Smooth and Crisp

Okay, first off apologies for the late post this week. Travelling in Colorado,I picked up something awful that rendered me unable to consume Alcohol for fear of a painfully dehydrated death. OH the HORROR!!! Anyways, I'm better now, and all the more better because I have for you today one of my all time favorite local Micro-Brewed beverages  that Boulder, CO has to offer.Upslope Brewing Company's Craft Lager is a nice and crisp bit of work. At 4.8% ABV, it isn't strong enough to knock you down on it's own, making it a nice sipping lager. This is especially important, because there are A LOT of flavors packed into this little canned concoction. Upon pouring it, there is very little to prepare you for it's taste. Dark yellow, with a quickly receding head (which does settle nicely, however thin) and a nose that smells like Coors Light is really a misrepresentation of the Beer's true character. Where the Craft Lager really shines is in the explosion of flavor you get from the first sip. In a word: Nutty. VERY nutty, and all across the board. Almond primarily, with cashews, and perhaps a hint of walnut. A very nice surprise, given the beer's lackluster first appearance.

Apart from the VERY heavy presence of nuts, the typical buttery Lager finish is present, but works well in parallel here. I'm not an expert on food pairings, but I would recommend having something very carbohydrate heavy, like a soup and crackers, or toast. Overall, I'd say Upslope's creation deserves eight stars. Lacking in smell and appearance, but really, it's all about the taste. See you all next week, and Happy Drinking!

Final Score: 8/10

-Devo

Something new, from somewhere old

Hey folks! Since it's Monday evening, it is time for another edition of Younge's Beer review. Today I will be continuing my European fixation with a rather interesting looking selection from France, of all places. The Fischer Amber ale actually smelled almost musty when i first opened it, but that may be due to a long time on the shelf. After pouring, it gives off a mild but flavor-promising nose, typical of an Amber (my favorite style of beer). The head pours thick and bubbly, and subsides not too quickly, leaving a thin film in the center and a thicker bit on the side. The foam looks almost as if it is sticking to the side of the glass, while the clear amber/brass colored beverage underneath manages to stay lightly carbonated.

The first taste is surprisingly, a bit sour, with a lightly bitter malt finish. A sipping beer could probably make a good short definition for this beer. Despite the surprise, it isn't bad; just a bit light on the up-front taste. Seriously, the finish is what really defines this Amber, as it hits on a 2 second or so delay. The only real disappointment lies in the lack of a clearly defined up-front taste (it's a bit watery, really). Overall though, a full-of-surprises, not bad little import that seems to keep rather well. Oh, and it's 6% ABV, a tad above it's craft counterparts here in the states.

Final Rating: 7/10

Until next time, happy drinking!
-Devo

Back in action

Hey all,

First of all, sorry for the delay in posting. I've been moving, sending out interviews, and generally not drinking good beer for the better part of 3 weeks. Of course, that all changes tonight. I've got a special brew here from the folks at Heineken, the producers of Newcastle Brown Ale. This one is a special edition Red Ale called 'Werewolf'. It pours quite nicely, leaving a medium-sized head that stays frothy for some time. The look of it, other than the bloody-murky color that likely inspired its name, is very reminiscent of a Porter or Stout. When poured, the dominant smell is light caramel, with a hint of flowery and malty sweetness.

The flavors that come out are similar to the garden-variety Newcastle, but there are some nice differences. Unlike its brown cousin, Werewolf takes on a bittersweet, lightly copper finish, in conjunction with the normal Newcastle caramel flavor. Only 4.5% ABV and a pretty similar nature to the tamer original make it hard to give this beer top marks, but it does deserve some recognition for the nice recalculations in flavor. I'd  recommend picking a six pack up if you see it, as it is certainly better than a 'Silver Bullet'.

Overall Score: 7/10

Until next time...happy drinking
ARRROOOOOOOOOO!!!!!!