I swear, I am going to get better about getting these reviews out while the beers in them are still in season. Thankfully, you can still find every single one of these at select stores. So I won't beat around the bush...here goes!
Anderson Valley Blood Orange Gose
This is the first Gose I have ever sampled and rated for a blog, whether it be my old LBSM blog or this new one. That alone makes this intriguing. For those of you who don't know, a Gose is a salt beer. It is a style that originated in Leipzig, Germany and is made from over 50% wheat. It is known for the fact that they add salt to give the beer a little sharpness that melds well with the flavors of the style. Just like the Berliner Weiss, many of these beers have flavors added afterwards. Enter Anderson Valley's take. The nose is champagne-like with hint of cherries, applesauce, and citrus soda. The initial taste is immediately sour and tart. However, strong flavors of cherry, lemon, orange, and Sweet Tart candy conquer your palate afterwards. Just like that, however, the beer is gone. The finish is practically non-existent with only small hints of white bread and effervescent water.
Mike's Rating - 8/10
Schlafly AIPA
This beer has always had a special place in my heart. It is one of my all time favorite single IPA's. Almost every year Schlafly hits it out of the park with this one, and this year has been no exception. The nose is just a fresh burst of tea, grapefruit, and citrus. Those pungent aromas make my mouth water every time. A blast of bitterness hits you at the front with flavors of black tea and lemon zest appearing in the aftermath. The finish is nicely toasty with hints of perfume and pine. The bitterness lingers on, but it doesn't overpower the delicious flavors that this beer provides. This is a well-balanced IPA, and one that any hop lover would enjoy.
Mike's Rating - 9.25/10
Great Lakes Rye of the Tiger IPA
We continue with the IPA trend with this relatively new iteration from Great Lakes. This is its third year in production, and it still remains a solid Spring offering for the hop lovers out there. The nose is intense with hints of soap, coriander, pine, and lemon pith. The first sip pulls no punches and gives a blast of bitterness with hints of pine, snow peas, and earth notes. The finish finds the bitterness weakening pleasantly in time for strong flavors of pine and grass. So many Rye beers I find to either have too much Rye or not enough. This one has hit the nail nearly square on the head.
Mike's Rating - 8.5/10
Uinta Detour Double IPA
Uinta has been a pleasant surprise since bursting onto the scene over 2 years ago from Utah. All I had to go on before that was stories from the Salt Lake City olympics about the nightmarish legislation on alcohol in the state of Utah. So it was a huge surprise to see such a quality brewery coming from Utah. This new offering, a hoppy DIPA, didn't disappoint much. The nose had strong hints of pine, citrus, and soap. The taste starts off intensely bitter. More so than any of the previous beers I reviewed today. Strong hints of pine resin mix with softer hints of carmelized onions and cough syrup to form a weird opening. The finish ended up being quite creamy and thick with strong hints of pine. All in all, this beer wasn't bad. Yet it seemed to just be missing that final push.
Mike's Rating - 8.5/10
Wednesday, August 19, 2015
Who Wants a Belgian Trip?
This is the part where I hold up a stop sign. It seems the new fad with festivals and events is giving away free tickets to lucky winners. I have no luck at all when it comes to these things, so I post these in hopes that one of my faithful readers will win the opportunity. New Belgium Brewing is doing a drawing and all you have to do to enter is merely sign up for their website and fill out a profile so they know where to send those winning tickets. Link here. Good luck folks!
Founders to Release Redankulous Imperial Red IPA
I don't know about everyone else, but when I see a new Founders beer I tend to get incredibly excited. I have not shied away from stating that Founders is my favorite brewery. That has not changed even as the craft market changes drastically from year to year. Founders also has a history of knocking new IPA's out of the park. So seeing an Imperial Red IPA titled only "Redankulous" has goosebumps prickling my skin. I can't wait to see bombers on the shelves. Check out the description on Founders website here.
Fall Has Arrived...Beer Style!
The coming of Fall usually heralds the arrival of the beers we crave as the weather mellows and the wind picks up. Breezy days of Autumn make you want to crack open Spicy pumpkin beers, creamy Oktoberfests, and chocolatey brown ales. However, with each year it seems the beers normally reserved for Fall are arriving as the scorching weather of Louisville is in full swing. I don't know about you, but none of the beers I mentioned (sans Marzen-style Oktoberfest beers) makes me want to drink them in 90 degree weather with the humidity in full swing.
So why do we release them earlier and earlier when people do nothing but lament their arrival? The first culprit would no doubt be commercialism. If you get the product on the shelves first, then you have first dibs on the market. That is huge to some degree. If you are the only option for those looking, then you are the one they will buy 4 out of 5 times. I myself found myself craving an Oktoberfest and bought Great Lakes as it was literally the only option on the shelves at the time.
The second reason is what makes this a more formidable combination than a string of blows from Ali in his prime: If you don't buy them before they are gone, you get none. Pumpkin Beers and Oktoberfests sell like wildfire, and they hardly ever last until the months where you want them (November and October respectively.) That in and of itself is frustrating enough to get you to pick a few up and hold the last couple bottles until you truly want them. Especially for the many of you who are looking to drink some bottles of Southern Tier Pumking or Schlafly Pumpkin Ale.
So how does this disgusting trend stop? The sad part is that it probably won't. People are insatiable, and craft beer is hotter than ever right now. The only way to reverse this trend would be for many, many people to be on board and abstain. Even then it would be doubtful, as who could resist the desire not to buy one of their favorite seasonals? We are slaves to the man. So let's all toast those cases of Fall beer that we will be holding onto until Fall actually arrives. Cheers!
So why do we release them earlier and earlier when people do nothing but lament their arrival? The first culprit would no doubt be commercialism. If you get the product on the shelves first, then you have first dibs on the market. That is huge to some degree. If you are the only option for those looking, then you are the one they will buy 4 out of 5 times. I myself found myself craving an Oktoberfest and bought Great Lakes as it was literally the only option on the shelves at the time.
The second reason is what makes this a more formidable combination than a string of blows from Ali in his prime: If you don't buy them before they are gone, you get none. Pumpkin Beers and Oktoberfests sell like wildfire, and they hardly ever last until the months where you want them (November and October respectively.) That in and of itself is frustrating enough to get you to pick a few up and hold the last couple bottles until you truly want them. Especially for the many of you who are looking to drink some bottles of Southern Tier Pumking or Schlafly Pumpkin Ale.
So how does this disgusting trend stop? The sad part is that it probably won't. People are insatiable, and craft beer is hotter than ever right now. The only way to reverse this trend would be for many, many people to be on board and abstain. Even then it would be doubtful, as who could resist the desire not to buy one of their favorite seasonals? We are slaves to the man. So let's all toast those cases of Fall beer that we will be holding onto until Fall actually arrives. Cheers!
Thursday, July 30, 2015
Great American Beer Festival
I am sure most of you all have heard about the Great American Beer Festival. It takes place every year in Denver, Colorado and features one of the most extensive craft beer assemblies in the world. Getting to see this first hand can be costly. First, you have to be one of the few to buy tickets before they sell out. Then you have to travel to Colorado and pay for lodging. By the end, you are looking at hundreds of dollars for one event. Oskar Blues this year has kindly decided to offer up FREE tickets...to those who win the sweepstakes. Not just that, but they will pay for your lodging, air fare, and food for you AND a friend. This is a once in a lifetime opportunity, and everyone should check it out. Someone has got to win, might as well be one of us, eh?
Link: http://draftmag.com/ordeal/
Link: http://draftmag.com/ordeal/
Wednesday, July 29, 2015
I Have Returned...With News!
Hello Ladies and Gents! Yet another long absence but this one will be punctuated with activity. I am back and with a vengeance. We will start by saying that you will see a TON of reviews posted over the next two weeks. Just because I was MIA from here, does not mean I wasn't doing what I love best: sampling and rating beer. So check back often and don't lose faith in yours truly. We will end this post with a completely unrelated tidbit where I recently have read articles that show that beer has generated over 253 billion dollars this past year and 1.75 million jobs. It is a great time to be a craft beer drinker! Cheers!
Sunday, June 14, 2015
Flat 12 Christmas In July
Many people associate certain beers to certain seasons. I will admit that even I will raise an eyebrow to anyone who exclaims "give me a stout!" in the middle of July. However, for barrel-aged Pinko, I can make an exception.
On July 25th, at the Flat 12 Brewery in Indy, Flat 12 will be busting out several different varieties of their delicious Pinko Russian Imperial Stout. A few probably have grumbled about the heat already, but fear not. All of this drinking will take place in a 30,000 square foot cooler. Check out Flat 12 on Facebook for more info.
Thursday, June 4, 2015
Podcast Review: Stone Ruination 1.0 v. 2.0
Hello fellow beer enthusiasts. I reported that Stone would be changing up their revered Ruination Imperial IPA a little while back. I decided that I wanted to do a head to head on the new and the old. That is when two friends and former beer regulars at the LBSM approached me to join them on their beer podcast.
So, we joined up and poured these beers starting with age before beauty with the original first. We...well, I won't spoil the fun. Below is a link to the podcast. Just look for the posts titled Another Round #21 and #22. Hope you all enjoy listening as I did recording with them.
Link: http://endangerouslycreative.com/
Bell's Funvitational
Most people can't start a debate about the best breweries without including Bell's. From popular beers like HopSlam and Oberon to much sought after rarities like Black Note and Oracle, Bell's is synonymous with great beer.
Thus, when I saw the lineup of Bell's Funvitational, I squealed with glee like a teenage girl at an Ed Sheeran concert. Over a hundred of the top breweries in the country will flock there. I had to hold the3 urge to rush to send Bell's a check with nothing on it but "insert any amount".
However, Bell's is taking a unique and novel approach. Instead of events like Three Floyd's Dark Lord Day where everyone rushes to refresh their browser and buy, Bell's asks that you send them a check via mail and include a reason why you should get a golden ticket. Kudos, Bell's. Below I have included the link for those adventurous enough to give it a try. I know I will consider it heavily.
Link: http://bellsbeer.com/funvitational
Monday, May 25, 2015
New Stone Stochasticity Beer Generates Hype
The Stone Stochasticity Project beers have been extremely hit or miss for me. Some have wowed me with the diverse directions Stone can go in. Others have made me question if that is always a good idea. The newly announced HiFi+LoFi Mixtape beer has me salivating already.
Stone decided to do something truly unique with this beer. With this beer they decided to combine both aged and fresh beers to create something unique. On top of that, they aged half in wine oak foudres. Essentially, it will combine the best of Belgium style beers all in one. Yet another Stone beer that I am stoked for.
Stone decided to do something truly unique with this beer. With this beer they decided to combine both aged and fresh beers to create something unique. On top of that, they aged half in wine oak foudres. Essentially, it will combine the best of Belgium style beers all in one. Yet another Stone beer that I am stoked for.
Thursday, May 21, 2015
Absence
Getting folks! Sorry for being MIA for the last few weeks. My computer decided to bite the dust and it took me awhile to get the hang of my new phone. But things are looking up and I should be back to posting quite often. I thank you all for bearing with me and encourage you all to check the blog for more updates.
Saturday, April 25, 2015
Blind Tasting Crowns IPA Winner
Blind Tasting 116 Single IPA's and picking one winner. It is a daunting task, I can tell you. I dare say, an almost impossible task. The hops will eventually overwhelm your taste buds and the next beer won't taste as intense. As such, I looked at this article I read with skepticism. Still, it is a good read and it brought about some nods of approval and gasps of shock at the inclusions and the snubbed alike.
In fact, they almost lost me when they snubbed the likes of Schlafly AIPA, Terrapin Hopsecutioner, and Great Divide Titan from the Top 50. On top of that, they included in the Top 50 the likes of Bell's Two Hearted, Sierra Nevada Torpedo, and Sweetwater IPA. However, these kinds of unpredictable tests tend to have unpredictable results. It still proves to be an excellent read. Check it out here.
In fact, they almost lost me when they snubbed the likes of Schlafly AIPA, Terrapin Hopsecutioner, and Great Divide Titan from the Top 50. On top of that, they included in the Top 50 the likes of Bell's Two Hearted, Sierra Nevada Torpedo, and Sweetwater IPA. However, these kinds of unpredictable tests tend to have unpredictable results. It still proves to be an excellent read. Check it out here.
Friday, April 24, 2015
Stone Shocks All
Stone Brewing Company is iconic in the minds of many a hop head. They pretty much made the Double IPA and Black IPA categories with beers like Ruination and Sublimely Self-Righteous. Recently they have pumped out one limited release after another with the majority being incredibly hop forward. So it shocked everyone when they announced they were discontinuing the Sublimely Self-Righteous and pumping replacing it with a new Enjoy By Black IPA.
Stone did it again. This time they discontinue Ruination as we know it. They are switching up the hops and the build, tweaking it to make it even hoppier to roll with the times. I will admit, I am very skeptical about this move. Ruination has been a staple of the DIPA category since it launched onto the scene so many years ago. To take that legendary recipe and tweak it seems almost blasphemous. Yet if anyone can do it, it is definitely Stone. Only time will tell if this move proves to be a breath of fresh air or a terrible error in judgement.
Source: http://www.stonebrewing.com/ruin/
Stone did it again. This time they discontinue Ruination as we know it. They are switching up the hops and the build, tweaking it to make it even hoppier to roll with the times. I will admit, I am very skeptical about this move. Ruination has been a staple of the DIPA category since it launched onto the scene so many years ago. To take that legendary recipe and tweak it seems almost blasphemous. Yet if anyone can do it, it is definitely Stone. Only time will tell if this move proves to be a breath of fresh air or a terrible error in judgement.
Source: http://www.stonebrewing.com/ruin/
Wednesday, April 22, 2015
Beer Reviews That Should Have Been Done Weeks Ago
Yeah. That's right. I just called myself out for these four reviews that somehow have sat on my computer for over 2 weeks. I blame myself...which is probably accurate. If you all haven't picked up any of these delicious beers, I am positive they are all drinking fairly well.
Three Floyds Yum Yum Session Ale
I have had many a Three Floyds beer. I can't deny their legitimacy as one of the best breweries in the country. Yet recently they seem to be resting on their laurels. The last few beers haven't had much substance. This beer is mostly similar to the previous offerings but with one difference: it is packed with flavor for such a light beer. The nose is intriguing with hints of kiwi, lemon juice, and banana cream pie. The body of this beer is light but with flavors of lemon juice and sourdough. The beer remains pleasantly bitter throughout, and the finish brings a smattering of different flavors. Pine, crackers, and mineral water round out the end. While this beer isn't terribly exciting, it does pretty well at what it tries to do.
Mike's Rating - 7.5/10
Green Flash Mosaic Session Ale
Two session ales in a row. How incredibly dull. At least, that is what I would say if I were in your shoes. However, this entry is part of Green Flash's Hop Odyssey Series. That means it is guaranteed to be filled with hoppy goodness, even if the body remains light. The nose is very bright off the bat with thick aromas of oranges. Lighter hints of mineral water, crackers, and floral notes meet the nose later. The taste is one dimensional, which is to be expected with a single hop variety. However, the flavors themselves are quite intense. Tea and toast hit your tastebuds from the start. The finish brings a light bitterness and tons of pine flavor. At the end of the day, I craved more. Yet this beer was well made.
Mike's Rating - 7.75/10
Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA
This is one of my favorite single IPA's. I really don't think it gets enough credit for its flavor. It has a great flavor yet remains easy drinking as the weather warms up. It is also packed full of delicious hops. The nose is exactly what I want from an IPA with pungent aromas of grapefruit and tangerines. Lighter hints of bubble gum also shine through. The front is all hops with flavors of tangerines, grapefruit, and pine. That delicious flavor makes way for the more malty finish with flavors of cream, bread, and floral notes. It isn't the hoppiest beer you will encounter, but it seems to blend just right.
Mike's Rating - 9/10
Great Lakes Chillwave Double IPA
Every time this beer comes out I exclaim "Alchemy Hour is here!" I have to catch myself each time. Still, original name or not this beer bursts onto the scene every year with quite the bit of fan anticipation. It is truly saying something as Great Lakes has one of the best 4 beer lineups as far as seasonals. Yet Chillwave is arguably the best. The nose is all tropical fruit with strong hints of mango, pineapple, grapefruit, and fruit punch. It is like a burst of hops that fills your nose. The taste is mango juice and grapefruit juice. It overpowers your senses with just lighter hints of alcohol and floral notes to draw you away. The finish is lightly bitter with flavors of grapefruit, pine, and hints of incense. This beer is slightly too sweet for my tastes, but remains a stellar offering.
Mike's Rating - 8.75/10
Three Floyds Yum Yum Session Ale
I have had many a Three Floyds beer. I can't deny their legitimacy as one of the best breweries in the country. Yet recently they seem to be resting on their laurels. The last few beers haven't had much substance. This beer is mostly similar to the previous offerings but with one difference: it is packed with flavor for such a light beer. The nose is intriguing with hints of kiwi, lemon juice, and banana cream pie. The body of this beer is light but with flavors of lemon juice and sourdough. The beer remains pleasantly bitter throughout, and the finish brings a smattering of different flavors. Pine, crackers, and mineral water round out the end. While this beer isn't terribly exciting, it does pretty well at what it tries to do.
Mike's Rating - 7.5/10
Green Flash Mosaic Session Ale
Two session ales in a row. How incredibly dull. At least, that is what I would say if I were in your shoes. However, this entry is part of Green Flash's Hop Odyssey Series. That means it is guaranteed to be filled with hoppy goodness, even if the body remains light. The nose is very bright off the bat with thick aromas of oranges. Lighter hints of mineral water, crackers, and floral notes meet the nose later. The taste is one dimensional, which is to be expected with a single hop variety. However, the flavors themselves are quite intense. Tea and toast hit your tastebuds from the start. The finish brings a light bitterness and tons of pine flavor. At the end of the day, I craved more. Yet this beer was well made.
Mike's Rating - 7.75/10
Deschutes Fresh Squeezed IPA
This is one of my favorite single IPA's. I really don't think it gets enough credit for its flavor. It has a great flavor yet remains easy drinking as the weather warms up. It is also packed full of delicious hops. The nose is exactly what I want from an IPA with pungent aromas of grapefruit and tangerines. Lighter hints of bubble gum also shine through. The front is all hops with flavors of tangerines, grapefruit, and pine. That delicious flavor makes way for the more malty finish with flavors of cream, bread, and floral notes. It isn't the hoppiest beer you will encounter, but it seems to blend just right.
Mike's Rating - 9/10
Great Lakes Chillwave Double IPA
Every time this beer comes out I exclaim "Alchemy Hour is here!" I have to catch myself each time. Still, original name or not this beer bursts onto the scene every year with quite the bit of fan anticipation. It is truly saying something as Great Lakes has one of the best 4 beer lineups as far as seasonals. Yet Chillwave is arguably the best. The nose is all tropical fruit with strong hints of mango, pineapple, grapefruit, and fruit punch. It is like a burst of hops that fills your nose. The taste is mango juice and grapefruit juice. It overpowers your senses with just lighter hints of alcohol and floral notes to draw you away. The finish is lightly bitter with flavors of grapefruit, pine, and hints of incense. This beer is slightly too sweet for my tastes, but remains a stellar offering.
Mike's Rating - 8.75/10
Monday, April 20, 2015
Evil Twin Beer Names
I am sure many of you all have pondered over the meanings of beer names. They almost always have a meaning, and they aren't always well known. Evil Twin is notorious for names like Christmas Eve At A New York City Hotel Room and Ryan and the Beaster Bunny. This article sheds some light on the Evil Twin beers and their mysterious and usually amusing names.
29 Breweries in the US You Must Visit
I like these opinion articles with facts sprinkled throughout. Gives me a chance to compare my opinion. Sometimes I give approving nods, sometimes I am shaking my head at the foolish inclusions, and sometimes I am just wondering what the hell they were thinking for leaving someone out. For this list, I will give you one of each.
I very much approve of the inclusions of Founders and Cigar City. Both are in my Top 10 Breweries and I look forward to visiting them in the years to come. I shook my head at the inclusion of Magic Hat and Rogue. Magic Hat isn't exactly known for their big beers and went so far to try and sue West Sixth over the star in their logo. Rogue isn't much better after sending out a statement against Samuel Adams. Rogue, you would not even exist without the likes of Samuel Adams and Sierra Nevada. Lastly, I was sad to see that neither Stone nor Schlafly made the cut. Both are known for their stellar food and beer in house.
I encourage you all to read the full article here. Also, feel free to list your favorite inclusions, your least favorite inclusions, and the breweries you are pissed that weren't included in the comments section. Hmm...Perhaps I will write my own article on this in the future.
I very much approve of the inclusions of Founders and Cigar City. Both are in my Top 10 Breweries and I look forward to visiting them in the years to come. I shook my head at the inclusion of Magic Hat and Rogue. Magic Hat isn't exactly known for their big beers and went so far to try and sue West Sixth over the star in their logo. Rogue isn't much better after sending out a statement against Samuel Adams. Rogue, you would not even exist without the likes of Samuel Adams and Sierra Nevada. Lastly, I was sad to see that neither Stone nor Schlafly made the cut. Both are known for their stellar food and beer in house.
I encourage you all to read the full article here. Also, feel free to list your favorite inclusions, your least favorite inclusions, and the breweries you are pissed that weren't included in the comments section. Hmm...Perhaps I will write my own article on this in the future.
Tuesday, April 14, 2015
Cellar Reviews
Many of you know that I have started aging my beer. My collection has grown to over 3 cases of beer. Occasionally I get to pull one of these beauties out of the dark and enjoy quite an intimate night with the beer. I managed to jot some notes down after 2 beauties: Goose Island Bourbon County Coffee Stout (Aged: 1 1/2 years) and Ballast Point Sea Monster Imperial Stout (Aged: 2 years). One of these is not available in Kentucky and the other might as well not be for all you can find. I will quit my babbling and move on now:
Ballast Point Sea Monster Imperial Stout
I picked this one up while I was in Florida last year. It already had nearly a year on it, and I was happy to set it aside for one more year before cracking into it. I heartbroken when I did. The nose was barely there and provided strong hints of raisin, oak, cocoa, vanilla, and rubbing alcohol. I was worried something had gone horribly wrong with the aging. The first taste immediately destroyed all doubts that I had. The flavor starts out quite bitter with strong flavors of espresso and dark chocolate. You can tell when the finish kicks in as it smooths out completely and brings about flavors of dark chocolate, brownies, cream, and espresso. This was my first experience with Ballast Point after hearing nothing but good things. After this, I will be spreading the word.
Mike's Rating - 9.5/10
Goose Island Bourbon County Coffee Stout
Yes, I busted one of these bad boys out. After a year and a half, I wanted to see what they had to offer. I recently read an article where some people suggested drinking them all fresh for the coffee flavors. However, when fresh it is too hot. The alcohol overpowers most of the flavors. Mine is a year and a half old...and I still think it needs more time. The nose is intriguing, but bourbon and vanilla lead the pack. Lighter aromas of dark chocolate, fudge, and roasted coffee emerge. The flavor starts out hot and a tad bitter with thick flavors of dark chocolate, cocoa powder, and coffee beans. The finish sweetens ever so slightly and offers flavors of milk chocolate, vanilla, wood, bourbon, and a touch of raisins and roasted coffee. Other than the heat, it was a brilliant stout easily worth its praise.
Mike's Rating - 9.75/10
Ballast Point Sea Monster Imperial Stout
I picked this one up while I was in Florida last year. It already had nearly a year on it, and I was happy to set it aside for one more year before cracking into it. I heartbroken when I did. The nose was barely there and provided strong hints of raisin, oak, cocoa, vanilla, and rubbing alcohol. I was worried something had gone horribly wrong with the aging. The first taste immediately destroyed all doubts that I had. The flavor starts out quite bitter with strong flavors of espresso and dark chocolate. You can tell when the finish kicks in as it smooths out completely and brings about flavors of dark chocolate, brownies, cream, and espresso. This was my first experience with Ballast Point after hearing nothing but good things. After this, I will be spreading the word.
Mike's Rating - 9.5/10
Goose Island Bourbon County Coffee Stout
Yes, I busted one of these bad boys out. After a year and a half, I wanted to see what they had to offer. I recently read an article where some people suggested drinking them all fresh for the coffee flavors. However, when fresh it is too hot. The alcohol overpowers most of the flavors. Mine is a year and a half old...and I still think it needs more time. The nose is intriguing, but bourbon and vanilla lead the pack. Lighter aromas of dark chocolate, fudge, and roasted coffee emerge. The flavor starts out hot and a tad bitter with thick flavors of dark chocolate, cocoa powder, and coffee beans. The finish sweetens ever so slightly and offers flavors of milk chocolate, vanilla, wood, bourbon, and a touch of raisins and roasted coffee. Other than the heat, it was a brilliant stout easily worth its praise.
Mike's Rating - 9.75/10
Sunday, April 12, 2015
New Holland Changes Mad Hatter IPA
Every brewery has their premier beer. The one that brings home the bacon that allows them to try various recipes. Stone has their IPA, Left Hand has their Milk Stout, Bell's has Two Hearted, and New Holland has Mad Hatter. As such, these beers develop a following that can make tweaks to the formula a very risky business. However, I think we all can agree this is a change for the good.
Sticking to just those beers that sell well for years can cause a brewery to become stagnant. Recently, a lot of breweries have gone about reinventing themselves. Trying to bring fresh new customers to their tasty brews. New Holland definitely needed this. Their beers were stale and the most interesting things they were doing involved the variety of new Hatters they have pumped out. Just reading the changes has already made me excited for this reinventing of an old classic. Check out the article here and keep your eyes peeled for this new rendition.
Sticking to just those beers that sell well for years can cause a brewery to become stagnant. Recently, a lot of breweries have gone about reinventing themselves. Trying to bring fresh new customers to their tasty brews. New Holland definitely needed this. Their beers were stale and the most interesting things they were doing involved the variety of new Hatters they have pumped out. Just reading the changes has already made me excited for this reinventing of an old classic. Check out the article here and keep your eyes peeled for this new rendition.
5 Pro Baseball Teams That Do Craft Beer Right
The weather has begun to warm and everyone has started to migrate outside after a long and vicious Louisville winter. Trips to lakes, amusement parks, and baseball games are at the forefront of everyone's minds. Well, at least they are in mine. The most frustrating part is finding craft beer at these establishments. Places have started to get better as the craft beer boom continues.
Kentucky Kingdom has graced their walls with West 6th beers. Reds games push a number of local craft beers. Even a family place like Disney World has Cigar City (IMO, the best brewery not available in Kentucky) in a number of their parks. It is a good time for us craft beer drinkers. Thus, I stumbled upon this article and was simply baffled at how things truly have taken large strides. Read this little excerpt on 5 baseball teams where the stadiums offer robust beer lists and consider them in your travels this Summer.
Kentucky Kingdom has graced their walls with West 6th beers. Reds games push a number of local craft beers. Even a family place like Disney World has Cigar City (IMO, the best brewery not available in Kentucky) in a number of their parks. It is a good time for us craft beer drinkers. Thus, I stumbled upon this article and was simply baffled at how things truly have taken large strides. Read this little excerpt on 5 baseball teams where the stadiums offer robust beer lists and consider them in your travels this Summer.
Wednesday, April 1, 2015
Fantabulous Beer Reviews
Hello my readers! Boy, do I have a list of awesome beers for you! You definitely need to sample these fabulous ales. But, don't take my word for it...Well. Actually, do take my word for it. Read on!
Sweetwater Blue
This beer is so smooth. The nose is all blueberry muffin, and we all know that is exactly what we want from our blueberry beers! This fruit beer is incredibly smooth and provides flavors of blueberry muffin. If that wasn't enough, the finish is non-existent and allows people to quickly consume vast quantities of these at a time. That combined with its super smooth blueberry flavor makes this a can't miss beer.
Mike's Rating - 9/10
Upland Wheat Ale
Upland Wheat Ale. Upland. Wheat. Ale. Remember that name, as you are remembering the name of greatness. This beer poured really cloudy and I wondered if something was wrong with my beer. It smelled like popcorn, mineral water, and lemons. The taste was ALL cinnamon though. It was like Christmas in my mouth, then tasted like cornflakes. I love cereal. This is a winner, and I will make this a regular staple at my home.
Mike's Rating - 9.5/10
Magic Hat #9 Not So Pale Ale
I am usually not a fan of a lot of Pale Ales. They tend to taste like grass and pine needles. So I was shocked to smell this beer and smell raspberries and peaches. After reading the bottle, I suppose it must be apricots. It tastes like raspberries and apricots too. I wish it was one or the other, as my tastebuds find this beer a little too convoluted. They need to stick to one flavor, but still pretty good.
Mike's Rating - 8.75/10
Green Flash Palate Wrecker
I took a big whiff off this beer and coughed. It smells like grass, mango, and oranges. It just smells hoppy. I gave it a gulp and nearly coughed to death. It is BITTER. Far too bitter for normal humans to endure. Bitter, pine, and grass. Tastes like something a farm animal would want to ingest. On top of that, I got a buzz from just a sip. Come on! I want to drink like, 20 beers Green Flash! At this rate I will have 3.
Mike's Rating - 5/10
Alright. Those are my reviews for this week. I hope you all enjoyed them and please stay away from the Palate Wrecker. For those of you who haven't realized what is going on by now...April Fools! Hope you all enjoyed this as much as I did writing it.
Sweetwater Blue
This beer is so smooth. The nose is all blueberry muffin, and we all know that is exactly what we want from our blueberry beers! This fruit beer is incredibly smooth and provides flavors of blueberry muffin. If that wasn't enough, the finish is non-existent and allows people to quickly consume vast quantities of these at a time. That combined with its super smooth blueberry flavor makes this a can't miss beer.
Mike's Rating - 9/10
Upland Wheat Ale
Upland Wheat Ale. Upland. Wheat. Ale. Remember that name, as you are remembering the name of greatness. This beer poured really cloudy and I wondered if something was wrong with my beer. It smelled like popcorn, mineral water, and lemons. The taste was ALL cinnamon though. It was like Christmas in my mouth, then tasted like cornflakes. I love cereal. This is a winner, and I will make this a regular staple at my home.
Mike's Rating - 9.5/10
Magic Hat #9 Not So Pale Ale
I am usually not a fan of a lot of Pale Ales. They tend to taste like grass and pine needles. So I was shocked to smell this beer and smell raspberries and peaches. After reading the bottle, I suppose it must be apricots. It tastes like raspberries and apricots too. I wish it was one or the other, as my tastebuds find this beer a little too convoluted. They need to stick to one flavor, but still pretty good.
Mike's Rating - 8.75/10
Green Flash Palate Wrecker
I took a big whiff off this beer and coughed. It smells like grass, mango, and oranges. It just smells hoppy. I gave it a gulp and nearly coughed to death. It is BITTER. Far too bitter for normal humans to endure. Bitter, pine, and grass. Tastes like something a farm animal would want to ingest. On top of that, I got a buzz from just a sip. Come on! I want to drink like, 20 beers Green Flash! At this rate I will have 3.
Mike's Rating - 5/10
Alright. Those are my reviews for this week. I hope you all enjoyed them and please stay away from the Palate Wrecker. For those of you who haven't realized what is going on by now...April Fools! Hope you all enjoyed this as much as I did writing it.
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