896. Sunrise Weiss
I bought a 6-pack of Sunrise Weiss and a 6-pack of Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale because we were having Susan and Christian over for dinner.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Victory Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.70%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Hefeweizen, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.1
Pours a cloudy, straw yellow, and is topped with a fluffy, white head that fades to a wispy film. The classic hefeweizen aromas are present: citrus, banana, yeast and a bit of graininess.
Sweet breadiness upfront moves into a fruit center with notes of bananas, bubble gum and citrus. The finish is lightly grainy with peppery notes and a light bitterness. Prickly carbonation, medium bodied and smooth.
Very refreshing and drinkable.
I bought a 6-pack of Sunrise Weiss and a 6-pack of Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale because we were having Susan and Christian over for dinner.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Victory Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.70%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: Hefeweizen, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance: 4.5 | Smell: 4.0 | Taste: 4.0 | Mouthfeel: 4.0 | Drinkability: 4.0
Overall: 4.1
Pours a cloudy, straw yellow, and is topped with a fluffy, white head that fades to a wispy film. The classic hefeweizen aromas are present: citrus, banana, yeast and a bit of graininess.
Sweet breadiness upfront moves into a fruit center with notes of bananas, bubble gum and citrus. The finish is lightly grainy with peppery notes and a light bitterness. Prickly carbonation, medium bodied and smooth.
Very refreshing and drinkable.
Labels: Hefe Weizen, Victory 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
600. HopDevil Ale
I purchased a six-pack of this last night at Libby's Liquors in Central Square. I had two bottles with dinner last night at a friend's apartment, and another bottle today at a birthday lunch for my boss.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Victory Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.70%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (5.0): Pours a beautiful, hazy reddish-copper with a thick, beige head that fades to a film leaving heavy but patchy lace on the inside of the glass. I really love the color.
Smell (4.0): Sweet malts with some tart fruitiness, a whiff of alcohol and some grassy, resiny and grapefruit hop aromas.
Taste (4.0): Toasty malts upfront that move into a fruity and sugary sweetness. The finish is a grassy and resiny hop bitterness with a lingering tartness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied and oily with low carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): This is really hop-forward making it a bit hard to drink.
Overall (4.15): This is an excellent American IPA.
I purchased a six-pack of this last night at Libby's Liquors in Central Square. I had two bottles with dinner last night at a friend's apartment, and another bottle today at a birthday lunch for my boss.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Victory Brewing Company
Alcohol: 6.70%
Serving: Bottle, 12 oz.
Style: American IPA, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (5.0): Pours a beautiful, hazy reddish-copper with a thick, beige head that fades to a film leaving heavy but patchy lace on the inside of the glass. I really love the color.
Smell (4.0): Sweet malts with some tart fruitiness, a whiff of alcohol and some grassy, resiny and grapefruit hop aromas.
Taste (4.0): Toasty malts upfront that move into a fruity and sugary sweetness. The finish is a grassy and resiny hop bitterness with a lingering tartness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Medium-bodied and oily with low carbonation.
Drinkability (3.5): This is really hop-forward making it a bit hard to drink.
Overall (4.15): This is an excellent American IPA.
Labels: American IPA, Victory Brewing Company
386. Victory Prima Pils
I purchased a six-pack of this last night at Downtown Wine & Spirits. I let it cool down in the fridge and served it in my NERAX pint glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Victory Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.30%
Serving: 12 oz.
Style: German Pilsener, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a crystal clear golden with a fluffy white headthat thins to a persistent layer leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.5): Aromas of resiny hops and slightly sweet grainy malts.
Taste (3.5): Sweet toasty malt flavors followed by a nice strong balancing bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Mild carbonation, smooth and light bodied.
Drinkability (4.5): Flavorful, balanced and pleasingly bitter.
Overall (3.75): I'm not a huge fan of the style, but Prima Pils has a nice balancing bitterness that I like.
I purchased a six-pack of this last night at Downtown Wine & Spirits. I let it cool down in the fridge and served it in my NERAX pint glass.
Beer Stats:
Brewery: Victory Brewing Company
Alcohol: 5.30%
Serving: 12 oz.
Style: German Pilsener, BJCP Style Guide
Appearance (4.0): Pours a crystal clear golden with a fluffy white headthat thins to a persistent layer leaving patchy lace.
Smell (3.5): Aromas of resiny hops and slightly sweet grainy malts.
Taste (3.5): Sweet toasty malt flavors followed by a nice strong balancing bitterness.
Mouthfeel (4.0): Mild carbonation, smooth and light bodied.
Drinkability (4.5): Flavorful, balanced and pleasingly bitter.
Overall (3.75): I'm not a huge fan of the style, but Prima Pils has a nice balancing bitterness that I like.
Labels: German Pilsener, Reviews, Victory Brewing Company
Tonight Thomas and I tried to go to The Publick House for dinner. It was too busy (private party) so we had dinner elsewhere, and then returned for our beer tasting. Thom's entry will be posted tomorrow.
Golden Monkey Tripel
I began with the Golden Monkey Tripel because of its name. It is a Belgian style Tripel. The beer was served in an oversized wine glass.
Appearance: Poured with a thin head that disappeared quickly and left no lace. It was a hazy brassy/golden color.
Smell: There was a super sweet aroma with a sort of sweet corn smell.
Taste: There is a tingle on the tip of the tongue that lasts through the end. There was a sweet almost caramel center and a sweet bready finish with some alcohol warming. There wasn't too much carbonation.
Mouthfeel/Drinkability: This was light and smooth and I could definitely drink a lot of it.
Overall: I liked this beer, it was tasty.
Vichtenaar
My second beer was recommended by the bartender after we were informed that they were out of Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Red Ale. It was called Vichtenaar and it, like the former, is a Flemish Red Ale. It was served in a white wine glass. The bottle's label showed a coat of arms with lions.
Appearance: This beer was red in the light but brown in the dark, and was clear. This beer had a thick, bubbly head that quickly dissapated to a thin film.
Smell: Yeasty, with nutty and buttery notes, almost like a red wine. It kind of smelled like a tree branch.
Taste: Very sweet in the beginning, like a lambic. Sweet and fruity through the middle and a sour finish, with metallic undertones. Mild carbonation.
Mouthfeel: This was also smooth, but heavier than the Belgian Tripel.
Drinkability: I could drink one or two bottles, but no more - it has a strong flavor.
Overall: I really liked the sweet/sour of this beer, very interesting for the palate.
Cheese
We enjoyed a cheese with this beer; Morbier from France. This was a mild flavored, but stinky, cow's milk cheese. There was an ash layer in the middle of the cheese to separate the early from the late milking. The cheese was white, soft and creamy with a hard, edible rind. It had a "farm" flavor and went well with the Vichtenaar. The spicy mustard from La Chouffe complemented the cheese very well. We liked the cheese best when eaten on top of sourdough bread coated with the spicy mustard. We both liked the flavor of the mustard seeds popping in our mouths. The cheese was also served with yummy sweet pickles.
A song came out of tonight called "Public Urination" sung to the tune of Battle Hymn of the Republic
Chorus: Public, Public Urination
Ali: Causes me much consternation
Thom: It's my favorite occupation
Chorus: Public Urination
Golden Monkey Tripel
I began with the Golden Monkey Tripel because of its name. It is a Belgian style Tripel. The beer was served in an oversized wine glass.
Appearance: Poured with a thin head that disappeared quickly and left no lace. It was a hazy brassy/golden color.
Smell: There was a super sweet aroma with a sort of sweet corn smell.
Taste: There is a tingle on the tip of the tongue that lasts through the end. There was a sweet almost caramel center and a sweet bready finish with some alcohol warming. There wasn't too much carbonation.
Mouthfeel/Drinkability: This was light and smooth and I could definitely drink a lot of it.
Overall: I liked this beer, it was tasty.
Vichtenaar
My second beer was recommended by the bartender after we were informed that they were out of Monk's Cafe Flemish Sour Red Ale. It was called Vichtenaar and it, like the former, is a Flemish Red Ale. It was served in a white wine glass. The bottle's label showed a coat of arms with lions.
Appearance: This beer was red in the light but brown in the dark, and was clear. This beer had a thick, bubbly head that quickly dissapated to a thin film.
Smell: Yeasty, with nutty and buttery notes, almost like a red wine. It kind of smelled like a tree branch.
Taste: Very sweet in the beginning, like a lambic. Sweet and fruity through the middle and a sour finish, with metallic undertones. Mild carbonation.
Mouthfeel: This was also smooth, but heavier than the Belgian Tripel.
Drinkability: I could drink one or two bottles, but no more - it has a strong flavor.
Overall: I really liked the sweet/sour of this beer, very interesting for the palate.
Cheese
We enjoyed a cheese with this beer; Morbier from France. This was a mild flavored, but stinky, cow's milk cheese. There was an ash layer in the middle of the cheese to separate the early from the late milking. The cheese was white, soft and creamy with a hard, edible rind. It had a "farm" flavor and went well with the Vichtenaar. The spicy mustard from La Chouffe complemented the cheese very well. We liked the cheese best when eaten on top of sourdough bread coated with the spicy mustard. We both liked the flavor of the mustard seeds popping in our mouths. The cheese was also served with yummy sweet pickles.
A song came out of tonight called "Public Urination" sung to the tune of Battle Hymn of the Republic
Chorus: Public, Public Urination
Ali: Causes me much consternation
Thom: It's my favorite occupation
Chorus: Public Urination
Labels: Brouwerij Verhaeghe, Cheese, Flanders Red Ale, Reviews, Sour Beer, The Publick House, Tripel, Victory Brewing Company
