Bells Sparkleberry & 30th Anniversary Cherry Stout Reserve

Usually when I see a new release from Bell's Brewery, I have to try it. Bell's is just one of those breweries you can usually count on to deliver a well-crafted drinking experience. Recently, they released two beers that captured my attention, Sparkleberry & 30th Anniversary Reserve Cherry Stout.

Sparkleberry is not a new beer but 2018 marks its debut in cans. It was first brewed in 2013 to celebrate Bells’ Sponsorship of Kalamazoo Pride. Over the years, Sparkleberry would occasionally make its way to NY but I kept missing my chance to try it. So as you can imagine, I was particularly excited to give this one a long overdue try. The idea of a Belgian-Style Tripel Ale brewed with Raspberries sounded delicious to me. I also liked the fact that the ABV(8.3%) is true to the style by being on the stronger side. The ABV, the style of beer, and the raspberries made this sound like the perfect summer sipper. As I opened the can, I just hoped I was right.

Sparkleberry was a bit of an unexpected drinking experience. I expected the raspberries to dominate the flavor but I also expected them to be much sweeter than they were. The raspberries were initially sweet but some lemon tartness shows up, followed by the flavors you would expect from a tripel, namely clove, pepper spice and banana. The finish is very dry, almost wine like and the 8.3% ABV adds a bit of astringency. Unfortunately, there also appeared to be a hint of nail polish remover as well in it. I really wanted to like this beer but was thrilled I shared the can after the first sip. The fruit flavoring did not blend as seamlessly as I expected with the base beer. It is not bad, but not a beer I would look to purchase again.

Overall rating: 2.5/5

I thought I was done blogging about stouts for a while but the 30th Anniversary Cherry Stout Reserve gave me a reason to do a quick review just in case. The beer is dark chocolate-covered cherries in a glass. The cherries are tart and balance the sweetness of the chocolate nicely. There is a touch of smoke along with a woody, spicy finish. The 9% ABV is fairly well hidden which was nice. The cherry and the dark chocolate were bold enough however to dominate mostly everything here. I enjoyed drinking this beer but I wanted it to have a little more complexity. Then again, it delivered exactly what it promised. It was also a much more pleasant experience than the last time I purchased the Bells Cherry Stout. That beer was so metallic I thought I was drinking T-1000 in a glass(hope that reference wasn't too dated). This one is decadent and delicious. If this dessert in a glass sounds appealing to you, I recommend picking it up.

Overall rating: 3.75/5




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. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

To discuss this blog or all things beer like my Facebook page

Look for me on Instagram & Untappd and Twitter @ACraftyLook

For more beer reviews check out: http://www.acraftylook.com

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Victory Winter Cheers

Perhaps the most versatile style of seasonal beer is the winter beer. On the shelves right now you will find many different styles including but not limited to: IPAs, porters, stouts and Belgian spiced ales. And each and every single one of those beers has a winter or holiday theme on the label. But how do you know which one to pick? Well hopefully I can help you out with that. The holiday beer I'll be looking at  this week is Winter Cheers from Victory Brewing.

Boasting a 6.7% ABV, this self described 'celebratory wheat ale' pours a slightly hazy straw yellow with a white head. The head lingered providing a beautiful lacing on the glass. The aroma is light but spicy, with hints of banana and clove. Unfortunately the flavor was light as well. There is an initial pleasant malt sweetness. This gives way to the light flavor of banana, pepper and clove before a light grassy hop finish that lingers on the palate. While that might sound like there is a lot going on in the flavor, there is not. This is a straight by the numbers wheat ale, that truly lacks any imagination. Which is unfortunate because Victory does make some terrific beers. Winter beers for better or worse are usually bursting with flavor, this one unfortunately plays it safe. For example, this winter beer feels like a safe beer you give your craft beer-phobic Heineken or Budweiser drinking family member around the holidays. At the same time, this is not a beer you'll impress your craft beer-enthusiast friends who are still chasing down Bourbon County Stout.

Overall I would rate Winter Cheers a 2/5. A boring, safe winter beer from a solid brewery. On that note, if you can still find their Harvest Ale, try it you won't be disappointed. But I digress, while winter beers usually have a lot going on, this one does not.


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 at @ACraftyLook

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

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Allagash Saison, Tripel and White Ale

Like the season premiere of your favorite show, I'm back with a new round of beer reviews. It's been far too long since I sat behind this keyboard talking about whether a particular beer happens to be good or not. So to make up for lost time I'm going to start my “new season” of beer reviews off with a bang. In this review I'll be looking at 3 Belgian-Style beers that just hit the western New York area and all of them are from the Allagash Brewing Company in Portland, Maine.

Typically I have little to no interest in seeking out Belgian-Style ales. For as long as I have been drinking beer, I have found the spiciness of them to be overpowering and completely unbearable. But due to the overwhelmingly positive reputation of the Allagash Brewing Company and my never ending curiosity to all things beer I felt it was time to put my feelings aside, keep an open mind and try some new beer.

The first beer I tried was the Allagash Saison. This beer poured a clear light yellow with a thin white head. The aroma was a little grassy with lemon and spice. Upon tasting I was hit with the taste of herbal lemon that gave way to the clove flavor of the Belgian spice before finishing with a hint of pepper. And while that may sound intriguing I assure you it is not. To me it is a boring by the numbers saison. That being said, it is by no means terrible but nothing about it truly stands out. If you are looking for anything groundbreaking, here you won't find it. Overall I'd rate Allagash Saison a 2.5/5.

Next up is the Allagash Tripel Ale and it poured a hazy golden yellow with a slightly off-white head. The aroma was bready, sweet, and fruity with a hint of spice. Upon tasting I knew immediately I had found something special. The flavor of bready malt, banana and pear immediately stood out before finishing with a hint of hops and spice. The flavor of the hops pleasantly lingered until I took my next sip. And believe me when I say I was looking forward to every single one. There is almost no trace of the powerful 9% ABV hidden behind the beautiful flavor of this beer which makes it a bit deceptive. My advice is to drink it slowly. Overall I'd rate Allagash Tripel an 4.25/5.

At this point I was pleasantly surprised to find one Belgian-Style ale I truly enjoyed. I felt I was playing with “house money” when I tried the Allagash White ale. I felt there was no way it was going to be better then the Tripel ale and I can't tell you how pleased I am to say I was wrong. Allagash White ale pours a cloudy straw color with a thin white head. The aroma is spicy with a hint of banana and citrus. The flavor was incredibly complex. With each sip I seemed to detect something different than the previous one. The flavor of coriander, pepper, clove and light bready malt are prominent before a crisp, peppery finish that remained on my palette between sips. Bottom line, this is an exceptional beer. It's extremely sessionable and the best white ale I've had. Overall I'd rate Allagash White Ale a 4.75/5.

Bottom line, I'm extremely impressed with the first beers I have tried from the Allagash Brewing Company. They have taken styles of beer I don't typically seek out and given me a whole new appreciation for them. While there are other beers from Allagash I look forward to trying, the White Ale is going to have a regular place in my fridge for the foreseeable future.

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 at @ACraftyLook

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

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!