1232. Jack's Cream Ale
Jadyn and I had dinner at the CBC at some point in August.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company
Alcohol: ?
Serving: Tap
Style: Cream Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 3.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.7
This Cream Ale pours a cloudy straw-golden color. It's topped by a half-inch, bright white head. The aroma is sweet with notes of grainy malts, slight citrus, and that sweet maltiness that I can't place, but is characteristic of cream ales.
There's a grainy start to this beer that moves into a mildly citric center with accompanying banana sweetness. There's a creamy sweetness in the finish. I've never had a cream ale with such obvious fruity esters before. This beer is clean, crisp, and well carbonated.
Overall this beer was a bit sweet, but was tasty overall.
Labels: Cream Ale
After leaving Jimmy's No. 43 we headed to Against the Grain, another beer bar in New York that I hadn't been to. The bar is small, it's narrow and not very deep. There are two rows of seating on either side of the bar with a narrow table in the center. There's a pressed tin ceiling and dark brick walls. The bartender was friendly, knowledgeable, and described the beers to us as he was pouring. These reviews are also based on split beers.
Wexford's, Bell's and the Cuvee.
942. Two Hearted Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Bell's Brewery
Alcohol: 7.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.5 | Smell: 5.0 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 4.55
Pours a cloudy copper. Topped by a fluffy, meringue-like, white head with good retention. The aroma is hop-focused: delicious orange-blossom citrus and resiny hops. There's also a bit of a raw sugar undercurrent.
There's a toasty malt backbone with a light, raw sweetness. There's a nice citric hop flavor with a light herbal, resiny kick. Well balanced, there's a focus on the hop flavors rather than the hop bitterness. Light-bodied with a nice kick from the carbonation.
Well balanced. All of the hop flavor is there with just enough of the bitterness.
943. Cuvée Du 8ème
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Des Franches-Montagnes
Alcohol: 7.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.9
Pours a very nice, hazed, reddish amber. The head thins to a wispy film. The aroma is sharp with acidic cherry notes. Wonderfully tart smelling.
Much milder on the palate than suggested by the aroma. On the sweet side of sour, but only mildy so. There's a nice tart fruitiness. The finish has a hint of cocoa. Mild overall, but tasty. Light-bodied with moderate carbonation.
Nice for a milder sour ale.
944. Wexford Irish Cream Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Greene King / Morland Brewery
Alcohol: 5.00%
Serving: Can
Style: Cream Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 3.0 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 3.4
Pours a slightly hazed copper color. The thick, fluffy head retains as a half-inch layer leaving sheets of lace. Malty aroma caramel, toffee and golden raisins.
There's a sweet, malty backbone: caramel and toffee with a mild bitterness in the finish. There are some decent flavors, but it comes off a bit bland overall. Smooth and creamy with moderate carbonation and a sticky, sugary finish.
Flavorful in certain aspects, but a but bland overall.
Wexford's, Bell's and the Cuvee.
942. Two Hearted Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Bell's Brewery
Alcohol: 7.00%
Serving: Bottle
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.5 | Smell: 5.0 | Taste: 4.5 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.5
Overall: 4.55
Pours a cloudy copper. Topped by a fluffy, meringue-like, white head with good retention. The aroma is hop-focused: delicious orange-blossom citrus and resiny hops. There's also a bit of a raw sugar undercurrent.
There's a toasty malt backbone with a light, raw sweetness. There's a nice citric hop flavor with a light herbal, resiny kick. Well balanced, there's a focus on the hop flavors rather than the hop bitterness. Light-bodied with a nice kick from the carbonation.
Well balanced. All of the hop flavor is there with just enough of the bitterness.
943. Cuvée Du 8ème
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Brasserie Des Franches-Montagnes
Alcohol: 7.50%
Serving: Bottle
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 3.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 3.9
Pours a very nice, hazed, reddish amber. The head thins to a wispy film. The aroma is sharp with acidic cherry notes. Wonderfully tart smelling.
Much milder on the palate than suggested by the aroma. On the sweet side of sour, but only mildy so. There's a nice tart fruitiness. The finish has a hint of cocoa. Mild overall, but tasty. Light-bodied with moderate carbonation.
Nice for a milder sour ale.
944. Wexford Irish Cream Ale
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Greene King / Morland Brewery
Alcohol: 5.00%
Serving: Can
Style: Cream Ale, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.0 | Smell: 3.5 | Taste: 3.0 | Mouthfeel: 3.5 | Drinkability: 3.5
Overall: 3.4
Pours a slightly hazed copper color. The thick, fluffy head retains as a half-inch layer leaving sheets of lace. Malty aroma caramel, toffee and golden raisins.
There's a sweet, malty backbone: caramel and toffee with a mild bitterness in the finish. There are some decent flavors, but it comes off a bit bland overall. Smooth and creamy with moderate carbonation and a sticky, sugary finish.
Flavorful in certain aspects, but a but bland overall.
Labels: American IPA, Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Cream Ale, Travel
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
