Day #180 – Full Sail Session Black Lager

I’ve got one of the oddest shaped bottles I’ve seen in awhile today. I will admit to having been terrified of this line of beer as it’s almost shaped like an old school cough medicine bottle. Hope it doesn’t taste like that though! 🙂

Full Sail Session Black Lager

Full Sail Brewing Company is a new one for my blog I believe. It is based in Hood River, Oregon. The beer I am trying today is one of 2 in their Session series. It has a very sessionable 5.4% ABV and is classified as a Schwarzbier.

This beer pours a dark reddish brown color and has a nice tan foamy head atop it.

The aroma is caramel malts, grains, roasted notes and a touch of nuts.

The flavor is dark malts with a fair roasted taste as well. The finish is a tad bit watery but overall pretty refreshing!

Cheers!

Day #179 – North Coast Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

Old Raspy! Now here is a beer I have been looking forward to for quite some time. You know, now that I think about it this may have been one of the first true Imperial Stouts I may have ever tried. Awwww.

North Coast Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

North Coast Brewing Company is located out of Fort Bragg, California. They have several offerings in our area but Old Rasputin is probably their best known. This is absolutely an Imperial Stout and it weighs in at 9% ABV. This will certainly be a fun beer, but I’ve got some time to kill while it warms up on my counter. Don’t want to drink this one too cold now. Through the magic of the internet you won’t have to wait very long at all! 🙂

Check out the head on this guy!! Wait…scratch that. Anyways this beer pours so black that you cannot see any light coming through. It also has a tremendous brown head that looks like a loaf of bread.

After the head goes down I stick my nose in the glass and pick up a wonderfully sweet aroma of dark malts, roasted grains and bitter dark chocolate. Very nice smell. It does smell pretty strong too.

The flavor is big. Lots of sweet bready malts with a roasted dark malty flavor as well. There is a sharp tingle from the alcohol but it’s masked by the other nice flavors. Ah very nice indeed! How cool it must’ve been to live back in the day and this beer was fit for royalty.

Cheers!

Day #178 – Belhaven Scottish Stout (draught)

(Today’s review is going to come with a warning, an * if you will. After reviewing my notes from trying this several times previously, I am convinced that something was very wrong with the keg I tried it from this time. 😦 Unfortunately that does happen from time to time and it’s just the nature of the beast.)

Belhaven Scottish Stout

Belhaven Scottish Stout is brewed by Belhaven out of Dunbar, Scotland. The brewery was bought out by Greene King at some point which means they are now a part of a much larger conglomerate. (Thanks to Rich for the correction here.) This beer is classified as a stout and comes in at 4.5% ABV. I should also make note that the keg version and bottle version of this beer are 2 separate beers. The keg version has been keg pasteurized which changes the flavor from the bottled version ever so slightly.

Pours a very dark black with a foamy, creamy tan head. It was on draught so it started as a stormy brown color that eventually faded to black. Why is Metallica playing in my head right now?

The aroma is fairly subdued on this one. Some dark malts and roast with an obvious nitro scent.

The flavor is more roasted than the smell and has a beefy flavor? Man I’ve had this a couple times before now and I don’t recall it being smoked. Hmm, I’ll go with it. Dark malts with a creamy mouthfeel. Finishes smooth. I’ve got an inkling that there is something a bit off with this keg….(looking at my notes for the previous times I’ve tried this I mentioned lots of chocolate and cocoa notes but never said anything about beef.) Oh well, still a good beer albeit different from what I’m used to.

Cheers anyway!

Day #177 – Lindemans Pomme

Lindemans Pomme

Today’s beer is another on from Lindemans’s and this time is the Pomme (Apple). It is classified as a Fruit Lambic and has a nice sessionable 3.5% ABV.

The appearance is a clear golden orange color with a soft bubbly white head.

The aroma can be smelled from a good distance away. Well it certainly has a fruity, green apple scent. Tart as well as a woody-musty nose as well.

Flavor is green apple tart and if you’re not prepared for it can be rather puckering. Fruity and slightly acidic but finishes with a nice green apple peel taste.

Cheers!

Day #176 – Spaten Optimator

Last night was crazy, but days like that happen. Sometimes
My blog posts don’t fit easily into my schedule but so far I’ve kept up with it! I’ll be sure that today’s beer and post are much better!

Spaten Optimator

Spaten Optimator is brewed by Spaten-Franziskaner based out of Munich, Germany. It is classified as a Doppelbock at 7.6% ABV. Spaten was bought out by InBev which technically rules it out of being a craft beer but this stuff is definitely worth a blog post on.

This beer pours a clear brownish-red color with a fizzy off-white head. It is very attractive when held to the light.

Aroma is dark malts first with a big fruity nose. Dark fruits; grapes and plums with a grainy end.

The flavor is dark malts and grains and a nice sweet finish. The fruity flavors are very smooth, with a bit of a tingle over the palate. This beer is even better on Draught. Very nicely done.

Cheers!

Day #175 – Mustang Washita Wheat

I was at a party in Oklahoma and I haven’t had a chance to fill in my blog post for the day. It’s coming, granted will probably be super short because I am beat.

Mustang Washita Wheat

I’m watching Phantom of the Opera right now with a beautiful girl who is belting out the high notes. Sigh….on to the beer…

This beer is from Mustang Brewing Company for the 2nd day in a row.  It is classified as a wheat ale with an ABV of 5.3%.  I wasn’t too jazzed about last night’s beer but maybe this one will be better!

The beer pours a cloudy orange color. Some white head.

Aroma is straight grains and sour malts. not great. Whatever.

Taste is the same.  I really am not feeling this.  Sorry so short!  Tomorrow will be an excellent beer I promise!

Cheers!

Day #174 – Mustang Harvest Lager

I’m on the road today folks, in the far off land known as Oklahoma. I’m hanging out with some old friends sharing different versions of my various home-brews and I found a lovely new Oklahoma beer to try. This beer is not available in Texas but I figure it will be a nice on-the-road beer post.

Mustang Harvest Lager

This beer is brewed by Mustang Brewing Company out of Mustang, OK. While this is a very small brewery it does get me a new style! This beer is classified as an Oktoberfest or a Märzen. It is the standard style brewed in Germany for their fall celebration and is usually a malty lager. This one has an ABV of 5.6%.

Pours a clear light copper color with a white foamy head.

The aroma is ridiculously grainy. Lots of grains and tea leaves. Almost peanutty too.

Flavor is malty and grainy as well. It is dry with a leafy taste as well.

It’s fun to try beer from new places but I would not go out of my way to try this.

Cheers!

Day #173 – Avery Joe’s Premium American Pilsner

Avery Joe’s Premium American Pilsner

I am getting ready for a trip out of state this weekend, but while I’m packing I think I’ll have a beer!

Avery released this beer not too long ago, and it comes in a lovely can. It is classified as a Pilsener and holds a 4.7% ABV.

It pours a clear light golden color with a foamy white head.

The aroma is strong grains and is actually pretty hoppy. There is a definite hopped presence in this beer. More so than the regular pilsener.

The flavor is also pretty hoppy, with a sharp bready grain taste. Almost a bitter spice.

Well for a pilsener this is pretty strong on the hops. Very interesting but not surprising coming from Avery. They often times will push the limits on styles, although some hop aromas are acceptable. Cool!

Cheers!

Day #172 – Summit Maibock

Oddly enough, I am back at the Ginger Man for the 2nd day in a row. As I was in here briefly yesterday I noticed a banner hanging that was advertising a glass night tonight as well! Well I am a sucker for new glassware, and it’s even better when it is for a beer I have yet to feature on this blog. I will be honest in saying that the beer for today is one of my least favorite styles. I will strive to provide a unbiased review though it may be difficult!

Summit Maibock

The Summit Brewing Company is based out of St. Paul, Minnesota. I’ve only reviewed 1 other beer from them which is odd as they have several things available in our area. The Maibock is their spring seasonal so it is a little late in getting to us. That’s OK, I’ll drink it and dream of cooler spring temperatures! It is classified as a Heller Bock (or Maibock); the terms are fairly interchangeable. The alcohol levels are usually a little higher with this one coming in at 7.1%.

First off I should say I’m disappointed that the glass I got was one I already have back home. The picture on the banner was different than this glass man!! Oh well. It’s been awhile since I’ve held a free contest; I’ll have to think more on that.

Clear light orange color with a light white head. Pretty standard.

Aroma is grains and sweet malt. Some light candied notes but fairly straightforward.

The flavor is big malts with a big bitter finish that might have a touch of sour grains. Tart fruit as well that leaves a very bitter dry finish. As it warms I can taste more of the hop prominence. There is almost a slight touch of butter as well which is a flavor I often pick up in maibocks. I’m still not entirely certain if that is a flavor that is characteristic of the style but I’ve tasted it more than once in different beers. It is typically regarded as a flaw in beer but if it’s meant to be there then it just solidifies the reason why I dislike so many of them. Oh well, I know several people that really enjoy this style and to that I say, to each their own.

Cheers!

Day #171 – Abita Select Triple Haze

I headed to my usual bar today. Walk in the door and headed to my usual stool and what do I discover? The bar is packed! Not sure what the deal was but it was busy as hell. I had somewhere to be shortly thereafter so I picked up my beer and reviewed it quickly. I actually tasted the beer before I looked up any info on it, and I’m sure you’ll see my surprise.

Abita Select Triple Haze

Abita is based in Louisiana, in Abita Springs no less and most of their major lineup makes it to north Texas. They recently created their Select series in which they are trying new styles in a small batch format. The Triple Haze is an off-set of their Purple Haze which I have yet to review. Both are fruit beers but this one is 8% ABV.

This beer pours a very hazy (ha!) almost murky brownish orange. More orange than brown I would say, with a small white head that left the bar faster than I did.

Aroma is…wow I wasn’t expecting that. Apparently I didn’t do my homework on this beer as I am trying it before looking up the preceding details. The aroma is crazy raspberries and wheat tones. Grainy but tart raspberry for sure! Definitely wasn’t expecting that!

The flavor is big ole’ fat raspberry tartness. Lots of fruit and a light bitter grain flavor as well. Man looking at the name of the beer I just automatically assumed it was a Trippel but boy was I wrong! All that being said, it’s actually not bad. The raspberries just caught me off guard but if you want something a little more fruity than most then reach for one of these.

Cheers!