Beer Review: Carlsberg Beer - How Beer Gets Skunked

This beer is another example of why green bottles are a bad idea. The mixture of a low flavor profile with skunked hops (green glass allows light to pass through, which breaks down chemicals from the hops to create another chemical that's essentially the same as that released from skunk glands) create a fairly unpleasant experience as the malt can't hide the skunk.

overall: 2.15/5
appearance: 2.5 | smell: 2 | taste: 2 | mouthfeel: 2 | drinkability: 2.5

This beer is trying to taunt me, telling me I don't need any malt flavor in my beer. Regardless, I'll do my best to keep an objective opinion while reviewing.

The beer starts off with a medium, traditional Euro-skunk a la green bottle. The aroma clears up after about 5 minutes to a very mellow extra pale grains and grassy hops with only a touch of skunk. The flavor follows with an almost tasteless sweet flavor that reminds me of a blander version of Heineken, and mild mix of skunk and noble hops.

Men's Health Living

I want to take a quick break from beer to talk about some of the other work I do. Currently my gig at Men's Health is just about over, but with production calendar running at least two months ahead, I'm just starting to see my best work come out.

Here's a link to my first real feature. BAM! A lovely ~1000 word piece in the new Men's Health Living on starting over in life. Rich Roll, the subject of the piece, was on track to become one of the most powerful lawyers in L.A., but he gave up the power and (most of) the money so he could start loving life again.

Currently it's on the front of MensHealthLiving.com, so check it out before my brief spotlight fades.

Beer Review: Saranac Imperial Stout

Well this one was a disappointment. I always appreciated Saranac's cheap, yet decent-tasting beer. At 9% abv this one might just need some mellow-out time like Brooklyn's Black Chocolate Stout, which I recommend cellaring for 18 month before consumption.

overall: 3.15
appearance: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 2.5 | mouthfeel: 2.5 | drinkability: 3

Right after the pour the aroma starts with rich espresso followed by fruity, floral hops. The first aftertaste, however, is a bit chalky. What's up with that? The aroma is interesting to say the least, with biscuit (and almost cracker-like) malts with smooth chocolate. The flavor, however, is harsh like there's too much black grains, without much substantial flavor. The bitterness is unmatched by any tasty malts, leaving it unbalanced.

In summary, aroma=good, taste=not good.

Beer Review: Flat Earth Belgian Pale Ale

Belgian Pale Ale
Flat Earth Brewing Co.

Thanks to Ben for sharing this with me. It was in a lineup of great beers and not only stood out, but would have been the highlight of the night if a certain friend hadn't decided he suddenly needed his right leg shaved in the middle of a party. I'll see if I can post a picture of that.

overall: 3.95
appearance: 3.5 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | mouthfeel: 4 | drinkability: 4.5

A tasty Minnesotan-made Belgian pale ale here that could just as easily have come from Belgian. The flavor is clean with a medium body thats quite toasty (the malt) with a touch of caramel. The yeast kicks in a woodsy funk and the hops round this beer out with a slight balancing bitterness. This might be heresy, but this beer reminds me of Westvleteren Blonde.

Beer Review: Hoptical Illusion

Hoptical Illusion
American IPA
Blue Point Brewing Co.

overall: 3.75
appearance: 4 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 3.5 | mouthfeel: 4 | drinkability: 4.5

Ah, this is a drinking IPA. Reminds me of a milder Masala Mama (of Town Hall Brewery in Minneapolis) and of Harpoon IPA out of Boston. There's a nice, light lacing all the way down my pint glass and a ring of foam around the top of the beer. The aroma is of grapefruit peel and seed and the flavor expands with a deeper bite into the fruit that is matched by a pleasant and crisp bitterness.

There are bigger and burlier IPA's out there, but this one is doing just fine for me right now. Worth a try if you see it priced decently. I've until recently avoided it due to a steep ($10/sixer) price tag.

Beer Review: Ithaca Double IPA

Double IPA
Ithaca Beer Company

appearance: 4 | smell: 4 | taste: 4 | mouthfeel: 3.5 | drinkability: 4.5

Mmmmm, hoppy. Yeah, there are bigger double IPA's out there, but this one manages big alcohol (10%) with drinkability. There is a slight, dry vodka feel to the beer's finish, but it's otherwise smooth sailing as far as DIPA's go.

A big whiff smells like oily pine needles needs and grapefruit. The flavor starts with a tropical fruit juice taste and leaves with a white grape, clove, and orange peel taste. Sound a little odd? Well it tastes good anyways. Overall it's not a top-tier IPA, like Stone Ruination, but it's still plenty tasty and worth a try. [4/5]

Beer Review: Red Tail Lager

Red Tail Lager
American Amber/Red Lager
Mendocino Brewing Co.

I picked up single bottle from Finger Lakes Beverage Center.

I'd call this a standard American lager, and I mean that in the good way. This is a great, clean, wash down hot dogs beer. It has it's own merits and I certainly enjoy it by itself, I'm just saying...

Anyways, I didn't get much head at all (the carbonation is a little low) and there's a bit of a haze. The aroma is of mellow biscuit and caramel malt which the flavor expands on with a touch of grassy hops at the end. All in all, a tasty beer you can serve to anyone. [3.25/5]