Welcome to LG's and Paige's Beer Reviews!

Beer reviews by mathematicalbagpiper and trunthepaige!

Friday, 29 January 2010

  • Scotch Review: Glenlivet 25 Archive



    Scotch Whiskey is my "other" favorite beverage. That smoky sweetness, burning sensation on the way down, and those fumes that shoot up the nose make Scotch a one-of-a-kind alcoholic beverage.

    I was lucky enough to pick up during a going out of business sale for a dying liquor store here. I guess you can even find high quality beverages in a heavily Mormon town. Even though I have to hide this from plain view, and it was bloody expensive, it was well worth the price.

    Color: Rich dark golden-amber.

    Smell: Floral, sweet, fruity, sherry. Pretty alcoholic too.

    Attack: Sweet honey and vanilla.

    Finish: Pronounced sherry and spice note. Semi sweet/bitter on the way down.

    Final Notes: At just 43% alcohol, you're not going to find a better Scotch, if you're lucky enough to get ahold of this stuff. It's absolutely unbelievable, and trust me, I'm going to milk it for all it's worth. Very pricey at $350/bottle (I got it for MUCH LESS though, check around), but a Scotch your taste buds will absolutely adore. An "A+" Scotch for sure.

Wednesday, 27 January 2010

  • Request Review: Sierra Nevada Pale Ale



    This is one of the more requested beers for review. I've only ever done one Sierra Nevada review here, so maybe this is a good time for this one. This beer is in the style of an American Pale Ale, which is supposed to be slightly less hoppy than a European Pale Ale and significantly less hoppy than a IPA. That said, for an APA it was tasty.

    Pour: Light orange color that's slightly hazy and a 2-fingered white head that dissipates somewhat slowly and clings to the glass.

    Smell: Primarily spicy hops up front, with a combination of floral and citrus hop undertone and an underlying pale malt sweetness.

    Taste: In an unusual turn of events, the hops are actually the first thing you taste. Up front you get the citrus and floral notes, not overbearing but present. The middle gives way to a combination of pale malty sweetness and yeasty/bready notes, followed in the back with a spicy hop finish. Tasty.

    Mouthfeel: Light-to-medium bodied and smooth. Fair amount of carbonation going on. Very refreshing.

    Drinkability: I could quaff these. They go down so easily, and you could easily have a few in a single sitting when out with friends or at a party.

    Final Notes: More hops than I'd expected out of an American Pale Ale. Not as hoppy as an IPA, but somewhere in between an average APA and IPA in terms of the hops. A good introduction for those that want to work up to hoppy beers, though probably not an ideal choice for a first beer. Great summer brew. A solid "B" beer.

Monday, 25 January 2010

  • A Poem About Beer

    When life gives you hell,
    When life just isn't going so well;

    When things have turned to shit,
    When things have you at end of your wit;

    Take that sip and feel great,
    Feel that euphoria you anxiously await!

    When life is swell,
    When life going very well;

    When things are looking up,
    When half-full appears the cup;

    Pour yourself an ale or stout,
    Now you're so happy you want to shout!

    It's the drink we all love,
    So given from the one above;

    It's the beverage we all adore,
    So here's to a beer, or three or four.

Wednesday, 20 January 2010

  • Portneuf Valley Brewing Company - Pocatello, Idaho





    Having recently moved to Pocatello, Idaho from Abilene, Texas (and leaving my newly beloved Cypress Street Station behind) for grad school, I was beginning to wonder if I was going to find a microbrewery in a town that's made up of 70% Latter-day Saints. Thanks to my fellow beer expert and partner in crime Paige, I came across the Portneuf Valley Brewing Company right here in Pocatello, just a few streets down from ISU.

    Located in the very old part of town on South 1st Street, Portneuf Valley Brewing Company looks more like an old storage facility than a microbrewery (of course, that's just because it is an old renovated warehouse). Turns out it was the perfect place to set up a microbrewery - plenty of room for the brew vats and all of the equipment, and still a lot of dining and bar space left over.

    Brewmistress Penny Pink comes to us with an extensive background in analytical chemistry and related fields, so something tells me she would know something about brewing beer, in the very least. Pretty much everything you'll find at PVB is a result of Pink's ideas, from the house-brewed beers to the food. It seems to be sort of a labor of love for her, and in my email correspondence with her I can definitely feel her passion and love behind what she does. Of course, she's very humble about it too:

    "I'll be sure to pass this on to the staff as well, since they deserve most of the credit for a job well done. I couldn't do it without them!!!" she remarked after I emailed her my comments regarding my experience.

    The service is well above satisfactory, with a wait staff that is attentive, but not overbearing. They make sure you're alright and have plenty to drink, but are not intrusive or annoying. I made sure to leave good tips to reflect that, as they were well earned.

    So, all that aside, what about the food and drink? Let me just say that for the price paid, you get a very large plate of food. I was actually surprised, and I had trouble finishing my plate the first time I went there (I ordered a salad - forgot which one exactly, but it was huge). Absolutely delicious too, seemed to have just the right combination of flavors. The next week I ordered a half-order of angel hair pasta in a garic butter sauce with veggies and a side salad. Paired with my beers for the night, I was in heaven. Just the right amount of food, and for $7.95 you can hardly beat the price.

    As far as the beer, no matter what you choose, you won't go wrong. I've had three of their beers thus far, all of which I have been very impressed with. They have beers to suit all different palates and preferences: everything from the Ligertown Lager - a light American lager but with none of the skunky adjunct fillers to the Midnight Satin - a rich, delicious cream stout, and everything in between, including rotating seasonals and "Brewer's Specials." As mentioned, these beers are the original recipes of brewmistress Penny Pink.

    For those of you that don't drink - don't worry. You can still catch some refreshment here. In addition to the house brewed beers, this place also makes sodas and such in-house as well. There's something for everyone here.

    All this to say that I've found a place to hang out every Monday evening after class (as time and money permits, of course). Good beer, good food, and friendly service, all wrapped up in a relaxed, inviting atmosphere. You won't go wrong with PVB. If you're ever in Pocatello look me up, I'll be sure to meet you for a pint or two (or perhaps three ).

    For more information, visit the PVB website.

Saturday, 16 January 2010

  • Sam Adams Noble Pils



    The new spring brew (replacing Sam Adams White Ale) has arrived, and it's a German-style pilsner brewed with 5 varieties of German noble hops (or so it says). I have to admit I was glad to see White Ale gone, in my opinion that was one of the worst Sam Adams beers in their line-up (only to be outdone by Cranberry Lambic and Cherry Wheat, both of which taste like fruit-flavored cough drops). So I tried this about a week and a half ago, and got bogged down with the whole moving and the grad school thing, but here's the review nonetheless, and it was a decent beer.

    Pour: Pale goldenrod-yellow that foamed up a lot, about 3 fingers of white head on this one. Dissipated somewhat slowly and left a bit of lacing on the glass.

    Smell: Hops immediately present. Some floral, earthy, and citrus hop notes. Syrupy sweet malt character in the background.

    Taste: Sticky, syrupy sweet pale malt taste hits up front. The middle gives way to a faint, yet very acidic, citrus note. The back end finishes up with a variety of different moderate hop bites, ranging from spicy and earthy to pure bitter. I was honestly expecting a little more hops than what I got, however it doesn't skimp on them either. Pleasing for a pilsner.

    Mouthfeel: Light to medium, yet somewhat sticky on the lips. Very active carbonation tickles the palate.

    Drinkability: Quaffable and not filling. Think American macrolager without the adjuncts, a lot more hops, and no skunky taste.

    Final Notes: A good beer to serve at parties as it's so versatile. Everyone can enjoy this beer, whether their preference is Coors Light or the strongest microbrews. That said, I feel this beer is nowhere near as good as the limited edition Sam Adams Imperial Pilsner or the Sam Adams Hallertau 24. Definitely better than the beer it replaced though. This is a B- beer.

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    • Name: LG and Paige
    • Member Since: 8/3/2009

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