Vs.

I am cleaning out my fridge of all the winter seasonals I had left and instead of doing a weeks worth of videos (I had 4 winter seasonals left but had already reviewed two, so two videos) I decided to just do them all together in one review as more of a head to head battle. So here goes it.

Up first Pyramid Brewery’s Snow Cap Winter Warmer. Very dark red/brown beer that pours pretty thick and the head grows slowly after you have finished the pour.  You get a great cream color head that starts to lace the glass almost  immediately.  The nose is faint of sweet malts with a little bit of floral hop notes.  Has a great mouth feel.  Really fills up the entire mouth nicley and coats the palate as you swish it around. Reminds me of dark fruits like plums and prunes with a real bitter hop that tingles on the tongue long after you have swallowed.  The hop is really the dominate component to this one. I really like it 3.75 out of 5.

And the contender is Southern Tier Brewing Company’s Old Man Winter Ale. Old Man Winter pours a much lighter burnt orange ruby red,  with little head the dissipates quickly to a thin ring, but also started lacing almost immediately.  The nose is almost all malt, thick malts. It is weird, but I feel like I can feel the body of the malts just through the nose. Completely different set of flavors here. The hops are much more subtle and give way to very sweet and roasted malts.  it reminds me of a honey roasted peanut, and I love it.  There is a definite mixture of spices it here too, maybe a little  all spice. 3.50 out of 5 on this one.

I prefer the smoother less spicy of the two, that is just my palate so Pyramid’s Snow Cap is the winner in this head to head battle. But I think that the are both absolutley delcious and would recommend you get them next winter when they are back in season. I know Robbie would probably love the spicier of the two, he loves all the extra flavor in his beers and I salute him for trusting his palate, but it just isn’t for my tastes.

But now that the winter seasonals are done so let’s move into the spring and get this party started with amazing beer and amazing weather.

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Hello everybody and welcome back to the Brew Review!

If you have been keeping up with the Brew Review then you probably know that I haven’t liked much of what Blue Moon has had to offer up so far, but we give them another shot today with their Winter seasonal Full Moon. Let’s hope this one has a bit more to offer the world of craft brews.

About Blue Moon’s Full Moon

Described as a deep auburn/copper Full Moon is Blue Moon’s take on a winter ale. They say is helps imagine a winter wonderland full of snow covered cabins and is to be enjoyed with a holiday meal or party.

My Review

The Pour

Full Moon has a great color a burnt orange brown that looks delicious. You can tell the beer has a light body because even in the pic you can see completely through this dark colored beer. I got a great head pouring this beer right down the center of the glass, but it went away quickly and left no lacing.

The Nose

The noise is dominated by a sweetness and orange aroma, which is followed up with a strong malty aroma.

The Palate

The sweetness is really prevalent on the palate, but not in a bad way. Unlike the Honeymoon review I am not immediately repulsed by the sugars. The sweetness in this is actually quite unlike the honeymoon and really reminds me more a the sweet flavors you would find in a diet Coke. It tastes like fake sugars though, not the real stuff.

The malts are pretty well balanced and I would guess some of the sweetness comes from a caramel malt. It is not dry or biscuity at all on my palate.

There are virtually no hops in there. You won’t find any bitterness in Full Moon.

This is definitely something I could drink in the fall, light bodied and good flavor, but it doesn’t have the body to compare to Upland’s Winter Warmer. This is a seasonal beer, I just think they picked the wrong season.

The Rating

3.5 out of 5 beers.

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Hello everybody and welcome back to the Brew Review!

Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale a tale of a fateful trip, that started from this tropic port aboard this tiny ship. Yep, today we make the voyage to the Island, Goose Island. One of my favorite breweries hands down. I love their IPA, their Wheat; 312, and now I take a taste of their Harvest Ale. So sit back and relax. It will only be a 3 hour tour.

About Harvest Ale

Goose has a great video on their site that described this beer in an excellent way. So instead of me rambling on I thought I would just share the video.

If you want to know more about Goose Island’s Harvest Ale check out their site.

http://www.gooseisland.com/pages/harvest_ale/23.php

My Review

The Package

The package on the Harvest Ale is pretty standard. It dons the regular Goose logo/crest with a nice image of grains swaying in the background. The packaging doesn’t excite or bore me. It fits in with the Goose brand and if you like their beer you would probably drink it if the package had dog poop on it. I would.

The Pour

Harvest ale feels like fall when you pour it. It comes out of the bottle in am orange/red hue that will remind you of turning leaves. There is a nice off-white head that sits atop the glass and follows you down as you drinking lacing the sides to the bottom.

The Nose

The nose to me wasn’t dramatic. It had subtle tones of pine needle like hops and citrus flavors.

The Palate

Goose’s Harvest is a pretty good beer. I could definitely see it being an early fall campfire beer. The smell of the burning wood and cool breeze on your back while you sip this definitely sounds enjoyable to me.

The characteristics of the beer keep this one in the middle of the pack for me. There were less hops that I had expected it to have after the nose, but I found a nice roasted malt flavor that was absent on the nose instead. I enjoyed the balance it created. I seemed to lose a lot of the citrus notes that were on the nose too. There was a good amount of carbonation in Harvest that gave is a little more of a crisp finish that I liked.

Harvest isn’t a standout player, but it is definitely good enough to drink and shouldn’t be a beer you pass on.

The Rating

3 out of 5 stars

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Hello Everbody and wecome back to the Brew Review!

Today’s article I travel to the mysterious land of the dark beer again. A subject matter I am gravitating toward more and more now that I have actually given them a shot. I used to be that guy that said Guiness sucked because it was like drinking motor oil. Well not that I have tried an even darker and thicker beer it is hard to deny how some of these dark guys can really taste good. So let’s get right back on the dark beer horse and give Sam Adam’s Holiday Porter a go.

About The Holiday Porter

The Holiday Porter is characterized my roasted malts, English hops, and a touch of noble hops that make it a smooth character. The Holiday Porter was introduced by Sam Adams back in 2004 and packs 5.8% ABV.

My Review

The Package

I really like that Holiday Porters packaging. The label looks like it came from the Christmas Carol I am waiting for Scrooge to bust through the front door on it and give me a good ole baahhhh humbug. Good job to Sams for making another great label.

The Poor

The Holiday Porter pours are real dark brown color with a medium body. It is dark, but when you hold it up you still have the ability to seem some light through so you you know it isn’t motor oil like. The nice head you get on the pour creeps down to a small ring that stays on top of your beer while you drink it. There is a nice lace that travels down the glass as well.

The Nose

The nose on the Holiday Porter is challenged. You won’t find a lot going on, but you will get some caramel maltyness from it.

The Palate

As far as Porter’s go I have tried a lot but never reviewed them, so it is hard for me to look back now and judge it against them. I am really happy with this beer. You will find caramel, coffee, toffee, and metal in there. The metal is a little off putting, but it is something I tend to find in a lot of dark beers.

There is something in here that I am missing on the palate. Something that I can’t identify. It is a mix between a spice and a fruit that is just slipping through my tasting abilities. If you know what it is tell me in the comments below.

One thing about the Holiday Porter was that it had way more hops in it than I expected it too. And we all know I love hops. So that definitely gives it a boost on the rating scale for my palate.

When you drink the holiday Porter I would go the way of Dave of this one and drink it at room temp. You don’t want to stifle the flavor of it by chilling it. Grab one and enjoy.

The Rating

4 out of 5 Beers.

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Hello everybody and welcome back to the Brew Review!

Thanks to my fantastic brother and sister in law I got some exciting new beer to try for my birthday. Sierra Nevada’s Glissade Golden Bock. I am not 100% sure, but I think this is a brand new beer from Sierra Nevada, or at least it is introduced in vintages as the one had 2010 displayed prominently on the package. But I am 100% sure that this is a beer the majority of you will love.

About Glissade Golden Bock

Glissade is a Seasonal from Sierra Nevada. It is a light take on their traditional spring bock form which they refrained on their usual sweetness. <-- I was stoked to read that because I mentioned it in my review, I think I am getting good at this. They blend light malts with floral European hops to help edge out these last few days of cold while we wait for the warmth of spring.

My Review

The Packaging

Sierra Nevada never falls short on their packaging. Every beer they produce has a landscape on the label that looks like it good have been painted by Monet. Well maybe not that well. But each bottle is beautiful and has the power of their brand behind it. You won’t overlook Sierra when she is sitting on the shelf looking at you.

The Pour

The beer is really beautiful. It has a bright golden color, is incredibly clear, and leave a large white foamy head atop the glass. I was a little disappointed that the head went away so quickly on it and that it didn’t leave a nice lacing down the glass. But trust me I got over it.

The Nose

Glissade has a very pretty nose. You definitely can smell flowers on it, mixed with some malts and a little bit of sweetness that reminded me of a melon.

The Palate

I loved Glissade. It was crisp and refreshing, but the malt gave it a medium body so you knew you weren’t drinking just another light beer. The malts were balanced out with good European hops that gave you a hint of the flavor you find in the Grolsches and Heinis. Actually those beers good take a lesson in European hopping from Glissade, because it brought the flavor without the skunkyness.

I kinda of lost the sweetness that was on the nose while drinking it, but I wasn’t disappointed about that. I think it could have actually ruined this beer for me. Glissade is a definite buy for those of you that like domestic lights but are looking to merge into the craft world. I know Sierra’s Pale Ale is what got me and many others into the world of craft beers and this one may be even more suited for that purpose.

The Rating

4 out of 5 beers

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Hey everybody and welcome back to the Brew Review.

Sorry guys (and ladies), but I am making another trip back in time to fall. I hope you don’t mind me reviewing another seasonal in the wrong season, but sometimes you just have to review what you have. And in my case it was a mixed pack with a bunch of Seasonals. I definitely don’t mind and I really like the Ocktoberfest and fall seasonals, they go down smooth and have a lot of flavor. So let’s get to it.

I removed the about brewery part of this review. We all know who Sam Adam’s if you care about knowing what year they open look at a bottle or check out their website if you really liked that part of the site let me know and I will bring it back. But it was getting monotonous and distracting me from the review process.

About Sam Adam’s Oktoberfest Beer

Sam’s Oktoberfest is brewed with 5 types of malts, German hops, and a has a hint of caramel sweetness to it. The color is supposed to be an amber hue to represent the season. Oktoberfest is 5.9% ABV and is available August – October.

My review

The Package

The Sam Adam’s Oktoberfest package is nothing special when compared to the some other beers. But it is solid and has the strength the Sam Adam’s logo which is why you will pick this beer up when looking for an Oktoberfest. You have drank Sam before you will drink it again, and you will know it is brewed well and that it tastes good. There is not much more you can ask a label to do.

The Pour

Look at that head! You get a big off white head on top of that dark red / brown body. This beer pours very nicely. Not much lacing as you drink it down, but you find a little bit of that head remains along the sides of the glass.

The Nose

Sam’s Oktoberfest didn’t give me much on the nose. A little sweetness and a malty smell other than that it was very “aromatically challenged”.

The Palate

On the Palate Oktoberfest is very nice. I have really no complaints about this beer. It has a good balance of malts and hops creating a really good mouth feel. The malts come through immediately and stay through the finish leaving you a little dry. The hops dance on your tongue giving you a pleasant sharpness. There is something sweet going on in there too. A little candy like flavor. It is not predominant, but you can definitely tell it is there.

I just read a really great article on Marzens aka the Oktoberfestbier in Beer magazine that really was informative. I need to break out of just reviewing beer and really get into explaining beer too. Look for a couple of upcoming posts on Barley wine and Marzens.

The Rating

3.5 out of 5 Beers

The Discussion

What is your favorite Oktoberfest Beer? Why do you like them or dislike them? Be sure to use the comments below to discuss and rate these beers along with me. No point in me talking to myself in here. If you really liked this post be sure to subscribe to get our articles emailed directly to you.

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Welcome back to the Brew review. Today edition leads us into the great unknown, a category of beer I have never tasted and I can bet most of you haven’t either, Barley Wine. I was a little skeptical when I cracked this one open, but was pleased from the pour to the finish. I hope you guys enjoy this review and get some Barley Wine and expand your palate.

About Upland Brewery

I already did this. Check out my first review of Upland’s Dragonfly IPA to get their about info.

About Winter Warmer Barley Wine

Upland’s Barley Wine is a seasonal ale. They say you will find rich fruit flavors and aromas balanced by a hoppy taste and long finish. Boy they were right. The Winter Warmer was award the Silver Medal in the 2008 World Beer Cup in the Old Ale Category.

My Review

The Packaging

Upland’s packaging never really stands out to me. It feels kind of run of the mill and doesn’t do much for me. If I weren’t such a fan of their brews and didn’t look for them at the store I would probably just pass them over. The Winter Warmer’s label is no different than any other and when you see it next to a Flying Dog or some of the other outlandish labels it isn’t quite as tempting.

The Pour

The Barley wine pours dark dark red / purple with a thick dense head on top of it.

The Nose

I didn’t get a lot from the nose, something stinky like armpit and some dark fruits. Other than that it was pretty subtle.

The Palate

I don’t know if it is the name wine that is getting to me but you definitely have a dark fruit component inside the beer. Some blackberries, plums and raisins. The big flavor is a toffee like taste that really dominates the palate. There are good hops in this beer that don’t overpower it, but leave a little bit of bitterness on the finish with also a metal flavor. The mouth feel of this beer was great, even after you finished it you could feel a lingering menthol like flavor that left my mouth cool for 10 – 15 seconds.

I give this beer a big thumbs up. I was expecting a fruit bomb that I know myself and most of you wouldn’t like and instead I got a complex beer that seemed focused and extremely drinkable.

The Rating

4 out of 5

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About New Holland Brewery

New Holland Brewery is a Michigan based brewery that was found in 1996 by Brett Vanderkamp and Jason Spaulding. The brewery has evolved over the last decade and a half and is now producing award winning brews. Their Pilgrims Dole won a silver at the Great American Beer Fest in 2007. Their Mad Hatter IPA is one of my personal favorites.

About Ichabod Pumpkin Ale

Ichabod is a seasonal ale produced by New Holland. A brew that is made with malted barley, pumpkin, Cinnamon and nutmeg. They say it goes with season poultry and root vegetable dishes.

My Review

The Packaging

Ichabod has a great package.  If you are at the store during the month of October and are looking for a seasonal the headless horseman and his glowing pumpkin  that grace the front of this label are sure to catch your eye.

You can’t judge a beer by it’s label, but they often times influence your decision when buying.  So I decided to add this little tidbit to the Brew Review in order to make my reviews more thorough.

The Pour

Ichabod pours a really nice orange color with a hint of cloudiness to it.  It looks to have a pretty light body, but the foamy head and color make me want to drink it.

The Nose

Big time spices on the nose.  I am not finding the pumpkin, but it smells like nutmeg galore.

The Palate

Ichabod didn’t treat my palate the right way at all.  I was looking for something that wasn’t there: pumpkin.  I am not sure how you can get away calling this a pumpkin beer, maybe a pumpkin pie beer, but not a pumpkin beer.  The only thing you get from this beer is nutmeg and cloves.  Really big cloves. Like when you take a bite of ham and you didn’t notice the clove on top and it just makes your grimace from the unexpected spice.

The body of the beer is light and crisp, but it doesn’t leave me wanting more.  The only thing that kept me from pouring this beer down the drain is my will to drink beer.

This beer is a major pass in my book.  You will find pumpkin ales out there that offer more diverse flavors and in better balance with one another.

The Rating

2.5 out of 5

I figured we needed some sort of rating scale on the site. I may even punt one in for you guys to rate beers too.

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The Fireside Nut Brown Ale is the closest thing we have had to a dark beer so far on this site.  As you can tell dark beers aren’t something I drink to often, but I need to continuously expand my palate and get into them. So let’s kick it off with an easy one.

About Leinenkugel

I am sure you have all heard the story by now about Jacob Leinenkugel on TV and radio so lets just get some facts in here.  Leinenkugel’s brewery was founded in 1867 and is the 7th oldest brewery in the United States.  Leini’s resides in Chippewa Falls, WI and is known for making some outrageously flavor full beers.  I am sure you have spent a day or to in the North woods.

About Fireside Nut Brown Ale

The Fireside Nut Brown Ale is a popular seasonal brew from Leinenkuglel.  The beer is English malted amber ale and is supposed to give off flavors maple, chocolate, hazelnut, and caramel.  Fireside has 4.9% ABV and nearly no bitterness with only 13 IBUs.

My Review

From the picture you can see that this beer pours a really nice dark red / brown color with about  a pinky’s width of head on the top of it.  I expected a little more head from this beer.  The nose didn’t offer to much flavor, but this beer doesn’t have the fruit like flavors of most the IPAs and lagers I have tasted on the site.

As I drank the beer I found really big coffee flavors coming through, which I found to be extremely pleasing, it reminded me of drinking a cup of coffee by the fire. Exactly what you want this beer to do. What baffled me was that I got no roasted or burnt nut flavors.  Not sure how you can have the word nut in your beer and not have a strong presence of any nuts. Fireside has a medium body and it finished well leaving my mouth a little dry malty flavor that I liked.

The small head didn’t survive the drinking process and didn’t leave any lacing down the glass.  Something that I am starting to care a little more about.  I don’t know why, it doesn’t change the taste, but I like the foam to sit on the sides up my glass to make it look like a beer.

All in all this beer is worth trying if you are a light colored beer drinker that would want something dark.  The medium body and coffee flavors could be a decent segway into the world of full bodied dark beers. Not the best beer I have had, but if it is around drink it up.

If you have had the Fireside Nut Brown Ale beer sure to tell me what you thought of it in the comments below.

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