beer

My Birthday!

by
I am usually never that excited for my birthday, but birthdays is a big deal at work so I think I was a little more excited than usual! I got an awesome cake, and then even spelled my name correct!

I always complain at work that my feet are cold – or I dont complain that much, but I always take my shoes off and bring my feet up on the chair because my toes are cold. My co-worker picked up on it and gave me a pair of socks! How awesome!

A bunch of us went Guinness tasting, I believe strongly that they still don’t know how to pour a good pint of Guinness in LA, but was ready to be proven wrong. Yet again, I was disappointed though. 

It was still a fun event, but I didn’t learn much, and I think it could have been better organized – but who says no to free beers?

We went to have a few more beers after the tasting and I got another cake! I think most of my surroundings have figured out that I am crazy about chocolate.

 

Birthday girl!

Dec 25th, Winter Welcome Ale

by

The beer for today was
2012-2013 Winter Welcome Ale from Samuel Smith Old Brewery, Tadcaster, Yorkshire, England.
6% Alc./Vol.

I have had a taste of this brew from last years edition, and thought it was good, but I don’t remember it being this good! They did a good job this year, 5 out of 5!

The label says;
This seasonal beer is a limited edition brewed for the short days and long nights of winter. The full body resulting from fermentation in ‘stone Yorkshire squares’ and the luxurious malt character, which will appeal to a broad range of drinkers, is balanced against whole-dried Fuggle and Golding hops with nuances and complexities that should be contemplated before an open fire.
Samuel Smith’s brews at a small traditional British brewery, the oldest brewery in Yorkshire.

Dec 24th, Bad Elf Winter’s Ale

by

Yes, this is how I like my beer!

Bad Elf Winter’s Ale from Ridgeway Brewing, Oxfordshire, UK
6% Alc./Vol.
I did not know what to expect from this, but it was excellent! A little citrus flavor to it. 5 out of 5!

The label says;
‘Tis a heavy hand what adds the hops to this festive golden ale. Truth be told, there’s near to three pounds of fresh hops goes in every barrel of this treasures brew.  Pull up a sturdy chair, let’s fill up yer best flagon with season’s finest natural ale, and I’ll tell you a dark tale of elf and woe. ‘Ere’s to your elf!

Dec 23rd, Dunkelweizen

by

It’s not a secret that I am not a big fan of wheat beer by now… the beer of the day was Dunkelweizen, Amber Unfiltered Wheat Beer from Joseph Brau Brewing Co, San Jose, CA.
This one was ok, nothing I would recommend, but I would not turn it down. 3 out of 5.

The label says;
JosephsBrau Dunkelwiezen is an unfiltered wheat beer brewed with dark roasted malted wheat and caramelized malted wheat in addition to pale malted barley. The complex flavors produced by the Bavarian Hefeweizen yeast strain are enhanced by the roasted flavors from the dark malts.
5.2% Alcohol by volume. 18 Bitterness units.

Dec 22nd, Alaskan White

by

The beer for today; Alaskan White, Wheat Ale from Alaskan Brewing Co., Juneau, AK.

I always get suspicious when I see “white” on a beer label because it generally means it is a wheat beer and that I wont like it, this was however not bad at all! I would normally have given this a 3 our of 5 probably, but since it is a wheat beer, and it is really drinkable, I’ll give it 4 out of 5. I am generous!

Off to Denver, Colorado

by
With a few days off for Christmas and nothing to do I thought a last minute quick trip to Colorado would do me good!
With my usual luck, the flight was delayed – which gave me time for a couple of IPA’s.

Airports at Christmastime is always fun!

Dec 21st, Full Sail Wassail

by

Today’s beer; Independent Full Sail Wassail Limited Edition FS Pub Series Winter Ale, from Full Sail Brewing Company, Hood River, Oregon
7.2% Alc./Vol.

For some reason, I always think of my dad as I drink the beer calendar and write up these blog posts, it’s a nice thing!
Here’s another really good beer with a lot of flavor. That burnt after taste that I like so much! 5 out of 5!

The label says;
Available for 90 days only.

Dec 20th, Inversion IPA

by

Ah, just as I was complaining over not having enough IPA’s in the calendar this year, BOOM! There it is! Just one sip and I was in heaven! 5 out of 5, no question about it!
Deschutes has always been one of my faves as well!

Inversion IPA from Deschutes Brewery, Bend, Oregon
6.8% Alc./Vol

The label says;
Paradise is stumbling upon our whole flower hop room and inhaling. Inversion is as close as you can get without knowing somebody.
We worship the flower. The hop flower, that is. We know you do too. Inversion is our tribute to that flower, with plenty of balance, finesse and personality to feed the hop lover in us all.
Crafted for explorers everywhere since 1988.

Dec 19th, Spaten Optimator

by

Haha, the first thought of the beer of the day was that it reminds me of that sugary molasses thing we used to give our horses when I was a kid. A lot of my friends love this beer, but I don’t know… it’s all right but not over the top. I would drink this any day over a lager or a pilsner though,
I give it 4 out of 5.

Spaten Optimator Dopplebock from Spaten-Brau, Munich, Germany.
7.6% Alc./Vol.

Dec 18th, Almaza Pilsner

by

I guess breweries never really export it’s best beers, they like to keep them local, but I think I’ve been really unlucky with the imported beers in this year’s calendar.
Today I got Alamaza Pilsner Beer from Brasserie Almaza, Lebanon.
It’s an okay pilsner, but I want IPA’s!
I give this 3 out of 5.