Wednesday, June 8, 2011
Hopus – Brasserie Lefèbvre SA, Belgium
Hopus – Belgium - 4/5
Once again, good friends Jeff and Virginia (aka The Sizzlies) hooked me up with a fine selection of beers for my birthday. Amongst those chosen was Hopus from Belgium.
It came in a classic style pop-top bottle and poured a golden amber color. It was cloudy and full of sediment, but to me that equates to flavor.
It had a faint honey smell to it which was made more evident after a taste. Up front it had a classic Belgian flavor, then came the smooth hops, which was followed by the subtle honey note. As this was not a combination I had encountered before I was pleasantly surprised.
This was a thoroughly enjoyable drop and I’m quite sure I will be drinking it again. Jeff and Virginia have once again introduced me to a keeper. Thanks guys!!
Zatec - Žatecký Pivovar, Czech Republic
Zatec - Czech Republic - 2.5/5
Another interesting selection from Jeff and Virginia, this brew was very easy drinking. I try my hardest to remain impartial when trying a beer for the first time but this beer was exactly how I imagined it would be.
I wouldn't go as far as to say it was watery. It was light, fizzy and had a slight hoppyness which is typically Czech. It would make a great summer session beer and a nice change from the usual Mexican varieties.
I might grab one of these for the next BBQ beach session.
Julian Hard Cider – Julian, CA
Julian Hard Cider – 3/5
The UK however had a huge selection of local microbrewed and European ciders. At the time I became very fond of Magners, Bulmers and Gaymers from Ireland, all of which are a slightly dry cider.
I recently discovered Julian Hard Cider from the little town of Julian, East of San Diego. Having recently taken a drive out there with my wife Sarah and dog Charlie to sample famous apple pies, I had high expectations of this cider.
As most of the ciders I have sampled over the years were either sweet or what I considered dry, I must say it really took me by surprise. Julian Hard Cider is incredibly dry and bubbly, similar to sparkling white wine. It’s dryer than I ever knew a cider could be. Personally I prefer a mildly dry cider but I can definitely appreciate it for what it is.
I can imagine drinking this at Christmas time. I think it would pair really well with roast pork or pork chops.
Monday, January 24, 2011
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale – Chico, CA
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale – 3.5/5
Sierra Nevada Pale Ale holds a place in my heart. It was the first beer I drank to consumption upon arriving in the US. At the time my wife was working in a Mexican restaurant and I was unemployed so I would spend a decent amount of time in there drinking pints of Sierra and watching the Padres getting slaughtered.
Sierra is a run of the mill Pale Ale and is on the slightly hoppy side. Easy enough to drink to consumption or pair with something spicy. I would consider Sierra Pale a ‘go to’ beer when nothing else tickles your fancy.
AleSmith Anvil Ale ESB - San Diego, CA
AleSmith Anvil Ale ESB - 4.5/5
This would have to be one of the best ESB’s I have discovered outside of the UK. Like any good ESB it is light on carbonation and has a smooth caramel malt with light citrus hops following close behind.
Drinkability is high so I recommend it as a session beer. It paired extremely well with a home made pizza with pepperoni, mushrooms, onions and caramelized garlic.
Sam Adams Chocolate Bock – Boston, MA
Sam Adams Chocolate Bock – 3.5/5
Sam Adams Chocolate Bock was part of this years winter collection. For those of you who are not overly adventurous with trying new and interesting beers, I strongly suggest trying the Sam Adams seasonals.
Sam Adams brewery seems to play it safe with their seasonals. They are never big and bold but more a subtle and safe effort.
The Chocolate Bock has a really nice roasty, chocolate aroma and mild sweetness to taste. I found it was very drinkable and the sweetness paired really well with my wife’s chipotle chilli.
Flying Horse Royal Lager, India
Flying Horse Royal Lager – 2/5
I very much expected this beer to be similar to other Indian beers I’ve had. Both Cobra and Kingfisher are plain but drinkable lagers and Flying Horse was a disappointment.
The first thing I noticed was the skunky smell. Although in a brown bottle, it smelled as if it had been effected by some light contamination. After reading other reviews on this beer I have come to the conclusion that I got a bad bottle.
It didn’t taste as bad as it smelled although unfortunately the smell was quite off-putting. Maybe the brewery sourced their water from the River Ganges? Adrienne and Rick, thanks again for the donation. It was unfortunate that this Flying Horse was more of a donkey.
Friday, January 21, 2011
Pliny The Elder – Russian River Brewing Co, Santa Rosa CA
Pliny The Elder – Russian River Brewing Co - 5/5Well I guess you’ve heard me bang on about overly hopped beers and probably did not expect to see me reviewing a Double IPA any time soon. My friends Adrienne and Rick generously donated a few beers to the blog and I am so very pleased that they introduced me to this hopped up hottie from Sonoma County in Northern California.
The fragrant aromas will assault your senses as soon as the cap is popped. You’ll smell a carefully crafted bouquet of floral, citrus and pine which will call to you to take a sip.
On the tongue it’s very hoppy but so very carefully balanced by the grassy, pine flavors. It’s really difficult to believe that Pliny The Elder is classed as an IPA and a Double at that.
From what I hear, this beer is rather difficult to come by. My advice is to keep an eye out for this one and buy a few bottles if you get the opportunity..then let me know and I’ll help you drink them. I suggest drinking this one on its own. Definitely one to add to the “beer bucket list.” Thanks again Adrienne and Rick for showing me the light.
Friday, January 7, 2011
Who knows their beers?
Well as you can see the fridge is stocked with blog-worthy brews.