Pumpkin Savior

Rogue Ale Rogue Farms Pumpkin Savior 

Trying a seasonal brew from a brewery I have not had on this blog, so far. I am trying a brew from Rogue Ales. Rogue Ales started as a brewery/pub and opened in 1988. They are located in Ashland, Oregon. Here is a little about them from their website, "Rogue is a small revolution, which expresses itself through handcrafted Ales, Porters, Stouts, Lagers and Spirits, and this is the way we conduct our business. The spirit of the Rogue brand, even the name, suggests doing things differently, a desire and a willingness to change the status quo. A Rogue Ale, Porter, Stout, Lager or Spirit is crafted to give it unique character, innovative in its makeup and brewing, a process that has not compromised quality. We believe if a Rogue Ale, Porter, Stout, Lager or Spirit cannot be all of these things, it should not be made at all."The brew I am trying tonight from Rogue Ales is Pumpkin Savior. Pumpkin Savior is a Wit Style brew that is brewed with Pumpkin. Pumpkin Savior was a 2015 World Beer Championships Bronze Medal winner. I am excited to try this pumpkin beer. Pumpkin Savior has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 5.6% and an IBU of 21.

Appearance of Pumpkin Savior

Looking at this brew it reminds me that we are amidst Pumpkin Ale Season.  Pumpkin Savior has a deep orange almost like a burnt orange or a Copper tint to the beer. I have had many Pumpkin beers and this brew looks great. The aroma is very enticing and makes me want to have as many pumpkin items as I can. Aroma I picked up on right away was the spices, cinnamon, nutmeg, allspice, clove. Taking a whiff of Pumpkin Savior reminds me of baking a pumpkin pie. Another aroma note that is strong in this brew is the pumpkin aroma. I just cannot stop smelling this beer and I need to so I can taste, what is behind the aroma. 

I am so eager to taste this beer, I have waited for it to come out this year. I have never had this beer before, but have heard great things about their beers before. I know that Rogue has Rogue Farms and uses their pumpkins from the farm in this brew. I hope that comes through in the taste and I cannot wait to take the first sip of Pumpkin Savior. I think the combination of the Pumpkin and the Wit Style brew is amazing. I took my first sip of Pumpkin Savior and was instantly in love with this beer. You taste the spices and the pumpkin instantly as you take the first sip. The pumpkin really comes through and makes this brew a really enjoyable beer. Another interesting fact about this beer is that the Wit style brew makes this beer not have a heavy body and light mouthfeel.  When enjoying Pumpkin Ales usually they can go sweet or spiced based, Pumpkin Savior does the best job at combining both sweet and spice notes to create this awesome brew.

Make sure you check out Pumpkin Savior

This is an amazing seasonal brew from Rogue Ales and Rogue Farms. I think this might have become my favorite Pumpkin beer. If you are a pumpkin ale fan make sure this brew is atop your list to try. I think that Rogue did a great job not catering too much to sweet or spice based Pumpkin Ales.  Even if you are not a fan of Pumpkin brews this is a beer that you can still enjoy because of the passion and quality of this brew. I am glad that I waited for this Pumpkin Savior and hopefully I can try the Pumpkin Patch Ale next. 

Check out Rouge's Website and Twitter: 

Rogue Ales

Tweet @RogueAles

Hop Knife Harvest Ale

Hop Knife Harvest Ale by Troegs Brewing Company 

Trying a seasonal brew from a local brewery today. I am trying a brew from Troegs Brewing Company, they are located in Hershey, Pennsylvania.  I have tried a brew from Troegs before on the blog and that was Troegenator. I am trying Hop Knife Harvest Ale today.  Hop Knife has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 6.2 and an IBU or bitterness of 87. Looking at the IBU of this beer, I think I took more than I could handle but I figured let's expand the palate. According to Troegs website, 'Hop Knife Harvest Ale recognizes the meticulous, time-honored tradition of hand-harvesting hops at the peak of maturity'. I am curious to see how hand harvesting at their peak maturity plays an impact on this brew. 

Appearance of Hop Knife 

Looking at this brew I am curious to see what is Hop Knife and what is behind this brew. The color to me looks like two different colors, first you notice the amber tint to the brew. Then the beer almost has a deep golden color to it, in certain light. There is a nice quarter inch of foam or head the top of the glass. In addition the foam or head has a thick appearance to it and has a steady stream of carbonation adding to it. The head or foam has great retention and adds to the enjoyment of the brew. Aroma is an part of beer that can be hit or miss and can make people either like or dislike what they are drinking. The aroma I pick up from this brew is a citrus and a bitter hop aroma. Based off of the aroma and the IBU this makes me think this brew is like an India Pale Ale. Which makes sense considering the handpicking of mature hops and the name of the beer. 

Taste of this brew is where I might get alittle confused or not pick out as much, because of the hop notes. I think the more and more I drink this brew I pick up on the tiny subtleties of each hop used in the beer. Cascade, Centennial, Citra, Chinook, El Dorado, Columbus each have their own uniqueness and I think that Hop Knife brings out each of their uniqueness out in this brew. There is a citrus note while drinking this and I think that you do notice the high IBU but it not overpowering, which allows you to still enjoy the brew if you are not into hops. Hand Picking the hops at their maturity really comes through in the taste of Hop Knife. Hop knife is light and very drinkable. I really enjoyed this brew from start to finish. 

Troegs Hop Knife Harvest Ale 

If you really are looking for a nice harvest ale and enjoy hops this Hop Knife is for you. I also think that if you are looking to try a good hop beer this is also a beer you can try. For me as not a big hop fan, I did enjoy this beer, I think this was a stepping stone to trying more hop heavy or bitter beers. Make sure you get this brew while you still can, this is a seasonal brew and it is only available from August to October. 

Check out Troegs Website and Twitter: 

Hop Knife Harvest Ale

Tweet @TroegsBeer

Devil Went Down to Oregon

Devil Went Down to Oregon Collaboration Brew

I felt that since it is getting cooler out that it would be a good night to have a dark beer since we are headed into that season. I love moving into the colder seasons and have some awesome brews, I am trying a collaboration brew tonight from two beer companies, I have not tried yet. Ninkasi Brewing Company and Devil's Backbone Brewing Company are the breweries that I am trying tonight. They collaborated on a brew called Devil Went Down to Oregon. Ninkasi Brewing Company was founded in 2006 and are located in Eugene, Oregon. I have heard great things about this brewery and I know recently as of a couple months they just started shipping to Pennsylvania. Devil's Backbone Brewing Company is located Roseland, Virginia and reading on the origin of their name is really fascinating. They picked the Devil's Backbone because of their location and incorporating history into the brewery. Devil Went Down to Oregon is an Imperial Rye beer, which incorporates Rye Grain into the beer, hence Rye Beer. Devil Went Down to Oregon has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 7.2% and an IBU of 65. This is my first step into Rye Beers, let's see how this goes and what this style has in store. 

Appearance to Devil Went Down to Oregon 

Diving into the aroma of this brew is something I looked forward to. I have never had a Rye Beer, so I did not know what to expect aroma wise. I think the first aroma that stands out to me is a sweet fruity aroma, followed by a spiced note. So far this style kind of reminds me of a Saison/Farmhouse Ale. Another final potent aroma is the malt backbone to the beer. As a beer drinker, I prefer the malt aroma rather than a bitter aroma like a India Pale Ale tends to have. You could say I prefer sweet over bitter if you wanted to. Color and appearance can leave a lasting imprint on some beer drinkers. Some might run away from dark beers towards lighter beers because they think they are going to be too heavy. I look at this beer and I am running towards it, trying to figure out this beer one step at a time. To me this brew has a deep amber or maroon color to it. The foam when I poured the beer left a thin layer of foam or head at the top of the beer and then quickly dissipated. 

Taste the final hurdle to see if I like this brew or not. I think looking at this beer right now I am leaning towards liking it. First sip, I took I noticed a few different things afterwards. You notice the Rye malt upfront in my opinion. Followed by a bitter hop note then the beer came to a sweet fruity finish. I think the thing that I say I pick up is that this brew is a very smooth beer that can sneak up on you if you were to drink this too fast. I have drank half of this beer and I noticed the smooth finish, almost like a lager. I also have notice the fermentation in the beer and the ABV that comes with it.  

Lookout for this Collaboration brew

Overall, I find this beer to enjoyable and a brew that you take your time to enjoy. If you have two of these, I think the night might be over after that. I like Devil Went Down to Oregon and I think I might have to check out some more brews in the Rye beer family. Collaboration brews have become the norm these days and I think that you will continue to see more of them to help spread brands. I also think the name for this beer is genius because you will end up going down to Oregon, even though they are in the Pacific Northwest. This brew is a special release from Ninkasi and is available from January to April every year. I think this beer could be a brew you look to cellar and age, if you wanted to. 

Check out the breweries Websites and Twitter: 

http://www.ninkasibrewing.com/

http://dbbrewingcompany.com/

Tweet @NinkasiBrewing

Tweet @dbbrewingco

Perzik Saison

Perzik Saison by Avery Brewing Company 

Trying a seasonal brew from Avery Brewing Company, tonight.  I have had a few of their beers before and this is the fourth beer, I will have blogged about from their brewery. First was the White Rascal, a White Ale brewed with spices. Second was the Raspberry Sour, a Sour Ale. Third was Joe Premium American Pilsner. The newest and probably not the last one is the Perzik Saison. This is a seasonal summer brew from Avery. I have not had a chance to try it all summer until now and I figured since it is becoming colder at night, I should try to drink up the summer brews before it is too cold. Perzik Saison is a Saison that is brewed with Peaches.  Perzik has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 6.4%. I have had a Saison like this before, but it was from Terrapin Brewing Company and I am curious to see how close or how similar they are to each other. Avery Brewing Company is from Boulder, Colorado. 

Appearance of Perzik Saison 

Looking at this Saison from Avery Brewing Company, the color almost reminds me of an unfiltered wheat ale. There is a golden or orange tint to this Saison. Perzik is cloudy and has a lot of carbonation adding to hazy complexion. The foam or head of the beer retains the foam after pouring and settles with a nice thin layer at the top of the beer. I am curious to see how much peach aroma comes through in the aroma and if this brew smells like a typical Saison. Typically in a Saison, you pick up a citrus and pepper aroma, but I think with the peach added into this ale that aroma might change. I took my first smell of the brew and picked up on peach aroma instead of the citrus. Then the aroma was followed by a peppery aroma and a yeast note. Which makes sense for this beer being a Saison. Farmhouse Ales/ Saisons were typically made with what ever the farmer had to brew with. Some say that you might pick up an earthy aroma when smelling Saison's, but that is because of what the brewer had available to them. 

Taste is another spot that has my curious with this Perzik Saison, I really enjoy Maggie's Peach Farmhouse Ale and I hope this beer is similar in style. Saison style taste can be too much for some beer drinkers, they usually pick up on the spice note and do not usually enjoy that. For me, I think some Saison's are strong with the pepper taste, but others do a great job at giving the drinker a snippet of that taste note. First thing that I notice when I took my first sip was the yeast forefront and a fruity backbone. The yeast note has a peppery note mixed in with and it is not too overpowering to where you cannot enjoy the beer. After you get past the yeast forefront taste, you pick up a peach taste which is rather enjoyable. I think that the yeast note paired with the peach taste was done perfectly and makes this brew a rather enjoyable Sasion. Mouthfeel you pick up with peppery note and the beer has a medium body. 

Check out Perzik Saison

If you are looking for a summer brew this might be a brew for you. I think that the peach makes this a smooth and enjoyable beer. I wish that I was able to have this on a hot summer day, not that I cannot enjoy this beer on a night like tonight. It is 64 degrees right now and I still am enjoying this beer. As far as comparison to Maggie's Peach Farmhouse Ale, I think Perzik stays more towards the style and gives you just the right amount of peach taste. I think they both fulfilled their purpose and met the beer drinkers wants. Avery Brewing did a great job on sticking to the Saison style with the Perzik Saison and adding just the right amount of peach flavor to the brew to cut the peppery taste. I would look for this beer on tap near me and if I found it on tap, I would order this again. 

Check out Avery Brewing Company's Website and Twitter: 

http://averybrewing.com/

Tweet @AveryBrewingCo 

Oktoberfest

Oktoberfest by Left Hand Brewing Company 

Now we are heading into two beer seasons, Oktoberfest beers and Pumpkin beers. The beer I am trying tonight is an Oktoberfest brew. This style of beers were brewed in the spring usually and then stored cold, so they would not succumb to bacteria and become spoiled. I am trying an Oktoberfest from Left Hand Brewing Company. This is the second beer from them I have tried on the blog, first was their Milk Stout. Left Hand is located in Longmont, Colorado. Oktoberfest has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 6.6% and an IBU of 24. One thing that I thought was really cool about this brew was the artwork on the bottle. The tiger and the detail they put in on the label you can tell they worked hard on this label. 

Appearance of Oktoberfest 

When I look at this beer I notice the amber or copper tint to the beer. I also notice that this beer is clear and not too dark to be able to see through it. The foam or head at the top of the beer color wise looks tan. The head or foam quickly dissipates after being poured. Aroma of this beer is similar to most Oktoberfest brews. I pick up on a yeast note and a caramel/malt presences. The yeast aroma makes me think of an earthy aroma. I think the caramel or malt presence is more like the Oktoberfest brews aroma's and ends up overtaking the yeast aroma. After trying to pick up on the aroma of this beer I am really interested in trying Left Hand Brewing's take on an Oktoberfest. Most people when they hear of Oktoberfest beers they think of Sam Adam's, but in fact most craft breweries I think do a better job at the Marzen Lager style than the Macro's. 

Taste is where you pick up the true essence of the Oktoberfest in my opinion, if you have had Oktoberfest brews before, you know I am right. Looking at an Oktoberfest taste you are looking for a few things and I want to see if Left Hand, hits them. Toasty is one of them, full body is another and last I would say is the blend of hop/malt. Took my first sip and I could notice all three things I just noted. There is a toasted taste or a malt presence as well as a full body backbone to this brew. The first thing that I would say I noticed in tasting this brew was the sweet caramel taste or the malt presences. Secondly, I would say that there is a spice or yeast note that follows the sweet taste. Lastly, I would say that you finish off with a mild hop note that is not overpowering. There is slight carbonation to the Oktoberfest and the mouthfeel is thick and rich. Left Hand made this Oktoberfest very enjoyable and something I will look for every year now. 

Check out Left Hand Brewing OKTOBERFEST

This brew is a seasonal beer from Left Hand Brewing Company and something, I think that you should look for every time fall comes around. I really enjoyed this Oktoberfest and I hope to try more like this beer. Left Hand Brewing Company did a great job pulling in all the factors of a great Oktoberfest and added a hop note that went along with the style. I think that anyone that enjoys an Oktoberfest should put this atop their list. In addition, anyone that likes a hop presences in their brews, should check this beer out as well. 

Check out Left Hand Brewing Company's Website and Twitter: 

lefthandbrewing.com

Tweet @LeftHandBrewing

M.O.M.'S: Maxwell's On Main Street

M.O.M.'S MAXWELL'S ON MAIN

View from across the Street

M.O.M.S is a local bar for me and a great craft beer scene. If you are looking for interesting and awesome beers this is the bar for you to visit. They have a great selection of canned beers and an awesome rotating draft beer selection. I visited M.O.M.'S and had a great conversation about beer with Dillon the bartender. If are looking to learn or try different beers, I think Dillon is the guy you should talk to. He has a vast knowledge about beer and can talk about the beers they have at M.O.M.'S. I spent almost two hours with Dylan talking beer and I felt like I gained more knowledge about beer just by talking with him. 

Dillon, Bartender, The BEER GUY 

Sampled 

New Holland Brewing Company Incorrigible Berliner Weissbier 

Holland, Michigan ABV 4% 

ON TAP

21st Amendment
Down to Earth 

Session IPA

San Francisco ABV 4.4% 

Nice session IPA not to heavy on the hops and is definitely a beer you should try. 

ON TAP


New Belgium Brewing Company 

Fat Tire 

Amber Ale 

5.2% ABV 

Fort Collins, Colorado

IN CAN


The Bruery Hottenroth 

Anaheim, California 

ABV 3.1% 

Berliner Weissbier

ON TAP

Avery Brewing Company 

Liliko'i Kepolo 

Belgian Style white ale brewed with spices and passion fruit. 

Tropical and Tart 

5.4% ABV













IN CAN

RJ Rockers Son of a Peach 

Fruit beer 

Spartanburg, South Carolina 

5.8% ABV

ON TAP

Beer list

Styles that can be found on tap:

Double India Pale Ale 

India Pale Ale

SOUR Ale

Stout 

Nitro Line Beers 

Nice selection of Bombers with different styles. 

Moms also offers cellared aged bottles. If you're into cellared beers this is a place you should check out. 

Looking through the menu, the beer menu is easy to follow and if you are looking for a particular style it can be found. Styles that can be found are light, White, Pale, Amber, Dark, Darker, Cider/Radler, Seasonal. 

The menu also shows what's on Tap and what's on deck.

ON TAP LIST

I think it is really cool that MOMS staff does a bottle share on Thursdays and sample different beers. I think that allows people to try and know different beers that way. 

Another cool thing that MOMS does is Mystery Buckets. You get five cans for $15 and the server will surprise with five cans. 

I do love that MOMS has local brews and has a variety of local brews. Vault Brewing, Round Guys, Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company, Philadelphia Brewing Company, Yards Brewing, Weyerbacher, Troegs. 

In addition to having local brews they also have some brews from around the world. Scotland, England, Austria, Ireland, Belgium, Canada, Switzerland, Germany, Norway.

Overall, I think that M.O.M.'S is a great place to go to for Craft beer in Doylestown, PA. The selection of craft beer paired with great selection of craft food allows someone to fully enjoy their experience at M.O.M.'S. I also think that if you are looking for craft cocktails M.O.M.'S is a great place to go as well.   

Make sure if you visit Doylestown, you check out M.O.M.'s and have some good beers. 

Check M.O.M.'S website and twitter out:

Website: MOMS DOYLESTOWN 

Tweet @MOMsDoylestown

Wallflower Wheat Ale

Wallflower Wheat Ale by Round Guys Brewing Company 

Tonight I am trying a local brew, from Lansdale, Pennsylvania. I have tried some beers from them before, but never on the blog. I am trying a brew tonight from Round Guys Brewing Company. Rounds Guys Brewing Company was thought about in 2008 and became a reality in 2012. In three short years they have become well known in the region and expanded their distribution to Central Pennsylvania to the Jersey Shore. I have not made it to the Taproom, but I am hoping to make it there soon. The brew I am trying tonight is called Wallflower Wheat Ale. Wallflower Wheat has an alcohol by volume or ABV of  5.2% and IBU of 16. I am excited to try this brew from Round Guys Brewing Company.

Appearance of Wallflower Wheat

Aroma and Appearance for some beers can make or break the beer. For example, some people as soon as the see a dark beer they do not want it, but if it was a lighter ale then they might try it. In terms of appearance this ale looks almost like a Witbier. The color of the beer is pale hazy golden color to the brew. There is a quarter inch of foam at the top of the beer and is like an off white color. The head or the foam of the beer is sort of a blend of thick and creamy, in my mind. Now looking at the aroma there are two notes, I think I picked up mostly. They are a spiced banana ester or fruity esters and a floral aroma as well. The spiced banana or fruity esters are the first thing I notice, then comes the floral aroma laying in the background. There is also a subtle citrus aroma that lingers throughout and blends with the Wheat Ale aspect of this brew.

Last important factor in any beer is the taste and the body of the beer. Taste can be the most important thing for some people. I think someone that does not like a bitter beer would not enjoy an India Pale Ale, but might enjoy brews with less bitter notes like this beer. The taste of this brew does a nice job of following the aroma. The spiced banana aroma is the first thing, I taste in this beer. The banana starts off the taste and is followed by a spiced note. After that it is hard to say what other notes, I am picking up in the beer. I think as you finish the sip of beer, there is a subtle taste note of a citrus and hop blend. The citrus and hop combo is very pleasant. The mouthfeel of Wallflower Wheat is a light and smooth drinkable beer. 

Check out Wallflower Wheat by Round Guys Brewing Company 

This brew is available year round and is a very interesting wheat ale. I think it is more of a combo between a normal wheat ale and a German Hefeweizen. The use of spices and banana pair very well together. I think that this is a good brew that someone could enjoy on a hot day. I think this brew could appeal to many different beer drinks in many different areas. If you like pale ales, there is a hop note for you in this ale. I also think that if you are not in to hoppy beers, this beer can also be enjoyed  because there is a subtle not too overpowering bitter note. Anyone that is in to wheat ales could enjoy Wallflower Wheat and pick up on the subtleties of this brew. Overall, I think that Round Guys did a great job trying to have a beer appeal to all beer drinkers, while still making a good brew. 

Check out Round Guys on Twitter and their Website: 

Tweet @RoundGuysBrewer

Website

White Lightning

White Lightning by Full Pint Brewing Company 

Trying a new brew from a brewery that I am trying for the first time. Full Pint Brewing Company, which is located in North Versailles, Pennsylvania. If you are wondering where North Versailles is located near, it is close to Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania. I am trying their brew called White Lightning. This beer is a Belgian Style White Ale brewed with spices. White Lightning has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 6.0%  and an IBU of 18. 

Glimpse of White Lightning

Looking at the appearance to White Lightning, you can tell this looks like a White Ale. Color Appearance of White Lightning looks Wheat Ale that is unfiltered and is very cloudy. The color is a yellow hazy appearance to the ale.  

The aroma of this ale is very interesting and gives off a similar aroma to some White Ales I have had before. I picked up on the spice note of the Coriander. There is also a subtle note of the Orange peel to this White Ale that is something I have noticed in most White Ales, I have had recently. 

Based off of the aroma,  I am curious to see what White Lightning is all about. I took my first sip and I notice the Coriander or the spices the ale is brewed with. The more I drink more of this beer I pick up more of the orange peel. White Lightning is a smooth, but I do notice there is a medium body beer. 

Check out a PA brew from Full Pint Brewing Company

I think this is a good brew and is a brew that if you are looking for an ale brewed with spices this would be something to look into. In addition, I would say this beer is comparable to Avery White Rascal or a Blue Moon. I do like the fact on their bottles they added a spot called Beer Nerd Stats and it explains the Malts used and the Hops used in the beer as well as the Gravity, IBU, and ABV. 

Check out their Twitter and their Website: 

http://www.fullpintbrewing.com/ 

Tweet @fullpintbrewing