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michigan beer
welcome to michigan deschutes! i'm very happy to finally be getting this Oregon brewery on the regular. having just tried this beer yesterday i can happily say i'm eager for more. this year round ipa offers such a juicy, citrusy flavor given to it by the citra and mosaic hops. two of my favs. great malt balance, this beer doesn't have too big of a mouth feel. very easy drinking at 6%abv. this is one of those ipas that has such a balance and just the right amount of sweetness that is going to make you want one after another. pair with seafoods, red sauce pastas and cold cuts. duh. cheers!
my score: 100
rate beer: 98
beer advocate: 95
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Ever since trying my first Green Flash brew when I had met their marketing team, I knew these guys had a penchant for big flavors. Just one sip of that west coast IPA and they had a fan for life. Now, I've had their double stout, and while it is delicious, it is not what I expected out of the Silva. Silky and creamy, and this amazing butterscotch flavor I have never tasted from a barrel-aged stout. Even on the nose you get that burnt sugar smell, like a crème brûlée. As far as I've read this is a blended stout. They first age the double stout for 17 months(!) in bourbon barrels, then blend in fresh stout as to not overwhelm the palate with whatever happened in those barrels. Sure there's the usual roasty-chocolatey niceness that comes with stouts, but this one has that little something else that I've just never come across in an aged beer. Which makes for a very unique and desirable brew. Cheers!
This one is for my Michigan beer geeks who read this, however few there may be. Yes, another IPA. I had the pleasure a few months back of trying a delicious canned brew from Blackrocks brewery out of the great north... the Upper Peninsula! Blackrocks brewery has now acquired distribution into the lower half of the state, which means elsewhere soon enough. As of this week you can start finding their great canned line wherever finer beers are sold. The first one I'd recommend and the first I've tried was the 51K IPA. It has all the wonderful floral and citrus notes you'd expect from a midwestern IPA. Nice alcohol at 7%. Some might be reminded of a certain beer with a couple hearts, but this beer stands on its own. A great balance of malt and hops, I sure can't wait to try the rest of their beers. I can tell Blackrocks is going to be around for quite a while with flavors like this. Cheers!
Usually when the warmer months start to hit I always find myself wanting beers that are lighter on the gut. Thankfully, session IPA's and the lighter sour styles are becoming increasingly available. Among the lighter sour styles is the berliner weisse. A light bodied, slightly tart, low alcohol wheat beer. So refreshing on a hot day. Basically adult lemonade but not disgusting like a certain "hard" beverage. New Holland said, we see your light refreshing weisse and we raise you a ton of bacteria and funk. Incorrigible is the mother of sour berliners (New Holland calls it a White sour. Whatever New Holland). Still light bodied and lightly carbonated, this beer still packs that back of the jaw bite. Very acidic but also very fruity. Remember, wild ales get their fruity characteristics from the wild yeasts. Unless noted, typically on the bottle, these sours are not brewed with any fruits. For the price and the 4% abv, this beer is going to be a great picnic beer for me this summer. Pair with sandwiches and cheeses and fruits. Cheers!
This weeks portion of Thirsty Thursdays is brought to you by Man Mountain. I sat down (made up some questions last minute and sent them via facebook) with David who (is a meme) plays bass in Man Mountain to chat about beer and music because, those things go great together duhhh.
Me_ What's your favorite song to play out of the new tunes you guys have?
DAR_ Little known fact, we are TERRIBLE at naming songs, our new song "To Be Made As New" was code named "Side Boob" for the longest time. With that being said, we have a new song tentatively called "groovy new" that we are all crazy about, it features lots of melodic tapping and some crazy whale sounds Mike was able to come up with on guitar.
Me_ When can I get my hands on the album?
DAR_ We will be heading back to Minx studio in June so we are expecting to have the full length released late summer.
Me_ When did you first realize beer was more than yellow fizzy water from a cheap can?
DAR_ At age 20 when I had my first Guinness, it changed everything for me. I guess I started at the opposite end of the beer spectrum from most but it was finally a drink I enjoyed and not something you choked down to get drunk at a party.
Me_ What are your 3 most favorite go-to styles?
DAR_ Like a good jacket, my beer has to compliment the weather. IPAs are my go-to summer beer, nut browns for the fall, stouts for the winter and session IPAs for the spring.
Me_ For your money, who is a brewery that can do no wrong?
DAR_For the buck I go with New Belgium, I always have a 12 Pack of Ranger in my fridge and at just a dollar a beer its hard to beat!
Me_ How many beers does it take for you to pick up your bass and want to twist it 'round yo head like a helicopter?
DAR_ Sadly, about 4! I once had 5 beers after a show I played with Tokyo Police Club and got kicked out of the venue for throwing a lemon into someones eye from clear across the bar.
Me_ Based on the relatively recent boom of craft beer, where do you see it in 5 years? Bigger and bigger, or leveled off?
DAR_ Sadly I think in 5 years it will SEEM bigger but most of the small independent breweries will continue to get bought up by big box breweries and sell the same crap beer but with a new label.
Me_ When taking brewery tours is it important to hydrate?
DAR_ I once heard that for every beer you drink you should drink half that much water, do I do that? Not at all. I'm really terrible at drinking water when there is a perfectly good beer right next to it, it also doesn't help that I have a personal vendetta against straws.
Me_ What's a flavor of beer in any style you'd like to see made?
DAR_Grape. Not real grape flavor or even wine but grape Kool-Aid grape.
Me_ I don't think grape is a flavor. Purple however, is a flavor. I think that's what you mean. So, how often would you say you try new beers?
DAR_ About every week. Normally when I go to the bar I'll order at least two drinks, the first will be something I've never tried and the second will be an old friend, if the first one is good I'll just stick with it and see how it mellows on the palate for awhile.
Me_ Since we're here in the Mitten, do you have a favorite Michigan brewery/beer?
DAR_ This is really hard for me because I find myself on a different side of the fence every year, last year it was Founders but this year I have really been blown away by every beer Shorts has released. I'll be heading up to Bellaire for their 11 year anniversary this weekend actually.
Me_ One last question. If Jesus ever brewed a beer, what would hebrew and what would the ABV be?
DAR_ I would hope he would brew a beer called Hoplelujah and bottle it at a cool 7.77 ABV.
Me_ Trick question David. Jesus of Nazareth, even if he were a real person, would probably not have drank or made what we know today as beer. What was "beer" back in 30 AD was more of a fermented barley drink served at room temp or above. Plus, Jesus would have totally made wine. Everybody knows that. Cheers!
If you've never had a Jolly Pumpkin or aren't really used to the whole funky-brew thing yet, all the beers they have to offer may lead you to assume they've gone bad. They have not. Also no, they're not all pumpkin beers. In fact they only make one pumpkin beer and it's once a year. Jolly loves to infect all their delicious beers by letting them age in wooden barrels that have been carefully infused with bacterias such as brettanomyces, lactobacillus. These leave the beers with fruity esters, smelling of barnyards and having champagne-like characteristics on the tongue. Oro de Calabaza is brewed in the traditional Belgian Strong Ale way, but then aged on the bacteria barrels for some time. This is a nice light, not too sweet, but delightfully refreshing beer. Sort of spicy but in a zesty kind of way. Slightly floral with a nice acidity to it. Honestly, you can't really go wrong with anything from Jolly Pumpkin. It's obvious they are brewers who truly care about beer and see how many ways they can originate themselves by coming up with unique beer experiences such as this one. This could easily be paired with salads or white fishes. Maybe some chicken or turkey dishes. Cheers!
My Score: 99
Rate Beer: 99
Beer Advocate: 92
It's upon us once again. The wily and elusive Kentucky Breakfast Stout. Known to us beer nerds as the one and only KBS. If you've never had the original Breakfast Stout then stop reading now. Have one, then come back to me. If ever there was a beer that paired with pancakes and sausages, this is the one. How could that get any better, you ask? Let's age it in bourbon barrels. Perfect. Sweet bourbon chocolatey goodness. There are few stouts that meet the expectations of this beast. Only problem is finding some. This is the game we play. Sifting through shelves at every local beer store, bribing clerks to hold us even just one bottle for a chance at sipping this sweet nectar. Of course having two bottles is the idea; one to drink, and one to forget about in your cellar. Not to worry though. Your favorite local craft bar should be getting at least one keg of this. In my experience that keg lasts as long as the piss you take from drinking several of these, so get on it. Cheers!
My Score: 1oo
Rate Beer: 1oo
Beer Advocate: 1oo
Not only are lagers some of the hardest and most time consuming beers to brew, those are the only beers Wolverine Brewing makes. The insane part is how they manage to push the lager envelope making some serious use of their house yeast. Today I'm telling you to go out and experience their Gulo Gulo Lager. Especially if you're an IPA fan. It's made with Cascade, Chinook, Columbus, Warrior and Pilgrim hops and dry hopped twice with Cascade before it's done. This results in one damn smooth and heartily hopped lager. Smells and has the bite of an IPA but the crisp, yet light, mouth-feel of a lager. Oh, and it's 6.7% so again, just pushing that lager yeast higher and higher. As far as I know this beer is available year-round. Named Draft Magazine's top 25 beers of 2013! Pair this with your favorite brand of hotdogs. Cheers!
My Score: 90
Rate Beer: 88
Beer Advocate: 86
Well I'm back to stouts. I'll just keep doing whatever then. Next week I'll do a review on farts. Who cares? Really, I've come back to them because I found some of this seasons Cherry Stout. Comes out around October and typically disappears pretty quick. Made with 100% Michigan cherry's, Bell's Cherry Stout is a fine marriage of tart and sweet chocolatey malts. Lightly carbonated and 7%abv. The flavors only get better as this beer warms up. You could probably pair this with some chocolate cake or your favorite gallon of ben and jerrys. Because get fat and drunk at the same time. Love you. Cheers.
My Score: 89
Rate Beer: 91
Beer Advocate: 80
If you're like me, you're trying to get breakfast food at any and all times of the day. Thanks to Founders you can at least drink it all day. Breakfast stout is an imperial oatmeal stout, so it's big at 8.3%abv, but it goes down ever so smooth. It's the lumberjack slam with a coffee on the side in a glass of beer. Brewed with sweetened imported chocolate and Kona and Sumatra coffee beans, I can tell you already want one now. Go for it. Run to your local beer store and make a mixie sixie of stouts for the cold ass nights you may or may not be experiencing. When you've had 4 of these because you couldn't resist the flavor paradise that was occurring in your face, think of me. Thank me later. Cheers!
My Score: 1oo
Rate Beer: 1oo
Beer Advocate: 1oo
The ever elusive Dripa. Once found all around Michigan at all times has now been brought down to, maybe they have it, maybe they don't. Even it's consistency is inconsistent. Yet, it remains one of the best IPA's I've ever had. Double Rice IPA. Someone once argued with me that rice doesn't belong in beer. That it's left for the Bud's and the Miller's to fuck up beer that way. I farted in that persons general direction. Rice does belong in beer. The gold medals they have won for this beer proves it. Rice allows the character of the hop to walk right up to your lips and punch your tongues face. Finishes so clean without any hop residue. Insanely easy to drink, which may pose a problem since it's 9.5%abv. I think the worst part about this beer is that it's rarely bottled and absolutely never distributed. You can usually find it on draft either at a bar or at the brewery itself, though. Thankfully growlers of the stuff as long as they have it. So, if you haven't already, go visit Kuhnhenn. They also own a bed and breakfast across the street should you get blitzed. Don't for get to order some amazing Vincenzo's pizza while you're there! Cheers!
My Score: 100
Rate Beer: 98
Beer Advocate: 98
It's here now. Founders Novemberly seasonal Backwoods Bastard. This great big scotch is full of smokey, oaky-goodness. Sort of spiced, molasses notes. The barrels it's aged in impart some vanilla flavors. Huge 10.5% abv makes this one a bit of a sipper, much like a nice scotch. Good now, great later. Save this one in a cool, dark place for a year and you may notice some body added to it. The perfect boozy friend for the chilly nights we're inevitably dealing with now. Pair this with some of that left over halloween candy, because I know you still have some. Cheers!
My Score: 90
Beer Advocate: 97
Rate Beer: 100
Mosaic Promise is a simple beer. But that's not to say that it is simple in flavor. From just one hop and one malt (golden promise), this beer delivers some great flavors. Light-medium body. Super easy drinking IPA. Mosaic hops are a hybrid style that blends the citrus hop with the simcoe hop. It's one of my favorite styles and flavors and the fact this beer isn't over slammed with different malts, it really does show off the hops profile. Everything keeps simple with a 5.5%abv and bitterness right down the middle at 50 IBU. This is a one off brew, which is pretty common for Founders and other micro breweries, so cram it down your face hole as much as possible. This beer though, should have come out two months ago. Would have made a great mowing the lawn beer. Cheers!
My Score: 95
Rate Beer: 97
Beer Advocate: 90
Based on Gustav Holst's orchestral interpretation of the Planets, named The Planets, Bell's has decided that if someone can make music to represent them, they can make beer that does just the same.
The first in the series, Mars, is a very bold but easy drinking double IPA. Big on the hops but also big on the malt, this beer finds the perfect balance of the two which imparts a huge mouth feel but also somehow manages to mask the 10.1% alcohol content. Notes of lime and pineapple and citrus, some pine maybe. This beer is, to me, like a bigger version of Two Hearted. Only brewed and released once so hopefully you found some. Get in with your local beer guy now as the rest of the series will be showing up from now until July of next year. Cheers!
Beer Advocate: 93
My score: 97
I like my blondes like I like my coffee... tasting like coffee. Bean Flicker by Odd Side Ales is sure to blow your mind a little. It's a blonde ale so it's translucent yellow in color but when you put it in your mouth your pallet is overcome with coffee. I don't know how they did it, but I'm glad they did. They removed all the gut heavy weight of a coffee stout but left the flavor and shoved it into a sessionable, easy drinking blonde. Perfect for a summer day and easy on the alcohol. Smooth on the pallet with light carbonation. A nose of vanilla, almost brownies. Pair this beer with more of these beers. They're tasty as hell. Cheers!
Beer Advocate: 87
Rate Beer: 95
My score: 84
This one is for the ladies and dudes with vaginas. Only kidding, but really, this beer is fucking delish. Brewed with a shit-ton of fresh Michigan raspberries, it's not only refreshing but it keeps you wanting more and more. Not overly sweet, there's a huge malt bill to balance out the sour/tart from the berries. To hell with your summer shandy, with a 5.7% abv this is going to be my frequent lawn mowing beer this summer. You want to get real crazy? Pour yourself a glass of your favorite IPA and top it off with a bit of Rubaeus, thank me later. A seasonal release but you should be able to find this wherever finer beers are sold and poured. Cheers and mahalo! -Dave
Rate Beer: 99
Beer Advocate: 90