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Victory Summer Love

May 30, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Ahhhh…one of my favorite summer beers. Victory Summer Love, I missed thee. There are few things more refreshing in the summer than a high quality American Blonde Ale. And Summer Love is just that.

From the Victory site: “With the sublime, earthy familiarity of noble, American and German hops backed up by fresh and clean German malts, Summer Love Ale® ends with a surprising burst of lemony refreshment from fistfuls of American whole flower hops. Love Summer, now.”

Summer Love pours with a nice, clean golden color under a foamy white head that hangs for a bit before fading. Leaves behind a decent amount of lacing, too. 

It has a very hoppy, crisp scent. The smell alone actually reminds you of summer with citrus and grass on the nose. Really, really pleasing.

The taste doesn’t really match the smell, but that’s not necessarily a bad thing. Instead of a strong hop taste, you get wonderful malts, an almost bread-like taste, but it plays very well with a nice level of citrus and hops. Very different, indeed. I’m usually not big on a malty brew in the summer months, but this one just works. You expect the beer to get heavy, but it never happens. The flavors stay light, as does the feel and before you know it, you’ve finished a pint and are asking for another.

No strange aftertaste or lingering flavors to take this one down, either. Like I said, this is one of my favorite summer brews! 

I’m giving Victory Summer Love a 7 out of 10. Nicely priced at $8.99 for a six pack, it’s everything you could want in a summer beer and at 5.2%, you can enjoy more than one.

 Bottoms up!

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Yards Brewing Saison

April 25, 2012 By Leave a Comment

This is my first experience with a Saison and also my first beer from Yards Brewing.

Since I’m not at all familiar with the Saison style, I decided to check Wikipedia and find out what I could. Here is an excerpt: “Saison (French, “season”) is the name originally given to low-alcohol pale ales brewed seasonally in farmhouses in Wallonia, the French-speaking region of Belgium, for farm workers during harvest season. Modern-day saisons are also brewed in other countries, particularly the USA, and are generally bottle conditioned, with an average range of 5 to 8% abv,[1] though saisons at the more traditional 3.5% strength can still be found.”

Here’s what they say on the Yards Brewing site:
“Saisons were historically brewed to keep the farmhands happy and hydrated during the warm summer months. Crafted using Belgian pilsen malt and candi sugar, this golden Belgian style ale is a refreshing change from your usual beer lineup.“

I was warned that the Yard’s Saison is an uncomplicated beer. Usually you would expect me to be discussing the hops or malts or citrus, or some such thing.

Not with this one. It is truly a simple beer, but that makes it all the more enjoyable. Brewed right down the road in Philly, I’m always happy to find a good, solid, local brew. This Saison certainly fit the bill.

It pours a nice, light golden color with a decent amount of carbonation. I poured a couple tonight into pint glasses and had about a one-finger, clean, white head on each. It has a light, fruity aroma. It actually made me immediately think of the fermentation process. Really, all I could smell at first was the yeast, but then a little citrus and even a light peppery aroma come through.

Right away, I was pleased with the taste. It’s by no means a great beer, but it IS a GOOD beer. The predominant taste on my tongue was of wheat,  sweetened up by a little bit of a honey flavor and some fruitiness. Frank told me that a little pepper kick was kind of a hallmark for the style, but that it was off-putting for some. Frank knows me well. I think a pepper taste to this would have killed it for me.

Yard’s Saison is a very well-balanced beer. Nothing spectacular, but it goes down easy. It’s another one I can see myself enjoying on a hot day. I have to admit, I was a little surprised at how much my wife enjoyed this one. We had it over dinner, a basic breaded chicken and the Saison was a good match for that. While I don’t see myself seeking it out, I could see it making a return once or twice during the summer months.

The more I think about this, the more I think Yard’s Saison would be a fantastic introduction for the non-craft crowd to craft beer. There’s nothing overwhelming happening, but it’s significantly more flavorful than the big American beers.

I’ll give Yard’s Saison a 5 out of 10. It’s a good, average, VERY drinkable beer.

After researching, it looks like this one is a little to the high side for the style at 6.5% and I can think of better beers at the $9.99 per 6 mark, but unlike some I’ve had, I think I can find the value in it. 

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Breckenridge Brewing Pandora’s Bock

April 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

OK, courtesy of Mother Nature, the second day of my shoot in NY was postponed, so I manage to stay on schedule this week!

I love a good Bock. Even when I wasn’t drinking beer other than the occasional social pint, I still missed being able to have a Shiner Bock, like I did when I visited my folks in Texas. Now, if I see a Bock on the shelf, I’m probably going to try it. I’m all about a  Belgian style, but I can’t resist a Bock, either.  

So this week when I noticed Breckenridge Brewing’s Pandora’s Bock on the shelf, I didn’t even hesitate. The packaging is attractive and with a name like Pandora’s Bock, I HAD to have it. It’s been a busy week, so even though I bought the 6-pack on Monday, this was the first chance I had to pour one. 

What they say: “Release the wealth of flavor and complexity unto the world. Bottom fermented at colder temperatures for a smooth yet assertive character.”
In the bottle, it does not smell like a Bock. I started feeling disappointed, because it smelled like a rich Coors or something. But once you pour it, it has a very pleasing, sweet aroma in the glass. It pours to a clear, deep, brownish-orange with very little head and leaves very nice lacing behind.

The malts will be the first thing you taste, and you’ll notice a fair bit of carbonation right away, too. Without it, this beer would be syrupy, I suspect. The taste finishes out with a mild hoppiness which is nice, but doesn’t really do anything to enhance the overall impression the beer leaves. It’s not a bad beer, but there’s really not much to it. For a Bock, it has too much carbonation. So much in fact, that you almost feel like you aren’t drinking a craft beer. Truth be told, this is what I expected from the Yuengling Bock. In both cases, I have been surprised. But Yuengling surprised me in a good way. The Breckenridge, not so much.

It’s another one that I would grab if I had a choice between it and a Miller offering, but it’s not one that will find it’s way into my fridge again.

On the other hand, if you’re trying to introduce someone that’s used to lighter beers from the  big breweries, this could be a good gateway. It may not be as good as what your average craft beer drinker holds as a standard, but to a newcomer, it would be a great way to introduce them to the dark side. At 7.5%, it might give them a little buzz – so you’ll get to laugh at the nOOb when it catches them off guard.

All in all I’ll give this a 4 out of 10. 

There are far better examples of the style out there! 

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Tröegs Nugget Nectar

April 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment

Tröegs Nugget Nectar

Nugget Nectar has a massive purchasing swing each year when they release it and for good reason. Nugget Nectar is a fantastic brew, but I’ll say this: Anything you taste for a while afterwards WILL be impacted by the taste of this extremely hoppy brew!!

What they say: “Squeeze those hops for all they’re worth and prepare to pucker up: Nugget Nectar Ale, will take hopheads to nirvana with a heady collection of Nugget, Warrior and Tomahawk hops. Starting with the same base ingredients of our flagship HopBack Amber Ale, Nugget Nectar intensifies the malt and hop flavors to create an explosive hop experience.”

Last year, I picked up Nugget Nectar just after starting to embrace the craft beer scene. That might have been a mistake. Seriously. I wasn’t ready for such a hopped up beer. I drank them all, but I wasn’t sure I liked it. It was overpowering in so many ways, so I really can’t suggest this as a starter for newcomers.  

Nice lace left behind by Nugget Nectar

But here we are a year later and I can’t get enough of the stuff. When I visited the brewery, they had already sold out of cases and six packs, so all I could do was drool while I watched the bottling process happening right in front of me. The good news was, I knew I could get it once I got back to NJ.

Nugget Nectar pours nicely, especially into a hops glass. Nice golden orange color with a thick, white head. Has a nice, pine aroma with a little sweetness to it. Leaves nice lacing on the glass, too.

Again, the flavor is strong – the different hops remind you why you’ve bought Nugget Nectar. And if you like a beer with citrus flavors, this one will be right up your alley. Lots of orange and grapefruit, a hint of spices. And for all the complexity involved in creating this monster, it’s still one of the tastiest, most well-balanced ales available. The  Trogner brothers just keep getting it right, one pint after another. Not too heavy to drink a few either, coming in at 7.5%.

Now that the release rush is over, it’s pretty easy to find at most stores that sell craft beer. A little outside my usual price goal at $12.99, but well worth it. 

Nugget Nectar gets a 8.75 out of 10 in my book!

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Yuengling Bock

March 28, 2012 By Leave a Comment

When it comes to big brewers, there aren’t many I trust. Shiner comes to mind, as does Yuengling. I’m not sure what it is that makes me like Yuengling, but I do. So when I saw their Bock offering, I picked up a 6-pack. 

It’s not like I had high expectations. I never do with Yuengling. I know what I’m going to get – a beer better than Budweiser, that isn’t a craft beer. I expect more of an adjunct taste from a beer like this, but Yuengling is one of my go-to breweries when we’re hosting parties. So I figured, why not give this Bock a shot and review it?

Good news.

While not the best example on the market of a Bock, this is a good, drinkable example of the style. Easy to drink more than one and VERY wallet friendly. So no, it isn’t a craft beer, but it is definitely something I’m comfortable handing to a Miller Lite fan and saying “Try something better.” (Which I did and she loved it.)

What they say: “America’s Oldest Brewery proudly offers Yuengling Bock Beer. This seasonal release resurrects an old brewery tradition of producing a Bock in the late winter and early spring. Dark brown in color, this unique brew offers an exceptional flavor to be enjoyed by all. We invite you to to enjoy the taste of traditional, quality family brewing.”

 

My take:
This Bock pours a dark brown with a short, cream colored head that dissipates quickly and leaves some light lacing behind. When you lift the glass, you notice a very sweet smell. It’s almost candy-like and not at all what you expect. Again, this is not a craft beer, but for a big brewery, this is a very good offering.

I might even prefer this to Shiner Bock, which was a brew I couldn’t wait to see on the shelves on the East Coast.

 While there’s more carbonation than I typically like, it does go down smooth. The flavor is nice, but average for a Bock. It pairs up nicely with things like Hamburger Helper or pizza. Just enough to cut through those flavors, without being overpowering.

It’s kind of like drinking a Yuengling Traditional Lager, but with more flavor. It just has a certain feel that Yuengling fans know very well.  It’s hard to put into words if you haven’t had a Yuengling, but easy to understand if you have!

As long as they’re keeping Yuengling Bock on the shelves, I can see myself keeping a supply in the fridge. If you aren’t a fan of lagers and IPAs, this is a good alternative for the spring when you’re at the grill. Flavorful, while remaining light enough to enjoy on a hot day. 

SO while I’m happy to return to true craft beers next week, I’m glad I took this little diversion to the Yuengling Bock. It’s inexpensive and unoffensive. It made me a little sad that the 6-pack disappeared from my fridge so quickly.

Oh well, at least there’s a Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA waiting in there, too. It makes me feel a whole lot better.

Overall, I’ll give the Yuengling Bock a 5 out of 10. It’s a good, average beer that I think would surprise a few folks! 

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Harpoon Winter Warmer

January 18, 2012 By Leave a Comment

What they say (Harpoon Brewery Site, 21+ please):

“When you bring a glass of this dark copper ale to your lips to take your first sip you will notice the aroma of cinnamon.  There is no aromatic hop added that might overpower the distinct spice scent.  The medium body of this beer is formed from caramel and pale malts.  These create enough body to support the spices without making the beer excessively rich. Bittering hops are added to counter the sweetness of the malt and spice.  The finish of the beer is a blend of cinnamon and nutmeg. The combination of these two spices results in a balanced, pumpkin-pie flavor.”

My take on it:

Harpoon’s Winter Warmer become a seasonal favorite from the minute it passed my lips. This medium-bodied ale is a real treat from start to finish and I can honestly say, I’ll miss it when it’s gone for the season.

Right off the bat, I was impressed by how nicely it pours. Not only is the color good, but the clarity is too. I didn’t notice any sediment or floaters, not that I’m generally concerned about that!

The first sip is almost creamy it only gets better from there. It’s sweet, but not overpoweringly so. The cinnamon and nutmeg combine for a pleasant scent when you crack open the bottle and definitely add to a flavor that is very well-balanced. While I usually a warm cocktail on a winter day, a brew like this definitely gives you a nice warm feeling. 

Outside of Mad Elf, Harpoon Winter Warmer is easily my favorite winter brew this year. And yet again, the price is right at under $8.00 for a 6!

Harpoon Winter Warmer gets an 8 out of 10 from me!

 

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Saranac White IPA

January 11, 2012 By Leave a Comment

What they say (Saranac Brewery Site, 21+ please):
“Saranac White IPA is a tasty innovative twist on a traditional IPA.  We’ve taken a delicious American IPA bursting with Citra hops, and given it a whole new direction by adding the refreshing fruitiness of orange peel & coriander and the softening characters of wheat malt and oats.  You’ll notice the complex hop flavor you’ve come to expect in an IPA, balanced with the extraordinary bright flavor of a wheat beer.  Cheers to twisting tradition!  ” 

My take on it:
I wasn’t quite sure what to expect. This is the first time I’ve cracked open a Saranac. It was suggested by a friend though, so I knew it couldn’t be bad. It’s a little hazy, but I’ve come to expect that of most of the beers I enjoy. It has a pleasant copper coloring.

The label is a real attention-getter, too.  The white and green label with a country creek scene is a nice touch. I’ve become a big fan of label art – there are so many good ones out there. But this one in particular really tells me something about where the beer is from. As a photographer, graphic designer and beer fan, I like that.

Onto the beer itself!

The aroma is pleasant and gives you a pretty good idea of what you’ll be tasting. The first sip was a little bitter, but that quickly gives way to a nice, citrus flavor. I have to agree with their description. This is quite the hybrid. It comes in at 6%, which seems to be in the typical range for your average seasonal craft beer. It’s right in the middle, too. It’s a good, medium-bodied brew. I didn’t expect that, with the color being as bright as it is. That was definitely a pleasant surprise!

All in all, I enjoyed White IPA.  I can definitely see myself keeping some on hand throughout the winter months.

I paid $6.99 for a six pack at my local liquor store, so it’s definitely in a good price range for a quality seasonal. 

6.5 out of 10 from me.

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