Mike Loves Beer

Name – Starr Hill Pale Ale
Country – United States
Type – American Pale Ale

Appearance – Poured a some what cloudy orange color.  It cleared up a bit after the pour settled.  Nice size white head that left some lacing on the glass.

Smell – Citrus and floral hops jump out at you.  Not getting much else

Taste – You get the citrus hops that include a nice grapefruit taste to it.  Some sweet malts in there and bit of caramel.

A pretty solid pale ale here from Starr Hill.  As most know from reading this, I love grapefruit flavored and scented hop profiles so this was right up my alley.  Nothing out of this word and nothing done wrong.

Overall Grade – B

Posted February 8th, 2010 by Mike | Tags: Starr Hill Brewery | Category: Grade B, Pale Ale |  Email This Post | Comments (1)

Name – Piraat Ale
Country – Belgium
Type – Belgian IPA

Appearance – Pours a clear amber color with a very big white head that leaves a lot of lacing on the glass.

Smell – Sweet malts and cherries are what I pick up the most.  It is a big boozey.

Taste – More malts and cherries.  A little bit of a yeast taste but not a lot in the way of hops going on.  Alcohol has bite and it gets even bigger the more it warms up.

I’ve seen it time and time again at stores and it was time to try Piraat.  Classified as a Belgian IPA I think it’s more like tripel if you ask me but a little darker.  I really get no hop profile from it but the malts are very nice.  And wow does the alcohol hit you once it warms up.  It was a little to strong for my liking and I like big bold beers.  This one just doesn’t seem to mask it all that well, if they even wanted to.  So drink this with care in mind.

Overall Grade – C

Posted February 5th, 2010 by Mike | Tags: Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V. | Category: Belgian IPA, Grade C |  Email This Post | Comments (11)

For quite awhile The Funky Buddha Lounge in Boca Raton, FL has been considered to be one of the best beer bars in South Florida.  The selection was impeccable and would very regularly get a keg of something that you don’t really expect to see on draft.  They are also known for being a respectable hookah, kava and tea bar as well with open mic nights and other local and national performers taking their stage.  The only problem with Funky?  The size.  Having 15 – 20 people in there literally felt crowded beyond belief.  Well fear not anymore as the Funky Buddha has expanded in big ways.

First they have moved.  Fear not to those that are use to their location because they are actually in the same exact plaza just on the north end of it now.  Secondly it is said to be quite a deal bigger.  And the biggest change of them all, they are now a brew pub.  Along with having one of the best craft brew selections Funky Buddha Lounge is now Funky Buddha Lounge and Brewery.  They will include a number of their own brews on tap.  I look forward to sampling some of their stuff.

They had a soft opening last night and Ferm and Cerveza Chica from Dos Bee-igos were there and said the place was amazing in comparison to the old location.  But the Grand Re-Opening is this weekend starting tonight.  Also there are rumors going around of some major celebrities being on hand Saturday night.  Gene Simmons was on the local Paul and Young Ron radio show yesterday and said that himself along with Frank Caliendo, Christopher Walken (aka the Greatest Man Ever) and Tracy Morgan would be on hand for a Haitian Relief Benefit.  Now Funky Buddha’s website says that comedian Craig Glass will performing Saturday so who really knows on that.  So there is the potential that Saturday night will be an absolute mad house at Funky.  If this isn’t the truth don’t shoot the messenger, this is just what Simmons said on the radio.

But regardless of all that hoopla, if you are in South Florida and love good beer you have to go by the Funky Buddha’s new digs sometime soon.  I’m not one for large crowds but I find myself really wanting to go tonight and try some of their own brews.  If I don’t make it tonight I will definitely be going soon.

Posted February 5th, 2010 by Mike | Tags: The Funky Buddha Lounge and Brewery | Category: Beer News |  Email This Post | Comments (2)

Name – Magic Hat #9
Country – United States
Type – Fruit Beer

Appearance – Poured a clear orangish color with a big frothy white head.  It did leave a good amount of lacing.

Smell – Apricots and peaches are what I mostly get.  There is some malty smells to it as well.

Taste – The sweet tastes of apricots and peaches are in the taste as well.  A bready malt taste and ever so slight hopiness in there as well.

I’ve had #9 a number of times since arriving in the South Florida at bars and friends’ houses but never gotten around to giving it a review.  Magic Hat calls it a “Not Quite Pale Ale” and I can see that but the fruit tastes are so present that I think Fruit Beer is just right.  This is a really easy to drink beer and think it’s perfect as a gateway for people wanting to get into craft beer.  It doesn’t attack your senses with anything crazy but has more flavor than almost all macros available.

Overall Grade – B-

Posted February 4th, 2010 by Mike | Tags: Magic Hat | Category: Fruit/Vegetable Beer, Grade B |  Email This Post | Comments (2)

Name – Drifter Pale Ale
Country – United States
Type – American Pale Ale

Appearance – Pours a clear amber color with a one finger wide white head.  It leaves a pretty good amount of lacing on the glass.

Smell – Malty with some earthy hop smells in the back ground.

Taste – Nice mixture of caramel like malts and earthy and citrus hops.

I’ve had a couple people tell me before that this is a really solid pale ale.  So going off their recommendations I decided to pick it up.  There are right.  It is a very solid pale ale.  There is nothing crazy or over the top and nothing lacking.  Nice mixture of malts and hops.  Wow this is the third review in a row that I have given the same grade.

Overall Grade – B+

Posted February 3rd, 2010 by Mike | Tags: Widmer Brothers Brewing | Category: Grade B, Pale Ale |  Email This Post | Comments (1)

Name – Rugbrød
Country – United States
Type – Rye Beer

Appearance – Poured a darker brown color with a tan head.  Looks like cola.

Smell – The nose is pretty spicy.  I can pick up rye in this, as it says on the bottle.  A little bit of cocoa detected as well.

Taste – The taste is very dry.  Bready along with the rye.  There is a cocoa aspect as well and just an over all spiciness going on.

For my first proper review of a beer from The Bruery since arriving in South Florida I wen with this one first.  I loved the way the description sounded.  Now I have been disappointed in the past with beers that have rye in the name and then it is very faintly picked up if it is at all.  This one was not in that category.  While it does not hit you in the face with the rye it is very easily detected.  I very much enjoyed this one.  I am so glad this brewery is here now.

Overall Grade – B+

Posted February 2nd, 2010 by Mike | Tags: The Bruery | Category: Grade B, Rye Beer |  Email This Post | Comments (2)

Name – Holy Mackerel Mack in Black
Country – United States
Type – American Strong Ale

Appearance – Pours a pretty much jet black color with a big light brown head.  It also left some decent lacing on the glass.

Smell – Roasted malts and coffee pretty much are the main smell but you can pick up some dark fruit as well.

Taste – Really busy taste.  I get roasted malts, pomegranate, cocoa, dark chocolates and a little sweet caramel.  There is a bit of an alcohol burn to it but not a lot.

I had the other Holy Mackerel brew awhile ago and didn’t really like it much.  This one is quite a deal better.  The classification of American strong ale could be debated as I find a lot more Belgian influence in it.  The taste is very complex and was very enjoyable.  Made just about 2 hours north of me in Melbourne, this is a Florida brewed beer I can be proud of.

Overall Grade – B+

Posted February 1st, 2010 by Mike | Tags: Gordash Brewing Company | Category: American Strong Ale, Grade B |  Email This Post | Comments (1)

Name – Gulden Draak
Country – Belgium
Type – Belgian Strong Dark Ale

Appearance – Poured a some what clear copper color that was a nice mix of reds and browns.  The head was nearly non existent.

Smell – I didn’t get a lot on the nose but you can pick up some dark fruit and a bit of alcohol.

Taste – The taste has more going on.  Dark fruit, toasted malts, a little bit of chocolate.  There is an alcohol burn at the end and especially as it warms up.

I had Gulden Draak on tap a number of months ago at The Lodge in Boca Raton and remembered liking it so I picked up the Belgian Beer Pack from Brouwerij Van Steenberge and started off with this one.  I have to say it wasn’t as good as I remembered it being on tap.  I remember it being a bit sweeter before and not as boozey.  But the differences between bottle and tap are always going to be found in some beers.  This is one of them for me.

Overall Grade – B-

Posted February 1st, 2010 by Mike | Tags: Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V. | Category: Belgian Strong Dark Ale, Grade B |  Email This Post | Comments (1)

Magic Hat#9 has been in South Florida for almost 3 months now on draft and in 22 oz bomber bottles.  Now the brewery from Vermont is expanding their portfolio.  They will now be putting out #9 in 12 oz six packs and are bringing in the year round Lucky Cat, the winter seasonal Vinyl and rotating of their variety packs.  As of right now these are only available in Palm Beach County north of Boca Raton thanks to Brown Distribution.  Reports from Dos Beerigos is that they are on the shelves in Boynton Beach and Palm Beach Garden branches of Total Wine.  Those of you in Boca and south will get these as well probably in April from the wonderful Fresh Beer.  But you can always take a trip up to these parts and get them if you can’t wait.

Also be on the look out for a proper review of Magic Hat #9 probably next week.  I have had it a number of times already but never got around to giving it a review.  So keep your eyes peeled for that.

Posted January 29th, 2010 by Mike | Tags: Magic Hat | Category: Beer News |  Email This Post | Comments (2)