Deep Ellum Brewing Company Oatmeal Pale Ale

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

Tonight’s featured beer is Deep Ellum Brewing Company Oatmeal Pale Ale.  I picked up this can at Lonestar Beverages (here) in Carrollton, TX.

From the Deep Ellum Brewing Company website: “Here at DEBC, we are in constant persuit of the perfect pint. To that end, we’ve brewed up an American Pale Ale that falls in between our Dallas Blonde and our IPA. Is it malty? Yep! Is it hoppy? You bet! Our Deep Ellum Pale Ale is brewed, simply because it’s a beer that we like to drink. It’s a beer after our own hearts and yours!”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours an dark orange, almost amber with a large cream colored head and excellent lacing.

Aroma: Citrus, pine and grassy hop notes, sweet caramel and bready malts.

Taste: Grainy, toasted and sweet caramel malts, a touch of oatmeal, citrus, pine and grassy hops.

Overall: Sweet and smooth, Deep Ellum Brewing Company Oatmeal Pale Ale is delicious.  This 6.1% ABV offering is nicely balanced and absolutely worth drinking again!

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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Knee Deep Brewing Company - Kern River Brewing Company Deep River Double IPA

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

Tonight’s featured beer is Knee Deep Brewing Company - Kern River Brewing Company Deep River Double IPA.

I picked this bottle up at Cask & Flask in San Jose (here).  They have a fantastic selection.  Tell them that Mark Harvey from NorCal Beer Blog sent you!

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a clear golden orange color with a white head and excellent lacing.

Aroma: Huge tropical fruits, citrus and light caramel malt.

Taste: Grapefruit, orange, lemon zest, pineapple, peaches, apricot, melon and floral hop notes, some pine and balanced exceptionally with sweet malts.

Overall: Juicy and incredibly drinkable, Knee Deep Brewing Company - Kern River Brewing Company Deep River Double IPA is amazing.  This 8% ABV offering is a must try for fans of the style.  I’ve picked up and drank a few of these.  Wish this was a regular offering.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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Lagunitas Brewing Company High West-ified Imperial Coffee Stout

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

Tonight’s featured beer is Lagunitas Brewing Company High West-ified Imperial Coffee Stout. I picked this up at Santa Clara Liquors (here). If you get a chance, head in there and tell ‘em that Mark from NorCal Beer Blog sent you.  You’ll be glad you did – they have an incredible selection!

From the Lagunitas Brewing Company website: “Up until this brew, none of Lagunitas’ barrel-aged adventures ever made it to shelves.

They’ve been super-limited draft-only releases. This time we’ve made enough to actually bottle some … The 100% barrel-aged 2015 High West-ified Coffee Stout. Ale brewed with Coffee from our friends at Petaluma Coffee & Tea, then aged in Rye Whiskey barrels from our friends at High West Distillery in Park City, Utah … barrels that held High West’s Double Rye and American Prairie Bourbon, to be exact. Cheers!”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours dark brown, nearly black with a large mocha colored head and good lacing.

Aroma: Rye whiskey, oak, vanilla, caramel, coffee, dark fruits, coconut, molasses and roasted malt.

Taste: Coffee, cocoa, rye whiskey, dark fruits, toasted coconut, brown sugar, oak, vanilla, caramel and roasted malts.

Overall: Nicely sticky and creamy, Lagunitas Brewing Company High West-ified Imperial Coffee Stout has incredible balance.  This 12% ABV offering is a beer I’d recommend stocking up on (I already have).  Not overly boozy and easy to drink the price point on this one is amazing. I don’t think you can find a better barrel aged beer for less. Two enthusiastic thumbs up!

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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Evil Twin Brewing Femme Fatale Yuzu Pale IPA

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

Tonight’s featured beer is Evil Twin Brewing Femme Fatale Yuzu Pale IPA.

From the Evil Twin Brewing website: “To take up the challenge and make a 100% true Brett IPA with Yuzu fruit can very easily become a fatal attraction for the Brewmaster. Once you get acquainted with the Yuzu fruits irresistible and seductive personality, along with Bretts overpowering, alluring and very charming nature, it will ensnare you and drive you mad obsessing over how exactly you can create the perfect desirable tangy, funky, crisp, tart flavor in ya mouth.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours hazy gold with a giant fluffy white head and great lacing.

Aroma: Citrus, tropical fruits, funky Brett, biscuit and pale malts.

Taste: Citrus, grass and tropical hop flavors, Brett notes, biscuit and pale malts and a touch tangy and sour.

Overall: I enjoyed Evil Twin Brewing Femme Fatale Yuzu Pale IPA.  This 6% ABV offering is crisp, juicy and easy to drink. 

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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The Bruery Tripel Tonnellerie Belgian-Style Ale

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

Tonight’s featured beer is The Bruery Tripel Tonnellerie Belgian-Style Ale Fermented In Oak Barrels.

From the The Bruery website: “Tripel Tonnellerie is a 100% barrel fermented version of a Belgian Abbey Tripel. The base beer carries a classicly clean maltiness, balanced by a fruity aroma and a dry, spicy mouthfeel. Extended fermentation in oak barrels innoculated with wild yeast allowed the beer to develop the rustic, earthy tones of a classic countryside biere de garde resulting in a uniquely flavorful beer, suitable for beer and wine lovers alike.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a golden honey color with a big white head and spotty lacing.

Aroma: Funky farmhouse yeast, lemon, peach, orange zest, apricot, apple, pear, pineapple, candi sugar, clove, slight banana, wheat and light malts.

Taste: Light and sweet pale malts, Farmhouse funk, lemon, peach, orange zest, apricot, pineapple, light banana, candi sugar, light oak, clove, light wheat and earthy hops.

Overall: Clean and balanced, The Bruery Tripel Tonnellerie is enjoyable.  This 9.5% ABV offering is crisp and smooth and worth a try for fans of the style.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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Cigar City Brewing Invasion Pale Ale

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

Tonight’s featured beer is Cigar City Brewing Invasion Pale Ale.

From the Cigar City Brewing website: “The people of Tampa Bay have fallen prey to Pirate invasion every year for well over 100 years. After more than a century of failing to repel these seafaring raiders in their anachronistic wooden ships, despite access to modern sea, land and air arsenals that ostensibly should make short work of wind powered vessels equipped with naught but cast iron cannons and raging scurvy, it occurred to the folks of Cigar City Brewing that if you can’t beat them start saying Arrrr Matey! And so we have brewed Invasion Pale Ale, a citrusy and tropical session beer brewed for those long days of marauding, pillaging and pirating. Cheers!”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a hazy golden orange color with a large white head and lots of lacing.

Aroma: Tropical, citrus and slight pine hops, with a touch of sweet caramel and toasted malts.

Taste: Orange, tangerine, slight lemon and tropical hop flavors balanced with some sweet caramel and toasted malts.

Overall: Light and tropical, Cigar City Brewing Invasion Pale Ale is refreshing and enjoyable.  This 5% ABV offering is highly recommended for those seeking a Pale Ale that’s different from the norm.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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Modern Times Beer Fortunate Islands Hoppy Tropical Wheat

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

Tonight’s featured beer is Modern Times Beer Fortunate Islands Hoppy Tropical Wheat.  I picked this can up at The Wine Club in San Jose (here). They have a small craft beer section, but they have an incredible selection.  If you're anywhere near The Wine Club go visit them and tell 'em Mark from NorCal Beer Blog sent you!

From the Modern Times Beer website: “Fortunate Islands shares the characteristics of an uber-hoppy IPA and an easy drinking wheat beer. A massive dose of Citra and Amarillo hops gives it a blastwave of tropical hop aromatics: mango, tangerine, and passionfruit all leap out of the glass. Brewed with 60% wheat malt, Fortunate Islands also has the mild, nutty malt backbone, reasonable ABV, and restrained bitterness to make it an outstanding session beer.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours clear gold with a huge white head from an aggressive pour and lots of lacing.

Aroma: Tropical fruits, citrus, banana, light wheat and sweet malts in the nose.

Taste: Citrus and tropical hop notes, sweet pale malt, biscuit, wheat and a touch of caramel and banana.

Overall: Easy to drink and light, Modern Times Beer Fortunate Islands Hoppy Tropical Wheat is a very nice beer. This 5% ABV offering is well worth a try and something I plan to pick up again.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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New Glarus Brewing Company Serendipity Happy Accident Fruit Ale

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

Tonight’s featured beer is New Glarus Brewing Company Serendipity Happy Accident Fruit Ale.

From the New Glarus Brewing Company website: “Severe Drought, we shared the farmer’s horror as Wisconsin’s cherry crop failed! Dan bought what cherries he could. The Apple crop fared better. Then joy! A grand Wisconsin cranberry harvest. What will Dan brew with Apples, Cranberries and Cherries? Oh my! You hold the happy accident of Wisconsin’s favorite fruit aged in oak with an almost magical wild fermentation. Serendipity is a wondrous celebration that sparkles your senses and dances across your palate. A kaleidoscope of flavor discovered by accident in a sour ale!

Cheers to the unexpected.”

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a reddish brown with a solid beige head and nice lacing.

Aroma: Apples, cranberry and cherries – juicy and fruity.

Taste: Sweet and tart apple, cherry and cranberry flavors with light malt and a touch of vanilla.

Overall: Light and well balanced, New Glarus Brewing Company Serendipity Happy Accident Fruit Ale is incredible. This 4% ABV offering lives up to the hype and then some.

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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Boulevard Brewing Company Westside Rye Ale

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

Tonight’s featured beer is Boulevard Brewing Company Westside Rye Ale - Tasting Room. I picked this one up at the brewery on a trip to Kansas City.

Commercial description: “30% malted rye = tangy, piquant, edgy. Does it go well with pastrami? You tell us. Pale Malt, Malted Rye, Amber Malt, Melanoidin Malt, Midnight Wheat (Rye is 30% of total grist).

Let’s get started!

Appearance: Pours a deep copper color with a large cream colored head and lots of spotty lacing.

Aroma: Caramel, toasted and bready malts, rye spice and very slight floral and citrus hop notes.

Taste: Toasted, sweet caramel and bready malts, rye spice and just a slight hop bitterness for balance.

Overall: Toasty and a touch sweet, Boulevard Brewing Company Westside Rye Ale is very enjoyable.  This 5.2% ABV offering is yet another well-made beer from Boulevard!

Cheers!

Mark Harvey

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