Mike Loves Beer

Name – Iniquity
Country – United States
Type – American Double IPA

Appearance – Pours a very deep black color that lets no light through.  There is a big tan head that leaves a decent amount of lacing on the glass.

Smell – The nose isn’t very strong but I pick up some citrus hops and a bit of roasted notes.

Taste – Very bold and complex flavor!  Roasted malts and a bit of chocolate up front followed by a pleasant smokey taste and some citrus hops.  The smoke flavor it not over powering at all and sits on your tongue for a little bit after finishing.

My first jump into Southern Tier since their arrival and man am I pleased.  I was expected a big bold black IPA but this was not that.  The roastedness and smoke characters in it really set it apart from others in this style.  I would love to have some pit made BBQ with this beer some time.

Don’t forget that I reviewed this at Dos Beerigos as well on their scale and it can be read here.

Overall Grade – A

Posted March 11th, 2010 by Mike | Tags: Southern Tier Brewing | Category: Double IPA, Grade A |  Email This Post | Comments (3)

WARNING!! I’m just going to put this out there that this is going to be a rant.  I’ll probably get worked up and may use some language that will offend some people so for this purpose I am going to also put it behind a cut so you can read on if you so wish.

As many of you know I am originally from Pennsylvania.  If you want to get specific I’m from Bensalem in Bucks Country just outside of northest Philly.  I lived there for about 15 years of my life before coming to Florida.  Sure it’s not long enough to be able to have grown up and drink there a lot.  But almost all my family is still there and I take any opportunity I can to go up and visit.  And every visit usually involves being able to indulge in beers that I normally can not get down in Florida. More »

Posted March 10th, 2010 by Mike | Category: Beer News, Rant |  Email This Post | Comments (8)

Name – Pliny the Elder
Country – United States
Type – American Double IPA

Appearance – Poured an ever so slight hazy yellow color with a decent white head.  It left a good amount of lacing on the glass.

Smell – Big grapefruit and other citrus hops in the nose.

Taste – More grapefruit hops with some pine flavor present as well.  It has a decent malt backing to it.

This one tends to be one of the most sought after beers by beer geeks.  I’ve oddly had the pleasure of trying it on three separate occasions in the past couple weeks.  While it is good I do believe it is over hyped.  I always enjoy the big IPAs with lots of grapefruit hops and this one definitely delivered that.  I don’t know I guess I just prefer Maharaja as my favorite DIPA so far.

Don’t forget that I reviewed this at Dos Beerigos as well on their scale and it can be read here.

Overall Grade – B+

Posted March 10th, 2010 by Mike | Tags: Russian River | Category: Double IPA, Grade B |  Email This Post | Comments (8)

Name – Gumballhead
Country – United States
Type – American Pale Wheat Ale

Appearance – Pours a very hazy straw yellow color.  You see plenty of yeast floating around in it.  The head is pretty much non-existent.

Smell – Big, bold citrus hops is pretty much all I get.

Taste – Yeasty and malty with a bit of the hops coming back at the very end.

At first smell this comes across as an IPA but the bottle says it’s a Wheat Ale.  The bottle also says “It’s Not Normal” and I think that’s a fair assumption as well.  This is not your typical wheat beer but it’s not bad at all.  This is the first Three Floyds brew I’ve been able to review and what a way to be really introduced to them.

Don’t forget that I reviewed this at Dos Beerigos as well on their scale and it can be read here.

Overall Grade – C+

Posted March 9th, 2010 by Mike | Tags: Three Floyds Brewing | Category: American Pale Wheat Ale, Grade C |  Email This Post | Comments (3)

Monday March 8th
Social Beer Night at the Coffee District in Delray Beach, FL.  Every Monday gather and meet other beer lovers to just hang out and drink some beers.  If you have a bottle of something you want to share with the group then bring that along.  A lot of weeks their is homebrewing done right out front.  Some come have some fun.

Thursday March 11th (Multiple Events)
Souther Tier Tasting at BX Beer Depot in Lake Worth, FL.  Stop by and join Kenny from Fresh Beer as they sample some brews from the newest addition to South Florida.

Lagers and Ales beyond Pilsners and Pales: Big, Bold and New Craft Beer at the Total Wines in Palm Beach Gardens, Boynton Beach, Pembroke Pines, & North Miami.  This is a tasting not to miss.  The lineup is extremely impressive and for $15 you are getting 12 brews and almost all of them are very good.

Samuel Adams Dinner at the Lodge in Boca Raton, FL.  Enjoy a food pairing with 4 Sam Adams beers on draft and discussion with Chris from Boston Beer.  Also after the dinner you will get one free pint of your choice of Sam Adams brews and get to keep the glass.

Friday March 12th
Cigar City’s Hunahpu’s Release at Cigar City in Tampa, FL.  While not South Florida, anything special that Cigar City does gets all of Florida’s attention.  The release of their latest inventive stout takes place Friday night.  If you plan on going make sure to get there early in the day, I mean morning, to get your tickets.  For more information please read my post on the rules that Cigar City made for the day.

Posted March 8th, 2010 by Mike | Tags: Boston Beer, Cigar City Brewing, Southern Tier Brewing | Category: Beer Events |  Email This Post | Comments (7)

Yesterday I spent the better part of the evening with The Ferm over at Dos Beer-igos tasting some brews as I will be the guest reviewer this week on the site.  It was a great time and you definitely have to check out the site this week as each weekday will be a new review.  Also if you aren’t following Dos Beer-igos already then you really have to.  Check out the site.  Friend them on Facebook.  Follow them on Twitter.  You will make them one of your daily sites you check out.  It’s definitely one of mine.

Posted March 7th, 2010 by Mike | Category: Announcement |  Email This Post | Comments (2)

Name – North Coast Old #38 Stout
Country – United States
Type – Irish Dry Stout

Appearance – Poured a jet black color with a good sized light brown head but that was gone very quickly.

Smell – Chocolate hits the nose first followed by your typical roasted malts and coffee.

Taste – Dry, roasted malt flavor with a presence of some bitter sweet chocolate and coffee.

This reminded me of a more chocolaty version of Guinness with the way it tasted.  Sure it isn’t nitro tapped and have that big white head but it’s the same style.  I enjoyed this for a dry stout which isn’t one of my more favorite styles.  If you like Guinness then give this a try and you just very well may have found something else you like.

Overall Grade – B-

Posted March 5th, 2010 by Mike | Tags: North Coast Brewing | Category: Grade B, Irish Dry Stout, Stout |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

Name – Heavy Seas Holy Sheet
Country – United States
Type – Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Appearance – Pours a very deep red that is almost brown in some areas.  Thin tan like head that disappears very quickly.

Smell – Sweet dark fruit, candi sugar and malts in the nose.

Taste – More sweet malts with dark fruit and candi sugar.  A caramel flavor can be picked up as well as an ever so slight hoppiness to it.  A very small amount of booziness as it warms up.

I got a chance to try some of this thanks to Chris at Fresh Beer when I was working the Best Damn Brew Review last Friday.  I liked it so I decided to pick up a bottle.  It isn’t as boozy tasting as most Belgians which made it easier to drink and it paired really well with the pork chops I made also.

Overall Grade – B+

Posted March 4th, 2010 by Mike | Tags: Clipper City Brewery | Category: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Grade B |  Email This Post | Comments (5)

Name – Eel River I.P.A.
Country – United States
Type – American IPA

Appearance – Poured a clear amber color that was close to orange.  It had a finger wide white head that left some lacing on the glass.

Smell – Hops as you would expect.  They are in the citrusy and piney variety.

Taste – Same sort of hops taste as in the nose with a bit of a malt backing to it.

We don’t get a lot of Eel River’s line down here.  I had the Porter some months back and really enjoyed it.  I’ve also been told their imperial stout is quite good but we do not get that here.  The I.P.A. is well balance IPA that has nothing crazy going on.  Just a straight forward and honest IPA.  Bold hops?  Check.  Malt backing?  Check.  Tastes good?  Check.  It’s great to see breweries that stick to the basics and do a good job at it.

Overall Grade – B

Posted March 3rd, 2010 by Mike | Tags: Eel River Brewing | Category: Grade B, IPA |  Email This Post | Leave a comment