Insulated Dark Lager

Insulated Dark Lager by Brooklyn Brewery

Tonight I am trying a brew from a popular New York brewery. I can honestly say the more and more I try different brews, the more I come back to a particular style. To share with ya that style is dark beers, there is just something that I enjoy about them. It could be that they tend to not be overly bitter or the fact that there is a malt forward presence rather than the bitterness. This is my first brew from this brewery. Let's learn more about the brewery I am trying a brew from. 

Steve Hindy and Tom Potter founded Brooklyn Brewery in 1988. Before that Steve worked as a Middle East Correspondent, which came to an end around 1984. This allowed Steve to focus on his passion for home brewing and he enlisted he neighbor, Tom, a banker at the time. Steve and Tom focused on creating Brooklyn Brewery. Why Brooklyn, you might say? "Brooklyn has been the home of immigrants, movers, artists, creative geniuses and small business idols. Over the years plenty traditions have come and gone, but the only remaining constant was beer. Some of the earliest residents from Germany, Belgium, Ireland, and other brew-centric countries have brought their passion and knowledge to our shores. Making Brooklyn one of the most productive brewing centers of the country in the 19th century." Now it makes sense to choose Brooklyn to start a brewery, I might say. 

Time to look into the brew I am trying tonight. I always think it is important to learn a little about the brewery, I am trying a brew from. It could help you maybe understand their style of brew or why they picked their location. Insulated Dark Lager is a German Style Schwarzbier. In German it means Black Beer. For me this style, gives you the taste notes of a stout or porter. Then it gives you a lighter body unlike a stout, but more like a traditional lager. I always say this style is a blend between a stout and a lager. Insulated Dark Lager has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 5.6%. Brooklyn Brewery is located in Brooklyn, New York. If you look at the history behind the brewery it makes sense that this style of brew was picked and developed into one of their brews. 

Appearance of Dark Lager

Let's look into the appearance and the aroma of this Insulated Dark Lager. Appearance wise this brew has a black appearance at first, but the closer you look at the beer in the light you notice the true hue. I would say it looks like a dark chocolate hue. As close as possible to black as you can get. The foam or head has a brown tint to it and lingers around for a while. The head also leaves lacing around the edge of the glass, the more you drink from it. The lacing reminds you what a stout would do around the edge of the glass. The aroma is intriguing my olfactory senses. Aroma I picked up on was a bitter coffee aroma. Or a roasted black coffee aroma is more accurate. After the roasted aroma, I notice a subtle chocolate or cocoa nibs aroma. That lead me to the spiced hop note finish. You start with a malt or roasted malt aroma and then pick up on a sudden sweet note followed by spice finish. 

Time to look into the taste of this Dark Lager. After the aroma I am so ready to dive into this Insulated Dark Lager, to see what this Schwarzbier is about. I took my first sip, and that taste follows the aroma. First you notice the dark roast coffee taste in the brew. It reminds me of a bold coffee, or a black coffee. After the coffee note, I noticed a cocoa nib taste note that is subtle and not overpowering. Just enough of the cocoa nib to sweet the roast coffee note. The last taste note I picked up on was a hop bitterness note. Not one that is a smack in the face, but something that you notice at the end of your sip. I feel like it is a blend between a spice and a citrus hop note. The body of this lager is light to medium body. Considering the Lager and Stout notes in the brew it makes sense to have the light to medium body. With the way this beer finishes with a bitter hop note, I would have thought this brew was more like a Black India Pale Ale, but the beginning notes quickly squash that bitter notes after a while. 

Check out this Insulated Dark Lager

Overall, I thought this was a great brew. It gave you the bitter note some are looking for, while also giving you the malt or roasted notes others are looking for. I think this did a great job representing the German Schwarzbier Style. I think the thing I enjoy the most in the dark lagers are the roasted malt notes that get balanced by a sweet note like the cocoa nibs. I understand how it sound crazy how I could enjoy this beer in the middle of the summer, but as summer goes on the nights get cooler and remind me of the winter coming. In addition, having one or two of these beers is not something that I cannot handle in the summer. 

Check out Brooklyn Brewery's Website and Social Media: 

http://brooklynbrewery.com/

Facebook @thebrooklynbrewery

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Tweet @brooklynbrewery

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Sprung

Sprung Evolution Craft Brewing Company

Trying a seasonal brew from a a brewing company I have tried before on this blog. Last time I had one of their brews was the Summer Session Ale. This brewing company started with the passion of two brothers. Tom and John created Evolution Brewing Company. Tom focused on his passion of craft beers and John focused on his passion for food. "It involves you and your friends. Backyard barbeques and amazing meals. And beers you won’t ever want to forget." Evolution Craft Brewing Company is focused on producing well balanced, and handcrafted ales. Evolution Craft Brewing Company was founded in 2009. Evolution Craft Brewing Company is located in Salisbury, Maryland.  The brew I am trying tonight is their Sprung Ale. Sprung is a Golden Ale that is brewed with  honey, hibiscus, and chamomile. Sprung has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 4.9% and a IBU or bitterness of 14. 

Time to dive into this brew and see what this Golden Ale is all about. 

Appearance of Sprung

Appearance wise this ale looks like a blend between an amber and gold. There is an amber hue to this golden ale. The foam or head of this brew is white and does not linger for too long. Compared to most golden ales, I have tried this brew is on the darker side. Color scale base I think this beer looks almost more like a lager or an amber ale. The more I looked at the appearance the more I began to notice the sediment in the beer. Almost like tea leaves or little coffee grounds left in your tea or coffee. The beer is cloudy, but still pale and you are able to see through the sediment. At first, when I notice the sediment in the beer you think this beer might have gone bad. After you notice the aroma you know it is just part of this brew. Then I pick up and the aroma and immediately notice the honey and floral notes. Almost like you brewed a chamomile tea with honey and added some floral notes to your tea. After that aroma note, I began to notice the malt aroma note, like a toasted malt aroma. The aroma of this brew really reminds me of drinking a chamomile tea with honey and I think that is the thing, I take away from this aroma. 

Let's see where the taste and the body of this Sprung Golden Ale takes me.

After noticing the sediment in the beer I am curious to see what taste notes come out in this brew. The first sip I took I notice the sweetness of the honey and the chamomile. This brew reminds me of having a chamomile tea and adding honey to it. That is the taste notes I notice when taking my first few sips of this brew. After a few more sips, I get a little bite of spices common with a golden ale. In addition to that I notice the hibiscus taste notes after the spice note. I think this golden ale has a smoothness that I thoroughly enjoy and it makes me want to keep drinking more. The body of Sprung is light and has a medium carbonation to this beer. A very good session beer that you could have year round in my opinion. The more I drank of this beer, the more I thought of this beer as a light golden ale. Gives you all the notes you like for in the style but the sessionability of a light beer. Gives you the craft beer vibe, but the smoothness and drinkability of a light beer. 

Check out Sprung by Evolution Craft Brewing Company

Overall, I think this is a great brew. Especially if you are trying to get into trying craft beers. It is not going to be overwhelming and too bitter for someone starting out to enjoy. I enjoyed the sessionability of this beer and I will keep my out for this brew every spring. Sprung really reminded me of drinking an herbal tea, chamomile in particular and adding honey. I think that is a great thing that brews do, when they remind you of something else that you enjoy. You can enjoy the moment and the past at the same time.  I did enjoy this well balanced hand-crafted brew. 

Check out Evolution Craft Brewing Company out on their Social Media: 

http://www.evolutioncraftbrewing.com/home

Instagram @evolutioncraftbrewing

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Tweet @evolutionbeer

Tropical Platypus

Front of Tropical Platypus by Almanac Beer Company

I have been looking to try more unique style brews and trying to find them is a hard thing to do. Most beer stores I go to are bottle shops, but they do not carry that big of a variety in styles. When I find a beer store that carries a wide variety of styles and unique beers, I have to take a trip to that beer shop. Recently I visited a bottle shop near me that has a great variety of brews and is easy to understand their selections. I heard great things about The Beer Store in Southampton, PA and I made sure I stopped in. I talked to one of the clerks, after he asked if I needed help. We began talking about beer and what I was looking for. I mentioned that I was trying to find Sour style beers and then he showed me to the Almanac Beer Brews. I took home one of them and that is the one I am trying tonight. 

Back of Tropical Platypus 

First let's look into Almanac Beer Company. They were founded in 2010 by Jesse Friedman and Damian Fagan. These brewers started out homebrewing and now are developing some unique brews. They believe in Farm to Barrel brewing, selecting the best locally sourced fruit and blending it into their unique brews. According to their website, "A brewery dedicated to producing seasonal artisan ales, brewed specifically to complement local cuisine sourced and prepared with the same great care and craft." Every harvest they look to pair with a different Northern California farm to supply fruit for their next unique brew. Each brew is a collaboration between them and the farm. 

Time to dive into more about Almanac Beer Company Tropical Platypus. Tropical Platypus is a dry hopped sour that is brewed with Kiwi, Mango, Lime, and Passionfruit. Tropical Platypus has an alcohol by volume or ABV of six percent. This brew is an American Wild Ale style brew. Wild Ales are hard to exactly describe, according to Beer Advocate they are ales that have 'wild' yeast or bacteria added to them. Typically the addition of the wild yeast is added into the brews while they are in oak barrels. The addition of this yeast or bacteria leaves behind a funky or sour taste to the beer. Tropical Platypus is part of Almanac Beer Company, Farm to Barrel Series. There is a variety of brews that are farm to barrel and aged in different barrels, like Oak and Pinot Noir. This brew was brewed to celebrate the 10th anniversary of the City Beer Store in San Francisco. "They constantly fought for the craft beer industry and provided a home for new breweries looking to make a mark. In fact, they were the first to sell Almanac’s beer. This beer honors 10 years of providing a home for craft beer." Seems only fitting that I got this brew at The Beer Store in Southampton and this brew is celebrating the 10th anniversary of the City Beer Store. 

Appearance of Tropical Platypus

There is a cloudy or hazy appearance to Tropical Platypus. The color of the brew has a golden or yellow tint to it. Almost reminds me of a wheat beer in the appearance. The foam or head of the beer is white and does not stay for long. It quickly dissipates leaving little to no foam at the top of the glass. There is no lacing to worry about with this brew. Aroma wise is where this brew begins to take off. The first aroma I noticed was the bitter note from the dry hopping. After the bitter hop notes, I began to pick up on the tropical aromas. The first note I noticed or that was the most noticeable was the passionfruit. Then I notice a lingering kiwi and mango note in the aroma. Trying to pick up on the aroma is hard because you notice a funky aroma at first. I then tried to go through the funk to pull out the actual aroma of this brew. 

Let's see what this farm to barrel has planned for the taste notes. First sip starts off with a tangy zest taste note. The more and more I drink of it I began noticing the lingering lime note on the tip of the tongue and the oak tannin taste notes in the finish. I picked up on the hop taste, which was not overpowering. The beer has a medium body but a light finish. When drinking this brew, I had a pucker up at first from the zesty taste notes in the beginning. It is not overly acidic, but something you notice at first. I also think that the finish allows you to pick up on the oak taste notes in the beer. If you a wine fan or vino enthusiast, this is where you'll get that taste profile. I began to notice the fruit notes a little more, the more I had of this brew. The kiwi, passionfruit, mango notes are all subtle but something you notice more and more you drink this wild ale. The more and more I drank this brew I notice the funk of this brew that was from the yeast or bacteria added to this beer. It was good and something I wish I could notice without the dry hopping this brew indured. 

Check out Tropical Platypus by Almanac Beer Company 

Overall I thought this was a good brew. I think the dry hopping did not make me love this brew. The taste goes along with the aroma, which is what you look for in beers. You do not want to be lead in one direction on the aroma and then a completely different note in the taste. I like that you were able to notice the oak tannins in the beer and I think the tropical fruit in the beer blended well with it. If you are into sours this is a beer you should check out, or if you are into wine this is a beer you should let breathe and check out. 

Check out Almanac Beer Company on their Social Media: 

http://www.almanacbeer.com/

Tweet @almanacbeer

https://www.facebook.com/almanacbeer 

Instagram @Almanacbeer

Check out City Beer Store and Southampton Beer Store

http://citybeerstore.com/

https://www.facebook.com/thebeerstoresouthampton/?fref=ts

Puddlers Row ESB

Puddlers Row ESB (Extra Special Bitter) Conshohocken Brewing Company

Tonight I am trying a brew near the area I went to college. They opened up shop in April 2014 and now are adding a new brewpub, in Bridgeport, PA. A former sports radio personality is a part owner and he is Glen Macnow. They brought in Andrew Horne, who started at yards and later ran Avery Brewing Company, to be the brewmaster.  Shows they are serious about making some serious brews and they did not mess around with just bringing anyone to be the brewmaster. I am curious to see how this brew tonight plays out and the backbone of the beer. If you are curious Conshohocken Brewing Company is located in Conshohocken, Pennsylvania, for anyone not familiar with the area it is right outside Plymouth Meeting and Norristown. It is a thirty to forty minute drive outside of Philadelphia depending on traffic on Interstate 76, West. The brew I am trying tonight recently won a Silver Award at the 2016 World Cup of Beer. 

Tonight's brew is Conshohocken Brewing Company's Puddlers Row Extra Special Bitter (ESB). An Extra Special Bitter are an aggressive balanced between hop bitterness and malt characteristics. A beer drinker starting out might think this beer style is going to have a strong bitter taste, when in fact they are not usually bitter at all. To find a great ESB is to find a brew that has a perfect balance hops to malt notes.  Puddlers Row ESB has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 5.4%. An Extra Special Bitter is an English Style Ale. If you examine the can you notice the Phrase at the top of the can, "Go Where the Path Takes You." So, let's go where this brew takes us. 

Appearance of Puddlers Row ESB

Appearance of this Extra Special Bitter is on that looks like an Amber Ale. The Puddlers Row has a deep amber hue to it. It still gives you a pale ale appearance as well. What I mean in that sense is that it is not cloudy and not too dark to see through the beer. It has a pale amber hue to it. There is some carbonation in the beer flowing to the top. At the top of the beer there is a quarter inch of foam or head at the top of the glass. The head or foam is white and is almost translucent. Not really a thick foam at the top of this brew. The head also does not linger around for a long period of time. After I poured the beer into the glass, I noticed the foam and how quickly it dispersed. The aroma of this brew is what the style tends to be. I notice both hop bitterness in the aroma and malt aroma. Almost like a blend of the two. Another note that I picked up on is a caramel aroma, which blends into the two other aromas. 

Puddlers Row has taken me through the aroma backbone now let's figure out the taste and body of this brew. I took my first sip and noticed the roasted malt backbone of the beer. Then after the first sip I notice the subtle hop note on the back of the tongue. The caramel taste note is noticeable and so far, I think the blend that was apparent in the aroma is not coming through in the taste. I think there is a little more bitter bite than a malt forward bite. This beer almost drinks more like a session beer  in my opinion. Puddlers Row has a medium to light body. You get a heavy mouth feel at first then it smoothes out as you finish your sip. 

Puddlers Row ESB by Conshohocken Brewing Company 

As a fan of Extra Special Bitter style brews, I think it gives the drinker a glimpse of the style. To me it goes a little too much on the bitter note for my liking. But for someone that is a bitter note fan and wants to see what this style of beer is like then this is the beer to start with. Puddlers Row ESB is a good brew and gives you some different taste notes to think about, but something I could have one or two of. If you are ever near the Plymouth Meeting, PA, area make sure you check out what Conshohocken Brewing Company has on tap. Either at their new brewpub or the original tasting room in Conshohocken. 

Check out Conshohocken Brewing Company out on their website and their Social Media: 

http://www.conshohockenbrewing.com/

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Tweet @conshybrewing

Crooked Eye Brewery

Crooked Eye Brewery 

Last night I visited a local brewery near me. It was a lot of fun meeting and talking to one of the owners. I had a great time talking to one of the owner's Jeff Mulherin. I was introduced to Jeff by a regular at a bar I used to work at, her name was Linda. Linda knows my passion is beer and thought I should check out this brewery, so we visited the brewery last night. Jeff gave me a tour of the brewery and then we got down to talking beer and tasting some brews. Crooked Eye was thought up in 2013 and officially licensed in 2014. They opened up in February 2014, right on Super Bowl Sunday. Originally started with homebrewing and a five gallon extract batches to their current 7 barrel brewing. Crooked Eye brews can be found in many local area bars, which is big for a growing brewery to help spread the notoriety. I think that having their brews available at local bars allows for a bigger growth and if people are not able to get it at the bar, they can always visit the brewery. 

I loved the openness and the local community vibe that I saw when I visited the brewery. It was a monday night at brewery, which most breweries are not open on monday's. When I first walked in the brewery had just opened and then after a half hour of being there, the brewery began to get regulars trickling in and stopping in. Some filled growlers and left. Others sat and had a few brews, while enjoying the company of others. 

View of the Tasting Room 

I think I enjoyed the openness the most last night. It allowed people to come on in and have a brew while still enjoying others company. I think the tasting room makes me feel like I am at home. Gives you the feel of the brewery as well, since you are able to see into the back room, where the beer is brewed. Now this picture was taken how the tasting room looks right now, but the tasting room used to be a lot smaller and not a tasting room. It only had the taps and a little bar set up. 

Old pic of the Tasting Room off of Instagram 

Jeff and I began talking brews after the tour. I really enjoyed the fermentation area where he had some special brews going. I especially was interested in the Saison that he is aging in a Cabernet barrel. If you are interested in getting first shot at some unique brews like this, you might want to join their mug club. The mug club allows you to be able to get try the beer before everyone else. Jeff was telling me that they will open a tasting up for the mug club, for three days then open it up to the public. I love the idea of the mug club and showing support for the brewery. The brewery hangs the mugs up at the bar for the supporters and Jeff showed me one that had someone's shoelaces around the handle from their first marathon. 

Another awesome thing is about this brewery is the trip down memory lane. The have a vinyl player and a corner that has collection of vinyls to choose from. 

Vinyl Player and Vinyls to look at.

Let's talk about what brew I tried while I visited them. If you are at one of the tables in the tasting room the picture below is on each table and gives a brief description of each brew.

Tap list on the Tasting room Tables

Beer Board

This beer board shows what is available and the prices for flights, growlers, pints. It also shows the alcohol by volume for each brew, just in case you are curious. In addition, it has a spot on the board to show what is in fermentation. Which is great to see, because it shows you what is upcoming. 

Here is what I sampled last night. 

My beer flight

Owner, Jeff Mulherin 

First I started with their White Tail Ale. After trying this brew I really enjoyed the take on a White Ale. The ginger added in to this brew was delicious and something I thoroughly enjoyed. Sometimes for me there is too much coriander in White Ales, but this brew gave me just enough and the light body made me really enjoy this beer. White Tail Ale has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 3.8%, which you could say is on the lighter side, but to me it's just right. 

White Tail Ale

Next I sampled the Accidental Pale Ale. I get hesitant with Pale Ales, but when I took my first sip of this brew I really notice the sessionability of it. You do not get a big hit of bitterness that you would in most Pale Ales, but you get just enough of the bitter note. For someone like me, I could have a few of these and that is a big deal for me. The alcohol by volume or ABV of the Accidental is 4.5%.

Accidental Pale Ale

Then I tried the  Regimental 80 Scottish Ale. I found it helpful to take a picture of the beer next to the name so I remembered, what I was drinking at the time. This Scottish Ale has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 4.7%. I think out of all the brews this was the most sessionable and something that had a nice smooth body.  

Regimental 80 Scottish Ale

This brew is an intriguing one. It's Top Hat Brown Ale, it is intriguing because the name comes symbol for the town of Hatboro. That is the Top Hat. The local high school is known as the Hatters. I love the incorporation of the local town. This brown ale had nice roasted taste note and nice caramel aroma that brought you into this brew. The alcohol by volume or ABV on this brew is 5.3%.

Top Hat Brown Ale

Next up was the ESB, which is an Extra Special Bitter, an English Pale Ale. This ESB was probably one of my three favorites when I visited the brewery. It had just the right bitter note and the right malt forward notes in the brew. The ESB has an alcohol by volume or ABV of  6%. 

Extra Special Bitter 

Taste of the Hazy Eye Double IPA

Jeff and I were talking about beers and what our favorite styles were I explained that I am more of a dark beer fan. Jeff talked about India Pale Ales or IPA's and he then poured me the Double IPA from the brewery. To be honest the ABV is not as noticeable which can be dangerous, but the bitterness from the IBU wasn't bad as well. I did not think I was drinking a Double IPA. The alcohol by volume or ABV of this brew is nine percent. 

The last beer I tried was the Black Eye Stout. Which was my favorite by far. I enjoyed the sweetness from the Oatmeal Stout. The coffee and chocolate notes were pleasant as well. I real enjoyed the toasty finish and the roasted body. One of the bartender came up with an idea for a rim around the top of the glass for this brew. They added a sugar rim and it took this brew to another level. The Black Eye Stout has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 7.5%. 

Black Eye Stout

Overall, I do not think I had a bad brew when I visited. I thoroughly enjoyed all the beers and getting to know Jeff. The brewery is one you should keep an eye out for and if you are in the area you should stop on by.  The fun part about Crooked Eye is the tagline, or more of a catch phrase. "For What Ales You."

One of the glasses

View from Outside the Brewery

View of the Beer Board and Mugs from the Mug Club

Crook Eye Calendar of Events

Make sure you check out Crooked Eye Brewery next time you are in Hatboro, Pennsylvania.  Check out Crooked Eye Brewery on their Website and their Social Media to stay update with them. 

http://www.crookedeyebrewery.com/ 

Crooked Eye Instagram

Tweet @CrookedEyeBrews

Crooked Eye Facebook

Passion Fruit Kicker

Passion Fruit Kicker by Green Flash Brewing Company

I am really excited for tonight's brew. I am trying a brew from a brewing company I have yet to try a beer from, mainly because I have not been able to find their brews around me. As soon as I saw this brew I am trying tonight I was like, yes I need to put this brew on the blog. I am trying a brew from Green Flash Brewing Company tonight. Here is a little bit about Green Flash. "Well Known to coastal dwellers, the legendary Green Flash is one of nature's marvels. Only under perfect conditions, just for a sudden second, the day's last rays of sunshine turn a blindingly brilliant emerald green on the horizon. It is said, by those lucky enough to witness it, that it makes the perfect ending to a perfect day. At Green Flash, it is the inspiration to explore and discover the perfect ingredients and brewing conditions to craft unique, awe-inspiring ales."  The inspiration behind the name Green Flash Brewing Company. Now Green Flash was created in 2002, the are based out of San Diego, California. The founders Mike and Lisa Hinkley wanted every batch of beer to be labor of love and a true Green Flash collaboration. To keep their fans thirsty for more, Green Flash is constantly producing experimental, limited-edition and seasonal offerings in addition to a solid lineup of their long time favorites. 

Appearance of Luscious and Tart Brew

Tonight I am trying the Passion Fruit Kicker by Green Flash Brewing Company. Passion Fruit Kicker is a Wheat Ale brewed with passion fruit. Kicker has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 5.5% and an IBU or bitterness of 5. To quote the bottle this is an Exhilarating Ale and flip out over passion fruit. I think the cool thing about the bottle or their beers is the explanation on the style of the beer. Passion Fruit Kicker is going to Luscious and Tart. In addition the beer also tells you which glass you should enjoy their beer in. I know not everyone has the right beer glass for every beer, but if you were curious to figure out what you should be drinking out of, their beers will enlighten you. If you ever want to check out when any one of their brews are available you can look at their beer release calendar. This brew is available year round. 

Bottle and Brew

Appearance of Kicker is something similar to brews I have had before. Passion Fruit Kicker has a hazy straw/golden appearance to it. Looking at similar beers I have tried recently, this brew appears to be a pale wheat ale. There is a white foamy head to this brew that dissipates quickly and does not linger around at all. The aroma is something that is intriguing. I picked up the passion fruit aroma, but it is not an overpowering aroma. Secondly there is a malt aroma presence that makes me curious to the taste of the brew, not in a bad way.  Lastly, there is a belgian style aroma that is present in the aroma. This makes me think of Belgian brews or tripels, with the way the aroma is taking me. I noticed a bubblegum aroma note. The bubblegum aroma pairs perfectly with the passion fruit aroma.

Glimpse of Label and Beer in a Glass

Time to find out if the aroma and the taste notes collide into each other or if they take their own paths in this brew.  The taste follows the aroma in my opinion. The first thing I noticed was the tart to sweet balance in the beer. You get the tart taste note followed up with a sweet passion fruit taste note. I noticed the belgian style taste notes in the brew. The fruit esters and a crisp wheat body made this brew an enjoyable brew after a few more sips. The mouthfeel to start is medium that finishes to a lighter body. Kicker is a smooth brew and leaves you with linger sweet note that makes you want to drink more of this brew. Almost like you were drinking a juice sweet backbone finish. The Belgian aroma and taste notes make me almost feel like I am drinking a session belgian tripel in a way. In a way my taste palate did do a 360 and enjoyed this luscious/tart brew. 

Check out this Kicker 

I think that if you were not really in to beer, this could be a brew to get you into craft beers or beer in general. I really enjoyed this Passion Fruit Kicker and the kick it gave my palate. I definitely was enlightened by the taste and it made me want to have many more. This brew is something you could drink all day in my opinion and something that did not give you the typical heavy wheat body. It is light and refreshing and I'm interested in finding more brews like this. If you are not a fan of fruit in beer, this is still a brew you can enjoy. I think that you can enjoy the Belgian notes in the brew. I think this is a brew perfect for summer gives you tartness like a lemonade, but is refreshing like tea. If you can check this brew out on a hot summer day.



Check out Green Flash Brewing Company's Website and their Social Media:

Green Flash Brew

Green Flash Facebook

Tweet @Greenflashbeer

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Kirsch Gose

Kirsch Gose by Victory Brewing Company 

Tonight I am trying a local brew to the Philadelphia area. Most people around Philadelphia, have heard of this brewery and sampled many different brews by them. Recently, I tried a new style of beer and I am trying to try more beers in that style. The style I am referring to is the Gose Beer. According to the German Beer Institute, "Gose is an ancient, sour and saline tasting ale, made from more than half malted wheat and the rest malted barley. The brew is fermented with both yeast and lactic bacteria and is spiced with both coriander and hops. It is brewed with slightly salted water, This particular beer style is now most closely associated with Leipzig, the capital of the German state of Saxony." Recently, this style has seen a resurgence due to the boom in craft beer and breweries willingness to try brewing new brews. This style brew has a similarity to a Berliner-Weiss, in the fact that you can add syrups to it to make it sweeter. The brew I am trying tonight is from Victory Brewing Company and it is their Kirsch Gose. Kirsch Gose is a sour cherry Beir. Kirsch Gose has an alcohol by volume or ABV of 4.7%. 

Kirsch Gose Bottle and Appearance

There's something about trying sour style brew that I enjoy, I think that it might remind me of summer. I am excited to see Victory's take on this Gose style brew. 

Appearance of Kirsch Gose 

Once you see this beer poured out of the can you, cannot help but notice this brew. The beer has a pale red appearance to it. Thanks to the cherries or cherry juice added to the brew. It almost looks like it has a ruby appearance to the beer. The head or foam of the beer had a reddish tint to it and dissipates quickly, leaving a cloud or two of foam at the top. I am curious to see the aroma of this brew. Aroma wise this is an intriguing brew, in my opinion. There are a variety of notes that I am picking up on based off the aroma. First is the sour aroma, that you pick up from the lactic acid used in the brew. It gives the brew a funk note. The next aroma is the tart cherry aroma. You get the tart cherry aroma behind the sour aroma. The last note I picked up on was the aroma from the wheat, it's something I have come to notice more in wheat brews. It gives a fullness aroma and brings the aromas together. 

Trying my first sip 

Let's see if the taste and the aroma notes follow each other or go off in different directions. First sip was delicious that is all I can say. But let's try to find out why it is delicious in my thoughts. Kirsch Gose has a light body and makes this brew easy to drink. You notice the carbonation and the smoothness that it allows it to finish. At first you notice the sour note then it goes towards the tart cherry profile. In the end you are left with a saline like taste note. All the taste notes work in tandem and because they work together to create a thirst to drink more of this Gose. The interesting part that I notice is that the wheat body takes a backseat to the other taste notes and allows this brew to be a light refreshing brew on a hot day like today. 

Check out this Gose by Victory 

Overall, I thought this was a great brew. The balance between sour and tart was just right. The fruit note was perfect as well. The smoothness and light body made this brew enjoyable. I think that if you are looking for a craft beer for summer you might want to check this brew out. This is a spring/summer seasonal, so you might want to get it while you can! If you are ever in the Philadelphia area, make sure you visit the brewpub in Downingtown and the Victory Beer Hall at Xfinity Live by the sports stadiums.  

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