I figured I would start doing some tasting notes periodically, just to get the hang of what I'm looking for in a beer and how to properly do beer tasting. Last night, I tried four different beers and took notes for each one. Here's what I tried:
Here are my tasting notes. Feel free to comment, compare, ask questions, etc. And off we go!
Note: If the images are really big, I have resized them. It may take Photobucket a bit to finally save them that way, I've found.
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Brau Brothers - Sheep Head Ale:
Appearance: Toasty amber color, with just a tinge of red to it. Moderate head on the beer, that will really balloon up if you don't pour it down the side of the glass. The head does last for a bit, not dissipating quickly. Maybe a minute or two?
Aroma: Lightly malty, plenty of citrusy hops
Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, clean
Taste: Somewhat malty, touch of spice, light caramel flavor. Some bitterness from the hops, light citrus notes (lemon?), bitterness lingering just a bit on the aftertaste.
Overall: My opinion is this is a pretty tasty beer. I expected a slightly heavier beer, then got a clean mouthfeel and medium body. The bright, citrus flavor from the hops helps to offset the slightly sweet maltiness. I'd recommend this served pretty chilled, but not ice-cold.
Other info:
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Capital Brewery - Blonde Doppelbock:
Appearance: Golden, almost honey-like in color. Nice head that dissipates quickly.
Aroma: Sweet honey and malt. No real hop aroma.
Mouthfeel: Thick and creamy, it foams up in your mouth as you sip it. Very smooth, coating the mouth. Nearly zero carbonation.
Taste: Sweet and creamy, with honey and malt very prominent. No hop flavor noticeable, and just a tiny hint of bitterness. Slight toasty notes on the end.
Overall: I love it! It's a big mouthful. A big, creamy beer. Excellent choice for an after-dinner/dessert beverage.
Other info:
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Tyranena Down 'n Dirty Chocolate Oatmeal Stout:
Appearance: Very dark, but not black. Impossible to see through, yet still obviously clear (i.e. not murky/cloudy) Very mild head that dissipates quickly.
Aroma: Heavy coffee aroma, burnt toast, and slight nuttiness.
Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, smooth, slight creaminess that lingers after swallowing, and mild carbonation.
Taste: Coffee. LOTS of coffee. Some nuttiness and toasted grain, unsweetened cocoa, and burnt caramel are noticeable. A touch of bitterness, but not real hoppy. More like bitter coffee and cocoa. Slight brightness of bitterness on the end.
Overall: Moderately heavy beer, decent complexity. Good for heavy meals or after dinner.
Other info:
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Leinenkugel's Big Eddy Wee Heavy Scotch Ale:
Appearance: Dark brown, with a hint of redness. Clear beer, with a mild head that dissipates quickly.
Aroma: Sweetness with a slight fruity aroma. (Cherries? Maybe tart strawberries..?) You'll tell right away it's a heavy, high ABV beer.
Mouthfeel: Thick and moderately creamy, with very slight carbonation.
Taste: Malt and toast are hit with sweetness and tart fruit flavors of cherry and/or strawberry. Also noticed just a hint of coffee or oak, and perhaps a touch of apricot.
Overall: It's a pretty tasty, big beer. But half-way through the bottle, the tart cherry/strawberry got to me. I'm thinking these may be some esthers coming out in the beer. It's quite smooth, with no noticeable warming effect from the high alcohol content. It's not bad, but I wouldn't drink more than one, nor order this on a regular basis. Perhaps my batch was a bit off..?
Other info:
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So, that's it! If anyone wants to discuss, or ask, feel free! Hope it proves useful! I know I learned a lot in the process of what to look for in beers, when I try them. Cheers!
- Brau Brothers - Sheep Head Ale
- Capital Brewery - Blonde Doppelbock
- Tyranena - Down 'n Dirty Chocolate Oatmeal Stout
- Leinenkugel's - Big Eddy Wee Heavy Scotch Ale
Here are my tasting notes. Feel free to comment, compare, ask questions, etc. And off we go!
Note: If the images are really big, I have resized them. It may take Photobucket a bit to finally save them that way, I've found.
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Brau Brothers - Sheep Head Ale:
Appearance: Toasty amber color, with just a tinge of red to it. Moderate head on the beer, that will really balloon up if you don't pour it down the side of the glass. The head does last for a bit, not dissipating quickly. Maybe a minute or two?
Aroma: Lightly malty, plenty of citrusy hops
Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, clean
Taste: Somewhat malty, touch of spice, light caramel flavor. Some bitterness from the hops, light citrus notes (lemon?), bitterness lingering just a bit on the aftertaste.
Overall: My opinion is this is a pretty tasty beer. I expected a slightly heavier beer, then got a clean mouthfeel and medium body. The bright, citrus flavor from the hops helps to offset the slightly sweet maltiness. I'd recommend this served pretty chilled, but not ice-cold.
Other info:
- Cost: $7 per 6-pack
- Caps: Pry-off
- ABV: 4.2%
- IBU: 65
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Capital Brewery - Blonde Doppelbock:
Appearance: Golden, almost honey-like in color. Nice head that dissipates quickly.
Aroma: Sweet honey and malt. No real hop aroma.
Mouthfeel: Thick and creamy, it foams up in your mouth as you sip it. Very smooth, coating the mouth. Nearly zero carbonation.
Taste: Sweet and creamy, with honey and malt very prominent. No hop flavor noticeable, and just a tiny hint of bitterness. Slight toasty notes on the end.
Overall: I love it! It's a big mouthful. A big, creamy beer. Excellent choice for an after-dinner/dessert beverage.
Other info:
- Cost: $9 per 4-pack
- Caps: Twist-off
- ABV: 7.8%
- IBU: 15-20 (estimated)
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Tyranena Down 'n Dirty Chocolate Oatmeal Stout:
Appearance: Very dark, but not black. Impossible to see through, yet still obviously clear (i.e. not murky/cloudy) Very mild head that dissipates quickly.
Aroma: Heavy coffee aroma, burnt toast, and slight nuttiness.
Mouthfeel: Medium-bodied, smooth, slight creaminess that lingers after swallowing, and mild carbonation.
Taste: Coffee. LOTS of coffee. Some nuttiness and toasted grain, unsweetened cocoa, and burnt caramel are noticeable. A touch of bitterness, but not real hoppy. More like bitter coffee and cocoa. Slight brightness of bitterness on the end.
Overall: Moderately heavy beer, decent complexity. Good for heavy meals or after dinner.
Other info:
- Cost: $9 per 6-pack
- Caps: Pry-off
- ABV: 6.5%
- IBU: 37
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Leinenkugel's Big Eddy Wee Heavy Scotch Ale:
Appearance: Dark brown, with a hint of redness. Clear beer, with a mild head that dissipates quickly.
Aroma: Sweetness with a slight fruity aroma. (Cherries? Maybe tart strawberries..?) You'll tell right away it's a heavy, high ABV beer.
Mouthfeel: Thick and moderately creamy, with very slight carbonation.
Taste: Malt and toast are hit with sweetness and tart fruit flavors of cherry and/or strawberry. Also noticed just a hint of coffee or oak, and perhaps a touch of apricot.
Overall: It's a pretty tasty, big beer. But half-way through the bottle, the tart cherry/strawberry got to me. I'm thinking these may be some esthers coming out in the beer. It's quite smooth, with no noticeable warming effect from the high alcohol content. It's not bad, but I wouldn't drink more than one, nor order this on a regular basis. Perhaps my batch was a bit off..?
Other info:
- Cost: $11 per 4-pack
- Caps: Pry-off (non-standard bottle for capping?)
- ABV: 9.5%
- IBU: 10-15 (estimated)
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So, that's it! If anyone wants to discuss, or ask, feel free! Hope it proves useful! I know I learned a lot in the process of what to look for in beers, when I try them. Cheers!
