Lager Mill in Frankenmuth Michigan

If you travel through the mid-section of Michigan you just might be near the town of Frankenmuth.  Most people stop in Frankenmuth for the chicken but, I stop by to get a beer and a brat at the outdoor Fischer Platz and then I head on over to the Lager Mill beer store across the street. 

The Lager Mill has a great selection.  They have to have about 300 different beers.  Beers from Germany (of course), Belgium, the U.S. and a nice selection of Michigan craft beers.  I apologize to those countries that I left out.   

They also have a small selection of Michigan wines and some cigars from the local cigar shop in town (Fat Rum Flavored Cigars). 

I know I will be stopping by often, for not only do they carry some of my favorites (Monks Café for example) but, they have some beers that I need to review.  And, don’t worry they do not overcharge like the chicken houses in town.  Their prices are right in line.  Even on the single beer selection they don’t overcharge like a lot of places. 

If you are ever traveling through the mid-section of Michigan find your way to Frankenmuth, not for the chicken but, for the best beer selection in town – the Lager Mill. 

Bieken Ale: Review

8.5% abv

1pt 9.4oz bottle (750ml)

$11.00

Br. Boelens

Belgium

Globalbeer.com

This is a one year old bottle.  I drank a few of these beers last year and I really enjoyed this beer on a hot summer day.  This ale also paired well with some woody profiled cigars.  Let’s see how it has aged.

Appearance: ruddy orange color, plenty of white foamy head and a fair amount of lacing on the glass.

Aroma: rich sweet caramel malts and some grassy hops.  Not very strong.

Flavors: this has changed from last year.  The overall profile seems richer and a bit fuller.  A stronger earthy honey note compared to last year’s sweet honey.  A nice hoppy bite has developed.  And, my wife brought it up that it has a creamy but bitter dark chocolate style.  I have to agree – just don’t tell her that I agreed with her.  The summertime fruits are gone from last year’s review and this year it has a dark profile, a little raisin like and golden raisin for sure.

Mouthfeel: smooth but filling.  Very low carbonation feel. 

My Strength Rating: 5 – I liked this ale last year and even though it has changed with age it is still very tasty.  And, I have one more bottle to go!

Shiner Old-Time Alt: Review

Shiner Family reunion

Spoetzl Brewery

Shiner, Texas, USA

Six different 12oz beers from the Spoetzl Brewery

Bock, Black Lager, Blonde, Hefeweizen, Kosmos Reserve, Brewer’s Pride – Old-Time Alt

$8.99 a six pack

Shiner Old-Time Alt

Brewer’s Pride

Appearance: a good copper colored body with a little white head and then it was gone.  No lacing what so ever on the glass.

Aroma: faint malts, touch of grains and caramel

Flavors: there is a dry raisin bread malty character, undertone of caramel (have to be looking for it), dry grassy hops and maybe a touch of lemon grass to help add a nice bitter note.  As the beer warms up and it is getting close to the bottom of the glass I start to notice a pecan nut or some type of woody/nutty note. 

On the first sip I said, this is pretty good, then I waivered a little and now that it is almost gone I wish I had one more. 

Mouthfeel: has a dry, lightly sweet, a touch of bitter Alt style.  Dry citrus peel lingering note left on the tongue. 

My Strength Rating: 5  - a nice tasting Alt.  I wish I had a few more to figure out that last quarter of the glass nutty note.   If this was on tap at the bar I would buy it. 

Shiner Blonde: Review

Shiner Family reunion

Spoetzl Brewery

Shiner, Texas, USA

Six different 12oz beers from the Spoetzl Brewery

Bock, Black Lager, Blonde, Hefeweizen, Kosmos Reserve, Brewer’s Pride – Old-Time Alt

$8.99 a six pack

Shiner Blonde

4.4% abv

Classic-style Golden Lager

Appearance: Bright shiny yellow gold as clear and clean as water, big head when poured and it disappears before your eyes.  No lacing. 

Aroma: really, aroma, maybe a whiff of yeast.  You want to bore somebody to death put this under their nose. 

Flavors and Mouthfeel: boiled corn, dry cut grass, dry lingering note on the tongue, watery edge, clean feel.

My Strength Rating: 1 – not much going on here, not interesting, and I didn’t like it last year and I still don’t.  Even with the lights out she’s still ugly. 

Shiner Kosmos Reserve: Review

Shiner Family Reunion

Spoetzl Brewery

Shiner, Texas, USA

Six different 12oz beers from the Spoetzl Brewery

Bock, Black Lager, Blonde, Hefeweizen, Kosmos Reserve, Brewer’s Pride – Old-Time Alt

$8.99 a six pack

Shiner Kosmos Reserve

5% abv

Appearance: rich clear golden body with plenty of head, I had a three finger head and I was not even trying, the white foam disappeared quickly with very little lacing.

Aroma: very light, slightly grainy, nothing special

Flavors and Mouthfeel: light, crisp, grains, and grassy hops with a big watery edge.  Very fine carbonation leaves a light fizzy feel on the palate.  Not sweet; Not bitter; Not interesting but, I like it.  If this was cheap I would drink it on a regular bases. 

My Strength Rating: 2.5

Fuller’s 1845: Review

Bottle Conditioned

6.3% abv

1pt .9oz bottle

$4.99 on sale for 3.99

Fuller, Smith & Turner

Griffin Brewery

Chiswick, London, England

Fullers.co.uk

Appearance: Brown body with a tan head.

Aroma: milk chocolate, roasted caramel,

Flavors: milk chocolate, toasted grains, caramel, minerals

Mouthfeel: moderate to low carbonation, just the right fizz, semi-creamy, slight bitter note on the finish.

I’ll have to try a fresh bottle sometime.  This one is dated Sept. 2010 and this is July 2011. 

Konig Ludwig Weissbier: Review

Royal Bavarian Hefe-Weizen

5.5% abv

330ml bottle

$1.99 a bottle

I only bought one

Bavaria, Germany

Three years ago I had my summer fling with this Hefe-Weizen. 

Appearance: creamy Canadian maple color with a nice white head that leaves some lacing on the glass.

Aroma: solid wheat, spice, lemon zip, hint of fruit (banana)

Flavors: good burst of wheat, yeast, sweet grains, dose of clove, squirt of lemon juice, a faint touch of banana on the finish. 

Mouthfeel: mild carbonation leads to a semi-creamy feel, crisp touch, wheat and spice twang on the palate and it lingers on the aftertaste.

My Strength Rating: 6.5 – nice body weight, flavors are firm and linger

To the Point: I always think of this as a classic German Hefe-weissen.  I think I’ll pick up a case for the summer. 

From what I recall is that it paired well with a good cigar.  Tonight I am finishing the glass with a Rocky Patel The Edge Cigar. 

Hofbrau Original: Review

5.1% abv
11.2oz bottle
Staatliches Hofbrauhaus
Munchen, Germany

Appearance: pours a nice light golden color that is crystal clear and has a white head that does not stay around very long.  There is no lacing on my glass. 

Aroma: is grassy and grainy.

Flavors: The flavor follows the aroma along with some bready-yeasty flavors and today I am noticing that slight euro-metallic taste.  By the time I got to the halfway point in the first glass – I did not notice it as much.  There is a strange bitter-floral note when I try to pay attention to it. And, that is not strange as in bad deal.   I did not notice it at all this past week when I was at an outdoor beer tent. 

Overall taste is very pleasing.   I have always enjoyed an HB or two during the summer or particularly late summer months when it is time to get ready for Oktoberfest beers.

Mouthfeel: crisp, still refreshing, nice carbonation level, very short grainy aftertaste. 

My Strength Rating: 3 – because of the crisp and short aftertaste.  The flavors are fairly mellow. 

Bear Republic Red Rocket Ale: Review

Bastardized Scottish style red ale

6.8% abv

12oz bottle

Bear Republic

Healdsburg, California, USA

Appearance: brown body with a tan bubbly head.

Aroma: oh, I like it already.  Piney, spice, deep caramel notes.

Flavors: soft bitterness of soft pine needles, toasted malts, dry raisin, grapefruit like on the aftertaste.  Very tasty overall. 

Mouthfeel: thick semi-creamy feel, pink grapefruit / piney twang on the tongue,

My Strength Rating: 8 – solid hop profile, long lingering notes,

To the Point: I’ll be buying more of this one.

Samuel Adams Boston Ale: Review

Samuel Adams Boston Lager and Ale Side by Side Tasting

For some reason I have never bought these beers before last year.  I ordered a Samuel Adams one time at a bar (last year) and I was not impressed.  The beer was golden yellow and tasted like some basic lager.  This past weekend I bought one again at a bar while getting a pizza and I was impressed.  This time the beer was amber in color and tasted similar to the Boston Ale (going from memory).  I think the bar last year served me the wrong beer. 

In the fall of last year was the first time I had a Boston Ale.  I enjoyed several of them while watching a horrible University of Michigan football game.  The ale had a very nice spicy profile.

Today, I am going to do a side by side comparison of these two beers to figure out if I like this Boston Lager or not and if it is similar to the Ale or not. 

Boston Ale

Brewmaster’s Collection

4.94% abv really .94 not .93 or .95

$8.99 a six pack

Boston Beer Company

Boston, Massachusetts, USA

Samueladams.com

Appearance: nice amber color with a tint of copper, off-white head (1 finger), dissipates fairly quickly, some sticky lacing on the glass.

Aroma: very light, muted, hard to pick up malty sweetness and even harder to find hoppy note.  Below average nose on this ale.

Flavors: not like the ones I had last year.  Delicate hoppy spice, touch of toasted malts and sweet caramel make for a nice balanced ale.

Mouthfeel: smooth yet dry texture; dry hoppy spice on the finish and lingering aftertaste.  Light carbonation.

My Strength Rating: 4/4.5

To the Point: Add a little more peppery spice on the tasting profile and this would be a winner in my book.  But, for what it has, it is slightly above average. 

Visit CigarPostings for the cigar pairing

Samuel Adams Boston Lager: Review

Boston Lager

4.9% abv

$8.99 a six pack

Appearance: slightly lighter amber color compared to the ale.  A foamy white head this disappeared quickly (one finger pour).  Nice lacing on the side of the glass.

Aroma: Light notes on the nose of basic malts and hops.  Nothing special here. 

Flavors: has an overall profile of toasted grains to me, with some caramel notes, sourdough bread and a nice sweetness coming from the malts.  The hops are doing their job as well.  There is a smooth bitterness that reminds me of the meat and rind of a citrus fruit.  There seems to be a touch of pink peppercorn. 

Mouthfeel: smooth, slightly crisp and slightly dry, balanced, fairly refreshing.  The lingering notes are slightly sweet and slightly bitter.  Light to moderate carbonation.

My Strength Rating: 5.5/6

To the Point: I really like this lager.  An easy beer to drink that has a well-balanced profile and some tasty flavors. 

Frankenmuth Batch 69: Beer Review

American India Pale Ale

6.9% abv

69 IBU's

12 oz bottle

$1.59 a bottle from Lager Mill

Only bought one bottle

Frankenmuth Brewing Co.

Frankenmuth, Michigan, USA

Frankenmuthbrewery.com

Appearance: cloudy golden color with a 1-1/2 finger white head.  Minimal lacing on the glass.

Aroma: very faint for an IPA.  A faint generic hoppy note is the best I can do tonight. 

Flavor: fruity with a touch of sweet malt on the delivery and then the pine attacks the tongue.  Pine, floral hops, strong bitter note, the flavor is much better than the nose – good thing. 

Mouthfeel: pine needle, bitterness, moderate carbonation, and a wool like texture.  A long lingering note of dry bitterness weighs on the tongue. 

My Strength Rating: 7.5 – solid pine and bitterness on the tongue.  Long lingering notes.

To the Point: pretty decent AIPA.  I’ll go low B for a grade.  I seemed to enjoy it more as it warmed up.  If you like that piney flavor profile and aftertaste this is one you need to try. 

Hofbrau Maibock: Beer Review

7.2% abv

330ml bottle

Staatliches Hofbrauhaus

Munchen, Germany

I have had this Maibock in past years and I am not a big fan of this one or I should say I just don’t care for the style and the timing of the style.  One, Maibock is a springtime beer.  Springtime beers I want to awaken the palate for some good fruits, tasty sweet malts and barley, along with some floral or grassy hops.  Maibock reminds me of leftover Oktoberfest beer. 

I can see it happening at the brewery, “Hey Dinkensnorter I just found a keg of Oktoberfest from last fall. What should we do with it?   Nobody will buy it in the springtime.” Dinkensnorter replies, “Well Dorkishimmer, let’s call it Maibock and we’ll call it a springtime beer.”  Dinkensnorter is now a marketing genius. 

Appearance: shiny copper with plenty of head that is slightly off-white in color.

Aroma: very faint, slight sweet

Flavors: the grainy sweet malts are up front, kinda tasty, a nice grassy hop note in the middle, slightly peppery finish.  After a few more sips I notice a slightly toasted caramel note with a nice nutty style.  This bottle is much different than the one I had 2 or 3 years ago.  All I remember is that euro metallic taste with a flat Oktoberfest profile.  Today, this one is very nice.    

Mouthfeel: surprisingly the carbonation seems on the low side, semi-dry finish with that slight peppery finish to boot.  A light lingering dry grassy note on the palate. 

My Strength Rating: 4.5 -

Biere de Noel: Beer Review

Christmas in July Tasting

French Holiday Ale

Brewed with Spices

Unfiltered

1pt 9.4oz bottle

$13.99

Free from the Super Fine Wine & Liquor Store

In Canton, Michigan

6% abv

Brasserie de Saverne

Saverne, France

Appearance: reddish copper body with a fine tan head.  Not much in the lacing department.

Aroma: faint sweet malts, super light spice bread, light touch of hops.

Flavors: like the aroma the flavors are very light and slightly muted.  Delicate spice, light grated orange peel, reminds me of spice bread, light malts and hops, well balanced. 

Mouthfeel: smooth, watery edge, light delicate allspice aftertaste, super light carbonation.

My Strength Rating: 2 – the watery edge really puts a damper on the flavor profile.

To the Point: sub-par Christmas Ale.  The one good thing is that the flavors will not interfere with any foods that you may be eating while drinking this ale.

Sleeman Original Draught: Beer Review

5% abv

Sleeman Brewing and Malting Co.

Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Appearance: gold, clear, pours a thick white head that leaves plenty of lacing on the glass.

Aroma: grainy, boiled corn?, dough, nothing interesting

Flavors: sweet malts and a dry grassy hoppy note.  Large mineral water profile.   To me pretty non-descript flavors. 

Mouthfeel: light and crisp on the delivery, a lingering note of dry grass or hay.  This beer is refreshing when pulled out of a cooler full of ice on a hot summer day.  Easy beer to knock down a few while playing cards, yard games or yard work. 

My Strength Rating: 3 – I want to go lower but, it is that lingering aftertaste that keeps it to a 3 (at most). 

To the Point: an average beer at best.  I’ll give it a C.  I would not go higher but, I would go lower.  This is something the average beer drinker would like.  Time to step your game up and discover quality beer. 

But, a cooler full of this beer with lots of ice and a horseshoe game – I won’t complain. 

Sleeman Honey Brown: Beer Review

5.2% abv

Sleeman Brewing and Malting Co.

Guelph, Ontario, Canada

I know going into this that this is my least favorite out of this sampler pack but, then I have never had the Sleeman’s Light. 

Appearance: shiny transparent copper color body with a fine white head and nice lacing on the glass.

Aroma: grainy is the best I can come up with.  Very faint whatever you want to call it.

Flavors: grainy herbal water.  Some non-descript sweet malts and there must be some hops involved. 

Mouthfeel: plenty of carbonation, wet, no aftertaste

My Strength Rating: 1 – not much in flavors or mouthfeel.  Just grainy herbal water. 

To the Point: don’t waste your dime on this lager.  Very uninteresting.  I graded the other two so I’ll give this one a C-.  I’ll save the D range and lower for truly nasty tasting beer. 

Don’t look for these Sleemans to be paired with a cigar on my cigar blog.  You can pair their beers with any type of cigar, from very mild to full. 

Sleeman Cream Ale: Beer Review

5% abv

Sleeman Brewing and Malting Co.

Guelph, Ontario, Canada

Out of the Sleeman line up this is the one I like.  It has a pleasing lager taste. 

Appearance: golden lager look with a nice white head on top and plenty of lacing on the side of the glass.

Aroma: light, buttermilk biscuit, clean

Flavors and mouthfeel: clean, crisp, refreshing.  Nice sweet malt profile and the hops must be doing their job to keep things in balance.  There is a hint of sweet citrus and other than that it is pretty generic.  Funny that it is called Cream Ale and I never have found it creamy in texture.  No aftertaste to me. 

My Strength Rating: 2 – this is a very refreshing beer.  I’ll take this over Molson Canadian any day.  Easy to pair with any type of cigar; for there are no flavors to interfere.   

To the Point: An excellent session beer.  Sit around the campfire and pound a few.  An average beer at best when reviewing.  I’ll give it C+.

Founders KBS – Kentucky Breakfast Stout: Review

Happy Fourth of July

The Amazing Kosmicki’s Highly Acclaimed KBS

A Stout Ale Aged in Oak Bourbon Barrels

11.2% abv

12oz founders stubby bottle

70 IBU’s

$? No price on the bottle

On this rainy afternoon I thought I would take some time to do something different, how about a stout and a cigar review.  After all I have been doing a lot of ales, lagers and pilsners. 

Appearance: black lovely body with a firm one finger tan head that takes its time going down and then with each sip from her tulip shaped lips she leaves some nice lacing behind enough lacing to get a grown man in trouble with his wife. 

Aroma:  nice toasted malt sent and freshly ground coffee nose.  Every now and then while drinking I pick up an oaky note.

Flavors: oh, the flavors.  This is beer heaven.  All the notes are rich so, let’s get that out of the way.  Wonderful and bold dark roasted coffee, 90 to 95% dark chocolate goodness (and I love dark chocolate), vanilla bean and toasted grains with a nice touch of oak.  When I am sipping this ale I do not directly taste bourbon but, I get the feel of it – warmth (see mouthfeel).  I personally don’t like the direct bourbon interpretations. 

Mouthfeel: thick, a touch syrupy, creamy, silky smooth in texture, warm on the palate and I think my body temperature went up a degree or two, low (none) carbonation which adds to the very good creamy style. 

My Strength Rating: 9 – anything that brings your body temperature up a few degrees is on the full side.  Solid complexities, long lingering aftertaste. 

Yanjing Beer: Review

In honor of our Nations birth and Obama selling the country to the Chinese let's sample our new National Beer.

China’s #1 selling beer

4.5% abv bottle; 5% by can

1pt 4.3oz bottle 600ml

Beijing Yanjing Brewery Co.

Shunyi District Beijing, China

yanjingcanada.com

$3.59 a bottle

Got it on sale 2 for $5

Appearance: bright golden lager color with a big white head that disappears before your eyes.  Plenty of bubbles in the body.  No lacing what so ever on the glass.

Aroma: this smells just like the red rice I buy from Spice Merchants, it is a very earthy smell.  Earthy rice nose is about it for me. 

Flavors: over cooked corn, over boiled starched white rice, wish it had the red rice taste, somewhat sweet, and a lump of something that is … oh, grains, kind of barley like, maybe it is barley.  While the specific tasting notes look bad; it’s not all that bad in overall taste.   Have to search this beer to see what it is made with.  I’ll make a $10 bet that it has more rice than malts in it. 

Mouthfeel: it’s strange; with all that carbonation in its appearance it comes across to me as flat once it hits mid-palate.  So, let’s call it semi-crisp yet refreshing. 

My Strength Rating: 2.5 – bland – the grainy taste brings it up .5 on the scale. 

To the Point: Drink this ice cold or forget it.  Cold – it is refreshing and semi-crisp.  Warm – it’s nasty.  If you are a Bud or Miller drinker give it a try.  If you like at least good beer – well, forget it for it’s not worth the effort to find it. 

Dogfish HELLHOUND: Review

Robert Johnson’s Hellhound On My Ale

Ale brewed with lemons

10% abv

100 IBU

1pt 9.4oz bottle

$14.00

Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Inc.

Milton, Delaware, USA

Dogfish.com

Appearance: burnt orange with plenty of head to go around and solid lacing on the glass.

Aroma: ample citrus on the nose and sweet bread

Flavors: pink grapefruit on the deliver; lemon rind, of course, hitting mid-palate; a little sweet floral swirling around;

Mouthfeel: firm citrus bit on the back of the palate, a warm and peppery finish that lingers on the aftertaste, long lasting tingling on the cheek and gums, and I just had a pineapple burp.  This would be nice on a cool spring or fall day.  The alcohol warmth is too much for a warm summer day. 

My Strength Rating: 9 – firm tasty citrus notes and a long lasting aftertaste. 

To the Point: a good hoppy ale.  It seems to be lacking something or it is just that I am not a big lemon rind fan. (which is true, I don't care for lemon in my beer)  $14.00 for the bottle won't get me running to the store for more. 

Visit CigarPostings for the cigar pairing and it is one cool looking cigar!