Oggi's Torrey Pine's IPA Review

Oggi's Torrey Pine's IPA

7.6% ABV

I had this beer as well as the California Gold at Oggi's Pizza and Brewing Company. The Torrey Pine's IPA was my after-dinner beer. This one is pretty strong, very hoppy in the common style these days. A proper IPA, but not bad flavor for all that.

Rating

A typical IPA. Good for what it is. I do not prefer the strongly hoppy brews, although I can enjoy them. I also don't need to keep the beer from spoiling on the ocean voyage.

Oggi's California Gold Review

Oggi's California Gold

Oggi's California Gold

I had this beer as well as the Torrey Pine's IPA at Oggi's Pizza and Brewing Company. I was staying in Orange Grove near Disneyland, and Oggi's was right across the street from our hotel. I picked the California Gold first because it is a cream ale, and I don't often see those. It was very light in color, and had a nice smooth flavor. I enjoyed this beer immensely. I had a chicken ciabatta sandwich that went very well with this beer. The beer was not heavy at all, perfect for hot summer days.

Rating

A great microbrew. Light yet tasty, it really is golden. Crisp is a good word for it.

Beaver Street Belgian Pale Ale Review

Beaver Street Belgian Pale Ale

Pale Ale ABV Unknown

Beaver Street Brewery is one of the local brewpubs, and my favorite of the bunch. I purchased a half-gallon growler of this to accompany a sushi dinner, and I thought they went well together. Slightly sweet, with a fruity finish, bananas of all things. Golden in color, not too hoppy.

Rating

A mighty fine beer. A good Belgian pale ale, with the richness characteristic of all Belgians.

Miller Genuine Draft 64 Beer Review

Miller Genuine Draft 64

Light Lager ABV 2.8%

Well. What can I say. I bought some of this beer for a friend who is on a diet, and I turned to it in desparation when I just wanted a quick beer. I should have opened up the Corsendonk, but there you go. It is cheap, but the flavor/cost ratio is poor. Natty Light is a better deal. In fact, it really ought to be drunk after something better. I tried a couple of these straight, and they have a really terrible metallic aftertaste.

If calories or carbs are what matter to you, go for it. I would rather drop the whole Fatkins thing and just do a respectable workout like CrossFit and stop worrying about carbs, but I'm already skinny, so what do I know?

Rating

This was one of the worst beers I have ever had. I could not recommend it in good faith to anyone. God help us all.

Samuel Adams Irish Red

Samuel Adams Irish Red

Samuel Adams Irish RedIrish Ale
5.6% ABV

Samuel Adams Irish Red is an ale from their Brewmaster's Collection. As the name says, it has a deep red color. The hops are subtle, unlike so many beers these days. I like that. Understated hops is a good thing, rather than beating me over the head with them. The malt predominates the flavor, but it is less intense, making this beer easier to drink. Better for more situations than the earlier reviewed Double Bock. Well-balanced, this is a beer I could enjoy regularly.

Rating

An excellent microbrew type beer. I would gladly buy this beer regularly, or even enjoy it on tap. Good for relaxing after work.

Made in the Shade 2009

Made in the Shade Beer Festival

June 20, 2009

The beers are listed in order of tasting, so the effect of increasing concentrations of EtOH can be taken into account.

1. Coopers Lager, ABV 5.0%, pretty light, would be good if it were really hot, but rather tasteless.

2. Barrio Razzbery. The Magistra Scientia really liked this one, it was good, not too sweet.

3. Baltika Dark Lager, ABV 5.6%, a very nice dark lager, flavorful without being too heavy. 

4. Moosehead Lager, more of a palate cleanser than anything else. I really do just buy this when it's on sale.

5. Sam Adams Hardcore cider, light and refreshing, with just a little bit of tartness.

6. Spaten Optimator, a double bock, ABV 7.2%. One of my favorites.

7. Warsteiner, German pilsener, ABV 4.8%. Another favorite of mine.

8. Old World Brewery Nitro Blonde. Truly nasty, I don't know whether I had a bad batch or it was just really terrible. I actually poured this on the ground.

9. Carlsberg, Danish pale lager, 5% ABV. 

I stopped giving ratings at this point, anything that wasn't awful tended to taste pretty good.

10. Golden Pheasant, Slovak pilsener. Crisp is the best word to describe it.

11. Barrio Copperhead

12. Sam Adams Hardcore

13. Sam Adams Blackberry Wheat

14. Gordon Biersch Marzen

15. Big Sky Summer Honey

16. Pyramid Thunderhead

17. Fox Barrel Pear Cider

18. Breckenridge Vanilla Porter, very strong vanilla flavor.

19. Oak Creek King Crimson

20. Fox Barrel Apple Cider

Samuel Adams Double Bock

Samuel Adams Double Bock

 

Double Bock Lager
ABV 9.5%

Samuel Adams Double Bock is one of their Imperial Series brews. The Imperial Series is intended to brew Big Beers with high quality ingredients, and this beer certainly delivers. The bottle says there is 1/2 lb. of malt in each 12 oz. bottle. This I can well believe, it has a rich, thick taste. This certainly befits a bock beer, which was originally brewed by monks to sustain them during the fasts of Lent. Much like Guinness, I imagine one could get most vitamins and minerals from this beer.

The beer itself has a deep caramel color, without much head. The massive amounts of malt predominate, with a slightly sweet finish. The recommended serving temperature is 50ºF, and unlike many such beers I have tasted, it does not suffer from being a little warm. If anything, the richness improves as it warms, releasing more of the scent.

I do not know that I would enjoy this beer if it were truly hot, and I were tired. It is far too heavy for that. It is slightly cool outside, which suits the beer fine. I drank the beer after dinner, almost like one might retire to the library for cognac and cigars. For that matter, it probably would complement a cigar. Like the cigar, the beer is a commitment, to be savored slowly.

This beer can be aged to develop the flavor further. If I had a beer cellar I would certainly lay a couple down to see what developed.

Rating:

I only wanted one. It was extremely satisfying, but ought to be reserved for special occasions. Far too decadent to be enjoyed daily.

Blue Moon Belgian Style Pale Ale

Blue Moon Belgian Style Pale Ale

Belgian Pale Ale [Type 16] 4.6% ABV

This beer used to be sold as Pale Moon. Not too bad, I like this beer better than the Agave Blonde in the same mixer pack. Not often actually pale, Belgian Pales are often maltier and sweeter than the English pales or the pilseners they compete with. I would have liked a bit more of that characteristic Belgian yeastiness or sourness, but this is probably not the brand to be that adventurous.  Poured a dark copper with a massive head on it.

Rating

Blue Moon Belgian Style Pale Ale Review

It was OK. I liked it better than the Agave Blonde, but I wouldn't seek out this beer either. I have higher expectations from a Belgian Pale.

Blue Moon Agave Blonde Ale Review

Blue Moon Agave Blonde Ale

Fruit beer [Type 15] 5.6% ABV

Fruit beer? Isn't it labeled a blonde ale on the label? It is, but since what you get is mostly the agave syrup and not much else, this is really more of a light ale with flavor in it. That sounds more dismissive than I meant. This is not a bad beer. It is not a very good beer either. I picked up this Blue Moon assortment, and I'm not sorry. I also wouldn't buy another one, since there are so many beers to enjoy.

Rating

Blue Moon Agave Blonde Ale Review

What you get is sweet, and more sweet. There isn't much else in the flavor. For a light summer beer, that can be ok. Had a pretty good head on it, and plenty of carbonation. It has a bit of color to it, not as light as a lager, but pretty close. Not gross, but there are better beers to buy.

W12 Dark Saison Review

Widmer Brothers W12 Dark Saison

Saison [Type 9] 5.5% ABV

The saison is the original seasonal beer, brewed to refresh thirsty farmworkers in Wallonia. Most modern examples are a bit sour and musty, and this one is those, all in a good way. It has some spice, a bit of bite. I wouldn't drink this just after working in the sun all morning, but it is nice for relaxing in the evening. The beer mellows a bit on the finish. The spice lingers a bit, but a sweet caramel comes through. I really like this one. Good job, Widmer Brothers.

Rating

Widmer Brothers W12 Dark Saison Rating