Tag Archives: usa

2 - Maybe (likely wouldn't buy, might drink), American Pale Lager, Beer Reviews, Jack’s Abby Brewing, USA

Jack’s Abby Jabby Brau

Tuesday, 6 October 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Jack’s Abby Brewing
Country: USA
ABV: 4.5%
Style: American Pale Lager
Other Notes: 20 IBUs. Malt – Pilsner, Munich.

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Deep golden in color, this lager balances Pilsner and Munich malt with aromatic American hops. This beer starts hoppy but finishes unexpectedly malty with very low bitterness. Impressively flavourful and drinkable, we dub this beer a “Session Lager.” Jabby Brau uses locally sourced ingredients.

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.3
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.1

Intro: A 12 fl oz bottle with no bottled on date and poured into a pint glass.
Appearance: It poured a slightly hazy golden colour with a light one finger white head that dissipates to a foamy layer with only very light lacing.
Aroma: Bready malts, pine and some light citrus orange peel, lemon and lime.
Taste: Grassy, honey and brown sugar sweetness, caramel and bready malts, corn and light hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, light bodied with medium carbonation.
Overall: I’m not normally a lager person, but Jack’s Abby are definitely changing my views and showing me what can actually be done with lagers. In this case, Jack’s Abby has produced another lager that would better most, but still falls a little flat.

4 - Good (buy), American Strong Ale, Beer Reviews, Stone Brewing Co. (Arrogant Consortia), USA

Stone Arrogant Bastard Ale

Monday, 5 October 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Stone Brewing Co. (Arrogant Consortia)
Country: USA
ABV: 7.2%
Style: American Strong Ale
Other Notes: IBU – classified. Hops – classified.

Brewer Description: (from bottle) This is an aggressive ale. You probably won’t like it. It is quite doubtful that you have the taste or sophistication to be able to appreciate an ale of this quality and depth. We would suggest that you stick to safer and more familiar territory–maybe something with a multi-million dollar ad campaign aimed at convincing you it’s made in a little brewery, or one that implies that their tasteless fizzy yellow beverage will give you more sex appeal. Perhaps you think multi-million dollar ad campaigns make a beer taste better. Perhaps you’re mouthing your words as you read this.

At Stone Brewing, we believe that pandering to the lowest common denominator represents the height of tyranny–a virtual form of keeping the consumer barefoot and stupid. Brought forth upon an unsuspecting public in 1997, Arrogant Bastard Ale openly challenged the tyrannical overlords who were brazenly attempting to keep Americans chained in the shackles of poor taste. As the progenitor of its style, Arrogant Bastard Ale has reveled in its unprecedented and uncompromising celebration of intensity. There have been many nods to Arrogant Bastard Ale…even outright attempts to copy it… but only one can ever embody the true nature of Liquid Arrogance!

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.15
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: A 22 oz bomber with an enjoy by date of 9th October 2015 and poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Poured a very nice clear dark copper amber colour with a one finger tanned head with low retention but leaves spotty lacing.
Aroma: Strong caramel malt aromas followed by maple syrup, toffee, almond and pineapple. There were also hints of minerals and also piney hops towards the finish.
Taste: Sweet-ish roasted caramel malts mixed with grapefruit and pine hop bitterness. The finish is a very nice long lasting bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Mid to full bodied with medium carbonation and nice light alcohol warmth.
Overall: I haven’t had the chance to try many American Strong Ales, but this one was really good. Great balance and the lasting bitterness at the end along with the light alcohol warmth make it really enjoyable.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Belgian IPA, Clown Shoes Beer, USA

Clown Shoes Tramp Stamp

Friday, 2 October 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Clown Shoes Beer
Country: USA
ABV: 7%
Style: Belgian IPA
Other Notes: Brewed and bottled by Mercury Brewing Co., Ipswich, MA.

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Like a stamp on a tramp, this beer is about not so subtle seduction. Soft but complex malts, Chambly yeast, sweet orange peel, Columbus, Amarillo and Centennial hops have merged to create a bodacious Belgian IPA.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.6
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.5

Intro: A 12 fl oz bottle with a bottled on date of 23rd March 2015 and poured into a Duvel tulip glass.
Appearance: It poured a slightly hazy dark amber orange colour with a thick almost two finger off white head that has great retention and leaves thick foamy lacing.
Aroma: First thing that comes to mind is Tropicana orange juice. It is strong orange juice with hints of caramel malts, citrus orange zest, grapefruit and lemon.
Taste: Citrus orange peel hits you upfront followed by grapefruit, pine, caramel malts and some kind of funk (in a good way).
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with high tingly carbonation.
Overall: Admittedly, this is my first Belgian IPA, and its interesting and decent, but there is just way too much orange in this for me.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), American IPA, Beer Reviews, Deschutes Brewery, USA

Deschutes Inversion IPA

Monday, 28 September 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Deschutes Brewery
Country: USA
ABV: 6.8%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: 80 IBUs. Malt – Pale, Munich and Caramel. Hops – Millennium, Bravo, Centennial, Northern Brewer, Cascade and Delta.

Brewer Description: (from bottle) We worship the flower, the hop flower, that is. We know you do too. Inversion is our tribute to that flower, with plenty of balance, finesse and personality to feed the hop lover in us all.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.59
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.4

Intro: A 12 fl oz bottle with a best by date of 11th November 2015 and poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass.
Appearance: The beer poured a clear copper amber colour. There was a huge three finger light tan head that had good retention and left plenty of stringy lacing.
Aroma: Strong piney and grassy aromas with hints of citrus lemon zest. There is also some light caramel malts and apple juice there.
Taste: Bready and caramel malts upfront followed by plenty of pine and hop bitterness. There are hints of apple juice and grapefruit in between and a long lasting bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with light carbonation.
Overall: This was a good IPA if not stunning although I prefer more carbonation. But Fresh Squeezed is still my go to IPA from Deschutes.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), American IPA, Beer Reviews, Stone Brewing Co., USA

Stone IPA

Thursday, 24 September 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Stone Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 6.9%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: 77 IBUs. Hops – Magnum, Chinook and Centennial.

Brewer Description: (from bottle) To say that this gem of an IPA is “hoppy” would be putting it modestly, and modesty is definitely not one of our strong suits. So we used a totally immodest amount of hops to create big hop aromas, big hop flavors and loads of hop bitterness in this delicious brew. First the aroma delights, then the flavor moves one to rejoice aloud. In fact, it makes us feel downright poetic. We hope it moves you too!

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.64
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.6

Intro: A 12 fl oz bottle with a bottled date of 21th July 2015 and an enjoy by date of 19th October 2015. Poured into a Spiegelau IPA glass.
Appearance: It poured a clear golden copper colour with a one finger white head that had good retention and leaves nice spotty lacing.
Aroma: Fainter than I expected but starts with tropical mango and pineapple before turning to pine, grass and citrus lemon zest.
Taste: There was none of the tropicalness from the smell, but strong lemon zest, hop bitterness, floral and grassiness.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with medium to high carbonation.
Overall: This was only just ok for me. It wasn’t bad and I would drink it again but for example I prefer Stone’s Go To IPA.

words of another dreamy traveller