Bud Light Platinum

By Tom

I stopped by my local beverage center today and saw that they were doing a tasting...of Bud Light Lime and Bud Light Platinum.  I thought to myself, “seriously?”. I did want to at least taste the new Platinum and I saw this as a good opportunity to try it for free.  No need to try BL Lime - I actually like that one under the right circumstances. The BL Platinum is sweeter version of Bud Light with a 6% ABV and it comes in a cool blue bottle.  AB Inbev, who owns Budweiser, is trying to win back some people who have left the fold for better craft beer.   If I was at a party and that’s all there was, I’d probably have a few too many, but I wouldn’t choose it over anything decent.

The girl doing the samples was young and very pretty...I think she liked me because I got a cool hat.

OK, anyone who asked could get one too. I also tried 3 of the “Shock Top” beers: Raspberry Wheat Ale, which was actually OK, not too sweet, very light; Lemon Shandy which is horrible, I don’t like lemon in beer, all other citrus - yes, lemon – no.   Finally there was Shock Top Wheat IPA. It doesn’t taste like an IPA, it only has the very mildest hop flavor but I think it’d be an acceptable hot day beer. This one in particular might be a good starter beer for someone looking to broaden their horizons from the macro brews. A baby step. That’s the best I can say for these “macro-craft” beers.

I don’t think I’d ever actually buy any of these unless the choices were extremely limited. I felt a twinge of guilt as I, donning my new Bud Light Lime cap, paid for my bombers of Hop Stoopid and Hop Manna IPA.   Hop Manna is a really nice, refreshing IPA which is significantly lower on the bitterness scale than Hop Stoopid, somewhat reminiscent of Sierra Nevada Torpedo Extra. Though Hop Manna is made here in NY by Shmaltz Brewing, the cascade, citra and centennial hops give it that wonderful west coast aroma and taste.  Mission accomplished!

Dos Costas Oeste

Happy Mother’s Day beer lovers!  We broke into my brother’s stash of “special” bottles over the weekend to celebrate the holiday.  In the beer frig were some hold overs from the fall like Pumpking  and three bottles with matching labels. 

 These beers are a collaboration between Cigar City Brewing in Tampa FL and The Bruery in Placentia, CA, hence the name, which translates to “Two West Coast Breweries”.  Both breweries produce outstanding beer so I was expecting quite a treat.  First, Why 3 different bottles?  It turns out that the brewers wanted to experiment with aging this saison in 3 different types of wood: Cedar, Grapefruit wood and lemon wood.  The bottle we opened over Mother’s Day dinner was the red -labeled, cedar variety.

So on a beautiful May afternoon, I poured this deep orange beer into a goblet and took in its aroma.  I could detect Belgian yeast and coriander, but could not pick up the other ingredients right away.  My sister-in-law Irene noticed the orange scent, but no one could tell that ginger is also used in this brew.  These flavors mixed well on the palate as we drank it.  The fruity overtones made it perfect for this spring day.  At 9% ABV, it’s not meant to drink all day long.  But as a precursor to a great meal it was right on the mark.

Sugar Plum - Cigar City Brewing Co.

I just picked up this beer on a whim because I saw the word "sugar" on the label.  I was also anxious to try another offering from Cigar City which does exceptional things with malty beers.

It’s a seasonal beer brewed in Tampa, FL and meant to be enjoyed at Christmas time.  I know it’s getting into spring, but I have trouble saying “No” to dark, sweet beers.  The bottle did not even make it into my frig, so it’s being poured at about 50 degrees which is probably just about right for this brown ale. 

It has an amber hue with a healthy tan froth on top.  The head dissipates slowly leaving a fine lace on my glass.  The nose is more malt than fruit.  The taste has a nice balance of toasty malt and raisin sweetness.  It reminds me of their other brown ale called Bolita, only with more sweetness.  I like the way the sweetness mellows the dryness so my mouth isn’t too chalky like it can get after a stout like Guinness. 

I would prefer a darker color and a little more creamy mouth feel.  Bolita has the creaminess down better IMO.  Overall, I found this to be a solid brown ale with lots of flavor

Hoppin’ Frog Silk Porter

The weather here in New York has taken a turn for the worse and it feels like we are back in March again.  It’s cold and drizzly with no sign of the sun for the last couple of days.  It’s the perfect time to break into a porter!  The Hoppin’ Frog Silk Porter is brewed in Akron, Ohio and I bought it back in January to warm the cold nights. It’s a 22oz bomber with a 6.2% ABV that set me back $8.29.  So I’m expecting big things. 
Here’s the report: 

Pour: Completely opaque, dark as motor oil

Head: Foamy and tan head that leaves a healthy lace after a few minutes

Nose:  Slight chocolate that is followed by a taco smell

Taste : Toasty, trying to be chocolate by not quite achieving it. Not bad, just not enough chocolate to make me happy.  A little toasty bitterness lingers in my mouth which is not unpleasant (“Like”)

Mouth feel:  Definitely lives up to its name: silky as can be.

Overall: Nice drinking experience.  Misses the mark by just a bit.  I’m thinking that the age might have something to do with it.  The bottle says “Keep Refrigerated” which I did not heed.  Though it has been stored in my garage which hasn't been above 50 degrees.  Still, I’d love to have another fresh one to compare it to right now while its fresh in my mind.  I will have to find one and give it a taste before the weather warms up and I’m on to lighter beers for a while.

Breukelen Bier Merchants – Craft Beer Store or Bar or Both?

Brooklyn is a hot bed of craft beer activity.  Everyone has heard of the popular Brooklyn Brewery and the up and coming Six Point Brewery.  What many people are not aware of is that this borough has spawned several of the best beer stores and bars in the Tristate area.

Some of these establishments are actually both beer store AND bar.  They routinely get the highest ratings on beer web sites by beer geeks and novices alike.  Breukelen Bier Merchants in the Williamsburg section has created a craft beer lovers heaven.  I was there recently with a friend and we were able to experience, first hand, what all the buzz is about. 

When I walked into this beer “store” my first impression was: “this would be a cool place to hang out”.   The comfortable tables and furniture, along with the board games and picnic tables in the back, made me feel like staying for a while.   They boast a bottle inventory 500 beers strong; any of which can be opened right there and consumed in the store.  Heaven you say, wait there’s more.

I could also choose from 16 draught beers from all over the country.  I chose a hefe weisse from Uinta Brewing Company (pronounced "winta") in Salt Lake City, Utah.  It was light and lemony; perfect for a spring day.  If I was hungry, I could have indulged in a pressed sandwich or cheese plate, but I was there for the beer.

We spent some time talking to one of the owners who said that they will be celebrating their one year anniversary next week with three days of activities and events.  She said, “We have been really well received by the neighborhood and our second year should be even better as the craft beer movement grows”.

Before we left, I had to fill up a growler to go.  Boulder Buffalo Gold is brewed in Colorado and at 4.5% ABV is a fantastic session beer. No, I didn’t sit down and kill the whole 64 oz right there in the store; though I imagine I would have been allowed to.  I took it home and split it with my wife over dinner.  This beer has one of the sweetest finishes I’ve experienced.  It tastes like it’s made with honey though I haven’t confirmed that yet.

So if you find yourself in Brooklyn, or anywhere in the city for that matter, get your butt down to the Bier Merchants and experience a little slice of heaven in New York.