Brew52 » Josh

Full Circle

Josh — Tue, 23 Dec 2008 03:10:05 +0000

I can’t believe it’s already time for Schell Snowstorm again. I think Joe is right that this year’s version is better than last year. It’s maltier and while still sweet, it’s not as sickly sweet as last year’s version.

It’s been a fun year of beer tasting and this has been a great forum for sharing opinions about different beers every week. Thank you to all the other reviewers who shared your views on various beers, I learned a lot about beer this year thanks to you. Thanks also to Rett for putting up and maintaining the brew52 site, I know it’s been a burden at times but it’s been fun for me and I know others have enjoyed it as well.

Gateway Beer

Josh — Fri, 19 Dec 2008 18:47:31 +0000

Summit EPA is the beer that weaned me off of domestic light lagers and on to a new appreciation of what beer could be. Even better, its still one of my favorite beers after sampling a ton of craft beer offerings the last few years. It’s a great session beer with plenty of hoppyness to keep things interesting. It’s nice to get out there and explore Belgians, imperial IPAs, porters, black lagers and the like, but there’s something about Summit EPA’s chilly embrace that keeps me coming home. Thanks Summit!

Follows the Surly Equation

Josh — Tue, 09 Dec 2008 02:40:43 +0000

Take an ordinary oatmeal brown ale and add more hops then seems prudent, then add a bit more hops and you end up with Bender. I like Bender for the contrasting tastes and smooth finish. Also, the Surly beers are great for camping since they can be crushed and easily packed out when you’re done. Something we took advantage of last summer. Just be sure to take one glass because this is a beer for a glass… from a can.

The Dark Night Made My Day

Josh — Mon, 27 Oct 2008 17:08:29 +0000

It was great to get together with some friends and other Brew52er’s on Saturday to taste some of the great beers at Barley John’s. The brewmaster, Colin, was kind enough to drink a beer with us and talk about the brewing process for some of the beers we tasted.

The Dark Night is a thick, syrupy porter that really warms you up on a cool, windy day. I like the bourbon taste that comes through and aging in the bourbon barrels really smoothes out the beer. There are plenty of other good beers on tap as well; I also really enjoyed the IPA.

Oktoberfest + Hops = Surlyfest

Josh — Sun, 05 Oct 2008 01:17:12 +0000

Surlyfest is a great tasting Oktoberfest style beer with a healthy dose of hops. I like many oktoberfest beers but this one is a little bit better because of the extra hops. Funny how that works, seems like you could add a little more hops to just about any beer and it would be better. Good job Surly!

One of Schell’s Best

Josh — Mon, 15 Sep 2008 14:56:30 +0000

I’m usually not a big fan of Schell’s brews. They seem mediocre, without much personality.

The Stout bucked this trend by virtue of it’s tasty malt flavoring and above average drinkability. I still wouldn’t say it’s high on personality but it does sit at the top of the Schell’s beeramid.

A Great Beer for a Rock Bottom Price

Josh — Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:47:55 +0000

Given the name of this brew and without any information on what type of beer it was, I wasn’t sure what to expect last night when we tried out the new Rock Bottom creation. One good tip for putting the reviewer’s mind in the right place is to give the beer away for free. Good call Rock Bottom.

I really liked this beer since it is very similar to an IPA (a style I always enjoy) but it adds the unique rye taste that sets it apart from the rest. I will definitely have another one on my next trip to Rock Bottom but I won’t try to fight the traffic to get there before 6:00.

Tastes Like Summer

Josh — Thu, 31 Jul 2008 16:05:04 +0000

I am not a big fan of the summer brews but even I have to admit that Summit’s Hefe is a good beer. This also seems like the perfect week to test this type of beer since it’s the hottest of the year so far.

The Hefeweizen is a light beer with a foggy, unfiltered look to it. The citrus flavors are enough to liven up the taste without overpowering. A great beer to enjoy outside on a hot summer day.

Vienna Style = Malt?

Josh — Wed, 23 Jul 2008 00:51:16 +0000

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

Josh — Wed, 16 Jul 2008 02:19:56 +0000

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.