At the end of the month will be the one year anniversary of starting this site with my very first post. I have posted something every day since then, which is something that I never really thought I would be able to do going into the whole thing. In my self-imposed schedule have typically been two beer reviews a week. In the next few weeks I will look at the standard weekly schedule (if only because it will have been a year since starting) to see if two evaluations a week will continue to work or if more or less would be better.
Or I could be thinking of all this right now as a way to help me forget that the air conditioning is currently out and it is torture being in our house. Maybe it is a little of both?
Onward we go . . .
Brewery: Boston Beer Company (Boston, MA)
Name: Double Bock (Imperial Series)
Style: Doppelbock
ABV: 9.5%
Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in my (now broken) Ommegang/tulip-like glass. $9.99 for a 4 pack.
Aroma: Deep, strong malty nose with no noticed hop character. Also some dark fruit (plum/prune?) notes and some slight alcohol.
Appearance: Deep brown color with red highlights (black cherry-like). Short, light brown, pretty compact head that dissipates quickly. Good clarity with little visible bubbles rising.
Flavor: Rich maltiness without noticeable hop flavor (completely malt dominant). Slight toasty flavor with some sweetness towards the finish. Lingering finish (in a good way) as the flavor coats the tongue a bit.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full body with low carbonation. Smooth and somewhat creamy with some slight warmth.
Overall Impressions: Strong with lots of (pretty well balanced) flavor. Enjoyable and easy drinking. Very good even at the elevated price (for Sam Adams). The gateway for drinking the others in their Imperial Series.
Grade: A-
Did I forget to mention that the picture for this one is also lost? You should be able to spot a Sam Adams four pack without much difficulty.
Sometimes I need to prove to certain friends of mine that I still drink some Samuel Adams products now and again. This is one of those times.
I still tend to go into drinking fruit beers with a little hesitation, as I don’t expect to like them that much. The warmer days in Florida do seem to help out their case as the outdoor air and sunshine somehow changes how I feel about them. Then again, being barefoot with my toes in the sand alone makes a lot of beers taste better to me. So since I was not close to the beach when I evaluated this one, I was a bit surprised I enjoyed it as much as I did.
I should not have been too taken aback since it was a Boston Beer Company brew. I may not love them all, but there is a consistent level of quality that I know will be there regardless of how my palate accepts it.
Brewery: Boston Beer Company (Boston, Massachusetts)
Name: Blackberry Witbier
Style: Fruit Beer
ABV: 5.5%
Tasting Notes: Stored in the fridge and served in a pilsner glass. $8.69 per 6-pack
Aroma: Noticeable fruit nose (though not sure that I would have guessed blackberry). Light wheat character with some slight spiciness (coriander) in back.
Appearance: Light gold (almost to full/deep gold) color. Three finger, off-white head that is thick with good retention and leaves a trail. Mostly clear with a slight haze and many bubbles visible.
Flavor: Nice sweetness with a hint of berry (just enough) and the slightest note of hops. Well balanced with nothing overpowering. A bit dry at finish, though not lingering.
Mouthfeel: Medium to light body with high carbonation. Smooth and slightly creamy with the slightest bit of dryness.
Overall Impressions: Refreshing and easy drinking. Definitely glad I tried and was as good or better than expected. I would drink again as a good summer beer.
Grade: B
Boston Beer Company - Blackberry Witbier
It seems we have more than one contender for the title of the world’s strongest beer. Both the Boston Beer Company and BrewDog (Scotland) have again pushed the limits of what we have known beer to be. However, BrewDog’s “Tactical Nuclear Penguin” has been a bit more controversial in Scotland than the “Utopias” have been for Sam Adams here in the United States.
Both use unique processes (BrewDog uses somewhat of a distillation method) and are produced in extremely limited quantities, which result in a higher price tag for each. Since each are treated much like a scotch would be, unique flavor characters are a certainty. I suppose these may be (expensive) options as a Christmas gift for your extreme beer geek friends or family?
Boston Beer Company's Utopias via The Associated Press
Via the Sam Adams newsletter and Mr. S. Jim we have some new release news today. Maybe since I mentioned him, he will find a way for me to get my hands on some of the Barrel Room Collection beers in Florida since they apparently will not be sold anywhere near me. Either that or a road trip is in order to at least try their version of American Kriek. Take a look to see if you will find it on a shelf near you!
Also to make Jim happy I will also pass along the winner of the 2009 Samuel Adam’s Beer Lover’s Choice that will be available early next year. Here is a description of what to expect.
Coming soon . . . via http://beernews.org
The last article today will be an inspiration to those of you looking to get a little more exercise and maybe have a few good beers, possibly even at the same time. Here is the story, but be sure to check out the rules on Beermile if you are looking to coordinate an event near you.
It may not be possible for me to find stories about beer that are further apart in subject matter than these two.
A new style of beer is a very exciting thing for sure. Behind the scenes for the last few years Samuel Adams has been working with the world’s oldest brewery, Weihenstephan (Germany), to create just that. We should all be seeing it on the shelves here in the states sometime in spring of next year. This article is slightly longer than some others I found, but it gives a better overview of the two breweries and what to expect from the collaboration.
Apparently certain animals like a good beer when they get the chance as well. I, for one, cannot blame and will not judge them for that. In this article (and video), we can read about such an animal that just wanted to chill for a while in the beer cooler of a grocery store. Though this happened in Wisconsin, I have thought about doing the same thing when it gets really hot during the summers here in Florida.
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