Redhook Ale Brewery: Slim Chance

The line between macrobrew and microbrew has been blurring in recent years. Macro-breweries have begun to create fuller bodied beers (see Budweiser American Ale), some micro-breweries have grown so much in size that they now are dubbed craft breweries (see Sierra Nevada Brewing Company), and some breweries have formed alliances and mutual investment agreements in an attempt to tap into the micro and macro brew markets. (see Redhook brewery).

Redhook use to be a small Washington brewery that has since formed alliances with Budweiser and Widmer and has expanded its distribution and line of beers. Redhook's most recent creation is a "Light Ale" known as "Slim Chance". I was intrigued by the idea of an ale with a lighter body so I gave the beer a shot. Don't make the same mistake as I did; Slim Chance is no light ale. It's a run of the mill light lager. It looks and tastes like many light lagers: think Amstel Light or Modelo Light. While Slim Chance doesn't have the metallic taste of some light beers it lacks any significant body and has a watery aftertaste.

I probably gave Redhook took much credit when I purchased this beer. I love Redhook's Winterhook and Copperhook and assumed they wouldn't create the traditional light lager. But they did. As America becomes re-obsessed with beer it will be interesting to see how this micro/macro balance progresses. More and more research, books, and movies are being done on the beer industry and I'm excited to learn more. In the meantime, I think I'll grab a real ale with more flavor. Cheers.

Weyerbacher Brewing Co.: Slam Dunkel

Bocks don't normally crack my my favorites list. (I have a hard time believing Rogue Dead Guy really is a Maibock.) But last week I had a pretty stellar bock, and I gotta share it.

Slam Dunkel is one of the very smoothest beers I can remember having. It's got a very well rounded malty flavor, accented by some spiciness that is reminiscent of a witbier. On top of that, it has a distinctive banana flavor and possibly a touch of raisins too. It is pretty flat so far as carbonation goes and is not all that hoppy either, so it doesn't have much of a punch to it. You might think from this description that it would be too sweet, but there is just enough of an earthy hoppiness that gets through to temper the malts. Mouthfeel is medium--not thick like some bocks--which helps.

Roasted malts. Spiciness. Bananas. Odd combo, but a great result. Good job again, Weyerbacher.

Weyerbacher Brewing Co.: Heresy

I have to get in at least one more stout before the season's over. Soon the warm weather will be here and I'll be on a steady diet of Coppers, Pales, Wits, and Czech Pilsners. So it's time for one last hurrah, and we might as go out with a bang. Here's another Pennsylvania brewery for you: Weyerbacher. They call their imperial stout "Heresy," which seems like a fitting name for any imperial stout you'd consume on Easter weekend.

Imperial stouts are without a doubt the biggest and baddest of beers. In terms of raw flavor power, they are unmatched (except perhaps by Ruination-esque IPAs). And Heresy does not disappoint on this front. Right away you get blasted by an overload of roasted malts and a slight alcohol kick to boot. As the alcohol and malts begin to fade, a collection of other flavors begin to emerge: There's some dark fruit (cherries and blackberries I think), a little bit of vanilla, some black licorice, as well as some mild hoppiness that lingers on after the rest of the flavors have subsided. The mouthfeel is pretty thick, though not as thick as some of the truly devastating Russian stouts (Stone and Lagunitas come to mind).

I'm a big fan of imperial stouts, and Heresy certainly didn't disappoint. It's a little bit sweeter than I would have preferred, though the benefit of the mild hoppiness is that you can really start to pick up on all the other flavors that are hiding in the pitch blackness of this brew (no joke--this beer is an alcoholic black hole). A solid offering--better than most, though not quite up to competing with the likes of Stone and Bell's.

Lost Coast Brewery: [8 Ball] Stout

I don't know what took me so long to try this brew. Lost Coast has a stout with a giant 8 ball on the label. Right up my alley: I love sampling California brews, I savor stouts, pool is a great bar game, and '8' is my favorite number. Well, Lost Coast only sells this ale in 22oz bombers, so it can be difficult to locate. I found a store that sells 'em and it's time to give the brew a review.

Not surprisingly this stout pours with a pitch black color and is topped off by a decent sized head; evoking imagines of a liquid 8 ball. While the head is more a light tan than a true white, I still like the title. The beer is very carbonated and bubbles dance around on the tongue during the first sip. Flavors of dark chocolate initially emerge and are followed by bitter hops and coffee. A coffee bean after taste lingers in the mouth for a few seconds after each sip creating a very strong overall flavor. While the stout is initially too carbonated for my tastes if you let it sit for a while, the fizzyness dissipates and then the beer has a creamy body to compliment the powerful flavors.

With a title designed for my liking, after drinking the beer I was hoping to shout: "Eureka, I found it!" However, this Lost Cost offering is not the best stout I've ever sampled. But it's pretty good. Definitely worth a try. I definitely get behind the 8 ball again. Cheers.

Yuengling: Porter

As I mentioned a while back in my post on Yuengling's lager, Yuengling is a major east coast brewery and is the iconic beer of the Philadelphia region. Kim, one of my friends here at Penn, had the brilliant idea to take a trip to the Yuengling brewery in Pottsville. Having nothing better to do on Friday, four of us headed up to see America's oldest brewery. Besides the usual explanation of the brewing process and tour of the facilities (including their awesome bottling-and-canning facility), we got the chance to sample some of Yuengling's other brews. I was particularly impressed with their porter.

Yuengling is not a brewery interested in bold experimentation with complex or novel flavors. They go for getting the perfect take on traditional genres. Subtlety isn't their usual game, but I found that their porter is actually a pretty complex beer. It's got the typical dark roasty malts that are suggestive of coffee and chocolate, but there's some other flavors hiding in the background like cherries (props to Jon for figuring out that one). For a porter, this one's pretty well carbonated and has a lighter mouthfeel, making it unusually drinkable for a dark beer.

Good job on this one, Yuengling. Glad to see that Philly's flagship has a bit of versatility.

Rogue: Dead Guy Ale

Rogue originally created this ale to celebrate day of the dead. But what began as an obscure seasonal celebration ale quickly became Rogue's flagship brew. The skeleton-man label gives this brew a unique look, which is appropriate, since Dead Guy has an equally unique taste.

To the naked eye, Dead Guy is rather unassuming. It has a clear golden color and a quickly-dissipating head. But the taste is subtle and complex. It starts off with a dry toasted malt taste, but an earthy hop flavor follows quickly. The hop bitterness is accented by an almost peppery spiciness. At some point in there I think I can taste a faint citrus-sweetness, though it is hard to identify amidst the persistent hoppiness. It is very light bodied and moderately carbonated, which leaves you with a crisp but noticeably bitter aftertaste.

Dead Guy combines a number of elements that makes it drinkable in juts about any situation. It has the crispness and light-body that you want in a summer brew, but it also boasts a bold combination of malts and hops that is more suggestive of a cold-weather ale. It is complex enough to be a sipping ale, but also light-bodied enough to be a session beer (though the bold flavor might eventually bowl you over).

Victory Brewing Co.: Donnybrook Stout

It's started to warm up finally, but it's still plenty cold out for a stout. I went with another offering from Victory, since their Storm King didn't disappoint. This one is totally different, but equally respectable.

Donnybrook is a stout made in the image of Guinness Draught. It's got a super-smooth mouthfeel, is only mildly bitter, and has a very dry taste. It's a tad bit maltier than it's Irish counterpart, and as a result it comes across a little bit sweeter. But it's definitely closer in spirit to Irish stouts than to your big, bold, malty American varieties.

Maybe my tastebuds are not properly attuned to appreciate Irish stouts, but I did find that this brew a little bit boring in the end. It's very well balanced however, and is perhaps the first stout I've had that could really qualify as a session beer. So take it for what it is: a no-frills, back-to-basics, and eminently drinkable beer.

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery: 90 Minute Imperial IPA

Following Hofer's lead, tonight I went out of my price range and outside my locality to enjoy a fine beer . Now omnipresent at liquor stores on the west coast, I could no longer resist picking up some more bottles of Dogfish Head. Hof introduced the readership to this Delaware brewery a ways back and even let the people out west know when Dogfish Head beers started popping up in select bars and stores up and down the left coast (see older posts). Recently I began seeing Dogfish Head so often in liquor stores but continued to purchase in moderation because it's a pricey brew ( a four-pack going for as much as $13). After months of enticement and continued expansion, I finally broke down and picked up a few of their beers that I had yet to try.

Reaching back into the wallet, I decided to pick up some of Dogfish Head's 90 Minute Imperial IPA. This beer is a double india pale ale with a 'single constant 90 minute hop addition'. Throw in an extra dry hopping stage and you have one hoppy beer. The hops provide an excellent lacing to the brew and a thick head. After you pull some liquid through the foam, believe it or not the taste starts out with a strong malt splash and then eventually changes into a sweet hop flavor. As the beer warms you begin to taste woody and butter hop flavors and a slight alcohol taste. It's a really tasty imperial IPA and not nearly as boozy as some other 9% offerings.

Overall this brewery makes some interesting and fun craft beer. I have been sending this article about the brewery to all my friends . Even if you're not into Dogfish Head's strange brewing tactics and unique recipes it's a great read and will add to your beer knowledge. So while, I don't often stray from my west coast brews, Dogfish Head is a welcomed change of pace. Cheers.

Brasserie d'Achouffe: La Chouffe

If you couldn't figure it out from the name, this one isn't just a Belgian-style beer, it's a Belgian-brewed beer. And while it's a bit outside my normal price range, it's also the kind of brew that merits top dollar now and again, especially if you can find it on tap. May I present, La Chouffe.

La Chouffe is an abbey-style Belgian ale, in the same vein as Leffe. However, this brew definitely one-ups Leffe, as well as pretty much any American-brewed abbey ale that I can think of. Like most abbey ales, this brew has a faint sweetness about it. Ususally, this is tempered by a very earthy hoppiness, but La Chouffe's hops are a bit more muted. This seems to work because the sweetness has also been scaled back, perhaps because the malts are toward the dry end. The real treat here is a faint spiciness and subtle fruit flavors, similar to what you might taste in a witbeir. It's very light-bodied and well-carbonated, lending the brew a pleasant fizziness and muting the aftertaste very effectively.

All in all this beer is a real treat. There's a ton of flavors packed into this one, but they are all balanced really well. Probably the best Belgian beer I've had to date.

Magic Hat Brewing Co.: Roxy Rolles

Back to the first great brewery I found when I came east. As I've already mentioned, I'm a big fan of their flagship #9 brew: it's got a snappy flavor and is really drinkable. But sometimes you're in the mood to crank up the flavor to something a bit stronger. Apparently Magic Hat read my mind, because Roxy Rolles, their "hoppy amber ale," does just that.

Like it's not-quite-pale counterpart, Roxy Rolles boasts a light body, faint citrus flavors, and a lot of carbonation. But the malts and hops have been cranked up on this one, so that there's a lot more flavor to go around. Their marketing it as an amber is a bit dubious--it looks like a light amber ale, but it isn't nearly as malty as your standard amber ale. Especially behind the substantial hops, the malt flavors are pretty well hidden. They come through just enough so that you taste a faint roasted sweetness on the back of your tongue, which actually compliments the fruit flavors quite nicely. The light malt-high hops combo also leaves you with a rather pleasant aftertaste of a clean hop bitterness on the edges of your tongue and a lingering sweetness in the middle.

I have to say, I'm a bit surprised that Magic Hat doesn't push this as their flagship instead of #9. Granted, the two brews bear more similarities than differences, so only people with a bad beer habit are really going to prefer one to the other. But in my estimation, Magic Hat has really scored a ringer here. Pick one up and check it out.

Speakeasy Ales & Lagers: Double Daddy Imperial IPA

It's been about six months since I've lasted lived in San Francisco, one month since I've last partied in The City, and far too long since I've had local SF brew. It was time to grab some familiar looking local craft. I decided to grab Speakeasy's Double Daddy Imperial IPA. Accustomed to most of this brewery's selection I choose to finally snag 'double daddy' because it is one of the few Speakeasy Ales & Lagers that I have yet to enjoy.

"Doubling down on malts and hops" this imperial india pale ale is not messing around. Proudly sporting a 9.5% alcohol by volume content this brew will kick your mouth off. The alcohol flavor is by far the most prominent flavor and with an abv over 9% I wouldn't expect anything different. By letting the ale rest on your tongue you can sufficiently dull most of your taste buds.

Despite a quick dulling of the face and warming of the stomach, this beer has an incredibly smooth mouthfeel. The ale is almost buttery and drinks pretty easy if you don't mind the alcohol flavors. A hop present hits on the back of the tongue slightly after a clean swig, but since the brew is so smooth it's hard to detect. Unless you're in the mood for something boozy, I wouldn't recommend this monster. But if you don't mind some alcohol in your beer it's a smooth way to get a good buzz.

This brew would be a great way to get any party going. Very strong and surprisingly easy to drink. Next time I'm in San Francisco I might 'double down' on my pre-party. Hopefully it's sooner rather than later. Cheers.

Victory Brewing Co.: Storm King Imperial Stout

Now that I'm finally reunited with my computer, it's time to get posting again. As we're still in the depths of winter, it's still prime time for stouts and porters. So I decided to go local with another Pennsylvanian brewery.

Victory's Storm King is a quality stout. It's a definite flavor overload: the roasted malts and pronounced hops fight a veritable death match on your palette. On the malt side the prime contenders are hints of coffee and chocolate. The hops are primarily earthy, but you can taste a little bit of citrus coming through too. It's got a medium-thick mouthfeel, but for a stout it's pretty well carbonated. This tends to accentuate the bitter aspects of the flavor. Finally, there is a slight alcohol taste, which is to be expected, given the imperial label.

I'm a little bit of a snob when it comes to stouts, so I can't really pretend that this is a truly top shelf stout. But it is certainly one of the better stouts I've come across. So if you're in Pennsylvania, give it a try.

Trader Joe's: Vienna Style Lager

Right now you may be reading this blog because you're at home out of a job. Or you might be scanning the Internet afraid to check the balance on your 401k. Or you may just be simply trying to forget about those student loans you have to pay off. Hopefully not; but it's a decent possibility. Well, what does this have to with beer? Not a whole lot. But many beer lovers out there are trying to find ways to pinch pennies and cut out luxuries in this terrible economy without giving up on tasty suds.

There are a ton of ways to save cash without giving up on beer altogether. You can (1) stumble around for happy hour specials instead of paying full prices (2) drink beer at home instead of shelling out higher tabs at restaurants and bars (3) buy brew in bulk (4) search the liquor stores for sales (5) purchase macro brews instead of craft brew (6) and a variety of other creative solutions. As you can tell from this blog, I try to hunt down tasty beer and drink it. So I'll always advocate from staying away from the swill. That being said it's tough to find good beer at decent prices.

As mentioned in my last Trader Joe's post, some store chains are contracting out to breweries to create their own brand of beer to be sold in house for low prices. At TJ's you can still get six packs of 'Trader Joe's Brewing Co' beer for $5.29 per six pack. This price is about the same amount you have to pay for any single beer at a bar. It's a deal that just cannot be turned down. Last year I tried Trade Joe's Hofbrau bock and was satisfied but not super impressed. This year I gave their 'Vienna Style Lager' a go.

This beer is dubbed by the label as 'smooth amber lager' and it fits the bill. This lager pours a clear amber and goes down easy. Despite its light mouthfeel there is a slit citrus hop flavor and a slight alcohol taste. This was a little surprising as normally amber lagers have light malt flavors. I actually thought the hops and alcohol came through a little more in the beer. The label also proclaims a brewing process with dark and caramelized malts and you can catch a touch of these malted barley flavors on a big gulp. I'm generally a fan of amber lagers and this is an easy to drink brew. Well worth the 5+ greenbacks for a sixer and a good example of the style. I recommend it, regardless of your financial situation. Cheers.

Descutes Brewery: Obsidian Stout

Before drinking this stout you need to prepare yourself for a big west coast style beer experience. The brew is black. Blacker than soot. It's a very dark stout and produces a deep tan and brown head to match.

The flavors are also very powerful and build off the shadowy color. Incredibly strong roasted malted barley sensations are present in every sip. Despite these intense flavors the beer is very well carbonated. There are some monster sized bubbles floating around in the head. In addition, the carbonation cuts through the roasted malt flavors producing a smoothfeeling that is necessary to cleanse the pallate. If you didn't have the high carbonation this beer would taste similar to an imperial stout. It's boasts a high alcohol content and rich flavors all around.

I wasn't expecting such a strong stout when I cracked the bottle. Deschutes' black butte porter has less alcohol and softer flavors. I'm glad I branched out from the Deschutes brews that I know. This is one of the most powerful stouts I've ever have and sometimes that's what you want. A dark deep black beer. Cheers.

Full Sail Brewing Co: Amber Ale

It's time that I finally understand Full Sail's flagship beer. I've had varied experiences with this amber ale. I first tried this brew at an outdoor summer festival in San Francisco where some friends and I shared bottles while enjoying music, fun, food. Drinking the amber in the warm weather, the beers tasted light and refreshing and definitely quenched our thirst with crisp light flavors.

Recently I revisited the brew, sampling this amber again at a poker game in mid-January. I don't know if it was due to the change of season, but on the second occasion, the beer felt very thick and chewy with tons of deep and rich malt flavors. These two different experiences didn't add up in my mind and I couldn't sort out the spectrum of flavors I tasted in my two attempts of drinking this beer. As a result, I decided to sit down with Full Sail's Amber Ale again, and give it a thorough drink and review.

Not surprisingly, I found aspects of both the crisp lightness and dark malts that I experienced in my prior tasting. This amber has the aroma of a citrusy IPA with some light lemon citrus flavors that match when the liquid first hits the tongue. To back up the hop citrus, there are also some thick brown and deep caramel malt flavors that balance out the beer. Overall it's a medium bodied amber ale that probably can fit into any occasion or season. It's pretty tasty and a good example of the west coast amber ale style. I'd give it a try; any time of the year. Cheers.

Mendocino Brewing Co: Black Eye Ale

Today I was in the mood for a beer. Actually, today I was in the mood for a couple beers. However, rarely am I itching to mix two beers together into one glass. That being said, some breweries blend ales and stouts (or lagers and stouts, or even bitters and stouts) into one bottle to make what's know as a 'black and tan'.

At the store I noticed Mendocino Brewing Co has created a pre-packaged black and tan. This brew is a mix of their stout and strong ale ('Black Hawk' and 'Eye of the Hawk'). I've had most of Mendocino Brew Co's beers but never has it crossed my mind to combine any of their fine craft.

Once poured it's pretty obvious that the stout dominates the combination. The color is a very dark black mahogany topped off with a tan head. The flavors immediately hit the tongue with a very dry burnt malt taste reminiscent of many stouts and other dark dark beers. It's hard to find any hint of the hops which are proudly portrayed in the 'Eye of the Hawk'. There is a slight lime citrus flavor that can sorta be detected from a hop flavoring. But that's about its.

Overall, the 'black and tan' is a cool visual beverage when poured by the drinker. The stout, floating separated on top of the ale, makes for an attractive combo beer that is fun to make on occasion. However, if you take a strong stout like 'Black Hawk' and premix it to make a black and tan, the concoction just doesn't add anything to an already tasty beer. Since I know what these brews taste like separately, I would much rather enjoy them solo. Cheers.

Marin Brewing Co: Albion Amber Ale

My first review on this blog was Marin Brewing Co's IPA. That was a long time ago, and I wasn't really sure where this blog was going at the time. Well this post is number 99 which means we are 1 more post away from reviewing 100 beers. I'm pretty satisfied with the work and effort of all my friends who have contributed to this blog.

I'm also happy that the first beer I reviewed was a Marin Brewing Co beer. As you've probably noticed, I like to try to hit at least two beers from the same source so as not to make a snap decision on a brewery before sampling a couple of their craft. After trying Marin's IPA, I moved on to their San Quentin Stout and I'm finally trying their amber ale. While I forgot to review the stout, I'm here now with the amber.

And I must say, this ale is quite tasty. On the back of the bottle, the brewery mentions that the crystal malts are roasted longer than normal. And I really like this effect. This beer is pretty malty and has great caramel malt flavors. The continued roasting also brings out some stout like flavors and I taste a little bit of chocolate and coffee in the malts. It's a nice touch and makes this beer quite smooth but still complex. With little hop flavor, it's not very powerful and very easy to drink making this a silky and somewhat of a lighter brew. Overall, I enjoyed it thoroughly.

And to be honest I would have never had the opportunity to drink and enjoy this beer without this blog. Writing about beer makes me want to sample more often and explore the complexities of each brew and the offerings of each brewery. I hope you all have enjoyed our posts and recommendations as we've tried some fine beer. Cheers.

Sly Fox Brewing Co: Odyssey Imperial IPA

I made my trek to Tria, the local beer and wine bar, tonight to sample their weekly featured brew. What they had on tap was a local imperial IPA. It being a cold winter night (snow is on the ground), a strong beer was exactly what the doctor ordered.

Odyssey is one of the IPAs that feature a distinctive "piney" taste to them. This taste compliments the extreme hoppiness of an IPA quite nicely. What sets Odyssey apart is that--unlike many IPAs--it doesn't write off the malt flavors entirely. There's an almost sugary malt sweetness that comes through in this beer, and while sugar isn't generally a flavor you'd like to see in a beer, in this case it works out quite nicely. There is also a faint citrusy taste at play in here somewhere, and as you'd expect, the taste of alcohol is also present (though not too strongly).

It seems that in most cases, IPA brewers ignore the malt aspects of their beer entirely to focus on pleasing their hophead constituency. But for those of us that are not extreme hopheads, having a secondary flavor to balance out the hops works out great. But IPA devotees shouldn't worry about this--this is an Imperial IPA through and through, with plenty of hops to go around. In sum, if you are into the India Pale Ale genre, this is definitely a brew worth seeking out.

Santa Cruz Ale Works: Pale Ale

I do love Czech pilsners, German lagers, and Belgium witbiers. But more than any authentic European creation, I relish the taste of almost all west coast style American ales.

With the general expansion of microbreweries in the US, it is easier and easier to grab local craft brews. Another relatively new brewery caught my attention: Santa Cruz Ale works. I noticed this brewery had the same "California Brewed" bottle caps as Marin Brewing Co and Moylan's Brewery and Restaurant. (see picture) Apparently any California brewery can get their hands on these bottle caps instead of placing their trademarked logo on the cap. I really like this idea. For those of us who prefer to shop locally it's nice to easily identify California breweries and know that these brewers are also proud of their golden state roots.

But besides the fact that shopping locally helps the environment, stimulates the regional economy, ect, ect it's just fun to sample local craft. And this site is about the beer. As for this pale ale it has really nice spoungy head which eventually dissipates leaving a great hoppy fruity aroma. Unfortunately the taste doesn't back up the smell. While nice and hoppy with a good citrus kick the body is quite thin. I was sorta surprised because all the nice hop flavors are there but it just feels a little watery in the mouth. But one benefit of this character is that it makes this ale very drinkable and thus there was no problem putting down a 22oz bomber.

So next time you are at the grocer or in your favorite local watering hole I encourage you to order a local beer; wherever that may be. You can stick to an old favorite or have fun sampling something new. You can't go wrong. Cheers.

Anchor Brewing Co.: Liberty Ale

The birthplace of liberty (my dear Philly) is not the birthplace of liberty ale. But they do sell Liberty Ale out here (at least at the pizza place down the street they do), so I figured I'd give it a review.

Liberty is a pale ale. But it's not nearly as citrusy as Sierra Nevada. There are some faint fruit notes, but the hops are the taste that come in boldly (and with a faintly earthy taste to them). There's a little bit of malty sweetness evident here when you get through the initial hop burst, but--true to the American pale style--they are pretty mild. Furthermore, the beer has a very light flavor, which means that the sweetness is pretty much gone in a flash. A bear hint of oranges (I think) lingers on the tongue, along with a substantial dose of hops hops hops.

What makes this beer pretty remarkable is that it can be so light bodied and yet so flavorfully satisfying at the same time. It's damn cold outside, and this is definitely a summery beer, but in retrospect I'm glad I didn't go for a stout. Sometimes a bold enough summer beer is exactly what a dreary winter night calls for.

Moylan's: White Christmas Spiced Lager

I reviewed a Christmas themed brew in November, so I see no reason why I can't continue with the holiday spirit into January. Moylan's Brewery taps into the season's festivities by evoking images of 'white Christmases'. This marketing strategy is kinda humorous because of my twenty four December 25ths in Marin County, I've never seen any snow.

Moving past the label, Moylan's tries to match the hearty foods of the winter holidays by releasing a spiced lager. Normally breweries create winter warmers or spiced ales to combat the cold months and rich foods of winter. I was excited to try something different.

This lager is not as spicy as you would expect. There definitely is an orange flavor at the start. And after the beer warmed up a little, malty tastes and peppery flavors begin to emerge. Finally there is an apple juice flavor. That all sounds like a lot, but most of these sensations were quite subdued. If served separate from the bottle, you might be able to convince a drinker that this beer was a traditional lager. That all being said, it's not a bad lager. The malt flavors are light and sweet. Despite the fact the spices were subtle, it's a pretty good beer. I don't know if I'd pair this lager with a Christmas ham on a cold December night, but I'd definitely drink it again. Cheers

Alaskan Brewing Co: Stout

Happy New Years to all beer drinkers out there. If you celebrated 2009 with some drinks I hope you are feeling refreshed and recovered. This past NYE, I somehow mixed in a variety of beverages including tequila and champagne: which I immediately regretted the next morning. Despite some poor alcohol choices, I did manage to enjoy a couple fine beers before the festivities spun out of control.

One of the beers I sampled was Alaskan's Oatmeal Stout. I had this beverage really early in the night (with dinner actually) and thus I was able to sneak in a photo and I can remember enough to give you a solid review.

The first point of note is that the head on this stout is very dark. A heavy tan color with hints of brown. The foam is an indicator of a rich flavor to come. The drink hits the pallate with a sharp coffee and dark chocolate bitterness. The mouthfeel smooths out with some dark malty flavors. Overall I was quite surprised as a lot of oatmeal stouts have a light sweetness and oat flavor. This oatmeal stout reminded me of a traditional or export stout more than the oaty cousin. Maybe that's the reason Alaskan Brew Co. puts 'oatmeal stout' in small letters at the bottom of the label and the singular word 'stout' covers the center of the trade dress. Despite my surprise, it's a pretty tasty stout. It wasn't too thick and I was able to enjoy a couple before moving on to some other less worthy drink choices. Definitely a fine way to prepare for the new year. Cheers.

Unibroue: Don de Dieu

Unibroue's next featured "strong" in the taster pack is Don de Dieu. It's a triple wheat, and very tart and fruity, with a hint of peach or fig. Despite its strong flavor, the aftertaste is quite clean.

We here at 801 on Tap love Belgians, and all thing Belgian-styled. While Unibroue has excellent variety and flavors, we've found many of them tend to blend together. Don't get me wrong, they're all fantastic beers, but they become hard to distinguish after a while: they're all unfiltered and strong flavored. Don de Dieu is flavorful and has a wonderful aroma. But it still feels like the rest of Unibroue's selection: strong and pleasing to the palate. But it remains undistinguishable.

I'm a big fan of Fin du Monde or Blanche de Chambly. But unfortunately Unibroue's other beers just haven't done it for me. As we delve deeper into the taster pack, we respect their efforts but don't stand apart from the rest.

Unibroue: Trois Pistole

The night of sampling continues...

Unibroue is generally regarded as a premier brewery. They focus exclusively on belgian style beers, which leads me sometimes to wonder if they are really all that great, or whether they are simply riding the wave of hype that has made Belgian beers so popular as of late. Maudite was only OK. I think Trois Pistole is a bit better, though overall it's nothing that'll blow your mind...

Unibroue classifies this one as a strong dark ale. As is typical with Belgian-style ales, the hops here are very muted. However, where hops are lacking, there are plenty of other flavors to come through. The main flavor here is a fruity sweet malt--blackberries or blueberries. The dark color would lead you to expect something particularly bold, but the flavor is actually pretty mild. Combined with a light mouthfeel and a lot of carbonation, this ends up making Trois Pistole a pretty mild beer.

If I were an expert connoisseur of Belgian beers, I could probably say more about this one. But, frankly, it's just too subtle for the vast majority of beer drinkers. So while this is a beer I definitely wouldn't turn down, it also isn't anything I'm going to get terribly excited about.

Unibroue: Maudite

Unibroue's taster pack features a variety of brews straight from Montreal. Commonly found in bodegas across the East Coast. Unibroue's red amber ale, Maudite, is described as spicy and hoppy, but we all found it to be fairly mild. It's smooth, easy to drink and strong, but we're were not quite in agreement with its hyperbolic label. Fin du Monde is a wonderful beer, but Maudite just doesn't have the grit or kick that the rest of Unibroue's selection features. Feel free to pass this one and drink the rest of their beers.

Reaper Ale: Mortality Stout

Rojas and I were looking for a new brew to try and to blog, and we found our attention drawn to a bomber with a picture of a skull and a raven, labeled a "Mortality Stout." We were quite surprised to find that such an ominous-looking bottle came from such an unassuming brewery in Davis, CA.

Images of Death notwithstanding, Reaper Ale is a fairly tame brew. It's a very malty stout, and the main malt flavors are a bit suggestive of either coca-cola or maybe caramel of some sort. The hops are noticeable from the start, but definitely are not the main flavors of this beer. The flavor also has a pronounced smokiness to it, which tempers the sweetness a little bit.

The beer is medium-bodied, which means that it doesn't have that coat-the-tongue sensation that accompanies a lot of stouts. It finishes rather clean, which means that the sweetness manages to come through rather strongly without being overpowering. It's certainly a drinkable and respectable stout, though I don't think it'll crack my top 10.

*CORRECTION: This beer appears under the label of "Reaper Ale," while the company that actually does the brewing is Sudwerk. This contract arrangement explains why this beer does not appear in the style of Sudwerk's own brews. It is, however, currently brewed in Davis.

Mendocino Brewing Co: Winter Seasonal Imperial IPA

I have to say, I love the new trend of breweries making IPAs as their winter releases. While dark and malty winter warmers are a nice change of pace for the cold months, as a hop head, I always enjoy a great IPA. No matter the season.

Mendocino Brewing Company is a solid brewery that makes a great red ale. Hofer, the other main contributor to this blog, hooked me on this brewery's flagship Red Tail Ale many years ago. As a result I always give their seasonal releases a shot.

In the winter months MBC brews a strong IPA. As an imperial ale this brew tops out at 7.5% alcohol by volume. Thus this beer functions just like any other winter warmer in the fact it heats up any cold December night. As for the taste: there is a quick hop hit to the pallate with a touch of a boozy aftertaste. In addition, there is also an orange citrus flavor floating around which compliments a light sweet malt flavor to top everything off.

Overall it's not as hoppy as expected. Especially because 'Imperial IPA' is printed in ginormous letters on the front of the bottle. But a good beer and a welcomed imperial IPA to add the rotation in the winter. Cheers.

Full Sail Brewing Co: Wassail

I just finished up some holiday shopping and now it's time for another beer break. Full Sail's Wassail is a great way to ease any pain caused by December shopping anxiety. This brew is also an apt beverage to drink this time of year as the brewery has incorporated some clever Christmas puns on the label and bottle cap (I'll let you enjoy for yourself if you decide to pick up the beer). The term Wassail itself is a form of 'Christmas punch' and I see no reason why this winter warmer cannot be included into that genre.

Wassail is a deep reddish brown color and its got a strong flavor to match the dark hue. The brew is so malty and it feels like drinking layers and layers of different types of malts stacked one on top of the other. It's pretty tasty and an unique take on the winter warmer style of beer. There is a touch of hop bitterness at the end, but do not be mistaken this is a malty brew. The malt flavors range from chocolate to syrup to coffee and they are everywhere. It's a pretty hearty beer, but that is to be expected anytime you pick up a 7% winter warmer. The flavors linger on the tongue for quite a while after each sip and in a way the beer itself is sorta reminding you of the taste and begging you to take another sip. Maybe I'll grab another Wassail, and extend my break before wrapping gifts. Cheers.

New Belgium Brewing: Trippel Belgian Style Ale

My local co-op allows customers to pull individual beers out of six packs and pay for that single bottle at roughly 1/6th the price of the whole carrier. It's a convenient policy for beer drinkers that want to sample a beer before investing in six identical bottles of the same brew.

As you may know from my other posts, I have have an affinity for American style beers. Despite this gravitation, I do appreciate a good brew made or modeled after a traditional European style. As a result, in my most recent visit to the store, I included a single New Belgium's Tippel into my cart.

This Belgian tripple has three ladies, three arches, and triple fermentation all encapsulated in one beer. After cracking open the bottle and pouring firmly into the glass, the Tripple exhibits an incredibly powerful aroma and wafts out fruit flavors of apple and banana. It will definitely remind you of a Belgian Ale. The taste is not nearly as potent as the smell and mainly has the flavor of Belgium yeast. There is very little hop or malt sensations and the beer possesses more of a creamy-fruity-yeasty combination than anything else. If the let the beer sit on your pallate your tongue will begin to sting as this tripple weighs in at 7.8% by volume. Despite this massive punch from the booze, the beer flavors hides the alcohol beautifully.

Overall this tripple is an accurate recreation of the Belgian style. So feel free to sample and enjoy one yourself in the future. Or if you really enjoy Belgian Ales, don't hesitate to grab the whole six pack. Because now I kinda wish I had another to drink. Cheers.

Yards Brewing Co.: Brawler

And exactly one week behind schedule, here is your fifth beer from a new brewery.

Yards is about as local as I can get. They are the first brewery I've reviewed that are actually located within the city limits of Philadelphia. As such, their brews are easy to find locally, but I'm not sure that they have much of a reputation outside the region.

I grabbed their Brawler, a "pugilist style ale" purely out of curiosity. As the label reveals, the name and invented genre of this beer signify that you can "go a few rounds" with it--i.e., it has a low-ish ABV (4.2%). But as anyone with a little international drinking experience knows, beers under 5% are not all that uncommon outside the United States.

In fact, Brawler is very closely akin to a true English bitter. It's very dry and mild. The malts and the hops are very well balanced. The principal difference from a true bitter is that it is more carbonated than anything you'd find on the other side of the pond. However, the increased carbonation appears to work well. While this brew isn't particularly exciting or unique, it is very well put together and enjoyable to drink. And that's what counts for high marks, in my book at least.

Alaskan Brewing Co: Amber Alt Style Beer

This may be the first beer I ever drank. While I don't have a specific memory of my first experience with beer (tragic I know), Alaskan Amber Alt Style Beer was always in my house growing up. Now the label and bottle cap have changed from a yellowy-orange to a bright red, but it's still the same beer that I remember from the refrigerator in my family's garage.

While the word 'amber' is prominently displayed on the bottom of the label, make sure to read the fine print as this is not an American style amber ale. Rather it's an altbier of German origin.

This alt style beer reminds me more of a subtle bock than anything else. The brew has basically no hop bitterness or bite at all. The hops are basically undetectable. The aftertaste has the German bock flavor with a faint sweet malty taste right at the very end. Add in a thin body and it's a very drinkable beer with not a ton kick. It's easy to enjoy a couple in a row but don't expect anything to overwhelm your taste buds.

While it's fun to think of a younger version of myself sneaking a few Alaskan Ambers from the family fridge, today I rarely commemorate the experience with the actual altbier. Generally I prefer Alaskan Brewing Company's other brews. Cheers.

Brewery Ommegang: Three Philosophers Belgian Style Blend

First off: apology, I missed my promise to review five new breweries in five weeks. We're now in week six, and this is only brewery number four. But better late than never.

I've been a bit hostile towards Belgian style beers recently. I had the impression that a lot of the hype surrounding these brews was just that: hype. I still generally think that a lot of the attention that Belgian brews have been receiving is over-the-top, but I can say that I have found one that is deserving of praise (and a spot in your fridge). And I swear it has nothing to do with the name.

Three philosophers is a quadrupel. Traditionally, tripel is the strongest of the Belgian beers, so a quadrupel must think it is something truly mind-blowing. While 9.8% ABV is quite strong, it's not any more alcoholic than your standard high ABV beers. But I will give Ommegang this: they manage to mask the alcohol taste entirely. Yup. entirely.

But that's not really the beer's chief merit. Where it really wins is on taste. The taste here is complex, balanced, satisfying and yet somehow very drinkable. There is a dark maltiness that is faintly earthy, accented by hints of cherries (there are actually cherries in this beer). This beer strikes me as having faintly more in the way of hops than most Belgian ales, which along with the carbonation level gives the beer a fresh and crisp finish.

Cherry beers tend to get a bad rap. Usually, that bad rap is deserved. But here, Ommegang has managed to use the cherry hints in a way that is actually constructive to the beer's taste. Belgians have a very earthy flavor to them, and the cherry flavors do a lot to keep that flavor from lingering on the tongue. The result is that you don't gradually get sick of this beer as you work your way through it (a problem I've noticed with several Belgians). But, apparently aware that it is very easy to overdo the whole cherry thing, the brewers only used the flavor sparingly.

In sum, this is a beer that gives you an idea why Belgian-style brews have attracted so much attention. I recommend it without hesitation.

Redhook Ale Brewery: ESB

It's the day after thanksgiving which means I'm consuming leftovers. I've been eating turkey sandwiches and stuffing all day. And it's all still pretty good. I also took home the leftover beer so it's time wash down the remaining portions of yesterday's feast. Having celebrated 10+ years of thanksgiving in Washington state I've had my share of Northwest brews during the holiday season. Even though we celebrated further south this year, I think my family picked up some Pyramid and Redhook out of habit. And I can't complain, as I love WA beer.

Redhook ESB is a widely available bitter. It's changed it's label twice since I moved out of Washington but it's still pretty easy to locate on the shelf. You won't find many breweries that have an ESB as their flagship, but that's because it's difficult to make a fine brew in this style. Since I've had some bad experiences with other breweries' attempts to create an 'extra special bitter' it's time to give this 'original ale' some praise.

For being a bitter style beer, this ale is smoother than you might expect. The only bitter aftertaste you'll receive is a touch of leafy hop flavor on the back of your pallate. The beer is just bitter enough to live up to its style but calm enough to enjoy leisurely. It's a wonderful mellow beer that's also not too thick or too watery. The initial sips have soft malt flavors floating around but nothing too dark that you find in a brown ale. As mentioned a staple of mine.

If you watched Washington's once prominent Seattle Seahawks football team get destroyed on national television yesterday you might feel bad for Washingtonians. But don't feel too bad, because there is plenty of good beer to drown tasty food and bad memories. Cheers.

Lagunitas Brewing Co: Censored Rich Copper Ale

My wandering eye noticed on a friend's computer that he had an email in his inbox from Lagunitas Brewing Company. I thought this to be strange and after I inquired into the matter we struck up a conversation about the the email and the brewery in general. To summarize, apparently Lagunitas is pretty good about responding to questions and comments about its beer if you contact them. All this talk about a cool local company made me realize I had not reviewed on of their beers in a while. So here goes.

This Lagunitas offering is entitled 'Lagunitas Censored Rich Copper Ale'. It might be one the most misleading of beer titles out on the market. First the six pack literature indicates that the Lagunitas marketing team named this beer after its copper color and nothing else. Apparently they invented the 'rich copper ale' tag. On further tasting, it's pretty clear the brew resembles an amber ale. In addition to the style confusion, the real name for this beer appears to be covered by the 'censored' label graphically stamped over the title. (see picture) After a quick scan on the Internet, there seems to be a consensus that the original name was "The Kronic" (and that could fit the outline of a couple letters that are visible behind the stamp). I'm not sure if this censoring was an intentional marketing technique or mandated by the Alcohol Beverage Commission. But either way that's the name of this brew.

As for the product itself, it does have a coppery hue with an orangey - yellowly lining. So I'll agree with them there. The smell is surprisingly more like a Belgian ale than an American ale but the taste is pretty standard for an American Amber. There are a lot of caramel malt flavors and a hint of a hop backbone. Hops come through more as the beer warms. The malt flavor lingers and provides a sweet aftertaste. The beer is also rather crisp and is quite drinkable despite the fact it is an ale. As I generally am a fan of ambers, I could easily put this in my regular rotation.

While the taste I can figure out, the name will leave you guessing. Since, I've heard that Lagunitas responds to emails I might just inquire into the reason for the strange name. If I do, I'll be sure to let you all know. Cheers.

Update on 5/22/09: I haven't emailed Lagunitas yet. But I do have proof. At my favorite beer bar in San Francisco (Toronado), I found an old Lagunitas tap bearing the true name. While I didn't have my camera on me, I wanted some evidence, and my cell has a decent photo option, so if you don't believe me click on the photo.

Stoudts Fat Dog: Imperial Oatmeal Stout

Only a couple hours left in the week, so I better make good on my promise to review a new beer from a new brewery every week for the last five weeks of class. Week 3: Stoudts Fat Dog Oatmeal Stout. Stoudts is a Pennsylvania brewery, and a well-known one at that, so I've been a bit remiss ignoring them up to this point. I figured I'd give them a fair shake on their first review by choosing a variety of beer that I generally enjoy.

This ale is quite unique. Lots of different flavors going on. It's got a peculiar sweetness to it that is a bit like cola or licorice, though there's also some smoky coffee notes and a dry finish that hints of a red wine. Mouthfeel is about par for the course so far as stouts go--it's fairly thick but not milk-stout thick. It finishes with a dry hoppiness that manages to take the edge off the sweetness, though in the end it's still a little sweeter than I'd like.

Nevertheless I have to give credit to Stoudts for packing so many different flavors into a single brew and making them all work together pretty well. For an imperial, this one goes down pretty smooth too--there's just a hint of the alcohol in the aftertaste. All in all, a respectable stout, but certainly not on the order of Barney Flats or Bell's Double Cream.

Samuel Smith Old Brewery: Oatmeal Stout

As promised in my last Samuel Smith review, I wrote that I would buy, consume, and post on Samuel Smith Old Brewery Oatmeal Stout. If you just clicked on that prior post, you may notice my varying use of this brewery's name. To tell you the truth I'm quite confused. On the pale ale I purchased, the label states "Samuel Smith's Old Brewery Pale Ale. However, this beer label reads Samuel Smith Old Brewery Oatmeal Stout. I don't know what happened to the apostrophe 's' but it disappeared somewhere. If you don't believe examine the pictures.

That all being said I'm pretty sure these beers all are produced from the same brewery. A brewery in Tadcaster, Yorkshire, England. A very very old brewery in Tadcaster, Yorkshire, England. Apparently Samuel Smith uses 200 year old yeast strains for its beers and ancient brewing techniques; specifically the Yorkshire Square.

As a result, Samuel Smith's brews have unique flavors you just can't find anyone else. If there is any continuity between the two beers I reviewed that might be attributed to the old brewing methods it could be a noticeable sweetness. I thought the pale ale had very sweet toffee flavors and this beer has some syrupy sweetness to it. For being a stout, the beer's sweet aftertaste was a little surprising. The sweetness reminds me of a little of coke or pepsi. That may sound gross, but it works. The sugar sensation is not overpowering at all and rounds out a pretty hearty initial mouthfeel. Besides the sweet, the stout smells like oats which isn't surprising, as it is an oatmeal stout, and the malt flavors finally start to emerge as the beer warms a little. Combined with the sweetness it's pretty good.

So I followed through on my promise to review this beer. And while I can't promise it, I'm very confident that this very old brewery will produce a brew that any beer drinker will enjoy. Cheers.

Anderson Valley Brewing Co: High Rollers Wheat

While it's getting dark very early and most of the leaves are changing colors and falling off the trees, it's still hot out here. I don't know why, but as long as this weather keeps up I need to cool down. I was in wine country over the weekend and it was a toasty 77 degrees. One of my favorite ways to regulate my body temperature is to have a nice cold class of beer. Yes, even in wine country. So I picked up a sixer of Anderson Valley's High Rollers wheat. Most of Anderson's offerings are quite good so I'd decided to give this beer a chance to cool me down.

On first look the beer is very clear with almost no head. It's not like many cloudy pale wheats you'll find on the market. I think AVBC went with a clear wheat ale because they are trying to make a very refreshing beer. Just what I needed.

The bottle label recommends adding a lemon wedge to this brew to enhance the taste. I wouldn't recommend that addition at all, because the beer already has a pronounced lemon citrus flavor. It tastes as if it is brewed with a splash of lemon. The aftertaste is very buttery with a pale wheat finish. Therefore despite this beer's lemony flavor, the extended taste of the body will remind you that this isn't a Belgian witbier. It's not sharp and no coriander flavors are present. AVBC doesn't make a witbier so there should be no problem of confusing this beer with any other of Anderson's offerings. I'm still working my way through all this brewery's brews and most have been quite good. This one is not as complex as some of their heartier ales, but for what it is, it works. Therefore, I think this is a beer that most people, regardless their personal palate, can enjoy.

So while most beer and grocery stores are promoting every type of winter warmer and other cold weather beers, unless it gets cold out west, I'll continue to mix in an occasional wheat beer. And probably share it with others. Stay cool. Cheers.

Rogue: Santa's Private Reserve Ale

It's been a while since I reviewed a Rogue, so I figured I was due for another review. Inspired by Mattie's Anchor review and in the mood for something a little spicy, I decided to go for their Christmas Ale.

While this beer advertises itself as roasty and malty, it's the centennial hops that really comes through. That, and a unique spruce-pine flavor. I suppose Santa likes his beer to taste vaguely like Christmas trees. However it isn't as though the malts are entirely absent. In fact, they contrast with the hops quite nicely. But you have to have a taste for that earthy centennial hop flavor to really enjoy this one of Rogue's offerings.

Perhaps surprisingly, this one is pretty drinkable for being a winter warmer. It's got a very light mouthfeel and is pretty well carbonated. I guess that means this might not be a brew to reach for if you are really looking for something thick and satisfying. Overall, however, not a bad offering.

Steel Reserve 211: High Gravity Malt Liquor

Weighing in at an impressive 8.1% ABV, Steel Reserve, or "211" as it is affectionately referred to by 40 enthusiasts (i.e. scary gangster alcoholic types or retired web entrepreneur types), is the preeminent choice for those looking to get piss-ass drunk without breaking the bank. For a meager $2, you receive approximately as much alcohol as would be found in a six-pack of "normal gravity" lager (usually between 4 and 5% ABV). As far as I'm concerned, drinking anything else is a waste of money... and stomach space.

In the taste department, Steel Reserve neither fails to meet nor does it exceed expectations. Its taste closely mirrors that of a Budweiser with a shot of hard liquor poured into it. A word of advice: the colder it is, the better, because the coldness overwhelms your taste buds and shields them from the full onslaught of which this brew is capable of delivering. When it comes to 211, the mantra is "drink it cold and drink it fast."

Now a true aficionado might scoff at the notion, but I would argue that a "Steeley" is greatly enhanced by the addition of a cup and a half (in layman's terms, from the neck of the bottle to the "top of the label") of orange juice, thereby creating what is commonly referred to by any number of white-boy rap groups as a "brass monkey". The synergy between orange juice and what is otherwise considered to be a harsh lager creates an unexpectedly delicious beverage. I am not a chemist, so I can't explain exactly what is going on at the molecular level, but it seems highly probable, nay, almost certain that the combination of these two liquids yields a third, completely different compound with shocking "drinkability" (sorry Bud Light, I used your made-up word). The emergent greatness is very similar to a mimosa, except instead of being served in a fancy champagne flute alongside Eggs Benedict, it comes in the unmistakable, cone-topped 40-ounce malt liquor bottle and is best accompanied by chips and salsa or some other such drinking food.

I won't lie to you--this isn't the classiest of beers. But even its detractors have a hard time arguing that, for your money, it's not one of the best ways to get drunk quickly. Two of these bad boys will almost certainly guarantee that even the burliest of drinkers forgets the remainder of the night. And, let's face it, after the first few beers, anything tastes good. So next time you're standing in front of the beer fridges and asking yourself "lager or ale?", "pilsner or hef?", "import or domestic?"... just take a few paces to your right and look down on the bottom shelf (or at my home 7-11, the floor of the fridge). For less than the price of a six pack of some fancy-pants microbrew, you could be enjoying not one but two 40-ounce bottles of "exceptionally smooth" (in the brewer's own words) Steel Reserve High Gravity Malt Liquor.

Oh, and unless you like the taste of ram's piss, don't forget a quart of OJ.

Anchor Brewing Co: Christmas Ale 2008

Merry Christmas beer drinkers! Wait, it's not Christmas. It's not even Thanksgiving. Well it doesn't matter as Anchor Brewing Co. releases it's Christmas Ale (a.ka. "Our Special Ale") in November. It's a new year, there's a new tree on the bottle, and we have a new beer.

You may remember that I drank a magnum of the 2007 ale in January of this year.

Also remember that each year Anchor changes the recipe of this winter warmer to spice things up. Not surprisingly the taste is similar. However there are a few noticeable changes.

First, this beer it a lot lighter in color. While the lighting in the picture does not quite pick it up, the beer is almost a bright red with a dark center. (click on picture: see bottom of the glass. Sorry, I'm not a photographer). Last year's brew was a lot darker. Also there is a thinner mouthfeel, more of a citrus taste, and a very very bitter coffee aftertaste. While the citrus and coffee flavors were present in '07 I feel they have been ramped up in '08.

You really can't go wrong with this beer no matter how much they tinker with it. Always enjoyable. May your upcoming holidays be warm and filled with beer. Cheers.

Magic Hat Brewing Co.: #9

This post has been a long-time coming. Magic Hat is a Vermont brewery whose brews are available up and down the east coast. Their flagship, #9, was one of the first new brews I had when I got out here two years ago. It's also been one of my enduring favorites, but since I have yet to review it, or any other Magic Hat beer, it's new to the rest of you.

This brew advertises itself as a "not quite pale ale." That's a fair description--take a typical pale ale, and then back off the hops and the malts a bit (yes, it's even less malty than a pale), and that's where you start. But you take this somewhat bland base and then add a heavy dose of crisp sweet citrus. However, the sweetness is heavily tempered by a very dry finish, a very light mouthfeel, and a substantial dose of carbonation. In sum, it's kind of like a copper ale, but a bit lighter and bubblier, and even more drinkable.

While this isn't a particularly complicated or subtle brew, it's also a beer that I don't think I'll ever get tired of. It's consistently refreshing and always seems to fit the occaision. To those of you living out west, this is one you have to try if you ever visit the other, colder coast.

New Holland Brewing Co.: Red Tulip Ale

I've been dormant for a while. I'll see if I can remedy that in the coming couple of weeks. My goal will be to review not only a new brew, but a new brewery every week from here until the end of classes. (No promises regarding duplication if I post more than once per week.) I'll start off with the New Holland Brewery: specifically, their Red Tulip Ale.

I'm not quite sure where the name Red Tulip comes from. The reference to the tulip could be nothing more than an allusion to the tulip craze that seized Holland in the seventeenth century. I'm not sure about the "red" part--while this might technically be a red ale (it does have a reddish hue), the predominant taste here is toasty carmelly malts, which is more typical of a brown ale. This is a thoroughly drinkable amber ale (of which red ales are usually considered a sub-group), which--probably to New Holland's detriment--means that it is strangely evocative of Budweiser's new American Ale. Except, unfortunately, this one has even less hops than its megabrew counterpart. It makes up for that lack a little bit by bringing out the malt taste a bit stronger. However, all in all, it's a disappointingly bland beer.

This beer's chief redeeming factor is its drinkability. It may be the only carmel-malty ale that stands no chance of filling you up. But that's hardly enough to warrant craft brew pricing. Good effort, New Holland, but you'll have to try again.

Russian River Brewing Co: Blind Pig IPA

If you are familiar with Northern California you probably know that the city of Santa Rosa is the most populated location in wine country. As a result, if you visit Santa Rosa, you'll fine a bunch of good wineries to visit and plenty of people to talk about fermented grapes. Also nestled in the city of Santa Rosa is Russian River Brewing Company. This brewery owes its heritage to the viticulture tradition in region. Korbel, the champagne producer, originally started this brewery and began implamenting some of its wine and bubbly making techniques to beer. Thus Russian River Brewing Co is one of the few breweries that ages a majority of its beers in wine barrels. The brewery tries to match the barrels with certain styles of beer to augment the flavors and enhance the taste. For example the brewery matches Chardonnay barrels with Blonde Ales and pinot noir barrels with Brown ales. While this style of brewing is different and relatively new, most of RRBC's beers are quite tasty and worth a try.

If aged beer is not your thing, Russian River Brewing Company has a couple traditional beers that are definitely worth trying. My favorite is the Blind Pig IPA. So as not to get confused with their other offerings, Russian River prints on this bottle "Keep Cold, Drink Fresh, Do Not Age!" And that's what I did. This is a hoppy IPA that has piney, citrusy, and woody flavored hops. The hops are definitely the most prominent flavors (very strong) but there is a touch of malt lingering in the background to round out the beer.

This beer is difficult to get a hold of. RRBC is a relatively small operation and it's beer can be difficult to find. If you search BevMo or other liquor stores' websites for the term 'Russian River' you'll see that the engine brings up more wine hits than beer hits. But if you are persistent you can find Blind Pig or other offerings at a variety of NorCal locations on tap or in bottles. (City Beer, Toronado, Jackson's Wine and Spirits to name a few).

If located, Russian River beers might be a great way to cross over wine drinkers to the wonderful tastes of hops and malted barley. For those that don't care how long a beer is aged, what flavors mix well, and what temperature to store beer - you'll still enjoy this beer. It tastes good. I promise. Cheers.