Three Heads Bromigo

I had never heard of Three Heads Brewing Company when I saw Bromigo on tap.  Finding a beer I have never seen naturally made me want to try it.  I never expected to find what is without a doubt the best beer I've had to date.  Bromigo is a smoked maple amber, and my experience with both smoked ales and maple amber ales have both left me with a slight distaste for the styles, and I figured that a beer that encompasses both styles would leave me with a further disliking of smoked and maple flavored beers.  However, I was completely blown away by this beer.  The smoke and maple flavors are mild, but the beer still has quite a bit of sweetness to it.  This smokey sweetness was complimented by even more sweetness coming from being served to me in a pint glass rimmed with brown sugar and cinnamon.  The only downside to this beer is that the brown sugar, cinnamon mix left the glass very sticky, but since I was at a bbq restaurant, there was no shortage of wet-naps.  It should be considered a sin if someone tries this beer and doesn't like it.

5/5

Beer Number 3

I brewed my third batch of beer last night.  This time I'm making an American pale ale but I tweeked the recipe a bit, so we'll see how it turns out.

Holiday Beer Recipes

The holiday season is coming to a close within the week, and with that means making preparations for next year!  I decided that to help people out I would post links to holiday beer recipes now so that there is plenty of time to perfect them by next winter.

http://beerrecipes.org/showrecipe.php?recipeid=565
http://www.brew-dudes.com/holiday-ale-recipe/111
http://homebrewandchemistry.blogspot.com/2007/11/winter-ale.html
http://hopville.com/recipe/154895/christmas-winter-specialty-spiced-beer-recipes/the-slow-escape
http://beerrecipes.org/showrecipe.php?recipeid=465

I hope everyone enjoys the holidays!

Irish Beer

As of last night I am officially returning to the Emerald Island!  There are a ton of beers that I am looking forward to having again, and reviewing for you guys, including the new Smithwick's Pale Ale!  February cannot come soon enough and I can't wait to be back in the company of old friends in a shady pub.  In the meantime though, I will keep everyone updated on my brewing and sampling.

Stoudt's Scarlet Lady E.S.B.

My experience with E.S.B.s is fairly limited, but so far I am quite impressed with the style.  When I tried Scarlet Lady, the first thing I noticed was the similarity in flavor to an Irish red.  The after taste is when i detected a hint of the E.S.B.'s bitterness.  It was not too bitter, and the smoothness of the initial taste transitioned well into the bitter.  Based on how much I enjoyed this beer, I may be doing many more E.S.B. reviews.

4/5

Saranac Black Forest

Black Forest is a German style black lager and has the light crisp feel of a lager, but has rich caramel and chocolate flavors that one would normally find in a porter or stout, without being as bitter. This is a great beer for people who tend to be scared of dark beers to start out on.  It will get you accustomed to the rich flavors of dark beers while holding off on the bitterness and heavy feel.  The next step from this beer should be Saranac's Caramel Porter, which just tastes like candy.

4/5

Wychwood Hobgoblin Dark

When I ordered Hobgoblin Dark, I was originally going to get Fiddler's Elbow, another Wychwood beer, but unfortunately the bar was sold out of it.  So I decided to go with Hobgoblin Dark instead, and I am very glad that I did.  This beer is slightly bitter with a smooth creamy feel and a slightly nutty aftertaste.  It was strange at first and I almost gave up on it, but after the first few sips I really started to enjoy it.  The only problem that I have with this beer is that it did take some getting used to, and people who don't normally drink beer would probably set it down before it started to get good.

3/5

Cooperstown Old Slugger Pale Ale

On my most recent visit to New Paltz, I stopped into my favorite pub, Bacchus, and picked up their menu of over 400 beers.  As I perused the large selection, I realized that I had never had anything from the Cooperstown Brewery, which I found strange since they are relatively local.  I went with the pale ale because as beers go, pale ales are pretty simple and in my experience, a good bet that they'll be good.  I was not disappointed with the Old Slugger.  I was a little surprised however.  The amber color and smooth rich taste was more similar to a red ale, and there was a slight hint of fruit that reminded me of a Belgian triple.  While I have not experienced these in a pale ale before, the slight hoppy flavor that is normal for pale ales was still there.  Overall this is a well rounded beer and very drinkable.

4/5

Estrella Damm

I am not usually a lager person, but while having dinner at Pizzeria Uno, I saw on their menu Estrella Damm.  With all of the beers that I have tried, I'm pretty sure that up until this point I had never had a beer from Spain.  This Catalan pilsner tasted much like Budweiser, if Bud was made with quality ingredients.  It is not overly carbonated, which tends to be my problem with lagers.  While the initial taste was nothing overly spectacular, the aftertaste was slightly salty, a flavor not seen too often in beers.  While I am still mainly an ale guy, this beer would definitely be an option for me if I saw it on tap somewhere.

3/5

Unibroue Don de Dieu

I have reviewed a Unibroue beer before, and Don de Dieu is very similar to La Fin du Monde.  Don de Dieu is a Belgian Strong Pale Ale and has a mild banana flavor to it.  It is very well balanced and surprisingly drinkable for such a strong beer.  I have absolutely nothing remotely bad to say about this beer, and I have to say congratulations to the brewers at Unibroue for having two of their beers get perfect scores with me.

5/5

Sixpoint Otis Oatmeal Stout

Oatmeal Stouts are one of my favorite styles, however Sixpoint's take on the beer was not one of my favorites.  By no means is it a bad beer, but the oatmeal stouts that I like are smooth and rich.  Otis has a medium bitter flavor, but the bitterness lasts for a long time.  To me it tasted more like an Imperial Stout.  This is one of the cases where I have been disappointed because I was expecting something else.  Perhaps if I find it on tap again I can boost the score because I will know what to expect.

3/5

Samuel Adams Griffin's Bow

I was very excited to find the new Sam Adams small batch line in my area, and I decided that the first one I would try would be Griffin's Bow.  It seemed to have everything going for it: oak aged and being not only a blonde ale, but a barleywine as well!  My first sip left me very disappointed.  This beer is way to complex.  The amount of flavors crammed into it made it highly undrinkable.  They add sweet flavors of honeysuckle and burnt sugar with the citrus flavors of pineapple and grapefruit, and for some reason throw some toffee in there too.  On top of the overpoweringly strange flavor, the aftertaste left a weird cottony feeling in the back of the throat.  Griffin's Bow has made it onto the very short list of beers that I would never buy again in my life.  But it gets at least one point for not making me want to violently vomit it back up.

1/5

Harpoon Docesna Czech Hop Harvest Ale

Docesna is part of Harpoon's 100 Barrel Series, a line of beer that has never disappointed me.  This is a very simple, yet extremely well done ale.  It has a rich feel and a slightly bitter flavor that leads into a very smooth aftertaste.  There is not too much to say about this beer besides try it.  Harpoon has proved with this beer that less is more!

4/5

Batch #2 Update

Bad news on the home brew front.  My second batch of beer, the Peppermint Stout, was a failure.  Fermentation never started and I'm not sure why.  So it's back to the drawing board, look for the new poll I'm posting for what style I should make next.  One day I'll try making the peppermint stout again, but for now it's on to a new style.

Porterhouse Oyster Stout

This Saturday I ventured to Manhattan to see a Rangers game with a couple friends, but before the game we decided to grab some lunch and a drink.  I tried an Irish stout that I had never heard of before, and I should have just passed on it.  The Porterhouse Oyster Stout started off very good.  It is light for a stout and there is a mild coffee aroma to it, however, since it is brewed with oysters, the taste was kind of salty and sour.  while at first I found this interesting, I quickly found it increasingly harder to drink.  Eventually I just set it down, having drank only half of it and called it quits.  Unless you really like oysters and feel like drinking them in a beer, I wouldn't recommend anyone try this one.


2/5

Sam Adams Black and Brew

I always look forward to the start of a new season because the next Sam Adams seasonal sampler comes out.  This winter, the winter classic pack was pretty much the same as last year, but I was disappointed to see the White Ale removed.  In its place however was the new style: Black and Brew.  This new coffee stout seemed to be a good addition to the winter pack based on just the style, but when I tried my first one I was not too sure at first.  There was almost no aroma, and normally coffee stouts smell strongly of coffee the minute you open them. What this beer lacked in scent, it made up for in flavor.  Many of the coffee stouts that I have had in the past tasted like a very strong cup of black coffee.  Black and Brew however is much smoother and has a creamy flavor and texture to it.  Of all the people that I know that have tried this, not one has given it a bad review, even one of my friends who hates coffee liked it.  Well done Mr. Adams, well done.

4/5

Ebulum Elderberry Black Ale

When it comes to using fruit to flavor a beer, I think elderberries may be the best (currants could work well too, but I haven't found a currant beer.  If anyone knows one let me know!)  Apart from the flavor, this beer is a well rounded black ale.  It is smooth, and is not too heavy.  The elderberries add a strong flavor, but it blends well with the malt flavor, creating a rich but not overpowering taste.  The after taste is very mild and does not last too long.  I had this beer with a burger and it paired very well.

4/5

Ommegang Aphrodite

When I was given the recommendation to try Aphrodite, I was in a bar that claimed it had the only keg in New York.  While I have no idea if this is true or not, it did make me want to try it.  My first reaction to the beer was that it didn't taste like a beer.  The next reaction was bliss.  This is one of the best tasting drinks I have ever had. It has a nice, mildly tangy raspberry flavor, and while the flavor would be too much for a normal beer, it worked well for this one.  Aphrodite does not have the malty or hoppy flavor usually associated with a beer, and the higher levels of carbonation make it taste and feel more like a champagne.  I highly recommend trying it if you see it, but it can be a tad expensive in a bar. (I payed $10 for a 10oz glass)  However, if you find it in a store then pick it up.  It's a great beer for people who don't normally like beer and a great dessert beer for people who wouldn't enjoy something fruity with a meal.

4/5

Dogfish Head Theobroma

I am very cautious when it comes to Dogfish beers.  I have never been disappointed, but with the experimental nature of the brewery, the chances for something repulsive is quite high.  When I picked up a bottle of Theobroma, I thought to myself: "Self, this could be amazing! Ooooooor, it could be so vile that my face would melt like the Nazis at the end of Raiders of the Lost Ark."

This beer is brewed with quite the selection of ingredients.  It gains a sweet flavor from honey, a rich flavor from cocoa nibs and powder, a mild yet surprising tongue numbness from ancho chilies, and I'm not quite sure what the addition of annatto gives it. ( for those who don't know what annatto is: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Annatto)

Theobroma is very smooth and the blend of flavors work well together.  Even with the large amount of seemingly conflicting flavors, this beer is still very drinkable.  While I will always remain wary of Dogfish Head's new creations, I am happy to say that I still cannot say that I dislike any of their beers.

4/5

Batch #2

I have just started making my second batch of beer, a peppermint stout.  I'll keep everyone updated!

Wells Banana Bread Beer

I am no stranger to unique beers, but banana bread beer was new to me.  The banana flavor is mild, which, when it comes to beer I usually like a mild fruit flavor.  However, for a beer that is supposed to taste like banana bread, I was disappointed.  Not only was the banana flavor too mild, but there was none of the other flavors one would expect in banana bread, nuttiness: cinnamon, brown sugar.  What this beer lacks in the initial flavor, the aftertaste has a warm, comforting and rich feel and the banana flavor increases, if ever so slightly.

Had this beer been advertised as an ale with banana flavor, I would have no problem with it.  But if a beer says it tastes like banana bread, then it better taste like banana bread.

3/5

I apologize

I'm sorry that I haven't been posting in almost a week now, between Inheritance coming out on tuesday and Skyrim coming out today, I have been quite busy.  I promise though that there will be a new review on sunday, as well as an update on my next batch of beer.

2011 Albany Craft Beer Festival

There have only been a few times in my life that I have has no idea what to do with myself, and Albany's craft beer festival was one of them.  With two rooms filled with tables for sampling beer, I had no clue where to start. After three and a half hours of trying beer from breweries such as Brooklyn, Lake Placid, Browns, Dundee, Stone, Keegan, Olde Saratoga and more; plus food from Dinosaur BBQ, I was in heaven.  I didn't get anywhere close to trying all the beers available, let alone all of the breweries.  It will be a long wait until next years festival, but Tap New York is coming up in April!

Crossroads Brewing Co. Hunter's Moon Harvest Ale

I have been to Crossroads Brewery in Athens, NY a few times now, but this is the first time I am reviewing their wonderful beer.  Earlier this week I did a review on La Fin Du Monde, and it has so far been the only beer to gain a perfect score, well, until now.  Hunter's Moon Harvest Ale is very similar to La Fin Du Monde, but with a lower ABV (only 6%) and a more subtle fruit flavor.  Normally I don't like fruity and overly sweet beers, but the Belgian triple style pulls it off.  So when A beer can rock a fruity flavor without going over the top like Hunter's Moon, I love it.  The subtle fruit flavor coupled with the freshness of getting a beer straight from the brewery puts this beer at a perfect score.

5/5

Southern Tier Imperial Mokah Stout

Last night I celebrated International Stout Day by enjoying a tall glass of Southern Tier's Imperial Mokah.  When it comes to chocolate or coffee flavored beer, most people are turned off by the idea, and while my experience with chocolate stouts has not been bad, it has also been nothing to write home about.  I remember back in my early days of college I was not a fan of coffee.  It was mocha that opened the cafe gates, and to this day I drink more coffee than any human should.  The first sip of Mokah brought me back to that moment.  While I have no problem with coffee beers, I hope Mokah does to chocolate beers what mocha did to coffee for me.

Both the coffee and chocolate flavors are not individually overpowering, but together the flavor is quite strong.  I would not recommend this beer to people who are just starting to drink beer, it may be a little too much to handle.  But for a seasoned beer lover, Mokah is a nice dessert beer that should be enjoyed in a snifter.

3/5

Magic Hat Humble Patience

I don't want to offend anyone who works at Magic Hat, or any Magic Hat fans, but my experience with the company has not been too favorable. I love #9, but apart from that MH's beers tend to be too bitter for my taste.  In the fall sampler however, they have Humble Patience, an Irish Red, and I love Irish Reds.  This beer is nice and smooth, but the flavor is a little too sweet for an Irish red.  A part of me dislikes the deviation from the Irish red tradition, while a part of me likes the experimentation.  While I am still not a fan of Magic Hat overall, I can now no longer say that #9 is the only beer they make that I like.

3/5

Genesee 12 Horse Ale

I am writing to you tonight sitting at my friend's new bar that he built in his house.  A few days ago he told me about an old style Genesee 12 pack he found in Rochester.  Of the three styles in the pack: Genny, Cream Ale and 12 Horse, I had never had 12 Horse; or even heard of it!  After doing some research I found out that this beer hasn't been seen for the past 10 years.  While I am not a fan of cheap mass produced beers, this beer is not too bad.  It tastes a lot like Rolling Rock, and if I have to drink a cheap beer I go for Rolling Rock because it is one of the few cheap ales. While I'm going to give this beer a pretty low score based on flavor, keep in mind that this beer is one of the best cheap beers I've tried, and it may not be around for too long, so try it while it lasts.

2/5

International Stout Day

Thursday is International Stout Day.  What is your favorite stout? Let me know in the comment section!

La Fin Du Monde

Unibroue's La Fin Du Monde, which is French for the end of the world is a Canadian Belgian style triple. I have to admit that it is the first beer brewed in Canada that I have liked, and it is amazing.  This Belgian style is slightly spicier and less bitter than normal Belgian triples.  It has a fruity taste due to being brewed with orange peel, and in my opinion has a hint of banana flavor to it.  This is a nice, crisp, light beer that is best enjoyed alone or with a fruity desert.  As delicious as this beer is, don't go too crazy.  At 9% ABV it is much stronger than it tastes.  This beer will be in my top 5 for as long as it is still being brewed and I hope I never see the day that it isn't.

5/5

Smuttynose Robust Porter

Since I found my love for beer, Smuttynose Brewing Co. has always been one of my favorites.  Recently I tried the Robust Porter for the first time.  This porter is rich, as a porter should be; but it is not overly heavy.  The initial taste has a little bit to it and the flavor of the hops stand out.  The hop flavor quickly gives way to a nice subtle coffee flavor.  The after taste keeps the same coffee flavor but seems to last forever, which is great  unless you want to switch beers. I love porters, but some tend to be too heavy or have an overpowering flavor.  Robust Porter is well balanced and is a great after dinner beer.

4/5

Sam Adams Double Pumpkin Ale

I like Sam Adams' regular pumpkin ale that is part of the Harvest Sampler, but as pumkin beers go, it wasn't anything special.  Double Pumpkin however, has a much richer flavor.  It is not a sweet ale, and plays more on pumpkin than spices and cinnamon. The feel is reminicent of an English Brown Ale and the after taste is very mild and kind of has the after taste of a cookie.
I have always liked Sam Adams' beers, they make mass produced craft beer that doesn't sacrifice the flavor too much. Their limited edition beers more than make up for the lack in their regular beers.

4/5

Beer Fest

Less than two weeks until the Albany Craft Beer Festival. Who's going?

Dinosaur Ape Hanger Ale

First off, I must say that this beer is not as good as the name is.  Ape Hanger, an American Pale Ale which is exclusive to Dinosaur BBQ, is smooth with a medium golden color, a light white head and just a hint of hops.  The beer itself is not bad, but it is a little lacking if one is drinking it on its own.  Where this beer picks up the slack is by pairing it with just about anything on Dinosaur's menu.  Since the beer does not have an overly powerful taste and is not too heavy, it complements the food instead of covering up the food's flavor.  On its own I would give Ape Hanger 2/5, and with food 4/5. So i'll split the difference.

3/5

Guinness Black Lager

I am a huge fan of the Guinness line, including the regular stout, extra stout, foreign extra stout and 250 Stout.  As you can see, Guinness does stouts, and it does them well.  So when Guinness came out with a black lager earlier this fall, I was very reluctant to try it.  I was very surprised when I tried it, it was delicious!

I am more of an ale guy, so while I can appreciate the taste of lagers, I tend not to drink them.  This beer however may become one of my regular drinks.  It has the familiar Guinness flavor, but it has a light, crisp drinkability that isn't over carbonated.  It is a very well rounded beer and Guinness once again proves that mass produced beer does not have to taste like water that has had stale bread floating in it.

4/5

Gilded Otter Brewing Company

This past weekend I went to The Gilded Otter Brewing Company in New Paltz, NY.  I used to go to college in New Paltz, so I was already quite familiar with the Otter; however, I needed to refresh my memory for the sake of this blog.  I went for lunch and ordered the grilled bratwurst sandwich and a pint their pumpkin ale.  The food was delicious, as always.  I have never had a bad meal there, the pumpkin ale however was not as satisfying.  It was a very good beer, but it left me wanting more from the beer, while not actually wanting another one.  This is the first beer that I've had at the Otter that has made me feel this way.  Every other beer that I have tried there, such as the Huguenot St. American Lager, the New Paltz Crimson Lager, the Stone House Export Stout, the Blueberry Stout and the Black and Blue, ( a mix of Blueberry Lager and regular Stout with fresh blueberries floating in it) have all been amazing.

One beer was not enough to turn me off to this great brewpub. Between the exceptional beer and food, I highly recommend checking this place out.

4/5

Otter Creek 20th Anniversary Ale

I have only had a couple beers from Otter Creek before, but the 20th Anniversary Ale has me hooked on the brewery.  The lable says that its just an ale, but from my opinion it ia  Barley Wine.  While Barley Wines tend to have a wine flavor, 20th has a mild chocolate flavor, much like Orkney's Skull Splitter.  I saw this beer in the store today and I grabbed in just because it was limited edition, and I am very impressed. I like barley wine's but it is not my favorite variety of beer.

Damn it Feels Good to Make Your Own Beer

I sit here writing this post while enjoying the first bottle of my first batch of home made beer.  I did not get overly creative with this batch, just a simple Irish Red Ale from an ingredient kit.  There is a subtle hop flavor and a nice, smooth, and rich malty flavor and a deep unfiltered amber color.

I have to admit that I was worried that it wouldn't turn out well, but after a successful first batch, I cannot wait to start the second batch.  Remember to vote for what flavor I should make for my second batch.  The voting box is on the right.

Samuel Adams Bonfire Rauchbier Review

I am a big fan of Boston Brewery, they make consistently good craft beer that is affordable and readily available.  In my opinion they have some of the best seasonal beers and almost every bar has them on tap.  Over the past couple of years Boston Brewery has released sampler only seasonal beers. This fall saw the addition of the Bonfire Rauchbier.

This beer is a smoked lager that has a nice amber color and medium body.  The flavor of this beer however is nothing to write home about.  While not a bad beer, the smoke flavor is very heavy, and while smoke does well with food, it does not do well with beer.  This is the second smoked beer that I've had and so far I am not impressed with the style.

2/5

Bunratty Mead

While this is a beer blog, mead is kind of like beer's cousin. Mead, which is a wine like drink made from fermented honey, is believed to be the oldest fermented drink; a drink who's origin has been lost to history.

Almost two years ago I fell in love with Bunratty Mead.  Bunratty Mead is made in Bunratty Ireland and is the signature drink of the Bunratty Castle banquets.  This mead is hard to find in the United States, but I have found it in a couple stores in upstate New York.

This drink has a deep golden color and is very sweet. While I am not usually a fan of sweet drinks, this one is sweet in a different way.  Its not fruity and it doesn't have an artificial taste to it.  The honey adds the natural sweetness with a nice syrupy texture without being viscous.

Bunratty Mead is not a traditional mead, but rather white wine with honey and herbs added to it. This drink sparked my interest in mead and has led me to want to make my own mead.

Pumking Review

Recently I was able to try the illusive Pumking Imperial Pumpkin Ale by Southern Tier Brewing Company.  This beer, while plentiful in bottles is quite rare on tap.  I was lucky enough to try it for the first time at Bacchus Bar and Restaurant in New Paltz NY.  I was also able to find it on tap at my local beer distributor.

I love pumpkin beers, but what I've found is that most don't taste enough like pumpkin or the flavor is too strong which results in the beer being a little overpowering.  Pumking is the exception.  This beer has a strong pumpkin flavor, while still tasting natural and not overly sweet.  It accomplishes this without relying too much on spices and other flavors.   This beer is light and crisp but has the flavor of a darker beer.

I highly recommend this beer for beer lovers and new beer drinkers.

4/5

Beer

Everyone loves alcohol of some sort.  I myself, am an avid lover of beer. Through this blog I will talk about beer varieties, new products, new technologies, brewery reviews, recipes and my own home brewing endeavors.

My first attempt at home brewing has gone smoothly so far and will be ready for consumption tomorrow.  I can only hope that the result isn't so horrific as to the point that even Ulysses Grant wouldn't have drank it.  (To be honest, he probably would have drank it anyway.)