Beer Review – Maine Beer Company Zoe

As of this writing, Maine Beer Company lists a total of eight beers on their website. If you count this review, I have so far covered seven of them. I guess I’m sort of like Ray Kinsella from Field of Dreams when it comes to Maine Beer Company. If they brew it, I will buy it!

In case you don’t remember Field of Dreams, here’s a clip from the movie to refresh your memory…

Before we got on with this review, this is what Maine Beer Company has to say about Zoe, their happy, hoppy, amber ale:

Our take on an American amber ale.  Complex malt bill delivers notes of dark raisin, chocolate and biscuit.  Copious additions of American hops yield notes of pine and citrus.

And now for my impressions of this beer…

• Appearance:  The color is reddish brown and somewhat cloudy. Since I poured this into my glass somewhat aggressively, a thick, fluffy 2 inch off-white head formed rapidly and dissipated really slowly. Some lovely lacing remained on the insides of the glass as I slowly drank my beer.
• Aroma: I’m getting fresh out of the oven biscotti (the kind that are a bit overdone at the edges), hints of bittersweet chocolate, and honey from the malt, along with a strong grapefruit and pine scent from the hops.
• Taste: Rich and creamy mouthfeel, perhaps even a bit chewy. This beer has some serious body to it! Starts off with that semisweet roasted malt goodness. Bitter hops kick in towards the middle and lead you to a dry, mouth coating, and moderately bitter finish that lingers for quite awhile.
• ABV: 7.2%

It’s been a couple years since I tried Maine Beer Company’s Zoe. The first time around, I thought it was just ok, but in all fairness, I had it after a Peeper, so I was probably too starstruck at the time to realize how good Zoe truly is. While there are definitely oodles of hops at play here, once again, Maine Beer Company has done a fantastic job of keeping the bitterness in check with a healthy dose of sweet malty goodness. Great stuff and well deserving of its #1 Amber Ale ranking on Rate Beer!

Beer Review – Southern Tier Old Man Winter Ale

A while ago, I had stopped at Roger Wilco to pick up a mixed six and grabbed a Southern Tier Old Man Winter Ale as one of the six. Sadly, over the ensuing months, the beer fridge has seen its fair share of Gogurts and yogurts and half pint water bottles tossed about , so the Old Man Winter much like the old man in the house had been cast aside and neglected. During a restock, I found the Old Man and rescued it. I had initially bought the Old Man as I enjoy winter ales and we have enjoyed the Harvest Ale, the Imperial Pumking and the 2XIPA. Now, that it is mid-Spring it may be a bit out of season but I find myself with a few minutes to myself and right now I don’t care.

Here is what Southern Tier has to say about their Old Man Winter Ale:

Our winter offering is here to quell your shivers and get you through the coldest of nights. A rich marriage of hops and barley to cast light upon the evening and melt your mind out of the snowdrifts. Old Man Winter’s earthy hue and thickness lace around the glass, inviting you to linger in its warmth and share the spirits of the season with your friends and family. A deceptively strong brew, its best to sit and ponder with this old man, sip by sip.

I found the Old Man to be…

• Appearance: A copper color with a nice tan foam.
• Aroma: A big blast of sweet malt followed with a fragrant hoppy and somewhat piney scent.
• Taste: Fizzy, a little chewy and somewhat doughy with a spicy middle and nice hit of hoppy finish.
• ABV: 7%

There is a lot going on with this one. Not bad but maybe a little out of balance. I found the flavors to follow one another rather than blend with one another. Malty upfront and then spicy (allspice, nutmeg) and then a hoppy finish. It was good but not great.

Beer Review – Flying Dog Wildeman Farmhouse IPA

I first heard about Flying Dog’s Wildeman Farmhouse IPA last May when reviews of it started popping up all over the blogosphere (click here to read one such review). Since I love Farmhouse Ales and IPAs, I figured this beer would totally be “in my wheelhouse”. While pulling together a mixed six pack a couple weeks ago, I saw this beer on the shelf and just had to pick up a bottle for a proper review.

Here is what Flying Dog Brewery has to say about their Wildeman Farmhouse Ale:

His axe is stained with the blood of a thousand adversaries. We fall in behind him as he leads up into darkness. He turns his gaze on us. “Tentanda via est!” The way must be tried. Wildeman has arrived. Legions of followers marched across Europe in his wake. But was most soon realized is that Wildeman is already inside of them, ready to be awakened. Will you fall in line or find the edge?

That didn’t tell us anything about this beer! Let’s see if this video from Flying Dog Brewery helps at all:

Hmm. That wasn’t very helpful either!

Let’s just jump to the review so that we can find out how wild this Wildeman really is…

• Appearance: Slightly cloudy, yellow orange color. About half an inch of thick, off-white foam that dissipates slowly. A bit of lacing too.
• Aroma: Smells like a lightly hopped Farmhouse Ale. Getting some clove, honey, orange and lemon zest, and some piney hops too.
• Taste: Lightly carbonated with a creamy texture. Citrus and a touch of honey to start things off. A bit of that piney hop bitterness kicks in towards the middle with a definite lemon zest kick in the background. All of the flavors come together at the finish, i.e. lemon zest, a touch of bitterness, and finally, some of those clove notes kick in as well.
• ABV: 7.5%

Flying Dog’s Wildeman Farmhouse IPA is a beer that became much more interesting as it came up to room temperature. While the IPA aspects of this beer weren’t very obvious when I took my first few sips, as it warmed up, the hops definitely let you know they were there and added a really tasty twist to the usual Farmhouse Ale flavor profile. I still get that mouth coating astringency in the finish, but this time with a mildly bitter kick that I really enjoyed. Well done Flying Dog!

Beer Review – Uncommon Brewers Siamese Twin Ale

It was a crisp, clear Saturday afternoon. The wife was away at a conference in San Francisco, the kids were playing in the back yard, and I was attempting to read Stephen King’s 11/22/63 on my Nexus 7 tablet as I sat on my patio. I was about two pages into a new chapter when I heard someone whistling off to my left. When I turned my head, I was greeted by a grinning Wookie that was poking his head out of his sliding patio door and waving a bottle of Sierra Nevada Ruthless Rye in my general direction. He asked if I wanted one, but since it was only 2PM, I summoned up some willpower and resisted his generous offer.

About 30 or 40 minutes later, Limpd steps out his back door and starts walking across his lawn with three bottles of Lithuanian swill beer and two bottles of the fantastic Great Lakes Alchemy Hour Double IPA in his hands. As Limpd was making his way to my patio, The Wookie let out a wicked laugh and immediately walked back to his house to get some tasting glasses. It was at this point that I knew my willpower had been shattered (truth be told, I never had much willpower to begin with).

During this mini tasting session, I pretty much avoided the Lithuanian swill (just a wee sip of each) and limited myself to a couple small pours of the Alchemy Hour Double IPA (I was on duty afterall!). Once the first bottle of Alchemy Hour was finished, I decided to take advantage of the situation, i.e. a relatively quiet Saturday afternoon with no more errands to run, and ran into my kitchen to grab the can of Uncommon Brewers Siamese Twin Ale that you see in the above photo. We then proceeded to give this beer a try.

I have seen this beer on the shelf at WineWorks in Marlton, NJ on several occasions, but never bothered to pick up a can until two weeks ago. I purchased this beer because I was intrigued by the exotic ingredients and because I liked the look of the art work on the shiny silver can.

Before we get to the review, here is what Uncommon Brewers has to say about their Siamese Twin Ale:

There’s a long tradition in Belgian brewing of using exotic spices to enhance a beer’s flavor. Although many have been tried, coriander is undoubtedly the king. In tribute to this heritage we present to you our Siamese Twin Ale.

It is a traditional Belgian-style Double seasoned with coriander and entirely uncommon Thai spices. At first surprising, the floral notes of lemongrass and sharper bite of kaffir lime blend with the deep malt of this double to produce a dangerously drinkable beer.

Served alongside a fiery curry or enjoyed on its own, the Twin brings a taste of the tropics to every occasion. And who doesn’t need a taste of the tropics every now and then?

Let’s find out if this beer is any good…

• Appearance: Murky, burnished copper color. Zero head or lacing.
• Aroma: Caramel flavored malt with perhaps a hint of lime off in the distance. Given that this beer is brewed with kaffir lime leaves, lemongrass, and coriander, I was expecting so much more from the nose.
• Taste: Very lightly carbonated. Though it tasted better than I expected given what little I got from the nose, it was far from great. Lots of caramel malt and a touch of lime. Also quite boozy! And I’m not sure if it’s a good thing or a bad thing, but I did get a bit of an Indian Curry note in the aftertaste. Or maybe I didn’t taste that at all and it was simply the power of suggestion after reading what was written on the side of the can. I’m not really sure.
• ABV: 8.5%

When I read all of the exotic ingredients that were used in the brewing of this beer, my first thought was Ballast Point’s Indra Kunindra, which is a beer that I really enjoyed. There is nothing subtle about that Ballast Point beer! The flavors are huge, and you can pick out each and every ingredient that went into the making of that beer.

Unfortunately, the Siamese Twin Ale is no match for the Indra Kunindra. While this beer was far from dreadful (that’s how The Wookie described it), it wasn’t anything special either. Basically, it was just ok, which is a pity given all of the interesting stuff that went into the making of this beer.

Beer Review – Victory Swing Session Saison

This is my second experience with Victory Brewing Company’s Swing Session Saison. I first had this beer at the 2013 Brewer’s Plate event, but to be completely honest, I was so overwhelmed by all of the food and Craft Beer offerings that I don’t remember all that much about it. I remember enjoying my wee sample, but I don’t recall any of the details with regards to aroma and taste.

During a recent beer run to Wine Works in Marlton, NJ, I saw the Swing Session Saison on the shelf and immediately purchased two bottles so that I could spend some quality time with it. But before we get to the review, here is a bit of information about the Swing Session Saison from the good people at Victory Brewing Company:

Swing. It’s a lively jazz rhythm, a vigorous sway, a change of view or even a roll in the proverbial hay. Now, it also means the welcome jolt of joy you’ll experience upon your first sip of this session saison. Swing into spring with taste!

With its citrus swagger and spicy refreshment, Swing Session Saison offers you a jazzy jolt of joy. This Belgian-style ale is bracing but benign and enlivens any experience.

And now for my impressions of this beer…

• Appearance: Clear, golden yellow color with lots of small, fast rising bubbles. Half an inch of fluffy white foam that dissipates slowly. A bit of lacing too.
• Aroma: Definitely smells like a Saison with oodles of lemon zest, coriander, and cloves.
• Taste: Very light mouthfeel that leans a bit on the watery side. Light and somewhat creamy feeling carbonation. Very lemony at first with a good bit of those spices to back it up. The spices intensify a bit at mid-palate. Becomes quite dry and astringent at the finish, with a slightly bitter, lemon pith aftertaste.
• ABV: 4.5%

If you’re a regular reader of this blog, then you already know that I’m a sucker for a well crafted Saison (aka Farmhouse Ale). While Brasserie Dupont is my Saison gold standard, there are quite a few American versions that put up a really good fight. Boulevard Tank 7, Green Flash Summer Saison (now called Saison Diego), and Goose Island Sofie are just a few of my favorites.

So how does the Victory Swing Session Saison stack up? While it leans a bit too heavily on the lemon zest for my taste, I still enjoyed this beer. I especially like that it’s a bit lower in alcohol content when compared to the other Saisons that I mentioned, which is most welcome when you consider the fast approaching Dog Days of Summer (think light, refreshing, and not at all boozy). My only complaint is with the bitter, lemon pith aftertaste. Fifteen minutes after taking my last sip, and it’s still lingering. The final verdict: good, but not great.

Beer Review – Anchor Brewing Porter

As I am drinking this bottle of Anchor Brewing’s Porter and writing up this review, Mrs. G-LO is fast asleep in the room above me. Tomorrow morning at 8:30, she will be flying to San Francisco for the American Educational Research Association’s annual meeting (sounds like fun right?). It would have been great to join her in San Francisco for part of the trip (I’ve never been there), but due to work obligations (it’s budget season!), I wasn’t able to take any time off.

In honor of her journey, I decided that I would review this beer from San Francisco’s very own Anchor Brewing. I figured that if I couldn’t try this beer in its natural habitat, I may as well try it at home.

Here is some information about this Porter from Anchor Brewing:

With deep black color, a thick, creamy head, rich chocolate, toffee and coffee flavors, and full-bodied smoothness, Anchor Porter® is the epitome of a handcrafted dark beer.

A blend of specially roasted pale, caramel, chocolate, and black malts, along with our top-fermenting yeast, creates complexity without bitterness. The brew is hopped at a high rate, and naturally carbonated. The result is dark in the glass, but surprisingly light on the palate.

Anchor Porter® became the first modern American porter when it was introduced in 1972. As we celebrate its 40th anniversary, our porter continues to reward those who look beyond its intimidating appearance to discover its smooth, full-bodied drinkability. Anchor Porter® is the definitive American Porter.

Let’s find out if this beer is an American classic or simply just another beer…

• Appearance: Deep, dark mahogany color with a bit of light brown coming through at the edges when held up to the light. Thick, one inch tan head that dissipates slowly. Good bit of sticky lacing.
• Aroma: The nose is not nearly as robust as I would have expected when I first poured it, so I decided to douche it up with the camera while this beer warmed up a bit. Letting it sit was a good move! The classic Porter coffee and chocolate notes are front and center. The coffee is of the American roast variety, i.e. it reminds me of the Ellis or Lacas brand coffees that I have had on numerous occasions at one of the many Diners in the Philly/South Jersey area, and the chocolate is of the semi-sweet variety. Also getting hints of raisins and dried apricots.
• Taste: Medium bodied, i.e. not too watery and not too thick. Lightly carbonated with a somewhat creamy mouthfeel. A good bit of dried fruit sweetness at the onset followed immediately by a small dose of hoppy bitterness. From the middle to the finish, the roasted coffee and semi-sweet chocolate take over. Leaves you with a soothing coffee aftertaste that lingers for a few minutes.
• ABV: 5.6%

While I have had the Anchor Steam Beer on a few occasions over the years, for whatever reason, it wasn’t until recently that I started to dig deeper into the rest of Anchor Brewing’s line-up, and boy am I glad I did! In the past five months, I have grown to really appreciate their Christmas and Liberty Ales, and I am happy to report that their Porter is also supremely delicious. It has everything you look for in a dark beer but without the high octane punch of a Russian Imperial Stout or a Baltic Porter. Don’t get me wrong, I have grown to love those big beers, but they’re not something that I would want to drink on a daily basis. For those times when I crave a dark beer, but don’t want to go overboard, Anchor Porter is definitely worth considering. The verdict: a true American classic!

Beer Review – Great Lakes Alchemy Hour Double IPA

There’s no real story behind the purchase of this beer. I saw it on the shelf, was instantly intrigued, and since I really enjoy most of what Great Lakes Brewing Co. makes, decided to pick up a bottle for an eventual review. It’s as simple as that!

Here is what Great Lakes has to say about their Alchemy Hour Double IPA:

On the West Coast, surfers have a term for that perfect time of day, when the waves are breaking just right and it feels like you can ride forever. They call it Alchemy Hour. In Cleveland, our surfers have to work a little harder to find a perfect swell. Dressed in wetsuits, up at dawn, they camp out on the shores of Lake Erie in near-freezing temperatures, waiting for the ultimate wave. Crazy? Yes. Extreme? Definitely. Alchemy Hour Double IPA pays tribute to the North Coast’s unlikely surf bums and the ancient quest for liquid gold, wherever it may live: on the ocean, in a lake, in a bottle.

Let’s get on with my review…

• Appearance: Cloudy red-orange color. Not much in the way of foam, i.e. it dissipated pretty quickly. A bit of lacing, but nothing over the top.
• Aroma: Oodles of citrusy hops with a good bit of sweetness to back it up. Think honey tangerine and pink grapefruit with a drizzle of honey.
• Taste: Medium bodied with a healthy dose of fizzy carbonation. Much less aggressive than I was expecting. The citrusy hops and honey sweetness play very nicely together. There’s never too much bitterness, and it’s never overly sweet. And by the time you get to the finish, the hops don’t build up like they do in other double IPAs that I’ve had. Quite crisp and refreshing given the high alcohol content.
• ABV: 9.4%

While I’ve had an IPA or two from Great Lakes Brewing Co. (Commodore Perry IPA and Lake Erie Monster), I didn’t really love them (they were good, but not great). For whatever reason, the Alchemy Hour Double IPA has definitely won me over. This beer is beautifully balanced, and given it’s high ABV, it’s also supremely drinkable. Well done Great Lakes!

Beer Review – Maine Beer Company King Titus Porter

After reading The Alemonger’s latest post titled “The Idiots’s Guide to Holy Ales”, I made the following comment:

I see where you’re going with these rules. While I don’t really follow the whole limited release madness that consumes many a Beer Geek (I’m looking at you Philly Beer Peeps that stand in line for hours to get their annual helping of Pliny the Younger/Elder!), there are a few seasonals/hard to finds that I would love to try, and since we live in Craft Beer Central, with a bit of creativity or simply reaching out to our friendly Philly Beer connections, I think we can get what we want in most cases.

That being said, I really need to try some Three Floyds and more from Boulevard. I also want more from Cigar City. A couple years ago, Maine Beer Company would have been on the list for just about anything, but now that we can get them in NJ, the only beer of theirs that is on my list would be King Titus.

The very next day, I took a ride to Wine Works in Marlton, NJ to buy a mixed six pack of “For Research Purposes Only” Craft Beer. As luck would have it, they had several bottles of Maine Beer Company’s King Titus Porter on the shelves. I’m not sure if this would count as a serendipity moment, or whether I was just plain lucky, but since I was JUST talking about this beer, I couldn’t resist picking up a bottle.

Here is what Maine Beer Company has to say about their King Titus Porter:

Our take on an American robust porter. Dark, thick, chewy, chocolaty, and of course, generously hopped.

• ABV – 7.5%
• Malt – American 2-Row, Caramel 40L, Caramel 80L, Munich 10L, Chocolate, Roasted Wheat, Flaked Oats
• Hops – Centennial, Columbus

Without further ado, below are our impressions of the King Titus Porter…

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Limpd’s Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Mahogany color with a thick, long lasting, mocha foam.
• Aroma: Citrus fruits, Baker’s chocolate cocoa, hops, hints of light roast coffee.
• Taste: Creamy, sweet, and chocolatey with a mild bitter finish.Right out of the fridge, the aromas and flavors are a little muted. As it warms up, it becomes much more vibrant and a little bit more bitter in the finish. Slight switch from roasted to burnt sweetness, like a well done marshmallow.

Nice blend of flavors from front to back. Also very well balanced. A very nice Porter!

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G-LO’s Tasting Notes

• Appearance: Mahogany color. Thick and creamy tan head that tops off at about an inch and dissipates slowly. Settles down to a thin layer of foam. Moderate lacing.
• Aroma: Rich chocolatey aroma with just a hint of espresso and a bit of piney hops off in the distance.
• Taste: Not overly carbonated with a smooth and creamy mouthfeel. Bittersweet chocolate at the onset. Some mild hop bitterness kicks in towards mid-palate. The flavors come together in the end and the aftertaste reminds me of a well done, dark chocolate cookie that’s burnt around the edges.

King Titus is one seriously delicious beer! The taste is rich and flavorful, and it hides it’s alcohol content so well that you would never know that this beer clocks in at 7.5% ABV. This has a high drinkability factor and I may like this a tiny bit more than their Mean Old Tom. Once again, well done Maine Beer Company!

Beer Review – Budweiser Black Crown

During my hunt for the absolutely delicious Founders All Day IPA, I saw that Total Wine in Cherry Hill, NJ was selling singles of the Budweiser Black Crown. Since I was curious to see what this beer is all about, I decided to pick up a bottle as part of a mixed six pack.

Here’s what Budweiser has to say about their Black Crown:

Budweiser Black Crown is a new 6% ABV golden amber lager chosen by you, the people. Rooted in Budweiser’s rich heritage and authenticity, it delivers a smooth and distinct flavor you’ve come to expect from the King of Beers. Brewed with toasted caramel malt and a variety of American Hops, this drinkable golden amber lager is finished over beechwood chips for a smooth and distinctive flavor. Join the conversation now with #TasteIs.

Let’s find out if Budweiser brewed up something special…

• Appearance: Crystal clear amber color. Quite the noisy pour! All of that pop pop fizz fizz makes it sound like I’m filling my glass with seltzer. Zero head and zero lacing.
• Aroma:  It even smells like seltzer! Actually, it smells like a Yuengling Spritzer. I guess it smells kinda malty and sweet, but that would be quite a stretch.
• Taste: Watery mouthfeel and light carbonation. Would it have killed them to add some hoppy bitterness? Talk about an unbalanced beer! All I’m getting from start to finish is bland malt. And the aftertaste reminds me of wet cardboard. Let me clarify. This is what I imagine cardboard would taste like if you let it steep in stagnant water for 7 days.
• ABV: 6.0%

McDonald’s hamburgers. Cheetohs. Kraft Mac and Cheese. Instant Ramen Noodles. Hamburger flavored Doritos. Many of us would classify these foods as craptastic, i.e. so so bad, yet so so good (especially late at night and with a bit of buzz going on). I wish this beer fell into the craptastic category. What we have here is a beer that is so bland and flavorless that I wish it were awful enough to be considered craptastic. Bud Black Crown bored me to tears and almost put me to sleep. I never thought I’d say this, but this beer is making me crave a Leinenkugel Summer Shandy. Now I just need to find a snack that will get this awful taste out of my mouth!

But wait! There’s more…

If you’d like to read a bit more about this beer, click the following links:

• “Proof that Budweiser REALLY Wants You to Love Black Crown” by Jim of the Beer & Whiskey Bros. blog
• “Budweiser Bares it All with Black Crown (or is it Black Clown?)” by The Alemonger

And just to be fair, here’s a Bud drinker’s opinion about the Budweiser Black Crown:

Beer Review – The Orkney Brewery’s Skullsplitter

At the beginning of every beer review, we typically tell you why we made a particular beer purchase, and we’ll even let you know where we made our beer purchase. While this information doesn’t really speak to the quality of the beer that is being reviewed, it does get you inside our heads so that you can understand why we buy what we buy. Sometimes it has to do with word of mouth about a particular beer getting the best of us, and sometimes it has to do with us being suckers for marketing gobbledygook, i.e. pretty labels and bottles.

When you look at the label in the above picture, I think it’s pretty obvious why I bought this bottle of The Orkney Brewery’s Skullsplitter. If you have any doubts, check out the movie trailer that immediately popped into my head when I first saw this beer…

Now that you that I’m a sucker for pretty labels and family movies about Vikings and dragons (FYI, I highly recommend How To Train Your Dragon!), let’s find out a bit more about this beer from the good people at The Orkney Brewery…

Skull Splitter is our strongest ale: which is named after Thorfinn Einarsson who was the 7th Viking Earl of Orkney. Sophisticated, satiny smooth with a deceptively light character, it is a tribute to our colourful forbear.

Now that that’s out of the way, let’s get on with the review…

• Appearance: Dark reddish brown color with ruby red highlights at the edges when held up to the light. Fast rising, tan foam that settles down to a thin bead that hugs the edge of the glass.
• Aroma: Very fruity and malty with little to no hop scent. I’m picking up fig jam, dried fruit, and some musty grapes.
• Taste: Lightly carbonated with a medium mouthfeel. Lots of those dried fruits and jams coming through immediately. A bit of baking spices coming through as well, i.e. some nutmeg and allspice (very subtle). Mild hop bitterness kicks in towards the finish to lend some balance and a subtle booziness shows up at well. Mellow, malty, and lightly bitter finish that coasts your mouth with flavor and lingers for a minute or two.
• ABV: 8.5%

This is my second experience with The Orkney Brewery’s Skullsplitter. I first had this beer during an anniversary dinner with Mrs. G-LO at a Scottish gastropub in Manhattan called Highlands. I’m sure you’ve heard the term “sipping whisky”, well this is a sipping beer. If I had to compare it to another beer (we all need a reference point right?), I would say that it reminds me of the Trappistes Rochefort 6, or a much less hoppy version of Sierra Nevada’s Bigfoot Barleywine. This beer is the opposite of a thirst quencher, and it’s definitely not a summer or lawnmower beer. While it’s not as heavy as an Imperial Stout, the flavors are definitely rich, and lend themselves to being savored over an extended period of time. I really enjoyed this beer and definitely recommend it, but I will probably wait for the colder months to come back around before I have it again.