Tag Archives: Pale Ale

Mac’s Brew News – January 7, 2017

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francis1_nobkgrd

Happy New Year to all you beer lovers (and those of you who aren’t beer lovers, but have the good sense to read this blog)!  I hope you had a good holiday season and are ready to face the new year.  I have a little news to pass along, so relax and enjoy these insights, along with a glass of beer.  Please read responsibly!

As I mentioned in my last newsletter, I had surgery in mid October, so I was unable to brew in September and October.  I resumed in mid-November, but because of the brewing gap, I ran out of Mac’s Brew right after Thanksgiving.  That’s right, there was no beer on tap for a short time, but the problem has since resolved, with two ales currently on draught.

Fat Ass in a Glass: Brewed 08-13-2016.  10.5% ABV
Fat Ass is HUGE.  It’s a very malty English style Barley Wine, with a high alcohol content.  I kegged this beer on 12-21-16, after a 3 month conditioning period that really helped to smooth it out and mitigate the alcohol taste.  This is very good – quite malty and a little sweet, with just enough hops to give it some balance and keep it from being syrupy.  The alcohol is noticeable in the flavor, but is not harsh or unpleasant – it provides a nice warming sensation (and of course, it will easily get you where you want to go).

Now, this is not an everyday beer.  In fact, it’s a sipping beer, perfect for consuming on cold evenings, or lazy Sunday afternoons.  It’s on tap now, so stop by Mac’s Brew Pub for a glass.  After all, who can resist a beer called “Fat Ass in a Glass”?

Wide Awake Drunk: Brewed 11-15-2016.  5.0% ABV
This is the second time I have made Wide Awake Drunk, a coffee stout.  I brewed it in collaboration with Sam Simpson, a talented brewer I met through our mutual friend Dennis Bauer (Dennis is not a brewer, but he is a beer connoisseur, and likes Mac’s Brew, which makes him an all around fine fellow).

I experimented with this one a bit.  Sheila had some very aromatic herbal tea, “Caramel Almond Amaretti”, that had a wonderful coconut, almond aroma.  The flavor followed the aroma, but was more subdued.  I decided to include 6 oz. of this tea in the cold brewed coffee concentrate before adding the mixture to the finished beer.  I added a portion of the resulting coffee/tea brew to the beer, but it didn’t turn out as expected, or to my liking.  I ended up cold brewing a little more “Black House” coffee and adding that to the mix to bring up the coffee aroma and flavor.  The caramel and almond aroma is pleasant, with mild notes in the flavor, but the almond flavor is a little “imitation” tasting, which is disappointing.  After a couple of weeks, the tea flavors have mellowed and the coffee is now more prevalent along with the cocoa flavor.  I think it’s very good, if not a little unusual, but I prefer this one without the tea.

Mac’s PAPA: Brewed 12-17-2016.  Estimated ABV – 6%
Ah yes, the old stand by, Paper Ass Pale Ale.  I collaborated with Martin and Marty Gilberstadt on this brew (we previously collaborated on Red Headed Step-Child; see Mac’s Brew News – January 10, 2015).  This recipe is dialed in, so no changes from the last time I brewed it (about a year ago).  It’s dry hopping right now, and should be on tap in about 10 days.

Smack Down (Generation III): To be brewed 01-21-2017.
I will be collaborating with Dave Hollandbeck on this Imperial IPA.  I am going to drastically revise the recipe from the last time I brewed this (August 2016).  The grain bill will remain the same, but I will change the hops to give this a very different flavor profile.  It seems like I change this every time I brew it.  Eventually I’m going to get it just right.

In my last news letter, I mentioned the QuickCarb keg carbonator I had recently purchased.  I used it for “Fat Ass in a Glass” and “Wide Awake Drunk” a couple of weeks ago.  What a great device!  In one afternoon, I kegged and carbonated both beers, and was serving them that evening.  What will they think of next?

My friend and neighbor, Barry Pulis, has a kind hearted brother, Randy, who is a beer connoisseur, and therefor a friend of mine.  Randy gave me a bottle of “Black Tuesday”, from The Bruery, for Christmas.  This gift is way beyond generous – it’s very expensive; it’s very hard to come by; and it’s the best beer in the world (my opinion).  I will be drinking this with Bob Waddell and Mike Matulich in a few days to celebrate USC’s Rose Bowl victory over a very good Penn State team on January 2, 2017 (the three of us attended the game and are just now catching our breath).  Thank you, Randy and Barry.  I REALLY appreciate your thoughtfulness.  You’re always welcome at Mac’s Brew Pub, where the beer is (usually) plentiful and the conversation always engaging!

Well, that’s it for now.  I have several Beer Reviews I need to publish, so check back soon.  Oh, and come by Mac’s Brew Pub for a pint or two.

Sláinte!

Mash, Bourbon Street Rye Pale Ale, and Fogcutter

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francis2_nobkgrd

It’s been awhile since I posted a beer review, but I have been busy sampling lots of different commercial brews.  Here are my impressions on three of them.  Please read responsibly.

Mash: The Bruery, Placentia, CA12.5% ABV.
Mash is a barley wine style ale aged in bourbon barrels.  Now I like barley wines, and bourbon barrel aged beers, so this should be a “can’t miss” beer, right?  The Bruery didn’t disappoint (I have to say, they never do; although I’m not wild about Belgian style beers, their specialty, you can count on anything from The Bruery to be good, and this is just another really good beer from our friends in Placentia).

Mash pours a cloudy dark amber with a 1/4″ light cream colored head that fades to a  thin ring around the perimeter of the glass (in this case, a “Bruery” tulip glass).  The aroma is sweet, dark fruit, raisin, toffee, caramel, vanilla, coconut and bourbon (faint).

Mash has a thick, heavy body with flavors of toffee, caramel, raisin, figs, vanilla, and coconut.  It then produces a slight bitterness that fades to more coconut, vanilla, and a little bit of booze, with a tobacco like quality lingering in the aftertaste.  This beer is sweet and chewy, but not unpleasant.  The carbonation is not overwhelming, but enough to smooth out the sweetness and cleanse the palate for your next sip.

Mash is very complex.  As it warms, the alcohol becomes quite pronounced in the aroma, but the taste remains very smooth, without the booziness that is noticeable in many other high alcohol beers.  In my opinion, this is one of the best barley wines on the market.  I prefer it to Stone’s Old Guardian (which I also like) – Mash is more in the English style (it’s not a hop bomb like Old Guardian) and is similar to Firestone Walker’s Sucaba.

I sampled Mash from a 750 ml bottle given to me by my daughter, Rosie, for Father’s Day.  It’s currently available at Total Wine for $19.99.  That’s pretty expensive, but well worth it (in fact, I have another bottle in my refrigerator right now).  I HIGHLY recommend Mash!

Bourbon Street Rye Pale Ale: Abita Brewing, Abita Springs, LA.  9.5% ABV.
Bourbon Street is a Pale Ale aged in bourbon barrels.  It is very high in alcohol for a pale ale (I’m sure the bourbon barrel aging has something to do with that).  This beer is a medium to dark orange color with a creamy white 3/4″ head that remains for a couple of minutes before fading to a thin covering over the top.  The aroma is sweet, vanilla, caramel and coconut.

The flavor is sweet malt, caramel and a slight, nice vanilla sweetness.  It is not overly sweet, as the hops balance it, to keep it in the American Pale Ale category.  The balanced sweetness fades to a nice vanilla and coconut in the aftertaste, courtesy of the bourbon barrel.  The vanilla/coconut lingers for quite awhile (very pleasant).

Bourbon Street has a medium carbonation level, commensurate with the Pale Ale style, but it is higher than most bourbon barrel aged beers.  This carbonation helps to keep the sweetness under control, and gets your mouth ready for the next swallow.

I sampled this beer from a  22 oz. bomber purchased from Total Wine for $9.99.  I think this might be limited release, so I’m not sure if it’s readily available.  Overall, this is a very nice beer, and one I can recommend.  I’ve never had a bourbon barrel aged pale ale before.  This one is nicely done.  Good job, Abita!

Fogcutter Double IPA: Lost Coast Brewery, Eureka, CA.  8.7% ABV.
Fogcutter pours a murky golden yellow with a 1/2″ white head, which fades to a fairly thick ring that leaves extensive lacing.  The aroma is mild citrus and floral.  The flavor is typical DIPA – bittersweet.  The malty sweetness is balanced out by the hoppy, citrus flavor that leaves a lingering bitterness in the aftertaste.

Fogcutter is rated at 80 IBU, which is on the lower end of the Double IPA category, but I think it is more balanced than many DIPA’s.  The medium body and carbonation level help lend a balanced feel to the flavor.  The alcohol content (8.7%) is substantial, but not overwhelming and is not noticeable in the taste.  If you drink it on an empty stomach, you will definitely get the effect, but you won’t be wiped out.  Many DIPA’s tend to be out of balance (in my opinion) – too thick and sweet – but Lost Coast has this one dialed in just right!

I had never heard of Fogcutter until I received a 22 oz. bomber from Phil Colias a couple of weeks ago.  As I recall, he randomly selected this beer and had never tried it before.  Well, Phil, good choice, and thank you for the wonderful beer.  I highly recommend Fogcutter and will be buying more in the future.  It’s moderately priced at $8.99 for a 22 oz. bottle at Total Wine.

So, there you have it.  Bourbon Street and Fogcutter are moderately priced; Mash is expensive.  Each of them, however, is worth the price of admission.  I can highly recommend all three of these beers, but especially Mash.  Caveat: fizzy yellow beer drinkers and cheapskates, don’t even bother – you’re not sophisticated enough.

There’s a lot happening at Mac’s Brew Pub and I hope to have a newsletter out in the next couple of weeks.  That’s all I have time for now, but check back soon for the lowdown on Mac’s Brew, and for additional beer reviews.

Sláinte!