Widmer '09 Belgian Style AleI always look forward to Widmer's brewmaster releases. I loved their '07 Pale Ale brewed with Summit hops, last years Crimson Wheat left a little to be desired but they're back strong this year with a Belgian Golden Ale. Brewed with spicy hops (I'm guessing Saaz), this is a refreshing Ale, probably not as heavy as more traditional Belgian style ales, but just as enjoyable to drink. I highly recommend it.
Lagunitas Brown ShuggaYou cannot drink many of these (and it was not intended that you would) as they are almost 10% ABV due obviously to the overload of Brown Sugar used in this brew. Thick and malty, very similar to having a filling meal. A little too sweet for me, but it was definitely better than the Brown Ale that Chris, Devin and I brewed with brown sugar!
Widmer Drifter Pale AleReverting back and reformulating the '07 brewmaster release Widmer put out this beer brewed partially with Summit hops (which are fantastic), this beer is worth a try. Very full of malty flavor and citrusy goodness. I was actually amazed at how much flavor they were able to squeeze into this beer. It's almost too much. I loved the first half of the pint, but this one will wear down your taste buds.
Laughing Dog I.P.A. I met briefly the brewmaster at the Laughing Dog brewery from Idaho on Monday night at the Belmont Station for a tasting. I thought their Cream Ale was good, their Pale Ale had a strange sour taste, but their I.P.A really stood out to me. The strong floral aroma of this brew is incredible. I asked the brewmaster what aroma hops he used and he said they dry hopped with Simcoe, Cascade, and a third hop that I cannot remember now. In any case, this was a beer worth trying.
Beers on my list to try:
Full Sail Black Gold Bourbon Imperial Stout
Laurelwood Pub Hop Monkey IPA
Amnesia Porter
7 comments:
Dustin,
You obviously have a deep appreciation for beer!In looking over your list of beers to try I can't say that I recognize any of them. Are these just regional micro brews or could anyone find these beers at their local grocery or liquor store? My own experience with beer has been very limited at best. The only beers I have tried tend to be more of a lighter style (pilsner I think?) such as Corona, Bud Light, and some lime/salt flavored stuff by Miller I think. I'm sure the aforementioned brands make you chuckle a little as your experience with beer has allowed your palate to become a little more adept in choosing better beers. Please forgive my ignorance. What brands/styles of beer would you recommend to someone starting out into the world of malted hops and barley?
I'm really glad to hear that the W'09 is a good one. I still haven't gotten over the fact that the W'07 isn't available anymore as I think it was one of the best beers they have put out.
Beers on my list to try:
Beer.
Short list, I know.
Hey Thadd,
That's a great question! First, where are you living at nowadays? Are there any liquor or beers stores that may have a larger selection?
I think some good "gateway" beers and ones you can find anywhere to kind of try new styles and flavors and see what you like may be Newcastle Brown Ale, Sam Adams seasonal beers or brewmaster packs, Sierra Nevada, Stella Artois, any kinds of stouts or porters. Basically, just try something new any change you get and you'll catch on to what kinds of things you like pretty quick and you'll notice your taste changing as well.
As far as Pilsner's go, the style itself isn't a bad thing, but Bud and Miller don't tend to do a very good job with the style itself. Their goal is to make the most amount of money with the least amount of product used so they minimize the grains and hops that is necessary for a good beer.
Yeah Jeremy,
I thought the 09 was a really good Belgian golden.
Speaking of the 07, the new Widmer Drifter is VERY similar to it since they use some Summit hops (although not exclusively like the 07) so you may really like that one. I think they start bottling it in February but it's on tap at the Horse Brass right now.
Dustin,
My family and I are living in the middle of MI. I am a youth minister with a church here. I'm sure there are some stores around here that have some wider selections than Wal-Mart or Kroger. As a side note, since we are so close to Canada, Labat Blue is pretty common. And I do enjoy Labat Blue Light.
What is the difference between a stout and a porter? I know some of it has to do with how the yeast works in the brewing process. Like if it works on top or on bottom. But I thought this just made the difference between ales and lagers.
When did you start to gain an "appreciation" for beer?
The difference between an Ale and a Lager is in the yeast used like you said (top fermenting vs. bottom fermenting), plus to "Lager" a beer means that it is fermenting at much cooler temperatures because the yeast requires it. That is why it is funny that Coors talks about it being "Cold filtered" or whatever as if that affects the flavor. All Lagers are fermented cold so they're really just stating the obvious.
Porters and Stouts are both Ales (as are IPA's, Pale Ales, Reds, Brown's, etc). There is actually not much difference between a Porter and a Stout, in fact basically (Arthur) Guinness (who was a Christian) is the one who created the distinction, they started brewing "Stout" Porters. So in that regard a Stout is always a style of Porter, but a Porter is not always a stout. The difference is in the dry quality and the grains used but every brewer will tell you something difference, it's hard to tell.
Pilsners are a kind of Lager which is basically what all of Bud, Millers, Coors are.
I think I started enjoying beers when I moved to New York City and started hanging out at a place called the Peculier Pub. They had a ton of different imports/microbrews on tap so I just started trying something new every time and started figuring out the difference and what I liked/didn't like. I was fascinated by how many styles there were and loved trying new stuff.
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