Full Moon Winter Ale

Molson-Coors Brewing Company, Montreal, Quebec, Canada and/or Denver, CO

ABV: 5.6% (Alcohol By Volume)
IBU: N/A (International Bitterness Unit)

Note: Aged sharp white cheddar made with Irish whiskey is awesome! Anyway... it's winter... it's cold... it's icy... I got stuck on Woodall Rogers for four fricken hours 'cause douche bag "Ice Force One" are a bunch of a-holes! Ha! Can you believe Texas called there sand/salt trucking fleet, "Ice Force One"... Holy Gay... not that there's anything wrong with that.

So, Full Moon is Blue Moon Franchise's seasonal winter ale. It's cheap, fun, and it tastes pretty decent. The pour is a filtered icy clear dark amber - booya, adjectives. The head is uneventful and it does not last. For some reason I don't get excited about it. Probably because it's from the makers of a beer (Blue Moon) that even your froshest of froshes feel cool ordering at the bar because it doesn't taste like beer and it comes with an orange slice... didn't you guys watch the Men of the Square Table commercials? When Burt Reynolds (a.k.a. Bandit) tells you, "Don't fruit your beer!" Damnit, you listen to him! Anyway...

The aroma is malty and sweet with only a small hint of hops. There's nothing here to really get excited about. I'm glad it doesn't boast nutmeg, cinnamon, and holiday joy... 'tis the season for all of that business.

The first sip is cold and refreshing. The carbonation is moderate and seems to be appropriate for this style of beer. I will say it is the exact opposite of a winter warmer. Yeah the alcohol content is low... but it seems to chill my bones, even while I am sitting here in my toasty warm apartment. It's strange but I am not opposed to it. The malts and "Dark Belgian Sugar" are evident in the taste. There are some bitter hops in the aftertaste which compliment the sweet aroma.

Nothing about this beer is overwhelming or defining. It is what it is... a mass produced filtered Belgian-wannabe for the masses. I like it... I'll drink it again... A delightful and forgettable brew.

DRU: 84/100 (Dan's Rating Unit)

PranQster

North Coast Brewing Company, Fort Bragg, CA

ABV: 7.6% (Alcohol By Volume)
IBU: 20 (International Bitterness Unit)

Kick ass! It's Friday and I have plans to drink beer now and tomorrow! Just hanging out tonight after a long week of work. You know... resting up for a holiday beer tasting at The Gingerman. It ought to be a good time. But that is neither here nor there. What's on my plate right now is a Belgian style golden ale from North Coast Brewing company called, "Pranqster".

Yeah, I'll admit it... I've wanted to try this simply because of the sweet spelling and the awesome mural of a bunch of old fat guys sitting around drinking beer. If only I had aspirations! It does also claim to be a Belgian Style Golden Ale (alert: Duvel and Leffe Blonde fans)! Let's get down to it. P.S. Screw you Central Market for having such an awesome beer selection.

Pranqster pours a rich deep golden color. Conveniently the bottle conditioning yeast are nicely settled and stay nested at the bottom of the bottle. I'm liking that I don't have to worry about dumping it into my glass. The head is white, weak, and short lived. In my opinion I am okay with that. Heads are over rated!

The smell coming out of the glass just screams Belgian golden ale! It seems that some of the folks up at Fort Bragg may know what they are doing. This beer has a flowery nose that is very reminisce of those traditional ales such as Duvel and Leffe Blonde.

True to form the taste is bready and biting with a nutty undertone. You're left with almost the sensation of wanting to chew. Is that a pleasant sensation you wonder? It sure is especially when its followed by a crisp, clean, and refreshing finish that preps your pallet for a bite of food or another swig of this fine brew.

If I had to point out anything wrong with this beer it would be that it might be slightly over carbonated and that it tastes somewhat... American? It tastes delicious... but as I have become accustomed to the imported bottle conditioned Belgians, I feel like this one is too crisp, it's too refreshing, it's finish is too clean... it may almost be over engineered.

If you're looking for a great tasting Belgian Style beer that you can get at a reasonable price then this is definitely the beer for you. It's probably the best American stab at the style that I have had to date. I'm happy with the purchase and I won't hesitate to get it again. Enjoy, and happy drinking!

DRU: 92/100 (Dan's Rating Unit)

Racer 5 IPA

Bear Republic Brewery, Healdsburg, CA

ABV: 7.0% (Alcohol By Volume)
IBU: 69 (International Bitterness Unit)

I have more beer than I can fit in my fridge... more than any bachelor should have in his apartment at any given time. Despite this, I can't go grocery shopping at The Central Market without picking something out. Entering the store my mind is telling me, "You just need some bread and fruit for breakfast." Then I see that shrine that the Market has constructed to this beverage-of-the-Earth and I can't help but stop and browse. Every time my eye catches something that I've been wanting to try. This time is was Racer 5 India Pale Ale.

I have to give another shout out to my co-worker, "Thanks for the suggestion, Terry!" Terry is another fellow hop-head who is always looking for delicious pales and IPA to imbibe while relaxing on Saturday afternoons. He heard about this one on a radio show, believe it or not. So there I was in the Market and *SMACK* there was on the top shelf with the rest of the 750's calling my name. SOLD, Central Market!

I busted out the bottle open and as soon as I heard the *pssss* of the CO2 escaping from the cracked bottle cap I could smell the sweet bitterness of hops! This was an awesome surprise because after having Stone's Ruination IPA (which I believe to be the IPA to end all IPAs) I was a little skeptical of other competition.

This IPA pours a refreshing clear light golden color. I great white head forms on top of this golden goddess with surprisingly long head retention. All the while the hoppy aroma is just pouring out of the glass.

If you haven't been able to gather thus far there is no need to bury your nose in this beer to catch a whiff. The Cascade and Columbus hops just billow out of glass with an amazing floral aroma. The potent aroma is actually quite inviting and does not impart a dooming intimidation of the assumed face-contorting bitterness that may or may not follow the first sip.

This beer tastes delicious. Because the head retention is good you get to dive through the thick foam into the delicious smelling beverage. The beer is hoppy and there is a huge perception of bitterness. It is properly conditioned and refreshing. Swallowing this brew gives a rush of hoppy flavor. Just about everything you want in an IPA. Hey, I'll say it! This beer is a lot like Stone's Ruination. By that I mean it is DAMN GOOD! Is it AS good? That; I am not so sure. Racer 5 uses a hybrid Columbus hop for bittering and Cascade hops for aromatic affects. This IPA truly instills some finish of bitterness. The perception and aroma of hops nicely compliments it making it a truly delightful experience.

I'll leave you with some of the brew masters comments which I believe to perfectly describe this beer. "Racer 5 is an aggressive styled India Pale Ale. Handmade from a brewery whose motto is 'Bigger is Better'. This golden, well hopped, bottle conditioned ale demands your attention. Try the next generation of I.P.A. Racer 5... Go... Go.."

For the homebrewer... this would be an interesting style of beer to re-create as its ingredients should be readily available at your local home brew market.

DRU: 95/100 (Dan's Rating Unit)

Chimay - Grande Reserve (BLUE)

The Chimay Brewery, Scourmont Abbey, Municipality of Chimay, Belgium

ABV: 9.0% (Alcohol By Volume)
IBU: N/A (International Bitterness Unit)

Yeah... I'm wearing a t-shirt that says, "Beer is my Life"! It seems that ever since I moved to Dallas it seems quite apropos. I won this t-shirt in a raffle at a Belgian beer tasting at The Gingerman. Only irony can explain why I am wearing it now, drinking a Chimay Blue, and writing about it.

This is the first of many Trappist beers that I will be writing about. I'm not going to dive into a detailed history but I will say a little bit. There are only 7 trappist abbeys in the world, 6 of which are in Belgium. These beers are brewed by monastic monks in said abbey's for the purposes of raising funds for the abbey and various charities. Chimay is the most commercialized and widely distributed trappist beers. With that said... down to the beer!

Chimay Blue is a dark strong ale that pours a dark brown hue with a frothy tan head. It is cloudy due to the yeast still in the bottle for bottle conditioning. It is definitely rich looking and my mouth waters at the site of it.

The aroma is rich and malty with a strong aroma of bready yeast. There is a slightly sweet flowery smell that is really nice. Thus far Chimay Blue is a very inviting dark ale.

While nicely carbonated that first sip is chilly and stinging to the tongue. Malty sweet yeasty flavors rush the taste buds as it is swallowed. It has a great flavor with a bready lingering finish. This beer would be a great beginner's introduction to Belgian dark ales. What it lacks in hopped aroma and perception it makes up for with a malty richness which is surprisingly refreshing and pleasant. It is clear that I truly enjoy drinking this beer. I am amazed by how the aromas, spices, malts, and yeast undertones entirely mask the whopping 9% alcholol content. Three Cheers!

I will definitely continue to keep this beer available in my refrigerator and cellar. I am interested to see how age affects this beer. It is said that with age (years) the flavor improves as the yeast continues to ferment the malts and transform the composition.

My final suggestion would be to drink this beer out of a signature Chimay chalice or wide mouth glass. Take your time and "taste" the beer, DON'T drink it. I know it sounds snooty and lame but really try to taste the complexity. I don't believe that there is a question that the Scourmont abbey and it's monastic monk inhabitants truly did invent and perfect the trappist style beer.

DRU: 96/100 (Dan's Rating Unit)

From the Hip!!!

So it's Sunday... yes I've made myself a nice cheese plate and I am enjoying another Maudite... Bless you Unibroue!

The purpose of this post is to apologize for the horrendous writing. Drinking beer, watching football (Go Colts! - yeah that's right they beat the Texans today!), eating cheese, and trying to review beer in the middle of the afternoon probably isn't the best venue to facilitate the kind of concentration I need to weave a sentence that might peak the interest of a 5th grader.

I've re-read a couple of these posts and while some attempt be funny and others hint at sophistication... in the end they don't really mask the fact that I'm just an engineer who can hammer out a 40 page engineering design memo that out lines the details of stress analysis and creep lifing of a stage one turbine disk. These posts are merely evidence that I really can't write something that normal human beings would call "enjoyable to read".


I want to take this time to say thank you to The Gingerman for hosting an vastly fun Saturday afternoon Belgian beer tasting. I also want to say "HI!" to Crazy Ashley (the belgian beer girl), Carla, and Greg. Thanks for being fun neighbors during this event.

Finally I'll leave you with a little gem that a buddy of mine (Thanks, Raul!) sent to me from Sin City, Las Vegas, Nevada! Have a good week, see ya at the bar next time!

Maudite

Unibroue, Chambly, Quebec, Canada

ABV: 8.0% (Alcohol By Volume)
IBU: N/A (International Bitterness Unit)

So we have another strong ale from Unibroue. After I enjoyed Trios Pistoles so much, I had to pick up another Unibroue product and Maudite happened to be the choice. Maudite, meaning "The Damned" is a brew invented in 1992 and was hesitantly sold, because of the high alcohol content, in Quebec and American grocery stores. The artwork on the bottle is a typical Unibroue motif depicting a canoe of miscreants charging forward in the sky above a castle laden town. I imagine that they are The Damned.
Anyway, this brew pours are a dark amber red with a khaki tan head. The head is different than the Trois Pistoles because it leaves a much more significant amount of lace on the glass. The color is rich looking and has cloudy hues to it from the yeast still floating in the beer as a result of the bottle refermentation that Unibroue likes to use.
This strong ale smells very similar to the Trois Pistoles due to the nature of the yeast. Bready grains emerge from the glass. Maudite has not only sweet fruit but you also notice a bouquet of spices and cinnamon emanating from the glass as well.

Sweet! Pick by the Colts!
Sweet! Touchdown, Colts!

Back to the beer. Maudite has a really nice taste. It has a slightly lower, but still strong, alcohol content that a malty body and spicy bite do a phenomenal job of hiding. The malty body is riddled with cinnamon and spices and hints at sweet undefined fruits. The finish is clean and does not linger. For a strong all it is rather refreshing and when finished your left with the desire for another.
This brew is complex. It has tastes that extend far beyond the reach of my pallet. Every time I have a glass I find something different. Bannanas, fruit, caramel, and more. Maudite is truly a surprise everytime it is consumed. Sitting here in my apartment writing this I only wish I hade a beautiful bone-in ribeye to compliment this glorious beverage. I guess a Digiorno Thin Crust Supreme pizza will have to do! Ahhh... I gotta get a life!

DRU: 94/100 (Dan's Rating Unit)

Trois Pistoles

Unibroue, Chambly, Quebec, Canada

ABV: 9.0% (Alcohol By Volume)
IBU: N/A (International Bitterness Unit)

I have a love/hate relationship with The Gingerman in Dallas, TX. So much to try, TOO much to try. This should give you a little bit of insight into my first experience drinking Trois Pistoles. I pretty much threw a dart at the menu during last call at 1:30am. Yeah I had a few good brews that night but as a night cap this beer blew my mind. The next day I waited until noon (Texas State law prohibits sale of alcoholic beverages prior to 12:00pm) and then I hopped in the car to pick up my own four pack from The Central Market. I had been wanting to sample the Unibroue product line because they have very provocative artwork and some intimidating nomers for their brew, but Canada??? Well let me tell you this beer is as good is I "kinda" remember it from the night.
Trois Pistoles is a dark strong ale. It is named after a small port/town in Canada, and the artwork I am assuming is a depiction of the Trios skyline with a dark sky and a winged firey stallion kissing the rooftops. At 9.0% Abv. it is definitely strong with a dark nearly opaque black/brown color. To achieve the high alcohol content this brew is refermented in the bottle so be sure and let this bottle settle before pouring unless you like a slightly nuttier yeast taste. I enjoy it so I have no doubt that you will too. Either way this beer is delicious.
Warming in the glass it gives of the strong odors of the malt and grains that were used to embody this beverage. If you dig your nose into the glass you will get notes of sweet fruits like raspberries and cherries. It has a light aroma of alcohol buried within the grains.
This strong ale looks intimidating in the glass. It is black and dark chocolaty looking. Light is only visible at the top of the glass where the glass taper inward. It is powerful looking and the site makes you anxious to taste it. Letting it warm for a few minutes if torture.
For a strong belgian style beer it is amazing how the malty body and fruity finish masks any alcohol taste. This beer is excellent! It is hearty and smooth in texture, sweet and bready in flavor, and refreshing to the throat with a delightful finish. The sweet fruits, possibly raisins and plumbs, are quite nice and prep your palate for the next sip.
I would recommend this beer for a before or after dinner drink. With dessert it would complement a very rich chocolate dish. I'm so glad I found this beer because I will have fun drinking it, recommending it, and watching first timers eye light up with their first sip. Bravo, Unibroue! You're restored my faith, dashed by Molson and LaBatt, in the rich tradition of Canadian Brewing!

DRU: 97/100 (Dan's Rating Unit)

Shiner: Bock

Spoetzl Brewery, Shiner, TX

ABV: 4.4% (Alcohol By Volume)
IBU: 13 (International Bitterness Unit)

As a temporary resident of Texas I am enjoying this fine brew. It brings back memories of College when Friday afternoons were reserved for drinking draught beer at The Campus Pub. That's right folks, the wonderful folks at Vanderbilt University served Shiner Bock as a pub brew that could be purchased with your Student ID (Thanks, Mom & Dad!!!).
This Texan Gem has a dark amber color and has the appearance of being quite flavorful. A closer look shows that in the end it is transparent and watery looking. I find this quite strange, it's as if this amber liquid has been filtered more times than Marlboro Ultra Light (no I'm not a smoker, but I'm just trying to think of an analogy where someone might complain about filters when they don't have the option to consume anything else).
This beer smells out-doorsy. I think I catch some earth and smokey tones as I get my nose into the glass and really try to whiff this mother.
This is a great beer for watching football games (See tiny number by "ABV"). It has a little bit more enjoyable flavor than your other sporting event beers (Miller Lite, Coors Light, Bud Light) with about the same impact. It is quite easy to drink for 3 hours and still keep your wits about you. Spoetzl describes it having "dark amber color and distinctive rich flavor... Shiner Smooth". It is definitely smooth with no bitter after taste but it is not quite as rich as I would really like it to be. This beer is pretty delicious but it leaves a little to be desired. Enjoy!

DRU: 74/100 (Dan's Rating Unit)

Sierra Nevada: Pale Ale

Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Chico, CA

ABV: 5.6% (Alcohol By Volume)
IBU: 37 (International Bitterness Unit)

You could call this a beer a beer that never disappoints. At the same time you could call this beer a beer that never knocks your socks off. Sierra Nevada is currently one of the most popular craft breweries in the United States. What does that mean? It means that any joe shmoe who drinks the Texas Trio (Bud Light, Miller Lite, Coors Light) might recognize the husky bottle or the decorative bar tap wielding the brewery's moniker. If you are a beer snob then I suggest you think past the obnoxious Aggies and Longhorns quaffing this brew in order to reach the plateau of their body's buzz curve ("so it will all taste the same"). This once-upon-a-time homebrew is quite good!
While on the transparent side, Sierra Nevada Pale Ale pours into a pint glass with a pretty pale amber/golden color. It yields a very nice but short lived head worthy of clinging to the the 'stache guarding the most sensitive of pallets. It's clean look and color are more inviting than intimidating.
The aroma is rather mundane. It has the the smell of hops, probably the cascade hops that are used to finish this craft brew. This may be a little biased since I am used to hoppy brews with significantly stronger odors.
Back in the day I used to love and swear by this beer. With all of this said I do have to say that this is a very refreshing pale ale. It has an extremely nice hoppy flavor that cleanses the pallet and finishes clean. It is light and delicious. This is a beer I would recommend to someone who is trying to learn more about beer or simply just likes beer and wants to have good beer without complicating things too much. Everyone who like beer is going to like a Sierra Nevada Pale Ale every now and again. In fact, I think I'll have another.

DRU: 89/100 (Dan's Rating Unit)

Stone: 'Oaked' Arrogant Bastard Ale

The Stone Brewing Company, Escondido, CA

ABV: 7.2% (Alcohol By Volume)
IBU: "Classified" (International Bitterness Unit)

This is another spur of the moment purchase. Back at my place of work in San Diego, CA I heard about a co-worker having a keg of Arrogant Bastard Ale. I thought this sounded amusing and I've had this beer recommended by several.
Another signature brew from The Stone Brewing Company (this one is 'oaked'), it does not disappoint. The packaging is amusing and humorous as is the beverage description on the bottle. Who wouldn't enjoy drinking a brew taglined with "You're Not Worthy".
This ale is a darker brew with a red/brown hue. It pours thickly and the slightly creamy head retains some of the color. It is quite a pretty beer.
Since I can't really smell properly to describe the nose I would just like to state that it smells like beer, it smells sharp, and I can pick up a little bit of vanilla and fruitiness.
After drinking this beer you realize that the name is very appropriate. This beer just smacks you in face and the maltiness coupled with a strong hoppy flavor just kick-boxes your toungue around the inside of your mouth. I guess I am definitely "not worthy". While very tasty there is definitely a lot going on in this beer. It is definitely a good starter beer but more than one or two of these bad boys might cause your taste buds to go numb.

DRU: 79/100 (Dan's Rating Unit)

Stone: Ruination IPA

The Stone Brewing Company, Escondido, CA

ABV: 7.7% (Alcohol By Volume)
IBU: 100+ (International Bitterness Unit)

"A liquid poem to the glory of the hop!" At this point in my life I am willing to consider this the end-all and be-all of India Pale Ales!
I was at Central Market in Dallas, TX when I was looking for a good IPA for a friend (Texas Terry). As soon as I uttered the letters, I, P, and A., the clerk-ess stocking the fridge turned and said, "Have you tried the Ruination, it is new in, and it is GOOD!" this glorious woman simply stated with a wide eyed, the lights are on, stare. "SOLD!" I exclaimed and picked up a six-pack. I'm a sucker when it comes to woman and beer. It wasn't until the next day did I crack the top on this hoppy bastard.
My nose sucks. All I smell is cascade hops and gun solvent (yeah I had it all over my hands because just prior to this journal entry I cleaned my Sig P229 after a morning at the range. WHAT? I'm in Texas!). Honestly, this ale has a wonderfully hoppy aroma that just make me shudder almost as much as the taste.
The color is a beautiful cloudy gold. It is picturesque in a frosty pint glass. "A beer you can see through is just water." is a phrase that comes to mind.
The Ruination India Pale Ale is a thing of wonder. The mouth full is tingly and the effervescence is very nice. Before swallowing you can feel the bitter hop quivering your taste buds. I find this premature taste to be very unusual when drinking IPA's, I like it a lot. As the beer leaves the mouth there is a fast and overwhelming rush of bitter hop flavor that is ever-so desired. It is magnificently hoppy! The great thing about this IPA is that you get a slam bang of a flavor and then it seems as though your pallet is refreshed and ready for more. The wonderful flavor does not linger too long and spoil whatever happens to enter your pie hole next, even the next sip of Ruination. I find this exciting about this beer because you almost get to experience the first sip with every sip!
This beer is called "Ruination" because it is self proclaimed to spoil your hop-headedness for any other IPA. For now I would say that The Stone Brewing Company has succeeded. As of October 2008 this is, for me, the best of the best when it comes to the IPA!

DRU: 95/100 (Dan's Rating Unit)

Welcome, beer quaffers!

Welcome to Brew For You! I intend for this to be an outlet for my ramblings about beer. A beverage that is near and dear. Since I started brewing my own beer I became fascinated with the complexities of its simplicity. I find the drink interesting and when time is taken to understand its ingredients and care is poured into the process of its creation you can taste the difference. It's delicious!

If you have any questions, comments, or suggestions... please, let me know!

-Dan

Flying Dog, Seasonal: Dogtoberfest Marzen

Flying Dog Brewery, Frederick, MD

ABV: 5.3% (Alcohol By Volume)
IBU: 30 (International Bitterness Unit)

I consider Flying Dog Brewery to be an excellent craft brewery. Never have I been disappointed with one of their products. With that said I also want to say that I think Flying Dog is a fun beer to drink because of the amusing art work on the labels, the witty commentary on the packaging, and their unconventional (yet seemingly apropos) beer names.
Dogtoberfest is one of America's many beers that mimic the Marzen style beers made by the Germans during the spring and summer months that are to be drank during the months of September and October. OKTOBERFEST!
This beer has a nice dark/amber color and appears rich and flavorful pouring into the glass. Topping of a frosty pint definitely get the taste buds anxious.
The nose is clean and un-obnoxious with a slight hint of caramel that is very telling prior to the first sip. This is a very pleasant beer to drink. As a hop-head myself, I find this beer to be rather mellow with only a rating of 30 on the IBU chart. For a regular beer drinker it is nothing to do back flips over. The first mouthful is puzzling. Typically it is cold and the level of carbonation is a little underwhelming. When you swallow this beer a rush a flavor hits the inside of your cheeks and back of your tongue as the remnants react with your first breath. It is a full bodied and tasty beer with significant caramel flavors that were detected in the nose. There is a medium finish that is nice and leaves you wanting another sip.

DRU: 86/100 (Dan's Rating Unit)