Buzz on Beer

Hitachnio Nest’s Japanese Classic Ale: Had this Japanese...

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 18:05:06 -0500

Hitachnio Nest’s Japanese Classic Ale:

Had this Japanese IPA at MGM Grand’s Shibuya a couple weeks back. It was
fantastic - up there with several American IPAs. I wish I could find it
places, but that’s not happening anytime soon. The picture doesn’t do the
color of this beer justice. It was one of the nicest I’ve seen in awhile.
If you ever come across it in a Japanese restaurant, definitely get it.
Much better than Sapparo or Kirin (not that I dislike those beers). - Drew

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Victory’s Yakima Twilight Ale & Port Brewing’s...

Sat, 12 Dec 2009 14:19:43 -0500

Victory’s Yakima Twilight Ale & Port Brewing’s Santa’s Little Helper Imperial Stout:

I hadn’t had a Victory brew in awhile for some reason, but when I saw this
guy on the shelf - I knew I needed to try it. At first, didn’t really care
for it, but it grew on me immensely. I’d definitely buy it again. The Port
Brewing imperial was excellent. Incredibly heavy, but smooth. Almost felt
like I could taste too much alcohol in it (10% by volume), but decided it
had nice balance. It was an imperial after all. - Drew

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Mississippi Brewing’s Mississippi Mudd Black & Tan,...

Thu, 10 Dec 2009 16:32:25 -0500

Mississippi Brewing’s Mississippi Mudd Black & Tan, Dundee Brewing’s Honey Brown, & Ska Brewing’s Modus Hoperandi IPA:

They only had a one six-pack left of the Modus so I had to pick it up.
Remember Honey Brown? I thought it was good in college. Yeah….it really
isn’t. Just kinda bland. I was a total consumer when it came to the black
& tan (due to the bottle). It’s a pretty standard black & tan, but still
very good. It’s a black & tan…how bad can it get? - Drew

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Otter Creek’s Quercus Vitis Humulus: — I had this...

Fri, 04 Dec 2009 19:13:45 -0500

Otter Creek’s Quercus Vitis Humulus:

— I had this special brew over Thanksgiving, a time already overwhelmed by
flavor, and this certainly added to the mix. The Quercus Vitis Humulus uses
grapes, champaign yeast, and other ingredients standard in wine - but brewed
like a beer. The result is a slightly sour, fruity, grapish, fizzy, juice.
While I applaud the attempt and the original nature, I can easily say this
is NOT a beer for me. I’m glad I tried it, but definitely won’t again. —
Zach

Uinta Angler’s Pale and Golden Spike Hefe: — Found...

Thu, 12 Nov 2009 16:20:14 -0500

Uinta Angler’s Pale and Golden Spike Hefe:

— Found these recently in Boston and felt compelled to try something new (note: the Hefeweizen was a rando mixed in with five ales). I was sadly and sorely disappointed. The ale had a strangely sour aftertaste and the hefe was surprisingly bland. Not what i was hoping for. —Zach

Pyramid’s Thunderbird IPA & Reaper Ale’s...

Sat, 31 Oct 2009 20:52:46 -0400

Pyramid’s Thunderbird IPA & Reaper Ale’s Redemption Red Ale:

Figured it was appropriate to pick up a Reaper Ale. It’s a standard red ale, but very tasty. The Thunderbird IPA tastes a lot like Sierra Nevada Pale Ale - so it’s good. Happy Halloween everyone. - Drew

Harpoon’s Unfiltered Pale Ale: — That’s...

Fri, 30 Oct 2009 23:18:26 -0400

Harpoon’s Unfiltered Pale Ale:

— That’s right: a new Harpoon. And yes, it’s great. It’s definitely no IPA, but it’s a great classic pale. I strongly recommend.

Big Sky’s Slow Elk Oatmeal Stout: Another tasty Big Sky...

Thu, 29 Oct 2009 20:48:59 -0400

Big Sky’s Slow Elk Oatmeal Stout:

Another tasty Big Sky brew. I have not had the Wolaver’s Oatmeal Stout in awhile so it’s difficult to compare, but this beer is darn tasty. Perfect for the changing seasons where a little heavier brew works just perfectly. Glad Buzz is back up and running. -Drew

Ska Brewing’s Modus Hoperandi IPA & Sierra...

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 15:47:11 -0400

Ska Brewing’s Modus Hoperandi IPA & Sierra Nevada’s Porter:

First Ska Brewing beer I’ve had and it is FANTASTIC. A very very solid IPA
(one of the best I’ve had in awhile - reminds me of Southern Tiers
IPA)….plus it comes in can, which is fun. I can never remember if I’ve
had some Sierra Nevada brews - I just need to come to the conclusion that
I’ve had them all. For some reason I thought I hadn’t had the Porter, but I
have. It’s good….it’s Sierra Nevada. -Drew

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Edison - a staple of Houston’s in Boston: - Edison is a...

Tue, 27 Oct 2009 12:51:57 -0400

Edison - a staple of Houston’s in Boston:

- Edison is a purposefully light beer (“Brewed to be Light” reads the
label) that is indeed light. Unfortunately this also means “light” on flavor
and “light” on awesomeness. There’s really just not a lot to it. But, having
said that, I still get one almost every time I visit Houston’s in Boston.
And hey, if you’re looking for light, this definitely beats Bud, Miller,
Coors, and the gang. — Zach

Port Brewing’s Wipeout IPA & Bell’s Pale Ale:...

Sat, 19 Sep 2009 04:03:08 -0400

Port Brewing’s Wipeout IPA & Bell’s Pale Ale:

I really like Port Brewing. All of their brews are consistently good and
have not disappointed me yet. They don’t do anything crazy, just standard
simply good (that makes sense right?). They also do a Black & Tan (which
far too few brewers do) that is really really good. Anyways, this IPA is
really good - reminds me a little bit of Racer 5. Haven’t had the Bell’s
Pale Ale yet, but will comment when I do. - Drew

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Drew - Big Sky’s Montana Mixer: It’s been awhile...

Wed, 16 Sep 2009 15:52:25 -0400

Drew - Big Sky’s Montana Mixer:

It’s been awhile for me here, but let’s get back into the swing of things
with a GREAT mixer. Feel like I’m beating a dead horse here, but Big Sky is
making a very strong push for my brewer of the year. I had had the two
beers on the right (IPA & Moose Drool), but not the two beers on the left
(Trout Slayer & Pale Ale). First, the names of their beers rock (Trout
Slayer, Scape Goat, & Moose Drool….how do you beat that?). Secondly and
more importantly, the beers are so good. The Trout Slayer is a wheat brew,
which I usually don’t care for, but liked this one quite a bit. The Pale
Ale was also very very good. If I’m back east next year, I will certainly
miss the accessibility of Big Sky here in the Midwest.

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Becks Classic: — Enjoying the dog days of summer at the...

Sat, 12 Sep 2009 18:03:24 -0400

Becks Classic:

— Enjoying the dog days of summer at the BMW in IL - with some imported fun. —Grant

Dogfish Head’s Shelter Pale Ale: I was pretty excited to...

Thu, 10 Sep 2009 19:40:51 -0400

Dogfish Head’s Shelter Pale Ale:

I was pretty excited to try this one, as Dogfish Head is generally
infallible (even with its weirder beers), but the Shelter Pale Ale was
surprisingly disappointing. Basically it was just a “blah” beer. Not bad by
any stretch, but really failed to live up to the brewery’s legacy of awesome
beers. Normally when I don’t love a Dogfish Head it’s because the beer is
too intense/flavored/hopped/something - and oddly, the Shelter was pretty
much lacking intensity/flavor/hops/something. There’s just not a lot to it.
If you’re a Dogfish Head fan, you’ll try this anyway. But if not, it’s a
fair one to skip. — Zach

Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Fresh Hop Ale:...

Wed, 26 Aug 2009 04:52:54 -0400

Sierra Nevada Southern Hemisphere Harvest Fresh Hop Ale:

— This was a top contender for my 2008 BOTY (Beer Of The Year) award and
I’m excited it’s back in season. The concept here is that hops are a
seasonal crop, but beer is a daily drink. Sierra Nevada imports hops from
New Zealand (I think) during our off-season - their in season - to make the
freshest, hoppiest, most delicious beer. The only downside I see is that it
only comes in big bottles, but it’s really one of my favorites. — Zach

Oskar Blues’ Dale’s Pale Ale: — Continuing...

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 20:50:38 -0400

Oskar Blues’ Dale’s Pale Ale:

— Continuing the micro-brew-in-a-can series, I tried out a few from Oskar
Blues, a CO based brewery. The Pale Ale was interesting in a few ways: it
wasn’t very pale but was sort of red, it was bit more bubbly than I expected
but also delicious! Surprisingly strong and really good, I never would have
called this a Pale Ale, but whatever category it goes in, I like it. —
Zach

21st Amendment’s Brew Free or Die IPA: — After...

Fri, 07 Aug 2009 02:57:32 -0400

21st Amendment’s Brew Free or Die IPA:

— After over a month off from posting, I have a lot saved up and ready to
go, starting with a series of microbrews in cans. I’d heard great things
about SF’s 21st Amendment brewery and its IPA does not disappoint. It almost
has a little sweetness to its aftertaste, which was nice, but overall a
pretty tasty beer. 21st also makes a watermelon beer, which I’ll likely not
try anytime soon… but thought it was worth noting for any fruit beer
enthusiasts. — Zach

Otter Creek’s Imperial IPA: Picked up this delicious brew...

Fri, 17 Jul 2009 20:14:00 -0400

Otter Creek’s Imperial IPA:

Picked up this delicious brew in VT this weekend, part of Otter Creek’s
special series. The Imperial certainly lives up to its name at 11% abv - a
good kick, but surprisingly not overpowered by the alcohol. The hop finish
is outstanding - one of the best in recent memory. The biggest surprise to
me was the light color - indicated pretty accurately in the picture -
representative of a lager, but it has a deep and rich taste. I strongly
recommend! —-Zach

Drew: Saranac’s 6 Beers of Summer: I drank them all the...

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:30:01 -0400

Drew: Saranac’s 6 Beers of Summer: I drank them all the time in college and it was wonderful to see this mix pack at the store. It was an easy decision to purchase. I had the Helles Lager, Pale Pale Ale, and the Rye Pilsener. They were all great. —

Drew: Shipyard’s Captain Collection: I always grab a...

Fri, 12 Jun 2009 15:29:55 -0400

Drew: Shipyard’s Captain Collection: I always grab a Shipyard mix pack when I get home to Maine. This one, unfortunately, was packed incorrectly with only 3 beers! They’re all good though. I like the new Summer Ale label as well. —