710. Brooklyn Oktoberfest Beer
I bought a six-pack of this at Downtown Wine & Spirits last week, and had a bottle with dinner. It was served chilled in a Guinness pint glass. I didn't take notes for this one so this is all from memory.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Märzen / Oktoberfest, BJCP Style Guide
Poured a nice, clear ruby-amber. The aroma was malty, with a bit of spiciness. The flavor matched, with a mild bitterness to balance. I enjoyed it.
I bought a six-pack of this at Downtown Wine & Spirits last week, and had a bottle with dinner. It was served chilled in a Guinness pint glass. I didn't take notes for this one so this is all from memory.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: 5.50%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Märzen / Oktoberfest, BJCP Style Guide
Poured a nice, clear ruby-amber. The aroma was malty, with a bit of spiciness. The flavor matched, with a mild bitterness to balance. I enjoyed it.
Labels: Brooklyn Brewery, Märzen / Oktoberfest
It's been time to get out of Boston for awhile now. Jadyn and I took a daytrip up to Portland, Maine last weekend. Gritty McDuff's was one of the first things we walked by in town. Jadyn was kind enough to humor me, so we stopped in for some beer. I had the Best Bitter, and had enough of Jadyn's Halloween Ale to review.
708. Gritty McDuff's Best Bitter
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Gritty McDuff's Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.0%
Serving: Tap
Style: English Bitter, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a lightly hazy copper. Topped by a fluffy beige head with good retention.
Smell (4.0): Mild bready malts, light citrus, herbal, grassy hops.
Taste (4.0): Mild, toasty, biscuity malts upfront. Moves into a light, fruity sweetness. Notes of citrus. Light bitterness in the finish that strengthens in the aftertaste.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Low carbonation, smooth, light-bodied.
Drinkability (4.5): A classic session beer.
Overall (3.9)
709. Gritty McDuff's Halloween Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Gritty McDuff's Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Extra Special/Strong Bitter, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a very slightly hazed amber. Topped by a beige head that fades to a ring.
Smell (3.5): Mostly malty, some caramel and fruits. A little bit of spicy alcohol.
Taste (3.5): Malty and sweet, caramel is most evident. It evokes pumpkin-spice notes, but only slightly, so I'm not convinced that they were used. Nice bitterness in the finish followed by a light spiciness. A little bit sweet for me.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation. Leaves a light graininess on the back of the palate.
Drinkability (3.5): A little too sweet for me.
Overall (3.5)
708. Gritty McDuff's Best Bitter
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Gritty McDuff's Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.0%
Serving: Tap
Style: English Bitter, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a lightly hazy copper. Topped by a fluffy beige head with good retention.
Smell (4.0): Mild bready malts, light citrus, herbal, grassy hops.
Taste (4.0): Mild, toasty, biscuity malts upfront. Moves into a light, fruity sweetness. Notes of citrus. Light bitterness in the finish that strengthens in the aftertaste.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Low carbonation, smooth, light-bodied.
Drinkability (4.5): A classic session beer.
Overall (3.9)
709. Gritty McDuff's Halloween Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Gritty McDuff's Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Extra Special/Strong Bitter, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (3.5): Pours a very slightly hazed amber. Topped by a beige head that fades to a ring.
Smell (3.5): Mostly malty, some caramel and fruits. A little bit of spicy alcohol.
Taste (3.5): Malty and sweet, caramel is most evident. It evokes pumpkin-spice notes, but only slightly, so I'm not convinced that they were used. Nice bitterness in the finish followed by a light spiciness. A little bit sweet for me.
Mouthfeel (3.5): Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation. Leaves a light graininess on the back of the palate.
Drinkability (3.5): A little too sweet for me.
Overall (3.5)
Labels: English Bitter, ESB, Gritty McDuff's Brewing Company
Last Thursday Jadyn and I went to The Publick House for dinner and drinks with Jasper, one of her labmates. We had the Belgian Frites to start, I had the Corbonade Flamande, Jadyn had the pumpkin ravioli and Jasper had a burger. I started off with an Orval and then decided to have a couple of new beers.
706. La Binchoise Reserve Spéciale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie La Binchoise
Alcohol: 9.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
I hadn't seen this one on tap before this visit, and being a Belgian beer it fit my mood. It poured a lightly hazed amber with a thin wispy film for a head. The aroma was fairly mild, some tart fruitiness, and a light medicinal quality that became more evident as the beer warmed. The taste was sweet and fruity with a tart cherry undertone. The finish is medicinal and herbal. Light-bodied with a pleasing crispness that comes from the carbonation and the slightly dry finish. Very drinkable. I've never had anything from this brewery before, but I'll probably pick some more of their stuff up if I see it.
707. Echte Kriekenbier
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Verhaeghe
Alcohol: 6.80%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Flanders Red Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Jasper translated the name for me, it means Real Kriekenbier (kriekenbier doesn't really need translation). It pours a clear brown-red. A thick, dense, brown head tops the beer, but thins to a wispy film. The aroma is a buttery diacetyl that dissipates a bit after sitting, revealing a tart and sweet cherry aroma. An earthy aroma also emerges as the beer warms. The initial impression is a prickly carbonation followed by sweet cherry flavor with a light tartness. The finish is a mix of sweet and tart. Light-bodied, high carbonation, lightly dry. A little bit sweet for my tastes.
706. La Binchoise Reserve Spéciale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie La Binchoise
Alcohol: 9.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
I hadn't seen this one on tap before this visit, and being a Belgian beer it fit my mood. It poured a lightly hazed amber with a thin wispy film for a head. The aroma was fairly mild, some tart fruitiness, and a light medicinal quality that became more evident as the beer warmed. The taste was sweet and fruity with a tart cherry undertone. The finish is medicinal and herbal. Light-bodied with a pleasing crispness that comes from the carbonation and the slightly dry finish. Very drinkable. I've never had anything from this brewery before, but I'll probably pick some more of their stuff up if I see it.
707. Echte Kriekenbier
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Verhaeghe
Alcohol: 6.80%
Serving: Bottle, 11.2 oz.
Style: Flanders Red Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Jasper translated the name for me, it means Real Kriekenbier (kriekenbier doesn't really need translation). It pours a clear brown-red. A thick, dense, brown head tops the beer, but thins to a wispy film. The aroma is a buttery diacetyl that dissipates a bit after sitting, revealing a tart and sweet cherry aroma. An earthy aroma also emerges as the beer warms. The initial impression is a prickly carbonation followed by sweet cherry flavor with a light tartness. The finish is a mix of sweet and tart. Light-bodied, high carbonation, lightly dry. A little bit sweet for my tastes.
Labels: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Brasserie La Binchoise, Brouwerij Verhaeghe, Flanders Red Ale
705. Schneider-Brooklyner Hopfen-Weisse
Published by Unknown on Tuesday, September 18, 2007 at 9:13 PM.
705. Schneider-Brooklyner Hopfen-Weisse
I picked up a couple bottles of this at Downtown Wine & Spirits last month. I had one this weekend.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Private Weissbierbrauerei G. Schneider & Sohn GmbH
Alcohol: 8.2%
Serving: Bottle, 500 mL
Style: Weizenbock, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy, murky golden-amber. Topped by an airy, beige head that retains well, and leaves patchy lace.
Smell (4.0): Weizen aromas of banana and clove are present under a hoppier aroma, with a hint of alcohol. Swirling brings out a yeast aroma. Interesting, some whiffs are more weizen-like and some are hoppier.
Taste (4.0): Bready malts upfront with a light husky graininess, mild banana fruitiness in the center, followed by an alcoholic spiciness and citric flavors. The grassy hops provide a bitterness that's balanced by the lingering fruitiness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low carbonation, a touch dry.
Drinkability (3.5): The flavors work well together, but it's a touch strong.
Overall (3.95)
I picked up a couple bottles of this at Downtown Wine & Spirits last month. I had one this weekend.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Private Weissbierbrauerei G. Schneider & Sohn GmbH
Alcohol: 8.2%
Serving: Bottle, 500 mL
Style: Weizenbock, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a cloudy, murky golden-amber. Topped by an airy, beige head that retains well, and leaves patchy lace.
Smell (4.0): Weizen aromas of banana and clove are present under a hoppier aroma, with a hint of alcohol. Swirling brings out a yeast aroma. Interesting, some whiffs are more weizen-like and some are hoppier.
Taste (4.0): Bready malts upfront with a light husky graininess, mild banana fruitiness in the center, followed by an alcoholic spiciness and citric flavors. The grassy hops provide a bitterness that's balanced by the lingering fruitiness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied, low carbonation, a touch dry.
Drinkability (3.5): The flavors work well together, but it's a touch strong.
Overall (3.95)
334. Ommegeddon
Jadyn and I went to dinner at Christopher's in Porter Square on Tuesday night. I noticed that they had Ommegeddon on tap. It was served in a 12 oz. Ommegang glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brewery Ommegang
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Wild Ale
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy golden. Pleasingly turbid, not so cloudy as to look murky, but enough to give a nice diffuse glow to the light passing through. A thin white head fades to a wispy film leaving patchy lace.
Smell (4.0): Bananas, candi sugar, Brettanomyces funk, and a grassy tartness.
Taste (4.5): Initially sweet, with a spicy sensation coming from the tingly carbonation. Fruitiness becomes evident, bananas and something I couldn't place. The finish is a mild Brettanomyces finish: lightly bitter with an earthy tartness. The Brett isn't the strongest, but it works well here.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Light bodied, moderately carbonated, dry in the finish.
Drinkability (5.0): Crisp, tasty with a refreshing dryness in the finish.
Overall (4.45): Certainly not the "funkiest" of beers, but it's still tasty and very tasty. I think it would do well with a year in the cellar.
Jadyn and I went to dinner at Christopher's in Porter Square on Tuesday night. I noticed that they had Ommegeddon on tap. It was served in a 12 oz. Ommegang glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brewery Ommegang
Alcohol: 8.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: American Wild Ale
Appearance (4.5): Pours a hazy golden. Pleasingly turbid, not so cloudy as to look murky, but enough to give a nice diffuse glow to the light passing through. A thin white head fades to a wispy film leaving patchy lace.
Smell (4.0): Bananas, candi sugar, Brettanomyces funk, and a grassy tartness.
Taste (4.5): Initially sweet, with a spicy sensation coming from the tingly carbonation. Fruitiness becomes evident, bananas and something I couldn't place. The finish is a mild Brettanomyces finish: lightly bitter with an earthy tartness. The Brett isn't the strongest, but it works well here.
Mouthfeel (4.5): Light bodied, moderately carbonated, dry in the finish.
Drinkability (5.0): Crisp, tasty with a refreshing dryness in the finish.
Overall (4.45): Certainly not the "funkiest" of beers, but it's still tasty and very tasty. I think it would do well with a year in the cellar.
Labels: American Wild Ale, Brewery Ommegang, Sour Beer
Brent and Jamie came up to Boston for Labor Day weekend. On Saturday we took the Orange Line out to Jamaica Plain to go on the Sam Adams Brewery Tour, something I'd somehow managed not to do in my four years in Boston.
We got to the brewery and had to wait about an hour for an open tour, but in the meantime there were some exhibits to peruse and a couple beers to sample for the Beer Lover's Choice Vote. They've brewed two beers, an Irish Style Red Ale and a Dunkelweizen. I ended up voting for the Dunkelweizen.
702. Samuel Adams Sample A (Irish Style Red Ale)
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Bottle
Style: Irish Red Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy reddish with a foamy head. There are nice malty, caramel aromas. The taste is sweet, caramel malts upfront, that moves into a mild tartness. There's a light alcoholic bite and a mild bitterness. Light-bodied with moderate carbonation.
703. Samuel Adams Sample B (Dunkelweizen)
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Bottle
Style: Dunkelweizen, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy brown, with a sudsy, beige head. The aroma is of bananas, clove and some light roastiness. The flavors are the same: bananas, clove and roasted malts. The fruits linger long into the finish. Light-bodied, low carbonation.
The brewery tour was pretty standard. A brief spiel about the ingredients and process. Good information, but nothing you won't hear on almost every other brewery tour.
The tasting was what really surprised me. You get three samples in a glass that you get to keep. They started with Samuel Adams Boston Lager, not surprising, but they went through a brief description of the steps of tasting a beer. I haven't seen that on the other brewery tours that I've been on. The second beer was Samuel Adams Summer Ale, which I've had my fair share of. The third beer in the tasting was a limited release beer called Alchemist Ale.
703. Samuel Adams Alchemist Ale
This was described as a Czech Pils fermented with the house ale yeast. It's available on tap only at two Jamaica Plain bars and at the brewery.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Hybrid
Pours a crystal clear golden, with a dense white head. There's a resiny hop aroma, followed by grassy and grainy notes, and a light fruitiness. The taste is clean upfront, there's some light malt flavors before it moves into tart apple flavors. There's a light and lingering resiny hop bitterness as well as some residual sweetness in the finish. Light-bodied, high carbonation, crisp. Very drinkable and pretty refreshing.
We got to the brewery and had to wait about an hour for an open tour, but in the meantime there were some exhibits to peruse and a couple beers to sample for the Beer Lover's Choice Vote. They've brewed two beers, an Irish Style Red Ale and a Dunkelweizen. I ended up voting for the Dunkelweizen.
702. Samuel Adams Sample A (Irish Style Red Ale)
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Bottle
Style: Irish Red Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a hazy reddish with a foamy head. There are nice malty, caramel aromas. The taste is sweet, caramel malts upfront, that moves into a mild tartness. There's a light alcoholic bite and a mild bitterness. Light-bodied with moderate carbonation.
703. Samuel Adams Sample B (Dunkelweizen)
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Bottle
Style: Dunkelweizen, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a cloudy brown, with a sudsy, beige head. The aroma is of bananas, clove and some light roastiness. The flavors are the same: bananas, clove and roasted malts. The fruits linger long into the finish. Light-bodied, low carbonation.
The brewery tour was pretty standard. A brief spiel about the ingredients and process. Good information, but nothing you won't hear on almost every other brewery tour.
The tasting was what really surprised me. You get three samples in a glass that you get to keep. They started with Samuel Adams Boston Lager, not surprising, but they went through a brief description of the steps of tasting a beer. I haven't seen that on the other brewery tours that I've been on. The second beer was Samuel Adams Summer Ale, which I've had my fair share of. The third beer in the tasting was a limited release beer called Alchemist Ale.
703. Samuel Adams Alchemist Ale
This was described as a Czech Pils fermented with the house ale yeast. It's available on tap only at two Jamaica Plain bars and at the brewery.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Hybrid
Pours a crystal clear golden, with a dense white head. There's a resiny hop aroma, followed by grassy and grainy notes, and a light fruitiness. The taste is clean upfront, there's some light malt flavors before it moves into tart apple flavors. There's a light and lingering resiny hop bitterness as well as some residual sweetness in the finish. Light-bodied, high carbonation, crisp. Very drinkable and pretty refreshing.
Labels: Boston Beer Company, Dunkelweizen, Irish Red Ale
701. Golden Ring Abbey Ale
I had this with lunch at the Cambridge Brewing Company on Friday. These are the notes that I jotted down when I got back to lab.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.40%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a lightly hazed golden with a hint of amber. It's topped by a half-inch white head that fades to a ring. The nose is Belgian yeasty fruitiness, caramel, yeast, grain and a hint of hops. The taste is sweet and fruity upfront followed by a long, lingering, peppery spice. There's a light hop bitterness in the finish to tie things together. Medium-bodied, with moderate carbonation. Very tasty.
I had this with lunch at the Cambridge Brewing Company on Friday. These are the notes that I jotted down when I got back to lab.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.40%
Serving: Tap
Style: Belgian Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a lightly hazed golden with a hint of amber. It's topped by a half-inch white head that fades to a ring. The nose is Belgian yeasty fruitiness, caramel, yeast, grain and a hint of hops. The taste is sweet and fruity upfront followed by a long, lingering, peppery spice. There's a light hop bitterness in the finish to tie things together. Medium-bodied, with moderate carbonation. Very tasty.
