After leaving d.b.a, David and I headed to Burp Castle for more beer. The inside is small, with medieval religious themed paintings on the wall, and high, wooden tables and chairs.
819. Sterkens Dubbel Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Sterkens
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Bottle
Style: Dubbel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.0 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 3.85
Pours a hazy brown with tints of red. Topped by a brown head that thins to a film leaving some lacing. Large yeast particles float around in the beer. The aroma is rich and malty, raisins, and dates are dominant. Smells very nice.
Mellow flavors all in all. It's malty with some brown sugar sweetness. Raisins and dates appear in the center and meld with a light alcoholic spice in the finish. Light-bodied bordering on medium-bodied, moderatley carbonated.
Strong and a tad sweet, but still tasty.
820. St. Feuillien Triple
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie St. Feuillien
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 4.15
Pours a hazy golden. Topped by a thick, off-white head that fades to a substantial film. Aromas are fruity: bananas, apples and a light spice.
Sweet and fruity upfront, predominantly bananas. Peppery spiciness appears in the center followed by a light bitterness in the finish. Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation.
Sweet but nicely balanced by the spiciness.
821. Organic Münster Alt
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brauerei Pinkus Mueller
Alcohol: 5.10%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Altbier, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a lightly hazed golden. The white head fades to a thin film. The aroma hints at a grainy sweetness. Neutral graininess upfront that moves through to a light sweetness and a grassy bitterness in the finish. Light-bodied, moderate carbonation, husky graininess. Pretty drinkable.
822. Svyturys Ekstra
Beer Stats:
Brewery: AB Svyturys
Alcohol: 5.20%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Euro Pale Lager, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear straw color. The white head fades to a ring. The aroma is grassy and grainy. neutral upfront, sweet in the center with a light bitterness in the finish. Light bodied and moderately carbonated. Fairly generic.
819. Sterkens Dubbel Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brouwerij Sterkens
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Bottle
Style: Dubbel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.0 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 3.85
Pours a hazy brown with tints of red. Topped by a brown head that thins to a film leaving some lacing. Large yeast particles float around in the beer. The aroma is rich and malty, raisins, and dates are dominant. Smells very nice.
Mellow flavors all in all. It's malty with some brown sugar sweetness. Raisins and dates appear in the center and meld with a light alcoholic spice in the finish. Light-bodied bordering on medium-bodied, moderatley carbonated.
Strong and a tad sweet, but still tasty.
820. St. Feuillien Triple
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie St. Feuillien
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 4.15
Pours a hazy golden. Topped by a thick, off-white head that fades to a substantial film. Aromas are fruity: bananas, apples and a light spice.
Sweet and fruity upfront, predominantly bananas. Peppery spiciness appears in the center followed by a light bitterness in the finish. Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation.
Sweet but nicely balanced by the spiciness.
821. Organic Münster Alt
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brauerei Pinkus Mueller
Alcohol: 5.10%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Altbier, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a lightly hazed golden. The white head fades to a thin film. The aroma hints at a grainy sweetness. Neutral graininess upfront that moves through to a light sweetness and a grassy bitterness in the finish. Light-bodied, moderate carbonation, husky graininess. Pretty drinkable.
822. Svyturys Ekstra
Beer Stats:
Brewery: AB Svyturys
Alcohol: 5.20%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Euro Pale Lager, BJCP Style Guide
Pours a clear straw color. The white head fades to a ring. The aroma is grassy and grainy. neutral upfront, sweet in the center with a light bitterness in the finish. Light bodied and moderately carbonated. Fairly generic.
Labels: Altbier, Brasserie St. Feuillien, Brauerei Pinkus Mueller, Brouwerij Sterkens, Dubbel, Tripel
After a couple of beers at McSorley's David and I went to d.b.a. for a few rounds. We sat at a table outside in back of the bar. It was a nice sunny day and it was nice to be outside.
815. Gavroche
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie De Saint-Sylvestre
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Bière de Garde, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.8
Pours a hazy, reddish copper, topped by a frothy, beige head. The aroma is fairly light. There's a bit of an acidic bite with a grassy hop aroma.
Pretty balanced. There's a light bready sweetness with some toasty elements. There's a light acidic tartness in the finish with a bit of hop bitterness. Light-bodied with vigorous carbonation and a husky dryness.
Balanced, subdued and drinkable.
816. Hooky Bitter
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Hook Norton Brewery
Alcohol: 3.60%
Serving: Tap
Style: English Bitter, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.75
Pours a lightly hazed copper. Topped by a sparse, sudsy head that fades to a ring. There's a nice malty caramel aroma with some citric notes. Swirling brings out some more fruity aromas and some herbal hops.
There's a neutral maltiness upfront and a light caramel sweetness. Some tart, green-apple fruitiness appears mid-palate and the finish is citric with very little bitterness. Medium-bodied, low carbonation.
Definitely a session beer, feels light and isn't too carbonated.
817. Organic Ur Pils
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brauerei Pinkus Mueller
Alcohol: 5.20%
Serving: Bottle
Style: German Pilsener, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 4.25
Pours a lightly hazed, straw golden. Topped by a thin white film of a head. The aroma is grainy and lightly hoppy with a nice yeastiness. There's a floral quality as well.
Sweet initially, but gives way to a nice grainy maltiness. There's a light sweetness throughout that gives way to a nice graininess and a grassy, herbal hop bite. Medium to light-bodied, smooth with a bit of a sticky character.
Very drinkable, an awesome German Pils.
818. Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Weizen
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brauerei Heller-Trum
Alcohol: 5.20%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Rauchbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 2.5
Overall: 3.5
Pours a cloudy, amber color. Topped by a beige film of a head. There may be a light fruitiness peaking out from underneath the overpowering smokiness.
Smoke, smoke, smoke that moves into a fruity sweetness. Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation.
I like smoky beers, and this one certainly delivers, but it's a way too smoky to do anything other than sample.
815. Gavroche
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie De Saint-Sylvestre
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Bière de Garde, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.8
Pours a hazy, reddish copper, topped by a frothy, beige head. The aroma is fairly light. There's a bit of an acidic bite with a grassy hop aroma.
Pretty balanced. There's a light bready sweetness with some toasty elements. There's a light acidic tartness in the finish with a bit of hop bitterness. Light-bodied with vigorous carbonation and a husky dryness.
Balanced, subdued and drinkable.
816. Hooky Bitter
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Hook Norton Brewery
Alcohol: 3.60%
Serving: Tap
Style: English Bitter, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.75
Pours a lightly hazed copper. Topped by a sparse, sudsy head that fades to a ring. There's a nice malty caramel aroma with some citric notes. Swirling brings out some more fruity aromas and some herbal hops.
There's a neutral maltiness upfront and a light caramel sweetness. Some tart, green-apple fruitiness appears mid-palate and the finish is citric with very little bitterness. Medium-bodied, low carbonation.
Definitely a session beer, feels light and isn't too carbonated.
817. Organic Ur Pils
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brauerei Pinkus Mueller
Alcohol: 5.20%
Serving: Bottle
Style: German Pilsener, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 4.25
Pours a lightly hazed, straw golden. Topped by a thin white film of a head. The aroma is grainy and lightly hoppy with a nice yeastiness. There's a floral quality as well.
Sweet initially, but gives way to a nice grainy maltiness. There's a light sweetness throughout that gives way to a nice graininess and a grassy, herbal hop bite. Medium to light-bodied, smooth with a bit of a sticky character.
Very drinkable, an awesome German Pils.
818. Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Weizen
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brauerei Heller-Trum
Alcohol: 5.20%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Rauchbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 2.5
Overall: 3.5
Pours a cloudy, amber color. Topped by a beige film of a head. There may be a light fruitiness peaking out from underneath the overpowering smokiness.
Smoke, smoke, smoke that moves into a fruity sweetness. Medium-bodied with moderate carbonation.
I like smoky beers, and this one certainly delivers, but it's a way too smoky to do anything other than sample.
Labels: Bière de Garde, Brasserie De Saint-Sylvestre, Brauerei Pinkus Mueller, English Bitter, German Pilsener, Hook Norton Brewery
813-814. New York: McSorley's Old Ale House
Published by Unknown on Thursday, June 26, 2008 at 1:28 PM.
After brunch in Pelham, David and I returned to the city for more drinking. Our initial plans were to go to Burp Castle, but it was closed that early in the day, so instead we headed to d.b.a, but on the way we passed by McSorley's and had to go in.
McSorley's was founded in 1854 and is New York's oldest bar in continuous operation, and was one of the last "men only" bars. The place can only be described as dingy. There were ancient newspapers on the wall and every surface not in use seemed to be covered in an impressively thick layer of dust. The wooden floors were covered with sawdust. I wish I'd written notes in my book, but for more info see Wikipedia.
You can only get two beers here, "Light" and "Dark", which are brewed for McSorley's by Pabst.
813. McSorley's Light (Cream Stock Ale)
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Pabst Brewing Company
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Cream Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.0 | Taste: 3.0 | Mouthfeel: 2.5 | Drinkability: 3.0
Overall: 3.05
Pours a clear copper color with a thick, frothy beige head. The aroma is lightly malty, maybe some caramel and maybe some hops. Overall a step above standard macros.
Toasty upfront that moves through to a light sweetness with a crisp bitterness in the finish. Light-bodied, smooth, moderate carbonation, but feels thin.
A step above most macros, but nothing that will blow you away.
814. McSorley's Dark
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Pabst Brewing Company
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: American All-Malt Lager, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.0 | Smell: 2.5 | Taste: 3. 0 | Mouthfeel: 2.5 | Drinkability: 3.0
Overall: 2.85
Pours a dark, amber-brown. Topped by a thick brownish-beige head that thins to a film. The aroma is super clean. There's a hint of toffee and a bit of a metallic element.
There's a bit of caramel sweetness that lingers throughout. The finish has a light roasted bitterness. Light-bodied, moderate carbonation, feels a bit thin.
I wasn't too impressed with this beer. Low on flavor and watery feeling.
McSorley's was founded in 1854 and is New York's oldest bar in continuous operation, and was one of the last "men only" bars. The place can only be described as dingy. There were ancient newspapers on the wall and every surface not in use seemed to be covered in an impressively thick layer of dust. The wooden floors were covered with sawdust. I wish I'd written notes in my book, but for more info see Wikipedia.
You can only get two beers here, "Light" and "Dark", which are brewed for McSorley's by Pabst.
813. McSorley's Light (Cream Stock Ale)
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Pabst Brewing Company
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Cream Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.0 | Taste: 3.0 | Mouthfeel: 2.5 | Drinkability: 3.0
Overall: 3.05
Pours a clear copper color with a thick, frothy beige head. The aroma is lightly malty, maybe some caramel and maybe some hops. Overall a step above standard macros.
Toasty upfront that moves through to a light sweetness with a crisp bitterness in the finish. Light-bodied, smooth, moderate carbonation, but feels thin.
A step above most macros, but nothing that will blow you away.
814. McSorley's Dark
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Pabst Brewing Company
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: American All-Malt Lager, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.0 | Smell: 2.5 | Taste: 3. 0 | Mouthfeel: 2.5 | Drinkability: 3.0
Overall: 2.85
Pours a dark, amber-brown. Topped by a thick brownish-beige head that thins to a film. The aroma is super clean. There's a hint of toffee and a bit of a metallic element.
There's a bit of caramel sweetness that lingers throughout. The finish has a light roasted bitterness. Light-bodied, moderate carbonation, feels a bit thin.
I wasn't too impressed with this beer. Low on flavor and watery feeling.
Labels: American All-Malt Lager, Cream Ale, Pabst Brewing Company
After leaving The Blind Tiger David and I headed to Lederhosen for dinner and German beer. We must have had more beer at The Blind Tiger because I was fairly inebriated by the time we arrived. I had the Zigeunerschnitzel for dinner, I don't remember what David had though.
812. Köstritzer Schwarzbier
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Köstritzer Schwarzbierbrauerei
Alcohol: 4.80%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Schwarzbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 4.05
Pours a deep black with a thick brown head that clings to the side of the glass. The aroma is surprisingly light: biscuity malt, a hint of fruit and light roastiness.
Malty throughout, bready, toasty and lightly sweet. The finish has a nice mild roasty bitterness. Mild, but impressive. High carbonation, light to medium-bodied.
Incredibly drinkable. Mild but still flavorful.
812. Köstritzer Schwarzbier
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Köstritzer Schwarzbierbrauerei
Alcohol: 4.80%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Schwarzbier, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 4.05
Pours a deep black with a thick brown head that clings to the side of the glass. The aroma is surprisingly light: biscuity malt, a hint of fruit and light roastiness.
Malty throughout, bready, toasty and lightly sweet. The finish has a nice mild roasty bitterness. Mild, but impressive. High carbonation, light to medium-bodied.
Incredibly drinkable. Mild but still flavorful.
After leaving The Spotted Pig David and I went to a few galleries in the area, and then headed to The Blind Tiger for more beer.
809. Pleasantville Smoked Porter
I'd never had any Captain Lawrence beers before, so I tried two while at The Blind Tiger and was impressed with both of them.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 6.40%
Serving: Cask
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 3.85
Pours a dark black with a brown tint. The head is a light brown, sudsy film. The aroma has notes of alcoholic spice, intense chocolate, dark fruit, toffee and a hint of smoke.
The flavor is sweet, but not too sweet. The dark fruit flavors are subdued. The finish has strong notes of chocolate and roastiness. There's an undertone of smoke throughout that never overpowers. Full-bodied and smooth with light carbonation.
The flavors are tasty, but a bit much for multiple pints.
810. Xtra Gold Tripel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 10.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 4.1
Pours a lightly hazed golden with a white head that fades to a ring. The aroma is interesting: honey, strong floral aromas, and some spice.
There's an initial honey-like sweetness that's met by a mild spiciness in the center. The finish is floral, citric and lightly bitter. Medium-bodied and highly carbonated, but smooth despite the carbonation.
I thought this one was very tasty and refreshing, despite the high alcohol.
811. Green Flash Trippel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Green Flash Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Bottle, 22 oz.
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.0 | Taste: 2.5 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 3.0
Overall: 2.95
Pours a cloudy, golden amber . A fizzy, off-white head fades quickly leaving a patchy film. he aroma is predominantly bananas and not much else, maybe a hint of graininess and a little bit of a floral element.
A honey and fruity banana sweetness dominates the taste of this beer. There's alcoholic spice in the center with peppery notes in the finish and a light bitterness. Medium-bodied with light carbonation.
Way too sweet in my opinion.
809. Pleasantville Smoked Porter
I'd never had any Captain Lawrence beers before, so I tried two while at The Blind Tiger and was impressed with both of them.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 6.40%
Serving: Cask
Style: American Porter, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 3.85
Pours a dark black with a brown tint. The head is a light brown, sudsy film. The aroma has notes of alcoholic spice, intense chocolate, dark fruit, toffee and a hint of smoke.
The flavor is sweet, but not too sweet. The dark fruit flavors are subdued. The finish has strong notes of chocolate and roastiness. There's an undertone of smoke throughout that never overpowers. Full-bodied and smooth with light carbonation.
The flavors are tasty, but a bit much for multiple pints.
810. Xtra Gold Tripel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 10.00%
Serving: Tap
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 4.1
Pours a lightly hazed golden with a white head that fades to a ring. The aroma is interesting: honey, strong floral aromas, and some spice.
There's an initial honey-like sweetness that's met by a mild spiciness in the center. The finish is floral, citric and lightly bitter. Medium-bodied and highly carbonated, but smooth despite the carbonation.
I thought this one was very tasty and refreshing, despite the high alcohol.
811. Green Flash Trippel
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Green Flash Brewing Co.
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Bottle, 22 oz.
Style: Tripel, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.0 | Taste: 2.5 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 3.0
Overall: 2.95
Pours a cloudy, golden amber . A fizzy, off-white head fades quickly leaving a patchy film. he aroma is predominantly bananas and not much else, maybe a hint of graininess and a little bit of a floral element.
A honey and fruity banana sweetness dominates the taste of this beer. There's alcoholic spice in the center with peppery notes in the finish and a light bitterness. Medium-bodied with light carbonation.
Way too sweet in my opinion.
Labels: American Porter, Captain Lawrence, Green Flash, Tripel
I've written twelve blog posts today, I have three more shorter posts to go, so I'm almost caught up with the present. I'm going to New York tomorrow, so I may add a few posts onto that count. I'll start posting one entry a day until I'm caught up.
David knows when to leave a sinking ship. After securing a new job at Merrill Lynch he gave his two weeks at Bear Stearns, and was told by his boss not to bother coming in those two weeks. I went down to New York to visit David on the last weekend before he started his new job.
I got to New York sometime in the middle of the afternoon. I'd had a sandwich on the bus, but we decided to grab some beer and a bit to eat anyway. David recommended The Spotted Pig, a pub that I think is in the West Village. David had the Sheep's Ricotta Gnudi with Brown Butter and Sage, which were excellent, and I had the Cubano, also excellent. We each had a pint or two of the Spotted Pig Bitter.
808. Spotted Pig Bitter
I can't find this beer on Beer Advocate, but I found a New Yorker article saying it's brewed by Brooklyn.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Cask
Style: English Bitter, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.5 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 3.9
Copper colored with a light haze. It's topped by a dense, foamy, beige head that retains well and clings to the side of the glass. The aroma is bready with a hint of citrus and light resiny hops. There's also a touch of sweet, berry fruitiness.
The toasty flavors upfront give way to a hint of caramel and a burst of fruitiness, which is followed by a subtle finish that's lightly grassy and herbal with a muted bitterness in the aftertaste. Soft on the palate due to light carbonation, medium-bodied and smooth.
I thought this one was very drinkable. It's flavorful but subdued.
I got to New York sometime in the middle of the afternoon. I'd had a sandwich on the bus, but we decided to grab some beer and a bit to eat anyway. David recommended The Spotted Pig, a pub that I think is in the West Village. David had the Sheep's Ricotta Gnudi with Brown Butter and Sage, which were excellent, and I had the Cubano, also excellent. We each had a pint or two of the Spotted Pig Bitter.
808. Spotted Pig Bitter
I can't find this beer on Beer Advocate, but I found a New Yorker article saying it's brewed by Brooklyn.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brooklyn Brewery
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Cask
Style: English Bitter, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.5 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 3.9
Copper colored with a light haze. It's topped by a dense, foamy, beige head that retains well and clings to the side of the glass. The aroma is bready with a hint of citrus and light resiny hops. There's also a touch of sweet, berry fruitiness.
The toasty flavors upfront give way to a hint of caramel and a burst of fruitiness, which is followed by a subtle finish that's lightly grassy and herbal with a muted bitterness in the aftertaste. Soft on the palate due to light carbonation, medium-bodied and smooth.
I thought this one was very drinkable. It's flavorful but subdued.
Labels: Brooklyn Brewery, English Bitter
807. Goats Peak Bock
I bought a six-pack of this at the small liquor store on Highland Ave. across the street from Somerville Hospital near Jadyn's House. This was probably in late March or early April. Beer Advocate calls it a bock, but there's no way that it's not a Maibock, the bottle says "Spring Lager", and its color and flavor are definitely that of a Maibock.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Paper City Brewery
Alcohol: 6.40%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Maibock/Helles Bock, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.05
The label has a white goat perched atop rocks. The bottle says that the name comes from a peak on Mount Tom in Holyoke, MA. According to my notebook "Today seemed like the first real day of spring that we've had, so when picking a out a beer I thought a Maibock would be appropriate."
Pours a clear copper with sparse, but steady bubbles rising to feed the frothy, sudsy, off-white head that's retained as a film. Sheets of lace form on the sides of the glass. The aroma is rich and malty with bready and biscuity notes, a sharp fruitiness, a bit of alcohol and a hint of herbal hops.
There's an interplay between sweet, caramel malts and toasty, bready malts upfront. The sweetness prevails in the center with a hint of fresh, almost citric fruitiness. Leafy, herbal hops quickly match the sweetness for a nice, crisp, balanced finish. Light-bodied, crisp and highly carbonated.
Flavorful, balanced and very tasty.
I bought a six-pack of this at the small liquor store on Highland Ave. across the street from Somerville Hospital near Jadyn's House. This was probably in late March or early April. Beer Advocate calls it a bock, but there's no way that it's not a Maibock, the bottle says "Spring Lager", and its color and flavor are definitely that of a Maibock.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Paper City Brewery
Alcohol: 6.40%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Maibock/Helles Bock, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.05
The label has a white goat perched atop rocks. The bottle says that the name comes from a peak on Mount Tom in Holyoke, MA. According to my notebook "Today seemed like the first real day of spring that we've had, so when picking a out a beer I thought a Maibock would be appropriate."
Pours a clear copper with sparse, but steady bubbles rising to feed the frothy, sudsy, off-white head that's retained as a film. Sheets of lace form on the sides of the glass. The aroma is rich and malty with bready and biscuity notes, a sharp fruitiness, a bit of alcohol and a hint of herbal hops.
There's an interplay between sweet, caramel malts and toasty, bready malts upfront. The sweetness prevails in the center with a hint of fresh, almost citric fruitiness. Leafy, herbal hops quickly match the sweetness for a nice, crisp, balanced finish. Light-bodied, crisp and highly carbonated.
Flavorful, balanced and very tasty.
Labels: Maibock/Helles Bock, Paper City Brewery
806. Nøgne Ø Brown Ale
I probably purchased this at the liquor store in Porter Square, and probably had it in March sometime.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Nøgne Ø - det kompromissløse bryggeri
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: English Brown Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.5| Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0| Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 4.35
Pours a slightly hazed, brownish -amber with a beige head that thins to a film. The aroma is pleasantly malty with notes of dark fruit, sharp spice and a hint of coffee and possibly chocolate.
Despite the maltiness this beer isn't too sweet. There are caramel and dark fruit notes on top of a toasty base. It moves through to a bit of alcoholic spiciness, which when combined with the maltiness gives it a boozy quality. The finish is woody with a light roasty bitterness that lingers in the aftertaste. Soft and smooth on the palate, medium-bodied and moderately carbonated.
Not too heavy and well balanced. A great session beer.
I probably purchased this at the liquor store in Porter Square, and probably had it in March sometime.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Nøgne Ø - det kompromissløse bryggeri
Alcohol: 4.50%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: English Brown Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 4.5| Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0| Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 4.35
Pours a slightly hazed, brownish -amber with a beige head that thins to a film. The aroma is pleasantly malty with notes of dark fruit, sharp spice and a hint of coffee and possibly chocolate.
Despite the maltiness this beer isn't too sweet. There are caramel and dark fruit notes on top of a toasty base. It moves through to a bit of alcoholic spiciness, which when combined with the maltiness gives it a boozy quality. The finish is woody with a light roasty bitterness that lingers in the aftertaste. Soft and smooth on the palate, medium-bodied and moderately carbonated.
Not too heavy and well balanced. A great session beer.
Labels: English Brown Ale, Nøgne Ø
805. Spring Training IPA
I had this beer awhile ago at the CBC, unfortunately I don't remember when, probably late February or early March. I've started carrying around my digital camera with me so in the future I should have shots of beers at restaurants and such.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.60%
Serving: Tap
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 5.0 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 4.65
Pours a particularly lovely, golden, straw color. The bright, white head thins to a thin, lasting layer over the surface of the beer. The aroma is, for lack of a better word, fresh. The hop aromas are nice mix of citrus, grassy and floral. There's also a light maltiness evident under the bright hop aromas.
The malt backbone of this beer is toasty and lightly sweet with a bit of fruitiness. The hop finish is grassy and strong. Medium-bodied, high-carbonation and a tad oily across the palate.
I thought this was a nice, hop-focused IPA that creatively used different hop varieties to evoke the spring. It gets high marks for the impeccable execution of the brewers intent (unfortunately I can't find the description on the CBC website).
I had this beer awhile ago at the CBC, unfortunately I don't remember when, probably late February or early March. I've started carrying around my digital camera with me so in the future I should have shots of beers at restaurants and such.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.60%
Serving: Tap
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 5.0 | Smell: 4.5 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 4.65
Pours a particularly lovely, golden, straw color. The bright, white head thins to a thin, lasting layer over the surface of the beer. The aroma is, for lack of a better word, fresh. The hop aromas are nice mix of citrus, grassy and floral. There's also a light maltiness evident under the bright hop aromas.
The malt backbone of this beer is toasty and lightly sweet with a bit of fruitiness. The hop finish is grassy and strong. Medium-bodied, high-carbonation and a tad oily across the palate.
I thought this was a nice, hop-focused IPA that creatively used different hop varieties to evoke the spring. It gets high marks for the impeccable execution of the brewers intent (unfortunately I can't find the description on the CBC website).
Labels: American IPA, Cambridge Brewing Company
Jadyn and I went to Bukowski's with some friends back in February. We'd initially planned to go to The B-Side for some of their excellent Blue Cheese fries, but the wait was close to an hour. We walked to Bukowski's instead.
803. Victory Baltic Thunder
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Victory Brewing Company
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Baltic Porter, BJCP Style Guide
I thought this was a good shot at the Baltic Porter style. Rich and malty with nice coffee and chocolate notes. My only complaint is that it was a tad sweet.
804. Melbourn Bros. Strawberry
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Melbourn Bros.
Alcohol: 3.40%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Fruit Beer, BJCP Style Guide
This one is labeled as spontaneously fermented, and you do see some tartness and a faint hint of the wild microbes, but overall it's much too sweet for my liking.
803. Victory Baltic Thunder
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Victory Brewing Company
Alcohol: 8.50%
Serving: Tap
Style: Baltic Porter, BJCP Style Guide
I thought this was a good shot at the Baltic Porter style. Rich and malty with nice coffee and chocolate notes. My only complaint is that it was a tad sweet.
804. Melbourn Bros. Strawberry
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Melbourn Bros.
Alcohol: 3.40%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Fruit Beer, BJCP Style Guide
This one is labeled as spontaneously fermented, and you do see some tartness and a faint hint of the wild microbes, but overall it's much too sweet for my liking.
Labels: Baltic Porter, Fruit/Vegetable Beer, Melbourn Bros., Victory Brewing Company
802. Sixpoint Groundskeeper Spilly
I had a glass of this with dinner at Christopher's back in February. Hopefully, I'll actually be able to climb out of this posting hole soon.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Sixpoint Craft Ales
Alcohol: 7.20%
Serving: Tap
Style: Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy,
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 3.0
Overall: 3.6
Pours a hazy, brown-amber color. Topped by a creamy, beige head that leaves thick sheet of lace on the glass, and thins to a persistent film. The aroma is lightly bready with notes of dark fruit and caramel. Malty upfront with sweet caramel flavors, and a hint of smoke. As the beer moves across the palate a light bitterness appears and the smokiness becomes very strong. Highly carbonated, medium-bodied. A bit heavy. The smokiness is a bit overwhelming.
I had a glass of this with dinner at Christopher's back in February. Hopefully, I'll actually be able to climb out of this posting hole soon.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Sixpoint Craft Ales
Alcohol: 7.20%
Serving: Tap
Style: Scotch Ale / Wee Heavy,
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 3.0
Overall: 3.6
Pours a hazy, brown-amber color. Topped by a creamy, beige head that leaves thick sheet of lace on the glass, and thins to a persistent film. The aroma is lightly bready with notes of dark fruit and caramel. Malty upfront with sweet caramel flavors, and a hint of smoke. As the beer moves across the palate a light bitterness appears and the smokiness becomes very strong. Highly carbonated, medium-bodied. A bit heavy. The smokiness is a bit overwhelming.
Labels: Scotch Ale/Wee Heavy, Sixpoint Craft Ales
