Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

20110531:
Smelt great. Hoppy, bitter taste. Powerful. I definitely shared; no way I was gonna drink the entire bottle by myself. I don't know what beer I've had recently that's had this high an ABV, 6.8%. Guinness Extra Stout is supposedly around 4.2 to 4.3% ABV. I once had an Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout which is 9% ABV.

On 20110607 I had the Golden Monkey which is 9.5% ABV.

I might be straying away from enjoying drinks which are too hoppy and leaning towards stouts. I still have the empty bottle at home, but it'll be a while before I can get a picture of the bottle posted.

I wrote: "Celebration tastes like a bitter red lager..."
I have since had several drinks with high ABV's. When I catch up on all my Drink Posts, I'll add the ABV's to the left of all the drinks.

[20110702]

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Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale

Relevant Links:
Sierra Nevada Website (MMDDYYYY)
Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale (BeerAdvocate.com)

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Website Information:

The long, cold nights of winter are a little brighter with Celebration® Ale. Wonderfully robust and rich, Celebration® Ale is dry-hopped for a lively, intense aroma. Brewed especially for the holidays, it is perfect for a festive gathering or for a quiet evening at home.

“…best beer ever made in America.”
– Stan Sessor, San Francisco Chronicle

GOLD MEDAL WINNER
United States Beer Tasting Championship (IPA: 1994)

FIRST PLACE
Chicago Beer Society — 1996 Fall Beer Tasting

SILVER MEDAL WINNER
California State Fair (IPA: 1999)
Great American Beer Festival (IPA: 2002)

ALCOHOL CONTENT 6.8% BY VOLUME
BEGINNING GRAVITY 16.0 PLATO
ENDING GRAVITY 4.0 PLATO
BITTERNESS UNITS 65
YEAST TOP-FERMENTING ALE YEAST
BITTERING HOPS: CHINOOK
FINISHING HOPS: CASCADE & CENTENNIAL
DRY HOPPING: CASCADE & CENTENNIAL
MALTS TWO-ROW PALE & ENGLISH CARAMEL

Troegs DreamWeaver Wheat Ale

(20120519)

20110531:
I wrote: "DreamWeaver Wheat beer. Drank a quarter. Taste bitterness. Read label. Swirled. Smells and tastes different. Drank a quarter. Pretty good. Like Sunset Wheat, different than most beers I've had recently."

[20110623]

---

20120519:
I wrote: "DreamWeaver has a nice lemon and/or citrus smell. There's that standard hefeweizen smell. Smells good. Looks beautiful. Much brighter taste than I expected." 2:01 AM
I wrote: "Gathered up some of that wheat by rolling the bottle around. Either the mouth adjusted or the rest of the bottle adds a balance to the taste. Very easy drink." 2:05 AM
I wrote: "There's already a bottle of DreamWeaver in my bottle collection. The cloudiness appearance from the wheat adds a dimension to the experience beyond the taste. The aesthetics. The experience." 2:08 AM

(20110531)

[20120619]

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Troegs DreamWeaver Wheat Ale

Relevant Links:
Troegs Brewing Company Website
DreamWeaver Wheat Ale (Troegs Brewing Company Website)
DreamWeaver Wheat (BeerAdvocate.com)

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Website Information:

Troegs DreamWeaver Wheat Ale

Alcohol By Volume: 4.8%
Hop Bitterness (IBU's): 15
Color (SRM): GOlden, Cloudy
Availability: Year Round
Malts: Pilsner, Vienna
Wheat: 35% Wheat
Hops: Saaz
Yeast: German Wheat

Long toasty days, cool breezy nights and a splash of magic provide the inspiration for the Troegs brothers’ dreamiest creation—Dreamweaver Wheat. Combining four wheat types with Munich and Pils malts, noble Saaz hops, and a yeast strain that imparts a spicy, peppery, clove taste with a slight hint of bananas, Dreamweaver Wheat is an unfiltered blast of spicy, mouthwatering joy.

Tasting Notes
Spicy, peppery, clove taste with a slight hint of bananas. When serving DreamWeaver pour 3/4 of the beer into a wheat glass, rouse the yeast at the bottom of the bottle and pour the remainder into the glass for big frothy head.

Food Compliments
The DreamWeaver pairs well with lighter foods; salads, seafood, sushi and vegetable dishes. Try it with goat cheese or an herb spread such as Boursin.
Serving Suggestions:
Temp: 45-50° F Glassware: Wheat Glass

Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat

20110529:
I bought this as a single beer at the Schnapp Shop for $1.79. It smelled and tasted wonderful. After about half the bottle, I ventured to describe it as tasting like Fruity Pebbles.*

Overall, this, by no means, was a bad beer. The description "Fruity Pebbles" was the closest flavor I could think of and the beer is extremely drinkable. The more I focused on the idea of Fruity Pebbles, the more I could smell it.

I only drank about 75% of the beer (approx. 9 fluid ounces).

12 FL. OZ. Bottle; 4.9% ALC/VOL [Note: This is different from the website information below.]

*Side story: the descriptor "Fruity Pebbles" reminded me of a time I went to a restaurant with my friends and the waitress was taking orders for drinks. One of my friends told me a particular drink tasted like Fruity Pebbles. While I thought she meant that I should try it, she then told me that I shouldn't get it because she didn't mean it in a good way. For whatever reason, we all started laughing. In any case, I subsequently changed my order, because I wasn't in the mood for trying a potentially bad beer.

[20161007 Edit]

---

Off-Topic: I read "The Art of Serving a Leinie's" and "The Art of Tasting" on the Leinenkugel's website. Both were quite informative. Learning about how to appreciate beer is definitely one of the aims I have with my "Drink" series of blog posts.

Ink on Neck:
MAR2811
C01160014
Bumps:
. . .. . .. . .

[20110529][20161007 Edit]

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20110621:
At Yard House, I got a North Coast Brother Thelonious. My friend got a Boddingtons Pub Ale followed by a Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat. Fortunately for me, he didn't finish his Sunset Wheat, and so I happily took a sip.

Today it tasted too much like Fruity Pebbles.* I wrote, "The Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat tasted like Fruity Pebbles today. Hmmm... Oh, there's a citrus taste from a real orange slice." The extra orange slice definitely added to the flavor.

Unfortunately, my opinion of the Sunset Wheat had taken a turn for the worse. I did not enjoy the citrus and Fruity Pebble taste. Perhaps the orange slice was overwhelming or the tasted of the Brother Thelonious had altered my tasted buds. It's also possible the beer was warmer and exposed too much flavor. In any case, I'll have to assign it a lower grade.

*I didn't realize at the time (20110621) that I had already described the taste of the Sunset Wheat as tasting like Fruity Pebbles.** I'm glad I'm being consistent.
**I'm happy to report that various BeerAdvocate.com reviews contain the words "fruity," "citrusy," and "Fruity Pebbles." I also found I haven't been liking Blue Moon Belgian White all that much. I'd be willing to draw the conclusion that I don't like my beers overly citrusy, at least for the time being. I probably enjoy Leinie's Sunset Wheat and Blue Moon when they are colder - when their citrusy flavors are more subtle. See Yuengling 20110622.

[20110622][20161007 Edit]

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Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat

Relevant Links:
Leinenkugel's Website Month DD YY State
Leinenkugels Sunset Wheat (RateBeer.com)
Leienenkugel's Sunset Wheat (BeerAdvocate.com)
My Leinenkugel's Honey Weiss post
My Leinenkugel's Fireside Nut Brown post

---

Website Information:

Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat

A Soothing Belgian Witbier

ABV: 4.8% // IBU: 13.5
Malts: Blend of Wheat & Pale // Hops: Cluster
Serving temperature: 40 Degrees [4 Degrees Celsius]
Other: Natural coriander flavor, naturally cloudy
Availability: Year-round

Nutrition: (Based on a 12-oz. serving)
Calories: 165; Carb. grams: 16; Protein grams: 1.7; Fat grams: 0.0

Awards Won: Silver medal of the 2006 Great American Beer Festival(R) and Bronze winner of the 2006 & 2007 World Beer Cup(R) in the Herb and Spice category.

Troegs JavaHead Stout

20110527:
I definitely detected the flavors of a stout. On the other hand, detecting the coffee bean proved difficult, because up until today, I haven't had too many coffee beans in my life. I think I once had an ice cream that had coffee beans.

After some extra sniffing, I might be imagining it, but this beer's smell isn't just that of a stout. I might sense a whiff of coffee beans with my nose. And it tastes not quite (?) just chocolaty. Not bitter. Unless I'm just getting so used to the bitterness of beer. I hope not.

The next day (20110528), a friend of mine said how things we don't like get mapped to the area in the brain that is used to sense bitterness. At least, I think that's what he said; I'll have to double-check. I added to the conversation by saying that would explain why, as I enjoy beer more and more, it seems I taste the bitterness less and less.

[20110623]

---

20120509:
I wrote: "10 on. The JavaHead has good coffee notes. It's a bit more carbonated than the average beer. I can sense its stout qualities." 6:37 PM

Somewhat related to this post, I should mention that I have no idea what "10 on" means.

[20120610]

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Troegs JavaHead Stout

Relevant Links:
Troegs Brewing Company Website Yes/No
Java Head (Troegs Brewing Company Website)
Java Head (BeerAdvocate.com)

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Website Information:

JavaHead Stout
Alcohol By Volume: 7.5%
Hop Bitterness (IBU's): 60
Color (SRM): Black
Availability: Seasonal, 22oz. Bottles Only
Malts: Pilsner, Crystal, Chocolate, Roast
JuJu: Oats, Blend of Coffee Beans
Hops: Cluster, Chinook, Cascade
Yeast: Unfiltered Ale

JavaHead Stout contains a blend of locally roasted espresso and Kenyan coffee beans by St. Thomas Roasters in Linglestown, PA.
JavaHead's recipe is based off of our original oatmeal stout. After the boil, the hot wort passes through our hopback vessel on it's way to fermentation. Packed full of whole leaf hops and a bed of ground coffee beans, the hopback vessel is similar to using a huge French press, intensifying the coffee nose and releasing subtle hints of coffee flavor. The result is a lush oatmeal mouthfeel balanced with cocoa, roast and subtle coffee flavors.

Food Compliments
Cheese (earthy; Camembert, Fontina)
General (Chocolate, Dessert)
Meat (Shellfish, Smoked Meat)
Serving Suggestions:
Temp: 50-55°F Glassware: Pint or Mug

Breckenridge Vanilla Porter

20110526:
12 FL. OZ. BOTTLE.

There's that sort of chocolaty taste I associate with Guinness. Looking "porter" up on Wikipedia.org, apparently there's reasoning behind my observation. The Wikipedia.org porter (beer) page mentions the following:

The name "stout" for a dark beer is believed to have come about because a strong porter may be called "Extra Porter" or "Double Porter" or "Stout Porter". The term "Stout Porter" would later be shortened to just "Stout". For example, Guinness Extra Stout was originally called "Extra Superior Porter" and was only given the name Extra Stout in 1840.

The vanilla smell is only apparent to me at the lip of the bottle. It's definitely not heavy, I don't really sense any bitterness, possibly just a little, if at all, but can't taste the vanilla either.

I decided to only drink half the bottle.

I would say the beer is tastier and more enjoyable than some beers I've had. In the end, I still prefer the darker, heavier Guinness.

Note: Several reviews I read remarked how the vanilla flavor was obvious. Maybe I had the bottle for too long. Looking for a date, I noticed the bumps around the bottom of the beer bottle: ".. .... .. .."

A Google search led me to this post The Purpose of Beer Bottle Bumps. The post mentioned the date on the neck of the bottle. I faintly saw printing that seemed to read 05B21B11. Since I certainly obtained the beer long before 5/21/2011, I suppose it's a "Best Enjoyed Before" date. The Samuel Adams White Ale bottle, whose "For Brewery-Fresh Taste, Enjoy Before Month Notched" date is on the label, has "A0161????8E" The Samuel Adams website had this snippet:

The legible coding of beer bottles with a freshness date so that consumers know that they are receiving fresh beer. All bottles of Samuel Adams beers have a freshness date on the side of the label, ensuring that you'll never drink a bottle of Sam alone. You'll always have a 'date'. Prior to this system of dating, freshness codes were used by other brewers but they required a key to be deciphered.

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Breckenridge Vanilla Porter

Relevant Links:
Vanilla Porter (Breckenridge Brewery Website)
Breckenridge Brewery Website
Vanilla Porter (BeerAdvocate.com)

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Website Information:

Who would have thought deep in the jungles of Papua New Guinea and Madagascar grew the perfect ingredient to build an extraordinary Porter in Colorado? An ale that has all the chocolate and roasted nut flavor of a classic Porter, with an enigmatic surprise thrown in for good measure, real vanilla bean. Breckenridge Brewery’s Vanilla Porter. A vanilla kiss in a rich, dark sea.

Quick Facts:
Beer Style: Herb and Spice Beer
Flavor: Smooth roasted chocolate with a creamy vanilla finish.
Yeast: Top Fermenting Ale Yeast
Malts: Two Row Pale, Caramel, Chocolate, Black, Roasted Barley
Hops: Chinook, Tettinang, Perle, Goulding
Vanilla: Real vanilla beans from Paupau New Guinea and Madagascar.
Color: Deep Brown
Bitterness Units: 16
Alcohol By Volume: 4.7%
Availability: Year round

Breck Brew Vanilla Porter Milkshake:
4 scoops plain vanilla ice cream
1/2 bottle Breck Brew Vanilla Porter
Combine vanilla ice cream and Vanilla Porter together in a blender. Blend until smooth. Pour into a glass and enjoy. Serves 1.

Almaza Pilsener

20110521:
I looked on the Mama Ayesha's menu and both the domestic and imported beer list were short. I had either tried a beer or didn't want to try a beer on the list.

However, I saw one beer on the imported beers list that I hadn't tried before and was willing to try: the Almaza (Lebanon).

Domestic Miller Lite . Samuel Adams Boston Lager . Yuengling . Kaliber (Non-Alcoholic) . Blue Moon (Colorado)
Imported Heineken (Netherlands) . Amstel Light (Netherlands) . Corona (Mexico) . Red Stripe (Jamaica) . Almaza (Lebanon)

The waiter came with the bottle and corresponding Almaza glass. He poured the beer and as he began to walk away with the empty bottle, I asked, "Can you please leave the bottle?" I agree this is strange behavior, but at the moment I have full control over it! Among friends, I'm going to unleash my blogging addictions and take pictures uncontrollably; if I was on a date, I'd totally restrain myself. The day I can't, someone should intervene.

What I'll remember most about this beer is the subtle banana flavor. And like I wrote down, it had absolutely no bitterness.
I wrote "Almaza 11.2 oz bottle. Normal nice smell. At first tasted like banana. No bitterness at all. Not too fizzy. But pretty refreshing. Subsequent tastes still a banana flavor."

Not at the time of having the beer, but at the time of this post, 20110522, I recall going to a restaurant in Virginia Beach, Virginia, that had a gigantic list of imported beer. Looking into the idea, apparently various restaurants have the concept of a World Beer Club.

[20110522,3]

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Almaza Pilsener

Relevant Links:
Almaza Website DD MM YY
Almaza Pilsener (Almaza Website)
Mama Ayesha's Website

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Website Information:

Almaza Pilsener
The original. 77 years young. A memorable taste of Lebanon this is a beer that talks Lebanese to foreigners, unfolding seven decades of prideful heritage. A beer that talks history to Lebanese a synonym of good times.
Perfected from day one, the recipe's secret lies in the ideal balance between hops, malted barley and maize, the signature ingredient.
Mastered over time to deliver the same great taste with every bottle pop: remarkably refreshing, smooth, bright and cheerful.

Almaza Pure Malt
Darker. Introducing Almaza's specialty beer for the connoisseur.
With 6% alcohol, the 100% extra roasted malted barley adds a zest of maturity to the regular Almaza and a thicker color to its appearance.
Pure Malt is a balanced combination of rich creamy foam, a subtle aroma, and a condensed fulfilling taste.
Ideally chilled at 6 C, this beer's uniqueness deserves to be cheered... to the detail. If our regular beer was always a favorite, our new favorite brunette will surely become a regular.

How to Enjoy the Perfect Beer
01 The Glass
The ritual starts here. Not just any glass, but a beer glass with the right curves. It needs to be sparkling clean and fully transparent to mirror the beer's golden color. Chill the glass in the fridge for an hour or so.
02 The Beer
100% Almaza. Blonde or Brunette. 100% Chilled. The freshest, the better. Beer does not improve with age.
03 The Temperature
For Almaza regular, chill it at -2 C. Pure Malt can be served at a comfortable 6 C.
04 Pouring
You can brag about the way you pop the cap, but when it comes to pouring, better be initiated. Slosh some beer into the bottom of the glass to form a head. Then gently pour the beer onto the foam. Rest the glass for a couple of minutes, then fill it carefully until full. If you like your beer bitter, give yourself a more generous head and sip the beer through it.
05 Enjoying
Bring the glass to your lips and inhale gently to take in the aroma of the beer. Then, take a first sip... then another... then another.

Oliver's Irish Red

20110518:
"Oliver's Irish Red" isn't on The Owl Bar's menu, so I don't know what the menu description reads. But I included the Oliver Breweries website's description below. I wrote, "Bitter." I felt this drink was strong and bitter. I tried to detect the beer's flavors, but was having some trouble doing so. I believe the only other Irish Red I've tried until now has been Killian's Irish Red. In contrast with Oliver's Irish Red, I recall Killian's being tasty. I was unable to detect the flavors and aromas of Oliver's Irish Red. I might give this one another shot some day.

[Edited 20120114]

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Oliver's Irish Red

It's hard to tell from this angle, but it was indeed reddish in color. (Oliver's Irish Red)

Relevant Links:
Oliver Breweries Webpage

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Website Information:

Irish Red
6.0% a.b.v.
Deep red in color, high alcohol, and full bodied. It gets it splendid hop aroma from Fuggle hops, accenting the rich flavors of this wonderful well-rounded ale.

Snakebite (Guinness and HardCore Cider)

20110518:
Today I went to The Owl Bar and ordered a Snakebite.

I've taken a sip and most of the head has settled.

Menu Description:
Snakebite HardCore Cider & Guinness Stout bringing you a taste like no other.

I wrote the following: "Snakebite. Cider. I mostly taste the cider over the Guinness. Maybe I drank more of the Guinness at the beginning." Besides the strange bite at the beginning, I didn't really like the Snakebite.

[20110520]

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Snakebite (Guinness and HardCore Cider)

The head (Guinness) is still settling.

Relevant Links:
The Owl Bar Website
Snakebite (drink) (Wikipedia.org)
Black and Tan (Wikipedia.org)

Red Stripe Light

20110514:
I've had Red Stripe several times before. This is my first time having a Red Stripe Light.

I only wrote the following: "Red Stripe Light. 11.2 oz. Good. Regular."

Red Stripe Light (20110514)

[20110521,2][20180712 Edit]

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Red Stripe Light

Relevant Links:
Red Stripe Light (RateBeer.com)
Red Stripe Light | Desnoes & Geddes Limited (BeerAdvocate.com)

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Website Information:

RED STRIPE LIGHT
Red Stripe Light Lager is a lighter and more refreshing beer that still provides that unique Jamaican flavor. Fresh and clean with a slight fruity note, it is smooth, with a short, mild aftertaste. Good flavor balance with bitterness well blended in. 4.1% ABV.
Available in 11.2oz bottles in 6 pack.

Kona Wailua Wheat Ale

20110514:
In my notes, I wrote that I couldn't taste any passion fruit flavor. However, I later realized (20110522) that I was actually thinking of dragon fruit and I don't remember if I've ever had real passion fruit.*

(20110514 4:44 PM ET)

Having too much trouble detecting the flavors of the beer, I neither expressed like nor dislike for this beer.

*[20180712] I definitely had the pleasure of eating passion fruit during Fall 2017, and I don't recall having eaten it that. It's so delicious!

[20110521,2][20180712 Edit]

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Kona Wailua Wheat Ale

Relevant Links:
Kona Brewing Co. Website Yes/No
Wailua Wheat Ale (Kona Brewing Co. Website)
Kona Wailua Wheat (RateBeer.com)
Wailua Wheat | Kona Brewing Co. (BeerAdvocate.com)

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Website Information:

Paradise Found
Swimming in a fresh water pool at the base of a cascading waterfall is what we all imagine we would find in paradise. On Maui, follow the old Hana Highway and you will find such a place – Wailua Falls. This plunging cascade of clear water is the inspiration for our Limited Release Wailua Wheat Ale. This golden, sun colored ale has a bright, citrus flavor that comes from the tropical passion fruit we brew into each batch. Sit back, relax and enjoy paradise anytime.
Available from March to September

SUGGESTED FOOD PAIRINGS
Wailua Wheat Ale is an excellent beer to enjoy after a day on the water or at the beach (or even after mowing the lawn or playing softball in your "pau hana" summer league!). It typically pairs well with lighter fare like grilled fish and shrimp, roasted chicken, salads and Asian foods. Perhaps even a dish of vanilla ice cream.

Brew Specifications
BITTERNESS: 15 IBU
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 5.4%
ORIGINAL GRAVITY: 12.0 P
MALTS: PALEM WHEAT
HOPS: HALLERTAU

Guaraná Brazilia

20110514:
After drinking a caipirinha and before drinking a bottle of Kona Wailua, I drank two cans of Guaraná. I've only had Guaraná on two or three different occasions and I've yet to be disappointed.

[20110521,2]

Sweet Tea Vodka and Lemonade

20110511:
Today I enjoyed the evening with my friends (John and Lauren) by listening to Beirut and having a couple of good drinks (LandShark Lager, sweet tea vodka and lemonade, and Old Dominion Oak Barrel Stout).

I told a friend that sweet tea vodka is both dangerously delicious and deliciously dangerous.*

In any case, apparently it tastes great with lemonade.

Unfortunately, I forgot to take a picture of the tap, so I don't know which brand of sweet tea vodka or lemonade was used. However, I'm pretty sure the drink used "sweet tea vodka" as opposed to "sweet tea and vodka."

I wrote the following: "Sweet tea vodka and lemonade. As expected, the drink hardly tastes like it has alcohol. It's basically an alcoholic Arnold Palmer."**

*[20180624] I'm not sure if the latter makes sense but alliteration works wonders.
**An alcoholic Arnold Palmer is known as a John Daly.

[20110522,3][20150117 Edit][20180624 Edit]

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Sweet Tea Vodka and Lemonade

Relevant Links:
John Daly (drink) (Wikipedia.org)
Arnold Palmer (drink) (Wikipedia.org)
Sweet Tea (Wikipedia.org)
Firefly Sweet Tea Vodka (Wikipedia.org)

LandShark Lager

20110511:
Today, while listening to Beirut, I had a LandShark Lager, a sweet tea vodka and lemonade, and an Dominion Oak Barrel Stout.

I wrote: "LandShark Lager. Slightly crisp. Refreshing."

[20110522,3][20150117 Edit]

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LandShark Lager

Relevant Links:
LandShark Lager Website MM DD YYYY (I didn't find any info on the beer here)
Land Shark Lager (Wikipedia.org)
Landshark Lager (BeerAdvocate.com)
LandShark Lager (RateBeer.com)

Samuel Adams White Ale

20110509:
"For Brewery-Fresh Taste, Enjoy Before Month Notched" June

This beer is nice and crisp. When I first gave it a whiff, it smelled fruity. I drank some out of the bottle. I drank some out of the whisky glass. I poured half a cup (I measured with a measuring cup) down the drain. This wasn't because the beer was bad, it was just because I didn't want to drink the full bottle, and it wouldn't be practical to save it in the fridge. 1 US cup = 8 US fluid ounces. Thus I drank two-thirds of the bottle. In any case, I look forward to next November/December to have this beer again.

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Samuel Adams White Ale

Relevant Links:
Samuel Adams Website MM DD YYYY ; YYYY
Samuel Adams White Ale (Samuel Adams Website)

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Website Information:

About:
Spicy yet smooth. Samuel Adams® White Ale is brewed with 10 exotic spices: orange and lemon peel, dried plum, Grains of Paradise, coriander, anise, hibiscus, rose hips, tamarind, and vanilla. As an unfiltered wheat ale, Samuel Adams White Ale has a crisp and refreshing taste profile with the added unique character and complexity of our special blend of spices.

History:
The origin of the witbier style is in Belgium. The style gets its name from the white, hazy appearance created by the suspended yeast and wheat proteins in this unfiltered beer. As a wheat ale its related to the German weissbier but with the addition of classic spices such as orange and coriander. Beers with combinations of traditional spices such as these were sometimes referred to as gruit. The spices were used to preserve and flavor the beer prior to using hops.

Brewing:
[I decided not to copy and paste this section, see website]

Profile:
Flavor: Crisp and malty with a distinct spice note. The aroma and flavors are fruity, floral, and complex with a cereal malt note balanced by the Hallertau Mittelfrueh Noble hops.
Color: Slightly golden to amber
Original Gravity:12.5° Plato
Alcohol by Vol/Wt: 5.3%ABV - 4.2%ABW
Calories/12 oz.: 166
Malt Varieties: Two-row Harrington, Metcalfe, and Copeland pale malts, and Malted Wheat
Hop Variety: Hallertau Mittelfrueh Noble hops
Special Ingredients: a blend of exotic fruits and spices including Grains of Paradise
Yeast Strain: Samuel Adams ale yeast
Availability: Seasonal (November - December) in the Winter Classics Variety Pack
First Brewed: 1997

White Ale - Course Pairings
Small Plates
Mussels
Mussels and beer are a classic pairing both to enjoy together and to cook together. They pair particularly well with wheat beers like White Ale or Summer Ale but for an added layer of flavor try them with a Samuel Adams Stony Brook Red. The depth of malt sweetness, and a moderate acidity will mingle with the briny sweet flavors of the mussels. Try cooking the beer and mussels too with some garlic, herbs, and butter.
Also pair with:
Samuel Adams® Stony Brook Red
Samuel Adams® Summer Ale
Seafood
Fresh Tuna
Tuna is incredibly flavorful yet delicate and less oily than salmon. We recommend our Summer Ale or Noble Pils to pair with fresh tuna. Summer Ale and White Ale have unique blends of spices and malted wheat which can help add some lightness to the pairing. Noble Pils has a full hop flavor and long malty finish to help balance the flavorful tuna, particularly in sushi.
Also pair with:
Samuel Adams® Noble Pils
Samuel Adams® Summer Ale
Mussels
Mussels and beer are a classic pairing both to enjoy together and to cook together. They pair particularly well with wheat beers like White Ale or Summer Ale but for an added layer of flavor try them with a Samuel Adams Stony Brook Red. The depth of malt sweetness, and a moderate acidity will mingle with the briny sweet flavors of the mussels. Try cooking the beer and mussels too with some garlic, herbs, and butter.
Also pair with:
Samuel Adams® Stony Brook Red
Samuel Adams® Summer Ale

Seasonal Beers the Company has Listed (as of 20110509):
11to01 Chocolate Bock
11to01 Cranberry Lambic
08to10 Dunkelweizen
04to07 East West Kolsch
09to10 Harvest Pumpkin Ale
11to01 Holiday Porter
01to03 Noble Pils
08to10 Octoberfest
11to01 Old Fezziwig Ale
04to07 Rustic Saison
04to08 Summer Ale
11to12 White Ale
11to01 Winter Lager

Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout

20110504:
I wrote "Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout. Smooth dark. Pumpkin taste is there. Very nice. Not at all bitter. Kind of like Guinness with Pumpkin."

As of 20110522, I sort thought about how saying stouts taste like Guinness might be useful for someone like me who hasn't had many beers, but would very well be a ridiculous way to describe stouts. Since they probably all have a similar flavor. Different adjectives would probably be necessary to compare and contrast two different stouts.

[20110522]

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Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout

Related Links:
Cape Ann Brewing Company Website
My Fisherman's Ale post

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Website Information:

Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout is a dark stout accentuated by flavors of the Autumn season. Using real Pumpkin, cinnamon, nutmeg and asllspice, the Cape Ann Brewing Company took a fresh take at the common fall seasonal. This rich dark stout offers an inviting pumpjin spice aroma that gives way to the delicate essence of real pumpkin.

Style Spiced Stout/Fall Seasonal ABV: 7.0% IBU:30

Samuel Adams Noble Pils

20110504:
I wrote: "Noble Pils. Crispy fresh. Tasty."

[20110605]

---

Samuel Adams Noble Pils

Relevant Links:
Noble Pils (Samuel Adams Website)
Samuel Adams Website MM DD YYYY ; YYYY
The Perfect Pour (Samuel Adams Website)
My Samuel Adams White Ale post

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Website Information:

About:
Samuel Adams® Noble Pils is brewed with all 5 Noble hops for a distinct hop character and fresh taste. Deep golden in color with a citrusy hop aroma, Samuel Adams Noble Pils is a traditional Bohemian Pilsner. The honeyed malt character from traditional Bohemian malt is balanced by delicate yet pronounced citrus, floral, and piney notes from the Noble hops. The winner of our 2009 Beer Lover’s Choice® election, this beer was chosen by over 67,000 drinkers for its crisp complexity and refreshing taste.

History:
The Czech Republic has a long history of brewing dating back to the 12th century. In 1842, a brewer in the town of Plzen created a beer that was the first of its kind. Brewed with newly available pale malts, aromatic Czech Saaz hops and bottom fermenting lager yeast, the pale, clear, refreshing beer was in stark contrast to the dark murky ales of the day. Known as pilsner for the town where it was created, it became a sensation across Europe. Samuel Adams Noble Pils follows in the tradition of this first pilsner.

Brewing:
Samuel Adams Noble Pils is brewed according to the Bohemian tradition. We start with a special Bohemian spring barley that has been crafted using old world, labor intensive techniques, called floor malting. This traditional malt adds a rich malt character and a distinct pilsner flavor to the beer. The beer is also brewed with all five Noble hop varieties to deliver a fresh and citrusy hop aroma and flavor. Noble hops are grown in the world’s oldest growing regions in Bavaria and the Czech Republic and are prized for their delicate aroma and flavor. Each of the five Noble hop varieties adds a slightly different aroma and flavor to the beer, from citrus and spice to pine and floral. The result is a beer that is crisp, complex and refreshing. Its bright flavor and lively, citrus hop character remind us that the warm days of spring are just a few weeks away.

Profile:
Flavor Profile: The five Noble hop varieties in this beer deliver a fresh and citrusy hop aroma which is nicely balanced by the honeyed malt character from the traditional Bohemian malt.
Color: Deep golden
Original Gravity: 12.7° Plato
Alcohol by Vol/Wt: 4.9%ABV - 3.8%ABW
Calories/12oz.: 169
Malt Varieties: Two-row Harrington, Metcalfe, and Copeland pale malts, and Czech pilsner malt
Hop Varieties: Hallertau Mittelfrueh, Tettnang Tettnanger, Spalt Spalter, Saaz, and Hersbrucker Noble hops
Yeast Strain: Samuel Adams lager yeast
Availability: Seasonal (January - March)
First Brewed: 2009

Noble Pils - Course Pairings
Smoked Salmon / Smoked Salmon is a flavorfull and rich fish that needs a moderate to full hop character to contrast. Boston Ale, Samuel Adams Latitude 48, or Noble Pils would all be excellent choices.

Bruschetta / Bruschetta can be a difficult pairing with its combination of flavors so it calls for a balanced and flavorful beer like Samuel Adams Boston Lager or Noble Pils. The initial maltiness works with the bread while the Noble hop finish helps cut through the cheese and acidity of the tomatoes.

Guacamole / Guacamole's blend of avocado, lime, and cilantro makes a perfect pairing with a crisp pale lager or wheat beer. The hop character of our Noble Pils will cut through the creaminess of the avacado and compliment the herbal cilantro notes, while the crispness of the wheat and citrus in Summer Ale or Samuel Adams Coastal Wheat compliment the lime and fresh green cilantro flavors.

Nachos / Now, this pairing definitely depends on what you pile onto your nachos, but look for a beer like Samuel Adams Boston Lager with balance and some sweetness to match most of the toppings' flavors without overshadowing them. The sweetness of the malt will put out some of the fire while the hop bitterness will cut through the cheese, sour cream, and guacamole. For extra spicy nachos, try Noble Pils or Sam Adams Light to soften more of the heat.

Fresh Tuna / Tuna is incredibly flavorful yet delicate and less oily than salmon. We recommend our Summer Ale or Noble Pils to pair with fresh tuna. Summer Ale and White Ale have unique blends of spices and malted wheat which can help add some lightness to the pairing. Noble Pils has a full hop flavor and long malty finish to help balance the flavorful tuna, particularly in sushi.

Oysters & Clams (raw) / With fresh shellfish, you get the briny flavors of the sea but there's also a delicate sweetness from the meat as well. It may not seem to be a natural pair but the combination of oysters and stouts has been loved for centuries for the perfect pairing they create. The deep roasted character and subtle bitterness of our Cream Stout seems to brighten the sweet and salty taste of the oysters. Our Black Lager has some of the same roasted malt characteristics but with a lighter body to contrast the creamy texture of the shellfish for another great pairing. For a more herbal note that contrasts with the sweetness of the raw oyster, Noble Pils is also good pair.

Sushi / The distinct cereal note and citrus in Samuel Adams Coastal Wheat and Summer Ale will compliment and brighton the raw fish flavors without overpowering their delicate taste. Sam Adams Light also has a lighter body but the malt will work well to put out the fire of the wasabi and ginger and balance out the soy sauce. The hoppiness and lighter body of a Noble Pils will also make a great pairing.

Lasagna / The malt base in Samuel Adams Boston Lager and Noble Pils match the seasoned beef or sausage used in this sauce. The citrusy and floral hops will also complement the tomato's acidity and help lighten the taste of the cheese and pasta that often accompanies this sauce.

Marinara / The tomato character is going to drive the flavor in this sauce. To match that robust and acidic flavor try a Noble Pils for its medium body and hop bitterness that will work with the flavor of the tomatoes. Pale Ale's earthy hop flavor will also compliment the tomato based sweetness of the sauce.

Spicy Indian / Spicy curries are full of flavor both in spice and heat so there are two directions to go for choosing a beer. The first approach is to subdue the spice with a sweeter malt body. Pale Ale and Sam Adams Light have the right balance of malt smoothness while not adding heaviness to the dish. Another approach is to highlight the spice (rather than the heat) in the curry to bring out the aromatic qualities. The floral noble hop aroma of the Noble Pils will nicely pick up the spices in the curry.

Shipyard Old Thumper

20110502:
12 FL. OZ. Bottle. 5.6% ALC./VOL.

This bottle has a Best Enjoyed Before February 2011.

Drank about half from the bottle. Poured the rest into a glass. Not as cloudy as the Peak Organic. Possibly cause its not as old. I'm not sure. I'll have to see the color of a new bottle of either to really know.

Hmm... it's possible that part of the flavor of the Peak Organic Amber Ale I had the other day was the flavor of old beer. Todays Old Thumper was similar in flavor. Though I think it was slightly tangier. Various reviews describe the beer as sweet. I suppose this is true.

Overall, while past the "Best Enjoyed Before" date, the beer was definitely drinkable and had good flavors to it.

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Shipyard Old Thumper

Relevant Links:
Shipyard Old Thumper (BeerAdvocate.com)
Ringwood Old Thumper (USA) (RateBeer.com)
Shipyard Brewing Co. Website

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Website Information:

Old Thumper Extra Special Ale was created in 1979 by veteran British brewer, Peter Austin, founder of the Ringwood Brewery in Hampshire, England and mentor to Shipyard's master brewer Alan Pugsley. A British Grand Champion beer, Old Thumper is a non-traditional English Bitter, brewed in the US soley by Shipyard.

Malt: 2-Row British Pale Ale, Crystal, Chocolate
Hops: Challenger, Progress, Goldings
Yeast: Top-Fermenting English
Color: Light Cooper
OG: 1060
Character: Hint of sweetness with fruit aromas, smooth texture, dry hoppy finish
Food Pairings: Hearty Casseroles, Stews
First Brewed: October 1994
Available in: 12oz, 22oz, Keg, Cask Conditioned

Peak Organic Amber Ale

20110501:
This beer had a Best Enjoyed Before date of October 2010, but it's been in my fridge, so the temperature has been constant since I brought it home. Drinking straight from the bottle, I found the beer still tasted good - at least as far as I could tell. From my limited set of beer descriptors, I find the beer is chocolaty. However, most descriptions of the Peak Organic Amber Ale describe it as toasty*.

*A beer is toasty if it literally has a toasty flavor.

After drinking some of the beer from the bottle, I decided to pour the remainder of it out in a cup. Since I didn't have my pint glass, I used a whiskey glass. In any case, I proceeded to smell the beer and observe its color. While I was able to observe these two aspects, I was unable to translate my perceptions into words.

As the beer warmed up, it seemed to gain a little more flavor. In any case, the beer's flavor seemed familiar, but I couldn't put my finger on which beer it was similar to. Maybe it tastes like Blue Moon Belgian White.

[20150522 Edit]

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Peak Organic Amber Ale

Relevant Links:
Peak Organic Brewing Company Website
Peak Organic Amber Ale (BeerAdvocate.com)
Amber Ale (Wikipedia.org)

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Website Information:

amber ale

Our Amber Ale is designed to start bright and lively from an abundance of Crystal Malts. We establish a strong contrast between front palate and back palate by adding generous amounts of Munich Malt, which provides a distinct toasty finish.

ABV: 4.9% IBUs: 37

SUGGESTED FOOD PAIRING: Grilled meats/veggies, smoked fish, poultry, burgers, port-salut or tangy cheese