Great Lakes/Red Hook Take Turns

I have two more Octoberfest/Autumn style brews to review for you guys today! To be honest… I’m kind of getting tired of Octoberfest and it’s not even October yet. I might need to change this shit up and start reviewing other types of beer so I don’t lose my fucking mind.

Today I’ve got the Oktoberfest from the Great Lakes Brewing Company and the Late Harvest Autumn Ale from the Red Hook Ale Brewery.

I’m going to crack open the Great Lakes beer first because, quite frankly, it comes from one of my absolute favorite brewery’s. I love disgustingly hoppy, malty beer and that is one thing that Great Lakes is known for. From the Burning River Pale Ale (6% ABV very hoppy American Pale Ale) to the Commodore Perry IPA (7.5% ABV a great fruity tasting IPA), the hops in these brews make a frighteningly good adult beverage.

GL describe the Oktoberfest as:

An amber lager with rich malt flavor balanced by fragrant noble hops and they go on to say Our Oktoberfest is the noble brother of the Vienna lager…As if wearing “lederhosen” and getting your “oompah” on didn’t make you noble enough.

The brew has that great medium coppery color that I’ve been getting used to over these past few weeks and, after the pour, I was greeted with a fantastic aroma of malt and strong hops. This 6.5% ABV Oktoberfest has a sweet-but-not-too-sweet taste to it, with the malt and earthy hops being very dominant, even in the aftertaste. Hints of caramel, honey and spice also show up in the taste (along with a noticeable amount of alcohol), but this is one fall beer that isn’t dominated by spiciness. Like most beers out of the Cleveland brewery, this is a beer that I could drink all day; sip after sip it truly is enjoyable.

The Red Hook brewery, which run with a “Liquid Goodness Since 1982” motto, brings us the 5.9% ABV Late Harvest Autumn Ale. Red Hook, who brew out of Seattle, offer such sought after beers as the Copperhook Copper Ale (5.8%ABV with strong noble hop and caramel flavors) and the Belgian Tripel (10.2% ABV with fruity/spicy flavors throughout). The beer in question today however, is the brewery’s take on autumn ale, and it sure is good.

Red Hook explains that:

As the fall days grow shorter, beer drinkers naturally start their migration toward more robust, full-bodied brews. Late Harvest is an easy-drinking, yet flavorful brew that features a deep chestnut color and unique, roasted malt aroma and flavor. Late Harvest’s rich flavor is the result of using four different malts, yet the robust profile remains balanced and sophisticated, thanks to our two distinctive hop additions.

Brewed with Willamette, Saaz and Chinook hops, this great medium-orange/amber colored ale has a noticeably sweet malt taste with hints of citrus and hops. The first taste is great and it’s accompanied by a strong bite aftertaste. The smell is different than any other fall beer I’ve tried so far- kind of a fruity, roasted smell that was pretty good.

Overall I thought this was a good beer, but it was somehow a bit bland. Despite the fact that it was "liquid goodness" I must admit that I expected a deeper flavor for an autumn ale and it just didn’t do the trick in my book.

Great Lakes 8/10
Red Hook 6/10

The Best American Oktoberfest? I'll Take Three!

Today I'm drinking three beers brewed right here in the good old USA. On deck is the Oktoberfest from the Brooklyn Brewery, Sam Adam's Octoberfest, and the Pumpkin Ale from Buffalo Bill's Brewery. Who's gonna take first place in this American free-for-all?

My money's on the cowboy.

First up, I poured a nice cold glass of the Brooklyn Oktoberfest, and not because I wanted to drink it first; personally, I think it will probably be my least favorite out of the three and I want to get it out of the fucking way.

And to set the record straight, Brooklyn’s website gives us a bit of history on Oktoberfest, explaining that:

When Crown Prince Ludwig of Bavaria wanted to celebrate his wedding engagement in 1810, he did what any good Bavarian price would do… he threw a beer festival. Both the festival and the special beer served there became known as Oktoberfest. Brewed from the finest German malt and hops, Brooklyn Oktoberfest is true to the original style, full-bodied and malty, with a bready aroma and light, brisk hop bitterness.

The first thing I noticed after the pour was the rich color, which was a bit redder than previous fall beers I’ve tried. It was also pretty aromatic, not overpowering like the Saranac Pumpkin Ale, but there was certainly a noticeable heavy hop/malt scent to it.

My first taste was a huge gulp, which was a bad decision because I may have underestimated this brew. The coldness really brought out the hoppyness of the beer, which was the highest-flying of any Oktoberfest I’ve sampled so far. The hops (Hallertauer Perle, Hallertauer Mittelfrueh straight from Bavaria!) are out of this world, giving it a deep, crisp taste. I'd like to see more beer use this variety of hops, but from what I understand from the brew-dudes, they are pretty rare.

My overall judgment on this one is: not one of my favorite autumn beers to date. I do believe that Brooklyn’s 5.5% ABV Oktoberfest is good… but I’ll probably pass on a second round.

Moving on- and I’m really excited about this one since it will be my first taste of it- we come to the Pumpkin Ale brought to the masses from Buffalo Bill’s Brewery. Buffalo Bill, a larger than life cowboy figure from the Old West days, is the namesake of this California brewery, which gives us unique micro-brews like Blueberry Oatmeal Stout and the amazing Orange Blossom Cream Ale. This brew, not the Imperial Pumpkin Ale but the “America’s Original” variety, is a 5.2% ABV seasonal delight that the brewery explains:

Buffalo Bill’s Pumpkin Ale is one of the most sought after seasonal beers. It is believed that George Washington brewed beer using this bright orange squash. In modern times, Buffalo Bill’s Pumpkin Ale is a true original microbrew that uses baked and roasted pumpkins. Cinnamon, cloves and nutmeg are added to create what has been described as, “pumpkin pie in a bottle.”

After I opened the bottle, I instantly smelled the sweet mix of nutmeg and cinnamon, similar to that of the Saranac but not as strong. The color on this beer is incredible, truly a “pumpkin ale” because the fucking beer is orange. The first taste was great, but the next was better. Absurdly sweet, the cinnamon mixes with the cloves and pumpkin to make a one-of-a-kind beer- spicy but not overly so. I don’t know if I like this more than the Saranac version of pumpkin ale, but they’re pretty damn close. I’d say Buffalo Bill’s is lighter (certainly in color, anyway), sweeter and has a smoother drink-ability to it; Just amazing in my book.

Wrapping up today’s drinking venture is another Octoberfest brought to us from Samuel Adams. Samuel Adams, named after one of the Founding Fathers of the United States, has given us a decent line of beers, from the sweet, almost dessert-like Cherry Wheat to the absolutely awful Old Fezziwig Ale.

Before I talk about the brew itself, I want it to say that I’m not a fan of most beer made by Sam Adams. I feel that all Sam’s taste the same, and that one taste isn’t very good. The Boston Lager, its staple beer, tastes too malty and, well, not too fucking good- it certainly doesn't deserve the praise that it receives. Sam’s “prides” itself on the beer it brews, and that’s really too bad because they could probably do a better job at it consider the popularity of the brewery.

Anyhow, on to the tasting.

The color of this beer is good, medium with a rich golden-orange color. I’d like to add that this is one of the best looking, most colorful Sam Adams bottles (maybe even Octoberfest bottles) that I’ve seen. Every other aspect of this beer is, well, frankly it’s pretty bland. The smell isn’t noticeable and the taste is pretty bland, definitely not what I would expect from an Octoberfest style of brew.

Sam’s says “Samuel Adams  Octoberfest masterfully blends together five roasts of malt to create a delicious harmony of sweet flavors including caramel and toffee.” This couldn’t be farther from the truth. Even my girlfriend, who knows next to nothing about beer (she loves Coors), said that “It tastes like flat crappy Keystone…” and I couldn’t agree more. It just isn’t worth paying for, or drinking for that matter. Save your bucks and buy one of the other beers I reviewed today.

With Buffalo Bill’s take on the pumpkin ale, I have to go back to the sweetness of the smell on this beer. I’ve never tasted anything like it- the cinnamon and sweet nutmeg combo is great and the color is almost funny; it really is orange like a pumpkin. Any beer lover, or even non-beer lover, would enjoy this beer.

The Brooklyn Oktoberfest is heavy and hoppy, nice and alcoholic and a whole hell of a lot better than the Sam’s I sampled… although I’ll probably pass up another opportunity to drink it.

The Sam’s Octoberfest is awful, just like most of the beers that come from the Boston staple brewery. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone who values their taste buds.

Buffalo Bill's 9/10
Brooklyn 5/10
Sam's 2/10

Three Saranac Brews: How Will They Do?

This week we have a full-out Saranac attack on my liver.

I'll be honest, I can’t fucking wait to drink these beers. They come to us from the Matt Brewing Company, which is responsible for the line of always delicious Saranac beers. On today’s menu, we have both of Saranac’s fall beers, including the always great Pumpkin Ale and the Octoberfest Lager and, why the fuck not, I’ll throw in Saranac’s India Pale Ale for good measure.

A quick word about Saranac: all Saranac beer is brewed by the F.X. Matt Brewing Company located in Utica, New York. It’s the fourth oldest family-owned brewery in the United States and began with Utica Club beer (known for the “talking beer steins” commercials and ads which feature talking, sort-of-racist-but-still-funny, beer mugs named (among others) Schultz and Dooley). Saranac is a New York staple and, being from Buffalo, one of my favorite breweries. They make a ridiculous amount of different beers, ranging from ale’s to stouts to lagers and everything in between- for a real treat, pick yourself up some of their Summer Brew (a lemonade and beer combo) or the Pale Ale (extremely crisp and refreshing).

So up first, I poured myself a pint of the Pumpkin Ale and... well, first a word from Saranac:

In celebration of the fall harvest, here’s an autumn favorite that’s as enjoyable as pumpkin pie. This hearty ale is brewed with cinnamon, allspice, cloves, ginger and vanilla. Look for a full body and amber color. We’re sure you’ll enjoy this special brew!

As soon as you pour out the Pumpkin Ale, you know Saranac isn’t kidding- it’s going to be a special brew. The color, which is on the medium-dark side (sort of like Anakin Skywalker before he went totally fucking crazy), isn’t as dark as last weeks Tumbler from Sierra Nevada, but what really caught my attention was the smell- not overpowering but prominent nonetheless. You immediately get the allspice and cinnamon smell which mixes into a pleasant sweetness. The first taste brought me right back to last fall when the Pumpkin Ale begin to make its annual rounds (pun intended?), and I loved every second of it.

The ginger gives it a bite, while the allspice and clove (the two most noticeable ingredients) mix to give it a spiciness all its own- there are a lot of “pumpkin ales” out there, but this one has that certain “umph” that makes it stand out from the rest. The sweetness from the vanilla and cinnamon (which only adds to the aforementioned spiciness) makes the ale taste very sweet, but not overpoweringly so. I absolutely hate pumpkin pie, but I could drink this beer all damn day.

This 5.4% ABV ale is a must-have for the fall season and it won’t be around for long- get it while you can! …and even if you’re not a fan of fall seasonal brews, get this bottle for the hilarious label.

Next we have the Octoberfest Lager, which I’m not particularly excited about drinking after the epic Pumpkin Ale I just tried.  It’s just going to be hard to go from something like that to, well, anything else.

The first thing I notice after the pour is how much lighter in color this is compared to the previous beer. The smell isn’t as prominent (obviously) as the Ale, but there’s a great hoppy smell to it as most Octoberfest beers will have. It’s slightly sweet but almost… deep, which might be a result of the hops selection.
Saranac says about the Octoberfest:

In 1878, our grandfather came to America from Germany where he apprenticed at the Duke of Baden’s Brewery. Brewed to the standards established over a century ago, Saranac Octoberfest is a rich, flavorful lager. We use imported Two-row and Crystal malt and balance it with the pleasant bitterness of Sazz and Tettnang hops. We hope you enjoy it. Prosit!

Another 5.4% ABV brew, this beer starts strong and finishes stronger, leaving you with a great hoppy aftertaste that stays on the tongue until your next sip, or gulp, or chug, or however you wish to celebrate with this beer. The hops/malt combo is like no other Octoberfest I’ve ever tried, or any other beer for that matter. It has a distinct bitterness and, I have to admit, I like it better than Magic Hat’s Hex from last week.

Wrapping up this review is the India Pale Ale, one of the best year-round Saranac beers available. Saranac describes the beer as:

A hop lovers delight! In the India Pale Ale Tradition, this brew is very hoppy in both aroma and flavor from the generous amounts of Cascade Hops used in brewing. Look for a medium to full body and golden straw color. Enjoy with seafood, pizza and Mexican dishes.

The description isn’t kidding: this beer is pretty fucking hoppy. Not even close in comparison to any Great Lakes Brewing Co. beer in terms of hops, buy definitely a change of pace from the two previous beers I’ve had tonight.

A fantastic crisp smell that’s sweet and strong all at once. The color is light-medium and this is one IPA that must be served cold- it brings out the crispness all that much more. A very strong hoppy taste greets you on the first sip, but it sweetens up after you let it linger for a bit- a great aftertaste comes along with this beer. I love the smell and taste of this one, which is a must-have in my summer drinking collection.

When all is said and done tonight, the Pumpkin Ale is the clear winner. Absolutely delicious, spicy-sweet taste and it’s amazing cold. If you can find it on draft, don’t leave the bar. Ever.

The Octoberfest is good, one of the best I’ve had this season, and the unique blend of hops gives it a distinct taste. Great smell and color, I would recommend it to any fan of German beers… or beer in general.

The India Pale Ale is great. Very hoppy and crisp, this thing will floor your with its 5.8% ABV. I recommend it chilled on a hot day.

Fred Matt, current President of the Matt Brewing Company, says that “with all of our beers, we try and strive for one thing: making them distinctive and drinkable.” To anyone who has never tasted a Saranac beer before, that’s exactly how I would explain them: you can tell them apart from any other beer and if you have one, you want another one. And with as many beers as Saranac brews, that’s a lot of beer.

Pumpkin Ale 9/10
Octoberfest 7.5/10
India Pale Ale 7/10

Fall Beers Have Arrived!

It’s late August and that can only mean one thing in the beer world- it’s time for fall seasonal brews! Let’s hear it for FALL BEERS… in August...

Anyhow, the two that I’ll be testing out today come from a pair of my favorite breweries: The Vermont based Magic Hat Brewing Company and the Sierra Nevada Brewing Co. out of California.

The latest concoction from Magic Hat, Hex, is supposed to be its autumn seasonal, or what they’re describing as Ourtoberfest (ha-ha clever). An amber lager with an impressive 5.4% ABV, they describe the idea behind Hex and Ourtoberfest as follows:

Ourtoberfest is a celebration of the kindred spirits from seasons past. As they rise from their wooded underworld, a Hex is cast across the land, and song and dance and celebrate the low-slung sun.
To the fallen leaves, barren branches and frosted fields they toast: To the gateway of a new season as it opens. The Hex falls upon us all, a want for warmth within the season’s change.

Ok, so right off the bat, this is NOT an Oktoberfest, it’s an Ourtoberfest? Got it. So I should be expecting an autumn style, dark-but-not-too-dark, warmer beer instead of the heavy and spiced up Oktoberfest brews; sounds good to me.

To cut in real quick, last fall Magic Hat released Roxy Rolles as its autumn brew, a 5.1% ABV amber ale that was pretty damn good. It was a bit on the hoppy side but it will surely be missed, if not because of the taste than because of the awesome motorcycle label design slapped across the bottle. Hex is its replacement and (not surprisingly) it fits in perfectly.

A tasty amber ale, Hex is wicked from the get go. It’s almost sweet at first (these are the guys who brought us #9), but the finish is unmistakably dark. The website describes the brew as “A malty amber ale with hints of toffee and caramel and a slightly smoky finish,” and the description is right on the money. It starts off incredibly sweet and finishes like an autumn-based ale should- a nice, warm feeling. Not much else to say about Hex except go the fuck out and buy some right now! It could go the way of the Roxy Rolles…

Next on the menu is Tumbler from Sierra Nevada. An autumn brown ale, Tumbler boasts a 5.5% ABV and is significantly more bitter than the Magic Hat autumn ale- Hex came in at 25 while Tumbler is up around 37 (all this means is while Hex is a bit on the sweet side, Tumbler has some kick to it).

The Sierra Nevada website describes the beer:

As the nights grow cool, the leaves on the valley oaks begin to turn and fall. In honor of this yearly dance, we bring you Tumbler Autumn Brown Ale and invite you to enjoy the show. We use malt within days of roasting at the peak of its flavor to give Tumbler a gracefully smooth malt character. So pour a glass, and grab a window seat to watch as the leaves come tumbling down.

Another major difference between the two is color. Tumbler has a much darker color, not as dark as a Guinness would be, but not nearly as light as Hex, which almost had a reddish hue to it. This brew is also much more aromatic and has an almost chocolaty/coffee taste to it, similar to Hex but not nearly as sweet and much heavier on the end. While yes, it is more bitter, the bitterness gives it a stronger body than Hex- this is the shit lumberjacks drink... well, besides maple syrup and whiskey (they call it waffler).

My overall opinion of the two beers is positive. I could see myself drinking more Hex than Tumbler simply because Hex has a great start taste and good finish, while Tumbler is a bit on the heavier side. Hex is a sit-at-the-bar-and-pound type of beer, while Tumbler is a sit-by-the-fire-and-sip brew. Despite my favoritism to Hex’s taste, I think Tumbler is the better tasting AUTUMN beer- I could certainly see myself drinking a few as the weather cools down and I feel like it represents the fall season better than the Magic Hat beer does.

Hex 7/10
Tumbler 7.5/10