Homebrew: Märzen (Oktoberfest)

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.

Drinkability: Having brewed this myself, I know how heavily, though mildly, hopped this is. It is surprising how little hop bitterness there is. The beer is very crisp and refreshing, as I would expect a traditional Marzen to be. This was my first attempt at brewing a lager, which needs to be cold fermented. After lots of experimentation, I wound up adapting my extra beer fridge to hold the 5 gallon fermentation carboy, which seemed to do the trick. The beer turned out excellent, and exactly how I was hoping. The first bottle we opened had lots of head whereas the second had virtually none, so it will be interesting to see how the rest of the batch turned out. I've encountered this with my prior brews, and I think it has to do with my crappy bottle capper, but we shall see. In any event, it would have been smarter to brew this in March, as Marzen beer is tradionally done, since this is an excellent summer and fall brew. But, since I'm just such a rebel, it will have to do in the brutal winter.

Serving type: Bottle

Grade:  A

Belhaven Wee Heavy @ Quenchers Saloon

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 journey along the 29th Annual European Beer Tour (2009) over at friendly and always enjoyable Quenchers Saloon. It is a fine, easy drinking beer with universal praise from my compatriots at the Beer Tour. Likely the least "controversial" beer of the tour in terms of universal acceptability, it nevertheless lacked nothing in quality and stand-alone enjoyability.  A terrific beer, especially served on cask, that will make my regular rotation. This is what the Beer Tour was created for.

Serving type: Draft

Grade:  A

Brewer says: "It may have come from a right old recipe but Wee Heavy fits the bill today as much as it ever has. It is a classic Scottish heavy but has a lightness of flavour and a great reddish colour in the glass. Cracking stuff if we do say so ourselves."

Style: Scottish Heavy
Alcohol by Volume: 6.5%
Original Gravity: 1.07 (unofficial)

26 IBU

Beer Advocate says:

BA OVERALL A- excellent w/ 449 Reviews

THE BROS A outstanding read more »

rAvg: 4.06 High: A+ / 5 Low: D- / 1.8 pDev: 9.36%

Fordham Copperhead Ale @ BWI

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 without the acidity.

Drinkability: Copper ale generally is very drinkable and refreshing. Not nearly as hoppy as IPAs or their ilk, but almost as flavorful. This particular draft seemed slightly skunked, which would be understandable given I was drinking this at the BWI airport bar. However, this is the only sample I've tried, so I can't confirm whether this is how it's meant to taste.

Serving type: Draft

Grade:  B+

Brewer says: "Fordham's flagship beer is our interpretation of the Düsseldorf style Altbier. Its deep copper hue is a result of the caramelized malted barley used. Copperhead is significantly hopped to provide its signature balanced flavor this ale is known for."

Name:  Copperhead Ale

Style: Altbier
Alcohol by Volume: 4.7%
Original Gravity: 12.2 ° Plato

30 IBU

Beer Advocate says:

BA OVERALL B- worthy w/ 57 Reviews

THE BROS N/A no reviews; yet! send 'em beer »

rAvg: 3.4 High: A / 4.45 Low: D- / 1.9 pDev: 16.47%

Goose Island Demolition

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 bitterness. Leaving the bottle open for a bit before pouring the second glass gives off a far stronger ale feeling, and a deeper throaty alcohol burn.

Drinkability: It's not what was expected but is fantastic. Goose Island refers to this as a "Belgian style golden ale" but I find that description misleading. This special edition, limited release beer was brewed "to honor the brave souls who kept our brewpub open in the early 90’s while wrecking balls tore down the mall around us. Dry and smooth, with a grassy, citrus aroma and honey malt middle." In reality, it's somewhere between a Belgian strong ale and a chocolate stout. Whatever the description, it's a really fine and unique brew. It doesn't take to breathing very well, though, so upon opening it, drink it immediately.

Serving type: Bottle

Grade:  A- 



Alcohol by Volume: 6.7%
International Bitterness Units: 45
Color: Golden Straw
Hops: Saaz, Chinook
Malts: Pilsen

Beer Advocate says:

BA OVERALL A- excellent w/ 27 Reviews

THE BROS N/A no reviews; yet! send 'em beer »

rAvg: 4.04 High: A+ / 4.85 Low: B- / 3.4 pDev: 7.92%

Half Acre Baume

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 Lincoln Square neighborhood in Chicago (conveniently enough, right in my 'hood).  I cold-aged the bottle for 5 months, which may have been a mistake, as there was very limited carbonation left in the bottle. The result was almost overwhelming and not at all smooth. There was a slightly bitter aftertaste which was initially offputting, but became more bearable over time. In all, one of the better dark rye's I've tried, though not one necessarily worth pining over.


Serving type: Bottle

Grade:  B- 

Beer Advocate says:

BA OVERALL B+ very good w/ 13 Reviews

rAvg: 3.88 High: A / 4.4 Low: B- / 3.4 pDev: 6.7% Brewed by: Half Acre Beer Company  Illinois, United States Style | ABV American Stout |  6.50% ABV Notes: Limited (brewed once).

Brooklyn Manhattan Project @ Beer Bistro

Appearance: Looked like a strong ale, reddish-brown translucent. 

Smell: Spicy, notes of cherry and oak.

Taste: Definite "manhattan" flavor, cherry

Mouthful: 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 interesting. I defy anybody to drink more than one or two but as a beer as an aside, it's very nice.

Serving type: Tap

Grade:  B+


Beer Advocate says:

Brooklyn Manhattan Project

BA OVERALL B+ very good w/ 21 Reviews THE BROS N/A no reviews; yet! send 'em beer » rAvg: 3.95 High: A+ / 4.6 Low: C+ / 3.05 pDev: 9.87%

Duvel green @ Beer Bistro

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 Belgium. The beer was labeled with a green label, as the nickname 'kleine' Duvel (or 'Green' Duvel) was used to describe the beer taken at a young stage of the brewing process of Duvel. A small quantity of Duvel Green has now been made available on draft allowing a wider range of beer lovers to discover the beer."

This is what I have to say about Duvel Green: Slightly sour with a slight ale taste like regular Duvel . This new Green label beer however is a unique strong pilsner sour. The concept is interesting but it's rather off putting. The sourness is really unappealing and makes for a squishy face aftertaste. D

Beer Advocate says:

Duvel Draft

BA OVERALL B+ very good w/ 42 Reviews THE BROS N/A no reviews; yet! send 'em beer » rAvg: 3.99 High: A+ / 4.75 Low: C- / 2.7 pDev: 9.02%

Finally, a word about the Beer Bistro : it's a nice, if generic, pub-style beer bar. It's probably the best beer bar in the greater United-Center area, at least that I've tried, as evidenced by the many Blackhawks garb bedecked pregamers that packed the bar. A-

Harar Beer

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 pretty exotic tasting Harar Beer tastes a lot like Thai beer which, in general, you either love or hate.  It's a little too thin for pairing with food, and a little to skunky to drink on its own, so it's a situational beer at best.

Serving type: Bottle

Serving location: Ras Dashen

Grade:  C

Brewer says: N/A, but Wikipedia says: "Harar Brewery produces Harar Beer, a 4.25% abv pale lager, and Hakim Stout, a 5.8% abv stout.^[2][1][3] The brewery also produces Harar Sofi, a non-alcoholic beverage which it markets toward the Muslim population.^[4] Harar Brewery uses water from the Genela spring, located on its premises, and supplements this with water it pumps from Finkile, located 33 km from the site." 

Beer Advocate says:

BA OVERALL B- worthy w/ 25 Reviews THE BROS N/A no reviews; yet! send 'em beer » rAvg: 3.39 High: A- / 4.1 Low: C- / 2.55 pDev: 11.5%

4.25% ABV (unofficial)

New Holland Mad Hatter IPA

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: Simon's Tavern

Grade:  B- 

Brewer says: "Mad Hatter is an I.P.A. that explodes with hop flavors. Dry-hopping provides a distinctive and floral hop aroma, while the lively and hoppy body is subtly balanced with delicious malt notes. Hatter's hop character makes it a great fit for spicy dishes, bitter greens and beef.

12.5° Plato, Alc. 5.25% by Vol.

26 IBU

Beer Advocate says:

BA OVERALL  B+ very good w/ 536 Reviews

THE BROS  A- excellent read more »

rAvg: 3.87 High: A+ / 4.8 Low: D- / 1.95 pDev: 10.08%

Grumpy Troll Maggie IPA @ Grumpy Troll Brewery Mt Horeb, WI

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 also interesting. The Grumpy Troll brewery in lovely, out of the way, Mt. Horeb, WI is a gem in the rough. Definitely worth a road trip. Plenty of award winning beers (including beer cup grand prizes) and well-above-average pub grub.

Baron Von Awesome @ Piece 9/20

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

It's Your Fault, Alt @ Piece 9/20

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-

Chang lager @ Delilah's

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

Beer Advocate sez:

BA OVERALL C- not worthy w/ 63 Reviews

THE BROS N/A no reviews; yet! send 'em beer »

rAvg: 2.61 High: A- / 4.25 Low: F / 1.5 pDev: 22.99% ABV: 5%

Bells October @ Waterhouse

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 / Oktoberfest |  5.00% ABVhttp://www.bellsbeer.com/

Tyranena Scurvy @ Small Bar

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% ABV given the level of hoppiness (no IBU available), but the gritty mouthfeel worked nicely with the bitter aftertaste, in vein with what I look for in a IPA. It's somewhat unique, though, in a not-quite smoky, but definitely earthy flavor. I don't think I've encountered that with an IPA before. I'll definitely try it again. Sometimes, though, it's just better to enjoy the beer and never look at the brewer's website.

A-

Beer Advocate sez:

BA OVERALL  A- excellent w/ 162 Reviews THE BROS  N/A no reviews; yet! send 'em beer » rAvg: 4.06 High: A+ / 5 Low: C / 2.9 pDev: 7.64%

Dogfish Head Shelter Pale Ale @ Long Room

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 IPA, so I'm usually game for trying every other variety that I can find. Unfortunately, I rarely like anything even half as much as 90-minute. This Shelter Pale Ale probably is among the better non-90-minute Dogfish beers (with 60-minute a close 3rd, but I'm anxious to try the 75-minute I saw on cask in Boston this past weekend (sold out, unfortunately)). It's not nearly as hoppy as the 60 or 90-minutes, but still has a good PA flavor. The aftertaste associated with the 90-minute is largely absent, which disappoints me, but pleases those who aren't huge IPA fans. It also has much less ABV, which can be nice at times. Overall, a solid effort, and pleasant were it more available. I wouldn't go out of my way for it, though, especially if 90-minute is around.

B+

ABV: 5%; IBU: 30

Beer Advocate sez:

BA OVERALL  B- worthy w/ 397 Reviews THE BROS  C mediocre read more » rAvg: 3.36 High: A+ / 4.8 Low: D / 2.2 pDev: 12.8%

Homebrew #2- Dunkelweiss 8/5/9

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 my capper isn't making a tight enough seal, or if I'm letting the fermentation sugars sit too long in the bottles, or if it's something else entirely. Time to dig out the book.

Anyway, this initially tasted heavily malted and caramel, but on subsequent tastes, it has settled to a nicely malted Dunkel. It's dark for a dunkelweiss, both in color and taste. Mouthfeel is somewhat heavy for a weiss, but again, I believe it's a result of the maltiness. It's not the best Dunkelweiss I've ever tasted, but it's very interesting. It's more of a hybrid between a dunkel and an ale, and as both are favorites, I rather like this a lot. I might say that it's unique even. Maybe I should market it! First, though, I'll need to solve the lack of head. Overall, I'm impressed with myself. I look forward to my next beer party.

A-

Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier (Dunkel) @ home

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 enjoy it too (in the winter), so my second batch of home brew is an attempt at making my own (it'll be reviewed soon). Weihenstephaner is one of the best to emulate as it's neither too wheaty or sweet. It's got just the right bit of smokiness and gritiness. I can't think of any finer Dunkel, and so this gets my BEST IN CLASS award.

10/10

Beer Advocate says:

BA OVERALL A outstanding w/ 1,202 Reviews

THE BROS A+ world class read more »

rAvg: 4.37 High: A+ / 5 Low: D / 2.25 pDev: 8.47%

Brewed by:
Brauerei Weihenstephan
Germany

Style | ABV
Hefeweizen | 5.40% ABV

Notes:
Year-round.

Lagunitas Little Sumpin' Sumpin' Ale @ Small Bar

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 American-style PA's that the girlfriend actually enjoys. Lagunitas tends to be hit and miss with their seasonal and limited edition brews, but this is one of its stars.

9/10

Beer Advocate says:

BA OVERALL A- excellent w/ 196 Reviews

THE BROS N/A no reviews; yet! send 'em beer »

rAvg: 4.16 High: A+ / 5 Low: B- / 3.3 pDev: 6.73%

Brewed by:
Lagunitas Brewing Company
California, United States

Style | ABV
American Pale Wheat Ale | 7.30% ABV

Notes:
Summer.

Guinness Extra Stout & Kahlua Coffee Liquor @ home 7/6/9

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 already on hand was the Guinness and shot of Kahlua (see a picture here). Here's Bruce's take on this particular cocktail:

"The shot glass hit bottom and the head instantly started to rise. Obviously there is no change in color. There is a ton off coffee in the aroma playing off of the roasted malt. OK, this is good. It is a coffee Imperial Stout. This has a nice initial dry palate and finishes slightly sweet. As you drink the beer, the coffee flavors rise to the top and get more pronounced. The dry stout and the sweet Kahlua play off of each other very nicely."

Here's my take:

"holy shit, get me a garbage can, I'm gonna puke."

This tasted nothing like Guinness nor Kahlua. Instead, imagine if an average tasting IPA was deconstructed into syrup and carbonation, like you would find if you ordered a Pepsi from a soda fountain. Now imagine that the syrup from this soda-IPA went rancid, and the carbonation machine was slowly grinding itself into grit, and depositing said grit into the glass. This is what this drink tastes like.

When Condiment King sent me this article, he asked whether anybody could "shoot" these drinks. I initially thought these would be sipping-only drinks. But, if my experience is any indication of the rest of the list, the only way to put this down is to hold the nose and gulp it down. You don't want that flavor to linger. At all.

Zillertal Pils

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

Colabier

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 50% Pepsi (actually, it turned out being about 70% Becks as the concoction seems to make quite a head of foam, and the server got bored waiting for it to subside). How did it taste? Exactly how you would expect a cocktail of beer and cola would taste. Neither flavor was muted nor overpowered the other. It was almost a perfect balance of opposing taste sensations that was barely tolerable. Unlike a radler which can be refreshing in a way that tastes neither like lemonade nor beer, colabeer is almost unsettingly non-refreshing. It left me feeling full and slightly grossed out.

Apfelwein @ Adolph Wagner (Frankfurt)

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 straight, but warned not to over do it, as sour stomachs are quite common. Because Adolph Wagner's is something of a party tavern, there were 4 bachelor/bachelorette parties going on as we ate, so none of the locals was paying much attention to us silly foreigners. Instead, we all enjoyed the various bachelors parties try to outdo one another with rocous drinking songs. Amidst the revelry, I downed the better part of a large Bembel (a specific Apfelwein jug), which Wikipedia says "is ordered in this form when one is significantly thirsty or with company". I wasn't particularly thirsty, or with company beyond the girlfriend (who didn't like Apfelwein at all), so I stupidly drank the entire thing myself (about 2.5 liters worth). Sour stomach? Check! The next day I spent traveling back to the States, and I was doubled over with stomach cramps for many hours of the trip. I actually rather enjoyed the taste of the un-dilluted Apfelwein, but might have sworn it off for life after the misery afterwards.

8/10 (in moderation)

Radeberger Pilsner

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 disappoint. It's about a good a copy of a prototypical German pilsner as I've had, and that's a good thing.

7.5/10

BeerAdvocate:

Brewed by:
Radeberger Exportbierbrauerei
Germany

Style | ABV
German Pilsener | 4.80% ABV

Notes:
Year-round.

Metropolitan Brewery Dynamo Copper Lager

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 fine local, new brewery), and Dynamo is my favorite of the lot, so far. I say "so far" because both brewers promise more variety in the months to come. But, this is one I will happily return to again and again. It's light, crisp, and doesn't have any of the off-putting semi-sour, semi-bitter notes that I've encountered in other copper ales. I like this beer so much, that upon learning that the otherwise dismal bar Northside was having a special on Dynamo, I decided to pay it a visit. That's high praise indeed.

9/10

Beer Advocate:

Brewed by:
Metropolitan Brewing 
Illinois, United States

Style | ABV
Vienna Lager |  5.60% ABV

Notes:
Year-round. Serving types had: bottle (7), on-tap (4). 

Original Gravity: 13.6 Plato 
Bitterness: 29 IBU 
Color: 8.4 SRM

Koningshoeven Trappist Quadrupel Ale @ Old Oak Tap

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 from this trappist brewery.

8/10

Ayinger Brau-Weiss

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 calling themselves generic "hefe-weizens". There should be a giant gold asterisk attached to this Ayinger proclaiming "whether you love or hate weiss beers, this will satisfy you, as it somehow redefines the category." I can attest that it pairs swimmingly with bavarian style pretzels. Lucky for me, I'll be in Munich in just over a week, where I plan to take the Ayinger factory tour. I'll likely pee myself with excitement if they're pouring factory-fresh Brau-Weiss in an authentic Bavarian bier garden. Oooh the anticipation!

10/10

Witkap Pater Abbey Single Ale @ Old Oak Tap

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 slight metallic after taste that was off-putting. Beer Advocate gives it a B+, which seems a little high. This is a decent spring BBQ beer at best. Old Oak Tap continues to impress, however, at least in terms of its decor. It's food is going downhill, however, as both my girlfriend and the lady at the next table had to send their meals back for being disgusting. My tuna burger was ultra salty, though perfectly cooked. I'll give it another shot, but I'll wait until it's warm enough to drink from their extensive beer list out on the huge patio.

5.5/10

Oskar Blue's Gordon Double IPA

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 everything well, it does not excel in any great fashion. I could drink this all day and be very happy (and shitfaced), but I'd just as easily graze onwards down a menu and sample something else. 

ABV 8.70% / ABW 6.96% IBU: 85

6.5/10

Weyerbacher Simcoe Double IPA

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. Unfortunately, my inaugural order, this Weyerbacher Simcoe Double IPA, was very unpleasant. Bitter and sour, with an unpleasant copper-like odor, it was an effort just to finish the glass. The bartender raved about this beer, calling it his second favorite beer of all time (don't recall what was #1 in his book). We wisely ignored his advice on round #2. Here's what the brewer had to say, and some other data:

9.0% ABV. Brewed using 100% Simcoe Hops, a west coast hop variety created in 2000. It is a full-flavored ale with hints of pineapple and citrus upfront, a good malt backbone in the middle, and a clean finish that doesn't linger too long.

It may not "linger too long", thankfully, but the memory of its crappiness sure does. 

2/10

Great Lakes Brewing Co. Burning River

Burning River Pale Ale

An assertively hopped American Pale Ale with citrusy and piney Cascade hops.

ABV: 6.0%

ABW: 4.8%

IBU: 45

This 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 more of it.

Rating: 8/10

Capital Brewery Wisconsin Amber

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 assessment.

Rating: 4/10

Homebrew #1 - tasting

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, however, as I had 3 or 4 other beers already in me at the time, and my judgment may have been clouded by my initial shock of it not tasting brutally awful.  A second tasting is in order for tonight to confirm.