Blue Point Hazy Bastard IPA

It has been a long time since I have purchased anything from Blue Point Brewing Company. Back around 2007-2009, I was a big fan of their Oktoberfest. I bought it fairly regularly actually, then one night I had a few too many of them and to put it simply, my desire to drink it never came back. That setback aside, that has nothing to do with why I do not purchase anything else from their catalog. My reasoning for that is, outside of the Oktoberfest, I found everything I tried from them to be alarmingly average. Nothing was terrible, nothing was great, for the price however there was always something better out there to purchase. When Anheuser-Busch InBev purchased them in 2014, I thought it was a bummer but it did not affect my purchase habits in any way. When I shop for beer, Blue Point has become almost invisible to me. I could pass through a bottle shop, look right at a shelf of Blue Point and not give it a second thought. I said “almost” earlier because I actually did see a Blue Point beer that caught my eye. Their Hazy Bastard New England-Stye IPA got the better of my curiosity and I found myself purchasing a 4-pack of it. As I walked out of the store, I couldn't help but look forward to trying macro beer's take on a beloved style in the craft community and writing about it.

The aromas of orange, grapefruit, passion fruit, pineapple, pine and biscuit greeted me and gave me high hopes for Hazy Bastard IPA. The fact that the beer was canned just a few days ago makes it even more exciting. Is this the beer that puts Blue Point Brewing Company back on my radar? The answer to that question is yes and no. Hazy Bastard NE-IPA is a good beer. The taste of orange jumped out at me during the first sip. There were notes of grapefruit, passion fruit, guava, pineapple and biscuit before a peppery, bitter, astringent finish. There was also a hint of onion coming through as well, but it was mostly overshadowed by the tropical & citrus flavors. Pretty much, everything worked for me here up until the finish. The lingering astringency seemed out of place here. I was expecting a softer finish but that was not in the cards. The initial citrus and tropical notes were bold and fantastic. Those flavors were quite refreshing and paired nicely with a hot September day. The astringent finish can be felt long after taking a sip and that did not particularly work for me.

So the first question is, how did Blue Point(AB InBev) do with the style? I think they did surprisingly well with the NE-Style. Second, does that mean it stands up to some of the best beers that represent the style? Absolutely not. This is a serviceable NE-IPA. It hits a lot of the notes you would expect it to and aside from a messy finish delivers a pleasant drinking experience. However, it does not come close to the craftsmanship of others in the style. Finally, did it put Blue Point back on the map for me? I'm not sure, but it is September, perhaps I should give that Oktoberfest one more try.

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!

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

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Founders DKML

When Founder's first announced the 4th release in their Barrel Aged Series I practically jumped for joy. The idea of an imperial malt liquor aged in bourbon barrels seemed to satisfy both College Sean as well as Adult Sean. Some of my favorite nights in college came from walking to the corner store near my friends apartment to purchase a 40 oz. bottle of Mickey's Malt Liquor or Old English 800 and pairing it with a Friday night of vintage video games. Based on that previous sentence I am sure you can tell I was a pretty cool guy back then. Years later, I find myself far removed from my college experience, my days of drinking a 40 oz. bottles of malt liquor are few and far between. The main reason for this is malt liquor is not typically enjoyed for its flavor. It is enjoyed because it is inexpensive, can be purchased in a large quantity and has a higher ABV than your basic lager. Frankly, most of it is gross. I think Magnum 40 for example, reminded me more of gasoline than an actual alcoholic beverage. I spoke affectionately of Mickey's Malt Liquor earlier, but it is terrible. Aside from the cool grenade-style bottles it comes in now, I can't remember anything else nice about it. I actually found Old English 800 to be drinkable, but steer clear of it because the day after drinking it is always unpleasant. This blog seems to have gotten away from me because I am spending more time giving you reasons why malt liquor is terrible and not telling whether Founder's DKML(Dick Kicker Malt Liquor) is worth a purchase or not. I guess the easiest way to answer that is, it is and it isn't. It depends what kind of drinking experience you are looking for. If you are looking for a polished alcoholic beverage, you are in the wrong place. If you are looking for a unique spin on a style typically ignored by beer enthusiasts, you might find something you love here.

DKML delivers on exactly what the bottle promises. It is a big, boozy, barrel aged malt liquor. The alcohol is not hidden at all and in this case I loved it. This is an aggressive punch in the mouth or better yet a kick “where you most expect it” as the bottle promises. Toasted bread, sweet corn, a pleasant fruitiness greeted my palate before the barrel notes of oak, bourbon, vanilla, coconut and lots of booze came through in the finish. The 14.2% ABV hits the hardest in the finish but it is there the whole time. The barrel aging shines the most in the flavor and transforms this beer. It is hard to explain that a beer hit every flavor note you wanted it to, but in this case it did. I did not expect a world class beverage here, I expected barrel aged malt liquor and that is exactly what I got and I loved it
.
Everything about DKML worked for me. It is a messy, boozy, aggressive brew that I feel will get “love it or hate it” reactions from anyone who drinks it. There is no middle ground with DKML. I absolutely loved it and I am happy to sing its praises. However, for everyone like me, there is someone like my wife who thought this was one of the worst beers she has ever had. Obviously, she was too cool to spend a Friday night in college drinking a 40 and playing vintage video games to appreciate what Founders accomplished here. Or maybe, my wife realized that this is by no means an easy drinking beverage. She explained it was gross, boozy and one sip was more than enough, but at least it gets you buzzed quickly.. When she heard it cost around 15 dollars a 4-pack, she thought I got ripped off for buying it. Naturally, I rejected that notion and told her I thought DKML was one of the most unique beers I had tried in awhile. As I finish this blog, we remain a house divided.

Sean's Rating: 4.5/5

Alicia's Rating:  1/5

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!

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!

Horseheads Pumpkin Ale

For the most part, pumpkins beers suck. For over a decade, I have been trying to convince myself otherwise but I feel it is time to admit the truth. Many other beer enthusiasts have not only felt this way for awhile, they practically scream their dislike of pumpkin beers the second they start showing up on shelves. The reason I have held out so long from saying this is, there are some pumpkin beers that I really enjoy. Southern Tier Warlock and Pumking for example are two that I look forward to every year. Another pumpkin beer I really enjoy is Cigar City's Good Gourd. Still, for one of those pumpkin beers I enjoy, there are another twenty on shelves that are better off being poured down the sink than consumed by anyone.

A terrible pumpkin beer in particular that stands out in my mind is Shipyard's Pumpkin Ale. Drinking that beer practically traumatized me from not only pumpkin beers but beer in general. Shipyard's horrible base beer was not only masked by spices, it was obliterated by them. The beer is so bad I am offended whenever I see it return each August. Don't get me wrong, there are many other terrible pumpkin beers on the market but that one, to me, is by far the worst one. At this point you are probably wondering if I think pumpkin beer is so bad, then why am I writing a blog about it? The reason is, most people reading this blog are probably going to buy some pumpkin beer this fall season. Instead of wasting money on terrible ones, I want to use this blog to recommend one that I think is exceptional.

You might not have heard of Horseheads Pumpkin Ale but if you enjoy the style you should pick it up immediately. At the same time, if you don't understand why people like pumpkin beers, this one is so good it might change your mind. The aromas of pumpkin, nutmeg, cinnamon, pie crust, pumpkin and caramel can simply be described as autumn in a glass. The taste matches the nose but what makes everything work here is balance. The spices compliment the pie crust and caramel malt, they do not over power it. The mouthfeel is also pleasantly creamy, enhancing the dessert-like feeling to this beer. Everything about Horseheads Pumpkin Ale works and works well. Nothing seems out of place and no one flavor overpowers another.

Horseheads Pumpkin Ale, in my opinion, is the best pumpkin beer on the market today. If you enjoy the style and have yet to try it, do yourself a favor and buy a bottle. If you are on the fence about the style but have just not found a good one yet, give this one a try. Or if you hate the style, I still think you might be pleasantly surprised. Horseheads Pumpkin Ale, plain and simple, is a well-made pumpkin beer. It turns out there is such a thing and I highly recommend giving it a try as the weather starts getting cooler.

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

Look for me on Instagram & Untappd and Twitter @ACraftyLook

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

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Genesee Oktoberfest

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

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

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

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

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

Rating Scale:
1. Repugnant and undrinkable
2. Acceptable but forgettable
3. Good, worth a purchase
4. Excellent, a step above the norm
5. Truly Exceptional. Drop everything, BUY IT NOW!

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

Look for me on Instagram & Untappd and Twitter @ACraftyLook

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

Thanks for reading. Sláinte!

Florida Beers - Orange Blossom Honey Pilsner, Swamp Head Stump Knocker Pale Ale & Crooked Can High Stepper IPA

Whenever I travel, I look for beer that I can't buy back home. A trip to a brewery and/or bottle shop is essential to every vacation my wife and I go on. I know it is like this for many beer enthusiasts who are always looking to try new and exciting beer. Sometimes though, it is difficult to get beer from every place you want to try it from. That is where your friends and fellow beer enthusiasts come in. Recently a good friend of mine(thank you Dennis!) traveled to Florida for a vacation and was kind enough to bring back a plethora of beer for me to try. There was stuff I had never heard of, along with an old favorite of mine, Cigar City's Jai Alai IPA. Now while I am not here to talk about Jai Alai, I will say that if you have yet to try it, do so. Jai Alai IPA & many other of Cigar City's offerings are well worth seeking out. This blog is about the others beer in that exciting assortment. Some of the beer is great, some of the beer is not, but as always it was a lot of fun trying something new and getting to write about it.

The first beer I tried was the one I was most excited about(which unfortunately turned out to be the worst of the bunch), Orange Blossom Honey Pilsner from Lakeland's Orange Blossom Brewing Company. Boasting that it contained 2.3 teaspoons of Orange Blossom Honey and that it was a mouthful of sweetness according to the can seemed to promise something at least interesting. Sure, it had some sweetness but Orange Blossom Pilsner is a watered down, muddled mess of a beer. Don't get me wrong, there are some good things about this beer. The honey sweetness in particular was nice, I just wanted more of it. There was also a nice fruitiness to it, as well as a nice malt backbone and a crisp, clean, zesty finish. Unfortunately, none of it seemed to gel well together. It tasted like instead of deciding to bring out these bold flavors, they decided to go in favor of a forgettable, crisp, clean beach beer. Being in Florida, I can't say I blame them but at 5.5%, there should have been more body here and more flavor. Orange Blossom Pilsner might work as a warm weather beer, but so does Pabst Blue Ribbon. That being said, PBR is cheaper and tastes a lot better. I would rather drink a Pabst.

Overall rating: 1.5/5

Next up is Stump Knocker Pale Ale brewed by Swamp Head Brewery in Gainesville. I knew immediately I would enjoy this beer by the aroma alone. Stump Knocker was absolutely bursting with citrus aromas. Orange peel, tangerine, grass, pine but mostly grapefruit shined in the nose. The aroma pretty much matched the first sip. It was full of grapefruit, citrus, and pine with caramel malt adding a nice hint of sweetness. The finish was pleasantly bitter and clean. At 5.6%, this is slightly stronger than Orange Blossom Pilsner but it delivers bigger flavors and a significantly better drinking experience. The bright citrus flavors here are refreshing and compliment warm weather nicely. On my next trip to Florida, I will be looking for a 6-pack of this.

Overall rating: 4/5

Finally, from Crooked Can Brewing Company in Winter Garden, is High Stepper American IPA. I will start this off by saying High Stepper is by no means a remarkable IPA but it is a decent one. Mango, passion fruit, resinous pine, grapefruit and a hint of malt sweetness come out in the aroma. The first sip is dank, tropical, citrusy and slightly sweet. Mango, pine and juicy grapefruit shine the most here. The malt is slightly sweet and provides a nice bit of balance. This is one of those beers I enjoyed initially but the more I had the more I started to enjoy it less. The first can of it I thought was incredible because admittedly it went down pretty quick. I took a bit more time to drink the second can and it became a chore to finish. This had something to do with a vegetal flavor that became more and more noticeable as it warmed. So, like a movie that falls apart in the third act, it became a chore to finish. Overall, I liked High Stepper and I am happy to revisit it in the future, but one can of it is more than enough.

Overall rating: 3.25/5

I had a blast trying these beers from Florida. Stump Knocker was my clear favorite and I hope one day to try more beer from Swamp Head Brewery. High Stepper American IPA is a decent beer especially if consumed before it warms. Orange Blossom Honey Pilsner unfortunately is just bad beer, that seemed to be full of potential. Still, it was a blast to try some new beer that I can't find in Upstate NY and I am very grateful to have had that opportunity(again, thank you Dennis!).


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!

Night Shift Pfaffenheck German-Style Pilsner

Around this time last year I was in Boston, Massachusetts trying some amazing beers. I particularly fell in love with the beers I tried from Night Shift Brewing. Their Santilli IPA is an absolutely beautiful beer. Their Awake Coffee Porter is one of the best coffee beers I have had. Their summer hefeweizen Furth, compliments warm weather wonderfully. In short, I enjoyed everything I tried from them last summer. When Santilli & Awake occasionally find their way into local bottle shops in my area, I try to pick some up. Taking a sip from each of them instantly takes me back to last summer's amazing wedding anniversary trip with two incredible Pearl Jam concerts. The goodwill I have towards Night Shift Brewing brought me into a bottle shop last week to pick up their Pfaffenheck German-Style Pilsner. I had yet to try it but due to how positive I felt about Night Shift Brewing, this became a beer I looked forward to drinking and writing about. So the question is, would Pfaffenheck take its place alongside the other Night Shift beers I have put on a pedestal? Or would this be the first disappointing beer I have had from a brewery that time has made me think could do no wrong?

It took a lot to resist drinking Pfaffenheck out of the can. I can think of nothing more refreshing on a hot summer day than a fantastic lager out of a can. I resisted that temptation, poured it into the glass and was immediately greeted with aromas of bread dough, grassy, herbal hops and a light honey sweetness. The taste pretty much matched the nose. Pilsner malt, honey, grass, spicy hops immediately attack the palate before a lemony, peppery finish. The finish can certainly be described as crisp but it is by no means clean. The hops linger around on the palate. At first, I did not mind this but by the end of the pint, I had grown tired of this. It is rare that I wish a brewery scaled back the hops on a beer, but in this case it could have significantly improved the beer. Everything else here is really solid. Pfaffenheck is just not the crisp, clean, refreshing beer I hoped it would be.

Night Shift Pfaffenheck is kind of a middle-of-the-road beer to me. It is not a bad beer by any means but with all the goodwill I have towards Night Shift Brewing, I just expected to like it a bit more. If you like pilsners it is certainly worth a try but if you have to chose between this, Awake, Santilli or Furth, I would chose one of the latters instead.

Overall rating: 3/5. It is not a bad beer but it is by no means as good as I hoped a pilsner from Night Shift would be.

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!