Shiner Birthday Beer 107 Hoppy Pilsner

Shiner Birthday Beer 107 Hoppy Pilsner 

Tonight I am trying a beer from a brewery, I have not tried before. I have heard of this brewery before and I know they are very popular in Texas. This brewery has been around since 1909, and is located in Shiner, Texas. Originally the settlers that moved to Shiner, Texas, thought they were going to strike gold. Instead they found water, which they discovered that water made some tasty beer. The brewery was founded by Kosmos Spoetzl, who was born in Bavaria and brought his passion around the world through Egypt then Texas. To this day, they pay homage and have his name on every beer that comes out of the brewery.  Tonight, I am trying their beer, Birthday Beer 107 Hoppy Pilsner.  Birthday Beer 107 Hoppy Pilsner is a German Style Pilsner. This Hoppy Pilsner has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 5.0% and an IBU of 30. Let's see what Shiner Brewery has behind this birthday brew. 

Appearance of Hoppy Pilsner 

Aroma of this brew is very pungent and lingers around after you take your first smell. I picked up on a hop forward aroma, which is common for a German Style Pilsner. There is a subtle citrus note in the aroma that comes through after the hop forward note. The other interesting aroma is one that kind of smells like soap, which I cannot put my finger on. The appearance of this Hoppy Pilsner is taking on the typical appearance of a German Pilsner. There is a golden hue or straw hue to the appearance of this brew. There is a thin layer of white foam or head to this beer that stays around leaves some lacing around the edge of the glass. The beer is pale and not cloudy or hazy.

Time to see what the taste backbone of this beer is like. I am curious based off of the aroma, I am not to eager to try this because the bitter notes. Let's see what the first sip is like. All I can think of before taking my first sip is the aroma and how overpowering it is. Almost makes me not want to try this beer, because it's not up my ally of beers. But I already poured it and I do not waste beer. You never know the aroma might be misleading and not be followed by the same notes in the taste. I committed and found out that the notes did align. I noticed the spice note of the German Style Pilsners and was surprised by that note being one of the first profile, I noticed. The second and more overpowering was the bitter note. To think more about the style of beer, the Saaz Hop is one hop that would provide both spice and bitter notes to the beer drinker. Those two notes linger on the taste buds. The body of this beer is medium and is refreshingly crisp. 

Check out Shiner Birthday Beer Hoppy Pilsner

If you are a fan of the Pilsner style, Czech or German, you should check this beer out. I think this beer was a good beer, but a little to hop forward for my taste. I think that if you enjoy bitter hop notes than you would enjoy this brew immensely. Anyone that is a fan of India Pale Ales or Pale Ales in general, should check this out. I enjoy Pilsners, but the addition of the bitter and spice notes were too much for me. I did enjoy it and I enjoyed learning more about Shiner Brewery. I think the more and more people try beers outside their norm, the more the begin to figure what the do and do not like in particular styles. For example, I love the peppery spice note in a Saison or Farmhouse Ale, but I think it might be too much for a Pilsner. I am looking forward to trying more from Shiner Brewery and maybe hopefully visit the brewery someday. 

Check out Shier Brewery on Twitter and their Website:

Tweet @ShinerBeer

http://www.shiner.com/

Heavy Melon

Trying a brew from New Belgium Brewing Company. I have sampled a few beers from New Belgium before. I have even drank with some of the beer representatives when they visited the Philadelphia region, when New Belgium first hit the area. I can say the beers, I have had from them have been delicious and I am curious to see what is behind the beer tonight. I love the fact that New Belgium Brewing Company is an employee owned brewing company. "Here's the thing: culture isn't about what you say; it's about what you do." I think that New Belgium Brewing Company has built a great culture and that allows them to create great beers. I think that culture being about what you do, clearly shows in the quality of their beers. New Belgium is focused on sustainability and allows the consumer to see their efforts in that area. They allow beer drinkers to look at where they obtain they ingredients such as hops and barley (Sourcing). New Belgium is also focused on saving and repairing the Colorado River as parts of their sustainability efforts. New Belgium Brewing Company is located in Fort Collins, Colorado. 

Heavy Melon New Belgium Brewing Company

The brew I am trying tonight is Heavy Melon, watermelon lime ale. Heavy Melon has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 5% and an IBU of 14. I think this combination could be interesting and refreshing just based off of the name. The name alone reminds me of summer and having watermelon at a hot summer BBQ. 

Let's see what this beer is all about. 

Appearance of Heavy Melon 

I am interested in see what the aroma of this beer is like and what the appearance might be like. First let's look at the appearance of this ale. Most of the times when looking at ales that are brewed with fruit, they usually take on that color or are wheat ales. An example of this is Hell or High Watermelon. Looking at the appearance of this beer you cannot tell its a fruit beer or an ale brewed with fruit in it. There is a golden hue to this ale, which seems to be on the lighter side. The head or foam of this beer is white foam that has a great retention and leaves some lacing around the outside of the glass. In terms of aroma, the first thing I noticed was the watermelon aroma. It was not to overpowering like an ale brewed with fruit could be. Then I began to notice the subtle cereal malt notes and the herbal aromas. Looking at the golden hue to this ale, it makes sense with the cereal malt notes in the aroma because of the lighter complexion. Lastly, I picked up on a citrus note that give me the aroma of a lime.  

After looking at the aroma and the appearance, I am finally ready to try this brew to see what the taste has for me. I took my first sip and all I could do is not put down this beer. Heavy Melon is light and refreshing. To me it's like the perfect ale for a hot summer day. There is a balance to this beer in terms of sweet and hop notes. I would have thought originally that this ale would be on the sweeter side but in actuality it has a perfect sweet to bitter note. In terms of mouthfeel, this beer starts of sweet and then finishes with a crisp finish. Body behind the beer, I would say is light and refreshing that has a spritz feeling as you drink more and more of it, almost like a spritzer. In terms of lingering taste notes as I drink more, there is a faint citrus note that lingers on the back of the tongue. I would same it's the lime note in the beer. 

Check out Heavy Melon this Summer 

Overall, I think that this is great brew. If you are looking for a refreshing beer on a hot day this might be a beer you should check out. It's a light crisp brew that is not a fruit beer, but still gives you the flavors of fruit. Heavy Melon has a balanced profile between sweet notes and bitter notes that both style fans can enjoy. Originally, I was skeptical on this ale because of the flavors in the beer. But the more and more I drank this brew, the more I enjoyed it. I think this beer might be one of those beers judged by its label as a fruity brew, but make sure you do not because this brew has a backbone of an ale.  

Check out New Belgium Brewing Company Twitter and Website: 

Tweet @NewBelgium

http://www.newbelgium.com/

S'mores Stout

S'mores Stout Grist Brewing Company 

Trying a brew from a brewing company I tried two weeks ago. The hard part is that beers from this brewery are only available around them. I had a friend who works for the brewing company give me this beer and I am super excited to try and taste this brew tonight. I tend to think of myself as a dark beer fan, but the beer I tried from them first was a Berliner Weisse and I really enjoyed it. Now I am trying one of their stouts. If you have not checked out the blog recently the brewing company, I am talking about is Grist Brewing Company. They are located in Highlands Ranch, Colorado, they opened up in November 2013 and have not looked back. I think the impressive thing is "Science Balanced with Creativity", the more you explore different styles the more this statement becomes true. I think that is especially true with stouts. Everyone is creating stouts, so what makes the stout you brew different from your competition. Science can help you develop the body of the beer, but creativity can allow you to fulfill the presence of the beer you finally create. I am trying Grist Brewing Company's S'mores Stout. Thinking about the stout, I cannot help but think I have never had a S'mores Stout. Most have been Oatmeal Stouts or Milk Stouts, I am curious to see what is behind this brew. S'mores Stout has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 7.6% and an IBU of 57. This beer was the second annual homebrew competition winner. I cannot wait to try this homebrew winner brew out.   

Appearance of S'mores Stout

I looked at the appearance first, to see what I might be able to gather about the beer from it. I look at this beer and I know immediately, I am in store for a dark beer. S'mores Stout has a dark chocolate look to it's appearance. The foam or head of the beer has a light brown tint to it, going off the name I could see that color coming from the graham crackers used or maybe the combination of chocolate and marshmallows. appearances can lead to clues about the beers you drink. For example, colors are example about how appearances can give clues to styles you are drinking. Aroma is another way to find out more about the beer or style you are drinking. I took my first whiff this stout and all I could think about is being around a campfire making s'mores. I smell the graham crackers that people use. I smell the chocolate and the smoky aromas.  I smell this beer and think I am at a campground about to make a s'more. The last note I picked up on is the balance of bitter hop note to malt sweetness note that lingers in the nostrils.  

Grist Brewing Company S'mores Stout

Taste is where I am excited to found out more about this beer. I took my first sip and noticed the medium body behind this brew. I took a few more sips and began picking up on the flavor notes. I first noticed the chocolate or cocoa nibs that were present in the beer. After the chocolate notes,I picked up on the graham cracker note that was subtle. I did pick up on the high alcohol by volume note in the beer, which I did enjoy but I picked up on it in the beginning. The more and more I drank of the stout the more I picked up on the lingering sweet taste left on the palate. This beer is smooth, but I suggest if you are going to have more than one you might not want to drive after it. This beer does go down smoothly, but the higher abv than most stouts is where you might get yourself in trouble. 

I think that this S'more Stout is delicious and something I would recommend to someone whom enjoys stouts. I also think that someone who enjoys full bodied beers can enjoy this as well. To me I think the more I drank this stout the more it acted like an Imperial Stout, which I really enjoy. The body of the beer is where I noticed this the most. I also think that you can detect a bitter note in the beer, which if you like bitter beers you can enjoy this stout. I think I need to make a trip out to Grist to try some more of their brews. If you are around Highlands Ranch, Colorado make sure you stop by the brewery for their release of a White India Pale Ale, which is being released on Friday May 27, 2016. 

Check out Grist Brewing Company on Twitter and their website: 

Tweet @GristBrewingCo

https://www.gristbrewingcompany.com/

 

Calm Before the Storm

Calm Before the Storm Cream Ale by Ballast Point Brewing

Tonight I am trying a beer from a brewery, I have not had before. They are located in San Diego. I am trying a beer from Ballast Point Brewing and Spirits. Some breweries like Ballast Point also create their own line of Spirits for non-beer drinkers to enjoy. I know a few breweries do this like Dogfish Head Brewery and Rogue Brewery. Ballast Point was started as a Homebrew Mart in 1992 and was officially created in 1996. Ballast Point's philosophy has been doing what we love, making what we love to drink. So, naturally, they named their beers after something that they love as much as brewing-- fishing. Today many of their beers are named for fish or fishing terms, and the labels have fish on them as a reminder to always do what you love. I am trying Calm Before the Storm, which is a Cream Ale brewed with coffee and vanilla. Calm Before the Storm has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 5.5% and an IBU of 15. 

Appearance of Calm Before the Storm 

I have tried a cream ale before on this blog. It was Croydon Cream Ale by Neshaminy Creek Brewing Company, let see how Calm Before the Storm compares. The head or foam of this beer was light and dissipated quickly. There is a golden hue appearance to this beer. Almost reminds me of a cream soda. The aroma is different though. There is a definite vanilla aroma to this beer, which I like. Coinciding with the vanilla is a strong coffee aroma, paired together they make me feel like I am drinking a coffee with french vanilla cream. Because of the low IBU there is not a distinct hop bitter note to this aroma. 

Taste is where this beer gets intriguing to me. Based off the aromas, I cannot help but be curious about this beer. I took my first sip and I notice the coffee forward note on the palate. There was a light mouthfeel to this beer, the beer did not linger on the taste buds. I think the more and more I drank the beer, the more it tasted like coffee with a vanilla cream added into it. The vanilla is a subtle player on the taste palate that comes and goes quickly. To say, the taste and the aromas followed one another would be a correct assertion. The note that I could not put my finger on right away was a bitter acidic coffee note, one that someone might find in a black coffee. Calm Before the Storm has a medium body that has a silky smooth finish.

Ballast Point Calm Before the Storm Cream Ale

Overall, I think that Calm Before the Storm was a good brew. If you are looking for a lighter style ale with not the hop forward note like some pale ales, you might want to check this beer out. If you enjoy coffee and have tried some beers with coffee in them, I suggest you try this beer. I thought the cream ale with coffee and vanilla was an interesting beer and Ballast Point did a good job pairing the flavors in this beer. Originally, I was shocked when I poured this beer out; it did not look like I thought it would, but in a good way. I thought this beer when I first poured it was a cream soda, not an ale. I think the more and more I began to dive into the beer the more I began to like it. 

Check out Ballast Point Brews and Spirits: 

Website: http://www.ballastpoint.com/

Twitter: Tweet @BPbrewing

Back in Black

Trying a different beer style tonight that I have not tried before. I am looking forward to trying this beer tonight. I am usually not a fan of the hoppy brews, but I figured the beer I am drinking tonight had a combination of styles. The more and more, I looked into this beer, I found that the beer was an India Pale Ale brewed with dark malts. I am a malt fan so I figured, I would give this beer a chance and see what this style had to offer. I am trying an ale from 21st Amendment Brewery, they are located in San Francisco, California. 21st Amendment Brewery has a unique name because of the history that is tied to the 21st Amendment. During the 1920's prohibition wiped out most breweries and forced brewers to brew illegally. With the creation of the 21st Amendment, brewery's reclaimed their status and became parts of their communities again. Reestablishing their part of the community where people came together. Similar to today where breweries are meeting places for people to connect and enjoy good beers. 21st Amendment Brewery was founded in 2000 near historic South Park. 

Back in Black 

The 21st Amendment Brewery ale that I am trying tonight is Back in Black. Back in Black is an Black American India Pale Ale. I love the description from the brewery on this style of beer. "Inspired by Paul Revere's midnight ride, we rebelled against the British style IPA, embraced the more aggressive American version and the recast it in bold, brave, defiant black. Our Black IPA is a Declaration of Independence from the tyranny of expected." Looking at all their beers they have a piece of United States history attached to most of them. Back in Black has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 6.8% and an IBU of 65. 

Appearance of Back in Black

Time to dive into the appearance and the aroma of Back in Black. Taking a whiff of this beer all I notice is the hop forward aroma. After taking trying to pull out some more aromas, I noticed the faint presence of a malt aroma from the dark malts used. The beer poured creamy almost like a stout, but the aroma begs to differ. The foam or head of the beer is creamy, yet it laces the outside of the glass like an IPA would. The appearance of this IPA is different from most, but that is because the brewery used dark malts instead of pale malts like most IPA's use. Back in Black has black appearance to is but it's not thick black like a stout, this beer shows it's pale side in the lack of thick black color. 

Taste is where I am not looking forward to with this beer tonight. I think that the hoppy aroma is going to be matched in the taste notes of this ale and I am not a big bitter fan. I hope the dark malts are present in the taste as well, because that is more my style. Time to see what this black IPA has in store for me. When taking my first sip, I got a balanced dark malt and bitter hop note. I actually was shocked that the brew was as bitter as I thought it would be. I think the dark malts have something to do with that and helped cut down the bitter note. The black IPA has a medium body and has a lingering dark note on the tongue. Taking more sips of the ale, I began to pick up on a subtle chocolate note that was buried behind the dark malt notes and the bitter hop notes.  Back in Black features the use of Columbus and Centennial hops in the beer, if you were curious. 

Check out Back in Black by 21st Amendment Brewery 

All in all I think that Back in Black is a good brew, that surprised me in the end. Sometimes the aroma can be misleading and you should always wait to judgement on a beer until you taste it. Almost like judging a book by its cover, judging a beer by it's aroma is the same. If you are not a bitter fan and do not like IPA, I think you can still enjoy this beer. If you enjoy IPA's and hoppy beers this beer is something that you should try. In fact, I think that this black IPA does a great job of combining two notes of malt forward and hop forward styles. I will have to look out for more black IPA's in the future and check them out. 

Check out 21st Amendment Brewery on Twitter and their Website: 

Tweet @21stAmendment 

http://21st-amendment.com/ 

Coffee Milk Stout

Trying another brew from a brewing company that I have had a few beers from before. You may have had a beer from this brewery before like Enjoy By, Enjoy After, Ruination. I know on this blog I have had  Stone Saison, which was a great Saison. Stone Brewing Company has the luxury of having a brewery and gardens on the same site. I think this helps ensure product quality and freshness. For example, the Stone Saison uses plants from their gardens to help boost flavors in their Sasion. I think that breweries that have a garden or similar ideas on site helps that brewery, maybe gain a leg up on their counterparts. I am excited to try the brew tonight, which was originally only as a limited release at one of their two locations. Stone Brewing Company is celebrating their 20th anniversary this year and created a brew to celebrate their milestones. Stone Brewing can be found in a variety of locations: Escondido, CA, San Diego, CA, soon in Richmond, VA and Berlin, Germany.  Stone is the tenth largest craft brewer in the United States. Interesting fact about Stone's logo; for centuries Gargoyles have been known to ward off evil spirits, since 1996 their Gargoyle has helped them ward off cheap ingredients, pasteurization and chemical additives... the modern-day evil spirits of beer. 

Stone Coffee Milk Stout by Stone Brewing Company

Enough about Stone, now onto the brew for tonight. I am trying Stone Brewing Company Coffee Milk Stout. This Coffee Milk Stout is an English Style Milk Stout. I have had few milk stouts before and I am kind of eager to try this combo in this style. Coffee Milk Stout has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 5% and an IBU of 40. I think the IBU in this beer is going to be attributed to the coffee that is going to be added into this brew. Stone Brewing Company uses coffee beans from a San Diego based Ryan Bros Coffee, which adds to their idea of using local products like their own gardens.

Appearance of the Coffee Milk Stout 

When pouring this beer into my glass I notice the brown foam or head at the top of the glass. In addition to noticing the head or foam at the top, I could not help but notice how dark of a color the beer poured. This beer when I poured it looked black, just like someone might be drinking black coffee. The foam or head depending on which you want to call it is thick at first and then stays around for a little before disappearing to a thin layer at the top of the glass.  The aroma is enticing. If you are a coffee fan, you feel at home when smelling this brew. There is a bitter/sweet tone to the aroma of this brew. The bitter notes of the aroma, I believe to come from the coffee beans added to the brew. The sweet aroma tone, I would like to think has to do with the milk and sugar that might be added to this brew. Almost the perfect balance of bitter to sweet aroma for my olfactory sense. The bitter tone is a little more assertive, when trying to take in the aroma of this brew. After all that I faintly pick up a vanilla note in the aroma. All I can think is that the vanilla note is almost like a creamer added to coffee to make it sweet and palatable, do I think that is going to be the case in this beer. I do not think so. 

About to take my first sip of the Coffee Milk Stout and all I can think is that I might be up all night because of how this beer smells with the coffee notes. I think that taste note might come through, which should because of the coffee beans used to make this beer. I took my first sip and I think I might have enjoyed it too much because have the beer is gone already. I noticed the light mouthfeel with is shocking because of the being a Milk Stout, I would have thought it would have been heavier. I picked up on the dry finish as while drinking more of this brew. To me this brew has a malt taste note in the drinking of this beer, which would not surprise a stout fan, because of the roasted malts used to help create this brew. I keep taking sips and the more I do I begin to notice the coffee overtone and the subtle sweetness in the beer. The coffee hits the palate first and then is followed by a sweet chocolatey note. I cannot help myself I just do not want to put this beer down, which for me is shocking because I am not a coffee fan. But the way the coffee blends with the sweet notes and the light dry body is a killer combo. 

Coffee Milk Stout by Stone Brewing Company 

If you like coffee I think that you will really enjoy this beer and even if you do not like myself, you can still enjoy it. Stout fans should add this beer to their list of beers to drink. The light body and dry finish of this English Milk Stout style brew make this beer a Stout to find. Most people think that stouts are too heavy, I think that this beer and milk stouts in general beg to differ. I think Stone Brewing Company mindset of using local products is a mindset that helps further the sustainability effort of their brewery and shows that it can be done.

Check out Stone Brewing Company on Twitter and their website: 

Tweet @StoneBrewingCo

http://www.stonebrewing.com/

Couch Surfer

Couch Surfer by Otter Creek Brewing Company

Trying a brew from a brewery from Vermont, that I have not tried before. Vermont hosts a bunch of awesome breweries that pump out some amazing craft beers. For such a small state, there is a plethora of breweries to visit and choose from. Some popular breweries in Vermont are: Long Trail, Magic Hat, Harpoon, Otter Creek, Alchemist and this is just a few of them. Tonight, I am trying a brew from Otter Creek Brewing Company. Otter Creek Brewing Company is having their 25th anniversary this year in August. In 2010, Otter creek expanded  and added 30,000 to their capacity and recently they broke ground on a 120 barrel brewhouse in addition to their current space. Otter Creek Brewing Company is available in the Northeast and the Mid-Atlantic regions. I know most breweries focus on sustainability currently, but I think that working with the Non-GMO project is a whole new level to achieve and ensure product quality is fascinating. The brew I am trying tonight is called Couch Surfer, which is an Oatmeal Stout that is available year round. Couch Surfer has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 5.4% and an IBU of 32. I have had a few Oatmeal Stouts before and I really enjoy them for the balance of roasted malt characteristics to hop notes and the sweet taste of the brew. I like the tagline on the beer, 'From our stash to your glass', makes you think that you a drinking a select reserve brew. 

Appearance of Couch Surfer 

Looking at Couch Surfer, I begin to notice the color of the brew. The color of this Oatmeal Stout is black as night. The foam or head of the beer has a brown tint to it, I think that is due to the roasted malt used in the beer. The head lingers for a little then disappears into the beer. The aroma is something that is pulling me to drink this beer quickly. I cannot stop smelling this brew because it's intoxicating and enthralling. The aroma that I pick up is a roasted malt note that makes me intrigued in the beer. The aroma note that I cannot get enough of is chocolate notes in the brew. I think it has the bitter note is like dark chocolate and coffee blended together with a sweet chocolate note. There is a perfect aroma blend between bitter and sweet notes.  

Time to try the first sip of the beer, I think that the aroma will match the taste of this beer.  I am looking for a roasted characteristic with a blend of chocolate notes. Taking my first sip, the first thing that I notice is the medium body and the light mouthfeel of this brew. After thinking more about this brew, I began to notice the bitter notes of the coffee and the chocolate. The beer lingers on the tongue, which the more and more I drink this brew the enjoy the lingering taste left of the tongue. The roasted malts note is the lingering note on the tongue. I really enjoy the balance between the roasted malt and the bitter/sweet note. The last thing that I notice while drinking this beer was the smoothness and drinkability of this beer. You would think that being an Oatmeal Stout, that this beer would be heavy, but in all actuality it is fairly smooth and easily drinkable. To be honest I think that it almost reminds me of sleeping on a couch, most times you think it's not going to be comfortable but sometimes it leads to the best sleep. It's almost like they planned the name Couch Surfer based off of the taste of the beer. 

  

Couch Surfer by Otter Creek Brewing Company 

Overall I think that Otter Creek did an awesome job on this brew balancing the bitter hop note with the roasted malt notes in this Oatmeal Stout. I think if you are a fan of stouts, you might want to check this brew out and enjoy one. Sometimes people complain that stouts are to thick, but this brew is smooth and has all the characteristics of an Oatmeal Stout. If you are looking for similar brews to this one you should check out River Horse Oatmeal Stout and Left Hand Brewing Company Milk Stout. 

Check out Otter Creek Brewing Company on Twitter and their website: 

Tweet @ottercreekbeer

http://ottercreekbrewing.com/

Tartanium (Tr) : Berliner Weisse

Trying to get back into a swing of blogging a couple times a week, so today is going to start getting back into the swing. I am excited to share this brew I have today because we are getting closer to the season of this style of brew. Any particular beer can be enjoyed at any time, but sometimes the best beers are enjoyed at the right time and in the right glass. I recently was recently introduced to a brewery from Colorado that I have never tried because their beer is only available locally.  I ran into a supporter of the brewery in Philadelphia; I was given a brew from the brewery and I figured that I needed to review the beer on here. I am trying a brew from Grist Brewing Company tonight. Grist Brewing Company is located in Highlands Ranch, Colorado. I am really interested in trying my first brew and hopefully one of many to come.  

First, I think that we should talk about Grist Brewing Company.  Grist view on beer is that it should be "Science balanced with Creativity. " To me as a beer drinker that is where you are able to tell the differences in the beers. Science helps create the brews but adding a little creativity is never a bad thing. Science is very important to the brewing process and some people do not know how detailed the science can be. Grist opened in November of 2013, focusing on the classic styles for people stepping into craft beer and then challenging themselves with unique styles like barrel aging/spiced stouts. Grist is focused on innovation, dedication to flavor and quality, and lastly contributing to the community. For example job creation and charitable contributions. They have a 20 barrel brewhouse that holds 4 X 20 barrel fermenters and 1 X 20  barrel brite tank. 

TARTANIUM (Tr) Berliner Weisse by Grist Brewing Company 

Now onto the brew from Grist. The beer is Tartanium (Tr), it is a Berliner Weisse. Berliner Weisse is a style a beer that is top fermented  wheat beer that is made with yeast and lactobacillus, which helps cultivate a sour taste in the brew. I have had this style before, the last Berliner Weisse, I had was Festina Peche by Dogfish Head  Brewery.  I cannot wait to see the similarities or differences in the two beers. Tartanium has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 5.4% and an IBU of 13. A low IBU is normal for a Berliner Weisse because the low presence of hops/bitter notes in the beers. 

Appearance of TARTANIUM (Tr) 

Looking at the appearance all I can think is that it looks like Champagne. There is carbonation in this beer, which is noticeable by the constant bubbles flowing towards the top of the glass. The head or foam of the beer dissipates quickly after I took this picture, because of how quickly it went away it reminded me of  Champagne. The foam was a white and the beer appears to have a straw or pale colored haze to it. The aroma of this beer is enticing me to drink this beer. The aroma I notice was a slightly sour citrus note, almost like a lemon zest or mango tartness.   

I am so ready and eager to try this brew and see what is behind this beer, taste wise. I hope the aroma comes through and is noticeable in the the tasting of the beer. First sip, you definitely notice the sour taste of the beer. There is a tartness that lingers on the tongue for a second or two then it allows the wheat beer to show through. I think the creativity is noticeable in the beer, because having both a sour feel and a wheat beer feel is unique. The sour taste note that I think I am picking up on is a mango tartness. The mouthfeel has a medium carbonation and leaves you with a light body.  

Usually when drinking a Berliner Weisse people will add syrups to the beer to make the sourness of the brew more palatable. I think that is crazy, this style is meant to have a sour taste and if you are not a fan than I think the more for people that do enjoy sours. Now when comparing this brew to Festina Peche by Dogfish Head  Brewery, I would have to say I enjoyed this brew more. I say that because it gave me the sour taste and aroma I was anticipating. As well as, showing the wheat aspect of the brew. The difference between Festina Peche and Tartanium (Tr) is that Tartanium (Tr) has a higher ABV and a higher IBU, which is does not take away from the style of the beer.  

Overall. I think Tartanium (Tr) was a good brew and something I would really enjoy on a hot day at the beach or out mowing the lawn in the middle of summer. I think Grist did a fantastic job representing the style of the Berliner Weisse in Tartamium (Tr). Make sure if you visit Highlands Ranch, Colorado that you give Grist Brewing Company a visit, and make sure you say hello to their bartender Stephanie. 

Check out Tartanium (Tr) by Grist Brewing Company 

Check out Grist Brewing Company on Twitter and their Website: 

Twitter handle:  @Gristbrewingco 

https://www.gristbrewingcompany.com/