Friday night beer 11-14

Well we had 5 different beers last night. A few good and a few not so much. Those to face tasting and blogging by yours truly were:

Jacks Pumpkin Spice from Michelob
Belhaven Wee Heavy
Hacker Pschorr Weisse Dark
Orval Trappist Ale
and finally Bards Tale Beer, Dragons Gold

We'll start with Jacks

Michelob has been doing a little bit better job of reinventing themselves with the advent of craft brewing than most. which is surprising considering they are owned by A-B and there fore now a subjugated fiefdom of InBev.

Jacks Pumpkin spice is a drinkable novelty ale, and that is about the best description I can give of it. It had hints that it might one day want to grow up and be a rich spice beer but never really lived up to the promise. Over all the flavor fell a bit flat after the hint of spice it was ... well kinda like the flavor of an average light beer.

Next up on the chopping block, Belhaven Wee Heavy

This beer is right dead in the sights of my expectations from Belhaven. A solid representation of a Scottish Heavy Ale. Light (almost fruity) flavor to the malt and a very mellow hop. A good red color and it felt good on the tongue. Over all apretty good beer. If I was trying to explain a Scott heavy to some one I could use this as a good base line example.

Next: Hacker Pschorr Weisse Dark

Hacker Pschorr exports the same kegs they sell in Germany which means all their beer meets the very strict German purity laws. This is in and of itself pretty impressive, the beer however takes a bit of getting used to. For those out there who draw back a foamy pint of this expecting (as most Americans do) a heavy malt flavor with carmely notes.. you are in for a surprise. this despite it's ruddy color is a very citrusy light flavored beer with hints of apple. the hops kick in just after the citrus and are a bit on the flat side for my palate. It's a good beer but don't mistake it for a typical dark beer!

onto Orval Trappist Ale

As Newcastle is how I explain to some one what a good Brown ale is so Orval is a fine example of a Trappist Ale. Nice deep amber color pouring clean with a good head. It is very citrusy, Jan Described it as Tangerine in tone but I wouldn't know as I am allergic to oranges. We all agreed that though this type of ale would be an acquired taste this one would be the one to acquire it for.


and finnaly Bards Tale Beer, Dragons Gold

This is a very different beer. Based on a Sorghum malt it is a daring departure from what we normally expect. Trying something different is some thing bold and daring in any industry, that being said we didn't much care for it. Taste kinda like some one soaked a stale gingerbread cookie in a pint of Heineken then strained off the crumbs. I might hand one to some one as a party gag but I can't think of another reason to ever buy it again. Great name, cool label, less than average beer.

Friday night beer from 11/7

OK my wife has a spinning and knitting thing every Friday night and one of the ladies that comes over to do fiber type stuff also likes trying new beers! Lucky me! any way on the Friday of 11.7 we tried the following

MacKeson XXX stout
Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout
Melbourn Bros Cherry Lambic (not called Lambic on the label but by definition that's what it is)
Dogfish Head Raison D'Etre ( they claim this to be a 'mahogany' ale)

MacKeson
One of my favorites so no one should be surprised when I say glowing things about it. A triple malt Stout with a chocholated malt. Drink it cold and you will enjoy a rich cocoa after taste following up a well balanced blend of hops and malt. Darn near Opaque in color and having a rich creamy head without the need for a nitrogen widget, this is the unsung rival of Guinness. Stout drinkers every where do yourself a favor and try it (note ist is not as good warm the front taste gets a little acidic. )

Samuel Smith Oatmeal Stout
What can I say it is a solid oatmeal sout. rich, complex and on the dark side of bitter. solid, good, but pass me a MacKeson.

Melbourn Bros Cherry
The first spontaneous fermentation beer on my blog! A Lambic by definition this stuff smells exactly like Luddens cough drops and taste like sour cherry gummi worms. if you like sweet grab one and enjoy but not for the "malt and hops" set. (My wife loved it)

Dogfish Head Raison D'Etre

From Dogfish head comes this "mahogany ale" brewed with beets and raisins. no really beats and raisins and it's also really good. a rich complex flavor well balanced with its hops. not something I would drink every day but it has a nice warm rich flavor that goes well with getting ready for thanksgiving and enjoying fall.

Bubwieiser American Ale

Yes I drank a Bud, but not just any bud, Budweiser American Ale. Seeing as I went into to tying this expedition into craft brewing by those who just sold their souls to Inbev, I expected little, so I was not disappointed.

While a bit more complex and bearing just a little heavier malt taste, it was over all ... A Budweiser. Even my son who I handed one to in an unmarked glass remarked that it tasted so much like Budweiser.

Turning off the chillers on the laggering bin and switching your yeast from bottom to top is not craft brewing. Maybe that mis understanding is why they got bought out?

Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale

Well I do very few trendy seasonal ales much less anything that hails from Golden Colorado, but I went ahead and grabbed a six of Blue Moon Pumpkin Ale. It's... Different. Reminiscent of a spice beer with a little bit of pumpkin pie muddled in the some where around the after taste. Over all not in the least a negative experience yet not one I would necessarily chase down either.

Overall, a novelty this one began and a novelty it shall stay.

Hagan Haunt

OK for those who don't know I am a Halloween Nutcase. I build corpses in my garage and haunt my house because it is a blast to do. This year one of the top 10 haunted houses in the nation may not happen because of some pussy dickweeds who are willing to steal from kids.

see the story about the theft here http://www.kcra.com/news/17613546/detail.html

Stealing from a business is one thing but stealing from a charity that helps kids?

I have been in contact with the co-ordinator Jerry Jewell (As nice a guy as any one would ever hope to meet) Jerry runs a special effects business and is taking a pretty hard personal hit trying to keep Hagan ging after this robbery. this is what he sent me

"Hi Don,

We’ve had some good donations of computers and vide projectors and a little bit of cash. So right now cash is king. We now have to hire a guard to stay there each night. If you can hit the Halloween forums and help fund raise that would be great.


Contributions can be made by check to

Jewell Performing Arts Center Inc
10457 Ambassador Dr
Rancho Cordova CA 95670


916 600-2295

Paypal payments to info@skulltronix.com will be forwarded to the non-profit.

Best regards

Jerry"

I have already posted on www.Halloweenforum.com but I figure why stop there these are kids that were stolen from so pass it along to any one you know who might be willing to help a worthy cause. (Wish we could give them some of that bail out pork!)

Cap Scores

I am discontinuing "Cap Scores". I initially created this scale to be an objective measure to grade beers but in the end I am still giving my very subjective opinion therefore enough of numbers and let's just talk about beer. For any reading my older reviews here is the criteria for the cap scores.

I have arbitrarily created a scale of 0 to 10 caps. I will grade my beers in three categories, and average the three for a final score.

Type: How true it is to it's claimed type of beer.

Drinkability: this is based on how many of my friends would try to walk off with my beer after tasting it. This of course is taking into account tasters preference for the given type of beer.

and finally

Value: Is it worth the price per six pack equivelent. (Typical price for a craft brew in this area is about $8.00 a six.)


The total out for an Average "import" or "craft beer" is around a 7.00 with typical American beers coming in closer to a 5.

Murphy's Irish Stout at Humperdinks

When asked for a bench mark to compare stout against most folks will say Guinness. In most ways and days I would make the same recommendation if nothing else because it is a well known name and readily available for sampling.

However for at least a little while I would instead direct those wishing to try a stout for the first time to pull up a bar stool at Humperdink's and try their seasonal "Murphy's Irish Stout"

This beer was a delight to look upon as the Barkeep pulled the draught. The gleam of the lights upon the dark malty liquid forming a creamy resilient head. The Delight continued as I tried my first sip. Though I was braced for the forced, over hoped bitter that many insist is just "part of a stout" I was treated instead to a well balanced complex flavor worthy of a second round (and possibly a third or fourth)

Rich, almost coffee like, tones of malt matched with a well calculated dose of hops. A harmonious blend and representation of how a stout Porter ought to be made!