Leinenkugels Classic Amber: Review

Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co.

Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, USA

Leinie.com

4.9% abv

21 IBU’s

Just like the Red Lager – I am not a big fan of Amber beers.  Now, I like this style better than Red’s but, that not saying much.  Give me a Stout or a Porter any day of the week. 

Appearance: clear light amber body with a thin ½ finger white head that leaves some lacing on the glass.

Aroma: light malty front with a touch of grassy hops

Flavors: not a bad tasting light bodied Amber ale. Dry white bread toast, sweet grass, and to me the light caramel note mingles in a strange way with the herbal or floral hops.  Good thing for the watery edge to control that. 

Mouthfeel: watery edge, lingering sweet grass,

To the Point: I can’t figure out the sweet grass, herbal/floral hops and that light caramel note.  While this beer is not reviewogenic it is not that bad overall.  A good C+ in the final grade book.  Easy to drink.  Typical Leinenkugel – easy to drink not big in style. 

Big Sky Powder Hound Winter Ale: Review

Big Sky Brewing Co.

Missoula, Montana, USA

Bigskybrew.com

$8.99 a six pack

7.2% abv

Made with Hallertau, Palisade, and Amarillo hops

The appearance is clear amber.

The Aroma of the ale is lightly hoppy with grassy and a slight floral note with some sweet malts in the background.  As the ale warms the sweet malty notes are a little more noticeable.

The flavors are tasty on the winter ale.  The hops follow the nose with the grassy and tasty floral notes.  The malt shows off some caramel that are lightly toasted. 

On the aftertaste there is a light citrus and spicy note that lingers.  The mouthfeel is crisp with moderate carbonation. 

Looking forward to it

Atomium Premier Grand Cru: Review

Golden Ale Style

Matured in the bottle

Atomiumbeerusa.com

Van Steenberge Brewery

Ertvelde, Belgium

Appearance: dusty orange body with a massive white head that reminds me of shaving cream; this head does not want to go away it’s been 5 minutes since I poured the glass and there are a couple of mounds still standing, look at the lacing on the glass.

Nose: apricot, big time apricot, sweet malts, floral hops

Flavors: oh yes, it tastes like apricot, little peach, light earthy yeast, sweet malts, delicate yet tasty hops and grains

Mouthfeel: smooth, almost creamy, oily, stoned fruit flavors dance across the tongue, crisp,

To the Point: I am not an apricot in beer fan but, I could drink a whole bottle, I drank two in one night and it was like eating two pieces of apple pie – one would have been enough,

Rodenbach Ale Grand Cru: Review

Flemish Red Brown

Brewery Rodenbach

Roeselare, Belgium

33% young ale; 67% two year old matured ale

1 pt 9.4 oz bottle

6% abv

Appearance: the nice two finger tan head dissipates quickly over dark brown body with cordovan highlights

 

Aroma: musty oak, tart apple mash,

Flavors: tart apple, over ripened apples, big oak, little apple vinegar,  as the ale warms a sweet black cherry note swirls around.  

Mouthfeel: big tart style, super fine carbonation to keep the palate lively, dry, sweet-tart apple on the finish,

Belhaven Scottish Ale: Review

Belhaven Brewery

Dating back to 1719

Dunbar, Scotland

5.2% abv

Purchased: Superfine Wine & Liquor Store; Canton, Michigan

$15.99 a six pack

Appearance: semi-dirty penny with a one finger off-white head that leaves some chunky lacing behind

Aroma: very delicate yeast reminding me of a soft sweet biscuit with honey on it

Flavors: a musty and slightly tart pecan shell like taste, a light caramel note swirls around a grainy and mineral like character, earthy yeast

Mouthfeel: super fine carbonation that gives a little fizzy feel to the tongue, a dirty-grainy malt aftertaste

To the Point: This is okay to me, not something I would drink on any regular bases – okay once every two years would do it for me. 

Frankenmuth Brewery Red Sky: Review

Red Sky Irish Style Ale

Frankenmuth Brewing Co.

Frankenmuth, Michigan, USA

Frankenmuthbrewery.com

5.25% abv

23 IBU

This is the craziest beer I have ever experienced.  It is just too inconsistent.   

I drink it from a bottle and I really like it – it had a nice malt and spice style;

I pour it from the bottle to the glass and it is okay – I don’t notice the spice as much;

I have had this on tap at the brewery and it was a malt bomb that I could not finish. 

Poured into a pint glass:

Appearance: it’s a clear red with an amber tint, the off white head was bubbly and with an aggressive pour I barely got a one finger head.

Aroma: lager like, some sweet malts,

Flavors: lightly toasted grains and malts, light caramel, very light grassy hops, light spice

Mouthfeel: clean, too clean, no aftertaste, watery edge, low to moderate carbonation.

My Strength Rating: 2 – for this review

From the Bottle

The carbonation comes across stronger than from the glass (moderate).  The grassy and spicy hops are a little more noticeable but nothing that stands out.  The malts are still the same.   

The only thing I can think of with this Ale is that it depends on what batch you get for the ones I had last summer (in the bottle) had a better spicy style.  But, I then went next door to the brewery and had it on tap and it was a malt bomb. 

Leinenkugels Red Lager: Review

Vienna-style Lager

Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co.

Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, USA

Leinie.com

4.9% abv

20 IBU’s

Let’s get this up front – I don’t like ‘Red beers’.  I can’t think of one that I like.  I may have reviewed a couple of them since starting this blog but, it is not worth my time to even look.  Just give me a plain lager.  Red beers seem to have a strange taste to the otherwise typical lager flavor. 

Appearance: bright clear copper color with a thin white head that leaves some lacing on the glass

Aroma: smells like a lager, soft biscuit, grainy, maybe some hops

Flavors: mineral / stone washed sweet grains, caramel, grass hop note, overall on the sweet side with the hops making sure it is not overpowering.  It does have a 20 IBU rating  -  meaning it is on the malty side of town.

Mouthfeel: somewhat clean, watery edge, there is a short lingering note from that sweet mineral grainy note. 

My Strength Rating: 3.5 – that is as high as I can go on my strength scale and the only reason it get there is because of that grainy mineral note. 

To the Point: To me Leinie’s are not big in style but, they are easy to session (drink a few).  I personally would skip this beer but, with a burger or other hearty sandwich it should be okay.  Try it with a Rubin sandwich on St. Paddy’s Day.

Guinness Black Lager: Review

Cold Brewed with Roasted Barley

Guinness & Co.

Dublin 8, Ireland

Guinness.com

11.2oz bottle

4.5% abv

To me Black Lagers and Brown Ales have one thing in common; neither of them are special, they don’t give you that wow feeling, they are just like that plain Jane.  But, sometimes it is that plain Jane that is getting all the action.  While they may not be ‘special’ I sure do enjoy a good Black Lager or Brown Ale now and then.   

Oh, I know some breweries beef them up to make them unique.  They crank it up on some Hop-roids or sweeten the deal with too much malts and then add in some exotic tree bark.  By this time it is not even close to what the style truly is supposed to be.

Okay, let me get off my stump and get to the review.

Appearance: black body with a fine 2 finger head that leaves some lacing on the glass.

Aroma: a bit lager like, with some lightly roasted grains

Flavors: sweet pumpernickel roll, lightly toasted grains, nothing strong, just enough to make the lager interesting.

Mouthfeel: smooth, light carbonation, refreshing, easy to drink,

My Strength Rating: 3.5 – mild-medium

To the Point: easy to drink, most drinkers could enjoy this black lager, to me this is true to style: nothing special but I sure like it. 

Guinness Foreign Extra Stout: Review

Guinness & Co

Ireland

Guinness.com

11.2 oz bottle

7.5% abv

This will be interesting for I have had this bottle for almost a year now.  I drank the others and said one day I’ll review the last one.  Well, I guess it is time!

Appearance: black body with a thick foamy tan head that has some staying power and leaves plenty of lacing.

Aroma: nice dark roasted notes, coffee bean, a slight nutty note

Flavors: the hops are at work with a firm bitter note up front and center; sea grass like, dark toasted grains, slight sweetness from the malts

Mouthfeel: a firm bitter bite, wool like texture,  

My Strength Rating: 7.5 – at the top of the medium-full scale