...And since it's Thursday...
Shiner Bavarian Style Amber, Limited Edition "98"
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| Date: | 9/19/2007 |
| Brewery: | Spoetzl Brewery |
| Beer: | Shiner Bavarian Style Amber, Limited Edition "98" |
| Origin: | Shiner, TX |
| Style: | Vienna Lager |
| Container: | 12oz. Brown Glass Bottle, Screw Cap |
| Purchased: | Tom Thumb, Rowlett, TX |
| Price: | $ per 6-pack |
| Alcohol: | 4.90% ABV |
| Brewer's Description: | This limited edition anniversary beer commemorates the 98th year of handcrafted brewing at the Spoetzl brewery in Shiner, Texas. With every sip, this Bavarian amber lager pays tribute to the old-world Bavarian quality demanded by the German. From website: Kettle hopped with Hallertau tradition & dry hopped with Hallertau hersbrucker 80% pale malt, 20% Munich malt |
| Appearance: | Medium amber in color. Poured a fine head, but didn't retain it. Head was whitish in color. |
| Aroma: | Smells a little hoppy. Different from a pale ale. |
| Taste: | Maybe a little bitter for my taste. Can taste the hops. |
| Mouth Feel: | Mouth feel is ok. A little too much bite from carbonation. |
| Drinkability: | Overall, it's just OK and not great. Not as good as Shiner Bock. |
| Score: | 4 / 10 |
Other links:
- Shiner Bavarian Style Amber, Limited Edition "98" scored 81 on
- Shiner Bavarian Style Amber, Limited Edition "98" scored 2.83 on
Firemans #4 Blonde Ale
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- Firemans #4 - by "winter valentine"
- Fireman's 4 Cask conditioned - by "jgk79"
| Date: | 9/14/2007 |
| Brewery: | Real Ale Brewing Company |
| Beer: | Firemans #4 Blonde Ale |
| Origin: | Blanco, TX |
| Style: | American Blonde Ale |
| Container: | 12oz. Brown Glass Bottle |
| Purchased: | Kegs & Barrels, Plano, TX |
| Price: | $0 per 6-Pack |
| Alcohol: | 5.1% ABV |
| Brewer's Description: | This refreshing blonde ale achieves a perfect balance between the smoothness of the malt, the subtle fruitiness of our house ale yeast, and zesty citrus notes from Crystal hops. Fireman's #4 is a great way to beat the heat - enjoy it on a Texas summer day, or pair it with spicy foods to help put out the fire. ABV: 5.1%, IBU: 21, OG(plato): 12 |
| Appearance: | This beer is clear, golden yellow in color. There are multiple streams of bubbles effervescing. It poured a nice head, but did not retain it for very long. |
| Aroma: | I can detect definite citrus notes. |
| Taste: | This tastes a little sweet. I can barely pick up the taste of citrus. They are more pronounced in the aftertaste, but they’re not real obvious. |
| Mouth Feel: | This has a good amount of carbonation. It finishes smooth. |
| Drinkability: | I like this beer. It’s good, overall. It’s easy to drink and I could drink it for effect if I chose to. I would buy this one again. |
| Score: | 6 / 10 |
Other links:
- Firemans #4 Blonde Ale scored 82 on
- Firemans #4 Blonde Ale scored 2.97 on
Fuller's London Porter Ale
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| Date: | 9/13/2007 |
| Brewery: | Griffin Brewery |
| Beer: | Fuller's London Porter Ale |
| Origin: | Chiswick, London, England |
| Style: | English Porter |
| Container: | 11.2oz. Brown Glass Bottle |
| Purchased: | Kegs & Barrels, Plano, TX |
| Price: | $0 per Single Bottle |
| Alcohol: | 5.4% ABV |
| Brewer's Description: | Fuller’s London Porter is an award-winning example of this historic English style; smooth and creamy with delicious chocolate and coffee flavours. The Griffin Brewery in Chiswick, London, has been brewing fine ales since 1654. The Fuller, Smith, & Turner partnership, dating back to 1845, brews an excellent range of award-winning ales, many of which are available in the USA, including London Pride Pale Ale and the world’s original ESB. I hope you will enjoy trying all our fine ales. |
| Appearance: | Dark brown in color. Head is a tan color. Not long head retention. Too dark to see any bubbles rising. |
| Aroma: | Has a very rich smell. I can smell the chocolate/coffee that they describe. |
| Taste: | This seems very rich for beer. It has almost a burned/charred taste. I can associate that taste with malt, I suppose. It’s pretty distinctive. Most of its taste comes as aftertaste. I don’t taste much bitterness or hoppiness. This is the beer that the lady at Kegs & Barrels suggested as a benchmark for malt flavor. |
| Mouth Feel: | It has a good feel. The carbonation level is good. It’s pretty creamy, but with carbonation release. It’s a little thicker (more viscous) feeling than others beers I’ve tried to date. |
| Drinkability: | I think this is an aquired taste, but I think I could learn to like it without too much difficulty. I would buy it again if I was in the mood. |
| Score: | 5 / 10 |
Other links:
- Fuller's London Porter Ale scored 91 on
- Fuller's London Porter Ale scored 4.02 on
Abbot Ale
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| Date: | 9/11/2007 |
| Brewery: | Greene King |
| Beer: | Abbot Ale |
| Origin: | Suffolk, England |
| Style: | English Pale Ale |
| Container: | 1-Pint Can |
| Purchased: | Kegs & Barrels, Plano, TX |
| Price: | $8.49 per 4-Pack |
| Alcohol: | 5% ABV |
| Brewer's Description: | English Pub Ale - Brewed longer for a distinctive full flavor. From website: Greene King's flagship brand Abbot Ale is a favourite with the nation's discerning beer drinker. An iconic beer, Abbot is brewed for longer in a traditional way in order to achieve its world famous distinctive taste. The secret of Abbot Ale lies not only in its ingredients but the way it is treated along every step of its production, from the arrival of the raw ingredients at the brewery to the cask and beyond. The result (a pint of perfect beer) is due to the care, dedication and craftsmanship of everyone who works on Abbot Ale. Quality is the benchmark. Abbot Ale is brewed with pale crystal and amber malts to give an attractive colour and rich malty taste. Challenger hops give it bitterness with a spicy overtone and to really boost the taste and aroma to the maximum it is late-hopped with Fuggles to provide the floral tones and fruity esters. Full flavoured, smooth and mature, Abbot Ale is an exceptional, quality drink. No wonder this beer is the first choice for so many discerning real ale lovers. |
| Appearance: | Dark amber in color. Didn’t pour much head. Small bubbles randomly rise. |
| Aroma: | Has a somewhat rich aroma. Smelled a bit nutty. |
| Taste: | Not too far off from Wexford’s Irish Cream in taste. A bit bitter. |
| Mouth Feel: | At least it has more carbonation (a little) than Wexford’s. Still not enough. |
| Drinkability: | Overall, very much like Wexford’s. I don’t like it very much. I won’t get it again. I'll give it a 2, only because it had a tiny bit more carbonation than Wexford's. |
| Score: | 2 / 10 |
Other links:
Anchor Steam
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| Date: | 9/10/2007 |
| Brewery: | Anchor Brewing Co. |
| Beer: | Anchor Steam Beer |
| Origin: | San Francisco, CA |
| Style: | Steam Beer |
| Container: | 12oz. Brown Glass Bottle w/ blue twist-off cap |
| Purchased: | Kegs & Barrels, Plano, TX |
| Price: | $8.99 per 6-Pack |
| Alcohol: | 4.9% ABV |
| Brewer's Description: | Anchor Steam brand beer derives its unusual name from the 19th century when "steam" seems to have been a nickname for beer brewed on the west coast of America under primitive conditions and without ice. The word "steam" may have referred to the pressure of natural carbonation developing in the beers. Today the brewing methods of those days are a mystery, and for many decades anchor alone has used the quaint name "steam' for its unique beer. Anchor Steam brand beer is virtually hand-made with an exceptional respect for the ancient art of brewing. The deep amber color, the thick creamy head, and the rich flavor all testify to our traditional brewing methods. Today Anchor is one of the smallest and most traditional breweries in the world. San Francisco’s famous Anchor Steam brand beer is unique, for our brewing process has evolved over many decades and is like no other in the world. |
| Appearance: | Deep amber color. Poured a large head but did not reteain it long. |
| Aroma: | Odd smell. Can smell hops of some sort. Some sort of spiciness. |
| Taste: | As the long descriptions states, this has a unique flavor. Maybe a little bitter. |
| Mouth Feel: | Perfect carbonation level. When held in mouth, carbonation builds to a peak before falling off. |
| Drinkability: | Good, for sure. I’m not sure that I like it better than Anchor Liberty. Would definitely get it again and recommend it. |
| Score: | 6 / 10 |
Other links:
- Anchor Steam Beer scored 85 on
- Anchor Steam Beer scored 3.33 on
