4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, German Hefeweizen, Live Oak Brewing Company, USA

Live Oak HefeWeizen

Wednesday, 1 June 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Live Oak Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 5.3%
Style: German Hefeweizen
Other Notes: 10 IBUs. Bavarian-style weissbier

Brewer Description: (from website) Modeled after the classic wheat beers of Bavaria, Hefeweizen is cloudy and straw-coloured with a meringue-like head that lingers to the bottom of the glass. Brewed with an ample volume of wheat malt and few hops, this beer features a unique yeast strain that produces harmonious notes of clove, banana, and vanilla throughout this effervescent brew. A traditional interpretation of a classic style, this idiosyncratic Bavarian beer is perfectly at home here in Texas.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.33
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 12 fl oz. can with no canned on or best before date. Poured into a Riedel weizen glass.
Appearance: It poured a hazy straw yellow colour with a three finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly and left almost no lacing.
Aroma: Sweet overripe bananas, clove, banana bread and some light wheat.
Taste: Much like the aromas, there is sweet overripe banana, light clove and peach, pear, banana bread and a hint of wheat.
Mouthfeel: Crisp, mid to light bodied with moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: Wow, this was an amazing Hefeweizen. Probably one of the best in this style.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Buxton Brewery, England, Stout - Imperial

Buxton The Living End (Bourbon Barrel Aged)

Tuesday, 31 May 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Buxton Brewery
Country: England
ABV: 11%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Bourbon barrel aged Stout

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Months spent in wood have imparted characteristic sweet, vanilla and oak flavours and aromas into this rich Imperial Stout.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.31
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.2

Intro: A 330ml bottle, 11% ABV version, bottled on 30th October 2015 and best before 30th October 2020. Poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: It poured a pitch black with an extremely thin brown head that disappeared almost immediately and left nice spotty lacing.
Aroma: Dark chocolate and bourbon with hints of mocha coffee and sweet vanilla.
Taste: Sweet mocha, dark chocolate, bourbon notes, vanilla and molasses with light caramel and a lasting light nutty ashy finish.
Mouthfeel: Oily, full bodied with light carbonation.
Overall: A nice Imperial Stout that was not overly sweet and with light bourbon notes.

4 - Good (buy), American Double IPA, Beer Reviews, Stone Brewing Co., USA

Stone Enjoy By 05.30.16 Tangerine IPA

Sunday, 29 May 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 9.4%
Style: American Double IPA
Other Notes: Enjoy by 30th May 2016. Brewed to be enjoyed within 37 days.

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Our all-important , hop-driven quest to deliver the most devastatingly fresh IPA on the planet facilitated a paradigm shift in 2012 with the launch of Stone Enjoy By IPA. Not only did we brew this beer with more than 10 different hops, we brewed it specifically NOT to last. Acclaimed for its groundbreakingly short shelf life, this intense double IPA brought forth a whole new concept of what constitutes “fresh” – guaranteeing fans the ultimate level of hoppiness. For Stone Enjoy By Tangerine IPA, we added the tangy zeal of a mandarin fruit’s juicy nectar. The result… freshness has never tasted as ripe for the picking as this does right now.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.19
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.1

Intro: A 22 fl oz bomber bottled on 23rd April 2016 and to be enjoy by 30th May 2016. Poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass.
Appearance: It poured a clear golden orange colour with a two finger off white head that had decent retention and left nice lacing.
Aroma: Sweet zesty and juicy mandarin and a hint of grapefruit zest and pith.
Taste: Very citrusy with sweet mandarin and bitter grapefruit pith and zest. There’s a hint of pine and caramel malt with the bitterness nice and lasting.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: For some reason I thought I had a bit more time to drink this. But in any case, I did manage to drink it within its limit. It was a great Double IPA with nice mandarin sweetness and grapefruit bitterness that lasts.

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

Cloudwater Bergamot Hopfen Weisse

Saturday, 28 May 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Cloudwater Brew Co.
Country: England
ABV: 6%
Style: German Hefeweizen
Other Notes: Special Edition (small batch). Malts – Wheat, Best Ale, Cara Malt and Light Munich. Hops – Citra, Mosaic and Pilgrim Alpha CO2 Extract.

Brewer Description: (from bottle) A modern hopfen weisse flavoured with zest and juice from 150kg of bergamot lemons.

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

Intro: A 330ml bottle bottled on 18th March 2016 and poured into a Riedel weizen glass.
Appearance: It poured a hazy orange colour with a three finger white head with decent retention and left sticky lacing.
Aroma: Citrusy lemon and strong floral notes with a hint of pineapple and sweet banana.
Taste: Strong floral and zesty citrus lemon with some grapefruit bitterness and orange on the finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: This was an interesting Hefeweizen with strong floral flavours and less banana and clove taste than what I normally find in Hefeweizen’s. I enjoyed the lemons but the floral was maybe a bit strong.

2 - Maybe (likely wouldn't buy, might drink), 55th Street Craft Brewery, American Amber / Red Ale, Beer Reviews, Taiwan

55th Street Amber Ale

Friday, 27 May 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: 55th Street Craft Brewery
Country: Taiwan
ABV: 5.5%
Style: American Amber Ale

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Brewed with dried longan.

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.1
My ratebeer.com rating: 3

Intro: A 330ml bottle bottled on 2nd March 2016 and poured into a Mikkeller pint glass.
Appearance: It poured a hazy amber/dark copper colour with a one finger beige head that dissipated fairly quickly but left nice streaky lacing.
Aroma: Sweet, fruity, plum, longan, raisin and some light caramel.
Taste: On the sweet fruity side with plum, prune, caramel and surprisingly only light longan.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate to low carbonation.
Overall: This was an ok Amber Ale. Carbonation was too low for me, and its a little bit on the sweet side. Longan could also be more prominent in the taste.

words of another dreamy traveller