Josh
Registered Since: 2008-01-03 14:51:30
Profile: Throughout college I subscribed to the cheep beer = good times philosophy. For a short while I wandered away from beer for the variety of wines and spirits before realizing I could have the variety I wanted with that great beer taste! Since then I have tried many types of beer from many brewers and I see brew52 as a way to sample great Minnesota brews with like-minded friends.
Reviews by Josh:
Vienna Style = Malt?
Week 30: Schell Firebrick (July 21-27) | Reviewed on July 22nd, 2008
I gave this beer a 3 but I consider that a good score for a lager. This is definitely one of the tastiest lagers I’ve tried. The folks at Schell have packed Firebrick with a ton of malt, making it a tastier than average lager. I would prefer a pale ale or maybe a porter but this is a great lager if that’s what you’re into.
Not a Bad Mix
Week 29: Cold Spring Moonlight Ale (July 14-20) | Reviewed on July 15th, 2008
Cold Spring’s Moonlight Ale is an interesting mix between a Porter and a Bock. It has a good balance between malt and hops. I might buy this beer again if I see it but it isn’t as good as some stand alone Porters and Bocks I’ve had.
Double the ABV, Double the Fun, Double Rett’s Volume
Week 28: Town Hall Raspberry Oatmeal Stout (July 7-13) | Reviewed on July 15th, 2008
Town Hall’s Double American Red Ale is a great beer. It doesn’t taste that alcoholic, like an Imperial Stout might, but you can definitely feel the effects when you’re half way through the glass. This beer had a clean, hoppy taste that I really enjoyed.
Rett may have been talking a little loud but it was still hard to hear him over the other conversations, traffic noise and the sound of my brain cells absorbing this beer. Maybe that’s where the term “buzz” comes from.
Lingonberry with a touch of Milk Porter
Week 27: Town Hall Lingonberry Milk Porter (June 29-July 6) | Reviewed on July 15th, 2008
This was my first Milk Porter and I wish I could evaluate the style but the lingonberry aftertaste was so strong that it really was hard to evaluate. This is a smooth beer with a very sour, but not hoppy, aftertaste making for a unique drinking experience. Rett and I sampled this right after work while sitting at Town Hall’s patio on a beautiful summer day so that may skew my review more positively. I might order this beer again next time they have it but certainly not two in one sitting.
Standard Lager
Week 22: Schell Lakemaid (May 26-June1) | Reviewed on May 30th, 2008
The label on this beer is the best part. The tricky Photoshop work is almost worth the price of the 12-pack. I wouldn’t call it tasty but it isn’t bad either. I would buy something cheaper if I wanted this type of beer.
Decent Hefeweizen
Week 21: Cold Spring Colonial Hefeweizen Pub Pint (May 19-25) | Reviewed on May 21st, 2008
I enjoyed this beer after mowing the lawn tonight which may result in a higher then normal rating. Almost any beer tastes good after mowing the lawn.
I’m not a big fan of Hefeweizen but I thought this was a decent beer. There is a slight taste of hops when you first sip the beer and a smooth finish. I like the design of the can. Judging by his mustache, the guy on the can is related to Rett in some way. Maybe that’s why he picked this pub pint for review.
Fresh from the Tap
Week 20: Schell 1867 Munich Dunkel (May 12-18) | Reviewed on May 14th, 2008
Our volleyball team decided to stop at Stub and Herb’s last night after the final game of the season. I asked about the Schell Dunkel since it wasn’t on the beer menu and the server responded that they just tapped it five minutes ago. What luck!
The beer came out with almost no head but it tasted pretty carbonated. I wasn’t sure what to expect from this beer but it was tasty enough for me to order another instead of picking something else off their impressive beer list. I don’t know if I would go out specifically to test this beer but if you happen to be at a bar that serves Schell’s Dunkel, try it out.
Crap
Week 19: Brau Brothers Scotch Ale (May 5–May 11) | Reviewed on May 8th, 2008
I really like the Sam Adams Scotch Ale so I was expecting to enjoy the Brau Brothers version as well. This beer tasted nothing like I was expecting. It is very tart and fruity and I have a hard time tasting any smoky malt. As some people complained about the previous Brau Brothers beer I think it’s possible I got a bad batch. I have a sixer so I’ll update this post if the others are better. I’m starting to really dislike Brau Brothers beers.
Sir, Yes Sir
Week 17: Lake Superior Sir Duluth Oatmeal Stout (April 21–27) | Reviewed on April 23rd, 2008
The Sir Duluth Oatmeal Stout tastes a lot like my favorite oatmeal stout from Goose Island. Maybe its the proximity to a great lake that makes a good oatmeal stout. I love the coffee malts giving the beer a very full flavor. This beer is smooth, easy to drink and definitely one of my favorites.
Puts a spring in my step
Week 16: Summit Maibock (April 14–20) | Reviewed on April 16th, 2008
Summit Maibock smooths the transition from Winter Ale to Summer’s Scandia Ale. It’s a refreshing, if somewhat uninteresting, stop on the Summit seasonal tour. Maibock is a little sweet and easy to drink. It has the feel of Summit’s popular EPA without the hops.
Better Then Advertised
Week 15: Brewer's Cave Golden Caramel Lager (April 7–13) | Reviewed on April 9th, 2008
I wasn’t expecting much from this beer after hearing Ben badmouth it for the last few weeks but I think it delivers on it’s promise. The label says it’s a caramel lager and that’s exactly what it tastes like. The caramel flavor really jumps out in this beer making it a little sweet for my taste but I wouldn’t mind drinking this once in a while. It doesn’t hurt when your expectations are low to begin with.
This Warlock Packs a Punch
Week 13: Flat Earth Winter Warlock (March 24–30) | Reviewed on March 26th, 2008
This is my first experience with a barley wine ale and it has me feeling a little light-headed. The 9% ABV kind of sneaks up on you and I think 5igmund is on to something with the 12-oz option. The Flat Earth Winter Warlock is sweeter then I would like but it is nicely balanced with the bitter hops. A solid after dinner drink.
This isn’t a beer I would usually buy for myself but it would be a good one to share with some friends.
Finnegans: Irish for Beer
Week 12: Finnegans Irish Amber (March 17–23) | Reviewed on March 17th, 2008
I thought it was only fair to sample this week’s beer on St. Patrick’s Day. I’m not usually impressed with Irish themed food and drink. I don’t like corned beef and cabbage or Jameson whiskey or Killian’s Irish Red but Finnegans has broken that cycle.
Finnegans is a great session ale without an over indulgence of hops. I think Rett was right about the crisp, creamy taste and I like that the profits go to charity. The only bad part is that TurboTax doesn’t accept my charitable purchase of Finnegans as tax deductible. Must be a bug.
Average Pilsner
Week 11: Schell Pilsner (March 10–16) | Reviewed on March 12th, 2008
I picked up the Schell sampler pack last night since the only other option was a 12-pack and I don’t like pilsners enough to justify that. I thought the beer was an average pilsner with maybe a little more hops than average. The rest of the sampler pack sounded more interesting, I can’t wait for Caramel Bock week.
Exactly as it Should Be
Week 10: Lake Superior Special Ale (March 3–9) | Reviewed on March 6th, 2008
When I buy an ale in a bar or liquor store this is how I expect the beer to taste. The Lake Superior Special Ale is refreshing and hoppy without being overpowering. The type of beer you could drink all night without getting sick of the taste. It doesn’t wow me with unique or powerful flavors but I don’t want that from every beer.
A Lesser Belgian
Week 9: Brau Brothers Frame Straightener (February 25–March 2) | Reviewed on February 27th, 2008
I was really looking forward to this beer after the Flat Earth version but this just seems like a watered down replica in comparison. The Frame Straightener has a light Belgian taste but it doesn’t grab my attention. I can smell the hops but they don’t come across in the flavor.
I don’t think I ended up with a bad batch like some of the other reviewers but this beer doesn’t do much for me.
Punchless Porter
Week 8: Flat Earth Cygnus X-1 (February 18-24) | Reviewed on February 18th, 2008
I found Cygnus X-1 didn’t live up to my expectations. It was a good beer, I could drink more then one in a sitting, but it wasn’t as flavorful as I was expecting. I could taste the creamy chocolate but maybe I’m not experienced enough to appreciate such subtle flavors. I guess I like my porters with a little more punch.
Kool-Aid Man
Week 7: Surly 2 (February 11-17) | Reviewed on February 12th, 2008
Surly always seems to take their beers to the farthest extreme possible. It gives me a chance to try a variety of tastes that I wouldn’t normally look for. Surly Two was too fruity and overpowering for my taste, I didn’t even bother drinking a full beer. Erin was nice enough to let me try hers.
The initial taste reminded me of the old kool-aid commercials when the kool-aid man would bust through the wall saying, “Oh Yeah!” Except the wall in this case is my mouth and the kool-aid man is full of cranberry beer. You get the picture right?
Party at Herkimer, and in my mouth
Week 6: Herkimer Meet Up, Alt Bier (February 4-10) | Reviewed on February 7th, 2008
The Herkimer Alt is aptly named as a great alternative to standard pale ale. It has the hops and smoothness of pale ale with an extra German kick that makes it stand apart. I’m not sophisticated enough to know what it is but I like it.
It was great to meet many of the Brew52 reviewers, thanks for setting it up Rett. Also, thanks to the staff at The Herkimer for their hospitality!
Winter at it’s best
Week 5: Summit Winter (January 28-February 3) | Reviewed on January 30th, 2008
Summit Winter has a strong look (a very dark brew), a strong smell (heavy malts, caramel and hops) and a strong taste (thick and a little flat). As I write this review it’s 3 below outside and somehow that make this beer more enjoyable. As a newcomer to the “winter” genre of beers I feel like this Summit must be a good example to judge other “winters” by, but I invite the more experienced members to suggest other worthy contenders.
One Swig is Enough
Week 4: Surly Furious (January 21-27) | Reviewed on January 23rd, 2008
This is a beer that really stays with you. After one sip you’ll be tasting Furious for the rest of the night. I like pale ales and IPAs but this is way too hoppy and bitter for my taste. It’s like they took an IPA and let half the water evaporate before serving it.
Unique and Tasty
Week 3: Flat Earth Belgian Pale Ale (January 14-20) | Reviewed on January 16th, 2008
This beer and others like it are the reason I really enjoy this site/festival. I wouldn’t normally go looking for a Belgian-style pale ale but I was quite surprised with how well the two styles mesh.
The guy on the label seems to be happy with this beer despite his impending, waterfall induced, death. I too would be less concerned about my watery grave with this fine beer in hand.
A Gluek by any other name…
Week 2: Gluek Honey Bock (January 7-13) | Reviewed on January 10th, 2008
Gluek’s Honey Bock is a cheep beer that tastes like Miller Lite with a teaspoon of honey. Not bad but not what I would spend my money on. In college we would buy Gluek kegs for our parties because they were by far the cheapest. Honey Bock has not changed my changed my view of Gluek’s products, despite the cool looking can.
Fruity, but not “Will and Grace” fruity.
Week 1: Schell Snowstorm (January 1-6) | Reviewed on January 10th, 2008
The Schell SnowStorm is a tasty beer with a sweet fruity taste. You can definitely taste the fruit overtones but it isn’t overpowering. I wouldn’t be able to drink more then one or two of these in a sitting but it is a welcome change from my usual Ales.