Make a New Year’s Resolution

Drink Better Beer!

Give up the yellow pissy water beer you have been drinking and step up to flavor.  Give up that Bud, Miller and their Light water flavors they have. 

Go to your local brewery and try real flavor. 

Your taste buds deserve more.

Happy New Year.   

Petrus Winter #9 Ale

Br. Bavik

Belgium

Globalbeer.com

9% abv

1pt 9.4oz bottle

$9.99 a bottle

Don’t confuse this with the Petrus Winter Ale.  I have had the Petrus Winter Ale before and I have to admit that I was not a big fan.  To me it was just plain boring.  But, I do like some of the other ales in the Petrus lineup.  This #9 looks new to me or just new to the Michigan market or maybe U.S. market – I’ll go with new since it is not on the Global beer web site. 

Anyways, when I saw this bottle I was a little excited but I was also wary because I remembered that I was not fond of the Winter Ale by Petrus.  As I was opening this bottle I was thinking how I hoped it had some nice zippy spice and some nice roasted flavors.  As I poured the first glass the anticipation built for the ale looked like what I was expecting; a good bronzy color with some nice amber highlights throughout the body.  I could also smell a light ginger bread sent along with some allspice and roasted malts.

As I raised the large sniffer style glass to my mouth I was hoping and praying and for a moment I thought of Tim Tebow.  I said to myself as I raised the glass toward the sky, ‘Tim please turn this water into a tasty ale’ and then I took a sip.    Wow, that Tim Tebow shit really works.  I really like this ale. (T-boning or T-bowing didn’t work for him when he played the Detroit Lions – we kick his ass) 

I like the seasonal spicy flavors of gingerbread, allspice, and nutmeg along with a soft roasted pecan note and baked caramel.  The sweet style is not overpowering for the hops are doing their job in try to keep some balance. 

The best experience with this seasonal ale is each sip that I take and the wonderful aroma.  Doing the review one step at a time did not do this ale justice.  Look at the ale, then sniff, then taste.  Take a good sniff with each sip and enjoy the moment. 

This is a seasonal favorite of mine now.  Can I do that after one bottle? No, not really.  So, I’ll have to get back to the store and pick-up some more to qualify this ale as a seasonal favorite. 

Winter or Christmas seasonals are one of my least favorite out of all the seasonal type beers.  But, this one I’ll have to put in the book as a new favorite. 

I enjoyed the second half of this bottle with an Italia Ciao Cigar and it was a great pairing. 

St Bernardus Christmas Ale: Review

Brouwerij St. Bernardus NV.

Watou, Belgium

10% abv

75 cl bottle

$12.00 a bottle

Appearance: dark brown body with mahogany highlights shining through around the edges.  Light tan head and it is easy to pour a two finger head. 

Aroma: pouring the ale into the chalice I can smell some spicy notes.  Dark bready yeast tones, raisin, brown spice mix,

Flavors: tasty brown spice box like quality, black bready tones, earthy yeast, dark fruits like raisins, sweet caramel malt undertone, spicy and tingling hops dance on the tongue,

Mouthfeel: fine carbonation gives the tongue a fizzy feel, the spice pinches the cheeks and gums, prickly and dry texture on the palate

My Strength Rating: 6.5 – the dark bready notes, brown spice box, and raisins along with the spice makes for a good medium-full bodied ale. 

Merry Christmas From Beer Postings

             A Christmas Card from Beer Postings



Anchor Brewing Christmas Ale: Review

Merry Christmas & Happy New Year 2011

Aka: Our Special Ale 2011

Anchor Brewing

San Francisco, California, USA

Anchorbrewing.com

5.5% abv

12oz bottle

$11.99 a six pack

This is their 37^th Annual Christmas Ale and every year the flavor profile is different.  I have not had any of their past Christmas Ales to make any kind of comparison but, let’s see how this year goes. 

Appearance: dark almost black body with some cola like highlights.  The fine tan head leaves some lacing behind on the glass. 

Aroma: eggnog spice like on the nose and mincemeat pie

Flavors: hard to get specific here but now and then I do get a nutmeg note along with a baked raisin and tart cherry note.  Otherwise, let me say it has a Christmas spice style with some toasty malt. 

To the Point: Overall, it is a pretty good Christmas Ale as far as Christmas Ales go. 

Shiner Holiday Cheer: Review

Brewed with peaches and pecans

Spoetzl Brewery

Shiner, Texas, USA

Old World Dunkelweizen

12oz bottle

Appearance: rich shiny bronze body with a thin off-white head that leaves very little if any lacing.

Aroma: wow, the glass is an easy foot away from me and I can smell it from here.  The peach really stands out and overpowers any other aromas that it may have. 

Flavors: of course the peach is front and center with some lightly roasted malts and just the right touch of hoppy bitterness (light).

Mouthfeel: smooth delivery, moderate-low carbonation, light bitterness on the finish and aftertaste which is mixed with the peach flavor. 

My Strength Rating: 4 – medium-mild body overall

To the Point: I am not a fan of peach in beer but, this is not all that bad.  I think I could drink a whole bottle.  This should be good with food.  I'll bet that the wife will like this.

I was right she loves it.  I had to go back to the store and buy her more.  

Shiner Ruby Redbird: Review

Summer Seasonal

Brewed with Texas Red Grapefruit and Ginger

Munich malt and Mt. Hood, Citra and Cascade hops

Spoetzl Brewery

Shiner, Texas, USA

Shiner.com

Bottle size: 12 oz

4.01% abv

Cleaning out the left over summer beers that I never reviewed and this one looks interesting. 

Appearance: golden with an amber hue, clear, little head, no lacing

Aroma: Right out of the bottle – fresh sweet grapefruit

Flavors: the ginger stands out to me right off the bat; then the sweet and tart flavor of red grapefruit shines through,

Mouthfeel: moderate carbonation, light tingling on the tongue, refreshing finish, 

My Strength Rating: 4 – the ginger flavor is only moderate so it is not spicy,

To the Point: I’ll be looking for this next summer. I enjoyed drinking it here as we go into winter. 

Bell's Christmas Ale: Review

Bell’s Brewery, Inc.

Comstock, Michigan, USA

12oz bottle

Bottled: 10/26/2011

Appearance: toasty amber body with a one finger light tan head that leaves some decent lacing on the glass.

Aroma: moderate spicy hops and sweet malts

Flavors: spicy hops right off the bat with lightly roasted sweet caramel malts underneath. 

I remember having this last year but it looks like I did not do a review on it.  Sure wish I did for I think it tasted better last year. 

Mouthfeel: 0000 steel wool like, moderate carbonation, good lingering mixture of malts and hops.

My Strength Rating: 6 – medium-full overall

To the Point: thank god for the hops in this beer to add some interest.  To me the flavors are too muddled and just plain uninteresting. 

Wittekerke Winter White Ale: Review

Authentic Belgian Double Wit Ale

Br. Bavik

Belgium

1pt 9.4oz bottle

7.5% abv

I know I like the regular Wittekerke and that was one beer that I missed having this past summer.  But, there I was standing in the beer isle of the Super Fine Wine & Liquor Store and I see this bottle.  I am looking forward to this one. 

Appearance: hazy golden wheat with a creamy white hue.  It pours an easy two finger white head

Aroma: Belgian coriander spice and dusty yeast

Flavors: The Belgian spice is the first thing I notice and then the crisp wheat, mixed with some fruity notes and dusty yeast notes. 

Mouthfeel: smooth, semi-creamy feel, fine carbonation, lingering wheat with a touch of spice on the palate.

My Strength Rating: 4 – mild-medium overall – the Belgian spice plays a good role in the flavor

To the Point: I was not disappointed. 

Left Hand Weizen Doppelbock: Review

Left Hand Brewing Co.

Longmont, Colorado, USA

Lefthandbrewing.com

Bottle size: 1pt 6oz

% abv

IBU

Bottled on: 2-16-11

$10.00 a bottle

Brewed with lapsang souchong tea

Appearance: solid dark dark brown, almost black body. Had to make an aggressive pour to get a one finger tan head.  No lacing on the glass.

Aroma: I don’t know what lapsang souchong tea smells like but, it sure smells like smoked beef teriyaki jerky. 

Flavors: And, I don’t know what lapsang souchong tea tastes like but, it sure tastes like smoked beef teriyaki jerky.

Mouthfeel: low carbonation, lingering beef jerky taste, medium-full weight,

My Strength Rating: 5.5/6 – not much in the flavor, except smoked beef teriyaki jerky, to kick it up. 

To the Point: Interesting if you like smoked beef teriyaki jerky.  For 10 bones a bottle all I can say is, I have had one.