◊  "This Week's Special Beers" Archive   ◊

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Mercury Brewing Company's Ipswich Harvest Ale

Highly regarded among hop-lovers, our Harvest Ale is a balanced and flavorful autumnal offering, to be enjoyed during the cool, crisp days of fall. We use a darker Caramunich malt and just a touch of chocolate malt along with a blend of Warrior, Ahtanum, and Columbus hops.

6.9% ABV
IBU's 40
Availability: Fall

Riverhorse Brewery Belgian Freeze Winter Ale

Seasonal

As the days grow shorter and frost becomes snow, our BELGIAN fREEZE WINTER ALE is the perfect remedy to loosen the spirits. This deep amber tonic is brewed with lots of roasted caramel malt for body and warmth to bring in the holidays and see you through the spring.

8% A.B.V

Available from September thru March. Deep Amber Belgian Style Ale Fermented with Authentic Belgian Ale Yeast. Moderately Hopped and Lower Sweetness Than Most Belgian Ales. Two great seasonal beers!

cheers!

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Leinenkugel's Oktoberfest

First brewed in 2001 to celebrate the fall season in true German fasion. Available August thru October each year, their traditional Marzen-style bier is brewed with Munich, Caramel, and a blend of Pale malts. Hallerton, Tettnang, Perle, and Cluster hops provide the aroma for this well-balanced, smooth, festive lager.

Tyskie Brewery, Poland

Tyskie is Kompania Piwowarska’s flagship brand. It has been an unrivalled leader on the Polish beer market with respect to sales volume and the related revenues. Tyskie has won numerous prestigious awards of the beer industry all over the Word; in 2005 it was a Gold Medal and a Grand Prix at the Brewing Industry International Awards organized since 1886. Tyskie repeated its success from 2002 when it also scooped both extraordinary awards.

cheers!

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Schneider-Weisse Brewery "Aventinus"

Aventinus wheat doppelbock. Bavaria from its strongest side.
Dark-ruby, almost black-colored and streaked with fine top-fermenting yeast, this beer has a compact and persistent head. This is a very intense wheat doppelbock with a complex spicy chocolate-like arome with a hint of banana and raisins. On the palate, you experience a soft touch and on the tongue it is very rich and complex, though fresh with a hint of caramel. It finishes in a rich soft and lightly bitter impression.

Dark-ruby colored, wheat doppelbock
Complex spicy chocolate arome
Pure top-fermenting yeast
Original bottle fermentation
Created in 1907
Creator: Mathilde Schneider
Wheat doppelbock 8.2 % vol. alc.
Original gravity 18.5%

A "100" ON RATEBEER.COM

Abita Brewing "Pecan Harvest Ale "

Pecan Harvest Ale is made with real Louisiana pecans that have been toasted to perfection. That makes it something really special, because most beers with a nutty flavor or aroma aren’t made with real nuts. The natural oils from the Louisiana pecans give the ale a light pecan finish and aroma.

This ale is excellent served with both red meat and seafood, and no surprise here, it’s also great with nuts!

These are two that will knock your socks off this week!!

cheers!

Thursday, September 18, 2008

North Coast Brewing Co. Old No.38 Stout

Named for a retired California Western Railroad steam engine on the Fort Bragg to Willits run through the Redwoods, Old No. 38 Stout is a smooth, firm-bodied stout with the toasted character and coffee notes of dark malts and roasted barley.

Vital Statistics
Style: Dublin Dry Stout
Color: Onyx
ABV: 5.5%
Bitterness: 53 IBU's

Old No.38 Stout MEDALS And Awards
2003 World Beer Championships, Chicago
2006 World Beer Championships, Chicago
2004 World Beer Championships, Chicago
1992 Great American Beer Fest. Dry Stout

85 Points Rated
"Highly- Recommended"
Beverage Tasting Institute, Chicago

Abita Brewing "PURPLE HAZE"

Purple Haze is a crisp, American style wheat beer with raspberry puree added after filtration. Therefore, you may see raspberry pulp in the beer. The raspberries provide the lager with a subtle purple coloration and haze, a fruity aroma, and a tartly sweet taste.

For something different and completely "mind blowing" come on over to "purple Haze"!

cheers!

Thursday, September 11, 2008

McSorleys Black and Tan

Seriously, this is a pretty good B&T, but I am under the impression that as long as the stout and lager are good, you really can't screw up a B&T. It had a good, porter-like taste, color, and a bitter-sweet smell. I liked it. What else is there to say?
......one beer drinkers opinion, but we know what they say about opinions! Taste one for yourself!

Presidente

Presidente Beer in the Dominican Republic Among the most distinctive cultural symbols in the Dominican Republic, Presidente Beer has become an iconic brand that represents Dominicans both in the country and abroad. The Presidente brand of beer has become a symbol of national pride, and in its 71-year history has become the beer of choice for Dominicans.

"Una fria," or a cold one, has become a patriotic symbol, something intrinsically Dominican. An entire Island can't be wrong!

cheers!

Thursday, September 4, 2008

Pete's Wicked "Strawberry Blonde" Lager

WINNER!
GOLD MEDAL 2002 Brewing Industry International Awards
International Specialty Beers Competition, Class 2.

Pete's Wicked is truly a unique beer experience. Reward yourself with our golden lager made of the finest pale and wheat malts and Cluster Hops, with a kiss of natural strawberry flavor.

Lion Brewing "Pocono Lager"

Pocono Lager is brewed with a blend of the finest American malts to create a brew with an inviting color and drinkability. Super creamy head, the way a really great lager should be. Take a sip and savor the rich flavor and exquisite body!

cheers!

Thursday, August 28, 2008

Flying Dog "Tire Bite Golden Ale"

The young pup of the pack... Tire Bite Golden Ale is a refreshing, light, warm weather slammer with a flavorful hop edge. Brewed using exclusive imported German hops, this beer draws craft beer drinkers back from the "dark" side of the cooler.

ABV: 5%
Plato: 11.5
IBU's: 16.5
Specialty Malts: Malted White Wheat, Munich Malt
Hops: German Perle, Hallertau
Process: Brewed with a unique proprietary yeast
Nutritional Information: Carbs/7.1g Calories/124 1998

Silver Medal Winner - Great American Beer Festival (Kölsch category)

Smuttynose "Robust Porter"

GOLD MEDAL WINNER - Porter , 2001 Great American Beer Festival

JUDGED GRAND CHAMPION - Best Porter in the USA - 10th Annual US Beer Tasting Championship

This hearty, mahogany colored ale is brewed to evoke the dark, full-bodied ales that were a favorite of dockworkers and warehousemen (hence the name "Porter") in 19th century London. It is a good bet that when Dickens' Mr. Pickwick sat down for a pint, we would have been drinking an ale much like our Robust Porter.This is a smooth and very drinkable beer, characterized by its well-balanced malt and hops, plus subtle notes of coffee and chocolate.

"Full-bodied and malty with undertones of coffee and chocolate and a bright, hoppy finish, in style it's like Cary Grant's accent: the best of British and American." - The Boston Globe, November, 2005

VITAL STATISTICS
OG: 1064 TG: 1018
Grain Bill: pale 2-row, carastan, dark crystal, special "b," chocolate
Hops: Cascade
IBU's: 15, ABV: 5.7%
Color/Number: Dark chocolate brown

cheers!

Friday, August 22, 2008

Saranac Brewing "Special Edition Pumpkin Ale"

Saranac Pumpkin Ale is brewed with Pumpkin, Cinnamon, Allspice, Cloves, Ginger and Vanilla. Look for a full-body and amber color. We're sure you'll enjoy this special brew!

Beer Style: Spiced Fruit Ale
Malt Selections: Maris Otter, Wheat
Hop Selections: Cascade Hops
Color: Medium Brown
Mouthfeel / Body: Medium
Food Companions: Fowl and Game Birds
Alcohol By Volume: 5.4%
Original Gravity: 13.0
Availability: Seasonal
A great brew for holding on to to these warm summer day's yet welcoming in these cool fall nights!!! Enjoy this one while it's here!

Australia's Barons Brewing Co. "Black Wattle Original Ale"

5.8% ABV

Barons Black Wattle Original Ale was the first in this new class of beer - flavoured by native Australian roasted wattle seed. This multi award-winning ale has a rich amber colour and a base malt flavour of toffee and caramel. The roasted wattle seed rounds out the offering with a unique taste that hints of hazelnut, chocolate and mocha. It is a full bodied, full flavoured beer that is surprisingly smooth with an amazingly silky finish.

“With a long summer of BBQs approaching, this’ll be my BBQ beer. Brilliant with a butterflied leg of lamb or even something a little more gamey like roo.” says Head Brewer and Brewing Baron, Richard Adamson.

In crafting the Barons Native Range, Scott and Rich have delivered a new style of natural and preservative free beers where the flavour is driven by native Australian spices rather than hops. It feels as Australian in the mouth as “pass the snag, mate!”

cheers!

Thursday, August 8, 2008

Erie Brewing "Railbender Ale"

Erie, Pennsylvania was an important railroad hub in the mid–nineteenth century, the city being the site where three sets of track gauges met. Railbender Ale, Erie Brewing Co.’s flagship ale, named after the laborers who laid the railroad tracks is brewed with pride, strength and purity symbolic of Erie’s historic railroad’s and railroad workers. Railbender, a strong Scottish style ale smooth malt flavor and astonishing drinkability will have you “Hopping on the train and riding off the rails.” All Aboard!

BEER ADVOCATE RATES THIS BEER: B GOOD

Cricket Hills "Jersey Summer Breakfast Ale"

We believe that New Jersey is starting to learn what the rest of the country already knows; that local microbrews are some of the best beers in the world! Finally, curious beer drinkers are stepping out from under the mind-numbing barrage of large brewery advertising and deciding for themselves what they like. Our beers are designed for those curious drinkers.

The East Coast Lager is an easy drinking “golden” lager with a wonderful balance of crisp malt flavors and flowery hop finish. Built specifically with very low bitter aftertaste, the aroma is as clean as the taste. A difficult beer to brew because of the gentleness… this beer is magnificent!

Our American Ale is a favorite everywhere - an amber ale with a wonderful balance of caramel sweetness and hop flavor. The aroma has a slight note of citrus and rock candy. There is not an imported Ale on the market that tastes this fresh!

No mere beverage could satisfy the thirst of the courageous and gallant soldiers who stood guard over the colonies of the British Empire. Their thirst could only be quenched by a full-bodied hearty Ale; an Ale balanced with rich flavorful hops. We are proud to offer our interpretation of this English style India Pale Ale for those who loong for the time when once your duty was complete, the taste of a fine Ale was reward enough for a job well done.

Please take the time to taste different local beers. I am certain that those who decide not to let television dictate what they drink are ready for a wonderful adventure into the world of Beer!

BEER ADVOCATE RATES THIS BEER: B GOOD

cheers!

Thursday, July 31, 2008

Rogue "Dead Guy Ale"

Rogue "Dead Guy Ale".......Gratefully dedicated to the Rogue in each of us. In the early 1990s Dead Guy Ale was created as a private tap sticker to celebrate the Mayan Day of the Dead (November 1st, All Souls Day) for Casa U Betcha in Portland, Oregon. The Dead Guy design proved popular and was incorporated into a bottled product a few years later with Maierbock as the elixir. Strangely, the association with the Grateful Dead is pure coincidence.

Dead Guy is a German-style Maibock made with Rogues proprietary "PacMan" ale yeast. It is deep honey in color with a malty aroma, rich hearty flavor and a well balanced finish. Dead Guy is created from Northwest Harrington, Klages, Maier Munich and Carastan malts, along with Perle and Saaz Hops. Dead Guy Ale is available in 22-ounce bottles, 12-ounce 6-pack, and on draft.

BEER ADVOCATE RATES THIS BEER A: B+ VERY GOOD

Avery Brewing "White Rascal Belgian White"

Measurements: 16 degrees Plato, IBU 40, Apparent Attenuation 78, Lovibond 16
No Chemicals, Additives, or Preservatives

Beer Style: Belgian White Ale
Hop Variety: Czech Saaz
Malt Variety: Two-row barley, Belgian wheat
OG: 1.050 Alcohol By Volume: 5.6% IBU's: 10
Color: White

A truly authentic Belgian style wheat or "white" ale, this Rascal is unfiltered (yup, that's yeast on the bottom) and cleverly spiced with coriander and Curacao orange peel producing a refreshingly fruity thirst quencher.

BEER ADVOCATE RATES THIS AN OVERALL: B GOOD

cheers!

Thursday, July 24, 2008

Red Stripe "Jamaican Lager"

Red Stripe "Jamaican Lager" Someone Says:Red Stripe Jamaican lager is brewed and bottled by Desnoes & Geddes Limited, Kingston, Jamaica, and has been since 1928. In 1993, Guinness Bass acquired the company and manages the importation to the United States.

What can I say? Red Stripe is liquid gold. It comes in stout 12 ounce bottles of dark glass. The beer itself is very light and very smooth with just a hint of bitterness in the light aftertaste. It can create quite a bit of foam, so be careful when pouring it, though I must say it is best drank straight from the bottle.

Red Stripe typically costs about three dollars more per six pack than American beers such as Budweiser and Coors. The notable difference is that Red Stripe has a better balance of malt and hops which give it a cleaner, smoother taste with less aftertaste. It is a bit sweet and is definitely worth the extra three dollars when you want a crisp, light-bodied beer.

I was introduced to Red Stripe originally by reading The Firm by John Grisham. The protagonist, Mitch McDeere, travels to the Cayman Islands for work related business and has several Red Stripe beers for a fair share of money at a bar on the beach. I was intrigued, but it wasn't until five years later while at a friend's home that I was offered a Red Stripe. The name immediately rang a bell and I took the opportunity happily. Since then, I've drank only Red Stripe and Corona: Red Stripe when I can afford it and Corona when I can't.

Sold As:
Six 12 ounce bottles
Net contents:
22 fluid ounces of Malt, Hops, Yeast, and water.

The Censored
Rich Copper Ale
This ale contains no actual copper but we're pretty literal... It looked coppery, so we lamely called it a copper ale. Lots'a nice caramel malt though...

Alcohol 5.9% by volume

Unlimited Release

Anyway, we were going out to, uh,the ,uh, you know, thing, and all, and when we got there, well, uh, the dude was, like- "whoa man!" I mean, and we were all, uh, you know - "whoa!" and stuff, and when I said to him, like, you know, "hey man", and all they, I mean he, was all "what?" and stuff- and I just told him what you said and all and they were all man- "not cool dude", but whatever- so, uh, we split and went back to my lair and just hung out and whatever, but the whole thing was, like, just SUCH a bummer and all but, you know, it was cool and stuff, but you just gotta, you know, about the dude and all, like, it's cool and all you know, but what's up with that "blah blah blah"? Whatzit got to do with beer and all? I mean, really, dude, whatever...but, it's cool and all...

Say "LAH-GOO-KNEE-TUSS" What can I say...Just try it!!

cheers!

Thursday, July 3, 2008

WARSTEINER Premium Verum is the #1 selling beer in Germany. It is also one of the fastest growing imports in the US. Currently there are over 33,000 draft accounts worldwide.

WARSTEINER Premium Verum is a pilsner beer with a smooth, full-bodied taste and a refreshing hop finish and no aftertaste. There are no chemicals, additives, or preservatives in any WARSTEINER products.

Brewed according to the German Purity Law of 1516. 4.8% alcohol by volume. All WARSTEINER products are non-pasteurized. This a one of a kind beer. Subtle malt notes start this beer off and it finishes with just the right amount of hops to balance it off.

St. John's Brewers "Tropical Mango Pale Ale"

I know, I know, for all of you hard-core beer fanatics this is a bit of a stretch, but if you're looking for just a cool refreshing fresh beer on a warm summer day...this is it!

This a one of a kind beer. Subtle malt notes start this beer off and it finishes with just the right amount of hops to balance it off.

Tropical Mango Pale Ale is a light pale ale with a mango fruit essence that no matter where you are enjoying one it will bring you to a Caribbean state of mind.

We also still have the Rogue "American Pale Ale", and the Long Trail "Belgian White".

cheers!