Lagunitas Imperial Red

by Michael Stein

Lagunitas Imperial Red Ale

Limited Release

7.2% ABV

84.20 IBU

 

Lagunitas claims on their bottle that “[T]his Special Ale is, in reality, a reconstructed exhumation of the very first ale that we ever brewed way, way, way back in 1993.”  Hyperbole aside let the record show I have been a big Lagunitas fan, since being introduced to them a few short summers ago.  And as their distribution has grown, so has their myth, as rightly it should.  However, I would argue that this is no mythology that Roland Barthes would have ever found disagreement with (as it is based on one truth: good tasting beer is imperative!).

            On the bottom of the six-pack appears another message, “We often describe Our Ales as having the luxuriant aromas of broccoli, kerosene, and burning tractor tires while bragging about their stagnant and pond-water flavors.”  With that in mind, and as much as I enjoy their beers, I am constantly concerned that they will taste the same.  That their IPA will in-essence become their Czech Style Pilsner.

            A brewery that boasts a “Czech Style Pilsner” has big shoes to fill.  Given the history and geocentric attribution of the Pilsner to the Czech town of Plzeň, an hour and change from my father’s birth place, it is risky for an American brewer to do so.  Just like a true Czech Pilsner that can only be found inside the CZ, the American Pilsner title takes on distinct flavors which often seem lost in translation when they cross the Atlantic.

            I digress, lets get back to the Imperial Red.  As read on the bottom of the six-pack, “Red is a color, not a beer—and while the taste buds want what the taste buds want, you can not taste a color.”  This is true you can see for yourself with photographic exhibit B. If color really mattered however, Killian’s would be a competitor with this Red.  Which, sarcasm aside, is a hilarious thought.

            Upon first taste in the snifter, pours with medium head, thinly spread with first pour, settles on and second pour finishes the bottle, still mild carbonation.  Carbonation bubbles actually protrude and sit atop the head and the first taste is indeed high gravity.  Kerosene, broccoli, however you want to phrase it, this beer has bite!  As I pen this paragraph the second sip takes me from bitter to sweet, rich robust almost caramel or heath and toffee tones bring the palate back to pleasure.  Back to bitter by the third sip, this beer is truly bizarre!  It’s as if there are somewhere between 64 flavors in two tracks of tastes, depending on how you drink it.  If you gulp down the gullard, like you are swilling hooch, you are sure to get the bitter before it goes down.  If you swill in your cheeks, essentially “whirpooling” the dark amber, almost brown brew, you are sure to pick up some sweet creamy notes, before the gravitas, “the truth” the high-gravity Ale puts forward.  I mean it’s almost like a Tale of Two Tastes here.

            The Lagunitas Imperial Red, which boasts “Limited Release” on its six-pack, is surely a Dickensian-beer.  Something tells me that if Charles Dickens had this beer in Victorian England, there would have been much more fighting or vacationing and far less writing.  While this flavor is crafted for a lawn chair on vacation, its 7.2% ABV would be sure to have the most seasoned London pub-dwellers rowdy after five or six pints of Imperial Red.

            Interestingly, the lacing is not so strong mid-beer but let the photographic evidence show hard-proof that their commitment to IPA level of IBUs, shines through at the end.  You can see as the beer clung to its Chimay Snifter even after the beer had been drunk.  Truth be told, this critic of the greater beer-buying public needed an apple or two after it, because today is Sunday, and this beer-critic has things he’s got to do, he cant just sit around and drink beer all day, heck naw, that’s called vacation!  Plus there’s only one Imperial Red left, and this magic brew will go great with dinner!

Tooleden

by Matt Vekasy

Now you may be wondering what Tooleden is. Well Tool is a definition of a gardening hoe and Eden is a garden. So this is a review of my own homebrew I call Tooleden or "Hoegaarden"

Tooleden is a Belgian white brewed with coriander and bitter orange peel. It does not pour as straw colored as Hoegaarden, but rather with a bit more of an orangish hue. It poured with a great head and the aroma is very much like a wheat beer. It tastes very much of a wheat beer with a hint of orange and the beer burp definitely has an orange taste.

Now you can't find this beer at your local beer store, but if you come to Boston I've still got about 40+ bottles left as of this posting.

(On a side note, I also have my Oktoberfest in my primary fermenter and I am thinking of brewing a Black Cherry Espresso Stout for the winter)

FG: 1.011
ABV: 4.56%
(Recipe and notes available upon request)

The Works

The History Channel (or History as it's now called) has a show called "The Works" and tonight I saw the episode on beer. Now there really wasn't much that I didn't know already, but it is always cool to see how beer is made and one thing I did learn is how and why Budweiser uses beechwood in their beechwood aging.

So I would recommend checking the program out and keeping those dreams of making beer for a job alive. (At least those are my dreams)

Link for "The Works"

Baltika "Extra Lager" 9

By Jonathan Kosakow

During my time in Europe, I drank a lot of beer. Of all that beer, I can honestly say I only had one bottle I genuinely thought tasted, well, awful. That bottle was made by Baltika.

I never thought I'd see it in the United States, seeing as it is basically the Busch Light of Russia (though somehow it made it's way into Belgium and the Czech Republic). Unfortunately, though, here it is.

My roommate bought this extra-large "Extra Lager" (what the hell is an "extra lager?") just because he was curious. $2.25 for 51 ounces of 9% ABV complete and total acidity, how could you beat it? I think it was the plastic bottle with a twist cap that really nailed down the deal.

When you first twist off the Coca-Cola-two-liter-esque cap, you immediately ask yourself, "Ew, what's that smell?". The answer I came up with is this: "It smells like bad wine that's been left out, open, for about two months." Being the curious idiot that I am, I accepted a small glass of the stuff. I was scared. Thankfully, it went down smoothly, and I did not vomit. Maybe it's the affinity I've developed for drinking warm Colt 45 on a winter's eve, or maybe it's just that I've killed all the taste buds on my tongue somehow or other, but I can honestly say it wasn't the worst thing I've ever tasted. It was pretty God-awful, though.

Unless you really enjoy a good automobile accident, I recommend this beer to nobody.

Saison Dupont – Belgian Farmhouse Ale

by Christopher Kampel

I’m getting a slightly tart, caramel scent with a hint of citrus-like spices and almost a chopped wood aroma. The coloration is blonde while opaque and unfiltered. Wow, interesting, there’s a lot going on here. Mildly bitter and definitely malty on the front with a grainy back end. It feels like my tongue is swimming in pool of the smell that my nose initially identified, but with a bite. The taste can easily be compared to the smell of an old empty barn and is reminiscent of Belgian style ales such as La Chouffe. This brew is well spiced with some peppery overtones I’m definitely noticing as I continue to drink it. The dry, bitter, spiced taste is well balanced with the sweeter caramel blonde flavors. I would say Dupont’s Saison a very flavorful beer that hits the pallet in quick waves leaving an overall pleasant experience. The final sip was as full of flavor as the first and even better!

Dupont’s Saison has a welcoming 6.5% ABV and is a complex brew. I could definitely drink a second and possibly several more with the fun balance of flavors in the mix. I would recommend this beer to any fan of Belgian beers who like the spiced, malty side of them with a relatively mild bite. This one gets a solid B+/A- depending on the circumstances (I’ve had a couple wheat beers already). Try this one for sure!

Yuengling Lager - a reflection, not a review

by Jonathan Kosakow

I live in New York, and I went to school in Pennsylvania. In New York, Yuengling is everywhere, and you ask for it by name (ie: "Excuse me barkeep, I'll have a Yuengling."). A pint usually goes for $5 - about average for New York bars. It tastes delicious, and, if you ask me, is well worth the price (especially when you compare it to a $5 Miller Lite bottle). In middle-of-nowhere-Pennsylvania, a pint goes for about $3 at the most expensive bars, and a pitcher is less than $10. The beer is fresh. To order, you simply ask for a "Lager", and every bartender knows which Lager you are referring to.

-"I'll have a Lager."
-"That'll be $3."

There's something about that interaction that makes me feel warm inside.

Weyerbacher Insanity

Reviewed by Tom Neuhauser

This beer is Weyerbacher's Blithering Idiot aged in whiskey oak barrels...my case is about 6 months old, but the beer was probably brewed about two years ago and will keep gaining complexity for years to come.

I poured this beer into a snifter and let it sit out about 15 minutes. It has a very fine head and extremely strong aroma. Besides the obvious whiskey notes, I can detect notes of dates, figs, and banana. Without even tasting, it is obvious that this is not your average beer.

First sip is pretty overpowering- a strong, almost unpleasant liquor taste is the first sensation. The second sip gets much better with the flavor of the blithering idiot coming through. From here on out, it just tastes better and better with more flavors coming out on the palate- oak, vanilla, dates, and bourbon. The fine carbonation gives it an almost creamy mouthfeel...definitely more viscous than most beers.

This is really a beer to savor and enjoy. At 11.1%ABV, this is not a beer to mess around with. A few months ago, I had 3 or 4 in one night and felt like death the next day. In the right context, this is a great brew. Gotta give Weyerbacher credit for creating such a complex, unique, and potent elixar.

Favorite Bars

Just keep adding to this one, it's always good to know where to go when you have no idea where you're going.

New York City

Croxley's Ale House - There's apparently more than one of these in the state, but the location I'm referring to is on Avenue B, between 2nd St. and 3rd St. in the East Village of Manhattan. They serve no Budweiser, no Miller, and no Coors. There is always a table open, and always a good game on TV.

Bohemian Hall & Beer Garden - Might as well call this place "Heaven on Earth". Modeled after the traditional German beer garden's, Astoria (Queens') hot spot has room enough for everybody, whether you want to sit down, stand up, eat or drink. Get as rowdy as you want, or stay as under the radar as you can, and you're guaranteed to have a good time. The best part: drinking good beer outdoors for not too much money. Pitchers of great German/Czech beer are only $14, and the food ain't bad either.

The Ginger Man - The beer selection is unreal, to be honest. Now, I've never been good with numbers, but they've got something like 2 million beers on tap. They come from around the world - whether it's a microbrew from Colorado or an old traditional from Germany. A little expensive at times, but at least you're guaranteed a good selection.

Philadelphia

The Foodery

Okay, so this place is actually deli with a great beer selection (that's how they can sell all the beers in PA) and the sandwiches are the shit too, try the "Diablo." With a selection of 875 bottled beers at your disposal you really can't go wrong. Separated by brand and location it's pretty easy to navigate the refrigerated walls. The prices are manageable, with American micro brewed 12oz bottles averaging $3-$5 and imported big bottles at about $15 on average. (You also get a 10% discount off of any 6 beers purchased at a time.) I love this place and the employees are friendly and knowledgeable.

Sierra Nevada Summerfest

by Jonathan Kosakow

Here's one we've all had before... or at least I hope so.  It's the standard summer beer of non-standard summer beers.  On the anniversary of the birth of our great nation (America), I decided to indulge in a six-pack.  Now, normally, I'd choose the beer meant for mass consumption, but on this particular day I decided to start off with a beer or two that tasted, well, good, before I started killing my liver and taste buds with the red, white, and blue Pabst Blue Ribbon.  

On a day such as this, with the sun out and the sand between my toes, it was a great choice.  It went down smoothly and was not too filling, but still had the flavor necessary to keep my attention.  There's not much else to say about it, to be honest: for those of who like beer, it's a standard.  Good flavor, nice texture, very drinkable.  Can't ask for much more than that.  

5.0% ABV

Official Website

Beer Review - Dale's Pale Ale

by Matt Vekasy

The reasons for the lack of a quality review are three-fold. First, this is my first time writing a review for beer. Second, I drank this beer 5 days ago and am finally thinking about it and reviewing it now. Third, I drank them at a 4th of July party and didn't take the time to ponder the delicious beer I was drinking. Consequently I will tell a story of the Adventures of Matt and his Dale's Pale Ale.

It all began Saturday afternoon when we were leaving Dan's house in Wilton, CT to head to Alex's house in New Haven, CT. We stopped a Dan's local package store (whose name eludes me at the moment) and Dan and I each spent far too much time trying to decide what we wanted to drink (as usual). I settled on a six-pack of cans that I've never heard of before. It was Dale's Pale Ale, it was made in America, and the can was red, white, and blue. I couldn't go wrong I assumed. So we packed our beers in a cooler and drove to Alex's.

Once at Alex's, the beer pong (and the Coors Light consuming) began almost immediately. I soon remembered that I had bought beer for this special occasion and cracked a Dale's Pale Ale open. I took one sip and was immediately surprised, pleased, and impressed with the quality of this American beer that comes in a can. From what I remember, it has a hoppy taste and reminded me of a Saranac Pale Ale (This could be a terrible comparison and I'd like to try them side-by-side sometime). I never took the time to fully enjoy the beer and ponder it's canned existence, but my plan is to find this beer again and drink it and give you a proper review.

So in conclusion, this beer is very wonderful. It packed a lot of goodness into a can, which I didn't quite expect. It is a beer that I will seek out to drink again and I recommend it.

Beer Advocate review
Official Website

Sierra Nevada - 2008 Southern Hemisphere Harvest Fresh Hop Ale

by Jonathan Kosakow

It was a normal Sunday evening when I decided to go the grocery store and stock up on my lunch for the week. As always, I walked to the beer aisle to see if there were any new gems the beer gods decided to drop on me. Normally, I walk out either empty-handed or with a 6-pack of an old faithful. On this day, though, I was pleasantly surprised when I noticed a bottle I had never seen before, by a brand I had often relied on. The 2008 Sierra Nevada brew, using the only hops on our planet harvested in the spring (found in New Zealand), rested on a shelf in an inviting 24-oz. bottle. I almost didn't take the bait, I was in the mood for an Hefeweizzen, and hadn't even considered an ale. In the end, though, I couldn't resist.

My first reaction was to note that it's quite similar to Sierra's Pale Ale, but after one or two good sniffs and sips, I knew I was holding something more special. The freshness of the hops gives a much crisper taste, and a sweeter finish, while at the same time maintaining the basic flavor and aftertaste of the Pale Ale.

When I give it serious thought, I can't help but think that it's not much different than the reliable Pale Ale, and therefore maybe not worth the extra effort. However, there is something to this I can't put my finger on. It's special. It's a great idea. The combination of the freshest hops of the season, on one side of the world, with the malts we all know and love from the other side, adds such a subtle difference to the taste of a beer we all know and love, that I feel I must recommend it. The 6.7% ABV doesn't hurt too much, either.

Color: amber
ABV: 6.7%

http://www.sierranevada.com/beers/harvest_southern.html

4th of July

Happy 4th to everyone and don't forget to enjoy the weekend with some American beers. Now I'm not talking about your watered down, mild lagers, but rather some original pre-prohibition beers. I thought about this just now, "what should I drink this weekend?" and so I've done some research and came up with a few suggestions for everyone. Wikipedia has an article about 'American beer' that speaks of beers such as the classic American pilsner, steam beer, and of course craft beers. I think I am going head to my local favorite package store, Walsh Wine & Spirits in Brighton, MA, and peruse the American beer section. And I think I am going to stick with the east coast in honor of our country's founding. I'll let you know what I pick up and of course a review will follow.

The sad fact of money

By Matt Vekasy

This post is in a response to Dan's post of his "recent reflection," even though I responded to his post already. While I too have that same problem, my problem is that I don't get to enjoy beer as often as I'd like.

I'm 24. I live in Boston. I'm poor and at some times broke. Now I don't believe that money buys all happiness, but I do think that money pays for things and situations that bring happiness. If there could be a graph of my beer drinking career it would show high quantity, but low quality in the beginning and now low quantity, but high quality more recently. I do go on the occasional tear and drink massive amounts of watered-down American lagers, but those nights don't occur every weekend like they did in college.

Regardless, I'm finding that money keeps me from enjoying the quality beers that I enjoy so much. It keeps me from buying ingredients for hombrewing as often as I'd like. It keeps me from going to bars to enjoy beer as often as I'd like. It keeps me from going to the store and buying quality beer as often as I'd like. It keeps me from traveling to other cities to explore (and have some beer) as often as I'd like.

But I'm a glass is half full type and I realize that I am 24, and that I do live on my own in a great city, and I do have a job that pays the bills. And this all makes enjoying good beer that more special. It's not something that happens every day for me, but when it does happen it brings me happiness. So I'm not sure where I'm going with this, but I guess I just wanted to say wish I had more time and money to enjoy the things I want to enjoy, but so does everybody else. And so all I can do is keep moving forward and continuously improving and

"relax, don't worry, and have a homebrew"

Recent Reflection

by Dan Raposo

Sitting at the bar, I couldn't keep myself from looking at the row of taps in front of me and the Guinness in my hand. It was the night I realized I have become a lazy drinker. A few years ago I entered the bar with the energy and curiosity of a 5 year old, now it's a little less exciting to me. A few years ago I would always ask what they had on tap and ask for a beer menu, now I just order whatever I see first. 

I'm still very much interested in beer and will still occasionally find myself spending a good half hour debating a beer selection in a good liquor store, but bars have escaped my curiosity. Maybe it's the limited tap selections, maybe I've just become cocky. Maybe beer distributors are pulling on the reins of the growing craft industry, or maybe I'm just too lazy to ask for something new. Either way, I've found myself drinking Guinness and Jameson when I frequent the local bars. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing. I'm a huge, huge fan of the creamy goodness of Guinness, and a nice shot of Jameson on ice, but it's almost become a reflex.

Sounds like it's time for a trip to a good beer bar, like the Gingerman or Brickskeller. Sounds like it's time for a friend to step in and say, "woah, hold on a second, you should try this". Or maybe it's time for me to take a trip back to RI to my favorite beer packy (B and C Liquors in Smithfield, RI) and talk to Bret to get some good recommendations. No matter, it's time for me to do something...

Stone Ruination IPA

written by Tom Neuhauser

The first thing I noticed about this beer is its strong aroma. Definitely citrus notes- the more I smell it, the sweeter and less harsh it becomes....same thing with the actual taste of the beer. First sip is definitely startling and a bit harsh- some natural piney notes accompany the bitter citrus taste. Each sip gets mellower and sweeter as the taste buds become used to the extreme hop presence. I think this is the hallmark of a really good beer- it tastes different from first to last sip and generally gets better as you drink it.

This is a very entertaining beer- as I drink it, I can taste sense different flavors on different parts of the tongue. Definitely not a beer to pound; this is a beer to savor. I wouldn't call this a good session beer because of the high alcohol content and strong flavor, but it definitely has its place. Compared to other IPA's, this one has much more of the piney, earthy, natural taste.

Overall, an excellent beer.

7.7 abv
100+ IBU's (seriously!)

Weyerbacher's Hops Infusion IPA

Reviewed by: Michael Stein

With good head follows good lace, that is regardless whether the suds’ foam is barely out of the glass or a few inches above the rim. We’ve all had those beers where the head sits like a Sundae with its scoops rising above the glass.

When I first tried Weyerbacher’s “Hops Infusion” India Pale Ale yesterday, I immediately texted Tom, to get his opinion. With my second text, proclaiming that there were not enough flavors on the palate in the opening bouquet, he was not totally swayed by my opinion. He said he tried it, and that he enjoyed it, but “I think the Double Simcoe is better.”

I’ve had the Double Simcoe as well, and over time my opinion generated a response that the Rainbow Coalition would be proud of, perhaps Weyerbacher’s Double Simcoe isn’t better than their Hops Infusion per se, but just a beer that serves a different purpose. Different beers for different purposes, so if I was judging on pure sessionability I would have to hand it to the Hops Infusion, as a six pack of it lasted me two nights and I was able to drink it amongst friends.

Often other beer sites give me the impression that the reviewer has immediately sat down to his keyboard and has quite literally just taken a sip from his beer in a first-taste, best-taste kind of review platform. But I feel like this can sell a beer short because over time, (even a small period of time like 2 or 3 days,) my opinions of one beer can change radically. But upon second review (after I had my first Hops Infusion IPA the night before), I figured I’d try to write initial taste impressions:

The big malt flavor is almost but not quite smoky, with a strong Abbey-Double alchy taste. On the second sip I tasted a hoppy bitterness avoidable in the cheeks until just before dumping it down the gullet. But this begs the question: are we Johnny College pledging Kappa-drinksa-lota or brew-masters-in-training and ale connoisseurs? Third sip: multiple palettes available, the beer has done the unthinkable, gone from unpalatable to thirst quenching. On my first taste yesterday I sensed a brutal bitter, like a flat Boddingtons that had sat in the sun for days. Now, it finishes off with lightness despite being a cloudy golden-amber in hue.

So in terms of one purpose, “Hops Infusion” is a lot better than Hopocalypse, in the sense of living up to its name.

So as I recanted my original doubt in Weyerbacher’s IPA capabilities, I had to text Tom to let him know that this beer was in fact sessionable. So much so that it was something I could drink a case of amongst 4-6 close friends.

Is it as good as a “Hazed & Infused?” The question is not mine to answer…that’s for you, the reader/imbiber, to decide. So if you can’t find a distributor, go to http://www.weyerbacher.com/, and see if they can’t help you out. In their own words, “We brew Hops Infusion all year 'round. So if your local beer store doesn't have it, tell 'em to get moving!”

6.2% ABV

JW Dundee's Honey Brown

Reviewed by: Jonathan Kosakow



I would not say this is the greatest beer I've ever had, nor does it fall under the broader category of "greatest beers I've had", but I do like it. I bought the twelve-pack only for the reason that I hadn't had a Honey Brown in a while, and it seemed like the right choice. Luckily, I was not wrong. Though a lager, it's on the lighter side, and goes down smoothly. To be honest, there's not much more to it than the obvious flavor of honey that accompanies each sip beyond the normal light-lager taste. If you're looking for something complex, this one's not for you, nor is it for you if you want something that'll fill you up after just one bottle. Sometimes, though, what you're looking for is a beer on the lighter side with a simple-yet-not-boring flavor, and that's what you get with a Honey Brown.

ABV: 4.5
Awards: 2004 World Beer Cup, Gold Medal, Special Honey Lager or Ale Category

What It Means to Us

In this world, there are many kinds of beer drinkers. You've got your social drinkers, your light drinkers, your heavy drinkers and your over drinkers. Some people drink it for the taste, and others drink it to get drunk. Okay, all beer drinkers drink to get drunk. However, some of us make a distinction.  

You've got your ales, pale ales, India pale ales, amber ales, red ales, lagers, light lagers, wheat beers, dark wheat beers, stouts, pilsners, porters, Lambics. You've got your German beers, Belgian beers, Czech beers, English beers, Irish beers, Jamaican beers, Mexican beers, and even Australian beers.  

Every beer, from every bottle, has it's own unique taste, and it's pretty gosh darn fun to find out which one is the best.