As is customary, every year I watch the Best Picture contenders and rate them in the order I have seen them. The nominations came out yesterday and I have already seen three of the films nominated. I always go in the order I saw the films so here we go:
Film #1
The Irishman
I watched this on Netflix the day it came out. Scorsese's version (albeit- not authoritatively) of what happened to Jimmy Hoffa was technically perfect, well acted, and thoroughly entertaining. With a run time of 3 1/2 hours, some people who saw it said it was too long. I absolutely disagree. I could have watched three more hours of Pacino playing Hoffa; who somehow made Jimmy Hoffa's larger then life personality even more larger then life. He was excellent as usual.
As for the actual film, it reminded me of the Cuba scenes during the Godfather part II. The whole mob/ teamster/ casino angle combined with the seemingly non-stop warm weather during the film brought me back to those scenes in part II. I half expected Hyman Roth to come strolling by or to be seated at a table across the restaurant. Nostalgia withstanding, the film was a very good addition to the Scorsese portfolio and we got to see the band get back together one last time.
Overall Rating 4.0
Film #2
Once Upon a Time in Hollywood
At this point, I look forward to each Quentin Tarantino film like I look forward to getting off school for the summer. The anticipation builds as it approaches and the first few days are glorious. No getting up at 6am, no responsibility; just me and the whole day to do what I please. Then the wife gives me my first task, then the kids start fighting. By July 4th, I'm wondering how long summer lasts. By August first, I'm ready to get back to work so I can relax a little bit. Tarantno's last few films have followed the same path. Super excited to watch, the beginning is great, by the middle I'm glancing at my clock and checking to see how much time is left; by the end, I just want it to end so I can go to bed.
While Once Upon a Time in Hollywood is better then Tarantino's last few (Hateful Eight and Django come to mind), it still fails in the end. Back in 1994 when Pulp Fiction came out, it was retro and cool when Tarantino used the fake background for the driving montages. It was also cool and different when he had the crazy "Bring on the Gimp" scene. We had never seen anything like that before and it was a 180 degree change from the other late 80's and early 90's movies. It was cool because it was edgy and new. Watching the end of Once Upon a Time in Hollywood feels like a repeat of Pulp Fiction. The plot completely goes off the rails (why did Manson's crew attack them instead of Sharon Tate? Since it was seemingly random, did Manson have anything to do with it? Did they just go to the wrong house? Wouldn't someone have at least cased the house beforehand to see who would be home? Etc.) After the attackers start to attack, Brad Pitt literally doesn't break a sweat taking them down. His pit bull (were they really house pets in the 60's?) tears one of the girls apart. The violence is over the top, gratuitous, and overdone. Really, it flies in the face of what was an otherwise really good movie up to that point. At this point in time, I don't think Tarantino can get out of his own way and just let the camera do the talking. He is so concerned with thumbing his nose at the rest of the industry that he loses sight of what makes a good film.
I really analyzed the end of this film after watching. It seems like Tarantino can't shake his whole :comic books are cool" phase that we saw in the early to mid 90's. Undoubtedly, Tarantino changed the film industry with Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. As the film industry evolved over the next 25 years, unfortunately, Tarantino didn't. It's a shame because Once Upon a Time in Hollywood was really good until the end.
Overall Rating 3.0 (Was a legit best picture contender until the last 15 minutes)
Film #3
Marriage Story
This Netflix film, written and directed by Noah Baumbach was outstanding. Both Adam Driver and Scarlett Johanssen were fabulous. Driver plays a self-absorbed play director who, despite his character flaws, seems to be the protagonist of the movie as Scarjo's character hires an attorney and sends the divorce proceedings on a much nastier path. We watch as Driver's character is raked over the coals by Scarjo's lawyer until he fights back and gets his own equally nasty divorce attorney who will sling buckets of mud right back. The whole process devolves into a giant mess with their boy stuck in between The film beautifully depicts the ridiculousness of divorce proceedings and the nature of the legal process.
The acting by Driver and Johanssen was perfect. They come across as real people with real faults, real feelings, and we can identify and understand both of their action as we progress through the film. Ultimately, they both turn out to be victims; of their own failings as marriage partners, of the lawyers, and the legal process in general. Watching this film makes you understand the pitfalls and negativity associated with divorcing your spouse.
My prediction is that Scarjo has a very real shot at best actress, the screenplay is a serious contender, and Laura Dern will have a shot at best supporting actress as well. See this film. It is worth it.
Overall rating 4.25.
Film #4
Joker
My main reaction to this film after watching it was confusion. I couldn't decide if it was a comic book movie that tried to present itself as not a comic book OR if it was a movie about mental illness that just happened to be set in a comic book world? Either way, this movie did not fit into the traditional "comic book" genre with the Avengers or the spiderman movies or any of those. Even compared to the Nolan batman movies (which I think are close to perfect by the way), this was more gritty and realistic then those. After analyzing this movie for days, I have decided to approach it with the idea that it is more of the second interpretation.
As a teacher in a program where we see the effects of trauma, watching this movie really illustrated what some people go through and the effects it can have on them. As we see all of the different reasons Alfred Fleck has to go crazy (the state stops his medication, his mother was not actually his mother, his "mom's" mental illness) etc, we painfully realize why Arthur becomes the Joker. I thought the film did a great job of making you realize that the Joker wasn't supposed to be funny or a gimmick. He was very sick and a victim of the society that he ends up terrorizing.
To the actual film, hands down, no contest, Joaquin Phoenix wins best actor for his portrayal. Amazing job at playing a man having a serious mental breakdown as the film progresses. His not over the top, believable demise into mental illness is acting perfection. His performance elevated this movie. When I think back on Joaquin's career (Commidus in Gladiator, Johnny Cash in Walk the Line, and Theodore in Her) are all A list performances which lead up to the Oscar winning performance.
Other standout parts of this film were the score which I thought mirrored Alfred Fleck's mental demise perfectly. In addition to that, I think the production design was outstanding as well and is a heavy contender for that Oscar.
The violence in this film is tragic. Without it, we don't understand the epic shift that Arthur Fleck has gone through. A lot of people thought it was too much but I think director Todd Phillips (of Hangover trilogy and Wedding Crashers fame) got it right. It is realistic and not cartoonish just as the mental illness of our antihero clearly is. Speaking of Phillips, in what appears to be a direct homage to Martin Scorcese, his film was beautifully shot and perfectly crafted.
Overall Rating: 4.5
Film #5
1917
So, after I saw that Sam Mendes did a war movie, I had really high hopes. I figured that Jughead didn't exactly kill it so he would be wanting to make up for that one. I was right to be excited in some aspects. The technical end of this film was perfect. The production design was top notch. What surprised me was all of the things a director can't control were less then stellar.
Upon seeing the film, I realize that Mendes probably took the script because it allowed him the ability to shoot in one continuous take; much like Innarutu did with Birdman a few years ago. That being said, the idea of following one character across Europe during WWI was less than exciting. Missing all of the huge, immersive battle scenes from Saving Private Ryan or other war movies made this feel like you were watching the first battle in Lord of the Rings; this is cool but compared to others, you haven't seen anything yet. I kept waiting for the grand finale but it never came.
As disappointed as I was with the script and story, the acting was fine and the other portions of the film were adequate. To me the production design and the camerawork stole the show in this film.
Unfortunately, in my opinion, the rest of the film presented too big a hurdle to overcome.
Overall rating: 3.5
Film #6
Ford Vs. Ferrari
Another technical masterpiece, the filmmakers did a great job placing you in the seat with Ken Miles; the Ford driver who beat the mighty Italians of Ferrari at the 24 hours of LeMans. The racing scenes were riveting and you were gripping the seat with every curve. The story did an adequate job of seeing what a pain it was to build a car fast enough to win. The acting was superb with Christian Bale playing Ken Miles and Matt Damon playing Carroll Shelby who designed the car (Shelby Mustang anyone?)
The sound mixing and editing was perfect. They both should win. They have a very strong shot at the editing category as well. The script falls short in the ending though. Seeing Ken Miles blow up on a practice track about 1000 yards away seems a little bit brusque after spending 1/2 the movie in the cockpit with him. I think it is the ending that will keep it from having a legitimate shot at Best Picture.
Overall Rating 3.5
Film #7
JoJo Rabbit
Watching the first half of this film made me think of watching a kid's movie back in the 70's. Some of the themes were a little too advanced for kids but it still seemed cute and harmless as it progressed. And then Scar Jo's character was hanged in the town square and her son found her. The film took a decidedly adult turn and I realized this was not a kid's movie.
Up to that point, we know the boy's Mom is part of the resistance but it is hinted at; not really shown. It is almost as if we see the same thing the boy sees- just hints that something isn't right and she might be doing something she shouldn't. The obvious exception to that is Scar Jo's character has a Jewish girl hiding in the attic. But she explains it away as a favor and doesn't really make any political statements to her son. So we wonder of it's really that big of a deal. Predictably, the son's imaginary friend, Adolph Hitler, tries to convince the boy that he should fear and loathe the Jewish girl in the attic. Predictably, he tries but eventually develops a crush on her after realizing there is nothing bad or sinister about her. Unpredictably, the Mom is killed which leaves the two of them to fend for themselves as the war (and Allied victory) approach the city they live in.
The acting and technical parts of the film were all good; nothing great except perhaps ScarJo and the Jewish girl. They were both excellent. The rest of the film was adequate but not outstanding and I don't see it winning anything on Oscar night. Overall a film worth watching but not a Best Picture winner.
Overall rating: 3.75.
Film #8
Parasite
As I watched this film, I had very mixed feelings about it. One, the economic situation the family was in was at part to blame for their actions. The writer wanted us to feel that. Unarguably the motivation for their despicable behavior was monetary but not monetary for greed's sake; it was for survival and having enough food on the table to eat at night.
The basic plot was the boy of the family gets a job (dishonestly) tutoring a daughter of a rich family even though he has never been to college and has no business tutoring anyone. Then, he gets his sister hired as an art therapist for the younger brother- again she has no credentials whatsoever. Then, they make up a lie about the family's driver so the Dad can get hired. Finally, they fake an illness so the housekeeper becomes sick and the Mom can take over. All is going fine until the housekeeper shows up and tells them that she has hidden her husband in a safe room that the family doesn't know about. Her husband has lived there for years because they don't have the money to support him elsewhere. Conflict ensues and they compete to see who is more despicable.
As the film reaches conclusion, a great rainstorm floods the underground apartment the family lives in and they are literally swimming in their own backed-up sewage. Not a very subtle metaphor to be sure. As the poor people lose their homes and belongings, the rich family worries about the son who is spending the night in a tent in the back yard. Not quite the same world.
After the storm ends, the family has to go back to work for the son's birthday party the next day. Smelling of sewage, the patriarch declares that he smells "a poor man's smell." This one statement incenses the father of the poor family who goes on to murder several of the people present and he disappears before the police arrive. Predictably, the man hides out in the house where the other man lived; trapped in a different world again.
I have a big problem with this ending though. I cannot believe that after the entire family lied and sank to remote depths to secure this very valuable employment only to see the father destroy it all because of one insult- an innocuous one at that. I realize the director had to lock him in the basement somehow to get his point across but this seemed quite far-fetched to me. After all, if you are that desperate to gain employment, what little pride you had left could easily be swallowed, right?
Technically, the film was decent; nothing outstanding. I see it as a middle of the pack film in this year's race unless the Academy decides to prop it up as a hat- tip to diversity.
Overall rating 3.0.
Friday, January 31, 2020
Friday, September 13, 2019
Blog from the Lake!
At Chris' new lake house. Hanging with 5 of us on our lake golf trip. Three new blog participants! Chris, Dan, and Lonnie. Welcome to the BLAAAWWWWWWGGGGG.
We have some heavy hitters tonight. First up is a 10% barleywine.
Beer Name: Sucaba
Brewer: Firestone Walker
Beer Style: Barleywine
Price: ?
Aroma: Caramel, toffee, maple, pancakes, anything that smells delicious.
Appearance: Light brown, clear,
Mouthfeel: Dan says smooth. thick, syrupy.
Taste: Boozy, toffee, caramel, s=very sweet. This is a heavy hitter for sure.
Overall Rating: Lonnie says a 4, Dan says a 4, John says a 3.75, Chris says a 4, I say 4.5. It is delicious but is super heavy. I'm glad they sold it in a 12 ounce bottle and not a huge bottle.
Beer #2
Beer Name: A Wee Bit Foggy
Brewer: Mark Twain
Beer Style: Scotch Ale
Price: Can't Remember- I bought it in 17.
Aroma: Slight hint of caramel maybe; maybe malt.
Appearance: Very clear, amberish in color (although we are outside in the dark)
Mouthfeel: Very smooth, almost watery.
Taste: Not much, Caramely, malty and then bitter says Dan. He also gets burnt caramel.
Overall rating: I say 3.5, Chris says a 3.25, John says 2.5, Lonnie says 3, and Dan says a 3.25.
Switching gears to a couple IPAS.
Beer #3
Beer Name: Mango Milkshake IPA
Brewer: Bur Oak
Beer Style: IPA
Price: ?
Aroma: Lonnie says it smells like ass. Dan says an ice cream shop. Very fruity, cirtusy.
Appearance: Very light in color. not quite clear.
Mouthfeel: Very light, crisp, not much there really.
Taste: Sweet creamy mango with bitter bite at the end. Not a huge milkshake taste to it though. I had a six pack of this about a month ago and it was awful. I think it was bad.
Overall rating; Chris says a 3.5, Dan says 3, Lonnie says 3, Lohn says a 3, I'm going to go a 3.5 when you consider the price. This is a drinkable IPA for about $10 a six pack. Not too shabby.
Beer #4
Beer Name: Dino Smores
Brewer: Off Color
Beer Style: Stout
Price: About $12
Aroma: Licorice, Graham Crackers, a hint of chocolate.
Appearance: Dark, rather clear for a stout.
Mouthfeel: Very dry, light and smooth.
Taste: You can taste chocolate, graham crackers, and licorice for starters. This is a delicious beer and a heavy hitter at 10.3%.
Overall Rating: I say a 4.75, Chris says a 4.675, Dan says 4.5, John says a 4, Lonnie says a 4.5.
Beer #5
Beer Name: Madagascar Maple
Brewer: 4 Hands
Beer Style: Stout
Price: $27 a bottle and worth every penny.
Aroma: Maple, maple, maple. Vanilla, bourbon.
Appearance: Looks like stout.
Mouthfeel: Heavy. but smooth.
Taste: Holy crap this is better then it was on opening day. It's delicious. Maple, vanilla, bourbon, stout. This is a great combination.
Overall rating: 5's across the board.
Beer #6
Beer Name:
We have some heavy hitters tonight. First up is a 10% barleywine.
Beer Name: Sucaba
Brewer: Firestone Walker
Beer Style: Barleywine
Price: ?
Aroma: Caramel, toffee, maple, pancakes, anything that smells delicious.
Appearance: Light brown, clear,
Mouthfeel: Dan says smooth. thick, syrupy.
Taste: Boozy, toffee, caramel, s=very sweet. This is a heavy hitter for sure.
Overall Rating: Lonnie says a 4, Dan says a 4, John says a 3.75, Chris says a 4, I say 4.5. It is delicious but is super heavy. I'm glad they sold it in a 12 ounce bottle and not a huge bottle.
Beer #2
Beer Name: A Wee Bit Foggy
Brewer: Mark Twain
Beer Style: Scotch Ale
Price: Can't Remember- I bought it in 17.
Aroma: Slight hint of caramel maybe; maybe malt.
Appearance: Very clear, amberish in color (although we are outside in the dark)
Mouthfeel: Very smooth, almost watery.
Taste: Not much, Caramely, malty and then bitter says Dan. He also gets burnt caramel.
Overall rating: I say 3.5, Chris says a 3.25, John says 2.5, Lonnie says 3, and Dan says a 3.25.
Switching gears to a couple IPAS.
Beer #3
Beer Name: Mango Milkshake IPA
Brewer: Bur Oak
Beer Style: IPA
Price: ?
Aroma: Lonnie says it smells like ass. Dan says an ice cream shop. Very fruity, cirtusy.
Appearance: Very light in color. not quite clear.
Mouthfeel: Very light, crisp, not much there really.
Taste: Sweet creamy mango with bitter bite at the end. Not a huge milkshake taste to it though. I had a six pack of this about a month ago and it was awful. I think it was bad.
Overall rating; Chris says a 3.5, Dan says 3, Lonnie says 3, Lohn says a 3, I'm going to go a 3.5 when you consider the price. This is a drinkable IPA for about $10 a six pack. Not too shabby.
Beer #4
Beer Name: Dino Smores
Brewer: Off Color
Beer Style: Stout
Price: About $12
Aroma: Licorice, Graham Crackers, a hint of chocolate.
Appearance: Dark, rather clear for a stout.
Mouthfeel: Very dry, light and smooth.
Taste: You can taste chocolate, graham crackers, and licorice for starters. This is a delicious beer and a heavy hitter at 10.3%.
Overall Rating: I say a 4.75, Chris says a 4.675, Dan says 4.5, John says a 4, Lonnie says a 4.5.
Beer #5
Beer Name: Madagascar Maple
Brewer: 4 Hands
Beer Style: Stout
Price: $27 a bottle and worth every penny.
Aroma: Maple, maple, maple. Vanilla, bourbon.
Appearance: Looks like stout.
Mouthfeel: Heavy. but smooth.
Taste: Holy crap this is better then it was on opening day. It's delicious. Maple, vanilla, bourbon, stout. This is a great combination.
Overall rating: 5's across the board.
Beer #6
Beer Name:
Friday, July 5, 2019
JUSTIN IS BACK IN TOWN!
Justin is visiting from KC again and we are going to blog it up! Lots of beer to come.
Beer #1
Brewer: Dry Dock
Beer Name: Apricot Blonde
Beer Style: Blonde Ale
Price: ?
Aroma: Smells like a beach bum's ballsack on a sandy ocean in North Carolina says Justin. And off we go. For me, it has a slight aroma of apricot.
Appearance: Hazy, golden ale.
Mouthfeel: Rather watery. Not a lot happening here.
Taste: Everyone says it tastes better then it smells. It is good. Very light, crisp, apricot ale.
Overall Rating: Justin says 3.75. John says 3.25. I'll split the difference. 3.5 for me.
Beer #2
Brewer: Dry Dock
Beer Name: Sour Apricot
Beer Style: Sour
Price: $
Aroma: Very tart. Lemony.
Appearance: Very hazy golden color. Slightly darker then the blonde.
Mouthfeel: A little tingle on the tongue here.
Taste: Taste is pretty tart. A lot of lemon to me. It's too much.
Overall Rating: A little too tart for me. I say 2.5. John says 3.5. Michelle says 3.75. She likes it.
Beer #3
Brewer: Narrow Gauge
Beer Name: Peach OJ Run
Beer Style: IPA
Price: $20 for a 4 pack of cans.
Aroma: Pineapple, fresh squeezed OJ, peaches, fruit in general.
Appearance: Hazy, juicy, looks like a glass of OJ.
Mouthfeel: Very rough through the drink. A strong, rough feel as it goes down.
Taste: A delicious take on the OJ Run. This one has added peaches which just makes it juicier. If you like the NE IPA's, this one will be right up your alley.
Overall Rating: Justin says 4.0. John says 3.75. I'll go 4 as well. Not my absolute favorite Narrow Gauge but it's still very good.
Beer #4
Brewer: Stone
Beer Name: Revengeful Spirit
Beer Style: IPA
Price: ?
Aroma: Dank with a slight hint of fruit. Maybe a mango?
Appearance: Pee yellow and not clear. Not a hazy like the Narrow Gauge but you can't see through at all.
Mouthfeel: Slight tingle on the front but not much else. Very light for an 8.1.
Taste: Suprisingly fruity for a Stone. Not bad at all. I could drink this although I would not pick it over a Narrow Gauge for sure. Justin says he tastes the booze.
Overall Rating: John says a 3.5. Justin says 3.5. I'll go 3.25.
Beer #5
Brewer: Grains and Taps
Beer Name: Yuppies in Blazers
Beer Style: Milkshake IPA
Price: $12 for the crowler
Aroma: Tangerine milkshake vanilla goodness.
Appearance: Super hazy. Orangey.
Mouthfeel: Tingly, somewhat heavy.
Taste: Justin nailed it when he said it tastes like a melted orange sherbet. It's fricking fantastic. It's orange sherbet with IPA at the end. Delicious. Justin says a near death experience only topped by a Decadent Tropical Smoothie.
Overall rating: Justin says 4.75. I agree. John says 4.25.
Beer #6
Brewer: Pipeworks
Beer Name: Pineapple Guppy
Beer Style: Pale Ale
Price: $2 for a can at Beer Sauce
Aroma: Justin says wet pennies soaking in OJ. I say it's more like day old bubble gum- the really cheap stuff that comes in Topps baseball cards.
Appearance: Very light yellow; almost clear. Looks more like lemon juice.
Mouthfeel: Slight tingle on tongue.
Taste: A little let-down after the fantastic ice-cream IPA we just had but not bad overall. This is pretty good for a lighter beer (4.6%). If you want a totally trendy beer to take to the pool, this is the one.
Overall Rating: I say a solid 3.75 for a lighter beer. Justin says a 3. John says 3.0.
Beer #7
Brewer: St. Patrick's Brewery
Beer Name: Tropical Beach IPA
Beer Style: IPA
Price: ?
Aroma: Justin says it smells like damp (moist) Michelin tires from Costco? I say it smells like rotting trash mixed with dog poo. (John added the dog poo.) Justin says it reminds him of a butt.
Appearance: Looks like diet Coors Lite. It's light, light yellow.
Mouthfeel: Nothing at all.
Taste: Well, we have a loser. This is the worst beer we've blogged since that debacle black and tan Yuengling. Nothing was that bad but this enters the arena for consideration. It tastes like it's been microwaved to boiling and then frozen solid for about 12 weeks straight. I'm saying that it has a gunpowder aftertaste.
Overall Rating: Justin says a 1.75. John says a 1.75. I say a solid 1. This must be a bad batch or can. It has a 3.5 rating on untappd.
Beer #8
Brewer: Boulder Beer Company
Beer Name: Hazed and Infused
Beer Style: Pale Ale
Price: ?
Aroma: Slight citrus. Justin says tangerine floral.
Appearance: Golden, hazy. Light yellowish pee color.
Mouthfeel: Very light and fruity. Justin gets resin. John says tingly.
Taste: Almost west coast ipaish. Definitely get the dry hopped coming through.
Overall Rating: Justin says 3, John says 3.25. I say 2.5. Not a huge fan overall.
Beer #9
Brewer: Boulder Beer Company
Beer Name: Due East
Beer Style: IPA
Price: ?
Aroma: Very slight passionfruit maybe? Peaches? Unaromatic for a NE IPA.
Appearance: Very clear for a NE IPA.
Mouthfeel: Very watery for an IPA. Almost no tingle.
Taste: Again, a bubble gummy flavor. Not sure how these hops are working out west but they seem to have a common theme.
Overall Rating: I say a 3.0. Justin says 3.4. John says a 3.5.
Beer #10
Brewer: AC Golden
Beer Name: Colorado Native Apricot
Beer Style: Ale
Price: $20 for a bottle
Aroma: Tarty, tarty, tarty tart tart. Holy sours. Not messing around on the tartness.
Appearance: Golden, hazy, light.
Mouthfeel: Rather puckering as you untwist your face. Think the old Keystone Light commercials.
Taste: Slightly sour. And by slightly, I mean a punch you in the nuts IV drip of sour patch kids. This is seriously sour. After yout take a drink, you feel like you have been drinking nothing but ocean water for the last month. Justin says it makes his ears hurt.
Overall Rating: Michelle says a 3.8; John says 3.75. I say 3 even.
Beer #11
Brewer: Rockyard Brewing
Beer Name: Hopalypto
Beer Style: IPA
Price: ?
Aroma: If you snort it, it burns according to Justin. Slightly less sour then the previous entry. If you snorted lemon peels, it would be less sour then the last beer. This one has a fruity, much more even bouquet to it.
Appearance: Clear, pale, very IPAish
Mouthfeel: Very light, slight tingle.
Taste: Blah, blah, blah. Nothing special. Perfectly drinkable but nothing outstanding.
Overall Rating: 2.5 for Justin, same for me; John says 2.75.
Beer #12
Brewer: Decadent
Beer Name: Guava Orange Pacific Punch
Beer Style: IPA
Price: $20 for a 4 pack
Aroma: Citrus, duh.
Appearance: Cloudy, hazy, golden light. As tropical a beer as you could imagine.
Mouthfeel: Slight IPA tingle at the back end but smooth up front. Not a lot happening here. Justin says it's like drinking silky roses.
Taste: Citrus, smooth, fruity. Almost as good as the smoothie beer we had earlier. Delicious.
Overall Rating: Justin says a 4.8. I say a 4.5. John says a 4.5.
Beer #13
Brewer: Decadent
Beer Name: Coconut Citrus Citra
Beer Style: IPA
Price: $20 for a 4 pack
Aroma: Not a whole lot happening here. A little citrus here.
Appearance: Same as the other- light, hazy and clear.
Mouthfeel: Tingly; boozy. A nice, fresh mouthfeel. Almost like a mouthwash.
Taste: This tastes like a beach party in a can. This is my second favorite Decadent. No one agrees.
Overall Rating: Justin says a 3.3; John says a 4. I say 4.75.
Beer #14
Brewer: 4Hands
Beer Name: Mississippi Mud Cake Stout
Beer Style: Stout
Price: $7 a bottle roughy but came as part of a 3pack of milk stout XMas pack.
Aroma: coffee, chocolate, vanilla
Appearance: Quite a bit darker then the others and no, I'm not a racist.
Mouthfeel: Quite a tingle. Not bad at all.
Taste: Chocolate; chocolate, chocolate, followed by the vanilla. Not getting any walnuts. We are all getting coffee/ mocha. It is smooth as could be and worth very penny I paid. This is a curl up under the blanket and take a winter nap beer. I was expecting good things from this one and I am not disappointed.
Overall Rating: John says a 4.75; Justin says a 4.5; I say 4.5 also. Delicious but not Madagascar good.
Beer #15
Brewer: Boulder Brewing Company
Beer Name: Shake
Beer Style: Porter
Price: ?
Aroma: Smells like chocolate heaven.
Appearance: Dark, dark, dark.
Mouthfeel: Very light. Not a lot happening.
Taste: Chocolate, mocha, slight hint of coffee. Very heavy on the chocolate. Justin gets vanilla.
Overall Rating: Justin says a 4.3; John says a 4.5; I say a 4.0.
DONE AND DUSTED. 15 beers. And I'm going to bed.
Beer #1
Brewer: Dry Dock
Beer Name: Apricot Blonde
Beer Style: Blonde Ale
Price: ?
Aroma: Smells like a beach bum's ballsack on a sandy ocean in North Carolina says Justin. And off we go. For me, it has a slight aroma of apricot.
Appearance: Hazy, golden ale.
Mouthfeel: Rather watery. Not a lot happening here.
Taste: Everyone says it tastes better then it smells. It is good. Very light, crisp, apricot ale.
Overall Rating: Justin says 3.75. John says 3.25. I'll split the difference. 3.5 for me.
Beer #2
Brewer: Dry Dock
Beer Name: Sour Apricot
Beer Style: Sour
Price: $
Aroma: Very tart. Lemony.
Appearance: Very hazy golden color. Slightly darker then the blonde.
Mouthfeel: A little tingle on the tongue here.
Taste: Taste is pretty tart. A lot of lemon to me. It's too much.
Overall Rating: A little too tart for me. I say 2.5. John says 3.5. Michelle says 3.75. She likes it.
Beer #3
Brewer: Narrow Gauge
Beer Name: Peach OJ Run
Beer Style: IPA
Price: $20 for a 4 pack of cans.
Aroma: Pineapple, fresh squeezed OJ, peaches, fruit in general.
Appearance: Hazy, juicy, looks like a glass of OJ.
Mouthfeel: Very rough through the drink. A strong, rough feel as it goes down.
Taste: A delicious take on the OJ Run. This one has added peaches which just makes it juicier. If you like the NE IPA's, this one will be right up your alley.
Overall Rating: Justin says 4.0. John says 3.75. I'll go 4 as well. Not my absolute favorite Narrow Gauge but it's still very good.
Beer #4
Brewer: Stone
Beer Name: Revengeful Spirit
Beer Style: IPA
Price: ?
Aroma: Dank with a slight hint of fruit. Maybe a mango?
Appearance: Pee yellow and not clear. Not a hazy like the Narrow Gauge but you can't see through at all.
Mouthfeel: Slight tingle on the front but not much else. Very light for an 8.1.
Taste: Suprisingly fruity for a Stone. Not bad at all. I could drink this although I would not pick it over a Narrow Gauge for sure. Justin says he tastes the booze.
Overall Rating: John says a 3.5. Justin says 3.5. I'll go 3.25.
Beer #5
Brewer: Grains and Taps
Beer Name: Yuppies in Blazers
Beer Style: Milkshake IPA
Price: $12 for the crowler
Aroma: Tangerine milkshake vanilla goodness.
Appearance: Super hazy. Orangey.
Mouthfeel: Tingly, somewhat heavy.
Taste: Justin nailed it when he said it tastes like a melted orange sherbet. It's fricking fantastic. It's orange sherbet with IPA at the end. Delicious. Justin says a near death experience only topped by a Decadent Tropical Smoothie.
Overall rating: Justin says 4.75. I agree. John says 4.25.
Beer #6
Brewer: Pipeworks
Beer Name: Pineapple Guppy
Beer Style: Pale Ale
Price: $2 for a can at Beer Sauce
Aroma: Justin says wet pennies soaking in OJ. I say it's more like day old bubble gum- the really cheap stuff that comes in Topps baseball cards.
Appearance: Very light yellow; almost clear. Looks more like lemon juice.
Mouthfeel: Slight tingle on tongue.
Taste: A little let-down after the fantastic ice-cream IPA we just had but not bad overall. This is pretty good for a lighter beer (4.6%). If you want a totally trendy beer to take to the pool, this is the one.
Overall Rating: I say a solid 3.75 for a lighter beer. Justin says a 3. John says 3.0.
Beer #7
Brewer: St. Patrick's Brewery
Beer Name: Tropical Beach IPA
Beer Style: IPA
Price: ?
Aroma: Justin says it smells like damp (moist) Michelin tires from Costco? I say it smells like rotting trash mixed with dog poo. (John added the dog poo.) Justin says it reminds him of a butt.
Appearance: Looks like diet Coors Lite. It's light, light yellow.
Mouthfeel: Nothing at all.
Taste: Well, we have a loser. This is the worst beer we've blogged since that debacle black and tan Yuengling. Nothing was that bad but this enters the arena for consideration. It tastes like it's been microwaved to boiling and then frozen solid for about 12 weeks straight. I'm saying that it has a gunpowder aftertaste.
Overall Rating: Justin says a 1.75. John says a 1.75. I say a solid 1. This must be a bad batch or can. It has a 3.5 rating on untappd.
Beer #8
Brewer: Boulder Beer Company
Beer Name: Hazed and Infused
Beer Style: Pale Ale
Price: ?
Aroma: Slight citrus. Justin says tangerine floral.
Appearance: Golden, hazy. Light yellowish pee color.
Mouthfeel: Very light and fruity. Justin gets resin. John says tingly.
Taste: Almost west coast ipaish. Definitely get the dry hopped coming through.
Overall Rating: Justin says 3, John says 3.25. I say 2.5. Not a huge fan overall.
Beer #9
Brewer: Boulder Beer Company
Beer Name: Due East
Beer Style: IPA
Price: ?
Aroma: Very slight passionfruit maybe? Peaches? Unaromatic for a NE IPA.
Appearance: Very clear for a NE IPA.
Mouthfeel: Very watery for an IPA. Almost no tingle.
Taste: Again, a bubble gummy flavor. Not sure how these hops are working out west but they seem to have a common theme.
Overall Rating: I say a 3.0. Justin says 3.4. John says a 3.5.
Beer #10
Brewer: AC Golden
Beer Name: Colorado Native Apricot
Beer Style: Ale
Price: $20 for a bottle
Aroma: Tarty, tarty, tarty tart tart. Holy sours. Not messing around on the tartness.
Appearance: Golden, hazy, light.
Mouthfeel: Rather puckering as you untwist your face. Think the old Keystone Light commercials.
Taste: Slightly sour. And by slightly, I mean a punch you in the nuts IV drip of sour patch kids. This is seriously sour. After yout take a drink, you feel like you have been drinking nothing but ocean water for the last month. Justin says it makes his ears hurt.
Overall Rating: Michelle says a 3.8; John says 3.75. I say 3 even.
Beer #11
Brewer: Rockyard Brewing
Beer Name: Hopalypto
Beer Style: IPA
Price: ?
Aroma: If you snort it, it burns according to Justin. Slightly less sour then the previous entry. If you snorted lemon peels, it would be less sour then the last beer. This one has a fruity, much more even bouquet to it.
Appearance: Clear, pale, very IPAish
Mouthfeel: Very light, slight tingle.
Taste: Blah, blah, blah. Nothing special. Perfectly drinkable but nothing outstanding.
Overall Rating: 2.5 for Justin, same for me; John says 2.75.
Beer #12
Brewer: Decadent
Beer Name: Guava Orange Pacific Punch
Beer Style: IPA
Price: $20 for a 4 pack
Aroma: Citrus, duh.
Appearance: Cloudy, hazy, golden light. As tropical a beer as you could imagine.
Mouthfeel: Slight IPA tingle at the back end but smooth up front. Not a lot happening here. Justin says it's like drinking silky roses.
Taste: Citrus, smooth, fruity. Almost as good as the smoothie beer we had earlier. Delicious.
Overall Rating: Justin says a 4.8. I say a 4.5. John says a 4.5.
Beer #13
Brewer: Decadent
Beer Name: Coconut Citrus Citra
Beer Style: IPA
Price: $20 for a 4 pack
Aroma: Not a whole lot happening here. A little citrus here.
Appearance: Same as the other- light, hazy and clear.
Mouthfeel: Tingly; boozy. A nice, fresh mouthfeel. Almost like a mouthwash.
Taste: This tastes like a beach party in a can. This is my second favorite Decadent. No one agrees.
Overall Rating: Justin says a 3.3; John says a 4. I say 4.75.
Beer #14
Brewer: 4Hands
Beer Name: Mississippi Mud Cake Stout
Beer Style: Stout
Price: $7 a bottle roughy but came as part of a 3pack of milk stout XMas pack.
Aroma: coffee, chocolate, vanilla
Appearance: Quite a bit darker then the others and no, I'm not a racist.
Mouthfeel: Quite a tingle. Not bad at all.
Taste: Chocolate; chocolate, chocolate, followed by the vanilla. Not getting any walnuts. We are all getting coffee/ mocha. It is smooth as could be and worth very penny I paid. This is a curl up under the blanket and take a winter nap beer. I was expecting good things from this one and I am not disappointed.
Overall Rating: John says a 4.75; Justin says a 4.5; I say 4.5 also. Delicious but not Madagascar good.
Beer #15
Brewer: Boulder Brewing Company
Beer Name: Shake
Beer Style: Porter
Price: ?
Aroma: Smells like chocolate heaven.
Appearance: Dark, dark, dark.
Mouthfeel: Very light. Not a lot happening.
Taste: Chocolate, mocha, slight hint of coffee. Very heavy on the chocolate. Justin gets vanilla.
Overall Rating: Justin says a 4.3; John says a 4.5; I say a 4.0.
DONE AND DUSTED. 15 beers. And I'm going to bed.
Sunday, June 30, 2019
USA CURACAO GOLD CUP!!!
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.
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.
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.
Monday, March 25, 2019
Another IPA+ Blog during spring break
So, I can't get enough of these New England IPA's. Hazy, juicy, really easy on the bitterness, I am loving them. So, I figured I would go ahead and blog a few as I drank them tonight. Flying solo so no shenanigans here. Just pure blogging honesty with me, myself, and I.
First Beer:
Brewer: Central State
Beer Name: Snake Skin Boots
Beer Style: IPA
Beer Price: ? John gave me a can of this.
Appearance: This is quite a bit darker than the majority of the other hazy IPA's out there. This one is a dark tan, almost a leather color. The lacing and head is beautiful. This can was very carbonated and it bubbled over when I opened it.
Mouthfeel: Heavy for an IPA- not light or smooth. A really full beer on the front and back of the drink.
Taste: Pretty good actually. This is more IPAish then a lot of the other fruity, hazy beers out there. So, while I'm not a fan of the more traditional IPA's, I can definitely appreciate the balance this brings. The Simcoe hops are fruity yet retain a hint of bitterness. This is a really good middle ground between NE IPA's and the West Coast IPA's.
Overall rating: I'm going 4.0. It won't be something I'll rebuy but it is very well made.
Brewer: Narror Gauge
Beer Name: DDH Fallen Flag
Beer Style: American IPA
Beer Price: $16 for a 4 pack of 16 oz cans at Narrow Gauge
Aroma: Not much here. Slight fruity tinge. A hint of hops but not nearly as much as the last one.
Appearance: Way lighter in color as well. This is more of a yellow than a tan. The color of watered down orange juice.
Mouthfeel: Much lighter then the Central State. At 7%, there is a little booze on the tongue as well. Not overly. Just a little burn after an almost orange juicish tartness.
Taste: Delicious. If you like orange juice and the dank, bitterness of hops in a traditional IPA, then you will love this beer. One of the fruitier ones I've had. This may be my new favorite from Narrow Gauge. It's almost like a screwdriver in taste.
Overall Rating: I put 4.25 on untappd but I'm raising it to a 4.75. Not sure what could make it better. It may be raised to a 5.
Beer #3
Brewer: Firestone Walker
Beer Name: Mind Haze IPA
Beer Style: IPA
Price: $3 for a can at Beer Sauce
Appearance: Very light and hazy. Lighter then the Narrow Gauge.
Mouthfeel: Very light and smooth.
Taste: This is one of the better non-Narrow Gauge IPA's I've had. There is no bitterness to it at all. It is sweet all the way through. I'm not sure it counts as an IPA or what the definition of an IPA is anymore but I do know that I like these a whole lot. I told John I was in a beer rut earlier- IPA's and stouts. I then said that I was happy as a cat in the rut I am in.
Overall Rating: John and I both went 4.0 on this one. At 6.2, it's slightly weaker then the others I drink on the regular but it's well worth a try; especially if you don't like bitter.
Beer #4
Brewer: Stillwater
Beer Name: Action Bronson's 7000 (??????)
Beer Style: Dry Hopped Sour Ale
Price: $3 a 16 oz can at Beer Sauce
Aroma: Tart Fruit for sure. Maybe a lemon? Lime? Can't tell but it's definitely of the citrus family. It smells like spring cleaning should. If they put this stuff in a glade diffuser, I'd buy a case.
Appearance: Very light yellow but very cloudy. Not as clear as a sour usually is but I think that may be the citrus.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, silky smooth. Like Billy Dee Williams on the Millenium Falcon smooth.
Taste: Damn, this is fantastic. It's one of the better sours I have ever had. It is very citrusy up front; mellow through the back of the tongue but the tart sneaks up on you at the end and provides a perfectly balanced finish. I love the Stillwater Micro Pale Ale but this may be as good. It is definitely going to be drank by the pool this summer.
Overall Rating: John says a 4.0. I'm saying 4.5 with the chance to rise. This is a fantastic beer.
Beer #5
Brewer: Goose Island
Beer Name: Next Coast IPA
Beer Style: IPA
Price: $2 a 12 oz bottle at Beer Sauce
Aroma: More of an orange bubble gum smell. Citrusy but off in some way. Not as clean or fresh as the others. John says it's more piney. Maybe that's what it is. I can't tell.
Appearance: Very light and clear. Almost a pear juice/ apple juice look to it. Maybe a HI-C apple juice box look? No head or lacing at all; not a trace.
Mouthfeel: Very light, almost syrupy like cough syrup that has been watered down. It's not a bad thing; just super light.
Taste: Not bad- just not really good. It's a good beer if you are at Quicktrip at 2:30 am and you don't want Bud Select.
Overall Rating: John says 3.25. I'm going 3.0. Definitely the weakest of the bunch but still drinkable.
Beer #5
Brewer: Avery Brewing
Beer Name: Vanilla Bean Stout
Beer Style: Barrell Aged Stout
Price: $10ish a bottle
Aroma: Bourbon, vanilla, stout. BOURBON. The smell is strong.
Appearance: Dark, too dark to be clear. Looks like motor oil with a hint of black food coloring.
Mouthfeel: Very smooth. Not a lot here except smooth and silky. It's very light.
Taste: Vanilla, bourbon, stout. The taste is better than the smell. It tastes very smooth for a bourbon stout. The vanilla really smooths it out.
Overall Rating: I'm saying 4.0. Not as good as Madagascar but pretty good. John says a 4.0 as well. We each like it.
First Beer:
Brewer: Central State
Beer Name: Snake Skin Boots
Beer Style: IPA
Beer Price: ? John gave me a can of this.
Aroma: Bitter with just a hint of fruit. Guava maybe? Not sure. Getting more aromatic as it warms up.
Appearance: This is quite a bit darker than the majority of the other hazy IPA's out there. This one is a dark tan, almost a leather color. The lacing and head is beautiful. This can was very carbonated and it bubbled over when I opened it.
Mouthfeel: Heavy for an IPA- not light or smooth. A really full beer on the front and back of the drink.
Taste: Pretty good actually. This is more IPAish then a lot of the other fruity, hazy beers out there. So, while I'm not a fan of the more traditional IPA's, I can definitely appreciate the balance this brings. The Simcoe hops are fruity yet retain a hint of bitterness. This is a really good middle ground between NE IPA's and the West Coast IPA's.
Overall rating: I'm going 4.0. It won't be something I'll rebuy but it is very well made.
BEER #2
Brewer: Narror Gauge
Beer Name: DDH Fallen Flag
Beer Style: American IPA
Beer Price: $16 for a 4 pack of 16 oz cans at Narrow Gauge
Aroma: Not much here. Slight fruity tinge. A hint of hops but not nearly as much as the last one.
Appearance: Way lighter in color as well. This is more of a yellow than a tan. The color of watered down orange juice.
Mouthfeel: Much lighter then the Central State. At 7%, there is a little booze on the tongue as well. Not overly. Just a little burn after an almost orange juicish tartness.
Taste: Delicious. If you like orange juice and the dank, bitterness of hops in a traditional IPA, then you will love this beer. One of the fruitier ones I've had. This may be my new favorite from Narrow Gauge. It's almost like a screwdriver in taste.
Overall Rating: I put 4.25 on untappd but I'm raising it to a 4.75. Not sure what could make it better. It may be raised to a 5.
Beer #3
Brewer: Firestone Walker
Beer Name: Mind Haze IPA
Beer Style: IPA
Price: $3 for a can at Beer Sauce
Aroma: Citrus. Smells Delicious. I'm digging this.
Appearance: Very light and hazy. Lighter then the Narrow Gauge.
Mouthfeel: Very light and smooth.
Taste: This is one of the better non-Narrow Gauge IPA's I've had. There is no bitterness to it at all. It is sweet all the way through. I'm not sure it counts as an IPA or what the definition of an IPA is anymore but I do know that I like these a whole lot. I told John I was in a beer rut earlier- IPA's and stouts. I then said that I was happy as a cat in the rut I am in.
Overall Rating: John and I both went 4.0 on this one. At 6.2, it's slightly weaker then the others I drink on the regular but it's well worth a try; especially if you don't like bitter.
Beer #4
Brewer: Stillwater
Beer Name: Action Bronson's 7000 (??????)
Beer Style: Dry Hopped Sour Ale
Price: $3 a 16 oz can at Beer Sauce
Aroma: Tart Fruit for sure. Maybe a lemon? Lime? Can't tell but it's definitely of the citrus family. It smells like spring cleaning should. If they put this stuff in a glade diffuser, I'd buy a case.
Appearance: Very light yellow but very cloudy. Not as clear as a sour usually is but I think that may be the citrus.
Mouthfeel: Smooth, silky smooth. Like Billy Dee Williams on the Millenium Falcon smooth.
Taste: Damn, this is fantastic. It's one of the better sours I have ever had. It is very citrusy up front; mellow through the back of the tongue but the tart sneaks up on you at the end and provides a perfectly balanced finish. I love the Stillwater Micro Pale Ale but this may be as good. It is definitely going to be drank by the pool this summer.
Overall Rating: John says a 4.0. I'm saying 4.5 with the chance to rise. This is a fantastic beer.
Beer #5
Brewer: Goose Island
Beer Name: Next Coast IPA
Beer Style: IPA
Price: $2 a 12 oz bottle at Beer Sauce
Aroma: More of an orange bubble gum smell. Citrusy but off in some way. Not as clean or fresh as the others. John says it's more piney. Maybe that's what it is. I can't tell.
Appearance: Very light and clear. Almost a pear juice/ apple juice look to it. Maybe a HI-C apple juice box look? No head or lacing at all; not a trace.
Mouthfeel: Very light, almost syrupy like cough syrup that has been watered down. It's not a bad thing; just super light.
Taste: Not bad- just not really good. It's a good beer if you are at Quicktrip at 2:30 am and you don't want Bud Select.
Overall Rating: John says 3.25. I'm going 3.0. Definitely the weakest of the bunch but still drinkable.
Beer #5
Brewer: Avery Brewing
Beer Name: Vanilla Bean Stout
Beer Style: Barrell Aged Stout
Price: $10ish a bottle
Aroma: Bourbon, vanilla, stout. BOURBON. The smell is strong.
Appearance: Dark, too dark to be clear. Looks like motor oil with a hint of black food coloring.
Mouthfeel: Very smooth. Not a lot here except smooth and silky. It's very light.
Taste: Vanilla, bourbon, stout. The taste is better than the smell. It tastes very smooth for a bourbon stout. The vanilla really smooths it out.
Overall Rating: I'm saying 4.0. Not as good as Madagascar but pretty good. John says a 4.0 as well. We each like it.
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