Friday Beer O'clock Selections

Brooklyn Brewery Summer Ale - Friday Beer O'Clock Selection 5-20-2011

This week I was looking for a clean refreshing summer selection that I might be able to mix things up with during the summer months. After browsing the stock, I came across the Brooklyn Summer Ale and decided to go for it. The Brooklyn Brown Ale left such a great impression, I figured I try it and see if Brooklyn Brewery had the stuff or if they were just a one night stand.. :)

Clown Shoes Clementine White Ale - Friday Beer O'Clock Selection 4-29-2011

This week's Beer O'Clock Selection came as a recommendation. I've seen it on the shelf a few weeks back and made a note to try it, when "The Beer Guy" at my favorite local provider convinced me it's worth a try. I liked their Eagle Claw Fist Imperial Amber, and with the recommendation, I expect this to be a decent brew as well. What am I talking about, you ask? It's Clown Shoes Seasonal Clementine White Ale (Witbier).

ABV: 6%

Appearance: This brew poured from it's bottle into a pint glass with a light golden ochre color with forming a deep white and frothy head at about two fingers. It's a bit cloudy but provides enough visibility to catch the active carbonation. The head gives out after a bit and leaves a dense film on the surface with a thick collar around the edge.

Aroma: First up front is a bready malts and wheat aroma with floral and coriander notes. A little deeper and I get some orange and clove as well.

Taste: In front I definitely pick up the wheat malts but moving into the middle the orange rind/peel take over and mingle with some hop bitterness and coriander to the end where things linger with bitter orange peel and coriander. There's a lot of bite in the flavor and some might bite a bit too hard for my taste. At the same time it makes for an interesting blend that starts to grow on you.

Feel: Crisp and light with a mild body and medium wetness through out. Finishes on the drier side and carbonation is a bit abrasive.

Drinkability: If the conditions are right [hot summer day] this might be a decent brew to break out, but I didn't find this one to live up to it's expectations.

Overall, I had higher hopes for this. I loved the introduction, but the orange peel flavor and bitter combination make it a bit awkward for me. Orange peel could be brought down a peg or two, in my opinion. I've got another bottle of this and will save it for the hotter days of summer which it seems more appropriate for. Maybe I'm just missing something in this one.

Thats my version! Whats yours?

Troegs Flying Mouflan - Friday Beer O'Clock Selection 4-22-2011

This week's Beer O'Clock Selection, as I'm told, is a very limited distribution and available only at selected locations. Brewed by Troegs Independent Craft Brewery, and having some of their other brews, I'm expecting a delicious hop-filled euphoria -  something they do well in my opinion.Troegs says - Dubbed the Flying Mouflan, this alluring ale is like "pushing our Nugget Nectar of the side of a cliff" - Tastes like hops dipped in candied sugar and rolled in dark chocolate dibs.

Founders Porter - Friday Beer O'Clock Selection 3-25-2011

I've selected Founders Porter for this week's Beer O'Clock Selection. I've heard some good things about it and had it sitting in the queue for a while now.

ABV: 6.5%

Appearance: Poured like Texas Gold, with a very dark and heavy appearance. Pour formed a light brown but very thin head that dissipated quickly leaving behind a equally modest collar providing spotty lacing at best. Opacity is pure black on this one allowing no light through the glass.

Aroma: Cocoa, Chocolate and caramel dominate followed by light coffee and slight roasted malt notes. It's super appealing and invites you right in.

Taste: Delicious!  Lots of chocolate all the way through with roasted malts, coffee, molasses and a surprising amount of hops along the way. Some acidity in here as well. As it warms, hops become more prominent and lend a more bitter chocolate taste. Finishes with nice bitter sweet chocolate, cocoa and hops. All in all, much more complex than I expected.

Feel: Body is on the heavier side as was expected with some noticeable carbonation, but it's also pretty smooth, leaving a creamy velvety film behind. As it warms, there is an acidic burn that becomes more evident.

Drinkability: Very good drinkability. Appearance, aroma, taste, and feel are all winners here coming together to create a very nice brew. I enjoyed this one a lot, but don't allow it to warm too much to get the most out of this one. It's best on the colder side in my opinion.

Belhaven Scottish Ale - Friday Beer O'Clock Selection 3-4-2011

Grab your quilt and bagpipes, this week's Friday Beer O'clock Selection comes all the way from Scotland. Belhaven Scottish Ale is brewed by The Belhaven Brewery, one of Scotland's oldest regional breweries, dating back to 1719.  This is concidered to be a fully rounded ale with a complex mix of malt producing malty and nutty flavors. So far I have become a fan of the Scottish Ales and this definitely does not disappoint.

Troegs Nugget Nectar Imperial Amber Ale - Friday Beer O'Clock Selections 2-25-2011

This week's selection is one that came with high praise and recommendation. Troeg's Nugget Nectar seasonal Imperial Amber Ale.

ABV: 7.5%

Apparance: Poured with golden amber with orange hughs forming a small head that dissipated quick leaving behind a decent collar and spotty lacing. Turbidity is high and cloudy.

Aroma: Right away is a punch of super fresh pine and citrus. Nice lemon with earth and grassy scents. There is an aroma of sticky hops, but with slight sweetness. Most notable is the big pine citrus.

Taste: Wow! Lots of citrus, with nutmeg and spices. Uncertain sweetness up front and I can't nail it down, but it's there - Tropical fruits? I expected much more bitterness, but it reminds me more of sweet ripe citrus (bitter sweet). Citrus pine tops the finish with a pleasant bitter aftertaste and rounds out across the tongue and back of mouth. Nicely balanced.

Feel: On the lighter side with good refreshing character. Clean and wet with nice carbonation.

Drinkability: Overall great drinkability. Crisp clean and refreshing character with a fantastic balanced hop bitterness and sweet citrus. There are a handful of brews that have made me reconsider my opinion of hoppy bitter beers. This is definately one of them.

If you consider yourself a hophead, you have to try this!

Thanks to @jimstorer and @m70 for convincing me not to wait on this one.

Brooklyn Brown Ale - Friday Beer O'Clock Selections 1-21-2011

This week's Friday Beer O'Clock Selection is Brooklyn Brown Ale brewed in Brookly, New York by a brewery known as ... wait for it ... Brooklyn Brewery!  I've also heard that they sell bridges, but have not been able to confirm that fact.

ABV: 5.6%

Appearance:

Poured with a rich dark brown color with amber highlights and formed a loose two finger brown-ish head. The head didn't last very long, but managed to retain a decent collar. Lacing covers the sides well, but dosn't hold very well. Turbidity appears to be pretty clear but the color gives it an opaqueness that makes it hard to see much. There is some carbonated bubbling, but hard to see.

Aroma:

Aromas are delicious and pretty much what I expect from a good brown ale. Lots of rich malts, molases, chocolate, brown sugar, coffee, and rounding off with some hops. All working together nicely.

Taste:

YES! Just as the aromas suggest. Flavors are very well balanced here, in my opinion, and all come together nicely moving from front to back. A collection of roasted and caramel malts, coffee and chocolate with a mellow bitter hopiness in the finish.

Feel:

In large, this is a smooth brew with medium to medium-heavy body. Carbonation is just right for my taste with a dry finish.

Drinkability:

I rate this pretty high on the drinkability chart. Great flavor and mouth. Hearty but refreshing. It makes a great session beer at 5.6% ABV, and would be appropriate in any season.

Overall:

Thumbs up from me. In fact, I believe I'm going to add this to my favorites list. I have a feeling this would be great with a nice steak or a rack of babyback ribs.

Tried this one yourself or have another Brown Ale Suggestion? Leave a comment and share.

Southern Tier Cuvee, Series Three - Friday Beer O'Clock Selections 1-14-2011

This week's Friday Beer O'Clock Selection was admitidly influenced by the packaging. A nice boxed package with fancy graphics and fonts... lesson learned? Never judge a book by it's cover, or a beer by it's fancy packaging. However, in my defense, the selections this week on the shelves were a bit limited.

Today's selection brings us Southern Tier's Oak Aged Ale Cuvee, Series Three.

ABV: 11%

Appearance: Poured into a mug with a nice clear but dark amber-red color, forming an UN-impressive fizzy head and leaving spotty lacing.

Aroma: Off the bat, this is very sweet smelling with vanilla, caramel, and sweet plum, pineapple and malts coming out on top. Strange, but the aroma reminds me of sweet 'n sour chinese chicken.

Taste: Very sweet alcohol with malts right up front. In the middle, vanilla, toffee and caramel come out and in the back, a VERY slight hopiness and oak, all finishing with an overall sweetness. There is a noticible alcohol ether throughout.

Feel: It has a definate bite of alcohol that warms the gut. Body is on the heavy side with a smooth syrupy texture and low carbonation. So far, the best part of this brew.

Drinkability: No points scored here either. Far too sweet with noticible alcohol. It's not too bad for a warm sipper in snifter or wine goblet, but definately not suitable for a mug.

Overall: I had high hopes for this, but in the end, was a little dissapointed and having trouble finishing the glassfull. Similar in many ways to the Samichlaus reviewed a while back which also didn't win me over. After getting past the expectations I had, It's not a complete loss, but I'm not recommending this one, especially at the price it gets.

Maybe I missed something, but if you've tried this one and don't agree with this review, now is your chance to speak up.

Unibroue's "Terrible" - Friday Beer O'Clock Selection 1-7-2011

Smuttynose Really Old Brown Dog Ale – Friday Beer O'Clock Selection 11-26-2010

This week's selection is Really Old Brown Dog Ale (Big Beer Series) from Smuttynose Brewery in New Hampshire. I had the Old Brown Dog Ale from tap a while back, and really enjoyed it, so I had high hopes for this as well.

ABV: 10%

Appearance:

Poured with a deep dark brown amber color forming a brown head at about 1-2 fingers. The head dissipated quick and lacing was thin and spotty.

Aroma:

Delicious aroma from this one. Picking up rich malts, molasses and a lot of chocolate with caramel and a hint of plum.

Taste:

This is where I was taken by surprise. The flavor in this brew in BIG!! Like the aromas there is some fruit with a lot of rich malt and chocolate in abundance in the front trailing into slightly bitter mosasses and hint of coffee in the back and finish. It's all very good but I picked up some acidity the alcohol is evident and hard not to notice. BUT... in it's defense, this brew should be left to age for a while and is expected to mellow with some time.

Feel:

This has great body. Upper Medium weight with some chew and fairly smooth over all. Theres a bit of a carbonated bite that is magnified by the warm burn of the alcohol. The Alcohol also warms the gut a bit.

Drinkability:

For what it is, I thought this was a nice brew. Similar to a Port in some ways. A snifter of this on a cool night will do a lot to warm the spirit. But keep it cool and don't let it sit too long. The alcohol flavor and heat intensify as the brew warms, so drink up.

Keep in mind that it is recommended to age this for a while before opening.