Tag Archives: usa

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

Founders Breakfast Stout

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Brewery: Founders Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 8.3%
Style: American Imperial Stout
Other Notes: Double chocolate coffee oatmeal stout. 60 IBUs. Seasonal availability from October to December.

Brewer Description: (from website) The coffee lover’s consummate beer. Brewed with an abundance of flaked oats, bitter and imported chocolates, and two types of coffee, this stout has an intense fresh-roasted java nose topped with a frothy, cinnamon-colored head that goes forever.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.75
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.6

Intro: A 355ml bottle with a best by date of 7th August 2015 and poured into a snifter glass.
Appearance: It poured a deep dark brown to black colour with a very thin caramel head that disappears quickly. There is also some light spotty lacing.
Aroma: Strong roast coffee aromas with bittersweet chocolate along with a little root beer, toffee and caramel.
Taste: Amazing taste. First thought was that it tasted like biting into freshly roasted coffee beans… so good! It was then followed by bittersweet chocolate and hints of bitter hops.
Mouthfeel: Medium bodied, silky smooth with light carbonation.
Overall: This was really good and over the last few years my favourite non BA coffee based stout. Each year I buy at least a case of this just for myself to enjoy over the winter and over the course of the year until the next yearly batch is brewed. A must buy for me.

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

Three Floyds Cimmerian Sabertooth Berzerker

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Brewery: Three Floyds Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 9%
Style: Double IPA
Other Notes: IBU 100

Brewer Description: (from website) In the seemingly endless cruelty, battle and strife of the Hyborian Age, a warrior has but two pleasures: decimating one’s enemies in battle, and a horn of Cimmerian Sabertooth Berzerker to slake the thirst of victory.

My rating: 3
My beeradvocate.com rating: 3.49
My ratebeer.com rating: 3.4

Intro: Excited to see this on tap at Mikkeller Bangkok.
Appearance: Served in a pint glass a hazy copper orange colour with an off white one finger bubbly head.
Aroma: Strong aromas of citrus grapefruit, lemon peel and pine with some caramel in the background.
Taste: Much like the smell, the immediate taste is bitter hoppy grapefruit and caramel malts. There is some aftertaste of piney hops and spice.
Mouthfeel: Medium to full bodied, with good carbonation.
Overall: Maybe my expectations were too high to begin with, but this was only ok for me. I enjoyed the grapefruit and pine hoppyness but perhaps a bit too much caramel malt sweetness.

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4 - Good (buy), Beer Reviews, German Hefeweizen, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, USA

Sierra Nevada Kellerweis Hefeweizen

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Brewery: Sierra Nevada Brewing Company
Country: USA
ABV: 4.8%
Style: Hefeweizen

Brewer Description: (from bottle) Kellerweis is one of the few American hefeweizens made using the traditional Bavarian style of open fermentation. This difficult and labor-intensive technique adds uncommon depth and flavour complexity. Our hazy-golden hefeweizen is deeply flavorful, refreshing, and perfect for a sunny day. To serve, pour two-thirds into a glass, swirl and pour the rest.

My rating: 4
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.13
My ratebeer.com rating: 4

Intro: This 12oz bottle was bottled on 30th December 2014 and poured into a Duvel tulip glass.
Appearance: The beer poured a very hazy straw gold colour with two finger white head that dissipated quickly leaving behind thin but nice lacing.
Aroma: Earthy wheaty aromas with orange, banana and cloves poking through.
Taste: Mainly ripe banana and bready wheaty malts with hints of citrus and a touch of hoppiness at the end.
Mouthfeel: Light bodied, medium carbonation with a dry finish.
Overall: This isn’t the best hefe that I’ve tried, but its up there and a good example of one. Its very easy to drink and I would definitely consider this during the hot summers.

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5 - Excellent (must buy), American Pale Ale, Beer Reviews, Three Floyds Brewing Co., USA

Three Floyds Zombie Dust

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Brewery: Three Floyds Brewing Co.
Country: USA
ABV: 6.2%
Style: American Pale Ale
Other Notes: 50 IBUs

Brewer Description: (from bottle) This intensely hopped and gushing undead pale ale will be ones only respite after the zombie apocalypse. Created with our marvellous friends in the comic industry. Art by Tim Seeley.

My rating: 5
My beeradvocate.com rating: 4.77
My ratebeer.com rating: 4.6

Intro: A friend brought back a six-pack to Hong Kong for me while this was still super fresh in February. Obviously there are times where I just like to sit back and enjoy a beer instead of always reviewing and as it is, two and a half months on, I’m down to my last bottle and so here’s the review. This 12oz bottle was bottled on 13 February 2015 and poured into a pint glass.
Appearance: The beer poured a slightly hazy golden orange colour with a nice one and a half finger white head that dissipated fairly quickly leaving nice stringy lacing.
Aroma: Intense aromas of tropical fruits especially pineapple and mango hit first, followed by some citrus grapefruit and a hint of bready malts finally ending with some hoppy pine.
Taste: Much like the smell, there was tropical pineapple, citrus grapefruit, some bready buscuity malts and a very nice bitter finish.
Mouthfeel: Very crisp, light and with medium carbonation.
Overall: I had high expectations before trying it and it lived up to those expectations. It was a very easy APA to drink and this is a must buy if available for me. It was best when it was freshest. Now lets see about 3 Floyds distribution to Hong Kong… hmm, I guess distribution = friends!

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