Genesee Ruby Red Kolsch

I bought Genesee's Ruby Red Kolsch initially out of respect for my hometown's legendary brewery. While Genesee is making some incredible beer right now, this fruited offering did not initially appeal to me. Fruited summer ales like shandies/radlers for example, are something I typically avoid drinking. I understand why people like them, they just have not clicked for me. I can actually only think of two summer radler/shandies I have enjoyed over the years. One was a Peach Radler from Niagara Brewing Company just across the Canadian Border. The other was Boulevard's Lemon Ginger Radler. While I may enjoy these beers, the tap list would have to be bare bones for me to actually order them.

I find that the fruited radler/shandy is just too much of a departure from what I want in a beer. Sure, they are easy to drink but the fruit flavoring usually tastes a bit too artificial and drowns out the part of the beer I want to taste the most, the actual beer! This is why this beer surprised me so much. Genesee's Ruby Red Kolsch definitely reminds me more of the shandy style than a kolsch ale. The strong grapefruit presence does take over the beer but in this case it worked for me. For a style like this I would normally complain about the grapefruit flavor. However, the grapefruit does not taste artificial, it's delicious actually. Then again, with the beer Genesee has been making and I should not have been so surprised.

As I work through my second 12-pack(which is priced under 10 dollars) of Ruby Red Kolsch, I feel fairly certain I have found a beer that I will drink regularly over the coming months. The grapefruit is the star of the show here and its presence works beautifully in both the aroma and in the taste. The flavor in particular reminds of eating a juicy grapefruit with a touch of sugar sprinkled on it. Basically I equate that flavor to a semi-healthy breakfast. Now, I am not saying you should have this beer for breakfast, I am just saying that I personally will not be able to eat grapefruit again without thinking of it. I also got a touch of bread, honey sweetness, cereal grains and grassy hops in the flavor as well.

Ruby Red Kolsch is not a complex beer, it is a simple summer crusher meant for refreshment on a hot day. The kolsch ale does take a back seat to the grapefruit, but there is just the right amount of it here. The end result is a light, easy to drink, super affordable and extremely refreshing beer. Try it and see for yourself!


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!

Genesee Oktoberfest

Three things remind me that summer is coming to an end: NFL Preseason, WWE Summerslam and Fall Beer hitting the shelves. I enjoy all three of these things but I could always wait just a little bit longer for all of them to arrive. Now that they have arrived though, I feel I might as well enjoy them. Well, actually it is a bit difficult to enjoy NFL Preseason Football. I think you really have to be vested in a particular roster battle to even remotely care about the games. Personally, I spend most of my time watching those games hoping no one gets injured, but that's beside the point. We are here to talk about fall beer, not meaningless football and that is what we are going to do.

Last year, I wrote a two-part blog covering several Oktoberfest beers(Part 1 & Part 2. Some were great, some were not, but those were two of the most fun blogs I have written so far. One beer missing from that blog was Genesee Oktoberfest. The reason for this happening was I decided to protest the release of fall beers until I felt the weather outside could be considered actual fall. This was an incredibly stupid thing to do on my part because I missed the opportunity to have Genesee Oktoberfest chilling in my refrigerator. Arguably the best value in beer on shelves right now, Genesee Oktoberfest sold out practically as quick as it arrived last year. That may not have actually been the case, but it certainly seemed that way to me. This year however, I did not make same mistake. I bought it the moment I saw it, and ran out of the store giddy to open a can and write about it.

After opening a can and pouring Genesee Oktoberfest into a glass, I was greeted with the familiar aromas of Oktoberfest beer. Caramel, toasted bread, a light nuttiness with floral and spicy hops. The hop aroma is noticeably light but it is there. The first sip matched the nose but there was a clear difference between this Oktoberfest beer and a lot of the others I discussed last year. The difference is Genesee Oktoberfest is noticeably lighter bodied. This might sound like a criticism but that is not necessarily the case. Being a bit on the lighter side works well here. It is almost as if Genesee has created a bridge between a light, refreshing summer beer and a malty, fuller flavored fall beer. The fact that it is mid-August and still hot outside as I write this should let you know how refreshing I find this beer. If it was a cooler night in mid-September I might be looking for something with a little more body but for right now, Genesee Oktoberfest is working beautifully for me as a late summer session beer.

If you are looking to ease into fall beer, Genesee Oktoberfest is the perfect place to start. As the nights get colder, it might feel more appropriate for something with more body. For right now though, I highly recommend seeking it out. If you are not sold yet, the other fantastic thing about Genesee Oktoberfest is its price. At around 9-10 dollars for a 12-pack, I don't think you will find a better value out there.

Overall rating: 4/5. Light on the wallet & easy to drink, Genesee Oktoberfest is a fantastic bridge between summer & fall.

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!

Genesee Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial Black IPA

Genesee Salted Caramel Chocolate Porter

The other day I opened my fridge, stared at my beer collection and realized it had been far too long since I have written a blog. Now I could bore you with stories of where I have been or make up more dramatic & interesting stories about what I've been up to, but what good does that do? The important thing is I'm back, I've got a fridge full of beer and it's time I let you all know whether those beers belong in yours. The beer I will use to kick things off is the latest beer from the Genesee Brewing Company, Salted Caramel Chocolate Porter.

Genesee Salted Caramel Chocolate Porter is a beer that surprised many(including yours truly) during its very limited release in early 2015. Now it is back and in bottles for first time as part of the “Pilot Batch” series from Genesee. While I found this to be exciting news, so far the “Pilot Batch” beers have yielded mixed results. The Imperial Black IPA was a solid beer but there was nothing impressive about the Scotch Ale. And while I admire Genny's attempt at trying to break into the craft beer market, neither one of those beers offered something that separated them in a crowded field. That has now changed with the release of Salted Caramel Chocolate Porter.

Salted Caramel Chocolate Porter pours a rich black with a fluffy khaki colored head. Caramel dominates the aroma, with hints of chocolate and salt. The flavor itself is fairly similar. The wonderful caramel flavor is bold and flooded my palate initially. This gave way to the slight bitterness of roasted malt and dark chocolate before finishing with a hint of salt and a light hop bitterness that balances out the sweetness beautifully. While this might sound strange to some beer drinkers, I cannot begin to describe just how well this works. The mouthfeel is silky smooth and the sweetness of the caramel never becomes overpowering because of the slightly bitter finish. On top of that the caramel tastes authentic and not artificial like the caramel in Saranac Caramel Porter for example. The only thing that I wanted more of was the chocolate. And while the chocolate did provide a nice bitterness to the finish, it was a bit understated in the flavor. But truthfully, that is just nitpicking. Genesee Brewing Company truly hit a home run with this beer and hopefully it is a sign of innovative releases to come.

Overall I give Genesee Salted Caramel Chocolate Porter a 4.5/5. This beer is so good you will forgive Genesee for those bad Cream Ale hangovers.


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!

Genesee Bock Beer

Two things that I generally frown upon but I am sometimes guilty of are buying cheap beer and hoarding. But sometimes you are on a budget and sometimes you can't part with an ugly polyester bowling shirt that you haven't worn in years because at any moment an occasion might call for it. Nevertheless both of those things become common place in Upstate New York every late winter/early spring when the Genesee Brewery releases their Bock Beer.

Genesee Bock Beer to some is a well kept secret. A surprisingly good beer released by a brewery that produces a Cream Ale commonly referred to as a “Screamer” for its effects on the digestive systems of its drinkers. To others it's an afterthought because of the reputation of the product I just mentioned. And while you will never see me touch a Genesee Cream Ale, I along with beer drinkers from all over Rochester, NY and the surrounding areas flock to the grocery store every January in search of Bock Beer.

Over the past few years, Genesee Bock Beer has attained a cult-like status among beer drinkers who have affectionately nicknamed it “The Goat” after the logo on it's bright green can. In fact, the beer is so beloved that some will actually buy enough of it in January to last the rest of the year. I commonly wonder if this beer was available year round, would Bock Beer have the same loyal following? Or would it be lost in the fold like so many other beers?

Bock Beer does distance itself from other cheap beers with its' beautifully dark red color and thick tan head. The aroma is full of caramel sweetness with a hint of honey. Upon tasting, the caramel malt dominates the flavor before it finishes with a hint brown sugar and a mild hop bitterness to balance the sweetness. Bock Beer then washes away clean to cap off a pleasant beer drinking experience.

And while it may be a pleasant beer drinking experience, it's not an exceptional one. Perhaps the biggest con of Bock Beer might just be the fact that it plays it perfectly safe. It tries to walk the line between causal beer drinkers and experienced beer drinkers. And while this is perfectly fine, this might explain its seasonal appeal. Beer drinkers try it, like it and then forget about it. By the time it is re-released the cycle begins all over again.

Overall I'd give it a 3/5. It looks good, it tastes good and it's inexpensive. You really can't go wrong with trying it. Just don't expect anything groundbreaking.


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!