New Belgium Trippel

Hello again, and welcome to the first April edition of Younge's Beer Review! It has been awhile since I've put another one of these out, as i've been rather busy with eSports stuff, and pursuing my shoutcasting/ journalism career. I finally got around to browsing the liquor isle at my local Grocery store, and came upon an interesting bevy of New Belgium creations. As you seasoned Beer drinkers will know, the Fort Collins, CO based Brewery is a favorite of mine. Adding to the list of my NB reviews today is the aptly-named Trippel. An Ale Brewed with Coriander, according to its label, the Belgian-style is lightly smooth, flavorful and filling, while not going overboard on spices as some similar drinks do.

Let's start with the nose. Sweet, but mildly sour, it is apparent that this is a lighter beverage than the typical Belgian-Style American Ale. I drank this straight from the bottle, so I didn't get a profile of the pour/head. The first taste is quite pleasant, a burst of almost salty malt, a touch of hops, and a small finish that fades in under a minute. In all honesty, I was expecting something a little more exciting out of New Belgium, considering this was even in tune to their namesake. Ah well, not every drink can measure up to the hype.

Overall it's a nice Beer, but does little to be adventurous. I'd give it a 6.5/10 overall for satisfying and filling me up, but giving only a touch of satisfaction. Join us again next time, for another NB selection!

In a Cold Snap

Hello all, and welcome back to another winter edition of Younge's Beer Review! It's the dead of winter here in San Diego, and I've gotten a hold of a rare package of winter Brew (wink wink) that I found quite sustaining in this cold time.

This weeks selection is none other than the Samuel Adam's seasonal, Cold Snap. The winter white Ale is brewed with a medley of spice, which lend it some interesting flavors and tones. And at 5.3% ABV, it isn't too heavy to have a few of.

Starting off, the popped bottle reveals a crispy, and mild fruit nose. This would indicate apricots or figs, and smells simply wonderful. Pouring results in a dirty golden-orange body, topped with a thick head of foam. this layer maintains for a nice time, and adds a touch of cream to the finish.

Now, for the tastes. I noticed grapefruit, apricot and orange peel tones prevalent throughout the drink. A hint of plum could also be detected, but all the flavors came out towards the finish. This is not quite as fruit forward as a drink like a Belgian would be, but it packages all the flavors well nonetheless. The finish is a subtle bitterness, combined with a honeysweet-sour that could be the same grapefruit note. The hops in this beer are mild, and at only 10 IBU this is no wonder. Still, it provides a nice combination for the palate that earns it high marks.

In the end, it all comes down to what you are left with, and Cold Snap provides a crisp, refreshing reason to stay indoors while it's still cold outside. Or hell, take one with you while you're shoveling the snow off the driveway.

Score: 8/10


We'll see you again soon!
-Devin

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!