Sadly, Grolsch, which is exclusively distributed in the US by Anheuser Busch, is in the process of being purchased by SAB Miller. You really have to read more than beer labels these days to figure out who you are paying for your beer.
http://stlouis.bizjournals.com/stlouis/stories/2008/01/07/daily12.html?jst=b_ln_hl
Tuesday, January 8, 2008
Saturday, January 5, 2008
Session 11 - Dopplebocks...
For those of you new to this blog, this post is part of the monthly session series -- beer geeks from all over post on the same topic on the first Friday of each month. This week we are focusing on dopplebocks. My thanks to Brewvana for hosting this month.
I had my first dopplebock at age 17. It was really all downhill from there, my first was an Ayinger Celebrator Dopplebock -- they just don't get much better.
While in high school, I worked at a local packie. I was the guy that stocked the six pack shelves in the cooler. Sounds great, but I was also the guy that handled the filthy bottle and can returns -- I could tell you all kinds of cockroach stories. Anyway, one day while stocking the beer cooler, a bottle got caught on the case while removing the six packs and smashed on the floor. As a result, I had to put the other five survivors of this tragic event on the singles shelf. I was devastated, I didn't know much about beer at the time, but I knew the stuff was selling for $48 a case, back in 1988. This seems crazy to me now, but I distinctly remember it being the most expensive beer I had heard of at the time -- maybe it was those little plastic rams on the strings around each bottle!
Well, long story short, a...uhm..colleague at the store suggested that I try one of them. This beer was unlike anything I had tried in the past...hell, Michelob and Heineken were high end beers for a high school kid that didn't know any better. This beer will always have a sentimental place on my beer list as one of the first truly great beers I have ever tasted.
I had my first dopplebock at age 17. It was really all downhill from there, my first was an Ayinger Celebrator Dopplebock -- they just don't get much better.
While in high school, I worked at a local packie. I was the guy that stocked the six pack shelves in the cooler. Sounds great, but I was also the guy that handled the filthy bottle and can returns -- I could tell you all kinds of cockroach stories. Anyway, one day while stocking the beer cooler, a bottle got caught on the case while removing the six packs and smashed on the floor. As a result, I had to put the other five survivors of this tragic event on the singles shelf. I was devastated, I didn't know much about beer at the time, but I knew the stuff was selling for $48 a case, back in 1988. This seems crazy to me now, but I distinctly remember it being the most expensive beer I had heard of at the time -- maybe it was those little plastic rams on the strings around each bottle!
Well, long story short, a...uhm..colleague at the store suggested that I try one of them. This beer was unlike anything I had tried in the past...hell, Michelob and Heineken were high end beers for a high school kid that didn't know any better. This beer will always have a sentimental place on my beer list as one of the first truly great beers I have ever tasted.
Thursday, January 3, 2008
Off to the races with Speedway Stout...
Each year I try to reserve a special brew for New Year's Eve. This year I put aside a bottle of AleSmith Speedway Stout. I have been very impressed by every beer I have tried by this San Diego brewery and I was really looking forward to tasting it. This beer did not let me down.
Speedway Stout is brewed with pounds of Ryan Bros. coffee beans and weighs in at 12% abv. I should tell you all that I have never had a cup of coffee in my life, but this is the closest I will ever come. The blend of beer and coffee flavors in this beer is amazing. It has a strong coffee aroma and the first sip is like shoving a fist full of chocolate covered espresso beans in your mouth and then maybe some tiramisu.
The beer is full-bodied, creamy, exceptionally smooth on the palate, and an utter joy to drink -- I mean a truly amazing mouthfeel. I was so overwhelmed while rating this beer that I began second guessing how good it was -- as soon as I finished, I went online immediately to look at other reviews to make sure I was not overdoing it. Nope, this beer gets a resounding thumbs up from just about everyone who tries it. As I expect from all AleSmith products, this beer is complex. I noticed espresso, chocolate, caramel, citrus and licorice flavors -- and maybe even a touch of rye (or maybe that is a touch of coffee acidity). It finishes a touch dry with a pleasant warming in the back of the throat -- but you would never guess 12% abv. This is one of the biggest and certainly best beers I have ever tasted. I am in the process of hunting more down for cellaring -- if you see it, ignore the price tag and buy it -- trust me, you will not regret it.
Speedway Stout is brewed with pounds of Ryan Bros. coffee beans and weighs in at 12% abv. I should tell you all that I have never had a cup of coffee in my life, but this is the closest I will ever come. The blend of beer and coffee flavors in this beer is amazing. It has a strong coffee aroma and the first sip is like shoving a fist full of chocolate covered espresso beans in your mouth and then maybe some tiramisu.
The beer is full-bodied, creamy, exceptionally smooth on the palate, and an utter joy to drink -- I mean a truly amazing mouthfeel. I was so overwhelmed while rating this beer that I began second guessing how good it was -- as soon as I finished, I went online immediately to look at other reviews to make sure I was not overdoing it. Nope, this beer gets a resounding thumbs up from just about everyone who tries it. As I expect from all AleSmith products, this beer is complex. I noticed espresso, chocolate, caramel, citrus and licorice flavors -- and maybe even a touch of rye (or maybe that is a touch of coffee acidity). It finishes a touch dry with a pleasant warming in the back of the throat -- but you would never guess 12% abv. This is one of the biggest and certainly best beers I have ever tasted. I am in the process of hunting more down for cellaring -- if you see it, ignore the price tag and buy it -- trust me, you will not regret it.
Thursday, December 27, 2007
Saranac steps up...
Most of the Saranac (Matt Brewing Co, Utica, NY) beers that I have tried are about average. None are every really bad, but none are ever really top notch. One of my favorite beer stories has always been the $1 drafts of Saranac Black and Tan at the now defunct local Ground Round restaurant one night with a good friend that was driving. I asked what they had on tap and they had their usual macroswill, but the bartender finished with "oh and we have this Saranac Black and Tan that we are trying to get rid of for $1 a whack." I had just graduated from college and money was tight, so this was like manna from heaven. I put a $10 down on the bar and left with change. Life was good -- comparatively it was a decent beer and the price was right.
I recently picked up two new Saranac six packs, Imperial Stout and Imperial Pilsener (the first two offerings in their High Peak Series). I couldn't resist, Kappy's (one of my local stores with a great selection) was selling each beer at $6.99 per six pack. Saranac has always had a great price point, but $6.99 for beers with 9.0% and 8.5% abv respectively is absolutely unheard of . I figured I would give them both a shot and man, I am glad I did. The Imperial Stout is excellent. It has a fresh ground coffee and bitter chocolate aroma with rich roasted malt flavors that are well-balanced by a nice hop profile (six different dry hops according to the website). The 9% provides a comforting warming in the belly within the first couple of sips. For the price, this beer is an absolute steal and it is the best Saranac beer I have ever tasted.
The Imperial IPA pours a beautiful garnet-copper color with a huge fluffy white head with tons of sticky lace. The beer smells as good as it looks. While certainly not the best Imperial IPA I have tried, it holds it's own and for the price, I almost feel guilty...almost. Saranac has really hit a homerun with these two beers and I look forward to the next release...I just hope the price stays the same, they could easily sell the stout for $11-12 per six pack and I would not think twice about picking one up. This is even more of a value than those $1 drafts of Black and Tan. Buy them if you see them.
I recently picked up two new Saranac six packs, Imperial Stout and Imperial Pilsener (the first two offerings in their High Peak Series). I couldn't resist, Kappy's (one of my local stores with a great selection) was selling each beer at $6.99 per six pack. Saranac has always had a great price point, but $6.99 for beers with 9.0% and 8.5% abv respectively is absolutely unheard of . I figured I would give them both a shot and man, I am glad I did. The Imperial Stout is excellent. It has a fresh ground coffee and bitter chocolate aroma with rich roasted malt flavors that are well-balanced by a nice hop profile (six different dry hops according to the website). The 9% provides a comforting warming in the belly within the first couple of sips. For the price, this beer is an absolute steal and it is the best Saranac beer I have ever tasted.
The Imperial IPA pours a beautiful garnet-copper color with a huge fluffy white head with tons of sticky lace. The beer smells as good as it looks. While certainly not the best Imperial IPA I have tried, it holds it's own and for the price, I almost feel guilty...almost. Saranac has really hit a homerun with these two beers and I look forward to the next release...I just hope the price stays the same, they could easily sell the stout for $11-12 per six pack and I would not think twice about picking one up. This is even more of a value than those $1 drafts of Black and Tan. Buy them if you see them.
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Bad things happen in threes...
My mother-in-law often says that bad things and deaths often happen in threes. Well, here is a good example. Looks like the folks over at soon to be MillerCoors are coming out with three new styles of Miller Lite ("never watered down, so you can raise it up" - whatever the hell that means). They will be releasing an amber, a blonde and a wheat beer. I can't imagine that these "craft-light beers" will be any good, but I guess there are two possible positives we can take from this:
1. A beer with Miller Lite on the label may actually taste like something
2. These three new beers might just convince some Miller Lite drinkers to try a few different beers styles.
Check out the whole article at:
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/business/216637.php
1. A beer with Miller Lite on the label may actually taste like something
2. These three new beers might just convince some Miller Lite drinkers to try a few different beers styles.
Check out the whole article at:
http://www.azstarnet.com/sn/business/216637.php
Tuesday, October 30, 2007
Bostonbeerman Podcasts
Here is the first of my Bostonbeerman podcasts - check it out in iTunes, it is enhanced with images.I hope to have a new one in a couple of weeks.
Cheers,
Jim
Saturday, September 15, 2007
Beer blogging hiatus
My apologies for the sad lack of posts over the summer and now into the fall. I have been swamped with work and a new, non-beer related teaching gig. I promise to get back on the blogging horse as soon as I can. I did manage to try 30 new beers on a 10 day trip to Scandinavia -- more when I return.
Prost!
Bostonbeerman
Prost!
Bostonbeerman
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