Wednesday, September 28, 2016

Oh my god , they Kilkenny... My favourite Cream Ale



This is one of my favorite beers, mainly because it is so readily available(year round) and very affordable. It is a lovely change from all the "Tripel" and pale ales that so many stores are ready to recommend.


Now to the beer: 


I prefer the can, simply because it chills faster for me and pours smoothly, with a small cascading effect into the 50cl glass I use. The color is a nice copper red, and you get just enough head so that you don't have to wait to drink it. The taste itself is quite "caramelized" , with no hints of hops. The smell is "malty", and the carbonation is hardly noticeable, which makes this beer somewhat unique considering it is  nitrogenated.


The beer is very low in alcohol and makes for a pleasant and light starter, especially  if you plan on doing more drinking later in the evening.  No bias here, but this beer gets the four pint rating, simply because it is drinkable all year long. 


















Price: 2,50€













"When we drink, we get drunk. When we get drunk, we fall asleep. When we fall asleep, we commit no sin. When we commit no sin, we go to Heaven."

Wednesday, September 21, 2016

Just a small update folks



I recently started a new job as a teacher at an engineering school in Paris. I have not had a lot of time to write anything , let alone drink a beer and review it. I will, however, be doing one next weekend, so stay tuned!




Tuesday, August 16, 2016

Iki Beer with Green Tea and Yuzu- a Belgian brewed, Japanese luxury surprise.





So, when I think of Japanese beers, I know a couple of well-known brews , such as Asahi, and Kirin Ichiban. Both of the aforementioned beers are pretty damned good, so when I saw this one, I wasn't expecting anything near what I experienced. The bottle is stylish as heck, and after opening, you are greeted by a very small  head, and light-yellowed effervescence . You can immediately notice the redolence of citrus, grass, and even a bit of "tea", and that is because this beer is infused with the aforementioned ingredients(green tea and a citrus fruit called "Yuzu"), and the taste is very light and refreshing. After I was half-way done, the flavors seemed to meld together perfectly and it wasn't too much, nor did it overwhelm the palate.

This beer is one of the better ones I have tried this year, and I highly recommend it as a precursor to any white meats, fish, sushi, etc. for the best combination. You could drink it without an accompanying meal, but I don't know that the experience would be as enjoyable.



Fun fact- this brew is actually made by a Belgian brewery called "De Proefbrouwerij", and they are known for brewing pale/dark ales. This beer appears to be an experiment for them, and it is a damned successful one in my opinion.














Price: 2,50€






Rating:




Thursday, July 28, 2016

Lapin Kulta- Ei tippa tapa eikä ämpäriin huku





This is my first Finnish beer. While it was a tad expensive for the size-I spent almost four euros for a 33cl bottle-I can't really complain as the beer, for me ,was a fresh surprise. The head was very small, the taste didn't overwhelm the palate(very sweet , honey mixed with a "malty" taste), odours were very common, quite redolent of Heineken and a typical Belgian Lambic( somewhat fruity and grainy all at once), and the color was a nice golden yellow.


It's a decent beer for Summer barbecues and chilling, but not for the price. Unless I am in Finland and can get the beer at local price, this was my first and last one.













Price: 4


Rating:







Fun Facts:
Lapin Kulta (in English, Gold of Lapland, arguably Lapp Gold) was a brewery in the Lapland town of Tornio, Finland. It was founded in 1873 under the name Torneå Bryggeri Aktiebolag (Tornio Brewery Limited Company in Swedish).

Monday, July 11, 2016

La Montreuilloise Blanche- un chef-d'œuvre organique( An organic masterpiece)



Whenever I hear the words "organic" and "beer"mentioned in the same breath, I usually run the other way. I'm not sure how much more organic a beer needs to be , at least in regards to how organic most beer already is(at least here in Europe, save of course for cheap water in cans that passes for beer, Budweiser and Coors, *cough*) . However, I had recently been presented with this beer at our last BBQ by a friend, and was expecting to be underwhelmed. Boy was I wrong!

I won't dive into why I dislike "organic" foods, let alone the labels, but this beer was truly a surprise. Upon opening the bottle, I was immediately overtaken by the smell of yeast(the cloudy pour with various particles, easily visible, prepared me for such) and a different tasting variety of hops(not sure where they came from, but they tasted slightly bitter sweet, almost "pickley" ). It had a lively, slightly fruity taste, with a mix of citrus and light floral notes, and was so smooth that, thanks to the mixture of heat, heavy eating , and the excellent taste of this beer, I was able to quaff a 75cl bottle in under ten minutes ,with the help of my brother in law of course.  I'm still wary of organic, but this brew is definitely worth a try.







Price:  €3,50


Rating:  

Monday, June 13, 2016

3 Monts Flanders Golden Ale: Une véritable bière ( A real beer)



The first thing that stands out about this Belgian style beer is the  ABV of 8.50%. I say this, as this is usually off-putting to me in regards to beer.  I like to keep it around 6-7% max so that the alcohol doesn't mask whatever flavor the beer may have. This is not the case here. The beer pours a nice golden yellow with a pinky finger nail sized head, plenty of small bubbles, and a nice misty after fizz. Upon taking your first taste, your nose is greeted by an aroma of anise, cloves, and yeast. The taste is somewhat fruity and bitter at the same time, with accents of lemon, pineapple, pear, and maybe even white grapes. This beer is definitively better with a big meal, as again, the abv is surprisingly well-hidden. Definitely a tasty Bière de Garde worth a try.



                                                 






Price: 2,65 €  for a 75CL bottle




Rating: 












Interesting fact: The name of the beer refers to three hills in Flanders, Mont Noir in Belgium and Mont Cassel & Mont des Cats both on the French side of the border.

Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Liquid gold : Marks & Spencer Sussex Golden Ale

This is a wonderful, low ABV(3.8%) golden ale marketed as a traditional Sussex bitter. The beer pours a light-golden color with a 90 second lasting quarter-inch head. Plenty of yeast sediments can be seen on the bottom( a good thing in my opinion), and the aroma is quite "grassy", with hints of floral, lime, and malt. The taste is a nice mix of grapefruit, light orange , and minimally sweet leaving a perfect "bitter" aftertaste in the mouth.  This is one of my favorite beers from M&S's, though it is a bit on the expensive side.







Price: £2.29 per bottle(about €3,49)



Rating: 

Tuesday, May 24, 2016

Downing The Black : Guinness West Indies Porter review


I love Guinness , and I was happy to see a couple new offerings from St. James’s Gate, in particularly  this one. Off the bat, the abv is a bit higher than the average Guinness, but not at all off putting at 6.00%.  It pours the typical black that one would expect with a small lasting tan head. Upon tasting, you are greeted with roasted malt, caramel, and even a bit of coffee. The aroma is a bit "chocolatey", if I may say, and there is little to no carbonation present. You are left with a bit of a watery, bitter taste after each drink, and overall, one was enough for me.   Not bad at all, but I think I will stick with the Draught  from now on.



Fun fact: Looking to drink beer while on a diet? A pint of the good stuff contains only 198 calories. That’s less than most light beers, wine, orange juice or even low fat

                               



                              




Price: £2 or €2.59(note: I got mine on sale from the local market for about 1.69)



Rating: 



Saturday, May 14, 2016

Black Isle Organic Red Kite - The Scottish brew that won't get you "guttered "

When I think of Scotland, I usually think of kilts, Nessie, scotch and bagpipes. I was surprised to find they have a really great selection of ale as well. Though not my first Scottish beer, this one is my first to be reviewed.  A quick thanks to my buddy Cedric for introducing me to it.


The label says it all,, and I was curious to see what an "organic" beer tastes like. The first thing I noticed after opening this one was the smell of spices, herbs, butterscotch, and caramel. The beer poured a reddish-brown colour and had a creamy head.  The taste was very "malty", and it was somewhat medium- bitter with a nutty after-taste.  I really enjoyed this beer and wish it was easier to come by here in France. I'd suggest trying it at least once. Overall, not too shabby for a red ale.



Fun fact: In Scotland, there is evidence that some sort of fermented beverages were being "brewed" possibly as early as the mid- to late-4th millennium BC as is evidenced in archaeological findings from sites such as at Balfarg/Balbirnie complex in Fife and at Kinloch on the Isle of Rhum. These "beers" were likely little more than a cereal-based porridge with the addition of flavorings such as meadowsweet.





Rating: 



Price: £2.39/ €3.03

Sunday, May 8, 2016

American IPA from my home state of California: Anchor Liberty Ale(aka the first modern American single-hop and dry-hopped ale)



One thing I do miss about my home state are all the good APAs/IPAs . I was happy to see a local store out here in France had this one in stock, as I had never  tried it before. Upon opening, the bottle let out a flurry of various aromas  that included grapefruit, vanilla, orange-peels, and even a bit of a floral smell.  The carbonation was akin to that of champagne,-small bubbles that continued fizzing until the end,  and the taste was delicious.

It had that typical bitterness that usually accompanies traditional IPAs without being too much.  The abv was perfect at around 6 percent, so you aren't overwhelmed by the alcohol content, and you can enjoy a few and still be able to play table tennis on a nice day like we have been having out here. All said and done, this beer really set the standard for me for any future APA  I might try, and yes, I would definitely recommend it to anyone who loves pale ales.




Fun fact:
"Liberty Ale® was first brewed to celebrate the bicentennial of Paul Revere’s historic ride. As the first modern American IPA brewed after prohibition and the first modern American single-hop ale and dry-hopped ale, Anchor’s Liberty Ale® is the original craft brewed ale and the historic beer that started a revolution."







Rating: 


Price: € 2,47

Thursday, May 5, 2016

Pelforth Radler: La bière parfait pendant l’Été



When it comes to  Radler/Shandy type drinks, I'm usually not a big fan. However, this offering from Pelforth, a subsidiary of Heineken, hits the spot. The spring is bringing with it plenty of sun, and so darker beers just won't do for now. Upon opening this can and pouring, I was immediately hit with a light and very spritzy carbonation, hints of lemon and malty citrus. The beer is very "fruity" in taste, has a light head and pours a very clouded yellow. It is very refreshing and one or two should hit the spot. This is a must try, especially with the days becoming hotter and hotter, and this beer should please anyone who likes beer.



Fun fact: Pelforth is a French brewery founded in 1914 in Mons-en-Barœul by three Lillois brewers. It was originally called Pelican, after a dance popular at the time. Production was stopped during World War II, restarting in 1950. The brewery name was changed in 1972 to Pelforth. It was bought by Français de Brasserie in 1986, which was acquired by Heineken International in 1988.








Rating: 


Price: 1,68 €

Friday, April 29, 2016

Bier (das) a.k.a The Münchner Hell from Paulaner



My first ever experience with the beer I've chosen for this review was at a German market back in California, the Paulaner Hefe-Weissbier. I loved how smooth it was, how little carbonation it had , and how a slice of orange or lemon made it such a refreshing treat for those hot summer days. So, of course I was surprised to know that they had other beers, which brings me to this review of Paulaner Muenchner-Hell.

This beer is marketed as a lager, and right off the bat you'll notice it has just enough carbonation, a nice golden blond colour, and just enough head to not be too bothersome while pouring . There are definitely noticeable hints of grains, stone fruit and just enough sweetness to bring you back for seconds and even thirds(only an abv of: 4.9%). Overall, I'd really recommend this one if you are a fan of the aforementioned Hefe-Weissbier and want to venture into familiar territory.



Fun fact: Paulaner is a German brewery, established in the early 17th century in Munich by the Minim friars of the Neudeck ob der Au cloister. The mendicant order and the brewery are named after Francis of Paola, the founder of the order. Paulaner is one of six breweries who provide for Oktoberfest.

















Rating:




Price: £2.35