Stone Brewery - Japanese Green Tea IPA

Domo Arigato, Mr. Roboto.  We take green tea and put in your beer! 

This is another collaboration beer from Stone Brewery, teaming up with Ishii Brewing Company, (I think that's the Japanese one) and Baird Brewing. (Uh, I know what you're thinking, no not the bread company....in fact, they're ALSO a Japanese brewery! Specifically, it was founded by an American/Japanese married couple)

I basically had to post this one, just because it is unique.  I was looking for more Highway 78 Scotch Ale, you see, and my beer guy felt bad that it was extinct.

You can certainly smell the green tea, but I wouldn't say it shows up in the taste very much at all.  As far as IPAs go, I usually pass, but this one was complex enough to enjoy since the citrus-y, green tea-y (?) flavors distracted me from the usual bitter face slap that pale ales can throw down.

If you find this one, it couldn't hurt to pick up a bottle or two.  Especially if you plan to host a showing of Godzilla vs. Mothra.

Verdict: A decent altered IPA, but not a tsunami of greatness....

Oskar Blues Brewery - Old Chub Scotch Ale

And so it seems that today's theme is great beer in a can.  'Yes We Can! Yes We Can!  Sorry. 

I (Bradford) stumbled upon this little guy the other week after failing to find more of the Highway 78 Scotch Ale.  (Stone creates their collaboration beers a couple of times per year, and similar to St. Arnold's Divine Reserve series they don't last long and then vanish forever)

But the 'Old Chub' is a very fine interpretation of the scotch ale.  It pours a very dark brown, almost black.  8% ABV, and it warms you up just a wee bit.  It has more of a chocolate/cocoa edge to it, and the smokey feel of scotch is in there.  Beer Advocate has this as their top scotch ale, so thousands of users can't be wrong, right?

Also,  at around $8.50 per six pack, it won't break your bank.  That's a great deal for a beer with this much ABV and character.  The beer can has references to one of my favorite movies, 'So I Married an Axe Murderer' (Head! Pants! Now!....ooh look at the noggin on that one...it's like Sputnik!)

The verdict: Go Chub chasing.

Southern Star Brewery - Bombshell Blonde Ale

Southern Star Brewery, a fairly new brewery in the booming metropolis of Conroe, TX, is the brewery any of us could have started. It is in a converted warehouse, it is predominantly manual everything. There are no bottles - all cans. It is employed by beer enthusiasts and previous employees from other breweries (that wanted to get back to the roots of brewing). It really gives you the "yes, this is a REAL brewery" feeling... Because it is.
On to the beer.
Ok, it is no mystery how I felt about their Pine Belt Pale Ale - AKA Tree Sap, but Southern Star completely redeemed themselves with Bombshell Blonde Ale. It is great. Unfiltered, non-pasteurized, all natural. It is what beer was meant to be. And though I typically keep away from "yellow beers," this seems to be a beer everyone likes. Literally. I keep this beer in my beer fridge at all times, because I love it, but so does everyone else that tries it. What makes it so great? It is one of those beers that isn't "too much" of anything. Not too hoppy, not too sweet, not too high of alcohol, everything is just right. This beer strikes me as a contest winner, so watch out blonde craft beers, this blonde is the bomb(shell).

Stone Brewing Co. - Highway 78 Scotch Ale

Alright stop, collaborate and listen. Stone is back with a brand new invention.
I really do love to stumble upon a great beer, especially when I don't have to buy it. As one of our "Beer Knight" tastings, my good friend and co-blogger, Bradford brought this delight to the table. After going through a few other unmentionable beers, we popped the top on this gem. Highway 78. This beer was a collaborative effort between Stone Brewing, Green Flash, and Pizza Port Carlsbad. Who? Yeah, I hadn't heard of the other two either, but the magic these three made together? It was like Lucky Day, Dusty Bottoms, and Ned Nederlander... an unstoppable trio of perfection. (Look up here! Look up here!)
This 8.8% scotch ale very well may be the best of its breed. I've tried several before and a couple since, and they just don't get any better than this one. Sold only in single bottles, it can get a bit pricey, if you were hoping for a 6-pack, but well worth the premium. As far as flavor goes, it is slightly sweet with just enough alcohol warmth to get you going.
My recommendation: Nice, nice, baby.
Category: Top-shelf scotch ale

Public Service Announcement

 Friends don't let friends drink bad beers. Hopefully this blog will help you prevent such a tragic event.

Trinity Brewing Co. - Emma's Coffin Pumpkin Saison

After touring around Colorado, we made our way to Trinity Brewing Company right outside of the Garden of the Gods state park (which ironically was first thought to be called the Beer Garden). The brewery was pretty small, but had a cool vibe, and great food. For the size of the brewery, they had many beers on tap - most of which I had never tried. (It was pretty much like that everywhere we went - and yes, it was a long week.) My wife and I decided to split a bottle of the pumpkin saison. I am a fan of pumpkin beers, and after having several saison beers in Colorado, it was a new favorite too. But two "goods" don't necessarily make a "great." In this case, we shared a bottle of regret. It just wasn't pumpkin enough or saison enough... Too bitter, slightly bland, and overall pretty disappointing. Especially considering the fantastic pumpkin aroma it had. Oh well, you can't win them all.
My recommendation: If you visit the Trinity Brewery, try any of their other good beers. This isn't one of them.
Category: Bad frankenstein of a beer.

Boulevard Brewing Co. - Chocolate Ale

Fantastic. Yeah, I know - Chocolate beer, but trust me, this is a great beer. As part of Boulevard's Smokestack Series, this Chocolate Ale was a seasonal collaboration with chocolatier, Christopher Elbow. There is a fine line with candy/fruit beers, am I right? They are easy to make way too sweet, and they end up tasting like a candy soda instead of a beer. Not the case with this one. I haven't tasted a chocolate beer this great since having the Belgian Fruli Chocolate beer... Which is impossible to find in the US of A. Chocolate Ale is a little hard to get your hands on, but not impossible. It is still in season, so I recommend trying to get your hands on this 9.1% alcohol chocolatey delight.
My recommendation: Find it! Drink it! Love it!
Category: Drinks to impress your lady-friend, but still manly enough for the dudes.

Coors Brewing Co. - Blue Moon Grand Cru

This 8.2% Belgian-style wheat ale... Wait, did I just start with the percentage of alcohol? That can't be good, right? Well... Let's put it this way - The "regular" Blue Moon is ok at best. The Blue Moon Grand Cru is the best of their "ok" beers. Ok? Ok. Let's face it, Coors wants into the craft brewery market, and by hiding behind the "Blue Moon Brewery" label, they think they can fool us. Hey Coors, the market you are going after with this beer isn't stupid. We know you make Blue Moon. Just be proud you made a decent beer and put your name on it instead of trying to be sneaky and introduce a "new brewery."
Back to the beer... This really is a pretty tasty beer. If you've had Blue moon, this one is just slightly sweeter with more alcohol - but at $11/bottle, is it worth it? Meh. There are plenty of beers I think I'd rather spend $10+ on, but I wasn't disappointed that I purchased it. I'd say give it a try, especially if you like wheat/whit beers. And while we are on the topic of wheat/whit beers... Am I the only one that hates orange slices in my beer? All it really takes is one swig of a bottle of orange juice that's been sitting in your fridge too long, and I think you'll agree that an orange slice in beer tastes like fermented orange juice. Nasty.
My recommendation: Give it a spin, but probably won't be one you'll buy again.
Category: Pretend Belgian wheat ale

Paulaner Oktoberfest

I've tried quite a few of the Oktoberfest beers from both Germany and the United States.  This one is probably my favorite (and I would assume it is also Cooper's fav) of the German selections.  Stay tuned for the review of St. Arnold's Oktoberfest which rivals any of the homeland brews.  Of course, Oktoberfest is the annual German festival that runs for 16-18 days in late September thru the first weekend of October.  You can learn more here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Oktoberfest

But back to the beer: This brew can be enjoyed year round, so don't box it in for the fall only.  It carries a nice spicy note, but not so overpowering that you couldn't enjoy a few in one sitting.  Or pour it into a giant boot.

Verdict: A topnotch beer from the motherland.
Category: True German Oktoberfest

Shiner Ruby Redbird

Uh, No.

The High Life

My only experience with this beer is this:  I was packing up my apartment to get ready to move from Dallas to Houston, and my friend and I decided to reward our hard work with a frozen pizza and an 18-pack of this shite.

What the hell was I thinking.  If you're on death's doorstep, and dying of beer-thirst, don't accept this crap.  Die an honorable death.  I'm pretty sure this beer will give you cancer. 

Bud Light Lime

What can I say about this beer, except 'It's freakin hot and I need something that doesn't taste a whole lot like beer.'

Seriously, this is the sports drink of beer.  Put it in a football koozie and it's pretty awesome.  I don't advise throwing it like a football however.  That would just result in someone making a trip to the emergency room.  Or it just might result in some spilled lime-n-y goodness.

If you're looking for some kind of taste analysis...get real.  This tastes like beer that has been drowned in lime juice and has had its beer balls chopped off.  The fact that you're still reading about this beer makes me seriously doubt your beer connoisseur chops.  I mean, just skip down a couple of posts and you'll find out about some really nice beer selections.  

But keep some at the back of the fridge.  Just in case.

Bosteels Brewery - Tripel Karmeliet

I have really mixed feelings about the Tripel Karmeliet. The first time I ever tried it, I was at the Bosteels Brewery in Belgium, and on tap, it was one of the greatest beers I've ever had. Then I came back to Texas and had it here... In a green bottle. Why, Bosteels, why? Putting that beer in a skunk-inducing green bottle is like making a supermodel wear a soured t-shirt. Everybody knows how hot Latitia Casta is, but why does she smell so bad? Unlike a supermodel, you have to put the beer in something. Fortunately, Tripel Karmeliet is also sold in 12oz brown glass bottles, which helps, but those seem to be a little harder to come by. Perhaps because stores hate the packaging. (They are held together by a cardboard topper, and the beers easily fall out.) ...but I digest.
If you manage to find a pub that had this on tap, I couldn't recommend it more. It is a mildly sweet tripel, with a nice foamy head, and the glass is really swank.
A little history: This beer, and its glass were the creation of Bosteels brewmaster, Iwan De Meyer. The recipe was created by De Meyer while he was at college, which upon tasting at a brew contest, caught the attention of the Bosteels family. De Meyer has been working for Bosteels Brewery ever since.
My recommendation: Keg- Definitely, 12oz- You bet. 750ml- You might want to pass.
Category: Mild and sweet tripel

Brooklyn Brewery - Black Ops

This is another one of those "if you see it, buy it" beers, because so
few are produced it is pretty tough to come by. Plus, it's really
good. Though this is considered a Russian Imperial Stout, it is pretty
mild and smooth. Whiskey drinkers are going to really like this one,
because it definitely has a chocolatey whiskey flavor to it... And
also like whiskey, it warms the soul (11+% alcohol). I was pretty
surprised with how smooth and easy to drink this beer was. When you
pour it into a glass, it is pitch black with very little head. It just
looks like trouble. But unlike the Call of Duty video game of the same
name, this beer won't leave you with any frustration or the screaming
of profanities.
My recommendation: This black beauty is a delight. I highly recommend.
It is currently in my Top 10.
Category: Black & Fan

Saint Arnold - Divine Reserve 10

Oh, the Divine Reserve series - always a mystery to the flavor and a
workout to the acquisition. I was a little late to jump on the Divine
Reserve train. I didn't even know it existed until after the 7th had
been released, so if you were like me (in the dark), here are a few
things that will get you up to speed: 1) Divine Reserve is different
with each release. Completely different. For example, the 10th release
was an English Style Barleywine 2) Once it's gone, it's gone. And it
is usually gone the day it hits shelves. 3) There are lines, waiting
lists, ticket systems, and quantity limits... It gets nuts. 4) Saint
Arnold seems to be on a roll for releasing fantastic Divine Reserve
beers, regardless of style.
So, that's the background. Now on to the "DR10," as it is known. If
you managed to get your hands on DR10, you were lucky. With only 1,862
cases distributed to Houston, Austin, Dallas, San Antonio, and
surrounding Texas cities, there was little to be had. Upon first
tasting this beer, I was a little disappointed, but I had heard this
beer was best aged, so I did. 6 months later, it was already a stellar
improvement. The sweetness has started to mellow the bitterness, and
this 11% alcohol beer had suddenly become a much better buy. I've now
had 3 or 4 in the past month or so, and it just keeps getting better.
It warms the back of the throat while keeping just enough sweetness up
front. I can't wait to see how this tastes in 1 to 2 years. Great beer
overall.
My recommendation: If you can find it, get it and age it, but good luck.
Category: Top-shelf age-friendly deliciousness.

Southern Star Brewery - Pine Belt Pale Ale

Let me start by saying this - I am not a fan of pale ales. There are
only a few I've tried that I had anything good to say after drinking
them... And this is not one of them. Please don't let this steer you
away from all Southern Star beers. It is a new brewery in the Houston,
TX area, and this was their first beer... Fortunately they made
others. (The Blonde Bombshell and Buried Hatchet are both good.) The
only credit I can give this beer is the oddly appropriate name,
because it really tastes like sucking the sap from a pine tree. This
is one of a select group of beers that I absolutely could not finish -
even ice cold, it was like being punched in the esophagus by Mike
Tyson. Not good.
My recommendation: Don't make eye contact with it... Pick up another
Southern Star brew, but not this one.
Category: Punch-out Pale Ale

Abbaye Notre Dame de Scourmont - Chimay Première (Red)

Maybe I've had a bad couple of bottles of this one, but Beer Advocate
gives this an A-, and I only agree with half of that rating... The
"minus" part. This is just an ok beer at best for me. Of the three,
this is my least favorite Chimay. I really try not to get wrapped up
in the name, and judge beer based on its contents. This one is ok at
best. I even aged one almost a year in hopes of better results. No
luck. It tastes a bit metallic and not quite as sweet as you would
expect. People seem to really like this one, so perhaps it deserves
another shot, but only if I just happen to pick up another three-pack
with a glass. This one is bottle-fermented, which is usually a plus
for me, but like the Chimay White, I'd say, "If you are going to buy
Chimay, go Blue. You won't regret it."
My recommendation: Try it to say you've had it, but pass it up the next time.
Category: Belgian Metallic Amber

Abbaye Notre Dame de Scourmont - Chimay Tripel (White)

Chimay has to be one of the easiest (of seven) Trappist beers to find
in the US. There are three varieties we commonly see here, though the
Abby does brew other beers sold locally in Belgium. Their tripel (or
"White" as it is commonly known because of the label color) is a
pretty decent beer. It is a tripel style, and not a whit, as many
confuse by the label's nickname. This one has some kick, but not quite
as much alcohol as the Chimay "Blue." Quite honestly, the only reason
I ever buy this beer is because it is sold in a three-pack with a
Chimay glass. Otherwise, I doubt I would buy it... Not that it is a
bad beer by any means. It's just, once you've had Chimay Blue, all
other Chimay beers pale in comparison. (...More on the Blue in its own
review.) I will say that I've seen this one on tap in Houston, TX at
the Belgian restaurant, Jeanine's Bistro. I plan on giving it a try on
tap. I think it may make a big difference overall.
My recommendation: Worth a try, and besides... It is brewed entirely
by monks and supports their Abby.
Category: Keep one in the fridge... But drink the Chimay Blue first.

New Belgium Brewing - Fat Tire

It seems like reviewing this beer is like reviewing a pancake.
Everyone knows what it is, what it tastes like, and where to get it.
What you may not know is that it goes great with ginger snaps. Yes, a
weird pairing, I know... But trust me. They are great together.
This is a staple beer for me. Keeping it on hand seems to please my
taste buds, and friends seem to enjoy it. It is a crowd pleaser. It's
good in the bottle, but even better in a keg. (I know, what beer
isn't. Shut up.) It does remind me a little of the Saint Arnold Spring
Bock, but not quite as sweet, and a little more earthy. Plus, check
out that glass... Swank.
My recommendation: Keep some in the fridge.
Category: Daily drinker.

Maui Brewing Co. - Coconut Porter

As far as porters go, this isn't a bad beer, but am I the only one
that tasted zero coconut? Don't get me wrong, I'm not looking for the
Almond Joy of beers, but I didn't detect the slightest hint of the
"hand-roasted coconut" they describe on the can... Maybe their hands
got too hot in the roaster. Either way, not a bad porter, but I'd
rather try another with a bit more character.
My recommendation: Unless you are a porter-drinker, I'd say pass.
You've probably had something just like this before. Don't be fooled
by the word "coconut."
Category: Marketing good, beer meh.

Saint Arnold - Spring Bock

Let me just start by clarifying what I'm doing here... Please don't expect a full review of aroma, color, head, etc. There are plenty of sites that do just that. If you have a sense of humor and like beer, then you are in the right place. On to the beer...
Spring Bock is a really great beer. I'd drink it every day if Saint Arnold would wise up and pull this from their seasonal line-up. In fact, I tweeted @SaintArnold today and asked them politely to stop treating Spring Bock like a red-headed seasonal. I'd say this true bock blows most other "bock-ish" beers (ahem, Shiner) out of the water.
It is sweet, but not too sweet. The hops really makes this a nice, even drink. Another way to say this is, yes, you could drink several in a row without much thought. With Saint Arnold's growth, I really do think this is a beer they could keep on shelves year-round and sales would do well.
My recommendation: If you can find it on shelves (there are a few left), buy it and drink it. You won't regret it.
Category: Daily drinker.

Intro

Welcome to my blog. I am a beer enthusiast that really just wanted a place to keep track of what I had tried. If you agree with my reviews, please feel free to post. If you disagree, then I am sorry to inform you that you are wrong.

Prost.

Cooper