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Post 26 Feb 2013, 6:45 am

IPA's seem to "fit" for Summer, and (when we get there) if you want a nice Summer beer but don't care for the hops, try a Kolsch type of beer. These are very light (but not a "light" or "diet" beer) and really quite refreshing, my neighbor calls them "lawn mower beers" because after mowing the lawn it's nice to pull one out of the freezer (yes they are best VERY cold) and sit back on the deck and enjoy! (can't wait for Summer now).

I know, who wouldn't want the hops? But you need to realize that hoppy taste really is an acquired one, I don't know of anyone who liked higher hopped beers from the get-go. Last night I went to a basic stand by, Sam Adams Boston Lager, not a fancy hoity toity beer but it never lets me down! A decent beer that should appeal to most beer drinkers and a very good "starter" for those who have only drank the large mass produced swill.
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Post 03 Mar 2013, 6:30 pm

Troegs Nugget Nectar showed up at my beer store last week and I went in for a six given the stellar ratings. I really liked this beer and highly recommend it to anyone (even with Tom's 'meh' reaction).

I also picked up some singles. The first I tried is Evolution No.3 IPA - excellent, hoppy beer that gets better after a few sips.

Also... taking Redhook Long Hammer off my list (page 1) - I'm really starting to not like it, especially after trying so many other superior beers. Too bad I bought a six-pack.
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Post 04 Mar 2013, 7:08 am

Nugget Nectar wasn't "bad" mind you, I just don't think it was as stellar as people seem to say. I actually prefer it's Sister beer, HopBack Amber. Similar beers, but the Nugget Nectar is on steroids is all. And now that you have had it, am I right in what was said, this stuff tastes a lot like an IPA? Myself, I like it better, it has the hops like an IPA but seems a lot "smoother", that make sense to you?? And the "recommend to anyone" I can agree, because it is a nice blend of the two styles that should appeal to most.
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Post 07 Mar 2013, 7:15 pm

Some more to report:

Bear Republic Brewery's Hop Rod Rye. This is a new style for me and I think it'll take getting used to. It's like an overly course version of an IPA. It's rated pretty well at BA so I'll chalk it up to unfamiliarity with ryes... for now.

Troeg's Hopback Amber. This was part of the mixed-6. I agree with Tom that it's an excellent beer. However, I do prefer the Nugget Nectar. I've never been a big amber fan so maybe that has something to do with it.
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Post 08 Mar 2013, 5:17 pm

How about some scoring of these beers based on Tom's rating criteria?
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Post 11 Mar 2013, 5:42 am

Good idea on my rating sheet!
But even my own sheet, I have a report NOT using it.
I had not planned on trying anything new this weekend but a friend brought a case over when he visited. Unfortunately he does not share the love of craft brews with me, but it IS a somewhat new beer so why not report on it?
Budweiser Black Crown
OK, I may be a bit of a beer snob but I TRY to be open minded and I do enjoy most beers at least to some degree, the mass produced swill is enjoyed lesser but "enjoyed" still. That was the case for this stuff.
Very similar to regular Bud to be honest. The biggest differences were the color, it was quite a pretty amber color but almost "too" clear, but still quite a pretty somewhat deep amber color. The taste was a bit more bitter and if that bitter flavor were hops coming through, it could be a good thing, and maybe it WAS hops showing through but it was simply bitter and not "hoppy", not a horrible flavor mind you but no real complexity of flavors, it was just a fairly bland beer. It DID however have a bit more alcohol kick to it, not overly so, but extra alcohol was noticed and appreciated. (and I do not always like more alcohol just for the sake of more alcohol)

Overall, meh... standard Bud formula with a couple very minor differences. Not a fan but I'm not throwing away the half case left in the fridge either.
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Post 11 Mar 2013, 6:07 am

OK, my rating system is as follows
I will include the Black Crown above as best as i can remember (though it would be best to do this at the time of tasting)
First is the rating numbers, followed by the actual beer being tasted


Beer Rating / Scoring System ( Never Drink Beer Directly from the Bottle! )

Be very strict with your grades and assign a wide range of scores!
(Note a “poor” beer scores up to 16 points, if you assign only 2 pts from A, S, M, only 4 pts from O and in taste you gave 12 points of 25, that beer would almost qualify a “good” beer)
…Assign your grades in a harsh manner and keep in mind these ranges being scored within.

…………………………………………………………………………………………….
4 points – Appearance
(A)
Note the beer's color, carbonation, head and its retention. Is it clear or cloudy? Does it look lackluster and dull or alive and inviting? Note some beers styles may be cloudy or unfiltered while others are very clear and clean, try to understand some differences are of course to be expected and quite acceptable/

6 points – Aroma (smell)
(S)
Bring the beer to your nose. Note the beer's aromatic qualities.
Malts: sweet, roasty, smoky, toasty, chocolaty, nutty, caramelly, biscuity?
Hops: dank / resiny, herbal, perfumy, spicy, leafy, grassy, floral, piney, citrusy?
Yeast: you might get fruity or flowery aromas (esters) from ales while very clean aromas from lagers, which will allow the malt and hop scent subtleties to pull through. (be aware ales and lagers will not smell the same)

25 points – Taste
(T)
Take a deep sip of the beer. Note any flavors, or interpretations of flavors, that you might discover. The descriptions will be similar to what you smell. Is the beer built-well? Is there a balance between the ingredients? Was the beer brewed with a specific dominance of character in mind? How does it fit the style?

5 points – Mouthfeel
(M)
Take another sip and let it wander. Note how the beer feels on the palate and its body. Light, heavy, chewy, thin / watery, smooth or coarse? Was the beer flat, over-carbonated?

10 points - Overall Impression
(O)
Comment on overall drinking pleasure associated with this beer and give suggestions for improvement

Score (50): ____________
Outstanding (45-50)
Excellent (39-44)
Very Good (32-38)
Good (25-31)
Fair (17-24)
Poor (0-16)
…………………………………………………………………………………………….
Style: American Amber / Red Lager
A sort of catch-all category, these lagers boast a bit more malt backbone and overall character than their lighter sister styles. Bitterness is generally low.

Name of Beer: Budweiser Black Crown
Brewery: Anheuser Busch (InBev)
Per manufacturer: 6% alc./vol.* golden amber lager, it delivers a smooth and distinct flavor with toasted caramel malt and a variety of American Hops, finished over beechwood chips for a smooth and distinctive flavor.
A (4) 4
S (6) 2
T (25) 6
M (5) 2
O (10) 2
Score (50): ____16
Notes:
A very pretty, scored a 4, maybe a 3.5 is better since it seemed "too clear" but I try to avoid halves and gave it the perfect 4 here ...quite pretty!
S not much to comment on, I noticed almost nothing in the aroma, nothing but a tinge of alcohol smell
T not a lot going on here, alcohol is noticed but little else besides a bitter flavor that does not seem "hoppy", not as good as the other Ambers I do like, this has no roasted flavors, no malty flavor, just plain beer flavor with no complexities.
M Somewhat watery feel, a bit of an alcohol edge and slightly over-carbonated, again, just seems like a bland beer.
O not a fan! and my rating seems pretty spot on, a 16 falls into "poor" while just missing the bottom of the "fair" range!
that was NOT intentional, it was an honest rating. but it does show how you really need to be critical and not give any extra points, this is not a school paper you are grading. A 62% in school would be failing but here it would fit into the "good" range! Be VERY critical when reviewing, assign numbers in a very stingy way!
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Post 11 Mar 2013, 7:10 am

I'm game. I won't try to backfill - I'll just rate going forward. Guess I'll have to go get some more singles of those I previously liked. The burdens you make me bear...
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Post 11 Mar 2013, 9:40 am

This one would be fun to throw in a tasting:

Image

"The mouth feel was a bit chunkier than I expected, but that might have been the taco I just threw up."
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Post 11 Mar 2013, 10:47 am

Clamato!
From what I have heard, that crap is made outside Rochester, NY where I live. Nobody but nobody drinks the stuff here, hell, we may grow some tomatoes here (the "ato" portion of the word) but damn, it's not like we are on the coast so how "fresh" are those clams? From what I have also been told, almost every ounce of the nonsense goes to our friends to the North, Canada seems to love the stuff!
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Post 11 Mar 2013, 10:55 am

It makes for a terrific bloody mary mix.

I do like a red beer occasionally (beer & tomato juice) and just might like the clam twist on it.
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Post 11 Mar 2013, 2:29 pm

FTR, I've not had the product, so I can't technically say I don't like it.
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Post 11 Mar 2013, 3:57 pm

I have had Clamato, and I don't think ANY amount of beer could fix that...
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Post 11 Mar 2013, 6:20 pm

Ok, here I go:
[edit] Added pic just like Neal!

Image

Lagunitas Hop Stoopid Ale poured into pint glass.
Style: Double IPA

A (3 of 4): Dark coppery color. A little bit cloudy. Formed good head, dissipated quickly.

S (4 of 6): Nice floral, fruity smell. Not very strong though.

T (20 of 25): Strong floral hops up front. Is peary a word? Some malty stuff in the middle. Really smooth at the end with the 8% alcohol hidden well.

M (4 of 5): A little thick (which is fine) and hangs around a while but a little too much carbonation.

O (8 of 10): This is an excellent example of a double IPA - one of the best I've had. The only thing I might knock it for is some lack of complexity in the flavors (thus 20 of 25).

Total Score = 39 Excellent Truth is, I was probably a little too hard on this beer (per instructed) but it did squeak into the excellent category so I'll stick with it for now.
Last edited by SLOTerp on 12 Mar 2013, 6:06 pm, edited 3 times in total.
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Post 12 Mar 2013, 5:51 pm

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Black Butte Porter
Alc. 5.2% | IBUs 30
192 Calories, 12 oz serving

With a dark beer as our first and flagship brand, Black Butte defined Deschutes as a radical player. A slight hop bitterness up front enhances the distinctive chocolate and roasted finish. It’s prized for its creamy mouthfeel and intense complex flavors.

Malt: Pale, Carapils, Chocolate, Crystal, Wheat
Hops: Cascade, Bravo, Tettnang

@ Room Temperature

A (2 of 4): A thick brown color with a medium head. It's not exactly going to draw you from across the room. I love the logo, don't bother pouring into a glass.

S (4 of 6): Tepid, hint of a hint of chocolate, hint of sourdough, quite toasty.

T (10 of 25): Watery, bit of a hop punch on the front, transitions to a toasty sourness, leaves you hanging. About 5 minutes after you're done you'll have an aftertaste of raw cacao.

M (2 of 5): Surprisingly thin for a porter, you could knock this one back pretty fast. Does it even have alcohol in it?

O (5 of 10): Possibly a good beer that just seems too watered, lacking intensity.

Total Score = 23 Crap, I've got a six pack of this, will try it ice cold next for comparison. Needs to be distilled into something proper.