December 4 - Oskar Blues Death By Coconut

So, tonight my kiddo had his family birthday party and I had to get this one in quick before I had a few more beers during the party.  I'll give you the need to know information now that everyone has headed out after the party has died down.

Tonight, from Oskar Blues Brewing Company, we have an Irish Porter called Death by Coconut.  This brew weighs in at 6.5% ABV.  Yet, another canned brew, just like last evening's blog post.  

I poured this beer in a nonic pint glass and it was a deep, dark nearly opaque brown color.  A thin beige head appeared on the top of this brew.  

The nose gave off a sweet and roasted coconut aroma.  There were strong roasted coffee and chocolate notes along with some sweet vanilla notes also.  With the first sip of this beer I tasted a sweet coconut bomb of flavor!

Every sip thereafter was another bomb of coconut and roasted malt.  The finish was a sweet, light, yet bitter one along with some dryness to take it home.  Like Guinness and other Irish beers, the dryness is characteristic of the style.  I couldn't find much on the Irish Porter, however.  I found more on the Irish stout instead.    

My wife wanted to try this (you know, because it was that good...) and she absolutely loved it too!

This beer was absolutely amazing!  With some of the reviews that I saw, some people really enjoyed it while others thought it could be better.  Quite honestly, this beer is a nearly perfect 5 in my book!  If you like some coconut flavor and don't mind it being part of your beer, definitely check this beer out for sure!  

Quality, I say a quality beer here tonight...

There's no lime in this coconut...even though that may be cool...
4.75 out of 5...a solid beer tonight!

oooh...gravity

December 3 - Riepstine's Salz Weizen

After last night's fiasco anything will be an upgrade from that mess.

Before reviewing the beer tonight, there's something to note here. For what it's worth, I'm starting to see more and more craft brewers start to can their beer. From a sustainability standpoint, I think this is great, especially for the environment. I won't get too green on you, but if you get a chance, check out the pros and cons on canning here.

Tonight, a new style of beer for me that I'm not overly familiar with, a gose.  I had to do some quick research after the tasting to figure out if what I tasted was accurate to check if my palate was right.  It seemed pretty darn accurate to style.  

Staying with a local favorite this evening, this beer comes from Riepstine's Pub in Williamsport. Their gose beer is called Salz Weizen and clocks in at a modest 4.5%.  I've only had the chance to visit the brewpub once, but the staff was outstanding and the choices were quality ones for sure.  The brewmaster, Bart (who I only know to see...he doesn't know me) is also a very personable guy who clearly takes pride in his work.  He also brews one of my all-time favorite DIPAs, Alpha Deuce.  

Anyway, here Gose...

Using a splinter glass, the beer poured a hazy, golden with a thin head on the top which quickly disappeared.  The aroma was definitely a floral one, but it didn't seem like a hoppy floral.  It resembled more of a lavender aroma to me, which was definitely pleasing.  

My taste buds were overloaded with a strong, salty taste immediately which lasted all the way through the end and even held on for a brief period after the finish and lingered on the tongue.  The saltiness made it very sour-like as well adding to the fruity tartness.  There were some citrusy notes here too, a slight lemon.  The beer was effervescent and surprisingly refreshing for the salty quality it had.  

As the beer warmed up slightly, the flavor profile changed slightly.  The saltiness mellowed significantly (maybe that was because my taste buds acclimated to it), and I was able to notice the spicy characteristics come through in the coriander which this beer was brewed with.  As with this particular style, there isn't much of a hop finish to balance the beer, since the acidic finish does the balancing act here instead.  Even the aroma had more of an acidic tartness as the beer warmed.

I believe that I finished this beer just in time, however.  As it got warmer, there was something that was telling me that there was going to be a point of no return and the flavors would start to not meld well.  I may be wrong, but I just had that hunch.  

Never having a gose beer before, I'm definitely expecting myself to seek out a few more of these in the future.  This beer was definitely a good choice to start with and didn't turn me off to the style whatsoever.

Since this was very true to style and an enjoyable first experience with a gose, I'll give this a solid 3.75 out of 5!  

Dressing up sea salt for Christmas!

December 2 - Fish Brewing Co. - Ice Breaker...I think?

Welcome back for day #2!  If you're unaccustomed to how things run around here, it's time for Winter Warmer Wednesday!  Each Wednesday, I'll make it a point to review a winter warmer style beer.  Not always a hit with me, but i'll take one for the team.

This is what I want to do to this bottle right now...

Can I be honest for a second? How about for a minute?

I haven't had ANYTHING from this brewery that is something to rave over. I'm pulling for these guys and I don't want to see any craft brewer fail. Some people like these beers, but not me.  I've given them a few tries, different styles even. Nothing so far has piqued my interest enough to purchase another single bottle, let alone a 6 pack or case.  To be brutally honest, I'm soon done buying their stuff.  I have one more later on this month and that's it.  

I'm just getting this beer out of the way. I believe in second chances.  I saw it at Weis and decided, "what the heck.  I'll give these guys another shot since it's something I haven't tried."

Problem #1 - When I searched for this beer on my trusty Untappd app, I either find it under the name Icebreaker or the proper name with a different label.  What exactly am I drinking here?  Not a big deal, but if it's Icebreaker then it's a Double IPA and if it's Winterfish it's a Winter Warmer.  It's a 7.5% beer, in which case it could technically be either style.

My label is like the one in the upper right corner.  Their website shows the bottom right label as "official."  The one on the left...well, see below...

Problem #2 - I did a google search for the brewery to see what they had to say.  Icebreaker isn't even on their site.  It's like it doesn't exist.  

Problem #3 - This beer is just awful.  I'm sorry Fish Tale, but it's awful.  I'll give you the Cliff Notes version since it's just not worth the time.  I'll review this from a DIPA standpoint since there's NOTHING winter warmer about it.  

The beer poured a hazy, golden amber with a decent beige head on top.  The aroma was very earthy hop-like...like dirty hop-like.  

I love hops...even earthy ones...

The taste was exactly the same with an obnoxiously bitter and astringent finish.  It almost reminded me of soap.  Unfortunately, the bitterness hangs on for a long time, as well as the soapy flavor.  

I apologize for the abundance of pictures this evening, but I had to make myself laugh and it needed to be spiced up a tad to be a bearable post.  I need you to want to continue reading the rest of the month, right?  I will forgo another fancy photo collage of my pretty rating and just tell you I gave it a 1 out of 5 on Untappd.  It irritated me from the beginning and since it screwed up my Winter Warmer Wednesday segment, it got demoted.  

Tomorrow will be better...I promise.  You know, since I get to choose what I drink.  Excuse me while I go pour another beer to get this awful taste out of my mouth...

December 1 - Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot

December 1st - Weyerbacher Brewing Co. - Blithering Idiot

So right off the bat I'm going to bend the rules slightly.  I hope that's OK.  I have had this beer before but it was during a time where I didn't know what the heck a barleywine style beer was (nor that it existed) and IPAs were just god-awful (which is definitely no longer the case).  Since I haven't reviewed it officially, I feel that I'm safe here.  

The first time I had this beer was about 8 or 9 years ago when my brother and sister in law lived in the Lehigh Valley, near the Weyerbacher brewery.  One night, my brother in law decided to purchase the Weyerbacher Box of Big Beers and was kind enough to share.  Since I was accustomed to drinking Miller Lite and our go to beer, Lionshead, I decided to drink this like those...very quickly.  Very bad idea.

I've seen this locally at Keller's for those of you who are in the same region as I am. 

So, now that I've matured slightly in taste and responsible consumption, I feel better suited to give you a review of this beer via my 2015 palate and not my 2006-2007 Miller Lite and Lionshead one.

We used to stock up on this stuff at Shangy's in Easton, PA.  Those were the days...or, maybe not...

I poured this beer straight down the middle of my brandy snifter glass and there was virtually no head on the top, which is normal for a barleywine style ale (11.1% ABV).  The beer was a cloudy mahogany color.

As for the aroma, I got malty, boozy, figs and sweet prunes.  The beer itself tasted very boozy with a warming alcohol finishing bite.  There was a ton of caramel sweetness in the middle of this beer as well.  I'm sure there were some added, but there isn't a hop bitterness whatsoever, in my opinion.  The finish was a lingering sticky one (you'd have to try it to see what I mean...) and there was a very indistinct finishing flavor that lingered on my palate, which as the beer warmed slightly, reminded me of tobacco.

On the whole, this is obviously a sipping beer best suited on a full stomach, after dinner.  This would be a great compliment on a cold winter night to warm you from the inside out.  If you've not had it, I'd recommend this barleywine ale for sure.  It's not a perfect 5, but it's pretty respectable in my opinion.

3.75 out of 5 Jesters

The Night Before Beer-Mas - Version 3.0

25 Beers of Christmas - Round 3

Well, it's that time of year again.  The time where I drink some cold craft beer (nothing out of the ordinary over here), give you my input and ratings (that's the hard part, plus trying to act like I can write), and you decide to find it for yourself, pass because I did, or think I'm full of crap.  I'll try my best, even without my cicerone certification to give you accurate notes on aroma, taste, and finish on each beer.  

...I may or may not know what I'm talking about, therefore, you will need to use your own judgement when purchasing or attempting to purchase a beer I review.  If you find that you don't like it, feel free to drop the remainder off at my place of residence anywhere from 8:00AM EST until 9:00PM EST.

This year, just like the past, I will be trying a new beer to review each night in December.  If I have the resources, I'll even span the full 31 days.  If I get lazy, I'll just post pictures and you can live vicariously through my pictures (or you can follow me on Untappd).  If this happens, feel free to abandon the blog like I did.  

Don't worry, I won't abandon you.  You'll stop reading WAYYYYYY before I stop writing.  You know, because my grammar and punctuation are lacking, at best and my reviews are monotonous.  But seriously, follow me on Untappd if you don't already to see what else I'm drinking!

The difference this year, I'm staying away from a lot of the winter warmer styles since, if you're a past reader, you already know how much I don't like that style, at least more times than not.  Last year especially, I tried to find as many "winter beers" as possible and review those.  It became hard to find a winter beer that I hadn't had and that I really wanted to try.  This year, I honestly chose beers that I haven't had, regardless of style.  There will be some winter warmers for sure, but there will also be beers that I've had sitting in my beer kitchen for a few months that need to be opened (not because they'll go bad, but because I want to bust those bad boys open!).  To my brother in law's dismay, the Dogfish Head 120 min IPA from 2013 will be staying right where it is.  

I would give you another poem, but that's predictable.  Plus, my creative juices aren't flowing just yet.  Don't worry though, they will get there eventually!

Until tomorrow, December 1st, I bid you adieu!

Atta boy Santa...atta boy...

Can it be? A round 3?

Sure!! Why not??

I'm going to give it a go again this year and review a new beer each day in December just like the past 2 years!

Rules are the same as last year. I shall not repeat a beer that was had in the previous 2 years.  Man...it's getting hard to find new beers, but for you (the now up to 10 followers), I will see it through, for the sake of integrity.

Picture below is what I intend on reviewing, but it may be subject to change.  From what I've read about DFH Higher Math (clocking in at 17% abv) it may need a year or so to get better.  From a lot of reviews, it's a cherry, chocolate cough syrup.  No bueno for DFH.

Stay tuned!! :)

January 2nd - Beer Tour 2015

SUM Beer Tour 2015

For the first post that is not a Christmas-related blog in the new year, I chose to recap (to the best of my recollection and with the help of Untappd) the day that was the SUM Beer Tour.  Named appropriately for the families in attendance, my wife, her sister and husband, as well as her parents all decided to take a road trip for the afternoon/evening and hit up a few beer spots in the Harrisburg/Lancaster area.  The 6 of us decided on 3 locations to imbibe for the day, all with their own pros and cons.

After a 90-minute trip to the southeast, we arrived in Lancaster.  There is lots to do here, including taking in a Lancaster Barnstormers minor-league baseball game when the weather is nice.  Since it's winter-time, that wasn't happening today.  Onward to the beer!

Just realized why I need to come back this summer...Rovey!  Hook a brother up!

Stop #1 was to the Taproom by Spring House Brewing Company.  I talked about this place in an earlier post, so I won't do that again.  This is the second time we have made the trek to the taproom, both times in the early afternoon.  Unfortunately, this time wasn't as memorable.  There were lots of people here for a weekday, which was no big deal, but when the bartender appears to be overwhelmed by having to take drink orders from the patrons at the bar in addition to taking tableside orders, we knew it would be a short stay.  There were no servers, just the bartender.  She profusely apologized for the lack of servers, which obviously wasn't her fault.

We decided to get a sampler to share before moving onward to the next stop.  The bartender told us that they didn't have enough glasses to do a full 10 glass sampler either.  Between my wife and myself we received 5 samples, while the rest at the table got individual pints (except for the DD of course).  We shared the brews together and here's a recap:

Love the throwback trays they use here!  Not sure where glass #5 got to though...

1. Atomic Raygun Imperial Red Ale - 3/5 - Bitter and not quite balanced for my liking

2. Lexicon Devil Grapefruit Pale Ale - 3/5 - I hate grapefruit so I'm not sure why I tried this one

3. Big Gruesome Chocolate PB Stout - Always a solid 4/5

4. The Astounding She-Monster Mango IPA (Special keg with Jalapenos) - Strangely good 3.5/5

5. Two Front Teeth Holiday Ale - Lots of cherry flavor 3.5/5

Stop #2 was just a few blocks up the street to the Federal Taphouse.  I made it known that when we started this trip, I only had 2 places that I wanted to go, but if we got one of them I would be happy.  Unfortunately, Al's of Hampden will have to wait until another trip.  Both places have nearly if not more than 100 beers on tap.  The list at Federal Taphouse was uber extensive.  A chalkboard greets you when you enter the place and they hand you a double sided beer list that you order from by number.  Each beer is set up by style here, so you can search for your favorite style and go from there, or you can mix it up a bit and pick a random number (I wouldn't recommend that unless you're feeling lucky though...).

Partial list shot...salivation and excitement had already begun...my sister-in-law is in the middle of this photo.  She's in awe too!

Choices 1-50...51-99 were on the other side!!!



Before arriving I was under the impression that you only could order 10-16 oz. pints (depending on style/beer), however we were thankfully mistaken.  This place allows you to get 4-5 oz. samples in a flight.  The paddle is rather pricey at $12 per flight, but the variety of beers along with the higher ABV of many of the beers I wanted to try was a non-issue for me.

Paddle #1
1. Mikkeller - Santa's Little Helper (2014) - Lots of spices and yeast, perfectly balanced 4/5
2. Sixpoint Brewing - Global Warmer - More IPA-like than Winter Warmer, also OK 4/5
3. Firestone Walker - Pale 31 - Nothing special, but not too shabby either 3.5/5
4. Firestone Walker - Double Jack - Solid DIPA 4/5




Choices 1-50...51-99 were on the other side!!!

Paddle #2

1. Bear Republic - Grand Am - Expected more from this renowned brewery 3/5
2. Lavery Brewing - Devil Bird (2014) - Flavorful Imperial Porter 3.5/5
3. Sixpoint Brewing - The Crisp - Not bad for a pilsner style 3.5/5
4. HiJinx Brewing - Steal Your Face Stout - New brewery for me, local-ish in Allentown.  For a double stout I would have expected a more full-bodied taste.  To me, it was a little watered down, and to make sure I wasn't too inebriated I conferred with my brother in law...he agreed - 3/5

Stolen/Sampled from my Brother in Law's Paddle:

1. Three Heads Brewing - Tre Kind - Full disclosure, my brother in law didn't tell me what this was and when I realized that it was a triple IPA I was in disbelief.  This was so damn smooth it was ridiculous - 4.5/5

2. Red Castle Brewery - Northern Knights - I was the only one at the table who liked this one.  Winter warmer style with lots of spices that was balanced very well however...at least I thought so anyway.  Lots of cherry and yeast flavors - 4/5

All things considered, this place will be a no-brainer to visit in the future.  If I'm even in the Lancaster area again, which I plan on, this will be a pre-requisite to planning the trip.  The beer selection was obviously outstanding, the service was great, and the food wasn't too shabby either.  From the crab, mac n' cheese appetizer we shared, to the margherita pizza that I devoured myself, this place is a 9.8 out of 10 in my book!  The deduction is for the restroom being crazy far away, up a set of stairs, but it makes up for it with some cool art on the walls. 

Last stop of the day was in Hershey, at good old Troegs Brewing Company.   Upon entering and finding an area for the 6 of us to relax at, my brother in law and I went to the bar area and ordered some drinks.  I settled for a Javahead Stout because I hadn't had one in a while and wanted to give it another go.  My wife got the Mad Elf.  Solid choice for sure!  After munching on some popcorn for a while at the table, we all decided that this would definitely be the last of the stops for the day due to time constraints and kids waiting for us at home (don't worry, we had a sitter!).  That being said, we settled in for some dinner and another drink before heading back home.

Javahead Stout and the rest of the menu at Troegs

As I've also mentioned in previous blogs, Troegs does a special, tasting room only, series of beers they call Scratch Beers.  Scratch Beers #167 (an ESB) and #168 (American Pale Ale) were on tap this evening.  Since I had the ESB during a previous trip this month I opted for the APA.  I'm not sure if it was the Lamb Burger that I had along with it, but something didn't jive with this beer.  I couldn't even put a finger on it, so let's just chalk it up to the Lamb. 

Until next beer, or next exciting event that I deem as blog-worthy, I bid you adieu!  Happy 2015!  Make this year exactly what you want it to become!