Followers, friends, and everyone alike my beer blog is moving from this site. My new blog (with the original reviews included) can be found at www.blog.stbrewery.com .
I hope you continue to follow my travels through the good and beer adventures on my endeavor to educate people on the wonderful liquid we call beer.
Thank you,
Dave McDaniel
www.blog.stbrewery.com
Sunday, April 15, 2012
Tuesday, January 31, 2012
Beer Review: ReNEWale Porter
Beer Review: ReNEWale Porter
Price: $7.99 a six pack
Brewery: Ninkasi Brewing Company, Eugene, OR
Style: Porter
ABV: 5.9%
Color: Dark Brown
Aroma: Hoppy, slight nuttiness
Body: Light-Medium
Stomach Aspect: Light/Medium
Head: Poured to a nice 1" thick head, tightly grouped bubbles, very dense, tan colored.
Head Retention: Excellent. There is a ring on the glass after each pull.
Taste: Roasted/Chocolate grain flavor around mid tongue, sharp sweetness, hoppy profile on the back of the tongue.
Conclusion: This is your average Porter that I believe Ninkasi only releases during the Winter months here in Oregon. The brew has nice color, excellent head and head retention, lacks aroma, and to be honest, it lacks flavor. The brew has some interesting aspects; like the roasted profile around mid tongue, the great dark brown color, the hoppy bite as you swallow, but that's it. The brew lacks almost everything a Porter, or even a seasonal release should have. The body isn't as heavy as you would think a Winter beer would have. The flavor profile is kinda weak for such a seasonal brew, and the the aroma is lacking. I love Porters and Stouts and think they should be a yearly brew, not just a Winter brew release. But when a brewery releases their Winter seasonal and it's lacking everything I kinda lose hope for future brews from that brewer (Ninkasi included). I would have to say that this isn't the worst porter I've had, but it's not even middle of the road Porter either. With some simple tweaks (like adding more Chocolate grains, some Dextrin grains for body building) this has a chance to become a good seasonal Porter. I think the brewery decided to kick out this brew as the Winter season was coming around and didn't put much thought into it. The beer just has the feel of a lighter colored & body beer that they added some Chocolate grains too and slapped it with a Porter label. If they did put a lot of thought into it, you have to wonder why the waste of time?
Public Aspect: With it's wintery label and seasonal aspect it is best suited for Ugly sweater parties, Holiday gatherings, and Holiday parties at the office. After that, this brew has no real place anywhere. It's only going to appeal to the dark beer drinkers, and even then they might get bored with the brew. So save your hard earned cash and simply pass on this brew if there are other options.
Price: $7.99 a six pack
Brewery: Ninkasi Brewing Company, Eugene, OR
Style: Porter
ABV: 5.9%
Color: Dark Brown
Aroma: Hoppy, slight nuttiness
Body: Light-Medium
Stomach Aspect: Light/Medium
Head: Poured to a nice 1" thick head, tightly grouped bubbles, very dense, tan colored.
Head Retention: Excellent. There is a ring on the glass after each pull.
Taste: Roasted/Chocolate grain flavor around mid tongue, sharp sweetness, hoppy profile on the back of the tongue.
Conclusion: This is your average Porter that I believe Ninkasi only releases during the Winter months here in Oregon. The brew has nice color, excellent head and head retention, lacks aroma, and to be honest, it lacks flavor. The brew has some interesting aspects; like the roasted profile around mid tongue, the great dark brown color, the hoppy bite as you swallow, but that's it. The brew lacks almost everything a Porter, or even a seasonal release should have. The body isn't as heavy as you would think a Winter beer would have. The flavor profile is kinda weak for such a seasonal brew, and the the aroma is lacking. I love Porters and Stouts and think they should be a yearly brew, not just a Winter brew release. But when a brewery releases their Winter seasonal and it's lacking everything I kinda lose hope for future brews from that brewer (Ninkasi included). I would have to say that this isn't the worst porter I've had, but it's not even middle of the road Porter either. With some simple tweaks (like adding more Chocolate grains, some Dextrin grains for body building) this has a chance to become a good seasonal Porter. I think the brewery decided to kick out this brew as the Winter season was coming around and didn't put much thought into it. The beer just has the feel of a lighter colored & body beer that they added some Chocolate grains too and slapped it with a Porter label. If they did put a lot of thought into it, you have to wonder why the waste of time?
Public Aspect: With it's wintery label and seasonal aspect it is best suited for Ugly sweater parties, Holiday gatherings, and Holiday parties at the office. After that, this brew has no real place anywhere. It's only going to appeal to the dark beer drinkers, and even then they might get bored with the brew. So save your hard earned cash and simply pass on this brew if there are other options.
Friday, January 27, 2012
Beer Review: Charlie Russell Red
Beer Review: Charlie Russell Red
Price: NA, the beer was given to me.
Brewery: Harvest Moon Brewing Company, Belt, MT
Style: Irish Red Ale
ABV: NA
Color: Red
Aroma: Sweet, caramel,slight hint of either Apricot or Peaches (can't tell)
Body: Light
Stomach Aspect: Light
Head: Loosely formed bubbles, off white color, thin, dissipates very quickly
Head Retention: None.
Taste: Sweet fruity aspects. Good caramel flavor around min-tongue, slight sharp hop bitterness at the back of the tongue. Crisp, clean finish.
Conclusion: The aroma of this beer is very odd, it has a pronounced sweetness with caramel, and hop undertones. The brews red color is very welcoming and true to the style. When drinking the brew one's taste buds go awry on the first taste. Nothing wrong with the beer, just the overall sweetness, mixed with the slight hint of caramel and hops kinda scrambles your brain a bit. The brew has a pleasant balance of hops to malt ratio, but you have to be ready for the fruity flavors that dance across all aspects of your tongue. It's not a bad beer at all, actually it's a lot better than George Killian's Irish Red (which is a Coors product). I really enjoy this style of beer, but it seems that all the ones that are commercial (including this one) seem to lack that one aspect (attitude, flavors) that make it a really good beer. So, I guess I'll just call this brew so-so.
Public Aspect: This beer has a good public aspect because Red's fall between those that like light beers, and those that like the brown beers. This brew can be handed to any beer drinker, and they wouldn't be let down. However, this is not a beer I would label as my "go to", or "home run" beer. This is more like the minor league wanna be.
Price: NA, the beer was given to me.
Brewery: Harvest Moon Brewing Company, Belt, MT
Style: Irish Red Ale
ABV: NA
Color: Red
Aroma: Sweet, caramel,slight hint of either Apricot or Peaches (can't tell)
Body: Light
Stomach Aspect: Light
Head: Loosely formed bubbles, off white color, thin, dissipates very quickly
Head Retention: None.
Taste: Sweet fruity aspects. Good caramel flavor around min-tongue, slight sharp hop bitterness at the back of the tongue. Crisp, clean finish.
Conclusion: The aroma of this beer is very odd, it has a pronounced sweetness with caramel, and hop undertones. The brews red color is very welcoming and true to the style. When drinking the brew one's taste buds go awry on the first taste. Nothing wrong with the beer, just the overall sweetness, mixed with the slight hint of caramel and hops kinda scrambles your brain a bit. The brew has a pleasant balance of hops to malt ratio, but you have to be ready for the fruity flavors that dance across all aspects of your tongue. It's not a bad beer at all, actually it's a lot better than George Killian's Irish Red (which is a Coors product). I really enjoy this style of beer, but it seems that all the ones that are commercial (including this one) seem to lack that one aspect (attitude, flavors) that make it a really good beer. So, I guess I'll just call this brew so-so.
Public Aspect: This beer has a good public aspect because Red's fall between those that like light beers, and those that like the brown beers. This brew can be handed to any beer drinker, and they wouldn't be let down. However, this is not a beer I would label as my "go to", or "home run" beer. This is more like the minor league wanna be.
Tuesday, January 24, 2012
Beer Review: Silver Stallion
Beer Review: Silver Stallion
Price: $2.79 for a six-pack
Brewery: SF Brewing Company, La Crosse, WI
Style: American Lager
ABV: NA (I would say 4%)
Color: clear, gold
Aroma: Smells like biscuit mix, old bread,no hop aroma.
Body: Very light
Stomach Aspect: None
Head: Off-white, small tightly grouped bubbles, vanished quickly
Head Retention: None
Taste: Massive yeasty after taste. Heavy bread, hay flavor around the mid-tongue. Slight hint of Apple. No hop flavor. No flavor at the tip of the tongue.
Conclusion: There is no where to start with this brew. The aroma is kinda disturbing in the fact that the first thing you think of when smelling the beer is uncooked biscuit/pancake mix. The is no flavor at all on the front of the tongue. The first initial aspect of flavor is mid-tongue, and then it's not like a beer flavor. It's more of a grass/hay flavor. Imagine grabbing a handful of dried hay, shoving it in your pie-hole, then chewing. That's the same flavor you'll get from this brew. The finish of the brew is very quick, malty, with a high yeast, bread flavor. I am not sure what the brewery was thinking when they decided to market this beer, because I don't know if there is a market for a beer that taste's like hay and biscuit mix. I'm halfway through the 12 ounce can and I'm punishing myself to finish the other six ounces. There is a weird Apple flavor that appears quickly around mid-tongue. I do see an application for this beer. I would definitely cook chicken with this beer (if you want my beer chicken recipe, let me know). The flavors, and overall "craptastic" (just for you Nicole) aspect of the beer would actually go nicely with chicken. Do I dare make the next statement? Yes I should, this beer is worse than Coors Light, Hamm's, Rainier, PBR, Bud, or any other American Lager.
Public Aspect: Douchebag. That would be the public aspect if you presented this beer to friends, family, or guests. This is a bad beer, and it doesn't need to be given to people who know where you live. It doesn't need to be given to people who you wish to speak to after they have had this. However, if you want to get rid of the physco-hose beast e-girlfriend, or creepy ex-boyfriend, this would be the PERFECT beer to serve them.
Price: $2.79 for a six-pack
Brewery: SF Brewing Company, La Crosse, WI
Style: American Lager
ABV: NA (I would say 4%)
Color: clear, gold
Aroma: Smells like biscuit mix, old bread,no hop aroma.
Body: Very light
Stomach Aspect: None
Head: Off-white, small tightly grouped bubbles, vanished quickly
Head Retention: None
Taste: Massive yeasty after taste. Heavy bread, hay flavor around the mid-tongue. Slight hint of Apple. No hop flavor. No flavor at the tip of the tongue.
Conclusion: There is no where to start with this brew. The aroma is kinda disturbing in the fact that the first thing you think of when smelling the beer is uncooked biscuit/pancake mix. The is no flavor at all on the front of the tongue. The first initial aspect of flavor is mid-tongue, and then it's not like a beer flavor. It's more of a grass/hay flavor. Imagine grabbing a handful of dried hay, shoving it in your pie-hole, then chewing. That's the same flavor you'll get from this brew. The finish of the brew is very quick, malty, with a high yeast, bread flavor. I am not sure what the brewery was thinking when they decided to market this beer, because I don't know if there is a market for a beer that taste's like hay and biscuit mix. I'm halfway through the 12 ounce can and I'm punishing myself to finish the other six ounces. There is a weird Apple flavor that appears quickly around mid-tongue. I do see an application for this beer. I would definitely cook chicken with this beer (if you want my beer chicken recipe, let me know). The flavors, and overall "craptastic" (just for you Nicole) aspect of the beer would actually go nicely with chicken. Do I dare make the next statement? Yes I should, this beer is worse than Coors Light, Hamm's, Rainier, PBR, Bud, or any other American Lager.
Public Aspect: Douchebag. That would be the public aspect if you presented this beer to friends, family, or guests. This is a bad beer, and it doesn't need to be given to people who know where you live. It doesn't need to be given to people who you wish to speak to after they have had this. However, if you want to get rid of the physco-hose beast e-girlfriend, or creepy ex-boyfriend, this would be the PERFECT beer to serve them.
Tuesday, January 17, 2012
Beer Review: Snake Bite Porter
Beer Review: Snake Bite Porter
Price: $2.79 for 22 ounce can
Brewery: Silver Moon Brewing, Bend Oregon
Style: Robust Porter
ABV: 5.2%
Color: Black, opaque.
Aroma: Chocolate, Spicy, Hoppy, Roasted aroma
Body: Medium-Heavy
Stomach Aspect: Full
Head: Very thin, loose, big bubbles with a tan color. Faded very quickly to just a light film.
Head Retention: Very good. The brew leaves a definitive mark on the glass from the previous pull.
Taste: Chocolate, intense hops, bitterness from hops and black patent malt. Good roasted barley flavor around mid tongue.
Conclusion: This brew took me by surprise when I first poured it. The aroma was very pronounced and no mistaken the fact that it is a Robust Porter. The color is a midnight black, and opaque as it gets. The first pull from the beer and your taste buds come alive from the Chocolate malt, Roasted Barley, Black Patent, and Hops. The body is a full, thick, and chewy which is exactly what a Robust Porter should be. There's a nice spice hit from the Hops, and quick hit of bitterness when you swallow. The brew has a nice, long lasting, malty finish that makes you almost beg for another pull. This is a damn fine brew, and I'm glad I got it for my beer blog. I've never had this brew before and it is almost as good as Bridgeport Brewery's Cafe Negro Porter. I will look for this brew more often when I need to have a nice thick Porter in my left hand. This my blog readers, is one damn good beer.
Public Aspect: This might be the black brew that non dark beer drinking people will try and actually like. Yes it's thick, yes it's a light meal in a bottle. But it's creamy, it's hoppy, and it looks very nice with it's black color and tan head. I haven't been able to find this brew in a six-pack (only in 22 oz bottles) which might make it a bit tough to bring many of these to a gathering. But I say, make adjustments to bring as many as you can because it's that good.
Price: $2.79 for 22 ounce can
Brewery: Silver Moon Brewing, Bend Oregon
Style: Robust Porter
ABV: 5.2%
Color: Black, opaque.
Aroma: Chocolate, Spicy, Hoppy, Roasted aroma
Body: Medium-Heavy
Stomach Aspect: Full
Head: Very thin, loose, big bubbles with a tan color. Faded very quickly to just a light film.
Head Retention: Very good. The brew leaves a definitive mark on the glass from the previous pull.
Taste: Chocolate, intense hops, bitterness from hops and black patent malt. Good roasted barley flavor around mid tongue.
Conclusion: This brew took me by surprise when I first poured it. The aroma was very pronounced and no mistaken the fact that it is a Robust Porter. The color is a midnight black, and opaque as it gets. The first pull from the beer and your taste buds come alive from the Chocolate malt, Roasted Barley, Black Patent, and Hops. The body is a full, thick, and chewy which is exactly what a Robust Porter should be. There's a nice spice hit from the Hops, and quick hit of bitterness when you swallow. The brew has a nice, long lasting, malty finish that makes you almost beg for another pull. This is a damn fine brew, and I'm glad I got it for my beer blog. I've never had this brew before and it is almost as good as Bridgeport Brewery's Cafe Negro Porter. I will look for this brew more often when I need to have a nice thick Porter in my left hand. This my blog readers, is one damn good beer.
Public Aspect: This might be the black brew that non dark beer drinking people will try and actually like. Yes it's thick, yes it's a light meal in a bottle. But it's creamy, it's hoppy, and it looks very nice with it's black color and tan head. I haven't been able to find this brew in a six-pack (only in 22 oz bottles) which might make it a bit tough to bring many of these to a gathering. But I say, make adjustments to bring as many as you can because it's that good.
Sunday, January 15, 2012
Beer Review: Pabst Blue Ribbon
Beer Review: Pabst Blue Ribbon
Price: $2.49 for 22 ounce can
Brewery: Pabst Brewing Company, Milwaukee, WI
Style: Lager
ABV: NA, maybe 4%
Color: Gold, crystal clear.
Aroma: Hay, grassy, has the same smell as a barn of hay/straw.
Body: very light
Stomach Aspect: none
Head: Poured to a nice 1-2 inch thick head. Tightly grouped bubbles, with an off-white color.
Head Retention: none
Taste: very light grass/straw flavor, Crisp finish, very low hop flavor, good on the pallet.
Conclusion: I have never had this beer until now. The color is very nice as is the clarity. The head is a typical head in commercial beers, which means it is weak. Now, the aroma is the same as if you were standing in a barn full of hay/straw on a warm summers day. It is nice, not too pungent, but not overwhelming. The flavor is very weak with this beer. When taking a pull there is nothing that really stands out about the flavor. The finish is nice, crisp, clean. The hop profile is very weak, but the flavor from the malt is not bad, but not there if you know what I mean. I would say that this is a better beer than Coors, Budweiser, or Miller produces. I can see this beer be actually better suited for cooking brats, than drinking. It does have some good qualities that lighter body beer drinkers like, but it falls way short of those that know and love beer for what it can achieve. The price is very cheap, it's domestic, but it's not the worse beer I've had, nor is it anywhere near the low-middle of the road. This beer falls directly into the light weight, no flavor, no attitude American Lager category. One good quality of the brew is that you can drink it all night long and not get buzzed. You'll just wonder why you're taking a piss every three minutes.
Public Aspect: Offering this to your guests wouldn't be a bad idea if they are usually drinking other Domestic Lagers. People won't be offended by the color, or the flavor profile of the brew so it can be put in your "safe" list to have for guests.
Price: $2.49 for 22 ounce can
Brewery: Pabst Brewing Company, Milwaukee, WI
Style: Lager
ABV: NA, maybe 4%
Color: Gold, crystal clear.
Aroma: Hay, grassy, has the same smell as a barn of hay/straw.
Body: very light
Stomach Aspect: none
Head: Poured to a nice 1-2 inch thick head. Tightly grouped bubbles, with an off-white color.
Head Retention: none
Taste: very light grass/straw flavor, Crisp finish, very low hop flavor, good on the pallet.
Conclusion: I have never had this beer until now. The color is very nice as is the clarity. The head is a typical head in commercial beers, which means it is weak. Now, the aroma is the same as if you were standing in a barn full of hay/straw on a warm summers day. It is nice, not too pungent, but not overwhelming. The flavor is very weak with this beer. When taking a pull there is nothing that really stands out about the flavor. The finish is nice, crisp, clean. The hop profile is very weak, but the flavor from the malt is not bad, but not there if you know what I mean. I would say that this is a better beer than Coors, Budweiser, or Miller produces. I can see this beer be actually better suited for cooking brats, than drinking. It does have some good qualities that lighter body beer drinkers like, but it falls way short of those that know and love beer for what it can achieve. The price is very cheap, it's domestic, but it's not the worse beer I've had, nor is it anywhere near the low-middle of the road. This beer falls directly into the light weight, no flavor, no attitude American Lager category. One good quality of the brew is that you can drink it all night long and not get buzzed. You'll just wonder why you're taking a piss every three minutes.
Public Aspect: Offering this to your guests wouldn't be a bad idea if they are usually drinking other Domestic Lagers. People won't be offended by the color, or the flavor profile of the brew so it can be put in your "safe" list to have for guests.
Tuesday, December 20, 2011
Beer Review: Boston Lager
Price: $8.99 for a six pack
Brewery: The Boston Beer Company, Boston, MA
Style: Lager
ABV: NA but I would say 5-6%
Color: Tan, light red, almost copper, crystal clear.
Aroma: Pronounced hop aroma, citrus, hint of caramel
Body: Light, thin.
Stomach Aspect: Light.
Head: Off white color, with tightly grouped bubbles, thick and dense. Poured to a 1/4" but lasted about two minutes before dissolving, was thick and creamy.
Head Retention: Good, the brew leaves a nice ring from the previous drink.
Taste: spiciness at the back of the tongue from the hops, and good hop aroma at the back of the tongue. Mid tongue has a slight and quick hint of caramel, while the brew presents no flavor profile at the front of the tongue.
Conclusion: The color of the brew is very appealing, as is the aroma. The head pours nicely and does linger a little while. The head is very thick and creamy, which gives the brew a "oh yeah" aspect. However, the flavor profile is a little lacking. At the front of the tongue the brew has no flavor profile. Nothing. The middle of the tongue the brew gives you a slight hint of caramel flavor, then presents a nice "grainy" profile, just before the hop flavor and spiciness arrive. Swallowing the brew and there is no mistaking the hop presence of this brew. It is perfectly balanced with the malt to give it a nice, but standing hop aspect. The brew finishes on the malty side (which is kinda cool for the Lager. Most Lager's have crisp, clean finishes) and gives you a little tease for the next drink. This is the flagship brew for the Boston Brewing Company, and I can see why. There is very little wrong with the brew, but in the same breath there is very little that stands out about the beer. This is a good beer and I could drink it till the cows came home and left again. It has enough of a flavor profile and attitude to keep me coming back for more. But, the minute I have a beer with more flavor, and profile, I'm leaving this one. See my point?
Public Aspect: Bring this to any public event (or even order one in public) and you may have to defend it from your friends. Not because it is that good, but because it's better than anything that Coors, Bud, and Miller produce. You really can't go wrong with this beer, and by drinking the beer it simply says "I don't buy into canoe water."
Brewery: The Boston Beer Company, Boston, MA
Style: Lager
ABV: NA but I would say 5-6%
Color: Tan, light red, almost copper, crystal clear.
Aroma: Pronounced hop aroma, citrus, hint of caramel
Body: Light, thin.
Stomach Aspect: Light.
Head: Off white color, with tightly grouped bubbles, thick and dense. Poured to a 1/4" but lasted about two minutes before dissolving, was thick and creamy.
Head Retention: Good, the brew leaves a nice ring from the previous drink.
Taste: spiciness at the back of the tongue from the hops, and good hop aroma at the back of the tongue. Mid tongue has a slight and quick hint of caramel, while the brew presents no flavor profile at the front of the tongue.
Conclusion: The color of the brew is very appealing, as is the aroma. The head pours nicely and does linger a little while. The head is very thick and creamy, which gives the brew a "oh yeah" aspect. However, the flavor profile is a little lacking. At the front of the tongue the brew has no flavor profile. Nothing. The middle of the tongue the brew gives you a slight hint of caramel flavor, then presents a nice "grainy" profile, just before the hop flavor and spiciness arrive. Swallowing the brew and there is no mistaking the hop presence of this brew. It is perfectly balanced with the malt to give it a nice, but standing hop aspect. The brew finishes on the malty side (which is kinda cool for the Lager. Most Lager's have crisp, clean finishes) and gives you a little tease for the next drink. This is the flagship brew for the Boston Brewing Company, and I can see why. There is very little wrong with the brew, but in the same breath there is very little that stands out about the beer. This is a good beer and I could drink it till the cows came home and left again. It has enough of a flavor profile and attitude to keep me coming back for more. But, the minute I have a beer with more flavor, and profile, I'm leaving this one. See my point?
Public Aspect: Bring this to any public event (or even order one in public) and you may have to defend it from your friends. Not because it is that good, but because it's better than anything that Coors, Bud, and Miller produce. You really can't go wrong with this beer, and by drinking the beer it simply says "I don't buy into canoe water."
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