Beer Review: Widmer Brrr Winter Seasonal

Poured a clear, light brown with a one-finger head. IPA-ish in character, lots of citrus, especially grapefruit in the taste. 7.2% ABV. A little strong for everyday use, but not bad for sipping.

Beer Review: Sam Adams/Weihenstephan Infinium

 Infinium is a special release from Sam Adams in collaboration with the 1000 year-old Werihenstephan brewery in Germany and follows that country's Reinheitsgebot, or beer purity, laws. The bottle resembles a champagne carafe more than any beer bottle that you've ever seen and there's champagne-like qualities to the taste as well. It pours, highly carbonated, leaving a head that stretches from the top to the bottom of the glass. The hue is a light honey-amber, while the head itself is a snowy white that dissipates into a clingy lacy-ness. The first thing that hits me is the sweetness, followed by the alcohol heat. (ABV is 10.3%). There's a light maltiness to Infinium, with hints of toffee and butterscotch, reminiscent of Belgian whites. Most assuredly a New Year's Eve at midnight style of thing....yeah.

Beer Review: Rogue - Santa's Private Reserve

Coppery amber in hue, light brown, one-finger head, floral aroma with a sharp hops bite and 6.0% ABV. A little orange on the back of the tongue, a great beer to enjoy while watching A Christmas Story while freezing rain is coming down!

Beer Review: Fade to Black by Left Hand

Left Hand is kind of a quirky brewer, and I've always liked there offerings, and as the cliche goes, this is no exception. Fade to Black  is a smoked Baltic porter, with a smokiness that is obvious yet not overwhelming. The color is a deep midnight black, 1 1/2 finger head that dissipates to some dark tan lacing. Overtones include a rich cocoa aroma, as well as some caramel and cafe latte. Of course, the name is great too.

Beer Review: Schells' Snowstorm

Last year's was a Baltic Porter, and until I cracked it open a scant few minutes ago I thought that's what I was getting. This year's offering is called a Weizen Dopplebock, or Wheat Double Bock. The first thing that hits your taste bud is a banana/bubble gum-esque flavor, followed by some cinnamon and clove. Chugging it back so it hits the back of the tongue reveals some spiciness as well as some strong malt. Similar to some Dunkelweizens that I've tried, but with the classic bock solidity. The pour is a hazy, coppery brown, minimal head. This is a beer that I heartily recommend to anyone.

Beer Review: Old Jubilation

Not much of a head, not that it needed it. Caramel-colored, kind of like cream soda, a kind of tastes like it too! Hints of coffee, toffee and other things that rhyme with 'offee. 8.3% ABV, but none of that distracting alcohol heat. No spices or any of that other stuff; a true winter warmer.

Beer Review: Abita Christmas Ale

Pours a coppery golden brown with a one-finger tan head. Hoppier than I thought it would be, with a medley of aromas including cinnamon, nutmeg, cloves and lemon peel. There seems to be more lurking beneath the surface, I'll have to have one or two more to properly plumb the depths of Abita Christmas Ale!

Beer Review: Odell Brewing - Isolation Ale

Dark, ruby-red, nice tall head. Crisp, bold, solid...all good words to describe Isolation Ale. There's a 6.1% ABV, which adds to the fun, but this is everything a winter warmer should be: not weighed down with foo-foo flavoring, not over-hopped, just a good, down-to-earth brew for a guy who's had a long hard day.

Beer Review: Anchor Steam Christmas Ale

Poured a dark ruby red, with a two-finger pinkish head. A little bit of alcohol heat, and a strong black cherry taste and hints of clove and cinnamon. Hops are evident, but not overwhelming; not a beer to drink in volume, but one to be sipped and savored.

Beer Review: Winter Hook

Funny how these seasonals change from year to year. last year I wasn't too impressed with Winter Hook, thought it was kind of thin and uninspiring. While this year it's very impressive. Still no head to speak of, but high hoppiness, almost like a pale ale or even a mild IPA, plenty of grapefruity citrus, I'm glad I came back to the Hook.

Lindeman's Kriek Lambic

Since I couldn't get any Sam Adams Cranberry Lambic this year, I thought I'd go with a well-known brewer of lambics, Lindeman's. To start off with, a lambic is a style of beer that relies on spontaneous fermentation:

Lambic is a very distinctive type of beer brewed only in the Pajottenland region of Belgium (southwest of Brussels) and in Brussels itself at theCantillon Brewery and museum. Lambic is now mainly consumed after refermentation, resulting in derived beers such as Geuze or Kriek.^[1]

Unlike conventional ales and lagers, which are fermented by carefully cultivated strains of brewer's yeasts, lambic beer is instead produced by spontaneous fermentation: it is exposed to the wild yeasts and bacteria that are said to be native to the Senne valley, in which Brussels lies. It is this unusual process which gives the beer its distinctive flavour: dry, vinous, and cidery, with a slightly sour aftertaste.

I find that the lambic style is a great substitute for wine or champagne. Lindeman's is highly carbonated, pours with a tall fluffy head and due to the infusion of black cherries (kriek means cherry in Flemish - or possibly Dutch). I drank it out of a tall glass exactly like the one pictured. Not for everyone, but perfect with turkey and stuffing. 

Beer Review: Lakefront Bridge Burner Special Reserve

Creamy, fluffy, tan head perched atop a nut-brown ale. Assertively hoppy, plenty of citrus, as well as wood smoke and caramel. 8% ABV, but kind of thin in body. Good stuff.

Beer Review: Summit Winter Ale

Dark brown, very hoppy, almost could be classified as a porter. And like a porter, there was some coffee taste to it, along with some nuttiness, almost cashew-ey. Definitely a solid brew that stands up there with other holiday portrs.

Shiner Holiday Cheer

Hmm...peaches? Hmm...pecans? Not what I'd expect from a holiday beer, but Shiner is known for throwing curves at ya! It pours a ruby red, little bitty head and minimal carbonation. Fun to drink, but it would have made more sense to have called this an Autumn Ale.

Beer Review: Hibernation Ale

Oh yeah...now this is a winter warmer! Full bodied hop aroma, tall frothy head, dark mahogany hue, subtle chocolate taste. I enjoyed every drop of this beer and would definitely pick up a few again.

Beer Review: St. Benedict's Winter Ale by Steven's Point Brewing

Best offering by Point yet...I've not been overly impressed with their beers, but this one is a winner. Coppery tint, taste of plums, brown sugar, easy on the hops. Some cinnamon as well. Very drinkable.

Beer Review: Never Summer

From the Boulder Beer Company, a brewer that I have heretofore not heard about, Never Summer - although I found out on da web that they also make Hazed and Infused. Let's start off with the color: a coppery bronze hue, with a dinky little head. Hops are evident, with some pine and citrus notes, as well as some raisin and perhaps a touch of caramel. Since I mentioned the hops, paradoxically it's not at all bitter, but has all the rich body and complexity that requires more than one. Alas, I brought only one home and I have to be at work at 6:00AM.

Blue Moon Winter Abbey Ale

Blue Moon's seasonal offering, it pours a tall foamy head, orangey-golden, with a smooth, refreshing taste. I caught hints of maple, toffee and some orange peel. Kinda nutty in the aftertaste as well. Pretty simple taste profile otherwise, a good one to seduce the neophytes into the world of seasonals.

Beer Review: Sam Adams White Ale

Hazy orange-gold, medium white head. I haven't had a white ale for a few years and had forgotten that it was a wheat beer. Moderately sweet taste, esy on the hops with lemon and a hint of grapefruit. maybe a little coriander and orange peel. Very refreshing. Not sure why it's in the winter pack, but what're ya gonna do?

Beer Review: River West Stein Beer (by Lakefront)

Nice coppery amber color, medium head, fluffy, dissipated fast. Citrussy; surprisingly so for a lager. Kind of sweet; maltiness with some toasted grain flavor. the hops are there, but they don't slap you upside the head like some; but then again, it's a lager, not a pale ale. Light, refreshing, drinkable. I'd drink it again...and even offer one to Bob Rosenthal.

Beer Review: Shipyard Brewing Company - Blue Fin Stout

Poured deep black, not much of a head, creamy and smooth with overtones of chocolate. Some smokiness, but not overwhelmingly so. Very drinkable, but overall a good, but run of the mill stout.

Beer Review: Eastside Dark Lager

Nice & dark, with a malty taste balanced with the sting of hops. Roasted toffee/caramel aroma. Smooth and very drinkable.

Sam Adams Winter Classics Variety Pack

Pictured above is the Winter Classics lineup from a few years ago. Sam Adams changes up their offerings every year. Last year they mystified many of us by including the Coastal Wheat, indisputably a summer ale, in the Winter Classics 12-pack; this year the head-scratcher is the White Ale, formerly their spring seasonal (until replaced by Noble Pils)

This year, in addition to the ubiquitous Boston Lager, and winter favorites Winter Lager, Old Fezziwig Ale and Holiday Porter, we can sample the new (or is it?) Chocolate Bock and the previously mentioned White Ale. I'm going to miss the Cranberry Lambic - I always liked to have a bottle or two with Thanksgiving dinner. Coming up tonight, previous year's reviews on these beers, followed up next week with new thoughts.

Beer Review: Wild Blue

I didn't realize that this was an Anheuser-Busch product when I bought it, thinking it was an independent, but I'm not sorry that I did. Despite my lingering aversion to fruit beers, this one was a winner. At 8% ABV it had a sharp bite, and the blueberry didn't bury the hops. Pretty fun to drink, and I'd recommend it, even to those who don't normally like fruit brews.

Beer Review: Seadog Porter (with Hazelnut)

There might have been a good porter lurking under all of that hazelnut, but the flavoring was so overwhelming I couldn't really enjoy it. as I choked it down I kept looking for something positive to say, but why bother when there are so many good porters out there?

Beer Review: Lakefront IPA

7% ABV, lots of hops, not just on the tongue, but in the aroma. Lakefront has done a good job with their version of India Pale Ale. Lots of haziness from sediment, medium orange color, huge frothy head that stood two fingers above the rim of the glass. Plenty of citrus in the taste and smell, including grapefruit and lemon. Not an everyday beer, but very serviceable with spicy food, like the sauage and home fries that I had with it.

Beer Review: Fuel Cafe

Mmmmmm. Nice and thick with a dark brown foamy head, the best part of waking up is Fuel Cafe in your cup! Nah...no morning stout, but a before bed stout is okay with me. Oftentimes stouts taste a little like coffee, but this was is actually brewed with coffee. Kind of reminds me of Empyrean's Hawaiian Porter from last year.

Beer Review: Weyerbacher 15

Every year Wyerbacher does a special brew for their anniversary, each year it's something different, this year they served up a smoked imperial stout. Fifteen poured an inky black, thick and creamy, with a dark brown head. the 9 & change percent ABV added some heat, but the alcohol content didn't detract at all from the smoothness and complexity. There's a deep maltiness with wafts of coffee, chocolate and some caramel and more hoppiness than I expected. Not a beer to be taken lightly!

Beer Review: Franziskaner Hefe-Weissbier

Pours a light hazy golden color with a thick, foamy 3-finger head. Buttery banana overtones, a little lemon and maybe some clove too. Nice & smooth. pay attention and savor the taste.

Beer Review: Harvest Moon - pumpkin ale by Blue Moon

Spicy! Yeah, ya gotta love the Fall beers. Orangey color, teeny tiny head, strong spice and pumkin flavors. Drinkable and refreshing, but if I was going to invest in a six pack, it wouldn't be this one.

Beer Review: Blue Moon 'Pale Moon' Pale Ale

Keep in mind that the "pale" in Pale Ale doesn't refer to the color of the brew, but the type of hops. This pale ale is the color of Fall leaves, with no discernable head. It's very drinkable, but I'm not detecting much in the way of hops, although it's a good, dry autumn ale that would go well in front of the big screen watching the Huskers lose to Texas. Or maybe just sitting out in the driveway enjoying the cool weather.

Beer Review: Blue Moon 'Belgian White' Wheat Ale

Glowing lemonade yellow, almost neon in appearance with a big frothy head. Citrussy/grapefuity fkavoring with hints of butterscotch. A touch of orange as well. Pretty drinkable; a good intro beer for the uninitiated.

Beer Review: Goose Island Harvest Ale

Goose Island is one of those breweries that seem to have the Midas touch...and I don't mean mufflers. A nice warm 5.6% ABV contributes to the Autumn feel and the subdued hoppiness makes you want to just sigh in happiness. Nice head (that's what she said - wanted to check if Bob R was reading), a finger & a half, coppery orange in color; nice flowery whiff and some grapefruit in the taste. A seasonal that would make anyone smile.

Beer Review: Cooper Hook

What the hell is a "copper ale"? It tasted great, but it didn't have anything approaching a copper color. Medium gold, small head, medium to heavy hops evident, very drinakable...not distinguishable from their other offerings though.

Beer Revew: maui Brewing Bikini Blonde Lager

Lemonadey yellow, snow white, two-fingered head; lots of carbonation...creamy smoothness. Hints of butterscotch. Mild hoppiness...very drinkable.

Beer Review: Mana Wheat with Pineapple

It wasn't billed as unfiltered, but it had a cloudy, golden hue and a distinctive pineapple taste, very clean and smooth. the pineapple tries very hard to overwhelm the wheatiness...but doesn't succeed.

Beer Review: Maui Brewing Coconut Porter

Who would have thought that a porter, which I think of as a winter beer, would be popular in Hawaii? Well this coconut porter meshed well with an Oahu vacation. Coconut flavored, thick, heavy malt character, huge head, nice & smooth with cameos from chocolate and coffee. Oh yeah. It got a thumbs up from Petty Officer First Class Joyce as well.

Beer Review: Maui Brewing Big Swell IPA

Ah...my son loves his pops...he provides him with premium beer. This bad boy starts with a tall head that fades all too quickly to a one-finger white stack o'foam. There's some comfortable heat from the 6.2% ABV and some prominent fruitiness. Very passable IPA.

Beer Review: Primo Lager

Nice bottle...that's about it...

Beer Review: Hawai`i Nui Brewing - Sunset Amber Ale

Freakin' huge head - it was ten minutes before I could even drink it! Nice dark amber color, citrussy taste, kind of wheaty, but not much hops in evidence. Pretty decent "lawnmower" beer.

Beer Review: Sierra Nevada 30th Anniversary - Ken & Jack's Black Barleywine

Chico, CA (12/14/09)—Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. will mark 2010 with a yearlong celebration of the trailblazing brewers who helped transform America into the world’s most exciting brewing nation. Next year is the 30th anniversary for the Chico-based brewery, and Sierra Nevada is teaming up with the founders of the movement to benefit select charities and beer drinkers across the country. http://www.sierranevada.com/about/news.html#sierra30

http://www.craftbeer.com/pages/stories/featured-brewery/show?title=new-albion-brewing

Well I've got one of these in front of me right now, and it's some high quality beer, that's for sure. It poured a deep, heavy head, dwindling down to a foamy nut-brown lid. The beer itself is a fathomless almost-black mahogany that allowed just a infintesimal (that's fancy talk for very small) amount of light to peak through. The first thing that hits you is the toasted malt aroma; there's a little floral scent and some pine as well. Enough chocolatey flavor with a whiff of coffee to make it interesting. It's a 10+% ABV, but there's no sense of alcohol heat. Not a fan of the crumbling cork though. Overall, a big winner.

Beer Review: Wailua Wheat Ale (brewed with passion fruit)

This one is from the Kona Brewing Company from Kona, on the Big Island. Wailua poured with a snowy white three finger head and a clear golden color. the passion fruit flavor was very prominent, which overwhelmed anything else that may have been there; you couldn't really tell that it was a wheat. Nontheless, this was a great summer beer and would hold its own against the big guys' fruit beers.

Beer Review: Mehana Hawaiian Crow Porter

My son Thomas & daughter-in-law Shana, as the perfect hosts, made sure that there was plenty of locally brewed beer in the house while we were visiting this past week. I made sure that I took notes as i went along. The first one that I tried was from Mehana Brewing Company out of Hilo, on the "Big Island" of Hawaii. The Hawaiian Crow Porter was a medium heavy porter, very little hops evident, with chocolate overtones, heavy on toasted malt, with a little hint of coffee. It stacked up well against some of the other porters that I've tried over the past year. Yay!

Abita Pecan Harvest Ale

I guess you can put anything you want in a beer (unless you're in Germany) but I've never heard of pecan in beer (and by the way, it's not pronounced peh-CAHN, but PEE-can...at least where I come from). Anyway, it pours a dark orange, no head whatsoever. I would have been hard pressed to identify the pecan taste if it hadn't said "pecan" on the label, but other than that it tastes like a good solid harvest/autumn ale. I checked some other reviews and they all mention the prominent pecan taste, but not for me. I'd drink this l'il guy again, even if i can't taste the pecan.

Beer Review: Weyerbacher Autumnfest (2010)

Very nice deep amber, tall headed ale. Lots of carbonation, medium hoppy, little bit of carmel and orange in the mix. Very drinkable, very smooth. Although not technically an Oktoberfest, it's right up there with the best of the O-Fests in my opinion. I'd have another...if I had one.

Beer Review: Abita Fallfest

Abita has some good beers: Turbodog, Jiacomo IPA and even Purple Haze. I didn't like the amber and I didn't like this one either. Very forgettable, nothing special.

Beer Review: Okto Festival Ale

Technically not an Octoberfest, but a festival ale, Okto (what a name) had me on the first sip. It's a nice coppery amber color, and the first, immediatelyb evident taste is grapefruit and a zippy sting of hops. I had a bottle that had been cooling off in the freezer, so it was ice-cold, which added to the experience. Very light, almost fit for a summer day (which technically, by the solar calendar, it still is). Very impressive.

Beer Review: Spaten Oktoberfest

Dark honey colored, with a beige (?!?) head. Pretty mild, eminently forgettable.

Beer Review: Beck's Octoberfest

When I first started imbibing beers and ales, Beck's was one of the beers, along with Heniken, that we would drink when we were feeling classy, or snooty, or just had a few extra bucks to spend. There's a signature hoppiness that the German and other northern European beers seem to share that set them apart from American and British beers. That taste comes through with Beck's Octoberfest. It's a little more carbonated than I expected, with a medium head and a dark coppery hue. Nice balance between hops and malt, almost tasted like a pale ale or ESB. Not a bad offering.