February 2012
2 posts
4 tags
Chi-Town Pier Pale Ale
Name: Chi-Town Pier Pale Ale
Brewer: Chicago Beer Company, Chicago, Ill. (Contract-brewed at Stevens Point Brewery, Stevens Point, Wis.)
By the numbers: About 170 calories per 12 oz.; 5.6 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: I picked this beer up as part of a mixed six-pack near the end of 2011 and just kind of let it sit in the refrigerator for a while. I wasn’t expecting much and feared...
5 tags
Whitewater IPA
Name: Whitewater IPA
Brewer: Samuel Adams (Boston Beer Co.), Boston, Mass.
By the numbers: 197 calories per 12 oz.; 5.8 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: This is the last of the new beers from the Brewer’s Choice box. (Side note: I was thrilled to find Brewer’s Choice cases at Sam’s Club and promptly picked up three of them. Now it’s Black Lagers that I have in...
January 2012
4 posts
5 tags
Mighty Oak Ale
Name: Mighty Oak Ale
Brewer: Samuel Adams (Boston Beer Co.), Boston, Mass.
By the numbers: 189 calories per 12 oz.; 5.7 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: This is the second of the new Samuel Adams beers I discovered as part of the Brewer’s Choice 12-pack. And it’s probably my favorite of the new brews. Of course, regular readers of the Year in Beer know that malty, sweet beer is my...
5 tags
Alpine Spring
Name: Alpine Spring
Brewer: Samuel Adams (Boston Beer Co.), Boston, Mass.
By the numbers: 186 calories per 12 oz.; 5.5 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: This is Samuel Adams’ newest spring seasonal, replacing Noble Pils, which debuted two years ago and is going year-round in March. Spring beers can be tricky, since you expect them to be lighter than the dark beers of winter, but you...
Year in Beer 2011: Facts and what have you
Despite the fact that I only reviewed 52 new beers in 2011, it was still a big year for the Year in Beer, in terms of web traffic.
The majority of the traffic (82 percent) again came from search engine queries, and again it was driven by folks who wanted to know how many calories they had in their beer.
In 2011, our entry for Guinness Black Lager led these searches, accounting for more than 1,100...
1 tag
Mike's Top 12 of 2011
Well, I’ve reached the second full year of the Year in Beer, this one as a solo artist. Ryan didn’t want to play this year, so it led to a reduced effort that still introduced 52 new beer reviews. Anyhoo, following is my Top 12 list for 2011.
1. Captain Sig’s Northwestern Ale, Rogue Ales, Newport, Ore.: I’ve often found Rogue Beers to be somewhat overrated, but not this one. I think I like it...
December 2011
6 posts
5 tags
Schlafly Christmas Ale
Name: Schlafly Christmas Ale
Brewer: The Saint Louis Brewery, St. Louis, Mo.
By the numbers: About 240 calories per 12 oz; 8 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: I often refer to the Saint Louis Brewery as the best brewer in Missouri - a dig on the Anheuser-Busch behemoth. Another of their seasonals, Schlafly Pumpkin Ale, made it into my Top 12 of last year. So it should be no surprise that this...
4 tags
Fordham Helles Lager
Name: Helles Lager
Brewer: Fordham Brewing Co., Dover, Delaware
By the numbers: About 160 calories per 12 oz.; 5.4 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: This is my first beer from Fordham. It just goes to show you how many beers there are in the world. Two years into the Year in Beer and I’m still trying beers from brewers I’ve never had before. Fordham traces its roots to Benjamin...
Saranac Vanilla Stout
Name: Saranac Vanilla Stout
Brewer: Matt Brewing Company, Utica, N.Y.
By the numbers: About 170 calories per 12 oz.; 4.8 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: This is the first Saranac beer I’ve ever had, I think. It’s part of their 12 Beers of Winter collection and one of their current seasonals. The Matt family has been brewing beer in the Adirondack foothills since the 1880s and the...
4 tags
Powder Hound
Name: Powder Hound
Brewer: Big Sky Brewing Co., Missoula, Mont.
By the numbers: About 215 calories per 12 oz.; 7.2 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: It’s been a while since I had a Big Sky beer. I remember most of them I had in 2010 as being pretty respectable craft brews and this one was no exception. This is a pretty hoppy take on the winter warmer style of beer. It’s really more...
5 tags
Shiner Holiday Cheer
Name: Shiner Holiday Cheer
Brewer: Spoetzl Brewery, Shiner, Texas
By the numbers: 193 calories per 12 oz.; 5.4 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: Regular readers of the Year in Beer will note that I’m not a huge fan of Shiner beers. The flagship Shiner Bock is in the same vein as the overrated Yuengling, and there are many, many beers better. I do appreciate Shiner trying something a...
4 tags
Black & Brew
Name: Black & Brew
Brewer: Samuel Adams (Boston Beer Co.), Boston, Mass.
By the numbers: 208 calories per 12 oz.; 5.6 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: This is the newest Samuel Adams beer. It’s part of the 2011 Winter Classics box. Last year, Sam’s added Chocolate Bock to the box to replace the awful Cranberry Lambic, but then erred again by putting a spring beer (White Ale) in...
November 2011
5 posts
4 tags
Polestar Pilsner
Name: Polestar Pilsner
Brewer: Left Hand Brewing Company, Longmont, Colo.
By the numbers: About 165 calories per 12 oz.; 5.5 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: I reviewed Left Hand’s Good JuJu to start the month, and found it to be a nice surprise and something different. Polestar Pilsner is the opposite. It’s not at all different. I’d had some good pilsners and some great...
5 tags
Juggernaut
Name: Juggernaut
Brewer: Pyramid Brewing Co., Seattle, Wash.
By the numbers: About 170 calories per 12 oz.; 5.6 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: I haven’t had a ton of Pyramid beers. In fact, the only one I remember is Curve Ball Blonde Ale last summer. I wasn’t terribly impressed with that one, but Juggernaut is good stuff. This fall seasonal pours a rich, reddish amber color with...
4 tags
O'Fallon Pumpkin Beer
Name: O’Fallon Pumpkin Beer
Brewer: O’Fallon Brewery, O’Fallon, Mo.
By the numbers: About 170 calories per 12 oz.; 5.6 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: The O’Fallon Brewery is an interesting story, at least for me. It was founded by two former journalism majors, Tony and Fran Caradonna. My Year in Beer partner and I, who also dabble in brewing, were also in journalism....
Hex
Name: Hex
Brewer: Magic Hat Brewing Company, South Burlington, Vermont
By the numbers: About 165 calories per 12 oz.; 5.4 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: Like many craft brewers, Magic Hat produces a malty fall beer. Many opt for the traditional Oktoberfest style of Marzen. Some, like Goose Island and Sierra Nevada, go a different route, with an ESB and Brown Ale, respectively. Magic Hat...
3 tags
Good JuJu
Name: Good JuJu
Brewer: Left Hand Brewing Company, Longmont, Colo.
By the numbers: About 135 calories per 12 oz.; 4.5 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: This is an interesting twist on a pale ale from Left Hand, a brewer whose beers I’ve pretty much always enjoyed. This is Left Hand’s spring seasonal, so I had it a bit out of season, but really it would be good at any time. Made...
October 2011
5 posts
5 tags
Beck's Oktoberfest
Name: Beck’s Oktoberfest
Brewer: Brauerei Beck & Co., Bremen, Germany
By the numbers: About 150 calories per 12 oz.; 5 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: Well, it seems that my examination of Oktoberfest style beer has become something of an annual event. If you’re a regular reader of The Year in Beer, then you know the Märzen is probably my favorite style. I love lagers in...
4 tags
Abbey Triple
Name: Abbey Triple
Brewer: Sprecher Brewing Co., Glendale, Wis.
By the numbers: About 250 calories per 12 oz.; 8.4 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: This is the first Sprecher beer I’ve reviewed in the Year in Beer and that’s surprising on two counts. First, because they’re so close to Illinois, in Glendale, Wis., and second because I love their root beer and cream soda. In...
5 tags
Schlafly Oktoberfest
Name: Schlafly Oktoberfest
Brewer: The Saint Louis Brewery, St. Louis, Mo.
By the numbers: About 165 calories per 12 oz.; 5.5 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: September and October are great months for beer, especially for lovers of malty lagers and especially for the traditional German Oktoberfest style or Märzen. However, with so many brewers brewing so much of this style, it’s easy...
5 tags
Boffo
Name: Boffo
Brewer: Dark Horse Brewing Co., Marshall, Mich.
By the numbers: About 195 calories per 12 oz.; 6.5 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: According to Dark Horse, Boffo was one of the first beers they brewed, then stopped, and recently brought out of retirement to add back to their lineup year-round. There’s always room in a craft brewery’s lineup for a nice hearty brown...
3 tags
Fireman's Brew Redhead Ale
Name: Redhead Ale
Brewer: Fireman’s Brew, Inc., Woodland Hills, Calif. (Contract brewed by Indian Wells Brewing Co., Inyokem, Calif.)
By the numbers: About 165 calories per 12 oz.; 5.5 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: This is one of three beers offered by The Original Firemans Brew, all three named after women’s hair color. In addition to Redhead (an amber ale), there’s...
September 2011
5 posts
6 tags
Bonfire Rauchbier
Name: Bonfire Rauchbier
Brewer: Samuel Adams (Boston Beer Co.), Boston, Mass.
By the numbers: 213 calories per 12 oz.; 5.7 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: This is the only new addition to the Harvest Collection 12-pack for 2011. I’m generally wary of smoke beers (which is what rauchbier translates to from German). There are some legendary ones, such as Alaskan Smoked Porter, and some...
5 tags
Narragansett Lager
Name: Narragansett Lager
Brewer: Narragansett Brewing Co., Providence, R.I.
By the numbers: About 150 calories per 12 oz.; 5 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: I don’t usually drink beer out of cans and I don’t usually choose American-style lagers, but this was a gift so I decided to give it a try. Upon doing a little research, I find that the brand has a pretty good story, at least...
4 tags
Pride & Joy
Name: Pride & Joy Mild Ale
Brewer: Three Floyds Brewing Co., Munster, Ind.
By the numbers: About 150 calories per 12 oz.; 5.0 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: Three Floyds describes itself as an “artisanal” brewer. It was founded by Nick, Simon and Mike Floyd in Hammond, Ind. in 1996 and moved to Munster in 2000. Three Floyds has the distinction of having three beers ranked as...
5 tags
Ambergeddon
Name: Ambergeddon
Brewer: Ale Asylum, Madison, Wis.
By the numbers: About 205 calories per 12 oz.; 6.8 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: I picked up a six-pack of this beer on a late-summer trip to Wisconsin. Ale Asylum is a relatively new microbrewery in Madison, having opened in 2006. They have a full array of craft beer offerings, however, with four year-round beers (including this one) and...
5 tags
Badger Red Rye
Name: Badger Red Rye
Brewer: Moosejaw Pizza & Dells Brewing Co., Wisconsin Dells, Wis.
By the numbers: About 180 calories per 12 oz.; 6 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: I went to a pizza place/brewery and did exactly what I caution people against, I had a burger (meh) and not the pizza. That’s like going to a rib joint and getting the spaghetti. You should always go for the...
August 2011
6 posts
5 tags
Somersault
Name: Somersault
Brewer: New Belgium Brewing, Fort Collins, Colo.
By the numbers: 130 calories per 12 oz; 5.2 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: I generally approach New Belgium beers with a bit of apprehension. I was really excited the first time I got hold of a Fat Tire in a bar… until I tasted it and it was kind of so-so. During the first Year in Beer, I tried their winter seasonal, 2°...
5 tags
Double IPA
Name: Double IPA (Ghidorah IPA)
Brewer: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, Calif.
By the numbers: About 255 calories per 12 oz.; 8.5 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: This is the last of the four Best of Beer Camp brews from Sierra Nevada and probably the one I liked the least. It takes its original camp name, Ghidorah, from the three-headed dragon that appeared in some of the original Godzilla...
Juniper Black Ale
Name: Juniper Black Ale
Brewer: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, Calif.
By the numbers: About 240 calories per 12 oz.; 8 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: This is the third in my series of Sierra Nevada Beer Camp beers. It was first brewed at the 2009 Beer Camp. This one was a bit more challenging than the first two, thanks to the seven malts that give this one its rich dark color and complex...
5 tags
California Common
Name: California Common (Nothin’ In Common)
Brewer: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, Calif.
By the numbers: About 195 calories per 12 oz.; 6.5 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: This is the second of four beers from the Best of Beer Camp for 2011. According to Sierra Nevada’s site, this one was actually first brewed at the 2009 Beer Camp under the moniker “Nothin’ in...
5 tags
Weizenbock
Name: Weizenbock
Brewer: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, Calif.
By the numbers: About 200 calories per 12 oz.; 6.8 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: This beer comes from the Sierra Nevada “Best of Beer Camp” mix-pack released this summer. It’s one of four in the box, the others being a Juniper Black Ale, Double IPA and California Common. Beer Camp is a contest held by the...
5 tags
Friar Hop Ale
Name: Friar Hop Ale
Brewer: Samuel Adams (Boston Beer Co.), Boston, Mass. (Recipe by Richard Roper)
By the numbers: About 270 calories per 12 oz.; 9 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: This is the last of the three winners I tried from the Samuel Adams 2010 Longshot American Homebrew Contest. Samuel Adams released them in a six pack (two of each). The first two, Honey B’s Lavender Ale and...
July 2011
5 posts
5 tags
Heavy Seas Small Craft Warning
Name: Heavy Seas Small Craft Warning
Brewer: Clipper City Brewing Co., Baltimore, Md.
By the numbers: About 210 calories per 12 oz.; 7 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: Another quality beer from Heavy Seas. They call this an “Uber Pils”, but the official style would be Imperial Pilsner. Though I thought this came across more like a golden bock lager than a pilsner. It poured a...
6 tags
Wilco Tango Foxtrot
Name: Wilco Tango Foxtrot
Brewer: Lagunitas Brewing Company, Petaluma, Calif.
By the numbers: About 235 calories per 12 oz.; 7.8 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: Lagunitas is one of my favorite craft brewers. They mix an odd sense of style with great beer that often tends toward the malty side and even with strong styles they strike a good balance. This limited release was brewed, so says the...
6 tags
Stranger
Name: Stranger
Brewer: Left Hand Brewing Co., Longmont, Colo.
By the numbers: About 150 calories per 12 oz.; 5 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: This is a decent American Pale Ale from another Colorado brewer that generally makes decent beer. As for the previous entries from Left Hand, I liked Black Jack Porter a lot, thought the Sawtooth ESB was good and thought 400-Pound Monkey had a cool...
4 tags
Heavy Seas Black Cannon
Name: Heavy Seas Black Cannon
Brewer: Clipper City Brewing Company, Baltimore, Md.
By the numbers: About 215 calories per 12 oz.; 7.25 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: This is the second Black IPA I’ve had this year, after the Samuel Adams Longshot pick Blackened Hops. I generally favor maltier beers over the hop-heavy IPAs, but the Black IPA style is one I can get behind. It balances...
4 tags
BarFly IPA
Name: BarFly IPA
Brewer: Barley Island Brewing Company, Noblesville, Ind.
By the numbers: About 195 calories per 12 oz.; 6.5 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: I continue to be impressed with this craft brewer from Indiana. Last year I tried their Dirty Helen brown ale and Blind Tiger pale ale and liked them both, noting that they tasted like classic examples of their respective styles. BarFly...
June 2011
5 posts
6 tags
Karma
Name: Karma
Brewer: Avery Brewing Company, Boulder, Colo.
By the numbers: About 160 calories per 12 oz.; 5.3 percent alcohol by volume.
Notes: Karma, for those who may be unfamiliar with the concept, is central to most Indian religions - most notably Buddhism. Basically it can be explained with the common saying “what goes around comes around” and means if you do good things, good...
5 tags
Wacko
Name: Wacko
Brewer: Magic Hat Brewing Company, South Burlington, Vermont
By the numbers: About 135 calories per 12 oz.; 4.5 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: Wacko is the summer seasonal from the very interesting Magic Hat Brewing Company. But for my money, I’d stick with the previously reviewed Circus Boy or the peach-flavored #9 Not Quite Pale Ale. Wacko has a great name and a great...
Dog Days
Name: Dog Days
Brewer: Two Brothers Brewing Co., Warrenville, Ill.
By the numbers: About 150 calories per 12 oz.; 5.1 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: I remember back to my first experience with Two Brothers’ Domaine Dupage and my negative reaction and I’m glad I gave several of their other beers a shot. While Dupage is a fair representation of a Saison, I just didn’t like...
4 tags
Oarsman Ale
Name: Oarsman Ale
Brewer: Bell’s Brewery Inc., Comstock, Mich.
By the numbers: About 130 calories per 12 oz; 4 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: This is a very light beer, both in terms of taste and alcohol content. Brewed as a Pale Wheat Ale, it also comes across a little like a Saison with a fruity sour aroma. The label says that Bell’s uses “traditional sour mash...
4 tags
Sierra Nevada Estate
Name: Sierra Nevada Estate
Brewer: Sierra Nevada Brewing Co., Chico, Calif.
By the numbers: About 200 calories per 12 oz.; 6.7 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: Longtime readers of The Year in Beer already know of my respect for Sierra Nevada. I’ve tried nearly every beer made by the California brewer and I’ve liked them all. Estate is no exception, except that Estate is like few...
May 2011
6 posts
5 tags
Blackened Hops
Name: Blackened Hops
Brewer: Samuel Adams (Boston Beer Co.), Boston, Mass. (Recipe by Rodney Kibzey)
By the numbers: About 210 calories per 12 oz.; 7 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: This is the second beer I’ve had from the 2010 Samuel Adams Longshot American Homebrew Contest mix pack (though I bought it as a single and not part of the six-pack). The first, Honey B’s Lavender...
4 tags
Circus Boy The Hefeweizen!
Name: Circus Boy The Hefeweizen!
Brewer: Magic Hat Brewing Company, South Burlington, Vt.
By the numbers: About 135 calories per 12 oz.; 4.4 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: This is the second beer I’ve had from the very interesting Magic Hat Brewing Company. The first was the peach-infused #9 Not Quite Pale Ale. Like that beer, this one was very good, even if Hefeweizen is not one of...
4 tags
Exodus Porter
Name: Exodus Porter
Brewer: SweetWater Brewing Company, Atlanta, Ga.
By the numbers: About 180 calories per 12 oz; 5.9 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: This is the first beer I’ve ever had from SweetWater and the first beer I’ve ever had given to me in a bar by a fellow craft beer lover. Some friends and I were checking out the beers at Flingers and talking hard to get brews when...
4 tags
Shipyard IPA
Name: Shipyard IPA
Brewer: Shipyard Brewing Co., Portland, Maine
By the numbers: About 175 calories per 12 oz.; 5.8 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: Generally, when I think of an India Pale Ale, I think of a highly-hopped beer with a strong floral scent that starts and finishes bitter and dry. The IPA is not my most favorite style, mostly because many brewers try to “out-hop” each...
5 tags
Samuel Adams Rustic Saison
Name: Rustic Saison
Brewer: Samuel Adams (Boston Beer Co.), Boston, Mass.
By the numbers: 143 calories per 12 oz.; 4.35 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: I have to admit, I’m not a huge fan of this style, first berating it after trying Two Brother’s Domain Dupage and again after drinking New Holland’s Golden Cap. It’s still not my first choice, but Samuel Adams has...
3 tags
Stone Levitation Ale
Name: Stone Levitation Ale
Brewer: Stone Brewing Co., Escondido, Calif.
By the numbers: About 140 calories per 12 oz.; 4.4 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: This is the first beer I’ve had from Stone, but I know they have a good reputation. This is classified as an American Amber/Red Ale and has a surprisingly big flavor for a beer that comes in at only 4.4 percent alcohol. It pours a...
April 2011
5 posts
4 tags
Red Nectar
Name: Red Nectar
Brewer: Nectar Ales, Paso Robles, Calif.
By the numbers: About 165 calories per 12 oz.; 5.4 percent alcohol by volume
Notes: This is the first beer I’ve ever tried from Nectar Ales, but they’ve been brewing it since 1987. Well, you’ll be happy to know that after all that time they’ve gotten it right. I’m a big fan of amber ales and lagers for...