Festina Peche

Festina Peche by Dogfish Head Brewery 

Trying a brew style that is not brewed that often now a days. I am trying this brew from Dogfish Head Brewery, which is located in Delaware. The style I am trying tonight is a Berliner Weissbier. I figure it would be good to explain this style of beer, since I have never actually encountered this style outside of this brew. This style is a top fermented bottle conditioned wheat beer that is brewed with warm fermenting yeast and lactobacillus culture. Reading that and thinking about this brew it makes me think of a sour wheat ale. I am trying Festina Peche, which has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 4.5% and an IBU of 8.

Appearance of Festina Peche

Looking at this Berliner Weissbier, I cannot help but notice the color and the appearance of the beer. The color of the beer is a light pale golden color. I am able to look through the glass, but is still a slight haze about the bier. I would credit that to the fermenting yeast and the lactobacillus in the bier. The aroma is a tart or sour aroma. I am noticing the peach note in the beer as well as the sour aroma. I think that the color and the yeast definitely show off the wheat ale aspect of the beer. Then thinking about the aroma and the color showcase the sour aspect to this brew as well. To me thinking about this beer, so far it is a clash of to brew styles.  

I am curious to see what brew style comes through the most in the taste aspect of this bier. Going in for the first sip, think the sour brew takes over more control, but the wheat ale is still noticeable. I tasted a pronounced tartness and sour aspect to the brew and a nice dry finish. This ale does not linger on the palate. I noticed the peche and light body of the Festina Peche. The sour or tartness is not over powering and still allows this to be an enjoyable brew. I think that because of the light body and the tartness this would be a perfect beer after a long humid day outside, like a Pennsylvania late summer day. I almost wished I was drinking this earlier in the day to quench my thirst after working all day.

Check out Festina Peche 

The other thing that I really enjoy about Festina Peche is that there is a low ABV, so this can turn almost into a session brew that you can enjoy as you work outside in the heat as well.  I think fans of Sour ales and Wheat ales can enjoy this in their own ways. I also think anyone that is looking for a fruit style beer can enjoy this brew as well because of the peach notes and tartness of the Festina Peche. Or people that do not really enjoy the taste of beer, but go more for the Mike's Hard or Twisted Teas could in addition also like this particular beer. It is not too heavy and gives the fruity taste that they are looking for in their alcoholic beverage. Well done, by Dogfish Head trying to tap into every market with this Berliner Weissbier, Festina Peche. This brew is a seasonal beer so make sure you get it while you still can or look for it next summer, to enjoy on a nice hot summer afternoon. 

Check out Dogfish Head Brewery on Twitter and their Website: 

Tweet @dogfishbeer

Festina Peche

Stone Saison

Stone Saison by Stone Brewing Company 

I am trying a beer from a brewery I have never had before, but I know they are a very popular brewery. I have seen beers by them, like Stone Enjoy By and Stone Enjoy After, I also know that they collaborated with Wil Wheaton on a beer called Farking Wheaton Wootstout. I am interested in trying more brews from Stone Brewing Company. They are located in Escondido, California and were founded in 1996. They originally were located in San Marcos, CA, which is now known as Port Brewing Company/ The Lost Abbey is located.  Greg Koch and Steve Wagner were the Co-Founders and currently CEO/Brewmaster. The beer I am trying tonight is Stone Saison. Saison have a fruity and floral aroma with a mild tartness. Brewers used to use whatever they had at the farm and brewed this beer, which is also called a Farmhouse Ale.  Stone Saison has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 6% and an IBU of 35. With more and more breweries popping up, many have been creating a revival in this brew style with there own twist on it. 

Appearance of Stone Saison 

I have tried a lot of Saisons recently and I am interested in seeing what is behind this Saison from Stone Brewing Company. Aroma's of Saison's are sometimes all over the place because brewers used to use whatever they had available to brew this beer. I know Stone recently opened up Stone Farms in 2011, so I am curious to see their take on a Saison or Farmhouse Ale. I went in to take in the aroma of this beer and I was intrigued in to wanting to dive further into the brew. The aroma starts of with a Belgian Yeast aroma and then is followed by a citrus/floral aroma. The citrus is a lemon peel or lemon zest aroma and I cannot pinpoint the floral aroma.  The appearance of the Saison is a hazy golden color. I can definitely notice the carbonation in the beer with all the bubbles rising and creating a nice thick foam or head of the beer. 

Taste of the Saisons usually have a spice note as you are finishing up your sip. In addition, you can also notice a citrus taste note that pairs with the spice note in Saisons. Now time to see Stone Saisons taste. I took my first sip,  First I noticed an herbal or floral taste, which almost made me think this might be like an India Pale Ale. After I got past the floral/herbal note I picked up on the Lemon and spice note that is typical for a Saison. There is an interesting spice finish to the brew, it is noticeable as you finish your sip, and the spice note is a cracked pepper taste. The mouthfeel of  Stone Saison is creamy and light with a surprisingly dry finish to the beer.  

This brew was bottled on July 1, 2015, which is on the bottle. 

Overall I think this is a Saison that follows the style and at the same time throws you some curveballs. The aroma makes me think of being out on a farm, which is showing the style of the Saison and the Pepper note does the same in the taste aspect. I think you can also notice the difference with Stone's process compared to others because of their creation of Stone Farms. Locally sourced product adds to the uniqueness of the brew. Some of my favorite beers are the local beers because I know they are locally sourced. Locally sourced means they either grow their own or they got the product from a local farm.  If I found this brew at a local bar, I would ask for it and have a few.  

Make sure you checkout Stone Brewing Company on their Social Media. 

Stone Brewing Company Website

Tweet @StoneBrewingCO 

Croydon Cream Ale

Croydon Cream Ale by Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company 

Tonight I am trying a local brew and a brewery that is taking off. That brewery is Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company, they are located in Croydon, PA. Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company was founded in 2010 and has been turning out beers ever since. One thing that I have noticed about them is their artwork that is on each can. It's the dedication and brews that keep me coming back for more from this brewery. I have had a few of their beers before and I will say if you like Double IPA's you should try Blitzkrieg or try their pumpkin brew called Punkless Dunkel. The beer that I am trying tonight is the Croydon Cream Ale. This beer is considered a American Lawnmower beer or similar to a light lager. Croydon Cream Ale has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 4.2% and an IBU of 12.5. 

Appearance of Croydon Cream Ale

Once you pour this brew out if the can you notice how light and clear this brew is. The color of the beer is golden and has a clear appearance. The head or foam of the beer is white thick and creamy at the top of the glass. Aroma wise, I am picking up a grainy or a biscuit aroma that is intriguing because it looks like a light beer and the aroma to me feels heavier than the beer looks.  There are subtle floral notes in the aroma, which comes from the addition of the Czech Saaz Hop. I has encountered the Saaz Hop before and usually it is found in a Czech Style Pilsner or a brew that is looking to add some spice. 

Time to head towards the tasting part and the mouthfeel of the beer. I took the first sip and all I could think about was how light and smooth this beer was. I did taste a bitter hop note, but it was not too overpowering like and India Pale Ale could be. In addition, the taste I also notice was a grassy spice combo. The spice note again is because of the addition of the Saaz style hop into the beer. The mouthfeel of Croydon Cream Ale is a creamy light bodied beer that is very enjoyable and something that all beer drinkers can enjoy. 

Checkout Croydon Cream Ale 

Overall, Croydon Cream Ale by Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company is a light craft beer that is very drinkable and crushable. The low ABV allows this beer to almost be like a session beer and the hop note as well make this beer feel like a sessionable beer. I also think that people that are not a fan of bitter beers and are looking for a light craft beer can also enjoy this beer. I am always looking out for different beer styles and Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company rewarded my curiosity with a good Cream Ale or Lawnmower beer. I think if you are in the area of this brewery you should stop by their taste room and try some of their brews on tap or find it in your local bottle shop. 

Check out their Website and their Twitter: 

Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company

Tweet @NCBCBeer  

Maple Mistress Ale

Maple Mistress Ale by Saucony Creek Brewing Company 

Trying a local beer today, that brewing company is located in Kutztown, Pennsylvania. Saucony Creek Brewing Company is trying to break the mold and strive for originality in the booming business of Micro-Breweries. They focus on farm to pint and small batch creations that go with an open minded 'say we won't ' type of attitude. They currently have a 15 barrel brewhouse system into 30 barrel fermentation tanks that create about 6,000 barrels. Saucony Creek Brewing Company was established in 2013 and have been creating beers even since. The beer I am trying from Saucony Creek is the Maple Mistress Ale. Maple Mistress Ale is an Imperial Ale with an alcohol by volume of ABV of 9.8% and an IBU of 8.  I saw this bottle at a local bottle shop and I was intrigued, so I figured let's try this brew out. Upon looking at the label, I saw that this was an ale brewed with butternut squash and with maple syrup/spices added into the brew. The artwork on the bottle is another thing that captured my attention and made me want to try this ale. 

Appearance of Maple Mistress Ale 

Looking at this brew there is one thing that sticks out to me, that is the color  and the clarity.  Maple Mistress Ale has the deep amber color of a Pumpkin Ale. In addition the beers is translucent and the head or foam does not retain itself except for a little white ring around the inside of the glass. The aroma is making me think this is a Pumpkin brew as well because of all the spices you pick up as you begin to pick up the aroma. As you pick through the spiced aroma, you begin to notice hints of butternut squash/pumpkin and maple syrup aroma. Which to me, goes with the along with the Mistress picture on the bottle holding Pancakes with syrup and butter. I like who the image on the bottle is noticeable in the aroma.  For the spiced aroma, I picked up nutmeg and cinnamon that are the most prevalent. 

To me, so far this beer is setting up to be a Pumpkin Ale. I am interested in seeing where that taste of this brew takes me, as the aroma has guided me to a Pumpkin Pie so far. I drove in for the first sip and this beer followed a pumpkin ale path as far as taste. I first got hit with the flavor of the spices and that is where I noticed the nutmeg, cinnamon, cloves. After the spice notes, you pick up on a buttery sweetness of the butternut squash. As I finished my first sip, I picked up on finish of butternut squash with a hint of vanilla and ending with a maple sweetness. In terms of body of this ale, this is a full bodied ale that hides the high ABV and has a heavy mouthfeel. As I drank this beer, I notice the farm to pint quality and picked up on the unpatseruization, which helps keep the farm to pint feel alive in this brew. 

Overall, I think this is a good brew and an ale worth trying as we get closer towards September. I look forward to trying this beer in the BrewPub to fully understand Maple Mistress Ale and get the uniqueness of this brewery. Anyone looking for an ale with spices this is an ale that you should consider and enjoy. 

Maple Mistress Ale by Saucony Creek Brewing Company

One thing that should be added to this post is the story on the bottle of Maple Mistress Ale. Goes as followed, 'In the autumn of 1720, Captain Jack Rachman and his pirate-mates were celebrating their victories in typical hard-drinking tradition. Suddenly a British Navy sloop surprised them. The drunken pirates hid below deck, leaving Captain Jack’s mistresses Anne Bonney and Mary Read to defend the ship. The women shared a reputation as “fierce hell cats,” but the British Navy eventually overtook the pirate ship. Captain Jack and the pirates were sentenced to hang. Anne visited her lover in his cell before his execution, and instead of loving words her scathing comments live on throughout history, “Had you fought like a man, you need not have been hang'd like a dog.” Their legacy inspired us to brew an equally ferocious Imperial Pumpkin Ale brewed with pirate rum spices. We added a touch of autumn flavor with roasted butternut squash and natural maple syrup.'

Check out Saucony Creek Brewing Company on their website and their Twitter. 

Saucony Creek Brewing Company  Website

Tweet @SauconyBeer Twitter

I also wanted to share that I have been using an awesome bottle opener from Bullets 2 Bandages. I have a .50 Caliber Bullet Bottle Opener from the company. This is a company that supports Veterans and is a company that I will continue to support. Here is a little about them: Bullets2Bandages is a mission-driven, socially conscious apparel and accessories and unique company designed to give thanks to veterans, those fighting for our country, and the families who provide them with love and support at home.As Naval Explosive Ordnance Disposal officers, Erik Spalding and Cole Evans were once responsible for defusing and disposing the explosive devices that have become all-too-common in Iraq and Afghanistan.  Upon exiting the military in 2010 they felt they had a responsibility to create a way for people to say “Thank You” to their fellow soldiers and the veterans that have fought for our freedom and safety.  As founders of Bullets2Bandages, they created a way to take an instrument of war and transform them into a symbol of pride, gratitude, and healing. Make sure you check out this craft brew and this awesome company that supports our troops. 

Check out Bullets2Bandages website and their Twitter. 

Bullets2Bandages

Tweet @Bullets2Bandages

Devious Imperial Pumpkin

Devious Imperial Pumpkin by Fegley's Brew Works 

Trying a local brew tonight. This beer I am trying tonight is from Fegley's Brew Works in Allentown, Pennsylvania. The Brew Works has been around since 1998, they are a Family owned Brew Works, which now has two locations in the Lehigh Valley. They have two locations one in Allentown and the other in Bethlehem, PA. This is the first brew I am trying from Fegley's and hopefully not the last. I am trying their Devious Imperial Pumpkin, which it is that time of year to be enjoying Pumpkin brews. Devious has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 9.0% and an IBU of 20. In this brew, I am looking for a blend between sweet and spice of the pumpkin/spices. That's my goal for every Pumpkin beer that I really enjoy. Time to see what the beer has in store for me and craft beer drinkers. 

Nice appearance to Devious Imperial Pumpkin 

Looking at this beer, I think this beer looks like an Amber Ale to start. When you look further and look at the foam or the head of the beer, combined with the appearance/aroma you know this is a Pumpkin Ale. The fom of this beer is a nice copper color and blends into the color of the beer. The color of this beer to me is a deep amber or a mahogany.  The color of Devious is really enticing me to dive into try this brew. If looking at this brew makes me want to drink the aroma is making me want to have a Pumpkin Pie right next to me as I enjoy this beer. All I can think about when taking in the aroma is baking a Pumpkin Pie and all the spices that go with it. I picked up on the nutmeg, allspice, cloves and the cinnamon that all go with baking a Pumpkin Pie. There are also hints of the pumpkin fruity aroma. These two aromas blend so nicely that it makes me think of Thanksgiving and creating Pumpkin Pies. The Aroma is what I look for in terms of a Pumpkin brew, but now what does the taste have planned for us. 

Taste of a Pumpkin beer is most important part in my mind. Too one sided on the spice or the Pumpkin can turn me off of enjoying that brew. Dove in for the first taste of Devious Imperial Pumpkin, perfect blend of what I was looking for. The taste and the aroma are right in sync with each other and that is another important factor for me when I look for a Pumpkin beer. In terms of taste all the spices blend well with each other and no one spice is overpowering. At first sip, you do get a little tartness, I would say that goes with the Pumpkin taste in the beer. Devious Imperial is a full bodied brew and smooth drinkable brew. The blend of spices and the tart taste in the beginning do a very nice job of masking the potency of Devious Imperial Pumpkin. You do not notice the alcohol content until you are halfway through the beer. 

Try this Devious Imperial Pumpkin 

Devious Imperial Pumpkin is a nice blend between spice and sweet taste that I look for in Pumpkin beers. I think anyone that is looking for a great Pumpkin brew, this is a beer you should seek out and find. This family owned Brew Works did a great job of blending everything together to make Devious Imperial Pumpkin, a brew I will look for this time every year. This may have become my favorite Pumpkin beer. This is a seasonal brew and a brew that is available late summer. In terms of beer this brew has a nice malt backbone to this brew and a beer that I think most craft beer drinkers can fully enjoy. This is a perfect beer to remind you of Pumpkin Pies and Thanksgiving.  

Make sure you check out Fegley's Brew Works Website and Twitter: 

Devious Imperial Pumpkin  - Website

TheBrewWorks - Twitter 

Palo Santo Marron

Palo Santo Marron by Dogfish Head Brewery 

Trying a brew from Dogfish Head Brewery, which I was alerted to by my cousin and her boyfriend. They are big into craft beer like myself and have visited my different breweries along the way. Both of them know I am not into hoppy beers like India Pale Ales and they know I like my dark beers. I had this particular beer down at the beach around the fourth of July and I was able to save one to enjoy for my blog. The particular beer I am trying tonight was aged in Palo Santo wood handmade brewing vessels that were created for Dogfish Head Brewery. Palo Santo wood is usually used to age wine and can be found in Paraguay, in addition it means 'Holy Tree.' Palo Santo Marron was first brewed in 2006 and became a regular production in 2007. Dogfish Head Brewery is located in Milton, Delaware or the Brewpub in Rehoboth Beach, Delaware. I am trying the Palo Santo Marron Ale, which is a unfiltered Double Brown Ale. Palo Santo Marron has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 12% and an IBU of 50. 

Glimpse of Palo Santo Marron 

While looking at this particular beer, you cannot help but notice the dark color appearance to the brew. The color I would say is rich dark shade of brown, one could say it is almost black. The head or foam of Palo Santo Marron is dense and a light brown shade that is intriguing. The foam clings to the glass and leaves a nice sheet or coating of foam on the edge of the glass. In terms of aroma this is a very complex aroma to pull out. At first whiff, I picked up a malt forward aroma that went along with the 12% ABV. Trying to pick up more aromas from this brew, I swirled the beer around and notice a few other notes that were picked up by my olfactory sense. I noticed there was an oak note, followed by a vanilla and fruity aroma. This is a complex brew and I love that the complexity follows itself throughout the beer. 

After picking up the aromas and looking at the appearance on Palo Santo Marron, I think the taste is going to have its own uniqueness and complexity. Took my first sip of the Palo Santo Marron, the flavor profile hits you with so many different aspects. First, you get the sweet taste which is followed by sense of the high alcohol by volume. Second you pick up a hint of fruit sweetness in the beer mixed with a hint of vanilla. Last taste note that lingers towards the end is the caramel note that entice you for another sip. The high alcohol by volume sense in my opinion, comes from an oak note in the beer that is from being aged in the Palo Santo vessels.

Mouthfeel of the Palo Santo Marron has a silky and creamy feel. In a sense  when drinking this ale the beer clings to the palate and then as you finish your taste in goes down smooth/creamy.  I would say that this is a full bodied beer and a heavy one at that. Do not get me wrong this is a fully enjoyable beer. 

Palo Santo Marron by Dogfish Head Brewery 

The Palo Santo Marron is available year round and I think can be enjoyed at all times. I think this is a great brew from Dogfish Head and shows me that the brewery does not just focus on India Pale Ales. I would advise caution with this beer in particular because of the the high alcohol by volume. I think if you do pick this brew up that make sure you do not make plans to drive. Because once you take the first sip of this 12% ABV ale, it hits you right away.  I think if you are a wine drinker and you want to try a beer that is similar this might be a beer to try. For dark and heavy beer drinkers this is a beer for you to really enjoy. I even think that people that are not too big on malty brews they can still enjoy this brew, as a beer you sip and enjoy all night.  I particularly enjoyed this beer as we made our way down to the beach at night for the fourth of July fireworks. Palo Santo Marron hits you with a sense of warmth as you drink more and more of this ale.  To me, I think this would be a great fall or winter brew because of that notion. 

Price wise this is going to be on the pricier side of brews, because of the quality and rare Palo Santo wood. This ale comes in a four pack because of the high alcohol by volume in the brew. If you bought a case of this beer, you might be looking around fifty to sixty bucks for a case. 

Below is Dogfish Head Brewery Twitter and Website. 

Tweet Dogfish Head

Dogfish Head  Website

Pumpkin Beers

TOO EARLY or RIGHT TIME?

Pumpkin Season? 

It is the beginning of August and we are already seeing many breweries release their pumpkin brews. I am a huge fan for pumpkin beers, but some beer drinkers do not want to have a pumpkin beer. I have noticed that recently the breweries have been releasing pumpkin beers earlier and earlier to grab a hold of the seasonal market. I do think the beginning of August is a little too early to release pumpkin brews, personally because I am a fan of this style of beer. In terms of beer season this is the season I look forward to the most. There is nothing like a great pumpkin beer in the fall to get you in the mood for Halloween and Thanksgiving.  In my opinion there are two different styles of pumpkin brews out there. I will describe the two of these styles and talk about some of the my favorite pumpkin brews out there. 

In my mind, Pumpkin Beers are trying to target pumpkin fans and people that enjoy a nice Pumpkin Pie. When I think of a Pumpkin Pie, I notice two distinct flavors the sweetness/fruitiness and the spice aspect to the Pumpkin Pie, such as: Ginger, Cinnamon, Clover. I think in most Pumpkin Beers I have had they have targeted one or the other. Only some have been able to combine both aspects to make the beer truly enjoyable in my mind. I have tried many pumpkin beers and you can tell a difference between the ones that went for the fruity aspect and the spiced centric ones. An example on too sweet is by Penn Brewery, their Pumpkin Roll Ale. For too spiced centric brew. to me that has to be PumKing by Souther Tier. 

Here is a list of my favorite Pumpkin Brews out there: 

Elysian Night Owl by Elysian Brewing Company  ABV:5.9%  Pumpkin Ale

Fat Jack by Samuel Adams Brewing Company ABV: 8.5% Double Pumpkin 

Warlock by Southern Tier Brewing Company  ABV:10% Imperial Pumpkin Stout  

Hipp-O-Lantern by River Horse Brewing Company  ABV: 8.5% Imperial Pumpkin Ale

Brews I look forward to trying: 

Rouge Pumpkin Savior and Pumpkin Patch Ale  by Rogue Brewing Company 

Pump[KY]n and Rumpkin by Avery Brewing Company 

Troegs Master of Pumpkins  by Troegs Brewing Company 

Pumpkick by New Belgium Brewing Company 

If you have any suggestion on Pumpkin Ales I should try, make sure you leave a comment down below.  If I am able to obtain it, I will do a review on it since we are in the midst of Pumpkin Season for brewing companies and breweries. I have had a lot of Pumpkin beers and I will say this is my favorite brew style. There are so many different ways to pull out the flavor and style of a Pumpkin brew.  I hope that because breweries release the Pumpkin styles earlier that they do not go away earlier and hopefully stay around until early November. 

Joe's Premium American Pilsner

Joe's Premium American Pilsner by Avery Brewing Company

Brew I am trying tonight is from Avery Brewing Company. Started out homebrewing like most brewers and then became a brewery in 1993. Avery Brewing Company is located in Boulder, Colorado. One thing that I noticed about Avery was them sharing knowledge about homebrewing and which allows people to try to brew their favorite Avery beer. The beer I am sampling tonight is Joe's Premium American Pilsner. Avery Brewing wanted a brew that was sessionable that still gave you a nice hop note, right after you finished up outside in the heat. Joe's has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 4.7% and an IBU of 50. Just by looking at the bitterness units on this beer I am nervous to try this beer. Thats a high level, but I think the alcohol by volume will help cut down the bitterness and allow me to fully enjoy this brew. 

Appearance of Joe's Pilsner

The head or foam of this brew is very noticeable and leaves a nice ring of lacing on the glass. The foam is also very dense and an off-white color. Looking at Joe's appearance I notice that there is a steady a noticeable amount of carbonation  helping to add to the foam and aroma of this brew. The color appearance of Joe's is golden clear complexion to this brew. I took a whiff of the aroma of this beer to see what I could pull out as the aroma, but I really had to focus and the notes in the aroma. I was able to notice that there is a hop note to the aroma for this pilsner, which makes sense considering the use of German Noble Hops. I also picked up an herbal or floral note to the aroma that entices me and intrigues my curiosity.  Thinking about this beer it is like a blend between a pilsner and a light lager.  

I am hesitant on diving into this brew, but at the same time I want to chug it. The hops make me hesitant. 

Diving in to taste this beer I notice that the hop aroma is followed by a bitter note in the tasting of Joe's Premium American Pilsner. There is a crisp and light taste to this beer as well, that is what surprises me the most with the bitter note in the beer. With the bitter and the light taste, that is where I notice the combination of the Pilsner and light lager feel to this brew. While drinking this beer I also noticed the that there is a light body to this beer and that the mouthfeel is light. I also think Joe's has a nice dry finish to this brew and moderate amount of carbonation in the beer. I noticed the Nobel Hops more in the bitter notes of tasting Joe's Pilsner. They added a nice bitter dry finish to this pilsner and made Joe's a great sessionable brew.

Overall I think this is a great blend between a pilsner and a light lager. If you are looking for a sessionable pilsner and a light crisp tasting brew this is a beer for you. In addition, if you are not a fan of hops into beers, you can still enjoy this light crisp tasting brew because the bitter notes are not overpowering like some India Pale Ales. I would definitely recommend this beer and Avery brews to anyone that likes a great tasting/enjoyable beer.


Price wise if you are looking to grab a six pack of Joe's Premium American Pilsner you would be looking at around eight to nine bucks for this brew. For the taste and quality I think this is a definite steal and I hope to find more brews like this style out there hopefully.

Joe's Premium American Pilsner by Avery Brewing Company 

Below are Avery's twitter and website: 

Tweet @AveryBrewingCo

Avery Brewing Website

Summer Ale Long Trail

Summer Ale by Long Trail Brewing Company 

Tonight I will be looking at a seasonal brew from Long Trail Brewing Company. The beer from Long Trail I will sample tonight is the Summer Ale. I have sampled beers from Long Trail before and this will be my third beer from them I have tried. Long Trail Brewing Company is from Bridgewater Corners, Vermont. The brewery was established in 1989 and was originally known as the Mountain Brewers, who focused on an alternative to pricey imports. They have woven themselves into the craft beer discussion and are here to bring some fantastic brews. Summer Ale is one of those brews and something I thought I should take a look at during the final month of the summer. Summer Ale is a Golden Ale that was made to help drinkers chill during the hot summer months. Let's take a close look at this Summer Ale. This ale has an alcohol by volume or ABV or 4.3% and an IBU of 32.  By looking at the ABV and IBU this to me looks like a nice light sessionable drinking beer that has a sense of hops to it. My thoughts before taking my first sip of the Summer Ale. 

Appearance of Summer Ale 

Looking at the appearance of Summer Ale, I notice the color and its appearance. The color of this ales is a pale golden color that shows off its unfiltered half through its hazy appearance.  The head or foam of Summer Ale is unique and interesting. The foam or head of the brew is thick and has a long retention for being a Summer Ale. The aroma is a curveball to my olfactory sense because of this beer being a Summer Ale. To me this is a deviation from the typical Summer Ale that most breweries focus on. I think Long Trail wanted to make a light Summer Ale that still gave the beer drinker the hops most people are looking for. In terms of being a light Summer Ale that still has a nice hop note, the style might lean more towards a Session Ale. The aroma is where I really notice the hop smell. To me I mostly smell a bitter hop aroma. Then masked behind it is a citrus note like a lemon zest. which is a typical aroma for a Summer Ale. Which is enticing from an aroma perspective and makes me what to see how this brew tastes. 

For me taste is usually where I decide if I like the particular brew. To me taste is the make or break aspect of the beer for me. In that sense let's find out about this Summer Ale and what taste it has brewing for me. 

One thing that I notice right off of the bat, is that unfiltered taste and mouthfeel, which I am a big fan of in brews. The second noticeable taste I picked up on is the distinct presence of hop bitterness in tasting this brew, which  I can say I do not mind and actually enjoy. This Summer Ale is a refreshing take on a Summer Ale. Most Summer Ales are typically citrus and have a distinct citrus taste to them, but Long Trail threw a nice change of pace at this beer drinker. I really think of this brew as a Summer Session Ale. The dry hopping is very noticeable and rather enjoyable with the Citra Hops. I also think that the addition of the Pilsner malt helps blend this beer into a very smooth and enjoyable beer that beer drinkers can enjoy during a hot day. At 4.3 % ABV this is definitely something that is sessionable and can be enjoyed all day or weekend long. The mouthfeel of Summer Ale is light and the hop bitterness does not linger on the palate for too long like India Pale Ale's might. 

Long Trail Summer Ale 

In terms of my thoughts of the Summer Ale, I really enjoyed it and think that it's a really good change of pace for a Summer Ale. In addition, the passion of the breweries original mindset really comes through and this is a really good alternative to a pricer German import. I also want to thank Dane, for introducing me to this beer and showing me brews like this. The drinkability of this beer and the hop notes are what impress me the most. I typically would not go after a brew like this, but the more beer I sample and try I notice how much a drinkers palate can change/grow. Through trying beers on this blog I think that I would and am now able to enjoy styles of beer like this one. Well done Long Trail in changing the mindframe of what a Summer Ale should taste or be like. 

Price wise Long Trail Summer Ale will run you about nine to ten bucks for a six pack and for a case of this beer it might run you around forty bucks a case. 

Below are Long Trail's Website and Twitter. 

Long Trail Website

Tweet Long Trail