Blue Point Winter Ale

Blue Point Brewing Company out on the eastern part of the island in Patchogue, NY is an under appreciated brewery in my opinion. I always tend to see their six packs of Toasted Lager or Blueberry Ale on the shelves at craft beer stores (both of which have great drinkability and refreshing taste) around the tri-state area. They also tend to have frequent drafts at bars throughout the New York area, especially out in Long Island (had their GABF silver award winning Rastafar Rye Ale on tap at Legends on my way out to the north fork a number of times) and NYC (amazingly fresh 10th Anniversary IPA off cask and draft at Blind Tiger awhile back) . And lets not forget my favorite HOPTICAL ILLUSION, which tastes like west coast hop angels when it is fresh and on draft.

So how come I do not get Blue Point more often if I like all of the beers that I have had by them??? Wish I could answer that one but am not too sure. Perhaps because they are readily available in my area or just because my blood thrives on high octane hop explosions from the west coast? Does anyone else experience this perplexing dilemma like my troubled self?

Anyways, lets get onto the review (haven't done one of these in a while so please object to any point!...this goes with anything we ever say in our blog in general). Bought a six pack of this Blue Point Winter Ale for $10.39 at BevMax in Stamford, CT:

Appearance: Pours an autumnal brown with 2 fingers of head narrows down to a dense looking half after a couple of minutes. Clear pour but the color seems to be a deep stained mahogany with shades of sunset red. Carbonation bubbles are a-blazing up from my Dogfish laser etching.

Smell: Wooden campfire sweet malts. Smells as if it has been aged in a barrel and also detecting some faint chocolate nibbles. Hops do not stand out at 30 IBUs but I do detect that they are a bit spicy, as well as a clean yeast aroma.

Taste: Bottle? - I poured it into a glass but my first sip tastes as if I am drinking straight out of the bottle. Sweet malt presence still there, but now with a nutty interaction with some kind of spice I can't detect...nutmeg?

Mouthfeel: Biting bitter finish that fades to a mellow smooth malt cleansing of the palette.

Drinkability: Not a big beer at all coming in at 5.5% abv, so it goes down easily. The past couple of winter seasonals that I have had (Anchor, Sam, and now this) seem to have that bready "spice" to it. Intriguing beer and I am glad to have tried it, but my taste buds would only want one in a night. Nonetheless, solid creation and ingenuity. 7/10

PS - The artwork on the label really gravitated me towards this purchase. I like the winteresque setting and backdrop with the green lighthouse bottle cap

Rogue Captain Sig's Northwestern Ale

As I was walking through Ramsey Liquors, I noticed this Rogue bomber bottle that my eyes have never laid sight upon with a price tag of $6.49 on it. And it was Rogue, so I definitely needed to try what John "more hop" Maier created at 80 IBUs :). Was this an IPA I asked myself? Who cares, it has hops and it is new so I HAVE to try.

Appearance: Not as red as expected due to the cloudiness. Reminds me of a copper brown ale. Head retention leaves a stranded 1/2 finger island that I can only dream of being stranded on.

Smell: Refreshingly sweet malts with a faint musty pistachio aroma. Where are the 80 IBUs of Cascade and Amarillo hops waiting to enlighten my senses? Completely hiding if you ask me except for a tad of spicy hop aroma.

Taste: Built well and balanced for an American Amber/Red Ale that Beeradvocate classifies it at. Starting to taste the hops but the sweet malt character drifts you away.

Mouthfeel: This is where the hops come into full effect as you let the ale wander with a distinguishable pleasant bitter aftertaste that makes you crave even more. Noticing a stout like character in terms of the sweet toasty finish as well.

Drinkability: I would have another for sure at only 6.2% abv. Rogue classifies this as an India Red Ale (primarily due to the aggressive hopping I bet), which I think fits this style well as this is an Adult red/amber ale to me. Kind of wish I had this with my beef stew dinner instead of late night aperitif as the character of this ale is definitely worth trying. 8.5/10. Oh, this reminds me very much of Rogue's American Amber Ale, less the meticulously loving hoppy mouthfeel fest.

A Trio of Troegs

Over the weekend, I made the huge move (7.6 miles to be exact) from my old stomping grounds in East Falls to the Fairmount section of Philadelphia. Before the day of the move, I picked up a variety case of Troegs to reward my friends for all their help with the move. The case went over well with everyone, which I kind of expected. I managed to horde a few for myself to review:

Rugged Trail Nut Brown Ale:

Color: Dark at first glance, but when held up to light you can see through it to see the the nice chocolatey-redish brown color shining through. 1/2 thumb of head, served in a pint glass.

Smell: A very sweet and malty aroma. I'm picking up a subtle nut smell, but I feel like I'm getting more chocolate and roastiness from it.

Taste: Somewhat sweet with a great roastiness on the backend. The malts I'm getting are chocolatey and roasty, very tasty. I'm getting hints of nut, but I feel the nut taste is a bit subdued considering the name. There is a slight and subtle lingering chocolate aftertaste.

Mouthfeel: This might be the only real let-down in what was really an awesome beer. I'm still learning, but it just felt like the Rugged Trail had more carbonation that I expected and wanted from it. Judging by the color, I was hoping for a feel that would coat nicely and feel more full. The carbonation made the brew feel light to me, where I was expecting a very hearty and thick brew.

Drinkability: At 4.4%, this makes for a great session beer. An awesome mixture of earthy aromas and tastes, with a subtle hint of sweetness and nutty flavor. 3.75/5 (would have again)

Hop Back Amber Ale (the headliner for Tröegs):

Color: True to form, a very nice and rich amber color is shining through. It has a nice offwhite head (served at 1 thumb). I enjoyed this dandy in a pint glass.

Smell: Leaning in and taking a wiff, I knew I was in for a treat. Flowery hops and subtle caramel malts both sang in unison. From the smell I can gather there is a nice balance of the two for an amber ale.

Taste: Awesome balance, not unlike that of a tightrope walker. On the initial taste, the hops were clearly apparent, with a flowery and crisp and spicy taste. But, the hops quickly gave way to malts on the backend for a very smooth and fulfilling finish. There is also a noted caramel flaver coming through. As the beer began to warm ever so slightly, the balance of the hops and malts became much more apparent as the flavors of both were at their best.

Mouthfeel: The carbonation stings the mouth, much like many ales, but it certainly does not destroy the palatte. It's also not overly bubbly either, which I think allowed me to note the balance of the hops and malts.

Drinkability: After having this brew, I can definitely see why this is considered one of the better varieties of Troegs. It was amazingly balanced and really gave me everything I would expect from both the hops and malts in an amber ale. 6% ABV. A wonderful beer that I wouldn't mind to have 2-3 of in one sitting. 4.25/5 and I would DEFINITELY have again.

Dreamweaver Unfiltered Wheat:

Color: Foggy yellow-orange color, leaning more towards the yellow side.

Smell: Citrusy and tarty, with a spiciness in the aromas.

Taste: Very sharp/tart and citrusy taste with a spicy note on the backend. I'm also picking up a slight fruit flavor reminiscent of banana, but I can't exactly put my finger on it. A noticeable citrusy aftertaste lingers a bit too long for my taste.

Mouthfeel: Perfect for the wheat style. There's an acidic and refreshing tingling when I let it roam around. It coats and finishes pretty smoothly, but the tingling comes right back with the aftertaste.

Drinkability: This is a very nice and refreshing wheat beer. Although, I feel it falls into the fray of all the other wheats out there. Also, the acidity of the citrus limits one from having more than a couple. 3.5/5 Very good beer to try though.

North Coast Ruedrich's Red Seal Ale

I write this having drank my last of several of these beers I bought at Shangy's in Emmaus, PA. Quite the selection, though PA's case law is in effect there. No matter though, since most of the beers there are so good a case just fine. But since there were 3 of us there, we each bought something different and mixed and matched. The Red Seal Ale was "my" case.

From the name, I thought this was a red ale, so thats what I went in expecting. My first thought was that this beer was a little weak. Red Seal is technically an amber ale however. Its funny how your impressions of how something does taste change when they line up with your expectations of how something should taste. Red Seal turned out to be quite delicious.

Appearance: My first clue that this wasn't a red ale. Its not red! Its a nice amber hue, on the dark side. Kinda fluffy head (if you pour aggressively, it can get thick, and ends up resembling merangue. Not a bad thing, haha). It stays there till the end.

Smell: Pretty mellow, but with a little hop kick to it.

Taste: Like the smell, I thought it was fairly understated, till the hops take over the aftertaste. Nothing wrong with that, not every beer has to kick your ass. This is a refreshing beer.

Mouthfeel: Pretty bubbly, adds to its refreshing nature.

Drinkability: 5.5%ABV, 42 IBUs. Red Seal Ale is a lighter beer (for this blog at least), and would taste good this summer, but great all year as well.

Thirsty Dog Brewing Company – Hoppus Maximus – American-Style Amber Ale

Appearance: Dark orange hue; slight cloudiness with barely any head

Smell: Nose full of malts. Smells like a sweet potato (I know...random!)

Taste: Flavor of malts, moderate chocolate? Bitterness there as well.

Mouthfeel: Carbonation not a factor but the longer you hold it in your mouth, the more maltiness comes about

Overall: Good to try but not my favorite style. It won some awards at GABF (bronze & silver). Its not my favorite style but I would recommend for people interested in trying different style beers. I wouldn’t buy it again. 43 IBUs, 5.0% abv, 13.5 P

Troegs Nugget Nectar

Appearance - Deep vibrant orange color; almost like honey. The color reminds me of light fancy VT Maple Syrup. Carbonation faded away fast with barely any head. The viscosity isn't thick at all and I just want to drink it, not rate it.

Smell - Sweet like a sugary orange candy thats not too overpowering. A tint of pine-i-ness, like when you freshly cut pine wood type hops. Can't figure out the malty smell.

Taste - Similar to the smell. Very well balanced; nothing is overpowering and stands out. Makes me want to try other amber style ales.

Mouthfeel - Very light and very inviting to keep drinking. Love the slight tingles of carbonation bursting with little bites of hops.

Overall - I read the label at the end and it said 93ish I.B.U.'s. HOLY SHIT...I am shocked. It is not overpowering hops like a bold IPA at all. My favorite brew from Troegs that I definitely recommend. Impressed with this one. 7.5% abv as well so be careful...it may taste light but it comes with a kick.

Bear Republic Red Rocket Ale

Appearance: Nice dark red color. Nice lasting head and lacing.

Smell: Roasted malts come on strong here, along with hoppy bitterness.

Taste: Smoky malts are what I tasted most. Great all around from start to finish.

Mouthfeel: Bubbly carbonation accents the flavor very nicely.

Drinkability: 6.8% ABV so its big but won't put you under the table too fast. The whole package was enjoyable. I'll be picking this one up again. I highly recommend.