My only Christmas card was from a brewery... and beer reviews

OK, that's a lie, but I liked the sound of it. In truth, I actually got two Christmas cards. One was from Boulevard Brewing Co, the other from a great Runner's World editor who I wrote this recent article on training during your lunch break. And lest you think I'm unloved (if you cared), most cards still go to my family.

In the spirit of the holiday season, here are a couple Christmas surprises I've had in the form of surprisingly good beer. I included my score's deviation from the mean. Mickey's and Kirin both normall average a C- score on BeerAdvocate.com.

Mickey's
SABMiller
American Malt Liquor

C+ / 3.05
look: 3 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | drink: 3.5
rDev: +15.1%

Drank straight from the wide-mouth, green stubby bottle - as it was meant to be. This beer is surprisingly not bad. I think there's some truth to the bottle's "Fine Malt Liquor" label. Because as far as malt liquor goes, this isn't that far behind Rogue fancy-pants Dad's Little Helper. In terms of flavor, this beer reminds me of a dull PBR. It just has gentle bready malts behind a vague sweetness. Completely drinkable and inoffensive. Worth a try, just because it's Mickey's.

Kirin Ichiban
Kirin Brewery Company
Japanese Rice Lager

B- / 3.4
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 3.5
rDev: +23.8%

Ordered a bottle with sushi and soup at the Japanese place at DTW airport. This beer masters the style just like Bud Light and the American light lager. This isn't a delicious beer in the grand scheme of thing, but for a Japanese rice lager, it's quite nice. Unfortunately, right off the bat this beer has an odd rubber aroma, but that quickly fades to leave a very clean beer. The malt has a subtle toasted bread flavor and there's a hint of spicy hops. Very drinkable and worth a try next time you sit down for sushi.

Beer Reviews: Fall = Dark Beer = Yum

It's still the holidays. Which means we're all busy buying stuff, training for holiday parties, and trying to wrap up our work. Work hard, play hard, yes? Well here are a couple fine beers for when it's time to play.

High Tide Fresh Hop IPA
Port Brewing Company / Pizza Port
American IPA

A- / 4.1
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4.5

Appeared a hazy gold with a short head and lacing. This was a great, bright, and drinkable IPA. Not quite as complex as some of the great fresh hop beers I've had, like Sierra Nevada, but a little more sessionable. The aroma and flavor focused on fruity citrus with a few hits of earth spice and pine. But for the most part this beer was all about the orange, lime, and grapefruit hops. Delicious. Drink it if you can find it.

Batemans XXXB
Batemans Brewery
Extra Special Bitter

B+ / 4
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4.5

Grabbed a bottle at Abe's Cold Beer for $5. A little pricey, but worth trying if you're into the style. It poured a mostly clear amber-red with a short white head and lacing. The aroma and flavor are very true to style with slightly creamy and fruity yeast character or subtle toasted bread malts. It finished with a herbal and peppercorn hops bite that provides more balance than bitterness. All in all a tasty and very sessionable beer. It's a shame the damn stuff is so expensive.

Stupid ideas and beer: The 24 Hour Cyclocross Race

This has been a big fall. I've gone through with not one, but two really stupid athletic feats and lived report back on how stupid it was. Last Thursday and Friday I rode around in circles on a friend's backyard cyclocross course with 15 other oddballs. Thanks to recent rain, most the course was simply a long 2-inch-deep track of sticky peanut butter mud.

No, the mud wasn't nutritious and delicious. It felt like peanut butter that's just been pulled from a fridge. It's both incredibly had to move while still sticking to everything. I had a nice system down when ever time I carried my bike I'd rip the gobs of mud and leaves out from behind the brakes. Yes, this was fun.

Dan K was kind enough to put together a video of the event. You can check it out on his blog. All in all, this was actually a lot more fun that my 6-hour half-walking marathon that went off under blue skies and far more comfortable level. Maybe it's because riding along side friends at an unsanctioned backyard 24-hour race is simply a lot more fun that being lost in a crowd of 10,000 rando's.

I ended up 3rd on the day and figure I probably spent somewhere between 14 and 16 hours on the course. Only 8 of the 16 competitors made it to the end and among the non-finishers were an Olympic track racer, national masters mountain bike champ, and one of the top 10 24-hour racers in the country. Maybe they just had too much sense to continue. When I look at the finishers, we've got a couple guys that drank more than a case of beer a piece (one beer per lap), an Army vet that rolled cigarettes between laps, and a guy that tends to pee himself when he's having a good time. You tell me who the winners are.

See more of Douglas Benedict's race photo's here.

Drinking Local: Leinenkugel Big Eddy and Flat Earth Rode Hearing

After the seeing family and friends thing, my favorite part of visiting home is drinking all the new local beers I've been missing. Being from Minneapolis, there's never a shortage of good beer and here are a couple favorites from my recent trip for turkey day. One is an odd Belgian style brewing by a tiny St. Paul brewery, and the other is craft brew mainstay brewed at a Miller plant.

Rode Hearing
Flat Earth Brewing
Flanders Red Ale

A- / 4.1
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4.5

On-tap at the Nile (where the heck was Al?), served in a Kasteel goblet. Appears a slightly hazy red-amber, with emphasis on the red, and a short, white head.

Damn, this beer could be straight out of Belgium for all I know upon tasting. Seriously, someone made this in St. Paul? This style-accuracy by American breweries is very hard to come by in sour ales and I think this puts Flat Earth up in the elite class of Jolly Pumpkin and Russian River.

At first it reminds me of Rodenbach Classic for similar sour fruits that don't hit you over the head with funk. As I sip more, I realize these flavors are gentler and more drinkable. It reminds me of the drinkability of Goudenband on-tap. I'm tasting tangy lemon rind and oak with a bit of sweet cherries. Oh man, this is good. I suppose it could be more complex, but I'm very satisfied.

Big Eddy Russian Imperial Stout
http://www.leinie.com/av.html
Russian Imperial Stout

A / 4.3
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4.5

On-tap at Stub & Herb's for only $5 a pint. Get it while you can. Appears a pitch black with a short tan head, no lacing.

This immediately reminds me of Surly Darkness. Not because they taste identical, but because its the most similar RIS I've had in terms of a smooth body and esters. It starts out with a mild dry cocoa note and then dives into a mix of chocolate-covered berries and hoppy citrus rind. It finishes with a big caramel-coated espresso bitterness (with some hops character mixed in) and medium-weight body that makes this all the more drinkable. It's a shame this beer will soon be extinct. Easily the best beer Leiny's ever made and one of the best RIS's I've had. Definitely a favorite.

After the Turkey: Summit ESB Reviewed

After the talk about fancy-pants Belgians, I actually ended up drinking one of my local favorites, Summit ESB, on Thanksgiving. Naturally, I gave thanks to my cousin Pete that day for bringing it over. The ESB (extra special (or strong) bitter) style isn't something you see often, but it's a real treat in the right situation. The blend of super-smooth caramel malts with herbal and spicy hops make a great companion to turkey dinner, or a long night at your favorite pub.

Names in the beer would are often deceiving, whether the mean to be or not. Young's Double Chocolate Stout, while generally tasty, is barely chocolate and the double of nothing that I can imagine. So I feel I should mention that The Extra Special/Strong Bitter style is rarely more bitter than a pale ale and usually no stronger than six percent ABV. It's really just an amber ale with English yeast character - creamy, fruity flavors - and a bit of hops for balance. All in all, a great session beer.

Summit ESB
Summit Brewing Co.
Extra Special/Strong Bitter

B+ / 3.8
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 4.5

I'm always never quite sure what I'll get from a new Summit offering. Sure, it'll at least be decent, but they've been known to very occasionally kick out some real good stuff. I'd say this falls in with their best.

A nice red color with white head. A rather unfortunate aroma at first, however, smells like adjunct was used to lighten the body. Later hops start to pull through. Interesting flavor, burnt caramel of scottish ale with a good bitter kick to balance it, this tastes like a winner. Body is a litter light, but this is very drinkable. Try it out, I like it better than the Summit EPA and IPA.

More Thanksgiving Beer: St. Bernardus 6

I'd mentioned just yesterday that I'm a fan of spicy Belgian ales when it's turkey time. Well as luck would have it, a good friend recently bought a variety 6-pack from St. Bernardus, an abbey-style brewery. He shared a couple bottles last night as we watched the Saints crush the Packers (three interceptions? really Aaron Rodgers?) and one stood out as a fantastic Thanksgiving Day beer, the St. Bernardus 6. Now this is the lesser of two dubbels (basically a Belgian brown ale) made by the brewery in alcohol, but compared to the boozier St. Bernardus 8, I thought the 6 had beer balance and drinkability. More flavor isn't always better. Some of the worst beers (cough, Bud Light Chelada, cough) are packed with flavor. Anyways, here are some brief thoughts.


St. Bernardus Pater 6
Dubbel
Brouwerij St. Bernardus

A- / 4.05
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 5

Poured a mostly-clear dark amber with a tall white head and lacing. This beer strikes me as being two things: spicy and drinkable. At nearly 7%, this baby drinks like a mild thanks to the dry and thin body. As for the spice, phenols are the dominate flavor-maker, with a red peppercorn bite next to the also spicy hops. The malt provides a subtle toffee back note for the spice and help create the delicate balance. This beer could have a little more flavor, but I'll be damned if I couldn't put down a number of these without thinking about it.


St. Bernardus Prior 8
Dubbel
Brouwerij St. Bernardus

B- / 3.45
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 2.5 | drink: 4

In a word: underwhelming. Although a good beer, I found nothing to brag about. It looks like a nice monk brew, brown with generous head. Smell didn't do much for me. Some fruit and caramel, but it was faint. Similarly with tastes, there were some nice subtle complexities, but nothing grand and tasty. It was a mix of tart, sour berries, with bitter candy. I had a hard time tasting much because the beer was over carbonated. Really took a while for that to settle down. Still a very smooth drink, but not one I'd drop good money on any time soon. I'll stick to the Abt 12.

A Good Beer for Thanksgiving: Samuel Smith Pale Ale

Turkey Day is coming and its time to start thinking about what beer to bring to the dinner table. I usually lean toward spicy Belgians like a St. Bernardus Tripel or La Great Divide's Hades Ale, but recently I tried the Sam Smith Pale Ale and the earth, herbal flavors convinced me it deserved a spot next to the stuffing and potatoes.

Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Pale Ale
English Pale Ale
Samuel Smith Old Brewery

A- / 4.1
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4.5

Great aroma right after pouring. Oh man, I'm getting fresh apple with frosting, oak, French bread and hops spice. The flavor has almost a mild barleywine/old ale malt profile with a dry hit of sugar cookie and soupy caramel. It finishes with a long, moderate strength, slightly grassy, peppercone hops note. Delicious and drinkable. Get this beer.

St. Bernardus Tripel
Belgian Tripel
Brouwerij St. Bernardus

A- / 4.05
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4

It was a touch on the thick side, for the style, but there was a great range of phenols. I mean this beer was spicy, damn. There were also mellow banana and subtle clove, matched with a sizeable hops bite of herbal lemon and citrus rind. Yum. Very tasty, but I might have trouble drinking a few of these.

Hades Ale
Belgian Strong Pale Ale
Great Divide Brewing Co.

A- / 4.2
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 4.5

This beer is for real. Pale golden in color with a little lacing. The aroma is immediately reminiscent of of Duvel or a wit with a kick for the spice. The flavor is deep. Its starts sweet and bready, then bitterness grows while coriander, vanilla, and cream come through with a touch of belgian candi. The aftertaste is a long continuation of the spice and sweet malts. Oh so drinkable. My only negative comments are that this beer lacks the mouthfeel (a touch weak on the carbonation) and rocky head that help round out a great pale Belgian. Still damn tasty. Find this beer.

The Worst Beer Ever: The Search Continues

Blah, blah, blah, election. Blah, blah, blah, change. Blah, Blah, Blah, Obama.

Now that that's out of the way, and we have a good replacement for our nation's first high-functioning moron, let's get back to beer. Actually now that I think about it, this is the perfect time to focus on one of my beer goals, to try all the worst beers in the world as a way to see the worst president out the door.

I don't typically choose or prefer to drink bad beer, but I have the same sort of sick fascination as some people have with death. It's the polar opposite of what I love, good beer. And I feel by better understanding that by understanding the ying of beer, I better know the yang.

At this point the two worst beers I've identified, thanks to sites like BeerAdvocate.com, are Corona Light and Evil Eye, a malt liquor (yes that counts as beer) brewed in Wisconsin. The Corona will be easy to pick up, but the Evil Eye will have to wait until I'm in the Midwest this winter.

Here are a few choice comments on the terrible two.

Corona Light:

"Smell: wet cardboard"

"A flavorless aqueous solution of millet and assorted birdfeed by-products"

"Not drinkable by a longshot, a definite pour and brush my teeth beer."


Evil Eye:

"cloyingly sweet creamed corn with burning alcohol in the throat is enough to make one gag"

"24 oz is a marathon to get down when you are drinking liquid ass"

"rotten white grape and green apple come through, and it is just plain bad"


See what I have to look forward to? On my march to the bottom of the barrel, I recently imbibed a a fairly awful beer. Though based on desciptions, I wouldn't put it the same class as Evil Eye.


Dixie Beer
Dixie Brewing Co.
American Macro Lager

C- / 2.7
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 2.5 | drink: 2.5

Picked up a bottle at Liberty St. Tavern out of curiosity. In my pint glass it looked a clear straw gold, while a quickly disappearing head.

OK, so this beer basically tastes like someone took a batch of over-cooked corn and baked it. DMS and the corn/vegetable taste dominate, but there's a toasted biscuit note that at least makes this beer a little interesting. I'd really only recommend this beer to Rolling Rock fans, and people that really like corn.

Cheers to the NYC Marathon

Being a running dork in addition to a bike dork, last Sunday morning I took a break from eating leftover Halloween candy (and feeling kind of guilty, but not really) to watch the NYC Marathon online. Yes, not only do I like watching skinny, hairless men bike around Europe in colorful spandex, but I also enjoy watching skinny, scantily-clad men and women chasing each other around city streets.

Anyways. I saw a few things of note during the race worth raising a glass of beer. Here's to you, various parts of the marathon.

-Paula Radcliffe crushes the women's field. Leading nearly the entire race, she slowly turned the screws to drop the competition one by one.

-Kara Goucher is the first American woman to podium since 1990 and makes the fastest female American marathon debut ever. Some people only pay attention to Kara because she's cute. But in addition to that, she also generally rocks (like when she kicked Paula's ass at her post-pregnancy comeback race last year).

-Borat makes an appearance. I don't know how someone can endure 26.2 miles of the uber-banana hammock, but props to the man that can. Props also go to the guy red jersey conveniently covers Borat's ass.

I'm sure many more notable things happened in the course of Sunday's race, so the folks that enjoyed them and those I've listed here's a beer review to you. Something perfect for relaxing after a morning of pounding pavement.

Blanche De Chambly
Unibroue
Witbier

B+ / 3.95
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | drink: 4.5

Poured into a basic red wine glass. The body is a hazy straw yellow with a fluffy white head and lacing. This beer is a great example of a light, but complex beer. Sweet bready malts dominate the flavor, but notes of vanilla and allspice pop in and out. The wheat taste isn't as raw as Hoegaarden, and the aroma is a bit faint, but this is still a top-notch wit. Certainly worth trying.

Oskar Blues: Casket full of beer. Yum.

I get a lot of press releases from breweries and most of it's just updates about brewery expansions and seasonal ale releases. This stuff's exciting to a beer nerd like me, but generally I keep it to myself. Considering Halloween is upon us, and that I actually think this news is worth mentioning. Here's something cool from Oskar Blues (brewers of Dale's Pale Ale).

Hello US Beer Press,

This Halloween, Friday, October 31, Oskar Blues is serving up a unique "casket-conditioned" beer for our annual Halloween party in Lyons, Colorado.

The unique beer will be served from a coffin dispenser we found buried in the hills above town.

Okay, actually the casket was built for us by Jack, our resident carpenter/folk artist whose homespun roots musician portraits decorate our Lyons dining room.

From this custom-made casket we'll be serving Rest in Peace Ale (aka RIPA). It's a special version of Dale's Pale Ale that we wet hopped with fresh Warrior hops flown in from the northwest.

The ghoulishly good and hoppy beer gets tapped on Friday at 11 AM. We have just two kegs of it, so beer fiends should stop by Friday and get it before the kegs get laid to rest.

The attached photo shows one of our savvy brewers, Eric Huber, pouring a round from this spooky keg box.

Friday night we're also hosting a haunted house for the kids and a costume contest for young and old.

Maybe this is something for you to cover? Holler if you'd like more information, and thank you for any coverage you can do on this.

Speaking of scary treasures, here is the late, incredibly great madman himself, Screamin' Jay Hawkins:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7kGPhpvqtOc .

Cheers,

Marty Jones
Oskar Blues Brewery

I'd insert a review of Dale's Pale Ale here, if I could, but something funny always happens. Whenever one can of Dale's gets opened, it's followed shortly by another, and suddenly it's all gone and I don't have the time to write a review. Just trust me is damn tasty stuff.

Stupid ideas and beer.

This last weekend I ran/walked the Marine Corps Marathon. It was a bad idea. It was a stupid idea. I'd been off any type of marathon training plan for months and my IT band was acting up.

But I have no regrets. In fact, I have a soft spot for stupid ideas when then involve athleticism. My only complaint from the weekend was that the marathon was on Sunday and I had to get my celebrating in early, on Saturday.

Being in D.C., there was only one place to celebrate a stupid achievement before it even happened - The Brickskeller. In addition to having a lovely basement pub ambiance, the Brickskeller also claims to have the largest beer selection in the U.S. (second in the world to the Kulminator in Belgium). I did happen to ask for nine beers that they didn't have in stock, but I still had a few good - or at least interesting - brews.


Firestone Pale Ale
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
American Pale Ale

B+ / 4
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4.5

Ordered a bottle with my Brick's Ale Burger at the Brickskeller. The body is a clear straw yellow with a white head and lacing. I know many hold this up as one of the great pale ales, and I'm inclined to agree when you consider the whole package. It holds nearly the same depth of hop flavor as Sierra Nevada, but with a lighter body it's much more drinkable. The malts have a light bready malt taste, that's matched first by piney, citrus hops, and then later a spicy, long-lasting aftertaste. How this beer drinks actually reminds me of a good English bitter, for the ability to hold complex flavors in a light and highly sessionable beer.


Stary Melnik Krepkoye
Pivovariya Moskva-Efes ZAO
Euro Pale Lager

C+ / 3.1
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 3.5

AKA Stary Melnik Strong. Ordered a bottle at the Brickskeller... after they were out of the first nine beers I asked for. Anyways.

The flavor reminds me of peppermint and sweet bread. The appearance is a clear gold with a white head and there are no brewing flaws in the aroma or flavors. It was an interesting beer to try but I wouldn't order it again. The odd yeast character and malts are "ok" but not entirely pleasant. It's certainly worth a try for something different and not a bad beer.

Beer Reviews: Fall = Dark Beer = Yum

It's fall. It's getting cold. I have to wear pants. And it's time for some dark beer. Here are a few of the better ones I've had recently.

Happy drinking.


The Famous Taddy Porter
Samuel Smith's Old Brewery
English Porter

A / 4.3
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4.5

Has a bottle with my bison at Craft in Victory Park, Dallas. Served in a wide pilsner glass. Appears, in the lower light, pitch black with a tan head.

Man, what a beer. Rich chocolate with toffee and a bit of mocha java around the edges. The aroma is full of the same candy and cocoa flavors and the aftertaste has a hint of herbal hops to it. This is easily the best English porter, maybe just porter, I've had. Damn.

Black Mamba
Bear Republic Brewing Co.
Belgian Dark Ale

B+ / 3.95
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 4

On-tap at the Farmhouse. Served in a pint glass, this appears dark brown with a tan head.

The aroma reminds me immediately of Chimay Blue, which is certainly a good thing. It's just a touch sweeter than traditional Belgians, but it's by no means in line with the sticky messes that many American brewers are putting out. It finishes dry with clove and dried fruit on top of a mellow, roasty base. Overall, this is a mighty fine Belgian and worth trying.


Delirium Nocturnum
Brouwerij Huyghe
Belgian Strong Dark Ale

A- / 4.05
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | drink: 4.5

Picked up a 24.9 oz bottle at Key Foods in Astoria. Pours a murky brown into my glass with a tall tan head.

Ah, it's weird like any good Belgian. More so than your average Belgian too, I get a slight peppermint note in the finish. Otherwise there's a very earthy yeast character up front with molasses and dates to follow. The body is very drinkable and this is a beer to try if you like dark Belgians. It almost reminds me of strange weizenbock. Anyways, good beer here.

Tour de France Dopers: Fuck Those Guys, I'm Having a Beer

For all it's flaws, divas (see Cadel Evans, and again), and rampant cheating, I still love professional cycling. And even with this year's hullabaloo about cleaner and reformed racing, we're still getting positive test results from the tour and I'm still getting pissed off. Yeah it's great the a-holes are getting caught, but damn them for trying in the first place. This week word came out that Bernard Kohl, winner of the mountain classification, teammate to TdF time trial winner/recently caught doper Stefan Schumacher, and ugliest mug in the peloton, doped his way onto the Tour de France podium. The piece of crap.

For anyone wondering. That's Schumacher in the yellow leaders jersey. The man on his left resembling Bat Boy is Kohl. Whatever. It's time for a good beer. Here's what I'd recommend:

Maredsous 10
Brouwerij Duvel Moortgat
Belgian Tripel

A / 4.45
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 5

Beyond all else, this beer has incredible balance. American Belgians often have too much sweetness or fruit, while lesser Belgian imports lack complexity. This beer is right on for the style with it's citrus flavors, glassy hops, and touch of corriander. It's a rich, balanced flavor with no hint of 10% abv. There are a lot of beers where I say I could drink it all night long, this is a beer I would DEMAND all night long if available. Go buy this beer now.

Good Beer Review: Duck-Rabbit Baltic Porter

I love it when a beer lives up to the hype and expectations. I also love Baltic Porters, so this beer was a real win-win situation. Check it out.

Oh, these guys also win the award for most awkward looking label.

Baltic Porter
The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery
Baltic Porter

A- / 4.2
look: 4 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4.5

Whoa man, this is a heck of an aroma - rich with milk and dark chocolate, smokey wood, raspberries, sweet cherries, java, and bubblegum. The flavor has a little trouble standing up to such a high standard, but it hangs in there with a predominantly smooth Swiss chocolate taste that reminds me of Southern Tier Choklat. Yum. There's also slight black pepper note, roasted barley, along with sour cherry (though not a big tart feel), and licorice. The body is a bit thick, but oh so smooth and tasty. This beer is a must-try for fans of big, dark beers.

The Most Wonderful Time of the Year: FSX and PBR

After nine long months of planning, training, and drinking, Fifth Street Cross is finally here. Thank God.

Thank. God.

Fifth Street Cross, for outsiders, is arguably the greatest, season-long, backyard, night-time, cyclo-cross series. And it's been said the crux of Fifth St.'s course is the children's sandbox. I beg to differ. I believe, and I'm sure I'm not alone, that it's the PBR shortcut.

In honor of the peeber-chugging shortcut, here's a review I wrote last year from my neighborhood watering hole.

Pabst Blue Ribbon (PBR)
SABMiller
American Macro Lager

C+ / 3.2
look: 3 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | drink: 4

What is it about this beer? I'm not a dirty hipster and I can afford to drink better. But $1 PBR drafts come along and I can't help myself. It isn't much to look at and the smell is a simple mix of sweet barley and grainy husk. But the taste is smooth with a touch of bready malt. As it warms the adjunct sweetness is a bit much for me, but for what it is, it ain't bad. Hell, I'll admit it. It's kind of good.

(Photo from oldshutterhand.net)

My Brush With Fame: BikeSnobNYC

Last week I was asked to cover whatever Lance Armstrong said at the Clinton Global Initiative meeting (hint: it was about cancer and biking). Sure I got to see the likes of Bill Clinton, Bush1, Al Gore, and Bono, but what was more exciting was that I got to share a press room with BikeSnobNYC.

No, I didn't know he was there at the time, what with him being anonymous and all. Luckily, he was kind enough to blog about his experience there.

I got to walk through the same rented metal detectors, hover over the same free sushi, and sit among nonplussed journalists while looking up Lance Armstrong's nose. What can I say, had I known I shared the room with the author of one my greatest daily distractions I may not have been finish my article.

But that wouldn't be my only quasi-encounter with BikeSnobNYC. Just a couple days later, he recognized my recent Bicycling.com article on a peculiar study that found finger length ratios are related to workout ethic in his Friday Fun Quiz (see #7). If only I could find more uncanny research to please the Snob...

These are the weeks I work and dream for - sharing a room with a cycling icon (and Lance too) and then being mentioned for the bizarre nature of my work. Sometimes after a great ride I feel like the Cycling Gods are smiling down upon me. Well now I feel like the Snob is smirking and possibly rolling his eyes. It feels good to be alive.

(Feel free to write your own caption for the picture. I can't say I remember him talking about the size of anything.)

1,300 Beers Reviewed. 41,272 To Go

In all honesty, there are far more than 41,272 beers left. That number is just based off of the current total in the BeerAdvocate.com database. I know there's no hope in coming close to sampling them all, but the fun's in trying.

Here's number 1300.

Cold Hop British-Style Ale
Boulder Beer Co.
English India Pale Ale

B+ / 4
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4.5
rDev: +3.7%

Picked up a 12 oz. single at Liberty St. Tavern. Pours a clear gold-orange into my glass with a short, white head.

Mmmm, English IPA. The aroma is a little plain, but not necessarily off with more earthy grapefruit. Definite English grains in the flavor, for that dry, biscuity undertone and with grassy, herbal, floral and somewhat citrus hops dominating. Crisper than your average EIPA, there's certainly an American influence here, and while it fits into the style, it stands out. Worth a try if you dig the style and want something different.

It's Cyclo-Cross Time

Beer Reviews: Beer Gone Bad - Probably

Some beers are born bad, others become bad from mishandling and infection. Last night I opened a bottle of Tilted Kilt and found a beer that could have been either. On one hand I'd found the same fowl elements in a similar beer once, McEwen's Scotch Ale. Then again, I'd be surprised if anyone truly wanted to make a beer this nasty.

Tilted Kilt Scottish Ale
Stone Cellar Brewery
Scottish Ale

D- / 1.9
look: 3.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 1.5 | drink: 1.5

Picked up a single at the Party Source in Syracuse, NY. How this beer got there, I have no idea. Poured into a pint glass, it's a slightly hazy dark amber with a tall off-white head that slowly fades.

Something is wrong here, this beer smells like feet. There are caramel malt elements to the aroma, but if it smells like one thing, it's feet. Sweaty, caramel-covered feet.

The taste? Guess what - more feet, but with sour lemon, indicating there's probably something rotten here. If I find another bottle I'll try it again and re-review, but as this stands, nearly everything has gone wrong.

Beer Reviews: More Good, More Bad, De Proef Reserve Signature Ale, and Shiner Spezial Leicht

Let's start on the bad foot, then hop to the good.

Shiner Spezial Leicht
Spoetzl Brewery
American Macro Lager

D / 2.2
look: 3.5 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 2 | feel: 2 | drink: 2

Picked up a single bottle from the Central Market in Dallas. Appears pale, clear yelow with a white head and lacing.

"Brewed for that light, happy flavor."

Yeah, about that. There's nothing happy about this beer except the ensuing buzz if you can manage to slug this fast enough. The Shiner brand is a respectable line of beers, but this beer is nothing more than a upscale Coors Light. For an macro light beer, its disturbingly on-style for a brewery that should know better. The aroma has a dusty element along with very plain grains and sourdough. The flavor follows up with a hint of corn (DMS) and light fruitiness that's quickly burried under acrid, dry yeast character finish that's a drop of lemon with a lot of wet grain husk. No bueno. Avoid this one. Not even close to on par with the craft light beer. File this away with the frat house-party crap.


Something completely different:

De Proef Reserve Signature Ale
De Proefbrouwerij
Belgian Strong Pale Ale

A- / 4.1
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4.5

Picked up a big bottle at New Beer in the Bowery. Pours a hazy dark amber in my tulip.

The aroma is grassy with apricots and perfume. The flavor beings with white pepper, wet farmhouse, and sweet apple (like in pie) and then finishes with a bitter lemon rind note that lasts and lasts with an earth element. Overall there's a little funk, a little fruit, and then a big hoppy finish. Damn this is good.

Beer Reviews: Taking the good with the very bad

Life has good days and bad days just like it has good beers and awful crap in a can. Here are a couple recent tastings that showcase the duality of beer.

Union Jack IPA
Firestone Walker Brewing Co.
American IPA

A- / 4.2
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4.5

The immediate grapefruit and pineapple fruit flavors leave few doubts about the American origin of this brew, but the spicy finish gives a nod to the British past of the style. The malts are fairly light with just a hint of dry biscuit barley under the citrus. The appearance is a deep gold-orange with a tall white head a thick lacing. The body is also as light as any pale ale, making this almost too drinkable for the 7.5% strength. Overall this IPA is rich in flavor with strong bitterness, while still maintaining drinkability. I'd say this is the best IPA I've had in some time. It doesn't hit you over the head with hops yet is complex and interesting.

UPDATE: Union Jack IPA just won the gold for American IPA at the GABF (Great American Beer Festival).

Labatt Ice
Labatt Brewing Co.
American Macro Lager

D+ / 2.35
look: 4 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | drink: 2

Poured from a black can. Surprisingly for a macro, this one keeps a short head leaves lacing.

Yeah, this beer could be worse, but it still isn't any treat to drink. The aroma is fowl with dusty-smelling malts and acrid lager character. The flavor actually tastes decent at first, with the big, sweet bready malts of an export lager, but then a big sour milk and citrus tang comes through to ruin it all. What a waste of water.

Just Sayin...

I know I'm not the only one who thinks Joe Biden looks like Jeff Dunham's puppet, Walter.

Crimes Against Beer: St. Pauli Girl

Fun-loving beer my ass.

I'll be blunt, St. Pauli Girl Lager sucks as far as German beers are concerned. Sure, it can hang with the worst of the American macro lagers. I might even take it over an Old Milwaukee, if I was desperate for a drink.

The marketing folks at St. Pauli Girl, an InBev (those Belgians that bought Anheuser-Busch) brand, sure do like to make things up:
If you like a Girl that has a deep golden color, distinctive full-bodied taste and "hoppy" aroma, then the Lager is for you. This Girl has been a Gold Medal winner for the American Tasting Institute Best Full Calorie German Lager.

No, not so much.

St. Pauli Girl Lager
InBev
German Pilsener

D+ / 2.3
look: 3.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 1.5 | drink: 2.5

Why did I order this beer? Well I wasn't paying for it and I'd never tried it - win/win, right?

I though once the light-struck skunky flavor (thanks to the green bottle) cleared out of the aroma and taste, there might be something worth writing about, but I was mistaken. What was left after the most offensive, yet richest flavor vacated was a nasty sour fruit tang and only a hint of actual German lager flavor. Yes, it was there hiding in the back, light bready malts with a bit of sweetness. But for the most part I just tasted the big off-flavor that I assume St. Pauli Girl considers their trademark taste. Move along, nothing to drink here. Pass.

Of Bikes and Beer: Roller Wars

In an exhibition showing on the second floor of the Allentown Brew Works, a handful of brave souls went head to head on the Lehigh Wheelmen's vintage rollers. Check it out, this is Ryan "The Flask" Pomajevich versus Kurt "The Chappa" Begemann (that's chopper with a South African accent). And if anyone is wondering, that is a Gucci-styled skinsuit on the right.



Then, of course, there was the beer too. I tried a pale ale and red ale with mixed results. While I give the Brew Works credit for hosting bike races, the beers lack consistency.

Copper Kettle Pale Ale
Allentown Brew Works
American Pale Ale

B / 3.7
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | drink: 4

Aside from a being fairly dark red color for a pale ale, this was good beer. The aroma is full of spicy, herbal hops and the flavor has a balance of dry biscuit (think bisquik) malts and more citrus hop flavors. The body is on the light side of medium and the carbonation is crisp enough to make this a good session beer. Worth trying if you stop by the brewpub.

West End Red
Allentown Brew Works
American Amber/Red Ale

C / 2.9
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | drink: 3

In a word, disappointing. The malt somehow manages to hide while an uninspiring and typical of the brew works hops profile dominates the flavor. The hops, to be more specific, are the same grassy, spicy, herbal taste I've recently had in the Copper Kettle Pale Ale and the CH-47 pale ale at the Bethlehem location. I'm guessing the house yeast strain simply acts a bit funny with American hops, but the result here is not good. Pass.

Beer Reviews: Bad Beer and Going Against the Grain

This morning I was asked my thoughts on PBR, or Peeber as it's affectionately called around here. I replied that for what it is, a mass-produced macro lager, it's relatively good. I mean really, for that category, all it has to do is resemble good beer and be inoffensive.

This got me thinking to a recent addition to BeerAdvocate, where you can see how your review of a beer deviates from the average. Low and behold my top 3 beers that I rated over their average were either light macro lagers, or macro lagers - because hey, for the style they're not that bad.

Some people may not take a brew's style into consideration while reviewing, but a trained judge such as myself (a "recognized judge" by the Beer Judge Certification Program) knows that some styles suck pretty hard and it's unfair to the beer to just say it all blows. Sure it may be splitting hairs when the flavor profiles are so bland, but hey, somebody's got to do it.

Bud Light
Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
Light Lager

Average score from 666 reviews to date: D- / 1.87
My Score:http://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gif C- / 2.6
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | drink: 3
rDev: +28.1%

Looking at Bud Light as pure beer, as an art removed from the social implications of drinking, it is both uninspiring and disappointing. To begin with, there isn't much to look at. It sits flatly in a glass like a urine sample. The aroma is weak with only hints of fresh barley. The flavor is a touch sour and grainy with a slight sweetness and faint bitterness. An easily ignorable but unpleasant and unnatural tasting flavor lingers after each cold gulch.

All in all, when it comes to the flavor department, Bud Light is severely lacking. What is so impressive about Bud Light, however, is the beer craftsmanship of Anheuser-Busch. In the world of brewing, a finely-tuned light lager is the most difficult product to create. Errors or flavor imperfections are readily evident, with nothing to mask the flavor. Then consider the flavor consistency for the millions of barrels of Bud Light, and you have one of the best-made beers in the world.



Amstel Light
Amstel Brouwerij B. V.
Light Lager

Average score from 276 reviews to date: D+ / 2.47
My score: B- / 3.4
look: 3 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 3.5
rDev: +27.4%

Wow, the best light beer I've had. But maybe I'm just easily impressed by hops in a light lager. The pale malt was weak, but there was an actual hops profile of spicy European hops. The aroma was actually quite big for a light beer, and while it hinted at it's light lager style with adjuncts, the pale malt and hops still showed through. Really, this has to be one of the only light lagers that actually leaves some bitterness in your mouth. Still, this beer is only good for the style.



Busch Beer
Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
American Macro Lager

Average score from 221 reviews to date: D / 2.04
My score: C- / 2.6
look: 3 | smell: 1.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2.5 | drink: 2.5
rDev: +21.5%

Poured from a 16 oz. tallboy into a weizen glass

Pale yellow (some would call it piss-colored) with a bit of suds Smells like DMS, lots of cooked vegetable with a little bready pale malt in the background. The flavor, while bland, isn't offensive, which is alway the threshold of bad beer. Instead this lends a light toast taste with a bit of lager tang which is almost fruity - sort of like an artificial fruit flavor. The carbonation is appropriate, not too sharp, not too flat, and while this beer isn't out and out offensive, I don't see myself drinking another. Still, considering the style, this could be a lot worse.

Good Bad Ideas: Running Marathons

Nothing like a good bad idea to look forward to.

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I should also mention that my only previous marathon (2003 Twin Cities) ended with me limping the last 9 miles. Still I managed a 3:50. Right now all indications point to a sub-3 hour marathon if everything goes well. At my age, under 3:10 will qualify me for the Boston Marathon, so I'll use that as a goal.

This, of course, begs the question of what to drink after the race. After looking through my personal database of beer reviews, I'll go with this if available. Stone Brewing says they named this beer for the ruinous effect it has on your palate. I think in this case it will be more apt for the state of my legs after the marathon.

Ruination IPA
Stone Brewing Co.
Double IPA

A / 4.35
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4 | drink: 4.5

For some stupid reason, I came into this beer determined to find faults, thinking it was some how over-rated. I was dead wrong.

Ruination has an orange body with a fluffy head of fine bubbles. You’re met with a powerful, pungent aroma of sweet fruits and earthy, floral hops. Tastes of caramel and toasted malt overrun by bitter mixed citrus juice and lemon peel with tangerine and pine flavor fading out before the long-lingering herbal bitterness kicks in. Feels rich and smooth for such bitterness, invites another sip. A bit tart too.

Upon emptying the bottle, I wish I had another. This would also be an amazing beer to pair with sharp, bold, and spicey foods. God damn its good.

Drink This Beer: Thomas Hooker Munich-Style Golden Lager

It's hot out and we all need light-bodied, yet full-flavored beers in the fridge. Check out this German-style lager from Connecticut. It has all the depth and nuance of the best Germany has to offer, but with the freshness you'd get at Oktoberfest. Yum.

One point of clarification I feel I should make. The German helles lager, is not the same as your typical (bland) import like Grolsch, Heineken, or Stella Artois. Those beers are brewed to be pleasant, but largely inoffensive and therefore don't lend much flavor. The helles style, however, is full of bready malt flavors, spicy hops, and sweet yeast character.

Thomas Hooker Munich Style Golden Lager
Thomas Hooker Ales and Lagers
Munich Helles Lager

A- / 4.1
look: 3.5 | smell: 4.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4.5


On-tap at The Farmhouse, served in a pint glass.

It's clear, light gold in the glass with a short white head. The aroma immediately hits me with spicy, grassy Euro hops, with bready malts in the background. The flavor is spot on for the style with a mix of biscuit and light toast paired evenly with gentle, but spicy hops. While this beer isn't drastically different from other helles lagers in terms of the flavors present, I believe it stands out because everything is so rich as a whole. This beer is drinkable, yet more aromatic and full-flavored than many of the best in this style.

One more thing about Le Tour

Christian VandeVelde finishes 5th.



For anything not familiar with BikeSnobNYC, the above image is made in homage to his rendering of Rip Torn's mug shot (RTMS).

Beer, Bikes, Etc: Things I like this week

1) Christian VandeVelde


Taking on the world's best in the Tour de France.

2) Mighty Muffins


The perfect 10:30AM snack.

3) Squatter's Full Suspension Pale Ale


B+ / 3.9
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | drink: 4

On-tap at the Porcupine outside SLC. Served in a pint glass.

Aside from a hazy appearance, there's nothing really off on this beer. In fact, my hat is off to Squatters on this one. They're pushing the limits of what Utah beer can be and it reminds me of a less subtle Surly Bitter Brewer. Juicy citrus hops dominate this beer with fresh, dry-hop subtley that reminds me of sniffing hops pellets at my homebrew shop. Yum. There's a slight malt background for balance and a moderately strong bitterness. Worth trying just to see what there's guys can do with only 4.0% abv.

Da Bear

Sorry I forgot to add this last post. Enjoy - The Remaining Bear of Bern.

(There used to be five, but as Dan pointed out, "there can be only one."

More Bern (+ Bear!)

Looks like I'll be spending the rest of my trip to visit Dan in Bern, Switzerland. This is more than fine with me as the city is gorgeous, everything is easily accessible by foot or the city's free bike rental (I've never had to use a bus), and the food and drink rocks.

To date some of the finer things that have gone down my gullet include:
-Tradition Rösti, a local dish thats basically Swiss hashbrowns with fried stuff on it.
-Rösti mit Wurst, I cant remember what kind of wurst, but you can see it in the picture.
-Fondue with tomato, onion, and garlic, because who doesn't love melted cheese?
-Döner Kebab on a tortilla, this was basically a Turkish wrap (lots of veggies rolled up with whatever meat their döner is plus some sauce and spice.
-Numerous salami and prosciutto sandwiches, they seem to love their Italian meats here.
-Tons of chocolate, mmmmmmmm... I like the ones with hazelnuts best.

Then, of course, there's been the Swiss beer. It hasn't been amazing but there are a few decent brews out there. And I at least appreciate that many breweries are producing zwickel (AKA keller, or cellar beer) beer, an almost lost style of unfiltered pale lager that's surprisingly flavorful.

Eichoff Klosterbrau Edeltrüb
Brauerei Eichhof
Alt Bier
C+ / 3.15
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 3

This is a smooth and bready lager (seriously, it tastes like a decent loaf of white bread), but comes off more like an American lager. This is probably due to the use of corn, which steers the malt character toward Budweiser territory. The complete lack of hops doesn't help, but there's nothing offensive here - it just doesn't taste much like a good Alt as is indicated.

Kellerfrisch
Brauerei Aare Bier
Keller/Zwickel Bier
B / 3.7
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | drink: 4

Hazy gold appearance with low head retention. Light grainy aroma with a hint of hops. The flavor kicks things up, however, with mineral and slight (not unpleasant) sulfur and mineral tastes and toast with a long black pepper and herbs hops bite to finish the beer out.Light on the palate and very drinkable. It's a shame about the aroma, but this is otherwise a pretty solid keller beer and one of Switzerland's better lagers.

Tram Weizen
Altes Tramdepot
Hefeweizen
B+ / 3.9
look: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | drink: 4

Ordered a stange (.3L) with the traditional rosti (yum) at the Altes Tramdepot (old train station) brewpub.

Slightly hazy appearance witha fluffy white head. This beer greats you with a wonderful, big sugar candy and vanilla aroma. These elements carry over into the flavor with lightly roasted barley and sour wheat. The beer finishes with a touch of balancing hops. I'm digging the balance of yeast character and malts here. Definitely worth trying if you find yourself near the bear pit.

Bier Review: Best of Bern, Switzerland

The beer in Bern is good, but nothing's blown me away yet. Being, in the German part of Switzerland, the local breweries are all German styled and focus on basic lagers. This particular picture was taken, as you can see, while enjoying a game of Monopoly at the Glocke Hostel with a couple backpackers from the Philly area.

Unser Bier Pech Schwarz
Unser Bier
B- / 3.5
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 3.5

Pours a black body with a tan head. The aroma and flavor are both a bit muted - not much is going on. Still there are mild cocoa notes also with bready, German grains paired with a smooth mouthfeel. Not a great beer, but plenty tasty and worthy of a stein.

Export Bier (Lager)
Rugenbräu AG
D+ / 2.4
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | feel: 3 | drink: 3

Poured from a green bottle with a pull-off top (sweet). Not bad for washing down German/Swiss grub, but otherwise it's just a mostly harmless Euro lager. There's a sizeable cheap lager tang, like Heineken but magnified. Otherwise there's a hint of malts and enough balancing bitterness to keep this drinkable.

Zwickel Bier
Rugenbräu AG
B+ / 3.9
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | drink: 4

Appearance is yellow with a short white head and lacing. The aroma is a touch musty (cellar-like) with a touch of sulfur and minerals over malts. The flavor has a bit of those earthy mineral notes with light, yet slightly creamy biscuit malts and a hit of peppery hops. All in all a fine zwickel. Don't like Rugenbrau Lager think this brewery only makes light lagers.

Bärni Dunkel
Brauerei Felsenau AG
B / 3.6
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | drink: 4

This is the darker option from Felsenau. Pours a dark amber with a white head that quickly disappears. The aroma is heavy with creamy caramel that continues in the flavor and is paired with dry toffee and light dark bread malts. There's a hint of spicy hops that make for a nice balance to the sweet malts. All in all, this is nothing amazing, but it's a tasty and drinkable dark lager. A bit like a marzen/O-fest but with more caramel.

Feldschlösschen Hopfenperle
Feldschlösschen Beverages Group
C- / 2.55
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | drink: 2.5

I asked the beer store for the hoppiest Swiss beer. The two guys shrugged, mumbled to each other, then pointed to this. They were no help.

I will say this is an improvement over the regular Feldschlosschen offering. It's a clear, light gold with no head. The aroma is skunky at first thanks to the green bottle and then clears up to somewhat unpleasant husky grains. The overall flavor is smoother and blander (those tend to go hand in hand) with very light biscuit malts, an orangey flavor that kind of remembles hops and then a very subtle black pepper finish. Yeah, it's beer.

Im Bern

Beer on the Road

"Yeah, but I'll get into Heathrow at like 7 AM."

"Sure, but what time is that here?"

"True."

German Beer Reviews: Hacker-Pschorr Munich Gold and Yellowtail Pale Ale

Last night I enjoyed a couple German styles of beer. This should be good prep work for my upcoming trip to Switzerland to visit Dan Hart as he recovers from a his fateful mountain descent, as I'll be in the German-speaking region. Sure I took a semester of German once, but I'm banking on getting by with one all-important phrase, "Ich mochte ein bier, bitte."

Munich Gold
Hacker-Pschorr Brau
Munich Helles Lager

B+ / 3.9
look: 4.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4.5

In a sentence, this beer is simple but tasteful. In my pint glass this beer shines a brilliant gold with a white head that leaves a bit of lacing. The aroma is of sweet, bready grains, a hallmark flavor of the style that carries over onto my palate with a drop of caramel and finish of mild peppery hops.

What can I say other than I could drink a stein-full of this tasty, unadulterated Munich helles lager.


Yellowtail Pale Ale
Ballast Point Brewing Co.
Kolsch

B- / 3.5
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | drink: 4

Well it's a good thing they're calling this a kolsch, because it wasn't much of a pale ale. This beer just has a clean pale malt flavor with a touch of sweet biscuit and a hint of hops. The aroma has sort of a bland light malt smell, but not much more. Still a tasty beer, nothing wrong with drinking this if you want something lighter.

Summer Beer Review: Bell's Oberon

Summer is here and that means the lightest of the seasonal beers are upon us - along with heat, beaches, and all that jazz. Summer seasonals runs the risk of being an offensively bland beer as less-talented brewers sacrifice flavor for drinkability. The better brewhouses, however, manage to pack a complex taste along with a balanced and light body. Bell's Oberon, I'm happy to report, is the later.

Bell's Oberon
Bell's Brewery
American Wheat Ale

B+ / 3.9
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | drink: 4

Pairs nicely a BBQ, friends, and a backyard.

Pours a hazy light orange with a white head. The aroma has a creamy orange and malted wheat. The flavor is a nice mix of spicy and citrus hops flavors from the Saaz with the sweet wheat for balance. That creates a pleasant balance of citrus fruit, mellow malts, and spicy/bitter hops - all in a great summer beer. What a deal.

Beer Review: I.C. Light - Not as bad as you'd think

It takes a lot for a good beer to surprise me. I set the bar pretty high for craft beer, so for me to really take notice, something basically has to be like a party in my mouth with everyone invited.

For corporate beers from the likes of Anheuser-Busch or Coors, however, I typically expect the worst. So when I tried a can of Pittsburgh's I.C. Light out of curiosity last night, I was pleasantly astonished when it didn't suck.

Here's what I thought of I.C. Light:

I.C. Light
Iron City Brewing Co. (Pittsburgh Brewing Co.)

C+ / 3.1
look: 3.5 | smell: 2.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 3.5

I expected to be disgusted by some typical macro lager DMS (a chemical flaw that gives a cooked vegetable aroma and flavor)-riden mess, but this was a decent macro light beer, all things considered. Yeah, it was pretty watery, but the mouthfeel wasn't unpleasantly dry, bitter, or astringent light most other light beers. Instead this matched a slight lemon flavor with mild bready malts. Not a lot going on, but it's a light beer, what more do you?