Candi Belgian Tripel

Candi: Belgian Style Tripel by Old Dominion Brewing Company

Trying a new brew tonight from a new brewery. The brew is from Old Dominion Brewing Company, which is part of Fordham and Dominion Brewing Company. Old Dominion Brewing started in 1989 and was created in Virginia. In 2007, Fordham Brewing and Old Dominion Brewing joined forces to create this joint brewing company. I have had a beer from Fordham Brewing Company, but I have yet to have one from Old Dominion Brewing Company. These two breweries can be found in Dover, Delaware. The beer I am trying tonight is Candi, which is a Belgian Style Tripel Ale. Candi has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 10% and an IBU of 20. Before talking about the appearance of the beer, I cannot help but notice the artwork of the Pin Up girl on the bottle. 

Appearance of Candi Tripel Ale

Appearance is something that you can be thrilled or not thrilled about when you see a beer. Some people are not fans of dark beers so when they see a black or a dark colored beer they tend to not want to drink the beer. Candi has a nice golden color to the appearance of this beer. The head or foam of the beer is thick and white. Head or foam of a beer is very important and can change the complexion of the beer. If you do not leave enough that can hurt the profile of the beer. If you are at a bar and you see little to no head on the beer that could mean the beer is flat or the bartender did not pour the beer correctly. Aroma of Candi is very interesting and a little bit of everything. The major aroma that I am picking up from the beer is typical for an aroma of a Tripel Ale. I smell a bubblegum aroma and a banana aroma, both are typical aromas for Tripel Ales. Where it gets interesting is picking up the subtle hint of cloves in the aroma. Makes me want to think of pumpkin pies. Another aroma that comes into play with this brew is a yeast aroma, which again is typical for a Tripel Ale.

Taste is where some can lose their desire to have the beer again, so time to see the taste appeal to Candi Belgian Tripel Ale. In the beginning, I picked a hop bitter taste which threw me for a loop because Candi is a Tripel. After the first profile, Candi came out to play flavor wise like a typical Tripel. When I think of this brew, Candi does a great job of bringing out the spiced profile in a Tripel and uses the cloves to success.   

Bottle and Beer of Candi Tripel Ale

When diving in deeper into the taste I could not help but notice some interesting finds as well. I think that you definitely notice the alcohol content when drinking this beer, just like you should when drinking Tripel Ales. There are subtle notes of pears in the flavor profiles, but you notice it more at the finish of the beer. In terms of finish I mean the lingering taste on the tongue. I also have a lingering finish note of bubblegum when drinking this ale. I think that when drinking this beer you should not be drinking it out of a pint glass like I am, because you are not going anywhere after. The ABV definitely shows its presences throughout drinking this Tripel. If you had two of these I think it would be safe to say you are not operating a vehicle. In terms of body and mouthfeel I think they did a nice job with this Tripel. Body of this beer is a medium body and the mouthfeel is smooth. If you are looking for a smooth Tripel Ale this might be one you try.

In terms of Tripel Ales, this is probably one of my favorites right now after having this for the first time tonight. Candi, hit all the notes of a Tripel Ale that I enjoy, while also maybe hitting the booze note as well. This is not your typical Tripel, but if you like Tripel Ales you might want to give Candi a chance. Old Dominion Brewing Company did a nice job with their take on a Belgian Style Tripel.  

Candi Profile

Funk

Funk Blueberry Citrus Wheat by Duclaw Brewing Company 

Trying a new beer from Duclaw Brewing Company, this is my first time having this beer of theirs. Duclaw Brewing Company is located in Baltimore, Maryland and they have been brewing since 1996. They are most famous for their Sweet Baby Jesus beer which is a Chocolate Peanut Butter Porter. I have had a beer from Duclaw before, but it was a collaboration brew with Cigar City Brewing. If you have not had it, you might want to try it. Back to the beer I am trying currently, the beer is called Funk. Funk-Blueberry Citrus Wheat is an American Wheat Ale. This brew is a seasonal release from Duclaw Brewing Company. Funk has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 5% and the IBU of 16. 

Appearance of Funk 

Funk's color and appearance are something that interest me a lot. The appearance of the beer is cloudy like most wheat ales. At the same time, once the beer settles in the glass the beer becomes crystal clear in appearance. The color is like a mix between amber and gold. I think that the deep color comes from what was brewed in the beer and the style in which it was brewed. In talking about the aroma of this brew that is one thing that is complex, but at the same time easy to describe. The big scent that you can pick up when smelling this brew is blueberry, not a shocker there since it is a blueberry citrus wheat. The part that becomes complex is the citrus part, in my opinion it is a combination between lemon zest and orange zest to get the citrus aroma.  The blueberry aroma gives it a tart aroma as well that blends well with the citrus aroma. Time to see what this brew actually tastes like and to see what I think about this beer. 

What's up with the FUNK? Funk label artwork.

Now we can dive into the taste and the body of this particular brew from Duclaw Brewing Company. I think by gaining a sense of this beer from its aroma was an important thing because it gave me a sense of what flavors, I might be able to taste in the beer. Taking the deep plunge into the flavor of this brew. The blueberry taste in this beer is very powerful and very distinctive. In a way it is a little over the top, in my opinion, almost like they added too much into the mix. The blueberry taste also tastes a little too artificial for my liking in this brew. The other flavors that you can pick up in this brew are subtle orange peel taste that tries to blend with the blueberry flavor but does not pack enough taste. When sipping this beer the finish leaves you with a punch a blueberries to the mouth, it is strong finish.  In terms of mouthfeel, the beer is dry and leaves me with a dry chewy mouth. The body of this beer is medium in my opinion and mixes the strong blueberry finish with a bitter note at the end. 

I think this beer is a decent beer and I can say I have had this beer. If you are into blueberries and you like beers this might be a beer you want to check out. For me, I enjoyed the twist on a wheat ale, but the flavor of the blueberries was to overpowering to thoroughly enjoy this beer. I also think the name fits the brew, because it is Funk throwing curveballs at the drinker. Making sure the beer drinker can appreciate the style of this beer. I think that the style of brew as a wheat beer helped make this beer unique and complex, but the use of blueberries was not used correctly in my opinion. 

Funk by Duclaw

Duclaw Twitter

Maggie's Peach Farmhouse Ale

Maggie's Peach Farmhouse Ale by Terrapin Beer Company 

Trying a new beer from down South. This is a brewing company that I have looking to try recently and have not been able to find their brews. I have been looking for beers from Terrapin Beer Company for a while now and finally found a brew that I can try. Terrapin Beer Company is located in Athens, Georgia. One of the followers of this blog, Matt, is a big fan of Terrapin Beer and I am glad that I can say I have tried one of their beers. Terrapin Beer was founded in 2002 and was named one of the top twenty five craft breweries in the United States, according to complex.com. The beer that I am trying tonight is Maggie's Peach Farmhouse Ale. Maggie's has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 5.3% and an IBU of 22. Now when talking about this brew some of you that have had Terrapin Beer before might know of Side Project Volume 7, which according to Terrapin is Maggie's older sister. In other words Side Project Volume 7 was Terrapin's foray into this style and Maggie is where they worked all the kinks out. Another interesting fact about Farmhouse Ale is that this style of beer is brewed and meant to stored/condition for a couple months. Usually this style of beer is brewed in the winter and released in the spring or summer months to allow the beers to succumb to the right conditions.   

Artwork on the can

Appearance of Maggie's Peach Farmhouse Ale 

The aroma that I pick up from Maggie's is one of peach and spices. There is a subtle hint of apricot that I smell as well. In this brew they used 1000 pounds of peaches for 100 barrel batch, which really comes out in the aroma of the beer. The appearance of this farmhouse ale is one that has a pale golden hue that almost looks like a light beer. The head or foam of the brew is white and quickly dissipates after it is poured out of the can. This is a refreshing twist on farmhouse ales and an interesting take on a brewery incorporating something Georgia is known for: Peaches. Now to find out about the taste of this delightful aroma brew. Thinking about tasting this brew I cannot help but think there will be a peach taste to this ale. Let's see, if I am right or if there is a slightly different taste that I pick up in this brew. 

Peachy Keen Maggie's Peach Farmhouse Ale

The initial sip that I took I tasted more of a spiced taste that finished with a peachy taste. After taking a few more sips to try to pinpoint the taste, I think that the finish is definitely a peach finish to this brew. The initial taste is a little harder to precisely say. I think that in the beginning, there is a mild malt taste that has a hop twist to it. After that malt forwardness, there is a short spiced taste to this beer almost like cinnamon. In terms of mouthfeel, this brew has a medium body and crisp taste. Maggie's Peach Farmhouse Ale is a summer seasonal beer, so if you are looking for a different twist on a Farmhouse Ale this might be your style of beer. In terms of what I thought, I think this is a crisp refreshing beer that I wish had a little more of a Farmhouse style taste. This is a very enjoyable beer and I think that if I had the chance, I would grab some for the beach. I look forward to trying more brews from Terrapin Beer Company and Matt let me know, which ones I might want to try next. 

Maggie's Peach Farmhouse Ale

Terrapin Beer

Audible Ale

Audible Ale by Redhook Brewery

The beer I am sampling tonight is from Redhook Brewery. Redhook Brewery was established in 1981 and resides in Seattle, Washington. The brew that I am having tonight is a beer that Redhook collaborated on with Dan Patrick. Dan Patrick wanted to come up with a craft beer that you could enjoy, while watching sports. This Ale is a craft beer that sports lovers and craft beer fanatics could get behind. I have had some Redhook beers before and they were KCCO Black Lager and KCCO Gold Lager, which were collaborations with The Chive. Audible Ale is something that I have wanted to try for a while now, because when I watch Dan Patrick Show I see ads for it all the time. I think that session ales are very popular right now because people want beers that they can have all day that will not get them too drunk. Audible Ale is an ale that is sessionable that you can enjoy all day and not get too messed up on. This brew style is an American Pale Ale. Audible has an ABV or alcohol by volume of 4.7% and an IBU of 22. 

Appearance of Audible Ale

When looking at this brew, I notice the color and the aroma. The thing I notice about the color of Audible Ale is the pale golden hue of this brew. Another thing that I picked up on is that Audible Ale has a clear appearance and no cloudiness. The head or foam at the top of the ale is white and has a thin consistency. Aroma of Audible Ale is a little hard to pinpoint. I smell a variety of aromas and I want to make sure I think I have chosen the best one to describe the aroma of the beer. I think the way to describe this aroma of Audible Ale is a combination of aromas. The aromas I picked up were a faint citrus aroma blended with a bitter hop aroma. Time to dive in for a taste of this Audible Ale to see what I think of it. The first sip I took I thought it was something I could enjoy. I think that it has a sweet malt taste up front and finished with a mild bitterness. I also picked up a hint of orange or lemon zest as a subtle mouth taste as I drank more of this ale. The other thing that I noticed was the body of the beer, which was light to medium.  

For people that are interested in finding pale ales that are sessionable that still leave you with a pale ale taste this is a beer you might want to try. Or if you are interested in developing your palate towards pale ales this might be an ale to start with because of the low IBU. I will agree with Redhook when they say: "crushable enough to make you want another — without making you sloppy by halftime." This is an ale that can be enjoyed all day and not make you too sloppy. I think that Redhook Brewery has done a great job making brews like Audible Ale and the KCCO line of brews. I look forward to trying some more of their brews and collaborations. 

Sessionable Audible Ale 

My final thoughts on this beer, I think that they did a good job in creating this beer and it allows you to mix sports and craft beer together. For craft beer drinkers it allows you to have a enjoyable smooth tasting session ale. For sports fans it allows you to call an audible and change what you are drinking. 

CHARLOTTE CRAFT BEERS!

I recently was down in Charlotte, North Carolina for a wedding. I sampled some beers from North Carolina, so I figured I would share them with the blog. On our way to the first brewery, we passed two other breweries on the same road. I only remember the two I saw on that road: they were Heist Brewery and NoDa Brewing Company. The brewery we stopped into was Heist because I was told we should visit this brewery. I had the C'est La Vie, which was an Amber Style Saison, which was a high gravity brew. I enjoyed this beer a lot and I think Saison's are turning out to be a style of beer I really enjoy. C'est La Vie had an ABV or alcohol by volume of 8.1 and IBU of 28. 

C'est La Vie by Heist Brewery

I also was able to sample my cousin's beer while we were at Heist and she got the San Fran Disco. The San Fran Disco was an  American Pale Ale. I thought it was a little to bitter for my taste right now but it was drinkable. This pale ale had a ABV or alcohol by volume of 5.4% and an IBU of 45. 

San Fran Disco by Heist Brewery

A little later on that night we visited the Draught Bar and I sampled another brew from North Carolina. That beer was by Catawaba Brewing Company, which was a White Ale called White Zombie. I think might have been one of the best beers I had while I was in Charlotte. I really enjoyed this brew and  I think that I am going to have to try and find this beer up around Philadelphia. White Zombie had an ABV or alcohol by volume of 5.1% and this was a delicious brew. Catawaba Brewing Company is located in Morganton, North Carolina if you want to visit them.  

White Zombie by Catawaba Brewing Company

Last brewery beer I sampled was from Birdsong Brewing Company out of Charlotte, North Carolina. I had this last because this is the beer they had at the reception after the wedding, I attended, The bride is a fan of the craft beer scene in Charlotte and she picked this breweries beers to have at her reception. They had three beers from Birdsong, but I only sampled two of the three. My favorite of the day had to be the bride's choice drink for the reception. She chose the Summer Ale, which was called Doin' Thyme Witbier. I think that this beer was very enjoyable and was very easy to drink. Doin' Thyme has an ABV or alcohol by volume of 4.5% and an IBU of 15. My only complaint was that I did not really get a chance to try it at the right temperature because it was sitting out in the sun at the reception. The thyme was perfectly blended into this beer and made this a refreshing beer on a hot summer day. 

Doin' Thyme Witbier by Birdsong Brewing Company 

The other brew from Birdsong. that I was able to try was the Jalapeño Pale Ale. I was told by a reader to try this pale ale. Jake told me to try this Jalapeño Pale Ale, because it was his favorite beer. I had to make sure I included him on this post because he loves this ale. For me, I enjoyed it but it had a little too much of a spicy bite for me. I took the first sip and instantly I got hit with a hot sensation in my mouth. I think if I were able to pair this beer with something I was eating, I would enjoy it more. Jalapeño Pale Ale has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 5.5% and an IBU of 45.  I would love to visit this brewery next time I am in Charlotte, North Carolina. Interesting fact is that there are three breweries on the same road. They are Heist, NODA, and Birdsong: they are all located on Davidson Street in Charlotte. 

If you are in Charlotte, North Carolina and you want to sample some of the local brews. Check out some of these beers from North Carolina and Charlotte. I was really excited to sample of these brews and I am glad I got to visit Heist Brewery. 

Twilight Summer Ale

Twilight Summer Ale by Deschutes Brewery 

Trying another summer ale and this time it is from the west coast.  The beer I am trying tonight is Twilight Summer Ale. which is from Deschutes Brewery. Deschutes Brewery is located in Bend, Oregon and is becoming a very popular craft brewery among all the craft beer drinkers. I have had a beer from this brewery before, on this blog, it was Red Chair. Red Chair was a Northwest Pale Ale and was very informative to me on that particular style of beer. I am looking forward to trying Twilight because it gives me another chance to try a beer from this buzzing brewery. Twilight Summer Ale style is an American Blonde Ale. The alcohol by volume or ABV is 5.0% and the IBU is 35. According to BeerAdvocate, Twilight Summer Ale is listed in the top 40 American Blonde Ale. Twilight did win an award in 2012, for World's Best Seasonal Pale Ale. I did have an American Blond Ale recently and that was the Session Ale by Evolution Brewing Company.  Now it is time to see which of the two, I like better. 

Glimpse of Twilight Summer Ale

Time to look at and examine this beer to see what I like or do not like about this beer. First thing, I noticed was the dense head of the beer and amber tint to the head of the beer. Looking further into the beer, I glanced at the color or appearance of the beer. This Summer Ale has golden tint to the beer and is clear as day, so no cloudiness to the ale. The aroma I picked up from this ale is very interesting. I smelled some citrus notes and spiced notes. The citrus aroma, I felt was a blend between orange and lemon zest. The spiced aroma hit after the citrus aroma and left me curious to the taste of the beer. Sometimes when drinkers smell a beer for the first time, it can turn them off on that particular beer. For instance, with myself when I usually smell a strong bitter aroma from the beer I usually tend to not drink it because I know it is going to be hoppy. There was a subtle hop aroma that was given off from this beer, but I wanted to try to enjoy this ale and see if I can try to develop my taste for bitterness. Last thing, that I need to do is to taste this beer to see what this Summer Ale is really like.

Try this Seasonal Ale, Twilight Summer Ale

Try the first sip, the one thing that I noticed that the hop aroma that I thought the beer had: the taste had the same subtleness. The bitter taste from the hops was blended in very well to the flavor of the beer. There is taste of bitterness that lingers afterwards but it is not overpowering. The primary flavor that I taste is biscuit like and a caramel taste. This Summer Ale is very crisp and gives the beer drinker a summer style beer that has a smooth hop taste. This is not your typical Summer Ale. If you are into Pale Ales and Summer Ales then this is the brew for you. I think that this is a refreshing twist on a Summer Ale and I think that Deschutes did a great job creating Twilight. Twilight in my opinion, might be a stepping stone for trying IPA's or styles of beer that have more of a bitter taste to them. If you want to explore beers that have a bitter taste this might be one to try first. I cannot wait to try some more beers from Deschutes Brewery, I might have to take a trip out to try their beers in person. Once again this is a seasonal beer, so if you want to try it make sure you do before the end of the summer. 

Summer Session Ale

Summer Session Ale by Evolution Brewing Company 

The new beer tonight that I am trying is from a brewery that I have never had before. That brewery is Evolution Brewing Company. They are located in Salisbury, Maryland. I have heard good stuff about this brewery and figured I would check out one of their beers. The beer that I am having tonight is Summer Session Ale and the style of this brew is an American Blonde Ale. To give you a comparison of styles, you could think of this beer like a Kölsch style of beer. This style is a can have a slightly assertive hop bitterness to it, all depends on the brewery. Another beer that this style of beer is similar to is a Pils style of beer, which also has a hop forward taste to them beer. Summer Session Ale has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 4.9% and an IBU of 25. Summer Session is an unfiltered ale with subtleness and complexity.

Glimpse of Summer Session Ale

The appearance of Summer Session is a mixture between orange and yellow, almost golden like. The head of the beer fizzled away shortly after pouring the beer, but it did leave an inch of foam. In terms of aroma from the beer that I am picking up is a citrus and a hoppy note. In sense it is a blend between a lemon citrus aroma and a hop bitter aroma. There is a slight floral aroma as the lingering smell after the citrus and hop smell. While trying to figure out if I think this beer. I need to figure out what the taste of the ale is like. I am curious to see what I think about the taste based off of the aroma I picked up from the beer. Took the first sip and was presently surprised that there was not a smack in the face with a bitter taste. I think this ale has a subtle bite on the palate and does not leave a lingering bitter taste. I would have to label this taste as grainy because of all the different malts used in this beer. While tasting this ale, I think that there is an added taste of lemon zest to the beer to cut the bitter hop notes in the beer. The body of this ale is light to medium and the mouthfeel is crisp and refreshing. 

Evolution Brewing Company's Summer Session Ale

All in all I think this ale is a tasty summer ale that has a hop note to the beer, which people that love hops can enjoy. This also has a crisp and refreshing taste that people that do not love hops can still enjoy. Summer Session Ale is Evolution Brewing Company's summer seasonal beer and is pretty good in my opinion. In my opinion, has the combination between refreshing and a hop bitterness that blends well together. If you are looking for a summer beer with a hop note to it make sure you check out the Summer Session Ale. 

Oberon Ale

Oberon Ale by Bell's Brewery

Trying another wheat ale, I think I might like this style of beer. The ale that I am trying today is from Bell's Brewery. Bell's Brewery is located in Kalamazoo, Michigan. This is the second beer by Bell's that I have had on this blog, first being Bell's Winter White Ale. I am curious to see how Oberon tastes and to see if I might become a fan of this brewery. This brewery was founded in 1986 and has grown into a very successful brewery that has a national presence on the beer market. In 1986, they produced 4,185 gallons and last year, 2014, the produced 961,000 gallons of beer. The beer I will be sampling today is Oberon Ale, which is an American Pale Wheat Ale. Oberon was formerly known as Solsun if you had it before they changed the name. This ale has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 5.8% and an IBU of 23. In terms of IBU this is not that hoppy. Quick little note about Oberon, this ale according to Beeradvocate, is in the top 12 of American Pale Wheat Ales. Now it is time to dive into tasting this beer and figuring out how to describe the beer. 

Head of Oberon and color of Oberon Ale

The head of Oberon is thick and foamy, which is usually present in most wheat ales. Looking at the head of the beer, I ventured downward to check out the color and complexion of the beer. One thing that I noticed was the cloudy complexion of the beer, it had a hazy about the beer. After that I tried to look at the beer's appearance and the color of the beer I was able to pick out was a light golden orange. I then tried my first whiff to smell the aroma and I think that it is very interesting. Complexity is another word I might use when talking about the aroma of Oberon. To anyone new to beer you would smell a wheaty aroma, which does not really tell you that much except that it is a wheat beer. I think the complexity comes in the aromas that are subtle. Like for instance I think there is a subtle spice aroma and with in the spiced aroma, I pick up a citrus hint or fruity notes. I think that the spiced aroma is being brought out by the use of the Saaz hop in this beer, which is known to add spice to a beer that is also usually blended with fruity notes to cut the spiciness down. Beers that I have seen use the Saaz hop have typically been paired with some type of fruity taste or aroma to combat the spiciness of this style of hop.  

Now to figure out the taste and body of this beer from Bell's Brewery. In terms of talking about the body of Oberon, I would have to say it is medium to light body for this beer. If I had to describe the taste of the beer I would have to say it is delicious. First sip, I picked up a orange note that is followed by a pale ale curve. There is a crispness to this beer that finishes with a refreshing taste. The thing that I find interesting is after you get past the orange note in the first sip, this ale gives you a spiced hop finish that is refreshing. I think the way that Bell's paired the Saaz hop and the citrus note, blended so well.  I do think out of the American Pale Wheat Ales that I have had recently this might be the best one I have had yet. 

Oberon Ale by Bell's Brewery

If you are looking for a wheat ale that has a hop bite to the beer than this might be the beer that you want to try. Bell's did a good job blending the Saaz Hop and the citrus flavors together, which helped make this a refreshing beer. I might have to try some other beers by Bell's to see, if I might be adding them into one of my favorite breweries. Oberon is a seasonal beer by Bell's and this beer is available until Labor Day, so get it while you can. I know that I might be having a few when I go to the beach on the fourth of July. 

Beer Tasting

Last night, I went to a Philadelphia Beer Week event that was hosted in my town. It was ran by Gretz Beer Company and they had different beers that they distribute on tap at every bar in Doylestown, Pennsylvania. I went out to support my friend and hang out with his family as we went to different bars. I really enjoyed going out meeting a bunch of beer representatives and talking to them about beer and what their favorite beer was. I sampled a few of the beers that were on tap around doylestown and below are the ones I tried. 

The different beers available at this one bar. 

Scratch # 188, Belgian Style Saison by Troegs Brewing Company 

Kronenbourg Blanc, Witbier by Brasseries Kronenbourg 

Sunseeker Wheat,  American Pale Wheat Ale by Fordham Brewing Company 

Big Wave, Golden Ale by Kona Brewing Company 

Apricot Wheat by Ithaca Brewing Company 

Here are some of my thoughts on the beers from last night: 

Scratch #188 was probably my favorite of the night because it was smooth and refreshing. I really enjoyed the first sip that was sweet but then followed with subtle pepper spiciness. Citrus Aroma enticed me to take the a sip, which I did not end up regretting. I thoroughly enjoyed the light to medium body of the Saison and hope to have it again sometime soon. Great job Troegs on creating a tasty Saison.  The ABV of this beer is  7.2 % and has a IBU of 25. If you want to try to find this beer you might want to visit Troegs in Hershey, Pennsylvania. 

Scratch #188 Saison 

Kronenbourg Blanc was a delicious Witbier that I am glad I tried for the first time last night. I had a friend that was a big fan of this beer and now I can tell him that I really enjoyed this beer. The ABV on Blanc is 5.0% and the IBU is 15. Banc is a French beer, and I was 

Head of Blanc

Kronenbourg Blanc 

Next beer I tried for the first time was Sunseeker Wheat by Fordham Brewing Company. This brewery is located in Dover, Delaware and housed with Old Dominion Brewing Company. Sunseeker is an unfiltered wheat that is quite tasty and  enjoyable. This wheat has and ABV of 5.0% and an IBU of 11. Always good to try different breweries take on your favorite style of beer. I was intrigued by their take on the wheat beer and I am excited to try other beers from this brewery. 

Head of Sunseeker Wheat

Cool Mason Jar glass for Sunseeker 

Kona Big Wave was something I have had before out of the beers I sampled last night. Still just as enjoyable as the first time I had this beer. Kona Brewing Company is from Kailua Kona, Hawaii. This was probably my second favorite of the night because it is just so smooth and refreshing. The ABV of Big Wave is 4.4% and the IBU is 21. Most of the beers we had last night were all around five percent ABV, which did not get you into too much trouble alcohol content wise.  

Kona Big Wave in a Kona Glass 

To finish the night I think I finished with Apricot Wheat by Ithaca Brewing Company. I could not tell you because I was asked if I wanted a beer and I said sure, but surprise me. Did I sure end up being surprised. This beer in my opinion is a good beer, just has a little too much apricot taste for my liking. My favorite by Ithaca Brewing Company is their Country Pumpkin and I cannot wait until fall to have it again. Ithaca Brewing is located in Ithaca, New York.  

Apricot Wheat by Ithaca Brewing Company 

In the end I had a great time sampling different beers from Gretz Beer Company and if your get the chance visit them in Hatfield, Pennsylvania. Thanks Dane, I am glad I came out and tried some new beers. I will make sure I step out of me beer comfort zone more often to try new beers. 

Whirlwind Witbier

I was thinking tonight, I would try a local beer that is one from my cousin's favorite breweries. The local brewery in question is Victory Brewing Company. The beer that I am trying for the first time Whirlwind Witbier. If you have been following my blog, you have seen that I have a fondness for Witbiers or White Ales. If not I will let you know that I like Witbiers and enjoy them very much. Usually when considered a Witbier, you brew with 50% unmalted wheat and mix it with pilsner malt. Additionally Witbiers are typically unfiltered allowing the wheat to contribute to the color of the beer. This creates a white 'milky' hue, which the beer gains it name from. Back to the brewery and the beer,  I say.  Victory Brewing Company is located in Downingtown, Pennsylvania in relations to me thats about an hour away. Whirlwind is one of their seasonal brews for the summer months. This Witbier by Victory has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 5.1% and an IBU of 15. 

Whirlwind Witbier an Belgian Style White Ale by Victory Brewing Company 

Time to dive into examining this beer and trying to figure out if this is a brew for me to enjoy. In examining the appearance of the beer, I noticed that there is a cloudiness to the beer. The color of the beer that I notice is a pale yellow tint to the beer. It is as if white and yellow blended together to create the color of this Witbier. 

Cloudy appearance of Whirlwind 

The aroma that I pick up when trying to smell this beer is a citrus or coriander aroma. There is a subtle banana aroma in this beer as well. In a sense it almost reminds me of Allagash White or Avery White. I am curious to see what this beer taste likes after trying to pick out the aromas in the beer. Hopefully, in terms of beer it does not have a strong coriander taste to the beer, that is one thing that I cannot stand in a beer. The taste of this beer is very complex and hard to pin-point. At first I thought I tasted coriander and spices, which had a lemon finish to sip. Then again I took another sip, I found orange and wheat mix in the next sip that ended with a lemon finish. Both are logical tastes to pick up in the beer, but if I had to choose one to fully describe this beer it the first one with the coriander taste.  I will say typically having a coriander taste in the beer will end the beer for me, but I am not opposed to the way Victory brewed this tasty beer. The body of the beer is light like a typical white beer should be.  

Summer's around the corner and try Whirlwind by Victory Brewing Company

This was a very tasty brew that I thoroughly enjoyed. I think that Victory did a fantastic job with this beer. If you are looking for a different twist on a summer beer, why not give Whirlwind a try I know I will give it a chance. I know my cousin Gina would be happy that I enjoyed this beer. If you are ever in the Philadelphia area, make sure you visit this brewery and try some of their beers. 

  

Tarte Nouveau Session Sour

I have been trying to explore the world of beers and many readers have been suggesting certain styles I should look into. The style that I am having tonight is a Sour style beer. Sour beer is very unique and different than normal beers. Typically when brewing beer you want to brew in a sterile environment and you want to make sure their is no possible intrusion of wild yeast into the beer. Unlike when you are trying to brew a sour beer, you want to purposely use wild yeast and bacteria to brew the beer. The nature of this beer style is to let nature take its course to brew the beer. Generally brewers want the beer to be a certain way to take out the unpredictability out of the equation, but with this style you welcome the unpredictability. I bet you are wondering what beer I am going to be trying as my first sour beer and that is: Tarte Nouveau Session Sour by Weyerbacher Brewing Company. This particular beer is a American Wild Ale, which is listed under the category of Sour Beers. 

Tarte Nouveau Session Sour by Weyerbacher Brewing Company 

Weyerbacher Brewing Company is located in Easton, PA. I have had beers by them before and have not had a bad beer by them. I was curious to see what their Sour beer would taste like. Tarte Nouveau is a kettled-sour and has a ABV or alcohol by volume of 3.9%. The IBU on Tarte Nouveau is 7. Weyerbacher uses lactobacillus in the brewing process to make it a sour beer. Lactobacillus has some other uses such as anti-inflammatories and helping in the process of yogurt/cheese. Now onto this particular beer. 

Straw like appearance to Tarte Nouveau

To me, the appearance of Tarte Nouveau, the Sour looks straw colored and almost resembles the appearance of a Pilsner. There is a yellow and brown tint to this beer, which makes me this of straw like appearance. Now the smell or aroma of this beer is gonna be interesting to pin point. I think that the aroma that I pick up on is a tart aroma with a blend of green apples and a funky earthy tone to the Sour. The aroma from this beer is complex and is not simply just one smell, cut and dry. I am eager to sample this style of beer, which I have never had. The taste is gonna be interesting and I am excited to try it for the first time to see if I like this beer or if I do not. I am intrigued by this beer because the taste is something that I could enjoy and grow to like more. I felt like I was drinking some Granny Smith Green Apples in this beer. It was like I was hit with that sour tart taste of the Green Apples. There is an interesting finish to this beer, which is a smooth finish, but has the taste of lemon citrus in the finish. I think the lemon citrus cuts down on the tartness in the end. 

I think in the end, I can say that I might have to try some more Sour style beers to truly get a sense if I really like this style of beer. Tarte Nouveau was really drinkable and almost reminded me of a cider in a sense. The low ABV of 3.9 %, makes this a beer that is very good and can easily be enjoyed all day. I am glad that I gave this beer a chance and I can thank Brice, for suggesting this style of beer to me. Hopefully I can try more Sour style beers in the near future. 

Next time your out try Tarte Nouveau