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Old 01-02-2012, 12:17 PM   #324
AWMiller
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Join Date: Sep 2010
LSBA Region: 76
Location: Mansfield, TX
Posts: 410
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Koningshoeven Trappist Dubbel (a.k.a. La Trappe Dubbel)
Bierbrouwerij De Koningshoeven B.V. | Berkel-Enschot, Netherlands

Style: Abbey Dubbel

All in all this was a rather good dubbel; a good baseline brew (if you will) to be used in comparison to other brews in its class/style. After a few folks telling me of this brew and them knowing I really like a hearty abbey dubbel, I was excited to finally sit down with this brew and taste it for all its worth!

I start off with a moderate pour rate (not aggressive but not slow) to bolster up a nice head. The head size was very sparse and very thin composed of off-white colored bubbly foam. Head retention was quite weak as the head quickly dissipated. A light swirl of the glass and I see that there is going to be very little (hence, sparse) lacing effects on the glass while I savor this brew. The body on this beer is a clear, ruby-brown colored body.

A deep sniff of the brew reveals chocolate, lemons, biscuit dough, brown sugar, raisins, and some peppery spices. Starting off the brew is malty, tart, and slightly sweet with some light alcohol present. Most dominant flavors I pick up were chocolate and peppery spices [not like hot peppers though]. It finished off dry and again malty, tart, and slightly sweet. The finish duration (aftertaste) was about average; not long-lasting.

This brew was good on the palate: medium bodied; smooth texture; lively carbonation. On my drinkability scale [easy - moderate - heavy], this brew ranks a ‘moderate’; one that is to be enjoyed slowly. As this brew slowly warmed the aroma and flavor only slightly became more pronounced.

In the end I was a bit dismayed in that the brew didn’t live up to the hype (or my perceptions of the hype). Don’t get me wrong, it’s a good brew but nothing over the top. Maybe if I had some cheesy pasta this brew would be a lot more enjoyable!

Beer-Nerd Details:

Bier shop – Beer & Wine World; Mansfield, TX
ABV – 7%
IBU – not listed
Serving type – 750ml bottle
Recommended serving temperature 45°-50°F

Rating: 3 out of 5 mugs

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Regia Extra

Style: Pale Lager

Coming home from being out-and-about on Christmas Eve I find a small unmarked package on my front doorstep. Cautiously I approach this package and gently lean forward to see if I can hear any ticking sounds! There were none so I gently cut the tape and slowly open the box lid … no ‘ka-boom’!! I peer inside to see a large bottle of brew-goodness and head inside to see what ‘Santa’ has brought for me! Lo and behold it is a lager brew from El Salvador! My first thoughts are along the lines of this being another ‘adjunct’ brew …

From a moderate pour rate (not a fast pour yet not a slow pour either) this brew laid out an average (1-finger thick) head that was white, bubbly and one that slowly diminished. A quick swirl of the glass (and many savory sips later!) and there is a fair amount of lacing effects on the glass. The body is a crystal-clear golden yellow color that is one of the finest presentations of a pale lager that I have seen in quite a while!

A deep whiff of this brew reveals aromas of roasted corn, slightly bread-y, light lemon, grass, light alcohol, and I swear I smell club crackers. I was expecting that standard ‘skunky’ scent that is present in many brews of this style but none were detected! Initially this brew is dry and malty with some very nice flavors of roasted corn and light amount of alcohol to taste. Finishing off it is again dry and malty with no bitterness whatsoever and a nice long-lasting finish duration (aftertaste) of roasted corn and a slight sugary sweetness.

This brew was a delight on the palate! Light-bodied; smooth texture (not thin & watery like what many ‘adjunct’ pale lagers pose); and lively carbonation. On my drinkability scale [easy-moderate-heavy], this brew ranks as ‘easy’; a good ‘chugger’, bottoms up!

So like I said earlier, my first thoughts were along the lines of this being just another ‘adjunct’ brew. Nothing could be farther from the truth! This was a very refreshing brew that was very flavorful. Given the amount one gets in a bottle and the price (average price is right at $3.00USD) this is one excellent brew to have on-hand for those BBQs and fish fry! It also is making for an excellent choice while watching these college football bowl games!! Grab the nachos, chili and hot wings and plenty of bottles of this brew and enjoy!!

Beer-Nerd Details:

Brewery - Cerveceria La Constancia S.A. / BevCo Ltd | San Salvador, El Salvador
Bier Shop – Received as a gift!
ABV – 4.3%
IBU – not listed
Serving type – 32oz. bottle
Recommended serving temperature 35°-40°F.

Rating: 3 out of 5 mugs

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Guinness Black Lager

Style: Schwarzbier

I had mixed thoughts and expectations with this beer and to be frank, I did not think that it would hold up to those expectations. I had already read some previous reviews and talked with folks that had tried it and I could only find a scant few that owned up to the fact that they liked it. Even with that knowledge, I tasted this brew with an open mind. The door to that openness quickly shut.

The only thing going for this brew (in my opinion) was that it was a right good-looking beer. Using a moderate pour rate this brew put out a head that was average (about 1 finger thick), bubbly and off-white in color. It was very slow in its diminishing rate and the clear, black-colored liquid put out some excellent lacing effects on the glass.

The aroma and flavor of this brew were absolutely weak. Scents of bread, stale chocolate, grass, and some sort of smell that just singed the nostrils way in the background. From start to finish this brew was bland and malty. There was some sort of long-lasting bitterness that just completely turned me away from this brew; so much so that I did not even finish it.

This brew was light in body, very thin and watery in texture, and had some ‘fizzy’ carbonation going on. On my drinkability scale [easy-moderate-heavy], this brew is an ‘easy’ brew to drink. Definitely a brew to chug down as I would not want to invest any more time than necessary to get through with it.

In the end this brew was just another tic mark on the “tried-it-but-ain’t-gonna-do-it-again” list. Feel free to try this brew at your own peril (or enjoyment if you happen to actually like it)!

Beer-Nerd Details:

Brewery - Guinness Ltd. | Dublin, Ireland
Bier Shop – Beer & Wine World; Mansfield, TX
ABV – 4.5%
IBU – not listed
Serving type – 12oz. bottle
Recommended serving temperature 45°-50°F.

Rating: 1 out of 5 mugs

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Avery The Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest

Style: Imperial Oktoberfest/Marzen

The final brew in Avery’s Dictator Series for me to try and I am so thankful to my ‘secret Santa’ for bringing this wonderful gift! All of the other brews in this series {Maharaja and The Czar} were just exceptional and I felt that this brew would be right in line! So grabbing my favorite snifter (“The GrandFazha”) it’s time to pour this brew up and enjoy!

From a moderate pour rate this brew loaded up a large (2-finger thick), bubbly, off-white colored head that diminished oh so slowly! After it settled down just a tad I gave the glass a gentle swirl and the lacing effects on the glass were most excellent. The body color is a gorgeous hazy copper and when held to the light it was just amazing to gaze at!

The aromas of this brew are just, well … intoxicating! Warm bread, caramel, herbal hops, bread dough and a light hint of alcohol. The flavors of this brew stand tall as well. Initially it is malty-sweet with hints of caramel, light alcohol, spices, and orange zest. Finishing off the brew is the same malty-sweet through and through with nice warming effects from the alcohol. The aftertaste is extremely long-lasting with the same caramel, orange zest, and spices. Absolutely amazing.

Medium bodied with a very creamy texture and lively, lively carbonation. On my drinkability scale [easy-moderate-heavy], this brew scores in the moderate-heavy range. A brew that truly deserves one going slow and savoring every sip to its fullest. As this brew slowly warms, it just gets better and better.

Truly a malt-head’s delight!! This brew is again just amazing and one to be enjoyed many, many times. Some serious food pairings would include some grilled (or smoked) brats alongside some zangy sauerkraut and decadent potato salad. Other food pairings would include: beef/buffalo/bison, sausage, pork, poultry, and wild upland fowl.

Beer-Nerd Details:

Brewery - Avery Brewing Company | Boulder, Colorado
Bier Shop – Received as a gift!
ABV – 10.01%
IBU – 24
Serving type – 22oz. bottle
Recommended serving temperature 40°-45°F.

Rating: 4 out of 5 mugs

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These and many more beer reviews are available on my blog; the link there is provided on my profile page.

ABOUT AW's BIERKELLER: My beer review blog contains beer reviews from an 'average joe' beer enthusiast for 'average joe' beer enthusiasts. It ain't purty, heck it ain't even grammatically correct. It's just me tellin ya what I think about the brews that I have savored. It ain't much but it's sure to put a grin on your chin and a chuckle in your gullet! If'n you're into wild game (the kind ya go out into the great outdoors to get [i.e. hunting or fishing]; not that prepackaged stuff!!) then I got some tasty brews that will go right good with your meal! So thank ye kindly for stoppin by! Now get on in thar and find some brews that you'd like to try & maybe some ya'd better stay away from!

DISCLAIMER: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of these here beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice one to venture out and try new brews. While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best. There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure!
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