Beer Review - 2012 Christmas Ale Challenge

Please note, all of these beers are judged according to Christmas flavor and seasonal "feelings". In my opinion all of these are great beers. We aren't professional judges we're just guys who like great beer. I always say go out and experiment, judge for yourself and use these, as well as other reviews on this site, as a template. Everybody's pallet is different. On to the tasting!

Barley's 
Fred - 2.5 
Brett - 2
Paul - 2
Keith - 2
Chris - 2
Anchor Christmas Ale 2011
Fred - 4 I love this. A very different style Christmas Ale. Subtle Christmas flavor with strong pine. It's like chewing on a Christmas tree...a tasty one without the ornaments. 
Brett - 2
Paul - 2 "Not for me."
Keith - 4
Chris - Not present
JB's Winterfest (Trader Joe's)
Fred - 3.5 (semi-pro review later)
Brett - 3
Paul - 4
Keith - 3
Chris - Not Present
Bell's Christmas Ale
Fred - 3.5
Brett - 3
Paul - 3
Keith - 3
Troegs Mad Elf (heavy alcohol warning! 11%)
Fred - 4
Brett - 4
Paul - 4.5
Keith - 4.5
Chris - 4
Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale (not a Christmas Ale but an IPA)
Fred "you guys know this is an IPA right?" - 1 (but it's a GREAT IPA)
All others gave it a 1 based on the Christmas Ale tasting but it's an IPA all of us liked. Don't be fooled by the name OR the label. Cheers!
Schlafly's Christmas Ale
Fred - 4.5 Almost perfect! Too bad I can't get it in Columbus.
Brett - 5!
Paul - 5!
Keith - 5!
Chris - 3.97 (Always gotta be one in the crowd)
Way to go guys!
Great Lakes Brewery Christmas Ale
It's "the one", "the only", and the most talked about Christmas Ale on YouTube and in Ohio!
Fred - 3.5
Brett - 4.75 (Great but not as good as Schlafly)
Paul - 4
Keith - 4
Chris - 4
Wow, looks like the "other guys from Saint Louis" came out on top.
Breckenridge Christmas Ale
Fred - 2 (ouch!)
Brett - 1
Paul - 2.5
Keith - "OK, why do I like this?" 2
Chris - 2
Moerlein Christkindl
Fred - 3
Brett - 1
Paul - 2
Keith - 2
Chris - 2
Avery Old Jubilation
Fred - 3
Brett - 4
Paul - 0! Our only zero of the night. I don't have any explanation.
Keith - 2
Chris - 1.5
Thirsty Dog's 12 Dog's of Christmas
Fred - Loved it! 4.5
Brett - 4.5
Paul - 4
Keith - 4
Chris - 4
One of the best Christmas Ales out there and it's local to Ohio! (Akron)


And the Winner is:
Hoppin' Frog Frost Frog
Unbelievable. Christmas in a bottle. Find it, drink it! (share it with me, hey I helped you find this right?)
Fred - 5
Brett - 5
Paul - 5
Keith - 5
Chris - 5

13 Beers, 5 tasters, 4 hours of laughing, drinking, and avoiding Paul's unique "outside voice" of his observations of female anatomy has brought you a helluva list for beer this Christmas season. Buy some for the beer snob in your life, buy some for you, but go out and judge for yourself! Life's too short for crappy beer. 

Beer Review - Bells Java Stout (plus a Video!)

I hope this made you thirsty, it's one of many video's I'll be posting in the days to come. I have 3 cameras and a few extra minutes per day to put these together. This was the initial run of my 1st attempt using my Nexus 4g and FujiFilm S700. I also have a microcam I'm going to use soon too.

Now, did I like it? Definitely. It's going to be a staple in my kegerator. (Way to go Bells! :)) Smooth creamy espresso and light cream (wheat? oatmeal?) made this go down too easy. If you like dark, very bold coffee you will be in heaven with this. Hops are virtually impossible to detect since the espresso flavor is so on top. There are hints of cocoa from some black patent malt (just a guess) but that bold espresso knocks everything else out of the park. Don't misunderstand me, it remains a very balanced beer. I've had others that taste like someone dropped a shot of coffee in a glass of beer and tried pulling it off as a "java or coffee" beer but Bells Java Stout is nothing of the sort.

Another "freebie" given to me by Bill.....thanks for the brew!

Coming soon (tomorrow) The Christmas Ale tasting. Beers included:

Bells - Christmas Ale

Anchor - Christmas Ale 2011

Schlafly - Christmas Ale 2010

Hoppin' Frog - Frosted Frog Christmas Ale

Troeg's - Mad Elf

Avery Brewing - Old Jubilation

There will be more but the rest of the bums aren't getting back to me. I hope Ogi brings his home brewed Christmas Ale. Stay tuned!

Barley's Smokehouse Maclenny's Scottish Ale (off the beer engine and dry-hopped)

Review to follow.

Scott's New Kegerator

Another "I'd Tap That" original upgrades to a kegerator. Congrats Scott!

Beer Review - Great Lakes Christmas Ale

Enjoying the glass of the month at the Winking Lizard on Hutchinson off 23. I can't believe they have it available, afterall its the 4th! /sarcasm intended
$4.75 for the pint and $6.95 for the glass. A bit expensive in my opinion but I liked the glass.
I've never had anything bad to say about Great Lakes brew and it'll stay the course in this review.
The color was a deep amber with a very nice head that didn't last very long. The aroma was filled with honey and Christmas spices, yes, it smelled like Christmas. Cinnamon, clove, caramel in the finish. Malty with a slight bite near the end but nothing to complain about, in fact I enjoyed it and it warmed my spirit. If I had to make a guess at the hop addition I would say some noble German hop like Hallertau or Saaz. This time of the season is my favorite for beers and this is among the top. It's very good and worth a try. If you can find it pick up a sixer and give it a shot. I'm still working on next years Christmas Ale because I've been busy over at the Graydentech blog working on inputting Microsoft's SCCM into my computer lab at home. I know I know, beer is helluva a lot more fun but it's not bringing in the Benjamin's (yet).
Stay tuned for the upcoming I'd Tap That Christmas Beer Tasting Extravaganza! I'm getting together a small group of beer snobs for a group tasting. Each of us will be tasked to pick up a six-pack, bomber, or growler of the Christmas Ale of their choice. We'll divide and conquer from there and try all of them. I'll post the results within 2 weeks so stay tuned!

Book Review - Yeast The Practical Guide to Beer Fermentation by Chris White with Jamil Zainasheff

If you're interested in how wort is turned into beer and how a tiny  molecule called Saccharomyces cerevisiae and S.carlsbergensis can turn that sugar water into the flavorful creation from the gods than this will be a great read. Without getting too technical Chris and Jamil explain the history, care, biology, and growth of brewers yeast. From making the perfect starter to reusing the same strain, to pro-brewing labs this book makes a great opener into the realm of that magical molecule.

Beer Review - Bells Cherry Stout

I was given three of these by a friend. He asked me to give my honest opinion since he wasn't a fan.
I like them. The aroma is baking chocolate, oak, and cherries. When served chilled right from the frig the cherry is very tart but it calms down as it warms. The longer I let it sit and warm the stronger the chocolate and oak comes through. It reminds me of chocolate cake drenched in boozey cherries.
Its a good desert beer and I could drink one occasionally.
Next up Bells Java Stout, and after that I plan on mixing the two.
Thanks Bill, without your kind donation I doubt I would've ever picked this up.

Pouring the Perfect Pint

Glassware is important too. Just say no to the shaker pint! :)
Drink up brothas and sisters and have a safe Friday night.

Book Review - Brewing Up a Business by Sam Calgione

 Ah to dream. Seems as though Sam hit it at the right time and moment. It's not a book about how to start brewing or a brewpub but a book about how HE started and his trials. Trials and tribulations, humorous and inspirational this is a good read for almost any entrepreneur.

A good read but nothing about actually brewing beer.

Beer Reviews - Guinness Black Lager

(normally picture goes here) - Sorry but it seems the Android didn't like the fantastic picture I took and deleted it.

Given to me by one of the OB (original brewers)  from I'd Tap That HomeBrewClub, I was finally able to sit down and crack this open.
Black patent malt is very obvious in the aroma and taste. Strong black coffee is very dominant. Hops don't make up a lot of the flavor (if I had to guess I'd say cascade or saaz) . If you're looking for a lager version of the famous Stout then its close but its very light and not as creamy.
All in all for a schwarzbier I've had better. I'd drink this again but I wouldn't spend money on it. Remember, I'm no pro try it yourself and you might like it!

Book Review - Tasting Beer: An Insider's Guide to the World's Greatest Drink by Randy Mosher

Great book for everyone interested in beer culture, tasting, and history. Randy hits each subject with passion and manages to get very detailed without losing the interest of the reader. From the introduction of hops to the reason I cringe when someone hands me a frosted "shaker pint" with beer in it. I could barley (intended) keep this book closed.
I highly recommend this book to anyone who is interested in getting away from the typical beers that have been offered over the past 60 years.

Oregon's Rogue Brewery Voodoo Doughnut Shop Combine Forces to Create

Why? I love Rogue Ales, doughnuts, and creativity but why?

Double Tap Undead Ale

This is the premier of my latest creation. The Double Tap Undead Ale is based on a Strong Ale with German and American hops.
I used a "fruitier " yeast for this and it turned out great! 9.1% and very smooth. Apples, pears, and a slight bit of honey combine to create a fantastic aroma as you drink. Nice fruity hops and malty backbone create an unforgettable beast of a beer.
Cheers!

White Labs WLP023 Burton Ale Yeast

This is the first time I've tried this yeast and I loved it. I put it in my "Double Tap Undead Ale" Strong Ale and it worked like a champ. Optimum temperature for this is 68 - 73 degrees. I pitched at 66 and brought it up to 68 in a day maintaining that temperature for 24 hours. It took off like F-22 and within 6 hours had a huge head of krausen perfect for top cropping. After 48 hours I slowly raised it to 71.

It floccuated decently enough. WLP023 will produce big apple, pear, and honey aromas for you so if you don't want heavy fruit this may not be the yeast for you. I wanted to try something different to pair with the American and German hops and I think I got a winner.

Smoked Porter - Stone

First smoked porter and since it's from Stone I should be pleased. Poured thick, dark brown with a small beige head that dissipated quickly.

Smelled the smoke, some hops, and baking chocolate.

Coffee, heavy malt and a slight sensation of smoke followed by a decent hop bite.

Mouthfeel was slightly thin, but not disappointing. I would love to have this again sometime.

The Kaiser Imperial Oktoberfest - Avery Brewing

Spotted this at a local brew shop and for $6.99 and figured why not, it's Oktoberfest somewhere. Very interesting label, German WW1 flag with a picture of Kaiser Wilhelm on the front and an Iron Cross.

Slick, oily pour with a nice orange/sienna hue holding a two-fingered beige head. The smell of caramel, nuts, hops and some alcohol lingering in the nose. Bitter hops pleasently mixed exceptionally with sweet lingering malts, hiding the big 9.3 ABV. Don't get fooled by it's subtlty. Smooth and creamy with a velevety texture, it leaves a little of itself behind after every drink. Overall this is an exceptional brew from Avery and probably one of my favorites. Unfortunately this is limited so I'll have to grab another very soon.

Old Leghumper Robust Porter - Thirsty Dog Brewing

One more reason to drink local brews and another to thank The Winking Lizard. I can't wait to get up to Canton and try it off the tap.

Deep maroon with a slight ring of beige around the top leaving an oil slick behind.

Toffee dominates the first whiff of this selection. Chocolate and a slight very mild taste of alcohol (called "hot" by most reviewers).

Slick feel as I took the first sip which brought good malt, chocolate, and coffee flavors. A slight tinge of bitterness from small amounts of hop followed up to make this one of my top porters.