CS Booze Club.

[Victory Sabre]

Well, that went VERY fast, so on to the 2014.

Since it is listed as unfiltered, I tried to remember how the bartender poured the beer that I had a few weeks ago that was unfiltered. Hope I did it right.

Well, as advertized - tons of head, and a lighter golden color than the last one, but very cloudy, where the other was clear. I've only poured half of it and the head goes almost to the top of the glass. I let it sellte and poured some more. Let it settle again and finish. There's a lighter nose than the last one.

Taste. A lot more fruity taste to it. Again a very good beer, though I think the 1984 is slightly better. 6.5 out of 10, and again, a very good beer that could go down pretty damn fast.

[Victory Sabre]

I'm sure I'll regret this, but onto #3 - Dampfbier.

This beer has more of an amber color, and not a lot of head when I poured it. I don't notice much nose.

Taste - Good. Very good. They describe this as mildly hopped, and it is. They also say it has a subtle spicy aroma, and this is also true. Another one they hit it out of the park in my opinion. # 1 is still the best, but the others are soooooooo close behind. 6.5 out of 10.

Will I do #4? It looks pretty good. I'll be pretty toasty by the time I'm done with this.

Back to some Nuge Shut Up & Jam, and finish this beer.

[Jester]

So jealous of that wheat beer variety pack.

From Cigar City Brewing in Tampa (pretty much the best damn brewery in Florida), we have Homefront IPA* (6.2% ABV). Yes, me with an IPA. By choice, no less. This one out of a can, though with Cigar City, that is not a bad thing. (Ask anyone who's had a can of their Maduro brown ale.) An interesting reddish color, with a lot of....floating things. Either that's the orange peel they brewed it with, or my glass was really, really dirty. I'm not known for having dirty pint glasses, so I'm really hoping it's the latter. The nose is very hoppy, but the orange peel is very noticeable in the background. And the taste is not nearly as hoppy. The orange peel and the hops work well together to create a harmonious, smooth beer. It's not great, but it is pretty good. I give it a 6.5.


*Homefront is infused with orange peels, as I mentioned, but also of note is that it's "aged on donated Louisville Slugger maple bats," and was created "to honor and support the men and women of America's armed forces," according to the can. Also of note is that it is brewed with donated hops from Yakima's Puterbaugh Farms, and is canned in cans donated by Crown (a packager, not the whiskey company). Also, this is apparently not just a Cigar City project, but a collaboration by many breweries for this effort. I guess I just got the Cigar City version because I'm in Florida. Other breweries in the collaboration: 21st Amendment, Center of the Universe, Fremont, Left Hand, Maui, Palmetto, Perennial Artisan, Saint Arnold, Sly Fox, and Stone, some of which I'm familiar with, some of which I'm not. Still, good to know. For more information on this particular project, go to www.hopsforheroes.com.

[Victory Sabre]

Speaking of Cigar city - Carnival Cruise Lines announced that they will have Cigar City beers on their cruises departing from Florida. Oh, yeah. I thank Jester for exposing me to their beers.

Damn, I need to get back and some more of the goodness. When can I take a vacation? Dang, not till next year.

I've heard of a couple of the breweries, but most I have not. I would be very interested in trying the beers.

Here is the 4th beer.

I guess I couldn't stop with 3, and needed to do # 4. - the Weizenbock.

Color is somewhere between #1 and #2. Golden, but not as hazy as #2, not as clear as #1. Not a lot of head. As for the nose, there's a bit, but hard to pin down.

As for the taste - WOW! I think #1 - the 1984 has been dethroned. This is really good! Very fruity, and even though it says it's very hoppy, it's in balance with the other flavors. So good. Perfect beer for a very hot day, a very refreshing beer. 8 out of 10.

I'm so glad I purchased this 12 pack, and can't wait to revisit these beers again. The 2nd oldest family owned brewery in the nation has done one hell of a job, again.

[Victory Sabre]

Wet Hot American Wheat from the Finch Brewing co. (I've never heard of them)

Very light golden color, decent head when poured from the tap. A citrusy nose to it.

Taste -pretty damn good. This beer is a good follow up to the Schell's wheat beers last night. I do get the citrus in the taste. 6 out of 10.

[Victory Sabre]

And now off the wheat kick.

Bank Brewing Co. Black Lager

As expected, looks like motor oil. There was a little head from the tap, but went away fast. The nose has a hint of chocolate.

Taste - wow. another good beer, and pretty much what I expected from the name. It does have a chocolately taste, maybe also a hint of mocha. 6 out of 10

[Victory Sabre]

No booze review tonight, but I found this.

http://www.taproomtravelers.com/episodes/

These people travel around brewpubs in the upper midwest and visit brewpubs. They have the first episode out now - Lazy Monk Brewing, and I guess they have 6 done, and will oput more out soon.

[sms001]

taproomtravelers

Interesting! I'll check it out this afternoon, thanks.

[Victory Sabre]

Still no Beer Camp, yet, but I found some new stuff from Schell's Brewery.

Schell's 89.3 The Current

The can says it's a Kolsh style ale. When I poured it into my Grain Belt Nordeast glass there is a decent amount of head. It has a light golden color to it. I really don't detect any nose to it.

As for the taste: to be honest, there really isn't much. It is a fairly light bodied beer, and probably is a good summer drinking beer, but if you like flavor, you'll be disappointed. 4 out of 10.

[Victory Sabre]

Second, and final, review of the night.

Schell's Arminius

This beer, according to their site (and Facebook page, where I first heard about it), is a hoppy beer. It's made with a blend of German, French, and American hops. That description really makes me interested.

When I pour it into my Vikings Legends - John Randle glass, it's very similar in color to the last one, maybe a bit darker golden. The nose hits me like a ton of bricks, and I'm not even close to the glass. As I move close to take a good sniff, the floral really comes out. I think I'm going to be in for a treat.

And the taste is what I would expect, but the hoppiness isn't obnoxious. It's really well balanced. You really get a flavorful, smooth, beer from the can. It's very good. If I would have known that the Current beer was going to be so sub par, I would have bought 2 4 packs of the Arminius, instead of 1. It's expensive, at around $10 for a 4 pack, but worth it. 8 out of 10. I would love to try this on tap, hopefully Old Chicago will get that someday.

Speaking of OC. I only have 5 beers to go to become an official VIP. I will do 4 tomorrow, and do my final one Sunday night.

[Jester]

The Kolsch style is generally light, and I've found most aren't huge in the flavor department, but that's the style. Good for a hot day, but it's not gonna blow your socks off.

[Victory Sabre]

I'll probably bring those out to the fair for general consumption, unless 1 might find it's way to Florida.

[Victory Sabre]

In Coralville Iowa at the Backpocket Brewpub for a bite to eat (and drink) on my way to Moline Illinois. It's beer time.

Jacknife IPA. IT's 5.7% and an IBU of 50.4. it's got a nice darker golden color, and a decent head when poured.

Taste. fairly standard for an IPA, maybe a bit toned down, though. it's fairly easy to drink on a warm day. 5.5 out of 10. I'll try to get a 6 pack of it at the liquor store after dinner.

I also got several new beers this morning when I was in Irv land. got a 12 pack of New Glarus Spotted Cow. I also got 2 of their 4 pack speciality beers, but the names escape me at the moment.

[sms001]

I love New Glarus, Sabre. Nothing too fancy, but often outstanding, and rock steady, dependable drinkability up and down their product line. Hometown Blonde is a favorite of mine, but hard to go wrong with the 'cow.

[Jester]

Vic, why don't you take this moment to explain IBUs to those people who may not understand them or may not have heard of them?