Brewing My Own Beer

Hello everyone, Fontes here again. It's about 9:37 p.m. EST and I just got home from work. While I was at work I was thinking about this blog. I was thinking about how I give my opinion on different styles of craft beer. I talk about what the brewer does right and in my opinion what they could have improved on. I often find myself saying outloud "Well I can brew a better beer than this." So I've decided since I talk the talk, I might as well walk the walk. So it's official, in the upcoming weeks I will be preparing myself to brew my own beer. Now when I say to myself that I can brew a better beer than many of these microbreweries, I am just being sarcastic. I have never tried to brew beer before so I know that the odds of my home brewed beer being as good as some of these microbreweries is very minimal...but I'm still gonna try!!

I first became seriously interested in brewing my own beer when I discovered a blog called A Tale of Two Brewers. The blog is essentially about two friends who one day decided to brew their own beer. They document their successes and failures. I remember the first time I read this blog. I became very excited at the possibility of myself one day brewing my own beer. Then the question arose of: Where am I going to purchase a brewing kit?

There are two answers to that question. One is to buy a beer kit at local distributor and the second is to purchase a beer kit from an online distributor. As far as I can tell, there are two places in the state of Rhode Island that specialize in selling alcoholic brew kits. For those of you reading this blog who are from Rhode Island, these are the two local distributors who sell alcoholic brew kits, just in case you are also interested in one day brewing your own beer. The first is called Brew Horizons located at 601 Washington Street in Coventry, Rhode Island. The second local distributor is called Basement Brew Haus located at 116 Calverley Street in Providence, Rhode Island. 

As of this moment, I have been to neither of these home brewery supply stores. However, from the reviews that I have read from online articles, it seems as though Basement Brew Haus is the better of the two. From what I've read in the reviews, Basement Brew Haus seems to have a better selection of products, better service, and cheaper prices. The following are the reviews of each home brewery supply store. The first is Beer Horizon's Review and the second is Basement Brew Haus Review.  

For those of you not in the Rhode Island area who are thinking about brewing your own beer, I would first suggest checking out any local distributor in your area. A website called Beer Info offers a list of home brew shops listed by state. This website is how I found out about Beer Horizons and Basement Brew Haus. However, if you would like to purchase a home brew kit from an online distributor, then there are many options to take. After searching the Internet, it seems as though a website called Mr. Beer has plenty of supplies to get a novice brewer started. 

So here it goes everyone. In the upcoming weeks I am going to take the first few steps in the process of brewing my own beer. Will I make mistakes?...Probably. We I learn alot in the process?...Yup. Will I have alot of fun throughout the whole process?...Definitely! So wish me luck everyone...Cheers!!

Narragansett Fest

Hello everyone, Fontes here.  Last night I sat down to enjoy a pint of Narragansett Fest and today I'm here to give you my opinion of this brew. This is Narragansett's version of an Octoberfest style of beer.  Some of you reading this post might not be aware of Narragansett beer.  Unfortuantely, this beer is only available in the Northeast region of the United States at this time. This is the only downside that I've found with craft beer.  Some of the breweries are not big enough to be financially able to ship their beer across the entire United States. It is a shame since many people do not get the chance to taste great beer. However, that is a different post for a different day. Now onto the review.

Narragansett Fest is a German style Octoberfest (or Oktoberfest). I purchased this beer for $8.99 plus tax in the state of Rhode Island. I am drinking this particular brew out of a standard pint glass. However, I purchased this beer in a six pack containing 16 ounce pint cans. Once I poured the brew into the pint glass I noticed that it is amber in color with a smell of roasted malt and hops. During the brewing process, this beer is brewed with four different kinds of malts and two styles of hops. The taste is similar to the smell of the beer. I do get a taste of roasted malt with a slight aftertaste of hops. However, I do have to say this. I have tried this beer in two forms. From 16 ounce pint cans when I'm drinking it at home, and on tap when I drink it at a bar. I must say, I do enjoy this beer better on tap. The reason for this you may ask? When I drink this beer from the can I taste a little metal, even after I pour it into a glass. It is not an overpowering taste, but I can still notice it. I find that this is often the case when I drink beer from cans, which is why I very rarely drink beer from cans anymore. 

In recent years, there has been a serious debate within the craft beer world about what is better...cans or bottles? In my opinion, bottles will always be better than cans. I feel that they offer a more "pure", crisp taste as opposed to cans. For more information on this debate, check out the websites Professors House and Tasting Beers for a more in depth look at the debate.   

Overall, I am going to give this beer a thumbs up. I you haven't tried this beer yet and want to try it, I suggest that you try it on tap. When I drank it on tap, I got the roasted malt and hop flavor, without the metal taste. Now, I should mention that not everyone will get the metal taste that I got when I drank this beer from a can. If you are used to drinking beer from cans, then you will most likely not taste any metal. However, like I said earlier, I usually drink beer from bottles or a tap, so I am not really used to cans anymore.

Also, if you do want to purchase this beer and are in the Rhode Island area, I suggest that you go to one of two liquor stores in the state. The first is located in Cranston and is called Wines and More.  The second is located in Apponaug and is called the Peoples Liquor Warehouse.  These two liquor stores carry Narragansett Fest and also have a great selection of other craft beer.  

Southern Tier's Imperial Creme Brulee Stout

After months of anticipation I have finally gotten around to sampling a Southern Tier beer. Their high price tag has deterred me in the past, with this particular beer running roughly $8.50 for a 22 oz bottle, but I figured I needed a change of pace from all the Oktoberfest and pumpkin ales I've been drinking (reviews soon).

I am reviewing this beer from a 22 oz bottle poured into a snifter glass.

This is a very dark brown beer with syrup like consistency. A very prominent aroma of vanilla and light scent of caramel linger on the nose. Upon my first sip, I was taken back by the sweetness. The strength of the vanilla is overpowering at first, but mellows out into rich caramel and a note of brandy with a pleasant aftertaste of dark chocolate and coffee.

This is a dessert beer if I've ever had one. Overall, very sweet and flavorful throughout. I did enjoy this beer, however I would not recommend drinking any other beer before or after this. To me, this beer is meant to be enjoyed by itself. Thumbs up. I cannot wait to see how the other Southern Tier beers measure up. Cheers, Antonio.

My Favorite Styles Of Craft Beer (Right Now)

Hello everyone, Fontes again. As I discussed in my last blog I like a variety of styles of craft beer. Everything from porters to pale ales. Everything from dark beer to lighter colored beer. Each style of beer has it's own unique flavor and appearance. But at this point in my life however I have a particular love affair with stouts and porters. To put it simply, these styles of beer are fantastic. They are dark and have rich, full, and bold flavors of coffee, toffee, dark chocolate, caramel, and roasted malt. Many times, the roasted malt is what gives the beer it's dark complexion and flavor. Porters and stouts are so similar that they are often intertwined. If you are looking for more information on the history of these styles of beer and how they are made, check out these two links: Porters and Porters/Stouts.

About ten months I ago I went to the Mew's Tavern located in Wakefield, Rhode Island for the first time with my parents for dinner. For those of you located in or around the Rhode Island area, I definitely recommend that you take a trip to this restaurant if you have not done so already. In addition to the restaurant, they also have three different bars located within the building. What makes this restaurant unique from other restaurants is that the Mew's Tavern offers 69 craft beers on tap all year round. On my first trip there, I ordered a beer that I never tried before. It was called Young's Double Chocolate Stout. I was simply blown away by this beer. It was like having dessert in a glass. I tasted roasted malt, and dark chocolate. It was dark, creamy and well...beautiful!! That was the first stout that I can remember trying and being absolutely blown away by. I was so excited!!

Shortley after my first vist to the Mew's Tavern, I went back with my friends on the weekend. As I was looking at the beer menu I was very tempted to get the Young's Double Chocolate Stout again, but I also wanted to try something different. In the end, I decided to try another beer that I never tried before. This time, I tried Berkshire Coffeehouse Porter. Again, my reaction was...WOW!! I was amazed at the quality of this beer. It was very similar to the Young's Double Chocolate Stout in the sense that it was dark, and had the bitter taste of dark chocolate. BUT...this beer had something more to it.  It was much thicker than the Young's. As I was drinking the beer, the foam clung to the glass. You could see the rings that it formed on the glass as you drank the beer. This beer was also like having dessert in a glass and I have to say, that this is my favorite beer to drink at the moment. 

If you have not tried porters or stouts yet, I highly recommend that you at least give them a try. A common misconception that is attached to porters and stouts is that they are thick and heavy. While that is true with some porters and stouts (like the Berkshire Coffeehouse Porter) it is not true with all porters and stouts. What makes these styles of beer so dark is the roasted malts that are used in the brewing process. But the roasted malts do not necessarily make the beer thick. An example of a very drinkable stout would be the Young's Double Chocolate Stout. While it is true that is dark in color, it is fairly light on the palate.

So don't be afraid of these styles of beer. They have a unique taste that you can't find with any other style of beer. You won't know if you like it until you give them a try. In my opinion, I think you will like what you taste. Cheers everyone!!

How I Was Introduced To Craft Beer

Hello everyone, Fontes here. Yes it's true, unfortunately there was a time in my life when I was unaware about the wonderful world of craft beer. As a result, I was forced to drink what the majority of American beer drinkers today drink. What might that be you ask? I'm talking about cheap, watered down, mass produced, disgusting beer. That's right, I'm talking about beers like Budweiser, Miller, and Coors. I used to think this kind of beer was good. Like millions of American beer drinkers I was brainwashed by their multi-million dollar add campaigns. I wanted to be the guy at the bar with his friends drinking Budweiser. I wanted to be the guy at the bowling alley drinking Miller High Life. I wanted to be the guy at the football game drinking Coors Light. These were the type of beers I started out drinking when I was a young beer drinker. I can remember my reaction when I first started drinking these beers. I remember saying to myself: "Well I don't really like the way it tastes, because it doesn't really have a taste. But all my friends like it, so I guess I'll keep drinking it." Thinking back to those days, I can't help but laugh at how ignorant I was about beer. And then one day about two years ago, everything changed.

One night about two years ago I was at a friends house. I was sitting down, relaxing, and drinking my normal watered down beer. Then my friend came over and sat next to me. He had a beer in his hand that I never saw before. I said "Hey, what kind of beer is that, I've never seen that before" That's when he gave me a bottle of Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat. I remember my reaction to the first sip of that beer like it was yesterday...WOW!!! I was totally blown away. It was so unlike any beer that I was used to. This beer actually had flavor!! I said to him "It tastes like Fruity Pebbles!!" Thankfully, he saw how much I enjoyed the beer and he was kind enough to share his twelve pack.

After that night, I was completely hooked on craft beer. I wanted to know everything about it. The different styles: porters, stouts, brown ales, pilsners, lagers, indian pale ales, pale ales, barley wine ale, etc. I discovered a great documentary called Beer Wars. The documentary talks about micro-breweries and their fight against the giant breweries like Bud, Miller, and Coors.

It's hard to believe that it's already been two years since I was introduced to the wonderful world of craft beer. Since I've been drinking craft beer I have a much better appreciation for good quality made beer. The beer I drink now is not made by some huge company. It's made by small independently owned micro-breweries. The beer might be more expensive, but it's like the old saying goes: You get what you pay for. And in my honest opinion...Craft beer is worth every penny. Cheers everyone!

 

Magic Hat Hex

Helllo everyone, Fontes here, and tonight I'm sitting down, drinking a glass of Magic Hat Hex. This particular brew is Magic Hat's attempt at an Octoberfest beer. In fact, they call it Our-toberfest. So did they achieve a good tasting Octoberfest? The answer?....Kind of. Let's start from the beginning. I purchased this beer in a six pack for a little over $9 after tax. The color of this beer is best described as amber in color, which is consistent with most Octoberfest beers. With most Octoberfest beers that I have tried, I've gotten a predominant smell and taste of roasted malts. The malt gives way to a nice caramel flavor. With certain beers like the Dogfish Head Punkin Ale, one can even get a taste of brown sugar and pumpkin. However, with this particular brew, I was kind of let down. Is there a taste and smell of roasted malts? Yes...but only slightly. Everything with this beer is light. The smell, the taste, and the texture. It smells only slightly of roasted malt. I actually get more of a hops smell more than anything. When the beer hits my tongue, I get a slight taste of hops, followed by a slight taste of roasted malt in the after taste. The texture is no Dogfish Head Punkin Ale. That brew was much thicker than the Hex. This beer is much lighter on the palate. Taste wise and texture. I should mention that I'm drinking this particular brew out of a standard pint glass.
 Do I think this is a good tasting beer in general?...Yes. And because of that I will give it a thumbs up...And I'm being generous with this one only because I truely like the rest of Magic Hat's beers that I have tried. HOWEVER, do I think this is a true Octoberfest beer?...No. A true Octoberfest beer should have bold flavors of roasted malt, caramel, and in general smokey flavor, that reminds you of the Autumn season. This beer tried to achieve that, but in the end fell short. Magic Hat might call their Octoberfest Hex Our-toberfest, but it is certainly not my Octoberfest.

Dogfish Head's Punkin Ale Revisited

Hey everyone, Antonio here offering my opinion of Dogfish Head's Punkin Ale. I purchased a 4-pack for exactly $9.08 including tax at my local liquor store. As Fontes has mentioned, this particular beer is brewed with real pumpkins, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg.

I am reviewing this beer from a bottle poured into a snifter glass.

I found this beer to be copper in color, with a heavy smell of brown sugar and alcohol. A predominant taste of brown sugar and spice, with a very subtle hint of pumkin.

Overall, I was expecting more taste of pumpkin. I did enjoy it, however I consider this to be very sweet and would venture to call it a dessert beer. Thumbs up from me, but be warned: drink too many and be prepared for a stomach ache.

Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy

It's still Summer until mid-September so I decided to go into my fridge and grab some of the last Summer seasonal beers that I have left. Hello everyone it's Fontes, and tonight I'm sitting down and enjoying a glass of Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy. To me, this is the perfect Summer time beer. It's light on the palate while still very refreshing and full of flavor. I purchased this beer in a twelve pack for about $16 and I'm sad to say that I only have two beers left. I'm currently drinking this beer from a standard pint glass. The color of this beer is very light. It has a very nice yellowish hue to the body of the beer and finishes with a nice white head on top. The beer gives off a strong smell of citrus with a slight smell of hops. The taste is very similar to the way it smells. When I drink this beer I get a blast of citrus flavor, followed by a slight hoppy taste. To me it tastes like the perfect lemonade. And at only 4.2% alcohol, it is in my opinion the perfect Summer time beer for cookouts, bbq's, ball games, and any other outdoor activity. This beer gets a definite thumbs up from me.

So while the weather is still nice, pick up some Leinenkugel's Summer Shandy if you can still find it and get outside and have some fun in the sun.  Cheers everyone!!

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale

I LOVE THIS BEER!!!!! Ok now that I've got that little outburst out of my system, I can try to do this review hahaha. The beer that I am drinking tonight is Dogfish Head Punkin Ale. This beer is brewed with real pumpkins, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon, and nutmeg. All those ingredients combined create one response...WOW!!!! I get a smell of brown sugar, nutmeg, cinnamon, and a slight smell of hops. The taste is absolutely fantastic!! Cinnamom, nutmeg, brown sugar, and slight hops warm the palate to give way to a nice subtle pumpkin taste. Every time I drink this beer it's like I get a taste of the holidays. I am drinking this particular brew out of a standard pint glass. The color of this beer is a fantastic reddish amber color. It's basically autumn in a glass hahaha. This beer also packs a punch at seven perecent alcohol for a standard tweleve onunce bottle. It's microbrews like this, that make me wish it was autumn 365 days a year. This beer gets a definite thumbs up! Cheers everyone!!

Samuel Adams Octoberfest

Hello everyone, this is Fontes. Ah it's that time of the year again. The days get shorter, the temperature starts to drop, and there's a surplus of great seasonal beers at your local liquor store. It may only be early September, but October is right around the corner and that means it's time for Octoberfest! That's right, tonight I'm sitting down enjoying some Samuel Adams Octoberfest. This beer is simply fantastic. Each drink reminds me of a cool Autumn day. This beer has a nice red amber color to it. The color of this beer is perfect for the season. In Autumn, the color of leaves start to turn a reddish hue. The color of this beer resembles that perfectly. I get a strong smell of roasted malt with a slight smell of hops from this beer. The smell of malts is very apparent since the brewers at Samuel Adams use five different types of malt during the brewing process in order to create this particular beer. The taste is very similar to how it smells. When the beer first entered my mouth, I got a strong taste of roasted malt. After swallowing, the roasted malt flavor still lingered while giving way to a slight hoppy taste. Overall, I found that the end result tasted similar to that of a toffee flavor. I am drinking this brew out of a Samuel Adams pint glass. I purchased this brew in a six pack from my local liquor store for 8.99 plus tax. I definitely give this beer a thumbs up.

Just picture yourself sitting outside on a cool fall night in October. The sky is crystal clear. The leaves are on the ground. The smell of burning wood is in the air. And an ice cold Samuel Adams Octoberfest is in your hand! What could be better than that? Cheers everyone!