This was the last local flavor I managed to pick up at the end of the summer, brewed in New Holland, MI.
Compared to the other IPAs I've had this summer, Mad Hatter is not the hottest. That being said, it's not the worst either. It's not as hoppy (or is it hopsy?) and comes off with a slighter more bitter aftertaste than I like. Maybe it's just the other beer or me being boozy and hungry, but I'm unimpressed.
"Once upon a time in a valley, a beautiful countess lost something precious to her in a small pond. Racked with grief, she prayed for its return. Very quickly it resurfaced in the most wondrous of ways. After her prayers had been answered she blessed the pond and the valley. Later, she had an abbey built there."
"Belgian-style ale" actually would not be the first thought that would come to mind. It's fruity and hoppy and, maybe just because I've been drinking IPAs recently, IPA-ish. It has the most curious aftertaste/nose of a dwindling campfire.
I had heard wonderful things about this one so I was pretty excited when I found a pack of this.
An ale, so it had that thick, creamy but bubbly taste. I don't know anything about this triple fermentation business, but it has some sort of initial punch that I can't quite figure out. It reminds me of pumpkins. Delicious!
I haven't had an IPA in awhile. I don't know if I never noticed them before or if they just got really popular in the last few years, but I see them everywhere now. Unfortunately, as prolific as they are, they are pretty much hit or miss for my tastes. Some have a great hoppy flavor with a full mouthfeel; others get too hoppy or taste too thin.
The Goose Island, however, has a strong hoppy aroma without being overpowering and finishes with a slightly sweet aftertaste. Carbonation level is good and is filling without being overbearing. I like.
I wasn't expecting too much from this one. I actually found it at Wal-mart much to my surprise. In any case, I had some pretty mixed feelings about it. It had the characteristically thick feeling but was lacking in richness and complexity. The finish was a little more sour than I would have liked, and it seemed like the tannins were missing. Like I said, I found it at Wal-mart, and it was only about $10. Not bad, but not that great either. Didn't do the variety any justice at all. Personally, I'd rather not skimp on a bottle of PS.
I was at Whole Foods again today to have closer look at their beers and wines. I did find a few different vintners of petite sirah, including that damn Bogle. I did pick up another bottle for later but my camera has finally run out of juice so it won't be until I'm back home. Anyway, the beer. There wasn't as much as I had previously thought. A lot of what they carried was smaller breweries, mostly regional and/or organics. Not interested. They do carry a lot of Dogfish which I'm holding out on trying until I see Medici's beer list again. They also sold a 120-minute IPA for $7. Per bottle. I'm not quite there yet. I was kind of up in the air about what to get until I saw Fin Du Monde and recognized the name. Unfortunately, they were out. Celebrator was right next to it.
This is a wonderfully rich and nutty beer. There's a memory that this (along with some Belgian-style ales) kind of taste evokes. I can never quite put my finger on it, but it gives me the feeling of a hearth. I'm not sure what else to say other than that this is easily in my top 5. I would love to have this with something hot and hearty with brown bread.
It also comes with a sweet charm around the neck of each bottle.
I had this sort of on a whim (but also on a hankering for a Belgian-style ale) at a restaurant in B-N, IL because it came in a goblet (which was actually just a wine glass). And it was one of the best beers I've ever had.
It has a warm, comforting scent that, oddly, made me think of cinnamon and sweet potatoes. And the color is an absolutely beautiful rusty amber. Even served cold, the body and density makes you feel rather warm inside. I only say warm because it's a hard call between "warm" and "satisfied". The taste is full-bodied and velvety; the mouthfeel is perfect. Fat Tire will never cut it ever again.
I also saw a 4-pack of Young's Double Chocolate Stout cans. They were purple and orange, I think. Fuck. That. Shit.
Taking a stab at rather common variety. My first sip of this immediately made me think "Berries!" and then elementary school. I guess it reminded me very strongly of grape juice but not in a bad/Barefoot way. Not terribly complex but not brainless either. It was pretty sweet and jammy, low on tannins with a clean, woody finish. For something so flavorful, the mouthfeel was surprisingly thin. Rosemount has always been satisfactory for me. It also has a good variety of wines. I think it's well on its way to becoming the supplier of my daily drinkers.
This is bottle by a local brewery, Goose Island. Not too bad at all. For an unfiltered wheat, it has a very refined taste. Compared to Leine's Honey Weiss, it's vastly superior. Compared to Boulevard, which I haven't had in quite awhile, it's not nearly as heavy. Compared to Hefeweizen, doesn't even come close. I won't miss it after the summer; I'm still holding out for that Dupage Two Brothers.
Amstel is a clean, crisp lager, very smooth but still tasteful. I think my sister had a friend who swore by it. At only 95 calories, it's kind of...girly? Sorry. I don't have much to say about lagers.
Addendum: This makes a great dinner beer.
Harp is a nice lager. I've had it before but the last few bottles of this have had...a fishy taste. I can't tell if it's just the bottle from being in the fridge or if it's actually the beer. Weird. In any case, I couldn't remember what it tasted like so I picked it up. Like I said, it's nice. But it only reminded me that I like Bass better.
Addendum: That fishy taste is from the refrigerator.
I see this wine on display at Wal-mart. Over by the toiletries, curiously enough. Maybe that should've tipped me off. But this brand seems to win all sorts of nice awards, including 84 or 86 pts from some wine rating. Ok. Maybe it's not bad. At a hair under $5, (!), what could it hurt?
The label says it's a "jammy wine with robust flavors of wild berries and currants...hints of toasted oak and clove enhance the velvety smooth finish." Ok, berry and currant, check. Jammy? If you pour a cup of water into your jam. This was mostly like drinking grape juice with some vodka. It's all pretty weak, tannins (oh, oh, am I wino now?) are almost nonexistent. I wouldn't even consider this table wine or even a daily drinker. The only thing it has going for it is the price. Frankly, I'd be willing do drop a few more bucks for a decent table wine instead.
(An hour later...) Oh! It's one of those wines that get better the drunker you get! Ha!
I went to Whole Foods Market today. I only meant to pick up some canned tomatoes for chili. (They did have Muir Glen Fire Roasted, by the way.)
z0MG so much micro beers! Sake! Giant bottles of sake! FUCK! I'm pretty sure it's not going to be legal for me to drive across state lines.
