Tag Archives: usa

2 - Maybe (likely wouldn't buy, might drink), American IPA, Beer Reviews, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, USA

Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Fresh Hop IPA

Thursday, 6 August 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 6.7%
Style: American IPA
Other Notes: Brewed with southern hemisphere hops, 100-day IPA, drink fresh, don’t store. The second of five beers in the 2015 Harvest series.

Brewer Description: (from bottle) We’re devoted to whole-cone hops, and we’re always on the hunt for rare and exciting hop flavors. Mirroring the fall US harvest, New Zealand hops peak during our spring. Southern Hemisphere, the second in our five-bottle Harvest series, highlights floral, citrus and fresh fruity aromas from fresh hops picked, dried and shipped halfway across the world and into our brew kettle in one week. Drink this IPA fresh and watch for the rest of this series that explores diverse hopping methods: single hop, fresh hop, wet hop and wild hop.

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 2.53
My ratebeer.com rating: 2.5

Intro: 2015 version. A 22oz bomber with a packaged date of 27th April 2015 i.e. day 99 for this 100-day IPA and poured into an IPA glass.
Appearance: The beer poured a clear amber ice tea colour with a big three finger off white cream head that lasts a long long time and leaves lots of lacing.
Aroma: Its all quite light as nothing stands out. Just some light caramel malts and maybe just a bit of apple, pear and pine.
Taste: For an IPA, this is rather malt driven. Initially sweet caramel and candied sugar followed by slightly bready, buscuity malt. It finishes with some floral hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied with moderate carbonation.
Overall: I prefer SN’s other IPA offerings over this one as the malt is overpowering here. The aromas were also a little light for me.

4 - Good (buy), Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Beer Reviews, Gose - Fruit, USA

Anderson Valley Highway 128 Blood Orange Gose

Thursday, 23 July 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Anderson Valley Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 4.2%
Style: Gose – Fruit
Other Notes: Malt – Pale Two-Row, Malted White Wheat. Hops – Bravo.

Brewer Description: (from can) Copious additions of blood orange during fermentation impart tangy citrus notes and a slight sweetness to compliment the salinity and tartness typically found in a Gose style ale.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.93
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 12 fl oz can poured into a pint glass.
Appearance: The beer poured a slightly hazy golden orange colour with a two finger white head that dissipated quickly with no lacing.
Aroma: Strong tangy citrus and candy like orange and lemon.
Taste: Tart and tangy sour orange with a salty finish.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied with medium carbonation.
Overall: I enjoyed this. It’s a great drink for a hot summer day as it goes down easy and is very refreshing with its tart, tangy and salt finish. I prefer this over Anderson Valley’s regular Gose.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Beer Reviews, Gose, USA

Anderson Valley Highway 128 the Kimmie, the Yink and the Holy Gose

Tuesday, 21 July 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Anderson Valley Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 4.2%
Style: German Gose
Other Notes: Malt – Pale Two-Row, Malted White Wheat. Hops – Bravo.

Brewer Description: (from can) The refreshing tartness in this devine, bright golden-colored ale gives way to earthy undertones and hints of citrus followed by a slight sea salt-like dryness and tangy, effervescent finish.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.03
My ratebeer.com rating: 3

Intro: A 12 fl oz can poured into a pint glass.
Appearance: The beer poured a clear golden straw colour with a one finger white head that dissipated quickly.
Aroma: Aromas are mainly bready, tart, sour, lemon. There is also a slight dank finish.
Taste: First a doughy malt flavour, followed by tart, lemon, sour and salt.
Mouthfeel: Light to medium bodied with medium to high carbonation.
Overall: This was not bad as the tartness is refreshing. It’s also easy to drink. However I tried the blood orange version first and easily prefer that over this one.

5 - Excellent (must buy), Beer Reviews, Epic Brewing Company, Stout - Imperial, USA

Epic Big Bad Baptist

Tuesday, 14 July 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Epic Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 11.4%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Malt – Maris Otter Malt, 2-Row Brewer Malt, Crystal, Light Munich Malt T1, 2-Row chocolate malt, 2-row black malt, roasted barley. Spices – Caffe Ibis and Cocoa Nibs.

Brewer Description: (from website) One Big Bad Imperial Stout with Cocoa nibs and Coffee beans. Each season’s release uses a different dark roasted coffee.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.56
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.5

Intro: A 22oz bomber from release batch #46 with a brew date of 24th September 2013 and a packaged date of 8th December 2014 and poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: The beer poured an opaque black colour with a one finger brown head that dissipated fairly quickly leaving a thin whispy layer and spotty lacing.
Aroma: Strong aromas of chocolate mixed in with coffee, caramel and vanilla. There is also a hint of whisky alcohol aroma.
Taste: Taste is much like the aroma. Chocolate and espresso coffee dominate followed by hints of slightly burnt caramel and vanilla. There is also some roasted malts and oakiness but not a lot of whisky even though its aged in whiskey barrels.
Mouthfeel: Full bodied, light carbonation, smooth.
Overall: I’m a sucker for coffee, whisky and beer (my three favourite drinks). Now put together into a single drink, although the whisky is not so prominent here, this brew is fantastic. It’s right up there with Founders Breakfast Stout and Evil Twin Imperial Biscotti Break. Another must buy beer to add to my list.

3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Farmhouse Saison, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, USA

Sierra Nevada Ovila Abbey Saison – Mandarin Oranges and Peppercorns

Saturday, 11 July 2015 kitch Leave a comment

Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 7.5%
Style: Belgian Saison
Other Notes: 24 IBUs. Specialty Ovila series brewed in collaboration with the monks of the Abbey of New Clairvaux in Vina, CA.

Brewer Description: (from bottle) An homage to the monks’ noble work, this unique farmhouse ale is incredibly complex with notes of lemon, pepper, straw and herbs balanced by the tang of Mandarin oranges and a spicy kick of pepper. The Mandarin oranges used to make this beer were locally grown, including a portion grown on the grounds of the Abbey of New Clairvaux and picked by hand by the community of monks living there. We hope you enjoy this collaboration ale.

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

Intro: A 12.7 fl oz corked and caged bottle packaged on 5th February 2015 and poured into a Duvel tulip glass.
Appearance: The beer poured a clear orangey copper colour with a one finger white head that slowly dissipates resulting in a thin soapy layer and stringy lacing.
Aroma: Orange and honey aromas, some Belgian yeasty notes and ginger.
Taste: Sweeter than I expected but not too sweet which is good. I get citrus orange and lemon upfront followed by honey and caramel. There is some spice in the finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, medium to high carbonation, dryness.
Overall: Of the SN Ovila series that I’ve tried before (the other two being the Tripel and Quad w/ plums), this was the best one. Its unlike the other saisons that I’ve tried, but still a solid beer.

words of another dreamy traveller