A Crafty Recommendation: Founders Breakfast Stout

The lighting is terrible. The beer recommendation is not. Cheers & thanks for watching!

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Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Original vs, Variant (Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot vs. Weyerbacher Insanity!)

A little over a month ago, I reviewed Grimm Double Negative Imperial Stout. In that review I stated that I felt that the original Double Negative Imperial Stout was better than both the Bourbon Barrel Aged and Maple Bourbon Barrel Aged variants. Then the week after, I reviewed the passion fruit variant of Oskar Blues Pinner Throwback IPA. That got me thinking about adding a different spin to my usual review format. Instead of just reviewing a beer and/or beers, I would pit the original beer versus its variant in a showdown for the ages to once and for all decide which one is better. While the next time I decide to do this I will go to a bottle shop and pick 2 beers, for this review I am looking no further than my personal collection.

For several months, I have been staring down bottles of Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot Barleywine and its whiskey barrel aged variant Insanity each time I opened the fridge. I kept telling myself I was going to use them for a later review when the time was right. I would then grab any other beer in the fridge and forget about them until the next time I was faced with the same dilemma. For some reason I was comfortable doing this because barleywines only seem to improve with age. Also, since I had yet to have either beer, a side by side comparison of these 11.1% titans seemed to be the only way to enjoy them. Well the time has finally come and I could not be more excited.

Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot & Weyerbacher Insanity look almost identical. They are a murky reddish-brown with an off-white head. There is a small amount of sediment in the Insanity but that is the only visible difference. The aroma and flavor however could not be any more different. Blithering Idiot is pretty much your standard barleywine. It's full of caramel and dark fruits. Immediately noticeable are fig, plum and raisin. There are some nice flavors going on here but the syrupy sweetness to Blithering Idiot becomes difficult to enjoy by the end of the glass. What really counts against it is there is almost no hop presence to provide balance here. As it warmed I found myself liking it less and less. Weyerbacher Blithering Idiot is a big, strong beer. It kind of works, but not nearly as well as it should.

On the other hand Weyerbacher Insanity is a bit more balanced. The whiskey barrel aging is right at the forefront. Whiskey was the first thing I tasted before getting notes of vanilla, plum, raisin, and fig with a nice oak finish. I was not crazy about this initially. I felt the whiskey just overwhelmed the beer. As it warmed, I found myself really enjoying Insanity. The strong oak, vanilla and whiskey flavors settled down nicely, providing a nice balance to the sweetness of the base beer. This is a really nice barleywine. Easily one of the better beers I have had from Weyerbacher.

For my first Original vs. Variant Battle, I have to give round 1(could be considered round 3) to the variant. Barrel aging took the fairly mediocre Blithering Idiot Barleywine and turned it into something nice. I am not telling you to run out and buy Insanity immediately. If you happen to come across it however it is well worth a purchase. It would compliment a cool fall night perfectly. Just drink it slow, let it warm up a bit and enjoy the journey.

In the battle of Base Beer vs. Variant, the winner is the VARIANT! (Weyerbacher Insanity Barleywine).


To discuss this blog or all things beer follow me on Twitter, Instagram & Untappd at @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews go to: http://acraftylook.blogspot.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Oktoberfest Pt. 2 (Ayinger, Yuengling, Bells, Great Lakes)

Previously on A Crafty Look...

Hacker-Pschorr Original Oktoberfest Amber Marzen had a beautiful malt profile but it's hindered by a metallic finish.

Spaten Oktoberfest was boring and bland.

Sierra Nevada's Oktoberfest was good but not as good as last year.

Left Hand Oktoberfest was quite good and deceptively strong at 6.6%.

Now that you are caught up with what happened last week, I can get right into this week's reviews starting things off with again in Germany with Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen. Pouring a clear amber with a white head, Ayinger's version of an Oktoberfest beer was a delight drink. Its aroma is very bready, grainy with some caramel and a hint of fruit and spice. The flavor matches the aroma, toasted bread and caramel shine initially. The sweetness of the caramel is quite nice. It is balanced by a nutty, spicy, dry finish. This stood out nicely compared to the other beers I reviewed. As you will shortly find out with Yuengling's Oktoberfest, balance is important. Oktoberfest beers have a tendency to get a little too sweet. I think Sam Adams is a perfect example of this. Ayinger Oktober Fest-Marzen adds a really nice amount of bitterness to prevent this from happening. The result is a wonderful beer for a crisp Fall night session. In short, I really enjoyed this beer. It's not the best beer I've had but it's one of the best Oktoberfest beers I've had.

Overall rating: 4.25/5

Next up we have the aforementioned Yuengling Oktotoberfest. I admit I have not had this one in a few years but I remember liking it a lot. This all changed when I put this beer against other ones in the style. Yuengling's version is largely hindered by it's lack of balance. Its ruby red color with an off-white head looks amazing. The aroma was bursting with caramel sweetness, a light spiciness and a lot of bread. A caramelized sugar sweetness is what mostly dominates the flavor. This all leads to the classic bready, Yuengling Lager finish. This would all work nicely if there was more hops in the finish to provide balance. Sadly, Yuengling Oktoberfest is completely under-hopped. The malt sweetness dominates mostly everything you taste. The hops are there but they are in the background and make things more bland than anything else. It merits saying this is a less expensive Oktoberfest beer and it is not a bad beer for the price. This is however, an example of getting what you pay for. This is the kind Oktoberfest you bring to a party of people you barely know because it is worth trying a bottle. You just won't give it a second thought when you leave the rest behind.

Overall rating: 2.5/5

Of all the Oktoberfest beers I chose for this epic two part review, the one I was most excited to try was Bells Octoberfest. I am a huge fan of Bells Brewery and have not had a chance to try their Octoberfest. The main reason for this is the beer has not been bottled in 5 years. So when I saw it on the shelves next to their other fall offering Best Brown Ale, I grabbed it immediately. I just hoped it would live up to the high expectations I had for it. Unfortunately it only met those expectations halfway. The first initial taste reminded me of cheap beer. At 11 dollars a six pack, the last thing you want to compare your beer to is something you could have bought for 4. But let's make things a bit more positive here, there are notes of Toasted nuts, toffee, cracker with a slight fruitiness in the flavor. The finish had a touch of citrus which I thought was nice. As the seventh Oktoberfest beer I've reviewed any slight difference from toasted bread, caramel, and toasted nuts is quite nice. To sum it up, even though it is reminiscent of cheap beer, it is not bad beer. At times I actually found myself enjoying Bells Octoberfest. Unfortunately it's just nothing memorable. If they did not bottle it for another 5 years I probably wouldn't notice.

Overall rating: 3/5.

Finally my last Oktoberfest for the year, from Cleveland, Great Lakes Oktoberfest. At this point I am sure you know what to look for in the aroma and the flavor, so I will make this short and sweet. I am not really a fan of this beer. It gets a little too sweet at times. The caramel malt lingers a little too long after the spicy finish. It becomes a little distracting. Closing this blog with this beer may have been a mistake. Honestly after all this malt, I can't wait to drink a beer absolutely drowned in hops. Great Lakes Oktoberfest is definitely the sweetest one of the bunch and that is not a good thing.

Overall rating: 2/5

That concludes my epic 2 part Oktoberfest blog. For the first time ever, I think I am done drinking Oktoberfest beers by the end of September. Since the actual Oktoberfest ends around then, I think that's all right.


Rating Scale:
1 - Repugnant and undrinkable
2 - Acceptable but forgettable
3 - Good, worth a purchase
4 - Excellent, a step above the norm
5 - Truly exceptional　

To discuss this blog or all things beer follow me on Twitter, Instagram & Untappd at @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews go to: http://acraftylook.blogspot.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Long Trail Space Juice Double IPA

Up until recently, Long Trail Brewing Company was one of those breweries that I always seemed to forget about. I always thought they made decent beer, they just didn't make anything that really blew my mind. That all changed when I tried their sMasH(single malt and single hop) #2 beer that paired Maris Otter malt with Mosaic hops. That was one of those beers I could not get enough of. The malt was biscuity and beautifully complimented the bold tropical notes of the mosaic hop. The finish was earthy, piney and most importantly it worked. It is still by far the best sMasH beer I have had to date. I hope to see it on shelves again at some point. This however is not a review of Smash #2, it is a review of their highly sought-after Space Juice Double IPA.

Space Juice Double IPA is wonderful. There, that's the review, you can go back to watching cute animal videos and reading Fantasy Football news. I say that because after the long Oktoberfest blog, I thought I would do you a favor and keep it simple. If you still want further details(and you should), I suppose I'll provide them. Space Juice works so well because it's bursting with tropical fruit notes. The aroma is full of passion fruit, orange, pineapple and mango. The first sip I took of this slightly hazy, golden yellow Double IPA with a white head took me by surprise. It was wonderfully juicy, full of pineapple, mango, guava, orange before a grapefruit, piney finish. The finish was wonderful, providing a nice balance to the sweet tropical flavor. There was a slight alcohol burn, but at 8.7% that is to be expected. The malt sweetness is also there. It's nice but it is in the background allowing the hops to shine.

With an 8.7% ABV, Space Juice Double IPA is a big strong beer with big flavors. Galaxy, Columbus, Citra and Mosaic hops are on full display here and that is a fabulous thing. At north of 15 dollars a four pack, it is a bit pricey but it is definitely worth a purchase if you are a fan of big, bold, tropical IPAs. If I come across it again, I'll be buying it again immediately.

Overall I would rate Long Trail Brewing Company's Space Juice Double IPA a 4.25/5. It's proof you do not need to add fruit or fruit extract to get bold fruity, tropical flavors.


Rating Scale:
1 - Repugnant and undrinkable
2 - Acceptable but forgettable
3 - Good, worth a purchase
4 - Excellent, a step above the norm
5 - Truly exceptional　

To discuss this blog or all things beer follow me on Twitter, Instagram & Untappd at @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews go to: http://acraftylook.blogspot.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Oktoberfest! Part 1 (Hacker-Pschorr, Spaten, Sierra Nevada, Left Hand)

Since Oktoberfest actually takes place during the month of September, I can no longer wait to review Fall beer. Up until now, I have done a superb job of ignoring it every time I entered a bottle shop. Just last week, I reviewed High Water Cucumber Kolsch with the sole purpose of ignoring that Fall was coming. Fall is coming though, and the food & festivities of Oktoberfest are coming along with it. So for me the question became, “which Oktoberfest should I review?” The only answer I could settle on was a bunch of them. So over the next two weeks, I will be trying a few different Oktoberfest beers to help you find one that works best for you.

For my first Oktoberfest beer, I feel it would be wrong to start anywhere else other than Germany. Brewed in Munich, Hacker-Pschorr Original Oktoberfest Amber Marzen, according to the Brewery's website is so popular it is brewed year round. It pours a rich copper with an off-white head. The aroma is everything you would expect with lots of caramel, toasted bread, and toffee with a little bit of fruitiness. The first sip I got all of those flavor notes. The malt profile here in this beer is absolutely beautiful. It is everything you would expect from the style. The malt sweetness is balanced nicely by slightly bitter, spicy hop finish. I want to give this a rave review but unfortunately I cannot. There was a slightly metallic note to the finish that became a bit of a distraction the further I got into the glass. It did not ruin the beer for me but it kept it from being a Fall mainstay in my fridge this Oktoberfest season.

Overall rating: 3.25/5

For our next Oktoberfest I'll be staying in Munich with another year round beer I have a bit of history with, Spaten Oktoberfest. In the fall of 2004, a friend and I were ready to share our extensive beer knowledge with our college campus. The previous school year we had tried over 100 different beers and felt extremely confident sharing our expertise with anyone who would listen. Not to brag(still going to) but we had a solid run. “The Brew Review” went all the way from the irrelevant 5th page of the “Campus Life” section to the very front page. One of the reviews that got us there was Spaten Oktoberfest. At the time we both thought it was an average Oktoberfest beer that we could not give our seal of approval too. It was boring, bland and not worth the price of a six pack. For this review I could not pass up an opportunity to give it a second chance and review it one more time.
Sadly, it turns out I was right the first time. Spaten Oktoberfest is as middle of the road as it gets. As expected it pours a dark amber with an off-white head. As expected, there is a lot of toasted bread in the aroma, accompanied by caramel malt and an earthy spiciness. Finally, as expected the taste brings the bland flavor of toasted bread, caramel, molasses before finishing with a bland earthy, spicy hop flavor that did not wash away clean. Over 10 years ago, I thought this was the definition of a mediocre, by the numbers Oktoberfest. That feeling still has not changed.

Overall rating: 2/5

To go from Germany to the US, the next Oktoberfest is a collaboration between the Sierra Nevada Brewing Company and Mahrs Brau. Last year, Sierra Nevada collaborated with Brauhaus Riegele to deliver a particularly wonderful Oktoberfest beer. So my hopes were high they were going to once again knock it out of the park. The 2016 version pours a beautifully clear golden yellow with a fizzy white head. The aroma is grainy, bready with a hint of spicy, grassy hops. Crisp, clean and easy to drink would be how I would describe this beer. The bready, grainy, honey malt sweetness up front is balanced nicely by a grassy, spicy finish. This is definitely slightly lighter than the others I have reviewed so far but is stronger than both at 6.0% ABV. Unfortunately I do not think it is not as good as last year. Make no mistake though, this is a good beer. One I am looking forward to having again.

Overall rating: 3.5/5

Finally, out of Longmont, Colorado, Left Hand Brewing Company's Oktoberfest. Pouring dark amber with a khaki head, this 6.6% Oktoberfest was quite delightful. The aroma is quite wonderful. It is nutty and full of caramel & toffee. From my first sip to the time my glass was empty, I felt like I went on a journey. At first I was not impressed, but each sip I thought it got better & better. By the time my glass was empty, I was looking for a second bottle. Toasted malt with a strong nut flavor dominates before a spicy, caramel sweet finish that washes away clean. The stronger than normal 6.6% ABV is hidden beautifully. This is a great choice for those cooler Fall Nights. Left Hand Oktoberfest is definitely my favorite Oktoberfest of the week.

Overall rating: 4/5

I'll be back next week with reviews of Ayinger, Bells & more!


Rating Scale:
1 - Repugnant and undrinkable
2 - Acceptable but forgettable
3 - Good, worth a purchase
4 - Excellent, a step above the norm
5 - Truly exceptional　

To discuss this blog or all things beer follow me on Twitter & Untappd at@ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews go to: http://acraftylook.blogspot.com/

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

High Water Cucumber Kolsch Specialty Ale

As the calendar goes from August to September, one thing is very clear; I am not ready to let go of Summer. Now don't get me wrong, I love the Fall season and everything that comes with it. The leaves changing color; the return of football; Halloween; and most importantly, Fall beer. Now, I understand you might be ready for all that I just mentioned. I however, am choosing to be stubborn because I am not ready to give up the warm weather, trips to the beach, flip flops(although this one I probably should), outdoor concerts, and knowing that snow is not right around the corner. So as you can imagine, when fall beers arrived on shelves in mid-July, I began to feel irritated that breweries were trying to cut my Summer short. This should go without saying, but mid-July is way too early to see anything Fall or pumpkin-related. I decided then, I was going to wait until the start of September to do a Fall review of any kind. Well, now that September is here the weather is still well into the 80's. So, I am not exactly feeling motivated to do a Fall review. Plus I also just picked up a beer that sounds perfect for the weather we are currently experiencing. So I am going to put off switching to Fall seasonal beer for just a littler longer so I can say goodbye to Summer with one final light bodied, fruity, sessionable, Summer-like beer.

For my final fruit-forward beer of the Summer season, I decided to close like how I started, with a cucumber beer. Out of Pittsburg, California, High Water Brewing Company's Cucumber Kolsch is pretty much everything you would want from a cucumber beer. The aroma and flavor is dominated by cucumber and it is refreshing. The appearance of the beer however, leaves something to be desired. It looks murky, like puddle water with a fizzy white head. If the aroma was not as promising as it was, I might have had second thoughts about drinking it. The pleasant aroma I mentioned of cucumber is balanced by grain, honey and coconut. My first sip was just like the aroma. There is a lot of cucumber with a light, spicy coconut finish. The pilsner malt also provides a nice, delicate backbone to the beer. The light coconut flavor also works but it is very light. I think putting “Brewed with Cucumber & Coconut Water” on the can made it sound more interesting that it is. When all is said and done, I do like this beer. It's an easy drinking fruit-forward beer that is definitely worth a try if cucumber is your thing.

Overall I would rate High Water Brewing Company's Cucumber Kolsch a 3/5. It's heavy on cucumber so if that sounds good to you, you will like it. If that does not sound good to you, it might be time to start looking at the Fall beer.


Rating Scale:
1 - Repugnant and undrinkable
2 - Acceptable but forgettable
3 - Good, worth a purchase
4 - Excellent, a step above the norm
5 - Truly exceptional　

To discuss this blog or all things beer follow me on Twitter & Untappd at@ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews go to: http://acraftylook.blogspot.com/

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!