Shipyard
Fuggles IPA
tasted
12/26/01
This
is a beer from a brewery in Maine that also makes a good stout called Blue
Fin. This beer, the Fuggles IPA is hopped entirely with the English Fuggles
hop, which is very fun name for a plant, if I dare say so myself.
As an IPA the Fuggles is a little light (golden) both in body and in color.
However, there are plenty of those Fuggles hops that carry straight on
through from the start to the finish of the beer. About $7 a six-pack.
Shipyard
Blue Fin Stout
tasted
12/26/01
This
is a chocolatey stout most remembered for its musical connection. Several
years ago, the band I was playing in had a gig at Brixie's in Brookfield,
Ill., and the bar a huge banner hanging from the ceiling promoting $2 pints
of Blue Fin Stout. We kept the banner because it had our name, Thirteen
Mile Road, written in large black letters next to the Blue Fin Stout logo.
The beer itself is no less interesting. It is a good dry stout with a little
bit of sourness not unlike what used to be present in Guinness combined
with a huge chocolate malt flavor. It is a very dark stout, but could have
a little more of a roasted or coffee flavor. But that's just my preference.
It really is a fairly dry stout and certainly not sweet. Expect to
pay about $7 a six-pack for this beer.
Kulmbacher
Mönchshof Schwarzbier
tasted
12/17/01
This
is Schwarzbier, meaning "black beer" in German. It is dark brown, almost
black, with a ruby color near the bottom of the glass. Burnt malt aroma.
Tastes of dark, roasted malt. Not much bitterness from hops, but perhaps
some bitterness from roasted malts. Very smooth lager with a very clean
taste. Almost like a light-bodied sweet stout. Germany's answer to Irish
Stout? Sold in an attractive swing-top brown bottle.
Three
Floyds Alpha King
tasted
12/13/01
The
original extra hoppy ale might be Anchor Brewing Co.'s Liberty Ale, but
the candidate closest to our Midwestern hearts is Alpha King from Three
Floyd's Brewing Co. in Munster, Ind. This awesome hop-fest of ale is extra
hoppy without being completely about hops. It's just mostly about hops.
There's good malt flavor along with those citric Cascade hops to round
things out. I can remember the first time I had an Alpha King, so it must
have been good, eh? (Wink, wink. Nudge, nudge.) This is the beer that started
the Alpha
King Challenge -- a contest to see which brewery in the world could
make a beer full of hops that could measure up to Three Floyds' standards.
Three
Floyds Extra Pale Ale
tasted
12/12/01
This
is the Midwest version of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. It is not quite the classic
that SNPA is, but it's still got a nice balance of assertive hops and crystal
malt with a low enough gravity and light enough body to make it an easy
drinking beer. I seem to remember really enjoying this beer while at the
Double Door nightclub a couple years ago in Chicago. This is a good entry-level
Three Floyd's beer for those interested in tasting a little more hops.
Three
Floyds Black Sun Stout
tasted
12/14/01 at Brixies Saloon
A
big, roasty stout that (of course) has a very healthy amount of hops. A
little more body than A Guinness stout, but not quite an Imperial-style
stout either. The stout for those beer drinkers who like their beer dark
and hoppy. Something akin to a Sierra Nevada Stout.
Three
Floyds Behemoth Barleywine
tasted
11/10/01 at the Maple Tree Inn
There's
enough malt in this beer to almost call it a bourbon instead of a beer.
You've really got like your strong malty beer to approach this one. I think
there's enough malt in one glass of Behemoth to make an entire keg of Budweiser!
This beer is not for the faint of heart, but if you're looking for an intense
beer-y adventure, well this is it. The only beer crazier than this one
would be...
Three
Floyd's Dreadnought Imperial IPA
tasted
11/18/01
Three
Floyd's Dreadnought. What an appropriately named beer. This is what happens
when an India Pale Ale and Barleywine get horizontal in the back of
a '73 Dodge. A bouncing baby boy that is 400-pound Gorilla of a beer that
somehow manages to be extra hoppy and extra malty at the same time. This
is really, really, not for the faint of heart or those uninitiated in the
world of strong beers. When I say, "strong beers" I don't mean Old English
800. I'm talkin' about a beer with more malt and hops than all the Old
"E" in the entire South Side of Chicago. I like this beer. Why? It's not
just alcoholic kick, but the extraordinary amount of hops and their magical
and sedating properties. Remember folks, that the hops plant is just a
few chromosomes away from being Cannabis -- and it's legal.
Samuel
Smith's Winter Welcome
tasted
11/30/01
It
is indeed time for holiday ales. Of course, I had to sample a Samuel Smith's
Winter Welcome. I've been fond of this beer ever since I first tried it
about six or seven years ago. One particular memory I have about this beer
is having some in what was once my local tavern in St. Charles, Ill., a
pub called the Thirsty Fox. Everything in St. Charles is named 'Fox' or
'Charlemagne' or something like that. Anyhow, I would go to this little
pub in downtown St. Charles (now this is back about Winter of 1994) and
I would look around and see all these people drinking Sam Smith's Winter
Welcome. Seeing those large, clear bottles of beer with the quote from
Shakespeare, "Blessing of your heart you brew good ale", was just a bit
ethereal. I say this only because I don't think the crowd altogether knew
that much about what they were drinking. It was just what was on sale that
night. Perhaps they knew what I was, and knew it came Yorkshire, and was
a bit rare. Who knows?
So
what about this beer makes it so great? Aside from foggy memories of a
smoky, dark tavern, it is the wonderful blend of malt and hops combined
with Sam Smith's distinctive yeastiness. There's a nice caramel malt character
and a decent amount of British hops. The caramel malt character attempts
to overwhelm the skunkiness brought by the clear glass packaging. I don't
know if any spices are added to this beer -- a lot of holiday ales have
them -- but it is a wonderful beer to have with everything from the fruitcake
to the Christmas ham or crown roast.
Goose
Island India Pale Ale
tasted
12/27/01
Holy
hops, Batman! Not for the faint-hearted or those uninitiated into the world
of hops. Hopheads rejoice, other beware, as this beer speaks volumes of
hops. Huge cascade hops burst from this beer from the beginning to the
end, front and back. This beer is a good sedative as this many hops should
calm down the likes of the Tasmanian Devil. Despite all the hops the malt
in this beer does fight back. I've always detected a bit of a honeyish
character in this beer and I'm not sure if it's the hops, the yeast, or
the malt. Perhaps it's all three components dancing together in your glass.
Perhaps the hops have gone to my head and I'm starting to hallucinate.
I don't know. Once again, the score:
Goose
Island Blonde Ale
tasted
12/3/01
Very disappointing. Light, and fizzy, lacking
the hoppiness I remember. It is a bit dry, but very thin, and lacks a good
mouthfeel. This is from a fresh six-pack, so I should to try this again
to make sure this is not just a bad batch. Would probably still be good
on a hot day. Be wary.
Goose
Island Oatmeal Stout
tasted
11/28/01
This
is a bit too sweet of stout for my tastes, but still not too bad, although
on draft it's much better. A smooth pour (with Nitrogen) makes this beer
better. I think it emphasizes the creaminess that the oats add to the beer.
In the bottle it doesn't seem quite as smooth, but a vigorous pour right
down the center of the glass helps. There is a decent amount of bitterness
in this stout, ,just not enough to keep me interested. Good malt flavors
abound and make it worthwhile on occasion.
Hexnut
Brown Ale
tasted
11/27/01
Upon
realizing that I haven't reviewed beers from Goose Island Brewing Co.,
I decided to buy a "pub pack", a 12-pack representing two beers of each
flavor of beer. For this particular season, the beers included Hexnut Brown,
Honker's Ale, Blonde Ale, Oatmeal Stout, India Pale Ale, and Summertime
(German-style Kolsch.) I know this may seem like a lot of beer, but my computer went down this week,
so I've needed lots of beer!
The
first beer I tried in this pub pack was the Hexnut Brown Ale. This is an
old favorite that I admittedly haven't had in quite a long time. I forgot
how much body this beer had and how creamy it can taste. Hexnut is a good,
full-bodied, malty brown ale. It is not Newcastle. It's fuller bodied than
that, but that's okay. I think the brewer might add some wheat to this
beer to soften the character a bit. This was my wife Carol's favorite beer
until she became a hophead.
This
is supposedly brewed as a "session" beer, meaning a beer to had while conversing
in a pub, preferably in England. The general idea is that the beer doesn't
have too much alcohol so a conversation can be had without getting drunk
and babbling like an idiot. Of course, to facilitate discussion, these
session beers also can be quite tasty. This is certainly the case with
Honker's Ale. This beer has a great depth of character. Between the different
malts that are used and the Styrian Goldings hops, this beer has a lot
of different textures. I can detect caramel malt, wheat malt and perhaps
even some biscuit malt. The hops are not too bright or assertive, but they're
out in enough quantity to make the beer interesting. I've always though
the wheat added to this beer softened the body and mouthfeel.
Third
Coast Old Ale
tasted
11/16/01 at the Hop Leaf
Wow.
This beer was a definite sippin' beer, with loads and loads of malt. I
have no idea what the original gravity (O.G.) is for this beer, but it's
got to be in the range of 25 to 27 Plato. Unbelievably malty, yet not completely
overpowering, this beer is the beer world's answer to single malt scotch.
It's as strong an old ale as you will find: if you can find it. The bottle
that I enjoyed was found at the Hop
Leaf in the Andersonville neighborhood of Chicago. According to the
bartender, the beer has been pretty hard to come by, and he should know:
there are always at least two taps of Bell's beer in his bar. The smell of fruitcake, figs and nuts, floats up out of
the glass. Perhaps a bit of leather? Strong, toffee flavors make up the
bulk of the character of this ale. There is a nicely balanced bitterness
that asserts itself more towards the finish. A very hearty ale with an
alcohol of 8 percent by volume. Definitely for smooth sipping on cold,
damp night. Some port-like notes emerge as the beer warms up in the glass.
The finish becomes longer with residual mix of vinous barley malt and bitter
hops.
Summit
Winter Ale
tasted
11/12/01
This
is a holiday beer from the Minnesota-based Summit brewery that has been
pretty consistently brewed in an English style for the last few years.
A deep garnet color with a deep caramel aroma and flavor make this beer
very appealing. It is of a moderate gravity and brewed pretty much as a
special bitter -- at least as far as I can tell -- with the addition of
some spices. This beer has a good hop character, which I appreciate, as
too many holiday beer are all about the spices. As it warms up it becomes
more mellow and smooth. A bit of chocolate malt character also seems to
show itself. All in all one of my favorite winter beers.
Grolsch
Amber Ale
tasted
11/5/01
A deep copper-colored brew, this beer pours with a mountainous head that forms mousse-like peaks, that float on top of the beer like clouds -- a more commonly attributed to a fine lager than an ale. The Grolschbeer offers up a nice malty nose. A light caramel flavor is this beer's dominant trait, with a mild to medium bitterness in the middle, and a sweet finish. Many people may like this beer because it finishes sweet and not bitter. A definite entry-level ale, as it is not too bitter, and possesses a rather clean character. I'm most impressed by the clean flavors in this beer and the voluminous head. One interesting note is that, according to the label, this beer is made with a portion of wheat. The price of a six-pack was a bit too high for me for this type of beer, about $7, so I picked up a single bottle for a dollar. I could see myself ordering this beer in a bar, although I would probably pay about triple the price paid at the store!
It's
been awhile since I've had a Dead Guy, but it's the time of year a Dead
Guy, because it's getting close to Halloween. Although the name may be
morbid, the beer in the bottle, is quite good. A slight honey and caramel
malt aroma is present. The color is a deep copper.. This is a definite
"fall seasonal" beer. I spotted this beer at a nearby Trader Joe's and
the sign on the display described the beer as having a caramel taste and
that is not "too heavy bodied." This description is accurate and I was
pleasantly surprised that the sweet caramel malt taste is balanced with
a good portion of hops. (I guess I shouldn't be too surprised; this beer
is "Oregon-brewed." The brewery is Rogue, of Newport, Oregon. Other beers
that they are noted for include a favorite of mine called Shakespeare Stout.
Aside for the flavor of caramel malt, a honey flavor and perhaps some spices
are present. It is a very smooth beer. Think of it a bit like an Octoberfest
with sort of freaky attitude!
Sierra
Nevada Stout
tasted
9/30/01
The
first quality of this beer than stands out (other than the deep black color)
is the strong aroma of chocolate. Upon tasting the first thing that is
noticed is a chocolate and roasted malt flavor backup up substantially
by a good amount of hops for nice dry finish. This stout tastes like a
bottled guinness with more flavor hops, or more hops spiciness. This stout
is not real complex by nice dry and hoppy, which is the next best thing.
I think it is on the list of my favorite stouts. Others on the list would
probably include Guinness, Oasis Zoser (Oatmeal) stout, Rogue Shakespeare
Stout and Imperial Stout, Bell's Expedition Stout, North Coast Old Rasputin,
Cooper's Extra Stout, Le Coq Imperial Stout and Samuel Smith's Taddy Porter
(actually marketed for a time in England as Nourishing Strong Stout.) If
you like any of the stout mentioned above you'll like Sierra Nevada Stout.
Rabid
Rabbit
I
have no idea what inspired the name of this beer, but I hope to find out
someday. Maybe it means nothing. Mabye it's like the "33" on a bottle of
Roling Rock. Who knows? If the name is a bit different, the beer itself
is a bit different too. This is good: after all Three
Floyd's motto is 'It's not Normal.' Although it maybe strange, Rabid
Rabbit is a complex ale that comes across a bit strong, a bit bitter, a
bit tart and spicy. It is golden to amber in color. The beer is supposed
to be in the style of a Saison,
which is one of my favorite styles of beer. I've actually brewed
a Saison and make it every year for summer. This is an excellent beer
that I first encountered at a beer festival several years ago before I
started this site. If you're looking for this beer, you won't find in
bottles, but you will find it on tap at the Clark
Street Ale House in Chicago. Visit soon as the Rabbit is a summer beer!
/font> Summit
Octoberfest
I've
wanted to do a tasting of Oktoberfest beers this year, but I just haven't
had the time or the money. This is both good and bad: it means that I don't
have time to drink a lot of beer and it means that there are so many different
Octoberfest beers out there that I can't try them all! However, I did pick
up a six-pack of Summit
Oktoberfest. As far as I can tell, this is the first time this beer has
show up in the Chicago area, and I'm glad that it has arrived. The Summit
Brewing Co., which has been making beer since 1986, is quite a popular
beer in and around St. Paul, Minnesota. From what I can tell by reading
an article by that appears in the Real
Beer Pages, head brewer Mark Stutrud is very dedicated to his work,
and a great example of his dedication is in this Oktoberfest. A nice caramel
malt aroma greets you upon pouring this beer, which is a beautiful, deep
copper color. What is even better is the taste of the beer which is defined
by robust caramel malt flavors. This beer is perhaps the richest tasting
American Oktoberfest I have tried. It is almost tawny or sligthly sherry
like in its flavor. Certainly one of the most robust examples of this style
of beer. Other Summit beers are quite good. I've sampled a few through
the years, including the Extra Pale Ale, Great Northern Porter and Weiss.
The brewery's seasonal beers, such as the Maibock, are very tasty. The
whole range of beers can be found on Summit's web
site, which strangely makes no mention of the Oktoberfest. [Back
to Top] Pride
and Joy Mild Ale
I
can't believe that I haven't got around to actually reviewing a Three
Floyd's beer! If you haven't yet heard of Three Floyd's Brewing Co.,
then you may hear about it soon, as the brewery is reportedly expanding
its distribution to 18 states. I heard this news recently at a lecture
of the Chicago Culinary Historians that featured a presentation by noted
Chicago beer historian Bob
Skilnik. (I could write a dozen paragraphs about the wonderful stories
Bob has to tell, but it's all in his first book.
However, what I will go into detail about is the excellent tasting
of a Three Floyd's product, Pride & Joy Mild Ale.
I sampled the Pride and Joy from a brewery fresh bottle. The Pride & Joy Mild Ale was a bit hoppy for the style, tyically malt accented and complex brew, but this brewer's interpretation of the style is more along the lines of an
English Special Bitter. That's okay, because it's a very tasty beer.
This deep amber colored ale is relatively low in alcohol (3.9 percent)
compared to a lot of other microbrews, but that makes what the English
would call a "session beer." This is an ale that is light in alcohol, but
big in flavor, so that you have a few pints during a friendly chat at the
pub and not get too tipsy. Of course, the Americans have to interpret this
style of beer in their own way, which usually results in a hoppier beer.
This beer benefits from the use of specialty malts that provide a good,
sweet malt background for all those hops. The brewery is located in Munster,
Indiana. The best place in the Chicago area to try Three Floyd's beers
is the Maple Tree
Inn, in Blue Island. Ch'ti
Blonde (Castelain)
It
is that time of year for an end of summer beer -- not too dark, not too
sweet -- but refreshing (and a bit strong.) The wonderful cookie-like character
of Castelain bier, (or Ch'ti Blone as it is otherwise known) is one of
my favorite things. A Biere de Garde produced in Calais (France), this
beer is a bit sweet and the yeast emphasizes the malt character. When in
good condition it exhibits a malty, biscuit-like aroma when first poured
that is simply wonderful. Biere de Garde is a style that is unique to Calais
and neighboring towns along the France-Belgium border. Although I have
seen attempts at cloning Biere de Garde in America, it is a style that
is difficult to duplicate. But why is this so? I think it is because true
Biere de Garde is made in a farmhouse brewery with a unique and flavorful
yeast strain that makes the beer difficult to duplicate. As a homebrewer,
I have come to know how the environment and certain non-spoiling bacteria
can shape and define fermentation. Of course, I'm not saying that these
farmhouse breweries are not clean, but that they have cultured up a unique
strain that is probably very old and at some point has been influenced
by some wild yeast. I could be wrong, but the character of Castelain is
so interesting that there has to be some sort of secret! Perhaps the closest
style of beer that can be likened to Castelain is the Belgian Saison. The
primary difference is that most Biere de Garde (which means "beer to keep"),
is not as dry and spicy as Saison. However, it is a beer to be laid down
(hence the name) much like Saison, it's Belgian cousin. Allagash
Tripel Reserve
This
is an excellent ale that is supposed to be in the style of a Belgian Tripel.
It matches the style quite well, with quite bit of a candy sugar and fruity
flavors. I think there is a little more hops than the Belgians might use.,
but otherwise this beer is actually very, very close in quality to some
of the actual Belgian triples. This beer is a microbrew from Maine and
is probably the third brewer in this country that I know that concentrates
on Belgian-style beers. If you like this beer, check out New Belgium of
Colorado and Ommegang of upstate
New York. One of the hallmarks of Tripel is the use of candi sugar. It
is definitely detected in this beer and adds a depth of flavor (slightly
rummy bits of marzipan) as well as strength to the brew. This beer also
gets much better as it warms up. Really an outstanding beer! I would recommend
this beer as a good entry into the world of Belgian brews. It also has
a good price, about $6 a bottle. I would recommend for laying down in a
cool place. I think it would mellow somewhat and improve with age. Fresh,
the flavors seem a bit too green.
Leinenkugel’s
Berry Weiss
Geez,
I can remember when Leinenkugel (or “Leine” as some locals call it) was
just another cheap American pilsner beer. Some years later the brewery
partnered with Miller Brewing Co., and turned itself into a brewer of “specialty”
products. This beer, Berry Weiss, is among their range of beers that include
a golden lager, a dark lager, a honey wheat beer and an amber ale. The
first bit of this beer’s character that is noticed right away is the strong
aroma of berries. The label on the bottle tells us that the beer is made
with honey, blackberry juice and other “natural berry flavors.” How come
they can’t tell us what other flavors? Not enough space on the bottle?
Well, there are a huge amount of fruit flavors in this beer, almost to
a point of making the beer taste more like a wine cooler than a beer. The
only difference seems to be that a wine cooler would be much stronger in
alcoholic strength than this beer. However, as the beer warms up, there
is bit more “beer” flavor. I'm not fond of the blackberry flavor, I think
I prefer cherry flavor in my fruit beers. Like most fruit beers,
I never really need more than one glass at a time, and that holds true
for Berry Weiss. I think a fruit beer fits best as an accompaniment to
dessert, but what I like to do with some fruit beers is mix them with other
beers, especially stouts. Making this sort of beer cocktail can be fun!
Otherwise, fruit beers seem to sweet and boring to me; with the exception
of those Belgian-style fruit beers (lambics) that have a more sour flavor.
Wild
Onion Summer Wit
This
is a light straw colored beer that purports to be brewed in the style of
a Belgian Wit beer, a style of beer that is based on using a large portion
of wheat, in addition to barley malt, hops, etc. The Belgian brewers also
add a number of spices to their Wit beers. Perhaps the two most popular
Wit (meaning white, hence the light color) beers in America have been Wit!
by Widmer and Celis White by the Celis Brewery in Austin, Texas. I’m not
sure if either beer is still being produced, because both products used
to be distributed in this part of the country, but that is no longer the
case. This version of Wit, lacks the spicy character of other White (Wit)
beers I’ve had, but is still pretty tasty. It is quite clean tasting --
almost like a lager -- but if brewed to style it should be a top-fermenting
ale. There is an almost Chardonnay, wine-like dry character to this beer.
Virtually no hop flavor or bitterness. Dry character seems to come from
the yeast(?) or perhaps the hops used for bitterness only. This is a very
light refreshing beer that would be perfect for really hot weather. Too
bad the heat wave has passed.
Jever
Pilsner
A
few months ago this was a much hyped beer in the Chicago market. The claims
are that it is the hoppiest German pilsner to see our shores! This certainly
got my attention and I set out to find it. It took awhile, but I found
the beer at Laschet's
Inn about three block west of Lincoln Avenue on Irving Park on Chicago's
Northwest side. This was a great find, as this beer proved to worthy of
the hype! Very dry and quite bitter in the most conventional "German" way.
This light golden beer proved to be very refreshing and at $2.50 a quarter
liter worth the price! This is definitely on of my favorite German beers,
next to Bitburger Pils and Konig Pils. Here is a link I found with more
information about the brewery. Radeberger
The
waitress at Laschet's Inn (see above) recommended this beer. It was quite
a tasty beer, but maltier than Jever, my previous stein of beer. This deep
golden pilsner came in a beautiful, tall stemmed glass, that was quite
impressive! It was very clean tasting beer with a good malt flavor and
a nice hoppiness that wasn't too bold. This was a very well put together
lager that was very smooth. I believe it was $3.50 a bottle which probably
is about right. Would I order it again? Quite possibly, especially if it
was on tap, as the beer would probably come across even smoother. I
found this to be a medium-dry, medium-bodied, golden colored ale with a
bit fruitiness to it. It is from the Oasis
Brewery on he West Coast. I have only tried one other beer in this
brewery's line up, and that is the Zoser Stout, which is probably one of
my favorite Oatmeal Stouts. This Pale Ale, however, is not quite as outstanding
as the Zoser, but still a good beer. Not quite hoppy enough for my tastes
for the price category; which is about $7 a sixpack. This
is a much celebrated Belgian-style beer that is made by the New Belgium
Brewing Co., in Fort Collins, Colorado. It is hard to define the actual
sub-style of Belgian beer that this would fit into, but I would think perhaps
a Belgian Pale Ale, even though it is not very dry. It is an amber-orange
color and upon pouring gives a biscuit malt aroma. There is a nice smooth
mouthfeel on this medium bodied beer. Malt dominates the flavor profile
with caramel toffee flavors in the forefront. Not much hops. It also tastes
fairly clean for a Belgian-style beer; there aren't any strong phenolic
or fruit flavors that show up, even after the beer hits room temperature.
A bit boring, but still a good beer, and certainly better than anything
another much larger Colorado brewery would ever consider producing. Poleeko
Gold Pale Ale
This
beer is definitely golden in color. Not a lot of hop aroma or flavor (spiciness)
but there is a satisfyingly bitter finish. A bit of a toasted aroma. This
is beer is lively on the tongueand going down the throat. It's all about
mouthfeel with this beer; how the beer feels or the carbonation. I think
we would buy this beer again. I'm not sure what a six pack costs, but a
single 12 oz. bottle was $1.69. I used to see these beers from Anderson
Valley Brewing Co. in 22-oz. bottles only, but now it seems they have 12-oz.
bottles, too. This beer was a Gold Medal winner (it says so on the bottle);
of what they don't say... Another
single bottle purchase (great for tasting purposes) of one of Anderson
Valley's brews. This one is amber in color with as sweetish aroma of caramel
malt that comes across in a honey-ish fashion. This ale first tastes sweet,
then a little more bitter in the middle, and finishes bitter. This bitterness
lingers a bit. I like that. This is a medium-bodied beer that goes down
easy; yet it can still be savored. Huber
Premium Beer
If
you're going to drink cheap beer instead of fancier microbrews, here's
the longneck you want to grab. I had a bottle of this Wisconsin-brewed
classic at the Hop
Leaf, a fabulous beer bar on the far north side of Chicago. I wanted
something cheap, and with the bar being devoid of more mainstream cheap
beers such as Pabst or Schlitz, my choice was clear. It had to be Huber.
Out of a bottle this beer was quite lively, foaming up out of the bottl
and onto the bar. A light beer, but definitely all-malt, no corn or rice.
Pretty low on the hops, but you have to leave something out in a beer this
cheap! How cheap? A $1.50 a bottle! Huber also makes a bock version
of this beer which I have also sampled in the past. For some reason the
bock is seen much more often than the plain Huber. If you're looking for
some roasted malt in your cheap lager -- Huber Bock is the way to go, but
if it's a light pilsner you want on the cheap -- grab a Huber Premium.
(Ed. note -- This is the same brewery that produces other cheap "premium"
beers such Rhinelander and Regal Brau, as well as the much respected Berghoff
brand. Wild
Onion Golden Lager
A
pretty tasty, sort of sweetish lager beer that is made by the Wild Onion
Brewery in Barrington, Illinois. This beer is not quite as robust as the
brewery's stout or pale ale, (review forthcoming) but nonetheless a solid
beer. If you could, imagine a less hoppy Sam Adams with much sweeter character,
you have Wild Onion Golden Lager. I think it helped that I had this beer
on tap at the Hop
Leaf. It had a very smooth malt character and was very quenching on
a hot summer day! This
is a most unusual beer with an interesting story.
Basically, the beer is brewed by a company founded to protect the history
of the brewing of black beer in the wilds of Brazil. Whatever the brewers
are doing, and wherever they found this beer, it seems a bit mystical.
This beer seems to be slightly spiced. According to the brewers, spices
are used, and they include anise -- a sort of licorice tasting spice. The
description of this beer as being black is very accurate -- it is opaque
in color and almost seems murky. It is considered a lager, but at the bottom
of the bottle there was quite a bit of sediment, which is more common with
ales. Dark sugar and malt flavors are predominant in this beer with a nice
mixture of roasted and chocolate malt flavors and a dash of molasses like
sweetness. The beer is exceptionally smooth, with the bitterness in the
background, making it a bit sweet. The Xingu web
site states that Hallertau and Yakima (?) hops are used. Just a trace
of these hops is present; just enough to balance the beer. I originally
tried this beer when I was in college in 1992 and occasionally revisit
it, usually in summer, perhaps because it is such a smooth and beguiling
dark beer! Berghoff
Classic Pilsner
This
is one of two new beers recently added to the regionally famous Berghoff
product line of Huber Brewing Co., in Monroe, Wisconsin. As a fairly cheap
alternative to macro-brews such as Bud or Miller, Classic Pilsner is a
decent, but sweetish pilsner beer. Its only fault is inconsistent carbonation
and being a bit two sweet to be called "Classic Pilsner." Upon pouring
my first bottle of this beer the head quickly diminished to nothing. After
suspecting a dirty glass I poured a little more in another clean glass
with the same result. However a second glass poured with much better head
retention, so I'm assuming that this is an isolated problem. Overall a
very clean taste, that seems devoid of adjuncts such as rice and corn,
but it should be a bit drier. Definitely a good choice if you're looking
for an alternative to macrobrews, but beer drinkers who are fond of German
or Czech pilsners may find this beer somewhat lacking. The bottomline is
that I purchased a six-pack at the corner store for about $5 and I'd say
it was worth it. Berghoff
Pale Ale
The
Berghoff
Restaurant is where we ended up immediately after my wife and I became
just that: married! We thought of no better place to go after a wedding
at the Chicago Cultural Center than the Berghoff, which was just down the
street. So, we like Berghoff beer, and we like what folks at Huber Brewing
Co. (which makes all the Berghoff beer) are doing with this new beer. Berghoff
makes me proud with this very light (yet hoppy) golden ale. Lots of hops
on the nose, with a delightfully light, smooth carbonation. The hops, which
I believe are Cascades, add some very nice, refreshing spicy/citrus flavors.
Again, this beer is quite light, but the malt and hops blend together very
well. At $5 a six-pack this is an excellent alternative to pricier microbrews
or imports. If you like Sam Adams Lager, but find it a bit "heavy" for
summer quaffing, this beer is your baby. Well done Berghoff! San
Miguel Premium Lager
I'm
reviewing this beer out of both my own curiousity and search request for
information about San Miguel. I first ran across this beer while at a favorite
bar, Quenchers,
located on the northwest side of Chicago. I've also noticed someone searching
for information about this beer on this site. I've subsequently picked
up some at Famous Liquors, 105 E. Roosevelt Road, in Lombard, Illinois.
This beer costs about $7 a six pack, which ain't cheap compared to some
other pilsners, but I guess it has come to us all the way from the Phillipines.
That's right San Miguel is from the Phillipines and from what I can tell
San Miguel beer is part of a much larger food and beverage corporation.
Knowing this, you might fear that San Miguel is going to be a lighter,
blander beer like Bud or Miller, but this is not the case. I've found San
Miguel to be a bit sweet with a slight bitterness. This beer is somewhat
like Singha, from Thailand, only not quite as strong and not quite as hoppy.
It is very smooth and drinkable, but also a bit of a strong lager at 5
percent alcohol by volume. It pours with a nice head and there is residual
foam, even after a few sips. This is a thirst quenching brew; it is not
quite dry enough to be considered an aperitif. There is a good mouthfeel
and with a nice malt backbone, leaning towards making the beer medium-bodied.
I have to say that what probably attracts most people to this beer is its
unique packaging -- it comes in a short bottle with a sort of bulbous,
stout neck. A very regal label is complete with the image of crown is found,
along with the words San Miguel in raised lettering on the glass.
You
might not think so, but it's actually a bit difficult to write about beers,
and to generate a lot of beer reviews for a web site when its not your
full-time job. I get upset sometimes when I'm unable to update the Marcobrau
Beer Pages because I have to go school or to work. So I apologize for not
being more dilligent in my reviewing of beer. Lord knows that I've had
a few beers since the last review, but I don't always have pen and paper
handy to write a review and I don't always drink a beer that I haven't
already reviewed! So, enough with apologies and on to a beer review!
Mansfield
Ale is actually a beer I've had before, but didn't write about for probably
the aforementioned reasons, not enough time, etc. Upon trying this beer
a second time I am equally impressed with its definitive English character.
What about this beer's character is English? It is both hoppy, yet a bit
sweet, almost at the same time. It has a light to medium body. The hops
seem a bit flowery and woody which also is English. It also helps that
is beer is packaged in a can with nitrogen dispensing widget. This smoothes
out the body of the beer and makes it go down nice and easy. Almost too
easy considering one 14.9-ounce can costs a little over two dollars. Lakefront
Cherry Lager
Have
I reviewed enough beers from Lakefront Brewery? Apparently, not, because
here I go again tasting the brewery's Cherry Lager. This is a very refreshing
beer that reminds me of the cherry cooler that used to be sold at roadside
stands in Northern Michigan. This beer is pretty much brewed as a low-alpha
(read: low bitterness) lager beer that accentuates the cherry flavor. What
I
like about this is beer it is not too cherry-flavored, it is just right,
which makes it very refreshing. No, this is not the bombastic New Glarus
Belgian Red cherry beer, nor is it imitating an authentic cherry lambic
ale. This is just a no nonense lager with delightful cherry flavor!
Sierra
Nevada Porter
I
want a hoppy beer, but I don't want a golden or amber colored ale, so what
do I drink? I have a Sierra Nevada Porter. The pretty blue label beckons
from the shelf in the beer shop cooler and I can' t resist. I've heard
that the Germans brew a different beer for each season and each time of
day. There is one kind of beer for the morning and one kind of beer for
the evening, and so on. Sierra Nevada Porter is not a German beer, but
it is a good summer night time beer. Quite a bit darker than most porters,
this beer possess a wonderful biscuit like maltiness that is surrounded
by chocolate malt flavors. Of course, since this beer is made at Sierra
Nevada Brewing Co., there also are plently of hops to be found. A bit towards
the front and in the back of the mouth are where the hops reside when tasting
this beer. I'm certain American west coast Cascade hops are used. All in
all, an excellent beer from an excellent brewery. Warsteiner
(Pils)
I've
always liked the advertisting slogan for Warsteiner
beer, "Life's too short to drink cheap beer." Although Warsteiner isn't
that expensive, it is a decent pilsner beer. Perhaps not as good as other
German pilsners such as Spaten, but nonetheless a fine alternative to Budweiser.
I've read that the German brewers at Warsteiner pride themselves on a remarkably
clean brewery. This beer is proof of their efforts -- as it too is remarkably
clean -- albeit in flavor profile. What do I mean by clean-tasting? Well,
it's not that it doesn't have garbage in it, but that the beer has a neutral
taste without any offensive flavors. Yes, I consider the generous use of
fillers such as corn and rice that Budweiser puts in their beers offensive,
but too each his own. But, if you're looking for a slightly pricier, but
better tasting alternative to Bud then Warsteiner is worth trying. I tried
it recently when my friend Jim offered it me at his house. It was Warsteiner
or Budweiser he had to offer -- and I think I chose wisely.
From
what I've learned this beer is the smaller brother of Ballantine IPA, which
was considered to be the hoppiest beer in America since the 1950s. According
to esteemed beer writer Michael Jackson, Ballantine IPA had a considerable
hoppiness that would have rivaled some of today's hoppiest microbrewed
ales. However, after considerable research, I found that Ballantine IPA
is no longer brewed. Through the years Ballantine products have been owned
by a couple of different breweries, namely Falstaff and Pabst. From what
I've been able to find out, ordinary Ballantine Ale is still made by Pabst,
and is a beer that is worth trying. Although not as hoppy as the IPA, which
I tried some years ago, Ballantine Ale is a golden, slightly dry and slightly
fruity beer. I would best describe this beer as being somewhere between
a Heineken and Becks in taste and body, leaning more towards the taste
of Heineken. If you can find this beer, it may be a good substitute for
drinking the higher priced imports. I found this beer at Miska's Select
Wines & Liquors in Woodridge, Ill., for about $5.45 a six-pack. Cream
City Pale Ale
Well,
in my continuing quest to give more representation to regional beers of
the Midwest, I'm tasting another beer from the Lakefront Brewing Company
in Milwaukee, WI. This one, the Cream City Pale Ale, actually gets its
name from the cream-colored buildings found in Milwaukee. A clean malt
aroma with a tinge of hops are what is first noticed in this beer. It is
an amber ale that has a medium-bodied malt character and a nice display
of hops. Almost an equal share of hop bitterness and spiciness can be found
in this brew, but hops seem to outweigh the caramel malt somewhat, not
that I mind. I think I prefer the Klisch Pilsner
to this one, but it is still quite good. Landmark
Cream Ale
This
contract-brewed cream ale is a sort of strange beer. Brewed in Cold Spring,
Minn., this golden ale poured pretty much flat and I'm not sure if the
lack of bubbles is supposed to bring out the creaminess of this beer or
if it is by accident. There is an interesting herbal, grassy hop character.
A slight sour character also is perceived, perhaps a by-product of the
yeast. After a few minutes I noticed a slight medicinal character, but
the flatness was this beer's most bizzarre attribute! Some may find this
beer, which the Beverage
Testing Institute in Chicago called "Very Drinkable" to be just that.
Others may find it flat and boring like I did. This one gets a one Marcobrau
Mug rating for the weird carbonation. Better luck next time guys.
Killarney
Red Lager
Well
this really isn't a "craft-brewed" beer, but it is a Midwestern beer, so
here's the review. I had to try the lager which clearly is supposed to
rival Coors Killian's Red. A-B claims this beer is made with the finest
Irish malts. Hmmmmm. I dunno. There is a very slight biscuit-like aroma
and good carbonation providing a persistent ring of foam around the top
of the beer in this amber lager that's not really red. Nice smooth mouthfeel
with a hint of caramel malt, but thin-bodied compared to my memory of Killian's,
with a powdery malt flavor. Very little if no bitterness. No hop taste.
Good introduction to beer that tastes like beer from the Bud drinker, or
a nice sweet lager for the ladies. Lakefront Klisch
Pilsner
This
is another great beer from the Lakefront Brewery. Poured out of the bottle
and into a pint glass (from the brewery) this golden, almost straw colored
beer has cloudy appearance and herbal hop aroma. A lot of carbonation with
a lot of foam. It isn't assertively hoppy for a pilsner, but has pleasant
herbal hop flavor. Not too much bitterness. Very nice malt backbone making
for a nice smooth, medium-bodied beer. Lakefront Fuel Cafe (Coffee
Stout)
This
is an almost oily, deep black stout from Lakefront Brewery in Wisconsin.
This is a fantastic little brewery with a really great tour and real nice
brewers. Check out their great website if you get the chance. After my
initial impressions, this beer is very roasty with a nice dry coffee character.
After sitting in the glass for several minutes it seems almost devoid of
bubbles or a head. Despite this, the beer is not flat, and remains quite
tasty. I don't like my beer to be too fizzy anyway. I would say this stout
is fuller bodied than the original or traditional bottled Guinness Extra
Stout. (The stout that sets the standard for all others.) What's nice about
this beer is that the brewer Jim Klisch really lets the malt flavors come
through.
Lakefront Organic
ESB
This
is a beer that is made entirely of organic or natural ingredients. (No
pesticides on these hops!!) This red-hued ale is a bit thinner than I recall
from earlier tastings made before I started this site. It is still a good
medium-hoppy ale with a nice caramel maltiness and yeasty fruitiness. Good
bitterness representative of this English-style of beer. I first tried
this ale about three years ago after spotting it at Binny's Beverage Depot
in Des Plaines, Illinois. Quite a good selection of beer can be found at
Binny's. If you like a more standard lighter and spicy hopped ale, try
the Cream City Pale Ale. This one I haven't had in awhile but earlier tastings
a couple of years ago were fond memories. Sierra
Nevada Harvest Ale
Upon
initially tasting this amber-colored beer, I thought of it is a pumped
up version of the brewery's classic pale ale. It is definitely a strong
beer with a lot of malt. However, it is backed up by lots of West Coast
hops. Like I said, pretty much Sierra Pale Ale on steroids! Definitely
worth a try if you like Sierra Nevada's other beers. King
& Barnes Christmas Ale (1995)
This
ale has aged well. The first thing I notice is the red-amber color and
a winey-spicey aroma. With a nice smooth mouthfeel this beer starts a bit
sweet with caramel malt (and some spices, which I can't quite pinpoint)
and then gets a bit hoppy. It finishes with a bit of fizz and alcoholic
warmth. I fine beer to relax with at the end of evening. I suspect this
beer would have tasted a bit differently had it been opened a few years
ago. I'm glad someone had the sense to wait, because it paid off! Unfortunately,
I believe the brewery that made this beer has closed, so I'm thinking of
going back to the store and buying some more of this fine ale. Perhaps
we can see how it tastes after 10 years? Our
Special Ale (1997)
This
is the classic beer from Anchor Brewing Co. in San Francisco brewed each
year to celebrate the holiday season. If you're an avid surfer of the Marcobrau
Beer Pages you will know that I already reviewed the 2000 vintage of this
beer. However, this past week I got lucky and found a bottle from 1997!
This four-year-old batch of this beer actually has held rather well. Although
most of the aroma is missing much of the trademark spices (nutmeg, cinnamon,
spruce essence and who know what else) are still there, but even these
strong flavors are less dominant. The predominant flavor ends up being
that of malt, somewhat reminescent of a dark dopplebock or schwarzbier
(black lager), even this beer is ale. This particular vintage seems lighter
in body than last year's. Amidst the many traditional holiday spices, I
also get the taste of very dark caramel or roasted malt with just a hint
of black licorice. My
friend Ryan's take on this year's (2001) vintage of Our Special Ale.
On
this, the first real snow day of our 2001-2002 Chicago winter season, I
decided to finally break out a 50 oz., wintertime treat to accompany me
on this evening. The beer of choice was a hard to define, but an extremely
delightful San Francisco classic: Anchor Brewery's Our Special Ale. It
poured with a subtle flurry, and with a nice, tawny head. I decided to
let it marry in my glass for all of about 5 minutes, when temptation took
over. The body and taste is one of richness, just the antidote for a cold
winter's night. The beer looks like a dark stout in color and feel, but
with a spiciness that is unique to this brew. I couldn't begin to imagine
what the brewmaster called for in this year's offering, but I definitely
got the "Christmas-y" bite of anise, nutmeg, and (possibly) cinnamon in
the mix. The malt feel is dense and bold, but with a certain, albeit unpredictable,
spice character that one comes to expect from this ale.After a while, and
as the temperature rose, I noticed a bitter hop presence that I didn't
really remember from years past. I'm not sure if it was Cascade hops, or
what exactly, but it sure took on a more noticeable hop trait than in the
past. I loved every last drop.This beer should be savored. Thank God that
Fritz Maytag and Co. comes up with a different, and always outstanding,
winter beer that gets better, it seems, each year.
Just
as we Chicagoans were expecting spring to be right around the corner (yeah,
right!), I'm very pleased to say that I was fortunate enough to sample
this beer tonight, as the setting for it seemed fitting.
Ryan
Morrison Jan. 31st, 2002 Pride
of Romsey IPA
I
picked up this beer over the weekend as part of a sampling of English bottle-conditioned
ales. I suppose I selectged it based on information on the label and my
interest in bottle-conditiond English ales. According to the label, the
beer is made with an "abundance of hops to produce a beer with powerful
hop aroma, distinctive bitterness and good strength of character." After
tasting this beer I would agree with the Marketing Department, or whoever
came up with the text for the label. This beer is something to be
proud of with a gorgeous amber hue, gentle carbonation and a very lemon-zesty
hop flavor coupled with a flowery aroma. I would go so far as to say that
this beer has the most interesting hop character of any English beer. Marcofrau
swears she tasted rose with hops, but there is no indication that that
spice was added to the beer. The smooth malt character of this medium-
to light-bodied brew makes for a good pallette for this artistic display
of hops. Good luck finding this one, but if you do, look to pay between
$3 to $4. I also should note that is received the Gold Medal at the Brewing
Industry International Awards last year. Froach
Heather Ale
I
guess this is the first tasting of the year. It is certainly an interesting
one. Froach Heather Ale is an interesting Scottish beer made by brewmaster
Bruce Williams. I have a bit of Scottish ancestry in my blood, so it would
make sense that I would like this beer. Froach Heather Ale pours with a
good amount of bubbles, it is a very effervescent golden-colored brew.
I have to say that is very refreshing and dry, but in an unusual way. It
is the addition of heather tips that give this beer its mellow dryness;
I am told that any more of this native Scottish plant could make the beer
too astringent. It is a very quenching brew, of medium to low alcohol content,
a bit unlike heavier bodied Scotch ales that are familiar to some beer
drinkers. Found in a single bottle at Sam's
Wine Warehouse for about $3. This
is very unusual beer is perhaps the darker cousin of Froach Heather Ale,
the beer listed above, made by Bruce Williams. Alba is a very smooth, malty,
light brown ale made with spruce and pine essence. The spruce presents
itself first in the aroma of this beer, then in the flavor, although tawny
(almost syrupy) malt is dominant. It is a bit strange how the spruce and
pine flavor meld with the malt. I can't tell what malts are used, but certainly
some caramel malt must be employed. Much to the horror of Marcofrau (my
wife) there are no hops in this beer. It remains quite tasty, however,
and a bit strong. According to the distributor, Legends Ltd., Alba sports
7.5 percent alcohol by volume. Found in a single bottle at Sam's
Wine Warehouse for about $3. Use the links below to access more reviews.
Bars and Pubs | Brewpubs | Breweries | Belgian Beer Send comments and suggestions
to: marc@marcobrau.com
tasted
9/24/02 at Clark Street Ale House
tasted
9/25/01
tasted
9/15/01
tasted
9/6/01
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tasted
8/23/01
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8/19/01
tasted
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tasted
8/11/01 at Laschet's Inn
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8/11/01 at Laschet's Inn
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8/3/01
tasted
at 7/6/01 the Hop Leaf
tasted
7/6/01 at the Hopleaf
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5/31/01
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5/26/01
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4/7/01
The
same brewery also produces a dark version of its beer. I found this on
tap later in the evening at Edelweiss in Norridge,
a suburb that sits on the northwest border of Chicago. This beautiful German
establishment specializes in a moderate selection of German taps to accompany
the menu of traditional German food. One of those taps featured Warsteiner
Dunkel, a relatively new offering in this country, so I tried it. The well-poured
draft displayed an excellent dense head which diffused a wonderful, deep
caramel malt aroma. I thought to myself, "If the rest of the beer is this
good, I'm in luck." It happened that the rest of beer was as tasty as the
aroma led me to believe, with a slightly roasty caramel malt flavor that
would be expected of a German dunkel (dark) beer. Kudos to Edelweiss for
having this one on tap. If you haven't already, check out my review
of this bar and restaurant.
tasted
3/1/01
tasted
2/23/01
Anheuser-Busch
Brewing Co., St. Louis, MO
tasted
2/23/01
Lakefront
Brewery, Milwaukee, WI
tasted
2/23/01
tasted
2/22/01
This
beer can be found in Wisconsin and Illinois and elswhere. Check the brewery's
website
for my distribution information. Lakefront's beers generally cost about
$6.99 a six-pack.
tasted
2/19/01
tasted
at the Village Tap, 2/2/01
tasted
1/23/01
tasted
1/25/01
tasted
1/17/01
tasted
1/15/01
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