Rod J Beer Review: Talking Samuel Adams Boston Lager

The Boston Lager from Samuel Adams is what I would consider a
classic in its relevance to the craft beer movement and the work of Jim Koch.
This flagship beer played an integral part in the craft movement and really did
create a surge into many of the beers that we enjoy today.

This lager features some great qualities from it clear appearance
which is highlighted by its golden amber color and streaming carbonation, to its
balanced aroma of its malts and hops as well as its flavorful taste. At 4.9%
ABV it isn’t too heavy and still carries a decent texture which does avoid
being too thin and it leaves a nice crisp and refreshing feel. Check out the
video to get my other thoughts on this classic lager and feel free to let me
know your thoughts as well.

Rod J Beer Review: Talking North Coast Old Rasputin

Here is my look at Old Rasputin from the North Coast Brewing Company which is a 9% ABV Russian Imperial Stout. It pours out a nice pretty much jet black color on appearance, and is capped by a nice foamy tan head. Notes of aroma that were present were caramel, toffee and a nice roastiness. The taste was highlighted by a nice creaminess and along with flavors of coffee bean and chocolate. The beer had a nice decadent quality, which also made it appealing as a possible dessert beer. Much more is included on my review, so check it out and let me know what you think of this beer if you have enjoyed it as well.

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Your Beer Your Style - Craft Beers Gone Wild

This week Craft Beers Gone Wild looks at somewhat of a wildcard show. Each person will look to bring a beer that best exemplifies their favorite style.

Rod J Beer Review: Talking Dogfish Head Romantic Chemistry IPA

Feeling a little romantic? If so then maybe the Romantic Chemistry IPA from Dogfish Head is a beer calling your name. This IPA comes in at a nice 7.2% ABV and packs a decent and not too overbearing 40 IBU.

The beer itself is highlighted by that of mangoes, apricots and ginger. It pours out a nice dark orange-copper color reminiscent of that sunset on a beach as one gazes across the ocean. Its head is a nice off white, pretty much bone color, which packs a good amount of foaminess and looks to leave a veil of lacing as it dissipates.

The notes of the aroma came out of the glass easily during my session with this ale. The mango climbed out of the glass and punched me in the nose, and was quickly followed up by the apricot. It was like a fruit bowl of notes, and then on the back end there was the dankness that I often expect from an IPA. The one thing that wasn’t as noticeable though was the ginger.

As far as the taste, I tended to really catch the Apricot that really came through. There was also some tangerine like qualities, but the apricot really stood out. There was that initial bitterness on the tongue, but the beer also offered a nice refreshing and crisp break, with no bitterness on the back end, and did have a good amount of juiciness. I also enjoyed how the flavors opened up in the mouth and the carbonation proved to be very palatable on this medium to full body beer.

Beer Review: Talking 3 Floyds Brewing Zombie Dust

From 3 Floyds Brewing Company comes the beer called Zombie
Dust, a 6.2% ABV American Pale Ale of pure goodness. This 50 IBU beer is one
that is sought after by many whenever it arrives, and I finally was able to get
my hands on a bottle. What did I think?

The beer itself poured out a nice soft golden orange color
with a slight bit of a chill haze. It’s appearance capped by a nice foamy white
head, but the aroma. Without even trying, notes of orange and grapefruit just
climbed out of the glass and drew me closer into the beer. The balance between
the notes of citrus and tropical was mesmerizing, and these were followed by a
nice dankness.

And then there was the taste, which offered a nice bouquet
of flavors on the initial mouthfeel. There was that initial bite to the tongue,
but the beer then settles down nicely ended with a crisp and refreshing break
on the back end. Harshness was nil and astringency was not an issue, it proved
to be a great medium body beer with a mouthfeel that had me wanting more. In
the end what was left was a nicely laced pint glass showing that it had once
been filled with a quality beer. This is one not to be missed for sure,
especially for any American Pale Ale lovers.

Talking Braxton Brewing Lumber - Video Beer Review #376

I decided to go local here with Braxton Brewing Company and introduce their Lumber. This Scotch Wee Heavy Ale is part of their Garage Series and comes in at 8.5% ABV along with a 30 IBU. 

The beer pours out a dark brown color that is capped with a nice tan head. What can be expected from the aromas is a nice sweetness that carries notes of caramel and toffee, as well as a bit of creaminess. And the taste provides a malt forward sweetness and a bit of a caramelized creamy texture. Behind that comes a well carbonated beer that is loaded with a nice duration of the flavor.

Talking Samuel Adams Belgian Session - Video Beer Review #375

From Samuel Adams comes their Belgian Session, a well-balanced
Belgian Pale Ale that is highly sessionable at its 4.3% ABV.  This beer is one that could be perfect for a
warm day or just when you want to kick back and relax. It pours out a nice amber
color with a good amount of clarity and nice foamy head. The carbonation is
easily illuminated, and the aromas just climb out of the glass. The texture of
the beer does feature some thinness, but the taste of some of the other
qualities makes it worth a try.

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.

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

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.

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.