Archive for the 'Southampton' category
Southampton Pumpkin Ale
I meant to review this beer on Halloween, for obvious reasons, but had to work the next day so I figured I’d wait just in case it enticed me to enjoy another or maybe 4 other beers. To quote my old friend Frank “The Tank”, “It’s so good, once it hits your lips…”
This beer pours a hazy copper color similar to the oktoberest style. It didn’t sustain the 1 inch head that appeared at the initial pour but that was a good thing as I didn’t have to sift through a mountain of bubbles to get to this delicious brew. It smells like pumpkin, go figure, and nutmeg. The flavor can best be described as a liquid pumpkin pie with a dash of alcohol. The spiciness attacks the front of the tongue and then coats the sides while a malty-thickness rushes to the back of the throat. There is a metallic aftertaste that rises and falls before the nutmeg and cinnamon reemerge to round out the taste. I wish I had a Shipyard Pumpkin Ale to drink beside this one so I could decide which one I liked better. I believe the pumpkin flavor may have been more pronounced in the Shipyard, but this beer may have more “beer qualities” which may give it a slight edge in my book. Either way Southampton has created a spectacular fall offering in this ale. This is one of the rare ocassions in which I wish the beer would reproduce each time I poured a glass because it is really hitting the spot.
Southampton Saison Deluxe
This is a big bottle offering from the good folks at Southampton that calls itself not just a saison, but a saison ‘deluxe’. What exactly makes a saison a ‘deluxe’? I dunno, really, but I’ve got high hopes. I’ve been drinking more and more of these saison brews lately, and I’ve been enjoying them immensely, so I’m excited to try this fancy version.
This beer pours a dark golden with suprisingly little debris. Also, it has a decent white head that starts out big and fluffy and eventually diminishes into a thin white layer on the top of the beer. The aroma of this is quite rich – it is sour and lemony, but in a rich decadent sort of way, and it fills the nose. In the mouth, this truly is a deluxe saison. It’s hard to say just what makes this special, except to say that it is somehow bigger and richer than most saisons that I have found. The feel of the beer is effervescent and fluffy and is heavy on carbonation burn. As it traverses the mouth, the predominant flavors are of sour lemon and rich malt, but there is also an interesting sweetness that I don’t usually find in a saison. It’s actually reminiscent of a lemon tart dessert, only without the accompanying cloying sweetness. Once the beer is gone, you’re left with an aftertaste that is heavier on the rich sourness, and the sweetness slowly dissipates. All in all, this is a very good beer. I’d be interested to taste this alongside my favorite saison by the folks at Bison brewing, ’cause it’s bound to be a close race. For now, I’m going to say that Bison might just edge it out, but I’m really not sure. Regardless, this is an awesome beer, and highly recommended.
Southampton Secret Ale
This was another random Long Island brew I found down at the Hana Market on Metropolitan Ave. and had no choice but to pick up. I mean, can one really pass over a SECRET ale sitting in the cooler in front of him? I know I can’t.
The SECRET ale pours a lot darker than I expected – it’s almost a deep amber bordering on brown – with a foamy, cream-colored head. The aroma is a malty sweet-and-sour with hints of cherry and raisin. The overall taste, though, is just meh. It’s good, but it lacks any real punch or defining characteristics. I still get a good bit of the malt and fruit on the tongue, but there’s not so much on the crispy, zesty end of Taste Spectrometer.
It also weighs in at a meh 5.1% abv.
The bottle proclaims this to be “…a faithful recreation of Dusseldorf-style altbier. It’s clean malt flavor and crisp hop character make it a most original brew.” I’ll buy the altbier classification for $1.50, but I’ve never been to Dusseldorf so I can’t vouch for that particular variety. As for ‘original’, well I can’t say it’s an overly distinct brew in any way. It’s a rather good beer, as is evident by how quickly the six-pack vanished into my face, but I doubt very seriously that I would ever be able to pick it out of a lineup. I wonder why it’s so secret…
Southampton Double White Ale
This beer is a testament to the abilities of some of the great Northeastern US breweries. This one comes from Southampton, New York and the aptly named Southampton Brewery. This is the first Double White ale that I have found from a US brewer. There are a couple in existence from European breweries – regardless, it’s a rather obscure style (and one I wish more breweries would try). The pour on this beer is a light unfiltered golden. The bouquet is very spicy and fruity and smells very ‘bright’. Initially in the mouth, this beer hits with the same spicy fruit that you smell in the aroma. It is very crisp and very flavorful on the tastebuds. There seems to also be a bit of carbonation burn which serves to enhance the crisp flavor. In the back of the mouth, there is just a hint of hops, although the hop flavor is more floral than bitter. The aftertaste is very fruity and long-lasting. Overall, this is one of the more refreshing beers that I’ve had this season. This would be great on a hot day (or a cool night, really). I really hope that more brewers give this genre a try.
