Wells - Banana Bread Beer

Yes it is true, I am in fact reviewing the beer known as: "Banana Bread Beer" brewed by Wells and Youngs based in Bedford, England, a small city about 50 miles north of London. I have to admit, this is the first beer I have tried from this brewer, although I have seen several other styles at the local QFC like their double chocolate stout. This beer was recommended to me by a good friend, so let's give it a shot.


Name: Banana Bread Beer
Category/Style: English Strong Ale
ABV: 5.2%
OG: Unknown
Malt Types: Unknown
Hop Types: Unknown
Bottled: Unknown

The Pour: Clear amber-orange, copper, filtered, looks a bit like apple juice. The head is white and quickly disappears. Probably won't be much lacing.

The Nose: Straight up Banana. Like peeling a Banana then inhaling the aroma. Almost smells artificial, like Banana flavored Laffy Taffy. I'm also detecting hints of bubblegum, the nose is very sweet, maybe a slight malt presence, caramel, bready, tough to detect much else behind the Banana aroma. It's a bit overpowering and dominant. Maybe some slight hints of spice?

The Taste: Carbonation is barely noticeable, slight up front, but not much longevity to it. Definite Banana flavor, but in my opinion, the nose leaves a lot to be desired. Surprisingly the flavor is lacking sweetness as the nose suggested, Banana flavor peaks midway through, then slowly fades to the back of the palette...leaves slowly, fades to a bit of bubblegum, spice, and a slight bitterness...kind of flat...was expecting more sweetness...dry finish, medium to light body...quite drinkable if you don't mind the Banana...

The Verdict: The aroma screams Banana, flavor involves Banana, caramel, and slight bitterness. I think it's lacking a bit of sweetness. Kind of reminiscent of a German Weissbier (flavorwise). I think it's intriguing and worth trying at least once, but probably not something I can see myself purchasing more than once...

Orval - Belgian Trappist Ale

And so tonight I have decided to finally crack open the bottle of Orval I've had sitting in my closet for the past month or so. As the title says, Orval is in fact a Belgian Trappist Ale. What is exactly a Trappist Ale? Good question. Here is the answer: A true Trappist Ale is a beer brewed by monks who live and work in Trappist Monasteries. There are some 171 Trappist Monasteries in existence today, but only 7 are known to produce beer; six in Belgium, and one in the Netherlands.

Orval Brewery (Brasserie d'Orval) is located in the deep south of Belgium and they have been brewing beer there since 1931. Trappist Breweries also follow strict guidlines (not very different from the German breweries of old with the Reinheitsgebot) set in place by the International Trappist Association. Other well known Trappist Ales include, Chimay and Westmalle. Orval however is distinct from these other ales. They dry hop their beer during the brewing process (drop in mesh bags full of hops) and use a strain of wild yeast known as Brettanomyces, which adds a distinctive sourness to the beer by producing acetic acid during the fermentation process. Now you're an expert on Orval. Now all that is left is to go to PCC and buy a bottle to drink for yourself. I however, have my very own bottle right here in front of me, so let's give it a taste...


Name: Orval
Category/Style: Belgian Trappist Ale
ABV: 5.2 - 7.2%
IBU: Unknown
OG: Unknown
Malt Types: Pale and Caramel
Hop Types: Hallertau, Styrian Golding, Strisselspalt
Bottled: 02/20/2008

The Pour: Clear dark amber-orange, bubbly, foamy off-white head, nice retention, not very good lacing. Very fizzy carbonation...

The Nose: Straw, slight floral, sweet cotton candy and caramel notes. Swirling produces deeper aromas; yeasty and bready notes. Overall still very sweet, slight bubble gum presence. Notes of apple juice. Smells of old barns and stables other aromas I cannot quite place. Slightly musky and dusty; almost like Orval has captured and bottled air from Belgian farmhouses...

The Taste: Very fizzy carbonation up front, quickly dissipates. The sourness rears its' head, pleasantly sweet, dry finish, very drinkable. Definitely tastes of straw, hay, yeast and bread as the aroma suggests. Sour bubblegum midway through. The body is light to medium. And it has a nice bite to it, and a slight lingering bitterness near the end and on the finish.

The Verdict: Overall a very drinkable brew. I like the slight sourness and slight bitterness. I have yet to try other Trappist Ales, but I would be interested in comparing this to others. I also feel I didn't give this a good review (my nose is slightly plugged, and I just burnt off all my tastebuds by eating french fries that were waaay too hot) so I think I should give this brew another shot and perhaps another review down the road at some point. Overall a fine selection and a great choice if you want to try something new and different :]




Thanks for reading!

Zach

Le Merle (The Blackbird) - North Coast Brewing Company

Hello hello! How has everyone been? I know it has been a long time since my last post, but sometimes life just gets in the way. For instance the rest of my life, like photography, painting, traveling, skiing, relaxing, working, sleeping, eating, and brewing my own beer. Sometimes it is just tough to find and keep things balanced. From here on out, I am going to make a more concerted effort to keep things in balance and make more attempts to post regularly on this blog. So stay tuned; I'm making a comeback. Now for the beer!

Today I am reviewing a new brewery: North Coast Brewing Company, out of Fort Bragg, California. When I made attempts to view their website, nothing happened. The page wouldn't load. So A: they either went out of business, or B: forgot to pay the bill to keep their website up and running. I'm kind of thinking it's probably the latter. In any case North Coast Brewing Co is responsible for producing widely known beers such as: Old Rasputin, PranQster, Brother Thelonius, and Red Seal Organic Ale. The brew I am reviewing tonight happens to be a belgian style ale by the name of Le Merle (The Blackbird) Belgian Style Farmhouse (Saison) Ale.

Saison just so happens to be a french word and it means: "Season." Traditionally these beers were produced in Flanders (thus the reason for a Belgian/French combo name on the style) and only seasonally during the summer. Present day we can find and enjoy them year round. Saison ales are usually very fruity with overall good clarity, and big white fluffy heads. They contain lots of spice and herbs to create complex aromas and flavors. They are highly carbonated and typically are light to medium bodied. They are also usually of mid to high alcohol content. And so, without further adieu (adieu, another french word :P ) lets get to the good stuff...



Name: Le Merle
Category/Style: Saison (Belgian Style Farmhouse Ale)
ABV: 7.9%
IBU: 24
OG: Unknown
Malt Types: Unknown
Hop Types: Unknown

The Pour: Cloudy hazy dark yellow-orange. Head is off-white; initially fluffy, but quickly fades, and the result is little to no head retention. No lacing whatsoever.

The Nose: Nose is spicy. Bursts of citrus. Orange peel. Spices. Pineapple. Really sweet. Slight muskiness. Butterscotch. Bubblegum. Bready yeast. Makes me want to take a bite.

The Taste: Fizzy carb, quickly dissipates. Yeasty as it spreads over the palette. Spicy notes. Dulled out flavors I can't quite place. Almost makes your mouth water as it hits the back of the mouth. Light to medium body. Definitely sweet and bready; overall I'd say pretty dry. Notes of citrus, orange, pineapple. Slight warming effect on the back of the throat well after the fact...

The Verdict: Overall I would have to say I was slightly disappointed with this brew. I thought the aroma was much nicer than the actual flavor. However, the drinkability is high, surprising for an abv of 7.9%. The alcohol is barely detectable and the body was on the light to medium side. It was quite refreshing and would certainly make a nice summertime brew. I say your best bet to enjoy this one is in the shade on a hot summers day.




Thanks for reading!

Zach

Great Divide Brewing Company - Hercules Double IPA

Nearly a month has passed since my last post. Only just slightly ridiculous, I know. I've been wanting to review new beers. I have many currently in my fridge. Finally, I am getting around to it. And I am going to try out something from Great Divide Brewing Co (something a lot of my friends have been urging me to do). So let's do it. Here goes.

The Great Divide Brewing Co comes at us from Denver, Colorado. Now personally, I have never tasted anything from them, so I have no opinion on them, except for what I've heard from my friends. They all say the beer is good. The first thing I notice as I'm looking through their website is this:

"These beers have landed an impressive amount of acclaim: Great Divide beers have earned 16 Great American Beer Festival medals and 4 World Beer Cup awards. Great Divide was also ranked 14th in Ratebeer.com’s 2008 “The Best Brewers in the World” and was ranked 7th in Beer Advocate’s 2008 “All-Time Top Breweries on Planet Earth.”

But why take their word for it? Crack open a bottle and decide for yourself."

Now that piques my curiosity. Many Brewing Company's make outrageous claims, attempting to make their beer stand out from the rest, when everyone knows they're nothing special. There have however, been a handful of times in my life when I stumble upon a place or location or brewing co that actually delivers on what they claim. Let's find out if Great Divide can live up to their claim...



Name: Hercules Double IPA
Category: Double IPA
ABV: 10.0%
IBU: 85 IBU
OG: Unknown
Malt Types: Unknown
Hop Types: Unknown

The Pour: Pours clear amber, light orange. The head is off-white, pale yellow. Slight retention.

The Nose: Smells dusty, slightly sour. Definitely malty and sweet. Lots of nuttiness, slight hints of roasted chocolate? The high alcohol is easily detected. Overall it smells wonderfully complex and full of subtle flavors and maybe even some surprises. I'm eager to taste it.

The Taste: I immediately detect that this beer is dry and alcoholic. Sweetness on the tip of the tongue that spreads to the back of the palette. Not super thick or syrupy (like some double or imperial IPA's can be). Low on the carbonation. Very malty and surprisingly not very sweet. Definitely able to detect a sweetness middle of the tongue. But it fades at the end and finishes with a slight hint of bitterness and nutty malt flavor. Not very bitter at all actually. For 85 IBU's it has definitely been compensated for.

The Verdict: Well, I don't know. Perhaps this bottle has been sitting for too long? After all, it was bottled on April 14th, of this year. It's a solid brew for sure, but flavor-wise I'd have to say I prefer more sweetness, more bitterness (especially from a Double IPA), and especially if they claim that they have balanced it well. I read reviews online, and many are claiming they find this beer satisfying and sweet. The alcohol is hidden well, but for me I don't/can't detect the sweetness. It leaves my mouth feeling dry and that is not a trait I find attractive in any beer. I think I'll have to go and buy another, perhaps more fresh bottle of this brew before I make any definite opinions of it yet. The aroma is lovely, but the flavor disappointed me...

Cali-Belgique India Pale Ale

It has been awhile since I've reviewed a beer but I'm back! Hopefully you didn't miss me too much :P This time I am reviewing for the first time, a brew from Stone Brewing Company (one of my favorite Brewing Co's).

Stone Brewing Co comes to us from Escondido, California (just north of San Diego for a quick geographical reference), and is a very large distributor of beers up and down the west coast of the US. Now the question you may be asking is whether or not Stone Brewing Co is considered a microbrewery. The technical definition of a microbrewery is a brewery that produces small batches of beer and typically only distributes them locally, or regionally, but never cross-country or internationally. I suppose Stone Brewing Company can be considered a craftbrewery, which defines the approach to making the beer rather than the distribution or amount. And so now that we have clearly defined Stone as a craftbrewery, let's continue on here.

Stone Brewing Co brews great beer. That much is apparent. The tastes are unique and despite the broad distribution one can find its brews (from Safeway to World Market and QFC to PCC and Haggen), it still retains the uniqueness and most importantly, the deliciousness. Just to name afew of its popular brews: Stone IPA, Arrogant Bastard Ale (yes, this is a beer), Ruination IPA (one of my all-time faves), Smoked Porter, and Old Guardian Barley Wine. They also have a selection of limited and special release brews, which includes my friend here: The Cali-Belgique IPA, Double Arrogant Bastard Ale, and an Imperial Russian Stout. Typically we find them sold in 22 oz bottles, but I have seen them sold in 6 packs as well (I just so happened to find this beer in a 22 oz bottle at the Haggen in Burlington). Chances are good that if you see Stone Brewing Co on the side of a bottle, it's good and you won't disappoint yourself by purchasing it. So go for it! Reach for something new, and if it just so happens to be from Stone, be ready for a good ride! Now onto the beer!



Name: Cali-Belgique IPA
Category: California Style India Pale Ale
ABV: 6.9%
IBU: 77 IBU
OG: Unknown
Malt Types: Unknown
Hop Types: Columbus, Centennial, Dry-hopped with Chinook

The Pour: Pale golden yellow, clear, definitely filtered. The head is white and fluffy, good amount of lacing, and good retention.

The Nose: Sweet and syrupy, hints of belgian yeast, hints of canned dole pineapple and pine trees as well as citrus (oranges and grapefuit). I'm getting some hints of bubblegum? I'm detecting also a slight mustiness. Overall, it is very sweet (a sweetness typical of many belgian ales), and appealing. I'm excited to try this unique IPA.

The Taste: Initially spicy, medium carb, sweet on the palette. Definite sweet pine notes traveling up into my nose. Light sweetness in the middle and the finish is mellow, ending with a nice amount of lingering bitterness. Really well balanced.

The Verdict: A very traditional IPA here. As the back of the bottle states, the aroma is a bit funky and different from regular Stone IPA, mostly due to the fact they used belgian yeast strains rather than their standard ones. The flavor is very well-balanced and I definitely would not say it is overly bitter. For someone testing the waters of the IPA, this might not be a bad one to try out. And for everyone out there already a fan of the IPA, then this provides you with a twist on the average IPA. Go pick up a 22 ouncer of this, and you won't be disappointed.

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier Marzen

Aecht Schlenkerla Rauchbier means: "Original Schlenkerla Smokebeer" in german. And Schlenkerla is the historic brewery located in Bamberg, Germany in the northern region of Bavaria. Now looking more into this brewery, it would seem that it was first opened in 1405 and has been brewing smokebeer since 1678. Now that's a long time. Bamberg germany specializes in this unique style of beer known as smokebeer and as german law mandates, this brewery follows the Reinheitsgebot (german purity laws).

But what exactly is smokebeer? And what is the Reinheitsgebot? Good questions. In a nutshell, Smokebeer is a lager (bottom fermented beer) which contains smoked malt. The brewery achieves this by smoking the barley with beechwood logs at the time of malting and the result is the smokey flavor found in the beer.

Now, what is this Reinheitsgebot? The Reinheitsgebot is a set of laws first enacted in 1516 by King Ludwig. The law stated that the brewers of beer were only allowed to use barley, water, and hops. The law is no longer in use, but many breweries still claim to follow these purity laws. It is definitely a matter of pride. Look for this on the bottles of many german (bavarian more specifically) beers.

This will be my first taste of a true german brewed rauchbier so as you can guess, I am pretty excited! So let's do it!


Category: Rauchbier
ABV: 5.1%
IBU: Unknown
OG: Unknown
Malt Types: Unknown
Hop Types: Unknown

The Pour: Very dark amber, a slight orange-crimson hue. The head is off-white, minimal retention, and so far the lacing is weak.

The Nose: As expected, the nose in bombarded immediately with a smokiness reminscent of campfires. Smoked meat aromas arise when the glass is swirled. I am also getting some dark roasted coffee hints as well. It will be interesting to taste this.

The Taste: The carbonation is initially strong but recedes and is of medium-to-low carb. Perhaps this bottle is abit flat? Smoke is everywhere in this...initially, midway through, and on the finish. Definite hints of smokey campfires, and smoked meats, perhaps bacon or bologna. Lingering on the palette the beer is slightly sweet and smokey. The roasted malts and coffee are apparent near the finish. The mouthfeel is not heavy and it's very drinkable. A lovely beer and much better than my first rauchbier experience!

The Verdict: This beer is definitely unique. I have had several other kinds of smoked beers (smoked porters, a chipotle ale, and an american brewed rauchbier) and my experience with them has been intriguing. It definitely is something you should try at least once. I picked this bottle up at the Cost Plus World Market in Bellevue across from Bellevue Square. If you weren't already aware of it, the World Market has a very nice beer selection offering many different types from all over the world. Now go out and buy a bottle of this. I don't think you'll be disappointed if you're looking for something different than the average everyday beer.

Alaskan Brewing Co - Baltic Porter Ale

And so after a weeklong hiatus, I am back to review yet another beer. This time however, I decided I'd like to try something darker, heavier, more robust. While browsing through the beer section at the Red Apple Market in Issaquah, I discovered this bottle of Alaskan Brewing Co's Baltic Porter Ale. Apparently, this beer has been brewed with Cherries, Brown Sugar, Vanilla Beans, and Oak Chips. I am hoping this will be a good recipe for one heck of a sensation on my palette.

But before we dive in, let's pause for a moment to recognize Alaskan Brewing Company. Alaskan Brewing Co is probably most well known for its amber ale. Alaskan Amber is very popular in the pacific northwest. In addition to the amber, Alaskan Brewing Co also brews a pale ale, white ale, a stout, an ipa, two seasonals, a smoked porter and also a handful of rare hard to find if not in alaska special brews (like the one I have here tonight).

And so taking this a step further, what exactly is a Porter? And even better, what is a Baltic Porter? Two very good questions. As the name suggests, a Porter is an Ale. During the brewing process the yeast used to convert sugars into CO2 and alcohol floats on the top, this is what defines an ale as an ale.
Porters are usually very dark and are often confused with stouts. Porters get their dark coloration from the black or chocolate malts typically used in the production of these beers. Typical flavors on the palette will be roasty and chocolatey.
But this is where we draw the distinction between your standard Porter, and your Baltic Porter. Baltic Porters are considered to be Imperial Porters. Imperial Porters typically contain a much higher alcohol percentage than that of a regular porter, usually in upwards of 7.5%. The main difference being that the Imperial Porters tend to lack the roasted flavor of stouts and regular porters, with dark malts being the most prevalent flavor. The Baltic Porter are all that remain of a 19th century Baltic Trade in Imperial Stouts. Baltic Porters are typically bottom fermented, but in the case of the Alaskan Baltic, it is an example of a top fermented Baltic. Usually, Baltic Porters range in alcohol content from 7 - 9.5%. They are usually very sweet, and strong. So here we go, let's give it a shot...


Category: Baltic Porter Ale
ABV: 9.8%
IBU: Unknown
OG: Unknown
Malt Types: Unknown
Hop Types: Unknown

The Pour: The Baltic Porter pours a thick very dark red, nearly black, and leaves a lovely tan head with poor retention. Slight lacing on the glass.

The Nose: Very malty, lots of cereal, notable amount of sweetness and a high alcohol content is easily detected. Smells rich, full of malt, and body. I can also detect slight oaky nuttiness, and a faint cherry vanilla aroma. Now it's time for the taste!

The Taste: Initially the mouthfeel is not heavy at all, the low carbonation character of higher alcohol brews, makes this very smooth. Cherry and vanilla on the tip of the tongue which fades to a noticeable darker roastiness on the back of the palette. Lots of cereal and dark malts throughout and slight hints of cola in there as well. I'm picking up hints of coffee and bittersweet chocolate notes at the very end.

The Verdict: Tough for me to dislike this one, but it might be very easy for someone who does not like dark beer and higher alcohol beers to enjoy it. The flavors presented in this one are very unique. Cherry Vanilla, oak, coffee and chocolate...all combine to create something very smooth, intriguing, unique and in my opinion, very delicious. If you don't already have an affinity for dark beers, most namely porters, stouts, or imperials of the same name, you might want to steer clear of this one. It just might be too much to handle.