Mike Loves Beer

Name – Guava Grove
Country – United States
Type – Saison

Appearance – Poured a pretty cloudy copper color.  There was a very thin white head that was gone very quickly no matter how vigorous I poured it.

Smell – You get tropical like fruit.  I’ve never eaten guava before so I’m not sure if it is that.  But I get some banana and some peaches in the smell.  There is a funky yeast smell to it that really compliments everything.

Taste – Peaches and funky followed by a slight tart sourness.  It has some dry qualities to it as well.

This is Cigar City’s take on a Florida styled Saison and I must say they did a great job.  It has enough to remind you of the style but then the tropical fruit like tastes and smells give it a unique aspect.  I was pleasantly surprised with the bit of sourness in there as well.  A welcomed addition to this beer.  Make we want to try the Jolly Guava version of this really bad.  For those who don’t know what it is, the Jolly Guava is Guava Grove aged on a Jolly Pumpkin barrel.  Sounds yummy right?

Overall Grade – A-

Posted August 18th, 2010 by Mike | Tags: Cigar City Brewing | Category: Grade A, Saison |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

Name – Leinenkugel’s Summer Shandy
Country – United States
Type – Fruit Beer

Appearance – Pours ultra murky pale yellow with a big fluffy white head.

Smell – Well you definitely get lemon.  It actually smell a lot like the lemonade powder you might get at a store to make lemonade.  There is a hint of wheat as well in there.

Taste – Sweet lemonade flavor up front and a that’s really it.

I saw this on the shelves all summer and finally bit on it.  I figured I’d give this beer with lemonade in it a chance.  For what it is the beer isn’t bad.  It is exactly what it says and I can see this being ultra refreshing after working outside or being out in the sun all day.  I know a lot people will poo poo on it and I don’t think it is the best beer by any reach but I think it is straight forward in what it was suppose to be and there is nothing wrong with that.  If you haven’t had it yet I would say just give it a try as the summer is winding down.

Overall Grade – C+

Posted August 17th, 2010 by Mike | Tags: Leinenkugel | Category: Fruit/Vegetable Beer, Grade C |  Email This Post | Comments (1)

Every so often Vine & Barley in Port St. Lucie does a really cool keg party.  And anytime they do one it deserves mentioning on my blog.  Today is just one of those cases.  Today they will be release 6 special Dogfish Head kegs in a staggered order.  Here is the lineup of brews along with what time they go on.

5:45pm – Midas Touch & Festina Peche
6:30pm – Theoboma & Raison D’etra
7:15pm – Palo Santo & Sahtea

Also they with have 90 Minute IPA on tap all day at a special price of $3.95 all night.

So if you are up in the Treasure Coast or are thinking you might make a trip up there then definitely stop in and enjoy these wonderful treats.

Vine and Barley
1680 SW Lucie West Blvd
Port St. Lucie, Fl 34986
Tel: 772-446-7550
http://www.vineandbarley.com

Posted August 16th, 2010 by Mike | Tags: Dogfish Head | Category: Beer Events |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

Name – My Antonia
Country – United States
Type – American Imperial Pilsner

Appearance – Poured a pretty clear orangish color with a big fluffy white head.  The suds stayed around for a bit and left good lacing on the glass.

Smell – This doesn’t smell like a pilsner at all.  Very hoppy up front with floral and citrus notes.  You get some graininess in it as well with some malts.

Taste – You again are hit with floral hops right up front.  It then fades to some grainy malt characters.  As it warms up the alcohol really starts to stick out and you get this almost soapy taste as well as it gets warmer.

This is an exclusive beer that only Total Wine is carrying down here from Dogfish Head.  The bottle isn’t kidding when it says it’s continually hopped.  This thing is a lot like a pale ale or IPA even with it’s hop profile.  I really enjoyed it up until it started warming up.  At that point the alcohol just came right out and seemed to over power the rest of the flavors.  There was also a soap like taste I was getting the more it warmed up too that was not there when I first started drinking it.  My thoughts is keep it slightly colder than you may be use to with other beers.

Overall Grade – B-

Posted August 12th, 2010 by Mike | Tags: Dogfish Head | Category: Grade B, Imperial Pilsner |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

Name – Southern Tier Creme Brulee Stout
Country – United States
Type – American Imperial Stout

Appearance – Pours completely pitch black with a nice one finger wide tan head.

Smell – Straight up butterscotch!

Taste – The sweet, sweet butterscotch is the main focus here but you do pick up some dark and roasted malts and hints of chocolate.  But mainly this tastes like a butterscotch Dum Dum pop.

The next seasonal stout from Southern Tier is a true desert stout.  Normally I have no problems having a 22 oz bomber to myself on a night but the sweetness of this made me wish I had a friend to share it with.  While it is very good that sweetness gets to you after a bit.  One glass is more than enough for me in a night and I had two last night.  Highly recommend it as a desert beer.  Even more recommended that you drink it with friends.

Overall Grade – B

Posted August 11th, 2010 by Mike | Tags: Southern Tier Brewing | Category: Grade B, Imperial Stout, Stout |  Email This Post | Comments (6)

Name – Railbender Ale
Country – United States
Type – Scotch Ale

Appearance – Poured a very clear red color with a big bubbly white head.  The foam was gone pretty quick with really no lacing.

Smell – The aroma is pretty weak.  I am getting some malts here but not a whole lot else.

Taste – Sweet caramel malts with a little bit of a grain taste in there as well.  Some notes of cherry as well.

I was excited when I picked this one up in Fort Pierce but have to say I’m disappointed after trying it.  It falls flat for a traditional Scotch ale.  Everything seems only barely there in smell and taste.  I guess if you are wanting to try your first Scotch ale this may be a good one for starters because it is pretty much toned down by all accounts from some of the really good ones I have had in the style.  Sorry Erie, this one just wasn’t for me.  Here’s to hoping I can get a bottle of Drake’s Crude from Erie because that is great beer by them.

Overall Grade – C

Posted August 9th, 2010 by Mike | Tags: Erie Brewing Company | Category: Grade C, Scotch Ale |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

Name – Essence of Skank
Country – United States
Type – Cider

Appearance – Pours a purplish red color.  There was a small pink head but it was gone very quickly.

Smell – Cherries hit the nose first, probably blackcurrant as that is what is said was used but I’ve never had blackcurrant before.  Slight yeasty funk and you can smell the booze as well.

Taste – More cherry like taste that mixes with the funk from the nose and the alcohol.  It has a bit of a dry, crisp finish to it like a cider really should.

This monster of a cider is a home brew by my friends Vanessa and Brent.  I say it is a monster because it comes in around 7% ABV and this was after they cut it down from where it was at.  It definitely takes ciders to a new level.  It has the nice fruit flavor and the dryness that you expect but then a nice kick in the rear with the alcohol.  I know they didn’t intend for it to be so high but good job making something different guys.  Be sure to also check out Vanessa’s blog Potables + Edibles for awesome articles on food and drink (beer included).

Overall Grade – B

Posted August 5th, 2010 by Mike | Tags: Home Brewing, Shivitzing Matilda Brewing | Category: Cider, Grade B |  Email This Post | Comments (6)

Name – Brabant
Country – United States
Type – American Wild Ale

Appearance – Poured a very deep brown almost black color with a nice sized tan head.  I honestly wasn’t expecting this color for the beer.

Smell – Bringing the funk with a yeasty and vinegary nose.

Taste – And the taste is pretty funky as you would expect the brett is forward along with the taste of vinegar, wood and zinfandel.  You get a good amount of dark fruit tastes as well to it with cherry and grapes coming out a lot.

The label on the bottle says this was bottled in February 2009 so it’s been in the bottle for over a year already.  I was thrown off by the color.  I don’t exactly know why but I was expecting something lighter in color.  You definitely get the taste of the zinfandel barrels it is aged in and that is a unique taste that I haven’t seen a lot in beer.  It was slightly vinegary but it didn’t go over board and blended well enough with the other flavors.  I enjoyed this and hope to get to try other future Avery barrel series brews.

Overall Grade – B+

Posted August 4th, 2010 by Mike | Tags: Avery Brewing | Category: American Wild Ale, Grade B |  Email This Post | Comments (1)

Name – Yuengling Porter
Country – United States
Type – American Porter

Appearance – Pours a very dark brown color with a nice sized light brown head that does stick around a bit a leave some lacing on the glass.

Smell – Roasted and chocolate malts up front.  There is a slight bit of coffee smell in the back as well.

Taste – Again we find the roast and chocolate malts but there is a nice sweetness to it as well.  A little bit of nuttiness in there as followed by some coffee and this is a really nice taste.

We I visited the original Yuengling brewery a few years back I sampled this in the sample room and loved it.  Unfortunately it was no where to be found in South Florida.  We could only get the Lager, Light Lager and Black & Tan in stores here despite their major brewery in Tampa.  We on our trip up to Tampa I was thrilled to see six packs of Porter and jumped on it.  Now that I have brought it back I am now seeing Porter and Lord Chesterfield Ale hitting shelves down here as well.  While it is still worth it that I picked this up in Tampa I am so happy to see we are finally getting other stuff from America’s Oldest Brewery.  This is my favorite of their brews.

Overall Grade – A

Posted August 2nd, 2010 by Mike | Tags: Yuengling Brewery | Category: American Porter, Grade A, Porter |  Email This Post | Comments (4)