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Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shutdown Ale

July 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

First of all, I’d like to say thanks to The Lady in Red Who Writes, who is the sponsor of the blog this week! Check out her blog – it’s the only blog I follow regularly that isn’t about photography, beer or graphic design.

Now, about the beer. When Frank told me he had a limited edition brew from Lagunitas, I had to have it. There was no waiting, no questions, just buy it. NOW.

And away I went, happily toting a 6-pack of Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shutdown Ale. I’m a Lagunitas fan, so I was really looking forward to cracking one of these open.

Here’s what the fine folks over at Lagunitas have to say about Undercover Investigation Shutdown Ale: “ Our oxymoronic ‘Imperial Mild’ – A redux to remember the ’05 St. Paddy’s Day Massacre. Defiant as to style … We Can say for sure it is unforgiven and unrepentant.”

 I’ve now seen it referred to as an American Double, Imperial IPA, Double IPA, and American Strong Ale in addition to “Imperial Mild.” I’m going to stick with Imperial Mild, since that’s what the brewer calls it.

But I think applying “Mild” to this brew is laughable, since there is nothing mild about it!

When I cracked the top, on the nose, it immediately brought 120 Minute IPA to mind. That worried me, because believe it or not, I’m not a big fan of 120 Minute  IPA. Loved 60 Minute, enjoyed 90, but 120 just isn’t my style of beer. I know, I know…but don’t be hatin’. It’s just too sweet for me.

But I digress. The aroma is fruity and sweet. Big malts, big hops – a little bit of the grassy scent you expect with the hops, but primarily the fruitiness.

Beautiful pour into a Nonic pint – off-white head about two fingers tall over a beautiful caramel-colored body. The head reduces, but never goes completely away, leaving light, spotty lacing on the glass as it goes down.

 This one is all about the flavor though. Like I said, the scent had me worried, so I was very careful and slow with that first sip. Turns out, taking my time to get there had it’s own reward. The flavor really develops as you sip it. You get an initial IPA-type taste, very hoppy and strong, but then it gives way to the fruity, sweet flavor you expect from the aroma. Then, before you know it, you’re back to a different hoppiness. The hops are there – they take the edge off that fruitiness and keep it from becoming overbearing. I wouldn’t call it tart, but there’s this almost spicy thing that develops on the back end. So you start with the hops, then get hit with the malt, then end with the hops again. That continues on throughout the glass and it makes it kind of a fun beer to drink.

It is a bit on the boozy side. You KNOW you’re drinking a strong beer. Not just strong flavor, but you can tell the alcohol content is high.  Light carbonation, big flavors – not a bad beer at the end of the day. A good night-time sipper, but also paired very well with seasoned burgers off the grill and homemade nachos grande. Take your time with it and enjoy it – it’s 9.8% and if you drink it too fast, you’ll feel every bit of that content.

Picked it up for $10.99 for the six pack and am glad I did. I’m a little sad knowing it’s a limited release though. I could see myself buying this one time and time again.

Lagunitas Undercover Investigation Shutdown Ale might not be for everyone, but it hit me just right and I’m giving it an 8 out of 10!

And don’t forget to check out the Lady in Red Blog!

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Founders Centennial IPA

July 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment

This week, I was introduced to Founders Brewing Co. – they’ve been around for quite a while, but I haven’t had any of their brews. For the beer drinker, Centennial IPA falls into the “must try” category, as it has really set the standard in the world of American IPA’s.

From ratebeer.com: “Selected as a benchmark for the Beer Judge Certification Program used in all American based beer judgings. Centennial IPA has quickly become the IPA of choice. Pour yourself a pint of this complex flavorful ale and bask in the frothy head’s floral bouquet. Relish the immense citrus accents, achieved by the abundance of dry hopping. This ale’s sweet, malty undertones balance the hop character with a finish that never turns too bitter.”

And from the Founders Brewing folks: “Get ready to bask in the glory of the frothy head’s floral bouquet. Relish the citrus accents from the abundance of dry hopping. This one’s sweet, yet balanced. Malty undertones shake hands with the hop character for a finish that never turns too bitter.”

I’ve become a huge fan of the lighter-flavored IPA’s recently, brewed with a sweeter taste. Loose Cannon, Double Jack, along those lines. Even with Last Chance, there’s just a certain smoothness that your typical IPA doesn’t possess. And since I’d gotten away from the traditional IPA for so long, Centennial caught me a little off guard.

Right off the bat, Centennial smells like a beer. No hidden scents, no warmth. Straight up piney hops and citrus. When it hits the nose, you get a very good idea of what you’re in for. There’s no mistaking that IPA aroma!

It pours really nicely with a two finger, cream-colored head over a slightly cloudy amber body. The foam dissipates slowly, retaining about a half-finger head behind that coats the glass with a decent amount of lacing.

Centennial is great from the first sip – as long as you’re an IPA fan. If  you aren’t – just steer clear. Right off the bat, the hops are there and they override everything. While you get some hints of malts and citrus, any hint you catch, gives way to the hops again. To me, this is actually a good thing. I hate trying to figure out what I’m tasting – some beers, as good as they taste, they’re overly complicated and you can get caught up in trying to figure out what all is crossing your taste buds. With an IPA like this, the simplicity is what you find yourself enjoying. It is bitter, but not overly so. The citrus is there and I guess keeps it in check, but like I said, you only get hints of the citrus coming through, which tells me this is more balanced than the initial taste led me to believe. And at 7.2%, you’re not overwhelmed by the alcohol.

This is a winner for me. I mean, Centennial IPA IS an award winner, but for me, it was a great IPA that served as a reminder to what an IPA is supposed to be. I’ll definitely be buying it again. At $10.99 for the six pack, it’s a little pricier than my usual $9.99 limit, but in my opinion, it’s worth it!

I’m giving Centennial IPA a 7 out of 10! 

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Shiner Wild Hare

July 6, 2012 By Leave a Comment

I know, I know. I’m late this week. I swapped the blog to Thursday, because I had a long shoot on Wednesday and wanted to spend the rest of the holiday with my family. I snapped off the picture  for the blog, but then the day got away from me and I forgot to write it. So, here we are. Better late than never, right?

This week, I grabbed a 6-pack of Shiner’s Wilde Hare. I’ve made no secret of my love for Shiner. I was introduced to it while my parents lived in Texas and it’s lack of availability in NJ probably played a big part in why I gave up beer for such a long time. It was disappointing to know that there were good beers out there, but I couldn’t get them at home. So I was super excited when I started seeing Shiner Bock moving it’s way East, followed shortly by their other styles.

Last year, I picked up one of their “Family Packs” which is a mixed 12 pack of Shiner beers. I found that I enjoyed everything in there, so a week later, I picked up Ruby Redbird. I couldn’t stand it. For me, Ruby Redbird is by far the worst “beer” I’ve ever consumed. I couldn’t even give the stuff away. Since then, I’ve been hesitant to try anything from Shiner that I’m not already familiar with.

But when I saw Wild Hare Pale Ale on the shelf, I got curious. So I put it on the list of beers for the blog. Then, last week, I got a text from a friend of mine that’s been living in Texas for the past year telling me I have to try it and that it’s one of his current favorites. That’s all it took. Wild Hare moved to the top of the list and I grabbed the 6-pack on Tuesday.

I’m glad I did. I mean, it’s hard to screw up a Pale Ale, so I knew it wouldn’t be bad. And it has restored my faith in Shiner, too.

Here’s what the folks at the Spoetzl Brewery have to say about Wild Hare: “This classic American Pale Ale features two row barley malt with a blend of Munich and Caramel malt for rich malt flavor and golden color. High alpha Bravo and delicate US Golding hops are used in the kettle and fermenter for crisp bitterness and assertive fresh hop fruit and floral aroma. This is new territory for a Shiner Ale with more than one pound of hops per barrel, created in our most traditional cellars using legacy fermenters that have been pristinely preserved.” 

An aggressive pour into a pint glass provide about a finger and a half, light head over a crystal clear amber body. It leaves a ring at the top of the glass, but very little lacing is left behind. It has a faint, sweet aroma with hints of citrus and hops. 

The taste is typical of a pale ale. Nothing overbearing, nothing offensive, but at the same time, nothing really grabs you, either. And while that sounds less than complimentary, it’s what makes this beer so drinkable. From start to finish, Wild Hare is very smooth and easy to drink. It’s very complimentary to your basic meals, too. Sandwiches, burgers, chips, etc. And if you’re manning the grill in 90º+ weather, a refreshing beer is exactly what you want.

You’ll find hints of hops, malts and citrus that are very well blended to create a very palate-pleasing beer. And while it may not be the beer you grab out of the case when you’re looking for flavor, it is definitely a beer you’ll want to grab when you’ve got your buddies over on a hot day, or for session drinking. I paid $8.99 for the six pack, so it’s not something I would mind sharing, either! It comes in a 5.5%, making it one of the beers you can enjoy a few of, without fear. And since the taste is so crisp, you don’t get that heavy feeling that comes with stronger, more flavorful beers.

This is another beer I know will become a staple for me – and definitely a beer I will utilize when introducing friends to something different.

All in all, I definitely consider this another quality Shiner product.

This one gets a 5.5 out of 10 from me.

 

 

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International Great Beer Expo

February 8, 2012 By Leave a Comment

On Saturday night, my wife and I had the pleasure of attending the International Great Beer Expo at the Meadowlands Expo Center in Secaucus. There were over 50 brewers there from all over the world.

My first thought was that I wish we’d gone to the afternoon session. I think we would have enjoyed the crowd more. Still, we had a good time and got to sample some great brews that we were not familiar with. While our favorite came from a brewer that was new to me, there were a few surprises in store for me from brewers I’m familiar with. Sadly, not all the surprises were good ones, but I will say that of the 20 different beers I sampled, none were awful.

When we walked in, we went to the shortest line in sight. That turned out to be Ruckus Brewing, where they were pouring Hoptimus Prime (Double IPA, 9%). Based on the name, I had high hopes.  Good color, nice and clear, and really refreshing. Good beer to start the evening with as we chowed down on $8 cheesesteaks and fries. I enjoyed it enough that I’ve asked my usual packaged goods store to look into stocking it. As we ate, we saw the lines start to subside a little bit, which was the plan. And right after we finished eating, I headed straight for the Weyerbacher table.  

Now, I would advise all of you to approach a festival or expo such as this one the same way I did: Bring someone with you that you’ll be comfortable sharing a glass with. That way when a brewery has more than one beer on hand, you’ll be able to get a taste of two of them without having to go around again, or make the folks in line angry!

Weyerbacher had a few varieties with them. I’ve only ever sampled Quad, so I was excited to find out what some of their other beers taste like. I went for Merry Monks‘  (Belgian Golden, 9.3%) while my wife opted for Blithering Idiot (Barleywine, 11.1%). Each was a good choice for the drinker. So good in fact that there are a few bottles of Merry Monks’ residing in my fridge and you can expect a full review of it next week. Blithering Idiot isn’t far behind. I just didn’t have anymore room in my fridge! Weyerbacher is now three for three in my book. Merry Monks’ is a wonderful, sweet ale and it remind me quite a bit of Tröegs Mad Elf. As Martha would say, that’s “a very good thing.” Blithering Idiot was also smooth with a very nice start and even better finish.

We criss-crossed the floor, finding breweries I knew I wanted to visit and hitting them when their lines were to the short side. That led us to the Long Trail Brewing table. Having enjoyed Harvest seasonal in the past, I was hoping to find a year-round that I’d be happy to bring home a sixer of. I felt kind of let down. I knew my wife wasn’t going to like anything Long Trail had to offer, but she was willing to try. She had their Double Bag (Strong Ale, 7.2%) and I sampled their Traditional IPA (English IPA, 5.9%). Both beers had a heavy taste. For lack of a better term, I would say they were almost earthy. I guess Long Trail overall is an acquired taste.

 Next up was Ithaca Beer Company where we tried Flower Power (IPA, 7.5%) and Excelsior THIRTEEN (Wheat Ale, 7.9%). My wife was not a big fan of either. I didn’t disagree. I don’t see myself seeking these out in the future. All in all, Flower Power was a good IPA, but not my kind of beer. It was punchy to me and never really settled in. On the other hand, it was like I had a pint, so I might have to try it again, to give it a fair shake. I felt the same way about Excelsior THIRTEEN. It’s a stout and I don’t generally drink stouts. That being said, I know there are people out there that love that taste. Neither brew is bad, just not our style.

So, we headed down the row to Anchor Brewing.  I really, really wanted to like Anchor’s stuff. Their tap handle was really cool, their graphics are awesome and they seem to be pretty popular. But I didn’t. I couldn’t like it. I tried really hard to like it, but I didn’t. I can’t even tell you what I didn’t like. Anchor Steam (California Common/Steam, 4.9%) was mediocre. It left this weird aftertaste in my mouth that I don’t know how to describe. I hate to say it, but of all the craft beers I’ve had, this one resides at the bottom of my list.  Sara had Humming Ale (Pale Ale, 5.9%) and I’m not going to even review it. I already feel bad enough about blasting Anchor Steam. It didn’t help that we couldn’t get a good pour. Four times. More head than anything. FOUR TIMES.

I was more than happy to head off to Victory to get something I knew I would enjoy…

Only Victory was kind of a letdown too. Now don’t get me wrong, I’m a fan of Victory. I really enjoy Prima Pils and Summer Love and I am looking forward to trying more of their line. It was just that Headwaters (Pale Ale, 5.1%) didn’t live up to what I’ve gotten used to from Victory. The flavor was on the bland side and it never really went anywhere. It could be refreshing on a hot summer day, but it isn’t likely that I’ll find out. My better half went for Hop Devil (IPA, 6.7%), but didn’t like it much. I’ve had it before and like it enough that I know I’ll have it again, so it just wasn’t to her taste. At least now I know that if I put that in the fridge, none of my beer will go missing!

Away we went to Hacker-Pschorr and Paulaner  for (Hefe) Weisse (German Hefeweizen, 5.5%) and Hefe-Weizen (Hefeweizen, 5.5%). Bottom line, we enjoyed both and look forward to them making their way into our fridge. Both were crisp, tasty and refreshing. And just what we needed after having a couple we didn’t quite enjoy!

And then there was our hands-down favorite. And we weren’t alone. This brewery had the longest lines, all night long.  So long in fact, that we almost didn’t bother with them. But my buddy Scott was with us and said we had to try it. We would love it. And so we were introduced to Innis & Gunn. They had their full range with them, but we both went for the Rum Cask (Scotch Ale, 7.4%). It had a wonderful reddish color and was very clear. I’m not even sure how to describe it. I mean, it was light, but flavorful, fruity, but spicy…just a very pleasing beer. They had a list that showed places where you could get it, none of which were within 45 minutes of where we live. It made me mad. Imagine my surprise when I talked to Frank at the liquor store about it, practically demanding that they carry it, only to have him walk me to the back where Rum Cask was sitting on the shelf. I felt silly…and if I hadn’t just paid for a 6-pack of Merry Monks’, I’d have grabbed the Rum Cask. Once there’s room in the fridge, the Rum Cask will be mine! <insert maniacal laugh here> 

We were ready to call it a night after our visit with Innis & Gunn, but we decided to try a couple more on the way out. Seeing as I live in Jersey, I couldn’t leave without giving something from East Coast Beer Co. I keep hearing about them, but have never seen their stuff in my usual spots, so I wanted to sample it while I had the chance. I went for Winter Rental (Black Lager, 5.6%). It was a solid winter brew, pretty typical. Nothing special, but by no means on the low end of things, either. I probably would have enjoyed it more, if I hadn’t had it on the heels of Rum Cask. I fully intend to pick some up for a review. As my wife pointed out, it probably didn’t hurt that they had a “Cute little beach blonde” (my wife’s description) pouring for them. Who else would pour beer that’s made down the shore!?!

While I sampled that, Sara and Scott tried out ciders from Doc’s Draft. Scott had the raspberry, Sara got apple. Neither were remarkable for anything other than their aroma. And that wasn’t good…it smelled like a pack of new diapers. It isn’t a terrible smell, but it isn’t what I want to inhale when I’m about to take a sip. My wife finished hers, but Scott poured his out. I don’t think my diaper description sat well with him.

Last, but not least, Scott and I headed for the 21st Amendment Brewery sign. When we got there, we didn’t find anyone from 21st Amendment. I was kind of ticked, because I love their artwork and really wanted to try their stuff. I was immediately placated though when I saw a guy wearing a Harpoon Brewery t-shirt pouring beer. I like Harpoon, but that isn’t what he was offering up. Instead, he poured me a glass of Brother Thelonious (Belgian Style Abbey, 9.3%) from North Coast Brewing Co. Did you get all that? I went to the 21st Amendment table to have a North Coast Brewing Company beer, poured by a guy from Harpoon.

Anyway, Brother Thelonious was an absolute treat. I’m a big fan of Belgians and this was right up there with the best of what I’ve had. It was rich, loaded with flavor and as smooth as it’s namesake. This is another winner in my book. And the best part? When you buy it, North Coast makes a donation to the Thelonious Monk Institute of Jazz! That’s right, brother. Your hobby of drinking beer can help support promising young musicians, so pick some up today!

I think I left a couple out, but that’s OK. I touched on the good ones and warned you about the ones that were less than good. That’s about all I can do, right? I’m really looking forward to doing full reviews in the coming months of many of the beers we tried.

On top of all of that, I popped over to the New Jersey Craft Beer table to say hello and check out their list of participating locations.  First of all, if you live in NJ and haven’t heard of NJCB, click on that link and check them out. I am yet to find a better resource for beer information than NJCB. Not only that, but members are entitled to discounts at restaurants, bars and packaged goods stores throughout NJ! Don’t see a place on the list you think should be there? TELL THEM! The crew at NJCB is working hard to expand the list and you can rest assured that they will check into getting your favorite place to sign up. Second of all, these folks know how to sell. NJCB hasn’t been around for very long at all, but already have 109 locations participating as of this writing. They even managed to sell me a membership at the Expo, when all I wanted was more beer! Seriously though, check them out. Membership isn’t expensive and for the discounts you get all over NJ, you’ll get the cost back in no time! I promise, I’m nothing more than a card-carrying member. If you join, I gain nothing…but you’ll be glad you did!

All in all, we had a good time at the International Great Beer Expo and look forward to doing it again!

Until next time, happy drinking and hoist one for me!

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Oskar Blues Dale’s Pale Ale

January 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

What they say (Oskar Blues Brewery, 21+ please):
“America’s first hand-canned craft beer is a voluminously hopped mutha that delivers a hoppy nose, assertive-but-balanced flavors of pale malts and hops from start to finish. First canned in 2002, Dale’s Pale Ale is a hearty (6.5% and 65 IBUs), critically acclaimed trailblazer that has changed the way craft beer fiends perceive canned beer.”

My take on it:
WOOHOO! Good beer CAN come in a can!

My craft beer guru at the local alcohol depot has pointed this can out to me more than once. I was skeptical, to say the least. But the can art had me curious and I knew Frank wouldn’t steer me wrong.

First of all, I was impressed that I got this kind of head from a canned beer.  It’s been consistently around one inch of foam with a nice off-white color. The beer itself is slightly cloudy and has a nice orange tone. I was stunned when I checked the content and discovered that it weighs in at 6.5%. 

In a can? Seriously?

This is a pretty serious pale ale. They aren’t kidding when they say it’s hoppy, but while it has a strong taste, especially for a pale ale, it IS very well-balanced with the malts. It has that hint of bitterness that I expect in a pale ale, but it goes down smooth with significantly less carbonation than I expect in a canned beer. You’ll notice a bit of a hoppy taste after each sip, but it’s pleasant. 

Dale’s goes down really easy and is a very refreshing brew. It’s so good that I almost blew the photo, because even with the cans set up, I almost took a sip as soon as I finished the pour! 

I picked it up for $7.99 for the 6-pack, which only helps it’s case to be a regular in my fridge.

I’m going to put this one right up there with Winter Warmer and give it a 8 out of 10.

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