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!

Dogfish Head Lupu-Luau IPA

Dogfish Head's latest IPA, Lupu-Luau, got my attention the minute I first heard about it. A beer brewed with experimental hops, dehydrated coconut water and toasted coconut sounded fun and unique. It also sounded like a perfectly refreshing beverage for a hot summer day. Honestly, to me, it seemed like it would be a perfectly refreshing beverage for any kind of day. Lupu-Luau also continues my fascination with drinking coconut-flavored beers. One of the better ones I have tried recently is Prairie Paradise Imperial Stout. It is a beautiful beer with just the right amount of coconut. The 13% ABV is hidden nicely. Like all of the offerings from Prairie Artisan Ales, the price is a little steep. I assure you, this one is well worth a purchase. This blog however is not about Prairie Paradise, it is about Dogfish Head Lupu-Luau so it is time to get back on track and start the review.

Golden, hazy and bursting with tropical aromas, Lupu-Luau had me excited from the moment I opened the bottle. The aroma of pineapple in particular was immediately noticeable as soon as the cap came off of the bottle. The aroma also had a nice earthy woodiness to it, along with some citrus and some breadiness from the malt. The coconut is fairly subdued in the aroma, which was a bit disappointing and I hoped to get more of it when I took my first sip.

The fact that it was brewed with coconut water is immediately noticeable and quite refreshing. I really enjoy coconut water, so I am particularly geeking out for this part of the beer. The toasted coconut is there as well but I honestly wanted more of it in the flavor, a lot more of it. Pineapple, passion fruit, mango, grapefruit, candied orange, vanilla and a hint of grassiness before a woody, spicy, bitter finish round out what is essentially a solid India Pale Ale. The vanilla helps give Lupu-Luau a subtle creaminess which I really enjoyed. No matter what, after each sip, I kept looking for more coconut and was saddened not to find it. I really think even more coconut here would have made this beer even better. However, nothing here tastes artificial and that is not a bad thing.

Lupu-Luau is one of those beers I really liked that I wanted to love. The coconut water was a fantastic idea and definitely added a lot to the beer. It was a creative touch and I would definitely like to see more breweries give this a try. My only disappointment here is I wanted more toasted coconut it in the flavor. I love the pineapple, passion fruit and mango flavors but I am here for the coconut, so give me it! Still, Lupu-Luau works as another solid IPA in Dogfish Head's illustrious catalog. It may not have hit every note I wanted it to but I am happy I purchased a 6-pack of it. At 7.3%, it might be a little too strong for session drinking but it is perfectly refreshing for a hot summer day.

Overall rating 3.5/5. While I wanted Lupu-Luau to have more of a dessert coconut flavor to it, it is still a good beer that is worth a try.

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!

Freedom 35: Trailer Park Boys Lager

Recently, my father and I headed to Toronto for a U2 concert and to try some fantastic beer. Unfortunately, terrible traffic cut into our beer drinking time, but still we found a way to try some terrific beer. As soon as we reached the city, our first stop was to Bellwoods Brewery. We sampled several delicious beers there but our clear favorite was the Paper Tiger Lager. The beer was everything you would want on a hot day. It was nicely hopped, slightly fruity, tropical with a crisp, clean finish. At 5.3% this could have easily been the beer we stuck with for the rest of the night, but unfortunately there were no bottles to purchase and we could pretty much guarantee this was not going to be for sale in the Rogers Centre.

The beers at the Rogers Centre were the standard macro beers you would expect. Stella Artois, Budweiser and Labatt were pretty much for sale everywhere in the building. I was happy to find a beer I had yet to try something at the beer stand in the General Admission section. That was Mill St. Original Organic Lager. We immediately bought 2 of those and began drinking what was easily the worst beer of the trip. I wish I could remember more about it flavor-wise but U2 came out shortly after and we immediately forgot how terrible the beer was in our hands.

After the show, we went back to the hotel room and I began searching for nearby LCBO stores. Before we could leave the city of Toronto the next morning, I had to find one particular beer. That beer was Freedom 35, the Trailer Park Boys Lager. I am a huge fan of the Trailer Park Boys show and their podcast. From the moment they announced they were releasing this beer I had to try it. Fortunately, there was an LCBO about a half mile away, so we walked over as soon as the store opened and bought a few cans. I'll admit my expectations for the beer were fairly low. This was a gimmick beer, plain and simple, but I hoped, really hoped, that it would taste good. Regardless of whether or not it did, I had to write a blog about it.

To borrow a phrase from the Trailer Park Boys, Freedom 35 Lager is “DEEEEECENT.” It is a simple lager that is by no means extraordinary. It just works as an easy drinking lager. Its aroma is simple. It is grainy, grassy, slightly fruity with a hint of spice. Now I feel like I am really reaching there, but the beer's nose is basic and simple. The first sip followed suit. Lots of bread, cracker, grain, grass and a light fruitiness. The finish is crisp, clean and refreshing. To put it simply, Freedom 35 lager is an easy drinking session beer. That seems to be the intention behind it. Now, is it worth seeking out while in Canada? Absolutely. The can alone is incredible. I am hoping this is a first in a series of beer to be released with the Trailer Park Boys name on it. I am hoping to see an imperial stout aged in Liquorman's Old Dirty Canadian Whiskey Barrels. If you are asking yourself, 'is that a real thing?' Thankfully the answer is yes.

Overall rating: 3/5. A simple, easy drinking lager with a decent can.


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!

First Impressions of Young Lion Brewing Company

At this point it almost goes without saying that the beer scene in Canandaigua, NY is very exciting. For the past few years, Naked Dove Brewing Company has been one of my favorite local breweries. Their Russian Imperial Stout, 45 Fathoms Porter and Windblown Amber are absolutely incredible. In fact, I love the Windblown Amber so much, it was served at my wedding. With the addition of Three Huskies Brewing, Twisted Rail Brewing Company and the brand new Young Lion Brewing Company, it is going to be a great summer to brewery-hop down by Canandaigua Lake.

As I surveyed the menu of Young Lion beers with my wife Alicia and friend, Paul, I was excited about trying three beers in particular: the India Pale Ale, the New England Style India Pale Ale and the Czech Pilsner. My wife was excited about the Citrose Gose and Paul was willing to try everything. I'll start with the bad news. The India Pale Ale just did not work for me, Alicia or Paul. It seemed muddled and had a lackluster, astringent finish. I will be looking to revisit it down the road but as of right now, I felt it was the weakest of the Young Lion brews available. The New England Style IPA was a significant step up from the IPA. It was dank, citrusy and enjoyable. I am looking forward to seeing how future batches of this beer develop. As far as the Czech Pilsner goes, we all instantly fell in love with it. It is the kind of beer that compliments warm weather and sitting by the lake perfectly. It's bready, crisp, clean, refreshing with just the right amount of spice. At 5.2%, it is very sessionable. It reminded me of Steam Whistle, which is one of my favorite pilsners. Of all the beers we had in the flight, this is the one we all ordered a second round of. From a personal standpoint, this is a beer I could see becoming a mainstay in my refrigerator. 

I also really enjoyed the Citrose Gose and the Double IPA. The Citrose Gose is another light, refreshing, easy drinking beer that did not have nearly the amount of tart or salt that many in the style do and that worked for me, as well as Alicia, who as I mentioned before is a big fan of the style. The Citrose Gose is another beer that is perfect for a summer day by the lake. The Double IPA was a hit for Paul and I. It is nicely balanced and a bit too easy to drink at 8.8%. This beer has a lot of potential to be one of the best double IPAs in the area.

Overall, myself, as well as Paul & Alicia, see a lot of potential for the Young Lion Brewing Company and we are excited to watch them grow. On a personal note, I am also counting the days until I have cans of the Czech Pilsner in my refrigerator as an everyday drinker.

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!

Founders Doom Bourbon Barrel Aged Imperial IPA

The Founders Barrel Aged Series has been fantastic so far. The first entry, Frootwood is a creative example of using a bourbon barrel that held maple syrup to completely transform a cherry ale into something truly unique. The second entry, KBS, needs no introduction. It is an amazing beer that lives up to the hype it generates every single year. The third entry in the series, Doom, is the subject of this blog. Doom is an imperial IPA aged in bourbon barrels that clocks in with an ABV of 12.4%. Due to my love of everything Founders has put in a bourbon barrel(except Lizard of Koz), I had high hopes that Doom, like the others in the series, would deliver another incredible drinking experience.

Founders Doom is a big, interesting beer. From the moment the crystal clear amber-colored liquid hit my glass, I got a whiff of its complex aroma. Caramel, vanilla, oak, spice, bourbon and citrus stand out beautifully. These same notes are what dominate the flavor. When I took my first sip, grapefruit and pineapple greeted me before giving way to caramel, vanilla, bourbon, oak spice and booze. The barrel really shines in the finish here and I absolutely loved that. Then again, this is called the Barrel Aged Series for a reason.

What I had trouble with here is thinking of this an IPA. I know it is, but reminded me more of a hoppy barleywine than anything else. If I had to compare it to another IPA, I could easily compare it to Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA after it had been sitting for a year or more. While I do enjoy drinking an aged Dogfish Head 120 Minute IPA, at 10 dollars a bottle, I think you should just put that money towards a really nice barleywine instead. In the case of Doom, you get all the benefits of aging 120 Minute IPA, for less money and you do not have to wait to make it drinkable. I think Doom is delicious but as far as the 2017 Barrel Aged Series goes, I think it is the weakest of the 3 releases so far. Do not let that discourage you though, I feel the first 2 released in the series have been particularly strong and it is hard to top KBS. If you are interested in trying Doom, I would highly recommend doing so.

Overall rating: 3.75/5. While I enjoyed Doom, I can't wait for the next release in the series, DKML. The thought of drinking bourbon barrel aged malt liquor is just as exciting to me now as it would have been when I was in college. Look for a blog on that as soon as it hits Upstate NY.

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!