Friday, September 30, 2016

Let's Talk Frankenmuth Old Detroit Amber Ale - Video Beer Review #374

From Frankenmuth Brewery out of Frankenmuth, Michigan, comes the Old Detroit Amber Ale. This American Red Amber Ale comes in at 5.6% ABV and pours a nice dark amber color capped with a nice foamy beige head. The initial appearance does provide a certain amount of haziness, although carbonation action can be slightly seen when held to the light. 
Aroma on this beer is that of a candy sweetness, and notes of caramel and toffee climb out of the glass with that of a syrupy feel. There is also a hint of what I would call butterscotch like notes as well.
As far as the taste, it is led by a sweetness. There aren’t a lot of hops that really hit you upfront, outside of the slight initial bitterness on the tongue, and the back it does smooth out nicely from the malts that are used. This medium body beer goes down pretty easily, as it also leaves some lacing behind as a reminder of it being there. It isn’t overly carbonated or thin, and it does also provide a good duration of the flavor.
All in all, I found this beer proved to be a nice one for the palate.


Thursday, September 29, 2016

Talking Coffee Infused Beers - Craft Beers Gone Wild (CBGW)

This week on Craft Beers Gone Wild, we take a look at some coffee infused beers.

Big thanks to the following for making it a fun show:

Thomas Metal 75: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCcGmtwbq2xiw6q4b9Pf3XZA

Booze Reviews: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC0Krv_C5PzEpm1hslgX1ArA


Monday, September 26, 2016

Let's Talk Goose Island The Muddy - Video Beer Review #373

From Goose Island Brewing Company comes The Muddy, an American Imperial Stout that comes in at an ABV of 9% that is brewed with licorice root to create what they describe as “Amplified Sweetness.” One thing I like about this beer off the bat is the presentation from the label. It tells you just about all that is needed including the type of glass to use, how to pour, production date and how long to expect it to be good. They take the time to really inform the drinker, but now onto the beer.

The beer pours out a nice jet black color and is topped with a nice tan head that starts with some good foaminess and rockiness, before it starts to break down and leave behind some lacing. Since there wasn’t any way to see the carbonation, let’s take a look at the aroma.

The aroma does take a good whiff to initially come out of the glass, but it does grow as the beer warms. There are some good notes of toffee and caramel that provide a nice sweetness for the beer. The malts used, play out nicely in this malt forward beer and at a point come across as a candy sweetness.

But what about the taste, well, the beer carries a low bitterness upfront and a nice smooth taste. There is a nice creaminess in the texture, which adds a nice feel. There is that taste of the licorice but it does play out well even for me, as I am not the biggest fan of licorice. The body is that of a full body on the beer making it one a little more fitting for the Fall and Winter seasons. As far as other key notes about the flavors, they tend to get around the mouth nicely and there is a nice long duration. This is one more beer that also would pair up nicely with a cigar.

All in all, this is a nice offering from Goose Island. The beer is carbonated well and carries a nice strong texture as well as a great mouthfeel. If you are looking for a beer, especially one that may be like a dessert beer, give this one a shot.


Sunday, September 25, 2016

Let's Talk JosephsBrau Hefeweizen - Video Beer Review #372

Trader
Joe's
 is a neighborhood grocery store with amazing
food and drink from around the globe and around the corner
. One of the
things they also bring to their stores is their own beer line from under the
name of JosephsBrau Brewing. This is a look at their Bavarian Style Hefeweizen
which comes in at an ABV of 5.3%.

The beer itself pours out a nice amber colored beer that
produces a nice sudsy head that sits slightly off-white, or as some may say,
bone-white. There was a chill haze shown on the beer, although it was possible
to see some of the lively carbonation that was taking place. And as the head
dissipated, there was some nice lacing that was left behind as well.
As far as the aroma, the beer was positioned to offer notes
of bubble gum and citrus. While I did sense some of the bubble gum, there did
seem to be a lack of the citrus. But, what I did receive were the notes of
clove and banana which did stand out as they should, and did provide a nice
aspect to the malt forwardness of the beer.

The taste did offer a nice initial flavor burst and also
brought with it a nice refreshing quality. The texture on this medium body beer
wasn’t as thin as expected, and offered a good sturdiness and avoided being
watery on the taste. It definitely comes across as a nice beer for a warm day
and can definitely go down easily with its sooth taste. And on the back end,
there wasn’t harshness and the carbonation sits nicely on the palate. One additional
note would be that it is good to also let it warm a little as you drink it; the
aromas and flavors due become enhanced along the way.

Overall, this beer is a great craft beer value for what you
get in relation to what you pay. I have had others that have cost more that
haven’t been as nice as what this one offers. Not all have worked out on these
value beers from JosephsBrau, but this one is worth picking up for sure.


Saturday, September 24, 2016

Let's Talk Great Lakes Edmund Fitzgerald - Video Beer Review #371

From the Great Lakes Brewing Company located in Cleveland, Ohio, comes the Edmund Fitzgerald. This 6% ABV Porter is a regular core beer for Great Lakes and is also listed in the book, "1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die."

The beer pours out a near jet black color, and is accentuated by a tan or beige colored head. Almost without delay, aroma notes are detected coming out of the glass and are highlighted by the smell of chocolate and coffee notes up front, and a subtle hint of a caramel sweetness on the back along with an espresso quality.

The taste proves to be somewhat flavorful and robust, and there is a good hit of some bitterness up front, followed by a nice crispness on the back end break. The flavors do to tend to get around the mouth nicely, and one thing that I enjoyed was the bit of smokiness that was shown. There is a nice good length on the duration of the flavor, and not really any harshness on the finish. The carbonation sits well, and creates a great overall experience with this medium body beer.

Overall, the Edmund Fitzgerald does well as representation of the Porter style, and that smokiness mentioned also makes it nice as one to pair with a cigar. One thing to note though is to let it warm up for a few minutes, as you don’t want this one to be highly cold. Doing so will ensure better exposure from the aroma and taste. But, this is definitely one to give a try.


Friday, September 23, 2016

CBGW Talks Oktoberfest Beers

Well with Oktoberfest in full swing, what better way to enjoy then with a show discussing Oktoberfest beers? So, that's what we decided for this one. 

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Let's Talk Anderson Valley Brother David's Triple - Video Beer Review #369

From California’s Anderson Valley Brewing Company comes the
Brother David’s Triple, this Abbey Style Ale comes in at a nice 10% ABV and
with a subdued IBU of 15. As a Belgian Triple, it does seem to do well with
paying homage to the style.

The color of the beer that is poured is a nice golden amber
color with a head that is white but dissipates in a rapid fashion. It is a
bottle conditioned beer as there are some pieces of yeast that you may notice
inside of the beer. Nothing to worry about there, but if you are not a fan then
just know to be cautious with your pour as you proceed with doing so. Also on
the appearance, there is a noticeable haze so clarity did not show to be as
great.

Turning to the aroma, I will start by saying that there is a
nice complexity. The notes of coriander, clove, and orange blossom all come
together to form a nice sweet smelling concoction. There are also some notes
that are reminiscent of honey. There is some breadiness as well in the aroma
from the yeast, but the hops definitely take a back seat.

As far as the taste, the initial flavor brings a nice burst
that gets all around the mouth and into the cheeks area. There is a slight
bitterness as well as a nice little spice kick from the hops, but it does
smooth out quickly and is followed up by what are a nice creaminess as well as
a crisp break on the back end. The texture is very sturdy and holds together
well in the beer, the carbonation is not too heavy, and the body is definitely
a full one.

All in all, this beer is a very good one across the board in
my opinion. It is one that you don’t want to rush through. Take your time with
it, relax with it, and put your feet up with it. This beer does also make a nice
pairing for a cigar.

Tuesday, September 20, 2016

Let's Talk Bitburger Premium Pils - Video Beer Review #368

From Germany comes the
Bitburger Premium Pils, a 4.8% German Pilsner that carries the namesake from
Bitburger Braugruppe. This Pilsner pours out a nice golden straw color beer
with just about excellent clarity. You easily see the bubbles just streaming to
the top to reach the White sudsy head that also reciprocates leaving some nice
lacing as it fades away. This beer is not only the top selling beer in Germany,
but it is also highlighted in the book, “1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You
Die.”


Despite the appearance
though and what is some pretty good carbonation, the aroma does leave a little
to be desired in my opinion. It has a little funkiness from the yeast, as you
pick up that horse blanket smell that crawls out of the glass. It is bready,
but there isn’t much more than that, as the hops are definitely subdued.


As far as the taste, there
is somewhat of an initial flavor burst, and there are crisp and refreshing
qualities that can make the beer seem somewhat decent on a hot day. The
duration of the flavor is about average and the carbonation is okay. But I
don’t see this light to medium body beer doing much to knock anyone back. Why
is it Germany’s number one beer? My guess is that as a macro beer, it may be
the cost of it. Like many we see here in America, some of the biggest sellers
are also the cheapest to buy. That shouldn’t be held against them, but I would
say to temper expectations.


All and all, it was okay.
But for me, it was not my cup of tea. Or, should I say mug of beer?

Monday, September 19, 2016

Let's Talk Arrogant Bastard Ale - Video Beer Review #367

From Arrogant Brewing which is a subsidiary of Stone Brewing,
we have the Arrogant Bastard and the subject of my latest beer review. This
American Strong Ale comes in with a beer alcohol content or ABV of 7.2% and at an
IBU level of 100. This one is definitely more of a sipper to be enjoyed over
time.

As far as appearance, it opens up nice with a deep and dark
copper color that is topped with a nice cream or beige colored head. As the
head breaks down, it tends to form a nice rockiness and leave behind some nice
lacing on the glass.

The aroma does come out of the glass rather easily and
nicely, and carries some traits that I would associate with a Barleywine. In a
way, I like to consider this a Barleywine light, so to speak. But on the aroma,
there is a nice syrupy sweetness despite the high IBU and you get a nice sense
of the balance between the malts and hops.

The taste will share some initial bitterness, but it does
sooth out on the back end and creates a nice break. Its body is full and I
tended to get a little bit of a smokiness, which made me think that it would be
a good one to pair with a cigar.

It is definitely one that I say to check out, although the
taste needed may be an acquired one.

Sunday, September 18, 2016

A Beer Festival Interview With Little Fish Brewing Company

During the Cincy Beerfest, I had the chance to catch up with Jimmy from Little Fish Brewing Company. We decided to conduct a little impromptu interview to bring you some details about their brewery out of Athens, Ohio.

I hope you enjoy and if you are here in the Midwest then make sure you try to check them out and support one of our local craft breweries. 

Saturday, September 17, 2016

How Is Anchor's Anchor Steam Beer - Video Beer Review

Anchor Brewing stands alone as the only brewery that makes
steam beers. This technique has been trademarked by them and the only
representation of this California Common is their Anchor Steam Beer. It is also
listed as one of the 1,001 beers that you must taste before you die.

This 4.8% ABV beer pours out as a nice amber colored beer
with a just off-white head, which forms a nice rockiness. As this head
dissipates, what is left is a nice remembrance of it through its laced
remnants.

The aroma produced is a nice and sweet, and caramel notes
climb out of the glass with the malt forwardness. It doesn't take much to get
it out of the glass.

As for the taste, I can best describe it as a nice
smoothness. There is that little initial bitter to the tip of the tongue, but
it doesn't last long and what is left is a nice crisp and refreshing flavor. It
opens up nicely, and the texture at 4.8% is not too thin. This actually helps
to make it feel more toward a medium body than light body beer, but it's not
heavy as the carbonation is even subdued.
Overall, this is a pretty decent beer that would pair well
with a cigar. As for food, it does pair nicely with Indian food as this is
where I have enjoyed it in the past. It went really well with the spices from
the food.

Solid all around, I say give this beer a try for sure.
Cheers!

Friday, September 16, 2016

What Beer I Found On My Trip To The Woodburn Brewery

 I recently had the chance to swing by one of our newest breweries to launch in Cincinnati, The Woodburn Brewery. The Woodburn is located in our East Walnut Hills area, and is now one more that puts us probably close to 40 breweries throughout the area. It is a great time to be in the Cincinnati area for sure.

Well for this brewery and beer review, I decided to grab a taster series. So, you will see me here discussing a flight of beers that include an IPA, Imperial Pumpkin Ale and a Cherry Stout. Why not check out the video to see what I found?





Thursday, September 15, 2016

CBGW - Beers From The Darkside or Lucifer Favorites

This week the crew decided to flip the script and look at some beers from the darkside, or what we may call Lucifer favorites. This weeks beers included DuClaw Devil's Milk, Three Floyd's War Mullet, Three Floyd's Space Station Middle Finger, Schieve Tabarnak, Trois Pistoles and Two Roads Roadsmary's Baby. Check out the video to gather our views on these beers, and let us know any thoughts.

Pourly Reviewd Beer Looks at Bell's Oarsman

Check out Justin from Pourly Reviewed Beers as he takes a look and I guess, a taste of Bell's Brewery Oarsman Pale Wheat Ale.

 

Deans Beer Reviews Looks At Cloudwater Brew White IPA Mosaic E431

Check out Dean from Deans Beer Reviews as he reviews and tastes Cloudwater's Brew's White IPA Mosaic e431.

 

Deans Beer Reviews on YouTube!

Wednesday, September 14, 2016

Old Crafty Hen from Greene King - A Video Beer Review

The Old Crafty Hen is a 6.5% ABV English Strong Ale from
Greene King located in Suffolk, England. This Dark Amber Ale shines of a ruby
in color or a dark copper tint. It provides a nice head that can be considered
to be off-white or as some call it, bone white. It is a pretty looking beer for
sure, as you do get some nice lacing.

As for the aroma, there is a nice sweet malt forward
presence that highlights raisin, dark fruits and licorice. The aroma climbs out
of the glass, and you also pick up scents of its yeast and bready qualities, as
it does have that horse blanket type note. But, what about the taste you may
ask?

This ale is very smooth, both on the initial and on the
finish. It carries a single type malt quality which you get on the initial
taste, but the finish is that of a nice crisp ending. The flavors do get around
the mouth nicely, especially after that initial burst. It becomes refreshing on
the back, and almost ends like a breath of fresh air. The body has a medium to
full feel, and it seems that it may be a nice pairing for a cigar as well.
This beer delivers all around as having good drinkability, a
great appearance, and if you can’t tell, it has a very nice aroma and flavor.
The carbonation is done well making it very palatable, and in the end there is
not much bitterness as you end up with a nice distinguished beer.

Overall Rating: 4 Out Of 5

A Review Of Duvel 'Tripel Hop' Belgian Golden Ale 2014

Check out this written review from www.BrewSmokeBreak.com about this exquisite brew!



Duvel Tripel Hop Belgian Golden Ale 1

Monday, September 12, 2016

Arbor Brewing Mafka - Video Beer Review #364

The Mafka from Arbor Brewing is a 5% blended sour ale. Three sours are used to make this beer, which is also soaked on staves of Velvet Hammer casks.

The beer itself is dark brown in color with a pretty good foamy beige head. The aroma of cherries jump nicely out of the glass, and to me is reminiscent of wine. 

My initial taste provided a nice burst of flavor with some slight bitterness initially, and of course some tartness. The texture was slightly thin, but the flavor does get around the mouth nicely with a good duration. But the ending does leave something to be slightly desired, as it just seems to fade out with no real break or ending.

Overall, it is a decent medium-body brew and it leaves some nice lacing behind as well. 


Overall Rating: 2.75 / 5

Sunday, September 11, 2016

Cincy Beerfest - Volunteer Interviews

A lot of beer festivals could not accomplish their success without the help of their volunteers, so who better to interview at one than the volunteers?

Walking Around The Cincy Beerfest And Discussing The Beers

This past Saturday, I attended our Fall Cincy Beerfest as a volunteer to pour some beers. But beforehand, I decided to get a lay of the land and find out what beers would be included. Here is some video of my walking around of the festival and some of the treats that were shared.

Saturday, September 10, 2016

JosephsBrau Heller Bock - Video Beer Review #363

For this review, I decided to take a look at the Heller Bock from Trader Joe's Josephsbrau brewing. This 7% ABV Helles Bock lager is a nice smooth ride as a golden lager.

It pours as a nice dark amber ale with a nice off white head. It's aroma is much like a floral bouquet with hints of breadiness, and it's flavor is has a good burst that provides a nice average to long duration. But be aware, as this one does provide a slight spice kick and some earthiness, which for me, was welcomed for sure.

Overall, this beer that one would think would be a full body beer, plays more like one of a medium body. It's definitely worth a try with it's nice dry texture and good carbonation.

Overall: 3.75 out of 5

Friday, September 9, 2016

Bell's Brewery Amber Ale - Video Beer Review #362

The Amber Ale is a nice toasty red ale from Bell's Brewery that is a beer that is as welcoming as it is crisp and refreshing.

Thursday, September 8, 2016

CBGW - What Beer Would Jesus Drink

This week we have a little fun as we talk about beers that Jesus may prefer. Check out the video to find out more.

Wednesday, September 7, 2016

Sierra Nevada Bigfoot Barleywine Style Ale - Video Beer Review #361

The Bigfoot Ale from Sierra Nevada is one of the beers highlighted in 1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die. And in drinking it, there isn't much surprise of why it is on the list.

Tuesday, September 6, 2016

Rod J BeerVentures Swag