A bit of a hiatus...

Hello beer lovers,

It's been a little while since I've blogged here as I've focused on work and family.  I am on my NorCal Beer Blog Facebook page regularly, but reviews have slowed down to a halt.  If you want to see what's been in MY glass lately pop on over there.

Halloween just passed (my favorite holiday) and true to form I drank a few pumpkin beers - took some photos, etc...

I do like pumpkin ales and although there are some really bad ones on the market, there are some good ones.  I certainly wouldn't spend a night drinking them exclusively, but one here and there is festive and enjoyable.

I'll try and get here more often and maybe get some more reviews done. On Halloween I enjoyed a Buffalo Bill's Pumpkin Ale (review here) and a Shipyard Brewing Company Pumpkinhead Ale (review here as part of a general Halloween beer post).

Did you drink anything special for Halloween? What's your favorite Fall and Winter beers? Drop me a line!

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

Lakewood Brewing Company Mole Temptress - Imperial Milk Stout - Ale Brewed With Lactose Sugar And Vanilla With Chilies, Cacao And Cinnamon

Hello beer lovers and welcome to another edition of the NorCal Beer Blog's brew review.

Tonight’s featured beer is Lakewood Brewing Company Mole Temptress - Imperial Milk Stout - Ale Brewed With Lactose Sugar And Vanilla With Chilies, Cacao And Cinnamon. I picked up this bottle while in Texas at Hall’s Wine & Spirits (here) which is a must visit bottle shop if you find yourself in or around Dallas.

From the Lakewood Brewing Company website: “Mole (pronounced moh-lay) is a traditional Mexican sauce made with a variety of ingredients including dried chiles and chocolate, flavors that beg to be paired with our seductive señorita. So we combine ancho, pasilla, guajillo, and chipotle peppers for spice; add 100% pure cacao; and toss in a touch of cinnamon for a bold, festive spin on our cerveza deliciosa.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours black with a thin brown head leaving light lacing.

Aroma: Cinnamon, vanilla, cacao, chile peppers and roasted malt.

Taste: Cinnamon is big followed by sweet chocolate, vanilla and then chilies.

Overall: A delicious Mexican-style stout, Lakewood Brewing Company Mole Temptress has the perfect balance of chocolate, cinnamon and chilies. This 9.1% ABV offering is rich and creamy, not too spicy and well worth trying.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

If you haven’t already, please like the NorCal Beer Blog on Facebook (here)

Wicked Weed Brewing Oblivion - Sour Red Ale Aged in Wine Barrels with Blackberries and Dates

Hello beer lovers and welcome to another edition of the NorCal Beer Blog's brew review.

Tonight’s featured beer is Wicked Weed Brewing Oblivion - Sour Red Ale Aged in Wine Barrels with Blackberries and Dates.

From the Wicked Weed Brewing website: “Oblivion is a sour red ale aged with blackberries and dates in red wine barrels for up to 12 months. This ale is then carefully blended to create depth and balance that will envelop you in its complexity.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a dark auburn color with a thin white head leaving lots of lacing on the glass.

Aroma: Blackberries, oak, red wine, vanilla, tart fruit, slight date, caramel and funk.

Taste: Blackberry, funk, oak, sour and fruity, slight caramel, vanilla, red wine and date flavors.

Overall: Tart and sour, Wicked Weed Brewing Oblivion is well worth a try.  This 8.75% ABV offering drinks easier than the ABV would suggest.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

If you haven’t already, please like the NorCal Beer Blog on Facebook (here)

B. Nektar Meadery Kill All The Golfers - Honey Wine With Tea & Lemon Juice

Hello beer lovers and welcome to another edition of the NorCal Beer Blog's beverage review.

Tonight’s featured beverage is B. Nektar Meadery Kill All The Golfers - Honey Wine With Tea & Lemon Juice.

From the B. Nektar Meadery website: “A Mead with black tea and lemon juice. Essential Elements - Gallberry honey, black tea, lemon juice. Appearance - Deep gold with a lacy white head that dissipates into a thin white rim. Aroma - Floral honey followed by robust black tea and sweet, rich lemon peel. Experience - Rich honey contributes a mild sweetness followed by bitter black tea and notes of sour lemon. Full-bodied with a tannic, dry finish and a fresh tobacco aftertaste.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a hazy orangish gold color with an extremely small white head.

Aroma: Honey, black tea and lemon.

Taste: Sweet honey, black tea and tart lemon with a touch of something floral in the finish.

Overall: Much like an Arnold Palmer, B. Nektar Meadery Kill All The Golfers is refreshing and enjoyable.  This 6% ABV offering is nice for a change of pace and something I’d pick up again.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

If you haven’t already, please like the NorCal Beer Blog on Facebook (here)

Lost Coast Brewery Sharkinator White IPA

Hello beer lovers and welcome to another edition of the NorCal Beer Blog's brew review.

Tonight’s featured beer is Lost Coast Brewery Sharkinator White IPA.

From the Lost Coast Brewery website: “Sharkinator is the hip brother of Great White. Well, maybe hop brother would be a better description. Sharkinator is our Great White taken to the next level by dry hopping it with Cascade, Crystal, Chinook and Citra hops, providing a wonderful citrus aroma and refreshing hoppy flavor. This is a Session IPA, grab some friends and drink all you want, we'll make more!”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a slightly hazy straw color with a white head leaving good lacing.

Aroma: Citrus, pine and floral hops  - sweet malt and perhaps a touch of wheat.

Taste: Citrus, floral and fruity hops, sweet malts, light wheat and a touch of spice.

Overall: Light bodied and crisp, Lost Coast Brewery Sharkinator White IPA is a very nice session beer. This 4.8% ABV is worth seeking out for fans of the style. I’ll pick this up again.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

If you haven’t already, please like the NorCal Beer Blog on Facebook (here)

Modern Times Beer Black House - Chocolatey Coconut Stout - Beer With Coffee, Toasted Coconut & Cocoa Nibs Added

Hello beer lovers and welcome to another edition of the NorCal Beer Blog's brew review.

Tonight’s featured beer is Modern Times Beer Black House - Chocolatey Coconut Stout - Beer With Coffee, Toasted Coconut & Cocoa Nibs Added.

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a dark coffee brown, nearly black with a tan head leaving lots of lacing.

Aroma: Coconut, espresso, dark chocolate with faint scents of caramel and nuts.

Taste: Lots of coffee, dark chocolate, coconut, some caramel malt, slight hop bite and a touch nutty.

Overall: Wonderfully balanced and well-crafted, Modern Times Beer Black House - Chocolatey Coconut Stout is delicious. This 5.8% ABV offering is well worth trying if you come across it.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

If you haven’t already, please like the NorCal Beer Blog on Facebook (here)

Almanac Beer Company Emperor Norton - Dry-Hopped Belgian-Style Ale Brewed With Apricots

Hello beer lovers and welcome to another edition of the NorCal Beer Blog's brew review.

Tonight’s featured beer is Almanac Beer Company Emperor Norton - Dry-Hopped Belgian-Style Ale Brewed With Apricots.

From the Almanac Beer Company website: “All hail His Imperial Majesty, Emperor Norton I, of The United States and Protector of Mexico! A beloved 19th century San Francisco denizen, Emperor Norton was best known for issuing his own currency, calling for the overthrow of the Federal Government, and for prophesying a future bridge connecting San Francisco and Oakland.

Emperor Norton is an eccentric ale brewed in his honor, blending a classic Belgian-style tripel with California-grown summer apricots and dry-hopped generously with Citra and Hallertau Blanc hops. Enjoy in the company of unconventional friends!”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a hazy orangish yellow color with a large white head leaving lots of lacing.

Aroma: Citrus, apricot, pine, sweet and toasted malts, Belgian yeast notes and some coriander.

Taste: Apricot, citrus and tropical hop notes, sweet malts, Belgian candi sugar, Belgian yeast with the spice that comes with it.

Overall: Very drinkable and enjoyable, Almanac Beer Company Emperor Norton - Dry-Hopped Belgian-Style Ale Brewed With Apricots is delicious.  The alcohol in this 9% ABV offering is well hidden.  I would absolutely drink again.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

If you haven’t already, please like the NorCal Beer Blog on Facebook (here)

Sudwerk Brewing Company Cascaderade India Pale Lager

Hello beer lovers and welcome to another edition of the NorCal Beer Blog's brew review.

Tonight’s featured beer is Sudwerk Brewing Company Cascaderade India Pale Lager.

From the is Sudwerk Brewing Company website: “Inspired by the iconic Cascade hop and named for the rugged mountain range that stretches from British Columbia to Northern California. This beer was carefully dry-hopped with the finest Cascade hops from Yakima Valley, creating a citrusy, piney and refreshing West Coast taste. Elevate your Lager experience.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a pale amber color with a dense off-white head leaving good lacing.

Aroma: Citrus, tropical and stone fruit, grainy, bready and a little grassy.

Taste: Grapefruit, tangerine, lime, orange, pine, grassy, pale, cracker and bready malts.

Overall: Crisp and clean, Sudwerk Brewing Company Cascaderade India Pale Lager is nice.  This 6.6% ABV offering isn’t something I’d tend to gravitate toward, but I’d certainly drink another one if given the chance.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

If you haven’t already, please like the NorCal Beer Blog on Facebook (here)

Midnight Sun Brewing Company Arctic Rhino Coffee Porter

Hello beer lovers and welcome to another edition of the NorCal Beer Blog's brew review.

Tonight’s featured beer is Midnight Sun Brewing Company Arctic Rhino Coffee Porter - Ale with Coffee Beans.

From the Midnight Sun Brewing Company website: “Arctic Rhino Coffee Porter combines two perfectly quintessential Pacific Northwest favorites: coffee and ale. The result is wonderfully romantic and robust—a duel-fueled porter that melds charismatic dark malt with freshly roasted coffee beans.

From mug or glass, slowly savor the comforting flavors of Arctic Rhino Coffee Porter with rich and decadent desserts—like crème brulee, carrot cake or anything chocolate—or savory dishes that include roasted meats and root vegetables, caramelized onions, or sautéed mushrooms.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours dark brown, nearly black with a light tan head leaving good lacing.

Aroma: Coffee, roasted malts and a slight dark chocolate scent.

Taste: Coffee, roasted malts, dark chocolate and a slight coffee bitterness in the finish.

Overall: Medium to light bodied and easy to drink, Midnight Sun Brewing Company Arctic Rhino Coffee Porter is tasty.  This 5% ABV offering may not be a go-to for me, but I would certainly drink it again.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

If you haven’t already, please like the NorCal Beer Blog on Facebook (here)