From Victory Brewing and the Blackboard Series comes their Cream Ale With Cold Brew Coffee (No. 5), cream ale infused with coffee. This coffee blonde brew comes in at an ABV of 6.5% along with 18 IBU, and the coffee aroma does dazzle nicely and the taste and flavor follows right along. This proved to a pretty solid beer overall for me and also poured nicely on the appearance. My Untappd rating on this one was 4.25 and it is one that I would definitely drink again. Check out my video here to see other characteristics that I liked about this one.
Brewer Notes:
Blackboard #5 – Cream Ale With Cold Brew Coffee. Fragrant coffee aromas surface from this smooth cream ale. Cold-Brewed coffee adds rich, roasty notes to this medium-bodied and effervescent brew.
Clean blonde brew, unassuming. Coffee aromatics surprises the nose. Smooth roasted flavor all derived from the addition of cold brewed coffee on a lightly bready base.
Availability
Available in 12 oz. bottles and on draft from February through May.
The Grandes Lagos from Great Lakes Brewing is a North American Adjunct Lager that is described by the brewery as a Mexican style lager that uses Hibiscus flowers in its brewing. The beer does pour out a brilliant color that I would best describe as pink or blush, and pretty wine like. Clarity is very nice on this one but as far as I know, all of the beers are at Great Lakes as they filter them all before going to bottle. Not too heavy at all, this 5.5% ABV beer is one definitely well suited for spring or summer as it doses deliver a nice refreshing quality. The head proved to be a little thinner than I expected but what wasn’t thin was the texture which was nice. While this one didn’t knock me back as much, it definitely has a spot to be enjoyed. My Untappd rating on this one for those that may be counting was a 3. Find out more of my thoughts on this beer by checking out the video here as well. Cheers!
Brewer Notes:
Colorful hibiscus flowers bloom against a picturesque malt backdrop in this refreshing cerveza from south of the border (of Canada, that is).
FLAVOR: A breezy getaway accented by beams of golden malt and a tart, pink-tinged hibiscus sunset
PACKAGING: 6-pack, 12-pack bottles, Draft
ABV: 5.4%
IBU: 20
PAIRS WITH: Shellfish, fruit desserts, and spring break
The Victory Headwaters Pale Ale from Victory Brewing out of Pennsylvania offers a decent American Pale Ale experience. My experience with this 5.2% ABV Pale Ale is that it poured out a nice golden straw amber color that while slightly hazy, did have somewhat of a brilliance about it. Through this veil of haze, I was able to notice the carbonation that was somewhat lively and lead up to a well-produced head that over time left some lacing behind as I consumed it. The aroma kicked out easily and well, providing those common notes of tropical and citrus. These were also able to be picked up in the taste as well, which also lead to a pleasurable mouthfeel.
This one definitely provided a full taste and although it was around sessionable level, there was no thinness about it. Carbonation worked well on my palate despite the liveliness seen in its appearance, and the bitterness was at a good level providing a nice smoothness. Taking this all into account and then matched with its nice duration, it was easy for me to score this as a 4 on Untappd and is definitely one that I would drink again. Check out me video below if you would like to see my full review. Cheers!
Brewer Notes:
Crisp and aromatic, this boldly-hopped American ale balances notes of citrus and tea-like earthiness from American hops with a subtle German malt base.
So I decided to make a beer run on my lunch break and thought once again, it would be fun to bring you guys along for the ride. So, here we go. D.E.P.’s in Fort Thomas, Kentucky is another one of the stores in my beer rotation and this one has proved to be more of a standout as it pertains to large close-out deals. There always seems to be some good choices and deals around, and it’s always fun to find them. Come along inside as I take a look! And if you are in the Cincinnati area then here is their website if you decide that you may want to visit: http://depsfinewine.com/.
The Samuel Adams Irish Red from Boston Beer Company was up next for my latest beerventure, and this Irish Red Ale comes in with a 5.8% ABV and 25 IBU. Out of the bottle it poured a great vibrant red color with great clarity. The aroma provided a nice sweetness along with some breadiness from the malts. But when it came time for the taste, it provide for me a slight medicine feel at points. It was very easy drinking though, but that aftertaste did linger at points. The texture was semi-dry with a slight watery effect on the back end in my opinion. This one while it wasn’t all bad, it didn’t really stand out in anyway. Even on the appearance and having the great color, the head seemed to be just way too thin for this one. Considering its appearance, aroma, flavor, palate and overall characteristics, I ended up scoring this one a 3.25 on Untappd. Have you had it yet? If so then tell me what you thought about as well and check out my video if you would like to see the video review of this one.
Brewer Notes:
This hearty brew is full of rich malty character inspired by the red ales of Ireland. We use caramel malts for a deep, smooth malt backbone and balance them with earthy English hops for a comforting and satisfying brew.
STYLE: Red Ale
AVAILABILITY: Year Round
HOP VARIETIES: Hallertau Mittelfrueh Noble hops, East Kent Goldings, and Fuggles
MALT VARIETIES: Samuel Adams two-row pale malt blend and Caramel 60
COLOR: Deep red, SRM: 30
ALC. BY VOL/WT: 5.8%ABV - 4.5% ABW
IBUs: 25
CALORIES: 190
From Spoetzl Brewery and the Shiner label comes the Cold Brew Coffee Ale, a 5% ABV and 15 IBU brew that is collaboration with one of the local coffee shops in Austin, Texas. Noticing this and my fondness of coffee, I decided to pick it up and give it a taste to see how well it was done. Check out my video here to see what I thought.
Brewer Notes:
For our 108th birthday, we’ve brewed up something special. Our first coffee ale, crafted in collaboration with Austin’s own Chameleon Cold-Brew, made with dark-roasted specialty malt and Chameleon’s beloved cold-brewed coffee, it’s sure to wake up your tastebuds. But it won’t be here forever, so pour yourself a fresh cup while you can.
