Fall Seasonal Beers and Everything in Between
Starting Fall 2009 off the right way, new beers are up for review. A rating system will be enforced from now on. The Growler scale. Because who doesn’t like a nice Growler of their favorite beer.
Double Dead Guy Ale
Rogue Brewing
Oregon
9 percent
11.99 per 22 oz
The regular Dead Guy ale is a fantastic beer. Add in more malts, hops and an increase in price and you arrive at the Double Dead Guy. It pours a light brown with medium size bubbles and a well balanced malt to hop aroma. The flavor starts out malty and finishes with a huge hop wallop. The Double Dead Guy goes down very smoothly but clocks in at nine percent, which means trouble. The issue here is beers like this that are just too high in alcohol content so you can only have one before you’re hammered. While college may teach otherwise, true craft brewing is about drinking good beer in session and not being a raging drunk. Additionally you can’t even try to eat food with this because all you taste is alcohol and crazy hops. So go out and try it if you want a crazy, hop-tastic beer, but you’ve been warned.
3.5 out of 5 Growlers
Great Lakes Oktoberfest
Great Lakes Brewing Company, Ohio
6.5 Percent ABV
First beer I’ve tried from Great Lakes, and what a choice. I first got a whiff of this amber ale and thought of toasty bread, kind of a grainy earthy/sweet smell. Nice light carbonation, which helps in the taste department. This beer is very well rounded and has a nice easy character to it. I certainly would suggest this for the fall as a good beer with dinner, but not session. At 6.5, this isn’t a light beer.
4 out of 5 Growlers
Dogfish Head Punkin Ale
Dogfish Head Brewery Milton, Delaware
4- Pack/ 8.99
7 Percent ABV
Ah yes, it is that time of season where Oktober Fest and Pumpkin style beers hit the markets. As I am on a Dogfish stint this summer and now into the fall, I decided to try the Punkin Ale. It pours a brown/amber hue with ample head which recedes fairly quickly. It smells like pumpkin pie with heavy notes of cinnamon and nutmeg. The taste is spot on with the pumpkin and malts and provides a nice warmth as it goes down. Overall the smell and flavor are a little subtle but still a great beer. So far Dogfish head has been a great brewery to experiment with and I will continue to follow their seasonal beers.
3 out of 5 Growlers
Smuttynose IPA
Smuttynose Brewing Company
New Hampshire
6.60 Percent Alc.Vol
$7.99 per six pack
Go out to the store right now and buy this beer. Don’t be fooled by the old guys on label of this beer, while your grandfather may drink this beer, it’s only because he knows how delicious it really is. Starting with color, the IPA pours a sunrise orange hue with a nice foamy head atop. Get one whiff and you will be reminded of grapefruits and pine. A weird combo? Not for this beer. After one sip you realize how the grapefruit flavors add a truly refreshing character to it. And of course they’re the bitter hops, for this is no sissy drink either. Hands down, this is one of my favorite beers ranking up there with Red Seal.
4 out of 5 Growlers
Anchor Liberty Ale
Anchor Brewing Company
California
6 Percent Alc/Vol
$7.27 per 6 pack
Unlike Budweiser’s failed attempt at good beer, Anchor Brewing produces a real “American ale.” Liberty Ale is a pale ale, which means that it’s flavored with a tsunami of hops and as always that twang of citrus that sparkles on the taste buds. Liberty Ale has great mouth-feel, in that the carbonation is just right: not a plain jane, nor do you appear to be having a beer baby after putting a few back. In my opinion this is one of the finer beers on the market and great for under 8 bucks.
3 Growlers out of 5
March 26, 2009
Budweiser American Ale
Anheuser-Busch, Inc.
Missouri, Untied States
5.1 Percent Alc/Vol
$8.99 per 6-pack
I wanted to hate this beer so bad. I mean American Ale? Seriously? From the same company bought by the foreign beverage producer InBev? Now look, compared to other micro and imported beers, this totally fails. But, for Budweiser, American ale is a step above their usual watered down goodness. A first you smell the nice floral and citrus notes, a key to any delicious beer. The taste is bitter, but comes in a bit sweet in the finish. American ale is copper brown in color and shines with its drinkability. This beer goes down easy and at 5 percent you can have a few. Try one at the bar, but don’t go out and buy a six pack, it’s not worth your money. American ale is simply generic. Oh and I still hate it.
1 Growlers out of 5
2/5/09
Red Seal Ale
North Cost Brewing Company, California
5.5 Percent Alc/vol
$10.99/Six Pack
Bring this beer to any occasion. Seriously, you can’t go wrong. Classy and delicious, Red Seal pours an amber hue and smells/tastes of sweet, sweet hops and spices. Drinkability is key here. No, not that Bud Light BS, I’m talking the ability to socialize, watch TV, eat a meal with this beer without: A) Getting the surprised drunk where you swear you only had three as you doze off into a booze coma or B) Have an overwhelming taste of cat piss in your mouth. I’d like to think the only issue with this beer is the way in which you decide who gets the last one.
3.5 growlers out of 5
1/20/09
Rogue: Dead Guy Ale
Beer Style: Maibock, 6.5 Alc/vol
Appearance: Pours a hazy amber with nice foamy head.
Taste: Toasted Malts, spicy, oh so delicious.
Overall: This beer smells, looks, and tastes delicious. A smooth drinking beer to really enjoy.
Rating: 3 out of 5 Growlers.
2008
9/16/08
My first beer in the log was a great one.
Schöfferhofer Hefeweizen
Appearance – Cloudy. Two fingers of head, which reduced slowly.
Smell – Strong, with banana and cinnamon the main odors.
Taste – nutmeg and cinnamon balanced with a light banana flavor.
Drinkability – Very refreshing and easy to drink.
9/18/08
La Chouffe
Belgian Strong Pale Ale/ABV 8.00%
Appearance: Pours a golden-blonde color with high carbonation, and a nice head that leaves a decent amount of lacing.
Smell: Aroma is smooth, bready and spicy with some hop bitterness showing through as well.
Taste: Spiciness/sweetness and a mild hop bite.
Drinkability: Decent, the carbonation is a bit rough but the overall taste is good.
9/20/08
Schneider Weisse Weizenhell (Hefeweizen)
Appearance: a hazy orange-gold with a huge frothy white head which quickly melted away.
Smell: Nice aroma of banana, lemon, cloves, and wheat.
Taste: banana, lemon, yeast. Finish reveals more of a wheaty side to the beer.
Drinkability: Medium bodied, creamy-yet sharp, with moderate carbonation.
9/26/08
Jupiler Pilsner
Appearance: Golden/yellow color, typical ale
Smell: Not much going on here, mild hops. Kind of like Stella
Taste: Similar to Stella, kind of bitter
Drinkability: Goes down easy
9/28/08
Paulaner Oktoberfest
Appearance: Amber brown.
Smell: Bready, nutty, malt
Taste: While light in body, this beer is crisp and that’s a plus. Flavor-wise, this beer starts off bread-like before a mildly hoppy finish takes over.
Drinkability: Could put down several at some Oktoberfest event, had this one in Dam Square before we caught the tram back to the bus.
10/24/08
So I decided to try to real British Ale:
Fullers London Pride
Appearance: Clear amber color with an off white head.
Smell: Sweet caramel, bread, malt and floral spices. Very nice on the nose.
Taste: Quite simple caramel, biscuit, malt flavor but it’s balanced just perfectly. Finishes with a nice hint of spice and hops.
Overall: Tasty and surprisingly good. I had avoided it thinking that it was a crappy over produced beer, but I was wrong. Good taste and easy drinkability.
11/12/08
Wacko Jacko Pumpkin Ale
Pretty good pumpkin ale, had on tap at a cool pub outside of London. This is a great time of year for beers.
