Unibroue Blanche de Chambly

4

   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 16/20

Chad9976 (882) - Albany, New York, USA - MAY 17, 2013

I poured a 12oz bottle into a goblet. It had "best before" date of 6/20/14. I paid $4 for the bottle ($0.33 per ounce).

Appearance: Bright, pale yellow body with fine carbonation visible rising up the side. Opaque from the sediment. Forms an average size, snowy white, foamy head which mostly fizzles away and doesn’t leave much lacing.

Smell: Strong orange citrus aroma plus distinct dry spice. A clean, floral bouquet.

Taste: If you need a good example of a solid Belgian White (or witbier) style, Unibroue Blanche de Chambly is it. This is one of those rare beers that exemplifies the by-the-book style and does so really well. A tasty palate that’s really easy to drink - what’s not to like?

Much like the nose, the palette here is primarily orange. Not orange juice, but orange peel essence coupled with a subtle coriander spice (I should say so considering it’s brewed with both). There’s a hint of lemon flavor and a touch of tartness/dry bitterness at the apex of the swig. The finish is an even stronger orange/lemon citrusy flavor with the faintest sour/tart sensation. There’s a hint of starch, too, but it finishes clean. A fun drinking experience every time.

Drinkability: It’s beers like Unibroue Blanche de Chambly that prove you don’t have to have the word "summer" slapped on a label to be refreshing. The orange character here is tasty, but easy on the tongue so it’s not too intense. Though the carbonation is high, the actual bubbles are so fine that they almost massage the tongue. At 5% ABV it’s got a lot of flavor for what is technically a "light" beer. I could see this being highly sessionable in hot weather. 

Grade: 8/10

Bavik Wittekerke

2.7

   AROMA 4/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 4/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 11/20

Chad9976 (881) - Albany, New York, USA - MAY 16, 2013

I poured an 11.2oz bottle into a tulip glass. There was no decipherable freshness date. It cost $2.90 ($0.26 per ounce).

Appearance: Extremely pale, lemon-skin yellow. Opaque from haziness. Forms a large, bright white, foamy head which mostly dissipates but does lace the glass well.

Smell: Light skunky aroma and a hint of lemon juice. Not as bad as a Heineken, but no reason it should be this bad considering the bottle is brown.

Taste: If there ever were an example of the Belgians not making their own beer well, Wittekerke would be it. This isn’t just a poor example for the style, it’s just a poor beer overall. I’m inclined to believe the bottle was old and/or subjected to a lot of distress. Though glancing over other reviews online, what I have isn’t all that unusual.

Take a pretty typical Belgian Witbier, water it down and skunk it up and you have Wittekerke. It’s not nearly as flavorful as Hoegaarden or any American versions for that matter. Light pale malt character up front coupled with a light lemonpeel flavor throughout. A slight candy taste on the finish followed by a strong sourness (and not in that Brettanomyces way). Not a terrible beer, and I’m inclined to believe a fresh version would be decent. As it stands, it’s tolerable but not all that enjoyable.

Drinkability: Though the taste to Wittekerke wasn’t all that pleasant, it wasn’t difficult to drink. The body is light and thin with noticeable carbonation, but nothing that gets stuck in the throat or feels too intense. Though quite light at 5% ABV, this beer drinks like something even lighter and more sessionable. I could see a non-spoiled version being quite refreshing. 

Grade: 3/10

Brewpub review: Crossroads Brewing Company

Crossroads Brewing Company is a brewery I've been familiar with over the past few years. I've seen them at every beer festival I've been to in this area, and I've had a few of their brews on tap at City Beer Hall. I've always enjoyed their "Outrage IPA" a lot, which seems to be their flagship beer. I've heard good things about their brewpub in Athens, but had never gotten around to making the trek there until recently. My friend Jordan, who is a craft beer enthusiast in progress, went with me to check out their brewpub in the quaint village of Athens.

What's on tap at Crossroads Brewing

Crossroads has 10 beers on tap. Pints are $5 each, or you can get a flight of six 5oz samples for $12 (that's $0.40 per ounce). Since Jordan and I wanted to try all the beers on tap, we had to order two flights for the table. Right away I was little miffed at having to spend $24 to be able to try every beer. To put these prices in perspective; Brown's Brewing in Troy offers a flight of eight 3oz samples for $8.99 ($0.38 per ounce) and the Albany Pump Station offers a flight of eight 3oz samples for $7.50 ($0.31 per ounce). Sure you get more volume at Crossroads (30 total ounces instead of 24 ounces), but I'd prefer a larger variety even if it means less total ounces.

Here's an overview of the beers we tried:

Lighthouse
(Pale Wheat Ale. 10 IBUs. 4.2% ABV)
Slightly lemony/slightly grassy, but overtly wheaty. We both found it refreshing and highly drinkable, but we'd prefer a genuine Hefeweizen.

I was really anxious to dive into these!

Athens Honey Rye
(Red/Amber Ale. 13 IBUs. 4.7% ABV)
A light bodied amber, though the honey and rye still come through. We both thought it was the best of their lighter brews.

Brick Row Red
(Red/Amber Ale. 16 IBUs. 5% ABV)
Pretty generic for the style - mild maltiness, a touch of dry bitterness. I was indifferent to this, but Jordan gave it a thumbs down.

First Pitch Pils
(German Pilsner. 34 IBUs. 5.1% ABV)
Standard, by-the-book German pils. No adjuncts. Some grassy hop character. Does what it's supposed to do. I liked it more than Jordan.

Because one flight just wasn't enough. We ordered two.

Brady's Bay Cream Ale
(Cream Ale. 18 IBUs. 5.2% ABV)
A subtle caramel/honey roasted peanut flavor. A smooth thirst quencher. Mild but quaffable.

Angry Pete's Pale Ale
(American Pale Ale. 35 IBUs. 5.3% ABV)
Lots of hop character for a pale ale. Could be mistaken for an IPA. Slightly toasty. We were genuinely impressed with this one.

Bandit's BPA
(Belgian Pale Ale. 45 IBUs. 6% ABV)
Similar to "Angry Pete's", but with a subtle Belgian character. They tapped this as we were finishing up and gave us a complimentary sample. We both enjoyed it.

Abbey Road
(Belgian Dubbel. 18 IBUs. 6.7% ABV)
Reminds me of Ommegang Rare Vos: slightly smoky/spicy character and some fruitiness. Jordan liked it a little more than me (she's a fan of Belgian beers).

Black Rock Stout
(Foreign Extra Stout. 44 IBUs. 6.8% ABV)
We both liked this one the best. Delicious roasted malt/coffee/chocolate flavors. Good dessert beer. Crossroads should promote this one more than they do.

Outrage IPA
(American IPA. 80 IBUs. 7% ABV)
A great West Coast style single IPA with lots of citrus and floral character. Nice bitterness without going overboard. Jordan isn't usually a fan of IPAs, but she liked this one a lot.

Homewrecker
(Double/Imperial IPA. 95 IBUs. 9.3% ABV)
Something seemed off about this one. Overly sweet. Boozy. The only beer we both disliked (which is ironic since I tend to love DIPAs).

The Brewery Burger

The food menu at Crossroads is pretty standard in terms of dishes: burgers, salads, chicken, appetizers, etc. They use a lot of locally sourced ingredients and list the individual farms on their menu. I tend to judge a brewery by its IPA, and I tend to judge a restaurant by its burger so I ordered "The Brewery Burger" for $11. The burger came with fries and caramelized onions. Bacon and sautéed mushrooms were an extra $1 each, and cheese was an extra 50 cents for a total of $13.50 (that's pretty expensive for a bacon cheeseburger). Jordan is a vegetarian, but thankfully they had a veggie burger on the menu for $12.

Though we both agreed that our food was good, I do have to raise an eyebrow on these prices. A good comparison might be The Bier Abbey in Schenectady which has "The Abbey Burger" for $9.50 or the "Uncle Sam Burger" at Brown's for $9.99 (both are bacon cheeseburgers of the same size and quality). Also, why is the veggie burger more expensive than the meat burger?

The Green Burger (veggie burger)

I don't want to make it sound like I'm bashing Crossroads because I enjoyed the food, the beers were tasty, and the service was good. I also loved the atmosphere of being in the village saloon and the vintage décor (it was originally a 19th century opera house) Still, the evening wound up costing me $62 which is much more than I usually spend on a dinner for two. However, since Crossroads Brewing is probably one of the only restaurants in the village of Athens, and the only brewpub between Kingston and Albany, I think I understand their prices.

If you're considering heading down to Crossroads Brewing you're probably in for an evening of good food, good beer, and a nice atmosphere. I’d say it's a worthwhile trip.

Crossroads Brewing Company
21 Second Street
Athens, NY 12015
Phone:    518-945-2337 (BEER)
Email:    xroadsbrew@aol.com
Website:    http://crossroadsbrewingco.com
Hours

Mon: 4:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Wed - Thu: 4:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Fri: 4:00 pm - 12:00 am

Sat: 1:00 pm - 12:00 am

Sun: 1:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Southampton Imperial Porter

3.7

   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 15/20

Chad9976 (880) - Albany, New York, USA - MAY 15, 2013

I poured a 12oz bottle into a goblet. There was no freshness date whatsoever. The bottle cost $2.50, that’s $0.208 per ounce.

Appearance: Opaque black with no visible carbonation. Forms a fairly large, light gray, frothy head which retains and laces well.

Smell: Generic porter smell. No distinguishable notes.

Taste: Southampton is a brewery that has not impressed me much. I’ve heard good things about their imperial porter, and figured if any of their beers would wow me, this would be it. While this is not a bad beer at all, it’s only a plain "good" beer. If good is what you want and good is what they’re going for then consider it a success.

Technically a Baltic Porter, this beer does have a bit of lager-like character to it (Baltic Porters are a hybrid lager/ale style). I notice a tangy consistency throughout the entire palette. Mild roasted malt flavors and a hint of chocolate or maple syrup in the first half, followed by a quick bitter sensation and finishing with hint of tanginess. The sweetness is nice and delectable, but has a ways to go to be on par with the more gourmet imperial porters and stouts. A well-balanced brew, though, which is nice. Not too intense, though I think more robustness would actually serve this beer well. Satisfying is good enough I suppose.

Drinkability: I think Southampton Imperial Porter is a bit of a misnomer because at 7.2% ABV, it’s not all that imperial. The body is on the thinner, more calm end of the spectrum as well. Nothing sticky or cloying and the aftertaste is actually quite clean. A nice velvety texture with a smooth finish makes it easy to drink in bigger sips. No alcohol presence either. 

Grade: 7/10

Captain Lawrence IPA

3.7

   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 14/20

Chad9976 (879) - Albany, New York, USA - MAY 14, 2013

I poured a 12oz bottle into a tulip glass. There was no freshness date whatsoever.

Appearance: Dark gold hue with slight orange tinge. Mostly clear with a slight haziness. Forms a small, soapy, white head which mostly dissipates but leaves some lacing on the glass.

Smell: Light pine needles and flowers. A touch of butter.

Taste: Captain Lawrence’s Imperial IPA was a pretty amazing beer when it first debuted and made this brewery a hot commodity. Why they waited so long to release a standard single IPA is beyond me. Not that this brew is nearly as impressive as its imperial brethren. Mostly it’s a standard East Coast IPA, which is a nice change of pace, frankly.

Mild bitterness up front with a slight confectionery malty character of caramel and toffee and perhaps some butter or butterscotch. Light earthy character, but nothing spicy. Strong hop bite at the top of the swig, imparting some resin and pine flavors. They wash away a little quickly, though, as sheer dry bitterness finishes up the palette. This is a fine IPA overall, and if that’s all it’s meant to be, then it works.

Drinkability: Captain Lawrence IPA is definitely an ideal starter or transitory IPA for those getting into hoppy beers. The well-balanced body in conjunction with the comfortable mouthfeel and smooth finish make it remarkably drinkable. Supposedly this brew is 7% ABV, but the bottle doesn’t say and neither does the brewery’s website. If that’s accurate it seems a bit high since the weight and body wouldn’t seem to be that strong. 

Grade: 7/10

Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella Pils

3.4

   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 5/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 13/20

Chad9976 (878) - Albany, New York, USA - MAY 13, 2013

I poured a 12oz can into a footed pilsner glass. It was canned on 3/11/13 making it two months and two days old.

Appearance: A bright, banana-skin yellow hue. The body is mostly clear but with a slight haze. Plenty of carbonation visible. Forms a large, white, fluffy/soapy head which retains and laces extremely well.

Smell: Not unlike most pilsners of the general style with a typical pale malt aroma. Perhaps additional grass character. Mild overall.

Taste: There’s a lot of beers that I want to like more than I actually do, and Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella Pils is a perfect example. It’s an all-malt pilsner that conforms to its style well, but just isn’t all that exciting of a beer. Not that there’s anything inherently wrong with it, but more flavor would be nice.

This beer has a more pronounced malt character than most American pilsners. It’s a fairly clean taste overall, which is nice, especially since there’s no adjunct character to cause for distraction. There does seem to be noticeable dryness throughout with a starchy/grainy character of biscuits and crackers . The spicy Saaz hops give it a touch of black pepper, but nothing in the way of true hop flavor. It’s better than the macro adjunct lagers for sure, but has a ways to go to truly impress me.

Drinkability: Pilsners were meant to be clean and refreshing and in the case of Oskar Blues Mama’s Little Yella Pils, I’d say the former is true but the later is not. The starch-like character to this body prevents it from being as refreshing as it could be (it is refreshing while in the mouth). The drinking process is easy, though. The body is not noticeably thin or fizzy, but does have clean, light, wet feeling to it. At 5.3% ABV it’s a tad heavier than it probably needs to be, but is still a light enough beer that most drinkers would be able to handle it in larger quantities no problem. 

Grade: 6/10

Black Diamond Brandy Barrel Grand Cru (2011 vintage)

4.5

   AROMA 9/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 9/10   PALATE 5/5   OVERALL 18/20

Chad9976 (877) - Albany, New York, USA - MAY 10, 2013

I received a 22oz bottle in a trade with a friend in California (thanks, Mario!). I poured it into a Trappist chalice. There was no freshness date other than its 2011 vintage.

Appearance: Dark burgundy/mahogany hue, slightly translucent. Plenty of fine carbonation seen at the glass’s edge. Forms a small, beige, foamy/soapy head which mostly dissipates and doesn’t leave much lacing.

Smell: Dark red fruit with classic Belgian yeast character, plus significant chocolate presence.

Taste: There’s a lot of creativity to Black Diamond Brandy Barrel Grand Cru. Though technically a Belgian-style dubbel, the addition of vanilla bean as well as the aging in brandy barrels, really makes for a creative and impressive (dare I say amazing) beer. For a traditional Belgian style brew, it’s surprisingly American in character. Big and bold in pretty much all aspects, yet not cloying or imbalanced.

It’s actually a difficult palette to describe. The base recipe is that of an Abbey-style dubbel, yet that character is only noticeable at the beginning of the serving. The barrel-aging, combined with the addition of vanilla beans, create for a one-two punch of delicious woody/chocolaty flavors. You wouldn’t think these would complement each other, but they do surprisingly well. The dark and dried fruits of apple, cherry, fig, raisin and currants are all prominent as well, especially on the finish. Not much in the way of sourness or tartness, though, but there’s no overt wine character either (all of which is fine by me). This is a pretty delicious palate worthy of the "Grand Cru" designation.

Drinkability: I was pleasantly surprised by how drinkable Black Diamond Brandy Barrel Grand Cru was, as I assumed it would be an intense sipper. The mouthfeel is on the thicker and heavier end of the spectrum, but the body is calm, soft and comfortable. It goes down smooth with a mild malty/fruity aftertaste. The 9% ABV is a perfect size for this beer since it has definite weight, but nothing obese or overtly boozy. A great stand-alone dessert beer, but would pair well with the right gourmet food I’m sure. 

Grade: 10/10

Crossroads Wee Heavy

3.6

   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 14/20

Chad9976 (876) - Albany, New York, USA - MAY 9, 2013

I poured a 750ml bottle into a tulip glass. There was no freshness date on the bottle, though I assume it’s fairly fresh as I got from the brewery at TAP New York Beer Fest. My bottle was number 105.

Appearance: Dark brown out of the bottle, but appears to be a stout-like opaque black in the glass. Forms a large, dark tan, foamy head which retains and laces well enough.

Smell: Surprisingly light nose of dark malt, but not smoke or roasted notes.

Taste: I applaud breweris that take chances, but brewing something daring does not equate to brewing something amazing. Crossroads Wee Heavy is a good example of what I mean. This is a small brewpub that doesn’t bottle on large scale, so this is a curious choice for one of their first bottled brews. They didn’t make a bad beer, they made a just plain good one.

Crossroads Wee Heavy drinks more like a strong porter with a malt-forward body and some significant toasted/roasted malt character. Not much in the way of smoky or other abrasive flavors. It’s not overly sweet or cloying, which is nice. Mild bitterness throughout with a slight increase at the apex, coupled with some burnt toast taste on the finish. The alcohol adds a subtle warmth throughout plus an additional fruit flavor (red grape and raisin), but that’s mild as well. Overall, this is a fine beer, but an odd choice for a small brewery to bottle.

Drinkability: What surprised me about Crossroads Wee Heavy was the ease with which it went down. The texture is soft and smooth (almost velvety), which made it extremely easy to drink, though the aftertaste is a tad bitter. For 8.2% ABV, there’s not a lot of alcohol presence, which makes it rather quaffable since it doesn’t feel as heavy as it name would imply. I had no trouble drinking the entire bottle myself. 

Grade: 7/10

Unibroue Maudite

4.2

   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 9/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 17/20

Chad9976 (875) - Albany, New York, USA - MAY 8, 2013

I poured a 12oz bottle into a tulip glass. It had a "best before" date of 4/10/15 (is a two year freshness window really that helpful, though?).

Appearance: One of the few beers that is truly brown in color. Extremely hazy, opaque body but fine, spastic effervescent can be seen crawling along the side of the glass. Forms a large, beige, foamy head which is slow to dissipate but doesn’t lace the glass.

Smell: Plenty of dark fruit, dried fruit and autumn-like spice notes.

Taste: It’s been a long time since I’ve had a beer where I literally said "wow," after the first sip. Thankfully, Unibroue Maudite has broken that streak. I’m not usually a fan of the general "Belgian Strong Dark Ale" style, but for whatever reason this beer makes it work quite well. It’s a complex, robust body that doesn’t overwhelm the palate.

There’s a lot of different flavors happening in this brew. It begins with a light fruit note. Red apple, plum, fig and raisin are all quite prominent immediately. I taste a sweetness reminiscent of applesauce and cinnamon. There’s a slight rum sensation at the crest of the swig, quickly followed by dry bitterness and additional spice. This is a delectable palette to say the least, and I especially enjoy the fact it’s not sticky, cloying or boozy.

Drinkability: While Unibroue Maudite might not be the most chuggable beer ever, but it’s remarkably smooth for what it is. The carbonation is very fine and energetic. I did get some CO2 stuck in the throat, but it was easily tolerable. The aftertaste is slightly spicy and a tad dry. At 8% ABV it’s quite efficient for the style, as others of double-digit strength have about as much flavor. There is minor alcohol warmth throughout, but it’s complementary, not distracting. 

Grade: 9/10

Southampton Burton IPA

3.4

   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 13/20

Chad9976 (874) - Albany, New York, USA - MAY 7, 2013

I poured a 12oz bottle into a goblet. There was no freshness date whatsoever.

Appearance: Hazy complexion of rusty orange/light brown. Forms a good sized, white, frothy head which laces and retains well.

Smell: Rather sweet and malty for the style. Yellow lollipops, some caramel and a hint of stone fruit.

Taste: I’m not sure why American breweries make English-style beers when their target audience wants American-style beers. There are a few other of these beers on the market and many are superior to Southampton Burton IPA. This definitely has that classic British character of light confectionery notes of caramel, toffee and a hint of honey. There’s a burst of hop bitterness at the apex of the swig that’s noticeably sharp, but it fades away as quickly as it appears. I notice some apricot or peach-like flavors on the aftertaste, which are nice, but muted. I also detect a twang or sourness which I’d attribute to this likely being an old bottle. It’s a fine palette overall, but nothing particularly impressive.

Drinkability: A medium body all around. Mouthfeel isn’t too thick, but is far from thin. A good level of carbonation to give it some energy across the tongue. Slightly dry aftertaste, but it’s easily tolerable. At only 6.5% ABV it seems rather inefficient and under attenuated. 

Grade: 6/10

Ballast Point Pale Ale

3.2

   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 6/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 12/20

Chad9976 (873) - Albany, New York, USA - MAY 6, 2013

I poured a 12oz bottle into a tulip glass. The enjoy by date was 8/10/13.

Appearance: Pretty shade of orange, very clear. Forms a small, white, foamy head which mostly evaporates and leaves trace lacing.

Smell: I was expecting hops so I was surprised to smell a typical pale lager aroma.

Taste: I was shocked when I took my first swig of Ballast Point Pale Ale. I was hoping for a classic West Coast style pale ale with plenty of citrus and a clean body. What I got was akin to a generic pale lager. I didn’t think this could possibly be right so I Googled it and it turns out this beer is not actually a pale ale at all, but is instead a Kolsch. This annoys me as a consumer because I bought it because I like pale ales, so why is the bottle labeled "pale ale" when it clearly is not? It’d be just as accurate to call it a stout.

The beer itself is not terrible, just not what I wanted. I’m not a fan of the Kolsch style because it’s so much like a pilsner and if I wanted a pilsner I’d buy a pilsner. The difference being that this beer at least drinks like an ale. While it does taste like a German or Czech-style pilsner it has the softer, smoother body of an ale. Not much in the way of distinctive taste, though. Some starchy malt and almost no hop presence. Even for a Kolsch it’s only an okay beer at best, but I’m rating this low because I feel it’s misleading.

Drinkability: Though I didn’t get a pale ale, at least I got the drinkability of one. The body is on the lighter side with a thin mouthfeel. It goes down extremely smooth and is quite refreshing with a clean aftertaste. It’d be ideal as a summer seasonal, especially considering it’s only 4.6% ABV. 

Grade: 5/10

Old beer: whose fault is it? | Chad'z Beer Op-Eds #5

In the past few weeks I’ve been getting burned on bottled beer. In one night I actually had three bad bottles in a row. And it’s not even the fact the bottles were old that made me so angry, it’s that there were either no freshness dates or they were impossible to read until I poured the beer out. Unknowingly ending up with old beer is my biggest pet peeve of the beer industry.

The majority of the time I want fresh beer*, so I’ll look for a freshness date even if it’s beer in the cooler and not on the shelves. I much prefer a “bottled-on” date to a “best before” date, because with bottled-on dates I know exactly how old the bottle is. “Best before” dates are more of a gamble, and breweries will often use dates that are much later than their true freshness window to keep it on the shelves longer. If I can’t find an easy-to-read date or if I see a code that looks like something out of The Matrix, I’ll usually pass.
Example 2

A 2-year freshness window isn’t all that helpful, either.

*In some cases, like a 750ml bottle-conditioned Trappist quad or an imperial stout, I’ll actually opt for an older bottle. We’ll discuss cellaring and vintages in a future blog.

So it certainly begs the question: whose fault is it when you get old beer?

Is it the brewery’s fault?

When beer goes “bad” it just tastes bad and won’t make you sick since pathogens can’t live in it (at least that’s what I’ve been told). That’s why beer isn’t required by law to have freshness dates. Any brewery that puts a date on their containers is doing it for the consumer’s benefit and for public relations. Craft breweries especially should know most beer stores and package shops allow their customers to “mix a six” (which I love), so it would behoove them to date every individual bottle and can and not just the boxes they come in.

So why don’t all breweries date all their containers all the time? Since freshness dating is such a common practice I’d assume it can’t be terribly expensive. Obviously, it incurs an additional expense which is then passed down to the consumer in the form of a higher price. Being the beer purist I am I will pay a premium for fresh beer. Maybe the Joe Six Pack type isn’t as concerned, but if he gets old beer that doesn’t taste good, the brewery risks losing his business as much as they risk losing mine by not dating their bottles in the first place.
Example 3

Why can’t every bottle and can be dated like this?!

Though there’s a second part to this question: if breweries are going to date their bottles and cans, why can’t they just make it an easy to read day/month/year format instead of using wacky codes and Julian dates? I cannot answer this question, though I’d imagine someone within the industry probably can (and if you can, please do so in the comments section). There are apps and websites dedicated to deciphering codes found on beer bottles, but to me that’s not that helpful. Why should I have to break out a secret decoder ring when the brewery could simply date the bottles in plain English?! Also, why can’t they print the freshness date in bright lettering? Just today I drank a bottle whose freshness date was camouflaged and I wasn’t able to read it until I had poured the beer into a glass (fortunately it was fresh).

Is it the distributors’ fault?

Most of us beer geeks are familiar with the “three tier system” where, by law, breweries must sell their beer to wholesalers, who in turn sell it to retailers, who then sell it to the consumers. As much as I know about beer and brewing, the inner workings of the industry allude me. Therefore, I’m not going to posit any theories on why old beer might be the distributors’ fault. However, let’s just say I refuse to believe they’re 100% innocent 100% of the time.

Is it the retailers’ fault?

I’ve been to many different beer stores around the country, but what baffles me is that I keep seeing old beer no matter where I go. The more modern a store is, the more this irritates me. If the inventory is managed on a computer database, why can’t that database alert the store to expired product sitting on the shelves? Perhaps the technology isn’t there yet, or maybe it is and stores just aren’t worried about it.

I’m sure there’s a cost-benefit-analysis to consider. If a store has to discount old product just to move it, they may barely break even or possibly suffer a loss, so it’s understandable that they’re not moving a lot of old inventory constantly. But when a store deliberately leaves old product on the shelves they risk losing sales they would’ve gotten had the product been fresh (or worse, alienating customers like me who feel they got hosed by paying full price for old and/or bad beer). You can’t really factor in these types of hypotheticals on accounting sheets, though.

Is it the consumer’s fault?

I’ll admit there’s been times I didn’t realize a beer was old until I had gotten all the way home and poured it out only to see a clear-as-day freshness date staring me in the face. I’ll take responsibility for that since it could’ve been prevented by taking a few seconds to look over the bottle at the store. If we buy discounted beer that’s out of season and it doesn’t hold up, that’s our fault too. But in the instances of no freshness dates or indecipherable codes, it’s unreasonable to expect consumers to figure out how old the beer is.

In conclusion, I think all parties from the brewer to the consumer have some responsibility in preventing the sale of old beer. I have friends that work at all three tiers and I’ve asked them about this topic many times. Each usually tends to blame the other two tiers for old beer, though everyone has a different theory as to how and why old beer gets to market and stays there. I’m sure there’s credence to all these theories, but from what I can tell no one knows for sure.

So, what do you think? How much responsibility should brewers, wholesalers and retailers take to make sure you the consumer gets fresh beer? What do you do to ensure you get fresh beer? How important is fresh beer to you? What can we do from a consumer standpoint to raise the standards of the industry?

Tröegs Sunshine Pils

3.7

   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 5/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 5/5   OVERALL 14/20

Chad9976 (872) - Albany, New York, USA - MAY 5, 2013

I poured a 12oz bottle into a pilsner glass. The bottling date was smudged but appeared to be 3/15/13, which would make it a little less than two months old.

Appearance: It’s beers like that that can make a "fizzy yellow beer" appealing to the eye. An almost glowing banana skin hue with a crystal clear body that’s highly effervescent. Forms a good size, bright white, frothy head which is slow to dissipate and leaves plenty of lacing on the glass.

Smell: Mostly a typical lager aroma but with slight cracker notes and a hint of citrus.

Taste: I don’t think I’ll even find a standard all-malt pilsner that will blow my mind, but finding one that’s just plain good is a rarity that I appreciate. That’s Tröegs Sunshine Pils in a nutshell: a true pilsner that’s flavorful and highly drinkable; and that’s good enough for me.

There’s a slight starch or cracker-like flavor throughout the palate. Imagine Saltine crackers sans salt. Also riding shotgun is a dry bitterness, the kind find in old world pilsners. I taste a subtle lemon character on the back end, which makes for a nice change of pace and adds some hop flavor without distracting from the main palette or deviating from the style. While I wouldn’t say this is a terribly delicious palate, for what it is it’s pretty darn good. I can find no off-flavors here. If every pale lager were this good the world would be a different place.

Drinkability: Though technically quite bitter at 45 IBUs, Tröegs Sunshine Pils is still a refreshing and easy to drink beer. The body is of course on the lighter side, but the mouthfeel doesn’t feel particularly thin or watery. The carbonation remains constant throughout. At only 4.5% ABV it’s quite flavorful for the weight and would meet my criteria for a session beer, especially in warmer weather. You could probably make a good shandy with this brew. 

Grade: 7/10

New England Brewing Sea Hag IPA

3.9

   AROMA 8/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 8/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 15/20

Chad9976 (871) - Albany, New York, USA - MAY 4, 2013

I poured a 12oz can into a goblet. There was no decipherable freshness date.

Appearance: Hazy body with an apricot or tangerine skin hue. Forms a small, white, foamy head which laces and retains well.

Smell: Citrus juice concentrate, strong pine notes, and a hint of spice rack character.

Taste: I always appreciate a solid IPA even if the recipe seems a bit familiar. New England Brewing Sea Hag IPA isn’t all that unique in the crowded market of American IPAs, but it’s a good one worth trying. It has components of both coasts plus a little spicy finish which makes for a satisfying beer.

Pale maltiness up front with some light honey character. A quick shift to bitterness at the top of the swig with a dank citrusy flavor of juice concentrate instead of crisp juice itself. The finish is even more memorable; a sharp bite of dry bitterness along with a slight garlic-like taste and a hint of pine on the aftertaste. I’ve experienced all these flavor components individually, but rarely together, which makes this an interesting and well-balanced brew.

Drinkability: I was extremely pleased by the ease with which New England Brewing Sea Hag IPA went down. The mouthfeel is comfortable with a fairly soft texture, but still lively enough to notice dull. The fact it’s only 6.3% ABV is quite impressive as it seems to have the weight of something bigger. It’s nice to drink a single IPA that’s so flavorful and drinkable. 

Grade: 8/10

Captain Lawrence Freshchester Pale Ale

2.7

   AROMA 5/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 5/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 11/20

Chad9976 (870) - Albany, New York, USA - MAY 3, 2013

I poured a 12oz bottle into a tulip glass. There was no freshness date whatsoever.

Appearance: Dark copper hue with visible sediment in suspension. Forms a good sized, eggshell foamy head which mostly dissipates but does leave nice lacing on the glass.

Smell: An earthy aroma of tree bark, pine needles, and dark cereal grain.

Taste: I’m inclined to believe the bottle I’m drinking is old, however there is absolutely no markings of a freshness date on the bottle at all (if that’s not irony considering the name I don’t know what is). Therefore, if the brewery doesn’t seem to care about freshness then neither do I and all I can do is review what I have. That being said, Captain Lawrence Freshchester Pale Ale is not a horrible beer, but it’s definitely not a good one.

This beer claims to be a pale ale but has a palette akin to an amber ale. The hops are quite mild and the maltiness is too twangy for the style. It almost reminds me of a sorghum base as there’s a touch of sourness right on the finish. The label description mentions West Coast influence, but there’s none of that here. No citrus, no flowers; instead just a general earthy character of tree bark and light resin. There is a faint taste of caramel and toffee, but both are short-lived and mild and cannot save the beer from itself.

Drinkability: While I wasn’t a fan of the flavor, at least Captain Lawrence Freshchester Pale Ale is an easy beer to drink. The mouthfeel and body are both on the lighter side with a good amount of carbonation. It goes down smooth, but the aftertaste is a tad annoying: a combination of starch and residual bitterness. It’s perfectly efficient at 5.6% ABV, but it’s a moot point considering this is only a tolerable beverage. 

Grade: 3/10

Rooster Fish Hop Warrior Imperial IPA

2.9

   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 5/10   PALATE 3/5   OVERALL 11/20

Chad9976 (869) - Albany, New York, USA - MAY 2, 2013

I poured a 22oz bottle into a tulip glass. It was bottled on 4/13/13 making it less than three weeks old.

Appearance: Extremely hazy but translucent shade of burnt umber/dark orange/cherry red. Forms a small, off-white, foamy head which leaves some lacing and never completely evaporates.

Smell: Extremely earthy aroma of tree bark, pine cones and grass but also a subtle fruit juice concentrate scent as well.

Taste: I hate to criticize an up-and-coming brewery since we beer nerds are supposed to support the little guys, but if a beer is not good I’m not going to lie about it. And while Rooster Fish Hop Warrior Imperial IPA is far from abysmal, the fact remains it’s just not a good beer.

The reason this beer fails for me is twofold: a complete lack of hops; and a base malt flavor of burnt peanut brittle. Though it’s quite hoppy to the nose, there’s little actual bitterness to be found here. This is especially disappointing considering the label indicates an IBU rating of "100+". There’s a mild sweetness throughout the first half of the palette. It’s a general earthy flavor but without anything particularly distinctive. The finish imparts an off taste akin to licking a pine cone. Sure, some hops can have a piney taste to them, but this doesn’t seem right. The aftertaste is akin to burnt sugar, or maybe even sorghum. I don’t really know what this beer is supposed to be, but basing an entire DIPA around the Warrior hop doesn’t seem to work.

Drinkability: Though I didn’t much care for the taste, I have to admit Rooster Fish Hop Warrior Imperial IPA was surprisingly drinkable at first. The body seems to be undercarbonated, creating for a thin, slightly flat mouthfeel. This makes it easy to drink, but once it warms the aftertaste becomes dry and bitter. At 8% ABV it’s inefficient, though I could probably throw back the entire bottle myself easily.

Grade: 4/10

Narragansett Cream Ale

2.9

   AROMA 5/10   APPEARANCE 4/5   TASTE 5/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 11/20

Chad9976 (868) - Albany, New York, USA - MAY 1, 2013

I poured a 16oz can into a large mug. There was no discernible freshness date.

Appearance: Slightly hazy golden body with lots of active carbonation visible. Forms a large, white, frothy head which laces and retains rather well.

Smell: Generic macro lager scent (despite the style). A hint of butter or some candy.

Taste: If you know anything about the "cream ale" style you know it’s a pre-prohibition style and one of a handful of beer styles that are truly American. You also know the cream ale style is not far removed from the adjunct lager style and Narragansett Cream Ale is a good example of that.

It’s quite bland and neutral-tasting all around. Similar to a blonde or golden ale with a light malt character throughout. I don’t taste any lager adjuncts like rice or corn, but there is definitely some off-flavors to be found here. Namely, butter and yellow lollipop. This is probably diacetyl, though considering who makes this beer and the target audience I can’t say I’m surprised. There is a hint of sweetness right on the finish that’s somewhat pleasant, but it’s not enough to save the beer from the otherwise boring and "blah" palette.

Drinkability: Though bubbly in the glass, it’s not effervescent in the mouth and goes down surprisingly smooth. The mouthfeel isn’t too thin, though it does have a slightly slick texture and leaves a faint starchy aftertaste. At 5% ABV it seems fairly efficient for the weight, though I see no reason to drink Narragansett Cream Ale in more than a single serving. 

Grade: 4/10

2013 TAP New York Beer Fest: Day 2 (4/28/13 in Hunter, NY)

It's time for the biggest and BEST beer festival in New York State - TAP New York Craft Beer and Food Festival! This was my fourth straight year of attending, and my second straight year of going both days. This fest just keeps getting bigger every year. It's amazing how many breweries they manage to fit here. I TRIED to taste one beer per brewery, but I'm not sure if I succeeded in that.

See my photo album on my Facebook page here: https://www.facebook.com/media/set/?s...

See the complete winners list here:
http://tap-ny.com/previous_winners.html

Steadfast Golden Blonde Ale

3.7

   AROMA 7/10   APPEARANCE 3/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 5/5   OVERALL 15/20

Chad9976 (867) - Albany, New York, USA - APR 30, 2013

I poured a 12oz bottle into the official Steadfast pint glass. There was no freshness date on the bottle, but I know it’s fresh because I got it directly from the brewer himself.

Appearance: The name is completely accurate. It pours to a crystal-clear, white gold hue. Highly effervescent when poured, but eventually calms down to virtual tepidness. Forms a soapy white head that fizzles out like a soda.

Smell: A light aroma of flowers, sorghum, and a hint of spice.

Taste: Steadfast’s initial offering was a borderline IPA that was big and bold and tasted good enough to distract from the fact it’s gluten-free. With their Golden Blonde Ale they’ve gone in the opposite direction; light and refreshing and they’ve succeeded again. I think this might actually be the more impressive brew.

Judging by the description and ingredients list, it seems this beer is intended to be the equivalent of a gluten-free witbier. Honey, coriander and orange peel create for a relatively familiar, summer seasonal-type palette. It’s not a beer I would describe as "spicy" though. It’s more like a blonde ale with real flavor to it (a style I usually dislike, by the way). The overall taste is akin to a cider with a hint of tartness riding shotgun throughout. The spices are enough to notice and taste, but mild enough that they don’t overwhelm. Same thing with the sorghum base. Yes there’s that "twangy" flavor on the finish, but it’s mild and easily tolerable and you barely notice it after a while. I’m not saying this is the best beer ever, but for those who don’t usually like sorghum beers and want something easy to handle this will do nicely.

Drinkability: Sorghum-based beers tend to have low drinkability because it takes the palate some getting used to. But in the case of Steadfast Golden Blonde Ale I was amazed by how quickly I downed it. In fact, I had to pour another bottle to have beer in the glass to review! The flavor is quite refreshing, and the thin, tepid body makes it highly quaffable, especially considering how smooth the finish is. I’m surprised it’s 5.5% ABV as it drinks like something even lighter. Sessionable in hot weather that’s for sure. 

Grade: 7/10

Horseheads Rye P.A.

3.6

   AROMA 6/10   APPEARANCE 5/5   TASTE 7/10   PALATE 4/5   OVERALL 14/20

Chad9976 (866) - Albany, New York, USA - APR 29, 2013

I poured a 22oz bottle into a tulip glass. There was no freshness date on the bottle, though the brewery’s website indicates it’s available September through January leading me to believe this bottle is probably 3-4 months old.

Appearance: Beautiful dark orange/copper hue. Seeming opaque from a distance but actually transparent when viewed close up. Forms a large, white, frothy head which laces and retains extremely well.

Smell: Mild aroma of rye and some hop flowers. A touch of pine.

Taste: Using rye in pale ale and IPAs is a pretty common thing these days. It gives a nice spice and additional bitterness to an otherwise standard style. That’s a perfect description of Horseheads Rye P.A. - pretty standard for the style, but a bit of rye to make it a little more interesting.

It opens with a smooth, gentle bitterness. Slightly dry, but at the same time there’s considerable malt character. I do notice the rye riding shotgun throughout the entire swig. There’s a slightly bready character that imparts a touch of spice and helps out with the balance. I’m not going to guess at the hops used because they’re not all that prominent here. I get a familiar piney/earthy character, but it’s tame. Tamer than the 56 IBUs would indicate. There’s a nice bitter bite at the top of the swig and some starchy, cracker-like flavor in the aftertaste but it’s not distracting and easily tolerable. Perhaps a fresher bottle would have more pizzazz, but what’s here isn’t bad at all and is plenty enjoyable.

Drinkability: With a nice calm mouthfeel that’s on the heavier end of the spectrum and a remarkably smooth finish, Horseheads Rye P.A. is easily and highly drinkable. Though not exactly refreshing (not that I think it’s meant to be), it doesn’t drink like the 7% ABV beer that it is. I could see this pairing well with brewpub fare or any light to medium meal. I had no problem drinking the entire bomber by myself. 

Grade: 7/10