#24 and #25 for Ben

One quarter of the way through. I really need to make a list so I know what I need to drink. The beer fest samples will not count, sadly.

Beer: 90 Minute IPA
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Delaware
Category: American Double IPA
Date Drank: 3/25/09
Grade: B+
Location purchased/drank: Whole Foods
Served from a: Bottle

I know that I love this beer and I know that I have had it better from the tap at the Independent. But, that's okay. I still recommend it from the bottle. For the hop-head, like I, this is the best of the Minutes group... that I have tried. I want to try the 75 minute when I can. Wherever it may be. The numbers have to do with the alcohol level in the beer, so this is pretty strong for a social beer. I think, though, why this isn't in the A-range is that I am put off by raisin-y flavor. Shame, because that is the way a lot of my favorite beers go. I'm not disgusted, but it certainly is a B-level flavor for me.

Beer: Red Rocket Ale
Brewery: Bear Republic Brewing, California
Category: American Amber
Date Drank: 3/31/09
Grade: B+
Location purchased/drank: The Independent
Served from a: Tap

Bear Republic is quickly becoming one of my favorite brewers. This beer is a nice go-between for both Beth and I, since we both had it. It is a light beer for her, a dark for me. It was very well balanced between the malt and the hops. It is a great example of an Amber. But, I didn't drink a second glass of it. It was about as far away I wanted to stray for my normal beers that day.

5, 6, 7: Beth

This is where it gets hard for me...writing about beer after going somewhere socially/where I'm not necessarily there for the beer. But I'm just gonna do it and let it be fun! This is not about being right, it's about learning. With that, here are 5/6/7

#5
Beer: Raison D'Etre
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Delaware
Category: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Date Drank: 2/26/09
Grade: B-
Location purchased/drank: Silvertone
Served from a: Tap

I loved this beer a year ago. I don't know if my tastes have evolved or if the year was better then (I think I was drinking the 2003) or if it's aged or what, but now I find it a little too...chewy and pruney. A little unpleasantness in the back of my mind as I drink this. It's even a little too sweet and I love a sweet, malty beer...I guess this is a sweet, fruity beer. I prefer sour fruity beers. I'm weird. Someone on beeradvocate mentioned it would be great for braising...and I think, in our hey-day with this beer we did make Flemish stew with it and it was great...I always think it would be great with pork or duck when I drink it. That raisiny, fruity sweetness would work well with those.

#6
Beer: Anchor Steam Beer
Brewery: Anchor Beer Company, California
Category: Steam Beer
Date Drank: 2/26/09
Grade: B-
Location purchased/drank: Silvertone
Served from a: Bottle

Another beer I've had before and didn't like as much this time. The restaurant served us just the bottle, we both took one swig and poured the rest into our glasses from the Raison D'Etre. I liked this on tap at the Burren, but now in a bottle it tasted stale (might be the restaurant's doing, though). Ben and I discussed its "honey and rye" flavors...not in a good way. Don't know a lot about the style, though. Just not my thing that night, but the more I think about how I liked it at the Burren, the more I think Silvertone skunked it. I added a link to Beer Advocate's style information.

#7
Beer: CaCow! Chocolate Milk Stout
Brewery: Cambridge Brewing Company, MA
Category: Milk/Sweet Stout
Date Drank: 2/28/09
Grade: A-
Location purchased/drank: Redbones
Served from a: tap

I really enjoy the creaminess of milk stouts. It's a pleasant chewiness. It's sweet and dry, too. Lots going on. It had a really intense flavor that reminded me of CBC's You Enjoy My Stout, but not as over-powering as that (I don't know how to describe it, but it was too much in YEMS, but a nice contrast in CaCow!). Rich and chocolately, dark and malty. Very nice beer.

#8 and 9, for Ben.

Beer: Raison D'Etre
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Delaware
Category: Belgian Strong Dark Ale
Date Drank: 2/26/09
Grade: B-
Location purchased/drank: Silvertone
Served from a: Tap

Now that I am starting to really consider how beers do compare to each other, this received a lower grade. Well, lower than in would have when we were obsessed with it for a few months in 2007. But, when you compare it to Delirum Tremens, which is the pale Belgian, you would think that this would be similar. Drinking this, you don't really think of Belgian beer. Sure, it's tart, like you would want, but the kick was missing. Now, I love Dogfish madly, and gladly drink this, but it really is a middle of the pack good beer. Nothing more.

Beer: Anchor Steam Beer
Brewery: Anchor Beer Company, California
Category: Steam Beer
Date Drank: 2/26/09
Grade: B-
Location purchased/drank: Silvertone
Served from a: Bottle

Similar lines with the Steam Beer. The steam has to fermentation when refrigeration was scarce. Common back then, but not so much now. Now, I love Anchor and believe in their beer, but I have always felt that this should be their flagship. That this should be the beer that people remember them by. And, instead, it was like "honey and rye". Enjoyable, but nothing that made a lasting impression that would make me favorite it over other Anchor beers. Maybe if I had other Steam beers to compare it to, I would understand, but not in the larger picture.

Oh, and Silvertone was alright for beer when it comes to right-after-work office restaurants. The food was good, too.

100 different beers

To revive the blog, I'm going to review 100 different beers.

Format may change over time.

#1

Beer: Anchor Liberty Ale
Brewery: Anchor Brewing Company, California
Category: American Pale Ale

Date Drank: 02/19/09

Grade: B

Location purchased/drank: Whole Foods

Served from a : Bottle

Anchor is a good brewery. I haven't had anything bad yet. Steam beer is an interesting concept, and apparently they are the only ones that do it. Whatever "it" is.

#2

Beer: Grimbergen Dubbel
Brewery: Brouwerij Alken-Maes, Belgium
Category: Dubbel

Date Drank: 02/19/09

Grade: B

Location purchased/drank: Wine and Cheese Cask

Served from a : Bottle

Simple Belgian taste, though I almost gave it a B- because it taste much worse from the bottle then poured into a glass.


#3

Beer: 60 Minute IPA
Brewery: Dogfish Head Craft Brewery, Delaware
Category: American IPA

Date Drank: 02/20/09

Grade: B+

Location purchased/drank: Whole Foods

Served from a : Bottle

I love Dogfish! Though still the 90-minute is best.