Monday, February 15, 2010

Steel Reserve 211 - Iwindale, CA

Steel Reserve 211
1/5

Wow. Not sure where to start with this one.
After recently gaining permanent residency to the US a close friend showed up to my house. He brought with him a can of this utterly putrid "malt liquor," a can of cheez whiz and promises of the "American Experience."

No need for words when one sip forces me to pull a face like in this photo.
I was completely dumbfounded that such a horrible concoction existed and more to the point, that people actually drank this stuff.
It's incredibly cheap and boasts a whopping 8% alcohol volume so you would at least hope it might have drinkability going for it right? Very wrong. It tastes so bad that I had no choice but to fill my mouth with cheez whiz. Oh yeah, pairs well with cheez whiz.

San Miguel - Spain

San Miguel
2/5

Here we have ourselves an example of a rather bland lager. It's quite light and easy to drink but not something I would consciously go out of my way to purchase again.

I first drank this in Barcelona which is perfectly fine as I always make a point of drinking the local brew wherever I go. Unfortunately it's not as good as I remember and I can't imagine I will go out of my way to drink it again....that is unless make my way back over to Spain some time.

Spain should really stick to making other quality products such as the Seat automobile.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Tap Room No. 21 Moes Backroom Lager - Novato CA

Tap Room No. 21 Moes Backroom Lager
2.5/5

This is not a beer to write home about. Ironically I'm writing about it. I guess you should be warned.

I chose this off the shelf at the supermarket as it looked interesting and was quite cheap. Should have known better.

It had a slight metallic smell which put me off from the beginning. I'm afraid it didn't taste that much better. It was drinkable enough but I fear I wasted my money purchasing a 6 pack.
I will not be purchasing this beer again however I'm interested to try other beers from this Brewer mainly as I'm always looking for that diamond in the rough... that huge taste to cost ratio that we're all chasing.

Karl Strauss Amber Lager - San Diego CA

Karl Strauss Amber Lager
3.5/5

This little award winning amber colored gem is one of the best bang for your buck beers I have come across recently. We're talking strictly flavor to price ratio here.

Karl Amber has a generous caramel note and is mildly hoppy. It's twice filtered which give it a nice light amber luster.

I find it to be one of those rare full flavored beers which you can manage to polish off several in one sitting. Fortunately my local Costo sells it by the case (24) at a very reasonable price.

Try Karl Amber with meaty Pizza, Pork or Steak. The subtle sweetness to the amber lager will pair nicely with these meats.

Shiner Bock - Shiner TX

Shiner Bock
3/5

Don't be fooled by the name ladies and gents. Although it's a Bock style beer it seems to lack the boldness and body of a typical Bock.

Don't get me wrong, it's good, but good in a comfort staple kind of way.

I give it points for drinkability but other than that I don't feel it has a lot going for it other than a nice bright label. At the risk of retribution from my manager, I dare say it's a tad bit forgettable.

It might go well with some ribs, brisket or something greasy and fried, Texan style.

Dundee Honey Brown Ale - Rochester NY

Dundee Honey Brown Ale
3.5/5

Now I'm not usually a fan of sweet beers so I usually stay away from honey ales. This little award wining gem is a light golden brown color with a subtle hit of honey on the pallet. I really didn't want to like it but I have nothing bad to say about it. Very much the underdog and a winner in my book.

The perfect drop to accompany a decent slice of barbecue chicken pizza.

Beck's - Germany

Becks
3/5

Some people may disagree with my rating on this one. I feel too many green bottled beers get a bad wrap. Although known to be a little "skunky" I find Beck's is a crisp and refreshing beer and best enjoyed super cold. It's one of those beers that slides down so well after several hours of yard work.

Sam Adams Boston Lager - Boston MA

Sam Adams Boston Lager
3/5

Sam Adams Boston Lager is by no means amazing, but for a mass produced, corporate beer it really is quite decent.

Most restaurants and bars will have Sam Adams. It's a great party beer because not only is it relatively inexpensive but you don't feel like a cheapskate offering it to your friends.

I'm not going to go out of my way to pair it to any specific food but as mentioned, it's a great party beer and will be a hit at your next BBQ.

Thursday, February 4, 2010

Ballast Point - Yellow Tail Pale Ale- San Diego CA

Ballast Point - Yellow Tail Pale
4/5

Definitely a possibility of finding a permanent place in my fridge.

Yellow Tail Pale is based loosely on German style pales and is moderately hoppy with a clean bitter finish. It's a tasty consumption beer when you're looking for that tasty ale to accompany you to a summer BBQ and conveniently comes in 6 packs.

You will find Yellow Tail Pale and others in the Ballast point range in most chain supermarkets in San Diego.

Just like the big Tuna Fish on the label suggests, it will pair well with grilled fish or light seafood.

Ballast Point - Calico Amber Ale - San Diego CA

Ballast Point - Calico Amber Ale
5/5

This award winning ale is possibly one of the best beers I have discovered to date in the US.
This little beauty is a light golden amber in color and is mildly hoppy with smooth caramel notes. Inspired by English ESB's (Extra Special Bitter) it is the perfect balance of flavor and bitterness.

Enjoy it on its own or pair it with a steak, lamb or even grilled fish.

Welcome to the Beer Blogga

Hi all and welcome to the Beer Blogga.
The aim of this blog is to document my experience with beers. I feel that far too many beer critique sites get too fancy with their wording. With this blog I want to keep it interesting and at a level that us "average Joes" can understand.

Having lived in Australia for the first 25 years of my life then moving over to England and getting the opportunity to explore most of Europe, I have been fortunate enough to expose myself to some amazing beers, some pitiful beers and pretty much everything in between.
Before moving to California, I like many had a low opinion of American beers. This is mostly due to the Budweisers and Millers being heavily marketed all over the world as American Beer. Of course if this is all you have to go by you would expect the worst like I did. Little did I know, I was to be pleasantly surprised when discovering that the mico-brewery and craft beer culture is alive and kicking here in the US. San Diego alone is home to many micro-breweries and I am very happy to have set up camp where people are proud to drink their locally brewed craft beers.

I will start by retroactively adding entries from my Facebook photo blog and try to add a little more detail to my entries.

Ratings will be out of 5 and will follow this format:
5 = Fantastic
4 = Very Good
3 = Good
2 = Forgettable
1 = Very ordinary

I would be more than happy to receive comments and questions and would love to know if you agree or disagree with my critiques.

Thanks for stopping by.

Matt - The Beer Blogga