Goose Island, Sam Adams, and My Brews

First, I would like to say that I have successfully brewed my second batch of beer!!! YAY!

My Pumpkin Milk Stout is currently hanging out in my fridge just waiting to be enjoyed.

I would like to let you all know what ingredients I used in my Pumpkin Stout:

Malt & Specialty Grains
Light DME
Black Patent Malt
Caramel 40L
Flaked Oats

Hops
Northern Brewer
Kent Goldings

Yeast
Nottingham Ale Yeast

And here are the ingredients I used for my Irish Red Ale:

Malt & Specialty Grain
Gold Liquid Malt Extract
Caramel 40L
Special B
Roasted Barley Special Grain

Hops
Cascade
Fuggle

So far I have to say that I like my Ale a little more. I added spices to my stout but they are not as pronounced as I would have liked them to be. I think I will use actual pumpkin puree the next time I brew it.


Now on to my reviews.... 

Goose Island - Sophie (Belgian Ale)

Pour: Clear like apple juice. Yellow tinted with no head.
Smell: Fruity and sweet like grapes. A touch citrusy.
Taste: Sweet. Similar to a cider or a fruit beer.

Sam Adams - Harvest Pumpkin Ale

This beer was brewed with pumpkin and spices and comes in at 5.7%.

Pour: Translucent and filtered, it pours an amber/maple color with a nice, rich, foamy head.
Smell: Intense notes of pumpkin and brown sugar.
Taste: Very strong pumpkin and maple flavors with an oaky finish. This is a full flavored beer.

Sam Adams - Fat Jack (Imperial Pumpkin Ale)

This imperial ale comes in 8.5% next to its 5.7% child.

Pours: Deep brown/mahogany and slightly translucent.
Smell: Smooth notes of nutmeg and pumpkin.
Taste: Loud cinnamon characteristics. This beer is even more flavorful then the Harvest Pumpkin.


Until next time. Happy Drinking!

Harvest moon

While at the Harvest Moon Brewpub in New Brunswick, NJ I ordered a flight.

Here is what I thought of the bunch....

Oktoberfest = German malts and German noble hops. 6.4%
Pour: Light yellow, golden color with a touch of haze. Light head
Smell: Floral notes
Taste: a touch more malt then hops, oaky, fresh
Mouthfeel: Smooth

Sinterklass Belgian winter ale = Pale Munich and crystal malts. Brown sugar and spices. Belgian yeast. 7.8%
Pour: Maple and cloudy. Short head
Smell: Spicy
Taste: Malty and a touch heavier then the Oktoberfest
Mouthfeel: Smooth and soft

Chocolate oatmeal stout = specialty malts for dark coloring, flaked oats and lactose for sweetness and 30LBS of cocoa. Only a touch of hops. 4.9%
Pour: Black with a thick head
Smell: Intense dark chocolate. The smell is overwhelming
Taste: Smooth and rich. It has hints of chocolate but it's not overpowering
Mouthfeel: Extremely smooth

Full moon pale ale = Two row American and lightly kilned caramel malt. American cascade hops fragrant hop and mild bitterness. 6.4%
Pour: Amber color, small head
Smell: Fruity
Taste: Crisp and sweet with a hint of citrus
Mouthfeel: Bitter... not really my thing. I'm not a big pale ale fan so I'm not the best judge for this brew

Jimmy d's firehouse red = Irish style red ale vienna malt blend. English hops for a clean crisp finish. Rich caramel malt with a touch of special carafa malt brings the deep red hue.
Pour: Maple oak color
Taste: Balanced. Slight hoppyness.

Belgian witbier = 40% unmalted white wheat belgian yeast strain and left unfiltered for fruity notes and cloudyness. 4.9%
Pour: Orange hue. Cloudy... you can't see through it.
Smell: Citrus and fruity. Tart
Mouthfeel: Light, tart, clean, and crisp

Moonlight kolschbier = Light german beer. Malted wheat- fruity mild beer with dry finish. Noble hops.
Pour: Clear, light yellow with no real head.
Smell: Citrus
Taste/mouthfeel: I like the hopes bite at the end but it's a fairly boring beer... a "light" beer. 

Sad Cider

Hey guys,

I have some sad news... my cider is not going to work... I didn't realize it has sodium benzoate in it... a YEAST KILLER!

So just a warning out there for those trying to make cider... check the label!

This is a sad day =(

Seasonal Beer Review

We are now entering week 3 of unemployment and it is slowly starting to get to me....

Anyway, enough complaining. I am currently in my 2nd stage of fermentation for my Pumpkin Milk Stout and it's looking good. I cannot wait to bottle those bad boys. 

I also just bought a new 3 gallon glass carboy in my attempt to make a cider... I have never done this before so wish me luck. I bought farm apple cider yesterday and I am going to fix it all up on Saturday. 

Currently, I am reading "Beer for Dummies" and I have to say... it isn't too bad. I am really enjoying it.

Now... on to my new review:

Southern Tier - Special Ale Harvest Seasonal

It has 4 varieties of hops, 2 kinds of Malts and comes in at a 6.8% abv.

Pour: Caramel, golden amber color with very little foam

Smell: Very floral, fresh, and herbal... bright and a bit grassy

Taste: Warm, herbal, with a nice bite.Very drinkable for a beer with a higher alcohol content. 

Mouthfeel: makes me stick my tongue to the roof of my mouth. It is bitterer beer then the other ones I've reviewed so far but it's not over powering. It's nice... a perfect combination. 

Pumpkin 1 and 2

Beer Photos

Smuttynose (NH) - Pumpkin Ale 5.8%

Pours a hazy nice golden amber color with a 2 finger head

Smells strong of cloves and pumpkin

Taste more spice notes then pumpkin 

Nice hoppy mouth feel

Malt:

North American 2-Row, Carastan, C-60

Hops

Bittering: Cascade

Flavoring: Cascade, Liberty

Other

Natural Pumpkin Puree, Cinnamon, Nutmeg and Cloves

Blue Point (NYC) - Pumpkin Ale 6%

Pours a yellow, clear golden amber color with a short head that quickly diminishes 

Smells very floral with a hint of nutmeg and cloves

Hoppy finish - That's when the pumpkin hits you 

Makes my tongue tingle and my lips smack  

Dogfish Head - Chicory Stout

Poured a dark deep black color with a 2 finger head that settled to a ring

Smelled strongly of expresso

Tested like smooth coffee with a nice light hoppy bite