Mike Loves Beer

Name - Skock Top Belgian White
Country - United States
Type - Wheat Ale

Appearance - A very hazy gold with a orange tint. Small amount of head, not to my liking but normal in many wheat beers.

Smell - Not very strong, has a hint of a spicy orange if that makes sense. Not spicy like hot, but a mix of aromatic spices.

Taste - Taste is just as to be expected by the smell, a very delicous mix of citrus and spice.

Overall Grade - A

Posted August 13th, 2008 by Chris | Tags: belgain wheat, shock top, wheat beer | Category: Wheat, White Ale |  Email This Post | Comments (2)

Name - Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA
Country - United States
Type - American Imperial IPA

Appearance - A very hazy, copper color with a very small off white head.

Smell - The smell was very sweet and hoppy with smell of fruit and molasses. Plus you can tell by the smell that this is a strong beer. You get that kind of alcohol smell along with it.

Taste - Very thick and full taste. It tastes pretty much with the smell. It was very hoppy with a bit of a fruitiness to it.

I’ve noticed this beer numerous times when going to the store and never understood why it was $9 a bottle until now. The process to make the beer is impressive and add that with a 20% ABV you are getting your money’s worth. This is definitely a slow drinking beer that you are suppose enjoy the taste of. I do not see being able to drink more than maybe two in a sitting as possibility. While I enjoyed it a lot it is just so rich and filling. Plus with that high ABV you will start feeling it after just one bottle. I had no idea of the level when drinking it and definitely started feeling it afterwards. I have to say that is by far the best IPA I have had to date.

Overall Grade - A

Posted August 13th, 2008 by Mike | Tags: 120 minute ipa, dogfish head, IPA | Category: IPA |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

So I have put up a new layout to MikeLovesBeer.com as you may see.  I figured it was time for an overhaul and for a more professional layout.  I loved the little beer layout and it still lives on in the header but change is good.  I hope you enjoy it and please let me know if there are any problems that you encounter.

Posted August 13th, 2008 by Mike | Category: Announcement |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

LONGMONT, CO (AUG 2008) - Well, the twins are all grown up. Two years ago, Head Brewer Ro Guenzel was happy to announce the birth of Twin Sisters, affectionately named Crystal and Liberty, who came into the world on May 19, 2006. Here it is, two and a half years later, and the girls are already showing signs of their strong personalities. “Crystal hated her name, and now wants to be called Sorachi Ace, and Liberty wants to be called Willamette…,” says Papa Ro, “and it’s driving me down right hoppy!”

Named after the Twin Sisters peaks in nearby Rocky Mountain National Park, Twin Sisters Double IPA is a literal hop farm, grabbing your nose up front with its sweet piney and citrusy aromas. “Twin Sisters is definitely a kicker - hops heads will be asking for their hands in marriage before we know it,” says proud papa Ro. An assertive attack of sharp, flinty hop flavors takes you from dreaming about wildflower honey to the tongue awakening earthy, bitter hop resins that swirl in to finish. Balanced with a robust, malty backbone, Twin Sisters is incredibly drinkable and approachable for a double IPA - a signature of Left Hand’s brewing philosophy. “You might not even know the alcohol (9.7% ABV) is there - dare we say the evil twin?” ponders Papa Ro.

And, speaking of potential marriages, Ro and the brewery have just launched this season’s Oktoberfest Märzen Lager - not a “festivus-for-the-rest-of-us” ale, but a true, 8-week lager based on German brewing traditions. “I’m just getting myself ready for that day when one of the Twins will be marrying some Prince Ludwig, and this will be the beer we will serve at that celebration”, says Head Brewer Ro.

Oktoberfest pours an alluringly clear copper color, with a short white head and good lacing. The malt bouquet is accented by toasty, bready aromas. As you lift your stein in high anticipation, your palate is well rewarded for its patience. The sweetness of the German malts dominate upfront, while the noble pedigree hops allow for a proper dry finish, true to style. Medium-bodied, with the subtle elegance of a well-balanced beer. Clean and crisp, this Märzen Lager can easily become your session beer this Fall. Beer Advocate Magazine said of it in their October 2007 issue, “…we sized this one up and it came through like a champ. A complex but drinkable malt bomb on the tastebuds.”

And if you’re looking to really celebrate Oktoberfest with your own twins, you have two choices - either hop on a plane to Munich to celebrate the 175th running of the original Oktoberfest (www.oktoberfest.de) from September 20th to October 5th, or you can celebrate right here in Longmont with the annual Longmont Symphony’s 2008 Oktoberfest on September 5th & 6th (www.longmontsymphony.org).

About Twin Sisters Double IPA
The beer is 9.7% alcohol by volume, full-bodied, brass in color, and dances in your mouth with 77 IBU’s. And some big news here: Twin Sisters is the first of the Big Mo Series to now be available in kegs and 22 oz. bottles with foil labels, instead of the 750ml, silk-screened Belgian beer bottles. The reason: we listened to our fans who loved the beer, but didn’t like the additional price that the 750ml package was requiring. So, we’ve heard you - now go out and buy some Twin Sisters and show the love!

Twin Sisters will be available throughout Colorado, Alaska, Arizona, Florida (Orlando, Ft Lauderdale/Miami, Fort Myers/Tampa), Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York (Upstate, Long Island), North Carolina, Northern Idaho, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Sweden, Tennessee (Nashville), Texas, Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

About Oktoberfest Märzen Lager
The beer is 6.0% alcohol by volume, medium-bodied, copper in color, and celebrates German-style with 25 IBU’s. It’s available in 6 packs and kegs.

Oktoberfest will be available throughout Colorado, Alabama, Alaska, Arizona, Florida (Orlando, Ft Lauderdale/Miami, Panhandle), Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, New Jersey, New York (Upstate, Long Island), North Carolina, Northern Idaho, Ohio, Oklahoma, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Sweden, Tennessee (Nashville),Texas (kegs only), Virginia, Washington and Wisconsin.

###

Jason
Founder & Chief Executive Advocate
BeerAdvocate

STORY LINK

Posted August 12th, 2008 by Mike | Tags: left hand brewing company | Category: Beer News |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

Just going to take this time to wish a Happy Birthday to my sometimes fellow beer reviewer here, Chris.

Posted August 5th, 2008 by Mike | Category: Announcement |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

Name - Bell’s Oberon Ale
Country - United States
Type - American Pale Wheat Ale

Appearance - A light orange to golden color that is very murky.  The beer itself has lots of yeast in it that you can see in the bottle.  Recommended to pour 3/4 of the bottle into the glass then swirl the rest to gather up and break down the yeast sediment on the bottle.  This also helps build up a nice white frothy head.

Smell - Spicy smell of citrus.

Taste - Slight citrus taste of orange but not overpowering.  A little more spice to it than typical wheat ales which gave it a bit of a bite.

I was actually given this beer by a co worker that felt I would like it based on my tendencies for wheats and whites lately.  He showed me how it had the yeast floating around in the beer and it enticed me.  Took me a few days to get around to actually drinking it but I feel it was worth it.  I had two bottles and I think I didn’t pour the first one well enough because it was very bitter at first but got good near the end.  Then the second bottle was lovely.  I liked the smell and the taste.  Fruitier than some of my favorite wheats but this was satisfying to say the least.

Overall Grade - B

Posted August 4th, 2008 by Mike | Tags: bell's brewery, oberon ale, wheat beer | Category: Wheat |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) - The pending purchase of St. Louis-based Anheuser-Busch would make a Kansas City beer maker Missouri’s largest brewer.

Established in 1989, homegrown Boulevard Brewing Co. has quietly climbed the ranks of the nations largest brewers. The Brewers Association says Boulevard is the eighth-largest domestic craft brewer in the United States. Boulevard beers are now available in 13 states.

Once Belgium-based brewer InBev completes its $52 billion purchase of Anheuser-Busch, Boulevard would take over the No. 1 slot in Missouri brewers.

Anheuser-Busch dwarfs Boulevard in production, brewing 160 million barrels of beer annually compared with the 142,000 barrels Boulevard expects to produce this year. Boulevard production has tripled since 2000.

STORY LINK

Posted August 4th, 2008 by Mike | Tags: anheuser busch, boulevard brewing, bud, budweiser, inbev | Category: Beer News |  Email This Post | Leave a comment

Specialty beer maker Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co. said Friday that it will introduce a new seasonal beer in November — Leinenkugel’s Fireside Nut Brown.

The new amber-toned brew will feature roasted malt character. English two-row malts provide the lager with a maple aroma and pronounced chocolate, caramel and hazelnut top notes, the Chippewa Falls craft brewer said.

Fireside Nut Brown will be available during November and December in six, 12- and 24-pack bottles and on draft.

The beer will replace the seasonal Leinenkugel’s Apple Spice, which was launched in the fall of 2005, according to Brew Blog, a Web site operated by Leinenkugel’s owner MillerCoors LLC.

STORY LINK

Posted August 3rd, 2008 by Mike | Tags: Leinenkugel | Category: Beer News |  Email This Post | Comments (2)

Name - Fuller’s London Pride
Country - England
Type - English Pale Ale

Appearance - Poured a golden yellow color with really no head at all.  My second bottle poured with a little more of a head but was disappointed in that.  Maybe it was the glass, I don’t know.

Smell - Sweet hoppy smell.  For some reason I could almost smell apples I thought.

Taste - Toasted malt flavor that was kind of like bread.  It went down more bitter than most pale ales I’ve had.

I’ve been on this pale ale kick lately as they seem to be really good at quenching one’s thirst on a hot day but this one left a lot to be desired with.  I can honestly say I was disappointed.  I expected something better from the fine folks at Fuller Smith and Turner based on some of their other brews.  While not horrible it was definitely not one of the best pale ales I’ve had.

Overall Grade - C-

Posted July 30th, 2008 by Mike | Tags: fuller smith and turner, fuller's, Pale Ale | Category: Pale Ale |  Email This Post | Leave a comment