Tag Archives: usa

5 - Excellent (must buy), Beer Reviews, Sante Adairius Rustic Ales, USA, Wild Ale

Sante Adairius West Ashley

Saturday, 10 September 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Sante Adairius Rustic Ales
Country: USA
ABV: 7.3%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: Saison aged in French Oak Pinot Noir barrels with apricots

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Orange, lactic, and bursting with apricot aroma, West Ashley is built for consideration and conversation. While Ashley starts as a simple Saison, careful aging in French Oak Pinot Noir barrels with apricots, our house microbes, and warm encouragement transform her into a tart, complex and delectable beer. To enjoy all that she offers, we encourage you to rouse the residual yeast, bacteria, and fruit into solution before serving West Ashley in your favorite stemmed glassware. Sante!

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.6
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.5

Intro: A 750ml bottle at Himmergiet with no discernible bottled on date on the bottle although the menu states that it was 2016. Poured into a mini wine glass.
Appearance: It poured a hazy golden straw colour with a minimal white head and sparse lacing.
Aroma: An initial whiff of something that reminded me of tuna salad followed by tart, apricot, berries, funk, grass and hay.
Taste: Sour, tart, apricot, raspberry and cranberry.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: My first SARA beer and it was a very enjoyable and refreshing sour. Now I really want to get my hands on more West Ashley and other SARA beers if possible. Just not so easy for me…

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, USA, Wicked Weed Brewing, Wild Ale

Wicked Weed Marina

Wednesday, 7 September 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Wicked Weed Brewing
Country: USA
ABV: 6.5%
Style: American Wild Ale
Other Notes: Marina is a blonde sour ale aged in wine barrels with over one pound per gallon of peaches and apricots. The result is a delicate, hazy-gold ale with deep stone fruit character

Brewer Description: (from bottle) The daughter of a poor, ailing farmer, Marina was wrought with the burden of responsibility. Her father had done his best to raise her with all the love and lessons benefitting a princess. Time passed and with it her father. Her worry for the land deepened and dominated her every thought. One night, Marina found a letter scribbled in her father’s hand: “Do not fear; you are the daughter of the king, sister to Medora, raised outside the kingdom to keep you safe when war was upon us.” Marina, unburdened and full of rejoicing, returned home to her sister, and it was said of them, never did such just and loving rulers watch over the people.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.41
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.3

Intro: On tap at Koelschip, Copenhagen, into a Mikkeller Spontan mini gueuze type glass.
Appearance: It was a slightly hazy golden straw yellow colour with a half finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly but left great lacing.
Aroma: Sour, tart, funk, green apple and apple juice.
Taste: Sour, tart, peach, apricot, cherry, strawberry and light funk.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate to high carbonation.
Overall: Nice, refreshing and easy to drink.

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

AleSmith Speedway Stout – Hammerhead

Monday, 5 September 2016 kitch Leave a comment

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

Brewer Description: (from website) Mirroring the coffee-house espresso-drink of the same name, Hammerhead Speedway Stout is a version of AleSmith’s world-renowned coffee imperial stout dosed with even more select java plus a heaping helping of espresso. This highly caffeinated one-off was first brewed on an experimental basis as part of AleSmith’s popular Speedway Grand Prix event during the 2013 edition of San Diego Beer Week. Introduced along with 11 other special versions of Speedway Stout, it was an instant classic and the all-around favorite of AleSmith fans. As such, we are immensely proud to bottle it for the very first time as the first in a family of future releases that will eventually tackle the beer’s much beloved offspring, Double Hammerhead Speedway Stout and, for the most insatiable Joe enthusiasts, Triple Hammerhead Speedway Stout.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.39
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.3

Intro: On tap at Mikkeller & Friends (Stefansgade), Copenhagen, into a Mikkeller tasting glass.
Appearance: It was a nice dark black colour with a one finger beige head with moderate retention and great lacing.
Aroma: Dark chocolate, oak, vanilla, coffee and a touch of alcohol.
Taste: Espresso, chocolate, vanilla, oak and dark fruit.
Mouthfeel: Rich, full bodied with light carbonation.
Overall: A very nice Imperial Stout and a great variant of the Speedway Stout.

2 - Maybe (likely wouldn't buy, might drink), Beer Reviews, Hill Farmstead Brewery, Porter, USA

Hill Farmstead Shirley Mae

Friday, 2 September 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Hill Farmstead Brewery
Country: USA
ABV: 4%
Style: American Porter

Brewer Description: (from website) Shirley Mae (1936 – 2015) was our cousin, daughter of Everett, and a beloved supporter of her family and Hill Farmstead. In her honor, this American session version of our Everett porter is crafted from American malted barley, English and German roasted malts, American hops, our ale yeast and water from our well. Chocolate, coffee, and light malty sweetness, this ale embodies her ebullient and generous spirit – a fitting tribute.

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.15
My ratebeer.com rating: 3

Intro: On tap at Mikkeller & Friends (Stefansgade), Copenhagen, into a Mikkeller tasting glass.
Appearance: It was a dark brown colour with a one finger tanned head that had great retention and lacing.
Aroma: Wonderful coffee bean, chocolate, mocha and a touch of vanilla.
Taste: Surprisingly disappointing considering the great aroma. An un-complex mish mash with a bit of coffee here and a bit of chocolate there.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with very light carbonation.
Overall: I guess this just wasn’t my thing. I easily preferred Everett over Shirley Mae.

4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, Gose, USA, Westbrook Brewing Co.

Westbrook Gose

Thursday, 1 September 2016 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Westbrook Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 4%
Style: German Gose
Other Notes: 5 IBUs

Brewer Description: (from website) This is our interpretation of Gose (pronounced “Gose-uh”), a traditional German-style sour wheat beer brewed with coriander and salt. Once nearly extinct, this very refreshing style is making a comeback.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.04
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: On tap at Fermentoren, Copenhagen, into a Fermentoren wine glass.
Appearance: It was a clear golden colour with a one finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly leaving only sparse light lacing.
Aroma: Sour, tart, grape and white wine.
Taste: What you smell is what you taste. Salty, sour, tart, grape and white wine.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: It was very refreshing and great to drink outdoors on a hot summer day.

(picture below) Westbrook Gose is obviously the glass on the left. On the right is the Verzet Oud Bruin.

words of another dreamy traveller