May 07, 2008
It comes in a clear 12 oz bottle, which means if it sits on the shelf too long or is exposed to light itÂ’s going to skunk up on you pretty darn fast. It has a gold label with a green Chili pepper on it outlined in a red dripping sauce. The words Chili Beer are in bright red underneath it.
There is actually a nice golden lager color to it. No head formed at all when it poured and it leaves no lacing or ring on the glass. The only remarkable thing about this beers appearance is the green chili pepper floating in it.
The smell is an over powering scent of pickled peppers. If you take a long hard smell to it, you can get a hint of beer in the background. The taste is pretty much nothing but peppers. If there is any malts or hops to the flavor, they canÂ’t penetrate the overpowering flavor of peppers. This reminds me of a prank that was played on me when I was in college. A friend of mine poured about a quarter of a bottle of DaveÂ’s Insanity sauce into a can of Keystone Light. The flavor is much like that, only not has hot. The aftertaste is that of a mild hot sauce.
This is a light bodied beer. Actually I didnÂ’t keep it in my mouth long enough to get a good feel for it.
First off, let me just say Bruce is a dick. This really is one of the more vile beers IÂ’ve had the displeasure of drinking. If you have any type of stomach or gastro problems, IÂ’d avoid this beer like a snail avoids salt. If you ask, I did not eat the whole pepper, I did take a nibble, but that was just to see what it tasted like. The beer and the pepper werenÂ’t too hot; itÂ’s just not a good taste for beer. I give this beer One out of Ten.
I also give Bruce the finger.
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April 24, 2008
It comes in a 1 pint 2.7 FL OZ brown bottle. The bottle has the name of the brewery molded into the glass. There is a gold foil wrapping around the neck. The label has a purple background and is very busy. In the middle is a picture of an old merchants ship.
There is a nice dark copper color to it. It is clear with no hints of cloudiness to it at all. When poured a half inch white head with a combination of bubbles formed. The head slowly faded into a film and ring on top the beer that lasted until the finish.
When smelled you can detect a mixture of malts and grains. It almost smells like a bran cereal. There is a touch of citrus to it as well as a hint of spice. The taste is a combination of malts and some spices. I had a difficult time singling any out. They mixed fairly well together.
This is a medium bodied beer. The carbonation level is comparable with most beers IÂ’ve had. ItÂ’s very easy to drink.
Bruce usually goes out of his way to find some of the most jacked up beers IÂ’ve ever had. In fact heÂ’s rather good at finding beers that no normal person would ever want to drink. This time he actually found something really nice. ItÂ’s pleasant and easy to drink. I give it a 6.5 out of 10.
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April 09, 2008
It came in a customized 12 oz brown bottle. The bottle had the summit logo with grain stalks on it cast into the glass. The label is brown with the summit logo on it and the name of the beer below. Along with a seal that states it was established in 1986.
The beer pours a nice dark brown color with ruby accents. A nice tan quarter inch head formed as it was being poured. The head faded to a nice film on the top of the beer that seems to last. There is some lacing on the side of the glass.
The smell is an overpowering combination of Coffee and Chocolate. You can also detect a faint scent of dark roasted grain. I donÂ’t know if it was the actual alcohol content or the combination of smells described, but there was a faint smell of alcohol. The taste starts with a bitter bakerÂ’s chocolate flavor with a hint of coffee. There is a slight bitter hop finish to it. The aftertaste is bitter, but not over powering.
It is a medium bodied beer. The combination level seems a little high for a porter, but itÂ’s nothing to complain about.
This is a decent beer, itÂ’s a little bitter for a porter, but not bitter enough I wouldnÂ’t drink more of it. Overall I give this a 5.5 out of 10.
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April 01, 2008
Some Miller Lite Girls, Litey and me at a Packer game.
The method of delivery this time was a 12 oz aluminum can. ItÂ’s blue in color with the Miller Lite logo in an oval tilted sideways. The can boasts all kinds of awards it has won, including the World Beer Cup Gold Award for Best American-style Light Lager in 2006,2002,1998 and 1996. None of the other beers IÂ’ve review can claim this!
In the glass itÂ’s a light straw yellow color. Light passes through it easily; there isnÂ’t a hint of cloudiness or impurities to it. When it was poured it formed an inch thick white head that faded quickly to a patching film on top. There was some lacing, but really not much to speak of.
The aroma has a slight metallic hint to it. ItÂ’s not because it came from a can. IÂ’ve drunk enough of this to know that itÂ’s like this from a bottle too. The main sent is a mix of grains and bread. The taste is Mild and unoffending. You can taste some malts, but not much. ItÂ’s pretty watery. There really is no after taste, in fact if you eat anything while drinking this beer that pretty much becomes the flavor and aftertaste of it.
This is a light bodied beer. There isnÂ’t much to it. The mouthfeel is like you are drinking a glass of carbonated water.
Overall I think this has to be one of the greatest beers on the market. It goes with everything. You can enjoy one with a lobster or a microwave burrito. There really is nothing that Miller Lite doesnÂ’t go with. Because of that I give this a 9 out of 10. ItÂ’s a damn good beerÂ… at a damn good price.
Okay, yes April Fools. I actually give this beer a 3.5 out of 10. It really is one of my favorite beers to drink. Mainly because 90% of the time I can get one in any bar or any stadium that I go to. That and I can still get a case of it for under $15.00. And even though this was partially an April fool’s joke, the review above is accurate. Over the years I’ve had friends make fun of me over my dedication to Miller Lite. Such comments as, “How can you be such a beer snob and still drink Miller Lite?” or “For someone with a distinguished beer pallet why do you drink Miller Lite all the time?” The answer folks is simple. Yes, I love beer. I love really good beer. But sometimes I don’t feel like spending $20.00 for two six packs when I can get 24 for $15.00 and I really don’t like spending $100.00 in a bar tabs when I can spend $35.00. Special occasions, beer tastings and when I’m in the mood is when I prefer a higher quality beer. Sitting around the house watching the game and shooting the shit with the friends, give me a Miller Lite. Plus it’s the official beer of Lambeau Field.
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March 27, 2008
We have our standard 12 oz brown bottle. The label has a picture of “Chug” the owners black lab on the label with the name of the beer around it. In the background is a picture of a mountain range. The neck label has a brief story about the brewery and the beer itself on it.
It has a dark brown color, kind of like an old penny. Light passes through it easily; I didnÂ’t see any cloudiness at all. It is dark enough that you canÂ’t see through it clearly. When I poured it there was no real head. It formed a thin tan head that faded quickly to a crown around the glass. There was no lacing at all.
The scent was of roasted caramel malts and citrus hops. It has a nice and enticing aroma, not overwhelming at all. The taste starts out with a strong hop flavor. There are some malts that follow, but nothing specific. For the hop flavor, itÂ’s not very bitter at all. The aftertaste is mild.
This is a medium bodied beer. It is a little heavy on the carbonation.
Overall I liked this beer. ItÂ’s not all that special, but itÂ’s not bad. It really is something that one could drink and enjoy. I give it 5.5 out of 10.
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March 20, 2008
We have our standard 12 oz brown bottle. There is a cream label on it with a green bar across the middle with the name Barbary Coast on it. There is a red Circle with a picture of a mountain on it just above the green bar. The lettering is all done in that old fashioned late 1800Â’s style.
It pours a nice amber color. Light passes easily through it as there is no sediment floating. When I poured it into the glass it formed a nice inch thick white head that slowly faded to a film on the top of the beer. There was some very minor lacing on the side of the glass.
The smell is weak. First you smell the fruity citrus of the hops. Roasted malts can be detected as well. There is a slight metallic scent to it. The flavor was meager taste of malts with a slight sweetness. There really isnÂ’t much else to it. The aftertaste is even milder and really canÂ’t be described.
This is a light bodied beer that is kind of watery. There is a nice level of carbonation, but not much else to it.
If you had a friend that isnÂ’t a beer fan but wanted to drink on, this is a very inoffensive beer to let them try. The flavor isnÂ’t that much stronger than beer flavored water. Overall I give this a rating of 3.5 out of 10.
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March 13, 2008
The deliver method was the standard 12 oz brown bottle. The label is off white with the words Rock River crossing it at an upward angle. There is a picture of a river on it, presumably the Rock River. (ED. Note. IÂ’ve lived along the mighty Rock River and have traveled up and down the whole length of it through out my life. IÂ’ve done this by car, canoe and boat. I donÂ’t know for sure itÂ’s the same river this is named after, but it adds just a bit more of coolness to the beer for me.)
There is a light golden yellow coloring to it. It poured a half inch thick head made of up of large bubbles. In less than 30 seconds the head faded into a film on top of the beer. There was some lacing, but not very much of it.
The scent was weak. What could be detected was malts and what can be described best as a freshly mowed field. Much like the scent, the taste was very weak. All that I could really pick out was a very mild malt flavor. ItÂ’s not much different that the mass-produced American light lagers that are on the market. Almost no aftertaste is left after your done drinking
It is a light bodied beer. There is some carbonation that bites on the tongue, but not much else. There is no coating and really nothing that lingers in the mouth.
If you are looking for a nice beer to go with a meal, this would be it. There is not enough flavor to it to alter the taste of the food. It went really well with the gumbo I had for dinner tonight. Overall I give this a 4 out of 10.
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March 05, 2008
Sorry T1G, It was the first beer glass I grabbed.
IT came in 1 pint 8 fluid oz (22 ounce) silver can. It proudly advertises that it is Bud Light and Clamato (with salt and lime the perfect combination) Below that it shows a beer goblet with limes in the rim and Chelada across the front of it. On the side it has a box that has both Spanish and English writing in it. The English says, “Enjoy the best of two worlds: a refreshing Bud Light and the unique flavor of Clamato. Drink a Red One, ready to go, or use your favorite ingredients to make it yours – wherever, whenever!” Ed note: Never
The color is like that of a dark pink grapefruit juice. There is a distinct red color to it. ItÂ’s thick; light passes through, but barely. It just looks thick. When Ktreva walked into the room she said it looked like chum. There is no head at all and no lacing on the glass. There is a film, but it isnÂ’t pleasant looking. ItÂ’s like floating bits of stuff have stuck to it.
The smell is mainly tomatoes, salt and only what can be described as wharf. You know, that scent you smell along piers that are in large bodies of water. There is a hint of lime and I think you might smell stale beer. IÂ’m not sure if it was there or just my nose wishing it was. Unless you really like the scent of fish and bloody marys, donÂ’t smell this. The taste is going to haunt me for the rest of my life. In 20 years from now IÂ’m going to wake up screaming while I have a nightmare remembering this review. First off, this does NOT taste like beer. Tomatoes, salt, clams with a slight stale beer backwash is what it tastes like. BTW, there are floaty bits in there. Not many, but there are someÂ… and yes they are chewy. Fortunately they are few, far between and small.
IÂ’d love to tell you what the mouthfeel is like on this beer, but honestly I didnÂ’t want it in my mouth long enough to find out. I will tell you that for the brief milliseconds I had it in my mouth it reminded me of drinking tomato sauce and vomit.
Bud Light Chelada is proof that the gods of beer have a dark and mean sense of humor. This has to be the vilest and nastiest beer I’ve drank in my life. It’s not pleasant in any way or shape. It actually brought tears to my eyes at the thought of having to drink the whole 22 ounces and made me do the “it’s icky” dance. Any of you with young kids knows what I’m talking about. I’m not joking when I warn you, for the love of all that is good and right in the world, DO NOT DRINK THIS BEER. I give it .5 out of 10. Yes, point five out of ten.
Now if youÂ’ll excuse me IÂ’m going to go gargle with Everclear.
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February 27, 2008
We have our standard 12 oz brown bottle with a yellowed label made to look like paper from the 1860s. There is a lot of information on the label; the main thing is that there is a logo of an eagle at the top with the name of the beer under it.
When poured into a glass it has a very nice dark brown color with rich garnet highlights. A half in thick tan head consisting of a mix of fine and large bubbles formed that faded slowly into a film on the top of the beer. There was some lacing on the side of the glass that lasted for the duration.
The smell was a little weak. What was detectable was a combination of malts, coffee and a touch of sweet molasses. There were other aromas mixed in, but they were too weak to be able to discern. The taste was mostly coffee malts. There was a slight bitterness to it of burnt grains that really wasnÂ’t all that flattering. This really didnÂ’t taste like a porter.
This is a medium bodied beer. It really didnÂ’t have the typical coating or mouth feel one would think of in a porter.
If Miller or Anheuser-Busch made a porter, it probably would be like this. Nothing all that special, itÂ’s darker in color and has a slight porter taste. Over all I give this beer a 4 out of 10.
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February 20, 2008
It came in a standard 12 oz brown bottle. The label is shaded and made to look like aged paper. There is a picture of a steamship heading down a river with a cave in the background. The name of the beer is at the top. The bottom of the label claims “Marzen Style Lager Beer”.
It is a copper colored beer. ItÂ’s clear with no signs of sediment of cloudiness. There was a thin head when poured that faded to nothing. No lacing formed on the side of the glass.
There is a slight malty scent to the beer. If you concentrate you smell breads and a sweetness that reminded me of grapes. The flavor was weak and not very notable. It tasted like a standard lager, mostly malts with a touch of citrus hops.
This is a light bodied beer. It was watery and left no coating at all. It drinks easy enough, but itÂ’s very nondescript.
This is just your standard generic beer. ItÂ’s nothing special to write about, but it is drinkable. IÂ’m not sure exactly how they figure itÂ’s a Marzen style beer, as you really canÂ’t taste it. I give it 3.5 out of 10.
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February 13, 2008
This recipe is the actual oldest-known fermented beverage in the world! Our recipe showcases the known ingredients of barley, white Muscat grapes, honey & saffron found in the drinking vessels in King Midas' tomb!Â…Â….Under a huge mound at the capital of Gordion, a University of Pennsylvania Museum expedition in 1957 excavated an intact burial chamber which likely belonged to King Midas himself. The body of a 60-year-old male was laid out in state on a thick pile of purple and blue-dyed textiles inside a unique log coffin.
Most remarkably, the tomb held the largest Iron Age drinking set ever found--157 vessels, including a ram-headed and lion-headed situla--for preparing, serving, drinking and libating a special beverage at the funerary feast of the king. The secrets of the beverage were revealed by the new methods of Molecular Archaeology. Dr. Patrick McGovern of the Museum discovered that the residues inside the vessels belonged to a "Phrygian cocktail," which combined grape wine, barley beer and honey mead. Starting with the ancient chemical evidence, Dogfish Head Brewery "re-created" a marvelous golden elixir, truly touched by King Midas.
The first time I heard about this beer was on the History Channel as they talked about the history of brewing. At that time I had difficulty trying to find some, as it is a limited production base. Fortunately for me a local store received a shipment and I was able to pick up a four pack of it.
It comes in the standard 12 oz brown bottle. There is purple label with a golden fingerprint on it. The name of the beer is imposed over the fingerprint. At the bottom of the label it states, “Handcrafted Ancient Ale. With Barley, honey, White Muscate Grapes and Saffron.” It also proudly claims it’s 9% Alcohol by Volume.
There is a nice golden amber color to it. ItÂ’s clear, with no cloudiness or sediment detectable at all. Light passes through easily. When itÂ’s poured it formed a quarter inch white head that fades quickly. There is no lacing or film on the top of the beer after a couple of minutes.
The scent to this beer is like none I’ve experienced before. It’s a fruity mix of grapes (like wine), a touch of honey, some malts and a hint of alcohol. The taste is a very complex mix. It’s sweet beer/wine/mead combination. You can taste the grapes, honey and malts. There is no bitterness, but there is a strong spice taste and at 9% ABV it shouldn’t be a surprise you can just taste the alcohol. The taste makes me think of a parody of the old Reese’s Peanut Butter cup commercials. “You got your wine in my mead! No you got your mead in my wine! (Takes a drink) HEY!”
This is a medium body beer. There is a nice tingly carbonation to it that really opens up the flavor. It is very smooth to drink, which with the high ABV, could lead to problems.
IÂ’m happy to say this beer did not let me down. It wasnÂ’t exactly what I was expecting, but then again I wasnÂ’t sure what to expect. I found it to be a very satisfying beer. I donÂ’t know how much of it I could drink in one sitting, but itÂ’s pretty damn good. I give it 7 out of 10.
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February 06, 2008
Sam AdamÂ’s uses a 12 oz brown bottle, but theirs is custom with the/a signature of Samual Adams molded into the glass. It has a black and gold label with the name of the beer in the middle and a picture of Sam Adams at the bottom.
This is a very dark beer, almost stout like with its very dark brown coloring. What light that passes through has a garnet red coloring to it. There is no floating or impurities; itÂ’s just a thick beer. Almost no head formed when I poured it into the glass. What there was had a tan color with very fine bubbles. It left no lacing on the side of the glass.
The smell is mainly of caramel and chocolate malts. A touch of smokiness and a hint of coffee are also detectable. Chocolate and caramel malts is the main flavor of the beer, a slight hop spice puts a nice finish to it. The aftertaste is mild and fades quickly. What bitterness there is doesnÂ’t last long.
This is a medium to heavy bodied beer. There is a slight creaminess to it that coats the mouth when you drink it. ItÂ’s not as thick as your typical stouts, but this isnÂ’t a stout. ItÂ’s probably one of the more full-bodied lagers IÂ’ve tasted.
IÂ’m generally not a big Samuel AdamÂ’s fan, but Petey kept telling me to try this one. To be honest, itÂ’s a pretty good beer. I was more than pleasantly surprised with it. ItÂ’s almost like itÂ’s trying to be a stout, but fell just short. I really enjoyed this beer and owe Petey one for introducing it to me; I give it a 6.5 out of 10.
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January 30, 2008
Against we have our standard 12 oz brown bottle. It has a tan label on it with a map of Texas on it. The name of the beer is prominent across the front of the label. There is a description on it of the beer, “ A fine bock beer with a creamy texture and malty body.
It has a nice dark amber coloring to it. It is clear that light passes through easily and you canÂ’t see any cloudiness at all in it. The head was a nice inch thick made of large bubbles that lasted for a while. It faded after 15 minute3s to a film on top of the beer. There is no lacing at all.
The scent was weak. A slightly sweet malt aroma mixed with a hint of roasted nuts. Nothing really stood out about the scent. Roasted malts with caramel tones made up the flavor. It was very simple and kind of weak. There really is not much taste to it at all. There is a week aftertaste that fades to nothing quickly.
The mouthfeel is very light. There is a slight creaminess you donÂ’t normally get with a light-bodied beer like this. ItÂ’s very easy to drink and goes down smoothly.
Tejas is a pretty generic beer. Nothing fancy, no frills and I really wouldnÂ’t go out of my way to grab one. However it is easy to drink and again would be a good meal beer, as the flavor wonÂ’t taint the taste of the food. IÂ’ll give it 3.5 out of 10.
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January 23, 2008
The standard 12oz brown bottle once again makes it’s appearance. There is a maroon label with an oval logo on it. The name of the beer is on the top of the oval and the type cuts the oval in the middle. The bottom of the oval claims “Made from best malt & hops” There is a brief description of the beer in the middle.
The color is a clear golden yellow. It poured a finger width white head with large bubbles that faded quickly to a film and then nothing. There is no lacing on the side of the glass.
A very simple mix of hops and citrus is the first thing I noticed when smelling it. There is a hint of malts to it, but itÂ’s barely detectable. As you sip this beer you get a balanced mix of hops and malts. ItÂ’s not very complex, but a good taste. There is a slight bitterness that fades away quickly. After a couple of drinks you can get a hint of butterscotch on the tongue.
This is a medium bodied beer. It is pleasant and easy to drink.
This isnÂ’t the fanciest beer IÂ’ve ever drank and it definitely isnÂ’t the plainest. ItÂ’s a good drink and would probably go well with a sandwich or a pizza. IÂ’ll give it 4.5 out of 10.
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January 16, 2008
Like a lot of beers from the UK, this came in a 16 oz nitro can. ItÂ’s mainly green with a gold ring at the top. There is a modern stylish Celtic knotwork symbol on the can with the signature of Thomas Caffrey in red under it. The name of the beer is on a black banner on the top third of the can. It was the color scheme that inspired me to drink it out of a Lambeau Field glass from CurlyÂ’s pub. DonÂ’t ask how I got the glass.
As is typical of nitro can beers, this one has a nice thick creamy white head. When itÂ’s poured into the glass the nitrogen bubbles put on a cascading effect that is rather impressive. The head leaves a thick creamy lacing on the glass that lasts as long as the head does. It is considered an Irish Red and has about the typical reddish-copper coloring to it. To be honest I was expecting a slightly more reddish hue to it, but it looks just like a proper beer should.
The smell is a very meek combination of sweet malts and floral hops. There is a slight fruity hint, but I am unable to make out what kind of fruit. It has a mild taste, mostly of malts. One really canÂ’t detect the hop taste at all. With almost no aftertaste, itÂ’s easy to see why someone would drink quite a few of these.
It is a full-bodied beer with a silky and smooth feel to it. It is much thicker than the looks lead you to believe.
I know T1G really likes this beer as was talking about it a lot while he was home. ItÂ’s not a bad beer, I could see ordering a couple dozen in a pub, especially if I was eating a meal. However, I really wasnÂ’t all that impressed. The weak taste left me wanting more of something else that had more flavor to it. It really could use some more hops to balance it out. Overall itÂ’s not a bad beer, but nothing I would go out of my way for. IÂ’m giving it a 4 out of 10.
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January 09, 2008
The delivery package was the standard 12 oz brown bottle. The label has the name across the top with Oktoberfest in a decorative oval. The bottom of the label has a picture of the sun rising over a villa with a giant hawk sitting on top of it to one side. A limited edition lager logo is in the right lower corner. The neck label has a brief description of the beer on it.
It pours a dark amber/orange color. There is a clearness to it that lets light pass through it easily with out any sign of impurities. The thing white head that formed while pouring disappears quickly into nothing. Not even lacing is left on the side of the glass.
The smell is a mix of hops, toasted grains and caramel malts. ItÂ’s not something one would think of when smelling an Oktoberfest. Caramel malts and a good hop backbone combine to make the flavor. The taste is light and unassuming. What aftertaste there is goes away quickly.
This is a light bodied beer. It is a bit heavy on the carbonation side, yet it is still smooth to drink.
Overall this beer was more of an amber ale than an Oktoberfest. I prefer a bit more flavor to my beers, but this isnÂ’t bad. IÂ’d have no problem drinking another couple. Overall I give it a 4.5 out of 10.
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January 02, 2008
The delivery method was a 12oz brown bottle. The neck label has the breweryÂ’s logo on it. The main body label has a picture of a Monk (St. Benedict I assume) sitting in a monastery reading a book by candlelight. The name of the beer is on a blue banner across the middle of the picture.
The ale has a nice dark brown color with slight copper tones to it. It poured a quarter inch tan head made up of a mix of small to large bubbles that rapidly dissipated into a ring around the glass. There was very minimal lacing.
When held to the nose you get an aroma of cinnamon, cloves, nutmeg and roasted malts. A hint of alcohol can also be detected. The taste is much like the smell. You have all the spices and malts that combine to give it slight biscuit undertone. There is enough alcohol in this beer that you can feel it warm on the way down.
This is a light bodied beer; there really isnÂ’t much to it.
This beer pleasantly surprised me. I was expecting something kind of awful, but it really turned out pleasant. I could see someone sitting next to a fire on a cold winterÂ’s evening drinking one of these. I give it a 5 out of 10.
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December 19, 2007
It comes in a 12 oz brown bottle. This one has the signature of Samuel Adams cast on the bottle where it starts to narrow into the neck. The main label is done in blue and white with the name of the beer taking up much of the label. There is a small picture of Samuel Adams hoisting a stein at the bottom. Four snowflakes also grace the label.
When poured into a glass you can appreciate the nice dark amber color. Light passes through the body easily; there is no cloudiness at all. It poured almost no head at all. I even tried to pour it so as to create more head just so I could discern the color. What filmy head that did form quickly faded to nothing. There isnÂ’t even a ring around the edge of the glass.
There is a nice caramel malt scent to the beer. ItÂ’s not very strong, but it is the only prominent scent you can get. If you concentrate you get a hint of prunes or plums. The scent of alcohol can also be detected. When drank, the flavor is much like the scent. Caramel malts are the primary flavor with just a touch of prunes and a slight hop bitterness that finishes well. The aftertaste is very mild and doesnÂ’t last very long.
It is a medium bodied beer with a light carbonation to it. ItÂ’s very easy to drink and would probably go well with most holiday meals. At 5.8% alcohol by volume itÂ’s surprising at how mellow it really is.
Overall this beer pleasantly surprised me. I thought it was well worth the drink and wouldnÂ’t mind drinking another. Overall IÂ’m giving this a 6 out of 10.
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December 12, 2007
A very festively dressed 12 oz brown bottle is the delivery method. The label has a nice winter scene of a cabin with red flowers around it. The label just screams, “HAPPY HOLIDAYS!” The neck label, also very festive… has the year of the beer on it as well as a little story about making winter brews.
The beer has a nice copper and orange color to it. There isnÂ’t a hint of cloudiness to it at all. The only thing that obstructs the view is the carbonation bubbles. A thin off-white head is produced that fades quickly to a film on top of the beer. There is some lacing, but not much.
On the first scent the nose is assaulted with the scent of hops. A slight citrus and spice scent can also be detected. The combination almost gives the beer a pine scent. The taste is much like the smell. The bitterness of the hops overpowers the rest of the flavors. You can barely taste anything else. The aftertaste is much of that of pine. ItÂ’s so bitter itÂ’s difficult to drink.
It is a medium bodied beer with a normal carbonation level. There is a nice smoothness in the mouth. It coats the mouth and throat; unfortunately that coating helps the taste to linger.
I was really hoping for a nice somewhat spicy winter or Christmas ale, this however is more like a bitter IPA than anything else. The scent is overpowering and the taste is almost overwhelming. Over all I have to give this a 1.5 out of 10.
Now if you excuse me I'm going to go gargle with Jack Daniels to get the taste out of my mouth.
Posted by: Contagion at
07:10 PM
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December 05, 2007
The standard 12 oz brown bottle once again graces us with its presence. The label is black. In white lettering at the top is the name of the brewing company and at the bottom is the name of the beer. In the middle in a gray square is a green toy train car holding red Christmas ornaments. There is short description of the beer on the label as well. It brags a sturdy 7.5% Alcohol By Volume (ABV).
It has a nice dark copper color with a slight amber hue. The body is clear with no sign of cloudiness. A quarter inch off white head formed when poured into the glass. The head faded into a film on the top of the beer. It left some lacing on the side of the glass, but not a lot.
Cinnamon is the first scent you notice to this beer. There is a mixture of raisins, ginger and honey also noticeable. A touch of coffee malts can also be smelt. The taste starts off with a strong cinnamon flavor that is followed by ginger, honey and coffee malts. The flavor covers the higher 7.5% ABV. The combination leaves no doubt in your mind that this is a Christmas beer.
ItÂ’s a medium bodied beer. The carbonation gives a little bite to the tongue, but not much. With the higher ABV, one would think it would affect the drinkability of this beer, but it really doesnÂ’t.
ItÂ’s a little sweeter then I normally like, but itÂ’s not a bad beer. I donÂ’t know if I would go out of my way to buy it for anything other than maybe a Holiday party, but I definitely wouldnÂ’t turn one down if it were offered to me. IÂ’m going to rate this a 4.5 out of 10.
Posted by: Contagion at
05:53 PM
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