Souvenirs: New Jersey Trip

When most people travel, they bring back souvaniers like shirts, coffee mugs, magnets, etc. But not me, I bring back beer!

Beers from my trip to Jersey last week:

Monkey Wrench -- Allentown Brew Works

Coney Island Albino Python -- Shmaltz Brewing Company (He'Brew)

Dragon's Milk -- New Holland Brewing Co.

Three Skulls Cutthroat Red -- Baron Brewing

Imperial India Pale Ale -- Green Flash Brewing Co.

Chipotle Ale -- Rogue Brewing Co.

Nugget Nectar -- Troegs Brewing Co.

REVIEWS TO COME!!

Review: Coronado Golden Yellow Ale

Coronado Brewing Co.

Grade: C

Appearance: Pours a slightly hazy golden-yellow with an orange tint.  Very little head that withers quickly and leaves poor lacing.

Smell: Very light with sweet, sugary malt and a hint of wheat upfront. Honeyed fruits show up with a very subtle hop addition.  The hops are hard to find, but they are there.

Taste: Almost cloning the smell, the taste is very light and one-dimensional.  All I pick up are some grains and honey and orange notes in the way back. Hops are non existant.  The overall taste is "meh."

Mouthfeel: Typical light body with medium carbonation, but pretty refreshing.  It leaves some malt thickness behind.

Drinkability: It's light body and taste would allow me to pound these all night, but I'm not sure I would want too.  These could be put away better during a BBQ, on the beach or just a really hot day.

Overall: While there is nothing special with this beer,  there is nothing offensive about it. The taste isn't bad,  just doesn't have enough of it.  A very average beer that I would drink again during the summer, but not bother seeking out.

Review: ACME California Pale Ale

North Coast Brewing Co.

Grade: C-

Appearance:  Pours a bright and clear golden amber with a small head that quickly disappears, leaving little to no lacing.

Smell:  Very fruity. I'm picking up strong mango aroma, along with orange and other citrus flavors.  Honey and red apple are also apparent, with no hops whatsoever.

Taste:  Almost the opposite of the smell. A slightly sweet malt and wheat taste hits first. Unlike the smell, some citrus hop bitterness comes through, but not as strong as it should for a pale ale.  Sweet corn and grain flavors finish off the taste.

Mouthfeel: A medium body with moderate carbonation and finishes with a sweet malt thickness.

Drinkability:  This one has pretty good drinkability.  The sweetness and medium body makes this a very sessionable beer.

Overall:  I am still wondering what kind of beer this is.  The label says Pale Ale, but everything about it doesn't scream a pale ale. Apparent sweet maltness and little to no hop bitterness doesn't fit the bill.  It is a decent beer, but by no means should this be considered a west coast pale ale, more like British.

News: "Brewmasters" has been cancelled!

According to BeerAndWhiskeyBros.com, Discovery's new series on brewing has been cancelled after just five episodes.  The initial season centered on founder Sam Calagione and his microbrewery, Dogfish Head Brewing Co.  This comes at a time when craft breweries are exploding and finally getting the recognition they deserve.  When I first heard the news, I assumed it was because the show lacked viewers, but I was wrong. According to the Twitter Feeds of Anthony Bordain, the host of Travel Channel's, "No Reservations," there was a much bigger reason for cancelling the series.

According to Anthony Bordain, the big beer companies, such as Anheiser-Bush and Miller, threatened to pull all their advertising on Discovery if it didn't pull the plug on the show.  There is no doubt that these big beer companies spend millions of dollars a year for ads on Discovery to push their crappy beer, and that is certainly a hit that Discovery can't afford to take.  While I have no resentment towards Discovery for canceling the show, this is just another stunt pulled by big beer to completely stunt the growth of craft beer.  So, the first show in history geared toward the amazing process of craft brewing gets canceled due to the greed of big beer. Pretty pitiful of AB and others, if you ask me. On the bright side, it shows their growing fear of craft breweries.

I just hope that during the short time the show was on the air, Dogfish Head Brewing Co. gained some attention and continues to thrive. The reality of this situation shows that as long as big beer continues to dominate the beer market, we will NEVER see another show on television about craft brewing. Too bad, because I was really looking forward to another season of the show, along with other beer geeks. The good news: I now have yet another reason to hate BMC (Budweiser, Miller and Coors). They are making it way too easy to despise them.

Review: Ellie's Brown Ale

Avery Brewing Co.

Grade:  B+

Appearance: Pours a very deep, dark rustic brown with a light brown head that leaves solid lacing.

Smell: Mmmm. Nice smell! Dark chocolate and coffee are apparent, along with roasted nuts, caramel and a hint of light fruit.

Taste: It begins with dark chocolate, brown sugar and roasted malts.  Coffee flavors peak through, and then become more noticeable in the finish.  It finishes with a mild hop bitterness that barely balances out the coffee notes at the end.  It is almost a hybrid of a stout and brown ale.

Mouthfeel: Full-bodied with light carbonation.  It has a pretty have mouthfeel for a American Brown Ale. Very creamy and smooth, almost to the point of a stout or porter.  However, as it warms, the body begins to get thinner and the carbonation is felt more strongly.

Drinkability: This one is pretty tricky.  While the body is creamy and heavy in your mouth, it feels lighter going down the hatch.  Pretty impressive.  I could drink a couple of these with no problems, as long as its not right after dinner.

Overall: A very good brown ale.  What I really enjoyed about this brew and what sets its apart from other brown ales that I have had is the creamier mouthfeel and light overall body, before it warmed up.  Had the mouthfeel remained the same through to the last sip, it would have received a higher score.  Nonetheless,  I suggest you give this one a try if you come across it.  Good stuff. 

Review: Prima Pils

Victory Brewing Co.

Grade: B+

Appearance: Pours a pale, pilsner style golden yellow with a small head that disappears quickly. but leaves decent lacing.

Smell:  Fresh cut grass jumps out, along with citrus, lemon and flowery hops.

Taste: Grassy and herbal hops take center stage here.  Very hoppy compared to a traditional pilsner.  The base malts are a bit bready, but well hiddin by the hops.  The yeast takes a back seat, but is easy to find if I look for it.  

Moutfeel: A big European flavor that is light and crisp.  The high carbonation cleansed the pallet and left the mouth dry from all the hops.

Drinkablity: Very strong. The high hop character sets it apart from other pilsners.  The dry flavor is a bit stronger than usual and would have preferred a slightly sweeter finish for a pilsner.

Overall:  This is one of the best pilsners I have had.  It is very smooth upfront, but then suprises ypu with a dry, bitter finish from the hops.  This is an attractive looking, smelling and tasting beer.  I would say this is a must try summer beer.  You won't be disappointed.

The Best of the Cheap Beers

It's summer time and the season for light, American macro lagers.  These beers are mass produced and made with adjuncts like corn, rice and very little hops.  Budweiser, Coors and Miller are the poster brands of this style.  They are affordable and can be light and refreshing while on the beach, at the pool and during BBQs.  As I am embarrased to admit, I happen to dabble in a few of these brews when the temperature gets high enough.  So, if your at a party and the ONLY options are these American macro lagers, which one(s) should you choose?  Let this be your guide.

1.  Pabst Blue Ribbon

This may seem like the beer your grandpa used to drink back in the day, but it is my preferred brew when it comes to light lagers.  It doesn't have the fullest of flavors, but it's smooth without that nasty adjunct and metallic aftertaste.  While the flavors aren't very present, there is nothing offensive about this beer and is about 30% cheaper than BMC (Bud, Miller, Coors).

2.  Coors Orginal

The self-titled, "Banquet Beer" is actually the best of the original BMC beers.  There is actually some malt sweetness that goes along with some hops.  This is the beer I am looking for that has some malt sweetness and is easy to drink.

3.  Miller Highlife

The Champagne of Beers.  This beer doesn't have much malt and hops, but the extremely high carbonation and light body  hides its flaws and makes this a pretty drinkable beer.

4.  Rolling Rock

While this is an American macro lager, it is still a very overpriced beer.  It is very much like Past Blue Ribbon, with a little less hops and a higher price.  But it is still one of the better light lagers available.

5.  Miller Genuine Draft

While this beer has a slight wedge of malt, it is very thin in body and taste.  There are a lot of undesirable off flavors that show up beyond the malt sweetness.

6.  Budweiser

The most over-marketed, over-sold crappy beer in history.  There is nothing more to say.   It pretty much tastes like carbonated water with some grains, rice and alcohol mixed in. 

7.  Corona

While this isn't an American made beer, it is crafted in the American light lager style.  The taste reminds me of spoiled beer with some corn.  A lime wedge is essential when drinking this beer.  Word of advice: Drink this beer in a can whenever possible.  The clear bottles the beer comes in "skunks" it and makes this a struggle to drink.

8.  Miller Lite

By far, my favorite of the American light "light" lagers.  It contains more hop character than Coors Light and Bud Light.

9..  Bud Light

See my comment for Budweiser.

10.  Coors Light

No comment necessary.  The worst of the worst.