Agreed, Brooklyn Brewery is the greatest brewery in our land! And their Oktoberfest beer is just magic.
i've had it a couple times (not this specific brew, just whatever schlafly they have on tap at bars), but didn't think anything special of it.
I picked up the Dogfish Head Raison De'Etre this weekend. I actually have had it before, and accidently confused it with another beer. I'm not complaining. Its very tasty, and the 8% alcohol is a bonus
Raison D'etre is good stuff. I'm fortunate enough to have a Dogfish Head brewpub nearby. They don't actually brew anything there, but it's a fresh as it gets otherwise.
Anyone going to the GABF in Denver next month? I'll be going for the first time and don't know how I'll be able to manage myself.
On another site, there is a discussion of "Wild Blue" an Anheiser-Busch product. I made the point that it doesn't fit any "style" of beer. I come to find that AB lists it as a lager, but it is unlike any lager I've ever had. I also find it odd that you would use a lager as the base of a fruit beer as ales usually have fruitier characteristics. What do you guys think of Wild Blue?
No, that's my problem with it. It's purple/blue - very strong flavor and smell. It has a mouthfeel of carbonated grape kool-aid. Yet, they call it a lager.
It's pretty nasty stuff. I was intrigued by the high alcohol content but the flavor was astonishingly bad. Further, if you read the label carefully, it refers to the "beer" (more like malt liquor) as an ale in one area. It can't be an ale and a lager, geniuses. Beyond that, Blue Dawg isn't even a real brewery. It's just a made up branch of AB. I can understand when regional craft breweries are bought by big breweries (Leinenkugels) or exist independently from their parent companies, at least in some form (Blue Moon/Sandlot), but to act like Blue Dawg is independent of AB, more or less was ever anything but AB, is disingenious, IMO.
From the AB press release: http://www.anheuser-busch.com/Press/wildBlue.html Wild Blue is brewed with a blend of German hops from the Hallertau region in Bavaria and classic Aroma hops from the Willamette Valley in the Pacific Northwest. A combination of two- and six-row barley malt also was chosen specifically for this recipe. Beer lovers will appreciate this specialty fruit-infused lager’s striking burgundy color, ripe blueberry aroma and its ability to stand up to the strongest of foods.
Every major brewer is trying to reach out to the microbrewery/home brewer's palate. These guys are clueless.
Here's my favorite part: “This beer is the real deal,” said Jill Vaughn, Wild Blue brewmaster. “With a distinct color and flavor, we’ve crafted a beer that truly stands out. I think it will surprise people, especially those who like to experiment when it comes to new drinks.” She's telling the truth, the flavor and color are disinct. It does stand out and is is suprising. An yes, I'd agree it was an experiment when I tried - one I'd never like to duplicate, but an experiment nonetheless.
Blue Moon was never an indy. Blue Moon, a Belgian-Style white beer brewed by the Molson Coors Brewing Company, was launched in 1995. Originally called Bellyslide Belgian White, it was created by Keith Villa, a brewmaster at Coors Field's Sandlot Brewery (the onsite brewery owned by the Molson Coors Brewing Company).
Where to begin? Anything by Stone, Port/Lost Abbey, Green Flash, Oggi's, or AleSmith would be good and all of those brewers are from the area.
I still question the style, though, because they say nothing of the yeast used or the type of fermentation. Regardless, the label creates some confusion and the biggest brewery in the world shouldn't let that happen.
Exactly. Reread my post. Coors always owned Sandlot as they own the entire stadium, but the brewery has a physical presence and employs its own brewmaster who has the ability to create beers of his own choice. IMO, that's the best model for incorporating craft brewing into the macrobrewery system. Blue Dawg, however, has no physical existence, at least that I know of, (one AB-released article said explicitly that it exists within the AB corporate structure), outside of maybe a cubicle in AB's headquarters or a desk in their labs.
I generally agree with this sentiment. AB, specifically, has some other quasi-craft brews that have been hugely disappointing - Winter's Bourbon Cask Ale comes to mind. However, Budweiser American Ale has been getting some very favorable reviews from real beer critics; in other words, not Jill Vaughn. Also, Michelob is supposed to have released their new Dunkel Weisse this past week, which is apparently a reincarnation of a very highly regarded beer called Ascent 54 that was brewed in AB's Fort Collins brewery. So, although AB has a pretty bad history of making subpar craft-like products, maybe they're beginning to turn things around. I really hate dedicating this much thought to AB.