Rahr Winter Warmer ....

Tonight's beer is a Winter Warmer, English-Style Dark Ale, from Rahr & Sons Brewing Company.  It is a seasonal available November through December.  Twelve ounce bottle.  The Rahr web site shows 8.5% ABV and 43 IBUs.

This beer poured with a thin, tan colored head.  Beer color is a very dark reddish brown.  When held up to the light, only a tiny amount of light showed through the glass.  I am getting primarily chocolate and roasted malt in the milder aroma, perhaps a bit of coffee.  The taste is more of the same - roasted malts and chocolate/cocoa.  I don't really notice the higher alcohol.  There is some bitterness in the background that sticks around for the aftertaste with the cocoa.  A somewhat heavier mouth feel, with lighter carbonation.    

Rahr & Sons Brewing Company

Fort Worth, Texas

www.rahrbrewing.com

Brooklyn Post Road Pumpkin Ale ....

Today's beer is a Post Road Pumpkin Ale from Brooklyn Brewery.  5% ABV is listed on the twelve ounce bottle.

This beer poured with a small, light beige head.  Beer color is a brighter amber.  The aroma is primarily the pumpkin spices, with some sweetness.  Don't really get much pumpkin.  The taste is primarily malt, then the spices come in.  Much like the aroma, I don't get much pumpkin.  Fairly foamy/effervescent.  The aftertaste leaves you with some spices.  Overall, this beer had some nice spices and flavor, but could have used a little more pumpkin, in my opinion.

     

Brooklyn Brewery

Brooklyn, New York

www.brooklynbrewery.com

Full Sail Wreck the Halls ....

Tonight I will have a Wreck the Halls, Hoppy Holiday Ale, from Full Sail Brewing Company.  It is a seasonal, available November through January.  6.5% ABV is listed on the 1 pint, 6 ounce bottle.  Their web site shows 68 IBUs.

This beer poured with a thin, light beige head.  Beer color is a bright amber/copper.  The aroma is milder, with malt, caramel and some hoppy notes.  The taste has a lot more going on than the aroma.  Malt, some nice hops and bitterness, spice and a bit of warmth from the alcohol.  A little higher foamy, effervescent mouth feel.  Leaves you with some piney bitterness for the aftertaste.  Nice!        

Full Sail Brewing Company

Hood Rover, Oregon

www.fullsailbrewing.com

Lazy Magnolia Deep South Pale Ale ....

Tonight I am trying my first beer from Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company: a Deep South Pale Ale.  The twelve ounce bottle shows 5.3% ABV.  Their web site shows 27 IBUs.

Deep South poured with a small, bone colored head.  Beer color is golden, not quite to an amber.  The aroma is very mild, with some sweet malt.  Not really getting anything hoppy in the aroma.  The taste is fairy mild as well, with some malt and a kind of soapy, earthy note.  Then a sour bitterness comes in, which seems surprising considering so little hops were noticeable in the aroma.  The aftertaste leaves you with some of the bitterness.  Overall, there isn't enough flavor to go with the bitterness for my tastes.      

Lazy Magnolia Brewing Company

Kiln, Mississippi

www.lazymagnolia.com

Deep Ellum Rye Pils ....

Today I will sample a Rye Pils from Deep Ellum Brewing Company.  Twelve ounce bottle.

Rye Pils poured with a medium, off white head.  Beer color is a hazy golden yellow.  The aroma is mainly rye and yeast, with some hops in the background.  The rye and yeast are in the taste as well, but don't stand out as much as in the aroma.  There is a floral hops presence, with hops bitterness.  There is also malt there but not enough to balance out the rye and hops.  The aftertaste leaves you with some grass, rye and bitter.  Again, I like some bitterness, so this appeals to me but might be too much for some.

Deep Ellum Brewing Company

Dallas, Texas

www.deepellumbrewing.com

Left Hand Stranger ....

Tonight I will have a Stranger, American Pale Ale, from Left Hand Brewing Company.  Twelve ounce bottle.    The web site shows 5% ABV and 36 IBUs.

Stranger poured with a small, bone colored head.  Beer color is a medium golden yellow.  The aroma is mild with some citrus and mild fruit.  Almost seems to be a little brown sugar?  The taste is fairly mild as well.  There is some sweet malt, with some citrus and pine in the background that never really comes out and hits you with the bitterness.  A little grassy.  Somewhat foamy mouth feel.  Leaves you with a little dry, slightly bitter aftertaste.  This beer is milder than I usually prefer, but I really enjoyed the aroma and flavors.  

Left Hand Brewing Company

Longmont, Colorado

www.lefthandbrewing.com

Samuel Adams White Christmas ....

Today's beer is a Samuel Adams White Christmas (Ale Brewed With Spices) from The Boston Beer Company.  It is a limited release, available November and December.  5.8% ABV is listed on the twelve ounce bottle.  Their web site shows 8 IBUs.

White Christmas poured with a medium, off white head.  Beer color is a cloudy straw, with just a touch of darker golden yellow.  The aroma is wheat and citrus, with some mild spices.  The spices are more predominant in the taste - seems to be some cinnamon and nutmeg.  Malty, bready with a little yeast bite.  Fairly effervescent.  Leaves the mouth slightly dry with a little cinnamon aftertaste.  A beer with some nice holiday flavors.    

The Boston Beer Company

Boston, Massachusetts 

www.samueladams.com