Widmer Brothers Hefeweizen ....

Today's beer is a Hefeweizen from Widmer Brothers Brewing.  The web site lists 30 IBUs and 4.9% ABV.

This beer poured with a small, white head.  Beer color is medium yellow/gold, and is very cloudy.  The aroma is mild, with some sweetness to it.  Yeast, grass, maybe a little fruit.  The taste is mild as well.  It starts  off with some malt and yeast, but then gets a little thin and grassy towards the finish.  A little spice.  Slight grassy/metallic aftertaste.

   

Widmer Brothers Brewing

Portland, Oregon

www.widmerbrothers.com

North Coast Old Rasputin ....

Today I will have an Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout from North Coast Brewing Company.  The twelve ounce bottle lists 9% ABV.  The web site shows 75 IBUs.

This beer poured with a thick, rich brown head that looked like milk chocolate.  The beer color is a very dark black or brown, with no light showing through the glass.  The aroma has roasted malt, cocoa and brown sugar.  The taste is not as strong as you might expect.  Cocoa, roasted malt and a definite sweetness.  Maybe just a little coffee.  A hint of the higher alcohol comes in at the end; leaves you with some warmth.  Just a little thin in the mouth feel department at the tail end.  The aftertaste leaves you with a little dark chocolate bitterness.  For the style and higher alcohol, this is actually a pretty easy drinking beer.

North Coast Brewing Company

Fort Bragg, California

www.northcoastbrewing.com

Brooklyn East India Pale Ale ....

Tonight I will have an East India Pale Ale from Brooklyn Brewery.  6.9% ABV is listed on the twelve ounce bottle.  Their web site shows IBUs at 47.

This beer poured with a small to medium, bone colored head.  Beer color is a darker gold/yellow, not quite into an amber; maybe a little orange.  The aroma has some sweet malt and citrus.  There also seems to be a little wheat/grain to the aroma.  Medium bodied.  The taste has a good amount of malt, a little citrus, sweetness, and floral notes.  Some bitterness slowly builds in the background.  Hides the alcohol well.  Leaves you with a mild bitterness for an aftertaste.  Overall, this is an IPA that is a little heavier on the malt than it is on the hops.  

Brooklyn Brewery

Brooklyn, New York

www.brooklynbrewery.com

Avery The Maharaja ....

My Saturday night beer will be The Maharaja Imperial IPA from Avery Brewing Company.  The 1 pint, 6 ounce bottle shows 10.17% ABV and 102 IBUs.

This IPA poured with a medium, creamy colored head.  Beer color is a nice copper.  There is some very fine sediment moving around in the glass.  Medium aroma; mainly citrus with lemon, orange, grapefruit.  Aroma is not overpowering, just smooth, sweet and a hint of bite.  The taste hits you with some malt, followed quickly with citrus and a grapefruit-like bitterness.  Maybe a little pine.  Caramel.  Some sweetness.  Definite warmth from the higher alcohol.  Dry finish.  Leaves you with a dry, somewhat bitter aftertaste.  Nice Imperial IPA - maybe a little sweeter than most.

Avery Brewing Company

Boulder, Colorado

www.averybrewing.com

Harpoon UFO White ....

Today I will have a UFO (UnFiltered Offering) White, an Unfiltered Wheat Beer, from Harpoon Brewery.  It is brewed with orange peel and spices.  Twelve ounce bottle.  The Harpoon web site shows 4.8% ABV and 10 IBUs.

This beer's head was very thin and disappeared fast, but I think it was off white.  Beer color is that of a somewhat cloudy lemonade.  Fruity aroma, with wheat, citrus and a little spice.  Mild to medium bodied.  The taste is more of the same from the aroma, but more pronounced, particularly the wheat and citrus.  There is a little bit of "bite" from the citrus, not quite a bitter; I assume it's the orange peel.  Nice fizzy mouth feel/carbonation.  Slight grassy/metallic and citrus aftertaste.  Wasn't really sure about this one at first, but it grew on me and is one of those beers that makes a very refreshing summer beer.

Harpoon Brewery

Boston, Massachusetts

www.harpoonbrewery.com

Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale ....

Tonight I will have the OAKED version of Arrogant Bastard Ale, brewed by Stone Brewing Company.  The twelve ounce bottle shows 7.2% ABV.

This beer poured with a medium, rich brown head that was a little darker than tan.  Beer color is a darker, reddish copper/brown.  The aroma has sweet caramel, dark fruits.  I am not getting the citrus in the aroma that I did with the standard Arrogant Bastard.  The taste is malty with a good amount of tart citrus and pine.  Looking at my notes on Arrogant Bastard, it seems the "oaked" has slightly mellowed the bitterness.  Getting some fruit, caramel and the higher alcohol as well.  The aftertaste leaves you with some of the bitter.

Brewed by Stone Brewing Company

Escondido, California

www.arrogantbastard.com

Brooklyn Pennant Ale '55 ....

Tonight I will have a Pennant Ale '55 from Brooklyn Brewery.  The twelve ounce bottle shows 5% ABV.  Their web site lists IBUs at 24.

This beer poured with a thick, tan colored head.  Beer color is a mostly clear amber.  The aroma has some sweetness and a floral quality.  Medium bodied.  The taste has bready malt, sweetness, caramel and is a little grassy.  A little bitterness.  Leaves you with a slight sweet and bitter aftertaste.    
 

Brooklyn Brewery

Brooklyn, New York

www.brooklynbrewery.com

Anchor Summer Beer ....

Tonight's sampling will be the Summer Beer from Anchor Brewing Company.  Twelve ounce bottle.  The web site shows 4.5% ABV.  This is a seasonal, available April through October.

This beer poured with a medium, white head.  Beer color is a medium golden yellow; bright and clear.  The aroma is fairly mild, with some wheat/grains, spice and a little fruit.  The taste has malt, grass, sweetness, grain and a little citrus/fruit.  There is also a small amount of bitterness.  Medium bodied.  Good amount of carbonation; somewhat effervescent.  The aftertaste leave you with some grass/grain and a little bitterness.    

Anchor Brewing Company

San Francisco, California

www.anchorbrewing.com

Full Sail Amber ....

My beer for today is the Amber from Full Sail Brewing Company.  5.5% ABV is listed on the twelve ounce bottle.  The web site shows 31 IBUs.

This beer poured with a thick, tan or a little more brown head.  Beer color is a darker amber, leaning towards brown, with some definite red shading.  The aroma is caramel, dark fruit, malt.  The taste has toasted malt, caramel, spice, a little fruit, and a light bitter/sour quality that gives it some depth.  Slightly bitter/sour aftertaste.  

 

Full Sail Brewing Company

Hood Rover, Oregon

www.fullsailbrewing.com

Kona Wailua ....

Today I will sample a Wailua, Wheat Ale Brewed with Passion Fruit, from Kona Brewing Company.  Twelve ounce bottle.  The is a seasonal, available in spring and summer.  The Kona web site shows 5.4% ABV and 15 IBUs.  

Wailua poured with a smaller, off white head that dissipated very quickly.  Beer color is a medium to dark golden yellow.  The beer is crystal clear.  I get some wheat and a little sweetness in the aroma.  The sweetness may come from a little fruit, but I am not getting anything very "fruity" in the aroma.  The taste is more of the same; mild, some wheat and a little sweetness.  I do seem to detect a little fruit, but like the other components, it is mild.  There is some very effervescent carbonation.  Slightly grassy aftertaste.  A little mild for my tastes, but I also drank one while grilling and it is a nice light, refreshing summer beer.  

Kona Brewing Company

Kailu a Kona, Hawaii

www.konabrewingco.com

Widmer Brothers W'12 Dark Saison ....

Tonight I will have W'12 Dark Saison, a Brewmasters' Release, from Widmer Brothers Brewing.  Twelve ounce bottle.  The web site shows 5.5% ABV and 25 IBUs.  This is a seasonal beer, available in the spring.

This beer poured with a medium, tan colored head.  Beer color is a medium brown with a little red; auburn?  The aroma is primarily yeast and clove.  Maybe a little floral and brown sugar.  In the taste, I get yeast, clove-like spice, a little banana, caramel and a slightly metallic finish.  The aftertaste leaves me with a little roast malt, and a hint of the metallic again.  

Widmer Brothers Brewing

Portland, Oregon

www.widmerbrothers.com

Full Sail Session Black ....

Friday night and time for an adult beverage.  Today it will be Session Black, Premium Dark Lager, from Full Sail Brewing Company.  The 11 ounce bottle shows 5.4% ABV.  The web site lists IBUs at 18.

This beer poured with a small, rich brown head.  Beer color is a dark reddish brown which lets very little light through the glass.  Nice aroma with a lot of caramel/toffee/brown sugar.  Maybe a little cocoa.  The taste has some cocoa, but not as much sweetness as was implied in the aroma.  Smoky, roasted malt.  Medium bodied.  Leaves you with a little of that smoky, cocoa taste and feeling on your tongue.  This is a nice, flavorful beer that makes you think more of a porter or a stout than a lager.  

Full Sail Brewing Company

Hood Rover, Oregon

www.fullsailbrewing.com

Pyramid Apricot Ale ....

Today's beer is Apricot Ale, an Unfiltered Wheat Ale, from Pyramid Breweries.  The twelve ounce bottle shows 5.1% ABV.  The web site lists IBUs at 11.

This beer poured with a small to medium, bone colored head.  Beer color is a medium to darker golden yellow, with maybe just a touch of orange.  The apricot is strong in the aroma.  There is some sweetness, but it is hard to get much else other than the fruit.  There is some malt and wheat in the background, but it is hard to get past a lot of the apricot in the taste as well.  It is not really overpowering or way over the top, but it is more fruit-heavy than I prefer.  Somewhat dry finish.  Very little aftertaste, maybe just a little metallic and fruit.    

Pyramid Breweries

Seattle, Washington

Berkeley, California

Portland, Oregon

www.pyramidbrew.com

Great Divide Hercules Double IPA ....

Tonight I will have yet another IPA: Hercules Double IPA from Great Divide Brewing Company.  The 1 pint, 6 ounce bottle lists 10% ABV and 85 IBUs.

This beer poured with a small head.  It had a definite brown tint to it, but not quite a tan.  Beer color is a orange-ish amber, cloudy, and there is sediment in the glass.  The aroma is what you expect from a double IPA - smooth and sweet, with citrus, fruit and hints of the higher alcohol.  Very nice.  The taste hits you with some citrus, and a grapefruit-like bitterness right up front.  Then some malt, sweetness and the alcohol come in.  It finishes a little malty and dry, and leaves you with a nice bitter aftertaste.

Great Divide Brewing Company

Denver, Colorado

www.greatdivide.com

Brooklyn Brown Ale ....

Today's beer is Brown Ale from Brooklyn Brewery.  The twelve ounce bottle lists 5.6% ABV.  Their web site shows 30 IBUs.

This beer poured with a medium, rich brown head; tan or a little darker.  Beer color is a dark reddish brown that lets a small amount of light through the glass.  There is some fine sediment floating around in the beer.  The aroma is a nice mix of coffee and cocoa, with a little sweet caramel.  The taste has some roasted malt, a little bitterness, caramel, coffee.  It finishes dry with a little cocoa; you even have that feeling of cocoa on the tongue.  The aftertaste leaves you with cocoa and a little bitterness.    

Brooklyn Brewery

Brooklyn, New York

www.brooklynbrewery.com

Wasatch White Label ....

Tonight I will have a White Label, Belgian-Style White Ale, from Wasatch Beers.  6% ABV is listed on the twelve ounce bottle.  Their web site says it is seasoned with orange peel and coriander.

White Label poured with a very thin head that dissipated very quickly; appeared off white.  Beer color is a clear, medium yellow.  The aroma has yeast and a little spice.  Mild to medium bodied.  The taste has light wheat, some nice malt.  Fruit and citrus.  The spice is there, but mild.  Very little aftertaste; maybe just a touch of fruit and grass.  Very balanced.  This is a very refreshing, with no single thing overpowering, and makes a great summer beer.  

 

Wasatch Beers

Park City, Utah

www.wasatchbeers.com

Lagunitas Pils ....

Today's beer is the Pils, Czech Style Pilsner, from Lagunitas Brewing Company.  6.4% ABV is listed on the twelve ounce bottle.

Pils poured with a small, bone colored head.  Beer color is a bright golden yellow.  Milder aroma, with some yeast and sweet fruit, maybe a little honey.  Creamy, malty mouth feel.  Medium bodied.  Malt is dominant, with a nice mild bitterness in the background to keep it from getting boring.  A little sweetness.  Also some herbal and grassy notes.  The aftertaste leaves you with the bitter/sour note that was present throughout the taste.  

Lagunitas Brewing Company

Petaluma, California

www.lagunitas.com

Point Cascade Pale Ale ....

Tonight I will have a Point Cascade Pale Ale from Stevens Point Brewery.  Twelve ounce bottle.  Their web site lists 5.4% ABV and 33 IBUs.

This beer poured with a thick, bone to creamy colored head.  Beer color is a darker golden yellow, almost an amber.  Aroma is mild, with some citrus, fruit and floral; a little sweetness.  The taste is mild as well.  Maybe my taste buds are jaded, but I don't get the complexity in the taste that I did in the aroma.  Bready malt; just a touch of citrus and a very slight underlying bitterness.  Nice carbonation.  Slightly grassy aftertaste.  Not a bad beer, but very tame.    

Stevens Point Brewery

Stevens Point, Wisconsin

www.pointbeer.com

Avery Hog Heaven ....

Today I will have a Hog Heaven, Dry-Hopped Barleywine-Style Ale, from Avery Brewing Company.  The 1 pint, 6 ounce bottle shows 9.2% ABV and 104 IBUs.

This beer poured with a thick, tan colored head that took a long time to dissipate.  Beer color is a dark, cloudy orange-ish amber; almost a brown.  The aroma is heavy on hops; citrus, sweet fruit.  Not really getting the high alcohol in the aroma.  But the alcohol comes through in the taste.  There is citrus, pine.  A definite bitterness sticks around throughout the taste.  Creamy mouth feel.  Heavy, sweet.  A lot going on here, but the hops and bitterness are the strong notes.  The aftertaste leaves you with some bitterness on the back of your tongue.  A very serious beer.  Would probably age well.

Avery Brewing Company

Boulder, Colorado

www.averybrewing.com

Real Ale Firemans #4 ....

Tonight I will have another from Texas' Real Ale Brewing Company: Firemans #4 Blonde Ale.  Twelve ounce bottle.  Their web site shows 5.1% ABV and 21 IBUs.

This beer poured with a medium, white head.  Beer color is a light to medium yellow.  Mild aroma; bready with a little sweetness.  The taste has bready malt with some citrus/fruit in the background.  Slightly grassy, but does not have that thinness towards the finish that some of the milder beers have.  Almost a little sweetness and spice at the finish.  Mild to medium bodied.  Good carbonation.  Very little aftertaste, just mild "beer".  I enjoyed this more than I thought I would, as I was expecting something very mild and perhaps a little bland.  Nice surprise.

Real Ale Brewing Company

Blanco, Texas

www.realalebrewing.com

Brooklyn Summer Ale ....

I looked back through the blog, and the only other beer from Brooklyn Brewery I have tried was my third for the year - their Winter Ale.  Now it is summer and I am sampling their Summer Ale.  The twelve ounce bottle shows 5% ABV.   Their web site lists IBUs at 18.  This is a seasonal, available March through July.

This beer poured with a medium to thick, bone colored head.  The beer is a darker golden yellow shade, not quite into an amber.  There is some definite sweetness to the aroma, some herbal, maybe a little citrus.  Mild to medium bodied.  The taste has some malt, sweetness, citrus and is a little grassy.  Carbonation is a somewhat fizzy.  Seems thin on the finish.  Mild "beer" aftertaste.  Nice summer beer, but a little mild for my taste, especially on the finish.    

 

Brooklyn Brewery

Brooklyn, New York

www.brooklynbrewery.com

Boulevard The Sixth Glass ....

Tonight's beer is The Sixth Glass Quadrupel Ale from Boulevard Brewing Company.  10.5% ABV is listed on the 12 ounce bottle.  The web site shows 22 IBUs.

This beer poured with a medium head.  The color was a little more rich brown than a tan.  Beer color is a very dark amber, and is very cloudy with various size sediment.  The aroma is very enticing - yeast, fruits, a hint of the higher alcohol.  Medium to full bodied.  Very rich in the flavor department.  Bready, yeasty, caramel sweetness, spice.  Cooked or fermented dark fruits.  The taste of the higher alcohol is there, but not overpowering - gives you a little warmth.  A good amount of carbonation.  The aftertaste leaves you with some warmth, and a little sweet and spice.  A very interesting and tasty beer.      

 

Boulevard Brewing Company

Kansas City, Missouri

www.boulevard.com

Full Sail Pale Ale ....

Today I am having the Pale Ale from Full Sail Brewing Company.  The twelve ounce bottle lists 5.4% ABV.  The Full Sail web site shows 37 IBUs.

This beer poured with a small, bone colored head.  Beer color is a somewhat darker golden amber.  The aroma has some malty sweetness, a little spice, a touch of fruit or floral.  I expected a little citrus, but I am not really getting it.  Medium bodied.  The taste has some biscuity malt, some spice and a mild underlying sweetness.  Floral/herbal hops.  Not getting any real citrus to the taste either.  A small amount of bitter in the background, that sticks around a little in the aftertaste.  This is a nice medium bodied beer, just not quite what I was expecting.      
 

Full Sail Brewing Company

Hood Rover, Oregon

www.fullsailbrewing.com

Saint Arnold Summer Pils ....

It's definitely summer here in Texas.  So time for a Summer Pils from Saint Arnold Brewing Company.  Twelve ounce bottle.  The web site shows 4.9% ABV and 41 IBUs.  This is a seasonal, available May through August.

Poured with a thin, white head.  Beer color is a pale to medium yellow.  The aroma is very mild, almost nonexistent; touches of citrus, grain, grass.  The taste is better than the aroma.  Has some nice strength for a summer pilsner.  Fair amount of malt and a nice mouth feel.  Grain and grass.  Seems to be just a hint of spice in the background.  Very little aftertaste.  Not complicated, but very refreshing.  I enjoyed this more than I do most pilsners.

Saint Arnold Brewing Company

Houston, Texas

www.saintarnold.com

Stone Cali-Belgique IPA ....

Saturday night bomber.  Cali-Belgique India Pale Ale from Stone Brewing Company.  The 22 ounce bottle shows 6.9% ABV.  The Stone web site lists 77 IBUs.  They describe it as a California-style IPA with Belgian influence - a Belgian yeast strain.

This IPA poured with a small, bone colored head.  The beer is very clear, and a medium to darker golden shade.  There is some citrus to the aroma, but there is an underlying yeast that keeps it from being the citrusy/hoppy IPA aroma you expect.  There is some spice as well; almost a clove.  The taste has some bite of citrus and pine, but like the aroma, there is some yeast and spice that comes in to keep it from being a straight IPA.  Medium to full bodied.  A fair amount of carbonation.  Somewhat dry finish.  Some bitterness sticks around for the aftertaste, like a stronger IPA.  Unique and tasty.  

Stone Brewing Company

Escondido, California

www.stonebrew.com