Screw bottles or cans…!
Smuttynose Schmutzig Hopfen Weisse
Port Brewing 3rd Anniversary Ale
Having reviewed the second iteration of this beer (i.e. 2nd Anniversary Ale) last year, and recently wanting a hop-bomb of a beer, I decided to pick this one up. Comparing the 2nd Anniversary Ale’s review to my notes for this beer, there seems to have been a few tweaks to the recipe. Do not worry, it is still a hop-bomb of a beer, so no major difference there.
The changes are three fold. First, the beer’s body is darker, leaning more to a dark amber-orange-brown and quite opaque. Second, the nose, while still consisting of crazy, hop resin values, has a more pronounced alcohol value. This alcohol value continues into the taste (third difference), where it battles out with the hop and gives the beer a warming character. The last couple of sips, from the 22oz bottle, were of course warmer then the rest and the alcohol was most pronounced then. Keep this in mind and make sure the beer is properly cooled before and during the session.
It is not a complex beer, and it is not original (they state so much on the label), but its Port Brewing’s birthday and they can cry do what they want. Craving a hop-bomb? This will hit the spot.
Sam Adams Blackberry Witbier
I’m really loving the look of some of the recent seasonal beers on the shelf. I’ve lately been complaining about the loads of new stouts that I’ve been seeing. However, on my last trip to the Blue Light, the shelves were teeming with craft summer ales and wheat beers! This, the Sam Adams Blackberry Witbier, was one of them. Sam Adams consistently puts out great limited edition brews, and I’m almost always pleased with their brews in the Brewmaster Series, such as this one…
The Blackberry wit pours a soft medium golden with a dense, thin white head. The beer seems exceptionally effervescent, sending a stream of tiny bubbles up from the bottom of the glass. In the nose, this beer is full of pungent blackberry aromas, along with just a slight sweet malt in the background. The taste of this fits perfectly with the aroma. The first sensation is a fizzy carbonation burn on the tip of the tongue. Shortly thereafter, there is a quick yeasty sweetness, followed by a rising tone of blackberry sweetness. In addition, the tangy aspects of the blackberry begin to rise, making a steady ascent through the mouth. Towards the back of the mouth, the full presence of the blackberry is realized, as is a soft maltiness to the flavor and mouthfeel lent by the wheat. All in all, the blackberry is the star here. It is ever-present in large doses in the mouth and dominates the flavor. However, this works out great. The blackberry flavor is well-balance, leaning heavier towards the sweet than the tangy, making this very palatable and oh-so-tasty. In addition, the higher carbonation levels give this beer a great texture and really make the flavor pop. Unlike many fruit beers, I could drink this for a week and never get tired of it!
Terrapin “90 Shelling” Scotch Ale
You may or may not know this, but I’ve been looking for a reproduction of Scottish 80-shilling since I lived there back in 2000. It’s odd to me that, in Scotland, you can find 80-shilling on tap at every corner pub, but I can’t find a single bottle in the states! I mean, we have Scotch ales, and they’re great, but I just want 80-shilling, and I want it to be called that. So, I was very happy to see this Terrapin 90-shilling 1-time release. I know it’s a bit more uppity, coming in at 10 more shillings than I prefer, but I’m hoping for something comparable that’ll bring the good memories of Scottish nights flooding back!
The 90-Shelling pours a deep, deep dark color with a thin caramel-colored head. The aroma is nutty with lots of toffee and smells quite delicious. In the mouth, this beer is light and smooth in mouthfeel, but super rich in flavor – even more so than I remember of the local Scottish varieties. Initially, there is a light sweetness on the tip of the tongue, more sugary than malty. That sweetness is gently o’ertaken by richer dark malt flavors as the beer travels down the tongue. The mouthfeel remains fairly fleeting, but the flavor builds in richness, taking on hints of caramel and nuts in the mouth, culminating in a dessert-like flavor at the back of the mouth. This aftertaste sticks around for a bit, though the mouth washes fairly clean. All in all, it’s one of the better summertime dark beers I’ve had. It’s great cold, and holds on to a lot of flavor, and that flavor only increases as the beer warms. However, it never seems too thick or cloying for a hot night. All in all, it’s a great beer. I won’t say it brought back my Scottish days, as this is substantially richer than I remember, but it’s a mighty tasty brew!
Guinness 250 Anniversary Stout
Two-hundred fifty years is a long time. Sure there are older breweries, but 250 years is still a big accomplishment. For making it 250 years Guinness has released a celebratory beer. The “standard” Guinness recipe has been slightly tweaked for this limited release. With this in mind I thought I would do a side by side comparison of the regular Guinness and the 250 celebratory Guinness. One major difference between the two, the 250 is not nitrogen infused. This means no “Guinness style” head. It also means the mouthfeel will be different. Keeping these things in mind, lets delve into the beers.
Both poured black (a very dark shade of ruby when held directly to the light), with the 250 having a slightly darker tan head, which disappeared to a thin covering after mere minutes. In the nose the 250 had a roasted character, while the regular Guinness leaned a bit smokier. Both had the traditional “Guinness smell” (its probably malt but for me Guinness has always had a particular, enticing, smell to it) with the 250 also possessing a hint of toffee.
In the mouth the slightly different aroma characteristics play out in the taste. The 250 is a bit roastier in the mouth, while the first sips of the regular Guinness are a bit ash-like in nature. The regular Guinness beats the 250 in the mouthfeel department, but it had the unfair nitrogen advantage. There was however nothing wrong with the 250’s lighter mouth presence.
I was not expecting a massive recipe change for the 250, and there was not one. If you can find the beer (and I do not believe it is that hard to find), it would not make a bad purchase. To celebrate Guinness’ 250 year I would not go out of my way to purchase their celebratory brew. A traditional Guinness will do just fine. Its what got the brewery this far anyway.
Magic Hat “Wacko” Summer Seasonal
The nice folks at Magic Hat, as their apt to do, have hooked us up with a couple of their summer seasonal beers. Now, as we’re apt to do, we shall review them. This first one, the Wacko, is a summer ale “with beet juice color”. Frankly, that sounds a bit strange. But, hey, I love a good summer ale, so let’s give it the benefit of the doubt. Here are some thoughts from Matt, Dave, and I…
Ben:
This brew pours an interesting hue. Frankly, it looks like some sort of fruit beer, though we know that not to be the case. It’s a light strawberry colored, fairly clear, with a just-slightly-off-white head. The aroma is fairly non-descript to me – there are some light yeasty notes, and I’m getting some aroma from the carbonation itself, but nothing major. In the mouth, the beets (thankfully) don’t take much of a role in the flavor. In fact, this is a fairly generic summer ale. I’m not entirely sure if this is a wheat ale, but it does have a light and fresh flavor that makes me think some wheat may be involved. There is a light hop profile, some good grainy flavors, with just a light sweetness that tastes like it may come from the yeast. All in all, not a bad summer ale. It isn’t as weird as I expected, which can be good or bad, but this would taste good on a hot day.
Dave:
Horribly late once again with this review. Lets just get right into it. Well… its red. Not as disconcerting a red as the Bud Light Chellada, but still a rather weird red. On the red body sits a white head which dissipates quickly to a light webbing covering. The nose is almost purely malt. With some searching I also found caramel, and a hint of rose pedals. In the mouth, malt, unsurprisingly, with a grape-nuts characteristic to them. The feel is light, almost watery, with a first sip that was mildly harsh. The beer went pretty quick, and, minus its red color, was not very memorable. Easy to drink on a spring or summer day, but that is about it.
Magic Had “Odd Notion” Summer ‘09
Next up from our Magic Hat shipment is the Odd Notion offering for Summer ‘09. This one appears to be a hefeweizen to me, which is usually a good thing. However, let’s let the taste speak for itself. Here’s a word or two from Matt, Dave, and I:
Ben:
This one pours a slightly cloudy light golden color with a dense white head. The aroma is very nice, carrying hints of banana and a wheaty/yeasty sweetness. In the mouth, this is certainly a hefeweizen. There are heavy notes of banana here, and the yeast complement is strong enough to be noticed, but well-balanced enough to not be overpowering. It is extremely flavorful, with a solid wheaty backbone, but washes relatively clean, leaving the palate refreshed but with some solid banana notes in the aftertaste. Frankly, this is one of the best Magic Hat beers I’ve had. I love a hefeweizen, and this is a tasty one – perfect as the weather begins to heat up in NC…
Dave:
Alright another Odd Notion! I have really enjoyed the Odd Notion line in the past. They tend to be a little different, opening one’s pallet to different things, but enjoyable too. The Odd Notion pours almost champagne in color, if not a little richer in amber-golden color. Continuing along the “champagne” characteristics, the white head dissipates quickly to nothing, but large bubbles continue to course through the beer’s body. In the nose I am reminded of sweet white wine, along with a mixture of wheat and yeast. Intriguing combination to say nothing else. In the mouth the beer is slightly syrupy feeling on the tongue. A light pilsner like malt grabs the tongue to being with, with a flavor progression to banana sweetness, wheat and yeast. Washes clean with little aftertaste. More complex then the Wacko and I like that. Again another good spring or summer drink. I would reach for this one over the Wacko.
Mahrs Bräu Ungespundet-hefetrüb
I met one of the brewers from Mahrs Bräu during a tasting session, held at a local good beer store, during the recently held Craft Beer Conference. Along with tasting some quality product, I learned some interesting things about the beer and brewery. Two things that stuck out in my mind are one, Mahrs Bräu still employs (and if my memory serves me correct is the last to do so) a horse drawn cart for making local beer deliveries. Can you imagine calling up the brewery, placing an order (that itself would be great. Unfortunately it is not to be, due to the out-dated three-tier system) and then having the beer delivered by horse drawn cart? Good beer delivered too, though I am getting ahead of myself, not the macro-stuff, which has a certain link to Clydesdale horses here in the U.S.
Second, though their pilsner is their biggest seller in Germany, Ungespundet-hefetrüb is their biggest seller in the U.S. Most likely because Ungespundet-hefetrüb sounds more exotic and does not have the negative connotations that pilsner has acquired through years of miss-use at the hands of the American macro brewers. Though the pilsner was good in the sampling, I went with the Ungespundet-hefetrüb for my first Mahr Bräu review.
The beer poured a nearly opaque light brown into my beer mug. Aromas of big grain radiated out from the beer’s tight white head. Cereal, bran flakes, and lightly roasted grain all made their presence well known to my nose. In the mouth this big grain continued. The medium-body, which was surprisingly rich, inundated my taste buds with flavors of fresh multi-grain bread, pumpernickel bread and even Fiber One cereal. The beer washes clean with a light-lingering after taste.
Though not an overly complex beer, it is very refreshing and enjoyable. The beer would definitely make a nice, if not slightly filling, session beer.
Need a Beer Cellar?
You’re Pouring that Beer All Wrong!
Cape Ann Brewing Bavarian Wheat
We had a slight geographical error the last time we reviewed a Cape Ann Brewing beer. To redeem ourselves, in the eyes of our loyal sevenpack readership, I thought I would pick up a Cape Ann Brewing beer while I was in Cape Ann (Gloucester to be precise). Being early spring (at the time), I decided to go with their Bavarian Wheat.
The beer produced a very full two fingers of white head on top of its lightly hazed, orange-gold body. The head lasted for a good few minutes, allowing me to inhale all of the beer’s aromas. Wheat was definitely present, especially when the head was robust and full. A malt profile of fresh bread and biscuits and a yeast-coriander note, all begin to shine through as the head receded.
In the mouth the beer was smooth running along the tongue. Though wheat was present it was not as commandeering as I thought it would be. With this lack of wheat other flavors got to join the party. The yeast and coriander made their appearance, and so did the biscuit malt. This malt seemed lightly sweetened on the tongue. This sweetness mixes nicely with the beers banana flavor, which starts light but grows with time.
I found this beer enjoyable, even though it had wheat in it (I’m not the biggest wheat fan). I do believe this beer is about expectations however. If you pick-up this beer thinking it is a hefe (”Hey, it says Bavarian Wheat and wheat means hefe!”) you will be disappointed. If you are looking for something stylized like a hefe (the side of the label does read “bavarian-style wheat”), but with its own characteristics, you should be all set.
St. Druon de Sebourg French Abbey Ale
I just finished writing up a review for this beer, and then decided to look at the Sevenpack site under Duyck. I should have done those two things in reverse order. Anyway, not to let a review go to waste, I posted my thoughts below Ben’s original thoughts from nearly two years ago. In summary, though I experienced some slightly different tastes, I believe Ben’s review is spot on.
Original Post by Ben 6-9-2007:
This, our 3rd instalment from the nice folks at Beer of the Month Club, is another offering from the French brewery, Brasserie de Duyck. As Matt so kindly elucidated yesterday, the French aren’t generally known for their quality beers. However, after living in France for about a year myself, I did find that there were a few gems hidden on the shelves. One of those gems was the Jenlain blonde that Matty review yesterday. Most of the others I have since forgotten the names of, although I remember a stork (or maybe it was a duck) being the mascot for another – if you remember what brewery that is, please let me know. But, back to the point – This particular beer is one that I never found during my time in France and one that, frankly, I’ve never heard of. However, I am a bit intrigued by the idea of a French Abbey Ale. Having tasted many abbey ales from France’s neighbour to the Northeast, I have a certain idea of what to expect. However, my impression of the French version is that, if their work with other styles is to be mimicked, then we can expect something a bit lighter and a bit subtler than what the Belgians have thus far given us.
The pour of this beer is the first indication that it’s very different from a typical Belgian abbey ale. It pours a remarkably clear and light golden color with a nearly non-existent head. The aroma smells grainy with a hint of lemon and a light sourness that is reminiscent of a french farmhouse variety, but lighter. Now, for the tasting. The first sensation this beer presents us with is a touch of citrus on the tip of the tongue. This citrus quickly moves into a flavor that is rife with light malts and a refreshingly sour flavor that is, again, reminiscent of a saison or farmhouse ale. Towards the back of the mouth, I recognize a unique yeast flavor that reminds me of what I expect from a German hefeweizen. To be sure, it’s an interesting amalgamation of flavors in a single beer. It’s quite subtle in its presentation, but it’s as though someone blended a blonde ale and a saison ale, and then fermented with yeast from the last batch of hefeweizen. What it all amounts to is a rather summery beer that is refreshing and thirst quenching, and leaves a solid aftertaste on the palate. In fact, I really enjoy this beer, despite some skepticism I felt from its initial light appearance. Well done, Duyck – I think I’ll have another…
Dave’s Update 6-13-2009:
When most people think about French ‘things’, they think the Eiffel Tower, the Louvre, French bread. Not me. I think Téléfrançais. Téléfrançais was a french educational TV show, actually produced in Canada, shown to us back in elementary school to help us learn French. Along with its catchy theme song, it had the memorable (and some what creepy looking) character called Ananas, which was a talking pineapple (ananas is french for pineapple). Every so often I will remark in a grocery store “Un ananas!” to the befuddlement of people around me. Though every so often, I get the response “Où est un ananas?” and we start singing the Téléfrançais theme song together (that has never actually happened). Could this beer by French brewery Jenlain supplant those Téléfrançais memories and reign supreme over a French talking pineapple?
The beer poured a clear golden with a smooth white head into the tulip glass. Yeast and light-grain and hay notes were emanating from the beer. Not overly strong but pleasant and noticeable. In the mouth the beer runs quick and is light in presence. Compared to the beer’s nose, its taste is not what I was expecting. There is a light banana sweetness to start the beer off, with a slight carbonation tingle on the front of the tongue. In the middle the beer shows off a grassy-hay note with hints of grain and even some green grape, for good measure. The finish is strong yeast, mixed with wheat (reminds me of a wit beer) and the occasional kick of coriander.
Quite refreshing, and unique in flavor. Could be a nice change from the wit beer style during the summer months. Does it replace Ananas? Not so much, but I’ll admit that is a nearly impossible endeavor. Its a French talking pineapple!
Dogfish Head 75 Minute IPA Cask
Dogfish Head is known for their “off centered” beers, and 75 Minute IPA continues along that path. Not only is 75 Minute a mixture of 60 and 90 Minute IPA (a mixture being made by bartenders for quite some time) but the mixture gets a whole-leaf dry-hopping session and when transferred to firkins is dosed with fresh yeast and maple syrup (from the Dogfish Head family farm in western MA). Being that this is Dogfish Head, inventors of such beer devices as Sir Hops Alot and Randal the Enamel Animal, not any old tank was used for the whole-leaf dry-hopping session. They invented Johnny Cask, “a retrofitted 15-bbl tank at the Milton brewery… to perfectly produce this blend”, to do the job. Of course all of this means squat if the beer does not taste good.
Poured into a tulip glass the beer’s thick, tight, white head formed in a reverse waterfall fashion (think the forming of a Guiness head), which is quite mesmerizing. The head had good life but it does not leave much lacing while it recedes to a thin covering, which is heavier along the glass, of the medium brown colored beer. A resin-hop aroma, that was slightly sweet, waifed endlessly from the beer, with a “come hither and drink me” quality to it.
At the begining of the tasting session the beer seems very familiar, and in a way it is (having had a fair share of 60 and 90 Minute IPA). A good balance of hop and malt, just what one would expect from Dogfish Head. As the session progressed however, the beer grew in complexity. A definite sweetness, a mixture of malt and maple syrup, grew mid-tongue. The beer started to remind me of a “brown ale”. Not a particular brown ale, but just the general style. Also, the thickness of the beer seemed to manifest itself as the session progressed. In the glass the beer looked a bit syrupy, but initial swigs dispelled this observation and the beer was a light-medium pressence in the mouth. As time passed however, the beer took on more syrupy characteristics. Not to say it ever got syrupy, or even super thick, but it definitely seemed to get heavier. In the last two sips the beer had a slight boozy smell and taste. Not the ideal finish, but not too distracting from the rest of the experience.
An interesting beer, which grows in complexity through the session. The distribution for the beer, cask only, is limited for the time being (MA, NY, PA, DE, a few other places), but DFH is planning on further expansion of the product, and that is a good thing.
Randal the Enamel Animal and Sir Hops Alot, two DFH inventions.
