Beer: Long Hammer IPA

Photo by Cameron Mathews

Brewery: Redhook Brewery Seattle, Washington

Overview: Long Hammer IPA is Redhook's contribution to the hoppy beer market and is a relatively well-distributed one at that, appearing in my favorite local pubs as well as liquor stores and the occasional grocery.  It is marketed as having a wonderful hop aroma, but not overly bitter taste.

Aroma: Fresh cut grass and citrus.  Hops definitely evident.

Appearance: Hazy pale gold.  Orange highlights beneath a frothy white head.

Flavor: Bites hard with strong tart grapefruit on steroids upfront but then extremely sweet in the back with a crisp finish.  Low malt sweetness in the mouth and kind of a weird balance.

Overall Impression: This is a good IPA, but not necessarily remarkable.  I could drink several of these, but I don' find that there is any overwhelming hops or brilliance to the balance.  Still, a highly approachable IPA, particularly for those that may not be total hop-heads, and one that does a good job of pushing the grapefruit flavors.

Vitals:
Style India Pale Ale
Price $7.99/six-pack
Found In Local Liquor Store
Alcohol Content 6.5% by volume
Availability Year-round
Bitterness 44 IBU


Rating: 92

Beer: Shiner Oktoberfest

Brewery: Spoetzl Brewery Shiner, Texas

Overview: Shiner's Texan offering to the Oktoberfest bier selection (yes, I spelled it bier), this beer is a relatively new one for me to find in the lineup from Spoetzl. 

Aroma: Crisp hops, a little light on the malt aroma, but very clean.

Appearance: Pours a light coppery gold with a giant frothy white head that dissipates, condensing and leaving behind lace on the top of the glass.

Flavor: There's a roasted quality in there from some caramel malt, but it does have some bready notes.  A little hop bitterness in the finish and aftertaste.  Some astringency.

Overall Impression: I have to say, I love the folks down at Shiner for creating good, drinkable, and even mass-marketable beers.  However, very few of their delicious beers really hit the mark of a given style.  This beer is good, hits appropriate alcohol numbers, and has some of the maltiness I would expect from an Oktoberfest.  However, I'd still say stick to the German beers if you are looking for authenticity.  The Shiner offering is a good bit lower on the malt profile and higher on the bittering hops than I was really looking for.  Still it is a very good, very approachable Oktoberfest beer for your friends, and it's a good session beer for you.

Vitals:
Style Oktoberfest
Price $7.99/six-pack
Found In Chain Import Store
Alcohol Content 5.7% by volume
Availability Fall Seasonal


Rating: 88

Last day of Oktoberfest!

Going to review one last Oktoberfest tomorrow, from our friends down here in Shiner, Texas, albeit a little late as Oktoberfest ends today!  So rush out and grab a stein of Spaten and enjoy!

Beer: Paulaner Oktoberfest

Brewery: Paulaner Brewery Munich, Germany

Overview: Paulaner is a traditional German brewery, but it is known more in America for its Hefeweizen than the bulk of its brews.  Still, the traditional beers are very good, and the Oktoberfest is no exception.

Aroma: Heavy malt sweetness, some light toasty notes.  Clean smell with very pure malt. Resembles smell of wort before fermentation.  No noticeable hops.

Appearance: Beautiful clear copper with thick white head that persists.  Does not leave any lace on the glass, but head continues in a ring as the beer dies down.  Orange highlights when held up to light, may look darker brown in pub lighting.

Flavor:Very complex malt flavors, light to no bitterness.  Bread notes in the body, like a fresh loaf from the oven.  Mild notes in the finish like a slightly overcooked piece of wheat toast.  No off flavors.  Light malt syrupy mouthfeel on the tongue, not slick.  Dry and slight bitterness comes in the aftertaste.

Overall Impression: Paulaner has made a very stock version of an Oktoberfest which will stand up to many of the others.  The robust malt flavor and the gorgeous amber color are impressive, and I like the toasty notes that go along with it.  Much better on the maltiness than some of the other Maerzens, but lacking a little of the alcohol punch.  Still, a great way to celebrate the fall.

Vitals:
Style Maerzen/Oktoberfest
Price $3.99/1 pt. 0.9 oz. bottle
Found In Local Liquor Store
Alcohol Content 5.8% by volume
Availability Year-round, though produced seasonally

Rating: 95

Beer: Spaten Oktoberfest

Brewery: Spaten Brewery Munich, Germany

Overview: Spaten, sponsor of Oktoberfest celebrations the world over is a classic German brewer of the style, so I had to pick some up to review this September.  So here we go.

Aroma: Sweet bread, fresh hops.  Heavy malt smell with some underlying sweetness.

Appearance: Dark gold to light amber.  Clear.  Foamy white head that dissipates quickly.

Flavor: Malt, malt, malt, malt, malt.  And perhaps some malt in there.  This has a heavy bread-like quality to it and you chew your way through the center but it avoids sweetness.  Some light bitterness in the finish, but not overwhelming, with a very clean finish on the tongue erasing the malt.

Overall Impression: Overall just a perfect example of what I expect the style to be.  Malt-heavy but not so overwhelming as to fill you up, and just a note of spicy hops in the finish to balance the malt and counteract any sweetness.  I could sit and drink an entire six-pack of these at once, but I'd be wondering if I could get up afterwards.  This is a great celebratory beer to pour in September or October and raise your glass (bottom end up, top in your mouth).  Truly enjoyable.

Vitals:
Style Oktoberfest
Price $8.99/six-pack
Found In Chain Import Store
Alcohol Content 5.9% by volume
Availability Seasonal (August to October)


Rating: 96

OKTOBERFEST!!!

Saturday, September 18 is the beginning of Oktoberfest 2010 which will last until Sunday, October 3.  Find yourself some traditional Maerzen beer and celebrate!

For the regularly scheduled September 20 and 27 reviews as well as the October 4 review I will sample a few Oktoberfest selections (two German and a Texan) and then if I find any more along the way I will toss them in here too.

Strap on your lederhosen and down a beer!

Beer: Real Ale Fireman's 4

Brewery: Real Ale Brewing Blanco, Texas

Overview: Fireman's 4 is a blonde ale that is brewed for the purpose of enjoying during a hot Texas summer day.  The brewery suggests pairing with spicy foods, which may suggest it would complement a Tex-Mex cuisine menu for a mid summer's evening fiesta.  I always enjoy trying local Texas beers, so I intend to continue to make the rounds trying a variety from breweries such as Real Ale.

Aroma: Clean, crisp malt, some floral and citrus but not prominent.  Good malt not overwhelmingly bready.  Matures to a warm, baking crusty bread aroma as the beer warms up.

Appearance: Straw with some richness in color, but perfectly clear.  Ample white head leaves some traces on glass and fades to a thin film.

Flavor: Smooth and malty with a bitterness profile that kicks in very late towards the finish.  Some woody and leafy hop flavor.  Freshly mowed grass. Hint of orange.  Some biscuit malt flavor.

Overall Impression: A pretty good beer for a session blonde overall.  I could easily sit back in the summertime on the porch (hopefully in the shade) and polish off a six pack of these (and I might have already accomplished this task).  Overall there is little that is complex about this beer.  The taste is an enhanced version of the aroma, with a more powerful hop presence coming through.

Vitals:
Style Blonde Ale
Price $7.99/six-pack
Found In Grocery Store Beer Aisle
Alcohol Content 5.1% by volume
Availability Year-round
Bitterness 21 IBU

Rating: 94