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