Rod J Beer Review: Frankenmuth Twisted Helles

The Twisted Helles is a Summer Lager from the Frankenmuth
Brewery located in Michigan, which is also the state’s oldest brewery. It is a
seasonal meant to capture the essence of summer and pours out very nicely as a
Helles Lager. It is a decent golden straw color in appearance, which is capped
with a nice white head. Clarity is also nice as you really get to take in the appearance
of the carbonation doing its work. Aroma jumps out rather easily and the taste
does bring some crispness. The ABV is 5.5% and the IBU is 18. Check out the
video here to see more of my other thoughts on this beer.

Craft Beers Gone Wild Explores German Style Beers

So this week, we decided to take a look at German Style Beers. So what are these styles, well, there are many and check out this link here for an extensive list and details: http://www.germanbeerinstitute.com/styles.html.

But for a quick summary:

Alkoholfreies (NA) Bier, Altbier, Alsterwasser, Berliner Weisse, Biobier, Bockbier, Dampfbier, Diätbier/"Diet Beer", Dinkelbier, Doppelbock, Doppelsticke, Dortmunder, Dunkel, Dunkelweizen, Dünnbier, Einfachbier, Eisbier, Eisbock, Emmerbier, Erntebier, Export, Festbier, G'frorns, Gose (Leipziger), Gruitbier, Hefeweizen, Helles, Helles Bock, Kellerbier, Kölsch. Kräusenbier, Kristallweizen, Lagerbier, Landbier, Latzenbier, Leichtbier/Light, Maibock, Malzbier, Märzen, Mumme, Ökobier, Oktoberfestbier, Pils/Pilsener, Porter, Radlermass, Rauchbier, Roggenbier, Russ, Schankbier, Schwarzbier, Starkbier, Steinbier, Sticke Alt, Urbock, Vollbier, Weihnachtsbier, Weissbier, Weissbierpils, Weizenbier, Weizenbock, Weizendoppelbock, Weizeneisbock, Zoiglbier, Zwickelbier

Rod J Beer Review: Frankenmuth Brown Hound Dunkel

The Brown Hound Dunkel Lager is an offering from Frankenmuth Brewery out of Frankenmuth, Michigan. This classic Munich Dunkel Lager comes with some good character and it takes no time to see how this has been a past medal winner. It is a five grain beer that pours a dark cherry brown color topped with a tan quickly dissipating head. At 5.1% ABV it is one that is easily sessionable and at 22 IBU, it can provide a nice malt forward experience. It is a little thin on the taste, but it can make up from that with its very appealing mouthfeel. The beer itself provides a nice roastiness that is highlighted by coffee and chocolate notes.

Check out my video to gather my other thoughts on this Michigan beer.

Rod J Beer Review: Talking Lagunitas Stoopid Wit

From Lagunitas Brewing comes Stoopid Wit, a Witbier that is
hopped up to another level. This limited release beer (July through September)
comes on at a 6.3% ABV and 50 IBU. Pouring a nice golden yellow color and
capped by a nice large white head, this beer comes at with you with hop
experience with a little Belgian-ish quality sprinkled on top. Aromas include a
nice citrus and floral burst with a spice kick, although the texture can be
seen as being a little thin. It is bitter, but it is not overbearing and it can
be a chuggable beer for some. For me, it proved to be an okay beer but check
out my video to catch my other views on this offering.

Rod J Beer Review: Talking Frankenmuth Batch 69 American IPA

Ah, what we do without friends? And my friends recently made a trip to Frankenmuth, Michigan, and they happened to bring me back the Batch 69 American IPA from the Frankenmuth Brewery. This IPA comes in at 6.9% ABV and 69 IBU, hence the name I am going to assume. The beer pours out a nice golden yellow-orange color that is capped by a nice foamy and rocky white head. The aroma is led by pine note and is then quickly followed up with citrus. The taste provides a mouthfeel that makes this medium body beer very thirst quenching and refreshing.

Check my video to find out more of my thoughts on this one and if it is one to be chosen.

Talking Sour Beers - Craft Beers Gone Wild

This week, Craft Beers Gone Wild looks at beers from the Sour beer style.

Sour beer styles:

While any type of beer may be soured, most follow traditional or standardized guidelines.

American wild ale

Beers brewed in America utilizing yeast and bacteria strains instead of or in addition to standard brewers yeasts tend to fall under the catch-all term American wild ale. These microflora may be cultured or acquired spontaneously, and the beer may be fermented in a number of different types of brewing vessels. American wild ales tend not to have a specific parameters or guidelines stylistically, but instead simply refer to the use of unusual yeasts.

Berliner Weisse

At one time the most popular alcoholic beverage in Berlin, this is a somewhat weaker (usually around 3% abv) beer made sour by use of Lactobacillus bacteria. This type of beer is usually served with flavored syrups to balance the tart flavor.

Flanders red ale

Descendent from English porters of the 17th century, Flanders red ales are first fermented with usual brewers yeast, then placed into oak barrels to age and mature. Usually, the mature beer is blended with younger beer to adjust the taste for consistency. The name comes from the usual color of these ales.

Gose

Gose (pronounced "go-suh") is a top-fermenting beer that originated in Goslar, Germany. This style is characterized by the use of coriander and salt and is made sour by inoculating the wort with lactic acid bacteria before primary alcoholic fermentation.

Lambic

Lambic beer is spontaneously fermented beer made in the Pajottenland region of Belgium and Brussels. Wort is left to cool overnight in the koelschip where it is exposed to the open air during the winter and spring, and then placed into barrels to ferment and mature. Most lambics are blends of several season's batches, such as gueuze, or are secondarily fermented with fruits, such as Kriek and Framboise. As such, pure unblended lambic is quite rare, and few bottled examples exist.

Oud bruin

Originating from the Flemish region of Belgium, oud bruins are differentiated from the Flanders red ale in that they are darker in color and not aged on wood. As such this style tends to use cultured yeasts to impart its sour notes.