tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-58088135887925466122011-11-27T18:41:43.223-06:00BEERblogHorsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.comBlogger401100tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-78018266178601972402010-04-28T17:21:00.000-05:002010-04-28T17:21:22.378-05:00

Appearance: Light orange, translucent, medium foamy head Smell: bitter, some fruit (orange? peach?) Taste: very fruity, with an old-cheese aftertaste Mouthfeel: some lingering lacing, even coating Drinkability: Well, it depends on how fond of moldy cheese one is. It's plenty smooth, but that aftertaste is a jarring bolt upright. I couldn't handle more than one of these in a row, and I doubt

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-77513013813973091282010-04-20T21:55:00.001-05:002010-04-28T17:13:34.774-05:00

Appearance: Light orange, cloudy, short but full-bodied head Smell: Slight orange tones, semi-sweet aroma Taste: Smooth, almost tasteless, but with a subtle bitter and hop aftertaste Mouthfeel: Extremely slight & smooth, uniform and rapid coating with a top of the mouth "twinge" from the hops  Drinkability: Extremely smooth: the nice easy-drinking summer beer that I was aiming for. This is

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-57142270223039707532010-03-26T15:19:00.000-05:002010-03-26T15:19:05.520-05:00

Appearance: Dark red. No head. Smell: Sour apple smell, hints of cherry. Taste: De Jacobins Rouge is a dark Flemish style red ale that is extremely sour. This is the sourest beer I've ever had. Mouthfeel: Served very cold, the extreme sourness goes right to the back of the tongue and makes one purse his lips. Drinkability: This beer is so sour that it either must be chugged or sipped very

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-67216299662798563152010-02-23T17:25:00.000-06:002010-02-23T17:25:18.529-06:00

I stopped into the brand new Wicker Park bar The Exchange in the old Lava location this past weekend. Billed as something of a combination of now-defunct Sonotheque and Violet Hour, The Exchange offers a long menu of specialty cocktails, beers, and even a few punch bowls for sharing. The prices are reasonable, the atmosphere is on the swankier side of things, but nowhere near as stuffy as Violet

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-27393083703253101382010-02-08T16:49:00.001-06:002010-02-08T16:50:19.295-06:00

Yes, I waited the 2 hours for a table during opening weekend in a crush of people. Yes, in that time I sampled all 5 of the house brews. It was all worthwhile. First off, it's a great space, and surprisingly well-run for being only a few days old and completely overrun with patrons. If it was surprising that the food cedes nothing to the beer at this brewpub, perhaps it is more understandable

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-12757163050242674832010-02-04T17:30:00.000-06:002010-02-04T17:30:11.550-06:00

Beyond Beer: The Old Fashioned Like the Dos Equis guy, I don't always drink beer (unlike him, though, I don't prefer XX). Longman & Eagle is a new whisky-centric bar/inn in Logan Square co-owned by the guy who brought us Empty Bottle. If you think that sounds like a fantastic place, you're right. I didn't try any of their food, and was mildly disappointed in their minimal (and pedestrian) tap

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-16672310431011633742010-01-28T15:46:00.012-06:002010-01-28T15:50:04.006-06:00

Appearance: Medium-brown. Nice foamy head. Smell: Medium to slight IPA aroma. Taste: Extremely mild, almost unpleasantly watery. Mouthfeel: Uniform, albeit slight, hop-induced twinge at the rear of the tongue. Otherwise, a nice even coat. Drinkability: This beer is hoppy, but not bitterly so. They say they use a month's worth of hops from all their other beers to make one batch of this. If

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-78580491607506906852009-12-15T17:46:00.000-06:002009-12-15T17:46:21.067-06:00

Appearance: Medium-brown. One bottle had excessive head, the second had very little. Need to open more to determine if there is a bottling issue or over-carbonation. Smell: Very little odor - no specific nor notable notes. Taste: Mild, crisp, true to a German style Marzen. Mouthfeel: Uniform, though brief, tongue coverage. Very little lingering aftertaste. Refreshing feeling.

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-44015705891341016182009-12-08T10:40:00.002-06:002009-12-08T10:42:42.872-06:00

Appearance: Reddish-brown, nice head, translucent. Smell: Slightly sour-sweet smelling, relatively odorless. Taste: More Irish than Scottish ale, like a combination of Guinness and Smithwicks. Mouthfeel: Very little coverage, but a slight "twinge" of sourness at the back corners of the tongue; creamy. Drinkability: This was beer #1, both sequentially and in terms of quality, in my

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-55762966624406320002009-11-23T15:36:00.002-06:002009-11-23T15:38:20.417-06:00

Appearance: Copper (duh) colored. Translucent. Smell: Slightly sour smelling, faintest hint of pear. Taste: This reminds me very much of a hometown favorite, Metropolitan Dynamo Copper Lager, but only about 85% as tasty. Mouthfeel: Mouthcoating, though not like a cream stout, rather more of a crisp mellowness that washes over the full palate. Think something more along the lines of a cider

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-3273224802825045022009-11-20T11:39:00.000-06:002009-11-20T11:39:10.049-06:00

Appearance: Medium dark, cloudy. Smell: Chocolate stout type aroma, eventually giving way to overt strong ale. Taste: Initially very forward and assertive makes you think this is no smooth ale. Initial chocolate notes eventually give way to mild smoothness. Dark amber belies the subtle taste. Mouthfeel: Almost a complete transformation from deep mouthfeel to only the tiniest hint of

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-45280880244729388442009-10-29T16:36:00.001-05:002009-10-29T16:37:10.879-05:00

Appearance: Very dark, not much head. Smell: Very little initially, but eventual notes of chocolate and smoky burnt bread. Taste: Just like the dark rye stout intended; forward; bold. Mouthfeel: Very full mouthfeel, full palette; slightly gritty. Drinkability: This limited batch beer was released in summer 2009 to commemorate Half Acre's opening of their new home on Lincoln Avenue in the

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-42309018396444592042009-10-19T15:42:00.001-05:002009-10-19T22:21:52.241-05:00

Appearance: Looked like a strong ale, reddish-brown translucent. Smell: Spicy, notes of cherry and oak.Taste: Definite "manhattan" flavor, cherryMouthful: Slightly gritty, dry, lingering cherry aftertaste. Heavy, syrupy, but pleasant.Drinkability: This is among the supposedly new wave of beers infused with flavors resembling cocktails. This definitely has manhattan notes and is pleasantly

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-20174971067576950192009-10-19T15:35:00.002-05:002009-10-19T22:21:16.068-05:00

Apparently this beer has been hotly anticipated. Michel Moortgat, from Duvel Moortgat, had this to say about Duvel Green in a recent interview : "We in the brewery have enjoyed for decades the fresh, light taste of the 'single-fermented' Duvel, and we have traditionally cold-filtered and bottled a small portion of this beer for sale, but only at the brewery and a few selected locations in

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-30949098260142654252009-10-02T23:34:00.027-05:002010-01-05T17:10:04.020-06:00

Appearance: Pale yellow, translucent; Like a Pilsner. Smell: Bitter, stale. Taste: Tastes just like a Thai beer with that slightly skunky sweet flavor. Mouthfeel: Slightly bitter, crisp, and pungent flavors twinge the tongue in just the right way that I love Thai beers for. Very thin (not ideal for pairing with spicy Ethiopian food). Drinkability: Unlike other Ethiopian beers which can be

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-2325100617627149002009-10-02T23:32:00.027-05:002010-01-05T16:58:27.506-06:00

Appearance: pale reddish-brown, very little head. Smell: moderate hops smell, otherwise mostly odorless. Taste: full IPA hoppiness, but otherwise unremarkable. Mouthfeel: Rather watery and slightly chalky. Very little coverage. Drinkability: Easy drinking, but the overt hoppiness may be a turnoff, especially if looking for an easy-drinking beer.  Serving type: Draft Serving location: 

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-2184783362657682482009-09-26T12:15:00.007-05:002009-09-29T16:12:58.965-05:00

The menu says 9% ABV and 100 IBUs but it tastes way mellower. It actually reminds me a lot of my homebrew but with a deeper (as in back of the tongue) mouthfeel. We also tried several samples of their other styles and all were uniformly decent. Definite unfiltered homebrew tastes with the "trailside wheat" being the standout. The "slow eddie" jalepeno infused low gravity beer was

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-29905290270899974022009-09-20T22:06:00.004-05:002009-09-29T22:06:23.199-05:00

This is the most golden hued IPA I've encountered. It has a nice hoppiness but lacks the full mouthfeel of a richer IPA. It has mild pine flavors and a subtle fruitiness that aids its inoffensive mildness, but that's not necessarily a good thing. I know many people don't like the extreme hoppiness of American style IPAs, so for that crowd this is a good example.  B

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-66709548252743770602009-09-20T22:01:00.004-05:002009-09-29T22:06:59.998-05:00

Not sure exactly what style this is attempting to be but it's bland on all accounts. Mildly hoppy but mainly malty and dry. A rather offputting aftertaste and weak mouthfeel are major turnoffs. It would be unpleasant if it wasn't so watery. C-

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-45779895311295389822009-09-19T21:35:00.008-05:002009-09-29T22:07:44.836-05:00

Like most Asian beers, Chang "lager" is a sour pilsner. It has that near-skunk flavor that seems to pervade Asian beers. Yet this can be good. I like being hit with that stank when I choose such a beer because I do so rarely. Chang was this bars Saturday night special and I paired it with the other special- a shot of Old Grand Dad whiskey. Not a great combo but it could be worse.  C

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-29045361298188062712009-09-19T20:28:00.002-05:002009-09-23T14:09:36.890-05:00

Tastes how a harvest ale should. Slightly crisp yet warm, not to hoppy but just bitter enough. A nice golden color yet filtered clean. Definitely something to sit around the fire with after an autumn hay ride. A Beer Advocate sez: BA OVERALL B- worthy w/ 226 Reviews THE BROS N/A no reviews; yet! send 'em beer » rAvg: 3.5 High: A / 4.45 Low: D / 2.05 pDev: 11.71% Style | ABV Märzen /

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-37360176222340756242009-08-25T17:42:00.004-05:002009-08-25T17:57:11.277-05:00

This WI brewery has a shitty website, an annoying "balsy" attitude, and flaunts your inability to find its products. Unfortunately, they make a good IPA. Their website (see link in title) claims that Scurvy is brewed with orange peel, and that it's nearly impossible to find. I discount those claims. I tasted no such orange peel, and I found it to be quite available. It's somewhat light at 6.5%

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-81399604996105646272009-08-25T17:31:00.003-05:002009-08-25T17:40:26.053-05:00

Shelter Pale Ale was Dogfish Head's first brew, and they refer to it as their "most approachable." Adding to the allure, although this beer is brewed and available year-round, it is only sold in the mid-Atlantic coast. Well, that's no longer true, at least for the moment, as I had this in a regular-old Chicago tavern just the other day. Dogfish Head makes my all-time-favorite beer, the 90-minute

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-45535445424746614202009-08-05T22:00:00.003-05:002009-08-05T22:09:48.146-05:00

So this is the result of 3 months of work and waiting. And, much like home brew batch #1, I'm shocked that this one turned out great! Like my initial IPA batch, this first bottle of Dunkelweiss lacks good head. This had much better foam on the initial pour than any of my IPA bottles had, but it quickly disappeared. I need to figure out why that is (anybody have any suggestions?). I'm wondering if

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-81301123067205258202009-08-04T23:34:00.009-05:002009-08-05T15:41:16.837-05:00

I've enjoyed Weihenstephaner many times, and drank a few of them while in Bavaria recently. However, this particular bottle was courtesy of a guest at my local beer party. I guess he or she felt Germany was local enough. Which means that unlike a lot of the beers I tried while over there, this one can easily be found here in the States.Dunkel Weiss is the girlfriend's favorite style, and I rather

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-48491098168465073452009-08-04T23:34:00.005-05:002009-08-05T15:29:49.232-05:00

This summer-only American-style Pale Ale packs a whollop in terms of flavor and ABV (7.7%), but it's not ultra hoppy like many IPA's. In fact, it manages to combine what I would call the best parts of a good IPA (immediate full mouthfeel and high ABV warming, coupled with slightly-sour/bitter notes) without the sometimes overwhelming hoppy bitterness. In fact, this is one of the few

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-6542121296818667172009-07-07T17:34:00.003-05:002009-08-04T23:30:21.817-05:00

My friend, the Condiment King, sent me an article yesterday entitled "Suds With Securb: Ten Boilermakers Every Beer Drinker Should Try" (click link above). The author, Bruce Owens, endeavored to make "adult" boilermakers, with ingredients other than rail whiskey and a Budweiser. There were some interesting suggestions, many of which I aim to sample, but the only one I had ingredients for

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-4273772328435419622009-06-15T21:09:00.001-05:002009-07-17T16:48:15.214-05:00

Zillertal is an old-world Austrian brewery (from 1321!), that I've never previously heard of (nor think is exported to the States). It's slightly bitter, and maybe just a bit syrupy almost. It didn't have the crisp and dry flavor so common with German Pilsners, but I liked it for the originality. I'd certainly enjoy another one, if only I can find it.8/10

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-80474406247538817582009-06-15T21:06:00.005-05:002009-07-17T16:41:38.527-05:00

Over the course of my two weeks in Bavaria, I often saw Colabier advertised in various menus, alongside Radlers. Assuming that it was true to its name, I felt it was probably disgusting. Still, though, it nagged on me that I should probably try it at some point, so I broke down and ordered one on the train ride from Innsbruck to Frankfurt. True to its name, this drink was 50% Becks Pilsner and

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-8726268627569319532009-06-15T21:06:00.004-05:002009-07-17T16:32:53.589-05:00

Frankfurt is known for its apple wine, so we hit up a restaurant famous for it, Adolph Wagner's. They don't serve anything else (you can ask for water, but that's it). The guide book said that most people dilute it with water or soda water, and very few drink it straight as it has ABV of about 6.5% and a tart, sour taste. The guide book also said that locals get impressed when foreigners drink it

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-58928565209494740002009-06-15T21:04:00.004-05:002009-07-17T16:19:13.157-05:00

Somebody brought this to my Local Beer Party, either in jest or in pure dumbassery, as it clearly is made in Germany. Nonetheless, I've been returning to this basic but refreshing Pilsner several times this summer, mostly when I'm back from the gym. It's light but flavorful, and as often as I'm expecting it to skunk up after sitting in the beer fridge for several months now, it's yet to

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-58049851259384096392009-06-15T21:04:00.003-05:002009-06-18T17:42:26.475-05:00

I have the fortune to live mere blocks from the Metropolitan Brewery, which I admit I really haven't taken advantage of, since I've only purchased their products at bars and at Binny's. But, I am proud to say that as one of the city's newest (and only) micro-breweries, they put out one damn fine beer. I've now sampled every Metropolitan beer, as well as all the products from Half Acre (another

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-23910693668142162172009-05-22T14:31:00.003-05:002009-05-22T14:34:49.140-05:00

This Dutch beer is about what you would expect a "Quadrupel Ale" to taste like. It's dark and malty, with that acidic bite that true strong ales have. This 10% ABV ale is a sipping beer, and it took me about 40 minutes to leisurely finish a small draft pour, but it was tasty all the way down. It's a quality representative of the genre, if nothing stellar. Still, it encourages me to seek out more

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-36732699854912669912009-05-22T14:23:00.002-05:002009-05-22T14:30:42.254-05:00

Beeradvocate gives this an A- and I think, for once, that's too low. This is a hefe-weizen, but special, in that it has way more complexity of flavors. Ayinger says this "top-fermented flowery-yeast character [has] an unmistakable, distinct banana aroma"  which I don't taste at all, but there is a definite richness and boldness that you don't often find in weiss beers, especially ones blandly

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-66857643401021014482009-05-22T14:15:00.004-05:002009-05-22T14:23:20.753-05:00

This is a Belgian Pale Ale, but looks more like a Witbeer, which was what I thought I was getting when I ordered it since I mistakenly read "Witkap" to be "Witbeer". Turns out I was wrong, but it doesn't look or taste like a IPA (or "BPA" or whatever). Still, though, it's not refreshing like a wheat beer and is rather bland by IPA standards (and relatively weak weak with a 6% ABV). There was a

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-38801498597779466592009-05-15T16:32:00.003-05:002009-05-15T16:40:32.376-05:00

Hard to believe that the same people who make Dale's Pale Ale and Old Chub also put this out. Better known as the micro brewery that cans everything, Oskar Blues just happens to make one fantastic IPA. The Gordon Double is fragrant, hoppy, but avoids the bitterness and putrid aftertaste that commonly plagues high ABV IPAs. If there is a nit to pick with this beer, it is that while it does

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-53159255143914206462009-05-15T16:19:00.004-05:002009-05-15T16:41:20.151-05:00

After downing several large drafts of Miller Lite at Miller Park in Wisconsin (in which my beloved Cubs lost and Aramis Ramirez separated his shoulder), my friend and I gladly ventured over to a bar neither one of us had visited: the Sugar Maple. Being one of the very few smoke-free bars in Milwaukee was a plus, and having one of the better beer-oriented menus on tap didn't hurt either.

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-46781418619413856432009-05-07T11:35:00.002-05:002009-05-07T11:38:38.648-05:00

Burning River Pale Ale An assertively hopped American Pale Ale with citrusy and piney Cascade hops.ABV: 6.0%ABW: 4.8%IBU: 45This is an American-style Pale Ale, and is quite tasty. Not too hoppy (despite what their website says, above), but not mellow either. It's smooth and I agree with the citrus flavor, but I tasted no "piney hops". In all though, it's a great beer, and I'm sure to drink a lot

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-25454248675828662192009-05-07T11:29:00.003-05:002009-05-07T11:34:32.786-05:00

At my "local beer" party this past weekend, I sampled many (many) different beers, but I was only sober enough to take a single picture - and it was of this swill.  I suppose it's amber in color, but it tastes like a pilsner - a bad pilsner.  I've never tasted this before, nor any Capital Brewery beer, but from what I've been told, they're not considered too elite. I agree with that

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5808813588792546612.post-31107667967188595032009-04-30T17:02:00.004-05:002009-04-30T17:17:39.273-05:00

Last night I cracked open the first bottle of my first homebrew experiment - an IPA.  It was surprisingly not horrible.  In fact, it was rather tasty.  There wasn't much head, but I don't know if that was a result of my careful pour, or more likely I didn't cap the bottle very well (see image at right).  Still, it was well carbonated, and shockingly free from sediment.  A caveat to the tasting,

Horsie Saucehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/13873259577296622505noreply@blogger.com0