Stone Double Bastard Ale

A beer that I've been itching to review (drink) for quite some time now. Stone Brewing Double Bastard Ale is a brew that comes to the east coast in relatively limited quantities. I just never got around to having a bottle for myself until this one. Of course, this bottle has been sitting in my beer fridge since just before the New Year. Now that we're half0way to snowed in, I figure this is a good time to crack open the Double Bastard Ale, finally.

As soon as I open the cap, I can smell a good bit of booze seeping out the top. I can't say that I'm surprised, with a name like Double Bastard, I would expect it to be a big, boozy version of the Arrogant Bastard. If you haven't seen my reviews of the Arrogant Bastard in the past, I'll admit that I'm not a huge fan of Stone's flagship beer. I've always found the Arrogant Bastard to be a bit too rough and unbalanced for me.

The Double Bastard pours a dark, rusty brown color, and very cloudy opaque. Almost no head whatsoever surfaces, except when I pour it vigorously. Even the head that does arise is a very thin film of off-white head, which dissipates quickly. The nose reveals a touch of hops, but is largely overwhelmed by some roasted malts and booze.

On the palate, the Stone Double Bastard is bounding with roasted malts, distinctly rough and earthy sides to the sweetness. There's a good bit of subtle hops on the back of the tongue, but the bitterness is quickly washed away by the booze and malts.

Have you ever had the Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale? Imagine the Arrogant Bastard pumped up with more roasty, sweet malts, and lots and lots of alcohol. For my personal taste, this is exactly what I was hoping the Double Bastard would be. As I've said before, I think the standard Arrogant Bastard isn't quite my style. It's plenty hoppy and plenty malty, but neither the bitter hops nor the sweet malts take the lead. Tonight's beer, the Double Bastard, takes the indecisiveness of the Arrogant Bastard and kicks it in the ass with booze and malts!

The Double Bastard is a bit intense to drink much of, but since the snow isn't getting any lighter, I might as well keep going. I've got a couple more beers in the cooler, but they're going to have to be pretty bold and serious beers to follow this Stone Double Bastard!

Stone Brewing
Double Bastard Ale
TCSH Rating - 8.5/10
Good beer, but nothing incredible.

Eli
Bibo Ergo Sum

New England Brewing Gandi-Bot Double IPA

The always anticipated recent release of New England Brewing's Gandhi-Bot Double India Pale Ale...

When you first pour this hop-crazy Gandi-Bot you notice the light golden colored body and the fairly thin, egg shell colored head. There is a lot of lacing around the glass as there should be with this double hopped brew.

As I was writing in my notebook about this beer, and before I had taken my first sip I was maybe a foot away and could just smell the intensity of this. Genuine American hops that'll blow your nose away, very aromatic.

The first sip you take isn't as intense as you may think when it comes to a double I.P.A, in fact it may taste quite hoppy and even bitter but what I noticed is that its a softer hoppy taste, unlike such I.P.A's like Smuttynose. I've had Smuttynose IPA and it just seemed to stick to my tongue like duct-tape.

Overall, after having this I can safely say that even though I'm personally not a big I.P.A drinker, this double IPA Gandi-Bot has won me over. It's smoother than expected for a double and has just the right amount of hop flavor and bitterness for anyone to brag about. 

New England Brewing
Gandi-Bot Double IPA
TCSH Rating - 7/10
Aka - very good, but not awe-inspiring

Gunnar

Victory Brewing Company Saison du Buff

Just released, I've been super anxious to crack a bottle of this Victory Brewing Company Saison du Buff.  This beer was first released two years ago as a collaboration brew between Dogfish Head, Stone, and Victory Brewing. At the time, the beer was never released in Connecticut because of some awful hiccups in the distribution network.  This year Victory Brewing did a batch of it's own, for release during it's normal distribution network.

Just arrived this morning, I immediately set a bottle aside so that I could try one tonight.  The Saison du Buff pours a bright golden yellow color with an egg-shell white foam.  There's plenty of carbonation, but the foam never gets more than one finger thick.  While the initial carbonation fades back, there's a persistent thin film of foam throughout the entire glass of beer. There is also a ton of bubbles rising from the bottom of the glass for the duration of my beer.

On the nose, there's very little hops, an unexpected surprise considering the three breweries involved in this collaboration. There's a very nice complex variety of spice on the nose, with just a touch of malts. On the palate, the Saison du Buff is relatively light-bodied, with plenty of spice, and a clean dry finish.

Despite the name, I really didn't expect a very saison-esque brew. There have been dozens of American saisons that I've tried, always falling a bit short of the Belgian versions. By definition, a Saison should be relatively light and easy to drink.  This Saison du Buff has been one of the two best American Saisons I've had to date, only competing with the Goose Island "Sofie". I like the Saison du Buff so much, that I've already emailed my salesman asking for another couple cases.  At the very least, I'll buy a whole case for myself!

Victory Brewing Company/Dogfish/Stone
Saison du Buff
TCSH - 9.5/10
Aka - Absolutely delicious!

Eli
Bibo Ergo Sum

Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat

The Goose is Loose in Connecticut, finally! My salesmen have been taunting me with the Goose Island beers for over a year now, and as of May 1st they've finally been released. Just today we received our first shipment which included this little gem, the 312 Urban Wheat Ale.

Despite its appearance in the picture, the 312 pours a light straw shade of yellow with a touch of haze and bright white one finger foam on top.  As the foam recedes, a small amount of lacing remains.On the nose, the 312 is a light crisp combination of malts, wheat, citrus, and just a touch of soft hops.

The Goose 312 drinks somewhere between a crisp summer ale and a soft American wheat ale.  The body is light and easy drinking, there's a subtle hint of hops, just a little sweetness, and nice lingering finish.

This is the first time I've had the Goose Island 312 Urban Wheat ale, and I'm definitely a fan. Where I come from we do our best to keep the freezer full of geese, but now that Goose Island is available in Connecticut, the hunt is going to be a lot easier.

Goose Island Beer Company
312 Urban Wheat Ale
TCSH Rating - 9/10
Aka - Delicious and refreshing!

Eli
Bibo Ergo Sum

Stone's Oaked Arrogant Bastard

From the great folks at Stone Brewing Company, tonight's brew is the Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale.  While I've had the [standard] Arrogant Bastard Ale several times, I've never sat down to evaluate the Oak-aged version.

The Oaked Arrogant Bastard comes in 12oz bottles, in big, black 6-pack holders. On the shelf next to the IPA, Pale Ale, and Levitation, the Oaked 6-pack sticks out like a sore thumb.

The Oaked Bastard pours out a darker shade of red, somewhere between rust and chestnut.  A nice thick foam arises in a slightly off-white shade.  The thickness of the foam fades back pretty quickly, but a thin layer of larger bubbles remains through the entire glass of beer.  As the foam recedes, just a mild amount of lacing remains on the glass.

Aromas are pretty heavy on the hops, but not super intense.  There's actually a touch of malty sweetness coming through between the hops.  The palate reveals a similar profile.  There's quite a bit of bitter hops at first, but then that little bit of sweetness from the malt comes through quietly.  Just as I type that, the hops clings to the back of my tongue and seems to beat my palate into submission. While not super intense, there's a unique quality about the hops that seems to hold onto the back of my tongue for ages!

While I've never been a huge fan of the original Arrogant Bastard, I find this Oak-aged version to be much better balanced and quite drinkable. Or, maybe I'm just becoming more and more a fan of the hops?

Stone Brewing Company
Oaked Arrogant Bastard Ale
TCSH Rating - 8/10
Aka - Very nice, I stand corrected

Eli
Bibo Ergo Sum

Dogfish Head Black & Blue

Dogfish Head Craft Brewing's Black and Blue - a Belgian-style golden ale fermented with black raspberries and blueberries.  A brand new addition to our store, and fairly limited in quantity, so of course we had to try one.

The Black & Blue pours brilliant reddish amber color, with fine carbonation. The off-white foam rises to one finger thick, but dissipates fairly quickly.  From the bottom of my Chimay glass, there's a constant stream of carbonation rising throughout this glass.  Even as I'm pouring I can smell some of the fruity esters rising from the brew.

The nose is dominated by an overwhelming amount of fruit, I can't pick up any sense of hops at all.  There's just a little bit of candy-malt in the background, but the nose is heavily controlled by the fruitiness from the raspberries and blueberries.

The first few sips are pretty intense, and by intense, I mean super fruity and sweet. The first little bit of the Black and Blue are really, really fruit driven, and almost framboise lambic-ish.  After I get a few sips under my belt and it warms up a little bit, I can pick out more of the complexity of the brew.  There's now a significant malty character in the background, and the alcohol is coming through more and more as it warms to room temperature.

At first, I was significantly unimpressed by this Black and Blue from Dogfish.  After a few sips in, I'm coming around a bit.  It's pretty drinkable, relatively light in body, and probably pretty mass-appealing. I'm still not in love with the Black and Blue, but it is growing on my slowly.

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Black & Blue
TCSH Rating - 7.5/10
Aka - Good, but nothing I'm crazy about

Eli
Bibo Ergo Sum

New England Brewing - 668

A brand new arrival, and a very limited one at that, this is the 668 "The Neighbor of the Beast" from New England Brewing.  Even though they're located just a short drive from here, we get very limited quantities of the 668, and therefore I've never been able to try it before.  Tonight I thought it was a necessity, so Gunnar and I cracked a can to split.

The 668 comes in 12oz aluminum cans with no discernible canning date or alcohol level. The cardboard flat that the cans arrived on was dated March 28th, 2012, so this batch is pretty darn fresh. The brew pours a slightly hazy golden straw color, with a nice white foam.  The main body of foam dissipates relatively quickly, but a thin film of carbonation is present throughout the duration.

The aromas on the 668 are lightly sweet and citrusy.  The last brew I had from New England Brewing was the Ghandi Bot, and I totally wasn't prepared for this soft little guy today. A little bit of that typical 'belgian funk' is present in the background, but the citrus and spice is definitely the dominate force in the aromas.

On the palate the start is very nicely sweet, followed by some nice fruit esters, and finishes with a crisp dryness in the back of the palate.  There's just a touch of hops clinging to the back of my tongue, but the overall impression is distinctly citrusy, fruity, and a touch sweet.  A nice medium body makes the 668 both flavorful and quite drinkable.

All said and done, I'm quite impressed! This "Belgian Strong Pale Ale" is very balanced, smooth, and well-done.  If this were available on a regular basis, it would be a staple in my own fridge.  Great job guys!

New England Brewing
668 - The Neighbor of the Beast
TCSH Rating - 9/10
Aka - When can we get more?

Eli
Bibo Ergo Sum

He'Brew Hop Manna

From the Shmaltz Brewing Company, this is the He'Brew Hop Manna IPA. Limited release in 22oz bottles, I was fairly excited to try this little guy.  The label states that Hop Manna is dry hopped with Centennial Cascade and Citra hops, checking in at 65 IBUs and 6.8% abv.

The Hop Manna pours a great straw-golden color, with quite a bit of fluffy off-white foam.  There is a ton of carbonation rising from the bottom of my Unibroue-brand tulip glass.  As usual, there's a long story on the side of the label in tiny print that I don't dare try to read after I start drinking.

The nose is full of brightly floral hops, bitter at the core, but mostly floral and citrusy in nature.  On the palate, this is much more subtle than some of the other IPAs I've been trying lately.  The hops are definitely present, but not nearly as rough and bitter as others. The alcohol isn't even noticeable, it's seamlessly blended in behind the hops. The finish is not super-long lasting, but it does linger for a few minutes.

Soft, smooth, flavorful, and quite drinkable.  I like the Hop Manna!

Shmaltz Brewing Company
He'Brew Hop Manna
TCSH Rating - 8.5/10
Aka - L'Chaim!

Eli
Bibo Ergo Sum

Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier

A beer that I've claimed over the past few years as one of my top ten favorites, tonight's beer is the Weihenstephaner Hefe Weissbier.  Brewed in Bavaria, Germany, Weihenstephan's label states that it's the oldest brewery in the world. Records date back to the year 768 with documents mentioning a hop garden, but the brewery was officially licensed in 1040.

The 17oz bottle pours at a clear burnt-amber color, with a nice thick ivory white foam on top.  The foam lingers for several minutes, and leaves behind a mild lacing as it recedes. The aromas are bright and distinct, with plenty of lemon, orange peel, banana, and spices. I absolutely love the aromas on this little Hefeweiss!

On the palate, the Weihenstephaner is flavorful and complex, yet so incredible easy to drink! The citrus and banana is right up front in my mouth, but not far behind is the spice and just a touch of alcohol. This is an absolutely delicious brew that I highly recommend for anyone who ever considered those mediocre mass-produced imitations.

Weihenstephaner
Hefe Weissbier
TCSH Rating - 10/10
Aka - THE definition of great hefeweiss!

Eli
Bibo Ergo Sum

Kona Brewing Company Koko Brown

The Kona Brewing Company has been available here on the east coast for a few years now.  When I first came to Connecticut, I saw a few of their beers scattered about, including two of the beers we had at the store when I started. They weren't big sellers so eventually we let them sell out and replaced them with other brews we hoped to be better movers.  Now there's a handful of people that ask about the Kona beers again, so we'll have to see how they are.

This is the Kona Brewing Company's Koko Brown Ale, their coconut-influenced nut brown ale. The Koko Brown pours out a dark brown color, not quite as dark as the picture suggests. The foam on top is a light cream color, that starts fairly thick but fades quickly.

The aromas are subtle, dominated by roasted malts with a just a touch of nutty aromas.  With some vigorous swirling in the glass I can pick up a little bit of that coconut I've heard so much about, but really only as an underlying layer.

The flavor profile is equally subtle. It's a soft brown ale, dominated by roasted (nearly burnt) malts with just a small influence of coconut and nut flavors.  I let the brew come closer to room temperature to see if I get a little more, but I'm unfortunately disappointed.  Actually as the Koko Brown comes up to temperature, it's becoming somewhat less drinkable.  Sorry, but I'm not excited about this one.

Kona Brewing Company
Koko Brown Ale
TCSH Rating - 5/10
Aka - It's beer, but that's about it

Eli
Bibo Ergo Sum

Berkshire Brewing Hefeweizen

Berkshire Brewing company is a small craft brewery located just a short drive north of here in Massachusetts. Released at the peak of Summer, their Hefeweizen is only available into the fall (usually).  I'm a big fan of the seasonals from Berkshire Brewing Company so we often stock up a little extra at the store to enjoy these brews beyond their season alone.

This 22oz Bottle of Berkshire Brewing Hefeweizen pours a brilliant golden straw color.  Just a touch of haziness fills the glass, with a thin layer of ivory white foam on top. Last time I had this Hefeweizen the foam over-flowed my glass, but this is a few months older so I'm not really surprised the carbonation has faded a little.

What really strikes me in this brew is the nose; every time I have the Berkshire Hefeweizen I'm impressed by the aromas! More than any other Hefe that I've had, this smells like a glass full of banana! There's a little bit spice in the background, but the aromas are easily dominated by the banana, citrusy lemon, and other light fruity aromas.

The Hefeweizen is as full on the palate as it was on the nose. There's a significant portion of that banana and citrus that I was picking up in the aromas, as well as a substantial portion of spice.  Flavorful and full, yet easy-drinking and refreshing!  Not exactly the best brew to keep me warm on a cold night, but I've been drinking so many big stouts lately that this is a nice change of pace!

Berkshire Brewing Company
Hefeweizen
TCSH Rating 8.5/10
Aka - Not quite Weihenstephan, but very good quality!

Eli
Bibo Ergo Sum

Victory Brewing Headwaters Pale Ale

One of the small-batch and relatively limited brews from Victory, this is the Headwaters Pale Ale.  I hear about this one nearly every year, but for some reason I've never sit down to try it.

The Headwaters pours out a clear golden color, with light and fluffy foam on top. Aromas are slightly hoppy, but heavy on the sweet side of things.

Just a touch of hops balance nicely with a substantial amount of malts.  The hops are slightly bitter, but more citrus and piney than a sticky/bitter style.  The malts are sweet, but not candy/sugary sweet.  Very nice balance and a very clean smooth finish.

Victory Brewing Company
Headwaters Pale Ale
TCSH Rating - 8/10
Aka - Quite nice, I'm impressed

Eli
Bibo Ergo Sum

Southern Tier Un*Earthly IPA

Now if you've been reading my blog, you know how I feel about the Southern Tier Brewing's lineup of Imperial brews, especially beers like the Pumking and Mokah.  But tonight's stop on my beer tour is the Southern Tier Un*Earthly IPA. At just about 11% abv this is sure to put my new hops-friendly palate to the test!

The Southern Tier Unearthly pours a dark shade of amber with great clarity. The head atop is thinner than I had initially expected, though at 11% abv I guess I should have put aside my expectations. The bright white foam doesn't last long, nor does it leave behind much lacing.  Again, this isn't what I expected, considering how much hops is supposed to be cramped into this bottle.

The aromas are full of pungent grapefruit-driven hops. There's also a touch of sweetness in the nose, which is always a good sign to me. On the palate the Un*Earthly is full of rough and pungent bitter hops. But there is still a nice sweetness on the finish. It's like a not-so-sweet version of the 90 min IPA.  The Southern Tier Un*Earthly is flavorful, bold and intense, yet drinkable and quite delicious!

Southern Tier Brewing
Un*Earthly IPA
TCSH Rating - 9/10
Aka - Truly out of this world

Eli
Bibo Ergo Sum

Leffe Brune

Now I've been staring at our set of Leffe glasses in the store for 2 years now, but this will be the first time I've ever had the dark version of the brew. The best known brew from the Leffe Abbey is their Blonde Ale, but the Leffe Brune (Brown) is the slightly stronger and obviously darker concoction from the Abbey of Notre Dame Leffe (translation might be inaccurate, blame google).

For such a dark brown colored beer, the foam on top is quite white in color.  A very thick foam rises to the top, a good finger and a half to two fingers thick. The beer itself is a very dark brown color, nearly completely opaque, but just a touch of light makes it through.

Aromas are full of brown sugar, roasted malts and candy sweetness. There's also a bit of spice and nutty notes in the nose, and maybe a little toffee?  On the palate the Brune is much lighter than expected!  With all that malty sweetness in the nose, I expected a bit more intensity in the mouth.  The Brune is fairly light in body dominated entirely by both fruity and roasted malts with a fair amount of alcohol shining through.  I'm surprised how much the alcohol is noticeable, as the website lists the Brune at only a subtle 6.5% abv.

The Leffe Brune is a flavorful and smooth but not super impressive.  I've had a Blonde several times and to the best of my recollection, the Blonde was a bit more impressive in quality.  I have no trouble finishing this Leffe Brune tonight, but I don't see myself reaching for another either.

Abbay of Notre Dame
Leffe Brune
TCSH Rating - 6/10
Aka - Meh, good but nothing great

Eli
Bibo Ergo Sum

Lagunitas Maximus IPA

As I explore the world of beer (and my new-found taste for the hops) I thought another double IPA from Lagunitas Brewing Company "Maximus" was in order. Plenty of quality bars have this monster on tap and it has been bottled in 22oz bottles in the past, but currently the 12oz bottle in 6-packs has become the standard. At about 8% abv, a 6-pack of Maximus probably has as much alcohol as a 12-pack of the Silver Bullet, so light beer drinkers beware!

The Maximus pours out a nice reddish-orange hue, crystal clear, with a nice full one-finger foam on top.  Bright ivory in color, the foam is lively and leaves behind a nice sticky lacing. The aromas are bright and zesty, full of citrus, floral and grapefruity hops. The aromas are bountiful, but very soft in nature; this is one of the sweetest/most pleasant smelling IPAs I've ever put my nose in.

On the palate the Lagunitas Maximus is very similar to the aromas. Very bright and flavorful hops are dominated by a very soft, smooth, and citrusy style of hops. There's a slight hint of spice in the mid-palate, with a touch of malty sweetness on the back-end.  Much the same way that DFH 90 Min is a hoppy yet sweeter style IPA than the 60 Min, this Maximus brew is a little bit on the sweet side.  Despite being rated at over 70 IBUs, the Lagunitas Maximus DIPA is quite easy to drink, and verges on refreshing.

Lagunitas Brewing
Maximus
TCSH Rating - 8.5/10
Aka - I'm a fan of the hops!

Eli
Bibo Ergo Sum

Weyerbacher Double Simcoe

More and more I've become a fan of the hops-heavy brews, so I thought it was time to give something like this a try.  Hailing from about 15 minutes from where I grew up, this is the Weyerbacher Brewing Double Simcoe IPA from Easton, PA.

Cork and caged bomber bottle releases a ton of thick, frothy foam atop this dark, rusty-copper-colored brew. The foam is just a touch off-white to lightly tan in color and seems to last forever.  I let the head fade a bit, give it a little swirl and it nearly over-flows the edges of my Ovila glass again! The cork is the longest cork I've ever seen in a beer bottle and even rivals that of many quality wines!

In the nose the Double Simcoe is quite fragrant with lots and lots of grapefruit, pine, and floral hop aromas.  As it warms a bit the aromas take on a much more rough and pungent side of the hops spectrum.  On the palate the Double Simcoe is a bit harsh at first. I've never claimed to be a hop-head, but this is tough for me to take right now.  I let the beer warm a little closer to room temperature and try again. There's still an insane amount of grapefruity and bitter hops but it's just a bit too rough for me.  I'll re-cork the bottle and see what Sara thinks of it tomorrow...

The next day I open it again so Sara and I can both give it a try.  Despite being re-corked and refrigerated overnight, there is still a ton of lively carbonation inside. The aromas are still a bit on the pungent side, and the palate shows the same.  Now Sara is a bit more of a hop-lover than I am and even she is having a hard time with the Double Simcoe.

Despite the fact that I've been developing a taste for the bitterness, this bottle is definitely not my style. I'm not going to give it an 'official' rating until I can grab another bottle for a second try.  I will say, that if you're a bit fan of punch-in-the-face Simcoe hops, feel free to give this a try.  For now, my jury is out.

Weyerbacher Brewing
Double Simcoe IPA

To Be Continued...

Eli
Bibo Ergo Sum

Berkshire Gold Spike Ale

I generally consider it one of my purposes in life to convert people from those "frost brewed" or high "drinkability" beers. The beer for today is my #1 most successful tool in converting people to the world of craft beer: Berkshire Brewing Company's Gold Spike Ale.

Brewed just a few hours north of here, Berkshire Brewing is only available in 22oz Bomber Bottles, 64oz Growlers and kegs. From this very small brewery, none of the brews are pasteurized so we always have to keep them cold.  Sometimes this hurts their cause as many people still believe the myth about keeping cold beers cold.

The Gold Spike Ale pours out a crystal clear bright golden color.  Foam was light to medium but as you can see by the picture it faded relatively quickly.  That being said, there was a significant amount of carbonation through until the end of my glass.  The foam is bright white in color but left behind very little (nearly zero) lacing. The aromas, well, it smells like a beer. There's almost no detectable hops and just a touch of soft sweet malts.

On the palate, the Gold Spike is crisp, clean, refreshing and smooth. There is a subtle touch of dryness on the finish, but for the most part the bitterness from hops is negligible. The malts provide for a lighter easy-drinking style of beer that I would classify into the very simple category of "tastes like beer."  This is the type of beer that Bud and Coors imitate, just a perfectly smooth and non-offensive brew.

To all my craft beer lovers out there, grab some of the Berkshire Gold Spike Ale next time you're headed to a party.  Pour some in your glass and pass it around when you can.  Whether you're handing it to someone with a "silver bullet", a "vortex bottle", a can with a blue tab, or another other sort of gimmick, the Gold Spike Ale always goes over well.  Then slap a bumper sticker on their car like my "Think Global, Drink Local"!

Berkshire Brewing Company
Gold Spike Ale
TCSH Rating - 9/10
Aka - A gimmick-killer every time!

Eli
Bibo Ergo Sum

North Coast Brewing - Red Seal Ale

Obviously my taste for beer has changed a bit over the past 6 months.  However, I'm curious to see how my tastes have been altered over the past ten years.  It's been just about ten years now since I first had this beer and I've been eager to give it another sip.  I first had the Red Seal Ale when my friend Jimmy brought some for a weekend visit at my college.  At the time I drank almost exclusively MGD and Yuengling, and the Red Seal was (if you can believe it) too hoppy and bitter for me to consume.  An entire case of beer got pawned off on friends and enemies alike.

Tonight the Red Seal Ale pours out a very red shade of amber with a lively one finger head. Actually the beer foamed over at first because our beer fridge is very close to 30 degree and it froze when I popped the cap.  On the nose the Red Seal is light and a little sweet.  Very little hops stands out in the aromas at all.  Sara is picking out some pineapple, but I'm not quite getting that myself.

On the palatte the Red Seal Ale is equally light and almost a little sweet.  I'm getting only a touch of hops and its a very soft, smooth hop character.  The finish is even silky and subtle, leaving very little bitterness on the tongue.

This might be the first Pale Ale that I've ever been really into, but I think the Red Seal is quite delicious and fairly refreshing. I love the "big boy" beers from North Coast such as Brother Thelonius and Old Rasputin, now I'm also going to add the Red Seal Ale as a good go-to brew!

North Coast Brewing
Red Seal Ale
TCSH Rating - 8.5/10
Aka - The best "Pale Ale" I think I've ever had!

Eli
Bibo Ergo Sum

New England Brewing Elm City Lager

In honor of 77 years of putting beers in cans, I've got another craft beer review from a little 12oz aluminum 'bullet.'  This is the Elm City Lager from New England Brewing right here in Connecticut.

The Elm City Lager pours into my pilsner glass a brilliant straw yellow with plenty of bright white foam. The foam lasts longer than expected and even leaves behind a little bit of lacing which also caught me off-guard.  The nose isn't super complex but it is crisp and clean with just a touch of hops. In all honesty, this is the smell that comes to mind when I try to think of the smell of "beer." Imagine something like Miller or Budweiser, without the skunk and other defaults.  That is, if they could make a good beer it would smell like this.

Flavor profile is also not ultra deep and complex but that's probably why I enjoy this. It's clean and smooth on the palate with a softly dry finish. Again, I'm imagining that if you could take a gummy bear that tasted exactly like the definition of "beer" it would taste just like this. Just a touch of mild malts and a perfectly dry and slightly bitter finish.

Easy drinking yet flavorful lagers don't get much better than this! If you're not already supporting the local economy, grab a six-pack of the Elm City Lager from New England Brewing.  And keep an eye out for their Imperial Stout Trooper, it should be hitting shelves soon.

New England Brewing Company
Elm City Lager
TCSH Rating - 8.5/10
Aka - Perfectly flavorful and refreshing

Win Free Tickets to our Beer Tasting

You read it right folks; You can win free tickets to our upcoming Beer Tasting Event!  All we're asking you to do is drink beer (responsibly) and document the experience.

January 24th is "Beer Can Appreciation Day" and in honor of the past 77 years of beer in cans we are giving away Three Free Tickets to our February 2nd Beer Tasting (a $60 value).

To Enter the Contest...
1- Have a Beer  (preferably a craft beer from a can; this however is not a requirement to enter the contest)
2- Take a picture and document the experience
3- Post the picture & review to our Facebook page
4- The post that gets the most "Likes" will win!

It's that easy! If you need help picking out some quality canned beers to review, come in and ask.  We currently stock at least a dozen quality brews in cans.  Please feel free to share our page to all your friends and encourage them to 'like' your post!

Details regarding the Beer Tasting on February 2nd:

We'll be next door at The Mustard Seed Cafe with some snacks and finger-food. The list of beers is far from finalized but will likely feature 10-12 different pours including new, limited, and/or seasonal bottlings. Specific brews to be included will be finalized in January, however the one 'beer' that will definitely be included is the Samuel Adams Utopias!  The Utopias is the ridiculously limited, 30% abv, drinks-like-a-cognac creation of the guys at the Boston Beer Company. We were able to secure one of these $200 bottles specifically for this event and we'll be saving it for dessert!

Tickets are $20 per person.  Please call or stop by the store to sign up prior to the event date. Seats are limited, so make your move. I know what some of you are thinking, "I'm going to wait to sign up because I'm hoping to win the contest", but we'd still recommend you sign up as soon as possible! If you are selected as the winner, you'll get your entry fee back.

Thanks for reading folks, please help spread the word!

Eli
Bibo Ergo Sum