Cool Beer for Hot days

Hey all, I'm back again! Sorry for the delay in posting, but i've had a busy few weeks. This time, I'll be reviewing a more mass-produced Colorado beer, the Coors Brewing company's own Batch 19. Named after one of the original Coors recipe brews that was supposedly just rediscovered, Batch 19 is now being produced on a large scale alongside Coors' other flagship products. In a short amount of time, the Pre-prohibition style Lager has already proved quite popular. Upon opening and pouring, one is greeted with a nice light, slightly sweet aroma and a bubbly head that quickly dissolves into a very thin top. This lager settles surprisingly quickly, although that isn't an altogether bad thing. The first sip tastes a bit like caramel, with a finish leading into a mouth-watering cereal malt flavor. The overall experience is quite nice, and so is seeing a Lager of this quality coming out of a a Mega-brewing operation like MillerCoors.

Despite settling quickly, Batch 19 proves to just as carbonated as any quality beer I've had. Seriously, drink it too fast (and you may, given the addicting finish) and you'll be belching six ways from Sunday. Now, it's not perfect: the flavor could be a bit stronger, and i'd prefer the head to settle a bit slower, but overall this is a quality brew from a good company. For now this beer is only available in limited areas, but MillerCoors has plans to change that soon. In the meantime, if you can find it, I'd absolutely recommend Batch 19 for hot summer day drinking or as a lunch and dinner beverage.


Final Score: 8/10

 Good luck, and Happy drinking!
-Devin

A festival of Summer

And we're back. This time on the review, I'll be looking at a beer a bit more in keeping with the time of year. Summerfest, from Sierra Nevada Brewing is a nice crisp lager, perfect for warm summer nights, 4th of July BBQs, and just about anything. Upon opening the bottle, the drinker is greeted with a very mild and pleasant smell. The beer pours nicely, leaving a thick head on the top that fades quickly at first then slows, leaving a decent bit of foam as it comes to rest.

Tasting about as mild as it looks, Summerfest nonetheless has a nice finish that you'd come to expect from a high quality lager. Very refreshing, but a bit on the bland side. Of course, my opinion might be a bit biased by the knowledge of Sierra Nevada's tendency to utilize plenty of hops in their brews. Overall it's not bad, and the finish alone makes up for any other deficiencies. And of course, it is worth remembering that a Lager, particularly one brewed for the summertime is going to be quite a bit lighter. I'd recommend this beer with no reservations, providing you'll be enjoying it under the hot summer sun. I would grab some soon however, as it is only available as a seasonal offering. Happy Drinking!

-Devo

Final Verdict: 7.5/10

Kickoff (with a heavy bang)

Hey all! Welcome to my beer review blog. As an amateur beer taster, and being rather inexperienced in the formalities of such, I thought that I would take it upon myself to start up a review site for others who, like me, enjoy beer but want to learn a bit about what their drinking along the way. Let's start the adventure!


My first selection is a rather strong one, with taste as dark and evil as it's name suggests. Avery Brewing Company's Samael's Oak Aged Ale is one hell of a brew, at ~15% abv. When I picked this sucker up, I neglected to check the label, or even wonder why it's only sold in single 12oz. bottles. At $7.99, it seemed a bit over the top as well, but...let's just say I felt...tempted.

As one of the three "Demons of Ale" collection at Avery, this beer stays truer to the name than I could expect. Smelling strongly of plums and raisins, a very sweet flavor is expected. Upon the first taste, you get just that, along with a smoky, heady finish, which stays in your chest like liquor. The brew actually feels a bit like a brandy, with it's overly sweet tones and strong smell. Careful drinking this, 1/2 of the way in and it already makes you feel a bit hazy. Definitely a beer for sipping cautiously, and i'm not sure what kind of food would go well with it, if any at all. Given its price tag, alcohol content and strong flavors, this is certainly not a beer for an average drinker. Proceed with caution, but enjoy this unique hell-born concoction. Until next time, happy drinking!

-Devo