Tag Archives: usa

2 - Maybe (likely wouldn't buy, might drink), American Amber / Red Ale, Beer Reviews, New Belgium Brewing, USA

New Belgium Fat Tire Amber Ale

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Brewery: New Belgium Brewing
Country: USA
ABV: 5.2%
Style: American Amber Ale
Other Notes: 22 IBU

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Fat Tire Amber Ale perfectly balances biscuit-like malt flavors with hoppy freshness. Named in honor of a storied bike ride through Europe. Fat Tire cruises with Belgian imagination and inspiration.

My rating: 2
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.01
My ratebeer.com rating: 2.8

Intro: A 12 fl oz bottle with an enjoy by date of 19th July 2015 and poured into a pint glass.
Appearance: It poured an extremely clear deep copper colour with a one finger white head that dissipates quickly.
Aroma: Slightly weak aromas, but there’s biscuit and bread like notes, slight caramel and also a touch of apple.
Taste: It’s quite similar to the aromas. I get biscuit malts, caramel and some apple juice. I’m not really getting that much hops.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied and medium to high carbonation.
Overall: This was decent and easy to drink but not amazing. I wouldn’t actively seek it, but if I could find a fresher bottle, I’d try it.

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

Sierra Nevada Ovila Abbey Quad – Plums

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Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 10.2%
Style: Quadrupel
Other Notes: 21 IBU, Specialty Ovila series brewed in collaboration with the monks of the Abbey of New Clairvaux in Vina, CA.

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Ovila Abbey Quad is heady with aromas of caramel, rich malt, and dark fruit – balanced by the spiciness and delicate fruity notes of a traditional Belgian yeast. This complex beer is a collaboration between Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. and the monks from the Abbey of New Clairvaux. It features sugar plums grown on the grounds of the Abbey, and harvested by the monks in Vina. We hope you enjoy this collaboration ale.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.72
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.7

Intro: A corked and caged 12.7 fl oz bottle, packaged and bottled on 19 November 2014 and poured into a Chimay goblet.
Appearance: The beer poured a deep dark brown (near black) colour with a one finger tanned head that dissipated fairly quickly leaving a small amount of lacing.
Aroma: Brown sugar, toffee some toasted malts and chocolate followed by dark fruits, plums, raisins and cherry.
Taste: Roasted malts, brown sugar, chocolate, coffee, dark fruits of plums, figs and cherry.
Mouthfeel: Full bodied, low carbonation, creamy, smooth, some alcohol warmth.
Overall: I was surprised and a little disappointed at the amount of roasty malts, chocolate and coffee that comes through in the taste as I prefer my quads to be more on the fruity side.

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3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), American Pale Ale, Beer Reviews, Three Floyds Brewing Co., USA

Three Floyds Space Station Middle Finger

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Brewery: Three Floyds Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 6%
Style: American Pale Ale
Other Notes: IBU 50

Brewer Description: (from bottle) From the dawn of time, humans have looked to the sky for answers. Space Station Middle Finger replies to all from its eternal orbit. Behold and enjoy Space Station Middle Finger. A bright golden american pale ale.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.71
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.8

Intro: A 22 oz. bomber with no indication of any bottled on or best before date on the bottle. Poured into a pint glass.
Appearance: Pours a hazy darkish orange colour with a thin white head that does stick around for a while.
Aroma: Smells a little weak, but of pine, citrus hops and grapefruit along with some caramel at the end as well.
Taste: A strong malt background of bread and caramel at first followed by citrus grapefruit and orange turning tropical fruit mango. Finish is a lingering bitterness.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, with medium carbonation and slightly sticky.
Overall: This was decent from 3 Floyds. It starts sweet and finishes bitter but overall I still easily prefer Zombie Dust.

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3 - Indifferent (might buy, probably drink), Beer Reviews, Irish Dry Stout, North Coast Brewing Co., USA

North Coast Old No.38 Stout

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Brewery: North Coast Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 5.6%
Style: Irish Dry Stout
Other Notes: Named for a retired steam engine on the California Western Railroad Redwood Route.

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Old No.38 Stout is a smooth, firm-bodied stout with the toasted character and coffee notes of dark malts and roasted barley.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.52
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.5

Intro: Poured from a 12 fl oz bottle into a pint glass. There was no bottled or best by date on the bottle.
Appearance: The beer poured a rich opaque black colour with a bit less than one finger caramel tan head that dissipates quickly leaving a small amount of lacing.
Aroma: Aromas are a bit weak, but mainly of roasted malts, cocoa dark chocolate and brown sugar. There is also a slight amount coffee mixed in.
Taste: Sweet cocoa and roasted malts followed by brown sugar, milk chocolate, coffee and maybe a small amount of caramel.
Mouthfeel: Creamy, sticky, light to medium bodied with light carbonation and a small alcohol kick.
Overall: Overall this was a decent stout that may be a little bit on the sweet side. However when compared to Guinness, I have to say that I’m leaning towards Guinness for a variety of reasons. It’s not as sweet, only one-third of the cost, and a lot easier to find in Hong Kong since its available in every supermarket.

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4 - Good (buy), Anderson Valley Brewing Company, Beer Reviews, English Oatmeal Stout, USA

Anderson Valley Barney Flats Oatmeal Stout

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Brewery: Anderson Valley Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 5.8%
Style: Oatmeal Stout

Brewer Description: (from bottle) A classic example of oatmeal stout: Deep garnet-tinted ebony in hue with a dense, voluptuous mahogany head. Aroma of fresh-baked bread, toffee, raisins, dried cherries and dark coffee. Pleasantly creamy, rich body with pleasing dark malt and freshly toasted bread aromas, finishing roasty and dry.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.96
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.9

Intro: A 12 fl oz bottle with unfortunately no bottled or best by date, poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: Pours a deep black with a one finger light caramel head that disappears fairly quickly leaving some spotty lacing.
Aroma: There’s chocolate, toffee, raisin, some light coffee and a strong smell of something that I just could not describe. Admittedly I needed some inspiration to figure this out and then I saw steamed milk… wow, that is exactly the perfect description.
Taste: Sweet dark fruits followed by chocolate, roasted malts and a slight smokey finish.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied, smooth and creamy, light carbonation and dry finish.
Overall: Overall this is a pretty good stout that’s not too sweet. I enjoy this style and although this may not be the best, its still something I would buy and drink to add some variety.

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