Beer review

[Kev]

I'll have some bacon ("pray" to the "lard") in grease with eggs, and go forth and find some:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFP-wwLYNuQ

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zFP-wwLYNuQ

[Mr A.Anderson]

Very good, IMO.



http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/710/86776

[Mr A.Anderson]

With a name and tagline like that, I just had to try it.

I'm OK with porters, but this one is a bit too hoppy and bitter for my taste (24 IBU).

3.73/5 rDev -1.6%
look: 3.5 | smell: 3.5 | taste: 4 | feel: 3.5 | overall: 3.5

Review from BeerAdvocate Magazine April 2007.

Label shows a dog looking at three pairs of legs in heels and reads: "So many legs ... So little time!" Holy 1980's. Seems like it should come with ZZ Top theme music. There's also mention of winning medals at the World Beer Cup, but, as always, the proof is in how it tastes.

Deep and dark brown in color, and so opaque it might as well sit black in the glass. The head is a creamy, tight, milky-coffee-colored lace that collects in a ring. Big aroma of baker's chocolate and cookie dough, paired with a whiff of milk. Smooth on the palate with a round milky feel, and a bit grainy beneath. Tight carbonation, lively. Big, highly roasted grain notes, with an acrid bite and some smoky tanginess. Unsweetened chocolate, coffee grinds and cold black coffee follow, with just a touch of sugary lacto-sweetness that helps to offset the roasted characters. Suggestions of burnt raisins. Hops are thin. Lurking within the acridness is a kiss of herbal. Finish is powdery; dry with a lingering semi-burnt toast flavor.

A well-brewed Porter that's just shy of being as robust as we'd like, but it's got balance. You could definitely have a session of these and not lose interest, but allow this one to warm before drinking so you can pick up all of its nuances. Try pitting it against some grilled pork chops, blackened fish or a sweet chocolate dessert.

Serving type: bottle
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile...27857/?ba=bros

[Mr A.Anderson]

Samuel Adams Winter Lager

A very mild 'winter brew' by any standards. When compared to Great Lakes Christmas Ale, this doesn't even come in 2nd place. I cannot detect the notes of cinnamon or ginger (taste or aroma) which......while I don't like either, should be a noticeable staple of any 'winter/Christmas' brew.

Not a single note of hoppy bitterness, and it is smooth - probably because it is so mild.

I would only recommend for those people that usually swill Bud Light or the like. I'm sure they would consider it quite strong and exotic.

If one is a fan of any type of porter or dark/strong biers - skip it.

[Soldatul Vostru]

Originally Posted by Mr A.Anderson

With a name and tagline like that, I just had to try it.

I'm OK with porters, but this one is a bit too hoppy and bitter for my taste (24 IBU).

Now I'm gonna have to try it too.

[Mr A.Anderson]

I'm so sick of Killian's Irish Red Ale. It isn't bad, but it is all anyone ever has.

So I tried another Ohio beer - Rusted River Irish Red Ale, from Rust Belt Brewing in Youngstown, Ohio.

I find the hoppiness just right for my taste, a smooth start, with a slightly bitter finish that lets you know you are actually drinking something. A great tasting alternative to the big name Irish Reds, not to mention something of a conversation piece.

I mean Youngstown, OH? Really?

http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/19190/51686

[Mr A.Anderson]

Firehouse Red Ale

I've almost forgotten about this one. It is a local, "hometown" brew, so I may be a bit biased.

Heavily malted, almost cloyingly sweet fruit notes, with a barely perceptable hoppy late finish. Overall, a very sweet bier that will please the ladies to no end who think anything beyond Miller Lite is "exotic", and is quite tolerable by menfolk who decide to bring over a few growlers to share during an intimate evening for two.....or three if that's your thing.

Not an everyday bier, for sure.




Beer Adbocat rating: 78
http://beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/9797/23052/

[Donnie in Ohio]

Going to start adding more beer reviews soon.

The Corona coup: How Constellation sells so much bad beer

BusinessWeek
By Kyle Stock

Constellation Brands (STZ), best known as a wine empire, is once again crooning about Corona. Last year it bought all of the Mexican brewery that makes the beer and the company that imports it to the U.S. The results have been intoxicating: Profit in the recent quarter almost doubled because of a surge in Corona sales.

Corona is now the fifth bestselling beer in the U.S., selling more than double the amount of Heineken, the next most popular import. It’s growing while the rest of the beer business is drying up or being siphoned off by new small-batch brewers. Last year, Corona sales rose 4 percent.

Here’s the curious thing: Corona is not very good—at least by most critical accounts.

After 3,200 reviews at RateBeer.com, Corona has a grade of 1.69 out of 10. The Beer Advocate gives Corona an “awful” rating of 55 out of 100 and the following description: “faded aromas of sulphur, faint skunk, mild cooked veggies.”

Not only is Corona not very good—it’s one of the worst Mexican beers. Here’s how the folks at Beer Advocate rank other suds from south of the border.

Bohemia 77
Negra Modelo 77
Dos Equis Amber 72
Victoria 68
Modelo Especial 66
Pacifico 63
Tecate 60
Sol 58

Oddly enough, Constellation makes and distributes four of those brews: Negra Modelo, Victoria, Modelo Especial, and Pacifico.

Granted, American drinkers guzzle a lot of beer that doesn’t draw rave reviews. For example, according to Chicago-based research firm IRI, one in five beers downed in the U.S. is a Bud Light, hardly a go-to for beer snobs. Bud Light and Coors Light are popular in large part because they’re cheap. Corona, at $30 a case on average, is almost twice the cost of Natural Light, the No. 6 selling beer in the country.

So how has Constellation kept the Corona party going? In a word, marketing. Crown always pushed Corona pretty hard, but Constellation has been even more aggressive with its advertising since it took over entirely in June. Specifically, it set out to boost its return in colder months.

Constellation rolled out a campaign in the fall featuring former NFL coach Jon Gruden during Monday Night Football. Meanwhile, the company cooked up a Thanksgiving promotion with Woodbridge and Butterball. The receptionists on Butterball’s turkey hotline were pushing Corona as a logical pairing choice.

Constellation recently has been playing up Cinco de Mayo, a day more than any other that marks the brand’s marketing coup. “We will continue to build our Corona de Mayo equity to reinforce our positioning around summer’s first fiesta,” Chief Executive Officer Robert Sands said during a conference call with analysts this week. Note the not-at-all subtle phrasing, “Corona de Mayo.” That’s like saying the “Fourth of Jack Daniels.”

Of course, an emphasis on marketing isn’t a new strategy in the beer business. Despite bloated advertising budgets, some of the biggest brands in the game have seen sales slip. Constellation’s Corona strategy is different, however, because of its consistency. The ads don’t talk about taste or hops or extra clean water. The image is not seasonal or dark or light. With the exception of the turkey promotion, the formula is simple: sand, sun, and lime wedges.

Corona isn’t selling beer. It’s selling the idea of having a beer on a beachside vacation. And the millions of beer drinkers who’ve taken a spring break trip to Cancun or hit a California taco stand don’t really care what the brew tastes like.

Here’s Sands again discussing that equation during a January conference call.


“We had a very consistent message to the consumer about what these products stand for year in and year out that is resonating with the consumer,” he said. “That’s a differentiating factor versus the competition, which has kind of been all over the place trying to find some hook with the consumer in a market that’s been down overall.”

Over Christmas, the company even rolled out the same tired old ad showing a palm tree strewn with holiday lights.

Much of Constellation’s growth strategy now rests on pushing Corona Light, particularly in kegs to U.S. bars. And the company is thinking about cooking up a new kind of Corona with more alcohol—a Corona Extra Extra if you will. Last week it announced more ambitious expansion plans, including as much as $1.1 billion in spending to double the capacity of its Mexican brewery.

There is some hope, however, for beer snobs. Some of Constellation’s better-rated beers are growing much faster in the U.S. than its other brands. Pacifico, for example, is on more taps than any other Constellation brew. Modelo Especial posted a 20 percent increase in volume last year.

“We firmly believe Modelo Especial is the next Corona,” Ryder said. We can see the tagline now: Modelo de Mayo.

[Alex Linder]

Corona tastes like shit? Compared to Heineken?

Heineken is disgusting. I haven't had a beer in a long, long time and I still remember how nasty Heineken is. Beer is beer except for bad beers which are rare, but really suck. Heineken is awful.

That will be my one contribution to this thread, now I'm out.

[Donnie in Ohio]

Originally Posted by Alex Linder

Corona tastes like shit? Compared to Heineken?

Yes. Yes it does.

Corona tastes like shit compared to shit, man. You've been Buffetized, and I don't mean Warren. If I didn't know our plucky misanthrope, I'd think you've drank many a Pina Colada whilst staring at parrots.

Heineken is disgusting. I haven't had a beer in a long, long time and I still remember how nasty Heineken is. Beer is beer except for bad beers which are rare, but really suck. Heineken is awful.

Heineken is a classic European light lager, you Bud Light Lime-swilling yahoo. Not directed at you personally of course, consider it a literary means of edification for the readers.

The Heineken that gets imported to the states is always "skunked", which is a result of being "light struck". Sunlight spoils beer. Green Heineken bottles provide very little protection from sunlight, hence your beer smells like what I can only assume Gary Busey's car smells like.

Buy Heineken in a can. It's not 1979 anymore, the cans used today impart no off-flavors.

That will be my one contribution to this thread, now I'm out.

A man's got to know his limitations.

Cash donation for an Alex Linder original beer review. (300 words) I'll let the forum choose what beer.

Question you have to ask yourself is......Do I feel lucky? Well....Do you? Punk.

[GREG IN SPOKANE]

Donnie, which high gravity malt liquor do you prefer? Hurricane or steel reserve?

[Donnie in Ohio]

Originally Posted by GREG IN SPOKANE

Donnie, which high gravity malt liquor do you prefer? Hurricane or steel reserve?

I've never had either Greg, so I can't give you an answer.

When I want something with a high alcohol percentage, I usually go Double (sometimes called Imperial) IPA. Founder's makes a good one. As does Southern Tier. Stone brews an oak-aged Imperial IPA version of Arrogant Bastard that I highly recommend.

Try one of those instead next time. A superior product, albeit a bit pricier.

But you can't take it with you, you know?

[Donnie in Ohio]

Michelob Ultra. 95 calories. 2.6 grams of carbs. 4%.

It isn't horrible. There. I said it.

[GREG IN SPOKANE]

RPM IPA from some shit micro brew in Bend, OR. As with most IPA'S taste's like bong water mixed with fermented dog piss. All around shit beer or ale.

[Donnie in Ohio]

Originally Posted by GREG IN SPOKANE

RPM IPA from some shit micro brew in Bend, OR. As with most IPA'S taste's like bong water mixed with fermented dog piss. All around shit beer or ale.

IPA's can often be an acquired taste. Very bitter, but I personally like bitter. Gotta really like hops.

[Roger Donnell]

Has anyone ever tried Dogfish Head's "Noble Rot"?

http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits.../noble-rot.htm

I've been branching out into more saison and saison-like beers lately and it caught my eye. In terms of Double IPAs, Bell's HOPSLAM is one of my favorites. 3Floyds Dreadnaught is my absolute favorite IPA, but less available.

[Donnie in Ohio]

Originally Posted by Roger Donnell

Has anyone ever tried Dogfish Head's "Noble Rot"?

http://www.dogfish.com/brews-spirits.../noble-rot.htm

I've been branching out into more saison and saison-like beers lately and it caught my eye. In terms of Double IPAs, Bell's HOPSLAM is one of my favorites. 3Floyds Dreadnaught is my absolute favorite IPA, but less available.

I've tried to develop a taste for Belgians, Farmhouse Ales, and the Trappist stuff but after a lot of years I've come clean with my fellow Hopheads, and more importantly myself, with the knowledge that I personally just don't like those styles. They all taste terrible to me.

Even though I've been generally more into lagers the past couple of years, as far as India Pale Ales, now that's my wheelhouse. I've tried literally hundreds of different brands at this point. Love Bell's. Picked up a sixer of Two Hearted Ale this past weekend. Have you ever tried Nugget Nectar from Tröegs?

My favorite IPA is a local one, available only in one county in Central Ohio. Columbus Brewing Co. IPA. It's very similar to Sculpin IPA from Ballast Point. Big fan of Hop Devil as well.

Southern Tier makes a damn good DIPA. Welcome to the thread and VNN itself, btw, Mr. Donnell.

Great to have another beer lover to help me fight back the hordes of Bud Light drinkers.

[Franco]

This beer (a stout, actually) is very good: Left Hand Milk Stout:

http://www.beeradvocate.com/beer/profile/418/3434/

Another good beer is Pilsner Urquell, a Czech beer. But there are many good beers. I rarely taste a bad beer.




------------------------

[Roger Donnell]

Left Hand's Milk Stout is great. I especially like it when I can find it out of a nitro tap. If you ever come across Old Chub, a scotch ale from Oscar Blues, it's also great. It's the other dark beer I've had out of a nitro tap recently. Outstanding.

And Donnie, just checked out Scupin IPA and Nugget Nectar on BeerAdvocate. I wish they distributed near me. Both of those look like great beers, but I've never seen them in a store. Since we're talking about favorite beers, I've got to mention Founders KBS. I've never had better. It's one of the only beers I will drive significantly out of the way to buy.

[Donnie in Ohio]

Originally Posted by Roger Donnell

And Donnie, just checked out Scupin IPA and Nugget Nectar on BeerAdvocate. I wish they distributed near me. Both of those look like great beers, but I've never seen them in a store. Since we're talking about favorite beers, I've got to mention Founders KBS. I've never had better. It's one of the only beers I will drive significantly out of the way to buy.

Tröegs only brews Nugget Nectar once a year, in February. This year I had my beer guy order me 4 cases. He could only secure 2. It's that popular. It's a beer that actually has a cult following.

Sculpin IPA isn't available locally, but I have traded for it many times. Don't know where you are geographically, but if you're near the West Coast you should check out the beers from Russian River Brewery. Especially their world-class IPA Pliny The Elder.

I can honestly say I've yet to be disappointed in a beer from Founders. Their Double Trouble DIPA is excellent.