Rod J BeerVentures

APA Craft Beer Review: Mission St Session Pale Ale

This one is a value play from Trader Joe's and is a Session American Pale Ale.

Belgian Style Cream Ale Craft Beer Review: Ermal's

Summer. 1959. A picnic. Ermal Fraze, a
kindly tool-and-die man, wrapped his calloused hand around an ice-cold,
flat-top can of beer and asked, "Anybody bring a can opener?" To his
horror, no one replied, "Yes." Out of the ashes of this indignity, Ermal
rose like a phoenix. And later, the pop-top can, whish is still used
today. Grab a can of Ermal's Belgian Style Cream Ale. Its light, creamy
body. Mild spice accents. And a symphony of citrus notes. They're
inside. So let them out.

IPA Craft Beer Review: KBC IPA

There isn't too much to say in regard to a company description on this beer, as there wasn't much to find. It is a 6.1% ABV IPA that can be considered one to check out for those looking for a value beer.

Pale Ale Craft Beer Review: Smitten Golden Rye Ale

Drawn from one of our oldest recipes, Smitten began as
Golden Rye Ale, part of a series of beers that explored the use of rye
malt at our pub, the Eccentric Café. Our spring seasonal offers rustic
flavors from rye malt combined with citrus, resinous hop aroma from
Pacific Northwest varieties to create a crisp, refreshing take on the
classic Pale Ale.

Craft Beers Gone Wild - Drinking Backyard Beers

This week we went local and discussed craft beers from our various areas that we are calling backyard beers. Check out what we found...

Session IPA Craft Beer Review: Steady Rollin'

Inspired by the Great Lakes region (our big backyard), our single hop
Session IPA is brewed for days when you can only guess the time based on
where the sun sits in the sky.

IPA Craft Beer Review: Hop By Numbers IPA

Our pub brewer found his muse in experimental hop 07270’s bright
tangerine aromas, then brushed his IPA’s canvas with shades of citrusy
Cascade and piney Simcoe hops.

Craft Beer Review: New Belgium 1554

Born of a flood and centuries-old Belgian text, 1554 Enlightened Black
Ale uses a light lager yeast strain and dark chocolaty malts to redefine
what dark beer can be. In 1997, a Fort Collins flood destroyed the
original recipe our researcher, Phil Benstein, found in the library. So
Phil and brewmaster, Peter Bouckaert, traveled to Belgium to retrieve
this unique style lost to the ages. Their first challenge was
deciphering antiquated script and outdated units of measurement, but
trial and error (and many months of in-house sampling) culminated in
1554, a highly quaffable dark beer with a moderate body and mouthfeel.

Stout Craft Beer Review: King Louie Winter Stout

In collaboration with Bissinger's we used a beer friendly toffee that
they designed that bring hints of caramel and vanilla. The malt bill was
designed to support the toffee and add a soft chocolate notes to
compliment. Smooth as silk, this stout is perfect for the winter season

Beer Review: Moving Parts No 5

In our fifth batch (MP05), we've created a deliciously balanced golden
New Zealand-Style IPA with refreshing fruity notes and a hint of rich
caramel malt character. Taste Victory in Moving Parts 05