Beer Review: Maracaibo Especial

The Beer

Maracaibo Especial By Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales

Special Brown Ale Brewed with Cacao and Spices

Belgian Strong Dark Ale
7.5% abv
1 pt. 9.4 oz bottle
$13.00 a bottle
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Dexter, Michigan, USA
Jollypumpkin.com
My Strength Rating: 5

Caution: get this bottle near a sink when you open it! Foam was flying out of the bottle and I didn’t even open it all the way. Needless to say, the kitchen counter and floor was a mess. Clean-up isle 3.

Murky dark amber color with plenty and I mean plenty of foam and then more foam. That bottle has been open for 45 minutes now and the beer is halfway down the bottle but the foam is still bubbling around the cork I had to put in the bottle. Oh yeah, the color of the foam is beige.

The overall bouquet has some character to it with notes of tart apple, spices, and some fresh apple. I think the amount of effervescence in this ale keeps the aroma up.

On the taste there is a moderate level of tartness. The spices are pleasing to my palate along with some earthy yeast and dried dark fruits. There seems to be a good balance between the malts and hops for it is not too sweet nor is it too bitter. I would call this a Brown Mild Sour Ale or Tart Ale.

Now, on the bottle they have written sweet orange peel, cinnamon, and cacao. I don’t feel any of these flavors standout all by themselves but, they add to the spices, earthy notes, and overall taste. The one I notice more of is the sweet orange peel and that is as an undertone on the aftertaste.

Speaking of aftertaste, it is pleasing overall. The tartness does not have a pucker effect but leaves a settle lingering twang on the palate. The fine carbonation has a nice cleansing effect.

The carbonation puts on a show coming from the bottle and when it is poured into the glass. I wish I ran the video I was afraid to drink it. I thought it was going to just explode in the mouth. The texture was a fine fizzy feel on the mouth. Like a Belgian ale.

I give this ale a 5 on my strength rating because I think the actual body weight is just below medium but, the tartness kicks it up just a smidge.

Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron: Review

The Beer
Dogfish Head Palo Santo Marron
Malt Beverage aged on Palo Santo Wood
12% abv
12 oz bottle
Dogfish Head Craft Brewery
Milton, Delware, USA
Dogfish.com

This unfiltered brown ale is one tasty brew. It pours a dark body with brown highlights. The head is a dark caramel color that looks tasty. The nose seems complex with some sweet malts, burnt cocoa, vanilla dark cherry. When pouring the beer it had a thick appearance and that is how it feels on the mouthfeel. This ale is thick, almost syrupy in texture. The taste is complex as well, with notes of roasted malts, toasted caramel, rich vanilla, molasses, sweet flavors and slight sour notes. We could even throw in some coffee and rich chocolate into the mix. I don’t know what Palo Santo wood smells or taste like so, the best a can come up with it has a black walnut like quality. The alcohol does add some spice and boozy feel to the palate. This is a sipper.

This beer is not for your yellow water beer drinker. No amateurs here. I drank one about three weeks ago, then one yesterday and then this one for the review. I think this beer is growing on me. The first one I had I did not really enjoy.

Liberty Street Starkweather Stout: Review

The Stout

Liberty Street Starkweather Stout

6.3% abv

Growler

Liberty Street Brewing Co.

Plymouth, Michigan, USA

Located on 149 W. Liberty Street

libertystreetbeer.com

My Strength Rating: 5.5

If you live in the Detroit Metro area make your way to Old Village Plymouth, Michigan.  This little brew pub has nine different beers on tap.  I made my way home with a growler full of their stout. 

Appearance: Black body with brown highlights.  Barely any head due to the low carbonation.

Aroma: Chocolate and coffee.

Flavors: Right off I notice the roasted grains.  This roasted profile is very nice in my book.  I get a bit of a dark chocolate note and the medium roast coffee taste is front and center to me.  There is slight hoppy bitterness that builds some character. 

Mouthfeel: Very smooth and easy to drink stout.  The carbonation is very low. The body is only medium weight to me and the aftertaste is not strong. 

To me: I like the overall taste profile of this stout.  I wish the body weight was a little heavier and the texture a little creamier.  But, I am going back for more!

To the Point: If you like a roasted style stout this is very nice.  Throw in some nice roasted coffee notes and a touch of chocolate this is it. 

 

Liberty Street Red Glare Amber Ale and CAO America Potomac Cigar: Review

The Cigar

CAO America Potomac

Wrapper: Connecticut Broadleaf Maduro and Connecticut Shade Leaf

The wrapper is pin striped with the maduro wrapper layered over the shade leaf.

Binder: Brazil

Fillers: 100% legero; Dominican, Nicaraguan, Italian, and American

Size: 5 x 56

My Strength Rating: 5

$8.00 in Michigan

Off the light: medium earthy notes of portabella mushroom and hardwood.  

During the first half I liked the walnut like nut taste and the mushroom earthiness.  Beyond that there is not much to offer.  The overall mouthfeel is smooth yet dry.  I always feel uninspired by this line-up. 

Half-way: an oaky hardwood note started to build to add some character.  The flavors are becoming a little more robust with roasted grains and that oak coming through.   A little inspiration here. 

On the finish: The robust style, while still present, did not continue to build.  The earthy notes returned to sooth the oaky taste that built in the mid-section. 

Of course I could not smoke one of these Americas without a wrapper problem.  Upon removing the band the glue took a chunk of the wrapper off.  Then as the burn got closer to this point the binder popped. 

But, I do know that the CAO America’s are good with a nice IPA.  But, today I’m pairing it with an amber ale from a local brewery. 

The Ale

Liberty Street Red Glare Amber Ale

5.2% abv

Growler – take home

IBU: under 25

libertystreetbeer.com

My Strength Rating: 4

The ale pours a dark burnt amber color with a thin beige head. The nose is grainy with a bit of caramel malt.

This ale is similar to the cigar in that it is pretty straight forward and simple. (I like this ale better than the cigar) I like the sweet touch of caramel followed by slightly toasted grains and a hint of grassy hoppiness.  The overall mouthfeel maybe a bit thin but, it is tasty and very easy to drink.   It leaves a soft and pleasing aftertaste on the palate.  This ale should have a good range for food and cigar. 

The Pairing

This is a decent pairing.  As the robust style started to build in the cigar the ale with its fine carbonation helped to keep the palate clean.  The sweet caramel mixed well with the oak and the toasted notes of the cigar.  The earthy notes of the cigar also mingled well with the slight grassy hoppy character of the ale.   The refreshing style of this ale made this an enjoyable pairing. 

A Cigar and Beer Pairing: Olde World Corojo Toro and Luciernaga The Firefly

The Ale
Luciernaga The Firefly

Ale Brewed with Spices
Barrel Aged and Bottle Conditioned
6.5% abv
1pt. 9.4oz bottle
$12.00 a bottle
Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales
Dexter, Michigan, USA
jollypumpkin.com
My Strength Rating: 4.5 While, full of flavors and tart on the tongue the body weight is light on the palate. Making it easy to drink.

Appearance: amber or burnt orange with an off-white colored head and plenty of it.

Aroma: sweet spice and citrus zip; light overall

Flavors: tart almost sour taste greets the palate, grapefruit like bite, good oak, solid citrus rinds swirl around some grainy sweet malts and sweet spice. This Belgian-style Pale Ale sure is tasty. They say that they use coriander and grains or paradise to brew this ale. I don’t think the coriander stands out, which is okay by me.

Mouthfeel: a fine carbonation feel leads to a dry finish. Tart yet sweet, lingering notes on the tongue.

To the Point: some nice complexity on the flavors yet easy to drink.

Goose Island 2010 Bourbon County: Review

Brand Vanilla Stout

Stout Brewed with Vanilla Beans and Aged in Bourbon Barrels

This Stout has the potential to age up to five years, if you can keep your hands off of it. 

The Stout

Goose Island 2010 Bourbon County

13% abv

650 ml bottle

gift from my The Fine Wine and Liquor Store in Canton, Michigan.

Goose Island Beer Co.

Chicago, Illinois, USA

My Strength Rating: 9; heavy weight on the tongue, with complex flavors and a long lingering aftertaste.

Wow, what an aroma.  The bourbon stands out for sure and there is a good chocolate and vanilla on the nose as well.  I feel like I have a bourbon barrel right in my glass.  Not much in the carbonation department.  There is just a little tan fizz that swirls around on the top of the black body.   

Wow, bourbon for sure on the flavor.  This is a sipper from the get go.  The vanilla bean is present with some good chocolate notes and rich toasted caramel notes.  The texture is thick yet smooth. 

On the back of the palate I taste the oak and get some good alcohol spice.  To me it has a boozy feel. 

As I continue this difficult research project here (tasting beer), I notice a good coffee taste.  The toasted notes change from toasted to roasted to charred and back again.  There is some underlying sweet caramel notes mixed in with some nice bitter notes.  But, the bourbon is still there.  As the stout warms up the thick texture moves to a syrupy mouthfeel.

 

Detroit Drawf: Beer Review

6.8% abv
12 oz bottle
Detroit Brewing Co.
Detroit, Michigan, USA
This beer was brewed by Michigan Brewing Company in Webberville, Michigan.

This Altbier has sweet, bready malts on the nose along with a touch of spice. Overall, it is light on the smell.

The flavors remind me of lightly toasted caramel, pecan nutty notes, bready, and a little herbal hoppy presence. There is a nice interplay between the malts and hops.

The mouthfeel has a moderate carbonation level, some lingering hoppy notes on the tongue, and a creamy texture.

I only bought one bottle to give this a try and I am going back for more because I liked this beer.

Leinenkugel’s Fireside Nut Brown

4.9% abv
12 oz bottle
$7.50 a six pack
Jacob Leinenkugel Brewing Co.
Chippewa Falls, Wisconsin, USA
My Strength Rating: 4

This Nut Brown pours an attractive clear copper color with a fine off-white head. It sure is hard to even pour a one finger head with this beer. The aroma is very clean on this brew.

The notes are sweet caramel like with a pecan nutty and woodsy flavor. There are some hops mixed in to add a little bitter note. Unfortunately there is a big watery style. It is this watery profile that makes this an easy beer to drink.

This beer is always a puzzle to me. Sometimes it comes across too sweet and grassy and then other times it just goes down just fine. I have to admit that I buy this beer every winter and enjoy drinking it now and then. But, it is not what I would call a good Nut Brown. If I was into grading beers I would give it a C. But, I still comeback to it for some reason.

See CigarPostings2 for the cigar pairing.

Bacon Cheddar Burger

Bacon Cheddar Burger

Topped with Portabella, Roasted Red Pepper, White Onion, and Colby Cheese

I am starting with a bacon cheddar burger that I bought at Walt’s Meat Market. Before Walt’s closes for the winter I bought 16 burgers from them because their burgers are that good. I also picked up a dozen filet mignons because they are that great.

I poured some basil olive oil over the portabella.

I slice up the roasted red pepper and white onion that will top the portabella on the grill.

I have a slice of Colby cheese for that extra cheesy taste.

Select your favorite malt beverage and you have a great lunch.



Drinking Blue Moon out of the Bottle – Celery Taste?

Ron R. sent me the original question, ‘Why does Blue Moon taste different on tap versus the bottle?’
You can read my response to that question on the December 28th posting.

I did find out that Ron and his wife were drinking the Blue Moon out of the bottle.

Remember, good quality beers should always be drank from a good beer glass. Your beer glass should only be for beer only.



I poured the Blue Moon out of the bottle down to the last couple of ounces.
Here are the last two ounces. See all the sediment.  The liquid looks white.

With bottle conditioned beer and unfiltered beer you will have sediment in the bottle that needs to be stirred up and poured into the glass to enjoy all the flavors and aromas that the beer has to offer. The reason all good beers should be poured into a glass is for the same reason – you want to enjoy all the aromas and flavors from the beer! When you can smell the aromas of a malted beverage the flavors will just follow.



You can see some sediment still in the bottom of the bottle.

Drinking out of a bottle or can you cannot enjoy the aromas. Miller, Bud, Coors, and other such beers can be enjoyed out of a bottle or can. One, these are not going to be called good beers here. Two, they don’t have any aromas to help taste the sugar sweetened yellow water. (Guinness Stout in the bottle or can has the little widget inside to help give you that tap beer taste. This beer you drink out of a can or bottle and do not pour it into a glass.)

Ron R. said, he thought that Blue Moon tasted like celery from the bottle. Time for more research!

Aroma: muted coriander only to me, no orange. Wait! That is a strange smell. I get the celery bottle out of the spice cabinet and give it a smell. Smells like … smell again … Blue Moon! Smell the bottle nothing. Perfect. If it smelled like coriander then the coriander smell would win out. But, when you smell celery (any aroma) then, smell another item with the same smell it will usually cancel out that aroma. I read that on an article about the science of smell. (I think I have the link to that on this blog. Look at the first months postings.)

Then, I tasted the Blue Moon after I cleared the air so to say. It taste like … oh, yes … CELERY!

Ron, go buy a spice bottle of celery and do this same experiment with your wife. Then, she may believe you. How do you like that a wife who doubted her loving husband.

Blue Moon: Review

In The Bottle or On Tap - Part 2

5.4% abv
12 oz bottle
$8.00 a six pack
Blue Moon Brewing Co. aka – Coors
Golden, Colorado, USA
Bluemoonbrewingco.com
Belgian-Style Wheat Ale

The Bottle

The bottle reads that it is an unfiltered beer.

The appearance is a cloudy burnt yellow. The overall bouquet is light: with light to moderate spice and a touch of orange and some coriander.

The flavors seem muted to me. I get the orange peel taste and a touch of coriander but the flavors don’t seem clean and crisp or maybe I should say, discernable – no maybe it is that they are not distinct. There are also notes of wheat and yeast.

The mouthfeel is crisp because of the carbonation. The overall taste is pretty clean because of the lack of a lingering aftertaste. I just get a short aftertaste of spice.

Of course the marketing says, ‘uniquely complex taste.’ It is pretty simple to me: Orange, Coriander, Wheat, and no Lingering aftertaste. On a zero to ten scale on complexity, 10 being high, I’ll give this beer a 3 for complexity.

Overall I have to say, ‘I enjoyed this beer.’ I think I like Celis Grand Cru more.


Now, I am off to the tavern to sample a little Blue Moon on tap.

I visited the Ironwood Grill in Downtown Plymouth, Michigan. I belly up to the bar and find myself in front of an attractive bartender – damn I miss stopping by a good bar now and then. I order a Blue Moon, first time I ever had one on tap before, and I order it without the orange slice.

I get a typical bartender pour with no head (on the beer). The aroma is hard to pick up with all the food that I can smell around me. The color seems to be the same as the bottle a cloudy burnt yellow. The orange is easy pick out for the taste. The coriander seems a little less but, the wheat and yeast flavors are still present. Not a bad tasting beer.

Continuing with the research mode I order a second one with the orange slice. The orange flavor now is, of course, dominating. I think I like it with the orange slice. I would normally suggest – NO orange slice. With the Blue Moon I recommend the orange slice.


Remember, on the earlier posting, I said it has been at least 8 years since I had this beer. I was at a work party and I had my first Blue Moon then. It was in a bottle and I drank it out of the bottle at that party and I hated it.

Tomorrow’s research – I’ll drink one Blue Moon out of the bottle. This has to be Ron’s issue. He and his wife when at home are drinking Blue Moon from the bottle.

Visit Part I - Blue Moon - The Question
Visit Part III - Blue Moon in the Bottle

Blue Moon – In The Bottle or On Tap

Belgian-Style Wheat Ale

I am writing this posting to a question that I received about Blue Moon. Ron R. asked, “Why does Blue Moon taste, look, and smell different on tap versus in the bottle?”

It has to be at least 8 years since I have had a Blue Moon so, today is research day. I plan to buy a six pack of Blue Moon in the bottle and then venture out to a local tavern and sample a Blue Moon on tap.

Now, here is my beer hypothesis. The bottle beer of Blue Moon will have sediment in it because; I’ll bet it is an unfiltered beer.

#1. If you drink unfiltered beer from the bottle it will probably suck in taste by the time you get to the bottom of the bottle where all the sediment is sitting. It will also start off weak because all the sediment is on the bottom. Drinking good beer out of a bottle is not a good idea.

#2 If you do pour it into a glass:

a) pour it so you get no sediment

b) pour the beer so you do get the sediment mixed in. A proper pour makes all the difference.

If you do a) pour it so you get no sediment I always believe you are not getting the full flavor of the beer (also, vitamin B in that yeast) but, some people like there beer looking ‘clean’ so to say. Then, drink Bud.

If you do b) then you are getting all the flavors you are supposed to taste. In the case of Blue Moon you are getting the orange and coriander flavors. (If you do this and don’t like the flavors – then, Blue Moon is not your beer. Find a wheat beer with no spices or citrus. Plenty of good wheat beers out there to enjoy.

Now, on tap can be an issue. While, this beer has sediment in it - it is sitting at the bottom of the keg. If the keg does not get moved around, well the sediment is just sitting there. When the beer gets poured it can have a cleaner look for it will not have that sediment hazy look. Minus the sediment = minus some of the flavors = less aroma or let’s say a cleaner aroma.

The Answer

Now, Ron did tell me that he and his wife enjoy the Blue Moon on tap better than the bottle. I do not know what they were experiencing in this situation. I’ll have to find that out.

First, if you are drinking from the bottle STOP that bad behavior now and make sure to use a wheat beer glass (Not a Pilsner, like it says on the bottle). The little picture diagram on the back of the bottle is a picture of a good wheat beer glass. This may be the answer. Let me know and leave your comment below this posting.

Second, if you are using a glass, use the correct pour and enjoy all the flavors of citrus and spices. Then, go to the tavern and taste it. See what you taste or don’t taste compared to the bottle (write your notes down). Let me know by leaving your comment below this posting.

I am off to the store to buy a six pack – I’ll post my review later today.

Thanks for the question Ron.

If you have a question or comment, please keep it to yourself!  No, really please leave a comment by clicking on the word: 'comment' below each posting. 

Linking you Up!  Click on below
Visit Blue Moon Part 2
Visit Blue Moon Part 3 - Celery Taste from the bottle?

Arbor Brewing Dirty Love: Review

Stout Brewed With Coffee

Barrel-aged Espresso Love with a dash of chocolate, chipotle, and vanilla

?? abv - probably 6.5% like the Espresso Love
No tasting notes to be found on the beer.
Only comes in a 1pt 9.4 oz bottle.  I bought it at the Yspi location.
Arbor Brewing Company-Corner Brewery
Ypsilanti, Michigan, USA

They used their Espresso Love Stout to make this brew. 
This stout has a blackish body with some brown highlights. A fine tan head sits on top when poured and does not stay around long and leaves no lacing on the glass. With only a few ounces in the glass the beer looks more brownish on the edges – almost cola like.

The aroma is green apple when I popped the cork. When poured into the glass it must be the chipotle spice and touch of oak that gives it that tart aroma. There is a touch of coffee on the nose. The aroma is light but, interesting.

On my first sip, I think I like this stout – let’s see. The chipotle spice comes through on the taste and lingers on the gums for a spicy aftertaste. A sweet-sour, ying-yang, profile is happening here. There is a little vinegar tartness on the front with a sweet note to give it some balance. This is making me think of the chipotle vinegar that I use for cooking. There is a medium coffee profile that is pleasing. They say, ‘a dash of chocolate’ and that would be it ‘a dash’ for it is hard to identify. I like the hint of vanilla and touch of oak that is more of an undertone.

The texture does not make me think of a stout for it seems thin. I don’t get a thick or creamy mouthfeel as I would expect from a stout.

Despite the mouthfeel, I like this brew.

Founders Breakfast Stout: Review

Double Chocolate Coffee Oatmeal Stout

8.3% abv
60 IBU
$10.99 a four pack
Founders Brewing
Grand Rapids, Michigan, USA
Foundersbrewing.com

This stout has a black body with a creamy thick burnt tan head. The foam is tasty by itself. The nose is pretty clean for this stout. I expected more.

As I drink this stout there is some thick lacing on the glass. The mouthfeel is thick, creamy, and smooth. Solid burnt coffee notes on this stout. Hint of chocolate to me. The bitterness is not that strong and seems to be on the aftertaste. To me it is not complex. It is pretty straight forward – coffee and some chocolate. Roasted grains and some bitter notes pick up as the stout warms up. If you are looking for a coffee stout this is pretty good. The carbonation is low, as stouts usually are.

It is an enjoyable coffee stout, but I don’t see it as a classic as they see it on beeradvocate.com.

Here is the description on the packaging: ‘The coffee lovers consummate beer. Brewed with an abundance of flaked oats, bitter and imported chocolates, Sumatra and Kona coffee. This stout has an intense fresh roasted java nose topped with a cinnamon colored frothy head that goes forever.’

I can think of better Breakfast Stouts.

Visit CigarPostings2 for the cigar pairing with this stout.
 
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