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!!
Berkshire Coffeehouse Porter
Hello everyone, tonight I will be reviewing Berkshire Coffeehouse Porter. I have had this particular beer many times, both on tap and in a bottle, and tonight I am going to give you my opinion of it. As I mentioned in a previous post, this beer is my favorite porter by far, and definitely one of my favorite beers in general.
If you want to purchase this brew at your local package store, you will most likely only be able to find it in 22oz. bottles. These bottles usually cost around $4.99 plus tax. If you are lucky enough to find this brew on tap, you could pay anywhere from $4 to around $5.25. If you are in the Rhode Island area, The Mews Tavern has this brew on tap for around $5.25. Also, Track 84 also has this brew on tap for only $4! Both of these establishments serve this brew in 16oz. pint glasses.
The appearance of this beer is extremely dark. If you get this beer on tap, you are able to see the thick cream colored head fall to the bottom of the pint glass. It looks like a beer waterfall. It is very impressive, and fun to watch. The aroma of this beer is fantastic. One can smell dark chocolate, roasted malt, caramel, and toffee. The taste of this beer is just like the smell...fantastic. When the beer first enters your mouth, it is very thick and creamy. If you have a beard like I do, the foam will definitely stick to your moustache. Dark chocolate and roasted malt fill your palate. On the after taste, you get the bitterness of the dark chocolate and more of the roasted malt taste. This is definitely dessert in a glass.
This beer definitely gets a thumbs up from me. I am not alone with my love for this beer. Many other people also love this beer as well. Don't let the dark complexion of this beer scare you away. This beer might be thick, but it is full of flavor. So give it a try if you haven't already, you don't know what you're missing out on!
Cheers Everyone!!
If you want to purchase this brew at your local package store, you will most likely only be able to find it in 22oz. bottles. These bottles usually cost around $4.99 plus tax. If you are lucky enough to find this brew on tap, you could pay anywhere from $4 to around $5.25. If you are in the Rhode Island area, The Mews Tavern has this brew on tap for around $5.25. Also, Track 84 also has this brew on tap for only $4! Both of these establishments serve this brew in 16oz. pint glasses.
The appearance of this beer is extremely dark. If you get this beer on tap, you are able to see the thick cream colored head fall to the bottom of the pint glass. It looks like a beer waterfall. It is very impressive, and fun to watch. The aroma of this beer is fantastic. One can smell dark chocolate, roasted malt, caramel, and toffee. The taste of this beer is just like the smell...fantastic. When the beer first enters your mouth, it is very thick and creamy. If you have a beard like I do, the foam will definitely stick to your moustache. Dark chocolate and roasted malt fill your palate. On the after taste, you get the bitterness of the dark chocolate and more of the roasted malt taste. This is definitely dessert in a glass.
This beer definitely gets a thumbs up from me. I am not alone with my love for this beer. Many other people also love this beer as well. Don't let the dark complexion of this beer scare you away. This beer might be thick, but it is full of flavor. So give it a try if you haven't already, you don't know what you're missing out on!
Cheers Everyone!!
Saturday, October 16, 2010
The Type of Beer I'm Going to Brew
Hello everyone, Fontes here. Let me first start out by apologizing for the long wait for this post. I've been really busy with work and school, but now I'm back in action. For those of you who are unaware, I am going to be brewing my own beer in the coming weeks. Two weeks ago I purchased a brewing equipment kit from a local brewing supply store. After researching the process of brewing I have decided to brew a version of Samuel Adams Boston Ale.
Why am I going to brew a beer that has already been brewed before you may ask? There are multiple reasons why I chose to brew this beer. First, after researching different types of beer, I found that Ales are more forgiving during the brewing process. Educated home breweres suggest that a new homebrewer start out brewing Ales, since they are very straightfoward to brew and not as complex. Another reason for my choice of an Ale is because Samuel Adam's founder Jim Koch offers a step by step video of how to brew this version of Boston Ale. As a new brewer, I can already tell that this video is going to be very helpful to me when I start to brew. And lastly, I really like Samuel Adams Boston Ale! I really enjoy the caramel and spicy notes that I taste when I drink this beer, and I hope to recreate that with my home brewed version of this beer. Don't just take my word for it, other people really enjoy Boston Ale as well.
The exact type of ale that I am going to brew is called a stock ale or an Old Ale. These types of ales are very traditional English style beers. They are typically at or above five percent alcohol by volume. This ale uses English Ale style hops. Here are some of the ingredients that I am going to be using for this beer during the brewing process.
The specific types of hops that are required for the brewing process are East Kent Goldings and East Kent Fuggles. During a process known as dry hopping I will use a different type of hops according Jim Koch's instructional video. This type of hops is called hallertau. I am also going to be using malt extract. The type of malt extract that is required for this version of Boston Ale is amber and light malt extract.
So the process is coming along everyone. I have my brewing equipment, I know the type of beer I am going to brew, and I have the knoweldge of how to brew the beer. Now the next step is to purchase these ingredients and start the brewing process. I hope by next weekend I will have the ingredients so I can start to brew. Hopefully if all goes well my beer will look and taste similar to Boston Ale.
Cheers Everyone!!
Why am I going to brew a beer that has already been brewed before you may ask? There are multiple reasons why I chose to brew this beer. First, after researching different types of beer, I found that Ales are more forgiving during the brewing process. Educated home breweres suggest that a new homebrewer start out brewing Ales, since they are very straightfoward to brew and not as complex. Another reason for my choice of an Ale is because Samuel Adam's founder Jim Koch offers a step by step video of how to brew this version of Boston Ale. As a new brewer, I can already tell that this video is going to be very helpful to me when I start to brew. And lastly, I really like Samuel Adams Boston Ale! I really enjoy the caramel and spicy notes that I taste when I drink this beer, and I hope to recreate that with my home brewed version of this beer. Don't just take my word for it, other people really enjoy Boston Ale as well.
The exact type of ale that I am going to brew is called a stock ale or an Old Ale. These types of ales are very traditional English style beers. They are typically at or above five percent alcohol by volume. This ale uses English Ale style hops. Here are some of the ingredients that I am going to be using for this beer during the brewing process.
The specific types of hops that are required for the brewing process are East Kent Goldings and East Kent Fuggles. During a process known as dry hopping I will use a different type of hops according Jim Koch's instructional video. This type of hops is called hallertau. I am also going to be using malt extract. The type of malt extract that is required for this version of Boston Ale is amber and light malt extract.
So the process is coming along everyone. I have my brewing equipment, I know the type of beer I am going to brew, and I have the knoweldge of how to brew the beer. Now the next step is to purchase these ingredients and start the brewing process. I hope by next weekend I will have the ingredients so I can start to brew. Hopefully if all goes well my beer will look and taste similar to Boston Ale.
Cheers Everyone!!
Saturday, October 2, 2010
Sea Dog Pumpkin Ale
Hello everyone, Fontes here. Tonight I'm sitting down and enjoying a glass of Sea Dog Pumpkin Ale. I am drinking this particular brew out of a standard pint glass after pouring it from it's bottle. I purchased this in a six pack for $8.99 at my local liquor store. The beer is amber in color when poured into a glass. Right away I got notes of pumkin, cinnamon, nutmeg, and brown sugar when I smelt this beer. It instantly reminded me of the Dogfish Head Punkin Ale. However, the taste of Sea Dog's Pumpkin Ale is very different from the Dogfish Head Punkin Ale. Sea Dog's brew is spicy on the palate, but in a good way. I do get a taste of pumkin, but what I really taste is the cinnamon and the nutmeg, along with the brown sugar. The Dogfish Head Punkin Ale was much more sweeter than the Sea Dog's Pumpkin Ale. Dogfish Head's Punkin Ale is more of a dessert beer, while Sea Dog's Pumpkin Ale can be drunk anytime.
Overall, I am going to give this beer a thumbs up. I am really enjoying drinking this beer right now. It is spicy, reminds me of the fall season, and easy to drink. Now I should mention this: You will find other reviews out there that will portray this beer in a bad light. For example, these reviews do not portray this particular brew in a good light for the most part. BUT, don't let that deter you from trying this beer. If you like a pumpkin ale that is spicy and with flavors of pumpkin, nutmeg, and cinnamon, then this beer is for you. If you like an Octoberfest style of beer with more malt flavor and hop flavor then this beer is not for you. Again, in my opinion I really like this brew and it gets a thumbs up from me.
For those of you reading this post who really like Octoberfest style beers, then I suggest that you also try Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale. This beer tastes very similar to the Sea Dog's Pumpkin Ale in the sense that they both have the same kind of spicy flavor. Also, may I also suggest Brooklyn Brewery's Oktoberfest. This beer is also very enjoyable. I do not have either of these two beers on hand at this time, but I will try my best to get more before the season is over so I can give you all a full and detailed review of each of them soon.
Cheers Everyone!!!!
Overall, I am going to give this beer a thumbs up. I am really enjoying drinking this beer right now. It is spicy, reminds me of the fall season, and easy to drink. Now I should mention this: You will find other reviews out there that will portray this beer in a bad light. For example, these reviews do not portray this particular brew in a good light for the most part. BUT, don't let that deter you from trying this beer. If you like a pumpkin ale that is spicy and with flavors of pumpkin, nutmeg, and cinnamon, then this beer is for you. If you like an Octoberfest style of beer with more malt flavor and hop flavor then this beer is not for you. Again, in my opinion I really like this brew and it gets a thumbs up from me.
For those of you reading this post who really like Octoberfest style beers, then I suggest that you also try Shipyard Pumpkinhead Ale. This beer tastes very similar to the Sea Dog's Pumpkin Ale in the sense that they both have the same kind of spicy flavor. Also, may I also suggest Brooklyn Brewery's Oktoberfest. This beer is also very enjoyable. I do not have either of these two beers on hand at this time, but I will try my best to get more before the season is over so I can give you all a full and detailed review of each of them soon.
Cheers Everyone!!!!
My First Brewing Kit
Hey everyone, Fontes here. So I did it...I finally bought a brewing kit!! At 12:30 p.m. this afternoon I purchased my very own brewing kit. At this time I only have the equipment to brew, but in the next few weeks I will purchase the actual ingredients to brew. As I mentioned in last weeks post, I was looking at two local shops in the state of Rhode Island that specialize in brew supplies. After conducting some research on the internet, I found that Basement Brew Haus was the better of the two shops. For those of you reading this blog that are located in or around the Rhode Island area and are interested in going to this store, it is located at 116 Calverley Street in Providence, Rhode Island.
When I entered the store, I noticed that there was one type of complete brewing kit available for sale. It was a True Brew brewing kit. The manufactuer of this particular kit is Crosby & Baker Ltd. In addition to making beer kits, the company also produces and sells various other items for brewing, including, hops, yeast, and malt extracts. I was familiar with the True Brew brewing kits since I have seen them on various websites. From the comments that I read about them, I was confident that it was a quality product. The total cost of the purchase came to a little over $82. I was very happy with this price since it was cheaper than most websites that I looked at and since I bought it from a local shop I did not have to pay any shipping costs.
As of this moment, I hope to start brewing within the next two weeks. Before I start brewing I want to become familiar with the equipment and the brewing process. The lady who sold me the beer kit at Basement Brew Haus suggested that I purchase a book called The Complete Joy of Homebrewing. If anyone has any comments about this book please let me know.
As I mentioned in a previous post, my two favorite types of beer are porters and stouts. For my first home brewed beer I am still not sure what I am going to brew. Obviously, I am thinking about brewing a porter or a stout, but I am also giving thought to an IPA. Whatever beer I brew I am sure it will be fun and a learning experience. Maybe not after my first brew, but sooner or later I plan on entering a batch of my home brewed beer into the Samuel Adams Longshot Contest.
I can't wait to start brewing my own beer. If anyone reading this has brewed their own beer before and you have some tips and tricks, please leave a comment. And if you haven't brewed your own beer yet, what are you waiting for!?!? You know you want to do it, so get out there, get a kit and start brewing!
Cheers Everyone!!
When I entered the store, I noticed that there was one type of complete brewing kit available for sale. It was a True Brew brewing kit. The manufactuer of this particular kit is Crosby & Baker Ltd. In addition to making beer kits, the company also produces and sells various other items for brewing, including, hops, yeast, and malt extracts. I was familiar with the True Brew brewing kits since I have seen them on various websites. From the comments that I read about them, I was confident that it was a quality product. The total cost of the purchase came to a little over $82. I was very happy with this price since it was cheaper than most websites that I looked at and since I bought it from a local shop I did not have to pay any shipping costs.
As of this moment, I hope to start brewing within the next two weeks. Before I start brewing I want to become familiar with the equipment and the brewing process. The lady who sold me the beer kit at Basement Brew Haus suggested that I purchase a book called The Complete Joy of Homebrewing. If anyone has any comments about this book please let me know.
As I mentioned in a previous post, my two favorite types of beer are porters and stouts. For my first home brewed beer I am still not sure what I am going to brew. Obviously, I am thinking about brewing a porter or a stout, but I am also giving thought to an IPA. Whatever beer I brew I am sure it will be fun and a learning experience. Maybe not after my first brew, but sooner or later I plan on entering a batch of my home brewed beer into the Samuel Adams Longshot Contest.
I can't wait to start brewing my own beer. If anyone reading this has brewed their own beer before and you have some tips and tricks, please leave a comment. And if you haven't brewed your own beer yet, what are you waiting for!?!? You know you want to do it, so get out there, get a kit and start brewing!
Cheers Everyone!!
Saturday, September 25, 2010
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!!
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.
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.
Monday, September 20, 2010
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.
Saturday, September 18, 2010
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!!
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!
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!
Tuesday, September 14, 2010
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.
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.
Wednesday, September 8, 2010
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.
Tuesday, September 7, 2010
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!!
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!!
Sunday, September 5, 2010
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!!
Friday, September 3, 2010
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!
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!
Thursday, August 19, 2010
Samuel Adams Honey Porter
Hello everyone, this is Fontes. Tonight I'm sitting down enjoying a Samuel Adams Honey Porter. This particular beer is part of Samuel Adams Brewmaster's Collection. I purchased this in a six pack for $8.99 plus tax. Since this is a porter, the appearance of this particular beer is very dark. When I held it up to a light source, very little light was able to shine through. The smell of this beer is very nice. I can describe what I smell to you with only two words...Roasted Malt. I've found that this is a key smell that I find in many porters and this particular porter is no exception. The taste of this beer is very good in my opinion. When the beer first entered my mouth, I got a taste of roasted malt, caramel, and chocolate. After I swallowed the beer, I got a very distinct honey flavor. None of the flavors are overwhelming. Each flavor complements each other to create a great tasting beer. The way in which this beer was served in was in bottle form. However, I poured the beer into a glass after I opened the bottle. I find that this helps to bring out more aroma and taste from the beer. I have to say that porters are by far one of my favorite types of beer to drink and the Samuel Adams Honey Porter did not disappoint me at all. It was a joy to drink from start to finish. This beer gets a definite thumbs up from me.
Tuesday, July 13, 2010
Welcome Everyone!!!!
Hello and welcome to our blog. The purpose of this blog is to inform and educate people about craft beer. Our names are Fontes, Antonio, and Tyler and we are three guys in our early twenties who are passionate about the world of craft beer and what it has to offer. The concept of this blog is simple. Each time one of us tries a new type of craft beer; we create a blog post to inform all of you on the quality of that particular beer. Some of the information that will always be available to you with every craft beer review includes: the brewer, style of beer, appearance, smell, taste, price, and serving type. After the entire review of the beer is complete we will give an overall rating. Reviewing beer is very subjective. What one person likes, someone else might hate. With that said, we have decided to give a simple thumbs up or thumbs down for our overall rating. We are simply giving you our opinion with the hopes that you will try a beer that we like or stay away from a beer that we don’t particularly like.
However, not every blog post will be a review of a craft beer. Other types of blog posts may include background information on a certain brewery or background information on a certain style of beer. We may create a post describing why we like a certain type of beer, or what got us interested in drinking craft beer. Basically, there are many different directions we can take with these types of posts.
We’re still new to the world of craft beer, so we are always open to any advice or knowledge that you have. We do not claim to know everything there is to know about every type or style of beer. Our goal is to have this blog be a place where people can learn as well as share what they know about craft beer. If you are interested in our blog and want to follow us, please subscribe to our blog. Thanks for reading!
However, not every blog post will be a review of a craft beer. Other types of blog posts may include background information on a certain brewery or background information on a certain style of beer. We may create a post describing why we like a certain type of beer, or what got us interested in drinking craft beer. Basically, there are many different directions we can take with these types of posts.
We’re still new to the world of craft beer, so we are always open to any advice or knowledge that you have. We do not claim to know everything there is to know about every type or style of beer. Our goal is to have this blog be a place where people can learn as well as share what they know about craft beer. If you are interested in our blog and want to follow us, please subscribe to our blog. Thanks for reading!
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