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 

Pigapalooza VI

So this weekend is Pigapalooza VI on the road. This is an annual Pig Roast my friend has. It started as a going away party the day before he would leave for the Army but it has warped into something much much more. It used to take place at his families house in NJ but this past year he has gotten married, moved to Alaska, and had a child.... DAMN! So this year the Pig Roast shall comehence at a friends estate in Virginia.

There will be 2 kegs, a 100 foot slip and slide, maple syrup vodka, of course a 91 lb pig, and much much more! The kegs shall contain Coors Light and Yuengling for our annual Flip Cup Tournament of Champions (The good guys Vs. The bad guys) and what ever drinks people bring to contribute. I am bringing a 12 pack summer variety of Leinenkugel... yummmm a bottle of maple syrup Burnetts vodka and some Pepsi's

We are planning on creating the longest line of flip cup EVER! It shall be epic. I am leaving for my adventure soon this this story is To Be Continued....