Friday's Featured Beer .......... Pliny the Elder | by BEAUXREGARD on Nov 6, 2009 at 2:34 pm |  | |
A request was made earliertoday that I feature something that can be bought in Louisiana, but I'll have to save that for next week because I haven't drank it yet. But rest assured, the beer next week can be bought in Covington. Now, for today's beer. Another great offering from the folks at Russian River brewing is on tap today. This double IPA is just damn good. I don't know how else to describe it. It perfectly balances hop and grapefruit- like citrus to create one of the best double IPA's I've ever had. For some reason I was expecting it to be hoppier than it was but they've created a perfectly balanced beer. I would think for a double IPA, it could probably be a little higher with it's abv (it's 8%) but I'm not going to complain about that. Look for it and enjoy it when you find it.
Category: Food & Drink
Friday's Featured Beer .......... Russian River Damnation | by BEAUXREGARD on Oct 30, 2009 at 9:01 am | | |
Let me go ahead and get this out of the way: You're not going to find this beer in Louisiana. I'm not sure how far West they distribute, so you'll just need to be on the lookout for it if you travel towards the Left Coast. This beer is brewed in California. The Damnation is a Belgian style strong ale. Think Duvel. But, the thing that makes this beer better than Duvel, at least in my mind, is that it's not as carbonated. As good as Duvel is, it bloats me with all of that carbonation. It's a little sweet with a nice dry finish. It's just hoppy enough for the style. This beer is dangerous because it's so drinkable. And at about 7.7% abv, it will sneak up on you in a hurry. I drank a few of these at some hipster bar in Portland. If you ever run across this beer, you definitely need to give it a try. If you especially like Duvel, you'll love this beer. Enjoy.
Category: Food & Drink
Friday's Featured Beer .......... Stone 13th Anniversary Ale | by BEAUXREGARD on Oct 23, 2009 at 12:57 pm | | |
You are in for a treat today. As I've told you before, at this point in my life, it takes a lot for a beer I've never had to really impress me. I mean, at this juncture, what else can a brewer really do that hasn't already been done, right? Well, Stone's 13th Anniversary Ale caught me a little off guard. Sure, they make great beer, so I wasn't expecting anything out of the ordinary from their usual offerings. WHen I opened the bottle and smelled the beer, I was still under that impression. It smelled like a pine tree in a bottle. My initial reaction was, "Shocking. A hoppy Stone beer. How original." When I tasted it, I was floored. This is a big, malty beer. That's right, I said malty. Granted, the hop is still a major factor here, but they don't overpower the beer because of the malt balance. It has a rather thick mouthfeel to it and is surprisingly drinkable for a Stone beer. This thing is a work of art. Hopefully, when Stone gets to Louisiana in the next few weeks, you'll be able to get your hands on one of these beauties. It's highly recommended. Enjoy.
Category: Food & Drink
Friday's Featured Beer .......... Sam Adams Imperial Stout | by BEAUXREGARD on Oct 9, 2009 at 2:52 pm | | |
Okay, this one has to be quick because I'm doing a training seminar and I just let them out for a ten minute break so I could feature todays beer. The Sam Adams Imperial Stout. Looks just like an Old Rasputin when you pour it. Smells similar. Alcohol is roughly the same. The biggest difference in taste between the two is while the Old Rasputin has a decided alcohol finish, the Sam Adams has a somewhat sweet finish, tart almost. Good beer. Not better than the Old Rasputin, but in the ballpark. And, there are probably a lot of people who would prefer the finish of the Sam Adams to the Old Rasputin. Enjoy.
Category: Food & Drink
Friday's Featured Beer .......... Widmer Okto | by BEAUXREGARD on Oct 1, 2009 at 12:28 pm | | |
I realize some of you are probably going to have some questions for me about this selection. Questions like, "Widmer's? Really?" and "Widmer's? Doesn't AB distribute for them?" And, "I thought you hated AB with every fiber of your being?" The answer to all of the above is yes. So, let me address some of these: It is that time of year when an Oktoberfest beer should be featured and why not a Widmer? AB does distribute for Widmer, but as far as I know, Widmer still brews their own beer. And yes, I still hate AB/Inbev, et al. But I will give them this: They are masters of distribution and that's really what makes or breaks most craft brewers. Now, onto the review. You will notice in the pacific northwest that a lot of beer styles brewed out there are hopped to the point that it's not a true representation of said particular style. It doesn't make the beer bad, it's just their take on the style. What I found in the Widmer Oktoberfest was a beer brewed to be an Oktoberfest beer. Not some hopped up version, but a true Oktoberfest style beer. Perfect chestnut color, nice tan head, rich, malty smell, and a fair amount of lacing. This beer is all malt tasting with a slight hop undertone. Maybe a little too much carbonation, but that in no way detracts from the quality of this beer, it just takes away from the finish a little bit. There’s nothing terribly complex about this beer, but if you’re looking for a good Oktoberfest beer and something other than Sam Adams, this would be a good one to go with. FYI, I had this one on tap at Widmer’s brewpub in Portland. I don’t know how much difference there might be between tap and bottle. Enjoy.
Category: Food & Drink
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