Reviews by davedahl

davedahl says "A tasty Belgian witbier with that good old Jolly Pumpkin funk!" about Jolly Pumpkin Calabaza Blanca

davedahl — Fri, 27 Mar 2009 21:57:55 GMT

Jolly Pumpkin is a relatively small brewery in Dexter, Michigan that cranks out some of the most interesting beers you can lay your hands on. Most of their brews begin as traditional ale's (no lagers here) but quickly take a hard left into Weirdsville. Their fermentation is done in open vats which allows the local flora and fauna to party in the brew. They also age all their beers in oak casks which provides a more full flavor and rounder mouth-feel....and allows the flora fauna funk to continue through the fermentation stage into the cleanup and aging.

So their technique is a bit different and by nature it introduces lots of creepy crawlies during the fermentation stage. Then post fermentation the "bugs" (as they're affectionately called) never get chased out due to the porous nature of the wooden barrels. These twists produce some amazingly distinct brews - specifically all their beers posses varying degrees of their signature funky and sour aroma and taste.

Welcome to the wonderful groove......

davedahl says "Plenty of better Italian options in Chicago." about Quartino Ristorante - Chicago, IL

davedahl — Fri, 13 Mar 2009 14:28:41 GMT

I live in Chicago and know there's a lot of Italian options for dining. If we weren't so lucky I'd have givent it 3 stars instead of 2.

The food is adequate - which is where my 2 stars come from. The ambiance is crowded and kitchy. The tables can be 4" apart and there's bread, canned olive oil, and other silly crap everywhere. Service can be fair - but the servers are typically running headless trying to deal with the crushing and packed crowds.

If you haven't been, don't go. Do yourself a favor and try something like Francesca's on Taylor in Chicago's Little Italy....

davedahl says "The quality food and service makes the crowds bearable." about Hog Island Oyster Company - San Francisco, CA

davedahl — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 22:49:03 GMT

I'll cut to the chase - this is a tourist spot. But read the rest of my review for more details before drawing any hasty conclusions! Because despite the crowd and the gawkers it's worth checking out, at least once!

The ambiance one of the high points, brightly light, lots of white-tile, look-and-feel of a fishmarket. Take your mind off the crowd. Soak in the ambiance.

The service was also terrific. Since I was flying solo I chose to sit at the side-bar. I would have preferred the main oyster-bar but it was crowded and a bit chaotic. I was greeted promptly and with a smile. I started with a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale, ordered a 1/2 dozen oysters, and an Ahi Tuna sandwich. Once the food came they kept a close eye on my needs but let me take care of business - just what I look for. Throughout the meal the service was pleasant, fast and efficient.

The food, however, food came all at once which is a pet-peeve of mine. I would have preferred the oysters first as an appetizer...but I guess I should......

davedahl says "Limited edition IPA going fast." about Flossmoor Station IPA (From Brewer's Whim Series)

davedahl — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 15:53:41 GMT

Chicago has some good locally-brewed beer but not enough IMHO. Flossmoor Station Restaurant and Brewery is located in a south-side suburb called Flossmoor (easily accessible by the Metra). Their head bewer Matt Van Wyck has done some amazing things down there and has been a driving force in their local and national presence. He's making a career move and leaving Flossmoor Station for Oakshire Brewery in Eugene Oregon. Our loss is their gain. Flossmoor Station has brought in Bryan Shimkos to lead the brewing team and I'll eager to sample his brews!

On to the beer......
This is a limited-edition IPA from their "Brewer's Whim" series. So it will likely not be seen again. I picked up a bomber of this at the brewery on Feb 21, 2008.

Hard pour produces medium head. But the head is thick and rich - a few big bubbles packed tight by tons of small tough bubbles. The color is a nice amber-brown and head color is a nice tan. Beautiful looking beer. Or maybe that's just me :). No real lacing - it wants......

davedahl says "Amazing representation of a unique Belgian style." about New Belgium La Folie

davedahl — Mon, 02 Mar 2009 00:27:28 GMT

La Folie is a very well-respected oak-aged brew from New Belgium brewery out in Fort Collins, CO. Most people know New Belgium for their flagship brew Fat Tire. Little do people know (in the midwest at least) of their much more complex and forward thinking creations like La Folie.

Served on-tap at Binny's South Loop. Approximately a 12oz pour in a Riedel wine-glass for $5.00.

An opaque but very clean looking brew whose color is a deep tan with rose highlights. No head, but a ring of light brown bubbles around the edge of the glass.

First whiff catches predominant sweet, sour, chery in the nose. A swirl produces a slight oaky-nuttiness in the aroma's finish.

First sip is primarily sour. As the beer warms to a more appropriate temperature it really opens up. Delicious light but full cherry flavor balanced nicely with nutty malt.

Mouthfeel has a sour acidic bite and a slightly sweet finish.

This is far from being a session beer due to the complexitiy and sourness. But it's a fantastic representation......

davedahl says "HopSlam lives up to the hype!" about Bell's HopSlam

davedahl — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 18:36:04 GMT

HopSlam definitely lives up to it's hype. I picked up a 12-pack from the Binny's in Chicago's south-loop.

Bell's Brewery in Kalamazoo, MI does an annual release of HopSlam - and the beer-geeks clamor for it. It's a massively hoppy beer, but very well balanced. Do you have to be a hop-fan to drink it....um yeah. Does it destroy your taste-buds and leave you weeping on the floor....no! It leaves you maniacally searching for more!

The bottle says "brewed with honey" and the influence is noticeable....in a very good and balancing way...more on that below.

Appearance -
Medium head, dissipates to nothing, no lacing (kinda a bummer on the head/lacing). The color is a beautiful rich gold - almost brassy. Clear as a Bell.

Nose -
Immediate aroma of sweet malt and honey, followed by an onslaught of rich piney, resinous, hop smells. When I popped the bottle open, I paused briefly (since I was in mid conversation with someone about who knows what), and the aroma engulfed my head. Yum.

Taste -
So the taste was......

davedahl says "Magnolia Pub & Brewery - thoughtfully handcrafted food and beer." about Magnolia Pub & Brewery - San Francisco, CA

davedahl — Wed, 24 Dec 2008 14:47:37 GMT

I was in San Francisco for business back in October and just found the time to collate my notes on The Magnolia Pub & Brewery. This was my first/only trip the Magnolia and it's gone on my Must See San Francisco list...along with The Toronado which is just a few blocks away.

The Magnolia is right on the corner of Haight and Masonic. Two exterior walls of floor-to-ceiling windows and a corner door make it very inviting. It naturally draws in the people passing by.

The interior atmosphere is very warm due to the worn, relaxed, woodwork throughout (wood bar, wood paneling, wood booths, etc). Two sides are window booths looking out on Haight and Masonic. The two opposite walls on the back and other side have old yellowed wallpaper that reaches to the high ceilings and fantastic crown molding.

I wound my way through the tables and made my way to the bar. When traveling on business, and dining solo, I'm a big fan of the restaurants with full-menu bars...such as The Magnolia. It's a bit on the noisy......

davedahl says "Good Belgian strong dark ale - but a bit on the busy side." about Brasserie Dubuisson Freres Scaldis Noel

davedahl — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 22:13:23 GMT

Brasserie Dubuisson Feres (which I believe translates to Dubuisson Brothers Brewery) is a Belgian brewery who's particularly known in The States for this beer called Scaldis Noel. It's released at the end of the year around Holiday time. Actually, if you were to look for this in Belgium you'd want to look for the same beer labled "Bush de Noel" - it's renamed Scaldis for export purposes. I'm guessing the Anheuser-Busch people had something to do with that but I haven't verified.

So back to Scaldis Noel...

I found this on tap in Binny's south loop location in Chicago. It was chalice glass, filled to the rim, with no head, and served waay too cold. Hmm - couple strikes against Binny's. But I faithfully drank it down anyway.

It was colored an interesting beautiful sandy auburn and definitely hazed - not chill haze real haze.

Bringing it up to my maw I notice the smell of sweet ripe fruits, a little citrius, yeast and alcohol. Complex big nose.

The taste is even more complex. There's a ton going......

davedahl says "One of the best russian imperial stouts in the world." about Surly Darkness

davedahl — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 01:01:42 GMT

Surly is a small but fiesty upstart in the Minneapolis / St.Paul, MN area. They don't bottle beer - only kegs and cans. They also proclaim loudly that they brew what they want - and it's up to us to decide if we like it or not. Dig the attitude.

They're very well respected, and this is their highly rated Russian Imperial Stout called Darkness. Lots of producers these days use the "imperial" label - most of them mean nothing. In this case he RIS style is an old throwback to the days when a special beer was made for and exported to the Catherine the Seond's Russian court. Since it was going to royalty it HAD to be big!

Now, I've only had Darkness once - and it was the last 2oz from a keg at Binny's in Chicago's south loop. I ordered it, the keg blew, so they gave me the 2oz for free. Free is free but in this case it was an incredible tease.

The apperance was dark black everywhere - not even a hint of color at the edges. Thin layer of dark black rich head of tight bubbles.

Nose is a very complex......

davedahl says "It's a nice Belgian dubbel in a sea of fantastic competition." about Brooklyn Brewing Local 1

davedahl — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 00:42:15 GMT

The Brooklyn Brewery is a very well respected brewery in Brooklyn, NY. A couple homebrewing friends raised money, started a brewery, and now they're one of the top 3 producers in the "craft" segment (think Sam Adams, Sierra Nevada). Some of their beers are terrific, others are pretty good. All are worth drinking.

This beer is what Brooklyn calls a "Belgian inspired strong golden ale". Which to me means it's a Belgian dubbel with their own twist. Let's check it out more closely.....

Appearance is a golden but slightly hazy - definitely not chill haze as I found out. Big head made of big poppy fizzy bubbles diminishes to a fine layer. They continue to pop during the whole session, but are replenished by the steady stream from below. Seems force-carbonated but their website states it's "bottle reconditioned" http://www.brooklynbrewery.com/beer/?id=local1. No lacing whatsoever.

The only thing I can pull out of the aroma is a ever-so-slight funk. Nothing more to sniff, nada.

The taste is nice but...

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davedahl says "Hanssens Oude Gueuze is a beer that's as unique as it sounds." about Hanssens Artisanaal Oude Gueuze

davedahl — Fri, 12 Dec 2008 21:47:59 GMT

Ah, Oude Gueuze my oude friend.

Gueuze is a style of beer that's technically a blend of two or more lambic beers - pretty exclusively brewed/blended in Belgium. New lambics are blended with old to accentuate the positive and hide the not-so-positive as well as to bring out unique flavors that aren't easy to create with just one brew.

Things don't get much funkier than a gueuze. Not for the faint-of-heart - but everybody should at least try it!

The Hanssens Artisanaal Oude GueuzeI I sampled was a 750ml from Sam's in Chicago. I really had to wrench the cork out of this baby but once it relented it produced a healthy FOP!

A medium pour gives an immediate big three-fingers head that's rather delecate but only dissipates down to a 1/2 finger. The beer is a crystal clear golden brew with tiny pin-prick champagne bubbles rising from the bottom of the glass for the duration.

The first whiff is a distinctly lambic/gueuze funk with some sour on the backend. Horse blanket.

Upfront the taste begins very...

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davedahl says "A boozy delicious sweet stout." about Stone Brewing 12th Anniversary Bitter Chocolate Oatmeal Stout

davedahl — Thu, 11 Dec 2008 20:37:13 GMT

I can't recall where I got this but it's from Stone Brewing in San Diego. They don't distribute in Chicagoland so I probably picked it up in Michigan. This bottle was a 22oz "bomber".

A hard pour produces only 1.5 fingers of head that slowly dissipates to only a thin layer...and barely any lacing. But that's okay since the lack of head better shows off the delicious mud lurking underneath.

This beer is black - black like a black hole. No light can escape. Inky. Viscous.

The first sip is sweet dark cherries and chocolate - distinct cocoa on the finish. Some spiciness underneath (cloves?) and delicious burnt toffee.

The nose is interesting - in that it's not as sweet as expected but a bit bready and yeasty.

Mouthfeel has a distinct alcohol boozyburn - which frankly balances the sweetness nicely.

Great stuff on a cold evening.

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davedahl says "Interesting blend of sweet and funk." about Leelanau Brewing Company Whaleback White

davedahl — Mon, 08 Dec 2008 21:50:31 GMT

Interesting blend of sweet and funk.

The Leelanau beers, if I recall, are brewed on contract by the folks at Jolly Pumpkin and it shows in the brettomyces influence. The bottle I bought was a 1/2L bottle I picked up from the terrific people at Siciliano's Market in Grand Rapids MI.

It pours a bright golden color with a slight chill-haze that dissipates as it nears room temperature. At that point it becomes brilliantly clear even more golden. The fluffy white head consists of very tiny tightly-packed bubbles that dissipates slowly to a thin single-layer of bubbles. No lacing. A smattering of tiny bubbles continue to come from the bottom of the glass for the duration.

The aroma is strongly a wet blanket and horse. A slight bite in the nose that might be cinnamon or the cardamon that the bottle suggests.

It drinks with more bold funk but balanced with lots of nice fresh apples, citrus, and a pinch of black pepper.

Mouthfeel is largely dry - a little lingering tartness from the apply-fruit and funk....

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davedahl says "Will make you rethink IPA / APA's." about Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Fresh Hop Ale

davedahl — Tue, 02 Dec 2008 23:07:51 GMT

Holy hops. Holy well balanced hops.

First off let me say this is the most amazing APA/IPA I've ever laid my tastebuds on. If you're a Hophead you must seek this out. If you're not you still should check it out as it blends several notable hop characteristics extremely well with no puckering hop-face. A note on the hops - as you might expect by the name, all 3 hop varietals came from the southern hemisphere...specifically New Zealand. More interesting info from SN's pressrelease: http://www.sierranevada.com/about/news.html#southern

My sample was from a 16oz bottle at cellar temp.

The appearance is bold. Colossal, chunky, sticky, billowy head. Not a gusher but a incredibly strong head that's built 3 fingers high - and sits around for the duration. Lacing...HA! The lacing is big beautiful globs of head sticking to the sides of the glass allll the way down. The beer's color is a rich gold and just slightly opaque - could massive hop oil contribute or is it simply colloidal activity?

The smell very...

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davedahl says "Complex - with sweet, sour, and funk. Beautiful" about Brouwerij Rodenbach Rodenbach Classic Red

davedahl — Thu, 13 Nov 2008 15:31:53 GMT

Fantastic stuff.

This is an amazing exapmle of a well known sub-style of beer called Flanders Red Ale which originates from an area of Belgium with the same name. Fermented with Brettanomyces yeast, and in this case lactobacilli bacteria, will give it a very wild flavor. These ales are also typically blended, young with old, to control flavor of this very delicate style as well as to add complexity.

My sample was a 250ml bottle dated 24/04/08 (April 24, 2008).

A medium pour down the middle of the glass produced a fluffy 3-finger head that was a very light peach color. The beer itself has a very clean/clear appearance which is only noticeable when you hold it up to the light, since the deep mahogany color makes it difficult to notice the clarity. Beautiful.

The initial nose, even before it got close to my snoot, was a big sour red. Sour, fruity, and a slight musty note thanks to the Brettanomyces yeast.

Mouthfeel was very clean and fresh.

Taste was complex and amazing. Lots of cherry up front...

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davedahl says "Lotsa cherry, slightly tart, and a big smack of efferevesence." about New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red

davedahl — Tue, 11 Nov 2008 16:13:09 GMT

Poured from a 750ml bottle I picked up at Woodman's in south-west Wisconsin.

Appearance is ruby-red. Red red red. So much so that it makes me slightly nervous. Hard pour gives a couple fingers of pink head which dissipates very quickly - snap crackle pop.

Not much to the nose - slight cherry scent. Smells vapid cold and cherry.

First sip is a blast of cherry sweetness. Whoa. Some tart too which makes it less of a cherry popsicle. If you look for it you'll find a slight, but interesting, roasted malt flavor in back.

The mouth-feel starts syrupy then quickly gets crisp and thin.

I bought two bottles, will let the other age a bit and hopefully the sweetness will relax a bit. Glad I had the young one, but won't likely have another till the second bottle ages 6 months or so.

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davedahl says "Amazing beer list and colorful people - a fantastic dive bar" about Toronado - San Francisco, CA

davedahl — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 15:01:10 GMT

I love this place. I live in Chicago and I'm a huge dive-bar fan. This is the tops of the dives. Front door is a "dutch door" (I think that's what the 1/2 doors are called). When I walked in I was greeted with a seemingly nonchalant "how you doing" while I was seriously looked up and down. I imagine he was scouring for drunks, which is good, and considering I was not, entry was had.

A long bar lines the right hand side. The tap list sort of hangs from the ceiling and change relatively frequently - but not fast fwiw. A line of High-top tables down the left-hand side completes the gauntlet. At the far end is a small 10x10 room is more "out of the way" and is nice space to sit and chat. Speaking of chat, despite a rocking dive, there's plenty of earspace for healthy chatter. No yelling necessary.

The smell is a combination of sour beer and cleaning fluid. Not at all unpleasant....just pungent.

When they're busy first-timers can be overwhelmed with the demanding (but not LOUD) punk/hardrock that...

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davedahl says "Amazing - drink it if you can find it!" about Goose Island Saison 2008

davedahl — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:55:51 GMT

I had the 2008 GI Saison at the Clyborn brewery in Chicago (whic, incidentally, is scheduled to close 12/21).

It was served on tap, in a tulip glass, and far to cold for my liking.

Apperance was an opaque light brown with maybe a touch of rose color...or that could been the incandescent lighting.

Nose is slightly sweet, slightly tart, maybe a hit of cinnamon and/or yeast? Once it warms a slight barnyard nose appears.

Taste notes clearly has citrus and a slight tart sour. Very fresh but NOT young, the complexity is there. Tart in the back of the throat.

Very very good stuff - I wish I would have picked up a growler!

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davedahl says "Bud's attempt at penetrating the craft beer market falls flat." about Anheuser-Busch American Ale

davedahl — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:52:35 GMT

I picked this up at Woodman's Food Market in SW Wisconsin. Boy I wish I hadn't. Curiosity got the best of me.

It pours a nice head which sticks around, but just barely. The color is crystal-clear amber - like freakishly clear.

The nose has strong and pleasant hop character - which is the best attribute. Might even be some background yeasty scent (not an unpleasant yeast character).

The taste, mouthfeel, and aftertaste is where this dog really face-plants. First sip I noticed a very wet and watery mouthfeel - very light. The poor mouthfeel was noticeable before the taste. Taste itself was slightly malty with an almost undetectable whimper of hops, and something sort of medicine-like. Not like yummy cough syrup, but like an antiseptic flavor.

Aftertaste was more antiseptic and the emergence of corn. Should have assumed that was there somewhere.

Interesting appearance and aroma ... but once this thing gets in your mouth you'll forever regret it.

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davedahl says "Very complex - and only slighly fruity. Great stuff." about Brasserie Caracole Caracole Ambree

davedahl — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 14:50:41 GMT

Sample was a 750ml bottle labeled as 7.5% abv and "best before" March 2009.

Appearance
Deep golden color, but opaque - might be chill haze, we'll see. Head pours big and tight, but dissipates fairly quickly. Hmm haze persists.

Smell
Wheat and yeast, touch of cinnamon.

Taste
Light caramel, spice, slight alcohol punch that's balanced well by the sweetness, sweet apples

Mouthfeel
Full complex mouthfeel but fairly clean finish.

Drinkability
Bring it on. While this is a respectable 8% abv, it drinks very well. The alcohol is balanced nicely, the mouthfeel is complex and full, but not stuffy or cloying.

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