Category Archives: USA

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Founders Brewing Company, German Pilsner, USA

Founders PC Pils

Tuesday, 10 January 2017 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Founders Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 5.5%
Style: German Pilsner
Other Notes: 45 IBUs

Brewer Description: (from website) Pleasantly crisp, perfectly clean and profoundly crushable, PC Pils is our take on the classic Pilsner style. While Noble hops have been the preferred choice of Pilsner brewers around the world, we went with some of our favorite American varieties. Piney Chinook, pleasantly citrus Cascade and punchy Centennial make this an easy-drinker with floral hop characteristics. Pretty cool, if you ask us.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.74
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 355ml bottle with a best by date of 7th July 2017. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A slightly hazy straw golden colour with a two finger white head that dissipated quite fast but left nice lacing.
Aroma: Bready, citrus, pine with hints of herbal and floral elements.
Taste: Sweet grainy malt, pine, lemon zest bitter and bready with a herbal note.
Mouthfeel: Dry, crisp, light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: Clean, refreshing, good balance of sweet and bitter, and an interesting take on the Pilsner using American hops.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Stone Brewing Co., Stout - Milk / Sweet, USA

Stone Xocoveza

Sunday, 1 January 2017 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 8.1%
Style: Milk / Sweet Stout
Other Notes: 50 IBUs. Hops – English Challenger and East Kent Golding. Brewed with cocoa, coffee, peppers, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg

Brewer Description: (from bottle) There’s nothing like making a beer so beloved that people feel compelled to campaign for its return. So, in the spirit of the holiday season, we are very pleased to give our fans the number one item on their wish lists. That, as illustrated by the avalanche of social media requests, is Stone Xocoveza, an insanely delicious take on Mexican hot chocolate brewed with cocoa, coffee, pasilla peppers, vanilla, cinnamon and nutmeg. First brewed in 2014 with San Diego homebrewer Chris Banker after his recipe was named the winner of our annual homebrew competition, this beer is layered with smooth roastiness, chocolate and a touch of spice. This creamy, semisweet mocha stout has gone from initially being a one-time offering to a yearly tradition thanks entirely to you. Happy holidays from all of us to all of you… and feel free to continue enjoying it long into the winter months, as this gem will age beautifully and is definitely not exclusive to the holidays!

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

Intro: A 330ml bottle, bottled on 2nd October 2016, and poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Dark brown in colour with a one finger brown head that dissipated fairly quickly but left nice lacing.
Aroma: Milk chocolate, cinnamon, nutmeg, vanilla, nuttiness and peppers.
Taste: Lots of cinnamon upfront with nutmeg and mild chili pepper spiciness. Chocolate, coffee and vanilla follow.
Mouthfeel: Full bodied with low carbonation.
Overall: I was worried that this would be too sweet, but that turned out to be unfounded. The adjuncts were nice and gave it a nice winter/holiday feel to the beer. I would get this every winter and perhaps even age a few to see what happens.

2 - Maybe (likely wouldn't buy, might drink), Beer Reviews, Boston Beer Company, USA, Wild Ale

Samuel Adams (Barrel Room Collection) Stony Brook Red

Friday, 30 December 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Boston Beer Company
Country: USA
ABV: 9%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: A unique Belgian Style Red with a hint of tart, fruit and toasted oak character

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Distinctive and enticing, this unique and utterly complex brew builds from the inspiration of Flemish reds. It begins with an earthy sourness and hints of dark fruit but the tartness gives way to a rich maltiness and touch of toasted oak. These flavors are rounded and deepened by the barrel aging for a layered & alluring brew. One of our brewers’ favorite places to experiment is in the barrel room at our Boston Brewery. It’s here that each of our Samuel Adams Barrel Room Collection brews was born.

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.5
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.2

Intro: A 1pt 9.4 fl oz corked and caged bottle with a best before date of 1st October 2017. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A dark ruby reddish brown colour with a big three finger light tanned head that had decent retention and left only sparse lacing.
Aroma: Fruity tart cherry, red berries, grape, plum, caramel and a touch of vinegar.
Taste: Much less fruit than the aroma, sour, tart, cherry, plum, oak, alcohol and vinegar.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and highly (overly) carbonated.
Overall: Taste was decent but I think its fruitiness was definitely affected by the harshness of the carbonation, which I felt mellowed it, when compared to the aroma. For me, the problem all stemmed from the harshness of the carbonation when swallowing, which I thought was way more than even any soda that I’ve drank before. If toned down a bit, I think that I would have enjoyed it a lot more.

4 - Good (buy), Avery Brewing Company, Beer Reviews, Stout - Imperial, USA

Avery Tweak

Wednesday, 28 December 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Avery Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 17.5%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Batch No.2. Stout with Coffee added, aged in Bourbon Barrels

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Our very own Parker, of the cartoon and cat loving variety, created this cult classic character back in our 17th season. Appearing in several episodes under another stage name that was deemed inappropriate, our executive producers and editors decided that a name change and further character development – a 4-month hiatus in bourbon barrels – were necessary to satisfy our most ardent and demanding viewers.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.34
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 12 fl oz bottle, Batch #2, bottled on 25th January 2016. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: A dark brown to black colour with a one finger mocha head that had decent retention and left sparse spotty lacing.
Aroma: Very nice cocoa, chocolate fudge, espresso coffee, vanilla, raisin, cherry and bourbon.
Taste: Sweet plum, prunes, raisin, bittersweet chocolate, vanilla, molasses, coffee and strong but not overpowering bourbon.
Mouthfeel: A little bit thin at medium to full bodied, with low carbonation. Definitely some boozy heat, but its not overdone.
Overall: A very nice Coffee BA Imperial Stout that’s not overly sweet and has great aromas and taste. At 17.5% ABV, you get the boozy heat, but it’s still a very nice sipper.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Deschutes Brewery, USA, Winter Warmer

Deschutes Jubelale

Tuesday, 20 December 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Deschutes Brewery
Country: USA
ABV: 6.7%
Style: Winter Warmer
Other Notes: 65 IBUs. Malts – Pale, Crystal, Extra Special, Carapils and Roasted Barley. Hops – Bravo, Cascade, Delta, Tettnang, East Kent and Goldings

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Cocoa, dried fruit, and toffee notes. A robust ale with a warming spice.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.7
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 355ml bottle with a best before date of 3rd April 2017. Poured into a Lost Abbey teku glass.
Appearance: A very nice clear dark amber colour with big almost three finger tanned head with great retention and left lots of nice lacing.
Aroma: Caramel malts, toffee and dark berries.
Taste: Milk chocolate, cocoa, roasty coffee, toasted bread, raisin and prune sweetness.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with low to moderate carbonation.
Overall: This was ok, but I didn’t really get the warming spices that were supposedly there.

words of another dreamy traveller