Goose Island Oktoberfest

I know the Goose Island folks have been around a while, but they seem to be making a splash in the North East recently, and well, I just had to try some out.  Here we go with the Oktoberfest.

First off, I like there brand - "We don't need to be the only beer you drink, we just want to be the best beer you drink."  That resonates with me.

The label announces it as a traditional Marzen, IBU rating 17, 6.4% ABV.  It pours out slightly opaque coppery colored with a nice foamy head which dissipates fairly quickly to a thin lacing.  Seems very much a classic Octoberfest style beer.  I get some caramel/toffee kind of aroma.

There is a sweet butterscotch and toffee taste to it, with a little bit of stickiness in the mouth.  I generally do not like 'sweet' drinks but this seems nicely balanced with just enough bitterness to know you are drinking a beer, but having lots of roasted/toasted malt flavor.  Maybe a little honey flavor too.  A medium body beer, not something you would want on a hot day but this would go lovely with Germain comfort food.  The moderate carbonation is not overwhelming, and the after taste leaves your mouth watering a bit.

Very much in balance but featuring the toffee and roasted malt flavors.  The label also calls our dried apricot, which I can taste a little but is not strong for me.  It does not have the depth of flavor of a very expensive craft beer, but definitely is a nice autumn beer and it stands out at its price point.  If given the choice between a Sam's October and this, I would choose this.

Thumbs up!  Cheers.

Nacho Punch Hipster Beer

I like craft brews, however I don't think I have tried any of these yet.  Still looking for them at my local pub.

YouTube Video - Hipster Beer

Barad sips some Abita Turbodog

Sometimes I feel like the lonely voice in the crowd when I go the the specialty beer shop.  While others are clamoring for the latest super hopped IPA, or IPA like pale ale I ask my local merchant, "You have anything with a nice malty flavor?"

He takes me around back to the 'cave' and points to the six pack of Abita Turbodog.  I know naught how the name relates to the brew, but he was correct - this is a malty ale.

Pours out with a nice thick head which lasted a couple of minutes. The aromas are not strong to me.  It is a dark brown color with reddish tint.  Very pretty.  Taste - ah the taste; sweet malty goodness with hints of chocolate, toffee, and caramel.  Strong enough in tasted that you might not have more than two in a row unless you were pairing with some food.

I like the brew, but I do not find it outstanding.  Except for the fact it is a malty beverage saving me from a sea of out of balance hoppy concoctions.  So for that, I thank you Abita.

I give it a mild thumbs up.  Go ahead and try it if you are like me and need a break from IPAs masquerading as pale ales.

Cheers!

Barstool American Golden Ale

Barstool American Golden Ale from the Foolproof Brewing Company is reputed to be their flagship product.  There was some left in my beer refrigerator after a gathering so I thought I would give it a try.

It came in cans in a small decorative box.  I have no phobia of cans, done well it is every bit as good as glass

without the risk of light skunking the brew.

True to its name it poured a cloudy golden-amber color with a slight head which soon dissipated.  The aroma was very mild, and I couldn't pull much to identify from a sniff.  First taste has a bit of sweetness, a hint of citrus, a little malt, a little hops, (I am starting to like this until....), and then *wham* a harsh bitter after taste.

Medium body, medium carbonation, not heavy, yet not wimpy; the kind of beer one might have more than one.

I am a bit stuck on the lingering bitterness.  Maybe this needs a big warm salty pretzel to go with it.  This lingering bitterness reminds me of the old style beers my father and grandfather drank.  I guess I am more of a beer snob than they were.  I am on the fence on this brew; neither thumbs up nor down.

Cheers!

Harpoon Dark

Another one from the Harpoon Brewery.  It pours out a mahogany color with thick cream/mocha colored head which dissipates fairly quickly.  There is a yeasty smell which surprised me.  On the tongue is has a malty taste with dark roast and the faintest taste of chocolate. It is medium body with solid carbonation,
not really complex, but it ends clean and crisp and leaves your mouth watering.

I would have this again, but I don't find it spectacular.  I'll limit this to my 'on-sale' purchases.

Cheers!

Harpoon Octoberfest Beer

It is well past time 'round these parts to put away the crisp, clean, refreshing beers of summer and head on into something with more character, flavor and body.  What better than an Octoberfest beer?

Red-brown in color, with a full creamy head, the Harpoon Octoberfest Beer makes my mouth water.  There is a hop aroma and a little bit of bitterness about this brew, but let me tell you it is the malt here that shines.  The bitterness is really at the end, and it is a soft finish just enough to balance out any residual malt sweetness.  What lingers is the rich malty tastes.  I do mean that in the plural.  If you take your time, there are a number of nuanced malty flavors wandering in and out of your taste buds.

I know it is an old joke, but this beer tastes like another one.  Many beers I like very much are good for one bottle/pint and you are ready to move on to another nice brew.  This study lad is ready to keep you entertained with its quality taste beer after beer.

So this so called Octoberfest probably has little to do with real Munich Octoberfest beer however it is a nice brew all the same. Harpoon is a local brew for me (local as in I am in New England and so are its two breweries) and I often forget how much I like their different brews.  It is usually an afterthought for me to pickup a box of Harpoon bottles, but I am nearly always glad I did.  Highly recommended.

Cheers!

NY Times Review of Islay Single Malts

There is a nice short review of Islay Single Match Scotch Whisky brands over at the NY Times. 
The article makes some interesting observations and facts about the seaside Islay.  This might be useful to you if you are looking for a last minute gift for a 'peat' lover, or are a wanna be peat lover.

I have had the Lagavulin 16 and Bowmore 12 on the top ten list and enjoyed both.  Laphroaig tops the list for value, and appears twice, but I have not had those distills.  I have had the Laphroaig Quarter Cask, and wouldn't recommend it for peat noobs, but it is a must try for peat lovers.

Cheers

Marques de Caceres Crianza 2007

With our pot roast dinner tonight I opened a bottle of Marques de Caceres Crianza 2007.  This has long been a go to table wine for me for 'ordinary' meat and potatoes type of food.  This Spanish wine is from the famed Rioja region, which produces many fine Tempranillo blends.  The Crianza designation tells you it has been aged in oak.  The 'black' Tempranillo grape is a staple in Spain, especially the Rioja region.  For some people, a bottle like this defines Spanish wine - red Tempranillo from Rioja.  Although there are many other fine wines in Spain, I find it hard to argue with the classic status of such a wine.

I don't find the nose particularly strong in this bottle.  It is a medium bodied red, with some tannic structure and more acidity.  I taste dark cherry, a bit of mocha, and maybe some hints of spiciness.  This label has produce consistent results over the years so I am rarely concern about picking up a bottle.  There is nothing flashy here, this is a solid, reliable, tasty table wine which can stand up to a nice piece of meat.  A little more rustic and interesting than a typical Merlot.  It seems to benefit from a little breathing so pouring the first glass early is not a bad idea.  If you can't wait, drink away, but you might find the second glass more tasty.  (which is often the case even if not entirely true - go figure)

So in summary, nice reliable table wine worth buying at a price point of about $15, even better if on sale.  Sometimes the Rioja designation drives the price up a few more dollars, which is unfortunate.  Wait for the sale, you'll enjoy it more.

Cheers

Blue Moon Winter Abbey Ale

The winter offering from the Coors Blue Moon brand.

Pours out reddish/brown, or I guess coppery colored with a light tan head.  Has some aromas of spice and maybe some vanilla.  The mouth feel is very thin, which seems to be in common with the other Blue Moon products.  Flavors include dark caramel, hint of vanilla, hardly any hops taste, sweetness and maybe prunes, which fades to a dry crispness and yet leaves your tongue feeling a little thick. 

It is an odd mix of flavors which on one hand feel unbalanced, but on the other hand seem to work together in a little bit of disharmony.  I am trying to place the after taste here... and it may be the alcohol.

Overall I'll give this one a slightly recommended.  As a mass market beer it is not bad, and the additional spicy notes help it stand up to the colder weather.  I skipped the Blue Moon standard Belgian White at the market, it was just not the taste I was looking for in this suddenly cold autumn weather.  If you are expecting it to be a fine example of a Belgian beer, look elsewhere.  This is a good one to buy on sale when the choices are limited, and your goal is to sit by the fire.

Cheers.

Scotch-a-palooza - where Barad tastes six single malts from the cellar

I usually have more than one single malt Scotch whisky bottle in the collection at a time.  Due to an amazing sale plus a visit from an old and dear friend, I find myself with six different single malts at the same time.  Combine that with an open evening at the lake house, and I make the somewhat questionable decision to have my own six scotch tasting.

Anyone looking to me as some Scotch tasting expert should immediately wipe that gnotion from their head.  I am a hack who happens to enjoy single malt Scotch.  My nose and palate have been known to vary greatly from day to day, and I'm heavily influenced by food, mood and even the music playing in the back ground.  With that out of the way, the Ipod on shuffle, here we go.

I tasted them in an order determined by me, tasting what I expected was the mildest flavors first and working my way up to the stronger whisky later.  I only related the tastes and smells I can clearly identify, all six of these fine drinks has a large number of subtle smells and tastes which are usually just beyond my ability to name.

Dalwhinnie 15 year.  Color: this was the palest of the six, with a very light gold or straw color.  Nose: Some kind of fragrant plant, I think it was heather.  I also detected faint pears.  Taste: Pepper, hint of smoke, some spice and herbs.

Glenfiddich 12 year. Color: very pale amber, this was darker than the Dalwhinnie & Scapa.  Nose: All I could pick out was faint honey.  Taste: There were a number of things going on here but all I could pick out was lightly buttered, slightly burnt toast.  It was not bad as I make it sound.

Scapa 16 year.  Color: very pale amber, only slightly darker than the Dalwhinnie.  Nose: It was very subtle, I got some apricot, some kind of spice I couldn't name and maybe white pepper.  Taste: Buttery with some hints of cocoa and caramel.

Balvenie Doublewood 12 year.  Color: Rich amber, only the Lagavulin was darker.  Nose: Fruity, sweet with a hint of vanilla.  Taste: Notes of spiciness, sweet, smoky and butter.

Lagavulin 16 year.  (I accidentally grabbed this as #5 - I had meant this to be #6) Color: Deep amber almost caramel, darkest of the six.  Nose: Strong peat and smoke with vanilla.  Taste: Strong peaty smoke, sea, dry wood, faint toffee with a spicy finish.

Laphroaig Quarter Cask.  Color: Amber, darker than the Glenfiddich, lighter than the Balvenie.  Nose: Smoky peat and sea smells.  Taste: Very smoky, fleeting buttery fudge and spices.

This tasting was much more work than I anticipated (... it seemed like a good idea at the time...).  The nosing was much harder than I expected with six glasses of Scotch on the table.  The color comparison required me to get some white background because I placed the glasses on a honey maple table.  I almost mixed up the glasses multiple times because I didn't mark them, simply put them in front of the bottles.  The concentration of attempting to discern the tastes of that many different drinks back to back was not as fun as I had hoped.  And lastly, even though I expected it to happen, palate fatigue made it harder to taste the Whisky.  I don't think I'll be doing six at a time again.  I much rather enjoy them one at a time.

So which one was my favorite?  Well, that is not an easy one to answer.  However, I won't completely pull a cowardly retreat and make some qualitative comments.

The Glenfiddich was my least favorite.  I tend to like my whisky with more character, and this whisky was a bit on the bland side and might be hard to differentiate from a blend.  A good whisky for someone new to single malt.  In general the 'Glens' tend to be my least favorite whisky.

Dalwhinnie is a nice whisky, and I would definitely recommend it for someone just getting into Scotch to compare to a blend.

Scapa is a very nice whisky but I would only recommend it for someone with a discerning palate as the tastes are very subtle.

Balvenie Doublewood has long been one of my favorite Scotch whiskys.  I feel it has some very rich and varied tastes for a 12 year whisky, and provides a lot of value for the money.  Not as strong a taste as the next two, but definitely on the top of my recommendations

Laphroaig Quarter Cask is higher in alcohol content than the others, had more wood contact, and definitely has character.  If you like your whisky heavy on the peat and smoke and have not tried this little gem, you are missing out.  If you like blended Scotch whisky, you won't like this.

Lagavulin is much like the Laphroaig, but more refined.  Still smoky and peaty, but I think there are more subtle tastes involved.  Perhaps it is not surprising as this is aged longer than the Laphroaig.  Also like the Laphroaig, if you prefer blends you might want to avoid this.  If you are a blend fan and want to see what is all the interest in these hearty whiskys, I'd recommend this one over the Laphroiag.

That is it for now, all this typing has made me thirsty.  Since I am already a little bit palate fatigued I think I'll go back to the Lagavulin.

Cheers!

Buffalo Trace Bourbon

As previously noted in the treasure haul, I scored some Buffalo Trace Kentucky Straight Bourbon Whiskey.  I am pleased to say this blended bourbon has character which is typically only seen in single malts.

It has a pleasant bronze/gold color, and shows well in its old style bottle.  I had mine neat - no ice or water.  I have to say there was complexity in the aroma as well as the palate.  The aromas included vanilla, molasses and some spice.  The tastes included brown sugar, spice, leather, and sort of smokiness.  It certainly had the alcohol burn of a 90 proof whiskey, but it was not overwhelming or unpleasant.  It is easy to drink, and a quality bourbon especially considering its price point. Recommended.

Cheers!

Wild Horse Vineyard Pinot Noir 2008

The pinot noir grape is a very fussy fellow.  Done well it has an amazing range of subtle tastes and is quite enjoyable with many food types or by itself.  Done poorly, it comes across as expensive grape juice.  Based on my experience, any pinot noir done well and had for less than $20 a bottle is a gem.

In that criteria, the 2008 Wild Horse Pinot Noir I had is a gem.  It is a Central Coast wine and exhibits a mild amount of the trademark pinot noir earthiness.  It is light bodied, as you would expect from a pinot noir, well balanced, and had hints of vanilla (probably from the oak aging).  The primary flavor here is a light berry, for me it came across as fresh strawberry - though your taste buds may find that slightly different.  My guess is this vintage would have benefited of a few more years laying down (which we never do - drink 'em if you got 'em).  At our local state liquor store the list price was $20, but we scored it on sale for $14.

Casually recommended @ $20, highly recommend for the price on sale.

Cheers!

Querceto Chianti Classico Riserva 2004

Had a couple of treasure halls in the last month, this Chianti came from one of the earlier ones. We enjoyed it with some semi-spicy marinara sauce over pasta shells with some grated Romano cheese.  (I find it useful to know how the wine was paired, it makes a big difference)

On the high side of medium bodied, this ruby/garnet colored Chianti was quite lovely.  It was nicely balanced, had enough tannins for a little structure, was dry, and had dark fruit that lasted on the palate.  It was certainly ready to drink, but had enough tannins to lay down for a bit (though we never really do that - drink 'em if you got 'em).  This Chianti probably could have stood up to a bit of steak with no problems.  Highly recommended.

Cheers!

Big Treasure Haul At Local Liquor Store

Apparently they are relocating the store; everything was 25% off. Scored some Scapa and Lagavulin single malt scotch, Buffalo Trace bourbon, Presidential port, and almost two cases of wine. Future blog reviews coming down the road when I crack them open. Huzzah!

Long Trail Blackbeary Wheat

Although this is available year round, the Long Trail Blackbeary Wheat is really a summer beer.  I find the entire Long Trail line to be on the dry side - which is fine for me because I favor crisp dry beers - and this brew is no exception being very dry even with the blackberry flavoring.

When you pour it out, there is not much head, and whatever is there does not last long. It is very pale in color, so there is not much to look upon.  Given it is summer, most often I drink this right out of the bottle.  There is some blackberry aroma which is pleasant.  The is no doubt this is a wheat beer, that comes through quite clearly.  The blackberry taste is not overpowering, but is does have a seltzer like after taste in the finish which some people might not like.  Clean & fizzy, a thirst quencher and somewhat of a palate cleaner.  I like it in the summer as the first beer on a very hot day, or an in between beer when changing from one style to another.

This is not an award winner, but if you like a fruit beer that has only a touch of the berry flavor and is very dry, you might enjoy these.

Cheers.

Laphroaig quarter cask

Low on single malt Scotch Whisky stock in my cabinet, I dutifully headed out to the local state liquor establishment to select a bottle to replenish the inventory.  All the usual suspects are there (Glen this and that) but I want something more unique and less typical.  I spy a bottle labeled quarter cask which piques my interest.  I read the fine print, which raises the eyebrows more than once, and then proceed to the checkout.  A bottle of this golden elixir is now mine.

Laphroaig quarter cask is allegedly a throw back to a few centuries ago.  This local whisky might have been transported via mule over cattle paths to avoid paying duties.  (Check out the link above from the distiller, it is quite interesting)  Oh, and according to Wikipedia it is pronounced lə-FROYG.

Before you open the bottle, you learn it is an Islay malt, 48% abv, with a golden amber color.  Pop the cork and you are greeted with a most unusual nose.  It certainly is peaty, but a muted soft peat, and perhaps a hint of the sea in the smell and then smoke.  There is something else in the smell that I have been struggling to identify, almost an aromatic rubber like smell but not quite rubber.  Looking for inspiration, I went to some reviews and one called it band aids.  That is exactly it, there is a smell that is like a freshly opened metal box of band aids!  You might think this is an unpleasant mix, but it is not.


Due to the high alcohol content, I decided to add some water.  Normally, I take my Scotch neat.  It was very smooth.  There were tastes of sweet peat, smoke, a hint of citrus and some other tastes hovering just out of my reach.  Alas, I think I added too much water.  Even considering that it had a very long finish.  


This is a very nice Scotch, one that will take more of my time to explore.  I will take the next glass neat, and report on the findings.  Even with my over watered faux pas, it was quite pleasant.  I recommend you try it if for nothing more than the singular experience.

Sam Adams Chocolate Bock

Samuel Adams Chocolate Bock can be located in the Sam Adams winter mix pack.

It is a brownish towards blackish color with a limited head that dissipates quickly.  I was really looking forward to the smell, but I find it to be faint cocoa.  I would like it more if the aroma was stronger.
It tastes slightly malty and dry (almost dusty) just before the earthy, slightly sweet cocoa taste hits you.  That part is surprising and yummy. It is not particularly smooth, or deeply malty.  Not much like a bock to me, very much lighter than a bock.  Nice for a one off beer, the cocoa taste is quite intriguing and tasty.

I cannot see myself wanting more than one of these at a time, but I like it enough to buy another winter mix pack which is as far as I can tell the only way to get two of these at the moment.

Cheers

Samuel Adams Blackberry Witbier

Sammy Adams brewery does well for me more often than they fall short, so when I saw the Blackberry Witbier on the shelf I snapped it right up.

It has a hazy yellow/gold color, more color that I typically see in a wheat beer.  The first taste is the hardly hoppy at all wheat beer, followed quickly by the blackberries and spice, which fades to the only slightly bitter faintly sticky malt aftertaste.  The carbonation was medium.  I found it very well balanced and easy to drink.  It is very dry; the blackberries only provide a fleeting sweet note.

I enjoy a berry wheat style beer, so I favor this style when it is dry like this.  I like and recommend this brew, but not for just this style all night (if you happen to be one of those who will drink more than 1 or 2).  I found that I enjoyed 1 or 2 of these either as the first beer, or as a palate cleanser between changing beer styles.

Cheers.

Stone Cat ESB masquerading

In the endless quest to find more fine beer to quaff, I picked up a sixer of Stone Cat ESB.   This will be a short review.  I popped open one, had a sip and had to look at the label.  I thought I had mistakenly bought an IPA.  There was not enough else going for this brew for me to pay close attention.  If you are an IPA fan, you might really enjoy this.  IPAs are the only brew that I truly do not enjoy, and hence, did not enjoy this at all.  Better luck next time.

Cheers.

Shiner Bock, an Austin favorite

I had a business trip to Austin a little over a week ago.  While there I tried a local favorite, Shiner Bock from the Shiner brewery down there.

Apparently this is a very popular local brew.  I had it on tap and in a bottle.  Either way I found it drinkable but not notable.  It had a somewhat transparent dark amber color, a creamy nougat colored head that dissipated too quickly, and a mild nose.  It is quite plain for a bock.  Perhaps it is designed to be a bock that goes with southwest & cajun spicy food? 

Sorry to my friends in Austin but this is just ordinary.  I would not throw it away if I was given some, but next time in Austin I will seek out some other local brew.