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May 21 2014

Trader Joe’s Vintage Ale

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My mother bought me my first bomber of Trader Joe’s Vintage Ale. She knew nothing about it. I knew nothing about it. I didn’t ask her to buy it. But she was in Trader Joe’s and decided to buy me a bottle. I wasn’t expecting much, honestly. But I’ll try any beer once for the sake of experimentation.

When I got the bottle, I was surprised to learn it was made for TJ’s by Canadian brewery Unibroue, which makes some pretty solid Belgian-style beers. And this one was as solid as any of them.

That chance encounter started a tradition for me. See, TJ’s gets a new version of the Vintage Ale every year and 2013’s offering is probably the best I’ve had.

Time for the Review: Trader Joe’s Vintage Ale

Taste

In true Unibroue style, this has a very prominent sweet (but not cloying) and malty flavor. A bready aroma couples with cocoa and spice notes and hints of fruit to create a very pleasant and almost dangerously easy drinking beer. At 9% ABV, it may not be the best idea to knock back a lot of this in one sitting. But be careful, because you don’t taste the alcohol much and it’s smooth enough that you can drink a lot of it quickly.

Pours a deep, rich brown with a creamy, thick head that sticks to the glass just a bit. It’s a beautiful-looking beer and is probably best served in a tulip glass.

Profile

Style: Belgian strong dark ale.

ABV: 9%

Value

At $4.99 for a 750mL bottle, this is one of the best craft beer values out there. It’s cheap enough to be an everyday beer or to keep around to serve to unexpected guests. Heck, it wouldn’t break the bank to buy a few bombers for a party. And while supposedly, it’s only available in limited quantities around the holiday season, I had no trouble getting hold of a couple bombers in May. Trader Joe’s is like that – Vintage Ale or regular old run of the mill beer, if it’s any good, they’ll stock it.

Metasip Grade: A

Written by Bill Mayeroff · Categorized: Ale, Beer · Tagged: Ale, Trader Joe's, vintage ale

Jan 04 2014

This Suburban Dad Drank Fifteen Different Kinds Of Beer During The Holidays – And He Ranked Them All. His Favorite Will Change The Way You Think About Craft Beer. And Life Itself.

I’m an enthusiast, but even I didn’t think I’d be THIS enthusiastic about the top beer on my Holiday Drinking List.

Here’s the background: I’m Dave, the suburban dad. I live in Chicagoland, and I said goodbye to a friend over the holidays. That friend? Dominick’s. The Super Market.

Their loss is our gain, as their Going Out Of Business Sale meant 30% off on a whole bunch of stuff. We stocked up and then some and I said “ALL THE BEERS” in all caps and the drinking commenced.

THEN…I went to a beer hall place, and they did a Flight Thing and I enjoyed that, too.

So it’s A LOT of BEER!

In true Metasip fashion, here all all of the ones I tried. However…we’re going to rank them in reverse order because that’s the way to ensure that you make it all the way to the bottom. Because you won’t believe what was Number One.

Horray, Beer!

Here goes nothing:

The Average…

Flight of Six Ales#15 – Smithwick’s: B-

Part of the “Six Pack Sampler” from ye olde brew pub. I’ve had this before, and I’ll have it again, I’m sure. Nothing to write home about. Grade: B-.

(Let’s talk just a little bit about this “Six Pack Sampler.” I paid, I don’t know, ten bucks? For a flight of six beers. And each pour was 5 ounces. Math was never my strong suit…But upon further review, if a “B-” beer is the worst of the six, and you’re getting 2 1/2 bottles of premium stuff for ten bucks…this, my friends, is a deal.)

Let’s now talk about the biggest surprise of the batch:

Blue Moon Gingerbread Spiced Ale#14: Blue Moon Gingerbread Spiced Ale – B-

Why was this the biggest surprise? I thought, frankly, that it would be atrocious.

It wasn’t.

Dare I say it was at least drinkable – but, sadly, it can’t get a grade of “B.” It’s a B-, because…

Well, I was expecting “gingerbread” the whole time. I got some of the molasses and a little of the sweetness, but not much else by way of flavor. Incredibly average, but exceeded expectations.

The Pretty Good…

#13: Anchor Christmas – B

5.5%ABV (according to YOBP*) and didn’t knock you down. Special Holiday Ale, whatever that means. Not insanely hoppy, folks. So that’s good. Give it a grade of “B.”

*Ye Olde Brew Pub.

BTW, it’s lower left in the photo of the six little glasses above.

IPL#12: Samuel Adams Double Agent IPL – B

I’m guessing that “IPL” means “India Pale Lager.”

I didn’t know what to expect…so this wasn’t unexpected in that it tasted like something I didn’t expect (thus making it expected, I guess, and making this a run-on sentence).

Should have called it “IPA.” Came as part of a Samuel Adams Multi-Pack. I give it a solid B.

The “Yes, I Would Like Another” Group…

Bell's Midwestern Pale Ale

#11: Bell’s Midwestern Pale Ale – B+

On like a pot of neck bones.

Everything Bell’s does is pure hoppy goodness. This, too, but, in true “Pale Ale” fashion, not overly hoppy.

This also makes us pine for summer and think about Oberon. “B+” grade.

Rounder#10: Blue Moon Rounder Belgian-Style Pale – B+

Not “Pale Ale.” Just…”Pale.”

Pales in comparison to their other stuff, though. I expected a little bit more – this one was tried AFTER one of their other brews was tried. (FORESHADOWING: it’s one we really really liked.)

#9: Allagash Hugh Malone – B+

Hoppy, with an extra dose of alcohol. 7.8% ABV. I only finished one-half of the 5 ounces. Good thing.

As is the beer – “Floral Belgian…brewed with Maine Barley.” Thanks to YOBP for the notes. Liked it.

Pictured above, second from left in the front.

#8: New Belgium Rampant – B+

Most of what New Belgium does is gonna be rock-solid. This, too, falls into that category. But it’s also served with a fair warning:

8.5% ABV. See above about “not finishing the whole thing.”

(It’s also part of the photo above of the sixer.)

BREAK TIME…Random Liquor…

THE DOCTORDr. McGillicuddy’s Mentholmint – A-

Beautiful stuff. Not your father’s Peppermint Schnapps.

(Actually, this WAS my father’s Peppermint Schnapps. He loved this stuff. Cheers!)

The “Make a Special Trip” Category…

#7: Old Speckled Hen – A-

This British ale has “wonderful warm flavors of malt and toffee.” And it does. Plus, it’s not TOO heavy – 5.2% ABV – and has a nice color to it. (The lightest of the six in the photo above – upper right corner.)

Stone IPA#6: Stone IPA – A-

Boom! And from San Diego. Like hoppy? This is for you.

They’ve got a tremendous reputation out west. As well they should.

A little crazy#5: Revolution A Little Crazy IPA – A-

Chicago represents! If you’re in San Diego and you’re a Stone fan, you should probably hunt these Revolution folks down. Good stuff – this, though, is not as hoppy as Stone, or as other stuff from Revolution. “Belgian Pale Ale.” Right about right.

Sam Does IPA#4: Samuel Adams Latitude 48 IPA – A-

Color me SHOCKED. This was quite quite good – just a hair short of an “A” grade. The “Latitude 48” refers to just where they get the hops from. Says so on the bottle, but check your map, too.

The Primo Stuff. Grade A. Top-Flight…

Sierra Nevada#3: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale – A

You can’t expect that I, the one who at one point anointed this “BBKTM*,” would give this anything less than an A, did you?

(*Best Beer Known To Man.)

It is still one of my all-time faves. People who are really into craft beer will call me a sell-out. I don’t care. It’s a beaut.

#2: Three Floyds Robert the Bruce – A

Also, beer snobs point to Munster, Indiana as the HQ for all things hip, since that’s where Three Floyds operate. All three of them. The Floyds. (Above, it’s in the middle of the back row.)

This, according to YOBP, is 6.5% ABV. And yes, it out-ranked the BBKTM on this ranking. Maybe it was our mood.

But…it wasn’t the winner. The winner…well, let’s just say that, before you start judging books by their covers – like WE DID – remember that it’s what’s inside the bottle that counts.

Here goes…

Short Straw#1: Blue Moon Short Straw Farmhouse Red Ale – A

Something jumped out about this one. It was downright glorious – “red ale” to us means closer to “Belgian” or “pale.” But also enough hop, enough malt, and a little bit of that toffee…Without a doubt the “best in breed” on this holiday.

So, what was the point of all this?

And how did “His Favorite…Change The Way You Think About Craft Beer”?

More than just clickbait – the goal is to get you to think a little differently about what you buy, what you try, and what you think.

Happy drinking!

Written by Dave Van de Walle · Categorized: Ale, Beer, IPA, Pale Ale · Tagged: Ale, beer, beer worthy, clickbait

Jul 23 2013

Newcastle Brown Ale

Time to hand the podium to a guest reviewer from the UK – here’s Kev Hedges, and his take on Newcastle Brown Ale.

Newcastle Brown Ale
Photo courtesy The Northwest Beer Guide. Used with Creative Commons license.

When I first looked at the Newcastle Brown Ale bottle it had an air of sturdiness and strength about it, and along with its dark brown almost black opaque look, it had a powerful and contrasting yellow label to offset the dark coloring of this ale perfectly.

Newcastle Brown Ale Review

So what does this dark, handsome-looking ale actually taste like? One thing you can say for sure is that it definitely does have taste. Unlike many types of ale, particularly the weaker ones, Newcastle Brown has that strong, malty kick in the taste and it comes with no after taste like you might get with ginger beer or tonic water.

In fact Newcastle Brown Ale appears to be strong and difficult to drink but when you actually take a sip you become instantly surprised by the ease at which it is to drink. The aroma of this ale I found to be very feint and without much at all in the way of a powerful smell. To some tasting this ale reminds you of biscuits, you know a bit like those wheat biscuits and there is an obvious fizz to the ale too. You cannot actually see any bubbles going on in the bottle as it really is so dark in appearance, but it is surprisingly light to taste.

If you prefer to pour your ale into a pint glass and not drink straight from the bottle then you will notice a very short lived head. Most ale I have tasted over the years has always had a long lasting and frothy head which is a little annoying when the froth sits on your lip. But you don’t have this issue with Newcastle Brown.

After a while of drinking this bottle I noticed it was a little watery and could have done with a bit more thickness in the drink. When you see its dark appearance you automatically assume that the beer should be thick, creamy and strong but it is not. It is also easy to guzzle this ale as it is not particularly high in strength and you are not likely to get too smashed after just a couple of bottles.

Metasip Grade: B+

I am going to give this Newcastle Brown Ale a B+ Metasip Grade as it certainly tastes light and easy to drink and I was happy with the malty effect on my tongue.

 

Written by Kev Hedges · Categorized: Ale, Beer · Tagged: Ale, British beer, Brown Ale, English Ale, Newcastle, UK beer

Jun 30 2013

Kona Big Wave Golden Ale

Kona Big Wave Golden Ale
Kona Big Wave Golden Ale

I have to admit that I thought about the review of the Portuguese wine when I picked this stuff up.

Here’s the thing: I DO think of Hawaii when I drink this, but more in a “what beer would I drink after surfing?” sorta way.

Note to self: learn to surf.

Also, “Golden Ale” is code for “Lager.”

Taste

Not bad, really. Box talks about caramel, hops, etc., but I’m thinking lager the whole time.

“lighter bodied golden ale with a tropical hop aroma and flavor.”

Misleading nose: there’s not as much hop, and the bitter aftertaste doesn’t thrill me.

Profile

4.4% ABV

Value

$7.99 for a six-pack, so you pay a premium for “Hawaii.”

Metasip Grade: B-

No cartwheels were turned in the drinking of this beer.

In retrospect, we’d probably like to try other varieties from this brewery; and they score points for “realism in distribution.” They have facilities on the mainland (Oregon, Connecticut among them), so getting you the beer without having to pay crazy amounts on freight is something they score points for.

Written by Dave Van de Walle · Categorized: Ale, Beer · Tagged: Ale, Big Wave, Golden Ale, Kona

Apr 12 2013

New Belgium Trippel Ale

New Belgium Trippel AleImagine a world where you fall in love with a beer all over again. Isn’t it romantic? Isn’t it glorious? It’s like everything old is new again. And all that. And more!

Yeah, good times they are had when you roll with a Trippel – especially one as wicked awesome as this one. It reminds me why in the heck I enjoy beer in the first place. To the review!

New Belgium Trippel Ale Review

Taste

What you want out of a Trippel. Hoppy goodness, a little bitterness, maybe a tinge of fruit or spice – coriander, in this case. Not too gosh darn heavy, though. Crafty is this Trippel.

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7.8% ABV. This means more than one and you had better pace yourself.

Value

We paid about $14 for a 12-pack of a number of New Belgium beers – we’ll review the other ones, too. A bit north of $1 per bottle, but yes, this is entirely worth it.

Metasip Grade: A-

Yeah, this would be a 90-point beer on many a scale. Not perfect, but well worth the cost. Score some, Trippel lovers. Ale lovers. Hey, beer lovers who want to broaden their horizons.


Written by Dave Van de Walle · Categorized: Ale, Beer · Tagged: Ale, Coriander, New Belgium, Trippel

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