Hello everyone, Fontes here. Let me first start off by saying, I hope everyone here in the United States had a very happy and relaxing Thanksgiving with your families. I know I did. On Thanksgiving I was sitting down with my family eating turkey and watching football, like many people across the country do on this holiday. However, while I was watching football, I noticed something very frustrating. I've always noticed this, but it especially frustrated me last Thursday. What was it that frustrated me so much, you may ask?
It was the bombardment of horrible beer commercials that aired throughout every football game on every channel. Now this is nothing new. I bet if you turn on your television right now, you could find a beer commerical on at least one channel from either Budweiser, Miller, or Coors.
But how did this happen? I mean how did we as a society come to think that Bud Light is a real beer? How did we as a society come to think that light beer is even a type of beer to begin wiith? You don't believe me, when I say that light beer has consumed our society? Take a look at these examples: example #1, example #2, example #3, example #4, example #5.
That's FIVE EXAMPLES of how light beer has infiltrated our society. In the Bud Light commercial, they say that their beer is a sure sign of a good time. In the Miller Light commercial, they say that their beer is a real beer and has actual taste. In the Coors Light commerical, the man can't wait to get his hands on a pack of Coors Light. In the Keystone Light commercial, they portray the man as being ultra smooth because they claim that their beer is always smooth. In the Natural Light commercial, they portray people having a great time while drinking their beer.
To be totally honest, you could put five blank cups full of each of those beers in front of me and I would not be able to tell which one was which, no matter how long I sat their and drank them. These beers have no taste and yet so many people swear by these beers. I know people who say things light, "I'm a Bud Light man" or "I'm a Coors Light man." Next time you hear someone say that, give them a plastic cup full of a different kind of light beer and I bet you that they will not be able to tell the difference.
These major beer companies today have brainwashed the male beer drinker into thinking that light beer is a man's drink. What is so manly about drinking watered down beer that has no taste? I always hear these guys who are well over 200 pounds say that they could easily drink 12 Bud Light's. Well I hope they could, because Bud Light is only 4.2%. I weight 120 pounds and I could drink 12 of those beers. There is nothing manly about drinking light beer.
Then I hear people say that they drink light beer because it doesn't have as many calories. Are you serious?? If you have to worry about your calorie intake when you are drinking beer, then you should not be drinking beer in the first place.
Thankfully, after decades of the mass population in America being brainwashed by these large scale beer companies, a shift in the beer world is taking place. Large numbers of beer drinkers are finally starting to discover the wonderful world of craft beer. Many liquor stores are now starting to have craft beer sections. In the media, there is a new show on the Discovery Channel about Dogfish Head called Brew Masters. Furthermore, there is also a documentary that was released within the last few years about the craft beer movement called Beer Wars. If you just conduct some quick research on the internet, you can find an abundance of information about the growth of craft beer and the decline of mass produced beer.
Americans have been subjected to crappy beer for too long. Our society today is experiencing a beer revolution. People are expanding their palates by trying and discovering great tasting craft beer. For those of you reading this who drink mass produced, watered down beer, I am pleading with you. At least give craft beer a chance. There are so many different styles and breweries to choose from, I am sure you will find a style and a brewery that you can be happy and satisfied with. I am confident that as the years progress, the craft beer market will increase and it is my hope and dream that one day these major beer producers will be a thing of the past. That concludes my rant...for now.
Cheers everyone!!
Saturday, December 4, 2010
Saturday, November 20, 2010
Flying Dog's Horn Dog Barley Wine Style Ale
Hello everyone, Fontes here. Last night I sat down to enjoy Flying Dog Brewery's Horn Dog Barley Wine style ale. I purchased this beer from my local liquor in a four pack. The cost was about $9.99 plus tax. The alcohol percentage of this beer is substantially higher than most beers. It comes in at a very impressive 10.2% alcohol by volume. This beer was poured from the bottle into a standard pint glass.
Once I poured this beer into a pint glass, I noticed that the appearance of this particular beer is a deep amber color. The beer tops off with a slightly reddish head that dissipates rather quickely. When I smelled this beer I got hints of sweet fruits which were very pleasant to the senses. Some of the fruit notes that I picked up on were grapes and cherries. I also got hints of spices, such as nutmeg and cinnamon.
The taste of the particular beer is very nice in my opinion. It is very malty, which I find very common in the few barley wines that I have tried. Again, just as with the smell, I tasted grapes, and cherries, and different kinds of berries and raisins. The spices such as cinnamon come through nicely, as does caramel with a hint of hops. Due to the high alcohol percentage, you definitely get a bite from the alcohol which I tend to like when I'm drinking beer that is high in alcohol percentage.
Overall, I am giving this beer a thumbs up. One of the things that I like the most about barley wine style ales, besides their complex taste is the fact that you can age these beers. Flying Dog's barley wine is aged for a minimum of three months. However, back in February I tried Heavy Seas Below Decks Barley Wine. That particular barley wine was from 2007 and it was a very complex and enjoyable beer. So far, the most complex barley wine that I have tried has been Dogfish Head's Olde School Barleywine. That barley wine comes in at an outstanding 15% alcohol by volume. I was lucky enough to try that beer on tap and it was fantastic. I will try to get reviews of those barley wines posted in the near future.
So if you're interested in barley wines I definitely suggest that you pick up Flying Dog's Horn Dog Barley Wine. It is a complex beer that is very enjoyable to drink. It offers a beer drinker a definite change in flavors on the palate which is exciting and refreshing. So the next time you see this beer at your local liquor store be sure to pick it up!
Cheers Everyone!!
Once I poured this beer into a pint glass, I noticed that the appearance of this particular beer is a deep amber color. The beer tops off with a slightly reddish head that dissipates rather quickely. When I smelled this beer I got hints of sweet fruits which were very pleasant to the senses. Some of the fruit notes that I picked up on were grapes and cherries. I also got hints of spices, such as nutmeg and cinnamon.
The taste of the particular beer is very nice in my opinion. It is very malty, which I find very common in the few barley wines that I have tried. Again, just as with the smell, I tasted grapes, and cherries, and different kinds of berries and raisins. The spices such as cinnamon come through nicely, as does caramel with a hint of hops. Due to the high alcohol percentage, you definitely get a bite from the alcohol which I tend to like when I'm drinking beer that is high in alcohol percentage.
Overall, I am giving this beer a thumbs up. One of the things that I like the most about barley wine style ales, besides their complex taste is the fact that you can age these beers. Flying Dog's barley wine is aged for a minimum of three months. However, back in February I tried Heavy Seas Below Decks Barley Wine. That particular barley wine was from 2007 and it was a very complex and enjoyable beer. So far, the most complex barley wine that I have tried has been Dogfish Head's Olde School Barleywine. That barley wine comes in at an outstanding 15% alcohol by volume. I was lucky enough to try that beer on tap and it was fantastic. I will try to get reviews of those barley wines posted in the near future.
So if you're interested in barley wines I definitely suggest that you pick up Flying Dog's Horn Dog Barley Wine. It is a complex beer that is very enjoyable to drink. It offers a beer drinker a definite change in flavors on the palate which is exciting and refreshing. So the next time you see this beer at your local liquor store be sure to pick it up!
Cheers Everyone!!
Friday, November 19, 2010
Brooklyn Black Chocolate Stout
Hello everyone, Fontes here. Last night I sat down to enjoy Brooklyn Brewing Company's Black Chocolate Stout and today I am here to give you my opinion of it. I purchased this beer from my local liquor store in a four pack for $6.99 plus tax. I drank this beer from a standard pint glass after pouring it from the bottle.
After pouring the beer from the bottle into the pint glass, the appearance is extremely dark. When you hold the glass up to a light, there is no light shining through this beer at all. Once poured into a glass, an off white, creamy head forms, but dissipates quickly. This beer also packs a punch, at 10% alcohol by volume. However, even though this beer is extremely dark and high in alcohol, it is dangerously drinkable. This is a very easy to drink stout, and with such a high alcohol percentage, one has to be careful not to drink too many of these beers too quickly.
The smell of this beer is fantastic. I picked up dark chocolate and mild coffee aromas with a slight smell of the alcohol present in the background. The taste of this beer is even better. This beer gives off strong chocolate flavors, with dark chocolate being the most predominant flavor that I tasted. The dark chocolate flavor leaves a nice bittersweet taste on your palate. The alcohol definitely comes through not only with the smell, but also with the taste. It provides a nice bite that is subtle, but noticeable nonetheless. Since the dark chocolate taste is the most predominant flavor in this beer, the after taste reminds me of these...yum. As I said before, this beer is very drinkable. The mouthfeel of this beer is very light, and almost kind of watered down. However, the taste is excellent and this is still a fantastic stout.
This beer gets a definite thumbs up from me. As I have said in the past, I love and appreciate the great flavor of Young's Double Chocolate Stout. However, with that said, let me make myself very clear when I say that Brooklyn Brewing Company's Black Chocolate Stout is my favorite stout of all time. This beer has the rich dark chocolate flavor that I love. It has a nice alcohol bite to it, and a very impressive alcohol percentage to it. And it is only available during the winter season so it makes me appreciate the beer more. To put it simply, Brookly Brewing Company's Black Chocolate Stout is fantastic. And if you're still not convinced that you must try this beer, take a look at what other beer enthusiasts are saying. I think you will like what you see. So make sure you pick up a four pack of this beer asap. The winter season is going to be gone before you know it, and so will this beer, so enjoy it while it lasts!
Cheers Everyone!!
After pouring the beer from the bottle into the pint glass, the appearance is extremely dark. When you hold the glass up to a light, there is no light shining through this beer at all. Once poured into a glass, an off white, creamy head forms, but dissipates quickly. This beer also packs a punch, at 10% alcohol by volume. However, even though this beer is extremely dark and high in alcohol, it is dangerously drinkable. This is a very easy to drink stout, and with such a high alcohol percentage, one has to be careful not to drink too many of these beers too quickly.
The smell of this beer is fantastic. I picked up dark chocolate and mild coffee aromas with a slight smell of the alcohol present in the background. The taste of this beer is even better. This beer gives off strong chocolate flavors, with dark chocolate being the most predominant flavor that I tasted. The dark chocolate flavor leaves a nice bittersweet taste on your palate. The alcohol definitely comes through not only with the smell, but also with the taste. It provides a nice bite that is subtle, but noticeable nonetheless. Since the dark chocolate taste is the most predominant flavor in this beer, the after taste reminds me of these...yum. As I said before, this beer is very drinkable. The mouthfeel of this beer is very light, and almost kind of watered down. However, the taste is excellent and this is still a fantastic stout.
This beer gets a definite thumbs up from me. As I have said in the past, I love and appreciate the great flavor of Young's Double Chocolate Stout. However, with that said, let me make myself very clear when I say that Brooklyn Brewing Company's Black Chocolate Stout is my favorite stout of all time. This beer has the rich dark chocolate flavor that I love. It has a nice alcohol bite to it, and a very impressive alcohol percentage to it. And it is only available during the winter season so it makes me appreciate the beer more. To put it simply, Brookly Brewing Company's Black Chocolate Stout is fantastic. And if you're still not convinced that you must try this beer, take a look at what other beer enthusiasts are saying. I think you will like what you see. So make sure you pick up a four pack of this beer asap. The winter season is going to be gone before you know it, and so will this beer, so enjoy it while it lasts!
Cheers Everyone!!
Sunday, November 14, 2010
Pictures From The Samuel Adams Brewery Tour
Hello everyone, Fontes here again. As I mentioned in my last post, here are the pictures I took while at the Samuel Adams Brewery. Most of the pictures are from the brewery itself, but some are also from Doyles Irish Pub. As I said in my last post, I had a fantastic time at the brewery. If you are anywhere near the Boston area, do yourself a favor and go to this brewery. Enjoy everyone!
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| Different variations of the Samuel Adams Boston Lager logo |
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| Vintage Samuel Adams bottles |
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| Vintage Samuel Adams bottles |
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| Different types of Samuel Adams packaging |
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| Differnt types of Samuel Adams Boston Lager packaging along with medals and trophies |
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| Medals and tophies that the brewery won at various competitions |
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| Medals and trophies |
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| These wooden oak barrels hold Samuel Adams Utopia. This beer is 24% alcohol and retails for $150. The next scheduled release for this beer is in 2011. |
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| More of the wooden oak barrels that contain Samuel Adams Utopia. |
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| The brewery floor |
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| Mr. Bob Cannon. The brewer that is featured in many of the Samuel Adams commercials. |
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| Bob Cannon again, along with another brewer, on the brewery floor. |
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| The tasting room. |
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| Inside of Doyles Irish Pub |
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| Antonio and our friend Mike outside of Doyles |
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| Myself and Mike outside of Doyles |
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| Antonio and myself outside of Doyles |
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| The trolly that takes you from the brewery to Doyles. It has a full sound system and a hydraulic system. It's a fun ride! |
The Samuel Adams Brewery tour is truly a great experience. It is a fun and inexpensive way to have fun in the Boston area. This trip is my second time going to the brewery in less than two months. If you are anywhere near the Boston area, do yourself a favor and plan a trip to the Samuel Adams Boston Brewery. You will not be disappointed!
Cheers Everyone!!
Saturday, November 13, 2010
Samuel Adams Brewery Tour
Hello everyone Fontes here, on Thursday, Antonio and I, along with our friend Mike took a tour of the Samuel Adams Brewery. This brewery is located in Jamaica Plains, Massachusetts which is just outside of Boston. The tour itself is free. They just ask for a $2 donation which is donated to two diffferent Boston charities. The tour starts off by the tour guide bringing you to the ingredients room. In this room they tell you the type of ingredients they use to brew various types of Samuel Adams beer. On this particular day, the tour guide passed around samples of caramel 60 malt, pale malt, chocolate malt, and a type of German hop. In the case of the malts, you could actually taste them if you chose to. I tasted all of them!
After the ingredient room, the tour guide brings you into the actual brewery. Remember the two breweres who you always see on the Samuel Adams commercial? Remember the brewer with the long beard? Well, his name is Bob Cannon and I saw him at the brewery! If you were wondering, the brewers you see on the commercials are not actors. They are actual Samuel Adams employees who actually brew beer for the company. The brewery itself is actually one of three Samuel Adams breweries. This particular brewery now only brews experimental beers. Their actual botteling plants are located in Ohio, and Pennsyvania. However, it was still nice to see how an actual brewery worked.
After the tour guide finishes showing you the actual brewing floor, they then bring you to my personal favorite part of the entire brewery...the tasting room! Inside the tasting room the give you a very nice 7 ounce tasting glass which is yours to keep. The tour guide then passes out pitchers...that's right pitchers of Samuel Adams beer. You start off with Samuel Adams Boston Lager. Then you sample their seasonal beer that they have out. When we went on Thursday, they still had Octoberfest on tap. Then you get to try Samuel Adams Boston Brick Red Ale. This beer is very special because you can only find it on tap in Boston. On this particular day, these were the only beers that we were allowed to sample, but this is the second time Antonio and I visited the brewery. The first time we visited we also got to sample Samuel Adams Coget. This beer is also very special because you can only find it at the brewery. They only make it for the tour groups. This beer was also very enjoyable.
After the tasting room, the tour is over. You can look through their gift shop, or walk around their entrance area and view their numerous plaques and trophies that they have won at various beer competitions. BUT, you can also take a free bus ride over to Doyle's. Doyle's is the oldest Irish Pub in America. It was created in the late 1800s and not much has changed since then. When you walk in, it is almost like you step back in time. The place has an awesome atmosphere. When you are there, you can present the bartender with a slip that you get before you take the Sam Adams tour. If you order a pint of Sam Adams on tap, then you get to keep the Samuel Adams Perfect Pint Glass. This is a great deal. A pint of Sam Adams on tap at Doyles is $4.50. The Sam Adams gift shop sells just the pint glass for $8.50! You'd be crazy not to go to Doyles to get the pint glass for a cheaper price...plus you get beer! Doyles also has Samuel Adams Boston Brick Red Ale on tap.
Overall, this was an awesome trip. I definitely suggest anyone in the Boston area take a trip to the brewery if you get a chance. It is a fun and inexpensive way to have a good time in the Boston area. Plus you get to learn a thing or two about how Samuel Adams makes their beer. I will be posting pictures of our trip shortly (Probably later tonight). If you live far away from Boston, but still want to take a "tour" of the brewery then here is a great video of the Samuel Adams Brewery.
Cheers Everyone!!
After the ingredient room, the tour guide brings you into the actual brewery. Remember the two breweres who you always see on the Samuel Adams commercial? Remember the brewer with the long beard? Well, his name is Bob Cannon and I saw him at the brewery! If you were wondering, the brewers you see on the commercials are not actors. They are actual Samuel Adams employees who actually brew beer for the company. The brewery itself is actually one of three Samuel Adams breweries. This particular brewery now only brews experimental beers. Their actual botteling plants are located in Ohio, and Pennsyvania. However, it was still nice to see how an actual brewery worked.
After the tour guide finishes showing you the actual brewing floor, they then bring you to my personal favorite part of the entire brewery...the tasting room! Inside the tasting room the give you a very nice 7 ounce tasting glass which is yours to keep. The tour guide then passes out pitchers...that's right pitchers of Samuel Adams beer. You start off with Samuel Adams Boston Lager. Then you sample their seasonal beer that they have out. When we went on Thursday, they still had Octoberfest on tap. Then you get to try Samuel Adams Boston Brick Red Ale. This beer is very special because you can only find it on tap in Boston. On this particular day, these were the only beers that we were allowed to sample, but this is the second time Antonio and I visited the brewery. The first time we visited we also got to sample Samuel Adams Coget. This beer is also very special because you can only find it at the brewery. They only make it for the tour groups. This beer was also very enjoyable.
After the tasting room, the tour is over. You can look through their gift shop, or walk around their entrance area and view their numerous plaques and trophies that they have won at various beer competitions. BUT, you can also take a free bus ride over to Doyle's. Doyle's is the oldest Irish Pub in America. It was created in the late 1800s and not much has changed since then. When you walk in, it is almost like you step back in time. The place has an awesome atmosphere. When you are there, you can present the bartender with a slip that you get before you take the Sam Adams tour. If you order a pint of Sam Adams on tap, then you get to keep the Samuel Adams Perfect Pint Glass. This is a great deal. A pint of Sam Adams on tap at Doyles is $4.50. The Sam Adams gift shop sells just the pint glass for $8.50! You'd be crazy not to go to Doyles to get the pint glass for a cheaper price...plus you get beer! Doyles also has Samuel Adams Boston Brick Red Ale on tap.
Overall, this was an awesome trip. I definitely suggest anyone in the Boston area take a trip to the brewery if you get a chance. It is a fun and inexpensive way to have a good time in the Boston area. Plus you get to learn a thing or two about how Samuel Adams makes their beer. I will be posting pictures of our trip shortly (Probably later tonight). If you live far away from Boston, but still want to take a "tour" of the brewery then here is a great video of the Samuel Adams Brewery.
Cheers Everyone!!
Sunday, October 31, 2010
Sam Adams Blackberry Witbier
Today I will be reviewing Sam Adams Blackberry Witbier. This is a little rare for me since I tend to stay away from white, wheat, and Belgian ales. Regardless, everyone once in a while I'll indulge.
I am reviewing this particular beer poured from a 12 oz bottle into a snifter glass.
It pours a nice hazy-golden color with a white head that dissipates rather quickly. A powerful aroma of blackberries is immediately brought out from the pour. I found this beer to have a prominent taste of blackberries and wheat. As the beer warms up a little, I picked up a mellow malt characteristic.
Overall, this is a nice thirst quencher. I found it very refreshing and crisp, better for the spring and summer. As I do enjoy these characteristics year-round, I will give it a thumbs up.
Cheers, Antonio.
Saturday, October 30, 2010
Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat
Hello once again everyone. In my second post this evening, I am going to review Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat. I purchased a twelve pack of this particular brew from my local package store earlier this week and I wanted to give you my opinion of it tonight. The twelve pack cases cost around $16.99 plus tax in the State of Rhode Island.
The appearance of this beer is light in color. It has a golden hue to it with a nice white foamy head. The smell of this beer is very pleasing to the nose. One gets the aroma of fruit, and to be more specific, a blueberry smell.
As I said in a previous post, this brew was the beer that started my love affair with craft beers. Part of me wants to give you a detailed description of the taste, but to be honest with you, this beer tastes just like one thing. That's right, this beer tastes just like Fruity Pebbles. Every time I take the first sip of this beer, I am reminded of this cereal.
I am going to give this beer a definite thumbs up from me. It has a nice fruity taste, it is widely available at most package stores, and it is reasonably priced. Overall, other people seem to like this beer as well. By far, it is not the greatest craft beer that I have tried. However, if you have not tried craft beer yet, Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat is an excellent beer to start drinking. It is very easy to drink and has a great, refreshing taste. If you have tried this beer, but are looking for a more traditional blueberry taste, then may I suggest Sea Dog Wild Blueberry Wheat Ale. This beer has a much more traditional blueberry taste. I will have a review of this beer posted in the near future.
Cheers Everyone!!
The appearance of this beer is light in color. It has a golden hue to it with a nice white foamy head. The smell of this beer is very pleasing to the nose. One gets the aroma of fruit, and to be more specific, a blueberry smell.
As I said in a previous post, this brew was the beer that started my love affair with craft beers. Part of me wants to give you a detailed description of the taste, but to be honest with you, this beer tastes just like one thing. That's right, this beer tastes just like Fruity Pebbles. Every time I take the first sip of this beer, I am reminded of this cereal.
I am going to give this beer a definite thumbs up from me. It has a nice fruity taste, it is widely available at most package stores, and it is reasonably priced. Overall, other people seem to like this beer as well. By far, it is not the greatest craft beer that I have tried. However, if you have not tried craft beer yet, Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat is an excellent beer to start drinking. It is very easy to drink and has a great, refreshing taste. If you have tried this beer, but are looking for a more traditional blueberry taste, then may I suggest Sea Dog Wild Blueberry Wheat Ale. This beer has a much more traditional blueberry taste. I will have a review of this beer posted in the near future.
Cheers Everyone!!
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