Alosta & Live's Throwing Copper Ale

In the mid-90s, I was a young kid that enjoyed listening to modern rock radio. At the time I appreciated a few genres of music but nothing was better then riding the school bus home listening to FM radio’s The Nerve 95.1, 95.5. They had everything I loved at the time: Pearl Jam, Soundgarden, Rage Against the Machine, Garbage and a lot of hits from Live’s Throwing Copper Album. Without possessing the album, I found myself constantly singing along to all of Live’s radio hits. “Lightning Crashes” & “I Alone” in particular were huge favorites of mine. The songs were on the radio so much in the coming decades that I would instantly be taken back to my youth every time I heard them on the radio.

Fast forward to the summer of 2009, a good friend let me borrow a copy of Throwing Copper. From the first full listen I was blown away at what a fantastic album it was. From top to bottom, the songs were strong. I found myself enjoying the “deep cuts” just as much as the nostalgic hits.

After 10 years of fondness for the album as a whole, I made seeing Live in concert a huge priority. Once I heard they were touring for the 25th anniversary of Throwing Copper, I made sure I was in a seat to catch a show. I was blown away by what an excellent show they put on and listened to the album frequently in the weeks to follow. It was in that post-concert euphoria that they announced a craft beer brewed by California’s Alosta Brewing Company celebrating the release of Throwing Copper. Without a hint of hesitation, I purchased a 4-pack. For months, I waited for this beer to arrive. Now that it is here, I just hoped the beer inside the amazingly designed cans would half as good as the album. I felt that would have made it a satisfying purchase.

Throwing Copper Ale's appearance was a gorgeous, rich copper with a little but of haze. The aroma was caramel, toffee, creamy peanut butter(uh oh) and earthy, spicy hops. The first sip and every sip after that was rich with buttery diacetyl. There were hints of nuts, coffee, caramel and spice much like the aroma along with an unwelcome vegetal note. To be honest though, the buttery off-flavor stole the show. I wish I could give more insight but to be honest, the beer is barely drinkable. Which is super disappointing, especially when considering the cost of getting the beer shipped to Western NY.

Throwing Copper Ale is a disappointingly bad beer and now I am stuck with a 4-pack of it. As I write this I am staring at a glass half full wondering how I am going to finish it. I certainly do not want to pair this with listening to the album because that would tarnish the experience of listening to the album for me. Honestly, I think this beer is so bad that every time I hear a song off of Throwing Copper from this point on, I am going to think about the great show I saw them put on and how bad the beer they put their name on was. This is without a doubt the worst musician collaboration beer I have had. If you are on the fence about buying a 4-pack, don't. Your money is better spent on literally anything thing else.

Overall rating: 1/5

Shiner Lemon Pils

The Shiner brand first got on my radar in 2007. I was sitting in a movie theater watching characters in Quentin Tarantino’s Death Proof enjoying a beer I had not seen before. At that time in my life I bought into whatever Tarantino was selling. I thought he was the absolute greatest thing to happen to movies and if he put his endorsement on a beer, I had to try it. Product placement worked on me and I began my quest to find Shiner Bock as soon as I left the theater. It took a few years, but I finally came across a 6-pack in Wisconsin. As I sipped it while tailgating a Pearl Jam show later that day, I remember thinking it was a solid beer. It was not the magical libation I thought it was going to be but it was a good beer. Fast forward almost a decade later, and it is still the only beer from the Shiner brand I have enjoyed.

My feelings on beer from Spoetzl Brewery come from years of disappointment. I keep trying their beer with the hope that I will find one that I enjoy enough for a repeat purchase, but outside of the Bock that has yet to happen. For this blog I wanted to take the time to vent about how I felt about the Shiner brand, but also review one of their latest offerings that I had yet to try in hopes of possibly finally finding a beer from them I could say something nice about.

Shiner’s Lemon Pils lined up with my current drinking habits. It’s a warm weather, sessionable lager with a hint of citrus. I had the hope that it would work as a summer crusher. I had no aspirations that this was going to be a world class beer, I just wanted a beer that would work well as a “lawnmower” or “beach” beer. The nose of Lemon Pils gave me some hope. It had a touch of citrus, particularly lemon, bready malt, grains, and a nice touch of floral notes with an herbal spiciness. While the aroma worked for me, the first sip was not what I had hoped it would be. Lemon Pils is surprisingly sweet up front. Lots of bready malt, and cereal grains before lemon and citrus come in. The finish is spicy and bitter with a lemon rind note that is a bit more aggressive then necessary. There is a disappointing metallic note in the finish as well. Lemon Pils is also extremely watery. Sadly, there is just not a lot to like here and this just turns out to be another mediocre beer from Shiner. I can't even recommend it as a "lawnmower" beer because there are so many better options out there.

Honestly, at this point I am not holding out hope I will find a beer outside of Shiner Bock from the Spoetzl Brewery that is worth purchasing again. I will give anything a try, especially for this blog, but even for blogging purposes my money is better spent elsewhere. I recommend you spend yours elsewhere, as well.


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Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Jack’s Abby Citra Brau Lager

I am always looking for a great value and Jack’s Abby always seems to deliver just that. Over the years, the Framingham, Massachusetts Brewery has become a personal favorite of mine. The main reasons for that are they consistently push the boundaries of creativity with their lagers and they are always priced reasonably. I honestly can’t recall a single beer from them I have not enjoyed. Granted, there are some of their beers I prefer more than others, but that is how I feel about every brewery. Jack’s Abby consistently makes solid beer at a great price and their latest offering, Citra Brau, reinforces that.

I keep mentioning that Jack’s Abby beer is always a great value, but Citra Brau is the first beer from them that actually gave me “sticker shock”. “Sticker shock" is something that happens to every beer enthusiast at one time or another. It usually occurs when you find yourself paying a bit more for a beer than you expected to. For Citra Brau, a dry-hopped citra lager, I had the complete opposite reaction. A 6-pack of 16 oz. cans is priced around 10 dollars. Once I tried it, I felt like I had found one of the best values currently on the market. 

Citra Brau certainly showcases the citra hop but Jack's Abby balances it beautifully with a fantastic lager backbone. The aroma is super dank, floral, grassy, grainy and very fruity.  The taste matches the nose and as I mentioned earlier it is beautifully balanced. Orange, lemon, peach, melon, resinous pine and grass hit initially before the slightly sweet, grainy, crackery malt profile comes into play. The finish is dry, peppery, crisp & clean. Nothing here is going to blow you away, but this is a really nice, easy drinking lager with just the right amount of hop flavor.

Clocking in at 5.5%, Citra Brau is sessionable and a beer I hope to see year-round from Jack's Abby, especially for the summer. Citra Brau has "lawnmower beer" written all over it. In the meantime, its very reasonable price point could make it a staple in my refrigerator for the foreseeable future. Once again, Jack's Abby delivers another solid beer.


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Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Lawson's Maple Nipple Amber Ale

I am excited that offerings besides Sip of Sunshine & the Super Session session IPA from Vermont's Lawson's Finest Liquids are getting distribution to Western NY. It feels like only yesterday I was waiting in line for a draft pour of Sip of Sunshine and now I can walk in to any beer isle and find their beers. What a time to be alive! Since I had yet to try their Maple Nipple Amber Ale, I wasted no time in purchasing it once it hit stores. I thought it would be the perfect beer for this blog.

First things first, I am not going to lie. I had a touch of sticker shock when I saw the 17.99 price tag for a 4-pack but figured if it was from Lawson's, it was going to be well worth purchasing. After opening my first can and pouring it into a glass, I took in the aroma. It reminded me of Fall more than anything else. Rich caramel, toasted bread, a lighter than expected maple syrup note and herbal hops greeted me in the aroma. It instantly took me back to October and in hindsight, if it was paired with a crisp Fall night I might have enjoyed it slightly more. 

When I took my first sip, I found myself underwhelmed. The caramel, toasted bread, toffee and spicy, herbal hop finish stand out the most. In a way, this very much reminded me of a stronger Oktoberfest, and for a moment I enjoyed it. The maple syrup is there but there is not enough of it in the flavor for my taste. If you have been reading my blog long enough, you know that when a beer promises maple syrup, I really want to taste the maple syrup. With Maple Nipple, it is definitely there, there is just not enough of it. I found myself disappointed by that and even more disappointed by the green apple off-flavor that I continued to pickup the further I got into the pint. By the time my glass was empty, I felt like the best thing about Maple Nipple was its hilarious can art. 

With some beers, if I feel future batches could improve them, I have no problem revisiting them down the line. That could very well be the case for this one. However, with this beer's price point and the level of disappointment I feel as I write this, I highly doubt I will be picking up again.

Overall rating: 2.5/5

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!

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

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Long Trail Harvest Vermont Maple Brown Ale

I believe I have written this before but if I see a beer with maple syrup in it, I am going to buy it. Not all the beers I have had with maple syrup in them have been winners, but like coconut in beer, I can’t seem to pass them up. When I saw Long Trail Ale Harvest, a Vermont Maple Brown Ale, I had to give it a try and write about it.

Over the years, I have become a fan of Long Trail Brewing’s catalog. The VT IPA in particular tastes fantastic and is very reasonably priced for a 12-pack. I also really enjoy their Cranberry Gose, Limbo IPA and their flagship Long Trail Ale. I had high hopes that their Harvest Ale would become a fall staple in my refrigerator. From the moment I got a whiff of Long Trail’s Harvest, a Vermont Maple Brown Ale, I thought I found a beer that was going to do just that. Chocolate, maple syrup, caramel, toffee, coffee, earthy hops all seemed to beautifully come together in the aroma.

Before I took my first sip, there was something that kept my hopes in check-- the 4.4% ABV. That is light beer territory and for a Fall beer that is extremely low. Not only did that give me concerns about the flavor but it also gave me concerns about body. I think it goes without saying but the cooler weather of Fall demands a beer with a bit more body and warming alcohol to it. I wanted Long Trail’s Harvest Ale to prove me wrong on all of these fronts but it sadly did not. It had the mouthfeel of light beer. There is decent flavor there but it is extremely watered down. The dark chocolate, coffee, maple syrup and toffee are muddled together before an earthy hop finish. The beer finishes clean, but what would you expect from a light beer masquerading as a brown ale for the Fall season?

While Long Trail’s Harvest lacks the flavor and body one would expect from a Fall beer, I did not completely hate it. As I said earlier it by no means tastes bad, it is just incredibly average. I would love to see this beer with at least a 5.5% ABV. More body would give this beer a chance to let its flavors shine. I have a feeling that would dramatically bring my overall rating up.

Overall rating: 2.75/5


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!

Lagunitas Super Cluster & Cherry Jane

One thing I love about Lagunitas Brewing Company is their reasonable prices. As someone who is currently trying to furnish a home, I am looking for values in any place I can find them, especially when it comes to purchasing beer. As hard as it is for me to admit, I find it difficult to justify purchasing several 15-20 dollar 4-packs while sitting on one of two chairs in an otherwise empty living room watching television. If I was in college, I could easily justify this but it gets a failing grade when it comes to adulting. For this blog, I am not so much reviewing beer but offering two great options at more reasonable prices.

I came across Lagunitas' Super Cluster DIPA and stopped in my tracks. Super Cluster is an 8% Citra-Hopped DIPA, priced under 20 dollars for a 12-pack. Without even trying it, that price alone felt like a steal and I could not wait to get home and give it a try. What I found when I did was an excellent West Coast DIPA that is bursting with citrus & pine resin. The first sip does not disappoint, delivering a healthy dose of bright, citrus flavors. Orange, grapefruit, passion fruit and a touch of lemongrass come through at first before a piney, herbal finish. The 8% ABV is hidden fairly well, making this even easier to drink. Super Cluster is beautifully crafted and a steal at its price point.

Another solid offering from Lagunitas is their cherry sour ale, Cherry Jane. The price point for Cherry Jane is around 13 dollars a six-pack which is a touch more than I was looking to spend but I could not resist a beer brewed with Turkish Delight Cherry Juice & Brettanomyces. The Brett delivers just the right amount of funk to the dominating flavor of tart cherry juice. The sourness is not particularly aggressive, it plays as more of a compliment to the cherry juice. I, in particular love tart cherry juice so this beer definitely worked for me.

Both of these beers are solid offerings from Lagunitas. I would highly encourage you to pick up Super Cluster in particular. It is easily one of the best values I have come across in beer that did not have the name "Genesee" on it.



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Thanks for reading. Sláinte! 

Founders Barrel Runner

I am a bit obsessed with the Founders Barrel Aged Series. If you have been following this blog, you already know that. I love writing about each new release for two reasons. The first being that the beer is usually great. The second being that you can clearly tell the brewers at Founders are having fun pushing the limits of creativity with this program. Dank Wood, the previous release in the series took an underrated style of beer(Red IPA) and added a whole new layer of complexity to it with the barrel aging. When I first heard about Barrel Runner, the latest release in the series, I was intrigued but disappointed. I was disappointed only because I wanted to see a different style outside of an IPA go into a barrel. However, I was intrigued because the tropical fruitiness of a mosaic hopped ale seemed like a perfect compliment for a rum barrel. It had potential to deliver a fruity, strong, summer-like cocktail take on a beer. I became further intrigued when I saw the early reception was very polarizing, much like my favorite release in the series DKML. I had no idea which side of the fence I would be on for this one, but I had confidence that if any brewery could pull a beer like this off, it would be Founders.

For Dank Wood, the previous release in the series, the barrel presence was a bit more dialed back. It acted as a compliment to the bold flavor of the Imperial Red IPA. When it comes to Barrel Runner, things are much different. The dominating aroma of rum was noticeable while standing a few feet away from the glass. There were hints of caramel malt, coconut, pine resin, grapefruit, and vanilla, but the stars of the show here are rum, oak and pineapple. The first sip and every sip after that is very sweet & very boozy. The fruitiness(pineapple, mango, papaya, tangerine, berries) tries to shine initially, along with a healthy dose of pine and caramel but is immediately overshadowed by rum, vanilla, oak spice, coconut, and booze(lots of booze). I like rum, so I liked this beer. It reminded me of the tropical drinks I had on my honeymoon, as well as the low-proof fruity rums I sampled irresponsibly when I was younger. This might sound silly but Barrel Runner tastes like a hangover to me. It reminds me of mixing way too many sugary drinks and spending the next day in bed. I purchased a 4-pack of Barrel Runner and found it impossible to open a second one in a single sitting. 

One thing that would have made this beer better would have been a bit of balance. The barrel is clearly all that is showcased here while more balance between the fruity, syrupy sweet IPA & the rum barrel would have greatly improved my thoughts on this beer. Put it this way, if you like your Rum & Cokes with just a splash of Coke, this beer is for you. If rum hangovers do not bother you, this beer is for you. If you don’t like rum at all, spend your 15+ dollars elsewhere.

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!

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!

Jack's Abby Bourbon Barrel Aged Graham Cracker Framinghammer

Whenever the Bourbon Barrel Aged Framinghammers come out I usually treat myself to one or two if I come across them but I do not seek them out. My main reason for this is, while I like them, I always want to like them more than I usually do. This all started with the first time I tried their PB&J variant. The flavors it promised were under delivered and they clashed with the base beer. The other variants I have tried were fine but were always a touch too boozy. Each time I drank the Bourbon Barrel Aged Framinghammer or its Vanilla, Mole or Brandy Barrel Aged variants I wanted each of them to finish smoother than they did. While aging them might have helped this problem, not everyone has the patience to see how that turns out.

My thoughts towards the Bourbon Barrel Aged Framinghammer Series changed in the summer of 2016. I was at Jack's Abby and had a taster of their draft-only BBA Graham Cracker variant. From the first sip to the last, I was blown away. Graham cracker is not usually a flavor that shines nicely in beer, but it did here. It was the undisputed star of the show and I instantly caused me to fall in love with the beer. Since that day, I have been waiting for an opportunity to try it again. That chance finally arrived with this year's Bourbon Barrel Aged Framinghammer releases. I honestly could have cared less about the regular BA version or any of the other variants released. I just wanted the Graham Cracker version and I wanted it to live up to the incredible beer I remember trying almost two years ago. After a full week of sitting in my refrigerator, I was finally ready to find out if it did.

From the moment I took in the wonderful aroma of graham crackers, chocolate, vanilla & caramelized sugar, I knew I was in for a treat with my first sip of BBA Graham Cracker Framinghammer. This beer is without question the best example of a s'mores-style beer I have had yet. All of the elements are there in the flavor, and there is a huge amount of graham cracker present. As I mentioned earlier, in s'mores style beers I feel the flavor of graham cracker in particular is usually lacking. Here it is front and center along with lots of chocolate, vanilla, caramelized sugar, smoke and a slight hint of oak from the barrel. I got practically no bourbon in the flavor but I am not complaining. All of the elements I wanted were there. To be a bit critical though, it does get a touch sweet as it warms and the trademark booziness is noticable in the finish. As far as the sweetness goes, one should expect that in a beer designed to taste like a dessert. The booziness in the BBA Framinghammers seems to be unavoidable no matter which one you try. I am looking forward to aging a bottle a bit to see how it develops. Rest assured, I will report back with my findings. Outside of those two small criticisms, I have no complaints, this beer is wonderful and I highly recommend seeking it out.

Overall rating: 4.5/5



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!

Kentucky Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale

Alltech Lexington Brewing & Distilling Co. makes a lot of barrel aged beers. I love barrel aged beers so this should be a match made in heaven. Unfortunately, I have yet to have anything from them I really enjoyed. The most disappointed I have been trying one of their beers was the first time I tasted their BA Barleywine. It was thin, lacked depth of flavor, and since I was in Tampa it took away from precious time drinking Jai Alai & Red Tocobaga from Cigar City. Their products make it to NY but I rarely purchase them. I keep waiting for one of my beer enthusiast friends to tell me I have to try one of their beers. That day has still yet to come. In fact I have heard that for the price, try anything but their stuff. I have stuck to this up until the last time I visited a bottle shop. It was there that I came across their Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale. For some reason, I could not pass up the opportunity to try it. It just sounded like a beer I wanted to like, I just wondered if I would.

As I poured Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale, I could not help but notice its similarities to cream soda. It was the same color, had a fizzy white head and had a massive amount of vanilla in the aroma. Due to my love of cream soda, I began to get a bit more optimistic about this beer. There was also a fair amount of graininess(corn) to the aroma as well, with a touch of biscuit. From the aroma alone, I could not tell that this beer was barrel aged. The flavor of the beer pretty much matched the nose. It was very grainy, with a lot of vanilla sweetness and a touch of biscuit. The graininess carried into a finish that balanced the sweetness of the vanilla, with a welcomed amount of hop bitterness, an occasional touch of whiskey and some oak spice. The barrel aging is only slightly there but you really have to look for it. The finish also leaves a fairly unpleasant grainy, bitter aftertaste that seemed to only grow in strength the further I got into the glass.

I was not disappointed I purchased the Vanilla Barrel Cream Ale. I am happy for the opportunity to try it. However, I can safely say that I will not be purchasing it again. Everything seemed a touch muddled here and nothing really flowed together. Also, what is the point of barrel aging this beer for 2 months if there is practically no presence of it in the flavor? That just seems to me like an irresponsible business decision on the brewery's part. I am fairly certain this beer would taste close to the same with or without that short time in a barrel. Either way, it is nothing that special.

Overall rating: 2.5/5


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!

Sam '76

For the first time in a long time, a beer from the Boston Beer Company captured my interest. Then again, the ads for Sam '76 were on my Facebook feed until (and I am totally serious) I finally purchased some. Now, I am not going to go all Fox Mulder on you and suggest something conspiratorial, I am just going to say it was a strange coincidence that the ads finally stopped once the beer took up real estate in my refrigerator. 

Regardless of whether or not I was bombarded by ads for Sam '76, I still would have given it a shot. The Samuel Adams brand is largely responsible for my love of beer in the first place. Like many other beer enthusiasts, their beer was a gateway into the world of better beer. However, over the years their biggest drawback became their lack of finding a way to keep up with other breweries ingenuity. Their approach to distributing an IPA is a perfect example of this. When the market seemed to be leaning toward that particular style, they resisted it until they finally released Latitude 48 IPA. That particular IPA felt more like a halfhearted attempt to appease their customers than a serious attempt at making a good beer.

Over the past decade, I have purchased a fair amount of their new releases but have usually found them to be underwhelming. Their effort at making a shandy(Porch Rocker), was a particularly low point for me with this brewery. Not since my days of giving away their Cranberry Lambic from their holiday mix-pack to whatever unlucky soul was brave enough to drink it have I disliked one of their beers so much. Please don't get me wrong, there is the occasional one I enjoy. One that comes to mind is their Bonfire Rauchbier. That beer was like drinking a campfire and was my gateway into drinking that particular style. A couple of weeks ago, I tried their New England IPA and was shocked at how much I enjoyed it. I am sure I could check my Untappd to find others, but I am here to talk about Sam '76.

The big selling point for me of Sam '76 was the fact that the beer required two active fermentations. They accomplished this by using both an ale yeast and a lager yeast during the brewing process to create a sort of “hybrid” beer. This felt like Boston Beer Company was taking a risk with this beer and it immediately captured my interest. Then again, how could it not?

As I poured a can, I hoped for the best. Scratch that, I was hoping for something unique. The aroma of this slightly hazy, golden yellow brew was doughy, floral, honey-sweet with a touch of grapefruit, pineapple, and herbal spiciness. When I took my first sip, pulled the glass away from my face and puzzled over what I just drank. Up front is a bready sweetness from the malt and a touch of citrus and tropical fruit hops. The hops however are much more prominent in the aroma then the flavor. As soon as you expect the hops to take over and finish like a session IPA, the crisp, clean finish of a lager crashes the party. Each time I took a sip, I tasted a hint of the fruity simcoe hops especially and right when I wanted to taste more of them, everything changed. While, that might sound like a complaint, I actually enjoyed this switcheroo. It was unique, interesting and something that I felt I wanted to buy again. However, this is more of a summer beach beer than a late winter beer. The flavors are light, it lacks body, but it is refreshing and at 4.7% very sessionable. The styles of session IPA and a light lager are blended so well here, it is hard not to look at this as a solid gateway beer and a beer that challenges the expectations of the most refined craft beer palates.

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!

Evil Twin Bozo Beer

When it came to picking a beer for my latest blog about, I wanted to go big, like really big. For the past week, I have been looking over the beers in my refrigerator and felt nothing really fit what I was looking for. So I decided to go to a bottle shop to look for something that would and that is how I came across Evil Twin's Bozo Beer. An imperial stout with an ABV of 17.2%, Bozo Beer was exactly what I was looking to blog about this week. I believe it is by far the strongest beer that I have reviewed here and I find that very exciting. What might not be as exciting, is tackling this monster of a beer by myself. Oh the things I do for this blog...

When a beer has an ABV as high as Bozo Beer, one thing you can expect it to be is full bodied. In this case that was an understatement. As I began to pour Bozo Beer into a glass, I said “whoa” out loud when I saw how thick, rich and dense it was. I expected there to be a lot of roastiness & booze in the aroma and there certainly was plenty of both, but there was much more going on here. The side of the can lists a lot of adjuncts and most of them show up and stand out in the aroma. Coffee, chocolate, marshmallow, nuts, creamy vanilla, molasses, cinnamon, chili peppers, cinnamon are all present in the aroma.

When I took my first sip, I prepared to get a hot mess of a beer. What I got was a lot of roastiness, marshmallow, vanilla, coffee, chocolate and molasses initially, with the almonds & hazelnuts coming in to compliment all of these flavors nicely. The cinnamon & chili peppers come in late and are fairly understated but add a nice touch. The warmth from the alcohol follows but is not nearly as aggressive as I was expecting. I guess it is safe to say almost nothing here is quite what I expected it to be. Usually, when a beer has a laundry list of adjuncts, it is never quite as good as you want it to be. A lot of adjuncts get lost in the fold behind more dominant flavors. For example, I expected to taste almost no marshmallow and I expected to complain about it here. That was certainly not the case, as marshmallow was right up front and center. This beer is way better than I thought it was going to be and I am thrilled. Bozo Beer is a rich, creamy, decadent treat that is so much smoother than I expected it to be. The only thing that would possibly make this beer better is some barrel aging, and if I ever come across a BA version of Bozo Beer, Evil Twin Brewing could not take my money fast enough.

Overall rating: 4.5/5

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!

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Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Beer Stories: A Weekend in Philadelphia

First off, I think it is safe to say, it has been way too long since I have written a blog. I do not like falling behind so I apologize and I hope this blog makes up for lost time. I will be back much sooner with the next one, I promise.

I am particularly excited about this blog because it is not so much a beer review as it is about a memorable weekend with my wife, sister and brother-in-law in Philadelphia, PA. Now, don't get me wrong, there are beers involved here(too many in fact) but the weekend as a whole was quite unforgettable and I am excited to write about it.

The planning for this weekend started last summer. I forget which of the 4 of us suggested it but the idea was to attend the 30th Anniversary of the WWE Royal Rumble and make a weekend out of it. After a few months of deliberation due to the fact that buying tickets to the event was more challenging and expensive than expected, we finally made the decision to go in early December.

I have mentioned in previous blogs that whenever I go on vacation, I love to visit the local breweries. From reputation alone, I could not come to Philadelphia without stopping in Ardmore, PA at Tired Hand Brew Cafe. It was my first time there and I absolutely loved it. I was even more excited to find out I was not alone.

You already know that my wife, Alicia, is into craft beer. I believe I have mentioned my brother-in-law Andy embraces trying new beers as well. My sister Ashley however, is a slightly different story. Ashley's beer of choice is Bud Light out of a bottle. For years, I have tried to get her to try other beers but have had little to no success. Recently, to my excitement she has been a bit more open than ever to trying different beers. While looking over the menu, Ashley just told me to find something she would like. I accepted the challenge and ordered her, as well as the entire group four pours of the their cask beer: Hophands Pale Ale double dry hopped with citra and conditioned with blood orange tisane. The beer was a huge hit and it received praise from everyone drinking it. The herbal tea was a nice touch and the citrus was turned up beautifully with this version of HopHands. It was also super easy to drink and paired perfectly with the spring-like weather outside. For the next round, I ventured off on my own and tried a taster of Act Appalled, a black ipa with lime & coconut. It was complex, rich and delicious. I particularly enjoyed the addition of lime here, it really added a unique touch. The last beer I tried at Tired Hands was A Long Silence which is a French Toast Dark Mild and the beer I am drinking as I write this. This was by far, my favorite beer of the 3 I tried. It is bready, chocolately, creamy, easy drinking, perfectly sweetened with maple syrup and vanilla, spiced nicely with cinnamon, and has a really nice hint of fruit. If I lived by Tired Hands, I would go back and get another crowler, as soon as possible.

After leaving Tired Hands extremely satisfied with our experience we headed to our AirBnb apartment. We decided to try AirBnb because none of us had done it before, we had heard good things from others who had tried it, and the Stubhub markup on our Royal Rumble tickets was absolutely ridiculous. When we arrived we immediately loved the location, it was right in the heart of Rittenhouse Square. The downside of the apartment was that it had not been cleaned since the previous renters stayed there. This was pretty gross and obviously not ideal but after contacting AirBnb & the renter of the apartment we found out there was little that we could do that night except get some of our stay refunded and wait for the cleaning crew to come the next day. So we cracked a can of HopHands and got ready to go out.

The destination for dinner and drinks was going to be Monk's Cafe. Being a lover of craft beer I find it a bit embarrassing to admit I had yet to have a chance to try Russian River's Pliny The Elder. I had been following the draft list at Monk's for the week leading up to us heading there and was pleased to find out it happened to be on draft. There are few certainties in life but one thing I can tell you for sure was, one way or another, I was going to to drink Pliny The Elder that night. We were dressed, ready to go to Monk's Cafe and as we made our way to the door to leave to go out for the evening, the night took an unexpected turn.

The apartment we were staying in shared a courtyard with several other apartments. The apartment directly across from the one we were staying in had thick black smoke pouring out the windows. I immediately called 911, they said the fire department was already on the way and we quickly exited the courtyard. From the street, we watched firefighters courageously do their job and put out the fire. Fortunately and most importantly, no one appeared to be in the apartment at the time so no one was injured. Unfortunately, the damage to their apartment was severe.

While watching from the street, we met some very nice people who offered us their extra room if we needed a place to stay. The “City of Brotherly Love” title certainly fits Philadelphia. Every time I have been there, people have been super kind and generous and this time was no different. We thanked them but declined because AirBnB was going to pay for our stay at a nearby hotel since they did not have any rentals available that worked for our location. Once the Fire Marshall cleared the area, we were allowed to go back in and pack up our things.

We booked what turned out to be a tremendous room at a hotel in Center City. Got ready again, and got a Lyft to Monk's Cafe. I spent a good amount of time during the ride once again telling everyone how much I could not wait for this moment. When we pulled up, I was overwhelmed with excitement. I rushed into the crowded bar, saw the Pliny The Elder tap and asked everyone what they wanted to drink. Alicia & Andy were on board with giving Pliny a try, my sister however wanted to try something different. She opted for an Allagash White Ale, and I was damn proud of that selection. To me, Allagash White is one of the best white ales on the market. For Ashley to like it and drink a couple pints of it instead of Bud Light out of a bottle was definitely a highlight of the trip to me.

When it came to drinking Pliny The Elder, I found it to be everything I hoped it would be. I took a moment to enjoy its beautiful aroma and then took my first sip. The first thing I noticed about it was how perfectly balanced is was. The second thing I noticed was how smooth it was. At 8%, I expected to taste at least some presence of alcohol but got none. What I got was a lot of pine, some citrus and a nice malt backbone bringing it all together. The fact that Monk's Cafe served this in pint glasses felt a bit overly indulgent but that made the experience even better. Andy & I had three of them over a delicious dinner and we all left Monk's Cafe extremely satisfied with our experience.

The rest of the night was not so much about craft beer but enjoying a night out on the town and that we did. The following day we went to the Mutter Museum, DiNic's for Roasted Pork Sandwiches and Yards Brewing. Their Philadelphia Pale Ale was a really nice session ale. Their George Washington's Tavern Porter unfortunately was a touch too thin. I enjoyed the Love Stout but the real highlight for me was the Olde Bartholomew Barleywine. I realize drinking a 10+% beer may not have been the wisest decision before the Royal Rumble but it was damn delicious beer that paired nicely with a cold, rainy Philadelphia day.

As for the Royal Rumble, the event was a blast to attend. I have always wanted to be a part of a wrestling crowd in Philadelphia and they did not disappoint. About 45 minutes before the show started the people in my section were so excited for the event to start they started chanting for seemingly anything and everything that came to mind including the number of our section, popcorn and the popcorn guy. That energy carried on for most of the night. When the event ended, it was bittersweet because that meant an unforgettable weekend in a tremendous city was coming to an end as well. There was only one more thing to do, grab a cheesesteak from Geno's.

Until next time Philly!


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!