Pint Log

Oskar Blues Old Chub Review

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 22:59:00 +0000

Brewery: Oskar Blues Brewery | Beer: Old Chub
Style: Scottish Ale | ABV: 8.0%
Serving Method: 12 oz. can poured into pint glass

After reviewing Doggie Style a couple of posts ago, I figured it would be appropriate to review another beer with a sexually suggestive name. After searching my fridge, I decided that Oskar Blues' Old Chub certainly fit the bill. Like all Oskar Blues brews, Old Chub is sold in a traditional twelve-ounce aluminum can. I don't see why more craft-brewers don't utilize the humble can. With today's cans, there are no undesired effects on the beer itself and they offer the advantage of blocking all light (light is what skunks beer). On a couple of practical notes, cans can be brought into public areas where bottles are outlawed and fit much better in your fridge. Thus allowing you to keep more beer chilled without pissing off your wife (any further, at least).

Old Chub is a Scottish Ale, a style characterized by long boil times (leading to caramelization), a sparing use hops (they don't grow well in Scotland), and generous amounts of malt. There are four different grades of Scottish Ale, based on alcohol content: Light (under 3.5% ABV), Heavy (3.5 to 4% ABV), Export (4.0 to 5.5% ABV) & Wee Heavy (anything above Export). At a stout eight percent alcohol by volume, this beer safely clocks in as a Wee Heavy. It sounds just like something from a Mike Meyers movie. Appropriate considering that underneath the canned on date on the bottom of the can, the phrase "Head! Pants! Now!" appears. Major bonus points.

Oskar Blues describes this beer as being "brewed with hearty amounts of seven different malts, including crystal and chocolate malts, and a smidge of US and UK hops. Old Chub also gets a dash of beechwood-smoked grains imported from Bamburg, Germany, home of the world's greatest smoked beers." I have to say, I'm quite intrigued.

Appearance: Dark mahogany-brown with brilliant ruby highlights. On top, a finger-high, toffee-colored head that disappears quickly that leaves moderate lacing that looks great while it lasts.

Aroma: Right off the bat, Old Chub is all about malt. Complex, sweet, and smokey with rich booze on the edges. Appetizing, to say the least.

Taste: Peaty, smokey, and nutty malt with lots of alcohol is what this beer is all about. There are also juicy and sweet fruit notes that poke through every so often. Hops are all but silent, while the aftertaste is of dry and boozy caramelized sugar. I have to say, Old Chub reminds me more of a good Single Malt Scotch than anything I've come across in the beer world yet.

Mouthfeel: Thick and chewy, yet slick with a very dry aftertaste. Alcohol makes its presence known in the mouth with a pleasant warmth. Carbonation is moderate, as it should be.

Drinkability: Like Scotch, this definitely something worth savoring. If you're putting down a six-pack of this in an evening, you're a better man than I.

Verdict: Old Chub is a complex beer that really showcases the Scottish style of brewing while demanding your full attention. If you've never tried a Scottish Ale and are looking for somewhere to start, you could do a lot worse than choosing this. Please don't be thrown off by the can, this is world class beer.

Grade: A

New Belgium Fat Tire Review

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Wed, 03 Dec 2008 21:30:00 +0000

Brewery: New Belgium Brewing | Beer: Fat Tire
Style: American Amber Ale | ABV: 5.2%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Fat Tire, an American Amber Ale, is the flagship brew of Colorado's New Belgium Brewery. New Belgium's founder, Jeff Lebesch, took a bicycle trip through Belgium back in 1989. As he made his way through the villages, he fell in love with the Belgian style of brewing. Upon arriving home to Fort Collins, be took to the basement and came up with two beers: Fat Tire and Abbey Belgian Ale. Fat Tire was named after his steed during the bicycle trip, and became his new brewery's best-known creation.

One of New Belgium's key philosophies is making their beer as sustainable as possible. The company used green design ideas while designing the brewery, treats their own waste-water on-site, is powered exclusively by either methane derived from waste-water treatment or wind power, and donates one percent of its revenues to help fund environmental non-profits. These guys really walk-the-walk when it comes to being green and they should be congratulated for it. If only more breweries and companies were as committed to the future as New Belgium, the world would be a better place.

In the interest of full disclosure, I feel it fair to inform you that Fat Tire was one of the biggest "gateway beers" during my journey into the world of craft-brewing and I have quite a soft spot for it. On a somewhat less relevant note, my absolute favorite neon beer sign of all time is the classic Fat Tire bicycle. I was lucky enough to be able to buy one from a local swap meet when I graduated from college way back in 2007. All of that being said, I'm confident that I can deliver a fair assessment of the beer. I hope.

Appearance: Clear, copper-orange body with a two-finger, off-white head that easily rises above the edge of the glass. Lacing is brilliant and really lasts.

Aroma: Fat Tire has always been a bit thin on the nose. What you can detect is sweet, biscuity malt and a whiff of citrus.

Taste: Lightly-roasted, sweet, biscuity malt is the center-piece of Fat tire. A subdued, earthly hop-bitterness helps to balance the malt. Occasional shades of booze at the finish. The biscuity malt endures in the aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, somewhat creamy, and medium-bodied. Carbonation is moderate, in keeping with the style.

Drinkability: I know for a fact that one can drink a twelve pack in the course of an evening. I guess that says it all really.

Verdict: Fat tire is a nicely balanced, biscuity Amber Ale. Securely above average, but certainly not the most exciting beer in the New Belgium stable. A terrific "gateway beer," If there's ever been one. I owe this beer a lot.

Grade: A-

My First Batch of Homebrew: Phase One

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Sat, 29 Nov 2008 01:20:00 +0000

Like most beer geeks, I've always wanted to take the plunge and brew my own beer. After reading up on the process for years, my wife and I decided to pull the trigger and go for it. After re-reading the instructions for your first batch in Charlie Papazian's The Joy Complete of Homebrewing (the best book I've found on the subject), I was ready to track down the equipment and ingredients we were going to need.

Luckily for us, it turns out there is a terrific brewing supply store just a few miles from our apartment. Brew It Yourself, run by Ray Philbrook, sold us just about everything we needed. Since its generally my favorite style, we decided to make a Stout. And as my father-in-law had a heart transplant Sunday, we decided to name it Young At Heart Stout.

Here's the equipment we used:
- 22 quart kettle (sourced from Wal-Mart)
- Large plastic brewer's spoon
- 6 gallon bucket with airtight lid
- Fermentation lock (aka bubbler) with a stopper to fit the hole on the bucket's lid
- Hydrometer
- Sampler for hydrometer
- Probe thermometer
- Measuring cup
- Unscented bleach

After consulting with the Ray, here is our ingredient list:
- 1 four pound can of Edme Extra Stout malt extract (with hops and yeast added)
- 20 ounces of dark malt extract
- 1 pound of light brown sugar
- 1 packet of dry ale yeast (Safale S-04)
- 5 gallons of spring water (3 of them chilled)

The first step is taking care of sanitation, one of the most important components of quality beer. After a quick rinse in hot water, we filled the fermentation bucket with water and added 2 ounces of unscented bleach. Everything else that would come in contact with the beer: the spoon, the bubbler, the hydrometer, the sampler and even the lid of the bucket were rinsed in hot water and added to the bucket. Meanwhile, we filled the sink with hot water and added the containers of malt extract to make them easier to pour.

After everything had sat for around five minutes, the kettle was put on the heat and the two room-temperature gallons of spring water were added. While the water was heating, we rinsed off the brewer's spoon for use during boiling. Once the water reached a boil, we removed the kettle from the heat and poured in the containers of malt extract and the sugar. The kettle was put back on the heat and monitored until it was once again boiling. At that point, we started a fifteen minute timer and made sure it didn't boil over, stirring occasionally.

At the end of the fifteen minutes, we put the kettle in the sink and filled it with cool water from the tap. The initial temperature was around 145°F. While waiting for it to cool, we rinsed off everything else that had been sanitized and added the yeast packet to one cup of 95°F water. After around thirty minutes, and several water changes, the temperature of the mixture in the kettle had dropped to around 97°F. We poured the three gallons of chilled water into the fermentation bucket and carefully added the cooled mixture.

After a quick stir, we took the temperature and, using the sampler to take a sample, took a quick gravity reading. The final temperature before initial fermentation was 66°F and the original gravity clocked in at 1.043 (adjusted for temperature). Next, we gently poured the yeast slurry into the bucket. After sealing the lid tight, we attached the bubbler (filled with water) and moved the fermenter to the hall closet.

Now we wait...

In about a week, when it's time to bottle, we're going to need to have about 55 twelve ounce bottles ready to accept the beer. A long time ago, I decided that I wanted to use New Belgium bottles, so I've been saving them off and on for a while now. I'm about twenty bottles short, so I guess I'm going to have to get drinking.

Flying Dog Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale Review

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Sun, 23 Nov 2008 02:50:00 +0000

Brewery: Flying Dog Brewery | Beer: Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale
Style: American Pale Ale | ABV: 5.5%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Here we have Flying Dog's flagship beer, Doggie Style Classic Pale Ale. American Pale Ales are known to be hoppier and dryer than their English counterparts. Doggie Style is no different according to the brewer, as it's "dry hopped during fermentation with shit loads of Cascade hops." A shit load, of course, being a standard measurement in the Flying Dog organization. Cascade hops, an American creation, are known for their mild bitterness and floral-citrus profile.

The label features another apeshit painting by the great Ralph Steadman and a brilliant quote by his associate Hunter S. Thompson: "Good people drink good beer." I couldn't agree more, doc. It also advertises this beer as so good, "you'll lap it up like your hound laps up toilet water." Apparently, someone out there agrees, as Doggie Style has won two medals at the Great American Beer Festival: a gold in 1991 for Pale Ale and a silver in 1999 for Classic English-Style Pale Ale.

Appearance: Rich orange body with brilliant yellow highlights. Topped with an off-white, creamy head that measures two fingers and leaves decent lacing.

Aroma: Citrusy and floral Cascade hops in full effect, with biscuity malt right behind. As you'd expect, this is very similar to the brewery's IPA, Snake Dog, but with a less pronounced hop aroma.

Taste: Intense Cascade hops dominate at first. Not especially bitter, the taste is classic Cascade: clean, piney, citrusy and bright. Underneath all of the hops lies a biscuity caramel malt base. These two elements are brilliantly balanced; while the hops are intense, they are never too much for the malt. Unfortunately, like other beers in the Flying Dog stable, the taste is just a little thin. One notch more on the intensity scale, and this might be perfect.

Mouthfeel: Dry, with a medium-light body and light carbonation, this is spot on for the style. The aftertaste continues the pleasant balance, being both bitter and malty.

Drinkability: Despite having a "shit load" of hops, this beer is not so bitter that it impedes drinkability. In fact, this is a very easy to drink beer, providing you don't completely, totally hate hops.

Verdict: With true-to-style aroma, flavors, and mouthfeel, Doggie Style is a fine example of American Pale Ale. And if you happen to love Cascade hops (like I do), you're in for a real treat.

Grade: A-

Fuller's London Porter Review

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Fri, 21 Nov 2008 22:45:00 +0000

Brewery: Fuller, Smith & Turner PLC | Beer: London Porter
Style: English Porter | ABV: 5.4%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

The Porter style has quite a unique origin. In the London of the 1700's, stale (or soured) Ale was mixed with a mild Ale and either a Brown or Pale Ale. This witches' brew of old and new became quite popular with the citiy's porters, hence the name. Porters were dark, malty, bitter and, thanks to the stale ale, mildly acidic. These qualities helped to mask some of the cloudiness and other imperfections associated with the blending process. As time went on and the public's tastes shifted, Porter became something of an endangered species. However, with the craft-brewing renaissance of the last 30 years, Porter has made quite a comeback.

Well-regarded in beer geek circles, Fuller's London Porter is one of the best known examples of the style today. Fuller's pitch the beer as "captur[ing] the flavors of the original entire brews perfectly, although you won't find a cloudy pint these days!" Fuller's still brews at the storied Griffin Brewery, the oldest brewery in London. Beer has been brewed at the Chiswick brewery for over 350 years. I doubt that the six pack I picked up here in South Texas made the journey from London, but a man can dream can't he?

Appearance: Dark espresso colored with subdued brown highlights, this bear absorbs most light well. The caramel head pours rather thin and settles quickly, but leaves brilliant lacing all the way down.

Aroma: Rich and full-bodied toasted malt you could smell from three pints away. Sweet, with notes of burnt sugar, dark chocolate, coffee, and the smokiness you get from very dark malts. Just what you expect from this style. Despite the mild alcohol content, you get nice alcohol notes in the nose.

Taste: It's much the same in the taste, but with a brilliant mild and nutty bitterness added into the mix. Much richer than the aroma, this is a beer that commands your attention. Like the nose, there are occasional boozy notes that manifest themselves despite the the ABV weighing in at under six percent. The aftertaste lasts well into your next sip and really showcases the coffee and smokiness. This aftertaste alone is better than many of the beers I've reviewed here.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and medium-bodied with decent carbonation. It leaves a velvety coating on your tongue that drives the aforementioned aftertaste.

Drinkability: Porters are certainly more appropriate for sipping than chugging, but with the medium body and middling alcohol content, this is surprisingly quaffable.

Verdict: An above average Porter, this is something I'd surely recommend for someone looking for a good, easily available example of the style. Rich, but well-balanced, this beer is a complex treat and worthy of its reputation.

Grade: A-

Shiner Holiday Cheer Review

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Fri, 14 Nov 2008 21:02:00 +0000

Brewery: Spoetzl Brewery | Beer: Shiner Holiday Cheer
Style: Dunkelweizen | ABV: 5.4%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into Weizen glass

Shiner have been very busy lately, releasing a slew of new brews over the past twelve months. Their latest is a new Winter seasonal, Shiner Holiday Cheer. The beer is a Dunkelweizen, with peach and roasted pecans added for a holiday touch. Maybe my family was different, but I don't really remember many peaches around the house during Christmas. Peaches aside, Dunkelweizens are essentially a darker, more malty version of the German wheat beer, Hefeweizen.

It looks like this is the replacement for Shiner Dunkelweizen as Shiner's winter seasonal. I certainly can't imagine the brewery brewing two different Dunkelweizens for Winter, and I haven't seen the old one this season, so this appears to be the case. I was a big fan of the original Shiner Dunkelweizen, so I have high hopes for this beer.

Appearance: Deep mahogany with a stunning amber highlights and a creamy, craggy head that leaves wonderful lacing. This is a very pretty beer.

Aroma: Sweet peach, like that of peach yogurt, masks just about all other aromas. There's some beer down there if you keep sniffing, but you have to pull a lot of peach aside.

Taste: Luckily, this isn't the sugary peach yogurt beer that the aroma warned of. Instead, you find a complex, if a little thin, malty body with decent bitterness in the finish. I'm not sure if it's roasted pecan I'm getting necessarily, but the beer does has a pleasing nuttiness. Peach is certainly here, and in full force, but it compliments the beer instead of smothering it. I would never have thought of a peach infused Dunkelweizen (at least while sober), but it works. While it may taste a little thin in the mouth, the aftertaste is quite nutty and hangs with you for a while.

Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with a slick, oily feel that coats your mouth. A bit fizzier than I prefer, but it doesn't spoil the beer.

Drinkability: Provided you don't hate peaches, this is an easy beer to drink. It goes down smooth and tastes pretty damn good.

Verdict: Between this and Shiner Dunkelweizen, it's no contest: Holiday Cheer just doesn't measure up. But that's not a fair way to rate the beer. Viewed objectively, this is a nice middle-of-the-road Dunkelweizen with an interesting splash of Peach. It fits well into Shiner's portfolio of beers stuck in a bizarre purgatory between macro and micro. I'm still not sure what peach has to do with Christmas, but I'm willing to look past that here.

Grade: B-

Boddingtons Pub Ale Review

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Thu, 06 Nov 2008 03:09:00 +0000

Brewery: Boddingtons | Beer: Boddingtons Pub Ale
Style: English Pale Ale | ABV: 4.7%
Serving Method: 16 oz. nitro-can poured into pint glass

Boddingtons is one of the most ubiquitous time-honored of the British imports, reviewed here in the sixteen ounce nitro-widget can that Guinness Draught made famous (although in the US Guinness Draught comes in 14.9 oz. cans). This beer was brewed for over 200 years at the Strangeways Brewery in Manchester. The company, also named Boddingtons, managed to keep its independence until 1989, when it was sold to Whitbread. Whitbread, mainly a hospitality company, decided to sell their portfolio of brewers to Beligian megabrewer Interbrew in 2000. Who, of course, became InBev when they merged with Brazilian brewing giant AmBev. You might recognize the name InBev, as they recently bought American brewing titan, Anheuser-Busch. Bud Light and Boddingtons step-cousins, who would have thought?

So, Boddingtons is now just another great historic brand rolled up into the faceless InBev corporation. But, all corporate angst aside, what really matters is what's inside the can. Growing up, this beer was always a fixture around the house, becoming one of the main poster children of "good beer" to me. When I started really drinking and appreciating beer, this was one of the first beers I counted as one of my favorites. However, people still curse me for getting them to try a sip of Boddingtons in years past, and I'm not really sure as to why.

By the way, if you have ever wondered why the logo features two bees on a cask, allow me to explain. Manchester's coat of arms features a (modest) swarm of bees as a symbol of efficient industry. The bees became a symbol of the city and are featured on Manchester's Town Hall floor, many public fixtures around the city, and on every can of Boddingtons. Now that you know, and we can proceed with the rest of the review as scheduled.

Appearance: Brilliantly clear honey (how appropriate) colored body. Thanks to the widget, the head is amazingly dense, creamy, and measures a full two fingers. Great fun to pour and watch with interesting little bubbles that cling to the glass. I could watch this all day, not quite as cool as the Guinness cascade, but certainly worth the cost of admission. Even after the head settles, this is an exceptionally pretty beer. The head rides all the way down to the bottom of the glass, leaving sudsy lacing behind.

Aroma: Clean and crisp with roasted malt and hints of a floral, hoppy bitterness. A little thin, to be sure.

Taste: Bitter up front with some dry, roasty malt flavors in the back. At times, you can pick up a juicy, fruity sweetness that reminds me of British wine gums. A nice combination, but nothing that's going to change your world.

Mouthfeel: Smooth, creamy, and soft - when I think of an exceptionally creamy beer, this immediately springs to mind. Mouthfeel is really one of the highlights of canned Boddingtons and just another reason to bow down to the widget. The aftertaste is pleasantly bitter.

Drinkability: While bitter, the alcohol content is relativity low, so if it suits your taste you can drink this all night (much like Guinness).

Verdict: A very different beer, Boddingtons in a can is an experience all beer lovers should try at least once. Perhaps the taste is not the most remarkable in the English Pale Ale category, but the appearance and mouthfeel are so unique that the beer will always stand out to me. A worthy survivor of more than two centuries.

Grade: B+

Flying Dog Snake Dog IPA Review

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 20:35:00 +0000

Brewery: Flying Dog Brewery | Beer: Snake Dog IPA
Style: American India Pale Ale | ABV: 7.1%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Last time, my review of a different Flying Dog offering (Dogtoberfest) left me wanting a lot more flavor. I decided that if any of their beers are going to be able to deliver on that, it would be their IPA: Snake Dog. To steal my own description about India Pale Ales (or IPAs): "The India Pale Ale style originated during the 1700s when British brewers learned that adding large amounts of hops helped protect beer on its long journey to far away colonies."

The brewer describes this as a "Colorado-style" India Pale Ale, with specialty hops from the Pacific Northwest. The label features a very surreal Steadman illustration of a snake headed dog that appears to be tripping on acid, so the beer gets some originality points before I've even loosened the cap.

Appearance: Brilliantly clear and golden-amber with a finger and a half wide high creamy off white head that settles into average lacing.

Aroma: As one would expect, glorious floral hops absolutely dominate. One can also detect citrus and biscuity malt underneath.

Taste: True to style, this beer is absolutely bitter thanks to a heaping serving of hops. Much more intense than other Flying Dog offerings I've tried, I'm glad to see they can crank it up a bit. Once you peel off all of the bitterness, you find lackluster sweet biscuit malt underneath. The booze is hidden well, but provides a welcome kick from time to time.

Mouthfeel: Silky and full-bodied with the right amount of carbonation. A delicious bitter hop aftertaste lasts well into your next sip.

Drinkability: While this beer is certainly aggressive, and I might take my time, I could certainly throw back a few of these in one sitting.

Verdict: While not earth-shakingly amazing, this is quite a tasty little IPA. While I would be happier with something a little more exciting to accompany the bitterness, those hops still have me salivating for more. As I mentioned, I'm just glad that Flying Dog can produce flavorful beer. It makes me a little more excited about the other styles waiting for review in the fridge.

Grade: B

Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale Review

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Fri, 24 Oct 2008 19:53:00 +0000

Brewery: Buffalo Bill's Brewery | Beer: Pumpkin Ale
Style: Pumpkin Ale | ABV: 4.9%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Here's a beer that pops up in force every year around this time. From groceries store endcap displays to pub chalkboards, Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale has quite a high profile for a few weeks each year. In my experience, this is the standard Pumpkin Ale for most people. Maybe this is all just in my region of the country, but as this beer originates from Buffalo Bill's Brewery in Northern California, I'm pretty sure it's not. With festive, non-pretentious packaging, and a reputation, I had high hopes for this beer.

Appearance: A somewhat hazy amber body with a finger and a half of eggshell-white head. The head is fizzy and quickly settles into a minimal ring around the glass and leaves hardly any lacing.

Aroma: Pie spices and overly sweet pumpkin, with more emphasis on the former than the latter.

Taste: The same spices, general sweetness and dark fruit are the dominant flavors here, but the pumpkin just isn't coming through as much as it should. In fact, the whole flavor profile is decidedly on the thin side.

Mouthfeel: On the similar note, the mouthfeel is rather thin and watery without much of an aftertaste. Carbonation is high enough to resemble soda at times.

Drinkability: This beer goes down the hatch easily enough, although leaves a lot to be desired. However, if I was in the mood for a Pumpkin Ale at a bar where this was all that was available on tap, I'd still probably order a few.

Verdict: I find this beer bland, and that it really fails to deliver on its biggest promise: pumpkin. But, I can certainly see it's appeal to the masses and therefore why it's become so popular. Pumpkin Ale is an appealing premise for the Fall months and this beer, being on the thinner and sweeter side, is not too much of a deviation from the regular macro fare. For the more traveled drinker, however, much more complicated and satisfying Pumpkin Ales can easily be found (my personal favorite being Dogfish Head's Punkin Ale).

Grade: D

Flying Dog Dogtoberfest Review

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 19:51:00 +0000

Brewery: Flying Dog Brewery | Beer: Dogtoberfest
Style: Märzen/Oktoberfest | ABV: 5.3%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Continuing in the vein of autumnal beers from brewers with the word dog in their name, this time we turn to Flying Dog's Dogtoberfest. Flying Dog was started as a brewpub in 1990 in Aspen by two ranchers, George Stranahan and Richard McIntyre. The brewery is quite proud of its connections to gonzo journalist Hunter S. Thompson. Each of their labels is illustrated by none other than the good doctor's legendary illustrator, Ralph Steadman, and marketing materials prominently feature Thompson quotes. Some of their beers are even dedicated to and inspired by the man. As a huge HST fan, I think I might love this brewery already.

Dogtoberfest is a Märzen, or Oktoberfest, style beer. In the days before refrigeration, beer was not brewed during the summer. The last batch, brewed in March (German for March is Märzen), was allowed to slowly ferment over the summer months until late September. Oktoberfest (calling it Septemberfest would have been too obvious) marks the end of the off-season and is fueled by the now ready Märzen. Typically, these beers are malty, copper in color, and have a medium alcohol content.

Appearance: Light copper body with amazing orange highlights and great clarity. The head pours about one and a half fingers high and is a brilliant creamy off-white. Eventually the head settles into a ring around the edge of the glass that leaves only soapy lacing that quickly recedes back onto the surface.

Aroma: Caramel sweetness with a toasted malt body and a slight hint of hops. Somewhat thinner than I would have imagined.

Taste: Balance of sweet toasted malt and floral hop bitterness with the caramel sweetness and some nuttiness in the back. Like the nose, the taste is a lot thinner than I was anticipating. The flavors themselves are nice, although perhaps a little too bitter at times, but the problem is I'm just not getting enough of them.

Mouthfeel: Somewhat watery body with a good amount of carbonation. The aftertaste is pleasantly dry and bitter and certainly more intense than the rest of the beer would lead you to expect.

Drinkability: With the thin body, this beer is quite drinkable, though perhaps a bit boring.

Verdict: While the fundamentals of this beer seem strong (I got this line from John McCain), it's just too thin to really inspire me. If they really cranked up the malt on this beer, closer to what you'd expect in a Märzen, I think this beer would be a real winner. However, with the body as thin as it is this beer is simply an average Oktoberfest offering.

Grade: C

Dogfish Head Punkin Ale Review

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Mon, 29 Sep 2008 02:59:00 +0000

Brewery: Dogfish Head Brewery | Beer: Punkin Ale
Style: Pumpkin Ale | ABV: 7.0%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Fall is upon us once again, so I thought it was appropriate to review some seasonal offerings here on PintLog. Instead of starting with one of the cornucopia of Oktoberfest themed beers, I figured I'd start with something a little different. Dogfish Head is one my absolute favorite breweries, they put out some of the most interesting beers on the market. Known for what founder Sam Calagione calls "extreme beer," Dogfish puts out a portfolio of decidedly non-traditional, high alcohol content, high quality brews.

The Fall Dogfish Head seasonal in Punkin Ale, the company's take on (believe it or not) Pumpkin Ale. In true Dogfish Head style, the description/ingredient list on the bottle is nothing if not intriguing: "A full bodied brown ale brewed with real pumpkin, brown sugar, allspice, cinnamon & nutmeg." Based on my experiences with other Dogfish Head offerings, I have some pretty high hopes for this beer. The bottle blurb has me practically drooling, so without further adieu (what exactly is adieu, anyway?) let's pour a bottle.

Appearance: Crystal-clear with a brilliant copper orange hue. A somewhat fizzy finger-width head that fades into decent lacing.

Aroma: Just like a freshly baked pumpkin pie - spicy, lots of pumpkin (obviously), and big doses of sweet brown sugar. It smells exactly how you might imagine while reading over the ingredients. Quite appetizing.

Taste: Brown sugar sweetness and pumpkin up front with a nice spicy nutmeg and cinnamon finish. The beer underneath these flavors is somewhat bitter with sweet and bready malt. You can definitely detect that seven percent booze from time to time, but it's certainly not overpowering. Usually, I'm not a big pumpkin fan, but I really love it in this application. It doesn't really taste like a Brown Ale underneath, more like a malty Pale Ale.

Mouthfeel: Smooth and velvety with a good amount of carbonation. It finishes nicely with the slick feeling you get with higher ABV beers.

Drinkability: Despite the somewhat nontraditional flavor combination and moderately high alcohol content, I'd be more than happy to sit and throw back a four-pack of this over a Fall evening. One of the more sessionable Dogfish Head creations I've tried (for example, it would take quite long night for me to finish a pack of Raison D'Etre).

Verdict: While Pumpkin Ales are nothing new, I knew when I saw the neon orange pack adorned with the shark icon sitting on the shelf, I'd be in for something special. Punkin did not disappoint. Without a doubt, this is the best Pumpkin themed beer I've ever tasted. As I've come to expect from Dogfish, this beer is lavish, complex, and above all, unique. These are the kinds of beers that leave such an indelible impression on me that I can almost summon their taste just by thinking about them. Brilliant.

Grade: A

Mississippi Mud Black & Tan Review

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Sun, 28 Sep 2008 00:48:00 +0000

Brewery: Mississippi Brewing Company | Beer: Mississippi Mud Black & Tan
Style: Black & Tan | ABV: 5.0%
Serving Method: 32 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Typically, when one thinks of a Black & Tan, visions of menacing Dry Irish Stout floating atop golden English Pale Ale come to mind. However, according to the bottle, this brew is a mix of "a robust English Porter with a fine Continental Pilsner." Still, the idea of being able to enjoy a good Black & Tan at home without all of the bent spoons and alchemy is attractive to those that either haven't learned the art or just can't be bothered. (Tip: buy one of those "turtles" they sell at good liquor stores, it couldn't be easier . I'm pretty sure even my English Bulldog could make a decent B&T using one, and she's nearly blind in one eye).

The first thing I think most people notice about this beer is it's signature bottle, featuring a particularly wicked looking gator. Designed to look like an old-timey jug (one you could imagine in, say, Mississippi perhaps), it sure stands out on the shelf. I've always been a big fan of traditional Black & Tans, so I approach this beer with healthy skepticism tempered with a good amount of optimism. By the way, Mississippi Mud is brewed by Mississippi Brewing Brewing Company, of... New York. Uh-oh.

Appearance: Mahogany with ruby highlights and a clear body, this beer doesn't really look much like mud. Pours a pleasant off-white creamy head that slowly settles into a creamy skin and then mild lacing.

Aroma: Medium malt with some of the coffee and chocolate notes you'd expect from something that's half Porter combined with hints of sweet, slightly hoppy lager - not much more here.

Taste: Watered down medium roasted malt body with a bit of dark fruit and the tang of cheap hops. It finishes with hints of weird metallic tones (think Shiner Bock). This doesn't resemble the real deal at all, it's closer to a shitty, watery macro attempt at a Stout, Porter or Dark Lager.

Mouthfeel: The mouthfeel is certainly nowhere near mud - fizzy, thin and watery.

Drinkability: Easy enough to drink I suppose, but really, what's the point? I don't even really want to drink the rest of this glass, let alone the two 32 ouncers in the fridge I secured for testing purposes. (Fear not, dear reader, I eventually did finish all 96 oz. for you).

Verdict: Watery and thin, with the lackluster taste to match, the brewery has some stones to call this "Mississippi Mud," it's closer to St. Louis runoff. I'm assuming that the "Continental Lager" mentioned on the bottle is clever code for a typical American macro-lager. And it certainly does taste like a middle-of-the-road, bland, Porter mixed with swill and given a fancy name. While I certainly did not expect this to be as good as a real B&T, I had at least hoped it would be a somewhat decent analog. But alas, this beer lets down it's awesome bottle, name and premise. All marketing, no beer.

Grade: D

Samuel Adams LongShot Weizenbock Review

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Mon, 01 Sep 2008 00:40:00 +0000

Brewery: Boston Brewing Company | Beer: LongShot Weizenbock
Style: Weizenbock | ABV: 7.2%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Each year the Boston Brewing Company (makers of Sam Adams beers) puts on a homebrew contest and releases the best employee and public entry in a nationally distributed six-pack. Two weeks ago, I reviewed one half of the 2007 Samuel Adams LongShot offerings, LongShot Grape Pale Ale. You can read a bit more about the contest in that review.

This week, we turn to the 2007 winner in the public category, Rodney Kibzey's Weizenbock. Weizenbock is a top-fermenting, unfiltered wheat beer with a strength closer to that of Bock (hence the name). The profile is typically that of dark fruit, spices, bready wheat, and darker malts. According to the bottle, Rodney himself describes this particular beer as "deep amber in color with a full creamy body and a dark fruit and clove aroma." I'm sold, let's try some.

Appearance: Murky brown body with amber highlights and a healthy and creamy ivory head that settles nicely with good retention

Aroma: Sweet bananas and herbal cloves over a nutty and earthy malt base

Taste: Similar to the aroma, banana, dark fruit, and cloves dominate here. However, the nuttiness and roasty malt come out more in the taste than in the nose. Pleasantly, that 7.2% booze comes through every now and then in the back

Mouthfeel: Creamy with medium to high carbonation for good contrast

Drinkability: Even with a somewhat high ABV and its strong flavors, I could easily throw one or two of these into a session

Verdict: Complex and unique, Rodney has really brewed up something special here. I guess with these contest winning brews, the real test is whether people would actually buy them again. Well, I can confidently say that if this was a regular or seasonal offering, I'd happily pick up a six-pack or two a year. After trying this year's winners, I can't wait for next year's!

Grade: A

Saint Arnold Healthier Than Ever

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:58:00 +0000

My "local" brewery and Texas' oldest craft brewer, Saint Arnold, reached a major milestone in the first half of this year. Through the end of June production exceeded 10,000 barrels, (obviously) putting the company on track to produce over 20,000 barrels this year. It seems that this year, by far, will be the biggest in the company's 14 year history.

The production figures so far this year mark a 29% increase over the same point last year. 29%. In fact, the amount of beer these guys have already cranked out in 2008 is roughly equal to their entire output for 2005. For comparison, the Brewer's Association reports that the craft-brew market as a whole is grew at a steady 6.5% over the first half of the year, 22.5% less the Houston brewer. And all of this in a year of great economic slowdown and increasing prices due to the cost of inputs and transportation.

However, this isn't a sudden jump for Saint Arnold, looking back over the company's growth figures for the past 5 years or so, they consistently grow between 20-30% each year. It's not hard to see why either, Saint Arnold has a wonderful portfolio of beer and brilliant marketing. Next year, Saint Arnold is moving out of their current, somewhat cramped, location to a new (historic) location. This will allow them to double brewing capacity, and hopefully give the devoted masses that make the pilgrimage each Saturday for the "tour" a little more room to stretch out.

Check out the Saint Arnold offerings I've reviewed here on PintLog so far: Winter Stout, Fancy Lawnmower and Spring Bock. Want a different Saint Arnold beer reviewed? Ask for it in the comment section!

Samuel Adams LongShot Grape Pale Ale Review

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Mon, 18 Aug 2008 05:19:00 +0000

Brewery: Boston Brewing Company | Beer: LongShot Grape Pale Ale
Style: Pale Ale | ABV: 5.4%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

The Boston Brewing Company, being one of the biggest success stories in craft brewing, takes the art of brewing pretty seriously. A big part of their brand image is the attitude that the company really cares about everyone out there making great beer, including homebrewers. To back this spirit up, every year the company holds a homebrew contest for their employees and the public, with two winners (one from each group) having their concoctions distributed across the country. Click here to watch a cool video the company put together about The American Homebrew Contest.

This review is about the 2007 winner from the employee category, Lili Hess' Grape Pale Ale. The bottle advertises this as an "ale brewed with natural grape flavor and maple syrup added." Well, you certainly have to give Lili points for originality here. In her own words, "It's like you are drinking a pale ale after biting into a fresh green seedless grape." Sounds fun.

Appearance: Rich amber color with a decent off-white head that leaves quite a good amount of lacing

Aroma: Almost smells like a malty apple cider, there's some real brown sugar sweetness lurking here

Taste: A lot more malty than I had expected, it's sweet with some nice tart crispness to balance it all out. I'm getting some fruit, but I can't decide if it's grapes that are coming through though (is it green apples I'm tasting?)

Mouthfeel: Well balanced carbonation with a decidedly light body

Drinkability: Goes down nice and easy, this is a beer in the middle of the spectrum

Verdict: A well balanced malty Pale Ale with a unique twist of sweet fruit. I really love Boston Brewing for putting on this contest, it's a great public service to the world of homebrewing and beer in general. Quite a unusual little beer, Lili Hess' Grape Pale Ale is a worthy winning recipe, athough I bet not everyone would agree with me...

Grade: B

Shiner Hefeweizen Review

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Tue, 13 May 2008 01:27:00 +0000

Brewery: Spoetzl Brewery | Beer: Shiner Hefeweizen
Style: Hefeweizen | ABV: 5.6%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

The first thing I ever noticed about this beer, back when I was first starting to appreciate great beer, was the bizarre graphic of two men sharing the same head (or is it just one man?). Turn the graphic one way and its a wistful chap reminiscent of Phil Collins in a dirty suit after being dumped. Turn it the other way and he’s happy, but looks much less like Phil Collins. The sad chap is pouring a bottle of beer upwards to the happy one. I guess that’s why he’s sad; not because he was dumped but because gravity stopped working right and stole his beer.

I absolutely loved it, I had to have this beer! True, buying a beer based sheerly on it’s labeling is not a smart move; I’ve learned that the hard way. Luckily for me (and Shiner) this time I was not disappointed, I’ve been a big fan ever since. A few years back, Shiner changed the label design to a different interpretation of the one-headed-men concept, this time more stippled with the happy guy wearing a polo shirt.

While visiting my local supermarket a couple weeks back, I noticed a new Shiner design. Once I reached the six-pack my heart sunk as I realized that it was Hefeweizen and the weird little graphic was gone for good. The new design is very bold and colorful and really fits the flavor profile of the beer. But all of this is about a label, who cares, the important stuff is inside.

Shiner Hefeweizen is brewed in the Bavarian wheat beer style that is Hefeweizen. The beer is unfiltered, unpasteurized and brewed with Texas clover honey, and both lemon and orange peels. This makes the beer very unique, especially when compared to the other offerings I can find at local gas stations. Hefeweizen has earned many awards, including a gold medal at the 2002 World Beer Cup for specialty honey lager or ale.

Appearance: Pleasantly cloudy straw to pale orange body with a decent off-white dimpled head that dissipates rather quickly leaving a decent amount of lacing (Note: The sunset light in the above picture makes the beer appear more yellow that it appears in normal light)

Aroma: Sour citrus dominates, with some faint sweetness on top of a subtlety hoppy and grainy body

Taste: Very crisp and tart with huge citrus notes (that linger well into the aftertaste) with slight hints of the added honey - the hops and wheat are very much in the background here

Mouthfeel: Fizzy and a bit thin, but that’s what you are looking for in a summer’s day thirst quencher like this

Drinkability: This a great beer for Texas summers: goes down easy, refreshes and has a moderate ABV so you can keep drinking all afternoon

Verdict: Sour citrus flavors absolutely dominate this beer, so if you aren’t a fan of those flavors you probably aren’t going to like Shiner Hefeweizen much. If you happen to like sour citrus flavors though, you’re going to find a great refreshing beer that is quite affordable (depending on where you live). I’ve always have a fondness for this beer, and although I will always miss the creepy guy(s) on the label, the beer still doesn’t disappoint me.

Grade: A

Shiner Bock Review

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Tue, 13 May 2008 01:16:00 +0000

Brewery: Spoetzl Brewery | Beer: Shiner Bock
Style: Bock | ABV: 4.4%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

The Spoetzl brewery was founded in 1909 in the town of Shiner, Texas by German immigrants looking to recreate the beers they were used to at home. The brewery is named after the second brewmaster and long time owner Kosmos Spoetzl. Today, Shiner brews up a healthy portfolio (reviews of all Shiner beers to follow) with Shiner Bock as the flagship product. We learned about the Bock style a few posts back in the review of Saint Arnold Spring Bock. We also learned that there is some contention as to what classification this beer even belongs to. But while this may in reality be an American Dark Lager, for now we’ll go with the brewer and call it a Bock.

Full disclosure: I drink a lot of this beer. Living in the Houston area, Shiner Bock is my faithful stand-by. I don’t always have the luxury of buying my beer from a specialty shop, or even high-end grocer. In fact, I end up having to buy a lot of beer from *gasp* gas stations. This is where Shiner (people mostly refer to Shiner Bock as simply “Shiner”) comes in. In an endless sea of macro lights, Shiner is the only decent beer to be found in many grocery stores, gas stations and skeezy bars in the area. Funnily enough, at many restaurants in the area, it’s even featured on the “import” list. Oh, Texas.

Appearance: Clear medium brown body with white head that fizzes out quickly, leaving moderate lacing

Aroma: Medium roasted malt body with vague hints of hops in the background

Taste: Roasted malt and caramel notes with a little booze and that famous metallic curve-ball at the end - nice caramel aftertaste

Mouthfeel: Quite dry and clean with moderate carbonation

Drinkability: I can personally assure you, Shiner can be drunk in large quantities over the course of a night

Verdict: This is certainly not the greatest beer in the world, nor the greatest Bock. Hell, as we saw in that Saint Arnold Spring Bock review, it might not even be a Bock. But still, I have a very warm place in my heart for Shiner Bock. It rescues me time and time again out in here the outback of American beer culture.

Just last weekend, I was attending a wedding, dreading choosing between choosing either tea or Bud Light after Bud Light. Then, out of nowhere my spirits lift when I hear the golden words: “They have a keg of Shiner.” I’m proud to say at my upcoming wedding, we will be having a keg of Shiner, too. Though, to be fair I’ll also have a secret stash of some higher-end beers. I guess that’s about the most perfect metaphor for this beer I could have come up with.

Grade: B-

I’m sure you have your own regional beers, that while not exactly world-class, seem to keep ending up in your hand weekend after weekend. Leave a comment and let me know.

Anchor Steam Review

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Fri, 25 Apr 2008 18:05:00 +0000

Brewery: Anchor Brewing Co. | Beer: Anchor Steam
Style: Steam/California Common | ABV: 4.9%
Serving Method: 22 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

It doesn’t take much digging into the history of the craft-brewing movement to run into Fritz Maytag and his Anchor Brewing Company. In 1965, Maytag rescued the failing sixty-nine year old Steam Beer Brewing Company. While he had no prior experience in the brewing world, through sheer drive and determination Fritz was able to turn the brewery around, in the process renaming it after its most popular beer.

Rather than chase the mega-brewers, Anchor decided to position itself as a traditional brewery using traditional ingredients to court the more discriminating beer drinkers that pined for authenticity. Fritz Maytag was a true pioneer in the craft-brewing world, helping to start a revolution we can all be thankful for.

The flagship Anchor brew is Anchor Steam, which happens to be the quintessential Steam beer. Steam beer dates back to the mid-1800s, when settlers in California improvised a way of brewing beer with lager yeasts at warmer ale temperatures. The style we now know as Steam beer is really California Common beer. Anchor Steam typifies the style and as it evolved from traditional Steam beer the California Common style came into being.

Appearance: Clear orange/amber body with a huge and off-white craggy head that leaves decent lacing

Aroma: Caramel and toasted malt ride atop more subtle hops and lemon notes

Taste: Quite bitter up front with rich toasted malt, caramel, banana, and citrus right behind - this is a full-bodied beer

Mouthfeel: Smooth with a good amount of carbonation, leaves a nice grain-like aftertaste

Drinkability: While you can’t doubt the boldness of this beer, it’s still wonderfully sessionable

Verdict: This beer easily earns its status as an absolute legend by being both crucial to the revival of American beer and downright delicious. We owe this beer a lot, buy some and enjoy a few pints of your history.

Grade: A

Saint Arnold Spring Bock Review

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Thu, 10 Apr 2008 21:09:00 +0000

Brewery: Saint Arnold Brewing Co. | Beer: Spring Bock
Style: Bock | ABV: 6.4%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

After a couple of diversions, we return to a beer from the Saint Arnold Brewing Company. My initial plan was to review around five of Saint Arnold's offerings in a row to give a nice (uninterrupted) profile of the brewery. Well, life has a funny way of getting in the way sometimes, but we're back on track (for now).

Next up, we have another of the brewery's seasonal offerings, Spring Bock. Compared to its fellow bottom-fermenters, the bock style of lager is strong and requires a few more weeks of lagering (cold storage). It originated in medieval Germany as a beer to celebrate Spring and mark the end of the brewing season. In German, bock means billy-goat, explaining why so many bock labels (although not this particular one) prominently feature goats.

Saint Arnold introduced Spring Bock in 1998 as the company's second foray into the world of lager. The beer is brewed with five kinds of malt (no adjuncts) and won a silver medal in its class at the 1998 World Beer Cup. In their description of the beer, Saint Arnold delivers a pretty overt dig at their rivals down the road in Shiner:

"By law in Germany, to call a beer a bock it must be brewed to a high starting gravity and thus to a high alcohol content. Our beer follows these guidelines. There are many beers in the United States that use the term "bock" for their beers which aren't really bocks. They may be perfectly good beers, but they're not bocks. They are just dark colored light bodied American lagers."

Ouch. They do have a point though, Shiner Bock weighs in at a paltry 4.4% ABV, while Spring Bock has a decisive advantage at 6.4% ABV. Let's see if the beer lives up to the smack-talk.

Appearance: Clear copper body with a decent creamy head that dissipates quickly

Aroma: Nice balance of malt and hops with just a tinge of booze

Taste: Roasted malt and citrusy hops dominate weaker tones of dark fruit, grains and nuts with the alcohol slipping in right at the end

Mouthfeel: Creamy and smooth with a good amount of carbonation

Drinkability: Goes down smoothly with a nice bitter aftertaste, I could easily drink a few of these despite the alcohol content

Verdict: Spring Bock is a well-balanced dark lager with rich malt and crisp citrus hiding above-average potency. With this beer Saint Arnold is really forcing me to rethink my standards for a good bock, and I love them for it.

Grade: A-

Redhook ESB Review

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Thu, 03 Apr 2008 05:02:00 +0000

Brewery: Redhook Ale Brewery | Beer: ESB
Style: Extra Strong/Special Bitter | ABV: 5.8%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Redhook Ale Brewery is a 360,000 barrel per year operation with breweries on both coasts. It was founded in 1981 by Paul Shipman and Gordon Bowker and is therefore one of the oldest brands in the American craft-brew scene. Anheuser-Busch (gasp!) now owns a minority share of the company, allowing for a proper distribution network. Let's hope that's all they're contributing to the company.

This extra strong (or "special," depending on your location) bitter, titled simply ESB, is their 20+ year old flagship brew. Redhook has been implementing some new marketing tactics, and this beer was not spared the designer's brush. The new label is quite a departure from the thoroughly "80's West-coast craft-brew" number it replaced. What really matters though, is what exactly is inside the snazzy new exterior. (Hint: it's beer)

Appearance: Somewhat cloudy orange/amber body with thin fizzy head and nice effervescence

Aroma: Floral hops over caramel malt with notes of crisp citrus and green apple

Taste: Bitter floral hops dominate over caramel malt, citrus, tea, and spices

Mouthfeel: Coats well with good carbonation

Drinkability: Easily drinkable and refreshing

Verdict: Redhook ESB is a very drinkable and complex bitter ale. Don't be spooked by the new packaging, this beer is still a world-class icon. I can see enjoying a few rounds of this in a beer garden during a sunny Saturday afternoon or in a pub with some mates on a Saturday night. I guess the takeaway here is that this is a great beer for Saturdays.

Grade: B

Breckenridge Avalanche Ale Review

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 18:34:00 +0000

Brewery: Breckenridge Brewery | Beer: Avalanche Ale
Style: American Amber Ale | ABV: 5.4%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Breckenridge Brewery is a small outfit founded in 1990 by Richard Squire in (surprise) Breckenridge, Colorado. A bottling operation followed in 1996 and today churns out 30,000 barrels a year. I picked up a six-pack of their flagship brew based on its slick packaging and Colorado origin expecting another complex amber ale from the Centennial State.

Appearance: Clear amber color (as you would expect) with ruby tones and a thin head that evaporates quickly

Aroma: Grainy light malt with toffee, caramel and citrus undertones

Taste: Very thin and watery, grainy and somewhat malty with a non-hoppy bitterness

Mouthfeel: Flat, thin and watery

Drinkability: I probably wouldn’t be ordering another one of these

Verdict: Pretty weak stuff. It almost seems like a fake craft-brew, I keep looking for a hidden Anheuser-Busch logo somewhere. Bland, flat, and rather soulless, Breckenridge Avalanche is forgettable in every sense.

Grade: D

Saint Arnold Fancy Lawnmower Review

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Fri, 29 Feb 2008 19:03:00 +0000

Brewery: Saint Arnold Brewing Co. | Beer: Fancy Lawnmower
Style: Kölsch | ABV: 4.9%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

This is the second Saint Arnold offering in a series featuring my local microbrewery. Buying local beer both greatly reduces the carbon footprint of your pint and puts your dollar in the pocket of a local company. For the next beer I decided to jump to the opposite end of the spectrum. The Lovibond spectrum that is, har har.

Launched in 2000, Fancy Lawnmower quickly became one of Saint Arnold's signature beers. The beer is an award-winning Kölsch, having racked up one gold and two bronze medals in the Great American Beer Festival. The ingredient list reads pale malted barley, pale wheat, German Hallertauer hops and a type of top fermenting ale yeast that happens to ferment at lager temperatures. I have to admit, even though this beer is a Houston icon, I've never tried it. Let's see how it stands up.

Appearance: Golden, cloudy and effervescent with a thin head that dissipates quickly

Aroma: Floral and bitter, almost reminds me of sparkling apple cider

Taste: Crisp and bitter with citrus hints

Mouthfeel: Not as fizzy as its appearance led me to believe, cuts nicely

Drinkability: Somewhat bitter, but would be perfect for a hot Texas afternoon

Verdict: While Kölsch is not one of the styles of beer I usually reach for, this is certainly a beer I can enjoy. If I was outside in the heat at a ballgame, this would be an almost perfect choice.

Grade: B-

Saint Arnold Winter Stout Review

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Thu, 28 Feb 2008 21:31:00 +0000

Brewery: Saint Arnold Brewing Co. | Beer: Winter Stout
Style: American Stout | ABV: 5.6%
Serving Method: 12 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

Reading Fermenting Revolution by Christopher O'Brien (book review to follow) really drove home how beneficial to the environment drinking local beer can be. With this in mind I decided to review some beers from my local Houston area.

Unfortunately, there aren't the number of craft-brewed offerings flowing from the Bayou City one would hope for. But fear not fellow Houstonians, I've sourced some great beers from a magnificent craft-brewer located right here in Houston, Saint Arnold Brewing Company.

Founded in 1994, Saint Arnold is the oldest microbrewery in the city. In neat a coincidence with my decision to pick this brewer, the company is run with sustainability in mind and even has a six-pack holder recycling program. Their lineup is made up of five regulars and five seasonal brews. The beer I've chosen to showcase here is one of those seasonal specials, their Winter Stout.

Launched in 1997, Winter Stout is the second winter seasonal from Saint Arnold, accompanying their Christmas Ale. The beer has been quite popular amongst SA customers and has even won a silver medal for sweet stout in the 2000 Great American Beer Festival. Using a blend of four kinds of malted barley and two varieties of hop, this beer should have some serious complexity and body.

Appearance: Pours a very dark red-brown (almost black) body with a healthy butterscotch head that settles into a small and almost Guinness-like cream

Aroma: Sweet and malty, almost reminds me of soured Guinness (and not in a bad way)

Taste: Absolutely bursting with flavor! Rich roasted malt body with definite dark chocolate, coffee and caramel notes

Mouthfeel: Feels cold, coats well and is not too fizzy

Drinkability: Initially it seems quite rich, but after a few sips it's a very sessionable beer (providing you like stouts)

Verdict: This a truly a brilliant example of an American Stout with the added bonus of being local. I really wish Saint Arnold would brew this year-round, but they say the demand is not there. What a shame. Looks like I'm going to have to find a case to stash for the summer.

Grade: A

Producers of Samuel Adams to Share Hops With Craft-Brewers in Need

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Mon, 25 Feb 2008 19:00:00 +0000

Over the past few months, the ongoing worldwide hop shortage has affected all brewers, with craft-brewers feeling more of a crunch than the macros. To help ease the pain of its peers in the craft-brew world, Boston Beer Company (makers of Samuel Adams beers) has started a hop sharing program.

Up for grabs are 20,000 pounds of premium hops, half East Kent Goldings grown by Tony Redsell and half German Noble Tettnang Tettnangers from various German growers. This is no quick grab for easy cash from the hard-up brewers without good reserves, BBC will be selling these items at their cost. That's right, they are passing these hops on to those brewers that truly need them just because it's the right thing to do.

I think this program illustrates some of the underlying principles of the craft-brew mindset: brotherhood, sharing for the greater-good and the golden rule. BBC is probably the largest craft-brewer in America and they're showing they still care about great beer and those who brew it, not just their bottom line. Kudos.

Get more details from Boston Brewing Company's site

Lagunitas Cappuccino Stout Review

Chris@pintlog.com (Chris) — Mon, 18 Feb 2008 00:41:00 +0000

Brewery: Lagunitas Brewing Co. | Beer: Cappuccino Stout
Style: American Stout | ABV: 8.0%
Serving Method: 1 Pint, 6 oz. bottle poured into pint glass

I picked this bottle up a while ago and it has been languishing in my beer fridge ever since (as you can tell by the discoloration on the label). Coffee, stouts and dogs all rate quite high on my "favorite things" list, so I'm hoping this beer lives up to my expectations.

Appearance: Dark almost impenetrable red-black body with a tall, brown and fizzy head that settles quickly

Aroma: Nutty, hoppy, sweet, tones of roasted malt and a slight hint of coffee at the end

Taste: Surprisingly bitter with roasted malt and hints of coffee, you can certainly detect that 7.99% ABV lurking beneath

Mouthfeel: Velvety and smooth with mild carbonation

Drinkability: The pint goes down slowly and smoothly, but I might just leave it at one (especially with the alcohol content)

Verdict: I didn't pick up the coffee I was hoping to, but this is a fine bitter stout. A good beer to throw into the rotation every now and then, but not something I'd buy regularly.

Grade: C+