Beer-a-Day #47
Back when I was shopping for Tripels for the Session I had trouble finding any. Now that I’ve done that, they’re practically jumping into my shopping cart.
Deep amber color with a prodigious head. So much so that I had a spill-over and am afraid that it’s over-carbonated. Or worse.
Smells nice, with some vanilla in the aroma. Some tart fruitiness in the flavor; more vanilla. Pretty good, although too big to have too many.
Beer-a-Day #46
I’ve been passing over this one at my favorite retailer because I’m trying to move away from hop bombs and because of the goofy character on the label. Reminds me of your cliched prospector in old Westerns.
It’s too bad, too, because I rather like this beer now that I’ve tried it.
Pale yellow in color with plenty of head. Enough to give an initial impression of over-carbonation. Pine, grapefruit and spice in the aroma. An abundance of yummy hop bitterness. This another that Ron would like.
I’m sure you’ve heard about the devastating wildfires in Australia these past couple of weeks. The effect on people and the environment is just staggering.
The Hargreaves Hill Brewery, just north of Melbourne, was devestated. And after they just completed an expensive expansion.
Once you’ve donated to the Red Cross, consider buying some of Hargreaves Hill beer to help out. Or, if you’re not in one of their markets, consider a donation.
(via International BS Blog)
Beer-a-Day #45
What can I say about this beyond what Ron said? Well, I can say that he spent nearly as much to send me one bottle as it cost him for the six-pack. And that he broke a number of laws and the shipping company’s rules.
Honey-colored, with an off-white that drops fairly quickly. I love the aroma of this thing; it’s just loaded with grapefruit. Medium body and not overly bitter.
I don’t know if this is the best pale ale I’ve ever had, but it’s very good. This needs further research.
Widmer Brothers Drifter Pale Ale
p.s. Thanks Ron!
Somehow I’ve been sucked into both Facebook and Twitter. I suppose I’m a little late to this Web 2.0 party, but us old guys are often a little slow on the uptake.
Anyway, you can follow Hop Talk at both Facebook and Twitter.
http://www.facebook.com/pages/Hop-Talk/50716112866
We’ll be using both to supplement what we blog about, like live on-the-scene tastings and links to news articles of interest.
What about you? Are you Tweeting? Are you…Facebooking? (What is the term for “using Facebook”?)
Beer-a-Day #44
Brooklyn Brewery week concludes early. (The other two beers I picked up, Brooklyn Lager and Brooklyn Pilsner, I’ve already written about and I don’t have a couple of others to hand.)
Amber color; very clear. Not much head. Biscuity aroma. A bit of bite from the hops and the carbonation. Pretty clean finish. I’d drink that again.
Remember back in the seventies when knocking over dominoes in every more complex setups was all the rage? Even as a young’un I spent an inordinate amount of time setting up steps, drops, and other tricks.
I suppose this is a logical extension.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8QSU8wXDkcg
At least it would be fun getting the raw materials.
(via Beer Examiner)
Beer-a-Day #43
Brooklyn Brewery week continues.
For all my love of both Brooklyn Brewery and IPAs, I can’t believe I’ve never had this.
Orangish-yellow with an off-white head. Nice hop aroma; I get some lemon zest and some grapefruit. Light-to-medium body and a nice bitter hop finish. I’ll be having this again.
Widmer Brothers has come up with a new brew they call Drifter; it is a pale ale and it is quite unique. I have only had something similar from a local brew pub, the Pump Station Pale from the Albany Pump Station. While unique, Drifter is true to the pale ale style. It is golden amber in color with a light caramel sweetness. It has a light to moderate hop bitterness along with significant nose presence of grapefruit and tangerine. The twist comes from the variety of hops they used, the new Summit hops, which is not your typical American pale ale Cascade or other “C” hop, nor English Fuggle or Kent Goldings.
“We crafted Drifter to make waves in the category and provide beer lovers with a new pale ale experience,” said Kurt Widmer, co-founder of Widmer Brothers Brewing. “Most pale ales are brewed with Cascade hops. Ours is truly an original, made with Summit hops known for their delicate flavor and undertones of tangerine, mandarin orange and grapefruit.”
Drifter
I don’t know if it is the hops with their fresh citrus character or if it is just my love of these Amarillo-like hops, but this beer just tastes so fresh! It doesn’t taste like it came from a bottle, but rather off the tap from your local brew pub.
Drifter is intended to be savored (or quaffed) on a lazy summer day while drifting on the water. Saranac Pale Ale use to be my summertime “go-to beer”. Over time, I got a little tired of it and it was replaced by Southern Tier’s Phin & Matt’s Extraordinary Ale. I’m starting to look for a change again and Drifter could easily win that title.
So I’m looking at the unofficial Hop Talk rating guide I ask myself…
I consulted with Al and neither of us have ever given a beer a perfect 5 on our ratings. Drifter comes as close as to a 5 as any other beer I have rated.
Drifter was a Silver Medal winner in the Pale Ale category at the 2006 Great American Beer Festival (GABF); the beer sails in at an ABV of 5.7% and 32 IBUs. Drifter is already available on tap in 20 select states, with six-packs on shelves in early February. The beer will launch nationwide in mid-April and will be offered year-round.
Beer-a-Day #42
Brooklyn Brewery week continues.
Wheat beers are generally hit-or-miss with me. They’re certainly not something I go for with any sort of regularity.
Yellow with just a hint of haze. White head that dissipates quickly. Lots of banana and cloves in the aroma. Nice clean finish.
