Josephs BrauFEST: part 4

Hello all, and welcome back for the fourth and final installment of Younge's Beer Review! This week, we have the likes of Joseph Brau Winterbrew, the bitchin' winter Doppel-bock. This is the 'seasonal' portion of the seasonal variety pack, and it packs the biggest punch.

The nose off the bottle is that of semisweet chocolate, not unusual for a Doppel bock. Pouring results in a crimson body, with a thick head that settles nicely into a thin disc of foam. In fact, the WinterBrew has the thickest head of each of the JB selections thus far. The first taste brings some interesting bittersweet to it. Dark chocolate, caramel tones, and English toffee are all present. There is a light bitterness to it as well, accentuated by the rather high alcohol content. At 7.5% ABV, this beer is one of the stronger one's I've sampled in awhile. The finish is mostly caramel, but the hops really come out as the temperature rises. It's not a bad combination, overall, and the WinterBrew deserves marks for creativity and flavor profile. However, the beer can fall a bit flat in places. The finish is a bit lighter than it could be, and the combination of dessert flavors tends to clash a bit at times. Even so, it is a very drinkable after-dinner beverage.

Score: 7/10

Until next time,
Happy Drinking!
-Devin

Josephs BrauFEST: part 3

Hello again everyone, and welcome back to the 3rd part of this special edition of Younge's Beer Review! This time we'll be doing another of the Joesphs Brau variety pack, the aptly named PLZNR. A Czech-style Lager (see: Pilsner, this beer boasts a solid combination of taste, appearance and complexity. Let's have a first look.

Pouring out of the bottle comes a Golden body with a nice medium-foam head. This dissipates in a matter of minutes, depending on the glass and the pour angle. The nose off this one is quite sweet, somewhat like a biscuit with honey. The first sip is complex. I noted a strong bitter finish, and some earth tones. With 32 IBUs, the finish felt much stronger than it was. This is a bit typical of the Pilsner style, but I was still surprised at the impact the hops left.

As more of the body opened up, I got distinct notes of grapefruit and rye. The carbonation in the PLZNR is not particularly strong; in fact the beer appeared nearly flat at times. A minor fault, but it is a tad disappointing. Other than that, there aren't too many issues with the Czech-style Pils. Not particularly creative, but why mess with a winning formula? Overall, this is a nicely complex, bitter beer that earns higher marks than both the others thus far in the JB variety pack.

Score: 8/10

Until next time,
Happy Drinking!

-Devin

Josephs BrauFEST: Part 2

Hello again, everyone! I hope you all had a great week, so let's end it on a bubbly note. Today the BrauFEST continues, with another selection from Gordon Biersch brewed, Trader Joe's owned Joseph's Brau. The Bavarian Style Heffeweizen is a sour and mellow Wheat Beer that feels more like a Belgian. Pouring from the bottle produces a deep orange body and surprisingly thick head. The nose off the bottle is sour, much like a Belgian whit.

After that comes the first taste. To my surprise, the Heffeweizen was markedly lacking in flavor. Little to no hopping flavors, and a fizzy soda-like taste, even after the beer had warmed up to release it's flavor. The most I could get out of it were hints of grapefruit and oranges. A real disappointment considering the last beer in the variety selection packed a nice flavorful punch. The finish left me a bit dry-mouthed and sticky, as if I had swallowed some kind of unsweetened honey. In addition, the ABV is about average for a beverage like this one, ~5.3%. Overall, it's rather sad that this couldn't live up to expectations. Perhaps next week's selection will be better.

Score: 4/10

Until next time, Happy Drinking!
-Devin

Josephs BrauFEST: Part 1

Hello all, and welcome back to this, the first 2014 edition of Younge's Beer Review! To start, I'm kicking off with a four part special, covering a variety pack of beers from Jospehs Brau. If the name is any tip-off, the Brewery is directly related to Trader Joe's, brewed specially for them by Gordon Biersch. Sold (where else?) at Trader Joe's stores, JB is one of the more creative store-owned labels offered. For the next month, I'll be reviewing one of the four Beers in the winter variety pack: Vienna Style Lager, Bavarian Style Heffeweizen, Plznr and the WinterBrew. I haven't decided if I'll do them all this week, or spread it out over two, so check back soon. But enough details, let's start this thing already!

Josephs Brau Vienna Style Lager

Looks legit.

Let's begin with the nose. Opening the bottle reveals a honey-sweet scent, complete with a mealy hint. Hardly a trace of hops, as is typical of mass produced light lagers. The first taste is similar; like drinking a sweet Hawaiian roll. Pouring a dark amber, the Vienna Lager fizzles into a light head that dissipates almost instantly. Lighter than most amber beers, but this one nonetheless has a bit of an unexpected bite. Even at 5.7% ABV, it can feel a bit heady to drink.

As the beverage warms a bit, some of the more subtle flavors become apparent. The light bittering hops give off tastes of hazelnut, and possibly almond. In addition, the beer starts to fill the drinker, creating a pleasant warmth of fullness that you might get accompanying a hearty meal (which I highly recommend pairing with this!) The carbonation is a fizzy, soda-like variety, and only serves to enhance the sweetness. It does this very well, however. Over time, I got a suspicious feeling that the Vienna Lager is made from melted down candy bars; all that is missing is the chocolate. Altogether, it's a nice lightly hopped after dinner lager that carries more taste than most Store-Brand products.

Final Score: 7/10.

Happy Drinking,
Devin