Category Archives: 4 – Good (buy)

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Farmhouse Saison, Prairie Artisan Ales x Saint Somewhere Brewing Company, USA

Prairie x Saint Somewhere Prairie Somewhere

Monday, 7 March 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Prairie Artisan Ales x Saint Somewhere Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 7%
Style: Belgian Saison
Other Notes: 20 IBUs. Brewed and bottled by Krebs Brewing Co., Krebs, Oklahoma.

Brewer Description: (from website) Prairie Somewhere is a blend of golden farmhouse ale and a sour ale. Citrus fruit is used in the kettle to add intense orange and lime notes.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.23
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 16.9 fl oz (500ml) bottle with a Julian bottled on date of 10615, meaning it was bottled on 16th April 2015. It was poured into a Duvel tulip glass.
Appearance: It poured a cloudy copper dark orange colour with a one finger off white head that dissipates fairly quickly. Not much lacing.
Aroma: Tart, funky, barnyard, apple and lime.
Taste: Sour tartness, lemon juice, orange and a strong lime finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with high carbonation.
Overall: This sour saison style is right up my alley and Prairie Somewhere ticks all the right boxes for me. Very enjoyable and something that I will be looking to get more of if possible. Love the bottle art as well!

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Farmhouse Saison, Prairie Artisan Ales, USA

Prairie Prairie Hop

Friday, 26 February 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Prairie Artisan Ales
Country: USA
ABV: 8%
Style: Belgian Saison
Other Notes: 35 IBUs. Brewed and bottled by Krebs Brewing Co., Krebs, Oklahoma.

Brewer Description: (from website) Prairie Hop is our hop driven saison. This beer is packed with Simcoe and Citra hops. Notes of peach, mango, and tangerine can be found in the flavor and aroma of this beer. The beer finishes dry which helps the hops jump out of the glass flavor wise.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.14
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 1 pint 0.9 fl oz (500ml) bottle with a Julian bottled on date of 19515, meaning it was bottled on 14th July 2015. It was poured into a Duvel tulip glass.
Appearance: It poured a cloudy light gold colour (maybe even a bit murky) with a huge 3 finger white head that had good retention and nice lacing.
Aroma: Tropical pineapple, mango and peach, some grassiness and pear with a peppery mandarin finish.
Taste: Starts with biscuity bready malts, slight tartness with tropical mango and peach, followed by grassy and floral notes, some citrus zestiness and a mandarin, white peppery spice finish.
Mouthfeel: Dry, medium bodied with mid to high carbonation.
Overall: Overall a great saison with nice tropical, zesty and spicy notes.

4 - Good (buy), American Pale Ale, Beer Reviews, Omnipollo, Sweden

Omnipollo Onda Mosaic Pale Ale

Wednesday, 17 February 2016 kitch 1 Comment

Brewery: Omnipollo
Country: Sweden
ABV: 5%
Style: American Pale Ale
Other Notes: Brewed by Omnipollo at De Proef Brouwerij (Belgium)

Brewer Description: (from website) Me and Karl reached out to Onda of STHLM Inkasso over a year ago. With beats and a rap flow like no other he had inspired us to brew a beer. Onda is a smooth pale ale brewed with 100% Mosaic hops.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.09
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 330ml bottle with a best before date of 11th March 2016 poured into a Duvel tulip glass.
Appearance: It poured a hazy dark yellow colour with a big puffy 3 finger white head that has good retention and leaves thick sticky lacing.
Aroma: Very juicy tropical fruit especially mango, passionfruit, peach and apricot. There is also a hint of pine and citrus lemon.
Taste: Starts tropical with mango and pineapple before slowly turning lightly bitter with pine, lemon and grapefruit taking over.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with mid to high carbonation.
Overall: A nice pale ale that is easy to drink and refreshing.

4 - Good (buy), American Pale Ale, Ballast Point Brewing Company, Beer Reviews, USA

Ballast Point Grunion Pale Ale

Thursday, 31 December 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Ballast Point Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 5.5%
Style: American Pale Ale
Other Notes: 35 IBUs. Hoppy Pale Ale.

Brewer Description: (from website) A new Pale Ale where hops run the show. Our Grunion Pale Ale wasn’t born on a beach, but in a backyard. Originating from an employee-only home brew contest, this award-winning hoppy pale ale is named after the tiny local fish known for late night frolics on shore. A pair of new hop varieties lend strong yet balanced summer melon aromas and herbal flavors, while a soft caramel malt sweetness holds it all together.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.36
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.3

Intro: A 12 fl oz bottle with a bottled code date of 15217 which means 5th August 2015, and poured into a Duvel tulip glass.
Appearance: It poured a slightly hazy golden orange colour with a one finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly leaving nice lacing.
Aroma: Lots of tropical fruits in the aromas with mango and passionfruit as well as some citrus grapefruit in the background.
Taste: Much like the aromas the tropical fruit is strong, mainly mango, passionfruit and pineapple. In the background, is some light citrus grapefruit and biscuity, bready malts with a tea like finish.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, medium bodied with mid to high carbonation.
Overall: A very tasty and crisp APA with a wonderful tropicalness to it.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Belgian Strong Pale Ale, Belgium, De Struise Brouwers

De Struise Tsjeeses Reserva Port Barrel Aged

Saturday, 26 December 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: De Struise Brouwers
Country: Belgium
ABV: 10%
Style: Belgian Strong Pale Ale
Other Notes: 2013 Vintage

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Belgian X-Mas Ale.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.32
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 330ml bottle of 2013 vintage, bottled on July 2014 with a best before date of 15th August 2019 and poured into a Duvel tulip glass.
Appearance: It poured a cloudy dark orange bronze colour with a fluffy two finger light tanned head with good retention that leaves nice spotty lacing.
Aroma: Sweet and fruity plum, apple, grape, fig and red wine with hints of caramel and vanilla.
Taste: Sweet apples, orange, port, grapes with oak woody notes and caramel malts.
Mouthfeel: Very rich, medium bodied with medium but strong prickly carbonation.
Overall: I wish I had the original non barrel aged version of this to compare to. However, this Port BA version is very good. Even at 10% the alcohol is well hidden and being Port BA I was a bit worried that it would be too sweet but its actually at a good level. A great barrel aged Belgian Strong Pale Ale that I would get again next year!

words of another dreamy traveller