BEER REVIEW TIME!  Today we will be discussing Sweetwater Brewing Company’s Festive Ale.  I wrote this review on 15 Dec 2012… apologies for the late posting.

I picked up this sixer of beer the first day I got into town to visit my family for Christmas in Birmingham, AL this year. I’m always excited to get as much local or local-esque beer as I can wherever I travel, and particulary when I travel to Birmingham because… well, let’s be honest. Alabama isn’t exactly known for its progressive politics, and if I can’t get my hands on good politics in this state, I’d like to at least get my hands on some good beer.

The six pack tells me that the Festive Ale is brewed only one day a year, and that it combines a “touch of spice with a s#/@!load sleigh load of malts and hops” to keep you warm and toasted all night long.  SOLD!  Love ltd edition beer, love spices.

Unfortunately, I was rather let down with all build up…

• Appearance:  Nice, dark brown.  Glimmer of medium caramel in bottom of glass when held to the light. Small head dissipates quickly after pouring.  (*cough*) 4/5.
• Smell:  Not gonna lie, this has a strange smell.  Heavy on the molasses, caramel, and malts.  There is something off about the smell and I can’t figure out what it is. I don’t pick up the scent of any spices, and the label doesn’t list which spices were used in the brew to begin with so I don’t actually know what I”m even searching for. 3/5.
• Taste:Taste is off, too. Honestly, this tastes like a homebrew that got some unwanted wild yeast in it and then kind of soured. I don’t taste any spice.  Picking up the heavy malts/molasses in the taste as I did in the smell. Lighter, less robuts taste than I might expect from a winter ale.  Oddly, hints of smokiness. 2/5
• Mouthfeel:Eh.  Mouthfeel is weak. Needs more carbonation. 3/5
• Drinkability:I’m finishing this pint of beer because I don’t pour beer down the drain.  I wouldn’t buy this again. 2/5

Overall this was uninspiring.  DAMMIT, ATLANTA.  I expected more from you.  I have yet to try your 420 beer, though.  Maybe you can make this up to me…

-Mary Mac

BEER REVIEW TIME!!  Today we will be discussing Straight to Ale’s Monkeynaut IPA.  I reviewed this beer when I took a trip home to Birmingham, AL, for this most recent holiday season.  I wrote this review on 14 Dec 12.

Beer Name:  Monkeynaut
Style: IPA
Brewery: Straight to Ale Brewing, Huntsville, AL
ABV: 7.5%

A little background.  Straight to Ale was established in 2009.  They regularly brew and serve Monkeynaut IPA, Brother Joseph Dubbel, and Lily Flagg Milk Stout.  I have been foloowing Straight to Ale brewing for over a year now on facebook, biding my time and waiting patiently for an opportunity to visit their brewpub in Huntsville, AL, since their website states that they are a draft-only brewery, available at local bars and restaurants.”  Imagine my surprise tonight at Publix when I found this lovely six pack of Monkeynaut IPA… in cans, no less!  I picked up the pack from the refrigerated section ASAP and barely even batted an eye at the fact that it was one of my least favorite styles (I would have much preferred it to be full of Lilly Flagg Milk Stout, but beggars can’t be choosers and after having this beer, I’d choose it any day anyway!).

• Appearance:  Beautiful, medium caramel color.  Crisp and clear.  Darker than a “typical” IPA.  Head retention impressive. Lacing impressive!  Thick suds stick to sides of pint glass. 4/5
• Smell:Definitely get that bitter hops smell, but it is very nicely balanced with a welcome sweetness.  Fruity sweetness, in fact. Nice and citrusy smelling. 4/5
• Taste:That’s a damn good IPA. Nicely balanced. Grapefruit and citrus tones coming through and something else even a little sweeter… can’t put my finger on what. But the balance between the citrusy hops and malty sweetness is welcome.  I typically shy away from IPAs because the balance is so off.  The beer has a strange aftertaste.. like, almost chalky.  Kind of strange but not something I’m overly concerned about, especially considering that I am (what!) legitimately enjoying this IPA. 5/5
• Mouthfeel:Full bodied and easy on the tongue.  Great carbonation. 5/5
• Drinkability:I am halfway through this beer and have a nice buzz.  It is a 7.5% for Chrissake! This is possibly the only IPA I’ve ever had that I a). not only want to finish entirely, but b). also would like to drink another one. Despite being a 7.5%, this alcohol is not featured prominently and you think you’re drinking a “light” beer when in fact you are just getting drunk.  Is that a good or a bad thing?  YOU DECIDE.  I give it a 5/5 in terms of drinkability. 5/5

I sipped this beer in my parent’s kitchen. Dad drank one with me and mom had a sip of ours.  Their contributions follow:

MOM’S CONTRIBUTION: 
*sniffs*
*wrinkles nose*
*sips*
*puckers lips*

Ew.  I don’t like this.

*examines can*

Straight to Ale? What does that mean?

*met with silence and sideways glances from me and Dad*


DAD’S CONTRIBUTION:
Dad said that this is “what an IPA should be” and then proceeded to down half of the can in about two gulps.

-Mary Mac

BEER REVIEW TIME!  Today we will discuss Chatoe Rogue’s First Growth Pumpkin Patch Ale.

I received a very thoughtful winter solstice gift a few days ago, which included three bottles of some really hard-to-find or limited edition beers.  One of them was Chatoe Rogue’s First Growth Pumpkin Patch Ale. I eyed it longingly for a few days before I finally decided to pop it open on Sunday night and share it with my roomies.  What a treat it was!

Appearance: Nice caramel color with beautiful orange undertones. The beer is a pleasure to look at. Crisp and clear and the color of a perfectly baked pumpkin pie. The brew does not have very much head retention.  I give the appearance a 4/5 but only because I prefer nice fluffy heads on my ales.  The color is exquisite.

Smell:  Mmm.  This beer smells like a freshly roasted pumpkin.  Nice nutmeg and clove complements.  5/5… this is what a pumpkin beer should smell like.

Taste: Holy. Shit.  This beer rivals Shipyard’s Smashed Pumpkin, which has long held the place of Number One Crush in my heart when it comes to pumpkin beers. I have always loved Smashed Pumpkin because Shipyard uses actual pumpkins in their beer, not extract.  Rogue has now presented me with the most excellent of rivals to Shipyard’s ale. If you take a look at the label I posted in the picture, you will see that their beer tastes like an actual pumpkin because… well, they used pumpkins that were picked 77 miles away on their GYO farm, driven immediately to their brewery, roasted, and tossed into their brew kettle. Remarkably, pleasingly, and dare I say surprisingly, this beer tastes the same way it smells!  So many pumpkin beers are a let down because they smell like pumpkin and only taste like pumpkin pie spice. I’ve found it difficult to discover pumpkin beers that deliver the same taste as they exhibit in the smell.

The roasted pumpkin flavour is balanced nicely with that nutmeg and clove taste that I smelled coming through before I tasted it. And I even get a nice and buttery taste on my tongue to complement the pumpkin and spices.  What I’m saying is that this tastes like a pie.  What a treat.

The hops are balanced precisely as they should be. Just, just, just enough to knock off the too-sweet edge that may have otherwise occurred.  Beer Advocate told me that they only used one type of hops flower: Rogue Micro Hopyard Rebel Hops.  So, kudos on that, too, Rogue!  Lovely hops taste and very well balanced.

5/5 on the taste.  Because this is easily the most well-balanced, freshest, and thoughtful pumpkin beer I’ve ever had.

Mouthfeel:  Great mouthfeel.  I would be happy with a little more carbonation, as I mentioned in the Appearance section.  On the other hand, some people like that silkier, smoother mouthfeel!  I give it a 4/5.

Overall Drinkability:  The abv is like 5.6% I think. I don’t taste any etoh. I got nothing more than a really pleasant buzz off the serving I had.  Low abv, no harsh etoh taste or fumes, and tastes like a pumpkin pie reincarnated into delicious beery form means a 5/5 on this brew’s drinkability.

Well done, well done, Rogue. 

thebeerbelly:

Ask yourself, why do you seek the Cup? Is it for the glory of the beer, or for yours?

from “The Complete Joy Of Homebrewing”

Not-So-Pumpkin Ale!  Brewed on Thursday, 1 Nov 12, which is also the date the yeast was added.  The wort was apparently suuuuper cold when we added the yeast, and so it wasn’t activating for a day or two, there.  I just checked it this morning though, and the foaming head is MASSIVE.  

Also, the house is a chilly 70 degrees this morning.  Normally I’d be all “fuck that!” but suddenly… for the first time, I find myself way less opposed to cold weather because it means I won’t be fighting a losing battle, trying to keep the wort cooler than frickin’ 78 degrees.

Stay tuned for the recipe for the Not-So-Pumpkin Ale!  Will be posted in the next day or two.  (No pumpkins were harmed in the brewing of this beer).

Racked the stout onto cherry purée and cocoa nibs today! Simon to bottle next Saturday or the following one.

Gonna start experimenting next weekend. Planning a peppermint tea porter aged over organic cocoa nibs. Very excited!

I stole this pic form my friend JP. I actually did not get any pictures from Brewz Crewz, oh well.

This festival was super fun! I’ve never been to a big beer fest like this before and I definitely enjoyed myself. Everyone was really nice and pretty much everyone that noticed me taking notes asked about this blog. Hopefully some of them found it!

The fest was 3 hours long, and I managed to snag 36 samples and two full bottles of beer :)

Because of the time crunch and the fact that the friends I went with were on a beer tasting mission, my notes were a bit brief and probably got more confused and biased the drunker I got.

Anyway, here are the 36 beers I tried (in chronological order):

1. Orlando Brewing Organic Blonde Ale, ABV: 4.73% , Rating: 3/5
   Very light color, light scent, nice clean taste, nice head. Simple, sweet, nice balance, good carbonation. Could drink a lot.
2. Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye, ABV: 6.60% , Rating: 2/5
   Hoppy! Citrusy hoppy taste. Dark tan, small head. Smells like pine. Not my style, but good for an IPA lover. The lady that worked the table was very enthusiastic and sweet.
3. Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella Pils, ABV 5.30%, Rating: 3/5
   Smells sweet, tastes kinda sweet. Nice balance. Bubbly going down - nice and tingly. Very light yellow color with nice small white head.
4. Lagunitas Censored Rich Copper Ale, ABV 6.75%, Rating: 4/5
   Really big gorgeous head, light clear brown color. Smells amazing. Warm, sweet taste - very nice and interesting.
5. Full Sail Pale Ale, ABV 5.40%, Rating: 3/5
   Nice head, light tan color, clear. Smells sweet. Sweet taste, high carbonation. I like! Not my usual style, but I approve.
6. Ace Perry Cider, ABV 5.00%, Rating: 4.5/5
   Sweet smell, sweet taste, but not too sweet. Very good balance for a cider :) Pear taste, tastes like candy, but in a nice way. Champagne color, light green.
7. Napa Smith Lost Dog Amber/Red Ale, ABV: 7.20%, Rating: 4/5
   Great malt smell. Nice brown clear color, little head. Tastes great - cold, crisp, high carbonation, light, good balance. I love it and JP (IPA LOVER) loves it.
8. Napa Smith Organic IPA, ABV: 7.10%, Rating: 3.5/5
   I don’t like IPAs and this is good! Sweet, not too hoppy. Organic FTW.
9. OBP Toasted Coconut Porter, ABV: 5.35%, Rating: 4.5/5
   Smells awesomely like chocolate coconut. Taste surprising light, milky taste and feel. Pretty thick head, very dark, almost black color. So pretty! Awesome :)
10. Orange Blossom Pilsner 2, ABV: 11.0%, Rating: 4/5
    Light orange color, nice head. Smells amazing, like oranges and cream and honey. Nice crisp taste. Definitely taste honey. Sweet, but not overly. Medium carbonation. Goes down smooth, can’t taste alcohol. Nice orange after taste.
11. Flying Dogs’ Stray Dogs Amber Lager, ABV: 5.5%, Rating: 3.25/5
    Smells like spring water. Light taste, taste like spring water! Medium brown, small head. Light, crisp, cool / can’t place taste but nice goes well with chili. Could drink at a party.
12. Flying Dog Hefeweizen In Heat Wheat, ABV: 4.7%, Rating: 5/5
    Banana and cloves! Light cloudy yellow. Very little head. Smells like cloves, taste like awesome!  Would drink all the beers. Light, crisp, refreshing.
13. Brooklyn Brown Ale, ABV: 5.6%, Rating: 4/5
    Medium brown color, cloudy, small head. Nice smell, dark and malty. Medium body. Tastes lighter than it smells. Sweet finish. Goes down smooth, med/high carbonation. Good retention and lacing.
14. Brooklyn Lager, ABV: 5.2%, Rating: 3.75/5
    Smells hoppy. Tan, good, small head. Surprisingly sweet and light. Little/med carbonation. Goes down smooth. Can’t taste the hops I smell. Filling but feels light?
15. Boulder Beer Hazed & Infused Dry-hopped Ale, ABV: 4.85%, Rating: 3/5
    Very slight hop smell. Nice head - deep tan, slightly cloudy. Sweet and hoppy but good hoppy. Medium body, medium carbonation. Smooth, bubbly in throat. I approve.
    (Should be noted I’m kinda drunk by now)
16. Twisted Pines Billy’s Chilies, ABV: 5%, Rating: 3.5/5
    Smells like straight up chili - awesome! Light yellow, slightly cloud. Woah! Weird! Slight chili taste, but great chili aftertaste! So interesting. Not for every day, but would be a great party favor. :)
17. The Native’s The Eleven Brown Ale, ABV: 4.2%
    Deep brown, awesome thumb-sized head! Smells amazing - chocolate? coconut? deep, malty, crisp, nice! Good, light carbonation. Bubbly going down, malty aftertaste.
18. Native Lager, ABV: 5%, Rating: 3/5
    Smells hoppy. Light color with good head, slightly cloudy. Doesn’t taste hoppy, tastes really light and smooth. Pleasant. Would totally dig it if I weren’t such a porter lover. Little plain, but in a nice way.
19. Geary’s Hampshire Special Ale, ABV: 7%, Rating: 3/5
    Nice caramel color, good white head. Smells awesome - like caramel. Caramel taste, sweet but not too sweet. Pretty solid, not the best but good.
20. Coronado Orange Ave Wit, ABV: 5.2%, Rating: 3/5
    Bright yellow, cloudy, no head. Smells awesome - citrusy. Light, crisp, med/high carbonation. Kinda smooth. Solid beer.
21. Coronado Mermaid Red, ABV: 5.7%, Rating: 2.3/5
    Smells great, caramel color. No head. Kinda hoppy. Okay. Pine tree aftertaste.
22. Cigar City Brewing Jose Marti
    Mmm.
23. Abita 25 Vanilla Double Dog, ABV: 7%, Rating: 6/5
    Dark, cloudy brown; nice head. Smells am-zazing - deep caramel and malt, slight vanilla. OMIGOD. Vanilla goodness. I can’t even Best beer tonight. Phenomenal. Yes yes yes.
24. Terrapin Moo-Hoo, ABV: 6%, Rating: 7/5
    Deep rich brown with deep brown beautiful head. Smells like oatmeal cookies and chocolate. CHOCOLATE! What just happened in my mouth? This is amazing! Milky smooth. Gorgeous body. Perfect balance. Low carbonation. What even is this? Is this real life?
25. Dogfish Head Chicory, ABV: 5.2%
    Yes. Awesome. Not as good as previous, but awesome.
26. Breckenridge Agave Wheat, ABV: 4.2%
    Bright yellow, cloudy. Smooth, good. I love stouts, what is happening with my life?
27. Bell’s Special Double Cream Stout, ABV: 6.10%
    Omigod Yes.
28. Konda Longboard Ale Pale Wheat, ABV: 5%, Rating: 2/5
    Light yellow, no head. Smells yellow. Tastes okay. Unimpressive.
29. Victory Lager, ABV: 4.8%, Rating: 3/5
    Bright yellow, cloudy. Smells super familiar but I can’t place it. Fruit? Flowers? Light, faerie taste. Med carbonation, good balance.
30. Southern Tier Phin & Matt’s Extraordinary Ale, ABV: 5.7%, Rating 2.5/5
31. Gordon Biersch Lager, ABV: 7.5%
    Medium brown, good head. NO smell. Tastes okay.
32. Highland Oatmeal Stout, ABV: 5.8%
    Dark black, opaque. Good head. Warm, cozy, oatmeal breakfast.
33. Holy Mackrel Mack in Black, ABV: 8%
    95% head, brown. Dark black. Smells hoppy and weird. Mocha? Kinda love it. Chocolate mocha alcohol yes. More.
34. Redbrick Brown Ale, ABV: 6%, Rating: 3/5
    Alt. Med brown. Okay head. Smells like chocolate coffee. Good. Like.
35. Laughing Skulls Amber Ale, ABV: 5/7%, Rating: 2.5/5
    Light tan with nice head. Smells like amber and light hop. Smooth. Okay. Party beer?
36. Highland Mocha Stout
    Yes.
    

Mary and I will sit down and actually review the beer ourselves (I have a review of our porter written that I need to type up), but I just wanted to share some comments we got from the home brewer’s club last night.

I went to a Tampa Bay BEERS meeting last night and after listening to a speech from Jeff from Boulder Brewing, everyone got up and went around trying everyone else’s homebrews.

I brought in two of the belgian wit, but was too nervous to walk around by myself so my gracious and personable friend DT walked around and introduced the beer for me. About twenty people tried the beer and all said it was good!

It got a hearty nod from the brewer at St. Somewhere and positive feedback and reviews from Jeff from Boulder :D

Some of the comments we got were:

• delicious
• good amount of spices
• very standard and representative wit
• good balance
• too much priming sugar
• thin mouth feel, but solid taste
• not a great sipping beer, but good for gulping
• good yeast
• no unusual or bad flavors
• tasted good warm, but would be better cold
• impressive for a beginner

One guy said he didn’t normally drink light beer but he liked it. And then later came by and asked for another sample!

That’s all I can remember for now. It was really exciting!

<3, c.