, and it was very good. I would classify it as a desert beer as it was very sweet, but it was very tasty.

SEA DOG RASPBERRY:
This one reaffirmed why I don't like fruit in my beer. It tasted like a raspberry fizz wine cooler. No thanks. I blame this purchase on myself due to liking the blueberry beer.

All in all, I am glad I drank the Sea Dog beers. They have an excellent restaurant and they are very active in brewing in Maine.

Shipyard Brewing Company

Shipyard beer is the most readily available Maine beer here in Arkansas. I did drive right past it, but I wasn't able to go in due to the complete mess that American Airlines put me in with connecting flights. I arrived in Portland, Maine after midnight on Sunday morning.

Anyway, surprisingly we only had three of Shipyards beers. All three were excellent, and I hope to see them down here soon.

SHIPYARD EXPORT:
It is a solid full bodied beer with a respectable ABV of 5.1%. I had several of these and they were great. 

SHIPYARD SUMMER ALE
We also had several of these (I love some summer seasonals, and most of the breweries had them out!). It was a nice smooth sweet flavored summer ale that was really easy to drink. It was very good! 

CARRABASSETT PALE ALE
The last of the Shipyard brews that we tried... It is from Casco Bay Brewing Company, but is a subsidiary of Shipyard. It was a smooth, easy to drink, American Pale Ale. It has an ABV of 4.2%, poured a nice copper color, and had a nice fruity flavor with just a little taste of wheat. I thought it was a good beer.

I left an even bigger fan of Shipyard than I was when I arrived.


Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Hoegaarden Original White and Boulevard ZON

I decided to review these two beers together since they are both "wits" or "whites."  I have actually had both of these beers SEVERAL times before.  I really like "wit" beers and I really like these two.  

The Hoegaarden is hard to beat.......especially with that awesome name.  It pours a little lighter in color than the ZON.    It has great carbonation.  This beer has a little more prevalent taste of spices and a little more ABV of 4.9%.

The ZON is yet another great creation from Boulevard.  It has great carbonation as well and has a much more "wheatier" taste and feel to it.  It has a real prevalent citrus characteristic.  A little more than the Hoegaarden.  Its ABV is 4.4%. 

I would suggest trying both of these beers, especially on these hot summer days.  But if you have to choose one (which would be sad), I would choose the ZON.  It doesn't cost as much as the Hoegaarden and actually has a little more beer in the bottle (Hoegaarden has just 11.2oz).

Monday, July 23, 2012

Samuel Adams Longshot Derf's Secret Alt‏ (JT's Review)

Picture courtesy of  beerreviewsprofsudz.com

Most of you know the story of Sam Adam's Longshot series home brewing contest. If you don't, get with it. Its a pretty cool thing.



Fred Hessler is the author of this Sticke Alt. Fred is my kind of guy in that he slammed this thing full of malts. It is malty, and then malty again, followed by just enough citrus to knock the edge off before it finishes with a sweet malty flavor. At 9.3% ABV, it packs a nice punch too.



I will say this. I was a little surprised that they put this beer out in the summer. It really doesn't go with the 100 degree days of summer here in Arkansas, but it was good. It might be better enjoyed this fall as things cool down outside.

Sierra Nevada Summerfest‏ (JT's Review)

Image courtesy of  sixpacksportz.weebly.com 

Here is another beer that I usually try to avoid because of who makes it, but that I couldn't resist because of its style. Sierra Nevada beer usually just doesn't do it for me. Their Summerfest beer actually did.



As you may know, I love summer beers, so the beer had a leg up in that respect from the start. It had a light crisp flavor that gave me a little malt, and then a floral hopped flavor that finished with a hint of citrus. None of the flavors were over powering, and none hung around too long.



My last two summer brews have been from companies that I usually don't like, but both have been good. I love drinking in the summer!



Anchor Summer Beer (JT's Review)

Image courtesy of  theperfectlyhappyman.com

If you have followed our blog, and my drinking patterns, you know that I am not typically into Anchor beers. However, you also know that I love summer time and summer seasonal brews!





Anchor's Summer beer was probably the best Anchor beer that I have tried. It was very wheaty and malty, but still light and crisp enough to taste like a good summer seasonal. I will say that it isn't your typical summer, have a six pack after yard work, kind of beer.




I bought this beer in a build your own sixer at Macadoodles, and I will look for it again.

Sunday, July 15, 2012

Ghost River Golden Ale

I live fairly close to Memphis and visit there often for a variety of reasons.  I was extremely happy to discover a while back that they have a brewery called Ghost River.  When it comes to this brewery's beers, they say that "great water makes great beer."  The website will give you the back story on the water from Memphis.  Take it from me (and all my family in Memphis) that Memphis does have great drinking water.  I plan on trying them all but today I will be reviewing their Golden Ale.


Let me tell you, the Memphis water made a great beer when it comes to the Golden Ale.  This looks and feels like your typical lager, but it tastes much better.  It has a little sweetness that gives it a little more body.  Even though it is sweet it finishes crisp.  It is a beer that you could sit down and drink the entire six pack with ease, especially since it only has a ABV of 4%.  I can guarantee that I will pick up some more of this beer the next time I venture over to Memphis.



Sunday, July 1, 2012

Yuengling Lager and Yuengling Black and Tan (JT's Review)

picture courtesy of  beer-taster.com

I decided to do this review a little differently. I am going to combine two great beers into one review. 


Yuengling is our country's oldest brewery! It was established in Pottsville, Pennsylvania, in 1829. One of my friends that was playing ball in the northeast sent me some about 15 years ago. I loved it. Yuengling beer is only sold east of the Mississippi River, so it is a real treat when I am where I can buy it. The other night, I was at a friends house, and one of his neighbors produced both flavors for this review from his recent travels.


Their lager is smooth and has a ton of good flavor. It is amber in color and has a sweet caramel taste.


The black and tan was a little different than I thought it would be, but it was great all the same. It tasted a little more like a porter. It had a ton of malts, and definitely had the Yuengling stamp on it.


The next time you venture to the eastern part of the country or if you already live there, this is a must try.

picture courtesy of  http://watermalthopsyeast.blogspot.com 

Trader Joe's Vienna Style Lager (JT's Review)

picture courtesy of  http://www.theperfectlyhappyman.com

Also known as Joseph's Brau, hence the initials JB on the bottle cap, Trader Joes Vienna Style Lager is brewed in San Jose, California. Shawn's wife Hanna made a special stop for us to build a couple of six packs on her way home from a business trip in Missouri. This was one of the samples she brought back.


As most of you know, I am a huge fan of darker lagers. This beer was no exception. It poured a nice copper color with a solid foamy head. It smelled a little sweet and malty. The flavor was smooth and rich. I got kind of a toasted caramel flavor. The finish was easy with just a little bit of a hoppy bit at the end.


This one was a total winner for me. A box of these on a cold winter day will really hit the spot!

Shipyard Prelude Special Ale (JT's Review)

picture courtesy of  yearinbeer.tumblr.com

The word ale without the word brown in front of it usually makes me nervous. However, with Spring here, and winter seasonal's on sale, I felt that I should broaden my horizons.


Shipyard is from Portland,Maine, and makes a great Pumpkin beer. Shawn and I will be taking our families to Maine, this summer and I hope to visit the Shipyard brewery. After drinking their special ale, I hope that they still have some on hand when we arrive!


This was a really good beer. It didn't taste like a typical winter seasonal. It just tasted like a really good smooth beer. It was sweet and malty, with a toffee and caramel taste. There were some mild brewing spices that came at just the right time, with a light crisp finish.


This was more of an amber ale tasting beer to me. I thought it was good. As much as I look forward to warm weather, this one makes me ready for winter again.

Widmer Brothers Citra Blonde Summer Brew‏ (JT's Review)

Image courtesy of  Untappd.com

I love summer seasonal's! Widmer's version was not what I expected, but it was good. It falls into the "different, but good" category. I found it in a 2 for 2 dollars deal at Macadoodle's. I have drank and reviewed a couple of Widmer's beers, and the Portland based brewery hasn't let me down yet. They make good beer, and it is usually has a unique stamp on it. This beer was no different.The name having the word "citra" in it made me think it would be a light fruity beer. It wasn't light at all. It had almost a winter porter taste to it with a faint twang of citrus. I was expecting something that I would want to chug after I mowed my yard. Instead what I tasted was better saved for cold winter day.It was a good beer, but just don't feel like it is going to be a lawn mower beer. Buy it to enjoy slowly, and I think you will be ok.

Tuesday, June 5, 2012

WE'RE BACK BABY!!!

OK, I know it has been a while since I/we have updated the blog.  Let me say this, it's not because we have stopped drinking beer!!  That's just crazy talk!!  It is totally my fault.  My job/responsibilities had kind of gotten in the way of my posting reviews.  Things have slowed down so prepare yourselves for an abundance of reviews.  As always, thanks for checking out the blog.  Keep drinking, keep commenting, keep reading, and keep drinking........oops, I guess I said that already.

Monday, April 16, 2012

Diamond Bear Two Term Double IPA

So I was really hesitant on buying this beer.  Luckily, I was able to purchase it through a "build your own" six pack.  So, if I didn't like it.........no big deal.  I obviously want to like every beer.  I really want to like all Diamond Bear brews because they are brewed in the great state of Arkansas (Little Rock).

I was hesitant for two reasons.  The first being that I am not a big fan of IPAs, much less Double IPAs.  Second, I have not really liked any of the beers from this brewery. 

This review will be short and sweet.  It tasted like a typical IPA.......hoppy and spicy.  What set it apart for me was the 8.5% ABV.  If I am going to drink an IPA, it better pack a punch like this one.  So far..........my favorite Diamond Bear selection.

Bell's Pale Ale‏ (JT's Review)

From my past reviews, you know I am neither a Bell's fan or a pale ale fan. However, Shawn hooked me up with this one some time back, and I just got around to drinking it last night. I have to admit that I was very pleasantly surprised.

I was beginning to wonder if the Comstock, Michigan brewery had a product that was any good? I liked the fact that it had a 5.2% ABV, which I think is solid for a pale ale. The write up on the label describes it as a blond ale. I found that to be an accurate assessment. The malts were light, but had a nice soft sweet flavor. It was lightly hopped in the finish. The after taste was smooth and didn't linger too long. It was somewhat heavily carbonated, but not too bad.

All in all, a very solid beer. I will buy this one again!

Friday, April 13, 2012

Mikkeller Yeast Series American Style Ale‏ (JT's Review)

Let me first say that this is a beer that I would have never bought if it was up to me. Not being a big fan of ale's and not being a big fan of paying $6.50 for a bottle of beer would have been enough to deter me. Shawn picked this beer up while he was in Springfield. As it turned out, I'm glad he did. It was different, but pretty good.

The malt flavors were light, but there were the right amount for this beer. Following the malts, there was a strong citrus flavor that led into a dry bitter hop/alcohol mix. The more I worked through the beer, the better it tasted.

Mikkeller is brewed in Belgium, and even though it is classified as an American Pale Ale, it is defiantly a Belgium. The ABV is a solid 8.0%, but for 6.50 a bottle, I don't think it is one I'll try again.

New Castle Brown Ale‏ (JT's Review)

As most of you know, we here at Brian's Beer Guide strive to try and review beers that are unique, or at least beers that you have seen and weren't sure if you should try or not. New Castle Brown Ale is a beer that most people have tried before. However, most have had out of a bottle. If you have not had it in the can, I suggest you try it.

My brother tried it in the can, and he loved it. He brought it over to my house and I liked it better in the can too. I think with dark beer, it is better in the can because the can doesn't allow sun light to disturb the flavor. It tasted much more flavorful and was far more smooth.

Typically, I like beer out of the bottle better, but if you get a chance to get it in the can, I think you will like it.

Tuesday, April 10, 2012

Wrasslers XXXX Full Stout‏ (JT's Review)

Man, this was a strong flavored beer. I liked it, but it was one that I wasn't up for round two with. Since it was $5 a bottle, I'm glad I didn't want to drink a bunch more of them.


Wrasslers is a full Irish Stout that is brewed by Porterhouse Brewing Company in Dublin, Ireland. The bottle looks pretty old school like one you might see in a movie from the 1970's it has an ABV of 5.7%.


The flavor was good, but it was almost overwhelming. There were a ton of malts, and a ton of hops. They seem to come at you all at once. There is a really dry overtone to it. The finish lingers until you take another sip, and when I say sip, I mean that's about as fast as you can drink it.


If you like stout's, it is worth a try, but for the price and the taste, I doubt I go down that road again.

UFO White

This beer comes from the Harpoon Brewery.  I don't think that I have had any Harpoon selections, but I would eventually like to try them all.

This is an unfiltered wheat....which I love.  It is a wit...........which I love.  This beer.......I did not love.  It wasn't bad, just not my favorite of its genre.

As you can see, there is an orange on the label.  I like a little orange in my wit beer.  Only problem is......I didn't really taste that much orange.  This is odd considering it plays a major role in the advertisement!  I wasn't really wanting an orange flavored beer, but give me something.

This beer was just "OK."  I would say that it was not worth the money.  I am glad that I tried it though.  Hopefully I will like the other Harpoon brews that I plan on sampling.

New Castle Limited Edition Founders Ale‏ (JT's Review)

My brother is a huge New Castle fan, and I have grown to like it a lot too. When I saw their limited edition founders ale, I was excited to try it even though ale's usually aren't my thing.

I thought it was ok, but my brother didn't finish his glass. In all fairness, he poured it around 9 pm, which is very close to his bed time. Anyway, the beer defiantly had the "New Castle stamp" on it. It had a nice malty start, and finished with a soft hoppy flavor. The hops weren't too much, which I liked about it. There just seemed to be something missing in the middle. The best way to put it was that it lacked the depth I was looking for.

I thought it was ok, but I don't think I will try it again. There is way too much good beer to settle for just ok.




My Review:  I really liked this beer!!  I agree a lot with JT's review.  There just wasn't a tremendous amount of uniqueness to this beer, but that is OK, unless you are looking for that.  I feel that this is a very solid beer that I could drink a lot of.........in one sitting..........or more.  I would have to have a little more coin in my pocket though to afford very much of it.

Monday, April 2, 2012

Billy's Chilies Beer‏ (JT's Review)


photo courtesy of  http://www.dailybeerreview.com/2011/06/billys-chilies.html
 If you see this beer and have any desire to try it, turn and run away as fast as you can. I like spicy foods and I love beer, so the combination of the two seemed to be a good idea. It was not.

Billy's Chilie's is brewed in Boulder, Colorado by the Twisted Pine Brewing Company. It has an ABV of 5% and is classified as a Chili Beer. Their website suggests pairing it with food, and more specifically with your eggs at breakfast. On occasion I enjoy a beer in the morning, but I can't think of a worse idea than drinking one of these to start my day.

The beer has 5 different kinds of peppers in its ingredients. It takes as if they filled the bottle with peppers and then poured a beer in to soak for a few weeks.

I can only tell you that my stomach has yet to recover from the drinking of 6 ounces of it(Shawn and I split it). If you care about your body, I strongly advise not putting Billy's Chilie's in it.

Samuel Adams Black Lager‏ (JT's Review)

Sam Adams made it happen with this one. I really like black lagers, and I think this is my favorite one.

It has a great malty flavor. At first the malts seem toasted and then they transition into a chocolate caramel flavor and then back to a toasted flavor. The hops are hardly noticeable, and it finishes very smoothly.

This was part of a Sam Adams sampler pack, but I hope they start selling it in 6 packs. It was really good.

Wednesday, March 28, 2012

Rogue Ale's Santa's Private Reserve‏ (JT's Review)

Let me say that this is not a beer that I was really excited about drinking. I am not a big fan of the Rogue family of beers. They all seem to finish with a hoppy explosion that is way too much for me.
 
The Santa seasonal was not different. The malt flavor was almost nonexistent to me. The hops crushed me from the beginning, and it was way over carbonated, which only added to the burn of the excessive hoppiness.
 
I will give them this: The bottle is cool as hell. The guy on the from looks like a cross between Captain Morgan and Santa Clause, drinking a beer. I should have saved this one for a decoration and not tried to drink it.