April Dirty Thirty Day 14 – Bell’s Oberon Ale

The weekend got me a little sidetracked but I still had one new craft beer a night and reviewed it (just didn’t get around to posting it).

Sunday’s April Dirty Thirty beer was…

Bell’s Oberon Ale

Bell’s Oberon Ale

Critical Information:

• 5.8% ABV
• Summer Seasonal

My Experience:

– POUR

Poured from bottle into pint glass. It has a hazy, golden-yellow color with a white foam head that disappears quickly. There’s a fair amount of bubbles that work their way to the top of the beer.

– SMELL

I think I get just some malt and cloves. It is very subtle.

– TASTE

Fresh, even blend of malt and hops. No strong flavors here but it’s consistently flavorful. There’s a slight bit of cloves and nuttiness.

– FOOD PAIRING

Burger with bacon and swiss. Need I say more?

April Dirty Thirty Day 10 – Shipyard Brewing Export Ale

Today’s April Dirty Thirty craft beer review is on…

Shipyard Brewing Export Ale, and yes that’s my 6-foot Nationals Stadium Fathead

Shipyard Brewing Export Ale

Critical Information:

• 5.1% ABV
• American Blonde Ale
• Available Year Round

My Experience:

– POUR

Poured from bottle into tall pilsner-type glass. It has a golden-straw color. Almost completely see-through. The tall glass makes watching the bubbles rise entertaining.

– SMELL

Malt, grains and a biscuit scent come through the most.

– TASTE

I get mostly toasted malt with some fruitiness. There is also some unexpected bitterness, a little too much for me, which appears at the end. The carbonation makes it feel “fuller” while you drink it — it’s like I try to take a gulp but it’s only a sip.

– FOOD PAIRING

I would say something from my favorite food group — sandwiches. Some sort of grilled chicken with bacon and swiss panini? Anything from Spicy Pickle would be great. I just wish there still was one around here…

Hoppy Birthday and Happy Home Conclusions

Hoppy Birthday Cake

Saturday my wife and I hosted our first event in our new home we called Hoppy Birthday and Happy Home. It was a great success that I could have never pulled off alone. My wife spent the two previous days prepping and cooking while I kept worrying if we had enough beer (which we did).

The Beers:

Craft beer was not at a shortage

• New Belgium Trippel
• Sierra Nevada Pale Ale
• Bell’s Winter White Ale
• Leffe Blond
• Blue Point Toasted Lager
• Brooklyn Lager
• Anchor Steam Beer
• Port City Monumental IPA
• Stone IPA
• Breckenridge Lucky U IPA
• Troegs Java Head Stout
• Bold Rock Virginia Apple Cider
• Harpoon UFO Hefeweizen
• Port City Optimal Wit

The Food:

No one left hungry

• Beer Bread made with Leffe Blond
• Buffalo Chicken and Blue Cheese Dip made with Breckenridge Lucky U IPA
• Buffalo Chicken Bites made with Stone IPA
• Praline Bacon with stout coating made with Bell’s Kalamazoo Stout
• Buffalo Wings
• Egg Rolls
• Cheddar and Cottage Mac & Cheese
• And more!

COnclusion

Hosting always makes me anxious but this went off without a hitch. I’m excited to host more and have some good ideas for next time.

 

Wednesday Review: New Belgium Trippel

The beer of the weekend – New Belgium Trippel

It took 20 minutes of pacing the beer aisle of Harris Teeter last Friday but I decided to pick up a six-pack of New Belgium Trippel, which I had never had before.

New Belgium, out of Fort Collins, Colorado, has brought us great beers such as Fat Tire, Snow Day and one of my favorites, the retired 2˚ Below.

Critical information:

• Started being produced in 1992
• 7.8% ABV
• 25 IBUs
• 221 calories
• Hops: Saaz, Liberty, Target
• Malts: Pale, Munich, Victory
• Spice: Coriander

My experience:

I poured the Belgian style ale into a Weizen glass. It had a white head that lasted two or so minutes. It was very carbonated and bubbled for a long time. It had an orange-brown color and was extremely see-through, helping to accent the bubbles.

It smelled of coriander and oranges.

It tasted toasty ending with the hops. It had a light/airy texture. I could really taste the spices. The aftertaste resonated for a while after each sip.

Maybe I was craving bacon at the time but I think it’d go great with a BLT on white. Also I think I’d go well with a hard, sharp Parmesan.

Even at such a high alcohol percentage, I could have quite a few of these in a row. I was pleasantly surprised in how much I liked it and have already bought another six-pack.

Score: 9/10

What new beers have you had recently that you’ve enjoyed?