AW's Beer Reviews

[AWMiller]

Real Ale Full Moon Pale Rye Ale
Real Ale Brewing Company | Blanco, Texas USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Rye Beer

ABV - 5.6%

This brew poured up a dark amber colored body with a one-finger thick off-white colored head with good retention and lacing. Aromas of warm biscuits, rye, and peppery spices. Flavors of the same. Medium-bodied, good carbonation, very smooth with a nice hit of hops and peppery spices on the finish.

Pairing Recommendations: pork or wild boar

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]

Stone Ruination IPA
Stone Brewing Co. | Escondido, California USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: American Double/Imperial IPA

ABV - 7.7%

This brew poured up a rich dark amber colored body with an enormous frothy, creamy head with amazing retention and lacing. Pleasant aromas of citrusy hops with some old peppery spices intermingled, roasted malts. Flavors are of intense hops. Hops, hops, hops and some more hops. Ironically it was not as hoppy as what I was building myself for it to have! Other flavors include a nice mellowing from the sweet malts along with orange zest and some spices. Medium-bodied, lightly carbonated and the finish is very mouth-puckeringly clean.

Pairing Recommendations: Definitely a good brew to have with some spicy fish tacos! Also would pair well with beef, buffalo, fowl (ducks, geese, partridge, pheasant, quail, grouse), poultry, fish, salmon, shellfish, squirrel, venison, rabbit.

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]

Squatters Beerista (Small Batch Series)
Utah Brewers Cooperative | Salt Lake City, Utah USA
Not purchased; received as a gift!

Style: American Stout

ABV - 6.3%

IBU – 30

What an amazing stout! This brew poured up a near black colored body with a thin, bubbly head that dissipated quickly and left marginal lacing on the glass. Awesome aromas of powdered cocoa, robust coffee, dark chocolates, and sweet roasted malts. The flavors are of the same and absolutely intense in this robust brew; very well-blended. Near medium-bodied, creamy, good carbonation, and very easy on the drinkability scale. Would pair up very nicely with a juicy rib-eye steak or perhaps some succulent beef fajitas!

Pairing Recommendations: beef, buffalo, dove, duck, geese, squirrel, venison, wild boar

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]

Squatters Fifth Element
Utah Brewers Cooperative | Salt Lake City, Utah USA
Not purchased; received as a gift!

Style: American Wild Ale

ABV - 6.75%

I have been venturing out into the sour/wild ale arena and can say that once you’ve acquired the taste for these mouth-puckering ales you’ll take to liking them quite a bit! This brew poured up a murky orange colored body with a bright white frothy head with good retention and marginal lacing. Aromas of citrus, yeast, floral hops, cooking spices, and a notable sour scent. Flavors are absolutely complex, each vying for its 15 minutes of fame; orange, lemon, grapefruit, and spices (cloves, etc.). Light-bodied, loads of carbonation, very tart with a dry finish. Would pair up nicely with some smoked oyster fritters topped with a jalapeno/orange marmalade glaze!

Pairing Recommendations: beef, buffalo, fish, 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]

Squatters Outer Darkness
Utah Brewers Cooperative | Salt Lake City, Utah USA
Not purchased; received as a gift!

Style: Russian Imperial Stout

ABV - 10.5%

Oh my … this brew is hitting right near the top of my all-time favorites!!! Poured up a hearty black colored body with an enormous bubbly mocha-colored head with unending retention and lacing. Decadent aromas of spices, dark chocolate, light hints of roasted coffee beans, caramel, toffee, and cloves. After pouring I took a quick sip and then let it sit for an hour to warm so that the flavors and aromas would intensify! Oh how long that wait was because that first sip was oh-so-blissful! The flavors are so intensely filled with the dark chocolates, toffee, hearty coffee; each so rich that one does not want to swallow that delicious liquid so quickly! Full-bodied, thick-n-rich, with a warming finish that is dry and full of lingering chocolaty sweetness. This would pair well with many meals but I’d much rather save this for dessert on its own!!

Pairing Recommendations: beef, buffalo, dove, duck, geese, squirrel, venison, wild boar

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.

[bfish]

Enjoying the reviews, even though I tend to favor IPA and Barleywines. I can see a progression in your taste, in that you now can tolerate hops more so than earlier. I wish I could get Lagunitas and Squatters locally. Looking forward to your reviews on Bell, Dogfishhead, and Sweetwater beers.

[AWMiller]

yeah i'm slowly coming around to liking those IPAs and DIPAs, some more so than others! thanks for tagging along and checking out the reviews!!

Enjoying the reviews, even though I tend to favor IPA and Barleywines. I can see a progression in your taste, in that you now can tolerate hops more so than earlier. I wish I could get Lagunitas and Squatters locally. Looking forward to your reviews on Bell, Dogfishhead, and Sweetwater beers.

[AWMiller]

Ayinger Celebrator Doppelbock
Privatbrauerei Franz Inselkammer KG / Brauerei Aying | Aying, Germany
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Doppelbock

ABV - 6.7%

Why oh why did I wait so long to try this stellar brew?! This brew poured up a hefty dark mahogany-colored body with a thick one-fingered tan colored with retention lasting long after the beer was gone and amazing lacing effects. Aromas of warm dark bread, caramel, molasses, malts and hops, and a very slight hint of alcohol. Of the doppelbocks, I am sure that this one reigns supreme! Medium-bodied, light carbonation, very thick and creamy with a well-balanced hit of hops on the finish that is dry but not too dry.

Pairing Recommendations: beef, buffalo, rattlesnake, squirrel, venison, wild boar

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]

Anchor Summer Beer
Anchor Brewing Company | San Francisco, California USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: American Pale Wheat Ale

ABV - 4.6%

This brew poured up a cloudy amber colored body with an intense foamy white head with amazing retention and lacing. Aromas of toasted/buttered wheat bread, lemon zest, and a hint of some field grasses. Light- to medium-bodied with a nice lemony/bready flavor (almost like a good tea cake) and a subtly hoppy bite on the finish with is smooth and crisp and definitely not heavy or harsh.

Pairing Recommendations: poultry, fish, pheasant, quail, grouse, pork, 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]

Boulevard Irish Ale
Boulevard Brewing Co. | Kansas City, Missouri USA
Purchased @ Beer & Wine World - Mansfield, Texas USA

Style: Irish Red Ale

ABV - 5.8%

IBU – 30

This brew poured up a dark copper-colored body with a hearty tan-colored head with good retention and minimal lacing. Aromas of caramel, toasted malts/oats, bread (or biscuits?). Flavors are very well balanced of sweet malts, toasted oats, dark fruits (plums), and light alcohol taste near the finish. Medium-bodied with a very dry finish with a lingering sweet, malty taste.

Pairing Recommendations: pork, poultry

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.