gtpro
Well-Known Member
So the bar up the street from me had a beer tasting today. I was reluctant to go initially based on the selection that was to be offered but boy am I glad I did.
Harpoon
most of you guys know this brewery out of Boston, producing great ales at a commercial level
Celtic Red- never tried this one before, pretty malty but with a very unique taste
IPA- awesome, of course, great representation of the American IPA style
Geary's
A Maine brewery producing English styles that doesnt get enough credit.
London Porter- actually deemed the best porter in the world by the New York Times
Hampshire Special Ale- An ESP with good malty flavors and nice hop balance
Winter- The lightest color and flavor I've ever seen in a winter style, apparently this was intentional, a variation of HSA
IIPA-delicious, big hop aroma, moderate bitterness with a great hoppy finish, malty enough to balance it all out
Black Bear Brewery (go Black Bears!)
A two-employee Orono brewery that is pumping out competitive ales.
Pale ale- great cascade hopped representation of an APA
Black Demon Stout- not a huge fan of stouts, but this one hangs with the best of them, great roasty flavor, nice fine head, everything you would expect from a stout.
Patriot Brown Ale- An interesting brown, brewed with roasted malts but hopped with cascade, its got the rich mouthfeel of a brown with the crisp hoppy flavor of an APA
Wicked Distributors
A local distributor that carries a lot of European styles.
St. Feuillen Saison- Light, fruity and delicious
Weyerbacher Double Simcoe- good IPA but not my favorite
Old Engine Oil- rotten smell without a taste to make up for it, I dont like stouts to begin with but I hate this one.
Tilburg Brown- seemed to lack flavor and body
Lucifer Belgian Ale- great representation of a Belgian Ale
Weyerbacher Heresy (Imperial Stout) - aged in bourbon barrels and the flavor of bourbon really comes through
*****esse Flemish Sour Ale- my first real sour ale, reminded me of a cider, would not buy it, but I could certainly appreciate the style
Couple questions from things I heard:
1) Were belgian "monk brewed" beers actually mainly brewed by nuns?
2) Are Belgian beers often brewed in large open fermentors with wild yeast inoculation from the air? If yes, how do they maintain consistency?
Harpoon
most of you guys know this brewery out of Boston, producing great ales at a commercial level
Celtic Red- never tried this one before, pretty malty but with a very unique taste
IPA- awesome, of course, great representation of the American IPA style
Geary's
A Maine brewery producing English styles that doesnt get enough credit.
London Porter- actually deemed the best porter in the world by the New York Times
Hampshire Special Ale- An ESP with good malty flavors and nice hop balance
Winter- The lightest color and flavor I've ever seen in a winter style, apparently this was intentional, a variation of HSA
IIPA-delicious, big hop aroma, moderate bitterness with a great hoppy finish, malty enough to balance it all out
Black Bear Brewery (go Black Bears!)
A two-employee Orono brewery that is pumping out competitive ales.
Pale ale- great cascade hopped representation of an APA
Black Demon Stout- not a huge fan of stouts, but this one hangs with the best of them, great roasty flavor, nice fine head, everything you would expect from a stout.
Patriot Brown Ale- An interesting brown, brewed with roasted malts but hopped with cascade, its got the rich mouthfeel of a brown with the crisp hoppy flavor of an APA
Wicked Distributors
A local distributor that carries a lot of European styles.
St. Feuillen Saison- Light, fruity and delicious
Weyerbacher Double Simcoe- good IPA but not my favorite
Old Engine Oil- rotten smell without a taste to make up for it, I dont like stouts to begin with but I hate this one.
Tilburg Brown- seemed to lack flavor and body
Lucifer Belgian Ale- great representation of a Belgian Ale
Weyerbacher Heresy (Imperial Stout) - aged in bourbon barrels and the flavor of bourbon really comes through
*****esse Flemish Sour Ale- my first real sour ale, reminded me of a cider, would not buy it, but I could certainly appreciate the style
Couple questions from things I heard:
1) Were belgian "monk brewed" beers actually mainly brewed by nuns?
2) Are Belgian beers often brewed in large open fermentors with wild yeast inoculation from the air? If yes, how do they maintain consistency?
