Portside Porter

Portside Porter, Big Bay Brewing Company, Shorewood, WI 

Introduced last year and bottled in 2012 for the first time. This porter is very smooth, clean, and nicely balanced. Dark brown pour. Nice chocolate, roasted coffee aroma. Taste has the same chocolate and coffee with a little bit of carbonation.

Slainte

Slainte, Central Waters Brewing Company, Amherst, WI 

Very dark brown pour. Smells of roasted malts and caramel. Taste of roasted males, dark chocolate, little smokiness, and a wee bit of scotch at the finish. Very smooth and creamy.

Sam Adams Thirteenth Hour Stout

Sam Adams Thirteenth Hour Stout, Boston Beer Company, Boston, MA
(Imperial Stout, Rated 94)

This specialty beer from Sam Adams' Barrel Room Collection pours pitch black with a nice tan head. Aroma is of roasted malts, a bit of chocolate, and sour fruits. Taste is definitely more tart fruits, dates, cherries, roasted coffee, and hints of chocolate and oak. For an imperial stout, I feel this has more characteristics of a barley wine. The dried, tart fruit and oak overpower the typical stout flavors.  It's a good beer though! I also like it when my beers come with corks. Kind of classy.

12 Beers of Christmas (Redux)

The very first themed beer list I have ever done is being done again. In 2010, I presented to you the 12 Beers of Christmas. Friends had asked me this year if I was going to do a holiday themed list again. In my travels, I had found a few Christmas/Holiday beers that I had not tried the first go around. Soon, I had the requisite number of Christmas beers (at least 12) to bring this list back.

12 Beers of Christmas (Redux)

Christmas Ale

Christmas Ale, Abita Brewing Company, Abita Springs, LA
(Amber Ale)

Many breweries change the recipes for their Christmas/Winter seasonals each year. The 2012 version of Abita's Christmas Ale is definitely different. Pours a nice, dark, reddish, brown. Aroma is of roasted nuttiness, nutmeg, and what smells like juniper. Taste isn't far off the aroma. Roasted malt and nuts, a hint of sweet caramel, and juniper hops. Very reminiscent of Abita's Jockamo IPA, which I am not a fan of.

Shiner Holiday Cheer

Shiner Holiday Cheer, Spoetzl Brewery, Shiner, TX
(Fruit Beer)

Pours a reddish, brown color, almost like wine and very clear. On first smell, I actually thought this was fruit juice. Huge sweet peach aroma. Taste was disappointing. Not nearly as much fruit coming through the flavor as in the aroma. Kind of bland. Too much fruit and not enough beer for me.

Ebenezer Ale

Ebenezer Ale, BridgePort Brewing, Portland, OR
(English Strong Ale)

Reddish amber pour. Not a lot to the aroma with some malt and spices. Taste is underwhelming. Some mild spices and caramel malt notes. Little bit of fruitiness. Hops come out in the finish. All in all, I felt this one Scrooged on the aroma and flavor.

Christmas Ale

Christmas Ale, Breckenridge Brewery, Denver, CO
(American Strong Ale)

Darker brown in color with a nice malty nose. Aroma has some caramel. Taste of sweet malts and caramel with a spicy bitter finish. So far I've been disappointed with my initial choices.

Winter Ale

Winter Ale, Weyerbacher Brewing Company, Easton, PA
(Brown Ale)

Dark brown pour with a quickly fading light brown head. Malty aroma with some brown sugar and floral notes. Taste is malty with a little caramel. Not a lot of flavor.

Our Special Ale 2012

Our Special Ale 2012, Anchor Brewing Company, San Francisco, CA
(Spice/Herb/Vegetable, Rated 95)

Nice dark burgundy pour. Aroma of spice and dark fruitiness. Taste of roasted nut, spices, and dark fruit, raisins. Very smooth and creamy.

Santa's Private Reserve

Santa's Private Reserve, Rogue Ales, Newport, OR
(Amber Ale, Rated 93)

Pours a nice amber color with a reddish tint and a cakey head. Floral hop aroma with a touch of sweet caramel and an earthy quality. Flavor starts off with hops and spice. The bitterness fades to a smooth malty, caramel finish. Excellent! Thanks for sharing, Santa!

2XMAS

2XMAS, Southern Tier Brewing Company, Lakewood, NY
(American Strong Ale, Rated 93)

Nice deep, reddish-amber pour. Spices are abundant in the aroma, with cinnamon, nutmeg, and others. Those same spices come through in the flavor along with a mild maltiness. The alcohol comes through in the finish, warming the throat. Excellent seasonal from Southern Tier!

Christmas Ale

Christmas Ale, Great Lakes Brewing Company, Cleveland, OH
(Spice/Herb/Vegetable, Rated 93)

This offering from Great Lakes Brewing Company has become a seasonal favorite of mine. Nice light, copper pour. Great aroma of spices with cinnamon at the forefront. Taste of sweet roasted malts, cinnamon and spices. Very well-balanced.

Christmas Ale

Christmas Ale, Goose Island Brewing Company, Chicago, IL
(American Brown Ale, Rated 93)

Brown pour with a thin, frothy head. Nice nutty aroma with hints of spices and raisin. Taste is a nice balance of toasted malts, dark fruit, and a welcomed hop bitterness that warms your throat. Nice big flavor.

Krampus

Krampus, Southern Tier Brewing Company, Lakewood, NY
(Strong Pale Lager/Imperial Pils, Rated 96)

Saving the big beers for last and Southern Tier does big beer well! This beauty pours a hazy copper color and has big aromas of citrus, pine, and caramel. Taste is much of the same...citrus hops, pine, caramel sweetness, bit of malt, and a nice bitterness to the finish. A definite Winter warmer at 9% abv. If this beer is what Krampus gives to those who are naughty, then I don't want to be nice.

Christmas Ale

Alpha Klaus, Three Floyds Brewing Company, Munster, IN
(Imperial/Strong Porter, Rated 100)

Only fitting that the 12th beer be a big imperial porter from Three Floyds. Extremely dark, black pour with a nice foamy, tan head. Aroma begins with sweet chocolate, coffee and roasted malts. The smell if very enticing. The taste contains flavors of sweet chocolate, dark espresso coffee, and roasted malts which all leave behind a slight hoppy bitterness normally found in an IPA. Very well balanced. Excellent hopped-up porter!

- - -

If you remembered the first 12 Beers of Christmas, as well as my other 12 Beers lists, you will remember that I never stopped at twelve. I have one more special holiday beer for you...

Frosted Frog Christmas Ale

Frosted Frog Christmas Ale, Hoppin Frog Brewery, Akron, OH
(Spice/Herb/Vegetable)

Nice dark, reddish-amber color. This one has the most amazing aroma of spices of the Christmas beers I've had this year...blends of cinnamon, ginger, and nutmeg. Reminds me of hot, apple cider. Strong gingerbread doughy flavor with cinnamon, nutmeg, and apples. Lots of spices in this one.

- - - 

The Christmas/Holiday beers, like pumpkin beers, are fun to try. Very interesting how each brewery has their own special take on the holiday beer. Some base their recipe on ambers, some brown ales, some use porter, many use fruits and spices. I've enjoyed trying them all and I do have a few favorites. Great Lakes Christmas Ale will definitely be an annual staple. Alpha Klaus is another because I love a good porter and Three Floyds is one of my favorite breweries. SO be adventurous and give some of these a try. Maybe you have holiday beer in your area that I can't get here. Regardless of where you are, I'm sure you'll find one you like. Cheers to you all!

Merry Christmas!

Hamms Beer Commercial - Vintage Black and White

Brewers Association’s Papazian and Pease, Schlafly’s Kopman call out ‘faux-crafts’ | BeerPulse

Brewers Association’s Papazian and Pease, Schlafly’s Kopman call out ‘faux-crafts’ | BeerPulse

Bully Porter

Bully Porter, Grays Brewing Company, Janesville, WI

Dark brown pour. Aroma of roasted coffee, malts, and chocolate. Taste is a nice mix of roasted coffee notes, sweet malts, with a hint of hops. Thin for a porter, but tasty.

Honey Ale

Honey Ale, Grays Brewing Company, Janesville, WI

Nice, refreshing offering from yet another Wisconsin brewery. This ale is brewed using locally harvested honey. Pours a very clear, honey-yellow color. The aroma has honey and faint hints of hops. Taste is a bit earthy and very little hops. Neutral flavor. A good beer for those scalding hot days in the sun, but nothing I would reach for regularly.

Hopfuzion

Hopfuzion, Sprecher Brewing Company, Glendale, WI

I bought a bottle of this after having it on tap at the brewery. I think it was better on tap. Such a different beer. Sprecher used their Special Amber Lager as a base and dry hopped it on a bed of Wisconsin Cascade hops. Clear, orange, amber pour. The aroma is strange. A little grassy and mushy fruit smell. Tastes exactly how you would think after the smell. Sweet malt and somewhat earthy and grassy. Not much flavor. Kind of bland.

Curmudgeon Old Ale

Curmudgeon Old Ale, Founders Brewing Company, Grand Rapids, MI

(Old Ale, Rated 98)

Red, amber in color. Sweet aroma with malts...boozy, almost a whiskey scent. Taste of caramel, malts, and definite alcohol. Heck, it's 9.8% abv. Tastes almost like a bourbon barrel aged beer or a barleywine. Finishes smooth. Great beer from Founders!

Silver Creek Porter

Porter, Silver Creek Brewery, Cedarburg, WI

(Baltic Porter, Rated 95)

I had a couple of these at Silver Creek Brewery. I've been really getting into porters lately. Must be the time of year as they are good Fall beers. Pitch black pour. Big rich aroma of chocolate, mocha, roasted malt, and sweet coffee. The taste is smooth, sweet coffee, and chocolate. Taste of raisin and some spices as well. Very good...very impressive.

The Grand Saison

The Grand Saison, Grand Teton Brewing Company, Victor, ID

(Saison, Rated 91)

Saisons are the original Summer beers. Yes, I know it's Winter here as I write this, but that doesn't make this beer taste different. This one pours a hazy, golden yellow with a soft frothy head. Aroma of tart apple, citrus, and sweetness. Taste is light malt, fruity, and spicy. Crisp, clean finish.

Squall IPA

Squall IPA, Dogfish Head Brewery, Milton, DE

(Imperial/Double IPA, Rated 99)

I had this one tucked away in my fridge for over a year. Thought tonight was a good night for it. This beauty pours a clear orange, rust color. Rich malty aroma with fruity hops. Taste is an intense blend of malts and hops that is earthy. There is citrus hops and orange in the flavor. The hops are abundant, but mellow for a 9% abv beer. An absolutely amazing beer!

Okauchie Scotchie

Okauchie Scotchie, Delafield Brewhaus, Delafield, WI

Another amazing beer from Delafield Brewhaus. A brown ale aged in bourbon whiskey barrels for one year. Deep red pour. Aroma is very fruity, raisin, brown sugar, with solid bourbon. The bourbon nearly overpowers the beer. Sweet taste with some roasted malts, cherries, and there is no hiding the bourbon.  A Winter warmer for sure!

Sweet Mullets Brewing Company

Sweet Mullets Brewing Company, Oconomowoc, WI

I finally made it to Sweet Mullets Brewing Company and sampled their nine current beers on tap. I was optimistic going and left a little unsatisfied. I will say that all of their beer was different, using different ingredients and different brewing methods. I just found that many of the beers seemed flat and watered down. I didn't find any one beer that stood out above all the others, thought the 505 Export Stout might have been my top choice with Toil 'N Trouble being the most bizarre.

501 American Red Ale (Amber Ale)

Nice red amber pour. Mild floral and citrus hop and sweet malt aroma. Malty taste with a bit of caramel.

505 Export Stout (Foreign Stout)

Pours black with a tan head. Nice buttery, caramel aroma. Flavor is strong espresso with chocolate hints on the back end.

Autumn Leaf (Specialty Grain)

Hazy yellow pour. Very grainy and Earthy. Smelled like fresh cut, wet grass. Earthy taste. Strange.

Eleven (IPA)

Advertised as a Belgian IPA. Poured hazy golden color. Smelled of fruity hops and Belgian yeast. Had that expected citrus aroma. Taste is spicy with a sweet finish and mildly hoppy. 

M.E.C.O. (German Hefeweizen)

Clear yellow pour. Sweet grainy aroma with some fruit. Taste was mildly spicy with characteristic banana notes. 

Rye Bob (Specialty Grain)

Hazy amber pour. Grainy, rye aroma. Taste is sweet malts and mild hops with citrus undertones.

Steinbier (Vienna)

Brown-amber pour. Sweet, dried fruit aroma with some caramel. Sweet caramel and toasted malt flavor.

The Captain Pre-Pro American Pilsner (Pilsner)

Pale yellow in color. Sweet aroma. Bland and watery taste. Not a fan of pilsners.

Toil 'N Trouble (Sour Ale/Wild Ale)

This one was the most interesting of the nine. Pale yellow pour with a white head. The aroma was sweet, but different. One of those odd smells that isn't bad, but different enough that you want to keep smelling it. Taste was opposite of the aroma...sour up front with a residual fruity sweetness at the end. 

Tramp Stamp

Tramp Stamp, Clown Shoes Beer, Ipswich, MA
(IPA, Rated 96)

Another impressive beer from Clown Shoes. This Belgian style IPA pours a clear, dark, golden color and has an aroma that is both a little sweet and citrus. Taste starts with citrus hops that fade to flavorful yeast and malt. Can taste a little orange peel. Very clean and balanced. Excellent beer!

Hoppy Feet Black IPA

Hoppy Feet Black IPA, Clown Shoes Beer, Ipswich, MA

(Black IPA, Rated 95)

Nice dark pour as expected from a black IPA. Slightly roasted aroma with just a bit of citrus. Taste is pretty much all hops with some residual roasted malts. Lots of of hop bitterness.

Black Friday Imperial India-Style Black Ale

Black Friday Imperial India-Style Black Ale, Lakefront Brewery, Milwaukee, WI

The only line I stood in this Black Friday was the one at Lakefront Brewery, where this Milwaukee craft brewery released a one-day only Black Friday ale. The pour is dark, a little heavy, and leaves a nice light, foamy head. Aroma has dark roasted malts and citrus, almost tropical hops. Well balanced taste of the rich dark roasted malts and the hops. Not overly bitter. Very smooth for an imperial IPA. If it weren't for the fact that this beer was only available on Black Friday, I could make this a daily drinker. Bravo Lakefront!

Milk Stout Nitro

Milk Stout Nitro, Left Hand Brewing Company, Longmont, CO

(Sweet Stout, Rated 96)

Left Hand Brewing Company is the first U.S. craft brewery to bottle a nitro beer. Guinness was the first. To make this possible, Left Hand inserted a "widget" of some kind into the bottles that would add CO2 and nitrogen gases once the bottle was opened. The result is an extremely, creamy smooth sweet stout that flows like melted butter through your mouth, well maybe not as thick as butter. Nice smoky, coffee aroma. Taste is sweet, malty, with caramel and coffee. Not as sweet as some sweet stouts though. Very smooth and balanced.

Sierra Nevada Porter

Porter, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Chico, CA

(Porter, Rated 96)

A really good porter, this one pours dark with a creamy head that fades quickly. You can smell the roasted malts and coffee right away. Sweet tasting in the beginning with a smooth finish.

Not only did I have this one on Thanksgiving Day, I cooked my dinner with it. I used this porter to bake my turkey legs and also cooked brussels sprouts with it.  Very, very tasty!

Happy Thanksgiving Everyone!!

Louie's Resurrection

Louie's Resurrection, Milwaukee Brewing Company, Milwaukee, WI

So how do you make my favorite beer from Milwaukee Brewing Company, Louie's Demise, better? You age it for 2 months in bourbon barrels! Even more excited that they decided to bottle this gem for the first time in 2012. Pours a nice reddish, amber color. Sweet aromas of fruit, vanilla, and malts. Excellent well-balanced tastes of sweet vanilla, caramel, and bourbon notes. Very smooth!

Burning Hamster Double IPA

Burning Hamster Double IPA, Milwaukee Ale House, Milwaukee, WI

With a name like Burning Hamster, I had to try this beer. It made me think of Monty Python. You really have to love the creative names craft breweries come up with! This double IPA is full of hops in the aroma. Very citrus and floral. The taste of hops and malts are very balanced. Lots of flavor. A very smooth beer for 8% abv.

Eau Bénite

Eau Bénite, Unibroue, Chambly, Canada

(Abbey Tripel, Rated 91)

Unibroue is one of the best things to come out of Canada. They make some incredible beer. This abbey tripel pours a hazy, golden yellow with a nice fluffy head. Light fruity, banana and some spices. Taste is full of flavors from floral to fruity with a citrus finish. Excellent!

Bourbon Barrel Doppelbock

Bourbon Barrel Doppelbock, Hinterland Brewery, Green Bay, WI

I have been looking forward to trying this barrel aged beer. The only problem was the hard, thick, wax that covered the bottle. It took a bit of chipping and finesse to be able to open this beer without breaking the glass. It was worth it. Nice dark, reddish color. Sweet malty aroma with a bourbon following. Taste follows the aroma...sweet, malty, with a very mild bourbon finish. Very drinkable, but nothing too special. I was expecting more from this one.

Hop Heathen Imperial Black Ale

Hop Heathen Imperial Black Ale, Hoppin Frog Brewery, Akron, OH

(Black IPA, Rated 99)

Nice dark pour with sweet roasted malt and chocolate aroma. Taste is like blending the dark roasted malt and chocolaty characteristics of a stout with the hop spices of an IPA. Taste a little pepper in there too.  Very delicious!

Un*Earthly

Un*Earthly, Southern Tier Brewing Company, Lakewood, NY

(Imperial/Double IPA, Rated 99)

My love for a great india pale ale is not a secret, but give me an oak-aged imperial IPA and I'm in heaven! Southern Tier has several great beers in it's portfolio. Un*Earthly is among them. Pours a clear orange-amber color. Huge aromas of sweet malts and citrus...grapefruit, lemon. Amazing hop-filled taste of orange, citrus, and malted sweetness, and a slight spicy finish and 9.5% abv.

Celebration Ale 2012

Celebration Ale 2012, Sierra Nevada Brewing Company, Chico, CA

(IPA, Rated 98)

Let's Celebrate!  Sierra Nevada delivers it's annual Celebration Ale for 2012. A fantastic fresh hopped india pale ale that pours a nice reddish amber color and boasts an aroma filled with citrus hops and malts. Taste has citrus flavors and spicy hops. A really, really, really great beer!

Unchained Series 11 Old 152 Kentucky Common

Unchained Series 11 Old 152 Kentucky Common, Summit Brewing Company, St. Paul, MN

Nice dark amber color with an earthy, grain, hop aroma. Flavor is bread, rye, little malty, and a nice mild hop finish. A great beer!

Sasquash Pumpkin Porter

Sasquash Pumpkin Porter, Milwaukee Brewing Company, Milwaukee, WI

Nice dark pour. The aroma was of roasted pumpkin, sweet potato, and spices. I thought the taste was well balanced. Taste was of roasted malts, pumpkin, nutmeg, and other spices. Very drinkable.

Witch Hunt Spiced Harvest Ale

Witch Hunt Spiced Harvest Ale, BridgePort Brewing, Portland, OR

Dark amber in color with faint aroma of cinnamon and spices. The spices are very subdued, almost nonexistent. This beer has a dry hopped characteristic. Bland, nearly tasteless finish.

BridgePort IPA

BridgePort IPA, BridgePort Brewing, Portland, OR

(IPA, Rated 93)

Golden pour with an aroma typical of an india pale ale...slightly floral and definitely citrus. Mild hoppiness and a little bready. Nothing extra ordinary, just a very good easy-drinking IPA.

Kingpin Double Red Ale

Kingpin Double Red Ale, BridgePort Brewing, Portland, OR

This one is a bit of a surprise. Pours a light red amber color. Sweet, fruity, grassy aroma. Taste is sweet toffee, fruity, with very mild citrus hop notes and subtle malts. Very mellow and easy drinking.

Thumbprint Series Enigma

Thumbprint Series Enigma, New Glarus Brewing Company, New Glarus, WI

(Sour Ale/Wild Ale, Rated 99)

New Glarus' Thumbprint Series has produced some fine beer. This sour ale is among them. Pour s reddish amber, almost like cranberry juice. Brewed with malted barley and cherries. The aroma is of tart cherries. The taste is also tart cherry with subtle sweetness and very clean. The sourness isn't overwhelming either.

Jolly Pumpkin Bam Biere

Jolly Pumpkin Bam Biere, Jolly Pumpkin Artisan Ales, Dexter, MI

(Saison, Rated 97)

Cloudy golden pour with a thick white head and sour aroma. Taste is complex sourness that tart in the beginning and tart at the finish. Don't get me wrong, the sourness isn't overwhelming. It's smooth. If you are a fan of sour beers, try this one.

Autumnation

Autumnation, Sixpoint Brewery, Brooklyn, NY

Sixpoint's first seasonal brew. Pours an amber, copper color. Aroma combines roasted pumpkin and hops. I had this both from the tap at Sugar Maple, one of my favorite craft beer destinations, as well as from a can, and, as a fellow beer lover pointed out, you can taste more of the pumpkin from the barrel than the can. Has a nice roasted malt finish that isn't dry. As with most of Sixpoint's beer, this one is different, but really good!

Old Foghorn Ale

Old Foghorn Ale, Anchor Brewing Company, San Francisco, CA

(Barley Wine, Rated 99)

I love barley wine beer. Rich, fruity, caramel aromas. Fruity tart taste with raisins. Not overly bitter. Long finish making the flavors last.

Bourbon County Brand Stout

Bourbon County Brand Stout, Goose Island Beer Company, Chicago, IL

Amazing beer! I first had this one on tap at a bar in downtown Milwaukee and was excited to hear they were bottling and releasing a limited quantity. Bourbon barreled beer is pretty awesome most of the time. This one is a really good example from one of my favorite breweries. The bourbon does overpower the beer a little, but I can get past that. Great sweet chocolate and coffee and bourbon aroma. The same sweetness comes through in the taste, followed by the warming of the bourbon. 15% abv.

Righteous Ale

Righteous Ale, Sixpoint Brewery, Brooklyn, NY

(Specialty Grain, Rated 94)

Sixpoint has quickly become one of my favorite breweries and all of their beer comes in cans too. Spicy rye and piney aroma. Roasted rye and citrus hop flavor with some sweet malt. The hops seem so fresh. Great beer!