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

Yuletide drinking

Hello again, and welcome back to the near-Christmas edition of Younge's Beer Review! Today we've got a jolly brew from the likes of locally-operated Alesmith Brewing Company. The limited edition Yulesmith only comes in a Bomber (22 Oz) bottle and is listed at 8.5%, promising a hefty good time. Let's see how it stacks up!

Popping the bottle, the drinker immediately notices a strong hop influence, with a predominant Douglas Fir bouquet. Seriously, it smells like a Christmas tree, although with some caramel notes to accompany. It pours an almost-brown, dark amber and foams up quite nice, maintaining an awesome amount of head retention. The first sip brings with it a bitter dominance that singes the sides of the tongue with an edgy finish. Soon, however, the other flavors of this strong ale become apparent. Caramel first appears as indicated by the nose, followed by a dark chocolate toffee. The latter becomes more pronounced as the drinker continues, and settles into a refreshing bitter finish. The subtleties Yulesmith delivers make it a difficult beer to taste at first, but the quality shines through in the end. What really impressed me about this beer was it's toned flavor progression. For every sip, you notice the sweet caramel/toffee more and more, and the bitter hops fade into the background as your taste buds adjust. Overall, a very merry beverage, and worthy of a great score.

Score: 9/10

Happy holidays, and happy drinking!

'Tis the season for a Celebration

Hello all, and welcome back to this first holiday edition of Younge's Beer Review for 2013! Today I'll be sampling a staple of California Craft Winter Brews: The Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale. Always a popular choice for winter, this American IPA is provided by the fantastic Sierra Nevada Brewing Company. We'll start off with a bottle shot:

Exhibit A

As you can see, the Beer's pour is a dark, clear amber, not unlike a fine brandy. The thick head diminishes surprisingly fast, but that certainly doesn't spoil the taste...or the aroma. With a festive heady sweetness to the nose, you can tell this will be a worthwhile drink. A few sips in and I'm already feeling a bit lightheaded; at 6.8% ABV, this is definitively a heavier Beer than I'm used to trying. I would guess that pairs well with something hearty and full of meat (likely a big holiday dinner!) The taste is bittersweet, and the emphasis is on the sweet. Think if a Beehive got into of a bushel of Hops, and their Honey was dipped right into the malt. There also isn't much carbonation in the Beer either; I may have gotten a bum batch, but I rather like that Brewery-fresh smoothness. But of course, these aren't even the biggest highlights. Immediately following the sip, a warm feeling spreads into your throat, much more subtly than in stronger Beverages. The feeling lasts right up until the mouth-watering finish fades, keeping you warm perfectly in the (likely) cold weather. As the drinker continues, the bittering hops start to manifest. By the end of the glass, I was rather full (But still grabbed another!) All in all, a solid, strong, and filling IPA, from one of the more notable California Breweries. A must-buy if you are looking to spice up that Holiday party at your in-laws, and it won't hurt the Christmas dinner either.

Score: 9/10
Happy Holidays!

A (not so) Big Wave

Aloha, Beer Drinkers! Welcome back to this post-thanksgiving edition of Younge's Beer Review! This week will mark the last that I will do a lighter variety of Beer for awhile, as we'll soon be getting into the Holiday Specials and hearty styles of Winter Brews. This week, however, I have my eyes set on something for lighter weather. Hailing from the islands of Hawai'i, I present to you: The Big Wave Golden Ale, from Kona Brewing Co. I've done a previous review of the Kona Brewing Company before, from an untitled review waaay back in September of 2012. The Longboard Lager didn't fare all that well in my book, as it lacked creativity and anything to distinguish itself with. Let's see if the Big Wave can do better.

Right off the bat, you can tell this one will be light. Upon pouring, the Big Wave fails to live up to it's name, its head settling into a thin disc of foam quite quick. Unlike the stock photo I used, I found myself drinking a lightly carbonated beverage, and one a bit devoid of flavor at that. It was actually so mild, that for a moment, I could swear I was drinking seltzer water. At 4.4% ABV, it certainly won't knock you down in a hurry. Aesthetically, The Big Wave isn't bad: A light Gold body and a pleasant semisweet aroma contribute to a nice experience in sipping. There is a bit of a thirst-quenching finish to this Golden Ale, although not enough to keep me wanting more of it once I'd finished. As with many mass-market Golds, this one falls a bit short on flavor, while maintaining a good appearance to sell. It's not terrible, but if you are searching for a Craft Ale with a big personality, this simply isn't it.

Score: 5.5/10

So there it is, all around mediocre experience, but pleasant at least. Drinkable at any rate. I'll see you all next week, with the beginning of the cold-weather Brews for 2013-2014. As the Starks say: Winter is Coming. (So Bring a Coat)!