Beer Review: Tröegs DreamWeaver Wheat

I had Troegs DreamWeaver on tap at Metropolitan in Baltimore a few weeks back. This is the first time of the season for me with this brew. I remember it being a decent and refreshing wheat beer, perfect for the recently warm and early Summer-like weather.

It came to me cloudy light gold with a huge fluffy white head that retains through most of the tasting. The lacing is also present throughout. It smells mild lemony citrus with just a hint of sharp spice from the hefe yeast. The taste is of subtle banana and lemon up front. It's  very subdued without much depth. While I appreciate aggressive fruit flavors in a beer, the mellowness of this one is refreshing. As it settles in it's mildy bready sweet and finishes lightly bitter.

DreamWeaver seems merely ok to me. It's an average representation of the style. I'm not sure I'd seek this out, but it's good every once in a while or for someone who isn't in to crazy craft beers. This would be a very easy introduction to the Hefeweizen style and local regional craft brews. If I happen to be shopping for a warm Summer day's session, I'd grab this if I was having a lot of people over. But, it will not be one of my regular warm season brews.

Beer Review: Oskar Blues Ten FIDY

Not an April Fool's joke.

I had Ten FIDY on tap at Frisco Taphouse a few weeks ago for happy hour. I've long been a fan of Oskar Blues and their stellar craft cans. I've had this one several times before, but it's been a while. It's pretty easy to get in my area in cans, but I don't get it often.

It came to me pitch black with a thin dark tan head. There isn't much lacing to speak of and the head quickly leaves. I'm picking up heavy coffee aromas, tart cherries and dark chocolate. It smells fantastic! As I began to sip on it the front mimics the aroma with coffee notes, tart cherries and dark chocolate. It feels deliciously tart and sour in the middle to the back of the throat and finishes very clean with a quick aftertaste. If feels medium in body with not a hint of it's 10.5% alcohol content.

Ten FIDY is an excellent ,flavorful and complex Russian imperial stout. If you like sweet strong stouts, it doesn't get much better than this in my opinion. Priced at about $8 a pour at Frisco its not an everyday beer. I recall this being priced around $15 for a four pack of cans. I may have to go our an buy some of this to keep around. It's too good to ignore.

Beer Review: North Coast Old Rasputin Russian Imperial Stout

Hello, old friend.

Had Old Rasputin on nitro at Frisco Taphouse a few weeks ago. I saw it on the short nitro list and bit. I've had this several times before, not in well over a year and never on nitro. I'm a big fan of the mega-stouts.

It came to me beautifully black with a thick small bubble tan head that sticks through the entire tasting. A decent amount of head is retained through the tasting. The aroma is a combination of big roasted malt notes and some hop bitterness.

As I took my first sips some coffee flavors and more dark roasted notes greeted me. The middle is very dry with no sweetness at all. Some bitter dark cocoa shows up towards the end. It finishes lightly bitter. This is a straight-up, no frills, Russian imperial stout.There's no extra fruity or chocolate flavors, just a well balanced dark and smooth flavor profile. It feels medium in body with not a hint of alcohol.

Old Rasputin is dangerously easy to drink. At 9% this one will sneak up on you quickly. A very enjoyable RIS that is one of the better American made versions available. Priced at $4 at Frisco, I was very happy with my decision.

Beer Review: Avery Maharaja

I picked up this bottle of Avery Maharaja in the Philly area about a month ago. It's been in the fridge since. My buddy Jeff (@TheBeerHaunt) recommended this highly. I hadn't seen this on shelves near me, though other brews from Avery can be found.

I shared this bottle with my sister-in-law. On the label it was dated as "Batch No. 13 Mar. 2011", so likely just under two months old at the time of this tasting. Maybe a little past it's prime, but should still be enjoyable as not much should have faded.

Poured this from a 22 oz. bottle in to a Weyerbacher tulip. It appears crystal clear copper with a one-finger white head and medium lacing. A thinned out head is retained through the tasting, clears from the center building up at the edges. There are light carbonation streams throughout the tasting.

It smells piney, of resinous hops, sweet, rich and creamy. There are huge piney citrusy hops up front, darker caramel malt feel in the middle and a long sharp bitter finish. As it opens up it almost tastes of dark butterscotch. It's a chewy one, but it's fantastic. I'm glad this was my last beer of the evening. No dessert needed. It feels medium in body with a light alcohol warmth. At almost 10.5% I was expecting some alcohol presence somewhere.

This is a huge aggressive and very well balanced double IPA. It's got beautiful floral hop notes in the nose and mouth. It's very bright, alive and sensory. Its almost a palate killer. I'd buy this again and would imagine this is even more spectacular when it's super fresh.

Beer Review: Mikkeller Drikkeriget GIPA

Hoppy Easter (a week late)

I had Mikkeller Drikkeriget GIPA on tap at Frisco Beer & Tap House in Columbia, MD for happy hour one evening. I'm a big fan of Mikkeller's beers. They are pricey over here in the States, but they definitely deliver on quality and creativity. It was explained to be by an extremely conversational and knowledgeable barkeep that this is an American IPA brewed in the German lager style. German IPA? Say what? Seems like a cool idea.

It came to be in a goblet and appeared bright clear gold with a one finger bubbly white head and very little lacing. It smells bright and sweet with but a whiff of hops. I'm not overly impressed with the aroma. It tastes like a slightly hop forward Belgian pale, not like an IPA to me at all. There are some very subtle grapefruit notes that are noticeable up front. The middle is unidimensionally dry and finishes slightly bitter. There's not much sweetness until longer after it's gone, the residue on the lips is tasty. It feels medium and creamy in body.

This is a very drinkable beer. I was surprised at the flavor profile, expecting a much more hop forward brew with some depth. This was good, but there are better versions of this style on the market and far better offerings from Mikkeller. Priced at $9 a pour at Frisco will keep me away from it for a while. I applaud Mikkeller for trying something that seems to me to be different and adventurous.

Beer Review: Firestone Walker Double Jack

I got this bottle of Double Jack from my buddy Greg in New Jersey about a month ago in a fairly large trade. We don't get Firestone Walker stuff in Maryland and he raves about them. I could not pass on a chance to get a bottle of their imperial India pale ale, one of my favorite styles. My wife and I split this bottle one fine evening.

I poured mine in to a Weyerbacher tulip. It appears clear faded copper with a foamy white head and some super sticky lacing. It smells of piny resinous hops with a touch of citrus tart sweetness. The nose is huge. Typical for Jersey, right?

The up front flavor is of huge grassy hops. It settles in piney and gooey with a touch of cane sugary sweetness in the middle balanced out by a somewhat dark malt backbone. It's got a long fading bitter finish. To me it feels pretty well balanced considering the potential sweetness of this brew The is a very sensory beer. It wakes up your palate and subsequently kicks the shit out of it.

This is an excellent beer. I'd put this just a notch above Dogfish Head's 90 Minute IPA simply because this is more balanced for the hop profile. At close to 10% in alcohol content it will weigh heavy on your balance and judgement. It's a borderline palate killer with it's huge flavor profiles. But, if you're going to have one craft brew for an evening this is certainly an excellent choice.


I'm looking forward to trying the other stuff from Firestone Walker that I've got sitting here, Abacus and Robust Porter.

Beer Review: He'Brew Genesis Ale

It's kosher. Really.

Picked up this single 12 ounce bottle of He'Brew Genesis Ale in a mix-your-own six pack at Towson Wine & Spirits in Towson, MD. Follow them on the Twitter @TowsonWine. $10 flat rate mixed packs, great price. Nice little shop there. This is my first from He'Brew, picked up a single of Messiah Bold as well. My first experiences with stuff from Shmaltz Brewing Company weren't all that great. I had a few from their Coney Island series and was not at all impressed. It seemed like they missed the mark with those. 


I poured this into a pint glass. It appears hazy dark copper with a white medium bubbled head, moderate carbonation streams and a thin lacing all the way down the glass. It smells glorious. I was very happy with this as it seems I've recently run into some not-so-aromatic brews. It smells of toffee, toasted dark sweet breakfast bread with some more generic sweet malt notes.

Genesis is slightly bitter up front but settles in nice and sweet. The middle is creamy and rich with some toffee, caramel and chewy toasted malt notes. It finishes clean with only a slight bit of bitterness. This combination of flavors is consistent with the English brown style, but this feels a little lighter in body and lighter on the palate.

For what it is, an amber/red ale, this is a good beer. It's enjoyable and easy to drink. It's a good representation of the style and is quite session-able. It's more refreshing than what I would expect from an amber as it's not at all heavy on the palate. I'd get a six pack of this to keep in the fridge without a second thought.


I've been making an effort to drink more small beers and less of the big boys. Tis this season for such an initiative.