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 12 – Long Trail Pollenator

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

Long Trail Pollenator

Long Trail Pollenator

Critical Information:

• 4.6% ABV
• English Pale Ale

My Experience:

– POUR

Poured from bottle into tulip glass. It has an orange glow to it with lots of bubbles and an off-white head.

– SMELL

It has a nutty, caramel malt aroma. Is there also some grape in there? It reminds me more of an autumn beer than a spring one.

– TASTE

It starts with some crisp hops and finishes with some sour, floral malt flavors. It has a pretty light body as well.

– FOOD PAIRING

Hurray, it’s finally spring! No more bundling up to walk the dog. This beer calls for some outdoor grilled BBQ chicken. Has to be the thick BBQ sauce (that’s Memphis right??).

April Dirty Thirty Day 3 – RJ Rockers Bald Eagle Brown Ale

Day three brings us…

RJ Rockers Bald Eagle Brown

RJ Rockers Bald Eagle Brown Ale

Critical Information:

• 5.6% ABV
• Available Year-round

My Experience:

– POUR

Poured from bottle into snifter (I think — can someone confirm from the picture??). Lots of head on this one. Minimal carbonation. Dark brown color that you can almost see through.

– SMELL

I snort the head into my nostrils and get lots of chocolatey-malt goodness. Then cough. It’s worth it. I can also sense some caramel and earthiness.

– TASTE

It has a soft touch to the palate and the chocolate and maltiness really comes through. After you swallow the flavors dance around for a few seconds before easing away.

– MOUTHFEEL

Despite the dark color and stylistic norms of a brown ale, this one is very light and airy. It’s not crisp like a pilsner but definitely one of the lighter brown ales I’ve had. I wouldn’t chug this beer but big gulps shouldn’t be shied away from.

– FOOD PAIRING

Roasted duck with white rice and soy sauce, one of my wife’s favorites, would go great with this. I think duck tastes great with anything though. I could do a burger with this as well. Side note — if you live near Leesburg and haven’t been to Melt yet, stop reading this, get in the car and go. If it’s in the middle of the night bring a six-pack and tailgate outside until they open. Yeah, it’s that good.

Homebrewing, it’s for people who can’t cook

I can’t cook. Like I really can’t cook. I tried grilling a chicken breast a few weeks ago when my wife was coming home from work late. You know what she came home to? A house full of smoke, dog barking at the blaring smoke detector and me yelling at a pan full of burnt chicken. So why the hell would I think I could brew beer? Must be the hardheadedness I get from my dad.

I had a free weekday, no work and no wife, and saw the homebrewing kit I’ve had for months starring at me. I popped the DVD in and watched the poorly made and poorly instructed training. Went out to the store to get a thermometer and decided to give it a shot. 48 or so Irish Stouts on their way!

Here’s my adventure:

The Setup

Homebrew Setup

After having to do a load of dishes to empty the sink, I sanitized my pot and various equipment using the Easy Clean provided in the kit. I placed everything I could think of out on my island and surrounding countertops. I read and reread my notes and warned a friend who just started homebrewing that I’ll probably be frantically calling him over the next couple hours.