Oktoberfest rocks on! Great Lakes Brewing Oktoberfest

Great Lakes Brewing (Cleveland, Ohio) produces some fantastic beers -- some that I can include among my favorites; Elliot Ness, Edmund Fitzgerald, and Dortmunder Gold to name a few.

Needless to say, I was very excited to try this beer.

The beer pours to a medium amber -- not quite as dark as some of the others, and produces a fairly durable foam -- a good looking brew to say the least.  The aroma is subtle, but I picked up some bread and malt hints.

Great Lakes Oktoberfest is way more complex than Leinenkugels, and on par with Brooklyn in terms of character.  It is definitely stronger and bolder all around.  Malt tastes and aromas are clearly evident, as are hops. Starts out with a little smack of carbonation followed by some hops-based bitterness.  This fades into some malty and caramel aftertones that are slightly sweet. 

I think I preferred this one slightly to Brooklyn, but it is close.  Not quite up to Bell's on my chart, but quite good.  I actually prefer a slightly smoother Oktoberfest beer, so this might be why I'm not moving it up on my chart. 

#1 - Bell's
#2 - Great Lakes
#3 - Brooklyn
#4 - Leinenkugel's

Another round of Oktoberfest - Leinenkugel's

I have absolutely no self-control or moderation.  When I went to the store for a six-pack of Sam Adams Oktoberfest, I also picked up a sixer of Leinenkugels and a six of Great Lakes Oktoberfest...

So where to start...

Leinenkugel's Oktoberfest is a good looking brew when poured into a glass.  Absolutely gorgeous deep golden color with rich foam -- nice!  It certainly screams Oktoberfest in appearance, at least.

The aroma and taste of the beer are both good, but not outstanding.  The brew is well balanced, but a bit underwhelming.  Not so much so that I won't be finishing my six-pack... I enjoyed the beer, but it isn't heavy with Oktoberfest character.  I prefer both Bell's and Brooklyn to Leinenkugel's, but that isn't to infer that it isn't a decent brew.

This would be a good beer for someone who is stepping away from light beers or traditional American beers, but doesn't want to end up with something so far off track that they don't enjoy it.  This is a safe choice, and would be a good intermediate brew for such purposes.

So yeah, I'm going to drink all of it -- not a drain pour -- but it isn't going to the top of my Oktoberfest list.

Rankings to date - Domestic Oktoberfest Beers:

#1 - Bell's Oktoberfest
#2 - Brooklyn Brewing Oktoberfest
#3 - Leinenkugel's Oktoberfest

Tonight's game...

I'm a Bears fan.

Even good beer cannot make the first half of tonight's game look good.  Our new QB, for whom we gave away way too much in trade, has thrown three (3) THREE (III) picks.  One was essentially a pick-six.

I've had about 6 beers tonight - more than my normal amount.  My back hurts from driving all day yesterday.  My teeth hurt from a brewing sinus infection.  6 beers in, and I can STILL SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN the PUKE GREEN AND YELLOW packers UNIFORMS and the Bear's uniforms...

Can we get our money back?  GM is offering a 60-day return policy on new car purchases.  We should get the same. 

Bell's Oktoberfest

I picked out two American-brewed Oktoberfest beers at the store the other day -- Brooklyn Oktoberfest and Bell's Oktoberfest. 

I'll ruin the surprise right now -- I preferred the Bell's...

This beer pours to a clear, golden color with a medium amount of foam. Very nice appearance.  I picked out some hops, citrus, and malts in the aroma of this beer.  Not an overpowering aroma, but good...

Now -- on to the taste, which I really liked...


Starts out slightly on the bitter side, but not overpowering in this regard.  Bitterness gives way to a nice balance of malt, hops, and some spices.  This blend of spice, whatever it might be, really worked for me.  Not too heavy for the weather, but the right hint of fall.  We've had hints of an early fall here in Ohio, but also some hot/humid days recently, too.  This beer just hit me as being right for this year's summer-to-fall transition. 

I'm going to get some more of this.  Perhaps next year, another Oktoberfest will tickle my fancy.  I'm going to try others this year, too, but this one is a repeat buy, for sure.   Now stop reading this and go get some!

'Tis the season!

Nah -- not Christmas...

The Oktoberfest beers are arriving on shelves even as I write this.  Needless to say, I'll be reviewing some Oktoberfest beers over the next few weeks/months.

Autumn is probably my favorite time of the year.  Oktoberfest beers certainly contribute to this, so I'll take this annual opportunity to partake of the fine brews and share my experiences.

Cheers!

Merlin's Ale

How can one pass up a Scottish beer named after the legendary wizard Merlin?  I couldn't!

Merlin's Ale is brewed in Scotland, and the label leads one to believe that it is a Scottish Ale.  From a style perspective, however, it is probably an Extra Special Bitter.  Either way, it is worth a try.

Merlin pours to a slightly hazy copper color with a foamy head that laces out fairly quickly.   Aroma is light.

The taste is an interesting balance of hops-based bitterness with some hints of citrus and a malty finish.  Nothing about this beer is overwhelming or out of balance, which makes it very easy to drink.  I'm drinking this brew solo tonight, but I can see it going well with a number of different foods. 

Unibroue Maudite

I understand the term "Maudite" means "Damned."  After drinking this brew, I certainly don't feel damned, but I'll let you know!

I picked up a "taster pack" of Unibroue's offerings a couple of weeks ago.  Unibroue is a highly regarded Canadian brewer.  Maudite is a strong Red Ale (or, depending on who you talk to, a Belgian Strong Dark Ale).  This particular beer kicks some serious ass at a full 8% Alcohol By Volume (ABV).   It is also a "bottle re-fermented brew" -- meaning that yeast is present in the bottle, and the beer's character will continue to change with age.

My bottle was "young", so I experienced the "smooth" version of the beer.  Supposedly, as this beer ages it becomes stronger, with more interesting characteristics developing, and more "port like".  Perhaps.  Mine didn't last long enough to find out -- and as good as it is "young", it is going to be one hell of a struggle to allow one to age.

This beer pours to a hazy cider-brown with a generous and durable amount of foam.  I picked up some spices in the aroma (cloves) , along with the unmistakable smell of alcohol (although not strong).

The taste is very interesting and hard to describe. I picked up a hint of green apple followed by a balanced combination of alcohol and malt.  Hops showed up in a smooth and tasty finish.

I had this beer "solo" because I wanted to taste it without anything else in the picture.  However, I think this beer would be amazing with a good steak or a pasta + red sauce dinner.  This beer isn't cheap, and with money as tight as it is, it is going to be a while before I get my hands on another one. However, I enjoyed it thoroughly and hope to get an opportunity to try it with some food (or perhaps to age one) in the near future.

Otters and the Dog!

Sometimes, I pick up a beer based solely on name...

Tonight, I'm drinking a beer called "Hoppy Otter" -- figured it was a cool name (although "Hoppy Dog" or "Hoppy Toad" would be better), and so worth a try... Plus, I managed to wrench my back yesterday (sciatica) and nothing kills the pain better than a few cold brews!

Hoppy Otter claims to be an "India Pale Ale" and is brewed in England. England is, of course, the home of the original and "true" IPA. However, English IPAs are generally not as "hoppy" as their American IPA counterparts, due largely to the difference in hops. So... here is where the oddity of Hoppy Otter enters the equation... It is an IPA brewed in England using American hops!

I'm enjoying this brew. It isn't a traditional IPA, nor is it an American IPA, but it is kinda good! Different? Yes. Good? Absolutely. Worth a try if the opportunity presents itself.

Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA

In my quest to re-discover the IPA, I wanted a decent "entry" beer to a style that I have traditionally disliked.

DFH 60 was recommended, along with English IPAs, which are typically not as strong as their American counterparts. This turned out to be a good recommendation.

DFH 60 isn't as explosive as some "stronger" IPAs and represents a decent initiation into the style. Hops are a noticeable component, but there are noticeable citrus overtones mixed in. These smooth out the beer and increase the drinkability.

If you're looking to get "hoppy" with some IPAs, this beer might be a good starting point. Recommended!

St. Peter's India Pale Ale

This India Pale Ale comes to us from the U.K. Unlike its American IPA counterparts, the English IPA's tend to be less of a "hops bomb" and a little gentler overall.

St. Peter's is no exception. Hops is, certainly, the dominant feature of this beer. I also picked up one some honey overtones, which made it a touch sweeter than a typical American IPA.

An interesting thing about this beer for me was the aftertaste and feel. While the aftertaste is solidly english hops that build, the feel is almost syrup or honey-like. The beer isn't thick at all, and certainly isn't sweet like this, but the feeling it leaves in the mouth is. It did the same thing to my glass, leaving a well-adhered residue of foam.

Overall, I enjoyed it a great deal. Moderately refreshing, although not as much so as Buckeye, Long Hammer, or Dogfish Head 60. I'll probably pick up another one on a future beer run, as it was less expensive than some of the other beers I bought today and very good.

More updates coming soon!

I decided that today was a good day to pick up a few out-of-the-ordinary beers. I had the rare confluence of available cash, time, and a store nearby with a decent selection.

With that inspiration, I visited the beer section at "The Andersons General Store" today. It was reasonably well stocked and did have some of the things I was looking for. On a quick observation, it seemed that The Andersons has a larger selection of single bottle import craft beers than Whole Foods, while Whole Foods seems to have more domestic craft beers. It could be related to the day I visited, the season, etc, who knows...

Either way, I picked out some interesting stuff to try.

I picked up a "Taster's Pack" of 4 beers made by the Unibroue Brewing Company out of Canada. Two darks (both Belgian Strong Dark), a Tripel, and an Belgian Strong Pale Ale -- all of which were rated A- or better on Beer Advocate.

I got two different varieties of Weisenstephaner (A Hefe Weissen and a Krystalweissen) from Germany (both also widely regarded as excellent).

A bottle of Samuel Smith Nut Brown Ale also made it into my cart, along with a couple of English IPAs that I was not familiar with (Hoppy Otter and St. Peter's). Lastly, to continue to ease into the American IPA offerings, I picked up a 6-pack of Dogfish Head 60 Minute IPA.

This leads to the unmistakable conclusion that some reviews are forthcoming. The only question I have is where to start!

Long Hammer India Pale Ale

I should preface this with the disclaimer that I have historically not liked IPA beers. However, it has been years since I've tried one (and the fact that many beer aficionado's rave about them) -- so I decided it was a time to try again. Time changes many things, and one's tastes in beer is included with this. I'm much more tolerant and sophisticated in my beer enjoyment now than I was then.

However, rather than diving into the deep end with a more esoteric IPA or a high-powered variant like Hop Stoopid, I thought maybe a more "Americanized" version might be a nice re-introduction. So I picked up a 6-pack of Long Hammer IPA at Target.

LH IPA pours to a medium-golden color and produces a moderate, lacey head that adheres nicely to the side of a glass. The aroma is not powerful, but does have noticeable hops overtones. For an IPA, the level of hop aroma is decidedly light. I also picked up some citrus of some sort in the aroma.

Aside -- India Pale Ales were traditionally brewed at sea en-route between Britain and India. The ultra-high hops content was to take advantage of the preservative properties of hops. Upon arrival in India, the brew was ready -- and strong! Rumor has it that the majority of the brew was watered-down and served to the crew, while the officers enjoyed the higher-alcohol, undiluted ale. So -- one expects a fairly noticeably hops content from an IPA.

LH IPA would be, at best, a "light" IPA. It is far less bitter than I expected it to be. While the hops are present and noticeable, they are far more subtle than I'd expect from a "true" IPA.

This is not to say that LH IPA isn't an enjoyable beer. It is a very good beer to drink. Smooth, tasty, and refreshing. But probably not a true IPA in the purest sense of the word. However, it has enough identifiable hops characteristics to be a nice "stepping stone" for one who is looking to move away from the center point of beers (basic adjunct lagers, american BMCs etc.). LH IPA has far more "real" hop characteristic that Budweiser American Lager (which speaks of hops, but only really hints at them). It has less hop "drive" than Samuel Adams Boston Lager.

So -- is it a "good IPA" -- probably not in the traditional sense. Too sweet, not enough hops.

Is it a good beer? Certainly. It is a smooth, refreshing beer that isn't the "same old, same old".

Oh -- and the 6.5% ABV isn't too shabby either!

Hey President Obama! I'd like a Beer Summit, too!

I suppose I've got a few things working against me...

• No, I did not vote for you.
• No, I'm not a Democrat.
• No, I don't have a million dollars to donate.
• No, I'm not involved (nor do I plan to be) in any racially-charged incidents.
• No, I'm not a close and influential relative of a foreign leader...

However, I *do* like beer -- a lot.

So here's the deal, Mr. President...

You stock up the White House beer refrigerator with Yuengling Traditional Lager, and I'll come over and throw a few back with you.

I'll get to do several things I've never done: I've never been to Washington, and I've never met a President. You'll get to hear my take on things, completely BS free (especially after throwing back a few beers). Plus, you'll get to enjoy some damn good beer.

Naturally, I don't expect to get an invitation any time soon. So tonight, I'm holding my own Beer Summit...

Samuel Adams Summer Ale

My wife had a buy-one, get-one coupon for Ruby Tuesday's, so we took the opportunity to go out.

Ruby Tuesday's lists Yuengling as one of their selections, but alas, it is only available in their east-coast establishments. Crap! Fortunately, this heartbreak was known to me in advance, so I knew that I had to select a reasonable alternative.

Samuel Adams to the rescue!! Summer Ale on tap!!

Summer Ale is a mildly cloudy wheat beer. The SA web site says that it has some lemon, along with "grains of paradise" (a pepper). I certainly picked up on the spice flavor - nutmeg or cinnamon comes to mind. The lemon is there, too, although not over-the-top. The fruit overtones the website mentions are there, too, but this isn't one of those sweet beers. It is a nicely balanced, smooth finishing wheat beer.

For dinner, I got the "top sirloin" steak, which comes with fried onion straws, mashed potatoes, and broccoli (I can't stand broccoli, so I doubled-up on the mashed potatoes).

For the record, SA Summer Ale goes VERY well with steak. I think it would go well with damn near anything!

Yuengling Bliss

I'm stuck in Yuengling-free Ohio, which is a terrible thing.

Fortunately, I've got a "source" for occasional Yuengling runs to PA. Life is better when one has Yuengling.

Tonight, it is Yuengling Premium, and it is (again) tasting GOOD.

I'm now experimenting with various glass shapes to see which enhances the enjoyment of this style of beer the most. I know SA has their specially-designed glass, but thus far, the winner is a rather basic "truncated V-shaped" glass that has been banging around in my cabinets forever.

Of course, when the beer is this good, the glass shape isn't real high on my list...

Great Lakes Dortmunder Gold

One of my co-workers has repeatedly urged me to review the various beers from the Great Lakes Brewing Company of Cleveland, Ohio. During a recent visit to the grocery store, I took the opportunity to pick up a few varieties.

Dortmunder Gold is, like the name implies, a golden lager. Not only is it golden in color, it has repeatedly won gold medals at competitions... It attempts to follow in the tradition of brewing in the Dortmund, Germany region.

This beer leads off with a predominantly grain flavor with some hints of bread throughout. It also leads off with some subtle malt sweetness that gives way to a pleasant balance of hops. It doesn't have the hops kick of Sam Adams Boston Lager, for example, but it also doesn't trail off slightly sweet (like a Budweiser, for example).

I've enjoyed this beer with several varieties of foods, as well as solo -- and it does well in both situations. Great Lakes mentions chicken, fish, and salads as a possible food partner. Truthfully, I rarely eat fish or salads, but I can say that it goes well with Chicken, with Pizza (any beer that doesn't go well with pizza deserves a trip down the drain), and with Pasta. Complements a bag of potato chips well, too. No Haute Cuisine for the big dog!

This beer is absolutely worthy of a try. Drinkable, with character, and refreshing. Those gold medals it won aren't a fluke! Good job, Great Lakes!

SLACKER!

I have been slacking very badly in keeping up with my blog lately -- I admit. Life has been busy, including several important work obligations and side-projects.

I have NOT been slacking in my consumption of excellent brew, however. I have tried several excellent brews lately, and will be posting about them in the near future -- maybe even later on this evening. Truthfully, though, my ass has been dragging severely the past few days; a few flu-like symptoms mixed with some fatigue, so it may be until tomorrow before a new beer review is posted.

Pour Down CENTER!

I always found it ironic that A-B, a macro in the greatest sense, produced (and seems to continue to produce) some advertisements that actually teach people the correct way to pour beer...


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D0kGxYMJLy4


This is, at least to my tastes, the proper way to pour beer. Pour the beer down the center to start the production of foam, release excess carbonation, and to enhance the aroma of the brew. Some will say, "this method takes too long -- all that foam" or "you'll get flat beer..." Knock the excess foam off with a knife and re-pour. Flat? Sorry, but some fizzy bloat-fest is not my idea of a good time. If I want my stomach to swell to 300% of its normal size, I'll eat Mentos washed down with Diet Coke...

I cannot even begin to compute the number of times I've had a perfectly good beer (draught and bottled) ruined by a lousy pour. Some bars feel that a "side glass drizzle" somehow will make me think I'm getting more beer for my money. No thanks -- all I'm getting is more bloat for my money. Memo to bars: if you bloat me with your lousy pours, I won't be buying as much beer! I won't have room for it thanks to all the damn Carbon Dioxide you handed me. How's that for simple economic theory. I've actually had to stop well-meaning servers (who bring me a bottled beer w/glass) from pouring for me. Inevitably... the glass goes sideways and out comes the bloat-fest. I can usually get them stopped before the damage is permanent...

This is how I like my beer poured. However, the opinion is certainly not universal. Even the esteemed folks at the Samuel Adams Brewing Company recommend a side-pour followed by a "froth pour" at the end to produce an inch or so of foam. As much as I like most of your beers, SA, I prefer them poured my way.

I could also see the pour technique being related to the relative carbonation of the beer. I suppose for an ultra-low carbonation beer, one might want to preserve as much as possible -- if one likes the snap of carbonation on the tongue... I guess I'm not one of those people. To me, carbonation beyond a certain point has crossed a threshold wherein "more" becomes meaningless; it was "too much" when it crossed to begin with.

A proper pour also allows the beer's foam to form strongly. The foam can sign the glass with rings of awesomeness if it is given a chance to properly form. Again, a by-product of a proper pour.

Damn... all this talk of pouring beer is making me thirsty! Unfortunately, no beer for the Dog until later. I've got things to do today, places to go, people to meet, etc. The beer will keep...
If properly stored...

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZdNzPHgRKSg

Ponder these words, my friends... I will ponder what brew to obtain next.

Magic Hat Circus Boy

I feel like crap tonight... Exhausted, sick, headache, body aches, you name it...

So -- the healthful benefits of beer might be exactly what the Dog ordered. This thought entered my mind while stopping for some basic items at a local convenience store. Unfortunately, the selection was somewhat limited, and this beer was about the most off-the-beaten-path brew available.

From an appearance perspective, I was a little surprised at the clarity of the brew - especially after the label boasts that it is "Unfiltered and Unfettered". Still, the appearance is quite pleasing. The color is light and golden, and it produces a surprising amount of foam for a lower carbonation beer. For an unfiltered Hefeweissen (wheat and yeast beer), I would have expected more cloudiness.

The smell for me is illusive. I do pick up a hint of banana in the aroma of this beer. I would expect, perhaps, slightly more spice or wheat overtones from a hefe.

I rate the taste as "average". I'm going to use the phrase "subtle" to describe the taste. One could interpret "subtle" as a pleasant karmic replacement for "weak". Unfortunately, I could be convinced in either direction. Circus Boy is certainly not a "strong" beer when it comes to taste. It does not balance overly with spice, nor with yeast, nor with wheat. It does have a curious "dry" taste that surfaces after the initial taste wears off. I pick up a slight bitterness in the lead-off taste, and the finish is fairly clean. Carbonation is not heavy -- similar to Buckeye in this category.

Overall, this is a drinkable beer that is refreshing. It certainly isn't going to be first on my list when the craving for a hefeweissen arrives. At the same time, however, it is an enjoyable beer that could easily find its way into my refrigerator. This would be a good warm-weather session beer, most certainly. I don't relegate it to "lawnmower beer" status, but I could easily be convinced to quench a summer's thirst with one.

I'm not having it with any food tonight, but I think it'd be alright with most foods. The lower carbonation might be a good fit with some hot wings or nachos. For tonight, it is being used strictly for medicinal purposes.

Leinenkugel's Sunset Wheat

I was introduced to Leinenkugel's in Grad school. I went to a midwestern Big-ten school for Grad school, but I had spent most of my life in the east (aka no Leinenkugel's).

Back when, Leinenkugel's didn't produce as many varieties as they do now, but their products were always enjoyable. I don't remember precisely what variations were available, although I do remember making a run to Wisconsin for Leinenkugel's Bock Beer in the Winter. My friend took his pickup (with cab) and we loaded up the majority of it with cases of Bock.

So --- now I'm back in the same situation as Grad school -- Leinenkugel's is available and Yuengling is not. Oh well...

Tonight's beer of choice is Leinie's Sunset Wheat. Just like Blue Moon, this is a Witbier. It's aroma is of Orange, Coriander, and a few other spices. I'm fairly congested this evening, but I picked up a touch of cloves and possibly cinnamon.

Sunset Wheat has the orange aroma, but the orange in the flavor is subtle and quickly exits in favor of a dry-ish spiced wheat beer. It doesn't drive as much sweetness as Blue Moon throughout, which is good. Also, unlike Blue Moon, Sunset Wheat doesn't leave me with a sensation of thirst. This is probably due to the reduced sweetness and better overall balance.

The underlying wheat beer is quite smooth and well crafted. Like I mentioned earlier, I'm fighting a cold, so the more subtle aspects of the flavor escape me -- that and the fact that I'm terribly tired. Nevertheless, I enjoyed the balance of this beer.

Not much beer lately...

I've spent the past few days working (nearly non-stop) on a project for work... all complete with late nights and early mornings.

As a result, I've been largely beer-deprived...

So -- once things settle down again and return to their normal level of lunacy, I'll get busy sharing my thoughts on beer....

Milestones...

Sunday represented a significant personal milestone for OlderDaughter(tm), but due to scheduling conflicts, we delayed any celebratory efforts until Monday.

She decided that a trip to BD's Mongolian Barbeque was in order. For those that have never gone to BD's, it is something worth trying at least once. BD's presents a foodbar full of uncooked ingredients. It is up to the diner to select the meats, veggies, sauces, and spices that they want. Upon completion of this, a group of "grillers" cooks your creation on a large, very hot, circular iron slab. If one is brave, experimentation is the order of the day. For those that are uncertain, recipe cards of "tried and true" favorites are available.

I always enjoy BD's. Over the years, I've accumulated a handful of personally-created recipes that I know will be successful. The occasional experiment sometimes yields a new recipe for my collection, but I've had my share of "flops". BD's is "all you can eat" (although they do have a slighly cheaper one-bowl option), so experimentation is not generally a costly mistake.

Upon arrival, I immediately inspected the draught selections and was happy to find three worthy candidates: The ever-popular Blue Moon, Newcastle Brown Ale, and Samuel Adams Winter seasonal. Having opined about Blue Moon recently, I decided to drop it and weigh the other two options.

Newcastle will always hold a "special" place in my heart. A few years ago, ProphetX's team (Manchester United) and my team (Arsenal) were in a heated competition for the Premiership title (English Soccer). It wasn't until Alan Shearer from Newcastle United rocketed home a spectacular goal against (you guessed it) Manchester United that the title was sewn up for my Gunners. The next time ProphetX and I got together for a brew or two, I made sure to have a few Newcastle's -- mostly to drive home the "we won, you lost" point, but also because it is a fine beer.

However, yesterday's nod went to the Samuel Adams seasonal. A month from now, Newcastle will still be available, but the Winter Brew will be 9 months away.

My "base recipe" at BD's is made with Lamb. Additional flavoring comes from onions, soy sauce, teriyaki sauce, marinara, and some spices. All in all, it is a highly-flavored concoction that could overwhelm a weak-kneed beer. Sam's Winter Lager, on the other hand, had no trouble providing a refreshing partner to my food.

Now -- I'm an admitted fan of Lagers in general. Sam's Winter Seasonal has an outstanding dark color. I pick up a hint of cinnamon in the aroma from this beer, along with some orange and perhaps some ginger. To me, the aroma hints of sweetness, but the beer leads off fairly neutral and finishes slightly on the bitter side of the equation. I catch some hops in the finish, which also pleases me.

This is not an "in your face" dark beer. It is much "lighter" in taste than the color would indicate, but this is not to be confused with weakness or lack of character. Like most of Sam's creations, this beer produces a nice balance. It leads with hints of sweetness, but never goes over the top. It has malt character present, but doesn't overwhelm. The finish is sufficiently bitter to refresh. Another fine effort from the folks at Samuel Adams!

Of Beef, Beer, and my Babe

For most folks out there, Valentine's day arrives on February 14th. For Mrs. Bigdog and I, it arrived a day early -- mostly due to her work schedule.

We had the rare opportunity to go out and enjoy dinner without anyone else along. It isn't that I don't enjoy the rest of the crew; it is just nice to get some quiet one-on-one time with my wife.

She picked where we were going to eat tonight, and she picked very wisely. We went to one of the local restaurants that specializes in steak; a place we used to enjoy but haven't been to recently. There is no way that I'm turning down a trip to a place that knows how to properly cook a steak!

It was almost like they knew I was coming tonight. The special was a blue-cheese encrusted Fillet Mignon served with a loaded baked potato. Once I heard that, the sound of our waitresses voice dwindled off into a distant drone. My mind had no time to process audible input -- I was concentrating on what beer to get with my dinner!

But again, the choice was made immediately obvious by the inclusion of Samuel Adams Winter Ale on the draught selection. While damn near any beer goes well with steak, a dark beer with hints of sweetness in the overtones would go especially well with the bite of the blue cheese.

Again, the fine folks at Samuel Adams did not disappoint. The Winter Ale was absolutely perfect with my steak. I left very happy with my selection of both food and beer, and the wife and I had a great time dining together!

Blue Moon

I've been writing about beers that are on the sweet side of the scale, so I'll stick with that for at least one more entry...

Blue Moon is a Belgian-Style White Beer (yes, another Witbier) that contains fruit overtones and spices -- notably coriander and orange peel. It presents as a slightly foggy-looking brew, meaning that is a traditional "unfiltered" wheat beer. Blue Moon seems to be a very popular draft beer in the central Ohio area, and is traditionally served with a slice of orange adorning the glass. It certainly represents an interesting alternative to the traditional on-tap macrobrews.

For beers of this ilk, Blue Moon represents the point of maximum sweetness that I can tolerate. It is far sweeter from start to finish that Samuel Adams Blackberry Witbier, for example.

As always, your mileage (and enjoyment) may vary, but I find this beer to be an enjoyable companion for my food. It is refreshing and enjoyable as a stand-alone beer, but without something to offset its sweetness, it tires my tastebuds more quickly than I'd like. This is in no way a criticism of the brew -- it is a well-crafted beer that I enjoy on a fairly regular basis. For me, it just needs a little something with it.

Another interesting observation from my experiences with Blue Moon... If I drink a fair amount of Blue Moon (especially without the accompianment of food), I feel "thirsty" even though I have consumed a fair amount of actual liquid. I do not have an explanation for this, but have observed it on several occasions. The beer is completely refreshing while being consumed, this "thirsty" feeling occurs some time afterwards.

Blue Moon opens with a noticeable orange and spice scent, and the initial flavor impression is dominated by the orange peel, at least to my taste. The orange does not overpower, but it does not give way as willingly as the Blackberry overtones of Samuel Adams Blackberry Witbier. To my tastebuds, the underlying Wheat Beer in Blue Moon is probably slightly on the bitter side, and this provides the nice balance that the brew creates. The character of the wheat beer rises to meet the orange and spice overtones of the opening.

Blue Moon holds its taste throughout, and finishes much the same way as it began -- with a hint of Orange and Spice.

Because of the "makes me thirsty" thing, I usually only have one or two of these if I'm not having food with it. Still, the brew is quite good and very enjoyable. It is also nice to see an unfiltered brew make a regular appearance at the tap. Many people are of the mistaken opinion that beer has to be clear in order to be good; or worse, that a beer that appears hazy is somehow "spoiled" or "bad." This is hardly the case, and hopefully Blue Moon is making inroads in dispelling this myth.

So -- give Blue Moon a try. I recommend having it with food, as I mentioned previously. It does well as a complement to something with some zip -- a spicy sandwich, foods with onions/peppers, buffalo wings, chili, etc.

Samuel Adams Blackberry Witbier

I want a job with Samuel Adams... Everybody at the company loves beer. I'm an IT guy and I love beer... I can't think of a better place to work!

But I digress...

Tonight, I'm enjoying some Blackberry Witbier with my homemade chili. I'll probably mix in a few food-related entries from time to time, because I really like to cook and eat good food. All things considered, my chili kicks ass. I know -- everyone who makes chili says the same thing -- and they're probably right. Just like beer -- food is a completely subjective topic.

Blackberry Witbier is a wheat ale with blackberries and spices added. It stands as another fine product from the Samuel Adams brewing company.

I was introduced to this beer by my co-worker, K-Os. On my failed trip to find Buckeye, I spotted the Witbier and picked some up. In general, I like wheat beers. By their very character, they are incredibly sensitive -- or revealing -- of the ingredients that complement them. They also tend to run fairly neutral (to a little sweet) on the bitter-sweet scale -- at least to my tastebuds. These reasons are probably why so many "flavored" beers or "fruit/spice" beers start life with a wheat beer of some sort.

What worries me about "fruit/spice" beers is that many of them end up overpoweringly sweet. This isn't a taste that I really care for. I know some people really like sweet beers, and that's fine -- they're just not my bag. So I was a little hesitant -- would I get something excellent, or would I get blackberry juice with a hint of beer?

I should not worry! The experts at Sam Adams have done it again! The Witbier opens with a distinct, but not overpowering, Blackberry aroma and taste. The sweetness is subtle, but enough to work well with spicy foods (like my chili).

The thing that I find so utterly fascinating about this brew is the finish. Instead of continuing on into an in-your-face ultra-sweet blackberry explosion, the blackberry flavor steps out of the spotlight, and allows the crisp finish of the wheat ale to take over. The finish actually slips every so slightly to the bitter-side of the scale, which is just right to balance the initial blackberry hints. This takes some precise selection of ingredients, but also shows absolutely masterful brewing skills. Samuel Adams talks about "balance" in their commercials, and Witbier is an obvious demonstration of this principle.

This beer works well with food as well as going solo. It is a fine and worthy member of the Samuel Adams family of beers.

Buckeye Beer - Maumee Bay Brewing Company

A good friend introduced me to this interesting brew last week.

Buckeye Beer ("When you're dry, drink Buckeye") was around from the late 1830's until it was absorbed by Miller Brewing Company in the early 1970's. Miller moved the brewing location out of the Toledo area, and after producing Buckeye for a short period of time, killed the label.

(Aside -- whereas I don't automatically dismiss a macro-brew, I do hate it when big brewers do this kind of thing to local labels.)

You can read a bit about the brewing company here: http://maumeebaybrewing.com/brewery

Apparently, they have very accurately re-created the original beer (without the benefit of actually having the recipe), having reclaimed the rights to the name (due to lack of use by Miller, I believe). So an Ohio classic is reborn, thanks to several enterprising gentlemen. I have no idea how widely available it is. In central Ohio, one Giant-Eagle store I visited had never heard of it, while the other one had a few cases available.

Buckeye Beer is a very classic Pilsner beer, or at least when enters my mind when I think "Pilsner". It opens lightly and fairly crisply, almost Budweiser-like, but has an almost Champagne-like overtone during the finish. The carbonation adds to the "Champagne" hint that I picked up. On the "sweet-bitter" continuum, Buckeye is on the "sweet" side, but not obnoxiously so. Again, its sweetness is on the order of Budweiser, not a hyper-sweet fruit beer.

I found it to be a very refreshing beer with an extremely pleasant taste overall. I've tried it with several different types of food (pizza, meat loaf, hot wings, and other "healthful" delicacies) without regret. Light-hitting Pilsners are often considered "summer" beers (better in warm weather), but I had no trouble whatsoever enjoying Buckeye Beer during a recent stretch of cold, bleak, Ohio weather. It has accompanied my to my (chilly) basement workshop on several occasions, and I have not regretted its company.

Kudos to Maumee Bay Brewing!

The Beer Blog is Born!

A friend suggested this; partly due to my love of beer and partly due to the alliterative nature of the title. Either way, it sounded like a fun idea.

That said, I'm not particularly "in" to blogging. I tried it a little bit a few years ago, posting the normal day-to-day rants about corporate America, day-to-day life, and various other topics that came to mind.

So what am I going to do with this blog? Well, for one, I'm going to write about something that I truly enjoy -- Beer! I'm going to share my thoughts and observations on the various beers I encounter and hopefully get ideas of new brews to try.

It should be fair to note that I'm not going to write inane stories about how much beer I drank, how drunk I got, and what I vaguely remember. Not only is that not my style, it isn't particularly interesting, original, or practical. I'm a middle-aged dude with a job and a family. I have no interest in pissing in a dumpster at 3AM from having consumed an excess of Coors Light... If that is what you're hoping for, I'm sure you can find countless blogs boasting such adventures.

On the other hand, I don't possess a golden palette that can distinguish the time of day a particular species of hops was harvested, the roasting temperature, or the color of the brewmaster's tie. I'm not a microbrew snob. Frankly, I find some of them awful. I also don't dismiss a brew just because it is from a large brewer. If I like how a beer tastes, I'm going to say so. If I don't, the same will apply. Any food or beverage decision is completely subjective anyway, so eat and drink what tastes good to you!

I might pepper in a few other subjects from time to time, too. It just depends on my mood!

Feel free to comment and participate. I look forward to meeting people who want to share their love of beer!