Short’s Brew Pontius Road Pilsner: Review

Short’s Brewing Company

Elk Rapids, Michigan, USA

Shortsbrewing.com

4.5% abv

18 IBU

Appearance: golden pilsner with the typical white head

Aroma: soft white bread and yeast.  I was expecting more since it is Short’s Brewing.

Flavors: soft grains and biscuit on the front; little grassy on the finish.  A right to the point pilsner. 

Mouthfeel: plenty of carbonation to keep it lively, malts on the deliver, nice light grassy hops on the aftertaste that adds a slight bitterness to this pilsner,

My Strength Rating: 2.5 – Mild on my scale. 

To the Point: if you like a light bodied pilsner without going to a ‘light beer’ – this is the one.  I may have to pick up some for this summer.  Nothing special but, it is pleasing to the taste buds on a warm summer day.  

Flying Dog Woody Creek White

Belgian Style Wit Beer

Seasonal

Unfiltered

Flying Dog Brewery

Frederick, Maryland, USA

Flyingdogales.com

4.8%abv

18 IBU

Appearance: dull hazy golden body with a white head that does not stay around very long and leaves very little to no lacing sticking to the side of the glass.

Aroma: spice of coriander, dirty wheat, and a touch of citrus meat

Flavors: big time Wit Beer spice, the coriander is leading the way with the orange peel right behind and then I notice the dusty wheat and earthy yeast. 

This is hitting the spot.  I think my brain and taste buds are still thinking IPA from two months ago.

Mouthfeel: low carbonation, low to moderate citrus peel bitterness, Oh give it to a Bud Light drinker and they will think that this is the atomic bomb of bitterness – it is funny just watching their face.  Nice linger wit beer flavor on the palate. 

To the Point: The coriander was a little too much in the face on the first few sips but, settled down after that.  A nice tasting Wit Beer.  I would buy a six pack again.    

Samuel Adams Summer Ale: Review

Wheat Ale Brewed With Lemon Peel and Grains of Paradise

Appearance: hazy golden wheat with a nice white head.  Make sure to get all that wheat off the bottom of the bottle.

Nose: some wheat, orange rind, lemon peel,

Flavors: citrus rind, dusty wheat, earthy

Mouthfeel: moderate bittering, low carbonation, lingering dusty earth and grains

To the Point: an okay summer ale.  To me it just doesn’t seem that refreshing.  I don’t think I’ll be looking to fill the cooler with this during the summer. 

It should be good to pair with white fish or shellfish.  

Leelanau Brewing Petoskey Pale Ale: Review

Ale Aged in Oak Barrels

Leelanau Brewing Company

Traverse City, Michigan, USA

Brewed by: Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

Dexter, Michigan, USA

Petoskeyrocks.com

1pt 9.4oz bottle

$18.99 a bottle

5.5% abv

The ale is aged in over-sized French oak vats with Petoskey Stones.

Opening the bottle is a treat in itself – oh the aroma is just wonderful.

I have never had this ale before so, I don’t know what I am going to get into here. 

Appearance: an attractive amber-orange body with a solid two finger head that leaves some nice lacing on the glass. 

Aroma: fresh citrus orange peel, oak for sure, sweet malts swirling

Flavors: Okay, it does not make me think of a Pale Ale.  A tasty apricot note hits me first and I am not a fan of apricot but, I like this one.  A light orange peel comes through to add a tangy feel, with light spice that is reminding me of a soft coriander, earthy yeast with a nice touch of mineral water,

Mouthfeel: smooth, low-moderate carbonation, tangy citrus on the taste, soft citrus bitterness on the finish, 

I had to place this Pale Ale here in the Sring/Summer Seasonal month here because of its flavor profile.  

Chapeau Framboise Lambic Beer: Review

Natural Raspberry Flavor

Aged in Oak Cask

Brouwerij De Troch

Wambeck, Belgium

12.7oz bottle

$6.99 a bottle

3.5% abv

Hey, what gives, no cork in this bottle.  All the other Lambic beer bottles from Chapeau had a bottle cap and a cork.

Appearance: ruby

Aroma: you can smell these Lambics, from Chapeau, three feet away from the glass.  I am picking up a red berry note.  Let’s get my nose into this glass.  I am not thinking raspberry; I am thinking cranberry and pomegranate with a faint wet oak on the back.  The aroma is light and satisfying. 

Flavors: cranberry to me, lightly tart, touch of wood,

Mouthfeel: smooth, pleasing, and tasty.  A lingering sweetness and lightly tart red berry on the palate. 

To the Point: I really like this Lambic from Chapeau.  I have tasted their Pineapple and Banana Lambic Beer and have enjoyed each one.  I would buy more of the Chapeau Lambic in any flavor.  

Einbecker Mai-Ur-Bock: Review

6.5% abv

11.2oz green bottle

Einbecker Brauhaus AG

Einbeck, Germany

Appearance: dark and dusty amber body with a bone white head and not much in the lacing department.

Nose: earthy yeast, little nutty, sweet toasted malts

Flavors: dusty old German beer taste, not quit metallic like, some may say that is the German hops smell;  over-ripened Macintosh apples, sweet grains, dusty and nutty yeast, slight pecan shell bitterness. 

Mouthfeel: low-moderate carbonation, slight bitterness on the finish, malts on the delivery, lingering muddled flavors left on the tongue,

To the Point: this Mai-Ur-Bock seems aged to me.  I don’t know if this is an old six pack that I bought – which I would not doubt – the numbers notched on the back label 1 & 4 for whatever that means.  If this is old beer then it has aged well and I like it.  If it is fresh beer – I like it but, I don’t want to find out what it tastes like when it gets some age on it – for it already tastes old.  And, that is not a bad thing.  It is tasty.    

Chapeau Banana Lambic Beer: Review

Brouwerij De Troch

Wambeck, Belgium

Natural banana flavor

Aged in oak casks

$6.99 a bottle

3.5% abv

Appearance: honey amber with golden highlights and a thin white head.

Aroma: you know it – banana!  With a honey oak background.

Flavors: candied red banana but, it is not overly sweet.  A light honey oak tone underneath the banana. 

Mouthfeel: smooth and slightly creamy banana feel, lingering banana and honey oak.  Light, very light carbonation which helps with that slightly creamy banana feel.

My Strength Rating: 3 – mild-medium – I could go to the mild side 2.5

To the Point: this is a tasty Lambic.  Not overly sweet and it is very pleasing to drink.  This would be great to serve at your next Hawaiian party. 

You will need a bottle opener and a cork screw.

Chapeau Exotic Lambic Pineapple: Review

Pineapple – Aged in Oak Casks

12.7oz bottle

$6.99

Brouwerij De Troch

Wambeek, Belgium

Detrouch.be

Nobleunion.com

This is a strange set-up; there is a cap on the bottle with a cork underneath.  As I start to open the cap with a bottle opener there is a little sprits of liquid.  Once the cap is off I see that the cork is soaked and there is liquid sitting on top of the cork.  How did this happen.  You don’t store beer bottles on their side, so how can a cork get this wet?  I sure hope the Lambic is fine. 

Appearance: rich golden-amber color

Aroma: sun dried pineapple fruit, caramel sugar toasted pineapple rings, nice oaky

Flavors: No way – it tastes like pineapples – get out of here.  Sweet pineapples glide of the taste buds.

Mouthfeel: low carbonation, smooth texture, lingering sweet pineapple on the palate.

My Strength Rating: 3 – mild

To the Point: this would be great during a tropical or Hawaiian party.  Maybe pair this with some citrus marinated shellfish or how about as a desert.

I usually pan these Lambics or other fruity beers off onto my wife but, I am going to finish this one.   

Shiner Spring Ale: Review

Dortmunder Style

5.5% abv

Spoetzl Brewery

Shiner, Texas, USA

Shiner.com

$8.99 a six pack

Appearance: sparkling clear amber with a slightly off-white head that thins out fairly quickly and leaves a little bit of lacing on the glass with each sip.

Aroma: grains, grassy maybe heather like, with a touch of sweetness swirling around.

Flavors: makes me think of a 9 grain bread taste on the delivery and then by mid-palate a grassy hop bitter note takes over to the finish.  The two flavors meet again on the finish to create a nut bread like aftertaste.  The more I sip on this beer the more I think about it having a solid mineral water like quality. 

Mouthfeel: lightly sweet on the deliver; light/moderate bitterness on the mid and finish; on the light side of moderate for the feel of the carbonation, a little dry on the finish. 

To the Point: a tasty Dortmunder, I think it may go well with a German Brat – oops, can I say that now a days – the politically correct police may be after me now.  Anyways, not a bad beer overall so, I would say it is worthy of one six pack to go. 

St Louis Peche

Premium Lambic

Belgian Ale Brewed with Peaches

Castle Brewery

Van Honsebrouck, Belgium

$6.99  a bottle

12.7 oz bottle

This Lambic is a year old.

Appearance: muddy murky brown body with a thin tan head.

Aroma: peach for sure

Flavors: big time peach, slightly tart, and big time sweet, fruit flavored sugar candy.

To the Point: too sweet for me – I’ll skip this one – wow, too sweet for the wife too.  There is more glass in this bottle than a six pack of Miller.

Framboise St Louis Premium Lambic: Review

Belgian Ale Brewed with Raspberries

Castle Brewery

Van Honsebrouck, Belium

12.7 oz bottle

Appearance: a muddy reddish mash color for the body with a mauve colored head.

Aroma: what do you think? – If you guessed raspberries, you are correct!

Flavors: super sweet raspberries, yeasty

To the Point: one or two sips of a Lambic and I have had it.  The majority of them are too sweet and too fruity.  This one is case and point.  I gave the rest of mine to the wife to add to her glass. 

THE Balvenie Single Barrel 15 Years Old: Review

Single Malt Scotch Whisky

Region: Scotland Highlands

The Balvenie Distillery, Banffshire Scotland

47.8% alc/vol

Bottling Date: 17/03/2011

In Cask: 08/08/1995

Cask #: 8985

Bottle #: 207

Malt Master: David Stewart

Thebalvenie.com

Purchased: Super Fine Wine & Liquor, Canton, Michigan

$74.90

Color: clear amber-honey

Nose: vanilla bean-bourbon, sweet grains, oak

Flavors: lightly sweetened honey dipped candy fruit on the delivery (tip of the tongue), warm black peppercorn feel on the mid and late palate,

Body/Mouthfeel: medium-full body, smooth, little oily or a slight syrup feel,

Finish: nice finish, warm vanilla-bean oak aftertaste