There will be no random thought post for today or beer review tomorrow and there likely will not be a post this week.  After being quite consistent in my posting for the last 2.5 years or so I have talked myself into taking a little break to reevaluate my approach to what I share here.

Some technical changes this week (hosting and other administration stuff) is forcing my hand a bit, but I am glad to be taking a few days off regardless.

On top of that my work schedule will soon be drastically different than what it has been during the lifetime of this site.  At this moment despite not knowing exactly how intense it will be I am certain that it will force me to pull back a bit on feeling the need to post something every day.  In my book that is a good thing on both fronts.

As of this morning I cannot say exactly why my work life will be different, but I can say that it is a very good move for me and my family and I am very excited about it.  As soon as is appropriate I will explain it all here.

I suppose for now all I can say is that you will hear from me when you hear from me.

Cheers!

Random photo of the week

As much as I may try to ensure that a solid variety of styles are in my house a good punch of hops is something that very often is what my palate wants.  So when it comes to grabbing a six-pack and IPA very often finds a way home with me.  The two of these I drank were in the Brewer’s Choice Variety 12-pack with a few other good ones, but I look forward to when it will be available on its own sometime in the coming months.

A solid addition to their beer family . . .

Brewery: Boston Beer Company (Boston, MA)

Name: Whitewater IPA

Style: American IPA (though probably a Specialty Beer)

ABV: 5.80% (on bottle)

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge before serving in a pint glass.

Aroma: A nice hoppy aroma with citrus and pine and a slight, mildly fruity sweetness.  Full, but not overwhelming. – 9/12

Appearance: Golden honey-like color with a slight orange hue.  Two finger frothy/creamy white head that holds very well and leaves nice lacing on the glass.  Some haziness but pretty clear with rising bubbles visible. – 3/3

Flavor: A really nice citrusy hop flavor up front with a moderate hit of piney bitterness after that.  Well balanced with a touch of fruity sweetness in there as well.  Seems to have a touch of spiciness.  Finishes a bit dry dry, but with a nice lingering bitterness and some citrus flavor. – 15.5/20

Mouthfeel: Medium to light in body with a moderate level of carbonation.  Pretty smooth with a nice creaminess that adds a little to the body. – 4.5/5

Overall Impressions: I like the bit of creaminess in the body and it is a nice addition to what is otherwise a solid IPA.  The bitterness and citrus profile is quite nice.  Goes down very easily and could definitely drink more than a few.  A solid beer and tasty IPA that I will probably grab a six-pack of when it comes out. – 8/10

Overall: A- (40/50)

Samuel Adams - Whitewater IPA

After thinking about it very briefly I realize that I have already forgotten the beer related goals that I set for myself this year.  That did not take very long.

The last bit of beer news for January . . .

• We are far enough into the year that it is time to stop looking back at what happened in the world of beer during 2011 and start seriously looking ahead to what will be another awesome year of beer.  I enjoyed reading 8 opinions from the Mid-Atlantic area even though I do not live in the area.
• A good article, but it mostly just makes me miss the beers from them that I cannot get down here.  Not that I don’t want an excuse to get to the Pac NW again.
• I have been hearing that this was where the brewery was going to land for weeks and weeks, but they have finally made it official.  After checking that out take a look at how some of it was conveyed on Twitter.
• One of the cool things in the craft beer world is the camaraderie among many of the brewers and breweries.  I am just glad that in this case means my supply of hoppy awesomeness will continue mostly uninterrupted.
• Just the other day I said that I thought their new seasonal would be great for summer instead of spring, but I am glad that they do not stand still and continue to tweak the family of beers they release.
• Not knowing the guy I only have what others are saying to give me an impression of the man he was.  That impression is very good.
• I am interested in trying this one more so because of the strawberries rather than the gluten-free aspect.  Also the sooner the rerelease of “Sucks” the better!
• Always hearing how great the water is there should mean that the beer from there has a really good base to start from.
• Crowd-sourcing a beer should bring some fairly interesting results.
• The concept seem to have worked enough to continue to expand upon it, but my biggest surprise is how cheap the beer is considering the prices of the coffee there.
• “Brewing beer is becoming an extremely popular endeavor.”  Shocking statement.
• Just trying to keep you aware of your beer options if traveling to the Czech Republic is something that you are considering in the future.
• Ambitious goals for 2012?  I would say planning for 20 new releases would qualify.

via http://flyingdogales.com

The main reason that I am taking a little break from what has lately been a Cicerone study focused string of Wednesday posts is that I watched this video the other day and thought it was really interesting.  That is probably partly because I think that The Bruery produces excellent beer but also because the topic is Sour Ales.

Enjoy . . .

The Bruery – On Sour Ales from The Bruery on Vimeo.

If this beer was simply to replace Noble Pils I would be pretty upset about the switch, but since it simply slides into the Spring seasonal spot so Noble Pils can be available all year I am willing to accept it.  As mentioned below I think it would actually be great as the beer for the hotter months, but it is a solid beer nonetheless.

An early start to Spring for today . . .

Brewery: Boston Beer Company (Boston, MA)

Name: Alpine Spring

Style: Maybe a Helles or maybe a Premium American Lager (not really sure)

ABV: 5.50% (internet)

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge before serving in one of my incredibly awesome Genny Cream Ale glasses (sort of pilsner-like).

Aroma: A lightly floral aroma with a hint of citrus and a faint sweetness underneath.  Pretty subtle overall. – 8.5/12

Appearance: Medium golden yellow color.  One finger fluffy white head that holds well and leaves solid lacing.  A slight haze but is otherwise clear with rising bubbles visible. – 3/3

Flavor: A slightly sweet maltiness up front that is faintly honey-like.  Very little bitterness at all with a touch of citrus flavor.  Pretty well balanced overall.  Finishes smoothly and mostly clean with a touch of lingering citrusy sweetness. – 15/20

Mouthfeel: Light body with a moderate level of carbonation.  Very smooth and lightly crisp on the palate. – 4/5

Overall Impressions: Light in body but has a bit of creaminess to it and especially so after warming just a bit.  I still prefer Noble Pils, but a very good lighter beer that I actually think would be great for the summer months.  Goes down very easily at least in part because of the good balance of flavors.  Glad to have it around as a seasonal. – 7.5/10

Overall: B+ (38/50)

Samuel Adams - Alpine Spring