Good Beer, Disappointing Beer

It's been a mixed bag of beer this past week or so. While I'm always excited to try new breweries, after trying two mediocre brews from Uncommon Brewers, I can't say I'm looking forward to the third in my fridge. I'm sure I'll get to it soon enough, you know, in the name of science. Or thirst.

The Good:

Pacemaker Porter
Flyers Restaurant And Brewery
American Porter | 5.50% ABV

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

Thanks to Dave for the bomber. This porter opens with a big dark chocolate (lighter, like 35% cacao) character with a dry citrus pepper finish. As it warms, the hops build for sort of a chocolate orange rind character. This is an interesting porter, and that's tough to find. Give this a try.


Summer Of Lager
Cisco Brewers Inc
Munich Helles Lager | 6.25% ABV

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

Had a pint at Liberty St Tavern. I assumed this was a pilsner, based on the strong, spicy hop character. It's not overpowering, but provide a tasty balance to the mild toasty grains. The beer didn't have soft bready feel of a classic helles, but that doesn't really matter, this is a fine lager worth enjoying over the summer.


The Disappointing, Should Be Better. Man I Was Hoping It'd Be Good:

Siamese Twin Ale
Uncommon Brewers
Dubbel | 8.50% ABV

C- / 2.73
look: 4 | smell: 3 | taste: 2.5 | feel: 3 | overall: 2.5

Picked up a 16 oz. can for $2.75, no canning date on the bottom. I wasn't terribly impressed by their Golden State Ale, but this is worse. Frankly it reminds me of failed homebrew.

I dont know, maybe this beer was kept in a hot warehouse for a month, or something went wrong between Santa Cruz and Pennsylvania, but I don't enjoy it. There's an odd grassy (not like hops) caramel taste. There's a hint of the kaffir lime that's added I can pull out of the aftertaste, but that's one of the few bright spots. Frankly this smells a bit like an Indian buffet with the coriander and lemongrass additions. I'm not sure what to make of this beer, but I don't want another can.


Sneaky Pete Imperial IPA
Laughing Dog Brewing
American Double / Imperial IPA | 10.00% ABV

C+ / 3.15
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | overall: 3

Had a bottle for $8 at the Trapp Door (formerly Tap & Table). The beer was a bit disappointing. It might just need a little time to mellow, but there was a sharp alcohol note with resiny oil without enough hops flavor. There was some nice, floral fruit punch, but the good stuff was too light.

My score might look harsh for a beer that isn't too bad, but there are so many great examples of the style, it'd be a shame to get stuck on this one.

Drinking Minnesota Again

As summer rolls on, it's getting harder to keep track of all the great beer we're surrounded by - or at least write at length about it. So to keep things concise, here's what's up: I'm back in MN for a couple weeks enjoying the fine weather, bike lanes, new Twins stadium, and lovely local beers. Here's a bit of what I've been sipping lately.


Saaz Pilsner
Minneapolis Town Hall Brewery
Czech Pilsener | 5.70% ABV

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

Had a pint at the brewpub. I'm a fan of pilsners and single-hop beers, so this was exciting to find on the seasonals menu. This has the look and body of a classic Czech pils, but the hops dominated the beer. Aside from a hint of grainy, biscuit malt, richly floral and spicy hops that are a touch fruity without being sweet. The bitter finish is a bit soft, but still sizeable. This is tasty, but fairly drinkable beer. Check is out if you can.

Lonely Blonde
Fulton Beer
American Blonde Ale | 4.80% ABV

C+ / 3.15
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | drink: 3.5

On-tap at Acadia Cafe. I'd enjoyed Fulton's Child of Vine and hoped this would prove tasty as well. But frankly I was let down with Lonely Blonde. It's just another clean, grainy blonde ale. I already know what 2-row barley tastes like and there's nothing new here. Plenty of other breweries have made this same beer for years, there isn't much reason to single this one out.


MN Tan
Lift Bridge Brewery
Tripel | 8.50% ABV

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

I heard this was supposed to be more red or pinkish, but it was just a clear amber. The lingonberries impart a pleasant tart tang, but overall, this beer could use a little more Belgian character - it's a bit too clean. I'd say the same of Lift Bridge's Farm Girl (not enough yeast character), but this is still a respectable Belgian with a earthy and lightly fruity character. Worth checking out for something different.

Good Drinking: Sam Adams Latitude 48

I try to blog weekly, but lately I've been too busy drinking beer to post here. Tonight, though, I'm taking a break to look back on a few of the gems from the last few weeks. Nothing rocked my world, well nothing new did. (I had a 2005 Cantillon Lou Pepe Gueuze that was amazing, but I've already written about that.) But so far if things keep up, this is going to be a good beer-filled summer.

Samuel Adams Latitude 48
Boston Beer Company (Samuel Adams)
American IPA | 5.80% ABV

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

I'm a fan. This beer has a wonderful mix of malt and hop flavor, but with dominating hops. The aroma is a mix of cornbread with melon, strawberries, and orange peel - nice and interesting. A sweet tangerine flavor opens the flavor and its quickly followed by dry, cracked wheat and pepper. Hops quickly rush in with bitter orange peel and pine. I love that this is an unusual beer that's plenty bitter and still very drinkable. I'll look forward to this coming out in 6-packs. Thank you Boston Beer.


Bell's Oarsman
Bell's Brewery, Inc.
Berliner Weissbier | 4.80% ABV

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

Had a pint with brunch at the Sidecar in Philly. This turned out to be a tasty replacement for a mimosa and made a nice compliment to my huevos rancheros. The beer appeared an opaque yellow with a slice of lemon. The beer, while not very tasty, had a wonderful mix of creamy bread with toast and wheat cracker flavors. There were mild hints of citrus, but on the whole it was a bit clean for the style. Still, a very tasty beer and worth checking out.


Buffalo Belgian Bitter
Brouwerij Van den Bossche
Belgian IPA | 8.50% ABV

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

Split a friend's bottle from a case he picked up at Shangy's. Poured from a 750ml into a chalice is appears a slightly hazy yellow. It reminded me a bit of a wit beer, making for a subtle and delicate pale Belgian. It begins with a sweet, pastry-like malt and yeast character and finishes with a light floral and earthy hop flavor. It is hoppy for a Belgian, and it tastes and drinks beautifully, but it's along the lines of Hommelbier, not approaching the bitter sensation of even your average American pale ale.


Poperings Hommel Bier
Brouwerij Van Eecke N.V.
Belgian IPA | 7.50% ABV

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

On-tap at Monk's in Philly, served in a tulip. Went great with my bowl of mussels. I would have liked a bit more hop flavor and bitterness, but this was still a great Belgian ale. There's a mellow spicy flavor that never overwhelms the character, but certainly defines the beer with subtle pepper, dry herb, and lemon peel. For the strength, the body is still easy to drink (like it should be for the style). Overall, this is really a classic worth picking up.

195 Bottles? I'm 2,000 Beers In

I recently recorded my 2,000th beer review, which isn't much by some standards, but I think it's a pretty background to talk knowledgeably about beer. I try to actually remember what I tasted about every beer and will drink something again (instead of something new) if I can't remember what to expect.

Anyways, here's my 2,000th review. It was a German Helles lager, which is smoother drinking than a pilsner, with low hop levels and minimal bitterness. It's still full of bready malt and yeast character, and makes a great session beer. Imperial stouts and double IPA's are delicious, don't get me wrong, but I'm more impressed by lower-alcohol beers like this that are just as complex as beers twice their strength.

Mahr's Hell
Mahrs Bräu
Munich Helles Lager | 4.90% ABV

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

Ordered a bottle at Tap and Table. Served with a tall Mahrs glass stein, the beer was a beautiful clear gold with a tall white head - we're off to a good start. There's the appropriate hint of sulfur in the aroma with light bread crust. This is a true German lager. It doesn't have the most unique or compelling flavor, but it's super drinkable and tasty. The subtle bread and grain flavors are complimented by a small spicy hop kick in the finish.

New Beer: Urthel Saisonnière

I'm lucky enough to live in a one of the country's leading Belgian beer markets* but it was still a nice surprise to walk into Abe's Cold Beer and find one of Belgium's newest brews. It comes from Urthel, which also makes the monumentally tasty Urthel Hop-It and Hibernus Quentum. The Flemish outfit is young by European standards - only brewing since 2000 - but they know how to cook up a tasty beverage. Check this out:

Urthel Saisonnière
De Leyerth Brouwerijen (Urthel)
Saison / Farmhouse Ale | 6.00% ABV

A- / 4.25
look: 5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | drink: 4.5

This beer is gorgeous. It poured a brilliant clear gold with a big, tall head. As I drink it down, there's a perfect web of thick lacing. Thankfully, the beer character delivers as well. The flavors holds a floral and spicy mix of coriander, pepper, lemon, while there's a mild toasty note from the malt. This saison is complex enough that you could sip it for hours, yet light and lively enough that you can easily enjoy a few. Check this fine Belgian out.

*According to me.

Belgian Nightmares

With the local cyclocross scene finished for the year, talk among my cycling friends has turned to the Spring Classics, which begin in a little less than two months. For some of the lucky few of us who visited Belgium for the week of De Ronde, Gent-Wevelgem, and Paris-Roubaix, the thrill of the upcoming races is cut by the ache of being on the wrong side of the Atlantic. Still, there's enough memories and evidence to keep me happy for a few years before I'll really need to return.

One afternoon still haunts me through all the great beer I drank and happy miles I cycled. On the Tuesday before Gent-Wevelgem, I rode out to Wevelgem with Bill and Pryor on a mission to visit the Westvleteren monastery cafe - literally holy ground for beer and the home of the world's best beer.

I'd checked the website for hours and dates they were closed, but I missed that before Easter they were closed an entire week. Not only was my pilgrimage met with locked doors (see picture, right), but they were closed for the extent on my time in Belgium.

The grim discovery of my malted and hopped holy grail being closed stung, the beer gods soon smiled upon me. Later that week while overtaking our friendly tour guide Jan's home town of Retie - a town only described to us as, "you are in Retie, you must drink beer" - I told my sad-sack story to an sympathetic bar owner. With a slight smile he nodded and simply told me to return later that evening.

The owner talked to his bartender, who called his brother-in-law, who then brought in a bottle of Westvleteren 10, the best beer in the world. I was floored by the generosity as much as I was by beer's sweet taste. It was, without trying to pump up the hyperbole, heavenly nectar from godly people.

Yes, I'll never forget that those monks took a week off for Easter (so selfish, really). But like just about every beer or bike-related story I know from Belgium, there was eventually a very happy ending.

Winter Warmers and Christmas Beer

I have to admit the that winter warmer style isn't my favorite. Most winterized beers are just a smooth dark red or brown ale with a bunch of dessert spices thrown in. Frankly, I tire of cinnamon and vanilla brews because in most cases the spices talk over the beer's character and leave you with something more like an alcoholic Christmas tea (festive at first, then boring, and later you're just drunk).

Still, I figured the style is all over the beer shelves right now, so I searched through my database in search of some winter warmers I can recommend for a little Christmas cheer. I found one:

Old Jubilation
Avery Brewing Company
Winter Warmer | 8.00% ABV

A- / 4.15
look: 4.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4 | drink: 4.5

This is a great looking beer with nice head and retention - a light tan head on ruby and brown body. Smells almost smokey with a mix of herbs and caramel malt. The taste expands with a strong malt flavor of fruit and candy. This is followed unexpectedly (for the style) by citrus hops and decent bitterness. That sure is different, but also welsome. It drinks just a bit hot, but still fairly smooth considering the bitterness. Call it a winter warmer for the hops lover.

The Problem With Big Beer

Over the weekend I tried and discussed a number of big (8%+ abv) beers. It's been a growing trend for a while to brew massive beers and sometimes age them in bourbon or some other sort of barrel. There are some fine world class big beers, like Westvleteren 12 and Russian River's Pliny the Younger, but I take issue with a lot of these brews because whether or not they taste good, they're often too damn thick to actually enjoy. Finish a bomber of some and sure, you'll be drunk, but you'll also feel like you just finished a turkey dinner.

From my homebrewing experience, I know that the more ingredients you throw at a beer and the more sugar you leave in (this sweetens and thickens), the easier it is to make a tasty beer. Drinkability be damned. Who needs a sessionable beer when beer geeks respond to sludge? Twenty-one of BeerAdvocate's top 25 beers are at least 8% abv, after all. Yeah there are some great beers on that list, most just wouldn't make it into my person top 25 brews.

Ranting aside, there's a right way and wrong way to make strong beers. Here's a recent barleywine I thought nailed the style, and a couple local Pennsylvania ales that succumbed to the trend toward being unnecessarily thick and strong.

Landmark Barleywine
Landmark Beer Company
English Barleywine | 9.00% ABV

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

On-tap at Clarks Ale House in Syracuse for $6/pint. The light is a little low in here, but it appears a clear orange-red with with a short off-white head leaving lacing. For 9&, as the bartender tells me, this is a very drinkable barleywine - I like that. So many strong beer are too thick and sweet to really enjoy beyond a small pour. The aroma has a sweet caramel candy apple character.The flavor and feel are very smooth with chocolate biscuit and cookie malt undertones behind bittersweet orange peel hops. I'm reminded of a Terry's Chocolate Orange for the delicate mix of hops and mild grains. After some time to ponder the beer, I'm also finding toffee, grapefruit, and dried cherry notes. This is my favorite Landmark beer I've had, a real winner. Cheers to Kiernan!


Hop'solutely
Allentown Brew Works
American Double / Imperial IPA | 11.50% ABV

B / 3.65
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3 | drink: 3.5

Split a 750ml bottle with friends at the Steelgaarden. Like most 11%+ IPAs, there's a lot of malty sweetness that takes away from the hops and makes it thicker than it needs to be. It drinks a bit like DFH 90 Minute in relation to the sticky sweetness. The hops are still pretty tasty with the chinook and centennial hops standing out at first with bitter grapefruit and pine, smooth flowery hops kick in and the finish is a mix of light caramel and citrus rind.


Blasphemy
Weyerbacher Brewing Co.
Quadrupel (Quad) | 11.80% ABV

C+ / 3.25
look: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3 | feel: 2 | drink: 3.5

Picked up a single in a mixed case from the brewery.

Whoa, put this one back, it ain't ready yet. I'm not saying it's a bad beer, but it feels like it needs some time. The nose has some great vanilla and oak notes, but they're overwhelmed by alcohol there and in the flavor. There's a background sweetness in the taste, but again the booze prevails. I recommend this beer because it seems like there's some great stuff going on, but let it sit for at least 6 months before consuming.

A drink for Frank Vandenbroucke

The insanely talented and just plain insane Frank Vandenbroucke passed away this week. For anyone unfamiliar with Frank VDB, he was supposed to be the next great Belgian cyclist. In the late 90's he amassed an impressive list of wins, but between outside pressure and doping allegations, he imploded in a mess of performance dehancing drugs, drunk driving, and depression (to name a few of his issues).

Demons aside, the world has lost one of its most passionate cyclists and a strong drink is in order. For Frank, I dug deep into my cellar and pulled out an 2-year-old Rochefort 10. Not only is Rochefort 10 a Belgian quad, the king of Belgian beers, it's also the strongest of the Trappist brews.

Frank, here's to you.

Trappistes Rochefort 10
Brasserie de Rochefort (Abbaye de Notre-Dame de Saint-Rémy)
Quadrupel (Quad) | 11.30% ABV

A- / 4.15
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 5

The appearance was a typical Trappist quad, muddy brown with a red tint. The aroma held hints of citrus and was almost milky and cola-like. The flavor was very mellow, almost like a sweet old ale. It feels creamier than the Bernardus, though I unfortunately can't compare it to the Westlveteren yet. There's a little banana with the subtle fruit malt flavors. Like the other quads, this isn't the boldest beer. But despite the alcohol, it's oh-so drinkable if you can afford it.

Oktoberfest in in October (It's mostly in September)

The actual Oktoberfest in Munich ended a week ago. And while the 'fest beers showed up in stores long before that, I've been too busy drinking them to write about my favorites. Still, they should be hanging around your local beer store at least until the end of the month, so here are a few I've enjoyed and recommend.


Weissenohe Monk's Fest
Klosterbrauerei Weissenohe
Märzen / Oktoberfest | 5.00% ABV

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

On-tap at the Farmhouse. Served in a standard pint glass, it appears a clear amber-orange with a short white head. Wow this beer is fresh. Right off the bat, it's an expertly balanced, and seemingly flawless Oktoberfest. The aroma and flavor a filled with a seemingly simple bready and light caramel malt profile that's countered by a subtle hop note. I imagine this is what O-fest's from the big German brewers, especially Spaten, would taste like if they fresh and untainted by travel. Overall, this beer is incredibly drinkable and it's a shame this beer isn't everywhere.


Paulaner Oktoberfest-Märzen
Paulaner Salvator Thomasbraeu AG
Märzen / Oktoberfest | 5.80% ABV

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

Picked up a single as part of a mixed sixer of seasonal beers at Liberty St. Tavern. Pours a clear amber with a short off-white head. Ah, I love the original Oktoberfests. I wish I'd had this earlier in the season because these put everything in perspective. The aroma and flavor are a smooth caramel flavor that finish with light roasted flavors and a hint of hops. The flavor is fairly clean and there's nothing remotely off. Basically it's tasty and very drinkable. I'd drink a stein-full anytime.


Sly Fox Oktoberfest
Sly Fox Brewing Company
Märzen / Oktoberfest | 5.80% ABV

B+ / 3.85
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4

On-tap at the Royersford brewery. The beer appeared a clear golden orange in my pint glass with two fingers of head. The aroma was rich with caramel, bread crust, and a mild fruity lager tang. The flavor followed up on the same notes, but was a touch subtle for the style. Still, the overall character was very true to the style and I enjoyed catching this beer on the tail end of the Oktoberfest season. Worth trying for anyone that loves traditional German O-fest beer.

Ayinger Oktober Fest-Märzen
Privatbrauerei Franz Inselkammer KG / Brauerei Aying
Märzen / Oktoberfest | 5.80% ABV

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

Picked up a 500ml from Byerly's in Maple Grove. Pours a clear amber-gold with a white head. Man I wish Ayinger beer were more readily available/cheaper. This is a great O-fest, rich with bready caramel malts with a smooth, oh-so drinkable body. It is a touch thicker than other in the style, Spaten comes to mind as a thinner beer, but man it's good. The flavor has subtle layers of malt with a touch of crisp light toffee, with an aroma to match. I'll be looking forward to having this again next fall.

There's good beer in Florida - Cigar City Brewing

The name is long, but the beer is damn good. I was in Orlando over the weekend for a wedding and made a stop the first night at Knightly Spirits for a few provisions (local beer). While there really isn't a lot of good beer that's unique to Orlando, I did find a couple bottle from Tampa's tiny Cigar City Brewing. The good news, according to their blog, is that they're started to ship bottles to NY. So next time you're in NYC, you might be able to find a bottle. Best of luck.

Jai Alai Cedar Aged IPA - Humidor Series
Cigar City Brewing
American IPA | 7.50% ABV

A- / 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4

Picked up a 750 ml bottle from Knightly Spirits in Orlando. Poured a hazy orange with a tall white head. The aroma has a syrupy mix of sweetened grapefruit, toasted cedar plank, and ash, but with more of the focus on the citrus hops. The flavor hits off with the hops - big pine and juniper (almost like gin), and then biting orange peel. Dry, wood flavors kick in to finish with cocoa and toasted crust. Overall, a very well-made and interesting IPA. I hope this beer gets around, it's damn good.

Light beers don't have to suck, but Keystone Light does.

I can deal with hot summer days, but the hot summer nights lead me to do crazy things like drink awful, awful beer (provided it's real cold). A couple Fridays ago, the always-generous Kuklickx was hosting a party with free beer. I can't knock him for serving Keystone, because hey, I'm not paying for it. In fact, I'm greatful to Kuklickx for providing me with some drink-for-thought. Only by trying to worst beers, can we understand the best. Also, once my six-pack of Kellerweis was empty, I was at the mercy of his kegerator. So Kuklickx, this post is dedicated to you. Assuming you ever read it.

Now the interesting thing about light beer is that while most suck, they don't have to. Over the last week, I tried a great beer at Emmaus's Tap and Table that was far lighter than Keystone (only 2.8%), but still tasted like good beer. Anyways, here the reviews to compare and contrast two vastly different light, low-alcohol brews.

Keystone Light
Coors Brewing Company
Light Lager | 4.20% ABV

D / 2.1 (this is an above-average score)
look: 3 | smell: 2 | taste: 1.5 | feel: 2.5 | drink: 2.5

A friend had this on-tap in his kegerator and I couldn't resist giving this a try. I was also out of Kellerweise. Last time I drank this it was in an unfinished basement in college. This experience, frankly (and thanks to Kuklickx), wasn't terribly different. I found the key to this beer was to taste it as little as possible. Letting sit on my tongue for a split second before gulping left just a cream soda and white bread taste. When I let it linger, it tasted like a chemical spill. It was sharp and acrid with a dirty water background. Stick to chugging, you don't want to taste this.



Mirage
General Lafayette Inn & Brewery
Belgian Pale Ale | 2.70% ABV

B / 3.6
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 4 | drink: 4

On-tap at Tap and Table in Emmaus, PA for $3/pint. An impressive beer for the strength. Good job General Lafayette. It drinks like a typical session beer of greater strength and reminds me of a milder Squatters Full Suspension. The malt is mellow with a little toasted barley followed by kicks of apricot and lemon peel hops, very tasty. Give this beer a try if you're into session beers.

Summer is delicious: Hot weather beer

For me, the summer is (a little) less about trying new beers as it is simply about enjoying great beer. It's a balance, really, because some new beer just sucks. Still, I've picked up a couple new favorites when it comes to flavorful, yet light and drinkable, session beers.


B.B. Bürgerbräu (Budweiser Bier)
Budějovický Měšťanský Pivovar
Czech Pilsener | 5.00% ABV

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

On-tap at Tap and Table for $5/pint. Thanks to Tudor for the recommendation. This is a tasty and fresh Czech pilsener - something that's hard to some by. A lot of alleged Czech pils are really just bland macro lagers. There's a smooth, dry bready malt taste and the pils finishes with a mildly bitter spicy hop taste. Very nice and very refreshing. Pils-lovers should seek this out.

Sculpin India Pale Ale
Ballast Point Brewing Company
American IPA | 7.00% ABV

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

Shared a bomber at Tap and Table in Emmaus, PA for $14. Totally worth it. This is easily one of the best IPA's I've had in sometime. Reminds me in terms of quality of the pint of Town Hall Masala Mama I had last week. The hops jump out of the glass once the beer is poured - I love when that happens. The hops are a mix of spicy citrus that are juicy, but dry and drinkable. There are also tasty notes of apricot, white grape, and orange peel.The aftertaste just doesn't go away. I had to go out of my way to find an even bigger beer to follow this up, otherwise this beer would have still been hanging on my palate.


Those beers kicked ass. Now, for posterity, here's one of the new beers that landed closer to the other end of the awesome-suck beer continuum.


Dirty Blonde
Atwater Block Brewery
American Pale Wheat Ale | 4.50% ABV

C+ / 3.05
look: 3.5 | smell: 3 | taste: 3 | feel: 3 | drink: 2.5

On-tap at Liberty St. Tavern in Allentown, PA. Appears hazy dark blonde. There's nothing very remarkable about this beer. It was a slightly sweet wheat malt flavor so it kind of just tastes like sugary liquid bread. No hops to speak of and while it's easy-drinking and balanced, it's not really a pleasure to drink. It just does nothing for me.

Real Beer Judging

To my 225 semi-regular readers (at least according to May counter statistics), I apologize for my recent lapse of posting. Shit happens.

June has been a good beer month thus far. Two weeks ago, I judged my second competition at the 2009 BUZZ OFF. I'll point out right here that any homebrew club worth its yeast has some silly beer-related acronym for a name. In this case we have the Brewers United for Zany Zymurgy - Zymurgy being the science of fermentation.

For a tangential bit of entertainment, here are a few of the best club names:

The Houston United Group of Zymurgists (THUGZ)
Wichita`s Only Real Tasty Suds (WORTS)
Diablo Order of Zymiracle Enthusiasts (DOZE)
KROC (Keg Ran Out Club)

I judged and enjoyed Belgian Specialty (doesn't fit in any normal Belgian category) and Pilsners, with a Trappist-inspired barleywine being my favorite beer. The closest thing I can liken it to is Maredsous 10, which also happens to be a favorite of mine.

Also for the second time after judging a competition, I felt awful. It was like having a hangover without ever getting drunk or even catch a buzz. Over the 6 hours of judging, I sipped a total of about four beers while trying 22 different entries. Why did I do this again?

Anyways, on the topic of Belgian Specialty beers, I recently tried Captain Lawrence's Xtra Gold tripel. The beer was a delicious blend of American and Belgian brewing practices and ingredients.

Xtra Gold Tripel
Captain Lawrence Brewing Co.
Tripel | 10.00% ABV

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

Picked up a 750 capped bottle at New Beer Distributors in the Bowery. I like it when labels tell the truth and this really does taste like an American-style tripel. It's more crisp (and fresh) with juicy citrus hops rounding out a more traditional spice and pepper malt and yeast flavor. Sometimes US brewers try to put their own American spin on a Belgian, but the beer just comes out too plain, this beer doesn't do any of that. It takes the best of both worlds making for a delicious and satisfying beer. I'll also note that fans of hoppy Belgian's should look to this beer.

Beer Reviews: Triple your pleasure

OK, that's a lame title, but I've had a good run of Belgian tripels lately. For anyone that doesn't know, a Belgian tripel is a strong, deliciously spicy golden ale that'll knock you on your ass if you're not careful. BeerAdvocate.com also has a description:


Description:
The name "Tripel" actually stems from part of the brewing process, in which brewers use up to three times the amount of malt than a standard Trappist "Simple." Traditionally, Tripels are bright yellow to gold in color, which is a shade or two darker than the average Pilsener. Head should be big, dense and creamy. Aroma and flavor runs along complex, spicy phenolic, powdery yeast, fruity/estery with a sweet finish. Sweetness comes from both the pale malts and the higher alcohol. Bitterness is up there for a beer with such a light body for its strength, but at times is barely perceived amongst the even balance of malts and hops. The lighter body comes from the use of Belgian candy sugar (up to 25% sucrose), which not only lightens the body, but also adds complex alcoholic aromas and flavors. Small amounts of spices are sometimes added as well.

Tripels are actually notoriously alcoholic, yet the best crafted ones hide this character quite evil-like and deceivingly, making them sipping beers.

Average alcohol by volume (abv) range: 8.0-12.0%

Right, what they said. Anyways, here's what I've been enjoying.

Incubus
Sly Fox Brewing Company
Tripel | 10.30% ABV

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

Picked up a bottle from the Bowery Whole Foods for $9. Why have I not drank this beer before? It's a well-made Belgian that's delightfully fresh thanks to being brewed so nearby. The beer is properly light and drinkable, and also dry and spicy. The malts also provide a gentle golden raisin and mild berry punch taste before more dry biscuit malt and a peppery finish. Definitely worth a try.


Merry Monks' Ale
Weyerbacher Brewing Co.
Tripel | 9.30% ABV

B / 3.6
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 4.5

Had a bottle with a spicy BBQ chicken dinner.

It's nice and sweet, a little too sweet like most American takes on Belgian styles, but for the price it's not bad. The flavor starts with light fruit syrup taste followed an almost hot spice flavor with some pale grains mixed in. It lacks the complexity of the great Belgians, but I still enjoyed it.


La Fin Du Monde
Unibroue
Tripel | 9.00% ABV

A- / 4.2
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 5.5 | feel: 4 | drink: 4

This is a pretty nice beer, stands right up with some of my favorite Belgians like Duvel. It smelled sweet and spicy (corriander) with a similar flavor that was rich, yet drinkable and kept coming at my tongue. The spicy hops, white pepper, and dry biscuit malts don't stop. This is a great beer and probably benefits from having a shorter trip down from Canada to help keep it fresh.


Houblon Chouffe Dobbelen IPA Tripel
Brasserie d'Achouffe
Belgian IPA | 9.00% ABV

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

Very interesting. In short, I'd have liked a touch more from the malt, but there's a lot of awesome hops flavors here. They're big and rough, yet sweet at times, and always tasty. I'm talking citrus fruit punch with grassy and herbal elements. The richness of flavor is on par with any good DIPA, but the body is more drinkable than most 9% beers. There was a mild bready malt flavor with a hint of vanilla and spice that reminds me a touch more of a wit.

Overall, this is a pretty cool combination of a Belgian ale with big hops. Definitely worth trying.

Good Belgian Beer: Eerwaarde Pater

I'm typically a pretty intentional drinker. When I'm trying a new beer, I like to know what it is and whether it's worth a damn, because, well, there's a lot of shitty beer in this world. Recently my favorite bottle shop, Abe's Cold Beer, filled a few shelves with new-to-the-US Belgian imports. Incidentally since most of the beer geek websites I use are US-based there was little to no info on the new brews. For posterity's sake, however, I swallowed hard a picked a few bottles that seemed to come from reputable brewers. So far so good...


Eerwaarde Pater
Brouwerij Het Alternatief
Belgian Strong Dark Ale

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

Picked up a single at Abe's Cold Beer for $5. Poured a clear brown with little head and no retention. This is certainly a unique beer and is sort of a hybrid of an American brown ale and dark strong Belgian. I'm sure that wasn't the brewer's intention, but the malts come out very clean and crisp with roast caramel, not at all hidden by yeast-driven flavors like fruit and spice. The oak aging (at least according to the label) adds a mildly acid sour tang that's an not-so-natural, but interesting pairing with the robust dark malt flavor. The aroma is a smoother, inviting caramel and chocolate candy smell. And in the sour aftertaste there's a hint of farmhouse funk. This beer would likely be greatly improved with a year or two of cellaring to let the wild critters grow and develop, you know, if you're into that sort of thing. Overall, a different take on the style and very drinkable. Try this beer.

And again: The Lost Abbey's Judgment Day

While this is from California, it certainly captures the spirit of Belgium.

Judgment Day
The Lost Abbey
Quadrupel (Quad)

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

On-tap at the Farmhouse in Emmaus, PA. Served in a wine glass it appears a very dark brown with a tan head. Quite dark for a quad, but there are faint red highlight when held up to the light. At first I get a candy plum note, but that quickly fades leaving to big dark chocolate flavors along with raisin and very mild peppermint notes. The aroma also sticks with the chocolate, but it reminds me of a creamier, fine milk chocolate. Finishes with a roasted orange bitterness from the mix of hops and malt. Thick, but reasonable for a 10.5% beer. Certainly not your average quad, but a great dessert beer.

More Good Beer: It's Belgian - Gaverhopke Singing Blonde

To combat Monday's heat, I popped open a bottle I'd recently snagged at Abe's Cold Beer while grilling some BBQ chicken. While the chicken was pretty good (probably from the Wegman's sauce, not my grilling skills), the beer was great. Apparently this beer in particular is almost untried in the U.S., but Abe's has it. Thank you Abe.

't Gaverhopke Zingende Blondine
Brouwerij 't Gaverhopke
Belgian Strong Pale Ale

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

Poured a clear gold with an aggressive head and only turned hazy because I let a little sediment in. The aroma is an interesting mix wine vinegar, cider, and scented burning candles - in the sense that it reminds me of spiced wax if that makes any sense. The flavor has bit of orange peel, lemon juice, mild pepper. The finish if fairly balanced with subtle bitterness with light sour tang. Complex and easy to drink for the 9.8% strength. Heck of a beer.

Post-Belgium: Man it was delicious

Anyways, here are a few of my favorite beers from the trip.


Saison De L'Epeautre
Brasserie de Blaugies
Saison / Farmhouse Ale

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

Picked up a 375 cl at the Hopduvel in Ghent. The cashier asked me where I found this beer. I guess its not a popular option, but it should be. My first reaction was that it was like Saison Dupont, but thin I realized it also have creamy vanilla flavors and notes like Duvel. Damn, this beer is good. It was a bit of a foamer when I took the cork out, but once settled it has an appropriate carbonation level and is easy drinking. This is a perfect example of a lower alcohol saison. Drink this if you can find it.


Bracia
Thornbridge Hall Country House Brewing Company
American Double / Imperial Stout

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

The honey and hazelnuts are obvious in the aroma and flavor. While chocolate roast and cocoa dominate the flavor. Yum Appears pitch black with a milk chocolate head. There's a long, espresso aftertaste. Hot damn, this is good beer. There's a paler malt notes that pop up in the aftertaste, but there's a whole lot of roasted malt going on that dives into roast chestnuts, honey, and spicy British hops. Delicious.


Oude Gueuze
Hanssens Artisanaal bvba
Gueuze

A- / 4.25
look: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4.5 | feel: 4.5 | drink: 4

Had a bottle in Ghent and was quite pleased. Poured a hazy amber gold and thick white head. The big character here is the toasted oak barrel flavor. After that is more of typical (of great oude guezes) ripping sour tang that hits the back of your cheekbones with lemon, lime, and earthy spice. Delicious. I'll have another.


Oude Kriek De Cam
De Cam Geuzestekerij
Lambic - Fruit

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

Ordered a bottle at the Waterhuis in Ghent. Damn, this might be the best kriek I've ever had. Not overly funky, but interesting and with a long, dry sour cherry flavor. It's a pleasant mustiness, that for whatever reason reminds me of cobwebs and cellars before the tangy cherries kick in. Definitely find this beer if you're in Belgium.


Sussex Best Bitter
Harvey & Son Ltd.
English Bitter

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

Had a half pint on cask at The Harp near Trafalgar Square. This was one of my favorite real ales while in London for a week. It was a mixture of floral hops and oak with a fruit punch aroma at first. Then I started to pull cherry juice flavor with dry wheat cracker in the background and a note of blueberry in the aroma. Delicious.

New to me: Paper City Brewing

I picked up a couple Massachusetts brews on a recent trip to Syracuse. Both were nice, though the Holyoke Ale has a bit of an identity problem.

Riley's Stout
Paper City Brewery Co.
Irish Dry Stout

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

Picked up a single from Party Source in Syracuse. This is a good, rippingly dry Irish stout. It makes a touch in complexity, but the almost sour black roasted malts are big and bad (delicious). The appearance is pitch black with a tan head. I could drink more of these. Comes off very traditional - in the best way. A little heavier than the true Irish stout (Beamish, etc), but hardly less sessionable.


Holyoke Dam Ale
Paper City Brewery Co.
American Pale Ale (APA)

B / 3.55
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | feel: 3.5 | drink: 4

Picked up a bottle from the Party Source in Syracuse. This beer seems more like an amber to me. First, it's a red-amber color. Second, the beer is very malt-centered with a sweet, cherry flavor. It's fairly drinkable, but the hops only seem to provide a mild spice in the aftertaste.