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Saturday, 20 March 2010
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Samuel Smith's Oatmeal Stout
This is a beer I had for the first time living in the UK (my dad was on the faculty at University of London for a couple of years when I was a teenager), and I was glad to find it here. I think LG already reviewed a beer from this brewery, but I don't see a second review. I'll add my two cents on this one.
Pour: Dark brown to black with a tall, creamy caramel colored head.
Smell: Sweet caramel milky notes over a dark chocolate base. Some coffee scent and a touch of oatmeal apparent as well. Just a touch of hops in the aroma.
Taste: Almost identical to the smell. Starts out a bit sweet (a bit like a cream stout). The middle has a chocolate malt and coffee taste, and you can definitely taste the oatmeal, though it's not overpowering at all. The back end has some very sweet molasses notes and finishes up with a mild earthy hop bitterness.
Mouthfeel/Drinkability: A bit thick, but not as thick as some other beers. Fairly lightly carbonated, and drinks very easily and smoothly.
Final Notes: I like this beer, and it was one of the first that really got me to appreciate beer (even though my parents always have). I'm rating this beer an "A-."Thursday, 18 March 2010
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Introducing The Site's Third Beer Expert!
Hi everyone, my name is Tracy. At just 21 years old, I'm still very new to the beer scene, but I've loved beer ever since I was a kid. My parents would always let me drink with them, so from a very early age I developed a deep appreciation for fine beer.
I'm currently a junior at Idaho State University where I'm majoring in astrophysics and minoring in mathematics. I'm joining the panel of experts here because my boyfriend (LG) asked me to do so. I hope to bring some new material to the site, and I hope you will like what I have to say. I'm still very new to writing beer reviews, so I will definitely have some help from the bf (who writes some of the best reviews I've ever read, by the way), so please bear with me.
Looking forward to getting to know each of you better, and to communicating with other beer drinkers from around the world. Cheers!
-TracyWednesday, 17 March 2010
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Celebrate St. Patrick's Day With Some Irish Beer
Here's a post that was suggested by a friend - a list of some good Irish beers to celebrate this one-of-a-kind day.
Ireland is particularly known for two beer styles - The Irish Red (which is an Amber-colored Pale Ale, usually featuring a caramel malt backbone with a bready/yeasty undertone and a light, earthy bitterness), and the Dry Stout (which has a very coffee-like, dry taste to it, hence the name). As such, all but one of the beers listed here will be representatives of these styles. And no, putting green food coloring in your Bud Light (shudder!) does not mean you're drinking Irish beer! Though, here's a general rule: If you like lighter beers, go with an Irish Red, if you like darker, fuller beers: go with a Dry Stout. Broad generalization, but it's generally a good guide to follow.
Unfortunately there aren't a whole lot of Irish beers available in the US unless you know where to look. That said, if you want to get your inner Irishmen (or Irishwoman) on, here's a list of beers that'll do it for you, with good style, flavor, and class:- Smithwick's: (Pronounced "Smid-icks"), a very good Irish Red Ale brewed by Guinness. A nice caramel malty backbone with some yeasty/bready undertones and a mild tea-like bitterness. A "B" on my rating scale, and one of my favorite all-time session beers.
- Guinness: The most well-known Irish beer in the states. Takes on many forms, and although most Guinness we get here is brewed in Canada, you can still get real Irish-brewed Guinness. Whereas Canadian Guinness ranks a "B-" to a "B+" depending on which version you're drinking, Irish Guinness (such as Foreign Extra Stout or Special Export Stout) gets top marks with an "A-" or an "A" rating depending on which one.
- O'Hara's Irish Red Ale: From the Carlow Brewing Company. A very low alcohol content beer (4.3%). A bit more intense hop bite than Smithwick's, with the same amount of sweet caramel goodness, and some fruity and floral undertones as well. A great all-around beer, a "B+" on my scale.
- Harp Lager: Brewed by Guinness. The "tan" part of a "black and tan." A good beer for those that enjoy American Light Lagers. Not much flavor going on here, the malts are a bit sweet though with a very faint hop bitterness. Think American Light Lager without the skunky adjuncts. A mediocre "C" rating from me.
- Caffrey's Irish Ale: Similar to Smithwicks, though usually served out of a nitro can. Heads up much like fresh-from-the-tap Guinness, though not too big on flavor. Would be a good option for those that like lighter beers, if you can find it (it can be difficult). A "B-" rating.
- Beamish Irish Stout: Served usually in a Nitro Can like canned Guinness Draught. Has that classic Irish Dry Stout taste - coffee, chocolate malt, and a fair amount of bitterness. It's rather creamy and smooth though. It's a new import to the US, but if you can find some get your hands on some, it's really good. A "B+" from me.
- Murphy's Stout: Much like Guinness Draught or Beamish, served in Nitro cans. A fair bit sweeter than either Beamish or Guinness, but a very good, drinkable stout nonetheless, though it can be a bit of a challenge to find in some parts of the US. A "B+" Beer and winner for sure.
Now, there are some very good American-made Irish beers as well. Some of these are only available regionally, but due to the internet, you can now buy beer online (as I have done several times), so don't be afraid to mail-order a six pack or two here and there. Here are a few of my favorites:- Samuel Adams Irish Red: This is one of the best beers in the Samuel Adams lineup in my opinion. Malty, somewhat yeasty, and actually a bit hoppier than most Irish Reds I've tasted. Well balanced, complex flavor. I could drink these all day. A "B+" beer.
- Brian Boru Irish Red: One of the best all-around American brewed Irish Reds from the Three Floyds Brewing Company. A huge malt bomb, with lots of chewy, caramely goodness in an easy drinking beer. One for the serious malt-heads among us. An "A-" beer.
- Great Lakes Irish Red: Another great example of an Irish Red Ale brewed right here in America. Can be hard to find in places, but oh-so-delicious. A "B+" beer.
- Out Of Bounds Stout: A Dry Stout from Avery. A big, bold semi-sweet flavor that's big on caramel and chocolate malts, a coffee undertone, and a slightly understated hop bitterness. This is a dry stout cream stout lovers will adore. An "A-" beer.
- Great Lakes Wolfhound Stout: Another candidate from Great Lakes (but damn do they make some good beers). Huge roasted caramel and chocolate malt characteristic, a strong coffee overtone and not too much hop bitterness. A fairly light-bodied dry stout, but very drinkable. Would be a good session stout. A "B+" beer.
Of course, check out your local breweries to see what they have on tap as far as Irish-style beers go as well. Hopefully this gives you a starting point. Slainte!Saturday, 06 March 2010
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Bell's Special Double Cream Stout
This beer comes to us from Bell's Brewery in Michigan. It is in the style of a cream stout, and being a style I'm very familiar with as it's one of my favorite styles, I had to pick one up.
So what exactly is a cream stout? Some of you might be unfamiliar with the term, however its name is quite a literal interpretation of how it's made. Also called a sweet stout or milk stout, cream stouts are a result of adding lactose to the beer during the brewing process. Since lactose is not fermentable, it stays in its sugar form, adding not only a creamy, milky sweetness to the beer, but also body, and quite frankly, calories. An average cream stout will have about 200 to 250 calories per 12-ounce serving (about 100 to 150 net calories), and is very filling, however it's one of the most nutritious beers out there.
So how does this Bell's version of the cream stout rate? Quite frankly, I thought it was simply amazing.
Pour: Deep black in color with 3 fingers of frothy, tan head that retains well and leaves blotted lacing on the glass. This beer is eye-candy.
Smell: Up front you're greeted with a very sweet scent - like homemade vanilla ice cream. Roasted/chocolate malts with coffee notes and a floral hop undertone.
Taste: Lactose is very noticeable up front: a very vanilla ice cream sweetness starts things off - almost like a cream soda taste. The middle of the palate gives way to a fair amount of chocolate malts, and a nice bitter coffee flavor. The back end finishes up with a mild earthy hop bite. Slight alcohol burn on the way down, and a rather dry finish. Delicious.
Mouthfeel: Thick, creamy and slightly heavy. Absolutely velvety smooth, and a rather surprisingly high amount of carbonation.
Drinkability: Drinks easily, but very filling, as is typical of the style. Couldn't drink more than a couple.
Final Notes: If you're looking for an excellent example of a cream stout, look no further. This beer is beautifully balanced, full-flavored, and a pleasure to drink. The ABV isn't too bad at 6.1%. Makes a great dessert beer either paired with a nice dessert or drank all by itself. Would also be a good beer for those wanting to venture into the world of darker beers. A solid "A" beer.Monday, 01 March 2010
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Poll: What's your favorite beer style?
So, we here at LG's and Paige's Beer Reviews are dying to know:
WHAT IS YOUR FAVORITE BEER STYLE?
This is a poll. Leave your response in a comment, and rec this post. We want to get an indication of what our readers like, and that way maybe we can do reviews more geared toward what our readership drinks. Always remember to feel free to request beers for review too, anytime.
And go!
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lgsbeerreviews
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- Name: LG and Paige
- Member Since: 8/3/2009
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