Beer: Fixed Gear (FG)
Brewery: Lakefront
Date: November 16th, 2013
Style: Red Ale
ABV: 6.5%
Similar To: A better version of Smithwick's, Amber Ale.
Description:
I remember my first experiences with red ales in my late teens and early 20's when Killian's took the US college bar scene by storm, or at least my small corner of it. The rich amber color and distinctive barley taste were a welcome change in a time where imports generally consisted of Beck's, Heineken, and if you were really lucky, Grolsch (whose most noteworthy quality was its ability to taste skunked right out of the bottle). As with many beers whose main selling point is their slight differences from most of what else is currently on offer, Killian's popularity waned for me with the introduction of the first big wave of "microbrews", such as Samuel Adams Boston Lager and Red Hook ESB, into the Midwest. Over the years I tried a few more red ales (or Irish reds), like Caffrey's, Kilkenny, Leinenkugel's, Smithwick's, and Goose Island's malty Kilgubbin, but never really took to the style.
Fast forward to 11/16/13 and I happened to stumble upon Lakefront's Fixed Gear in the oddest of places - the glass in my hand. Mrs. Beer and I were visiting a coworker and her family out in the Chicago 'burbs and they had a fridge full of this and hard cider. In the spirit of open-mindedness (and because my earliest experience with cider dates from my 16th birthday and involved 3 liter bottles of the stuff, a rave in a metal barn, and waking up in a bathtub in the middle of a cow field), I opted for the Fixed Gear and was quite pleasantly surprised.
Taste:
Perhaps it was because I hadn't had a red for so long or maybe it was because most of what I've been drinking recently is on the other side of 10%, but I found FG to be smooth, slightly sweet, and eminently drinkable. Scrutinizing the bottle more closely, I discovered that what I had thought was a "Trader Joe's" style generic lager, was actually produced by Lakefront Brewery, a place Mrs. B and I had tried to visit on a few of occasions, all in vain, when passing through Milwaukee on other business. Based on the evidence from the two bottles I enjoyed that afternoon, we may have to dedicate a trip to the land of cheese and quarterbacks to try more of their offerings sooner rather than later.
Rating: 3 Stars (out of 5)
Thursday, November 28, 2013
Monday, November 25, 2013
Note - The Best Laid Plans...
I'd planned to review 3 new beers this past weekend, but my tastebuds apparently had other ideas. I've had a sore throat for almost a week now, and despite plenty of rest, I can't get beer to taste like anything other than fizzy vinegar at the moment, and before you ask, no, I'm not just drinking the latest Budweiser product (because that would taste like fizzy pi$$, I suspect).
With that in mind, I hope to be able to make up for last weekend with an extended set of new beer tastings over the Thanksgiving holiday, maybe as many as 5 in 5 days. I've tentatively planned to enjoy the following as soon as my health allows.
With that in mind, I hope to be able to make up for last weekend with an extended set of new beer tastings over the Thanksgiving holiday, maybe as many as 5 in 5 days. I've tentatively planned to enjoy the following as soon as my health allows.
- Bell's - Consecrator Doppelbock
- Founders - Breakfast Stout
- Haand Bryggeriet - Haandbakk Sour Ale
- Avery - Maharaja IPA
- New Belgium -Lips of Faith La Folie Sour Ale
Tuesday, November 19, 2013
Bell's Wheat Love Ale
Beer: Wheat Love Ale (WLA)
Brewery: Bell's
Date: November 15th, 2013
Style: Wheatwine
ABV: 8%
Similar To: Strong hefeweizen, Hoegaarden Grand Cru.
Description:
It's no secret to anyone who's spent any time drinking with me that I'm a fan of pretty much everything put out by the Bell's Brewery headquartered in Galesburg, MI. Since I discovered their beers about a decade ago, I've been consistently impressed by the quality and variety of their offerings, even the more widely available ones such as their Third Coast Ale, Oberon, and my wife's favorite Two Hearted Ale. I recall with great chagrin when Bell's was temporarily unavailable in Illinois starting in late 2006 due a long-standing feud with their distributor. Thankfully, this drought only lasted for about a year and in 2007, Bells was back with a vengeance and a much wider distribution than it had previously within the Chicago area (at least to the best of my recollection). The best way I've found to experience the best of what Bell's has to offer is by visiting their Eccentric Cafe in Kalamazoo, MI, for an evening of enjoyment and brews which you won't find anywhere else. What their food menu lacks in glamor, it more than makes up for in affordability and heartiness. Mrs. Beer and I have even spent a couple of her birthdays there, making a night of it with good friends from the Chicago area.
It was with this considerable personal pedigree that I obtained a bottle of Bell's Wheat Love Ale from West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, and enjoyed it at home this evening, served chilled in my favorite style-agnostic vessel, the New Glarus tasting glass.
Taste:
My first impression was how smooth it was for an 8% beer of a style which invites comparison to barley wine. Surprisingly light and drinkable, I suspect that a pint or two of this could easily sneak up on me unawares. Nice, light effervescence, with no noticeable fruity taste or smell. Overall a very pleasant experience, and one that I'd recommend if you like either wheat beers or strong ales, or both. The closest similarity I could recall was to Hoegaarden Grand Cru, though without any of that beer's floral or fruity qualities.
Rating: 3.5 Stars (out of 5)
Brewery: Bell's
Date: November 15th, 2013
Style: Wheatwine
ABV: 8%
Similar To: Strong hefeweizen, Hoegaarden Grand Cru.
Description:
It's no secret to anyone who's spent any time drinking with me that I'm a fan of pretty much everything put out by the Bell's Brewery headquartered in Galesburg, MI. Since I discovered their beers about a decade ago, I've been consistently impressed by the quality and variety of their offerings, even the more widely available ones such as their Third Coast Ale, Oberon, and my wife's favorite Two Hearted Ale. I recall with great chagrin when Bell's was temporarily unavailable in Illinois starting in late 2006 due a long-standing feud with their distributor. Thankfully, this drought only lasted for about a year and in 2007, Bells was back with a vengeance and a much wider distribution than it had previously within the Chicago area (at least to the best of my recollection). The best way I've found to experience the best of what Bell's has to offer is by visiting their Eccentric Cafe in Kalamazoo, MI, for an evening of enjoyment and brews which you won't find anywhere else. What their food menu lacks in glamor, it more than makes up for in affordability and heartiness. Mrs. Beer and I have even spent a couple of her birthdays there, making a night of it with good friends from the Chicago area.
It was with this considerable personal pedigree that I obtained a bottle of Bell's Wheat Love Ale from West Lakeview Liquors in Chicago, and enjoyed it at home this evening, served chilled in my favorite style-agnostic vessel, the New Glarus tasting glass.
Taste:
My first impression was how smooth it was for an 8% beer of a style which invites comparison to barley wine. Surprisingly light and drinkable, I suspect that a pint or two of this could easily sneak up on me unawares. Nice, light effervescence, with no noticeable fruity taste or smell. Overall a very pleasant experience, and one that I'd recommend if you like either wheat beers or strong ales, or both. The closest similarity I could recall was to Hoegaarden Grand Cru, though without any of that beer's floral or fruity qualities.
Rating: 3.5 Stars (out of 5)
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