As promised on Tuesday for my unofficial “Lagunitas Brewing Company Week” I have another review that I have waited too long to share.  Reading back over this evaluation reminded me that I have not made the effort to drink it again as I suggested to myself at the time.  I guess not revisiting old favorites is one of the bad things about having so much good quality craft beer out there to choose from (even with so much yet that I can’t get here in Central Florida).  I cannot think of another downside to having that kind of selection, but perhaps I will put some further thought into it.

I kind of like these unofficial brewery dedicated weeks, so maybe I will throw a few in again along the way.  With that said, I bring you another Lagunitas brew to keep an eye out for . . .

Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Co. (Petaluma, CA)

Name: Sirius (Special Release High Gravity Cream Ale)

Style: Cream Ale

ABV: 7.6%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pint glass.  9.99 per 6-pack

Aroma: Light hop aroma with a medium malty, sweet background.

Appearance: Pale gold to amber in color.  Three finger, light cream color head that dissipates rather quickly with some trail.  Crystal clear with rising bubbles visible.

Flavor: Medium hop bitterness with low malt character that is slightly sweet toward the end.  Slightly dry finish with some sweetness, though not lingering.  Well balanced overall.

Mouthfeel: Crisp and refreshing with medium to high carbonation.  Very smooth with slight warmth.

Overall Impressions: Really enjoyable, very easy drinking light(er) bodied beer with the perfect amount of hop character(s).  As expected, higher ABV than typical for style (4.2-5.6%).  I would like to compare it directly with other cream ales.  Definitely will be drinking again.

Grade: A-

Lagunitas Brewing Co. - Sirius

On a bit of a side note (Is it still a side note if I start off with it?), I have decided to go a bit heavy on the beer reviews in the coming weeks.  Since there are so many in the back log I am going to push a few extra out there, so you will likely see more than the two a week for a short while (or longer if it works out).

With that out of the way, I can move on to another really good beer with an excellent name.  So good in fact that I think it warrants another beer review from the brewery later this week for sort of an unofficial “Lagunitas Brewing Company Week.”  I have done months, so why not weeks?  No need to delay any longer, so I bring you . . .

Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Co. (Petaluma, CA)

Name: The Hairy Eyeball Ale

Style: Strong Ale (Old Ale?)

ABV: 8.7%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pint glass.

Aroma: Strong malty sweetness (caramel-like) with some dark fruit notes and no noticeable hops.

Appearance: Deep reddish brown color.  Very short, light brown head that slowly dissipates with some trail.  Clear with rising bubbles visible.

Flavor: Medium to high dark caramel/molasses-like malt flavor with some dark fruit that lends a port-like character.  Some warmth comes through towards end.  A sweet finish with some (carbonic) bite.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with moderate carbonation.  Very smooth with the perfect level of alcohol warmth balanced in.

Overall Impressions: The sweetness and warmth are balanced well.  Incredibly enjoyable and a great beer to sit and relax with.  Would drink again for sure.

Grade: A

Lugunitas Brewing Co. - The Hairy Eyeball Ale

Even before starting my written beer evaluations I knew that this one was one of my favorites.  When asked about which beers I enjoyed most, this was the one that I generally responded with.  The strange part is that I couldn’t explain exactly why I like it so much and even after my official review I cannot put my finger on it.  I can only say that you should try it for yourself if you haven’t had a chance to already and if for some reason you don’t like it, send the leftovers to me!

Brewery: Brewery Ommegang (Cooperstown, NY)

Name: Three Philosophers

Style: Belgian Specialty Ale (Quadrupel – 98% Ale & 2% Ale with cherries)

ABV: 9.8%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in my Ommegang glass.

Aroma: Medium malt aroma with a good amount of hops.  Dark fruit nose with low alcohol noticeable.

Appearance: Medium brown color with a slight red hue.  Solid beige/reddish head with excellent retention and a good trail.  Clear with tiny bubbles visible rising in center of glass.

Flavor: Excellent (pretty complex) malty flavor with low hop notes. Slight dark fruit (cherry) flavors and a low to medium alcohol warmth at the finish.

Mouthfeel: Extremely smooth with a good amount of carbonation.  Excellent hold at finish with the slightest sourness.

Overall Impressions: Generally one of my favorites and it only gets better as it warms.  Fantastic for relaxation as it drinks like a wine (in a way).  Would be excellent paired with food.

Grade: A (or better)

Brewery Ommegang - Three Philosophers

This review was done many months ago and I have been avoiding it because it was and is the worst beer that I have evaluated to date.  At the time I even wondered if it was a bad bottle, perhaps past its prime.  More recently a friend informed me that the stuff that ends up in bottles is brewed via contract with a small brewer in South Carolina and shipped back to Florida.  With that I think it is best not to base my opinion of their brews entirely on the bottled, but make a trip to the down the coast to sample the brews at their origin.  I certainly can’t ignore the bottled, but it is only part of the overall picture.

Here is a review of the bottled . . .

Brewery: Dunedin Brewery (Dunedin, Florida)

Name: Red Head Red Ale

Style: American Amber Ale

ABV: 5.2% (?)

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pint glass.

Aroma: Moderate, slightly citrus (orange) hop nose.  Low aroma overall.

Appearance: Deep copper color.  Three finger (plus), cream color head that slowly dissipates with some trail.  Clear with a few bubbles rising visible.

Flavor: Some citrusy flavor in the middle with a slight bite at the finish.  Metallic flavor noticeable with an almost artificial taste.

Mouthfeel: Light body with medium carbonation and some astringency.

Overall Impressions: Rather flat flavor that I will not be going out of my way to try again anytime soon (see intro above).

Grade: D+

Dunedin Brewery - Red Head Red Ale

The attempt to make a video of the bottling process for my pumpkin ale did not turn out as I envisioned, so a written update will have to do this time.  I had very good reactions to the video for racking the pumpkin ale, but my editing skills were not up to the task of turning the long bottling footage into something of reasonable length.  No worries though as I will figure out what to do for next time.  Refining my video making skills will run right along with refining my brewing skills, which I am more than OK with.

So my pumpkin ale has been in bottles for about a week and a half now.  If you are curious about the bottling process check out what I did with the honey porter a few months ago.  The procedure was exactly the same except I was using all recycled bottles this time rather than brand new.  I ended up with fifty 12-ounce bottles even after spilling at least one bottle worth on the floor.

A few days ago marked one week, so I opened a bottle for sampling to see how things were coming along.  It has carbonated very well and the flavor is pretty damn good, if I do say so myself.  I wished the aroma was a little more prominent, but it seems like it will turn out to be a winner.  The Wife enjoyed it very much and we are looking forward to the official “release” in about a week or so.

If you need proof of it being in bottles, just take a look at what the Chief of Sanitation is resting on.

Dedicated to his work

Stay tuned for the review!

For the second entry regarding my attempt at brewing a pumpkin ale at home I decided to take a break from writing and give you all a break from reading.  I wanted to get some more practice with making video content and this was a perfect opportunity for that.

Now that the mixture is back in the friendly confines of the bathtub bubbling away, I present you with how it got there.

If you read the article that was posted about a month ago, you already have a good idea of how this beer came to be.  If reading doesn’t sound appealing today (I feel like that a lot), there is a video below that explains the process more specifically for this beer.  There are other videos out there if you are interested as well as a lot of information about the Palo Santo tree that was utilized to make the aging vessel for this beer.

This was another beer that I enjoyed quite a lot, but that had much more complexity than I was able to put into words.  Definitely give it a try if you have the opportunity.

Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Delaware)

Name: Palo Santo Marron

Style: American Brown Ale

ABV: 12.0%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge, allowed to warm a bit and served in a pint glass (per Dogfish site recommendation).  $3.99 for 12oz.

Aroma: Light aroma overall (from what I expected).  Full, malty nose with some roasty/toasted notes.  Sweetness that is caramel or brown sugar-like.

Appearance: Black in color (very, very, very dark brown).  One finger, very thick, light coffee color head with great retention that leaves a trail.  Opaque, even when held to light.

Flavor: Heavy, malty sweetness with no noticeable hops.  Earthy, woodiness near finish that hangs on for a bit.  Can tell that wood vessel aging was involved.  Some dryness at finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with moderate (to high) carbonation.  Quite creamy and somewhat smooth.  Warmth noticed at the end – back of mouth into the throat.

Overall Impressions: Really a lot going on here (more than I can pick out).  It is similar to other barrel aged beers, but very different as well.  A very good beer for sitting in front of a fireplace at the end of an evening or enjoying after dinner with a cigar.  Would have served it in an oversized wine glass and likely will for the next time.  High alcohol for style (4.3%-6.2%), if it actually belongs in this style.

Grade: A- (solid)

Pay attention to the video to see this on paper

Big sample, Little sample

It felt quite good to brew another batch of beer at home and this time a little baking entered the equation.  So far I have mixed feelings on how things are going with this brew, but I am learning to just relax and not worry about my home brews as much.  This is supposed to be fun for me, so there is really no reason to stress out.  There is no failure, only lessons learned.

Speaking of lessons, if you missed any of the process or review for “Practice Makes Porter,” be sure to check out the “Brewing” page above.

Prior to putting any water to boil or getting out the grain bag, there was pumpkin to bake.  The recipe I used had real pumpkin as optional and I decided to take that option.  I cut what turned out to be 3 pounds 9.5 ounces of pumpkin into cubes and baked it at 400 degrees for a half hour.

Pumpkin cubes before

After putting the heat to them

After bringing 2.5 gallons of water to boil, I loaded the grain bag with 1.25 pounds of 2-Row Malt, 1.25 pounds of Vienna Malt, .5 pound of Caramunich, .5 pound of Crystal 60L, and the baked pumpkin.  All of that steeped in the water for 45 minutes while maintaining the temperature at about 155 degrees.  The grain bag was then lifted out and 2 quarts of 170 degree water was poured over it to make sure to get as much of the grainy, pumpkiny goodness out as possible.

Into the grain bag

One final rinse

Next I added the malt extracts.  Pulling the pot off the burner for a moment, I added 4 pounds of Extra Pale Extract and 1 pound of Munich Extract and stirred the mixture until it was all dissolved.  Then it was back to the burner to bring the mix to a boil.

Into the pool with you!

Once at a controlled, rolling boil the bittering hops (.5 ounce of Kent Golding) were added.  After 45 minutes another .5 ounce of Kent Golding was added as the flavoring hops.  After another ten minutes the spice pack consisting of cinnamon, mace, nutmeg, and sweet orange peel was added for aroma.  All of that was boiled for five more minutes before removing everything from the heat.

You will get your turn

Last but not least

From there the mixture was cooled to 80 degrees and then went into the (sanitized) fermenter where water was added to bring the volume up to 5.25 gallons.  A sample was poured off, then the lid was put on the bucket and the airlock was put in place.

Chilling out

The initial hydrometer reading (at 77 degrees) was 1.045, which was slightly lower than what I expected from the recipe description.  Today, five days later, the reading was 1.015 giving me an alcohol content just shy of 4 percent.  Since the initial reading was low I expect a slightly low alcohol content, but perhaps secondary fermentation will bring the final gravity reading down a bit more.

As I wait a few more days to transfer the mix into a secondary fermenter, I realize that I learned a few things from this batch.

• It is time for me to graduate to a bigger pot.  Sure I could continue to brew as is, but the process would be made easier.
• With the bigger pot it would be time to utilize a gas (propane) burner.  The temperature control is OK now, but it could be better.
• The cooling process was extra difficult this time.  It is time for me to build a wort chiller or at least develop a better method. Take a look at what I resorted to for the final few degrees!

My last option

Brewing more often will teach me even more, so I intend to get a few additional fermenters to give me the ability to brew more than one batch at a time.  I really want to refine my process a bit and more practice certainly cannot hurt.  Stay tuned!

If you missed out on the reasoning behind all of the Dogfish reviews to come and what “The Orbbies” are (see logo at right), check out yesterday’s post!

As I recently mentioned to The Brother-in-law, this was the first Dogfish beer that I remember having some years ago after just moving to Florida.  My memory is of this beer really opening my eyes to a whole new world of craft brews.  At the time, I was somewhat blown away by the flavor, but as I tried more and more Dogfish beers I found out that it was pretty tame by comparison.  My overall grade for the beer back then would have likely been slightly higher than today, but I still regard it as a very good beer that you should get if you are looking to try something new.

Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Delaware)

Name: Raison D’Etre

Style: Belgian Dark Strong Ale

ABV: 8.0%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a goblet.  $1.99 for 12oz.

Aroma: Malty, sweet aroma that is brown sugar or molasses-like.  Strong dark fruit notes (raisins in this case)

Appearance: Deep copper to brown color.  One finger, light tan head that quickly dissipates with some trail.  Very clear with some visible rising bubbles.

Flavor: Malty with a slight sweetness underneath.  No noticeable hops, tipping the overall balance to the malt side.  Somewhat dry at finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with pretty high carbonation having a slight bite.  Some noticeable warmth.  Slightly smooth on the palate.

Overall Impressions: Flavor is similar to aroma, though not as full.  Better as it warms closer to room temperature.  Nice slow-drinking beer.

Grade: B+(ish)

The cap (sorry about the shadow)

Dogfish Head - Raison D'Etre

This is just another example of the many craft breweries in California.  I think there might be a need for a (very long) road trip to stop by a few.  This one was started as a brewpub, opened by two women in the years leading up to and including 1990.  In that (relatively) short time they have made it well into the list of the Top 50 Craft Brewing Companies.

Yet again this is a brewery that suckered me in with some cool, eye-catching labels!

Brewery: Lost Coast Brewery (Eureka, California)

Name: Downtown Brown

Style: American Brown Ale

ABV: 5.0%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a mug/stein.

Aroma: Very lightly roasted malt with low hop aroma in back.  Slightly nutty, maybe maple nose.

Appearance: Medium to dark brown color.  Slight, light tan head that slowly dissipates (at first).  Clear with a few rising bubbles visible.

Flavor: Medium malty flavor.  Moderate to light hops and slightly dry at the end.  A little finish flavor that matches the nose (low aroma intensity/body).

Mouthfeel: Medium to low body with light carbonation.  Some dryness on palate.

Overall Impressions: Easy drinking dark(er) beer.  The appearance left me expecting more body and flavor.

Grade: C to C+

Lost Coast Brewery - Downtown Brown

It seems that I try fewer Belgian style beers lately as I concentrate (at least somewhat) on American breweries, but this one made it on the roster in the early stages of reviews.  Even though I would prefer beers from Ommegang or Allagash to Leffe Blond, it is a decent Belgian Ale.  I suppose it is somewhat comparable to a Blue Moon (I said somewhat).  What I do know is that it tastes much better when enjoyed on the Champs-Elysees in Paris that out of the bottle at home in Florida.

When in France . . .

Brewery: Abbaye de Leffe S.A. (Belgium)

Name: Leffe Blond

Style: Belgian Blond Ale

ABV: 6.6%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in my Ommegang (tulip-like) glass.

Aroma: Light, spicy hop aroma with a subtle yeast nose.  Somewhat like the aroma of a pilsner or other lighter styles of beer.

Appearance: Deep gold color.  Three finger (plus), off-white head with excellent retention leaving some trail.  Crystal clear with many visible bubbles rising.

Flavor: Smooth with some sweetness and light, spicy notes.  Medium hop flavor with some alcohol toward the finish.  Well balanced overall.

Mouthfeel: Medium carbonation with some warmth in the background.  Medium to light body and somewhat creamy.

Overall Impressions: Subtle (in flavor) Belgian ale.  Very easy drinking and is a good Belgian style beer if the intent is to drink more than a few.  Not my favorite Belgian, but OK.

Grade: B (towards a B+)

Abbaye de Leffe S.A. - Leffe Blond

The easy choice seemed to be the best for this evening.  Full Sail Brewing has been on my mind so much that tonight’s review options were narrowed quickly.

This style of beer is pretty popular in the Pacific Northwest (and California) and they certainly do a good job brewing it.  This one is middle-of-the-road good for me.  This is just one of the many from Full Sail that I would like to get to given the chance.  I will have to search around a bit more to see what I can get my hands on here in Florida.

Brewery: Full Sail Brewing (Hood River, Oregon)

Name: Amber

Style: American Amber Ale

ABV: 5.5%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pilsner glass.  $6.99 for a 6-pack.

Aroma: Citrusy hop nose with a bit of malty sweetness.

Appearance: Deep amber with red highlights.  Three finger (plus), light brown head that has good retention and leaves some trail.  Good clarity with a few rising bubbles visible.

Flavor: Slight hop flavor that becomes stronger near the finish.  Moderate maltiness with slight caramel/roasted flavor.  Good malt-hop balance.  More prominent hops at finish with some lingering.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with medium to low carbonation (towards flat).  Very smooth and slightly creamy.

Overall Impressions: Less hop flavor than the aroma suggests.  Enjoyable, but would be better with a slightly stronger flavor (it is there, but I wanted more).

Grade: B

Full Sail Brewing - Amber

If all goes as planned I will be visiting a few breweries today in Portland, Maine.  It should all make for good site content that I will be sure to share.

I went back many months to find this evaluation.  It is a brewery that I would like to sample some more products from.  At the very least I need to get my hands on some Old Rasputin.  It is possible that I have tried it before, but I cannot remember exactly.  They even do a version of it that is aged in bourbon barrels that I would love to try.  The Red Seal Ale is probably the gateway beer to what they do and a pretty good one at that.  It certainly does not discourage me from future North Coast beers.

Brewery: North Coast Brewing Co. (Fort Bragg, California)

Name: Red Seal Ale

Style: American Amber Ale

ABV: 5.5%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pint glass.

Aroma: Prominent, but not overwhelming citrusy hops.  Light malt aroma.

Appearance: Medium coppery brown color.  Very frothy, two finger high, light beige head that leaves a heavy trail.  Clear with many rising bubbles visible.

Flavor: Medium to high hops with a very slight fruitiness.  Low(er) malt flavor in background.  Hop flavor does overwhelm the malt, but the balance is still not bad.  Slight lingering hop bitterness at finish.

Mouthfeel: Medium body with medium to high carbonation.  Medium length finish (not too long) and pretty smooth for the hop level(s).

Overall Impressions: More PA or IPA in flavor than expected (hoppier, but still in line with style).  Enjoyable drinking experience.

Grade: B to B+

North Coast Brewing Co. - Red Seal Ale

It’s possible for me to blame the palate confusion I had with this beer on the fact that it was one of my earliest reviews, but I don’t believe I would fare any better today.  Spice, herb or vegetable beers are not that common a beverage choice for me (even since this review), so I don’t have much more experience in those evaluations.  Combine that with the fact that I wouldn’t know what heather was if it was growing in my back yard and I really had/have no chance at accurately describing this beer.  I have found out that people have been brewing with heather for thousands of years, so they certainly must know what they are doing.

Brewery: Williams Bros. Brewing Company (Scotland)

Name: Fraoch Heather Ale

Style: Spice, Herb, or Vegetable Beer

ABV: 5.0%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the wine fridge and served in a Mug/Stein

Aroma: Slight yeast(?) aroma and a clear/clean floral background.  Light bit of malt.

Appearance: Light honey color.  Slight white head that quickly dissipates.  A bit cloudy, but clearly visible bubbles along glass.

Flavor: Malty (in a green/not roasted way).  Low hops and a floral to grass like undertone.  Dry finish with a slight linger.

Mouthfeel: Light body with medium carbonation.  Smooth to almost creamy on palate.

Overall Impressions: Flavors are certainly new to me.  Drinks easily and not at all harsh.  Floral nose is stronger than in flavor.  Will need to sample more S-H-V- beers for comparison.

Grade: B (or so)

Williams Bros. Brewing Co. - Fraoch Heather Ale

Despite being listed in Zymurgy Magazine’s top 50 commercially available beers in the United States, this was not nearly to that level for me.  Good, but not that good in my opinion.  Since they have so many beers in their repertoire, I am not putting it down much by saying it isn’t one of my favorite Dogfish brews.  Some of their beers are going to have to fall in that lower tier for me.

This is just another brewery that provides a reliable safety net of a good beer drinking experience for me.

Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery (Milton, Delaware)

Name: Indian Brown Ale

Style: American Brown Ale

ABV: 7.2%

Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pint glass.  Served warmer than fridge temperature (not cold).  $9.99 for a 6 pack.

Aroma: Hint of rich, sweet brown sugar and toasted malt.  Mild aroma overall.

Appearance: Very dark brown color.  Tall, thick, light coffee color head with good retention and a heavy trail.  Very clear (can see through it when held to light) with tiny bubble visible.

Flavor: Deep roasted malty flavor with slight hop bitterness.  Somewhat dry at the finish (that lingers a bit).  Balance is toward maltiness.

Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with fairly high carbonation that produces some bite.  Slightly creamy on the palate.  Faint warmth present.

Overall Impressions: Alcohol content is high for the style (4.3% – 6.2%).  Good flavor and pretty smooth to drink.  OK, but not one of my favorite Dogfish products

Grade: B to B- range

Dogfish Head - Indian Brown Ale