I know, I know, it’s been ages since I have updated, but you try working full-time, while selling your life (I am moving to Europe), and write a blog at the same time…..it’s tough!

Anyway, I will not beat around the bush on this one. I like this week’s beer. I like it a lot! The Hibernation Ale from Great Divide Brewing co. is made out of Colorado. It definitely tastes of alcohol, all 8.7% of them, but in no way does it leave a bad taste in your mouth. Instead it blends with a flavor of milk chocolate and caramel, which I found out was part of the malt in this one. That is a great thing for someone with a sweet tooth and I am guilty of having one of those!

Apparently, this ale will taste even better if stored for a year.  So if you have a bottle or two extra (highly unlikely) then place it in a cool room with little light and wait. If you are patient enough then you should have a nice surprise awaiting you next winter.

All the best,

Lucas

This week has been another busy one, but that’s also when it  feels so good just putting your feet up and enjoying a nice seasonal. This week’s choice did not disappoint me at all. I do not feel bad for joining the preaching choir to tell you all that the Winter Solstice Ale from Anderson Valley Brewing co. is a great beer. I like it because it’s smooth, but still has lots of taste, with everything from fruit, hops, and perfect bitterness. One thing is for sure,  this does not taste like a beer that contains a mighty 6.9% alcohol, and to me that’s a good thing!

For those who are interested in tasting this gem, just visit the Anderson beerfinder page. And for those who have a hunger for more beer reviews, news, and events Thefullpint is a great way to start. You’d be surprised with the amount of fun and interesting articles you can find there. Keep up the good work guys!

That’s it for today folks,

Lucas

Hello All!

For every day that passes we are getting one step closer to spring and yet another new batch of seasonal ales. But as I recall winter ends sometime  in February and so I will be indulging in the flavors of winter for another couple of weeks. As a Scandinavian who’s used to snow and winter cold until late march, the mild winters of the NW are messing with my mind. Xmas is not the same, and there is no “Horse and Wagon Event” celebrating the first bottles of Winter brew made by breweries such as Tuborg, and Carlsberg in Copenhagen, Denmark. (The Tuborg site is awesome)

With that being said, I recently tried a wide variety of winter ales and the one we’ll talk about today is called Alaskan Winter Ale, from the Alaskan Brewery in Juneau, AK. These guys know what I’m talking about. They hardly see the sun up there during the winter either, and the winter is loooong. That is probably why they make such a tasty winter ale. Personally I really, really like this one. It is fruity, but not too fruity. It’s bitter, but not too bitter. What really gets me is the hint of spruce and a sweet aftertaste. I might be a little bit partial here since I am a big fan of the Alaskan Amber, however this is one of my favorite beers of the season.

Go see if it’s still on the shelf.

Lucas

 The first international beer of the season, and it’s the Winter Welcome Ale from Samuel Smith’s The Old Brewery Tadcaster, England. A classic English pale ale. I’ve had the pleasure to enjoy my fair share of English beer as I have spent much of my summers there from age three. My grandma was a Manchester girl and so I grew up routing for Man U and drinking beer with low carbonation levels. Luckily I still play football (soccer), still watch the Man U games, and I still enjoy an English ale every now and then.

The Old Brewery is actually the oldest brewery in Yorkshire, dating all the way back to 1758. Needless to say I was pretty enthusiastic about to try an English classic while in the U.S.  The Winter Welcome Ale, like so many other English pale ales lack in flavor. Being used to the spicy American seasonals it was a little disappointing. However, with things in perspective I must say I quite liked this beer. There’s not very much flavor and it tastes a little flat, but it tastes of England. I wouldn’t recommend this to someone who wanted a taste explosion, but as far as a classic ale goes it definitely does the job.

While trying to find some more information about this brewery I stumbled across brewinfo.org which has a list of breweries world-wide. A great source of inspiration when planning a beer-tasting trip or simply learning about the different beer makers of the world. Learn more about Sam Smith’s

That’s all for now lads,

Lucas

So I do apologize about the untimely updates lately. It’s not that I haven’t been trying different winter beers, it’s just that I haven’t written any reviews on them. I blame it on too many beers and too little time.

Well, beer number five is called Winter Hook Ale, which is brewed by the Redhook Ale Brewery, in Woodinville, WA. I had this beer before Christmas dinner but to remind myself of the flavor I tasted another one today, and I have come to the same conclusion as during X-mas. This is not one of my favorite beers this season, period. First of all, it’s almost like drinking a somewhat bitter lager. I know the flavor is there somewhere, such as the hint of chocolate and caramel, but it seems to evade me. It’s almost as if the entire flavor denies my taste buds and disappears in to the throat without making an impression. Secondly, the only flavor that does stick is an after taste of burnt dirt. Not really my cup of tea if you don’t mind me saying so. 

 I’m sorry if some of you out there really love this beer. It is not my intention to upset anyone, and least of all anyone who works for Redhook. You guys do a great job, however this beer is not for me. I am sure that you will find comfort that the guys & gals at Beeradvocate had an entirely different opinion in assessing the Winter Hook.

Enjoy responsibly,

Lucas

The Snow Cap is another dark, nutty, bitter ale, but it leaves you with a very nice spicy feeling. The aftertaste is chocolatey which suited me fine as I was enjoying a nice piece of chocolate after dinner. One of the only beers I’ve ever had that mixed perfectly with dessert!!! The Snow Cap has a fairly high alcohol content with it’s 7%, however it does not dictate the flavour of the beer. I was not surprised when I read that this beer placed second in the -98 World Beer Championships, as it is so far my favorite winter ale this season.

On another note, Pyramid Breweries is one of those companies that has added Alehouses to its repertoire. So if you are ever in Portland, Seattle, or in the Bay Area, make sure to visit one of the Pyramid Alehouses.

It is always interesting to see what other people think about the different beers that I have the privilege to try week in and week out. A good site that provides first hand information and a ton of beer news is BeerAdvocate. Not only does it review beers such as the Snow Cap, but it also publishes a magazine and allows its users to join in discussions through the BeerAdvocate community.

Remember to share your knowledge and attitudes about beer with us here or at the Beerlovers twitter page.

Lucas

First off, the HumBug’r will not cause your taste buds to explode, or your heart to skip beats. It is a very mild porter with few surprises, but for someone who is not overly accustomed to the flavor of really rich porters, this is quite nice. For me, most porters tend to have a hint of a coffee in the after taste and this is no different, though this is definitely oaty as well . If you are an avid ale drinker this is not a bad beer to change things up a little.

If you are interested in a more thorough review of the HumBug’r,and several other beers, the Beervana blog does  a great job in analyzing flavor, body, and package. As a marketer and design fanatic I might not always agree with their packaging expertise, but they sure know their beers.

Come back soon, and please share your winter beer stories with us here at Beerloversblog or on our beerlovers twitter page.

Lucas

The Sierra Nevada Celebration Ale has been on my Xmas table four years running. The fact that the basic Sierra Nevada Pale Ale is one of my favourite drinks when relaxing at the local ale house might have something to do with it?! Sure there is more than a hint of bitterness in the flavour, but it also adds the bounce in the beverage.

In the words of Stan Sessor, San Francisco Chronicle – “…best beer ever made in America.” Now I might not agree with our friend Stan, however this beer is a must during the holidays because it is a classic. However, do not think of Sierra as simply another beer company spicing things up for the holidays. Take some time and learn about their top of the line solar powered brewery, or order something from the Sierra Nevada gift shop here.

Enjoy responsibly,

Lucas

The first beer of the week was the 2below ale, which I picked up at my local Safeway. 2below is brewed and bottled in the New Belgium Brewery in Fort Collins, CO. It is a very smooth ale that will please a wide spectrum of beer drinkers (Which is probably why I found it at Safeway). In my opinion a very tasty ale that goes perfectly with a meal.  What’s more, The New Blegium Brewery happens to be a really cool company (not only because of the beers) which believes in community and sustainability. They even have a bike race and a bike-in movie theater for crying out loud!!

Read more about 2below and New Belgium Brewery.  Come back for more beer tasting in a little bit!
Lucas

In the mean time you should do the same thing and share it all on this very blog.  If you are a slow starter, here’s a little something for inspiration. Novus Vinum has created it’s very own top 10 with beers from all over the world, such as Hibernation Ale out of Colorado, from Germany, and Corsendonk from Belgium.  Here are the top 5 to get you started!

1. Hibernation Ale – Great Divide
2. Celbration Ale – Sierra Nevada
3. Winter Lager – Samuel Adams
4. “Doggie Claws” – Hair of the Dog
5. “Storm King” – Victory