Oktoberfest--Yuengling

Besides the leaves changing and perfectly cool temperatures, Oktoberfest beer is without a doubt one of the best things about fall. Perhaps it’s my German heritage, but something about a perfectly balanced Oktoberfest beer just makes me giddy.

This Yuengling seasonal does not disappoint! It starts out slightly sweet, and finishes with bready warmth that lingers to a refreshing hop aftertaste. The carbonation compliments the flavors perfectly to fill your mouth with German happiness. Pair this Oktoberfest with the wiener schnitzel of your choice and find yourself back in the Deutsches Reich.

While I can’t comment on the smell of this beer, because along with Oktoberfest, the fall brings my allergies, I have a feeling that it probably smells like Germany in October. .

Wenn du glücklich bist, trinken Bier. Prost!

-Captain Z

Pumking - Southern Tier Brewing Company

ALL HAIL TO THE PUMPKIN KING

It's Fall, the season of Halloween and pumpkin flavored everything.

Aside from being one of Southern Tier's best beers (and all their beers are quality), Pumking most likely one of the best pumpkin beers on the market.  It tastes like spiced, cinnamon, pumpkin pie.  Simply delicious.  It would pair nicely with Thanksgiving dinner, or even stand alone as a dessert.  It is that good.

I was so excited to find it at my favorite beer store (Save-On) that I splurged and got the $3.99 Southern Tier Pumking glass.  It says Southern Tier on the other side so yes, I can use it year-round.

This imperial pumpkin ale doesn't mess around, having an 8.6% ABV and plenty to smell and taste.  Its rich, cloudy, dark orange color even looks delicious.  The only real downside is it's kind of pricey.  Well, coming from someone on a poor man's budget, it's kind of pricey.  I could only find the 22oz bottles which were $8.99 each, otherwise I would have easily grabbed a 6-pack of these.  It's well worth trying at least once while it's in season.

My only advice is when you finally buy this beer (and I know you will), do not share.  Christmas is the season of giving.  So trust me when I say you can wait a couple months to be generous.  I bought two of these 22oz bottles when I went, and gave one to my brother.  I drank the Pumking from this picture yesterday, and I can honestly say I have never wanted another pumpkin beer more in my life than right now.  But I don't have another one because I had to be Mr. Philanthropist two months early.

Try this beer; heed my warning; great minds drink alike.
Long Live The King.

Always Thirsty,

-Thirsteve

Corona Light

This beer is controversial, at least to me. As a lover of craft beer, I am not supposed to like it. I am supposed to think it’s crappy, pee water, undrinkable garbage. But, I don’t think those things.

Why should I hate this beer:

It’s a light beer, which is, in general, frowned upon. I mean, a real man (or lady) who cares about their beer isn’t worried about calories right? Be a man! Drink something with flavor, not this beer that is bland, with no notable characteristics. Plus it’s mass produced and marketed from one of the big beer companies, not crafted in a special batch from some small town brewery with a creative name and label. Plus it’s relatively cheap, if a beer is going to be perceived as good, you better not be able to get a 12 pack for less than 15.99, and Corona Light is like 11.99.

Why I don’t hate this beer:

I don’t always want a beer that is going to bash me over the head with hops or be so sickly malty sweet that it takes me an hour to gulp down. Corona light is pretty refreshing when the weather is hot, and at 99 calories I can drink a few without feeling guilty. Which, let’s be honest, there is a reason that flabby sack hanging off the abdominal region is called a BEER belly. Plus, throw a lime in a Corona Light and you are basically getting a serving of fruit, right?

Well, the weather is cooling down, so I am going to be drinking Oktoberfest beers; but when next summer rolls around again and it’s 91 degrees you’ll be looking for a refreshment. What will you do?

Stay Classy,

-Captain Z

Monk's Blood - 21st Amendment Brewery

I found another Giant Eagle treasure, and it didn't come from the bakery section.  It's called Monk's Blood.  It sounded like a strange, religious, horror movie in a drink so I figured it was worth a try.  It's a "Belgian style dark ale brewed with cinnamon, vanilla, oak chips and dried figs."  I couldn't get home fast enough to try it.

It was a very different taste, but for $9 for 4 cans I expected a bit more.  Harvesting a monk's blood must be difficult work, because that's the only explanation I can think of to justify that price.  It's not like it came in bottles or anything fancy. 

It poured sort of a dark "blood red" color which was pretty cool.  It was hard to see that though without holding it up to the light, which is why we chose to take the picture outside.  It was still sort of hard to see its true blood color in the picture, so we made an effort to get the American flag in the background.  The bitter, malty taste was similar to the Dragon's Milk, but not quite as enjoyable.  It was also quite earthy, like you could almost taste the oak chips and dried figs.  Mixed with the blood color and dark ale taste it was like a bloody forest potpourri beer.

There were some things I enjoyed about this besides the marketing.  For instance, its 8.3% ABV was something else.  It also tasted fine, I just don't see myself paying that price for 4 cans again.  I didn't like, however, that it changed my spit to an alarmingly dark khaki color.

Always thirsty,

-Thirsteve

Shopping Cart

When the Brews Brothers get beer, we don't play around. And we always remember our orange juice for Vitamin C.

Beer Gelato--The Sweet Spot

This one isn’t exactly a beer review, but it is close enough. If you are as un-cultured as I am, you probably don’t know what gelato is, so let me break it down for you. Gelato, or gelati is the Italian word for ice cream (thank you Wikipedia). In reality, gelato is not ice cream, it’s fancy ice cream—less creamy, more sweet and icy, but still delicious. You may be wondering, other than the fact that gelato is a tasty treat, why are you reading about it on a beer blog? Well, because you can get it beer flavored.

In Lakewood, Ohio The Sweet Spot offers a range of different gelati, all made with ingredients that would make an organic loving hippie drop their peace flag and hop in the VW bus to get some gelato. Not to mention the vegan sorbets for those who don’t appreciate a good animal by-product. Personally, I didn’t care about all that and was on a mission to sample the beer flavored varieties.

The Sweet Spot is always changing their flavors, so you don’t know what you will find when you get there. Thankfully, I was able to get a double scoop of their Beeramisu and Cheesecake IPA. From what I understand they also have a lager-based gelato which is supposed to be excellent and a tasty white ale gelato which I was able to sample.

The Beeramisu was excellent, a combination of beer and tiramisu. This gelato was sweet, but subtle with an after taste that lingered of the porter-style beer used in the recipe. The Cheesecake IPA was the most genius combination. Cheesecake is a distinctive dessert flavor, combined with one of the most loved and hated of craft beers, the IPA. The Sweet Spot did a good job of balancing the two extreme flavors, however, I hope they get a liquor license so I can get a scoop of this with a pint of Great Lakes Commodore Perry IPA.

Now to the question you are all wondering, can you get a buzz off of this sweet treat? Probably not, but if you like it as much as I did, you’ll want to eat enough of it to find out. Check out The Sweet Spot.

Stay Classy,

--Captain Z

 

http://www.thesweetspotcleveland.com/

Railbender Ale--Erie Brewing Company

Erie Brewing Company

 Railbender Ale (AKA the "Train Beer") is a Scottish Ale from Erie Pennsylvania. 

It poured a rich orange/red/amber color.  It had a pleasantly light, earthy, nutty smell.  The head was unique: white, looked thick, but tasted thin.

Choo Choo

This was a solid choice, something a little different.  Railbender Ale has a smooth, crisp taste.  It was like biting into a freshly picked beerfruit.  I would describe it as a nice breakfast beer. 

It's a real beer at 6.8% ABV. 

Be warned, it was pretty carbonated.  I let the train beer sit in my mouth a few seconds and it almost burnt my tongue.  Its taste was enjoyable, but not amazing, and was like a mix between Molson XXX and Leffe Blonde.

Some Scottish Ale pairings are roasted meats, sausages, or Mexican dishes.  I can make peanut butter toast.  So I made peanut butter toast on wheat bread.  It went well with the Railbender Ale's fruity taste. 

Don't seriously have beer for breakfast though.

Stay Thirsty,

-Thirsteve