I drink a lot of different beers. Most are pretty good. Some are just alright. A few are downright bad, and an even smaller number of them are...
Showing posts with label 3/3rds Full Pint Glass. Show all posts
Showing posts with label 3/3rds Full Pint Glass. Show all posts
Night Madness!
I recently reviewed a beer by Left Hand Brewing Company of Longmont Colorado. Founded in 1993 they’re older than half of the breweries you see on the shelf in an average American bottle shop. Sit for a second.
Now consider this. Tonight I enjoyed a bottle Delirium Nocturnum. This Belgian strong ale is brewed and bottled by Huyghe Brewery in Melle Belgium at the same site--and by the same family--that founded the brewery in 1654...
Now consider this. Tonight I enjoyed a bottle Delirium Nocturnum. This Belgian strong ale is brewed and bottled by Huyghe Brewery in Melle Belgium at the same site--and by the same family--that founded the brewery in 1654...
-It's a Store! -It's a Bar!
-No, wait--It's BOTH!
Now that I'm somewhat settled in Seattle, with a place to call home and most of my boxes unpacked (read: pint glasses = unpacked, clothes = mostly still in boxes), it's time for me to seriously get down to the business of uncovering all of this great beer-culture that I've heard Seattle-ites have in their blood!
Now that I'm somewhat settled in Seattle, with a place to call home and most of my boxes unpacked (read: pint glasses = unpacked, clothes = mostly still in boxes), it's time for me to seriously get down to the business of uncovering all of this great beer-culture that I've heard Seattle-ites have in their blood!
50-best American beers you say?
I think I'll have one of each!
Perusing the 50-best American beers of 2011 as shared on Facebook by Kyle, I thought to myself, those sound good, I think I'll have them!
I'm Green with envy...
If there's anything that can take the edge of a far-to-early US exit from the World Cup it's a cold, delicious, California IPA, and when it comes to California IPAs, Green Flash knows whats up! Before I even cracked the bottle the label has me feeling weak in the knees: 95 IBUs, 7.2 ABV, the warning that the beer is 'extravagently hopped"... this is gonna be good!
Putting the 'Rue' in Bruery...
I visited The Bruery in Orange County California two months ago. I was VERY impressed with the facilities... In fact I was so impressed, that I put off writing a review for fear that I would come off as a love-struck super fan. People might read my critique of their bar, and their beers and think that I had accepted a bribe. I can’t have people questioning my integrity I though, and so I didn’t write a review.
As time passes, memories fade, and eventually I realized that I couldn’t pinpoint exactly why I was so love-struck by my trip to the Bruery. Upon that realization, I promptly cracked open the White Oak Ale that had been sitting patiently in the back of my fridge for weeks. As I sipped and savored the robust, creamy ale I instantly remembered why I had enjoyed my trip to the Bruery so much the previous month... Re-inspired I thought again about what I would want to say in a review, and again I hesitated. I couldn’t gush about how the Bruery sets out samples of organic hop pellets, lavender, and barley on their bar so that you can feel and smell the ingredients pre-production as you tasting the final product. I couldn’t wax on about the fact that the tasting room is located in the brewery, or about how you can hang your coat on a bourbon barrel while you enjoy award winning beers. If I wrote a review about how all of the employees were friendly, engaging, and inspiring, readers would think I’d accepted a job as their new PR rep and might stop taking my reviews seriously, wouldn’t they?
Well, if thats the case, than so be it.!
Quite simply, if you are in Southern California, you need to look this place up--The beers, the people, and the venue* are all top notch!
As I told the bartender, this is my happy place!
-Prost!
D.Lux
*Go soon--the word on the street is that late this spring the tasting room will be moving from the brewery to an external location. Sure the beer will still be delicious, but it won’t taste quite as delicious as we you could drink it 20 feet away from where it was made!
As time passes, memories fade, and eventually I realized that I couldn’t pinpoint exactly why I was so love-struck by my trip to the Bruery. Upon that realization, I promptly cracked open the White Oak Ale that had been sitting patiently in the back of my fridge for weeks. As I sipped and savored the robust, creamy ale I instantly remembered why I had enjoyed my trip to the Bruery so much the previous month... Re-inspired I thought again about what I would want to say in a review, and again I hesitated. I couldn’t gush about how the Bruery sets out samples of organic hop pellets, lavender, and barley on their bar so that you can feel and smell the ingredients pre-production as you tasting the final product. I couldn’t wax on about the fact that the tasting room is located in the brewery, or about how you can hang your coat on a bourbon barrel while you enjoy award winning beers. If I wrote a review about how all of the employees were friendly, engaging, and inspiring, readers would think I’d accepted a job as their new PR rep and might stop taking my reviews seriously, wouldn’t they?Well, if thats the case, than so be it.!
Quite simply, if you are in Southern California, you need to look this place up--The beers, the people, and the venue* are all top notch!
As I told the bartender, this is my happy place!
-Prost!
D.Lux
*Go soon--the word on the street is that late this spring the tasting room will be moving from the brewery to an external location. Sure the beer will still be delicious, but it won’t taste quite as delicious as we you could drink it 20 feet away from where it was made!
A Swift Kick in the Can
As I pulled back the aluminum tab a splash of black liquid filled the rim of the can and I smelled aromas of expresso and alcohol. Still hungover from a three day binge in Las Vegas I started to second guess my decision to drink beer today (especially this beer). Alas, the seal had been broken, so there would be no turning back...Oskar Blues Ten FIDY pours out of the can like motor oil; viscus, opaque and heavy. The beer is jet-black and has a deep toffy brown head. The flavors are rich and delicious with all of the usual Imperial Stout suspects present; roasted coffee beans, dark cocoa, vanila, and roasted malts. What surprised me most though, was what wasn't present. The beer didn't have any of the harshness or heat that I expected from this 10.5 % ABV monster. Oskar Blues' Ten Fidy gets a 3/3rds full Pint Glass rating!
This beer is damn tasty, but what I liked most wasn't the flavor but the packaging. I love that they chose to put this beer in a can. Cans have a bad reputation and it's entirely unjustified. Cans block out harmful sunlight. They seal the beer with less air contact, and they're easier to recycle than bottles. They're lighter and less costly to ship (less costly to producers and less costly to the environment!).
Expect to see more and more quality beers packaged in cans as consumers get over the negative misconceptions and start to understand the the value (much the way people warmed to the idea of Stelvin enclosures or 'Screw Cap' being used for quality wines).
-Prost!
D.Lux
Wait-Wait-There's One More!
I must have been a really good boy in 2009 because Santa brought me one last Christmas gift... (and it looks as though he may have saved the best for last!)
For my 12.5th (and LAST) beer of Christmas I had the
pleasure of sipping on Port Brewing Companies Santa's Little Helper. SLH is a 10% ABV Monster. It's an Imperial Porter that could kick the ass of any of the other seasonal beers on my Christmas list. If you were a Pale Ale your grandmother would scold you for hanging out with it. 'Stay away from that beer' she'd say, 'he's too big, too rough, and too strong... 'He might not mean harm, but he doesn't know his own strength and he might hurt you by accident.'
The beer pours black. Not chestnut, not mocha or coffee brown, black. It's unbelievably dense (I held it up to a flame out of curiosity and got nothing--not even the faintest hint of light penetrated the viscus brew). The bouquet was equally dense. As I poured the beer, intoxicating aromas of espresso, cocoa bean, and double roasted malt filled the air.
The head that formed was a wonderful, amorphous, brown froth, that constantly swirled and evolved with each lift, sip, and swirl of the glass. In my perfect world, soothsayers don't use a crystal staring ball, but rather hand your a magnum of Ports' SLH and a church key and read your future in the patterns that appear in your crystal goblet as you imbibe.
The texture of the beer was thick and creamy. It managed to do what so very few beers are capable of by feeling both heavy on the palate but also finishing clean. Roast espresso bean was by far the strongest component that came through on the palate. Hints of hazelnut and macadamia nuts give it a round, full flavor. A touch of Vanilla also comes through, and dried red-fruits on the finish add complexity to the mix. Although it rocks in at 10% ABV, it's not hot like on the tongue like the 9.5% Winter Warmer by SanTan, but rather smooth and rich. It's warming and inebriating without being over-powering. I asked Sir Alan to give it a swirl and tell me what he thought: "Don't let its coaly* guise fool you, Santa's Lil' Helper is only for those few on the 'nice' list" I agree Alan, 100%!
So, to conclude, let me just say, if you haven't tried this beer, go now and try it. Pick up a bottle--better yet pick up two--you won't regret it!
-Prost!
D.Lux
*yes, it has been verified, 'coaly' is actually a word.
BREW REVIEW - Deschutes Brewery Hop Trip
Deschutes Brewery, based in Bend, Oregon, has been producing craft beers for over two decades. It's a fun brewery with a 'try-anything' attitude that produces a wide variety of unique and interesting beers. They make seven year-round varieties, four seasonal ales, four age-worthy beers in a 'Reserve' series, and three more beers in what they call the 'Bond Street Series' (after the street on which the brewery resides).
Today I'm reviewing their Hop Trip which is part of the Bond-Street-trio. Before I jump into my BREW REVIEW though, I want to take a minute to explain why I selected this beer.
First, it should be know that Deschutes Brewery has a reputation for making hop-heavy beer. This tidbit alone is enough reason for me to pick one of their beers as I'm a bit of a closet hop-a-phile, but it's actually the unique production method that specifically drew me to Hop Trail. Allow me to explain.
A few years back the guys at Deschutes Brewery, a somewhat flamboyant hop-a-phile group, decided they wanted to make a beer that captured the natural flavors of hops 'fresh off the vine'. Most breweries make a beer hoppie by adding more dried hops, or hop-pellets. Deschutes wanted to brew a beer that would capture the fresh, green qualities of the hops. You see, the Deschutes crew were well aware that the essential oils in hops are most prominent when the hops are freshest meaning that as soon as they're cut from the field, the oils begin a gradual decline. This in mind, they set out to make a beer with Hops that spent the least amount of time possible from harvest to production. The least amount of time possible as it turns out is about three and a half hours, and that's exactly how long the Crystal Hops used for the production of Hop Trail spend between harvest and the kettle. The result they hoped would be a light, fresh, clean ale, with huge hop-flavor.
So, with all of that said, here is my BREW REVIEW
Wow, Fabulous. That's all I have to say...
Simple review? Good! It's a simple beer. It's like a good cut of steak, slow cooked over an open flame. No marinades, no seasonings, no steak sauce, just good, simple, basic ingredients, prepared with care, and easy to enjoy.
I wish the Hop Trail was the 'American Standard' instead of B*dw**z*r or M*ll*r. I think if that were the case, the rest of the world would have much greater respect for America as a beer producing nation.
If I were to compare The Hop Trip to a wine I'd say it's like a quality Beaujolais: fresh, fruity, honest, and uncomplicated. It's a celebration of hard work, and of the fall harvest, It can be enjoyed with just about any type of meal, or just by itself. By the numbers, I give it a 7/10 [Flavor 8/10, Balance 8/10, Complexity 6/10].
Oh, and did I mention it's only available through December? GO GET SOME!
-Prost!
D.Lux
P.S. Back in '06 FFEfilms followed the Deschutes crew around and captured the experience, the result was this pretty cool short film-Check it out!
Today I'm reviewing their Hop Trip which is part of the Bond-Street-trio. Before I jump into my BREW REVIEW though, I want to take a minute to explain why I selected this beer.
First, it should be know that Deschutes Brewery has a reputation for making hop-heavy beer. This tidbit alone is enough reason for me to pick one of their beers as I'm a bit of a closet hop-a-phile, but it's actually the unique production method that specifically drew me to Hop Trail. Allow me to explain.
A few years back the guys at Deschutes Brewery, a somewhat flamboyant hop-a-phile group, decided they wanted to make a beer that captured the natural flavors of hops 'fresh off the vine'. Most breweries make a beer hoppie by adding more dried hops, or hop-pellets. Deschutes wanted to brew a beer that would capture the fresh, green qualities of the hops. You see, the Deschutes crew were well aware that the essential oils in hops are most prominent when the hops are freshest meaning that as soon as they're cut from the field, the oils begin a gradual decline. This in mind, they set out to make a beer with Hops that spent the least amount of time possible from harvest to production. The least amount of time possible as it turns out is about three and a half hours, and that's exactly how long the Crystal Hops used for the production of Hop Trail spend between harvest and the kettle. The result they hoped would be a light, fresh, clean ale, with huge hop-flavor.
So, with all of that said, here is my BREW REVIEW
Wow, Fabulous. That's all I have to say...
Simple review? Good! It's a simple beer. It's like a good cut of steak, slow cooked over an open flame. No marinades, no seasonings, no steak sauce, just good, simple, basic ingredients, prepared with care, and easy to enjoy.
I wish the Hop Trail was the 'American Standard' instead of B*dw**z*r or M*ll*r. I think if that were the case, the rest of the world would have much greater respect for America as a beer producing nation.
If I were to compare The Hop Trip to a wine I'd say it's like a quality Beaujolais: fresh, fruity, honest, and uncomplicated. It's a celebration of hard work, and of the fall harvest, It can be enjoyed with just about any type of meal, or just by itself. By the numbers, I give it a 7/10 [Flavor 8/10, Balance 8/10, Complexity 6/10].
Oh, and did I mention it's only available through December? GO GET SOME!
-Prost!
D.Lux
P.S. Back in '06 FFEfilms followed the Deschutes crew around and captured the experience, the result was this pretty cool short film-Check it out!
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