Monthly Archives: March 2017

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, England, Magic Rock Brewing, Porter

Magic Rock Common Grounds

Leave a comment

Brewery: Magic Rock Brewing
Country: England
ABV: 5.4%
Style: American Porter

Brewer Description: (from can) Triple coffee Porter.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.48
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.4

Intro: A 330ml can with a best before date of 28th August 2017. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a nice two fingered tanned head that had pretty good retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: A good amount of fresh black coffee and chocolate.
Taste: Like drinking iced black coffee with a touch of chocolate, toffee and vanilla.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with light carbonation.
Overall: I thought that it looked and smelt great. However, taste was a little one dimensional coffee, and unfortunately, in a way, I would prefer regular iced black coffee. In addition, body was a little light and could do with higher carbonation.

5 - Excellent (must buy), AleSmith Brewing Company, Beer Reviews, Stout - Imperial, USA

AleSmith Speedway Stout

Leave a comment

Brewery: AleSmith Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 12%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Imperial Stout with Coffee

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Speedway Stout’s ominous, pitch-black appearance has become a hallmark of this modern-day classic. Chocolate and roasted malts dominate the flavor, supported by notes of dark fruit, toffee, and caramel. A healthy dose of locally-roasted coffee from Ryan Bros. Coffee, Inc. added to each batch brings out the beer’s dark chocolate flavors and enhances its drinkability. Despite its intensity, Speedway Stout’s fine carbonation and creamy mouthfeel make it very smooth and surprisingly easy to drink. This beer ages very well and will continue to mature for many years to come.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.54
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.4

Intro: A 750ml foiled bottle with no clear bottled on or best before date. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Black in colour with a just over one finger tanned head that had good retention and left great lacing.
Aroma: Roasty malts, dark chocolate, coffee, caramel with hints of vanilla and dark fruit.
Taste: Follows the aroma with roasted malts, dark chocolate, caramel, toffee, vanilla, coffee and dark fruits.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, velvety and smooth. Full bodied with light carbonation and light warming alcohol booze.
Overall: A very nice classic Imperial Stout. Very easy to drink with its nice coffee and chocolate flavours.

4 - Good (buy), American Double IPA, Beer Reviews, Stigbergets Bryggeri, Sweden

Stigbergets Api Lairepmi

Leave a comment

Brewery: Stigbergets Bryggeri
Country: Sweden
ABV: 8%
Style: American Double IPA

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Imperial progressive ale.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.25
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 330ml bottle, batch 578, with a best before date of 4th July 2017. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A hazy dark orange-yellow colour with a nice two finger white head that had great retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: A very nice and intense mango yoghurt with touches of apricot and papaya on the side.
Taste: Strong bitterness at the beginning, followed by tropical mango, apricot and orange peel.
Mouthfeel: Dry, medium to full bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: I completely loved the mango yoghurt aroma that it was giving off. However, when it came to the taste, I thought that the bitterness kind of wiped out a lot of the tropical fruit flavours that you’d expect from such an aroma. It is still tasty though and doesn’t feel at all like its close to 8% ABV.

4 - Good (buy), AleSmith Brewing Company, American IPA, Beer Reviews, USA

AleSmith IPA

Leave a comment

Brewery: AleSmith Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 7.25%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: San Diego-style India Pale Ale

Brewer Description: (from can) Our hometown of San Diego is considered the epicenter of its namesake style of India Pale Ale – extremely crisp, highly drinkable beers brimming over with hop aromas and bright yet not overly bitter hop flavors. AleSmith IPA is the progenitor of this rightfully popular style. A bright bouquet of grapefruit and tangerine aromas gives way to an abundance of fresh piney, tropical notes on the taste buds with lingering resinous sensations in the finish for quintessential San Diego IPA experience showcasing the versatility of American hops.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.35
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 12 fl oz can, canned on 5th October 2016. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy, light copper orange colour with a nice two finger off white head with good retention and great lacing.
Aroma: Tropical pineapple and apricot with citrus orange, pine and sweet biscuit malt.
Taste: Citrusy and bitter orange peel, mandarin and grapefruit followed by sweet-ish pineapple, biscuit malt and pine. The finish has a nice long resinous bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, dry-ish, medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: A wonderfully tasty and balanced West Coast IPA. Also loving the cans!

4 - Good (buy), American IPA, Beer Reviews, Stigbergets Bryggeri, Sweden

Stigbergets West Coast IPA

Leave a comment

Brewery: Stigbergets Bryggeri
Country: Sweden
ABV: 6.5%
Style: American IPA

Brewer Description: Could not find any information on this beer in English on their website or on the bottle.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.26
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 330ml bottle, batch 579, with a best before date of 10th July 2017. Poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass.
Appearance: A hazy darkish orange colour with a one finger white head that had pretty good retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Strong pineapple and papaya with hints of mango, grapefruit and pine here and there.
Taste: Pineapple and mango tropical fruit starts and ends quickly, followed by a long lemon peel, lemon tea, pine and grapefruit bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate to low carbonation.
Overall: What I liked about GBG and Amazing Haze was the tropical fruit flavours. With this West Coast IPA, the tropical flavours were there, but only for a second; they disappeared too fast. Having said that, it is still a very nice and enjoyable IPA.