Three's Company

OMG have I had some great beer lately!

It's been a while since my last post, and even though each one of these beers should have their own individual post, I'm going to lump them all together, because I love them all three almost equally, and they are all three IPA's.

I'll start with the Sorta IPA from Tailgate Brewery. Tailgate is a Nashville brewery and I've reviewed one of their beers before (Blacktop Blonde). I was at a local restaurant and saw that they had Sorta on tap. I asked the bartender about it, and she offered me a sample. I took one sip and I knew before I'd finished the tiny glass she'd given me that I liked it - a lot. I ordered a tall 20-ouncer. Delicious. The perfect beer to have with wings, burgers, fried pickles, just about anything. It's a low-alcohol IPA, only 5%. All the better. I can have more! It's a mellow tasting IPA that's not bitter, has a bit of a citrus flavor and doesn't hit you upside of the head with hoppiness. Go get some now. Yes, it comes in a can, but don't let that deter you. I got over the "I must have my beer in bottles or from the tap syndrome" quite a while ago. 

The second is Bell's Brewery's Two Hearted Ale. Recommended by my pal, Sir Richard Hunter, who got me the Newport Storm Brews that I have raved about previously. I thought if he liked it, it must be good. Oh yeah. Was he ever right. I think they should re-name it "Magic Ale", because they must be using some kind of magic to brew this fine ale. It's got it all going on in just the right measure. The perfect balance of hops, malt, and pixie dust. I don't know if it's the water up there in Michigan where it's brewed, or what. But whatever it is, it works and I will be buying many more Two Hearted Ales.

The third is Lagunitas Maximus. This is another one of those happy accidents that occur sometimes. My lovely wife (who is not a beer drinker) mentioned she was going to stop by my favorite beer store (to pick up a bottle of wine) and asked if I wanted her to pick up some beer (by the way, the answer to that question is always "yes"– even if I have beer in the fridge). I had tried a Lagunitas Chzec Style Pils that I really liked, so I asked her to pick up a six pack of that. I spelled "Lagunitas" for her, and "Pils". I told her it has "PILS" huge in all caps on the carton. Then I made the mistake. I told her it has a little dog's face on the label and the carton. Well, when she went in the store, she was looking for the beer with the little dog's face. Of course, Lagunitas puts the little dog's face on all of their brews (of which there are many), so... she grabs the first one she sees with the dog's face and brings it home.  It was Maximus Ale. I read the label and it sounded like something I wouldn't like. She offered to take it back the next time she was out, but I thought I'll give it a chance. If nothing else I could take with me to the next holiday get-together I attended and leave it in their fridge. 

I finally cracked one open a few days later and "ding ding ding ding ding" we have a winner! I was expecting an overpowering, smelly, bitter ale and it was none of those. There are hints of pine and hops, and they have kept it all reigned in and made one fine brew. It's got a rather high alcohol content (8.75%), so it should be enjoyed in moderation, but it's one tasty brew.

There's no way I'm going to be able to pick a favorite of the three. It's like choosing your favorite child or your favorite Beatles song. It's just not possible. I would say definitely try all three. If you're not an IPA fan, or you're on the fence about IPA, maybe go with Sorta IPA first. If you like that one, you'll LOVE the other two.

Would I buy this beer again? Big YES on all three

All three score BIG on...

Not Just Any (New)Port in a Storm

I can't seem to let go of summer. I never want it to end. Therefore, as a way to hang onto it a little longer, here's a review of a Summer Hefeweizen in mid-October when most beer drinkers are well into the fall beers.

I'll start off right away by saying this is a fine Summer Hefeweizen from Newport Storm. Brewed by Coastal Extreme Brewing Company in Newport, Rhode Island. When I say "fine" I don't mean "fine" like your teenage daughter says "fine" when you tell her to turn off her cell phone and do her homework. I mean "fine" like it's used when you describe certain automobiles, old-world craftsmanship or Corinthian leather.

I have a "special place in my heart" for Hefeweizen. It was the first type of craft beer I'd ever tried. It's because of Hefeweizen that I became aware of all the great craft brews out there. It was my "gateway beer".
I've sampled several "Hefe's" since then, and I have to say this one is way up there on the Chart of Deliciousness. I poured it into the glass. A nice chunk of sediment drifted down to the bottom.  I recommend you always pour Hefe's into a glass as opposed to drinking it out of the bottle if you can. That way you're sure your getting all the sediment that adds to the special taste. I immediately noticed the darkish yellow color. Not a "bright" yellow/orange like some Hefe's. The fluffy, white head dissipated quickly. It was half gone by the time I got my camera on and trained into position. But no matter. I could smell the citrus aroma from a foot away. It has a very rich, smooth taste. And no, I didn't drink it with an orange slice or lemon slice. I'm OK with people that do that, but it's not for me. Why sprinkle a spoonful of sugar onto a slice of cake? The cake is better without it!

This is one delightfully tasty Hefeweizen. I gotta hand it to the guys up there in that little bitty state. They know how to make a tasty Hefe.

I have to acknowledge Richard Hunter (aka "Sir Richard) for the unbelievable effort he underwent to get this beer to me. It's only available in summer in certain parts of the northeast. He saved it and packed it with his other luggage when migrating back south from his summer vacation home in Rhode Island. I live in middle Tennessee and he lives in south Alabama on the Gulf Coast. We have a mutual friend in south Alabama who I visited last month. Sir Richard met us in Mobile, AL to make the hand-off. Not only did the package contain this particular beer, but three others from Newport Storm, all of which I plan to review (an Amber Ale, a Pilsener and an IPA). Super duper huge thank you to Sir Richard!

Would I buy this beer again? If only I could

Hoppy To See You Rating: 4.5 | 5
Highest possible rating: 5

Summer Lovin'

Photo: Victory Brewing Company

Summer is over. There's no denying it. The temperature and leaves are dropping and the fall beers are falling onto the shelves. But I grabbed one more summer ale to try before they (and summer) went away– Summer Love Ale from Victory Brewers in Pennsylvania.

For some reason I had high expectations for this beer. Maybe it was the design of the label, maybe the name, I don't know what it was exactly that drew me to this beer in the store, and why I thought it would be good. I wouldn't call it a bad beer by any stretch of the imagination, but I wouldn't call it a great beer by any stretch of the imagination, either. It stays right there in the middle of the road.

When I poured it from the bottle, I found it to have a bright yellow/gold color, and somewhat bubbly head. It has a slight hint of lemon which didn't really do much for me. It does go down easy and is somewhat refreshing. I found it to be just a little bitter, but not distractingly so.

Maybe it was because I had such high expectations for it that I was a little disappointed. I certainly didn't have any trouble drinking any of the six I bought! But I found myself reaching for one of the other beers in the fridge, and often passing on the Summer Love. For the longest time there was one still left after going through two or three other brands of beers that were sharing the fridge. 

Victory brews dozens of other beers and I'm sure I'll be trying many of them. But this one will probably not find it's way into the fridge again. There are just too many great and unknown beers out there to try.

Would I buy this beer again? Not Likely

Hoppy To See You Rating: 2.5 | 5
Highest possible rating: 5

Vienna Lager from Devil's Backbone

Photo: Devil's Backbone Brewing Company

Once again, I was in my favorite local beer store to choose a couple of new beers I hadn't tried. Fortunately, it's not difficult to find a beer I haven't tried. Also fortunately, there are so many to choose from.

I had finally made my choice of one beer, and decided I was going to pick up a six-pack of one of my favorites - Tailgate's Blacktop Blonde. I was searching the shelves when one of the employees could tell I needed help finding something. I asked him where the Blacktop Blonde was and he took me to an aisle I thought I had already searched thoroughly. Sure enough, there was a hole where the Blacktop Blonde was supposed to be. I guess I'm not the only one that likes it. 

Sitting next to the hole was Vienna Lager from Devil's Backbone Brewing Company in Virginia. The beer store guy said they had just gotten it in and it was a "solid" lager. I wasn't sure how much of a compliment that was, but it was time to go, so Vienna Lager it was. 

When I poured it, I wasn't expecting such a beautiful amber/chestnut color. It had a nice head and looked delicious. Anticipation built as I raised to to my lips. I took a rather large sip. I took another rather large sip. I guess I was expecting a little more richness form such a "pretty" beer. I don't want to use the word "light" but I don't know what other word to use. When I say it was light, I don't mean that as a criticism, it was just that I wasn't expecting it. Just like the guy at the beer store said. It was a "solid" lager. Very little bitterness, goes down easy, good color, nice head, and tastes good. The very definition of "solid". If you associate lager with those mainstream beers, you should give Vienna Lager a try. See what a good (solid) lager should taste like.

Would I buy this beer again? Mmm... probably

Hoppy To See You Rating: 3.25 | 5
Highest possible rating: 5

Blue Paddle

Photo: New Belgium Brewery

Yet another beer from New Belgium. A pilsener. Yes. A pilsener. 

OK, I'll admit I bought this beer by accident. I was in my favorite beer store, overwhelmed with all the choices as usual. It was the Friday before a holiday weekend and the place was very busy. Normally when I go, there's hardly anyone there (an advantage of being self-employed and able to run errands in the daytime during the week). But for some reason (OK, the lovely wife was out of wine and couldn't face the holiday weekend without the grapes) I found myself dodging and weaving around folks in the rather narrow aisles. I saw the Blue Paddle and it had a nice, friendly look about the package. It sparked memories of playing ping-pong when I was a young lad... even though I always seemed to lose. I found out later that it got its name from the instrument that was used to lovingly remind a New Belgium employee to behave when he was a child. 

I kept looking, dodging, weaving. 

The lovely comes up behind me, wine in hand, ready to go. I happened to be standing by the Blue Paddle again, so I grabbed it and we headed to check out.

By dinner time I was anxious to try the new beer I had gotten. It was sufficiently chilled and dinner was almost ready. I got one out, got out my favorite glass and was looking at the label. What? It was a pilsener! New Belgium makes a pilsener? Why, yes. Yes they do.

I thought about it and came to the conclusion that if New Belgium made a pilsener, surely it wouldn't taste like "those" pilseners... would it?

I poured it into my glass. Yes, it was that light yellow color that we're all familiar with. I didn't get much of a head. Kinda wimpy and almost disappeared before I could get a photo of it. I sort of blamed myself for that. I could have poured it better. So I let that go.

I took a robust sip, fearing the worst. 

Hey! Not bad! Not bad at all! It's much richer than what I'd braced myself for. It has a slight, very slight bitterness but a twinge of sweetness to take the edge off of the bitterness. I don't mean to sound like it's bitter, because it's not. No more bitter than you'd expect from a good pilsener, I suppose. Alcohol content is below 5%, so you're good for more than one if you so desire. Which, by the way, I do. 

I must say that if you associate pilsner with "those" beers, you should be pleasantly surprised by Blue Paddle. This one is a great choice if you're considering trying something other than "those" beers but have been hesitant to take the leap. It could be a good "gateway beer" to all the wonderful choices that are out there... Blue Paddle among them.

Would I buy this beer again? Signs Point to Yes

Hoppy To See You Rating: 3.5 | 5
Highest possible rating: 5

Foster's Premium Ale is Dinky-di

I suppose just about anybody that has enjoyed beer for a portion of their adult life has, at one time or another, run across Foster's beer in the giant can. I've tried it out of curiosity (what's the deal with the big can? Australian beer – wonder what that's like?, etc). After trying it, I have to say I wasn't impressed. Basically just your typical lager, just in a giant can.

Anyway, I met this fellow from New Zealand. His name was Chris, but everybody called him Kiwi. He happened to be selling me a car at the time, and the subject of beer came up. I think the conversation was something like this:

Me - "How much more will the payments be if the interest rate is 'X'?"

Chris/Kiwi - "About $40 a month."

Me - "Well, I guess I could do with less groceries every month for the next four years."

My Wife - "You could buy less beer."

Me and Kiwi in unison - "Ohhhh noooo! You can do without groceries, but you can't do without beer!"

Well, we started talking about beer. My wife rolled her eyes and sat back in her chair. She knew that working out the details on this car deal were going to be on hold for a while. Long story short, he asked me if I was familiar with Foster's. Of course, I was. I had to be honest with him and admit I wasn't impressed. He told me not to drink the stuff in the blue can, that I wanted the Foster's Premium Ale in the green and gold can. I had to say I'd never noticed the Foster's in the green can. I told him I would stop and get some on the way home in my new car if we could ever get back to ironing out the deal.

True to my word, I stopped and got two cans of Foster's Premium on my way home in my new (used) car. When I got home, I poured it into a glass, and I immediately knew, just from looking, it wasn't the Foster's I was familiar with. It had a nice amber color, and a rich, thick head. I took a rather large sip, followed by another rather large sip, and one more rather large sip (I was thirsty - buying a car is hard work).

It's a ripper of a tinnie! That's Australian for "It's a very good can of beer."

I enjoyed it very much. I drank the entire giant can. I recommend this as a great "pizza and/or burgers beer" (or a great "shrimp on the barbie" beer). It has a great malty taste that goes down easy. A rich taste that doesn't seem heavy. Another good, all-around beer.

Would I buy this beer again? Struth (Aussie for verification)

Hoppy To See You Rating: 3.75 | 5
Highest possible rating: 5

Sawtooth Ale

As I navigate these delightful waters of beer discovery, I realize that there are so many good brews out there, that I have a difficult time drawing fine distinctions among them. They're certainly all different in their own ways. They're as individual as people. And, as with people, I find I like most of the brews I've tasted on this exploration. Certainly there are some bad apples, but most of them have some redeeming qualities.

That brings us to Sawtooth Ale. The flagship brew from Colorado's Left Hand Brewing. It is one fine brew. If you're new to this "Anything Other Than Mainstream Beer" movement. It would be a great one to start your journey of discovery with. It's an amber ale with a delightful balance of malt and hops. As you take a sip (by the way, I use the word "sip" because I find that it sounds better than "gulp" or "drink" or "chug", but I rarely "sip" on a beer) the first flavor you notice is the malt, as it exits your mouth and heads down the throat, the flavor of mild hops springs to life. After it's all gone, there's a bit of dryness that lets you know it's time for another "sip". 

Sawtooth is another one of those session ales. Low-ish in alcohol (5.3%) so you could have more than one at the picnic. Although not a seasonal brew, it's a great summer beer. Like one of my other favorite "every day" beers SweetWater Blue, it's a fine beer that's has complexity without being pretentious.

Would I buy this beer again? Affirmative

Hoppy To See You Rating: 4 | 5
Highest possible rating: 5

1554 Must've Been A Good Year

Photo: New Belgium Brewery, Fort Collins, CO

As I mentioned in the last post, I was not anxious to try anything from New Belgium after drinking their Fat Tire ale, but this is THE beer that broke down the barrier between me and New Belgium.

I was a cold winter night when I was introduced to 1554 Black Lager at a friend's house. I didn't expect to stay very long, so before I left home, I just grabbed whatever was left in the fridge (probably a few SweetWater 420's) to take with me. After arriving, I put the beer in my friend's fridge (after taking one for myself) and went in to join the party. A little while later, I went back to get another, and they had mysteriously disappeared. Well, not mysteriously. A couple of "beerless" folks had asked if they could have one, and of course I said yes.

A late arrival to the festivities had brought 1554 with him. I had never met this guy, but we struck up a conversation about beer. He (like me) was a fan of beer and we both made jokes about being "beer snobs". Anyway, I said I'd never tried 1554 and asked if I could try one. He insisted I try one, and have more than one if I wanted.

I didn't read the label before I took a sip. Very nice. An unexpected smoothness. A rich, malty taste without being too "heavy". Then (to my surprise) followed by a hint of chocolate. I've had some "chocolate beers" before, but didn't find them to my liking. This one keeps the chocolate taste at bay on the initial sip, lets you enjoy the good beer flavor, then the chocolate taste peeks it's head in the door and says a nice, quiet "hello" as it leaves your mouth. Yes. I became a fan of 1554, and the wall between me and New Belgium came crumbling down. I don't mean to suggest that 1554 is a "chocolate beer", but it does have chocolate as part of it's flavors.

When poured, it's very pretty to look at. A clear brown/black color with a thick, creamy, ivory colored head. This is a good after dinner brew, or to have with friends around the fire on a cold evening. The only problem I have with this beer is remembering it's name. I am terrible at remembering numbers, so I have a hard time remembering "1554". I always say "that black lager beer with the date as it's name". But even though I can't remember the name, I don't have any trouble finding it.

Would I buy this beer again? Have and will

Hoppy To See You Rating: 4.00 | 5
Highest possible rating: 5

Goin' Skinny Dippin'

Photo: New Belgium Brewery, Fort Collins, CO

One more of those summer beers. Very appropriate since I'm writing this on the 4th of July. This one is a lager from the folks at New Belgium Brewery. My first experience with a New Belgium brew was their Fat Tire ale. I was hesitant to sample any of New Belgium's offerings after tasting that beer. I found it to be unpleasant. But that's for a future review, maybe.

Skinny Dip is another low alcohol brew with a refreshing taste that's perfect for summertime get-togethers. At the outset, it has a somewhat fruity/sweet/peachy flavor that I find to be tasty and delightful. It finishes with a slightly bitter taste, but it's a "good" bitter. It's just right to get your palette primed for the next mouthful of beer goodness.

When poured, it has a rather bubbly head that doesn't last very long, but that's forgivable. It's got the pale yellow/orange color you would expect from a lager. They've managed to pack a lot of flavor and (dare I say it) complexity into a low alcohol seasonal brew.

A quick thought about these summer beers. For me, summer beer drinking is somewhat different than cold weather beer drinking. Usually (but certainly not always) in the summer, I drink a beer because I'm hot and thirsty. So when I take a drink of one of these summer brews, it's such a refreshing hit to the inside of my mouth that (almost) any beer would be good at that first taste. So my first sampling of many of the summer beers I've been trying are going to make a good first impression. They're cold and wet - just what my body wants at that time. I try not to let that sway me. In the interest of proper research, I form my opinions after more than one, or two, or three or more over time (not all in one sitting). I had eight Skinny Dips before writing this review. Over a period of weeks... c'mon people!

Would I buy this beer again? Oh, yes

Hoppy To See You Rating: 3.75 | 5
Highest possible rating: 5

Brooklyn 1/2 Ale

1/2 Ale from Brooklyn Brewery is appropriately named. It begs to have jokes made about it: They must've spent half the time it requires to make a good beer, you can't drink but half of one, I suppose I could drink one if I half to, and of course the obligatory half-a-- beer.

This was another one of my random selections at the store. I have a friend that lives in Brooklyn, right down the street from the brewery, and I was intrigued by the name "1/2", so that was my "reasoning" for choosing this beer. I don't want to say this is a bad beer, but if I had a time machine and could go to the moment I chose it, I would put it back on the shelf and walk away.

I'm sure Brooklyn Brewery makes some great beers, but this isn't one of them. This is one of their seasonal session beers. Low alcohol content (3.4%), but also low on flavor. On second thought, not low on flavor. It's high on flavor - it's just bad flavor.

When poured, the head is bubbly and fizzes away almost like a soft drink. It has a bitter, unpleasant taste that hangs in there like your relatives after Sunday dinner.

I assume by now you can tell I don't recommend this brew. I most definitely will not hold this beer against Brooklyn Brewery. They can't all be gems. I look forward to trying their other offerings.

Would I buy this beer again? No, Nope, Nein, Nyet 

Hoppy To See You Rating: 1 | 5
Highest possible rating: 5

I Met a Nashville Blonde

I rarely buy beer in cans. Admittedly, I've been a bottle or draft "snob" for a while now. But Blacktop Blonde from Tailgate Brewery in Nashville may have changed my mind about canned beer.

--As a side note, Tailgate Brewery was formerly located in California. They chose Nashville, TN as their new home. Seems they are joining a long line of companies that are relocating to our great state from California. Looks like the Golden State is losing some of their nuggets?--

Anyway, I was going to a gathering where the beer was to be shared. I wasn't sure about the availability of a bottle opener, so I thought I'd pick up some canned beer. I was in a bit of a hurry and the store was running a special on the Blacktop Blonde, so I grabbed it. It was somewhat of a random choice, although the selection of canned beers was very limited (unless you count those other "beers").

What a lucky choice! It was perfect for the event I was taking it to. Low alcohol (4.7%), and a delightful, summer beer. My original intention was to have one and share the other five, but before I had quite finished the first one, I grabbed another to make sure I got to have a second.

It has a surprising, almost sweet taste that you just want to keep in your mouth and roll around for a little while before you swallow. It finishes clean and clear. No lingering aftertaste. You're ready for the next mouthful as soon as that one's gone. I must not have been the only one that enjoyed it, as the remaining four were gone in a flash and enjoyed by a lucky few of the other guests. I say "lucky few" because the only other beer there was a Yuengling Lager. I don't necessarily have anything against Yuengling. I hope to be reviewing some of their beers in future posts. But when I left, there were a few Yuenglings still there and the Blacktop Blonde was long gone.

By the way, it turns out that there were plenty of bottle openers there.

Would I buy this beer again? Uh-HUH!

Hoppy To See You Rating: 4 | 5
Highest possible rating: 5

Rollin' Down Highway 420

Photo: SweetWater Brewery, Atlanta, GA

OK, guys. You're not fooling anybody with the highway sign. Nice try. We all know what "420" is associated with. At least with your Hop Hash Double IPA (which I hope to review soon) you're up front with your reference.
But seriously, I like this beer. For a very long time it was my "go-to" beer when in a bar or restaurant. I always knew it would go great with a pizza, burger, or just about anything. I started buying it to have at home. There was almost always a SweetWater 420 in the fridge. It's easy to see why this is one of SweetWater's most popular choices. I liked the fact that it was mild pale ale, not a strong hoppiness (not that there's anything wrong with that), but you can taste them. No strong bitterness. It has a 5.7% alcohol content, so it's not too much to have a couple of these with your evening meal if you want.
I still tend to ask for 420 in restaurants. Most restaurants that have any kind of beer selection at all have it, so it's an easy and "safe" choice.

Would I buy this beer again? Of course!

Hoppy To See You Rating: 3.5 | 5
Highest possible rating: 5

Feeling Rebellious

Once again, we enter the land of "Is It Really A Craft Beer". Whether or not Sam Adams is considered a craft brewery or not, I happen to think they make some mighty fine brews. I must give credit to the Sam Adams brewery for furthering my interest in good beers and shining the light on the fact that there are many other beers out there that are not fizzy, watery, lager/pilsners (not that there's anything wrong with those... OK, I take that back - there's plenty wrong with those). They helped me figure out that beer can be enjoyed for the flavor. That it's fun to pair with certain foods. You can actually drink beer because it tastes great, not merely because it aids in getting you to the dance floor.

I decided to pick up Sam Adams Rebel IPA when I overheard the guys at the beverage store talking about it. I figure they sample a lot of beers, and if they thought this one was particularly good, I should give it a try.

I'm glad I did. It is a very refreshing, yet substantial IPA. Not overly bitter. Easy to drink, but with just enough of that hoppy flavor to let you know this is an IPA. As you can see from the photo, it has a nice amber-honey color and a pretty nice head. The head was somewhat bubbly and was completely gone before I was even a third through drinking it, but that's not necessarily a bad thing. I like a creamier head, but you're not going to always get that with every beer.

If you're on the IPA fence, you may want to give this one a try. I know a lot of people don't like IPA's. They find them too bitter or overpowering. One of my friends is fond of saying, "I don't want my beer to taste like grapefruit". That's cool. I don't want my beer to taste watery, fizzy and flavorless - which is what many "mainstream" beers taste like to me. I guess they're both an acquired taste?

Would I buy this beer again? Yes

Hoppy To See You Rating: 3.75 | 5
Highest possible rating: 5

Goose Island Summer Ale

OK, before I start on Goose Island Goose Summer Ale, I know that Goose Island is not technically a craft beer. It started out that way, but it's now owned by gigantic-mega-huge-corporation InBev, the giantic-mega-huge-corporation that also owns that obscure brewery: Anheuser-Busch. You may have heard of them?

Having said that, I'm not going to let that sway my judgement. After all, good beer is good beer, whether it's owned by a giant corporation or brewed in a boutique home-town brewery.

I also want to apologize for the photo of the bottle. The label is wet and torn and is at a bad angle. I had this beer at a benefit event that my band was hired to play for. Band members were allowed one free drink, so this is what I chose. The selection of beers was not that good, but it rarely is at these events. Frankly, I was glad to see something besides Bud Light, Budweiser and Michelob Light! Anyway, I set the bottle down on a tray and snapped a quick pic with my phone.

I love sampling all these "summer ales" that are on the market this time of year. There are so many, I doubt I'll get through them all before summer is over.

This is described on the label as a "session" ale. What is a "session" ale you might ask? Well, without going into too much detail, it generally means a beer or ale with 5% or less alcohol content. Meaning that you can still have your "sea legs" after an extended "session" of enjoying two or three (or more). It may be a good idea for a future post to go into the origin(s) of "session" beers.

I have to say this is a pretty good beer. It has a nice flavor. Despite the large hops illustrations on the label, the hoppiness is not that prominent. It hits the taste buds less like a "POW", and more like a "poof" (which is not a bad thing). It has a slight bitterness and a tame, grapefruity finish. Unfortunately, I didn't get a chance to pour it into a glass, so I can't describe the color and the head. Overall, I found this beer to be pleasant. After the band played, I even paid for a second one.

Bottom line: If you're somewhere and the selection of beers is limited, but they have this beer, you could do much worse!

Would I buy it again? Mmmm... maybe. Depends on the circumstances.

Got the Blues

SweetWater seems to consistently produce tasty beers. I'd seen this one around for a while and decided it was time to give it a try. I must say that when I read the label and it said "...a light bodied wheat ale laced with natural blueberry flavor" I was a bit hesitant. After trying it, my first thought was that I should have been drinking this beer a long time ago! It is most delicious. The blueberry flavor is there, but it sits way in the background, waiting to be summoned if wanted. 

I found this beer to be refreshing and delightful. With a 4.6% alcohol content, you can have more than one and it's not going to keep you from "functioning within normal parameters" as Data from Star Trek, The Next Generation would say. 

SweetWater Blue is one dang fine beer. It could possibly be the answer to the question: If you were stranded on a desert island and could only have one kind of beer, what would it be?

Would I buy it again? You're ding-dang-diddley-tootin' I would!

First Review: Red Hook Audible Ale

Chosen totally at random for my first review is Red Hook Audible Ale. I bought this beer based on the description on the side of the six pack. I'm not a big sports fan, so I'd never heard of Dan Patrick, but evidently the "audible" reference has something to do with a phrase he uses often in sports broadcasting. Anyway, I was looking for something that was somewhat light and refreshing. A beer that I could have more than one or two of that wouldn't effect my brain and body functions. A good "back yard barbecue" summertime beer. But also a beer with a good flavor that didn't taste like the "light beers" I was familiar with from my misspent youth.
Well, I must say that this beer fit exactly what I was looking for. Low in alcohol content and a great taste. Good straight out of the bottle, but when poured, has a nice "semi-creamy" head and a clear, amber color. A solid, all around beer.

Would I buy it again? Yes.

How I came to really like beer

First let me explain that if you want to read a good beer blog, there are many better ones than this. I don't plan on writing articles, doing interviews, or doing any actual work. This blog is just my impressions of beers I've tasted– Why I think they're good, or bad, or meh. I'll try to make it interesting and fun.

Ever since I became aware of the Craft Beer movement, I started liking beer. Yes, as a young man I drank my share (maybe more than my share) of the American lagers like Budweiser, Miller, Coors, etc. I drank it, but I never really liked it like people like a fine wine, or a fine cheese. But these beers were cheap, my friends all drank it, and besides, I didn't know there was any other kind of beer.
I pretty much stopped drinking beer regularly throughout my 30's, 40's and into my 50's, preferring wine and cocktails in social situations. In about 2003 or so, I discovered a local brewery in Nashville, TN called Yazoo.

I tried their Hefeweizen. In those days you couldn't buy it in bottles. You had to go to the brewery and buy it in a tiny plastic "keg" that would sit in your refrigerator. I poured it into a glass and the first thing I noticed was that it was "cloudy". Is that right? Is it supposed to be like that? I took a sip. It was like no beer I'd ever tasted. It was fruity and smelled good. It went down smooth. It wasn't "fizzy". It was a beautiful color and had a creamy head. I thought, "Is this really beer?"

From that point on, I was anxious to try more kinds of these "strange new beers". I was all in on this Craft Beer thing (not even sure if they were calling it "craft beer" then).

Today there seems to be a new beer coming out every week. There are as many breweries as there are Starbuck's. It's impossible to try them all, but I'm going to give it my best shot.

I would also like to address another point. Yes, beer is an alcoholic beverage. Yes, if you drink too much of an alcoholic beverage it impairs your judgement, makes you an unsafe driver, can change your personality, make you fat, and I'm sure you can think of other things that are negative about beer if too much is consumed. I'm not talking about sitting down and consuming mass quantities of any alcoholic beverage. I enjoy beer strictly as examples of the brewer's art. I never drink beer with the intention of becoming inebriated. I find no joy in that. Where I do find joy is discovering that great tasting fine brew. There are wine lovers, steak connoisseurs, donut experts... All of these can be over-consumed with negative consequences. I like donuts, but I would never eat an entire box of them. Moderation is the best way to enjoy anything. Especially beer.

I'll be the first to admit, I'm no beer expert. I'm just a regular guy that loves beer. So I'll review each beer from the "regular guy" perspective. If the beer experts think I don't know what I'm talking about, well, they're correct! I don't claim to be a beer geek. I just want to share my love of beer with other folks that like beer, too. Maybe I'll recommend something you'll like. I hope you'll post some suggestion on beers you enjoy, too.