Surfs Up (and so is the Mosaic & Nugget pine)!
Beer of the Week
Uinta Brewing Crooked Line Oak Jacked Imperial Pumpkin
Posted September 18, 2012 2 Comments | Post a CommentThis limited, seasonal offering from Uinta Brewing’s Crooked Line series pours a deep ruby (almost red velvet) with a big, thick white head that slowly dissipates.
Shipyard Brewing Co. Pumpkinhead
Posted September 13, 2012 0 Comments | Post a CommentGreat gourd! While Wild Onion Brewing Co. in Barrington, IL, was the first brewery to can a pumpkin beer in 2010, Shipyard’s Pumpkinhead is arguably the most popular and widely available pumpkin ale now housed within thin walls of aluminum in certain markets.
Served from a twelve-ounce can, the wheat ale pours a slightly hazy straw with a light, yet billowy white head and tremendous carbonation. The nose is full of fall fruit, notably apples and sweet figs.
The traditional pumpkin pie spices of cinnamon, ginger, cloves, allspice and nutmeg run together in a melange of autumn. This is no surprise; as with a lot of pumpkin ales on the market, Shipyard brews this beer with naturally-concentrated spiced pumpkin extract and not real gourds.
Apples—Gala and Braeburn, not Honey Crisp or Granny Smith—trail the muted spiciness of the light wheat. Pumpkinhead doesn’t linger in the mouth and leaves you thirsting for another sip of fall.
Last year, the brewery shipped 400,000 cases of Pumpkinhead, and it’s obvious why. This 4.7 percent ABV wheat ale appeals to new, casual and seasoned beer lovers alike. Now that the beer comes in the convenience of a can, expect to see a lot more Pumpkinhead at football tailgates, farm hayrides and fall bonfires.
Twelve-ounce cans are available in CT, FL, MA, ME, NH, RI and VT, with other markets following soon. Twelve-ounce bottles of the beer can be found in Shipyard’s entire distribution area.
21st Amendment Brewery Hop Crisis
Posted September 4, 2012 0 Comments | Post a Comment21st Amendment Brewery‘s recently released Hop Crisis pours a slightly hazy gold with a small, off-white head. For such a big beer (9.7 percent ABV), the aroma is surprisingly subdued, with bread, light citrus and wood notes attempting to escape. The lack of aroma hops likely contributes to the absence of the typical hop bomb scents.
Grand Teton Brewing Co. XX Bitch Creek
Posted August 31, 2012 0 Comments | Post a CommentClassified as a double ESB and part of the brewery’s Cellar Reserve program, XX Bitch Creek pours the color of cherry wood with an inch thick head that stays longer than your mother-in-law.
Coney Island Barrel-Aged Human Blockhead
Posted August 21, 2012 0 Comments | Post a CommentClassified as an imperial bock, Coney Island took Human Blockhead and aged it for five months on Buffalo Trace bourbon barrels. And the result is nothing less than stellar. The beer pours a deep ruby with a thick, beige head that very slowly dissipates. Huge dried fruit notes (dates, fig) greet the nose but plum is the most prevalent. A big, bock malt bill makes this beer sweet. It has a melted caramel and cherry mouthfeel and a craisin scone-accentuated finish (with slight hints of vanilla from the barrel aging). This is fantastic. Don’t pass it up.
