Sunday, June 14, 2009

Thursday Night Drinking Club

Hit up Taco Mac Ellard Thursday night to work on the passport card a bit, up to 98 total. Only 27 more until I can get the 20oz members mug. Anyway, tried out a few new beers.

Atlanta Brewing Company Red Brick Blonde: Darn good beer. Seemed perfect for sitting outside for a summer bbq. Nice and light, very smooth. A nice summer option if you are not a big fan of wheat beers. 3 out of 5

Bell's Amber Ale: Dang, do these guys make a bad or even slightly average beer? If they do I have yet to taste it. A damn fine amber. A bit fruity and sweet, excellent toasty in the middle, hint of hops on the end. Dang, this is what I was expecting Fat Tire to taste like the way people raved about it but Bell's Amber blows fat tire away. One of the best Amber's I've ever had. 4 out of 5.

Four + Brewing, Uinta Monkshine Belgian Pale Ale: Yeah that is the whole name. Much more than a mouthfull witch is less than I can say about the beer itself. I went out on a limb to try this one. My first mistake was ordering a Belgian style ale from a brewery in Utah, the second mistake was not realizing that the beer was 4%abv until after I started drinking it. Tasted like a Lite beer version of a Belgian. Had the yeast type flavor of a Belgian but that was about it. Ugh. Not recommended at all. 1.5 out of 5.

Wednesday, June 10, 2009

French Broad Brewing - 13 Rebels ESB Ale Review

Picked up a 22 oz bomber of this last week figuring I would give a nice regional beer a chance. I had heard of French Broad brewing before but this was the first one of thier beers that I had seen for sale in Georgia. So here goes....

Poured a very nice deep copper with a slight hint of red to the color. A light and lacy head. Nice toasty malt aroma, maybe a slight bit of molasses. Good and smooth to start, nice bitter note fading into a smooth sweet malt middle. A tad bitter at the finish leading to a strange piny aftertaste when the beer was cold. Once this one warmer up a bit the piny aftertaste disapeared and ended up being a bit more floral. Very smooth drinking. If the finsh was cleaned up a bit this would be a darn good beer. As it is, this is a pretty decent beer and does make me want to try a few more French Broad Brewing offerings. I'll give it 2.5 pints out of 5.

Happy Drinking!!

Tuesday, June 9, 2009

4th of July Stout Anyone?

On the homebrew front, I ordered my 22 quart brew pot today. Hoping it gets here sometime next week. Figure I may try brewing sometime late next week. I'll give my Irish Stout a shoot. I want to make sure I have something ready by July 4th. The HopNog IPA is too good so I'm saving it for football season. So, with that thought I sure hope a nice cold stout will go well during a hot day at the pool.

Figure I might start a little neighborhood tradition with this next brew session. I figure if I do it on a Friday afternoon, invite everyone over and ask them to pick up a random 6-pack they have never had before, and sit around drink and brew.

Anyways, more beer reviews coming tonight and tomorrow.

Happy Drinking!!

Monday, June 8, 2009

Beer of the Week: New Belgian Fat Tire Amber Ale Review

Ok, new feature here from the Beer Snob, my beer of the week. Picked up a 22oz bomber of the new to GA Fat Tire Amber Ale. I have heard greatthings about all things New Belgian and decided I needed to give it a try for myself. The three launch beers for Georgia are the flagship Fat Tire Amber Ale, the 1554 (a black ale) and the Mothership Wit (a wheat beer). I went with the Flagship Fat Tire to start.

A very nice pour, nice clear coppery amber color with a big foamy head. Sweet malt notes in the smell. Some burt biscuit type notes as well. Very sweet and malty to start, loses its kick very fast and fizzles out towards the finish. Very dull after the malt bomb start. A hint of hops at the end? No bitterness at all. Smooth to a fault I would say. I was expecting a little something more to hit me. I am very disappointed. You get a great hit of flavor when you first sip it and then.....nothing. Very odd. Atlanta Brewing Companies Red Brick Ale hits very simliar to start but then packs some nice roasted malt flavor and a good hop aroma. Fat Tire leaves me very wanting and much perplexed in the big talk I have heard about it. Hopefully the 1554 that I bought is much better. I can't recommend Fat Tire to anyone. 1.5 pints out of 5.

I'll have another few random beer reviews this week (Thomas Creek Deep Water Dopplebock Lager and Terrapin 90 Shelling). Happy Drinking!!