Reviews by aleconner

aleconner says "Wonderfully complex fruit-infused beer" about Van Honsebrouck Kasteel Rouge

aleconner — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 23:10:39 GMT

* Ruddy brown liquid appears scarlet red when held to the light. Light tan head dissipates quickly.

* Candied cherry aroma dominates (think Luden's cough drops). Subdued caramel malt in background.

* Sweet cherry-malt foretaste is immediately ameliorated by lightly sour cherry flavor. Sweet-sour interplay through midtaste is intriguing.

* Finish is complex and well-balanced. Suggestion of warm brown spices adds to complexity.

* Body is medium; carbonation is soft and finely beaded.

Synhopsis:

As Belgian fruit beers go, Kastel Rouge is very tasty and enjoyable, and priced a bit more moderately than its competitors in this class. Having said that, this beer is not quite as complex as some of the more acidic fruit Lambics that Belgium is known for and, perhaps, lacks that added dimention that might nicely contrast the sweetness in this beer.

Kasteel is a well-respected brand of secular Belgian beer brewed in a small variety of styles, but it doesn't get the same attention as...

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aleconner says "Another great beer at an incredibly low price " about Trader Joe's * 2009 Vintage Ale

aleconner — Wed, 16 Dec 2009 22:52:32 GMT

Consumer Note #1: the beer label says "Dark Ale on Lees", this means there is yeast contained in the bottle.

Consumer Note #2: this beer contains 9% alcohol by volume; drink with care.

* Dark mahogany colored, topped by a towering, creamy light tan head. Impressive intricate lacing.

* Sweet-sour nose boasts of bubblegum, citrus, ginger and brown spices. Yeastiness is also evident.

* Palate is sweet malt coupled with light coffee-like roastiness. Citric tang kicks in late. Hints of bubblegum and brown spices linger.

* Finish focuses on citric tang and yeastiness -a bit of an odd combination.

* Body is medium-full with minor warming notes. Carbonation is soft.

Synhopsis:

As in previous years/vintages, this beer is brewed for Trader Joe's by the Canadian brewer Unibroue. Unibroue is well-known and well-repected for their Belgian-inspired beers, and this series of Vintage Ales produced for Trader Joe's. Unibroue beer sold under its own label cost considerably more

I didn't enjoy...

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aleconner says "Another ho-hum light lager from a ho-hum brewery" about Pabst Heileman's Old Style

aleconner — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:45:30 GMT

Consumer Note: this beer is "authentically krauesened"

* Brilliant pale yellow with creamy bleached head leaves unexpected lacing on glass

* Floral nose includes "egg-like" sulfuriness and soapy aromas with the minutest suggestion of hop spiciness.

* Mildly sweet foretaste leads to a bit of canned corn flavor across the palate.

* Finish dries considerably; the result is a well-balanced aftertaste.

* Body is light. Carbonation is fine and prickly.

Synhopsis:

Among the big national brand beers, I find Old Style --despite its defects-- to be one of the more palatable brews. I find it less sweet than most of them -and therefore less offensive.

Old Style used to be produced at the G. Heileman brewery in LaCrosse, Wisconsin, until it could no longer compete with Budweiser and Miller. When the old brewery closed down, Pabst bought the rights to the brand name and the recipe and just recently began producing it according to the old-world method of krauesening (pronounced kroy zening) -see...

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aleconner says "I know Miller is capable of much better than this." about Miller Genuine Draft

aleconner — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:22:14 GMT

* Brilliant pale golden color, tall bubbly/frothy bleached head dissipates quickly, leaving some fine residual lacing.

* Floral-perfumy nose with slight hint of sulfur in the background.

* Sweet flowery malt foretaste with corny backdrop. Midtaste is unrestrained sweetness.

* Finish is just a tad drier with late hit of metallic flavor.

* Body is thin; carbonation is prickly.

Synhopsis:

I could say all kinds of uncomplimentary things about this beer, but it's not likely to change anyone's mind, since this Miller Genuine Draft is just one of a dozen similarly brewed beers that exist on marketing hype alone. 'Nuff said.

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aleconner says "Decent beer for decent price -don't go out of your way for it" about Steinhaus Brewing Co. Fat Weasel Ale

aleconner — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:08:47 GMT

Consumer Note: This beer is "ghost brewed" for Trader Joe's by Steinhaus Brewing Co. in New Ulm, MN (August Schell Brewery).

* Brilliant golden liquid topped by two fingers' depth beige head.

* Nose is very subdued; mild caramel malt aroma stands alone.

* Foretaste is sweet malt backed by fruity flavors.

* Finish dries a bit with some subtle tanginess.

* Body is medium for style; carbonation is medium.

Synhopsis:

Fat Weasel Ale is a rather simple and two-dimentional beer that is easy to drink -and it won't break the bank. It's unexciting, but inoffensive.

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aleconner says "It's good for what it is -which is "not much"" about Miller Lite

aleconner — Tue, 03 Nov 2009 23:30:01 GMT

Consumer Note: this beer is "triple hops brewed"

* Brilliant pale yellow with fast-fading bleached head.

* Clean bready nose with sweet corn backdrop (no hops).

* Unrestrained sweetness through midtaste tastes more like corn than malt (no hops).

* Finish transforms rather quickly from sweet to dry. Aftertaste is a bit minerally (no hops).

* Body is thin and lifeless; carbonation is crisp and prickly.

Synhopsis:

Like I wrote in the sound bite, this beer (and I use the term lightly) is good for what it is meant to be: flavored, carbonated water. As such, it serves its purpose. If all you ask of your beer is a good thirst-quenching, then Miller Lite is the beer for you.

While I have no problem giving Miller Brewing Company credit for brewing this type of beer -I know it's not easy to do- I'm irritated to no end that they use such blatantly misleading advertising to attract consumers. Miller Lite has absolutely no hop character whatsoever, and yet they have the balls to say it's...

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aleconner says "Decent American made representation of the style" about Josephsbrau Oktoberfest

aleconner — Thu, 22 Oct 2009 01:48:35 GMT

Consumer Note: this beer is contract brewed for Trader Joes

* Golden-copper brew with tall frothy dirty beige head.

* Malty nose features caramelly aroma. Slight hop spiciness lingers in background.

* Round malty foretaste expands across the palate with caramel and toasty notes.

* Finish is still malty tasting though less sweet. Dryish finish exposes late metallic note.

* Body is medium mouthfeel lacks requisite creaminess of style.

Synhopsis:

As American made Oktoberfest beers go, this one isn't bad. Having said that, however, I haven't ever tasted an American made Oktoberfest beer that tastes as good as a German made Oktoberfest beer. The difference is in the mashing technique known as decoction. Very few American brewers do decoction mashes. The effect is experienced in the depth of malty richness and sweetness in the finished beer -which is also related to the creaminess in the mouthfeel.

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aleconner says "Pleasant and unimposing (not-too) dark lager beer " about Trader Joe's * Trader Jose Dark Premium Lager

aleconner — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:13:41 GMT

Consumer Note: This beer is made in Mexico by the same brewing company that brews Tecate.

* Crystal clear burnished copper with creamy light tan head.

* Aroma is light sweet malt with dark caramel and lightly burnt toast notes.

* Malt foretaste is dryish -very little residual sweetness. Midtaste is clean dark malt flavor with caramel backdrop.

* Finish is clean and balanced, but rather abrupt. Palate dries quickly and considerably.

* Body is medium-thin. Lack of malty sweetness causes this beer to feel lighter on the palate.

Synhopsis:

This beer is pleasant enough to drink, but I wouldn't go out of my way for it. This would make a great "training wheels" beer for people who are intimidated by dark beer or who think that dark beer is heavy and thick. This one breaks that mold.

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aleconner says "Reasonably enjoyable pale lager " about Trader Joe's * Trader Jose Premium Lager

aleconner — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 22:05:21 GMT

Consumer Note: This beer is made in Mexico by the same brewing company that brews Tecate.

* Clear yellow liquid is topped by creamy bleach-blonde head.

* Clean sweet malt nose with surprising (and fleeting) whiff of herbal-spicy hoppiness.

* Straightforward sweet malt entry has pleasant graininess...not a whole lot more.

* Finish is well with light hop bittering (and no hop flavor).

* Body is light -almost watery- carbonation is crisp.

Synhopsis:

I wouldn't drive out of my way for this beer, but it is definitely better than most beers in its class -especially big name American pale lager beers. It's very clean and inoffensive, which makes it very easy to drink.

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aleconner says "typical, average pumpkin/spice beer" about Kennebunkport Brewing Co. Pumpkin Ale

aleconner — Mon, 12 Oct 2009 21:55:36 GMT

Consumer Note: label says "ale with natural flavors added"

* Hazy amber-orange with thick, creamy white head.

* Spicy nose dominates underlying malt. Cinnamon is most obvious, but other spices may include ginger, orange peel and allspice, among others.

* Mild malt foretaste is brief; spices coat the palate and take over.

* Finish is spice dominated. Very little else is discernable. Could use some more malt balance. Aftertaste is a bit filmy on the tongue.

* Body is medium; carbonation is crisp.

Synhopsis:

Disclaimer: I'm NOT a fan of pumpkin beers!

It would be very easy to describe this beer as "liquid pumpkin pie", but that wouldn't be meant as a compliment. I like pumpkin pie and I like beer, but I don't want one in the other.

I've tasted quite a few pumpkin beers and I'd say that 95% taste the same...basically a boring base beer jacked up on the spices that are used to make pumpkin pie. Don't be fooled into thinking that there is real pumpkin in these aberrations;I bet there...

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aleconner says "Great Belgian style beer made in America" about Lagunitas Brewing We're Only in it for the Money Ale

aleconner — Tue, 22 Sep 2009 02:15:25 GMT

Consumer Note #1: this beer contains 8.2% alcohol by volume

Consumer Note#2: this beer was a special release and may not be easy to find

* Very hazy amber-bronze with short, dense creamy head.

* Intense malty nose offers plenty of fruitiness backed by biscuity and nutty aromas.

* Foretaste is full-on malt flavor aided by sugary caramel character.

* "Belgian" flavors are fully realized through finish; minor banana notes and Juicy Fruit gum flavors. Throat warming noted.

* Body is appropriately full for style. Creamy, viscous mouthfeel; soft carbonation.

Synhopsis:

I just happened to trip across this beer at my local beer store, otherwise I'd have never known about it. In addition to the fact that it was part of a clearance sale, there were indications that this beer was past its sell date. Despite all of that, it was still a magnificent example of the brewer's art. Lagunitas Brewing created a wonderfully delicious beer here.

In case you're wondering about this beer's name, it...

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aleconner says "Aggressive (but tasty) hop character not for the timid palate " about Arcadia Brewing Company Hopmouth Double IPA

aleconner — Sun, 20 Sep 2009 22:12:28 GMT

Consumer Note: This beer contains 8% alcohol by volume

* Cloudy dark amber with short but dense light tan head. Nice lacing.

* Spicy, floral hop aroma dominates the nose. Mild caramelly malt notes eventually poke through.

* Rich caramel malt foretaste ismatched sip-for-sip by firm bittering. Toasty malt complexity blends in nicely.

* Finish evens out briefly before submitting to hop intensity.

* Body is medium-full. Mouthfeel is resiny due to hoppiness.

Synhopsis:

The Arcadia Brewing Company has a reputation for brewing great beers and for pushing the brewing envelope. Consider this envelope pushed. Appropriately named Hopmouth, this double IPA is targeted at fans of big, hoppy and bitter beers.

And speaking of big, this is the first in Arcadia's "Brew Crew Big Beer Series", the motto for which is "Go big or go home!"

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aleconner says "Soft and complex dark ale" about Sand Creek Badger Porter

aleconner — Thu, 17 Sep 2009 22:01:15 GMT

* Clear mahogany color with thick creamy light tan head.

* Malt dominated aroma offers toffee and cocoa powder, a hint of mocha coffee and a late shot of fire-roasted marshmallows.

* Semi-sweet malt foretaste expands with burnt butter, toffee and milk chocolate flavors.

* Finish is still malt dominated; dry graininess is evident, as is a bit of smoky character.

* Body is medium-light for style. Carbonation level is soft.

Synhopsis:

The Sand Creek Brewing Company is a small brewery in the small town of Black River Falls, Wisconsin, but they are known for making some very good regional brews. Take Badger Porter, for instance. Even though this porter has intriguing malt complexity, it's still very approachable because of its drinkability.

Unlike some darker, hoppier porters --done in the "robust" style, Badger Porter is done more in the English Brown Porter style.

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aleconner says "One of the originals, one of the best!" about Moortgat Brewery Duvel Belgian Gold Ale

aleconner — Sat, 05 Sep 2009 03:17:30 GMT

Consumer Note #1: This beer is bottle-conditioned (contains yeast).

Consumer Note #2: This beer contains 8.5% alcohol by volume

* Hazy straw/yellow color with tall, rocky bleached white head -with incredible elasticity.

* Spicy malt nose has citrusy backdrop; fruity-lemony aromas dominate.

* Fruity-citrusy malt foretaste is consistent across the palate. Alcohol can be tasted.

* Finish is malt-dominated, but much drier towards the end. Distinct, but mild peppery note experienced. Throat-warming is pleasant.

* Body is medium; carbonation is finely beaded. Mouthfeel has a bit of yeasty dryness.

Synhopsis:

Duvel ("devil" in Flemish) is one of the original Belgian-style golden ales and it's still one of the best. This beer is a classic for the style. It's still bottled like Champagne with cork and cage.

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aleconner says "Round, malty bock beer -as it's meant to be" about Boston Beer Company Sam Adams LongShot Traditional Bock

aleconner — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:38:37 GMT

Consumer Note: This once-in-a-lifetime beer was one of three chosen as winners of the 2009 Sam Adams LongShot Competition.

* Clear reddish mahogany brew with two fingers' depth creamy light tan head.

* Malt dominated nose features caramel, vanilla and nougat aromas.

* Full-on spicy malt foretaste expands with notes of toffee, nougat and background nuttiness.

* Finish is long-lasting, straightforward malt with a hint of brown spices.

* Body is medium-full with lightly viscous mouthfeel

Synhopsis:

This version of traditional bock beer --based on a homebrew recipe-- is on par with the best imported German brands of this style. That pretty much explains why it was one of the winners in this competition

In June of 2008 Jim Koch convened a small group of knowledgeable beer evaluators at the Sam Adams brewery in Boston. I happened to be one of those judges (see the picture on my profile page). Also present were Tony Forder (Ale Street News brewspaper) and Bill Brand (Oakland Tribune). ...

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aleconner says "Bitterness on a scale of 1 to 10...eleven!" about Boston Beer Company Sam Adams LongShot Double IPA

aleconner — Wed, 02 Sep 2009 02:20:37 GMT

Consumer Note: This once-in-a-lifetime beer was one of three chosen as winners of the 2009 Sam Adams LongShot Competition.

* Hazy copper-orange with thick, creamy beige head.

* Spicy, piney hop aroma dominates the nose; toasty malt notes fight for attention.

* Semi-dry toasty malt flavor is abruptly met by sharp bitterness. Aggressive bittering lays heavy on the tongue.

* Toasty-biscuity malt flavor reappears in the finish to ameliorate hoppiness. Balance still heavily favors hops.

* Body is medium-full; mouthfeel is dry and resiny due to hop level. Mild throat warming.

Synhopsis:

This beer is one of the most bitter beers I've ever drunk, but it was far from a one-note tune. There was plenty of hop flavor and malt backing to keep it interesting and, for the most part, drinkable.

There is an interesting back story to this beer. The Boston Beer Company hosts the LongShot Competition --which is open to homebrewers-- on an annual basis. This Double IPA actually won in 2007...

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aleconner says "One of the most astoundingly complex beers I have ever tasted" about Trader Joe's * 2008 Vintage Ale

aleconner — Thu, 27 Aug 2009 16:58:01 GMT

Consumer Note #1: This beer is "ghost-Brewed" for Trader Joe's by Unibroue in Canada.

Consumer Note #2: The bottle label says "Dark Ale on Lees"; this means there is yeast contained within the bottle.

Consumer Note #3: This beer contains 9% alcohol by volume.

* Cloudy brown beer topped by a towering, creamy beige head.

* Complex, spicy aroma dominates the nose; clove and nutmeg most obvious.

* Incredibly fruity and complex flavor includes notes of vanilla, coconut, clove, nutmeg, Juicy Fruit gum and a late minty character.

* Finish is long --still very complex-- and warming. Subtle wintergreen and ginger flavors add to the throat warming.

* Body is full. Fine bead Champagne-like carbonation.

Synhopsis:

This beer was a lot of fun evaluating. Every time I took a sip, I tasted something new and different. It was, without a doubt, one of the most complex beers I have ever tasted -and certainly one of the top-5 best I've had this year.

Notice that this was the '08 vintage...there...

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aleconner says "Voluptuous and complex dark lager" about Tommyknocker Brewery Butthead Doppelbock

aleconner — Wed, 26 Aug 2009 22:15:05 GMT

* Hazy, dark burnished copper with short light tan head.

* Buttery, caramelly malt nose with mild oxidized note.

* Dark malt flavor has caramel / toffee / nougat richness. Background nuttiness comes to the fore.

* Finish is long, somewhat dryish (though still plenty malty) and pleasantly throat warming. Ultimate malt character is raisiny / pruney.

* Body is medium-full; mouthfeel is viscous and carbonation level is low.

Synhopsis:

Tommyknocker Brewery makes a handful of tasty and well made brews...this one happens to be my favorite. When fresh, it's as good as any doppelbock imported from Germany. Age, however, is nothing to fear with Butthead. The sample bottle I purchased almost six weeks ago seemed to benefit in terms of added complexity. (I should add that I always keep my sample beers refrigerated)

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aleconner says "Delicate and well balanced spiced fruit beer" about Boston Beer Company Sam Adams Longshot Cranberry Wit

aleconner — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:41:04 GMT

Consumer Note: This beer was one of three winners of the Sam Adams LongShot homebrew competition.

* Very cloudy golden brew topped by tall, frothy bleached white head.

* Light indistinct fruity aroma is backed by whiff of cinnamon.

* Delicate fruit flavor is nicely accented by subtle cinnamon spiciness.

* Finish is lightly sweet with a late touch of tanginess. Balance is perfect!

* Body is medium-light. Inoffensive filminess is left by yeast in suspension.

Synhopsis:

This beer is a very light and delicate beer; very well balanced and perfect for summer time imbibing. Neither the fruit flavor nor the spiciness dominates or attacks your palate. The brewer did a great job of achieving superior drinkability (Anheuser-Busch did not invent this term).

This beer is one of three SA LongShot (2008) beers made by homebrewing amateurs. In the case of this cranberry wit, it was made by one of the Boston Beer Company employees.

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aleconner says "Another excellent hoppy creation from Sierra Nevada" about Sierra Blanca Brewing Company Torpedo Extra IPA

aleconner — Tue, 25 Aug 2009 15:27:56 GMT

* Hazy amber-orange brew with dense, frothy beige head and great Belgian laacing on glass.

* Spicy, zesty hop aroma backed by toasty, caramelly malt.

* Rich malt foretaste expands in complexity; layers of sweet malt, caramel and toasted malt flavors harmonize well. Spicy hop flavor and bitterness accent malt.

* Finish is semi-dry toasty malt flavor dominated by aggressive, but palatable bittering.

* Body is medium-full. Mouthfeel is a tad astringent and resiny due to hop content.

Synhopsis:

Just when you think Sierra Nevada had made the ultimate hoppy ale, Torpedo Extra IPA hits the market. This wonderfully hoppy --but well-malted-- brew falls somewhere between their regular Pale Ale and Celebration Ale.

In addition to this brewery's proclivity for brewing bountiful hop-dominated ales, Sierra Nevada remains one of the most reasonably priced beers at this high level of quality.

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