This is yet another simple, yet appealing, Samuel Adams brew for me to test. Sam Adams is one of those companies that never makes anything that's totally out of this world and insane - but they make consistently awesome brews that go great with food and other social activities. I think that's what this company aims for and they are good at it.
The Winter Lager had a very nice, dark, amber color with a red hue. It had a clear composure and a simple frothy head that fell pretty quick. It smelled of a slight spice (cinnamon is cited on the label) with a bit of citrus and the classic, lager scent. It also had a nice roasted smell from the hops and barley. The taste followed suit with the roasted taste that gave it a spicy and bitter composure. It started bitter, settled in the middle with spice and bite and a hint of the citrus at the end. This brew is pretty low on the body - it has a thin texture. It also has a pretty sudden bite at the end from the bitterness. It has a very warming feel though which is very appropriate for a winter beer.
Overall, this is not an amazing beer that matches up with the biggest and baddest from companies like Dogfish Head and Southern Tier. But, it is very decent and worth a try if you're looking for something new that's not only cheap but easy to find.
Appearance - 4
Smell - 3.6
Taste - 3.4
Texture - 3.1
Overall - 3.54/5
Thursday, November 12, 2009
Wednesday, November 11, 2009
Westvleteren Abdij St. Sixtus Extra 8
This Is It. And no - it's not a movie about a pedophile. It's the review for one of the most coveted beers in the world of brew - Westvleteren. This is the first of our 2 beers that we have made by this monastery. At the 6 month we reviewed the 8 and at the year anniversary we will review the 12. Let's get started.
It pours out a classic Trappist Ale opaque brown that is very cloudy with the sediment from the bottled-brewing process. It maintained a wonderful, bubbly head in Fonnie's glass and a film in my own. It smelled very sweet and fruity. It had a hint of honey and almost no scent of alcohol in it. The taste followed suit with the sweetness. It had a very bold flavor with a slight hit of raisin. It was also a little bitter in the middle of flow, which was strange. The texture was very frothy and smooth as hell. It had a very warming and wholesome feel with an extremely good flow of flavors.
It is kind of obvious that Fonnie and I are huge fanboys of this brew. But, with good reason. We both loved it and it reflects in our reviews and ratings. We just wish it was easier to get. I guess that's what adds to allure of the beer - the hunt to find it.
Appearance - 4.3
Smell - 4.7
Taste - 4.4
Texture - 4.3
Overall - 4.43/5
It pours out a classic Trappist Ale opaque brown that is very cloudy with the sediment from the bottled-brewing process. It maintained a wonderful, bubbly head in Fonnie's glass and a film in my own. It smelled very sweet and fruity. It had a hint of honey and almost no scent of alcohol in it. The taste followed suit with the sweetness. It had a very bold flavor with a slight hit of raisin. It was also a little bitter in the middle of flow, which was strange. The texture was very frothy and smooth as hell. It had a very warming and wholesome feel with an extremely good flow of flavors.
It is kind of obvious that Fonnie and I are huge fanboys of this brew. But, with good reason. We both loved it and it reflects in our reviews and ratings. We just wish it was easier to get. I guess that's what adds to allure of the beer - the hunt to find it.
Appearance - 4.3
Smell - 4.7
Taste - 4.4
Texture - 4.3
Overall - 4.43/5
Westvleteren Abdij St. Sixtus Extra 8
Ah, it has finally happened. We have dipped into a months long hold out on one of the best around, the Westvleteren 8. I'm glad that we have finally given in to temptation and tried it- 6 months seemed like an ample time to wait.
This Belgian strong ale pours dark red/brown and is highly carbonated. You can tell that this brew re-ferments in the bottle because there is a lot of sediment floating in it, very interesting. Smell is full flavored of dark fruits, honey, and all kinds of malts. The taste is pretty much exactly as it smells and it doesn't skip on the smoothness. The Westvleteren 8 is by far the smoothest Ale ive ever had. Also it hides the taste of alcohol very well, and this is no weakling coming in at 8% either. Overall it has a very bold and strong flavor with a bitter sweet frothy aftertaste. Very good.
This Belgian strong ale pours dark red/brown and is highly carbonated. You can tell that this brew re-ferments in the bottle because there is a lot of sediment floating in it, very interesting. Smell is full flavored of dark fruits, honey, and all kinds of malts. The taste is pretty much exactly as it smells and it doesn't skip on the smoothness. The Westvleteren 8 is by far the smoothest Ale ive ever had. Also it hides the taste of alcohol very well, and this is no weakling coming in at 8% either. Overall it has a very bold and strong flavor with a bitter sweet frothy aftertaste. Very good.
Appearance - 4.4
Smell - 4.2
Taste - 4.0
Texture - 4.3
Overall - 4.23/5
Brew Tasting the Seventeenth
The day has come. We have been doing reviews for a solid 6 months (to the date) and we think it is about time we crack out the bubbly. And by bubbly, I mean one of the Westvleterens. Tonight, we will be having the lower rated (but still in the top 50) one...the 8. I am not banking everything on this review because this brew has gone through a lot since we acquired it like 4 months ago. I am nervous of its quality. So, let's hope for the best. You know what's coming, but list is after the break, nevertheless.
1) Westvleteren 8
1) Westvleteren 8
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