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!

Brewmaster Jack Elbow Room

I have yet to have a beer from Northampton, MA's Brewmaster Jack that has really impressed me. So far the ones I have tried have ranged from OK to good but not a single one has merited a repeat purchase. My biggest hope from them was Tennessee Prinse, a quadrupel ale aged in whiskey barrels. When my friend gave me a bottle to try, I was excited. I had heard a bunch of positive word of mouth about it and naturally assumed it would be fantastic. Sadly it was not. Tennessee Prinse was just another run of the mill barrel aged beer. It was by no means a bad beer, but it is something I have no intention of purchasing again. Another beer I remember trying from them was their Little Brother DIPA. The only thing I remember about that one is that I wished I spent 5 dollars on something else. The one beer I did enjoy from them was Trial By Combat DIPA. Unfortunately, even that one felt like it was missing something. If I had any other beers from Brewmaster Jack, I don't remember them. However, my search for something great from them continues into this blog.

This past week, Autumn finally hit NY in full force and I found myself looking for a beer with more body and if possible, some barrel aging. I came across Elbow Room from Brewmaster Jack. It was a coffee imperial stout aged in whiskey barrels. After a feeling of trepidation crept over me about buying another Brewmaster Jack beer, I looked at the reasonable 9 dollar price tag for a 22oz. bomber and I decided to give it a shot. When I opened the bottle, my hopes soared sky high as I poured the rich, dense, black liquid into my glass. The aroma of dark chocolate was immediately noticeable. There was also a touch of smoke in the aroma, some vanilla, a slight nuttiness, as well as an almost wine-like fruitiness. These all paled in comparison to the coffee aroma that practically overwhelmed everything else. One thing I did not get a lot of in the aroma was the barrel notes. I did not detect any whiskey and I only think I found oak because I knew it was there. I was hoping I would get more when I took my first sip but unfortunately, I did not. However, what I did get from my first sip was disappointment.

With a beer that is barrel aged, there are certain expectations for how it should taste. Aside from a hint of vanilla, there was pretty much nothing here to suggest Elbow Room spent any time at all in a barrel. Whatever the aging period was, it was not long enough. I'm guessing a brewer at Brewmaster Jack poured the stout into a whiskey barrel for a “5 Mississippi count” and poured it out. If that was my only issue with this beer, I would have been happy, but the coffee that so richly dominates the flavor tastes bland and frankly stale. It is reminiscent of going into a gas station in the middle of the night and drinking a 12 hour old cup of coffee. Sure, it tastes like coffee, but it is not good. Dark chocolate, caramel, vanilla, a green pepper off-flavor and a fairly bold fruitiness round out the flavor of this watery imperial stout. It is a touch astringent but to its credit, for the most part it is smooth. There is barely any hint of the 10.1% ABV, which is nice, but you can find a beer just like this that tastes better(Founders Breakfast Stout) and has just as much barrel flavor(none) fairly easily.

Overall, Elbow Room did nothing to improve my opinion of the quality of beer from Brewmaster Jack. So far everything I have tried has seemed either bland or like it is missing something critical to making it a solid beer. I hope the next beer I buy from them changes my opinion but after this one it will be awhile until I purchase another one of their beers again.

Overall rating: 2/5


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Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Breckenridge Stranahan's Well Built Burton Style Ale

Breckenridge Brewery's Vanilla Porter is a beer everyone into craft beer should try at some point. If you have yet to try it, do so, you might not be blown away by it now, but understand that beer was a big deal several years ago. I remember trying it for the first time and being absolutely loving it. I revisit it from time to time and it brings back fond memories, but it is now overshadowed by better local offerings in my area. The whole point in drinking it now is to “respect the classics”. I tended to stay away from many of Breckenridge's other offerings because a lot of them are average or completely unpleasant to drink. Recently, I sampled their Salted Caramel Brown Ale and could barely get through 3 ounces of it. Their Breck IPA is as uneventful as it gets. Their Oatmeal Stout had a decent flavor but was incredibly thin. I honestly can't remember anything else I have had from them outside of this. Recently, my Uncle Jeff(thank you!) brought me an incredible amount of beer from Colorado. Most of it I had never heard of, but I am extremely excited to try all of it. In the incredible amount of beer my Uncle brought to NY, he brought a Burton Style Ale aged in Colorado Whiskey Barrels from Breckenridge Brewery. This sounded creative, exciting, and if I was going to try a memorable beer from Breckenridge Brewery, it was going to be this one.

Stranahan's Well Built Burton Style Ale poured a deep reddish amber with a thin white head. The barrel aging in particular shined in the nose. Oak, bourbon, vanilla, caramel, spice, raisin, brown sugar and hint of cherry greeted me and continued to raise my hopes that Breckenridge had made something special here. Unfortunately, when I took my first sip, things started going downhill. A big hit of dark fruit, bourbon, vanilla, caramel and toffee greeted me immediately before giving way to a dry, oakey, astringent finish. At first, I liked it but held off on judgment until it started to warm. As it warmed, the flavors started to became disjointed and the astringent finish began to wear on me. On paper, the maltiness of Well Built should have blended nicely together with the barrel aging. Instead the beer and the barrel seemed to be at war with each other. Drinking Stranahan's Well Built felt like more like I took a shot of whiskey and then used a malty beer as a chaser to wash it down than anything else. Even more unpleasant, the more it warmed, its thin, oily mouthfeel only enhanced my dislike of everything going on here. It is a shame because the base beer alone might not have been bad and the whiskey aged in the barrels might not have been bad. Together however, they left me not wanting to try either.

This beer may have been named “Well Built,” but I assure you it is not. This is a messy barrel aged beer from a brewery that aside from their classic Vanilla Porter, seems to offer very little for a repeat purchase. I really wanted to like this beer. There are some nice things going on here initially but if you treat this like a sipper and you should, it all falls apart. I really want to find a beer from Breckenridge that justifies their national distribution but I am not holding my breath that I will.

Overall rating: 2.25/5. Stranahan's Well Built is another forgettable offering from Breckenridge with a higher price tag.

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!

Collective Arts Saint of Circumstance

The first time I had a beer from Collective Arts Brewing was in May of 2016 at Irish Embassy in Toronto, ON. It was after my second Pearl Jam concert in three nights. That particular show was special because I finally heard my “Holy Grail” Pearl Jam song, Alone. Up to that point, I had waited 26 shows to hear Alone. Before that night, the best chance I had to hear it was in Philadelphia in 2013. Pearl Jam sound checked the song before the first show of their two-night stand. The song did not end up making the set list either of those two nights. It made the set list at the next show, in the next city they were in. I was bummed out by this because I thought that was my best chance to hear it. With an ever-growing catalog of songs, I thought the chances I would ever hear it were becoming slim to none. Then on May 12th, 2016, after a spectacular performance of Present Tense, Alone just started. When I realized what I happening, I was so excited, I practically tackled my unsuspecting cousin next to me. I yelled “This is it! This is my holy grail song!” and he just smiled. I stood there rocking out for the next few minutes with a gigantic smile on my face. That was a moment I will never forget for the rest of my life. Anything that happened that night after hearing that song was icing on the cake. I honestly believe Pearl Jam could have taken turns farting into the microphone for the next two hours and I would not have minded. That moment made my night. Later, at the Irish Embassy, I could talk about little else while surveying the beer menu. I ordered something I had never heard of, which turned out to be Collective Arts Brewing Rhyme & Reason Pale Ale. I thought it tasted fantastic, so good in fact that I ordered a few. Usually I like to mix it up a bit but that beer was hitting all the right flavor notes. Fast forward to April 2017, Collective Arts Brewing is now being distributed in Upstate New York. I immediately bought cans of Rhyme & Reason. I was hoping the beer was not enhanced by the moment last May. I am happy to report it was not. Rhyme & Reason is a fantastic pale ale. It's malty with just the right amount of hop bite. I absolutely love that beer, and the fact that it is tied to a great memory makes it even better.

Rhyme & Reason was not the only beer to arrive in Upstate NY from Collective Arts Brewing and that got me excited. When I picked up some Rhyme & Reason, I also picked up their Blonde Ale, Saint of Circumstance. I think blonde ale is a criminally underrated style of beer. With warm weather coming I was hoping the brewery that made such an excellent pale ale would make a blonde ale that could be a regular summer staple in my refrigerator.

I can safely say I enjoyed drinking Saint of Circumstance. It delivered on being a light, easy-drinking, refreshing beer. I just thought I would enjoy it a bit more, especially from the pleasant cracker, spicy, grassy and citrus aroma. I enjoyed that the flavor lemon in particular shined here, especially in the finish. The other big flavor flavor is the malt which brings a nice amount of cracker and graininess to the beer. What I was not crazy about was the finish, which was a muddled mixture of lemon, grass, grapefruit and pepper spice. It was not by any means a dealbreaker though. This is a solid choice for a summer beer. If you have to decide between this or Rhyme or Reason, I would go with Rhyme or Reason. I say that not just because I had it for the first time after one of the greatest concert moments of my life. I say that because it is a damn fine pale ale.

Overall I would rate Saint of Circumstance a 3/5. A solid beer from a solid catalog of beers. Oh, and the can art is amazing.

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!

Guinness Golden Ale, Rye Pale Ale & Milk Stout (Featuring Pat Ryan)

With St. Patrick's Day just around the corner, Guinness is everywhere. It's impossible not to walk down a beer aisle without stumbling upon a giant display of it. I really enjoy Guinness, I think it is a perfect beer to transition from winter to spring. Body-wise it is a little on the lighter side but the flavor is not. Unfortunately, like many others, I kind of drift away from it once the season passes. Not because I am tired of drinking it, but because it gets lost in the shuffle with all the amazing craft beer out there. I still enjoy a Guinness Draught on occasion throughout the year because my Dad(Pat Ryan) always has it in stock. For him, there never seems to be a bad time to enjoy a Guinness. If it's a cold winter night, he's enjoying a Guinness. If it is a 90 degree day with 100% humidity, he's still enjoying a Guinness. For this week's blog, I decided to visit him with some of the latest offerings from Guinness to see what his thoughts were. I also wanted to see if the same brewery that makes one of his favorite beers could make another beer he enjoyed just as much.

Guinness Golden Ale kicked off our tasting session to underwhelming results. Very light on flavor and what was there was not anything special. Caramel, cracker with a mild hop bitterness and a very metallic finish disappointed both myself and my father. We searched for positive things to say about the beer but kept circling back to the strong taste of metal we were left with after each sip. However if the finish was not an issue, with a low ABV of 4.5% this could have worked as a light beer in warmer weather. When it comes down to it though, Guinness Golden Ale is just nothing special.

Pat's take: “It's not terrible. It's definitely drinkable. I just don't like the aftertaste”

My rating: 2/5

Guinness Rye Pale Ale was up next. It was a significant step up from the Golden Ale but that's not to say it was anything special either. The rye spice was there but I wanted more of it. One would think that if it is promised in the title of the beer, it would be a featured part of it but sadly it was not. There were some nice candied orange, grapefruit and tropical notes here which we both enjoyed but they were also understated. Bready malt dominated most of the flavor. The metallic finish that ruined the Golden Ale was also present but not nearly as prevalent. My dad pondered this one a bit longer. I could tell he did not mind it but this is not something he would seek out again either. He agreed it was better than the Golden Ale but that was about it.

Pat's take: “It's a notch better than the golden ale. Clean finish, none of that bullshit in your mouth. It tastes more like a craft beer.”

My rating: 2.75/5

My Dad are I were divided on the final beer we sampled which was Guinness Milk Stout. Since it was more true to the style of Guinness Draught than anything else we tried, he thought this one would be a winner. After his first sip, he was completely disappointed. However, I enjoyed Guinness Milk Stout. It was a little chalky on the mouthfeel but the nice flavors of roasted malt, coffee and milk chocolate worked for me. I did not think the beer was by any means a masterpiece. Like the other beers, this one was a bit thin and the flavors could have been developed better. Overall though, I thought it was a serviceable milk stout.

Pat's take: “I thought I would like it. I'm not happy with it. I liked the Rye better”

My rating: 3.25/5

Once we finished each of the beers, my Dad and I both arrived at the same conclusion. The latest offerings from Guinness were nothing special. From his standpoint, none of the beers were good enough to take the place of Guinness Draught in his fridge and I completely agreed with him.

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!

Sierra Nevada Tropical Torpedo IPA & Sidecar Pale Ale

Two beers I will never review here are Sierra Nevada Pale Ale & Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA. The reason for this is quite simple, you should have already tried them. They are both excellent examples of their respective styles. Sierra Nevada Pale Ale in particular is one of my favorite stand by beers, it never disappoints. Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra IPA is just a solid IPA and an excellent representation of the style. I'm trying to avoid sounding like a commercial but Sierra Nevada Brewing Company does a lot of beers extremely well. Now that I have made my love of those beers known, I think it is time to talk about the beers I will be reviewing. Sierra Nevada Tropical Torpedo IPA & Sierra  Nevada Sidecar Pale Ale are a brand new spin on two styles of beer they are known to do very well. So would that success translate onto this brand new beers? Or would these beers be disappointing entries into a solid catalog of beers?

I'll start things off with Tropical Torpedo IPA which of the two I was more excited about. I'll admit I have lower expectations for Sidecar Pale Ale because it seems to be playing off the recent trend of fruited pale ales & IPAs. Tropical Torpedo IPA however is not fruited. It gets its big tropical aromas from a fantastic hop blend that includes two favorites of mine, citra and mosaic. The big tropical aroma is mostly dominated by passion fruit. There are also notes of pineapple, papaya and mango. The aroma however does not translate to the flavor. Tropical Torpedo is really a nice showcase of bready malt with some grapefruit hop bitterness. The Munich malt in particular comes through nicely. Actually, I think this is the exact same beer as the 2016 Beer Camp Tropical IPA that Sierra Nevada released last year. Just like last year I was disappointed that the big tropical aroma did not translate into the flavor. Nevertheless, this is still a nice beer. I just wish they brought out some bigger hop flavors.

Overall rating: 3/5

Next up, we have Sierra Nevada Sidecar Pale Ale. The orange that this beer promises is definitely in both the aroma and the flavor. Much like the Tropical Torpedo, bready malt, especially the Munich malt comes through in the flavor. There is also a light hop bitterness on the finish. Everything here tastes fine but it is just a bit too light on flavor. For the most part though, Sidecar Pale delivers on what it promises. It is by no means anything special. It is just an easy drinking pale ale with a tangy orange flavor that would work nicely during the summer. It just seems out of place during the cold winter months. This is the kind of beer you bring to a beach picnic. It is light, easy to drink and sessionable. From a flavor standpoint though, this comes nowhere near the fantastic flavor of Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. It's also significantly lighter that Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. I think this would work nicely as an introduction to someone that may be new to pale ales.

Overall rating: 2.75/5

Tropical Torpedo IPA & Sidecar Pale Ale are both underwhelming beers. I am not saying they are bad beers. In fact, I think they are both quite drinkable. Both just failed to deliver a drinking experience in the same league as Torpedo Extra IPA & Sierra Nevada Pale Ale. Tropical Torpedo has a wonderfully complex aroma but delivers a rather basic flavor. Sidecar Pale Ale just seems like a watered down pale ale with a lot of orange flavor. I would recommend you give both of them a try, just lower your expectations.

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!

Southern Tier 2x Oak'd IPA

Last week, I had Southern Tier's 2xIPA for the very first time. I honestly was surprised that this was the case. I assumed it was just one of those beers I tried before that did not make an impression and I just moved on from it. Also, I am not a huge fan of the Southern Tier IPA. I don't think there is anything particularly wrong with it, I just prefer many other IPAs in that particular price range. That being said, Southern Tier used to make some of my favorite IPAs. Years ago, I loved Hoppe, Un-Earthly and their wax-dipped Gemini. They were my first real taste of when a big IPA is done correctly. Since then Un-Earthly is fortunately still around, Hoppe is long gone and Gemini is no longer wax-dipped and seems to be a different beer altogether. So, with my indifference to Southern Tier IPA and my disappointment that they no longer make some old favorites, it was easy to overlook 2xIPA. So when my cousin brought over a six pack of 2xIPA I cracked open a bottle thinking nothing of it. I was then pleasantly surprised by the beautiful flavors in my glass. Simply put, I thought it was a really nice double IPA. So when I went back to the store to pick up another six pack I was stopped in my tracks when I saw Southern Tier 2x Oak'd IPA. Aged with oak chips and brewed with maple syrup, 2x Oak'd IPA sounded fantastic. That, paired with my enjoyment of 2xIPA, gave me high hopes that 2x Oak'd IPA would deliver a fantastic drinking experience.

So where does 2x Oak'd IPA measure up to some of Southern Tier's other IPAs? The answer is somewhere in the middle. The beer is not as great as it sounds on the packaging. It has a lot going on but mostly everything here is understated. The maple flavor is almost completely invisible. It adds a little bit of sweetness on the back end but for the most part is invisible. If you read my review of Barrel Aged Heavy Boots of Lead, I stated I wanted more maple syrup in the flavor. I feel like a broken record repeating the same thing here but it's true. At this point I want a brewery to drown a beer in maple syrup so I can finally get an adequate amount of it in the flavor. The oak flavor is there but aside from adding a bit of spice and a hint of vanilla it does not add much to the beer. A little more vanilla could have really added a creaminess to the finish that this beer could have benefited from. There is a lot of pine in the flavor, along with some caramel malt which is fine. There is a light amount of citrus as well in the flavor but not nearly enough. Unfortunately, this just tastes more like a really good IPA that has been on the shelf too long more that anything else. I definitely think 2x Oak'd IPA has potential. If they decide to try this again and I think they should, I think it could get a lot better. Then again if Southern Tier is looking to give another beer a second chance instead, I'd much rather see them bring Hoppe back instead.

Overall I would rate 2x Oak'd IPA a 2.5/5. Until they get it right, just go with the 2xIPA, it's really good.


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!

Happy New Year! Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Dogfish Head Beer For Breakfast Stout

I have never eaten scrapple. Actually I do not believe I have ever seen scrapple. In fact, it took a quick Google image search for me to actually see what it was. Now that I know, I wish I had not seen it. If you are like me and are curious what scrapple is, I can save you the trouble. It is an unappetizing looking meatloaf made of mushy pork. To be more specific, according to Wikipedia, it is made from unused parts of the pig during butchering. So obviously the perfect place for this completely unappetizing looking meatloaf is in a beer, right? Well, Dogfish Head thinks so and it's an ingredient in their latest offering, Beer for Breakfast Stout. Obviously I am a huge fan of being creative with beer but my initial reaction to this particular one is, “Why?” By the time my glass is empty, I hope to see any reason to justify this beer's existence.

Pouring a rich black with a tan head, the aroma of Beer for Breakfast is actually amazing. It is a blast of coffee with a nice smokiness, liquorice and some chocolate. With an aroma like that, I think I'll be able to completely disregard the image of that horrendous looking meatloaf. The taste fortunately is very much like the aroma. It is a blast of coffee & smoke accompanied by dark chocolate, liquorice, pepper and a splash of cream. There is a tiny hint of maple sweetness in the finish along with a lot more smoke. Much like Singlecut's Barrel Aged Heavy Boots of Lead from a couple weeks ago, I wanted more maple in this beer. Still, the coffee & smoke flavor really work for me here. Obviously I do not get any meat from the beer, as clearly this is more of a gimmick than anything else. Perhaps the flavor of the meat added to the smokiness but since I have no further interest to learn any more about scrapple I'll move on.

I think Dogfish Head did a pretty solid job with this beer. It is a bit more complex than their Chicory Stout. Unfortunately, I can't for certain say it is better. It is definitely worth a try if you like coffee & your beer smoky. If you do not prefer the latter, I would just stick with Founders Breakfast Stout. It really is an amazing achievement in beer.

Overall I would rate Beer for Breakfast a 3.25/5. It's a nice coffee forward beer that I fear will only be remembered for the fact that scrapple is an actual ingredient in it.


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

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Singlecut Barrel Aged Heavy Boots of Lead

Last week, I had a whole election night beer tasting blog planned out and was going to post it Wednesday morning. Then I took one look at Facebook, Twitter, Instagram etc. and felt it would easily get lost in everyone's election reactions. Now that things are starting to slightly cool down, social media seems like a kinder, gentler place to be. I felt it was time to return with a big beer. By chance I happened to walk into one of my favorite bottle shops and stumble upon a bottle of Singlecut Beersmiths Barrel Aged Heavy Boots of Lead. I unfortunately did not have the base beer to compare it to, as I drank that back in March. I remembered it being quite enjoyable and I looked forward to seeing what a year's worth of aging would do for it. I also liked the idea of infusing the barrel with whiskey-marinated maple syrup. All in all this sounded like a really interesting beer. So I popped the top and poured the rich, dense black liquid into a glass. I watched the thick brown head almost crest over the top of the glass. I tried to contain my excitement but I had a feeling that with 16.9 fluid ounces and an 11% ABV I was going to be in for quite an experience.

The aroma of Singlecut Beersmiths Barrel Aged Heavy Boots of Lead was surprisingly sweeter than I expected. I got a lot of rich chocolate, roasted notes and vanilla up front. There were also hints of oak and whiskey but I couldn't seem to find the maple. The first sip of Barrel Aged Heavy Boots of Lead blew me away. I got a bit of everything. It was roasty, full of chocolate, with vanilla up front. I swear I thought I got a bunch of maple too before a dry, spicy oak finish. At this point, I wanted to drop everything and go grab another bottle before they were gone. However, my gut told me to put a pin in that idea. Pro wrestling and football were about to start. More importantly I needed to see how this big stout warmed up.

As Barrel Aged Heavy Boots of Lead began to warm, the flavors dramatically changed. The maple sweetness I thought I got was gone. Sadly, the chocolate & vanilla sweetness I enjoyed so much in those first sips, also seemed like a distant memory. What I did get was a lot of roasted malt up front, a bit of smoke and a whole lot of oak tannins in the finish. It became a very dry, oak-dominated beer the longer I waited to take the next sip. Normally I love a huge barrel presence in an imperial stout, but it did not work for me here. I fully understand this beer could be a bit polarizing. I could see many beer drinkers thinking this was fantastic. I am not in that group. It was a solid beer but not what I'd hoped it would be. When a beer emphasizes the addition of whiskey-infused maple syrup and does not deliver on that, it's disappointing. Perhaps buying another bottle to age would be interesting. I'm just nowhere near motivated to seek this out again.

Overall I would rate Singlecut Beersmiths Barrel Aged Heavy Boots of Lead a 3/5. This is probably the highest rating I have given to a beer I was not particularly crazy about. It's not a bad beer, it's just not as good as it could have been either.

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

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Firestone Walker Lil Opal Barrel Aged Saison Farmhouse Ale

I always seem to miss out on the Firestone Walker limited edition beers. Something always comes up that prevents me from getting to the bottle shop in time to buy one. To make things worse, if I do get there I seem to just miss them. For example, one time I walked into a bottle shop right as someone was walking out with the last bottle of Firestone Walker 19th Anniversary. Another time, I was next in line as the last Velvet Merkin went to the customer ahead of me. The point here is I have no luck with the “Box” beers Firestone Walker releases throughout the year. What I do have luck with however, is the Firestone Walker Barrelworks beers. I passed twice on the first release in the series, Bretta Rose. To this day, I ask myself, “why?” I still have yet to find a good enough answer. By luck again I stumbled upon Lil Opal, a farmhouse saison aged 17 months in American and French Oak Barrels. This time, I decided to purchase a bottle for 2 reasons. The first being I could write a review on it. The second being I get to publicly vent about my frustrations of not getting any of the “Box” beers. I feel like it is a good way to commiserate because I know many of you out there are in the same boat as me. So for all of us, here's hoping we get one on the next release! In the meantime however, I was just hoping Lil Opal was worth the purchase.

As I stared at Lil Opal's hazy golden orange color and white fizzy head, I could not help but hope more that usual that it was going to be a good beer. This is because the cost of this beer per ounce is slightly higher than what I usually review here. At a little over a dollar an ounce I hoped that the luxury the bottle promised would translate to the glass. I was relieved to find that the aroma delivered the complexity I was looking for. Brettanomyces funk, tart lemon, pepper spice, vanilla sweetness and oak were what greeted me in the aroma. There was much more going on when I took my first sip. Brett funk, lemon, and a lactic sourness start things off before giving way to the barrel which is a bit too understated. After spending 17 months in a barrel I thought the barrel would have a bit more of a presence in Lil Opal. It did provide a bit of spice and a nice vanilla sweetness that added a bit of creaminess to the mouth feel. I just wanted a little more of that. The finish brought yet another layer to this complex beer by being reminiscent of dry white wine. To sum things up, Lil Opal did not disappoint in bringing the complexity.

I enjoyed drinking Firestone Walker Lil Opal. I thought it was a good beer and that it was worth the purchase. Drinking it felt like a long, complex journey. Like any long journey, fatigue began to set in around the midway point. The funk and tartness which I enjoyed in the beginning began to grow a bit stale. Then after it had some time to warm, the vanilla sweetness became a bit more present. I felt revitalized from that and it got me into finish the glass. The thought of drinking another Lil Opal however seems exhausting. For that reason I can't say it would be worth a second purchase. Of course that would mean I am lucky enough to stumble upon it again to make that statement a bit more meaningful.

Overall I would rate Lil Opal a 3.75/5. It's a good beer and I enjoyed drinking it. I just wish I had shared it with someone. Believe me when I say 6 ounces goes a long way 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, Instagram & Untappd at @ACraftyLook

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

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Stone Xocoveza Mocha Stout

For the past 2 years I have enjoyed trying to explain Stone's Xocoveza Mocha Stout to people unfamiliar with it. The idea of a beer brewed in the style of Mexican Hot Chocolate always seems to get a fun reaction whenever I try to describe it. The most common reactions I encounter are bewilderment, curiosity, confusion or outright disgust. I find all of them highly amusing. That is mainly because for those a bit more into craft beer, Xocoveza is the kind of beer you drop everything for to grab a six pack of. A winner of Stone's 2014 Homebrewer Competition, Xocoveza boasts an interesting set of ingredients that include coffee, pasilla peppers, nutmeg, cinnamon, vanilla and cocoa. If you have yet to notice it on shelves that is because it flies off of them as soon as it reaches them, especially in my Upstate NY market. So with this week's blog I answer whether the 2016 version of Xocoveza will live up to the hype. Or is Xocoveza just another overrated & overhyped beer?

As I poured Xocoveza, the aroma of the coffee, cinnamon, nutmeg and pepper spice jumped out of the glass. There is some roasted malt in this “Winter spiced mocha stout” as well, but the spices here are clearly going to be the star of the show. My first sip confirmed this but there was so much more going on. The roasted malt, along with the coffee starts things off before giving way to the cinnamon, nutmeg, chocolate and vanilla. The vanilla works well here. Its presence here is reminiscent of whipped cream over a Hot Chocolate. This, along with just the right amount of carbonation attains the right amount of creaminess. The pasilla peppers are there but shine most at the finish to complete a fun and extremely delicious drinking experience. 

There is a lot I like about Xocoveza. Everything here seems to work well together. For me, one thing that always holds this beer back from getting a perfect rating is the use of the peppers. I love the spice they provide, I just wish there was more of it. A little bit of heat from the spice would make this a perfect beer-drinking experience. Still, this is a great beer. It's so good it got me to review a Winter beer in early October. I thought for sure I would see snow on the ground before I did that. Then again, you can drink Xocoveza anytime. For those of you that like to cellar beer, Xocoveza ages nicely. The boldness of the coffee fades a bit, the 8.1% ABV smooths out and the spices blend together wonderfully. If you have patience I highly recommend setting aside a bottle and doing a side by side with the 2017 batch. 

Overall I would rate Stone Xocoveza Mocha Stout a 4.5/5. If you see it and it sounds good to you, buy it, you will dig it. 

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

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar

It really dates me when I say this but I can't believe how much the craft beer industry has grown since I started drinking it well over a decade ago. There are craft breweries popping up all over. There are groceries store that have beer sections instead of aisles. Speaking for my part of New York there are fantastic bottle shops all over. When I first started drinking craft beer going to the only bottle shop in town was a rare treat. The concept of selling a single bottle out of a six pack blew my mind. No matter what my budget was when I entered the store, I would drastically exceed it by the time I walked out. Some beers were great, and some were terrible but I kept learning more and more about different styles. The brewery I could not get enough of was Rogue Ales & Spirits. Their creativity with their beers and their labeling were right in my wheelhouse. My favorite of them all was their Hazelnut Brown Nectar. This hazelnut-flavored brown ale became the beer I bought every time I went to the bottle shop. It was the one constant in the selection of different beers I would always leave with. Then one day I didn't leave with it, and then another. As different brands began to gain distribution in my market the beers from Rogue Ales & Spirits started to become an afterthought. Over the past several years I have had a few of their beers, but outside of the mediocre 7 Hop IPA and gimmicky Sriracha Stout I can't remember a single one. So for this blog, I thought it would be fun to revisit an old favorite of mine in the Hazelnut Brown Nectar.

It had been years but the minute I began pouring Hazelnut Brown Nectar, I was overwhelmed with nostalgia. The hazelnut aroma jumps out of the glass. There are notes of toffee, vanilla, and spice in there but it is mostly hazelnut. The first sip of this slightly hazy reddish brown treat immediately brought a ton of memories back. Once I got past the nostalgia, I genuinely realized how much I missed this beer. The hazelnut flavor is absolutely wonderful and it dominates the beer. Usually I would complain about this but in this case I like it. Aside the finish, vanilla, roasted chocolate malt, and hazelnut flavor is mostly all you taste.  This finish is where things get a little odd. The finish that consists of nuts, grass and spice which do not seem to mesh well together. It's not terrible, it just could have been better.

Due to the dominance of the hazelnut flavor there is not much else here to write about. Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar is a beer that still works well for me. Its flavor may be fairly one-note but in this case simplicity works really well. I am glad I went back and revisited this one. I do not think it will be years again before it finds its way back to my refrigerator again.

Over all I would rate Rogue Hazelnut Brown Nectar a 4/5. Over the years my tastes may have changed, but my love of this beer has 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, Instagram & Untappd at @ACraftyLook

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

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!