Harpoon Octoberfest

I've decided to start paying more attention to proper serving temperatures. As a result, I let this octoberfest style brew warm up for about 30 minutes before popping the cap off.

Ruby amber-brown appearance with a delicious looking off-white, beige head. The head settles down after a few minutes. Carbonation bubbles rise to the top. Fairly clear and transparent despite the darker body. Appealing.

An aroma of chewy, sweet malts comforts the nose. Sweet caramel. A hint of alcohol and herbal hops marks the outer edges of the aroma.

The taste: earthy hops, brown bread crust, black pepper, bready malts, alcohol. A warming mouthfeel. This brew would certainly complement an end of fall night on a porch.

I had heard a lot of good things about this brew before I got a chance to try it. I wasn't at all disappointed. Recommended!

Sly Fox Helles Golden Lager

This will probably be one of my last helles beers of the summer, with just a few bottles of Spaten left in the fridge. Worth noting about this brew is the unique can design that allows the drinker to pull the top completely off and drink directly from the can if he or she prefers. As for me, a glass is used almost always.

Straw-golden appearance with a white head that settles down to a modest rim. Hazy body with carbonation bubbles showing. Certainly appealing in appearance.

Smells of grain with a note of grape juice; cidery. No hop aroma to speak of. Mild, but sort of sweet and friendly to the nose.

Balanced in the mouth with a nudge of hops, spicy/peppery hops flavor, and a grape juice-like sweetness. Simple and refreshing with an easy-going finish. Recommended for taking the edge off and relaxing in the evening.

Rooney's Lager

The label on the bottle says this is "a golden lager with a sligh malty sweetness, delicately balanced with the spicey, zesty notes of the Tettnang and Saaz hops. Lengthy cold conditioning delivers a smooth, crisp sessionable lager." Can't argue with the appearance: gold, and the head on top is fluffy white, sitting gently on a steady stream of carb bubbles. 

The nose is very nice, giving off grassy notes under a sweeter, floral, basil-like aroma. Yeast and a bit of booze also passes through.

Bready malts in the mouth up front. Balanced toward the bitter end with bittering hops and a mild dose of peppermint hop flavor that dashes through in the finish. Light-medium bodied, easily quaffable. Recommended.

Catching Up: Brooklyn Dry Irish Stout & 21st Amendment Sneak Attack Saison

I hate to say it, but I've been so busy lately that I'm just now getting around to posting a few brief reviews I did in the month of April. Here it goes:

Notes from 4/6/13

Brooklyn Dry Irish Stout

Near black appearance with mahogany-brown at the edges. Smooth, roasty, chocolate malt aroma. Chocolatey malts with hop bitterness that carries thru to the finish. A good dose of nuttiness and hops flavor broadens the entree. Recommended for anyone who wishes a certain ubiquitous dry stout had a little more depth in flavor.




Notes from 4/7/13

21st Amendment Sneak Attack Saison

Canned on 12/16/12. Poured in a wine goblet; appears hazy golden-yellow with a small head. Phenolic, band-aid aroma; ginger spice. Smooth bitterness and a very dry finish. Cloves in both the nose and mouth. Peppery flavoring hops. Spicy and acidic, with spices that linger on the palate (peppermint). A brew with a warming quality. Recommended!

 

 It's May! I'm looking forward to the summer seasonals that break out of the citrusy-lemon mold and push clean pilsners and Munich helles style lagers on the American public. Cheers!

Indian Brown Ale by Dogfish Head Brewery

Notes from 3/16/13

12 fl oz bottle, 7.2% ABV

Described on the bottle as "a clean, well-hopped brown ale brewed with caramelized sugar and hopped liberally and often." Very dark brown; almost black. Fluffy, nougat colored head [Full disclosure: I bought this bottle around the beginning of the new year (I think it was New Year's Eve), so it has naturally mellowed].

The aroma is rich with roasted coffee notes and dark, chocolately malts. A medium-heavy body with malts lying a notch above the now mellowed hops which, nonetheless, still carry a flavorful presence. Chocolate, hop bitterness, coffee, caramel and roasted notes.

Labeled as an Indian brown ale, at this point in the beer's life I wonder what separates it from a robust porter; fresh and it might be a different story. That said, a delicious brew!

Highly recommended!

Penndemonium by Penn Brewing Co

Notes from 3/8/13

1 pint 6 fl oz bottle purchased for $6 at Guntown Beer in Canonsburg, PA.

Grassy nose from the bottle. In a pilsner glass, lots of carbonation bubbles rising to the top. Frothy white head with lacing sticking to the glass. The body is a light bronze color with hints of amber-orange under the light. The head is beginning to recede.

A caramely, spicy hops flavor blend up front during the first taste. Bread crust, crackers, pepper, booze and ginger ale. A cough syrup-esque, waxy, even chalky film has begun to form on my tongue (subsides later on).

Spicy in the nose with a little sweetness. Lively yeast aroma, pepper mint and wet grass. Herbal, savory and warm.

Some might say syrupy, but I find this to be very smooth in the finish.

Recommended!