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Saturday, September 28, 2013

Redd's Strawberry Ale

20130928:
I wrote: "Redd's Strawberry Ale definitely smells and tastes like strawberry." 6:30PM ET
I also wrote: "Lol. As I finished the beer I thought, 'Oh this tastes a bit like a cider,' only to look and see it has apple flavors." 6:50PM ET

(The actual bottle, but not from the actual day.)


Redd's Strawberry Ale

Relevant Links:
Redd's Strawberry Ale (RateBeer.com)
Redd's Strawberry Ale | Miller Brewing Co. (BeerAdvocate.com)

Flying Dog Dogtoberfest Marzen

20130928:
I wrote: "Dogtoberfest isn't too tasty at first. It's tastier towards the end." 4:22PM

Flying Dog Dogtoberfest Marzen

(The actual bottle, but not from the actual day.)

Relevant Links:
Dogtoberfest Marzen (Flying Dog Website)
Dogtoberfest (BeerAdvocate.com)
Flying Dog Dogtoberfest (RateBeer.com)

Website Information:
DOGTOBERFEST MARZEN

BREWER BREAKDOWN:
ALCOHOL BY VOLUME: 5.6%
AVAILABILITY: Fall release
HOP BITTERNESS: 30 IBU
SPECIALTY MALTS: Light Munich, Munic 90, Munich 100, Vienna
HOPS: German Perle, Hallertau
YEAST: Proprietary lager strain

FOOD PAIRINGS:
Brewed with 100% imported German ingredients, it will cut spice while pulling out sweetness. Flavor notes: Full-bodied caramel sweet with a light toasted and crisp, clean finish
Pairs with: Mexican and Pepper Jack cheeses; sweet Asian sauces; spiced desserts; German foods

AWARDS:
2009 GOLD MEDAL
Great American Beer Festival - German-Style Marzen
2008 GOLD MEDAL
Great American Beer Festival - German-Style Marzen
2005 BRONZE MEDAL
Great American Beer Festival - German-Style Marzen

Saturday, September 14, 2013

Brasserie de Silly Pink Killer

20130915:
While a grapefruit-centric beer might seem like a good idea, and I suppose it still has the possibility to be a good idea, a taste of Pink Killer would suggest one would be better off manufacturing other good ideas.

I wrote: "Pink Killer. I can't tell whether or not I liked this beer. I think mostly I didn't. Yeah, I didn't. Sam didn't either. Jordan had my initial opinion: confused. Matt thought it was alright. Jeffrey made a face which seemed like the face I probably made when I first sipped on the beer." 1:55AM

[20131221]

Brasserie de Silly Pink Killer


Relevant Links:
Pink Killer (Brasserie de Silly Website)
Pink Killer (BeerAdvocate.com)
Pink Killer (RateBeer.com)

Website Information:
Pink Killer

Fruity white style top fermentation beer.

Colour: cloudy pink colouring 25 EBC.

Ingredients: Water, malt, wheat, grapefruit juice, flavourings, sugar, yeast, coriander, orange peel, hallertau hop.

Density: 5% ABV 11° Plato.

Packaging: 25cl Apo bottle, 30l barrel.

Drinking temperature: serve between 4 and 7° C.

Storage: very long time under normal storage conditions.

Taste comments:
Fruity and thirst-quenching, sweet yet not sickly, Pink Killer is a beer based on malt, wheat and pink grapefruit, which explains its very unique colour and the hint of bitterness typical of this fruit, in turn quenching the biggest of thirsts with a flavoursome taste.

Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale

20130915:
I absolutely loved how close this beer was to smelling and tasting like pumpkin. Not everyone will enjoy such a strongly pumpkin tasting beer, but its a characteristic of pumpkin beers which I seek (more pumpkin = more please).

I wrote: "The Elysian actually smells like pumpkin pie! [Lemon Shandy][Ruby Redbird]" 12:19AM
I also wrote: "Having finished the summer brews [Lemon Shandy][Ruby Redbird], I returned to the Elysian which is very much a fall brew. This beer is sooooo tasty." 12:26AM

[20131221]

Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale


Relevant Links:
Night Owl Pumpkin Ale (Elysian Website)
Night Owl Pumpkin Ale (BeerAdvocate.com)
Elysian Night Owl Pumpkin Ale (RateBeer.com)
Elysian Brewing Company (Wikipedia.org)

Website Information:
NIGHT OWL PUMPKIN ALE

Our Original Pumpkin Ale

STYLE Pumpkin Ale
BODY Light to Medium
TASTING NOTES A very drinkable pumpkin ale—brewed with seven and a half pounds of pumpkin per barrel and spiced in conditioning with ginger, cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and allspice.
MALTS Pale, Munich, Crystal
HOPS Lightly bittered with Magnum
SPECIAL Both roasted and raw pumpkin seeds are in the mash, with pumpkin added to the mash, kettle and fermenter.
ABV: 5.9%
IBU: 18
AVAILABILITY Fall Seasonal — Draft, 22 oz bottles, Six Packs/12oz bottles

Website Information:
ELYSIAN BEER

The Wise ESB was the first beer we brewed, back in April of 1996; it was soon followed by Dragonstooth Stout, the Immortal IPA, Zephyrus Pilsner and Perseus Porter. Along with the Avatar Jasmine IPA, which has been with us since 2005, these beers constitute the core of our lineup. They have changed a bit over time, as new hop varieties have arisen and new ideas have struck us.

Night Owl Pumpkin Ale is our most popular seasonal offering. It began its life in the tiny Gameworks brewery we operated from 1997 to 2002, but soon outgrew even our Capitol Hill brewery. Night Owl and the rest of our seasonals – Bete Blanche, our deceptive and delicious spring Tripel, Loser, our substantial summer ale, and Bifrost Winter Ale – are now brewed at our production brewery in Seattle’s Georgetown neighborhood.

Dogfish Head Black & Blue

20130914:
I recall buying this bottle of beer about two or three years ago, around the same time I bought several bottles of Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA. In any case, I naively brought it to a party and stuck it into a fridge assuming no one would open and drink a 1 point 9.6 fl. oz. bottle that wasn't his/hers.


Fortunately, I was able to spot the beer being drunk* before it was all finished and was able to get a taste for my blog.

I wrote: "Dogfish Head Black & Blue. This beer has a sweet smell, like juice. It has a great sweet taste. The description on the bottles says 'Malt beverage fermented with black raspberry and blueberry puree.' Yeah, I can see that." 10:11PM
I wrote: "The beer has probably changed drastically from its original flavor. Ooo, it smells like Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA, but not as heavy in alcohol. I love it." 10:33PM

*auxiliary verb+"drink"->"drunk"; otherwise "drink"->"drank"

Dogfish Head Black & Blue

Relevant Links:
Black & Blue (Dogfish Head Website)
Black & Blue (BeerAdvocate.com)
Dogfish Head Black and Blue (RateBeer.com)

Website Information:
Black & Blue

ABV: 10.0 | IBU: 25 | Availability: Limited
Original Release Date: 02/2007

Black & Blue is a Belgian-style golden ale fermented with black raspberries and blueberries. Because we dose Black & Blue with real berries -- rather than artificial flavoring -- the fruit comes through in the flavor, not just the aroma.

The pureed berries are added as the beer leaves the brewhouse. In fermentation, the yeast -- the same one we use in Red & White and Pangaea -- feeds on sugars from the barley and the berries, giving Black & Blue a unique complexity.

The label art for Black & Blue comes from portrait painter David Larned. David and his wife Sarah (also a painter, Sarah painted the still life for our Red & White label) are big Dogfish fans and live with their pug Weezie in Pennsylvania. David honed his craft in Florence, Italy, and at the University of Pennsylvania. David has had exhibits across the United States, but primarily works with portrait subjects on commissions in his studio.

For more on Black & Blue, check out our Quick Sip Clip featuring Sam Calagione in the high-gravity cellars of our Milton, Del., brewery. In the video, Sam explains a little bit about the beers we ferment in this area of the brewery. He also talks about how the fruit we use in the Black & Blue affects the taste of this beer. Enjoy and Cheers!

Uinta Golden Spike Hefeweizen

20130914:
I wrote: "Golden Spike. Hefeweizen. Um... I pick up on a citrus taste, but I don't enjoy the beer much. I don't think it has a great taste." 9:48PM ET

(20170714)

I also wrote: "Actually, it smells like bad beer and ultimately tastes likewise." 9:49PM ET

[20131221 Edit]

20170714:
Prior to adding this entry, I didn't realize I had this beer before. In any case, it's been about four years since I tried it and the website specifications seemed to have changed a bit.

Regardless of the official descriptions, comparing notes suggests I enjoyed the beer more this time than the last.

(20170714)

The beer had a nice smell. It had a cloudy orange color. I enjoyed the wheat flavor. The beer had a bright and crisp quality to it. 9:05PM MDT

The beer had a slight coriander taste (which I formerly referred to as a banana taste). The carbonation had also settled down relative to when I first poured the beer into the glass. 9:17PM MDT

[20170722 Edit]


(20130914)

Uinta Golden Spike Hefeweizen

Relevant Links:
Uinta Brews (Uinta Brewing Website)
Golden Spike Hefeweizen Webpage (Uinta Brewing Website)
Golden Spike Hefeweizen (BeerAdvocate.com)
Uinta Golden Spike Hefeweizen (RateBeer.com)


(20170714)

Website Information: (as of 20170722)
GOLDEN SPIKE HEFEWEIZEN
Our unfiltered wheat ale has a pleasant citrus nose with a touch of bready malt character. Red wheat creates a full body and mouth feel.

AVAILABLE ONLY IN UTAH

Alcohol Strength: 4.0% ABV
Bitterness (IBU): 17.0
Color (SRM): 7.4
Serve in Wheat Glassware

AWARDS [same]

Malt: [XXXX______]
Hops: [XXX_______]
Body: Light[XXX_______]Full
Color: Light[XXXX______]Dark

INGREDIENTS: Wheat Beer, Cascade

Citrus Nose | Bready Malt | Full Body

Website Information: (as of 20131221)
GOLDEN SPIKE HEFEWEIZEN
CLASSIC LINE
RELEASE: YEAR ROUND

DESCRIPTION
A refreshing unfiltered American style wheat beer, this medium-bodied ale has a delicate hop character.

TASTING NOTES
Pleasantly yeasty with malty influences. Notes of orange and lemon. Slight spiciness and floral quality. Lingering citrusy finish. Golden Spike Hefeweizen pairs well with citrus flavors; also with seafood such as mussels and clams. Also try it with cheeses such as feta, gruyere, and goat cheese.

STORY
Golden Spike Hefeweizen was named in honor of the celebrated historic completion of the first transcontinental railroad in the United States. In May 1869 a ceremonial "golden spike" was used at the juncture of two facing locomotives--the Union Pacific No. 119 and Central Pacific No. 60 (better known as the Jupiter). Each locomotive represented the railroad lines laid from the Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The copper-alloyed gold spike was tapped into a pre-drilled hole and replaced by an ordinary spike soon afterwards. Each of the four sides of the golden spike was engraved, including one inscription that said, "May God continue the unity of our Country, as this Railroad united the two great Oceans of the world."

IBU 18 | SRM 8

ACCOLADES
2011, Silver Medal, North American Beer Awards, American Hefeweizen
2003, Bronze Medal, North American Beer Awards, American Wheat

Friday, September 13, 2013

Goose Island Mild Winter

20130913:
I wrote: "I could be imagining things, but this Goose Island Mild Winter tastes roughly like the Brooklyn Winter Ale, only less bitter. It's good. I like it better. Interestingly, it was bottled on 10/24/12 and said to remain fresh for 180 days." 12:55AM

(The actual bottle, but not from the actual day.)


Goose Island Mild Winter

(The actual bottle, but not from the actual day.)

Relevant Links:
Goose Island Mild Winter (RateBeer.com)
Mild Winter | Goose Island Beer Co. (BeerAdvocate.com)

Thursday, September 12, 2013

Brooklyn Winter Ale

20130913:
I wrote: "This Brooklyn Winter Ale is a bit bitter, but it's alright." 12:02AM ET

Brooklyn Winter Ale

(The actual bottle, but not from the actual day.)

Relevant Links:
Brooklyn Winter Ale (Brooklyn Brewery Website)
Brooklyn Winter Ale (BeerAdvocate.com)
Brooklyn Winter Ale (2006 and Later) (RateBeer.com)

Website Information:
BROOKLYN WINTER ALE
When the days grow short and the beach recedes into our dreams, we need a very nice beer to get us through the long winter. Based on the satisfying malty ales of blustery Scotland, Brooklyn Winter Ale will have you looking on the bright side of things. Rich Scottish malts bring deep bready flavors to a beer with a full copper color, a round, smooth palate, and brisk hopping that pulls the sweet malts into balance. See - things are looking up already!

SPEC SHEET
Style: Scottish-style Ale
Malts: Scottish Floor-malted Maris Otter, English crystal malts, Belgian Aromatic malt, American roasted malts, American oats
Hops: Willamette
Alcohol by Volume: 6.1%
IBUs: 25
Original Gravity: 16.5° Plato
Calories: 205
Food Pairings: Brooklyn Winter Ale is great with robust winter foods such as stews, steaks, lamb, game, duck, pork, barbecue, and it's a very nice match for a wide variety of fine cheeses, particularly farmhouse cheddar, Stilton, Gruyere and sheep’s milk cheeses. And should you decide to enjoy a cigar in your favorite armchair in front of the fireplace, this beer will play along very nicely.
Availability: November-March
Format: 15.5 gal kegs; 5.2 gal kegs; 24/12oz bottles

Awards
2011 World Beer Championships: Silver Medal
2009 World Beer Championships: Gold Medal