Posts
My 2 I can't get enough of at the moment:
Southern Tier Hop Sun
Bear Republic Racer 5 IPA
WHAT ARE YOUR FAVORITES RIGHT NOW?!?!?!?!?!?!
Wednesday, July 16, 2008
Saturday, July 12, 2008
Summer Birthday Beer Review!
While the temperature refuses to dip any lower, the sun grows tired of its high vantage point and begins to slip behind some clouds as it makes a break for the horizon. A chaotic choir of chirping birds fills the air, nearly drowning out the alarm-like droning of a number of cicadae. The perfume of a freshly cut lawn invigorates the nostrils as the incessant buzzing of a nearby lawn mower fights for attention against the aforementioned bugs and birds.
Yes, this is summer.
Summer usually means basketball at the park, football in the road, Wiffleball in the yard. But when exhaustion sets in and the usual players are away at other engagements, summer means taking a load off, putting your feet up, and taking a break from the fun but frantic pace of the season’s sports.
It seems then that there is no better time to indulge and enjoy a cold summer ale. At this slightly noisy summer sunset, the brew is Sierra Nevada’s Southern Hemisphere Harvest Fresh Hop Ale; a first year release from the California brewery who provides us with the classic Summerfest lager.
Poured into a pint glass from a 24 ounce bottle graciously given to me as a birthday present from Jeff, the Harvest Ale pours a beautifully clean, mild amber, with a thick head that would quickly diminish at a rate much faster than the beer itself. The aroma is inoffensive, with the slightest trace of citrus and a grassy note that may have actually come from the nearby yard clippings.
The first sip offers no doubt that this is a clear winner as a solid summer beer. Without even divulging specific tastes, it simply smacks of the sunny season. Each sip holds a subtle hop bitterness; enough to provide a much welcomed refreshment from the heat and humidity of July while complementing the ever-so-slightly citrus sweetness. Make no mistake: this is not a bitter beer, this is not a sweet beer. This is a carefully balanced brew that, even as it begins to warm up, offers reprieve from the most uncomfortable climates.
When I opened this bottle, my intent was to simply enjoy a pint, review it for others in the hopes that they may be convinced to try it as well, and save the rest for later. But the sun is still setting, the heat hasn’t gone anywhere, and the relatively low (6.7%) alcohol content is light enough that it hasn’t caused any type of buzz, so I feel no shame in saying that I’ll leave you now as I venture off to finish off the bottle. Cheers!
Yes, this is summer.
Summer usually means basketball at the park, football in the road, Wiffleball in the yard. But when exhaustion sets in and the usual players are away at other engagements, summer means taking a load off, putting your feet up, and taking a break from the fun but frantic pace of the season’s sports.
It seems then that there is no better time to indulge and enjoy a cold summer ale. At this slightly noisy summer sunset, the brew is Sierra Nevada’s Southern Hemisphere Harvest Fresh Hop Ale; a first year release from the California brewery who provides us with the classic Summerfest lager.
Poured into a pint glass from a 24 ounce bottle graciously given to me as a birthday present from Jeff, the Harvest Ale pours a beautifully clean, mild amber, with a thick head that would quickly diminish at a rate much faster than the beer itself. The aroma is inoffensive, with the slightest trace of citrus and a grassy note that may have actually come from the nearby yard clippings.
The first sip offers no doubt that this is a clear winner as a solid summer beer. Without even divulging specific tastes, it simply smacks of the sunny season. Each sip holds a subtle hop bitterness; enough to provide a much welcomed refreshment from the heat and humidity of July while complementing the ever-so-slightly citrus sweetness. Make no mistake: this is not a bitter beer, this is not a sweet beer. This is a carefully balanced brew that, even as it begins to warm up, offers reprieve from the most uncomfortable climates.
When I opened this bottle, my intent was to simply enjoy a pint, review it for others in the hopes that they may be convinced to try it as well, and save the rest for later. But the sun is still setting, the heat hasn’t gone anywhere, and the relatively low (6.7%) alcohol content is light enough that it hasn’t caused any type of buzz, so I feel no shame in saying that I’ll leave you now as I venture off to finish off the bottle. Cheers!
Seven days...
...you will die in seven days.
If not, then you'll get to see the Seven Days/Seven Continents World Tour of Beer blog. What's that? That's me, going on vacation for seven days and picking up a different bottle of beer for each day of the week. The contenders:
Canada's La Fin Du Monde
America's Hop Hazard
Argentina's Quilmes
Germany's Apostle Brau
Africa's Tusker
Australia's Black Wattle
"Antarctica's" Endurance Glacier Gold
Now, I know what you're thinking. "That's only six continents, retard. America and Canada are both part of North America, butt nose." Well, technically that's true. But here's the deal: my old brother came up to the island with us on the week that I was there for my 21st birthday, and he brought a bottle of La Fin Du Monde as a present. It was delicious, and it now enters into its third year as the traditional Friday night end-of-vacation brew.
As for America: well, I can't leave my country for a week and not bring some of it's glory with me. Duh. And for anyone who actually followed all of those links and is saying "hey, that Glacier beer is from Massachusetts," I say nuts to you. The photo on the label, contrary to the link, is of an old ship sailing through the ice, and it says "Antarctica" underneath.
So why snub Asia? Because everything else that I own is made in China, damnit, and I don't need to send every dollar I earn on keeping them going.
You also may be wondering why I chose the bottles I did, as many of them have less than stellar reviews. The answer is simple: I went into Beers of the World without doing any prior research, looked around for things that I'd never tried before, and tossed 'em in the basket. That's all there is to it.
Beginning next Saturday, I'll be drinking one of these beers each night and reviewing it as I go. However, there's no connection to the wonderful world wide web where I'm going, so it will all be posted as one long, annoying post upon my return.
If not, then you'll get to see the Seven Days/Seven Continents World Tour of Beer blog. What's that? That's me, going on vacation for seven days and picking up a different bottle of beer for each day of the week. The contenders:
Canada's La Fin Du Monde
America's Hop Hazard
Argentina's Quilmes
Germany's Apostle Brau
Africa's Tusker
Australia's Black Wattle
"Antarctica's" Endurance Glacier Gold
Now, I know what you're thinking. "That's only six continents, retard. America and Canada are both part of North America, butt nose." Well, technically that's true. But here's the deal: my old brother came up to the island with us on the week that I was there for my 21st birthday, and he brought a bottle of La Fin Du Monde as a present. It was delicious, and it now enters into its third year as the traditional Friday night end-of-vacation brew.
As for America: well, I can't leave my country for a week and not bring some of it's glory with me. Duh. And for anyone who actually followed all of those links and is saying "hey, that Glacier beer is from Massachusetts," I say nuts to you. The photo on the label, contrary to the link, is of an old ship sailing through the ice, and it says "Antarctica" underneath.
So why snub Asia? Because everything else that I own is made in China, damnit, and I don't need to send every dollar I earn on keeping them going.
You also may be wondering why I chose the bottles I did, as many of them have less than stellar reviews. The answer is simple: I went into Beers of the World without doing any prior research, looked around for things that I'd never tried before, and tossed 'em in the basket. That's all there is to it.
Beginning next Saturday, I'll be drinking one of these beers each night and reviewing it as I go. However, there's no connection to the wonderful world wide web where I'm going, so it will all be posted as one long, annoying post upon my return.
Monday, July 7, 2008
Making a new beer this week!
Here's the recipe... I thought I'd try out the recipe generator on beertools.com and it looks pretty good to me. I tried to create a beer based around Southern Tier's Hop Sun (my #1 summer beer right now). It's a light, pale/wheat ale with extra hops. Delicious! Let me know what you think.
Also, suggestions for a name would be greatly appreciated! Maybe we can have a vote!!!
Also, suggestions for a name would be greatly appreciated! Maybe we can have a vote!!!
| 0.13 lbs. | American 2-row info |
| 0.17 lbs. | American Vienna info |
| 2.95 lbs. | Liquid Light Extract info |
| 3.79 lbs. | Liquid Wheat Extract info |
| 0.10 lbs. | Honey info |
| 1.7 oz. | Cascade (Pellets, 5.50 %AA) boiled 60 min. info |
| 0.50 oz. | Centennial (Pellets, 10.00 %AA) boiled 15 min. info |
| 0.50 oz. | Challenger (Pellets, 8.00 %AA) boiled 1 min. info |
| Yeast : | WYeast 1272 American Ale II info |
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