Marin Brewing Co., Mt. Tam - Pale Ale

This is a pretty good Pale Ale.  Apparently, judging by the bottle's very discriptive label, some beer afficionados this this pale is simple supurb with several awards from festivals and associations to its credit.  The color was a cool-yellowish amber and the taste was very mild, kind of middle of the road and perhaps a bit too balanced because I didn't find a lot of character within.  Never-the-less, I enjoyed this beer and would go back for more.  It is my impression that this brewery and restaurant has been doing good business and making distinguished brews for a long time.  Plus, I have to root for my local brews, this one out of Larkspur, CA.

Mammoth Brewing Co: Hair Of The Bear - Dopple Bock Lager

Hailing from 8000 feet above sea level is Mammoth Brewing Co. where the waters of the Eastern Sierra mix with roasted dark malts to produce this amazingly delicious Lager.  Standing in at 9% ABV with a smooth chocolate-nut flavor this is one big bear of a beer and one of the best beers I've posted this year.  I'd track down this beer any day of the year.

Coors Brewing Company: Blue Moon- Pale Moon

Golden Colorado lays claim to a Belgian-Style beer with its line up of Blue Moon beers but the end result remains in line with what the brewery does best...perhaps these beers should be called Belgian-style-light beers and come packaged in a hyper-colored-gimmicky can. Ahh, I am upset that I spent good beer money on this 6-pack.

Lucky Bucket Pre-Prohibition Lager

The name of the brewery sparks up nostalgia of underneath the bottle cap picture puzzles, but this lager is a probably a bit more interesting than what my six-year-old palate remembers of the sips of Lucky Lager that Dr. Grandpa used to let me have. I like the label and its description of the beer, but this is the first beer that I have imbibed thus far that I taste and think "Holy corn!" It makes me wonder if they used it as an adjunct, but according to the description of this beer, there aren't as many additives as one finds in most of today's American lagers. To me, that reads like the adjuncts used today. An interesting drink, but not my favorite American lager. I don't really taste the west coast hops used in dry hopping, and really all I can think of is corn.  Now if it would have had some drawings underneath the cap, I might be swayed to buy some more. Weiner desk a shin.
-Taster Be

Michigan Brewing Co. Nut Brown Ale

This was a nice brown ale in the same vein as a Newcastle. Definitely had some nut-like overtones and went down smooth. A nice relaxing beer to drink after fixing something around the house- flavorful with subtle complexity, yet rather light.  Incidentally, when I went to the Michigan Brewing Co. website, I saw that they also are now the home of the Celis line of beers and that a brewing legend, Pierre Celis passed away earlier this month. Celis is often credited with bringing the Belgian style wit beers back from near extinction, so here's a toast to your memory, Pierre, and may you continue to inspire more fine brews. Delicious.
-Taster Be

Leffe Blond

I could have sworn I've tried this before, but when I tasted the first sip, it was clear that I hadn't. I would have kept drinking them all night if I didn't have a final the next morning in Alabama. The richness of the taste reminded me of a sweet, custard-like dessert, followed by a spiciness much like cinnamon. It was a welcome departure from the other beers I had been drinking all week, which were heavy on hops, roasted malts, or both. This is an excellent drinking beer and I can see how the complex flavors and aroma could compliment a large variety of foods. It is so smooth that I was blown away when I read it measures 6.6% ABV. I will drink this again many times over. Delicious.
-Taster Be

Harpoon UFO White

"Light, crisp, refreshing UFO White follows in the tradition of spiced wheat beers that have been brewed in Belgium for well over 300 years. Brewed with orange peel and a unique blend of spices, UFO White is the perfect choice for a summer’s barbecue, a night out with friends or any time you¹re thirsting for something a little different."
Harpoon

In my unending quest for the perfect Belgian Wit, I came across this offering from Harpoon at the grocery one day and decided to give it a try. There is a broad spectrum of beers within this category, and this one seems to fall on the floral and fruity end of the spectrum rather than the spicy and yeasty side. I should have known by the orange slice on the label which one this was- floral and fruity. I found it similar to some of the American wheats I've had recently. Clearly refreshing with that bright punch that seems to be present in all wheat beers, but alas my quest continues as I prefer the spicier, yeastier versions. Next wit: a collaboration between Grand Ivey Brewing Co. and the Lousy Buckle head brewmaster.
-Taster Be

Wells Banana Bread

"Tempting banoffee aromas tempered by a grassy, lemony nose all leading to a finely balanced, fresh, delicate flavour of peppery hops with a lingering dry finish."
-wells and youngs


I tried this recently while devouring an awesome grass-fed burger and onion rings in Decatur at farm burger. The experience was just divine. Although I would have liked to have let the brew warm up a little bit to experience the full flavor, the delicious combination of grease, fat, and refreshing beverage were just too much for my feeble will to withstand. I've seen it written before that sometimes your environment fools your taste buds, and that may have been the case, but this beer was delicious, and if there's any banana bread lovers out there, this just may seem magical to you as well.  Delicious. 
-Taster Be  

De Kluis Brewery, Belgium - Hoegaarden

Although it is not the first time this beer has been posted on this blog I had to mark my own experience with this beer - in preparation for a visit to Grand Ivey Brewing Co. in Dacula Georgia where I had been invited to work along side their brew-master on a Wit Beer I had to do some research in the field - I started with one of my favorites, Hoegaarden. 

The brilliant white beer is brewed to a traditional recipe which dates as far back as 1445, although the beer Hoegaarden has only existed since 1966. Hoegaarden gets its great taste partly due to there being special ingredients added during the brewing process, such as - wheat, coriander and curacao orange peels. Also the pale, cloudy appearance of this mysterious looking drink is all thanks to an additional second fermentation in the bottle.  Hoegaarden is quite strong for a beer, standing at 5% vol.

We set our sites on brewing a beer similar in color and taste as Hoegaarden.  With its light body and citrus aroma, this beer is just perfect for a hot summer afternoon, but what really makes it work for this beer lover is the spicy quality of the coriander which becomes reminiscent of warm spice drinks served around winter season holidays thus making this beer a year around favorite.  

Judging by the fine quality of ingredients selected by Grand Ivey Brewing and the initial color and gravities of the wort, I trust that the batch we brewed in homage to the great tradition of Belgian Style Wit Beers will be exceptional and I look forward to sampling a glass or two.

Bell's Brewery Inc., Kalamazoo, MI - Oberon Seasonal Wheat Ale

I recently enjoyed this beer on a hot afternoon while in Florida.  This wheat beer had a prominent citrus flavor and was not too sweet for my liking.  The ale was very drinkable with a subtle hop favor but the spice qualities were a bit masked by the fruity aromas and citrus flavor.  I really liked this beer and just a couple days later enjoyed another one of Bell's best brews, the Two Hearted Ale which is reviewed by Taster B on this blog. 

"This American Wheat beer is fermented with Bell's signature house ale yeast, mixing a spicy hop character with mildly fruity aromas. The addition of wheat malt lends a smooth mouthfeel, making it a classic summer beer."
-Bell's

Red Brick Brewing, Atlanta, GA: Red Brick Brown

Red Brick out of Atlanta builds its marketing on the pride and personality of Southern culture and hospitality. The label pulls together a local focus with text like "Beer from around here. A nice, smooth ale that says yes Sir and yes Ma'am"

As described on their website: "The beer seems to have all characters for a beer with personality but is kind of dissociated having intense flavors at first, then some emptiness in the middle of the mouth and finishing with a bitter finish."

Ahh, B-.

Sweet Water Brewing Co, Atlanta, GA: 420 Extra Pale Ale

Sweet Water Brewing Co offers some good quality beers in the state of Georgia. The 420 Extra Pale Ale is very good but the vibe of the brewing company itself throws me off a little. You can easily see their marketing attracts the mainstream with their conservative name and fish logo (how many more brewery fish logos do we really need?) while playing off the quazi stoner-rasta-frat boy subcultures with their beer names like "420" or "Happy Ending". I don't know, they seem to be one of the more widely distributed craft beers in Georgia, they have a good product but I value the story of a craft-micro brew and I just don't buy this one.

Terrapin Brewing Co, Athens, GA: Hop Karma Brown IPA

My oh my, how Terrapin Brewing has something good goin' on in Athens GA. I mean they are on top of every last detail from their branding to the diversity of their beers to their extensive website: Terrapin is going to have the state of Georgia on lock down - slow and steady wins the race.

This year around beer, the Hop Karma Brown IPA is awesome. I brings together the best of both worlds of Brown Ales and IPAs by cutting the Brown's sweetness with the hop bitterness of an IPA while maintaining the nutty flavor of the brown.

http://www.terrapinbeer.com/beers/7-Hop-Karma-Brown--IPA

Great Northern Brewing Co., Whitefish Montana, Black Star

This Golden Ale didn't really register with me: all of its characters were mild and maybe that is it's best quality. I would imagine this beer would be a good one to select on a warm summer day after a hike when you just want a cold, refreshing beer.

"Black Star is a double-hopped golden lager based on traditional European Pilsner style beers. It is brewed with both Bavarian Mittelfrüh and Czech Saaz hops and two row malting barley. By hopping it in the kettle, and then again before finishing, Black Star opens with a distinctive hop aroma and a rich, full bodied flavor, yet closes remarkably crisp, light and refreshing."

Radeberger, Germany: Pilsner

Pilsners of Central Europe are hard to beat so I am always happy to see Radeberger widely distributed on the West Coast of the USA. This pilsner just gets better as you drink it and it goes well with any meal even breakfast.

Looking at the bottle's details the other day, I found it peculiar to find a note on the bottom of the back label noting: "Puerto Rico, Please don't litter."

Good advice.

Keegan's Ales: Mother's Milk

Keegan Ales out of New York's Hudson Valley produces some unique brews including this dark cream milk stout. I enjoyed this beer alongside some spicy collard greens and a pulled pork sandwich.

"Hints of oatmeal, chocolate and of course, milk make this brew have a remarkably smooth and silky finish, a classic example of the style."

http://www.keeganales.com/

Smuttynose Brewing Co., New Hampsire:

While in New York this past March I picked up a six pack of Smuttynose for the first time. I selected the beer mostly due to its quirky image of the two old pals lounging on the front lawn enjoying a cold one, it seemed to spark memories of past fishing trips and opened my imagination of what I hope my future holds. This beer and the brewery has quickly become one of my favorites and I wish that I could find their beers more easily on the west coast.

Check out their website:
http://www.smuttynose.com/
for some great photos of dogs, videos of ice standing contests, great links relating to craft brew and more info on their most excellent beers.

A+

Eel River Brewing Co: Organic IPA

Eel River Brewing Company is centrally positioned along the Pacific Coast Highway where redwood forests stretch for miles – and the roots of micro/craft brewing is well rooted.

We typically buy ERB Beers in the variety case from Costco. I am not the biggest fan of all of their beer styles, but I like that they are certified organic and this IPA is well balanced and perfectly drinkable with its smooth character.

"Pale and crystal malts come through with a malty caramel sweetness, balanced with aggressively clean burst of fresh hop flavor in the middle palate without lingering bitter astringency. A strong floral and citrus character from generous dryhopping blends with strawberry esters from our house yeast strain for an inviting and satiating aroma."
Original Gravity: 16.0 P
Alcohol: 7.0% by volume
Color: Deep Copper

Sapporo, the oldest beer brand in Japan

Sushi dinner on Valentine's day with a Sapporo in hand.

"Sapporo, the oldest beer brand in Japan, was first brewed in Sapporo, Japan in 1876 by the German-trained brewer Seibei Nakagawa. From the beginning, Sapporo was a favorite among beer lovers – a crisp, clean taste they appreciated and an advanced brewing process they respected."
-Sapporo's Website

Karl Strauss Brewing Company, San Diego: Full Suit Belgian Style Brown Ale

Another quality craft brew coming out of the San Diego area, Full Suit is a winter seasonal ale and the name plays off of the region's surf culture.

"The frigid North Pacific Current rolls in, generating first-class swells and mild hypothermia. While a few brave souls zip up and paddle out with no hesitation..."

Stats:
Alcohol by Volume: 6.3%
Color: 35 SRM
Bitterness: 24 IBU

I enjoyed this beer and am looking forward to trying some of the brewer's other styles.

Port Brewing Co.'s Wipeout IPA

"This one is dedicated to everyone who has gotten up at the butt crack of dawn, headed towards the shores and found it 4-6 feet and offshore only to find 30 of your “buddies” have already claimed the peak."
-Port Brewing's Website

10 Barrel Brewing Co

To round off our Bend trip, here's the sampler platter from 10 Barrel Brewing Co. From the Irish Red, to the Apocalypse IPA, to the India Session Ale, I couldn't leave a single one off. Here's the stats on the IPA: 4 varieties of hops, 3 malts, 6.5% alcohol, and 65 IBU's.
- BJ, Posted from my iPhone

Grunkles IPA

Straight from the Deschutes Brewery in Bend, this slightly malty IPA isn't as hoppy as I usually drink, but tasty nonetheless.

- BJ, Posted from my iPhone