REVIEW: Bell's Winter White & White Christmas

Some of my parings this Christmas season have been a little weak. Friday's was a little thin, and I'm sure  it won't be the last. Today's is a little on the obvious side. Bell's Winter White and White Christmas. I looked at Bell's other seasonal beer last year, Christmas Ale, a very tasty Scottish ale. Check out my thoughts on that one here. Bell's seems to be determined to subvert the usual expectations for Christmas beers. Their Christmas Ale is a simple sessionable Scottish ale, and Winter White is a Belgian style witbier. None of the hearty, ABV heavy, spiced ales that we're used to this time of year. But if Winter White is half as tasty as their Christmas Ale, then it absolutely will not disappoint.

REVIEW: Bell's Wheat Love Ale

So I really have no idea what this beer is. Wheat Love Ale Really isn't the most descriptive name. From the back of the bottle I was able to glean that it checks in at 8% ABV. That doesn't really help me out that much though. I think it's a fair guess that it's brewed with wheat, but that doesn't really narrow it down. Is it a weizenbock, dunkelweizen, some kind of imperial hefeweizen, imperial Oberon? (Oh man, that last idea has me intrigued.) Well, whatever it is, it's a new (to me) beer from Bell's That's enough for me. To the beer!

REVIEW: New Holland Four Witches

I've got a handful of big dark beers sitting in the fridge but the time just hasn't seemed right to break them out. This dark beer is a little bit more of what I'm in the mood for.The first and only black saison I ever had, Green Flash's Freindship Brew, I wasn't totally wild about. The spice was kind of all over the place and it didn't really do it for me. But that's just one beer. Today we've got Four Witches, another black saison from a brewery that I haven't looked at much. New Holland, Michigan's New Holland Brewing. Let's get to it. To the beer!

REVIEW: Founders Mango Magnifico Con Calor

I'm pretty excited for this one. Mango Magnifico Con Calor, a 10% ABV beer brewed with mango and habanero, and the newest entry into Founders' much lauded backstage series. This is the first backstage series beer I've been able to get onto the blog. Unfortunately a whole lot of them we can't get here in Ohio because of the asinine law that disallows any beer over 12% ABV. That's probably why the only backstage beers I've had (Kentucky Breakfast Stout, Doom, and Bolt Cutter) I all drank at the Beer Trappe in Lexington. Anyway, all of these beers are brewed in very small quantities and thus, highly sought after. I've been really impressed with all of the backstage beers I've had so I'm very pumped to give this one a try. To the beer!

REVIEW: Frankenmuth Hefeweizen

Taking a bit of a break from all of the Indianapolis beers today to take a look at a brewery that is brand new to Cincinnati store shelves. And quite frankly, one that I had never even heard of before. Frankenmuth, Michigan's eponymous Frankenmuth Brewery and their 5.2% ABV 13 IBU German style hefeweizen. Which is a style that I certainly don't check out often enough. To the beer!

REVIEW: Founders Double Trouble

Every so often, I need to get back to my craft beer drinking roots. For me, those roots are an outlandishly big imperial IPA. Now, the big imperial IPA doesn't hold quite the sway over me that it once did. I've only looked at two in the last couple of months. I still love them, but my tastes have changed in the year and a half or so that I've been talking about beer on this blog. I've come to appreciate a subtle hand and a more delicate flavor profile. But there are still times when I want something big and bold. Enter today's 86 IBU, 9.4% ABV beast. Double Trouble from the always excellent Founders Brewing. To the beer!

REVIEW: Founders All Day IPA

Long time readers of the blog will remember that this isn't the first time that I've taken a look at this beer. Way back during last years Cincinnati beer week I had this at a very cool pint night event at the Cock & Bull in Hyde Park. I wrote out some quick thoughts, but I really like this beer and it deserves its own proper post. So here we go with Founders' All Day IPA, a 4.7% ABV 42 IBU session IPA. To the beer!

REVIEW: Founders Curmudgeon

I'm taking a little break from the spring seasonals and lighter fare to take a look at a Founders Curmudgeon. A 9.8% ABV, 50 IBU old ale brewed with molasses and oak aged.Founders is one of my favorite breweries and I'm quite sorry to admit that it's been over six months since I've enjoyed one of their beers here on the blog (that was the delightful Breakfast Stout for those of you keeping score at home). I don't believe I've tried Curmudgeon before so I'm excited to get into it. To the beer!

REVIEW: Bell's Oarsman Ale

More spring beer! The weather has cooled off since, but a couple of days ago it was downright hot. The weather had me craving something lighter and refreshing. So I turned to a bottle from one of the best. Oarsman Ale from Bell's, a sessionable Berliner weissbier. I didn't quite care for the first Berliner weissber that I had here on this blog, Dogfish Head's Festina Peche. But this is Bell's and I'm willing to give anything they brew a shot. Let's get to it. To the beer!

REVIEW: Bell's Hopslam

So we finally get to Hopslam. A bit of a holy grail for some beer geeks. If I'm being honest though, a bottle of Hopslam isn't really that hard to find. If you're on the ball, you can come across some fairly easily. I just walked into Krogers and walked out with a six pack. It's not like this beer is Dark Lord or Canadian Breakfast Stout or anything. But there certainly is a fair amount of hype swirling around this beer's release each year. Is that hype for hype's sake though, or is it warranted? Only one way to find out. To the beer!

REVIEW: Bell's Expedition Stout

While the Sixpoint Diesel I had yesterday sure did hit the spot, It did not quite sate my thirst for stouts. Although, I strongly doubt that could ever happen. I don't think I will ever get to a point where I say, "you know, I think I've had enough stouts." But it is finally legitimately the season for stouts. There's a couple of inches of snow on the ground and we're supposed to get more on Saturday. This weather demands a hearty beer that will stick to your ribs. Enter Bell's Expedition Stout. A 10.5% Russian imperial stout. I can't wait. To the beer!

REVIEW: Bell's Christmas Ale

I mentioned on Monday's post that I really appreciated that Southern Tier went in a new, weird direction with their Swedish Glögg inspired 2XMAS. It's always cool and fun to see brewers blaze new paths and do something different. Bell's has done something different with their Christmas Ale as well. But they've done something different, well, differently. Instead of a big spicy winter warmer, Bell's Christmas Ale is a sessionable Scotch ale brewed entirely using Michigan malt. Not a hint of seasonal spice to be found, no high ABVs, nothing extreme or wild or out of the ordinary. Just a good, drinkable beer, perfect for drinking a few at a holiday party. So, how does it stack up? Only one way to find out. To the beer!

REVIEW: Founders Breakfast Stout

Beer drinkers in the know will be familiar with this one. Even if they've never had Breakfast Stout, they know of Breakfast Stout. It's one of the most well regarded imperial stouts in the world. And as we will soon see, for good reason. Also, adding to the mystique of the Breakfast Stout are the rarer varieties, the Kentucky Breakfast Stout and the Canadian Breakfast Stout. Aged in bourbon barrels and bourbon barrels that contained pure maple syrup just prior respectively. I've only had the KBS once, and have never been lucky enough to sample the CBS. Hopefully we'll see those on the blog one of these days. But today we're dealing with the standard Breakfast Stout. Brewed with flaked oats, bitter and imported chocolate, Sumatra and Kona coffee and checking in at 60 IBUs and 8.3% ABV. This should be fun. To the beer!

REVIEW: Founders/ Green Flash Linchpin

We've looked at hybrid IPAs lately. Green Flash's Hop Head Red and Heavy Seas Dubbel Cannon, a red IPA and a Belgian IPA respectively, were both quite tasty. Flying Dog's Wildeman, a farmhouse IPA, not so much. Today's beer is a hybrid between an IPA and a Belgian style witbier. I'm expecting something creamy, fruity, maybe a little funky with a big American IPA hop punch. Should be delightful. Plus with the likes of Green Flash and Founders at the helm, this ought to be pretty tasty! To the beer!

REVIEW: Founders Devil Dancer

Today's beer has been recommended to me by a couple of readers. Founders Devil Dancer, what Founders refers to as a triple IPA. In the world of beer double and imperial usually mean the same thing. It usually means that a beer is bigger, bolder, higher in alcohol, and higher in flavor. But when a brewer bumps it up from double to triple? This must be something intense. I was able to find a very fresh bottle of this recently, it was bottled just over a month ago! One thing though. This beer is not cheap. A four pack of this beer will run you well over $20. There's a good reason for this price though. Devil Dancer clocks in at 112 IBUs and 12% ABV and it's dry hopped with a ludicrous 10 different hop varieties. I can't wait to see what I'm getting into here. To the beer!

REVIEW: New Holland Golden Cap

OK, back to your regularly scheduled programming here at QCBN. I know I'm a broken record at this point, but yes, it's been incredibly hot. We've had high temperatures here in Cincinnati that haven't been seen since the thirties. All of this is making the thought of drinking stouts and porters more and more unpalatable and steering me more toward summer seasonals. Today's beer is a summer seasonal from New Holland Brewing in New Holland, Michigan. The beer is a saison, sometimes known as a farmhouse ale, which is a light, crisp, dry belgian style ale. Perfectly suited for summertime drinking. Plus, flying monkey on the label! To the beer!

REVIEW: Bell's Lager of the Lakes

I have no idea why it's taken me this long. I've been writing this blog for six months and I'm just now getting to my first beer from Bell's! It's shameful is what it is! But anyway, I rectify this egregious omission today. And what better way to celebrate Independence Day than enjoying a beer from one of the greatest American craft brewers? Of all of the beers from Bell's to start with, this is a bit of an odd one, for me at least. A lager. A simple, American, pale lager. I'm more familiar with Bell's big IPAs and Stouts. And the lager is kind of the domain of the big boys. The Budweisers, Millers, and Coors of the world. I started drinking craft beer because I was tired of pale lagers. But Bell's makes outstanding beers. How will this one stack up? To the beer!

REVIEW: North Peak Vicious American Wheat IPA

Here's another interesting one folks. If you've been reading this blog for any time, you know I love the IPAs. You may have also noticed that I haven't featured any wheat beers, if any. Not that I don't enjoy them, they just aren't my favorite. They are good summer beers though. And with the weather in Cincinnati getting nicer and nicer, I figure it's time to break out some wheat ales. And what better way to get into wheat beers on the blog than with a wheat IPA. And how awesome is that stubby little bottle? To the beer!

REVIEW: Arcadia London-Style Porter

I found today's beer in the back of the fridge. I had honestly forgotten it was in there. I've got plenty of beers chilling waiting to be reviewed and this one sort of got lost in the shuffle. While I was looking through the fridge for something to drink for a review this long lost porter sounded pretty tasty. To the beer!

REVIEW: New Holland Dragon's Milk

Dragon's Milk, the official brew of House Targaryen. Hey, let it never be said that I am only a beer nerd. My nerdiness knows no bounds. Unfortunately however, (or maybe very fortunately) there's no Fire and Blood here, just barrel aged stout. This is my first review of a barrel aged beer, a brewing trend that I am a huge fan of. Barrel aging can impart some really great complexity and new and interesting flavors. I've had beers aged in bourbon barrels, rum barrels, and wine barrels. This beer, however,  is aged in oak barrels. Alright, to the beer!