Bell’s Smitten Golden Rye Ale Review

Bell’s Brewery

Comstock, Michigan, USA

Bellsbeer.com

6% abv

12oz bottle

$9.99 a six pack

Available January through March

Yes, the wood is leaning back so the
glass does not fall off - look at the
base of the glass

Appearance: if I worked for a paint company to name their colors I would call the color of Smitten: summer mist golden ale; the ale had a nice full one finger pure white head on an easy pour; leaves very little lacing; halfway thru the glass and there is some lacing hanging on the glass.

Aroma: light rye grains; no let me start this over here; nice touch of floral-citrus hops with a light rye spice; I think that should do it

OR

Smitten

Flavors: the rye and citrus swirl around each other on the palate; light dry pine on the back; some light caramel and bready malts underneath;

Mouthfeel: moderate carbonation; nice spicy style; dusty grains; dry; medium body; pine on the back and aftertaste; pleasingly bitter with some nice balance from the malts

To the Point: on the bitter side but the malts do their job to balance things out; a delightful ale; I would suggest you try it on a warm spring day (okay this year that might not happen) let’s try for a nice warm summer day.  

Paulaner Salvator Double Bock Review

Paulaner Brauerei

Munich, Germany

Paulaner.com

7.9% abv

11.2oz bottle

$10.99 a six pack

Appearance: shiny bronze body with a one finger bone white head that leaves no lacing

Aroma: baked caramel nut muffin;

Flavors: sweet caramel nut raisin muffin; light spice maybe from the alcohol or hops; light brown sugar;

Mouthfeel: sweet up front and mid; light spice on the back; medium body on the front and medium-medium-full body on the finish; I’ll place it at 6 on my strength scale; light alcohol warmth;

To the Point: a nice to very nice Double Bock; pleasing and easy to drink; damn, I want a muffin now

Spiny Norman IPA Review

Fear the Hedgehog

Right Brain Brewery

Traverse City, Michigan, USA

Rightbrainbrewery.com

6.2% abv

$7.99 a bottle

1pt 6oz bottle

Simcoe hops

Appearance: light amber with golden highlights; one and a half finger bone white head; the second half of the bottle I got the sediment off the bottom of the bottle and the color is not as shiny – it is a deeper amber color with no golden highlights; the head seems to be a little sticker leaving some lacing on the glass

Aroma: you can smell the floral hops when you open this bottle and it is just as nice in the glass

Flavors: floral on the delivery; prickly pine on the mid and finish; white grapefruit like bitterness swirls all around; grainy slightly earthy malts underneath; saltine cracker with a dash of fine grind black pepper

The second half of the bottle

Mouthfeel: sharp prickly pine; scratchy wool texture; light moderate carbonation; moderate bitterness; lingering pine and grapefruit like bitterness on the palate

To the Point: a pleasing IPA; nice aroma and flavors; easy drinking IPA

Giant Slayer Review

Russian Imperial Stout

Tri-City Brewing Company

Bay City, Michigan, USA

Tricitybrewing.com

9% abv

66 IBU’s

12 oz bottle

Appearance: pitch black body with a thin dark tan head; the syrupy looking legs drip some lacing with each sip

Aroma: fresh dark roasted coffee with a touch of dark chocolate

Flavors: big creamy dark chocolate swirls around a dark roasted coffee bean; nice hop bittering

Mouthfeel: creamy; dark roasted notes; no carbonation; nice bittering but not to strong keeping it drinkable; some alcohol warmth and light spice; seems light in body for an Imperial Stout; it’s still a sipper;

To the Point: an easy drinking Imperial Stout; watch out for the alcohol content; if you like chocolate and coffee this is a must drink for you; for an Imperial Stout – I’ll say it is okay to good; personally I really like it; 

Busch and Milwaukee Best Ice

I went up north to my place in Grindstone Michigan and I picked up a couple of interesting beers at the local gas station.  Yes, your eyes are fine – that is a bottle of Busch and Best Ice.

I smoked a fine cigar

Enjoyed a nice campfire

I liked the Best Ice over the Busch

The Busch tasted like dusty water

The Best Ice tasted like flavored water – like some kind of cheap Vitamin water – but I have never had vitamin water – I just guess it would taste this bad. 

It was nice to take a short break from the quality beers of this world just to remind myself how good the craft beers really are.  

It was nice to have something to keep me warm on that cold cold weekend.

Oh, that was the campfire!

Big Dick's Olde Ale Vintage 2009 Review

Arcadia Brewing Company

Battle Creek, Michigan, USA

Arcadiaales.com

9% abv

51 IBU’s

2009 Vintage

I reviewed this beer back on June 6, 2010 and February 10,2012.  In 2010 I did not write down the vintage but, it had an 8% abv.  In 2012 I reviewed the 2010 vintage.  Today I found an old bottle that has a 2009 vintage.  Let’s see how this baby aged.

Appearance: a heavy, murky and dark caramel body with a very thin tan head from a very aggressive pour.  No lacing on the glass.

Aroma: light nose overall, he nose is reminding me of toasted caramel, sweet malts under a floral like hoppy note, a little wheat and rye bread in the mix

Flavors: some tasty hops adding a light bitterness, semi-sweet malty tone under the hops, I am going to stay with the floral hoppy note here in the flavor as well,       

Mouthfeel: smooth wool like texture, low carbonation,

To the Point: still a tasty Olde Ale here on this 2009 vintage, 

Cuvee des Trolls Cuvee Speciale: Review

Brasserie Dubuisson

Pipaix, Belgium

br-dubuisson.com

7.5% abv

1pt 9.4oz bottle

Appearance: hazy golden-yellow body with a one and a half finger of pure white head that hangs around for the party; not much on the lacing

Aroma: not much; very delicate; yeast, biscuit, hay, pear; lemon drop candy – only one piece (very faint);

Let’s see what happens as the ale warms up

Flavors: pale malt; soft pear; tart apple; hint of lemon; sugar; yeast; dusty hay; dusty spice; a pinch of chardonnay sea salt

Mouthfeel: very spritzy, lively carbonation; somewhat dry; dusty; tart; medium body; dry hopped on the aftertaste;

This ale can be aged

To the Point: the flavors seem a little disjointed; I am not feeling the flow; the sugar is just there it’s not in the mix – example: candied fruits or pear cotton candy – no it’s pear, apple, lemon and then sugar; like the sugar was an afterthought;

To me there is nothing special about this speciale; I don’t remember the price tag but, it was 30 to 35 dollars at Ashley’s of Westland during their Belgian Fest. 

10 bucks I might do it again; thirty bucks I’ll pass

Kostritzer Schwarzbier: Review

Kostritzer Schwarzbierbrauerei

Germany

4.8% abv

11.2oz bottle

Best before: 8.22.2014 clearly marked on the bottle

Another beer that I cannot believe that I have not reviewed before.  I pick up a six pack or two during the winter months to enjoy this simple Black Lager for sitting by the campfire up north.  To me this is a classic Black Lager. 

Appearance: almost black body with big cola highlights; a thin half finger tan head with a strong pour; a spot here and there of lacing – another way to say nothing much;

Aroma: very light toasted grains; otherwise very lager like

Flavors: lightly sweet malts with a touch of tart hops keeping the balance; light toasted grains that remind me of a soft-fresh loaf of pumpernickel bread; semi-sweet coffee

Mouthfeel: light-moderate carbonation; smooth; fresh; tasty for a Black Lager; light-moderate body; with the 4.8% abv it is easy to sit by the campfire and down a few

To the Point: nothing special to review but, damn this is one fine Black Lager; I don’t know how any – I mean ANY beer drinker cannot like this beer; I recommend this for any beer drinker of course 

Double Bastard: Review

The Stone Brewing Co.

Escondido, San Diego County, California

Arrogantbastard.com/doublebastard

11.2% abv

1pt 6oz bottle

$7.99

2013 Release

Style: American Strong Ale

On the bottle: “Double Bastard Ale is not to be wasted on the tentative or weak.” 

Yes, that means you regular Bud and Miller and whatever light type beer drinkers.

Appearance: deep amber body with a one finger tan head that stays around for a while; plenty of sticky lacing on the glass

Aroma: hoppy; sweet grapefruit with a toasted caramel malt just behind the pine bark

Flavors: oh damn, that’s tasty.  White, pink and ruby red grapefruit salad; pine needles hit the tongue; toasted caramel malts and grains; then a wave floral hops; then some vanilla/toffee oak that reminds me of a fine Single Malt Scotch; boozy

Mouthfeel: sweet and bitter grapefruit notes; bitter pine; floral; bitter yet aromatic; boozy; super fine fizzy feel to the carbonation; full bodied;

To the Point: deeper notes compared to Arrogant Bastard with stronger pine and alcohol; I’ll have to review Arrogant Bastard again this week to get a better comparison; this Dbl Bastard is top shelf stuff here; 

Thirsty Dog Wulver Wee Heavy Ale: Review

Aged in Bourbon Barrels

Thirsty Dog Brewing Company

Akron, Ohio, USA

Thirstydog.com

Aged 11 months

12% abv

22 IBUs

12oz bottle

$25.00 a four pack

Appearance: dark brown body with some deep mahogany edges; one finger tan head that did not stay around long; a light sheet of lacing with each sip that slowly drips to nothing

Aroma: rich toasted caramel hits the nose followed by roasted vanilla bean from the oak barrel aging; a smoky note develops as the ale warms along with a slight boozy bourbon note

Flavors: the rich caramel and vanilla really stand out giving it a toffee note; this reminds me of a toffee pecan coffee blend that I’ll drink once in a great while; the oak profile seems to develop with each sip and a lightly seared dark honey comes into play; the nutty note reminds me of salty cashews and fresh pecans; the flavors seem to intermingle well;

Mouthfeel: creamy feel; light syrupy feel; low carbonation; toasty and roasty; rich without being cloying; very easy to drink for a 12 percenter; lightly charred oak and roasted grains on the aftertaste; to me this ale is full-medium in body

To the Point: this is one fine Wee Heavy Ale that has been aged in Bourbon Barrels; it received a 97 world-class rating with 453 reviews on Beer Advocate – pretty impressive; are they overrating it to justify the twenty five dollar price tag – maybe; at 25 bones, a four pack, I would expect that it is out of the price range for the casual drinker; if you really like Bourbon Barrel Aged Ales this is a must try and then you can decide