This week's Wait wait... Don't Tell Me! featured Randy Sprecher of Sprecher Brewery outside of Milwaukee. I am generally amused by this snarky radio game show, but now I want to visit Milwaukee!
Not My Job with Randy Sprecher
Wait Wait... Don't Tell Me! from November 17
In other news, the pumpkin ale that Mike and I made in October apparently came out well. I have been sick for the past week, so it tasted pretty awful to me, but those who tried it have had positive reviews so far. Looking forward to tasting it myself when my mouth doesn't taste like bronchitis, and hopefully enjoying a few with friends this holiday season.
Showing posts with label pumpkin beer. Show all posts
Showing posts with label pumpkin beer. Show all posts
Monday, November 26, 2012
Thursday, November 8, 2012
Pumpkin Beers Part III
Celebrating New Jersey-- River Horse's Hipp-o-latern: I split one of these with my cousin Jon when he and Janet so graciously hosted my charge and me earlier this week. This was pretty sweet, but if it was less sweet, would have been perfect. You can taste pumpkin! The spices are strong and good! Despite being sweeter than I'd like, I really enjoyed it. Clean finish so it wasn't weirdly sweet or leaving an awful aftertaste, very smooth to drink. I would probably actually get more of this if entertaining people who like pumpkin beers.
Monday, October 29, 2012
The Definitive Guide to Pumpkin Beers, Part II
This post is a little more relevant, since I tried this within the past month and have all of my notes!
Before Mike came to spend his two week break in New Jersey, he was lamenting about missing out on fall-- apple cider, changing leaves, and of course, pumpkin stuff. I responded by acquiring a mixed six pack of just pumpkin beers to sample while he was home from Arizona.
Saranac: This was kind of how I expect Saranac beers to be-- pretty good, but not incredible. Accessible but not earth shattering. This was a pumpkin ale for sure, but neither the pumpkin nor the spices were particularly strong (nor was the ale in general). This one might be good for people who want to be festive but who don't care to commit to drinking pumpkin pie all night.
Weyerbacher's Imperial Pumpkin Ale: Upon trying this again (it was already on the list!), I decided I don't really care for this. My notes read, "No thanks. Sweet and weird."
Blue Point: I chose this one because I liked their Toasted Lager. Mike's assessment was that it was dry. I found it to just not have much going on. I just didn't taste much, it's very mild.
Buffalo Bill's: a little sweet, but pretty good
Smuttynose: spiced well, better than Weyerbacher but not as good as Wolaver
Shipyard Pumpkinhead: This one remained consistent from whenever I first added it to my list! Very sweet, but great spices. This is good, but I couldn't do too many of them.
Post Road: I didn't know this was Brooklyn Brewery until I looked it up just now, but that explains a lot! This was a fine beer. GOOD. You can taste the pumpkin and spice, but it's not really sweet.
Wolaver's: I bought this one because I loved the oatmeal stout they make, and I'm not opposed to organic products (in this case, the organic label for Otter Creek). I was not disappointed. This is pretty much my ideal pumpkin beer, more resembling vegetable pumpkin than dessert pumpkin. Awesome.
We are all safe and sound here in Ocean County, NJ, having lost and regained power. It's been flickering but I thought I'd finish this post before we lose it again, which we think we might. We have a lot of branches down, high winds, and water is pooling anywhere it can, but overall, we're doing just fine. My baby brother has joined us from the barrier island, which I'm really happy about, and brought with him two packs of pumpkin beer, which I'm also totally ok with, so I suppose there will be more posts in this series yet!
Before Mike came to spend his two week break in New Jersey, he was lamenting about missing out on fall-- apple cider, changing leaves, and of course, pumpkin stuff. I responded by acquiring a mixed six pack of just pumpkin beers to sample while he was home from Arizona.
Saranac: This was kind of how I expect Saranac beers to be-- pretty good, but not incredible. Accessible but not earth shattering. This was a pumpkin ale for sure, but neither the pumpkin nor the spices were particularly strong (nor was the ale in general). This one might be good for people who want to be festive but who don't care to commit to drinking pumpkin pie all night.
Weyerbacher's Imperial Pumpkin Ale: Upon trying this again (it was already on the list!), I decided I don't really care for this. My notes read, "No thanks. Sweet and weird."
Blue Point: I chose this one because I liked their Toasted Lager. Mike's assessment was that it was dry. I found it to just not have much going on. I just didn't taste much, it's very mild.
Buffalo Bill's: a little sweet, but pretty good
Smuttynose: spiced well, better than Weyerbacher but not as good as Wolaver
Shipyard Pumpkinhead: This one remained consistent from whenever I first added it to my list! Very sweet, but great spices. This is good, but I couldn't do too many of them.
Post Road: I didn't know this was Brooklyn Brewery until I looked it up just now, but that explains a lot! This was a fine beer. GOOD. You can taste the pumpkin and spice, but it's not really sweet.
Wolaver's: I bought this one because I loved the oatmeal stout they make, and I'm not opposed to organic products (in this case, the organic label for Otter Creek). I was not disappointed. This is pretty much my ideal pumpkin beer, more resembling vegetable pumpkin than dessert pumpkin. Awesome.
We are all safe and sound here in Ocean County, NJ, having lost and regained power. It's been flickering but I thought I'd finish this post before we lose it again, which we think we might. We have a lot of branches down, high winds, and water is pooling anywhere it can, but overall, we're doing just fine. My baby brother has joined us from the barrier island, which I'm really happy about, and brought with him two packs of pumpkin beer, which I'm also totally ok with, so I suppose there will be more posts in this series yet!
Sunday, October 28, 2012
The Definitive Guide to Pumpkin Beers, Part I/?
Fall CLEARLY means pumpkin! (Unless you are my older brother and his dog, who are disgusted and terrified of pumpkins, respectively.) I really do love pumpkin foods, and just recently started getting into slaughtering my own pumpkin, which has lead to more pumpkin lasagna and pumpkin ice cream.
I know a lot of people get excited about pumpkin lattes and muffins and pies and sweet things, but I prefer pumpkin as a vegetable rather than as a dessert (I do love pie, just not all the time!). Subsequently, I admit am kind of picky about my pumpkin beers.While most people enjoy sweeter, nicely spiced brews, I prefer mine to be milder (though still spiced). I have ridiculously high expectations for my pumpkin beers, and while I enjoy most, there are very few that I just simply LOVE.
This post will include all of the pumpkin beers in my database, although I admit it's been a few years and my tastes have changed. I'm just going to copy my reviews word for word from my list--
Dogfish Head Punkin Ale: as far as pumpkin beer goes, probably the winner
Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale: (This one had two entries by accident, that even show how my tastes have changed!) my favorite pumpkin ale/ too sweet
Mad Fox Punkinator: perfect awesome non-pie spicy but not sweet pumpkin ale (I can only assume I mean pie spiced but not pie sweet)
Michelob's Jack's Pumpkin Spice Ale: (I tried this one with my grandma!) the spices are nice but there are better pumpkin beers out there
Sam Adams: spice but no pumpkin
Starr Hill's Boxcar Pumpkin Porter: a nicely spiced porter
The Shipyard's Pumpkinhead Ale: DELICIOUS. But confuses my tastebuds, meaning, what on earth do I drink next?
The Shipyard's Smashed Pumpkin: "It's like a Belgian pumpkin ale!" -Gurzo
Triumph's Pumpkin Ale: very much like pumpkin pie but smooth and not too sweet
Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale: recommended by NoJo (Noah Joseph). Tastes like pie. Good spices but too sweet. Smooth, but not my favorite pumpkin.
Williamsburg Alewerks Pumpkin Ale: too pie like for me
It was interesting to read through these again. Ha. Yay fall! Part II coming soon of pumpkin beers that I've tried recently and have better notes on, and can give a more current and better seasoned (spiced?) opinion on.
Tuesday, November 15, 2011
Beer! (My creativity and motivation is kind of waning with my continued unemployment. Sorry.)
Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA: I waited patiently and searched thoroughly for this beer, and couldn't hunt one down anywhere. Taylor managed to get a couple, which we finally enjoyed this weekend. This beer is strong. Whoa. Like World Wide Stout strong. However, unlike Dogfish Head's World Wide Stout, this was not everything I hoped and dreamed a beer could be.
The hoppiness wasn't as bitter and refreshing as I'd anticipated, having tried both 60 Minute and 90 Minute. It was kind of floral tasting. While it was a very good beer and I'm glad to have finally tried it, I would definitely choose the 60 Minute over 120 Minute. The 60 is more stereotypically IPA-y, and it's just good. And way more available. I think this was worth a try but I don't need to hunt it down again.
Guinness Black Lager: Being home and unemployed, I'm usually here when Mom and Dad get home from work. Dad likes to watch Pardon the Interruption before dinner, which features an ad for this beer at every break. At least once. I think the ad is stupid, but we all know about my love for Guinness. And so, when Taylor was buying beer for the Friend Thanksgiving he accompanied me to this past weekend, and told me to pick, I saw this and picked it.
Taylor bet it was going to suck, but the verdict: it's actually pretty passable. Obviously NEVER going to take the place of the standard draught in my heart and belly, but it didn't suck. It was plain in the same way I find the stout to be plain-- pleasantly so. Interesting enough to be drinkable but plain enough to just enjoy but not be overwhelmingly preoccupied with. But still not even a close second to the original.
Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale: Friend Thanksgiving in Edison was awesome. I got to see all of my favorite Metuchenites and enjoy amazing food. There were so many vegetarians and friends of vegetarians present that for the first time in a very long time, I was absolutely sickeningly wonderfully stuffed. So so SO so good.
But yes, beer. Christy and Danni brought this wonderful brew and shared with me a glass of the prescribed amount for my records. I love pumpkin but generally have a hard time finding a pumpkin ale that tastes like vegetable rather than pie. This was good. Not too spiced but definitely flavorful, not too sweet but definitely pumpkiny. If you love fall at all and like pumpkin beer even a little, I'd recommend this one.
Soon I'll be starting a job in holiday retail purgatory, but hopefully the more structured schedule and occasional paychecks will allow me to continue trying interesting beers. Try anything good lately, Paul (or anyone else reading this)?
Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA: I waited patiently and searched thoroughly for this beer, and couldn't hunt one down anywhere. Taylor managed to get a couple, which we finally enjoyed this weekend. This beer is strong. Whoa. Like World Wide Stout strong. However, unlike Dogfish Head's World Wide Stout, this was not everything I hoped and dreamed a beer could be.
The hoppiness wasn't as bitter and refreshing as I'd anticipated, having tried both 60 Minute and 90 Minute. It was kind of floral tasting. While it was a very good beer and I'm glad to have finally tried it, I would definitely choose the 60 Minute over 120 Minute. The 60 is more stereotypically IPA-y, and it's just good. And way more available. I think this was worth a try but I don't need to hunt it down again.
Guinness Black Lager: Being home and unemployed, I'm usually here when Mom and Dad get home from work. Dad likes to watch Pardon the Interruption before dinner, which features an ad for this beer at every break. At least once. I think the ad is stupid, but we all know about my love for Guinness. And so, when Taylor was buying beer for the Friend Thanksgiving he accompanied me to this past weekend, and told me to pick, I saw this and picked it.
Taylor bet it was going to suck, but the verdict: it's actually pretty passable. Obviously NEVER going to take the place of the standard draught in my heart and belly, but it didn't suck. It was plain in the same way I find the stout to be plain-- pleasantly so. Interesting enough to be drinkable but plain enough to just enjoy but not be overwhelmingly preoccupied with. But still not even a close second to the original.
Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale: Friend Thanksgiving in Edison was awesome. I got to see all of my favorite Metuchenites and enjoy amazing food. There were so many vegetarians and friends of vegetarians present that for the first time in a very long time, I was absolutely sickeningly wonderfully stuffed. So so SO so good.
But yes, beer. Christy and Danni brought this wonderful brew and shared with me a glass of the prescribed amount for my records. I love pumpkin but generally have a hard time finding a pumpkin ale that tastes like vegetable rather than pie. This was good. Not too spiced but definitely flavorful, not too sweet but definitely pumpkiny. If you love fall at all and like pumpkin beer even a little, I'd recommend this one.
Soon I'll be starting a job in holiday retail purgatory, but hopefully the more structured schedule and occasional paychecks will allow me to continue trying interesting beers. Try anything good lately, Paul (or anyone else reading this)?
Friday, October 28, 2011
VArious
I'm hanging out with my big brother at home, routing for the National League and listening to him play with Siri on his new iPhone machine. His puppy is curled up on the couch next to me, the Cardinals are winning, ...
I was busy catching up with my brother and enjoying the game. Go National League!
So. I spent the last week in Virginia, welcoming home one friend from Peace Corps service and another from grad school in England. That plus camping plus a visit to the alma mater plus catching up with one of my favorite girls plus meeting up with Paul for the first time in a while plus my college roommate playing a show means I have a few new beers to report--
Sam Adams Rauchbier: part of the Sam Adams seasonal pack, this is incredibly underwhelming. I mean, the last time I tried a rauchbier, I wasn't thoroughly impressed either, but this just had nothing to it. Don't bother.
Starr Hill Dark Starr: While hanging out in Fredericksburg with some awesome former professors of mine, I of course tried this Virginia stout. There was some chocolate flavor, some coffee flavor, and lots and lots of awesome flavor. It was dark and dry and smooth and wonderful. I like stout, and it's always fun to drink local.
Port City Porter: Another one at Cap Ale with a crew of Mary Washington geographers. This is a good porter from a relatively new brewer in Alexandria, Virginia. I'd say they're off to a good start. You can't see through it and it's got some hints of chocolate happening. Awesome.
Six Point Righteous Ale: I had another Six Point brew recently that I found to be not so great, but this was good. My good friend Emily and I had gone out on Sunday night in search of the Cardinals game, as she is from St. Louis, and ended up in a place in Columbia Heights that she'd never been. They were out of the Brooklyn Brown I'd ordered so the server recommended this instead. It was nothing like Brooklyn Brown, rather, more hoppy but really clean and nice. I'm surprised to learn it involves rye, but not upset about it. Rye beer. Hoppy rye beer. Good hoppy rye beer.
51st State Amber Ale: This is a pretty not-exciting house beer, but was how I kicked off my first ever bar trivia night, in which a team of Mary Washington Geographers owned the rest of the crowd at 51st State. If you go to this place in D.C., it's a reasonable beer for its price, but there are most definitely more exciting things on the menu.
Starr Hill Boxcar Pumpkin Porter: Of course, an extended stay in the D.C. Metro Area is never complete without a DBF Staff Meeting. Bailey's, located in Ballston and Crystal City, has a $2 pint special on Tuesdays. This was the only new beer I tried there though. This was more spice than pumpkin, but if you like pumpkin pie esque beers and you like dark beers, this is a good combination. The spices are good but not overwhelming, with a really nice, smooth porter underneath. I usually see pumpkin ales, not specifically porters, so this was a really nice change to that particular fall beer.
Tallgrass Buffalo Sweat: Selected partially because of the ridiculous name and partially because it's a stout, this was way sweet. I mean, I liked it, but a pint seemed like a lot due to the sweetness. If you like milk stout, it's great, but if you're not into the very sweet stouts, steer clear.
New Belgium's Ranger IPA: Taylor ordered this, but I ended up finishing it. It's good. Very recommendable.
Hooray for good beer, good friends, JT and Boo getting home, and the National League (and the team that knocked out the Phillies) winning! It is past my bedtime...
I was busy catching up with my brother and enjoying the game. Go National League!
So. I spent the last week in Virginia, welcoming home one friend from Peace Corps service and another from grad school in England. That plus camping plus a visit to the alma mater plus catching up with one of my favorite girls plus meeting up with Paul for the first time in a while plus my college roommate playing a show means I have a few new beers to report--
Sam Adams Rauchbier: part of the Sam Adams seasonal pack, this is incredibly underwhelming. I mean, the last time I tried a rauchbier, I wasn't thoroughly impressed either, but this just had nothing to it. Don't bother.
Starr Hill Dark Starr: While hanging out in Fredericksburg with some awesome former professors of mine, I of course tried this Virginia stout. There was some chocolate flavor, some coffee flavor, and lots and lots of awesome flavor. It was dark and dry and smooth and wonderful. I like stout, and it's always fun to drink local.
Port City Porter: Another one at Cap Ale with a crew of Mary Washington geographers. This is a good porter from a relatively new brewer in Alexandria, Virginia. I'd say they're off to a good start. You can't see through it and it's got some hints of chocolate happening. Awesome.
Six Point Righteous Ale: I had another Six Point brew recently that I found to be not so great, but this was good. My good friend Emily and I had gone out on Sunday night in search of the Cardinals game, as she is from St. Louis, and ended up in a place in Columbia Heights that she'd never been. They were out of the Brooklyn Brown I'd ordered so the server recommended this instead. It was nothing like Brooklyn Brown, rather, more hoppy but really clean and nice. I'm surprised to learn it involves rye, but not upset about it. Rye beer. Hoppy rye beer. Good hoppy rye beer.
51st State Amber Ale: This is a pretty not-exciting house beer, but was how I kicked off my first ever bar trivia night, in which a team of Mary Washington Geographers owned the rest of the crowd at 51st State. If you go to this place in D.C., it's a reasonable beer for its price, but there are most definitely more exciting things on the menu.
Starr Hill Boxcar Pumpkin Porter: Of course, an extended stay in the D.C. Metro Area is never complete without a DBF Staff Meeting. Bailey's, located in Ballston and Crystal City, has a $2 pint special on Tuesdays. This was the only new beer I tried there though. This was more spice than pumpkin, but if you like pumpkin pie esque beers and you like dark beers, this is a good combination. The spices are good but not overwhelming, with a really nice, smooth porter underneath. I usually see pumpkin ales, not specifically porters, so this was a really nice change to that particular fall beer.
Tallgrass Buffalo Sweat: Selected partially because of the ridiculous name and partially because it's a stout, this was way sweet. I mean, I liked it, but a pint seemed like a lot due to the sweetness. If you like milk stout, it's great, but if you're not into the very sweet stouts, steer clear.
New Belgium's Ranger IPA: Taylor ordered this, but I ended up finishing it. It's good. Very recommendable.
Hooray for good beer, good friends, JT and Boo getting home, and the National League (and the team that knocked out the Phillies) winning! It is past my bedtime...
Tuesday, November 16, 2010
seals of approval
Paul summed up Mad Fox Brewing Company nicely, but I'll sum it up further: AWESOME. If you're in the area, it's worth a visit. Beer: awesome. French fries: awesome (especially the curry sauce they serve with them!). Also awesome, and to clarify one point of Paul's: yes, they make everything except the mayo and ice cream, but the ice cream is made from their beer. Our server brought us a sample of ice cream made with their porter. Oh my goodness amazing.
Right, on to the part where I tell you how I felt about the beers in more words than "awesome":
Oatmeal Stout: Probably my favorite brew of the evening. It was served on cask, which I don't think I've experienced before, but basically means smoother and less carbonated (which to me is a stellar thing). This was already a very smooth beer, not super overwhelming but definitely anything but wimpy. I approve.
Porter: This was good as a beer and also as an ice cream (I've mentioned before in this blog the merits of a beer float-- Mad Fox totally killed two birds with one stone for me here). A little sweeter but a similar weight and feel to the stout. Awesome.
Punkinator: This is the pumpkin beer I have been waiting for. It was smooth and had all of the spices I loved without being stupidly sweet. There was that nice vegetable flavor without being overwhelmed by that pie flavor that should really only be found in pies. Awesome.
Saison: While not as mind-bogglingly incredible as the Saison du BUFF I recently tried, this was still a very crisp, clean beer, lightweight and a little lemony. I enjoyed it quite a bit, though it seemed slightly out of season (in that those flavors align better with summer than autumn, the beer tasted plenty fresh).
Wee Heavy: While initially super impressed with how not see-through it was, I was a little disappointed with how sweet it was. It wasn't bad, just wasn't my favorite beer ever. Paul's right, this one is for dessert.
Alt beer: You know, this one was a little disappointing. I had forgotten I tried it until Paul mentioned that we each tried six-- Taylor actually ordered this one but wasn't crazy about it either, so we shared it (thus surpassing the 4 oz requirement). It was just... boring. Forgettable. Not bad, I guess, just not awesome.
I was actually in Virginia for a wedding this past weekend, but as per usual, ventured out and visited as many people in the area as I could pack into one short weekend. I was going to do a separate post to review the rest of the new brews I tried, but then I realized there were only three, so I'll just tack 'em on here:
Bell's Best Brown Ale: This was quite good. Very smooth and a great example of what a malty beer should taste like. Enjoyed on a friend's back porch area on a cool fall day-- excellent.
Natty Bo: I tried this because a friend had bought a twelve pack and Taylor asked if I'd had it before, to which I had to answer... no. We all know I'm not crazy about light beers, but I can tolerate some (see here or here). However, this was dreadful. Ugh. Sorry Luke, thank you for the beer, but more for you, man.
Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout: Whoa. Whoa. Well done, Founders. This was incredible. I think this puts a three way tie for first place for stouts in my life, alongside Dogfish Head's Bitches Brew and World Wide Stout. This beer was really, really, really strong, super dark, incredible. I could taste a hint of maple, not in a sweet offensive way, but nicely balanced with some other strong stouty flavors (chocolate and coffee). I had first learned of this beer in an article that the now infamous Taylor had sent to me, and then he found a bar in D.C. that served it. I approve (of both the beer and the boy who brought me to it).
Other seals of approval given: to Mad Fox, of Taylor by Paul, and of Paul's intention to finally regain the lead-- come on, I have a thesis to finish.
Colleen: 328
Paul: 306
Wait, PS: Upon returning to New Jersey on Monday, I did meet the usual suspects for a short while, where I ended up having New Jersey Brewing Co's Hudson Pale Ale because I love and had just returned to NJ. Gurzo really liked it, but I found it to be extremely mediocre. It was clean tasting and fine, but not super memorable. We have discussed lately though that sometimes that's ok. So I'm actually at 329.
Right, on to the part where I tell you how I felt about the beers in more words than "awesome":
Oatmeal Stout: Probably my favorite brew of the evening. It was served on cask, which I don't think I've experienced before, but basically means smoother and less carbonated (which to me is a stellar thing). This was already a very smooth beer, not super overwhelming but definitely anything but wimpy. I approve.
Porter: This was good as a beer and also as an ice cream (I've mentioned before in this blog the merits of a beer float-- Mad Fox totally killed two birds with one stone for me here). A little sweeter but a similar weight and feel to the stout. Awesome.
Punkinator: This is the pumpkin beer I have been waiting for. It was smooth and had all of the spices I loved without being stupidly sweet. There was that nice vegetable flavor without being overwhelmed by that pie flavor that should really only be found in pies. Awesome.
Saison: While not as mind-bogglingly incredible as the Saison du BUFF I recently tried, this was still a very crisp, clean beer, lightweight and a little lemony. I enjoyed it quite a bit, though it seemed slightly out of season (in that those flavors align better with summer than autumn, the beer tasted plenty fresh).
Wee Heavy: While initially super impressed with how not see-through it was, I was a little disappointed with how sweet it was. It wasn't bad, just wasn't my favorite beer ever. Paul's right, this one is for dessert.
Alt beer: You know, this one was a little disappointing. I had forgotten I tried it until Paul mentioned that we each tried six-- Taylor actually ordered this one but wasn't crazy about it either, so we shared it (thus surpassing the 4 oz requirement). It was just... boring. Forgettable. Not bad, I guess, just not awesome.
I was actually in Virginia for a wedding this past weekend, but as per usual, ventured out and visited as many people in the area as I could pack into one short weekend. I was going to do a separate post to review the rest of the new brews I tried, but then I realized there were only three, so I'll just tack 'em on here:
Bell's Best Brown Ale: This was quite good. Very smooth and a great example of what a malty beer should taste like. Enjoyed on a friend's back porch area on a cool fall day-- excellent.
Natty Bo: I tried this because a friend had bought a twelve pack and Taylor asked if I'd had it before, to which I had to answer... no. We all know I'm not crazy about light beers, but I can tolerate some (see here or here). However, this was dreadful. Ugh. Sorry Luke, thank you for the beer, but more for you, man.
Founders Canadian Breakfast Stout: Whoa. Whoa. Well done, Founders. This was incredible. I think this puts a three way tie for first place for stouts in my life, alongside Dogfish Head's Bitches Brew and World Wide Stout. This beer was really, really, really strong, super dark, incredible. I could taste a hint of maple, not in a sweet offensive way, but nicely balanced with some other strong stouty flavors (chocolate and coffee). I had first learned of this beer in an article that the now infamous Taylor had sent to me, and then he found a bar in D.C. that served it. I approve (of both the beer and the boy who brought me to it).
Other seals of approval given: to Mad Fox, of Taylor by Paul, and of Paul's intention to finally regain the lead-- come on, I have a thesis to finish.
Colleen: 328
Paul: 306
Wait, PS: Upon returning to New Jersey on Monday, I did meet the usual suspects for a short while, where I ended up having New Jersey Brewing Co's Hudson Pale Ale because I love and had just returned to NJ. Gurzo really liked it, but I found it to be extremely mediocre. It was clean tasting and fine, but not super memorable. We have discussed lately though that sometimes that's ok. So I'm actually at 329.
Wednesday, November 3, 2010
Cheers to Lauren!
Last night I had the distinct pleasure of attending the reception for my good friend Lauren's display at Triumph Brewery. This is awesome for several reasons, in no particular order:
1. I lived with Lauren this past summer as well as summer 2005, and she is fabulous.
2. Her paintings are really incredible. I love the way this woman captures color and light. Witnessing the process was also really sweet.
(The final product of this one can be viewed here.)
3. I attended the show with my good friend Bailey and her very funny boyfriend Matt, but also got to see countless awesome friends from camp.
4. Triumph Brewery is great unto itself, and this was a pretty excellent excuse to visit!
Last time I went, I had the sampler and tried quite a few of their beers. However, they were out of Pumpkin Ale, so I tried it last night before the reception started. It was pretty good! I've expressed that I prefer my pumpkin beers to taste like beer rather than pie. This was totally a pie beer. However, it was well done. Not offensively sweet or artificial. Very real pumpkin pie flavor in a very smooth ale. Nice.
The reception provided Pumpkin Ale and Honey Blond. Bailey and Matt and I shared some fries (good fries! They put herbs on 'em so they're like a roasted potato-french fry hybrid. A delicious, delicious hybrid.) but there were also fried pickles and hummus provided for those appreciating Lauren's art in conjunction with the brew pub. All in all, excellent evening. Congratulations on being talented and amazing, Lauren Scott!
Colleen: 318
Paul: 300
1. I lived with Lauren this past summer as well as summer 2005, and she is fabulous.
2. Her paintings are really incredible. I love the way this woman captures color and light. Witnessing the process was also really sweet.
(The final product of this one can be viewed here.)
3. I attended the show with my good friend Bailey and her very funny boyfriend Matt, but also got to see countless awesome friends from camp.
4. Triumph Brewery is great unto itself, and this was a pretty excellent excuse to visit!
Last time I went, I had the sampler and tried quite a few of their beers. However, they were out of Pumpkin Ale, so I tried it last night before the reception started. It was pretty good! I've expressed that I prefer my pumpkin beers to taste like beer rather than pie. This was totally a pie beer. However, it was well done. Not offensively sweet or artificial. Very real pumpkin pie flavor in a very smooth ale. Nice.
The reception provided Pumpkin Ale and Honey Blond. Bailey and Matt and I shared some fries (good fries! They put herbs on 'em so they're like a roasted potato-french fry hybrid. A delicious, delicious hybrid.) but there were also fried pickles and hummus provided for those appreciating Lauren's art in conjunction with the brew pub. All in all, excellent evening. Congratulations on being talented and amazing, Lauren Scott!
Colleen: 318
Paul: 300
Monday, October 18, 2010
BUFFing out the pain of the thesis, and other good beers
The first draft of my thesis was due last week. Ugh.
To help motivate myself to meet that deadline, I made myself a mixed six pack at the store near Cheryl and Gurzo's house, with the stipulation that I wasn't allowed to have any unless I called them and checked in with my progress on that paper. They are good friends, aren't they? At first I was just going to pick up two or three individual bottles, but then I found six that I was interested in.
The first one I was particularly interested in, given the somewhat recent discussion about our favorite microbrewers. You may recall I recently picked Dogfish Head, while Paul stands by Stone. You may also recall that a shared favorite of ours is a Victory brew (even if I haven't liked most of theirs that I've tried aside from Storm King, that shared favorite). Well. It turns out the three companies got together to create BUFF: Brewers United for Freedom of Flavor, and created Saison du Buff, a farmhouse beer made with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. I bought it under the Dogfish Head label though I did later see it under the Victory label on the same shelf. Was it epic? Indeed it was. My notes say, "brilliant herby slightly hoppy light tangy farmhouse love." It was just really fresh and crisp tasting. Very, very good. I would absolutely recommend this. I am impressed with their work and sincerely hope the BUFF efforts continue.
What else have I tried lately?
Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale: Also part of my six pack, as per the recommendation of one of my good friend Noah. He described it as exquisite. While I respect his opinions, especially when it comes to beer, I may need to disagree on this one. The spices were great in this one, but it was too sweet for me, one of those pumpkin beers that tastes more like pie than vegetable. It was very smooth, but not my favorite pumpkin brew.
Sam Adams Latitude 48 IPA: Another addition to the mixed six, based on two criteria: I'm trying to get into IPAs, and it had a geographic theme. I ended up having this one in the midst of the writing process (which was about latitude 19, but that's beside the point, I suppose), figuring that I'd be able to try a new beer but wasn't totally indulging, since it was unlikely that I'd really like this beer anyway. False! This is a nice IPA. It was really hoppy, but it was smooth and had this sort of fresh citrusy thing going on. I approve. And if I approve of an IPA, you know it's worth your time.
Harpoon IPA: Another one that I give my seal of approval! I had this while out for dinner with JACK (the acronym for the girls I went across Canada with) while we were completing the NJ Lighthouse Challenge this past weekend. They didn't have anything else I wanted, so I figured, try another IPA. This one is just like a smooth, nice ale with a slightly hoppy-- not overwhelming-- aftertaste. A pleasant surprise for me.
Flying Fish Exit 4: This was another member of my mixed six, that I'd been looking for for a while, but had trouble finding since it was an earlier part of the Flying Fish Exit Series. I was excited to try it because I love New Jersey and had just finished a two day roadtrip around the coastline thereof, but I knew in my heart that I typically don't care for the style and probably wouldn't totally love it. However, another pleasant surprise: good stuff. This is a tripel, which tend to be too sweet for me, and this was still a little sweeter than I'd prefer, but it was very nicely balanced with the hops and I kinda liked it. Good luck trying to find this, but if you do, it was pretty good.
I have a few more in my thesis motivator pack and as to be expected, I have a few more things to do for said thesis, so those will come soon, I'm sure. In the meantime, Paul: 300 (congrats and welcome to the club, buddy) and Colleen: 309.
To help motivate myself to meet that deadline, I made myself a mixed six pack at the store near Cheryl and Gurzo's house, with the stipulation that I wasn't allowed to have any unless I called them and checked in with my progress on that paper. They are good friends, aren't they? At first I was just going to pick up two or three individual bottles, but then I found six that I was interested in.
The first one I was particularly interested in, given the somewhat recent discussion about our favorite microbrewers. You may recall I recently picked Dogfish Head, while Paul stands by Stone. You may also recall that a shared favorite of ours is a Victory brew (even if I haven't liked most of theirs that I've tried aside from Storm King, that shared favorite). Well. It turns out the three companies got together to create BUFF: Brewers United for Freedom of Flavor, and created Saison du Buff, a farmhouse beer made with parsley, sage, rosemary and thyme. I bought it under the Dogfish Head label though I did later see it under the Victory label on the same shelf. Was it epic? Indeed it was. My notes say, "brilliant herby slightly hoppy light tangy farmhouse love." It was just really fresh and crisp tasting. Very, very good. I would absolutely recommend this. I am impressed with their work and sincerely hope the BUFF efforts continue.
What else have I tried lately?
Weyerbacher Imperial Pumpkin Ale: Also part of my six pack, as per the recommendation of one of my good friend Noah. He described it as exquisite. While I respect his opinions, especially when it comes to beer, I may need to disagree on this one. The spices were great in this one, but it was too sweet for me, one of those pumpkin beers that tastes more like pie than vegetable. It was very smooth, but not my favorite pumpkin brew.
Sam Adams Latitude 48 IPA: Another addition to the mixed six, based on two criteria: I'm trying to get into IPAs, and it had a geographic theme. I ended up having this one in the midst of the writing process (which was about latitude 19, but that's beside the point, I suppose), figuring that I'd be able to try a new beer but wasn't totally indulging, since it was unlikely that I'd really like this beer anyway. False! This is a nice IPA. It was really hoppy, but it was smooth and had this sort of fresh citrusy thing going on. I approve. And if I approve of an IPA, you know it's worth your time.
Harpoon IPA: Another one that I give my seal of approval! I had this while out for dinner with JACK (the acronym for the girls I went across Canada with) while we were completing the NJ Lighthouse Challenge this past weekend. They didn't have anything else I wanted, so I figured, try another IPA. This one is just like a smooth, nice ale with a slightly hoppy-- not overwhelming-- aftertaste. A pleasant surprise for me.
Flying Fish Exit 4: This was another member of my mixed six, that I'd been looking for for a while, but had trouble finding since it was an earlier part of the Flying Fish Exit Series. I was excited to try it because I love New Jersey and had just finished a two day roadtrip around the coastline thereof, but I knew in my heart that I typically don't care for the style and probably wouldn't totally love it. However, another pleasant surprise: good stuff. This is a tripel, which tend to be too sweet for me, and this was still a little sweeter than I'd prefer, but it was very nicely balanced with the hops and I kinda liked it. Good luck trying to find this, but if you do, it was pretty good.
I have a few more in my thesis motivator pack and as to be expected, I have a few more things to do for said thesis, so those will come soon, I'm sure. In the meantime, Paul: 300 (congrats and welcome to the club, buddy) and Colleen: 309.
Saturday, October 2, 2010
A Medley of Sorts
Part of me doesn't want to make a post this long, but the other part of me wants to update the blog and get back to my regularly scheduled programming. I've been working a lot of hours since Laura has been in Colorado, and now that the craziness is about to end, it's time to go through my notes that I've left here, on the back of receipts, and in my cell phone...so here we go.
In August, Brendan and I got a beer at Fireflies. Almost everyone I have taken there enjoys the the vibe and beer list. We talked about life, had some beer and some wings.
Boulder Beer Singletrack Copper Ale: I had some high hopes for this beer, thinking it might be more like an amber ale. I was sorely mistaken. It did have the smooth, light malty characteristics of an amber ale. However, this beer was had too much hop flavor, which ruined it for me stylistically.
I started off September with a Jimmy Buffett concert. If you have not been to one before, I would recommend it. It's basically just one monstrous, but chill, party. It gave me the opportunity to momentarily kick back and relax with a few beers and some friends. I managed to try a new, large macro brew.
Bud Light: It wasn't on my list yet, but according to Colleen, if it's beer it can be reviewed. I find this beer useful if I am out drinking and I don't want to load up on alcohol content. Other than that, it might find purpose to boil brats in or wash my car.
That same weekend, Colleen came to visit. It was great to catch up with her, and hear about her trip. As a thank you, she bought me a custom six pack. I've worked my way through them, some of which I had at the Virginia Tech vs. Boise State game, and the rest I had at a couple pizza and beer nights with the roommates.
Samuel Adams Dunkelweizen: I really liked this beer. It was a good transition from the summer beers that I've been complaining about in recent posts. Essentially, it's a dark hefeweizen. The difference being there is more malt to it, hence the darker color and different taste. Samuel Adams usually doesn't steer you wrong (EXCEPT: when there is a fruit/pumpkin in it or its name is Old Fezziwig).
Samuel Adams Harvest Pumpkin Ale: I don't like pumpkin beers. I tend to avoid them. However, I am also behind in our beer count, so I can't be choosy. This tasted a bit like pumpkin pie, because I tasted cinnamon. It's an experimental seasonal. That said, the taste was better than most pumpkin beers that I've tried.
Holy Brew Purgatory Pilsner: It shouldn't surprise most that I bought this beer for the name on the bottle. Overall, it was an average pilsner. It was the light body, medium taste that you would expect to find from the style.
Smuttynose Robust Porter: This was a fantastic porter. Really, it might be one of the best porters I have ever tried. The beer was everything a porter should be, and nothing else. The brewers did a great job of not messing with a good thing. The beer was just the right body, with the perfect roasted malt flavor. I highly recommend it.
The Duck-Rabbit Amber Ale: Bottom Line: This was a sub-par amber ale that didn't seem to distinguish itself from any other amber ales that I've had in the past. If anything else, it left an odd aftertaste in my mouth. Perhaps it could have been the individual bottle, but I wasn't impressed.
Yards General Washington Tavern Porter: The recipe was originally created by Washington himself. He used molasses with his recipe. The molasses creates an interesting twist to the flavor and aftertaste. Porters tend to have chocolate malts, so the taste is not entirely foreign either. I thought this was good as well.
The roommates and I went to RFD in Washington DC. They have about 50 beers on tap at any given time, and a good bottle list. Their location near Chinatown makes for a good location. Matt, Brendan, and I enjoyed time to make sarcastic comments. It's nice to kick back with them and have a few new beers.
Troegs Dead Reckoning Porter: The fact that it is the time of the year for porters makes me very happy. This porter also made me happy, because it was done well. The beer was heavy, which should be expected, but didn't overbear my stomach. The malts seemed varied in flavors, but were very well balanced.
Stone Sublimely Self Righteous Ale: The guys at Stone brewing are most likely the best in the country. They aren't afraid to experiment, but everything they put on a shelf seems to be liquid gold to a beer snob. This was an incredibly complex beer, which is par for the course with Stone. It's kind of like drinking an IPA, but it's dark with plenty of malts.
I joined my friends Tim and Heather for dinner a couple of weekends ago. We went to Victoria's Gastro Pub. I have been there before with them, and I highly recommend it as a place to eat as well as enjoy new beers. They are on the cutting edge of complimenting food with beer. When paired well together, I think beer and food make a better combination than wine and cheese.
That same weekend, I went to West Chester, PA to their yearly restaurant festival. It's a really good time, plus I get to hang out with my cousin Scott. He was kind enough to buy a six pack of Guinness, since he knew I was coming. Quote of the weekend: At one point, I went to get another beer and I said, "I guess I'll preserve the Miller Lite and get a Guinness for myself". I intended this to mean, that since most people won't drink Guinness, that's what I will stay with in order to be polite. However, after a good laugh, the group decided this would make a great beer commercial.
Evolution Lucky 7 Porter: I enjoyed this porter. As far as the style goes, it was above average. There was that smoky/roasted taste that is endemic of most porters. The malts were well blended between coffee and chocolate characteristics.
This past weekend, I went with my cousin Brendan and a few friends to the DC Oktoberfest. In short, it was a small piece of heaven. I ended up with an extra ticket, so that meant more tokens. The best part was the smallest samples (which cost one token) were 4 oz. That follows our rule. Secondly, I had enough tokens and time to get decent samples (8+ oz) and still maintain a good review. I will be going back to this next year. Colleen, you should come down for it. Most of the brewers were ones that I hadn't heard of before - win.
Julius Echter Hefe-Weissbier: I thought this was a very light bodied hefeweizen. The beer was unfiltered, and thus a little heavy on the yeast. However, it did have a sweet characteristic that complimented the hot September day.
Evolution Rise Up Stout: This was heavy on the coffee malts. I traditionally don't like coffee stouts that much, and this wasn't an exception to that rule.
Goose Island Honker's Ale: I have some interesting notes for this beer. I thought it came across as rather malty on contact, became mild and very good in between, and ended off hoppy. And those are the impressions I got on each sip. I need to find this beer again so I can break it down more.
Pyramid Juggernaut Red Ale: The lone descriptor I included was the beer was rather malty. Other than that, it was very forgettable. I wouldn't go out of your way to find this.
Lancaster Oktoberfest: I tend to think of Oktoberfest style beers as being on the heavier side, and erring mostly toward the malt side of things. If you don't like IPAs, then Oktoberfest might be your thing. For an Oktoberfest, I thought this was very light. By that I mean it wasn't as heavy as I expected, nor did it contain as much of a malt characteristic as I expected.
Sierra Nevada Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale: Like Colleen, I found this to be a very drinkable beer that was very, very smooth. The malt character is extremely well balanced. For those of you who aren't big on hops, but want to try something from one of America's best brewers, give this beer a shot. I had more of this beer than any other at the DC Oktoberfest.
Lastly, I went to Rock Bottom to celebrate my good friend Andy's birthday. Colleen and I have both reviewed Rock Bottom (since it is a chain of brew pubs). We also happen to like it, since their beers are pretty good. My advice is to look at the boards on the wall to see which beer is freshest and go with that. My biggest complaint is sometimes the beer gets a little old there.
Rock Bottom Rocktoberfest: After a summer of light, fruity beers we finally reach autumn, which means the style of beers predominantly found changes (praise Jesus). I thought this Oktoberfest was rather well done. It was very well balanced, and had a great malt characteristic to it. It's certainly above average for the style.
I'll be on a road trip with Laura in the next couple of weeks. Expect some updates on great brewpubs from around different parts of the country. I need to keep pace with Colleen somehow...
The scorecard:
Colleen - 290
Paul - 288
Cheers,
Paul
In August, Brendan and I got a beer at Fireflies. Almost everyone I have taken there enjoys the the vibe and beer list. We talked about life, had some beer and some wings.
Boulder Beer Singletrack Copper Ale: I had some high hopes for this beer, thinking it might be more like an amber ale. I was sorely mistaken. It did have the smooth, light malty characteristics of an amber ale. However, this beer was had too much hop flavor, which ruined it for me stylistically.
I started off September with a Jimmy Buffett concert. If you have not been to one before, I would recommend it. It's basically just one monstrous, but chill, party. It gave me the opportunity to momentarily kick back and relax with a few beers and some friends. I managed to try a new, large macro brew.
Bud Light: It wasn't on my list yet, but according to Colleen, if it's beer it can be reviewed. I find this beer useful if I am out drinking and I don't want to load up on alcohol content. Other than that, it might find purpose to boil brats in or wash my car.
That same weekend, Colleen came to visit. It was great to catch up with her, and hear about her trip. As a thank you, she bought me a custom six pack. I've worked my way through them, some of which I had at the Virginia Tech vs. Boise State game, and the rest I had at a couple pizza and beer nights with the roommates.
Samuel Adams Dunkelweizen: I really liked this beer. It was a good transition from the summer beers that I've been complaining about in recent posts. Essentially, it's a dark hefeweizen. The difference being there is more malt to it, hence the darker color and different taste. Samuel Adams usually doesn't steer you wrong (EXCEPT: when there is a fruit/pumpkin in it or its name is Old Fezziwig).
Samuel Adams Harvest Pumpkin Ale: I don't like pumpkin beers. I tend to avoid them. However, I am also behind in our beer count, so I can't be choosy. This tasted a bit like pumpkin pie, because I tasted cinnamon. It's an experimental seasonal. That said, the taste was better than most pumpkin beers that I've tried.
Holy Brew Purgatory Pilsner: It shouldn't surprise most that I bought this beer for the name on the bottle. Overall, it was an average pilsner. It was the light body, medium taste that you would expect to find from the style.
Smuttynose Robust Porter: This was a fantastic porter. Really, it might be one of the best porters I have ever tried. The beer was everything a porter should be, and nothing else. The brewers did a great job of not messing with a good thing. The beer was just the right body, with the perfect roasted malt flavor. I highly recommend it.
The Duck-Rabbit Amber Ale: Bottom Line: This was a sub-par amber ale that didn't seem to distinguish itself from any other amber ales that I've had in the past. If anything else, it left an odd aftertaste in my mouth. Perhaps it could have been the individual bottle, but I wasn't impressed.
Yards General Washington Tavern Porter: The recipe was originally created by Washington himself. He used molasses with his recipe. The molasses creates an interesting twist to the flavor and aftertaste. Porters tend to have chocolate malts, so the taste is not entirely foreign either. I thought this was good as well.
The roommates and I went to RFD in Washington DC. They have about 50 beers on tap at any given time, and a good bottle list. Their location near Chinatown makes for a good location. Matt, Brendan, and I enjoyed time to make sarcastic comments. It's nice to kick back with them and have a few new beers.
Troegs Dead Reckoning Porter: The fact that it is the time of the year for porters makes me very happy. This porter also made me happy, because it was done well. The beer was heavy, which should be expected, but didn't overbear my stomach. The malts seemed varied in flavors, but were very well balanced.
Stone Sublimely Self Righteous Ale: The guys at Stone brewing are most likely the best in the country. They aren't afraid to experiment, but everything they put on a shelf seems to be liquid gold to a beer snob. This was an incredibly complex beer, which is par for the course with Stone. It's kind of like drinking an IPA, but it's dark with plenty of malts.
I joined my friends Tim and Heather for dinner a couple of weekends ago. We went to Victoria's Gastro Pub. I have been there before with them, and I highly recommend it as a place to eat as well as enjoy new beers. They are on the cutting edge of complimenting food with beer. When paired well together, I think beer and food make a better combination than wine and cheese.
That same weekend, I went to West Chester, PA to their yearly restaurant festival. It's a really good time, plus I get to hang out with my cousin Scott. He was kind enough to buy a six pack of Guinness, since he knew I was coming. Quote of the weekend: At one point, I went to get another beer and I said, "I guess I'll preserve the Miller Lite and get a Guinness for myself". I intended this to mean, that since most people won't drink Guinness, that's what I will stay with in order to be polite. However, after a good laugh, the group decided this would make a great beer commercial.
Evolution Lucky 7 Porter: I enjoyed this porter. As far as the style goes, it was above average. There was that smoky/roasted taste that is endemic of most porters. The malts were well blended between coffee and chocolate characteristics.
This past weekend, I went with my cousin Brendan and a few friends to the DC Oktoberfest. In short, it was a small piece of heaven. I ended up with an extra ticket, so that meant more tokens. The best part was the smallest samples (which cost one token) were 4 oz. That follows our rule. Secondly, I had enough tokens and time to get decent samples (8+ oz) and still maintain a good review. I will be going back to this next year. Colleen, you should come down for it. Most of the brewers were ones that I hadn't heard of before - win.
Julius Echter Hefe-Weissbier: I thought this was a very light bodied hefeweizen. The beer was unfiltered, and thus a little heavy on the yeast. However, it did have a sweet characteristic that complimented the hot September day.
Evolution Rise Up Stout: This was heavy on the coffee malts. I traditionally don't like coffee stouts that much, and this wasn't an exception to that rule.
Goose Island Honker's Ale: I have some interesting notes for this beer. I thought it came across as rather malty on contact, became mild and very good in between, and ended off hoppy. And those are the impressions I got on each sip. I need to find this beer again so I can break it down more.
Pyramid Juggernaut Red Ale: The lone descriptor I included was the beer was rather malty. Other than that, it was very forgettable. I wouldn't go out of your way to find this.
Lancaster Oktoberfest: I tend to think of Oktoberfest style beers as being on the heavier side, and erring mostly toward the malt side of things. If you don't like IPAs, then Oktoberfest might be your thing. For an Oktoberfest, I thought this was very light. By that I mean it wasn't as heavy as I expected, nor did it contain as much of a malt characteristic as I expected.
Sierra Nevada Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale: Like Colleen, I found this to be a very drinkable beer that was very, very smooth. The malt character is extremely well balanced. For those of you who aren't big on hops, but want to try something from one of America's best brewers, give this beer a shot. I had more of this beer than any other at the DC Oktoberfest.
Lastly, I went to Rock Bottom to celebrate my good friend Andy's birthday. Colleen and I have both reviewed Rock Bottom (since it is a chain of brew pubs). We also happen to like it, since their beers are pretty good. My advice is to look at the boards on the wall to see which beer is freshest and go with that. My biggest complaint is sometimes the beer gets a little old there.
Rock Bottom Rocktoberfest: After a summer of light, fruity beers we finally reach autumn, which means the style of beers predominantly found changes (praise Jesus). I thought this Oktoberfest was rather well done. It was very well balanced, and had a great malt characteristic to it. It's certainly above average for the style.
I'll be on a road trip with Laura in the next couple of weeks. Expect some updates on great brewpubs from around different parts of the country. I need to keep pace with Colleen somehow...
The scorecard:
Colleen - 290
Paul - 288
Cheers,
Paul
Tuesday, September 28, 2010
Colleen enjoyed an IPA!
Last night, in lieu of a typical Monday night at Stuffies with my favorite residents of Edison and Metuchen, the crew headed to Jeremy's house to help along the moving in process of his cool lady, Megan. Before I headed north from home, I stopped to pick up a couple of beers to share. Cheryl called as I arrived at the liquor store, and I asked what she'd like. Her response? Something hoppy. Which surprised me, but I went with it.
I stopped at a store that I'd never been in before in Silverton, and it didn't have a particularly impressive beer selection, but I did see something that I suspect is amazing... I'll tell you about it when I actually get to try it (it's currently held hostage in Cheryl's fridge!). But right next to it was Lagunitas Hop Stoopid, which I totally bought because it was next to the aforementioned potentially amazing beer, and because it had a hilarious name. But this turned out to be awesome. Cheryl and I took a break before unpacking the kitchen and enjoyed this together. It was awesome. I'm not sure if my tastebuds are finally cooperating with IPAs and other bitter beverages, or if this one was just so unbelievable that it could transcend my dislike of that style of brew. The hops were strong but not offensive, and it was very smooth. I would drink this again and recommend it to others.
After the dishes were unpacked, Cheryl and I delved into the beer that had been supplied for the moving crew. We chose Sierra Nevada Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale, and a good choice it was. Actually, there was nothing particularly remarkable about this beer, but I think that's what made it for me. It's just a really good, pleasant brown ale, totally something you would drink on a crisp fall day while raking leaves or something. It wasn't too sweet, it wasn't too bitter, it was just smooth and pleasant.
And just now, as I wrote this, I tried Williamsburg Alewerks' Pumpkin Ale, the last from the mixed six I made when I visited Paul a few weeks ago. This tastes like pumpkin pie. Don't get me wrong, I totally love pumpkin pie. But I want my beer to still sort of resemble beer. This was just too sweet and spiced for me. I wasn't crazy about it. If your expectations for pumpkin beer include it tasting like pie, then this is the pumpkin brew for you. Otherwise, I don't see the need to do this again.
Colleen: 290
Paul: 270 (though I see he has an entry on standby that has quite a few beers in it!...)
I stopped at a store that I'd never been in before in Silverton, and it didn't have a particularly impressive beer selection, but I did see something that I suspect is amazing... I'll tell you about it when I actually get to try it (it's currently held hostage in Cheryl's fridge!). But right next to it was Lagunitas Hop Stoopid, which I totally bought because it was next to the aforementioned potentially amazing beer, and because it had a hilarious name. But this turned out to be awesome. Cheryl and I took a break before unpacking the kitchen and enjoyed this together. It was awesome. I'm not sure if my tastebuds are finally cooperating with IPAs and other bitter beverages, or if this one was just so unbelievable that it could transcend my dislike of that style of brew. The hops were strong but not offensive, and it was very smooth. I would drink this again and recommend it to others.
After the dishes were unpacked, Cheryl and I delved into the beer that had been supplied for the moving crew. We chose Sierra Nevada Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale, and a good choice it was. Actually, there was nothing particularly remarkable about this beer, but I think that's what made it for me. It's just a really good, pleasant brown ale, totally something you would drink on a crisp fall day while raking leaves or something. It wasn't too sweet, it wasn't too bitter, it was just smooth and pleasant.
And just now, as I wrote this, I tried Williamsburg Alewerks' Pumpkin Ale, the last from the mixed six I made when I visited Paul a few weeks ago. This tastes like pumpkin pie. Don't get me wrong, I totally love pumpkin pie. But I want my beer to still sort of resemble beer. This was just too sweet and spiced for me. I wasn't crazy about it. If your expectations for pumpkin beer include it tasting like pie, then this is the pumpkin brew for you. Otherwise, I don't see the need to do this again.
Colleen: 290
Paul: 270 (though I see he has an entry on standby that has quite a few beers in it!...)
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