Blackberry Backhand

Last night I finished off a six-pack of Samuel Adams Blackberry Witbier. First off, I do know how some men, well call them the Macho Skunk-Lovers (MSL), say you should never put fruit in beer. However, it must be said that the beer should be enjoyable to drink. If you like beer with a little fruit flavor then I say go for it. And for all you MSLs out there, piss off. Blackberry Witbeir is a slap in the face to all you MSLs who would rather consume the sad beer of a multinational conglomerate rather than beers made by beer lovers for beer lovers.

The flavor in this brewer’s special from Sam Adams was splendid. It had the familiar smooth and citrus flavors comingling perfectly with a light blackberry taste across the tip of your tongue. According to Samuel Adams they sourced the wonderful real blackberries from the Cascade Mountains in Oregon. The fresh flavor was apparent and I can not say enough about this glory that is a real solid craft beer.

The aftertaste was smooth, sweet, and a bit tart right at the end. Most of the more common beers, like Budweiser or Coors, trail off quickly due to the inclusion of rice or corn in the mix that result in a mild bitter, almost skunky, taste. The attempted craft brew-like beers from those monster companies simply do not make the grade. Sam Adams is notorious for loading their beers with a variety of rich malts and aromatic hops. The Blackberry Witbier is a winner and I would serve this at any function I could. I may have to create something to celebrate just to be able to jam one of these wonderful brews into another beer lover’s hands. Well, actually I don’t really need a reason to drink a great brew with friends.

Lone Star in the Lone Star State

Last weekend I took the family on a little road trip to Austin, Texas. We, of course, attended a Texas Longhorns game. They smacked around the University of Central Florida 35 to 3. Needless to say the family and I left the stadium quite happy with the victory and perhaps a little sunburned.

Later that evening we made our way over to the iconic 6th Street for some fun. Being our first time in Austin we were very excited to traverse the famous boulevard. We perused the oddities, shops, and restaurants along the way. We decided to take in a midnight movie at the Alamo Drafthouse Cinema. However, since the movie was hours away we killed time by walking the street like the other hooligans and scantily clad ladies. We decided to cool our heels in a little restaurant on 6th Street, a quaint little Mexican restaurant with a very tasty menu.

I ordered a Lone Star and proceeded to enjoy. The beer had a mellow lager taste that reminded me of Samuel Adams Boston Lager—though not as good. The flavor was one that was well hopped and liberally used barley malt. Unlike the Boston Lager, Lone Star supplements the malt with corn. This adds greatly to the smoothness of the beer, but cuts on the flavor. Corn is a common supplement in the American diet. It is cheap and can add bulk to some food items. However, it has no real place in beer. In spite of the unfortunate use of corn it is still a fairly tasty beer. It would go well with many meals and alright for a hot summer bar-b-q. Just don’t expect the beer to be comparable to some the top microbrews on the market today. That being said, I would take a Lone Star over a Budweiser, Coors, or a Miller any day.

With a lack of many Texas micros on the market Lone Star is certainly a win. Strangely enough Texas is a strong beer-loving state; unfortunately the state has barely a handful of microbreweries anywhere in this expansive state. What they do have is pretty good, but there is plenty of room to improve upon.

Not All Wheats Are Created Equal

Budweiser Wheat is the new entry into brewing for one of the largest beer companies in North America. The beer market has become saturated with a plethora of craft brewers (microbreweries) across the country. It was companies like Budweiser that drove them into business in the first place with their watered down and rice filled beers.

Ever since America’s foray into World War II we have been subject to weak flavored beer that is little more than skunky water. All those aforementioned craft brews are people’s desire for great full flavor. With the mix of all these baby brewers in the country Budweiser, still the top seller, is losing market share little by little. Now the big guy wants to play with all the little guys by producing a classing in the microbrew world—the classic wheat beer.

I was intrigued at this endeavor by Bud since my favorite kind of beer is a wheat beer. I have been a tremendous fan ever since trying Blue Moon’s Belgian Wheat. Nothing says, drink me down on this hot summer day, than a Blue Moon. Of course, not really liking Budweiser—at all, I thought I would at least see if it was any good.

I picked up a six pack at the local grocery store to give it a go. I was mildly surprised, it wasn’t the skunky mess other Budweiser brews are. However, with that little enjoyment reality slammed into me like the hangover after enjoying more than my fair share of Blue moons. The flavor simply stops. The new Wheat from Bud did not live up to the minimal hype the company has been giving it. Take any basic wheat style beer; not one with special spices or lemon or orange peel—just a traditional American style wheat beer. Pour it into a 20 ounce beer glass or mug. Once bottle is empty and the glass is little more than half full fill the glass up to the brim with regular old tap water. Drink that and that is about how watered down this beer is.

With that being said, as for its drinkability I think you would not be shunned from any party circle that is not packed with beer-snobs like myself if you were to donate some to the festivities. I don’t think you will be winning many friends with such a weak beer though. For about a buck more you can pick up any manner of very tasty wheat beers at your local market that will serve your sophisticated pallet well. However, if you find yourself looking for a light, somewhat refreshing summer brew and don’t want to break $7 then Bud Wheat is here for all you cheep bastards with bad taste.

Birthday Mixed Six-Pack. 10/10/09

Aren't they beautiful?

To me, a mixed six-pack of beer is like Christmas. But in liquid form. Refrigerated liquid Christmas. Without Santa or Jesus. And the aftermath is several trips to the little boys room and a possible headache the next day instead of mounds of wrapping paper and debt... Ok, so maybe they're really not like Christmas, but they do make for a nice evening. I was lucky enough to have such an evening on my most recent birthday. As it was one night with six different beers, I thought it would make for a decent first blog.

Before I begin with my thoughts on the beer, I feel compelled to provide a bit of pertinent background. A certain Paul will be adding to this blog in the near future, whether he's aware of this or not. This particular Paul came as part of the delightful "accessory bundle" I acquired when I first met the wonderful woman who is now my wife. Many a weekend found Paul and I consuming, brewing, or bottling beer. Unfortunately this stopped short when he and his family were inexplicably sucked towards Mexico. But, just like in Jurassic Park, "life found a way," and a new Paul appeared in the form of a crazy-haired grad student from Tennessee. New Paul is certainly not Paul Classic, but New Paul lives about 1800 miles closer than Original Paul, and, as luck would have it, he also enjoys a good brew. So, until my wife and I find ourselves deep in the ass of Texas visiting Paul 1.0, we'll enjoy the southern oddity (and excellent Walken impression) of other Paul. It is this Paul who presented me with the birthday six-pack.

Though New Paul seems to believe that the ideal beer should repel all light and have a visible layer of pureed hops, he actually chose six pretty damn tasty beverages! In the spirit of full disclosure I should say that all but the Young's Double Chocolate Stout were consumed in relatively quick succesion that night, and I wasn't aware at the time that I would be writing this review. Needless to say, I'm sure my recollection of some of the subtle nuances present in each beer have been lost to inebriation or time. Oh well, here goes anyway...

Grozet Gooseberry & Wheat Ale
Craigmill Brewery, Scotland. 5.0%

We had a Gooseberry bush in my backyard growing up and I remember eating them occasionally. Not because they were good, but because they were tart and weird and I was a kid and did stupid kid things. I always assumed Gooseberrys were one of those fruits that served no real purpose other than to be eaten on a dare. Kind of like rhubarb, but without the pie option. But in this beer, they really add a nice touch! Not overly fruity, they give a strange, crisp, tart sweetness that compliments the subtle wheat flavour very well. Gooseberrys have what I would almost call a "plasticy" edge to their tartness, which sounds pretty awful I admit, but with the smoothness of the wheat, and a hint of faint spice, it all blends together nicely. A quite smooth, crisp, lighter beer that I would imagine would be great on a hot summer day. I would definitely drink it again.

Wexford Irish Cream Ale
Morland Brewery, England. 5.0%

The first thing I noticed about this beer was that it had one of those nifty little nitrogen widgets inside. I think those things are wicked cool! And, as I have no understanding as to how they work scientifically, I assume they are powered by some kind of Jesus magic. Regardless, when I poured this beer, I was amazed at just how long it took to settle. I was like my own little lava lamp. An alcoholic lava lamp that I could drink. When it finally settled, it left a thick, creamy head that lasted until I'd drained the glass. That was probably my favourite part. The beer itself was a nice amber colour, and tasted "darker" than it looked. It felt rather thick as you drank it, presumably due to the dense foam and overall creaminess. The flavour was fairly malty, with a slight bitter, metallic twang that I felt detracted from the smoothness of the brew. I'd say it's a decent beer; I'd happily drink it again if one was offered to me, but I doubt I'll be buying one anytime soon.

Smithwick's Irish Ale
Guiness Ltd, Ireland. 4.5%

The first time I tried Smithwick's it was St. Patrick's day a few years back with Paul and my father-in-law. I'd finished a Guiness just before and was being told crazy Navy tales from a man who I realized had been a helluva lot more wild than he ever let on. So, as a follow-up to Guiness, I remembered Smithwick's as being quite light, and strangely associated it with images of Thai women of ill-repute... Taken by itself, it's not what I'd call a dark beer, but not nearly as light as I had recollected. It is incredibly smooth, and has a nice, full flavour. Nothing overpowering, a good mix of earthy malt and subtle hops. Crisp and faintly creamy, it's definitely what I'd call balanced. A good spring or early fall beer, when the days start with a morning chill, but warm up in the afternoon. I guess there is something to be said about the Irish knowing their beer.

At this point in the night I was three beers in and feeling fine. One of the unforseen side effects I'd noticed after beating Angry Miserable Bastard Syndrome (AMBS) is that I've become a bit of a lightweight. There was a time, when my AMBS was at its peak, that I would regularly drink what most would consider ungodly amounts of vodka before I felt any effects. These binge nights usually ended with me passed out in a pool of my own sick. Nowadays, as a happy man, I can feel my cheeks begin to flush after a single beer, or even half a homebrew. That isn't to say that I was incoherent at this point in the night, but I was securely in the realm of the "pleasantly goofy."

The Famous Taddy Porter
Samuel Smith's Tadcaster, England. 5.0%

I normally shy away from dark beers. That isn't to say I don't enjoy them occasionally, but many of the dark beers I've had are a bit too harsh and overpowering for my sophisticated (yet manly) palate. This porter bordered on blackness, but was surprisingly smooth and tasty. It had a nice depth, with a roasted flavour that had elements of chocolate and coffee, but without really tasting like either. It was slightly creamy without the heaviness that comes with some dark brew. Nothing harsh about it, though there was still some of the edge of hops. A well-rounded, deep beer. One of, if not the, best dark beers I've ever had.

Alba Scots Pine Ale
Craigmill Brewery, Scotland. 7.5%

Only just now, as I'm typing this up, did I realize that the Gooseberry and Pine ales were made by the same brewery. I'm not surprised as both were crisp, smooth, and pleasantly odd. I don't know historically who was the first to toss a pine bough into some brew and hope for the best, but I for one applaud that individual's lunacy. It works, and it works quite well. It is an interesting flavour, definitely pine-y, with even a bit of floral sap, but in a very sweet, fresh, brisk, natural sort of way. A hint of spice compliments the sharpness of the spruce and pine without becoming harsh. At 7.5% it was the most potent, but the extra alcohol added warmth rather than the medicinal bite some strong beers seem to have. With so many strong elements it is surprising just how smooth and drinkable this beer was. Of all the brews of the evening, I believe this is the one you'd need to experience first hand to appreciate. This was my wife's favourite of the whole lot, and, as is evident by the fact she married me, she has impeccable taste.

Young's Luxury Double Chocolate Stout
Wells & Young's Ltd, England. 5.2%

The final brew of my birthday six-pack I actually drank the following night. As an old man, I didn't want to push myself past the goofy stage into that of Nausea and falling down. Also, I had tasted this beer once before, I knew it to be quite intense, and was fairly certain it would've given me an unpleasant ass-kicking. As it was, the next evening I was able to enjoy it with a clear head. They're not kidding about the name of this bad boy. It is a stout, chocolately brew; doubled. In fact, I think I would've enjoyed it much more had it come in a 8oz wuss-sized can (with the same fancy magic nitro-widget of course.) By the end of my full glass, even as the only beer of the night, it still kicked my ass. Not by getting me drunk mind you, but because this is one dense, thick, incredibly rich beer. As soon as I opened the can I could smell chocolate. I've never tasted a beer with even remotely the same level of chocolate flavour. In addition to the chocolate, the roasted malt flavour gave it some fairly prominent notes of coffee. As more of a dessert beer, it had a sweetness, but the depth of the dark malt never allowed it to become too sweet. This is the beer equivalent of an ultra-rich, almost black-looking slice of chocolate cake. If someone else is eating it, it smells and looks awesome, and by god you at least gotta have a taste. But, at the same time, you're glad it's not on your plate because eating the whole slice might damn near kill you.

So there it is, the first of possibly many beer reviews. Hopefully the next will include a few more glamour shots of the beers themselves. It seems I was a bit too busy drinking them to take photos this time. My bad. Many thanks to Tennessee-Walken-New-Paul for the beers featured. Cheers!

Introduction: Why Are We Doing This?

We like beer. Over the years we've drank many a brew, and even brewed our own. It is a tasty, tasty beverage. It is also a beverage of innumerable variations. Trying out these variations is one of the joys of beer. Granted, you can come across some that really aren't that good, but often you can find some that are truly great. This blog is intended to help us remember just what the hell we drank and what we thought of it. That way, months or even years down the road, we can look back and revisit beers that were particularly bitchin, avoid those that aren't worth our time, or even find just the right beer for the right occasion. We don't pretend to be experts, and we don't believe our opinions to be infallible. We just love a good brew. So, without further ado, let's pour a cold one and get this damn thing started!