Thursday, April 21, 2011

The Goose and the Eagle

Some weeks ago, the craft beer world was abuzz with the news of the Goose Island's acquisition by AB-InBev. Some predicted the death of the brand and the introduction of 312 Light and Bourbon County Select 55, and others thought the sale was largely meaningless and that they would let the beer speak for itself.

Personally, I don't think the beer will be effected--at least initially. Anheuser Busch has a habit of acquiring brewers not necessarily to turn all their beers into more diluted corn water, but to acquire the fan base of said beers (Rolling Rock, Grupo Modelo, Tsingtao). That said, there are plenty of AB-InBev's (or MillerCoors') acquisitions which have declined over the years, no doubt from pressure to cheapen their products to appeal to a larger audience. And seeing brewmaster Greg Hall step down doesn't instill me with hope that the beers will remain free of the corporate giant's influence.

So will I keep drinking the beer? Not that I was a huge Goose Island consumer to begin with; Bourbon County Stout was really the only beer of theirs I drank with any consistency. In the end though, I think I'll pass next time. The beer may well be every bit as good as ever, but the simple fact is that I don't have the time or the money to drink every beer I would like. And there are so many good craft beers out there waiting to be drank. The fact that Goose Island is owned by Anheuser Busch-InBev is the only reason I need to pass by the Bourbon County and pick up a Founder's Kentucky Breakfast Stout, or an Espresso Oak Aged Yeti, or an Odell Bourbon Barrel Stout, or a Schlafly Barrel Aged Imperial Stout... the list goes on.

People will say "beer is business", and accept things like this as an inevitability. A product is being produced, and money must be made. But if we want craft beer to be taken seriously, to be recognized as the great step above BudMillerCoors macro lagers that it is, the money can never be the first consideration of the brewery owners. Or the malt and hop farmers, the maltsters, the brewers, the distributors, the servers, or the consumers. Brewing is an art, and beer is an art form. Artists get paid too, but they're not (or shouldn't be) in it for the money.

Wednesday, April 20, 2011

Saluki Dunkel Dog

Style: Dunkel
ABV: 5.5%
IBU: 22
Servig type: 12oz bottle poured into Bohemian Pilsner glass

Ap: Dep mahogany with ruby highlights. Finger of offwhite head fades to a thin, persistent layer. Small amount of lacing.

Ar: Wheaty with some sweetness, some light fruit.

T: A little acidic, but not overpowering. Flavors are fairly light otherwise, but include some caramel malt, and a touch of bitterness on the end.

M: Medium in body, higher in carbonation. Smooth with a slightly sweet finish.

I: A good entry for Southern Illinois' only craft brewry. A good introductory beer for people used to Bud Light.

My Score: 3/5
Beer Advocate: B
Rate Beer: 3.3/5
Pintley:

Tuesday, April 19, 2011

Liberty Ale

ABV: 5.9%
IBU:
Servig type: 12oz bottle poured into Czech Pilsner glass

Ap: Pale gold with a finnger of slightly offwhite head. Thins out but remains persistent. A little cloudy. Decent lacing.

Ar: Bright, lemony aroma.

T: Strong, citrus hop note, but not a lot of bitterness. Almost sour. Orange and lemon flavors. Bits of biscuit malt.

M: Very well balanced. Medium body and a good amount of bright, prickly carbonation. Farily dry finish.

I: Delightful. I'm no hop-head, but beers like this definitely deepen my appreciation for Humulus Lupulus.

My score: 4/5
Beer Advocate: B+
Rate Beer: 95/100
Pintley: 3.3/5

Sunday, April 17, 2011

Maibock

Style: Maibock
ABV: 6.2%
IBU:
Servig type: 12oz bottle poured into Czech Pilsner glass

Ap: Deep golden with a thin layer of white head. Minimal lacing. Crystal clear.

Ar: Floral and honey aroma. Some sweet fruit. A grassy hop note.

T: Honey and light fruit (peach, apricot). A bready yeast character. Some biscuit. Noticeable bitterness but not a focus on hops. An ever so slight alcohol warmth.

M: Light in body, but coats the mouth. Very smooth.

I: Tons of flavor, but still light enough to be thirst quenching.

My Score: 4/5
Beer Advocate:
Rate Beer: 85
Pintley: 3.6/5

Friday, April 15, 2011

Monarch White Beer

Brewer: Two Brothers
Style: Witbier
ABV: 4.5%
IBU:
Servig type: 12oz bottle poured into Bohemian Pilsner glass

Ap: Pours clear and golden, slightly amber at its deepest points. A finger of white head, slowly fading.

Ar: Lowely aroma. Very floral, with notes of clove and coriander. Noticeable yeast character.

T: Bright and floral, matches the aroma. Small amount of bitterness.

M: Light and crisp, very refreshing. Moderate carbonation.

I: Great session beer. Plenty of flavor, but light enough to drink in quantity.

My score: 4/5
Beer Advocate: B-
RateBeer: 64
Pintley: 3.4/5

Wednesday, April 13, 2011

German Chocolate Brown

Brewer: Yours Truly
Style: American Brown Ale
ABV: ~5.9%
IBU: ~23
Serving Type: 12 oz bottle poured into English pub glass.

Ap: Dark, dark brown and totally opaque. Half a finger of light brown head, fading to a ring at the glass and a thin film.

Ar: Intense, rich chocolate aroma. A slight malty sweetness behind it.

T: Nice chocolate flavor. There is some coconut there too, though not as much as I would have liked. Hoppy bitterness comes in at the end, balancing the chocolate nicely.

M: Medium to heavy body and moderate carbonation. Very smooth.

I: Not exactly what I set out to brew, but a nice beer nonetheless. Came out much darker than I was targeting, past what I would still call a brown. I think it must have picked up some color from the toasted coconut. In spite of that, I don't get as much coconut flavor as I would like. Brewed October 3, 2010.

My score: 3/5

Friday, April 8, 2011

Maple Wheat

Brewer: Yours Truly
Style: umm.... wheat?
ABV: ~8.8%
IBU:
Serving Type: 12 oz bottle poured into Bohemian pilsner

Ap: Orange-amber. Thin, white head quickly fades. Cloudy, but better clarity than I expected.

Ar: Maple sweet. Malty, fruity.

T: Very sweet. Maple and malty. Some definite souring, probably from age. Doesn't show the 8.8% alcohol.

M: Thin bodied, medium in carbonation. Dry finish.

I: Has not aged well. Used to have more bosy and at least a little hop character to back up the sweetness.

My score: 2/5 (probably a 3 or 4 in its heyday).

Brewed September 12, 2009, so about a little over a year and a half since brewed. Stored at room temp or a little below. I'd hoped that the higher alcohol would protect it from some of the ill effects of aging, but alas.

Thursday, April 7, 2011

Taddy Porter

ABV: 5.0%
IBU:
Servig type: 12oz bottle poured into English pub glass

Ap: Very dark brown. Ruby highlights show when held up to a light. Dense, light tan head, two fingers. Good lacing.

Ar: Bready, toasty, dark.

T: A dark roast bitterness and not a whole lot else. Fairly dry finish.

M: Silky smooth. Medium-heavy body, light in carbonation.

I: A classic example of an old, old porter.

My score: 4/5
Beer Advocate: A-
Rate Beer: 98/100
Pintley: 3.9/5

Wednesday, April 6, 2011

Mulkeytown Pale Ale

Brewer: Yours truly
ABV: ~5.5%
IBU: ~28
Servig type: 12oz bottle poured into Czech Pilsner glass

Ap: Pours with one finger of offwhite head. Foam is dense, creamy, and persistent. Excellent lacing. Copper with every so slight ruby highlights. Fairly cloudy.

Ar: Hop aroma is primarily piney, some citrus. Slight biscuity character.

T: Hop character is right up front, piney and resiny. There is sweetness behind it, but the malt character is minimal.

M: Pretty middle of the road in body and carbonation. Dry finish.

I: I'm not a great fan of hoppy beers, but I can honestly say this is one of my favorite beers I've brewed. Crisp and refreshing, but with tons of taste.

My score: 5/5

Saturday, April 2, 2011

Black Hemp

ABV: 5.8%
IBU: 33
Servig type: 12oz bottle

Ap: Dark brown, ruby highlights. Good clarity in spite of darkness. One finger light tan head,

Ar: Very little aroma. Hints of... licorice?

T: Farily bitter, but little hop character. Perhaps a floral hop character, if anything. There's also some je ne sais quoi tang in the back... the hemp seeds?

M: Medium to light bodied. Medium in carbonation. Very smooth.

I: A very curious beer. Gives the impression of a much lighter beer, but still has some indescribable character that begs for attention.

My score: 3/5
Beer Advocate: B+
Rate Beer: 73/100
Pintley: