After the debacle that was qualifying two years ago, the USA is back on the field in competitive play. After not conceding a goal in he group stage, they face a nation with about 5 times as big as Wentzville, this shouldn't be much of a game... But...
We are going to knock out a few beers as we go. Here they are:
Beer #1
Brewer: Yellowstone Brewing
Beer Name: Huckle Weizen
Beer Style: Huckleberry Wheat
Price: ?
Aroma: John says fruity. I'm thinking honey? Sort of a weird natury smell. As I've never smelled a huckleberry, it might be those.
Appearance: Light golden amber, looks like a light ale. Very clear. Filtered for sure.
Mouthfeel: Very light; no tingle, no nothing really. Very watery and light. John says it's very wheat beerish.
Taste: Tastes like a huckleberry- whatever that is. You will either like it or not- no inbetween. I'm saying I'm not a huge fan. Kind of a funky taste. Maybe if I was a little more familiar with huckleberrys. John said they had ice cream and other things so they are more familiar with it.
Overall Rating: Michelle says a 4; John says 3.75; I'm going 3.
Beer #2
Brewer: Fernson Brewing
Beer Name Curio
Beer Style: Tart Ale
Price: ?
Aroma: Tart, fruity, smells very light and summery.
Appearance: This looks like sugar free apple juice. Super light, clear, no lacing at all.
Mouthfeel: Again, very light. Not much mouthfeel at all.
Taste: This is very nice. Smooth, tart, fruity. Grapefruit, grapes, maybe a little key lime.
Overall Rating: Michelle says 4.1, John says 3.75, I concur.
Beer #3
Brewer: Station 26 Brewing Company
Beer Name: 303 Lager
Beer Style: Lager
Price: ?
Aroma: Smells like barley and hops. A traditional lager aroma.
Appearance: Again, apple juice although this may not be sugar free. Very clear, slight lacing.
Mouthfeel: A little more substance and tingle then the previous two but we are still in the very light, nothing happening category.
Taste: Reminds me of Miller High Life- very sweet for a lager. John says it reminds him of Budweiser.
Overall Rating: John says a 2.25. I don't like lagers but this isn't any worse then others. I'll go 2.5.
Beer #4
Brewer: Grand Teton Brewing
Beer Name: Old Faithful Ale
Beer Style: Ale
Price: ?
Aroma: Honey for sure. Slightly fruity tartness as well.
Appearance: Keeping with the apple juice theme, this looks more like Apple-pear juice.
Mouthfeel: Again, very bland here as well.
Taste: Very smooth with a slight hint of hoppiness at the end. I'm going to say it's a honey ale.
Overall rating: John says a 2.75. I say 3.25. It's very crisp. I could definitely drink it by the pool.
Beer #5
Brewer: Bozeman Brewing
Beer Name: Gallatin Pale Ale
Beer Style: Pale Ale
Price:?
Aroma: This smells more like a beer. Hoppy, peachy, fruity. We started light on purpose. I know a pale ale isn't usually a heavyweight but relative to what we have been drinking, this smells like Mike Tyson's boxing trunks.
Appearance: Very clear, this might be a farm fresh apple juice as it is definitely darker then the others.
Mouthfeel: Slightly more tingly. We are getting somewhere.
Taste: John gets more hops with this one. He detects a change in hops as he moves through the drink. I get a fairly typical pale ale profile- slightly fruity with slight hops at the end. It is a solid beer- not a Stillwater Citra but it's definitely drinkable.
Overall Rating: John says a 3.25; I agree.
Beer #6
Brewery: Wasatch Brewing Company
Beer Name: Blueberry Hefeweizen
Beer Style: Hefeweizen
Price: ? (This one was left in the fridge of a hotel room that John staid in on his trip. For real.)
Aroma: Very blueberry! If it was a breakfast cereal, it would be the Boo Berries.
Appearance: John says light but a little cloudy. Haven't seen anything but crystal clear so far.
Mouthfeel: Nothing. Nothing. Nothing.
Taste: Delicious. Perfect blueberry taste in the light hefeweizen. Not too sweet; not too tart. This is delicious. It's buttery too. I like the whole waffle thing it's got going on.
Overall Rating: Michelle says 3.9, John says 3.5. I'm going 4. I think it's the best yet.
Beer #7
Brewery: Tommyknocker
Beer Name: Blood Orange IPA
Beer Style: IPA
Price: ?
Aroma: Very Orangey- like the orange cleaning product you see on the infomercials. Or the orange scented handwash you use after you change the oil.
Appearance: A beer with foam!!! Darker amber, slight cloudiness.
Mouthfeel: A little tingle at the end.
Taste: Tastes like an orange drink. Almost no hoppiness- certainly not very IPAish. John says it's orange all the way through with out as much hops as a normal IPA.
Overall Rating: John says a 3.75. I say a 3. Not my favorite.
Beer #8
Brewery: Snake River Brewing
Beer Name: Zonker
Beer Style: Export Stout
Price: ?
Aroma: Roasted Malt and Barley for sure; a slight chocolate and black licorice. John says roasty.
Appearance: Ummm, exactly what a stout should look like. Dark caramel lacing around the rim.
Mouthfeel: Buttery, thick, very tingly at the end. John says it has a coffee feel to it but not necessarily a coffee taste.
Taste: Very dry. It reminds me of a Russian stout for sure. Very, very roasty, malty, and smoked. John gets a slight bit of band-aid at the end.
Overall Rating: John says a 3.5. Again, I agree.
Sunday, June 30, 2019
Friday, June 21, 2019
It's Friday night... you know the rest
Waiting to go out with the homies. Gonna have a few brews. Figured I might as well blog the pre-game. Here we go.
Beer #1:
Brewer: Bur Oak
Beer Name: Sacred Sun
Beer Style: Saison
Price: $10 for a six pack at Friar Tucks
Aroma: Delicious belgiun saison. These all smell the same. I think it's the yeast. Kind of funky orangey/ citrusy but not quite. Almost like a fruit that's been in the sun too long. Just slightly rotten but not gross yet.
Appearance: Golden blonde with great lacing on the glass. Not clear at all.
Mouthfeel: Very light. Crisp and tart at the back end. A nice little tingle after it goes down.
Taste: These all taste good. If you like one, you will like them all. It's slightly citrusy, slightly tart, slightly belgiany with the yeast. A saison tastes like nothing else I've ever had. Kind of dank like an IPA (very lightly) but still refreshing and light.
Overall ranking: Going a 4 here. Not much better or worse then any other- a solid entry into the saison category. If you like saisons, you will love this.
Beer #2: Thanks to John for this one. He brought it back from vaca.
Brewer: Remedy
Beer Name: Brown Out
Beer Style: Brown Ale
Price: Doesn't matter unless you drive to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Aroma: Slightly fruity for a brown ale. Very yeasty. A very pungent brown ale.
Appearance: Very light brown. Almost a dark tan/ light brown. Quite clear- a nice tan lacing on the glass.
Mouthfeel: Very boring- nothing at all. A little tingle on the upper gums.
Taste: Delicious. Quite a decent brown. Rather light and very smooth. John says he tastes malt.
Overall Rating: I'm going 4.0. Another very solid entry. John concurs. We are birds of a feather.
Beer #3 Thanks to John again.
Brewer: Miner Brewing Company
Beer Name: Stamp Mill Stout
Beer Style: Stout
Price: Doesn't Matter unless you drive to Hill City, South Dakota
Aroma: A hint of black licorice; slightly minty, possibly prunes??? Not a lot here but some slight aromas going on.
Appearance: Very clear for a stout. Dark, obviously. No lacing or anything on the glass.
Mouthfeel: Slightly tingly.
Taste: Very mellow; almost watery. Kevin says tad bit of vinegar sour.
Beer #1:
Brewer: Bur Oak
Beer Name: Sacred Sun
Beer Style: Saison
Price: $10 for a six pack at Friar Tucks
Aroma: Delicious belgiun saison. These all smell the same. I think it's the yeast. Kind of funky orangey/ citrusy but not quite. Almost like a fruit that's been in the sun too long. Just slightly rotten but not gross yet.
Appearance: Golden blonde with great lacing on the glass. Not clear at all.
Mouthfeel: Very light. Crisp and tart at the back end. A nice little tingle after it goes down.
Taste: These all taste good. If you like one, you will like them all. It's slightly citrusy, slightly tart, slightly belgiany with the yeast. A saison tastes like nothing else I've ever had. Kind of dank like an IPA (very lightly) but still refreshing and light.
Overall ranking: Going a 4 here. Not much better or worse then any other- a solid entry into the saison category. If you like saisons, you will love this.
Beer #2: Thanks to John for this one. He brought it back from vaca.
Brewer: Remedy
Beer Name: Brown Out
Beer Style: Brown Ale
Price: Doesn't matter unless you drive to Sioux Falls, South Dakota.
Aroma: Slightly fruity for a brown ale. Very yeasty. A very pungent brown ale.
Appearance: Very light brown. Almost a dark tan/ light brown. Quite clear- a nice tan lacing on the glass.
Mouthfeel: Very boring- nothing at all. A little tingle on the upper gums.
Taste: Delicious. Quite a decent brown. Rather light and very smooth. John says he tastes malt.
Overall Rating: I'm going 4.0. Another very solid entry. John concurs. We are birds of a feather.
Beer #3 Thanks to John again.
Brewer: Miner Brewing Company
Beer Name: Stamp Mill Stout
Beer Style: Stout
Price: Doesn't Matter unless you drive to Hill City, South Dakota
Aroma: A hint of black licorice; slightly minty, possibly prunes??? Not a lot here but some slight aromas going on.
Appearance: Very clear for a stout. Dark, obviously. No lacing or anything on the glass.
Mouthfeel: Slightly tingly.
Taste: Very mellow; almost watery. Kevin says tad bit of vinegar sour.
Overall Rating: John says 4.25. I say 3.5. Solid but not a knockout. I'm impressed by the beers of South Dakota.
Sunday, June 16, 2019
Father's Day US Open Blog!
It's Father's Day. Wife is working so I cleaned up the house, did the laundry, and now I'm sitting down to try some new beers for the rest of the day. I have several to add and if John can join me later, he just returned from an upper midwest trip with a whole crapload of beer from breweries we can't get here. So let's hope that happens. On to the beer!!!
First beer (and it's really good)
Brewer: Toppling Goliath
Beer Name: Pompeii
Beer Style: IPA
Price: About $15 a 4 pack anywhere- Friar Tucks, Total Wine, etc.
Song Pairing: "It's the End of the World (As we Know It) by R.E.M.
Appearance: Super hazy- dark for an IPA. It almost looks like a very hearty fruit juice which is very appropriate as it is a fruity IPA.
Aroma: It smells like a pineapple and a guava mated and made a gaupple. It smells fruity and delicious.
Mouthfeel: Very peppy- a lot of tingle and fizz going on. It's very busy for an IPA.
Taste: The smell don't lie. Pineapple and guave, orange, even a hint of lime maybe. All that fruit on top of a very slight bitterness adds up to a delicious IPA. This is fruity and smooth. Right up my alley.
Overall rating: 4.5 from me. It's the best Toppling GoliathI've had yet. It's fantastic.
Beer #2
Brewer: Toppling Goliath
Beer Name: Fire, Skulls,and Money
Beer Style: IPA
Price: $15 or so for a 4 pack at any store.
Song Pairing: "Fuel" by Metalltica
Appearance: Looks the exact same as the last-- dark for an IPA and hazy as could be. Possible a little lighter then the Pompeii.
Aroma: Not nearly as fruity. More of a rotten fruit odor then fresh fruit. Still fruity- just not as up front citrus as the last.
Mouthfeel: Way less happening here. Very smooth and almost boring after the last.
Taste: Quite a bit less fruity. Still good. This is more of the normal Toopling Goliath oat or grain taste then the fruitiness of the Pompeii. As a fan of the fruitier IPA's, this is not quite as good as the Pompeii. That being said, I'm not exactly rushing to dump it down the sink.
Overall rating. I say 3.75. Very solid and nothing wrong with it. I just prefer the Pompeii a little more.
Beer #3
Brewer: Left Hand
Beer Name: Push Pop Party Nitro
Beer Style: Ale
Price: $10 a 4pack at Friar Tucks.
Song pairing: "Suedehead" by Morrisey
Appearance: Substantially lighter in hue then the 2 IPA's I had. This is a much clearer, traditional looking ale. Golden in color; not quite see through. Given that there are no other push pop ales to compare it to, I would say it looks like a Budweiser more then anything.
Aroma: HI-C fruit drink; I mean ORANGE.
Mouthfeel: Notro makes it smooth. Not much happening here.
Taste: I know this is obvious but it tastes like a watered down push pop. I mean really. Some beers advertise a taste but this delivers. It's creepy how close this is and it still comes in at 5.4% ABU. Amazing.
Overall Rating: I'm saying 4. Not my favorite beer overall but this deserves credit just as an art form thing. They nailed it.
First beer (and it's really good)
Brewer: Toppling Goliath
Beer Name: Pompeii
Beer Style: IPA
Price: About $15 a 4 pack anywhere- Friar Tucks, Total Wine, etc.
Song Pairing: "It's the End of the World (As we Know It) by R.E.M.
Appearance: Super hazy- dark for an IPA. It almost looks like a very hearty fruit juice which is very appropriate as it is a fruity IPA.
Aroma: It smells like a pineapple and a guava mated and made a gaupple. It smells fruity and delicious.
Mouthfeel: Very peppy- a lot of tingle and fizz going on. It's very busy for an IPA.
Taste: The smell don't lie. Pineapple and guave, orange, even a hint of lime maybe. All that fruit on top of a very slight bitterness adds up to a delicious IPA. This is fruity and smooth. Right up my alley.
Overall rating: 4.5 from me. It's the best Toppling GoliathI've had yet. It's fantastic.
Beer #2
Brewer: Toppling Goliath
Beer Name: Fire, Skulls,and Money
Beer Style: IPA
Price: $15 or so for a 4 pack at any store.
Song Pairing: "Fuel" by Metalltica
Appearance: Looks the exact same as the last-- dark for an IPA and hazy as could be. Possible a little lighter then the Pompeii.
Aroma: Not nearly as fruity. More of a rotten fruit odor then fresh fruit. Still fruity- just not as up front citrus as the last.
Mouthfeel: Way less happening here. Very smooth and almost boring after the last.
Taste: Quite a bit less fruity. Still good. This is more of the normal Toopling Goliath oat or grain taste then the fruitiness of the Pompeii. As a fan of the fruitier IPA's, this is not quite as good as the Pompeii. That being said, I'm not exactly rushing to dump it down the sink.
Overall rating. I say 3.75. Very solid and nothing wrong with it. I just prefer the Pompeii a little more.
Beer #3
Brewer: Left Hand
Beer Name: Push Pop Party Nitro
Beer Style: Ale
Price: $10 a 4pack at Friar Tucks.
Song pairing: "Suedehead" by Morrisey
Appearance: Substantially lighter in hue then the 2 IPA's I had. This is a much clearer, traditional looking ale. Golden in color; not quite see through. Given that there are no other push pop ales to compare it to, I would say it looks like a Budweiser more then anything.
Aroma: HI-C fruit drink; I mean ORANGE.
Mouthfeel: Notro makes it smooth. Not much happening here.
Taste: I know this is obvious but it tastes like a watered down push pop. I mean really. Some beers advertise a taste but this delivers. It's creepy how close this is and it still comes in at 5.4% ABU. Amazing.
Overall Rating: I'm saying 4. Not my favorite beer overall but this deserves credit just as an art form thing. They nailed it.
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