Posts Tagged ‘Domestic’
Wednesday, April 20th, 2011
Avery Brewing Co.'s India Pale Ale
The Brewski Report Reviews Avery’s India Pale Ale
File Date: 4.20.2011
File Name: Same ‘o, Same ‘o thing.
The Beer: India Pale Ale
Type: American IPA
Serving: Bottle
Stats: 6.5% ABV
Brewer: Avery Brewing Co.
Web Site: www.averybrewing.com
Country/State of Origin: CO, USA
Brewer Info: Since 1993 our brewery has been committed to producing eccentric ales and lagers that defy styles or categories. Our products are thoroughly American at heart: blending Old World tradition and expertise with ingenuity, creativity and boldness. We are dedicated to making beer from the inside out: we brew what we like to drink - with utter disregard for what the market demands - and search out fans with equally eccentric palates (We learned long ago that expressing your true self is much more fulfilling that giving in to outside pressures. Don’t you agree?) If you think your taste buds can keep up with our brews, we invite you to check out our entire lineup of more than twenty different beers. Peace to all and follow your dreams! The Avery Brewing Crew.
Brewer Brand Hype: In the 1700s one crafty brewer discovered that a healthy dose of hops and an increase alcohol content preserved his ales during the long voyage to India (as depicted in our label) to quench the thirst of British troops. Today, we tip our hat to that historic innovation by brewing Colorado’s hoppiest pale ale. Avery IPA demands to be poured into your favorite glass to truly appreciate the citrusy, floral bouquet and the rich, malty finish.
Label: Our IPA demands to be poured into your favorite glass to truly appreciate the citrusy, floral bouquet and the rich, malty, yet dry finish.
The Brewski Review: Super hoppy IPA worth a try if your into this sort of thing. I don’t really care for the bitterness so I may tend to down-rate my review based upon my negative preference for mucho bitterness. That isn’t to say this isn’t a good beer. I’m sure there may be quite a following for this brand. I’m just not one of them.
Drinkability: Probably not.
Appearance: Deeper golden color.
The Buds: Whoa! Hop city.
TBR Cap Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
Tags: 3.5 out of 5., 6.5% ABV, American IPA, Avery Brewing Co., Bottle, CO, Domestic, Hoppy Bitterness, India Pale Ale, IPA, Same 'o
Posted in Avery Brewing Co. | No Comments »
Saturday, March 19th, 2011
Sierra Nevada Spillage on the Celebration Ale
The Brewski Report Reviews Sierra Nevada’s Celebration Ale
File Date: 3.19.11
File Name: The Forgotten File
The Beer: Celebration Ale
Type: American IPA
Serving: Bottle
Stats: 6.8% ABV
Brewer: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Web Site: www.sierranevada.com
State/Country of Origin: CA, USA
Brewer Info: [In 1978] Ken and co-founder Paul Camusi cobbled a brewery together from dairy tanks, a soft-drink bottler, and equipment salvaged from defunct breweries. Though the equipment was secondhand, they created a first-rate microbrewery. The ingredients were premium, including the copious quantities of hops that would become the brewery’s trademark. An avid backpacker, Ken named the new company for his favorite hiking grounds—the Sierra Nevada mountains. Finally, on November 15, 1980, the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. brewed the first batch of what would soon become a landmark in American craft brewing: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale.
Brewer Brand Hype: The long, cold nights of winter are a little brighter with Celebration® Ale. Wonderfully robust and rich, Celebration® Ale is dry-hopped for a lively, intense aroma. Brewed especially for the holidays, it is perfect for a festive gathering or for a quiet evening at home.
Label: Special beers made for the winter season have been a brewer’s tradition for centuries. To honor this heritage, we present this unique offering. Celebration Ale.
The Brewski Review: Although 65 on the International Bitterness Units (IBU) seems high, It’s really not. But it sure seemed like it. It made me pucker up. Actually, I don’t like my beer too bitter. Maybe I need to become better acquainted with bitter beers so I can tolorate their hoppiness. My younger days of drinking mild American Adjunct lagers in college and years thereafter has put me in a bad position. Had I started down my drinking path requesting an IPA everytime I stepped up to the bar I’d probably like nothing less. So, I’m somewhat jaded. The only thing I can say is ‘it is what it is’. There are probably many that like this beer. I truely can’t say it’s a bad beer, it’s just not something I would enjoy drinking every day. So, if you like hoppy beers, give this one a try next holiday season. Oh yeah, you may note that the bottle says 2009. I’m a little untimely on this report. The report was half finished then it was misplaced and forgotten about. So, I thought I’d blow a little dust off the file folder and report out on it just the same. I’m sure my opinion hasn’t changed. I’ve just gotten a little older that’s all.
Drinkability: No. I’ll pass.
Appearance: Dark, cloudy medium amber color
The Buds: Hoppy and bitter.
TBR Cap Rating: 3.5 Rating
Yes. The beer I drank was from 2009. Of course, it was 2009 when I drank it.
Tags: 3.5 Rating, 6.8% ABV, 65 IBU, American IPA, Bitter, Bottle, CA, Celebration Ale, College Bars, College Days, Domestic, Forgotten File, Mild American Adjunct Lager, Sierra Nevada, Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Youth
Posted in Sierra Nevada Brewing | No Comments »
Sunday, March 6th, 2011
Goose Island Brewery's Mild Winter Ale
The Brewski Report Reviews Goose Island’s Mild Winter
File Date: 3.6.2011
File Name: Mild winter my buttski! Glad March is upon us.
The Beer: Mild Winter
Type: Rye/American Ale
Serving: Bottle
Stats: 5.6% ABV
Brewer: Goose Island Beer Company
Web Site: www.gooseisland.com
State/Country of Origin: IL, USA
Brewer Info: In his travels across Europe, beer-lover John Hall had enjoyed a distinctive local brew in each region he visited. Hall was convinced that Midwesterners could produce beers as good or better than those he’d tasted in his travels. Living on the shore of the largest system of fresh water on the planet Earth, in a city with rapidly evolving tastes – John decided that his hometown, Chicago, would be the ideal place to do just that. The key to building interest in craft beer, Hall decided, was to allow consumers to watch the brewing process – while providing them with the then-novel experience of enjoying a wide variety of distinctive beers that had been produced on-site. Hall wanted to not only cater to his customers’ tastes, but to challenge them as well. Goose Island’s brewers set to work crafting a diverse selection of unique beers – and on Friday, May 13, 1988 the Goose Island Brewpub was born. It turned out that John was right; Chicagoans palates evolved rapidly once Goose Island’s Brewpub opened its doors and introduced the city to distinctive craft beer. By 1995, the brewpub had become so popular that John Hall and his son Greg, who had by then become Goose Island’s brewmaster, decided to open a larger brewery and bottling plant to keep up with demand. Finding still more room for growth, in 1999 the father-son team opened a second Goose Island Brewpub just a stone’s throw away from historic Wrigley Field.
Brewer Brand Hype: Toffee brown, medium-bodied, with a creamy head and an aroma of raisins and freshly baked dark bread. Mild Winter’s rich caramel malt and spicy rye flavors are sure to take the bite out of whatever Old Man Winter brews up for you this year.
Label: Serve Mild Winter in a Willi Glass.
The Brewski Review: Nice deep amber/brown color. Or, as Goose Island states - toffee color. I thought it was tasty and so did my wife who wanted me to purchase a six pack. Of course, I beat her to the punch and drank most of it before she had the chance. Hey, I need a drink to help me unravel from a metally stressful day of having to deal with the weather, house, my job/boss/coworkers, whatever excuse is handy. But, March is here upon us so we’ll be shelving the seasonal winter brews for the time being. I beleive I have one more tucked back in the fridge I need to polish off. I’ll take care of that soon. Would I drink this again? sure. Maybe I’ll have to visit Goose Island next time I’m in Chicago to visit the relatives. You know, for research.
Drinkability: Bought a whole six pack. So, yes.
Appearance: Large head. Deep amber/brown color.
The Buds: Tastly winter ale.
TBR Cap Rating: 3.75 caps out of 5.
Best Big City In America - in my humble opinion.
Tags: 3.75 Rating, 5.6% ABV, Bottle, Chicago, Domestic, Fridge, Goose Island, House, IL, Mild Winter, Relatives, Research, Rye/American Ale, Seasonal, Six Pack, Stress, Weather, Wife
Posted in Goose Island | No Comments »
Sunday, February 13th, 2011
Maximum head attainment on the pour. Shameful waste.
The Brewski Report Reviews Spoetzl Brewery’s Shiner Hefeweizen and My Selfish Ways
File Date: 2.13.2011
File Name: The Giving Only Goes So Far.
The Beer: Shiner Hefeweizen
Serving: Bottle
Stats: 5.4% ABV
Brewer: Spoetzl Brewery
Web Site: www.shiner.com
State/Country of Origin: TX, USA
Brewer Info: From its earliest time under the Shiner Brewing Association in 1909, to that fateful day in 1914 when Kosmos Spoetzl saw an opportunity to bring classic Bavarian Brewing traditions to his fellow immigrants, through the “Great Experiment” of Prohibition and and Great Depression, the “Little Brewery” has stuck to what they know best - handcrafting the finest beer.
Brewer Brand Hype: Hefeweizen (Hef-ay-vite-zen) recalls the classic beers of Bavaria as a true unfiltered wheat brew. This beer captures old-world Munich Malt, wheat grist used in a scant 1% of all brews worldwide, orange and lemon zest in a frothy classic example of bottle-conditioned beer. Adding clover honey and yeast just before it’s bottled touches off a unique, secondary fermentation process inside every keg and bottle before its final release from the brewery. Follow these step-by-step directions to POUR YOURSELF AN OUT-OF-BOTTLE EXPERIENCE:
- POUR half of the bottle into a glass.
- ROUSE the yeast by swirling the bottle and pouring what’s left into the glass.
- ENJOY this unfiltered brew with a generous wedge of lemon.
Label: Handcrafted in Shiner, TX since 1909. The ‘Little Brewery’ has been the source of every drop of Shiner Brew. Distinctive flavors brighten every sip of this wheat ale as it’s brewed with a hint of clover, honey and orange and lemon peels. Every drop of Shiner is brewed in Shiner. Unfiltered and bottle conditioned. This refreshing delight is bottle conditioned with added yeast. That means our Hefeweizen keeps brewing until you open it. This unfiltered ale has a cloudy appearance and a silky smooth flavor. To properly enjoy, 1. pour half the bottle into a glass, 2. swirl the remainder of the bottle to mix up the yeast 3. pour that into the glass and enjoy with a wedge of lemon. Prosit!
The Brewski Review: Very good. Poured with an overabundance of head which dissapated quickly. Very mild and creamy tasting even without the lemon. I’m sure the wedge of lemon would have enhanced the flavor that much more. Enjoyed this one quite a bit. Liked it so much I purchased a six pack and took it to a BYOB family party. Of course, I didn’t share any of it. I kept it all to myself.
Drinkability: Bought a six pack if that says anything.
Appearance: Cloudy golden w/ maximum head.
The Buds: Smooth and buttery.
TBR Cap Rating: 4.0 caps out of 5.
Is it?
Shiner, TX in the 1930's. For the curious.
Tags: 4.0 Rating, 5.4% ABV, B&W Photo, Bottle, BYOB, Domestic, Historical, Lemon, Party, Shiner, Shiner Hefeweizen, Six Pack, Spoetzl Brewery, TX
Posted in Spoetzl Brewery | No Comments »
Thursday, December 23rd, 2010
Thar She Blows - A Category 5 Taste Sensation?
The Brewski Report Reviews Clipper City’s Heavy Seas Winter Storm “Category 5″ Ale
File Date: 12.23.10
File Name: Winter Ranks Fourth in Seasons
The Beer: Heavy Seas Winter Storm
Type: Extra Special/Strong Bitter (ESB)
Serving: Bottle
Stats: 7.5% ABV
Brewer: Clipper City Brewing Co.
Web Site: www.clippercitybeer.com
State/Country of Origin: ME, USA
Brewer Info: Brewed by Baltimore’s Clipper City Brewing Co., Heavy Seas is produced by Baltimore craft beer pioneer Hugh Sisson – the brewery’s founder and managing partner – and Brewmaster Ernesto Igot, formerly brewmaster at San Miguel Brewery in the Philippines. After successfully lobbying the Maryland Legislature to legalize brewpubs, Hugh began brewing professionally in 1989 at his family’s Baltimore pub – Sisson’s – which was coincidentally Maryland’s first brewpub. In 1994 he left Sisson’s to found Clipper City and has been involved in all aspects of the business – brewing, finance, marketing, and sales. Combined, Hugh and Ernie represent over 50 years of experience in developing, producing, marketing, and selling fine beer. Totally driven by a passion to make richly flavored beers, they are also focused on making beers with finesse and balance. Their wealth of experience gives them a firm foundation in the values of traditional brewing methods, yet they also share a desire to create new beer experiences. The result is a brand that captures the best of both worlds – modern beer thinking blended with the best elements of traditional methods.
Brewer Brand Hype: Our winter ale brewed with copious helpings of English malts and both U.S. and English hops making it a ruddy hued Imperial ESB in style. Full malty flavors dancing with powerful hop aromas and a lingering yet firm hop bitterness. Pairs well with very sharp cheddar, stews, and grilled ribs. Available October – December.
Label: This here pounder has a fine layer of yeast at her bottom. It won’t send you to Davey Jones’ locker, but will protect your brew from the rigors of life at sea. Hang on…it’s a Category 5 Ale! With a full ruby hue, vivid malty flavor, and earthy hop aroma, Winter Storm is an original - an Imperial ESB for the winter months.
The Brewski Review: I’m tired of winter already. Look at the street in front of my house (see picture below). Just kidding. I will say though, my tolorance for winter has abated in my ‘experienced’ years. I don’t really mind the cold weather so much as the snow. Just tired of it all. Move to FLA you SAY? No. Too humid and hot. Fall is my favorite time of year followed close by Spring. That’s why I’ll stay up north. Part of my journalistic endeavor here is to isolate the best beers to drink in any season. So, at some point down the road I’ll at least have a list of winter beers to keep me warm inside while I wait out the cold season. Like this Clipper City Brew: it a nice winter beer. Hearty with an bitter finish (obviously). But, there were some nice hop and malt characteristics in the taste. Nice tasting ESB.
Drinkability: Yes. Would purchase again.
Appearance: Medium ruby color.
The Buds: Good malty flavor.
TBR Cap Rating: 3.50 crowns out of 5.
The snow has really piled up on the street in front of my house.
Tags: 3.5 Rating, 7.5% ABV, Bottle, Category 5 Ale, Clipper City Brewing, Cold Weather, Domestic, ESB, Extra Special Bitter, Fall, Favorite Season, Fourth, Heavy Seas, Holidays, Hot and Humid, Hurricane, Journalistic Endeavor, List of Beers, ME, Move, Northerner, Ruby Color, Seasonal, Snow, Spring, Tolorance, Water, White, Winter, Winter Storm
Posted in Clipper City Brewing | No Comments »
Saturday, December 18th, 2010
What A Great, Dark Rich Color.
The Brewski Report Reviews Breckenridge’s Christmas Ale
File Date: 12.18.10
File Name: Great shelf appeal.
The Beer: Christmas Ale
Type: Winter Warmer
Serving: Bottle
Stats: 7.4% ABV
Brewer: Breckenridge BBQ & Brew
Web Site: www.breckbrew.com
Country of Origin: CO, USA
Brewer Info: Back in the 1980s our founder, Richard Squire, had a dream – to ski all day and drink great beer every night. Since he lived in the snow-kissed Rocky Mountains, fulfilling the skiing portion of his dream was easy. But the great beer part – at a time when a “microbrew” was a rarity – that was another story. So Richard started brewing his own, more flavorful beers for himself and his thrill-seeking ski pals. His homebrewed creations were a hit, and soon Richard was spending more time brewing than skiing. So he chased after another dream – making exceptional beer for a living. In February, 1990 that dream became reality when Richard opened the original Breckenridge Brewery & Pub in the town of Breckenridge, Colorado. Richard’s ski bum days were over, and so were the days of bland beer for the folks in Colorado’s ski country.
Brewer Brand Hype: The chill of a Colorado high-country winter calls for a beer with extra flavor and warming characteristics. Here it is. Breck Brew’s Christmas Ale. At over 7% alcohol, with a sturdy texture and rich flavors of caramel and chocolate, our holiday seasonal is the fermented equivalent of a good fire. The ultimate winter warmer.
Label: Plenty of good cheer. Good friends ever near.
The Brewski Review: As for the beer, I wouldn’t recommend this one. It looked good in the glass: Brown to ruby brown in with a nice foamy, muddy colored head. The head dissipated quickly. The taste though, wasn’t very pleasant to me. It had a very strong aftertaste. I drank about 3/4 of the bottle and had to pour the rest down the drain. I didn’t get sick, but it was not an enjoyable beverage for me to drink. I really wanted it to taste good just because I loved the retro holiday label which looked so cool. Can’t judge a book by it’s cover.
Drinkability: Most likely not.
Appearance: Brown to ruby brown in color
The Buds: Big aftertaste. Malty and Bitter.
TBR Cap Rating: 2.75 out of 5.
Tags: 2.75 Rating, 7.4% ABV, Aftertaste, Beer Label, Breckenridge Brewery, Christmas Ale, CO, Domestic, Graphics, Green, Holidays, Muddy Head, Retro, Seasonal, Winter Warmer
Posted in Breckenridge Brewery | No Comments »
Saturday, December 4th, 2010
12 Thirsty Dogs Would Be Panting Quite A Bit.
The Brewski Report Files One For Thirsty Dog’s 12 Dogs of Christmas
File Date: 12.4.10
File Name: Woodworking Is Theraputic
The Beer: 12 Dogs Of Christmas
Type: Winter Warmer
Serving: Bottle
Stats: 8.3% ABV
Brewer: Thirsty Dog Brewing Co.
Web Site: www.thirstydog.com
State/Country of Origin: OH, USA
Brewer Info: Here at the Thirsty Dog Brewing Company, full flavor, delicate balance, texture and aroma combine to make beer an infinitely complex and thoroughly enjoyable experience. Each of our beers is meticulously hand crafted in small batches using the finest ingredients. High quality malted barley is the source of the beer’s sweetness and body. Select American and European hops are used to balance the malt sweetness, and at times to add special flavors and aromas to the beer. Our carefully selected ingredients, along with our specially designed recipes and brewing processes, give Thirsty Dog beers unique flavor profiles that are hard to find in today’s mass-market “one size fits all” society. Our craft brewed beers are far more diverse in range and character than the small spectrum of mass-market beers offered to the American public by the large national breweries. Enjoy the diversity and unleash the flavor today. Welcome to Thirsty Dog Brewing Company, and welcome to great beer!
Brewer Brand Hype: Spiced for the holidays with honey, cinnamon, ginger, nutmeg and Santa’s secret recipe.
Label: This beer’s name sums up the idea of bringing the best together to celebrate. It is filled with seasonal flavors from generous amounts of toasted and caramel malts, mixed with equally generous amounts of honey, cinnamon, ginger and nutmeg. We feel it’s the perfect libation, filled with flavors of the season.
The Brewski Review: The pace of the work around my house has slowed considerably. When I concoct a project in my I do myself no favors by limiting my time. What I need to do is take my planned timeline and multiply it by five so I’ll be closer to a realistic completion date. Case in point: my wife and I went shopping for the kids at the verable toy institution Toys-r-Us a few days ago. I noticed a wooden train set assembled on a little wooden table. What a great idea. A simple little table. I figured it would take longer to map out the cuts on a 1/2 pc of plywood than to assemble the table. Wrong. The project took me about a month to complete. Between work and the family, I don’t have the time to complete these project so I don’t know why I sign up for them. Yet, I still get pulled by my wife about not spending enough time with the family or considering them before my projects. She says I do things I ‘want’ to do like work on the house, cars or our rental property while she does things she ‘has’ to do like take care of the kids and cook. I drop my head in defeat. I always hope I win the lottery because I see no way out of this quandry. Until then, I keep plugging along…..all without the help of a therapist. Remarkable isn’t it? Maybe I should drink more often. This beer would be a good place to start. Says Ale brewed with honey and spices. It didn’t appear to add much to the taste because I didn’t think it was all that fantastic. Maybe if I were to have drank it outside in the bittery cold it would warm me up and taste better? Perhaps, but why would I want to do that? Oh yeah, the table? See pics of how it turned out. Finished it on New Years Eve Day. (Obviously, this article is back-dated.)
Drinkability: Average winter warmer. Wouldn’t drink it again.
Appearance: Generous head at pour. Dissipates quickly.
The Buds: Honey & Spice flavor didn’t stand out.
TBR Cap Rating: 3.5 out of 5.
The completed project. The whole set up on top of the table was destroyed about 5 minutes after my son came in the room. He likes to walk through and detroy anything your doing or working on. As a parent your supposed to nurture your child's strong points. Aside from encouraging him to be a demolitions expert, I'm at a loss.
Tags: 12 Dogs of Christmas, 3.5 Rating, 8.3% ABV, Bottle, CARS, Christmas Shopping, Defeat, Dinosaurs, Domestic, Have To's, House, House Projects, Kids, Long Project List, Lottery, New Year's Eve Day, OH, Rental Property, Small Play Table, Spices, Therapy, Thirsty Dog Brewing, Toys-r-Us, Train, Unrealistic Timelines, Wants, Wife, Winter Warmer, Wooden Train Set, Woodworking, WoodWorking Project
Posted in Holidays, Projects, Thirsty Dog Brewing | No Comments »
Friday, December 3rd, 2010
The color isn't all too appealing. Looks like a typical American Adjunct Beer.
The Brewski Report Reviews Bell’s Brewery’s Winter White Ale
File Date: 12.3.2010
File Name: Winter Wood Project
The Beer: Winter White Ale
Type: Witbier
Serving: Bottle
Stats: 5.0% ABV
Brewer: Bell’s Brewery Inc.
Web Site: www.bellsbeer.com
State/Country of Origin: MI, USA
Brewer Info: Bell’s Brewery, Inc. formerly Kalamazoo Brewing Company, founded by Larry Bell as a home-brewing supply shop in 1983, sold its first beer in 1985. Originally brewing in a 15-gallon soup kettle, the company has grown remarkably. Bell’s Brewery has grown from a tiny operation renting part of a former plumbing supply warehouse to a bustling, regional craft brewery. Although the “microbrewery” revolution began on the West Coast in the 1970s, the Midwest saw this brewing development much later. Bell’s Brewery stands as the oldest craft-brewer east of Boulder, Colorado. Originally self-distributed, Larry and crew brewed, bottled and delivered all of the beer to market for the company’s first four years. By 1989, Bell’s was shipping over 500 barrels annually and assigned its first wholesaler to further establish itself across the State of Michigan. After struggling several years to produce and sell robust, full-bodied ales against a tide of a mass-market domestic beer, Bell’s began to see the demand for craft beer grow dramatically. Bell’s soon ventured outside Michigan, continuing its solid growth and developing a reputation across the Midwest for the unique style and flavor of its Bell’s brands.
Brewer Brand Hype: A Wheat Ale brewed with American Wheat and a proprietary blend of Hefe and classice Belgian-style yeasts. A refreshing winter alternative created from the subtle fusion of two classic flavors.
Label: A seasonally nuanced wheat ale that is both stylish and refreshing.
The Brewski Review: Nice winter beverage. Spicy, just like other seasonal beers. Quite tasty. This one is a witbier but with the spices it changes the flavor quite a bit for me. I like witbier and I like the winter seasonals, but it’s hard to say that the combination of the two create a beer better than the flavors unto themselves. Just the same this is a worthy beverage that you’ll enjoy on a nice cool fall or winter day. Like when your outside getting your house ready for cold weather onslaught. I managed this pretty well myself. The largest project was the need to build a larger wood crib. All the wood has been put into the crib and covered for the winter but the project isn’t complete. I need to build a roof over it and add some other minor ‘architectural’ touches. If it’s going to be in my back yard I’m going to make it look relatively pleasing. I don’t want to stare at a pile of wood every day. When it’s complete I’ll be sure to post some pictures but until then here’s what it looks like right now.
Drinkability: Would drink this again.
Appearance: Pale golden color.
The Buds: The spice flavor is quite tasty.
TBR Cap Rating: 3.75 out of 5.
Tags: 3.75 Rating, Architectural Flare, Bell's Brewery, Bottle, Build Larger, Burning Wood, Combination, Domestic, Fall Project, Firewood, MI, Not Competed, Outdoor Fire, Seasonal, Spicy, Winter Projects, Winter White Ale, Witbier, Wood Crib
Posted in Bell's Brewery | No Comments »
Sunday, November 28th, 2010
Harpoon Brewery's Winter Warmer
The Brewski Report Reviews Harpoon’s Winter Warmer Spiced Ale
File Date: 11.28.2010
File Name: Christmas Crowd Pleaser
The Beer: Winter Warmer
Type: Spiced Ale
Serving: Bottle
Stats: 5.9% ABV
Brewer: Harpoon Brewery
Web Site: www.harpoonbrewery.com
State/Country of Origin: MA, USA
Brewer Info: Harpoon Founders Dan Kenary & Rich Doyle started the Harpoon Brewery in 1986 because—like today—we loved beer and wanted more good choices. While traveling in Europe after college, we drank many wonderfully diverse, fresh, local beers. We also saw firsthand how important local breweries were to their communities. After our travels, we asked each other, “why not bring great beer and that sense of community to New England?” That was the genesis of the Harpoon Brewery. Twenty years later we still revel in making great beer and sharing that joy with our friends and neighbors. The success that we have had running Harpoon is due entirely to the wonderful employees who brew, package, warehouse, sell, deliver, and market our beer and you, the people who drink Harpoon. We hope that our sense of gratitude is reflected in both the quality of the beer and the spirit of fun and enjoyment surrounding our beer and breweries.
Brewer Brand Hype: Winter Warmer was Harpoon’s first seasonal beer. It was designed to be enjoyed during the holiday season.
When you bring a glass of this dark copper ale to your lips to take your first sip you will notice the aroma of cinnamon. There is no aromatic hop added that might overpower the distinct spice scent. The medium body of this beer is formed from caramel and pale malts. These create enough body to support the spices without making the beer excessively rich. Bittering hops are added to counter the sweetness of the malt and spice. The finish of the beer is a blend of cinnamon and nutmeg. The combination of these two spices results in a balanced, pumpkin-pie flavor.
Label: Brewed since 1988, the flavor of Cinnamon and nutmeg in Harpoon Winter Warmer make this full-bodied, rich ale a classic holiday treat. Enjoy!
The Brewski Review: Ever watch ‘A Christmas Story’? I’m sure many won’t argue that it’s a true classic. What’s so endearing about this film is it’s period. It harkens back to a time when life was more simple. The only source of information was the nightly news and the local paper. You could eat whatever you wanted without fear of getting cancer. People took ownership of their actions and didn’t sue at the drop of a hat. Holiday shopping wasn’t so commercialized and over-hyped. There was no ‘Doorbuster Deals’ to trample people over. Kids played with Tinker Toys, Lincoln Logs and dolls. No expensive electronics. People enjoyed each other since they weren’t so detracted by cell phones and MP3 players. Life was slower than it is now: muscle your way to work and put in 10 or 11 hours, race home and shuttle the kids to their far-flung sports and hobbies, eat dinner on the run, come home, do laundry, go to bed, get up and repeat the process all over again. I know it won’t happen but American needs to revert back to these simple times. Then we could unravel our complicated lives and enjoy a nice cold one. This Winter Warmer is a nice choice: good taste with a nice seasonal flavoring. I’ve had better spice beers and will probably have even better in the future but this is worthy of drinking again. Enjoy the Holidays! Maybe a few of these beers will help tame the stress that goes along with all the crowd fighting you’ll be doing.
Drinkability: Sure. Good Beer.
Appearance: Amber color with a high head.
The Buds: Nice seasonal flavor but not too overpowering.
TBR Cap Rating: 3.75 caps out of 5.
A timeless Holiday Classic. If you've never seen it, do so.
Tags: 3.75 Rating, 5.9% ABV, A Christmas Story, Cell Phones, Classic Movie, Cleveland, Commercialized, Complicated Lives, Darrin McGavin, Domestic, Doorbuster Deals, Endearing, Harpoon Brewery, Lincoln Logs, MA, MP3 Players, OH, Over-Hyped Shopping, Parker Family, Retro Movie, Simple Times, Slower Pace, Spiced Ale, Tinker Toys, Winter Warmer
Posted in Classic Entertainment, Harpoon Brewery, Holidays | No Comments »
Thursday, November 25th, 2010
Fill up the little red wagon full of Retro Red please.
The Brewski Report Reviews Fort Collins’ Retro Red Ale
File Date: 11.25.2010
File Name: Hun, Would You Please Pull The Tree Out Of The Closet?
The Beer: Retro Red
Type: American Amber/Red Ale
Serving: Bottle
Stats: 5.2% ABV
Brewer: Fort Collins Brewery
Web Site: www.fortcollinsbrewery.com
State/Country of Origin: CO, USA
Brewer Info: No relevant information about the brewery is noted.
Brewer Brand Hype: This banchee of a red ale is a looker and a taster. English crystal malts create a toasty, nutty flavor and medium body as Tettnang hops produce an assertive yet balanced hop presence. Retro Red is a treat for you taste-buds as well as your eyes.
Label: A Classic Red Ale. This banchee of a red ale is a looker and a taster. Take time to enjoy the confident hop character, rich malt profile and glowing ruby color. This red ale is a treat for your taste-buds as well as your eyes.
The Brewski Review: Hearty beverage. Dark ruby brown in color. Not much head at the pour. Nice malt flavor. Popped one open while pulling out the X-Mas tree on Thanksgiving day. Which, by the way, is not as much fun for me as it is for others I’m sure. I once saw a home showcased on a home improvement TV series that had a double door closet reserved just for the owners Christmas Tree. What at great idea I thought - if you have the room to spare. Decorate the tree once then just move it in and out of the closet once a year. Where’s the fun in that? Just think of all the extra beers you could be drinking if your spouse wasn’t nagging you about setting up the holiday decorations. Sure, you’d have a few outdoor lights to hang but there’s beer for that as well. I’m all about saving time and energy. Someday maybe I’ll have that double door Christmas Tree closet. A man can dream can’t he?
Drinkability: Sure. Would drink again.
Appearance: Dark ruby brown color.
The Buds: Nice hearty malt flavor.
TBR Cap Rating: 4.25 out of 5 caps.
Tags: 4.25 Rating, 5.2% ABV, American Amber, Christmas Tree, Christmas Tree Closet, CO, Decorating, Domestic, Double Door Closet, Fort Collins Brewery, Holiday Decorating, Home Improvement, Not A Fan, Red Ale, Thanksgiving Day, TV Series
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