4 - Good (buy), American Double IPA, Beer Reviews, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, USA

Sierra Nevada Hoptimum

Monday, 29 June 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 10.4%
Style: American Double IPA
Other Notes: 100 IBUs, yeast (Ale yeast), hops (German Magnum, Chinook, Simcoe, plus an experimental variety), malts (Two-row Pale, Munich, Wheat)

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Hoptimum is the biggest whole-cone IPA we have ever produced – a 100 IBU, whole-cone hurricane of flavor. Aggressively hopped, dry hopped AND torpedoed, Hoptimum delivers ultra-intense flavors to hop fanatics everywhere.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.93
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 12 fl oz bottle packaged on 10th April 2015 and poured into a Duvel tulip glass.
Appearance: Poured a clear copper colour with a one and a half finger white head that slowly dissipates into a thin foamy layer that lasts throughout.
Aroma: Strong piney hops and a light citrus grapefruit aroma. There is also some caramel malts.
Taste: Mainly pine hops and grapefruit citrus flavours along with some slight caramel malt which is sweet and sticky. There is also some alcoholic booze aftertaste.
Mouthfeel: Full bodied, medium carbonation, creamy and sticky.
Overall: I really liked this beer and its hoppiness. It’s very close to a must buy for me. I think the two things that hold it back for me are that the caramelly flavours make it a bit too sweet and the booziness that comes through towards the end is stronger than I would have liked it. But having said that, I would buy more from time to time.

Sierra Nevada Coffee Stout

Thursday, 25 June 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 6.2%
Style: American Stout
Other Notes: 53 IBUs

Brewer Description: (from bottle) A cup of joe and a bold beer can thwart the winter cold, so we blended them for the ultimate warmer. Our Coffee Stout is a fusion of dark roasted malts and rich, cold-brewed coffee for layers of bittersweet, fruity, dark chocolate and caramel-like flavors.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.71
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 12 fl oz bottle with a packaged date of 28th October 2014, and poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: The beer poured opaque black with a nice one finger light mocha coloured head that dissipated in about 2 minutes leaving nice spotty lacing.
Aroma: Strong vanilla aromas with dark chocolate, roasted malts and coffee.
Taste: Dark bittersweet chocolate, roasted malts, coffee and some light caramel.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, mild but prickly carbonation, creamy and smooth.
Overall: This was less than 8 months old but I’m thinking the coffee in it may already be less pronounced. The problem is that it’s not that easy for me to find it fresh in Hong Kong. It doesn’t have the crisp fresh coffee bean bite like that of Founders Breakfast Stout that I really enjoy. Having said that, if I could find it again (fresher of course) then I would be sure to give it another shot.

3 - Indifferent (buy if no other choice), Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan, Beer Reviews, German Munich Dunkel Lager, Germany

Weihenstephaner Tradition Bayrisch Dunkel

Wednesday, 24 June 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Bayerische Staatsbrauerei Weihenstephan
Country: Germany
ABV: 5.2%
Style: Munich Dunkel Lager
Other Notes: 24 IBUs

Brewer Description: (from website) Our reddish brown dark lager “Tradition” with its mild aroma of hops smells like roasted malt and impresses with its sweet caramel flavor which is followed by a slight bitterness. Goes well with hearty dishes, such as roasts, poultry and game. Brewed according to our centuries-old brewing tradition on the Weihenstephan hill.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.54
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.4

Intro: A 500ml bottle with a best before date of 2nd July 2015 bought in Bangkok, Thailand, carried back to Hong Kong and poured into a Duvel tulip glass.
Appearance: The beer poured a deep dark copper/amber brown with a slightly off white two finger head that dissipates over about a minute leaving some nice lacing.
Aroma: Light aromas of sweet and roasted malts, brown sugar and overripe plums.
Taste: Some bready roasted malts, dark fruits especially plum and also a hint of chocolate and caramel. As it warms, more grape and bubblegum appears in the flavour.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied, light carbonation and smooth but seems a bit thin (watery).
Overall: This went down easy but perhaps a tad bit ‘watery’. I prefer their Hefeweissbier Dunkel more.

3 - Indifferent (buy if no other choice), American Pale Ale, Beer Reviews, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, USA

Sierra Nevada Pale Ale

Monday, 22 June 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 5.6%
Style: American Pale Ale
Other Notes: 38 IBU

Brewer Description: (from bottle) In 1980, we created a beer highlighting the bold pine and citrus flavors of whole-cone Cascade hops. Today, our all-natural, bottle-conditioned Pale Ale is recognized worldwide as a classic.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.58
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 12 fl oz bottle with a packaged date of 17th March 2015 and poured into a pint glass.
Appearance: The beer poured an extremely clear copper colour with a two finger slightly off-white head that dissipates fairly quickly leaving some stringy lacing.
Aroma: Mainly a piney smell along with some citrus lemon and grapefruit. Some bready malts also come through.
Taste: Pine hop taste along with some bread, biscuit and caramel malt. There’s also a hint of orange and some bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: I’d drink this pale ale again, but I do prefer my pale ales with a slightly less pine, and more tropical fruit flavours instead.

2 - Maybe (wouldn't buy, but will drink), American Amber Ale, Beer Reviews, New Belgium Brewing, USA

New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale

Sunday, 21 June 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: New Belgium Brewing
Country: USA
ABV: 5.2%
Style: American Amber Ale
Other Notes: 22 IBU

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Fat Tire Amber Ale perfectly balances biscuit-like malt flavors with hoppy freshness. Named in honor of a storied bike ride through Europe. Fat Tire cruises with Belgian imagination and inspiration.

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.01
My ratebeer.com rating: 2.8

Intro: A 12 fl oz bottle with an enjoy by date of 19th July 2015 and poured into a pint glass.
Appearance: It poured an extremely clear deep copper colour with a one finger white head that dissipates quickly.
Aroma: Slightly weak aromas, but there’s biscuit and bread like notes, slight caramel and also a touch of apple.
Taste: It’s quite similar to the aromas. I get biscuit malts, caramel and some apple juice. I’m not really getting that much hops.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and medium to high carbonation.
Overall: This was decent and easy to drink but not amazing. I wouldn’t actively seek it, but if I could find a fresher bottle, I’d try it.