Beer Review: Brown Angel by Clown Shoes

Clown Shoes is a new brewery in the Chicago market.  When I was deciding which of the four Clown Shoes beers to buy the label on Brown Angel caught my eye.  I am not usually a sucker for labels, but I wanted to write about this one.  The label has a woman in a bikini on it.  Some breweries have been having issues with appropriateness of labels.  To me the label indicates this brewery is not concerned about the possibility of attracting negative attention.  Some other breweries like Flying Dog are in battles with regulators over labels.  While this provided an excuse for me to buy this beer; don't worry I found excuses to buy the other three Clown Shoes beers as well.

Tasting Notes:
Poured a nice shade of brown with one finger of head.  Aromas of coffee, chocolate and sweet pine.  The flavor was a bit smokey with a bold citrus.  The hops were more present in this beer than in your typical Brown Ale.  Smooth and moderately carbonated this beer goes down easy.  While not your everyday Brown Ale if you are in the mood to explore give this one a shot.

Update:  Clown Shoes' Gregg Berman will be in Chicago tomorrow April 14.  Details here.

Beer Review: Ten Fidy by Oskar Blues

Ten Fidy is a solid heavy Imperial Stout with a mind blowing 98 IBUs.  Like all Oskar Blues products, it is canned which I truly feel is better for your beer.  This beer recently won a Gold Medal at the 2010 World Beer Championships.

I have no clue where the name came from.  However, I did Google 10-50 and found out it means "under the influence of drugs" in police radio jargon.  I find that hilarious, because with all these hops and 10.5% ABV you feel the punch.

Tasting Notes:
Poured pitch black from a can into a snifter glass with a couple fingers of deep brown head.  It was full of smoke and ester with fresh dark fruits.  The aroma was not overpowering.  A bitter beer but not sour with plenty of roast, smoke and chocolate along with additional fruit notes.  A very smooth and creamy mouthfeel warms you up and yes, it even makes you feel safe.  Be careful with this one-you do not even know the alcohol is there.

Beer Review: R&D Golden Ale by New Glarus Brewing Co.

New Glarus sells very small batch beers from their Hilltop Brewery Beer Depot called the R&D series.  This series is composed of beers the brewery is considering making, and looking for customer feedback.  I find this idea thrilling that a brewery is actively looking for feedback on potential beer.  Currently, the only R&D series for sale is their Golden Ale.  My only complaint is the series has no information on their website and no direct way to give feedback, although I am told they scout out opinions on blogs and message boards for feedback.  One suggestion I have is postcard attached to the bottle at point of sale may encourage customer feedback.  Postcards are not a necessity as beer folks love to post their opinions on the internet.  A webform would result in the same kind of situation by allowing more direct feedback.  I think breweries should always look for different ways to interact with customers and differentiate themselves.

Tasting Notes:


Poured into a tulip glass, Golden Ale was a cloudy golden color with thick white head and moderate lacing.  There were aromas of horse blanket (an acquired taste) and orange peel.  Brettanomyces sourness and malt on the tongue with very subtle hops. This beer had a very dry finish.  Although this was a tasty beer I felt the flavor came and went in a flash.  A more concentrated flavor would have satisfied me even more.
Final Note: Keep up the R&D!
Bottled 6-18-09; Purchased 3-25-11; Drank 3-27-11; Poured at 46F

Beer Tool: Bottle Thermometer

Yes, I said a bottle thermometer.  I do not use this tool everyday, but a thermometer comes in handy when you are trying to get the best tasting result of a particular beer.  I try to use the thermometer before writing any beer review.  I feel I owe it to the brewer to serve the beer at the proper temperature before I give my thoughts.  Also, if I am opening a pricey beer it gets a little more special treatment.  I know person after person who insists on the proper glassware for each beer they drink, yet many take a beer straight out of an ice cold cooler or sub 40F degree refrigerator and drink away.  Many beers, especially more complex ones, benefit from being in the 50-55F degree range.  In some cases temperature is suggested on a bottle or you can consult style guidelines for proper temperature.  I would say most beer should be consumed in the 45-50F degree range and barrel aged beers are likely best in the 50-55F range.

The Menu wine bottle thermometer measures the temperature of the bottle or can and not the beer itself.  The beer inside is likely one degree cooler.  The device will sit flush with almost every bottle or can style with the exception of longneck bottles.  In order to get it to sit flush I wrap a rubber band around it to hold it tight.

Is this a tool for everyone?  No.  If you are really, really, really into beer (or an evaluator) I suggest putting it on a birthday list.  If you can not justify buying one do yourself a favor and at least let your beer sit on the counter a few minutes before pouring.

Beer Review: Light Lager by D.G. Yuengling & Son

Yuengling Light Lager

Yuengling is America's Oldest brewery and unless you live in one of the original colonies it seems it is impossible to get their beer.  I respect Yuengling for their decision to remain truly regional, but it does get frustrating not being able to buy their lager.

The Light Lager is my Dad's lawnmower beer.  It is that easy to go down beer that quenches your thirst.  Now I know most of you think a lawnmower beer is required to have zero flavor.  This is not the case with Yuengling it is full of flavor while still being light.

Tasting Notes:
When poured from a bottle into a pilsner glass Light Lager poured a dark amber with a solid three fingers of head.  Aroma is composed of caramel, corn, grass and a hint of lemon.  The taste follows the nose and has more flavor than others light lagers, but remember this is a light lager.  Mouthfeel is almost watery, but that is within the style.  Overall a very drinkable beer for a light lager, but if you can find it get the Traditional Lager from Yuengling instead.

Beer Review: Trader Joe's Vintage 2010

Most people believe store brand is probably inferior to the real name brand item, and beer lovers fall to that belief as well.  As I grew up I always thought store brand was not as good, and my mom will tell you I often thought name brands were marks of status.  I learned differently and do not shy away from store brands anymore.  I have commented before on Trader Joe's use of better brewers for their store brands.  Trader Joe's contracted Unibroue to make this year's Vintage Ale.  Unibroue without a doubt is a fine brewer, and Trader Joe's made a wise choice here.

Tasting Notes:
This Belgian Strong Dark Ale poured a  brownish black and had nice head.  The aroma reminds me of Unibroue's other beers.  Which means I was not a fan, but that is a personal taste issue and not a brewery defect.  There were aromas of spice, dark fruits, and of course esters.  Full of flavor this beer coats your tongue in dark fruit, clove and candy sugar.  It was very carbonated which tickled the tongue.  I aged mine for about 3 months, but you could age it for about 3 years.  I would likely try this again next year, but age for a couple years.

#16 of 1001 Brains Dark by S.A. Brain & Company

A few weeks ago I reviewed Brains SA and also discussed the differences between US and UK warning labels.  I specifically requested this beer from London because it is in the book, 1001 Beers You Must Taste Before You Die (1001 (Universe)).  This is the 16th beer in my 1001 beers blogging series.

Brains Dark is known as a mild.  It was popular with blue collar workers throughout the UK until there was a decline in industry in the mid-20th century.  The style has remained popular in some areas such as Cardiff home to the S.A. Brain & Company brewery.  Brains claims the brew is the largest selling dark milk in Wales and was named one of the Top 50 Beers at the International Beer Challenge 2008.

Tasting Notes:
Pours a very dark brown almost black and creates a creamy head.  Aroma of chocolate and roasted malt.  There is slight smokiness mixed with more roasted and chocolate flavors.  The beer is thinner than you would expect, but overall a decent dark mild.

Beer Review: Double Jack by Firestone Walker

I gathered my notes to write on Firestone Walker's Double Jack and then discovered that it is Chicago Tribune's Beer of the Month for February. Firestone Walker is a newcomer to the Chicago beer scene, but has been taking the beer world by storm over the last several years.  You may have tried products from Firestone Walker before as they are one of the brewers of Trader Joe's store-brand beers.  Named Mid-Size Brewer of the Year Firestone Walker by the World Beer Cup three times and twice named Brewing Company of the Year by the Great American Beer Festival.

Tasting Notes:
This Double IPA poured amber with some lacing.  Aroma of citrus, slightly sweet with a hint of pine.  Moderately carbonated this beer had a predominate hop flavor without going overboard.  A nice sweetness rounds this beer out.  At 9.5% be careful how much as you drink you cannot taste the alcohol.

Beer Review: Honkers Ale by Goose Island

Goose Island's Honker's Ale for all intents and purposes was my first love of craft beer.  I used to be blown away by its' hops and when I have it now I laugh at how I used to think it was mind blowing.  I do not think Honker's is bad.  When I used to drink it all the time I had yet to have a 100+ IBU or any of the other powerful beers that now touch my lips.

Inspired by English country pubs, Honker's Ale is one of Goose Islands core brands and is found in most grocery stores in the Chicago region.  I also know some grocery stores and almost all beer stores in the Midwest can get you this beer.  For a number of years I kept a six pack of this in the fridge as my go-to-beer.  I also find this is a relatively safe beer to take to BBQs and other gatherings as people may not find it as intimidating as some other beers.

Tasting Notes:
Pours amber with a bit of a haze and a proper head.  A fruity aroma with a trace of hops gives way to flavors of a balanced brew.  A bit of citrus hops dances across the tongue.  Honker's has a pretty smooth feel almost thin mouthfeel.  I think novices will likely have their eyes opened by this beer and snobs will likely drink one and move on.

Beer Review: Infinium by Samuel Adams

Samuel Adams introduced Infinium as a limited run for the 2010 holiday season.  Infinium was brewed in partnership with Weihenstephan which has been producing beer just shy of one thousand years.  Infinium was promoted as a beer in a whole new style.  It has been some time since a new style was created that was compliant with the Reinheitsgebot law.  A number of bloggers, retailers and to be honest, even myself became quite excited about this beer.  We expected a highly sought after excellent brew, and what we got was a highly sought after mediocre beer.  What happened?  I can not speak with authority on exactly what happened, but I do have some theories.  Here are my tasting notes followed by some conjecture:

Tasting Notes:
I finally obtained a bottle through my brother after a debacle at Binny's.  Upon uncorking the bottle I noticed dried cork flakes around the rim.  This beer was not aged and I found it interesting that I saw the cork degrade and stick.  I had to use my finger to carefully knock the pieces away or I would of been drinking cork.  Poured into a champaign glass I saw a nice white head form upon a pale amber body.  A sweet nose with lots of fruit and spice to go with little bit of citrus and bitter flavor.  This beer came off very sweet almost too sweet.  Heavily carbonated which resulted in a tingly mouthfeel.  It could be described as a manly champaign.

What Went Wrong:
Theory #1:  It is beer, not champaign.  Infinium seemed to be brewed to be champaign.  Beer drinkers look for a balance between sweet and bitter.  When I drink champaign I expect sweet, but not with beer.  To be honest though, why the bias against sweet?  Almost no one I know criticizes an over aggressively hopped beer.  Seems to be a game between brewers on who can destroy taste-buds with hop flavor.  As for theory #1 I think this one has some merit, but it is possible sweet could be the next wave in brewing and Infinium could be ahead of its time.

Theory #2: Collaboration kills.  Collaboration is all the rage right now.  Infinium was co-brewed by two leaders in the brewing industry.  They had a thousand years of knowledge along with every scientific device needed and near unlimited resources.  Infinium was developed over a period of two years.  Two years of development probably led to a certain amount of group-think circa 1984.  It is possible the brew team got so caught up in the act that they convinced themselves this was the perfect beer.

Theory #3:  The PR people did them in.  This beer was hyped.  This beer was very possibly over-hyped.  People more than likely expected too much and did not have realistic expectations.  This caused people to be overly disappointed.

I think it was likely a combination of the three theories.  Each played some role in why this beer was not the breakout hit it could have been.  I think if it was not as hyped people would not of been so disappointed and in the end we would all have had a greater appreciation for this beer.

Beer Review: Walker's Reserve-Robust Porter by Firestone Walker

Walker's Reserve, Anniversary 14, Double Jack

At last week's release party at Piece Brewery in Chicago, Firestone Walker treated everyone to samples of three beers, the Walker's Reserve, Anniversary 14 and Double Jack.  All the samples were excellent.   Customers were offered the chance to buy a half pint and keep the glass for an extra dollar.  Well, knowing me and glassware and especially considering the glass had a "FW" nucleation point, I sprang for it.

Walker's Reserve

I like most about Walker's Reserve- Robust Porter is it is a "reserve" and a porter.  So often a reserves or special edition beer is an intense IPA or a barrel age stout.  It seems like no one comes out with a special release porter and it is good to see the style receive recognition.

Tasting Notes:
Walker's Reserve- Robust Porter poured a dark brown into a half pint glass with a moderate tan head.  A sweet aroma with chocolate and coffee give way to a creamy flavorful beer.  A drinkable porter at 5.9% ABV, and if I didn't have to work the next morning I would have stayed for another.

Beer Review: D.O.R.I.S. The Destroyer by Hoppin' Frog

Once again, thank you to my mother who picks Hoppin' Frog up from the brewery.  You would be a momma's  boy too if your mom stocked your fridge with craft beer.  It was leftover from Christmas, but I kept it cold and brought it back to Chicago to keep me warm.

Tasting Notes:
This double imperial stout poured black with the consistency of motor oil.  A nervous sniff revealed aromas of hops, chocolate and coffee coming from a very thin deep brown head.  With almost no carbonation it still had a full mouthfeel covering the tongue with the same coffee, chocolate and hops as the nose.  At 10.5% ABV this beer lets you know who is the boss and the intense flavor makes sure you can  handle only one bottle of this.  To be honest, I am not sure my taste buds recovered the next morning.

Beer Review: Smoked Baltic Porter by Great Divide Brewing Co.

If you have not figured it out by now, Great Divide is on my list of favorite breweries.  Coincidentally BBQ is one of my favorite dishes.  When I saw this beer on the shelf I knew I needed to buy it because smoking a hunk of meat was in my near future.

Tasting Notes:

Poured from a 22oz bottle into a becker glass.  I had a lot of foam issues on my pour and again on my second pour.  I found this odd since most of the Beer Advocate reviewers reported lack of head as a problem.  It had smoke and chocolate aromas, but not as smokey as I wanted.  The smoke and chocolate carried through on the tongue with the addition of strong coffee.  Moderate carbonation and a medium mouthfeel along with the intensity of the flavors make this a tough beer to order multiples of but solid to go with BBQ.

Beer Review: Backdraft Brown by Hook & Ladder

A few months ago I wrote about a flank steak I marinated in Backdraft Brown.  If you missed that post check it out here.  Backdraft Brown is brewed by Hook & Ladder Brewing Co. in Maryland.  While many breweries do charitable work or sponsorships, Hook & Ladder has pledged a penny from each pint and a quarter from each case to burned firefighters and other burn victims.  The brewery is run by two brothers.  One of the brothers is a firefighter, and clearly wanted to stay connected to his roots.  The brothers even brew near where they grew up.

Tasting Notes:
Poured a dark brown into a shaker pint with a nice off-white head.  Backdraft Brown has a nutty aroma with notes of caramel and roast.  Additionally, there was a hop aroma which is not always prevalent in brown ales.  Flavors of malt chocolate and a slight hint of smoke come from this light bodied beer.  It is an easy drinking beer that is not overpowering allowing you more than one.

Pairing Suggestion: Steak

Beer Review: Guinness Draught

Most people forget the name Guinness refers to a beer and not a brewery, and there is more than one version of Guinness.  St. James Gate Brewery founded in 1759 is by no means the biggest brewer in the world, but without a doubt brews the most iconic beer.  Almost anywhere in the world you can find Guinness, and the brewery has pioneered many techniques that make brewing what it is today.  For most of us, Guinness is our first dark beer.  Of course for the non-beer drinkers there is always the Guinness Book of World Records which was created in the 1950's to settle disputes in pubs regarding records and facts.  Either way Guinness is a recognizable name.

Tasting Notes:

When poured from a can with a nitrogen cartridge into a tulip pint Guinness Draught creates a creamy head atop black liquid.  Light aromas reminding the drinker of roasted malts.  Flavors of malt and cream cling to the tongue as it passes over leaving a slightly dry finish.  A drinkable beer to be sure, but not the same power as one would expect from an American craft brewed stout.

Beer Review: Pipeline Porter by Kona Brewing Company

Kona's Pipeline Porter is the last beer I drank as part of the Open It! online event.  This beer is my brother's favorite beer, and when I went to Vegas I brought him back a six pack as an early Christmas gift.  He was pretty blown away, he expected just one, lonely single bottle.  Pipeline is a highly regarded Porter and only has a limited bottling run each year.  Coffee flavors in this beer are not just from malt, but also from 100% Kona coffee that is added to each batch.

Tasting Notes:
Poured a deep brown into a Pipeline Porter shaker pint and a nice tan head formed.  Strong coffee aroma with malt and chocolate behind it.  Coffee also dominates the flavor profile of this beer.  The malt brings a nice sweetness and there is no bitterness from the coffee as one expects.  A very smooth beer with nice carbonation and balance.  Definitely worth picking up given the chance.

Fire Rock Pale Ale by Kona Brewing Co.

I first had Fire Rock at a pool bar in Florida.  I ordered a different beer and then belatedly noticed a  tap handle I had never seen before.  I used my good looks and charm to get the bartender to pour me a free sample.  I immediately fell in love with this one.  It became my mission to get to Kona, Hawai'i.  In March I made it there and tried every beer they had on tap or bottle.

Now this beer has not been waiting for a special occasion.  I have been saving the glass for a special occasion.  My recent trip to Las Vegas allowed me to bring back a couple bottles of this brew.  The Kona Brewery shaker pint is made of blue glass.  This glass was to be my souvenir from Hawai'i.  Unfortunately, the glass was no longer sold due to consumer complaints about breakage.  Beer Bitch being the woman she is tracked down a set of two on eBay and gave me one heck of a good birthday gift.

Tasting Notes:
Poured into my blue glass and therefore you cannot see the color or head, but I can tell you  it is copper with about a one finger head that results in some superb lacing.  It has a nice citrus hop aroma, and is less hoppy than one would think for an American Pale Ale, but not bad. Flavors of pine and biscuit swirl together with a citrus finish.  A medium body with solid carbonation, this is an excellent Pale Ale and should not be missed if your in an are where Kona distributes.

Old Chub by Oskar Blues

Welcome to my first blog post reviewing beers as part of Open It!.  Open It! is about opening beers that have been sitting on a shelf waiting for a special occasion.  This weekend is that special occasion.

Old Chub is a Scotch Ale by Oskar Blues of Lyons, CO.  I was saving it for that first cold, snowy night in Chicago.  Coincidentally, the first night of Open It! occurred on the first cold, snowy night in Chicago.  Like all Oskar Blues brews this beer comes in a can making it more shelf stable than its' buddies in bottles.  You can read more about the benefits of cans here.  I am glad this was the first beer for Open It! because it really hit the spot.


Tasting Notes:
Old Chub poured from the can into a shaker pint glass with a tan head and a dark brown color.  The nose has some alcohol with lots of malt aroma.  The creamy mouthfeel brings light smoke mingled with flavors of chocolate and coffee.  At 8% ABV its is not a session beer, but definitely drinkable.

Frog's Hollow Double Pumpkin Ale by Hoppin' Frog

I despise sharing pumpkin beers.

Hoppin' Frog won a Gold Medal at the 2010 GABF in the Field Category with Frog's Hollow Double Pumpkin Ale.  This is the second Great American Beer Festival Gold medal winner in three years for this young brewery.  Pumpkin is a fast growing segment of the beer industry, and Hoppin' Frog's ability to land a gold shows that the brewer is no slouch.

Tasting Notes:
When poured from the bottle it produces a nice white head and a dark amber color with a nice amount of bubbles. The head produced a spicy aroma with nutmeg and clove standing out above the pumpkin.  A very light pumpkin flavor was dominated by pumpkin pie spices.  The beer lacks the bread flavors found in most pumpkin beer, but this is not a bad thing.  Overall the beer reminds me more of pumpkin pie filling than the whole pie.  A fizzy mouthfeel that creates a bit of a bite.  As the GABF medal attests this is a beer worth having.

Mean Manalishi by Hoppin' Frog Brewery

Yes I had to share :(

Mean Manalishi by Hoppin' Frog is a Double IPA weighing in at an "alleged" whopping 168 IBUs.  I say "alleged" only because a number of people argue that the International Bitterness Unit Scale can not realistically exceed 100 units.  However, IBUs shall be discussed another time.

Tasting Notes:
Poured slightly orange with a one finger head.  The nose had a sweet smell with a slight hint of pine and citrus.  An  earthy and grassy taste up front and back with a very strong hop presence.  The initial taste makes you think you grabbed a barleywine by mistake.  Medium bodied and moderately carbonated a beer that goes down, but not one you can drink over and over.  Beers like Mean Manalishi and Ruination IPA have such high IBUs that your palate can only sustain one beer in an evening.  I am not saying this is a bad beer, in fact I think it is excellent, just not as a session beer.