AW's Beer Reviews

[AWMiller]

Foster’s Premium Ale
Foster’s Group Limited | Southbank, Australia
Not purchased; received as a gift.

Style: Adjunct Ale – Extra Special/Strong Bitter (ESB)

ABV - 5.5%

This brew poured up a dark amber colored body with an enormous foamy off-white colored head with fair retention and marginal lacing. Go easy on the pour cause this brew foams up fast! Aromas are somewhat musty and smell of wet grains; none to pleasant. Flavors … egads this was a bland brew but there are some grapefruit and caramel but none to my liking though. Medium-bodied and somewhat carbonated. The finish is dry and hoppy and a poor aftertaste to say the least. To be honest I did not get through the entire brew as the flavor was just not my cup of beer.

Pairing Recommendations: swash it down at the BBQ or fish fry

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews. While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best. There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[AWMiller]

Witches Brew
Brouwerij Van Steenberge N.V. | Ertvelde, Belgium
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Belgian Tripel

ABV - 9.3%

Tripels … gotta love them tripels and this one is right up there with some of the best! This brew poured up a golden colored body with an enormous frothy head with long-lasting retention and phenomenal lacing. Aromas rich with fruits (apples, pears, bananas) and one can definitely smell the alcohol in this brew! Flavors are amazing (honey, apples, hops and sweet malts) and only get better as the brew warms up! Medium-bodied and very well carbonated with a sweet, smooth finish that is warming and full of sweet fruity aftertastes. Pairs well with some spicy Cajun meals or all by itself as a sweet dessert beer.

Pairing Recommendations: beef, poultry, pork

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews. While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best. There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[AWMiller]

Pacifico Clara
Grupo Modelo S.A. de C.V. | Mexico City, Mexico
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Adjunct Lager

ABV - 4.5%

This brew poured up a clear, golden colored body with a very thin white fizzy head that quickly dissipated and left no lacing. Aromas of hops and a hint of malts. Flavors are standard fair; bitter hops and a touch of malt to balance out but definitely nothing spectacular about the taste. Light-bodied, lightly carbonated easy to quaff, with a dry finish and slight bitter aftertaste. A good brew to slam along with some hot-n-spicy wings.

Pairing Recommendations: a fairly good throw-down for the BBQ or fish fry

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews. While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best. There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[AWMiller]

Saint Arnold Elissa IPA
Saint Arnold Brewing Company | Houston, Texas USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: American IPA

ABV - 6.6%

IBU - 60

Quite a tasty Texas IPA! This brew poured up a clear amber colored body with a thick, frothy white head with good retention and thick lacing. Aromas full of citrusy hops, sweet malts, and caramel. Flavors are well-intermingled and each vying for their own dominance; grassy hops, citrus fruit zests, and caramels. Medium-bodied, well-carbonated, very smooth and easy to drink with a finish that is very clean and very dry with no harsh aftertastes.

Pairing Recommendations: beef, buffalo, poultry, duck, geese, fish, partridge, pheasant, quail, grouse, rabbit, salmon, shellfish, squirrel, venison

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews. While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best. There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[AWMiller]

Kona Longboard Island Lager
Kona Brewing Company | Kona, Hawaii USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: American Pale Lager

ABV - 4.6%

IBU - 18

Here’s a great lager to throw down at your BBQ or fish fry! This brew poured up a cloudy golden amber colored body with a thin, foamy head this dissipated quickly and left faint lacing. Aromas full of pears, citrus fruits, sweet malts, and bread dough. Flavors of the same in this near-medium bodied brew that is very smooth and easy to drink. The finish is clean and very refreshing with no harsh aftertastes; only sweet malts lingering about.

Pairing Recommendations: beef, buffalo, poultry, fish, pheasant, quail, grouse, pork, salmon, shellfish

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews. While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best. There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[AWMiller]

Stella Artois
Stella Artois | Leuven, Belgium
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Euro Pale Lager

ABV - 5%

This brew poured up a clear, light-golden colored body with a white frothy head that dissipates very quickly and left no lacing. Standard norm on the scents and flavors as that of adjunct lagers: grains, hops, malts. Light-bodied, easy to drink, highly carbonated with a clean, dry, hoppy finish. A good brew to have with some zesty fish-n-chips!

Pairing Recommendations: beef, buffalo, poultry, fish, pheasant, quail, grouse, pork, salmon, shellfish

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews. While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best. There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[AWMiller]

Pabst Blue Ribbon
Pabst Brewing Company | Woodridge, Illinois USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Adjunct Lager

ABV - 4.74%

This review was done by request!! This brew poured up a clear, pale-golden colored body with a white frothy head that quickly dissipates to a thin sheen and no lacing. Aromas of sweet malts and light on the hops. Flavors of the same in this light-bodied brew that has quite a bit of carbonation. The finish is nice, dry, clean and slightly bitter.

Pairing Recommendations: standard fair for the BBQ or fish fry

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews. While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best. There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[AWMiller]

Dog Bite High Gravity Lager
Genesee Brewing Co. / Dundee Brewing Co. | Rochester, New York USA
Purchased @ Lone Star Beverages - Carrollton, Texas USA

Style: Malt Liquor

ABV - 10%

First up on my malt liquor reviews!! Probably one of the best looking brews I’ve seen in the lager arena! This brew poured up a crystal clear light orange colored body with a frothy white head that dissipated quickly and left marginal lacing. Aromas of orange, honey, grains, and alcohol. Flavors of the same and totally not what I was expecting to come from a malt liquor. Very flavorful and very light on the palate. Has a nice, thick malty body with loads of carbonation with a clean, fruit-like finish and lingering aftertaste. Easy to drink and again, very flavorful. Will definitely have several of these on-hand!

Pairing Recommendations: spicy fish tacos or beef/chicken fajitas

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews. While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best. There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[AWMiller]

Bear Republic Red Rocket Ale
Bear Republic Brewing Co. | Healdsburg, California USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: American Amber/Red Ale

ABV - 6.8%

IBU - 67

Delicious!! This brew poured up a dark mahogany colored body with a thick foamy head with unending retention and lacing. Aromas of caramel, sweet roasted malts, dark fruits (plums, raisins), and a touch of hops. Flavors of caramel, bread dough, and sweet malts with just the right amount of hops to bring the sweats into check. Medium-bodied, moderate carbonation, with a finish that is dry with slight bitter notes and lingering effects. This is definitely a brew that all should try at least once!

Pairing Recommendations: beef, buffalo, poultry, ducks, geese, fish, partridge, pheasant, quail, grouse, shellfish

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews. While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best. There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.

[AWMiller]

Bear Republic Hop Rod Rye
Bear Republic Brewing Co. | Healdsburg, California USA

Style: American IPA

ABV - 8%

IBU - 80

Daggum these IPAs are starting to impress this malt-head! This brew poured up a rich, dark amber colored body with a hearty off-white colored head that had amazing retention and lacing effects. Aromas full of rye and hops. Flavors of warm bread, lemon zest, rye and piney hops. Medium-bodied and very well carbonated with a dry, hoppy finish and lingering aftertaste. Definitely something I would serve up when grilling or working the smoker!

Pairing Recommendations: beef, buffalo, poultry, duck, geese, fish, partridge, pheasant, quail, grouse, rabbit, salmon, shellfish, squirrel, venison

Disclaimer: All beer tasting notes and reviews are subjective. The thoughts and opinions contained herein are those of the ‘bier vorgeschmack’ and him only. The intent of this beer review is to spur interest in brands and styles that one may not normally indulge in and to entice them to venture out and try new brews. While some may argue that there are no other beers than Miller, Coors, Bud, and Keystone, this is much akin to arguing which vanilla ice cream tastes the best. There are more brews out there; try some and enjoy the savory adventure.