Samuel Adams Bavarian Lager

These days, I do not drink many new beers with the Samuel Adams' name on them. It is a shame because the Boston Beer Company played a huge role in me falling in love with craft beer. Occasionally for the sake of this blog, I pick up a new offering from them, but aside from the surprising Sam '76, I have found little outside of the classics(Boston Lager, Winter Lager, Oktoberfest etc.) that I want to purchase again. I decided to pick up their latest release, Bavarian Lager, for the sake of this blog, but I will admit I had higher hopes for this beer than other recent releases. This brewery has made classic lagers and I was hoping that Bavarian Lager would take its place among them.

True to the Helles-style, Bavarian Lager pours a pale golden-yellow. It is unfiltered and the aroma of bread dough stands out along with fruity, citrusy, grassy hops. The flavor matched the nose for the most part-- bread dough with a touch of honey sweetness, with a hint of fruit, orange and grapefruit. The finish is grassy, slightly spicy and a touch metallic. The metallic note did not ruin it for me, it is fairly subtle. Overall, I actually I enjoyed Sam Adams Bavarian Lager a lot more than I thought I would. I think it is a huge upgrade over the subpar Fresh As Helles Lager they first released in 2017. Actually, it is an upgrade over most of the beers I have had from Sam Adams recently.

Sam Adams Bavarian Lager is an easy-drinking, crowd pleasing lager that has a satisfying amount of  body for the colder months ahead. I want to be clear, this is not a beer that is going to blow your mind, it is just a well crafted beer from a legendary brewery. It is also a beer I am happy to say I look forward to buying again, sooner than later.

Overall rating: 4/5



Overall rating: 4.25/5


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!

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

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Ithaca BullsEye Red Ale

I give a lot of credit to Ithaca Beer Company for really advancing my love of craft beer. When I was in college I remember falling in love with their Apricot Wheat, a beer that to this day I consider a fantastic summer crusher. I also loved their long-departed Pale Ale. As my tastes advanced I found myself enjoying their Nut Brown Ale, Flower Power IPA and CascaZilla Red Ale. I have always thought they made delicious beer but admittedly I do not buy their products as much as I used to. When I saw their new Bullseye Red Ale, I purchased it immediately. This was a brewery I have enjoyed over the years tackling a style I love and one they have succeeded at before. It was the kind of beer I could not wait to have in my glass. Ithaca’s latest take on a red ale clocks in at 5.5% ABV, which is a full percentage point lower than CascaZilla making it more sessionable. However, if its aroma is any indication, Bullseye is far more complex. The aroma is floral, spicey, piney, woody, citrusy with a toasted bread, toffee and caramel malt backbone. The taste matches the nose with its complexity. Grapefruit and pine come through initially before some bready, caramel malt sweetness provides a nice touch of balance. The finish is earthy, spicy, piney and dry. There is a lot to like here about Bullseye. Its flavor certainly compliments the season nicely. My issue with this beer is the lack of body. The flavor of the beer is great. What is unfortunate is that the flavor is extremely muted. My first thought after I took my first sip was, “this beer would be amazing if it was not so watered down.” It tastes exactly like a light beer version of a cold weather red ale. I wanted to love this beer so much, but I became more and more frustrated as I worked my way through the glass. This review does sound more harsh than it should. I am just disappointed because while I did like BullsEye, I wanted to love it. Still, this is one of my favorite styles of beer and I am thrilled to see Ithaca re-imagine it. While they did a decent job, I can’t help but wonder what could have been if these complex flavors were allowed to shine more. Overall rating: 3/5 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!

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!

Magic Hat & Dropkick Murphy's BarRoom Hero Pub Ale

It is almost the time of year when every single bar you walk into adds a whole lot of Dropkick Murphys and Flogging Molly to their playlists. It's like Christmas music for people who enjoy a pint of beer or a shot of whiskey with their friends & family. It is also a sign that Spring and warmer days are ahead. I am a Dropkick Murphys fan and while I may not know a lot from Flogging Molly's catalog, I can hold my own singing along to “Drunken' Lullabies” with the best of em. I truly welcome and love this time of year. However, one thing I do not love is Magic Hat Brewing Company. Now, I have written ad nauseam about my strong dislike for Magic Hat's beer, so I will skip doing that this time. All I can say is that even though I typically avoid Magic Hat beer, I decided to give their collaboration beer with Dropkick Murphys a fair shot, for one, because I love Bar Room Hero, the song it was named after and more importantly, the beer benefits the Dropkick Murphy'\s charity, The Claddagh Fund.

My biggest hope for BarRoom Hero was that it would turn out to be an easy-drinking session beer with a decent amount of flavor. I also hoped that I would be able to make it through the entire 4-pack that I purchased. Normally, I am not that bold with my purchases of Magic Hat's beer since it is usually completely undrinkable, but since BarRoom Hero was priced under 7 dollars for a 4-pack, I decided to gamble and buy the whole pack. So, as I opened the first can I tried to be optimistic and that optimism was surprisingly rewarded.

The aroma of BarRoom Hero is toasted bread, roasted malt, nuts, chocolate, caramel, toffee with a touch of coffee and spice. The flavor was almost identical to the nose. The flavors of roasted malt, toasted bread, chocolate, nuts, toffee & caramel shine before an herbal, spicy, slightly bitter hop finish. The beer is balanced, easy-drinking, and actually tastes good. On the downside, BarRoom Hero is super thin and watery. At 4.2%, this is expected and honestly, maybe tasting less here is why I think this is the best beer I have had from Magic Hat in years. It works as a beer that fits the season and when an occasion calls for a second or third pint. Look, this beer will not make you a fan of Magic Hat, but it does provide you a good beer to hold a glass to when you sing-a-long to “Dirty Glass” with your friends.

Overall rating: 3.5/5


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!

Dogfish Head Liquid Truth Serum IPA

As the months go by, it always seems like it is only a matter of time before I write about something new from Dogfish Head Brewery. This happens because Dogfish Head always seems to catch my eye and pique my curiosity when it comes to their latest releases. Last year around this time, I reviewed their Beer for Breakfast, a stout brewed with a strange pork meat loaf that is a Delaware delicacy. I may not have been crazy about that beer but I loved what they tried to accomplish with it. Over the summer, I reviewed Lupu-Luau, a refreshing coconut IPA that I really enjoyed. To shorten up this intro I will just say that I have an endless amount of respect for Dogfish Head Brewing's creativity. Even if I do not like something from them, I am usually glad I gave it a try. Being endlessly creative with beer is a fantastic thing and I am happy to continue supporting this by buying their products. Recently, I gave their brand new Liquid Truth Serum IPA a shot and while I may not have been crazy about it, I am glad a gave it a try because it certainly was a unique experience.

My thoughts on drinking Liquid Truth Serum can be broken down into three parts:

Part 1: This is Tremendous!

From the moment I got my first whiff of the aroma, I thought I was going to love this beer. The aroma was juicy with big tropical and citrus notes. Lots of grapefruit, pineapple, and mango stood out beautifully with a touch of sticky pine, grass, some nice floral notes and just the right amount of biscuit malt. As I took my first sip, I fell instantly in love with it. Tons of mango, pineapple and grapefruit greeted me with notes of grass, orange peel, melon before a dry, piney, herbal finish. My only early critique was Liquid Truth Serum was touch watery. It made Liquid Truth Serum seem more like it would have fit in better as a summer release that a fall/winter one. I thought this would be my main criticism for this week until...

Part 2: Something isn't Quite Right Here

Initially I was blown away by the big tropical notes of pineapple and mango but as I moved further into the glass those flavors moved into the background. Grapefruit and lemon began to come out a bit more and instead of complimenting those flavors, they seemed to be at war with them. The bitterness which Dogfish Head claims is dialed back with this particular beer continued to grow. On top of that, the finish started becoming increasingly peppery which did not totally work here either. Basically, those big, beautiful flavors in the beginning have faded and what is left is a muddled, mediocre beer from a fantastic brewery.

Part 3: What the Hell Happened?

The final third of the beer was disgusting. I wish I could put it nicer than that but I really need to drive home what a mess this turned into. There was a massive vegetal note that rose to the surface, along with a lot more bitterness. By the end of the glass, my initial positive thoughts were nothing more than a distant memory. Normally, I would have chugged it and moved on but I continued to sip it in hopes of the beer I described in Part 1 would return. It never did.

The truth is Liquid Truth Serum is a surprisingly bad IPA from a brewery that honestly helped myself, as well as many others, fall in love with IPAs in the first place. Supposedly brewed to reduce bitterness, Liquid Truth fails at accomplishing what appeared to be its main goal. I have no problem with a bitter IPA at all,  but the growing bitterness here played a large role Liquid Truth Serum falling apart. I would definitely revisit this beer in the future in hopes that future batches correct these glaring flaws but for right now, I would advise you to stay away from this beer.

Overall rating: 1.75/5

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

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

New Holland Dragon's Milk Reserve: Mocha Mint Bourbon Barrel Aged Stout

The first snow of the season just started falling, which I'm sure you know, is the official start of Stout Season. As I have said before, there is never a bad time to drink a stout. It could be a 90 degree day with 100% humidity and I would still order a barrel aged imperial stout without hesitation. It may not be a refreshing beverage, but no one drinks a stout as a thirst quencher. A well-made stout is something you want to sip on when you are looking for more depth and complexity. That is why they work at any time of year. However, there is nothing better than watching the snow fall and slowly making it through a great stout.

The stout I picked for this blog is a beer that immediately captured my curiosity. That beer is Dragon's Milk Reserve: Mocha Mint Bourbon Barrel Stout. I was stunned to find this beer very accessible around town. Usually we only see regular Dragon's Milk only and never any of the variants, When I saw the Mocha Mint variant I picked it up instantly, not because I am a huge fan of Dragon's Milk, but because I was curious. Dragon's Milk to me is usually a touch thin and a bit hot. It always seems to just meet expectations with me but never really exceed them. Each time I've drank it, it always felt like something was missing. Perhaps the addition of coffee, chocolate and mint will fill in that gap.

The aroma of Mocha Mint Dragon's Milk is delightful. The chocolate is more on the sweet side,  and blends seamlessly with the roastiness of the coffee. There is a refreshing coolness to the aroma from the mint and that almost seems to enhance my enjoyment of watching the snow fall. One thing I didn’t get in the aroma is any trace of the bourbon barrel. I actually had no problem with this because everything in the aroma was already working for me.

Truth be told, I may have built the first sip up a bit too much from the aroma but the first sip was very good. Mint is a fickle thing in beer and too much of it can make it taste medicinal. The mint here is definitely noticeable and to its credit, subdued. It blends fairly well with coffee and chocolate but seems a bit at odds with the bourbon barrel that finally shows up in the finish. I actually can't believe I am saying this but this beer would have benefited significantly by not spending time in a bourbon barrel. It also suffers from being thin, just like regular Dragon's Milk. This is not surprising but I think every time I drink anything Dragon's Milk, I am going to complain about it being thin.

What made New Holland's Mocha Mint variant of Dragon's Milk even more interesting to me was how I perceived it on two different nights. Watching the first snow of the season, I thought this beer was something I immediately needed to run out and buy more of. It seemed to perfectly capture the holidays and winter in a glass. The second night, I drank it, I was not blinded by the weather and I found the beer less harmonious and the mint more aggressive. The thoughts I shared in the above paragraph seemed to fade further and further from my mind. Each of the flavors seemed to become muddled instead of nicely complimenting each other. That wasn't all, it was also cloyingly sweet to a point I could almost feel cavities developing. This was extremely disappointing because while I loved the beer at first, I found it does not hold up well to additional nights of drinking it. The sweetness begins to take its toll almost immediately and the mint seems more and more aggressive. In retrospect, I wish I only bought two bottles of this, because that turned out to be more than enough. New Holland's Dragon's Milk Reserve: Mocha Mint Bourbon Barrel Stout is like a movie you only need to see once, after that it only gets worse.

Overall rating: 2.75/5 and fading


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

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

21st Amendment Fireside Chat Winter Spiced Ale

Last week, I reviewed a mediocre barrel aged stout from the normally reliable Founders Brewing Company. That stout set me back about 17 dollars. It was proof that spending more on beer does not guarantee you will get your money's worth. Since it is the holiday season, I for one need to spend a little more money on Christmas presents than I do on beer. Of course I tell myself that now but I most likely will find myself chasing down the next exciting limited release heading this way. For now though, I am here to review something less expensive and easy to find. I mentioned earlier that it is the Christmas season and I realize I have barely touched upon the holiday themed beers out right now. So that is all going to change this week when I take a look at 21st Amendment Brewery's Fireside Chat Winter Spiced Ale.

Sadly, 21St Amendment's Fireside Chat is not a good beer. I really did not want to give away my overall assessment right away but in this case it felt right. Once in awhile I come across a beer where the first sip seems pretty good but by the time the last sip comes around, I find it completely unbearable. Every time I took a sip of Fireside Chat, I liked it less and less. I thought giving it time to warm would open it up, but that just made it worse. No matter what temperature the beer was, the finish of Fireside Chat completely ruined the beer. I found the finish bitter, boozy and astringent. It felt completely out of place with the rest of the beer. That was disappointing because not everything here is terrible. The aroma was pleasant and delivered mostly what you would expect from the style. Toasted caramel, toasted nuts, molasses, dark fruits and a hint of spices. These notes all come through nicely initially in the flavor. There's also a candied sugar note that is nicely complemented by cinnamon and nutmeg. What's even better is the cinnamon and nutmeg are nicely subdued here. Some holiday themed beers are drowned with spices. There is just enough of those spices here to make their presence known but not so much as to detract from anything else going on here. There is also a nice cherry note to the beer which makes it seem even more festive. Then the finish hits and ruins any potential this beer had. In the case of Fireside Chat, a little bitterness to the finish could have been a nice compliment to the malt sweetness. Instead this beer goes overboard on the bitterness, which seems even more intense because of heat from the booze. At 7.9%, the alcohol should have been hidden better. Instead the alcohol is there front and center delivering a final blow to any potential this beer had.

Fireside Chat is a disappointing beer and definitely not the best representation of winter beer on the shelves right now. Due to the fact that I am just now touching upon the winter and holiday styles of beer this late into the season I feel like I can't just leave you with my usual “this beer particular beer is terrible, try something else.” So, I will leave you with two really nice recommendations. Sierra Nevada's Celebration Ale and Genesee's Winter Warmer Ale are two wonderful Winter beers on shelves right now. I highly recommend them both for your holiday festivities.

Overall I would rate Fireside Chat a 1.5/5. This is bad beer, plain and simple. However, if you are looking for a nice beer from 21st Amendment to compliment this time of year, try Monk's Blood.

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://www.acraftylook.com

For my most recent appearance of 13 WHAM's Good Day Rochester: Click Here!

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!

Narragansett Summer Ale, Anderson Valley Summer Solstice & Magic Hat Stealin' Time

While summer has officially arrived, summer beer has been here since April. While that is all well and good, I am not interested in drinking a beer with a beach or sun on the label if snow could still fall at any moment. Now that it's late June and there have been consecutive 90 degree days, it's time for some light, crisp summer beers. But where to start? Beer aisles right now are loaded with summer beers trying to catch your eye and find their way into your coolers. So instead of letting you know if just one beer is good or not, I am going to review three very different summer beers so you can have a better idea of what is out there.

First up is Narragansett Summer Ale. This is a light, crisp pale ale that pours a clear gold with a white head. The aroma of bready malt, citrus and pine is very light but pleasant. After tasting, the flavor is very similar to the aroma. There is a light malt sweetness up front before the light flavor of citrus comes in and washes away fairly clean. I keep using the word light because that is exactly what this is. To be specific, it is a watered down pale ale. Normally I would make this a huge issue, but for a summer beer it works. This is an easy-drinking, sessionable beer that would work perfectly on a very hot day. Its 4.2% ABV puts it on the same level as Bud Light, it just tastes a lot better.

Overall I would rate Narragansett Summer Ale a 2.5/5. If you are looking for a light, easy-drinking beer for a day at the beach, this works nicely. If you are looking for something with a bolder flavor profile, I would leave this on the shelf.

Next up is Anderson Valley Summer Solstice. This is an interesting cream ale that pours a slightly hazy ruby brown with an off-white head. The aroma is slightly sweet, with caramel and lots of vanilla. Much like the aroma, the vanilla really stands out in the flavor as well. Right off the bat I was hit with caramel malt, followed by the bold flavor slightly sweet vanilla. These initial flavors work really nice together. They provide just the right amount of sweetness. But pleasant flavors then give way to a bland hop finish which really takes away from how good this beer could have been. That's not saying it's a bad beer, it's not. It's just a fun take on a cream soda beer with an underwhelming finish.

Overall I would rate Anderson Valley Summer Solstice a 3/5. I wanted to love it, I really did, but the finish just did not work for me. That being said, it's still too fun not to try.

Finally, we have Magic Hat Stealin' Time. Before I get started, I want to take a moment and mention that I really wanted to like this beer. This past winter I reviewed Magic Hat's Snow Roller and gave it a fairly harsh critique(you can read that by clicking here). I was hoping this pale wheat ale with ginger would restore my faith in the Magic Hat name. I am sad to say, it did not. Stealin' Time poured a crystal clear golden yellow(I thought it was unfiltered) with a fluffy white head. The aroma contained wheat malt, citrus, pine and ginger. Just from the aroma, I was fairly optimistic I would like it. When I tasted it, I realized how mistaken I was. Grainy malt comes through right away before pine, a light hint of lemon and a whole lot of ginger. The ginger is fairly strong and it could have worked if not for the strong metallic flavor that came along with it. Midway through the glass, all I could taste was ginger and metal. I ended up dumping out my glass which makes this the second Magic Hat beer I've reviewed and not finished.

Overall I would rate Magic Hat Stealin' Time a 0.5/5. It certainly lives up to its name. It steals time from drinking a good 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!

Uinta Cucumber Farmhouse

The first time someone offered me cucumber water I thought they were messing with me. At that time I did not see much use for the cucumber. I found it to be the boring veggie I would typically eat first in my salads to make sure it did not affect the flavor of anything I actually did want to eat. I had no idea adding a cucumber to water would not only pleasantly enhance the flavor of the water, it seemed to make it even more refreshing. From that point on, I developed an appreciation for the cucumber. I found myself enjoying it more on its own. I stopped eating it first in my salads. I also felt it was only a matter of time until the refreshing flavor of cucumber found its way into some of the beers I drink. At a recent bottle shopping excursion, I was excited to see Cucumber Farmhouse from Uinta Brewing Company on the shelf. To make the first cucumber beer I have seen on shelves even more interesting, I saw that it was aged in gin barrels. I quickly picked it up, placed it in the fridge and waited to drink it on an incredibly hot day. Well, that day is today and I hope this beer is as flavorful and refreshing as it appears to be.

Cucumber Farmhouse pours a dense cloudy gold with a fizzy white head. The aroma is lightly spiced with clove, banana, coriander and cucumber. I rushed the aroma part because it is extremely hot and I had high hopes that this beer would be extremely cooling and refreshing. I was half right. The cucumber flavor stands out nicely. It hit my palate immediately before giving way to lemon, banana and clove. The finish then hit me with a lot of pepper and a hint of gin and oak. To put it simply, there is a lot going on here. Some of it works and some of it does not.

For my longtime readers you know I am a huge fan of barrel aging. In this particular case, I do not think it was needed. The light gin and oak notes do not seem to add anything positive to the beer. If anything they subtract slightly from the saison yeast in the finish. I think the light, crisp lemon flavor adds a nice touch to the beer. It provided a nice balance to the sweetness of the cucumber. Sadly, it got lost in a muddled finish with the a strong pepper flavor and a hint of oak. That being said there are some really nice flavors going on here, they just do not compliment each other well. I do feel there is a lot of potential for cucumber in beer. I would not be surprised if various styles of cucumber beer become a summer mainstay in the next few years.

Overall I would rate Uinta Cucumber Farmhouse a 2.5/5. There are just too many flavors here that do not go well together. There is potential for cucumber in beer however and I look forward to trying more of it in the 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 & Untappd at @ACraftyLook

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

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Keuka Brewing Ghost of Rita

The gose style of beer has been hit or miss to me since I tried my first one about 2 years ago. For that reason it is not the kind of beer I regularly seek out. I feel that some breweries seem to get the odd mix of wheaty, tart saltiness to taste really well, while others find a way to make those flavors completely unappealing. One thing I have found is people who love this style of beer(like my wife) are truly passionate about it. So with an open mind I continue to try them in hopes of gaining a better appreciation for the style. This quest brought me to try Ghost of Rita from Keuka Brewing Company. The can immediately caught my eye and the description of a gose style beer with lime seemed to be the beer equivalent of a margarita. So with an open mind for the gose style and a fondness for margaritas, I popped the top of the can for this review.

The Ghost of Rita pours a slightly cloudy yellow gold with a white head that dissipates quickly. The aroma is tart, with strong wheat notes, salt, light citrus and coriander. The beer itself however barely has any bold flavor or almost any flavor at all. At first I got a light malt and wheat sweetness, with lactobacillus sourness to balance. There is a light hint of salt and lime in the finish but I really had to look for it. It washes away cleanly but the flavors I mentioned before were so light that they barely register. 

I wish I could say this is a light, crisp, clean beer that is perfect for the summer but it is not. To me, this is barely beer. If you take away the very subtle malt and sour notes there is no difference between this and a club soda with lime. I do not want to appear overly negative about Ghost of Rita. I think there is a great amount of potential here. If in future batches the flavors are a bit more developed that has the potential to be a wonderful option for the style. But unfortunately I do not rate beers on their potential. I rate them by what is in front of me, and what is in front of me is a disappointment.

Overall I would rate the Ghost of Rita a 1.5/5. An example of trying to be ambitious while playing it safe. It just does not work.

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!

Prairie Artisan Ales Christmas BOMB!

My first experience with Prairie Artisan Ales was last year's Christmas BOMB! I remember it being good but nothing that blew my socks off. With a hefty price tag of around 10 dollars for a 12 oz bottle I expected the beer to taste like liquid gold. With that same hope, I tried it on draft afterward and was disappointed to find out I still had the same general feelings toward it. I then tried regular BOMB! on multiple occasions throughout the year and I was blown away every single time(you can read that review here). As the year progressed, I wondered if I was fair to Christmas BOMB! Were my expectations too high initially? Or were my initial thoughts that Christmas BOMB! was an overpriced average stout with holiday spices correct? I decided to pick up a bottle of this year's batch and find the answer once and for all.

Prairie Artisan Ales Christmas BOMB! pours a rich black with minimal carbonation. There is almost no head but dark tan lacing does show up. The aroma is what I would describe as holiday coffee. There is a strong coffee aroma, which is complimented by cinnamon and chocolate. Upon tasting the strong flavors of chocolate, coffee and cinnamon flooded my palate right off the bat. There are also hints of ginger and nutmeg as well, before a light peppery finish. Most of the flavors I expected are there, and while they are fine they are nowhere near as good as the flavors developed in regular BOMB! The coffee in regular BOMB! is incredible. It works so well with the beer. Here the coffee tastes like a more watered-down version of the one found in BOMB! Additionally I found that the flavors did not develop as well in Christmas BOMB! as it warmed. Mainly because the spices drown out almost any subtitles in the flavor.

It may appear that I am being harsh on Christmas BOMB! But the truth is I like it. I think the flavors work, they just do not work as well as regular BOMB! or Stone Brewing's Xocoveza which is very similar in flavor, significantly cheaper, easier to find and just flat out tastes better. But if you have to try it, especially due to the limited availability of Christmas BOMB! I feel it is worth trying if you get the chance. That being said, if you are a fan of regular BOMB! keep your expectations in check.

Overall I would rate Prairie Artisan Ales Christmas BOMB! a 3.25/5. Think of a thinner, lower ABV version of BOMB! with watered down coffee and a ton of cinnamon, that's exactly what you get here.

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!

Victory Kirsch Gose

When I was a kid I loved Cherry Crush soda. On a nice summer day I would ride my bike to the local supermarket and buy a six pack or a 2 liter bottle of it and spend the remainder of the day drinking every last refreshing drop. By the end of the day I would have a tremendous sense of accomplishment, a massive stomach ache and a sugar high so big I could barely blink. But one day, seemingly out of nowhere, my desire to drink Cherry Crush completely vanished. I want to say it was because I realized drinking over 250 grams of sugar in a single sitting was a poor life decision but the truth is my palate changed. To me, Cherry Crush became so sweet it was unbearable to drink. For years I have been trying to relive those days with different cherry beverages, but found none that worked with my adult palate. Cherry sodas were too sweet, seltzer waters tasted too medicinal and cherry beers were typically mediocre at best. I had pretty much given up hope on finding a refreshing cherry beverage that worked me, but that changed when I took my first sip of Victory Kirsch Gose.

Victory Kirsch Gose, which according to the label is a “Sour Cherry Bier” that pours a light red, almost pink color with a white head. The aroma is bursting with tart cherries and little else. The flavor is more of the same. The flavor of sour, tart cherries immediately flooded my palate, before the light flavor of salt(which is common for the Gose style) and malt sweetness come in at the finish. I wish I could tell you I detected more subtle flavors but I did not. While I would have loved to see a little more depth in the flavor, I have to admit Kirsch Gose is an example of when a beer doesn't try to do too much and it works. The simple flavor of tart cherries with the perfect amount of carbonation make this a perfectly refreshing beer for a hot day. It's lack of overpowering sweetness and a low 4.7% ABV make it wonderfully sessionable as well. Basically this is cherry crush for adults.

Overall I would rate Victory Kirsch Gose a 4/5. It's simple, delicious and accessible. It just plain works.

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!

Southern Tier Tangier Session IPA

It is with great pleasure I make the following statement; warm weather, sunshine and summer beer are finally here. And while I am not always excited to see summer beer, I am excited to finally enjoy a light, crisp, refreshing beer outside without the need of 10 layers of clothing. If you live in upstate New York or the Northeast in general I'm sure you understand what I am talking about. This was a winter that truly felt like it was never going to end. While I love winter beer and feel it's never time to completely put down the stouts, porters, strong ales and double IPAs that compliment the cold so well, I am excited to lighten up and enjoy one of the many styles of summer beer. The wheat beers, shandies, session ipas, goses and fruit beers or any combination of those compliment the sunshine nicely. The first of those beers I am going to review is the latest summer offering from the Southern Tier Brewing, Tangier Session IPA.

Tangier Session IPA caught my eye immediately because it was brewed with Tangerine peels. In my mind anytime you can find a way to boost the citrus in an India Pale Ale, the better. Tangier pours golden yellow with an off white head. There is a noticeable amount of sediment floating in it which is not pleasing to the eye but not noticeable in the mouthfeel. The aroma is this beer's best trait, it is literally bursting with citrus. At this point I had high hopes for Tangier but unfortunately they were squandered the moment I tasted it.

After my first sip of Tangier, I was immediately hit with the watered down flavor of citrus before a light pine hop finish. It sounds simple because it is. There really is not a lot going on here. I could tell you I detected a little malt sweetness but that would be reaching. To make matters even worse, the tangerine peels are completely non-existent in the flavor. I started to think the tangerine peels were what was floating in the beer, which did not make any sense because it certainly did not make Tangier look appetizing. Going back to the flavor, the light, almost watered down citrus might be good if not for the strong lingering dirty hop aftertaste that seemed to grow the deeper I got into the beer. By the time my glass was empty, my palette was wrecked and I was relieved I only purchased one bottle. As far as summer beer goes, this is one to stay away from.

Overall I would rate Southern Tier Tangier Session IPA a 1.5/5. While the aroma is delightful, Tangier tastes like a watered down version of a bad IPA with a horrible aftertaste. Summer is too short to drink a beer this bad.

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!

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!

Firestone Walker Oaktoberfest

Like many other beer enthusiasts, I am a huge fan of oak aged beer. It’s gotten to a point that nothing will make me pick a beer quicker than seeing barrel aged on the label. I am also a huge fan of fall seasonal beers. The malt and hop profile to these beers seem to compliment the season beautifully. So you could imagine my excitement when I saw Firestone Walker Oaktoberfest. And later my disappointment when I found out that Oak was not used for any part of making this beer. 　In fact according to Firestone Walker's website Oaktoberfest gets its name for the brewery's hometown of Paso Robles or “Pass of the Oaks.” Regardless of whether this beer was oak aged or not, it is still from one of the more reliable craft breweries in the US and I could not wait to try it.

I poured Firestone Walker Oaktoberfest into a glass and immediately noticed its beautifully clear golden amber color and finger thick white head. The aroma was very reminiscent of a German pilsner. It was grainy, bready but there was also a hint of caramel. The aroma of the beer seemed to match the flavor. The bready malt practically mimics the traditional German Pilsner style. But unlike the traditional German Oktoberfest beers, there is only a hint of caramel sweetness in the flavor before a grassy hop finish that washes away clean providing a very light, smooth and easy drinking experience.

Normally at this point, I would begin to write a fairly positive conclusion for this safe but enjoyable beer. Unfortunately I just can’t do it. To me, the point of an Oktoberfest or any style fall beer is to provide a full flavor, slightly boozy, heavier alternative to the light bodied beers of summer. Oaktoberfest does not do that, in fact it is light enough that it seems more like a sessionable summer beer then it does a fuller bodied fall beer. 　But if this was a summer beer I would still feel that it is worth mentioning Oaktoberfest’s 12 dollars a 6 pack price, which is a few dollars higher than many superior alternatives from both summer and fall. Basically what I am trying to say is this is not a bad beer; it just does not work as a fall seasonal beer. And with its high price tag there is very little reason here for a repeat purchase.

　

Overall I’d rate Firestone Walker Oaktoberfest a 2.75/5. It’s a perfectly acceptable beer, just not a perfectly acceptable 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 at @ACraftyLook

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

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Bell's Oberon Ale

When you are a fan of seasonal beer, you can find yourself looking for them on a schedule. Fall beers usually arrive in stores in mid August, winter beers in late October, spring beers in January and summer beers somewhere between the end of March and early April. While I usually start purchasing most seasonal beers as soon as I can, I have a tendency to stay away from summer beer until the end of May. It seems like a cruel joke to sip a beer with an image of a sun or a surfboard on the label when a winter coat is still my go-to jacket and there is still potential for ice on the ground. While the end of May might seem a bit late to have ice on the ground, I do live in Upstate NY and weather here changes quickly. With that being said, cold weather seems to finally be out, summer beers are finally in and it's time to start reviewing my first of the season.

From the Bell's Brewery in Comstock, Michigan, Bell's Oberon Ale is an American Wheat Ale that pours a cloudy light orange with a thin white head. The refreshing scent of coriander and citrus stand out in the aroma. Upon tasting the delicious flavor of wheat, orange and lemon were immediately noticeable before a clean spicy finish with a hint of candy sweetness.

Bell's Oberon Ale works well because it manages to be light bodied and full of flavor. It does a much better job at creating citrus flavors through its ingredients than some of the other summer ales and shandies that hide their mediocre beer behind overpowering fruit flavoring. On top of that, Oberon Ale has an almost undetectable 5.8% ABV which is a bit stronger then the usual summer ale. What is noticeable and in my opinion could be the main drawback of this beer is the sweetness. While enjoyable, over time I could easily see the sweetness becoming a bit overbearing. Other than that I can safely say this is one of the better summer beers I've had and it was well worth the wait.

Overall I give Bell's Oberon Ale an 4/5. It's light, refreshing and very easy to drink. I could easily see this beer in my refrigerator throughout the summer months.


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!

Ommegang Game of Thrones Fire & Blood Red Ale

With the latest season of Game of Thrones now underway, I thought it was the perfect time to review the latest Game of Thrones-inspired beer from the Ommegang Brewery. Fire and Blood Red Ale pays tribute to the “Mother of Dragons” Daenerys Targaryen and her three dragons. There are three different bottle designs for Fire and Blood Ale, each of which features a different dragon. As far as great label designs go this is one of the coolest. I just hoped the beer was more then great packaging.

Fire and Blood Ale pours a cloudy reddish amber with a thick fluffy tan head. The aroma is fruity with a hint of Belgian spice. Upon tasting, I felt my palate begin a long journey much like Darnerys Targaryen is currently on in the show. I was immediately hit with the taste of fruit, rye and caramel sweetness. The sweetness lingered and then gave way to a light Belgian spice before it finished with the unique but great flavor of ancho chiles. The spice from the ancho chile was not overpowering, but it does linger briefly before it fades away long enough for you to forget it's coming back upon the next sip. The sweetness however, sticks around the entire time and flirts with being overpowering but never quite gets there.

All in all I found Fire and Blood Ale very drinkable but I could easily see how someone may not enjoy the spice of the chile pepper finish. I know it won't be for everyone and it is a bit different but in the case of a beer inspired by dragons it does seem very fitting. This is not a beer however I could see someone drinking regularly and perhaps that's why its a fitting one off. I do recommend giving it a try and as long as you know what you are in for and I don't think you'll be disappointed.

Overall I give Ommegang Game of Thrones Fire and Blood Ale a 3.75/5. A fitting beer to enjoy while watching fire breathing dragons run wild.

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!