Trader Joe's 2012 Vintage Ale

Trader Joe's yearly tradition is their vintage ale.  I've been out of the habit of blogging for a while because I've been working long hours.  When I saw this at my local TJ's I decided it was time to get back to it.  This beer is actually brewed by Unibroue in Chambly, Quebec, Canada (just outside Montreal).  Unibroue has been in business since 1990 and adheres to a European trappist monk style.  All Unibroue beers are brewed with water, malted barley, malted wheat, wheat, yeast, hops, sugar, fruit, and spices.  They also bottle ferment their beers.

The 2012 Vintage Ale is a Belgian strong ale and clocks in at 9% ABV.  It comes corked, which for me would not twist or pull out so I had to use a corkscrew.  It pours with a thick coffee-cream colored foam (a bit over carbonated), which eventually goes away.  It's a very dark raisin brown with a complex taste profile.  Overall, malty and spicy with a thick body.  It has a malty and yeast-y aftertaste.  Within the maltiness you can taste ginger, nutmeg, dark fruit, and some sweetness. 

At $4.99 this beer isn't cheap, but for 750ml and 9% ABV, that's really a good price.  It's a great beer to share at a holiday meal, or to kick back and relax over the weekend.  Four out of five stars, and worth giving it a try!

Whistler Brewing Co. -- Classic Pale Ale and Premium Export Lager

Whistler Brewing Company is in beautiful British Columbia, Canada.  More specifically, its located at Function Junction, Whistler.  For those that don't know, Whistler Blackcomb is a huge ski resort 125 km north of Vancouver, which you may recognize from the 2010 Winter Olympics.  Anyway, Whistler Brewing was started in 1989 when craft brewing was becoming popular in British Columbia, and it is one of the few that passed the test of time. 

The two beers from Whistler that I snagged, Classic Pale Ale and Premium Export Lager, are from a beer sampler Kiki gave me for my birthday.  Otherwise, I have not seen them for sale in southern California.

First up is the "Classic Pale Ale" which clocks in at 5% ABV.  It pours slightly foamy and has a hazy copper color.  It doesn't have much aroma, but I would later learn it doesn't have much taste either.  It has a light body which was lighter than expected based on the color.  The flavor was more on the malty side without any noticeable hops.  This beer might be nice after a day on the slopes, but it's not a good beer for anyone looking for flavor.  Overall, it was a little too watery.

Next is the "Premium Export Lager" which is also 5% ABV.  As you can see, it's a hazy straw color.  It has a malty lager flavor.  It has flavors of bananas and toffee.  I like bananas, but not in my beer.  It's not very hoppy.  This one is medium body, which was obvious after drinking the pale ale.  I don't like lagers in general, which is why I started drinking craft beer in the first place.  In other words, this beer was going to be a hard sell to me from the start so it's not surprising I would give it one star out of five.  If, however, you like lagers and you like that banana flavor usually found in hefeweizens, then this might be the beer for you.

As always, I enjoy exploring new beers, but these two I don't need to try again.  But, looking at Whistler Brewing's website, they don't list these two beers.  They brew: Pineapple Express Wheat Ale, Grapefruit Ale, Powder Mountain Lager, Whiskey Jack Ale, Bear Paw Honey Lager, Black Tusk Ale, and Dunkle.  Some of those sound more up my alley.  In other words, if I come across some more Whistler beers I'm open to experiencing what else they have to offer.

Cheers!

Birra Amarcord - Nero's 1st Century Double Dark Malt Ale

This beer was bought on a whim at Trader Joe's for $2.99.  TJ's described it as "toffee and caramel, with floral and citrus notes; double dark."  It comes in a cool swing-top bottle - like a bottle meets growler.  Its 500ml (1 pine 0.9 fl oz) and 8% ABV.  Nero's is brewed by Birra Amarcord and brewed in Italy.

It pours dark caramel brown with very little foam.  Despite the.e lack of head its actually fizzy on the tongue.  It's very malty on the nose, then a little bit of a sweet flavor, and then it has a bitter and chalky aftertaste.  It has a slightly spiciness with the caramel flavor.  It's medium bodied - its lighter than you would think for a double dark beer, but it's still filling.  Caramel is definitely the overriding flavor, but it is inconsistent in the taste on the palate.  I disagree with whomever made the Trader Joe's description - I did not taste any citrus notes, but maybe a little dark fruit.

Overall, it was an interesting beer, had a cool bottle, not too expensive, but probably not something I would buy again.

Utah Brewers Cooperation - Wasatch Raspberry Wheat

Utah Brewers Cooperation is a partnership formed in 2000 by Wasatch Beers (originally in Park City, and then they moved their brewing operations to Salt Lake City) and Squatters Beer (from Salt Lake City -- check out my review of Squatters from last year).  On a side note, check out my review of Unita's Cutthroat Ale where I get into Utah's funky beer laws/regulations.  Wasatch Beers was founded in 1986 and has consistently been growing from a tiny operation to a brew pub to a brewery with a high speed bottling line.

Wasatch Raspberry Wheat is courtesy of Kiki by way of a 10 craft beer sampler she bought me for my birthday.  This beer won a silver medal from the North American Brewery Association.  As you can see, it's a golden straw color and pours with little head.  It smells slightly sweet.  This is a subtle beer in many ways -- it's 4% ABV, it's lightly carbonated, it has a light body, and it has a light raspberry flavor.  Fruity beers can be hit or miss -- but this one is definitely a hit and I'm not just saying that because raspberries are my favorite fruit.  This beer really is a great summer beer (it also would be great after hitting the slopes in Park City) because its refreshing and the flavors are well balanced.  If I can find this in stores I would definitely drink it again.  Cheers!

American Craft Beer Week 2012

Check out this video from my fraternity big brother, Jared Cotton, and his company Redtail Media:

Stone Brewing Co. -- 11.11.11 Vertical Epic

Stone Brewing is no stranger to this blog.  I've previously reviewed Imperial Russian Stout, Old Guardian Belgo Barley Wine Style, and Double Bastard Ale.  Hopefully in the next few weeks I'll be going back down to Stone and I'll be able to post about their brewery tour.

Stone has an "Epic" series of beer, meaning these are released a year, a month, and a day apart.  It started with 02/02/02, 03/03/03, etc.  The recipes for these beers are available on their website so you can brew it at home.  The idea is that you age them until after 12/12/12 and then drink all of them in a line -- a "vertical" tasting if you will.  Cool idea, but that's some dedication to Stone if you can wait that many years to drink a beer; plus you have to cellar the beer at 55 degrees or below in order for it to keep that long.


Now the beer:  11.11.11 Vertical Epic. It's one very unique beer -- brewed with Anaheim chilies from New Mexico, whole cinnamon sticks, and Belgian Flanders Golden Ale yeast.  Even the color is a little different with a dark-hazy-brown-amber.  This beer has a thick heavy body and taste and is strong at 9.4% ABV.  It's malty with that unique pepper sourness that is only found in beers brewed with chilies.  The cinnamon adds a different kind of spiciness that complements both the Anaheim chilies and the malts.  The yeast adds a little bit of banana flavor (not really my favorite).  It's hard to describe because it is so different and doesn't really compare to any one style. 

This beer is very interesting, but it's not a beer that I'd care to drink again.  Maybe that's why they only brew this edition once a year?  In any case, the tradition is cool and it's neat that they keep the tradition alive.

Rhinelander Brewing Co. -- Boatswain Chocolate Stout

Tonight's beer comes from Rhinelander Brewing Co.  Trader Joe's has tons of this Boatswain Chocolate Stout so I figured I would give it a try.  I think it was only $2.  I've never heard of Rhinelander Brewing, but apparently there is a town in northern Wisconsin named Rhinelander.  The town had a brewery until 1967 when it closed.  A new company was formed recently that bought the trademarks and recipes of the old brewery.

The bottle claims "Boatswain (bo'sun) beers are unique beers made in small batches.  Our chocolate stout has aromas and flavors of dark chocolate, and roasted malt with a tangy hop bitterness."  Like most stouts, this beer is black in appearance.  It's 5.4% ABV and 66 IBU.  At first it seems smooth, but then the taste is bitter at the end, and the aftertaste has a chalky-bitterness.  Many stouts have a chocolate flavor, but this one is actually brewed with cocoa powder which blends well with the malts and contributes to the aftertaste.

At first I thought that Boatswain was just a typical stout in a crowd.  I think what sets it apart is a subtle real chocolate flavor.  Good beer for a good price!

Scuttlebutt Brewing Company -- Gale Force IPA

Scuttlebutt Brewing Company's Gale Force IPA is brought courtesy of my neighbor, Dave, who was kind enough to give me a six pack.  Dave loves IPAs and discovered this beer while on a business trip to the Seattle area.  Luckily, Total Wine and More sells it in 10 states including California so he was able to pick up some down here.  Thanks Dave!

What's scuttlebutt?  According to the brewery's website it means several things: a drinking fountain on a ship, gossip, a nickname of Cynthia L. Barrett, and a microbrewery started as a second career.  Scuttlebutt Brewing Co. is located in Everett, Washington which is just north of Seattle.  It all started with home brewing in 1990 to opening a brew house with a 20 barrel system in 1996.  After consistent growth, in 2007 the company moved into a bigger space where they are poised to keep growing.

Gale Force IPA is an IPA with plenty of body and enough maltiness to help support the strong hop flavor.  It's a golden hazy color.  When it was poured it looked like it wouldn't have too much head, but then the head kept getting bigger to what you see in the picture.  It smells floral and has the hop flavor you expect in an IPA, but it is not too overpowering.  It still clocks in at 96 IBU's so it is pretty bitter, and it's 5.25% ABV.  For me, I feel like a lot of brewers are missing or overdoing something with IPAs and its hard to find a good one.  But this IPA is bitter but not overdone so you can enjoy the hop complexity while still enjoying an easy drinking beer.  Cheers!

VERUS: Big Sky's Moose Drool vs. Avery's Ellie's Brown Ale

Next up in side-by-side comparisons is Moose Drool Brown Ale and Ellie's Brown Ale.  Both come in cans, which are great because they're recyclable (and its cheaper to recycle aluminum than glass), keep out all light, and keep out oxygen.

Moose Drool is brewed by Big Sky Brewing in Missoula, Montana.  It claims to be the best brown you'll ever taste.  It's the best selling beer out of Montana and its what put Big Sky Brewing on the map.  It's 5.1% ABV.

Ellie's Brown Ale is brewed by Avery Brewing Company in Boulder, Colorado.  It claims to be "very smooth, well-balanced and quaffable."  It's also lab tested (ha!).  It's 5.5% ABV.

SIMILARITIES: Both are nutty, malty, and full bodied.  They both have a hint of spice and are light on the hops.

DIFFERENCES: Ellie's is creamy and smooth.  It's also a little bit darker in color than Moose Drool -- they describe it as "deep russet."  Moose Drool on the other hand, is more on the bitter side and more chocolaty.

Which one is best?  That's a tough call because they're both award winning.  It really depends on what you like or what you're looking for.  If you want a creamier brown then go with Ellie's, if you want something a little more bitter then Moose Drool is the choice.

VERSUS: Boont Amber Ale vs. Alaskan Amber Alt Style Ale

An idea I've had floating in my head for a while is to compare some beers side by side.  Hopefully, this sheds some light into the difference between brewers who brew the same styles.  First up for this epic battle is Boont Amber Ale against Alaskan Amber Alt Style Ale.

Boont Amber Ale is brewed by Anderson Valley Brewing Company in Mendocino County California, which is a couple hours north of the Bay Area.  Boont describes itself as "an essay in balance" and as "the classic American-style Amber Ale.  It claims to be well balanced that will pair well with any meal.It's 5.8% ABV and pours with a hazy copper color.  I found this beer to be light body, malty with a tinge of bitterness, and a bitter aftertaste.  Its a hazy copper color.

Alaskan Amber Alt Style Ale is brewed by Alaskan Brewing Company in Juneau, Alaska.  "Alt" is German for "old" which is a good way to describe this beer since Alaskan formulated this beer from a recipe dating back to 1907.  It also claims to be well balanced that will pair well with any meal. Its 5.3% ABV and has a clear copper color.  I thought this beer was more on the sweet side and had more caramel flavor than the Boont Amber.  It has a full body, lots of malts and not much bitterness.

Both beers are really good, and if you're looking for an amber you won't go wrong with either one.  But between the two, side by side, Kiki and I both liked Alaskan Amber better.  Alaskan just seemed to have a bigger flavor, bigger malts, and bigger body.

Smithwick's Irish Ale

 
Smithwick's Irish Ale goes back to 1710 and claims to be Ireland's oldest brewery.  That's over 300 years for those of you keeping track at home.  Its roots trace back to a brewery at St. Francis Abbey in Kilkenny.  The name comes from John Smithwick who moved to Kilkenny in the early 1700s, but at that time Catholics were not allowed to own property so he did business in secret.  It wasn't until the 1800s when his grandson was finally able to use the Smithwick name with this beer.  Nine generations of Smithwick's kept the beer going through the decades and centuries.  In 1964Guinness bought a controlling share.

Even though this is considered a red ale the coloring is a dark amber color that is almost brown.  It clocks in a a mere 4.5% ABV.  It tastes like a very malty amber beer with a little bit of caramel flavor.  Not really any hop flavor, but it still has a bit of a bitter flavor which is comes from the hops being added late in the boil.  There is a long aftertaste that is long and malty.  Overall, it reminded me of Newcastle, but darker, more malty, and less nutty. Smithwick's is nothing to be impressed with, but its a good smooth drinking beer.

Anheuser-Busch -- Bud Light

Nothing quite says beer like Bud Light.  If you could drink America, it would be Bud Light.

The brewery was originally on the brink of bankruptcy when it was purchased in 1860 by Eberhard Anheuser, who was a soap maker.  After initially making beer that tasted like soap, his son-in-law Adolphus Busch joined as a partner to form Anheuser-Busch and they perfected their craft. After expanding the family business world wide, they continued expansion by starting Busch theme parks.  St. Louis, Missouri seemed like a good location to get the finest muddy water around.  In 2008 Anheuser-Busch was sold to InBev for $52-billion where it continued the family tradition by immediately laying off 1400 people.  Unfortunately, InBev sold some of the corporate jets and made executives answer their own phones.  InBev now controls the three best selling beers in the world: Budweiser, Bud Light, and Skol.  Tasty!

Bud Light is a lager style beer with less calories.  Really is there anything you could hate about this beer?  Pouring it gives that light frothy head and allows you to see the clear straw color.  Its balanced between hops and malt so it is sure to please everyone with its "fresh" and "clean" flavor.  It has a water-y flavor and consistency so as to not dehydrate you.  It has a light zesty flavor that dances on your taste buds with just the right amount of carbonation.  The bottle describes as being "Brewed with the Finest Ingredients for a Refreshingly Smooth Taste" so you know its a beer of the highest quality.  Five out of five stars!

Beer Law: Bagging Alcoholic Beverages in California

A while back I was at Total Wine & More and when we were checking out I said, "We don't need a bag."  My wife and I like to be environmentally conscious and not use bags when we don't need to, and use reusable bags when we need a bag.  The checker informed me that state law required them to bag alcohol.

Thanks to the California Department of Alcoholic Beverages Control ("ABC") this has been clarified in a statement on their website:

"Over the past several years, the Department has received numerous inquiries concerning laws or rules that compel retail licensees to place alcoholic beverages in bags or other containers before handing the beverages to consumers.  Be advised that neither the provisions of the California Alcoholic Beverage Control Act nor the Department's business regulations require any licensee to put alcoholic beverage purchases in bags or other containers before customers leave the licensed premises.  It is possible that some cities or counties may have enacted ordinances that require the bagging of alcoholic beverages.  If so, licensees should adhere to these local ordinances."

Neither the city nor the county at the Total Wine I went to require alcohol to be bagged.  Well Total Wine checker, I was right, but thanks for the blog post idea.