AW's Beer Reviews

[AWMiller]

Rahr & Sons Pecker Wrecker
Rahr & Sons Brewing Company | Fort Worth, Texas USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: American Double/Imperial Pilsner

ABV - 7%

This brew is just absolutely amazing! It poured up a beautiful, rich, dark amber-colored body that formed up a huge frothy head with amazing retention and lacing effects which lasted until the beer is gone! Aromas of caramel, sweet malts, citrus fruits (orange and maybe a bit of lemon), hops, and spices. There’s a nice hoppy hit up front followed by sweet malt for a mellowed, somewhat dry finish. Paired this tasty brew with smoked brats & creamed golden hominy casserole for an amazing dinner!

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 this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them 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.

[AWMiller]

Saint Arnold Divine Reserve #11
Saint Arnold Brewing Company | Houston, Texas USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: American Double/Imperial IPA

ABV - 8.9%

IBU - 76

Another fine brew from the folks at Saint Arnold Brewing! This brew poured up a deep, dark amber colored body sporting a nice frothy head with moderate retention and lacing effects on the glass. Aromas of citrusy hops, caramel, sweet malts, and warm biscuits. Medium-bodied and full of well-balanced flavor. Nice, subtle hoppy hit up front followed up with the sweet malts and caramel on the finish. Very refreshing indeed! A great brew for the BBQ or fish fry! Pair it up with some grilled/smoked meats or some grilled/smoked salmon.

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 this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them 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.

[AWMiller]

Boulevard Pilsner
Boulevard Brewing Co. | Kansas City, Missouri USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: German-style Pilsner

ABV - 4.8%

IBU - 16

A good standard fare in this pilsner line, this brew poured up a crystal clear light amber colored body with a thin head that had minimal retention and lacing effects on the glass. Aromas are very, very faint: grains, hops, malts, and a light lemony scent. Light-bodied and very easy on the drinkability level with a crisp, clean finish that has no bitter or harsh aftertaste. Great to pair up with a poultry meal or perhaps a grilled fish/seafood dinner.

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 this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them 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.

[AWMiller]

Butte Creek Organic Pilsner
Butte Creek Brewing Company | Chico, California USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: German-style Pilsner

ABV - 4.1%

This brew poured up a semi-cloudy, light golden colored body with a pearly white thin foamy head with minimal retention and lacing effects on the glass. Aromas of grains, light hops, and something akin to sourdough bread. Light- to Medium-bodied, the sweet malts are savored first with a nice bite from the hops on the finish to make for a crisp, dry ending. The finish is slightly bitter but nothing overbearing. Being my first ‘organic’ brew to try, I’d pair this one up with some fried chicken (home-style, not that fast food stuff) or some blackened fish.

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 this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them 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.

[AWMiller]

Left Hand Stranger APA
Left Hand Brewing Company | Longmont, Colorado USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: American Pale Ale (APA)

ABV - 5%

IBU - 36

Definitely one of the purtiest brews I’ve seen in a while! This brew poured up a crystal clear, topaz colored body with a hefty head with amazing retention and lacing effects on the glass. Aromas are just abundant an amazing: citrus fruit, hops, and a slight hint of sweet malts. Quite full of hops but nothing too harsh or overbearing (at least for this malt-head!). Good spice notes with grapefruit and some lemon flavors mixed in. Medium-bodied with a very easy drinkability level with a nice, dry finish that has just a slight kick from the hops. Definitely a good brew to pair up with a juicy rotisserie chicken, creamed spinach, corn-on-the-cob, and fresh baked bread!

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 this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them 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.

[AWMiller]

Steinlager Pure
New Zealand Breweries Limited | Aotearoa, New Zealand
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Euro Pale Lager

ABV - 5%

This being my first brew from New Zealand, I’m quite amazed at this hearty brew in such a teeny-tiny can! The brew poured up a clear, straw-colored body with a light foamy head which dissipated slowly but with minimal lacing effects on the glass. Aromas of warm biscuits, sweet malts, grains, light hops, lemons … very well-balanced. Light-bodied, easy to drink, with a smooth, clean, refreshing finish with only a slight bitter aftertaste. An excellent brew to pair up with some spicy, Cajun-style shrimp/crawfish or a hearty Cajun gumbo!

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 this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them 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.

[AWMiller]

Rheingold Beer
Rheingold Brewing Co. | Wilton, Connecticut USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: American Pale Lager

ABV - 5%

Well, I hate to give out a negative review but this brew just didn’t hold up to any sort of expectation of mine. This brew poured up a clear, straw-colored body the head was barely visible (no lacing effects at all) and dissipated so quickly that I barely had time to get it in the photo! Aromas are barely detectable but there’s just a tad bit of hops and malts; sadly it was rather bland smelling. Light-bodied and so easy to drink you wouldn’t know you were drinking a beer. Flavors are very bland so whatever you pair this up with that’s all you are going to be tasting. Sadly I won’t recommend this brew to anyone.

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 this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them 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.

[AWMiller]

Maui Brewing Mana Wheat
Maui Brewing Co. | Lahaina, Hawaii (Maui) USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: American Pale Wheat Ale

ABV - 5.5%

Alooooooooooooooooha! Now this is a lot of aloha from the Maui Brewing ohana!! A wheat brew with pineapple! Now THAT’s refreshing!!! It may be hard to tell from that opener but I REALLY love this brew! It poured up a cloudy, light-amber in color with a massive head with moderate retention and minimal lacing. Aromas of wheat and pineapple (but more like grilled pineapple), and lemons. Flavors of the same but oh so smooth and well-balanced. Medium-bodied, smooth and easy to drink. Truly smooth liquid bliss! It has a light hoppy bite on the end to make for a clean, refreshing finish. Would definitely pair this up with some spicy grilled shrimp or perhaps a deep-fried whole crab topped with a pineapple/jalapeno chutney on top! I’m heading off to Maui and visiting these fine folks!

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 this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them 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.

[AWMiller]

Rogue Shakespeare Oatmeal Stout
Rogue Ales | Newport, Oregon USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: American Oatmeal Stout

ABV - 6%

IBU - 69

This brew poured up a near jet-black colored body with a frothy tan-colored head with moderate retention and lacing effects on the glass. Aromas of burnt sugars, hot caramel, and loads of sweet roasted malts. This is a very smooth and creamy medium-bodied brew with a slightly hoppy finish with lingering coffee notes. There are light spice notes throughout with all flavors being very well balanced. Definitely a brew to be paired up with smoked meats or wild game!

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 this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them 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.

[AWMiller]

Wasatch Polygamy Porter
Utah Brewers Cooperative | Salt Lake City, Utah USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: American Porter

ABV - 4%

I am really starting to take a strong liking to these Wasatch brews! This brew poured up a near pitch black-colored body with a one-finger head that had minimal retention and lacing. Aromas of sweet roasted malts, burnt sugars, coffee, chocolate. Medium-bodied with a sweet finish, no bitterness at all in this fine brew. Pair this up with some smoked sausages or grilled steaks; or serve it up as a dessert brew.

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 this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them 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.

[AWMiller]

Southern Star Buried Hatchet Stout
Southern Star Brewing Co. | Conroe, Texas USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: American Double/Imperial Stout

ABV - 8.25%

My gosh! This brew is so good I want to cut the can open and lick it clean! It poured up a near pitch black-colored body with ruby hues; a massive foamy head with moderate retention & awesome lacing. The head reduces down to a thin foamy topping and hangs around for a good long while. Aromas of dark chocolates and dark fruits, coffee, and hot fudge. Medium-bodied and silky smooth with a crisp, clean finish that has just a subtle ‘bite’. Very easy to drink so watch that ABV count! An excellent brew to pair up with wild game, smoked meats or grilled meats.

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 this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them 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.

[EEBowHunter]

A very nice collection indeed!!! I recognize a bunch of those but there are a lot more that I have yet to try. In the spirit of good brews...

Jon Boy’s Olde English Ale (May 2011)

This is a revisit of my Harpoon style Olde English Ale with some tweaks. Specifically increased the hop schedule and added some more LME to bump up the gravity.

Original Gravity: 1.086
Final Gravity 1.021
Color: 22 SRM
Bitterness: 32.7 IBU
Alcohol: 8.7% ABV

Liquid Malt Recipe
7 oz Biscuit Malt
7 oz Crystal 40 Malt
6 oz Aromatic Malt
2 oz Chocolate Malt
2 oz Black Malt
12 lbs Light Liquid Malt Extract

Hopping Schedule
2 oz Challenger (Bittering)
1 oz Fuggles (20 min)
1 oz UK Kent Goldings (10 min)

White Labs # WLP007 (Dry English Ale)

Directions for Extract recipe
1. Fill your brewpot with 2 gallons of water, and heat to 170°F.
2. Steep specialty grains (in nylon or cheesecloth bag) for 30 minutes.
3. Remove grain bag and add Liquid Malt Extract. Stir until dissolved.
4. Bring to a slow boil.
5. Once boil has started add Bittering hops.
6. After 45 minutes of boiling, add Flavoring hops.
7. After 55 minutes, add Aroma hops.
8. After 60 minutes, remove your brewpot from the stove and cool the wört.
9. Sanitize your fermenting bucket, and any other that equipment that will contact the wört from this point on.
10. Once the wört has been cooled to room temperature (75-70°) pitch the yeast.
11. Once fermentation is complete (5-10 days) and the desired beer clarity has been achieved through racking, add the priming sugar and bottle.

[AWMiller]

very nice indeed! gotta love a good home-brew! next time I'm in SA I'll swing by with my growlers!!!

[AWMiller]

Woodchuck Pear Cider
Green Mountain Cidery (HP Bulmer) | Middlebury, Vermont USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Ciders/Perrys – Common Perry

ABV - 4%

This cider pours up like champagne made from pears. Very bubbly throughout with loads of sweet pear aromas. Taste is very sweet with a dry, tart finish. Very refreshing on those hot summer days and would be excellent for the BBQ or fish fry! Pair it up with some grilled chicken or grilled fish!

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 this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them 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.

[AWMiller]

Tiger Beer
Asia Pacific Breweries Ltd. | Alexandra Point, Singapore
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Singapore Adjunct Pale Lager

ABV - 5%

Now this brew really took me by surprise! It poured up a clear amber-colored body with a nice frothy head that dissipated quickly to thin sheen with minimal lacing. Aromas were of the usual malts/hops (hey, it’s an adjunct!) but nothing overbearing or skunky. It has a sweet malty taste with a nice bite of hops at the end. A crisp, clean finish with no harsh aftertastes. Light bodied and extra smooth on the quaff! I would pick this ANY time over the US mass producers (e.g. Miller, Coors, etc.). Pair this brew up with spicy nachos or spicy asian fish/seafood meal.

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 this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them 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.