     Tallgrass Buffalo Sweat Stout (Tallgrass Brewing Company)
Tallgrass is a little brewery in Kansas. Buffalo Sweat is their first seasonal release and is a milk stout, not to be confused with a dry stout or an Irish stout. Milk stouts are brewed with the addition of lactose (milk sugar) that is non-fermentable but does add some sweetness to the beer. From the Tallgrass site: "Buffalo Sweat Stout is a dark, delicious cream stout, and the latest creation from Tallgrass! We don’t know if Buffaloes actually sweat, but we do know a smooth, balanced, and great-tasting beer when we brew one!" Here we go... Pour - its not surprising that this stout pours dark in color, pretty much black. Its topped off with an inch of light coffee colored foamy head.
Aroma - coffee. dark roast coffee. burnt coffee grounds, dark chocolate, vanilla and (I kid you not) sweet corn.
Taste - heaps of dark roasted coffee, bittersweet cocoa powder and some vanilla essence. Very nice melding of bitter and dry flavors with sweet and creaminess. This has a very smooth mouthfeel to it and at 5% is very easy going. Great stuff.
Overall - very solid milk stout in my opinion. Its roasty and toasty with some bitterness up front and finishes sweet and smooth. I don't ask for too much more from my milk stouts.
Would I buy more of it? - sure, if I happen to find myself driving through Kansas I'd like to pick up some of these to share with friends. This is the first beer I've ever had from Kansas.
Note - Tallgrass Brewing was founded in 2007 by Jeff and Tricia Gill. Their beers are only available in Kansas so if you are driving through or visiting make sure to pick some up and give it a try. Jeff is another beer lover turned brewery owner so you know he has your best interests at heart.
Posted by Russ Labels: Stouts, Winter Beers, Autumn Beers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
  Seeyoulator Doppelbock (Boulevard Brewing Company)
One of the more clever takes on the -ator suffix associated with Doppelbocks (it all began with Salvator). After having recently tried Cigar City's Humidor Jai Alai IPA (which was absolutely incredible), which is also aged on cedar, I was pretty excited to see what this one tastes like. From the Boulevard site: "The style is characterized by a very robust grain bill, producing a big, malt-forward beer. Our version, while true to style, bids a fond aufwiederseben to tradition, charting a flight path into bold new territory. Medium amber in color, it offers a heady, estery banana aroma. A luscious maltiness predominates, with balancing notes from Hallertau hops. Cedar aging lends just a hint of spice to the finish. Because of its sweetness, Seeyoulator pairs nicely with roasted meat dishes or stews, and, assuming you're not fasting, beautifully complements desserts such as bittersweet chocolate or bread pudding."" Here we go... Pour - clean and clear out of the corked bottle. This has a great dark amber color to it with some great bubble action. The head is slightly tan and foams up a good inch or so before settling into itself.
Aroma - dark fruit, pears and apples. I actually don't smell banana as it states above. Maybe I am doing something wrong?
Taste - sweet and juicy up front and a bit spicy and dry in the finish. Plenty of caramel flavor along with apple and pear with a nice crispness to it. After this warms and several sips have gone down smoothly I begin to taste a cherry flavor, hmmm. This one drinks extremely easy for 8.5%.
Overall - very tasty stuff, unfortunately the cedar was hard to to capture, if at all. I was sort of hoping it would provide a lot more depth to this beer, oh well. Still a great potent potable.
Would I buy more of it? - I can't get Boulevard's beers here in New England, so I guess the question is not applicable.
Note - more about the style from the Boulevard site, "Doppelbock was first brewed in Munich around 1700 by the monks of Saint Francis of Paula, to sustain them through the Lenten fast. This "liquid bread" was renowned for its rich flavor and deep amber color. The monks called their full-bodied brew "Salvator." Today it is customary to pay homage to the good brothers by giving doppelbocks names inding in "-ator."
Posted by Russ Labels: Bocks, Autumn Beers, Wood Aged Beers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 The Duck-Rabbit Märzen (fest lager) (The Duck-Rabbit Craft Brewery)
This Oktoberfest release first hit the shelves in October of '09 and represents the brewery's third lager release. I'd give you more information about this beer but Duck-Rabbit hasn't updated their website in years and isn't making too much of the specification of their beers public these days. If you know anything else feel free to let me know... Here we go... Pour - amber with brilliant red highlights and tints especially when held to the light. Super clean and clear with a decent sized tightly-knit stark white head. Looks pretty damn good.
Aroma - like a lot of other lagers out there this one is not very aromatic. There is some bready/biscuity notes along with some roasty/toasty malts and some burnt cereal grains. Not a lot else in the nose.
Taste - honey and malt syrupy sweetness up front. The bready/biscuity flavors come in along with a lot of the roasted malt flavor. A lot of standard malt flavors are present without a lot of surprises but what really shines with this beer is it's crisp finish and clean taste. Definitely a solid effort for the style from the folks at Duck-Rabbit.
Overall - really enjoyed it, despite being a season late. Great toasty flavors with a nice crisp lager finish. Solid stuff.
Would I buy more of it? - I might, but I'd probably go to one of their other beers first, especially if their (gold medal winning) Baltic Porter was within reach.
Note - The other lagers released by Duck-Rabbit are their Schwarzbier and their Duck-Rabbitor (a doppelbock).
Posted by Russ Labels: Märzens/Oktoberfests, Autumn Beers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
    Okto-Bock (Pittsfield Brew Works)
Pittsfield Brew Works is a great brewpub located in the Berkshire Mountains of far Western Massachusetts. Whenever I visit my wife's family I try to work in a trip there to have some some food and a few beers. Everything I've ever had by them has been quite solid. Recently they started bottling some of their beers and selling them to go so I bought a few different ones at a very reasonable $4.50 each. I was thankful to be able to grab one of the last bottles of their Okto-Bock as it was fantastic on tap. From the Pittsfield Brew Works site: "Our nod to the tradition of Oktoberfest. A deeply satisfying amber lager, rich malt flavors with a clean finish. More Bock Bier than Fest at 8.88% alcohol. So hike up your Lederhosen and hang on to your Bratwurst, it’s Okto-Bock time!" Here we go... Pour - dark auburn in color, nice and clean. Very much like a marzen or dark lager in appearance. Nice big fluffy head fills the top of this glass and settles to a thin white coating on top of a great looking beer that seems to settle darker than originally appeared.
Aroma - lots of baked apple and toffee smells. Plenty of estery goodness packed into this. Nice sweet toasty malts and a bit of caramel and vanilla.
Taste - sweet and flavorful. This has a big dark fruit flavor that instantly blankets the tongue, its a refreshing beer that tastes almost juicy. There is a good deal of rich, roasted malt flavor as well as some toffee. Lots of stuff going on here and oh so drinkable, even at nearly 9%.
Overall - love it. A very clean tasting dark and malty delight. This is definitely a beer that could be shared or piggishly devoured by one's self (guilty as charged). Great job with this one PBW!
Would I buy more of it? - definitely, I'll be on the look out next year when it comes around again!
Note - Bill and Christine Heaton, former employees at Victory Brewing Company, moved north and opened Pittsfield Brew Works in 2005. Since then they've expanded the brewpub as well as their catalog of beers. Christine is due with their first baby any day now so cheers to them both as soon as the baby arrives.
Posted by Russ Labels: Bocks, Autumn Beers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
   Thanksgiving Ale (Mayflower Brewing Company)
I can not imagine a more appropriate brewery when it comes to releasing a "Thanksgiving Ale". Mayflower Brewing is located in historic Plymouth, Massachusetts, home to what many believe was the first "Thanksgiving" meal back in 1621. From the Mayflower site: "Our first seasonal brew! Mayflower Thanksgiving Ale is an inspired blend of two brewing styles: American Strong Ale and English Old Ale. Aged on American white oak, this full-bodied brew warms the soul with hints of caramel, vanilla and spicy nuts." Here we go... Pour - dark auburn with some reddish hues. Head is offwhite, thick and sits atop this pour quite nicely. Its a very clean looking beer, a little viscous as its weighing in at 8%.
Aroma - brown sugar and caramel along with slight hints of vanilla and apples. Its also got just a touch of alcohol heat in the nose.
Taste - sweet, malty and flavorful. Plenty of the brown sugar and caramel comes out in the taste along with some maple syrup, candied apple, cider and a little vanilla. The oak certainly has mellowed this one out and made it super smooth, it exhibits some qualities that remind me of a Belgian-style dubbel. Nice warmth from the alcohol and a dry sweetness in the finish.
Overall - An excellent beer for the Thanksgiving table. The maltiness goes well with everything on the table and the oak has mellowed this one perfectly. Excellent flavors and just an overall great offering from Mayflower. Cheers!
Would I buy more of it? - yes, every Thanksgiving going forward I will do my best to have a bottle on the table.
Note - Click the turkey below for a great article about enjoying beer with a traditional Thanksgiving meal by none other than "the Beerhunter" himself, Michael Jackon.
Posted by Russ Labels: Holiday Beers, American Strong Ales, Autumn Beers | |||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
  Oktoberfest (Stoudt's Brewing Company)
This has to be one of my favorite Oktoberfest labels out there. A nice oom-pah band member sipping on a nice big stein of beer. You can't really argue with that. Here's to you oom-pah band guy! From the Stoudt's site: "This medium bodied amber beer elegantly combines a touch of malty sweetness with a pleasingly subtle hop character. A traditional German-style Oktoberfest beer brewed from the finest imported ingredients." Here we go... Pour - Darker golden in color with some very good carbonation and a rich, fluffy off-white bed of foam resting on top. Aroma - Burnt sugar, sour malt and a defined metallic lager yeast smell. Taste - Very crisp and refreshing. This is more on par with the types of Oktoberfests that you'll find in Germany. Afterall, this is a lager and not an ale. Its a bit sweeter and maltier than your average lager and it most certainly fits the style guidelines better than many other American Oktoberfests. Easy drinking with a nice dry, subtle hop finish. Overall - A very good example of an American brewery with German roots brewing up a very solid, traditional Oktoberfest. Very drinkable, crisp and delicious. Would I buy more of it? - Yes, yes I would. I'd love to try it on tap at the brewery in Adamstown along with a big, fresh-from-the-oven, soft pretzel! Note: Stoudt's has an Oktoberfest celebration every Sunday in October which includes live traditional German music, German foods and of course plenty of Stoudt's beers!
Posted by Russ Labels: Märzens/Oktoberfests, Autumn Beers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Harvest Moon Pumpkin Ale (Coors Brewing Company)
If you don't know this already, Blue Moon and all of the like are brewed by Coors. Its a sad thing, I know. Too many people think they are supporting some brewery called Blue Moon Brewing but its in fact just a marketing ploy by MillerCoors. Anyways, I try not to get too political beer-wise so I thought I'd give this one a shot and see if maybe they got it right. Hell, they've got the equipment and the know-how. The label reads: "With its clove, nutmeg and allspice flavors, this amber-colored ale is perfect for fall's crisp, clear days. Serve this hearty brew with all of your autumn meals." Here we go... Pour - Dark auburn with very little bubble action and an extremely thin head. Its almost sad how little foam is on this pour. Aroma - Subtle spice, brown bread and caramel. Not a whole lot detectable. Taste - Sweet up front like brown sugar on your lips with a little bit of cinnamon and clove. This is an extremely thin beer, not sure why they call it "hearty" on the label. Its definitely more on the watery scale. If it had more body, more flavor, more "oooph" that might save it. Overall - Nothing to write home about that is for sure. Stick with your local micros and look for pumpkin ales that are brewed with real pumpkin by dudes that use stuff from their garage when they brew. Would I buy more of it? - I'm going to say no. I'll continue to support the little guy who spends money on real ingredients and not flashy marketing. Note: Since Coors, Miller and Molson are now one big happy beer family they actually market Blue Moon in Canada as Rickard's White and brew it in Montreal.
Posted by Russ Labels: Pumpkin Ales, Autumn Beers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Wolaver's Will Stevens' Pumpkin Ale (Otter Creek Brewing Company)
Part of Wolaver's "Farmer's Series", Will Stevens is the local farmer who grew the pumpkins. As this is a Wolaver's offering its also organic, which means the pumpkins are also organic. From the Wolaver's site: "The first and only...ORGANIC PUMPKIN ALE!We named this new beer "Will Stevens' Pumpkin Ale," in honor of the hardworking farmer who grew the organic pumpkins. The pumpkins were grown by Will Stevens and his wife Judy, of Golden Russet Farmin Shoreham, Vermont. They have been growing organic vegetables and flowers for over 25 years." Here we go... Pour - A glowing, golden orange color with streams of carbonation forming a very thin loose bubbly white top. Aroma - Some pumpkin pie spice like cinnamon and/or clove. Nothing too over the top as far as the spices go but its also all I can make it as far as aroma goes. Taste - Very light tasting pumpkin ale. The subtle flavor of pumpkin is indeed noticeable and the spices are actually a little more in the background than I was expecting. Its not an overly sweet beer, in fact it doesn't have a whole lot of flavor whatsoever. Overall - Not a bad pumpkin beer but one that may not wow many people. Its very drinkable and personally I like the subtleness of it. Would I buy more of it? - I think I would actually, maybe on tap with a nice meal. Its very easy drinking and could go quite well with a turkey dinner.
Posted by Russ Labels: Pumpkin Ales, Autumn Beers, Organic Beers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Saranac Pumpkin Ale (The Matt Brewing Company)
Saranac is a part of the Matt Brewing family. These are the folks that have given upstate New York the one and only Utica Club (a very bland macro lager with a bit of a cult following). Saranac is a funny sort of thing, its not a micro-brewery and its definitely not a craft brewery but they produce and market beers as if they were. They have to be the most prolific macro/micro brewery out there as they produce an absolutely ridiculous array of different beers. From the Saranac site: "Saranac Pumpkin Ale is brewed with Pumpkin, Cinnamon, Allspice, Cloves, Ginger and Vanilla. Look for a full-body and amber color. We're sure you'll enjoy this special brew!" Here we go... Pour - A bit like a dark lager. Dark golden with some reddish brown hues and a very thin loose white head. Aroma - Almost entirely of pumpkin pie spices. That cinnamon, allspice, clove and ginger is all there and in no short supply. There is some sweet sugar and possibly pumpkin lying below this spiciness but its not easy to pick it out. Taste - I'll be honest, its a pretty bland beer with way too much spice. Definitely one that won't go down quickly. The pie spice is pretty strong and without the malt needed to back it up. The pumpkin is also missing so more than anything this is a spicy amber ale and a mediocre one at that. Overall - Way too spicy and without any depth. This is definitely not one of the pumpkin beers I'd be tempted by again. Would I buy more of it? - Ummm...I'm going to go with no on this one.
Posted by Russ Labels: Pumpkin Ales, Autumn Beers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Halloween Ale (Gritty McDuff's Brewpub)
One of very few Halloween Ales on the market, in fact there are more Belgian beers that involve the name Halloween than there are American ones. Its become a ritual for me to buy a six-pack of this every Halloween and sit back and relax and pass out candy to the little costumed kiddies. From the Gritty's site: "From its humble beginnings in 1990 as a small-batch seasonal in our Portland Brew Pub, Halloween Ale has grown to be one of the year's most anticipated beer releases. This robust brew has a deep amber color, a bold, malty palate and a well-rounded hop finish. The perfect beer for a crisp autumn day!" Here we go... Pour - Clean, clear, dark chestnut with some ruby highlights and a perfect inch of dense foam on top. Nothing scary about this pour. Aroma - Frightfully malty, with some baked apple and cinnamon along with brown sugar. This is NOT a spiced beer nor does it contain and pumpkin. It just happens to give of a bit of a spicy aroma. Taste - Starts off sweet with some fruit esters (apples and pears) and quickly turns bitter (but not hoppy bitter). There is a certain dryness to this beer along with a faint bit of buttery flavor from the staple yeast of Maine - ringwood. Overall - Great ESB. Easy drinking and refreshing with just enough ABV to keep you warmed on a cool Halloween night in New England or the Midwest or Alaska or wherever you might be. Would I buy more of it? - Next Halloween I'll go back and buy some more. If you have access to this, give it a shot.
Posted by Russ Labels: Extra Special Bitters, Autumn Beers, Holiday Beers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Otter Creek Oktoberfest (Otter Creek Brewing Company)
With all the winter seasonal beers already hitting the shelves I feel like I am running out of time to drink and review the autumn beers I still have in my fridge. It seems every year it gets earlier and earlier. From the Otter Creek site: "Oktoberfest is our version of the perennial favorite Bavarian Autumn beer. Oktoberfest’s deep golden hue helps bring to mind the old country and its time honored traditions. Brewed with Hallertau and Tettnang hops to balance its clean, malty sweetness, it’s the perfect brew for a crisp Autumn day. Available from August to November." Here we go... Pour - Medium amber in color with a good amount of carbonation and a white pancake batter-esque head. Aroma - Malty sweetness, bread dough and caramel. Taste - Biscuits and honey, brown bread, brown sugar along with a bit of tanginess and a sharp, noble hop finish. Nothing too outstanding with this one but that being said you could certainly enjoy a lot of these on a nice fall evening and feel pretty good about your choice to do so. Overall - Not really my favorite seasonal nor one of my favorites from Otter Creek. Decent and non-offensive enough but I think they could do it better. Note: Otter Creek's Vermont Lager won a gold medal at the Great American Beer Frestival this year in the Bohemian-style Pilsner category. Way to go!
Posted by Russ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Pumpkin Imperial Spruce Stout (Rock Art Brewery)
I am a big Rock Art fan. Matt's beers are top notch and some of the most fairly priced micro offerings I see when I go to the beer store. Their "Pumpkin Imperial Spruce Stout" is definitely one of the more unique pumpkin beers I've seen released so far. Nothing like brewing a big strong stout with pumpkin and spruce tips! I say the more unique the better, that is what makes the US craft beer market so incredibly diverse and continuously become more and more unique. The label reads: "A big stout brewed in the colonial fashion with large amounts of pumpkins and spruce tips added to the kettle for flavor and bittering qualities. The pumpkins complement the malt flavors and were used to add sugars to the mash. What ever you do, do not think this is going to taste like pumpkin pie." Here we go... Pour - Pumpkin Imperial Spruce Stout pours a very rich, dark brown almost black color. The head is nice and thick and off-white to tan in color. I held this to the light and only a glimmer of amber shown through. So, yeah, this stuff is dark. Aroma -Sweet, toasty malt with plenty of dark bread and maybe a little brown sugar and coffee. Taste - Very robust, roasty and rich. Their are some bitter chocolate and espresso notes. As this warms their is some sweetness that comes out that could be pumpkin or it could be the malt, not really sure. Its very creamy in texture, almost silky smooth as it goes down. I wish I could make out the spruce but I'm thinking I can't. There is a nice bitter finish to this beer and I'm guessing its well hopped at 50 IBUs. Overall - Definitely one to let warm in your hand and sip slowly. Their is some subtle complexity to this stout and it definitely does not taste like pumpkin pie. Another great offering from Rock Art. If I had to be constructive I'd say I'd like to have tasted more pumpkin sweetness. Note: According to the label, this beer is the "brain child of John Little, a telemark instructor at Jay Peak, VT"
Posted by Russ Labels: Pumpkin Ales, Stouts, Autumn Beers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Southampton Pumpkin Ale (Southampton Publick House)
Southampton Pumpkin Ale hails from the eastern side of Long Island. The brewpub responsible is located in a building thats been serving beer for two centuries. If I ever find myself on Long Island I'll definitely be making the drive out to this place. From the Southampton Publick House site: "Southampton Pumpkin Ale is an unique amber-colored brew that has particular appeal during the autumn months and the holidays of Halloween and Thanksgiving. We use a generous amount of pumpkin as well as traditional "pumpkin pie" spices to give this unusual brew a definite seasonal character." Here we go... Pour - Southampton Pumpkin pours a very clean and clear copper color. The head is quite thick like a dollop of Cool Whip on top. Nice and bubbly. Aroma - A lot of spice up front. Definitely some cinnamon and nutmeg along with ginger. Smells like a can of Libby's Pumpkin Pie filling but without all the sweetness. Taste - The spices you smell do come into play nicely as far as the flavor of this beer goes. There is some sweet, buttery caramel flavor as well but its not overly sweet. Put those things together and you've got the making of a not so sweet pumpkin pie flavored beer. The actual pumpkin flavor is hidden and subtle at best but its definitely there. Very smooth with a nice creamy finish and it leaves the flavor of the cinnamon on your tongue. Overall - Not bad at all. Its a very solid pumpkin beer. I'd say its exactly how the brewer describes it. Definitely worth picking up a bottle if you're into pumpkin beers. Would I buy more of it? Umm, not sure. That would probably depend on the choices I was faced with. As I am trying to sample a lot of different pumpkin beers this season I'd probably try something else they had to offer.
Posted by Russ Labels: Pumpkin Ales, Autumn Beers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
  Post Road Pumpkin Ale (Brooklyn Brewery)
Another pumpkin ale, this time from Brooklyn. I thought I'd tire from pumpkin beers by now but in fact I am starting to really like certain ones. The spicy not so sweet pumpkin beers are definitely more to my liking. Brooklyn brews most of their beers in a traditional, not over-the-top manner so I'm guessing their pumpkin beer will be solid and more true to style. Cheers! Pour - Post Road pours a dark gold or medium amber color with a nice fluffy white head. Nice cascading bubbles as well. Its a joy to look at, especially knowing that I can drink it soon. Aroma - Interesting mix of kitchen spices. Definitely some cinnamon and nutmeg along with some clove. There is also a bit of pumpkin as well. Its sort of earthy and sweet. Taste - Talk about a nice flavorful beer. Plenty of the spices come out and add a nice bite in the finish. The pumpkin flavor is a bit hard to taste until this one warms up a bit, but its definitely there. What this beer is not is a super sweet pumpkin pie flavored disaster. Its more like the Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale, its probably very true to the original style brewed back in the day. Great job! Overall - Great beer, I really enjoyed the spiciness and the fact that it wasn't very sweet. It definitely reminded me of the Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale. Would I buy more of it? Yes, without a doubt.
Posted by Russ Labels: Pumpkin Ales, Autumn Beers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
  Goose Island Harvest Ale (Goose Island Beer Company)
Harvest Ale can mean so much these days when it comes to beers. Its not much of a descriptive name really unless you're talking about a hop harvest. Goose Island's Harvest Ale is an ESB which is something I didn't expect. I figured it was yet another amber ale but this one surprised me a bit. From the Goose Island site: "Brewed in honor of the Harvest season this copper colored ESB is made with Cascade hops and the richest Midwestern malts. A fruity American hop aroma and a toasty malt character make Goose Island Harvest Ale an extra special beer worthy of your devotion." Harvest Ale pours a rather unsurprising dark amber color. It screams harvest ale to be honest. Its clean and clear with no defects and a nice thick fluffy head that leaves some nice lacing. If the pour is unsurprising, the aroma is the opposite. This smells like a freshly bottled pale ale or IPA! Its got a lot of piney, citrusy smells. Its all about the cascade hops when it comes to the nose on this beer. Who would've thought? One nice sip of this and the adjective machine goes to work. Plenty of toasty/bready malt sweetness that blends well with the hops I smelled. The cascade flavor is a little more subdued than you might expect from the smell but there's a nice citrus bite. If my eyes were closed or there was no label on this beer I'd probably guess it was a pale ale. Still I really enjoyed it and to be honest I don't really care what style category its in. Something I really like about Goose Island is the amount of information they provide about their beers. If you go to their site it has a ton of information about each of their offerings. From the ABV, IBUs and malts/hops used to how long you should cellar it as well as which is the best cheese to pair it with. They also tell you which glass to use, which is also shown on the label on the back of the bottle. Cheers Goose Island!
Posted by Russ Labels: Extra Special Bitters, Autumn Beers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Heavy Seas Prosit! Imperial Oktoberfest (Clipper City Brewing Company)
From the new Heavy Seas "Mutiny Fleet" series comes Prosit!, an "Imperial Oktoberfest Lager". I've heard of Imperial Stouts and IPAs and even Imperial Pumpkin beers but I've yet to try an Imperial Oktoberfest. From the Clipper City site: "Prosit! is malt focused, made with five types of grain including Vienna and Munich malts - plus a secret extra malt that we use only in our Prosit! Consider this bomber to be the burly big brother to our Clipper City MarzHon, a three year in a row winner at the Great American beer Festival. We’ve balanced the sweetness of the malt with three kinds of hops making this one of the boldest marzen style you'll ever try." Prosit! pours a very rich, dark amber that is slightly viscous with an inch of thick, fluffy, off-white head on top. Some reddish hues appear when held to the light. This looks innocent enough. Aroma is a nose full of sweet baked apples, brown sugar/caramel, cinnamon along with a hint of alcohol. The taste is an intriguing blend of sweet fruit like apples, pears and plums along with a good deal of rich, toasty malt flavor. Its similar to other Oktoberfests, just a good deal stronger. The rich, toasty malt flavor is great and the warming quality of the high alcohol makes this even more interesting. No spices in the taste, they were more in the aroma. As this warms it becomes similar to apple cider and is just about perfect for a cool evening here in New England. Overall, this is a pretty potent amber lager with a crisp finish and a lot of estery flavors. Clipper City has done a great job with all of their Heavy Seas beers and I am glad that they've started to add some new ones. Prosit!
Posted by Russ Labels: Märzens/Oktoberfests, Autumn Beers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Oktoberfest (Great Lakes Brewing Company)
Yet another Oktoberfest but this time from one of my favorite breweries. Great Lakes Brewing Company is located in Cleveland and the brewery itself is truly a place worth visiting should you find yourself in "The Forest City". From the Great Lakes site: "Oktoberfest is Vienna's stronger brother. Gabriel Sedlmayr adapted the Vienna style for brewing in Munich. Because refrigeration had not yet been invented, March was traditionally the last month in which lagers were brewed. Sedlmayr's beer was made in March to last until September and was served in autumn amidst traditional celebrations. Cleveland's commemoration of Oktoberfest dates back to the mid 1800s when German immigrants celebrated at outdoor beer gardens like Haltnorth's Garden and Kindvater's St. Clair Garden." Oktoberfest pours a very dark mahogany color with some reddish auburn highlights. Its a great looking color for a beer. The head is big and fluffy and quite dense, almost looks like bread dough. Aroma is very sweet, like caramel and brown sugar in a glass. Sort of surprising as its much sweeter than I expected. Its actually sweet to the point where I'm a bit turned off. Flavor is...well...it tastes like brown bread with honey on it. That is the best description I can come up with. Its got a sweetness that is not balanced by a crisp lager-esque finish, its sort of falls flat and is a bit watery. I had high hopes for this beer but its definitely not one of the better domestic Oktoberfests that I've had this year. Maybe it was a bad batch? Anyone else had this and felt the same? Sigh.
Posted by Russ Labels: Märzens/Oktoberfests, Autumn Beers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Regenschauer Oktoberfest (Coastal Extreme Brewing Company)
A few years ago I went down to Newport and visited the Newport Storm brewery. It was in an industrial/warehouse area north of town. Let's just say it wasn't pretty but it did the job. Now, I am happy to say that the brewery is moving into a nice, new home and its well deserved after 10 years of slugging it out in the old digs. Cheers to you Newport Storm, moving on up! From the Newport Storm site: "A Märzen style lager abound with sweet malt flavor and a complex hop aroma. "Regenschauer" is the German word for rainstorm that fits perfectly with autumn in New England as well as this beer made in the traditional Oktoberfest style. This hearty lager has a toasted malt flavor typical of the German malts used to make it. Its aroma is a mixture of hop citrus and a faint hint of the lager yeasts used to make it." Regenschauer Oktoberfest pours dark peachy golden color, looks a bit murky. The head is about an inch and half of pure white fluff that leaves some lacing. The aroma is lager-esque, sort of bitter and metallic with some sweet malty aromas. There is also a bit of an unfiltered apple cider smell as well. One sip and this is a lot "fruitier" than expected. I use that word but its more the ester-y flavor of fruit like apples and pears that I taste. Its got some caramel/brown sugar sweetness that comes out as it warms. Not a lot of bite for a lager, its pretty smooth. Overall, this is a very drinkable beer. Its nothing fancy thats for sure but its an Oktoberfest that is brewed in the traditional way. Prosit Newport Storm!
Posted by Russ | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Dogfish Head Punkin Ale (Dogfish Head Craft Brewed Ales )
Ahh, yes, its not fall without Dogfish Head Punkin Ale. This is definitely one of the better pumpkin beers available and this year marks 15 years of brewing this beer for Sam Calagione and Co. From the Dogfish Head site: "A full-bodied brown ale with smooth hints of pumpkin and brown sugar. We brew our Punkin Ale with pumpkin meat, organic brown sugar and spices. This is the perfect beer to warm-up with, as the season cools." Punkin Ale pours a clean, clear rusty brown color with some golden highlights. The head is nice and thick and leaves some good lacing. Lookin' good Punkin Ale, lookin' real good. The aroma is sweet brown bread, honey, cinnamon, brown sugar (the type you top a coffee cake with) and a touch of tangy citrus. There is in fact a bit of a pumpkin/squash aroma to this beer but it is very faint and subtle, it smells a lot like a warm piece of pumpkin spice cake. One sip and you know you've got something great in your glass. Its got an incredible sweet malt flavor that combines perfectly with the spices and the subtle pumpkin flavor. Its not an over the top pumpkin pie flavor, instead its a very well balanced beer. The tangy, spicy, dark sugary sweetness of this beer is really alluring. I wish I had more of this as its very drinkable at 7%. Punkin Ale is not something you'd want to drink one of and then move on to something else. You could get comfortable with a 4-pack of these.
Posted by Russ Labels: Pumpkin Ales, Beer Videos, Autumn Beers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale (Smuttynose Brewing Company)
One of the very few Smuttynose offerings I've yet to try. Smutty Pumpkin Ale gets plenty of rave reviews and if its like any of the other beers they put out I am sure it's excellent. I guess we'll see. From the Smuttynose site: "Smuttynose Pumpkin Ale is our homage to the craft and heritage of America’s brewers. Recipes calling for the use of pumpkins in beer date back to early colonial times, when brewers sought to extend their supply of costly imported malt with locally grown ingredients, such as squash and “pompions.” In that spirit, we brew our ale with the addition of pumpkin to the mash, along with traditional spices to create a delicious American original." Pumpkin Ale pours a frosty amber/orange color. I think its a tad too cold. No matter, it will warm up. The head is very thick and leaves some nice lacing inside the glass. The aroma of this beer is very unique. I don't think I've ever smelled something quite like this that wasn't on the stove. Its got a spicy aroma but also that of cooked squash (not so much the pumpkin in a can smell that other pumpkin ales have). There is not a lot of sweetness in the smell, its a bit sour and musty actually. The flavor of this is very different than the other pumpkin beers I've had before. It tastes like what I'd imagine a very real pumpkin ale would taste like. Its not all that sweet, its more tangy then anything. Its got some spice to it but not a whole lot and does not mimic any gourd flavored pastry whatsoever. The finish is dry and a bit astringent, but not in a bad way, its more of a sharp finishing flavor. Its really amazing just how unique this beer is and also how easily you can adapt to it and really enjoy the flavors that come out. I'll be honest, the aroma threw me for a loop. It was such a different set of smells that I was picking up I really wasn't sure I'd enjoy the tastes that would follow. Thankfully this beer proved my senses wrong and I really enjoyed it especially as it warmed a bit. Cheers Smuttynose!
Posted by Russ Labels: Pumpkin Ales, Autumn Beers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Brooklyn Oktoberfest (Brooklyn Brewery)
Brooklyn brews a very good Oktoberfest. Let that be known to all those looking for something good to drink this fall. From the Brooklyn site: "Brewed from the finest German malt and hops, Brooklyn Oktoberfest is true to the original style, full-bodied and malty, with a bready aroma and light, brisk hop bitterness." Pours a nice clean, clear dark amber color with a thick fluffy head. Carbonation seems spot on and this one looks crisp and delicious. Aroma is very much the bready, biscuity, sweet maltiness described above. There is a bit of a sour malt aroma as well, something that always makes me think of lagers. Flavor is a combination of caramel, sweet malt extract, apple cider and brown bread. Its got a nice snappy finish to it that leaves your mouth slightly dry and begging for more. Very true to style and very easy drinking. A great amber lager that one could get comfortable with on a fall evening. Excellent balance and just an overall very drinkable seasonal release. Prosit Brooklyn!
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Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout (Cape Ann Brewing Company)
When I first heard of Cape Ann Brewing releasing a pumpkin stout I was pretty excited. I have to admit that I feel that pumpkin and spice + stout = a great combination. From the Cape Ann site: "This very unique style is more stout than the usual "pumpkin pie" ales that are out there,with hints of real pumpkin & spice and a dark, coffee, stout flavor!" Fisherman's Pumpkin Stout pours pretty much black in color with some slight ruby notes when held to the light. The head is an off white, very bubbly and about an inch in thickness. Looks like a real deal stout, no questions about that. Man, I wish I could get a pint on nitro. The aroma is an amazing combination of subtle pumpkin spice, dark roasted malt, chocolate and coffee. It screams fall in New England. This is the best pumpkin beer I've smelled thus far. One sip and I am sold. Lots of malty, roasty, toasty flavors up front combine nicely with the pumpkin taste and the spices. The nice thing about this beer is that it has a subtle pumpkin flavor as well as some spices it is not a beer that simply tasted like a pumpkin pie. The stout itself is excellent, very rich in flavor with a velvety mouthfeel. As it warms the flavors of this pumpkin stout become enhanced. I am very impressed by this beer and have been looking forward to its return since last year. This is one of my favorite pumpkin beers by far. Awesome job Cape Ann, its not over the top at all, this is a very solid and well crafted beer.
Posted by Russ Labels: Pumpkin Ales, Stouts, Autumn Beers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
  Pumking (Southern Tier Brewing Company)
One of several Imperial Pumpkin ales now on the market, Pumking certainly gets high marks when it comes to label art. Who can resist a mean looking pumpkin wearing a crown! From the Southern Tier site: "Pumking is an ode to Púca, a creature of Celtic folklore, who is both feared and respected by those who believe in it. Púca is said to waylay travelers throughout the night, tossing them on its back, and providing them the ride of their lives, from whichthey return forever changed! Brewed in the spirit of All Hallows Eve, a time of year when spirits can make contact with the physical world and when magic is most potent. Pour Pumking into a goblet and allow it’s alluring spirit to overflow. As spicy aromas present themselves, let its deep copper color entrance you as your journey into this mystical brew has just begun. As the first drops touch your tongue a magical spell will bewitch your taste buds making it difficult to escape. This beer is brewed with pagan spirit yet should be enjoyed responsibly." Pours slightly viscous into the glass. The color takes the shape of nice dark amber with some orange and red hues. Head is rather thin and makes this beer look dressed down a bit. I am not exaggerating when I say that the aroma of this beer is 100% that of a fresh baked pumkin pie. Lots of spicey notes like cinnamon and nutmeg along with some buttery aroma like that of a pie crust and of course some sweet pumpkin. Its truly a smell you have to experience for yourself. If you don't like pumpkin pie, I am not sure what to tell you. A small sip and Kabow! someone has poured a liquid pumpkin pie down my throat and chased it with a strong amber ale. Flavors of pumpkin pie spice abound in this beer. Its almost scary that you can differentiate the pumpkin from the crust. There is a bit of the flavor of vanilla ice cream as well and the warming of the alcohol makes it all come together just right. Its going to take awhile and lots of sipping to finish this beer but I'll do it and I'll be better for doing so. Viva la imperial pumpkin beer! Pumking is truly king of the high octane pumpkin ales. Note: This beer is probably not for you if you don't like pumpkin pie, spices in your beer or something you have to sip to appreciate. If you open a bottle be sure to have at least one other person around to share it with.
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 Sigtuna Oktoberfest (Sigtuna Brygghus)
Sigtuna is a micro brewery, not located in Sigtuna, but actually outside of Stockholm near the airport. The brewery also has an accompanying pub. This is their Oktoberfest beer, described as bready and full bodied. Pours a clear copper color with a lot of bubbles and a big white fluffy head that leaves some trace on the glass. The smell is spicy and herbal with a malty tone. Almost floral but still a good amount of bread and cereals. The taste has a lot of grain in it, but ends strangely sticky sweet almost like saccharin. Not a great deal of aftertaste, ends a bit dry once the sugariness is over. Not directly a winner, may be to some people's liking but really doesn't offer anything to this style of beer. Nonetheless it's good to see some smaller Swedish breweries making the effort.
Posted by Kelly Labels: Märzens/Oktoberfests, Swedish Beers, Autumn Beers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
Black October (Sigtuna Brygghus)
Sigtuna Brygghus is a micro brewery with their own pub located by Stockholm's main airport. They brew about a half dozen beers and this is a new one released to coincide with Oktoberfest. It is a schwartzbier that is described as smooth with coffee and chocolate tones. Pours, well, black. Held up to a light there is some ruby, but this stuff is oil in appearance. Has a fluffy espresso head that fades slowly leaving a layer on the beer. The smell is sweet coffee, with aromas of grains and honey. The taste is definitely smooth, it's not the dry coffee taste of stronger beers in this style, but rather a light easy to drink beer with a coffee aftertaste. To be honest I think the smooth factor is almost too high here, it could actually use some more kick. It's not a bad beer by any means it just needs a bit of oomf. Sigtuna also brews a traditional Oktoberfest beer, review for that coming up...
Posted by Kelly Labels: Schwarzbiers, Swedish Beers, Autumn Beers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
  Harpoon Octoberfest Beer (Harpoon Brewery)
Harpoon's Octoberfest has been brewed for almost 20 years! That is ancient in the timeline of craft brewing. This seasonal release is definitely one my favorites from Harpoon although its somewhat bittersweet when it hits the shelves as it means the days of summer are dwindling here in New England. The Harpoon site has this to say about their Octoberfest Beer: "The overall character is a rich, full-bodied, maltiness whose sweetness is balanced by generous use of hops." I'd have to agree, although the generous use of hops does not lead to this being an overly hoppy beer. Its definitely very balanced and extremely enjoyable on a cool evening. Harpoon's Octoberfest pours auburn in color with some red highlights. Its a very clean looking beer, nice and clear. The head is a good inch of foam that leaves some lacing on top that looks like a pancake that needs to be flipped. The aroma is a lot of caramel malt right up front. This is a very sweet and malty smelling beer with some estery fruit smells as well. Its got maybe some apples and pears going on. Plenty of bready smells as well. Flavor is a nice dose of malt with a crisp, clean finish. Maybe it's the hops that add a certain dryness on the tongue, I don't know. This beer, however, is nice and refreshing. The flavor is not overly sweet (cloying) its nicely balanced. I really enjoy the fruit like sweetness from the malt, Harpoon did a good job of bottling Autumn with this beer. Definitely a staple in the Autumn/Oktoberfest game here in New England. Time tested for sure, this is a good one for sure.
Posted by Russ Labels: Märzens/Oktoberfests, Autumn Beers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
 Oktoberfest Lager (Berkshire Brewing Company)
Normally I wouldn't buy beer out of season but when its ahead of season its hard to pass up. Fresh beer is fresh beer! With the oppressive heat wave we've been dealing with all week here in New England, it was sort of odd to see a number of Oktoberfests hitting the shelves. Such is life I guess, I also saw Halloween candy for sale at the grocery store. Berkshire Brewing Company's site has this to say about their Oktoberfest: This lager is brewed using true German hops and yeast. The orange-amber hue is reminiscent of the coming fall foliage. Berkshire Brewing Company Inc. "fest" is malty, smooth, and finishes with hints of spice and a subtle hop flavor. BBC's Oktoberfest pours a beautiful dark amber color. Its nice and rich, very inviting. This is a clean, clear dark lager with a good inch of thick white head. It leaves little islands of foam as it dissipates. The aroma of this beer is sweet caramel, dark bread dough, gingerbread, brown sugar and maybe a bit of rum. Lots of great warm smells, takes me forward to some nic e cool nights around a campfire. Ahh...the taste. Definitely one of my favorite lager styles. This one is rich and flavorful. Lots of sweet caramel notes, touches of dark fruit/esters, some more of the rum and a nice smooth finish that leaves an essence of brown sugar on the lips. I love fresh beer and if its August and you're seeing Autumn beers hitting the shelves, pick them up now and enjoy them at their freshest. Prosit!
Posted by Russ Labels: , Märzens/Oktoberfests, Autumn Beers, German-style Beers | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
