1029. Samuel Adams Boston Brick Red
Our lab went out for beers with another lab on our floor in mid-June. After encountering a line at The Muddy Charles we headed to Characters, the bar at the Kendall Square Marriott. I decided to try Brick Red, the new beer from Boston Beer Company that's available only in Boston.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Irish Red Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.0 | Taste: 3.0 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 3.3
Sam Adams Brick Red pours, as expected, a clear, deep red. It's topped by an off-white head that fades to a film leaving nice lace. The aroma is fairly light overall with notes of caramel, toffee and a hint of fruitiness.
Biscuity and toasty malts upfront quickly move into a strong caramel sweetness in the center. Towards the finish a graininess appears along with a mild bitterness. Boston Brick Red is medium-bodied with moderate carbonation and a mild stickiness.
I know Irish Reds are supposed to be malty, but this one just seems a bit too malty to me. Perhaps it's the one-note dominance of the malt flavors. It's a decent beer, but most likely not one that I'll have again, especially if there are better options on tap.
Our lab went out for beers with another lab on our floor in mid-June. After encountering a line at The Muddy Charles we headed to Characters, the bar at the Kendall Square Marriott. I decided to try Brick Red, the new beer from Boston Beer Company that's available only in Boston.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Irish Red Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.0 | Taste: 3.0 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 3.3
Sam Adams Brick Red pours, as expected, a clear, deep red. It's topped by an off-white head that fades to a film leaving nice lace. The aroma is fairly light overall with notes of caramel, toffee and a hint of fruitiness.
Biscuity and toasty malts upfront quickly move into a strong caramel sweetness in the center. Towards the finish a graininess appears along with a mild bitterness. Boston Brick Red is medium-bodied with moderate carbonation and a mild stickiness.
I know Irish Reds are supposed to be malty, but this one just seems a bit too malty to me. Perhaps it's the one-note dominance of the malt flavors. It's a decent beer, but most likely not one that I'll have again, especially if there are better options on tap.
Labels: Irish Red Ale
Jadyn and I had some friends over to our apartment on Saturday June 13th. I picked up a mixed twelve-pack of Long Trail beers, two of which I hadn't had before. I had both that evening, but have reviewed each subsequently.
1027. Long Trail Belgian White
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Long Trail Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.70%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.6
Long Trail's Belgian White pours a cloudy, straw color, and is topped by a bright white head that quickly fades to a film. I like the color a lot, but the head retention leaves something to be desired. The aroma is fairly mild overall, though the traditional notes of spicy coriander and citrus are there, along with notes of pepper, yeast and banana. There's also a bit of graininess present in the aroma, which, when combined with the relative lightness of the other components of the aroma hints at an inviting crispness.
Like a lot of wheat beers the malts here are predominantly grainy with a mild sweetness, but their major contribution is a crisp texture on the palate rather than a huge amount of flavor. Esters contributed by the yeast, and the traditional Wit spicing become evident in the center. There are bright citric notes of lemon and orange, notes of banana, a coriander spiciness, and a peppery finish that melds with the crisp backbone of the beer in the finish. Long Trail's Belgian White is light-bodied with a nice crispness that comes from the grainy malt backbone and the substantial carbonation. There's also a mild dryness in the finish.
Long Trail Belgian White is a decent Witbier. It's a nice refreshing summer beer, but it could use a bit more punch in the flavors from spicing.
1028. Long Trail Traditional IPA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Long Trail Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.90%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: English India Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.8
Long Trail IPA pours a lightly hazed golden color with a hint of copper, making it a shade lighter than most other IPAs. I really like the color on this beer a lot. It's topped by a thin, sudsy white head with good, clinging lace. The aroma is fairly mild overall. There are notes of toasty and biscuity malts as well as leafy, resiny hops.
This IPA is very malt-forward, with a strong malt backbone. Initially there's a bready, caramel sweetness upfront and through the center. The finish has a nice peppery spice that plays well with the resiny hop bittereness. It's not the hoppiest IPA, but if you want a maltier beer that still has a good amount of hop flavor this IPA nails it. Long Trail's IPA is medium-bodied with prickly carbonation and a grassy dryness in the finish.
Long Trail IPA might not be the hoppiest IPA, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. This beer is the epitome of balance, with enough malts to offset, but not overpower the hop bitterness and flavors.
1027. Long Trail Belgian White
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Long Trail Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.70%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Witbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.6
Long Trail's Belgian White pours a cloudy, straw color, and is topped by a bright white head that quickly fades to a film. I like the color a lot, but the head retention leaves something to be desired. The aroma is fairly mild overall, though the traditional notes of spicy coriander and citrus are there, along with notes of pepper, yeast and banana. There's also a bit of graininess present in the aroma, which, when combined with the relative lightness of the other components of the aroma hints at an inviting crispness.
Like a lot of wheat beers the malts here are predominantly grainy with a mild sweetness, but their major contribution is a crisp texture on the palate rather than a huge amount of flavor. Esters contributed by the yeast, and the traditional Wit spicing become evident in the center. There are bright citric notes of lemon and orange, notes of banana, a coriander spiciness, and a peppery finish that melds with the crisp backbone of the beer in the finish. Long Trail's Belgian White is light-bodied with a nice crispness that comes from the grainy malt backbone and the substantial carbonation. There's also a mild dryness in the finish.
Long Trail Belgian White is a decent Witbier. It's a nice refreshing summer beer, but it could use a bit more punch in the flavors from spicing.
1028. Long Trail Traditional IPA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Long Trail Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.90%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: English India Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.8
Long Trail IPA pours a lightly hazed golden color with a hint of copper, making it a shade lighter than most other IPAs. I really like the color on this beer a lot. It's topped by a thin, sudsy white head with good, clinging lace. The aroma is fairly mild overall. There are notes of toasty and biscuity malts as well as leafy, resiny hops.
This IPA is very malt-forward, with a strong malt backbone. Initially there's a bready, caramel sweetness upfront and through the center. The finish has a nice peppery spice that plays well with the resiny hop bittereness. It's not the hoppiest IPA, but if you want a maltier beer that still has a good amount of hop flavor this IPA nails it. Long Trail's IPA is medium-bodied with prickly carbonation and a grassy dryness in the finish.
Long Trail IPA might not be the hoppiest IPA, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. This beer is the epitome of balance, with enough malts to offset, but not overpower the hop bitterness and flavors.
Labels: English IPA, Witbier
Win came to New York for the June 9th-11th Mets-Phillies series at the new Mets stadium. I took off early on Tuesday the 9th and caught the noon Fung-Wah bus to New York. Win's flight was delayed so I headed to The Blind Tiger to wait for David to get off work.
1023. He'Brew Rejewvenator 2009 (Year of the Date)
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Shmaltz Brewing Company
Year: 2009
Alcohol: 7.80%
Serving: Cask
Style: American Strong Ale
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 3.85
Perhaps this wasn't the wisest beer to start the evening with, but I didn't realize that it was such a strong beer. This beer was served on cask, barley chilled in a thick, glass mug.
Year of the Date pours a mildly hazy, ruby-tinted brown. Its off-white head quickly fades to nothing, though the low head retention could have been the result of being served on cask. This beer has the dark, malty aroma of a Belgian Dubbel or Strong Dark Ale, mostly due to the addition of dates, which are the predominant aroma. Additionally, there are notes of brown sugar, toffee, a sharp note, and a mild peppery spice.
Upfront there are sweet notes of caramel and brown sugar, before moving into a dark fruitiness in the center that's dominated by date flavors, which are accented by a sharp character. The finish is peppery and spicy with an underlying, mild, roasty bitterness. The beer was thick, rich and smooth with low carbonation.
I enjoyed this beer. I'm not sure what the style they were going for was, but the use of dates gave it a distinctly Belgian feel.
1024. River Horse Special Ale ESB
Beer Stats:
Brewery: River Horse Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Cask
Style: Extra Special/Strong Bitter (ESB), BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.0 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.5
This was another beer served on cask. Again, it was served lightly chilled in a mug. River Horse ESP pours a very cloudy, copper color. The aroma is mild overall, but what's there is pleasant: toasty malts, and citric and fruity hops. The aromas could stand to grab you a little bit more.
Toasty malts first hit the tongue followed by a light, bready sweetness. The flavors quickly move into a citric and herbal hop finish. The flavors are pleasant, but seem a bit muddled, with nothing really standing out. This ESB is light-bodied with low carbonation and a husky texture in the finish.
This is a decent session beer, though I think it could be a bit bolder without sacrificing drinkability. My score seems to be a bit above the Beer Advocate average, perhaps this beer benefits from being served on cask.
1025. St. Boisterous
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Victory Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.40%
Serving: Tap
Style: Maibock/Helles Bock, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.0
This was our final beer at The Blind Tiger before Win called and we headed off to meet him at Penn Station. It was served chilled in a tulip glass. St. Boisterous pours a crystal clear golden. It's topped by a bright white head that fades to a film leaving clinging lace. The aroma has a crisp graininess to it, as well as some nice apple esters, and bit of leafy, grassy hops.
This maibock starts off with a crisp, neutral graininess that moves into a mild, apple fruitiness in the center. The finish has a nice citric bite and an herbal hop bitterness. This beer is light-bodied, highly carbonated and very crisp.
This is a nice summer beer. It's flavorful, crisp and refreshing.
We met Win at Penn Station, and then took the 7 to TARP field. We arrived at the end of the 4th inning because Win's flight was delayed. I was pretty impressed with the new field. The open concourses were nice, as were the improved amenities.
We hadn't had dinner yet, so we went to the food section on the right field side. We got BBQ from Blue Smoke, beef ribs, wings, and a pulled pork sandwich, as well as fries from Box Frites. It was definitely the best stadium food I've had, though my experience is pretty limited. The craft beer selection was decent. They had some good options at Big Apple Brews, and both Blue Smoke and Box Frites had Brooklyn on tap. I ended up having a Brooklyn Blue Smoke with dinner, as well as a Blanche de Queens, which I assume is a rebranded Blanche de Brooklyn.
1026. Brooklyn Blue Smoke Blend
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Extra Special/Strong Bitter (ESB), BJCP Style Guide
Blue Smoke pours a hazed copper, and is topped by a sticky, off-white head. The aroma is light, but there are notes of caramel, toasty malts and fruity hops. It's toasty upfront with and underlying bready sweetness. There are good hop flavors in the finish, but only a mild bitterness. Medium-bodied and highly carbonated. I though this beer was a good sessioner, but it could have been a bit hoppier.
1023. He'Brew Rejewvenator 2009 (Year of the Date)
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Shmaltz Brewing Company
Year: 2009
Alcohol: 7.80%
Serving: Cask
Style: American Strong Ale
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 3.85
Perhaps this wasn't the wisest beer to start the evening with, but I didn't realize that it was such a strong beer. This beer was served on cask, barley chilled in a thick, glass mug.
Year of the Date pours a mildly hazy, ruby-tinted brown. Its off-white head quickly fades to nothing, though the low head retention could have been the result of being served on cask. This beer has the dark, malty aroma of a Belgian Dubbel or Strong Dark Ale, mostly due to the addition of dates, which are the predominant aroma. Additionally, there are notes of brown sugar, toffee, a sharp note, and a mild peppery spice.
Upfront there are sweet notes of caramel and brown sugar, before moving into a dark fruitiness in the center that's dominated by date flavors, which are accented by a sharp character. The finish is peppery and spicy with an underlying, mild, roasty bitterness. The beer was thick, rich and smooth with low carbonation.
I enjoyed this beer. I'm not sure what the style they were going for was, but the use of dates gave it a distinctly Belgian feel.
1024. River Horse Special Ale ESB
Beer Stats:
Brewery: River Horse Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Cask
Style: Extra Special/Strong Bitter (ESB), BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.0 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.5
This was another beer served on cask. Again, it was served lightly chilled in a mug. River Horse ESP pours a very cloudy, copper color. The aroma is mild overall, but what's there is pleasant: toasty malts, and citric and fruity hops. The aromas could stand to grab you a little bit more.
Toasty malts first hit the tongue followed by a light, bready sweetness. The flavors quickly move into a citric and herbal hop finish. The flavors are pleasant, but seem a bit muddled, with nothing really standing out. This ESB is light-bodied with low carbonation and a husky texture in the finish.
This is a decent session beer, though I think it could be a bit bolder without sacrificing drinkability. My score seems to be a bit above the Beer Advocate average, perhaps this beer benefits from being served on cask.
1025. St. Boisterous
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Victory Brewing Company
Alcohol: 7.40%
Serving: Tap
Style: Maibock/Helles Bock, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.0
This was our final beer at The Blind Tiger before Win called and we headed off to meet him at Penn Station. It was served chilled in a tulip glass. St. Boisterous pours a crystal clear golden. It's topped by a bright white head that fades to a film leaving clinging lace. The aroma has a crisp graininess to it, as well as some nice apple esters, and bit of leafy, grassy hops.
This maibock starts off with a crisp, neutral graininess that moves into a mild, apple fruitiness in the center. The finish has a nice citric bite and an herbal hop bitterness. This beer is light-bodied, highly carbonated and very crisp.
This is a nice summer beer. It's flavorful, crisp and refreshing.
We met Win at Penn Station, and then took the 7 to TARP field. We arrived at the end of the 4th inning because Win's flight was delayed. I was pretty impressed with the new field. The open concourses were nice, as were the improved amenities.
We hadn't had dinner yet, so we went to the food section on the right field side. We got BBQ from Blue Smoke, beef ribs, wings, and a pulled pork sandwich, as well as fries from Box Frites. It was definitely the best stadium food I've had, though my experience is pretty limited. The craft beer selection was decent. They had some good options at Big Apple Brews, and both Blue Smoke and Box Frites had Brooklyn on tap. I ended up having a Brooklyn Blue Smoke with dinner, as well as a Blanche de Queens, which I assume is a rebranded Blanche de Brooklyn.
1026. Brooklyn Blue Smoke Blend
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Extra Special/Strong Bitter (ESB), BJCP Style Guide
Blue Smoke pours a hazed copper, and is topped by a sticky, off-white head. The aroma is light, but there are notes of caramel, toasty malts and fruity hops. It's toasty upfront with and underlying bready sweetness. There are good hop flavors in the finish, but only a mild bitterness. Medium-bodied and highly carbonated. I though this beer was a good sessioner, but it could have been a bit hoppier.
Labels: American Strong Ale, Extra Special/Strong Bitter (ESB), Travel
1022. Wacko
Some lab mates had a party in the courtyard outside of lab on June 6th. I was curious about Magic Hat's new summer beer, so I brought along a twelve pack.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Magic Hat Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Vegetable Beer, BJCP Style Guide
Wacko pours a hazed beet red, with an orange tint. It's topped by a fluffy, pink-hued head. The aroma is predominantly grainy and grassy with light notes of citrus and banana. The flavor is that of a standard summer beer. There's a husky, grainy flavor upfront that moves into a light sweetness in the center. The only hint of beet flavor is a bit of an earthy flavor. The finish is lightly citric with a grassy bitterness. Overall this beer is a bit of a disappointment, pretty bland.
Some lab mates had a party in the courtyard outside of lab on June 6th. I was curious about Magic Hat's new summer beer, so I brought along a twelve pack.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Magic Hat Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Vegetable Beer, BJCP Style Guide
Wacko pours a hazed beet red, with an orange tint. It's topped by a fluffy, pink-hued head. The aroma is predominantly grainy and grassy with light notes of citrus and banana. The flavor is that of a standard summer beer. There's a husky, grainy flavor upfront that moves into a light sweetness in the center. The only hint of beet flavor is a bit of an earthy flavor. The finish is lightly citric with a grassy bitterness. Overall this beer is a bit of a disappointment, pretty bland.
Labels: Fruit/Vegetable Beer
I've recently created a Twitter account as a companion to the blog. Since I tend to get behind with blog updates when I'm busy, I'll use Twitter to hopefully create a bit of continuity. I've also added Twitter to my blog's sidebar. So if you're interested follow me.
Jadyn and I went to Shelter Island, NY for memorial day weekend. We stayed at David's wife's family's house there. David (enabler) brought up several new beers for me to try.
1017. St-Ambroise Pale Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: McAuslan Brewing
Alcohol: 5.00%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.2
St-Ambroise Pale Ale pours a cloudy, amber-copper color. It's topped by a light, off-white head that quickly fades to a film. Lace clings to the side of the glass. The aroma is an interesting mix. There's a bright interplay of fruit, caramel, citric hops, and a mild, phenolic twang.
The beer itself is well-attenuated with only a mild residual sweetness upfront. The malts are predominantly toasty before moving into a very mild malty sweetness that's a mix of caramel and fruity esters. The finish has a moderately bitter, herbal hop quality. This pale ale is light-bodied and moderately carbonated with a pleasing dryness in the finish.
I liked this beer a lot. It's balanced, but only mildly sweet. The dryness is pleasing and helps make this a good session beer.
1018. Southampton Altbier
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Southampton Publick House
Alcohol: 5.00%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Altbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.7
This Alt pours a clear brown with copper tints. It's topped by a fizzy, three-quarter inch, eggshell colored head that rises quickly on the pour, and just as quickly fades to a film. Pinprick dots of lace adorn the glass. The aroma is quite nice. There are notes of caramel malts, hints of roastiness and a mineral twang.
Caramel malts upfront move into a mild estery fruitiness in the center. The finish has a mineral twang and a mild bitterness. Overall this beer is very clean on the palate. Its flavors are there, but don't pop. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, it works well here to showcase a nice mineral character that would have otherwise been overpowered. This Alt is moderately carbonated and medium-bodied, and has a very nice crispness.
This beer is a decent Alt. I think a bit more hoppiness would have been nice, provided the beer stayed crisp.
1019. Brooklyn Local 2
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 9.00%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 4.25
I'd been looking forward to trying this beer, since Brooklyn Local 1 was so good. Local 2 pours a cloudy brown with reddish tints. It's topped by a sudsy beige head that fades to a continuous film. The aroma is incredibly bright for the style. There's a bright layer of citrus and honey, below which lie the rich malty aromas of a Belgian Strong Dark Ale: dark fruit and candi sugar. I think the addition of some more aromatic ingredients really did a lot for the aroma of this beer, making it seem more light and inviting than a typical Belgian Dark.
This beer's flavors tell the same story as the aroma: the honey and citrus upfront give a lighter, brighter impression before diving deeper into the darker, maltier depths. The dark malt flavors in the center are a nice mix of candi sugar, caramel, rasins, dates and other dark fruit. The finish has a nice mix of peppery and alcoholic spice, a brief reprise of citrus, and a mild bitterness. Local 2 has very prickly carbonation, is medium-bodied and is surprisingly smooth once some of the carbonation dissipates.
This is another winner for Brooklyn's Local series. It's strong, fizzy and has an interesting addition of honey and citrus that I think adds a lot to the mix.
1020. Batemans XXXB
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Batemans Brewery
Alcohol: 4.80%
Serving: Bottle, 500 mL
Style: Extra Special/Strong Bitter (ESB), BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.85
Based on the handwriting in my notebook, I dictated this review to Jadyn (you're the best, thanks for humoring me).
This ESB pours a crystal clear copper, and is topped by a sudsy, frothy, off-white head that fades to a film. Sustained bubbling seems to keep the film intact. The aromas are nicely malty: biscuity malts, toffee, and a little bit of an apricot aroma.
Upfront this beer is mildly sweet with a lot of maltiness. The sweetness is contributed by toffee flavors, but the bulk of the maltiness is buiscuity and toasty, which lasts through to the finish. The finish is moderately bitter with grassy and herbal hop flavors. This ESB is medium-bodied, moderately carbonated and has a mild dryness in the finish.
I thought that Batemans XXXB was a nice malt-forward beer that managed to keep the sweetness in check and that had a nice bitterness in the finish.
1021. Blue Point Summer Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Blue Point Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.40%
Serving: Bottle 12 oz.
Style: American Blonde Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 2.5 | Taste: 2.5 | Mouthfeel: 3.0 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 2.85
Blue Point's Summer Ale pours a clear golden and is topped by a thick, bright white head, which fades fairly quickly to a film. The aroma is fairly light. There's a hint of citrus and a mild graininess.
There's a mild sweetness as he beer first hits the palate with some neutral graininess as well. Fruity esters make a brief appearance in the center, and are met by a mild peppery character and mild bitterness in the finish. This beer is light-bodied and moderately carbonated, but feels a tad watery.
I was pretty disappointed with this beer. I know summer beers tend to be lighter, but this one was bland and lacked the crispness that makes a beer like this refreshing.
1017. St-Ambroise Pale Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: McAuslan Brewing
Alcohol: 5.00%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.2
St-Ambroise Pale Ale pours a cloudy, amber-copper color. It's topped by a light, off-white head that quickly fades to a film. Lace clings to the side of the glass. The aroma is an interesting mix. There's a bright interplay of fruit, caramel, citric hops, and a mild, phenolic twang.
The beer itself is well-attenuated with only a mild residual sweetness upfront. The malts are predominantly toasty before moving into a very mild malty sweetness that's a mix of caramel and fruity esters. The finish has a moderately bitter, herbal hop quality. This pale ale is light-bodied and moderately carbonated with a pleasing dryness in the finish.
I liked this beer a lot. It's balanced, but only mildly sweet. The dryness is pleasing and helps make this a good session beer.
1018. Southampton Altbier
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Southampton Publick House
Alcohol: 5.00%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Altbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.7
This Alt pours a clear brown with copper tints. It's topped by a fizzy, three-quarter inch, eggshell colored head that rises quickly on the pour, and just as quickly fades to a film. Pinprick dots of lace adorn the glass. The aroma is quite nice. There are notes of caramel malts, hints of roastiness and a mineral twang.
Caramel malts upfront move into a mild estery fruitiness in the center. The finish has a mineral twang and a mild bitterness. Overall this beer is very clean on the palate. Its flavors are there, but don't pop. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, it works well here to showcase a nice mineral character that would have otherwise been overpowered. This Alt is moderately carbonated and medium-bodied, and has a very nice crispness.
This beer is a decent Alt. I think a bit more hoppiness would have been nice, provided the beer stayed crisp.
1019. Brooklyn Local 2
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 9.00%
Serving: Bottle, 750 mL
Style: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 4.25
I'd been looking forward to trying this beer, since Brooklyn Local 1 was so good. Local 2 pours a cloudy brown with reddish tints. It's topped by a sudsy beige head that fades to a continuous film. The aroma is incredibly bright for the style. There's a bright layer of citrus and honey, below which lie the rich malty aromas of a Belgian Strong Dark Ale: dark fruit and candi sugar. I think the addition of some more aromatic ingredients really did a lot for the aroma of this beer, making it seem more light and inviting than a typical Belgian Dark.
This beer's flavors tell the same story as the aroma: the honey and citrus upfront give a lighter, brighter impression before diving deeper into the darker, maltier depths. The dark malt flavors in the center are a nice mix of candi sugar, caramel, rasins, dates and other dark fruit. The finish has a nice mix of peppery and alcoholic spice, a brief reprise of citrus, and a mild bitterness. Local 2 has very prickly carbonation, is medium-bodied and is surprisingly smooth once some of the carbonation dissipates.
This is another winner for Brooklyn's Local series. It's strong, fizzy and has an interesting addition of honey and citrus that I think adds a lot to the mix.
1020. Batemans XXXB
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Batemans Brewery
Alcohol: 4.80%
Serving: Bottle, 500 mL
Style: Extra Special/Strong Bitter (ESB), BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.85
Based on the handwriting in my notebook, I dictated this review to Jadyn (you're the best, thanks for humoring me).
This ESB pours a crystal clear copper, and is topped by a sudsy, frothy, off-white head that fades to a film. Sustained bubbling seems to keep the film intact. The aromas are nicely malty: biscuity malts, toffee, and a little bit of an apricot aroma.
Upfront this beer is mildly sweet with a lot of maltiness. The sweetness is contributed by toffee flavors, but the bulk of the maltiness is buiscuity and toasty, which lasts through to the finish. The finish is moderately bitter with grassy and herbal hop flavors. This ESB is medium-bodied, moderately carbonated and has a mild dryness in the finish.
I thought that Batemans XXXB was a nice malt-forward beer that managed to keep the sweetness in check and that had a nice bitterness in the finish.
1021. Blue Point Summer Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Blue Point Brewing Company
Alcohol: 4.40%
Serving: Bottle 12 oz.
Style: American Blonde Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 2.5 | Taste: 2.5 | Mouthfeel: 3.0 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 2.85
Blue Point's Summer Ale pours a clear golden and is topped by a thick, bright white head, which fades fairly quickly to a film. The aroma is fairly light. There's a hint of citrus and a mild graininess.
There's a mild sweetness as he beer first hits the palate with some neutral graininess as well. Fruity esters make a brief appearance in the center, and are met by a mild peppery character and mild bitterness in the finish. This beer is light-bodied and moderately carbonated, but feels a tad watery.
I was pretty disappointed with this beer. I know summer beers tend to be lighter, but this one was bland and lacked the crispness that makes a beer like this refreshing.
Labels: Altbier, American Blonde Ale, American Pale Ale, Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Extra Special/Strong Bitter (ESB)
1016. Fisherman's Bavarian Wheat
I'm again a bit behind on blogging. I initially bout a six-pack of this beer for American Craft Beer week, but didn't have time for a proper review until the 19th of May. I dropped my Harpoon Weizen glass getting it down from the shelf, another casualty, so I ended up serving the beer in one of my NERAX pint glasses.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cape Ann Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Hefe Weizen, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.7
This hefeweizen pours a surprisingly clear, golden color. There's a touch of cloudiness, but nothing approaching what you would expect for the style. Clarity aside, it's topped by a thick, bright white head that retains fairly well.
While the appearance may be off, the aroma is that of a classic German hefeweizen. There are nice fruity notes of bananas and citrus, as well as a bit of clove spiciness and yeastiness.
Bavarian Wheat is initially sweet with hints of citrus. The initial sweetness continues through the center where banana flavors come to the fore. As the banana fruitiness fades a bit of spiciness emerges, particularly notes of pepper and clove. The finish has a light citric twang and a mild, grassy bitterness. This beer is light-bodied and crisp with a nice dose of carbonation.
A solid hefeweizen, I'd definitely have it again.
I'm again a bit behind on blogging. I initially bout a six-pack of this beer for American Craft Beer week, but didn't have time for a proper review until the 19th of May. I dropped my Harpoon Weizen glass getting it down from the shelf, another casualty, so I ended up serving the beer in one of my NERAX pint glasses.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cape Ann Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Hefe Weizen, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.7
This hefeweizen pours a surprisingly clear, golden color. There's a touch of cloudiness, but nothing approaching what you would expect for the style. Clarity aside, it's topped by a thick, bright white head that retains fairly well.
While the appearance may be off, the aroma is that of a classic German hefeweizen. There are nice fruity notes of bananas and citrus, as well as a bit of clove spiciness and yeastiness.
Bavarian Wheat is initially sweet with hints of citrus. The initial sweetness continues through the center where banana flavors come to the fore. As the banana fruitiness fades a bit of spiciness emerges, particularly notes of pepper and clove. The finish has a light citric twang and a mild, grassy bitterness. This beer is light-bodied and crisp with a nice dose of carbonation.
A solid hefeweizen, I'd definitely have it again.
Labels: Hefe Weizen
1015. Mayflower Porter
I went to a friend's thesis defense celebration at the Tavern in Central Square last Thursday. I had several Mayflower Porters while I was there.
I have to say this beer grew on me through the course of the night. I think of my improved perception of this beer has to do with the initial wateriness caused by the frosted glass that it was served in. I'm pretty convinced of my modified ratings.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Mayflower Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: English Porter, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 5.0
Overall: 3.95
Pours a clear, ruby-tinted brown. Topped by a frothy, light-brown head that fades to a film. The aroma is rich and malty. There are notes of chocolate, toffee, coffee, and a mild booziness.
Mildly sweet malts are well balanced against a roasty backbone: notes of toffee, chocolate and a nice booziness. There's a sharp bite in the finish with a nice, lingering, roasted bitterness. Moderately carbonated and light-bodied.
This is a fine session beer. It's very flavorful and not overpowering, yet it's not a beer that grows bland after you've had a couple.
I went to a friend's thesis defense celebration at the Tavern in Central Square last Thursday. I had several Mayflower Porters while I was there.
I have to say this beer grew on me through the course of the night. I think of my improved perception of this beer has to do with the initial wateriness caused by the frosted glass that it was served in. I'm pretty convinced of my modified ratings.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Mayflower Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: English Porter, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 5.0
Overall: 3.95
Pours a clear, ruby-tinted brown. Topped by a frothy, light-brown head that fades to a film. The aroma is rich and malty. There are notes of chocolate, toffee, coffee, and a mild booziness.
Mildly sweet malts are well balanced against a roasty backbone: notes of toffee, chocolate and a nice booziness. There's a sharp bite in the finish with a nice, lingering, roasted bitterness. Moderately carbonated and light-bodied.
This is a fine session beer. It's very flavorful and not overpowering, yet it's not a beer that grows bland after you've had a couple.
Labels: English Porter
1014. Baby Tree
As part of American Craft Beer Week, which was last week, I made an effort to drink only Massachusetts craft beer. Last Wednesday (May 13th) I opened a bottle of Baby Tree, the newest release from Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project. I served this in two chalices and split it with Jadyn. This beer is a Quadrupel brewed with "dried plums" (which, I have to admit, sounds a lot classier than prunes).
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project
Alcohol: 8.60%
Serving: Bottle, 22 oz.
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.0
Pours a cloudy, chocolate brown, and is topped by a transient, half-inch, brown head that fades to a wispy ring. The aroma is sweet and malty, there are notes of candi sugar and an intense aroma of dark fruit. There are notes of raisins, dates and dried plums. There's also a light, husky graininess on the swirl.
The beer is initially sweet on the palate. A nice, cindi sugar, sweetness unfolds into a plum fruitiness in the center. The dark fruit characters in this quad are much milder than other exapmles of the style. There's a brief, peppery flash towards the finish, which quickly moves into a husky graininess that's punctuated by a mild bitterness and light sweetness. Medium-bodied, smooth and moderately carbonated. The grainy quality gives the beer a bit of dryness.
I liked Baby Tree. It's not as intense as other Quads, but it has a pleasing fruity maltiness and a nice dryness in the finish.
As part of American Craft Beer Week, which was last week, I made an effort to drink only Massachusetts craft beer. Last Wednesday (May 13th) I opened a bottle of Baby Tree, the newest release from Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project. I served this in two chalices and split it with Jadyn. This beer is a Quadrupel brewed with "dried plums" (which, I have to admit, sounds a lot classier than prunes).
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Pretty Things Beer and Ale Project
Alcohol: 8.60%
Serving: Bottle, 22 oz.
Style: Quadrupel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.0
Pours a cloudy, chocolate brown, and is topped by a transient, half-inch, brown head that fades to a wispy ring. The aroma is sweet and malty, there are notes of candi sugar and an intense aroma of dark fruit. There are notes of raisins, dates and dried plums. There's also a light, husky graininess on the swirl.
The beer is initially sweet on the palate. A nice, cindi sugar, sweetness unfolds into a plum fruitiness in the center. The dark fruit characters in this quad are much milder than other exapmles of the style. There's a brief, peppery flash towards the finish, which quickly moves into a husky graininess that's punctuated by a mild bitterness and light sweetness. Medium-bodied, smooth and moderately carbonated. The grainy quality gives the beer a bit of dryness.
I liked Baby Tree. It's not as intense as other Quads, but it has a pleasing fruity maltiness and a nice dryness in the finish.
Labels: Quadrupel
1013. Leatherlips IPA
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Tap / Haverhill Brewery, Inc
Alcohol: 5.00%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.1
This IPA pours a slightly hazed, copper color, and is topped by a off-white, sudsy head that fades to a persistent film leaving patches of lace. Upon pouring, the aroma is dominated by strong resiny and citric hop aromas. Letting the beer air out for a bit allows malts to come to the fore. There are notes of caramel and apricot, with the hops adding a bright, citric aroma.
Malty and moderately sweet upfront, and into the center: notes of caramel and apricots. The sweetness is short lived, however, with a strong hop bitterness appearing in the center and lasting through the finish. There are nice citric hop flavors as well as a light resiny kick. The beer is moderately carbonated, medium-bodied and slightly oily.
This is a nice hop-forward IPA that manages to have a decent amount of maltiness that doesn't steal focus from he hops.
For American Craft Beer Week I'm trying new beers brewed by local (Massachusetts) craft brewers, especially those that I tend to overlook when picking out a six-pack of beer to have in the fridge. I've seen Leatherlips around various liquor stores in the area, but for some reason I've never picked any up. Last night I picked up a six-pack at Downtown Wine & Spirits, and had a bottle with dinner.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: The Tap / Haverhill Brewery, Inc
Alcohol: 5.00%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.1
This IPA pours a slightly hazed, copper color, and is topped by a off-white, sudsy head that fades to a persistent film leaving patches of lace. Upon pouring, the aroma is dominated by strong resiny and citric hop aromas. Letting the beer air out for a bit allows malts to come to the fore. There are notes of caramel and apricot, with the hops adding a bright, citric aroma.
Malty and moderately sweet upfront, and into the center: notes of caramel and apricots. The sweetness is short lived, however, with a strong hop bitterness appearing in the center and lasting through the finish. There are nice citric hop flavors as well as a light resiny kick. The beer is moderately carbonated, medium-bodied and slightly oily.
This is a nice hop-forward IPA that manages to have a decent amount of maltiness that doesn't steal focus from he hops.
Labels: American IPA
