Monthly Archives: May 2018

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), American Triple IPA, Beer Reviews, Mikkeller San Diego, USA

Mikkeller San Diego When Hazy Met Sally

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Brewery: Mikkeller San Diego
Country: USA
ABV: 10%
Style: American Triple IPA
Other Notes: Hop Series

Brewer Description: (from can) Triple dry-hopped, New England style, Triple India Pale Ale.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.86
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 1 pint can with a Julian canned on date of 18066, meaning that it was canned on 7th March 2018, ‘I’ll have what she’s having’. Poured into a tumbler glass.
Appearance: A hazy dark orange colour with a slightly less than two finger white head that had good retention and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Over ripe mango, guava, light citrus, dankness, lactose, yoghurt.
Taste: Sweet, mango, apricot, light citrus bitterness, dank, resin, grass with some light alcohol booziness on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Full bodied with moderate to low carbonation.
Overall: This was ok with good tropical fruit aroma and flavours, but the combination of sweetness and light booze together, just wasn’t the best for me.

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4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgian Flanders Oud Bruin, New Belgium Brewing, USA

New Belgium La Folie

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Brewery: New Belgium Brewing
Country: USA
ABV: 7%
Style: Belgian Flanders Oud Bruin
Other Notes: 2016 vintage. Lips of Faith Series. Sour Brown Ale

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Seriously sour, this Flanders-style reddish brown ale was aged 1-3 years in French oak barrels for mouthpuckering perfection.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.08
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 22 fl. oz. bomber, 2016 vintage, bottled on 19th December 2015. Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A dark reddish brown colour with a two fingered creamy tanned head that had decent retention and left some nice lacing.
Aroma: Tart cherry, vinous, wine with hints of plum, raisin, oak and vinegar.
Taste: Tart, sour, cherry, plum, vinous and oak with hints of green apple. A good lasting sour finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: A nice and great tasting Oud Bruin.

5 - Excellent (must buy), Beer Reviews, Fruit Beer, New Glarus Brewing Company, USA

New Glarus Wisconsin Belgian Red

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Brewery: New Glarus Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 4% (I think… the bottle and website don’t state this)
Style: Fruit Beer
Other Notes: Wisconsin Ale brewed with cherries

Brewer Description: (from bottle) You hold the marriage of wine and beer. Belgian Red is a tapestry of flavor. This ale is brewed with whole Montmorency Cherries, Wisconsin farmed wheat and Belgian roasted barleys, balanced by hops we aged in our brewery one full year, and then aged in oak vats. Over a pound of Door County Cherries in every bottle makes this ale uniquely “Wisconsin”. So unique, in fact, that we applied for a patent. Expect this ale to be ruby red, with a medium body that is highly carbonated and intense with cherry flavor & bouquet. Serve your friends Belgian Red in a brandy sniffer or champagne flute and toast life with ale from the land of Wisconsin.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.7
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.5

Intro: A 1 pint 9 fl. oz. bottle with no bottled on or best before date (but I think 2017 designed labels). Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A cloudy deep purple red with a big two finger beige head that had decent retention while leaving some lacing.
Aroma: Tart, cherry, artificial candied cherry with hints of oak and almond.
Taste: Tart, lightly sweet, lightly sour, cherry, oak and almonds.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with low to moderate carbonation.
Overall: Wonderful as the tart and sour balanced out the sweetness leaving behind cherry and almond fruity goodness.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Cloudwater Brew Co., Czech Pilsner, England

Cloudwater Pilsner Motueka Mandarina

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Brewery: Cloudwater Brew Co.
Country: England
ABV: 5%
Style: Czech Pilsner
Other Notes: Autumn-Winter. Specialising in modern, seasonal beer. Malts – Pilsner Malt and Carapils. Yeast – WLP833. Hops – Motueka, Mandarina Bavaria and Pilgrim Alpha CO2 Extract

Brewer Description: (from can) This Pilsner was fermented with WLP833, and features Motueka through delicate aroma hopping.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.75
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A 440ml can, canned on 11th January 2018 and with a before date of end of July 2018. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A lightly hazy golden straw colour with a two finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly while leaving lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Light mango, lemon zest, citrus rind, straw, cereal grainy and lightly floral.
Taste: Lightly sweet, grainy, touch of mango with hints of mandarin peel, rind and floralness.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Nice, refreshing and easy to drink, despite the floral characters that I’m not fond of.

5 - Excellent (must buy), Beer Reviews, Fruit Beer, New Glarus Brewing Company, USA

New Glarus Serendipity

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Brewery: New Glarus Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 4% (I think… the bottle and website don’t state this)
Style: Fruit Beer
Other Notes: Wisconsin Ale brewed with apples, cranberries & cherries

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Severe drought, we shared the farmer’s horror as Wisconsin’s cherry crop failed! Dan bought what cherries he could. The apple crop fared better. Then joy! A grand Wisconsin cranberry harvest. What will Dan brew with apples, cranberries and cherries? Oh my! You hold the happy accident of Wisconsin’s favorite fruit aged in oak with an almost magical wild fermentation. Serendipity is a wondrous celebration that sparkles your senses and dances across your palate. A kaleidoscope of flavor discovered by accident in a sour ale! Cheers to the unexpected.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.53
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.4

Intro: A 1 pint 9 fl. oz. bottle with no bottled on or best before date (but I think 2017 designed labels). Poured into a 3 Fonteinen stemmed glass.
Appearance: A hazy dark reddish brown colour with a big three finger beige head that had decent retention while leaving some spotty lacing.
Aroma: Sweet, jammy, cherry, apple juice, cranberries.
Taste: Sweetarts, sweet and lightly tart, cherry, oak, apple and cranberry.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with light carbonation.
Overall: Although sweet, I think the apple/apple juice flavours balanced out that sweetness really well, and I easily preferred this over Raspberry Tart which was almost too sweet. Very drinkable goodness!